davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
Nineteen New Cardinals

Few events outrank in importance that of yesterday at Rome when, at a consistory, 19 prelates were made princes of their church. They were elevated to the unequaled dignity of the cardinalate, to use the language of the ceremony itself uttered by the pontiff as he placed the red hat upon each newly appointed dignitary.
 Rarely, indeed, have so many been made cardinals on a single day, and never before had three American cardinals been created at one time. This event is everywhere considered great tribute to American catholic ism. It has led some to think that an America cardinal might be raised to the pontificate at the next conclave. This might be so if an unwritten law in favor of an Italian did not forbid. There is no real expectation that this unwritten law will be ignored in the near future. The vatican's location naturally calls for an Italian, and all the Catholics throughout the world acquiesce.
 The cardinals constitute the senate of the church, and as such they are the advisors of the Pope in his task of ruling 240,O00,000 Catholics in all parts of the world. They rarely meet, however. They perhaps never meet except when new Pope is to be elected, but their advice can be read fly secured in~these days of wires and fast communication.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
And spend his prodigal wits in boot less rhymes.
 Loves Labor Lost.
Improving the Rural Schools

Superintendent of Public Instruc- lion H. J. Willingham has become tired of seeing the public school in the country the worst kept building and lot in the neighborhood, and he proposes to grade each school on a gard publicly kept. A school that grades as low as TO points becomes a ''scrub" school. The yard and ex- terior of the house can be kept so as to give credit of 10 points; water supply, 10 points; decoration, 20 points; floor and walls, 15 points; light and ventilation, 15 points, and general, 20 points-total, 100 points. Mr. Willingham's circular shows in detail how these points are to be earned. He desires to make the schools of the state healthy and wholesome, and to bring out love of the beautiful and artistic in the minds of the children. The teacher is to keep the score, and she cannot well make better showing than the conditions justify.
 This is an excellent plan, and if well adhered to it will go far to- ward bringing the rural schools up to the standard maintained in the cities. Superintendent Willingham would do we'll to devise some plan of reward for those rural teachers who carry out his new plan zealously and successfully.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
Spring Music Festival

President J. H. Holcombe of the Bir- mingham Music Festival association will call a meeting Of the festival committee within the next few days to take up the matter of the 1912 event." said a member of the association.
 ''The last time there was some delay in making festival arrangements, and as a result the dates were fixed in the last week of May, when the weather was very hot It seems to be the prevail ing idea that the festival should not be held later than the first week in May I understand that the orchestras avail able for next spring are the New York Symphony, of which Walter Damrosch is conductor; the Russian Symphony, of which Modest Altschuler is conductor, and the Minneapolis, of which Emil Oberhof- fer is conductor
 "The former festivals have included five concerts-three nights and two matinees But many ardent music lovers say that d five concert festival is too much; that a festival of two night concerts and ore matinee will be just about right
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
MT. Taft's Tariff Commission

Congress meets on Monday next and very soon thereafter the report of MT. Taft's own tariff commission will present reports on the cotton and wool schedules. These reports are not expected to present anything of surprising nature-anything in fact, that the intelligent tariff student does not already know It is not probable that the Emory concern will present single fact, after spending $475,000, that Mr. Underwood had not gathered. It is not probable that the Emoryites will change MT. Un- derwood's plans a particle.
 It is, however, difficult to see how the Emory report can fail to embar- rass MT. Taft. If the report calls for lower duties MT. Taft will be forced, on the eve of an election when a campaign fund is to be raised-and . big one will be needed-to urge lower tariff rates. And even if the Emory board shows that present rates are not too high then MT. Taft will stand condemned, for he has re- peatedly said that the woolen rates are known to be too high. Either way there will not be much comfort in the reports for MT. Taft.
 The reports will, however, be good reading when they are properly sum- marized, and the coming week will bring them out and soon afterward the boards appropriation will be ex- hausted and it will. like the Aldricf commission, proceed to disappear from public view.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
WAIVE OF SELF MADE MAN

From the Worlds Work.
 A comparison of recent issues of Who's Who in America" shows that as time goes on the top rung of the lad der is more seldom occupied by the self made man.
 The percentage of college graduates listed in Who's Who in America climb ed from 56 per cent in the 19O3-5 volume to 5S per cent in the 1910-11 volume.
 According to the 1911 statistics, the total number about whom educational facts are given, Il per cent have had college training; 5S per cent are graduates of colleges or schools of college or universi- ty grades; Is per cent ended their educa- ton with secondary schools, that is, high schools, academies, normals or semi naries; 3 per cent received only a con- mon school education; 3.S per cent were privately educated; but most important of all as contradiction of the critics is the fact that only two-tenths of per cent of all these men and women were self-taught.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
Aid for Mercy Home

The board of managers of Mercy Home have 90 homeless children on their hands, and there are 30 on the waiting list. The wants of these lit- tie waifs of humanity are numerous and pressing, and the lady managers are hard pressed in caring for these helpless unfortunates of this city. They will appeal to the people of the city who are not helpless and unfor- tunate on Thanksgiving Day. The Mercy Home, they say, belongs to the people, and they ask the people "What will you do for it this Thanks. giving season?"
 The lady managers promise un stinted service in behalf of the little children if the people will furnish enough money to pay the current ex- penses of the institution economically conducted.
 Just think of what is being ac- complished in Mercy Home! Ninety children are cared for at monthly expense of $4 per capita per month The entire salary list is but $50 a month. Is not this economy in view of the care and good treatment of this big flock of little ones?
 The treasury is empty. A debt of S5000 rests on the addition to the building. That addition became ab- solutely necessary, and today 30 children are waiting for admission to the home. If this is not case that appeals to the charitable or Thanksgiving morning in this city then indeed it will be difficult to find one that does. A check payable to the order of Mrs. c. B. Spencer president, will carry aid to 90 child ren, and every dollar sent will be faithfully and economically applied.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
 Sixty jobless actors had dinner at the Lambs club in New York. Among them were such notables as Wilton Lackaye. Theodore Roberts, Guy Bates Post, Edmund Breese and George Nash. There are hundreds of unemployed &C., tors in New York and other hundreds in Chicago, where several theatrers are closed In New York over 70 plays have been withdrawn as failures this season.
 Professional assignment of causes in- cludes everything from picture shows to antitrust agitation, but makes no men tion of the indiscretions of compoitic managers. These tyrants of the drama aver that play production is a huge game of chance. They close their eyes to the realities. They make no admission that the commercialization of the drama has devitalized it. They have given no thought to holding or training the pub lie. They have kept prices up and main- tained that if a play didn't draw 1t was ali artistic failure because 1t was a com ,nercial failure also. They have closed the theatre to the people and made it
 
 They have catered to the few and neg lected the many. They have forgotten the balance which must be maintained between the gallery, the family circle and the parauet if conducting a theatre is to be a complete success.
 There is not going to be any change until they readjust their schedules so that the people will return to the theatre There is no lack of good plays. We hear of them frequently. Usually they come to the surface despite the managers or by some chance or accident. But there is variation in the quality of plays. All cannot be written on the same level of excellence. But the prices are on the same level, or higher, if there is any thing of superior quality. The mana gerial idea has been to keep the people away from the theatre, not to get them into it. Some day they may learn that a full house at popular prices is better than half house at high prices, if not because 1t proudces more money, then because it interests twice as many peo- pie.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28

in this city. To this market all pro- ducts are invited to come there to meet in person consumers, and the working out of the plan will be watched with interest. What has been popular and successful in Des Moines and Indianapolis should be- come popular and successful here. The cooperation of producers and consumers may not, however, be pos sible at the very outset, and both may have to become convinced by education and practice of the value of the new plan.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
The Ten Year Contract

As it requires only 1000 qualified voters to Sign petition in order to secure an election upon the Birming- ham Railway, Light and Power com- pany's 10-year contract to furnish electric lights, adopted by a majority of the city commission, it is safe to assume that the election will be held. The fight is now on. Commissioner Lane holds that the people are right in applying the referendum upon this question, and he has made it plain that he will work vigorously against the approval of the contract.
 It is matter upon which the peo- pie in general have a direct interest. There should be full, free and fair discussion of all the points bearing upon this contract proposition, and the voters will be prepared when the time comes to dispose of the ques- tion intelligently at the polls.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
The Cotton Situatinn

Henry Clews concludes his cotton mar. ket review of Saturday as follows:
 'As noted in our last weeks advices there is disposition in the speculative held among those conservatively inclined to await further developments before talk ing any decided stand on the market. There are to be sure a number of opera tors who cling to the belief that lower prices are bound to ensue as a result of this years bumper yield, but as quota tions hang around the Sc level even these people show reluctance to commit them- selves more heavily. Should trade condi- tions continue to improve, as now seems likely, there is no doubt that the short in terest would become greatly reduced. This of itself would be sufficient to bring about fair rally: and many people who are friendly to cotton, but who have not the courage of their convictions to make purchases at present would be er1boldened to cast their lot on the long side. This is that may be looked for at any time, anf it would seem that there would be little risk in so doing after such a tre- mendous shrinkage as has been wit nessed.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
WILSON AND UNDERWOOD

From the Washington Star
 For years the south was regarded as the seat of radicalism in our politics. First the green back and then the free silver craze found strong backing there. MT. Lamar who as senator from Mis- sissippi refused to support a proposition for initiating the currency, was one of the few conspicuous southern men who withstood the local pressure. He rislxed all, but in the end gained all. He ad- vanced in national influence. and died a member of the supreme court. In his three campaings for the presidency Mir. Bryan found his leading support in the south, and is still admired there.
 In the matter of the tariff free trade has been southern shibboleth, all though southern industries have great ly benefited by protection. Sugar, rice,
 iron and fruits owe much to what is called the American policy. The south
 supported MT. Carlisle against Mir. Ram
 dall in the great battle for the speak
 ership of the Forty-eighth Congress
 with the tariff as the issue. Mir Car
 lisle leading the anti-protection side
 The manufacturing interests of the
 south--now as valuable to her as her planting interests-have been reared
 practically against her political pro-
 tests.
 All this time the seat of conservat- ism-and particularly in the democratic party--was north of Mason and Dixon's line A sound currency andsprotection found their advocates in that quarter. and triumphed through that support. The democratic leaders of New York very powerful men-fought all forms of imitation. and in 1894 helped direct the tariff battle in the Senate against the free trade idea They were the inspirers of MT. German, MT Murphy, MT. Smith of New Jersey and MT. Brice, who, so inspired. tackeled even
 MT. Cleveland himself
 Have things changed? A prominent issue of today Is the initiative refer endum and recall, and, next to MT. Bryan. It's most aggressive champion lis Governor Wilson of New Jersey. accepted as a northern aspirant for the presidency. When accused of rad icalism he replies: If that is radical ism make the most of it. I'm for it." Now one of the strongest opponents of that issue is a southern man, and an aspirant for the presidency. oscar Un- 'derwood, speaking at dinner given
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
ONE ON THE CONDUCTOR

From the Washington Star.
 pr. Nicholas Murray Butler was talk ing, in the saloon of the Kaiser Will helm 1T, about American honesty.
 For all our muck-raking writer's" he said, 'I think that the Amreican people are the most honest people in the world. Is an American ever subjected at home to the petty cheats and extortions to which he is subjected in Europe?'
 Then, apropos of foreign honesty, Dr. Butler told railroad story.
 ''On a foreign ralroad,' he said, "a commuter had a row with the conductor At the end of the row the commuter turned to friend and said:
 "'Well, the P. D. R. will never see a cent of my money after this.
 "The conductor. who was departing looked back and snarled:
 "'What'n you do? Walk?'
 .. oh, mo- said the commuter. I'll stor buying tickets and pay my fare to you.' ,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
Mayor Shank's Turkeys

Mayor Shank presides over Indian apolis, city of 233, 3,65O population, and he considers the cost of living in this population one of the sub jects he is entrusted with. He be- lieves he was commissioned to reduce the cost of living among other things, and he has just concluded sale of turkeys at an average reduction of 5 cents pound. His turkeys were sold at IS cents pound, while his milk fed chickens were sold at from 10 to 19 cents a pound.
 Indianapolis is full of schemes docking to reductions in the prices ot 4oodstuffs chiefly by bringing the producer and consumer closer to- 9ether. This is the obejct of the open market in Birmingham. No one will object to any plan that reduces the cost of living without doing in jury to the producer. In the necessa- ries of life middlemen should, as far ss possible, be excluded, and the open market will be an experimental test
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
From the Louisville courier-Journal.

are reported to be had, espe-
 cially for bad shows. Such is not the case in New York city. New Workers always seem to have plenty of money to spend for theatrical pleasure, even when money is tight for necessaries." The New York Press.
 New Workers have money to spend? Is it possible that the Press fondly believes that New York supports, with the cash of it's own residents. the theatres, hotels, roof garden, rathskellers? Or the shops?
 New York is a national playground, always full of persons from the prov snces who are in search of amusement. Few of them are rich, but all of them are ''spenders." The man who lives on 5000 year at home lives at the rate of $So,O00 a year for a week or two in New ork upon his winter or summer vaca- tion. The man whose board and lodging cost him s1o week "back home' joy ously pays S6 a day for a room in New York hotel in which he is surrounded by SO many unaccustomed luxuries that he could entertain himself, if need be, "get- ting his moneys worth by making use of them.
 New Workers who have money to spend literally at shop and show constitute only small proportion of those for whom the lights burn late along Broad way. Nobody who goes to New York. at least nobody who knows New York, goes without making due appropriation in preparation. The 'provinciar in the metropolis, like the young man of small means upon his honeymoon trip, lets go his cash with unaccustomed liberalty, determined to have his fling for once, no matter how much saving, before and after, may be represented by the outlay. Persons in New Yorl-not New York ers-always have money to spend for the atrical pleasures. Moreover, they are
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28

Pittsburg, but it was not long before he
 accepted a position as a messenger boy
 for the Western Union at s2.5o a week.
 When his wages were raised to $13.50
 month he was greatly elated. His nick
 name at that time was Scotch Andy. He learned telegraphy and received as an operator 1925 a month. That was before the war, when wages were much smaller than they are now. When Carnegie se- cured $35 a month job with the Penn sylvania railroad he thought he was get ting on exceptionally we'll After the war he and his brother went into the bridge building business. With their first large bridge contract also came a re- negotiate $4,0Oo,Oo0 worth of bridge bonds for them. MT. Carnegie went to Eng land and there got Julius Morgan, father of J. Pierpont Morgan, to take the bonds, and that was his first financial experi- ence.' In the course of his talk MT. Carnegie said he would advise boys to avoid alcohol. There are other things, too, not wicked, but just foolish,' said MT. Carnegie. There actually are young men who draw tobacco smoke into their mouths and then puff it out. Think of iti For heavens sake don't be so fool ish.'
 'It is all right to warn the young against alcohol. Also it is all right to warn small boys against the use of tobacco. but I am rather surprised at so ractical man as Carnegie speaking lightly of the smoking habit. The use of tobacco to excess is foolish; is wrong. It is certainly injurious to the health, just as the excessive use of coffee Is injurious, and therefore wrong. But I contend that smoking in moderation is a good thing for any grown up man. The man who neither smokes. chews nor drinks may be a good man, but look with some sus- picion upon those who have no small vices"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
The south, Past and Future

The south never seemed so inviting as a field for large investment of capital as now; and one hears great deal of talk in the north about southern devel- opment," said E. L. Riordan of Chicago. "Of course, everyone knows that the south has been making steady progress in material way during the past 20 or 30 years, but an idea prevails throughout the United States that the south will make more rapid strides in the next five years than in any similar period of the past.
 "The railroads traversing the south have been advertising systematically and effectively this part of the country dur ing the last few years, and the result of that advertising is being seen. While there may not be B rush of home seek CTS this year, or even next. when the next boom comes along, say in 1918, capi- tai and people will pour in as never be- fore. a-t4f f
 "One thing that has attracted particu- lar attention to the south is the marked progress in agriculture The southern farmers have walked up to the great pos abilities before them and they will reap the full benefits of scientific husbandry. Up to even five years ago the south was very much behind in it's farming methods. Anyone who has travelled through the west has remarked, on visiting the south, the great difference in the general as- pect of farm life. The western farmers have been utilizing machinery for many years past, and have become rich. The southern farmers have been satisfied with old fashion ways and old fashion uten- sils. But improvement has been notice able in the last two years, and in five years from now the south will be just as up to date as the west. If I were a young man I would rather take my chances on legitimate money making in the south than in any part of the United States"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
LOOK FORWARD.

However hard life seems to you,
 However dark and drear, With shadow-days and days of rue That still exact tear, zee that you keep a hopeful heart
 And he'er yield to despair; Twill help you play losers part
 And burdens bravely bear. The world is full of people who
 Exaggerate their woe And ne'er can hopefulness renew,
 Their spirits sink so low, When they might gather fleeting smiles And blooms along the way, If they'd but dream of after-whiles
 When sad hearts shall be gay
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
REFLECTIONS OF \ BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Good advice for everybody is never to give 1t to anybody.
 Money isn't of any use to man if his wife finds out he has it.
 As soon as the Lord makes a man the man starts in spelling the job
 If the average man had only one lie he'd have it worked to death half an hour after breakfast.
 When girl will wear sensible shoes it's sign she's engaged to man she doesn't intend to marry.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
VISIT TO ST. HELENA

Capt. Joshua Slocum. Sailing Alone
 Around the World"
 St. Helena has been an island of trag- -edies=-tragedies that have been lost sight of in wailing over the CorsicalI. On the second day of my visit the governor took me by carriage road through the turns over the island. At one point of our journey the road, in winding around spurs and ravines formed q perfect W within the distance of few rods. The roads though tortuous and steep, were fairly good, and I was struck with the amount of labor 1t must have cost "a, build them. The air on the heights was cool and bracipg. It is said that, since hanging for trivial offenses went out of fashion, no one ahas died there, except from falling over the cliffs in old age. or from being crushed by stones rolling on them from the steep mountains. Witches at one time were persistent at St. Helena, as with us in America in the days of Cotton Mather. At the present day crime is rare in the island
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28

Arnold Bennett has seen Chicago's Art institute, and he was greatly pleased with what he saw in it. He will now visit the pleased with what he sees and smells in them.