davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
PRISON REFORM

~ ENATE and assembly committees
on states prisons and reforma-
~ tories will have the benefit of the
advice of two men who can discuss
the subject from experience. There is
no doubt that anyone who has recov-
cred from a criminal lapse is equally
entitled to the respect and confidence
of the public with one who has recov-
cred from a disease. This may sound
like a somewhat radical statement, but
it can be proved by many instances,
and is in exact accordance with the
ethical and moral teachings of Jesus.
We are told that at Sacramento, work
ing hard for prison reform and for the
improvement of the condition of their
unfortunate fellow human beings, are
Ed Morrell, who is described as being
notorious because of his connection
with the Evans-Sontag band Of train
robbers" and Col. Griffith J. Griffith Of
Los Angeles. Morrell served fifteen
years of a life sentence and Col. Grit
fifth had an experience in prison life.
At Folsom and San Quentin are 5000
convicts, some of whom have been
there forty years Morrell and Griffith
are worthy of praise for having re-
called to the public attention some I'M
fortunate fellow human beings who,
mo better than Dead" are suffering
for their sins.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
Explanations Are in order
from Both Perkins and Flint

H HE letter written by Senator elect
Bristow of Kansas to Isidor JAG
obs of this city concerning the in
stallation of a government line Of
steamships between Pacific coast ports
and Panama appears to call for ex-
plantations from Senator Perkins and
Senator Flint. If the representatives of
California in the senate are opposing
this project, as Mr.. Bristow asserts,
they surely owe some explanation to
their constituents. 1t is, perhaps, not
exactly a surprise to find either of our
senators aligned on that side, but if
injustice has been done them by Mr..
Bristow. they can easily set themselves
right. The position attributed to them
is very damaging, but their past affilia-
tons do not make the charge seem
improbable, says the San Francisco
Call.
At the present moment the charge is
especially serious, in view Of the fact
that the railroads are enabled to exact
oppressive freight rates only because
they have succeeded for the present in
shutting off any serious competition by
the water route. If California's two
senator's are engaged in raising obsta-
cles to a project designed to free Cali
forn1a shippers and producers from
their servitude to the overland rail-
roads, that is matter of the highest con-
Germ to every citizen Of the state, and
is besides exceedingly damaging to the
political regulations of Messrs. Perkins
and Flint.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18

1t was intimated in the public press
in the course of the pending contro-
Versy over rates that Senator Perkins,
as capitalist interested in transporta-
ton by sea, might be appealed to for
help in the way of providing COMPETE
ton by water. Apparently if Mr.. Bris-
lows information is correct, not much
reliance can be placed on Senator Per-
kins in this regard. But the suggestion
opens a way by which he could effec-
lively clear himself of the imputation.
A mere official denial, issued from his
political headquarters in Sacramento,
VIII count for little, in view of his past
and present affiliations. The Call hopes
that Mr.. Perkins will be up and doing
with his accustomed energy and will
not confine his efforts to the manufac-
ture Of soft soap. 1t would be a mag
nif1cent spectacle, importing all the ele-
ments of surprise, to see Senator Per-
kins standing in the breach to defend
the commonwealth of California with
his old battleax against the hireling
cohorts of Mr.. Herrin and all his works
and pomps.
In default of action by way OF com
petition, the people of California will
demand a definite statement Of policy
concerning a government line of steam,
ships from their two senator's. If these
two representatives have been finally
acquired as part of the railroad bag
gage it Is of the utmost interest to their
constituents that the fact should be
known.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
INCONSISTENCY

=" ITH tariff protection extended
wv plentifuIly to many wealthy
eastern industries which do not
need it there is a strange revelation Of
human nature in the eastern attitude
toward tariff with which the inter-
ests Of California are concerned. If
there was anything whatever that was
reasonable or right, if there was the
whisper Of a syllable of truth in the
oft-repeated statement of high tariff
advocates that big duty is imposed
Tor the purpose of protecting American
industries. there would not be the dis
play OF inconsistency at the meeting of
the National League of Commission
Merchants which shows the accuracy
of the phrase used in the national polit-
ical campaign, 1.-THE great tariff lie"
1t cannot be true that eastern interests
wish to have high tariff for the benefit
of the people of the United States,
otherwise they would be heartily in
sympathy with the California fruit ex-
change in the contention that the tariff
question should be ignored in the con-
Yention.
The league has refused to enter into
any dispute on the question, although
it has been pointed out that the lemon
industry in California is distinctly an
American industry, and that it must
seek domestic markets in competition
with the fruit growers of Europe. who.
on account of the extraordinary policies
of our railroads, have a distinct and
decided advantage over our ranchers.
The vital Importance to California of
equitable and just railroad rates is
emphasized by the controversy between
the New York fruit exchange and the
California fruit exchange.
If the members of the New York
fruit exchange were certain the Cali
fornia fruit growers had the co-opera-
ton and help of the railroads in the
development of the fruit industry of
California they would not have opposed
the wishes of the Californians. But
the New York merchants can get lem
ons freighted from Europe much more
cheaply than they can get lemons
freighted from California, and with a.
reduction of the tariff the California
lemon industry would not have "the
ghost Of a show in eastern markets
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
NEPOTISM

4 n ANTI-NEPOTISM bill has been
~ reported favorably by the senate
Al committee on county and town
ship government. This measure re-
quires boards of supervisors to contract
with the lowest bidder for all material,
supplies and work requiring an ex-
penditure of $500 or more.
1t is surprising that such legislation
should be necessary; but probably it
is only natural that there should be
a strong disposition politically and at
the public crib to keep family to-
gether, yum, YUM" as the cannibal
said when he ate his wife and his
mother-in-law. 1t is alleged there are
fragrant instances where officials have
favored their relatives, regardless OF
the merits or dement's of said relatives,
in giving contracts, etc. Of course,
there is not the slightest disposition on
the part Of reformers to discriminate
against competitors for public work be-
cause they are the relatives of office
holders. Other things being equal, and
the superiority of their claims being
manifest, an officials relatives are as
much entitled as are other competitors
to receive a share of public employ
ment. To discriminate against deserv-
ing bidders because they are related
to officials would be as unjust as to IA
vor them. But relationship to a public
official is not a reason for accepting
the work or the bid of any citizen, any
more than it is a reason for appointing
him to a remunerative office Where
there is nepotism there cannot be a
SQUARE deal
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
CHILD LABOR

n RESIDENT-EL TAFT prom
ises to devote a great deal of at
- tentfon and consideration to the
question Of child labor, and may make
it the subject Of a special presidential
message. He is member of the ma
tional child labor law committee, and
it is understood he has already ex-
pressed himself to the effect that
America is not suffering So much from
lack of anti-child labor legislation as
| from lack of the enforcement of exist
ing laws, and everybody knows this is
true
The machinery for the enforcement
Of child labor laws is lax. The report
on the elimination of children from
public schools showed conclusively
that child labor regulations were neg
lected both by employers and parents.
Some employers seem to prefer child
labor to adult, and one has been quoted
who has said boys and girls are more
to be depended on than grown up peo-
pie because they "do as they are told
That is exactly the kind of excuse
which used to be made by those who
said negro slave laborers were pre-
ferable to free laborers, white or negro.
If President-elect Taft should become
the champion of the children his adj
ministration will be the most worthily
memorable of modern times. If exist
ing legislation should be enforced and
supplementary educational legislation
added it would result in a great addi-
ton to the number of children attend
ing school, and it would provide en-
ployment for many grown up people
who would be needed to take the places
of the child workers. If President
elect Taft will conduct an anti-child
labor campaign-and that seems to be
his intention-all good citizens will
support him with hearty enthusiasm.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
URGES AMERICANIZED COMBINE
AS THE UNIVERSAL PANAcEA

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14.-[Editor
Herald: VIII you be so kind as to
publish new thought on the true mis-
sion of the combine" idea? Socialists
may be right in their diagnosis of in
dustrial competition, but are dead wrong
in proposing government ownership as
a remedy. Combine, Americanized, is
the rational remedy for competition. AS
surely as competition is the disease so
surely is combine the antidote.
Combine is right, and all would like
to be in it. We would, and it's no use
to lie SIMULTANEOUSLY about it. Open
your eyes and look! Don't you see that
combine only needs to be Americanized
now, as our fathers Americanized gov
eminent over a hundred years ago?
Make combine of, for and by all Ameri-
cans, and what we have. supposed to
be an old bag becomes a beautiful
bride.
Roosevelt's industrial democracy is a
spectators glimpse of her, but combine,
Americanized, makes her our very own
Roosevelt blindly proposes to get her
by legislation. No, Mr.. President, you
can't get her by legislation. Such
bride is not to be won in that way.
Combine is in the domain of industry,
work, making a living for it's share
holders, and is not to blame. Self
preservation is the first law Of nature.
We dare not trust to the whim of
political party or a government, how
ever good. Something to eat Is too
sacred matter to each one of us in
dividually to let another control it.
Combine is an association Of separate
individual shareholders, helping each
other to get food to eat, and in the
best and most approved way. They
do win out because Of common sense
methods, and we poor fool competitors
go tagging along behind like refugees
following a victorious army, eating
scraps and cursing the soldiers, hut
not having sense enough to enlist and
get a square meal.
The only possible way to "bust the
trust is for all to get in it. The big
ser the corporation the more it is en-
titled to confidence. Let all be In it,
and all will denfend it and none oppose
it. DR. SMITH
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
AMERICANISM

n OWERFUL. forceful, eloquent and
convincing was the appeal Of
Franklin K. Lane in his city
club address to American citizens IN
restore democracy to government If
anyone should ask, what is wrons
with the United States? and should
demand a categorical answer from
some careful and impartial observer
qualified to give an opinion. that an
s"er would probably be, 1.-THE drift
from democracy, which is to saw.
Amerlcanism. is all that atls the
United States"-and it is a-nlentv
But since 1t is easy to diagnose the
trouble 1t should not be necessary to
nave volumes of explanation and wears
OF debate before a remedy ia found
the remedy advocated over and over
again In these columns-a return to
the democratic first principles of
Americanism. AS Mr.. Lane well and
truly said. the power should always
De In our own" hands, as the people
OF the United States and of California.
ana or Los Angeles, to make "our
own" laws and to unmake them. RI
make our own" officials and unmake
them. Anything short Of a return to
the first principles Of Amertcanisn.
pure democracy and undefled." will
be a confession Of the failure of
democracy. It will be a confession
that influences and interests are
stronger than the power of the people;
humiliating acknowledgment that
the power Of the people is unable to
cope with usurped powers.
Now democracy is not a failure and
cannot be a failure, but there may be
a failure to put in practice and en-
force the principles of democracy.
There may be failure to teach in
schools. to preach in pulpits and to pro-
claim from public platforms that all
power is derived from the people and
that to the people all officials are re-
sponsible, that public office is a public
trust and that any man who uses the
office which the votes Of the people
have given him for the advancement
Of interests directly opposed to the
best interests Of the people and the
greatest good Of the greatest number
Is a traitor and knave, while any
corporation which devotes money and
persuasive or coercive influence to
packing legislatures with its own tools,
careless, Indifferent or hostile to pub
lie interests, is a public enemy, an
enemy Of the people, foe of the re-
public. Equally hostile to the public
is that maladroit and malicious polit-
zeal machinery which grovels to con-
sort with lewdness and stoops and
crawls to pander to vice and protect
it in order to maintain it's political
control and keep the peoples enemies
upon the peoples payroll.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
WARMLY ENDORSES PROTEST
RAISED BY COL. GRIFFITH

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13.-[Editor
Herald: "Out Of evil cometh good"
Had not Col. Griffith suffered the tor
ments OF the damned in San Quentin
prison he would not now be trying to
alleviate the sufferings Of others now
there, and sure to be later on. Thus
does fate work in the complicated af-
fairs of human society.
Thought" said P. B. Randolph, lis
born of sadness and sorrow" and only
those who know what real suffering is
have much deep or genuine sympathy
for their fellow men. 1t is too evident
for denial that our penal institutions
are earthly hells, in which no wrong
doer is or can be reformed and made
better. They punish severely, with that
one object in view, as now conducted;
and the result is they degrade man
hood. kill hope and aspiration and fill
mems minds with hatred and enmtty
for society and government.
AS all men are what conditions make
them, we should never lose sight OF
that fact, and be more charitable to
those fated to go wrong and to find
and steel. We are all human; and
kindness, If a man is a convict, has a
wonderful power in changing the cur
rents Of his thoughts, and thus making
him better as an individual.
I believe the majority of men in our
two penitentiaries if paroled and given
the opportunity to make an honest
living, would do so and become good
citizens; and the time is ready and ripe
to do away with past methods of treat
ing our criminals.
Men with hearts Of stone are not the
kind for wardens, yet political obliga-
lions generally result in such selections,
and bruates, by nature, domineer over
the unfortunate. So for Col. Griffith
and the much needed work he has
taken up may success be realized; and
from sincere hearts let us give him
words Of encouragement if we can do
no more.
CLAIMING SEVERANCE.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
SAYS MYRIAD OF CULTS
HAVE NOT LIFTED VEIL

LONG BEACH, Jan. 15.-[Editor
Herald: And it's oh! for the printer
who yesterday made me say process
sion Of the equinoxes." which means
nothing, instead of procession, which
means good deal. And further, that
institutions are masters Of human en-
ergy," ETC., instead Of MASTERS; but
thus is life"
AS we watch from the vantage ground
OF mere spectators the fitting of cham
p1ons for and against the new phases
OF this oldest battle that men have en-
gagged In in all time, this fight for
the honor of being the discoverer of
the secret of mans spiritual nature, his
relation to this other world that seems
10 environ and possess him, and he it.
ana yet his five senses, that are good
servants to him in what we call the
material world, fail him utterly in this
undiscovered country" 1 say, as we
watch this contest the wise of Us will
Keep our temper, be just, give the tilt
ers credit when they score point. Ae-'
knowledge the fact when they do some
gracious deed that is for human bet
terment, but be mighty careful that we
are not cheated by shams or led away
from safe ground by the nose of our
emotions.
Here is a truth that needs to be
world: That there never was an age
since history or before that Emmanuel
ism, spiritual-ism, Salvation Army-ism,
Holy Robertson, theology-ism, demon
ism, Rosicrusian-ism, mesmer-ism, and
whole dictionary more of titles. each
and all claiming the attention of man
kind, have not been alive among men,
each offering its panacea for the ills Of
body and spirit Each born Of emo
tional insanity, each appealing to be-
lief, and branding reason as filthy
rags" and each in turn giving way to
mans intellectual and moral progress.
have not mentioned witchcraft and
soothsaying, miracles and the wonders
of Cagliostro and Robert Houdin For
the cleavage between the good that is
in all these "cults" is so impossible
for the wayfaring man to find and the
temptation to fool the crowd and coin
money and power out of these gifts"
is so strong that even the elect are in
doubt, and have to keep themselves
aloof from the whole procession. After
all this sound and fury we are as much
in the dark as ever. Not one of these
cults has lifted a corner Of the curtain
that hides that world from this. But
they have their pompous beliefs-and
their victims. SENEX.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
ALFRED THE WAC

q ONS Of St. George are celebrating
N the memory Of King Alfred the
~ Great. He was the first square,
deal monarch and the Roosevelt of his
day. He started trial by jury, and
went for predatory wealth with ex-
IRENE vigor. In fact, his strenuous.
ness drove him to greater lengths than
President Roosevelt's has ever driven
him, for the president has not exc.
cuted any of the predatory wealthy.
He has not even suggested such
reform in any Of his messages. AL
fred, however, did not hesitate to bust
trust by puncturing the innards of
the trust magnates with boar spears
Gin his more humorous moments he
spelled it "bore'O. King Alfred also
invented custom which, excepting in
rare instances, has fallen into desue-
tude-the custom of not paying law
yers He held the profession of law
was branch Of philanthropy.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
CHARTER AMENDMENTS COME
IN FOR SEVERE CRITICISM

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14.-[Editor
Herald: If L may intrude among
your learned correspondents on mind
and matter and other abstruse subjects,
1 would like to unsheath my little ham
mer and knock some of the proposed
charter amendments that appear so
favorable in the eyes Of our learned
politicians and educators.
First-Why is it a more logical pro-
ceeding to elect our city officers at
large than it would be to elect the as
semblymen or representatives at large?
The railway interests dominate the
politics Of the whole state, and what
would be nicer for the Southern Pa
cific than to put nine of its henchmen
in control of the city, as would be pos
sible under amendment No 2.
AS conditions are at present the ward
that is not pleased with the actions Of
it's councilman can use the big stick,
the recall. But how can any thinking
person conceive the idea that it would
be possible to recall nine councilmen by
securing the requisite number of sig
natures from the total voting list Of
the city, with the moneyed interests to
fight the attempted recall?
In all of the arguments in favor of
No. that I have heard it is what is
possible to do by it's use and not what
will be done in reality. AS far as
can see it is simply dodge on the part
Of the strategists to deal a knockout
blow to the great defender of good
government, the recall.
I fail to see anything in amendments
Nos. 9 to u pertaining to the raise of
salaries of the laboring taxpayers of
this city, and why should the servants
of the public receive more salary?
They get more now than does the aver
age taxpayer. Not long ago the coun-
Gil considered it a bad precedent to
pay the extra car fare of the Griffith
park laborers. If it is necessary to
economic in such small matters, why
not economic on a larger scale and
not start a bad precedent?
A VOTER.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
WHOSE THE BLAME?

M E WISH to correct an impression
wv which some people have tried to
create, that we have cruelty en-
Joyed the disclosures Of our investiga-
ton into the question of the protection
of vice in Los Angeles. This is not the
case. On the contrary, nothing would
have pleased us more than to have been
able to record that, in view of certain
representations which had been made to
US, we had conducted careful inquiry.
with the result that we had found Los
Angeles was a ''clean" city; that we
had a spotless mayor of a spotless
town. We were Disguised to find con-
ditiOns similar to those disclosed in
New York by the Lexow investigation.
Protected vice" is not a good adver-
tisement for a city But whose fault is
it that the words protected vice. have
become associated with Los Angeles?
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
SAYS SHE is NO. TO SIGN
PETITION TO AID MEXICANS

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13.-[Editor
Herald: Yes, it is up to US, as H A
Doddridge says. to express ourselves in
regard to the outrage of the Mexican
patriots.
Though I am only representative of
that part of humanity classed with In
dams, criminals and idiots, yet we have
voices and can raise them in protest
We wonder why men with the right
of American citizenship do not do more
for them before it is too late.
No, The Herald will not fail in the
cause of justice.
Here is No. 2 for a petition.
MRS. S. E. b.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
SAYS EVERYTHING is
DEPENDENT ON SOMETHING

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14.-IEditor
Herald: Charming Severance asks eff
mind controls the body, why is Wig
orous mind dependent and absolutely
impossible without good food and a
certain number of hours sleep every
twenty-four hours?"
The argument is: The master must
be totally independent of the servant.
There is no such thing in all nature.
Everything is dependent. directly or in
directly, upon everything else. Deepen
dence is mutual between master and
servant, mind and body, yet one con-
trolls and the other obeys.
ASRURY CECIL.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18

New Jersey murderer wished to
nave a couple Of his teeth sent to his
friends for souvenirs. "All right" said
the jailer. 'Tll bring a dentist to pull
them" Never" cried the condemned
man. "You will wait until after the
execution before you subject me to
this torture Of tooth pulling. The man
who wishes to extract those teeth
while am still alive will only do so
over my dead body" This is a thrilling
story, and the moral is obvious.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
Billy Sunday

Billy Sunday, the evangelist who has far
more of St. Vitus in him than st. Paul tells
the world through the newspapers that he
has had to arm to protect himself from
pected murder at the hands Of yeggmen
hired by the saloonmen OF Illinois Sunday
is the P. T. Barnum of revivalsts, with that
circus kings complete faith in the potency
Of printers ink-Sacramento Bee.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-18
AT THE THEATERS

AUDITORIUM-''Cinde
BELASCO-"CharIey's Aunt"
MAS0N-"The Wolf"
HAMBURGER'S MAJESTIC-"ToIa from
Berlin"
BURBANK-"The Heart of a Geisha."
ORPHEUM-VaudevilIe road show.
GRAND-"The TenderfOot"
Los MISUNDERSTANDING.
ETSCHER'S-"Ski-Hi"
Notwithstanding
MISUNDERSTANDING