davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
TO HARNESS THE sun

From the Chicago RecordHerald.
That it is we'll within the range of pcs
sibility that a few years more will see
the sun pumping water and generating
electricity on a commercial scale is the
hope of DR.. Andrew f. Douglas, pro-
fessor of physics and astronomy of the
University of Arizona
Professor Douglass has just installed at
the university a delicate instrument which
measures and records the energy given
off by the sun. This instrument, which
is called a recording pyrheliometer-a
combination of a calendar pyrheliometer
(sun heat measure) and a recording gal
vanometer, enables the sun to draw
picture of its own work during the day.
fine line of red ink is traced across
squared paper, while the sun shines
steadily the line is quite even and smooth.
but when the clouds intervene, violent
changes in the continuity of the line are
caused.
When the professor examines his rec
ord he can tell the amount of the suns
energy that is available for crop growth
or for pumping. There are only a small
number of these instruments in operation
in the world. In the United States -one
is located at Madison, Wis, and another
near Washington.
Already several sun motors have been
constructed that actually operate by the
suns rays. One two give promise of
becoming practicable for the economical
development of considerable horsepower.
The present obstacle to practicability
seems to be their high relative initial cost.
. Yet Professor Douglass and other scien-
lists believe that the day is near at hand
when the sun motors will water the des-
ert at minimum cost to the square foot.
Another practical use of the pyrheliom-
eter is to predict the general weather
conditions drought or wet seasons sew
| eral years in advance. 1t is well known
| that solar changes are Intimately asso-
| ciated with climatic or weather changes
which occur usually in cycles or series
| of years. DIR. Douglass believes that the
records of the pyrheiometer studied in
| connection with weather conditions In
! various parts of the world will help scien-
lists to predict accurately wet and dry
and hot and cold years so that the farm
ers may be prepared.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
TOMoRRow-TRIAL OF COLUMBUS

ingly large number of Frenchmen IN
prison accused of murder. These mur-
ders are usually committed in attempted
burglaries or hold-ups. The institution
which interested me most was the st.
Lazare prison, containing women and
children to the number of about 1000, but
no men. This seems an unusually large
proportion of female criminals for a
community the size of Paris. The prison
is one of the worst l have ever seen 1t
Is cold, gloomy and insamtary ! can
not understand why a more modern
structure is not devoted to women.
There is one large room for children,
of whom about 40 are born here each
year. They are allowed to stay wirh their
mothers untilsthey reach the age of n
when they are either given 20 relatives
or placed in an asylum until the mothers
have served out their terms. ! seldom
have seen more degraded types of taees
than in this prison.
Generally speaking, although there are
several modern prisons in and about
Paris, | believe France has nothing !,
teach America in this respect. l stu
think Holloway in London is one of the
finest prisons in the world
Mrs. Ide will start at the end of the
week to pass a month in Spain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
The Problem of the Jap

Secret negotiations for the settle
ment of the Japanese exclusion and
alien land questions are now being
carried on with the Japanese govern
ment and it is predicted that a def
mite settlement or final disagree
ment will be reached within two
weeks These vexatious problems have
given the administration a great deal
of trouble and threatened at one time
to cause serious complications in Cal
ifornia.
1t is reported that Japan will con-
cede the right of the various states of
the union to enact antialien land laws
and will save her own self-respect by
exacting similar concession from the
United States regarding lands in Jap
an. An effort is also being made IN
the present negotiations to end the ad-
mission of so-called "picture" brides
into this country. These women are
married by proxy, under custom
recognized as legal in Japan, to men
in this country, whom, not infrequent-
ly, they have never seen. Japanese
women thus admitted enter the fields
with their husbands and Immediately
become competitors in the labor mar
ket and mean also an ultimate addi-
tion of five native-born Japanese to
the country's population.
Students of oriental questions be-
lieve that Japan has given up her
hope of planting large population in
the United States. The little brown
men have not been made entirely well
come and their admission has done
much to strain the relations existing
between Japan and the United States.
1t is thought now that the surplus
japanese population will turn to Mex
leo and South America. The possibili-
ties for investment of Japanese money
in those countries is very great. When
order is finally restored in Mexico it is
believed that the Japanese will turn 10
that country in large numbers, while
both the eastern and western coasts of
South America will be sought by them,
following the completion of the Pana-
ma canal.
To be sure, the jingo will still have
chance to rant about the "yellow
peril" with so many Japanese settling
to the south of us, but Uncle Sam will
see to it that the principles of the
Monroe doctrine are observed by Jap
an, as regards the securing of naval
bases and in all other matters of like
nature affecting this country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
American Automobiles Abroad

That American manufacturers Of
automobiles are competing successful
ly with foreign makers of cars is
shown by an analysis of the report of
the department of commerce for the
past year. Not only do the figures
show that cars built in this country
are becoming increasingly popular
abroad. but there is decided falling
off in the importation of foreign cars.
There was a time when wealthy peo-
pie seemed to prefer an imported car
to one of home make, but all that is
changed now. The cars that are made
in this country challenge the world
and the popularity of imported cars
is decidedly on the wane.
Last year the United States ex-
ported 26,SS9 automobiles, valued at
S27, ,029, ,451, an increase of almost 10
per cent over the exports for 1912. In
1911 only 15,S07 cars were exported.
The average value of the cars is about
$1,000, evidence of the fact that foreign
purchasers are beginning to appre-
ciate the more expensive makes Of
cars turned out in this country. In ad-
dition to these figures, it should be
stated that two American factories in
Canada and branch in London man
ufactured approximately 1000 cars
for the foreign trade. Parts and ac-
cessories exported amounted to
$1,000, ,237, and tires $3.50, ,6S8, MAX
ing the total exports for the automo-
bile industry in 1918, $38,S40,376.
On the other hand, importations of
automobiles show a marked decrease
Only 492 cars came into the United
States last year, valued at 81, ,154,873
as against S6S in 1912, decrease of
more than 76 per cent.
One reason why American cars are
being sold in larger numbers abroad
is the fact that they are built chiefly
for people of moderate means, class
formerly ignored by foreign manufac-
turers who built only for the rich
purchaser who could afford to pay a
fancy price. Also large production,
ingenious engineering and manufac-
turing methods, characteristic adver-
tising and selling plans and guaran-
tees of service that were fulfilled have
contributed toward increasing the de-
mand for American cars abroad.
Of automobiles built in this country
and exported Canada is the largest
consumer, with the United Kingdom a
close second.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
sUPERsTITIONs GALORE

From the Philadelphia Ledger.
After DR.. Fletcher Bascom Dressler got
through with his Investigations and the
University of California had published
them, il was apparent that there are some
5000 supersttions distributed among sbc
10 per cent of the population.
Pretty nearly everything under
seems to be connected with som
ton from an owl to the t'-.
skirt. Never hear of eli
your skirt happens to be
at the bottom, you can bf
is thinking of you. You
make every one think
the meH, if you wear sli.
the OWL if it should come int, y,
trouble is sure to follow. The .hng
to do when you expect an owl is L put all
the cut glass into the china closet and the
china closet in the diring room closet, and
then lock the closet. For the owl, you
can then use anything; a broom is gen
orally pretty handy.
The first time pigs cross your threshold
make them jump over your pants belt, or
your wifes garter, or the maids apron;
then they will come home regularly A
plan now in use among up-to-date Ameri-
can farmers is to keep the pigs in regular
pens and feed them twice a day. 1t is re-
garded as a scheme more popular with
the wife and the maid The other way is
recorded as being German one
If there are white horses in the barn
good luck is due to come to the house.
That's a German stunt, too; but the
United States has shown of late marked
preference for gray horses-since about
the time when it was discovered that, if
white horse. The red-headed girls lately
have changed, so that the white horse has
disappeared, too. But we're going strong
now on grayS.
1t is bad luck to hear dog bark at
night. This superstition has been found
to depend on circumstances 1t Is a matter
of whose dog. If it's the dog next door,
the best thing to use is a fiatiron; but a
good aim is even more valuable.
Women believe that If they go some
where on Monday they will be on the go
the rest of the week. That may be the ex-
planation of the fact that women. like to
wash on Monday. XIII cat and you will
have bad luck for seven years. there is,
however, no special superstition as to
kittens, so it is best to begin on your
cats early.
The Germans to cite only one more out
of the 5000. believe that If your right
hand itches you will get money; if your
left hand itches you will spend much.
Americans are the only people in the
world who have both hands itching all
the time
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27

ors at Baltimore and whether this
position was designedly assumed to
entrap the Wilson forces must be left
to the public for decisioa.
Certain il is that the Secretary, N
his efforts for encompassing inter-
national peace, cannot move peg nor
pin, if such movement would in the
least alarm the dove of his own fond
ling.
Senator Owen of Oklahoma has in
all seriousness questioned the authori-
ty of any national convention to bind
the party or its members to any des-
ignated policy and expresses a quasi
cotempt for all platforms in general
and that of Baltimore in particular.
1t is quite evident that such plat
forms are framed to meet existing cons
ditions and a change in conditions
might alter or negative any and posi-
bly, all of the planks contained in the
platform. Moreover the accepted
tenets and traditions of the democratic
party are too well recognized and have
been too long established to require
periodical declaration and exploitation.
1t is going too far to indorse unquali-
fiedly the statement that such plat
forms are only servicable as kindling
wood, but most assuredly the Presi-
dent is right in his determination to
sweep aside any and all planhs of his
party that have been unadvisedly pro-
mulgated, are obviously undemocratic
and run counter to the honor and in
terests of the nation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
Tribute to Captain White

The New Rochelle, n. Y, Press con-
tains the following tribute to Capt
Frank S. White of Birmingham:
Since the United States Senate by
one vote failed to ratify the appoint
ment of +. p. Glass as senator, to I'LL
the unexpired term of Joseph f. john
ston, deceased, Capt. Frank S. White
of Birmingham, one of the foremost
lawyers Of his state. has announced
that he will be candidate for the
short term If the legislature of Ala
bama orders an election. 42s
while Captain White has lived for
many years in Birmingham. he was
formerly q resident of Mississippi, and
in 1876 was one of the first men In that
state to open an active campaign
against the local republican party of
the commonwealth, headed by Adelbert
Ames, governor.
Many leading democrats of the state
declared that 1t was useless to attempt
| to throw off the republican yoke as the
whites were so greatly outnumbercd
| by the blacks, but White took the
| stump. though not a candidate for Of
flee, and by his earnest appeals to the
democratic voters aroused an enthus
iasm which soon spread to all of north
east Mississippi, and later to the en-
tire state. with the result that the state
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
GREAT TRIALS OF HISTOF
TRIAL OF NAPOLEON III

empire; the defeat Waterloo. That prin-,
ciple you have recognized; that cause you
have served; that defeat you would re-
venge"
After Louis Napoleon had finished
number of questions were put to him,
but to these he only replied in monosyl-
tables, or more often refused to give any
at all. The chancellor then began the
examination of others accused Their be-
havior was exactly that of the chief pris-
oner. They had followed Louis Napoleon
blindly and would follow him again. Thus
spoke these veteran leaders of the first
empire, as well as the others.
Then the precureur general, when all
the evidence had been heard addressed
the court for the prosecution. His speech
was made up of pitiless recital of the
facts of the attempt, followed by a power
ful appeal for heavy punishment, which
which the facts SO plainly demanded.
On September 80, Berryer made his
speech for the defense. After he had fin
ished his strong appeal to the French peo-
pie it was found that it was not without
effect. The damage of the attempt to
seize the throne had been ludicrous: the
trial had been rendered a serious event,
and what remained-the punishment-wa
most serious of all.
On October the peers pronounced their
sentence. Only four were acquitted
Aladenize was sentenced for life; Par
quin, who died in captivity, with Mon
tholon Lombard and Persigny, was given
20 years of detention-a severe form OF
punishment; Mesonan, is years; voison and
others, 10 years, and three more five years.
Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was
sentenced to perpetual Imprisonment in a
fortress within the territories of France
On October the frigate that was to
bear the Emperor's body back to France
cast anchor at st. Helena On the same
day Louis Napoleon was conducted from
Paris to the intended scene of his life
long Imprisonment, an old fifteenth CEN
tury fortress near the town of Ham, on
the sullen waters of the Somme. For
the first six months the prisoner was con-
fined in small cell nine feet square on
the first floor of the Crosse tower but
on May %, 1916, he escaped to London at
tired in the disguise Of a laborer. Then
came the second French revolution of
lS4s and Louis Napoleon had his long
wish gratified and became Louis III of
France.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER

From the New York Independent.
Perhaps the chief reason why the
weather is suitable topic for conven-
tional conversation is its uselessness
Nothing can be done with the weather ex-
cept talk about it, so the talk is not
liable to interruption by call to action.
Hard times are topic of general inter-
est, common alike to millionaire and
worlzingman.. But if you say to a perfect
stranger the times are hard he may take
advantage of that admission by asking
for a subscription for some charity OF
by demanding that you vote the socialist
ticket.
The weather is, in fact, almost the only
safe topic left for pure conversation in
this energetic and practical age. How
ever much you may deplore the badness
of the weather nobody is likely to hold
you responsible for it or call upon you
to remedy it unless you run across a crank
WHO is raising a fund to lombard the
heavens for the production of rain or the
dissipation of hailstorms.
Leading off with the weather inspires
confidence because it is a traditional and
established opening. II a man on being
introduced to a young woman is asked
by her if he is married, or on meeting
u stranger in a dark ana deserted road
is asked what time it is, his suspicious
are aroused at once. In fact, any conver-
sational opening except the conventional
one is liable to raise the inquiry, what
does he mean by it?'
If, however, one begins with the weather
we know that he means nothing by it, and
we may continue the conversation witt
ease of mind. Being then both useless anc
useful the weather is uneuualed as a
topic of conversation in its formal and
preliminary stages.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Heavy Demand for Alabama Beef


Alabama beef is becoming more popu-
jar every day on the Birmingham mar
ket," said 4, b. Tanner, the Fourth ave-
nue. meat and produce dealer.
As recently set forth in the columns oil
The Age-Herald my firm purchased a
few carloads of top notch steers from
Mr.. j. d. stokeley of this city, the
same having been produced on his great
farm near Demopols. However, it was
only after the closest examination that
we decided TO place the Alabama meat
before the good meat trade Of this city;
and had the Alabama product been found
wanting In any respect when compared
with the western article, 1t would have
been turned down before reaching the re-
tail trade.
"Of course, any firm feels some mlsSiv-
ings when making a departure from the
every day business usages, and retail
meat men of this city who cater to high
class trade have SO long been accustomed
to purchase packing house meat exclusive
ly that we naturally felt somewhat elated
when the discriminating housewives OF
Birmingham Immediately recognized the
superior quality of Alabama stall fed
meat. We continue to carry extra cuts of
Kansas City meat, but the demand for
the Alabama article has proven so strong
that We have found 1t necessary to ar
range for heavy shipments regularly.
Two weeks ago another Alabama
raneher made a three-carload consign-
ment to my firm, and this supply being
now prao tically exhausted by the retail
trade another carload of fancy cattle from
Demopolis is scheduled TO arrive today.
The supply of fancy beef in this state
seems inexhaustible at present, and we
are locating the best herds from which
to draw our future shipments
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
THE ORIGIN OF THE BLANKET

From the London Chronicle.
ket. It's inventor, Thomas Blanket. was
Flemish merchant. settled in Bristol
and fallen from affuence to want. He and
his wife, suffering from the intense cold
by reason of scanty bedding and lack of
fuel. he searched for something to PVT
on the bed to increase the warmth. and
hit on piece of rough, unfinished cloth
that had been thrown to waste. It's sue
cess as warmth eivcr suggested the
manufacture of special bed covers of the
same material. and these articles, to
which he gave his own name, won him
wealth and immortality.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27

was clean swept by the democratic up
heaval, and was the pioneer in a move
ment which resulted in the solid
SOUTH
Just before the election in 1875
candidate for the Legislature on the
republican ticket In Colfax county
now Clay-eharged that his democratic
opponent had been guilty of cowardice
while In the Confederate army, and in
consequence of the non-resented charge,
he was taken off the ticket and White
was persuaded to make the race in his
stead. He was elected and Immediately
became n leader in the house. where
later. he was made prosecutor and man
ager on the impeachment trial of y.
X. Davis, lieutenant governor of the
state. who was charged with cotruptly
parodning two convicted murderers
Davis was convicted and removed from
office.
Charges were then brought in the
senate against the governor, Ames'
who resigned before his trial was
called, and Col John NJ. Stone presi-
dent pro TEN of the senate, became the
democratic governor of the state.
Captain White has been active IN
every campaign in the state of Ala
bama for the past 20. years, and is
known throughout its borders as big
Drained, well poised, clean souled white
man, who measures up to the very
highest standard of American citizen
ship His friends believe he will have
no opposition in his senatorial race,
and say that he should have none,
since Sparta has none worthier than
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27
A Great Peroration

I'm connection with the proposed land
legislation in Great Britain. the chan
cellor of exchequer, Mr.. Lloyd-George,
recently visited Glasgow and expounded
the programme of the government" said
DR.. George Eaves.
Glasgow is typical constituency,
largely composed of radical working men,
but with a strong unionist and conserva-
tive element, but it faced the great Welsh
man with eager interest and mind to
favor reform in the land laws. The vast
hall was packed, one of the best accounts
of the meeting being frankly given by an
opposition newspaper, which pays a noble
tribute to Mr.. Georges oratory. 1t gives
the closing words in full. They will be-
come historic for their dramatic force
Remembering how the English land laws
have, from time immemorial, been twist
ed in favor of the rich and idle. we may
realize the smashing effect of the pro-
gramme indicated here:
I remember a story told me in my
YOUTH said Mr.. George, of a very re-
markable, but rather quaint, old Welsh
preacher. He was conducting funeral
service over a poor fellow who had had
a very bad time through life without any
fault of his own. They could hardly find
space in the churchyard for his tomb
At last they got enough to make a brick
less grave amidst towering monuments
that pressed upon it, and the old min
lister, standing above it, said: "Wel
Davie, vach, you have had a narrow time
right through life and you have a very
narrow place in DEATH but never you
mind, old friend | can see a day dawn
ing for you when you will rise out OF
your narrow bed and call out to all these
big people, Elbow room for the poor!' -
All, l can see the day of the resurrection
the dawn of the resurrection of the OPP
pressed in all lands already gliding the
hilltops.'
1T seems to me, however, that tho
orator made a mistake In adding single
word to the prophecy OF the old Welsh
pastor In one word that sets before
the world the controlling purpose 81
Lloyd-George's official life, and of the
most sanely democratic government o.
modern times: Elbow room for tn,
poor +"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-27

and Duisburg-Ruhrort particularly as
affording striking examples to the
growth of industrial cities under the
stimulus of improved water transpor-
tation.
In the adoption of such a policy Ger
many has been unhampered by the
states rights doctrine which enters so
emphatically into our solving of the
problems and much concern has been
elected as to the manner in which
this government will seek to regulate
the use of water power sites found
upon navigable streams. 1t would
seem that happy medium has been
reached, namely that the privilege Of
using a water power site must be
granted by the state in which the site
lis located, but such grant can only
become effective when it is in accord
with conditions imposed by the federal
government. This entails upon the
part of the state the enactment of a
public utilities law sufficiently ade-
quate to safeguard the public from
abuse of the privilege granted, to see
that proper service is rendered and
that excessive rates are not charged
for the franchise. When this is done
the permit of the state would neces-
sarily be approved by the federal au-
thorities.
This policy renders the lease system
fundamental, the only contention be-
ing the duration of the lease, and all
benefits, financial and otherwise, will
accrue to the state, while the principle
of federal control is as strongly es-
tablished as it obtains in the inter-
state commerce relationship.