davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

her experience and reinposed a tax
on food. But the class interests of the
rural landlords made great appeal
and help to explain the clipped liberal
majority.
That would have mattered less had
not the iron trade swung towards the
new doctrine. Largely because of its
splendid local loyalty to Mr.. Chamber
ain, Birmingham once more walked in
the conservative column. Birmingham
is probably the greatest hero worshiper
among existing cities. Having accepted
a prince, She follows him To the end.
Radical, shrewd, predoninantly work =
ing class constituency, when he was the
most youthful of mayors she adopted
Joseph Chamberlain and let him have
his way. Now he is old and bed-rid
den she sinks her redicalism and wears
bandage on her keen eyes. acknowl-
edging nothing but her mistaken belief
in one who has been her idol for
more than generation. He is her
family physician, and she would rather
be poisoned by him than be made well
by any nostrum of nom conformists
and Welsh men. When Chamberlain
dies she will | suppose. return to her
earlier love. But that is another story.
The point now is that Birmingham,
center of the iron trade, was swung by
the protectionist Impulse out of the lib
eral ranks, and the impulse was the
personal influence of the great Joseph
Chamberlain. once called by the citi-
zens, "Pushful Jo."
A third force working with enormous
zeal against the liberal party was the
liquor trade. Many of the great breweries
and disuileries are stock concerns. the
shares being very widely distributed
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

TSHE great lesson of tht new age is
the perpetual re-hirtn of democra~
4 cy. With al respect = political OPP
ortunists, who speak lptuously, or
Eorse. think coatemrtuously. of govern
hent by the people. there Is perpetually
During in upon The Grid a flood of free
ouls in whom The doctrine is an instinct.
the land, they perceive, does not exist
pr tire landlord but for tae community.
Ehy? Because in the list analysis.
either the landlord nor laborer exists for
lis own pleasure, hrt for the common
Eealth. If he re9.,gni4es this and acts ac-
brdingly, it shall be veil with him. If
ot, Schoolmistress Democracy is likely
b whip him for a very, very stupid,
hughty boy. Aud that also shall be for
rs behoof.
Persons who :snk thems Ives among
be idealsts have lad many a lugu-
rious hour In eontemT lating the corrupt
hg forces at work In the mt iern Anleri-
|ln city. Is the hesit of the American
emocraey soend? is n question over
|hch they hesitate and me urn. Is that
|ream of freedom which started in the
fountains of revolt losing itself perma
Entity in the unfathomable sands of
tdliinoii-idHa 1T it'ih even that dliu
nd hopeless and dea'h-bes:rewn region
|ossom as the lose and be The home of
prosperous ard contented human fam
"?
II put that question down TO prove that
|e in America lave no right to pass a
|ipercilious Judgment on the struggling
fmocracy of Great Britain. Knowing
|lr own perils, we contemplate her slow
|'ogress not with contempt but with q
fastened spirit
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13
George Eaves
me show

quith. And those pledges have some sho"
of being abundanty redeemed.
Feudallsm plays little part in Wales or
Scotland. Historically there is little rea-
on why it should have influence and
much reason why conscience should be
stronger than tradition. In great MAORI
ties both Wales and Scotland voted
against the pretenslons of the house OF
lords, for free trade. against q warlike
policy toward Germany. against the DOM
ination OF the land by the LIQUOR.
on the whole, therefore. one must COIL
clude that the heart of Wales and Scot
land is soundly democratic and intelligent
and progressive. But England? Well.
England loves the pageantryg and lie
charm of the past. With her right foot,
industry. she strides forward into regions
of wealth and prosperity. With her left
foot, feudalism, she drags slowly and re-
luctantly into that new age. But the
cheering thing is the growing recognition
that both feet are English and that class
war is unpatriotic No one dares 10 chal-
lenge the old-age pension law, whose op-
GRAFTON necessitates new taxes. The fsfe7
most socialist of the land tries to lead the
way IN providing increased ornaments.
An honest, II not always intelligent, pa-
triotlsm is assumed in every party and
politician. The duellists in today's en-
counters will be arm in arm tomorrow on
the terrace OF the house of commons.
Limpingly, bungingly. hesitatfngly Eng
land ventures further and further into
the democratic wilderness. But she has
found much gold and much glory there
already. and will find more, though --5fd
Curzon may marshal vast platons Of dead
plantagenets and patricians to shoe her
back. For Lord Curzon, reactionist and
aristocrat. is the devils advocate In the
present case.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

As to the soun lness OF Engiand's heart
the general cleo ion just completed gives
striking evidenC0-n.t sinca the great
historic battles OF the reform bill and the
corn laws-in Which, % cou' sc, not corn.
but wheat. was the vital question-has
there been such an opportunity for the
England that was tc put herself in evil
dence against the ENGLAND hat is. Many
a false issue was rai~ed to divert atten-
ton from the main Issue; but 1t was tn :
main issue, the right of Tie house of
lords in modern. Legislation, that drew to
the polls more people than have voted for
many years. Thay came fr'r, their quiet
hooks in obscure villJges anG from busy
offices in MANY d thtCnged street, urged
by their supcrios. vote for privilege
and the dear, oecayed delights of the
England that was shades of their an
cestors. These gra tdsons and grand
nephews OF tho men who fought Cobbett
and cheered 'y-nAnaion mi.,ht at most
have seen their ghos,ly granesires cheer
ing them on TO the fray with fappings OF
shrouds and the moving of gumless jaws
and the warning OF skeleton arms.
Reading the returns, one is impressed
with the fact that England is still. geo.
graphically speaking, half feudal and hat
modern. The modern half is industrial.
the feudal half agricultural and land
holding. Industrial England is moderate
ly radical. Feudal England is agrees
sively intolerant and conservative. The
Cotton Trade, whose headquarters are
at Manchester, is the leading factar in
English Industrial life. There's an adage,
born >of experience, which says,N "What
Lancashire thinks today England will
think tomorrow Hard-headed people.
those cotton operatives. They led the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

most vile. base. odious, atrocous of all
the passions, avarice, and says and acts,
You shall work for u.s.
Well, it is a not Very meek set, that
Kentucky layout. They are not much
given to offering the other cheek when
one is smitten. They will not themselves
steal, and they will not submit to a rob-
bling If they can prevent it by night
riding or other means. And SO they
posted their tobacco, a thing they were
authorized to do by act of the legisla-
ture. and served notice on growers out
side of the pool that they should not
plant tobacco The outsiders did plant
and their crops were destroyed. One man
was killed. Much of the trusts tobacco
stored in warehouses was burned, just
as the tea was thrown overheard in
Boston harbor. And what was the re-
suit? trust beaten to standstill. and
the growing of tobacco in Kentucky
again made profitable.
All wrong. OF course; but there are two
sides to the thing. AS Napoleon said at
FvIau. you can't make an omelette
without breaking some eggs As for the
tobacco societies. they did not engage in
nigft-riding. but did all in their power
to prevent it, The night-riders sustained
the same relation to them that the hypo-
critics do to the church. They did evil
under a cloak and one Of the leaders
of the night-riders Is now serving term
in the state penitentiary for his part In
tho lawlessness.
These thoughts and reflections are
called forth by speech maue by my
personal friend and political foe. VIII
liam o. Bradley, a republican senator
in Congress from the state of Kentucky,
of which we are both native and to the
manor born. We are agreed as to one
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

and who are still more meanly paid.
Indeed. everything Is cheap in Hong
kong. The city is governed by the Brit
ish and public transportation is regulated
by law. The town Is so steep that-tt
IL almost impossible to get about except
in chairs or jlnrikishas. The jnrikishas
are baby carriages wheels, with bare
legged, bare-headed coolies as horses.
They will carry you anywhere in Hong
kong for about cents of our money II
trip, and for 10 cents they will go on the
strot for all hour. You may hire one a
half day for a quarter, and u hours for
a dollar in silver, which means about a
cents gold. Some of the streets are so
steep that the jinriSishas cann2t go. up
tnenl In such places Sedan chairs car
RED on the shoulders of men are for
hire The Hongkong chair of this kind
is made of wicker. 1t Is box with a
chair inside it, and a soft wicker back
against which one leans as he rides. 1t
has arms for the elbows, and to these
elastic poles about as big around as your
wrist and IS feet long are fastened. In
side the poles, in front and behind stand
the two bearers, bare-headed, yellow
skinned coolies. with their pigtails tied
around their heads. They rest the two
poles on their shoulders and trot along
single file. The passengers are often
heavy Britishers or fieslry-~Chinese, and
or make it callous so that it grows as
thick as your heel The usual rate for
these chairs is about cents a trip, and
I can ride about all day in one for 10
cents an hour. The men are anxious to
work, and when l raise my hand three
or four sets of bearers come up on the
trot and fight for my custom
took a tramp about Hongkong last
night to see how the city looks after
dark 1t is not as wide open as Chicago,
New York, Paris or London, although i
am told that all sorts of wickedness
goes on in the narrow alleys which climb
up the hills. Last night everything was
ouiet The great buildings were as dark
as a pocket, and the pigeon-hole balconies
appeared to be dead eyes in the rays of
the electric lamps. a gloom covered the
mountains back of the town. the green
woods turning to blue in the darkness
and the house lights shining like stars
below the clouds which enveloped the
peak.
walked. along Queens road to the
Clock Tower and stopped there under the
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

Hence a multitude of small investors were
shocked by the proposal Of Mr.. Lloyd
;eorge to saddle ''the trade" heavily with
increased taxation. The money-lender,
he widest sense of that term, was
most indignant citizen. Not only was an
alliance of the beer and the peer threat
ming The liberals but the whole array OF
5ancky interests which reserve to be
called fear. There was the fear of
socialism. the fear of home rule. the fear
Of Germany and many a smaller, indis-
1nguishahle fear.
Hence To the sympathetic observer Of
English democratic progress the returns
II this election are comforting and en-
eoufaging, rather than disappointing. To
I'll intents and purposes the labor party
$ only the radicals under new name
They have acted splendidly for the past
Tour years. with few exceptions, sus-
tanning the government, and winning
great reput atoms for statesmenlilie sanity.
IN comparison with these advanced pro-
eteraries the peers have sometimes mace
4 pitiful showing even as gentlemen. TO
say nothing OF politicians. With this
contingent the government has majority
of 40, the Irish holding the balance of
power.
Meantime. though the conservatives CON
tinue to call themselves unioniste, as OPP
posed to home rule for Ireland, sensible
men are talking of 'the home rule
DOGGY The defeated conservatives can
didate Is Dublin shook hands with the
successful home ruler and acknowledged
the courtesy with which that election had
been fought.
A working alliance between the nation
alists of Ireland and the liberals of Eng
land actually exists by reason or the ante
election pledges of the premier, Mr.. AS
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

William O. Bradley is equally in place
He Is one of the immortal 1906 who went
down supporting General Grant for
third term at Chicago in 1880. and for more
than a quarter of a century he has been
the leader of his party in Kentucky, and
today he stands forth the foremost south
ern republican In all the immense region
south of Mason and Dixon's line.
Bradleys speech in defense of Ken
lucky in the Senate on January 20 was adj
mirable. 1t intimated nothing. but was
clear statement of the cause and frank
admission of the lawlessness that was
practiced by some. vicious and irrespon-
sible persons who are swift to join good
cause TO profit by it in disguise. The Bos-
ton tea party was case in point. Every
one engaged in that mob would have been
a night rider in Kentucky in 1907 and
1903.
When Bradley was much younger man
than he now is a national bank at Ian
caster, KY, obtained judgment against a
farmer on a note he owed the bank. Ex-
ecution issued was levied on n valuable
tract of blue grass land of some 600 acres,
and the property was sold at the court
house door by the sheriff. and another ma
tional bank at Danville became the pur-
chaser. John Yerkes and Sam Burdette,
young lawyers, We're counsel for the farm
ef, ana tiley nieu pleduihSS " OCT .iSiuc
the sale on the ground that a national
bank, other than the one to which the
debt was due, had no right to buy land at
such sale
That resulted in long and hard fought
litigation. and was finally decided In favor
of the bank by decree of the supreme
court at Washington, which. however,
merely decided that no federal question
was involved. Then it was that the bank
sued the farmer for rents and profits, and
a large sum was rendered for a compro-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

thing, and that is that Kentucky Is the
peer of any other state, and unrivaled by
most of the states. lie is glad he first
saw the light in the Blue Grass. and
glory that | was born in the Penny
rile" Kentucky--all kentucky-M
tain. redbud, blue grass, bear grass pen
myrtle and purchase--is unanimous in APP
proval of the decree in the case of Dives
and Lazarus. Pity 1t is not authority
everywhere in this country.
Some aspersions were cast on Kentucky
by writer in a. newspaper in this town
who undertook to discuss night-riding in
Kentucky, subject of which he was
as defantly ignorant as he was defisely
ignorant Senator Bradley defended his
constituents in an eloquent speech in the
Senate, and did II in capital style, the
splendid orator that he is.
William o. Bradley Is superb as an adj
yocate, and able and learned as coun-
selor at the bar. He came by IL nat
urally and got it by descent, being the
son of "C I'd Bob Bradley. so long nestor
of the kentucky bar when it was the
first In erudition, skill and character In
the Mississippi valley. There was "Old
Ben" Hardin, Rowan. Wicklffe. Chapese
Hayes Guthrie, Robertson, Mckee. Buck
ner, Bramlette. Boyle, Mills, Owsley,
Hiss. Dixon. Madison c. Pherson, the
Caldwells, Crittenden, Harlan. Sharpe,
Tomplsins, Harding, Underwood and
many others, and "Old Bob Bradley was
the peer of the greatest of them.
I heard this anecdote of the old fell
low, and 7 believe it was Proctor Knott
who related it to me. Bradley was UNI
rivaled before a jury. and one day he
had for client poor fellow who was in
the clutch of fiery, peppery little man
who combined the profession of medicine
with the trade of usurer. This town right
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

II this article I shall tell number
OF Incredible things, supported, how
ever. by "unimpeachable evidence
During my youth and early manhood
l was acquainted with three men who
were fellow students OF Poes at the Uni
versity o. Virginia. My recollection is
that 1t was during the first session, in
1926. the year of NJ, Jefferson's death.
Maj. J. T. l.. Preston was one of them
RE was my honored and beloved instruc-
tor at the Virginia Military institute
one OF the l1indest, most genial and every
way admirable gentlemen l ever knew.
In speaking to his class about Poe S
course at the university he said pontedly
and positively: '1He had no conscience"
and then he gave an instance OF Poe's
moral obiiquity, which need not record,
but which was sufficiently glazing.
Col. John Willis was an old friend of
mine. He represented my native coun-
ty, Orange (virginia) in the Legislature;
was a man of brains, culture and high
social position-a nan kinsman of Presi-
dent Madison, grand nephew, | believe. -
Mr. William Wertenbarker was post
master at the university, and secretary of
the faculty during my career as stu
dent He agrees with Colonel Willis in
a flat denial of r. w. Grswold's SLAM
ders. Poe was not dismissed; was not
6runken; attended lectures with fair reg
ulafity. and "nade his classes Poe
himself, in conversation with Mr.. Wer-
tenbecker, did, however, confess and re-
greet that he was too fond of the gaming
table.
Poe was dismissed from West Point, but
have seen no evidence that he drank
while he was a cadet In that academy
he was as a fish out of water. Think of
the author of The Raven getting
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

NHAT profoundest and acutest of
British critics. Thomas Carlyle, in
a review of the works of a certain
kfn-an playwright, says: IF you wish
muse yourself irrationally here is the
he for your money" Similarly, you may
his sc yourself irrationally with the ques-
! n: What would be the result if an ir-
|eistible force should be brought against
insurmountable obstacle?' Everyone
Q has the least acquaintance with the
ence of mechanics will. of course, see
1T IL the force be irresistible the OBJ
bile cannot be insurmountable, and
9 versa
Put what conclusion shall we reach
Zen we find incredible statements sup
|rted by unimpeachable evidence? The
lowing anecdote may help US to solve
Is problem: Many years ago, on a
|ntry night, I was sitting at the fire.
be, in the home of an old Virginia
I-Iner-statesman. He was a man of brill
Int intellect, broad culture and con-
Inmate wlt-an alumnus OF Washing
| college, now Washington-Lee univer-
|y-profoundly versed in constitutional
w. and in the political history of Eng
I'D ana of America, | asked him, why
|rt you kill your hogs? They are fat
|ough; the weather is cold. and your
IN Is going at great rate"
+Yes," he gravely answered, but l am
lifting for the moon to change
|Astonished at such a reply from such
kource I rejoined: But people of sense
q that there is nothing in the moon
|sory."
Is es," said he. II don't believe it my
IN, but it's So And he added 81
.ought 1t was all foolishness till
rned from the Bible that He who made
moon speaks, through Moses, Of the
lious things put forth by the moon. y
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

three dement's ior k'shoes not properly
polished at quart mounting. OF the au-
thor of "Annabei lee getting three more
for Goat collar rnhooked at dress pa
rade,' and of the author of 1.-The
Haunted Palace getting five fol. ''Tobac-
co in possession." And when you remem-
Der that 100 demerits in six months
shipped you incontinently, who can Won
der that Poe was incontinently shipped?
The wonder is that he ever held out at
such a place foe Il week
There is no Trustworthy evidence that
Poe was ever a sot. Griswold's ISLANDERS
should be rejected if for no other rea-
son, because they reek with hatred of the
dead poet, whose Memoir" he wrote.
But the testimony of y. P. Willis, back
ed by that of Mrs. Osgood, is decisive.
Poe drank in sprees. but was, for the
most part, sober Willis never saw him
under the influence of drink during the
whole time they we're associated on the
same paper. Wills as editor and Poe as
sub editor; and Tat period covered some
six months. Many people who knew Poe
for years never saw him drunk.
There is no evidence that Poe ever
thought enough on religion to have any
fixed opinions on that anhject. When EN-
ployed to write a review article for
religious magazine he colld take Chris
tianity for granted and quote Isaiah In
Hebrew like a pi ofesgor in theological
seminary; but when, foot-loose, he lee
lures on the mechanism of the heavens,
he can swallow Laplaee. anticipate OAR
win, and verge Upon Pautheism in his
Eureka"
That a child cf some 10 or IA years
should have written the lines ITO
Helen is a stretcher of our credulity I
give them from raemory:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13

to Japan You can get ship here any
dag for Europe by way OF the Suez canal
and there are regular services to the
Philippines. Australia, the Dutch East
indies, and almost every point in tne
Pacific and Indian oceans. The port is
free and an enormous amount of freight
Is transshipped to the other countries and
islands nearby.
The passenger service by way of Hong
kong is also important By changing
boats you can reach almost any point
from this place. There are vessels which
leave nightly for Canton and almost ev-
cry day for Shanghai. The fare TO Can
ton is So and to Shanghai $780, 1t costs
$40 to Singapore, and the time Is five
days A like amount will take you to
Bangkok. and for SIS you may go to
Saigon in Cochin-China. 1t is only two
days and $50 to Manila. while one may
have a passag &c to Melbourne, Australia,
for s170. There are steamers once or twice
n week for the American continent. The
time is less than month, and the cost Is
$225 in gold. The distance to San Fran
cisco fs over 5000 miles, and to Singapore
about 1900. 1t is 800 miles from here to
Shanghai, 400 to Kobe, less than 1000 to
Yokohama, and about 100 more to Vladi-
vostok at the eastern end of the Trans
Siberian railroad.
Hongkong is a crown colony 1t was
ceIed TO Great bFltain w Snliid III Icfi
II has grown steadily since then. and it
is row q military and naval station of
first-class Importance 1t Is the head
quarters of the China squadron. compris-
ing about 60 vessels in ALL and it has an
imperial garrison of $500 troops. 1t is
ruled by governor appointed by the
King of England and the man now in
charge Is Sir Frederick d. Lugard who
made himself famous as governor of Nj
geria Sir Frederick receives salary
of $4,000 a year, and has a cabinet and
a legislative council to help him, two of
whom are Chinese.
But let us take a look at the human
side of the island. This little block Of
land is surrounded by water. 1t is only
a hill Of basalt, schist and grani'E wash
ed by the sea- II giaht could stand 1t
on end it might be whirled around like
top It's base is SO small that rail-
road train could run around 1t in less
than an hour and It ends in a peak 1900
feet high. The island lies close to the
mainland. ana with the peninsula Of Kow-
loop It has harbcr Of - 2gusre miles