davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
FRANCES ALCOHOL WAR
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

From the St. Louis POSt-DiSpatch. | The war against alcohol in France has
 suffered serious setback by the report
 of Prof. Gilbert Ballet, who was ap-
 pointed by the government last February
 to make a scientific study of the entire question of prohibition in France. ] Dr. Ballet the head of the Anti-Alcohol league since it's inception 10 years ago, considers the present restrictive measures simply childish. He says:
 The present restrictive measures have reference only to the 4SO,0OO licensed re- tail vendors in France, but do not in any manner reach the 3,00O,OO0 families who make wines and liquors for home consumption; it does not restrict the proprietary cordials. patent medicines | (alcohol in disguise) nor the many hun dreds of sugared liquors which are the ladies favorites, and yet contain as much alcohol as any wine. Moreover as the alcohol content is fixed at 23 per cent,
 and as no beverage under that content is prohibited within the set hours Grom
 midnight until Il a. m). it would require 4So'oOo inspectors to enforce the law as 1T is now constituted.
 Dr Ballet believes that only an educa- tional crusade will ever bring total ab- stinence in France, as measures of force will be circumvented, and besides, are of tquesuonable constitutionality, and open | the flood gates to socialists paternalism Speaking of circumvention, the doctor ! mentions the cocaine conspiracy in the army, by which that drug was smuggled
 to the soldiers, a traffic which even the strlctest military discipline has not suc- cessfully eradicated. In this connection the report refers to the recent anti-nar- l cotic legislation in the United States, and holds that, if France really intends
 to do away with alcohol it must first ab- solutely control the narcotics, lest the
 minor evil be eventually supplanted by a
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
THIRD-TERMIsM

From the Montgomery Advertiser.
 The Age-Herald thinks that third-term- ism. "as a vital factor in presidential elections, may be regarded as forever set tied" Our contemporary attributes Roosevelt's defeat in 1912 to other crcum- stances than the fact that he was a can didate for third term, or what would have amounted to third term. The Ad- vertiser agrees with The Age-Herald that other factors than his two previous terms contributed to the coloners defeat, but we are convinced that the third term issue alone would have beaten him. We do not believe the American people will ever permit man to serve more than two terms as President. Roosevelt received remarkable popular vote, but. is there not reason to believe that he boiled the whole strength which third-telmism could give a man?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
How Bad Is Baltimore?

A vice commission appointed to in- vestigate conditions in Maryland, and particularly in Baltimore, made a re- port which has set the whole country talking. According to the indefatiga- ble vice commissioners, that staid old town, with a church on nearly every corner and an atmosphere that i'm presses the casual visitor as little less than saintly, is a "cesspool of sin" and modern Sodom, or Gomorrah, where inconceivable debauchery pre- vails.
 Some sort of protest was to have been expected. Citizens have joined the municipal authorities in denying that the city is as bad as painted. They characterize the report of the vice commission as "scandalous and untrue" The attempt to lower Balti- more in the eyes of the nation has filled them with profound indignation.
 But the good people of Baltimore, who vastly outnumber the bad citi- zens, regardless of what any vice commission may say, should not be unduly alarmed over what the coun- try at large may think of their beau tiful city, in which they justly take great pride. The reports of vice com missions are always hectic, always lurid and unfailingly sensational, whether their work is done in Chi cago, Baltimore or Walla Walla. They start out with the purpose of finding something rotten and they usually succeed, for the obvious reason that human nature is not perfect and prob ably never will be in this earthly life. Wherever there are a few people gathered together in a civic communi- ty there is going to be some wicked ness, and the larger the number of citizens at any one point, the more deviltry there is going to be. All vice commissions have an exaggerated sense of smell and eyes that magnify everything they see, particularly of a questionable sort.
 The Baltimoreans may comfort themselves with the thought that the reports of vice commissions are usual ly taken with large pinch of salt and are usually forgotten few days aft
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

John Burroughs in Harper's Magazine.
 The struggle of life among the birds and other wild creatures is so severe that the feeble and malformed, or the handicapped in any way, quickly drop out. Prob- ably none of them ever die from old age. They are cut off in their prime. A weed ing out process goes on. from the time they leave the nest. A full measure of life, the perfection of every quill and feather, and unerring instinct, carry them along. They are always in the enemy's country; they are always on the firing line; eternal vigilance and ceaseless activity are the price of life with them. The natural length of life of our smaller birds is calculated to be eight or 10 years. but probably not one in a thousand reaches that age. Not half dozen times in my life have I found the body of a dead bird that did not show some marks of violence.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
The National Guard

''If Congress passes the organized militia pay bill the National Guard could easily be brought up to an en- listed strength of 150,000 men," said w. w. Mcintyre of Philadelphia, re- tired guardsman. The guard now numbers about 125,oOo men. The pro posed pay for a private is $5 a month and while that is not large, it would be sufficient to infuse enthusiasm and to induce many young men to offer for enlistment. Another thing that would help the National Guard would be en- couragement from employers. Many corporations will not retain their em- ployes who belong to the military. The National Guard is a fine organization and should be appreciated by all pa triotic citizens"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
The South,s Prosneritx

There is great deal of prosperity in the south, and I am told the cotton farmers have fared better this year than usual" said S. J. Bratton of Chi cago. q was talkingS with a cotton grower of Mississippi who told me that he had sold only half of his crop of 42 bales and that he had received an average of II cents a pound. He says he intends to let the rest of his cotton go gradually after the market gets up to IA cents. This farmer said he had several neighbors who had done as well with their cotton as he had since November. have visited two cot ton states besides Mississippi and Ala. bama, namely, Oklahoma and Arkansas, and the general impression seems to be that the staple will be selling for 20 cents before next summer"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

Children in Holland and Belgium re- ceive their visits from Santa Claus on St Nicholas Day, December 6, which Is about three weeks before the good saint makes his rounds in America. St. Nicho- las lived in Holland and was Bishop of Amsterdam His memory is honored there liberality to his parishioners led to the
 custom of hanging up the children s stockings, or putting a wooden shoe by the fireplace on his feast day to receive the good bishops gift. The Santa Claus of Holland is not only the patron saint of children, but is also the patron of scholars, prospective brides, sailors and parish clerks. Santa Claus is also the patron saint of Russia Most of the play things distributed in Holland this year came. as usual, from Germany, which has long been supreme in the manufacture of toys. although the United States now ranks perhaps first in the manufacture of mechanical toys. Many toys suggested by the war were sold in Dutch shops this year. There are no Christmas trees in Holland, but there is always great family dinner with an extraordinary va riety of things to eat However, these dinners differ from the Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners of America in not having plum pudding, pumpkin pie or turkey Aonumber of Dutch towns held their usual municipal celebrations, de- spite the unsettled conditions in Europe and resultant hard times.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
THE ANKLE BOUQUET

From the January Popular Mechanics
 Magazine.
 Feminine ideas of personal adornment change with the evolution of dress. So, richly embroidered hosiery became the vogue when slit skirts were in style. This seasons modes in evening gowns and dancing frocks permit conspicuous dis play of the ankles and therefore fashion assents to- their decoration. One of the numerous attempts at this is to be found in the ankle bouquet, freakish stab at ornamentation that has found certain opponents in the smart sets of both the east and middle west The ankle bouquet is worn with dancing frocks and is held in place with either narrow fligree band or a soft ribbon. It must be of dainty proportion and consist of flowers with delicate tints which harmonize with the costume worn.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

The British had in Canada less than 4O0( regular troops, and atNno time during thd war did they put more than 17.OOO med in the field.
 The war lasted two years. Washington was captured by force sconsidera bld smaller than that defending it-with s
 loss of eight Americans killed and Il wounded. With the exception of the fiehI at New Orleans and one or two incon| elusive actions elsewhere the history o
 the war on land was thoroughly disl creditable to this country But was il not possible out of population of 7.o0O GOO to raise one of those ''over-nighti armies of which so much is heard ~ day? It was, and such an army wa raised-although not exactly ''over-night A total of more than 5OO,0OO men was puI into the war first and last, but they com
 posed an unprepared, untrained and it
 equipped militia. and the student of nil country's history will look in vain for thl evidence of the slightest impress theil arms made upon the events of the wan
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
Likes New York


 John O'Donnel1, who was cashier at Chris Colias' restaurant up to the time the management changed, Is now hold ing 8 good position with a large in surance company in New York. He was home for Christmas but returned Sunday night.
 "When I went to New York in De- tober looking for a situation I had no trouble in securing a good clerkship,' said MT. O'Donnell. 'I had letter of introduction to the vice president of the company I am with and he gave me position at once. I like the work and I like New York, but I shall never lose my love for Birmingham, where I was born and reared and where my people live.
 New York is a wonderfully busy town at this time and young men of sober habits and fair capacity are in delnand.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
Republicans and PrOgressives

While the progressive party as national organization is supposed to have fallen away almost to the van ishing point, there is enough of It, left to be reckoned with by the stand pat republicans; and then there is the colonel himself. The G. o. P. could make no headway in 1916 If the original bull moose were in opposi- tion or even lukewarm. Unless the republican convention nominates ticket that will have Colonel Roose- velt's indorsement it might as well not try to win back the bolters of 1912.
 In view of the situation, therefore, the meeting of the national progres- sive executive committee in Chicago on January II will be of more than ordinary interest. Even though the party has dwindled, George w. Per kins is still as ardent a progressive party man as ever. He will be on hand in Chicago with dinner to the committee and such other progress sives as have been invited to come and take part in the councils.
 The committee will naturally decide upon the course that Colonel Roose- welt suggests. Its proceedings will be watched with eager concern by the republican leaders and the democrats will not be altogether indifferent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
RUPERT BROOKE


 Ercm the New York Republic
 He was singer, not an aspirant to song. Terse, compact, graphic, he was undoubtedly an analyst in his medium His marvellous gift for words was not all ebullience. But the power that fusea lyric out of the conglomerate of expe- rience was born in him. He took his inn pulse from his nature. not from the suggestion of books. The tradition of rhymed form he accepted completely, but he never indentured himself to great poets. He rose, serenely, as they did out of the amateur. And if he retold the fleetingness of love, or fancied wooers turned to dust, or held muted sob in words, or sharpened his wit on religion, it was because he conceived the poetry in these things anew.
 Life, one may we'll see, was not easy for him. It was not so much that he was born into world of searchlight hostesses and ladies impecunious in emo ton, a world of tennis and chatter and afternoon tea. These he deflected. But he inherited the mortgage of the civil lized, the handicap of titled fields and paved roads and deliberate efforts at sleeping ort.' No wonder he loved to swim at night. He had imagination and the nostalgia for freedom and danger and magnificence that goes with it. One is conscious of that nostalgia in him, the ache of emptiness. asking for something more responsive than the English girl eprise.' something more violent than tennis-until the war. But of all this. strangely enough, he made poetry.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
ALWAYS DICTATES THAT

From the New YOrK American.
 Despite his illiteracy, Nose Belt, a leading citizens of an Alabama town. has gathered quite a competency from his whitewashing and kalsomining trade.
 Recently. during the course of some business with a notary, the latter pro duced a document, saying:
 Sign your xame here, Nose"
 Look heah,' said Nose, with offend ed dignity. "I doesn't sign nah name, suh. I'se business man, suh, an has no time for dem trifing details. all ways dictates nah name, suh."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
Birmingham Will Need Stirring Up

The Birmingham tax amendment was probably ratified in yesterdays election, but the returns from the state are too meagre to form def mite conclusion.
 Birmingham voted nearly two to one against the amendment. This was a sore disappointment to the advo- cates of the measure and the small vote in the city was another dlsap- pointment.
 As the amendment affected only Birmingham, it was not expected that the people throughout the state would take much interest in the election, but as the question was of vital inn portance to this city the indifference on the part of great majority of qualified electors here was amazing It speaks badly, indeed, for our civic life.
 No one in this community can be ignorant of the fact that Birmingham is without needed improvements, without adequate fire and police pro- tection, without adequate health pro- lection, because of its insufficient revenue. The tax rate of $l on the hundred is lower than that of any other city in the 100000 class, and the committee of 100 well known citizens, all of them taxpayers, who acted in an advisory capacity to the city commission, concluded, after due consideration, that the only sure means of relieving an intolerable con dition would be a slight increase in the tax rate-an increase not exceed ing 5 mills. But in order that the people might have the right to vote on this matter-to say ives" or no through the ballot-an amendment to the constitution was necessary, and to that end the legislature was invoked. The act which submitted to the people of the state the proposed amendment provides that not before October, 1916, would the people of Birmingham have the right to vote on the direct question of tax "raise." Certain economists con- tended that the new law creating | a tax equalization board would result in increasing Birmingham revenue to such an extent as to lift the city out of it's financial straits
 Relief from that source, however, be- ing problematical, the amendment was
 urged, for without this home rule
 measure Birmingham's hands would i be absolutely tied in the event that i tax increase was found to be the only remedy.
 If the state has ratified the amend
 ment, then, in the light of what hap
 pened yesterday, a vigorous civic spirit campaign will have to be con-
 ducted should the city commission lind it advisable to submit to the
 voters proposition to increase the
 tax rate. Birmingham will need 3
 good stirring up.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
JOHN BROWNS COMPASS

From the Kansas City JournaE
 A compass, once the property of John Brown, which played a part in early his- tory, has just been received at the mu- scum of the Kansas State Historical so- ciety in Topeka John Brown used the instrument when he was living in Osa- watomie, in the years between 1855 and 1858. During the Missouri i-Kansas border warfare in those days. the story goes the abolitionist leader used the compass in pretense of surveying land, when in reality he wils locating and mapping the camps of pro-slaveyy men.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
Talks of Trade Improvement

My holiday business this year was 50 per cent more than last" said ". T. Kissel!. q was surprised at the sustained volume of the trading. I had expected a marked improvement over last year, but it was so great as to astonish me.
 "A particularly pleasing fature of the holiday trade was the fact that it was good not only two or three days before Christmas but for 15 or 20. People bought literally and with seem- ing pleasure.
 Another indication of the rapidly changing conditions is the steady inn provement in collections. This has been unusually noticeable during the last three weeks. We are no longer approaching prosperity. It is here and look for better and better business when the new year comes in.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 HE Hon. Ben B. Lindsay maintains
 a residence in Colorado and visits
 - that fortunate state whenever there is an election in which he is candi- date. At other times he may be found on the lecture platform, exposing the vices of his fellow townsmen, and thus contributing to the reformation of ju- venile delinquents. At present he is the guest of Henry Ford on the Detroit so- ciologist's seeing the trenches tour, and the happy news is permitted to reach this country that MT. Ford is making good, so far as mere money can make good, the losses Judge Lindsey incurs by aban- doning temporarily the spoiled chau- tauquas.
 In return for MT. Ford's generosity Judge Lindsey has done his best He has addressed the peace pilgrims on the cor rection of mischievous boys and girls, and has laid bare to them the folly and stupidity of locking infants in jail and herding them with adult lawbreakers He has stuck to MT. Ford in the dispute that has dissociated some of the admonishers of Europe from that gentleman's train; he is faithful in the midst of doubt, and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
A LESSON FROM HISTORY
, fine T<ansas City Times,

From the Kansas City Times.
 In 1872 when the United States went to war with England second time the pop ulation of this country was 100000. The regular army at the outbreak of the war the. war was increased to about a7,ooo.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
MYSTERY OF DENVER SOLVED

appears to be performing creditably the| services expected.
 When the excursion returns to thiJ country Judge Lindsey will resume hi lyceum activities, if the past furnished reliable index of the future, and devote his time to them until the season of re- election to office comes again. He wilI then go to Denver and triumph over the hordes of darkness in his accustomed and highly satisfactory manner, and hay ing accomplished his usual victory. he wild return to the circuit.
 There are communities which havinsI elected man as judge would prefer tCI have him stay at home and administer hi ! office. Denver is obviously not one ofI these benighted settlements It enjoys| Judge Lindsey at distance indorses hisI practice of rowing around the country and the earth; and sets the official seal oil approval on him at the polls. It is not for an outsider to criticise, though he ma,l be permitted to wonder; and he may be1 pardonede if, because of the strang arj rangement between Judge Lindsey and his constituents, he suspects that Lindse,l is elected whenevershe runs for his judge ship because the voters feel that by put-2 ting him in a job they assure themselves1 that he will desert the town as freuuentlyI and for as long periods as he can profital ply manage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
THE sTIRRUP CUP

By Sidney Lanier.
 Death, thou'rt cordial old and rart Look how compounded, with what car, Time got his wrinkles reaping thee sweet herbs from all antiquity. David to thy distillage went,
 Keats, and Gotana excellent,
 Omar Khayyam, and Chaucer bright. And Shakespeare for Kind delight. Then, time. let not drop be split; # Hand me the cup when CT thou wilt; q 'Tis thy rich stirrup cup to me; I'll drink it down right smilinsly
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
A LESSON IN PARTICULARITY

From the Chicago Tribune.
 Sylvia bets Poeta pair of s. S. that Ill common expression Some day!" is complete sentence. and as the -lnatter Il referred to us, we must decide agains
 Sylvia. Fine day!', or Beautiful day:I would pass. but Some day!' requires thI addition of the, words believe me-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

According to drug trade heletins, there is shortage of bromides. However, the average Broadway musical show con tinues to be as bromidic as usual.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
HOTEL LOBBIES
Efficient postoffice Service

Our postoffice system is certainly efficient" said Dr. Eugene Jacobs yes terday.
 q received this letter without a hitch or delay of any kind" he con- tinued. as he displayed an envelope bearing the New York city postmark, and addressed, Eugene Drug Store, Birmingham, Ala"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

If MT. Fulton, the pugilist. is sensi- tive man, he must feel deeply the light manner in which his pretensions to cham pionship honors are regarded by the sport writers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

BEGINNING THE DAY-O God' btcss all the women who sing iula- nse. todoy. May they see of the tra- ,,t os th.ir souls and be satisfied. May they bind their little ones to th. thrope of God with their tears and their prayers. May they tench the world through all the years now God loves and gives Himself Tor us' Amen.-H. M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28

Must have been a merry Christmas in- deed for the Wall street office boys who are rumored to have amassed fortunes by dabbling in war stocks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
STARTING EARLY

 That youngster of yours whacks his drum with surprising energy "so he does,' replied the proud father. T hope it will develop his right arm.' Whats the idea?"
 'Oh, I'm looking to the future. Some. the father of a famous baseball pitcher and want my boy to get all the pre-. liminary training he can.,
 USUAL RESULT Good heavens! Another riot call?" Yes"
 Whats happened now?" "NothiQg out of the ordinary. A crowd of pacifists have been holding a get. together meeting."
 PRACTICAL POINT OF VIEW What good is a college education, I'd like to know?" said the self-made man. "Oh, it gives boy polish, even if he doesn't acquire much learning' "A polish, eh? We'll, hen probably need good manners. The chances are he'll never make enough money to give him the privilege of being rude to peo. pie"
 CONTAMINATED Oh. drop tear for William Dix,
 And here's the reason why: He's been so long in politics
 He's not prepared to die
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-28
GOES ON FOREVER

From the Savannah Press
 They are still talking about the final settlement of the Lusitan:a case. This ia the international Tennyson's brook