davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1911-04-23
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR APRIL %. 1911

Of his breathing in ones ears looking from the shadow
within the tent to the brlance Of sunshine without and
the shiny naked negroes going to and fro in the camp
as though nothing at all was changed. Jimmy knew
that sense Of outraged astonShmcnt which very young
men and other egotsts feel when the world fails to
change countenance at the sight Of their misfortune.
THAT night Sonnenschen suffered, and Jimmy stayed
beside him sleepleSs. Next day he seemed to sleep
most Of the time: for long intervals his breathing
scarcely 10 be heard Then Jimmy tasted terror he
experienced that chill which men know VINO sit ana W'l
To see death and pOwercsS. When evening came 1t
took all his strength lay bare the injured limb TO at
tend TO the wound What struck him then II Is not
necessary to describe. The heat OF the tropics had done
its work upon an open wound the sight was nauseous
and bOrrifvng. He compelled himself 70 his task OF
washing and binding up and did not break down TIL It
was done Then he climbed the steep bank in thc cooi
evening and found place where ne could lie down ana
The long grass about him made little solitude and
he set himself to think. II IS to be remembered that ne
was only twenty-five, a lad in new land VINO Tor thG
last three months had admired, believed H. ana iSccd
~ conncnschcn-the apostle of action, the cynic the
rhilo,ODher- entire faith and loyalty me Ncr-
man stood for drcctncSs tor the cutting o. hIlorS'
Gorlan and otherwise for that line OF actlon Sotry
which is in life what shock tactics are II war. jimmy
vs. no more unreasonable than any other youth OF ms
age: but Sonnenschcin stood to him for wisdom III
carnatc His thinking was on the hneS lnaI ooil-
nenschcn would have approved. ne 81" tG & M
s whole and went at last to the heart Of 1t with de
ci,on II was three hours later that ne rose 10 S IccO
and went down to the camp again. There were prepara
ons to be made and the Katirs to drill to his require
mens.
LIE reused sonnenschcin soon after dawn -Wake Ike
II up!" he cried, patting his face "Wake up od
man | want you to drink TINS; ,.,,..o,,.,o :, d,
This" was a mixture OF whisky and chlorodyhe i"
@Eb," Sonncnschcin woke and blinked feeby. WAS
''' you Sc drink this said Jimmy "Down with it now
w. smoke as one speaks to child; was his bedside
ddnc4 Bv sheer force Of urgency, he got the rim OF
the cup between sonncnchcn5 lips ana {la m5de b bd @
drink part Of the mixture before he coua eet Tree MS r ' %
,bor. I;,mTS? You want to poison me yes: g..
Nm drink it said Jimmy. I'LL help to -tupey
New-York tribune., 1911-04-23

"Shtupefv' cried Sonnenschcn. "Shtupefyl' He
stared up at Jimmy with sudden apprehension "Good
God Iimmv YOU was goin' to cut my leg OFF,
Jimmy nerves were braCed to a point at which they
were no longer available He nodded almost nonchal
anty. "Yes' he said There nothing else for it, old
man. So YOU just drink this.
Sonncnschcin gaped and dashed out a fist which
knocked the cup from Jimmys hands Its contents
splaShcd over both OF them. Jimmy stood up and
bcckoncd to the waiting Kairs, who came in and laid
hands on SonnenSchein One OF them had pad OF soft
cloth and when the injured man would have spoken he
put it down on his mouth and held 1t there.
Jimmy. standing by the door OF the tent, looked down
at him. "Oll man. he said. "thcres nothing else Tor IT,
If YOU to that leg OF yours, you know 1t
what doctor would do.
Everything was ready by the tent door from the stick
and string tournQet to the hot tree pitch The kairi
made 10 bring out the leg from under the rug. Sonncn-
schein kicked weakly; but they pinned nm. mere
was bag for the foot and calf Jimmy did not want 20
see that poor flesh again. When II was arranged ne
came in and the looped cord began TO compress the leg
turn after turn each hcavcd taut on the stout stick
Hold him now" said Jimmy "Rcady!' He reached
for the knife
tacc could tell how long the operation took Sonncn-
schcin was wise enough faint early in the proceedings
and thereafter knew more; but Jimmy VINO dld the
whole business could never be II II lasted ten MN
,,tcs or couple Of hours He had in fact very clear
memory Of it, only IMPRESSION scared III ms nind oi
loa .hcy doings OF repugnant and marrow Chllig dc
tails Of the pungcnt smell OF blood rlslrg IN me SUN an
and the harsh breathing OF the hairS' nc 'oul'
recall how when the last sickening process was accom-
plshcd he had gropcd his way to his tent and flung NM
SELF there to sleep ike a man worn out by labor.
LIE was walked in the late afternoon, and as he started
IL up from his pillow he gapcd uncomprcncndingy at
the face OF his messenger the negro ne had despatched
eo,,tb . four hundred miles Journey for aid.
"Eh?" he said. Then thrcateningly what are you
doing here" p
Thc black man wrigglcd and grnncd, He was con
bo than could be reasonably
vncctrd Not six hours away he had asst ',ant
Cdmmisscncrs party which included doctor, who had
turned back with him. As he made this paln IN ms
hang blend Of English and AlaShoda, Jimmy Jaw
Il doctor!" he gaspcd. "If I'll only waited day
The doctor was emerging from Sonncnschcn tent
as Jimmy came forth from his own, a gentle, Stoopng
man in travel stained khaki He looked up short sight
New-York tribune., 1911-04-23

-, rs v;,.5. IN . night against the darker water
bow -LGbl, h- sid. There he would not let US
8 -rg no, him 5i ;n, Jimmy repeated the words. "What
r-- mean. WHY S he there"
~. ~, rcg-5 -.-l lis feet and looked at Jimmy
.t'y ont Of t. corner, Of his eyes. The thoughts
Unite men we-, beyond him.
.tIsv-a throwing, +, nix, down, he explained. And
..-tat.n An. would not let us bring him in.
u. vaoei and '....t aside; but Jimmy had meant
nm n him H- motion with the rife had been IN
-, He .~....t the weapon where he stood
.-f,-a minute V.- a-ing down the steep DailH:
!. va, very dark I'D the little oeacA Deio"' rTi
.-4 his av,s. r.. . the red light OF the fire, could
.5c-~-r..te.r.~ -..s .. called. Say. Sonny. Where
Il. answer was 81. ken almost at his feet. Here"
1t -Here-.r5 .ttcringE
Two ,-e,s. and r-.-nv found him. He was lying at
M .oo, q the h.-. mid a little heap Of the sawed
,,-t, They sh;t. with catteras Jimmy trod among
.~ In the darkness. SOnnenScheln groaned.
-hpmveg" l.-;t. at is broken, think jimmy
ia: waited f1r,.. I'D day, m
Tn here ,.it '~my. I'm here, old man. III
T.. axe care Of y.s. The katirs said YOU Wouldn leV
-ya- snswe- ancnschein. ~No! They tried;
t-..S better e. II. Herc-ycs: 80,
You're no. ..-. 90 die" said Jimmy quickly
'U1.am Iior.,. II what bis name Won 80 70 II!e
-,.-.s;r the ;r'- got 10 come 10 what's his
,-s eh. Wen r.. q tent over YOU here, and then
W. have a lo,t .. e.o.
-Y@.- said S.-. .hein family. a haf waited for
r- I'll day, Iimc.
HANDLING K.a~. is an art; all South Africans
II know that !. 5. In art But Sonnenschcin' while
-p,eslng the ;.- ,n Jimmy, had taught him some ne
T4,o:t-the ,a..u-ly quiet voice Of command inc
,-.:-.-- -,,a .'.- : ,-.;.~. tho determination TO
o5eyed on the instant at any cost, and all the rest o
g. Jimmy used knowledge 70 advantage now a
,vas quickly burning the little beach to give hgIlV;
.sp,anks were shifted: tent grew up over and around
S,aenschein as n. y with q minimum OF cu1nslnesS'
& vas done at tor p.cl and quietly, The injured man
Eei IN his pain saw il.
The Young iie. oegns 70 shoot-not: ne 1rul-
rgei
When all was done. Jimmy, bracing his nerves for the
cl-l examine injuries. As Sonncnsch,en haa lii,i
c:n The edge Of plank. Jimmy loathcd the sight OF
tod There w. k spot in him that shrank from
New-York tribune., 1911-04-23

T. Is one shrink tr HY' iron; but nc
-ve himself ~ - task Of washing
q. wound, b;nl'-. &. a- far as Sonnen-
Sen would ,a. .m and generally
1-gwhat he ..r.. -. make the elder
--1 cJmiorta1'. What scared him
sl1s, as much a.. Pnsly wound was
Sflcnschein .... .- ue Int upon ms
1y.-white .r .-ugc patches on
IL IN, oddly twisted. unfamiliar, and
'-g1.
sony he '. a- lc looked at it,
.y-ye got % g. @oll. YOU know.
9Jnnenschcin -.i ~ smile again.
20 obAge a certainly, he
1g-rei.
he camp stool then some four hum
-'- miles from t.. nearest settlement
"nie men and I'D indefinite distance
-''a a doctor. Their Medical supple
' sas o. the usual kind, plenty Of
;-l4ne' chlOrodyu.. and whisky, q few
,''-@ oi patent medicine and moth
se-ses:. Jimmyioaal himself with bru-
9'ldenness ia.. ~ face with great
e'gency. a. soon a- daylight came,
sent of one ". his Kafrs with q
.'''eage. II would take ten days %
,.1 ,.l-l us destination, and perhaps an
s'.'' fortnight % send 40 al long be
,~' r ',,e mcssage could have any result
a., 1lalT oi SDuueuschcin would be
t..'gl one way Or 'ac other. But Dee
. l'-'.l Kind Of rohet for his nerve, in
'@,iis ~ nothing uuIouc.
,. -Ae "hO.e Ot taC little camp was
..5 --,',teIred .,eIred % the bottom Of the bank;
-. mere VA nothing to dO but 20 sit
oonnenscheiu. ~ arrange the
..''h under hi. head. 10 minister %
All t"@ll@ andirom time ~ time 70 shift
D. ~ t.''iige lAe drc iug- on bis wounds.
tts + u-s broken bone there was nothing
T. . 1Cne. Even If hchad known how
e. :. We fracture. the least touch on
I-'.l '..laieo part "raucacda cryfrom the
ir '''e man that s,iiied Jimmy very
c,r' '' va. vas very grateful for al that was
s. Eay .yr nm. Jimmy had never been
Er51,.. d MN o. now, when his fat,
grl-.s lace was strange against the
t. -'4' 4' ana ms clenoled teeth held back
d.s,,.lnd olnd Of bis PAIN. But it was
t,-'''Iiilg none taelcs, 10 ,it beside him
sA The Slow hours, with the labor
Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-02-11

tion; to regulated home; to- edu
catiOnal advantage; to "fair chance
to deveiope physical strength, menta
power, and moral stamina; to {
square deal" from every man ant
woman beneath the flag.
charge the American saloon will
the theft of this birthmght.
Proof of the charge is not difficult
It's guilt hes within the knowledge Oh
every observant, wellinfomned man
The evidence is about us everywhere
evidence indubitable i'm character
crushing i'm weight. All scientific in
vesltigation proclaim it. Every labor
atory OF research, physiological, patho
logical and psychological, declare DIT
Sociology announce it. Every day ex
peTience and observation affirm DIT
To be convinced, the doubter needs
only walk through the poorer dis
trlcts of any of the larger cities OF
the country from Boston to San
Francisco-through the water-fronts'
the "levees,' the 'tenderloins, the
little Italys," the 'Hungarys, the
"Hmyakvilles," the Bucktowns, -
where there is saloon ON every
conner; where every other opening
Is the door of dram-shop; where
Jim's Place, Jacks Joint, Bill Is
Dive" are familiar signs: where the
clubs of the poor" are everywhere,
planted among the homes of labor;
along the path of the multitude;
where day and might men, women, am
children mix and mingle indiscrimilp.
ately with the dissolute, the drunken,
and the heentious-- men whose every
Instinct Is criminal, wor an in whose
conscience Is left no flash of moral
sensibility children, boys and girls,
sttmted in growth of body, dwarfed
and brazen-faced; where every cup
holds a death potion; where every
glass brims with hell i'm solution.
With such an environment a fair
chance" and square deal" for child
hood are impossible. Amid such sur
rormdings childhood lis foredoomed.
II 1t survives at all, brutality, Tragedy
and crime make 1T old even i'm its
babyhood. Its exuberance repressed,
its spontaneity stayed, 1T knows no
faryland. Across its desert sands
there lie no paths of gadness;
through its beds of lava there rum no
streams of joy; among its barren
hills there are no brooks of happi-
ness, no banks where the daisies
grow; into its marrow, darkened sky
there climbs no star; amid its encir-
cling gloom there comes no call to
frohc or to laughter
Robbed of its birthright, childhood
takes its place in the ranks of toll,
Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-02-11

As Citizen of the republic | i'm
dict the American saloon. | indie
DIT i'm the name of the childhood Of
the nation, and challenge Its nigh
longer to exist. indict it, moi
upon single count, but upon many
counts.
charge 1t with the theft of child
hoods bdrthrdght the right to cloud
less happy days. the right to "faiI
chance" and square deal"
charge 1t with contributing to
the neglect Of childhood, with the
alienation of parental affection, both
of father and Of mother.
charge 1t with contributing tc
the delinquencies OF childhood, with
anurng lit into paths of vice and OF
sim and crime, perilous paths, paths
from which 1t returns with tired
and leaden feet, with joyless heart
with defiled body, with sin-scarred
soul.
| charge 1t with fmpardng the eff
ficdency OF childhood, its physical
mental and moral efficiency, with
corruptng the fountains of Its hfe,
even before dts birth.
| charge DIT with the murder of
childhood after its birth, with child.
murdeE child-murder htelal, and ac-
tual, with infanhcides cruel I'm form
and multiple lin number.
Upon this Indictment and these
specifications | place 1T upon trial
in the forum of public opinion ask
a verdict of conviction, and demand
Judgement Of condemnation.
If the American republic is to con,
tlnue to advance, to attain to higher
place among the people of the earth.
or even to hold dts present high es-
tate, its children must be better born
than they now are, better born than
the children Of other people.
BY better born" / do not refer
to wealth or rank or position at birth.
To the really well born wealth. rank.
and position are all the subject of
requirement.. BY better born" |
mean more efficiently born. To be
we'll born is to be born with a henit.
age OF efficiency a sound body. a
well-developed brain, a nervous sys-
tenn OF strength and fibre calculated
to meet the strain and the stress OF
the twentieth-century environment
amid which the child, il 1t survive
will have to struggle.
l hold heritage of high efficiency
to be part of the birthright of
every American child; that, given this
heritage, the child lis entitled as
further part Of Its birthright to at
least q few happy, cloudless years;
to parental care, affection, and direc-
Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-02-11

most OF the States. Again anC
again issued acquisitions upon The
governors of other States for the re
turn of fugitive deserters of little
children, and again and again l hon
ored acquisitions from governors OF
other States for the apprehension ant
RETURN of such desreters. In seventy
five per cent OF all the cases of child
desertion passing through the exec
utdve office oftheState of Indiana lin
the four years ending january IL
1909, parental affection was Athena
ted and the desertion caused through
the evil influences and effects of the
American saloon.
In the Indiana Girls School, cor
| rectional institution for incorrigible
and criminal girls, the population Oh
which lis composed of girls from six
to twenty-one years of age, twenty.
one per centof the inmates have
drunken fathers and six per cent
drunken mothers. The superdnten
dent assumes me that she is fully con
WINGED thatalcOhohsm lis the chief
cause OF children's delinquency throue
out the state.
In theIndiana Boys School, cor.
rectional institution for incorrgible
and criminal boys, the popula ton of
which lis composed of boys from six
to twenty-one years ofage, the per.
centage of inmates having drunken
parents is even greater. For the
year ending September 80, 1908, 242
boys were admitted to this institu-
tom, all under sixteen years of age.
OF these, 120 had drunken fathers;
so OF them had drunken mothers, a
total of $50 out of 242. The super
intendent gave me last january am
official statement from which quote:
We're the true facts known concern
ing the causes which have contribu-
ted to the delinquency of so many
boys, / am sure at least eighty-five
per cent of the 242 admissions could
trace their present condition to the
effects Of intoxicants. 206 out of 242!
These figures are conrobemted and
confirmed by the testimony of juvendl
court judges and of probation officers
1t Is my own deliberate opinion.
based upon personal observation and
investigation, made with patient. ear
nest purpose and sincere desire to
find the truth, that the American sa-
loon as an institution. and the ex-
cessive use of alcoholic drink conse-
quent upon Its presence, are respon-
sible for rs per cent of the insanity,
80 per cent of the poverty, pauperism,
and dependency, and so per cent of
all the crime inthis country, together
with the countless wrongs to child
hood consequent upon these and with
the burdens entailed upon society by
them. This conclusion is corroborated
and supported by the best thought and
scientific investigation of the day not
only Inn my own State, but through
out the country and the world. In
support of 1t l cite recent state
ment by DR.. Henry Smith Williams
Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-02-11

statement notable for care of pre-
paration for wide investigation made
and the accuracy of the facts given
published i'm McChre's Magazine for
October, 1908, to the effect that "one-
half of the dependent" children of
America owe their deplorable condi-
ton to alcohol.
The finding of DR.. Williams is ap-
proved and confirmed by DR.. Freder-
lick Peterson, professor of psychiatry,
Columbia University, ex-president Of
the New York State Commission in
Lunacy and manager OF the Craig
Colony for Epileptics, i'm a paper read
before the Ninth New York State
Conference of Charities, at Elmira,
November II, 1908 Indeed, there is
no conflict i'm the evidence. 1t stands
without dispute. | am entitled to
verdict and judgement as by con.
fession.
In another count | have charged
the American saloon with hmpairing
the efficiency of childhood, it's phystl-
cal, mental and moral efficiency; with
corrupting the fountains of life before
its birth. Upon this count the evil
dence lis as multiple, as conclusive,
and as much without dispute as be-
fore. In support Of it l quote from
DIR. Frederick Peterson's address at
Emira:
Alcoholism is often a direct cause
OF epilepsy, but more often epilepsy
Is due to alcoholism In parents.
Thus Bonneville, in study of over
$500 idiots, epileptics, and imbeciles
admitted to the Bicetre Hospital,
found that over Al per cent of them
had drunken parents. In a report Of
the Craig Colony for Epileptics 1t
was found that over % per cent of
$50 cases of epilepsy had alcoholic
parents"
The heritage of the drunkard's
child is ncurabledlsease- tuberc ulosds,
epilepsy, idaocy and insanity.
In the Indiana Girls School mem
toned above many of the worst GIRLS
are the offspring of parents both OF
whom are drunkards. OF the 242 ad.
united last year to the Indiana Boys
School mentioned above, $50, as we
have already shown, have drunken
parents, and of this $50, 6 are now
In the feble minded class.
In the Indiana School for Feeble.
Minded Youth thirty to forty per cent
OF the inmates who are predetermined.
eWleptics, or idotic have drunken par.
ents. The simple truth is that the
child of alcoholic parents is pauper.
lzed before its birth 1t is impossd-
Die that 1T should be efficiently en-.
dowed. Vicious longtngs, monstrous
cravings and impelling thirst are
planted i'm the very fibres of it's being
before 1t is BORN 1t comes into the
world handicapped with prensAl
criminal procHvities. With body
dwarfed, brain undeveloped intellect
Impaired, deprived of moral stamina.
Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1911-02-11

with unsteadystep and inefficiem
hand, at an ,mwonted age, and ere
long begetsl a progeny more helpless
hopeless than itself.
National progress cannot be foundet
| on such as these. American childhOOC
must be better born and better reared
For this heritage of inefficiency tht
American saloon as an institution
more than all else, lis responsible
1t daily sows the germs, and hourly
spawns the larvae out of which h
springs. And yet. with knowledge ID
its evil, We license it, and seek tt
Justify ourselves with putting about Il
restrictions that we know Mt will NOD
observe.
In what ! have depicted here
have not qverdrawn the facts as they
actually exist Withm the last six
months l have looked upon just such
conditions with my own eyes, In the
cities of more than twenty five states
1t may be urged that | have pictured
the saloon at itsworst. wish 1t wert
true. Ii | could SO picture DIT,
would, for it is just that 1T should be
so pictured. AS its accuser ut lis my
duty so to pictureit II we are to
know the depths ofitsculpa bility, the
enormityof dts crimes, We must see
it at its worst. see 1T i'm action, sec
it I'm itsnakedguilt, with the blood up
on dts knotted hands. want lit put
to its uttermost defence. | want a
verdict against 1t. want Judgment
of condemnation and of abolition.
But, however criminal and destrnc-
tive 1T lis i'm the poorer districts of
the great cities, | am not at an sure
that the Americans a loon as an insti-
tuition is greater menace there,
either to childhood ONT to national ef-
ficiency, than it is i'm the better dis
tricts of the same great cities.
The middle classes OF our people,
the bedrock of our efficiency and
of our strength as anation, do not
as body come i'm contact with the
saloon in''Little Italy" in "Hunyak-
VILE" or i'm "Buck-town." And the
majority of the better classes who
do come in contact with it there find
in its tnormities no temptation. Its
lewd and CHASTITY sights are sicken-
ing.
But each day there are some who
drop out of the ranks of the middle
classes: who lose heart; who find
the burden too heavy, the strain too
great; some who fall; some who give
up the contest. Many Of these DRIFT
into the darkened districts and be-
come recruits i'm the everchanging,
thinning, and yet increasing ranks
of the submerged. These almost will
out exception are lost In the az
are many. But let them
be charged to teh saloons in Little
Italy in "Hunyakville, and Jun
''Bucktown." Those in the wealthier
districts will have enough to answer
for without them.
Downtown, where the city's BUSH
ness is being done; where its trade