davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
Politics and business

while trade conditions throughout
the country are good there is some
guessing as to what effect the demo-
cratic administration will have on the
financial situation and on big busl-
ness' in general" said Edward * More
ly of Boston.
"President-elect Wilson was inclined
to talk a good deal just after his vic
tory, but he has been keeping very
quiet lately, which some of us take
to be a favorable sign. He is an able
man, but not having had the kind of
experience that puts him in touch with
business affairs he should surround
himself with good councillors.
1T is thought that Mr.. Bryan will be
his Secretary of State, but l am in hopes
that the Nebraskan will be left out of
the cabinet. | voted the democratic
ticket in November and If Mr.. Bryan
becomes 81 member of Mr.. Wilson's Of
ficial family | shall still think I acted
for the best in casting my ballot for
Wilson and Marshall. But l feel that
the administration would be more sue
cessful IL some one temperamentally
equipped were at the head of the state
department"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
publicity Given Birmingham

at surprised and gratihed me to
find how many people in the east were
aware of the fact that we are soon to
have two new skyscraper hotels said
Carroll Colby, the decorator, who has
just returned from New York. THE
fact that we are to have two, at prac-
tieally the same time, seemed to make
it all the more impressive, and the
wide publicity that this fact has had
has been another good 'ad' for Birming
ham.
New York firms are very eager TO
be represented in the south at the pres
ent time for they feel that this Sec
tion of the country is on the eve of
an unprecedented development, and they
naturally wish to establish connections
with reliable firms here to insure their
sharing in the prosperity that is surely
ahead of us.
ut is much easier for firm like ours
located In the south to secure the best
connections than 1t would be for any
western decorator, That is one of the
advantages of growing up in new
and rapidly developing country"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
<THE FIRST REQUISITE

From the Portland Telegram
In birmingham, Ala, as in Portland
ore, there is, a well organized and intel
lieently directed movement toward the
realization of a greater and more beau
tiful city. In other respects there are
points of similarity between Portland ana
Birmingham. Both are rapidly growing
cities, and each in the matter OF progress
along almost every municipal line is the
leading city of it's state and section. IL
would follow that conditions essential 10
hasten progress in one city should Apply
to the other.
In Birmingham, as here, there is the
ever present issue of municipal cleanliness
and ii also appears that the Birmingham
people have the same difficulty IN com
mencing the greater campaign with
clean city which the people of Portland
experience. Apropos of this the blr-
mingham Age Herald makes a. strong ap-
peal for the enforcement of municipal reg
ulations calculated TO insure cleanliness
and sanitation, every word of which might
have been written of Portland. Ihe slst
of the appeal is presented in just one SEN
tence: THE first principle Of the city
beautiful is cleanliness" With the ideal
city in mind. we devote considerable
thought and energy to the preparation OF
plans, that the public may be educated
concerning the purposes in view and tneir
obvious advantages, and to such other
dissemination of knowledge concerning
conditions that are hoped for as will
bring the public mind in sympathy with
the better city idea. But with all TINS
we fail to avail ourselves of the most po-
tent agency of education at our command
We overlook the value of clean city as
an educational object lesson. We do not
recognize the virtue there is in good mu-
nicipal housekeeping.
Practically, it Is futile to hope for the
realization of a more beautiful city if we
cannot bring ourselves to the maintenance
of clean city. We must first get rid
of the habit of slovenliness and acquire
the habit of tidiness and good order before
we can effectually appreciate the value Of
the sort of city we are striving for The
clean street: the we'll kept residence en-
vironment; the compulsory upkeep of va
cant property with reasonable limits; the
freshening up with the paint brush; the
more general planting of trees that VIII
give us uniformly shaded streets by and
by. as we'll as the more extensive orna-
menting of home premises with vines and
shrubs and flowers, will all help to make
more beautiful city before We have
spent a dollar on the eonsummation of
Greater Portland plans.
Clearly, the beginning is now and with
the city that we. have rather than the city
we would build. Engender a pride in
conditions that exist and we create the
ambition which will more speedily bring
about the more magnificent city we have
planned. We must first learn to be clean,
and after that We'll be beautiful as
natural consequence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
Weight of Parcel Post Mails

The railroads are awaiting new
weighing of mails for the purpose oil
basing their mail pay SO that 1t will
cover the parcel post. At present they
are carrying the increase that grows
out of the parcel post faithfully and
promptly, and are not doing any un-
due grumbling. They are simply
awaiting a weighing of the mails that
will readjust their pay to the new
service.
1t must be conceded that the rail-
roads are doing their part nobly. The
increased service is costing them large
additional expenditures in the hand
ling, the transportation and through
facilities necessary in many ways.
All this will be adjusted when the
mails are again weighed, but in the
meanwhile they are doing the work
on the former basis.
1t is DelleVed the increase IN weight
is fully 25 per cent on account of the
parcel post, and this is no inconsid-
cradle tax on the railroads. Give them
due credit, then, for the work they are
faithfully doing in the establishment
Of the parcel post, which is destined
to become a great convenience to the
entire country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
4 Grent xirtuoso

Leopold Godowsky, who will be heard
in a piano recital at the Jefferson the
atre on the night of March 4, is, as all
musical people know, one Of the greatest
of the virtuosos," said well known mu-
sic lover.
Many of us recall the time when vir-
tuosos We're rare. When l heard Rubin
stein, in my youth, he was the one great
pianist who visited America. Liszt was
living, but he never came to America, and
l never had an opportunity of hearing
him in Europe After Liszt and Rubin
stein came Won Buelow. l heard him in
the Beethoven cycle-two performances
and he was prodigious in technique and
was a tone poet Intellectually.
''Virtuosity has increased rapidly and
today there are 20 or more pianists and a
dozen or more violinists, perhaps, who
are recognized as artists of the first rank,
Godowsky, I would say, is one who ranks
very close to the top. Some critics regard
him al second to none"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
sunday and p,c,ur. shows

Il will be in favor of moving picture
shows on Sunday afternoons provided the
films are of the educational and uplifting
sort" said Oliver Chalifoux. I'VE should
have sacred subjects-sceDes depicting
Bible. stories-and historical subjects that
would interest and instruct old and young
Pictures such as / have suggested would,
l feel sure, be on the right line for sun
day afternoon recreation.
Among the southern cities that have
moving picture theatres open on Sunday
are Nashville. Montgomery and Mobile,
cities noted for their wholesome moral
and cultural atmosphere They are
church-going cities, too.
II believe a great majority of the peo-
pie of Birmingham would approve moving
pictures shows here on Sunday provided
the films were properly censored
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21


From the Denver Republican.
The height of the Assouan dam.
When Ty Cobb made his hundredth hit
last year.
What the campaign of 1912 was all
about
The number of the current Bernhardt
farewell"
When Arnold Bennett published his
2OOth novel.
When the sirst agitation of the tariff
question was begun.
How many times George NJ. Cohan has
made use of the grand old flag in his
musical comedies.
Whether Armageddon is the name of q
place, a myth or disease.
When any grand opera could be hea ID
above the animated conversation of the
bcxholders.
The name of any cowboy book in which
less than 10 people are killed.
Any sag In The high cost of living that
reached ultimate consumer.
Any bungalow that did not cost more
than the architects estimate.
Any summer or winter resort that is
not always springing exceptional
weather on the casual visitor.
Any pugilst who can not operate the
typewriting machine at lightning speed.
Any change in womens styles of cloth
ing and hats that was not for the worse.
Any follower of newspaper beauty
hints who became beautiful.
Any waiter who looked otherwise than
nsulted on poclxeting a 10 cent tip.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
CLOTHES AND THE MAN

From the Kansas City Star.
1t is doubtful VI Uncle Joe" Can
non ever owned a silk hat. Nobody around
Washington remembers seeing him wear
one. Next to his cigar, nothing is quite
so familiar to his friend as the type of
black soft hat which he has made famous.
II recalls an amusing incident that oc-
Cured in the old Arlington hotel few
years ago.
Mr.. Cannon strolled into the place one
evening with his secretary, l.. White
Busbey. Now 1t happened that Busbey
was always a good deal heavier on dress
than his chief. This particular night he
was immaculate.
man in the lobby was showing a Wis
itor the sights.
There's Uncle Joe Cannon" he said,
nudging the stronger.
you don't tell me" exclaimed the WIS.,
itor. looking at Busbey. who is that old
SLOUGH with him?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
Welcome Visitors

One of the surest signs OF oui
greatness and of the esteem in whlef
this district is held in the east is the
frequency with which Birmingham en-
tertains men of large affairs. This
week the executive head of the Amerl-
can Tobacco company, by far the
greatest concern of its kind in the
world, made a personal inspection OF
Birmingham and met number oil
prominent men.
The following day came party OF
the executive officers of the Metro
politan Life Insurance company. Most
of these men had never been here be-
fore and yet they are not strangers.
Long ago they showed their faith in
Birmingham by their investments.
Some of Birmingham finest sky
scrapers have been financed by the
Metropolitan Life.
Birmingham extends a cordial well
come to all visitors and it is with es-
pecial warmth that she extends the
hand of Friendship to those who have
contributed materially to the city's
and who bring the assur-
ance that they hope to make still other
extensive investments here.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
KNEW MORE THAN THE CAPTAIN
rom the washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
Capt. Robert C. War;, about to retire
from sea life after 40 years of it, said
on the Campania:
"Yes, it is trsie that sea captains are
sometimes annoyed by passengers who
think they know more about navigation
than the navigator himself.
IT know a captain to whom a passen-
ger once said;
What town is this We are approach
ing. cap?'
'Derwent sir
No. cap, you are mistaken. Look at
this map here. According to this map
it's Fordham-on-Tyne.'
"The captain said nothing, and a mo
ment later the passenger asked:
What channel is that, captain
Egg channel, sire
why, man, you're wrong again. The
map gives 1t as Mellns channel.
Three or four times this sort of thing
went on. Then the passenger, pointing to
a gull, said:
What kind of gull is that, cap?'
Look at your map and find out, the
captain gruffly answered"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
WHAT A DOLLAR WEIGHS

From the New York Press.
dollar bills are worth almost their
weight in gold," bank president said
the other day to a depositor.
''Yes, l suppose they come in handy for
change and are easy to carry the de-
positor replied absently.
mo, was speaking literally the bank
president said. I'VE got into an argu-
ment in the bank here the other day as
to how much a dollar bill weighed. A $50
gold piece weighs $40 grains. We found
that 27 crisp. new 81 bills weigh the same
as a $40 gold piece. We tested some bills
thai had been in use and found that 1t
took but 26 of them to balance the gold
piece | suppose that 26 used bills gather
an accumulation of dirt in passing from
hand to hand that weighs about what
one new bill does"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
LARGEST sIDE-wHEELER

From the Popular Mechanics Magazine.
The new side wheel steamer "Seeand-
bee" which will be placed in service be-
tween Cleveland and Buffalo this year,
will be the largest and most luxurious pas
senger steamer on the great lakes and the
largest side wheeler in the world. A pic
ture Of the vessel appears in the March
Popular Mechanics Magazine. The length
on deck will be 500 feet, and the breadth
on deck 96is feet. The main propelling en-
gnes, which are of 1900 horse power.
viii drive feathering paddle wheels 81
feet In diameter These wheels. turning at
only 80 revolutions per minute, will drive
the vessel al speed of % miles an hour.
The reason why side wheel propulsion is
adopted for such a large ship is that this
system affords the maximum comfort for
the passengers, the vibration being negli-
gible
The "Seeandbee" has stateroom accom-
mediation for 1900 passengers and will have
a government permit to carry about COCO.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
Remaining the City's Streets

City Engineer Kirkpatrick has been
requested to arrange without delay
plan for remaining the streets of this
city, SO that there will be names
enough to give each street distinct
i've title. Al present we have even a
half dozen streets--some say doz-
en-bearing a common name. The con-
fusion is vexatious and troublesome,
and the parcel post renders it worse.
Not long ago Brooklyn renamed 400
streets in single day and City En-
gineer kirkpatrick should prepare for
the commissioners a coup of even
greater proportions. He has promised
to handle the subject this month, the
sooner the better.
There is no reason in the world why
two streets in this city should have a
common name. The English language
is equal to the task, and it should
be drawn upon until vexatious mat
ter is put out of sight altogether The
city engineer should study the situa-
ton until he is able to report plan
that eliminates all duplication of
names from East Lake to the confines
of Corey
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
Fourth Class Postmasters

A suggestion made by Senator Bris-
tow has been accepted by the Senate
committee to which was referred the
postoffice appropriation bill. Under
the proposed amendment postmasters
of the fourth class would be sele tied
in primaries wherever the postoffice
department authorizes popular Sc
lection. The Postmaster General would
in that case be obliged to make the
popular choice the choice of the de-
partment.
The bill is still held in the Senate,
and its passage in both Senate and
House may be among the latest acts
of the expiring Congress.
In view Of the fact that the pres-
dent-elect is strong advocate oe
civil service reform the Bristow
amendment may be the best solution
of difficult problem that can be de-
vised. The putting of the fourth
class postmasters on the classified list
after the defeat of President Taft
and the republican party had been de-
termined was partizan act of high
handed sort. 1t did more to cast reflec-
tions on the outgoing administration
than even its stand on the Payne tar
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21

From the Louisville Courier-J ournal.
~ REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS HEF-
* LIN of Alabama seems to have
l. n gotten himself into the middle
of a very bad fix. lie is to be chai-
llenged to debate the woman suffrage
question in the nations capital with a
prominent suffragist probably, the Post
tells us, Miss Inez Milholland the
beautiful New York society girl" as a
result of Mr.. Helms attack on the pro-
posed suffragist procession for March
at Falls church, little village over
in Virginia. At a suffrage meeting held
in the District National Bank buildin s
of Washington City resolutions were
adopted requesting the procession COM
mittee to issue the challenge imme-
diately, to throw down gauntlets and
bonnets at the feet of the Alabamian,
and otherwise to make him show his
hand and come to time.
1t appears that Heiin was invited TO
Falls church to talk upon religion, not
upon suffrage. In his speech he
charged that so per cent of the suf-
fragists are divorced, 25 per cent are
trying to get divorces. and the other 25
per cent are living unhappily with their
husbands.
Henin should not have been so spe-
cihc. Why drag in statistics? Everybody
knows that figures are the biggest liars
in Christendom. The debate in the Ma
tional bank, according to the newspaper
reports. was peppery. Said Mrs Steven
son:
"'The people at Falls church think
that Mr.. Helms argument that women
should stay in the home is foolish. They
believe that If some of the men would
stay in the home more, their sons
would grow up to be better men,
Mrs. Stevenson said she was in the
House gallery. and had the representa-
tive from Alabama pointed out to her as
the pretty man of the House She in
troduced the resolution for the chal-
lenge, which was adopted.
Mr. Heiin seems to feel so sure of
himself that l think the proper thing
for the suffragists to do is challenge
him to joint debate on the question of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
a rLOATING CIRCUS

From the Popular Mechanics Magazine.
Plans for building a vessel TO be known
as "Noahs Ark and upon which will be
carried complete circus and menagerie
have been completed by resident of
the state OF Washington. The length of
the proposed ship is to be 5s5 feet, with
an so foot beam when the arena is closed
and the vessel has been made ready for
voyage. BY means of a special arrange
ment, however. the declxhouses extending
along each side of the main deck can be
moved under the seats, thus making a
space $50 feet long and 125 feet wide avail
able. This arrangement will provide IL
tiers of seats. or capacity sufficient for
seating approximately 1900 persons, and a
clear space for the performers Of about
800 feet by 90 feet.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
BEN BOLT

BY Thomas Dunn English.
Oh, don't you remember Sweet Alice. Ben
Bolt?
Sweet Alice. with hair SO brown;
She wept with delight when you gave her
smile,
In the old churchyard in the valley, Ben
Bolt,
In a corner obscure and alone,
They have fitted slab of granite SO
gray,
And Sweet Alice lies under the stone.
on. don't you remember the wood. Den
Bolt,
Near the green. sunny slope of the hill.
Where oft we have sung, meath its wide
spreading shade.
And kent time TO the click of the mill?
The mill has gone to decay, Ben Bolt,
And a quiet now reigns ell around;
See. the old rustic porch. with its roses so
Lies scattered and fallen to the ground.
oh. don't you remember the school, Ben
Bolt,
And the master so kind and so true;
And the little nook by the clear running
brook,
Where we gathered the flowers as they
On the masters grave grows the grass,
Ben Bolt,
And the running little Brook is now dry.
And of all the friends who were school,
mates then,
There remain. Ben, but you and Is
There is change in the things loved. Ben
Bolt,
They have changed from-tse-esd to the
new;
But feel in the depths ~ 4y' spirit the
truth. A&
There never was ohange In you.
Twelve months twenty, have past, Ben
Ben Bolt, !
Since first we resfriends-yet I hail
Thy presence blessing. thy friendship
truth
Ben Bost-vf- ths-sait sea gale.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
PHILOSOPHY

From Life.
Henri Bergson, the French philosopher
has been on visit to this country and
philosophical circles everywhere have
been hailing him as the champion of the
latest thing in metaphysics. A Bergson
cult has started and is now beyond the
embryonic state Father Time will soon
nail it on the door with all the other
pelts.
Sankara, whose name, by the way, is
rot mentioned in any history of philos-
ophy, was one of the earliest and great
est philosophers who ever. lived. Plate
and Aristotle come next Kant, in Ger
many, overthrow all the old beliefs, and
from his time up TO the present day
philosophers have been snarling at each
other over the dry bones that he left.
What. is philosophy? Briefly. it is the
science of not getting anywhere. Those
who adhere to it will passionately decry
against this statement or patronizingly
disclaim its truth. But the combined
testimony of mankind for thousands OF
years is on hand to confute them. The
transcendental dialectic aesthetic, tbs
categorical imperative, neumena and phe-
nomena. entology and theology, the
thin-in-itself and the a priori appercep-
tions-all these, and more. are so many
will O. the wisps, fleeting and abstract
ghosts of the imagination. The rea
trouble with philosophy is not that II
deals with distractions. but only that
lit can never become an art. 1t lacks
warmth. color. perspective and personal
ity-four requisites for human interest
Its conclusions are alphabetically incon-
sequential, because at any instant the,
may be disproved. But you cannot dis
prove the Greek Parthenon or ths
architectural glory of st. Peters churcf
in Rome. any more than you can dis
prove shelly's skylark or symphony cl
Beethoven. y
, A philosopher occupies the same posi-
ton in thought circles that a prestidig-
ateur DOGS on the stage. Prof BergsoT
may be able to take couple more ra5
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21

William zegler. who made and sold
Royal baking powder, died eight 7ears
ago leaving an estate Of about szo,ooo,-
600, and now his son, 21 years old, is suing
Mayor Gaynor and the other trustees for
an income of $4,000 a year. The will
provided that young Zeigler was to have
sufficient from the income during his mi
nority for his support, and upon his
reaching his majority the surplus income.
At % he is to receive one-auarter of the
corpus of the estate and one-quarter every
five years thereafter
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Last Word In Paving

f'1'he repaving of First avenue has add
ed materially to property values on this
thoroughfare, said John L. Parker.
THE wooden blocks now being laid
make beautiful roadbed. No business
street in any city will make a finer i'm
preston on the visitor than First avenue.
l think we might say that in the avenue
between Eighteenth street and Twenty
first street we have the last word in street
paving
The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21
Certain Business. Barometer.

1.-THE postoffice business usually indi-
Gates the general conditions of CONNER
cial activity in cities.' said a member
of the Chamber of Commerce, 'and, as
the postmaster's salary is based on the
receipts of his office, some idea may be
formed of the size and business charac-
ter of city by the amount-of compen-
sation the government allows the post
master. Still. the salary is frequently
misleading. just as clearing house sta
tistics are misleading. Some cities make
much better showing in the clearing
house than others of approximately the
same size because different statistical
methods are in vogue in different cities.
For instance, Atlanta clears for the state
of Georgia, whereas Birmingham clear
ings represent only the local checking
business.
I'm looking over the list of postmas-
ters' salaries 1 find that the Birmingham
postoffice pays only $1,000. Richmond,
Memphis, and several other cities not as
large as Birmingham have $1,000 post
masters. This is easily accounted for,
| think, by the fact that in the city of
Birmingham there are three postoffic s.
Ensley and Wylam. in addition to the
central office. Ensley belongs TO the
second class and the postmaster's sal
airy is s270O. The Wylam office is in the
third class and the postmaster's salary
is 1920.
There are only three or four cities
in the United States that have more than
one postoffice. In New York the Brook
lyn postoffice is still in existence with
a 5000 postmaster. Los Angeles l ,e-
lieve. has a postoffice in one Of its cut
lying sections.
THE revenue for the Birmingham Of
fice during the current fiscal year shows