davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The river press., 1912-12-25
PEACE ENJOYS MEET.
The Turkish-Balkan Trouble May
Soon Be Adjusted.

Inc JurkISn-6aIkan JrouOIe May
Soon Be Adjusted.
LONDON, Dec. 1.-THE credentia als
of the peace delegates Of the Balkan
allies and of Turkey give them full
power Is pleoipotentiaries. They
therefore can not only negotiate for
peace, but II they come to an agree.
ment, can conclude and sign 1t.
This point was made clear today.
In speaking on the subject OF foreign
mediation in Balkan aft airs the head
of the Servisn deleg alton said:
"The choice of the United States as
mediator would be an excellent one.
The only fears in this connection are
that the distance from the United
States from the scene and it's lack of
knowledge of the different complex
problems agitating the Balkan peo'
pies might hamper it's action, while q
European country would find itsel1
better able to act because of hav.
ing followed for years the aspira
tiona of different races constituting
the Balkan family"
An obstacle was encountered today
by Balkan and Turkish plenipoten
tiaries gathered here to bring abou
peace, in the absence OF Greece's sig.
nature to the armistice protocol. The
delega ates found 1t necessary to ad
journ without eff ecting any real bust
ness. They will not meet gain until
late on Thursday afternoon and ir
the meantime will communicate with
home governments.
The river press., 1912-12-25
MERIT VS.. SPOiLS SYSTEM.

Absolute divorce OF the civil service
from politics ia Indispensable to the
increase of integrity, efficiency and
economy ir carrying ON the govern
ment, whether OF the nation or OF The
states.
Replacement of the spoils system,
that NJ axes III >lic Office the priv ate
preserve OF politicians and their hench-
men, by the merit system. that makes
It q public trust to be administered for
the benefit of the people and their gov
ernment, is considered by the national
Civil Service Reform league to trans.
cend 10 Importance the policy OF any
party as to the tariff the trusts, the
Philippines and Porto Rico, mon
opoles and currency and banking
This il strong statement, says the
Spoken az Review, but, whether in
dorsed or repudia a,ed by the reader,
it at least serves as a measure for the
surprising importance OF The merit
system in the eyes Of an exceptionally
Intelligent and patriotic body OF pub
lie spirited American citizens. A.
any rate it can not be denied that the
spoils syst m 10 American politics and
public life has done immense mischief
to republican Institutions aud demo-
merit system stand- for Tie idea that
public officials are trustees for the
welfare Of the people and that public
business should be admin stored ex
acty as capable aud honest men can
carry on private business.
To take but single instance OF the
superior advantage, merely from a
business point OF view, of appoint
ments to Office for merit instead OF for
political or personal consider ations.
Before the merit system was intro
duced into the consular service OF the
United States this service was the
laughing stock of the world. Compe.
tent consuls had no motive for doing
good work and incompetent men
abounded. The consequence was that
the consular service contributed al
most nothing to the growth OF Ameri-
can commerce abroad. But since the
merit sy stem was made oper alive these
competent consuls have multiplied
and American commerce owes an ex-
pansion OF millions of dollars an
nually to their intelligent and faith.
ful efforts.
The spoils system 10 curse to who
ever practices it. The merit system
is blessing to the party that for
wards it and the nation that supports
The river press., 1912-12-25
For Pure Shoe Leather.

WASHINGTON, Dec. l7.-Represen.
tativ7 W. A. Oldfield of Arkansas has
introduced Pure Shoe bill. This
me easure makes it unlawful to manu-
facture boots or shoes from any ma.
terial save leather without legibly
stamping the name of the substitute on
the sole.
The people of this country are
spending about 5000, 100000 annually
for boots and Shoes" said Mr.. Old.
field, "and In q great many instances
are buying paper. rags and Other
substitutes and paying leather prices
The river press., 1912-12-25
Boston Wool Market.

BOSTON, Dec. 17.-Increased activ.
ity is reported in all lines Of domestic
wool, while values hold cry firm.
The inquiry is we'll distributed, s'al'
though as usual the heaviest transfers
have been in territory stock, both in
original bags and graded. Montana
staple brings 26 cents and the secured
product Is held at &c cents. Nearby
fleece woods are fairly active and some
good sales of Michigan half blood a.
2S4c are reported.
The river press., 1912-12-25
UNCLE SANS FUR FARM.

The department of agriculture at
Washington is TO add another to It's
long list OF activities. 1t is about to
start a great re-erea,ion in Idaho for
the purpose of raising fur airing
animals for profit. Thai Is al excel
lent place ia which to begin to ex-
pertinent Idaho has an abundance OF
room-more room than people-aud a
refnn ant of few OF the more impor-
tant fur producing animals are still in
its vast wild spaces. IL has an aver
age of only four Inhabitants to the
square mile.
This will not be altogether an ex-
pertinent, for there are few priv ate
fur farms 10 the wilds of the United
States and Canada. Uncle Sans,
however, will be on a far larger scale
than any OF these, aud will be con.
Quoted on scientific lines. In some OF
the private enclosures not only are
mink and marten raised. but foxes of
all varieties, which are far more diff
cult of cultiv alton, are produced. For
years fox raising wss failure, but
methods have been evolved by which
it can be carried on successfully. The
skins OF foxes of the black and the
silver breeds bring from $500 to %, ,OO(
pelt, which means q large profit te
the producer who is able to raise auy
of them. The government 10 to star
with mink and marten, both OF which
are moderately plentiful in some part
of Idaho in q wild state, and it is Il
gradually extend its "plant" until 1
covers beaver, fox aud other NOR
valuable kinds OF animals.
AS the deman for furs is increas
ing far faster than the population
while the supply OF the more valuabl
sorts 10 declining, the government
aim in its Idaho enterprise Is to pre-
vent the supply from dying out, an
also, by scientific GUILTY. alton, to Civ
"points" to private producers whic
will enable them to enlarge their fiel
of operations. The quantity OF fur
which reach the markets of the Unite
States every year is increasing, bl
this means the least valuable of thel
the muskrat, the skunk aud othe
sorts of furs which are found con
paratively near the centers of popul'
tion. These come to the market al
nua!Iy by the million.
In this new enterprise of Unc
Sans St. Louis has direct iuteres
Fur trading was the leading activi'
of St. Louis In its earlier years. TIL
was the headquarters of the Nilsson
and the Rocky mountain fur con
panies of century ago. The wes
ern department of Astor's America
Fur company, established here In lS2;
The river press., 1912-12-25
Alfalfa Mills Are BUSY.

WICHITA, Kan, Dec. 17.-Alfalfa
millers from Kansas, Oklahoma, Neb-
raska and Colorado closed their semi
annual meeting here today with pre-
diction that s2O,0OO,OOO worth OF
alfalfa products would be output of
their mills this year. Uniform grading
rules were adopted so tn at alfalfa mill
ers can be protected.
The river press., 1912-12-25
To Sell Fort Assinnlboine Lands

TO Sell Fort NSSlnnIb0tne canuS'
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-The senate
today passed on Senator Dixon's re-
port from committee on Q bill for
the sale OF old Fort Asstnnibotne
military reserv vssion. Under provi.
sions OF the bill settlers can purcha ase
land at sl.25 an acre, while the ststt
is given GAO acres and the buildingt
on the reserve at $3.50 an acre.
Senator Myers introduced amend
ments to the Indian bill making th'
appropria alton for the Montana In dias
service as estimated by the depart.
ment and which the house turned
down.
The river press., 1912-12-25
Thu Planet Mars,

The whole globe of Mars. which has
4 diameter of about half that Of the
earth (52S thousandths-6.72S kilome'
ters. or 4,lSl miles, weighs only 1oa
thousandths of our globe, or 625.5Sa
quintillions of Kilograms. The density
of the materials which compose Mars
is inferior to that Of the substances
which compose the earth In the proper
ton of I'll to 1000.
The river press., 1912-12-25

remaiued here for nearly half cen.
tury. 1t is the largest prim ary market
for fur collection and distribution In
the United States even now.-Globe
Democrat.
The river press., 1912-12-25

Fine Book and Job Printing . spe
cialty at the RIVER PRESS Office.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09
SOME LIGHTS ON LEWISBURG. MODEL MINING CAMP WITH
 FIRST AID TO INJURED CORPS
From Page rour)


 about brilliant results. Malaria had
 stricken hundreds of citizens previously.
 Proper drainage, cutting of weeds and oiling stagnant water decimated this dis ease Typhoid fever has been driven out
 for several months.
 Not a single case of scarlet fever.
 measles. or smallpox has occurred.
 Stables are regularly cleaned and lined. outhouses are regularly attended to. and this together with proper screening of
 many homes has done much to eradicate the fly nuisance.
 Too much cannot be said in favor of sanitation. and 1t is quite evident that
 health officers of large cities often fail in their efforts to idealize sanitary condl- tions, not because of antiquated methods, or willful negligence. tut tor the simple reason that their authority IS limited. and it is impossible to impress tbe vita,
 importance of cleanliness upon each indi-
 yidual house owner. when so many thou
 sands turn deaf ear to everything that
 concerns the welfare of the public gen erally.
 The thousand residents of Lewisburg are reached directly, their homes and out
 houses are kept whitewashed or painted. trash is burned, dead animals removed from camp. and the good results are so evident that almost without exception. Lcwisburg citizens may be called sani- tary enthusiasts.
 Tho Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron company has done much to promote | the welfare of it's employees and their ap- ! preciaiion is evidenced by their unusual
 loyalty to company interests.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09
The Horse and Its Cost

w. J. Spillman. agriculturist in charge
 farm management and plant industry,
 United States Department of Agricul-
 ture, Washington, D. c.
 Carefully conducted investigations by the agricultural department of the Uni versity of Minnesota. as well as those con- ducted by the office of farm manage ment of the United States Department of Agriculture. show that under ordinary conditions on American farms work horses are utilized only about three and hall hours day on the average. Horse pow CT is thus utilized to less than half it's capacity Per unit of work done this power costs more than twice what il should cost The full utilization of the power actually available would thus re- duce materially the cost of producing crops. The cost of keeping q work horse is on the average about sl25 a year. The average utilization of the horse is about 12O hours year, at an hourly cost of Il cents per hour. If we double the number of hours work the horse does--and this can be done without injury to the animal we reduce the hourly cost to cents.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

The next few days, or weeks at the outside. will demonstrate whether the Pujo money trust investigation is going to amount to anything or not. Opinion in che street Is that the inquiry will fatten out and that Its real purpose all along has been to exploit an ambitious lawyer who is using Congress to bill- board himself. There is an endless res- ervoir of big facts within reach but d shocking lack of faith in the sincerity of the play to get at them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

built in a wall and when the outer door is closed a small electromotor is set in motion, whereupon the safe starts re- volving ceaselessly and noiselessly on it's axis within it's stone chamber.
 Any tampering with it's motions causes a.. -ia. in Den 10 ring So long as ths safe continues to revolve the blowpipe can have no effect upon 1t, since the flame cannot be applied long enough to any particular spot to make an impression.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09
COMMODITY FREIGHT
 RATES ATTACKED

Washington, June S.-It was alleged before the interstate commerce com mission today that commodity freight rates particularly on cattle from west ern points to Greensboro, Ky, were rl,inousfy discriminatory against Owens 5orol in favor Of Cincinnati and New York. -
 The attack was directed against the Illinois Central, the Louisville and Nashville and other lines by business interests ofe0wensboro, which is an important gateway to the south and southeast An investigation will be made by the commission.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

As nearly as can be ascertained the four years agreement between the an thracite mine owners and their work
 men will result in the payment during that period by the public of se0,000. 900 in wages and s30.000,000 to the rall- roads, on a basis of present production. So far as can be learned. the caloric of value of the product has not increased.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09
Safe That Is Safe

FTU1II tIIt tIIIVdEU ITIUUII9.
 With characteristic thoroughness the Germans have devised real burglar proof safe, so cleverly designed that it will baffle even the burglars who work with the latest of oxygen and acetylene blowpipes. It is called the carrousel, or roundabout safe"
 If exhibits a polygonal steel structure revolving freely on ball bearings. IL is
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

fering more than anybody else right now from the high cost of living" The payrolls and every article enter ing into the conduct and maintenance of railroads call for more money than ever before The increase has been at a higher rate of speed than earnings.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09
FOR RENT

FIVE ROOM APARTMENT SECOND
 FLOORD, MODERN; BEST LOCATION ION NORTH HIGHLANDS; HUNTS WILLIE AVENUE. JEM1SON REAL
 ESTATE AND INSURANCE COMPANY.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

Reports that reach the street as to the affairs of the Western Union Telegraph. company disclose remarkable increase in business of that widespreading pub lie utilities enterprise. In four years the receipts have increased from ESQ., 000.000 to S41000,000 and the predic- tion Is made that in another four years the total will be $50,000000 or better. Mr. Vail has opened the eyes of the public and even insiders to the possi- bilties of expansion in the telegraph field. He is voted a "wonder'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

Railroad earnings for April and May are not showing up as well as many had looked for. May reports, of course, are unofficial, but the weekly returns which find their way into print give a
 very good line as to what the official figures will show. Reports from west ern roads are especially unfavorable. although II Is stated and believed that June marks the beginning of a very de- cided improvement In transportation statistics The "grief' from the rail- roads point of view is the increased cost of doing business, as compared
 with previous years. Railroads are suf-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09

the prediction is being loudly made that before the end of the year copper will be in inexhaustible demand at 20 cents a pound. It costs IT cents this week and consumers are not holding back when it comes to a point of making contracts for present and future de- livery.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-09
Fashion Proverbs

From Judges Library.
 A rolling fashion gathers no wardrobe. When fashion enters tine door. bills fly in at the window. A woman is known by the length of time she keeps a fashion. Styles and sales wait for no woman.
The Washington herald., 1912-01-02
Real Estate Transfers.

Notice has been served that the real
estate men and builders of Washing
ton will voice a protest against the bill
pending in Congress to give greater
publicity to conveyanees of property.
The chief point in the proposed measure
at which the real estate men will aim
their objections is making public the
actual price at which the property is
sold, by including it in the papers filed
for record.
The objections of brokers and build
crs to this publication of the price Of
property is twofold. In the first place,
it is urged that the selling of land or
houses constitutes a private transaction
in which the parties to the deal only
are interested, hence the publication of
the amount of money involved is an
intrusion upon private right. The other
objection is that the publicity of the
value involved would tend to decrease
the price of property throughout the
District.
Another objection, which has not
been so fully stated, is that the real
estate business of Washington has
been built up on the methods now in
vogue and to change this status by
the legislation proposed would practi-
cally revolutionize methods of selling
property, so far as the local brokers are
concerned.
The reasons for the enactment of the
bill are set forth in the bill itself and in
the report referring it from the COM
mittee to the House They are chiefly
that the statement of the actual value
involved in each transaction would be
of inestinlable service to the District
tax department in making up its peri
odical assessments.
This question is beset with many diff
iculties. however it is viewed. and
manifcstly before it is enacted into law
the attitude of the real estate men and
builders should be taken into account
quite as much as that of the tax de-
partment.
The Washington herald., 1912-01-02
White House Police FOrce.

II the withdrawal of twenty-five po-
licemen from duty in and around the
White House IN be accomplished with
out decreasing in any degree the neces-
sary precautions for the safety of the
President, the change will be accepted
gratefully by the people of the District,
inasmuch as it enables the force upon
patrol duty to be materially increased
The fact that nearly fifty men out
of total force of 700 have been de-
tailed for duty at the White House has
often been brought by the Commission
ers to the attention of Congress, but
they have never felt willing TO accept
the responsibility of curtailing the num-
Der. Now. however, as the change has
been made upon the suggestion of
Chairman Burleson, of the subcommittee
in charge of the District appropriations,
and with the aoquiescence of the Presi-
dent, it may be taken for granted that
ample protection is still afforded in the
remaining force. The District people
have never made any criticism of the
large detail, not only because of their
loyalty to the President, but also be-
cause the United States government
pays its equal share of the expense Of
the police force.
With the new arrangement, the neces-
sity for increasing the force largely
disappears, and thus heavy increase to
the Districts pay roll is avoided. Sec
tions of the city hitherto accorded in
sufficient police protection will be the
gamers by the change.
The Washington herald., 1912-01-02
STATESMEN, REAL AND NEAR.
By FRED C. KELLY.

a great statesman-they would say 1iarT
under their breath, and walk on away
Henry C. Lippitt. Of Rhode Island. who
succeeded Nelson W. Aldrich in the SEN
a.e. STANDS Unique among Senatorial golf
ers. He has reduced golf TO its lowest
mechanical terms. No other man in
Washington plays golf on such simpli-
fed basis as Llppitt His theory Is that
fer nonprofessional golfer, each club
used adds Just that much to the compli-
cations. He says 1t is a needless mental
strain to have TO rummags through an
outfit Of dozen clubs. trying to select
the one that applies to the situation at
hand II he has to carry pair OF callpers
and a transit and a couple of assistants
to determine at what angle he should
swat a dinky little gutta percha ball. he
would Just as soon give up golf and play
parchesi. or Round the World with Mel
lie Bly, So Lippitt carries only three
plain little clubs when he a-golfing goes.
He owns no caddy bag and carries his
sticks himself, and all his caddy has to
do is to trot bIithly along. pointing out
the quarry. like hunting dog
Lfppitt could afford an all-leather caddy
bag and a couple OF dozen clubs as wen
as not He is reputed to have a ton or
two Of unspent money, besides owning a
steam yacht that combines all the COM
forts OF home and club, and has the COM
pact grandeur OF a New York fat.
Doc" Foster, who represents the Twen-
ty-third Illinois district, had distressing
experience a few weeks ago on his way
TO Panama. He was one OF the House
committee that went down TO have look
at the canal, and had counted on deriving
much pleasure from the trip. but the Ia
mentable affair that occurred on the way
down upset him so completely that he
was i'll at ease throughout the entire
journey Foster strolled up on deck one
evening. sat down in a chair that another
member Of the party had just vacated
and engaged in thought. He closed his
eyes and almost dozed OF, lulled by the
soft wash OF the waves. Suddenly he
was awakened by a woman throwing one
arm about his neck caressingly and re-
marking that it was pretty late hours
for such sleepy boy, or something Of
that sort.
The fact was that Foster had taken the
chair vacated by the womans husband.
but she had not noted the change. and
wist not that IL was Foster upon whom
she was bestowing a goodnight caress.
The thing was all explained, but il un-
nerved Foster completely.
tCopyright lsl2 by Fred c. Kelly. All rights ~
seredA
The Washington herald., 1912-01-02
Fear of Degeneraey.

Two eminent experts of physical de-
velopment have voiced their belief that
American society is dcgenerating phys
icslly and mentally. William Muldoon.
one-time wrestler and now physical re-
storer of faded nerves and worn-out
bodies, declares it to he due entirely to
the race for riches and the possession
OF too much money DR.. Henry B.
Savage. of the New York Normal
School of Physical Education. declares
It to be the result of examining the
brains Of growing boys and girls with
too much abstract knowledge in the
schools of the day.
As these eminent experts view the
situation, America las a very serious
problem TO solve. If these prophets are
right, there must be a different dis
tribution of wealth and a complete
change in the educational system. How
ever, Mr. Muldoon for the past twenty
years has been chiefly concerned with
restoring broken-down clcrgymen, Cabi-
net officials, bankers, brokers. and scions
of the idle rich" to physical health
after they have become weakened by
work or dissipation. Dr. Savage has
been face to face with the physical faults
Of young men and women growing up
in the con6nements of city life. 1t is,
therefore. possible that the ideas of both
arc distorted by their environments.
When the great bod,' of the American
people passes in survey, the men and
women composing it appear very rug
ged. capable. alert, and successful. The
faults complained of may exist. but that
the people of the nation as a whole are
dcgenerating because of too much
money or too much knowledge is ridicu-
lous. because it is not true Rich men