davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
FEWER INCENDIARY FIRES

Reports on file at the office of the
state fire marshal at Springfield show
( that since the organization Of that de-
partment in this state incendiary fires
have decreased more than so per cent
AT the time of the organization OF
the fire marshal department the great
number Of incendiary fires reported TO
it prevented the possibility of taking
up any line of work other than the
investigation of such fires, and the de-
partment had been organized nearly
year before any work of inspection
was done at ALL
Three or four organized gangs of
fire bugs in the state which carried
on the business of burning to defraud
insurance companies have been put
out of business and the members
thereof sent to either the penitentiary
at Chester or the one at Joliet Con-
fessions from members of these gangs
show that they had destroyed in this
state hundreds of thousands of dollars
worth of property, and had become so
bold in their operations that they OPP
emily talked of selling their property
TO the insurance companies and sole
tied business in the same manner, and
as openly, as respectable real estate
firms solicit legitimate business.
The vigorous prosecution of the ar
son gangs in the city of Chicago by
the present states attorney, Maclay
Hoyne, where IA members of the arson
gang have been convicted and SEN
fenced to the penitentiary at Joliet,
has had a wholesome effect in that
city. and there are now being reported
to the department from the city of
Chicago only isolated cases of arson
and burning to defraud.
These fire bugs seem to have made
money in their opera
lions in the city of Chicago, for, as
rapidly as convictions are obtained,
the cases are being carried to the su,
preme court. However. the supreme
court in a review of the cases has |
affirmed the judgment of the lower |
court, and the convicted parties have |
been forced to begin serving their |
sentence in the penitentiary at Joliet.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
War and the Interests of Labor

I and financiers. But, Professor John
| son argues, the working man gets
little from them for the actual labor
| is usually performed by native work
men. Even the control of the mar
kets of conquered country can be of
| little advantage to the laboring class
! eS.
The old stories of promotion from
the ranks to higher positions in the
army are no longer true. A general
has to have skilled training; private
remains a private. The ambitious
young men who used to find an out
let for their energies in going to sea
or enlisting, find railroading a more
exciting pursuit. The glory of war
is gone and warfare has become me-
chanical, like large scale industry.
There Is no incentive for the laboring
men to become a soldier.
And the cost of war to the work
ing man is infinitely greater than form
erly. The interests of one nation are
interviewer with the interests of an
other. The United States is perahps
less dependent upon foreign supplies
and foreign markets than any other
great power. Yet half a million men
in the United States earn their living
in the production of goods for Great
Britain alone. A war with Great Brit
ain would throw them out of employ
ment Besides, the concentration of
workers in the city means that the
men who fight leave their families I'M
provided for. Formerly. the family
was left with a house to live in and
the ground to till.
There is no doubt that war means
nothing more than dead loss to the
workers of the country. THE inter- |
ests of Industrial labor are bound up
with peace"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Capital Comment
BY CLYDE H. TAVENNER
Congressman from the Fourteenth; District.

I the sale OF spurious watches to thu
credulous public. There have recent
ly been tests made for the commit
tee, and it has been found that watcf
cases sold as Warranted 20 years,
and the like, purporting to be ethel
solid gold or heavy gold platter. have
really contained less than five cents
worth of gold.
Such watches are sold to the public
by mail order agents and by itinerant
auction jewellers. The victim gets
such a watch at what seems to him to
be a low price Really he is paying an
extravagant price for a worthless arti-
Gle
The new bill provides that all watch
cases marked Gold filled" must be
plated with a minimum thickness OF
gold prescribed by law. 1t is forbidden
to guarantee gold filled or plated watch
cases. When cases are marked gold
the bill requires that the karet fineness
shall be stamped on the case. On all
watch movements the number of jewels
and adjustments must be stamped in
the metal, as well as the manufactur-
er's name, and there is prescribed stiff
penalties for false branding. The bill
is similar to the pure fabric bill which
the committee is now considering, but
because of special conditions in the
jewelry trade. it was decided to keep
the Cooke bill as a separate measure.
1t Is step in the right direction for
the American public.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
ENDS COAL STRIKE.

4 settlement of the labor war that
has ragged in the Kanawaha coal fields
of West Virginia has been virtually
brought about by the government con-
Citation commission, acting under the
authority of Secretary Wilson, of the
department of labor
By the agreement that has been
made the employers practically recog
nize the labor union to which the men
belong, and this was the principal
point at issue. Only a few unimport-
ant and trivial differences now re-
main to be adjudicated, which will be
the duty of another commission.
This labor struggle was marked by
many deaths and destruction of a
large amount of property Armed
guards and militia. equipped with ma
chine guns drove the striking miners
to the mountains, where many are said
TO have starved. The situation became
so bad that the United States senate
conducted a special investigation.
Under the arrangement reached the
operators agree to recognize the
"check-off" system. This makes the
employers responsible for the dues of
their men to the union.
The question of wages which is not
regarded as serious. is to be taken up
by a special commission to be named |
within 10 days. One of the commits |
sioners is TO be named by the mine |
owners, the second by the miners and |
the third is TO be named by the two.
II the two commissioners fail to agree
on the third, he is to be selected by the
secretary Of labor from a list of five
names submitted 10 him.
Secretary Wilson and the admin
stration IN Washington are to be
highly commended for their successful
Efforts in bringing about Industrial
peace in the West Virginia coal fields.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

Professor Alvin S. Johnson's ar
ticle on war and the increase of labor
which appeared in the April Atlantic
Monthly has recently been reprinted
1t is timely discussion of the theory
so frequently advanced by socialists
and other writer's on labor problems
that Others may win or lose through
war; the laborer can only lose" War,
they say, means nothing but loss to
the working man, though it may mean
acres of additional territory to his
country THE luxury of a large map
what thing for the wage-worker to
die for" Is this theory true or
false?
Professor johnson considers the va
rious reasons from which profit might
conceivably arise. Wars are fought
for the most part over material inter
ests. Goods, lands, concessions and
markets have been the prizes of vic
tory. The question is: Are they dis
tributed among the different social
classes? What share does the labor
ing man get? The common soldiers,
the followers of the successful war
rior, used to share in the spoils. But
now, since the concept of private prop
erty has gained strength, distribution
of land among the soldiers of a victor
ious army is unthinkabie. There is
only one way for the citizen of the con-
quering nation to secure land or chat
tells within the borders of a conquered
province: to buy it" AS a matter of
fact, under present conditions there
is nothing to prevent a race from
steadily extending its actual borders
in times of peace.
The launching of private enterprises
in a conquered country of a less de-
gree of enlightenment may offer very
attractive investment to capitalists
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
THE CITYS FOLLY.

During the present week the city
commissioners will probably deter
mine whether to purchase two more
touring cars for the pleasure and com
fort of city officials. AS is generally
known, two have already been bought
g not because especially needed, but be
cause somebody had them to sell
Judging by the way events are NOV
ing, somebody must have two or three
others to sell now
The folly Of buying pleasure cars for
The practical use Of department heads
in the discharge Of their duty is APP
parent 20 all who give the matter any
. thought, and The Argus wishes to com
mend the attitude of Commissioners
Reynolds and Rudgren on this subject.
Both take positive stand against this
.Jrn OF extravaganza, though both hold
that a runabout OF standard equipment
should be provided for the chief of the
ire department and probably for one
or two Others. They draw the line at
five passenger cars.
II any city official needs an automo-
bile it is the commissioner of streets,
but Commissioner Reynolds is not ask
ing for one for his own use.
As The Argus has said, there are
scores Of better plans for getting rid
Of surplus funds. If there are any. than
by buying automobiles of the wrong
Kind or any other unnecessary thing
simply because somebody has it to
sell and IT seems 10 be a bargain.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
HEALTH TALKS<
Drady,M.D.
Avoiding Typhoid.

Immunization against typhoid fever
is now available to every man, woman
and child who may, by any possibility
| be exposed to infection this season
! Before going away to the country, the
mountains or the seashore, insure your
health against this ever present dan
ger.
1t is not dangerous nor even an
unpleasant experience to be immu-
nized against typhoid. The average
individual suffers much more dis
comfort from ordinary vaccination
against smallpox. Typhoid immuni-
cation consists of a course of three
simple hypodermic injections, no
more painful nor dangerous than Or
binary hypodermic injections, admin
istered ten days apart. The very
worst effects observed are a one-day
headache and slight general mis-
cry after the first dose, though the
majority of individuals do not feel
any particular effects.
What Is the ProphyIactic Used7
The medicine injected to prevent
typhoid is a measured number of the
killed typhoid germs. 1t is given on
the good old principle that nothing
is so effective as the hair of the dog
that bites you. 1t prevents typhoid
fever in the same way that an attack
Of the fever itself renders an indi
yidual immune to further attacks |
There is good evidence that it con. |
fers an immunity lasting at least |
three years; how much longer the |
lasts will not be known |
until the lapse of more time. Last
Tear there wasn't a single death |
rom typhoid in the whole United
States army, due to the universal
Use of the prophylactic.
Vehicles of Typhoid Infection.
Drinking water from wells, springs
IT brooks in the country Is always
Insafe, unless you know that it isl
lot polluted. Clearness and good
aste is no criterion to Judge by;
Uphold germs affect neither OF thesel ,
Wells near farm ,
uildings, particularly out-buildings,l !
DR.. Brady will answer all questions
ion ia of general interest fl will be a, n,
t will be answered personally If sta
Dr.. Brady will not prescribe for tn
dress all letters TO DR.. William Bras
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

| to give business its new constitution
CT freedom. If we stop now, there
would be another long period of ayita
ton with its resulting dangers to bus
mess. But We are not going to face
the danger, We are going ahead with
our program now, and If the reports ]
received are correct it will not take us
long to finish our work
I'VE know what we are doing. We
purpose to do it under the advice OF
men who understand the business of
the country, and We know that the eff
feet Is going 10 be exactly what the
effect of the currency reform was-a
sense of relief and security.
You remember with what resist
ance a large body Of bankers met the
proposals Of that (the currency re-
form. and you know how, immediately
after its passage, they recognized its
benefit and how ever since bankers
have been congratulating themselves
that 1t was possible to carry out this
great reform on sensible and solid
lines
we are in the presence of a bust
ness situation which is variably inter
preted. Here in Washington y
we are perhaps in position to Judge
of the actual condition of business
better than those can judge who are
In any other single point of the coun-
try; and l want to say to you, as
matter of fact. the signs of a strong
business revival are becoming more
and more evident from day to day"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Away With the Men!

so you think the world would go
on very successfully if there were no
men?"
Il can't see why it shouldn't Wom-
en- have shown that they are capable
Of doing everything the men have pre-
tended that they only were able to do
BY the way, do you know of any man
I could get to trim that big elm tree
in the front yard? 1t seems to me-
some of the upper limbs ought to be
cut off"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

great future bene
fit to the Ameri-
can people is the
Cooke pure jewelry
bill which has just
been reported out
from the house
committee on in
terstate commerce.
The logical de-
velopment of this
sort of legislation
will be pure leath-
er laws, pure fab
ric laws and other
similar statutes
making 1t an Of
Tense to brand or
label any common
articles to be any
thing else than
they really
are. 1t is the pure
food law carried
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Yellow Fever on the Amazon.

Iquitoes is a town on the Amazon
river within four degrees of the equat
or. An equatorial swamp not only sur.
rounds the place, but thrusts invading
swales into the city itself Open sew
ers run the length of the principal
streets, which are quite innocent of
paving. Yet an American surgeon,
loaned from the public health service
and Loyalty supported by the Peruvian
government of the place, has driven
out yellow fever even under such dis
advantages as these and reduced the
general death rate from forty-nine per
Thousand per year TO twenty-eight. In
the face Of such an achievement, what
excuse has any American city for har-
boring preventable diseasef-Chicago
Inter Ocean.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

are especially unsafe. since human
excrement may readily find it's way
| through soil drainage into the water
Cooks in the best of health NAV
be deadly carriers of typhoid germs,
as has been demonstrated in many
epidemics. Vegetables washed with
polluted water have carried the dis
ease. Flies have been caught with
the germs on their feet. Butter,
milk, even ice sometimes contains
typhoid germs.
Boil the drinking water If in doubt.
Do not rely upon filters or any
chemical germicide in the water
The avenues of possible infection
are SO many and so insidious that
safety demands the use of the new
prophylactic as preliminary for a
healthful vacation.
Questions and Answers.
Mrs. A. T. asks: Can appendicitis
be cured by taking olive oil? VIII
you recommend any doctor or doc
tors who treat appendicitis without
using the knife?
Reply.
Appendicitis can be cured by olive
oil about as we'll as you could cure it
with any other laxative. No, / cannot
recommend doctors who take such des-
perate chances with treacherous dis
ease in these days of safe surgery. Not
every case must be operated on, but
personally we'd rather take our
chances with the operation than with
the disease. By the way, it is a very
dangerous thing to take a laxative in |
the presence of any acute inf1amma- |
lion in the abdomen like appendicitis |
B. NJ. writes: Can you tell me
Why some people have trouble keep
ng their equilibrium while walking
IN smooth ground after dark, yet
lave no such trouble in daylight?
Reply.
Sometimes this is a symptom of To-
omotor ataxia. sometimes it is n
ymptom OF certain eye troubles, and
ometimes it is noted in cases of sim
lie neurasthenia or psychasthenia-l
erve weakness.
pertaining to health. If your ques-
'ered through these columns; IL not
d, addressed envelope is enclosed.
dual cases or make diagnoses. Ad-
are of The Argus. Rock Island, Ill. J
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

The best possible evidence that bus
mess conditions are sound was fur
nished by the absence of adverse after
effects of the Clafin failure Though
this concern had ramifications in many
cities and its crash involved many
millions of dollars, it's collapse fail
ed TO weaken confidence in any other
concern, furnishing ample assurance
that the failure was caused by condi-
tions peculiar TO the particular firm
involved and that trade and financial
conditions IN general are on a sound
basic.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
A LAMENT

I love a lady who
is fair
To see;
Her glad smile lifts
me from despair
To glee;
But though she
says her heart
is mine,
In loneliness L
must repine;
For she, though
willing to en-
\ trance,
! Is not inclined to
take a chance
With me.
What care I for
h 9 T fathers
gold?
IT'S drossl
/, He's wealthy. but
dyspeptic, old.
And CROSS;
He takes her South.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Woman's Influence.

Some men strive to gain success.
To win firm footholds on the height,
Because within them self1shncss
Is ever urging, day and night
Some men press on as best they may
With pick or spade or sword or pen,
Because their wish is, day by day,
To benefit their fellow men.
One in ten thousand, glad to claim
The worlds approval. nobly strives:
But most men who win wealth or fame
Do so to satisfy their wives.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

From the picturesque phrases at
tributed to the chairman of the Ur-
baua library board at the time he
learned that Andrew Carnegie was un-
willing to finance a library in that
city, one might think that the iron
master were under some sort of obIi-
cation TO fork over the price of a
building whenever asked to do so, re-
CARELESS of local conditions. Perhaps
after all. and despite appearances to
the contrary, Urbana is rich.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

do you care If 1 paint your barn %
asked the summer boarder with the
peaches and cream complexion, as she
put down her palette and began ar
ranging her color tubes.
NO" replied Uncle Jasper; "go
right ahead 1t needs paintin' all
right, but 1 don't see how you expect
to git much done with them little bits
of breshes."
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

into the retail district generally, and
this legislative evolution will prove of
great value in preventing the public
from being swindled.
The Cooke bill, named after its
author, Representative ]. Henry Cooke,
of Ohio, applies to watches only, but
one of the great American swindles is
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

in winter time,
In summer to some northern cline;
o, that his wealth might melt away,
My love would more than thrice repay
Her loss
or all fair maids she is most fair,
I trow; =
Her love my guide is everywhere
go.
With her to share my lot ia claim,
The highest honors, widest fame
For both herself and mel grieve
To say that she will not believe -s II
1t, though. E.Ii
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

In indicting Charles S. NIellen, for
mer president of the New Haven road,
the grand Jury no doubt has insured
the bottling up of many revelations on
The part of others which would have
made interesting reading.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

TERMS-Ten cents per week by car
rier. in Rock Island; SO pc year by mail
In advance.
Complaints OF delivery service should
be made to the circulation department
which should also be notified In every
instance where it is desired to have
paper discontinued. as carriers have no
authority IN the premises
All communications o. argumenta5ive
Character. political or religious. must
have real name attached for pubIica-
ton No such articles will be printed
over fictitious signatures.
Telephones IN all departments. Cen
trail Union. Rock Island 145, 1145 and
2I45.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

IN using its guns to silence the fed
eral bombardment of the rebel city of
PUerta Plata, in Santo Domingo, the
[. s. gunboat Machias again demon
strated that Uncle Sans navy insists
upon peace, even if it has to fight
for If
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Ridiculous.

We were compelled a few evenings
ago to keep from laughing while a
young man with a receding chin and
a very thin tenor voice sang:
Il am the master of my fate,
l am the captain OF my soul"
What was the most ridiculous thing
you ever heard?
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

Villas line of talk to Carranza sug-
geSts that the former must have also
succeeded in opening up communities
tion with the base of supplies in New
York Citv-
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
aMhbv."

willie" the Sunday school teacher
asked. can you tell me why Rachel
wept for her children"
''Mebby II was because the preacher
came before she had chance to git
them cleaned up"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Ready TO Listen.

'Ts there any last wish that you
would like to make known?" asked
his best friend.
ANY last wish? What do you
mean"
You're about to be married, you
know"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
SHE WENT TOO FAR.

John" 8 h @
complained, you
used to say that
you would always
think of me as
your little girl"
" w e H." h e
snarled, Il did as
long as you kept
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
With Credit Only.

Did you occupy your last pulpit
with credit" inquired the church trus-
tee.
Il certainly did" responded the APP
plicant. There was never any cash
connected with it."-Ladies' Home
Journal
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Sinners Idea.

PA, Is retribution the worst thing
a man can have?"
mo. it isn't half as bad as the
feeling a man is likely to have after
he has confessed and then become
convinced that he would not have
been found out if he had kept quiet"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01
Learn to Live.

1t is we'll to live and learn,
To gain new knowledge day by day,
To find some good at every turn,
To cling to courage on the way.
It is we'll to Justly earn
Rewards the world may care TO give;
1t is well to live and learn,
But Don't neglect to learn to live.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

CaIifSrnia has shipped 1000 car
loads Of cantaloupes. How many spec
linens were fit to eat is a problem
which was passed on to the consumer.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

While the colonel still insists that he
will not run for governor of New York
il is noticed that he is not doing any
boosting for any of the other candi-
dates
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

The Des Moines burglars who broke
into the safe of a five and ten cent
store evidently had been watching
where the shoppers left their money.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-01

Especial Correspondence of The Argus)
Washington. d. c., June 29.-The
first step in advance of the pure food
law and one which is likely to lead to