davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
Great Patriotic Rally

The rally of patriotic Alabamians in Capitol park in Birmingham next Sat urday night will be one of the notable events of the campaign which is now agitating the state The railroads will make a very cheap rate and thousands of voters who are opposed to the proposed amendment of the con- stitution will come to the meeting to hear able and entertaining speeches and to show by their presence their for justice and right as against intoler- ance fanaticism and boss-rule politics. Weather permitting, the crowd that will assemble will be of monster pro portions. It will be by far the big gest meeting ever seen in Alabama.
 Our older citizens recall many cruel episodes and many frightful scenes of the reconstruction period and they
 
 response of brave and resolute men to the call of the "Old Guard' who did noble duty in those unhappy days. Younger men know the story of Ala bama's distress from fathers and moth CTS and they readily visualize the op- pression and the heroic deeds that filled the years immediately following the war.
 Since the terrible reconstruction times there have been political up- Eeayals and fiery campaigns, but no such grave menace to the liberties of the people can be recalled of re- cent years as now confronts Alabama.
 The throng that will gather in and around Capitol park will represent the l best manhood of Alabama and the ap- plause of patriotic sentiments to be heard on Saturday night will sound the defeat of constitutional prohibition which is threatening the state. Let every man who values his American l citizenship and his Alabama home come and help swell the multitude marching in the ranks of constitution defenders.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
PROHIBITION IN ALABAMA.
rom the Washington Herald.

From the Washington Herald.
 Alabama proposes to try out the expert ment of prohibition exhaustivey. The present legislature has fashioned about the most comprehensive, and certainly the most strenuous, law on the subject ever put on the statute books of any state in the union, and it will be more than mildly interesting to watch and see what comes of it.
 Under the provisions of this fearful and wonderful enactment no liquors may legally be sold or given away, no ad- vertisement of liquors may be printed In any newspaper or. periodical or appear on any billboard, no railroad may leave car containing liquor standing on a side track, no place of sale or for the hand ling of any kind of merchandise may be called a saloon" Officers of the law are empowered to raid any place what soever on suspicion, and the possession of an internal revenue license is declared to be pHma facie evidence of intent to violate the law, whether any liquors are actually found or not. No corporation may bring, or cause to be brought, into the state any liquor, on pain of forfeit ing its charter. Clubs wherein liquors are kept for individual use are specifically declared to be illegal, and membership in the same Is presumptive evidence of in- tent to commit a misdemeanor.
 We have no legal means of knowing whether the state of Alabama will uphold such a law as this, of course, but we ,4alr tla y1afln io met txrnlI that the legislature find out. Governor Conner must think Alabama wants this sort of regulation, and surely the legisla- ture may be considered to have done the immediately popular thing in enacting it. If Alabama really desires iron-clad prohi- bition, this law surely would seem to give 1t to the people. If the law cannot be enforced in the new circumstances set up we imagine advocates of prohibition may as well throw up their hands and admit defeat. The legislature has made it high crime to have anything what ever to do with liquor. and it would. doubtless, make it a felony even to think of it if it were sure such a provision might be carried into effect
 We'll there Is an old saying that the best way to get rid of bad law is to make 1t as obnoxious as possible; and if Alabama does not in it's heart of hearts, want prohibition, the prohibi- tionists, by such legislation as this seem likely enough to defeat their own pur- poses sooner or later If the state, on the other hand, is dead in earnest about prohibition, it owes 1t to itself to enact the most rigid laws that can be devised within the constitution to see that phohi- bition is had not only in form, but in sub stance as well.
 We have an Idea, however, that Ala bama Is going to know a good deal more about what it thinks of prohibition after 1t has experienced few more years of 1t than 1t knows now.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
AN ACTORS ART.

Alonzo Rice in Boston Transcript. Ring up the curtain! Let the play go on Although one actor, weary at his heart Cares now no longer to take up his part In lifes perplexing scene. The golden
 dawn Is none the dinner though one ray
 be gone;
 And so the tale will lose none of its art To charm the ear or cause the tear to
 start With one poor player from the stage
 withdrawn. The farce is ended; lay the mask aside That has beguiled the midnights pass
 ing jest; From all the mimicry, the made-up pride, The fond delusion-he now longs for
 rest; Jov years ago, by gleaming footlights
 died
 But this sad truth the world has nevsr
 guessed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
The Good Roads Convention

The committee in charge of arrange ments for the good roads convention, to be held in Birmingham October II and 15, under the auspices of the Ala bama Good Roads association, feel as sured that not less than 1000 dele gates will be in attendance. Governor Conner, Senator Bankhead and nearly all the congressman have accepted in- vitations to make addresses and fla vorable replies are expected from the governors of all the nearby states.
 The interest in good roads increases. When the good roads movement was new in Alabama not many persons were inclined to think that practical results would soon be seen. But the work of road building haobeen pushed and while there is yet much to be done it would be hard to estimate the enhanced value of Alabama farm lands by reason of road improvement The increased value is high in the mil lions, to say nothing of the comfort and pleasure which farmers and their families derive from frst-class high, ways
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
A Story That Fits.

"I heard MT. Tom Long of Walker coun- ty make an anti-amendment speech in Cullman the other day, and it was, I young voter of Jefferson county, who hap pened to be spending a few days in the northern part of Alabama.
 There was large crowd at the speak ing, and the farmers as well as the towns people, seemed to be practically unani- nous in opposition to the proposed amendment
 Regarding as I do the defeat of con- stitutional prohibition as greatly to be desired. I would think it advisable to have MT. Long stump the state. Among many bright and effective things the speaker got off was this:
 My friends, the Fuller act seeks to cover too much ground. It reminds me Of a story I heard Bob Taylor tell. A braggart in a saloon in Memphis said in loud voice, 'I can whip any man in Shelby county or the state of Tennessee.
 No one challenged the bully. Well, then" said the fellow, "I can whip any man in Shelby county, the state of Ten nessee or the state of Arkansas" where upon very stalwart specimen of hu- manity handed him a staggering blow in the face, and gave him an all around good licking. As the defeated challenger was picking himself up, bystander said, What have you got to say now?' 'Weii, l still say l can whip any. man in this county In the state of Tennessee, but in the last proposition l guess l under took to cover too much territory The application was so apt that the crowd applauded and roared with laughter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
CHEAP BOOKS.
Hall Gaines New Fifty-Cent Novel
 ldea-Hieh-Priced Authors.

From the kaflsas City Star
 Hall Caine and his publishers are en- toying the fruits of their enterprise in pioneering the 5O-cent novel field, although 1t can hardly be said with justice that they have taken much risk in Hall Gaines new book '"The White Prophet" pub lished in two volumes at 50 cents each However, they have set an example which is being widely followed
 Perhaps it is hardly right to judge the public response to the new experiment by the success of Hall Gaines book. Caine is an author with large and eager public always waiting for anything from his pen, and a good many persons believe that he would have had just as large a sale If 'The White Prophet" had been published at the old price of $1.50.
 The discussion which the low price ex- pertinent has aroused has led to some rev citations about the returns which authors receive for their work. The publishers are frankly skeptical about the success of the cheap book. It costs just about as much to produce the book which is sold at 50 cents as it did to produce the S1 .50 book, and 1t is said that, in order to reap the same profit, the sales must be quad rupled It is extremely doubtful whether in these days of circulating libraries the thing can be done
 The author, too, asks just as much as he is receiving now, and that Is a great deal more than he used to receive. The magazines are responsible to a great ex- tent for this and the competition between them has sent the price of attractive liter ary matter sky high Some of the sums that are paid now for magazine work would astonish the old-time editors and publishers.
 It is not so very long ago that "a guinea ($5.25t a page was the standard price paid by the high-class English mag azine. Now the average price for first class men B double that and there are many who receive prices which make these rates look ridiculous. Kipling, of course is absolutely at the top of the tree. It is said he refuses to put pen to paper for less than 50 cents a word, while another author is asking and receiving $300 thousand words
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
Heflin on Cotton.

"I have just finished touring the Fifth congressional district with the Hon. J. A. Wade agricultural expert from the department at Washington" said Con gressman J. Thomas Hef1in
 We spent 12 days discussing agricul- tural topics and had the largest crowds that I ever addressed in the district. Our farmers are taking more interest in agricultural matters than ever before. MT. Wade discussed the following topics: Best methods of farming seed breeding. hog raising soil improvement, and the boil weevil and I discussed some laws passed by Congress and some needed to be passed regarding agriculture. l de- voted the most of my speech to cotton. It's uses and abuses, and I stressed the ne- cessity of keeping the market keen and hungry. If our people will handle this cotton crop intelligently we will get 15c per pound before Christmas; and 1t wouldn't surprise me to see it go above 15c before April next. This crop Is ex ceedingly short and we are the abso- lute masters of the situation and intel ligent concerted action will bring the re- suits we want Let our governors and other officials in the cotton belt follow the example of Governor Sanders of Louisiana and call on all our people to work together for a good price. It cost more to produce this crop than any crop ever grown In the south, and 15c is not enough for it"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26

other countries need the effects of fine examples also? Art should be as broad as is the world, and Europe should not be avaricious as well as artistic
 As things are going one need not go to the galleries in the Old World to find the best there is of art, for odr larger American cities will soon have a suffieiency of it. The great collection in New York's art museum is fast rising into importance. and the Walters gallery in Baltimore is not far behind it in some respects. Every American city will yet have it's arf gallery just as it now insists on securing a free public library The making of a city properly includes both.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
Wants Tourists to Report.

For years" said citizen, Japan has adopted the policy of sending agents to other lands in order that these citizens may bring back the ideas and the prac- tices of other lands; and these ideas are given to Japan.
 Birmingham has not sent official rep resentatives but her citizens have been travelling north east and especially west, this summer. Many of these travellers have made observations. have made com parisons between what they were seeing and things and ways of home
 These returned travellers will doubtless possess the altruism required to give their observations gratis. A symposium could scarcely fail to be of material benefit, as by this means ideas would be so much more widely disseminated than by indi- vidual communication"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
AmanderS- Sill O. Defensive

Any party or cause that is chiefly on the defensive is doomed to defeat The prohibitionists in Alabama who are directing the campaign for the proposed constitutional amendment are constantly explaining, and each new embarrassment constrains them either to dodge or to protest that their plans and purposes have been mis- construed.
 As the churches were to be used in promoting prohibition politics, 1t vas but natural that thoughtful and patriotic Alabamians would see and point out the danger to our institu- tions that would result from this move ment 10 merge church and state. The leaders of prohibition quickly took the defensive. When the supporters of constitutional prohibition held a con- yention in Birmingham on Septem- Der Is churches were used for the sessions, and the keynote of the ad- dresses delivered by the accredited leaders was: The amendment is a moral not a political, question. And yet no one was so stupid as not to see that the business in hand was pol itics of the most partisan variety.
 The next thing that put the amend CTS oa the defensive was the obvious drift of Alabama prohibitionists to- ward the national prohibition party. As such a movement would tend to disrupt the democratic party in this state, the amenders were again on the defensive. But their latest and most worrisome defensive position is that which relates to the sanctity of the home.
 They are now saying that the sec ond clause of the proposed amend ment was not intended to apply to the home. But the people can not be fooled all the time-not all of them. The disguises of the amenu- CTS are too thin Every intelligent mau who read James Weatherlys clear and unanswerable discussion which appeared in an open letter to the Rev. Brooks Lawrence published in The Age Herald of yesterday, must have been impressed with the lame and miserable attempt which the amendment chief was making to quiet those of his party who are troubled about Section of the proposed amendment. The methods of the lead CTS are subtle and full of deceit, but the trouble with these leaders is that they have to explain too often and too much.
 The people hate hypocrisy and when hypocrisy is unmasked-they will not allow it to go unrebuked. The defenders of liberty against the en- croachment of tyranny are arouseu and all indications point to a mighty victory for right and freedom.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
ADRlFT WITH THE TIMES
A SYMPATHETIC PERSON.

A SYMPATHETIC PERSON. He had a sympathetic heart
 That no one could deny; And often would he stop his work And shake his head and sigh Ger all the worlds unhappiness, Its lies, its greed for pelf; But most of all he sympathlzed
 With one man-'twas himself. He talked it over with himself The argument was sad; And doleful twas to hear him tell Of joys he'd never had. Complaining still, he wondered why His luck would never mend, And why he found nobody who A small amount would lend. Absorbed in thought, one summers day He tried to cross the street; An auto car was coming fast, He moved with sluggish feet. The shock was great, 1t broke his leg, He's now upon the shelf And has a first-class reason to Feel sorry for himself.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
MAILING A LIE.
From the Gadsden Times-News.

From the Gadsden Times-News.
 At the Montgomery conference on Sep tember 15 there were more than POGO dele gates present. Of this numDer over half were farmers. If there Is any proof needed to nail the lie that the convention was dominated by the whisky interest there is the proof If there was a repre- sentative of that bugaboo the whisky interests, present, he was not percepti- ble In fact, the deadly earnestness of that gathering seemed to say that the end of ring rule in Alabama was dead and that the people would call their stewards to account for the deeds done.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT ADVERTISING
 AND SOME THINGS ACCOMPLISHED BY TIT

ticians and which has made two Presi- dents of recent years. The boys therein are all active, as might be cited by the little instance which occurred in school in small town of that state of Ohio
 Billy Jones-of medium age-was of the public school.
 After recess one day. when the vourg woman teacher and the pupils assembled they viewed upon the blackboard to the right of the teachers desk the following sentence:
 Billy Jones can hug the girls better than any boy in school"
 Immediately the teacher said:
 Billy, did you write that?'
 Yes"
 Billy Jones, you stay in after school" Billy remained.
 The other boys waited outside after school in order to learn what had hap pened to Billy.
 When Billy came out many questions were propounded to him. Among them: Did the teacher whip your"
 Did she make you write words?p
 What did she do?"
 T ain't goin' to tell you" said Billy. But it sure do pay to advertise
 Suffice 1t to say, this Billy Cor I might say "Bully'o of Ohio is not the only one who has profited by advertising.
 As matter of fact all the world profits by advertising. If we don't make ,our- selves known who knows of us. If one does not talk or write or speak to the other people how are our wares to be known.
 The world is so big now that if we don't tell of that which we have for sale
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR
From the New York Press.

What makes a girl pretty is the way she can look when you tell her she Is.
 A young widow is awful smart to look so sad when a lot of old cats are around
 You can't help being nice to a man who is a bigger fool than you are and ad- mts it.
 woman can value a mans merit when he hasn't any: man can't woman's when she has.
 The best way to handle man is tc make him have a good opinion of him. self: the best way to make him have a good opinion of himself is to tell him he hasn't.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
REV. DIR. WASSON.
from the Chattanooga Times.

From the Chattanooga IImes.
 The Rev. MT. s. E. Wasson is reported to have stated in a sermon delivered at Huntsville the other day, that "only '.practically all of them have been bought up" Promptly comes the Birmingham Ledger, a prohibition sympathizer, and observes "the libel has so far been ig- nored' Rather a melancholy period in our progress when 'libel'' and islander are frequent charges against men claiming to be ministers of the gospel and clothed with the garments thereof by soine church authority.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26

or tell of that which we have done, in public print, nobody knows of 1t.
 The newspapers of this country are doing a great work in telling of what is being done. This very Age-Herald news paper told a few days ago of the great work an iron company is doing in this district and presented detailed plans, in- eludng a map of the same.
 Immediately real estate jumped up and men who had little before have much now.
 What we people of Alabama and of the south want to do is to build ourselves up- to build our industrles-to develop our farms, build good roads in all sections and to advertise ourselves to the world and tell what we are doing and what we have. If we don't tell the other people about it how can they know
 Brooks Lawrence has done what has been accomplished for the cause he has advocated In Alabama by virtue of ad- vertising We all see what he has done and what he is advertising himself as going to do. The chances are. however, that he will fail in the present effort by virtue of the fact that he has attempted to go too far.
 But whether or not. he has certainly developed the fact that advertising pays.
 %
 Even while this campaign is on, let us put aside political thought at least part of the time and continue to boom Bir- mingham and the Birmingham district.
 Conditions are better today in Birning- ham than they have ever been and the prospects are that there will be con- tinuation of development and good times.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
PREACHER IN POLITICS.

From the Clanton Banner.
 The preacher in politics is meeting with just condemnation all over the state of Alabama at the present time. If there is one thing more harmful than the preacher in politics we have yet to learn of it. The preacher who takes advan- ,tage of his religious position to enforce his political views upon an unsuspect- ing public is a poor teacher of the gospel.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
JOKES ON ALABAMA.

From the Pell City Progress.
 The Fullerlicker law has made Ala bama the laughingstock of the country The old Confederate soldiers are moi laughing at 1t, however, as they are aware of the fact that the $5O.00Q required by this special election might have been used to make up the recent shortages ir their pension checks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26

DEAD NOW. The last fly of summer Went crawling up my sleeve, And while he looked decrepit, l somehow couldn't grieye. In fact, my gentle nature Its gentleness forgot And very soon his fiyship Received an awful swat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
GREEN-EYED.

''The belle of the village sold kisses last night for charity"
 And no doubt was called shameless hussy by lot of old maids who couldn't give them away"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26

So-called statesmen of this day do not lead: they follow That may be in accordance with modern-day ideas of democracy but it was not the way of Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jack son, Jefferson Davis, Samuel J. Til den, Grover Cleveland, Senator John T. Morgan or Senator Edmund w Pettus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
FORCE OF HABIT.

An automobile ran over a well-known politician yesterday and knocked him senseless."
 Was he hurt much?'
 No; as soon as he came to his senses he raised up on one elbow and exclaimed. I didn't say itr"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
PHIL ARMsrRoNG's SONG.

Charles Rhinehart, of Al. G. Fields minstrels, is singing Sleepy, Sleepy Eyes," new song by Phil H. Armstrong of the Montgomery Advertiser. MT. Arm strong has written a number of success
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
MAKES IT BEHAVE.

"A fellow was talking yesterday about an automobiles conscience"
 What is an automobiles conscience, anyway" "Oh, that's the number on behind"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
DON'T CRAWL

stand up, stand up, before the world. As ehipper as you please; For all you'll get by crawling, friend, Is corns upon your kneesi
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
Nervousness at Marriage Ceremony.

 queer to note the nervousness on the part of some men when they are being welded to some lifemate,'' said Sam M. Blake, clerk of the probate court. Dur ing my four years of service here in the probate office I have often had oppor- tunity to observe the actions of those who are about to enter into the welded state Many couples come here to have the ceremony performed because they have not the courage to face the ordeal at a church or even at home with friends. Tt would seem that there should be no cause for nervousness when the wedding is performed quietly in the presence of only myself and the bride and groom, but notwithstanding this I have seen strong men quail before the simple rites. The signatures attached to the marriage affi- davits of men who come here to be mar ried are ample testimony that the writers are in any but calm state at the time l have even seen men in such a state of nervousness that they could hardly wield the pen.
 Being married is certainly tough on some people,"