davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
Progress of Civil Service

President Woodrow Wilson not only
believes firmly in the civil service law,
but he gives it practical support.
President Cleveland was civil service
reformer. Many democrats who be-
lieved in the old spoils system criti-
cised Mr.. Cleveland for extending the
civil service rules from time to time
President Harrison was committed to
the merit system, and during his four
years in office the civil service law
was fairly we'll observed.
Colonel Roosevelt, when he was
member of the civil service commits
sion, was an ardent civil service re-
former, and urged President Cleveland
to put chief deputies and cashiers OF
internal revenue under the civil serv-
ice law. But when he became Presi-
dent he winked at civil service VIOLA
tions. as did also his successor, Presi-
dent Taft.
Recently the assistant postmasters
were placed in the classified service
and cannot be removed, therefore, ex-
cept on serious charges. They hold
the office practically for life. 1t
seems that some congressman slipped
rider" in the appropriations bill,
making the assistant postmastership
appointive by the Postmaster General.
Under the old system the postmaster
himself selected the assistant post
master. President Wilson with his
characteristic backbone has announced
that he would veto the bill if it came
to him with the rider in it.
Thus it seems that federal patron
age steadily diminishes. There are
active party men now living who can
remember when the old Jacksonian
motto, "To the victor belongs the
spoils," was like party gospel. The
spoils system was in great vogue until
public sentiment crystallized around
the merit system idea. The time will
come when even postmasters of the
first, second and third classes will be
appointed from the classified list, re-
gardless of political affiliations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
CHILD WITHOUT A BRAIN
m the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
The German medical press records the
remarkable case of a child which lived
for nearly four years without any trace of
a forebrain. Neurologists explain that The
case demonstrates the absolute depend
ence of human beings on the fore or SEN
not carry on the ordinary processes neces-
sary for his preservation without it, The
fish or frog without the forebrain has
greater capability than had the child in
question. The child revealed no trace
whatever of this vital brain section, so
its nervous system was absolutely SINH
lar to that of fish, though the latter is
capable of performing all the vital func-
tions necessary for nutrition and self-de-
fense.
The case of the child is especially note
worthy because of the long duration OF
its life In other cases the brainless life
lasted only for a few days, and the move
ments of the child did not differ in any
respect from those of normal child.
In the case under discussion the child
lived three and three-quarters years. per-
mitting numerous observation of its state.
The child remained in a condition of con-
tinual sleep. Its arms were flexed and
rigid. 1t was unable to grasp or hold
anything with its hands From the Sec
ond year onward the child cried inces-
sanity, though this could instantly be
stopped by mere pressure, especially on
the head. 1t was impossible to note any
psychical action, to awaken any feelings,
or to teach the child anything.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16

be her coming in contact with that
old and well recognized law that re-
public is i'll adapted to govern an en-
pire. She is an empire in extent and
domain but practically republic in
government. Politically she is mon
archy in name only. She has reached
that stage where if she wishes to con-
tinue an empire she must be content to
drop into the rank of a third rate or
inferior power, if she wishes to be an
empire in fact she must adopt in toto
a republican form of government.
The United States offers her
model and upon it's adoption or rejec-
tion rest her prestige, her supremacy
at sea, her very national life.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
NOT SO IN JEFFERSON

From the Ashville Southern Aegs.
A visitor from the vest wondering
why some Alabama farmers We're poor,
paused by the roadside one day and let
ting the old mare browse, fell to figur-
ing it out, and these were his conclusions:
"Alaba ma farmers get up early at the
alarm of a Connecticut clock, button their
Chicago suspenders 10 foreign overalls
pu. on pair of boots made in Ohio, was
in Pittsburg basin, use Cincinnati
soap, wipe on a towel made in New
Hampshire sit down to eat hot biscuits
made with Minneapolis ilour. Kansas CITY
bacon and Indianapolis grits. fried in
Omaha lard; buy Irish potatoes grown
IN Michigan, canned fruits put up on
the Pacific coast and seasoned with Rhode
Isiando spices; the meal over, they clap
on an old hat made in Philadelphia, har-
ness Missouri mule. fed on Iowa corn
and plow mortgage-covsred farms with
an Indiana plow; at night they crawl
under Uew Jersey blankets, and are kept
awake by Alabama dogs, the only home
D, oducts on the place. No wonder they
are poor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
POstOfficc Salaries

The salary of Birminglams postmas-
ter will be jumped up $1,000 on July D."
said an old citizen who takes an interest
in postoffice statistics.
"The salary has been $4,000 since last
July and the annual adjustment is based
on the receipts of the office as of the
quarter ending March 81. The resources
are already considerably over the amount
required for the 5000 salary. 1t usually
takes many years for the postmaster Of
the first-class to get his salary up from
$4,000 to $4,000. The increase goes by
hundreds. But above $4,000 the increase
goes up in $1,000 items At the rate Bir-
mingham is growing the postmaster's sal
airy will in a year Or two reach'-S6000,
which is the maximum with the exception
of New York, Chicago and maybe two or
three other cities where salaries are fixed
by special acts of Congress. Instead OF
$4,000 next July the salary would be $4,000
here in Birmingham were it not for the
fact that Ensley and Wylam. which are
both in the city of Birmingham, have
separate postoffices. The Ensley post
office is of the second-class and the Wy
lam office of the third, If their receipts
were added to the Birmingham postoffice
the salary would be as large as that of
any of the cities of approximately Bir-
minghams size.
I'm the first-class postoffice the assist
ant postmaster receives a salary of equal
to 80 per cent of the salary of the post
master. The assistant postmaster in Bir-
mingham gets $1,000 a year. Beginning
with July next he will get $500
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
should Be Conyention CITY

strangers are naturally impressed
with the magnificent 12=story hotel on
Fifth avenue and the handsome S-stofy
hotel opposite" said Charles f. Penny
man of Chicago
II have had occasion to stop over IN
Birmingham three times within the past
five or six years on my way to the gun
This is one of the phenomenal cities. lts
growth has been simply prodigious since
| first saw the town a few years ago
but there has been a lack of hotel ae-
commodations. Now that that lack is pc
ing supplied all needed to make TINS a
popular convention city is large audi
torium. I understand that a $2eoWO audi
torium bond issue has been voted by the
citizens and that ground will be broken
for the projected building during the pres
ent wear"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
The Iron Market

There is considerable activity in the
local iron trade. Inquiries increase, an !
it is believed the price viii advance
Co.'s Cincinnati circular, just issued, says
in part:
''rhe promised schedule last week has
been fulfilled and the past seven davs
have seen change for the better in all
metal products. Large buying CT pig iron
to low figures and the feeling prevalent
among consumers that purchases were
advisable which resulted in good tom
mage. The impression seems TO have been
more general than was at first surmised,
with the result that recent buying has
been continued and price advances have
been registered at some points. All of the
purchasing was for early and actual con-
sumption, and the feeling OF the ira lie
generally is far more optimistic than
for a long time past.
THE policies adopted recently by some
furnaces have meant larger distribution
of their product, Introducing brands into
plants which have not known these irons
for years and, as result of this, the
hitherto continually narrowing areas for
blast furnaces have been enlarged and
it will probably be some little time be-
fore the former CONSTRUCTED boundaries
will again be maintained. This is in
teresting as development OF what takes
Dlace in the iron business under certain
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
Magnificent Rural Mail Service


Jonathan Bourne, chairman OF the
ioint congressional committee on led
eral aid in the construction of post
roads, has received reports from all OF
the rural districts and has been able
to deduct therefrom some interesting
and most useful data.
He announces that the rural carriers
traversed every day in the year just
past 1,OO3,23 miles of highway and
these figures do not include any dis
tance covered twice by the carriers.
OF this enormous mileage $1,000
miles are paved or constructed oil
crushed stone, Stag or shell; 128,604
miles of gravel; over 100000 miles OF
improved earth, and more than 275,OOO
miles of unimproved earth. He also
finds that 469 900 miles of road were
bad during part of the year, and S0,-
900 miles through the entire year.
The rural mail carriers of this
country form an army of $4,000 MEM
bers, who serve approximately 5,000,-
600 families, and counting five per-
sons to family, $4,000, 900 people
were served by these faithful EN-
ployes of the government.
Of this vast army $4,000 use one
horse vehicles in their rounds; 1000
employ two-horse vehicles, and ! 10 GO
on horseback.
Nor are modern means of transpor-
tation unknown to these carriers, for
. 400 use automobiles, $50 motorcycles
and five bicycles. So that all means
and manner of vehicles for locomotion
are employed in the service except the
aeroplane, which is obviously imprac-
ticable.
This showing represents an as
founding advance in system which at
a time still green in the memories OF
the living required even the inhabi-
tants of our cities and towns to go to
the postoffice in quest Of mail and in
addition to all this accommodation
and complex machinery, the mail SER
vice of the country has become, since
the installation of the parcel post
self-sustaining, monument to those
who have so well conserved the con-
venience, comfort and needs of the
people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
ontimistic View

That the people of Wall street and
the financial interests have full conf
cIence in President Woodrow Wilson. Os-
car W. Underwood and the entire demo
cratic administration, and that business
was going to bound upward during tie
next 60 days, and keep up a stride all
during the year, is the opinion of Otto
Marx, a close student of business con-
ditions He said yesterday that the with
drawal of Morgan & Co, from interlock-
ing directorates the passage of the cur
rency bill and the general trend of leg
islation indicated that Mr.. Wilson is to
be fully trusted.
Il look for an especially bright year.,
said Mr.. Marx. "Stocks are recovering
and every indication is that Wall street
trusts the administration in Washington
If the DEMOCRATS keep up their wonderful,
stride of the past few months they will
retain control of the government in 1915
sure"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
The Need for Vice Admirals

The present Mexican situation ap-
pears to be creating strong public
sentiment in accord with the recon-
mendation of Secretary Daniels that
Congress should create several vice
admirals to prevent the contingency
of the commander of an American
fleet being outranked or superseded in
authority by a foreign naval COM
mander in international operations re-
quiring joint action upon the part of
two or more governments.
OF the naval officials near Tampico
the English admiral is dean of the
foreign commanders simply by virtue
of the earlier date of his commission
and with no vice admiral in our navy
Rear Admiral Fletcher would, under
the rues of the international code, be
subordinate to Rear Admiral Sir
Christopher Craddock should the situ-
alton there become so acute as to
necessitate a joint action of all the
war vessels present.
The rank of vice admiral existed for
sometime in the American navy, but
Congress finally abolished it as an
unnecessary grade and its need was
not felt because no embroglio of the
character now menacing US has ever
arisen subsequent to its abolishment.
1t is true that in the event of the
opening of hostilities our government
might deem the circumstances of such
peculiar character as to warrant its
refusal to abide by the established
international code and it is extremely
doubtful if England in such an emer-
gency would insist upon even a tenn
porary domination within a recog-
nized sphere of American influence,
but much embarrassment could be OBJ
waited in this and similar difficulties
by the creation of sufficient officers
of superior rank to enable our navy
to maintain the controlling position
without doing violence to naval eti-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
LEFT-HANDEDNEss Is A STAIN

From the New York Independent.
A German philosopher. DIR. Ewald Stier.
has set himself with true Teutonic thor
oughness to discover the inwardness of
being lefthanded According to the mod
ern fashion, he begins far back-in fact.
with the monkeys, which, he says, are
completely ambidextrous, there being no
signs of right-handed or left-handed indi-
vidUals among them. The examination of
tools and implements of the stone and
bronze ages leads DR.. Stier to believe
that, in prehistoric times, perhaps one
half of the population was left-handed.
Modern left-handed people he looks at
askance, as kind of reversion to stone
age manners, as remnants of variety
of homo sapiens in process of extinction.
The characteristics of left-handed peo-
pie as whole give them, in his eyes, an
unfavorable, even a degenerate aspect.
and he pours ridicule on the attempt to
revert to the ambideXterity of monkey
times. which is now attempted in our
training schools.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
Prominent Louisville Banker

Logan C. Murray. president of the
American National bank of Louisville,
and president of the Louisville Cham
Der of Commerce, spent part of yes
terday in Birmingham, and was the
guest of President w. p. g. Harding
of the First National bark at lunch
at the Southern club M. Murray is
one of the best known bankers in this
country. About % years ago he had
the distinction of being president of the
American Bankers association. 1t had
been 20 years or more since Mr.. Murray
visited Birmingham and he expressed
amazement at this citys large strides.
He went from here to Montgomery.
Mr.. Murray is working hard to secure
one of the regional reserve banks for
Louisville. Cincinnati is a candidate, and
there is naturally much rivafry between
the two Ohio river cities Mr.. Murray
wishes to get the southern bankers to
use their influence in favor OF Louisville
as against Cincinnati"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16

in this battle. This is owing rs much
to the German generals as to sheridans'
military history, lest with The passage
of time Gravelotte may he claimed to be
Sheridans, not Won Moltke's. victory.
German military writer's should not min
inlize the great cavalryman's assistance
He was the only man present who had
ever commanded in hard fought engage
ment-Sadowa, Won Moltkes first victory,
beng a walkcyer as all battles with the
Austrians have been.
Only Sheridan's experienced eye could
detect wavering in the lines only Sher-
dan's ear differentiate between actual and
feigned weakening of fire.
To have ignored this priceless asset.
would have been .he act of the falling
Napoleon, not that of rising Bismarck
And be it further remembered that the
reputation of Won Moltke was not then
established; that of Sheridan's was world
wide.
When General Grant, certainly comye-
tent critic, told years afterward that he
considered Sheridan the greatest cavalry
officer of that or any other time, Bis
nlarcl< acquiesced and added that it was
through copying Sheridan's tactics tina r
Skobeleff alone of the Russian general
captured a redoubt at Plevna.
America has gladly acknowledged and
clearly defined the assistance given her
by foreign sodiers-Rocha mbeau, La
fayette, Won Steuben, Kosciuslso, Pu-
laski and others. 1t is time to establish
what part her greatest cavalry officer
play ed in the drama of 1870.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
SHERIDAN AT GRAvELOTTE

From the Chicago Tribune,
Before all those within whose knowl-
edge it lies have passed away, a per-
manent record should be made of Gem
eral Sheridan's activities at the battle of
Gravelotte.
General Sheridan left no public accounts
of his~activities on that day. He could
not. He was present as a neutral spec
tator, a noncombatant.
For him to have claimed or even to
have admitted an active part in the Ger
man victory would have brought on his
head such a storm as even the hero or
Five Forks could not defy.
That the German leaders eagerly sought
his advice is an established fact winch
reflects only credit upon the empire max
ers.
The known facts are these: Upon MS
arrival in Germany General Sheridan was
rushed post haste to the front, arriving
there on the eve of the battle of Grave
lctte. He did not participate in laying out
the plan of battle, out after the battle
vas Joined he stood with Bismarck
throughout the engagement. AS the
matter was told to the editor of the
Tribune many years ago by an eyewit-
ress: bismarck ceaselessly questioned
Sheridan as to how the battle was 60
i,s, what the great American generals
did In similar circumstances. and even
what he would do We're he in command.
Sheridan replied freely, and did not no
tice. or did not care to notice, that Bis
murck sent galloper after galloper to
Won Moltke, presumably carrying Sheri-
dams advice
Beyond this there is a we'll authenti-
Gated rumor that, detecting the signif-
cepce of a movement by the French. he
caused the Emperor-the "old man," as
he called him-to be removed barely in
time to avoid capture.
There is another runor, less well au-
therticated, that, carried away with the
fire of battle he gave certain directions
for the maneuvering Of cavalry.
The time has come for the settlement
os rumors and the establishment of the
exact boundaries of Sheridans activities
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16

It begins to look as if the era for cheap
or teef in this country is approaching. A
syndicate has just been formed by a
number of Americans whose names have
importation of beef from the Argentine
republic, Australia and New Zealand. A
lease for 81 years, with the privilege of
renewal has been taken by the syndicate
upon four extensive warehouses In New
York with expansive water front, steam
ship piers and railroad connections. Ap-
parently the sun of the packers has passed
its zenith.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16

The divorce proceedings OF the Duchess
of Orleans reveals the fact that the couple
have no children, and this recalls the OBJ
sefvation that for over 300 Years no
French monarch was ever succeeded by
his son. The reigns of Louis XIV and
XIV, covering more than a century. could
permit of no such an occurrence; Louis
XVI was succeeded by HIS brother, Louis
ANlll, and he in turn by his brother.
Charles.X. Nor are any of the pretend
ers to the French crown sons of former
monarchs. Don Jamie, the Bourbon heir.
is the son of Don Carlos, himself a pre-
telder; the Duke of Orleans is the son
o. the Count de Paris, the grandson of
Louis Philippe; Prince Bonapart is the
son of Plon Plon, who was a nephew OF
Napoleon III. There are some who pro-
fess to see in this fact the curse of the
Almighty resting upon royal families OF
France.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-16
LUKE M'LUKE SAYS

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
A rounder can bluff his wife into be-
lieving that he is too busy to come home
to dinner once a month. But he can't
buff Bright's disease into believing that
he is too healthy to die.
The reason a man roasts his wife for
feeding the children on outer at AZ cents
q pound when oleo is cheap, is because he
has to give the waiter big tip every time
he eats downtown.
1t must be fine to be a millionaire and
net have to keep up appearances.
The reason homely girl spends hours
admiring herself is because she knows
that mirror doesn't always tell the
truth.
Every man has a lot of old letters in
his inside pocket and lot of old cards in
his top vest pocket that he wouldn't lose
for s10OO,0Oo. and couldn't find any use
for in 100000 years.
When man stops to think what he
would do for his family with his money
il he didn't need it for himself he won
derj why people do not stop him on the
street to praise him for mis- unselfishness
A man can have smallpox twice, but he
never marres for love more than once.
Woman is to blame for most of a mans
troubles. If there were no pretty girls
Row could a man f1rt?
Every man imagines that he is the
only man in the United States who owes
everybody. But he isn't. He has lots
OF company If his friends would only
fess up.
Some married men are good-natured be-
cause their wives won't let them act any
other way.
You can always make n hit with a girl
my telling her that she resembles some
actress. Any 17-year-old princess thinks
it IL a great compliment to be wised up
to the fact that she is a ringer for Sarah
Eernhardt. And yet they claim to have
a sense of humor.
When a man is alone on cold day his
winter suit and heavy overcoat do not
prevent him from realizing that the tenn
pera ture is about legrees below. But
II he meets a girl who looks good to him
he can stand on a breezy corner and
srUggle up to her for an hour and imag-
inc that the temperature has gone up to
To- degrees above.