davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

has been due to the influence of this organ ization, and that the present slight decrease is reaction that need not inevitably recoil upon the producer, for he can, through bis organized machinery, refuse to sell at a dictated price. Those who deliberately de- press futures would thus be caught in predicament from which they could not ex- tricate themselves.
 Whatever the situation may be, any new light that the department of commerce may throw upon it would be capable of being used to the advantage of the grower and the manufacturer, and to the discomfiture of those who have been preying upon the pro- ducers former helpessness. The cotton marketing organization has here real test of it's own value to the industry. Legisla- tion will not be needed. if the gamestcrs are caught at their own game.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
THE DECLINE IN COTTON

Representative John J. McSwain of South Carolina has appealed to Secretary Hoover for an investigation into the reason for the recent decline in the price of cotton. MT. McSwain expresses the opinion that there is deliberate throttling of the cotton market" in the face of demand for the coming year that the present crop will fail to satisfy. It is interesting in this connection to note that the opinion prevails on the New Orleans exchange that the fear of an investigation of cotton at the same time as sugar has been responsible for the slump as spectators try to get out from under and discharge their contracts before the investigation catches them. If that is true, then the situation really does need inquiry, for honorable trans. actions do not run to cover for fear of pub- licity.
 Congress has had several opportunities to respond to the demand for investigation of the cotton exchanges and to enact legis- lation designed to pun an end to fuctuations due to manipu ltion cf prices for speculative profits So far there has been little serious consideration given to the subject. What congress may do is problematical. It may improve the situation or it may not There is one medium, however, which has it within it's power to put an end to fictitious profits and losses in cotton. That medium is the organization of cotton farmers to regulate the grading and marketing of cotton. This organization, once it becomes established in permanent manner, as now appears to be al- most the case, has the potential ability to sell cotton directly to the trade at price that is in accordance with the demand and that will not net the farmer loss It IS believed that the recent steady rise of cotton
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
THE VIOLET

Again let us bethnk ourselves of the debt we owe the violets that have been abloom all winter and still shed color and perfume at the close of the first month Of spring. They began blooming in beds and along paths and borders in the early days of December. flor nearly four montrs, third of an entire year, they have wthstood rains, frost, sleet and wind, smiling through the mkts and steadfastly brightening the lives of men and women. When the sleet came and great trees fell under it's weight, the violets en- wrapped themselves in a blanket of the sleet, and when the coating dropped off, they came forth as blue and fresh and sweet as ever. There are summer blossoms more gorgeous than the violet and there are flowers that shed fragrance spring, summer and autumn, but none of them comes nearer being a friend when a friend is really needed than the violet. It is here when all the other flowers are gone. It lives and bespeaks immortality when the rest of floral nature is dead. None of us can exactly measure what we have gotten out of these winter violets, but we have all gotten some good in the suggestion of the true. the good and the beautiful which they have been to us as we have started the daily grind. Our trees and flowers are more to us than we realize.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
A Timely Editorial
Racial Co.Operation in the. South

tHouston PosD
 As indifferent to his economic welfare as the negro may seem at times, he is nevertheless making sub- stantial progress in the accumula- tion of wealth.
 Major Moton. president of the Tuskegee institute, and an author ity on negro life, has gathered some comparative statistics which dis close some of the things the negro has done since the war between the states closed.
 For instance, in 1866 there were only 12,000 homes owned by ne- groes in the entire nation. Today there are 650,000. In the first year after the war negroes were operat- ing for themselves 290,000 farms, while today they own and operate 100000 farms. The number of business institutions conducted by negroes has increased from 2,100 in the days following emancipation to 60,000 at the present time.
 It is doubtful if any other race has equaled this record of progress in the same time. It is to be recall ed that the negro is only sixty years out of slavery, and that he had to begin minus material and educa- tional resources. The older genera tion of negroes now living came into their freedom with little but their physical strength and the training for labor the.y had acquired as slaves.
 But the worthy negro had some thing intangible that has been of immense benefit to him in getting along, and Major Moton does not fail to mention it as an important factor in the negro's success. That was the good will of the southern white people. In numberless in stances the negro striving to acquire property has been helped quietly and unknown to the public, by some white man.
 Every business man acquainted with conditions in the south knows this to be true. Negroes are still being aided by white friends. Any industrious, reliable negro in a southern community soon finds white friends who are ready to assist him in acquiring home or farm:
 Because southern people do not advertise their cooperation with the negroes in business matters, but treat it rather as a matter of course, many people unfamiliar with racial relations in the south have an en. tirely perverted view of the race "problem." As a matter of fact, the worthy negro finds all the opp portunity in the south he is capable of accepting, and he need not lack assistance commensurate with his ability and character.
 Major Moton is performing ser vice in calling attention to this elc' ment in the negro's economic pro- gress. If it were better understood in the north there would be less criticism of the south's attitude to- ward the negro.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

terest. Any reduction in taxes in the face of a great public debt is more than offset by thc increase in interest due to postpone meat Of the day of reckoning. It is surely more businesslike to take advantage of our seasons of exceptional prosperity to pay our debts than to postpone payment and cause heavier burden to fall during the periods of depression.
 If there is any tax reform, and certainly there is need of such reform, let it follow such course as will bring all our wealth under taxation, and cause that great portion of our wealth which now escapes taxation to pay it's share. When that is done, then in- deed will it be profitable and expedient to speak of reduction in the tax rate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
THE PAN-AMERICAN CONGRESS

The Pan-American Congress is rapidly assembling in Santiago, Chiie. Perhaps no commercial and political assemblage of dele cations from various nations ever assumed such importance to so many peoples. Never did two continents feel such Geep sentiment of fellowship and community of interests as in this congress of tri-lingual componenJs. Where once there was, especially among the Latin-American republics, general air of jealousy end suspicion, there is now an ex- banding atmosphere of friendliness and recognition of many things in common The five republics of Central America among whom there was two years ago lively an- ticipation of active hostlities, have agreed that their five delegations shall act as unit on all questions not affecting them as in- dividual nations in their relations to one an- other. Naturally each delegation ' ii pre- serve its integrity of function when the questions relating specifically to its own gov ernment are under, discussion.
 The congress may not show immediate results but it typifies changing attitude towards questions affecting the two Ameri- can continents. The questions gre not for any one nation or for minority of nations to settle. They require and merit general discussion and agreement. In this view of the case the United States is quite properly represented and ready to take an active part but not domneering part, in the proceed ings. There is general opinion in this coun- try that we have lacked understanding of our Latin <neighbors, and that we have not only sacrificed there, y longer history of amicable intercourse, but we have forfeited to more farsighted nations great profit in
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Poor Boys Who
 Became Famous By FREDERICK HOUK LAW
Justin Von iicbip


 Every one has heard of Liebig's extract of beef, and practically every one has benefited by it. Very often we accept all the advantages that are offered us by science with out stopping for ] momont to think how or by whom t,icy were given to the world. Liebig' extract of beess is only one of the many boons that Justus won Liebig, the German chemist, conferred upon the world during his lifetime of sevency years.
 As boy he grew up am ong pots and pans and bottles and breathed the odors of chemicals ana drugs as his native element, for his father made dyes and sold them to his cus- toners. The father was always holding tubes up to the light, and pouring mixtures together, and cook ing strange preparations in the hope of making colors of new and won- derful shades. The little boy watched his father in admiration and hoped to grow up into a man who W Gid dabD. E,tn liquids ana fill bottles with beautiful coinrs He much preferred to read :l.s fa- ther's books on chemistry to study ing languages or history. As soon as he could he got a position with what we should cali a druggist, but as he all but blew up the place when he put the wrong things together in biissful effort to sae what would happen, the druggist thought him a very fresh" sor- of 0o..
 Justus von Liebig went on to col lege, and there continued to try to learn more about chemicals-for he was interested in nos.ling else. To his surprise he found that ,he pro- fessOrs did not linow everything, and so he united with other young men in trying to learn by private study and experiment. what the class rooms did nut teach. He went on to study in France And developed into professor of chemistry.
 When he became professor he at once tried to give lis pupils ali the opportunities he had desired fol himself opportunities to ''try things out: In other words, labora- tory work. For the rest of his life he taught chemistry aud was per fectly happy, and never more nap py than when lie WAS trying to do something that the books Gl6 not teach. Moreover, he taught all his pupils to find out things for them- selves-which is the only real way to gain any education at al. Nat urally, he discovered so much tnta he almost founded modern chem:s- try. Among other things, ne worked in the study of foods and the devel- .opment of food plants. Because Sustus von Liebig, the dye-maker's boy, stuck to one ti.iag and wanted t l, arm for himself, he made ml:h Cdr mOGern ..s. D Ss.p.u
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
FIRST PAY THE PUBLIC DEBT

An optimistic revenue taX-collector of Manhattan says that, in spite of the reduc- ton in surtaXes, the total ncome-tax re- ceipts will be much greater than last year. The same authority then suggests that the tax rate will probably soon be lowered as consequence. It does not appeal to the average taxpayer as good judgment delib- erately to reduce the revenue in the face of such a stupendous public debt. The longer this debt stands against the govern ment the more total tax the people will have to pay, because of the interest. Further, there has been a treasury deficit all along which should be changed into treasury surplus to retire maturing obligations and even to anticipate maturities by early payments. The tax burden under which the people have been staggering has materially frightened during the past year and will continue to be frightened, not so much because of the reduction in the rate, as because advancing prosperity has given them more to pay with It is doubtful if very many people feel the income tax as real burden. People of small incomes usually vary their expendl- lures to approximate their obligations while the people with large incomes certainly suf- fer no deprivation from the tax. Indeed, it is mark of comfortable circumstances to have an income large enough to be taxed, what with exemptions and all
 That the rank and file are not really suf- fering from the income-tax obligation is shown by the great expansion in savings de- posts. Savings deposits are owned princi- pally by the rank and fife, the people of moderate income. The only real freedom from taxation, the only kind of tax relief that is real and permanent, is found through liquidation of the public debt. As long as that hangs over us, we cannot hoaorably escape taxes, and any other course certainly is not the desire of the American people. Any postponement of debt payment through the issue of securities and refunds actually increases our debt to the extent of the ir-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
ANOTHER MAXIM WRONG
Eosl On 'l'ranacripttl

Eiy--"T Two wrongs cont make a right, and to. that rule there's no exception"
 Dix-"Oh, don't know. If your clock is an hour fast. it is wrong, and if you ses ii forward eleven hours more, you of course make it wronger, but at the same time you make it rsgat.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
GRADE CROSSINGS A NUISANCE

There seems no end of the ways in which a grade crossing menaces, hampers, handl- caps and altogether puts brake on the pace of a community. There is danger perpetual, There is a continuous invitation to death. It is a standing interruption to good roads and smooth streets. When they encounter grade crossing they are no longer good roads and smooth streets. grade crossing to good highway is the same as dltches and pretruding rocks. When the grade crossing is not otherwise impeding travel and traffic and causing the gait of commit nity progress to slow down there must needs be the intermittent relaying of rails, and where the electric cars cross the railroad rails, rcadjustment of the tracks thrown cut of joint by the double system of wear incident to four-way traffic.
 The Twentieth street crossing is so often; in torn-up condition for repair and rail reaignment that it may almost be regarded as standing feature of community fife. It is in that condition now. More than once in the past few days the crossing has been all but closed. forcing north and south traf- fife to operate on a narrow portion of the west side of the street. Electric cars have been punched by the dozens and added to this has been the stated Interruption ot freight trains crossing from east and west and the stopping of passenger trains athwart the street to let off passengers.
 Outside of the harm done ,pe community in slowing it down and the danger always existing where these crossings are, they are an unmitigated nuisance. When they are not handicapping business, pleasure and mo- mentum in one way they are doing it in an- other They are a continuous cause of men, tai disturbance, loss of temper and distrac- tion from the orderliness of urban life. The people are entitled to abatement of nui- sances The railroad crossing is the chief among th2r,.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
A FAN OF THE OLD SOUTH
(By Milton lIarkins)--

We read about the flutings
 Of the Grecian god, called Pan That savage, goat-hoofed fellow
 In wilds where strcamlets ran; But know ! still minstrel
 Who blew the reeds as well, Back in the ante-bellunf days
 Old dusky Simon Kell! He lives to pipe and tell of deeds,
 Though step and voice are slow, And yet, and yet, the river-reeds, | He will not let them go; He keeps alive old melodies
 Sweet songs and tunes divine, Of an era that he cherishes-
 The ante-bellum time!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

Latin-American commerce. Henceforth We expect to enjoy larger proportion of that commerce than in the past. We expect the basis of that expanding commerce to be con ventions and agreements Of mutual benefit among all the American republics. Even Canada is represented in the congress, which many regard as sufficiently significant in the case of dependency of Great Britain. The congress is potential of results of great magnitude.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Don't Be Fooled


 Now comes the great state of New York and says that the only way to equalizc taxes is to publish assessments in the newspapers and a bill to that effect has been intro duced in the legislature. The New York bill zoe much farther than the proposed statute in Alabama. New York has law requiring the publication in newspapers of all exempted property. New York also publishes in the newspapers an itemized list of taxes collected. Alabama proposes to include all of this in one bill and at total cost to each taxpayer of thirteen anu one-half cents. Don't permit tax dodgers to fool you on the cost of this publicity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
HAS ITS DISADVANTAGES

(E. W. 'HoWe'S Monthly
 Occasionally the subject of polyg- amy comes up. And l have observed that women speak only of the hard fate of polygamous wives, and inti- mate that polygamy is always a joy for men. How about man co:..- pelled to settle the rows of three or four wives, and listen to their jaw ing?" If a wife lacks ability to give an offending husband a whipping, it doesn't mean he escapes punish ment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

During the forthcoming presidential cam paign the public will have sn opportunity to distinguish between good and bad politics. It's gratifying to note that the kind which relies on abuse and vilification of opponents in order to "get by" commands steadily less attention and support from self-respect- ing pubic.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

foreigner residing in California is un- decided whether he will accept a title to which he recently fell heir, now that titles are not making 50 strong an appeal to hys- terical American heiresses with the social bug acutely developed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
SOAKED FEM
Chicago News)

A housewife who had engaged a country girl whom she regarded as a very unsophisticated person told her one morning co take those clothes from the back bedroom and put them in soak" The girl was missing for some time and the mis- tress thought she must have forgot ten the task. Going into the kitchen. she asked: Mary, did you put the clothes in soak as l told you?" "Yis, num-" was the answer, land the mean old fellow wouldn't give me but S8 on them"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

There are rumors that President Harding is considering an extra session of congress with the hope of reducing taxes The general impression seems to prevail that if the party doesn't do something almost miraculous in the public interests during the balance of his term, he may as we'll prepare to settle down snugly among his neighbors at Marion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Fruit Growing in Alabama


 Alabama suffered no serious financial joss in the destruction in part or in whole of the fruit crop by the delayed but sweeping freeze in March. The consolation that this news brought was tempered by the unpleasant realization that the or- chard fruit crops were not suffi- ciently important to involve any heavy financial loss by their de struction. The government and the farm extension workers in particu. lar are about the task of educating farmers in the aeeied care and al, tention. It is werk in winch there should be hearty Cooperation. Alabama ought Q be and could be one of the gr-st fruit producing states.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Production and Price fte,,fr f...t

From all over the county, the state and the cotton belt as for that, comes the information that the far mers are very largely increasing then, cotton acreage. If this is true, the fact is to be deplored, for just as sure as God made little apples, if there is big increase in the pro- duction of cotton there is going to be much lower prices and the far mer will be the fellow to suffer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Helping Along It. Line.

tAnniston Starr s.| Two hundred stock cars for the Southern railway are to be built in an Anniston plant. The placing of the order for cars in Anniston shows the Southern railway believes in helping industrial development of cities along its lines.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Has a Big Job
tTalladega Daily Home)

(Talladega Daily Home)
 B. gets off a clever one in the Advertiser when he says: "By the way, Ed Doty formerly lived in Tuscaloosa and managed the Bran don gubernatorial campaign, but now lives in Lafayette and regu- iates the Sun."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Alabama Press
Time to Ring Off

s(Guntersville Democrat)
 With snow on Monday and the river out of banks and "A degrees temperature Tuesday, it is time for the groundhog to ring off.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

The British unemployed are reported to getting married because two can live cheaper than one. Perhaps so. But how about four or six? The English have never been'a ra suicide people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

In winning the boat race against Cam- bridge, Oxford had the advantage of an American stroke. Americans are yusc na- tural-born winners in any kind of contest from war to pie-eating.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Blount in the Lead

(Southern DemOcrat)
 In the past thirty years Blount county has turned out more school teachers than any other county in the state. And most of them are serving the people of other conn-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

Maybe that jockey who is preparing to wed one of England's most beautiful heir esses is taking this method to show his no. se sense
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Send It Bounding

IHuntsvlIIe Times)
 Fifty thousand bales of cotton in Madison county plus a diversi- fication of crops. will give us all enough floor supplies and spare will send this old pars Of the: state bounding over the top with more than $10,00O,000 extra next fall. Let's go to it!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
Tax-Payers Should Know


 The people are thinking-and they are thinking that taxpayers should know what goes with their money.-LaFayette Sun. And the peanut politicians are thinking they will keep them from knowing just as long as possib,c, and we arc thinking they have seen the hand- writing on the wall.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27
The Two-Foot Putt

' foot putt It makes me feel as if were a hopeless, helpless mutt. l drive 'em down the fair-way with free and easy swing; my brassie shot is straight and true and smooth as everything; but even though my mashie shot is clean and far and high, l cannot sink two-foot putt no matter how try.-J. R. l..
 We recently heard good one at one of the Birmingham clubs. A yourg man en- tered lawyers office and inquired if the latter thought he could win certain case. "That depends on the conditions" replied the lawyer. "Tell me the details just as they exist and can come pretty near telling you whether you have case"
 The young man went minutely into it. Now, said he, lido you think you can win the case all right?"
 "Sure," said the lawyer, why, that's a cinch."
 The young man started out. Say" in- quired the lawyer, "aren't you going to give me the easel"
 "Not on your life" returned the young man; that's the other fellows side"
 The man who's invariably rude to his sup posed interiors has none.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

It takes strong man to mould public sentiment; still stonger one to defy it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-27

The man who constantly entertains sus- pcons is usually an awkward host.