davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
Cotton Tare Rules

The foreign buyer deducts per cent from the gross weight of bale. The average bale contains, under this rule of the foreign buyers, 470 pounds of cotton and 30 pounds of tare. Com missioner of Corporations Conant says this tare is excessive by eight pounds-that the average bale con tains 478 pounds of net cotton and 22 pounds of tare.
 This loss of eight pounds per bale falls on the producer in many in- stances, and in the last analysis it is met and paid for by the consumer. The exporter saves himself from loss by putting on patches to cover the holes through which samples had been taken. The entire situation in- vites sharp practices on the part of experts, and Mr. Conant asks for the standardization of tare to be put on bale of cotton by making it defi- nite or readily ascertainable amount, so that the net weight may be de- termined without controversy or test.
 Until such remedy is devised MT. Conant thinks the deduction for tare should be set at 5 per cent. This would more nearly represent the cov- ering necessary to protect the cotton.
 All this is feasible, but Mir. Con- ants recommendation that cotton be compressed at the gin is not feasible. The equipment needed would render the neighborhood gin unprofitable, and the bales will continue to go to centers that have large congresses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
POPULARITY OF RUBIES

of his time, in private he was the fore most American amateur of rubies
 MT. Hartman" recalls one of his jewellers, kept with us a standing or der to notify him whenever we got hold of superior ruby. He entered a jewel shop to look over rubies as sort of re- taxation. You would know he was pass ing fine moments of delight and senti- ment. Never was he deceived. When we thought him wrong we would find him right. He would weigh, consider and examine. Then he would mention the price he would pay. If he liked gem, he was liberal. even going be- yond the price we had in our own cal culations set upon it. Then we would think-'That stone was finer than we knew
 "One dealer, not knowing the plainly dressed, decisive little man, but much impressed by his adept appraisinG of fered him a job
 "It wouldn't be work sadly smiled MT. Hartman. It would be gross self. indulgencev"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
GENIUS AND HAIR COLOR

From the Popular Science Monthly.
 Extremely few geniuses. from the be- ginning of the world, have had hair that was red or decidedly light. Thack- cray, indeed, had very light hair-al- most white" Cicero was red headed. and Keats hair was "go1d brown" An drew Jackson's hair was reddish san dy," and James Russell lIowelI's was auburn Swinburne's was real red in his youth. But all these were excep- tions.
 Brown hair is apparently the favor ite with genius Napoleon's was dark brown. Robert Browning, Washington Irving. Dante Rossetti, R. I. Stevenson. Tennyson and Mendelssohn had dark brown hair, almost black. while among great men who had very black hair were Daniel Webster, John G. Whit tier, Matthew Arnold, S. T. Colerfdge, Stephen A. Douglas, Sir Thomas More, William Hazlitt, Leigh Hunt, Ibsen, Paul Jones. Charles Lamb. John Mar shall and Sir Arthur Sullivan.
 But if black hair means genuis, why are not the Indian and negro races much more rich in genius than they seem to be?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04

they need for development. But this
 is only the beginning of an era of
 prosperity. All large financial ad-
 iustments will be made in due time and the year 1913 will, it is believed be one of new high records all along the line.
 Roger w. Babson, the well known statistician, is not bullish. He is one of the few accepted authorities on stock markets and mercantile condi- tions that sounds note of pessimism. But it must be remembered that Bab- son has a theory to work out. He illustrates business conditions by a chart and reckons with long periods. According to Babson we had business depression in 1908, the year after the panic, and temporary revival in 1909. And those years are readily recalled. But Babson's chart shows prosperity in 1910. Now, not many business men will recall that year as being especially prosperous-certain- ly not prosperous enough to speak of. According to Babsons statistical scheme this is the year that depres- sion should be felt, but as many far seeing financiers will testify today, a boom has come; and this boom is worldwide. Babson says in his last bulletin, There is little from the study of present statistics to justify expectations of more than tempor- ary improvement in the stock market which will be followed by a decline" !" In another paragraph he says, But it's quite obvious that no matter what temporary furry of activity business and stocks may have, the clouds will not clear and it behooves the investor to sail close to the shore with large bank account and to carefully study fundamental statistics" This advice will be needed by those who think that Babson is the wisest of them all. But the upbuilder and the successful busi ness man are accepting conditions as they are and not as a theorist would have them.
 Babson is useful man and no one will under-rate his value as sta tistician, but even he will have to join the optimists when the crops begin to move. .,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
BLooMERs FOR WORKING GIRLS

From the New York World.
 A Boston minister urges factory girls and young women working in shops" to wear bloomers instead of hobble skirts as both are more com fortable and respectable.
 The idea is good one, and that 1t should be entertained shows the pro- gress the once derided costume has made in overcoming prejudice. Bloom CTS in modified form have come into increasing use among girls and women for gymnasium wear and in outdoor sports, for which they are well adapt ed. They would form a rational and healthful dress for all women In in- dustrial occupations. But the clergy man in recommending their use by special class betrays his better ac- quaintance with theology than with fashion.
 For working girls to wear bloomers would amount to their adoption as a distinctive uniform. Women's styles of clothes begin at the top and extend downward. If Fifth avenue girls car be persuaded to wear bloomers the rest will be easy, but if this attempt at dress reform, like all others, i' to make any headway it must bt , launched under the best social aus pices
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
Camnniun Distributions

q have heard and read good deal re- gently about campaign contributions in presidential elections, but what would be much more interesting would be to heal something about campaign distributions, D said a facetious citizen.
 "Who gets all the money that individ- uals and corporations subscribe? For what purposes is it used? This is demo- cratic form of government In which every qualified voter is expected to go to the polls and vote without any solicitations or inducement. but if big campaign funds are contributed by certain interests and distributed among corrupt electorate then the days of democratic government are hastening to an end.
 AS things are now, and have been for many years, in the republican field il is simply a matter of buying the free and independent voter in the doubtful states. We may talk about the solid south and the solid north but better such solidity, even if it be stupid. thar the fabby, corrupt vacillation of those states whose political preferences arc governed by the amount Of money paid to politicians and grafters.
 It is about time the manhood, or St much of 1t as is left, should rise up and hurl from office every public man wht obtained office by corrupt methods. There are still enough honest men left to con trol the situation if they will act as unit edly and as energetically as those on the other side do''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
THROWS AWAY S3,OO0, ,OOO
,bert D. Heinl in Leslie's.

Robert D. He1nl Tn LeSlle S.
 There is woman who throws away usually s3,00O,00O every day. Some times it is only s2,OOO,ooo. Again. if she is feeling particularly robust and business is brisk. this much-to- be enyied person is able to boost the dam age mark up to 5.Ooo0oo-which, we might add. is about 20 large sized trunkfuls of s and s1O bills.
 Her name is Miss Louise Lester and
 she is the only woman member of the currency destruction committee of the treasury department. The task of this organization is to destroy all govern ment securities which have been de- clared unfit for circulation. Of course | the bulk of this is paper money. The average life of silver certificate bill l is less than three years. Sometimes a
 dollar bill Is worked so hard that Il Iisn't able to weather the pocketbook storm more than year. This money 1 is redeemed by your bank. and in turr
 by the b-treasury. Then 1t is sent | to Washington to be destroyed. ano
 that is where the destruction commit
 tee comes in.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
ON AN rNTAGLIo HEAD OF WINERY.

By Thomas Bailey Aldrich. Beneath the warriors helm behold The flowing tresses of a woman! Minerva-Pallas-wha you will,-- A winsome creature. Greek or Ro-
 man. Minerva? No. 'tis some sly minx In cousins helmet masquerading; If not, then Wisdom was a dams For sonnets and for serenading. thought the goddess cold. austere. Not made for loves despairs and
 blisses: Did Pallas wear her hair like that? Was wisdom's mouth so shaped for
 kisses? The nightingale should be her bird. And not the owl. big-eyed and sol
 emn: How very fresh she looks.-and yet She's older far than Trajan's Col
 umn! The magic hand that carved this face. And set this vine-work round 1t run Perhaps ere mighty Phidias wrought Had lost its subtle skill and cun-
 ming.
 Who was he? Was he glad or sad. Who knew to carve in such a fash ion? Perchance he 'graved the dainty head For some brown girl that scored his passion. o nameless brother. see how Time Your gracious handiwork has guarded: See how your loving. patient art Has come. at last, to be rewarded. Who would not suffer sights of men, And bangs of hopeless passion also, To have this carven agate-stone
 On such bosom rise and fall so'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
Power By the Wholesale

It seems to be beyond reasonable doubt that the mighty water power of Alabama rivers is to be turned to account The capital to be employed is English, and the headquarters of the company are located in Montreal, while the Alabama office will after October 1 be located in Birmingham. No local capital is needed. None has been invited. The English stockhold- CTS prefer to keep all the dividends for self division that may be earned.
 This is all right. Let the good work go on. It means the consumption of less coal in home establishments, and it points to tidewater outlets for our coal, for electrical energy cannot be put into the bunkers. Let no one fear that our coal will not be marketed. It will be. It will drive Pittsburg coal out of the south and West Virginia coal also.
 Our rivers should be harnessed un- til every bit of energy they possess is utilized, and this is saying a good deal, for the rivers of Alabama are not equalled in any other state. Ii is the river state of the Union.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
Kansas Electoral Tangle

Two justices of the supreme court heard the Kansas electoral muddle, and they decided to refer it to the entire court. It meets October II. But a district judge has been found in Denver who is seemingly ready to politicate, Judge Frank Sanborn. He has been asked to enjoin the secre- tary of state of Kansas from certify ing to the county clerks of Kansas the names of the eight duly nominated candidates for electors who have de- clared that they will, if elected, vote for Theodore Roosevelt because Taft and Sherman were nominated "by fraud" and are not therefore the regular" nominees of the republican party.
 Judge Sanborn may issue an in junction. He probably will. He is no doubt built that way. But an injunc- tion can be appealed, and it is not easy to see how the reactionaries of Kansas can regain their rights under Sanborn injunction in time to vote in November.
 As matters stand they are disfran- chised. They are not numerous enough to carry the state, and there is real ly nothing at issue except individual rights. The way to secure them in all safety lies in a reform of the electoral system of the federal con stitution, It should have been changed hundred years ago, but one hundred years ago the plain peo- pie were distrusted and had few political rights.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
MAKING HUNCHBACKs STRAIGHT

From the New I ork WOrld.
 Potts disease. or decay of the spine which makes it's victim hunchbacke ed has been conquered at last. 1t is con fidently believed. Within the next few days five patients, three boys and two girls, ranging from to years old will be taken back to their homes from the Sea Breeze hospital, Coney Island, completely cured.
 These children have been patients in the hospital for about 14 months and for the last few months have been playing about in the sand and bath ing in the salt water just like other youngsters.
 The patients were treated for tuber- culosis of the spine in way very diff ferent from that in use before. The operations were performed by Dr. Frederick H. Albee, of 125 West Fifty eighth street. Manhattan. who is on the staff of Roosevelt, Post-Graduate and Bellevue hospitals. Dr. Albee has done away with the use of the plaster of paris cast. Instead of inserting d piece of metal in the place from which 1 broken pieces of the vertebrae are re-
 moved he gratis there a bit of the pa 1 tient's shinbone.
 1 After the operation the patient Is
 confined to bed for five or six weeks
 during which time the splinter knits firmly with the vertebrae and forms a bony ridge where the vertebrae has been eaten away by the disease When | the patient Is well enough treatment
 by exposing the affected parts te the
 sun is begun.
 This method of curing Potts dis. ! ease has been adopted in Johns Hop kins hospital Baltimore. and physi
 clans in institutions all over the coun
 try are becoming interested.
 The Sea Breeze hospital Is con ducted by the New York Association for Improving the Condition of th' |
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04

| From the Louisville Courier Journal | The name Parsee is derived from
 the word Persia, and yet more than l half the Parsees In the world re- side in Bombay. India. This is because
 when the Mohammedans invaded Per sia multitudes preferred exile to the
 loss Of their creed. It is supposed that
 there are now about 100000 Parsees in
 the world, and nearly all of them are in India, Bombay alone containing above 50,000 of them. At sunrise and
 at sunset multitudes of them may be
 seen on the esplanade, engaged in wor- ship. Whether or not they worship the sun is in dispute. Many contend that
 they worship the Creator under the symbol of the sun.
 They always expose their dead to the ! sun under the open heavens. West of
 Bombay on Malabar Hill the Parsees
 have their Towers of Silence seven in number. They are hollow, round, per | pendicular structures, about 200 feet | in diameter and 25 feet in height. Two 1 feet or so from the top, on the in- 1 side, is a metallic roof. slanting down. ward toward the center, where there Is | an opening through 1t about IS inches l In diameter. Ridges are raised over the roof at proper intervals, forming small sections. each designed for dead body While in one sense the dead are exposed to the sun, yet in fact they are consumed by vultures. When the
 bones are stripped they are dropped
 through the opening at the center and fall Into we'll or pit. One tower is
 used for specified time and then an- other, and so on. giving time for the | bones to decay.
 Vultures long have been attracted to the vicinity in such vast number | that bodies are quickly dispatched. | They are ever lowering oyer the place, ready to begin their work the moment a body is left. It is said the birds are so numerous and so voracious that the bones of corpse are cleaned in two | hours time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
The Business Situation

The wave of prosperity that is now in evidence is based largely on the favorable crop conditions. Had the crops been very poor, business condi- tions would have been far from buoyant.
 Enormous crops of wheat and corn have been produced this year, and the cotton crop which was so unpromising early in tn, summer will be, from present appearances, next to the larg- est ever picked in the south.
 The railroads are being supplied with new equipment, but the car builders cannot deliver new freight cars fast enough. The cry of car shortage will soon go up all over the country. In view of the large crops to be moved the money market will probably be extremely tight during October and November During the period of dullness the bankers in vested much of their surplus in state bonds and in railroad negotiable notes. Few bankers anticipated any. thing like the commercial demand fol money that is now felt or in pros pect. Many enterprising concerns vii have to wait little while, therefore befors they can get all the capita
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
Wilson Gaining Strength

q am no political prophet, but l have an idea that Wilson will carry Illinois in November said w. l.. Grafton of Chi- cago.
 "Wilson may be unpopular with some of the foreign element of Chicago. but l am told that he is remarkably strong throughout the state. Illinois being nor mally republican, however, the only way he could capture the electoral vote would be because of the split in the repub- lican party. Taft and Roosevelt both have great deal of following in Illinois The bun moose people would rather see Wilson elected than Taft and I know the Taft people would rather help Wilson than Roosevelt.
 "Col. Henry Watterson of Louisville puts Illinois 20 votes in the democratic column, but even if had never seen esti- mates of political observers 1 would think
 it safe to say that Illinois would go dem ocratic this year"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
England Is Bluffjng

There is no such thing as compulso- sy arbitration. The one side may de- mand arbitration and the other side may refuse it. True, President Taft did advocate universal arbitration, but he anticipated a court composed of citizens from the two countries interested in question. The present court at The Hague is not made up in that way. It is packed with Europeans, all of whom would natur- ally take the English view of the Panama canal case.
 President Taft will be very apt to stand by his convictions. He will be very apt to reject the arbitration proposition and the country will sup port him in that position. The east ern newspapers will not, but they do not represent the public sentiment of 90,000,0 of people.
 No trouble, no war, no complica- tions, could arise from any demand of the English government for arbitra- tion. The entire matter will be ad- justed in a diplomatic manner, and in the end we will control the ca nal we have built and paid for, and through it we will send toll-free our coastwise trade. It is our canal, and there is not cent of English capital invested in it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
Intelligent Farming

"The souths wonderful progress in agriculture is due largely to educa- tion." said an old observer who was at one time fairly successful farmer.
 "The technilogical schools have been doing a most helpful work in agricui- tural chemistry. There has been par ticularly good work in this department during the past five or six years. The Alabama Polytechnic institute at Au- burn has done. and is doing, splendid work for the farmers and for others Tn various lines of technical training.
 T have heard several highly intelli- gent farmers of the old school give 1t as their opinion that there was sucn
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
BENNETT ON COLLEGE FOOTB

Writing in Harper's- for September, Ar hold Bennett gives his impressions of a college football game and criticises the practice of using substitute players as part of our American passion for getting results.
 At a signal the mimic battle began. And in a moment occurred the first cas- ualty-most grave of series of casual ties. A pale hero, with useless limb,
 was led off the field amid loud cheers. Then it was that l became aware of some dozens of supplementary heroes shivering beneath brilliant blankets under the lee of the stands. In this species of football every casualty was forseen, and the rules allowed it to be repaired. Not two teams, but two regiments, were, in fact, fighting And my European ideal of sport was of- tended.
 Was it possible that a team could De permitted to replace a wounded man by another, and so on ad infinitum? Was it possible that a team need not abide by it's misfortunes? Well, it was! l did not like this It seemed to me that the or ganizers forgetting that this was mimic battle, had made it into real battle; and that here was an imperfect apprecia-
 ton of what strictly amateur sport is. The desire to win, laudabe and essential in itself, may be excessive indulgence be- come a morbid obsession. Surely thought. and still think, the means ought to suit the end. An enthusiast for American or ganization, I was nevertheless forced to conclude that here organization is being carried too far, outraging the sense of proportion and of general fitness. r or me such organization disclosed even a mis- apprehension as to the principal aim and purpose of a university. If ever the
 fate of the republic should depend on the result of football matches, then such or ganization would be justifable, and courses of intellectual study might proper ly be suppressed. Until that dread hour, would be inclined to dwell heavily on the admitted fact that football match is not Waterloo but simply a transient game in which two sets of youngsters pumb
 up against one another in opposite en- deavors to put bouncing toy on two diff ferent spots of the earth's surface. inc
 ultimate location of the inflated bauble will not affect the national destiny, and such moral value as the game has will not be increased but diminished by any en- largement of organization. After all, if the brains of the world gave themselves exclusively to football matches, the ef- ficiency of football matches would be inn mensely improved-but what then? . '. I seemed to behold on this field the Amer ican passion for getting results'-which
 I admire very much; but 1t occurred to
 me that that passion, with its eyes fixed hungrily the result it wants, may sometimes fail to see that 1t Is getting | a number of other results which it em- | phatically doesn't want"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
STRANGE BUT TRUE.

Behold the busy candidate,
 At whom the people stare; The country's plight to contemplate
 Is more than he can bear. That's why he calls on you and me
 Our native land to save, By helping him, who seems to be
 The bravest of the brave. A dauntless patriot who fain
 The nations wrongs would right, He travels in a special train
 And speaks from morn to night Yet, strange to say, when fell defeat Has wiped him from the map, Our land doth no reverses meet
 And suffers no mishap.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 Girls never say thing they don mean unless they mean 1t.
 Men seem to get hated more for their virtues than despised for their vices.
 The greatest danger in having mill lion dollars Is trying to make 1t two millions.
 A man with a toothache isn't wor- rying over what party Is going to get hold of the government. |, Is better to have a very meek ann bition you can support than a very aold enc you can go bankrupt on.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-04
DILBY,S WAY.

"Is Dilby person who views with alarm. or does he point with pride?.'
 That depends on whether Dilby is de- tailing his own perfections or naming the flaws in a neighbours character"