davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
LEASING OIL LANDS.

The fact that the San Juan district
Is rich In oil. as well as In minerals,
makes the attitude Of the government,
regarding the disposition of these
lands subject Of peculiar interest to
the people of this locality.
Secretary Of the Interior Ballinger.
in his annual report, fayors the leas-
ing Of the lands on liberal terms and,
on unexplored oil lands, he would ad-
wise that special inducements be Of
fered prospectors to encourage pros
pecting and this seems to US to be
the wise method to secure develop
ment.
Regarding the withdrawal of the oil
lands Mr.. Ballinger says:
The oil land Withdrawals now out
standing. including some private lands
within the exterior limits, aggregate
four and one-half million acres. and
are comprised within the states and
territories Of Arizona, California. Colo
rado. Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon,
Idaho and Wyoming.
II am In favor of a general leasing
system of oil and gas bearing lands,
such system as will promote le-
gitimate development Of this industry,
prevent monopoly. and conserve one OF
the great natural resources of the
country. The oil land of the Five
Civilized tribes In Oklahoma is de-
veloped on the leasing system, the
term of the lease extending as long as
oil is found in commercial quantities
The lessee usually pays to the gov
ernment for the use Of the Indian
one-eighth In value of the oil produced
as royalty. This system has worked
out very satisfactorily and Ia in use
In many Of the oil regions Of the coun-
try where land is held In private own
ership and not by the government
would apply the leasing system only to
areas withdrawn for classification or
classified by the geological survey.
The unknown and unexplored oil lands
would leave open to exploration and
location. This would give q reward
to the diligent prospector. Even then
the surrounding lands could be with
drawn from further location after the
prospector had secured his nrst
claims.
Il recommend that the government
adopt liberal policy In opening the
oil lands In California. The govern
ment ought to support any movement
which would reduce the enormous cost
Of fuel In California The state ought
to be asked to cooperate with the
government to prevent tho monopoly
of the oil business and to effectually
secure = reasonable price to the con-
sumner In my judgment this can be
accomplished II the state Of California
should declare the consumption Of oil
public use. The state should pass a
law to this effect, and place the regu.
lation Of the price OF crude oil in the
hands Of discreet commission"
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
The PLYMOUTH HOTEL.

Is the place to stay when in Denver
for your holiday shopping You will
find it most convenient and homelike,
and but few minutes walk to all
large department stores. Rooms are
quiet, pleasant and Clean, with ac-
81 per day and upward. Drop
line to the manager, and rooms
will be reserved for you. Take
Eighteenth street car at depot and
get off at hotel. Sixteenth and Broad
way.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

When the Kokomo and the Kalama
ECO papers attempt to make fun Of the
tcwn Of Medicine Hat, on account OF
It's name. we Just grin and remember
the old. saying about the pot calling
the kettle black.
We have heard few people kicking
about the weather for the past few
days and complaining about the cold
but the weather man will have to dish
out something much worse than what
We have had to get murmur out
OF US,
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION

GOVERNMENT BY COMMISSION
The Herald favors the commission
form OF government for cities and we
believe that 1t should be adopted here
In Durango.
Government by commission is no
experiment which should frighten the
conservative citizen. 1t has been tried
out In many cities and has been found
to be practical. economical. and in
almost every way desirable. 1t re-
moves all political issues from city
affairs, and city employees are paid
for what they do for the city instead
of what they have done for some
political party. They are selected
from standpoint of efficiency rather
than from political alliance. The may
or and heads OF all city departments
must be non-partisans.
1t is said that here in Durango a
commission Of three men in addition
to the mayor could manage all our
civic affairs for the present. They
would give all their time to the city's
affairs and be well paid for their
services and would be held respon-
sible for every detail of their work.
Such an administration would be busi-
nesslike and economical It would be
progressive. active and much red tape
and wastefullnes would be done away
with.
Ninety-seven cities scattered over
the United States are now operated
under the commission plan of govern
ment. most Of them being copied after
the Galveston. Texas, system. In not
enc of the ninety-seven is there the
slightest disposition to go back to the
old form of government. Results are
possibly not ideal under the commits
sion plan-as indeed it would be i'm.
possible that they should be, consid-
ering the imperfect state of human
nature-but in each of the ninety.
seven cities the benefits of the new
plan have been SO great as effectually
to silence all opposition. And there
can be no greater proof of the efficacy
OF the new system than this.
That the commission plan is not a
fad soon to pass away is proved by the
manner in which the agitation for the
new system is sweeping the country
Two such leading newspapers as the
Fittsburg Dispatch and the Chicago
Tribune are editorially urging the
adoption Of the system in those great
cities. The Pennsylvania legislature
will be asked at the forthcoming ses-
sion to pass an act permitting the
people Of Pittsburg to vote on the
adoption Of the plan. Misgovernment
IL 60 unbearable there that some plan
to end It is recognized as imperative
BY those citizens who are interested
IN the upbuilding Of the city.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Here's thumbthing of interest to the
married people, and to the men who
are anticipating matrimony. A bill
has been prepared and will be pre-
sented in the New Jersey legislature
which provides that every married
man must wear upon his right thumb
plain gold ring at all times and a
Penalty Of fine Of $500 and two years
in the penitentiary is named for any
failure to comply with the law. The
intention of the bill is to make 1t i'm
possible for married men to pose as
wife seekers and go around breaking
the hearts Of all the girls they meet.
We're ready, bring on your ring.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
DICTIONARY OF TIE NAVAJO Lam
GuAGE.

The Franciscan fathers who have
for years been conducting very need
full and successful mission school for
the Nayajoes at St. Michaels have
lately completed a dictionary of the
Navajo language. The entire mechani-
cal work. as well as all the work OF
inquiry or investigation, compilation
and collaboration, and searching out
the proper characters or symbols OF
the English language, for correctly In
terpreting the sounds OF the Navajo
language, was done at st. Michaels
The book OF over 500 pages represents
a vast amount of patient and long
continued toll. Only 200 copies of the
first edition we're printed. The volume
is Enthusiastically illustrated. Be-
sides giving the meaning of all Nava-
10 words, 1t contains many Navajo folk
lore stories. historical facts, facts ap-
pertaining to chronological data having
bearing upon Navajo life, and the
thousand-and-one other things which
come into the makeup to make the
book prize.
Not since the days of Sequoya, the
native Cherokee Indian who invented
an alphabet of eighty-two characters
to represent the elemental sounds used
in the language of the Cherokees, has
there been any production dealing in
Indian language. brought forth. more
unique, more valuable, or more to be
priced than this one by the Franciscan
fathers Of st. Michaels, Apache coun.
ty, Arizona.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
ABOUT THE BOARD or TRADE.

ABOUT VHe 0OAH0 Of IHAOE.
II any resident OF the city has the
idea in his mind that the Durango
Board OF Trade Ii asleep and that they
ARE not doing anything he should
have attended the meeting held by the
officers and directors OF the board on
last evening for he would then have
had those ideas completely removed
There were q number Of very i'm
rortant subjects taken up for discus
sion and definite action was taken on
each for no subject was taken up
which was not Of sufficient import
ant to warrant the most careful con
sideration and to hold the attention
and interest OF the members Of the
board and the spectators.
Outside of the officers and directors
OF the board there were not more
than ten or fifteen present. although
the matters discussed we're Of grea,
importance to every business man and
property owner In the city The mer
who were there. however, were of the
enthusiastic. whole-souled booster
class and the number made up in
quality of booster spirit all that II
lacked In quantity.
A most important subject, the adop
tion OF commission form of gov
ernment for the city Of Durango, was
considered at length by the meeting
ko oduaptoua~ ratb1d NJ Oparafinv
nnd the process by which 1t could be
established, were all explained. This
one discussion alone would have well
repaid anyone who has the interest
and the welfare Of the city at heart
for ais time spent at the meeting. II
was arranged to take the preliminary
steps at once to put this form oi
government in operation.
The matter OF the unjust and un
reasonable decisions Of the general
land office relating to the Ute Indian
reservation lands near this city was
taken up by the meeting and action
was taken to take the matter up with
the government officials and attempt
to secure an immediate correction .oi
the injustice done the settlers on
these lands and the indirect Injustice
done US all.
The question Of obtaining better
railroad facilities was taken up and
plans OF action discussed.
A plan for the instituting of 10
cal creamery with q capacity suff
Client for the milk Of at least two
hundred COWS was made.
Arrangements were made to have
Durango and La Plata county repre-
sented at the coming Good Roads con
vention, and at the Farmers congress
by active and energetic delegates.
There were many other subjects dis
cussed and few of our people can real
ly understand how much good is being
accomplished by the local boosters
who comprise the board. the only way
to keep In touch with them Is to attend
the meetings and when the public
comes to know OF the vital importance
of the work. and the steady progress
which is being made, they will be
ready and willing to give to the Du-
range Board Of Trade every manner
OF assistance In their power.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Acting upon editorial suggestion OF
the Daily Sentinel. Representative
elect Newton Of Mesa county Is pre-
paring bill for presentation to the
legislature. requiring every owner OF
fire arms to be placed under bonds
The proposition is a wholesome one
and the enforcement of such q law
should operate to curtail the promis.
cuous owning and carrying of pistols.
Telluride Journal. But will such q
bill prevent fool-killers from shooting
themselves?
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

An old saying tells US that all the
world loves lover and we expect 1t is
true. but we know that nowadays the
people love 'stayer,' love man
whom they always know where to find,
a man who will take stand and stay
by 1t. A here-today and there-tomor-
row sort of chap has no friends and a
Tipping. Hopping. sort Of fellow isn't
wanted even by those to whom he
fiops. The Bible reads BE ye stead
fast" and it's good doctrine to live
up to.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The DR.. Cook controversy seems to
have been cleared up now and settled
to the complete satisfaction of every
well posted man. Cook has cleared
himself OF the charge OF prevarication,
made by Knud Rasmussen. by his
statement that Knud is q muckraker.
Now since the matter has been 20
completely cleared up we are ready
to drop the subject and rest easy.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Some men are mighty peevish 1t
seems for a Kansas City man who re-
Gently had his eye put out by a pro-
truding hatpin while sitting in a
crowded street car is going to have a
bill introduced in the legislature this
winter making It misdemeanor for a
woman to wear a hatpin more than
ave inches In length.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Nothing makes paper more pop
u!ar than to be progressive and give
bright and new ideas in connection
with this we want to announce that
the Nebraska State Journal is now
running William J. Bryan for presi-
dent In 1912 and is predicting his NOM
nation and election.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The three ladies' elected as members
of the state legislature in Colorado
have announced that they proposed to
have an eight-hour law for women
passed. Wonder II the housewife un-
der this new law will get overtime al
lowance for serving supper late? Or
will she demand extra remuneration
for getting up in the night to soothe
the hahY1
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Friendship is one of the sweetest
things in the world but It has to be
maintained by square dealing. The
story Of Damon and Pythias ia one
Of the finest examples but II Damon
had borrowed 81 OF his friend and
forgot to pay 1t back, or II they had
both fallen in love with the same
damsel, history would tell different
tale
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Don't be a crouch, be a sunshine
spreader. Tell the woman you love
that she is looking younger every
day; tell the fat that they are growing
thin and the thin that they are getting
plump. Brag on your friends dog and
eulogize his kids. These things won't
cost you a cent and they will pay
big dividends.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

No, dear friend, the stories you read
in the papers about the Black Hand
outrages do not have reference to
the hold ups made at the end OF the
journey by the Pullman porters.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
AN oLo-rAsAloNED MOTHER.

met an old-fashioned mother the
other day.
She was at party. a-dining, she
called 1t, though the rest pf the peo-
pie called 1t = luncheon.
She was little and plump and rosy,
and her hair was white. and she wore
. little soft gray silk and an old
fAshioned black jet necklace. with q
medallion portrait as pendant
~ had . soft little voice, and soft
Mtt5o hands. that looked ~ II they
conIA Do anything ON earth from en-
brcldsring the finest pattsrn on the
nnsst nusltn down to lighting the
nre h ~ kttahsn stove.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02
Ends Winters Troubles.

To many, winter is season Of trou.
blue The frost bitten toes and fin
gers, chapped hands and lips. chill
blains, cold sores, red and rough skins,
prove this, But such troubles fly be-
fore Bucklen's Arnica Salve. A trial
convinces. Greatest healer of Burns,
Roils. Piles, Cuts, Sores, Eczema and
Sprains. Only 25c at all druggists.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

1t is fashionable to give the woman
gossip particular fits but in our judg-
ment q he-gossip is seventeen times
worse. A mans stories will do more
real harm than the petty scandal wom-
en- usually peddle and then. too. a
man is supposed to have more sense
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Authoress Ella Wheeler Wilcox. she
Of the hectic, heart-throb verse, de-
clares that "the sorriest things in this
life will be the grandest In the next"
Then there is hope for I. NJ Stevens,
Joe Cannon. DR.. Cook. Jim Jeffries ct
ai.-Grand Junction Sentinel.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Ii Is quite probable that number
Of Colorado cities will adopt this sys.
ten of government early next year.
Pueblo and Denver are both consid.
ering 1t, and that Durango is going
to be one of the first to adopt 1t is
our prediction.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

A knocking at the door. at Christ
mas. will cause the heart with Joy to
thrill for we hope 1t II the postman
with gifts that his arms all. A knock
that comes ON New Years win make
the heart grow numb and chill for we
know it, the collector with AZ awful
Christmas bill.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The new crop OF governprs-elect
seem to be OF the know-it-all type.
Foss of Massachusetts. and Wilson OF
New Jersey. are acting as though they
expected that presidential lightning
will hit them in 1912. and that they
win be called" Shafroth of this
state has buzzing in the head also
These fresh statesmen give the people
q very tired feeling.-Pueblo Opinion
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Physical culture people have statis-
tical tables which tell just what per-
centage Of q person should be head,
arms. legs, ETC.. and while we are not
familiar with these figures we would
not be afraid to get good money that
not over rs pen cent should BE- mouth
although there are lots Of people who
run even more to mouth than that per
cent
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Secretary of State Pearce says that
koady Kenehan is poking his nose into
the Office OF the state department Just
to make trouble for Pearce. and Kene-
han says that 1t IL no such thing, but
that Pearce is not running his office
as 1t should be run. The Kilkinney
cats were a happy family compared
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The Denver club women are in {
great quarrel over the question Of the
good that has been done by giving the
gentler sex the right to vote. The
main point. which is that q woman
who does not want to vote is in ne
way compelled to do 30. seems t.
have been completely overlooked.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

We think that heaven can be de-
scrtbed in q few words by Just saying
that 1t is . place where everyone
minds his or her ow1 business. Did
You ever hear OF serious trouble or
difficulty which would not have been
avoided IL this rule had been follow
ed
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Good common sense is the most val
liable possession you can have. You
can buy good complexion, you can
pad and have a good figure. but II you
have not inherited good sense you
have to go without 1t all your days.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

A busy person escapes . lot OF
temptation which besets the loafer and
we have always had the notion in our
mind that II Eve had had 4 big lot
Of carpet rags to sew the day that
MI. Devil called he would not have
found her such an easy mark.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The cheerfulness exhibited by our
friend, the editor Of the Democrat,
leads us to believe that he is not the
Mr.. Day referred to by the poet In
the lines Into each life some rain
must fall, some Day be dark and
dreary."
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

M. A. Leddy, elected state auditor.
says that every man and woman in
the state must be out Of work, Judging
from the number Of applications he
has received asking for Jobs. More
to come to, IN. A"-Cortez Journal.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Justice il q mighty hard thing to
mete out, for man by being care
full, can be 80 mean that even his cog
Will hate him and yet keep where
the law cannot reach him.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Why does not the government zee
what can be done in the way OF cut
ting down expenses instead Of trying
to get the people (already overbur-
dened) to pay more taxes, BY the Gre
alton of his tax commission and the
assessment of all property at full
value.-Arvada Enterprise.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

When = real mean woman wants to
"eet even" with man for something
he has done she'll wait and wait un-
til she gets good chance to "bawl
him out" before \ lot Of other people
and then give It to him good and hard.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

If some OF the money spent In res
cue work at the recent mine disasters
had been spent to make the mine safe
and to prevent the calamities the holi-
day season would have been a happy
one for many families who are now in
deepest sorrow.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

According to the official reports. the
campaign expenses Of the two leading
parties in the recent election in New
York state aSEregatsd nearly one mil
Hon dollars.-AsDsa DemocraA-Timss.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

We sometimes get tired Of hearing
about bad women and how they lead
Us poor innocent and unsuspecting
men astray. There undoubtedly are
bad women In the world but are there
not also some bad men and ID 1t not
a fact that woman could not be =
very bad woman II some man did not
help her along in her sin.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

When a man or a woman whom you
know dislike you began to get friend
ly then Is the time to watch them
and protect yourself for they probably
have q big knife in their sleeve. You
can easily protect yourself against the
open enemy but the treacherous friend
who crawls up on your blind side is
danReroua.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

A pessimist is a man who sits around
snd cusses his mother-in-law. An op-
tin,ist is one that takes his wife and
children and moves right in with and
lis es off his wife's mother.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

As We get old we notice funny
thing always happens when we chance
to meet = friend Of our boyhood days
and that is that we both remember
distinctly a whole lot of things which
we both know never happened.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

A good lawyer and a good preacher
make . good pair to tied to for the
one viii keep you out Of trouble in
this life and the other will save you
from distress in the life to come.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Most all tho Democratic state pa
pers are pulling for Charles H. Lecken'
by OF the Steamboat Pilot for the po-
sition OF printing clerk in the state
senate.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Opportunity may be, in general
= vay, dispenser Of good things. but
the fellow who gets the most and the
best from her is the fellow who grabs
her by the neck and chokes her until
she gives up what he wants.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Do slim legs and sharp tongue
have anything in common? We do not
believe that. we ever knew plump
legged woman who had real bad dis
position or an extremely spindly one
but who had a tongue like whiplash.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The Canadian government seems to
know how to do It for this week they
simply made out new rate sheet and
gave It to the Canadian Express COM
pany and told them to put the said
rates in effect at once.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Wouldn't 1t be = good plan to wipe
out every existing law and make just
one law which would declare that any
act which would wrong fellow being
in any way il unlawful Would not
this comprise the whole thing?
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Cupid lie ouch = pestiferous little
rascal out in Spokane that girl can't
get position in the phone central un-
hess she gives bond not to marry for
q specified time.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Our idea OF talking and not saying
much IL Claude Grahame-White' IS
statement, made this week. that he
believes that the aeroplane Of the fu-
ture will be less dangerous machine
than the racing auto of today.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

II Congressman Rucker has his way,
all veterans of western Indian wars
are to receive pensions in their old
age. The Judge has a warm spot for
old soldiers.-Golden Transcript.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The Ignacio State bank wishes the
numerous readers of the Herald hap
by and prosperous New Year, and we
indulge in the hope we may have the
pleasure of meeting great many Of
them in social as well as a business
way before we have an opportunity
to write 1912. REX NJ. SHULTZ,
D30D&W1t Cashier.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

You can run into debt but you
have to crawl out. it's easy to buy
on credit but hard to pay the bills.
Debt has been the ruin Of many a
good man and woman.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Mayor Speer's policy OF prohibiting
city employees from giving their supe-
rior officers Christmas presents was
adopted by Governor shafroth In the
state house this year.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

The road to Easy street begins down
on Work Creek flat and runs up Econ
omy gulch and over Cautious peak
No man ever arrived at Easy street by
travelling In lazy avenue.
Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-02

Congressman Rucker Is said to be
not warming up much to Congressmar
Martins friar lands investigation
There are other evidences that Con
gressnan Rucker aspires to be "safs
and sAne."-Ault Advertiser. ~