davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
SEAPORT VICTORY

Discrimination by certain Railroads, particularly the Southern, against Mo bile in favor of other seaports has been going on for many years, and the policy has not been abandoned. Were it not for the alertness of the traffic bureaus at Mobile and ether cities in Alabama's seaport territory, and the cooperation of the shippers within that same area, Mobile would today be practically strangled as an the contemplated development under taken by the state. The latest effort at discrimination was along the lines of establishing preferential rail rates to Norfolk and Savannah on goods from the Southeastern producing territory and destined for the Mississippi area or the Pacific coast. A preliminary hearing before representatives of the Interstate Commerce Commission was so convincingly on the side of Ala bama's seaport that the railroads, speaking through the repre- sentatives of the Southern Railway, voluntarily withdrew their petition and their teuta- tive schedules.
 One gratifying feature of the pro- test was the exhibition of interest on the part of many cities and concerns affected by the question at issue. \ few years ago such a hearing would have aroused no interest or protrst except from Mobile. Now, not only Mobile, but the cities of Alabama which have now come to look up n Alabama's seaport as the property 3f the state and definite, active and indispensable state asset, join in repre- sentations before the rate bodies. In addition to the cities of Alabama through their chambers of commerce, the shippers and manufacturers, not only of Alabama, but in all cities lying within the rate influence of Mo- bile as far north at least as the Ohio river, have come to realize that Mo- bile's development and welfare and commercial dominance of her contigu- ous territory are essential to their own competitive position.
 The railroads still maintain their at- titude of indifference and in some cases active hostility, but the day when such attitude can be translated into material and overt damage to the port has passed. Public hearings and the opportunity for full and complete presentation of the side of the public and the patrons of commerce have made it impossible to continue the former railroad practice of uncon- trolled and covert discrimination and manipulation of rates. The battle is long one and is yet far from won, but there is no longer any doubt that the victory will lie, not with the car riers, but with the public served by the carriers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
PEOPLES FORUM
A Tventy-first Anniversary


 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Today marks the twenty-first anniversary of my arrival in Bir- mingham, and I have been moved by the fact quite, or nearly quite, es much as when I attained by majority. The latter happened to me in Birmingham, too, how many years ago would be of no interest, of course. But I was beardless youth when l arrived. I have sorter grown up with the town. I trust l may be pardoned remi- nlscent word or two.
 Many changes have taken place since I came to the Magic City, changes that suggest magic, sure enough! The population number ed about 3S,000 souls if my mem ory serves me right, and Greater Birmingham was only a dream. Present population centers such as Fairfield, Westfield and many other communities in or near the city had not been thought of. Sixth avenue was the heart of the best residential section, The Woodward building lowered high above any other building in town, and to me was very impressive. The moving picture house had not arrived and the Jefferson and the Bijou were the only two theatres. The Louisville and Nashville depot was the Union Station at that time, and the Bessemer steam dummy was still in operation. Stones" was the leading soft drink establishment and for those who had fiercer thirst there was a saloon on most of the prominent corners and in some cases two or three in one block. One of the noted saloons bore the picturesque name of The Stag"-probabIy eloquent of the number who stag gered out daily, and the other was called "The Dude," which was a misnomer.
 But as great as have been the changes in Birmingham sky line and in her morals during these twenty-one years, the conviction is forced upon one that we stand upon the theshold of a new era of progress greater than what has gone before. Magic fingers, or so it seems, are ceaselessly at work molding the Birmingham of the future, and so rapid is the devel- opment that we scarce can keen abreast of it. Here's to Birminr- ham-my home town!
 R. A. LOVE.
 Birmingham, Ala.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
COOLIDGE,S DRAMATICS

No less keen observer and forceful writer than William Allen White be- lieves that President Coolidge needs a press agent who can properly drama tize him. Mr. White says that Presi- dent Coolidge's general impression on the country, and especially on the business interests, is favorable, but that the White House silence is un- usual and disturbing. For these req sons the president would already seem to be widely dramatized without the aid of a press agent. It is the mys- terious that attracts attention. What has excited the interest and curiosity of the world more than the Sphinx?
 That President Coolidge's few ut terances do not appeal to the breezy and spontaneous West, as MT. Allen complains, is true in sense. It is doubtful, however, if frequent and voluminous speeches such as would impress one group of citizens or sec tion of the country would have simi
 
 sition as whole seems to have more or less of numerical aspect, especial ly preceding momentous political campaign; for each vote stands on it's own feet. There are more ways than one for man to dramatize himself. Silence creates an air of mystery, and mysteries are both interesting and dramatic. President Coolidge is al- ready dramatic in the eyes of certain irreconcilables who are concerned about his attitude towards the Hughes plan in connection with the German separations problem, the world court idea, ct cetera. He is dramatic in the eyes of business men and politicians who wonder what he will do about many proposals affecting govern mental policies. Keeping people guessing is always more or less dra- matic.
 A Chicago contemporary thinks that "'the silence in the White House may itself be a very dramatic preparation for the first message President Cool idge will deliver to congress" AL ready there is speculation among poli- ticians as to the character of that document. There is a possibility of some lively dramatics when insurgents and regulars, blocs and party leaders come to analyze the administrators attitude towards several momentous questions of public policy to be set forth in the message. Before the wrangles are over the country will probably have pretty good acquaint- ance with the president, what he thinks and where he stands, without the aid of press agents or interpreters.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
POOR BOYS WHO
 BECAME FAMOUS
David Roberts
By Frederick Houk Law

"Dave"-ye are grand slap per wi the brush. Mon, ye do put the paint on as though ye liked to put it there"
 Aye" answered Dave in the laconic Scotch manner, for. like the rest of his race, he was not free in speech.
 Year after year Dave" Rob erts painted houses, and none of the people who saw him do It thought that he would one day become one of the most famous artists of all the British empire.
 David Roberts, the house painter. went ahead and did the best he could in painting houses. Then he did little more, and studied as much as he could. From being a poor and humble workman he made himself at least an intelli- gent workman. He studied books, tried to paint pictures and failed. and knew that he failed. There was one thing that he could do one bit of slap-dash painting in which he could succeed. That was the painting of scenes for thea tres, for that work called for slap dash and little else. David Roberts painted scenery for thea don. He saved little money and then went to the continent of Europe to Took about the world" a little. He saw beautiful seen cry that filled him with delight The house painter the stage scene painter, the dauber. now sat down to paint the scenes he saw He kept on trying, and To and behold. out of his love of the beautiful, and out of his joy sn his work there came really great paintings. The world recognized him as a genuine artist. and he was able to devote himself to real art. Rich people bought his paintings, which now hang in art galleries. He travelled about Bu- rope and into the Orient, look ed upon all that was beautiful, in scenes like the pyramids and the desert, in interiors, as in the in- teriors of old Spanish cathedrals where the dim light makes holi- ness, and then he put down what he saw, and what he felt, in paint fngs. It was a rare triumph. By' the time the house painter was forty five years old he had been made member of the Royal Academy. Wien he died at the age of sixty eight he was la mented as one of the few artists who are really great. In every man there slumbers something great if he will but work and persevere.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
THE PUBLIC SAFETY

Safety campaigns to train the pub lie to be more careful of life and limb, whether of themselves or of others, are commendable and become daily more necessary in this day of speed, motor vehicles and activity. Gratify ing results have obtained from such efforts in many communities. Whe,e it is the practice to exercise caution, the carelessness of the few stands out in more glaring contrast, and there is less inclination to condone their of lenses and to minimize their puish- ment.
 Nevertheless, for safety campaign to stop short of an attempt to rectify underlying and preventable conditions that contribute to human danger is not good logic nor generalship. The contemplated reforn in Birmingham s traffic laws lays the predicate in part for public cooperation in the pro- posed safety-first campaign in this city. There still remains, however, q source of public peril which has often been mentioned, which is not denied and yet which is permitted to continue to exist in defiance both of human safety and of the community conven- fence and prosperity. That menace is the grade crossing, which is not only not included in the campaign, but which there is in some quarters a growing tendency to forgive on the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
Bedtime Story
A sparrow is a sparrow,
 And Q al,ra,rr will hn rnnh.

A sparrow is a sparrow,
 And always will be such;
 He has no education,
 And don't amount to much.
 Sylvester the Sparrow sat on tele- phone wire looking at the strangest sight he had ever seen. Yessir, it was the strangest sight he had ever seen.
 It was a great, big stone building without any roof. It looked like a huge punch bowl. The floor of the building was long, wide stretch of grass and there were white lines run- ming across it.
 Down on the grass were number of two-legged creatures known as men, and what they did to each other was caution. One man in white pants would blow a whistle and the other men would leap at each other with great ferocity and knock each other down and trample each other under foot.
 Perched high on lodges around the sides of the building were thousands of other men who stood up every time there was a fresh assault and threw their hats in the air and yelled so loud that the windows rattled mile away.
 "This must be one of those terrible wars I have been hearing about" said Sylvester the Sparrow, trembling as the bloodthirsty cheers shook the te,e- phone wire.
 "Hol How laughed Conrad the Crow, who happened along that way. Don't you know the difference be- tween war and a football game? Those ain't armies; they are college students"
 And what is college student?" asked Sylvester the Sparrow
 "A college student is a young man who is having his brain manicured. Those fellows down there are soaking up an education"
 ''They look like lot of nuts to me-" replied Sylvester the Sparrow as he flew away to his favorite perch near the bridle path.
 He was only a low-browed sparrow. He was incapable of higher thought.
 Waiting for a century plant to bloom is thrilling pastime, if you like chess. The. first hundred years, as the saying goes, are the most te- dious.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
THERE IS A WAY OFT

NDedI boIH 1HuepenQent)
 A principal of public schools In Montana writes to direct attention to the school problem. Americans have always prided themselves on their educational system. Yet, few will deny that many sections of the land are improperly served. Sparsely- settled territory some- times goes without the fundamen- tals, while many great critics. rev cling In vast expenditures for school purposes, still marvel at the continuance of halliday ses- sions, at the crowded schoolroom and at poorly paid teachers.
 IffN~tlie cities taxes come easv under the spur of the cry: We need schools. Then the taxpayors often discover that their schools remain inadequate. Rapid growth of the communities is one reason for this condition. But too often the proceeds of heavy taxation and big bond issues go to construction of ornate buildings. School boards can favor contractor friends bv giving them frequent and costly building contracts. But appro- priations used in ornament cannot furnish necessary school facilities.
 Problems of city and rural com munity are alike the nations prob- lem. It would be, perhaps, un- wise to make education. as a whole, a federal business. The extension of the government over- head has already been too vast. But there are ways of co-opera- tion and conference whereby many school problems could be worked out. When these means fail ut terly, it should be possible for ma tion and state to assist the com munities whose system of local support for education is made Quate.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
TWO MILLIONS PER
 MONTH FOR ROADS
(savannah News)

North Carolina has been spend ing two million dollars a month for the past four months in high way construction. North Caro- lima had before the four months period began been doing steady road work for several years; North Carolina is still spending money and planning to spend more money on permanent roads. North Carolina has the concept of per feet state wide highway system in it's head. It determined some time ago upon good roads for all parts of the state. It decided that the best way to build them was to begin and keep at it. North Car olina understood that it would cost money. It authorized great state bond issue that at least the basis of statewide system might be constructed. The Caro- lima papers tell of the general at titude of the people toward the plan. Nowhere, 1t is reported, has there been expression of any consequence showing dissatisfac- tion with the progress of road construction. The Asheville Citi- zen declares that the people have not repented of the action they took to make possible the speedy building of many miles of good roads. They have seen what good roads mean for North Carolina, what part good roads have had in srevivifying the Old North State, in recognizing industry, in giving stimulus to better schools, to mak- ing possible by the only way in sight of markets for the farm producers. The people went into debt for good roads-because they knew that going into debt for something that is a real invest ment, returning far more in divi- dends than the interest amounts to Is good business.
 It is reported that in the past. twelve months more than G5,000 automobiles have been bought in North Carolina and that now for every mile of paved road in the state there are more than thirty seven automobiles. And this has meant something. The good roads nave made better schools possible, made markets of easy reach for the farmers, helped the churches of the state, made conditions of life more contented, and in other ways raised the standard of civiIi- zation in the Tarheel state. North Carolina is pointed to as the lead lngr most progressive state of the South and in many ways the most progressively prosperous state in the whole nation. And m no one element can be found the secret of the correctness of that reputation so immediately and un- answerably as in the far-sighted.
 broad minded, liberal manner in which the North Carolina people supported a great program for great system of permanent high ways over the whole state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09

enhance its value and to bring to the producer profit that has hitherto gone to the middleman because he has exercised the intelligence the farmer neglected to use. Cooperative cotton associations are yet in their initial stages, but they have real service to perform which will be manifest in a more stable market price, a more uniform demand and more orderly course from producer to consumer, with due benefit to all those through whose hands cotton legitimately passes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
SMILES
The over-Zcaloux Waiter
(Hotel Mail)

(Hotel MaiD
 The landlord of a hotel in country town invited two or three of his friends to stay at closing time and partake of supper, and the subsequent proceedings which terminated about l o'clock were of distinctly lively character.
 Before permitting his friends to depart he called a newly en- gagged Swiss waiter into the room and said to him: Just walk to the end of the road and see ii there's a policeman about"
 At the end of minute the wal ter returned and with majestic wave of the hand ushered into the parlor a particularly grim looking police captain.
 Excuse me. sare," he said, "ze police vos not on Ze corner. so l run to the station and fetch ze cap'n."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
Reason for Confidence

VT IUI tIIOt IIIICN'
 The news that he "ts"n bloc" will continue It's fig:t f..r tie ac- ceptance of he N, rG offer for Muscle Shoals. resifi:m"d by Sen- ator Capper, whiio not exciting, is pleasing to the people of this dis trict, and they have every reason to feel confident of the success of the movement, and certain of the great development that will cona to the Tri-Cities. There is cnly one more month of waiting un,ii the fireworks start in the De- cember session of congress, and in the meantime the people shoe'A throw off any feeling of doubt ve Encouragement.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
Influence of the Churuch
(Dothan Eagle)

Dcthan has been the scene If several revival services this sum mer and fall, which remind us of the influence of the churcn in tine affairs of ciyi'.zation No com munity would want t1 be w.ehonc aechureh. a While we la, lived ia such 2 cummnrity, we 3an easily imagine the itsults of the ab- sence of this elevating influence upon the livos cf the pe)li'e. The church always standS as a great and powerful influence 70, sopd. It u:nishes the ideas lu1 1t throws around struggling human it. the most helpful influences possible. The church is truly tl.o helpmeet of civilization.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
Symbols Of Liberty


 The displaying of the national and state flags here from Ala bama school buildings will be d patriotic act ~r'dencing love for and loyalty to the nation and state; an ei ouragement to tha youth of tn, land to look upon the two flag as symbols of lib erty and na. nal unity and 10 reverence thelH IS such. Certainly no day is m 20 appropriate for inaugurat ting tHc patFiotis move ment than Nol amber II. the anni- versary of the signing of the ar mistice which epded war in which American vaior and Ameri. can arms added gio orv to tho ma. ton, and in which Alabama youth4 were distinguis bed for their ne. rOic service.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
BENEFITS FROM BABY WEEK

The bureau of child hygiene of the city department of health, the mem- bers of the Axis Club and the public spirited physicians who rendered their services free, deserve commendation for the success of Baby Week" m Birmingham. The period from No vember 4 to 10, inclusive, was desig- mated for the examination of babies without cost, at stations conveniently located throughout the city. The op- portunity has been given for needy mothers, white and colored, to secure medical aid and advice for benefit of their little ones. Not all the moth CTS who applied knew that their ba- bies were sick. Illustrative of the practical value of the examinations is the instance of the mother who brought in a child i'll with pneumonia, carrying a temperature of 103. The mother did not even suspect that her child was i'll. It might be said that the life of one baby is worth score of Baby Weeks, but apart from this aspect of the work, much genuine service has been performed in an edu- cative way, for many mothers have learned lessons in infant hygiene which will be invaluable to them in future crises.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09

An exchange declares that betting parties of today are the product of fail ure to have spanking parties of yes terday. However, unless the spank ing is for the betting it is doubtful whether the participants would note the connection. Blanket spanking to cover all future errors would seem a somewhat ambitious program.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
ONE TRICK A DAY
A New Handkerchief Trick

Take a fine linen handk erchief and wrap it around a copper gas jet. The jet must be of metal. This is indispensable. Turn on and light the gas, which will burn about the handkerchief, without injuring it. To succeed in this ex- pertinent It is necessary that the handkerchief should fit quite closely to the metal without any crease whatever. It will be found advantageous to tie the handker- chief with a thin copper wire.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
Hopes for Better aish way

fiorence sa4ly NeVsl
 The announce mart that Com missioner Scrugf
 see us and that
 result in some ca st Killen highway nnf a8t of us in a bad h. &.sf one visitor we wi aN 6e M have with us, an tt MA oaf 0e. liver action on .e iSGte.4 ga he can stay as long as h,s IiI,. and take our blessing with him 4 his going. It is orimfnsf as TOT us to spend ncuey on repa'i ing this road between the efty Jl the dam, but unless these IS to permanent construction at early date 1t is also eur mo duty to do something for the lief of the people at Wilson. d,W by making this road again pa s5 able for the winter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09

ground that the railroads are hard pressed for money. The railroads are always hard-pressed for any money they don't want to spend, and need to be pressed hard to compel them ro find it. The question is whether the convenience of the railroads or the safety of the citizens is of utmost in- fluence in deciding this issue of the public safety.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
Complimentary

(Boston Transcript
 Host An, Brown, let me in troduce you to MT. Popp- -Ryter. I'm sure you've read his famous books"
 Guest: "Nn-no. I'm afraid I haven't had that pleasure"
 Host: "Oh, of course you have, my dear fellow, but you've for gotten, that's it.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
The selection of Trees
(Greenville Advocate)

(GreenVille Advocate)
 The truth is our people. until recently, have not given the at tention to the planting of useful as well as ornamental trees. They are beginning, however, to see that a few oceans planted around their dwellings not only give shade, but the nuts are an in- come to the family. Many not only have nuts for their own use, but have some for sale. Not until about twelve or fifteen years ago were there any nut trees in Greenville. Now they are here by the hundreds
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09

"The Part Played by Fish in His tory'' is the subject of an article in New York newspaper. There wasn't enough space for even an outline of the part fish have played in fiction.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-09
i THE ALABAMA PRESS
ror the other Fellow

Greene County DemocraO
 The Dothan Eagle says a sinner is a man who thinks the preacher is preaching at him instead of to him. Yes, and most of us want the preacher to preach all the way around us and hit the other fellow