davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

w cialo--There is probably no
W more interesting specimen of
any kind of creature at large than a
new congressman. The new congress-
man Is In a class all by himself; he
stands out boldly the what-you-
|call-it of all eyes He recognizes that
he is in the limelight, but mistakes the
reason. He assumes that the well known
fact that he made sensational race
back in the sticks and was elected on
the issue of the eradication of the bum
BILE in bumbl e-bee is of national inter-
|est and when he sees a newspaper man
he loosens right up and tells Aim all
about II. oh, that cabinet members
would talk with the same free aban-
don and f1uency of new congressman.
If this were only the case We could get
into the first column, front page, big
black headlines every day.
When the new congressman leaves
home for Washington he could very
readily bring all he knows about great
national questions In his vest pocket
and not wear the vest But it would
take a double e-header of eight wheelers
and no big grades TO haul all he honest
ly believes he knows. He comes, nine
times out of ten, as q reformer; he has
made many promises and he feels the
weight of responsibility; he has not
fully decided when he makes his first
speech whether he'll wear Prince AL
bert coat and a black string tie. or
just ordinary human clothes. It's hard
for him to determine whether to use a
part of the same speech he made at
Smiths Mill, or the one he pulled at
the Pikeville courthouse. One thing is
sure, his mind is fully made up that
he will plunge at once into the reform
ing business and he begins the next
day after his arrival to look up things
that are badly in need of reforming.
He calls on the leaders and is a lit
tie panied when they don't kiss him.
He begins to entertain serious doubts
about the genuine ability of the leaders
next day when they meet him again and
call him Mr. Smith instead of Mr.. Jones
At first he can't make up his mind
whteher he will accept place on the
ways and means committee or the
judiciary; he rather fancies the judici-
ary inasmuch as he was a justice of the
peace back home and is in the directory
as lawyer"
He begins to get "hunch" that he
has been misinformed about many grave
questions before he has been in town a
week, and he begins to try to readjust
himself TO the true situation. When the
committee assignments are finally made
and he eagerly scans the personnel OF
the various important committees in the
morning papers the longer he reads
down the list the more pronounced be-
comes large lump somewhere in the
region of his stomach which rolls
around like a peevish hard boiled egg.
At last he comes to his name and finds
that he has been given the sixth place
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
No Civic Plan This Year

IT cannot be said that this city has
voted down civic plan to cost not u
pxceed 500 900 as an initial expendi-
E+ure. 1t has simply rescinded the seiec-
nion of George H. Miller as the city 5
scivic expert. 1t has really postponed
Ito times of easier public money the
marrying out of civic scheme.
The truth is, the city must nave a
l,arper income before it can have con-
keniently civic center or even CIVIC
lscheme without definite center. Inc
hncome of the city is limited by pro-
kision of the constitution, and then a
lgood round sunni is carried away to
knaintain rural schools in other coun-
lt;es and to build roads in this county.
Where is not enough revenue remain
ing in the city treasury to purchase
marks and to beautify a city that all
know is to be big one.
This is sincerely regrettable, but in
come must precede civic development.
The state needs a new constitution. 1t
hampers the growth and development
of the state in hundred ways. 1t is
out of date although it is only IL years
old. 1t is reactionary almost beyond
amendment. There is but one way to
treat it, and that way consists IN max
ing a new one to take it's place.
This city must wait until 1T has
core income. This fact stands out in
he action of the commissioners dis
missing the matter temporarily. We
eed civic expert, but the money is
slot in hand at the present time to pay
him, much less to carry out his ideas
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

President Taft, will probably be re-
quired to pass an examination pre-
scribed by Postmaster General Burle-
son before they will have life tenure
1t is understood that the presidential
postmasters will serve out their four
year terms. When the President is
ready to make an appointment he
will do it in most cases on the rec
concentrations of the Postmaster Gen.
eral and will waste no time in meet
ing the applicant and hearing "argu-
ment" in his own behalf
President Wilson has certainly
reached a new high record in dealing
with the office question. In former
administrations about one-fourth OF
the Presidents time was taken up in
hearing congressman in behalf OF this
or that applicant. President Wilson,
by his firm stand in keeping the ap-
plicant ard the old time spoils poll
tician at bay, has not only given him
self a longer lease on life-for there
could be nothing more wearing on
the nervous system than the onslaught
Of spoilsmen-but he has given him.
self time to study large questions of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
Officeseeking Clamor Minimized

+ President Wilson's administration
will be notable for many things and
one of the distinguishing features thus
far is the small heed given to office
seekers. A horde of hungry demo-
Gratis attended the Inauguration and
remained over in Washington hoping
to secure good federal positions.
In former administrations an army
of officeseekers remained in Wash
ington for many months after the
new President had taken hold. Those
who were hungry for plums- were
hopeful until the last plum was gone
Even Mr.. Cleveland, who was sin
cere civil service reformer, found
places for many of his friends and
those who were recommended by con-
eressional delegations.
President Wilson has made a few
appointments but fewer relatively
than any Of his predecessors. The
filling of offices as a political prop
osition seems to interest him not at
all. He has selected an able cabinet
and he has made 20 or more appoint
ments since then but the merit sys-
tenn is to be applied more and more,
especially to the postmasters of all
classes. The fourth class postmas-
ters themselves, now under civil serv-
We rules by an executive order Of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Regarding spring Trade

"There is a 1ull in general trade
throughout the country but the outlook
for May is exceedingly bright said
j. S. Haskins of Philadelphia. I'm Bir-
mingham and in most of the other
southern cities business is very aetlve
but in other sections of the country
dullnessfs expected at this time of the
year.
Birmingham I am told, has mad re-
markably brisk trade in the past ~
months. The last time I was here was
four years ago. Business was good then
but one can see at glance that II
is far better now. This city has made
amazing strides not only in population
but in its building improvements.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Turkey trotting and other dances with
afternoon tea are doomed to extinction III
hotels, dining rooms, cafes and restau-
rants IL Mayor Gaynor has his way, and
the restaurateurs along the Great White
way in New York are in despair over it.
Furthermore, the mayor does not propose
to stop with those places which are un-
der the jurisdiction of the bureau of IL
censes and the police department He de-
clared at city hall that he had been en-
gagged in drafting a bill which would be
sent to Albany some time within the cur
rent week to place all public dance halls
under the jurisdiction of the bureau of
licenses. No hotel with so rooms is now
required by the law to obtain a public
dance hall license in order to provide that
form Of amusement for its patrons Such
places, therefore, have been wholly ex-
empt from supervision on the part of the
police, and the mayor is convinced as the
result of his investigations that this policy
is not good one for city like New
York. When asked concerning the pro-
vision of his proposed BILL the mayor said
1t was designed to eliminate the so room
clause as applied to hotels and make all
places in which liquor was served subject
TO public dance hall licenses
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
IN THE CLUTCHES of THE SYSTEM

~ .@4s-
In the April American Magazine appears
1.-THE Diary of Cop which tells how
decent man is frequently turned into a
CRATER when he joins the police depart
ment. The writer of this diary was orig
inally a truck driver. He finally became
a captain in the police department. Fol-
lowing is an extract from his story:
My salary now is s2750 a year, and it
is good pay for man who was q truck
driver l could retire on half pay, and
me and Minnie and the kids could 30 to
the country and get along easy on 1t and
have a good time. | could even start a
little trucking business of my own on it,
But once you get so the politicians have
the goods ON you there is no backing out
You got to work with the system. They
come at you in roundabout way at f1rst
and then they get you and you can't be on
the level any more It amt any place for
a man who wants TO be honest the police
force amt"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
Income Taxes Here and Elsewhere

Income Taxes Here and Elsewhere
|. The line of taxation in the new in
come tax will be, it is said, $4,000, and
it is to be graduated tax, the mini
mum rate being l per cent, and the
maximum rate on incomes, say, OF
100000, may be a or 5 per cent.
Those best able to pay direct taxes to
aid the government will pay the tax
in this country and the people of small
means will pay none whatever. This
means that those who receive the most
protection from the government must
pay more than those who have little
property to be protected.
The exemptions from income taxa
ton in Europe are small. In England
only $3.50 is exempted in Prussia
$225, in Austria $113, and in Italy
$77.20. These countries need revenue
and all prefer direct taxation to in
direct tariff taxes, except possibly
Germany.
This country will be fully started to.
wards direct taxation when it passes
the new income tax bill, and the hope
is that it will be bill that will yielc
at least S100,000,000 a year, for this
would afford hope that the heavy tar
iff taxation of the past will be taken
off the cost of living.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
A Great Preacher

"rhe Rev. DR.. H. NJ. Edmunds, the
new pastor of the South Highland Pres
byterian church, is a great preacher'
said Capt. Jack Johnson last night.
'T am an Episcopalian but I went win
a Presbyterian friend to hear Dr. Ed
munds Sunday morning. I was delght-
ed and So was everyone else in the
large congregation. I talked with
many members of the South High
land Presbyterian church and all OF
them were unstinted in their praise OF
the new pastor
.'Dr. Edmunds preached about 20 min
utes and he held the close attention
of the congregation The preacher
manner was earnest and convincing
and everything he said was food Tor
thought. | have heard many nne
preachers and | think Birmingham Is
to be congratulated as well as the
South Highland PRESBYTERIAN churcn
on having DR.. Edmunds in the pastor
ate here"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
ABsENT-MINDED LOVER

From the Louisville Courier-Journal
An Arkansas paper reports that young
man drove two miles before he found
out that the girl had fallen out Of the
buggy. Hugging delusion is common
enough, but in the popular mind 1t is
not associated with moonlight meander-
ngs in a buggy. III.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
SONNET ON cHILLoN

BY Lord Byron.
Eternal spirit OF the ':hainless mind!
Brightest In dungeons, Liberty! thou art,
For there thy habitation is the heart
The heart which love of thee alone can
bind;
And when THY sons to letters are con-
signed
gloom
Their country conqucrs with their mar
tyrdom,
And Freedoms fame finds wings on every
wind.
Chillon! thy prison is 4 holy place,
And thy sad floor an altar-for twas
trod,
Until his very steps have left q trace
Worn, as II thy cold pavement were a
sod,
BY Bonivard!-May none those marks cf-
face!
For they appeal frDm tyranny to GOD.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
The secretary of Agriculture

at is understood that the United
States secretary of agriculture, David
f. Houston, will attend the next annual
Alabama State Land congress. which will
he held either in Montgomery or Bir-
mingham,'' said a prominent citizen.
'The land congress started off we'll in
Mobile last year and I am looking for
ward to the next meeting with great IN
terest. The exact time and the place
will be decided shortly, l suppose.
Secretary Wilson, during his long
service at the head of the agricultural
department. did very little touring; GER
tainly little or none in the south. dc
not recall a single southern trip that
he made, although he may have crossed
the Potomac on some special occasion
MIR Houston. the democratic secre-
tary of agriculture, is we'll known among
scholars. He is one of the great educa-
tors of this country. He may not know
as much about practical farming as
some men, but he has given much
thought to scientific agriculture and In
the course of a few months he will
doubtless prove to be the very man for
the high position he holds. Men who
have heard him speak tell me that he
is a most ging talker on his feet.
In fact. he enjoys the reputation of be-
ing an exceptionally fine speaker and
any address he makes in Alabama will
be widely circulated and widely read"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
A MODERN IDEA

From the New York Telegram.
Connecticut clergyman having learned
the tango and the turkey trot, will teach
the dances to his congregation. Prob
ably feels as the Salvation Army did
when adapting sacred words to secular
airs on the ground that 1t was no use
letting the devil have all the best tunes.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

The American Can company made last
year 1000, 600 common tin cans and sew
eral million cans not classed as 'com-
mon." A new use for the smaller cans has
been bound found by the savage tribes of
Africa, who make earrings of them. If
the 2.0O0,0Oo0O0 common cans that the COM
pany made last year were laid end to
end they would reach around the
world six times. Filled with the food
stuffs they usually contain and sold with
their contents for 10 cents apiece they
would bring s200o0.0OO. There is scarcely
anything made of tin that the company
does not manufacture. 1t produces more
than 1900 different kinds of articles. In
the United States the production of tin
cans has increased 200 per cent in the
last 10 years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
The Birmingham College Canvass

with the splendid start already maze
1t should be a comparatively easy mat
ter for the Methodists of the Birming'
ham district to bring the fund beine
raised for Birmingham college up to
s15c, ,0O0,' said a member of the Methoois'
church.
"a personal canvass of the MethS'
dists of the city will begin Sunday, Aprl
20. and continue all week, ending sun
day. April q. A fund of s250,0oo is to be
raised and if the Methodists of Birming'
ham subscribe s150,0Oo, the Methodists
of north Alabama will certainly make
liberal subscriptions When the fund
reaches, say, $2o0,O00 many citizens who
are not connected with the Methodist
church will doubtless be glad to join In
the movement and help in rounding ur
the full amount sought.
Birmingham college has great op-
portunity as an educational institution
and it has valuable acreage property in
side the city. What it needs is new
buildings and an endowment. Half OF
the 0,OO0 will be used for buildingS and
other improvements and half will be in
vested as a permanent endowment
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
Picture Of "Cousin ChawIe.r

From the Greensboro Watchman.
Why is it that the papers never print a
picture of Cousin Chawles" Lewis, the
head man of the allied whisky interests
He seems to be quite frequent and prom
inent visitor to Alabama. Never having
seen him, there are hosts of people who
would thank some of his newspaper
friends to give them the benefit of his
countenance in their papers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

From the Admission Star and Hot Blast.
Birmingham woman desires her sisters to
go armed If the women, too, over there
go to shooting, Mexico won't be in it
al all.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
PERENIAL COLE

From the New York Evening Sun.
The whistling clfigweri which arrived
from the Orinoco is dead, but we still
have Cole Blease, the ululating lulu OF
the Congaree. "a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Speaker Clark of the House of Represen-
tatives believes that certain changes
should be made in the rules of the House
SO as to expedite the transaction of pub
lie business. One of them is the use of
electrical voting machines, which would
enable the members of the House to cast
their votes In much quicker time than it
takes now. About 45 minutes was con-
sumed in each house roll call during the
last Congress, and with the increased
membership which will assemble on April
I, the length of time taken will be greater
Speaking of the subject, Speaker Clark
said: "A well guarded plan for ifistan-
taneous voting by electrical machinery, in
stead of the slow and tedious process of
a roll call would save much time Mr..
Garrett of Tennessee, member of the
rules committee, is trying, with the aid of
his conferees, to work out satisfactory
scheme
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Richmond boasts that it is to have the
tallest skyscraper in The south, % stories.
1t will have nothing on the Jefferson
building in this city. The latter is to
have % stories. Richmond should with
draw its boast.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Duncan D. Mclean, the contractor and
tunnel builder, now announces that he
would build a roadway tunnel under the
North river at cost OF Sc, 10000. This Of
fer was made by Bean following the an
nouncement last week By Engineer Davies
of the New Jersey Interstate Bridge and
Tunnel commission that 2 roadway tunnel
from New York to New Jersey would
cost from sl0Ooo,oOo 20 100000. Mclean
is the contractor who constructed the Har-
lem river tunnel, which he built in Sec
tions on land then tloated 1t to its pro-
posed position and sunk it. BY using this
method of tunnel construction, Mr.. Nc
Bean says, the lives of men which are
lost by working in a heavy air pressure
while boring under the river are saved.
Not only do / offer to build a road
way tunnel between New York and New
Jersey at the price l have stated" said
Mclean, but l offer TO build a passage
way that is almost IA feet wider than that
used as a basis by the commissions en-
gineers. My tunnel VIII be wide enough
to accommodate trolleys." He also de-
ciared that his plans called for stronger
and safer tube
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Cash registers were well advertised by
the Dayton flood at any rate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

The manufacture Of silk hats is deciin
ing. 1t will soon be a lost art.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
The Lure Of Checkers

From the Livingston southern Home.
Another reason that more splendid
minds are not heard from is that some
of us put enough gray matter into
checker game to conduct a serious enter
prise.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

No poor but honest nsan can afford t
be one of Uncle Sans ambassadors.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Among the other disappointments of
the President was the refusal of SAM"
his negro messenger. to leave Trenton for
the White House.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Illinois employed at the very end the OBJ
soletef way of selecting United States
senator's That pair is the last by the al
most repudiated method.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

The outbreak of cubists and futurists at
Chicago is but another affliction of the
middle west.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
ADVENTURES OF A BUNCOER

From "The Autobiography of Theatrical
Press Agent in the American Maga-
zine.
<<"wo blocks away from the hall
where we were rehearsing there
i was a shop which dealt in the
atrieal frames; that is, they made the
portable wood and glass affairs that in
close displays of portraits ard flashlights,
such as are found in every theatre lobby
during the show season. | bought of the
proprietor a fine set suitable for hotel,
theatre and window work. They con-
tanned pictures of the principals and scenes
in gorgeous musical comedy that had
gone broke in Pittsburg three weeks be-
fore. The owners had never paid for them
and / got the lot FOR $780, While the
name of the old show was being painted
out and that of ours slapped on, / hustled
around to a theatrical photographer and
purchased 10 dozen loose photographs of
good looking chorus girls. None of them
were in Our company, but that didn't mat
ter. AT an engraving plant l bought
an assortment of second hand electro
types of various faces and sizes, threw
them and the pictures in my trunk, or
dered the frames expressed to me at Rich
mond, caught the train and was off.
I'VE oponed to good business, and 1t
continued throughout our course down the
Atlantic coast to Florida. In the first
three weeks the profits were nearly 5000,
and had visions of finishing the season
with 5000 or $4,000 of my own in a bank.
safe deposit box, u stocking or some
other hiding place. About that time we
struck regions where the crops had been
poor, where, strikes had thrown thousands
out of work, or where floods had COM
more than II months in arrears. He ffirted
off with the remark, II haven't time."
This same fellow will find time to die
H. vxrill
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Philadelphia needs more revenue and
Mayor Blankenburg has laid two revenue
producing measures before the common
codncil. One provides for tax upon all
occupations except those CT farmers, and
the other is a tax of 81 on every $1,000
worth of goods manufactured in the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

As the baseball season approaches the
average office boy begins to compile his
list of excuses.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

This country will have to put up with
rich ambassadors until it is ready to pay
better salaries.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Ex-secretary of War Stimson has
passed from view, and even memory, and
no one desires to recall him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

Cricket is dull game largely because
no coca-cola bottles are thrown at the
umpire,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

The Balkan allies know that in unity
there is strength.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

! All sorts Of soft hats are worn betweei
the derby and the straw hat season.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

The men who work on the steel beams of
the skyscrapers deserve wages as nigh
as,the beams themselves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
Quc.tIons the Necc.sit y

From the Franklin Times.
The Birmingham Age-Herald is of the
opinion that Alabama's constitution is a
back number and should be made anew.
There is no question but what number
of amendments are needed, but We ques-
ton the necessity for u constitutional con-
vention at this time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07
suffragettes Waking Up

From the Ashland Progress.
Who would have thought of the suffra-
gette question getting mixed up with the
rext senatorial campaign in Alabama
Still such thing seems probable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

The Taft policies are to be carried out
on shutter
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-07

hIow many towards, whose hearts arc
all as false
IA stairs of snnd. wear yet upon their
cblns
rrhe beards of Hercules, and frownins
Mars;
hXbo. Inward search'd, have iivers whi'e
as milk. Merchant OF Nehice'