davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
MIR. HARTs STATEMENT.

In the spirit OF entire cooperation
with Commissioner Harris published
purpose TO clean up the city. and. re
sponsive TO his invitation for informa
tion az TO violations. The Argus on
another page lays before Commits.
sioner Hart facts that may be OF value
20 him.
Regardless Of whether Mr.. Hart Is
fe!gning or sincere. The Argus meets
him thus far. and in the same connec-
ton IL may be added tenders him the
support OF this paper TO the utmost in
carrying out any program he may
wish to enforce. But il insists that he
nail up the notorious dives once and
for all time.
In view OF the fact that Commits
sioner Hart has given out promises Of
good intention many times in the past,
his latest manifesto is not taken ser
5ously by the majority OF people. II
has not the punch in II that carries
the assurance OF meaning business.
and yet The Argus Is not disposed 20
beIittie him in the least II IL with
him IL ne is in earnest. L. proposes to
force him II he il not.
AFFECT weakness IS manifest in the
invitation for information, such as
should be in the possession Of the
police. and which The Argus believes
ID In the possession OF the police. II
would be a Islander upon Commissioner
Hart and his men 10 indulge any con
lention on the subject. II would be
reflection upon their proves and
proof positive OF their inefhciency. SO
why entertain the idea?
Z That the people should imperil their
lives in the accumulation Of evidence
such as Commissioner Hart suggests
10 as preposterous as g. f. absurd.
What are the police for. naturally asks
the average citizen. 4 - not TO raid
the dives. rid the community OF undo
sIrab!ss and disreputables and keep .
the city clean?
As has been cOntended In The Argus .
the citizenship cannot escape respOn-
sIbiIity for prevailing conditions. but F.
that responsibility can be exercised f.
IN a healthy. well directed pubic sen
timent forcibly expressed and eNer-
cfsed. Indifference and cOwardice viii .
not remedy an intOlerable state OF
affairs
Ru- the commissioner OF police can
u shirk or side step his duty. be
cause he f. not only morally respon-
sIble but oath bound and paid 10 do
bis duty.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Capital Comment
BY CLYDE n. TAVENNER
CONGRESSMAN from the Fourteenth District.

I parties with the idea of determining
the character OF work on the roadoeds
This ground-plan survey, said
| Judge Prouty, will describe the cuts
| fills, grades, etc, giving measure
ments in detail so that 1t will be pos
sible to calculate exactly what actu
ally has been done to bling the WORK
TO its present status Bridges viii
be measured and described, so that
when the work is done we will be
able to tell the physical facts about
every mile OF road-how much has
been made, how much fill, what kind
OF material has been used. what kind
OF ballast and how much, and Gil such
physical facts"
Thus when later the commission is
trying TO arrive at a correct valuation
il need only TO turn its own records
TO know the character of road that has
been built
Another enormous task which the
commission is preparing to start at
once is that of writing the corporate
history of every railroad in the United
States. This history was expressly
authorized by congress in the enabling
act. The search of court, legislative
and railroad records will take the
investigators back as years to the be-
ginnings of railroad building In the
United States. The method OF financ-
ing the first narrow-guage spurs must
be learned, If possible, and the finan-
cial history traced all the way up
through the consolidation and ABSORB
ton of railroads into the systems We
know today.
To give this work form, Judge
Prouty has adopted the expedient of
naming a number of specimen rail-
roads OF comparatively recent con-
struction and having their histories
worked up as models to follow in the
work of compiling the facts connected
with the larger and older systems.
For this purpose the group of models
includes the San Pedro, Los Angeles
& Salt Lake, in the far west; the Nor
folk & Southern in the east; the
Atlanta & Atlantic in the
south, and the Kansas City Southern
or the Iron Mountain in the middle
west.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

He worried when the days were fair
Because they could not lasr:
BE worried when the boughs were bare
And skies were overcast;
When ali the orchards were abloom
And all the hills were green
He sadly shook his head and said
That frosts would surely come TO spreao
A blight DER all the scene.
He worried when mild breezes blew.
And spoke OF coming storms;
He worried when his cares were few
And when they came in swarms;
He worried when his health was good.
And dreaded future ills;
He worried when the sun was low
And when the mornings splendid glow
Was bright upon the hills.
He worried when his friends were kind,
And, doubling. shook his head:
They've axes that they wish TO grind"
He skeptically said
His days are done, but II he has
A home within the sky.
He probably is in despair
Because the harp he fingers there
VIII wear out by and by.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
DO NOT HANG A WOMAN.

on the 4th OF March next, II the
sentence of the court Is carried out, q
woman will be hung in Connecticut
sor the first time since the state has
had a constitution. She IS Mrs. Bes-
sic Wakefield and she was convicted
OF aiding and abetting her lover. James
Plew. in numbering her husband. The
actual killing was done by the man.
the woman taking no active part in
the murder. but, of course, as she
consented 10 the crime she is morally
as guilty as her lover.
No one Will contend that she does
not deserve punishment but she should
not be Gibbeted 10 death. II is bad
enough 10 hang a man but to end a
woman's existence on the scaffold is
barbarous.
When the law takes a human life It
IS not alone to punish but to deter
others. No example that can be pro-
ductive OF good results can be set by
hanging a woman
While executions are demanded in
some states IL seems that the line
should be drawn on women. To hang
a man Is revolving. To end a woman's
lie in this brutal fashion IS cruel as
well as horrible
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

thousands Of men and the expenditure
Of thousands of dollars.
One OF the first things 10 be deter
mined is just exactly what and where
the railroad property is. II is a sur
prising fact that the railroads them
selves are unable 70 furnish this in
formation. In a general way they
have inventories of their systems. but
few OF them are able TO show detailed
plats OF their properties. showing
what they own and where il is.
AS a result Uncle Sam. under Judge
Prouty's direction, is about TO send
out $50 surveying parties-a total of
about 1900 men-to take the railroad
inventory and draw the first detailed
railroad map of the United States.
These parties will travel in special
cars fitted up to be working offices.
They will systematically covcr the
entire country, securing accurate de-
scriptions OF every foot of real estate
owned by railroads, structures which
have been built, and the like. Every
foot of the right of way will be in
spected by the engineers with these
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

IS no quality of which this can be
said. That genius is not hereditary is
known. Even talent is not. Nor is any
aptitude. lawyers son more often
wants TO be a soldier or an artist than
a lawyer. Notwithstanding the environ.
ment, and il is so with most profes-
sions. The exceptions seem 10 be due
TO training and influence, not to hered-
itary transmission.
4 superficial likeness to parents
seems hereditary, but that is all that
We can assert, and that outward like
ness by no means infers an inward
likeness. There is nothing so easy and
nothing so fatal as this tendency TO
attribute TO heredity what is due to
training or want of training 1t ex-
Cuses supineness in governments and
professionals. Fielding Hall in At
lantic Monthly.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
The Daily Story
GUSTAV scHREIBERs MUSIC Box-BY F. A. mitchell.
Literary Bureau

In a Swiss chalet looking out or
Lake Leman, directly below, and or
Mont Blanc, in the distance. lived q
musical instrument maker. His work
shop was near his house. and all day
he worked at making those little me
chanical contrivances in which steel
prongs are made to discourse melodies
by means OF a revolving cylinder.
Gustav Schneider gradually increased
| the size and scope Of his instruments,
constantly endeavoring to make a bet
ter one than any he had yet made, and
when he had done so setting out again
TO make a still more exact one. In
this he displayed a human trait which,
when kept within bounds, Is valuable
one. but which uncontrolled is liable
TO produce bad results
Schneider in his old age set about
making a music box which was to be
far more wonderful than any he had
different melodies. Each melody was
to be a gem and be rendered with a
sweetness, n strength or a rapture
equal to that of a human being. In
order to accomplish this he must have
the pieces he used played by a
musician whose touch, expression-in-
deed. all those qualities that go to
make up perfection in music-were Of
the highest order.
The old man found such a one in his
daughter, Hilda. She was noted far and
wide for her rendering of all kinds of
music, from that portraying a cascade
to that descriptive of the storm wind.
Schrieber kept Hilda playing for him,
first trying to produce in his box deli
cate airs, and, failing in this, he tried
different kinds, hoping to succeed bet
Ter in one kind than another; but,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

this matter, but I wanted you to
know that the people are back of
you
i YOURS FOR LAW AND ORDER
The Argus does not make a prac
tice OF publishing anonymous com.
munications. No creditable news
( paper does. unless for some specific
purpose. And this one is published
for specific purpose. Numerous
I signed letters come TO the desk Of an
editor daily. some designed for pub
LEGATION and some equally as valuable
and welcome are not intended for pub
LEGATION They are signed nevertlIe-
+ less. and all such letters The Argus
is glad TO receive. and TO respect the
condolences reposed, regardless of
what may be the occasion
The specific purpose in publishing
the anonymous communication in this
instance is 10 exhibit the contrast
with Mr. Walkers. manly letter. The
one is from a fearless man. who is
not only ready 10 cheer, but ready
TO fight The other is from a coward
who wants somebody else TO do the
fighting. while he reaps the benefit
Being business man" he cannot be
known in this matter" Yet he signs
himself Law and Order" What a
commentary on the business man. take
him as a class. il would be IL this
man was a type. Thank heavens,
however. the Rock Island business
men are not Of this stripe. If they
were the town would soon go TO the
dogs. The business men OF Rock Is
land would be quick 10 resent, and
quite properly too. any such aspersion
II applied to them as a class.
Men OF the stamp represented by
Law and Order in this instance, are
a detriment to the community and
as much an evil as the public official
who winks at crime. One is tolerant
because it gets him money; the other
hides in the background because he
Is afraid he viii lose money. The pity
OF IL all Is that The Argus has not
the name OF the writer OF the letter
in question that II might give him
full publicity so he could confine
his trade 10 the element he stands in
dread OF while decent people shun his
place OF business. The man who can
not let il be known ne stands for the
right because of business reasons is
of no use in any community. and he
ISLANDERS the average business man
with his excuses.
The fact that the newspaper he
would urge on with hypocritical praise
IS perhaps as important a business
Institution as there is in town, has
not entered his mind. All that and /
more does not concern him so long
as he IS not known.
III would fare the city dominated by |
men OF this stripe. and If the time
shall come when Rock Island business .
men, in common with other citizens. {
are called to the front in the cause of .
civic decency, The Argus believes they
will all be there-except. perhaps. this
lonely individual, whoever he is.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

though he secured some remarkable re-
suits. still there was something in Hill
da's rendition of every piece that he
could not reproduce mechanically. So
fretted did the girl become that at last
her power of expression deserted her
! and her music, instead of partaking of
human feeling, became mechanical like
the airs rendered by the box. Then the
old man began to curse and swear at
| her, and at last, Selling her violin.
| brought it down on an iron lathe and
broke it in pieces. Hilda fed to the
| house, where her sobs and cries reach
! ed the neighbors, one of whom, a wo-
| man, cried out:
! THE devil take old Schreiber's music
! box, He will drive poor Hilda into bed
/ lam"
Schneider heard the woman say, The
devil take old Schreiber's music boxw
and she had scarcely spoken the words
when his gate clicked and, looking out
through the open door, he saw man
walking up the steep path that led to
the shop with a step as light as If he
had wings at his ankles.
The stranger came straight up to
Schneider and with a smile-a singular
smile. Schneider thought-bade him
good morning and said that he would
like to buy one of his music boxes.
Schneider. making an effort to throw
off his trouble, showed the man all the
boxes in the shop, making each one
play Il. tune. but none OF them was
good enough for the would be pur-
chaser. At last the latter asked about
the box under process Of construction,
and this led to his getting the whole
story from~the maker.
The stranger examined the box care |
fully. then said:
You have an excellent mechanism |
here and should succeed in making !
what you have attempted. l am quite |
sure that can do what you have fail |
ed TO accomplish"
"You. Are you a mechanic?"
'Iam."
VERY well. Take the box and -
with IL wnat you like. / have had .
enough of it,
My dear fellow. do you suppose
would take something for nothing? /
That is a human business trait which !
Is beneath me. But I'll tell you what
will do. I viii complete your music /
box for you. and when it is finished 1t
shall belong 90 you"
THAT is very kind Of you. Where
will you do your work on it?'
Right here, where the tools are
handy"
VIII you work all day."
II shall work when the spirit moves
me. A man cannot write poetry when !
l. I.
monies when he is asleep. ] may work
in the morning or the evening or at
the dead OF night 1t does not eoucer"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Alack!

why are you so gloomy" asked
the mans friend You ought to be
cheerful. Here you have been shot at
by a jealous husband who mistook you
for another man and you have escaped
without a scratch because the bullet
was stopped by your pocket Bible, CIV
en- to you by your mother. You're
mighty lucky, II seems to me-"
Yes, but l have no stunt Of any
kind, so there's no chance for me to
take advantage of the advertising I've
got"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

Under forest regulations in Colon
bia, rubber gatherers are required to
give the trees a rest period in tapping
them for gum. The size, number and
location OF the missions are regulated
by law. In the United States similar
regulations are in force in the tapping
Of pines for tUrpentine on the Florida
national forest
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Remarkable.

"One of the astronomers claims that
he has charted $4,000 new worlds"
by George, it's remarkable"
Not so very when you consider the
fact that he has had the use of the
largest telescope in the world
Il wasn't thinking of that. What
consider strange is that, with so many
other worlds in existence. the lady
who is acting as stepmother for my
children had TO light on this enc"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
u,ckINs ~ THE rTE>s.

Out OF numerous letters The Argus
has received commencing its course
an dealing with conditions In Rock Is
land. the two which appear here are
selected for publication a. indicating
the differences in the dispositions III
men, or perhaps IL might better be
said a. illustrating the contrast be
tween a man and a coward. The first
"a from a man who believes In deeds
Ms we'll a. words and f. the kind Of
a citizen The Argus likes 10 hear
from. Il reads:
Rock Island. Nov 1a.-Editor
The Argus: VIII you permit me
TO express my pleasure with the
strong editorials that are appear
ing in your paper auent the de-
plorable lack OF law enforcement
in this city? Such editorials GER
tainIy must meet with the ap-
prevail OF every lover OF decency
and law in the community. Please
keep up the good work and ! am
sure in time there viii rally 20
YOUR support some men with nerve
enough TO come out and night IN
the open for decency-
! wish TO say that ] am willing
and DESTROYS OF helping in
cleanup" in any way I can. With
any group OF representative men
1 am willing 70 fight openly on any
feasible system OF housecleaning-
You have my permission 20 use
my name or publish this letter II
you SEQ it
Very truly
WILLIAM VI. WALKER.
The second IS very sweet in tone,
but IL Is not written by a courage
Gus man. He may desire 20 see a
better standard OF morals in Rock T,
Island, but he cannot AFFORD" TO help 4
bring about that ideal The Argus 1
does not care to have any more let 1
lers OF this style:
Rock Island. Nov. I2-Editor
The Argus: You are surely do
ing good work for a better city
and desire 10 congratulate you
and wish you success Conditions
are certainly deplorable in Rock
Island and / sincerely hope some
thing may be done 20 bring the
members OF the commission TO a
realizing sense that the people are
aroused Being a business man.
! OF course cannot be known in !
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

States Is now
fairly under way.
The exact methods
to be used in
striking the final
estimates have not
yet been deter
mined upon by the
interstate co M
merce commission,
but the prelimin-
airy work, which
must be done in
any case has start
ed. Judge Charles
A. Prouty, who re-
signed from the
commission in or
der to take charge
of the great work,
is now on the job,
and is laying plans
which call for the
employment of
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

We II, h e 8
b e q n [ al II &
about me behind
my back"
What has he
said ABOUT you ?"
He told one of
m Y " a r M e S t
friends that he re-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
HUMAN HEREDlTY.
II Is Confined, So II Is Asserted. to
Likeness 70 Parents.

Likeness 10 Parents.
There are few subjects on which so
much scientific" nonsense is talked
and written as on heredity. Not very
much is known of IL as regards plants,
less of animal and almost nothing as
regards humanity. To read books on
heredity. especially those OF the Eu-
genie society. is TO read a mass OF sup
positions and hazardous inductions
where most OF the facts are negative
and only the exceptions are positive.
The very meaning of hereditary" is
not understood. II any quality is truly
hereditary then IL is always hereditary
L never occurs except as the result OF
heredity. and II is constant-that is to
say. il invariably follows. But there
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
The Same ThIna.

Here is a good maxim for you, my
son; Never buy a pig in a poke"
Why not bring 1t up to date, dad,
and say Never make love to a girl
till you have seen her with her hat
OFF,"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Nov. IA in American
History.
History.

1927 Thomas Adds Emmett, Irish pa
triOt and brother Of the martyred
Robert Emmet. died: born 17G4
1928 Birth at Sandusky. o., OF Cen
eral James Birdseye Mcpherson.
commander Of the Army Of Tennes-
zee; killed before Atlanta, 1864.
1910-Jobn La Fargo. mural painter
and stained glass artist. died; born
1885.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
His Mistake.

Darling" he declared, I'm abso-
Iutely silly about you"
oh, you must be mistaken" she
sweetIy replied. 81 had heard before
you and I ever met that you were alb
soiutely silly"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Ear Far Music.

'what is that tune Jour daughter Is
playing:"
(which daughterT' aeked Mrs. Cum
rox IF IL is the older girl it's Liszts
Hungarian Rhapsody. and II it's toe
younger one it's Exercise 2T."-Wast-
tngton Star.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Art.

Are the wigstons people who seem
| to have any taste for the fine arts?"
81 should think they were. They
have the finest collection OF stems in
this town"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

garded me as a man of one idea
WAS that all he said?"
Wasn't that enough?"
"He might have gone further and
said that your one idea was yourself"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

1t has been suggested that guayacan
a very hard wood of Central America,
may furnish shuttle blocks to supple
ment dogwood and persimmOn, now
most used, and in danger OF becoming
exhausted.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
OIuIence.

what is your idea Of bappiness?"
ITO be able TO spend my own money
Just as II ! were going to turn in an
expense account when / got home"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

TERMS-Ten cents Per week by car
rssr, IN Rock Island
Complaints OF delivery service should
- made to the circulation department.
which should also be notified in every
instance where II IS desired 20 have
PAPER discontinued. as carriers have no
suthoTity IN the premises
All communications OF representative
character. political Or religious. must
nave real name attached for pubIlca-
Hon No such articles will be printed
over fictitious signatures.
Telephones IN all departments. Cen
trai Union. Rock Island 1s5. II45 and
R145.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
kstroioay for Today.

Do not ignore the promptings of
your conscience IN the forenoon. Very
unfavorable for pointing guns.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

Especial Correspondence Of The A>Suso
Washington, D. C, Nov. 12-That
gigantic task-the valution OF the
ESQ. 600 miles OF railroad in the United
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
Not as Bad as That.

Have you ever sold your vote:''
No. sir. The worst thing ever did
was 20 cheat a cripple"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
The Cure.

Louise Her husbands disease "a
plain lazness.-Julia-Wh does he
take for It? Observation-Disclosures
York Times
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

most dangerous forest fire periods in
the west are in middle and late sum-
mer. In the east they are in the spring
AID fall.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE.

"Why are you so bitter in your op-
position TO Burgess
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

The so-called Scotch pine is the prin-
cipal tree IN the Prussian forests. Its
wood is much like that of the yellow
pine OF the United States.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

Is there an invisible government in
Rock Island.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
THE ARGUS.

Published daily at 1924 Second ave-
hue. Rock Island. Ill Entered at the
postofice as second-class matter)
Week Island Member of the Associated
Press
I eY THE =. w. POTTER CO.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14
FOREST NOTES

to 20, an extra day is added to the
sessions, Monday, the 18th.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

Because OF the importance of for
estry. at the annual conservation con
gress in Washington, d. C., Nov. is
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-11-14

There is a flourishing forest school
in the Philippines. and IS men were
graduated with the class OF 1913.