davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

lapse In Vienna, the bank failures in
Austria and America, the demand for
gold in Germany, the drain of gold from
London, the increase In the German war
chest, and in the gold reserve of the I'm
perial bank, and SO forth. If all this
happened from q mere temporary ap-
prehension of the possibility of a great
European war, what will happen when
it actually occurs? l will quote the
statement of Herr Won Glasenaph, acting
president of the Imperial bank of June
13, in the Reichstag that THE entire
credit foundation of our economic life
would be shattered by an outbreak of
war"
The loss of the German, Austrian and
Italian markets is the first cause men,
toned by Sir Robert Giffen as tending
to bring about financial confusion and
banking panic. He added that the stop
page and contraction would extend yet
further. the customers of all the ooun-
tries primarily affected being unable to
escape the effect of the losses of those
countries. The cominotion in the whole
banking world would be something quite
unexampled."
Such stoppage and contraction followed
by such financial confusion and possible
panic will obviously throw large num-
bers of working men out of work, wage
less, and thus greatly add to the food
caused will also add to the commerce
protection difficulty as everything tend
ing to panic will raise the rates of war
insurance, and the probability of our
tramp steamers. or q large portion of
them, being ordered by telegram to lie
up in port.
Directly war breaks out we shall lose
the following exports of manufactured or
partly manufactured goods. using the 1911
figures: To Germany, 957, 800 900 worth; to
Austria, 900 worth; to Italy G14.5OO-
WORTH total, 978,000,000
This works out to a rough monthly
average of about f6,500,000 worth.
which will require to be at once de-
flected.
This should not be very difficult IL
1t is properly thought out and ar
ranged beforehand but otherwise ii
will be difficult There will be plenty
of channels available, owing to the
loss by the triple alliance of the greater
part OF their own oversee trade, but
the question is how can we manage 1t
with the greatest rapidity and with
the least loss? We have 45 per cent of
the worlds carrying trade. which
should be great aid TO US in deflec-
ton.
Let us consider the German trade as
an example. The oversea export trade
Iof Germany is roughly 1900, ,O0O, 900 of
which 25 per cent, or f75,000, ,000, is
carried In British ships, all OF which
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

THINK 1t is only fair to credit Bulwer-
Lytton with ability to stand with
Thackeray, George Eliot, and Charles
Dickens in the world of fictitious ltera-
ture. although many of his critics deny
III him this distinction. His style is not
$50 popular as that of Thackerays. nor
lis he at home among the lowly, as is
dickens; but for analysis of the charac-
tiers of men and women he is easily their
|equal, while in acquaintance with the
world of aristocratic life and politics he is
their superior. His dramas, 1.-THE Lady
|of Lyons Money" and "Richelieu,"
are standard plays, and hold the stage as
successfully as do the masterpieces of
Goldsmith and Sheridan.
In the year 1858 Bulwer wrote MY
Novel" This is certainly one of his
Greatest works-the greatest, perhaps.
|This story abounds with the wisest OBJ
|servations, the closest analysis, and the
most subtle philosophy. The following
extracts are taken from its pages at
random.
CHARITY
''The case was perplexipg. Charity, like
a forward impudent baggage as she is, al
ways thrusting herself in the way, and
taking other peoples apples to make
her own pie, had defrauded Lenny of his
due, and now susceptibility, who looks
like shy, blush-faced, awkward Virtue
in her teens-but who nevertheless is al
ways engaged in picking the pockets of
her sisters, tried to filch from him his
lawful recompense,"
A GAME OF WHIST
Z 1.-THE strangest thing In the world is
the different way in which whist af-
fects the temper. 1t is no test of tenn
per. as some pretend-nct at ALL The
best tempered people in the world grow
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

drowned irrevocably at last And who is
sufficient for these things?
I.
1t is a question then whether modern
life is mirrored in modern literature. Let
us asks ourselves: What then is the
character of modern life?
/. submit that the most characteristic
mark of the modern world may best be
described as victorious adventure. We
have become romantic in our old age,
and out of the cooling ashes of the world 8
hearth have summoned an Odyssey an
Iliad, an Aeneid, an age of chivalry, and
all the splendors of the Spanish MAN,
Do you not see again the gentle knight
pricking o'er the plain, and Ulysses follow
ing with a Trojan's head, while the heroic
gentlemen who sought the Golden Fleece
are elbowed aside by a new sort of Argon-
auts? Where are brave keels of CO.
lumbus, the galleys of the Dons the pri-
/ vateers of Blake? They are here once
more in new and awful guise; the same
adventurous hearts are here, the same
rivalry, the same but far noble achieve
ments
Consider some of our physical ad-
ventures: We have charted all lands to
the poles, twin nations have wreathed
their banners at the ends of the earth
Only yesterday Russia picked up as an
unconsidered trifle 200 miles or so of Arc
tic lands, positive the last remnant the
Dealer had In stock. The highest noun
tains are being scaled by women as we'll
as men, the air is made an ocean, uphold
ing the fleets of Europe: continent speaks
to continent through the infinite night
and the cry of a wounded ship is answer
ed from a thousand miles away.
All the theories of physics are shattered
by chemist named Curie. a composite,
half woman and half man, but one chem.
ist The most elusive diseases are photo
graphed in the blood. and the adventurer
hastens on to shout that pain shall cease
and men dwell together free from COM
munity infection. Nations have Joined
the ranks of the seekers for well being;
and there is no secret so deep or so
shameful but 1t is being dragged to the
light that the generation to come may
be made sane and clean and strong. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

she should lose; so per cent, or f150.-
100000. is carried in German ships
most of which she should lose also, as
we stand across the gateway of her
trade; the other 25 per cent. or f75,-
100000, is carried in neutral ships
Perhaps with high freights she may
get enough of the scarce neutral ship
ping to carry another 10 per cent, or
f3o, 100000, making f1o0,o00,O00 in all
carried by neutral ships. She should
thus lose something about two-thirds
OF her sea-borne export trade. The
gap of f200,000 900 worth thus left in
the worlds commerce II will be for us
and for France, and for neutrals to
supply. Surely we ought to be able to
get enough of 1t to make up for the
Els. 100000 we shall lose in the TRIBE
Alliance markets.
Looking only at the import and ex-
port lists 1t would at first sight ap-
pear as IL our own home market de-
pleted of goods made in Germany"
could absorb great deal of our lost
exports to Germany. But it would in
reality be very unwise to rely upon
this because, for reasons previously
given, everything viii be in confusion
in this country, the home market
shrinking, buyers very scarce, etc.
etc. SO we must rely upon neutral
markets, not upon a shrinking home
market.
The food supply question is a ques-
ton OF price. AS long as our navy is
not defeated, food will come to sat
isfy our commercial demand at a price,
war price. That price will be prac-
tically famine price Those who can
afford to pay famine price will be
able to get 1t. those who can't won't
And those who cant" will include
about 100000 people. And those TO-
100000 people win not starve quietly
That is the whole matter In as small
nutshell as l can put 1t.
When considered a little further the
food supply question divides itself into
three parts:
/. The actual stock of food in the
country on the outbreak of war, its
replenishment and its price.
2 Measures for permanently increas-
Ing the available stocks of food at the
ports and on the land.
g. How to get the food actually
available in the country on the out
break OF war into the mouths of the
l0.0O0.000 who will not be able to pay
famine prices and thus prevent riots
and civil strife.
| give below details of the avail
able stocks of food I divide the stocks
into a and Il. A, those of months Cat
our present rather wasteful rate of
! consumption); B, those of weeks or
days:
A-Meat supply: If we kill one-third
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

THE HAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
"Of all the various articles of which
our male attire is composed. there IS
perhaps not one that has so much
character and expression as the top
covering. A neat and we'll brushed,
gentleman-like hat, put on with GER
tain air, gives a distinction and re-
spectability to the whole exterior,
whereas, a broken. squashed, higgle-
dy-piggledy sort of a hat would go
far toward Transforming the stateliest
gentleman who ever walked down Saint
James street into the ideal of ruffian-
ly scamp"
DUMB LIPS.
'Aristophanes, in his comedy of
Peace, insinuates a beautiful allegory
by only suffering that goddess. though
she is in fact his heroine, to appear as
mute. She takes care never to open
her lips. The shrewd Greek knew very
well that she would cease to be Peace,
If she once began to chatter. Where
fore, o. reader, If you ever find your
pump under the iron heel of another
mans boot, heaven grant that you may
hold your tongue and not make things
past all endurance and not make things
bawling out for an apology"
ANNOVANCES.
"At twilight we see thin, airy spectral
insects, all wing and nippers, lowering, as
if they could never pause, over some sui
len mephitic pool. Just SO, me thinks,
hover over Acheron such gnat like, noise
less soarers into gloomy air out of Sty-
gian deeps, as are the thought Of spirits
like Randall Leslie's. Wings have they,
but only the better to pounce down, draw
their nutriment from unguarded material
cuticles; and when just maddened, you
strike, and exulting exclaim: Caught,
by Jove,' wh-irr flies the diaphanous
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

seemed to have any pleasure In spend
ing, Pray. Mr.. Blank, will you answer
me one question? You are said to have
two millions, and you spend $500 a
year. In order to rest and enjoy. what
will content YOU? a little more an
swered the millionaire. That little
more is the handspring OF civiliza-
tion, Nobody ever gets it. 'Philus,' saith
a Latin writef, was not so rich as
Laeiius; Laelius was not so rich as
Scipio; scipio was not so ruch as
Crassus; and Crassus was not so rich
as he wished to be- IF John Bull were
once contented. Manchester might shut
up its mills. 1t is the little more that
makes a mere trifle of the national
debit Long life to it,"
HATE AND LOVE.
"In the good old days of our fore
fathers, when plain speaking and hard
blows were In fashion. when a man
had his heart at the tip of his tongue,
and four feet of sharp iron dangling
at his side. Hate played an important
part in the theatre of the world In
fact. when We read history. Hate
seems to have starred It on the stage.
But now where Is Hate? Who ever sees
its face? Is it that smiling, good tenn
Dered creature that presses you by the
hand so cordially, or that dignifiei
figure of state that calls you its Right
honorable friend? Is 1t that bowling,
grateful dependent? Is it that soft eyed
Amarylls? Ask not. guess not; YOU will
only know ii to be hate when the
poison is in your cup, or the poniard
i'm your breast. In the Gothic age grim
humor painted the Dance of Death
in our polished century, some sardonio
wit should give US the Masquerade OF
Hate Certainly the counter passion
betrays itself with ease to our gaze.
Love is rarely a hypoerite."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

from trouble, all the wise men who
have written in al the ages have re-
peated, with once voice, the words of
the wisest-eWhen goods increase they
are increased that eat them; and what
good is there to the owners thereof
saving the beholding them with their
eyes" And this, my brethren, may
teach US toleration and compassion for
the rich. The profane history of our
own country tells us that a princess
destined to be the greatest queen that
ever sat on this throne. envied the
milkmaid singing; and a profane poet
whose wisdom was only less than that
of the inspired writer's, represents the
man who by force and wit had risen
to be king, signing for the sleep
vouchsafed to the meanest of his sub
jects-all bearing on the words of the
son of David, The sleep of the labor
ing man is sweet, whether he eat lit
tie or much; but the abundance of the
rich will not suffer him to Sleep"
OTHER THAN AIMS
Bear ye one another's burdens, and
SO fulfill the law of Christ Think
not, o, my brethren, that this applies
distress that is commonly called char
ity, to the obvious duty of devoting
from our superfluities, something that
We scarcely miss, to the wants of q
starving brother. No. I appeal to
the poorest amongst ye. If the worst
burdens are those of the body-if the
kind word and the tender thought have
not often lightened your hearts more
than bread bestowed with a grudge
and charity that humbles you with a
frown. sympathy is a beneficence at
the command of all. yea, of the pauper
as of the king; and sympathy Is
Christs wealth. Sympathy is brother
hood"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

the narrow grassy streets of the VII
lage would resound till a late hour of
the night the notes of musical instru-
ments. The great generals of hun
dred battles preserved their military
dignity and conventionalities while
working with might and main In their
laboring garbs with their broad.
brimmed hats flapping about their
heads. Every stranger would be greet
ed with the military salute. no matter
who he was.
In compliance with the requirements
of the territorial laws every male cit
izen of a given age had to meet stated
ly at some point named by the COM
handing militia officer to drill. From
this the French We're not exempt and
these experts in military science were
compelled to join In the ranks of the
rough and tumble yeomanry on the
muster ground and go through with
the rude evo1utions known to them
from the days of their cadetship.
These were the days of the country
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28
E OF ALABAMA HISTORY-LIFE IN THE FREN

thus to blend a miniature Paris with
democratic sentiment. In vain did these
people seek to grow the olive and the
vine in an unfriendly soil. and the at
tempt was gradually abandoned. and by
every possible makeshift they elSed out
a bare subsistence In a fertile soil, vege-
tables and corn were easily grown, and
these with such supplies as they could get
from the game of the woods, they strug-
gled on against odds. They were not
without annoyance from the Indians, and
more from the American settlers who
were now beginning to pour into that
qnarter Of the Alabama territory. These
latter would entreneh on the lands of
the French which gave rise to much
friction, and an agent had to go to
Washington to sue for protection against
such invasions. This occasioned opposl-
tion to the "furreners," as the French
came TO be popularity called in the neigh
boring log cabins of the American
squatters.
As an indication of the extremity to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

ways renders a war less likely be-
cause in each case it must be for q
cause that appeals to all three allied
powers-but at the same time it brings
before us the prospect of an eventual
war on a scale never yet seem That
forms the basis of all naval and mil
itary consideration of the subject, and,
therefore, should equally form the
basis of any consideration of the in
ternal condition question, which is a
part, an important part, of the naval
and military question.
1T may be at once admitted that the
effect Of such a general European war
will be so catastrophe to the economic
life of Europe that probably no states
man will dare to take the responsibility
of bringing it about If he can possibly
avoid doing SO. But wars are not al
ways the outcome of calculation or rea-
son. AS the far-seeing Clausewitz put
1t nearly century ago: "The passions
which break out in great war must be
latent in the people," And as Bismarck
said: Popular passion is becoming more
and more a dominant factor in politics."
as each state becomes more democrat
lied. But popular passoion feels neither
responsibility nor fear of consequences,
economic or otherwise. Popular passion
in one nation insisting on action may
force all the other nations into war
dSdiHSt lnelr Will. IL Is popular passion
that we have to fear. Popular passion
is the firebrand which may at any time
fire the European powder magazine.
Such war, which may at any time
come. will be destructive in the highest
oegree to the industrial life of Europe
and will produce explosions of varying
intensity in all the countries concerned.
l wish here to make a very important
point. 1t is this: Foreign nations are
much better prepared and organized to
meet such a crisis than we are. Being
each able to mobolize as a nation-in-
arms each will be in a position to deal
confidently. firmly. and. above all,
promptly with the internal troubles and
civil tumults which may occur, whilst we
have no such safeguard. AS a condition
of the entente with France our regular
army will be required on the continent
by the sixteenth day. just when we shall
want 1T to guarantee order at home. 1t,
therefore, behooves us in a quite pecu-
liar degree to adopt palliative measures
to prevent tumults that We shall not have
the machinery promptly to repress. This
is one of the most important of the new
factors.
A war between the great monetary and
naval powers of the triple alliance and
triple entente has never yet been fought
and will create conditions of unexam-
pied severity. Every department of our
national life will be affected to a dam
gerous degree. The confusion in banking
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

throne. Our news sheets tells us of
chief magistrates going to prison TO
find how the prisoner found his gives
and what they felt like. Imperialism
has now become benevolent landlord
to the washwoman.
3. No wonder that such a physical
and social yenturesomeness is accom-
panied by an intellectual adventure
still going forward. New religions, new
interpretations of old theologies, new
reading of ancient myths, new and
more daring front toward the oldest
problems. always with a radiant smile
and new certainty, now march Ger
the plain, like Sponsors knight, in ev-
cry latitude. But in the land of the
Rivers there Is Flood. And where, oh
where, Is the modern Noah? Every
one has become Noah for himself, and
the deluge is covered with arks, sys-
TENS of opinion full of creeping things
and fowls of the air
2. This victorious adventure causes
new valuation to be put on things.
And this is the second distinction of
the age.
(a) There is a new valuation put on
nationality and race. The Englishman
is seeing England, the American Amer
lea, with new urbanity and a chastened
spirit. at is not good for man to be
-cocksurew Here I am driven to take
shelter in queries. Are we-after all
are we the noblest things the AL
mighty ever made? Having reached the
Anglo Saxon, did He throw down His
tools and throw up His hands? That
was the Illusion of our uncles. But Is
1t, is it possible that the oriental may
surpass us? Is there the subterranean
voice of ghostly generation crying to
us, "BewareY' Must national distinc-
tions cease in order to make syn
thetic man?
(b) Or what is the value of life?
What rights has the individual as
against the community? Are they
measured by affluence, by opportunity,
by antecedents? Can there be a prag
matte test OF the ultimate value of
human life? Here are questions like the
wheels of Ezekiers vision, whose rims
were so high that they were dreadful
and all filled with eyesl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28

J. AS to adventure physical: there are
the biographies and the descriptive books.
Also there are romanees like Conan
Doyles Lost World and Poison Belt"
There are the poems by that English sea-
man who puts sailors, and ships and
storms into song; also there are scores
of detective stories, more or less scien-
tific, which make the magazines. All
literature in fact Is again saturated with
wonder and the exutation Of physical we'll
being and power.
G. The social adventure looms stiIl
larger, as indicated sufficiently already.
There is a growing mass of frank dis
cussion and exposition rooted perhars
in Tolstoy and Ibsen, Meredith and
Hardy, Marx and Wells. Here come
even Mr.. Humphrey Ward and Mr.. Hall
Caine and Mr.. Bernard Shaw; as the
Book of Genesis observes, Tile made the
stars also" Mr.. Winston Churchill feeb,y
echoes some of these or combines them
with others.
(c). Psychic adventure sometimes
springs straight out of the Others as IN
detective stories. the records OF Mr..
Stead and I'm Sir Oliver Lodges scien-
tifc catholicity. All sorts and sizes of
dual personality crop up like mushrooms,
and the old Egyptian doctrine OF Ka is
revived in our conception of the SUBJ
conscious soul. Here also we get a
glimpse of eight of ten respectable ladies'
In a little Arkansas town-disciples of ths
new psychology-linSing hands as they
sit with lamps burning low, all of them
drawing deep breaths and fixing their
gaze on empty space, till at signal they
say with one voice.
1--WE life. we lift, we lift ourselves into
the whole"
We know what these dear women have
been studying, and we see the mischiev-
Gus, reincarnated IA towering above their
hes DIS and passing in and out of their
adorable mouthsi
But beyond them we see Miss Jans
Adams and Hull House and the practi-
cal psychology of redemption.
However, must close, and closing must
be cryptic, as that old student of litera-
ture modern in his day. What of the
nightP" someone asked. His reply s.iif
holds; '"The morning cometh, also night"