davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
WHY 1T WAS DEFEATED

Mrs. Mcflenry is ont in letter to
the press c0ndemning the general as
iscmbly of Iowa for defeating the mini
mum wage and maximum hour bill, in
sisting that the women of the state
We're thereby injured. But it appears
that the bill had the backing of club
women only and that the women who
are working for wages were against it.
The Cedar Falls Record explains the
matter in a very few words as fol
lows:
Up to a certain point at the hearings
held by the committee only those
women designated as club women
had appeared to argue for Or against
the adoption of the measure. Finally
the women concerned asked for a
hearing. and it was granted. Two
hundred working girls appeared and
presented argument against the meas
urc, and so effectively was it done
that not doubt was left in the minds of
the Legislators as to how the working
women felt about it. The spokeswomen
were keen in their witticisms at the eX-
pense of the club women. who. they
averred. knew nothing about conditions
in industry. I'VE are asking for no spe-
cial favors." they declared. Men are
keen for overtime employment at in
creased wages. and we do not care to
be Disseminated against" was another
of their arguments,
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

The people of Iowa are glad that
Eugene Weeks and Orrie T.. Cross are
going to hang for the brutal murder
lOf Grocer FoSilick in Dcs Moincs a
few weeks ago. 1t was a cruel crime
and the men responsible for it deserve
the death penalty. Weeks was defiant
Throughout the trial and received his
sentence stoically Cross was crushed
q nd was evidently sorry for what he
had done. but would he have been
sorry had he not been captured and
convicted? IN the past there has been
strong agitation in Iowa to abandon
,capital punishment. but so many vic
iOus crimes have been committed of
late that the public generally now be-
.licve the death penalty is necessary to
bring The criminal classes to realiZa-
itiOn that they are aged in dan
gerous business. The penitentiary has
no terrors for many of them. but they
are all afraid to die. They are will
ing enough to kill others in cold
blood, but when they get in the tolls
they usually plead for mercy that
they did not show toward their vic
tins. Weeks and Cross ought to hang
and it is Il matter of general regret
that the laws of the state do not per-
nit execution of the death penalty
inside of a year after conviction SOcie-
ty ought TO be rid of such parasites
within twentyfour hours. provided
there is absolutely no question Of their
guilt.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
THE HOUSE FLUNKED.

TO say that the people OF Iowa were
surprised at the action of their house OF
representatives in defeating Legislation
providing for the holding Of q consti
tuti0nal convention, as directed by
direct vote of the electorate. is puttins
il, very mildly. In fact. the people arc
stunned. angcred, dismayed by thai
eleventh hour shifting which defeated
the holding OF the proposed convention
Although there is no evidence to sub
stantiate it, it will he freely charged
that some Of the leaders must have
been unduly influenced by methods that
special privilege knows so well how to
employ. It was generally believed that
tic legislature would provide for the
holding of the constitutional convention
in the year 1923 and the advocates OF
such holding thought their victory was
won. Then it is not to be marvecd ut
that they are disappointed and chagril-
cd and that they are INDUCING freely
in denunciation of the housc of repre-
sentativcs for its rcprchcnsible conduct
in this matter.
The farmers of the state were es-
pecially anxious for the holding Of the
convention, as the constitution must be
amended in order to permit the cstal-
lishmcnt ola farm loan system similar
10 that which is proving so satisfac-
tory to the farmers of South DolatO.
OF course the loaning company and
their friends and agents are against
such Il law and it seems that they were
;tble TO control the legislature in the
closing hours of the session. OF course
the members who fell for the plans of
the leaders to defeat the convention
will have all kinds of excuses to offer.
They Didn't understand. They were
taken Unawares and voted against the
farmers plans without knowing the
true meaning of their votes. That is
al right as cam0utiaga. but the farm
crs generally will not accept it at par
and the Freeman. Journal misses its
guess if any member of the house who
voted against the convention will ever
90 back to the legislature as a member
from Il rural district. :
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

! According to Farm. Stock and Home
the Lehigh 4 Will;csbarre Coal Com
Ipany has declared an annual dividend
iof one hundred and fifty per cent. OF
S13.315.O00 on its stock of S9,21O.000
land this dividend was declared aftc,
! the COMPANY had paid the enormous ex-
cess profits tax. Yet some operators
will argue that the price of coal cannot
be reduced to the consumer unless the
wages Of the miners are cut Com
menting upon this one hundred and
fifty per cent dividend Farm Stock
and Home says: In all probability a
great deal Of the capital stock on which
this dividend was paid is water so that
the stockholders of this company are
to be still further congratulated on its
efficient management There is Ona
point we think they should give some
attention to. That is figures like these
will give a fine lot of ammunition 70
the advocates Of Matchmaking natural
resources. Somewhere there must be Il,
limit to the patience of the American
people with their eXploiters."
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
A SALES TAX.

They had Il sales tax in operation III
the Philippine islands for some sixteen
years and judging from information
getting to the public in this country il
has proven very satisfactory. John s
Howard, former collector of internal
revenue in the islands, says of the
workings of the law:
The law is being successfully adj
ministcred in the Philippine Islands
and is the biggest revenue producing
item. The whole tax burden is dis
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
Weekly of recent date well saws:

weekly of recent date we'll says:
Recent history has strongly indi-
Gated. however. the desirability of leg
islation defining Presidential ''inabil-
ity" or disability and prescribing
the course to be pursued when it Oc-
ours. In this there would be no i'm
lpropriety, discourteSy or indelicacy.
any more than in the Presidential Sue
cession law which we have had on the
statute book for many years. There
might be much embarrassment in TAX
ing original action upon the ma tier at
a time when necessity for it actually
existed: which is, of course, an eX-
cellent reason for making the required
enactment now. at Il time when no
emergency exists and when there is no
reason to anticipate one. This would
probably take the form of providing
for some iudcial-certainly. judicious
process of legally determining and
declaring Presidential disability, and
Of authorizing the Vice-President to
act as President until such disability
is removed; leaving unchanged the I'M
written law by which. when the dis
liability is obviously and inevitably per-
manent: the Vice-PreSident becomes
actually President
Legislation ON these matters is not
so urgent that it should have preced-
ence over the vital economic and other
issues which press so imperatively upon
us. But it is so important that it
should not be neglected or ncedlessly
delayed"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

should pay heed first of all to the I'M
mediate demands of the treasury. This
situation calls for earlS relief. Tenn
porary measures of some kind are
therefore necessary, and while the adj
vocates of the sales tax feel that ulti-
mate relief can best be ObtQined only
through the enactment Of permanent
legislation, still the question of per-
manent tax policy should not, just at
this time, stand in the way Of any tenn
porary financial need.
Among business men generally, as
well as among our national legislators,
it is now conceded that something must
lie done at once toward the repeal of
the excess profits tax, and also toward
reduction in the higher brackets Of
the income tax, so that the public may
be protected from the high prices that
go with these excess profit taxes, and
also so that capital will no longer seek
the umbrella of tax exempt securities,
when it is needed in active industry.
To provide the funds now made neces-
sary, through the failure Of the pres
ent tax system, is clearly the first duty
CT congress, and with a view to aiding
il this legislation, the Tax League Of
America called the conference just held
by the leading advocates OF the sales
tax in the country.
1T was the opinion of the conference
that, in view Of the present unsettled
conditions Of business, and also on ac-
count of the problems of budget vet I'M
solved by the government, and which
may not be agreed upon for a period of
years, that the conference could best go
on record as favoring first, the repeal
OF the excess profits tax, and the reduc-
ton of the surtaXes in the higher
brackets; second, temporary legisla-
ton to cover the present emergency
need Of funds: and third. the enact
ment OF a sales tax for period of three
years similar to the sales tax already
III successful operation in the Philip
pine Islands, in France, and to some
extent, in Canada
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

! Albert Harris Of Chicago trustee of
/ the Harris estate which controls the
street railway of Des M0incs. was in
the capital city a day or two ago and
said that either the road or the busSeS
must quit business, declaring that the
railway was being operated at loss
and that the management could not
Ion. continue. He said the Harris es-
tate had put several millions of dollars
into the business during the past few
years and that it was unable to con-
! iinue such a policy. 1t is up to the
city of Dies Moines to determine
whether or not, it is to have street
railway system. Mr.. Harris advocates
Ia "service-at-cost franchise" Such a
Irian contemplates the establishment
iof sliding scale Of fares. \ sinking
fund is provided. If the sinking fund
lis increased by the earnings of the
company above certain point the
fares are lowered. In case the fund
lis depleted the fares would be autOmat-
iicially raised to bring the fund back to
the specified figure.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

year old lad who slot himself to death
because his mother didn't hasten break
fast so lie could play ball Here is all
that was said of his case:
"Angered because his mother refused
to hasten breakfast that lie might play
ball. Kermit Brown. II, placed the
muZZle of 4 shotgun against his breast
and pulled the trigger with Il string
Why wasn't that news item played
up? Simply because Kermit Brown
didn't have Il rich father or mother and
the Herald-EXaminer apparently does
mt care much for news about poor peo-
pie
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

eff the senator can frame law
that will increase the price to the pro-
Queer and at the same time decrease
the price to the consumer. he will
frame law the like of which has
never been enacted heretofore in the
history of the world. The only prop
ositiOn that l know that compares with
| it at all is a statement of member
CT the house from my state Il number
of years ago. who said that he invari-
ably voted for every appropriation bill
but voted against every taxation bill.
The two situations are sOmewhate SINH
llar."-Senator Mcclellan.
Possibly Senator Mcclellan thought
he was suggesting an impossible thing,
but was he:
According to Senator Calder the
coal manipulators fleeced consumers
out of something like $1,000, 900, 900
last fall and winter. They bought up
the products Of mines at prices rang
ling from So to So per ton at the mines
and in many instances they charged
CONSUMERS from 81 to $3.50 for the
coal right at the mines. BY the time
this coal reached Webster City. with
freight charges and deliveries added.
lit cost the local dealer around S11 to
$3.50 to put into the bins of consum
ers
Now then. a law of the right sort
would prohibit jobbers from pulling
Ioff such gigantic steals The producer
could be given more for his coal at the
mouth of the mine while the consumer
could get it much cheaper here in
Webster City
Such a law would not "meddle" with
legitimate business, but it would
NEEDLE with form Of robbery more
outrageous than bank robbery and
horse stealing. as it demands tribute
of poverty and causes untold hard
Ships among the people.
If their government cannot protect
the people against such practices there
is something radically wrong with that
government. The coal manipulate tors
are not the only ones guilty of such Of
lenses against the public welfare.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

With the advent of mild weather
the gypsies are making their appear
'ancc in Iowa and are indulging in
their usual thieving stunts. They now
travel in automobiles. thus enabling
them to elude pursuit in many cases.
There ought to be some way TO effect
ually deal with this class Of cormo-
rants. When they go into a town they
do lot Of stealing and then are or
ldered OH to the next town where they
repeat the performance. They ought to
be arrested and fined and enough tax
en- from them to pay the fine.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
ARTHUR As A JOKEss.-.

| Arthur Brisbane must laugh mcrrily
When he is writing some of the gusl,
l." dishes up in the Chicago Herald
Examiner. a few days ago he had the
following paragraphs in his corner in
the HE:
"A lady has disappeared, mysterious
ly, and there is great agitation, big
headlines. the police much interested,
ard also able lawyers.
why all the interest? The lady is
rich. And when she disappeared she
got out of limousine. Automobiles
and money arouse great interest in
those that disappear, whether they
vanish mysteriously or die and are
sOlemniy buried. We talk Of Sheba's
Queen and ignore other virtuous visi-
tors to Solomon because Sheba came on
camel back, the limousine of those days.
and brought money"
Artic likes to make fun of the big
papers for kowtowing before wealth
ard Mr.. Hearst pays him well for this
pastime. Yet in the same issue of the
Herald Examiner that contained Bris-
banes slam at the sensational press APP
ptared an item under Il double column
head big black letters. SEEK STILL
MAN GIRL AT ELKHART.'
Who is this iStillman girl? Why. she
is the daughter of rich New York
bankcr and the fact that her dad is rich
is the only reason the Herald Examiner
has for spreading her name all over the
front page.
Beneath this gushing head is a half
column of other gllsh about the girl be-
ing in hiding to escape publicity. Her
girl friends are drawn into the story
and the son of Il Chicago millionaire
Is played up because there is a suspic-
ion that he may be engaged to Miss
Stillman,
On the same page of the Herald
Examiner appears Il news item of Il IL
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

tributed among all and to each accord
ing to his ability and willingness to
pay. 1t is not tax against the liv-
ing wage. and can be defended on the
ground of social justice. The tax rate
is small and can be shifted and is not
heavily accumulatiye. 1t is easily as
scsSed and fully collected at reason
liable expense and without harassing
the taxpayers.
If it works so satisfactory in the
Philippines it ought to be 4 good
thing for the United States. Judge L.
,R. Whitley. former attorney general OF
the islands, has this to say in favor of
the tax:
"A Sales tax was proposed and
strongly resisted by a large element of
the Philippine people at the time and
the arguments advanced against it were
identical with the arguments we are
now confronted with here. Our eX-
Iperience in the Philippines, however,
has set at rest all of the numerous
objections which We're advanced
against it. All of the adverse criti-
cism ana gloomy forecasts put forth
at the time have been set at naught by
actual experience. The law has been in
existence for sixteen years and has
been successful in all respects
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

For The first time in years the mail
order house Of Sears Roebuck 4 Com
rany failed 10 declare Il Quarterly
dividend Of = per cent to be paid in
May This failure to make The usual
'i&iribGtion forced the stock down to
81 cents on ti!c market. IN unusually
la" point. The company has an obIiga-
lion ot $ll,GGG.00O to meet next Octo-
hor, besides an interest charge of So
.tGt0n. the little merchants in the
lliti" towAs are not the only ones that
are having troubles.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

The money loaned by the United
States to Russia before the overthrow
of the ear was used in building rail
roads and other public works. now
under control of the bolsheviki govern
ment This is one reason and Il very
good reason why the present Russian
government should pay the debt
Whether Lcnine and Trotzky pay OF
NOT. Russia will pay some time. with
interest. 1t is an honest obligation
and the people of the great Russian
empire will not allow its permanent
reputation.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
THE FARMERS CAN.

The farmers of the United States
can organize, and some day they will
and have something to say about tho
selling price of their products. Why
not? Nearly every other interest docs
Farmers in this country now pro.
duce less than five per cent more
products than the American people
consume. Then why can't they ia
some extent at least control market
prices?
There are so many farmers that il
is a big job to form an organization
containing enough of them to control
but it is going to he done and when ii
is accomplished the farmers will be in
the same positions that other prodTc-
ers are. They will he able to hold
their produce for fair price and
they will get IT,
Let us suppose, a case or two.
Suppose the United States were no
larger than the congressional district
of Iowa and suppose Hamilton county
produced all the corn produced in the
United States. 1t would be compara-
lively easy, wouldn't il. for the 1000
farmers of this county to get together
and say they would demand a dollar
a bushel for their corn? Suppose they
produced five per cent more corn than
the people wanted would they allow
that small surplus to force the value
of the entire crop below the cost Of
Hardly. They would
build warehouses and store the sur
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

# il is true. as widely reported,
t'i&t Germany has secured orders for
large in;oiccs of manufactured goods
1"Gm Russia. and that England is ne
sntiating for business with the Rus
Slams, II would seem that Uncle Sam
might with propriety get into the
game. without awaiting the fumiga-
ton of The realm of the late ear, as
President Harding and his cabinet
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

70: more than two years the dem
ocra!ic administration postponed pay
ment Of obligations to railroads and
shipbuilding companies. and immense
amnnnts Of accumulated obligations
are left for the republican administra-
tion to pay. Later. the democratic
lGess will point to the payment of
democratic obligations as an evidence
Of republican extravaganza
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11
Burglars in School House.

Stratford Courier: The StratfOrd
school building was entered by bur-
glars one night last week and all of
the Victrola records with one single
exception, and Supe G. w. Hansen's
violin stolen. 1t is not known how
the thieves gained entrance to the
building but it is thought that one of
the windows were opened. JanitOr
Bert Ballard discovered the fact that
some one had entered the building but
at that time did not find anything
When Supt. Hansen was in
formed of the burglary he investigated
and found that his violin was gone and
a little later that the records were
The one record that was not
taken was the one which was locked
far nothing else has been missed but
it may be found that some of the tools
are gone from the manual training
department rs two wood clamps were
found outside of one of the basement
windows. Supt. Hansen values his
violin at $50 and the records to about
the same amount. So far there is no
trace to the perpetrators of the bur-
glary but the school board has not
dropped the matter and quiet investiga-
ton will be made, with the hope that
the thieves may be located and made
to suffer for their crime.
Storage for cars, also horses boarded.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

Tlc liz newspapers are doing lot
81 hollcring because they have to pay
@h9ut half as much for news print this,
Year IS he little papers paid last year.
We certainly feel sorry for them, even
if they did 90 into the open market a
few months ago and make The burden
heavier for the little fellows.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

II is to be hoped that Gen Wood
viii find conditions in the Philippine
islands such as to enable him to
recommend complete independence. The
world is watching our course in this;
matter and the sooner we grant full
Independence. provided the people of
the islands a1c capable OF conducting
their own affairs. the better will it
be for all concerned
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

Although there are many conflicting
reports coming ont Of Russia and
although it is difficult TO get AT the i'll
side facts. ii seems evident that the
h0lShcviki government is breaking
dGn'n. is losing its grip upon The pao-
DE \ government founded upon force
j! HE hands Of thc few cannot endure
ia a country like Russia. 1t might
flourish for time, but the people soon
or or later II" going 10 assert their
rights.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

y have a friend On the football
team said Jags TO ]iggs The other
day lie is either Il touchdown or a
io,lrhup. as they call it. The latter. l
guess. He touched me up for ten the
last time | saw him"
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

one >pceGcr sent to Jail by Judge
Bonner went so far in few minutes
chat he won't get back for eight days
Des Moines Register.
Judge Bonner certainly has the
right 'ilee" as to where spceders be-
lGns Eight days in Jail ought to be
I;cad f0r what als them.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

.ceording 10 reports from Des
No.ros, Coy. Kendall is receiving many
letters commenting linn for yetoiug the
Springer public utilities bill. He GER
tlinly deserves lois of Communications
from Tie people.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

eve have no quarrel with the AM
erican OF foreign birth said General
Pcrshing in New York. bat we do OBJ
.io@t to the forcign-born citizen who at
1aMpts 10 decide an American question
for foreign reason That leaves
little lmSaid.
Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1921-04-11

Nov that you have met the first
half OF your taxes without disaster it
would be we'll ito begin saving up for
the second half. The fellow who can
meet his taxes promptly. pay interest
on WhUt he owes and have enough left
ior living expenses is certainly some
i!MNMce!,.