davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1910-05-08
AN OVERPLAYED HAND

A politician who won't stay dead is as incon-
venient as the sort that will stay bought, and
hence the contemporary Flannery before he blew
up with an attack of ''ptomaine poisoning These
are well known political maladies and Flannery's
rapid recovery IS doubtless due to the fact that his
aocusers have obviously overplayed their hand The
indictment that charges him with having part as
accessory IN a crime committed by other persons
in Marin county looks to me much like political
frame. His connection with that offense-if there
could be said TO be any connection at al-was 50
remote that the indictment must be laughed out of
court If II gets far. 1t has all the appearance
OF being intended for political consumption only II
was false move and already Flannery is issuing
belllgerent manifestoes about the foul conspiracy
against his peace and honor. By and by, when the
bogus indictment fails, he will wrap himself in the
garb OF virtue and cxclaim, Behold l am vindi-
Gated. You can't keep good man down.
GOOD LORD. GOOD DEVIL
This is the mistake that the half baked eoo-eoo
often makes. He is so all fired smart that he thinks
II is good play, he puts it. to eight the devil
with fire 1t was this policy that so badly queered
the graft prosecutions. They were forevet getting
down into the mud to fight the grafters and brbe
gVerS WIFI their own weapons, until after two wears
Of it people began to think that both sides were
tarred with the same brush. [ have the same opin-
ion of the grafters that have always held but on
the other hand it is no apology for dishonorable
practices that they employed the side of the
Lord.
So it is with F1annery The framing" of polti-
cal indictment puts his accusers in the wrong If
they had been content to prove by letters or tele-
grams, or other means, that he was the associate
and ally of thieves and bunko men, that should
have been sufficient Proof of that sort would have
made his position as police commissioner unten-
able Now when the Indictment fails as it will fail
he will claim that he has been made the innocent
victim of wicked conspiracy All this may be said
without knowing the tenor or effect of the con
fession made by Joe Abbott, the bunko man.
Everybody knows that testimony of that sort is not
worth a tinkers imprecation
OFF THE MoRGUE WAGON
Now that the democracy has apparently got off
the morgue wagon, Mr.. Hearsts disinterested offer
to come back and be good, made through John
Temple Graves inspires the New York Sun to polite
derision like this:
The Hon. John Temple Graves was easily the
first chop of that gathering He with trib-
both hands, overture of reunion and
reconciliation. with million votes behind him
and forbidding sky He shed the lascivious pleas
of fhs 1,fe He bonic cted fro,, La
The San Francisco call., 1910-05-08
JAIL FOR THE MILKMAN

am quite aware of the defects of individualism,
and they proceed mostly from the same cause that
vitlates the socialist program. but at least ndvld
ualism supplies powerful incentive npelling
to make themselves perfect in their work. The
single incentive that socialism supplies goes to
make men perfect in the arts of the politician I'm
der socialism all the easy things and the fat places
would go to the successful politician. The real
work of life would be done in slipshod time
serving fashion or left undone altogether except
under threat of punishment. A thousand new forms
of crime would have to be invented and men would
have to go to jail because they had not delivered
the milk before breakfast. Socialism complete
system Is a fools Daradise
The San Francisco call., 1910-05-08

an avowed socialist, writes me
a reply to something prlnted-here
last week as follows
The San Francisco call., 1910-05-08
COLLECTIVE WISDOM

Opinions of some of our statesmen:
Supervisor Kelly OH the tenement house prob
lenl-3Why should we be afraid of little tubercu-
losis?"
Supervisor Hergct on the lifting of the lid
What is the objection to it? The only objection is
the moral one"
Supervisor Nelson on Observation-Disclosures
finger more or less? It's like going through war
The San Francisco call., 1910-05-08
CAN'T DELIVER THE GOODS

The San Bernardno Sun rejects the theory that
Stanton will be pulled out of the gubernatorial race
and be made the candidate for lieutenant governor
AS to this theory the Sun says:
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03
host Dance Of che1enne and Ar4pahocs Indian Eneampent

ambulance runs and doctor bills, ia Their
than the more systematic and guarded
saturnalia of other years produced under
direction of responsible authorities in pub
lie park or other place of amusement in
the open.
Omaha has in former years been the
scene of some rather jubilant Fourth of
July celebrations. The biggest Fourth
of July this city has ever seen was with
out question on the Fourth that came ex-
position year. The pyrotechnical display
on that occasion was declared grand at
that time, and the verdict stands un-
changed. There has never since been any
thing in the fireworks art to approach it in
this section of country.
The first Fourth of July celebration, an
omalous as it may seem, was held on the
fifteenth OF the month. Just why the de-
lay, local historians have failed to record,
but for some reason the picnic was post
poned from the official date. That was in
1854, and the celebration was held at
Bellevue.
/ Concerning that festive day, the Nebraska
Palladium, one of Nebraska's early day
newspapers, says:
I'VE had the pleasure of spending this
memorable day at Bellevue. and uniting
with the Industrious, hospitable and intelli-
gent pioneer settlers in celebrating the
seventy eighth anniversary of American
independence.
I'VE never have had the satisfaction of
spending this interesting day more pleas
antly than on this occasion The Star
Spangled Banner was hoisted at y o'clock,
after which salute was fired I'm succession
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03
1lJrocesslon Of All Rabiony . . =

injured. nuts ON ambulance bolts are
frightened and the tires are inspected so
that runs may be swift and frequent.
Emergency hospitals clear tho wards for
quick service, and the drug store man
puts on an extra force Of clerks. Fire
stations are manned by double crews and
all of the apparatus is tested with special
care. Streets reek with smoke OF powder,
and car tracks are lined with giant crack
ers belchinE forth ut frequent intervals.
Pedestrians must ofttimes jump to save
life and limb, but in jumping they run
chance OF springing into unseen peril still
more serious In this Omaha is no diff
ferent from other metropolitan cities. That
is why there is always a movement under
way for safe and sane" Fourth Of July.
Each year in each of the big cities Of the
country, the chief Of police proclaim warn
ing concerning the use of explosives on the
streets and just as regularly each year
strenuous Americans disregard the pro-
clamation. 1t may be different this year
time will tell when the returns are gathered
in tomorrow night.
Among those who signed the declaration
of independence, John Adams seems, SO
far as history tells. to have been first
to foresee the fact that Independence day
was to become nationwide holiday re-
curing year after year through coming
centuries In this connection il is interest,"
ing to note that, contrary to- general sup
position, the Declaration of Independence
was signed on July 2, instead of July T.
but It was not formally adopted until the
fourth, and that is the date upon which
patriots base their jubilee.
But back to the John Adams forecast
it was on July 8 1776, that John Adams
wrote to his wife, Abigail. the letter, since
often quoted as a prophecy concerning the
future celebration Of this period, as a ma
tional festival. Despite the fact that he
was one of the most important figures in
the stirring events of that historic time,
he wrote two letters to her on that date.
III one he said:
Yesterday, the greatest question was de-
and greater perhaps never was nor will
be decided among men. A resolution was
passed without one dissenting colony, that
these United Colonies are and of right
ought to be Tree and independent states"
In the other letter, he wrote:
The second day of July, l776. will be
the most memorable epoch in the history OF
America L believe it will be celebrated by
succeeding generations as the great an
niversary festival. It ought to be COM
solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.
1t ought to be solemnized with pomp and
parade, with shows, games, sports, bells
bonfires and Examinations from one end OF
this continent to the other from this time
forward forever more. 80
Truly. John Hancock when he signed, and
John Adams when he turned prophet
started something that seems inclined to
keep going to the end Of time 's
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03

a galloping pace that Roosevelt would have
cheered had he been within distance
From an out of the way corner OF the
picnic grounds about this time came sounds
that could emanate from nowhere except
fiddle strings.
Listen! He's playin' Turkey in the
Straw"
Some good old sister from the Friendship
school house settlement deciphered signif-
canoe of the sounds and pausing a moment
with right hand cupped to ear went further
TO predict They'll be dancin jes naturally
hoein' it down, in. a mint" And she
guessed right. The ever thoughtful com.
mittee on arrangements had not neglected
the construction of dancing platform
made Of rough pine boards, glittering in
their brand newness. AS the volume of
melody swelled the crowd drew nearer.
Deacon Whttlesey. for lack OF more urgent
occupation was at the moment discussing
the need of new school house in the Burr
Oak district, surrounded by other serious
minded patriots but they tabled the dis
cusson and edged forward with the crowd.
TO see what them rollckin' young folks is
a-dOin' now"
Perhaps the caller" for the dance was
wholly innocent of college degree, perhaps
little scorn of conventionality so long as a
fluffy silk handkerchief encirced his
brawny. sunburned neck? No dance was
dance in that era unless the caller was
there and in active operation and the silk
handkerchief was an indispensable feature
of caller toggery. Moreover, he had a good
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03

upward a year or these all but 100 are
filled by British. OF the lower offices, the
salaries of which range from 800 to 5000
year about 1900 are Eurasians, while
more than 1900 are held by the natives.
As TO the offices lower than these, they
are held by the natives, and their wages
fall to a rate exceedingly small. Take the
teachers in theu.primary schools. / am told
that they get something like s. A month.
and in certain places not more than s.. IL
Is said that If all the teachers OF India
could have their salaries raised, TO So per
month they would esteem themselves
happy. a. =
This new movement is largely intellectual.
Said one of the officials 10 me this week:
The unrest is the rousing of the soul of
the Indian people. You. can see signs OF
1t everywhere. One is In the Increased de-
sire for education and another IN the ma
tive newspapers. The latter have been
sprlnging up all over india, and, although
usually of small circulation they are hav-
ing great Influence Already more tan
1909 native journals have been established.
There are more than 300 printing presses
at work. and something Ike 1900 different
books in the various dialects are produced
every year The newspapers are pub
lisned in twenty-five different languages
and dialects, including Assamese, Bengali
lind Sanscrit, Arabic, Tamil and
others. Some Of these papers are in
the native states, where they are sub
ject To the rajaEs, who suspend them
and Danish their editors at will Others
are IN the provinces under British rule.
There they are practically free from
censorship"
What kind OF books do the natives
publis.i3 ," / asked.
every kind" was tho reply. They
are writing books on religion, on poetry
and the drama They arc turning out
histories and biographies. and also
treatises on medicine, mechanics, philos-
Uphy and law. ney Issue political PAM
pllets and oOks on public questions OF
various kinds. NAM or their books are
wen written and some OF them have a
C, Juerable SIZE"
FRANK q. CARPENTER.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03
The walking Mayor.

HEN one of the minor officials Of
Greater New York induced the
Board of Aldermen 90 provide
an automobile for him, Mayor
Gaynor vetoed the item with the
written remark. walking Is
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03
Gossip About Noted People

than drinking. l fear-its getting so that
a lot of young fellows can't think until
they light cigarette-and then they can't
thinE.
"One shouldn't walk 100 fast. Walk
evenly, moderatelN-aud the best results
arc obtained No, l never tire. No, I'm
not an early riser. / arise at 7;30 o'clock.
J often SO to bed late. Cold bath the year
round-not an ice BATH, but G5 degrees in
the winter.
Il usually walk alune-I prefer to. be-
cause 1 think bcttvs as I walk-oycr there,
one can't think consccutiyoly There are
SO many Interruptions during the day. II
is during these morning walks that / plan
cut the days work. Ny best thought is
during my walks, when am IN the open
and feel at my best, | start out from my
house ana take ten, fifteen of twenty
n'iie Walk in the Brooklyn suburbs. often.
I have routes"
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03
voice and could be heard full half a mile
as he sang out in catchy rhythm:

voice and could be heard full half mile
as he sang out in catchy rhythm:
All to Your places
Suaighten out your faces,
Turn loose your heels,
But don't kick the traces.
That was the starting signal, and the
energy with which booted swain swung
airy-fairy maid was enough to inspire adj
miration, even though there may have been
a dearth of Telsartean grace in movement.
Hours Seemed like minutes then and 6
o'clock, that momentous time when chores
must be done, came all too early. Home
ward then the wagons rumbled, and the
Fourth of July went down into rural his
tory once again. There may have been a
dozen punches of firecrackers exploded dur
ing the day; if so, that was considered
"middlin fine fireworks" and the young
men who galloped on horseback ahead OF
the family wagon may have been armed
with % caliber pistols, but if so the marshal
of the day confiscated them in the name
of public safety.
Such was the old fashioned Fourth of
July celebration in rural districts where
agriculture is the backbone OF action. In
the cities there has always been differ
ent mode of celebration-more of the fire
works and less Of the reading; more of
the exclusive and less of the community
spirit
OF late years in the cities there seems to
be lack of patriotic aim on July 4. The
spirit of patriotism may be Just as strong
as ever. but it finds vent in indscrmlnate
firing of giant frecrackers. whirling Tor-
pedoes and other urid things that make
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03

of the dec Grafton" might be drank ii by
assembled patriots.
The reading over, the reader, with sleeves
of his alpaca coat rolled elbow high,
waded out through the crowd, receiving
handshakes by way of congra tulation. and
finally halted indefinitely by the side of
big barrel filled with lemonade.
At noon heavily laden hampers were
lifted from under wagon seats and out on
the greensward was spread real homespun
dinner. Chicken. for some reason or other,
always entered as staple into these pa
triotic menus. And new beet pickles. Think
back, you oldtimer. and in fancy you can
still see the orator of your settlement"
thrusting pocketknife into glass jar to
gig the scarlet pickle. No Fourth of July
dinner was ever just right unless it par
took of the community spirit No family
ate alone The Jones family, who titled
the stumpy forty on the south side of
the creek" spread refreshments alongside
of the Smiths or the Browns, and SO on
through the list.
Try some of my baked chickens
Grandma Smith would say to her neigh
Dor, and straightway. the chicken was tried
and praised.
And here's some pound cake think is
middlin' fine" another would say.
If the village parson happened to be ION
the grounds" -and 1t was part of his duty
to be there unless 'provldentially hlndered -
1T was woe to the poor mans digestive APP
paratus, for he was expected to nibble here
there and everywhere, regardless of gas
tronomic inclination or capacity, and the
village schoolmaster Jared much the
same.
Dinner over, the horses were led down to
the creek for drink for be it recorded
here without further delay; that p1nning
brook somewhere in close proximity, was
one of the chief requisites of a Fourth of
July picnic ground Meanwhile the women
folks found occupation in packing the
dishes back into the hamper and slowing
them away again under the wagon seat.
Along about . o'clock, when the santing
sun pierced its way down through riffs in
overhangng foliage, the readers job was
to mount the rostrum again. not to repeat
the Declaration of Independence, but to in
troduce the Honorable jeremiah Throck-
morton, our next congressman, a man
who"
Then for an hour or SO, the Hon. Jere-
miah devoted himself to saving his ooun-
try over again, putting bold attest to the
John Hancock signature. and winding VI
with peroration which caused his hearers
to exchange glad Explanations by way Of
compliment
"A rip snortin fine speech OF something
to that effect, his friends vouchsafod within
his hearing as he left the stand And the,
had to sound it in stentorian tones, fo
by that time the silver cornet band" i'm
ported from the county seat was hammer
ing out star Spangled Banner at sucl
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03

for each state and the great territory of
Nebraska. Every countenance was ami
mated with pleasure. and radiant with an
tcpation of the future glory and great
ness of the beautiful place where they
were assembled
THE assemblage met near the Indian
agency under the bTgad canopy of heaven,
and seemed to have hearts as expansive as
the great scene of nature in which they
were situated. If the spirit so beautifully
and freely manifested on this soul-inspirlng
occasion be an index to the future char
acter of the vast multitudes who will come
from the four quarters of the earth to
mingle i'm the pursuits and pleasures of
this people then it will be true as it was
remarked by one of the speakers, that:
This country will be, indeed, the Eden Of
the world It is our earnest prayer that
this may be the case and that this country
NAV be preserved from the ravages OF
ignorance vice. crime and oppression.
The country is large enough TO accomno-
date 90 900 inhabitants, and the hearts
of the settlers large enough TO receive
them"
1t will be observed that the Palladium
reporter was long on editorial comment
and rather short on news details concern
ing that historic independence day, Tor his
account of the celebration gives but little
actual information concerning the program
and the persons who participated in it.
He does however digress from his edt-
torial strain long enough to leave behind
for coming generations the fact that
committee was appointed to draft resolu-
lions and to assign speakers to certain
toasts Some of these toasts and the men
who handled them were as follows:
Friends of Nebraska in Congress-" s.
Decatur.
Our Government" l. II. Bennett.
Nebraska First, Nebraska Last, Ne
THE Star of Nebraska" L. b. Kinney.
The Spirit of Nebraska" Major Gate
wood.
Education" c. L. Watson.
Fourth Of July" NJ p. Bull.
From a glance at this array there comes
the deduction that there was a busy ora
torcal day in Bellevue on that occasion
l. II. Bennett y 1t Will be observed, was
twice called upon.
In later years, after Bellevue crumbled
into scarce more than a memory of its once
strategic greatness, and Omaha had be
come the center of Missouri valley life,
many notable celebrations were held IN
groves adjoining the city, and until metro
poitansm obiterated that neighborly
these Omaha picnics were very much after
the old fashion
But Omaha has long since outgrown the
sweet simplicity Of its swaddling raiment
days. and now on July 4 the police sur
geons fortify themselves with gushing
founts of arnica and other flrst-alds-to-the-
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-07-03

HEN john Hancock, with bold
IVAY ~troko of goose quill pen affixed
L WV i def!a1t signature back in 20, TO
80 the Declaration of independence,
lSEfEE3t he G!arted something. This
49, started something" expression
is borrowed from street vernacular espe-
cially for this occasion because there are
times when the language of the street is
more keenly descriptive than unsullied
English diction-and this seems to be one
OF those times True, John Hancocks
name was not alone on the independence
parchment, there being a lengthy array
OF other patriots, but Hancock came first
on the list.
Perhaps every school boy and every
school girl in the land has, in porting over
history lesson, observed the remarkable
boldness of the Hancock signature as
portrayed In fac simile.
II wrote my name in big letters" his
torians have quoted Hancock as saying.
because 1 want John Bull to be able to
read IL without the aid Of spectacles."
No other historical epoch in the history
OF America compares as to general
significance with the signing of the
Declaration of Independence, for that was
the pivotal act In the moulding of the re-
: public-hence appears the excuse for drop
ping into sang's lexion to the extent of re-
marking that John Hancock started
something" By that signature, free
America was proclaimed and consequent
thereto Fourth Of July celebration GUS
tom was started, which has spread from
the boundary lines of the original thirteen
colonies until 1t Is observed as a holiday
over a large area of the civilized world.
Even in Canada the Americans resident
there raise the Stars and Stripes alongside
OF the English colors on July 4, and in all
other countries where there is an Ameri-
can colony, the day is celebrated In some
way or other.
In the beginning the Fourth of July pro-
gram incliled more to patriotic songs and
speeches and basket dinners than to the
% rOtechnies Of the present day. II al
ways has been in order TO burn gunpowdeI
on Independence day, but in the pioneer
era OF this country fireworks we're not SO
Plentiful as now--in fact, many of the
spectacular designs had not then been in
vented. and Furthermore. 1t was not the
custom of that age to spend money witt
the prodisal hand Of today.
The typical Fourth OF July picnic forty
Years aso VAS not complete without the
leaoi ing of the Declaration of independence
AS rule the celebration was held in
grove near town. and mounted on a stumI
an inverted dry goods box. if 1t hap
pened to be q stumpless tract. some lead
ing citizen began at the beginning anC
read to tho end of the precious document
While the reading was in progress tn,
marshal OF the day, ever on the alert
secuted around in the outskirts warning
. noisy boys 10 silence, SO that every wore