davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Training Negro Farmers

Despite all statistics to the contrary the negro farmer and the negro farm hand are still important factors in the great agricultural industry in the south. The holdings of land by ne- gro farmers are said to be increasing in all of the cotton states. Those wno are good farmers pay for the land they till, while those who are lazy or slov- enly oftentimes lose their holdings. The croppers and the farm hands are, as a rule. not doing well. They are be- coming unthrifty and untrustworthy, and not a few see economic troubles ahead because of these tendencies and conditions.
 Senator Clay of Georgia, recognizing these tendencies and conditions, is striving to carry federal agricultural education to the negro. By means of
  to the recent one in the Sixth distrfcc in this state he hopes to make the renter and the negro farm hand bet ter farmers.
 A general effort of some sort is cer- tainly needed among the negro farm workers. The possibilities of the south will never be reached while the negro is inefficient and untrustworthy. He needs to be educated, and he will listen to teacher sent out by the gen. eral government. The state may po able to supplement the work in some directions, but at present the best hope consists in efforts not unlike those that Senator Clay of Georgia Is pro- noting.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
IN HOTEL LOBBlES
Growth of Audit Business.

Allan Asher, president of the Asher Audit company of Birmingham, has been called to New York as an expert account ant to install a system of accounts in one of the large insurance companies.
 He is one of Alabamas pioneers and when young man was actively con- nected with the cotton industry. For several years, however. he has been a practieing accountant.
 In referring to the development of the audit business. a citizen remarked yes terday, ."rhe audit system is practically of recent growth in the south. A few years ago there was but one practicing ac- countant in Birmingham, but now the directory shows a dozen or more. The fact that one of the old line insurance companies of New York has sent to Bir- mingham for an accountant to institute an improved system of bookkeeping is at once significant and gratifying"
 Horace A. Springer, who has recently become associated with MT. Asher in the auditing line, goes to Decatur today to de- sign books for the new municipal system under Mayor Skeggs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Trans-lsthmian Traffic.

Traffic between the eastern and west ern coasts of the United States by way of isthmian railway and steamship lines amounted to practically 5o,000,O00 in value in 1908, a marked increased over any earlier year, according to figures con- piled by the bureau of statistics, de- partment of commerce and labor," says writer is the Railway World.
 ''The railway on the Isthmus of Pan anna, 40 miles. in length, is devoted large ly to traffic growing out of the con struction of the Panama canal; the rail- way at Tehauntepec 19o miles in length, although opened only at the beginning of 19O7 carried during 1907 and 1908 be- tween $6O000,0O0 and $70,OO0,000 worth of merchandise between Atlantic and Pacific ports of the United States.
 "Of the merchandise crossing by way of the Panama railway sS,500.000 worth moved from the Atlantic to the Pacific and only a little more than $1,000.000 worth from the Pacific to the Atlantic. New York and San Francisco are the chief centers for this ocean and trans
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Progress of Aviation
noting.

This is to be year of develop. ment in the use of aeroplanes, or heavier-than-air machines. Many ac- tive, alert brains are studying aerial problems in this and all other ad- be handled and rehandled, and it will be strange, indeed, if some useful i'm provements are not made.
 Aeroplanesoere light and compara- lively inexpensive, and they are cap- able of flights in the air. The Wright brothers have demonstrated the feasi- bility of flight in motor-driyen ma chimes, and it becomes the duty of the other aviators to render such flights safe from accidents and commercially valuable.
 All inventors are now convinced that flying machines are feasible with out the aid of gas bag. How far these machines can be simplifed, and how far they can be given commercial value remains to be determined. All the world is awaiting the outcome. No one considers flights In the air be- yond mans power, and all are await ing additional inventions that will hasten mans long delayed conquest of the air.
 Although the Wrights are citizens of America yet it is strange that our aero clubs are comparatively idle, and our aeronauts are by no means as alert as are those in European coun- tries. Our government lags behind other countries in this matter. But when the Wrights return to their na- tive land perhaps aeronautics will be- come a consuming fad here as it cer- tainly is in France, Italy and Ger many. At present the Wrights are bigger men in London than they are in their Ohio town.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05

second year, of which amount the dem- ocrats take about sS2,0O0 and the re- publicans about s9O,O00. As the state pays the costs of elections and of primaries the new bill relative to cam paign expenditures should render u1f necessary any appeal on the part of any party for funds. But will it? This is indeed a question. In a hot contest would not the public money be supplemented by private money?
 The evil of campaign funds gathered from persons who have schemes up their sleeves is freely admitted It has been the great source of corruption and favoritism in the past, and unless the new Colorado law contains some safeguards 1t is impossible to see how much good will come from it in a warm campaign. Tn a dull campaign the public contributions would no doubt suffice. The experiment will be watched with interest. It is a new step forward, and it may prove more beneficial than it now promises to be. All reforms seem to arise in the west and as a rule whatever is good in them spreads over the rest of the country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Railroads and Commodities

The decision of the supreme court of the United States upon the commod- ities clause of the Hepburn rate law chiefly concerns the railroads of the hard coal district in Pennsylvania. It may also affect some roads engaged in mining operations in the far west, but few of those enterprises are engaged in interstate transportation, and prac- tically speaking, it relates to the hard coal roads.
 The decision is a straddle. The com modities clause is upheld, but a strict construction of it is not. If the rail road that mines hard coal, for ex- annie, has sold its product at the mines. then the commodities clause does not fit it. Nor is a railroad pro hibited from owning stock in a com pany that does mine the coal It will thus be seen that interstate transpor- tation is easily obtained under the Hepburn law, either by a change of ownership at the tipple, or by employ ing an intermediary company in the handling of the coal.
 Justice Harlan dissented from the vie wof the court, but Justice Harlan is the one man in the court who be- lieves in seeking the spirit of the act and the known will of Congress
 The Lackawanla company will have to change it's plan of handling it's coal-that's all. Otherwise things will 20 on in the anthracite districts as they did before the decision was rem dered, because one company sells its coal at the mouth of its mines, and the other coal-carrying railroads do business through coalmining con- panies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
COM MODIFY CASE
 COMMENTED UPON

Washington. May 4.--In commenting upon yesterdays opinion by the supreme court in the commodity clause, Attor- ney General Wickersham today explained that the act inhibiting railroad companies from moving in interstate commerce com modities in which they have an interest, direct or indirect, could only mean '1e- gal' interest and that the courts have frequently held that interest in the stock of a company was not legal interest in property of the company This was shown, he said, in the debate on the bill when 1t was before Congress. At that time an amendment was offered to the bill to the effect that an interest in the stock of a producing company by rail- roads should be regarded as a legal inter est in the company. This amendment was rejected. In order to meet this import ant question raised in yesterdays decision the Attorfney General said it would only be necessary for Congress to adopt the amendment which 1t had formerly re- jected.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Hlqh School Speakers.

q have never had occasion to act as judge where the decision was so hard to make as at the annual oratorical contest of the Yancey Literary society at the High school tonight said Judge Zell Gaston.
 "The five young men who took part dis played marked ability, enunciation was fine, and although their selections were the most difficult, they delivered them as orators in fact.
 .The High school is doing a great work in this training. The ability to express ones self so that the best points are made with force Is one of the greatest necessities of success to the lawyer and public speaker. I was especially taken with the ease of the young men. These contests should be continued and encour- aged Birmingham's citizens could have found few more delightful entertainments than that given by the High school so- ciety tonight"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
NOT GUILTY IS THE
 VERDICT ASKED

Savannah, May 4.-Preceding the an- nouncement that the prosecution rested its case in chief at the close of today's session of the so-called naval stores trust" case, events of importance in the trial came in quick succession. The pros- ecution, through Assistant District Attor- ney Akerman, announced that case had not been made out against Charles L. Deloach, secretary of the American Naval Stores company, and asked that verdict of not guilty be returned in his case.
 The examination of w. J.Coachman of Jacksonville. Fla, president of the Con- solidated Naval Stores company, caused unusual interest apart from the fact that the morning session ended abruptly be- cause it was announced that he had be- come suddenly i'll and that at the after noon session he was assisted as he walked to the witness stand.
 As to the other defendants, after an- nouneing the close of the opening bat tie, Attorney Alderman stated he believed a case had been made out. Judge Shep- pard declared a recess until tomorrow, when it is expected that the defense will ask for the direction of a verdict as to all the defendants.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
NEXT STEPS IN
 PEACE MAKING"

Chicago, May 4-Having viewed the pres ent aspect of the peace movement from various viewpoints, including those of the politician, the business man and the edu- cator, delegates to the second Peace Con- gress in session here tonight considered plans for the future. At Orchestra hall Dr. David Starr Jordan presided over oratorical efforts illumining next steps in peace making" the general caption covering the evenings addresses.
 In the Fine Arts building President John wielded the gavel lightly over a special session devoted to the relation of schools and colleges to the peace movement. At this meeting Hamilton Holt not only drew a verbal picture of "the federation of the World,' but illustrated his points. President P. s. Brooks of Baylor univer- sity, Texas, likewise spoke at this ses- sion.
 At Orchestra hall Edwin Ginn of Bos- ton outlined systematic campaign of ed- ucation for peace, for in education the militant peace makers base their hopes of universal abolishment of war. Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones of Chicago referred to ornaments as irritants rather than guaranteers of peace. Edwin D. Mead of Boston discussed 'the arrest in compet- itive arming in fidelity to The Hauge movement and Congressman Richard Bartholdt of Missouri, among other things referred with sarcastic emphasis to the inconsistency of a race of people which insists that the individual shall set- tie his differences by peaceful means in the courts, while nations are left to re- fer their own squabbles to the arbitrament of war.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Music Festivals.

R R. Burton, manager of the Cable company accompanied by his wife, will leave for Atlanta this morning over the Seaboard Air Line for the purpose of at tending the music festival which is now being held in the Georgia metropolis
 Birmingham had a splendid festival under MT. Damroschs direction last week and this week Atlanta. is a center of musical attraction" said MT. Burton. At lanta has a grand array of solo celeb rites and the festival will doubtless be a brilliant success. Caruso had been en- gagged but cancelled his contract on .ac- count of throat trouble. The additional artists engaged for the festival to make up for the loss of the famous tenor are the best now in this country and l an- ticipate keen pleasure in hearing them But on the whole, no festival held in the south this spring will quite come up to Brmingham's in respect to orchestral music. We not only had Damrosch with his New York Symphony orchestra, but we had five concerts and in each of them orchestral numbers predominated. Music lovers and the public in general like choruses and fine soloists, but they are especially delighted when the greater part of the music comes from the orchestra
 Atlanta has Dresden orchestra and while that band may play very well it is safe to say that 1t is not in a class with Damrosch's superior body of mu- sicians.
 By the way, MT. Damrosch is having record breaking successes in St. Louis He is directing a festival in that city and at the opening concert Sunday aft ernoon he and his orchestra appeared in the Coliseum before an audience of 5000. So great was the ovation that the Globe-Democrat of Monday devoted col umns of space to 1t and published & four-column snapshot cut of the interior of the Coliseum. showing orchestra, so- loists chorus and audience.
 '"rhe St. Louis festival is to continue three days and it is estimated that the re ceipts will exceed all records of similar events It can no longer be said that artistic music is not appreciated in this country"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Lumber Rates Too High.

Washington, May 1.-The entire yellow pine lumber schedule of rates in lne country west of the Mississippi river is involved in complaint of excessive rates filed today with the interstate commerce commission. The complaint was insti- tuted by the Louisiana Central Lumber company and IS others lumber manufac
 turing concerns in the northern yellow pine territory against the Chicago, Bur lington and Quincy Railroad company and 31 other interstate carriers. Reduc- tions of rates on yellow pine from Louis jana, Arkansas and Missouri and Texas to Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyom- ing is demanded on the ground that they are excessive, unreasonable and unjust.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
COlOradO'S Campaign Reform

Colorado is land of reform She may be said to have nosed Alabama out of first place in that respect. One of her latest reforms relates to cam- paign expenses. Instead of permitting special interests and corruptionists to furnish campaign funds she proposes to furnish them herself. The full text of the new law has not been re- ceived, but 1t is known that it pro- yides for contribution biennially to party campaign funds of 25 cents for each vote cast at the proceeding gub- ernatorial election. The bill calls for an expenditure of about $62.000 every
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
ACTION AGAINST
 MISSOURI ROADS

General Major today instituted quo war ranto proceedings in the Missouri su- preme court against 16 railroads asking the forfeiture of charters or the fining of the principal railroads in Missouri, the Information charging them with vio- lating the common law in conspiring to fix passenger rates and with conspiring to put into effect combination of freight rates in violation of the antitrust laws of the state. An alternative writ was made returnable to the court en banc on June 1.
 This action is, according to the attor- ney general, the result of the railroads attempting to return to the Scent pas senger fare. following Federal Judge Nc Pherson's decisions that the Missouri pas senger and freight rate laws were con fiscatory.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Woman's Board Adlourns.

Chattanooga, May 4.-At the closing ses- sion of the Woman's Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, F young women were consecrated for the work in foreign fields The ceremony was one of the most irn- pressive ever witnessed here. The young ladies who tonight gave up their home ties and friends to go out and work in strange lands are: Miss Houser, Miss Park, Miss Futile and Miss Foster, who will be sent to China; Miss Bue, Miss Edwards and Miss Lowe, for work in Corea; Miss Warner, MissN Buttrick and Miss Novel; who go to Mexico. Miss Warner and Miss Hickman will be as signed to Brazil. After the conservation of these 12 young women the conference adjourned sine die.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
ORDERED HOME.

Uncle Sam's Magazine I have heard the bullets whistle, I have
 seen the bolo kill have heard the war tribes chanting from
 their outposts on the hill, I know the plague smell of Manila and
 the Chinos willy way, And what it means to be soldier here
 for 50 cents a day. But my heart is sad and weary. and I
 wish some one would say, There's a transport in the harbor and
 you're ordered home today" I've seen the Moro in the palm grove.
 murder shining in his eye; Heard my "bunlxie" calling mother" as
 he's lying down to die; Seen the fateful mark of Black Death"
 on the man just gone along; Felt the hot breath of a leper in a panic
 stricken throng. So the 'Wanderlust'' has left me and l
 wish that 1 could say, 'There's a transport in the harbor, and
 you're ordered home today" have seen the Pasig boatman in his
 casco floating by, And the muddy, rocking waters where the
 Spanish warships lie; I have slept in running rivers, I've hiked
 up burning hills, I have sat- and shook and shivered with
 the fever and the ch1llS. All the Oriental jewels for these simple
 words I'd pay: "Theres a transport in the harbor, and
 you're ordered home today" Harkl hear a siren moaning out beyond
 Corregidor It's a gray old army troopship coming
 from the homeland shore, And it's calling, softly calling me, to come
 across the sea- Where a mother and a sweetheart long
 and look and wait for me; And my soldier days are over, and I need
 no longer stay There's transport in the harbor, and
 I'm ordered home todayi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Will Test Tennessee Prohibition.

Knoxville, Tenn, May Alt is reliably stated today that John G. Ray, whisky distiler of Lafollette. Tenn. will test the constitutionality of the so-called "manu- facturers' law" which prohibits the man. ufacture of whisky and beer in Tennessee after July 1. Ray, who was a resident of Jonesvile, N. C., it is said, will file a suit in the federal courts attacking the Tennessee law. This suit will be in dependent of the predicted test of the four-mile law in Tennessee Lafollette is one of the four cities of the state in which whisky is now sold, the others be- ing Memphis, Nashville and Chatta- nOOga,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Promised s1o,ooo for His Vote.

San Francisco, May 4.-Andrew M. Wilson, whose failure to testify to cer tain recollections- in one of the trials of Tirey l.. Ford, was followed by his in- dictment on three charges of accepting bribes, was the principal witness in to- days session of the trial of Patrick Cal houn, president of the United Railroads. Wilson told how he sounded the members of the Schmitz board of supervisors on the proposal to pass the overhead trolley permit, and was promised $10000 for his vote This, he said was after converse tions with James l.. Gallagher and Ab- rahaln Ruef
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Atlantic Torpedo FlotiIIa.

Washington, May 4.-Orders were given at the navy department today putting in- to commission the 12 torpedo Doats now at Charleston, s. c. The intention of the department is to form an Atlantic tor pedo flotilla, to be in charge of Lieut. Con- Frederick N. Freeman. It will &C., company the fleet on it's summer ma neuvers. The five boats making up the third flotilla now at Pensacola will pro- ceed to Charleston and with the com bined strength flotilla will be formed. the others remaining available for duty or be placed in reserve.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
HOT ARGU MENT IN
 NIGHT RIDER CASE

Waverly. Tenn, May 4-After a long and at times heated argument between opposing counsel in the night rider case here today over the motion of the prose- cution to discharge Holloway and Pol lack, two of the accepted jurors in the case, Judge Cook decided not to disqual- fly them, holding that the evidence against them was not sufficient
 A fresh sensation was sprung today by the prosecution by offering an affidavit to disqualify Charles Redden, claiming that he was one of the Hickman county white cappers who helped to whip Jack Butler at Hickman. After hearing evidence the judge also refused to disqualify.
 The hearing of testimony in the case will probably be finished this afternoon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Storm in Connecticut.

New Haven, Conn.,, May 4.-Drlving with terrific force over the upper wa ters of Long Island sound and along a part of the Connecticut shore, ohe of the most severe storms experienced in several years claimed a toll of four lives last night, sent four barges to the bottom ground off Branford, cast one ore in that vicinity, and piled three others on the rocks. The persons drowned were Capt. Marshall A. Percy, on the barge Susquehanna, his wife. H. year-old son, and deck hand whose name has not been learned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-05
Prosnerous Farmers.

Nearly every branch of business in the west is apparently as active and satis- factory as il ever was" said c. L. Rowan of Kansas City. within the past five years the farmers of out west have grown well-to-do, not to say wealthy. They are undoubtedly prosperous, and believe that within the next 10 years the western farmers will be by far the richest class in their section.
 aI understand that southern farmers are, like their fellow husbandmen of the west, prospering greatly. It is only question of few years when the average farmer in Alabama who looks closely after his interests and uses good judg- ment will be a rich man. Agriculture, in= stead of being on the wane, is practically in it's infancy in this country