davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
of Agreement and D
Had jackson Been President.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your editorial this morning, THE
Colonel Tells the Sober Truth Rampageous-
ly," is so clear and logical and such just
criticism that | cannot refrain from thanking
you for it. OF course, am sorry President
Wilson did not take a firm stand against
Germany when the Kaiser broke his sacred
treaty obligations by grinding Belgium under
his iron heel Of militarsm. AS | read over
history, had Andrew Jackson been President
in July, 1914, the bloodthirsty Emperor would
have been called TO account the moment ne
began numbering men, women and children
just over his border.
In 1860, after the Presidential election, our
nation drifted into Civil War because we
had a weak President. Buchanan said he
could find no power in the Constitution that
would enable him to protect the Union, and
the whole world knows too we'll the bloody
consequences. Not till Cabinet Officer Dix
sent the famous dispatch, "If any man at
tempts to haul down the American flag, shoot
him on the spot" was our government
aroused to a sense of its obligations. The
same kind of a rebellion was started in 1892
when Jackson was President. Calhoun, OF
South Carolina, had been Vice-President. He
quarrelled with the President over the taritt
and other matters. He went home to South
Carolina and fomented his notification Sc
session. War was threatened. Our President
then did not Ego to sleep on his job" as in
1860, nor did he indulge in "watchful wait
ing" Jackson acted at once and to the point.
President Wilson in his History of the
American People" Volume 4, page 81, tells
US how he acted: 1.-THE President acted as
every one who really knew him knew that
he would act The natural, straightforward,
unhestatng vigor of the man dictated what
should be done. Please give my compliments
to my friends in your state said the i'm
perious old soldier 20 a member Of the House
from South Carolina, who asked his COM
mands, and say to them that if single drop
of blood shall be shed there In opposition
to the laws of the United States | will hang
the first man | lay my hands on engaged in
such reasonable conduct upon the first tree
| can reach No one doubted that he meant
what he said" Needless to say there was no
civil war started in 1882. There was a man
in the house. Jackson had said before: "Our
Federal Union; il must be preserved"
II always occurred to me that President
Wilson would have been in a better position
to-day had he said to the Kaiser, in the be-
ginning. with the same force and vigor that
he attributes to Jackson: "Our treaty obliga-
tions; they must be maintained" Neverthe-
less, if President Wilson needs US, as Lin
coin did in 1861, we are with him. Thanking
you again for your editorial, and your clear,
firm, national, not partisan, teaching.
T. II. ROBERTS.
Brooklyn, N Y, Aug 27, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30

isagreement with The Tribunes View
the .Plattsburg Camp Rockies.

failed miserably Off we can accept Roosevelt
and The Tribune) to provide for our ne
cessities? You tell US Mr.. Roosevelt's Judg-
ment can be relied upon when his own am
billions and aspirations are not at stake
Pray tell US when he dropped them?
The cunning Of The Tribune editorial can
not and will not conceal the fact that most
of what is said in criticism of Mr. Wilson
and his administration in reference 10
preparedness" Chat much abused and
overworked word) is directly chargeable TO
his most severe critics. Most Of US be-
lieve in preparing and we are willing TO
foot the bills, but there is better and
higher method of advancing the measure
than the attacks for political purposes that
are being made on our good President, the
man Of the hour, and it seems to me I'M
necessary for a paper Of the character and
influence Of The Tribune to resort or stoop
to such low methods. Readers OF your
paper are not so blind that they will not
see. THOMAS FLYNN.
Bridgeport, Conn. Aug 81 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
TO AMERICAN CITIZEN"
Faith, Hope, Charity, Needed More
Than War Party.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
SIR | have read with mixed feelings Of
amusement and disgust the long letter from
american Citizen" in this mornings Trib-
une Is IL T. r. or some one who has been
so moved by the Plattsburg harangue that he
"sees red" like German?
Would he rouse the males till they form
brass band army and sally forth to subdue
the world? The writer's observations have
led to the belief that the one who shouts the
loudest cannot always fight the hardest, and
the greatest philosopher in this world. or
the next smashed the theory Of IAN eye Tor
an eve and a tooth for a tooth" two thou
sand years ago.
Are Americans as a Christian people AFRAID
to follow this lead? Remember, He CLEANED
house" in the Temple when the time came
and there is no {ecord of His being goaded
to the task by cries of Coward Coward"
Suppose Marlborough had been defeated?'
asks the american Citizen" Why, bless his
heart he needn't shudder. The worst that
could have happened is that he might have
been living in the brave and enlightened
Dominion Of Canada instead Of this cowardly
and loathsome land, where he is now hu-
inflated citizen.
American citizens have been killed before
and we have not had war. In the Vir-
ginius case, for instance, we had not even
reparation, and yet millions of men who
think have been born and reared in this land,
and thank God, only few consider our com
placency shameful
This government was formed to secure the
D 1 l.. gaIv Qnd
posterity and if we remember that, what we
need more than jingoes is faith in American
brain and Drawn that have won us victory
against odds in the past, hope that our war
party may remain weak until it has noble
cause to grow strong for, and charity for our
crazed Teuton neighbors over the water.
We know they're wrong, but why should we
initiate them? They are where they are and
desperate as they are. mainly because they
were prepared" A. E. A.
Peekskill, ~ Y, Aug. 81, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
"Forceful and Inspiring. "
o the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Next to The Tribunes most able and
scholarly editorials on the German situation
we do not remember ever having read a
more forceful, comprehensive and inspiring
article bearing upon the insane indifference
of the United States to its present peril than
the letter of american Citizen" on "Our
Shameful COMPETENCY" printed in your
issue Of even date. His letter should be care
fully read and studied by every American
citizen.
The sentiments he expresses, the clarion
warning he sounds with so much dash and
punch, we subscribe to most heartily. Too
many such letters cannot be published.
The United States does, indeed, need to be
rudely awakened from its FOOLS paradise. 1t
needs to be compelled to face the cold facts
of its history, shorn of all fanciful and self
satisfying fiction. The country must be made
70 realize the urgent necessity for throwing
off its inertia and indifference, to begin at
once active preparation for the supreme test
which the future surely has in store for it.
HOMER dunno.
Yonkers, Aug 81, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Lung Power of the Convention.

According to figures of the Constitu-
tional Conventions stenographer, the dele
gates to that august assembage have
talked 100000 words. Moreover, he esti-
mates that before adjournment the total
will reach the imposing figure of 100000.
Solomon might well have said, "Ot the
making of many speeches there is no end,
and much debate is a WEAKNESS OF the
flesh" All the burning thoughts voiced at
Albany will be duly transformed into type
and each delegate will have a certain num-
Der of copies of the proceedings of the
convention" sent to his friends and con-
stituents. Otherwise there will be little
record of all this eloquence, so far as the
public is concerned, save the final pro-
posals, duly adopted, which constitute the
draft Of the new constitution.
1t is greatly to be hoped they will be
momentous enough to warrant all this ex-
penditure of lung power.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Adont a Genuine Short Ballot!

Efforts to force through the Constitu-
tional Convention a provision for more
elective officers than there are now on
the state ticket having failed, certain dele
gates are threatening in revenge to press
an amendment calling for a shorter short
ballot" than the committees report speci-
fed. So much the better. The ideal short
ballot scheme would provide for the cleo
ton only of Governor, Lieutenant Governor
and, if he be merely an auditing officer,
the Controller. All other officials should
be appointed by the Governor. Preferably,
they should be appointed and removed di-
rectly by him without Senate cooperation,
for thus the responsibility for them and
their services would be best fastened on
the Executive.
Machine politicians and patronage
dickerers have badly muddled the depart
ment reorganization plan. The original
proposal reported from Chairman Tan
ner's committee was not ideal, but it was
good enough to adopt. Nothing remotely
resembling an emasculation Of it, such as
the demand that the Controller be retained
as an elective official, with his present
administrative powers, should be consid-
cred. No scheme retaining the Controller
with his present powers is logical. He
should be an auditor only, not an execu-
tive, whether elected or appointed. Still
further to improve the Tanner plan, it
should be amended to make the Attorney
General an appointive official.
The public clearly and definitely wants
the short ballot principle put into the con-
stitution for trial 1t insists that trial
of the plan shall be made on its merits
and that the plan shall not be butchered
to save this political job and that, to
spare the feelings of present officeholders
or to coddle the ambitions Of those who
want to hold office in the future. The es-
sence Of the short ballot is simplicity and
few elective state officers-the fewer the
better The more the short ballot advo-
Gates compromise with machine politicians
and jobholders the worse the result will
be and the less chance the constitution
containing that result will have of being
adopted. They must remember that, and
remember their party pledges, when they
vote on the question.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Berlin Fashions.

A dispatch from Berlin to our neighbor
'"The Times casts an interesting side
light on the isolation of that community,
to say nothing of the iron hand which
regulates there what in England, for in
stance, is left to moral suasion. 1t con-
Germs the style in women's skirts, and
reads:
Narrow skirts will be worn by the women
of Germany until the war ends, if martial
law succeeds in its attempt to dictate
fashions. The leading German dressmakers,
in patriotic desire to break away from the
tyranny of Paris, went to the opposite ex-
IRENE and decreed very wide skirts, mostly
pleated, and also voluminous petticoats, for
the autumn and winter. The menace of the
new alderman fashion did not escape the
argus-eyed government, which is taking steps
to prevent the resultant squandering Of
cloth, particularly cotton material. AS a
first step all the papers arc printing an in
spired warning against wide skirts by a
highly placed parsonage" which is circulated
by the semi-official Wolff Agency.
This inspired warning, to sugar coat its
message to the sartorially interested, be-
gins with congratulations on the fact that
"our fashion is successfully striving to
free itself from French and English lead
ing strings and pave its own way" Even
the "highly placed parsonage" is unaware,
apparently, that wide skirts were decreed
by the dressmakers of Paris almost
simultaneously with the outbreak of the
war, year ago; that just year ago the
controversy over the change to the more
ample garment now disturbing Berlin
ragged through London, produced innumer-
able letters to "The Times" and resulted
finally in a national wave of economy
which has but recently driven Worth
across the Channel. Is 4 possible that
the Berlin public was purposely and Oil
cially deprived of the news of the new
fashion in skirts and of the moral
struggle lasting over the better part of a
year. which it occasioned in London? If
so, it might help the government if its
censors should now publicly confess to
the suppression and warn the patriotic
"Berliner Damen" that their dressmakers
are grossly deceiving them regarding the
origin and novelty of this purely Ger
man" style.
But then it is much easier, in Ger
many, to forbid than to reason. "The
wholesale suit trade" says the inspired
warning, "would do WELL particularly so
far as cotton goods are concerned, to come
10 m understanding with the govern
mental authorities before the government
finds itself compelled, through a suitable
warning, or, if necessary, by regulation,
to see to it that its measures are not set
at naught." Clearly the dread "verboten"
is foreshadowed.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
The Beam in T. RS Eye.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: AS reader of The Tribune wish to
say a few words relative to your editorial
in this mornings paper, "The Colonel Tells
the Sober Truth Rampageously"
Now, if we are to take the editorial and
the Colonel's Plattsburg speech seriously,
will The Tribune please explain whose fault
it is that our country finds itself so unpre-
pared for defence of we are so unfit :?
Did the present administration find the
country in a high state of preparedness
and did they wreck or diminish that eff
cheney, or have they not only endeavored to
but have actually raised our state of pre-
paredness?
Will The Tribune inform its readers just
why Mr.. Roosevelt, who vas at the head Of
the nation for a term of years, so signally
failed Judged by his speech) by leaving
our country so wholly unprepared as he
would have US believe it to be? Must we
not accept Mr.. Roosevelt's criticism and The
Tribune editorial as severe arraignment
of the Roosevelt and the administration
Immediately following and as a sad common
tary on the Republican party leaders who
had charge of governmental affairs and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
of Colonel Roosevelt's Speech to
Wilson's Handicap.
or Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your to-day's leader checking Of
the Presidential merits Of Roosevelt and
Wilson presents to your readers an evil
IDENTIFY correct psychological study Of these
two national characters.
However, your favorable comments on NJ
Roosevelts national policies as against
those of Mr. Wilson omit one important
consideration which ought to 90 far in ex-
planning and excusing Mr.. Wilson's short
comngs, as criticised by you. Mr.. Roose-
welt, during his Presidency, represented a
party that had conducted our national ad-
ministration for over half a century, and
for that reason could produce out Of its
midst statesmen and diplomats well sea-
soned with a long experience of foreign az
fairs and firmly footed on well settled prn-
ciples in their international dealings.
Backed by such assistance, it has ever been
comparatively easy for q Republican Pres
ident 10 steer the ship of our state firmly
and successfully through the troubled seas
of foreign complications.
Whatever Mr. Wilson's individual compe'
tence in national leadership may be, he has
from the very start been handicapped by a
party whose dilettantesm and Don QuiXot-
ism in governmental matters have been the
natural result of its lack Of experience, Of
higher political training and Of unity OF pur-
pose and tactics. Mr. Wilson, very muen
like Mr. Cleveland, has al. along had
much harder task in overcoming the MEM
cheney of his official advisers and assistants
than the opposition of his political adverse
res. While in normal times such con-
dition of affairs will not seriously upset our
governmental machinery, and casual admins
trative disturbances may be readily adj usted
in due course, it must, at a critical stage hH'
ours, not a little endangcr our national nohor
and sefety unless promptly and wisely lore
stalled.
The example set at present IN the ire'
European states under pressure OF the
world crisis should furnish a farsghted
and patriotic President IN Mr. WILSON,
position with the proper ways and means 70
extricate our country from both the donie''
tic and foreign perils now besetting II
closely. By the formation Of coalition
Cabinet. composed Of our best aysIIsOs
and competent statesmen, irrespective o
party affiliations and with eye single
eminent fitness for their respective pOs'S
Mr.. Wilson would establish a glorious prse
edent for all similar periods IN future Am''
lean history. ADAM ROSENDIN''
New York, Aug. 27, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Incorporate Language.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Mr.. Roosevelt's incorporate lansass'
can harm no one more than the ColeAei n'D,
self. His abusive TRADE at Plsttso''s
against any one having different eonVieu0H'
on the war and the present militars''e ''-
denotes is a painful illustration Of no" ~.
endowed with natural gifts can sink ln'o '-'
mire of vituperation and abuse OF o'a
and this wholly obliyious Of the iae. -,
others may be right and he entirely ms, 81.
When Mr. Roosevelt spoke at the San re- :,
cisco exposition, few weeks ago, the lSSN
enthusiasm from the 10000 people tnen pIs,
ent was manifest and in striking con'lss
with his previous reception by great ''''
both East and West.
Those tanning the flames of war IN the r.,
sistent effort now being made and so Vo'"A
ously promulgated by Mr.. Roosevelt "a a
other militarists 10 crowd the President
Congress over the precpice into the az! 80,
the worldwide death, misery and destFUe ''..,
now prevailing may we'll stop and eOhs s..,
the consequences sure to follow and r.D -,
on the colossal failure in oil Europe Of
attempt TO secure continued peace Oy
slant preparation for war. e..,,.
How can the people Of the Oniteu LIS la.
ignore this perfectly plain, direct ooje go.
SON of cause and effect or expect diH' Ear
result with precisely the same eau'. nos
agitation and preparedness for war a.
going on in this country? merry
New York, Aug. q, 1915.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Soldiers Swagger Cane.
From The Dundee Adrcrns,rJ

Fr0m The Dundee AdrcrtsCr)
1t is one of the regulations Of the British
Army that every soldier when walking out
must carry in his hand a stick, in order to
preserve a soldierly appearance and prevent
anything like slouching in his gait This rule
applies to all ranks, and should any one seeA
T. evade it he would find his progress barred
by the sentry at the barrack gate or entrance
to camp. Privates generally carry light canes
or "swagger sticks" non-commissoned officers
fairly stout sticks, and officers invariably go
in for the more expensive kind. It is a ques.
ton that has often been asked Who first
suggested the idea? But nobody seems to
know. From the earliest times drill sergeants
and drum majors have carried sticks, and the
fashion may have come from that fact SOL
diers as a rule buy their own sticks, but in
one or two regiments a recruit is presented
with one when he gets his uniform. If this
gets lost, however, he has to buy the next
and subsequent ones. There is a story told Of
a soldier one day who couldn't find his cane,
and knowing he would be challenged if he
didn't have something in his hand quietly
picked up a poker, and passed through the
6; e all right with it in his fist.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
The Little Ruined Garden.

Now and then, on a city vacant lot or
in some remote corner of Van Cortlandt
or Bronx Park, the inquisitive pedestrian
comes upon the ruins of a little garden
quantity pathetic with its rows of pallid
beet-tops and overgrown radishes, tinted
here and there with scraggly bachelors
button, and the whole overshadowed with
a rank growth of weeds. Although there
is nothing particularly romantic about
pig-weed or dag-fennel, a neglected gar
den always appeals to the Imagination.
ANY garden is a lovesOme thing, God wot,
and a neglected garden suggests hopes
laid waste, brave effort thwarted, tender
beauty spoiled, and the fair flowers and
succulent radishes Of life turned to scorn
and derision.
What are these little abandoned gar
dens? They represent the brave agro-
nomic attempts of children, under the
auspices of some kind association for do
ing good to people, or with the guidance
Of patient and public-spirited school
mistresses teaching nature-study. The
gardens are indeed pathetic, but they
probably do not represent much heart
break. Fulfilling the immortal impulses
of an originally agricultural race, chill
dren planted these little gardens; planted
them and weeded them-for a while. Then
hop scotch, the roller skate and baseball
beckoned, and not in vain. Unable to
compete with stronger impulses, the rad
ish paled beneath the spreading shadow
Of the pig-weed and the cornhower's an
swering note to the sky was stihed under
the clamor of the burdock.
But the children's garden, though its.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Nail Hitters.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: wish to express my own opinion and
that of a number of friends in saying that
the article in this mornings Tribune by
american Citizen" of Annapolis, Md, is,
aside from your own editorial, by far the
best and most "nail-htting" thing | have
seen since the war began. | wish American
Citizen" would write few more facts like
those, and perhaps in time some OF our
alleged "men" would be brought back to life
and begin to balk at what Germany is trying
to put over on US.
And in passing, let me thank you for the
pleasure | obtained this morning in reading
your editorial on Wilson VS.. Roosevelt. It
was truly splendid and splendidly true.
New York, Aug. q, 1915. NJ. c.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-30
Praise from an Old Reader.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: was reader of The Tribune when
Horace Greeley was its editor, when Charles
A. Dana, Henry J. Raymond and other great
literary lights were on its staff, when it was
far and away the leading paper in all the
land used to think Greeley was at his best
when fighting Bennett, of "The Herald.
Lord, how he used to fay him and "The Her.
aid" with its deviish minon-all of which
Bennett accepted as he would a horsewhip-
ping, as so much advertising. They got into
circulations. Greeley offered to put up
$1,000, the winner-that is, the one having
the largest circulation-to turn the money
over to some worthy charity. You might
think he had Bennett in corner. Not bit
of it. Bennett not only refused to accept the
but called Greeley a gambler
and asserted the time was coming when
Greeley could be found round the corner
of Spruce and Nassau Streets matching pen
MES with the newsboys, and he affected
deeply to deplore his downfall
About this time a Professor Wise con-
structed balloon and announced that he
was going to cross the Atlantic Ocean He
inclosed it mot the Atlantic, but the balloonJ
in lot over in Jersey City and charged an
admission fee of 25 cents. Here is what 1.-THE
Trib" had TO say about it,
This srousing the peoples amaze
Is less the balloon than the wind to raise,
And that to cross in couple of days
The great Atlantic Ocean,
To dine with the monarch Of far Siam,
To drink with the great Tartsric Cham,
And smoke with the Rajah Rham Jam Jam
He hasn't the slightest notion"
And this brings me to the real object of
this communcation-th editorial printed in
last Sundays Tribune: The Anniversary
OF Louvan." That is the equal of any have
ever read. | remove my topper in admira-
ton and esteem of the writer thereof.
JOHN HANDY.
Tappan, N. Y, Aug. 26, 1915.