davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
The Sulzer Case Before the Courts.

Gov. Sulzer's granting of pardon
to Robin, the bank wrecker, will take
into the courts the dual Governorship
muddle and compel judicial interpre-
tation OF the constitutional mandates
about which he and "Gov." Glynn have
been waging war. This course should
have been adopted Immediately after
the service of articles of impeachment
upon Mr.. Sulzer. ...
Such action at the beginning of the
strife would have left the Governor in
a much stronger position and would
have saved the State much confusion
and trouble. However, it is a good
thing that the matter can be adjudi-
Gated now. An appeal to the courts is
much better than this loose talk about
conspiracy and treason" as some of
the Governors friends are proclaiming
in their efforts to help his case.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Value of Naval War College.

Naval officers who wish to pass their
examination for promotion in the fu-
ture will have to satisfy the board
whether they have taken course Of
instruction at the War College, how
long such a course was, and how fully
the applicants took advantage of their
opportunities.
Secretary Daniels, who has issued
the above order, while not making at
tendance at the War College obligatory
as a condition of promotion, indicates
the importance he attaches to the
training afforded at the War College
by directing that the above inquiry be
made of all applicants for promotion
in the navy. In fact, ever since his
visit to the Naval War College al
Newport, R. l., Mr.. Daniels has advo-
Gated that larger numbers of navy Of
hcers attend, and in order to make such
attendance possible to all, has ordered
the establishment OF short courses in
addition to those already advanced.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Canada's Satisfactory Budget.

The receipts and expenditures oi
Canada for IoI2-I3 were a total OF
$I68, 68,6Sooo3. This is almost double
that of IooS-oo, so rapid has been ex-
tension of settlement and business.
The revenue from customs was $II1,-
76+6oS; from excise, S2I,447,444; from
postofice, $I2,o5I,7zS; from public
works and railways, $I3,158o77; from
the taxes on Chinese $1,7oo214 and
from miscellaneous sources $,477Sss.
For the five previous years the income
from these various sources was as fol-
lows: Ioo7-o& So6os45os; 10000,
$5,oo3,4o4; Iooo-Io $IoI, ,5os,7Io; 1910
II, $II7,7So,4oo, and 1oII-I2, $136, 6,Ios,-
2I7.
While there has been a, substantial
growth in revenue, there has also been
great increase in expenditure. Dur
ing IoI2-I3 administration expenses
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Audible Signals for Befogged Trains.

Steel cars are important, but they
are secondary. The important thing is
to prevent collisions. The two things
most essential are signals that can be
heard when they cannot be seen, and
enginemen and trainmen who under
stand that safety first is a rule OF
the company which no employe may
violate without suffering the penalty.
Yet we tare told that enginemen often
are held to such strict compliance
with time table requirements that they
are under moral pressure to take
large chances to make time"
At night reliance is on lights. Nav
igators know th,t lights will penetrate
fog only little distance, and it is
impossible to have the signal lights
along a railroad track as powerful as
those along the coast. Because the
lights cannot penetrate a fog far, the
coast also is guarded by fog horns and
bell buoys. If there is to be any radi-
cal change in the system of railroad
signaling, it must be in the direction
OF supplementing visual signals by
audible signals" This is of more i'm
portance than the substitution of one
sort of visual signal for another.
There have been often complaints
that signals cannot be seen. That was
the explanation of the collision in the
New York Central tunnel two dec
AIDES ago. We are told that there have
been cases where an engineer stopped
his train and climbed up the signal
post to feel the signal, or at least, to
see it at close range. Not all can or
will do this. Oftentimes they may not
even know that they were passing a
signal, because in the speed and fog
they did not observe the signal post.
Experiment should take the Direction
of audible signals. But there is another
thing that is more important than steel
cars or better signals. 1t is the dis
cip1ine of the trainmen and particu-
larly of the enginemen.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Postmasters Are Political Factors.

Why should there be such a struggle
over these fourth-class postmaster
ships? Because the men who fill the
places are the most important politi-
cal factors in their small communi-
ties.
The village postmaster, among the
thousands of Federal oficeholders, is
the one representative OF the govern
ment who is really near to the people.
His store, with its letter box behind
the counter, is the rendezvous for the
farmers of the neighborhood and the
people in the town. He is the village
oracle. The information which he
gathers goes to the county chairman
and then to the district chairman and
to his Congressman, if the latter is
of his political faith. He is not only
cog in the political wheel, but one
upon which much reliance is placed.
All of the party leaders in Congress
agree that it is a great asset to con-
troll the postmasterships. Possession
does not always guarantee victory-as
witness the result of the campaign last
year-but it must be remembered that
the postmasterships were really a
source of weakness to Mr.. Taft. A
very large number of the officials had
been appointed by President Nc
Kinley as long ago as 1896. President
Roosevelt did not displace them, and
President Taft continued them in of
fee. Even if they were only middle
aged men when appointed, they were
advanced considerably in years in 1912
There was a sentiment in many To-
calities that it was time for young
men to come to the front, and this
accounts, in some degree at least, for
the accessions to the Progressive par
ty. 1t would have been a great deal
better for Mr.. Taft's political well
fare if he had been less considerate.
As it was, the army Of Federal post
masters, instead of being bis youth
full, alert, enthusiastic and energetic
adherents were, largely, just the re-
verse. There will be new deal all
around if the Republicans ever get
back into power.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
The Fourth-Class Postmasters.

Around the heads of the fourth-class
postmasters, some 10000 in number, the
storm clouds are lowering.
Many years ago President Roose-
welt placed the fourth-class Offices in
New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana, and Illinois, and some other
States, under the protecting aegis of
the civil service law. President Taft,
when he knew that the Democrats
would win, placed all the fourth-class
poStmasters in the same category.
This meant, of course, that they were
not to be removed, whereupor the Re-
publicans were joyful and the Demo-
Gratis righteously indignant. If they
had dared, the Democrats would have
repealed the order, but they know that
there is a growing sentiment in this
country for divorcing the routine work
of the government from partisan pol
itics and so they decided to let the
order stand.
At the same time these Republican
postmasters might as we'll realize that
the end of their oficeholding days is
at hand. They are to be examined in
order to demonstrate their merit and
efficiency. There will, however, be a
list of eligibles, three in number, for
each postmastership. Suppose the Re-
publican incumbent passes at 60 and
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Should Postmasters Be Elected?

Realizing that 10000 postmasters,
scattered all over the country, are
a tremendous political agency which
should not be attached to any govern
mental department, it has been sug-
gested that postmasters, as we'll as
other officials, should be elected by the
people. This is the proposition con-
tained in an amendment to the Con-
stitution offered by Representative
Cullop of Indiana.
The power of the Presidential pat
ronage is already very great. 1t must
be curtailed in the future if it is not
to prove serious menace to free gov
ernment. One of the methods by
which this power can be checked is
to provide for the election of post
masters. The choice of each COM
munity could thus be expressed by a
majority of the voters and there is
no doubt that much could be said in
favor of the system. Certain it is
that the postofice department, which
is really a mammoth business institu-
ton, should not be allowed to degen-
crate into mere political engine, with
every postmaster selected merely upon
his record as party worker.
1t is liable to be long time, how
ever, before popular election of post
masters becomes a fixed fact In the
meantime, We have the spectacle of
rapid change in the personnel of the
postmasters, and we have the keowl-
edge that 10000 faithful and expect
ant Democrats are to come into their
reward.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Reward of Party Fidelity.

Nobody for moment questions the
justice or the wisdom of President
Wilson's action. There have been six
teen long years of lean and hungry
waiting on the part of the Democrats,
and the public crib looks mighty good
to them.
There are some Republicans-Repre-
sentative Madden of Illinois, for in
stance-who are bold enough to say
that to the victors belong the spoils.
They are perfectly willing to have the
Republicans turned out and their
places taken by loyal, hard-working
Democrats, because they expect the
political wheel to turn around, in
which event they will advocate that
the Democrats be made to walk the
plank-for postmasterships, like the
other offices. are regarded as rewards
for party fidelity. No administration
ought, OF course, to convert a great
business institution like the postal
service into a political agency, but this
has always been so, and is likely to
continue. Perhaps that is the reason
why there is such good politician at
the head of the Postofice Department
for Postmaster General Burleson and
Secretary Bryan are the two recog-
nized politicians of the Wilson Cabinet.
Hitchcock, it will be remembered, used
the postal machinery as an important
agency in the political game. 1t means
something when there are 10000 ap-
pointments to make And subordinate
to and ranking with these postmasters
are thousands upon thousands of let
ter carriers and rural delivery men
who circulate among the people,
veritable army of partisan workers.
No wonder that the Republicans are
going out and the Democrats are COM
ing in.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
BERLIN WANTS SPEED.
Measures Taken to Promote More
Rapid Traffic.

From Berlin Letter.
Ever since Berlin has started to rival
Paris and London as a center for tourist
attraction, the need has been felt for two
improvements quieter city and a more
speedy city. A year ago the last reform
was tried first, but it was discovered
that with a "speeding-up policy' in
vogue the noise increased. Then meas
ures were introduced to make the city
more quiet with the idea Of later speed
ing up the traffic.
During last spring police regulations
were enforced against street noises to
such good purpose that the Raiser's capi-
tai on the eve of his jubilee had become
a comparatively quiet town; and now the
'speeding-up" policy is put forward
again wiz a better prospect of success
and without increasing the city's noises
The pneumatically propelled express
letter can now make a journey of near
ly ten miles in a direct line, thanks to
the very latest prolongations of the pneu-
matlc tubes; the local center for horse
racing, the Astor or Autouil of Berlin
is now linked with the great hotels and
restaurants in the center by means of
both motor omnibus Gn this case a
"Luxus service. as handsome and COM
Portable and almost as rapid as a pri-
vate car. with daily papers available to
read, and all for sixpence) and under
ground electric service, and the author
tiles are promising that the other line
which VIII convey the cosmopolitan visi-
tors thither to the Olympic stadium in
1916 viii be one OF the most up-to-date
electric local lines in Europe
Then other parts Of the local railways
are daily expecting a beginning of the
work of electrifcation, while at the same
time the underground electric railway is
arranging to open three or four more
branches before the summer is ended,
thus putting the rather distant and pas
toral suburbs in direct communication
with the banking and business quarters.
The tramways system, for its part, has
determined to run double-decked cars in
order to cope more rapidly with the ever
growing throng that pours but of the
shops, stores. and warehouses at closing
hnIIr
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
RAILROAD PRESIDENTS
ny GEORGE FITCH,
Author of "At Good Old Siwash."

The railroad president is a victim of q
mans cruelty who has thus far beer
overlooked by the S. F. P. c. A
Railroad presidents are elected by rail-
road owners to run their railroads. They
would do this happily and with no trouble
at all il 1t were not for the populace.
The people will not let railroad presi-
dents alone Not content with being al
lowed to ride on the cars, they write him
letters when the trains are late and sue
him when he tries to run two trains past
each other on the same track and dis
members their relatives.
Once a railroad president was as pow
erfuI as a king, and when a city dis
pleased him he wiped it OF the time
table and let it wither away. He spent
his life careering gayiy over his road in
n private car while the fast mail stood
on a side track, and when a citizen came
to him, hat in hand, to ask him If he
might water a load of hogs which had
been a week en- route he got the cold
plutocratic stare and was deposited on
the sidewalk by the janitor.
All this is now changed. When rail-
road president issues an order to his
employees, Congress, looks it over and
tells him to forget it for about six months
and nine days. When he raises his rates,
he is told to go lie down, and when his
passenger trains run on the track, the
coroner's jury recommends that he be
held without bail and fed on straw.
When a railroad president rides on his
private car nowadays he has to take two
bushels of papers along with him for an
excuse. When he would play golf. he
has to address the farmers of Mary Jane
County on the benefits of subsoil plow-
ing, and II he should refuse to do so
they would murmur and complain and
stocks would go down half point when
rivar line got the business.
All the railroad president has to do
now is to work; and when he isn't work
ing he Is explaining things to the grand
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

were SII2,o5o537; public works and
railways subsidies were S4oS5,5o7, and
other special accounts amounted 10
S255,647, a total of SI44,456,353. But
there was a surplus of revenue over
all expenditure of S24,233,55o. In con-
sequence the public debt was reduced
by $25,6I7,S35.
Trade for 1913 is 10 per cent in ad-
vance OF that of last year. The most
noteworthy increase was in exports.
Domestic goods exported in June
amounted to S336Io425, as against
$eo,246,77o in June, 1912, the in
crease being $4,372,6S5, or IL per cent.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
THEPOLITICAL SITUATION

Woodrow Wilson, who has been
called the schoolmaster in politics,
knows something about the postmaster
in politics.
There are, altogether, some 10000
postofices in the United States, and,
consequently, the same number of
postmasters. Gradually, but surely, the
political complexion of this great army
of Federal employees is being changed.
Republicans are being replaced by
Democrats. Since the fourth of last
March, Just six months, President
Wilson has sent to the Senate the
names of 1860 Democratic postmas-
tiers. 1t is true that in very large
proportion of these changes there was
the legitimate reason of the expiration
of the Republican incumbent's term. 1t
is noticeable, however, that the post
masters of many large cities have re
signed Their places were too allur-
ing to the dominant party and they
had to step down and out. 1t may
also be a mere coincidence that there
has been much activity in naming post
masters in certain States, while other
States seem to have been neglected,
and that Senators from these States
occupy prominent positions in connec-
tion with pending or proposed legisla-
tion.
At any rate, President Wilson has
made nearly 1900 Democratic post
masters grow where none grew before.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

jury or an investigating committee of
Congress. He rises at ), and figures out
how to pare on SIS from his expense
without offending the Interstate Com
merce Commission. At 10 he asks the
Amalgamated Employees IL they would
prefer rocking chairs, or hammocks for
their MONDAY siestas. At night he
writes letters to dissatisfied customers.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Politicians Discuss the Facts.

All this comment is especially timely
because the status of these fourth
class postmasters occasioned a lively
political debate in the House last
week.
There was a good deal of open SYM
pathy with the position of Representa-
tive Bartlett of Georgia, who contend
ed, in an amendment which he Of
fered, that President Taft's order
should be repealed. The amendment,
however, was passed-frst, because
the Democrats did not want to go
upon record as opponents of the civil
service, and, second, because Demo-
Gratis are going to get the places, just
the same. As a matter of fact, they
ought to. Republicans went in after
Mckinley succeeded Cleveland, and it
is perfectly right and proper that they
should go out, now that the Demo
Gratis are again in power, The pity
is, however, that there has to be any
thing like subterfuge. 1t would be
a great deal better if Republicans could
be ousted and Democrats appointed
without any apology or make believe
During the debate it was directly
charged that it was the ultimate inten-
ton of the administration to appoint
Democrats as the result of so-called
examinations and the charge was not
denied. By the time the next Presi-
dental campaign rolls around it may
be taken for granted that the post
masters will form a solid Democratic
phalanx. There will not be enough
Republicans in Office to form a cor
poraPs guard.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

and after he has gone to bed he gets Ut
in the cold and apologize over the phone
to a lady in Oskaloosa because the HIS
p. m. local has not yet arrived. And the
next day he is fired by the directors. who
live in Europe. because he hasn't in
creased their dividends.
We would pity the railroad president
If he had only taught US anything about
the pity business when he was ''it' In
forty-five foot capitals.
Copyrighted by GeOIse Mathew AdamSl
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

but continuation of the old antagonism
between the Germans and the Irish.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

The conference committee will be ap-
pointed in few days, and then the real
work of making a tariff bill will begin.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

Word comes that a German sailor was
eaten by cannibals in the South Sea is
lands last month. But cannibaIs will Just
eat anything.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

FRITZ Scheff may be bankrupt, but she
probably consoles herself with refec-
tions of the good times she has had.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

There seems to be almost an epidemic
Of appendicitis at N:wport and there
are a good many other things at New
port that ought to be cut out.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

If the House had delayed the present
urgent deficiency bill just a little longer
they could have merged it into the next
one.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

The New Haven road is doing its best
to justify the opinion some people have
had of it for so long.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

Wonder what they are doing over IN the
Balkans these days?
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

Next thing you know these aeropIan.
lists win be doing a tango through the
air.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
ALITTLE NONSENSE.
THE OLD SONGS.

I'm fond OF annie Laurie"
To hear II is a boon.
Nobody in that song declares
That he's Zulu coon.
I still like "Oh, Susannah."
In fact, / always did.
Nobody in that song asserts
That she's a goo-goo kid.
I like the old-time ditties
And miss them with a pang.
While maybe slow, l liked, you know,
Their lack of gutter slang.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

originator of the slit skirt is a man. We
might have guessed II.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

So far as Indications go there are ne
standpat statesmen in Mexico.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

About the best thing that can be said
about most false hair is that it isn't
blue
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

1t will soon be time to revive the agi-
tation for debrutalized football.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

A portable machine has been pat
ented by a North Carolinian for cutting
leather belts or perforating them accu-
rately for splicing.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
just n Blind,

You pay your employees pretty good
wages"
Yes; but have a system of fines that
brings most of it back"
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

1t might be worse in Mexico. Their,
are no militant suffragists down there.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Wouldn't Do,

'T don't suppose women will ever wear
pockets"
NO; with these transparent clothes
everybody could see how much money a
girl had in her pocket, and no woman
would like that"
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

William Travers Jerome seems to have
a lifetime lob ahead of him.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

By the way. what became of the West
Virginia strike? Did they get it settled
or net7
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Just So.

'I like to see city employees busy all the
time"
Il prefer seeing the Fire Department
idle"
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Calm Oscillation.

II hear they are passIonately in love
with each other"
at might pass for passion in Boston.
They kiss each other with their eye
glasses on
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

Last call for the seashore trip.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
Publicity,

''Your trick dog bit me-"
We'll said the trainer, "even the dogs
in vaudeville realize the value OF pub
licity. That's better than having some
chorus girl shoot you, merely to get an
ad."
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

the Democratic applicant gets Is. Is
there any doubt that the Democrat
viii get the job? Not in the least
1t is a pretty piece of political Jug
glery, this legal eligibility list 1t en-
ables the letter of the civil service
law to be obeyed, while its spirit may
be unblushingly violated. Thus do the
postmasters continue to be the foot
balls of the politician.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
To Promote Peace

What Mexico needs is a Chautauuu
circuit.
The Washington herald., 1913-09-07
A Question.

Is goldenrod a blossom now
AS city folks concede?
Or is II, as the farmers vow,
An irritating weed?
, 1913-03-22
CAPTAIN SCOTS LAST MESSAGE.

In Captain SCOTS dinry Surgeon Atkinson
found the following, which is quoted YER
butim:-
Message TO The Public.
The causes Of this disaster are not due to-
faulty organization, but to misfortune in all
risks which had to be undertaken.
l. The loss Of pony transport in March,
1911, obliged me to start later than | had
intended and obliged the limits of stuff
transported to be narrowed.
2. The weather throughout the outward
journey, and especially the long gale in $50
South, stopped us.
3. The soft snow in the lower reaches Of
the Glacier again reduced the pace.
We fought these untoward events with q
will, and conquered; but it ate into our Prov
SONS reserve. Every detail of our food sup
plies, clothing, and depots made on the inte-
rior ice sheet and on that long stretch of 700
miles to the Pole and back worked ont to
perfection. The advance party wonld have
returned to the Glacier in fine form and with
II surplus of food but for the asi onisling fail
ure Of the man whom we had least expected