davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
One. Sided Conversation.

Rock Island man tells one on
himself as follows:
y got on the parl0r car Of the after
noon train on the Rock Island, bound
for Chicago. I accidentally struck up
an acquaintanceship with woman in
chair next to NE. After had said
but a few words to her she took up the
conversation. Five hundred times ]
tried to break into the conversation
between here and Chicago and all |
accomplished was 500 butts, " ives" or
noes. And when I left her at the La
Sale street station she had the bold
ness to say:
I'm so glad you were on the train.
II had not had you I would have been
i'll by now I always get sick riding
unless I have some one to talk to me
4 nearly fell ever. I spent the re-
mainder Of the evening in Chicago at
the cafes trying to erase the trip from
my memory. But who could?7
NJ. c. F
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
JAPAN'S PRICE FOR PEACE

, future welfare and prosperity OF 150.-
GOO japanese on the Pacific coast Of
the American continent and In Hawaii,
and that if the result be unsuccessful
We japanese may hereafter have no
outlet on the Pacific side, notwith-
standing the rapid increase of popuIa-
ton at home"
This is not a threat Of war. It is
simply a candid statement Of the Jap
anese position, Ii Americans are not
willing to concede to the japanese the
right TO be assimilated with the white
races Americans will find themselves
standing in the way Of Japanese ma
tional necessities. Count Okuma wants
/ peace with the United States, bur he is
clear On the terms on which he will
be able to keep peace. Those terms are
no less than the removal Of all bar
riers to Japanese in this country, and
consent TO racial amalgamatiou with
them.
Count Okuma firmly believes that
japanese inferiority, if they really be
inferior, is a quality bred into them by
! feudalism He states the Japanese de-
termination to become equal % the
white races. He states the japanese
determination to come into the United
States, to be citizens. to own Iapl and
intermarry. That is what assimilation
means
| The United States can take one Of
three courses: 1t can enforce its eS-
clusion of japanese for all time by pre-
pairing TO meet Japanese national an
bition; it can admit the japanese to
citizenship, with all that this entails
or It can maintain its present position
and take the consequences.
| According to cable dispatches. Count
kuma on Dec. urged the diet TO rati-
fy the plan for increasing the navy as
the first necessity in the present SIT
uation OF the world
+ Not day can be lost in carrying
out this plan" he said
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16

Injecting in the Arch Street Methodist
church. One Of them doubted 'wheth-
er we've got a gospel big enough 70
conquer the non-Christian world
They should not doubt the gospel,
but its professors. The only road to
international peace Is that marked out
/ by the golden rule, The business Of
| the church and Of all other preachers
! OF peace is to put the desire for right
ie0usness in the hearts Of men.
1T is a slow process. but it is sure.
The great hope Of all future mission
| airy movements lies in the expansion
/ and multiplication of such conventions
as that now in progress The laymen
lare not interested in theological dog
/ ma so much as in practical works, and
they will make Christianity a gospel
lof living rather than Of dogmas. How
lever foolish Mr., Bryan's peace talk
may seem today With It's quotations
from the bible on the beauties Of peace,
/ he is headed in the right direction But
neither this generation nor the next
will reach the goal, Nor will the world
reach it until the desire for justice
takes the place OF greed for private
advantage"
And it is true that however foolish
/ his talk may seem today, Mr. Bryan
( is headed in the right direction He
/ Is one OF those who believe. He takes
his Christianity seriously. He tries to
live his faith. II for him to talk peace
and quote the bible is TO seem foolish
then it is not Bryan but the world that
should be pitied.
/ Sometime surely the world must
grow tired Of the doctrine that force
|couquers. Force destroys; it holds
tcaptives in chains, but it never CON
!quers. Only peace and right intent
conquer i it not singular that the
most savage races on the globes have
been conquered by peace? The In
dams on this continent welcomed the
white man until they learned 10 fear
him Missionaries who dealt fairly
were safe until a savage race grew
desperate in the face of repeated
wrongs. Men OF peace have travelled
Africa and Asia. II any of them fell
/ by the wayside it was because they
Travelled a trail along which a man Of
war preceded them.
I Peace talk may seem 10 some foolish
talk And yet is not peace desirable?
/ And If it is desirable how are We ever
Ito get it if we do not work for ii?
Is it not time that the Christian world
either burned its bibles or began to
study them? Bryan is right when ne
says it is not an Armageddon but a
Pentecost that is needed.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
Your Card OF Identification.

It may we'll be that eventually every
individual in the country will have mis-
thumb-prints, Bertillou measurements
and personal description filed in the
Office of the project OF police. This
would be q good thing for US all.
Merely as a matter Of self-defense
it is d wise precaution 10 carry on
your person some sort of Identification
mark, especially if you happen to be
a traveller or a subject Of any chronic
disease.
Think what a lot Of trouble the fell
low escapesd who was subject TO sud
den spells of Inconsistencies and
wore about his neck a chain to which
this notice was attached: IF found IN
conscious. the bearer, John Jones, of
Hickyille. desires no operation. His
appendix has already been removed
four times"
Seriously there is good reason for
carrying some identifying mark at all
times. Sudden injury; oisoning by
gas, drugs or otherwise ;apoplexy;
uremia, diabetes, alcoholism: epilep-
sy: amnesia; certain heart diseases:
simple fainting; it is a common exper-
fence IN every city to find persons I'M
conscious with enc OF these conditions,
and TOO often the identity of the victim
is established only after much trouble.
/ if at all
OF course, the individual may be
stricken without warning, but in most
cases there is at least some inkling OF
! the possibility OF such an emergency
to warn tae victim of the need OF tax
ing precaatian.
One Of the simplest marks OF iden-
titieatIon is the writing of name and
address In the labels Of clothing There
are numerous other marks OF identi-
ification which viii serve the purpose,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16

The Austro-Hungarian admiralty
uphoids the submarine attack on the
steamer Ancona. Now there are those
in this country who believe that Pres
ident Wilson forthwith should send
ships and an army across She sea 20
attack Franz Joseph's empire Bat no
isn't going TO do anything OF the kind.
Leave it 10 Wilson and Lansing 10
get full justice for the United States
IN this incident as in others that have
arisen in connection with the Europ-
can war Some Of them have been
rather Irritating and trying. but that
Is where cool Judgment and patience
are needed,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
WORTH WORKING FOR.


@IA LIZ L8NA ~ O. Ag~A1tISi CT
Anything that is worth having is
worth working for. There was q time
when men said that g real democracy
vas an Idle dream and liberty a de-
fusion. The masses Of men. it was
contended. were made to be slaves. HUI
man nature. argued the learned ones,
could not be improved. Men were men
and would always be incapable Of self
government as a mass But there were
few who disagreed with this philos-
ophy. a democracy, they contended,
was possibility and human liberty
could no established on this earth.
Some Of those who so coutended were
hung, others were stoned, still others
we're simply h0ot.d at and jeered. But
the fight for liberty never Jagged. and
one day the army with the vision OF
better things gained the heights and
was able to look out over a promised
land
t+AGsE zFEftAI EN-t4kE ~ man &c "a "a
attainable as liberty once seemed to
be. But there are a few among US
who have learned that human progress
is made possible because a few men
are always sighting for what their fell
lows believe is the unattatnable. They
know that the folly Of today is the wis
dom Of tomorrow. They know that in
the end right conquers. They know
that those who WELD the sword con
never establish a permanent civiliza-
ton by means of the verdict won upon
battIefelds, These men stand forth
boldly and fight for peace because
peace is worth lighting for There is
no n6bler cause in which to die than
in the struggle for peace.
No great victory was ever won with
out loss Of precious life There is many
a man who will go to his physical
death perhaps. certainly TO his polit-
zeal death, because he dared to stand
for peace in a world made mad by lust
for war. The cause is worth the sac
Tit1ce What man given the privilege
Of dying for his country or dying in
order that universal peace might be as-
Ja1lisbed would not gladly choose the
latter course?
The Philadelphia Public Ledger re-
Gently gave voice to this thought. II
said
"Tf seems tn he irnrossib1e for scr
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16

that swamp into frog farm"
Gracious me, but whoever heard n.
such thing2" she exclaimed.
! Lots of folks have heard of II. Tbers
are half dozen men in this state who
are raising frogs for the market ana
making heap@of money out of it,"
But l never heard of any one selling
frogs" persisted the widow Wouls
anyone in Dayton eat a frog mues
| less buy one?''
Not in Dayton" he laughed but in
| New York. They are on the bills ii
| fare at most hotels and restaurants
and are considered great delicacg
They eat only the hind legs"
! 1t was a week later that men ana
boys called at the Swamp farm with
pals and baskets and paper bags.
| When the widow had bought 500 hi.
| and little frogs and paid out so much
money that she had to let her taxes
/ slip by she went down to the swami
one morning to have a look at her
live stock"
Not a frog was in sight this morning
not big one or a little one That
swamp was absolutely without life
| The widow ran back 10 the house
and arrived there just a minute before
Mr. Burton appeared.
II was going to send for you,4
she gasped,
What has happened ?" he asked
Every frog has disappeared
You don't say"
Come along and see for yourself"
He walked along down TO the swamp
with her, and she heard him chuckling
as he walked Instead Of looking over
the swamp TO see if he could solve the
problem he sat down on a log and be-
gan to laugh.
What do you mean. Mr. Burton?7
was almost demanded.
4 was to tell you how to make
money out Of this cid swamp"
Yes, you said you could. but it
seems you have only shown NE how
/ to lose money instead"
You are wrong. widOw-you are
wrong" said Mr. Burton. You see.
there were 2S acres which you didn't
own. / bought them When you had 500
frogs on your side Of the swamp
threw a lot OF frog food in on my side.
Last night your 500 came over the line.
They are now my property.
The widow looked at him with min
gIed amazemenr and indignation
"0h, don't look that way" he laugh
ed Il am now going to tell you how
you may make the money
"How-ho w'-she stammered
Why. marry the man who owns the
900 frogs" he replied.
And after about month she i'd She
not only made money out of the frog
farm, but she got a good husband be-
sides, and that is something That mon
ey cannot buy.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
The Daily Story
Her Love and Frogs - BY M. Quad.

The Swamp farm, as it was called.
was situated four miles out OF Dayton
and was owned by the Widow Bliss.
The tin peddler, the sewing machine
agent, the book canyasser, the patent
right man and many others who came
that way saw. admired and were ready
to love the owner of the Swamp farm.
She admitted TO herself that 1t might
be better IL she had good husband,
hmt she had a may" for all these men
except one He was a Mr.. William
Barton He was man Just about her
age and ranked as an old bachelor. Mr.,
Barton didn't begin as most of the 9TH
ers had He had the sense TO admire
the widow without telling her that he
admired.
Mr. Burton could talk of soils, crops,
swamps. the weather and a hundred
lother things and never let hint fall
that he intended some day. to talk OF
love and matrimony. The widow men
tally pitied him for this, and yet she
felt a bit piqued,
Mr. Burton was a surveyor, and his
duties called him into the neighbor-
hood OF the Swamp farm about once 3
week. He could probably have made
lit once in two weeks and perhaps once
In four, but it's none of our business.
Along about Wednesday In every week
the widow would look out Of the front
door and see Mfr. Burton surveying or
pretending to. He Would look up by
accident and see her standing there
and would be invited in to drink a
glass Of fresh buttermilk
This thing had gone on for long,
long time when ne called one day, not
TO survey her garden, but to sit in the
house and talk,
Widow. l have been coming here a
long time" he began.
and it has tired you out?' she
laughed in reply.
Not a bit came today to ask you
to be my wife,
Mr.. Burton replied the widow, Il
made up my mind about this marriage
question quite long time ago shall
marry the man who can tell me how to
make money out Of my old swamp
When I am sure that he has told me
right he may bring in the preacher"
That old swamp has been a bleak
spot for 50 years. he said after time
By the way you don't own all the
swamp, do you?'
no. There's Is acres Of it that be-
longs to Mr. Cooper but he can't do
anything more with his part than can
with mine"
Mr. Burton walked down to the edge
Of the swamp and back again and then
he sat down and took his head in his
hands and thought and thought. By
aud by he looked up with a smile on
his face and said
Mrs. Bliss, have got 1t. / have
solved the problem. You are 10 turn
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
lChicagn Trihnne J

4GhlCdgO 1TlDune.1
Count 0kuma, premier Of Japan, af-
ter declaring that the japanese must
take firm resolution to fight (their)
way with their own energy aud ability,
boldly confronting the pressure of the
white races" turns his attention 10 the
California land problem in this lam
guage
Now, as for the Californian ques-
ton. II would be proper to look upon
this as preliminary test to sound the
capacity OF the japanese whether we
+ are susceptible of still further devel-
opment. Our future destiny may be
said to depend on the successful solu-
ton It may probably require half a
century, century, or even more. Our
moderate attitude is quite likely to be
interpreted as weak hearted spiritless-
ness, while a firm policy would only
stir up the fury of anti-Japanese ex-
element. Really, in respect to this
question we have fallen between two
buffers.
Were it not for our honest desire to
shuu anything like the possibility OF
hostilities between the two nations il
might be proper for us to assert
strongly our reasonable claim. But pre-
ferring peace to inimical controversies
we appeal only to that high sense OF
human justice which inspired the an
I cestors OF the Americans when they
laid the foundation of the great re
public. Do they remember that their
noble hearted ancestors appealed to
the force Of arms only after they had
exhausted all other imaginable means
TO bring their differences with Great
Britain to peaceful close? Their
| peaceful entreaties were scornfullg
disregarded one after another, and the
oppression became heavier. They pa-
tientiy endured what was really I'M
endurable.
This splendid example we are now
intending to follow We are now pre-
pared TO tax our patience to the ut.
most"
Count Okuma is quoted at length in
order that his utterance may not bs
garhled or misrepresented. There are
several interesting things about it.
The California land problem is to be
made the test of Japan's ability to ex,
pand
In the solution of this problem pa.
thence equal to the patience of Ameri
can colonists in their dealings with
England is to be exercised.
After their peaceful entreaties were
scornfully disregarded, what did the
coioEists do? Count Okuma marvel,
at their patience and intends to emu
late 1t. But there is more than a sug
gestion that, like the colonists, theil
stock of patience may run short.
| 1t has been quite evident, as Tn.
Tribune has frequently pointed GU,
that the japanese have a grievanc,
against the United States. Coun
Okuma has done us the favor OF for
mnlating 1t.
The japanese public he states
must become fully conscious of tn,
serious fact that upon the issue of III,
settlement Of the question depends til,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
WHY WE ARE HAPPY

II you have carefully read the daily
newspapers the past three weeks. you
have been impressed by the number
and nature OF the articles they have
published on the prosperous condition
Of business. says the Editor and Pub
Usher. There was a time when the
optimists-those who believe in them
selves and in the future Of the coun-
try in which they live, have been in
clined to-shaI we say2-exagg erate
the indications Of returning prosperity,
AZ any rate, they gave them a value
greater than would be apparent under
a critical ANALYSIS.
Today the opthnists have so much
material upon which 10 base their
arguments that there is no need for
them TO look through colored glasses.
Evidences Of good times are to be
found everywhere. They are seen in
the greatest congestion of freight ar
terminals ever known in the history Of
the country. Two railroads.&c. Lack
awanna and the New York Central
+ have refused to accept any more goods
for export until the thousands of cars
now dlling the railroad Yards and sid
ings. all the way to Buffalo, have dis
charged their freight.
Further evidences Of prosperity are
to be observed in the columns OF dis
patches printed daily in the newspa-
pers from every state id the Union.
The New York Times. the New York
World and other papers on Wednes-
day carried reports from is or more
cities showing that business is in full
swing, that the number of people out
Of employment has not been so small
in years, and that all indications are
favorable to the transaction of the
greatest volume Of business known
/ in several decades.
Oklahoma farm loan companies say
that for the first time in 1--WE years
farmers are HQuidating mortgages on a
large scale. Bank clearances, build
ing permits and postofice receipts at
indianapolis have for several weeks
been the largest in the city's history
Every plant in Youngstown, one OF
0bio's chief manufacturing cities, is
working 10 maximum capacity. and in
many instances Il. has been found nee
essary 10 refuse to accept more orders,
/ The population Of Detroit has in
] creased 10000 in 10 months. Northern
/ Idaho. eastern Washington and west
iern Montana report increases IN trade
of from Is to rs per cent last year
I Workers in Cleveland's factories and
mills are being paid from FIVE to ten
per cent more wages than u months
4. ago. Retail business in &. Louis is
I breaking all records.
! These are some OF the things that
ought to cheer and strengthen every
American with warm blood in HIS veins
| The way people are loosening up Ia
their expenditures gives premise Of a
great holiday trade such as We have
I not knoyn IN wears. It IS certainly
going 10 be Merry Christmas" fer
! everybody.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
Selected by Tavenner
To the Readers Of The Argus;

To the Readers OF The Argus:
The Argus has generously agreed to permit me 10 naNe
regular contribution under this head the space
If my am left free TO make ny seiectloh
from where will whether 1t is timely untiney 10
search the highways and the bgways for what AlsF m
press ule as OF interest and value to the people.
Assure nay readers I shall try TO make the most Oh
the opportunity do must forget that party hnes
exist and will, just as wish it might be pTac9oal w
them not to exist and that the principal issue on cleo
ton day might be whether candidate belongs u lhs
that political party but whether he is willing 10 set'e
the masses OF the people the few who exploit them
In ether words, my idea Is to submit information %
q thought that would give tn the world II myself
edited newspaper, the only mission Of when was 70
serve mankind; TO do this and nothing mere.
When personally write the contribution, will sign
it. and when present the thought and work OF others
will SO indicate. CLYDE II. IAFEN3NhI'
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
CHATTER OF THE LIMOGES

A Berlin paper commenting upon
the American note 10 Austria, says
that Americans are tuil Of holy ego
tiSm and intimates that President
Wilson is digging up campaign ex-
pense for the next election. This pa
per says;
The presidential election, which
takes place next year, casts It's shadow
before, Elections are very expensive
and parties must think IN advance Of
assuring themselves Of the assistance
OF persons and groups with large cap
itai
These are today the traffiekers in
munitions. and their wishes must,
therefore be consulted to the greatest
extent, even at the risk Of offending
the influential circle Of German
American voters"
.pressaen, Wilson is enleaToring
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16

70 create al utterly new maritime law,
for according To the existing Law upon
which America, indeed. based its at
tltuda il was permissible 10 fire at a
ship which disFegaraed a demand 70
stop and attempted 10 fee. irrespec-
tive Of whether or not passengers
were aboard"
Luckily for America and Germany
neither the president nor kaiser have
their minds made up by 5tago papers
OF New York or Of Berlin
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16

provided no deliberate effort is made
by an assailant to remove such clues.
The victim ola crime. however. is more
readily identified than the yictom Of
disease, for the simple reason that ma
chinery Tor the former purpose is al
ways available, whereas the problem
in the latter case is usually left to a
few disinterested observers.
Put your John Hancock in your
clothes and protect yourself against
one of those strange disappearance"
which occur so frequently in the news
of the day.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
VI ESTi0NS AND ANSWERS.
Peroxide Dangers,

III Does peroxide injure the tissues
or tissue cells if used in fresh wounds
t2) Does it las claimed by somel tend
to scatter germs or infection when
used as mouthwash, Instead OF kill
ing them? 49, Do you consider it
more injurious than useful as an an
tiseptic?
Answer-(D Yes. (2} Not In the
mouth, but in wounds, especially pune
tured or deep wounds. it tends to drive
infection deeper. 81 Yes. We think its
value very limited. and we consider II
unadyisable for promiscuous use. A
few drops of tincture Of iodine in few
tablespoons Of water would be prefer
able as mouth wash or lotion for in.
feeted wounds mot fresh wounds.
Suspended Function.
VIII you please suggest what would
be proper treatment for suspended
junction In The case OF Z young girl
whose health seems below par.
Answer-Absolutely nothing should
De done except to learn the cause Of
the poor health and have that properly
treated without particular regard Il
tie suspended function.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-16
Daily History CIass-DeC. 10.

1742-Gebhard L. Won Butcher. famous
Prussian marshal, German com
mander at Waterloo, born; died
1919.
fl73-British tea destroyed in Boston
harbor by American patriots.
l771 - The American Revolutionary
government recognized by France.
1S64-End of the battle Of NashyAie
and final defeat Of the Confederate
Army OF the West; the Confeaes-
ates lost 1000 killed and wounded
and the Federal army about 3.1o'
1914-German cruiser squadron bonn
harded towns on the east coast u
England