davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
Larger Army Needed

Few Secretaries of War have taken
 so great an interest in the regular
 army or revealed broader grasp of
 the national defense question as Lind | ley M. Garrison, the present Secre- tary.
 Ever since he has been at the head
 of the war department he has given
 close study to the military situation;
 and seeing this country's lack of pre-
 paredness he urged the last Congress to increase the numerical strength of the army. But his insistence was un- availing.
 The Sixty-fourth Congress will find it absolutely necessary to do some
 thing in the direction of improving
 the regular establishment. A com plete reorganization may be in order.
 As to a moderate increase there can
 be no question. Secretary Garrison is very much in earnest and never
 loses an opportunity of arousing pub lie interest in military affairs.
 He is opposed to what is known in Europe as militarism, but like all pa- trotic and broad-visioned Americans he realizes fully the growing demand for larger standing army. In ad-
 dressing the Democratic Club of Westchester County, New York, re- gently, Secretary Garrison did not say how large the army should be, but he spoke with emphasis of the need of a considerable increase. The en- listed strength of the United States
 army is about a5,00O men, but only about half of them are on duty on the mainland. MT. Garrison stated that not more than 35,000 regulars
 were available for mobilization It is understood that officers of
 the war college have prepared an army reorganization plan which will be laid before Congress next winter, and it
 is hoped by that time that public
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
The south's Great Strides

The south sometimes has been re- ferred to as backward section as compared with other sections of the country, but the fact is that in most respects it has made remarkable prog ress. In material wealth its progress has been phenomenal.
 In 1860 the total capital invested in manufactures in the United States was $916, 6,436, 1000, and the manufac- tured products of the United States were valued at $1,763, 3,07S,000. In 1910 the capital invested in manufac- lures in the eleven states that formed the Southern Confederacy amounted to $1,797, ,231 ,000, and the value of manufactured products amounted to $1,SOs, ,934,0
 In 1880 the railroad mileage of the 1 states that formed the Confederacy was 17,351. In 1915 the mileage was 69,O14. In 1880 the products of agri- culture of these II states totaled in value $547 ,567 1000. Last year the total value was $2,336, ,168, ,000. In 1880 the south mined ,O31 ,954 tons of ccal and 1SS,514 tons of iron ore. Last year it mined 38,330 ,0O0 tons of coal and 6,294,000 tons of ore. What the United States government sets down as the true property value of the II southern states referred to was $4, ,165, ,00O, ,OOO in 1880 and s16,- ell 100000 in 1910.
 These are only few of the figures pertaining to the south's material activities, but they are sufficient to show what this section has been do- ing. As the Baltimore Manufacturers Record, in presenting and analyzing the statistics, says:
 "The advance of the whole south, including Kentucky, Maryland, Mis- oOuIi, OhldHOIid dflu west N1fg1nld, is one of the marvels of the past 25 or 30 years. That of the particular II states is, considering the back ground, largely responsible for the larger showing"
 But as great as have been the strides of the south within the past three or four decades it will appear small when compared with the prog ress during the next 30 or 40 years.
 The present decade will witness a large advance and after crop diversifi- cation has taken a firm hold the south's progress will be all the more rapid.
 The tide of capital and population is now turning southward as never before. The census of 1920 will show prodigious gains in the south and the census of 1880 will be, it can be imagined, nothing short of revela- tion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

compared with 1.s4O.Ooo bales at this time year ago. Total European stocks at this time are estimated at approximately 1000 900 bales against 2.390,0o0 bales in 1914. Tt will be recalled by readers Of these advices that for sometime past stress has been laid upon the small Euro pean supplies as one of the basically bull ish factors in the situation, and it is be- cause of this that we unhesitatingly suggested the probability of increasing exports at time when our foreign ship ments of the staple usually were retro grading. This condition, however, IS now changed. European supplies are above normal and it is reasonable to expect decided falling off in foreign demand un- less the textile situation shows marked improvement There is no indication of this at the moment
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
MORE PEACE RUMORS

From the Louisville Courier-Journal
 TT is not necessary to accept unreserv-
 edly reports of peace overtures on II the part of Turkey and Austria in order to attach significance to their cir culation. Both countries have officially denied that they are contemplating any such separate negotiations with, Russia' and there is an end of the matter-ofh- ciallv. Nevertheless, the reports persist and there is nothing in the premises to render them in the least incredible. But aside from the persistent survival CT peace talk, taken in conjunction with the political situation and the internal con ditions of both Austria and Turkey sug- gests pregnant reflections as to indicated developments of the not necessarily dis tant future.
 Austria is going from bad to worse. Her defense of Przemysl. it becomes more and more apparent, was the last stup- born stand that she is capable of max ing against tine Russian advance. Despite Vienna reports of her able defensive work in the Carpathians, the conviction grows that the situation in the passes IS becoming desperate for her and that the plains of Hungary will soon be hooded with Russian troops. The rushing or German re-enforcements to that quarter and the postponement of the spring ad- vance in the west must be accepted as evidence of the seriousness with which the situation is regarded. Add to that the announcement that the Russian force which besieged Prezemysl-estimated at 15O,O00--is now operating to advantage at the gateway of northern Hungary and the military situation of the dual mon |archy takes on serious aspect. Starva- ton and pestilence are raging among army and civilians, and mobs demanding peace are besieging the war ofnce in Vienna.
 Turkey entered the war without enthu- siasm: she has done her part dutifully. huff reports are to be credited-without spirit. Certainly in Constantinople there has never been anything approaching an excited war spirit; all reports agree that whatever may be the feeling among the Turkish soldiers, the civilian population has no soul in the affair and will be heartily glad when 1t is at an end. The frustrated gesture of the Turkish troops the other day to surrender the forts at the Dardanelles cannot be dismissed as wholly unimportant because ineffective. Turkeys fate. politically, once the allies are victorious, is ssaled That stands out with conspicuous certainty among all the uncertainties surrounding the hnal readjustment. There is no reason to be- t. IA not be surprising to learn that she is unwilling to suffer longer in war in which she has no interest. That this per- suasion is beginning to circulate ip ths
 streets of Constantinople has been indi.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
 TV1D current press comments on the
 5oth anniversary of Lees surrender
 ~ at Appomattox illustrate how little sectional bitterness remains in the Ameri- can heart of today. Here and there we find northern 'irreconciliable'' who sti,i talks of treason and traitors and here and there we find an "unrecon- structed" southerner who still hates the Yankee hordes' who invaded his section, but they are so few and far between that they have become human curiosfties, who are interesting rather as relics than as representatives of any existing feeling outside of themselves. And yet when we compare the sentiment and the situation 50 years ago with the sentiment and the situation of today we may well marvel at the contrast. Grant showed himself at Appomattox to be nearly half century in advance of his own section, which, while containing many chivalric and gen. erous people, might not, as whole, have been able to reach the height of the union commanders magnanimity had he not boldly led the way. Grant was greater at Appomattox than at any other period in his career, and his generosity proved the highest form of wisdom and states manship. Yet even he would have been amazed could he have foreseen the change which 50 years were to bring about in the relations of the sections-the south at Appomattox in 1865 overrun and helpless, without a real representative in the federal government. and apparently with not right left out of all the rights it had claimed; and the south of 1915, directing and guiding the nation which was born of the travail of war, as the late Charles Francis Adams declared in his Civil War lectures in this city last year. Then it was a conquered Confed- eracy; now it is the predominating po- litical influence in the government. As the New York World points out, 'tthe 50th anniversary of Appomattox finds the United States again with southern born President with "a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who was a soldier in the Confederate army" with a Secretary of the Navy and a Postmaster General who are from states that seeded in 1861, and with a Congressional leadership that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
In Alabama and Georp,a

Wienin the past few weeks there has been great improvement in business in agricultural territory in Alabama and Gecrgis,' said Hugh NJ Brown, the well known shoe factory agent who has just returned to Birmingham after an absence of several weeks
 l was in south Alabama and from there went over into Georgia. l visited towns large and small in nearly every part of that state. Merchants who were very much depressed last fall are now buoyant. In fact the business situation in both Alabama and Georgia, from my point of view, is very encouraging, in- deed. l leave in 6 few days for an ex- tended trip through Alabama, and 1 feel sure of old-time success in making sales"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
From the Louisville courier-Journal

."e AousNiie touf1er-J ournal. <<H VIE State of Washington. having
 oiunoered into the recall, refer
 endum and initiative, is now do- ing what it can to retrace it's steps. Hence forth 1t will be illegal to hawk and peddle these petitions from street to street and door to door like onions or fieh. Those who wish to sign them must 20 to a reg istration office. and. since this iuanlies 2 certain definiteness of purpose and a cor- tain amount of physical exertion. il is fairly safe to predict tbat they will usually go unsigned '-The Argonaut
 How have the mighty falleni The in itiative, the referendum and the recall were the nostrums that were to cure all the evils of misgovernment. Instead. as the Argonaut proceeds to show, they have, where they have been tried, done a mis- chief alike to public spirit and to individ- ual morality which it will take a decade to undo.
 They have created new and at the same time a most profitable crime. This was no less than that of reformatory for gery. They loosed swarm of political canyassers with fountain pens to earn fe- lonious commissions by copying names out or the directory and calling them sigma lures The resort to these quackeries were followed by crop of ugly scandals looked upon, however. only as eccentrici- ties inseparable from the system.
 No one was ever punished for these for geries. That 20 or 30 "signatures' should be in the same handwriting, that they should include the names of dead men and children. was assumed to be incidental to the trade. Yet it took 10 years for the people to get on to it.
 It fell in with female suffrage. Inevi-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
Much Inferior Fruit Offered

There is much indifferent and rather inferior fruit being offered" said a house. holder. T myself prefer good fruit even at higher prices, than most of the offer ings.
 Some of the fruit stands are selling. bananas not worth 5 cents per dozen at 15 cents. Then I bought some so-called winesap apples at 10 cents per dozen that are just what we used to call, hog feed from the orchard Much Of the Florida fruit has either been frozen or chilled as it is flat and sappy tasting
 "Of course, there is some nice fruit to be had, but if the buyer is not judge he is likely to arrive at home with a bag containing stuff that will make him 'cuss.' I've had some very choice bananas during the past week; then I've also had some that the fellow who sold them to me should have been made to eat. peeling and all"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
The Cotton situation


 prominent cotton brokerage house of New York. in It's. Saturdays review, says in part:
 Acreage was the most widely discussed topic of conversation in trade circles dur ing the week owing no doubt to the fact that number of statistical bureaus pub lished preliminary estimates. One of the best known of these gives a decrea SC in acreage of between IS and 20 per cent and in fertilizers from 3S to 40 per cent. This is about in line with the estimate made by the Journal of Commerce and may be considered important only to the extent of it's being confirmatory of the correctness of recent general estimates, rather than as shedding any new light on the subject. It goes without saying that when the census bureau finds it necessary to postpone the date of it's pre- liminary acreage estimate from June to July because of the expected insufficient data, calculations made this early in the season are purely matter of guessworx. However, 1t Is not improbable that the present general estimates will prove to be about right.
 mere is no uouDt that tHe acVance which has taken place has been due in a great measure to the anticipated reduc- ton in acreage, and it is, therefore, a question now as to how fully this has been reflected in the price. Statistical influences are no longer the strong sup porting factor that they have been. Ex- ports are beginning to show decided falling off, and this is quite natural when review is made of the present condition of foreign stocks. Great Britain now has approximately 100000 bales az
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
A Hotel Joke

A friend in New York writes this to The Age Herald:
 The cashier of the Hotel Martinique was amused as well as puzzled at the signature affixed to one of the restaurant checks. The name and room number did not correspond, and when the mat ter was brought to the attention of the lady occupying the room mentioned she was greatly surprised, but was forced to admit that the handwriting was her own.
 she laughingly explained that she had had misunderstanding with the waiter. regarding chicken la king, and when the check was presented for her sigma ture. her mind was still on the subject, and she absent -mindedly wrote across the face of the check, Mrs. Chicken, Room .........
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
THE ROAD TO HOMELAND

By George V. Hobart. There's big road in the city
 That they call the Great White Way, Where the bright lights-staring white
 lights
 Turn the night time into day; But you're lonely when you walk it.
 For you want once more to find In the shadows, in the darkness.
 That old road you left behind. It's the old road back to Homeland; It's the outcasts only goal, Where the ever-cruel white lights Throw no shadows on your soul. It's the old road back to childhood,
 It's the road you want to roam. With the stars above to guide you
 1t's the road to Home, Sweet Home!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
LARK. LARK. THE FORD:

From the Emporia Gazette.
 There are in the United States at this minute 1,7s467o automobiles. most of which are in Emporia running as jitneys It is no trouble to catch a jitney in this town Many people catch them before they've been exposed, as near as they can tell
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

According to press dispatches, former President Taft has already reduced his weight by 50 pounds. If Taft had taken anti-fat prior to the last presidential con vention in Chicago there might have been room enough for him and Roosevelt, too. in the republican party.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13
opinion will be decidedly in favor of legislation along lines recommended by MT. Garrison.

In Birmingham the saloons were closed yesterday because there was an election. the banks will be closed to- day because 1t is the anniversary of ness will be partially suspended to- morrow in order to give baseball a boost
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

We fail to see the glory in the ac- tion of that French soldier who shot his wife because she desired to re- main by his side. As a matter of fact This honor rooted in dishonor stood, . as A. Tennyson would have us ex- press It.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

The Gadsden Evening Journal. in promoting a Made in Etowah' cam paign, has no reference. it is possible, to the excellent dew drop" which is be- ing at present distilled in the dales of that county
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

If the prohibition lobby had or one or more astute politicians would have been without a means of liveli- hood.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

A Washington exchange makes the very interesting statement that in the Capital City chickens are so tame that they'll feed out of ones hands. There will soon be masculine exodus from all other cities of the union
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

The wisdom of our prohibition legis- lators is apparent when it Is recalled that their measures premit a man to receive annually more liquor than the
 average individual consumption in the United States.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Rumblings throughout the state in- dicate that the people are getting very tired of the petty hazing which the leg islature is attempting to administer to Governor Henderson.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

BEGINNING THE DAY-I rejoice in Thee, 0 God, because Thou hast all power. and yet bendest Thyseif to my little need. l rejoice In Thee because Thou hast all the hosts of heaven and earth and yet hast mind to me. I rejoice in Thee be- cause Thou minglest all things in Thyself and then lendest Thyself to my feeble call. Amen.-H. M. K.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

By forcing the suffragettes to con- tinue wearing their stockings, the may or of Boston proves that he sympa- thizes with the manufacturers in the current garter strike
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Witnesses tell the recess committees that the insurance laws are inadequate They have certainly failed to prevent periodical increases in rates.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Italy is willing for certain consid- eration to remain out of the war. But in that attitude it is displaying no con sideration for it's soldiers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

We wonder what Bryan and Hob son will do when Wilson is renom- mated and the platform. as usual con-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

A white man puts negro out of busi- en participate in an election which makes negro an alderman in Chi cago
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Anniston Star: IT the worst comes 10
 the worst in Russia, we suppose all the
 generals will ges a shave and sell tlIeir whiskers to stuff American pillows. Huntsville Times. she suggestion that lady member be given a seat on the city board of education is good one ard is worthy of favorable consideration. No one is in closer touch with the school life of this age than the women teachers of the country. Birmingham has just
 wisely added a lady member to it's board of education. Let Huntsville strengthen it's able board by a similar step. Tuscaloosa News: We would be almost l willing to bet that there are by actual ! count n.nre generals in Mexico than there -are in the eombined armies of France, Germany, Austria Russia, and Great Britain.
 Dothan Eagle: Women are the bravest creatures in the world or they could rot stand all the ridicule shot at them for wearing the freakish clothes of the pres ent
 Gadsden Evening Journal: Birmingham has just lost a stove works through fire
 Well, she can worry through the summer without stoves.
 Enterprise Journal Advertiser head line says: Germany Refuses Request for Shipment of Potash" Or, well, let them have Perlmutter, too, then.
 Taladega Daily Home: The National Pecan Growers association is going to meet in Albany, Ga. It is to be hoped they will have a cracking good time.
 Dothan Eagle: There are too many ex- perimenters in business. That's why so many failures people trying to run a busi- ness who have no qualifications for it.
 Andalusia Star: Not having any -ela- tives to make money or a reputation for us we'll have to do the work ourselves.
 Cullman Tribune: He who stoops down and lifts up his fallen brother from the mire and place him on his feet and whis- per sweet counsel in his ear and bid him go and lead a better life, is truly bene- factor to the race
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

German sailors admit by their action that the United States has the safest harbors in the world
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Perhaps other sufferers will follow the example of Senator White and threaten to tell the legislature on the Southeastern TaffrT association.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

And now Kansas, as the home state of the champion pugilist of the world has claim to fame other than that of the boss bootlegging state of the union
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

There was evidently false ring In her speech when the Boston sui. fragette orator dropped her teeth.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

To the average prohibftionist, it is quite mete that Governor Henderson be punished for having permitted the peo- pie to elect him
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

The furry on Wall street is another indication that shears are being pre- pared for spring lambs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

If she whispers, Take me out to the ball game" hesitate. Along with every body else, Friend Wife will be there.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

In the years to come, few men will boast that their ancestors were mem bers of the present legislature.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

We can endure April despite the fact that 1t brings among us again the chautauqua lecturer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

The cooperation of the legislature with Governor Henderson is desirable and improbable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Maybe those sun spots mark Jack John sons late place in the sun.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

When rosy lips are puckered it's all ways ito h. with the germ thc- ory"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

From the Gadsden tEvening Journal
 Benzol, a substance said to be capable of yielding 4O0o products, is to be pro- duced in Birmingham. That's diversified manufacturing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

The Sultan oft repairs to his harem in order that he might not hear the explosion of the British shells.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

It is not always love to which a mans fancy turns in the spring.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Dr. Anna Shaw is not the only indi- vidual who is disgusted with the pro- hibition party.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Just to keep abreast of the times, why not call it the watermobile?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

The only men who make money dur ing hard times are B. Sunday and J. Willard.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

We have never liked that familiar advertisement. Chickens dressed or undressed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

An exchange spells Mir. Comer's idio syncrasy, ''ido-sin- crazy"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-13

Sunday fights hell every day in the week