davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
A FoREST.SAVING PROGRAM

The state forestry commission, re- gently created and organized, will be- gin an educational campaign for forest preservation in Alabama. It has been decided that the governor shall set aside day to be known as conserva- tion day to be observed with special reference to forest protection. There is a feeling that the best way to bring about results in this desired direction is to conduct an educational campaign among members of the state legisla- ture, for in the legislature alone lies the authority to inaugurate such pro- gram, supported by appropriate funds and legislation, as will bring the de- sired result There being no laws, or at least insufficient laws, the logical first step is survey of the states timber situation and the formulation of such a legislative program as will lead most directly to the end aimed at. The people undoubtedly approve forest conservation, but they properly look to the legislature to bring about the reform.
 The creation of the commission is necessary act. The next step is an inquiry into the factors that are de- stroying our timber resources. and into the measure that would tAn1 to renew
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22

competitors to discount Alabama's re- sources and possibilities of develop ment are shown to be baseless and untrue.
 Now comes a great scientist and de- veloper with a responsibly-financed organization to do big things in the development of rock asphalt deposits in hitherto remote section of the state. It all goes to show, as The Age Herald has said time and again, that Alabama's natural resources and op- portunities for their development into profitable industries have scarcely been touched, and that there seems scarcely any limit to the possibilities in this field. Albama has been richly fvored by nature, and needs only hu- man cooperation to develop into her destiny as a real empire.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
PETERSBURG PLUS"
(Chicago News)

At what is said to be the final hearing on the "Pittsburg plus system by the federal trade com mission, leading American econo- mists are testifying as disinter- ested witnesses. They are being asked whether the practice of pric- ing rolled steel on a Pittsburg basis and adding the cost of the freight from Pittsburg to any des- tination, whether or not freight is paid, is in accordance with any economic law or principle known to them. Their answers are in the negative--a most emphatic nega- tive.
 Pittsburg is an important steel market. but by no means the only real steel market. Every mark ct has or should have it's own nat that territory should be deter mined by the free play of the fac- tors of supply and demand.
 The Chicago steel market has steadily grown in importance, and would have grown faster had not "Pittsburg plus" hampered it, as 1t has hampered other steel-produc- ing centers. The defenders of that strange practice have wholly failed to justify 1t in the eyes of business men, and 1t now appears that they have no theoretical or quasi si-scientific backing for their claim that some subtle economic law caused the imposition of the Pittsburg base. Economic law needs no combines and artificial arrangements to prop 1t up.
 It is said that other industries besides steel have submitted for decades uncomplainingly to the same practice as "Pittsburg plus" !" If this be true, the necessity for freeing industry from unfair, un- economic and oppressive methods is all the more imperative. All To- calities and industries should have a chance to develop naturally. Neither legislative nor other gra- tuitous interference with the nor- nal course of production and com- merce should be tolerated by a nation that believes in private en- terprise, reasonable competition and the suitable reward of skill and ability.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
MIR. SHOOTS BONUS PLAN

Whatever may be the opinion as to the merits of the Shoot plan for pay ing the soldiers bonus, there is no doubt that it is triumph of ingenuity in the effort to find painless method of bonus extraction. The measure in- cludes the initial cash payment as pro- vided in the measure lost during the Sixty-Seventh congress, but changes the succeeding payments to non-ne- gotiable insurance payable at death.
 The important feature is that the Shoot effort is thinly disguised Re publican admission of the fact that the bonus can neither be evaded nor denied It is not yet indicated the reaction in congressional circles to the Shoot plan, but, having yielded the essential point that there must. be a bonus, it is probable that the oppo- nents will have to come the rest of the way and yield real bonus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
POSTAL DEFICITS
Nashville Banner)

The announcement of deficit in the postoffiee department has perhaps come to be among those things which the people of the country expect annually along about this time of the year. The additional information that this years deficit is some SS0.0O0,D00 less than that of last year is grat- flying, however, and should be ta- ken as an indication of manage ment and supervision which IS tending in the right direction.
 It should be borne in mind that the government is not in the post office business for any profit which may be made out of it, but rather in order to insure cheap and adequate system of mail de- livery. The volume of business done yearly by the postoffice de- partment and the scope of its work makes it one of the largest busi- ness concerns in the world. It di- rect1y serves every inhabitant of the United States and all it's terri tories, from the person in the large city to the most remote dweiler in the backwoods districts.
 Not only in the carrying and de- livery of letters does 1t serve, but the parcels post system, for which there was 8 long fight before 1t was put into execution, is great money saver. as compared to the methods necessary to follow in transporting small packages be- fore the parcels post became a reality. It is true that the parcels post has added largely to the de- partment's annual income, but it has not yet been possible to mak e the postal service come out even in the matter of finances.
 Those who are Inclined to criti- cize this feature should bear in mind the cheapness of both the let ter and the parcels post rates. While it may be true that the deficit in realty must be paid in deficit in reality must be paid in ets,s there would undoubtedly be a great deal of dissatisfaction if postal rates were increased. This may be forcibly illustrated by re- calling the three-cent letter law which obtained during the period of the war, but which was quickly dropped at the close of it. The difference between three-cenl and a two-cent postage would un- doubtedly more than cover any deficit which the department may now have, but there is reason to believe that it would also incur a hue and cry of protest from the country at large.
 Taken as a whole, then, it would seem the part, of reason to encour- age the postal department in the kind of work that it is doing. If thirty millions were Topped off the deficit last year, let there be an additional large amount erased next year, so that in a compara- lively Nshort time this country may have what has long been held as possible, a self-supporting pos- tai service.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
1 TO KEEP OUT UNFIT
(Kansas City Times)

Failure of the present immigra- tion laws adequately 70 protect America by bringing here only those aliens who may become good citizens Is shown in numerous ways. One instance cited is that in recent years, with the three per cent. restriction law in force. fifty thousand Russians have been al- lowed to come into the country annually; and that in the face of the fact that these people come from country whose government is not recognized by America, largely because it is considered both dangerous and irresponsible. Russians admissible In America may be out of sympathy with the order in their native land; or they may be heartily in sympathy with 1t. The important point is there Is no guarantee one way or the other. The American immigrant today is not selected-by America. < That undesirables of various kinds have been. dumped into America for many years is further disclosed by Secretary Davis of the department of labor. MT. Davis cites the results of a recent survey of state Institutions for the feeble minded, insane, epilep- tics, criminals, inebriates and vic- stims of chronic diseases. The sur yey showed that nearly forty five per cent. of the people in these in- stitutions were either foreign born or of foreign born percentage. Other surveys and various tests. Secretary Davis says, have shown the inferiority of high percentages of those of foreign born or parent age.
 Obviously there must be some operative strict regulations that will help bring to America a high CT, type of immigrant. The three per cent. law has cut down the number of newcomers; but it has done little to improve the quality Of immigrants. Secretary Davis and severa! members of congress are preparing to urge legislation that will bring the desired change. The effort ought to have the full est support
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
IT'S A DROLL WORLD
Philadelphia Public Ledger)

Philadelphia Public Ledger) Fifteen years ago Albert Baird Cummins of Des Moines came out of the "Ioway" country labeled as a progressive of the progressives. Washington knew him as such when William Squires Kenyon still was practicing law at Ford Dodge. These two sons of the flat and fat lands of Iowa came to the senate in the places of Deliver and Allison. In those days they were the fair-haired boys of pro- gressivism. The Old Guard in that far-off time regarded them some what as the Old Guard of 1923 re- gards Magnus Johnson, Henrik Shipstead and Iowa's newest offer ing, Senator Smith Brookhart. These two Corn Belt senators of ten and fifteen years ago talked and thought too much about the hinterlands west of the Missis- sippi They worried the standpat- ters of 1908 and 1s11..
 Much water has gone down the. years. The Iowa of then is not the lOW Ol nOW. u CdIIt bO pass thot Kenyon grew a-weary of the war and has been translated from the senate to a federal bench. He sits there forgotten by the new brood of progressivism; and Cumnins,. the brave, gay blade and corn country champion of a few years ago, is being tried for his political life today by the new crop of pro
 gressives" harvested in the drab years since the war.
 Their ostensible grievance again him is that he wants to hold. two jobs: one as president of the senate, the other as head of the powerful interstate commerce com
 mittee. Their real grievance is that he fathered the transporta-
 tion act of 1920 that gave the rail- roads a chance to live. Being
 lineal descendants of long line
 of railway baiters, that is the un-
 forvigable sin. Hence a senate
 deadlocked.
 In the eyes of today's progress
 sivism, that of yesterday becomes
 traitorous conservatism. Yester-
 days leaders eat dust in the rear
 ranks today. Nevertheless, Wash
 ington is a queer city and the sen
 ate a strange place with a magic
 of it's own. It takes them clad in
 overalls and bearing pitchforks
 and somehow james them. Poli-
 tics is a droll world
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
THE PRIZE PASSION
 By ThOmas L.. Masxnn

The world seems to have gone mad on prizes. There is the Nobel prize and the literary prize. There is the Box peace prize and also the advertising prize. Several maga- zines offer prizes annually for the best things they publish. and sev- eral publishers offer prizes for novels. There is the O. Henry prize for the best short story. and the Pulitzer prizes for history, ed itorials and so on. There are also prizes for poetry. I read a poem the other day which was awarded a prize by certain fairly respect able state in our more or less re- spectable Union-I won't say which state it wasHand it was something awful. Very soon we shall be erecting monuments to people who haven't won any prizes.
 The best thing for. us to do, however, is to get this passion for prizes out of our system, and to do this we ought to go right on offering prizes. Here are some suggestions:
 or the Amerlcan parents who will raise and offer for proof really polite child.
 For any college professor who will write an article on either science, history or psychology that will be interesting.
 For any husband who, for the space of six months, can, with his wife sitting beside him, park his car anywhere without accident.
 For any senator or congressman who, after making trip to Flu rope. will agree on his return, not to give his opinion about "condi- tions" there.
 For the man who has a radio set who is willing to acknowledge that it doesn't always work better than anyone efse's.
 For any child who, in the course of a year, will read a list of the children's books provided for him or her, and remain alive.
 For any smalF town in the Unit ed States that hasn't had repre- sentative American novel written about it by one of it's escaped na- tives.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
TO WORK ALABAMA ASPHALT

Announcement of conference re- gently held by Dr. Reese Hutchinson with the Alabama Public Service Com mission relative to prospects for fu- ture availability of electric power fa
 cilities for the development in Chero- kee county of rock asphalt deposits again directs attention to the many fields of industry being developed on a. practical basis in this state. Dr. Hutchinson is distinguished scientist and practical industrial developer. AS Thomas A. Edison's right-hand man he has accomplished big things in re-
 search work and in the application Of scientific principles to practical prob lens. That such a man, knowing his native state, and appreciating its in- dustrfal possibilities, should come home with plan to develop one of it's largest resources speaks well for Ala bama, as well as for his own vision.
 It is another encouraging illustra- tion of faith in the practical develop
 ment of the states varied resources. Not many years ago competing inter- ests from outside passed along the word that Alabama coal was of low grade, and could not be used for pur- poses requiring the higher grades of fuel. This was refuted by tests and experience. Similar baseless claims as to Alabama iron ore were repudi- ated by the facts. Then came the claim that high grades of steel could not be profitably made in this state. That, too, was proved unfounded. Similar reports were put out to dis coprage the satsuma industry in Ala bama, with the apparent purpose of protecting citrus growth in Florida and California. Now satsumas are grown in large quantities and of high quality at profitable prices. And so with tobacco culture, cement manu- facture, graphite and many other &C., tivities. One by one the efforts of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
MORE TRUTH THAN POETRY

"It's hard," said Griggs, "to keep be-
 lieving
 That God is always kind and good; I've had lot of cause for grieving, And often been misunderstood; I've tried to do my Christian duty, The path I've travelled has been
 straight; I've never turned aside from beauty, Nor followed pleasure, tempting
 fate.
 'T've tried to earn the future glory That true believers are to win; I take no stock in Darwin's story, I think all men are born in sin, And yet God doesn't seem to show me The kindness due favored one; He acts as if He didn't owe me A single thing for what I've done. q hate all people who are trying / To find what's called the missing
 link,
 Or drag in science for supplying The facts to prove the stuff they
 think; Eve prayed that skeptics might be
 stricken,
 I've kept false doctrines from my
 mind, And yet my troubles seem to thicken- fear God is not always kind. My son, in spite of all my teaching, Has inclinations to be wild; My daughter doesn't heed my preach
 ing,
 fear that she's sinful child; The dividends that I'm receiving Have nearly dwindled out of sight; It's mighty hard to keep believing That God is treating me just right. !" -S. E. Riser
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
sUPERFLUoUs POLITICS

In a recent address on ''The Re- sponsibility of Leadership Under Our Constitution" a thoughtful economist appealed to public spirited and con- structive citizens to take deeper irl- terest in politics, and to exercise ment of a closer relationship between business and government. He used "business" in it's broader sense to in- clude every field of worthy endeavor which contribute to the country s development and prosperity He like wise employed government" to cover the administration of the public affairs for the public welfare.
 One of the saddest commentaries on the public life of America is the in creasing tendency of men of, industry, capacity and character to hold aloof from the public service. A potent reason for this is that while such men are absorbed in development of the country's great business, other men have taken advantage of the situa- tion to develop political ambitions along wholly selfish lines, with the result that the latter have become so entrenched in power that the former are well-nigh discouraged over pros poets for a change.
 There is not state or political sub division in the country which has not felt the evil effects of this condition. The people are more and more the victims of it's influence and operation. It is partially responsible for the devel- opment of what is known as special interest politics, which was conceived in purpose to fight the devil with fire. The more professional politics, the more invisible government. Caught between these two vicious agencies, the people provide fuel with (which to feed the fires of selfishness.
 The need for men of intelligence, vision, industry and character to de- vote time, thought and energy to the public interest becomes more acute as such men recoil from public life and patriotic service. Men with sincere de- sire to aid the people in their constant efforts for relief are the peoples only hope. They can rely on nothing from the politicians and those who fight the politicians, not on behalf of the public welfare, but for their own selfish pur- poses. It will be great day for the people when men of proper stature and type are induced to make that personal sacrifice which their fellow men pressingly need in order to es- cape the insidious dangers and bur dens that threaten them from two camps that are hostile to their inter- ests. The best politics is that which conscientiously seeks to rid the coun- try of all superfluous politics.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
WHY NOT TRUST THE PEOPLE?

Those who declare that ''it is defi- nitely sure that the old building and site now occupied by the county gov ,ernment will not go begging for pur- chaser" confirm The Age-Herald's s contention that there is belief that this site can be secured for far less than its value, and that the whole scheme of courthouse removal has for its basis the profit to be made out of the trans action in property. The entire plan IS a deal in real estate, and there is 10 compelling reason why the courthouse should be moved, to say nothing of the possible injury to public convenience. Public convenience is something that must be reckoned over the entire spread of the years to come, and must be conserved The public loses by the proposed deal in real estate, and the profit goes elsewhere. That being the case, there is no public advantage n the transaction from the standpoint of dollars and cents.
 Those who oppose the submission of the question to the vote of the people of this community, are in effect deny in Q democracy. Why is there any reluc- tance or fear to let the people decide this question? Do the proponents of the scheme fear that the people will turn it down? If so, then that in itself is a compelling reason why the ques- ton should be submitted. The Age Herald does not presume to say how the people would vote. The question should be submitted to them in an alternative form, so that the election would be positive and not negative The election option should be sub mltted Tn such manner that the peo- pie, in rejecting one plan would have the option of approving another. The election need not cause delay, as the proponents of the scheme allege. Had the question been promptly submitted to the people last summer when 1t was being agitated, the verdict would al- ready be in hand. The delay that has ensued and will ensue is within the board itself and it's methods of indi- 1ection.
 The people have the right to vote on the question of site; on the ques- tion of expenditure, and on the ques-' tion of whether there shall be joint structure or separate structures for city and county. If there are those who would deny the people the free right to pass upon these questions, then it is time for the people to in- quire into the motives of those who would deny them this right.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22

our timberlands. There is consider able unnecessary destruction of forest by numbering concerns that care only for the immediate money they can make out of tract. There is the indiscriminate setting of fires in the woods, and other practices that the law, properly reinforced, can stop. The program of reseeding, acquiring timber tracts in the name of the state, and other recenstructive measure es needs careful development. There are men trained in this line who have also had successful experience. Such men are those whom Alabama should em- ploy in this great undertaking.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22

When MT. Lowery of Mississippi. speaking in the house, said that two and quarter billions had already been appropriated to the veterans, an ex- service man in the galleries shouted :: "Who got the money?" Inasmuch as this is always an embarrassing sort Of question, the ex-service man was led outside. The house insists upon set ting up its own straw men to shoot at.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
PEOPLES FORUM
Pleased With co-operation

To the Editor of The Herald; I presume that you have already been notified that the board of directors are very much pleased with your CO., operation in giving publicity to the Community Chest, but as chairman of the publicity committee I wis hto express per- sonally my appreciation of the good work done by your paper.
 W. M. COSBY.
 Birmingham, Ala, Dec. 20, 1923,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
Top of the Ladder

Nfiorence Dally NeWS)
 Every business that has been made "a success soon gets to be crowded with seekers for the easy money. But most of them have failed to guage the essential fac- tors necessary and remain near the bottom or drop out entirely. It is their presence, however, that makes it so difficult for the new beginner no matter what his ca- pacity may be. This is what makes starting a business more difficult than keeping it going. When you get on top things come easier. And the apparent cinchi the fellow has who is looking down is what draws the crowd that haseto begin at the bottom and gets its courage by look ing up.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
A Fine Opportunity

IMOuItOn AdVerllStfJ
 Now is the time for the, teacher to make the very best use of the rural school library. It is useless to expect much reading in rural communities during the active farming months, but in the long evenings of winter there are two or three hours after supper that country folk have for leisure.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
SMILES
Described (Judge)

Two inhabitants of a sagebrush town were seated on a cracker box exchanging desultory conver- sation.
 "You know them hot cakes what the feller Hips in the window of the Forlorn Hope restaurant.?"
 ''Yes, I knok 'em."
 Ever try 'em?" ..-
 "Yes. I know 'em."
 "What do you think of 'em?"
 The citizen thus appealed to gazed reflectivelyS toward the foot hills for some minutes and then rendered Judgment. That feller's not cook, he's a juggler."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-22
Value of Good Hens

IAHHISlUH SldTJ Perhaps if more of the Calhoun hens were of better stock they would not suspend egg-laying so frequently. A really good hen, even though she may not wear diamonds, will not cause worry by creating an egg famine. And really good hens are the best kind to have in poultry yard.