davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25

President, probably would do nothing
until after election, and then, if he
decides to act, he would have to await
the pleasure of congress. BY that time
the harm would be done beyond repair.
Ore thing possible and urgent is a
campaign to induce farmers to plant
every acre they can to winter wheat.
Another is to spread far and wide the
knowledge of the use of cornmeal and
other substitutes for flour.
Foresight, the spreading of all the
facts before the people, may lessen the
danger that lack of wheat holds for
this country, for hindsight will never
help out if bread is scarce.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25

Amos Stone is i'll.
George Chadwick has sold his farm
to .. ID. Parker.
Mrs. niger of Joplin, Mo-, is visiting
her niece, Mrs. F. NJ. Leonard.
Guy Rounds is home from Springfield
on account of an injured hand.
Mrs. Emery Wilder of Manchester
visited her son here last week.
George Abbott and family have
moved to Rutland, where he has en-
ploymcnt. .#,
MIR. and Mrs. A. II. Douglas have
gone to Springfield, Mass, for e few
lays visit. '
Mrs. stillman ChiIds and daughter
have returned to their home in New
port, N. II.
Little Myrtle Stone, who broke one
bone in her arm last week, is getting
along finely.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ralyea of Long Island.
n. Y, are staying at their home here
few days.
Della Burton, who was at A. II.
Wade s all summer, has returned to
Springfield to work.
Mr.. and Mrs. Holcomb and sons
Of Whitehall, n. Y, were guests over
Sunday of his sister, Mrs. A. II. Wade.
Mr.. and Mrs. George Williams and
son, Rupert, attended a harvest supper
in Wardsboro last week Wednesday
evening.
Mr.. Pond and family returned from
keene, N. H., to George Shattuek s
Wednesday and left Friday for their
home in Niagara, N. Y.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25
Crop in America Little More
than Half of Last
Years Yield
FURTHER ADVANCES
IN PRICE LIKELY
Other Governments Controlling Distri
button Nothing Done by United
States Farmers Urged to Plant All
Winter Wheat Possible.

A wheat crisis confronts the world
The American wheat crop, which last
year amounted to 1,O11 ,555 900 bushels,
this year totals only 607 ,557 900 bushels
This means a crop disaster. Even the
total of COZ, 557 900 bushels estimated
by the government fails to represent
the full shrinkage in the yield, for the
spring wheat of this year averages
ten pounds per bushel less than the reg
ulation weight. This makes the total
crop equivalent to only 5s5,000,000
bushels.
In Chicago wheat sells today at near
~ $40 q bushel. The prediction is
that il will sell at 50 a bushel and, pos
sibly, $3.50 or $500. Flour, which last
year sold at $3.50 barrel, is close now
TO $40 barrel. There are fears that
il will 90 TO Sl2 or even higher. The
price Of bread has been advanced
throughout the land or the size of the
loaf curtailed.
Great Britain has taken under gov
eminent control the importation of all
wheat into England. This practically
means the communicating of the wheat
supplies of Canada, Australia and all
other British possessions. To supple
ment the supply Canada can furnish,
Canada s crop being almost a failure
Great Britain is drawing heavily ON
America s seant store of grain.
Switzerland has granaries under gov
eminent control to safeguard supplies
for the people.
France has taken over the regulation
Of grain within its domains, fixing the
price, directing the distribution and
specifying the amount the various dis
trict and individual dealers may obtain.
Germany has under government
direction not only wheat, but every
other character of food.
Every nation, except America, rccog-
nizes the food crisis and has organized
its forces to meet the situation.
Unorganized America is doing Moth
ing but trusting to blind chance.
Bread is the staff of life. To furnish
bread to America s 100000, 600 inhab-
itants every bushel of wheat now in
this country is necessary. To permit
any further drain upon our supply. is
TO court disaster. The price of bread
has climbed to a point where, with
the general high cost of living, it has
become serious to millions of people
TO drive it higher, much higher, means
less food for the poor, for the wage scale
is not kept in balance with the cost
scale.
No public authority in the United
States is giving attention to the mat
ter. Day by day foreign buyers are
lessening America s supply through
their purchases in the Chicago market
Day by day engagements are being
made for more and more shipments of
wheat to Europe. With utter reckless.
ness America is permitting European
buyers and American exporters to make
more and more acute a situation that
has elements of peril.
Against organized Europe what can
nnorganized America do2 The highest
authority in the United States, the
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25

freshman team holds the present season
record for drop kicks. He made one
from the 40-yard line in the game
against Andoyer last Saturday.
Ty Cobb 5 transforming in Connect
icut hasn't been all pleasure. In a re-
cent exhibition game in Putnam, he
held up the management for more mon
ey before the game started and
-Monldn It play -Gati4 lie got -it.- -A.isetf.
the fans learned this, they became sore
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25

on Cobb and rode him continually dur
ing the game. To make it worse he
played only five innings, drawing the
color line when IA negro went in to
pitch for the opposition. Primarily,
Cobb was the cause of the late starting
OF a game in Hartford last week also.
4 sheriff was ON hand to watch the re-
celpts and If his claim was taken, not
enough would be left to pay Cobb. The
Ease was patterned sryrepabfy, row
ever, by the filing Of bond
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25
Sporting Notes.

Brooklyn fans are signing a petition
Tor Sunday baseball next season.
Thirteen members Of the Princeton
football squad will graduate next June
Waleh makes considerable of a prob
lem for Speedy" Rush next season
If he has time to look that far ahead.
JIM Robertson of the Dartmouth
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25
WEST DOVER

Mr.. and Mrs. Z. J. Grout and Harry
Harvey returned home. Sunday from a
week s visit to Greenfield, South Had
ley Fails, Springfield and Boston.
The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-10-25
LONDONDERRY.
Pension of $40 Month for Life.

Fred Parker, who was with his par
cnts here all summer on account of ill
ness and returned to his home in viii
Mass, a short time ago, is
able to work in the office, and the Stan
dard Oil Co. for whom he works, has
pensioned him at so month for life.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30
Danish West Indies May Take On New Imp0rtane

island is simply mass of rugged noun
tains the highest of which. Mount
Camel rises to a height of 1870 feet.
1t has little commerce or agriculture.
and its chief Importance arises from
its possession of Coral hay, looked upon
as the best harbor of refuge in the
West Indies.
With the opening of traffic through the
Panamt canal the Danish islands Will
of the greatest routes of the worlds
commerce will pass right by the door
of ST Thomas, and 1t will become a
port of call for vessels from all the
seven seas. The distance from Europe
to the canal by way of St. Thomas IL
shorter than by any of the other ports
In the West Indies, and only a few
miles longer by the direct route
through the Mona passage. st. Thomas
is 1920 miles from New York. $500
miles from Liverpool and 1929 miles
from Colon. at the entrance TO the
canal.
Thus ST. Thomas becomes thep natural
crossroads for canal traffic. Vessels
from European ports plying through
the canal will tranship passengers and
freight there for New York and other
ports in the United States. for West
Indian ports and ports on the east
coast of South America. 1t will be-
come to ocean travel what Paris is
or was before the war-to travellers on
the continent of Europe. the place
some place else. Under the Stars and
Stripes there may be expected to grow
up on this land-locked harbor
thriving and cosmopolitan city, which
no one can be counted Travelled" who
has not seen.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30
HOT DAYS AND COOL
NIGHTS ON THE BORDER

~ L1MAT1C conditions on the Mexican
" border are variously represented
as good and bad. In fact, there is a
good deal of climate on the border, be-
cause that region. not clearly defined,
is very long and quite wide, and both
high and low. The present area of ac-
tivity is in a country that is high table
land. and a man who lauds the climate
of that section of which Ell Paso is the
center says: 1T is true at this season
of the year it is hot; judged by our
thermometer readings it would seem
unbearabIe and unlivable. but the air
is so rare and dry that one is not con-
scious of the heat-except in the sun
as the moment shade of any kind is
reached one is always comfortable. In
the years spent there l never heard of
case of heat prostration. The nights
are always cool. Darkness falls i'm
mediately after the sun goes down, and
with it goes the heat. A hot night is
unknown, and usually a pair of blan-
ketS is necessary.
Rapid evaporation is one of natures
phenomena which make. it is said, the
border climate agreeable and that make
1t possible to have not only cool water.
but perfectly chilled melons and fruits
of all kinds. long resident of that
part of the United States explains that
drinking water is kept in large porous
earthern jars. called olIas. holding from
ten to twenty gallons. These are filled
each day, and then for immediate house
hold use smaller Quantities are placed in
earthen bottles which correspond to our
carafe This clay bottle is usually
wrapped in a towel which is kept wet,
and the water gets perfectly cold. in
temperature resembling that of good
spring. The same method-wrapping In
a wet towels applied to fruit.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30
ANNIVERSARY OF DEATH OF PENN.

TN this day and age, when treaties often
seem. to be only scraps of paper" IT
is refreshing to recall, on this, the
anniversary of his death, something of
the life of a man who caused the ratifica-
ton of a treaty without single seal,
oath or other official symbol and which
treaty was never violated William Penn.
who accomplished this and founded the
state of Pennsylvania. died July 80. 1718.
Two hundred years is long time for an
Individual to be kept so freshly in mind
as the Quaker colonizer has been. Vol
taire said that PENIS treaty with the
Indians was the only one that the world
has known that was never sworn to and
never broken.
The British, of whom Penn was one.
regarded him as a visionary when he drew
I'D the constitution of Pennsylvania, with
the assistance of Algernon Sidney. Alb
solute federation was given any and all
religious sects. Whoever is right. the
prosecutor is wrong" was common say
ing with the transplanted Englishman.
This theory was extended to the red
men. whom he made his friends by a
justice which they as individuals had
never before enjoyed. A jury Of six Eng
Iishmen and six Indians was to decide
differences between the races and 1t is
said that the natives met their friend in
the same spirit. Forty years went by
after the treaty was made before there
was bloodshed between the Quaker col
ony and it's red associates. and then an
Indian was killed by white man. A
British authority declares that not sim
gle Quaker was ever slain by the Indians
Looking at it today. William Penn made
a marvellous bargain when he took the
land he called SyIvania, and his king in
sisted on calling it Pennsylvania, for a
debt Of the crown to him of $4,000. Much
of this money his father. popular ad-
miraf In the English navy. had advanced
to the navy and some was for arrears In
salary but as a whole the sum was in
herited by young Penn.
wroth with his son because Of his
stanch religious convictions. He had
sent him to France. while in the midst
of his studies at Oxford, so that he
might fall In with merry Paris and SO
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30
GENERAL VIEW THOMAS.
Memorial Library American

lobster palaces did a land office bust
ness.
The islands were discovered by CO.
lumbus on his second voyage, in 1894.
appeal to the fortune-hunting Span
iards and it was a long time before
any serious attempt was made to
settle them. While the history of the
three islands in it's main features is
the same. they have not always been
under the same flag.
The best known of the islands is ST.
Thomas. though il is second in size
and population 1t lies forty miles
east of Porto Rico. is thirteen miles
long and varies in width from one to
four miles. having a total area of
thirty-three square miles. large
majority of it's 1900 Inhabitants are
negroes whose ancestors were freed
ton. ST. Thomas is merely the ridge
of a mountain sticking up out of the
ocean. being prolongation of the
range of-which all the Greater Antilles
are part Its highest peak is West
Mountain. rising 1.555 feet above sea
level: not much of a mountain COM
pared to the Rockies. but quite hill
to lift itself up from so small speck
in the sea.
All three of the islands have a trop-
ical climate, the temperature varying
from 10 to so degrees. AS even this
far from unbearable heat always is
modlf1ed by sea- breezes. the islands
promise to rival Bermuda as pleasure
resorts when they come under the
American flag. The average yearly
rainfall is about As inches and vege-
tation is luxuriant wherever there is
soil sufficient for it to sprout.
The growing of sugar cane was once
hourishing industry in the islands,
but 1t decayed gradually after the
abolition of slavery and now does not
amount to much. Aloes, ibrous plants
and fruits are grown and the fisheries
are of considerable value. But the
wants of the natives are few and
easily satisfied and their chief industry
appears to be loahng in the sun.
Charlotte Amalie. the chief town of
st. Thomas, lies on st. Thomas harbor,
on the south side of the island, and
has population of $500. The harbor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30

uuate So in the harbor of St. Thomas,
at least. Uncle Sam will get some value
for his money. no matter of how little
importance the hinterland may be.
Danish is the official language of the
islands, but English predominates. while
French, Spanish and Dutch are spoken.
When the purchase proposal was ad-
vanced in 1902 there was considerable
1867 they were almost unanimously
in favor of it. A vote taken at that
time on st. Thomas gave majority OF
1,039 to - in favor of annexation TO
the United States while on St John
all of the 205 votes cast were favor
able. AS st. Croix was not included in
the proposed sale, no vote was taken
on that island Just how the people
feel today on the subject has not been
disclosed, but what little trade they
had has been hard hit by the European
war, and it is assumed they would
welcome closer commercial intercourse
with this country.
The islands under Danish rule con-
stitute a crown colony administered by
governor. assisted by colonial coun-
Gil. The governor resides for half the
year in ST. Thomas and the other half
in ST. Croix.
st. Thomas was first colonized by the
Dutch in 1867, having been neglected
than $50 years. After the departure of
the Dutch in 1867 the island came into
the hands of the British, who held it
until 1911. when it passed into the
hands of the Danish West India Com
pfny. This company was succeeded in
1885 by the Brandenburg Company. the
shareholders in which were mainly
Dutch. The King of Denmark took over
the islands in 1854 and declared it a
free port. During the European wars
of the eighteenth century the neutral
ity of Denmark gave a great impetus to
the trade of st. Thomas, and it was
during this period that the distributing
trade of the island grew up. 1t was
held by the British in 1901 and again
from 1907 to 1915, when it reverted to
Denmark.
st. Croix. better known as Santa
Cruz. is the largest of the Danish
group. 1t lies sixty-eight miles south
east of Porto Rico, is twenty-five miles
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30

consists of an almost land-locked
basin about three quarters of a mile
wide and with a depth of water vary
ing from twenty-seven to thirty-six
feet The channel by which it is en-
tered is only 800 yards wide.
In the days Of sailing ships St. Thorn
as was one of the greatest distributing
centers i'll the West Indies, but with
the Introduction Of steamships it's inn
portance gradually fell off until prac-
tically no trade was left. Conditions
for the islanders went from bad to
worse, until in 1912 the West Indian
Company, Ltd. was organized for the
purpose of enabling st. Thomas to
handle the trade which naturally be-
longed. to it. The new harbor works
were started in the spring of 1913 and
completed in July of last year. having
cost about S2O00.00D
In Longbay. at the entrance to the
harbor, the depth of water has been
increased to thirty-one feet, and a
wharf has been built measuring about
1900 feet in length, where the largest
ships sailing West Indian waters can
be taken alongside. Adjacent to the
wharf a coal yard. go-downs and oil
tanks have been erected. There is
always a large stock of British and
American coal on hand. and the coal is
carried to the bunkers of ships by
means of electric cranes and closed
pipes. When ships formerly coaled at
st. Thomas negroes carried the fuel
aboard in baskets, men and women
sharing the work, and coaling was one
Of the busiest and dirtiest jobs imagi-
nable. When ships coal now. passen-
gers may remain on deck without dam
ger that their white ducks will be
soiled. The coal is weighed automati-
cally, and the cranes load 100 to $50
tons an hour
The capacity of the oil tanks is $4,000
tons. and the oil is pumped on board
ship at the rate of about 800 tons an
hour. Filtered fresh water from the
company's own waterworks is deIv-
cred aboard ships at the rate of fifty
tons an hour. and arrangements for
provisioning ships are equally ade-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30

forget a belief but recently acquired
and one which all his associates
thought humiliating and disgraceful
1t appeared, when the youthful Briton
returned, some time later. that he was
sufficiently worldly and fond of being
worldly, to be cured of radical religious
tendencies. But plague spread over
London and It's vicinity and the great
became thoughtful and turned to the
solace of the new form of faith.
Being sent now to ireland for time
there were many meetings going on.
and when, one evening, the admirafs
son strolled into an interested audience
there, whom should he observe ex-
pounding the Quaker belief but one of
his old professors, Thomas Loe. This
clinched PENIS conversion. Being
ordered back home by his father and
threatened and cajoled alternately had
no effect William was thereupon told
to leave his fathers roof.
Then began a series of preaching,
writing persecueitno and imprisonment in
the famous Tower of London Finally.
when he and his co-religionists had
fairly worn out the intolerance of Eng
land, the old naval officer came to ad-
mire his sturdy minded son and they
were reconciled.
There is an amusing anecdote told
of young Penn and his king, Charles ii.
1t occurred when Penn went to ask
Charles If he might have the block of
land north of the Catholic province of
Baltimore. little less in area than Eng
land, instead of the $4,000 he knew he
would never get in cash. The king,
knowing the same thing, was delighted
to so end an obligation, and probab bly,
would have given him a charter for
two or three Pennsylvania If he had
requested 1t. AS the charter was being
granted. Penn stood in the kingly pres
ence with his hat on. Charles at once
took his hat of, at which the colonizer
is reported to have said: Friend
Charles, why dost thou not keep on thy
hat?' and the easy-going monarch an
swered laughingly that it was the GUS
tom of that place for only one person
at a time to remain covered.
Many years after, when Penn re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30

miles, which is greater than the area
of the three islands for which it now
is proposed to pay s25,000.009t But the
difficulty is that the ISLANDS owned
by the United States have no worth
while harbors, while in the Danish
group are two of the best harbors in
all the Caribbean.
Away back in the seventeenth cen
fury. when pirates ravaged the Spanish
main, the islands of st. Thomas and St
Croix. and their neigbor. st. Kits, were
favorite hangouts for the buccaneers
1t was there the bold followers Of Nor
gan and other pirate chieftsins went to
spend their ill-gotten gains, and what
in those days passed for cabarets and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30

0F the treaty negotiated between
the governments of the United
III States and Denmark for the pur-
islands of St Thomas. ST. Croix and
St John is ratified by the United States
Senate and the Danish parliament
Uncle Sam will pay S25.Oo0,O0U for some
land. chiefly mountains. which. fifty
years ago, could have been bought for
S7.5oo.O0O. And the land is less pro-
ductive than it was when the Senate
refused to ratify the purchase agree
ment entered into by Secretary Seward
and the government at Copenhagen.
This is not an exact statement of
Seward agreement. che largest of the
islands. st. Croix, was not included in
the proposed sale. But a good many
years later. in 1902. Secretary Hay
signed an agreement with the Danish
government for purchase of all three
islands, the consideration named in the
treaty being s5.OoO.o0o. Prompt action
by the Senate then. only fourteen years
ago, would have effected a saving of
$20,0O0.UOO But the Senate fddled
along for the better part of year. and
when it did finally ratify the treaty it
was too late. Some influence, popu-
larry attributed to Berlin. had been at
work in Denmark. and the Danish SEN
ate rejected the compact.
Denmark had been paying out be-
tween 100000 and S2OOO00 a year to
make up the deficit in the West Indian
colonial budget. and five millions of
good American dollars appealed to the
thrifty Danes. The people of Dnmark
undoubtedly favored the sale, and the
agreement was ratified without serious
opposition by the folkething, which
corresponds to our House of Repre-
sentatives. But in the landsthing, or
upper chamber. corresponding to our
Senate, ii struck snag. There are, or
were at that time. only SiXty-six men,
bers of the landsthing. and twelve of
them were life members appointed by
the crown. The others. serving eight
year terms. were chosen by the leading
taxpayers.
But even in this aristocratic chamber.
and despite whatever influences were at
work, it was only by the narrowest
of margins that the treaty was de-
feated Just as they do here in Wash
inston. enterprising Danish journalists
"polled' the landsthing and found
clear majority in favor of the treaty.
This was tip for the opposition to get
busy. and when the day of voting came
two of the life members appointed by
the crown, who-were home sick and
supposed to be on their deathbeds, were
dragged into the chamber to vote
against it. One of these members was
ninety-seven years old. and had been
mentally lncapacitated for a long time.
The other was eighty-seven. and was
carried into the chamber on a litter
Only the administration of stimulants.
it was charged at the time, enabled him
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30

to muster sufficient strength to vote
no" But these two votes were suffi-
cient to reject the treaty.
So. in 1867. the Danish government,
both houses of parliament concurring,
was willing to sell the islands of st.
Thomas and St John for $500. 900,
and that in 1902 the sale of all three
islands for 100000 was blocked
only by the votes of two decrepit
senators who were too i'll TO take any
part in the ordinary business of gov
eminent. Now that Uncle Sam-pro-
vided Congress concurs in the views
OF the ,admi nj stration-is willing to
pay s25,00o,00 for the islands. it
would not seem to the casual observer