davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
Benjamin Franklin


To-day is Benjamin Franklin's birthday
DENJAMIN FRANKLIN, sagacious and
- witty.
The greatest OF all who have lived in this
city,
Earnest and frugal and very discerning,
Always Industrious. bent upon learning,
Athlete. ambassador, editor, printer,
Merchant and scientist. writer, inventor.
None was more canny or shrewder of brain,
None was more practical or more humane
None was e'er wiser
With common sense ripe,
Great advertiser
And founder of type.
TRoUBLEs he suffered, but he didn't
l. dodge any:
Born the fifteenth Of numerous progeny
Seventeen children Josiah had sired
A whole little font OF good lower.case
types:
A fact that the census man must have
admired
think old Josiah might we'll have
worn stripes,
But that was in Boston where folks are
prolific
| He passed through d boyhood by no means
pacific
| Through most Of his teens young BenJa-
min lent his
| Best efforts to being his brothers appren-
tice,
But Jimmy was crusty--they didn't get on,
And one autumn morning young Benny
was gone.
He vowed he would make his sour kIns-
man look silly,
| And so he took ship and descended on
Phlly.
rNTIE very first though. that came into
L his mob
(After buying some buns, was to look for
| a job.
| So up from the ferry
Our Benjamin stalked
And hungrily. Very
Ate buns as he walked
4 certain blithe fapper,
\ whimsical lass.
| Observed the young strapper
| And thought he lacked class.
| And so, in the manner of feminine straflng,
| The superior damsel just couldn't help
| laughing
But Ben, unabashed by this good-natured
chafllng,
Although young Deborah
Was certainly rude,
lie thought he'd ignore her
And cheerfully chewed.
With the best kind of repartee later he
parried her,
For seven years afterward he went and
married her.
WELL, you all know OF his varied sue
w cesses,
Electrical hobbies and his printing presses.
See how his mind. with original oddity
Touched and found interest in every com.
modify:
Busy with schemes TO domesticate light
ming,
Inventing a stove for home warming and
Frightening,
Scribbling a proverb joke or IL, sermon,
Publishing too (what | am 10th TO mention
For fear of its bringing up any dissenslonl
Printing, I say. newspaper In German
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
COSTLY SEMENTS

tMATIONS that the proposed doubling
IN the tax on amusement tickets will
Il in the revenue bill vii, give par
rem point to the familiar assertion that
t.cuA ASaXons take their pleasures sadly.
Ang1cents impost on parquei admissions
For3he Spectator or "ascucy's' charge
pUferyice," seems Likely to render the
foltoing dubious JOY. Grandopera
atfnage will cost s.y dollars per music
pr at the OoX-office rate.
fhe managers are reported greatly eA-
led over this prospect and planning pres
kure on the Legislators. !. j. not they
however, so much as the paying public
which should launch Il drive. The tax, if
authorized. will have to b, paid 10y tie
playhouse patron; pU, one thing which
even the most drastic revenue law docs
not necessarily restrain is the production
OF show" that IS really worth two do.
lars. If full value was returned for that
expenditure the forty cents mgh, he paid
in a combined glow Of bo,h patriotism
and art.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
AN UNJUsTIFIED FRENCH PROTEST

nISINGENUOUSNESS as well as ner-
- vousness characte7izes the attitude OF
the French press, which Is inquirinG why
Canada, South Africa and Australia should
be accorded representation at the Peace
Conference, while "Tunls, Morocco, Laos
snd CambodIa' are denied that privilege.
The reason is securely grounded in fact,
The countries mentioned are not French
colonies at all and are hence not compare.
bic in status with the self-governins pos
sessions under the British crown.
There is a Sultan in Morocco, Bey in
Tunis, kings in Laos and Camboda re.
spectively. France protects" them. OH
cially these nations were not ranked as
Independent belligerents in the war neither
ran they be strictly classified as part OF
The French republic. iheir protectorate
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
Biugen on the Rhine

NIIHEN / was still a tow-head kid acrd
w an ancient spell,
And had to do as I was bid or catch
ballyel:
I still recall with maudlin curse the da,
had to rise Az
And kick in with some foolish verse VI Ia
terror in my eyes
Beneath the Spreading Chestnut Tree-"nhe
Ride of Paul Revere
Upon Stern and Rock-bound Coast'--tnd
others just sere:
But from the list which stands accurst
where Nightmares still entwine.
The one that ] recited first was "Bingen on
the Rhine"
Ach Gott. The morning I arose upon ths
schoolhouse stand,
With pallid cheek and shaking toes and
tremors of the hand
My heart went up TO meet my mouth, my
bulging eyes grew dim,
Ny tongue was drier than a drought along
Sahara's rim;
a soldier OF the legion lay"--and then with
starting tears.
! stopped without a word to say, for forgo.
Algiers,
And that's why heart and soul still burn
and cold chlls soak the spine.
Each time my morbid thoughts return to
Bingen on the Rhine.
And now against the Huns abode with
steady tramp along
The old Third Army hits the road two hun.
dred thousand strong;
As dim dawns from the eastward creep the
vanguards down the plain,
They hold their sector of the sweep that
started from Lorraine.
l don't know yet where Bingen stands upon
the bally map.
Nor yet which Allied army lands upon Ito
waiting lap;
But while for war and all its hell I can't say
that ] pine
Ia like TO drop at least one she'll in Bingen
on the Rhine.
Lieutenant Grantland Rice,
Third Army A. E. +.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

HNHE ches resident physician of the
= Philadelphia General Hospital notes the
fact that there was a decided decrease in
the number of alcoholic cases in the hos
pital last year, and gives the great demand
for labor and the high wages paid as one
of the reasons.
This is probably as true as it is startling.
And it may he that thrift stamps and
Liberty Bonds helped little
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

role is somewhat similar to that played by
Zanzibar, where a British high commits
sioner Ind resident administers the govern.
ment in a sultanate.
Clamor for representation by this terri
tory would he eXtravagant and unreason-
able. France has so many just claims for
a recognition Of her interests that it is
folly for her to weaken her position with
thin pretenscs so easily exposed
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
Trash in
tine Dome

lighted cigarette
Trash in caused fire in the
tine Dome dome Of the Capitol
in Washington the
The blaze was eXtnguished before much
damage was done. Something as triiing as
a cigarette sometimes does much the same
thing in the dome Of a Congressman.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
How soon the
W orld Forgets

Sad the fate Of
How Soon the Przemys In Septem.
World Forgets Der, 1914, the name Of
the Galican town was
on every tongue-and the tongues were
having hard time with it. Things were
different then. Russia was still on the map;
General Rennenkampf had captured the
stronghold; the German machine had be.ol
temporarily halted, and the world thrilt%
with anticipation. And today Przemysl n
hard work to get on the front page with Y
story that 1000 people have been killed tho
by the Ukrainians. n
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
What Do You KnO,U?
QUIZ

QUIZ
I. How many years did BENJAMIN Franklin II
.. What ~ the longest tunnel In the world?
3. What States In the Union for many ~
had two capitals each:
4. Who is the present Emperor OF Japan:
5. How long nfter the date Of ratification
tho prohibition amendment go into ehec|
9. What is the meaning of the word laures,
:. What II the longest river in France:
4. Who was "Mother Shipton"?
0. Who said Revenge is profitable. Eratitut
word "gOnd0la":
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

In a general way the sudden landslide
for prohibition is no accidental phenome-
non. There may be some painful adjust
ments and some kicking over the traces
and loud cries, but it is certain that the
saloon as we have known it is gone for
good Among those who will be most
disposed to applaud the general ratifica-
tion movement there will be wish that
it might have been effected more, so to
speak, soberly.
There has been instead obvious symp-
toms Of mild panic in some Of the Legis-
latures and rush among State politi-
clans to set under the white flag when
it began to seem that the white flag was
being carried to triumph. And the pro-
Germanism of brewers cliques, the short
age Of grain when grain was short,
were matters which the anti-saloon peo-
pie brilliantly capitalized. Yet the prin-
ciples thus involved do not relate to the
right or the wrong of, general prohibi-
tion. Indeed, the anti-saloon forces
could have afforded to go along without
this artificial ammunition. The ex-
pcrience of all the civilized nations since
the war began and the record Of confu-
sion and accident left in the war indus
tries Of this country by neghborhood
saloons, together with the black story of
the liquor traffic at large, gave them a
valid cause and an appeal that didn't
need to be supported by appeals to the
wartime emotions of the people or the
Legislatures.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

Just because of what has happened
many a saloonkcoper will decide to quit poll
tics and let the country hustle for Itself.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

Whatever may be the moral condition Of
Phla adephla's streets there is plenty ~ evil
dence that they are physically unc.ean.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
THE CHAFFZNG DISH

Also. for which he's remembered by most,
lie founded the Saturday Erening Post.
For which Irwin Cobb has consistently
praised him
And its circulation would much have
amazed him!
DUSY with matters too many for telling
- Saving of daylight and simplifed spell
Still his chief happiness, as one may think,
Came when he found himself dabbling in
ink.
And all his writings, though slight he did
think 'em,
Brought him a very respectable income.
His was a mind that was chiefly empirical,
Not at all given to theory or miracle
Nothing chimerical.
Nothing hysterical,--
Though he wrote verses, they weren't very
lyrical,
And he was touched with a taste for sa.
tirical.
Though his more veighty affairs were so
numerous
Yet he was quantity and constantly hu.
morous
l.ONeu inldueIpnLdHS, pul Wnen he was
one of them
Nothing he liked quite so well as make
fun of them
HARDLY any invention since his time
IL has burst
But Benjamin Franklin had thought OF
it first;
| Indeed it would cause me no CALCULATIONS
TO hear he predicted the new league of
nations.
He truly succeeded in most that ne tried he
Confounded his enemies, and when he
died he
Was guiltless of sin except being untidy.
lie died of old age, not Of illness or tumor
And wrote his own eptaph. full of good
hunor
Every tradition and custom he broke,
This first Philadelphia who dared make
a joke!
Elegy in a Corner Saloon
| The curfew tolls the kneel of parting
booze,
The thirsty crowd winds uneXalted home,
! Tie barkeep has an access of the blues.
| And no one has the heart to blow the
| foam,
! The urns of tea do not inebriate,
Cocaine and opium have but scanty lure,
! Indeed henceforward what can irrigate
The short and simple channels Of the
poor?
| The boast of IIaig and Haig, the pomp of
Schlitz,
And all that whisky, all that beer eer
gave,
| All, all are shattered into little bits
What use the craving when there's
naught to crave"
We hear that the twocent postage is TO
be resumed next July, which gives us a
perfectly valid excuse for postponing an
answer to some of our letters until then.
On the Inlernsd German Fleet
Take, take those ships away
That so foully were forsworn-
Sink them in the Zuyder Zee
| Pile them up upon Cape Horn.
SOCRATES.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

beer or whisky to be had the rising gen
Grafton will not miss the saloons or the
hotel bars any more than they could
miss the betel nut or the fried blubber
that they have never tasted. Thus the
matter will simplify itself ultimately
after the first period of strain among
those who "like drink"
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

The great question now must relate to
the methods necessary for the enforce
mont Of a measure so inclusive as the
"bone-dry" amendment. In Washington
ther" seems so far to be not even a
remote conception Of means by which the
personal habits Of l00000,0OO persons
can be watched and regulated.
II is certain, Of course. that there will
be widespread efforts at evasion. Will
private stills be common? Will the Fed
eral Government have to employ stand
ing army Of spies and informers? Will
the jais bulge? These are questions
that can be answered only in the future.
1t is possible that the government may
find the "bone-dry" law to involve the
most difficult task that has ever con-
fronted it in times Of peace. And then
again, it is possible that the country NAV
gradually fall into the new plan and
forget whatever craving for intoxcants
it had.
The years Immediately ahead will he
the hardest, of course if there is no
sudden reaction expressed through the
referendum vote now being talked of in
fourteen Of the States whose Legislatures
have voted for the amendment. For
taste for alcohol is an acquired one. If
there is an interval in which there is no
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17

Old John Bar.oyrora gets uo .o, 'hese
days IN looking a. The aap
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-17
Member Of the Associated Press
INVERSE RATIO

Philadelphia, Friday. January Il, 1919
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07
NO SURPLUS OF LABOR
IN SIGHT

There 10 a general idea that, with
the return to commercial or indus
trial employment of the bulk of the
200, 600 men we have in France and
the 1900 200 in camps in America,
there is going to be a surplus of
labor.
The contrary is likely to be the
case. No one doubts there will lie
a tremendous demand for such raw
material and finished goods as Amer
lea car furnish. That this demand
will be greater than in pre-war days
is accepted There necessarily will
be much unsettlement in transform.
ing industrial establishments from,
war work to peace worl; and labor
forces will be dislocated and disturb
ed in the operation, but when the
industrial establishment is able to
resume where it left off a few years
ago, the labor situation may assume
n different aspect from hat in which
it is viewed at present.
The reason? Immigration or, rath-
er. the lack of immigration. In the
twelve years from 1903 to 1914 in
elusive the immigration into the
United States was 1872, 056, Here
are the figures;
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07
OUR LOSS, JAPAN'S GAIN

The Scahoard TRAILING Companv
in It's review of 1913 trade in canned
and salt fish. pauses to dipress a
moment and paws its respects to the
shrewdness of the TananeSc traders,
aided by the administration, with
regard to coffee, as follows:
due to the restrictions Of the
Food Administration and the refusal
of the Shipping BOARD to permit
tonnage to be allotted for the cof-
fee trade. an artificial and unneces-
sary scarcity has resulted in this
country. creating a situation which
our lap friends were not slow to
accent and make their WI and
develop to their ADVANTAGE to the
fullest extent. They turned a vcrv
clever trek on the American Dcople
by spcculatinr, and to an extent
now control so foreign a thing 10
Japan and the 1apaueee as the coffee
of Rra2il intended TO supply the
United States. the LARGEST coffee
consuming country in the world
So there is whore the trouble lies
which count for the increased price.
of coffeei Our own ADMINISTRATION
went TO sleep on the lob and let the
slick Ian put one over US Can we
blame him Not muchl business is
business Didn't Senator Hoke Smith
and the Democratic cotton barons
raise a howl because their raw
cotton CONSIGNED to Germany during
the war was bloctaded by Great
Britain? But every time Mr.. House
holder Dunrlcs an additional five
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07
B~URLESONIZED SERVICE

Second Assistant Postmaster Gcr-
eral Pra"ocr ~ lust informed the
Senate Post Office Committee thai
Thousands AVID probably mil'ions''
Of letters addressed to non over
se7s will shortly arrive n New York
and be sent to the dead letter Office
The stirring remark is also added
that an attemnt Will be made to re
turn them TO the writer's.
We all realized that the condition
OF overseas mail was bad 6rt this
confession brands the situation az
appalling. And the blame is placed
at the door of the War Department
bv Mr.. Praeper. This reminds us
of our bovhood davs when we
broke the lam Jar in the pantry and
blamed it on the little brother.
M Praeger also testified that
the War Department had about fiftv
experienced mail clerks overseas TO
handle the mail and that the re-
mainder of the force was made w
Of Inexperienced men. Think Of ~
F'f+v experienced men TO handle the
millions of letters when the oros-
tionaire system of the Selective
Servive law gave them annie on
portnnitv to obtain all the ev-
.perienced mail clerks thew needed
II is apparent that the inefficient
methods of handling mail had been
we'll transplanted with our army.
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07
SENATE PROTESTS PUBLICLY
AGAINST WILSON'S SECRET
DIPLOMACY AND PROPOSALS

II is a disquieting and omnibus
tn ng that the Senate should feel
compelled to protest publicly against
its exclusion from the confidence OF
those who are outlining American
policy at the peace conference. The
Senate is a branch of the treaty
making power, No treaty signed at
Paris can become effective, SO far a.
this country is concerned, without
the approval OF two-thirds of its
tative at the conference, And it
has been kept entirely in the dark
as to the purposes and doings of
the American peace delegates.
Whether this lack OF knowledge
has been due TO oversight or to in
t~ention is beside the question. In
his message to Congress just before
he started for Europe President Will
son said:
81 shall be in close touch with
you and with the affairs on this
side of the water, and you will
know all that | do"
Now we see both Republican and
Democratic Senators distressing cab
led reports of the activities Of the
American delegation as unbelievable.
Yet they have no information OF
their W bv which to measure the
truth or falsity of such reports, They
have no advantage over the nan in
the street.
This situation is iull OF menace
The United States is apparently in
danger of being committed at Paris
to Il doctrine OF intcrnationalism
which has never been approved, or
even casually discussed. in this
country. 1t may be the desire of the
chief European powers to break down
the tradition Of American isolation
and to throw on the Unit d States
a full share of responsibility for
the guardianship of the weaker ma
tons and peoples of the Old World.
to abandon the theory that the guar
diansh;p of the Western continents.
which we have assumed under the
Doctrine, sufficiently en-
crosses us.
What have we TO do with interna-
Hottentot states in Africa
and selecting European. African or
manufactures" to administer
Do we care to have man
datories" to administer backward
American states appointed by an in
ternational concert?
The programme for which Presi-
dent Wilson is working is his per-
sonal programme. 1t IS American in
he sense that an American delega-
lion presents it. But it is not Ameri-
IAN in the sense that it has ever
,aen submitted to the American peo-
Die or Endorsed by them. II has never
wen been submitted to or approved
~ the Senate.
Senators are therefore justified in
ceiling nervous and alarmed when
hey read reports of American pro-
which seem to them unintel-
What is being done in Paris
n the name of A~mericanism is be-
ng done behind a curtain. The pro-
esses of diplomatic bargaining are f,
Iecessarily secret. But open diplo- {
macy" is reduced to an innocuous {
when the Senate and the I
american public are kept in ignor- {
nee Of the fundamentals of Amer I
;a's peace policy.-New York Trib- ,
ne 4
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07
ADEQUATE SERVICE OF FIRST
IMPORTANCE

The public is vitality concerned that
the transportation problem be set
tied soon and fairly to all parties.
The public demands first of all that
the railroads shall furnish adequate
and efficient service. The prosper
ity of inland America depends there
on. Provision must also be made
for prompt expansion of lines to
keep pace with the growth of the
country. Just now the public is less
concerned about freight and pass.
enger rates than about the primary
function Of railroads: adequate ser
vice.
The public expect. elasticity
enough in the transportation systems
TO be able to adjust Themselves to
the varying needs of every section
of the continent. Government
operation the past year has in This
respect been Disappointing But law
is rigid and regulations hereunder
can ~recoeHizc no variations in CON
ditions. Tbis has been felt more
keenly in the .rar4elv settled and
undeveloped west than in older sec
tons.
The public demand that in 'he new
order ~ things now in the making,
th7t there shall b no regulations
iIoro~ed to banner the primary
fu7c'ion of railroads to give 7de-
quite service or prevent or delay The
construction of extensions ~ lines
required bv the natural rro~th NJ
the country. There must also he a
..u,L.-.- .,-. L. nl,,,,t
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07
DE BACA
Why Should He Worry7

-
Nels Curtis, prince Of old-time
stockmen, was a heavy loser in the
recent storm, losing thirty-five head
of two and three year old steers
which were in tip top shape just
before the storm. The stock sur
fered through someone fastening
them out of their pasture and away
from water. One animal kept alive
solely on bear grass, and, it is claim
ed without any water, for three
weeks before it was found.
Well, Nels has hundred of acres
right in the midst of the most dcsir-
able location in the new oil pros
poets near fabian, for which he has
been offered all sorts of fancy prices
so why should he worry?-Fort
Sumner Leader.
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07

Clovis on The Boo.
AT Clovis real estate has been NOV
ing with a Yhirl for several weeks.
More real Estate has been sold in
that city within the last 80 days
than in any one year for many
moons. The transactions have run
into many thousands of dollars in,
single deals.
From reports a number of resi-
dences will be built this spring or
as soon as the weather will permit
building operations. Residences
seemed to have moved even faster
than business property and there
have been many transfers, Many
well-to-do families are living in
rooms over stores for the reason
that there were no houses to be had.
There is not even a shack that can
be rented-they as well as every
habitable building is occupied. In
many cases people have, bought resi-
dences in order to get a place to live
thus forcing occupants out.
New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-02-07

Judging by the daily arrivals il
Santa Fe, the old guard is on the
job again, and no game laws &c
protect the young legislators either
Wagon Mound Sentinel.
What has been observed of the
young legislators they are game
enough to take care of themselves.
If any one needs better luck or money
from home its the old guard.