davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
FRANCIS MARION cocKRHLL

A good many men break into pub
lie life as the result Of the innum-
cradle accidents Of politics; but no
man, ,remains in that career through
out a long. lifetime BY accident. The
man who without fitness and capac-
ity to serve gets into public life by
accidents, is very soon elected by de-
sign.
Francis Marion Coclxrell remained
in public service throughout the
adult years Of very long life. His
death at the age Of eighty-one is re.
minder that the men Of his genera
ton are getting exceeding few. He
served with high rank and credit in
the Confederate army, occupied
State Offices, and was for FIVE full
terms, thirty years, Senator Of the
United States. Thus he was mum.
bered among very small group ot
the men who have sat longest in the
upper chamber. After that he wal
a term on the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and still later held al
appointive position as Federal com
missioner determining a boundary
dispute in the Southwest. In this
his last public position, he proved
himself as capable Of performing
hard and consistent service as any
man of half his years; he went Il
the frontier, took personal charge
got into the saddle, and did tn,
work.
Senator Cockrell was kept in pub
lie life because he had something t,
give to the public. He was poo
when he entered it, poor every da!
he remained in it, poor when dealt
took him away from it. Missouri
loved and trusted him because h,
earned its absolute confidence in hi
integrity and patriotism. He was
consistent party Democrat, but h
always required to know that hi
/ party was right, and his contribu
tion to keeping it right was q highl,
( important one. He represented al
ways the hest interest of the plair
people as he saw that interest; an
I his vision was true,
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
GAYETY.

with Don Barclay and Al X. Hall Gs
the leading funmakers, THE Maids OF
America" opened weeks engagement
yesterday at the Gayety. '"rhe Girl
from Starland" is the title Of the two
act musical malange, and Il is replete
with snappy dialogue and catchy music,
Barclay and Hall carry the show along
with a rush, and their appearance in the
orchestra pit, the former as the trap
drummer and the latter as the director,
created much laughter,
Elsa Bostel as Electra, the queen OF
starland, has a pleasing personality, and
sings a number OF songs In manner
that won her many friends. Ruth Noble,
Carrie Cooper and Mae Mack are much
in evidence thToashout the performance.
and their songs were well received. The
chorus Is one Of the features OF the
show. 1t is composed of twenty-tour
young girls who snow every evidence OF
careful DRILLING. Barney Norton and
Ruth Noble, in q variety fTolic,' and
the Temple Quartet composed OF We'll
don Ward, Brooks. and Lang; were the
features Of the oliO. The show Il hana-
a0inely ino0nted, and the costumes arr
elaborate
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
THE SCHOOLS AND POLITICS

Appointment of the Board of Ed
ucation by judges of the Supreme
Court of the District has made for
endless complications. With certain
administrative powers vested in the
board, and the financial reins held
by the Commissioners, the result Of
the anomalous arrangement has been
constant friction and lost motion. All
that is needed to condemn the ar
rangement is a careful study of the
cumbersome financial arrangement; ;
especially in regard to the compli-
Gated channels through which
teachers salaries are paid, and
through which supplies are obtained
and repairs made to school build
ings. So tedious. is the last men
toned item that parents leagues
have found it easier to hold enter
tainments to repair school buildings
than to set the machinery in motion
to get the work done.
Educators who have opposed the
abolition of a Board of Education
have admitted that the power of ap'
pointing the board should be vested
in the Commissioners. Such a plan
which is suggested in the estimates
makes for a strong central control
and for placing responsibility where
, it belongs. At present the game Of
"passing the buck" is played BY
everyone concerned when any criti
cisms of the Washington schools
arise.
If there is any city further re
moved from politics than Washing
ton it is hard to find. Citizens, soml
of them from trade bodies and citi
zens' associations, went before tn,
half-and-half committee to plead TO
more "home rule" Yet, at the frs
step taken by the Commissioners I,
bring the school system within tn
pale of municipal administration
there is much hue and cry abou
dragging the schools into politics.
Other cities, which govern them
selves, manage to get along wit
running their own schools. Yet i
Washington, for some unknown rea
son, it is argued that the school
should be far removed from the cit
government. The school item ia Ii
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
Nominations in Army
Are Sent to Senate

President Wilson has sent the fol-
lowing nominations to the Senatei
Lieutenant colonel to be colonel,
Thomas b. Dugan, sixth Cavalry
Major. to be lieutenant colonel. Selah
r. II. Tompkins, Fifth Cavalry.
Captain. to be major, Howard r..
Perry, infantry, unassigned.
First lieutenants. 10 be captains Ri
naldo r. Wood, Twenty-fourth Infan-
try; Leonard IT, Cook. sixth Infantry;
Horatio l. Lawrence Ninth Infantry,
Second lieutenants. 70 be first lieu
Infantry: Walter n. WeaveT. Twenty
second Infantry: Aiva Lee. sixteenth
Infantry, and Roy W. Winton, -Four
teenth lnfGtrS,
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
B.F.KEITH,S

The bill offered at Kelth's this week
makes D. proper prelude to the holiday
season. ~ II contains musical numbers
galore, ranging from grand OPERA inter-
Prof9tions 20 present-daY raRgedy-rag,
after many years OF two stars, Fred
Hnllen and MOl1ie Fuller. who appear In
a sketch Of other dayB of the stage. a
satire on fame entitled The Corridor
OF Fame" The corridor shows repro
ductions OF programs on which apDear
the names of scores of stage favoIttea
OF twenty-five years ago. Miss Fuller is
seen seer es she appeared y the z. Il. Rice,,s
dancing and song numbers OF the past
The Offering OF come backs" was
warmly welcomed.
George N acFafiane. an eminent barry
tone. appearing IN cycle Of song
stories. was heard to distinct advantage.
his numbers including solos made IA
nous In "Plnafore." "Mikado. and
Pirates" with many Irish ballads.
''The New Producer" a grand opera
production in tabloid form. Is the offer
ing OF company of dozen excellent
singers. who appeared In solos. duets.
quartets and ensembles from famous
A particularly bright spot on the bill
was the appearance of the talented
mimic, Violet Dale, who has the faculty.
Of catching the mannerisms.. the unusu-
al tricks Of voice. action and expression
Of stars she seeks to portray. lncludlng
Nazimova. Leslie Carter. Paylowa and
half a dozen other familiar personagea
| of stagedom. The scene from LaSa
| and the one from War Brides were
| exceptionally we'll given.
Maria Los company presents Porce-
lains.' a production OF the most famous
dresden and other chinas. Lulu Nc
a one-act sl6it filled with nonsenslcal
nothings en- titled AT Home" The
Five Belmonts in diaeolo and hoop-rol,
ing stunts. and Haydn. Borden ano
HAYDN in Bits of vaudeville" complete
an entertaining bill.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
HOLDING THE FORT

The allies are going to stick it out
in the. Near East. This, whatever
the cost, is good campaigning for
them; it is welcome news to the
world.
In Serbia the allies have been
beaten, routed, and driven like sheep.
In Macedonia they stand at bay. In
Saloniki they must dig their toes
into the very beach to keep from be-
ing cast upon the sea. But by all
the tests of this war the allies can
maintain that last ground.
This will be holding the fort in the
way the war has always gone from
the start until now. A year and
three months ago the allies held the
fort in northern France. A year
ago they held it in Flanders. Ir
Russia they held it as late as si1
months ago. Holding the fort il
each of those life and death strug
giles they have grown stronger. AnC
now it is the Balkans.
Until they are in final condition
with troops adequate both in mum
hers and in efficiency, with munitions
both abundant and suitable, will
power both potential and developed
this will do to wage the war in I
way that can win it, For always tn,
Austro- German military machine
prepared but limited, is grindini
away the best and the strongest tina
are in it against the resources of tn
allies, still unprepared but unlim
Nd.
Germany after destroying Belgium
and Tavishing France was yet locke
GAsein wise from the outside world
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
BUF FFALO BILL TOBAR
|. TIGHTS FROM SHOW
Famous Plainsman, Here to
Revive Wild West, Says Cir
Gus Killed His Exhibition.
Bunalo Bnl b b towni

Buffalo Bill IL in towni
With his long curling hair made
snow-white by the passing years. but
still the erect. alert figure Of old. Col.
William r. Cody. breathing the Atmos-
phere Of the plains. came 70 washing
ton Yesterday. and was a picturesque
figure among the lobby full OF ReDub-
iican politicians at the New Willard.
The old ,plainsman and veteran scout
Is here on private business that has
nothing to do with politics. and. while
the hotel lobby teeTned with the buzzing
Of numerous Presidential bees. much
attention was paid TO the interesting
group OF three rather distinguished
gray-haired men. Of which Colonel Cody
formed the center. yesterday afternoon
The other two were Lieut. Gen. Mel
son A. Miles. retired. and Mai. Gen.
David Gordon, retired. both old conn
rades Of Buffalo Bill during the days
when he was earning his picturesque
title In the Indian country.
Il am here on private business-to
talk over old times with my old friends
In the army and discuss preparedness
and things in general" said Colonel
Cody. II have to get way back in the
army list to find my old friends nova.
days-they are all retired. But we still
have strong feeling for one another.
Out in the West. where have been
during. the past year or more. we are
campaign that is going on. We are i'm
terested in 1t because we believe in It
heart and soul. and we are intending
to DO all We can to help i along
some educational work next season. I
am going to organize my own show
again. You know II has been q long
time since Buffalo Rill had his own
show-too many circus features were
introduced and the thing got away.
from the educational feature that /
| thought to make paramount when
started out with 1t. You know that old
show of mine was a great institution
and ! loved 1t. When l started II years
ago, the show people all laughed at me
especially the circus men. They told
me would make a failure. Well
everybody knows what did happen.
The real Buffalo Bill show was. even a
greater attraction than TIE circus IT.
self And then they began to put cir
Gus features in it and it almost lost
'"I intend to try and revive it next
year and make II n real education fea-
| ture We will tell the story of this
country from it's settlement to the pres
| ent day and will try to accurately de-
scribe things from the pre-revoiutlonary
days tn 1915 There won't be any ele-
| phants or tight-wearinE acrobets in
| fhe whole show, / haven't finished UP
| ali the details yet--but I'm working
| things out slowly"
During his visit here Colonel Cody
/ will take uL certain important matters
/ with the Interior Department relating
| 10 Indians and to land questions.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14

largest single item Of expenditure
IN the annual budget for the Capital.
II for no other reason the Commits
sioners ought to control them on
that account.
When II comes to politics, there
could be no politics worse than those
Of several years ago which found
the Board Of Education in constant
friction with the District govern
ment, especially with the Municipal
Architects Office. II the District Of
ficials we're wrong in that contro-
versy that is all the more reason
why they should be made to shoul-
der the responsibility for their own
mistakes.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
ENGLAND APPROVES
BILL TO, ,BUYSTOCkS
Some Express Fear That Bill
May Make New York
Worlds Financial Center.

LONDON. Dec. 1L-General approval
has been given the bill prepared by
Reginald McKenna, chancellor OF the
exchequer. to empower the government
to mobilize American and Canadian Sc
curities by buying or borrowing them.
The bill has passed it's second reading
in the house of commons, The securities
will be used as collateral for loans, but
In event of necessity may be disposed
OF to meet Great Britain's hbilities in
the United states.
Some critics profess doubt whether
the project will affect exchange. and
others feared it might lead to New
York becoming the financial center OF
the world at London's cost
Mr.. McKennR declares II securities
TO the amount of 9l0O.O0O.OOO were Of
fered in the next fortnight the govern
ment would be prepared to purchase
them. He estimates that the securities
held here are from e300. 900 900 to $500,
100000 Cll,5OO. 100000 to &4.OOO. .oOo, 900. and
expresses the hope this would be suffi-
Client ito meet our liabilities and to
maintain exchange in the United States
| for the period of the war"
In purchasing securities outright, the
government will pay for them in Ave
4 year 5 per cent exchequer bonds. Mr.,
| Mex emma says the government is will
| ing to buy such American dollar securi-
I ties as are suitable at the middle
| American price of the day without
brokerage or commission,
! In the case Of unquoted or unlisted
securities or of any whose current quo
/ tation might not be regarded as rep
resentative OF the true value, the chan.
cellor explains the price Will be fixec
by agreement with the person onerinl
them. The New York dollar price WI
be reckoned In sterling on the basil
Il OF the exchange rate OF the day.
i Mr.. McKenna declares the usual trad
j balance in favor OF Great Britain ma
/, been exhausted by the huge demand
made upon America for goods fon Eng
4 land and her allies. and the amount
paid In interest on foreign seeurltie
held here. on earned by British shipping
II are not sufficient 10 set this right. Con
u seuuently, in order to meet liabilities Il
the United States, they are Obliged I
20 outside the ordinary course of trad
4 and have TO borrow or sell securities.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
SOMEONE ALWAYS
ROBBING LIFE OF JOY
Now "Drys" Want to Chain
Bacchus in New York on
New Years. Eve.

NEW YORK, Dec. IA dry" New
Year Eve. comparatively speaking, has
been proposed to Mayor Mitchell by the
Anti-Saloon League, which wants the
celebration to stop almost with the Eve
itself, that is. one hour after midnight.
A letter sent to the mayor yesterday
by William II. anderson, State super
intendent OF the league, announces that
the board Of directors OF the organiza-
tion formally requests that no all night
licenses for the sale of liquor be granted
for New Year Eve this year. The letter
reads in part:
Even the most ardent wet must
admit that 1t is possible to drink oI
purchase as. much intoxicating liquor
as is good FOR any person within the
hours when its sale Is regularly legal
lied under the general laws.
''The reports Of the orgies OF dlssi'
patton on such occasions as New Year
Eve with no limit save the folly and
capacity OF the revelers, brings to New
York an unsavory fame. which, while i
may attract a certain class. repeli
others who, to say the least, are as de
sirable citizens, and whose good will
and patronage would in the long run b,
more valuable and more stable"
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
JIrNRY NAVAL BATTLES

Ours would be the last voice to
condemn the non-working crew of
the jitney peace ship for singular
Inconsistency in breaking into
mutiny while on their voyage to furl
the battle flags and hush the drums
of Europe, getting the boys out of
the trenches before Christmas.
We realize how a deeply earnest
advocate Of peace can naturally be-
come as militant as bloodthirsty
inciter of war. We are not unmind-
full Of the fact that affectionate and
devoted cousins, uncles, nephews, all
but brothers and sisters of the
peaceful royal families of the Old
World went to the mat like prize
ring bruisers over the problem OF
keeping the peace between Austria
and Serbia. We do not forget that
every peace crusader on the jitney
ship is human, and that it is in the
heart Of mankind that when any
body or anything tries to stop 9
peaceful fellow from having his
righteous way he just instinctively
goes to punching his just arguments
into the unrighteous head Of the
riotous rufisn that opposes him.
But while we can feel a sympa,
thetic charity rather than scornfu
reproach over the jitney slugging
matches now exhibiting in continu
Gus performances on the high seas
we wish we might get to those peace
pilgrims by wireless one admonition
It is that whatever strong-arm meth
ods the circumstances may justify
tricing up by the thumbs, hanging
from the yardarn, walking thu
plank, or any Of the approved prac
tices of ancient and honorable war
fare at sea--we do hope that nj
member of that peace party will S,
far forget himself and his duty t,
society, while spreading the peac
propaganda, as to put of in a small
boat and torpedo the jitney shil
without giving warning to any non
Combatants that may happen to b
on board and without granting then
life preservers as a possible mean
Of reaching a place of safety whel
the blowing up of the ship become
a military necessity for the impera
tive purposes of peace.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
This Enoch Arden Sets
Record; Gone so Years

LURAY. Va. Dec. A-Wandering
over many Of the Western and New
England States for more than fifty
years, his departure from this county
being due to domestic infelicity, his
return to his native heath only to find
the wife of his youth the legal part
ner OF another man, is the experience
Of George Rivan Bunday.
Bunday, a man now more than sew
enty-five, makes no efforts to absolve
himself from being a contributing cause
to a family Misunderstanding, followed
by an apparently unbeatable" rupture.
as he Inow declares. and then his de-
parture. And now his Enoch Arden ap-
pearance in this county, after the lapse
OF half century has no Significance
further than his native heath Is a good
place for rehabilitation and atonement
He says he entertains nothing but the
kihdliest feelings for his former wife
and the man who replaced him in her
affections.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
CASINO.

the famous book, was presented yester-
day afternoon and last night at the
Casino. There viii be daily matinees
during this week and the presentation
Of this old but popular drama by Leon
Washburn's Stetson Company is expect
ed 10 be a good drawing card.
The W'ashburn production of Uncle
Toms Cabin" Is fittingly staged and
Espey plays well the role OF Uncle Tom.
j. p. Stenson, as Simon Legree. and
Ada WYekoff. as Topsy. have the two
other principal roles ana handle them
With ability. -
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
cHHAPER TELnPnoNR SERVICE

The Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company announces to-
day, with considerable detail and
commendable frankness, a new
schedule of rates that is to be put
into effect as rapidly as possible,
which in the aggregate will effect
very considerable savings for tele-
phone users, The company calcu-
lates that on the basis Of present
business a very considerable reduc-
tion in its revenues will ensue; and
it hopes that for this loss it will be
compensated by an increase in the
volume of business done.
In another part Of this paper the
company's announcement, with the
new schedule of charges and condi-
tions, is presented. 1t requires more
attention and study than has yet
been possible, before a conclusion
can be stated as to the precise merits
of the concessions granted. But
prima facie it shows serious pur-
pose Of dividing up with the public,
There is reasonable assurance that
it does not represent an effort to
bunco the public, by pretending to
give it something important while
in fact giving it nothing at all. That
was what the Potomac Electric
Power Company seemed to be try
/ ing to do, in it's recent announce
ment Of reduced rates" on electric
current for cooking, mechanical, and
industrial purposes. Analysis of the
alleged concessions by the electric
monopoly has made very clear that
the public was getting hot air in
stead Of concessions from the ex-
orbitant charges to which it has long
been subjected. Of that feature
more will be heard before long. II
is for the present enough to say that
the telephone corporation seems tt
be dealing in entire sincerity anC
good faith with its patrons, and t.
be giving them some real and sub
stantiaI benefits. The Public Utility
! Commission will, of course, checl
over the plan announced by the tele
phone authorities, and make SURE
that there is no concealed joker
as there was-and mighty clumsily
concealed, at that-in the case of tn,
electric monopoly's fantastic effor
to fool the community.
Of all its public service corpora
tions, none has so thoroughly justi
fled the popular opinion that it is 1
selfish, unreasonable, and oppressiv,
monopoly as has the electric combi
nation. The telephone people hav,
set it an example of square dealing
and straightforwardness, which tn,
electric company might well adop
as a guide in it's policy.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
Loaf Tale Has Sequel
After Three Months

FosTORIA! Ohio. Dec. 1I.-L4ast Labor
Day, September Z. Fred ort, a clerk In
the salesroOm of the Fostcria Baking
Company. placed more than 80 in bills
inside a loaf of stale bread for safe
keeping. The bread was sold nex'
morning before the Sarrival Of ort al
the bakery.
mer proprietor OF the bakery, received
letter from a FOstoriRn who said he
had purchased the bread. found the
money and kept It. But his conscience
troubled him. he added, and now asked
for a chance to square the deal witt
Danner. He was given chance.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
ROUMANIA, GREECE, AND
AMERICA

When all the world goes to war,
the reactions Of diplomatic and mill
tary affairs, though in the most
widely separated quarters of the
earth, produce strange effects. For
instance, today the eyes of Bahama
are on Washington. The Ancona
note from our State Department to
Austria may have a most important
effect on developments in that
region.
The little but highly important
Balkan powers have been deter
mined from the beginning to main
tain their neutrality unless, enter
ing the war, they could be certain
of picking the winning side and bet
tering their fortunes. Bulgaria
chose the Germanic side, and in do
ing so forced Greece, her mortal en-
emy, to lean more distinctly toward
the allies. Roumania has persist
emily maintained neutrality despite
a strong popular preference for the
allies side. The spectacle of Ser
bias fate has not been calculated to
hearten any other small country
about the prospect of bettering it.
self by going TO war.
Nevertheless the people Of both
Greece and Roumania see their own
future most likely to be safe with
the allies, rather than the central
powers, dominating Europe. They
cannot afford to espouse a losing
cause. The chance of their enter.
! ing the conflict with the allies is i'm
! proved by every development that
adds to the probability of ultimatC
victory for that side; and a diplo'
matte breach between Austria anC
the United States would powerfully
impress them.
Thus the crisis which has beer
/ precipitated by the Ancons demands
of this Government has a signifi
canoe which Europe will understand
and which some of the capitals ol
that side will appraise even NOR
highly than America will. Berlil
and Vienna, it may be expected, viii
understand what it might mean TO
them to place this weapon Of argu
ment in the hands of their erem!
diplomats, and will be less incline,
to force affairs to an extreme issue.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14
Three Burned to Death
In Blaze At Chicago

CHICAGO. Dec. 1.-Two men and n
woman were bulnVd 70 death and six
DESTROYED n boarding house IN East
Grand avenue.
The dead are Edward Kerry. his wife.
Josephine. and a. Baraido, Six per-
rants og nearby houses hed scantily
clad. tnto the 1traoA --a
The Washington times., 1915-12-14

President Wilson's views Ut the
United Americas are ably supported
by the PCnama canal.
The Washington times., 1915-12-14

The news item that Villa is
slaughtering women and children re-
quires no date line.