davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

Reports from all quarters agree
that the entire corn belt gives prom
Use Of magnificent yield this year,
not only of corn but Of oats, barley
and hay. Wheat, too, Is a good crop
in most sections. Crop estimators
have given 1t as their view that the
crops for the season, particularly
corn, will exceed all previous yields.
Last year the country raised 2,66S,651,-
600 bushels of corn as against the
record yield Of 1927 ,416,O91 bushels in
1906, and if this year there is crop
in excess of the record the country
shall indeed be happy. OF wheat there
was raised in the United States last
year 664,602,0oo bushels. while the
yield of oats was S07,156,000 bushels.
This year If we raise the bumper
crops which all indications now point
to we will thus have yields of which
we can be justly proud.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
ENvious or IOWA CITIES.

The congratulations rendered Keo.
kuk upon It's adoption Of the commits
sion plan Of city government by news
papers In Cedar Rapids, Des Moines
and other Iowa cities, have attracted
attention In Illinois cities and towns
and ELECTED expressions OF regret that
they cannot avail themselves OF a
like arrangement In the interest Of
efficiency and economy. Utterances
to this effect have already appeared
in these columns from newspapers
published in Rock Island, Chicago and
elsewhere. The latest Illinois new5-
paper to express itself on til, subject
Is the Springfield Register. which de-
clares IN the light OF the Keekuk vote
o, four to one that the old ward sys.
tenn Of city government is doomed, and
adds:
Whatever may be said against the
commission form, it has shown itself
superior to the old ward system with
its laundering city councils, that at
Its worst 1t is so much better than the
old system there Is no comparison.
Iowa, by RELOCATING the ward and
city council system entirely through
successful adoption OF the commission
plan, will bring lesson close to the
doors and windows Of the state OF I'LL
nois. We will at least have the pleas
ure Of looking at the working Of the
plan, even II the corrupt Illinois Leg
islat' re is too subservient to Bosses
to permit the enactment OF commits
sion plan law.
It may be admitted that the comnds-
sion plan Is more or less OF an OK
pertinent, but 1t is an experiment
that has been uniformly successful
wherever 1t has been tried. The fact
that its practical workings in Keo-
kuk will be scrutinized by our Illinois
neighbors is added reason for select
ing the best available mer for mayor
and councilmen to demonstrate its
possib Titles In the line Of good govern
ment.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
rhE' FLiEIa.

Charles Bliss, the poet laureate" Of
Illinois, has been giving his attention
to flies and thus sings concerning the
pests which are now becoming quite
numerous: .sThe dies, the flies, the
pesky flies, they crawl upon the bread
and pies, and on each bite Of food we
eat they wipe their nasty, dirty feet.
They buzz around. defying foes, they
dance upon your face and nose, and
then without apparent fear they dig
and tunnel in the ear They light up.
on your hairless head at early dawn
when you're abed. They fly and
frolic everywhere and make the
housewives almost swear. They fall
down Ia the crock Of cream, and life
to them is one sweet dream; they get
mixed up in the raisin cake and all the
housewife tries to bake; they drop
down In the coffee cup and In the
lasses get mixed up. With ninable
feet and active wing they leave their
germs on everything, and then their
presence they explain with dots upon
the window pane. Then bring the
swatter forth and swat, and teach the
flies they mustn't dot; bring out the
sticky fly paper sheet that nabs the
insects BY the feet and holds them
struggling for their breath until they
die q lingering death. But do not use
that ancient trick and dope the flies
to make EN- sick, for this will cause
them, 30 they say, to dot their little
lives away"
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Prohibition and Beer.

Waterloo Reporter: The report OF
the beer inspector Of the state OF
Missouri is that in spite Of the fact
eighty counties of the state are in
dry belt the consumption Of the brew
was larger in the month OF June
than for any corresponding period
for eight years. 1t is the same old
experience. The law can say thou
shalt not, but that will not change
the thirst, or prevent the exercise of
inventive genius for the confusion Of
the commandment. Like the horse
led to water cannot be made to
drink, the Introduction OF desired
beverage is accepted as an invitation
to get the goods Missouri has new
claim on the "show me- slogan.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Renter and owner.

Davenport Democrat: The inten-
ton is to have no more red Hight"
districts in the cities Of Iowa. And to
this end property owners will be
more careful than ever to whom they
give leases of their buildings. This
Is law that ought to have been
enacted long ago. The renting OF
rooms for immoral and illegitfmate
purposes is one way Of encouraging
lawlessness and the law says it must
be stopped. Az general proposition
why should not the renter be as good
as the owner to whom specified
mont1ly amount is paid? The new
law certainly looks that way.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
California Knocking Iowa.

Marshalltown Times-Republican:
The California papers have long had
the habit OF roasting" Iowa, where its
best people come from. They exag-
gerate badly our heat waves in sum-
mer time and our cold waves in win
ter time Even Bob Burdette has been
in the habit of taking a whack at Iowa
from his pulpit, the Iowa that gave
him his reputation in the world of let.
tiers. Iowa people are getting little
tired Of such Misrepresentation They
want 1t understood that they are going
to do some talking back. Southern
California is very well for the man
who goes there to spend few months
in the winter time, but God have mer,
cy on the man who has to live In It's
valleys all the year around and to
work in its dusty orchards. Iowa is a
paradise compared with that.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
simply on account Of exaggerated
ideas of dignity.
PUTTING on Doa in Missouri.


Camden Point Bee: When we hear
young strut who is just fresh from
college trying to spread on dog by
the use of great jaw smashing words
we are always reminded OF young
fellow with whom we attended school
in the southwest. After belonging to
a debating society for few weeks
in yociferous. style the followed the
speech OF an opponent with the fol-
lowing remarks: Gentlemen and
Ladies': / do not come before you
with the eloquence and oratorical pow
ers of a Demosthenes or Cicero, but
i do come as a mere stoodent OF
Warnit Grove academy, and will say
that the argument of my dishonorable
opponent was simply ridiculous. pres
posterous and subsquirtical"
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
DIGNITY Of Shirt Sleeves.

Burlington Hawk-Eye: 1t is re-
ported from Des Moines taat every
body in the state house has stripped
down to shirt sleeves with the excep-
tion OF the governor, who would like
to, but keeps on his coat as conces-
sion to the dignity of the job. There
is room for argument on that PROPOSE
ton. The dignity of shirt sleeves is
one that ranks with the very best. and
tie state of Iowa does not expect, or
should not expect, any of its servants
to suffer unnecessary discomfort
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
rHE EDUCATION EoR BOYS.

Addressing the National Education
al association. at Denver, Edwin G.
Cooley, an educator of more than ma
tional renown, said:
while it is the privilege of every
American born boy to try to become
president of the United States, 1T does
not follow that 1t becomes the bust
ness of the public school system to
fit him for that position. Some OF
these boys are going to be laborers,
mechanics, artisans, something be-
sides president, and right now they
are neglected.
TT has come to pass that we are
educating about 100000 boys for the
presidency and 30,0O0,0OO for nothing,
because our schools are examining
things into their heads which will be
of no use to them when they begin
work in the factory or on the farm"
The Cedar Rapids Gazette takes
notice of these utterances to say that
in sense Mr. Cooley is right; that
we have been examining into the
heads of too many boys, and girls, too,
things which will be of no use to
them; or rather, we have been feeding
their minds on too much educational
pie and cake and knick-knacks, and
not enough en- educational bread and
butter and meat and vegetables. Om'
educational diet has been too lor-sid-
ed; we have been producing too many
lor-sided folks. But the Gazette main
tains Mat we are not educating too
many SRys for the presidency. saying
as to tins:
"But rye are not educating too many
boys for the presidency; it would be a
grand{ good thing if every boy in the
land Mere educated for the presiden-
cy; and the standard of real, practical
education cannot be raised too highly.
When we are educating American boys
properly we are educating them for
the presidency. The man who is the
best labtrer, the best mechanic, the
best artisan, the best in everything, Is
the best lifted for the presidential
chair. Our best Presidents have been
men who eally in life were the best
in humble Ceilings. Cooley gave
utterance to a great truth, but he
missed greater one"
The Davenport Democrat, discuss
ing the same subject, observes that
among sensible parents and teachers
the thought of making Presidents of
boys Is not so much heard of as it
once was There never was any ex-
cuse, 1t says. for trying to fool the
boy that way. But it finds some
for the. criticism Profess
,or Cooley aims at the school system,
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Slipper Burns Harmless.

Cedar Rapids Gazette: Several
little Willies or Johnnies. or some
thing else, as the case may be, have
according to the report from various
places. been indulging in premature
celebrations. giving the doctors some
thing to do to prevent lockjaw II
your little While shows an inclina-
ton to be premature. use slipper
on him. Better have him suffering
from slipper burns than from powder
burns, for there is no danger of lock-
jaw from the former and there is
from the latter.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

NO teacher with round shoulders
and a hacking cough should be per-
mitted in the school room,' de-
clared speaker at the National
Educational association at Denver
the other day Enforcement
of this demand would work hardship
in individual cases, but better that a
few persons be deprived of employ
ment than that the germs of the dread
white plague be communicated to the
children in the schools by teachers
suffering with the disease.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Much Truth in small snace

MT. Ayr Record-Ncws: The iowa
City Republican. David Brant editor.
gives about all business truth in one
sentence when he says: "Give the ia.
boring men Of the country plenty Of
work, let the farmers have a chance
g feed them and America will bel
prosperous.' The statement contains
more wholesome truth than whole coll
umns OF political theorlzing in ..a
Congressional Record by so.calledI
statesmen. 3
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

Housewives Of Rockford, Ill, who
have been unable to learn all the uses
Of the gas range are being offered
tho benent Of free instruction. The
Rockford Gas company has a woman
demonstration to visit the homes Of all
OF -ts patrons who may need her SER
vices. Our Keokuk Gas company
might find It profitable to emulate the
Rockford example.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

a Massachusetts professor declares
that tough steak Is more nourishing
than the tender article Boarding
house keepers are unanimously Of the
opinion that the Massachusetts pro.
fessor is one Of the wisest and best
men that ever lived.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

| The late Congressman Francis w.
Cushnlan, Of Tacoma, was native
Iowan. He was born rear Brighton
and in early life worked as farm
hand in that vicinity. Later he worked
on the section. then be came cowboy
and still later a teacher and lawyer.
He was thoroughly self-made man
and made good" at whatever he I'M
dertook. He was In congress six or
eight years. and won quite a reputa-
ton as humorist. At the time of his
death he was only forty-two yerrs Of
age. DR.. ]. A, Scroggs Of this city
knew his father as a neighbor in Loui-
sa county many years ago, but was
not acquainted with the younger man
whose death the whole country now
ldepiores.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Idle Words.

Denver Republican: Coxey's declar-
alton that he would march to Wash
ington again under the same circum-
stances is an empty threat for the
reason that the chief circumstance, a
Democratic administration is not like
ly to recur.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

The senate Of the United States as
adopted resolution proposing an
amendment to the constitution to
give to congress power to levy and
collect tax on incomes. 1t is like
Iy that the honse will pass a similar
resolution. The question will then be
submitted. IN turn, to the legislatures
of the several states. The chances
seem to be against ratification of the
measure. The failure Of twelve states
to take favorable action would defeat
IL
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

The Indianola Herald, true-blue
Republican newspaper. has no doubt
President Taft will sign the new tariff
bill with pleasure. 1t says it will not
be as good for the country as the
Dingley law but it will be good.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
SUGGESTIONS FOR USING TELE.
PHONE.

For the good Of service" as is an
announced on its title page, a booklet
Of suggestions for use of the telephone
ated II every body consulted the
has been issued by the New York
Telephone company and is being dis
tributed among its subscribers. Al
though merely a paper covered pamph-
let the book is printed In artistic style,
and its contents are such as to prove
OF value to any person in the use Of
the telephone.
On the cover OF the book is the
quotation from Emerson: "Conversa-
ton is an art In which man has all
mankind for competitors" and real
izing that the requirements Of tits
art are the greater when the medium
of communication is the telephone in
strument the company Is doing what
| it can to simplify the process. "Tele-
phone talk need not be clever" says
the company, "but ought-to be cour-
teous, and above all things correct"
Following are some Of the principal
suggestions:
There are three parties to a tele-
phone call: a. yourself; (2) the tele-
phone company; go the person with
whom you talk It Is not sufficient
| that one or two of these do their work
properly. The cooperation of all three
is necessary.
| In telephone operating, the human
element must be considered The pub
| lie is human Telephone operators
are human. The hastily spoken word
and its infection conveys whate -er
impression each gets of the other. I'm.
der such conditions, courtesy both on
the part of the operating force and the
public is like oil to machinery neces-
sary to prevent friction.
| Take telephone numbers from the
! telephone directory rather from mem
DRY. Memory plays strange tricks. It
is easy to get the figures Of a tele-
phone number transported. There are
two dozen different combinations pos
sible with number like 1885," Even
though the number is right, one may
easily get the exchange name wrong.
The most frequent cause of wrong
number calls, next to errors OF mem
DRY, is the use of telephone numbers
taken from cards, letter-heads and pri-
vate memoranda. Ninety per cent OF
wrong calls would probably be elimin-
ated If everybody consulted the
telephone directory.
AS further precaution against
error, separate figures of the telephone
number when making a call, for ex-
ample three-fiye-nine-six, and correct
the operator if she repeats incorrect
ly the number called.
When you have called wrong num-
Der, apologize. Practically you have
oeen caught driving up the wrong
side of street crowded with traffic.
When your private exchange opera
tor or office boy is told to get Mr..
Smith on the telephone, be ready to
talk when Smith answers Don't keep
him waiting Smith fas been inter
r,pted In his work, and the burden
Of courtesy is upon you.
Answer your own telephone prompt
ly. Delay may compel the company's
operator to report Don't answer, to
the person calling, and you may thus
miss important information.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

If there were any doubts as to the
location of southern Iowa they have
all been set at rest by recent events.
1t is exactly in the geographical center
of the rain belt.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
The Reformed

The Reformed.
1 jist heered that Elder Gray
Give his money all away!
Been miser, clost an hard
Sence tn big tree in our yard
Wuz q saplin never went
Nigh a soul or, give a cent!
Heered las night he give his wife
All he saved up all his life!
Sounds onreal, but faint no lie
I jtst seen tn hearse go by!
I jist heered that Jimmy Green
Quit his drinkin' cut 1t clean!
Been 9 sot sense Jones' barn
Wuz a Notwithstanding arm
Half his salt an starved his wife
All her hopeless married life.
Heered las night he got TIL grit
Someway in his soul t. quit!
Sounds onreal, but faint no lie
| list seen tn hearse go by!
Jlst neered that Liddy Wall
Out her scoldin' good am all!
Heered her husbands restin' well
Fust time in right smart spell!
Liddy allus used t say
Shed quit scoldin him some day
But she never quite could git
Made up her mind t. quit!
Sounds onreal, but faint no lie
/ list seen tn hearse 60 by!
| list heered that Abner Sykes
Found place he rilly likes.
Abner moved about until
Nothin' seemed t. Fill tn bill!
Everywhere he went to yet
Wuz too dry or else too wet.
Too much drought or too much dew,
But now his movin' days is through
Sounds onreal, but faint no lie
jist seen thu hearse go by!
~. w Foley In the New York Times
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

A Kansas paper reports that former
" candidates for office in country
towns in that state announced 1t by
printing d card In the newspapers.
Nowadays they do 1t by Joining the
Anti Horsethief association. There Is
a suspicion that this change OF meth
DDS is not confined to Kansas.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Fate 81 Little Johnny.

Fate 81 Little Johnny.
We bought our little Johnny
Giant crackers by the score:
We bought a pretty cannon,
For he liked to hear 1t roar.
We love our title Johnny
And could nothing him deny,
That would give the darling pleasure
On this great day in July.
We bought nrewheels and serpents
We bought dynamite galore;
Devil chasers by the dozen
And then we bought some more:
He was our only laddie,
We let him have full sway,
The widest liberty and noise
This patriotic day
In the morning very early
John began to celebrate;
The shed was burned at seven
And the stable went at eight.
The firemen were busy
An alarm was turned at nine,
And half an hour later
The house was blazing fine.
Great day It was for Johnny
A day surcharged with fun.
As all begrimed with powder
He. saw the firemen run.
The dynamited cannon
Burst with muffled roar,
And souvenirs OF Johnny
We're cleaned half after four.
The services were simple
Some songs, some words Of prayer
The floral emblems mustered
About him everywhere;
ThereN be no harp for johnny
He'll with the angels stand.
Pinwheels will make his halo,
Giant crackers In his hand.
Indianapolis News.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

Tailors assert motoring has q tend
ency to Increase the waist line of its
deyotees. The Omaha Bee remarks
that it certainly is apt to decrease
the obesity of the pocketbook.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

As an outgrowth OF the tariff CUES.
tion; one Of the great issues Of the
next few years will be the proposed
income tax. The debating clubs
throughout the country are urged by
the st. Louis Globe-D Democrat to get
busy, SO that no mistakes shall be
made.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

An eastern scientist asserts that a
dollar will buy all the food person
needs for month. All that remains
now is to convince the grocer of the
truth of the statement.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

With eighty counties dry" the state
beer Inspector finds that more beer
was drunk in Missouri last month
than in any previous June on record
The average Missourian still has to
be shown" that prohibition prohibits.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

The papers tell of telephone com.
pany out west which went into the
hands of a receiver, and the stock
holders not liking the way he was
closing the affairs of the company. Sc
cured a rope and hung up the receiver.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

Baby Mckee of the Harrison adj
ministration graduated from Yale this
year. Ephemeral is the fame even of
White House babies.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

There is some talk of removing the
tariff from politics. Unless this is
done some politicians are likely to
find themselves removed.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
The Natural Result.

Burlington Gazette: 1t is rapidly
becoming settled fact that the aver
age citizen is heartily in favor Of
any tax on the other fellow.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10

DR.. Eliot says that marriage is the
best occupation for women. Possibly
this accounts for the competition be-
ing SO keen.
The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-10
Lona Aqo.

Fremont Tribune: If every change
was reform, the millennium would
have been with us long, long ago.