davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
THE BREEZn

By Julia Nicely Finch Out of the west 1t swings and slips, Lazily. lettering. lapsing along To the tune and croon of it's own wild
 song. Over the farms and their fertile fields, Bending the grain from it's shining height Stealing the sweets from flower cups
 deep
 Where the blithe bee swirls and sweeps
 and sips, Scattering largess from brown wing tips Over the pools where the lilies sleep, Anchored deep to their roots below, Into the towering tops of trees, Down where the wild things bloom and
 blow;
 Following the sleek, sweet trails that run Under the pines out of sight of the sun Out of the wood to the highway beside With its many a finger post and guide To the grime and grudge of the city streets,
 Where the restless tide forever beats, Blows the boon and blessing of the westel
 breeze ../
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
South Americas Future

An era of great prosperity is pre- dicted for South America during the next twenty years. There is no reason
 to believe that anything will happen to retard development already well under way. Argentina, Brazil and Chile enjoy stable governments, that are enlightened and progressive. Both fin area and population they exceed the United States of 1850 by 50 per cent, while their foreign trade is more than five times what ours was at that time and their railroad mile- age is about three and half times
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
Summer school mt Howard

Birmingham is an ideal city for a great summer school for teachers and college students" said President James M. Shel- burne of Howard college. 'Our first sum- mer school this summer has exemplified that fact, and has caused us to set our plans to make the summer school per manent feature of the Howard college. With the completion of its six weeks work, Howard colleges summer school closed Friday afternoon. The school be- gan June 7. Fifty students were matricu- lated in this, the first summer school at Howard. and this is regarded as a splendid beginning. The student body rep 1 resented Birmingham college. the Univer- sity of Alabama, Judson college, Emory college, Howard college and most of the | agricultural and normal schools of the state. Extension of certificates was
 granted to H teachers who had completed | the courses in the department of edu- l cation.
 | Prof. James w. Norman, recently | named to the faculty of the University o1
 Minnesota, was dean of the Howard sum-
 mer school. Professor Norman was as sisted In his work by six members of the Howard faculty.
 we deeply appreciate the spirit of CO
 operation shown on the part of the citi
 zens of Birmingham. They aided ma 1 terially in making our first summer
 school a success, and I am sure We car | count upon them to continue their CO
 operation in raising our summer schoo
 enrolment to several hundred student! within two or three years.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
IS great as that of the United States

as great as that of the United States in 1850.
 Few people who have not travelled in South America realize it's tremen- dous growth, due to unrivaled ad- vantages, to the investment of for eign capital and the progressiveness of its people. Statistics show that since 1850 the population of the United States has multiplied by four and a half, its foreign trade by four teen, the value of its manufactured products by twenty, it's total wealth by twenty-five and it's bank deposits by one hundred. Economists say South America will in the twentieth century duplicate the achievements of North America in the nineteenth.
 There is still plenty of room in South America to take care of an al- most unlimited immigration, while the opportunities there are as great, if not greater, than anywhere else today. All the more reason why the United States should strive to strengthen in every legitimate way the cordial relations already existing between this country and the South American states. Their friendship and their trade are well worth having now and twenty years hence they will occupy commanding position in the worlds markets.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
The One Supreme Measure

Of the bills affecting Birmingham now before the legislature, several have merit, but the one supreme meas ure upon which our citizens should concentrate their efforts in order to assure it's passage is the tax rate amendment.
 MT. Shapiro's bill for dividing Jeff ferson county includes provision for creating the county of Birmingham, with municipal and county boundary lines coextensive. The proposition of making Birmingham a separate tax ing district has been much discussed in recent years, and not few citizens who have studied municipal questions have been in favor of separating the city from the county altogether.
 All the cities of Virginia are en- tirely separate from the counties by which they are bounded. The same is true of St. Louis and Baltimore. The plan possesses many advantages and later on it may be deemed advisable l to try it here. But this is not the i time for it. Any proposition seeking to divide Jefferson county only con- fuses the situation and makes more difficult the legislation that is all vital.
 The committee of one hundred pub lic-spirited citizens, formed at the re- quest of the city commission to recom- mend plans for Birmingham's if nancial relief-temporary and perma- lnent--after giving thorough considera- tion to all the questions involved, reached the conclusion that the float ing debt of $1, ,250,000 should be paid off by bond issue, and that perma- nent relief should be sought by in- creasing the low tax rate of $1 on the hundred dollars to an amount not exceeding $15O on the hundred.
 The people, by an overwhelming majority, voted the $1,250,O bond issue, but in order to raise the tax rate an amendment to the constitu- tion is necessary. And the legisla- ture is therefore invoked to adopt a measure submitting the proposed amendment to the voters of the state for their ratification. This accom- plished, the people of Birmingham would then have the right of deciding by their ballots that the tax rate should be increased.
 Even if Birmingham were in less straitened condition than it is a tax increase would be voted by a large majority, because more revenue than the $1 rate yields is necessary for adequate administration of the city's affairs. And in view of the drastic lretrenchment about to become effect i've, the demand for the tax amend ment is all the more earnest. It is desperate.
 Should this measure fail of adop- tion present conditions would be in tolerable, indeed, but if the desired Legislation is obtained, the people would bear patiently with retrench- ment and make the best of it, know ing that the city's revenue would within twelve or eighteen months be ample for it's needs.
 Let all good citizens bestir them- selves and aid in every way possible those members of the legislature who are working for the passage of the tax amendment bill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
Listening to God

John R. Mott, one of the great re- ligious statesmen of this age, the man whom President Wilson tried to send to China as the representative of his administration, has called one of his books 'The Morning Watch," in which he urges all men to the duty and privilege of meditating on God early each morning.
 Grover Cleveland, when some prob lem of state pressed hard, used to go fishing in order to get the great silences in which to hear God I believe that Woodrow Wilson con- sciously and consistently listens to God.
 Gladstone, l think it was, said once that solitude was the mother of power. And any solitude for Gladstone was for the purpose of hearing what God had to say
 Ebert Hubbard, in his Little Journey" to the home of Paganini, closes with words somewhat like these: The secret is travel, medita- tion and prayer.
 Lyman Abbott in his "Reminis- cences" says that he has for years put aside one whole day a week in which he does no work He says that sometimes he has read a book, some times he has gone to the country, sometimes he has slept, and some times he has simply listened.
 Communion with God is one of the marvels of our lives, and yet it ought to be a daily experience with every one of us. The only way to prove it's possibility is simply to begin it. God is personal and man is personal On the basis of that common spiritual personality the two meet and talk to- gether.
 Some people say nowadays that, when God seems to speak to us, it is the subconscious mind speaking. Sup pose it is. It is still God, merely using the subconscious mind as a means of approach.
 God speaks to men in these times as clearly as He ever spake, and in the main, at least, in the same way. In the days of Israel when the writers refer to the voice of God, they doubt- less mean in most instances the same sort of silent voice as we hear now.
 Much of our prayer is simply crowding the ear of God with our self ish petitions. We want this and we want that. We are in this trouble or that trouble. We need more and more to put aside a part of our prayer time for the single purpose of listen ing.
 Much of our listening, even when we practice it at all, is with shut minds. We have already decided what we want to.hear and we refuse to hear anything else.
 Listen, and ye shall hear. Not inn mediately, it may be, for God is not a man that He should be compelled to speak at our convenience. Not to our entire pleasing, it may be, for God is not mortal that He should flatter us. Not alluringly, it may be, for God invites to the giant adventure, not of living comfortably, but of living no- bly,.
 HENRY M. EDMONDS.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
Regarding Motor Cars

Now that most of the motor car com- panes have made their 1916 announce ments there is a great deal of talk in motoring circles concerning the prices at which the new cars are to be sold,' said Hubert Drennen. .Along with these dis cussions there has also been much talk concerning the lowest price at which a satisfactory motor car can be marketed.
 'The average motor car buyer has a tendency to look at these questions from a mistaken perspective. A great many of our automobile buying friends do not take sufficient pains to make sure of getting satisfactory car They pay the closest attention to price, because price is the thing that concerns them most at the time of making their purchase. Later, however, they find out that motor car service is vastly more important than motor car price.
 There is a minimum below which il
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

territory sufficiently to cause her to abandon the war and be willing to pay up7 No one has practically proven that Germany can ever be forced to surrender.
 will last for period of years or un- til some nation, like America, can bring about a peace conference as was done in the case of Russia and Japan.
 In the meantime, America is increas- ing her exports of food stuffs and ann munition daily and thereby adding to her gold supply. The northern and profiting as never before in trade and commerce. The south Is the only sec- ton really suffering Her suffering comes from the fact that We have no ing shrapnel and other war material in sufficient quantities to warrant the al- lied nations in sending inspectors here. An offer has been made to both Bir- mingham and Chattanooga to make shrapnel shell, but unless we had a plant that could turn out minimum of three thousand shells a day to buy CTS for England, France and Russia they claim 1t would not be worth while to send an inspector here. Therefore no orders
 I am told that a Chattanooga con- cern has been promised the necessary capital by the Chattanooga banks to put in shrapnel shell plant capable of making seven thousand shells a day and that the steel for this is to be made in Birmingham. This, how ever is merely on paper. up to date.
 # * #
 The cotton situation Is serious to the south in that England persists in interfering with the cotton destined for Germany.
 A prominent Georgia cotton man went to Washington recently and in- terviewed Sir Cecil Spring Rice, the British ambassador who told him that the British government would not in- terfere in any way with the south's ex- portation of cotton if he could be as- sured that this cotton did not reach Germany. England has no objection to Germany getting cotton for clothing, but 1t objects to it reaching Germany for service in her great guns. Every shot of one of the large German siege
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
Care is no cure, but rather corrosive, For things thnt cannot be remedied.
 Henry VI.
BEGINNING THE DAY-O Thou

BEGINNING THE DAY-O Thou God of the prodigal, he with the man today who has turned his back on Thee and flung his soul to the rub Dish heap. infinite Gatherer of the fragments, snatch him back again. 0 Awakener of the dead, breathe upon him md recall him. Q Revealer of ThyseIf and heaven md life, show him the things that beckOn and await. In Christ's name. Amen.-H. M. F.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
WE WONDER, TOO.

From the Shreveport Journal
 Governors of the southern states are to meet In Charleston next winter for a "conference,' and Governor Manning has announced that he will move the state capital from Columbia for the occasion. Inasmuch as South Carolina is now an ex- ceedingly arid region, we are wondering
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE EUROPEAN
 WAR AND ITS EFFECT UPON AMERICA,

guns consumes one-third of bale of cotton.
 American cotton Is selling in Eng land at eight cents pound today where Germany is offering thirty cents a pound for every bale she can get. Naturally. the American cotton man wants to get this German price. No wonder Bill Kettig and a lot of other money making Americans are raising a great row and bristling with threats against England's policy of seizing cotton destined for Germany and only paying the English or American mar ket price for same
 But what are we going to do about 1t?
 We can't go to war with England because she holds up our cotton des- tined for Germany and pays us for it; and we can't go to war with Germany because with her submarines she blows up English ships carrying contraband of war sold by Americans to England, simply because Americans are travel ing on these ships. Of course, England will continue to get Americans to travel on these ships. She would have America involved in the war with Ger many. But have we the right to inter- fere in this way especially when Ger terfere with American passenger traf- fic and with the traffic of ordinary goods between America and England. provided we assure her that the ships engaged in this business are not carry ing war contraband. and are marked plainly so that they can be distin- guished by submarines?
 Of course. we want to sell our stuff,
 
 are involved in a war which means the loss of millions of human lives and the very existence of government we can not expect to go Into the war zone and be protected any more than could the American newspaper correspondent who goes upon a British battleship or a German aircraft demand the right of American protection.
 We may sell them all we can but 1t Is an open question whether we have the right to demand safety in deliver ing death dealing instruments to any of the fighting nations.
 This is the common sense of the sit- uation as viewed by
 R,eJb b1,aea
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

JUDGE GARY of the Steel corpora
 ton is quoted as expressing the
 opinion in San Francisco that the European war will come suddenly and unexpectedly to an end. Such pre- dictions are heard almost weekly in Washington, but there is nothing defi- nite to indicate this.
 Germany is holding out just as thor oughly as at any time within the last six months. The best observers of this war see no prospects of the allies penetrating German territory. And it has become manifest that Germany can live upon her own resources and con- tinue the war indefinitely, She has the raw material for all the ingre- dients of gun powder and ammunition Germany and Austria have sufficient tillable lands to feed themselves I uiNcistdhu tHat practlcally every foot of space in Germany and Austria, in cluding the rights of way along the railroad tracks. are under cultivation in wheat and other grain.
 Germany is buying nothing from the outside world. She can have nothing delivered to her. Therefore she is mak- ing her own material necessities and retaining her great supply of gold. In the meantime her people are being killed off by the war with great rapid ity
 Let us assume that the war will last four years. In that time, possibly five millions or more of her male popula- ton will be killed Her wealth in gold will remain the same therefore, at the end of, let us say a four-year war. Germany may be the richest nation In the world per capita from a gold point of view.
 The other nations are rapidly send ing their gold to America. Japan and other neutral countries for arms. am intuition, food stuffs and clothing and their wealth is being depleted in great volumes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
Convict Lease System Must Go

The testimony of certain coal oper- ators who lease convicts from the state, given before the house commit tee in Montgomery Friday night, rep resents the reactionary view which has insisted for many years on a con- tinuance of this system.
 It is based on the dollars and cents argument which has hitherto been so potential.
 It ignores the fact that Alabama is near the bottom of the ladder in it's treatment of convicts and the testi- mony in it's cupidity makes the in- sidious appeal for more time to study the question.
 Alabama has been studying the question for years. Alabama has reached the conclusion that it wants i's convict s-.l0vea 4sm ae ines md iurpentioe eamns 8iaf ants IT, ail in Coz ight oniidiua food als for 1dVance- menU ana enlightenment of all the people.
 The probe committees report sub mitted to the legislature Tuesday is sufficient answer to the lease advo- cates, and this committee unanimous ly urges putting the convicts on the roads. The committee visited all the mines and camps of the state and spent weeks in studying conditions, and here is what they say in their re- port:
 After consideration we have been forced to the conclusion that the convict lease system of Ala bama is relic of barbarism, a = species of human slavery, a crime against humanity.
 In defense of it's recommendation the committee further says:
 A sentence to hard labor should not impliedly include depriva- tion of nourishment, an absence of Gods sunlight, the breaking of bones, the maiming of limbs, the disfigurement of persons, the loss of life itself. Lessees should not have the authority after jury and judge have acted to add pun ishment which no court could in the first instance have imposed
 Even the dollars and cents argu- ment, always so successfully ad- vanced in the past by the reaction aries, is answered by the committed s reference to Jefferson county, where convicts have been worked on the roads so satisfactorily. The report says:
 A close analysis recently made by an experienced and honest ac- countant shows that the expense in Jefferson county of building roads with convicts is materially less than building them under contract.
 The people of Alabama are solidly behind the committee in its report, They want their convicts to build good roads. They want them out of the hands of private lessees. The lease system must go.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

President Wilson Is said to have played recently what was for him--with all due respect-a good game of golf. Just shows what the President can do when he tries, In spite of international complications.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

Now 1t is said that General von Hin denburg has a little invention up his sleeve that will certainly bring victory to Germany. Amateur strategists should take note of this
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

Although the demon vodka has been practically driven out of Russia- the upper classes are plentifully supplied with wine and spirits. Twas ever thus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

Poor man! I suppose you suffer dread ful hardships on the firing line" said the sympathetic dame.
 Indeed we do, ma 'am," said the pam
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

The wife of Amba ssador Marye was not socially prominent in Petrograd, so she came right home and the ambassador re- signed Another one of life's tragedies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

If Marconi invents half the amazing contrivances said by correspondents to be taking shape in his brain, the Austrians will have to quit
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

Mir. Bryan took trip on a bargain ex- cursion boat and got seasick. It's much the same way when fellow buys bar gain socks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
TRUE TO TRADITION

From the St Louis Republic
 True to the family tradition, Charles J. Bcnararte thinks the United States ought to show fight.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

Old Doe" Flint is believed to have
 gotten great deal of money out of the various Thaw trials. but he got precious little credit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

It begins to look to me like Ger many can never be whinned and +b.+ the battle will eventually be a drawn one.
 The argument that Germany will be financially depleted nation is based upon the assumption that Germany will have to pay tremendous indam mites In gold. But the question Is how the allies can penetrate Cer,o.r
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

An Italian warship was saved the other day by a torpedo net, a torpedo being about 9oOo,0OO times more deadly than a mosquito.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

what the governor of that state will say to the chief executive of North Carolina whom they meet around the conference table.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

In honoring Rouget de Lisle the French seem to think they are paving the way for a smashing victory.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
ADRIFT WITH THE TIr1ES
A JOY SONG.

A JOY SONG. The days are hot in Dixie And old Sol blazes down Upon the rural dwellers And those who live in town. But purple night descending, Brings out host of stars And gentle breezes whisper And purring motor cars Speed through the velvet darkness While lovers arms entwine. The days are hot in Dixie. But then the nights are fine!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
I,e.rR,aeQ
.............................s

pered trench fighter. Its always one thing or another. If a shell doesn't wreck our camp kitchen and deprive us of hot
 soup, our bath train is apt to be several
 hours late"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

l The Canadian soldiers are an independ-
 ent lot To them an Englishman with a title is an Englishman and nothing more
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
A DIFFERENT KIND.

Have you any large public buildings in your town?''
 "Oh, yes. We have one that cost about s1, 100000"
 Your fellow-townsmen must take great pride In 1t. I dare say they feel that it stands for progress and a striving after better things'
 Well, no. You see, it's the state peni- tentiary."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

Butler County News: When we learn to live at home, buy at home, and in addi- tion boost our home. it will grow and prosper as never before.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
REALLY CONVENIENT.

You say your new house was built ac- cording to your wife's specifications ?"
 Yes replied Jagsby, but I am well pleased with it. There are so many clos cts that it is comparatively easy to con- ceal a quart of liquor for private con- sumption.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18

The Cleburne News: A bountiful fruit
 crop in Cleburne county, a promise for a
 good corn crop and other crops doing well, why not Cleburne be in the prosperity line?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-18
NOT AT ALL FORWARD.

Would you fight for your country if it needed you, Dilfur?'
 Indeed I would but nevertheless, it Is comforting to know that my country has Q population of about 1o0,0Oo,0o0."
 "Why so?"
 With such large population to draw time before there would be any urgent need for my services"