davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04

out great possibilities to flow from the new tariff board, but the country knows full we'll that Aldrich, Hale & Go. make tariffs, not tariff boards.
 There is trouble brewing for Mr. Taft in the middle west, for the Kan sas City Star, a republican paper. says:
 The President may have other things to say. but in the great west the people will not care especially for his discussion of other matters; they will want to hear about the tariff. They will want to hear from the Pres ident himself what he thinks of the kind of revision that was made, con- trary to the Chicago platform, contra ry to the expressed hopes and pur- poses of the President. They will want to hear from him what his plans for further revision are.
 These western people, these west ern republicans, have made up their minds about something. They have made up their minds that they are not going to be ruled by New England and for New England. They are de- termined that the republican partys legislative policies shall not continue to be dictated by an emissary of the special interests hailing from the smallest anl least productive state in the union. They are in this fight to make war, not to make a noise."
 It is plain, therefore, that the insur- gents in the middle west cannot be pacified by meaningless promises, and the President will perhaps ascertain the situation before he butts into it. No doubt he will make much of the corporation tax and the provision for permanent tariff commission, but nei- ther is an offset for the onerous taxes that privilege has put upon the ulti- mate consumer in the Payne bill.
 All that the President can do to sat isfy the deep discomfort that exists in the country over the tariff bill is to make promises and to hold out possi- bilities of revision in the future; but promises and future possibilities will not be apt to stay the voting hand of the consumer who is not able to make both ends meet.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Increasing Movement of Freight Cars

The number of freight cars at work exceeds by s6,OOO the number that was in use one month ago. Idle freight cars that had been rusting on switches are dragged out, oiled up and put at work to carry the increasing tide of traffic.
 There are still some idle cars, but none of the great crops are as yet fully ready to be moved The crops of corn, cotton, wheat and oats are in the aggregate and as one whole un- precedented in volume, and when all four begin to knock at the doors of the railroads the sidings will contain no idle cars.
 Railroad experts do notahesitate to predict freight car shortage this win ter, due chiefly to the fact that for two years the railroads have had idle cars on their sidings and have not for that reason increased their equipment. Or
 
 ders for new locomotives and freight cars have recently been placed, but comparatively few of these will be ready for use this winter. And an- other fact should be taken into con- sideration-some of the locomotives and some of the cars that have been idle are not and cannot readily be put in condition for use again. They have rusted until they must be rebuilt in order to become useful. Not a few of them will be sent to the scrap heap. The recall of freight cars from sid ings is an excellent precursor of trade activity. When the railroads are again full of moving goods, then indeed we may know that the people are placing orders and that the industries are striving to fill those orders. This is what makes good times. Idle cars, on the other hand, mean dullness and in- activity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
pelIaQra In Birmingham

The discovery of four cases of pei lagra in this district gives the disease an interest it would not have were it far away.
 The malady is not fully understood, and physicians disagree over treat ment of it. It is supposed to be a dis ease of deficient nutrition, or poverty, in other words. It is attended with the scaling of the skin on the hands and neck, and possibly feet, and by a starved and emaciated condition. It is not necessarily fatal nor is it consid- cred contagious. Whole communities in Italy, France and Spain have, how ever, felt it, and the physicians are agreed that it needs close attention in this country.
 It has occurred in the corn belt at South Bartonville, H., where 100 cases have been reported, but if the eating of corn, sound or unsound, has any relation to the disease the physicians do not know it. In Italy it has in some years been distressingly fatal. In 1887 no fewer than 36SS deaths were attrib- uted to it. When it goes on unchecked and uncontrolled it leads to insanity and the very depths of wretchedness.
 The disease is receiving scientific attention, and its nature and dangers will no doubt soon be made known. At present it is a mystery to the pro fession and the dictionary definition is as good as any-"An endemic disease, particularly noticed among the Milan csc, which consists in the skin being covered with tubercles and rough scales, and in debility, vertigo, epilep- sy and great depression of spirits"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04

tendency. It was the tendency that hurt. It was the tendency of Alaba- ! mas Governor and of Alabama's legis- lature to jump on capital-to harass
 the big money lenders, just as if out side money, and heap of it, were not needed to develop the states great re- source. MT Dearborn rang the
 changes on his phrase, the tendency" Everybody present caught the idea and all agreed that Dearborn had made a hit The Governor considered the request for an elimination of that part of the law affecting foreign loans and reluctantly assented. The tax was taken off and the result was as happy and helpful to the states material in- terests as business men had promised.
 Regarding this amendment proposi- tion, the tendency is the thing. De- feat the amendment and Alabama will immediately raise herself in the esti- nation of the world, albeit prohibition in the constitution would help the cause of prohibition not at all. Ala bama is now pointed to by business men and capitalists in the north, east and west as a commonwealth afflicted with ill-considered legislation and as one all unsettled by reform hysteria. Let's vote down the amendment propo- sition and thereby demonstrate to the world what Alabama can do in a crisis when the old guard takes a hand
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04

London, September 3.-Sir Robert Ball, former astronomer of the Royal observatory, now professor of astron- omy at Cambridge university, and one of the enost distinguished British scien- lists, has written She following state ment on what the discovery of the north pole exactly means:
 1.-TWO questions being asked all over the civilized world today are: First why does anyone want to go to the north pole? Second, how does he know when he's there?'
 ITO answer the second question first the mariner who finds his latitude in the northern hemisphere to be 90 de- grees knows he can be nowhere else than at the north pole. The astrono- mer will tell you that to anyone stand ing at the north pole, the sun rises and sets only once year-six months day light; six months night, mitigated only by a little twilight at the beginning and end of a period of awful gloom, broken by occasional moonlight or aurora.
 "The pole is truly a unique spot on the globe. Cook, standing there, faced due south. Whichever way he looked he was more than 20 miles nearer the cen ter of the earth than if he stood at the equator. His weight was greater than anywhere else on the surface of the globe. A plumb line in his hand would point vertically upward to the pole of the heavens around which all stars revolve. Half of the stars he could never see, the other half never went below his horizon and would have been visible throughout the six months of night. The famous constella- tion Orion ever circled around and around his horizon. The Polar star stood directly over his head.
 The gain to knowledge from Dr. Cooks discovery is inestimable. There Is much to learn of tides, currents and the ocean,"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
The Iron Market.

The pig iron market grows stronger and stronger. There is a good, healthy de- mand and the price is S14 on No. basis.
 Matthew Addy & Co.'S Cincinnati re- port says: Pig iron is coming to it's own again with a rush. Increase in consump- ton from month to month is little short of marvellous. Consumption means real business-it means that iron is being turned into finished shapes of all kinds in response to actual needs. The whole trade Is full of life and the prospects for a long continued season of activity are exceedingly good. For two years the country has been using less iron and steel than 1t needed. It has been scraping along on less than a minimum and now it has to make up for back time. Tho case of one great manufacturing concern of which we have knowledge illustrates the present state of affairs. In the year of 1908 It's business was 15 per cent of it's normal output. And yet this concern produces an industrial necessity. Today it Is running 9S per cent full time, and as soon as it can adjust its force to the new  is already falling behind on orders. This Is representative of what is happening all over the country.
 This week there has been a steady demand for iron and excellent sales. Steel irons have been in exceptional demand and the available supply for any reason able delivery Is short Foundry irons have been selling freely and the fears so lately expressed that the furnace ca- pacity of the country was too great are seen to be altogether groundless. Prices are still moving upwards, this week having seen an advance all around of at least 50 cents per ton.
 Tn coke there Is much excitement. The railroads are not handling shipments promptly and delays are causing all kinds of trouble. In this respect matters will probably grow worse as railroad facilities in busy times are not up to the manufac- turing needs of the greater part of the United States
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
New Alignment on the Income Tax

In Maryland the republican state convention adopted resolution favor ing ratification of the income tax amendment, while the democratic state convention ignored the subject. Under such circumstances the vote for an income tax should be unanimous in Maryland, because the democrats are committed to it by their last national platform and the republicans by their last state platform.
 In New York and New Jersey no state conventions are to be held this year, but candidates for the legislature arc freely questioned as to how they stand on the issue. In New York two democratic conferences are soon to be held, the one at Albany and the other at Saratoga, and the action of the two conferences on this question will be watched with interest.
 The issue is broad one and the en- tire country will become interested in the outcome. The section or party that votes against the proposition will have to make answer in 1912, when the sub- ject will be reviewed and perhaps finally determined
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Chief Topic in London.

London, September 3.--Dr- Cooks story of his discovery of the north pole con tinued to be the chief topic of discussion in London today. The press, the public, scientists and publicists are still inclined to believe the authenticity of Dr. Cooks narrative but they prefer to suspend final Judgment until the scientific details of the journey are available.
 It is pointed out that no scientist or arctic explorer has found anything im- possible in the claims made by Dr. Cook up to the present time and the explorers high reputation as a scientist and traveller leads the majority to believe that he is not the least likely to attempt to mis- lead the world. The Pall Mall Gazette, referring to the tendency in some quar- ters to take dubious view of the achieve ment on account of the peculiar character of the doctor, says:
 Readers of Dr. Cooks book about his ascent of Mount Mckinley will recog nize the author in every feature of this narrative. He wanted space. He made use of glorified commonplaces about his feelings on the summit of Mount Me- Kinley much as he does now with the purple snows of the pole around him. when he indulges in purple inf1ections,' disappearance of time and the points of the compass at the pole The fact that Dr. Cook has written once more in his own style gives no reason to suppose that he did not reach the highest latitude on earth. It merely remains for him to prove it."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
-----s.------- CHAMBERED NAUTILUS.

By Oliver Wendell Holmes. This Is the ship of pearl which, poets
 fegn, Sails the unshadowed main The venturous bark that fiings On the sweet summer wind it's purple
 wings In gults enchanted, where the Siren And coral reefs lie bare Where the cold sea-maids rise to sun
 their streaming hair. l., webs of living gauge no moro unfurl; Wrecked is the ship of pearl! And every chambered cell Where its dim, dreaming life was wont to As the frail tenant shaped his growing
 shell Before thee lies revealed It's irised ceiling rent. its sunless crypt
 unsealed! Thanks for the heavenly message brought
 by thee, Child of the wandering sea, Cast from her lap, forlorn! From thy dead lips a clearer note IS Than svsr Triton blew from wreathed
 born! While on mine ear 1t rings Through the doep caves or thought near
 A voice that sings Build thee more stately mansions. my
 soul, As the swift seasons roll! Leave thy low-vaulted Past, Let each new temple, nobler than the
 last, Shut thee from heaven with dome more
 vast, Till thou at length art free, Leaving thine outgrown shell by Ife'o
 unrestinG sea
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Cooks Plan iberate.

Prescott, Ariz.. September 3.-In con tradiction of the opinion frequently expressed abroad that Dr. Frederick A. Cooks dash to the north pole was off, hand and haphazard, M. G. CunnieH. former editor of Worlds Work, who Is on a visit here. declares that the ex- plorer deliberately planned to make it a one man attempt. He said:
 "I recall several conversations I had with him and Anthony Fiala just be- fore he left on the expedition. Fiala declared that no party of any size could hope to reach it. Cook agreed with him and said that his plan was to start from a base of supplies with g small crew of seasoned Esquimos, prog ress to a point within 200 miles of the pole, cache provisions and then with but one companion and the pick of the dog pack, make the final dash"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Secretary to the President.

T notice that the papers frequently re- fer to Fred Carpenter as President Tafts private secretary" said former federal office holder who lived for several years in Washington '+There is no such title in the executive office as private secretary. It was the title in past years but during MT. Cleveland's second administration, while Mir H. T. Thurber of Detroit was private secretary, on the Presidents recommendation the title was changed to secretary to the President. Up to that time the salary was sS25O year. but when the word private was dropped the salary was raised to s5000.
 Until MT. Cleveland entered the White House as President, in 1885, the private secretary had little prominence, but be- ginning with the late Dan Lamont that functionary became only second in inn portance to a cabinet officer. Since that time all the White House secretaries have been greatly in evidence"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Cool and parina Explorer.

Berlin. September a.-Dr. zieglin. pro- lessor of geography of Berlin university, said today that the character of Dr. Cook and his entire career led him to believe the American had reached the pole If he made the assertion Dr. Zieg- lin knows Dr. Cook as an energetic, cool and daring explorer who in the past has overcome every difficulty between him self and his claims.
 "One must accept in principle the state nent that pr. Cook has reached the pole,'' the professor continued, but there cer- tainly is ground to doubt the correctness of some of the published details of his experiences. So experienced an explorer as Dr. Cook would hardly choose the unfavorable months of March and April for his dash.
 ''The geographical world is in an atti- tude of some skepticism toward reputed discoveries and we must await the arrival of Dr. Cook with his proofs. pr. Cook seems to have been actuated by high sporting spirit as well as desire for sci- entifc knowledge"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
The Tendency Is the Thing

The conference to be held in Mont gomery September IS for the purpose of protesting against the proposed amendment to the constitution of Ala bama to insert prohibition in the or ganic law will be attended by scores of men distinguished for poise, patriot ism, courage and capacity for leader ship. Signing the call for this confer ence are many of the "old guard''- men who have performed splendid ser vice for the people of this state when liberty was threatened and this fact alone assures wise, frank and fearless action. It is hoped that every county will send delegation to Montgomery.
 It has been shown that should the amendment proposition be carried at the polls and prohibition be inserted in the constitution, it would not be operative without legislation, and would not, therefore, shut off agitation. Tn other words, the constitutional amendment would not accomplish what it's advocates claim for 1t. But why organize a campaign to defeat the amendment If it's adoption would be practically of no avail? ask prohibit tionists. There are many answers to this question. The Age-Herald has al- ready given some of the reasons why prohibition should not be voted into the organic law, and from time 1t will present others. Just now 1t would en- phasize this one idea: By defeating tho prohibition amendment at the polls Alabama will show the world that the tendency of her people Is once again on the side of conserva- | tism and against radicalism; on | the side of broad statesmanship and against narrow politics; on the side of progress and against expe- riments that have failed signally in other states. In ordinary English the l word tendency" may not convey a positive notion. In it's simple defini- tion it Is not particularly strong. But in public policies and in statecraft ten dency means great deal.
 Among the policies of Governor Co- mer's administration was one seeking to put tax on foreign loans. The legislature at the regular session in 1907 incorporated in its revenue bill a provision carrying out that policy. It was a very small tax, but the large foreign loan companies doing business in Alabama made it plain that the tax was objectionable to them by declin- ing to lend money in this state, all though the borrowers and not the lend- CTS would have to pay the tax. The Governor and many other persons were surprised that serious objection should be made to this tax measure. But those whose insight into the nerv- ous character of capital enabled them to reckon readily with the situation proceeded to agitate and to develop an effective sentiment of protest. At a meeting of the Commercial club, now the Chamber of Commerce, held soon after the little tax measure had be-
 come law, many excellent speeches were made by representative citizens
 but perhaps the most convincing argu
 ment against the tax in question was that advanced by A. R. Dearborn, who said 1t was not the amount of the tax that seemed slight indeed-but the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Teachers Institute.

The Combined Institute for Teachers of the Ninth Congressional district and Birmingham public schools will con- vene in the High school building next Monday, September G. and will continue In session two weeks An interesting programme has been arranged. The pres ident of the Jefferson county Board of Education has issued letter, in which he says among things:
 The eminent success of the institute last year, with an enrolment of 637 teachers, and the uplift 1t gave to the educational interests of the district I am sure, are still fresh in the memories of those teachers who attended,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Spur to Further Achievement.

New York, September s.-Evelyn B. Baldwin the Polar explorer and meteorol- ogist today expressed the opinion that far from discouraging further efforts, Dr. Cooks achievements would prove spur to explorers. geographers and scientists. MT. Baldwin also announced that he him self was preparing for another attempt to reach the pole.
 'T expect to start soon." he said. we will proceed in a strong vessel through Behring straits and make our ship fast in the ice pack. Then we hope to drift completely through the northern ocean at the rate of 20 miles day, passing the polar point and coming south again somewhere between the northeast of Greenland and Spitzbergen. I expect to find land to the west of Crockenland. We expect to take along a dirgible bal loon which will be useful in making side trips.
 "The skeptcism of many persons re- garding Dr. Cooks remarkable feat in travelling 5o0 miles in 35 days is not well founded. Such a thing Is not impossible under favorable conditions"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 You can spank more sense into chill dren than you can reason into them.
 A useful thing about having small vices is they may lead people off the trail of your big ones.
 Sometimes man knows so much that 1t takes all his. time rearranging it in his head so that he can't do anything with it.
 Man is so naturally ungenerous that he won't be grateful to a girl for jilting him even after he has learned to be glad of it.
 The trivial gossip that a woman starts about somebody else just asfoften as not goes along until it becomes scandal about her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
All Believe in Cook.

Rome, September 3.-The question whether pr. Frederick A. Cook, the American explorer, did or did not reach the north pole brought out statements today from Italian scientists and Arc tic explorers, including the Piedmontese guides who accompanied the Duke of Abruzzi on his polar expedition of 1900. These expressions are all to the eff feet that Dr. Cook could not possibly have been misled into believing he had reached the pole had he not actually done so. He must have carried instru- ments, it is argued, and made observa- tions which will demonstrate scien- tifcally the correctness of his asser- ton.