davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
PLAIN WORDS OF TRUTH

As rule Senator Borah departs some distance from the facts in his public utterances, though most people who know him believe in his sincerity. He thinks along rather strenuous lines when he undertakes to analyZe inn portant economic questions affecting the national interest. He was brought up in school of politics which may be designated as liberal in it's views and purposes.
 Senator Borah does not mince mat ters when he undertakes to drive home a truth as he sees it. In a recent ad- dress he set forth some truths that might we'll be considered by the Amer ican people while they view with mis- givings the influences and effects of violation, evasion and disregard of the prohibition laws by citizens to whom law observance and law enforcement should mean much economically, if not morally.
 Here is an extract from Senator Borah's address which in it's frankness may sound a bit brutal, but it is worthy of the thought of every person in America who believes in the consti- tuition as the basis of law and order without which there is no safety to life or property:
 The hot bed and noisy rem
 dezvous of lawlessness, of cyni-
 cal defiance to the eighteenth
 amendment are among those of
 social standing, or larger property
 interests, and in the wealthier
 homes. Without their patronage,
 their protection and their example
 the bootleggcrs would be easily
 within the cortrol of the law. The
 fred" sits ip his darkly lighted
 room around his poorly laden ta-
 ble and denounces those provi- sions of the constitution placed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
THE LONDON POST


 The vacancy to be made at Lon don by the retirement of MT. liar vey as American ambassador there presents to the president shis first opportunity to make known to the country what is his conception Of the, American foreign service. In filling this vacancy opportunity will be given MT. Coolidge to illus trate his maxim that when patron- age takes the place of patriotism, administration breaks down. The country hopes that in the oppor- tunity that is now his, the presi- dent will make the deed square with the word.
 To the most important post in the American diplomatic service should be accredited the most eff ficient man whose services may be commanded. He who is sent there should in character, culture and ability measure up. to the high standard set up almost uniformly by occupants of that exalted of flee. The long roll is distin- guished one Names found there on reflect, with but few excep- tions, the highest and best Tn American life.
 The Adamses-father, son and grandson - John Jay, William Pinkney. James Buchanan, James Russell Lowell, Edward J. Phelps, Thomas +. Bayard, John Hay, Walter Hines Page-these names remind Americans that no nation has for 130 years been uniformly represented by men of finer quail ity at London than has the United States. If occasional lapses from bthis high standard have occurred, the fault has been precisely what MT. Coolidge's words intimate, namely. that patriotism has been succeeded by patronage in deter mining the appointment.
 There is ample material from which the president may make a capital selection. By all means let the country send one of it's best men to represent it at London. By no means let him be selected as reward for political activity at home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
THE NEW MOTOR VEHICLE TAX

A clear statement has been made by Tax Collector Hawkins in regard to the assessment and payment of taxes pin motor vehicles before licenses are Issued. Under the new law providing for this there has been some -misun- derstanding in connection with the change. That is usual with large number of new laws, but, as the tax collector says, people soon familiarize themselves with the situation, es- pecially when their pockets are af- fected thereby. It may be mentioned, too, that there are some people who would prefer to escape any taxes which they have not been accustomed to pay. and this is probably the basis of some of the complaints.
 There are some thirty thousand mo- tor vehicles in Jefferson county alone. These are all subject to an ad valorem tax in addition to the license tax. They are legitimate and fair taxable property. Heretofore many people, WnO pOSSeSSeu Ho real esCdIe, duC, therefore, made no assessments, cs- capped entirely the tax on their motor cars. There are probably some, too; who belong to the group f strenuous tax-dodgers who did not make assessments on their auto mobiles when they assessed their real estate. Hence the county and the state have been losing many thou
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
POOR BOYS WHO
 BECAME FAMOUS Bv Frederick Houk Law
Henry Martyr
sy Frederick Hotlk Ls

Down in the rugged and rocky section of England known as Cornwall, there lived, according to the old folklore tales, the famous, Jack the Giant Killer, young man who did incredible things that no one else could do. In that same section of England there was born near the end of the eight eenth century modern man who likewise did things that were be- yond belief, and accomplished much good for the world. Henry Martyr, the first great modern missionary to the Mohammedan people. Like Jack the Giant Kill CT, Henry Martyr was born of poor, obscure parentage, and brought up as a child with few opportunities. Nevertheless, he gained a fine education, lived a brilliant life, and became a most learned man, in spite of the fact that he died at the all-too- early age of 31.
 Henry Martyns humble father encouraged him to study and to attend schools, with the good re- suit that the lad, grown older, found the way to enter the great
 university of Cambridge. There he won high honors. At the age of 22 he gratified his mothers am- bition for him by becoming a preacher. In nine years he did such wonderful work that he may be said to have "set the world on fire" That work was done in the Orient, and it awoke the world to the need of carrying on mission ary work among the Mohamme- dans.
 It was in 1872, when Henry Martyr was 31 years old, and after he had worked for some seven years in India and Persia, that he
 set out on a daring journey across country from Persia to Constanti- | nople. a trip that at any time would have been dangerous but that was doubly dangerous in his days. The Cornishman had by some inherent power been able to
 master the languages of Persia and of India. He could talk with the natives in their own language almost as we'll as a native. He had translated the New Testament into many oriental languages, and with it other religious books. He had set up schools, visited the sick, comforted the dying. In fact, he had literally worn himself out with his unselfish work. He hoped to reach Constantinople and there find rest and treatment. Some
 where in the wild regions of Asia
 Minor he said to.his bearers: Put me down. IT can't go far
 ther. I wanted to do more"
 There. among the savage hills
 and the dark-skinned natives, he died. His death, so far from home,
 in such a wild region, and at so
 early an age, awoke sympathy ev- | anywhere. Men spoke of his learn
 ing. his earnestness, his unselfish-
 ness, and at once score of men
 set out to take up the work that
 he had begun. In the end, there
 fore, Henry Martyr did much more
 than Jack the Giant Killer ever
 thought of doing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
STRONG LESSON
 OF RECIPROCITY
(Atlanta Constitution)

Advices from Washington state that the export trade ot the United States with Latin America during the first eight months Of 1923 increased approximately thirty three and one-third per cent. over the same period last year. Perhaps there is not stronger argument sustaining the policy of reciprocity than this statement. Imports from the South American countries nave greatly Increased within the past year, due to economic conditions in Europe, and a stronger bond ot trading sympathy between the Pan-American nations. AS the United States therefore began to buy from the Latin American countries those countries imme-. diately began to buy from the United States, diverting great deal of the trade that had for merly gone to Europe and to the Orient.
 Commenting on the eight months export figures Dr. Julius Klein, director of the bureau or foreign and domestic commerce, points out that
 "shipments to Argentina, Chlle, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia ana Cuba all showed increases or thirty per cent. and upward as compared with the eight months of 1922. Exports to Argentina valued at. $S0,202,00o, showed an increase of thirty-three per cent. to Chile, $21,193,000, an increase or fifty-seven per cent; to Peru, s12,514,O00, an increase of about forty per cent; to Uruguay, Slo'- 17S,OO0, an increase of thirty per cent: to Columbia, S15,317,0O0, an increase of about thirty-two per cent. and to Cuba, SIPS, 1000, an increase of about sixty per cent.
 sfExports to Brazil, 2s,29S,OOoo' were only about one per cent. larger than in 1922, owing largely to the low exchange value Of the milreis. Exports to Mexico, ESQ., 2S3,O00, increased about eight ana one half per cent, in spite or .he depression W Il i h prevailed through out the period"
 The policy of reciprocity, whlcn President Taft so definitely fixed in the trade relationships of this country with Canada back in 1911, is the spirit and trait of hu- man nature. It is the acme of CO., operation between nations that must exist if amicable business re- lations are to be maintained. This country may never hope to regain it's pre-war trade relations With Europe. whatever may be the eventual economic condition of the old world, if it continues policy of aloofness and isolation, which is the very antithesis of reciprocity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
SUGAR PRICES AND THE TARIFF

There is bit of humor suggested by the announcement that the tariff commission on January 15 will begin public hearings as part of its in quiry into the effect, if any, of the tariff duties on the price of sugar to the American consumer. It is further announced that the commission is de- termined to go to the bottom of the question and hopes to be able when it has completed it's investigation to make definite recommendation to President Coolidge as to the advisa- bility of action under flexible pro- visions of the tariff. Then follows a lot of stuff about the thoroughness of the investigation, the broad scope to be included, and all that sort of thing.
 There is little doubt that the inves- tigation will be quite far-reaching, and that the report embodying what was learned will be decidedly voluminous. It will be noted that months after complaints came from every part of the country over the extortionate charges for a household necessity, the tariff commission decides to start an investigation. Meantime millions of consumers Have been gouged, profi- teers have gathered in all that the traffic would stand, prices for sugar have gone down under the pressure of public protest, jumped up again after the consumer was allowed a little breathing spell, and fluctuated one way or another for months. While preparations were being made for an investigation by the tariff commission looking to the further consuming task of compiling vast array of fig ures and issuing a report which few citizens of average intelligence could understand, beneficiaries of the tariff have been "mopping up," so to speak, and, as usual, there is no relief for the consumer.
 This sort of thing appears ridicu- lous in the light of the imposition upon millions of people who are called upon to fill the pockets of the tariff barons and accept the situation as a matter of course. A national political campaign is approaching, however, and the voters must be jollied in one way or another until after the ballot boxes are closed. Unto the effect, if any, of tariff duties on the price of sugar." says the announcement from the investigators, as if it were not well known that the tariff is keeping up the gouge upon the American peo- pie not only in household necessities, but in nearly everything else they need.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
BIRMINGHAM AGE-HERALD MONDAY, OCTOBER 22 1928

three causes, according to the writer incompetency, lack of courage, or an impossible field. Incompetency may be overcome to an extent by experi- ence and hard work; poor field may be developed, but lack of business courage is fatal and foredooms the publisher. The Alabama Press Asso- ciation has been trying in recent years to correct the tendency of it's small members to hold thier services too cheaply, and notable progress has been made. AS they show increasing business courage, the plane and in- fluence of the entire field of weekly journalism in Alabama will be mani fest accordingly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
TAX REDUCTION AND
 PRACTICAL POLITICS
tAtlanta Constitution)

On the all-important question or tax reduction, Senator William E. Borah of Idaho says:
 q am very much in favor of tax reduction at this session Of con gress. We cannot act too speed fly so long as we act with intelli- gence. If the fearful tax burden now being carried can be relieved, as Senator Shoot, who is as well advised as anyone, declares, to the as soon as possible.
 "The view expressed by Senator Shoot is good news. But l think we ought not be delayed. It Is true probably that to attempt change at this session will open up, as stated. a Pandora's box of troubles. But the Pandora's box of troubles already is open out in the country and congress can af- ford to take on some troubles in order to relieve the country"
 Senator Smoot of Utah is the new chairman of the senate finance committee and is regarded as tax expert. In conference with President Coolidge he very frank ly admitted that the government can now well afford to cut the surtax maximum from 50 to 25 per cent, as strongly urged by Secretary of the Treasury Mellon, thus relieving the country fully half a billion dollars year from it's present federal tax burdens, but that from the political view point it would be unwise to inject the tax question in the delibera- tions of the next congress, as it might be loaded at both ends and in the middle" for the adminis- tration.
 In other words, the Utah senator puts party expediency above the material interests of the whole people, and frankly admits more interest in the fortunes of politics than in the interests of the coun- try, by saying $50O.000,0O0 can be saved year in taxes, but that the republican president seeking a re- nomination and election had better steer clear" of such a recommen- dation.
 y volunteers the statement that, party or no party. political for tunes to the winds, if taxes can be reduced they must be reduced. and that he will make a congressional drive to that end. The position of Senator Borah In this matter is that of the statesman and not the politician, and democrats in con gress should hasten to back him in his determination to reduce the existing federal burdens.
 Secretary Mellon, who has never viewed his obligations to the peo- pie through political glasses, led in tax reductions last year, and his views were fully approved by the late President Harding. The result was that with rate reduc- tions gross incomes into the treas ury were actually increased, illus trating the economic wisdom of fairness in taxation as in all othe business matters.
 The secretary Of the treasury favors further Reductions now; and in the light of sound, eco homie reason, it is little less than disgraceful that so great a prob lem as reducing the tax burdens upon the people, which can admit tedly be done without impairing government service, shall be meas ured by it's effect upon party in power
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22

there to protect property. The ''white" sits in his brilliantly light ed room about his richly laden table and defies or denounces the provision of the constitution placed there in the belief that it would protect the home. These
 men have perfect right to
 change the constitution, or any
 part of it, in the way by which
 changes are permitted. But as
 long as it stands there, it is en-
 titled to their earnest and con
 scientious support. You cannot
 have protection to property, your
 security for life, the things which
 you prize and deeply cherish, if
 you continue to teach disregard
 for the things which challenge your opposition. What one citi-
 zen may like another may dislike,
 and we shall soon witness a gen.
 eral assault upon the whole struc-
 ture. Prohibitionist or anti-pro-
 hibitionist, sober or drunk, we
 ought as citizens be loyal to our common country and be willing
 ~o support the law so long as it is
 the law.
 Comment upon the words of Senate Borah is unnecessary. They stand fo and every fair-minde' citizen in America is forced to admi that they contain much truth whicl 1t were we'll to employ as basis fo. action in the enforcement and ob servance of the eighteenth amend nent. Whatever anyone may thinl of the wisdom of prohibition, it is thu aw of the land, and upon it's enforce nent and observance rests to a larg, extent the solution of the problem 0. aw and order in America.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
CONFERENCE oF GOVERNORS

A somewhat tame affair from d spectacular view was the governors conference at the White House Satur- day. Word had been passed around that there would be some lively times, but, with the exception of bit of warmth in speech by Governor Neff of Texas, things moved along on hum-drum schedule. Governor Neff reminded the governors of Maryland and New York, who are understood to be more or less "wet" in their attitude towards the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead act, that the South tried hard to get out of the Union years ago, and that the. matter was set tied only by civil war; that if the gov ernors of Maryland and New York, who had injected the states-rights issue into the matter of prohibition enforce ment, desired to revive that question at this late day, they were welcome to get what satisfaction they could out of 1t, but that it was another proposition to undertake to drag the South into position in reference to prohibition which was wholly repugnant to the sentiment of the Southern people.
 President Coolidge did not under take to pass the buck to the states in the prohibition enforcement situation, as had been predicted. He stated plainly that observance and enforce ment of the prohibition law is a con- current jurisdiction matter, and that every city, county and state is under solemn obligation to cooperate to the limits of their powers and energies to that end; that the federal government would do its full share and would act with the states in every possible way. He urged the governors to use their efforts and influence for enforcement not only of the prohibition laws, but of all laws, and reminded them that violations and evasions of the prohi- bition laws inevitably resulted in loose observance and enforcement of all law.
 The conference resulted in the pas sage of resolution urging upon the governors and upon state, county and municipal authorities to exercise spe- cial efforts for prohibition enforce ment, calling upon the people and the press to aiG in the work in all possible ways, and emphasizing the importance of campaigns of education through which the people might realize the dangers to themselves and to the coun- try that will surely come from the Haunting of the constitution and the law as respects the liquor traffic. Much will have to te done through the influence of education in this impor- tant undertaking. / Violation of the prohibition law is much. more far reaching than the question of whether there shall or shall not be manufac- ture and sale of liquor. The question has come to be whether the American people shall be law-abiding or lawless. The protection of life and property and the advancement of the public welfare are directly involved. Observ- ance and enforcement of the prohibi- tion law will determine whether the American nation shall make progress in civilization or shall fall back into confusion and more or less dangerous degrees of anarchy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
VALUE OF NEWSPAPER COURAGE

An editorial written by Marcy B. Darnall of the Florence, Alabama, Herald and published in "Alapressa" under the title Newspaper Courage has attracted, much attention from newspaper publishers of Alabama, es- pecially publishers of weekly papers. The writer points out that in operating a small newspaper three kinds of cour- age are required-moral courage, bus mess courage and physical courage. Moral courage is required in deciding what to print and what not to print 1; physical courage is sometimes re- quired, though less frequently now adays, as newspaper publishers appre- ciate their responsibilities to the public.
 The writer of the editorial lays em- phasis upon business courage as an element of success. Lack of this kind of courage manifests itself most fre- quently through fear to charge fair prices for advertising space, lest some unreasonable customer be offended, and fear to maintain consistent busi- ness policies regardless of immediate consequences. Through weak and vacillating concessions" says the wri- ter, "for sake of expediency we ac- cept business on any terms the GUS toner may dictate-often at an actual loss-thus assuring our own financial ruin, or at best precarious hand-to- mouth existence. While other busi- ness men unhesitatingly raise prices whenever costs make such course necessary, many publishers of small newspapers accept unprofitable rates year in and year out, for fear of losing little gross business. Fear that some merchant may cut out his advertising hangs over them like a nightmare. They toll on, hoping that some miracle may save them from ruin, knowing full well that the miracle will not occur. Yet a little courage might bring success"
 Newspaper failures result from
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
WE HAVE PRETTIEsT MONEY
 (Ohio State JournaD

The girl with the prettiest legs and the one with the prettiesr arms and the one with the prett- lest back and the one with the prettiest about everything else have now come over from pres trate Europe and all are said 10 have done well while on our hos pitable shores and now we sup. pose the one with the prettiest vaccination mark will be along at S2.50 and war tax a seat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
Can't Serve Two Masters fFlorencA Timesl

Quite a few of the newspapers of the state appear to agree in attributing the lack of success along some lines in the recent legislature to the fact that both houses of that body were domi- mated by railroad attorneys, or representatives of other corporate interests. with special interests to serve other than the welfare of the people. The Biblical state ment, NO man can serve two masters" applies fully to the question of such men serving in the legislature, and 1t is a sad commentary upon the gullibtlity of the people of the different counties of the state that they should send, and continue to send, men to represent their in- terests who really are represent ing some special interest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-22
Individual Civic Duty
(Tuscaloosa News)

IIU5CdfUUSd 3FSWSI
 Every man has a civic duty to perform and he can't hire anyone else to perform 1t for him. It Is not transferable. It Is co-opera- tion.. Where you observe thrift and progress you know the people are all working hand in hand and when we pull together things will be accomplished. The officers of the Chamber of Commerce possess no magic wand to wave-and To, it is done. It is just opposite hard work alone brings the an swer and every citizen in Tusca- loosa should give their support to this organization, which is doing so much for all of us.