davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

claimed descent from the settlers of
Virginia" Mr. Francis was interested
In discovering how thoroughly the i'm
migration of the eighteenth and nine
teenth centuries has blended with the
American type. His observations of
present conditions gave him some mis-
givings as to how the new comers since
1875 will be absorbed: Those immi-
grants provide cheap labor and are
found everywhere, though especially in
large cities, doing menial work which,
being restricted to aliens, has, even in
this democracy, come into some con-
tempt. 1t is curious to hear. in the
northern states, arguments for the in
PRODUCTION of immigrants that were
used in the southern states for the in
PRODUCTION of negro slaves. and just as
in the south, owing to the negroes
there one race has withdrawn itself,
socially and politically, from the other,
so in the north, owing to the immi-
grants there, society is beginning to ex-
perience a social stratification which is
tending to break up its former homo
geneity." Also he finds that "the tend
ency Of Americans to despotize their
institutions" Che does not stop to ex-
plain the phrase), is due to "a sense of
need to control the dissident elements
introduced by immi grafton"
Another question which the author
tried to answer to his satisfaction is
whether in becoming a cosmopolitan
people we are ceasing to have a distinct
national type. He concludes that "the
foundations of American thought, reli-
gion character and type remain unim-
paired" The English tongue and the
English tradition overbear all competi-
tors: while modified, they have not been
weakened by the variety Of foreign in
fluences to which they are subjected.
."To my mind" he says, "the force and
effect of American life and American
institutions is one of the most extraor-
binary phenomena of all history" 1t so
impressed him, indeed, that he came to
be more hopeful sthan many OF the
Americans he met as to the possibility
of transforming aliens into natives:
Every day, as 1 plowed my furrow of
inquiry. I turned UP new evidence of
the unprecedented absorbent power OF
the American people, by which OF all
the diverse elements flowing into their
country one new nation has been made.
met recent immigrants, some OF them
Russian Jews whom / had known in
their native land; and In many in
stances it seemed to me that their fiber,
their tissue. the convclutions OF their
brain their very nerve fluid had been
chansed by the genial and potent infiu-
ence of American life-even in external
appearance they were transformed"
Like every visitor from the British
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
'Wendell Philips: Orator and Agitator

before. He begins by giving pictures
of his childhood and tells us that as a
small boy Phillips was interested in
oratory; that he used to place chairs
in the position of an audience and
harangue them at length. Phillips
was little more than boy and had
just completed his law studies when
he became interested in the abolition
movement, and took up the work with
all the ardor of his very enthusiastic
temperament. From this time through
out his life he never swerved from
what he considered the paths of duty.
Today it is Neasy to see the incon-
sistencies. the inadequacy and the
ignorance of the extremes of the abo-
litionist movement, but no measure in
the history of the world had such ex-
pressions of enthusiasm or such schol-
arly and ardent advocates as this
one; and nones has proved so unsatis-
factory and disappointing in its eff
fects
Doctor Sears treats his subject chro-
nologically and thus gives the reader
an opportunity to see the influences
which surrounded Phillips and affected
him both as thinker and speaker A
number of extracts from his finest
speeches and addresses are given, and
though they help this generation to
appreciate his scholarly style, no words
can tell of the magnetism of his per-
sonality. with which few of the pres
ent day were fortunate enough to be
brought in contact
The author adds chapter at the
close of the biography on The Sub
stance of Phillips Oratory'' and another
on The Form of His Oratory'' both
of which are illuminatin The last
chapter is filed with items of interest
which throw bits of light on the char
acter and personality of this great
reformer. A fine frontispiece portrait
of Phillips is the only illustration and
the book is well printed and bound.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

isles, Francis comes presently to the
vexed question of American speech, and
as Scot who has studied many
branches of the English speaking race.
he should be able to hold the scales
impartially: When, in AN American
school. a child is uncorrected for say
ing he done it. my ear is certainly Of
fended but not more than when, in an
English school, there is no challenge
of he had got in which no less than
in the American phrase preterit and
past participle are confused This
is loyal certainly, to the Scottish usage
lin America as in England "he had
got, is blame1ess though had gotten"
is perhaps more common with writer's
who have more fear of the grammarian
than knowledge of literature. Mr.. Fran
els is free to say that '1n neither England
nor America is the mother tongue as
well spoken as in Germany or France"
Perhaps the trouble is that English is
too easy: The minutiae of the COM
plicated grammar of their respective
languages are and must be carefully
drilled into French and German chill
dren in the schools; and between those
who have, and those who lack. the
mastery of these languages speech
makes a gulf which is necessarily
greater and more fixed than that which
separates educated from uneducated
among a people whose language like
the English, has few grammatical
changes. Absolute accuracy of speech
is rare in both England and America.
by reason of the very ease with which
relative correctness may be gained in
the English tongue
Yet in spite of American slang, which
he learned to understand but not to
enjoy, and American democracy in the
use Of language, the author was sur
prised to find the average speech in
America not less accurate than in Eng
land: 1t is misleading to compare, as is
often done, average American speech
with that of a cultured section OF Eng
lish society. Mr.. Francis decides that
"the American voice differs from, and to
the undoubted advantage OF. the ERg-.
lish in infection and pitch The judg-
ment might advantageously have been
ampIified, for some observers complain
that the American pitch is lower. than
the English, others that 1t Is higher.
Clearly both can not be right In dis
tinctness Mr.. Francis gives the superb
ority to American speech THE supe-
rior distinctness of the American il
due, / suppose, to conscious efforts, as
the superior distinction of the English
man is due to habitua1 and unconscious
ease, in conforming, each in his meas
ure, to the standard which educated
persons in both countries accept" He
finds that the number of foreign
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
FROM the springield RepubIIcanl


TIL EXANDER FRANCIS, whose
~ Americans: an Impression has
just been published by D.. Apple
ton q Co, is a Scotchman who has spen.
a year in this country under conditions
that made it possible not only to study
American private life, but to hear the
frank comments made on social prob
lens by Americans of varied types. A
traveller of rather wide experience. he
is in position to draw intelligent COM
PARSONS between America and several
other countries, and his disposition
seems eminently friendly. His expert
ence has been unlike that of some Wis
ltors in that he concluded that In Amer
lea Dragging is in danger of becoming
lost art Two oxford professors
one in New England and one in Cali
fornia, told him that they had not heard
one single brag. Francis was not quite
so unfortunate, bur he found fewer
boasters than under the British fae.
OF a certain condescension' I saw
nothing at all" Is not LowelIs hannv
phrase, by the way, misapplied herep
The certain condescension alluded to is
IN, not toward" Foreigners But
1t is interesting to note this travellers
Impression that Americans are less
disposed than Englisnmen to dwell on
and exaggerate their own national vir-
tues Possibly this may be due to
the very bigness of the country. which
Is the chief cause of such American.
boasting a S may be left 1t is so bip
and SO varied that it holds something Of
everything and does not offer so com
pact body of customs and prejudices
as basis for contempt toward foreign
ers
OF all our problems it is that of inn
migration which most interests and
troubles Mr.. Francis. Like other for
eign visitors he searched conscientious
ly for the real" American, the evolved
product, the new breed, and his obser
vations fortified his views as to the ex
traordinary dominance in spite of the
admixture of other stocks, of the earIv
English migration. For the original
colonists were, beyond all precedent. a
prolific race" The increase from 21 900
in 1910 to $4,000, 900 in 1880. when i'm
again began in a wholesale
way, is at rate unparalleled in his
tory" 1t has lately been estimated
that of the entire population of the
United States every third person is de-
scended from the early New England
settlers: Were l an American,
should, in the pride of lineage. assume
and maintain that / was included in
the every third. unless, indeed.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
Robert Fulton and the Clermont

Century company, New York Price S1-2o.
might be served; these were the ruling
motives of his life.
He was an artist with unbounded
delight in the glories OF color and
form; he was an engineer and inventor.
with patience developing a knowledge
of unknown powers awaiting human
can statesman who. although he lived
for years amidst the civilization and
advanced intellectual attainment OF
France and England. was glad to re-
turn to his native land to demonstrate
the truth of his final discovery in Sci
enec and to launch his first steamboat
upon the waters of the new world
The author goes on to say that if, as
1T has been said. Fulton lived 100 years
too soon, this year, the centennial OF
his achievement. is a fitting time to
celebrate IN his honor. These papers
are therefore a sort of memorial. The
book is divided into four parts-his
early life. Robert Fulton in France.
the trial boat on the Seine, the Cler-
mont. Each is full of anecdote never
read before and the many illustrations
add wonderfully to the interest of the
text. The author writes most sympa-
theticaly of her distinguished ances-
tor and the book will take its place at
the very head of Fulton literature The
appendix is filed with interesting mat
ter, private letters, his treatise on
canal navigation and the like and in it
self reads like a romance. The book
can not be praised too much.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
Brief Reviews of New Books
Sn }
4 II

Anne of Green Gables" was a de-
servedly popular book and the reading
public will not quarrel with the al
thor when they hear that Anne of
Avonlea" is a continuation of adven-
lures for that charming young person.
One thing only is feared. that we may
get another book yet, for the author.
l.. M. Montgomery, leaves the char
acters so at the end that they could
easily. be started off again on another
series of adventures. There are sew
eral new characters in this book. one
of which, in particular, Paul Irving,
will be a joy to the young people. The
book is interesting. but not quite up
to the mark of the first and one hopes
the author will "Iet well enough alone"
e. G. Page & Co, Boston. s1.5o.)
THE Music Lover by Henry Van
Dyke, is as dainty and satisfactory a
gift booklet as. can be ina gined This
edition is new and contains a frontis-
piece by Sigismond de Ivanowski
Those who have yet the pleasure in
store for them of reading this charm
ing pastel are almost to be envied,
though one enjoys it nearly as much at
the second and even the third read
ing. (Moffat, Yard & Co.. New York;
A. delightful book as an art treas
ure or for the pleasure of reading is
"The Garden Week by Week Through
bx,y n
1t has no value in california as a
book of reference, for it is written
by an Englishman for England and to
govern English conditions nnlv Its
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
By Alic. crary sutclins. p

The author of this book is Alice
Crary Sutcliffe. great-granddaughte
of the inventor, and If more excuse than
that need be made for the book 1t Is
found in her preface. She speaks OF
many of the best known biographies
of Fulton and gives full credit to the
authors for much interesting material
to be found in each, but claims to have
a full quota of Robert Fulton's own
descriptive plans for his inventions
which have not before been made pub
lie. She has extended her research
over a period of three years and has
been able to transcribe many Of Full
toms original and unique records and
portraits of or by him. These data she
secured from relatives and friends and
gives a long list of persons who have
in this way assisted her in the produc-
tion of her book. She then says:
Robert Fulton anticipated the en-
1ightenment of this century. He en-
and are termed modern-a hope for
universal peace; claim for intellectual
freedom through a system of general.
free education: a discernment that
nations wealth is the sum of the tall
ents and handiworks of its citizens. and
a sacrifice of any personal claim to
leisure that through labor world
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

The Light Beyond the Shadows" is a
little Christmas booklet written by
Hope Lawrence, author of "A Letter
OF Hope" It IL introduced to the read
ing public by q foreword written by
the bishop OF Vermont, the Rt. Rev.
A. C. A Hall. which will doubtless add
much 20 its value in the eyes of some
readerh
The paper was written, without the
least idea OF publication. to be read
at the annual conference of a society
OF oevout women, several of whose
msnbers are invalids. Many who heard
81 wished that more were able to. so in
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

idea is excellent, however, and a brief
quotation from the authors preface
shows the how and the why of the
book:
"A brief calendar of gardening op-
erations throughout the year has
formed an item in many books on hor-
ticulture; it has been put in as a kind
of summary This suggests
that book which is wholly calenda- :
rial but illustrated with practical fig
ures as well as photographs and col
ored plates. might secure a good con-
stitueney; hence the preparation of the
present volume"
glance tells what garden op-
erations to perform at any period
and one can not but wish that
a like arrangement could be made of
some of our own. valuable material.
This book is fine example of the
book makers art, containing beauti-
full illustrations both in color and black
and white and being artistically print
ed and bound. doubleday, Page & Co.,
New York;
THE American Jewish Yearbook.
5670,' is out, comprising the time from
September 16, 1909, to October 3, 1910.
1t is edited for the American Jewish
committee by Herbert Friedenwald.
who makes special mention of F. NJ.
Brylawski, Albert M. Fridenberg and
Miss Henrietta Sold as having rem
dered him important assistance. The
troubles which American-Jewish trav-
elers have encountered in attempting
to enter Russia is a very serious in
fringement upon the treaty rights. For
80 years congress has tried to right
this wrong. but the abuse continues.
In this volume will be found an alb
stract history of congressional action
upon this matter. The leading events
of the year are classified and extended
according to countries, and the book is
improved in arrangement. (Jewish
Publication Society of America. Phila-
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

the author is big enough and strong
enough to stand upon reputation of
his own making. This book contains
q ballads to suit all tastes; there are
even a few humorous ones, but most of
them mirror the primal instincts and
passions of man. and. though powerful,
are not joyful reading. The author is
a young man, in his early twenties, and
one has to be told that more than once
to credit it after reading these poems.
Some of the ballads paint coarse and
revolving pictures, but they bear the
stamp of truth and are replete with
real poetic feeling. No hearsay in
formation about the frozen north could
teach the author to write these ballads.
He must have lived there and been, too,
keen observer The book is great.
a worthy successor to the Spell of the
Yukon
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26

by Monat, Yard q Co, New 1ork.
Difference TO the wishes of these it was
published.
The various cults of new thought
and mental or Christian science will
not find much in il. for parts of it are
in direct opposition to their teach
ings. For instance, the foreword by DR..
Hall contains this passage:
Just now attention is specially called
to various modes of relief from suf-
fering. 1t is good to have as in this
paper. the value of suffering, when
it is clearly Gods will, empha-
sized
The little paper is well written. but
it is difficult to believe that any one
could find much comfort in reading II.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
A Scotchnlans Impressions of America and Americans

chapters TO American colleges and
their athletics. to college fraternities.
to social discomfort. 10 socialism and
to social progress. And of special in
terest is his treatment of the Jew in
America. a subject to which he has
evidently devoted much sympathetic
study.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
Ballads of a Cheechako"

By Robert ". Service. author Of The Spell OF
the Yukon" =" Published by Edward Stern &
Co. Philadelphia Price 81.
These Ballads of Cheechako" are
as strong as the first collection by
this author, THE Spell of the Yukon"
for which he received the title, The
Canadian Kipiing. After once being
likened TO Kipling. and his verse is
Kiplingesque 10 a degree in places, it
is dif6cuit to get away from 1T, though
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
BOOKS REVIEWED

Robert Fulton the Clermont by Alice Crary Sutcle
Christmas Builders" by Charles E. Jefferson, D. D.
Ballads of Cheechako," by Robert w. Service.
wendell Phillips: Orator and Agitator," by Lorenzo
Sears, L. H. D.
go Forward" by J. R. Miller
THE Light Beyond Shadows" by Hope Lawrence.
The San Francisco call., 1909-09-26
THE Light Beyond the Shadows
By Hope . Lawrence.

wrence. Published by Monat, Yard Co., York.
The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-10-14
IRRIGATION DITCH
NEARING COMPLETION

A crew OF about fifty men are work
ng on the ditch of the Riverside
lrriagtion ami Power Co., which
when completed will furnish water
for about 2l00 acres of orchard lands
in the upper valley between the east
and the west forks of the river. The
work 10 progressing rapidly and the
ditch will be completed within sixty
day so that 1t will be in the best
shape to put water on the lands as
soon a. 1t is needed next summer.
The area which is effected 10 prac-
tically all "logged off, lands aud
grea' part of 1t has already been put
in trees
Miss keo Stewart returned Monday
from visit with Richard Hubbard
and family in Portland.
The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-10-14

After careful study and due con
sideration all phases of the water
question, it IL the opinion of the com.
mission that their proposition to
the water company, is the best solu.
tion OF the water problem.
Upon making the above report aud
recommendation, your commission
respectfully asks for its discharge.
W. L.. Clark, chmn,
Truman Butler, sec,
Ii. l.. Dumble,
Frank A. Cram,
II. H. Button.
Il. 0. Blanchar.
The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-10-14

supply OF water whioh would meet
with the approval of the Civic I'm.
provsment League, provided the city
would agree to stay out of the water
business for term OF years. In reply
to this request, we we're vised by
the water company on September 20,
that they would formulate a proposi
tion but that the matter would re.
quire little time and would be filed
with us at an early date.
On SeptemEer q. the proposition
OF the water cont any was received by
the 90 omission, which after due con
sideration wa rejsected aI 1t did not
m"4t With ouI approval
L e c"mmis-iun then submitted iti
own proposition 10 the water com
p'nv. "hIHh was hnally accepted by
them on OctnbeI 4, copy of which
Is brretn tached aud made part oI
this leport.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-01
PROHIBITION HURTS UNIONS
Has Greatly Damaged the Cigzrmak;
ers as Well as Many Other e
Traders.

VIM. j. Emery, president of the
! Michigan Federation of Labor, visit
ed Jackson last Tuesday evening and
addressed an open meeting of the
Trades Council. He pointed out the
situation confronting the unionists
and the necessity of closer af1iliation,
The effect of the prohibition agitation
was discussed by several speakers,
including Mr.. Emery, who said that
the prohibition wave had done much
damage to many unions and he be-
I1eVed that the advocates of the So
called open" shop were behind the
movement in a measure because they
thought that saloons often supplied
the opportunities of a workingman's
club, in which matters were consid-
cred that brought the men closer to-
gether and increased the number of
union members. He pointed out the
fact that many of the heads of the
sweat shop institutions donated free
ly to the anti-saloon movement and
while they maintained they were do
ing that in the interest of the work
ers, better way would be to pay the
workers better wages and give them
better conditions, in which case the
toilers would be better able to take
care of themselves.
General Organizer Thompson, of
the Cigarmakers, said that the pro-
hibition agitation had done great
damage to his organization. He cited
the condition of Cadillac, Mich, in
which local option had almost de-
stroyed the town, closed up stores
and hotels, and left a trail of vacant
houses. The building trades had also
been affected as no new buildings
would be erected while there were
so many empty.
In Cadillac they formerly had
about 40 members, while now they
have only half that number. Oak
land county had been practically
turned into a graveyard, and the
same condition prevailed all through
the south where the prohibition wave
had evpended its Iorce. The cigar
makers were confronted with seri-
GUS condition and they were COM
PEELED to fight against prohibition or
local option if they were to continue
as an organization in many localities.
The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-01
LISBON.

Lisbon, March 29.-Common pleas court
opened this afternoon with Judge c. M.
Wilkins of Warren on the bench.
The first case on the assignment for
the week was the $4,000 damage action
brought by Mrs. Melvina Green against
the city of Salem, and it will be on trial
throughout Tuesday. Mrs. Green is a
cripple for life, made so by a fall upc'<
an icy sidewalk in Salem over two years
ago, and she was brought into the court
room in a wheel chair.
On the evening of February 20, 1907,
Mrs. Green was walking along the south
side of Green street, when she sustained
her injury A quantity of snow and
slush sliding from the roof of a hodse
occupied by Ora j. Knowles had formed
an abrupt elevation of ice right in the
center of the sidewalk, and its danger to
pedestrians had been obscured by light
fall of snow. Mrs. Green slipped and
fell and her hip bone was broken in
such a manner as to sever the ball al
the head of the femur bone, and break
Gng off that bone known to surgeons as
the surgical neck.
The case is being prosecuted against
the city by Attorneys w. s. Anderson OF
Youngstown, and X. L. CobouTn oi
Salem, while Attorney s. w. Ramsey
| represents the city.