davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
A NEW CIVIL SERVICE ASSAULT.

Included in the postoffce appropriation bill, as
reported TO the House, is a provision that in effect
takes assistant postmasters from the protection of the
civil service law, and places them in the spoils cate
CORY. These officers now, almost without eX-
ception under civil service. The provision pro-
poses to make their selection perquSite of the post
master. The postmaster being political officer, the
assistant would under such circumstances become a
piece of his personal patronage.
1t is stated that there about 2400 assistant
pOstmasters in the country affected by such a pro-
vision The objection to such an assault the civil
service law through rider in appropriation BILL
is manifest and does not require much consideration
There is another objection which is not obvious,
and in some ways will interest the public more.
The country is being supplied with new postmas-
tiers fast the political authorities get around
to it. The new men may be just as good and ca
pable their predecessors; but they have not been
postmasters; they don't know the business; its
routine and detail yet to be learned. In these
conditions the assistant postmaster, permanent Of
fetal, would act as the stabilizng force in the or
ganization, the link between the permanent system
and the new and inexperienced postmaster. There
is every reason, in sound business and good manage
ment why this officer should be permanent one.
There is no possible excuse for making him a oene
fciary of the spoils system.
The postoffce appropriation measure pro-
vdes for the of S3OO,OOO,OO0 in the conduct
of the department in the next fiscal year. That is
vastly the largest amount that any single department
will 1t is not very many years since that
would have represented the annual expenses of the
entire Government.
There is every reason why business principles
should be adhered TO in the conduct of such vast
business organization this. Surely no great pri-
vate or corporate business would change all its head
executives and at the time their assistants, put
ting in inexperienced men to succeed men of init
mate knowledge concerning the business.
We ought to be moving in the direction of a civil
service organization including the pOstmaserS, put
ing the whole department a merit basis. This is
the logical development. Instead, this spoiIs rider
would turn course in the opposite direction and
direct us backward toward the day when politics was
the chief and good administration very secondary
consideration in running the postal service.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
A KENTUCKIAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL

Simon Bolivar BuCkner, who has just died at the
age of nnety-one years, was survivor of the early
Kentucky stock that furnished the nation with large
proportion of its strongest leaders That stock was
but two removes from the pioneers who
flowed across the mountains after Boone had led
the way and whose long rifles gave them dominion
over the dark and bloody ground Fighters by
nature and training, the sons and grandSonS of
pioneer fathers were eager to meet new foes when
the Indians had ben Subdued. In the of 1912
they helped Harrison to beat Tecumseh and Jack
son to practice target shooting Pakenham'S vet
Grams.
Graduated from West Point one year after Grant
buCkner became his fast friend in the Mexican war,
in which Kentuckians again did some of the hardest
fighting. Fourteen years later they met as victor
and vanquished at DoneIson, where Grants demand
for unconditional surrender gave him introduction
to fame. Grant moved upward by rapid stages to
the command of tn, Union armies and BucKner be-
came a lieutenant general of the Confederacy
After the war, when Grant was overwhelmed by
financial difficulties Buckper hastened to offer him
substantial help. And on his deathbed at Mt Nc
Gregor the former President and commander-in-
chief summoned his failing strength to embrace the
Stalwart Kentuckian whose magnanimity in peace was
equal to his courage in war.
Intense in his convictions Buckner broke away
in 1896 from his former political associates who had
made him governor Of his native State and became
the candidate for Wee President on the Gold Demo
cratic ticket To the end he showed the fiber Of
which he was made and exempIifed some of the
most conspicuous virtues of the people from whom
he sprang
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
EUGENICs VERSUS THOUGHT WAVES

Wisconsin's eugenc law makes marriage a
natter of medical research extending according to
doctors who are not infatuated with the idea of doing
500 worth of work for the legal fee of So, a
0erod long enough to allow the fires of love grow
cOol So couples in that State have found way to
axe the brakes off Cupid's 100-horsepower motor
ar by going to justices of the peace and having
verythng arranged to their satisfaction for the mod
st sum of 25 cents, with the magistrates blessing
throwa in for good measure.
But New York has gone the crude West one
hetter, and smpli6ed the process to the very limit of
simplicity. All that appears to be necessary, ac-
cordng TO the New York pan is to send out thought
waves and the whole thing is over We do not know
whether these thought waves are charged for, nor
now they could be measured unless by pressing the
the gas meter into service, and we have our doubts
even to that. But, at any rate, the method is
expeditions as we'll as easy.
We are regaled with accounts of a ceremony of
that kind in which it would seem hall was hired,
out We should think that the waves could get busy
Just we'll without the necessity of paying out for
ent anv coin of the realm that would come in handy
later to help pay the coal bill and perhaps to buy
teak for breakfast on special occasions The mar
Rage problem appears TO be difficult thing to con-
troll with tight harness, however we look at it.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
BIG WORK FOR WILSON.

President Wilson returns TO Washington from
lis Southern holiday with big work waiting for him.
irst is the selection of such members OF the Federal
Reserve Board are apPointive under the law. The
Administration becomes, by the new statute, viz
lay the direct manager in control of the whole ma
onal bank system. The Administration is the Presi-
-ent Secretary Of the Treasury Secretary of Agrcul-
lure, Comptroller of the Currency-all ne?7L' CT
Inc national board BY virtue of the Offices the4 hold
or other members of the board appointed BY the Pesi
dent. There could hardly be more responsible job
nan that of picking this board as the President
will now do
Another big thing before him is the competi Jn
Vi his trust program, both the side of the Depart
ment of Justice in Obtaining the voluntary dssolu-
lions which so common. and the side of Con-
gress which is expected to enact legislation to extract
more or less of the Supreme Courts reasonable
ness" out of the Sherman laws comprehension OF
restraint of trade. And that's big enough job for
President and his Administration and his Congress.
But it is to be hoped that all the foregoing work
with the Mexican possibilities thrown in besides, will
not make il impossible for President Wilson to cast
an investigating glance the civil service record
of his Administration. In some of the United States
departments President Wilson's lieutenants in COM
nand have gone after the spoiIs with all the avidity
and great deal of the brutality of a Villa and
ZaPata go>3 after their Mexican battlefield loot
President Wilson has always been a strong cham.
Pion of civil service. The old records of the DO
litcal spoilsmen so disguised him before he was in
the White House that we don't believe, now that he
IS President, he could fail to be horrfed if he real
zed now the civil service ranks under his own Ad-
minisraton being raided by his personal repre-
sentatives in the United States Government and the
heads of depaTtmentS under them
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
WINTERS REAL TOUCH.

Winter at its most vigorous has swept over prac'
caIly the whole country in two cold waves of great
everiy this season, and yet not until now has the
Immediate region of Washington felt its real touch
Not only has this little section been a peculiarly
avored American area, but it seems, indeed, to be
The fortunate region of the whole Northern hemi-
>phere.
Europe is in the grip of a winter of such severity
as has hardly been known by people now living. The
South of France and the North of Italy were but
ately complaining of the excesses of cold and now
all northern Europe is shivering in unexampled
storms
Washington's immediate territory has been almost
unique in that snow has hardly been seen this win
ter. Whatever the comfort that some people may
imagine they find in the absence of SNOW it may we'll
re doubted if the abnormal season which sees not h
blanket of white, is so healthful for people or 50
good for natures productions And beyond that,
surely the youngsters are entitled to some consid-
cration and they manage to be comforted till
he ground is covered deep in white.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

band, Count de Castellane. The case
will be heard again before the ROta
/ Tribunal before the decision becomes
/ final.
Fierce fighting between Turks and Al
! banians is going on at Elbassan, nifty
miles northeast OF Avalon, Albania. ac-
cording to dispatches received from this
point, and there is great sanger OF the
| town falling into the hands Of the Al
! banians, who are besieglng it. Essed
Pasha, former Turkish commandment
chief in Albania, has been warned To
cease his plotting in favor OF Turkey
in Albania or the powers will take steps
to punish him.
Disturbances which threatened tc
reach Il dangerous pitch were precipi-
tated between German and French resi-
dents in Cairo Monday by a violent anti
German speech delivered by Jules We
drines, the French aviator, at an enter
tainment arranNed in his honor. This
is the second turbulent incident which
followed the arrival of Fedrines from
Nancey, France, the first resulting III
NJ. Roux, an aviator, challenging We
drines to a duel.
formerly Miss Jessie Woodrow Wilson,
who are now stopping in Paris, were
the guests Of honor Monday at a lun-
cheon given by Ambassador and Mrs.
Myron T. Herrick- Mrs. Anna Wilson
Howe. of Philadelphia, a sister OF the
and Mrs. Sayre win sail for New York
on Wednesday on the Majestic, from
Cherbeurg.
News comes from Potsdam, Germany.
that Emperor William for several days
past has been engaged together with a
number of day laborers in saving and
splitting wood on the imperial estate
surrounding Sans Souci Palace. he was
advised by his physician TO take Il
course of manual labor. and. according
rfT1cr rI-fF a
the labOrers. His majesty Is said to be
an expert axman and takes great pride
in pili2g the fuel into neat heaps which
he presents to the laborers for use IN
their homes.
partment of political affairs at the
French foreign officf, has been appoint
ed French ambassador to Russia, sue
ceeding Theophile Delcasse, who re-
signed to re-enter French nome politics.
He was sent to the Russian capital 10
draw closer the relations between Rus
Final instructions have been received
by the embassies in London OF the triple
alIiance-Germany. italy and Austria
and they will present their answers 10
Sir Edward Grey's note with regard to
the disposition Of the Aegean Islands.
His main points are accepted.
Cardinal Merry del Val has been an
pointed by the Pope arch-prteSt OF st.
Peter 10 succeed inc 4ale SaENihd'
Rampolla. according to official an
nouncement IN Rome.
News of a duel between Dennis God
frey Isaacs son Of Godfrey ,Isaacs, and
a nephew OF the lord chief justice. and
a German who insulted him. has just
reached London. IT was talking in the
town of Friedburg about a month ago.
said Mr. Isaacs, when a German bump
ed into me. Four days later we met IN
the country outside Friedburg re-
ceived a slight injury in the forearm.
but my opponent was seriously wound
ed in the breast He Is now quite Well
and has gone to America"
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

OF Government ownership to the
American people as a live issue
They are a careful and a cautious
people. They will not advance in the
dark. Up to the present time they
only have glimpses Of the light.
Occasionally great railroad man
ike ID. +. Yoakum, Of the Frisco,
admits he would save 300 coo. 600 a
year upon the item OF interest alone.
Then, he says, IL Government credit
Is so much better than the, credit Of
private corporations, why not capi2
talize all the railroads on this good
credit and save all the net earninga
and all the unearned increment.
which, added to the interest saving,
would amount to more than 500 mill
lion dollars a year? Is privpte own
ership earning this heavy toll?
INTERROGATION POINT
IS AMERICAN EMBLEM.
Having once adopted the interroga-
ton point as an emblem. the Ameri-
can people are beginning to ask
many questions. II private owner
ship Is the only efficient method
OF handling transportation, why Is II
necessary to organize inside para
site companies to transact the ex-
press business, the sleeping car bust
the refrigerator car cuisines? In the
countries Of government ownership,
they are not needed. If rates have
been lowered all over the world by
government ownership. why would
they not be lowered in the United
States? If government ownership
has improved the condition OF la
Dor all over the world, why would
IL not do the same in our country?
II government ownership has i'm
proved the condition of service all
over the world, what would prevent
ii from doing the same under our
flag? II government owner ship has
accelerated the development Of every
industry in all the other countries
why not here? II government owner
ship has increased the safety to life
and limb throughout all the world.
why not in this country? II govern
ment ownership has divorced the
railroad business from politics In
every country that has adopted 1t,
why not in the United StatesT
Those are some of the questions
which this organization vii under
take to answer. 1t will draw its In
formation from every country in the
world, and It will SPEAK the truth
1t will make mistakes, but II always
will stand ready TO correct them II
win decline to treat this as a par
tisan, political question
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
Straight Arm Blows
By TONY BIDDLE,
millionaire Athlete and Society Man.

Hit straight, think straight
act straight" Billy Sunday used
to say in his revival addresses.
Billy was once professional base
ball player, and a pretty fair ANA
teur boxer, but | doubt if he ever
gave any particular thought to the
words quoted beyond their conven-
tional meaning.
1t is such an obvious thing to
urge a man to act straight and be
straight. Along the straight and
narrow way lie all of the successes
and rewards worth while in life.
The Straight" men are the men
We love to honor and praise. 1t
seems quite unnecessary to go be-
low the surface for justification OF
explanation for urging men to be
straight and act straight.
Still, there is a reason for urg-
ing straight action upon which 1
like to dwell. A straight line, you
know, is the shortest possible dis
tance between any two given points.
He who thinks straight will &C
direct to the heart Of a matter
and decide and finish it, while he
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
THE CASE OF DR.. KELLY.

DR.. Howard A, Kelly, of Baltimore who has
been conducting a series of most interesting expert
ments in the treatment of cancer with radium, has
come under the displeasure it seems, of some of the
Baltimore medical men because they think he has
talked too much. Perhaps the medical people are
right, but certainly the public at large has found Dr.
Kellys pronouncements of the deepest interest Ex-
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
National Inquiry
Is Started Into
Ownership Of
Public Service

Statewide organization and expansion nationHde
Increment for Government ownership grea public service cor
podons noed the railroads and the telephone and telegraph
placed here whH days. S. Brookhdrt of Washing
in charge of the embryonic organization The fact that the
nationwide and the association M
every phase the Government ownership plan of deep
est interest Mr. Bookhd today explained organize
ton plans in the following article.
By BROOKHEART
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
By S. W. BR0oKHEART.

The purpose Of this organization is
investigation, and not agitation. 1t
will first learn tho facts and then
give them publicity. 1t believes the
American people are entitled to know
the truth about both sides OF the
great questions OF public ownership
Of public utilities. Its scope will not
be limited to the railroads, but 1t
will include all public utilities. In
fact. the first and only active steps
its members have taken are for the
investigation of Government owner
ship of telegraph and telephones.
mediate attention, and the Great
question Of Government ownership OF
the railroads in all its phases will be
divided and classified, and assigned
to different members for investtga-
ton and report.
The need of an organization of this
kind is apparent TO every thought
Tul person. Private ownership has
many organizations and many organs
that give great and constant pub
Hcity to the advantages Of private
ownership. This information is ex-
ceedingly partisan. It often omits
so much Of the truth, or adopts a
construction so foreign to the real
facts, that It positively nisleads or
deceives public thought. Immense
sums OF money are spent in dissent
mating this class of literature all
over the United States, and there is
no organization anywhere to combat
IL or present the whole truth.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
0iStantIy Related.

Old Gentleman: And so your name is
Hn1ligan2 Are You any relation to Tim
HOOl gam"
IIooligan: Every distant | wuz me
mothers first child an Tim wuz the
twelfth. .'-BroolIlyn Eagle.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
Count on MOmmer.

what did father say when YOU asked
him for my hand in marriage"
Not a word"
He didn't"
NO. your mother said it aIL"-Ycn-
kerS Statesman.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
What's on the Program, in
Washington Today

Meetings. evenings:
Masonic-Federal. No. /; Acacia, No. 16:
Takoma. No. %. Royal Ar rch Ma
sons-Mt. Horeb. No. Z. 2. and NJ E.
Potomac, No. s. grand visitation.
Knights Templar-De MOlay, No. 1.
Scottish Interchangeable Chapter Rose
CroiX. Eastern Star-Electa. No. 2;
Bethlehem, No. :; Friendship. No. II.
knights of Pythias-Webster. No. I: Ex-
celsiOr, No. Il; Germania, No. Is, in
stallation: Capital. No. 81; Myrtle.
No. 25
Odd Fellows-Washlngton No. 6. degree
work; Golden Rule, No. q. degree
work; Amity. No. q. business; Fred d.
Stuart. No. Z. installation.
Observation-Disclosures Tent. No. ). in
stallation.
Amusements.
National-"The Lady of the Slipper"
Sis p. m.
ReIasco-"Maria Rosa" $40 D. m.
Colum bia-"Old Reliable" S:15 D. m.
Polrs-'"The Dawn of Tomorrow" els
and S:l5 p. m.
Academy-"Thc Whirlpool. 2:15 and
S:l5 p. III.
Kelth's-VaudeviIIe. 2:l5 and SIS D. m.
CosmOs-Vaudeville, continuous.
Casino-Vaudeville afternoon and even
ing.
Arcade-Dancing. evening.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
National Bank Is in 4
Hands of Examiner

A national bank examiner today was
assigned by the Comptroller Of the
Currency to take charge of the Marine,
Kan. national bank, which closed on
Monday because OF lack Of funds.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
Hits From Sharp Wits.

That boy Of eighteen who wants to
marry the mother of eighteen children
administers a severe blow to the old
theory that there is no fool like an old
fool.-Toledo Blade.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP ONLY
TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION.

It has been said that the trans
portation question never has been
settled anywhere in the world except
by public ownership. 1t likewise is
said that 1t is a settled question in
every country Of the world where
public ownership prevails. II is also
true that public ownership does pre-
vail in three-fourths of the countries
of the world. England and the
United States are the only countries
of the first class not adopting It
These facts, together with the fur
ther fact that the railroads are con-
stantly demanding increased rates, In
spite of the enormous increase in
business, have presented the question
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Two gamblers arrested for playing
with loaded dice on the stsamship-well
on the steamship GEORGE WASH
INGToN. This is heartbreaker, COM
ing so closely upon the news that George
was subpoenaed for trying to dodge the
tax assessor back in the good old days.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Government is going to buy a new
coal scale. The present scale of coal
seems to be about eighteen dollars to
the inch. There is one smile to the
coal yard. The dealers.
The high wind which blew through
Mt. Rainier yesterday didn't find very
much to blow. the cracksmen having
beaten the high wind to II.
The Western Congressman who are
opposing Government ownership Of "a
dium might wait until the Government
gets some radiurn to oppose.
General Villa threatens to feed Huerta
to the sharks In Vera Cruz Bay. Gen.
eral villa is threatening the sharks.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
SCENES IN LONDON-No. 5.

ACH year Primrose Day the of Benjamin DSrael,
L. Lord Beaconsfed in Parliament Square, literally
with prmroses, favore flowers of the great
The statue stands in the shadow of big Ben the great clock
of the House Parliament which always Illuminated
parliament is in session.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
THE OLDEST INHAB SEZ-

at his winter
amt no milder
than last winter.
Mr.. Taft is more
used to it, that's
all"
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Hudson Maxim urges the people to
stop patronizing John Bareycorn and
spend his 5000, 10000 annual tribute for
oattleships, but with run eliminated
from the world, who would want tn
fight?-Boston Transcript.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Don't know what the Mexican gov
ernment will exhibit at the big fair In
San Francisco. Wouldn't be a bad idea,
to exhibit the Mexican government.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

The S129,oOo.oO0 Ashokan aaueduct is
completed. This costly marvel in en-
gineering will carry water to New York
city. Don't know what good the blamed
thing will be on New Year eve.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

In Pennsylvania a minister was saved
from death by a Bible carried in his
pocket. At the same time it is reported
some 10000 Bibles were disposed of In
New York last year. Our provincial
metropolitans are evidently donninZ
arnnor against the gunmen.-Cleveland
Plain Dealer.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

A Baltimore traveller accuses Boston
women Of being able to talk on but six
topics-the weather, divorce, Christian
science, the race problem. the civil war
and scandal.-Augusta Chronicle,
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

The seriousness of the Mexican war
must not be underestimated. The hor-
ror Of battle can be better appreciated
when you know that six federal gen.
erals actually leaped into the Rio
Grande. The Rio Grande being COM
posed. We understand. chiefly Of water.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

German military genius has invented
a device for firing rifles at night Should
perfect the contrivance and make it ap-
plicable for firing fires in the morning.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13
The Silver
Lining
Edited By. ARTHUR BAER.

The commission which adJudged Thaw
! to be sane escaped in a high-powered
| automobile.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

DR.. Woods Hutchinson comments
learnedly on the secret of badness when
everybody knows badness can't be kent
a secret.-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Soldier scares the harbor police by
telephoning that a launch was sinking
in the water. Police dash up. Nothing
doing. Soldier admits after the excite
ment subsidies that the launch may have
been schooner and the water some
thing else.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Srglary insurance rates raised in New
York. People soon will be in a ouan-
dary whether to insure or permit the
burglars to do their worst.
The Washington times., 1914-01-13

Think of living in such a climate as
that of Yonkers, where business men
devoted Christmas day to moving their
lawns!