davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
prominent citIzen,s Advice

"If people would quit watching the war in Europe so closely and go to work, business conditions would soon improve in this country and pave the way to an industrial prosperity unequaled in the history of the nation," said Jones G. Moore.
 By people I mean the merchant and mechanic, the so-called interests, the Wall street operator and other factors In commercial life. I am not upmindful of the fact that 1t will take sometime for business to get on normal basis again but so long as we content our selves with deploring the war the longer business will be depressed.
 The cartoon by Blackman in last Thursdays issue of The Age-Herald named by the clever cartoonist, I Can't. expressed the situation very finely. It was timely and much to the point. And to think I've been braggin' bout what smart boys had,' says Uncle Sam, with evident disgust, addressing group of American manufacturers; why ain't you at work?' The cartoon depicts the sit uation in nutshell and far more forci- ply than could be done by columns of words. Let us quit growing about the war and go to work and times will inn prove.r
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
IDLE CARS DECREASING

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
 ironic fate over the effort of the rail- ways to get their rates raised that they secured a grant of rehearing just in time to have the statistics show marked increase in the activity of cars. The reports for August of the American Railway association. a strictly corpo- rate organization. showed that during August 33,0o0 idle and sidetracked cars had gone into operation. The report for the first half of September swells this total by 27,277
 Over 60.000 idle cars put into opera tion in about six weeks! This is a dismal record of the railroad idleness which, according to their representa- tives. is threatening to reduce them to ruin unless they get the full per cent advance. In their gloomy view the re- duction of idle cars in August means that cars were loaded and backed up" as far as Iowa owing to the block ade on exports. The September increase in activity must back them up to Den yer. if not clear to California. But what fatuity 1t is for the railroads to put idle cars into operation when they cannot move them-according to their representations to the interstate com merce commission.
 Perhaps if the railroads will aban- don their notion that they must not share any of the adversities of trade, and devote their attention to stimu- lating the resumption of commerce they will find that the halt in activity was but temporary at the most.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
The Negro Population

According to the preliminary report of the census buerau, although the population of negroes in the United States has increased 993,769 since 1900, in 1910 they formed only 10.7 of the total population, against 11.6 per cent in 1900. The total number of negroes in the United States in 1910 was 9,827,76 compared with 8,883,- 944 in 1900. The increase for the dec ade was 11.2 per cent. In the same time there was an increase of 20.8 per cent among the native whites and 30.7 per cent among the foreign born whites. The negroes are the only race in the country showing larger per centage of females than males.
 It is gratifying to note that the ne- groes form 14.5 per cent of the rural population of the country. For years negro leaders have urged their people to stay on the farm and avoid the con gestion of the cities. The negro in the country is self-supporting, healthy and in many cases better provided with this worlds goods than his white neighbor on the same economic foot ing. This is particularly true among the small farmers of the south, where the training of the Booker T. Wash ington school at Tuskegee has resulted in making some highly successful ne- gro farmers, in addition to the other industrial pursuits for which students are fitted. The total value of farm property operated by negroes is shown to be $1 1,144, ,1S1 ,OOO in 1910, which is no inconsiderable sum and is large increase over the valuation of $499,- 941 ,000 in 1900.
 These figures are highly significant as showing the large number of negro farmers there are in the country and the rapidity with which they are de- veloping. Of the total negro population more than 7,0OO,00O live in the coun- try. In the 10 years illiteracy has de- cresed from 57.1 to BOA, while the death rate has decreased in the regis tration area from 29.4 per cent to 25.5 per cent. In every way the negroes seem to have made substantial prog ress during the past decade.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
PAYING IN COTTON

From the New York Times,
 The number of concerns in this city which have been asked to take pay ment of their bills in cotton must be very large, if the complaints heard cn every side are any token Even houses that have very small accounts in the south are being informed that the money due for the bill will. if con- sent is given. be utilized in buying the staple. It is hard for the firms that have even their most selfish interests at stake to refuse this novel form of payment, but many are making point of ooing so for the principle involved. If they are to invest in cotton they. feel that bills should be paid in reg ular form and the investment then made from the proceeds direct.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

debt, and the interest paid justifies it.. The monthly debts of small sums we ought to pay. The money used in meet ing one obligation may continue in TO- tation until it meets hundred; and at such time as this may keep busi- ness going, men employed, and even want checkmated. The fact that others are not paying is the more reason that we should.
 In the second place, let us cut sal aries from the highest to the lowest, including our own, rather than lay men off. Let us bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
 In the third place, let us cut off some of our personal and household and business expenditures, and use the money in well directed charity. Why shall we not make this a year when all Birmingham shall stand together in repelling the invader? Let us exem- plify our brotherhood with men. Let us eat only enough, in order that others may have at least little. Let us dress soberly in order that others may dress at least warmly. "Who knows but that we have come to the kingdom for such time as this ?" Let us fulfill the law of Christ.
 HENRY M. EDMONDS.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
Y Alabama's Improved Oyster Beds

Virginia and Maryland began the work of oyster conservation twenty five years ago. Virginia, one of the few great oyster states, would not have been making fair showing in the oyster market today but for the laws enacted by the legislature of the Old Dominion protecting the oyster beds. For several years after the con- servation movement started Virginia's s oyster industry was so thoroughly safeguarded that comparatively few bivalves found their way to the mar ket.
 When the Virginia laws were passed St was estimated that in seven years the protection policy would result ir such bountiful yield as to make ur rapidly for the restrictions in oyste,
 tonguing," temporarily enforced. To. day Virginia's oyster output is larger In volume and more profitable thar ever, and the quality of the bivalve is greatly improved. Chrisfield, Md, ano Norfolk ship to all parts of the coun- try. Right here in Birmingham the, compete with New Orleans and Mobile
 Despite the fact that Alabama wal slow in passing conservation laws when the present oyster commission of which John Craft of Mobile is pres ident, was at length formed the work was pushed and is being pushed today The results are of vast commercial vnlue. Alabama's coastal plains will
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
Interest in Bible Study

In a former generation children of Christian parents were not only regu- I lar in their attendance at Sunday
 school, but they were required to
 memorize a great deal of scripture. The laity knew less of commentators
 than active Sunday school workers of
 today, but they were saturated with
 many books of both the Old Testament
 and the New.
 This is an age of organization, and few social or religious activities are so strongly in evidence as Bible training work. But prominent minister of the gospel recently called attention to the fact that despite the enthusiastic Bible class movement of the present time poll of student bodies in many leading colleges developed the fact that a large percentage of the young men of today were ignorant of Bible stories which should be considered part and parcel of everyone's literary equipment; and as for being able to quote scripture most of the college students could come nearer quoting Sanskrit. In many circles Christian leaders are recalling bygone days and stressing the importance of memoriz- ing portions of the Bible as of old as we'll as learning about the Bible. In this connection it is of interest to note that the Birmingham Young Mems Christian associations Bible study course for the season of 1914-15 will be made particularly attractive. A special study of the Epistles of St. Paul will be included in the course. Other topics are grouped under the head of Life Problem Studies" and include "The Value of Work" "Legi- innate Rewards of Life York;" Christian Ideals of Business and Pro- fessional Honor,' Social Amuse- ments" and "The Relation of the Physical and Spiritual Nature" Another center of influence in Bible study is the Bible Training school of the Birmingham Sunday School asso- citation, which will hold it's fifth an- nual session here during the week of October 26. The Rev. Dr. J. M. Shel- burne is dean of the training school and he is ably assisted by many ardent workers in the Sunday School associa- tion, both men and women.
 In the Young Mems Christian asso- citation only men are admitted in the Bible course, but there is an appeal for every man, old as we'll as young. No matter what view may be taken of Christianity all right minded peo- ple will be in cordial sympathy with every movement and with every ef- fort making for the moral elevation of the community, and the various Christian denominations will be ever potential in reaching and bracing the conscience and in promoting civic righteousness.
 D
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

one-half of the states cotton crop. If such precedent were established the state would be called on hereafter to handle other crops and manufactured products and all manner of things which would eventually greatly increase taxes and finally bankrupt the state.
 * x x
 Now. it Is true that this European war mas created an intensely embarrassing situation in the southern cotton states.
 Regardless of the quoted price at Liver. pdol the cotton buyer in the south does not know today what to pay for cotton because he does not know what be car get for it in large quantities.
 The farmer, the country merchant and the banker can well profit by the mora, of one of Aesop's fables entitled. .srbe Old Lark and the Young Ones.'
 In brief. the young Iarks in the nest in wheat fld overheard the farmer and his two1 sons talking about cut ting the wheat. They heard them say that they were waiting on their neigh bors to come in and help them cut the wheat and as soon as the neighbo-s
 
 came they would cut it.. The young larks wanted the mother lark to re- move them. She declined and stated to her young ones that she would remove them in ample time. Similar conversa- tfons were overheard between the farmer and his. sons for several con secu'ive days. They were waiting on the neighbors to help them cut the wheat. Finally. after weeks talk, the old farmer said to his sons: "Our neighbors are not going to help us cut this wheat. Now, yout two boys and will start in and cut it ourselves tomorrow"
 When this conversation was repeat
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
MOTOR MADNESS

like to read the auto ads,
 And do it every day, Although 'tis true lack the scads For any car to pay. But there's so much to please the eye On every page I scan, That with a hungry hearted sigh I'm bound to read and plan. Now, here's a car that suits me well, Save for a point or two; The lines are good but, truth to tell, In size 'twould hardly do. An! This. methinks. is simply fine, A beauty, trim and bright; If any auto might be mine.
 Iris here my choice would light. The girl within Is fair to see,
 The tonneau is superb; I would that it awaited me
 Beside a city curb. Some day, perhaps I'll own a car, Like more affluent men, But since the time is distant far, There'll be new models then.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs
Letter From Major Fontaine

T have been much interested in some data I have just received from my old friend and comrade. Maj. Lamar Fon- taine. who lives down in. Lyon, Miss..' said Dr. Alfred Eubank. .Discussing the implements of war now being used he writes me as follows:
 Now do you note the little French gun that six men can handle, with It's we'll guarded secret explosive, that throws ball or shell five or six miles and can fire 20 shots per minute with telling accuracy. And when one ef the little light French demons strikes these great Krupp monsters it not only destroys it, but kills every living thing. man or beast, within 400 feet of 1t and it makes no difference whether they are in tunnels CT iron caissons, under or above ground It kills the men in trenches or in the open fields so dead that they do not fall to the earth but stand as if alive or frozen.
 Now the French are working night ard day to turn out scores of these terrible engines of death and destruc- ton and they are guarding their secret to the limit
 {" You doubtless have read of the fear ful effects of this gun. One shell burst ing upon the deck of a great warship near its center would kill every living thing on it, and no wound could be found on the bodies. Now they are perfecting it so as to fire 500 shots minute with an increasing range from 800 yards to five miles, so as explode shells only 400 feet beyond each other as they fly over the field. clearing a path 800 feet on the path of their flight I"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
TOGETHER

By Julia Nicely Finch. f . Across the years. the crowded years A look and find you just the same. had not thought to find you so For I have grown so old; so old! Were ever eyes, so sweet? so true? As summer skies, their tranquil blue. And in your lips fine. fervent fold I read the passing of your days. Their wise restraint. their sweet repose. Your brow was ever fair pearl ret Within soft and ebon frame:
 Or, as a birds en-folding wings Your dusky tress that curls and cIings Your step Is bouyant firm and strong And in youf face there is the light Of faith and hope and courage. brighs As is a sword that leaps to fight For love and life: for God and righti I almost feared to see you. dear Lest should see the stain of tears: 1 The ravage of . woman's fears
 Who faces life alone, too long!
 I do not ask if you forget
 Your truth Ismeasure by my own. Together again! Come veal or woe: As long as life itself shall last Our lot together on earth ia cast.
 One hearth-stone wide and warm sA One life. one love-for you and me,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

ed by the young larks to the old one she promptly replied: Tt is time now for US to move" and she moved them.
 The condition affecting cotton in the southern states is similar. The cotton farmer, the country merchant and the banker need not expect paternal leg islation from their political neighbors to aid>them. They can and should and will cut themselves out of the present entanglement.
 They can only do it by thorough CO., operation in holding back the market able crop.
 The government is issuing large volumes of currency to the southern banks. These banks can have that cur rency. on practical collateral. for long time. They should, therefore, carry the country merchant, and the mer- chant should carry the farmer, enabling him merely to market small quantity of his cotton at time.
 Tn this way-with thorough co- operative spirit-the farmer could car- ry over a large percentage of the crop until next year and by planting but little next year could even things up in time.
 This, in>the opinion of many men of experience and financial judgment with whom I have talked. is the only prac- tical solution of the problem.
 The farmer should not be further fooled into the belief that either the national or his state government will make ward of him.
 He needs and deserves help but he wants it in a practical way and not In that way which would be future pun ishment to him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
THE WAR AND WINE IMPORTS From the New York Times.

Just what the war has done to cer- tain wine imports is shown by fig ures which give the amounts entered at this port in the month of September. Champagnes were the hardest hit of all last months receipts Consisting ot cnly six cases. against 12,92S cases ia the corresponding month year ago. Rhine and Moselle wines also dropped off sharply. only 25 cases having been received. as compared with 4956 cases in September. 1913. Other declines were shown fin Bordeaux and Burgundy, which together fell off nearly 20C0 cases. and in Jamaica rum, which dropped 75 cases as compared with last September. Imports of sherry and port increased for the month, as did rs- ceipts of brandy. Holland and British gin, and cordials, Very sharp gains were shown in imports of Italian wines and Scotch and Irish whiskies. No Ger man beer came in. against 26.056 pack ages last September.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
THE SPUR OF NrCEssIrv

From the New York Evening World.
 The United States is going to smelt its own tin. Last year it sent all its tin concentrates to British smelters.
 The war cut off our supply of ichthyol, mineral oil, valuable in medicine, found in the Austrian Tyrol Somebody has looked around and found plenty of ich- thyol where nobody ever sought it before in fossil beds in this country.
 Paterson, N. J., is fired with ambition to outdo Lyons as a silk center. Why not?
 There is no spur like necessity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE COTTON | SITUATION AND DEFINES THE ONLY SOLUTION

MEXICAN middling cotton was A quoted on Friday in Liverpool at
 a bit over 10 cents pound. It was quoted in Montgomery at sl4 cents.
 There is something wrong about this. Although the sales fin Liverpool only amounted to 400 bales. at the price pre- vailing there middling cott.n. In Mont gomery should be selling at \ fraction over cents.
 have read Senator Bankhead's plan and MT. Hardings statement, and the interview with MT. Morris. president of the Alabama Farmers union, in yester- days Age Herald. and the congressional debates. It rather appears to me that the cotton grower and country merchant and banker are in somewhat of a panicky state and that the average southern con- gressman Is adding to it by holding out hope to them that the government will do something radical in their favor
 These enthusiastic statesmen are cry- ing for a government loan direct to the farmer. or for the government to more or less take over the crop. These con- gressmen know full well that the northern and western congressman will stand for. no such legislation. If they did, next year or the year after the southern congress- men would have to vote for the govern. ment taking over the wheat crop of the west, the tobacco crop, or the pig iron production of the country, or the boot and shoe products of the New England manufacturers. In other words. there would be no end to this form of paternal legislation.
 We further know that there is no pros- pect whatever of Alabama making a state bond issue for the purpose of handling
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
HENRY M. EDMoNDs.

Attention is called to the graphic de- scription by Oscar W. Underwood. IT. of his trip over the battlefield of the Marne and his visit to the firing line near Soissons. MT. Underwood is The Age-Herald's special correspondent in Paris and his latest article appears else where in this issue
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

en from the roll in August, let me ex- plain. Out. of 2s7 citations sent to pen sioners in that county, about 75 were returned by Judge Stiles. with the in dorsement not found in this county Nothing was left for the state board but to strike their names in order to find out where they were. That plan worked and they are coming up we'll since they failed to get the. October warrant
 yesterday three of them came to see me either personally or by represen- tation and exlained that they lived in south Alabama but kept their names on the pension roll of Jefferson county. They were widows. One of them ad- mitted that her children were able and willing to support her, so under the
 terms of the law this fact disqualified
 her from receiving a pension. The other
 two furnished the proper evidence and
 were returned to the roll. So it will be
 in most if not all cases. Then widows draw their pensions in Jefferson coun-
 ty and live with their children in other counties and 1t is hard to keep up with
 them They will soon make themselves
 known, and I hope correct their rec- ords. see that a meeting of veterans held here lately declares in favor of restoring to the roll all who have been stricken by the state board during the present Investigation
 Let me ask the veterans who par ticipated in that meeting If they are in favor of restoring to the Alabama
 oath of allegiance to the United States and about 100 of whom actually en-
 listed in the United States army? Let
 me ask them if they are in favor of re-
 storing to the roll about 75 negroes.
 when they know that no negro ever en-
 listed in the Confederate army or navy?
 Let me ask them if they are in favor of
 giving pensions to house guards about
 1000 in number, who were never en-
 listed and who never served in the Confederate army or navy? Very recent lily widow in Houston county was stricken from the roll because 1t ap- ueared that her husband deserted the Confederate army and joined tho United States army during the war. She was very indignant and abused me very severely. Under my advise she applied for pension from the United States. which was granted and with it she received several hundred dollars of back pay. Her curses have now been turned into blessings; but according to the resolution passed by the recent meeting she would be restored to the Alabama pension roll and make money from both, sides. This is not the only case of this kind. As to the authority of the governor to order this investi- gation, can only say that the best lawyers in the state have advised that he has full power to investigate all expenditures from the state treasury and to employ whatever agency he pre- fers to conduct that investigations; in- deed 1t is his duty to do so.
 sIt seems strange that Confederate soldiers should want negroes, deserters and men who never even enlisted in the Confederate army or navy given the money. which has been appropriated for the bensht of Confederate veterans and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

Modern warfare seems to have demon strated that treaty is merely a scrap of paper" and an "impregnable fortress is almost as easy to demolish as a house of cards
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
SOME LEAD

From the New York Evening World. Who could help seeing sinister sgnin- canoe in the unprecedented amount of lead-72, ,750oOo pounds-which Europe bought from this country in the sis months prior to the war?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

The last We heard of Mary Garden, she was going to be a nurse, saving in her best Mary Garden manner that she might never sing again. So long, Mary, If you mean it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

An attempt was made to assassinate two policewomen in Baltimore. To be consistent thug can show no more courtesy to a female cop than he does to one who wears trousers
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

A university professor denounces au- tomobiles and joy rides as inimicial to students. And student is much more apt to get his neck broken in an auto- mobile than he is on the gridiron.-