davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
STRENUOUS LIVES OF ACTORS

From the Washington Post.
 "There are not many persons who pa- tronize the theatre that ever give thought to the strenuous, nerve-racking life the players, who entertain them are compelled to live" said E. L. Giffen. at the Shoreham 'Of course one knows in a general way that the actors travel. Take, for instance. company that will soon appear In Washington. The star of that company, now playing in New England, doing a week of one-night stands, is returning to New York after an absence of a year, and in that time she has crossed the continent twice, more than 30c0 miles each way, gone north and south, from Los Angeles to Vancouver and from Winnipeg to New Orleans, back a second time from the Atlantic seaboard as far as Louisville and north again as far as Saginaw-where smallpox devel- oped few months ago. All of the large cities have been visited, and 100 or more one-night stands. These one-night affairs are the 'bete noir' of the actors life. You wouldn't believe there were so many on the map"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
2 STORY OF WAGNER

From the Etude.
 While he was one of the most eXacting conductors who ever lived, Wagner was nevertheless quite alive to the fact that mistakes happen even in the best regu- lated orchestras. Wagner, in his own compositions, wrote exceedingly difficult music for the French horn, which at that time had not arrived at the more perfect stage of development it has now attained. Nevertheless he was well aware that the instrument was a very hard one to play.
 One time Wagner was conducting an orchestra in Vienna, and in one of the most difficult passages of the Scherzo from Beethoven's, "Eroica" Symphony the horn player made slip on high note Among the players was Edward Mauthner writer of comedies, and he turned from his place ill the front row of the violins and jeered at the unfortu- nate horn player. Afterward, in the greenroom, Wagner severely rated those who had laughed at the occurrence. He pointed out the fact that the horn is a most unreliable instrument and that the least drop of moisture in the tubes of the instrument was liable to cause trouble. He then embraced the horn player before them all, by way of consolation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26

senator shall have one vote. The cleo.
 tors in each state shall have the qual- l ifications requisite for electors of the
 most numerous branch of the legis-
 latures."
 To this Senator Sutherland of Utah offered this amendment: But Con- gress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the place of choosing senators" :" By vote of 50 ayes and 37 nays the Senate adopted, on Friday last, the Sutherland amendment. This amend ment does not greatly change the status, but it was offered no doubt in the hope that it would alienate some votes from the entire proposi- ton. Senator Sutherland belongs to the old guard, but his amendment will not be apt to deprive the pending proposition of any votH except those who are at heart opposed to it any way.
 All old guard or machine senators, notably Senator Lodge and Senator Depew, are opposed to direct action by the people in anything. They are deaf to the complaints that the sen ator no longer represents the people that it turns a deaf ear to all ex- cept the special interests, and that it needs reforming much more than does the house of lords. The house of lords has been "called down" and the Sen ate will be unless the pending propo- sition is submitted to the states either with or without the Sutherland amendment. Under the Sutherland amendment it is not probable that Congress would change any regula- tions concerning the election of sen ators. It never has and it probably never would. Some who do not want to see senators elected by direct vote may, however, use the Sutherland amendment as an excuse for voting against the entire proposition.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
THE TRIMMED STAGE

From the New York Globe.
 According to theatre census recently taken women constituted about 70 per cent of the audiences of three s2 theatres. Probably the proportion would run up to 80 or 90 per cent in the case of the $1, 50-cent, 10-20-3O, and the moving picture sponsibility on the shoulders of the women.
 We have been treated to a constant series of walls for the last year or two over the decline. not to say degeneracy, of dramatic art in America. At first the theatrical managers were blamed for the situation. They perversey forced un- wholesome fourth-rate plays down the throatsl of their patrons. Then it was decided that the people in the case of the drama. as of other commodities, got what they wanted, and the blame was shifted to popular taste.
 Now it appears that between 80 and st per cent of theatre audiences are women, and it follows that the gentler sex is chiefly (practically solely) to blame for whatever is the matter with she Amer ican drama. It was certain that this dis covery would lead to the obvious diag' nosis of feminization. All great stages and lIteratures, we are told, have been men-made. Now you see the result ot feminizing things!
 Furthermore, this raises new doubt as to "the fitness of women for the po- litical franchise.' If they have had such disastrous effect on dramatic art. what
 are they likely to do to politics? Assum- ing that the blame for American dramat- ic sterility has at last been properly placed, and that there is close relation | between dramatics and politics, this new argument against woman suffrage. put I forth by our neighbor, the World, de serves the attention of all amateur de | batting societies. . .~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
STRANGE OCCUPATIONS

From the New York Sun.
 "Perhaps the strangest business in the world" said a West Side matron the other day. lis that in which a man who knocked at the door of my apartment t-As morning engages.
 Have you an aquarium" he inquired. politely. I answered that we had, ana then he said .t. uas5
 Well, I am the snail man.. s.
 q thought he was trne mad, ana was about to close the door, when he ex- plained.' tn
 You see, a great many folks nave their snails die in the aquarium. and II not for days that they notice the snails are dead, snails being naturally that un- obtrusiye it's hard sometimes to tell if they are alive or not Now, dead snail spoils the water in an aquarium and makes the other things sick, so my busi- ness is to look at the snails to determine as to their health.
 "As the last caller l 4llad before the snail man was red-nosed person who said that he was an 'eyeglass cleaner come to shine the eyeglasses of the fam fly, and who stayed just long enough tc get away with my husbands umbrella, sent the snail nah upon his way"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Woodrow Wilson's Primary Bill

Governor Wilson's analytical mind has evolved from current politics these definitions:
 "A Radical-One who goes too far.
 "A Conservative-One who does not go far enough.
 "A Reactionary-One who does not 70 at all.
 "A Progressive-One who recog- nizes new facts as they arise and en- Aeavors to meet them; who legislates for 1911, not 1900; who adjusts legis- lation and poliSy to govern facts and conditions as they arise and then goes a step farther, looking into the future and preparing for it.'
 MT. Wilson is himself a progress sive. He is so known wherever he is known at all. The basic principle of his politics is the restoration of all government power to the hands of the people to be administered by them with a maximum of directness. He wants an absolute minimum of ma chimes and political middlemen. He wants no class rule, and he would if he could eliminate at one blow all special-interests government. The direct and positive control of pub lie affairs by the people is the great Woodrow Wilson is one of it's leaders,
 He has recently caused to be in- troduced in the New Jersey legisla- ture a primary bill that sufficiently illustrates what he stands for in gen. eral. This bill provides for the con- duct of public primaries at public ex- pense. The primary elections are to be held to name candidate for gov ernor, candidate for Congress in each district, and, in presidential years, delegates and alternate dele gates to national conventions. Voters at the primaries in presidential years may, if they wish, indicate their "choice for President" and the num- Der of such votes is to be duly can vassed and certified. In the matter Of choosing United States senator which has been very urgent one ir New Jersey this year, the bill pro- vides that the name of no person shall be printed on the primary ticket o1 any party unless he shall sign 2 pledge that he Twill vote for sucf candidate for United States senator from New Jersey as shall receive the largest number of votes as candi-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Out with 1t boldly, truth loves open dealing.
 king Henry SIIL
Questions Asked at Boundaries

The Dominion government has closed it's doors to negroes, and the United States considers coolies from Japan undesirable citizens. The day of unrestricted choice of country seems to be passing. Each country reserves the right to close it's doors against all whom it does not desire to come in and stay. Each is judge of the citizens it wants or does not want, and there is no power that can change this rule, although Commo- dore Perry did attempt to open Japan to the world, but he had in mind com- merce rather than immigration. Vari- ous countries have forced upon China people she did not want, but as rule each country is left free to say who may and who may not enter in with an eye to becoming permanent resi- dents.
 And many country has an eye even on globe trotters and wayfarers. Russia permits no one to cross her boundary lines who is not armed with a passport, and even then the travel CT is closely watched. Thebet shut out for ages all travellers, no matter how many passports they had, and to day the stranger is lot very welcome in Persia or in Abyssinia or in Mo- rocco.
 A country is like ones home-the stranger must knock before he can be admitted, and even hen some fern ities intervene. So it is at the boun- diaries, and the United States, free as it has been in the past, promises to become more particular as the years go on concerning newcomers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Birmingham Is Now a Port

No town in the history of this country ever experienced so sudden a change from one of the mere interior class to the port class as did Bir- mingham last week. The bill that did 1t was reported on Tuesday, passed the House under MT. Under woods guidance on Wednesday, was reported in the Senate on Thursday, and on Friday it was called up by Senator Bankhead and was passed by that body. In order to complete the record the imagination can see Presi- dent Taft seizing a stub pen to affix his signature to it Ion Saturday, thus making this city port in a single week. True, our arm of the sea is not fully completed, but it is coming, and the government stands behind it, at least to the extent of six feet of wa ter on the meter sills the year round True, too, this IS to he but a sub-port under the jurisdiction of Mobile, but a sub-port is better than no port at all, and so far as our importers are concerned it is as convenient and sat isfactory as would be a full fledged port, so to speak
 It is all right, and the thanks of 150,000 people are due to MT. Under wood and Senator Bankhead for the expeditions manner in which they snatched us out of provincialism and put Us where we can at least sniff salt air if our imaginations are alert and active As soon as the Warrior arm of the sea is fully extended no doubt it will be easier to do this than it is at present.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Reciprocity on the Senate CaIenda

Reciprocity on the Senate Calendar
 The proposed constitutional amend ment authorizing the direct election of senators is to be voted upon next Tuesday, and the reciprocity agree ment has come from the Senate com mittee on finance without recommen- dation, and it is now on the calendar. It can be acted on whenever the Senate desires to take 1t up.
 The bill could have been retained in the finance committee, but it was reported without recommendation. In other words, a majority of that com- mittee, says Senator Hale, are op- posed to the bill, but in order to silence public clamor it was decided to report the bill without recommen- dation.
 This step is not considered particu- larly favorable to the passage of the bill, and yet it is placed where it can be taken up whenever the Senate de- sires to pass it. The chances are still good that it will be passed this week.
 The bill will this week be subjected to variety of influences. The Presi- dent is pulling strong for it's pas sage, but a great number of special interests connected with lumber and paper and hides and the fisheries are pulling the other way. The fact that non-action upon the bill would usher in an extra session has it's weight. An extra session would not only act favorably on reciprocity, but it would subject two or tfaee of the Aldrich schedules to real downward revision. This the republicans do not desire. They would in that way be put on record in favor of maintenance of high prices in manner too distinct and definite to be agreeable just as a presidential election is coming on.
 Six ch;glces out of ten favor, for these reasons, action on the reciproci- ty agreement this week. It is the big issue before Congress, exceeding in | interest even the Lorimer case.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
OUR PEERLESS OYSTER
7rom the Boston Globe

From the Boston Globe.
 The English delight to get the best O.: Americans in all sorts of ways. Their latest scheme seems to have been to hold a contest in order to prove which were better-American oysters or the Colches- ter bivalves. AS usual, America came out victorious, our bluepoints being voted the most palatable. The anglishmen learnel another thing from this affair, which was that American oysters are equally good raw or cooked.
 The foodstuffs of the United States, in- cluding oysters, rank high in all coun- tries. Our sea foods are as plentiful and of as good a quality as could be wished. Our coasts. gulfs, bays and rivers gre more extensive than those of any other country, hence it is unwise for any na tion to think it has an article of sea fool superior to any with which America is blessed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
DOGS ELABORATE FUNERAL.

From the Maysville Public Ledger.
 Rabbit the pretty little black and white pet dog of MT. and Mrs James IT, Cum mings. of Market street, is dead. Rab- bits death was caused by a poisonous button picked upon Second street while in company with it's master returning from the Pastime theatre Monday even ing. No one would have wantonly pois- oned the pretty thing. It was simply an unfortunate accident. Every effort was made to save Rabbit. but it was not to be. and the pet of the household died while being minstered to by the sorrow ing master and mistress. The body was embalmed and laid out in handsome lit- tie coffin. blue ribbon was tied around it's neck and a bunch of flowers adorned the foot of the diminutivc caslset It was, without doubt, the prettiest dog corpse ever looked dbon. and hundreds visited the undertaking parlor of Mr. Cummings to view the pretty picture. Rabbit was buried in the family lot in the Maysyille cemetery
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Direct Election of Senators

Instead of awaiting the calling of constitutional convention by the states free to propose this or that amendment, or even to submit a new constitution altogether, the Senate ju- dietary committee proposes that the Senate proceeds to reform itself, thus obviating the calling of constitution al convention. Senator Borah has been selected to push the particular re- form of direct election through, and the Senate has agreed to take final vote on it on Tuesday next.
 Article I, section W, of the con- stitution provides that "the times, places and manner of holding cleo tions for senators and representa- tives shall be as prescribed in each state by the legislature thereof, but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter such regulations except as to the places of choosing senators"
 The Senate judiciary committed having had it's ear to the ground re- ported this change in the constitu- ton: "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two sen. ators from each state, elected by the people thereof for six years, and eacf
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26

date for that office at the primary election of my (his) said political party, held next preceding the cleo ton of such United States senator by the legislature"
 Such a bill would be regarded as almost revolutionary, if not anarch- istic, in Alabama, and yet it is not so regarded in New Jersey, where it is booked for passage without ma terial amendment. Many people in that state have great faith in the wisdom and patriotism of Woodrow Wilson, and he is behind the new primary bill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
FINE TRAINING

From the Milwaukee Free Press.
 Former Governor Hoard is credited witf the following comment on Wisconsin poi itics by Dr. Harry A. Favill of Chicago in a recent talk before the Milwaukee County Medical society. , Some time ago Mir. Hoard was adviset to take the mud baths. When he was immersed in the simy ooze MT. Hoard leaned back and breathed a sigh of con tent.
 An" he said, now feel at home"
 'Yo must have ben hear befoah, boss, said the old negro attendant.
 No. I have never been here before.'
 ''9hen yo must have taken the bath' in Europe?" was the next question.
 NO. I have never taken the baths il Europe
 Then how is it that yo feel at home il these yere mud baths?"
 T spent few years in Wisconsin poll ytics.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
BOTTLE MEASURES DRINKS

From the New York World The graduated bottle that child of the
 Tenderloin. took day off yesterday and
 was found stroling up Broadway IT. consented to pose for photographer As
 study In lines he was model, and as
 he walked along he got welcoming nod from every refreshment establishment bs passed
 This isn't any new stunt of mine, he explained, "but I'm glad to get little public notice. If I am full quart I am
 measured off into IS drinks; otherwise into 15. as you see me now. am aI- ways placed on the table full. Wait, Change that full to filled. The waiter
 ooesnt have to pay any further atten- ton to me until the party is through with
 me He then simply figures up how many drinks have'lost-the space between any two lines representing a drink-and null | tiplies that by 15 or 20 or whatever that | place charges for a drink | ''Is there any profit in you?" asked the
 reporter.
 Well" he replied, you can figure 1t up | for yourself. I cost a dollar or less when
 bought wholesale, and you can see how
 much more valuable I get when arn | parceled out"
 "That last drink looks like a long one."
 commented the reporter, pointing to the space between numbers 14 and 15.
 "Yes: but it isn't" MT. Bottle replied | 'I have a very graceful up curve there
 that is deceiving It's the way I'm blown. Come in some night about three minutes
 to 1 and I'll talk to you further. If the
 house is willing, you may have one on | me-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Concerning Trade Conditions.

l Trade conditions must be good in Bir- mingham if days business we had last week is any criterion." said c. McLallen, manager of the E. E. Forbes Piano com pany.
 'I had what I believe to be a record business in one day, and certainly one of the largest since I have been in the piano business, a matter of a great many years.
 sI sold in one day pianos to the amount of ss1S5. which involved seven different deals. l consider that wonderful busi- ness, and l am told by old timers here that no such business was recorded in the best days of 1906-o7. The people of city must of necessity be in good finan- cial condition when they buy pianos at that rate, for the piano Is ito a large ex- tent luxury and people buy an instru- ment after they have secured the neces- sities of life. I know of no better index to general conditions than this one days business. Of course, such a record could not be maintained. but business is ex- cellent with us and seems to be getting better right along"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Colonel Lcedy's Hoax

Last Friday week Col. w. B. Leedy played a good joke on the Birmingham men who happened to be fellow -passeng- CTS on the Louisville and Nashville from Montgomery" said a looker-on Friday, the 17th, was the day the Parks local op- ton bill occupied the attention of the senate. When the train left Montyom- cry about o'clock the debate over the bill was still in progress, and no one seemed to be able to tell at that time loves to joke and knows how to fix up 8 hoax right. He obtained Western Union blank and fabricated a telegram, dated Montgomery, which read as follows:
 "'col w. B. Leedy, Louisville and Nash
 vile Train No. i. Calera, Ala:
 Parks bill defeated by vote of 20 to 13 (Signed) Hugh Morrow Colonel Leedy had taken the porter eside, handed him this purported tele- gram, paid him quarter. and told, him that about one minute after the train had stopped at Calera 10 come hurriedly into the car and call out the name to whom, the. telegram was addressed. Colone. Leedy answered to his name and signed for the telegram. Among the passengers were MT. Motion, Max Winller and other local optionists and Mir. Sessions and other statewide prohibitionists. Colone Leedy read the telegram and remarked
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Asking For L'Aiglon

q hope that MT. Douglas will endeavor to have Sarah Bernhardt change her an nounced bill for Birmingham and give us Rostands beautiful historical tragedy, L'Aiglon,' . said an old theatregoer.
 Tt has been arranged, understand, for the great actress to play Camille at the Jefferson. Now those of us who have seen her in Camille and most of those in middle life have, would rather see her in something else; while the young would be all the better off if they were to sec enacted a tragedy with a different atmos- phere. Bernhardt will play IAiglon' in Louisville next Thursday night. I am told this masterful production suits her we'll and I believe there is a popular de- mand for the change in the bill, which I here request in the name of many friends"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26
Result of Advertising.

"I have just received letter from a business man in Bocao del Toro. Pana- ma,' said Bradley J. Saunders, president of the East Lake Land company.
 'The man writes that he had read in The Age-Herald an advertisement of our company offering lots for s150. He en- closed a draft and requested the selection of b lots: says he will improve this prop erty So much fer advertising in The Age-Herald.''