davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
Escape From Danger

In, asking the tariff commission to recon slider it's report on the question of reducing the duties on sugar the president exposed himself to the belief that that action was prompted largely by the desire to escape the danger of deciding that troublesome question on the eve of the election. That notion is not apt to be dissipated by the explanation that Sthe tariff commission was divided Tn its recommendation. That is inevitable, since, in accordance with the law creating it, that is bipartisan body. It is not to be ex- pected that Republicans and Democrats will often unite in answering a question whether the rates on any article of commerce should be raised or lowered. Nor is there greater likelihood that they will agree in their de- terminations of cost of production, since these are not susceptible to certain determination. If the president is never to act on any pro posal to change the existing duty on an article of commerce until he gets a unanimous re- port that provision of the tariff act which was designed to make it flexible Is doomed to become innOcuous for the lack of exercise. Possibly the president was left more or less perplexed by the report of the tariff commits sion. But if so, that, in all likelihood, was more of a pretext than reason for taking an action which had the necessary effect of post poning the decision until after the election. It is relevant to recall that there was no united judgment as to the advisability of in creasing the tariff duties on wheat, yet the president ordered an increase of them with much promptitude when that proposal was put to him. There was no political danger of doing that. It was sure to comfort the, pro- ducers of wheat, even though they could see no profit for themselves in his action, and there was no chance that the consumers would protest It is otherwise, of course, as to sugar. The president could not order re- duction in the rates without offending the beet growers, who for the most part vote m states where the Republican cause is in need of stimulation, while if he refused to order reduction he would be certain to offend good many consumers, whose sense of indignation is excited with every purchase of sugar One need not be cynical to see in the circum- stances of this matter evidence that political considerations have played large part in the presidents disposition of this economic ques- tion. The likelihood of that nearly always being the case was one of the objections urged against this provision of the law when it was under consideration News.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
WHY NOT ABOLISH TAXES?

There is no doubt about it. People do not like taxes. No sooner did we hear that Oregon people had voted the repeal of their income-tax law than we find the people of Florida casting a five-to-one vote against both income and inheritance taxes for the state. We shudder to think what would happen if the question of repeating ad valorem taxes should be re- ferred to the popular vote. We recall having met very few men who were in favor of taxes of any kind, and we ca1l- not understand how the odious practice was ever foisted upon the American peo- pie in the first place. It was one of the hateful British customs against which we rebelled in 1776, but which with great inconsistency we have continued up to the present time. Taxes are something that the poor man cannot afford and that the rich man violently resents, and doubt less continue to exist because each IS trying to foist the burden upon the other, instead of uniting in common drive to get rid of taxes altogether.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
POLITICS AND BUSINESS.

The federal reserve board notes that during the past six weeks there has been A definite revival of business ot sucn volume as partially to overcome the recession of midsummer. Already cer- tain Republican politicians are declaring that the improvement has been caused by a general impression that President Cool idge would be reelected. It may be re- called, however, that business revival was in evidence before there was any certainty of Coolidge's election, and dur ing period when there was no certainty that the presidential election would not have to be decided by congress, and wnlie there was a feeling that Democratic president stood fair show of electlon bv congress. That condition, pretty widely accepted as possibility, dld not retard the business impetus. On the con trary, capable observers discounted the effect of politics upon business.
 The fact is the country was gong ahead, regardless of the outcome of the nresidential elections. There was no fear that the election of Davis would nave a retarding effect upon business.
 This country is too productive, too varied in it's interests and too capable or waking progress in industrial and com mercial lines to depend for it's prosperity mon the turn of the political wheel: It was not loss of prosperity privilege feared, but loss of it's hold upon the American government. The claim that Coolidge's election is responsible TOT a revival of business is unfounded, ana IS not consistent with the facts. The re- vival of business is the result or seasonaI and economic causes and our growing world opportunity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
THE TREASURY PAPERS.

Federal economy in the abstract ap- peals to everybody; but federal economy in the concrete depends largely upon the attitude of the army of congressman who have their special districts and interests to serve. When congress meets early in December it will be besieged by innumer- able delegations seeking appropriations for their pet projects. There will be large numbers of lobbyists and reform CTS in the interests of legislation for numerous commissions, inspectors, field agencies and accountants to analyZe and regulate multitudinous industries and conditions, with a demand for numerous federal staffs to carry out the work upon the basis of voluminous reports and recommendations.
 The coal industry will suggest an army of inspectors. The gasoline industry will have it's quota of reformers. Gov ernment regulation of water powers will have it's advocates. Numerous con scientious citizens will urge congress to rush to the aid of local educational au- thorities in towns, cities and states on behalf of federal educational depart ment. Western congressman will demand relief in prices and loans, while those of the South will call for appropriations for hard roads or settlement of Muscle Shoals. Silver mine owners, commercial interests, humanitarian workers and seekers after their own profits will all be in Washington to tap the federal treasury to the extent of their persuasive ness and collection ability.
 Such in brief is a situation which blocks or tends to block economy in gov ernment. The only way for the federal government to economize is for congress to learn the art of saYingS No. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
The Ne1U Teacher
By DIR. FRANK CRANE

A THE close of the first day of school "A the new teacher said:
 4 "Now children, listen, and will tell you how have marked you, and give you my reasons. E.
 "In the first place, I will explain that I do not mark at all upon how well you get your lessons You may really know much more about the subject than you can tell. Besides, you are not here to get lessons and pass examinations. You are here to grow. So mark you upon how you show that you are making that kind of effort which forms character.
 Jimmy Fitch I have given a good mark because he was the only one in the room who asked what the word syndicate meant. None of the rest of you know. Why didn't \you ask? Asking questions is the best way to learn. Slurring over things you don't un- derstand is the best way to become an igno- ramus If you are not curious, 1t is a sign you are stupid.
 "Etta Rogers gets a good mark because her finger nails are clean. And she is the only child here whose finger nails are not in mourning. You will find it quite as 1mpor- tantj when you grow up to have clean finger nails as to know algebra.
 Emma Montgomery is marked good be- cause when a button was torn from her dress at recess she took a needle and thread from her desk and sewed it on. Also she carefully picked up the orange peel she had dropped I would rather have you all learn to clean up your own litter and look after your own clothes than to know how to spell every word in the dictionary.
 Willy Waters have given high mark because when I asked him who Napoleon Bonaparte was he said I don't know. He probably had vague notion, but he did not seek to deceive me. want you when you cannot tell thing in plain words, not to hem and haw, but to say at once l don't know To have an honest mind IS better than having stuffed one.
 "Charles Stuart is commended because he stands up straight, sits properly in his seat and is not otherwise slovenly in his habits.
 .sWhen Jennie Jones failed in her spelling the word cholor she went to the foot of the class with smile, and for that she gets a high mark Some others of you pouted and sulked There is nothing you can do that is so csmmendable as to be good loser. Any body can succeed pleasantly; it takes a noble nature to fail good naturedly. During the day six promises were made me by six pupils Only one of them, Henry Clark, did what he promised to do. So he has high rating. When you become men and women and get the habit of promising thoughtlessly and not keeping your word you will be- nuisance to all those who have to do with you. Do what you say you will do {; that is better than being able to bound Illinois | or tell the capital of Kamchatka.
 "Now you may run home, Children. And remember that in this school there are no rules but twoi Do what you think is right and be cheerful, and in case you don't know. ask" .sLas (
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
ATTRACTING NOTICE ABROAD.

The presence of four health officials of Denmark and Norway in Birmingham to study the administrative side of health work in this city is tribute to the ef- forts and record of local health officials. This approval from competent and dis interested parties should confirm Bir- mingham'se confidence in its health service.
 Thousands of residents of Birming- ham, enjoying the benefits of the health conditions which have been established through many difficulties by the health authorities, have little conception of what this work means to community pro- lection. Unfortunately, there has been some organized effort against keeping health work in this community'up to high and safe standards. Both politics and personal profits entered into the situa- tion, while it was sought to overlook the public safety and the public welfare. Fortunately, such effort has not been successful, and the officials are upheld by the view of dealers that the most profitable system of distributing food products, especially milk, is the most sanitary.
 Birmingham has acquired national and international reputation for success ful public health results. The community health has been singularly and increas- ingly free from epidemics of preventable diseases. Community maladies, which reflect themselves heavily through lower capacity for work, are extremely rare in the district. It is well that public senti- ment in Birmingham stands squarely be- hind the efforts of the health authorities, and is ready to combat any factor or in fluence which would lower the health standards.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
LESS THAN FIFTY PER CENT. VOTE.

Ont of a voting strength of more than s;xtv million in the United States it is estimated that less than thirty million cast their ballots in the recent presloen- tiaI election. In spite of the strenuous campaign made to get out the vote' It IS probable that the percentage of the CoIal voting strength represented at the pollS was less than the forty-nine per cent that voted in 1920. In 1920 there were more than fifty-four million eligible to vote, and less than twenty-seven million who voted. In. other words, only apout fifty per cent. of the citizens apparently regard it as either their duty or thelr nrivilege to vote for presidents. ..
 From the above showing, however, IL need not be deduced that the get-out-the- vote campaign was futile. On the con trary, the opposite inference IS m orueI' namely, that if it had not been TOT Ine effort to induce people to vote, the Dallot- ing on November would prooaoiy rI nave fallen far below thirty millions. mere are many reasons advanced why the VOL CTS neglect this opportunity. mere may he almost as many reasons as voters most of them negative reasons Doup.- less most of the non-voters were Ho' kent away by any specific reason so
 
 fnnnulse to vote. They are either willing for for the minority to decide elections, or else els thu they do not realize what tremen- en- dous total their aggregate numbers amount to. Perhaps many are lndltfer- ent even to that. 4..4
 In the circumstances, it seems thas the only recourse is for those concerned ;r oood government to cast their oalio0s as as wisely and discriminatingly as they Know how, so that affairs shall be in as good shape as possible at all times NO pose a good average cross-section of the the entire voting population, so pernaps tne ultimate result is not greatly alllerenv, , oftar all. Nevertheless, there is always the danger that willy and interruptions noIiticians, especially in the metropoli- tan areas, may take advantage of fifty per cent franchise apathy to gain inn proper political apntrol. This effort can
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
The Right Word
THOSE GRAMMATICAL. .TITANS.' - (Find the Error in This Article
By W, CURTIS NICHOLSON

The present discussion was caused by the appearance of the following sentence in this column: You will be given another oppor' tunity." e-
 "A Stableman Literateur' writes, Pray who are Fernald, MacCracken and Sandison anyway, to be set up as counters to outWelgn those grammatical titans, Lindley Murray Noah Webster and Goold Brown? Prepos terous!
 q submit here what they have said con corning the point under discussion:
 Murray: The following sentences, which give the passive voice the regimen of an active verb, are very irregular, and by no means tc be initiated He was shown that very story in one of his own books These sen tences should have been: -. That very story was shown to him in one of his own books.
 "Webster: As quoted by Brown, Webster comments upon the same set of sentences that Murray had under observation, including the one culled in the preceding paragraph, to thls effect: This idiom is outrageousiy anoma- lous, but perhaps incorrigible."
 Brown The passive verb should always take for its subject or nominative the direct objective of the active-transitive verb from which it is derived as, (active) They denied me this privilege: for me may be governed by to understood. but privilege cannot, nor can any other regimen be found for it.
 After reading the foregoing comments, one would hardly dare to quote any authority other than Murray, Webster or Brown, for whoever one might quote might be~considered by "A Stableman Literateur" as "a mere hack writing" compiler and wrong unless he agreed with Murray, Webster and Brown. Read what "The Right Word" has to say on this subject tomorrow.
 Yesterdays Error.
 Wrong: "A Stableman Literateur" don't agree with those who allow ....s
 Right: "A Stableman Literateur" doesn't agree with thosA who allow
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
Watching The Parade
By JOHN PILGRIM
I'M MIGHTY SORRY for it, now. But I | lnr4 ,A,, 4nr,r,nr and unn know how it is.

I'M MIGHTY SORRY for it, now. But ]
 lost my temper and you know how It IS Once you let go of the string you car never tell how far the balloon will rise. Some of the truest and therefore the most in excusable things I have ever said were the product of a lost temper;
 Mrs. Smith," I said to her, tits a pity your boy has such fool for mother
 So she went tossing off and by the end ot the week Mrs. Pilgrim will have heard ot that unfortunate blast through every feminine un' dercurrent in town. So, as l said, I'm sorry for it. But it may prove to be good thing for Hank Smith, at that.
 What do you think" his mother had mourned to me. Hank has gone and spent a lot of his hard-earned money in building a log cabin up on the edge of the woods.
 I know of that cabin. Hank has planned it for long time. I helped him get the iittie patch of wildland on which it IS built It IS made of peeled logs, with stone fireplace ana a plank floor and two glass windows. A spring tinkles twenty yards away and the mutter of the rapids can be heard on any still night Hank plans to spend hls vaca- tions up there. Maybe he can manage an occasional weekend. It will give him health and the deep thinking which is the product oi solitude and good books and the ability to care for himself which is destroyed in us by|motor' cars and steam tables. .,
 Cannot you see that the log cabin will strengthen Hanks body and maybe save hli soul?" l asked Hanks mother.
 I am almost ashamed of it, but l looked her up and rubbed my nose in the dirt ano finally got her to see things my way. For was afraid, to tell the truth. did mol know what might happen if the kind' loving uncomprehending mother spoiled Hank plan.
 Sometimes a little interference has spoiled liAa
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
Voices

l lie
 Wide-eyed on my bed at night And hear the killdeers pitiful cry Piercingly flung from his lone, mysterious
 flight; Or the sleepy trill of late little sparrow
 bird Deep-hidden away in the cedar tree Or was it you heard, At last, my truant, my chickadee! Or, starting awake From a shuddering dream, I am soothed by the sound the crickets make, Patiently stitching at Summers monoto-
 nous seam. IS. M. B. in New York Times.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
-hf f,AagONCE | 9DI. OYER N.JE!;,

Dunn 6 Drummer Find The Coolidge Victory Easy To Explain. ,s Well, the country has been saved again for aSfew more week-ends" declared Senator o. Howe Dunn as he leaned against final summary of the election results.
 Who's electedT asked Representative Drummer
 'Nanook of the North" replied the Sen ator.
 "Who" asked Drummer. Calvin Coolidge" explained the Senator
 The gulf stream is moving closer to the United States and getting cooler. So are the voters. few years ago they would have got hot with any noisy candidate and lukewarm with moderately successful orator, but 1924 found them kindly disposed toward refrigera- tion only.' ':iffa
 What does the election prove if any thing?" asked Drummer, biting off the wrong end of a campaign stogie. | Tt proves the people of the United States have had their fill of hot air." snapped the Senator. Calvin Coolidge was the first man f in a generation to run for office on his ability to keep his mouth shut and it was such a novelty the voters Hooked to him in Ia body"
 He sure did get maximum mileage on a minimum amount of gas," agreed Drummer.
 There's been so much talking going on in this country that the time was ripe for re- action," resumed Senator Dunn. Ut had become the custom for people to talk whether they had anything to say or not Public men, professional boosters, auctioners traffic policemen, wives and business leaders were spouting everywhere" "Even chess players and Bible classes were vIxoIv ottb eating or denouncing something. A man couldn't stick his head out window without getting it caught in word barrage." Tt was terrible" admitted Drummer.
 Before the radio came in the suffering wasn't so intense," continued the Senator. 1 "A man could keep away from the scene Of oratory. But with the radio it became almost compulsory to hear every loose word flung into the atmosphere. Coolidge is man of destiny. Fate made him the quietest man ever in public life and saved him up to throw into national election at time when he'd be appreciated"
 Tt seems that way" agreed Drummer.
 This country has passed out of the Back skipping, Gas-Shooting Era for the time be- ing" went on Senator Dunn. 'It at last appreciates the fact that a good pantominist is hard to find.p
 Do you know the main reason the voters went over to Calvin Coolidge in body?" "No." +aiHHr
 "In the hope congress would take the hint and profit by his example. Why if con- gressmen were as careful of their words as Coolidge, congress could transact all necessary business in session of two weeks"
 q voted for Cal" said Drummer. T was impressed by the fact that he only paid $33 month rent up to the time he came to | Washington"
 "The mere fact that he was able to find a landlord to let him have a house that cheap proves he is man of unusual ability" re- piled the senator.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12

always be offset and defeated by the eff forts of public-spirited citizens such as have always, when fully aroused, been able to wrest political control from im- proper influences. If the minority is to have the responsibility of government, it is imperative that the minority govern well fF
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
Stuck In The Sargasso Sea.

I notice that my friend, Will Beebe, the naturalist, is off for a trip into that great marine briar patch know as the Sargasso Sea. The papers have good deal to say about his special equipment. But l hope Will hasn't neglected to include a motor lawn mower and a harvester.
 The grass in the Sargasso grows so fast lthat it will strangle almost any expedition got caught in it once just as the summer crop was coming on. My ship, the Scurry was brought to dead standstill. At first we thought it was amusing to watch the luxurF ant weeds lift themselves out of the water but when their tops stood ten feet above the bulwarks we felt differently.
 They grew into regular trees and the branches were full of flying fish which swooped across the deck, uttering their pe- culiar liquid note. By this time the sub stratum had solidified so that we could walk about on it with perfect security. To all ln- tents and purposes the Scurry was lost Tn an impenetrable forest.
 From the masthead I could see open water miles to the East, but we had not forestry equipment, axes, saws, etc. Who would have though of taking such things to sea? We finally caught six sword fish, and with their blades hewed our way out, but it was the toughest work I have ever done. If Beebe is wise he will take along a lawn mower, as I suggest, and see that the grass is cut regu- Ilarly once a week or oftener. The weeds, by the way, are valuable and when dried can not be told from some of the popular break fast foods.
 pr. Walter D. Traprock.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12
Brief Nature Studies
NV THEN sour gums, scrub oaks, hlueberry
 W and liquid ambers stand scarlet above
By J. OTIS SWIFT
arbutus and pyxie moss in the sugar.

w SLUT oSANO NSN@NSt W and liquid ambers stand scarlet above
 arbutus and pyxie moss in the sugar like white silica sand of the pine barrens about the New Jersey State military encamp' ment at Seagirt, their glory is heightened by the dark green glossiness of the spiny- y-armed leaves of American holly. When these heau- tiful holly trees are covered with red berries and the holy day approaches when they are used for decorations it is to the credit of a great State that armed guardsmen are some times set to protect them.
 Holly, native in moist woodlands from Maine to New Jersey, near the coast and west to Southern Missouri and southward, for merly grew luxuriantly on Staten Island now in Greater New York Thoughtless lovers of it's beauty, wiped it out. It is one of the greatest joys of the city tree lover to meet this elegant and colorful denizens of the wild places on his hikes through southern New Jersey.
 Black alder and the smooth winterberry are also members of the ilex or holly family, but their attractiveness is proving their curse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-12

temptation for members to yield against their best judgement is strong when a constituent shows up who controls few hundred votes in districts that are nor mally close.r A few letters from con- stituents advising congressman to hold fast and refuse to be swept off their feet when the tilltapping process is in full force would be big help. Such com munications are obviously needed. NY