davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-08-09

that he was a sort Of a twen1eth-century
Simon Legree seemed to be abroad He
had been hera1ded az demagogue, an
opportunist in politics. one who appealed
always =. to passion and and prejudice.
ifcations. Possibly the exaggerated pic
ture that had been painted Of him might
have bean the result Of political eumfties
enEendered In Mississfppt In that state
thsy take their politics hot and straight.
unsweetened. unmellowed and unadu1ter-
ated. No cooling sprig Of mint and no
comforting lump Of sugar goes with a
draft Of Mississippi politics.
quiet, dignfhed. courteous. earnest
conservative senator he has been. He has
participated freely in debate, borne his
won high place in the regard OF his as
sociates. But what has characterized him
chiefly Is his independence OF utterance
and his impatience of the party lash. Like
Senator Borah on the other side Of the
chamber, he has displayed qualities Of
Independent thought and action that have
made him both respected and feared on
his own side.
Senator vardaman. a loyal supporter Of
the President in the earlier stages Of the
administration. refused to follow the Pres
ident In the matter of the repeal of the
law exenpting American coastwise ships
from paying tolls In the Panama canal.
Though his Congressional Directory BIZ
egraphy contains the statement that he
was ono OF the first men in the south to
take UP the cause of W. J. Bryan. and
has been an ardent. earnest supporter Of
the DISTINGUISHED Nebraskan from that
time to the present" Senator Varda-
nah has been free to express his disap-
probation Of the foreign policy Of this
government toward Mexican affairs.
Not long ago he took occasion to say
in sthe Senate that he would prefer a
policy which did not seek to meddle
in the domestic concerns Of another
nation.
This quality OF independence Is in
thorough accord with the mans entire
career, Possibly 1t accounts for the
storminess Of that career. To fight for
his ideals of Jeffersonian democracy
has been his habit, and when the ex-
igencies of politics seemed to Indicate
that compromise was advisable he has
declined to compromise.
Born in Texas In 1861, OF q Mississippi
family. his father being a soldier in the
family back to Mississippi in 1868. At
twenty he began the study OF law and
at twenty-one the practice Of politics.
Admitted to the bar before his majority,
newspapers-and they were vigorously
edited newspapers-from that time to
his election as Governor of Mississippi
in 1909.
Persistency has been one of his charac-
teristics In politics. He began going to
the Mississippi legislature In 1880. In
1892 he thought he ought to be speaker.
but tho majority thought otherwise. He
kept on trying until In 1904 he became
speaker. A year later he thought he
ought to be governor. The voters Of the
state thought otherwise and again he was
defeated. In 1889 he tried once more.
with the same result. the convention CIV
ing the nomination to A. II. Longino.
The convention system seemed TO Sena-
Evening star., 1914-08-09
Reoollections Of Doorplates.

NNE of the old fashions which the
passage Of the years has undone
is the door plate. The silver. nickel
or brass and engraved nameplate on
the front door was a symbol OF family,
Importance and notice to all passersby
that people of quality lived within.
And IL the house, in addition to a
FURNISHED doorplate, had two lamps
before the entrance, these symbols
were notification to all the citizens that
q plutocrat sat indoors. that the floors
were covered with brussels carpet, that
there was marble-topped furniture there.
that there was a cut-glass punchbowl on
the high sideboard. and that. perhaps.
IN the parlor hung some family portraits.
Only q man with broad lands and numer-
Gus servants, or a man with a bundle Of
turnpike or canal stock, or a man who
owned sailing ships or a stage coach line
or bank would presume to have lamps
In front Of the entrance to his home in
addition to shiny doorplate.
The doorplate long survived In Wash
ington along the streets which were aris-
tocratic. but which, for the most part.
have row changed their character either
into very shabby streets or into hustling.
d00rnlafe
performed its duty before during and
from one to two decades after the close
OF the civil war. but 1t began in most
instances. to grow rusty and tarnished
In the 1Vs, and when families moved
away into newer neighborhoods they did
not carry their doorpiates with them or
II they did. they slowed them away with
other relics In the cellar or the garret
Then 1t Is sorrowful to contemplate that
many family which owned a doorplate
automobile today. New families have
come up and many old families have run
ooWn. But IT must be a source of graft
hcation and family pride to know that
they once owned a doorplate
When families moved away the poor
old doorplates that were left behind and
to their dismal fate got loose or were
pried Off from the places they had so
proudly held and were ignominiously sold
as junk: Perhaps some old doorplates.
engraved with names that were power
In Washington, and which brought into
the minds of the humble passerby
thoughts Of awe, envy or ambition were
sold by mere tenants of the property to a
with bag on shoulder used to walk the
streets, and to a less extent still do, cry
ing aloud, Rags, bones and old botties.''
They took old iron, brass and about any
other kind of metal they could get, and
Into their bags likely went many of the
proud old doorplates of the city. Today
the doorplate is as dead as the brass
knocker on the door.
One hears nowadays of collectors and
collections of many things-old theater
programs, old dance programs. old hotel
and banquet bills of fare, walking sticks.
old furniture. old china. etc. but SO far
the Rambler has not heard OF a collector
of old doorplates.
The doorplate has a successor in ths
glistening metal sign which business ana
professional men and women put up at
their. Office entrances, and which you see
(sometimes) Office boys Furnishing in the
early morning. Perhaps In time these
office plates may pass away as the name
plate has passed from the front door or
the home
Evening star., 1914-08-09

CheSterbrooke. He had never heard any
thing about government papers being hid
den in the mill.
+
So the Rambler went on his way. and
stopped in the shade of magnificent
walnut tree at an old blacksmith shop,
where a road led OF to the south. This
must have been Faulkner's blacksmith
shop, though nailed to its weather
beaten side is a rusty tin sign on which
in much-faded letters one reads: wv. NJ.
Collins, Blacksmith and Horse Shoer."
Striking or from the pike toward the
valley Of PiInmet run, here become quite
wide, the road soon turns down q hill.
1t Is as long and steep as Albert Hyson
to go straight down, 80 the way turns
and twists in order that team may get
I'd or down.
A modern wooden bridge crosses the
run at the foot of the hill, and the stone
abutments Of this modern bridge have
an ancient look. It is an old road, and
the site of an old bridge. On the south
erly side Is a small house considerably
ont of repair. 1t Is the only house near
the bridge. The man who lives there has
not lived there long, but he knew that
an old mill had stood there, and he
pointed out the trace Of a mill race He
pointed toswhere the mill had stood, and
said that the stones of the foundation
had been dug out not long ago by the
farmer who owns the land because they
were in the way of the plow. Some of
the stones, native blue stone, were heap
ed up by the creek side and corn was
growing over the mill site.
This was surely the site of the lower
salld Older of the Nelson mills, and the
min in which John Graham. chief clerk
Of the Department of State in 1914;
Stephen Pleasanton, clerk, and Josiah
King, in charge of the archives, secreted,
when the British had possession OF
Washington, the original Declaration OF
Independence, the articles Of confedera-
-tiaH the federal constitution, many
treaties and laws as enrolled, and Gen.
Wash!ngton's commission as commander
sin-chief Of the army Of the revolution.
Evening star., 1914-08-09

quieted them and left the company. In
a few days he was made senior captain
in the federal volunteers-the 9th United
States Volunteer Infantry. to be exact
by commission of the President of the
United States, and was in a position to
give what had been vulgarly termed the
horse-laugh to Gov. McLaurin.
Capt vardaman went away to San
tiago de Cuba, where the American
troops were considerably active at that
time. Presently he became a major. Not
until May 1899. did he return to Mis-
sissippi> his regiment being kept in serv-
ice until that time 1t was Immediately
after his return that he entered on his
second losing race for governor.
In 1907, when he was rounding out his
term as governor, he began running for
the United States Senate John Sharp
Williams beat him in that race by q
McLaurin-the same MoIaurin who had
denied him a commission in 1806-died
in 1910. Mr.. Vardaman tried again at
the special election for the seat He was
ture. The Vardaman denunciadon of the
secret caucus methods alleged to have
been used to elect Percy became q classic
in American political annals.
Then Mississippi resorted to the popular
election of senators, and. in the cleo
ton of 1911 Vardaman beat Percy, who
was supported by Senator John Sharp
Williams, for the regular term In the
Senate by 10000 votes out Of total
vote Of 1873, 200. carrying by safe majority
"a OF the 78 counties.
It was on the negro issue that Senator
vardaman first rose to political fame in
Mississippi and in the nation. He denies
utterly the inherent right of the negro
to equality with the white man, basing
1y,i rbS
reasons. He would repeal the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution. and
amend the fifteenth amendment and he
adopted by fraud.
He would. in his own words, II Il
were possible, Danish the negro to some
of the islands of the sea or far-distant
country. where. with all assistance that
could be rendered by this government,
he be permitted to work out his own sal
walton.
But, in the face of this, when Governor
of Mississippi, he stopped negro-lynch-
ing in that state for the period Of his
term Of office. On six occasions he, by
his own presence and appeal, Quelled
compelled q due and orderly trial in .
properly constituted court of justice.
But the NEGRO question" Is only one Of
many that claims his attention. He was
asked the other day to discuss in an inter
view some abstract political subjects. the
specific question being: Are the political
tendencies of the day in the direction OF
Jeffersonian democracy. or are they in
the direction Of extreme centralixation OF
authority in the national government
AA
Observe his reply. containing as 1t does
some remarks regarding the present ad-
ministration that illustrate the independ-
once of this Mississippi democrat
II think there is = trend, In the direc-
Evening star., 1914-08-09

sc happened that Gov A. ]. McLaurin
held the future senator in considerable
his Capacity as a newspaper editor. had ID
pointed out what seemed to him serious
defects In Gov. McLaurin's administra-
ton, In Gov. McLaurin's politics, in Gov.
McLaurin's personal character.
Gov, McLaurin did not think that a man
who would do that ought TO have q COM
mission In the volunteer army, and he
refused to confirm vardaman as captain.
The volunteers from Water Valley raised
the rebel yell Of protest, but vardaman
Evening star., 1914-08-09

RISING in his place
in the Senate re-
Gently. during a de-
bate , on a bill the
substance of which
is not at all mate
rial, Senator James
X. vardaman Of
NJ ! $ $ ! ssippi re-
marked: ..
Mr.. President, I
think the world has
gone mad on this
Evening star., 1914-08-09
MARYLAND Manors.

THE phrase manor house" appears
to be indiscriminately applied to
every imposing homo or imposing ruin
of a house which has survived the
years since colonial or revolutionary
days. Great country houses which
Evening star., 1914-08-09

Of the rights Of the minority, in order
that the Will Of the majority might be
instantly imposed, rightfully or wrong
fully. upon the whole country.
There are those who would abandon
the ancient principle of local self
government" the spirit of which was
written into the Constitution, for the
presumptively new but age-old princi-
pie Of make one man responsible"
senator Vardaman Is not one Of these.
He Is a democrat, written boSi with
a capital and a small I'd"
x*
Hanging on the walls of a famous old
Pennsylvania avenue resort in Wash
ington is a group photograph of Senate
of the immediate post@belIum period. II
presents a curious contrast with group
photograph of the present-day Senate.
In the old picture are strongly marked
faces. ranging from the heavy-featured.
brooding. thoughtful countenances of the
type-a generation later-of Stephen A.
Douglas to the thin. aquiline, ascetic
masks of New Englanders Of the Emer-
sen and Lowell type. Few mediocre faces
are there; each face Ia distinctive, clean
cut, thoughtful. And. further, the sec
henal types can readily be picked out.
ate has been likened to q gathering OF
the merchants and manufacturer asso-
citation of some average American city
The public-mRn face does not predomi.
nate. For one thing, whiskers and states.
manship never seemed to harmonize
Here, In this Senate, are such whtskerl
as those worn by John w. Kern of In.
diana; John Randolph Thornton OF
Louisiana; Knute Nelson Of Minnesota
Henry Cabot Lodge OF Massachusetts,
Henry A. du Pont Of Delaware; James
e MARITIME Of New Jersey; George C.
Perkins Of California; James Hamilton
Wisconsin.
Mustaches. rare In the earlier Sen.
ates. flower in varying degrees Of lux.
uriance from the huge, inverted horse.
shoe which Senator Walsh OF Montana
wears through the intermediate stage ol
Senator Clapp of Minnesota to the stub.
by, close-clipped bit of hair on the upper
lip of Senator Elihu Root of New York.
A composite of the Senate Of today
might we'll be a composite of a stat.
hardwaremens association.
One relieving point would be the fac
Of Senator Vardaman. He looks the par
of q senator, of a public man. In thes,
midsummer days he 10 a cool. serene fig
lily lined from nose to mouth, clean-shav
en-, impassive, thoughtful, matches W
well with those portraits Of an eariiel
Senate He wears his hair long. after q
fashion Of his own, rolling back ove
his collar. Glad all In white. his form
erect and commanding. he Is an impress
sive figure. He might belong In an!
Senate the nation ever had.
Evening star., 1914-08-09
Is NzITH s(5HE PAmBLER11S[1z|I

lies who brought considerable property
and numerous retainers. To such, ac-
cording to the number of their retinue,
Baltimore issued patents to tracts OF lano
of 1900 acres and over which were desiE-
mated as manors' and generally named
for older localities. These holdings were
a sort of little states within the larger
state. Each owner with the aid OF the
freemen residing on his domain as tes-
ants passed bylaws and held court for
the punishment of thieves, poachers ard
other petty offenders. chapel. smoke
house stables and negro cabins were
grouped around the main buildings while
farther OF were the dwellings of the
freeholders or tenants"
The names OF the estates erected into
manors may be found in the archives Of
Maryland, and very few of the manor
houses survive. Most of the venerable
houses of Maryland, now generally re-
ferred to as manor houses" were built
after the proprietary government OF
Maryland had passed away
Evening star., 1914-08-09

The word -'manor' comes from ma
noir," French word corresponding to
the Latin ''mannerium," strictly man
sion in France or chief homestead The
Evening star., 1914-08-09

boats and no large interests. We were
homogeneous, compact, Anglo-Saxon pop
ulation.
ITO make a constitution meet all the
exigencies and cover all of the questions
which come up in our national life today
necessarily calls for strained construction
which, IL persisted in, may ultimately
overthrow the original fabric and destroy
the document altogether Too much
stretching will either tear or destroy.
Jefferson wisely said, Our peculiar
security is in the possession Of written
Constitution. Let us not make II a plank
piece Of paper by construction. Let US
go on perfecting 1t by adding by way OF
amendments to the Constitution those
powers which time and trial show are
still wanting
TT was Jefferson's idea that consti-
tutional convention should be held In the
states at least once in a generation. He
believed that the generation living could
govern itself more wisely than the gen
Grafton dead.
From the small strip of territory on the
Atlantic our domain has stretched to the
Pacific ocean and over the seas into the
orient. We have the Philippine Islands
And our territory extends from the arctic
circle to the tropics, and I firmly believe.
not, however without regret. that we
have not reached the limit yet of ter
ritorial expansion.
TT will not be many years before the
American flag win float as the symbol OF
authority over every acre of land from
the arctic circle to the Panama canal
and over many islands of the seas. This
vast territory embraces In Its population
every variety OF the human race. To gov
srn these people wisely and effectively
will be constitutionally and physically i'm
possible under our present Constitution.
The question of race must be considered .
in writing the law to govern that par
ticular race. In other words. the Consti-
tuition must be so amended or so con-
structed that we may have government
Of white men by white men for all men.
Il have great reverence and devotion !
for my ancestors. I believe the highest
type of man rhe world has ever known
were among the men who framed origi- !.
nslly the organic law OF America, but
believe the present generation is more
enacting laws suited TO their government
than those wise and great men who lived
hundred and forty years ago..
Il am not afraid to trust the white
people TO govern themselves. Whenever
Eiven authority the Angio-Saxon has al
ways exercised that authority prudently.
I think am sustained by the testimony
Of history when say that the Anglo
Saxon voter has never abused power or !
misused authority.
"a great many things win have to be
done which cannot be done under the
present Constitution without violating Il.
It win not be possible to enumerate an
Of these things In the limited space OF an
interview, but I expect some Of thess
days to enlarge upon this subject In .
XsHMUN BRowN
Evening star., 1914-08-09

When Senator yardaman came to the
Senate last year. after a long and bitter
light In Mississippi. a popular notion pre-
ceded him that he was fire-eating. sui
phur-snorting. negro-hating. bowie-knifing
relic Of an almost forgotten age who
would scandalize the 6enate. An idea
Evening star., 1914-08-09

ton Of centraiization," said he. There
IL disposition. however, to bring the
government closer to the people by CIV
ing the people greater authority In the
matters of government. The initiative.
the referendum and the recall. election OF
senators by the people and a universal
primary law all tend to giving greater
power and authority to the individual
voter. But, on the other hand, state lines
are being obliterated, the Judiciary is
usurping undreamed of authority, the
Constitution is being amended by judicial
courts. to an alarming extent.
IT have hoped, however, that all OF
these errors, Irregularities, usurpations
and wrongs may be righted when the
machinery shall be provided by which
the men and women who produce the
wealth of the country, maintain its COM
merce in time of peace and hgnt It's
battles in time of war. with the ballot
shall be permitted to write the laws OF
the land.
There is another menace to the in
tegrity to our system OF government
which should not be overiooked; me
trainers Of this government divided II
into three coordinate branches. the leg
islative, the executive and the judicial.
They intended that the legislative should
be its head and the executive Its hands.
"But the order has been changed The
executive today has assumed control OF
the entire system, and 1t is q lamentable
fact that Congress IL but plant, plastic
clay In the hands Of the presidential pot
ter. Just why senators and representa-
tives will subordinate themselves, yield
the great powers vested In them by their
subordinate their imperial functions to
the domination and direction of the ex-
ecutive Is a matter that cannot under
stand.
Evening star., 1914-08-09

question OF society. The social moth burns
Its gilded wings in the flame which is fed
by the substance OF the poor mans toll,
while the children of the wealth pro-
ducer are denied the necessaries OF
life. 1 wish we could go back to that
dignihed. glorious simplicity which
characterized the official life of Thomas
Jefferson. 1 wish we could get away
from the degrading social wants that
sin against the strength of youth and
the social lies that warp us from the
living TRUTH and come back to the old
democratic way of doing things"
Evening star., 1914-08-09

side of .;the Potomac about three miles
above Georgetown From this mill the
State Bepzrtment records and historic
relixsswere.s on, thee day after the capture
Of Washington, removed to a stone house
At r.eesburg gsbelonging to Rev. Littlejohn,
II was. to locate this mill that the
Rambler set out last Sunday 1t was
an interesting and arduous quest. but
the reward was ample. The description
.'On the Virginia side of the Potomac
about three miles above Georgetown"
would Indicate that the mill stood near
the Virginia end of the Chain bridge,
and Pimmet run enters the Potomac at
that point This run leading down from
the high country between Langley anu
Iewinsviile and passing through val
Icy, steep, darkfy wooded and into Which
numerous wales and tributary branches
tlow. is very much like the valley OF
Rock creek and it was easy to imagine
that its waters once turned the wheels
of mills The Rambler followed II 1or
about a mile along path worn mostly
by city strollers and picnickers IN seArch
ing along the timber-covered slopes on
the southerly side of the creek
X x :, -.
Meeting a. coIored youth who was
driving a small herd of dairy cattle
through the woods into the cleared
country for pasturage,. the Rambler
asked him for information as to the
Oldest dweller in that SECTION. and was
toId that if he would Keep on to the
first clearing up the creek he would
find a colored family which had been
living there a long. long time.
Coming into this clearing, the Ram
bier found a COW stable, ana tnen
little dwelling. Two venerable colored
women were there and some conversa-
tion was INDUCED in as prelude to
the real subject. The women were
fiuently conversant with that section
parents tell something about the burn
ing of Washington. and knew that
mill had stood up the creek. They
said there was an old man IN the
house who was an invalid who ought
to know something about mills on
Pimmet run.
The Rambler went into the little
house and darkened room. A man
not remarkably old in appearance was
living on sofa. but he painfully raised
Hyson was the shamez and his
age is more than sESkhtzSSesfs. He
talked feebly. nit Bis memory was
good and his understahhfns excellent
a fala pmmas saai ruh, sssr ssssd Ss Rs asi
sons mill. being SSwpeassAnd operated
h William NelsdlS whpdaed severai
years before the Mpmshg sprt aaf the
G ii war. SSSG5sN . ia.
he first of these Rms stoo1,zke said.
c the cress>et the TSttomsM Ahdes
= - on theEleft-hand aide okSthe creek
1"ng up. vTIhe SAet might be reached
continaInE uh.kEe. rlip.4 but there
T. brush and it would be better to
81 the rSh near. .fhat potpt cttmb
OF the Mhey and 81 &shss.ass fine
ds TO Fhei Leesburg-GSofgEtawn
=, pass o1sy thp-WAg4aman Hpme-
.,e-d. and 4 Faltnsr s'sia eksmith
81 the run. SSlade's hill was on4 that
road. Fhe >rniH stepa yhsgs the road
Nelson sssili sSsstbsax hspnsnsd @ 1 to ots. IL
ngobaba hre. Ind SsWas aFfptn whep
Hyson. yeeE yesx Aso. Xs4 q ;, ct,tl 8: &
the footESof slaas% I'm sNstsop buik
another An sseusHalt a me- f1rthss
Hysca, us0yto cansN' Mheat tsSorn, rys,