davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
FINDING OUT ABOUT OIL

In the gasoline-price war which was precipitated by Governor McMasters of South Dakota there already arises the anticipated concern over the fate of the small independent companies that have not the capital long to en- dure selling below the cost of pro- duction. Of course, it is not yet proved that the price is below cost of production, but all the operators say that it is, and the layman has no fig ures on which to base denial. It is known, however, that some of the smaller companies have not completely met the price reductions, keeping their price at a fair margin above the average.
 Simultaneously, the governor of Minnesota calls upon the attorney general for an inquiry, and the gov ernor of South Dakota summons the Standard Oil representatives into con- ference. The conference is set for Wednesday, but the governor did not announce it's purpose and the opera tors profess not to know. The public is not yet passing judgment in the matter, although people are buying more gasoline than ever because of the reduced price. If the price is be- low cost, everybody realizes that it must be raised; but the public still has it's tongue in it's cheek, not being able to accept without proof the con clusion that sixteen cents gallon would impoverish the oil industry.
 It is hoped that the facts will be authentically arrived at and published, and that the furry will have had the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PRESS
TcIephone 1ESs5sssIS1 TeIeph one Main 4pOO okssSaS9SSaS5 DIain 40O0
A DRAGON FOR ST. GEORGE

The people of Birmingham wonder why it is that the legislature appears unable to enact such legislation as will empower this city to proceed with its viaduct program. Are the legisia- tors misled by the railway argument that it will cost seventy-nine million dollars to eliminate grade crossings in this city? The legislators should be informed that railway attorneys are dragging a herring across the trail, and that Birmingham contemplates only the elimination of such important crossings as carry heavy vehicular traffic and work corresponding injury to the business of this community and constant peril to the lives of it's citi- zens.
 This program will not cost seventy nine millions, nor ten millions. Later, doubtless other crossings will come into the same state of congestion, and will in turn need to be eliminated, but it is plain to any reasonable man that the elimination of all crossings in Bir- mingham is not now contemplated, and that the entire program will take years to accomplish. What the public welfare of Birmingham needs, and what the citizens of Birmingham de- mand, is such legislation as will pre- went the railroads from blocking this Important program altogether. That is their present purpose, and let the legislators not mislead themselves, nor be hypnotized by railway attorneys, into thinking otherwise.
 Other states have statutes govern ing this situation. Why is there not sufficient wisdom and enterprise among the legislators to find out how the states that have made most progress in highway construction meet the grade-crossing difficulty, and why do the legislators not enact a viaduct measure that will apply throughout the state, for the protection of the state highway program and for the safety of the people of the whole state of Alabama? It is the duty of the legislature to consider this ques- tion. Why does it not do so in an Intelligent and enlightened manner?
 The railway tactics are obstructive and not constructive. Instead of countering with measure that would be fair substitute for the one they combat, they introduce one that con- tains as many elements of unfairness as they allege against the proposed Pleasure reverting to the code of 1907. Let the legislators remember that they have the public welfare in their keep ing, and that they are collectively and Individually responsible for their stew ardship. Or has that conception of a legislators public duty vanished from the legislative halls of Alabama? The people would really like to know.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
cRIEvINc FOR THE RAILROADS

According to reports from the na- tional industrial conference board, the railroads of the country are facing a crisis (which may mean their success or-failure within the next few months. D It is set forth that they are suffering with fifteen different maladies, nota- bly, "repressive legislation by con gress," according to the report. It is further complained that the rail roads are up against weakened plant and equipment, revival of traffic when they were unable to handle it, car shortage, lack of terminal facilities, unfair practice of shippers, inadequate return on invested capital, and many other troubles. It would appear that the railroads are suffering from a complication of diseases, and that none of the doctors who have under taken to prescribe has discovered the proper remedy. That seems a pity even though the railroads themselves persisted in contracting most of these terrible ailments through their own conduct. The weakened plant equip ment" may be accounted for by . policy of declaring dividends on some. thing besides invested money, while lear shortages" Hack of terminal ia cilities" and general inability tc handle traffic satisfactorily may be an outgrowth of mismanagement. There is evidence that this is so.
 The point is that to get the shipping and travelling public worked up to a state of precipitation over alleged con- ditions will hardly succeed so long as freight rates and passenger tariffs re- main higher than was ever known, and much higher than when the railroads gave fairly good service by sticking more closely to their legitimate field and refraining from active efforts tc throttle waterways which they mis takenly regard as competitors. Tho railroads are hauling more freight an, making more money than ever before Why should the public worry?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
THE DIRT FARMER SPEAKS

Well-informed people know tha; there is a "dirt" farmer on the fed eral reserve board. Most people have forgotten his name, and hardly any. body knows what is his opinion or fiscal and economic problems. To be dirt farmer on the federal reserve board has seemed almost to be in re- tirement. The officials name is E. H. Cunningham, and he has now bro ken his silence. He has just come forward to tell the farmers of Iowa how their troubles may all be ended, The remedy is simple. Almost too simple. It is not original with MT. Cunningham, or if it is, he was not the first to make it public. The rem edy has been suggested by so many farmers friends" that it has become almost a dogma among those politi- clans who weep when the farmer weeps and who bravely solve his prob lems just before elections.
 The remedy almost deserves a para graph to itself. Mir. Cunningham ut- ters it with such confidence in it's ef- ficacy that almost we are persuaded almost, but not quite. If Brookhart, Shipman, Magnus Johnson, ct al., had not previously parked for the same patent medicine, it might be different. In a word, MT. Cunningham would have the government fix a price on farm products. This price must be high enough to afford the farmer a profit. Undoubtedly, the middleman will continue to reap his usual reward, so that the real proposition supported by Mir Cunningham is that the con- sumer be made to pay more for farm products in their final form. Where is the cunning of MT. Cunningham, that he should lend himself to this scheme?
 MT. Cunningham rejects She prin- ciple of cooperative marketing on the ground that the American farmer won't stand for it. The fact that scores of thousands of farmers are already profitably following co-opera- tive methods is beside the question. Doubtless with the same easy grace of finished orator MT. Cunningham would abolish efficiency in both farm ing and marketing on the ground that such policy requires rules, and the freeborn American farmer won't stand for rules. However, the opinion must not be treated with too much disre. spect, for let us remember that the gentleman is on the federal reserve board, and has plenty of public money with which to buy the farmers crops if worst comes to worst.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
POOR BOYS WHO
 BECAME FAMOUS By Frederick Houk Law
William Crnnkn


 In 1921 there died in England, at the age of sixty mine, a man who had risen from the humb1est cir cumstances to a high position in the affairs of state-William Crooks.
 In the novels of Charles Dick ems we read stories of boys who were brought up in the poor sur roundlngs of the workhouse. As we read those novels we wonder at the fiction that shows how those boys rose to prosperity. Even Dickens did not dare to write that they rose to be com manding figures in England. Truth is often stranger than fic- tion. William Crooks rose from life in the workhouse to be member of parliament, and an ac- tive and influential worker for the empire during the course of the World War.
 As boy he passed uneventful days and months and years in the wretchedness and obscurity of English workhouse life. No one who saw him at that time would have predicted anything great from the workhouse boy. As soon as he was old enough to begin to work for living he was sent out to learn a trade. Then he worked making tubs and barrels. As he grew older he saw the hard condi- tions of working people, and he resolved to do what he could to help them. He became very ac-- tive in upholding the rights of workers and in defending their cause. He developed wisdom with increasing years and impressed everyone, workers and others as Q man of sound understanding and righteous ideals. As a result he was elevated to local office. As he did all his work conscientious ly he was promoted to office after office until at last. at the age of forty nine, he became mayor of the town in whose workhouse he had spent his childhood. As mayor he gave such general satisfaction, and showed such manhood, that he was sent, two years later, to parliament For about eighteen years he represented his constitu ents faithfully.
 In the course of the World War, when he was over sixty, he worked hard to aid in creating the British army. Tn all his life he was loyal, patriotic, honest and intensely in earnest Such story outrivals Dickens oliver Twist" or Nicholas Nickleby."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
SCHOOL LEVY PASSES

The decisive majority which ap- proved the continuation of the one-mill and three-mill tax levies for the public schools in Birmingham and Jefferson county is indication of the continued determination of the people to support the schools. The schools need far more than the levies call for, and doubtless additional sums will be re- Quested in due season. It is not be- lieved that the people will refuse money necessary for any essential school purpose. It is probable that the people will always reject pro- posols for additional funds unless they are founded on definite and ac-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

effect at least of clarifying public and official knowledge as to the actual cost of producing and marketing gaso- line. In the meantime, the public would regret to learn that the smaller independent companies were unable to hang on and were forced to sus- pend, as it is intimated that some of them will do. If there is to be an in- quiry, it should be prompt, lest the penalty fall most heavily upon those who least deserve it. Ultimately, the consumer who now revels in cheap gasoline should beware of a later in- crease that will take back all his sav- ing and more. Monopolies have way of doing that.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

concerned, as they were partners with the highway department, putting up half of the money, sent a corps of experts and checked over the highway department, and a copy of this report was sent your paper under the former man agement. I would thank you if you would please write to the Honorable Thomas Mcdonald, the director of the office of the bureau of public roads, and get a copy of that report.
 The Honorable E. B. Almon. member of congress, who is also a member of the good roads com mittee of the congress of the United States, In talk made in the Alabama senate chamber be- fore a public committee meeting, paid the following tribute to the Alabama state highway depart ment: "The Alabama highway department stood among the high est among the forty eight high way departments of the United States in Washington"
 Mir. Mcdonald is an efficient engineer, and his department is well organized and I think when you have read this report and sent some competent man to check up this department. your paper will then be getting the true facts. as they are, and have been; that the highway commission and it's engineering department have been functioning, and have been eff cient, and they have also been economical. They have done more actual work since the bond issue was passed than any other de- partment in the United States, and believe that the people should be informed as to the facts. which your paper wants to give, and should give, as this is the greatest and most important undertaking in the history of Alabama.
 You must consider that the au- tomobile has come twenty years ahead of the roads, and that the people lacked the vision and cour- age to have enacted laws to have commenced road building years ago.
 l also desire to call your atten- tion to this fact, that the building program of expending the s25,- 900, ,000 of the state will require about ten years. We cannot build any faster than the available money will permit. The available money is restricted and automati- cally fixed by two factors; first, bonds under proviso of our state law, can only be issued in a cer- tain fixed ratio to the amount of the proceeds of the automobile license tax of the preceding year: second, under the policy of bond money to match federal aid money, we cannot spend state money fas- ter than federal money is appro- priated.
 It is impossible for any com- mission or other body, under these conditions, to build a connected system of roads in one. two or three years. In other words, you cannot build them over night.
 JOHN CRAFT.
 Montgomery, Ala, Aug. 25, 1928
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
As to Reductions

(Gadsden Times-News)
 Governor Brandon came forward with his bill for increasing the tax on gasoline to three cents per gallon. Alfred NJ. Tunstall of Hale introduced the bill, which is announced as an administrative measure. The governor had indi- cated that he would probably urge such measure upon the legisla- ture. He seems to think that the law -mak CTS will feel that ethey should pass this bill for Brandon, as they took from the state all the revenue from the gasoline tax when they altered Brandon's rev. enue bill. Maybe the bill for in- creasing the tax on gasoline will be enacted into law, but whether it is or not, Brandon has shown where he stands on tax reduction and it doesn't look much like his position before the election.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
A PEOPLES VICTORY

The triumph of Whitfield over Bilbo in the Mississippi run-off for governor was not so much personal as public victory. It was a victory of the peo- ple over the political situation that has 50 long obsessed the state. Dr. Whit field is a man of high character and broad attainments. He comes to the helm of affairs in Mississippi at time when constructive policies will bear prompt fruit. The states principal resource is in it's soil. It has prob lems peculiar to itself which must be worked out along lines that will apply particularly to itself and which have not been fully worked out anywhere. Not only is there need for better farm ing and marketing methods, but there Is also need for more farmers in the state. Mississippi has made and is making great progress; but there is always ahead an entrancing vision of prosperity and progress the call of which. an intelligent and energetic peo- ple cannot resist. One of the needs of Mississippi is better highways. The people realize that and have done much to bring about better highways. Net there are still fine farming areas that are remote and unworked largely because of their inaccessibility. The people have reason to believe that tleir new executive is man of suf- ficient vision and ability to lead them a long distance onward towards their desired and appropriate goal as q prosperous commonwealth.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
To Honor Bankhead
(Mohile Registerl

(Mobile RegiSter)
 A bill has been introduced to change the names of the Warrior. the Tombigbee. from the Warrior junction, and the Mobile rivers to Bankhead, in honor of the senator who did so much for the develop ment of these waterways. A sen- timent such as prompts the pre- senter of this bill Is admirable. No honor paid to Senator Bank heads memory will be beyond the senator's merits as legislator and the friend of good roads and of waterways, but changing his- toric geographical names is not an easy matter, and is not likely to be achieved by a legislative enact ment.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
Another Reason

Cleveland Plain Dealer)
 Another minor reason for re- opening diplomatic relations with Mexico is that there are plenty of deserving Americans willing 10 accept the appointment as am bassador.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

Raids on bootleg headquarters in a Texas section resulted in the arrest of a sheriff and a prosecuting attorney. There are many suspicious that outside lawlessness is frequently encouraged by inside cooperation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

Reports that the British are pre- pairing to put an import tax on Amer ican rubber goods shows how easy it i1 for a nation to find ways and means for an elastic currency,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
Now a Real City
Huntsville Times)

tHuntsViIIe Iimes)
 The Greater Decatur sentiment has won and now Decatur has been born with more than 13,0O0 people. the Alabama legislature having brought them together un- der a series of bills providing for consolidation. While we congrat- ulate the victorious efforts we would invoke Divine guidance in the great and wonderful opportu- nities that are ahead for Decatur to be, as it will, one of the great cities here in the Tennessee Valley or Muscle Shoals district.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
Deserves Support

Sumter County JournaD
 A bill giving the Alabama Pub lie Servicef Commission power to force the railroads to build new depots where needed should have the backing of all good citizens of Alabama. You should get busy and take this up with your repre- sentatives in Montgomery and get them to make this bill as near unanimous as possible, because it Is right and just.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
CIVILIZATION COMPLICATED

(Kansas City Star)
 In the old days a woman could have pretty satisfactory summer vacation on four CT five new after noon and evening gowns, but now adays, in addition to these. a com- plete outfit fof khaki coats and trousers is positively indispensa- ble.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
That Four-MiII Tax
(Dothan Eagle)

If you want to be on the un- popular side of a question in Ala bama now. just oppose the pro- posed four mill school tax, which Governor Brandon believes the people will ratify when the amend ment Is submitted. It is a little too soon for the fight to start, but we predict that something will have to be done to raise more money, whether for school pur- poses or not, and 1t Is likely tek1A the politiciansfwill carry it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
Not n Success
(Demopolis Times)

NDemOpollS IlmeSJ
 As an progressive J. Lee Long seems to have proven fail- ure, so far as his attempts to block the port enabling act is concerned. The house passed the bill by a vote of sixty-three to thirty-one The enterprise means so much to Alabama 1t Is some what a surprise that there were found even the thirty-thre to oppose it, but men and statesmen have different ways of looking at the same thing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

Lest we forget, it may be remarked that most of the so-called political prisoners" were "slackers" and 'trai- tors" a short while ago.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
THE PARAGRAPHERS
shudder to Think
(Houston Post)

If the longdistance forecaster of last spring, who said the sun was cooling and that this summer would be a cold one, had lived in the time of Ananias the Lord only knows what would have happened to him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
A Bit of Advice
(Nashvilie Banner)

Hiram Johnson was naturally incensed that some one stole and made public a private letter of a political nature. Statesmen should not write that kind of letters, es- pecially statesmen who want the presidency.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
QuItN a Job

(Kansas City Star)
 x-Secretary Meredith has sued Senator Brookhart for thirty cents damages for libel How can a senator protect himself against an attack like that?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

curate approximation or requirements and offer definite, tangible program of expenditure. The people do not consider wasted school funds as con tributing to school welfare. But the people will always grant sums that are shown to be essential and to be spent judiciously and wisely.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

The latest census gives China over four hundred and thirty-six million population, including the large stand ing army of bandits.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
MOTHERS OF FAMOUS
 MEN

The Mother of Thomas H. Benton
 The father of Thomas H. Benton died when his son was only eight years old, but he left that son to a mother who was a rare woman. Because of her ability and her efforts Thomas H. Benton devel- oped the character that made him one of the leading statesmen of the United States in the period preceding the Civil War. He served in congress thirty-four years, during thirty of which he was United States senator from Missouri. He was one of~< the strong, forceful figures, one of the men of national prominence, leader in debate, and a man who made himself felt in all the vex- ing questions that troubled the country in the pre-Civil War pe- riod.
 Take the cards out of the house and threwo them away @or burn them up!" said his mother one udy WHeH SHe IOuUu pack or cards in the house. "Tll have no cards in my house." She was Virginia woman, but she was more like the sort of woman one might have expected to find in Puritan New England. She was unbending in her ways, severe in her discipline, exacting in her de- mands. She frowned upon any thing and everything that savored of evil. She looked upon life as a serious thing, and not as time for merriment. The happy, laugh ing cavalier had no place in this Spartan, Puritan. Virginia mother.
 When the father died she took hold of affairs with a masterly hand. Without question Thomas H. Benton owed his strength and force to her. She resolved that he should learn history-and she sat down to teach him herself! She trained his mind as she trained his habits-and she had the joy of living to such good age that she saw him a famous man. That was triumph!
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30
A Chance for Him

(CoIumbla State)
 Mrs. Coolidge didn't win the prize in the knitting contest, we note. But. the Republicans hope that the president will be more successful at handling the wool.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

In 1871 France made determined efforts to pay her reparation debts and did it; now Germany is making determined efforts to shirk her repa- ration debts and is doing it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

Most of the Prince of Wales activi- ties these days seem to consist of dancing fancy steps, travelling incog- nito and falling off his horse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

sharks in Alabama. Highway robbery looks like hospitality as compared with this, A highway robber never gets more than one hundred per cent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-30

Reports from London indicate that the greatest achievement in the his tory of the matrimonial sea will be to land the Prince of Wales.