davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-02-15
A Unique Proposition.
(By August Wolfe, Spokane).


David Brown of Spokane, president
of the Hazelwood company, operating
dairy plants at Portland, Ore., Cald-
we'll, Idaho, Walla Walla, North Yak
ina and Spokane, doing yearly
business of more than 81, 600, 600, has
just made an unique proposition to
the federal government, calculated to
assist its officials in solving the prob
lem of what is causing the present
high cost of living He has sent the
attached letter to Governor Marion
e. Hay. of Washington, who has in
turn referred it to James Wilson, sec
rotary of agriculture:
LAS our national government has
decided to investigate the cost of
living, particularly that part pertain
ing to the distribution of food prod
ucts, and as it is desirable that this
investigation should be of the fullest
extent and undoubtedly will cover the
entire country, we would like to sub
NIT proposition which would be
briefly as follows:
'That the United States senate or
secretary of agriculture, or both, Sc
lect a representative and put him in
charge of the Hazelwood plant, he to
dictate the prices of our company for
80 days, or, if thought better for one
year.
LAS our different plants throughout
the Northwest do business in the
neighborhood of So, 600, 600 year of
strictly food products, that enter into
the actul cost of living, we believe
that ours would be one Of the best in
this section of the country to demon
strate what is right in the way of pro-
fits, the expense of operating bust
ness, the prices that should be paid
the farmers and the prices consumers
should pay for food products deli
vered."
William E. Hagen manager of the
company, gave out the following sup
Elemental statement in the absence of
Mr.. Brown:
GAS | understood it, Mr.. Brown
would have an authorized expert
named by the government, who would
be given control of the plants of the
company and. in direct charge of fix
ing the prices charged and paid.
This plant probably would be locat-
ed in Spokane, as this is the head
quarters of the company. Our other
plants too would be under his orders
in price matters. Besides this he
would undoubtedly investigate the
conditions at the myriad of small
cream stations, located throughout the
country.
"As to the period during which the
expert would be in charge, it is nam
ed as 80 days or year, though l sup
pose this might mean any period be-
tween these two dates.
"The object of the company, as [
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-02-15
Horses for Steaks.

Chicago, Jan. 30-In an official re
port to the illinois state food conf
mission, made public today, State In.
spector Hoey says that horses are be-
ing slaughtered by the wholesale in
G hicago and.that the meat is being
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-02-15

sold ard distributed for human con-
sumption.
The meat, he says, is being cut in
roasts, steaks, and sausages and sold
to free lunch counters in Chicago and
to some farming districts and mining
camps where foreigners are employed.
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-02-15

A RE you losing money? If you had hole in
n your pocket, out of which you were losing
hard-earned dollars, would you sew it up?
The time has arrived when fence around the
farm is as much a necessity Cutvator.
If you are feeding 6Oc zoe to hogs in dry lot,
allowing good green feed go other portions
of your farm you have hole in pocket out of which
you are losing good hard-earned dollars. Sew it up
Look up an American Fence dealer and let him show
Won how few dollars invested in fence will yield big
big rate of interest on feed saved.
American Fence is made of hard, stiff steel 1t made
of quality of wire drawn expressly for
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-02-15
,nces are a farm investment that bril-
most returns for the least money

purposes Galvanized by latest improved processthe best
that the skill and experience of has taught Built
the elastic hinged joint patented principle, which effect
uay protects the stay upright wires from breaking under
hard usage
The real of fence is the service you get of it.
Test judge and compare American Fence under and all
conditions and you will find that the STEEL the and
gavanzng equal in durability, strength and efficiency
o the hardest usage.
The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1910-02-15
American Steel & Wire
CHICAGO NEW YORK DENVER SANFRAN

NOTE.-Dealers everywhere.
different designs and give prices.
Cheap Concrete Fence Post,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30
The Commission Plan

The Burlington Hawkeye of this
morning said editorially, under the
caption of "A Familiar Trick"
A resident of Rock Island writes d
prominent citizen of Burlington that
a rumor is current in the former city
tina; the commission plan is a fail
ure in Burlington and that you all
want to get rid OF it and are very
much disgusted.'
That TumOr wears a familiar face.
1t visited Burlington a year ago dur
ing our campaign for the commission
plan of municipal government and in
formed the voters that in one or two
places it named the people had given
1T up and returned to the old ward
system. This was one of those rumors
that are important if true and our
citizens took prompt steps 10 ascertain
the facts. For. OF course, the expert
ence of other cities was too valuable
evidence to be ignored. The utter
falsity of the story was quickly re-
vealed. The towns reported to have
given up the commission plan, as well
as the communities that were alleged
to be contemplating such a step, all
reported there was no foundation
whatever, for the alleged dissatisfac-
ton. And it was further learned that
citizens who had voted against the
new plan under the honest conviction
that it was not a wise move. subse-
quently changed their views, after
practical experience with the new
order of things; and if the proposition
were to be put to vote again they now
would vote for it. That is the uni
ve4sal experience, and doubtless the
history Of municipal reforms will go on
repeating itself. Every locality has its
doubling Thomases,' who must be
shown to be convinced, but who, hon
est and sincere in their opinions, are
always ready and willing to accept the
truth when demonstrated.
at is not that class of citizens that
invents and puts in circulation abb
surd stories. like that about Burlington
given currency in Rock Island. 1t is
a different set of fellows altogether,
men with an axe to grind, or an I'M
reasoning and unreasonable prejudice
back OF them. There are others so
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30
FIELD OF LITERATURE
Timely Topics from the Janua

Timely Topics from the January
Century.-The production of 'Pelleas
and Melisande" this fall in the park
and the interior of Maeterlinck's home,
the Abbey of st. Wandrille, was one
of the memorable literary and dramat-
ic events of the year in the January
Century" 1t is graphically descr1b-
ed by Nine. Maeterlinck, who was Me
lisande in the performance. UnLI the
Hu-kuang loan was signed in Paris last
May, the position of the United States
in China was far from being a coui-
handing one. This loan, however, was
a memorable victory for this country,
and the inside history of the diploma
cy which brought it about S tod by
Frederick Mccormick in the Jan
uary Century" In the third install
ment of his six-part novel, The Dwell
Ter on the Threshold" now running in
the Century magazine" Mr.. Hichens
human double" His story forms
unique contribution to psychical re
search. The enthusiasm of the poet
naturalist brought face to face with
one of natures most remarkable Gre
ations is the keynote 10 an article con-
tributed by John Burroughs to the
January Century" There is humor,
also in Mr.. Burroughs description OF
the average tourists attitude toward
scenery" Augustus Post, who accom-
panied Alan r. Hawley in his aerial
flight from St. Louis, and perilous ad
ventures in the Quebec wilderness, last
October, has written. in the January
Century, a detailed account of this
remarkable balloon voyage. Mr.. Haw-
ley won the Gordon Bennett cup on
this occasion, and the trip was crowd
ed with thrilling experiences. One
frequently hears of sudden conversions
and religious experiences chat trans
form fallen human nature in an in
conceivably short time Such a case
is recorded by Norman Duncan in the
January Century" and the pathos of
it, the dramatic force would read like
fiction were it not for its strong, real
background of bowery life One of the
solutions Of the TODD problems of the
future, according 10 l.. II. Bdi!ey. agrI.
cultural director at Cornell! university.
in an article in the Janua~y c injury"
Is the breeding of new forms of plant
life. Men like Burbank have done mar
vels in this field, and Mr.. Bailey de
scribes the work of c. G. Patten of
Iowa. Other textures are Luther's life
as monk, two color plates by Chase
q Wiles, Cole wood-cut, another edit
orial on lawlessness, and an open let
ter on 'Guestipality"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

Warning against the Recently pre-
pared postal bill has been sent to con
gress by Wilmer Atkinson of Phila-
delphia, who sees grave menace in the
measure.
In a circular, Mr.. Atkinson speaks
harshly of the bill. He declares it
should be carefully scrutinized by
those who regard the liberty of the
press of vital Importance.
There are several snakes in it,"
says Mr. Atkinson some of them ex-
Yeedingly venomous. The bill as it
Stands establishes the spy system,
abolishes trial by jury, compels the
production of books, papers and docu-
rnents, destroys the citizens constitu-
tioual guarantee of freedom from
search, gives the director of posts and
commissioner OF appeals power to de-
stroy at will any publication without
appeal or redress, and places at future
hazard the freedom of the press. so
essential to the stability of our repub-
lican Institutions
r The postal department has gone far
enough III it's despotic dealing with
newspapers and periodicals to warrant
a careful scrutiny OF any further meas
ure it has in hand preparatory to put
ting into effect. The one in question
may be all right, but It should be I'M
derstood by those vitality Interested be
fore it is too late
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

ignorant of public affairs that they
cannot comprehend the difference, or
the advantage, between the old and
the new system. They are content
with things as they are because their
fathers and srandfathers did not seek
for the improvements now in progress.
Thus, between the political grafters,
the common ward heelers, and the
voters now well informed concerning
the better method of government, and
those who are blindly prejudiced.
there is some opposition in every city
or town where the commission plan is
submitted 10 the voters. Neverthe-
less, it most always wins out, espe-
cially where the business man and
citizens who honestly favor municipal
reforms, conduct an energetic cam
paign of education. and effect an or
sanization that will see to it that every
voter is informed as to the facts and
the merits OF the proposition, and that
he casts his ballot.
The Hawk-Eye hopes the citizens of
Rock Island, Moline, Springfield and
other. cities where the proposition is
under consideration, will not allow
themselves to be bamboozIed by fake
stories like the one about Burlington
reported to be in circulation in the
former city. 1t is an old time trick of
the opponents of the commission plan
SO discreditable and so overworked,
that one wonders that it can any long
er find credence in intelligent COM
munities.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

to be striven for in life are to be
accepted as free gifts instead of being
attained by struggle and sacrifice. 1t
is no sin to be rich and to have the
good things that money and influence
can attain within easy grasp of the
outstretched hand, but it is often
dangerous temptation. there is no
especial merit in either poverty or
riches. 1t is the man who fights and
endures who wins in the end. If
man is born with the fighting spirit
and the endurance he is going to win
whether. he is born with 'silver
spoon in his mouth" or not. The only
advantage that the poor boy has in
the fight is that he fights because he
has to and the other boy has always
the temptation to meet which says to
him you don't have to"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30
Beans and aIush Make Men.

Newton Bateman, one of the great
est of Illinois pioneer educators,
used to tell with pardonable pride of
. his early struggles in acquiring a col
1egiate education. He made the
money for his expenses by saving
wood and at other hard labor, and
, lived most of the time on mush and
molasses, hailing with the greatest
Joy, an invitation to a Thanksgiving
dinner where he had one chance dur
ing the year to eat turkey.
Now here comes a freshman in the
University of Kansas, who in these
.times of the high cost of the neces-
ssities of life has story which would
delight the heart of Professor Bate
.1naa II he were alive to hear it. His
sname is Henry Malloy and he is keep
ing his food expense down to the in
scredible figure of rs cents a week.
He declares that he is just as healthy
living on beans and breakfast foods
as any Of his classmates who live on
what is commonly called ''the fat of
Ethe land
Some people would thoughtlessiy
Say that this boy is gaining cheap"
Rdusstien, The real fact is that he
Is paviag so high price for it that it
Dught to be a priceless treasure and
"a w0RdeTfu1 source of power to him
when he has attained it.
: The worst thing that can happen to
a young man is to become imbued
with the idea that the world owes
snim a living" Or that the high prizes.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

be true that the breweries now have
a larger output than they had before
the prohibition agitation recently set
in, are they opposing the legislation?
Since it augments their sales it would
seem to be a good thing for them. p"
The answer is obvious. A prohibition
statute, while it would not stop the
consumption or unlawful sale Of intox-
icants. would close up the breweries,
and thus virtually conf1scate the values
in them. 1t is this confiscation which
the breweries are fighting against.
e Moreover, it is to be said that there
is opposition to prohibition because a
great many people consider the policy
an invasion of their personal rights.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

Medicine
Medicine limited
many 9th
Medicine
charge toyouy and proudly and forward Medicine
the sound of the
of
which
erather curiou to
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30
Making Mockery Of prohibition.

Making Mockery of Prohibition.
Those who blindly insist that prOhi-
bition does prohibit, or that it can be
made to prohibit the sale of intoxicat-
ing beverages. are hit hard in their
sophistry in the January number OF
the American magazine in the record
ed experiences of a traveller in prohi-
bition communities. The revelations
are not in the interest of the liquor
traffic. the article is not paid for by
the anti-prohibitionists and the author
is not an agent or emplOye of the Mod
ell License league, but merely an inves-
tigator seeking to ascertain if the en-
actment of prohibitory legislation
avails to prevent the sale and con-
sumption of liquors.
Here is related one typical instance
of the travellers experiences:
Il was in Jackson, Miss, when the
august legislature of that state passed
a statewide prohibition law. Jack
son, the city, had been dry for many
years. l arrived in the morning, regis
tered at a hotel and asked the clerk
where 1 could get a drink. He glanced
at me and gave me an address a few
blocks up the street. l went there and
asked for a pint of whisky The pro-
prietor called a boy and ostensiDly sent
him somewhere else to get the liquor
In six minutes the boy returned with
a pint of whisky, for which | paid 70
per cent over the regular price. The
boy had not left the store at all He
got the whisky from a stOreroom at the
rear l discussed the situation with
the proprietor He said he had been
lobbying for statewide prohibition, and
explained it was making a fortune for
him. He sent me to an agent of a rail
road 10 verify statements he had made.
The agent informed me that one iunk
dealer cut of four doing thriving bus
mess in Jackson had that morning
shipped four carloads of empty bottles.
Il went to The legislature, which was
busy passing the statewide prohibitory
law amid cheers by the prohibitions
lists. The busiest lobbyists mot eX-
cepting the reformers and the good
women Of Jackson, were the hired
employees OF the manufacturers of
popular 'sOfI drink. The vote was for
prohibition. Mississippi was legally
dry The cause was triumphant AMI
brave band of good women wept and
sang hymns, having saved their sons
That night the lobbyists of the soft
drink concern gave a banquet 10 the
members of the legislature. \ carload
of wine and intoxicants was consumed
celebrating the victory The returns
OF express companies and the figures of
brewery agents at St. Louis indicate
that Mississippi is consuming more in
toXicants dry than it did wet. The
brewery agents boast of it
Receipts of the internal revenue de-
partment show steady increase from
year to year, despite the assumed pro
gress of prohibition. All the facts in
dictate that the prohibition propa uganda
instead of diminishing actually has in
creased the consumption of malt
liquors, and in many sections of spir-
ituOUs liquors.
But why" some one Observes if it
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30
The Argus Daily Short Story
Little Alice-By Lloyd Williams.
Copyrighted 1910. by Associated Literary Press.

BiXby was one of those fellows who
think that the young men of America
should take an interest in politics. He
was a shrewd man-we all think our
selves shrewd-and could 4" see through
milestone as well as any one. He
believed in the Machiavelian type of
diplomacy and prided himself upon be-
ing able to conceal his meaning by his
words as well as the great diplomat
himself He was ambitious, and am
bilious men are liable TO overtaX their
strength. At any rate. Bixby overtax-
cd his and was ordered to go away
by himself into the country and live
the simple life of domestic animal.
That is, he was to eat and sleep and
not think. |
He chose a farmhouse. The season
was not prOpitious, for the summer and
part of autumn had passed, and the
days were short. Rixby received the
morning papers from the city by IL
o'clock, and between breakfast and
their receipt he walked. It was all
very we'll for his doctor TO tell him
that he must do nothing. Everybody
knows that Satan provides work for
idle hands to do. SO long as he was
busy he lived as innocent a life as
any man OF his acquaintance. Just as
soon as he ceased to work he got into
mischief.
Chance furnished an opportunity.
One morning he started out for his
constitutional. 1t was a cold. lowering
day and splitting snow. Nevertheless
Bixby craved exercise and enjoyed
stepping out at a brisk pace. He had
not gone far before he saw a girl COM
ing in the opposite direction. When
she passed him he knew at once that,
like himself, she was not country born
and bred Her dress coming only to
the tops of her boots left BiXby in
doubt whether she had yet emerged
from young girlhood or whether she
had adopted short skirt for walking.
In passing BiXby she lowered her eyes
with that modesty one expects to find
either in young girls or in eminently
correct ladies.
The next morning Bixby took his
constitutional at the same hour and on
the same road. He had no idea of
meeting the girl he had met the. day
before Indeed. he had quite forgot.
ten neT. 1dSSluS over Il crest anu
looking ahead, he saw a farmhouse,
and at the same moment a door was
opened and q woman came out and
took the road toward Bixby. She had
not come very far before he recog-
nized the girl he had met the day be
fore. She was now carrying some
books under her arm
Schoolgirl remarked Bixby to him
self
BiXby had just turned thirty-five,
and If his thoughts the day before had
inclined to possible "relief from the
tedium of his exile with this girl the
discovery that she was n schoolgirl
put the idea quite out of his head. He.
permitted his eyes to dwell upon her
for the moment during which he was
passing her, and she, as before, low
cred hers
The next afternoon Bixby was out
ambling-indeed, he had nothing TO
do but ramble-when it occurred to
him that he would like a glass of
milk. At the moment he espied in the
distance the house from which he had
seen the schoolgirl emerge the day be-
fore. The natural consequence of want
ing the milk and seeing the house at 4
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

the same time was Il thought that he
might see the girl. IN telling tie stO-
ry he never speaks of this last thought,
leaving one to suppose that the two
first contingencies alone resulted in
his going there.
On reaching the place lie opened the
gate, went deliberately up the walk
and raped on the door. A woman
opened. it, and Bixby asked If he
might beg a glass of milk. His re-
quest was granted, and he was invit-
ed into the living room to wait while
the woman brought the milk. At a
table. with books-presumably school
bOoks-beforc her, was the girl.
Bixby took seat The girl did not
look up, but kept on with what she
was doing. evidently studying. The
woman was some time bringing the
milk, and. since it was embarrassing
to sit in the same room with Il person
make remark.
Are there good schools near here?"
he asked.
mo. not very good schools I believe.
But 1 don't know anything about
them. don't go To school here"
Bixby was too well bred 20 ask
where she did go to school. lie re
marked upon the beautiful country
round about and how he enjoyed walk
ing.
The girl told him that walking
in cold weather was her delight, but
she couldn't take as long walks as she
would like because il was rot consid-
cred safe for her to go alone Then
Bixby told her why he had come to
the country, that he had nothing to
do all day and if her father and moth
er would permit her TO go with him IL
would give him great pleasure. To
this she replied that her father and
mother were not there and there was
no one TO prevent her doing what she
liked. Bixby considered this tanta-
mount to accepting his invitation and
said he would probably be coming past
the farmhouse the next morning. II
he did So he would stop and take her
along TO this she replied that she
would walk his way and they might
meet on the road.
About this time the woman came in
with the milk, set it down on the Ia
BILE and went out. Bixby drank it. con
versing with the girl the while He
gave her every opportunity to explain
why she was there and tell him all
about herself. but, whether she did not
understand his hints or was singularly
reticent for one so young. anyway she
failed to enlighten him. When he took
his leave she arose from her seat. and
BiXby noticed that she was pretty
nearly as tall as be was. But BiXby
was not a large man, and the girl
seemed to be large for her age. Some
girls get their growth by fourteen. and
BiXby concluded this was one OF that
kind
The next morning was delightful
not cloud in the sky ald the air dry
and cold. Bixby started for his walk
and felt as if he would rather run.
There was ice in the little bitches be
side the road. and. being fresh frozen
and CLASSY, it afforded especially good
slides for boys and girls Looking
ahead, he saw the girl he was to meet
sliding on one of these stretches OF
fee. JUDGED. she slid on every one she
came TO. When Bixby came up to her
her cheeks were aglow. She looked
very pretty. She'll make a sumner"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-30

r In the sudden death at his home IN
Davenport this week OF II. f. Wahl, It
skilled employee Of the mechanical de-
partment OF the Rock Island Union
the printers craft lost one of its most
esteemed and valued members. No
better tribute can be paid to the worth
of this young man, whose untimety TAX
ing off is so mourned by his associates
than that paid him by his employer
whom he has served with such consoi-
entiOus zeal