davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
Cotton Acreage Reduction

More than ordinary interest will attach to the governments April re- port on cotton acreage.
 Last fall when cotton was selling below 6 cents there was a consensus of opinion that the 1915 acreage should be reduced fully 50 per cent. The bankers and the merchants in the cotton section took firm stand against the planting of normal crop.
 But large shipments abroad early in the year strengthened the market and when the price advanced to 8 cents, with the prospect of 10-cent cotton, the situation not only bright ened, but many farmers began to plan, not for as large an acreage perhaps as was planted in 1914, but for a larger planting than had been advised when the market was demoralized and at its worst.
 There will be greater diversification of crops in Alabama and in most of the other southern states, and that leads one to think that the total acre. age will be considerably reduced But at the rate at which Texas is planting the reduction will probably not average more than 25 per cent as compared with last season.
 It is safe to assume in any even, that the crop will not be a bumper A 12,O0O, ,OOO-bale. crop there may be but even that would be too large un der present conditions.
 Until the time comes for the gov ernment to issue it's planting reporl all estimates of acreage will be largel, guess work. But no matter how mucl or how little cotton is produced -sths cotton belt will never come into it. own until it raises enough grain forage and hogs to feed itself. Whel | it learns to do that, cotton will pay even at prices that might now b, considered unprofitable.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
THE MIsCHIEF-LovING CROW

Writing of the many amusing charac- teristics of the crow, in Harper's for March. Walter Prichard Eaton tells of the annoying way in which certain pet crow pestered a totally inoffensive dog and lamb.
 'It was curious to watch his instinct to hide things manifest itself in a hun dred odd ways, to the human mind not in the least related to a food supply. Any small object which was bright and shining particularly attracted him, and he would spend hours attempting to hide bits of broken crockery or glass in the dogs fur or in his ear. Don's ear was a favorite hiding place. Jim would get a bit of crockery in his beak, hop upon the dogs head drop it neatly into his ear, and then carefully fold the earflap down over the aperture. It Don objected and raised his ear again, Jim would once more grab it and fold it down, awake he did not seem to mind this per- formance in the least, but if he chanced to be sleepy he would get up with a bored air, shake out the crockery from his ear, and with the look of one who says For heavens sake, why can't you leave me in peaceP walk away to some other place. Nothing discouraged, Jim would slowly follow, along behind him, keeping an eye cooked meanwhile for a fresh bit of shiny stuff (even a bright pebble would dol, and, when Don once low fl,a ar,tir tt<~,, would be repeated
 "One could never be certain at these times how far Jims actions were purely teleologcal-the exercise in captivity of instincts upon which the endurance of the wild species depends-and how far there was mingled with them an almost human love of teasing. For Jim un- questionably loved to tease Of that there could be no doubt. He knew, too, just as a dog knows, who could be leased and who couldn't. There were two lambs on the place, one a stolid creature, and one of totally different temperament, highly excitable, in fact. Jim discovered the difference after single trial. AS they were frisking about one day he lit first on the back of one and then on the back of the other. sinking his claws into the wool with good grip, Tapping his wings, and cawing delightfully."- One lamb paid no attention to him, but the other immediately took fright and began to buck like bronco, or rather an an imated sawhorse, and then to cavort about the pasture lot. Thereafter Jim confined his attentions entirely to her. He never tried to ride the other lamb but again and again he would bounce down suddenly upon the poor timid ones back set up a great Tapping and caw- ing, and speedily enjoy a free ride over a goodly portion of the surrounding landscape"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
Trade Commission Begins Work

The federal trade commission, cre- ated by the Sixty-third Congress just before adjournment, began work yes terday. As a governmental agency it has large powers, especially inquisi- torial powers, and such being the case its course will be watched with keen interest by capital and by all the great manufacturers.
 The commission can help the busi- ness world or it can embarrass and re- tard it. One of its duties is to CO., operate with the department of justice in the enforcement of the antitrust laws. But that should not mean antago- nism on the part of the commission to any of those big interests that seek to hew to the line; should not mean irritating contention or drastic regu- lation.
 This commission is one of the in stitutions in which President Wilson is deeply interested. But for his insist cnce, the federal trade commission bill probably would have failed of pas sage. It was in the democratic .legisla- tive programme, but Congress was dvercrowded and the measure got through by the skin if it's teeth.
 The members of the commission are not quite as well known to the busi- ness men of the country as were the members of the federal reserve board whom the latter were appointed, but they are said to have been selected by the President with particular care.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
More and Better Schools

Governor Henderson having signed the school tax amendment bill it is now only question of time when the country districts of Alabama will have more and better public schools. Four years ago the lower house of the legislature passed an amendment submission bill, but it failed in the senate by one vote. The measure provided that the voters of each school district should have the right to tax themselves 5 mills for school pur- poses. It's defeat was great dis appointment to the friends of educa- tion, but the proposed amendment which will be submitted next fall to the people of the state for ratifica- tion is an improvement on the other measure.
 It provides first that each county shall be authorized to levy a tax of 5 mills for bettering school conditions in the county, and after that if the people of any district desire more rev. enue than 3 mills would yield they shall be authorized to increase the levy to , mills, which would be ample for placing the rural schools on the high est plane.
 The ratification of the amendment proposition should be only matter of form. Alabama is classed now as an illiterate state. Only in two or three states in the union is the percentage of llllteracy to population so large as it is in Alabama.
 We have a great state university. great polytechnic institute and many excellent colleges, and in the cities are found public and private schools of high standard. But the public schools in the country are too lew Tn number and the terms are too short. Such condition has been a serious handicap to Alabama from every point of view.
 Just so soon as the people have the right to tax themselves for main- talnlng good school ait every cross- read, then Alabama will begin to emerge from the wilderness of ignor- ance which, according to statistics, has long been known to our shame.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
WHAT LUKE M,LUKE SAYS

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
 There are a whole lot of prohibi- t'onists who are incorporate in ev- erything but the use of liquor.
 Lots of married men who are not bigamists have one wife too many.
 One reason why we are so quick tc recognize the faults of others is be- cause the faults are exactly like our own.
 He can kiss her if he wants to. But she would get mad all over if she imagined that he thought he could.
 Some people believe that what they like to do slA6uld be legalized and what other people like to do should be pro- hibted.
 Some men imagine that nature put heads on their shoulders so they could tutt in when they felt like it.
 Money won't buy love. But it is there with bells on when you need di- vorce.
 A man believes that he is entitled to make dozen mistakes a day. But if his wife makes one mistake hc wants to fight.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
BLOW YOUR OWN HORN.

Once there was a man who never would listen to praise Even when he happened to do something quite we'll he deprecated with wave of his hand. At first people were inclined to pay him a compliment occasionally, but he always stopped them before they finished what they were about to say by remarking airily Non sense!' Tut, tut,'' "The ideal CT some other expression which conveyed the same meaning. In course of time this process of sef-effacement had it's natural result. People began to think there was not much to the fellow after all He did not scintil- late, he was not in the public eye and he was seldom "among those present. While the 'best little advertisers" were. feted guests" the modest man was ig- nored. As a candidate he would have been joke. A master of ceremonies would have hesitated twice before calling on him to .speak few words' If you can't blow your own horn, hire a press agent and tell him to spread himself
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
Soap Not Good for shampoo

Tt is wrong treatment for the scalp to said A. W. Judy of the Metropolitan bar Der shop.
 All soaps have an alkali base, and this is injurious to the roots of the hair. There are number of excellent shampoos on the market One from nature is found in the use of eggs. Some persons use only the whites. but the whole egg serves as we'll, and after applying should be rinsed out The natural oil of the hair, where proper care is taken will soften it, and no other Is needed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Business Recovery

New York looks very different now from what it did a few months ago. said H. II. Mandell of the borough of Manhat- tan.
 "The metropolis of the country was hit hard by the business depression caused by the European war Everybody felt it. But there has been steady recovery and now the financial and johbing districts ap- pear brisk and normal I have seldom known New York to be so crowded with visitors The hotels are doing rushing business.
 T was in Philadelphia last week and that city looked prosperous once mcre The fact is that business improvement is general throughout the east"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
All. SWEET IS TIPPrRARY

By Denis A. Mccarthy An. sweet is Tipperary in the springtime
 of the year,
 When the hawthorn's whiter than the
 snow, When the feathered folk assemble and
 the air is all a-tremble With their singing, and their winging to
 and fro; When queeny+ Slieve-na- mon puts her
 verdant vesture on, And smiles to near the news the breezes
 bring; When the sun begins to glance on tho
 rivulets that dance An, sweet is Tipperary in the spring! An. sweet is Tipperary in the springtims
 of the year,
 When the mists are rising from the lea, When the Golden Vale is smiling with
 beauty all beguiling And the Suir goes crooning to the sea; When the shadows and the showers only multiply the howers That the lavish hand Of May will fling; When in unfrequented weys, fair music
 softly plays E. An. sweet is plpperary m the <sDringi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

1.-THE TRUE CALIPH
 William IT, Ellis, on '"rhe Present State
 of Islam,' in The Youths Companion.
 One reason why the jihad Cor holy war) must fail today is that so many EEoslems deny that the sultan of Turkey is the true caliph, for the successor of Osman who rules at Constantinople has not drop of the blood of the prophet or of his people The Arabs have always been restive under a Turkish caliphate, and never more so than now. They know full we'll that only descendant of the tribe of Koreish is legitimately entitled to the custody of the green flag. The Shiah Moslems, too, who are mostly Persians and Indians, have never cor dially recognized the Turkish caliphate. So, hard on the heels of the call to a holy war, runs the message that the Sultan has no right to issue such sum- mons, and that the faithful are absolved from obeying it. We may be sure that Great Britan and the allied powers gave wings to that report. An Arab caliph, of real descent from of Koreisl-possibly the shereef of Mecca or the Sheik of the mysterious Senussi--is likely to ap- pear soon to dispute openly the claims of the Turkish caliph. Another difficultty in the way of the jihad is that 1t was called in behalf of Germany and Austria, two Christian nations. That difficulty has been lessened somewhat by the re- port current among ignorant Ottomans that the Germans have embraced the faith of the Prophet
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
silk Purse-sow,s Pigs

.Alabamlans may not be able to make a silk purse of a sow's ear, but many a boy is going to fill his purse with the proceeds of fat pig or two this fall, i" said man interested in diversified farm ing
 The pig demand Is spreading, and the days of home made hog and hominy are coming again. Every little pig, it seems, will have a pen of it's own, as the boys and girls are seeking any kind they can get.
 T have had some experience in the hog raising business, and I found it profit able, even in limited way The Duroc Jerseys and the Poland China give the quickest results, and seem to be suited to the Piedmont section and Alabama. A pig to be profitable ought to be slaugh- tered at from to Il months; after that the percentage of flesh growth and fat begins to decrease on the ratio of time feeding.
 Hogs to thrive should have a pasture to run in, and nut grass and running water. with some feeding. will make them thrive and grow rapidly until penned.
 For a number of hogs-to be killed in November or December-a good plan is to cultivate a late sowing of corn and peas. When the corn gets too hard for roasting ears the hogs should be turned in on it and allowed free run. At first 1t will appear that they are wasting the corn by pulling 1t down and leaving some un- eaten upon the ground, but by and by they will begin to get fat and lazy, and will then clean up that on the ground. Ten days or two weeks in a pen, fed on matured corn, will harden the flesh and .set the fat, as farmers Sav.n
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
TOUGH LICK.

T thought I saw you at the fancy dress ball last night
 'Yes. I was there. I was dressed as George Washington
 You didn't cross the Delaware. did your"
 ..No, but crossed my wife by mistak- ing her for another woman
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

BEGINNING THE DAY-My God, I can do so little; I have SD little strength and so little time and so little wisdom and so little grace, Help me, then, to put my little ex- actly where it belongs, to do just the thing which Thou hast tor me. Guide me every day. and give me a close ear for Thy faintest whis- per. In Christ's name. Amcn.--H' M. E.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
The Panama-Pacific Exposition

san Francisco has splendid exposi- tion, the greatest in many respects ever held'' said Robert T. Singleton of Chi cago. T was there during opening week, and as much as had read about it, was surprised at the vastness and the gram deur of the show.
 "No other great worlds fair was ever completed and opened on schedule time. It was wonderful to zee all the exhibits in place-virtually all of them-when the gates were opened.
 San Francisco is a magnificent city, and is particularly popular with tourists. The greatest crowds are expected in July and August
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
GOSSIP IN LONDON
om the Philadelphia Telegraph.

From the Philadelphia Telegraph.
 Tommy has d lot to put up with in one way and another. The following was overheard outside regiinental headquar- ters:
 Old Lady eAccosting pacing sentry)- Can you tell me
 Sentry Gin an undertone)-Sorry. ma am, I'm not allowed to stop and talk.
 Old Lady-Oh, very well. I'll walk up and down with you.
 A sergeant at the guards depot, Cater
 ham, has a reputation for being some-
 thing of a comedian. very young re-
 cruit unwittingly overstayed his leave by
 2c minutes! The sergeant met him at the
 gate with "So you have come back ?' Yes sergeant" Well, you know where the scaffold is-behind the magazine. Pa- rade there tomorrow morning. Re- counting the interview, an eyewitness says the recruits eyes bulged from his head and "his knees played Rule, Brit tannia"
 The ways of England's censor's depart ment are, perhaps necessarily, somewhat confusing-the work is so huge, and so dis tributed A letter was received yesterday indorsed by a second lieutenant. "Ad- dress to be included in text of letter. and not shown at bottom, as in this case. This cannot be passed" Outside on the envelope was written by the same officer, Cannot pass censor' Then, in the re-
 maining space was stamped the official Passed by the censor!" 1 The Rev. B. G. O'Rorke chaplain to l the British forces, who was captured with the British ambulance column dur l ing the retreat from Mons, in a letter to
 his brother at Nottingham, states that
 he is in camp ae Maddeburg, occupying a
 room with British, French, Belgian and
 Russian officers.
 ] dormitory has been fitted up as a church, which Is great novelty At one end is the French Roman Catholic altar. l at the other end is the British altar, on
 the third Side is the Russian, and the fourth side is piled with beds. British, French and Russians use the church at different hours.
 we had a meeting yesterday" he adds,
 ito decide the fate of our communion ves- sells and brass cross, which will have an
 historic value. Some were for presenting them to St. Paurs or some garrison church, but in the end they were ;,re- scented to me for use in whatever church
 servev
 ] The Journal publishes the following tel
 n, from Tivons. A native of Lyons.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
The Iron Market


 Rogers, Brown & Co.'s Cincinnati re- port, just received here, says in part:
 Unusual events of international char acter during the week had no appreciable effect in slowing up the steady growth of business or the increasing confidence recently manifest.
 'The iron market continues it's un- eventful but not unsatisfactory way. A fair tonnage has been placed in the east, including charcoal irons. Part of the buying was for export
 Local buying has been of fair size, mostly small lots for early consumption, with Virginia iron to the fore Local foundries are buster than for some months past.
 "Southern conditions are better, move ment from southern furnaces and yards having been generous on sales made sometime ago. It is reported that fur mace stocks at that point are lower than for several months, the current make be- ing moved promptly and the price situa- tion stronger.
 General improvement in the metal trades continues slow. Additional encour- agement during the week has gwen the iron and steel markets by some good steel orders slight increase in plant opera tion, and small but increasingly better prospects in number of different lines It is more the volume of little good things than the marked improvement in any one line which is the source of satisfaction "Our overseas trade has reached such volume <as to set all standards aside and become the one thing of immediate inter- est which gives life to the metal trades Prices on pig iron at all points are without change although the sentiment in general is stronger than week ago. Finished steel products in the struc- tural lines are active with the approach of open weather. and these lines have shown good inquiry and interest"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

'Back over the wire came the sleepy
 and somewhat irritated voice of the medico
 1" Tie bib about his neclxi And then she heard his receiver click back on the hook' Dr. Ira Landrith of the flying squadron of America, which recently passed through
 Birmingham, related good story of an old southern darkey while here. A mem Der of the club retold it as follows: "Old Nose while passing down the main street of the little town in which he lived
 observed huge watermelon at the front of the grocery store. It was the largest melon he had ever seen and he eyed it ap- precativey, thinking the while what d
 feast it would make. Inc storekeeper
 noticed Moses interest in the mson anu said:
 :" Think you could eat that one, Mose?' " Yassuh, boss answered the negro.
 Well, if you will eat every bit Of it
 at one sitting. I'll give it to you "Yassuh, An shore c'n do dat said Nose, his eyes shining. " But continued the storekeeper, if you don't eat every bite of it you will | have to pay 65 cents for it.
 'Mose studied the proposition for a mo-
 ment and said: Boss, will you wait while till I go off to masse'f and study
 bout dis?'
 "The grocer complied with Moses re-
 quest. In about 15 minutes the darky re-
 turned and said he would eat the melon.
 And he did. He sat there and that
 melon fairly melted away.
 After he was all through, the grocer, admitting defeat, demanded to know
 where he had been the 10 minutes he con stunned to think it over. Well, boss, said Nose, you see, An nevah tried to eat melon dat big before. thought about up at mah house | about de same size and went to eat dat - fust jest to see if it could be done. I ct dat and den I knowed Ah could get away wid dis un.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

The Detroit man who offers to sell his payment on a house deserves nothing more than the uncertain shelter of hay rick.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

When a probe committee tackles men with considerably more brains than the probe committee has it should proceed carefully.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

The commander of a submarine does not have chance ts strut his deck much, but maybe he doesn't want to-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
FIRST LESSON IN FICTION

From the Boston Transcript.
 T wonder hoy Mrs. Inkleigh got her start as a writer of iction?''
 "Composing references for her dis charged help. understand"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

Now that Harry Thaw has been ac- quilted of conspiring to escape from Mat teawan, there is nothing to do but carry his case on for 20 or 30 years longer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

A man claiming to be Healer" Sehlat- ter has appeared in Cincinnati. He prob ably has the same sort of whislSers, any how.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

Seattle comes to the front with a dip- lonatic scandal that has made the entire country sit up and take notice.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

The water wagon is not being talked about as much as formerly The bread wagon is attracting attention just now.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19
The Music Festival

"The Birmin gham Choral association, which was organized for the purpose of giving music festivals, was fortu- nate indeed in being able to secure the New York Symphony orchestra, Walter Damrosch conductor, for this years festival, for besides the fact that it was the only orchestra avail able, it stands in the very front rank . said citizen who has always taken sn interest in good music. Domrosch is a great conductor and he is a. great favorite among concertgoers. As it has been five years since he was last here the people are hungry for him and he will draw immense audiences.
 "The festival will be held at the Bijou-April Band a, delightful fea- ture will be the. singing of the mass chorus, trained by Mr. Rienzi Thomas This chorus is learning Sullivan S Golden Legend" work of rare beau ty; and if there be time enough it will learn Von Fielitz's 'The God and the Maid"
 "Damrosch brings distinguished solo quartet"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

Although green is the prevailing color on St. Patrick's Day, some people prefer to paint the town red.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

The Japs are smart, but they seem to have overreached themselves in making demands on China.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

far apart as the poles-down in Mex ico
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-19

The Dardanelles forts seem to be hold ing out about as well as could be ex- pected.