davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10

inst before the congressional and state
 elections take place, and it will add to lle gayety, If Iai of the nations, certainly of the states in one nation. Congressman Mann, chairman of tho
 House committee on interstate and foreign commerce, is endeayoring to head of in a way the anticipated re- turn from Elba. He has introduced hill to eliminate the canal commits sion and to put a general director Tn it's place. This would mean that Theo- dore Roosevelt would be appointed to the place, and he would be expected to complete the great task by 1915. This would take him out of the race of 1912.
 But can the return from Elba be shelved in that way? MT. Roosevelt may not desire to spend five years Ill the canal zone. and if he accepted the appointment he would never consent to serve away from it. He would not be willing to become an absentee gen eral director. It is, therefore, pretty plain that the Mann-Cannon plan for meeting the return from Elba will miscarry. Something else will have to be invented, and the alternative cer- antily cannot be detected in MT. Taft's tame and strictly conventional even by reading between the lines
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
Patience Needed In Alabama

One candidate, however worthy, or one set or faction of men, however ef- flcient in the campaign, should not in the hour of victory be dictatorial All should be patient, all should have con fidence in the final decision in the pri- mary of the democratic party of the state.
 It is a mistake Co say that the dem ocratic party of Alabama is in a cha otic condition. Each additional day is removing misunderstanding and fric- tion and all the other clements op- posed to party solidarity. A cessation of political activity on the part of the masses would be a great relief. A cessation on the part of the politicians is, of course, impos- sfble. They never rest, either before or after a primary. But the great mass of the people are not politicians They are citizens with individual tasks and duties on their hands. They Ge- sire to attend to their public dnties, l but above all else they desire a mini ! mum of political agitation, in order that they may give a maximum of time to their own business. If the politicians and factions will
 be patient accepting an August or Sep
 tember primary the party in this state
 will wholly recover from the effects of the November whiriwind. and wise
 and benefcent results will De pos l sible.
 All that is needed is time in which to bind up wounds and secure tle old time assimilation. Let all study pa tience. August or September will soon roll round, and in the meanwhile all
 unselfish democrats will just naturalls ] get together.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
Future Trading In Cotton

The report of Commissioner of Cor porations Smith on the cotton ex- changes of New York and New Or leans is document that concerns ev- cry cotton farmer as well as every other man interested in southern trade. Mir. Smith commends the commercial differences of the New Orleans ex- change while he condemns the arbi- trary differences of the New York cot ton exchange.
 In the New York exchange relative values of different grades of cotton to be applied in the settlement of future contracts are determined nearly year in advance The seller will nat urally select for delivery those grades which are the most overrated. The buyer of the contract fears this, and he therefore bids less for the future contract than he would for spot cot ton. Futures are in that way de- pressed, and yet the prices of futures are regarded as a criterion of values by all engaged in handling cotton. The result is, the price of cotton is pushed down. The entire scheme of fixed diff ferences in the New York exchange pulls against the producer and in fa- vor of the spinner.
 Future contracts" says MT. Smith, should truly represent actual cotton. If they do not, if the two lines Of prices are divorced, the two chief functions of the exchange-the hedg- ing system and the quoting of stan- dard prices-are nullified, and the ex- change loses the prime characteristics which distinguish real market from a gambling place"
 Changes have been made in the sys- tenn of the New Orleans exchange but none in that of the New York ex- change, although more than a year has elapsed since the nature of it's rules was considered and condemned by Commissioner Smith. Congress is in session, and already two bills pro- viding remedial legislation have been introduced in the House.
 All southern readers should procure, through their members of Congress, copies of Commissioner of Corpora tions Smiths report It is document that should be carefully read through out, for the subject of cotton futures had never before been so fully and impartially treated.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
REAL LIFE IN FICTION.

From the New York Times.
 Robert W. Chambers is the latest nov elist to be harsh1y judged perhaps mis- judged for putting real living human beings in one of his books. The novelists not lifelike yet when parsonage is dis covered in a work of fiction who resem- bles somebody tolerably well known in real life, no allowance whatever is made for the fact that if the picture of life is to be called real 1t must closely resemble reality. From the rise of the novel in the early days of the last century nearly every highly successful novelist has la bored under the charge of putting his friends or enemies into his. books The charge has been infrequently sustained by evidence.
 That a writer who would embody in his books a true criticism of life must closely study humanity as 1t comes his way is not to be disputed. Inevitably such books will frequently contain personages who remind readers of folks they know. The greatest characters of fiction, to be sure, are typical, conglomerate, and on a plane above the people we meet In real life. But 1t Is not given to all writers to pro- duce Falstaffs, Joe Gargerys and Jean Val Jeans. The legal status and manner of upbrlnging of the children in MT. Chambers new novel are not exactly new in fiction, by any means. Wards in chancery abound in English fictitious TO- mance. The great ado made about the fancied likeness of this boy and girl to two living children, we'll known in New York social circles, naturally advertises a book which otherwise might have missed the profitable popularity of a sbest seller' Yet we do not doubt that the author sincerely resents the charge of taking something of his subject from real life. Novelists like to have their books called lifelike. but they hate to have their personages Identified with models, whether the Identification is real or mistaken.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10

to the big C. F.'' 1t is needless to say that F'rohman prizes this memento be- yond price.
 Fitch WAS once coming out of the Wal- nut Street theatre, Philadelphia, after a strenuous last rehearsal of Captain links of the Horse Marines previous to Ethel Barrymore's triumphant appearance in that comedy, when the writer of this met him at the stage door and inquired how things were coming on. well" remarked
 the tired-looking but sanguine Fftcht everything looks lovely. The last re- hearsal was so horribly bad that I think the performance tomorrow night will be a great success"
 It was ''The Moth and the Flame" that really started Fitch upon his genuine ca reer as dramatist of striking originality and audacious novelty and ingenuity. Mrs. Sarah Cowell Le Moyne achieved the true hit of the piece as the husband-hunt- ing gossip in the church pew scene But two sensational novelties were attempted in this piece the effect of which on tho public were breathiessly awaited by the management when it had its premiere at the Chestnut Street theatre, Philadelphia. One was where the suicide shot himself in the room overhead-a curious stage effect of noise of pistol shot and fall-and the other where the masqueraders danced around the stricken relatives, singing 8 foolish popular song. Needless now to say. the audience wildly applauded these innovations
 To serious student of Clyde Ftch's bulky work--not so much bulkier than that of many popular dramatists-there are many plays almost below notice many that are styled original that are practically adaptations on broad scale. But in his Climbers his "Girl With the Green Eyes and Truth" Fitch rose to something worth while. And scattered throughout his series of dramas-so in consequential as individual plays-are many scenes and many characters faith fully refiecting the life of today. If there is a spirit of froth about them, is it not true of the types of society and fash ionable life that he sought to depict? He was, above all, writer of comedy-fal- ing. as a rule. into bad melodrama when he strayed too far away from it. And vet his comedy had now and then a gen uine tragic touch set against 1t in vivid and sharp contract. And who else can be named alongside of him as a real portray CT of modern American life in fashionable circles-as a master of the so-called so- ciety drama?
 Bronson Howard. with his Saratoga and other plays. once claimed this honor for a bygone generation of playgoers. Au- gustus Thomas, William Gillette and our latest successful dramatists have scarcely encroached e foot on Clyde Fitch's favor ite field. That Fitch produced even one single great play may be disputed I5whether proved or not--but in the in- yentfon of many scenes and characters he stands in the front rank as America's best society dramatist. sG.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
MT. Roosevelt Coming Home

The slaughter in the jungle is we'll nigh ended, either because there is a dearth of victims or else there is a sated appetite for slaughter--it does not matter which. It is announced that the ex-President will leave the jungle in the first days of the new year going to Cairo where he will meet his family. and then by leisurely jaunts he will proceed to Europe. where hc has agreed to deliver several ad- dresses.
 He will be fully ready to depart from "Elba," reaching New York some timo Iext June This win be
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
THE ALABAMA FARMERS.
2 the Chattanooga Times.

From the Chattanooga Times
 One feature of the result of the re- cent election in Alabama has attracted considerable attention, not only in that state but elsewhere, and has given very serious turn to the prohibition prop agandists. It has been claimed with more or less assurance that the farmers of the state and the voters of the rural regions are to be invariably counted as unreasonable adherents to the cause of prohibition as against local option, and ready to vote the most oppressive and radical laws on the subject of liquor that can be proposed. The result in Alabama quite disproves thos theory It shows that farmers. as fact, are thoughtful citizens that they thoroughly appreciate the real issue involved, which is that laws opposed by the majority sentiment of the community to be affected are coercive, op- pressive and impossible of enforcement. He displayed a wonderful conservative attitude on the question and called halt upon radicaiism that will be help full in its effect upon other states. He realizes that prohibition laws are help fu1. in fact essential, to small cities and towns and sparsely settled commit mites, but he has seen enough and appre- hended enough to realize that in the larger centers of population, made up of people of all shades of opinion, and where vices and lawlessness may so easily hide in the alleys, byways and secluded places, 1t is next to impossible to com pei a compliance with prohibition laws.
 The result in Alabama does not mean that the farmers and the stalwart men of the country would encourage drunk enness or intemperance. but 1t does mean that they do not approve the saddling of such conditions as exist in the larger cities of the state upon the people for all time. 1t means that if present laws do not secure the reforms intended they must be modified and changed to meet the approval of good sense and sound, practical judgment. It is a most encour- aging thing to know that the farmers cannot be rallied and herded to put in- tolerable conditions upon cities and to keep them there after they are made to understand the frfghtful wrong committed thereby.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
zelaya and the United States

It Is plain that the United States has no grievance against the republic, or rather the people, of Nicaragua. The grievance of this country is Of per sonal nature. and Jose Santos Ieiaya is the sole offender. He it is who, aft er signing the treaty of Washington, proceeded to invade Honduras, and then Salvador. He disregarded from the outset the treaty which was intend cd to nut A stop to wars in Central America, providing for that purpose A court at Cartago, in Costa hica, to which could be referred all differences between any two countries signing the treaty. Zelaya has been a roysterer and disturber in Central America for fully 15 years. He has even invited Germany and Japan to build canai on the Nicaragua route.
 In executing Cannon and Groce he violated international military laws. These men were not spies; they were reyolutionists. and they were given military trial in which it was shown they were reyolutionists. They should have been treated as prisoners or war. If they had been spies, the case would have been different Under the rules of The Hague agreement no country can sentence any man to exc cution except that he be proved to be spy acting independently of any miii- tary organization. One of the victims of Zelayas wrath was a colonel and the other a lieutenant colonel in the engineers of the army of Estrada.
 The position of Mexico in this mat ter will soon be known, for Governor Creel will soon arrive in Washington 10 present Mexico's attitude. If the United States and Mexico can agree upon a common policy, that policy will certainly be enforced; and peace in Central America may be the general outcome. In any event Zelaya will have to go. Mr. Creel goes to Wash ington as Mexico's special envoy, and his coming will hasten a settlement of the entire trouble.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
HYPNOTIC WONDERS IN BOSTON.


 From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 A hypnotist performed some feats in Boston 8 few days ago which are de- scribed as Interesting and amusing" but which suggest the necessity of legal inter- ference.
 Under the suggestion that he had the strength of sandow. a lad of IS was and supported burden of several hun, dred pounds. The whole circle was then hypnotized, a broom put in the hands of one of them; he was told it was rife which he must shoot. One man fell to the floor, suggested into the notion that he was severely wounded the man with the broomstick fell in despair to think of what he had done, and then the whole group were frozen by word and stood staring like the good king and the bad duke with their followers in shake- speare's play, .The Tempest"
 Allowing for exasgeration. there is something in this. It was feature in variety show and the published report contains not the faintest suspicion of fraud or humbug.
 The Post-Dispatch has already urged regulation of this occult art. The na- ture of the hypnotic power is utterly un- known and not even physicians profess to know much about the laws of it's manifestation. It is a power which no | one should be allowed to exercise ex- | cept by special legal authority and then under the strictest regulation. Above all peripatetic professors and vagrant showmen should be forbidden to use 1t as museum attraction.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
Salaries Of Federal Judges

The district and circuit judges of the United States receive no travelling expenses or mileage when holding court elsewhere in their districts or circuits than in the towns in which they reside. These judges cannot properly have clients or lines of busi- ness outside of their judicial duties This is why the salary of s6000 a year to district judges and s7o00 year to circuit judges has become inadequate, always provided the best men and the best lawyers in a district or circuit are to be placed On the federal bench.
 Extravagant salaries should not be paid but certainly salaries large enough to induce the best lawyers tc accept appointments to the federal judiciary, whenever they are made should be provided. To have excellent jurists decline such appointments be cause of salaries Is unfortunate, and yet that is the state of affairs today
 A movement has been started tc increase the salaries of district judges to 5000 and of circuit judges to $10, 900. New York and other eastern states pay still larger salaries to their judges, and the proposed increase will be sure to find plenty of support in the states in which numerous cases in volving grave questions arise every year
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR. From the New York Press

Save your pennies and your family will take care of the pounds.
 Children show great wisdom in not hay ing the delusions about their parents that their parents have about them.
 A man has a natural tendency to fall in love with women older than himself till he's 3o; after that he can't find any. older than. he is.
 What 2 man likes about breaking his neck chasing after n public office is how he wants to be able to say, If he gets it. that he accepted 1t.
 One of the incest things to girl about being engaged to a fellow is how he can act like a crazy man about 1t, just the way they do on the stage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
On Southern Literature.

The literature of the south has been
 sadly neglected until recent years, but there is now work, issued by a well
 known firm of publishers, said book lover, which is entitled The Library
 of Southern Literature and is the most comprehensive edition of the kind
 ever gotten out. There are 15 volumes in this elaborate set, beautifully illust
 trated and printed in a way to com mand the admiration of anyone who IS familiar with superior typographical work. The books were edited by pr. F. A. Alderman, the distinguished pres ident of the University of Virginia, who is known personally to great many Birmingham people. A brilliant stah of 300 sub editors collaborated with pr. Alderman in this work and the re- suit is a collection of the south s pest literature that will probably stand as a memorial to its editors for years to come. The lamented Joel Chandler Harris of Atlanta was one of pr. Alder mans chief co-workers, while others who assisted were Dr. Charles W. Kent, who Is widely known for his literary labors, and pr. c. Alph onso smith, noted educator. The Library of south ern Literature has been compiled With the greatest care, so as to insure the preservation of the souths best liter ary output with the elimination of what is unworthy. The work is being widely sold throughout the south and sh ould have 8 place in every library"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10

HIS BLUFF WAS CALLED. A man fed on pride till his chest swelled And he talked at great length of him self The vast undertakings which he was about,
 His shrewdness in piing up pelf. He strutted around in the eyes of the
 world
 With a manner which said, Look at
 mel" His head was held high and his lip it In scorn that was painful to see. But his grasping for gold soon shattered
 his health,
 He lay, stricken low. on his back: Forgotten the pride in his power and
 wealth. As he murmured, Alas and Alack! ''If could live longer''-he put up this
 prayer
 'Id soon make amends for the past; I'd lift from my neighbors the burdens Then Death spoke up, Hold. not so
 fast. When the devil was sick you've heard
 that old saw,
 The devil a saint would be- For your wild protestations I care not
 a straw,
 Unless you'll sincerely agree ITO give up your houses and lands and
 your gold"-
 Old Moneybags struggled for breath; The shock was too great, by newspapers
 we're told
 Heart failure was the cause of his
 death.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
THE SORROW OF LOVE.

By w. B. Yeats. The quarrel of theseparrows in the caves, The full round moon and the stsr-iaden
 sky, And the loud song of the ever-sinsing
 leaves. Had hid away earth's old and weary
 cry. And then you came with those red mourn
 ful lips, And with you came the whole of the
 worlds tears, And all the trouble of her laboring ships, And all the trouble of her myriad years And now the sparrows warning in the
 caves, The curd-paie moon. the white stars in
 the sky. And the loud. chanting of the unquiet
 leaves, ft And shaken with earth's old and weary
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
WiII Talk Politics.

T was in hopes we would have a rest from politics for a few months, but I can see now we will have nothing of the sort said a merchant.
 Tn view of state. county and municipal elections to be filled next year the po- litical cauldron is beginning to boil now. I was inclined to favor late primaries. but since we cannot prevent people from talking politics maybe early primaries would be better"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
COMING LATER.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
 The New York Herald says Alabama has gone wet by 15,o00 or 20,0O0 votes" and the Tribune makes similar as- sertion. Read the news more carefully, gentlemen. Alabama has a prohibition law. She merely repudiated an attempt to abolish the constitution. The repeal of the Fuller law will come later. when its complete failure has been demonstrated
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
STILL USEFUL.
From the Houston Post.

From the Houston Post.
 It may be cruel to mar the joy Of the Christmas season. but the sword Of the Lord and Gideon, the rapier-like granes and the ponderous steamroller wrfch an initiated durned foolishness in Alabama will be mercilessy used by us on the re- publican party next year,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
Georaia and Alabama.

"It is a misnomer to speak or ueofsi" as prohibition state, said hlcnaro 9. Werner of Baltimore "As matter oi fact no one who has any informa''on about Georgia thinks of it or speaKs ol 1t as belonging to the prohibition coiumn' except the prohibition orators wno eo forth in other states to cheer ana rai'y audiences assembled under pronioItlon auspices. I am told that GeorEie proniDi-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-10
DRAMATIC.

DRAMATIC. Maids worship the star from afar- You've seen his name on a cigar Because he can say, In the tenderest way, The sweetest of women you are.''
 \ He speaks to the heroine, you know, Who wears blond wig in the show And weeps briny tears While voicing her fears Of being turned out in the snow.