davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
THE BIRD AN AIR-MADE BEING.

John Ruskins The Queen Of the Air"
The bird is little more than a drift Of
the air. brought into form by plumes;
the air is in all its quilts, it breathes
through its whole frame and flesh and
CLOVIS with air in its flying. like brown
flames; it rests upon the air. subdues
it. surpasses it. outraces it's the air.
conscious of itself, conquering itself. rul-
ing itself. Also. in the throat of the bird
is given the voice Of the air. . All that
in the mind itself is weak, wild, useless
in sweetness, is knit together in its song.
AS We may imagine the wild form Of
the cloud closed into the perfect form
of the birds wings, so the wild voice
of the cloud into its ordered and COM
manded voice: unwearied. ripping
through the clear heaven in its glad
ness, interpreting all intense passion
through the soft spring nights, bursting
into acclaim and rapture Of choir at
daybreak. or lisping and twittering
among the boughs and Wedges. through
the heat OF day. like little winds that
only make the COwslip bells shake and
ruffie the petals of the wild rose. Also
upon the plumes of the bird are put the
colOrs Of the air: on these the gold of
the cloud that cannot be gathered by
any cOSetOusneSs; the rubieS OF the cloud
that are not the pride of Athena, but
are Athena: the vermilion of the cloud
bar. and the flame of the cloud crest.
and the snow of the cloud and its
shadow, and the melted blue of the deep
wells of the sky-an these. seized by the
creating spirit and woven by Athena her
self into films and threads Of plume:
with wave upon wave following and fad
ing along breast and throat and opened
wings, infinite as the dividing of the
foam and the sitting of the sea sand
even the white down of the cloud seem
ing to fiutter up between the stronger
plumes-seen, but too soft for touch. And
so the spirit Of the air is put into, and
upon, this created form. and it becomes
through twenty centuries, the symbol OF
divine help descending as the fire to
speak. but as the dove TO bless.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
0utdistanced by Great Britain.

We read and are surprised to learn
that the British ''battle-cruiser" Queen
Mary is developing a speed of thirty
six knots an hour. This class of war
vessels in our navy is conspicuous by
its absence.
Why is it that the naval experts in
the all-important Bureau of Construc-
ton have never as much as even adj
vocated for this government to build
some of these ''battle-cruiSerS' of rec
ognized great speed? 1t has been
nothing but battleships, Dreadnoughts,
and battleships again with us, with the
single thought of retaining our place
among the naval powers. We never
even have heard the term battle
cruiser" mentioned in our naval bud
gets. What nation, more than the
United States, with its thousands Of
miles of shore to patrol and to safe
guard and to defend, needs vessels at
once of great speed and yet able to
show its teeth" and give an account
of itself if need be?
The London papers are full OF
praise of the Queen Mary which is
described as very powerful and ex-
ceedingly swift. Her armor and ar
mament make her a match for any
but frst-class battleShips. while her
speed enables her to fight or to run
away as policy-the strength of the
attacking pary-may dictate.
If the final trial OF the Queen Mary
will substantiate her speed record it
will emphasize that the speed pennant
is rapidly passing from the merchant
marine to the fighting ships. Germany
also, as well as France, has war YES
sells that can distance the trans-A:-
lantic flyers And why not Naval
vessels are not obliged to keep down
engine space to dimensions that must
leave room for passengers and for
cargo
What does it profit the United
States to have any number of battle
ships and Dreadnoughts and even
super-Dreadnoughts. if we allow other
nations to 50 outdistance us in this
most important matter of speed
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
Some Facts About Panama Canal

Time required to go through the
Canal. from ten to twelve hours.
Freight will be charged $40 a ton
passengers are free.
American coastwise ships may pass
through free of all charges.
The Canal will save 5000 miles between
New York and San Francisco.
New York is brought 5000 miles nearer
Valparaiso and the West coast of South
America
Our Atlantic seaports are 400 miles
nearer Australia.
The distance to the Philippine Islands
is not reduced materially.
Bulk products like wheat, lumber. min
erals, wool. hides and wines will get
lower freight rates through the Canal
from Pacific ports.
Eastern machinery. textiles. manufac-
lures and finished products will enjoy
cheaper rates TO Pacific ports.
Staple products Of the South. cotton.
iron, coal, lumber and ship supplies will
have similar ADVANTAGES to the Orient
and Pacific ports.
Immigration will be DETECTED in large
numbers from New York to Pacific ports.
The cost of operating the canal will
exceed 100000 annually.
About $50 employees will be required.
To pay interest on the investment and
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
WORDS.


From the Rochester Post EKITrs
According to the editor of the Stand
ard Dictionary, who is preparing a new
edition for the press. there are about
$1,000 words that can be recognized as
English, which is an advance of almost
100000 words since the publication of DR..
Samuel JOhnson's dictionary. However
the advance in the number of English
words has not resulted IN any apparent
gain in the richness and force OF our
daily talk. Wee do not talk any better
or write any better than they did in DR..
JohnsOns day, even if we have almost
ten times as many words to use as our
ancestors had. Shakespeare and Milton
and MarlOwe and Spencer got along
fairly well without any dictionary at
all; and assuredly We with our many
dictionaries and thesauruses and books
of synonyms, and our wealth of new
verbal expressions, have not improved
overmuCh upon these writer's.
The truth is few of us have very
large voca bularies. We forget about as
many words as We learn. and in daily
practice use a very limited range Of
language TO express our thoughts. 1t
may be that this lack of breadth and
vigor in spoken and written expression
is due largely to laziness. Certainly we
do not use the dictionary one-teRh as
much as we ought to; and when We do
consult the book on rare occasions, IL is
usually for the purpose of seeing how
word is spelled. We do not quest for
new words; We do not investigate the
history of words; we do not take advan-
tage of the rare scholarship of the mod
ern dictionary to learn what a vital.
living thing language is Why, there is
more romance in a single page H n die
tionary-if we knew how to look for it
than in a half-dozen best sellers"
Some day a philologist gifted with i'm
agination and narrative skill and charm
will write a romance of the dictionary;
and If the right man does the work II
should be an epic of nomenclature,
worthy to rank with the masterpieces of
literature. In the story of the evolu-
ton of words, of their life history, 50 TO
speak. there will be chapters more in
teresting than fiction. But no more ped
ant can write this book. He must have
the scholarship of a Skeat, the grace and
polish and wit of an Anatole France the
Imagination of a Froude the insight OF a
Carlyle, the characterization of an Emer-
son, the common sense of a Darwin, and
the poetical temperament of a Tenny-
son. A writer blessed with this mental
equipment could weave an immortal book
out of the history of words
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
KISSING SAFE AND SANITARY.
Doctor Gives Habit old ns World
stamp of Approval.

Pittsburgh Correspondence Philadelphia Record
"A kiss is like the world-made out of
nothing, but gracious knows. it's good"
That's DR.. ]. F. Edwards definition of
OSCILLATION. The head of the Bureau OF
Infectious Diseases says Germs be
hanged" so far as kissing goes. and
agrees with DR.. Young. Chicago's health
commissioner, that the time-honOTed pas
time is safe and sanitary. except in ad-
vanced stages OF contagious diseases.
Most medical authorities agree" said
Dr. Edwards, that kissing is safe and
sanitary; and VINO INDUCES in caressing ?
Not the weakling, l am sure. Young
people and old folks. as well. who spoon
generally are sound and healthy. Any
how. it is pretty generally established
that disease germs do hot lurk on the
lips.
SO. then. what harm is there in kiss
ing? The only man who runs a risk doing
so is the candidate for office. I kiss my
children every day. I run no risk. for
am not a candidate for office kissing
is as old as the human race. They say
that a kiss is like the world-made Of
nothing. but. oh. how good. And l quite
agree with the definition"
Then you believe in spooning? 1t was
suggested.
Certainly. why not? What harm is
there in it, II is not the puny creature
that sits around and spoons. Usually the
men and women addicted to this love af-
lection are strong and healthy. The
weaklings do not have enough energy
To spoon. There is no special danger in
kissing.
ar however. in an advanced case OF
tynhoid fever, the germs should come in
contact with a person not afflicted with
the disease. by means of caress. intec-
ton probably would occur This can be
applied in the same sense to tuberculosis
and diseases we hear about In hygiene.
and particularly, II the person who has
an infectious disease should kiss some
one who has a scratch or sore on the
mouth. BY so doing 1t would not be diff
ficult to cause infection. But as gen.
eral proposition. kissing is not danger
GUS 1 believe that majority Of the
medical profession is of the same opin-
iOn."
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
EASILY TOWED CANAL BOAT.
Rrn,n ark able Strength Displayed by
Three Hundrcd-POund Carp.

With a big piece OF fried carp as his
corroborative evidence, Capt Tom Moore
of canal tOwage boat No. s in service
on the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
related a fish story of some magnitude
when his boat reached here recently.
says a Cumberland (MdD correspondent
OF the New York Herald.
I'VE were slipping along in the Big
Pool" said Capt. Tom, when I saw
an enormous carp swimming near the
boat. l seized my rifle and fired, stun
ming him. Up he comes. belly up
Then I jumped ashore and slipped
a mule cellar over the fsh's head and
back to just behind the gills. 1t fit
snug. He couldn't shake il of. Then
tied the other end Of a line to the collar
and the other to the boat and got aboard.
In few minutes the carp came to
and started like a flash down the
canal, and he yanked the old boat alons
with ease. l yelled to the driver to I'M
hitch the mules and trOt along behind
and the carp pulled us clear into Cum
berland. When We got to the basin here
I killed the carp. II weighed 800 pounds.
And there. concluded Capt. Moore,
pointing to the dish of fried fish, rs
Il piece of it. il you don't believe me-
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09

operating expenses approximately $1,000.
600 revenue per annum will be needed.
Traffic experts estimate that for the
first few years the average tonnage will
be 100000 tons. not enough at the s1.2C
rate to make the Canal supporting
The rates charged vessels are the same
as those at Suez.
The government will mOnopolize the
business of supplying coal and provisions
and operating repair facilities.
Great drydoCks, wharves, warehouses,
repair shops and other facilities to cost
SaO.O00OJO are under construction.
All permanent buildings will be Of the
Italian renaissance style OF architecture
The route of the Canal will be beautified
with trees. etc.
Storage for $4,000 tons Of coal. maxi
mum capacity. is provided. Normal
storage capacity, 500 tons. Oil. $4,000
barrels.
Monster 27O-ton floating cranes will
handle wrecks or accidents in the Canal
or locks
Warships of all nations may pass
through the Canal. but cannot Hnger
more than twenty-four hours at either
end. in time OF war.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
has Jurisdiction over Canal traffic
Leslie's Weekly.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
when We Criticise.

IRON the sunday School Times.
No one who habitually points out
Others failures can be a success him
self. There is something about the
habit of criticism that prevents the
free, full expression of cool in the life
OF the critic 1t has been said. for ex-
ample, that professional literary critics
never turn out any god literature.
Their habitual attitude of criticism dries
up the sources of literary production
Whether this sweeping statement is true
in every case or not, it suggests warn
ing that most of us need 70 think about.
To be habituaIIy interested in seeing
and speaking about the failures of 9TH
ers is to dry UP our own powers of
good. And the reverse Is equally true;
to be sensitively consciofs of the good
that is in others. to discover 1t and talk
about 1t freely. is 10 bring good into be-
ing in our own lives that might other
wise never. come into existence, How
much better it is TO discover that which
makes for life than thst which makes
for death.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
Democratic Responsibility.

No one questions the assertion that
the Democrats in the House should
have a quorum present when there is
important business to be transacted.
If the Democrats held the House by
a narrow margin the situation would be
quite different As it i. they outnum-
Der the Republicans two to one. They
can muster the requisite quorum and
stiIl allow quite a number to remain
away for good and sufficient reasons.
There can be no excuse, therefore, for
the condition OF affairs which now pre-
walls in the House.
democratic responsibility for lcgis-
lation did not cease with the passage
ofathe tariff bill The immediate duty
1.-THE enactment of the deficiency ap-
Preparation bill. a measure absolutely
essential TO the proper administration
of the government. 1t is incumbent
upon the Democrats TO see that the
wheels OF legislation do not stop.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
Gen. Miles for Congress?

It would be a fine tribute to a SOL
der who rose to the highest rank
through his own ability to elect Gen.
Nelson A. Miles a member of Con-
gres>. We confess that we greatly
like the suggestion which we read in
a Boston paper.
But whether the move on the part
ofe-the fellow-citizens in the district
where the brave soldier was born is a
practicable one. is quite open to dis
cussion. There has. been a prepon-
derance of war veterans in politics for
many years after their military serv-
ice had placed this country under OBJ
legations dictated by sentiment, and
these men, though they had made an
excellent record as fighters, did not al
ways contribute to sound legislation.
1t is debatable whether the mixing of
sentiment with the selection of mill
tary men for civic positions is con-
ducive to efficiency. While it would
be- an ornament TO Congress to have
a man like Cen. Miles as one of its
members, vet legislative bodies need
such outward representation a great
deal less than alertness in grasping
the current questions and a readiness
to promptly engage in ever-changing
State and national problems.
Therefore, pleasing as the sugges-
ton is, it does not seem good policy
TO summon from their well-earned re-
tirement, even distinguished men of
many years who need their rest 1t
would at best only be a doubtful ia
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
The Lobby Once Again.

President Wilson may deem it wise
polite, to cry aloud that a lobby has
been formed to defeat his curreucy
legislation. He tried the same tactic
in regard to the tariff bill. A lengthy
investigation followed So far as the
tariff was concerned it developed only
the fact that the beet and cane sugar
growers. who believed. in company
with many others, that their industries
were to be wiped out. worked earnestly
to- ave themselves while the Sugar
Trust, working through another or
ganization. labored With equal zeal to
secure the abolition of the sugar duty
Nothing was shown to indicate that the
manufacturers. who believed them
selves seriously menaced, or the i'm
porters, who naturally desired a wide
open door for foreign goods, practiced
airy illegitimate or corrupt methods.
They did not bride, threaten, or cajole.
They stated their side of the case to
all who would listen. and this they had
perfect right to do
There is honest opposition to many
Of the features of the proposed cur
reRey law. 1t is expressed by men who
have had long and large experience
and whose future is vitality affected
There is no reason why these men and
the Senators who agree with them
should be denounced or held up to the
country a dishonest or unpatriotic
All the wisdom of the American people
j, no; embodied in one man. Others
are entitled to their views and a diff
ference OF opinion is not yet a crime.
The will of the President NAV be
supreme, and Congress may enact the
currency bill rs he desires it. but that
will not be the end. If the serious
CRITICISMS which are now being voiced
are not needed. the people will still
have recourse TO the ballot. The sit
ualion is not without serious menace
to the Democratic party. The final
verdict is to he rendered at the polls
and the President may be playing with
edged tools.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
Collapse of the Chinese Loan Scheme.

The Chinese loan agreement entered
into by Great Britain, France. Ger
many. Russia, and Japan has been dis
solved because the agreement did not
work to the satisfaction of the powers
concerned. In the future the five pow
ers will act in concert. it is said, in
making loans to the Chinese govern
ment for general administrative pur-
poses, but each power is to have the
right to support any OF its citizens in
floating loans for railroads and other
industrial projects. What this practi-
cally amounts to is the collapse OF the
"siX-pOwer concert" which at one
time was participated in by the United
States The withdrawal of the United
States probably had much to do with
the dissolution. With American money
gone, the group lost considerable
strength.
The farcical part OF the proceeding
was that of the S3ooooo.ooo to be lent
China the United States and Great
Britain were to furnish the lions
share, France a considerable portion,
Germany less, and Japan and Russia
nothing.
The charge was made by the South
ern Chinese that the North China gov
eminent. under Yuan Shi-Kai, was
susceptible to outside influences. and
that the lending of money by the in
ternational group meant the selling out
of the republic. This seemed to be
the view of President Wilson. who re-
fused to approve the participation of
the American government in the argu-
ment. American bankers could par
ticipate, but without government back
ing. The withdrawal of the United
States threw the greater part of the
financial burden on Great Britain.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
LIGHTNING STROKES.

Lightning has long been known for its
frea.: nature. Some Of its devious was
OF imparting damage are recorded in
Power as follows: There are two
classes Of lightning strokes. direct and
indirect. The direct stroke is. as the
name implies, something in the direct
Path Of lightning TO the ground. This
kind Of a stroke is 50 powerful as to
render all present forms Of lightning pro
lection useless. A power wire exposed
to this severe condition is most likely
to be exposed to a power arc which fol
lows lightning to the ground and the
arc often burns the line conductor In
two. The means Of support for the
power wire sometimes aid or add a de-
structive element 10 the whims Of light
ming.
Wooden pole lines are often inter
rupted because Of A shattered pole, ana
in few instances does lightning strike the
wires midway between supports. Again,
more trouble has been evident on wooden
pole lines than upon tower lines. This
is because OF the greater resistance to
the flow of lightning offered by the
wooden pole line. where as the steel
towers are Of ground potential The
indirect stroke OF lightning is detrimen-
tai to good service because of the effect
Produced. This induced stroke, which
affects the line in the immediate viCin-
ity Of the direct stroke, nuilds UP a pO-
tential nearest the path of the nightninE
often Of such magnitude as to strike out
and attract the lightning TO the conduC-
tor. II would seem evident that bringing
the potential of the cath TO an eIeva-
ton higher than the power wires would
be the best means OF protection. The
most usual manner OF obtaining this
protection in a degree. is to place a sin
gle wire at the extreme top of the struc-
ture and hav this parallel the main pow
er conductors. This conductor is ground
ed at intervals and is known as the
ground wire
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09
S O L O NJ O N
BY GEORGE FITCH,
Author of 'At Good Old Siwash."

Solomon, whose other name has not
survived the wear and tear of time.
was the son of David. King of Israel,
and was born with a golden spoon, IN
crusted with Jewels. in his mouth. lie
was a handsome young man and great
fayorite with all who knew him. and when
David passed away and left Solomon 10
run the country there was general reJoic-
ing.
This was about 5000 years ago. and the
government at that time was in very
crude and unstable condition. Most of the
worlds kings up to that time had been
mere amateurs in the art, but Solomon
took hold of the job as II he had mad a
university course in civil government.
He made wise laws and used so much
common sense in settling the disputes
of his people that his wisdom became n
byword, and the Queen Of Sheba, Goth
try which is not now included in the
annual commercial reports OF the world,
made a long journey overland on a rough
riding camel in order to meet him ana
gain a few pointers in Jurisprudence.
: Solomon rebuilt Jerusalem and built
n new temple which was so magnificent
that the limited vocabulary of the time
broke down under the attempt 10 de-
scribe it. He wrote songs which are still
among the best sellers and fortified his
country so successfully that hostile kings
passed II hurriedly by and agriculture
fiourished as never before.
Up to this point Solomon's reign was a
great argument for benehcent despotism.
He ran everything and did it so success
fully that nobody objected. and when he
had to double the appropriation for court
every year owing to the high cost OF
wives. the people merely pointed with
pride to the high price Of corn, and the
general prosperity of the land and the
high grade OF Circassian beauties which
were being imported 10y carload lots for
the royal harem.
Matters went on pleasantly until Solo
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09

There was a hermit in the center Of
London only a few years ago. according
to the London Chronicle. His hermitage
consisted OF a Cellar-the sole vestige of
house in Clare market pulled down
and forgotten. by its owners. He lived
there for a long time, supported By
scraps Of food from the tradesmen of
the neighborhood, and might have lived
there longer still if a journalist had not
discovered him. He was interviewed
and photographed to death, for the
workhouse authorities. nearly next door.
who had hitherto turned A blind eve
toward him. were compelled to Gust him
from his hermitage and make him clean
and rcspectable-a process to which he
suCCumbed.
The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-09

vor to assign them to place where
they scarcely can hope to do more
than pose as men of distinction OF a
period long gone by, or of conflicts
in another field.
His fellow-citizens only honor them
selves by honoring their hero of the
long campaigns on the plains of the
new West; but why not try to find
something more appropriate than to
burden him with duties that are new
and unfamiliar to man of his age?