davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
POLITICS AND PROSPERITY

James B. Duke, in the April number of
 the North American Review.
 TIT is a great mistake to assume that
 there is conflict in interests between = different classes of citizens-certainly if comparative wealth is the basis of the classification. Undoubtedly it is unpleas ant for the average man to pay direct taxes. and therefore, an income tax, es- pecialy when it is graduated may be as- sumed to displease the rich, who have to pay it, and, correspondingly, to please the poor who do not have to pay it. Generally speaking. though. these matters of busi- ness involve no conflict of interest what ever. The very conditions that bring good dividends to the shareholder and opportu- mites otherwise for the profitable invest ment of capital, bring good wages and abundant work to the wage earner and good markets to the farmer; and the very conditions that bring distress to one bring distress to all. The difference between the various elements is not a matter of conflict, but matter of vast difference of degree of interest," the conditions that merely curtail the divide<ds of the share holder, and lessen the income of the capi- talist, may bring the best obtainable wage of the laborer to the starvation point, or, worse still, transfer him from the ranks of supporting and self-respect- ing labor to the bread line.
 It is not a pleasant contemplation, but 1t is the simple truth, that since 1904 the whole course of national political affairs, so far as 1t has been influential at all has been-with one solitary exception-toward the depression of business, the hindering of business prosperity, the curtailment of the income of the capitalist and the la borer alike.
 If it were not for some of the bene- fits that come to cur trade from the Euro pean war we would now be in a condition infinitely more distressing. Thousands of men are now out of employment, but
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
The Drug Evil

Writing for the Sunday magazine, Dr. Edwin F. Bowers makes the state ment that there are 100000 drug victims in the United States and their number is being increased at the rate of 100000 a year. He says that the people of this country are now con- suming more habit-forming drugs than all Europe combined and our consumption of opium is much greater per capita than that of China. For the past ten years, according to Dr. Bowers, there has been an annual importation and consumption of 400,- 900 pounds of opium in America, of which 57 per cent is made into mor- phine. He estimates that 80 per cent of this morphine is used by drug ad- diets, while 150,000 pounds of cocaine are used illicitly and many hundreds of pounds of other narcotics.
 These figures are apt to cause sur prise, but the prevalence of the drug habit has aroused the whole country. The Harrison law is the m t drastic step yet taken against the drug traf- fife, but Dr. Bowers says that the in- sertion of a joker" in the bill has done much to destroy it's usefulness. The clause in question provides that the Harrison act shall not apply to the manufacture, compounding, sale or distribution of remedies which do not contain more than two grains of opium, or one-fourth of a grain of morphine, or one-third of a grain of heroin. or one grain of codeine, or their salts and derivatives, in one fluid ounce, or one avoirdupois ounce in the case of solids and semi-solids; or to liniments and other preparations made for external use. The nostrum is still available for the "dope fiend," although he is put to some trouble and inconvenience.
 Dr. Bowers comments particularly on the widespread use of cocaine among southern negroes. Many brutal crimes are committed by negroes while under the influence of this drug. A "snowbird,o as negro "cohe fiends" are sometimes called, is one of the most dangerous criminals the police have to deal with. Some ex- perts say that the alarming increase of cocaine consumption in the south is because negroes and "poor whites" in many sections are no longer able to get the cheap whisky which they formerly depended on for stimulant.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
Think This Over

Next time you hear lugubr.ous chant concerning soulless corpora tions and the flinty heartedness of men who occupy high places in public service, pause moment aid consider this little story which came over the press wire fe7 days ago. Here it is:
 "Temple, Tex, April 16.-Charles H. Higgins of this city, conductor on the Santa Fe railroad, was at Lometa yesterday in charge of a freight train, when he received a message stating that his wife was critically i'll here and death was ex- pected momentarily. Immediately after this message, came another from Superintendent K. s. Hull at Temple, instructing the conductor to detach his engine and caboose and run as special to Temple at once, with right of way over all other trains. As a consequence Conductor Higgins arrived at the bedside of his wife just few minutes before the end came."
 Does this look like the act of a soulless corporation?
 Isn't it about as sincere delnon-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
Renewed Business Activity

There is a noticeable improvement in tho Birmingham business situation" said E. r. Morgan. secretary and treasurer of the Broyles Furniture company.
 '"The furniture business is looking up, and sales becoming heavier There has, as matter of course, been some depression in the Birmingham district q s a result of the European war, but busi- ness men have now come to realize that conditions prevailing then were largely result of hesitancy on the part of in- vestors and those in charge of large en- terprises, to actively push their affairs briskly, fearing that the future would not justify the necessary outlay of capi- ta,. This state of mind, however, is now being overcome by the forceful example Of those business men who set an example of faith in the future. In fact, recent campaigns and large gatherings in this city have served to arouse business men and other citizens out of any inertia that might have prevailed in respect to indus trial activity"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Regarding Bu.ine.s Activity

.I spent the latter part of March Ln the northwest and I found business in that section booming; now I find that it is beginning to boom in other parts of the country" said John ". Meadows of Chi cago.
 Tn my city business conditions have im- proved wonderfully since April ]. I was in New York last week. and if there had been much talk of depression in that city it had given place to prosperity talk. New York looked busy as I ever saw Making Provision for Women Conyicts
 ''The failure to receive bids to hire wom- en convicts and others not physically able to do road work has forced the board of revenue to make some provision for the care of them and their employment at some labor" said pr. R. r. Lovelady, president of the board of revenue.
 Heretofore we have hired such con- victs to farmers in other counties; we will now build a suitable stockade at the county farm, near ketona, and will em- ploy them at trucking and gardening.
 We are about to take up the work of constructing another section of road un- der the state aid plan. We have coming from that fund 5000; the county will lave to appropriate a similar amount not counting the labor of the convicts. All in all that outlay should give us some two miles additional road in the general plan. That is we are devoting the money from the state aid fund to building, from time to time, portion of. the road north ward towards Morris.
 "As to the legislative provision allow ing boards of revenue to use county funds to build roads in the corporate limits of municipalities, we cannot as yet under take this work in the corporate limits of Birmingham until there is some arrange ment made in regard to the funds turned over each tax year to the city from the road fund As it is now, one-half of the money collected within the corporate linn its-some $42, ,000-is turned over to the city for street purposes. The board recog nizes the urgent need for work in cer- tain portions of the county roads within the corporate limits of Birmingham, but we must see where we are at on the money annually turned into the city from the road fund tax"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
German Air Raiders

A Dutch aviator journalist states that Germany has more than 300 air ships. Among these he thinks there are 30 Zeppelins, the rest being cigar or bullet shaped aerostats used Tor scouting purposes. According to this writer, the latest type of Zeppelin flies about 45 miles an hour at a height of a mile and a quarter and can carry weight of "A tons, of which 1700 pounds is the vessels own weight and that of the crew, making it possible for the airship to carry 5000 kilograms of benzine, oil and ammunition. The early types of Zeppelins were able to carry only 1000 kilograms in extra weight. The newest type can carry DO bombs each. Germany has lost a number of her sea-going Zeppelins, but an army Zeppelin can easily be adapted to naval operations, the only changes being in the airtight com partments in the hanging cars or boats, so these will float on the wa ter if necessary.
 Still, with all the activity on the part of Germany in constructing Zeppelins, this type of aerial craft has not yet come up to expectations and must be considered more or less of failure. The superiority of an aeroplane over Zeppelin for scouting purposes has been demonstrated con- clusively. Zeppelins are able to carry much additional weight, including both armament and men, but the bomb dropping exploits of these vessels so far have done little damage. Either the pilots have difficulty in finding something to drop bomb on or else they can't hit what they aim at, the latter conclusion being the more pIOOdOlc Ol biic iNO. llc JULIUS dIc apparently dropped in haphazard fashion and aside from the alarm they cause in time of attack, are futile. Even the loss of life is negligi- ble.
 The promised invasion of England by Zeppelins on large scale has not yet materialized and with their past performance to consider, it doesn't seem possible that such an undertak- ing could be success. Not only are the English on the watch for Zep- pelins and prepared to resist such an attack, but if all the Zeppelins at present owned by Germany could sue ceed in reaching London, which is hardly probable, they could not de- stroy the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21

more attention than heretofore from the United States government. The latter has sent note to Tokio intimating that certain points in the demands conflict with the agreement signed by Japan and the United States for maintaining the in- tegrity of China and equality of commer- cial opportunity in that country. It is also announced that Americans in China are much alarmed over the situation ere ated there by the Japanese pressure. They fear that the negotiations now on foot will end in virtually closing the 'open door, and placing China under complete control by Japan. These Americans be- lieve that the British governments atti- tude is helpful to Japan in the latters endeavor to wiring concessions from her big neighbor. Their surmise is that Great Britain, in recognition of the service rem dered by Japan in the great war. will allow her oriental ally free hand in the Chinese republic. It is understood that Japan plans to obtain from Great Britain capital to develop such parts of China as the former may hold and to let Great Britain take the opportunities Japan may not care for. Thus the two allies would divide between them the ex- pIoitation of the Chinese domains. It is predicted, however, that if Great Britain does not check Japan, the latter will eventually become the Germany of the far east, dominating China entirely, train- ing up a huge army of Chinese for it's own use, excluding all other foreign inc fiuences and menacing the United States. Australia, New Zealand and Canada in the Pacific It is reported that Japan is becoming more insistent and that the Japanese continue to declare that the ne- gotiations do not threaten China's integ- rity or other nations interests
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
Can't Lose Brady

Talk about overcoming obstacles and practical application of the old rule that where there's will, there's way! Here's sample of it:
 J. W. Brady was for seven years postmaster at Haskell, Okla. He lost his job. Friends gathered to offer con- dolence, for Brady had no other occu- patton and his finances were known to be limited.
 "Do not worry about me, I will start a postoffice of my own, just watch me-" was Brady's reply to sympathetic friends.
 Brady personally owned the fix lures in the Haskell postoffice and a few days later he loaded them on a big wagon and hauled them over to Oiltown, few miles distant-a rapid ly growing oil center which had been overlooked by Uncle Sam in the dis tribution of postoffices. Residents of Oiltown, prior to the arrival of Brady, had been getting their mail at Jen- nings, seven miles away.
 Brady rented building, installed his fixtures and hung out sign bear ing the inscription: "Postoffice-J. w. Brady, Proprietor"
 Brady charges 15 cents week for box rent, 10 cents additional for handling each individuals mail, 20 cents for delivering a parcel post package and 5 cents for two 2-cent stamps. If a person rents box he must pay the 15 cents per week in advance, and in addition he must pay 10 cents week to get his mail. Brady has 300 boxes and they are all rented. As a part of his postal routine he makes a daily trip to Jennings, where he re- ceives all the mail for Oiltown in bulk. Incidentally, he operates hack Iii e between Oiltown and Jennings. Of course Uncle Sam will come along some day, start postoffice of his own and put Brady out of business. Meanwhile, however, Brady has proven himself to be what the every day world designates as live wire, and he has set an example in optimism that is well worthy of attention.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
LUKE M,LUKE SAYS

From ehe Cincinnati Enquirer.
 The old-fashioned girl whose complexion
 tasted like peaches and cream now has a
 daughter whose complexion tastes like
 Ealsomine.
 One good item to paste in your hat Is
 that when the patrol wagon gets you to
 headquarters your good intentions are not
 going to keep the cell door from slamming after you have been pushed behind it.
 As far as we are concerned the women,
 are not entitled to a vote as long as they
 wear shoes with heels longer than the toes.
 It is hard to change the shape of your
 nose. But you can always change the color of it without much trouble. The millennium will have arrived when a man sues his wife for divorce because
 she won't go to church with him on Sun day.
 When a woman buys a pair of new shoes her pride knocks out her corns in the first round.
 And girl whose shoes are cripplirg her so she can't stand up will always smile and tell you that they are mile too big for her.
 You could give some women $100 q weel. to dress on and they would always look as If everything they are wearing came from the 1O-cent store. After a man runs into three or four gabby pests he always wonders why he l ever said mean things about men who are grouches
 | A man never realizes how much furni- | ture he owns until he gets home about [ l a. m. and falls over most of it when he | is trying to sneak up to bed without walk l ing his wife.
 Ants and bugs taste good at fishing 1 camp. But if there are any flies in the 1 dining room when you are eating at home i! you get sore all over. 1 When she begins to notice that he sucks | his coffee when he is drinking 1t, you can
 lay $90O, ,00o,000 to jitney that the honey moon has lost out. l man may not be able to earn more l than SIP week. But that doesn't keep l him from bragging about his ancestors. | When you are wrong you are always the 1 last person to find it out. | Anyway. Adam never had to get up out of bed and empty the pan under the ics
 box.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
ALABAMA PRESS

Gadsden Evening Journal: The fact that cotton has advanced during the last few weeks is no assurance that 1t will com mand a good price next season. In fact many students of the situation insist that it is only trick on the part of big specu- lators to encourage the farmers to refrain from reducing cotton acreage. Whether this be true or not, it is best to pay more attention this year to raising corn and meat
 Opelika Daily News: About the worst shape an Alabama politician can get into is to reach the Towing cup" stage.
 Huntsville Daily Times: Sanitary enthu- siasm runs high in Huntsville. Stock in good health is receiving much boosting just now and there is to be no decline in the market just so long as our people make the paint up and clean up campaign. success. Make the town 50 clean that there will be no margins to put up in doc- tors and drug bills. but keep the dividends coming your way.
 Decaturs Daily: The good cchooner Lager Beer seems destined to end her days ,, in dry dock. too.
 Talladega Daily Home: Birmingham will entertain the laundrymen's conven- tion next week when maybe the town will set some of its dirty linen cleaned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
WAR ECHOES

New York Herald: Count Won Bernstorff is quoted as saying that the ''memoran- dum' he made public on Sunday was com-
 municated to the government of the
 United States by the order of the Ger man government. The language of this memorandum makes it difficult to believe it could have been prepared in Berlin or that the text was approved there. It IS so much in the nature of an argument to
 the American people concerning what they should do that one is forced to the conclusion that the language at least Is Count Von Bernstorffs own.
 If it is not, what is German diplomacy driving at? Is the German government presuming to deliberately interfere in the a affairs of the American people in the hope of stirring up division among them? Or is the German government trying to force the United States to breach of diplo-
 matic relations so that, by adding this nation to the list of Germany's enemies, it may manufacture an excuse for failure
 which will be more palatable to the Ger
 man people than any excuse 1t can now
 give?
 Or is it just "squarenead" diplomacy? I1lISDuI8 0ulis ILi6idHu iinS bCSii eatehA6 her own time in disposing of the questions
 involved in the detention of various Amer
 ican vessels and their cargoes at Kirk
 wall and elsewhere. These vessels were bound from the United States to neutral ports with cargoes that were not strictly contraband. They were stopped, taken to Kirkwall or Dundee, and there they have rested. Not single case has come before the prize court and only ones the Wilhel- nina, has been adjudicated outside that tribunal This government will point out the gross injustice that is being dcne American shipping and insist that some speedy action be taken. The whole ques- tion of detaining these vessels and the regulations that have been established by the English government will be taken l up, 1t is said, and some serious effort made to secure Q reversal of previous or ders. For instance, 1t was stated that if contraband was found on any vessel de- tained the cost of unloading and dockage
 would be charged to the vessel. The United States government will point out that the enlarged list of contraband makes
 1t practically impossible for a vessl to carry a modern cargo that does not con- | tain some of the contraband articles, and | that to assess fines or charget would be manifestly wrong.
 The injustice and dictatorial methods of the British admiralty is shown in the case of the Antilla, detained at Dundee since I late February. She carried a cargo ot cattle foods consigned to Sweden. Yet 1t l has been impossible to get any action on this case. The Forney was bound for 1 Sweden and the Llama, a tank steamer for Copenhagen, while other vessels have received equally uncivil treatment. Eng i land assumption of sea ownership Is be- | coming trifie overbearing
 Leslies: The demands made by Japan on China are. it is said. about to receive much
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21

stration of human sympathy and Christianity as you can imagine?
 Truth is, corporations, after all, are very much like individuals are good; some are bad.
 But whatever you do don't be mar row enough to condemn all corpora tions just because they happen to be corporations.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
EXPECTANCY

Edward Wilbur Mason. National Maga- zine for April. Out from our easement we forever lean, We watch forever at the open door For some triumphant pageant ne'er seen Or lsggard coach and four. We 20 our ways and earn and spend, But ever where the crowds like spectres
 swing We seek with anxious eyes the peerless.
 friend,
 The form with grace like spring. Perhaps some day above the dusty sod. Beyond the clamor and the jarring strife Suddef: we shall come face to face with
 God
 And know the things of ufs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21

there would be tens of thousands if peace had reigned. Certain farm products have been low because of the war, but it is my belief that cotton itself is at as high price now as it would have been by this time if conditions of the first half of 1914 had continued: and the prices of other farm products are twice as high. Mills have had to close or run on part time, but are better off, infinitely-they and their employes-than they would have been had the world been spared the sick ening sight of men by the millions en- gagged in shooting each other down. The European war is a nightmare to all hu- mane men, and ultimately we must suffer finacially, as well as in our pity and sym- pathies, on account of it, but. so far, it's effect on our business prosperity un- doubtedly has shown decided balance Of advantage and not disadvantage to us. 
 The normal effect of all fiscal legisla- tion and trade tendencies has been turned awry, in one direction or another, by the cataclysm that involves the whole of Flu rope, but before that cataclysn happened there were tendencies unmistakable to the observant business man. He deceives him. self, and not others, who says that the business conditions here were good in June and July of 1914 The trade balance the excess of our sales over our pur- chases-had been $30s, ,62i,462 in our favor during the first seven months of 1913; during the first seven months of 1914 our sales exceeded our purchases by only S60,579,S30. A change so soon of s2oo 10000 in this absolute barometer Is more significant than any theory of what should happen, however so ingeniously de- vised or attractively expressed.
 No man can assert it as fact, but re- peat that, in my deliberate judgment, formed not without careful thought it has been only the tragedy of war that has prevented our condition from becoming disastrous even by this time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
BRIEF DECISIONS

From. Judge.
 The world does an injustice to the fem mine college graduate when it believes that her education has killed her innate mother love. College courses rarely pens- tratc so deeply.
 Confession is good for the soul. If it is spicy enough, it is also good for space in the Sunday editions.
 When a pretty girl lowers her lashes, she renders herself liable to the charge Of carrying concealed weapons.
 Mans happiness. in the last analysis, may be called feminine. And his unhappi- ness is often of the same gender.
 Two women envious of third woman never lack an absorbing topic.
 For our part: The whole thing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-21
There's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself.
 Much Ado About Nothing.
BEGINNING THE DAY-spring Is

BEGINNING THE DAY-spring Is here again. with the wonderful woods, the passionate green things, and the radiance of new howers' How like God to let the earth rest awhile and then set 1t quiverinS again! How like Him to cIothe bare, brown forms with this miracle of beauty! Lord, summon any good in me to new and richer life, and cover up my uglincss with Thy grace.-H. M. E.