davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
PROBLEM OF DIET.

Frop the Boston Herald.
 Several years ago when the meat trust ran up the price of beef it was suggested by philanthropist that the poor stop eating meat altogether. Tt really isn't necessary" said the philanthropist. "Peo- pie will feel much better if they will live on vegetable diet" By some critics the words were considered heartless. By oth- CTS they were thought to be injudicious. comparatively few families followed the advice, most of them from necessity. Pure enforced abstinence, however, can hardly be regarded as a victory for vege- tarianism.
 Now there are signs that the vegetable diet may become fashionable. At any. rate. so many people are avoiding meat that 1t is not regarded as ridiculous eccentricity to subsist on vegetables alone. In fact, people are become much more Independent in their eating than they used to be. Gee, but we get the funniest orders nowadays" said waiter in a fashionable hotel the other day. He had Just been supplying guest with the whites of three eggs The doctors say that those people are healthiest who think least about themselves. But most people in these times, when foodstuffs are steadily increasing in price, have to think about what they eat. And inde- pendence and freedom of choice in the matter will go far to enable them to make good bargains. If the controllers of the meat trust had not been aware of the slavish devotion of the great mass of people to meat they never would have had the nerve to go as far as they did And 1t is amazing how a little investi- gating widens the field of food products recognized as wholesome! At present a group of personages of great interest to the public are trying the experiment of eating no meat. Their example is sure to be initiated. It may in time become fashionable to avoid meat. If that time comes, look out for the vegetable trust! It already Is said to exist in embryo.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
Population of the County

Population guesses are usually ex- cessive, especially in cities full of boosters. Citizens of Atlanta have long had the habit of making claims out of all proportion to the facts. In 1900 the census gave Atlanta 89,000 but the estimated population submitted by the mayor of that city In 1898 was 100000. The Georgia metropolis has extended it's limits recently and the claim of 150,000 is probably not as far wrong as the figures sent to the alma macs prior to the last census, but the present estimate is sure to fall consid- erably below the official count.
 As to Birmingham's population in 1910 estimates will be held in abey- ance until after the legislature has dis posed of the Greater Birmingham bill. If the King bill passes as now drawn, Birmingham will show much larger percentage of increase over 1900 than any city in the south, and with two or three exceptions, greater perhaps than any city in the country. But no mat ter what the census may give Bir- mingham, the population of Jefferson county will show a phenomenal gain.
 Had the census been taken last year, soon after the panic, there might have been decrease as compared with the population of the summer of 1907, for many wage-workers of foreign birth returned to their native lands and others left to seek employment in the north, only to find, however, worse conditions there than here. But in dustrial prosperity is again in evidence in the Birmingham district and from now on the county will be filling up faster than was the case even in 1907 when it reached high water mark. That this will be so can be reasonably as- sumed because of the large plans for industrial development-plans that will mean vast expenditure of money and great army of workers. Within the next eight or nine months there will be a very pressing demand for labor hereabouts and 1t seems safe to say that the census enumerators in 1910 will find between 225,O00 and 250,0OO souls in Jefferson county In 1890 the population of the county was 88,000. In 1900 it had increased to 10000, but when it is remembered that owing to acute industrial depression in the earlier part of the sos there had been decrease, it can readily be under stood that a phenomenal gain was made two or three years before the census of 1900. And conditions are certainly more favorable to growth now than ever before.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
Pray that the right may thrive.
 king Lear.
Revenue and Deficit

At the beginning of this month tho available cash in the treasury WAS $42,- 000,000, and the government has on de- posit in the national banks S63000, ,000. A call for $25,00O,0OO of the latter amount has been made, and possibly still more money will be called in, al though the banks will not hereafter hold much more than fair working balance.
 The deficit of the fiscal year just closed was a trifle less than $90,00O,- GOO. The deficit was less than had been anticipated because importations had been temporarily increased by the fear of higher duties in the new tariff bill. The deficit of the present fiscal year is variously estimated. Senator Aldrich says 1t will be $60,000,0OO Some. however, put it at higher f1g- ures. Not much aid is anticipated from the new tariff. It is in good part pro- hibitive, the treasury being less con- sidered in it's makeup than special in terests. It may, however, bring in $lo,- 100000 more than the Dingley bill would have brought in. The corpora tion tax, unless checked by litigation, will turn a golden tide into the treas ury--possibly to the extent of $50, ,O00,- GOO. This tide will not, however, be felt until next June. In the meanwhile the state of the treasury will be low, and Congress will be asked in Decem- Der to provide for a government loan. Secretary MacVeagh already possesses power to issue per cent Panama ca nal bonds or per cent temporary certificates of indebtedness. The in- tention at present seems to be to get along until December without any is- sue of bonds.
 A revenue tariff would have ren. dered a government loan unnecessary, but prohibitive tariff makes one in- evitable It is idle to expect Congress to be economical, as idle as it Is to expect the Aldriches and Cannons to devise a tariff that is a great producer of revenue, and there must, therefore, be recourse to borrowing next winter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
IN A BAD HUMoR.
Troy Editor Thinks Rev. Brooks Law
 renee Has Made a Blunder.
From the Troy Herald.

From the Troy Herald.
 The decent citizenship of Alabama Is aroused and has been weeding out from public office the men who favor the liquor traffic and they will continue to do this until every liquor judge, solicitor, sheriff and police officer in our state has been laid out under a beautiful political tomb stone of ballots. I know whereof speak, for the sentiment of Alabama Is stronger than 1t was in 1907.
 We have only begun our fight, and we will keep it up until we have justice. If we cannot get 1t in the courts we will see to 1t that the courts are constituted of men who will not work overtime in their efforts to protect the liquor outlaws of Alabama. The people of this state propose to have this law fully tested by it's friends and not accept verdict of success or failure at the hands of its enemies
 If the court decisions against us are ever we'll founded on constitutional in- hibitions, then the people of Alabama will change the constitution of the state to meet the situation. The day of saloon- keeper, gambler, harlot and pimp domina- ton in government is drawing to a close in Alabama"
 The above extract from an interview with the Rev. Brooks Lawrence superin- tendent of the Anti-Saloon league, is self explanatory MT. Lawrence says, '"The decent citizenship of Alabama Is aroused" In other words, people who differ with the Rev. CD gentleman are not decent people. So far as we are concerned we would thousand times rather be what he terms the liquor element than to be Brooks Lawrence, who, according to his own statement, was called of God to preach the everlasting gospel, and desert ed the pulpit to go into dirty politics No one has any faith in political preacher, especially one who leaves his own state for a stipulated amount to preach politics in another.
 Again he says that the supreme court of Alabama has worked overtime to pro- teet the liquor interest. He knows that his words are false and base islander of our supreme court. We might tolerate a. criticism of our officials by an Alabamian but when 1t comes to a paid "spieler' from Ohio, who perhaps does not pay 1 cent of taxes, condemning honorable gen. tlemen, 1t is little more than we can submit to tamely.
 And if our preachers wish to have a continuation of the confidence of the peo- pie they must stay out of politics.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
BROOKS LAWRENcE-ExTREMIsl

From the Goodwater Enterprise
 The attack of Brooks Lawrence, super intendent of the Alabama Anti-Saloon league, upon the supreme court of this state is, in sense, without precedent.
 Good men who have espoused the pro- hibition cause and supported the campaign which is being waged against the sale of whisky in Alabama are hearty in their condemnation of the cratic and yenomous outbreak of MT. Lawrence and realize that such impetuous and egotistic utter ances will do the cause of prohibition in- calvulable injury.
 It has been instanced that much of re- cent Alabama legislation resulted in only expense to the state which is, indeed, un- fortunate, but all Alabama is proud of the fact that native Alabamians have too high a regard for the incumbents of the states supreme court bench to question the honorable intent of decisions rem dered.
 The Anti-Saloon league of Alabama numbers among its constituents Ala bama's most worthy citizens, who advo- cate a worthy cause, and who will re- gret to have the achievements of two years earnest efforts neutralized by such petulant and dirty criticisms as those emitted by the Rev. Brooks Lawrence
 The honest devotion of MT. Lawrence to the cause of prohibition in Alabama, in view of this occurrence, can be easily determined by his prompt resignation. to the end that some honorable. conservative and respected bona fide citizen of Ala bama may become the leader ina cause so worthy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
pr. EliOt's Book List

The president emeritus of Harvard frankly admits that he was paid by New York concern to pick out the 30 books for the famous five-foot shelf. The New York concern proposes to publish these books in tabloid form, and Dr. Eliot justifies his action on the score of public education. He pocketed the fee, but he says he had no other motive than the cause of edu- cation. What he pocketed will not be apt to advance the cause, but really the good doctor should not be blamed for accepting a fee. Others equally lofty and eminent pocket fees, and Dr. Eliot had a right to secure one from the New York concern.
 The doctors reasons for emitting the Bible and Shakespeare are not so defensible as is his fee. He says he left them out because "most people" have read those books. AS matter of fact, most people have not read them, and still fewer understand them. The New York concern asked that they be omitted. It is then New York concern list, and that is just about the size of it.
 Dr. Eliot and the New York concern have made mess of it, and the chances are that few fve-foot shelves will be built to hold the books that have fee and New York concern behind them. s"It is,' says Dr. Eliot. "a strict business proposition, and nat urally the publishers will advertise largely" Well, anything that pro notes advertising in these times seems to be acceptable, no matter what its sins of omission and commission may be.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
From Timothy D. Sullivan's Paris Letter
 to the New York World

From Timothy D. Sulivans Paris Letter
 to the New York World.
 N NYBODY who believes that Paris
 P7N is cheap town to live in gets
 badly fooled. Everything is dear, very dear Living is extremely high and maybe they don't know how to charge an Americanl You have to pay here for your lack of knowledge of the Ian guage, and, believe me, my French IS not of the very best I only speak the French they teach on the Bowery.
 While we are talking about French, I have a new word, and by the time l get back to dear old New York I believe It will be generally known. Hereafter l won't say any more '23l'' or "Skidoo! It will be tAllezl AllezV" There is noth-A ing like it. It sounds so well, and if you want anybody to get or to move along just say "Allezl Allez," and the result is simply wonderful. "Allez! Allez!' for mine after this.
 Car fare is dear here because the rides you take here are so short. You can get a longer ride for a nickel at home than you can here for $1.5O I say again that everything is very dear here, and any body who comes here and expects to find any bargains gets badly fooled.
 You talk about Parisian clothes You can get clothes cheaper and better in New York than you can in Paris. But it seems to me that everybody who comes here starts out at the first opportunity to hunt for bargains. But they never find them, and the result is that people buy lot of useless things and make themselves believe they have done won derfuly well. And then you always want to bear in mind that you may have to pay duty on what you buy when you get back to America. And if you add the duty to the Paris purchase price you will soon realize that instead of getting a bargain you are getting badly and sadly fooled The greatest nuisance that a traveller has to deal with Is the idea of buying presents for friends at home. I have no idea of buying any, and if I want to make any presents when I get back I will buy them in New York. You can do better there than you can here.
 I was here four years ago, and that is the manner in which the French gentlemen wear their boards. Four years ago you would see most men wearing mustaches and heavy goatees. All this has changed. Now you see more whislers or full
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
sULTAN,S CLOWN.
From Sports of the Times.

From sports or the limos.
 Every event concerns the professions The connection between the variety show men and the deposition of Abdul Hamid the cruel Turk, is not obvious; but the Stage points out that it cost French clown his position. Years ago the Frenchman exhibited a trained cat. The Sultan liked the show; had the French man arrested and imprisoned in the Yil- dix Kiosk. and paid him $250O year to train animals for the amusement of the ladies of the harem. Ts-e Sultan is now prisoner, subjected to the third degree; the harem women are scattered to the winds, and the Frenchman and his cat find themselves out of date in the modern variety halls.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
EARNINGS OF WRITERS.

estate of George Meredith, who died the other day. Meredith left behind him a32,0O0, a sum made entirely from his writings, which shows for one thing that more people bought his books than ever read them, or at least understood them. In this connection it is interesting to note Swinburne left e24.000, Tennyson f57,0O0, and Browning, who was so cavi- are to the general reader that societies have been established to expound his meaning, died worth e1soO0. It is kind of axiom that poetry does not pay; in face of these figures 1t is an axiom whose obviousness may reasonably be called in question:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
{, IN HOIEL LOBBIES
Return of Prosperitv.

Prosperity is returning with bound" said A. F. Henning of Chicago.
 A few months ago business men and financiers as rule were inclined to think that industrial revival would come slowly and that commercial conditions would hardly reach normal before 1910; but improvement has been fast this summer and with good crops in sight there Is every promise of high records in pros perity this fall. In fact, many success ful business men are now predicting genuine boom immediately after Congress adiourns"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
Crop Conditions.

Henry Clews in his weekly Wall street review says in part:
 Production is rapidly regaining nor nal proportions; labor is generally well employed, and complaints are few. The country continues, of course, upon high level basis. and there are no indications of any early change in this respect, for the simple reason that, speaking in gen. eral terms, supply has not yet exceeded demand; and the inhationary effect of cheap money is becoming more and more evident.
 "The most important element regarding the future is the crop situation. This, too, as a whole. Is very promising. The sharp drop in condition of cotton recently reported was a surprise and caused q brisk advance in that staple. Cotton, however, is a late plant two months still remain before full maturity of the crop; during that time much recovery will be possible, and 1t should be borne in mind that no crop was ever very seriously damaged by excessive rain. ex- cept in the lowlands, the injury there often being offset by the benefit in up- land districts, to which rain is rarely a cause of more than temporary disaster. The corn crop continues exceedingly promising, and predictions are still being made for record breaking 3.160.000 000 crop. This is the most important crop of all, not only to our farmers. but to the railroads. The practical certainty of high prices for agricultural products, even should they recede from present levels, means another profitable year to the farmers. It means also heavy traffic for the railroads, and should be bene- ficial in providing an abundance of feed for the cattle raiser. The government report showed much Improvement in the condition of wheat. and the output of winter wheat is likely to prove larger in quantity and better in quality than at one time Anticipated.
 There have been no important huc-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12

tuations in the security markets during the past week. and prices have at times shown considerable strength. especially in the Pacific and Coal stocks. Appar- ently the large holders had stopped dis tributing stocks; whether because they found the market would not absorb fur ther amounts or whether because they feared they would be unable to repur- chase at lower level remains to be seen, Although the present price level is exceedingly high, with conditions so favorable in many respects. 1t is un- reasonable to anticipate any pronounced reaction for the present at least. Bears are practically an unknown element in the stock market just now, and the bulls apparently lack bold leadership The pre- Vailing disposition Is to waltz
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
"souIRMINe LIKE A woRM."
From the Pine Belt News.

From the Pine Belt News.
 The Rev. Brooks Lawrence is squirming like worm on a hot griddle. His card which by innuendo impugned the integ- rity, ability and manhood of the Ala bama supreme court, composed as it is of the cream of the Alabama bar, is meet ing with just resentment by good cit izens all over the state He has tried to crawfish, but it's too late now for him to modify his statement. The people of Alabama are satisfied with their su- preme court, having elected them without asking the advice of the alien apostle of temperance. Alabama Is able to attend to its own business when 1t comes to law making or anything else, and butters-in like Lawrence should seek greener pas lures.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
The Vacuous Lauqh.

"Idle persons, suffering from ennui will get much amusement out of mere trifes," said an observant man last night.
 Out at East Lake this Sunday after noon a gentleman of dignity and appar- ent repose was tilting back in one of the large chairs which had one broken rock CT. The chair turned him out most awh- wardly. Several persons laughed, as did the man himself, but a few silly light heads continued to encore with overdene. affected laughing. both men and women, that 1t was too apparent was forced, ill., bred, and a nuisance to many others.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
Politics Warming Up.

During the past week the political pot almost boiled under the benignant rays of the meeting of the bar association and Governor Corners call notice," said a. man who takes a lively interest in pol itics.
 'The local option people are casting about to find a suitable man who can make a snappy, vote-getting speech. There is some talk of persuading w. w. Brandon to carry the banner Then there is mention of Emmett O'Neal of Lauder dale. Charles Gunter. mayor of Mont gomery and Senator Spragins of Madison. By the time the legislature meets, it is said, matters will have somewhat shaped themselves toward centering on one man by those opposed to statewide prohibi- tion."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
Looks Like Reaction.

Prohibition does not seem as popular as it was a year or two ago." said J. w. Aiken of Washington, D. c. "The vets have been victorious In so many hard fought contests recently that all must see there is something like re- action setting in against drastic anti liquor legislation. At any rate it is time that the real friends of temperance were trying some other way of reforming cities than by statewide prohibition.
 Everybody knows that whisky has caused a lot of trouble and there is not man of good moral views who will not applaud any sane movement for mini mixing the abuse of liquor. But light thinker though I be, I am unalterably against statutory prohibition. So long as liquor is manufactured and sold anywhere there will be men to drink 1t. I have travelled over a considerable part of this country and am familiar with several southern states, including the Carolinas and Georgia Not only is prohibition in cities a farce, but 1t is worse. It rapidly develops disrespect for law and wherever a systematic attempt Is made to enforce prohibition laws, as in North Carolina, one sees crops of sneaks and perjurers.
 'I was told in Georgia that as much beer was being sold in that state as there was before it went dry, and I suspect from what little have seen of Birming- ham that as much liquor Is consumed here as there was before it was placed under prohibition. I can understand how people who take only a superficial view of life and social conditions imagine that sumptuary laws can be made operative in large communities as well as In small towns; but it is passing strange to see men of worldly, wisdom and especially insight into the habits and tendencies of a great proportion of city folks calling for anti-liquor legislation, when such leg islation is not approved by decisive majority. There is scarcely a city of 10000 population in the United States that does not contain A wet majority"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
WHEN THE POET WAS HAPPY.
m the London Chronicle.

From the London Chronicle.
 Bjornson, the poet. who is now lying seriously ill at Christiania, was once asked on what occasion he got the greatest pleasure from his fame as g. poet.
 His answer was: "It was when dele gation fro mthe right came to my house in Christiania and smashed all the win dows, because when they had thus at- tackled me and were starting for home again they felt that they ought to sing something, and so they began to sing, Yes, we love this land of ours They could do nothing else! They had to sing tackled"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.
from the New York Pres

FTOm the N6W 1UfK FTeSS.
 The more man can fool woman the more it's because she wants to be fooled though she can see through 1t all
 If a man wears necktie that matches a girls ribbon 1t convinces her how de- lightfully he makes love.
 A girl takes 1t for granted that if she was much prettier she couldn't help be- ing little vain about it.
 When womans garter comes undone it's a sign she will try to make a man think she is taking a burr out of her skirt.
 It's next to impossible for most people to realize that when rich man is hun gry he can like steak and fried potatoes Just the way they do.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-12

Alleged Leper Early is going to sue the District of Columbia for unjust charges and utter restraint of liberty. He wants $5Oo0O damages. Uncle Sam would have to pay one-half of this bill.