davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening journal., 1923-01-23
december 2s. 1929.

Dear Mrs. Plummer:
Just a little token OF my apprecia-
ton Of the way that you have treated
me since here. sincerely hope that
you will prosper in all that you un-
dertake 20 do. and may God guide
you In this life 20 come and here
after, so hope that you will have a
happy New Year; many OF them, and
may each day bring you glad tidings
and peace IN your heart, so IL Il Is
Gods will for me TO be a free man
once more IN life and II can find
where you are living. I am coming
70 see you. no matter whore you are.
for you have been mother 10 me.
1 know that you soon will be gone.
so 1 thought that I would write you
this message.
Mrs. Plummer, wherever you go,
please write me letter so that II
will cheer me up, and pray that 1
may be a free man some day soon;
so you can guess how I feel now
that the Boss" has gone, never to
return.
You. too. are going. and may not
see-you any more, so all OF my best
friends are going from me; but the
best OF friends must part. Neverthe-
less, pray that God will spare you to
see me a free man; so l believe that
anything that lies in your power to
aid me in getting my liberty I am
sure that you will DO. II It's the last
act in Congress.
Evening journal., 1923-01-23

II Niagara Falls wasted energy
could be harnessed II would produce
500 more power every five min
utes.
Evening journal., 1923-01-23
Some Letters From His Boys" Which Slao1o
the Real Worth of the Late Warden Plummer

pp led letters Se received b Mrs sordea S Pr widow Of the late
o o
Jk is proud I b tp pr h o n re- worth o a
&c q o read to rl
Evening journal., 1923-01-23

about me; yet he would lay what
they said all aside.
And must say. Mrs. Plummer, the
warmth and kindness OF his recep-
tlon shall live IN my heart the rest
OF my days, may they be short or
long.
l hope, Mrs Piummer. that you
will remember the contents OF his
words as he left them with you, and
that the honor that he left behind
will ring through the State OF Della
ware as the years come and go.
feel as though had lost father.
The burden OF sadness has not left
me yet.
shall keep his picture from the
paper as a remembrance of him and
his family.
close with words: "May God help
and carry you and Jane" through
this life happy and In the one to
come may you meet Mr.. Plummer,
who has gone before you.
JAMES SHARP.
Evening journal., 1923-01-23

OF Their cmOtions
II breaks my heart 70 see you so
but remember me wherever you go
and may God bless you and you
household and may He lift your
heavy burden from your heart and
keep you in good cheer and NAM
happy days. remain your humbl'
prisoner.
SAMUEL EMORY.
January 1. 1923.
Dear Mrs Plummer:
Please excuse me for writing 10
you. The reason have written you
is because / mourn the loss OF our
friend as you do. but. thank God
for one thing. and that is there is a
Friend 81 we will put our trust IN
Him that will never leave you. and
that Friend Is God.
When everything seems against
you. go 20 God and He will fight for
you. for II He is for you II is more
than the world against you. SO.
cheer up.
know Il Is hard: but am friend
less. too. and now. when troubles
come I 90 20 God with them.
May God bless you and the fam
lly. I shall always pray for you all.
ALFRED ROACH.
January 5. 1923.
Ny Dear Mrs. Piummer.
am enclosing a poem written by
myself and dedicated TO your late
husband.
Alfred Roach gave me a very
kindly message from you. and you
cannot imagine how much appre-
ciate Il.
Now. Mrs. Plummer. before you
leave here hope you will give me
something that belonged 20 Mr.
Plummer. as I would Ike very much
70 have II as a remembrance OF
him.
You and your family have my
deepest sympathy and my prayers
and best wishes go out TO you. and
my sincere wish is that YOU will have
health, success and happiness, no
matter where you go.
/ trust that by your perusal OF
the poem you may catch a great in
spiration.
Ever united in prayer and pen
aAce. impiore for you the light and
OF the Divine Spirit.
Yours IN deepest and heartfelt
sympathy.
CHARLES BENNETT. JR.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

as safely have been left to some one of minor office and more leisure. The office of the chief executive is not properly bur dened with tedious detail. The president is not chosen because he is good bookkeeper or good office manager or a good over seer. The president is chosen as the di- recting genius of the nation, and for his power of envisoning national and interna- tional affairs in broad way, unhampered at any time by the thought of some petty detail unattended to, some perfunctory bu. necessary letter unwritten, or some chore pressing for attention.
 President Harding is returning to Wash. ington refreshed by his outing, but it would be disappointing to discover that he must use up his new-found energy in doing little, necessary things that do not mean much Tn a permanent way and that one of lesser ca- pacity and responsibility could just as well attend to.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

capital and the desire to exploit natural re- sources. In addition to detailed knowledge of the offerings of field and mine and stream, there would be needed also con- plete information as to locations, conven- fence to transportation and markets, raw materials, rates, wages, supplies of labor, living conditions, health conditions, and such other items as are involved in the suc- cess of big enterprises
 Equipped with this information the va rious communities, boards of trade and chambers of commerce of this state would be prepared to advertise Alabama to the rest of the country, and to furnish accurate data on any required subject connected with Alabama's opportunity and develop ment. Alabama has all the factors that contribute to the wealth of empires. The state is in many respects an undiscovered country, even to those who tread it's hills and valleys, for very often unsuspected wealth and opportunity lie right at the very doors of those who otherwise sit in poverty. This situation should not be. It need not continue, if there is genuine desire to spend the time, money and effort to complete the discovery and the tabulation of our riches.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
THE PRESIDENTS DETAIL

President Hardings wish to have holi- day undisturbed by politics or even friendly callers appears to have been respected by the people of Florida and prominent visitors to that bland climate. The president rested, went fishing, talked with his com panions, attended church, ate and slept like private citizen and did just as it suited him, course of conduct entirely foreign to his regime of living at the White House. Per haps one in such high responsible position cannot bar unwelcome visitors to his thoughts as completely as to his presence, but at least there is surcease from the burdens and worries, which was the object of the jaunt down into Southern waters.
 Mr. Harding, on several occasions, has made the remark, evidently with sincere feeling, that there is an accumulation of du- ties continually being added to the already heavy load of the chief executive. He has . said that it is too much for one man to at tend to, no matter how untiring or how able. Most of these duties are imposed by legislation, it being the habit of congress to place upon the president the obligation of ' attending to this or that function that might
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

states which are not interested are taxed to pay the governments share of the cost.
 River and harbor improvements by the federal government eat up millions of dollars annually, yet the benefits may be largely local. In some cases the army engineers re- port that only local interests would be served by the improvements, in which event the federal govern ment pays only part instead of all of the cost. Just what is being done to Trinity river down in Texas just now I do not happen 10 know. The last I heard was that promoters of it's improvement were still investi- gating whether sufficient number of artesian wells could be dug to fill the stream bed after it was dug. For the next fiscal year more than $56, 100000 was voted by congress for improvement of internal water ways.
 The people of the United States should do one of two things, either put stop to federal aid for inl- provements and investigations and experiments of all kinds or quit complaining about high taxation. The government cannot build water ways, look after prospective moth- CTS, eradicate pests, improve water transportation, increase production and what not without raising money. do not ask that these activities cease; I merely point out that if the people desire, they can cut down the taxes of the general goyern~ ment 25 per cent.
 Bob Toombs of Georgia made in the senate seventy years ago speech which well may be repeated today. "I have not been sent here to ask public money for my con- stituents," he said. For the eleven years have been ill the two houses of congress my constituents have never asked me to introduce one bill for, their benefit, or the benefits of-their pursuits, neither special nor general, and I have never introduc- ed one. If you are going to spend mone9 wrongfully, if you are going to spend it profligately, wish you to do it anywhere else but within the borders of my state. When the system shall have been finally established that the states are to enter into a miserable scramble for the most money for their local ap- propriations, and that a senator is to be regarded the ablest represen- tative of his state wao can get for it the largest slice of the treasury, from that day public honor and property are gone, and all the states are disgraced and degraded" I wish Bob Toombs could come from his grave and speak again to the states in whose rights he be- lieved and would beg them once more to assert their rights, discharge their duties, become self-respecting. and cease to be mendicants begging at the federal treasury.
 Copyright. 1923. by Thomas R. Marshall
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
BUILD VIADUCTS NOW

The mere fact that Birmingham has held back so long on the elimination of grade crossing constitutes the leading cause for prompt beginning of that program, which, once begun, should not cease until there are no grade crossings left. It is not a question of whether the railroads may think they are ready. Pubic policy presumes that they are always prepared to do their part in mak- ing the community safe and it's avenues open to the coming and going of it's people. That obligation was incurred when the railroads laid their tracks through the city. In the younger days of Birmingham claim of the city to full performance of their duty in this respect was not enforced, but this claim was never waived and can never be waived. The highest courts have so held
 It is imperative that the city make start at building the subways and viaducts. The city should decide where it is going to be- gin and begin. There should be no more dilatory conferences. When the city decides where it's first viaduct shall be, it should promptly notify the railroads of its inten- tion to proceed and it should proceed The railroads will find the money for their share of the work. It is work of necessity and must not be allowed to wait on convenience of the carriers, or of the commission. The convenience of the public comes first.
 The sooner the viaducts are built the less expensive it will prove. There are always property values to be considered and prop erty is rising in value. It will cost less today than next year, and cost less next year than the year after that.
 The railroads, through these grade cross ings, are as matter of fact standing be- tween the merchants of Birmingham and their customers. They are shutting ott traffic and keeping trade from the stores The railroads thus are responsible for de- lays in the transaction of the travel and business of the people of Birmingham such as they would not tolerate in the conduct of their own business.
 The city should turn deaf ear to all arguments for delay. There has been suf- ficiency of these and the people are no longer mised by pleas of one kind and an- other that lead to postponement. It is im- perative that start be made. Let the ctiy promptly decide where this start shall be made and go to it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

ment fund which will make perma- nent the operation of the institute, that will be gathered through the personal efforts of surgeons and physicians throughout the United States, Canada and Central and South America.
 The purpose of the establishment, as it's name indicates, is for the study of the various strange and often terrible diseases that have made the name tropics terror 10 the Caucasian race. Expeditions will be sent to any part of the world where tropical diseases are to be combatted. where methods of con trol are to be established and prac- tical sanitary work is to be carried out.
 It is of especial interest to us of the south that the first practical application of the work of the in. stitute will be in the southern states. through the establishment of the Gorgas School of Sanitation at Tuscaloosa, Ala, The latter insti- tution's purpose viii be to train county health workers in health problems peculiar to the south. By this as by the central institute at Panama the name of Gorgas will receive it's due need of remem- brance.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
A Timely Editorial
The Corgas Institute


 On the 18th inst. there will be a gathering of distinguished medi- cal men at Panama City to assist at the laying of the corner stone of the Gorgas Institute of Tropical Medicine. On that date President Porras of Panama will dedicate the first $5OO,OoO unit of an institution that will perpetuate the splendid work of the late General Gorgas and will carry forward the task he so ably began of making the tropics safe for civilized existence. The American surgeons who will take part in the ceremonies will each and all be among those who served un- der General Gorgas during the great war, when they learned to appre- ciate him as man and as an as sociate, just as the whole scientific world previously had recognized him as one of the great sanitation geniuses.
 The Panamanian government has donated fine site on the Panama exposition grounds for the institute, which will adjoin the new Santo Tomas hospital. As to tho endow-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
SURVEY ALABAMA'S RESOURCES

Although the natural resources of Ala bama and her potential sources of wealth are perhaps greater than those of any other state, yet it is a curious fact that nforma- tion on these resources is not available in any compact and trustworthy form. Peo- pie, even intelligent and well-read citizens of this very state know only in general way that We have coal, iron, marble, limestone, cement rock, clays, navigable streams, wa ter power, agriculture and the like, but who is there that knows the extent of any of these possessions or knows where he can obtain the information? It appears, there- fore, that an intelligent population requires some means of being better informed con- corning the potentialities of it's own com monwealth.
 Inasmuch as the possession of accurate and detailed knowledge of Alabama's re- sources would tend to their development, the legislature would be fully justified in authorizing a commission for a careful and expert survey of the entire field of natural opportunity. This can be accomplished only through the service of trained engineers and experts in the various lines of mineral industrial and agricultural wealth in which this state abounds. Perhaps, when the leg islaturc convenes again, such proposal will be made and discussed.
 There is no doubt that many states owe their great development to the fact that their opportunity is known and exact infor- nation as to all their fields of investment enterprise is of record and easily accessible, or else actively presented to those who have
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
By THOMAS R. MARSHALL Former Vice President of the United

There is one trait common to all the peoples of the earth, regardless of the form of government under which they live. Every one of them must have a national hero. A mon- archy furnishes the national hero to its people without effort upon their part. That is one of the good things, perhaps the best, about a monarchy. On the other hand, a democracy puts in. one-haif of it's time creating, and the other half destroying it's national heroes.
 Sometimes it is a great warrior, like Grant; sometimes, greas pa- triot, like Lincoln; sometimes great statesman, like Webster; sometimes great prize fighter, like Jeffries, or baseball player, like Babe Ruth, or even discred- tied movie clown. We tire of them all and seek a new face. A man who might have been the greatest American hero had he lived in this day unfortunately has disappeared from public life. He was a child born out of due season. He made the proud boast that in twenty years service as public legislator he never failed to vote for an ap- propriation, and never voted for a tax. How sad it is that he is gone from our midst. If he were living today to explain to the people how they might have all the appropria tions they desire and yet pay no taxes to meet them his claim to fame would be enduring.
 It is far cry back to pre-revo- lutionary days, when our forefath- CTS raised row over the imposition of a tax which now would be deemed so small as not to merit contention. They could not understand the doc urine of taxation without representa- tion. I wish that these gentlemen who kicked up such a muss with Great Britain over the question and established an infant republic in which men were not to be taxed without representation could come back and see the practical working of the government which they founded. I predict it would be somewhat difficult for them to un- derstand that in state and nation taxes are not levied by the people who pay them. We'll might they fear that national and state taxa ton had managed to become so in- tertwined as to establish back of the system the danger of confiscation.
 It is becoming apparent to thoughtful men that If the pAesent method of procedure goes on we shall be driven to the single tax idea, whether we like it or not. Long ago it was established as the law that no state of the union could tax the securities issued by the United States as tax exempt, and that the general government could not tax the taX-evemp; securities of any state or of its subdivisions: Under this arrangement billions of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

, tax-exampt securities have been is- sued. The states and their several subdivisions, animated by desire for public buildings, highways, parks and other improvements. have been duplicating the general government in issuance of non-taxable bonds. In one county with which l am fa- miliar tax-exampt securities now extant exceed 25 per cent of the taxable value of it's property. No wonder that Secretary Mellon is alarmed.
 It is not at all surprising that the business of the nation moves with laggard footsteps. Taxes le- vied by state and nation are so high that person investing his money in non-taxable securities stands to receive more income therefrom than he is likely to make in business with all it's hazards. There must be a constitutional amendment prohibit ing the issuance of taX-eXampt se- curities or the craze for public inl- provements must stop. Otherwise, many of the states will find them selves in the situation Indiana was in eighty years ago when she went wild over canals and plank roads. Perhaps bankruptcy is the only thing that will cure the fever of public improvement.
 There are some things that may be done to lessen the evils of taxa tion without changing the constitu- ton.
 The general government has ap- pealed to the cupidity of some of the states and formed a partnership with them in certain enterprises, then used this partnership to force in other states by indirect black mail, States not favorable to joint enterprises with the government are compelled under the system to pay their share of the taxes which go to less wealthy states. The gov ernment aid policy by which appro- priations are made by congress con- tingent upon like appropriations by the states, is distinctly bad. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being expended this fiscal year un- der the new device Of matching federal dollars with state dollars.
 The general government is inves- tigating everything under the sun, including, of course, the ever-pres- ent boil weevil and the lowly wood tick. Even a cursory examination of the subjects of investigation will reveal that they are of only indirect interest to the American people at large and of primary interest to some locality or class of citizens. Hundreds of millions are being ex- pended.
 Congress seems to think that an unjustifiable appropriation becomes justified when the state is required to spend as much of its own money as the federal funds. barberry and wheat rust may be exterminated by state in a ffity-fifty partnership with the general government albeit
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
ANOTHER SIMS EPISODE

Not at all to be admired are develop ments like the one just reported from the capital of California in which prejudices and hatreds which do not belong in America were paraded in the name of Americanism. It came about in the state senate over the issuing of an invitation to Rear Admiral William s. Sims to speak this week at the University of California on its anniversary celebration. A resolution condemning the board of regents for 50 honoring the rank ing officer in our navy was overwhelmingly defeated. The vote on the question was B to 6. But the fact that there were six members of the California senate so biased against Admiral Sims on the ground of his being pro- British as to oppose the invitation to him on that ground alone is sufficiently depressing
 The charge that Admiral Sims was pro- British during the war is not new. Neither is it a charge to which any sinister signfi- canoe attaches; rather, implying that Ad- miral Sims in that regard is the average American, unless it is forgotten that America itself was decidedly pro-Britsh during the war. Also the matter of descent is not in. question. An American citizen is an Amer ican citizen in name only, if he is blinded in his views affecting things which are of America by prejudices indigenous to for eign soil.
 The development at Sacramento may be regarded as only an isolated case Of an untoward tendency. But lately there has been noted an effort in certain foreign quarters to extend among American citizens this disaffection to the cause which singly it is their high duty to support Contrary to the spirit of this country and it's institu- tions, certain foreign governments have re- gently urged their emigrants to the United States to become speedily naturalzed that they may cast their votes so as to further the interests of the government of countries which they had forsaken in order to make living and amass their fortunes here.
 To be "pro" any other country in matters affecting the public life of America is cer- tainly not being pro-American, and without being that, we would have no American citizenship worth the name.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

gust, mingled with hope that some day there wifi be such revulsion of public sen- timent as will compel the legislation of the nation to be made first consideration of congress. There is not much confidence expressed that such result will occur at an early date.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
Alabama Press
Bad Road. a Good Rsason
Southern Democrat)

One man who lives in the Blount Springs community says the reason he doesn't trade in Oneonta is be- cause the roads are so bad he can't get here. A good and valid reason. Let's get these new road machines busy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

A Chicago judge suggests that women should return to their old-time weapons and shoot with glances instead of firearms. The trouble is that when one woman outshoots another with glances the defeated one re- sorts to firearms as being more conclusive