davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
Selected by Tavenner

for more than year by the war traf-
fickers through a newspaper press
which has been practically closed to
every argument in favor of reason
and moderation. (Applause-)
No. The appropriations made by
this congress running up to amazing
totals were not demanded by the great
body of the people. Not a farmers
organization in the land has gone on
record in favor of the staggering pro
gram which is about to be written
into law or has already been so writ
ten. Not an organization of labor in
the United States has demanded these
appropriations or the program that
has called for them. The vast multi
tudes of those who toll and who carry
the heat and burden of the day have
given no expression which could be
tortured into a call on congress for
the thing that has been done. But
congress has hearkened to the-clam-
ors of a strident minority which has
been cOnjuring in the name of pa
triOtism and which has exhausted the
arts of the drummer in pushing the
sale Of. its wares, for keep in mind
that preparedness" calls for armOr
plate. 1t calls for powder. 1t calls
for big guns and little. 1t calls for
fat contracts for a vast variety Of
supplies. It calls for financial trans
actions which help the bankers. And
it calls for a hundred things out of
which profits may be made by those
in the game. (Applause)
But for the first time in the history
of agitatiOns of this sort the engineer
is hoist of his own petard-the folks
responsible for the preparedness"
craze are called upon to step up to
the captains desk and pay the score.
1t is something new under the sun.
Never before in all the tide of time
has it befaIlen that the great and the
powerful who play upon the warlike
spirit and conjure with patriotism in
order TO coin it into dollars or into
advantages have been faced with the
proposition that they and not the
VOiceless multitude should come
across with the wherewithal Always
before war and war craZes have been
brought on by the great and the pow
erful as this one has been. But they
neither did the fighting nor paid the
bills Both the fighting and the pay
ing fell to the lot of the poor and the
lowly. For once the program has
been changed.
A democratic congress is placing
the burden where it belongs. We are
not ASKING the poor man TO shoulder
it, We are not demanding that those
least able to bear the load shall as
sumo it But we are saying to the
men of great wealth, who in the main
are the proponents of preparedness"
that they shall she'll out. 1t is their
party, and they must settle all scores
And surely they cannot complain
They are getting just what they have
been clamOring for, and it does not
lie in their mouths to raise objections
when they are invited to meet the
necessary charges. (Applause.)
(Note.-Read the remainder of this
great speech in tomorrow's Argus
EditOr)
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
TESTING THE FAITH.

The test Of the true churchman is
a Sunday in summer, with the mer-
curry climbing toward the hundred
mark, and the cooling country roads
inviting These tOrrid Sundays find
only a faithful few in the pews of the
churches which still remain open. It
takes real faith to turn the back on
the waiting automobile and the face
toward the sanctuary in July, al
though there will always be the con
scientious minority TO keep the mini
ster company.
Ask almost any clergyman why the
attendance at church is falling off, and
he will answer the automobile" The
good old days when mother and faith
er and the children rose early, dOnned
Sunday school clothes. and with shin
ing faces marched happily TO Sunday
school are no more. The country roads
are crowded and the churches are al
most empty nowadays. Many of the
Protestant churches close their doors
in the summer. but there are still
those who believe that the forces Of
evil are just as active in the hot
weather as in the cool, and who invite
their people, whether or not they avail
themselves Of the invitation.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
FRIEND OR FOE?

New York World. If Generals Scott
and Obregon in the course of a pro-
tracted conference at FL Paso some
weeks ago could not reach an agree
ment for the pacifiCation of the Dor
der, what reason is there to hope that
a joint commission will be more sue
Cessful2
Both of these men are soldiers of ex-
perience on the frontier. Both know
precisely what is needed to preserve
order in a sparsely settled region sub
jected to violence. That they should
have failed TO reach an agreement sat
isfactory TO both governments can be
attributed TO nothing but hostility. sus-
picion and bad faith on the part of
General Carranza.
What they attempted to do in May
was TO arrange a plan Of cooperation
on the part of the United States and
Mexico for the suppression Of lawless-
ness. The adoption of such policy
would have made the two countries
practical allies for a common purpose.
When the first chief repudiated this
arrangement and gave orders that
American troops operating south of
the line should be treated as enemies.
he deliberately prepared the way for
the bloody collision in June al CARR
zal
NO1uluE tuaL JOINT COMMISSION can
do viii solve the real problem here
presented, for everything rests upon
the state Of mind in which General
Carranza finds himself IF he were
we'll disposed. two intelligent soldiers
Of almost any rank picked at random
from the American and Mexican
armies would adjust the difficulty in a
few minutes Where sincerity appears
on both sides Of such a controversy as
this there is neither room nor time for
doubt or sharp practice When insin-
certify enters there is room for any
thing.
If we resort 20 a Joint comm ission
now we have no assurance that the de
facto government viii not reject its
conclusions as sunmarffy as IL did
those OF Generals Scott and Obregon.
No Joint commission can determine
whether General Carranza is friend or
Lce. or zhlad- him -1oza>.p olIcss Ehaea In
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
WHOLLY INOPPoRTUNE.

Things are breaking badly for Col
Onel Roosevelt
At Chicago he saw his carefully laid
plans for capturing a double nomina-
ton result in the nomination of an
other man on the republican ticket
and the wreck of his own party. Then
one of his ribs pulled loose as q re
suit Of a fall or some superstTenUOus
coughing. and now the prospect of a
bully time in Mexico finds him utterly
out Of it.
He has no rough riders and nobody
has even been asked to raise troops
outside of the organized guard, but if
there had been a call for volunteers
could he go to the despised Wilson
for a commission? Hardly, but if he
could and if he did, what value has
military glory after all the conven-
tons have met? Everything has gone
wrong. This trouble with Mexico
ought TO have. started in 1914, when
it would h-~- 1een of some use to
pOlitico-militaTy hero.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
TAKE THE PROFIT OUT OF WAR

shown that since 1887, on armor plate
alone, the government has been over
charged at least S35, 900 900. He has
shown that a group of -nulti-million-
aires, whose riches have been enorm-
ousiy increased by the profits in war
munitions, are hackers of one of the
so-called patriotic organizations that
is cIamOring Ioudest for vast increases
OF expenditure for preparedness, and
that this organization has refused to
accept his invitation 10 show the un-
selfshness of its loudly proclaimed
patriotism by endorsing the demand
Tor government manufacturers of mu
nit7ons.
The facts are with Tavenner. and the
people are with him. No matter what
division of sentiment there may be on
the wisdom of necessity for national
preparedness, there can be no honest
objection to the principle Of value re
celved for the money expended, which
the nation has not been getting under
the OLD system of private contract.
Tavenner is fighting the fight of the
common people against the war NUM-
nons trust The people should and
must hold up his hands.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19

his vanity or caprice he may wish
hastily to reject. The whole question
of our relations with Mexico. there
fore. hinges upon the character and
disposition of one man.
We can think of no better way to
reach the truth of this matter than to
deal sternly and directly with the first
chief himself. Does he still adhere TO
the orders which resulted in the
slaughter of the Tenth cavalry squad
ron at Carrizal? If so, he is a foe and
not a friend and a joint commission
will commit US to a ghaStly negOtla-
tion with 4 government which has
made war upon US once and may do
so again. no matter what the findings
may be.
Before extending such distinguished
consideration to that government the
man at the head of it should be COM
PEELED to disavow the enmity shown at
Carrizal. which is still persisted in I'm
der orders that have never been with
drawn whenever his troops confront
our own.
Nobody but General CarTanZa is
standing in the way of honorable peace
in Mexico. There can be no honorable
peace in Mexico that involves forget
fulness of calculated wrong and boast
full hostility.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
YOUR Personal HISTORY.

Here is a letter which we wish every
correspondent would scan carefully,
for it is n horrible example, it exhib-
it's just what should be avoided in
writing to the doctor or in telling him
your troubles in the consulting room:
Kindly advise me about head noises.
l have used a spray for some time. |
have been treated by a specialist who
said there was an abSCesS. | had an
operation within the past year which
was a success. l will be thankful if
you will tell me how l can be reliev-
ed of this trouble. Stamped address
ed envelope enclosed"
All this letter explains is that the
writer has head noises. 1t doesn't eX-
plain many things the writer should
have explained, as, for instance:
How long have the head noises been
present? What spray, how used, and
for how long? Who is the specialist
why hide his identity-is he reputa-
BILE man or a fake ear specialist? ABB
scess of the chest, pelvis, or what? In
what way was the operation a success
was it merely that the patient did
not succumb TO a complication?
How old is the patient? What is her
occupation, mode of life and her hab-
writer has a good education, yet she
assumes that doctor can divine these
essential details by a sort of second
sight which an ignorant mind might
attribute to the long distance special
list who not only pretends to diagnose,
but actually mistreats his victims by
mail.
Perhaps the lady considered it none
of our business who her specialist
was, what operation was done, etc.
And it isn't But she was writing us
for advice, and about = very personal
and annoying ailment We recall "a
consultation we had few years ago.
A business woman"-so she called
herself-from out of the city sought
advice about prolonged bleeding.
Before mentioning the necessity OF a
pelvic examination we asked several
very personal questions about TIE
lady's history. She became indignant
and informed us that she desired ad-
vice, not oss-eXamination. We point
ed out to her the exit, and assured her
that she was under no obligation TO
be examined or treated or ad-
vised against her will. Whereupon
the business woman" Gained down
and confessed everything, including
her age.
Now. good many correspondents
appear to think a statement of the
present trouble should be as vague
and indefinite as possible 4 few have
a friend" for whom they wish advice
Some concede that they have had the
ailment for quite a long time" 9th
eTs mention that a certain doctor"
elected signs Of lung trouble" FIRE.
quently we are informed that the
kidneys seem 10 be all right" or the
lungs give me no trouble which is
no evidence at all that the kidneys or
lungs are not diseased.
And about ! per cent OF the letters
still come In unsigned. Such letters
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19

To give you a straight tip at the
very beginning Of this story, Amanda
Jones was thirty-four years old. That
put her in the class Of old maids by
quite number Of years, perhaps. But
why was she an old maid? That's
what you are going to be told.
Jed Strong was an old bachelor. He
was thlrty-six years old, and man
can't live single that long without be
ing called an old bachelor And why
was he called an old bachelor? Because
three times in six or seven years he
had asked Amanda Jones for her heart
and hand and three times had she re-
fused him.
Jed was good young man. He
had no vices. He was hardworking
and respected. Amanda had made
a great mistake every time she re-
fused him, and she had refused him
because Of a silly notion she had got
into her head. In fact, it was a no
ton put there by fortune teller. This
female fraud had come along one day
when Amanda was about twenty FIVE
years old, and before she had had her
first offer and told her that a maiden
must not accept the first offer made
her. If she did, she would not live a
year with her husband. AS to the sec
ond offer, she must be coy and shy. As
to the third, fourth and fifth, and so
on, she must command that she be
given time to think them over and
write to her people for their advice In
-, hoo Vw,
spite of himself. his love for Amanda
Jones had continued to live. He met
with plenty of nice girls and lonely
widows, but he came back heart free.
He came back to try his luck once
more. but he wasn't going to hurry
things.
The passing years had been painfully
slow with Amanda Jones. No one else
had come to make matrimonial offer.
She had wished hundred times over
that she had accepted Jed's and that
the old fortune teller had broken n leg
before she reached the house, but re-
penting would do no good. She had
come to be an old, old maid, and there
was scarcely hope for her in the flu
ture.
One afternoon Amanda went for n
long walk. She had heard that Jed
Strong was back in the village, but she
did not walk out in hopes to meet him.
He had probably got married in the
west. At least he had got over caring
for her. She walked up the river for a
mile or so and then took a seat ON the
bank. Before leaving her house the
idea Of taking bath in the river had
come to her. She might and she might
not, but she took along with her a
bathing suit that she might be pre-
pared if she felt like it.
At the same hour the same afternoon
Jed Strong took a walk up the river.
He did not expect to meet Amanda
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
The Daily Story
When Amanda Said Yes" - BY M. Quad

Jones, but he would find q shady suo,
and sit down and mediate and throw
clubs in the water and wish that everv
club would hit the old gypsy woman
fair on the head. He might make
fourth offer 10 Amanda. but he doubt
ed It. He would sit and think II over
lie found the shady spot and sat
down
Amanda had preceded him bv about
twenty minutes. She had decided %
take bath. She looked up and down
the highway and across 10 the corn.
fields on the other side Of the stream
but no one was IN sight in entering
the water she got tangled up In some
brushwood that was living in wait on
the bottom. and she fell down. and tho
suit was badly ripped. She waded
out farther, however, and was in the
water mp 10 her chin when n most aw.
ful thing took place. jed Strong came
walking along the bank. and by the
great horn spoon, II he didn't sit down
almost above her ana begin 10 medlfate'
There was only one thing the bather
could do, and that was 10 keen qule.
until he departed. He might remain
there half an hour or until shutdown
but she must wait, and wait she dd
Perhaps twenty minutes had passed
away when Jed caught sight Of her
head and face and instantly recognized
her and understood the situation. He
was not more than a minute forming
scheme. and, springing to bis feet.
he picked UP a good sized stone and
exclaimed loud enough for Amanda 10
hear:
by George, but that must be an al.
ligator, / will knock his blooming head
off at the first blow"
He drew back his arm for throw.
but a voice arrested il. 1t was the well
known voice Of Amanda Jones, and n
walled out:
ooh. Jed Strong don't kin meF'
ITS you, is it," be asked.
yes. it's me, but ] can't come ont.
You must go right away"
Il must must ~" replied Jed as he
hunted around for more stones.
what are you going to do;" asked
Amanda in a frightened tone.
For answer Jed threw a stone, which.
striking a couple Of yards before her.
spattered the water in her face. She
ducked. and when she came up she
saw Jed ready to throw another stone.
go away" she cried.
'I'll not 90 until-untiF'-
And Jed Strong fingered right there
and made his fourth offer Of marriage
and did not stir step until IL was nc
cePted, and he saw years OF happiness
ahead Of him. II may have struck
Amanda Mt the time as mean thing
to do. but weeks afterward when the
minister had done his duty, she put
her arms around the bridegroom's neck
and whispered:
"Oh, jed. why didn't you throw
stones at me long ago? We shall be Just
the happlest couple in the world"
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
THE SPEECH OF CONGRESSMAN
WARREN WORTH BAILEY OF
PENNSYLVANIA.

Mr.. Bailey Mr.. Chairman, in pre-
senting the rule under which this two
hundred million war revenue measure
is being considered the gentleman
from Tennessee (Mr. Garrett) explain
ed that it was framed to meet an ex-
traOrdinary situation. And that is
true But what l wish to say at the
outset is that for this extraordinary
situation no responsibility attaches to
me. It has arisen in spite of all the
efforts of those who think and feel as
[ do to stem the tide of militarism and
to allay the hysteria for which we are
now about to pay through the levying
of heavy additional taxes.
1t is not my business to reprOach
any member of this house, but per-
haps it will be permitted me to say
that if other members had striven as
earnestly as l have done and as some
Of my colleagues have done to mod
crate the craze that has taken posses
sion OF the nation the stupendOus ap-
preparations already made by this
congress might have been kept down,
if not wholly avoided. But I am afraid
that some who believe as earnestly as
l do that there is no justification for
the course which has been pursued
have held their peace instead of ex-
tIElIlS themselves DIS some Oh US nave
done 10 get the truth to the people,
and thus TO thwart the selfish and
sOrdid aims of the miIitarists and the
patriots for profit, (Applause.)
This really great measure is de-
signed TO place the burden Of this war
scare on those chiefly responsible
for promoting it, for let this be borne
in mind: The demand for huge naval
and military appropriations did not
originate in the ranks of labor. 1t
did not spring from the humble fire
sides of the land. 1t was not inspired
by the farmers or the artisans or the
plain men in overaIls. 1t had it's or
igin among the very elect Trace il
to its source and we find that it has
proceeded from Wall street and from
those whose great interests center
there. tApplauseD And so there is
poetic justice in the proposition we
now make in this bill. They who have
done the dancing the bowling dervish
dance of preparedness pay
the piper, Those who have been fl
nancing the National Security league,
the Navy League of the United States.
the National Defense league, and all
the other societies and organizations
which have been tanning the war
spirit into fame must now finance the
great program which this congress
has authorized and the money for
which has been appropriated. This is
precisely what this bill means It
means that wealth must foot the bills
which the preparedness" hysteria has
forced congress to contract. ZAP
plause) It means that the great in
comes Of this country are not to be
so great after Uncle Sam shall have
taken his toll for this mOnstrous mill
tary and naval expansion that would
never have been dreamed of but for
the costly campaign that was waged
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
Quincy Journal.)

t<AAAANs 1Oul liAt-J
Congressman Tavenner's plea is
not against preparedness, but
against the policy of permit
ting the public treasury to be
robbed for preparedness. He declared,
as reported in the press dispatches,
that Il favor real preparedness. but l
think the government should be pro-
tected against holdups by private con-
tractors"
on this stand, it is difficult TO see
how any honest advocate of prepared
ness-from a patriotic and not a prof
it-taking andpOint-can fail TO sup
port Tavenner in his fight. He does
not ask that the United States stop
building battleships or equipping it
self with arms and ammunition. He
asks only that private profit be taken
out of preparedness, that the govern
ment get a dollars worth Of prepared
ness for every dollar it expends, and
that the fostering of the AR spirit be
discouraged by making war unprofita-
BILE TO war munitions traders, as it is
to everybody else
Tavenner knows exactly what he is
talking about, and he has the facts and
figures to convince any unbiased man
OF the soundness of his contentious
lie has shown that powder is made by
the government, with its present linn
tied facilities. at A cost of "a per cent
less than II has had TO pay the powder
trust Tor the same article. He has
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19

Sydney. Australia. - Correspond
enCe of the Associated Press -lhe
war has driven up freight rates from
200 TO 400 per cent on Australian I'M
ports. In many instances freight Is
more than initial cost of goods Be
sides freight, additional charges nave
now 10 he met by war risks ana eA-
change while first costs have greatly
increased owing 10 scarcity OF raw ma
terials. shortage in shipping. labor
difficulties and congestion at ports OF
import Rates from the United states
are proportionatoly more than those
from any other part OF the world OF
canned salmon, for example, the
freight from San Francisco 10 sydney
was about SIS before the war whereas
il is now $50. From New York rates
have gone up from $40 90 approx
mately $50. Ship owners naturally
find more profit in sending NesSei
three or four times across the Allah-
tic than in sending her once 10 Aus
tralia in a given time. Prior 10 the
war the ordinary charge upon snip
ments of American hardware was be-
tween 81 and SIS per cubic foot out
now from $50 10 $50 is demanded me
rates on lumber from the American
Pacific slope have trebled whose on
Oregon pine from Puget sound ar" al
this stage about SO per thous-
and superficial feet Before the
war they were about So. Many
thousand tons OF cargo for Aus
tralia are reported as lying on
wharves in the United States and oy
every mail manufacturers are stress
ing the difficulty in getting merehah-
disc shifted TO ports for shipment.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-07-19
THE SOLDIER S FAMILY.

War department orders for the dis
charge of militiamen who are married
or who have relatives dependent upon
them for support solves a difficult
problem promptly and neatly. Men
who enlisted in the militia with no idea
of service in a war of invasion, and
who regarded themselves as defense
forces only. are thus given an oppOr-
tunity TO go home. The recruiting sta
lions are forbidden TO accept men
with family obligations. The need for
a government relief fund is removed.
AS for the voluntary relief commit
tees formed in many communities
they may still find work to do. They
are only temporary means, at best, but
they stand ready to serve as long as
the occasion remains. They have dorc
good work, and doubtless would have
been sufficient in any emergency short
of actual war.
Militiamen's families who have re
ceived aid, and those who Will be
obliged to ask aid before their men
return from the border, should not
feel that they are accepting charity
when they draw on the fund contrib
uted by the public. War and cOndi-
tions apprOximating war are a public
burden to be borne by all. The differ
ence between receiving money from
the government and receiving it from
a committee of citizens is only in the
method of administration.
Supporting a militiaman's family is
no more charity than supporting a re
tired officers family.
Far from charity the protection OF
the soldiers home is duty as clear
a duty as the soldiers protection of his
country