davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12

A friend insists that the United
states Constitution was not the first
written one. What do you say? When
were the amendments made? 2. Is
canada's Constitution like ours? How
10 mat amended? VOTER
/. The Fundamental orders of
Connecticut" a document of eleven ar
ticles creating the republic of connec-
ticut In 1899. was the first written
constitution. The United States Con-
stitution went into effect March 4.
1888. The First Congress passed
twelve amendments on September 25.
1859, and of these ten were ratified.
and went into effect December 10,
1871. They have been called the Amer
lean Bin OF Rights, as their provis-
ions are similar to those OF the Bill of
Rights enacted by the English Parlia-
ment in 1883. The eleventh and
twelfth amendments, the latter chans
ing the method of electtnG President
and Vice President, were submitted
under acts of March 5. 1874, and De
cember IL, 1903. and were declared IN
force January s. l79S, and September
- 1901, respectively The Constitu-
ton then remained unchanged for six
ty wears. The thirteenth, fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments, abolishinG
slavery. disqualifying for office per-
sons who have been in rebellion ano
enfranchising negroes proposed
NV acts of 1865 1858 and 1870, and
were promptly ratified and proclaimec
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
TIE AGE OF TIE zee SYSTEM.

The Saturday Evening Post in a re-
cent issue said some very Interesting
things about the age of the fee system in
this country. 1t would seem that this
abuse is one which time has deeply
rooted into our governmental system.
Our contemporary tells US that the
fee system is zone of the oldest of
American institutions, for it came here
with the first colonial officer" The Of
flee of Governor of Virginia, according
to famous historian, yielded $4,000
the year TO the nominal Governor, who
stayed in England, while the acting
Governor OF the colony, who lived in
the Old Dominion, received 100000.
In the same period the Governor of
New York was accustomed to collect
for his private purse $4,000 the year
in land patent fees alone. In a time of
small fortunes, Governor Clark, of New
york, collected 100000 in seven years.
In very brief tenure, Governor Gin
ton took in $4,000,
1t will be we'll for defenders of the
fee system to note that in the opinion
of the Post the American Revolution
was direct result of the fee system
for the disputes with colonial officers
that eliminated in the war We're main
ly brought about by the attempts o.
colonial officers to collect fees.
Its age is no argument for the sys'
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
upreacher., snnsv

To the Editor of The Times Dispatch:
Sir,--Some time ago there was an
article in The Nineteenth Century
and After" en- the subject of your Mon
days editorial, preachers sons" in
which the writer gave the Following
interesting statistics: He examined
Leslie Stephens great Dictionary of
National Biography to see how many
sons of ministers have gained enough
distinction in English life to be In
cluded in that work. He made a COM
parison of preachers sons with sons
Of doctors and sons of lawyers since
the Reformation. The results are In
teresting. Three hundred and fifty doe
tors sons have by this test gained
distinction and have found a place in
the dictionary, bto lawyers sons and
t.27O preachers sons.
no make the comparison fair 1t
would he necessary to have some idea
of the comparative number of doctors,
lawyers and preachers in England from
the time OF the Reformation, and, in
addition. the number of the sons of
each profession. But the figures as
they stand at least prove your con-
tention. Yours very truly.
r. j.. BLACKWELL.
RandOlph- Macon College.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12

national parks and for the creation of
State parks VIII be outlined. Coditica
tlon of the laws establishing national
parks and a bringing together into a
harmonious wording system OF all the
park areas now owned by the Federal
Government will be urged.
Nor viii the proper function of the
States toward parks be neglected. The
Importance of developing and main
tanning state parks as recreation cen
tres for the people of the States will be
commented upon al length Definite
policies regarding parks have already
been adopted by New York, Wisconsin,
California and Michigan, and 1t is ex-
pected that other States will soon fol-
low their example.
An entire day viii be given over to
the discussion of city Planning" Ad-
dresses and debates designed to give
FIRST aid" 10 cities seeking to adopt
orderly and comprehensive methods for
their physical upbuildlng' will fill
the program on the day set for the
consideration of this subject The
Hon FRANKLIN Macyeagh. Secretary OF
tho Treasury who played a large part
IN securing The Chicago system Of city
nlnnninr vii, preside at one of the
CITY Planning sessions.
Another session win be devoted TO
the subject Of civic societies. Well
known women Will speak at this ses-
sion. and will speak with authority,
for the work being done by women for
inc beautifying of cities is remarkably
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
Women In PnIitIca.

"a
10 the Editor of The Times-Dispatch;
slr,--Observing tendency on your
part 10 favor or to laugh at the agita-
non OF the new women l beg TO
commend to your attention the FOL
lowing passage from Ferraro's Great
ness ness and ana DECLINE of Rome, Vol J..
page 1876: THE perversions which are
introduced into the feminine world by
rlch ana mercantile civilizations and
the culture and pleasures which ac-
company it We're no longer a novelty
IN Roman houses Crime. Is b. c. They
brought with them all the familiar
corrupt1ons--the shameless venality
OF fashionable ladies, who rely for
llelr expenditure upon the attentions
of their admirers; the ascendancy of
skilful and depraved intrigues over
victims enervated by self-indulgence,
and sensitive to all the arts of witch
cry ana seduction; the open rivalry be-
tween young competitors for dowries;
the tyranny of rich wives of impecun-
lous husbands; the tendency of women
10 lEe the same life as men, to study
and to speculate. to ride and to play,
and even to dabble with delight in the
muddy waters of politics. Amongst
the prominent representatives of the
new women at Rome at this time was
a certain Precia, a clever specimen of
her class, who thanks to a number of
lliustrious lovers, and, Sbove all. TO the
notorious Cethegus, was in a position
to dispose of extensive influence etc"
You in recent issue published an
editorial on Kate Chase Spraguc. 1t
is true that as a politician she was a
remarkable success, and she deserves
to be ranked with the Precias the
SerVilias and the MuciaS OF history,
but ! hardly think you intended to
mold her up to view as a model to be
initiated by the aspiring new women
of this day, any more than you would
the rtotous amazons of England. who
doubtless, being deprived by nature OF
| the softer and more insinuating bland-
! ishments of their celebrated sisters
| have resorted to the rougher wooing
! of the proletariat, such as curses hair
| pulling and cat calls. | am inclined Ia
| think that your illusions 10 this sub
| iect have spice of that delicate yelled
sarcasm of which you seem to be a
master. Such. for instance, as that
which you used so enectually upon the
Colonel"
What think you? Arc we entering
| into the baleful shadow projected
across the chasm of two thousand
| years by a rotten and almost forgotten
| civilization. with nothing left but its
evil smell, or does modern life deyeloT
any bacteria capable OF destroying
| the germs of such disease? AT any
rate. here is food for serious thought
| When we of the old South think oil
| the tender grace of a day that is gone
we cannot laugh over the ridiculous
| element in the situation. Laughter
| dies in the throat and only sighs es-
cape. ABU BEN HADDIM.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
cINcHING rnr r,1ponTEns

The customs officers in New York
have already made this red-letter
year in the annals OF the Treasury De-
partment Rich smugglers have been
arrested, frauds have been uncovered,
examples have been made of offenders,
and the activity OF Collector Loeb and
his men will be a wholesome deterrent
to would he smuggers.
The attention OF the New York GUS
toms officers is now being directed to
the importers who have defrauded the
Government of its Just dues. AS the
days go by more and more fraud and
crookedness is being brought to light
Offers OF compromise and prayers fol
mercy are pouring into the sanctum OF
Secretary of the Treasury MacVeagh
differentiation has been the beset'
ting crime of the importers. A dis
patch from New York yesterday stated
that the Treasury Department
strengthened by the revelations of the
past few weeks is in position, in one
/ case alone, to compel the restoration
of almost 100000, without waving
the Governments right to prosecute the
Offenders in question in the crimina
courts
New York has ceased to be por
Of delight for the smuggler and TO
the importer with fraudulent intent
1T. is estimated by customs officers tina
twenty Americans return by the Cana
dian gateway into this country wher
one did before the smuggling prob
began in New York The force of Gus
toms officers on the Canadian horde
has been trebled in order to meet tn
increase in ocean travel through Mon
treal and other Canadian ports.
The customs officers of New Yor
are striking telling blows for the en-
couagcment OF honest dealing on tn
, part Of those who think IT improper /
steal from another man, but quit
proper TO defraud ana cheat the Coy
= eminent,
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12

!, in force. at first plans for amend
ments were popular There were iif-
teen such propositions in 1901 and
1903. not less than lis in 1910 to 1870,
and in 1890 TO 1880 there were seven
ty-flye efforts to change tho election
OF President. single term and dircc,
popular vote being favored
2, Canadas Constitution is an act
passed by the British Parliament IN
1857, and L. not TO be amended bv
popular vote An important dstinr
ton noted by Bryce Is that, while
! Congress has only the powers actual
Is granted to II, the Dominion Pariia
lnent has general power of legisla-
ton, restricted only by certain spe-
citlc powers given the provincial legIs-
| IL tureS
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
ing license, is far better for our Com.

ing license, is far better for our Com
monWealtli.
prohibition is mn utter failure. re
duced to the rules of logic or practical
experience, for any law that is COM
stantly violated, Is a bad law This
law Is constantly violated. Therefore. Il
must be bad law.
The withdrawal of the licensed sa :
loon, throws the sale into the hands
of disreputable people, who carry on a
surrcptltious and deceptive traffic,
causing u contempt for law and breed :
ing hypocrisy. 1t deprlves the Com
monWealth of large revenue that will
have to be raised in some form from
some other source
Candidly speaking, all the violations
of tho law and rules of morality should
not be debited against liuuor. This
old world was quite young, so far az
the human race Is concerned when
Cain Killed his brother, and Jacob stole
the blrthright from Esau, and Ananias
and Sapphire appropriated the oserings
of the temple, and the Prophet Elijah
exclaimed ut Is thou, o Ahab who
troublest Israel" etc
Moral delinquency in personal
character has existed and doubtless
will continue to exist for ages to come,
Now, i wish 1t clearly understood
that | am no apoloSist for intoxication
any living mortal, and I am now at
the point that should interest our party
when convention is called. In my
opinion we should contend for local
option, but condemn drunkenness by
frankly and fearlessly advocating the
passage of law making 1t crime
punishable not only by fine, but Inn
prisonmeut in jail; making 1t man
datory on city or town, police and the
constables of the rural districts to ar
rest without warrant, and immcdiately
incarcerate the offender in Jail
In my opinion this will do more to
eradicate drunkenness than Statewide
prohibition, PHILIP T. BROWN.
Blue Ridge Springs December s.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
n,.co,,r,yc I,ircrnnt Bercnr.

no the EDITOR Of The Times-Dispatch:
Sir.-rhe deserving poor of our city
would be greatly relieved, IL our good
people would refrain from encouraging
street and door beggars. The Asso-
ciated Charities regret 10 say that
the response to our appeal has not
been as we had hoped. The sickness
and suffering among our deserving
moor can and viii be relieved as soon
as we secure the funds. There are
many boys, men and women, begging
on the streets of our city to-day that
do not need assistance, but being en-
couraged to live on the public and be
come chronic loafers and beats
HENRY LEE VALENTINE.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
A Short Road TO rnme.

Much shorter. in fact than the ono
formerly traveled1
Fame hings her favors with a liberal
These a4 worthy days of grace.
And laurela at mighty mans COM
Are multiplied apace.
All. how We vainly long the llyelons
TO snatch immortal bays;
Go. tempt The goddess in the modern
And win her copious praise.
word, nod, and from obscurity
And, faith, the limelighr paints his
In some capricious guises
no. there"-A lucky senator BY
And yol''-A scuryy liar
perhaps the spectacle may stir your
Or animate your ire)
Come, sIr"-A looming President we
Thus eighty eight million ion sons Of liberty
Fed from single hand.
The stick" big one. whirls beneath
Mok outi4Too late, too latel
Its hapIess victim VIRTUES among the
riven
And rests among the great
| wrote book of many thoughtful
1t fell trine nat
He ripped IT up. and, sir. the tattered
lie nuns this way and that
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
The Turnnil,c Question.

To the Editor of The Times-Dispatch:
Sir,-Regarding the Valley Turnpike
Company'S application to the State
Corporation Commission for additional
toll gates on the Valley Pike, would
say we think the pike company will
find most vigorous protest when the
application comes UP for a hearing.
1t would appear the pike company is
trying to so disgust the people with
the pike that pressure viii be brought
to make the State or the several coun-
ties through which 1t passes buy it up
at fancy price. The toll would APP
pear now to be. excessive beyond all
reason, a S the following figures will
show eve give automobiles rates, as
it seems automobiles are what they
are afteO
stanton to Harrisonburg is hardly
twenty-five miles. They have six toll
gates-five at so cents round trip and
one at 20 cents; total toll $1.70. Rail-
road fare for the round trip above
points, SLIGO,
| stanton to Winchester, ninety-two
| miles, nineteen gates-eighteen at 80
cents round trip and one at 20 cents;
| total, $3.50. Round trip on railroad,
| $500. Note, please, the Valley Rail-
! road does not charge cents per mile.
| but is permitted to charge full cents
| per mile win be seen 1t costs
more TO use ones automobile over the
/ Valley Pike than to travel by rail. on
4
| first nine miles north of stanton, the
pike company now has three gates in
the nine miles. which we are advised
| Is not in accordance with charter
rights and in violation of State law,
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. this excessive toll, no
word OF complaint has come from auto
| mobile patrons Of the pike, except
| that 1t be kept in reasonable condition.
| AS 1t is now maintained it is doubt
i less the most expensive road in the
on ,N,r ,l,i ictc
| It can be easily established the Valley
Pike has cost automobllists for this
city alone several thousand dollars for
tires over and above what it should
nave cost, had the pike been kept UP tc
approximately modern requirements
i me company's way of excepting up
u the pike is to break hard blue lime
i stone with edges almost as sharp as
q knlle, many of the pieces so large
as not to pass through a IL incl
ring, and spread 1t over the surface il
such a way as TO make it imposslhl,
TOT travel to pass around, and TIL,
travel is supposed to beat 1t down ant
make a road Over these sharp rock
one has TO drive rubber automobile
tires, with the result that new tire
costing $50 each have been DAMAGE
beyond repair in a single round trir
Staunton To Harrisonburg. The aver
age mileage, tires used on the Vale,
Pike, Is at least 80 per cent. les
than those used on the modern pike
and dirt roads.
The stanton Automobile Association
: would consider 1t a distinguished pleas
4 ure to furnish automobiles of lates
pattern to take the members of tn
state Corporation Commission over tn
a valley Turnpike that they may Sc
by actual inspection how it is tn
most expensive roadway in tho Stat
for automobiling
I STANTON AUTOMOBILE Assoc1A
qION.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
A KING AND A POLICEMAN.

Monarchs are pictured in the popu-
lar mind as cold and unfeeling persons
who maintain solemn reserve in all
circumstances permitting no emotion
to come to the surface-aloof solitary,
napproachable. King Alfonso of
Spain appears to disprove the popular
Impression. 1t will be recalled that
when he was in Paris on his first visit
he came very near being victim of
a bomb explosion. One of the police
men OF the French capital, who had
been riding near the royal carriage,
was thrown from his horse, which was
alarmed at the noise and tumult,
He was seriously hurt. This po-
liceman soon afterward retired from
the service and died recently Some
one sent q clipping from a newspaper
reporting the mans death to King Al
fonso, who answered Immediately, send
ing to the widow of the policeman q
touching letter, together with a chech
for very substantial sum. The Incl
| dent is closed, but 1t shows that king
can be grateful and demonstrative.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
Clarke Worthington, President
a same View OF II.

10 the Editor of The Times Dispatch:
Slr--tAs have been a loyal layman
IN me ranks of the Democratic party
Tor moro than two-score years, / trust
YOU Will not consider 1t presumptuous
10 venture expressing my views on
the subject of calling State con-
Nention next summer
lion, like tho .'irrepressible conflict
OF 1860" has to be met, and unless
something heroic can be done TO, check
the brawling drunkard from pnradina
our streets and country, we will surely
have Statewide prohibition thrust
uron us,
frankly speaking, ain not IN favor
or this, for / am clearly Of the opinion
that liquor sold under a law restrain
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
THE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE,

THE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE.
Elsewhere in this paper the am
nouneement is made that President
TAFT will send to Congress this after
noon the nomination Of Associate Jus
4ce Edward Douglass White, OF the
United states supreme Court to be
chief justice of that august tribunal.
II this nomination shall stand it will
receive the approving verdict of the
American bar and the American people.
Itis a splendid appointment
THOSE who have kept in touch with
the rulnors and rumors OF rumors that
have been floating about concerning
the appointments to the vacant chairs
on the supreme Court bench will re-
call that some time ago Mr.. Justice
White was mentioned as a possible ap-
pointee to the chief iusdceship. The
suggestion was generally endorsed,
but the story was not a persistent one
and was soon dismissed by the public
generally as unlikely, mainly because
of the fact that Mr.. Justice White is
lifelong Democrat.
The appointment is not without It's
dramatic aspect. A Confederate sol
der and Democrat, the appointee of
a Republican President, will sit in the
most honorable place in the most pow
erfui Judicial body in the world. For
the drst time since the death of Chief
Justice Taney, nearly half a century
ago, a Southern man takes his place
at the head of the Supreme Court. n
is striking coincidence to be noted
in this connection that, like his great
predecessor, fancy. Mr. Justice White
is OF the Roman Catholic faith.
Not that there will be anythinS sec.
tional about the decisions of Che new
chief justice, for his choice is one in
which every part of the country can
uureservedIy rejoice. The charge Of
sectional leaning, of blind Loyalty, of
political narrowness, has never been
laid nj the door of Mr.. Justice White
In all his long career as a statesman
and jurist. He is man of broad
view, of patriotic motive, seeking to
do justice and equity in all matters
touching the judicial office.
A native of Louisiana. the new chief
justice last month celebrated his sixty
fifth birthday. In defense of his
State, ne wore the Confederate uni-
form, and three years after the South
ern dre~m of an Independent nation
had vanished, he was admitted TO prac-
tice at the Louisiana bar. He was
elected state Senator in 1874. and in
1873 he was appointed an associate
justice of the supreme Court o.
Louisiana, Taking the seat vacated
by James B. Eustis Mr., Justice White
was elected to the United States SEN
ate as a Democrat in 1891. While
serving his term as Senator from
Louisiana, he was appointed an asso-
ciatc justice 81 the supreme Court on
FEBRUARY ~ 1884, by President Glove
land. and took his seat on March l.
of the same year He has had, in all
twenty nine years of experience as 9
Judge, having served thirteen years or
the Supreme Court of Louisiana, ant
sixteen years as associate Justice o
the Supreme Court of the nation,
The judicial record of Mr.. Justice
White is an eminent one. There is n,
ztain or Flemish upon it, The decision
which he has handed down are know,
to the bar Of the country, and Will
u II
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
THE AMERICAN lIrEnAny CENTER


THE AMERICAN LITERARY CENTER.
DE-. Thomas Nelson Page, in a letter
to a New York newspaper, declares his
opinion that there is no special lite
rary center in America, as there is In
England and France, but that New
York will, In the course of time, be-
come such center. Some critics nave
endeavored to refute this assertion, be-
cause New York is essentially com
mercial. THAT Dis akin to the reason
that Or. Page suggests when he says
that New York is the publishing CEN
ter.
Then, again such result VIII be
reached by process of elimination. If
there shall ever be literary center, 1t
will be in a city, because the plain
living and high thinking" days of .on-
cord are no more. The modern author,
If you please, is not content With a
stroll in the woods at twilight or a
days meditation on the pebbles 'lat
skirt Walden Pond Your up date
author or authoress is a man or Wo-
man of urban tastes, ready on o
moments notice to shoot over TO Per
STA make public speeches, motor
through England, or to do many other
things NO porridge and hardtack for
such as these-for them the cafe, the
parsley sprlg garniture the taXicab--
all the cosmopolitan pleasures of the
large city. New York contains these
things to greater extent than any
other American city--it also shelters
more of the elements that go to make
up American life than any other city.
TT is more typically American than
Chicago or Philadelphia and lesser
places.
The swiftly changing conditions in
city life render impossible the recur-
renee of the type of literary center
that Boston used to be. The something
akin to reverence for the litterateur
that once radiated as community
aura from Beacon Hill in Boston is
dying out. The publishers are in New
York, that city already has position
of influence In matters literary, and
If we shall ever have real literary
center. though we doubt it, it VIII be
in New York.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-12
Has Dangerous Fnll.

Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l
suffolk, Va, December 1l,-While
riding to fire to-day, Ernest Raby,
twenty three years old, and the horse
he was running fell on the slippery
pavement and Sided some feet. Rapy's
head struck stone curbins, and ne
was picked UP bleeding and uncon-
scious. The result of his injuries can
not be foretold
The loss from the fire which started
in a Washington street parlor was
trifling.