davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

ally made TO 1T their particular figures
or altered 10 tit them
II the standard corset does not At the
G-ure OF the purchaser. then, theoretically,
the purchaser has not a standard figure.
II she cannot wear the standard shape,
then her figure is technically deiormed
Therefore. these women who must pay for
specially made corsets or having corsets
altered 10 fit them ought TO be freed from
any tax on corSets on the same line Of
reasoning as persons with deformed feet
or ankles escape the TAX on specially fitted
shoes. But even this is a very unplaas.
ant door OF escape from the corset tax.
No woman likes 10 put in a claim that
her figure is deformed.
And when is boy not a boy?
There Is nothing in the law taxing
babies or infants wearing apparel The
law says that boys boots, underclothes
and so forth shall be taxed under certain
conditions But there is nothing in the
law providing any taxes for the same
articles for girls. Up 10 the age of year
or two boy babies and girl babies wear
Just the same clothes. Did the muddle-
headed experts who wrote the tax law
intend to do The gallant thing and inten-
tonally soak the hoy baby for his clothes
and relieve tho dear little girl baby from
the tax burden? There Is little evidence
elsewhere in the iaw of any such courtesy
toward the feminine sex.
So the shopkeopers. aided by the moth.
ers of babies. have decided TO correct the
careless stupidity Of the people who wrote
the Law, This is how II is done:
Boy babies and girl babies are not really
boys or girl. They are infants and wear
interchangeable clo'hes--you can't tell
from the clothes Of an infant whether it
is a boy or a girl. So until the infants
become old enough so that their clothes
make it apparent that the infant is boy
tax on boys should not amply. There
is nothing in the law about taxing infants
y hoy is an infant and not a boy until he
wears boys clothes Therefore. a boy is
not hoy until he wears the clothes Of a
boy The tax collector has no right to
pursue his investigation beyond the face
of the returns. as the politician puts it,
But that is not all about boys The law
says that mems shirts must be taxed and
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

tea-coats. You may buy any Of these tax
free so long as you do not pay more than
$3.50 for the garment. But If the material
is fur or most OF its value is represented
by fur trimming It is not lounging robe
at all. In that case, ii is "furs. and as
such taxable at 10 per cent on the total
Of its cost at the shop. Would you think
kimono is loungng robe? Oh, no, it
is not! II is "a garment OF Japanese or
pseudo.Japanese workmanship" and does
not pay any tax unless the price is above
SIS.
Going back to jewelry-your allowance
for an umbrella or parasol IL 81 If you
buy So umbrella you must pay $50 for
1t. But il the umbrella Is ornamented
with silver band or its handle tipped
with silver, 1t is then not an umbrella but
tewelry. and is assessed per cent. max
ing the price 1925. 1t does not matter
whether the silver is real or only mita-
ton. The umbrella Is jewelry, Just the
same.
a hatpin with piece OF yellow glass al
the top. initiating topaz or perhaps amber,
is jewelry Anything with ivory on it Is
iewelry But, curious exception. imita.
ton ivory Is not jewery, while both imi-
tation Jewels and metals are.
silver-spangled shawl Is jewelry and
so is grandfather's clock! In fact. all
kinds OF clocks as we'll as watches-and
so. likewise, are field glasses picture
frame ornamented with gold, silver or
ivory Is not picture frame. but jewelry
IT, however, IT Is adorned with merely sill.
yer leaf or gold leaf 1t Is a picture frame.
all right, and there is no tax unless the
price be above $40
In this confused work OF defining what
is everything we have from children 10
carpets art has not been neglected
4 statue Ia only a statue when II repre.
sents a human being or some animal
But even when II Is all OF this 1t Is not
statue when II Is part OF building
The statues that adorn the New York Gus
tom House and public and other buildings
and residences throughout the country i'm.
mediately pass out OF the statuary class
when they are made part OF the structure.
Sculptures include everything that is cut
or carved by hand. A sun-dial is
sculpture and so is a paperweight but the
makers OF the act evidently had some
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

legs of wearing this sort Of "jewelry" as
the man who has very little the matter
With his eyes.
Bit that is not quite all ii YOU like 10
wear the big horn.rimmed glasses, they
are not listed as "jewelry" Since celu-
loid rims contain no precious metal they
are not jewelry, and therefore escape The
tax But not everybody likes 10 wear the
ostentatious horse.blinders which you can
see across the street II YOU do not like
these monstrosites YOU must pay the Gov
eminent for exercising your superior taste
in wearing the invisible. unrmmed eye.
glasses.
The Internal Revenue people who collect
the taxes have made rules and explana-
tons. but. OF course what they say is sub
ject TO final decision by the courts So
they have ordered taxes collected on cor
sets, declaring that underwear is "any gar.
ment worn under the outer dress, such as
undershirts, drawers. pants. bloomers,
union suits, tights. camisoles, corsets. cor.
set.covers, brassieres. chemises and
vests" But this ruling also adds that this
list SIS by no means intended to he ex-
haustive"
Are porous plasters. abdominal belts.
etc. also "underwear"o The revenue col.
lectors are on record as ruling that live
snails are wild animals in captivity" and
frogs legs must be taxed as poultry
What is a lounging robe? A mans
breakfast coat is a lounging robe. accord
ing to the Treasury Departments defni
ton, but so are also boudoir gowns and
Great Britain Rights Reserved.
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

And suppose father, small.sized man,
goes in any buys dozen shirts and says
they are for his boy. What is the tax col
lector going TO do about II?
Some shops have arbitrarily said that
boys shirt. Anything bigger than 1872
size is mans shirt BY this arbitrary
ruling. small men can walk. In boldly and
buy boys shirts and get away with it.
But unless your big. husky-framed boys
can wear boys shirts they become men.
and are punished accordingly. SO the wise
people who wrote this clause into the law
have produced all sorts OF confusion hard
feeling and words which are not fl to
print in this column.
II Is e misfortune. of course. TO have to
wear eyeglasses. The new tax law has
been so ingenously devised that the worse
your eyes are the heavier the tax you pay.
This thoughtful arrangement comes about
in this way:
Under the careless. loose way Of taxing
jewelry. anything with a little piece Of
precious metal on 1t becomes "jewery."
The law does not know that there is any
difference between a diamond set in gold
or dollar umbrella with a little piece OF
silyerplated metal on il or pair of eye
glasses with gold-plated tip-they are
both 'jewelry."
So eyeglasses with the customary gold
clip become jewelry and must be taxed 5
per cent OF the price. A man with only
moderately poor eyesight can get a pair
of lenses for about 81. a goldplated clip
for about $3.50, which means tax OF
Copyright 1919, by Star Company.
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

,hirty-three cents on
this piece Of "jewelry."
But il a college profes.
sOr or a doctor has q
very inferior pair OF
eyes and requires COM
plicated lenses that
cost, say. $40 a pair,
his complete eye-Llass-
rs, with the plated tip,
will cost $3.50 anu his
tax will he eighty.ihree
cents. Thus, with rare
intelligence. the fra M
crs Of the tax law have
managed il so that the
man with the very seri.
Gus defect in his vision
pays nearly three times
as much for the privi.
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

Theory That People Whose Feet
and Ankles Do Not Fit Standard
Styles of Shoes Are "Deformed"
and, Therefore, Are Tax Free.
special ideas Of their own about glass.
Cut-glass, even though carved by hand. is
excepted from the sculpture tax and does
not even become statue when it repre-
sents human being or some animal"
And now consider the processes OF rea-
soning which regulate the imbibing OF
soft drinks and the eating Of ice cream. a
lemon soda from the faucet is taxable at
the rate OF one cent for every ten cents
worth. A lemon soda in a bottle is not
taxable at all. But ii you ask the clerk
TO dilute your lemon soda or other soft
drink from bottle with little carbonated
water from his faucet, straghtway 1t be-
comes taxable soft drink. Tea, coffee,
beef tea. clam broth, clam bisque, tomato
hlsque. tomato bouillon are not soft drinks
in the minds OF the legislators Does this
mean that these old friends have been
tracked down as serpents lurking among
the innocent sodas and marked for sue
cessive executions by constitutional amend
ment: q
II you buy sandwich in a restaurant
and order a plate OF ice cream with 1t the
ice cream is then part of meal and not
luxury. But ii You get your sandwich at
the soda fountain and take ice cream with
ii 1t is a luxury and YOU pay the tax. II
you buy your ice cream in box to carry
1t away. 1t Is not luxury, but If you buy
IL in cones" you pay the tax. even though
you take the cones away with you. The
Alice in Wonderland idea behind this re-
BILE differentiation seems 10 be that
because the cones can be eaten right there
at the fountain they therefore are pre-
sumed to be eaten there whereas the
closed package could not remain closed
packa sc and still be eaten on the spot.
Soft drinks and ice cream are not lux
uries either at church festivals or at
annual outings such as. say the
'Steenth Ward Peoples Club t"wives and
babies invited and the glad hand to all')
but at the races at a circus or at an
agricultural fair they become taxable lux.
uries
And the most luxurious OF all Injuries
are stlet,os, dagsers. dirks and brass
knuckles, which are assessed at 100 per
cent on the dealers price.
Nevertheless, even here there are deli
cate shades of opinion. for one can buy
bowie knife, which is as deadly as any OF
these others. with an addition of ons ten
per cent OF the retail cost.
Solomon. with all his wisdom. would
never have been able 10 solve the puzzles
OF the luxury tax law
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

boys. shirts need not
be taxed-bGt what
il A boys shirt?
There is nothing in
the style, textile,
weave, collar. pat
tern. design or shape
10 distinguish a boys
shirt from a mans
shirt. What then de-
cides whether a
mans shirt lying on
the counter is a
boys shirt or a
mans shirt? 4 a boy
walks in and buys
the shirt. il would be
fair 10 assume that
il is a boys shirt.
But suppose The boy
is buying the shirt
for his father. an
inder-size man. Then
is IL a boys shirt or
a mans shirt? Here,
then. the same shirt
may he either a boys
shirt or a mans
Shirt-the same shirt
may he taxable and
.Dt to-ohlat
Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01

Copyright. 1919, by Star Company
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23

! and bracing cars of potatoes, cabbage
and the less perishable fruits ant
vegetables is necessary to prevent
/ damage in ordinary freight cars, it is
| far more necessary for highly perish
| able products that move to market ir
! refrigerator cars, such as strawber
ries, peaches, pears, grapes, lettuce
and celery. Such products. even witt
| the best of care, may arrive at city
terminals in damaged condition caused
by delay in transportation, Overripe-
ness, or disease developed in transit
because temperatures were not under
control while the cars were en- route
Disease in Shipped Products.
In the case of plant diseases de
veloped in transit, there may not have
been any indication that the disease
was present when the car was loaded
and perhaps the shipper thought that
his crop was free from disease. Prop,
er refrigeration-plenty of ice and
air circulation-holds diseases ir
check and unless long delays in tran.
sit occur such perishable produce
might arrive in good condition. Such
shipments, however, often deteriorate
rapidly after being unloaded and must
be handled quickly and consumed be
fore rot develops.
Through the food products inspec
tion service of the department of agri
culture, the facts concerning losses
through plant diseases developed il
transit are being studied and labora
tories have been established at New
York and Chicago to work on these
diseases. Plant pathologists now re
port on shipments that develop dis
ease and this Information is made
available to producers and shippers
where the fruit and vegetables were
grown, in order that prevention may
begin in the field and packing house
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
Praises Japanese Music.

The song which japanese workmen
sing when raising the roof tree of a
new building ranks with the purest
music in the world, according to Henry
Eichheim, a Boston composer, who is
spending year in Japan studying
oriental music, says the New York
Evening Post. He said in Tokyo: "The
orlentals have evolved by the process
of elimination perfect philosophy, a
perfect art and perfect music. If we
could think as orientals think we
would realize the absolute simplicity
and perfection of their art life" As
he goes about Japan he takes notes
on the primitive music of laborers and
on the sound of temple bells, With their
beautiful Overtones, with the view of
making them themes for his compost
tons.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
SECURING LABOR is
DIFFICULT PROBLEM
Maintenance of Steady Supply
Worries Stock Farmer.
He Is Compelled to Use Temporary
Help at Harvest Time Which, In
Many Cases, Is Unreliable and
Quite Expensive.

| prepared by the United States Depart
mentof Agriculture.)
One of the most serious phases of
the farm labor problem is the main
tenance of steady supply of labor
and the interest of the laborer in farm
operations. In both of these matters
| the farmer who has little or no live
stock has much more difficult prob
lem to solve than the one who main
tains the maximum amount of live
stock consistent with his farm opera
lions. For example, the farmer who
devotes his entire effort to grain pro-
ductiOn or cotton production is con-
fronted with keen demand for labor
at the most critical period in the crop
year. He has the rush during the
planting season. which shortly is fol-
lowed by the tremendous demands of
harvest. Between times, especially
during the winter, this demand is not
so urgent and he is, therefore, COM
PEELED to use temporary help (espe-
cially at harvest time), which, in many
cases, is unreliable and expensive.
The farmer whose operations make
possible the distribution of the maxi
mum amount of labor throughout the
year is in much stronger position
from every standpoint than the one
who is compelled TO call in large num-
bers Of temporary helpers at critical
times.
Live stock production is year
round proposition and therefore makes
possible such a distribution Of labor
Furthermore, live stock are interest |
ing to nearly all human beings There |
is much more to interest the average /
man in watching the growth of the |
young animals or the fattening of feed
ers, and much less drudgery, even in
feeding operations. than there is In the
filling of the soil and the cultivation
Of the crops. Beautiful as growing
crops unquestlonably are, and neces-
Sary as they are to the maintenance of
live stock the farm which only has
growing crops lacks for most people
the vital thing which is necessary TO
make country life attractive.
Many farmers recognize the appeal
which animals have for the average
nan and cater to this in handling their
employees. For example, there are
asses where the farm owner gives the I
aborer a share in the animal produce
If the farm, such, for example, as ev-
Try tenth pig, which becomes the prop
'rty Of the man who takes care of the !
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
WIND HELPS ROAD BUILDERS
ways In New Mexico Experiment
Is Successful.

A new method of using the wind in
sand-road construction has proved so
successful, that, after making a nine
mile experimental stretch in New Mex
leo, roadmakers in that state have
built so miles of similar highways.
First Of all, the grass and weeds are
cleared from the right of way, And
then trench is made through the
sand to the clay bottom. The loose
sand is deposited in stacks ten feet
from either side of the cut, and the
rest Of the work is left to the desert
winds. During the spring and fall, the
winds sweep away all the sand and
widen the clay strip. Then the road is
graded and the work finished.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
BOSCHEE'S SYRUP.

In these days of unsettled weather
took out for colds. Take every pre-
caution against the dreaded influenza
and at the first sneeze remember that
Boschees Syrup has been used for
fifty-three years in all parts of the
United States for coughs, bronchitis
and colds, throat irritation and espe-
cially for lung troubles, giving the
patient a good nights rest, free from
coughing with easy expectoration in
the morning. Made in America and
kept as a household panacea in the
homes of thousands of families all
over the civilized world. Try one bottle
and accept no substitutes.-Adv.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
COUNTRY NEEDS MORE ROADS
improved Highways Influence Every
Branch Of Economic and Financial
Structure.

There is no doubt about it, the coun-
try needs more good roads. 1t has be.
come an economic necessity that our
roads be improved because good roads
influence every branch and twig of the
social, economic and financial struc-
ture of the nation.
Good roads decrease the cost of liv-
ing-bad roads increase it. Good
roads save labor-poor roads spend it..
A community with good roads has an
unlimited trades area, while COM
munity with poor roads has limited
trade area.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
DO You Know Yourself?
w. N. u, ATLANTA, NO. 43--1e1e.
Oriuin of "TommyD
The New Up.to-dnte Cuticura Method

The English Tommy is no stranger.
The custom was in England at one
time to supply every British soldier
with a small pocket manual. In it
were entered the name, age, date of
enlistment, the length of service, the
wounds and the medals of honor of the
individual soldier.
The war Office in sending out forms
for information used the hypothetical
name "Tommy Atkins" just as we
might have said John Smith" in Amer
lea. In this way Tommy Atkins"
came to designate the English soldier.
1t happened in the same way that
Jack Tar" came to designate any
British sailor.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
BIG GOOD ROAD BOND ISSUE
Dallas County, Texas, Votes s6,5oo, 600
for Construction of Com
plete Belt Line.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture)
The largest bond issue ever submit
ted in any county in Texas and one of
the largest voted anywhere in the
country was ratified by a big major
ity recently in Dallas county, Texas.
1t provides $6,5OO,OOO for a complete
belt line around the county, with u
roads radiating from Dallas to all sec
lions and six intermediate roads con-
Meeting the radial highways. The
system provides for 332 miles of road,
and in addition feeder roads amount
ing to about one hundred miles will be
improved by the decrease in main
tenance expenses. Federal aid
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
Times Have Chanued.

It is said that the post Office in
Philadelphia gets $4,000 day less as
the result of going from the thrce-cent
back to the twO-cent rate for letters.
That happens to be exactly the sum
which Benjamin Franklin was able to
turn over to Great Britain in annual
revenues from the post offices in the
colonies in 1874, after he had put in
four years of hard work in creating
nOStal sNstem.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
GENERAL
5EARM15N0TES

The wise use of cover crops will
conserve the fertility of the soil and
better its physical condition in many
cases.
In purchasing commercial fertilizers
consider the cost of the crop to be
grown as well as the price of the fer
tilIZer.
A good dog is like good son-he
stays at home at night. Kept in GOOD
habits, he is guardian rather than q
murderer of sheep.
Few animals like rye as a steady
diet as they do oats or corn. Wher
rye is crushed and mixed with ground
oats or corn it makes good horse feed
Drain tile set over each celery
plant blanches 1t nicely. Paper OF
boards may be used in cool weather
warm weather.
Glover will contain the proper
of dry matter to make good
silage If allowed to stand until some
what more than one.half Of the bios
SONS are brown.
II is said that exposure to weather
causes greater destruction TO farm i'm
elements than using them. Avoid this
oss by storing all machinery and tools
under shelter before winter
sets In.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23

amounting to $250,O00 had been al
lotted to Dallas county for its high
way development, and it is expected
that a large number of motortrucks
will be assigned to assist in the con-
struction work. The favorable recep-
ton of the big bond issue in this
county is expected by officials of the
bureau of public roads, United States
department of agriculture, to have
favorable effect on similar proposals
elsewhere. Road building in Texas is
at high tide. State highway engineers
estimate that more than $20000,000
worth Of roads are now under con-
structiOn.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
THRASHING TO SAVE WHEAT
vented Loss of $4,000 by Using
Clean Methods.

prepared by the United States DeparS
ment of Agricuture.)
Members of the farm bureau of Kit
son county, Minnesota, saved STOOD
or about $500 to each thrashing ma.
chine, by using tight-bottom racks, can.
vas under the feeder, cleaning up when
required after each setting of the ma.
chine during the thrashing season. A
conservative estimate of the saving
by clean thrashing by this county was
q, 800 bushels of wheat, 20,40O bush.
els of oats, and 10000 bushels of bar
ley.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
These Balance Men,

I profess no special partiality for
any critic, who, holding balance in
hand, weighs eagerly whatsoever of
learning comes to his counter. l ques-
ton whether he is not taking less of
the quality of the wares than of the
fashion of his scales, never questioning
their accuracy nor his own levity. Still
it must he admitted that these balance
men are not without their usefulness,
being convenient for appraising mar
ket values.-A. Bronson AlcOtt
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23

Vegetable Compound cured me so did
not need the operation, and | am telling
all nv friends about it."-Mrs. A. w.
BNzER, Black River Falls, Wis.
1t is lust such experiences as that of
Mrs. Binzer that has made this famous
root and herb remedy household word
from ocean to ocean.o Any woman who
suffers from inflammation, liberation,
displacements, backache, nervousness,
irregularities or the blues" should
not rest until she has given it trial,
and for special advice write Lydia Z.
Pinkham Medicine Co., Lynn, Mass.
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23

cdNcu me 4AOilA al
operation, / cannot
say enough in praise
oft. Isufered from
organic troubles and
my side hurt me so
i could hardly be up
from my bed, and !
was unable to do my
housework. ! had
the best doctors in
Eau Claire and they
wanted me TO have
an operation, but
lydia F. Pinkham's
Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1919-10-23
IGNORANCE PARTNER OF MUD
Motorists Complain That Farmers in
Bad Roads Districts Know Moth
ing About Roads.

AS rule, ignorance accompanies
mud. Many motorists in bad roads
districts, stopping to ask farmer in.
formation about roads not ten miles
away, have found that the farmer ad
never travelled so far way and could
give no directions.