davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
WHERE DOES HOUSE STAND?

When 'sColonel" House was on his way home
he made the trip as private citizen on regu-
lar passenger vessel. The George Washington
was not sent to get him. No naval vessel was
at Brest to put the captains suite at his dis
iposal. He just came back quietly on pur-
chased ticket in an ordinary stateroom; nor was
there grand reception when he walked down
the gangplank on his arrival at New York City
All this and some other matters with which
1umor has been busy point to the possibility
that Colonel House may not be quite as
r. gratusn to his illustrious patron as he used
to be. It is true that he said on sailing that he
was willing to return to Europe and do any
thing else the president wanted him to do; but
the question of Importance on which this throws
no light is whether the president wants HIM to
10 anything more Colonel House is credit
ed with having fixed up things with Italy by
giving her Fiume This was during the presl-
dent g absence in America in March and he had
not been back in Paris an hour before he kicked
the ''colonel's' house of cards to pieces and
told Italy that she could never have Fiume.
Again it is said, and not denied, that the
colonel influenced his chief to give Shan
tung to Japan, a course which the president has
since had reason to regret. But whether this
be so or not, if the mystery man OF Texas finds
that he has played to the end of his part upon
the worlds stage and is disillusoned like Vol
sey, the little that is known of him leads to the
belief that he will take in philosophic silence
this turn of Fortune s wheel, too proud to re-
veal his feelings to the world.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
Iowa suffraaists.

Davenport Times. Suffragists
meeting at Boone indicated that
there is not to- be blind following of
party lines on the part OF the women
voters, in ACCORDANCE with the politi-
cal affiliations Of the men in their
families A tendency has been noted
among the women voters to inquire
Carefully into what the two old par
ties have to offer before pledging
their support. On the part of these
new voters, who in few more
years will take an equal place with
men at the ballot box, there is not
the strong party allegiance which
guides men in their voting.
Although the Independent voters
have become more numerous during
the last few years than they were
formerly, there is still the tendency
to line up with the party at the last
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

minute, unless radically portentiod1
grievances are apparent. But sna
women will probably AFFECT the sitas
ton materially in many localities
lis not probable that any large nur5
Der will form into separate poii'H
cal unit to barter votes with Ply
party which offers its memosrs ~
best inducements, not material "
ducements for themselves, of course
but for their ideas ana principles
But 1t is probable that they WIZ
make demands which political .paa1
ers must recognize. Many otne7
states have gone through this recon-
struction period. Iowa is just facing
it. And Iowa women are already eV1
dencing an independence IN politics
which politicians may look on WIZ
disfavor, but which should neyerta1
less require a better class of olnc9
holders.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
I know everything except mysef.-Fran-
co.'s Villon.
ATTORNEY GENERAL PALMER's TOUR.

Just what Attorney General Palmer purposes
to do on his announced tour of the country I'D
prosecution of his campaign against proflteer-
ing the public des not know. Ii he proposes to
make speeches of the sort that he made IN
Philadelphia wherein he declared he could pre-
sent case against the packers which would as
found and enrage the nation, which case he has
not yet been able to get before grand jury,
there is little need of his junketing. Ii Mr.
Palmer has evidence of the sort he hints at, why
should he not be able to use it in behalf OF the
public? He is attorney general of the United
States; he is presumably fitted for his Office. 1t
is absurd to suppose that in his official capacity
he can be prevented from doing the work he IS
charged WITH except as he aequiesces IN pre-
ventive measures. If local agencies are hinder
ing the process of justice, then possibly the at
torney general is justified in personally super
vising the work of investigation and prosecu-
ton on thevspot where the trouble is found.
But it remains to be seen what Mr.. Palmer does
OH his tour Thus far he has promised much
more than the public has knowledge of his hay
ing accomplished
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
No Third Term For Wilson

Lincoln Journal: The presidents
illness is more conclusive than a
presidential statement might be In the
matter of third term. He is now
sixty-three years old His present
condition suggests inability much
longer to bear the extraordinary
strains of the presidency. He would
be sixtyfour on inauguration day a
year from next March, and a four-year
term would carry him well past sixty
nine. To serve in the presidency until
that time would mean deprivation for
Mr.. Wilson Of the opportunity to
round out his years by literary re
port on the extraordinary times
through which he served in the white
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
IOWA PRESS COMMENT.

Webster City Freeman-Journal: Now
that the president has quit talking,
the senate ought to get busy and ratlIy
the peace treaty with or without reser-
vations or amendments. The matter
ought to be disposed Of.
Burlington Hawk-Eye: The young
men of the next generation in the
United States will come into an lnher !,
lance of inestimable value. They VIII
inherit a saloonless env1ronme n|-
With this immense advantage there
ought to be wonderful progress In
modern civilization.
Council Bluffs Nonpareil: Who IS
going to pay in the end the nuse
monthly deficit which occurs with
monotonous regularity under govern
ment management of the railroads!
Perry Chief: Carl Kuehnle says the
office of governor should seek the man.
hut he is doing all he can to make the
search easier in case the office Is LOOK
ing for him.
Anamosa Eureka: The extra session
of the legislature to be called next
winter to take up the work Of cod1fl-
cation Of the Iowa laws. will have
hard time keeping away from otner
matters. The cranks and HOBBY
chasers will all be there, Deselsing
Legislators to cure all ills from the
Indigestion of the nations to the colo
of counties.
Mt. Vernon Hawk-Eye: While we
are talking about economy and more
Drawn as well as brains in the error.
to get back into rational footing, let
the government set the example. Ere
sumably that's the biggest institution
we have, and the example OF the pis
fellow is always perceptibly effective
To be frank, if the government, in the
person OF the nations chief executive
nut some personality and leadership
into the idea that it was sacred
charge to spend the peoples money
we might today not be so entirely UNI
balanced, we might not he so errone-
ously inspired in this big figure non
sense.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

ling is part Of the things that afflict
us as nation. Too many OF us have
ceased to do our ordinary work think
ing that we can live by such devices
as we are disclosing. 1t will work
for while and for some people, but
let US not be such fools as to believe
that the whole world can live and
move and have its being by betting
on either baseball games or oil wells.
When we come to that conclusion the
whole Of mankind ought to be en-
closed within the walls of an insane
asylum and there should be a great
many padded cells for those who may
become violent ones.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
SPECULATION IN FARM LAND.

The middle western corn belt states are in the
midst of widespread farm land boom. In
Iowa and Illinois land values have increased as
much as two hundred to three hundred per
cent. Farms are being sold at increases aver
an acre since last spring The land boom has
spread into Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska and
the Dakotas and as far east as Indiana.
1t is said that bankers, merchants and per-
sons IN other occupations have caught the
<.boom fever" and are making large profits
buying and selling farms, in some instances
from ten thousand to fifteen thousand dollars
on single transactions. Many of the purchas-
ers are city folks who have been caught
il. the back to-the- Gland movement In a number
of cases farmers have sold their places with the
hope of buying cheaper farm in another To-
cality, but failing in this have paid the dealer
from ten thousand to fifteen thousand dollars
to rebuy the same farm which they had pre-
viously sold. Other farmers are selling their
farms and retiring to the villages and cities.
1t is pointed out by federal department of
agriculture farm management specialists that
the higher prices for farm lands are making
II more difficult for tenants to acquire land
The over-capitalized farms are absorbing the
increase which farmers ordinarily would have
spent for improvements. The country is los
ing the service Of the experienced farmers in
pctive crop production. The interest and over
head expenses are getting to be higher than the
earning capacity Of the farms under normal
conditions, and it is evident that many pur-
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

chasers of farms who are heavily in debt Will
not be able to meet their interest payments
when farm prices fall back to the normal peace
level, and these men will lose what they have
paid down on their holdings.
There are always elements of risk in farm
speculation but the owners OF farms bought at
the crest of the boom prices are sure losers when
the boom collapses. There isn't an element OF
chance for them.
The federal department of agriculture gives
this wise advice to prospective purchasers OF
farms: eff you desire to purchase farm
you should be very sure that the price you pay
is fully justified by the probable net earnings
of the farm when conditions become more
normal"
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
ArLuRINe BAIT FOR SUCKERS.
Cedar Rapids Republican: We have
received the following solicitious let

Cedar Rapids Republican: we nave
received the following solicitious let
ter:
The enclosed check for ST.
10000 paid to -, proml
nent business man OF Waterloo,
Iowa, represents the return OF
principal plus 100 per cent. profit.
on an Investment made through
the House of Bagby & Company
a few months ago. Mr..
invested 81, 10000 and he received
back $2,4O0. 1t was an invest
ment in oil. Sixty-seven other
investors in various parts of the
country participated in the In
vestment on THE same basis as
MI. -. The total amount
involved was $125,000.00. My
reason for calling this matter to
your attention is that you are
one of those who were invited
to make the investment, but who
did not avail themselves OF the
opportunity.
No doubt, thousands of others
have received letters with the same
Yes, we are sorry now
and still we might have been a
great deal more sorry. The sixty
seven men who earned such moneys
we're no doubt wisely distributed to
serve as shining examples in all
parts of the country. We can see
1ow such profits happen. occasion
ally. but they do not happen all the
line. Every one who bores for oil
Ices not get it. There are thou
sand holes in the ground to every
'gusher," and perhaps ten thousand.
Betting on which boring is going to
make a gusher is worse than betting
IN the White Sox.
We know of one foolish man who
made SITS on the Reds of Cincin-
lati, SO far, but that winning should
lot tempt one to bet on everything
hat goes on. On the whole betting
IN bali games is safer than betting
IN oil wells. Half of those who bet
IN the games win, while not one in a
thousand wins in oil well bettings.
The literature we have quoted is
low being sown broadcast and that
~ hundreds of promoting companies.
Ne are printing it and commenting
III it because we believe this gamb
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
TODAY'S Bil OF VERSE
THE BLUE JAY.

Villon among the birds is he.
A bold bright rover, bad and free;
Yet not without such loneliness
AS makes the curse upon him less.
If larkspur blossoms We're awning,
If iris went adventuring,
Or, on some morning, We should see
Heaven bright-blue chicory
Come drifting by, we would forgive
Some little sins, and let them live!
verlaine among the birds Is he,
A creature of iniquity;
And yet, what joy for one who sees
An orchid drifting through the trees.
The bluebell said naughty word
In mischief, and there was bird.
The blue sky laughed aloud. and we
Saw wings of lapis lazuli.
So fair sinner surely wins
A little mercy for his sins.
Louise
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

house, an opportunity for which one
of his habits and tastes must yearn. He
has not had the Astounding vitality
which permitted Mr.. Roosevelt to
write books and magazine articles
while in the presidency. Everything
save one fact points to MIR. Wilson's
retirement at the end of his present
term. That fact is the extraordinary
paucity Of material for the successor
shin
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
Who owns the Railroads.

Leslie's Weekly: Some people seen
to think that government ownershl1
of railroads would mean the wres]
ing Of the roads from the hands y
the millionaires. Nothing could \
further from the facts. The Pennsy1
vania railroad has recently reache.
a new high record in the number "
stockholders. August i the aggresa'1
number was 1925, this beng al
increase of more than 5000 in yea.1
The average holding Is now elgnv]
nine shares as against 106 shares wv
years ago. The railroads OF u'
country have over a million shaIs|
holders, the number about equallns
the number of employees, yet the la,
ter under the Plumb bill would Ias'
over properties they do not own hsi,
road security holders represented "
Insurance. companies and their poile,,
holders and savings banks and thea
depositors aggregate 30,o00,Ooo pei,
sons. None OF the great corporatlohsss
not even the packers, are owned y
a few. They are managed by a les
which is essential If they are 10 III
well managed. but the holders ii
their securities are to be founa 4
every village and hamlet in the ianO
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
SOME MORE PIERCE "eusH."

Des Moines Capital: Jim Pierce
Homestead" of SEPTEMBER IL, con-
tanned three full pages of soft stuff
signed by James M. Pierce" Pierce
is bleeding again for the farmers.
One of his themes this time is In re-
gard to pole" barns. He reprints
a letter from a woman telling about
the misfortunes on the farm thirty
or forty years ago. Pierce thea re.
lates that recently he travelled
through the grain belt and marveled
at its richness, and looked with won
derment upon its improvements. The
woman who wrote to the Homestead
briefly mentions the pole" barns
poles set in the ground with cover
ing of straw. Then Uncle Jim says:
Personally, I was more inter
ested in what Mrs. Taylor had
to say about the pole and
straw covered barns than any
thing else. l have, with my own
hands, held the plow and broken
out the burrows around the forked
section of raw prairie; l have
cut down the forked saplings
from which the corner posts were
made for the original pole or
prairie barn of which Mrs. Tay-
Ior speaks. | have cut the brush
and moved the slough grass with
which the roofs were matched
is it to be wondered at that her
letter interested me and unrolled
the scroll of years. taking me
back to my own early days pere
in the grain belt, when the
prairie was virgin?
/ have repeatedly spoken of
how the letters of ofd-tfmers In
terest me, and | want to say it
again. Nothing gives me greater
pleasure than to have such let
ter as this one printed herewith,
to find 1t spur 70 my own
memory, turning time backward
to the days of my boyhood and
youth. One of the things for
which / am most thankful in life
is that my readers write SO fully
and frequently, ana thus make
interesting days which otherwise
would be nothing but work, the
steady grind necessary for the
issuance of my three farm
papers.
Jim says he cut the brush and
moved the slough grass and he
knows all about making pole"
barns. He says he is interested in
lnrolling the scroll of years, taking
him back to his own early days here
in the grain belt At the time Jim
speaks of he was publishing a paper
1T Bedford and he never raised
single, post to support pole" barn,
certainly not in Bedford. Uncle Jim
s letting his Imagination run. 1t
would be fair to state that Austin
Haines' imagination was running, in.
ssmuch as Pierce confessed that he
had not written line for the Home
stead in ten years. Austin Haines
was raised In Grinnell and never
saw pole" barn or a photograph
If one.
To any one who has known Jim
'orty years. his proxied gush is
@
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

Another bad thing the Russians have done is
te, make us so familiar with the word "pogrom' -
that it no longer looks like misprint.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

Sometimes the most UBIQUITOUS cigaret plugs
up the most ubiquitous whistler
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16
A LOSING VICTORY.

The British railway strike cost the men about
ten millions in wages and they won an increase
of seven million dollars in the pay of about
one hundred thousand low salaried workers ex-
tending over period of six months, which they
probably would have received without strike.
The strike leaders are wondering if the end
justified the means, and the British public takes
the view that the whole affair was heavy debit
for the country. Those labor leaders in this
country who would not hesitate to tie up the
nations transportation system to compel ac-
ouiescence in their demands may we'll profit by
the experience Of their brothers in England
Great Britain has had to pause in her strng-
ole with other national problems to constitute
a committee to determine who invented the war
tank. There are eleven claimants Of the
achievement, and the actual thing done was con
ceiving the possibility of putting an armored
box on an American farm tractor. Perhaps
this occurred to all the eleven men about the
same time.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

Sad thought to the consumer that he has to
pay the profiteer's income tax.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

AS you grow ready it, somewhere or other you viii
find what needul for youth book, or TREND, or
Of all, In your thoughts the eternal tnou9ne
speaking In your thought-George Macdonald.
The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-16

English monarchs have reignea y
an average OF twenty-three yea.
each. In Russia the average w.
only sixteen.
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-18
WHAT IS AN IDEAIST?

A IDEALIST is who pursues ideal Ideal is word of numerous meanings, according to how it is used It means something that exists only in the mind Some times is used synonym for what entirely fancfu In ordinary it the standard of perfection mat ter which intelligent ought to sock in practice.
 They inquired of Mir. Ford, What idealist?" He replied "One who helps others mako a profit
 This was excellent plain mans answer It which anybody understand In practice concerned mostly with making profit for themselves. When they concerned in helping other make profit they following the golden rule. Every wants make his life profitable Hence he should desire profitable life every
 Some of the reported Mir Ford accurately Others desired, apparently, to make him ridiculous.
 The New York Times made him say An deaist is who helps to make prof leaving out the word "others.
 The editor who did this Is not idealist
 The Ford is interesting. It is great public inquest into morals IL is searching of the American heart. It be- hooves Americans know and understand what going in this court
 Upon side is progressive, humane generous minded who pays high does vast business and sells his for low price.
 His mind is teemng with practical for making the country like an ideal country
 On the other side those who change. minds set in favor of things just as they
 Many things against each other in the It is an instructive litigation and from which people may take much profit if they will.
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-18
ARMY JUSTICE.

A BEGINNING is made in the improvement of army jus 4 ice by the order of General March that death tences imposed by courts martial to he president and execution put until his approval given.
 Military justice and etiquette are medieval goes to the oldest times, when the soldier a machine ignorant of the simplest phenomena outside his own immediate environment.
 The French system proves that the caste separation between officers and men is not necessary.
 The Australians proved that the rigid Journalism that marks the relations between private officer
 Obedience 10 orders is thing
 Standing at attention with fixed eyebas is
 Everybody ridiculed the German The step muscular sign of the
 The rigid eye is nothing nothing less. of goose step.
 America soldiers obey orders without ing without steps and without holding unnatural position everytime
 The step and the rigid eye the thing naturally would exist under system where private right of complaint except through and adequate protection from the tyranny superors
The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-18
LOOKING BACK 50 YEARS

(From The Farmer, Friday, July IS, l869)
 The next annual reunion of the Fourteenth Connecticut Regiment will be held in this city the 17th of September.
 The two Messrs Beers conductors the Naugatuck rail- road have been called away attend the funeral of their mother their places during the absence being taken by Con- ductor Lathrop ticket Beach, Mrs. Beers estimae lady and died at New Canaan the 14h at the advanced age of 80 years.
 has been would not it be well to have the weeds cleaned off They from two to three feet high in places and great when covered with dust ran especially ladies who have occasion pass them Let have them removed Mir Commissioner.
 Any who been pretty thoroughly around city would be surprised should he do to notice the number of houses in of erection Among others Mr. s. M Conger putting up the appearance of fine resi- dence kossuh street, E. D.
 This weather is hard paper collars. When the mer- the collars down. and the result is the bus nearly doubled. i'll wind that blows nobody good
 Bridgeport In Philadelphia during the months the sponges saturated with water,
 the heads of draug ht horses nearly universal railroad companies generally have adopted this idea
 A little shaver there is piece broken off the moon remainder hoWev furnishes light enough for hundreds promenaders who thron walks occupy the at Seaside park during the bamy evenings enjoying just now.
 The Waterbury American tells the following highly probable story-A days ago known lawyer bought found looking change agent given him dollar too much He accordingly immediately return informing the agent of his mistake handed money For moment the agent stood speechless then tears poured his cheeks, he grasped hand excaimed-Pease stand still moment and let lool a you-and lawyer too"