davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

Holland. in the Philadelphia Public
 Ledger.
 The long continued and entirely un- selfish efforts of Alfred R. Conkling, who was the biographer of his famous uncle, Senator Roscoe Conkling, to arouse pub interest or to secure private support in such manner as to save the Madison Square Garden, with intent to utilize it as Q municipal or public building, have failed. The money could not be raised by any appeal to private persons, and the city authorities took little interest in the project. Madison Square Garden is to pass into tradition, and will be mentioned by and by as of historic interest, com parable with the Crystal palace. which, in 1858, stood near where tho great pub lie library building now stands. The only successful features of the Madison Square Garden building were artistic ana sentimental. Architecturally, it is one of the triumphs of the late Stanford White, and the tower is still regarded modelled though it be, upon one of the famous tow CTS of Spain, as unsurpassed in architec- tural beauty by any towerlike structure in the United States. Saint-Gaudens modelled a Diana, which surmounts the tower and this Diana is now to come down. Sentimental interest will at tach to the place as one in which Bryan made, in 1896, a speech which was the cli- max of his political popularity at that time, for he never was as strong after ward. The best oratorical tradition con- nected with the Madison Square Garden is one which tells of the superb triumph of William Pitt Frye, who recently re- signed as president pro tempore of the United States Senate. Brilliant as Sena- tor Frye's career as a public speaker has been, he never secured higher oratorical triumph than he did at the time when he subdued, by the mere charm of his or atory, a noisy and unlistening mob, hold ing it afterward as though 1t were in the hollow of his hand.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
THIEVES STORM LONDON

From the Washington Post
 "There will probably be a greater gath ering of thieves and other criminals in London during the ceremonies attending the coronation of King George than ever assembled in any other part of the world at one time," said William H. Hagen, for mer chief of the United States secret ser vice, at the Willard. Crooks from every nation on earth will be there, and Scot land Yard and the English police author ities will have the most difficult task to perform they have ever undertaken.
 "'There will not be many native Amer ican crooks in London, for the very good reason that there are very few native American crooks. An American pick pocket. for instance, is the grossest kind of a blunderer. He couldn't put his hand in flour barrel without making a mis- take. The London police will be given the most trouble by the Russian and Italian pickpockets; and notwithstanding the presence of expert thief-takers from all parts of the globe, the piclSpockets will doubtless reap a harvest. The English piekpocket used to be considered the most skillfuls but he has become passe. The Russians and Italians are the ones now most to be feared.
 "Scotland Yard? Yes, there is a cer- tain mystery about the name The faN ] is that Scotland Yard is the same as any other central police office of a great city. | During one visit I asked what part of the work was the most difficult. Max | ing out reports was the answer"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
Prohihition Waning

''I was in Texas last March and again in May. and while I heard some prohi- bition talk there, the people were so intent on business that the anti-saloon element attracted less attention than in other states pending a wet or dry cleo tion," said John T. Hartley of St. Louis.
 An election to decide whether or not Texas will have statewide prohibition will be held in July. and it is a safe bet that the statewiders will meet defeat by large majority. It seems that business men in the cities of Texas are, as a rule, in favor of sticking to local option. Eighty or 90 per cent of Texas is dry now. and the merchants, especially in Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth and other cities, believe that high license and strict regulation in their respective communi ties is far better than the blind tiger traf- fic would be.
 Had the Anti-Saloon league made campaign for statutory prohibition in Texas three years ago, when the prohi biion wave was rolling over the south, the statewide proposition might have car ried
 Prohibition was one of those political isms which spread rapidly like the free silver craze but today the conservative element is in the ascendency. An agri- cultural state with no large cities in it, like Mississippi, may hold on to statutory prohibition. From what I have seen of Mississippi prohibition works fairly well, although there Is a great deal of Illicit liquor traffic in spots. In Tennessee pro- hibltion is a perfect farce as far as the cities are concerned. Georgia was wise in legalizing the sale of beer, and 1t will be some years, perhaps, before there is any effort made in that state to change the law. Alabama has already swung back Into the local option column, and while I am not familiar with conditions in North Carolina, where statewide pro- hibition has been in effect for several years, that state will some day get back to local option, which is the true demo- cratic doctrine
 What would probably take well and accomplish permanent good would be a movement to encourage the manufacture of beer and light wines accompanied by crusade against whisky Twenty-Five years ago a prominent Kentucky dis tiller told me that the increasing popular ity of beer was even then being felt by the whisky interests. He made in sub stance this remark: While my business is to sell the distillery product, if l were at the head of a temperance or ganization I would advocate a very small tax on the malt beverage for when Americans become beer drinkers they will give up whisky-to a great extent at least.'"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
High-Heel Shoes a National Issue

High-Heel Shoes a National Issue Justice Brewer is dead and James J. Hill has temporarily retired from the position of public director, and Judge E. ". Howard of the supreme court of New York rushes in to fill the gap. The latter does not hesi- tate to descend to the lesser evils of the times.
 "The wearing" he said to an au- dience this week, "of high-heel shoes is as barbarous and as torturing and as destructive of health as Chinese wooden shoes. It is as heathenish and outlandish as wearing rings in the nose or tattooing the face, and it breeds an ungainly and deformed race" He desires to organize a na- tion-wide movement to stop the wear ing of high-heeled shoes.
 The learned New York judge has bit off more than he can chew. He may by ridicule be able to head off high-heel shoes as the hobble and the harem skirts were stayed and turned back to Paris, but anything short of ridicule will not prove effective. What women prefer to wear they will wear, no matter how many judges rise up to denounce them as outland- ish heathens. Mere denunciation does. not count in such an affair and the New York judge should change his line of attack. The chances are, however, that his nationwide move ment will prove a fiasco, however just and desirable it's basis may be. Women's footwear is a subject over which judges of even the supreme court of New York lack full and ef- ficient jurisdiction.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
No Argument

''I read recently in prohibition organ published in a large town in a distant state an editorial about mana stranger in the community-who while intoxicated wandered around and finally entered a negro hovel where he died" said cit izen. An empty whisky bottle was found in the poor fellows pocket. It was most distressing example of the evils Of alco- hol; a terrible tragedy. The editorial article concluded as follows: How long will the Christian civilization of this twentieth century permit the open saloon to despoil and debauch our young man. hood and Haunt its destruction in our faces?'
 This misses the mark entirely. Suppose there had been no saloons in the city re- ferred to, but dispensaries. The visitor would have got his liquor and brought on his tragic end. Suppose there was no dispensary; the same thing might have happened. Men who visit dry town for the purpose of getting on a spree never fail to find the blind tiger Among those who advocate the legalized sale of liquor are upright citizens and men of temper ate habits, but knowing human nature they think 1t better to have saloons strictly regulated than to put up with the curse of the blind tiger traffic.
 'In dry Alabama year before last wit messed a high record of homicides; and many of the tragedies were traceable di rectly to liquor."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
DIGNITY OF OFFICE
rom the Bombay Gazette.


 An Indian judge, when first appointed to his position, was not well acquainted with Hindustan He was trying a case in which a Hindu was charged with steal ing 'nilghai." The judge did not like to betray his ignorance of what a nilghai was, so he said: Produce the stolen property"
 The court was held in an upper room, so the usher gasped: Please, your lord ship, it's downstairs"
 Then bring it up instantlyr sternly ordered the judge
 The official departed, and a minute later a loud pumping was heard mingled with loud and earnest exhortations. Nearer came the noise, the door was pushed open and the panting official ap- peared dragging in the blue bull.
 The judge was dumfounded, but only for an instant.
 "Ah, That will do," said he. Tt is al- fit was largely formed by lnbubrous ar personally to inspect the stolen property. Remove the stolen property, usher."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

The table pretty plainly shows that the birthrate began to decline as early as 1810, and the movement has gone on almost without check ever since. Professor Wilcox asserts that the decrease in the birthrate in the United States began about the time the decline in Frances birthrate was first noticed, and the decrease for a century has been almost as regular and much more rapid. The differ ence is that the United States started at higher figures than France did, and this country has not as yet sunk to Frances level. What this country would have done in that respect in the absence of immigration is a mat ter of conjecture. The chances are that we are living in a glass house and should not throw stones at any l body,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
School Expenditures Next Year

DcnOOI CApSIluiluItS NSA1 AS"A
 Dr. Phillips, superintendent of the city's public schools, is a man who accepts the situation, whatever 1t may be, and does his best in accord ance with it. He sees that the city's expenditures should be brought down to it's normally receivable revenues. This brought upon him and the board of education the problem of cutting down school expenditures in the con- ing school year to the extent of S35,- 900 without, to use his own words, "crippling the work of the schools"
 Every citizen should read Dr. Phil lips report to the board of education. He tells how the schools can be con- ducted within the income apportioned to them. By abolishing for the pres ent the vocational school he is en- abled to put 325 new high school stu dents in the Paul Hayne building. He does ask that the Ensley high school building be completed. Some other repairs are needed, but none of them will be expensive.
 In short, by suspending the elemen- tary vocational school and by post poning the efforts to educate defec- tive children, and by reducing the number of teachers employed in the department of manual training and domestic science, and by cutting out the institute week and the holiday re- cess so far as teachers salaries are concerned, the schools can be main- tained next year without impairing too seriously" says Dr. Phillips, "the efficiency of the system as now ad- ministered.p
 No one but an eXpert-no one but Dr. Phillips in fact-could have cut off S35,O00 from a years school eX- penditures in this city so judiciously. The schools of the city will be con ducted as heretofore except that in spots they will not be as progressive and up-to-date as they have been. The people will stand this patiently know ing that the expenditures thus Topped off will be restored as soon as the city can furnish the money.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
Many Music Festivals

Most of us can remember when the cities in this country holding music fes- tfvals were few in number-Worcester, Cincinnati and one or two others were about all," said an old music lover
 But nowadays the city that does not have festival of some pretentions is re- ,garded as lacking in enterprise. More music festivals were held during the spring just passed than ever before. Many towns of 10000 or 25,0OO population had very creditable festivals, and in all of the larger cities symphony orchestras and famous soloists were features.
 Tn old days the few festival cities gave up the whole week to music, but the consensus of opinion now seems to be that festival of two nights and one matinee is better than a festival lasting three or four days"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

initiative for federal purposes, for if there is a real desire among the peo- pie for a partial or total revision of the constitution it is sure to find many friends in the two chambers of the confederation, and they can bring the measure to the fore without re- sorting to the popular initiative"
 The truth is, the initiative any where operates to make a legislative chamber responsive to public opinion, and it is in fact rarely utilized. Its value is indirect. It keeps legislators from ignoring the will of the people. It has a moral effect, and is rarely more. This is it's history among the Swiss, and the Swiss story will probably be repeated in America.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
SONNET ON THE RIVER RHINE

Bv William Lisle Bowles. ,Twas morn, and beauteous on the noun
 tain's brow QIung with the beamy clusters of the
 vine) Screamed the blue light. when on the
 sparkling Rhine We bounded, and the white waves round
 the prov In murrnurs parted Varying as we go, Lo. the woods open, and the rocks retire, Some convent's ancient wall or glistening
 spire Mid the bright landscapes track unfold
 ing slow. Here dark, with furrowed aspect, like
 despair, Browns the bleak cliff; there on tho wood-
 lands side The shadowy sunshine pours its stream-
 ing tide; While Hope, enchanted with the scene so
 fair, Would wish to finger many a summers
 day, Nor needs how fast the prospect winds
 away.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

to haul the crops to market. In many ways the iron situation is squarely up to the railroads, for they have not made any purchases of iron materials since the beginning of 1908. Of late they have been able to finance on large scale, their earnings have been satis- factory. and the time must be at hand when they will be compelled to adopt an expensive programme of rehibilita- ton.
 Locally this week there has been a sale of a round lot of basic in the neighborhood of 10000 tons. A large foundry interest has bought 2500 tons and orders for 100 tons and carload lots have been numerous.
 Coke has been more active and good deal of 1t has been sold for de- livery over the season."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
ST. PAUL AS A BASEBALL FAN

From the New York World.
 The assertion by Presbyterian pastor that if St. Paul were alive he would be cryphal prophecies so popular few years ago as to what would happen If Christ came to London or to Chicago, etc.
 In the case of St. Paul no one can gain say the statement, and that is the advan- tage of this kind of ministerial specula- tion; it can take any rational form with out fear of contradiction. The apostle who wrote q have fought good fight, have finished my course," and used other athletic metaphors, may by a logi- cal stretch of the imagination be con ceived of as taking interest in a boxing match or an intercollegiate track meet. By an equally logical inference St. Peter if now alive might be represented as go- ing to catch blueflsh off Sandy Hook. By a similar assumption St. Paul if Mayor of New York would surely indulge in "gov. ernment by epistle.'
 What good comes of this exercise of the ministerial imagination it is unproftable to inquire. There Is a limtless field for it among the great names of profane his tory. The fancy which discovers that the poet Horace was wine agent in ancient Rome could run riot with his adventures introducing a brand of champagne in the Tenderioin. Would Sappho if alive be al- lowed to contribute to the Ladies' Home Journal and would she end her life by jumping from Brooklyn bridge or the Singer building in lieu of Leucadian cliff?
 What Napoleon would do in Wall street, or Alexander, who sighed for more king doms to conquer, as head of Standard Oil. offers opportunities for imaginative par alIels which should not be left to minis ters alone.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
JIM,S BEEN HHRE..

JIMS BEEN HERE. There was a man in our town Who often took drink; He knew a soda water clerk Who understood his wink But when the soda clerk got fired. This poor man heaved a sigh And for a week, or thereabout His throat was very dry. Paul Cook in the Birmingham Age-Her-
 Herald. Oh, Paul, get get outi Go to! Tut, tut,! Your story is absurd At spinning yarns and telling fibs, You really are a brdl No one as yet was ever known To have Cor even sham) For one whole weary, arid week A thirst in Birmingham. James B. Nevin in the Rome Tribune
 Herald.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
Decline in the Birth Rate

Professor Wilcox of Cornell uni versity, chief statistican for the cen- sus of 1900, says it is erroneous to say that the birthrate did not begin to decline until 1850. In the absence of proper statistics Professor Wilcox has prepared a table on the number of women between the ages of 16 and A and the number of children under 5 years of age, as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
The Pig Iron Market

There is more inquiry and larger shipments of iron going forward on old orders, but as a whole the market Is still halting," say Matthew Addy x Co of Cincinnati. Things are going in the right direction, however, for pro- duction and stocks are both declining. These are most important and vital tacts. They mean that the statistics or the iron trade are getting on the right side All the indicat are good.
 There are promises of great har- vests and the railroads have allowed their equipment to run down to such a degree that they have not cars enough
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
|, A WARNING
A W From Harper's Weekly.

From Harper's Weekly.
 Why Mandy" said old Nanny Di- nah. whats diss I hyah about yoh marryin' dat good for nuthin' Sam John sing?"
 .Ya-as, nanny, suttinly am,' said Mandy, blushing a rich ochre.
 ''Why dat mans de nateralest born fiirt dere ever was on diss yeare earth, chile" aid nanny. "Why, dey done fahed him I'm de barber shop cage eb- bery time he look in de glass he'd wink at hisse'f!"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press
 Lots of women would rather see their best friends safely divorced than safely married.
 A girl likes to ride on those thrilling roller coasters so she can show her cour- age by clinging to the nearest man.
 To get along with his wife, man has to apologize for asking his bachelor friends to dinner and then help her get them married
 woman doesn't wear hat when she goes to theatre box party because that 5 the only part of the house in which she s permitted to wear one.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
RI1N.IOHN.R RIM

The Birmingham Age-Herald prints the announcement that John Dakos, a cham pion cook, is anxious to get married. Such publicity is really dangerous. Dog ems of would-be brides are liable to get all bruised up in the rush. Youngstown Telegram.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

IMPOSSIBLE CHARACTER. "Novelists will attempt almost anything in the way of f1ction.'
 That's so. I once read a book about a jockey who spent all his spare time in picture galleries
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

Madero Is now engaged in teaching the insurrectos how to behave in the hour of victory. He is on the stump for that pur- pose T
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
WHY SHE HobJ.ERED

A New Hampshire girl screamed be- cause man kissed her' It would be more explicit to say that she screamed because the wrong man kissed herS-TTo- ledo Blade. Or to say that she screamed because New Hampshire man kissed her Or, in other words: Because it was not Texas man who kissed her-[Hous- ton Post. Not at all; we have inside in- formation that it was because she was used to the way Johnstown man kisses, and that, therefore, when another man kissed her. she thought he was going to bite her.-GJohnstown Democrat. All wrong She screamed because he went after it like man mauling rails and not the gentle way she had been accus- toned to in Wonderful Wilkesbarre, where it's holding hands, then a squeeze and then the bliss of kiss.-IWilkesbarre Times-Leader. You fellows give lis ennui We have investigated the case with our characteristic thoroughness, and find that the girl did not scream at all. but mere ly threatened to do so The would-be kisser was a visitor from Allentown, Pa, who wore shoebrush whiskers (P. S. He didn't kiss herr. .-[Manchester Union. Wrong, Sherlock let Watson jab you with the needle again. If the man wore shoe brush whiskers she neither screamed nor threatened to scream. A man with shoe brush whiskers Is bound to shine with a New Hampshire girl.-TA1lentown Demo- crat. Here is the only correct answer: It was a Springfield man who kissed her and she hollered for more.-TSpringfield Union.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

THE OTHER FELLOWS LOT. Said Blinks. T tread rocky road; My shoulders bear heavy load. Tor instance. there's my friend Joe
 Brown. Who has the softest snap in town. He doesn't toll from morn to night And have to scrimp cause moneys tight. He plays in luck, his profits swell He has no hard-time tales to tell' While Blinks did thus bewail his fate Joe Brown began to meditate. And thus the current of his thought Ran on and on, till quite distraught, He sighed full deep and said, By iinksi A lucky dog that fellow Blinks If lived half as well as he, A most contented chap I'd be-" NOT PHOTOGRAPHS, HOWEVER. "A man in New York state claims he has black bass that chews tobacco. That's nothing. I've seen a great many pictures of fish smoking corncob pipes."
 A WORTHY CITIZEN.
 Untroubled sleep
 He'll win, I ween,
 Who tries to keep
 His backyard clean.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
TONED DOWN.

Mother, is MT. Greatwad fit person for me to know?"
 ''Oh, yes. He has dreadful past, my dear. but he's soNery. very rich his past never speaks above whisper."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
EASILY ARRANGRD.

T hope some day. said the ambitious youngster, ''to sec my name written in letters of brass.''
 Well, there Is no reason why your dream shouldn't come true," said his father. "A brass doorplate doesn't cost much"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17
IMpoRTANT pRBLLMINARY.

The coronation ceremonies may now proceed according to programme. Jack Johnson has been arrested in London for exceeding the speed limit in his automo- bile.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

Sara Bernhardt, a million richer, is about to sail for home, but she says she will come back next season. Certainly, and also surely.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

Kansas has a new intoxicant made of prune juice and Jimson weed. This is what cheap prunes are bringing us to.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

When Charley Taft comes back from the coronation his friends think he should be known as the Duke of Cincinnati.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

Mexican troops are permitted to go under bond across our country to reach Lower California. where still another re- public has been set up.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-17

A sheep in Illinois swallowed a $50 sil- yer certificate. The Illinois people have always believed there is money In sheep and now they know it.