davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Alabama Land Congress

= The second annual meeting of the
Alabama Land congress, which will
be held in Birmingham November A,
s and 6, is to be very important
event and should be fruitful in many
ways and of far-reaching good to this
district and to the state at large.
The first congress-held last year
ut Mobile-brought together many
progressive and successful farmers
and not few prominent business men,
and the practical talks and the able
discussions were of distinct benefit to
the agricultural interests of Alabama
That initial meeting has already
borne fruit and it is believed that the
second will be the largest and most
1.otable event of the kind ever held
in the south. AS Birmingham is a
popular convention city farmers from
every section of the state will attend.
And now that the land congress is an
established institution it will be an
easy matter to bring here in Novem-
her q number of distinguished men
especially equipped for delivering adj
dresses or reading Illuminating papers
bearing on science in it's relation to
egriculture. to say nothing Of the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28

including The President, the vice presi-
dent the speaker of the House and the
Secretary of Commerce and Labor on the
tariff policy outlined in the Baltimore
convention, this report is far and away
the abIest. One thing running through 1t
which IS most impressive is the plain
matter of fact manner in which Mr. I'm
derwood deals with this subject. The re-
port Is luminous with common sense.
For instance. In demolishing the republi-
can contention that the tariff should be
measured by the difference in cost of
production abroad and at home, Mr.. I'm
derwood shows that in the report OF the
tariff board little difference was found In
the cost of producing pulp and paper In
the United States and Canada in the best
mills. but q very great difference in the
expense OF production was found between
the best and poorest mills in the United
States. Thus protection was not needed
by the factories in the United States
against the Canadian factories, but 1t was
needed by the poorer factories In the
United States against those In Canada.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
SUSPICIOUS OF BURNS
the Chicago Tribune.

From the Chicago Tribune.
London.-Jim Barnes. who is going out
to Africa with Cherry Keaton, saw an
amusing example of forgetfulness on the
part of w. J. Burns. one OF America $
famous detectives He says he saw Burns
put on coat in a restaurant. whereupon
a man jumped up and said:
Here, you have got my coat"
Burns found that 1t was So and re-
turned the coat to the owner with ample
apologies, which the man gruffly accept
ed and looked at Burns in a suspicious
manner. He even went so far as to feel
in his pockets to see IL the contents were
intact.
Burns then took a cane from the rack
wheereupon another man claimed 1t. 1t
was a case of mistaken Identity on the
part of the detective, and he yielded up
the stick Burns finally got his own prop
erty.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
UTILITY OF ED1roRIAL PAGE
The worcester (Mass.) Post.

From the Worcester (Mass.) Post.
III truth the editorial page Is today of
greater interest, power and usefulness
than ever before It is not so relatively,
because it is not so nearly the whole
thing" as in days when there was pre-
sented with it not hundredth or thou
sandth part OF news matter, local, gen.
eral, world wide, in ever multiplying and
widening human activities and interests,
such as make the great modern news
paper. And there are now no figures
In the editorial work looming so big as
in the days of Greeley Raymond, Dana.
Marble, Bowles and ,aeir like. simply
because the level for the exceptional
man TO loom above has become very
different one. Now there are hundreds
Of men daily turning OUT work of quality
equal to that of the few great ones In
that day. often equally vigorous, usually
instructive, because there is now wider
and more accessible knowledge for ma
terial, and generally of a saner and fairer
temper, more independent and more earn
est in purpose 10 help readers to see
clearly and rightly rather than to stimu-
late partisanship for some cause or par
ty or sect.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Iefferson,s Antiauated Jail

DR.. E. Stagg Within is professor
in Columbia university, and better
still, he is humanitarian. He has
carefully studied prison labor. He
studies prisons wherever he finds
them, and when he was asked about
the conditions Of Alabama prisons, he
said: 81 have seen nothing worse
anywhere. I have found no lower
dungeon throughout the length and
breadth of the state than the county
Jail right here in Birmingham. | have
found persons huddled there together
like cattle-the conditions worse even
than those John Howard pictured in
the prisons Of England more than
hundred years ago, and which later
Bed to the reformation of the English
6ail in that country. What may be
permitted for the 40 persons under
16 years of age in this hell hole in
Eour midst is at least not to be toll
erated outside of the African jungles,
In a civilized Christian land, and three
young boys of 13years of age who are
now confined there are awaiting the
decision of the judge as to whether
they committed an offense or not.
Think of that"
DR.. Within calls upon the churches
of this district, and then upon the
Birmingham women, to consider the
Ease of the three boys of the age of
13 awaiting trial in the county jail.
mo effort is made or can be made
TO segregate them. They are placed
where they must necessarily be
taught all that older and hardened
persons know, and this goes right on
in county Jail that this county re-
fuses to rebuild. 1t is the county, and
not SO much the sheriff or even the
Tee brigade, that is to blame.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Commerce Powers of the State

The Attorney General of the United
States denies that the federal depart
ment of justice is "taking sides" in
the railroad rate cases now pending
before the United States supreme
court. 1t recently filed brief as a
matter of information in those cases,
but otherwise it is not taking any
part in them.
These cases will probably soon be
decided. There are something over
half dozen of them, and when they
are decided every state will know just
how much power is left to it in the
control of state rates on state rail-
roads in the cases of shipments that
are confined to state bounds.
The supreme court has been consid-
ering these cases long time and no
doubt each state is about to get def
mite Interpretation of the complex
subject of commerce within its bounds.
No more important question-certain-
ly none affecting more peoples be-
fore the great court, and all await
with interest its decisions in the rate
ga COS
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
RECOMMA FDING THEMSELVES
y BILL VINES

/ done so with the "strictest honesty and
fidelity" He casually informs the coun-
try that he is the youngest senator ever
elected from Kansas, and one OF the
youngest men IN the Senate. IN spite of
this tender age, however. he reluctantly
admits that 1t Is an acknowledged fact
by all who know him that as a senator
he will not only bring credit and honor
to himself. but to the state and nation
as we'll"
Clyde III. Tavenner. democrat, of ILL
nois, a new member of the House. began
to be an editor at the age of II years.
desiring to be wholly free to write his
own views of questions affecting the well
fare OF the people. without being ham
pered by the particular policy of any one
newspaper, he began In 1905 at the sug-
gestion and with the help of his mother,
10 write a daily signed article from Wash
ington; these letters were so ind dspendent
and original in character that at first no
editor would publish them; notwithstand-
ing this, he continued to write letter
every day for 1850 days, or four years;
70 daily newspapers throughout the United
States are now publishing the articles
every day on the first page; more than
1000 country weeklies are regularly pub
fishing his weekly letter OF Vital Wash
ington News"
Forever must the struggling newspaper
correspondent in Washington be under OBJ
legations to Clyde. He has pointed out the
way to success; IL cold and naughty
editor turns down your carefully prepared
n inf ott IN IL oil
but continue to push them in his face
for 1850 days. and he will surrender. II
Clyde had gone but one step further and
informed US how he negotiated a meal
ticket in the meantime he would have
conferred a great boon.
Simeon d. Fess OF Yellow Springs.
Ohio. a newly elected republican member
of the house confldes to the world at
large that his family consists of III.
Lehr, 81, a teacher of history in the Piaua
high school; t. Lowell. Is, a sophomore
in Antioch; Charles Sumner, 1b, in the
preparatory school, and Lois, the niece
in the public school,"
Harry Lane. the newly elected demo-
cratic senator from Oregon, qualified for
the United States Senate by serving for
four years as superintendent of the Ore
gon State Insane Asylum.
Representative John Richard C,ancy,
democrat from Syracuse, New York, ad-
mits, freely that he is very popular. He
has always steadfastly refused to run
for office. although urged by democrats
to run for mayor and other Offices" He
says that 'he is spoken OF as political
curiosity" thus going squarely on record
as the first congressman to admit 1t.
John W. Abercrombie of Alabama
manages to crowd into sixteen closely
written lines all the degrees he has stic-
ceeded in grabbing off in his eventful
career The rest of Mr.. Abercrombies
autobiography is mostly filed with sta
tisties and dates concerning the various
offices he has held and text books he
has written.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Now York stnck Market

Henry Clews in his Saturday review
says in part:
ION the stock exchange the movement
has been distinctly disappointing. Prices
have continued to crumble slowly and
recoveries proved only temporary and
were usually based upon short covering
Fresh liquidation was started by the
capture of Scutari by Montenegro and the
fear that this event may lead to further
complications in Europe Some uneasi-
ness was caused by the Japanese-Cali-
fornia episode, though this should not
provoke any serious international trouble.
The delay in the Hartman dissolution is
a distinct clog upon activity; while the
delay in the Minnesota case proved to
be the most encouraging development in
the week, because 1t suggests that the
government may it's influence to
prevent state rate legislation from dis
organizing rail rates outside of its own
boundaries.
"Other unfavorable developments to the
stock market were the weakness in New
Haven and the firemen's arbitration de-
cision. The latter gave the firemen an
advance in wages which is taken to
indicate that similar concessions will have
to be made in other directions not hith-
erto granted. Reductions in several in
dustrial dividends were hardly calculated
to inspire confidence. One of the most
potent influences in the stock market is
the monetary situation. New capital
issues can only be made at exorbitant
rates of interest, as shown by the st.
Paul and other issues, which none but
the favorably situated borrowers can af-
ford.h
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
WV AsHINGToN, April 27.1 Specially I
w The new Congressional diree-


tory. containing the autobi-
| ographies of all members of Congress, is
Just out. The volume is vastly interest
ing because of the fact that there are an
unusual number Of new members. The
newly elected member to Congress, as a
rule, is never burdened with modesty. and
as note at the bottom of the first page
says, Biographies are based on informa-
sin furnished or authorized by the re-
spective senators and congressman" Many
or them do not fail to take advantage OF
this free opportunity to enlighten the
palpitating public concerning their many
virtues.
oscar w. Underwood, the greatest lead
er Congress has seen for many years,
takes just five lines to give the public an
account of his life. But the accomplish
ments and achievements of Walter Laf-
ferty,- progressive republican, of Port
land, Ore, requires 81 closely written lines
to be placed TO the fullest advantage be-
fore the country.
Walter admits that the Lafferty family,
including four sisters, Ora, Gussie, Rosa
ana Hoxa, and three brothers, Luther,
Albert and Rolla, together with his
Iatner and mother, Abraham M. and
Helen kinney) Lafferty, have all sur
viyed the honor of his election to Con-
gress and are still living. 1t must have
Jared" them a little bit, however, for
he says. Parts of the family now resid-
ing IN each OF the states of Missouri.
Idaho, Washington and Oregon" He did
not, however, proceed further with the
details in this respect and leaves the read
er IN doubt as to which parts" Walter
says that his full name is Abra ham WAL
ter Lafferty, but has always been called
Walter. and signs his name simply A.
w. Lafferty."
ANY letter or communication which you
might receive. therefore, from Represen-
tative Lafferty not signed simply A. w.
14afferty should be viewed with sus-
picion. Close friends of Representative
Lafferty in his early youth might have
become through relations of intimacy
close enough to him to call him Walt"
but the representative does not encour-
age anything as familiar as that in his
autobiography.
But the efforts of Walter to fully de-
scribe his ability and achievements as a
statesman appear real amateurish indeed
when one turns to the name OF William
Howard Thompson, senator from Kansas
The only cloud to mar the beauty of Sem
ator Thompson's autobiography looms up
IN the last seven words: His term of
service will expire in 1919" Why mention
anything so unpleasant? After reading
the glowing tribute to his greatness above
these fatal words one cannot but wonder
at the carelessness of the electorate of
Kansas for not electing him for life and
be done with it.
senator Thompson requests the public
to believe that although he has held va
rious offices in Kansas that he has
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
MIR. WILSON'S WAY

From the New York Telegram.
1t is a strange thing President Wilson
has done in sending the Secretary of State
from the seat of government to one OF
the states TO confer with the governor
thereof and the legislature.
But President Wilson is given to doing
strange things and will probably do many
more before his term expires.
1t is not known that the dignity of the
office loses anything by Mr.. Bryan's trip.
1t was not held that any dignity was lost
when Secretary of State Knox went on
various jaunts at the country's expense,
ostensibly ON official business, even TAX
ing public servant along to shave him.
If Mr.. Bryans trip to California is
fruitful in restoring calm and perhaps
showing up the 'nigger in the wood pile
of the whole agitation, which it is hoped
will be done, the end will have justified
Mr.. Wilson unusual proceeding.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Railroad Betterments

THAT was a particularly interest
ing feature of the Baltimore Manu~
facturers Record in which the ex-
penditures for betterments during the
past five years We're set forth" said
a member of the Chamber of coni-
merce.
"rhe group of eight embraced the
Norfolk and Western. the Frisco, the
Seaboard, the Richmond. Fredericks-
burg and Potomac. the Georgia rail-
road, the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio.
tie Florida East Coast and the Mis-
souri, and North Arkansas. The Norfolk
end Western led in expansion and im-
provement outlay-s55, ,95S.65.. The
Frisco came next-$20. .9f0s674.60 TIE
Seaboard spent s14,6SS, ,3S1.06.
The Record will publish the state
ments of other southern roads"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28

commercial side of farming. Alabama
has made wonderful advance in agri-
iiculture and horticulture within the
past three years, yet only start has
been made compared with the large
possibilities and the extensive farm
life development that will take place
within the next few years. The in
telligent cotton farmer Is profiting
year by year by his own experience
and the experience of his progressive
neighbor. 1t has come to be COM
mon thing for cotton growers owning
good lands to make a bale to the
acre instead of a bale to two acres
as in former years; and the rate Of
production will steadily increase. But
there is no reason why Alabama
should not become great corn state
and a great alfalfa state, and great
truck farming state as well as great
cotton state. Vegetables in consider
able volume were produced in Ala
bama last year and the year before,
but the volume of such products
should be more than doubled within
the next two or three years.
The Alabama Land congress is to
be held here under the auspices of
the farm committee of the Chamber
of Commerce and that being so the
farm movement in the Birmingham
district should receive decided i'm
petus; and few activities of Birming-
hams civic body promise more valuL
able results than the movement in
question.
Birmingham is indeed to be congrat
ulated upon securing the next annual
meeting of the land congress and so,
too, is the untiring secretary and man.
ager of the organization in giving
Birmingham the preference.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Another Advance

The Pennsylvania railroad has estab-
nshed rule which shall debar from
employment In Its dining car and restau-
rant department any person with even
a tendency toward communicable dis
ease" said a traffic man,
There is to be quarterly physical
examination of every enploye who has
anything whatsoever to do with the
preparation or serving of food. Dish
washers, kitchen helpers, cooks and
walters, both white and colored. must
months and only 100 per cent report
on their physical condition Will permit
their remaining in the service.
while those suffering from tubercu-
losis, diseases of the eye or skin, and
any other communicable disease, may not
be employed in any capacity where they
might come in contact with food, the
further precaution Is taken in debarrins
them form employment in places where
linens and tableware are kept.
"If Pennsylvania railroad dining car
or restaurant employe becomes disabled
through any cause, he shall not be per-
mitted to return to work until he re-
ceives Certificate Of Ability from one
of the company's doctors.
'In order to surround the service with
every possible precaution, there are pro-
vided at 1ayover points for dining car
stewards, walters and cooks special
lodgings with clean linens, clean beds
and every sanitary protection. These
lodgings are inspected personally by the
superintendent of dining cars and restau-
rants, by service inspectors, and by medi-
cal examiners OF the company"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28

The state of New York, it is estimated,
will pay more than half of the tax on in
comes of over $1,000, 900. Also it is esti-
mated it will pay about S15,309, 294 of the
total revenue produced by the income tax
law Pennsylvania will pay about S.
o79,574 Illinois, s7,4is,0A. and Massachu-
setts, ss,6 ,2ss. New York has 100 per-
sons whose income exceeds $5oo,000 and
exceeding s1.oOo,0O0 Mrs. Green, Mrs Sage
and Mrs. Hartman are in the million dol
lar income class.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28

Luke Butler, 16, of 25S East Seventy
eighth street, and Charles McCarren, 16,
OF 27 East Seventy eighth street were held
for special sessions in $1,000 each by Mag
istrate Levy in Harlem charged with
in front of the house of Thomas f. Ryan
s5S Fifth avenue. The boys were arrest
ed after passers had noticed them at work
with hammer and chisel and fpocketing
bronze bits as they broke them off. AS
sistant District Attorney Toilette said
that In the last three years over $1,000
worth of bronze railing had been stolen
from the Ryan home. The fence is worth
more than $1,000.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
The srmnhnnr Festival

The seat sale for the symphony con-
certs to be given at the Jefferson theatre
next week-May and e-begins at the
box office today. The Cincinnati orches-
ira, which has been engaged for the oc-
easion. stands with the foremost sym
phony organizations In the United States
and the soloists are exceptionally popu-
lar. The programmes are full of inter-
est and are very beautiful.
''fhe symphony festival VIII be we'll
attended,; at least I Judge so because
every body I meet is going to buy
tickets" Heid a cIubman. Society as
well as musical circles is sure to be out
in brilliant array on the opening night.
and the theatre would he crowded at the
matinee II only children and music pli-
pills attend as they should"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
Germany's War Office Scandal

Socialist Deputy Liebknicht has un-
earthed in the German parliament a
scandal that involves the war depart
ment in Berlin as we'll as the great
Krupp interests at Essen. The reich
stag has not completed the investiga-
ton, but it seems to be pretty well
established that the gun plant was
able to gain inside information from
officials whenever it needed it. The
Essen works are not in any sense a
part of the government, and that plant
was no more entitled to inside infor-
nation from officials than was any
other plant in the empire.
The Liebknicht revelations have
prejudiced the Kaiser's attempt to in
crease the army and armament, and
the entire programme of the govern
ment may have to be abandoned. Ger
many is not hardened to scandals as
the United States is and the effect of
the Liebknicht revelations are felt
throughout the empire. Public opin-
ion will have to be met and satisfied
in some manner, and this is the task
that is embarrassing the Kaiser at
the present time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28

IL Ty Cobb could do as we'll for others
as he does for himself, says writer in
the Philadelphia Public Ledger, he would
be worth three times $4,000 year to any
big business enterprise. what mean"
continues the Philadelphia man, is if he
could do as good advertising. The Georgia
peach rarely let's himself stroll far from
the spotlight. Gen. Ben Butler said he
didn't care d. what people said about
him. just so they kept saying it all the
time. He wanted publicity. Professional
baseball is the best advertising business
in the world, and it is done free of cost
to the owners. No captain of industry
the fellow who inaugurated the worlds
series contests. A dozen pages in various
newspapers all well illustrated in every
big city each day, and all for nothing!
Money couldn't buy such advertising as
this purely commercial enterprise of pro-
fessional baseball gets without the expen-
diture of cent. When a popular actress
poses eternally as rthe castoff favorite
of former king it is looked upon as
clever press agent stuff-for it is nothing
else But good gracious, Ban johnson
gets 50 times that publicity for his or
ganization, and 50 times the receipts, too
Incidentally, l asked Boston player
when here the other day. how much in
dollars Cobb is worth to organized base
ball. About $500 net each game, said
he.' .f.5
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28

A lion at the Philadelphia zoo turned
tail and ran from mouse that had ven-
tured into his cage. For two weeks the
carnivora house has been infested with
mice and the big animals have been un-
happy over the fact. Suddenly today a
roar came from the largest lions cage.
The cause was soon apparent. A mouse
was lunching on the remains of the lions
and when the mouse sat upon it's legs, the
big beast ran into a corner and stayed
there until the mouse went away.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-28
IN A LIGHT MOOD

From the Boston Transcript.
Don't use cocktails when trying to
feather your nest.
Frequently a bull in the market comes
out bare.
odd that it gives one start to see one s
finish.
Some men can't have a corking time
without lot of uncorking.
Sometimes instead of having an idea
we only have an idea that we had.
Although there are many in it, fiction
writing is a novel business.
girl may be very light-headed and vet
not shine in conversation
one would expect them to serve hasty
pudding at quick lunch places, but they
don't.