davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

year the man with the plantation finds it
 more and more difficult to make the cul-
 tivatlon profitable" This is no doubt
 true.
 The manner of changing the system is
 indeed difficult, for the plantation owner
 is not as rule willing to sub-divide his lands for the purpose of selling them to small farmers, and the small farmers of the middle west have exaggerated the color line until it has become an impos- ing obstacle. Time, however. works many changes, and when all other cheap lands in Canada or elsewhere are ex- hausted, and the population goes on in creasing at the rate of about 20 per cent in every decade, then indeed the white farmer who desires to find new lands and to make a new home will be compelled to come south. He may come at first in an organized way. He may join col ony. But whether he does or not he will come simply because the south will then be "Hobson's choice. " As things stand today the black belt counties may have to wait for this climax in the situation the disappearance from the market of cheap lands elsewhere. While the cheap lands are disappearing the negroes in the black belt will also gradually disperse themselves to places where better wages are offered, and perhaps after all the change desired may come quicker than now looks probable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Work of Powerful Magnet

"One of the great problems of oil bor- ing in Alabama fields, as well as in other fields, has been solved,' said w. W. Silk of the Five Rivers Oil and Gas company of Birmingham yesterday.
 About 80 per cent of the delays in drilling is caused by the breaking of drills in the wells. Heretofore wells have been abandoned and new ones started from the surface when such accidents happened.
 Some time ago our men broke drill off in a well we were boring at Newton ville We called in officials of the Oliver Electric and Machine company of Bir- mingham and asked their advice as to methods of removing part of the drill that weighed about 55 pounds. They proposed to take the steel from the well with a huge magnet, and agreed that if they did not succeed no charge would be made for the service.
 "Of course we agreed. They made a giant electric magnet wei0ing 210 pounds and sent A. P. Stephens and R. T. Ritche to the well to do the work. In less than 50 minutes after their ar rival they drew the steel drill from the well with the magnet. I consider this one of the most advanced steps in we'll boring in this district and it is of great industrial value.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Farm Problems in the Black Belt

Young negroes are leaving the black belt counties, partly because life there is not attractive to them, but chiefly be- cause wages are low in that section
 They go therefore to cities near and far, and largely to the Birmingham dis trict, where labor is generally in demand at good prices-at prices far in excess of any offers in the black belt counties. Not only are wages low in those counties, but the conditions of tenant farming are not enticing, and perhaps never will be. "The old tenant and advancing system,' says the Montgomery Advertiser. "have seen their best days. The profits each year grow smaller and smaller. Each
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
From Gadsden to GunterSVilIe

Dr. ". H. Oates, state inspector, has ordered the sheriff of Etowah county to transfer all prisoners he has and all he may hereafter have to the Marshall coun- ty jail at Guntersville. The trouble is. Etowah lacks a modern, sanitary jail. It is, however, preparing to build one. Court is coming on and the sheriff sees no end of trouble in taking prisoners back and forth as they are wanted for trial. The county commissioners see, too, no doubt many extra bills in connection with the keeping of the countys prisoners in another county.
 Dr. Oates is, however, determined that the jails of the state shall no longer be full of disease germs. He wants sanitary as well as safe jails, and his powers are ample in the removal of prisoners from jails that are presidential and disease breeding.
 The other counties of the state should take warning, for the state inspector has already intimated that the Etowah jail is by no means the vilest one in. the etota
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
SANITY IN ALABAMA

From the Charleston News and Courier.
 About the best thing that ever hap pened for Alabama was the effort of the prohibitions to vote prohibition into the constitution. That gave the people of the state an opportunity to ballot on the question, the first opportunity they had and they were not backward in register ing their will. Following that, the logi- cal successor of Conner was defeated at the polls and Alabama now has a gov ernor who is safe and sane
 Conner and his crowd enacted a prohibit ton law without instruction from the peo- pie. They then began to attack the rail roads in divers ways, paying no more at tention to constitutional guarantees in the one case. than they did in the other. Only the interference of the United States courts saved the state from the enforce ment of a policy that would necessarily have paralyzed industry and depressed business all over the commonwealth.
 Governor O'Neal in his inaugural ad- dress has stated rather plainly that there will be no more official lawlessness. Nor will there be any more childish legisla- tion. He admits intemperance is a bad thing, as does everybody else, but he re- marks that virtue cannot be legislated into men, and declares that while the eli- imitation of strong drink should be the ultimate object of the state. local option should prevail at present. He sees no ob- jection to prohibition if the people of a particular locality want it, but he thinks that prohibition itself is an immoral thing in localities where sentiment does not favor it. In other words, he does nor want Alabama to be fanatcal, but he does desire 1t to be sane.
 We congratulate Alabama. Progressive states, those which are improving indus- trially, may elevate demagogues to high office temporarily but they soon recover their senses. It is perhaps better for Alabama that she has sown her wild oats at this time. She has gone through her trouble. It lies behind her Would that the same might be said of some other states.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Auburn,s Good work

Auburn is prospering and I feel that it is doing better and better work for the south every year. said W. F. Hinds, at- tached to the Alabama Polytechnic insti- tute in the department of entomology.
 ''The student body is made up of earnest young men. many of whom will distinguish themselves in some technical branch of education.
 At Auburn more attention than ever is paid to the English course. No technical ly educated man can be a master in any department of work if he lacks the ability to write clear, convincing English. In former years the matter of style in Eng fish composition was not fully appre- ciated in technological schools. But to- day 1t is different. At Auburn the boy with brains will acquire, among other im- portant matters of equipment in educa- ton, first rate writing style"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Jefferson County Illustrated

Many pamphlets and folders containing interesting data of the Birmingham dis trict's great resources have been pub lished from time to time and widely dis tributed. but perhaps the best illustrated ''literature' setting forth the attractions of this city and Jefferson county is that which the farm movement committee of the Chamber of Commerce has just is- sued. This publication contains 40 pages and is full of valuable information pre- scented in most readable style. The pur- pose of the farm movement department of the Chamber of Commerce is to induce desirable settlers to locate in Jefferson county and raise vegetables poultry and fruits for this great Birmingham mar ket.
 Organized efforts are necessary to bring success to movement of this sort,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
IN HOTEL HOBBIES
Only Fifteen Responded


 was compelled to give up the fight for free lodging house." said Sidney Lazarus. Several weeks ago I wrote to 100 or the most prominent men of Bir- mingham and asked them for s5 each, I explained that this would run the place through both this and next winter. l se- leeted only men of large means, men who could give s and never miss it and out or that hundred 15 sent donation. 1 d1dn [ say in the letter that list of the givers would be published. simply asked for charity.
 T thing the public should know the names. of those 15 men who gave s5 each and I am going to give their names. They are. John H. Frye. John w. Donnelly, Frank H. Crockard. Lee c. Bradley, Hem ry B. Gray. ". P. G. Harding, J. Blach & Sons. F. Y. Anderson, Robert Jem- ison. Jr.. Mayor Exum, A. c. Gruss, M. V. Joseph, D. yorenburg and w. M. Cosby.
 Some day the citizens of Birmingham will learn that a free lodging house is needed here. They will learn as learned upon investigation that three men slept in stalls in the Monarch stables the other night with laprobes for cover, five men slept in an empty house with only old newspaper over them. Several sleep in box cars nightly and numbers of them sleep in the basement of building not one block from the Florence hotel cor her. These men would have supper, bed and breakfast if s5 didn't look so aw- fully big to some of Birminghams prom inent men,"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Both Practical and theoretical

T noticed with considerable interest" observed citizen in touch with industrial affairs, that in the recent examination for mine foreman, the highest percent age, that of 96.s, was gained by William Houseman, chief engineer of the SIoss-' Sheffield Steel and Iron company. This makes the second Sloss man who has come in for first honors in these import ant and interesting examinations. Jones G. Moore, manager of the coal mining department of the Sloss-S Sheffield com pany, stood the examination last time and came out on top.
 MT. Houseman has been in the Bir- mingham district for several years and has been gradually making name for himself here in engineering work. He Is of German percentage. but has been reared In this country. He Is graduate of Co- lumbia university and also of the Stevens Polytechnic institute at Hoboken. When he took charge of the mechanical en- gineering department of Sioss he camped
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
The Newspaper Game

"I have never been able to wean my mind entirely from the old newspaper at mosphere." said John Sparrow. an ex- newspaper man now engaged in the ad- vertising business in Birmingham.
 "I left the newspaper fielu because l saw an opportunity to make a better liv- ing and I am satisfied with my success in this respect, but l often have a longing to get back into the newspaper game.
 In the newspaper field you feel that you are in the middle of the current of life. There is action. There is spirit and enthusiasm. You feel more of the inti- mate touch of people, their hopes and their sympathies.
 But the advertising field is close kin to the newspaper work. There is some real compensation for the mind in the evil dences of good results. You can see cities and manufacturing plants build under your eye and feel that you have con- trbuted something to these accomplish ments.
 Business has it's compensating senti- ment, and it is good to be In the midst of the fight. There Is no legitimate busi- ness but has it's fascination but news paper work has a type of fascination all Its own that cannot be compared to any other business"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Concerning Christian Unity


 The prominent branches of the Method fist church in the United States-the Meth North Methodist; the Methodist Episco- pal (south), and the Methodist Protestant may not be united in the near future. but a Joint subcommittee of those three bodies appointed to consider the question of unihcation has formulated what it calls working plan. This plan, 1t be- lieves, will eventually result in the merg- ing of the North and South Methodists and the third body in point of numerical strength, the Methodist Protestants.
 Methodism in this country. as all we'll informed persons know, leads every other branch of Professionalism. The Methodist body in the United States, had, accord ing to last years religious statistics, communicant membership of S,15s,s13. The Methodist Episcopal church (south) had 1,7so77s members. The next largest body of white Methodists is that which is styled the Methodist Protestant church. It had last year membership of 1Ss,1 The South church split off from the :. parent body in 1S45, the slavery question ant church was formed earlier, and in It's case the opposition of the bishops to lay delegates caused considerable num- Der of earnest men and women to se- cede from the parent body. But all of the old contentious have long since be- come matters of ancient history. so to speak. Both North and South churches have lay representation in their confer ences, and whether slavery was right or wrong is regarded today as purely aca- demic. The Methodists in the United States number all told e,477,224, this large total comprising the African Zion church.
 For some years after the war there was no fraternal correspondence between the North and South church. but for some time past relations between them have been most cordial. There is every reason, therefore, to believe that the unihcaton committees Closer working plan'' will prove a marked advance toward eventual for Methodist organic union a long step will have been taken in the Christian unity movement which Is now exciting in- terest throughout Christendom
 The matter of Christian unity has been talked of and informally discussed for years past, but the idea has recently received a new impulse by J. Pierpont Morgans gift of s1O0.OOO, made through the Protestant Episcopal general conven- ton. MT. Morgan will not live to see the day when all Christian denomina- tions will be combined into one body. but all Chrstians-Catholics and Protest ants-are understanding each other bet ter all the while, and are getting closer together in their general relations at least. The consolidation of Methodism feet on the broad proposition of Chris tan unity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
WHAT CHARLES LAMB DIDN'T
 KNOW

From the Ladies Home Journal.
 Charles Lamb had no patience with Erudery Some small boys were enjoying a swim when he chanced to pass that way in company with a very prim lady.
 Isn't 1t shocking, MT. Lamb?' she said "to see those little boys in bathing with out any clothes?'
 Lamb peered in their direction. "R-real- ly, M-madam.' he stammered, until you c-called my attention to it, wasn't sure whether they were little b-boys or little g-girls.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT WHAT
 ALABAMA HAS DONE AND IS DOING

THERE is something artistic and phenomenal about this state of Alabama and this Birmingham within it.
 The city of Birmingham has attracted the attention of the world by it's growth of population. The state has not only grown but has turned a double somer- sault, so to speak, in getting back into politics, and has elected and installed leg islative folks who believe in upholding and encouraging the workers. the makers, and the men who believe in the protection and engagement of those who have made what they have and who not only want to keep 1t for their families, but who want to encourage others to do likewise.
 * *
 Those who are in power now are not of the grouchy kind. They nave no one to punish. They have no i'll will. They have no axes to grind. They have no fads, frils nor furbelows to exhibit to the public. There is no new sect nor scarecrow in their vocabulary. They came into control and legislative being by will of the people and they seem to be going about business in the state leg islature like they mean to do the peoples will.
 * <: * They have eliminated the lobbyist from the halls of legislation, and they would do well to put few of them in the big rock jail if they continue to hover about the capitol.
 * * k
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

House of the Alabama legislature, as it presently exists, have exhibited neither partisan nor puerile spirit. There has been broad, big, generous, wholesome spirit in organization and beginning. Everyone likes the start and stands ready to applaud the outcome
 s. * *
 There be lots of local and general leg islation to be enacted
 Instead of importuning and embarrass- ing and trying to trade with legislators, let them alone and they will do the right thing. not only for the state but every county therein.
 The hurrah element having an axe to grind is the embarrassing kind to,the real legislator. It is too often that few can form themselves into a board of trade or chamber of commerce or some other lk and pass resolutions and send them in embossed and artistic form to leg islator to influence his vote.
 Let alone such stuff When the people send men to represent them, leave it to these men. When you do they will do it right.
 * * !.
 That reminds me of all sorts of stuff, and resolutions, and rotund ribaldry of the typewriter sort. sent to Oscar Under- wood, an Alabama congressman, repre- senting the Birmingham district in a. republican Congress, as to what he should put into republican tariff bill Under wood could talk in the Ways and Means committee mettinss, but he had as much to do with making the. schedules of a republican tariff bill as Mayor Gully Exum.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
PROTECTING SPRAYED REvELERs

From the London Chronicle.
 In Copenhagen, as in Amsterdam, provision is made for the safe convey ance home of inebriaed revelers. When a policeman in the Danish capital finds an intoxicated man wandering at large he places him in a cab and takes him to the nearest police station, where he is examined by doctor and then sent home in the cab. The following morn ing the bill for the doctor and the cab is sent to the publican who served the man with the last drink.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
HAPPINESS.

Men are always longing for the happy days of childhood, and so aue women for that matter. It seems to us this Is large ly due to the fact that it isn't a common human chara cteristic to be contented. As Q matter of fact, children have as many troubles, and those that seem as large as the ones that beset their elders. If you never knew a man who didn't sigh for the callow days of youth 1t is equally certain you never saw boy who didn't want to grow up and vote and have a barber squirt lemon juice on his chin. The sooner you get over this longing for what yon can't accomplish the greater
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

Father Time may yet be compelled to discard his scythe and yet aboard a mod ern electric reaper. He can then do hls work with small inconvenience to hint- self
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Human EngeDics

"A notable meeting was held in New York city recently" said a prominent physician, flor the purpose of further reducing the infant mortality which, ac- cording to the last report for the year, reached 1000 in the great metropolis alone.
 'The unusual death rate among in- fants is not confined to New York city, but the enormity in this instance should bring, to the minds of the people how pressing is the need for an enlightenment of the home on the subject of proper care for babies. It is a truth, however un- pleasant that virtually no attention at all is given to the responsibility in rearing the child before this problem is confront ed in the home.
 There is an insistent demand for in- struction along the lines of human de- 'velopment. and until we shall have made some progress in elementary knowledge of the situation we cannot hope to profit much by the great discoveries being made at present by those who, following Galton and Mendel in the theories of heredity, are slowly but surely building up the science of human engenics."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

The armorplate makers and gun manu- facturers continue to see war with Ja- pan a-coming. No one else does. except possibly Captain Hobson.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

right out on his job and took hold of his work from the ground up. What he has done speaks for itself. Then, too. in ad- dition to being one of the most expert and progressive young engineers of the south, MT. Houseman is widely travelled man, more or less of a nusician-as Ger mans have habit of beng-and very much of a scholar. He is remarkably well informed on all manner of subjects, and is congenial company.
 Many of his old college chums write him for information on various technical points from every quarter of the world Alaska, South Africa. Australia, Panama, for the Columbia engineers of House mans class are scattered far and wide over the globe, but not one of them ever forgets Billy Houseman."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
A JOYOUS MOOD.

''GOod-bye, goodbye, Old Trouble, A long, heartfelt good-bye! Though your strength were ten times
 double
 You could not win a sigh From a wight who dreams of Maytime And a glad old world in tune; .-' Of fiowery fields and playtime And the throbbing nights of June!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR From the New York Press.
 The hardest thing is to keep selfishness out of prayers.
 It takes a woman. to be able to be good just because she doesn't want to.
 Some people have such perfect dispo- sitions they won't even cuss the weather.
 Any man will try to make out bow he understands thing 1t wouldn't make any difference if he did. tt
 If funny man reads a joke in the Greek fables, he can suspect 1t was orig inal with him. just the same
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

The new president of the Steel corpora ton gets salary of s5o,ooo only, but he hopes to get along as easily on it as he did when his pay envelop contained but s4 e4
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
MORTALITY

The man who wins to lofty heights And looks down on the crowd, Will be no more than lesser wights When he's laid in his shroud.
 PAUL COOK
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
A PRUDENT MAN

A PRUDENT MAN A dreamer sat
 Beside his door And read the verse Of Thomas Moore, Describing eyes Of wondrous charm And faithful hearts, Forever warm. .r .-. The while he read And heaved a sigh. A stunning maid Went tripping by, And cen bestowed On him a look; But he was buried In his book. Nor seemed to know, Nor seemed to care How sweet she was, How truly fair; What rosy bloom Was on her cheek; How soft her words. If she would speak. And still he sat Beside his door And read the verse Of Thomas Moore, And quite ignored The maid so trim, Because his wife Was watching him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22

But now Underwood is to be in the sad dle. Upon him, by virtue of service, of study and of intelligence, has been thrust one of the five highest honors in the gift of the American people. The tariff problem of America is upon his shou- ders He has studied the problem per haps more than any other statesman in this country.
 Now don't let us here at home endeavor to embarrass him by trying for a few advantages.
 And that reminds me, with Underwood chairman of the Ways and Means, and Clayton of the Judiciary and of the demo- cratic caucus, Alabama, in the next House of Representatives, will stand at the top of the list of all states.
 II 10 lhuteQ we'll lIldl IHe Sldte Ul dli states which stands alphabetically at the head of the list should not only lead in positions in the National Congress, but should lead In an industrial and manu- featuring way and be possessed of that which is considered at the present time par excellence in its organization of a state government.
 a
 Alabama has reason<to be proud of rne manner in which 1t has landed into the new year of 1911. and the prospects are that every good, working and enthusias- tic citizen of this good state should feel like puffing himself up like pouter pigeon and shooting off a few frecrackers when next Christmas comes.
 Somehow that's the feeling of