davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Keota news., 1917-05-25
In Arrears

"Poor Jibway!"
"What's the matter with himF
HE wants to own an automobile ana
never passes a salesrOOm that ne
doesn't cast yearning looks inside.
"Umph! He's better of than some
people who are afraid to pass by Ger.
tain automobile salesrooms because
they haven't finished paying for their
cars"
The Keota news., 1917-05-25
Jean 5
Assignment
By John Elm.
By John Ellin.


and grizzled hair shut the door with
bang. and came down the path to the
gate In frame Of mind quite obvious
to the passer by. Mr.>JacOb Haven
was both surprised and angry.
Inside In the living room OF the small
house q girl sat staring at nothing
crumpled up In the big chair where
she had sunk down when the door, 4
slammed. She sat 80 long without
moving that presently a door opened
from the dining room. and IN elderly
woman looked In rather timidly- Mrs.
Warren had always been timid and
apologetic about everything: and now.
since her husbands death. and Jean
had taken the helm. she seemed more
than ever to lean on the stronger ma
ture.
what did he say. Jean? she asked.
The girl reused from her stupof an
swered wearily: HE wanted the back
interest on the mortgage. which II per
sectly reasonable. He ought to have
I. II the Pilot hadn't thrown cut my
,opy now for two weeks l could have
made 1t up. l can't understand why
they did 1t. But they've promised for
1ext week. l asked him to extend the
time on the mortgage, as we couldn't
pay 1t now"
how to go on.
"Well. won't he?"
mo. That Is except on one condi-
hon."
Condition.
~Yes. He wants me to-marry him."
The loathing expressed In the last
two words made the mother wall out:
-Oh. Jean! what are we going to dot"
do you want me to say yes?" asked
tie girl.
mo. no. Jean. Of course not"
The two women lapsed into silence.
Mrs. Warren was not resourceful. and
Jean was trying to think 1t out alone.
She had contributed from one to three
columns every week to the Pilot. the
one paper published in the small west
ern town. and this with a slender pen
sion which her mother drew had en-
abled them to exist with strict
economy. The mortgage on their home
had been contracted five years previ-
Ously. and was now due. Jean had re-
fused to cancel 1t by marrying the
mOrtgager, who like the renowned "Ka-
tisha" was "a most unattractive old
thing with a caricature Of face" and
nearly three times her age.
After time the mother broke the
silence by asking: do you suppose
We could borrow it7''
"No," said Jean. "But Til tell you
what I am going to do. You know
Grace Baker is always asking me to
come down to the city and visit her.
Well, I'm going to accept. 1t won't be
exactly visit. 1t will be one big hustle.
I'm going to see If can't get some
thing to do on the papers down there.
I'll get three times the pay l get on
this little sheet. and more to do
~Oh, but Jean, you have no infiu-
ence. they don't know you. they won't
give you anything to do" objected the
mother.
"Well. I'm going to see. l wonder
what ever became of Guy Hastings?
You know he went to the city seven or
eight years ago. He had ambitions
to write, said he was going to write 4
big novel. But guess he never did. or
we would have heard Of It."
II can just see Guy drawing you on
his sled to school !" unused the mother.
.He must have been fourteen or If
teen when you were about ten. Yes
The Keota news., 1917-05-25
Singing Prevents Consumption.

Singing Prevents Consonpsto".
A well-knOwn tenor who was In dan
ger Of losing his voice once took OF
lob In one Of the petroleum re
fining rooms as an ordinary employee
with the result that he was soon abb
to resume his work ON the concer
platform. Which reminds us that sing
ing il excellent for consumption
Sometimes 1t assists AZ . cure, bu
It IL nearly always effective a. Z pre-
ventive.
The Keota news., 1917-05-25

There have been several instance,
Of sleeps lasting 20 years.
The Keota news., 1917-05-25

Mrs. Stinjay-I went shopping this
morning and bought . little lawn;
here's the bill for 1t.
Mr.. Sttnjay-Lawn! Phewi You
must have bought . whole farm.
The Keota news., 1917-05-25

Hardly.
One hears Of waters waxing rich,
And there's no doubt they are;
But al the tips they get from me
Wont buy . motor car.
The Keota news., 1917-05-25
Il Would ssssn 60.

~ WOUuo 0OOSU %.
His Wife, was surprised to learn
that Mr.. Oldesmith after threescore
years Of single blessedness had taken
unto himself wife.
Her Husband-Well. the old adags
seems to be stu working.
His Wife-What adage3
Her Husband-The one that says
There IL no fool like an old fool"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Love and Gratitude to Dogs
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: May thank you for publishing many
letters especially one from J. Woodward, in
to-days Tribune, written in warm and truth
full defence of mans truest friend, the dog ?
! also am of English origin, and know how all
English people prize and love their dogs, and
surely to-day, when these generous and fear
less creatures are actually laying down their
lives by thousands on European battlefelds
in the service Of humanity, is singuarly in
appropriate time to begrudge them their just
NEED of gratitude and praise.
should like TO tell Mr.. Z. B. Dell, too, that
the fine qualities and virtues that are quite
common and natural and inherent in the dog
are by no means so general as he appears to
think in human nature.
Like Mr. Woodward, have kept dogs all
my life, and gladly acknowledge the debt Of
love and gratitude | owe them. Senator
Vests beautiful Tribute TO the Dog con-
tains only the simple and unexaggerated
truth. c. NJ. STANLEY.
New York, Aug. 2s, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Get Rid Of Cangsters Instead
or of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: | also wish 70 champion the cause
of the dog. If Mr.. W. G. Grenshaw, jr., will
read "The New York Sun" of the 28th inst. he
will find that dogs are being used extensively
in the great European war.
1t is not an uncommon thing to read how
dog has saved family from fire or some
other danger, or where the dog sacrificed its
life to protect human being. Does this
warrant our clearing the country of dogs?
/ also fail to agree with the views of Mr..
Grenshaw wherein he states that our coun-
try is overrun with hydrophobia, as have
several other readers of your valuable paper
who appreciate dog.
Perhaps we would be better off if our
country were cleaned of some of the gang
sters and slackers, rather than if We were
compelled to get rid of our everloving dogs,
who protect US at any time, regardless Of
what the cost may be to them. Their reward,
perhaps, is an old bone, which | am sure will
not bring poverty to nation.
E. A. MOESCHEN.
New York, Aug. %, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Pro-Germanism Must Be Wiped Gu

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The Tribune is to be congratulated
upon its splendid service to the country in
publishing the enlightenin9 articles entitled
Enemies Within" | have been a keen
reader Of those articles and have thoroughly
enjoyed them. To my mind the government
ought to investigate these published state
ments and bring to an end this utterly dan
gerous practice.
The writer of these articles has shown
how wide a range Of territory is covered
by these internal enemies. From the At
lantic to the Pacific and from Canada to Mex
leo we are informed of the nefsrious prac-
tees set up by the German propagsndsts
The citizens of their communities should
rise up and protest against these agitators
and traitors. The Department Of Justice
should have unlimited powers in order TO
suppress these seditious activities occurring
daily in our country.
am sure that the more these practices are
kept up the more poisoned become the igno-
rant masses against the government and the
President. The time for delay has passed
and we must have action at once. Punish
the ring leaders and seize the seditious news
ought to be the new slogan of the
government.
Pro-Germansm must be wiped out in this
country IL we want to help make the world
safe for democracy. HERMAN BAUM
Now York, Aug %, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30

The decrease in 1916 is probably attribute
BILE mainly to the increase in the proportion
of low-rated commodities during the year,
principally Of coal and other products Of
mines.
The commissions report also shows that
the average operating expenses per train mile
increased from SLIT in 1915 to s1.S3 in 1915.
The fact that the railways were able to
show the largest gross and net earnings in
their history in the face of such an increase
in operating costs, while receiving lower
average rate than ever before, is therefore
attributable to a remarkable increase in eff
fcency of operation. How this was accom-
plished is illustrated in the commissions re-
port by the fact that the average number
Of tons Of freight carried in each train was
increased from 474.45 tons In 1915 to 534.96
in 1915. PITT T. HAND,
The American Railway Association.
New York, Aug. 81, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Send-Of Day.

New York has seen Shower parades
than that of the Guard to-day-parades
with more color and gold lace and sparkle.
Khaki is the color of the city, and it is a
drab, workmanlke shade, suggesting bust
ness to be done, in the most businesslike
Of wars, rather than marching to band.
But never that we can recall, has the
heart of all of US been stirred by march
ing men as it is moved to-day. Beginning
here and now the war ceases to be an
impersonal and distant abstraction and
becomes a personal reality for how many
of US! New York is supposed to have no
unity, no neighborhood spirit, no village
affections. Yet the whole fashion in which
The town is pouring out to-day, the stores,
are closing, and way is made for parents
and friends of the Guardsmen, bespeaks
a generous, get-together spirit that any
small town, however imbued with local
pride, could be proud Of. 1t is a city of
friends and comrades to-day, each FAM
lily bound to every other by the strong
est of bonds, supreme sacrifice and noble
pride.
Our Mayor spoke true words of the
Guard in his speech at the dinner in their
honor, and words which some of us have
been prone to overlook. He said:
The officers and men of the National
Guard represent at once the best and the
worst of the volunteer system. The worst
in that they have made themselves a sacri-
fee by their readiness to serve, their readi-
ness to sacrifice their comfort and their
time in the discharge of the obligation
that rested equally on all their fellow citi-
zens. The best, because they have borne
testimony to the fact that there can al
ways be found among the American people
group Of men ready to prepare, to go
forward and meet the emergency when il
comes.
That is the truth whether we like it or
not. We owe double debt of gratitude to
the men who are marching to-day. They
are the real vanguard of our citizen army;
The men who showed the way when mill
tary matters were the scorn of most
Americans and the chance of war thing
of moonshne. They had the courage and
the foresight, the will and persistence, to
train and make ready for the day which
most of their fellow citizens refused to
consider a possibility.
1t is with deepest sense of obligation
and in a spirit of all honor and praise
that New York cheers her first volunteers
to-day.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Our Low reight Rates
They Have Been Made Possible by a
Remarkable Efficiency
q the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Your publication in this mornings
Tribune Of the communication of l.. Schepp
Company, asking the press to act for re-
duction of freight rates in ocean shipping,
which, it is stated, have advanced from $3.50
70 81 a ton, on such food articles as rice
and grain to $50 to $50 ton," makes time
" consideration of the striking contrast with
the rates of American railroads.
While it is true that ocean-going bottoms
under war pressure have trebled in cost to
marine shipping operators. the same IN
creased cost has been inflicted upon the rail-
roads in everything they have to purchase
from days labor to rail spikes For IN
stance, freight cars which could have been
readily purchased five years ago Tor soVo
or 5000 to-day cost from $4,000 to sZ,ooO,
and practically all the railroad equipment
which we can manufacture is going abroad,
and the carriers here at home are put to the
task of handling tremendously increased
traffic. much of it imperative war trattic OF
the government, with practically no increase
of cars. locomotives and other facilities, and
with the loss through war needs IN Europe
of a vast number OF engineers ana other
highly trained men. The average freight
rate ton per mile received ny INC iaii-
roads of the United States in 1916 was 7l6
mills-the lowest on record-which fact has
lust been officially confirmed by statistics is
sued by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion for the fiscal year ended June 80, 1915.
most interesting chronology OF railroad
freight rates is this official record, just IS
sued and as yet unpublished in the daily
nress. which shows in brief the following
definite figures:
Fer the roads earning over sl,ooO,ooO
wear the average receipts per ton mile were
7.07 mills, as compared with 722 for the
previous year. The commissions hgures
cover all roads in the country having total
onerating revenues Of over 100000 year.
The average of 716 mills in 1915 compares
with 1882 mills in 1915, with 1873 in 1914,
and 1923 in 1913.
Never before since the Interstate Com
MERGE Commission began publishing railway
statistics has the average revenue per ton
mile been below 7.24 mills, which was the
figure for 1899 In 1891, the earliest year
for which the commission has the record
the average was s.95 mills.
Until 1899 there was general decline, and
from that year until 1904 there was an IN
crease to $50 mills. Since that year the
average has pretty steadily declined. The
average revenue per ton mile for freight for
each wear from 1891 to 1916 as reported by
N. commission has been as follows:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Dogs and Food
Why Not Prevent Many Evils by
Killing Of All Men2

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Concerning the suggestion Of Dir.
W. G. Grenshaw, jr.. that we kill all the
dogs to increase food conservation, why
not kill all the men? They eat far more
than the dogs, and if all the men were killed
there would be:
No more kings,
No more wars,
No burglars,
No murderers
No unhappy marriages,
No divorces,
No bigamies. etc.
Of course there are some good men; also
there are some good dogs, also some useful
dogs.
Dogs are, at present, saving lives (at the
risk of their own on the battlefield.
Dogs are guarding property while their
owners sleep, or attend elsewhere to their
duties
Dogs are guarding women and children
guarding them from other brutes, often
human while the men are at the front.
Dogs take the place of draft animals in
many countries land increasingly at PRESENT..
The Esquimau dogs do all the draft work
There are regions where have seen them
sent a mile or two, with heavy baskets, to
do the marketing.
They are most valuable indeed necessary,
in hunting.
They are most necessary as herders OF
sheep.
Regarding the current superstition about
rabies" Ia superstition which caused man
recently to throw dog out of the window
of moving train, the New York Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
will tell Mr.. Grenshaw that out of fifty thou
sand bites inflicted, in many cases by dogs
with "viruent rabies they have no record
among their bitten employees Of one instance
in which the bitee was in the smallest de-
gree Inconvenience. "The man recovered Of
the bite; the dog it was that died" (An-
other reason why the men should be killed)
OF course it is assumed that Mr.. Gren-
shaw is totally without affection, sympathy
or the sense of comradeship which makes
good dog such comfort and such bless
ing to his owner. We will confine ourselves
to the purely unitarian point of view.
E. B. PETERS.
Cold Spring Harbor, L. l., Aug. q, 1917.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30

But, as he has spoken without anger, he
has also spoken without faltering.
We may and shall hope that Mr.. Will
sons words, giving the American pur-
pose, will be heard and studied by the
German people. We may trust that they
will now seek and obtain that liberation
from tyranny and from barbaric despot-
ism which will prepare the way for peace
by negotiation. But until such time as
this is the case, until such time as Ger
man faith and German honor become
again of value in the world, it is idle to
talk of peace; it is futile to think of a
cessation of hostilities. Mr.. Wilson has
demolished every edifice of peace founded
upon the idea of preserving any portion
of the German purpose and the German
idea. And in years that are to come Mr..
Wilson's decision, which is the decision
of his country, will be remembered with
gratitude by those who enjoy the liberty
and the security which it has insured
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
New York, Aug. %, 1917.
Would Stint Self to Keep Dog

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: There seem to be some strangely con-
structed people in the world who dislike dogs.
Whenever one of them comes out with an un-
friendly word about the dog he pulls down
upon his head whole hornets nest, and
want to add my little sting to those already
printed in your paper. In case of shortage
of food | would checrfully stint myself in
order to have enough for my dog and if |
had to give up for the rest of my life either
the dog or eating meat, could get on much
better without the meat, although | do like
my chops and beefsteak. | think it would be
interesting to know the result of popular
vote il it came TO the case of entire elimina-
ton of either the sheep or the dog.
New York, Aug. %, 1917. ~ S. G.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
A Strong Food Commission Needed

at would be most unfortunate for any
class to feel that it is bearing more than
It's share of the burdens of the present
war;" says Governor Whitman in signing
the food control bill passed by the Legis-
lature at its extraordinary session. I'm
fortunate or not, that feeling is wide
spread. Enactment Of the food control
legislation was the reply to the protests
Of wage earners that they were being vic
timized by the food gamblers. There is
only too good basis for that feeling.
Prices of foods have been manipulated
without regard to anything but the profits
the spectators could squeeze from the
purchasers. A pamphlet recently pub
Eshed by the Federal government related
Instances of jobbers who melted retailers
to extort higher prices even for stock then
on hand by statements that everybody
should get his "bit" while rates were sky
rocketing in all branches of the trade.
The commission which the Governor will
rame under this new law will have the
difficult task of encouraging the food pro-
ducers and at the same time of putting
dishonest middemen, spectators and
flood sharks" out of business, either by
state regulation or by official competition
through buying or seizure of foods and
their sale to consumers directly. No
function the state can exercise will con-
tribute more directly to the wellbeing of
its workers and the successful carrying
on of their part in the war. There has
been serious question of the sufficiency of
several sections of the food measure to
meet the obvious needs of the present stu
alton; but whether or not it is wholly ade-
quate, the legislation is now on the statute
books. It's administration should be in
trusted only to a commission thoroughly
IN sympathy with its purposes, anxious to
carry out its spirit to the last degree.
There was manifest at Albany when the
bill was under discussion strong antago-
nism to any measure of food control, to
any interference with trade conditions and
practices. This antagonism, which could
only operate to the advantage of the spec
ulators, was accompanied by threats that
the Governor would be thwarted when he
came to name his commission. 1t is TO be
hoped such threats will not worry Gov
ernor Whitman. His duty is plain-to
name the strongest and best qualified men
he can find in the state for this highly
important task. II the food gamblers and
legislator. politicians want to make fight
for profits at the expense of the commu-
nifty, the voters will know where to place
the responsibility,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-30
Democratic Germany?
Pharisaical Pretension Of Blockheads
to Make Others as We Are
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Mr.. Balfour said recently in the House
of Commons: "No sane man will try to de-
mocratize Germany" Mr. Balfour confirms
Lamartine-"A people changes its govern
ment. never its character" Americans are
at war with Germany because of the generic
law, "A republic takes up arms only in self
defence and any pharsaic pretension to
make others "as we are" reflects the elder
Mill: "Canting bockhesds, the pests OF the
political world, that mistake words for
things"
If democracy is efficiency of administra-
ton, then Germany wide Harmsworth's
London DAILY Mail") is the purest democ-
racy known, but all Europe is monsrchcal
in tradition, thought and practice. Germany
believes in what Huxley called the exploded
theory of divine right; Nietschze, the god
of modern German polity, spoke of Chris
tans, cows, women. Englishmen and other
democrats England holds to Church and
State. "The Church." said Gibbon, "has sell
dom been found on the side Of the people"
As to the state, Colerdge declared what Dis
rael said was the greatest political utter
ance of England, "even better than his own
speeches." when on the burning embers of
democracy you throw the cold waters of res-
son the result is hiss" France wide Re-
nam b under the regime of the Capets Of
the tenth century. France seizes the farm
ers' wheat, but spares the "chatelain's"
woods; relic of the time when a noble"
atoned by law for the murder of peasant by
throwing six cents--"six soils pirisis"-nto
his victims grave.
Democracy in the United States is still
applied Organism or preparation for a third
term" "The ideal government" said Mat
thew Arnold, "is an educated democracy"
Schiller, 'the apostle Of the perfect life"
said: Democracy will be the ultimate form
of government when liberty comes to her
own"
Scott, in "The Fair Maid of PERTH" tells
that the young highlander said to the smith,
as he gave an almost fatal stroke: "You
taught me the blow" Civilization can re-
peat to Germany the smiths answer, as he
killed the highlander: yes, fool, but not the
defence" LESLIE CHASE.
Paris, France, Aug. 6, 1917.