davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-27
SUCCESSION NOTICE.

Nc. I2,78o-First District Court, Par
ish OF Caddo, State of Louisiana
Succession of E. G. Morehead.
Notice is hereby given that Mrs. Mer-
tbs Morehead, Administrative. has this
day filed final account in said success
ION, and unless opposition be made
thereto within the time specified by law,
the same will be duly holomogated a.
prayed for.
Witness the Honorable A. ]. Murff,
Judge OF said court, this the 3rd day of
May 1909. SO. WILLIAMS
May =. Deputy Clerk.
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-27
NOTICE

To Mortgage Creditors of the Town Of
Vivian, State of Louisiana.
In conformity with section s., Act No.
IS of 1888, and the laws. in such eases.
as provided, notice is hereby given to all
parties holding mortgages upon real
estate located in the Town of Vivian.
State of Louisiana, on which taxes for
the year 1908 have not been paid, that I
will begin the sale of same at the town
hall Of Vivian on
SATURDAY, JUNE Il, 1000,
at II am, that number of pieces Of
property SO delinquent are now being
advertised il this newspaper il, con
formity with the Law, preparatory Is
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-27

such sale. The attention of mortgage
creditors is especially called to these ad-
refreshments of tax sales. and t.iey are
warned to take such steps prior a. the
sale as may be necessary to protect ste,f
rights. r. C. CARROLL.
Marshal and ex-Ofcio Tax-Coli.
Caucasian, May 9, 1eoo. issa
The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-05-27

ontiaued on next page
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
What MT. Roosevelt needs in Africa is a noiseless typewriter.
ETz.GERALp,s OMAR.

1 From the Washington Post
 The plan to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Edward Fitz-Gerald, alter l ego of Omar Khayyam. has called forth l a vigorous protest from certain persons l who choose to condemn the Rubaiyat for i the lack of a moral lesson. One of these puritans thus states his objection to giv- ing honor to "Old Fitz':
 "The view of life embodied in Fitz- Gerald's verses is abject it's ethical teach ing is abominable, it's effect is and must always continue to be pernicious. It cannot be denied that the poem is a great work of art. but 1t is perhaps the most evil work of art that the world has ever seen It is a strange com mentary on our wisdom that with all our crusading against books of evil infu- ence this fundamentally demoralizing work should be elevated to be the sub ject of a cult and should by editions luxurious editions annotated, editions popular, be practically forced into the hands from which judgment and good ness should most strenuously with hold it."
 Whose judgment? Whose standard of goodness? By what right is this great work of art to be strenuously withheld from certain readers?
 It is the old, old story. Objection is made to beautiful work of art because it is not a sermon, and intolerance is ready to proclaim its desire to destroy the book Why not give the Omar -Fitz-Ger- aid work an opportunity to live or die on
  ago with extravagant praise by such ju- dicious and well-balanced critics as John Hay. It served as the subject of cult. Then in perfect harmony with nature, it took its place in the minds of men where it belonged. Its philosophy was tested and found to be nothing new or revolutionary; it's "pessimism' was only an expression of art; it's bacchic delirium was seen to be skillfully counterfeited, not as cloak for Stuff or any other mysticism" but merely as player sim ulates passion. The poem, in short, is nothing but a cunning work of art
 The callow youths and impressionable maidens who would shape their motives and aspirations according to it's stand ards,' are in no danger whatever. If they are capable of enjoying the rollick- ing nonsense and witchery of the Tent makers verse, they are already past the point where the mere invitation to drink more wine than is good for them is suffi- cient to lead them to ruin.
 The poem is a first-rate drinking song It is not, however, intoxicating in It. self, nor is it apt to demoralize any youth or maiden who is worth saving It Is a work of art, thing of beauty, not too dazzling for human nature by any means, but sufficiently beautiful>to be its own excuse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
PASSING OF RAGTlME.

From the New York Globe.
 John Philip Sousa should know, if any one does And as he in effect de- clares that the times are no longer syncopated, that ragtime is dead and buried, we may believe that such is the case. MT. Sousa has not played a single piece of ragtime this season. He Is intent upon giving the people what they want, and not having given them ragtime 1t is pretty obvious that they don't want it. MT. Sousas ex- periences are not localized He batons his band up and down the land, and is the Barnum among musicians His testimony, therefore. is testimony to the expiry of ragtime the country through.
 This information is more important than it may appear to be upon it's face It betokens the arrest if not the end of what was rapidly taking on the proportions of national characteris- tic. The American people were in danger of becoming jerky-jerky not merely in their music but in all their habits of life. The tendency to shufhe ones feet, due to the ragtime music was giving some indications of com nunicating itself to the brain. And once the brain had become synco- pated there's no telling wh ere the mis- chief would have ended.
 We are told that the place once oc- cupied by ragtime is being taken largely by tuneful airs from grand
 
 posers-the creations of Wagner, Listz, Beethoven and others. This is the best evidence that the reaction has been complete. Who shall say that without ra gtime we should have had it? There is at least some reason now to trust that good music will take such hold upon us that it's effect will be perma- nent and it's place secure.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
BURGLAR AND INVENTOR.
Close Race Between Safemaker and
 Safebreaker.

From Appletons Magazine.
 Crime keeps pace with civilization, changes in the habits and customs of mankind lead to new offenses, while some good old stand-bys have become unpop- ular. First, some cautious person in- vented an iron burglar-proof safe. Inn mediately the cracksman invented him self. This declared war of wits be- tween the safemalser and the safebreak- CT. The door to the original safe fitted tn straight like any ordinary door. They were so easy to open by means or jimmy that they did not furnish the bur- glar with common amusement. It was unsportsmanlilSe. The wedge-shaped door was somewhat more difficult until the craeksman found way to manage 1t. Then MT. Inventor devised a combination lock and thought he had utterly outwit- ted the thief. but the no less ingenious thief bought him one and mercilessly studied out it's weakness. At first he did mt attempt to break the lock, but de- voted himself to blowing it open. This was child's play. He puttied up the crack all the way around the door except A tiny hole at top and bottom. AL the bottom hole he set small shelf of very fine gunpowder To the top hole he at- tached a vacuum pump. By exhaustlng the air from the safe he created strong current at the lower hole, which sucked in the powder. Then he fired the safe That was all.
 The safemaker met this advanced meth cd by corrugating the door to his safe and fitting it with rubber, so as to make if airtight. The cracksman took another twist in his art, used acid, destroyed the rubber and again blew open the safe. As safe doors were made harder and harder so did MT. Cracksman make his drills of finer and finer temper But all of these methods were accompanied by more or less noise and the cracksman dislikes notoriety So he began to experiment with the combination lock and speedily found a means to open it. The cracks man took the little finger on his left hand and kept it bandaged for weeks so as to make it highly sensitive to the touch. Then he pared his nail down into the very quick, laying the nerve centers oare' Thus, without drills or powder ne Was able to open >safe by placing the seh- stive end of his finger against the ioch' while he slowly turned the compihatioh. Ca lxean and delicate chad his sense oI touch become that he could feel when each fumbler dropped into position. Tne safe would be opened, rifed and closed again, leaving no sign to show how the trick was turned. The cracksman was t,clxled nightly with the mystery and bewi,derment he left behind him.
 The safemaker invented new safes' one after another, which could not De broken In the same old way. The high-grade craoksman bought them, one after an- otber. took them to his quiet workshop. studied every detail of their construc- ton and found new ways to break them. Neck and neck ran the armor-plate of protection and the high-power guns of attack.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
Montana'S Judicial Nominations

Montana is a mountain state, but it Is not so mountainous that it is free from machine politicians. The politi- clans have of late afflicted the state frightfully with judges who were but puppets of political bosses. The evil had become so grave it had led to the desire for a remedy, and this, it is hoped, is supplied in bill just signed by the governor.
 The bill, in short, separates primary nominations for judges from all other primary nominations. The latter nom- nations are arrayed on the official bal lot under party emblems. The names of judges are not to be placed on the official ballot. Nominations for judicial offices are to be by petition of the electors, and there shall be nothing in any part of the process showing the interest of any party in any candi- date. It is an effort to render the election for judges non-political.
 How well the plan will work de- bends largely upon the extent of the moral uplift among the voters of Mon tana. Water cannot rise higher than its source, and the object of the new bill will be lost if the people are not alert when they go to the polls.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
NeW Census Bill Needed

The adoption of the rules of the last Congress renders it the duty of the Sneaker to appoint the committees of the House. He has appointed two of them. and in due season, no doubt, he will appoint the rest.
 The tariff is to have the right-of-yay by general consent, but it is important that a bill for taking the 1910 census should be passed at the present ses- sion of Congress in order to give the census bureau opportunity to get ready for it's work in the coming year. The bill should have been passed by the last Congress, and it was, but Presi- dent Roosevelt vetoed it because it disregarded his civil service notions. The bill was not called up after it had been vetoed, partly because the Presl- dent had the power to put all census employees under the civil service, and 
 it was feared he would do this if his veto should be voted down.
 On account of the delay in the ap- pointment of a census committee in the House the ways and means com mittee reported the new Crumpacker census bill, and the House speedily passed it under a special rule.
 The new bill calls for the appoint ment of clerks and field officials after a special competitive examination pre- pared by the civil service commission CTS. This would not bring them un- der the civil service, but it would in- sure a more careful selection of as- sistants. The bill will be passed by the Senate, and the director of the census will thus know what to do in his preparations for his big task of next year.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
The Iron Market

The pig iron market has a peculiar way of becoming inactive on short mo- tiee and of starting mp again on like short notice. It has been dull for seY- eral weeks past, and the dullness b attributed to the tariff agitation In fact nearly all lines of business have been halting on account of the pending tariff bill. But the consumers of iron will not wait for Congress to settle the tariff and adjourn before coming into the market with their orders.
 A tariff bill may not be agreed upon before midsummer, but it is reasonable to say that within the next few weeks the items in the bill affecting iron will be discounted. and when that Is done a brisk and healthy buying movement will set in. The most active iron movements have often come close upon the most stagnant trade condi- tions and it will probably be so in the near future
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
FASHIONS AT SINGAPORE.
From a Singapore Letter to the Denyt D0uf

From a Singapore Letter to the Denver
 Post.
 The population becomes more and more cosmopolitan as we proceed on our jour ney and at Singapore and Penang may be seen people from almost every part of the globe and representatives of almost every race except our North American Indians The greater proportion of Malays East Indians and Cingalese, with their bronze black skins make the Chinese and Japa- nese seem almost like white people Each wears the costume of his native country, insofar as he wears anything, but eight out of every 10 persons to be seen con- slider themselves sufficiently well dressed when they have a yard or two of cheese cloth twisted about their Joins.
 This fashion of dress applies to the workmen of all nationalities, whether Malay, African, Indian, Chinese or other.
 The Indian of the better class, whether Hindoo or Parsee, dresses as he would at home. The Cingalese wears fine robes and comb encircling his crown. The Englishman, of course, has the usual ill., fitting clothes, and a pth helmet to pre- vent sunstroke The tourist, who has taken advice from many sources as to his outfit helps to make the picture com plete
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
Interest in cooner Case.

within my recollection think I have never seen as great interest shown in a southern case as was displayed in the Cooper-Sharp trial in Nashville" said a man interested in public affairs.
 'The sensational nature of the case and the deep feeling aroused all over Tennes- see naturally made it of great moment all over the south, and the interest extended even to all parts of the country I am inclined to think. however, that much of this interest has been stimulated by the masterly way in which the press re- ports have been handled. In all my ex- perience I have never known case in the south to be handled by southern news papers in such detail, especially one which extended over so long a period of time The man who handled the matter for the Associated Press, it seems to me, de- serves special credit It was a tremen- dous job, but he met the responsibility well and wrote his accounts in such way IS to bring out all the vital and really interesting parts of the case. It was a piece of newspaper work of which any man might well feel proud.
 "Of course the case is not yet ended and I expect to see interest maintained for several weeks yet"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
The Wall Street Situation.

Henry Clews in his financial review of Saturday says:
 The outlook is for quiet market with moderate fluctuations either way. A steady undertone prevails and reoupera- tive forces are quietly at work to a degree that later on should be reflected in renewed Improvement Our great bankers, our great merchants and our great manufacturers are not disturbed over the future. They are content to let matters rest and permit recovery to take natural and slow but safe course. Very soon the sap will begin to rise, and that is not the time for taking gloomy views.
 When the tariff question is settled business will certainly become more ac- tive, and orders which have been held back for months will be placed for ex ecution. The lowering,of prices and wages will also in due season be a stimulus to renewed enterprise. Much will depend upon the crop outlook, and up to date this is not so unfavorable as at one time expected. Large crops will be earn estly desired. The possibility of an out break between Austria and Servia is one that keeps all European markets in an unsettled condition. Of course, any dis turbances in the foreign bourses will be reflected in New York Strong efforts are being made by the great powers to prevent complications should war break out and this should prevent any serious apprehensions."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
Furnaces

"The decision,' adds the Iron Age in conclusion, ''to put out furnace is not so light matter with merchant in terest as with a large steel company with diversity of plants. The con version of ore into pig iron is often thought expedient, even though the pig iron must be piled And when cur tailment seems desirable, there is al- ways a contingent which defers talk ing the step in the hope that the action of others may make it unnecessary. A variety of reasons may be influential against the obvious suggestion of the relation of supply and demand If all the merchant furnaces of the country were under a single management, it can hardly be doubted that sharply restrictive movement would now be under way"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
High Rate of Iron Production

The Iron Age thinks the merchant blast furnaces are making too much iron. Judged by last months rate all the furnaces in the country are mak- ing S1 per cent of the high average in the months preceding the October, 1907, panic. The merchant furnaces are turning out S7 per cent of what they were doing under the high pres sure of prosperity in 1907. On the basis of the output in February the furnaces are producing iron at the rate of 22,50O,O ,OOO tons a year, and yet hte demand for steel rails and struct- ural shapes and plates and sheets will be far below the totals of the prosper ous years. The Iron Age prints table showing the number of furnaces in blast since June l, 1908, as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
The Music Festival.

T am greatly encouraged over the prospects for the Damrosch festival to te held at the Hippodrome the last week in April said W. J. Hon, the local man. ager.
 T have never known a musical enter prise here to attract so much attention weeks in advance of the dates as the forthcoming festival. The best of it Is that hundreds of season tickets have been sold without personal solicitation Many orders are coming by mail from out of town. Tuscaloosa will be represented at the festival by 75 or 100 music lovers and Gadsden will be well represented.
 Festivals held here in former years have been notable musical events, but MT Damrosch will present five pro- grammes at the April festival that will surpass in popular interest anything heard heretofore"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22

navy, of the double standard if pos sible, and the lords of the admiralty are seeking authority also to build in 1910 four additional armored ships Dreadnaughts. no doubt-in case of need. The object Of this additional request is to meet any new construe- tion in Germany. It is clearly a race between England and Germany and the control of the sea is the stake.
 AS things are going Germany will soon be the second sea power, fol- lowed in order by the United States, Japan and France. The comparative decline of France in sea power is as remarkable as the rapid increase in Germanys power and yet the latter's colonies are almost a negligible quan- tity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
BattleShipS in England and Germany

Germany is building battleships of the Dreadnaught class rapidly and if present programmes are followed in the two countries Great Britain will have in 1911 only IA of the big ships while Germany will have 13. This is alarming to isolated little England which has, comparatively speaking, a small army.
 The new British naval estimates in the house of commons provide for an appropriation of s175,713,500, an in- crease over last years appropriations. The government asks parliament for this money in order to constrhct four Dreadnaughts, six protected cruisers, 20 destroyers, and $5,OOo,OtJ worth of submarines. This regular appropria- tion will, no doubt, be granted for all dreams of disarmament have gone a. glimmering. Great Britain's safety lies in the maintenance of a superior
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
A FIvE-FooT SHELF OF BOOKS.

From the New York World.
 President Eliot does not designate the volumes he would put on his "five-foot shelf of books the reading of which for 10 minutes day would give any man a liberal education"
 But the space assigned could be made to include approximately three-fourths of the Hundred Best Books" lists of which have been drawn up by Sir John Lubbock, Frederic Harrison and other qualified judges of literature. Well print ed and tastefully bound in one of the libraries of shilling reprints, they would cost perhaps $20-less than a college tui- ton fee for one term.
 It would be a shelfful of very substan- tial literature-not a "best seller in the lot but Greek dramatsts and historians, Latin poets and orators Dante, Goethe, Shakespeare, Molere, Cervantes; The Pilgrims Progress and ''The Cid no doubt, along with the works of the great masters of romance-strong meat for men, tai digestions enfeebled by current 1c- ton. Yet in these books consistently read lies the basis of wider culture than is represented by a B. A. degree. These are the books that may profitably be read and reread, 16 times if necessary, as Ma caulay read Sir Charles Grandson.
 Such books are not discussed at bridge luncheons. But the recent glimpse of a small shopgirl in an elevated train ab- sorbed in Don Quixote" goes to show that they do not remain unread The enormous sale of the libraries of cheap re- prints indicates the existence of truer popular taste for reading than is generally believed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
Jenkin Lloyd Jones,

pr. Jenlzin Lloyd Jones of Chicago, who addressed a large and cultured au- oience at Temple Emanuel last night has accepted an invitation to deliver another address at the Temple tonight in behalf of the public library movement. His en- agreements are pressing, but feeling a deep interest in the library cause he glad ly agreed to talk on the subject of books.
 "Dr. Jones Is a great orator." said a professional man who hears him every time he visits Birmingham. He is, in my opinion. the most eloquent man on the lecture platform today. He is a popular preacher and is at the head of a large institutional church in Chicago. There are few buster men in this coun- try; but being a sincere friend of hu- manity he is always ready with his tongue and pen to help every worthy cause. His talk Monday night will give a fresh impetus to the work of the Libra ry association"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-22
MEXICAN NIGHT OWLS.
rom the Baltimore American.

From the Baltimore American.
 There is funny old custom in the City of Mexico which entities the jani- tor, or portero. of lodging houses to collect a few cents from any tenent who stays out after 10 o'clock at night" said MT. P. H. Dugan, a min ing engineer of that capital.
 ''Some of the porteris put out signs, which translated into English read about this way: If you want me to open the door you will have to pay me, else I shall keep it closed Many Ia time I've seen young gallarts stand ing in the vestibule of their apart ments in the wee sma hours lurching like ship in a gale as they fish ed in their pockets for the needful coin that would cause the heart of the domestic to relent and let them in."