davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
A MYSTERIOUS DESERT.

Weird Tales That Are Told of the
"Soul Appalling Gobi."
Slowly we Travelled across the great
waste of DzunGaria, the soul appal!-
ing GObf Of some writers. but 10 us
land of beauty. even If of a somewhat
terrifying character, for here more
nearly than in any other land IL beau
" allied to terror.
These silent steppes the natives be-
iieve to be the haunts of "Genii' and
the rendezvous of evil spirits. AS a
recent writer has said. The great
sandy desert of Cobb has been looked
on as the dwelling place OF malignant
beings from the days of hoary antlq-
uity."
All luckless travellers In this region
from the days OF Marco Polo onward
have recorded strange stories of weird
beings that inhabit the depths OF the
wastes. Mysterious singing and wall
ing, beating OF drums and distant mu-
sic are said TO beguile the traveller and
lead him or the track until be is hope
leSsly lost in the wilderness. 4 recent
Russian explorer gives quite a detail
ed account of the wild men of the des-
ert.
Listen to the strange story told by
Koslof. who traversed the desert Of
Dzuugaria in its widest part not long
ago: These Wild men, the Kkz-Kyks,
ms they are called. nre covered with
short wool similar to the fur Of a
young camel. They have long black
hair aud blnck eyes. They are of ordi-
nary size. but rather long legged.
They roam the steppe in pairs. and
when harassed by man they scream
whistle and smart as they run away
The native Kirghlz claim TO have
caught them occasionally. but the cap.
tives refuse food and drink and die
after a few days."-Wide World Mag
aZine
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
BREAKING THE BACK OF PRIV
HEGE

Verify are these days of progress.
With the ratification recently OF the
18th amendment of the federal consti-
tuition, provision was made for the
direct election of United States sena-
tors.
This was one of the greatest strides
made by the forces of good govern
ment in many years. 1t was a defeat
for the special interests. IL was a
crushing blow for those giant forces
whose purpose in political activity is
self ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. 1t was a victory
for the people.
The people of the country were
pleased with this victory-pleased be-
cause they realized that at last they
would be able TO make the United
States senate representative of them
and dominated by them, rather than
representative of special interests and
dominated by predatory wealth.
And now, just as evil breeds evil,
so We find progress producing prog
ress.
The spirit of progress is developing
all over the country. 1t has become
contagious.
1t is amusing to see some of the old,
hard-shelled, standpat republicans now
posing as progressives to save their
political hide.
Many men whom we could quote ex-
tensively as condemning venomously
the initiative and referendum, direct
election of United States senators and
other progressive democratic princi-
pies, are now cuddling up in gentle
advocacy of these principles, wnue
trying to screen their records with
present day pretenses Of progressiv-
ism.
But all this is a good sign. 1t
means that the great, dynamic force
Of public sentiment is breaking the
back of privilege and crushing the de-
fenses Of the special interests.
Let the good work go on!
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
Obeyins the Law.

A small town in Mississippi passed
law that no wheelbarrows should be
allowed on the sidewalks in the busi-
ness portion Of the city. Soon after
the law was passed one Saturday.
which is the busiest day of the week,
while the streets were crowded. q ne
gro came along the main street trun-
ding a wheelbaTow filed with gro
ceries. The city marshal stopped him,
telling him he was under arrest for
pushing his wheelbarrow on the street.
The negro looked at the officer for
moment. and then. picking up his little
girl. who was walking by his side. he
placed her upon the top OF the grocer
!es and. turning 10 the officer. said:
-Co on. white man. Dis here amt
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

man to Hawaii to get out another
report on labor conditions. This re-
port fiattered the planters and was
published.
The government investigator who
wrote the whitewashing report was
shortly thereafter given good job
with the Hawaiian territorial govern
ment, while Secretary Nagel later bus
led himself preparing charges looking
to the removal OF Keefe.,
Senator Reed, however, resurrected
the suppressed report and brought ii
before the lobby committee. The plant
ers have been proudly proclaiming the
fact that no peonage exists in Hawaii.
After reading the report 1 am con.
vinced it would be better for the
wretched plantation and sugar mill
laborers if they were poems OF actual
slaves. They. would be better treated
by their owners.
Wages run from IS per month (for
children) up to S26 (for white adult
mem. Hours are 10 and II a day.
The employees live in miserable shacks
provided by the companies. The men
buy food from company stores where
prices range from 10 to 20 per cent
higher than average food prices in
New York, Washington, Chicago and
San Francisco. The food is sold to
the plantation stores by Honolulu
wholesale houses owned for the most
part by the plantation owners.
Doctors employed by the companies
have gone to visit sick laborers "a to
IS hours after being called, sometimes
only to find corpses instead of patients.
Laborers are called insulting names
and treated like dogs by field bosses.
"ln desperate effort to keep down
the wage rate of all employees" the
planters are spending huge sums i'm
porting Filipinos for laborers. These
workmen are the dregs of the Philip
pine population, gathered from jails
and almshouses, the very young and
the very old, weak and racked with
Fdisease.
The imported laborer, arriving pen
niless, is held in actual subjugation,
unable to escape from the island, ex-
cept harder individuals, who can en-
dure starvation while saving passage
money. But the rich owners have
devised crafty homestead" system,
whereby in exchange for an acre of
land received after six years occu-
pancy the homesteader virtually binds
himself to labor for life on the planta-
ton.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
THE GRADUATE AND THE FUTURE

Fer he reads, in almost every maga-
y'ne he picks up, in most OF the books
that capture popular fancy. He hears
it on the streets, IN the trolley cars.
In various ways, from suntie sugges-
tion to tie impact of the blow straight
from the shoulder, the philosophy of
physical fitness is expounded in those
classics of business, the advertising
pages.
And atop of all the preaching the
young man of today is seeing physical
fitness actually practiced. When he
rolls up his sleeve and pitches into
that first job of his he is going to
come into close contact with this
philosophy. II does not make much
difference what the new job is; wheth-
er in factory or store, in the news
paper Office, in law or medicine, what
ever the work, the leaders and the
chaps on their way to leadership are
all alert, eager examples of good hab-
its. If now and then he meets an
exception to this rule, the exception
only emphasizes the force and wide
dominion of the rule.
1t is trite to say that there is no
hard and fast rule for success. But
there is no doubt that the way to fail
ure has positively heen charted. The
young man who undermines himself
physically, whatever his talents or in.
dustry, fs1imiting the scope of his fu.
ture. He is building barriers which
II they do not rise up insuperable will
be overcome only at the cost of
achievement.
A later day may devise an infallible
process for making good. The Goth
century makes no claim to that, but
1t does assume TO tell the young man
how he cannot make good. 1t is tell
ing 1t to him in all the tongues of
men and in all the acts of men.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
The Daily Story
ON THE SPANISH MAINLY EVAN MAC HUGH

One evening about century and
half ago British ship, the Helen Dole,
rode at anchor in bay on the south
ern coast of Jamaica island. She had
come down through the windward
passage bound for Kingston. but had
been blown by hurricane past that
port and bad drifted into the bay that
lies beyond. for the wind had ceased
as suddenly as it had come. and. being
disabled, the ship was uncontrolIab Bile.
Another vessel had met the same ex-
perience as the Helen Dole. This was
a small schooner, the Pelican. under
the command of young New Eng
lander, Harry Spencer. He was on
his way to Vera Cruz with a cargo of
blasting powder to be used in the
mines there. He. too. had suffered
from the storm and put into the bay to
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
est. Louis Republic.)

We have with US this morning the
young man looking for his first job.
In a week or two he will have found
it. In the meantime he is going to
hear good deal about the great op-
portunity that awaits him just out
side in the world of affairs. Certain
formulae, written by the slow, un-
imaginative pen Of experience, will be
prescribed for him. If advice could
deliver success there is not one young
man going out to his first job in this
year of grace that would fail.
Now the fact is that the first job is
is a commercial Ulysses. He must be
IS a commercial Ulysses. He must be
his own Homer, too. The Muse that
sings his victories and defeats is in
evitably himself. But the young man
setting out upon the voyages today
has one distinct advantage over those
who have preceded him. The world
has learned that success of any real
kind depends very largely and almost
without exception on physical fitness
And that knowledge is being drilled
into young men today with a sledge-
hammer, red blooded sincerity that
may be called one of the new things
under the sun.
Physical fitness is cult. It may be
that it is being preached too much
1t is quite possible that the young man
who is stranger to ache and pain,
in whose vocabulary the word fatigue
is just seven meaningless letters. finds
some Of those numerous comeback"
testimonials rather irksome. But the
young man of today cannot get away
from the stress which the world is
now laying on a sound body. The
literature Of the times fairly teens
With it. He encounters it in the pa
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

growers, earning profits of so to 80
per cent and asking for the continu-
ance of a tax of over s100,000,O00 an
nually on the American people that
they may continue to reap their gold
en- rewards, are coming before con-
gress in the name of protection
against the pauper labor of Europe -
all the while they maintain a labor
standard that is a blot in American
civilization.
So terrible are working conditions
in Hawaii that European and Asia
tic laborers, deceived into coming to
the island, literally starve themselves
in order to save up passage money
for San Francisco and escape the trap
into which they have been inveigled.
A horde of these pauper laborers are
beginning to arrive in California, in
their extremity willing to work for
any price, thus depressing wages Of
Americans on the Pacific coast.
Incidentally, Senator Reed of Mis-.
souri,, a member of the lobby commit
tee, showed that a report exposing this
condition was written by Daniel f.
Keefe, commissioner of immigration,
who went to Hawaii at the request of
Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor, to
study the industrial conditions. The
report, however, was never published
1t was suppressed by the Taft admin.
istration. The bureau of labor sent a
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

cloth and a spoon with a broken han
die and dish with the foot broken
of. Her hair is disheveled, and she is
covered with a coarse mat. under which
she remains all day long and can only
leave at night. And she may not speak
to any one who goes into the house.
Neither is she allowed to wash her face
or hands, but only the tips of her fin
gers.
All this the Madagascar widow en-
dures for year. or at least for eight
months. and even when this is over her
time for mourning is not ended for a
considerable period.
The last straw consists of the fact
that she is not allowed to go home to
her own relatives until she has been
first divorced by her husbands family.
Chicago Tribune.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

took part in it were surely willing as
well as vigorous. The way they gath
cred and debated the issue easily re-
mains a political record to this day.
Naturally We expected of men of such
vitality to last a long while. And yet
Joe Cannon tells US that so in a hun
dred Of those men have gone to their
everlasting reward.
Some one will rise TO ask if Mr..
Cannon is sure that all these men have
died since that election. Just as soon
as the returns got in that November
night in 1896 some folks began to say
there were not that many voters in
the country. Mr.. Bryan had polled
altogether more votes than any demo-
crat had got up to that time and still
he was very badly beaten man in the
figures. For three or four years fol-
lowing a suspicion persisted that there
was something wrong somewhere with
the figures.
Now that Joe Cannon tells US that
50 in a hundred who voted at that
election are dead, We expect to make
note that here and there all over the
country will arise men TO remark
that good many who were voted in
that campaign were dead at the time.
Mr.. Cannon's remarks along this line
will serve to revive the rumor that the
interests" in 1895 voted the grave
yards TO beat Bryan.
There will be assent TO the PROPOSE
ton that 50 in a hundred counted in
that election are dead; but this will
leave unanswered the question as to
how many of them were dead at the
time they got counted.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
WHEN DID THEY pIE2

II Joe Cannon Is correctly informed
loout his figures, the most vigorous
Of US are going pretty fast, In a
speech at Tuscola last week he told
hat OF every 100 who voted IN the
presidential campaign Of 1896, 62 are
now dead. He gave as authority the
United States census bureau, a body
that IS thought to get a good deal
closer 70 facts than does the weather
bureau.
And IL seems only a little while ago
that we had that famous campaign OF
1sse-that was the one they called the
free silver campaign. The men who
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

The retirement OF Admiral Oster-
haus brings to the close a more than
usually active career in the navy.
Forty-eight years OF active service, be-
ginning just at the close of the Civil
war, is something few naval officers
have ever attained. He has seen the
entire development OF the navy from
the old wooden ship TO the modern
dreadnaught and has sailed in and
commanded every character OF vessel
during the evolution. He is the high
est type of naval officer in our service,
which means the highest type in the
world.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

i tell you there is, after all, q
divinity that shapes our ends"
"Bosh! l insist that I am captain
Of my soul"
You may be captain of your soul,
all right, but / want to tell you of an
experience l had yesterday. 1t hap
pened that 1 had a nice, new $40 bill
In my pocket. Well, there were a
number Of things that l could have
done with it-a number of pleasant
shings-things that really wished to
do. During the forenoon 1 heard the
voice of Smitherton out in the hall.
He was asking for me. knew, Of
course, what he was after. 1 owed
him $40. By acting quickly and dodg-
ing into another room l managed to
get out before he could catch sight
Of me. supposed l was safe, after
had got out of the building, but as
/ was turning the corner ran plump
into my former wife, who demanded
her last weeks alimony. might
have got Smitherton to wait if had
stayed and faced him" .eass, ,
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
Love Letters.

Love Letters. stSy5&
He wrote letter every day; fs-Fs'
He called ner Darling" Precious" !"
Dove"
The lady flied them all away;
Her gentle breast was filled with
love.
He wrote that if her love should cease
The sun and moon ard stars would
fall.
She tied them up and held her peace,
And kept them indexed, one and all.
Now she is asking him to pay,
She's brought his letters all to
light.
The moral IS as plain as day;
Love If you must, but do not write.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
With and at q Will

A drill sergeant was drilling the re-
cruit squad in the use Of the rife. Ev-
erything went smoothly until blani;
cartridges were distributed. The re-
cruits were instructed to load their
pieces and stand at the ready" and
then the sergeant gave the command:
"Fire at will"
Private Dunn was puzzled. He low
cred his gun.
(which one is Win:" he asked.-New
fork Post
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
PrecocIty-

Grandma, that fairy story isn't true,
IS it?"
Why do you think it isn't true,
dear?"
"'Cause it says they were married
and lived happily ever after. If 1t was
true It would say they lived happily
until they got their divorce, wouldn't
IT."
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

Hawaiian sugar
plantations by tes-
timony brought
out by the senate
lobby investiga-
tion.
The very crowd
of men whose leg
islative activities
in Wash in g on
brought forth the
recent lobby ac-
cusation from
President Wilson,
are the represent
atives of rich
planters VIII o S e
cruel exploitation
of their wage
slaves has no
counterpart under
the stars and
stripes.
These cnu -
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
How shs Loved Hin

A quarrelsome couple, having ex-
hausted many subjects, came to dis
cussing tombstones. and the husband
asked, "My dear. what kind of stone
do you suppose they will give me
when die:'
Birthstone was the reply. - St
Louis Republic.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

Your father has money enough;
why don't you get him to quit work
ing?"
We've tried to- but there's no pub
lie Job to which we are able to get
him appointed"
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
No Cause for Alarm

"Ah," sighed Mr.. Henpeck, ITS
pity tho way most great mems SONS
turn out. It's only IN rare cases that
they amount to anything"
Il hope" the lady returned. that
you are not worrying about our child
in this connection"
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

a beautiful young society woman
OF st. Louis" has lost a wager of
$4,000 that she could ride as a hobo
on freight trains to New York with
out revealing her identity. Feminine
ambitions occasionally take a queer
direction. But she might have done
worse; at least she refrained from ar
son and militancy.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
He Listened TO All.

Fontenelie listened TO everything. and
he offended no one by disputing any
thing. At the close of his life he was
asked the secret Of his success. and he
replied that it was by observing two
maxlms. Everybody may he right
and Everything may be So"
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
Strateuy,

my wife insists on having a cot.
tage by the sea this summers"
rs she fond of the water2"
NO. she breads it, but my sister,
who, with her four boys, generally
visits US during the summer, is NOR
bidly afraid they will be drowned and
always keeps them as far as possible
from any place that is wet" .
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
WIDOWS IN MADAGASCAR.
Their First Year Of Mourning One Of
Abuse and Misery,

Abuse and Misery.
There are 10 gny widows in Mnda.
gnscar-not. nt least. for one year after
the husband has died. In Madagascar,
on the death OF any man OF position,
on the day OF the funeral the wife is
placed IN the house. dressed in all her
best clothes and wearing her silver or
naments. OF which in general she pos
sesses a considerable quantity. There
she remains until the rest Of the house
have returned from the funeral
AS soon rs her relatives return they
begin 10 reyile her in most abusive
language and tell her that IL is her
fault that she has been stronger than
her husband and that she Is really the
cause OF his death. They proceed 10
tear tie ornaments from her ears and
neck and arms and give her q coarse
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
SPITE.

Il always pity a
fat man on a hot
day."
Il dop't, for I
never saw a fat
man who felt the
least sympathy
for me when the
weather was cold"
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

The French aviator who Travelled
932 miles at the rate OF SO miles an
hour has made a remarkable record,
but it is a quiet week when records
are not broken in air fight. There
will be little delay in covering 1000
miles in 10 hours.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

A writer is worried about a possible
invasion Of this country by an army
OF 10000. Where would they get the
transports and what would they do
when 100000 men Of fighting age
rushed to give them a spank and good
ducking?
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

The appraisement of the estate of
John Jacob Astor fixes the value at
over ss6,0O0,0O And it might have
been 30 cents as far as contributing to
saving the late owner from a watery
grave in the North Atlantic.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

An Anti-American Youths associa-
ton in Toxic. japan, has adopted reso-
lutions for immediate war with US. In
japan, too, there are young men not
knowing what war is, but very willing
TO find out.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
Her POSTSCRIPT.

why does woman always add a
postscript 10 her letter."
Well answered the ungallant
wretch, "she probably figures out IN
her own nind what her letter has
made you think and then tries to have
the last word"
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
Sublime Ecctism.

Some men ere such egotists that
hey even imagine themselves to be
Of importance at their own we'd
dings.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
june 16 in American
History.
I1IStOry.

lII1-A large and finely equipped Brit
tsh army commanded by General
John Burgoyne advanced on Lake
Champlain against the colonial
forces at Crown Point and Ticor-
deroga.
lss6-Edwin Percy Whipple. author,
died; born 1919
l910-John Austin Stevens, historian.
founder and first president OF So
OF Revolution. died: born 1927.
All the news all the time - Tho
Argus.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
IL kcers Her BUSY.

A girrs life Is one continuous ef-
fort TO create the impression that she
wouldn't thiak OF doing things she's
crazy 10 try.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

There is no lobby in Washington
but Hawaiian sugar interests have ex-
pended 100000 to defeat free sugar.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
The Demure Thinu.

Edith-You haven't seen my engage
ment ring yet. have you? Marie-i
don't know. dear. Who's the MANI
Boston Transsript.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

no wheelbarrow. Dig is a baby car
ridge"-New York Times.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

Beware the turkey trot. It produces
the turkey leg" and doctors charge
a high price TO pull the pain away
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
Capital Comment
BY CLYDE H. TAvENNER
Congressman from the Fourteenth District.

Especial Correspondence Or The Argus.)
Washington, D. c., June IA land
of oppression, misery and SORROW
that is the picture drawn of the
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

Assurance Of a bumper wheat crop
should silence the pessimists.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16
THE ARGUS.

Published daily at 1924 Second ave-
nue.. Rock Island, Ill Entered at the
postoflce as second-class matter.)
Rock Island Member of the Associated
Press.
eY THE }. w. POTTER CO.
Rock Island Argus., 1913-06-16

TERMs-Ten cents per week by car
rier. in Rock Island.
Complaints OF delivery service should
be made TO the circulation department,
which should also be notified in every
instance where 1t is desired to have
paper discontinued, as carriers have no
authority IN the premises.
All communications OF argumentative
character. political or religious, must
have real name attached for publica-
ton. No such articles will be printed
over fictitious signatures.
Telephones in all departments: Cen
tral Union. West l45. 1l45 and 2145.