davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
STEVENSON AND CALIFORNIA

The failure of a cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson to follow in the footsteps of his distinguished kinsman, recorded in the news papers few days ago, must have prompted many lovers of R. l.. S." to take down again one of those well-thumbed volumes in which he has written with infinite grace and charm, yet with shrewd observation and with glints of humor, here and there, of his stay in California.
 The unfortunate man who was depOrted to Scotland, at his own request, resembles Robert Louis Stevenson closely in personal appearance, but lacks the genius of R. l.. S. Perhaps, too, he lacks the fOrtitude and sus- tained optimism which enabled Robert Louis Stevenson to wrest priceless literary material from his misfortunes and to go onward un- til, when he died in Samoa, he had already laid a firm grasp upon immortality. This later Stevenson, disappointed and broken in health, gave up the struggle. In leaving California, which will always be associated with some of the poignant passages and some of the most romantic, too, in the career of Robert Louis Stevenson, he reviled the people, say ing they have no taste and treated him un- kindly. With better grace he might have iHdl lHe ldulI was HIS ONHp III pre- suming to share in the reflected fame of a writer whose contribution to English litera- ture bids fair to survive as long as the more ponderous works which have come down to us through the centuries.
 Stevenson in California. To how many of us does that combination of words call up delightful evenings spent in an easy chair with a volume of the essays, in which he recounts his California experience! Some one wrote the other day that the mining camp, described by Stevenson in "The Sil- verado Squatters," has changed but little since he was there. But in most respects, the California which he saw and which inspired some of his finest essays, is no more. Yet, to many of us, the California of Stevenson is more real than the present-day California, with its movie stars it's rapidly growing cities and, what would disgust Stevenson, its crass ma aterialism. If Stevenson could visit Cali fornia today he would find much to deal with in vein of delicate irony. Even outside of the larger cities, where, in a simpler day, a life was possible that appealed to vagabOnd souls and lovers of natural beauty, one can not easily escape from the motor cars, the villas of rich people, club houses, movie camps and what-not.
 California is more money now than it ever was in the days of the forty miners" Those hardy pioneers who inspired Emerson aough's Covered Wagon by their exploits
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
House Vote On ShaoIs


 The bill providing for lease of the gov ernment property at Muscle Shoals to Hen ry Ford and his heirs or assigns. for period of 100 years. was passed by the House at Washington by vote of 227 to 124. As this lease, in all its details, has been before both Congress and the public for more than two years. any talk of secrecy or snap Judg- ment would of course be idle nonsense There is only one adequate explanation of the pas sage of the bill. by such decisive ma jority, and that is the existence of very, wide spread and pronounced conviction that it de- serves to pass. on its own merits. There are of course those who have all along denied that conclusion but notwithstanding a bit ter and persistent fight. they have convinced only about one man out of three in Con gress that their opposition was well ground ed.
 We are not concerned here to discuss the fundamental question, but merely to Suggest what seems to be the controlling reason for the victory of the bill in the lower house. It is the general conviction, especially strong in the great agricultural sections of the West in the great agricultural sections of the Vets and South. that the very circumstances make it to the interest of Mir. Ford to de- velop the nitrate producing possibilities of the Muscle Shoals region to the fullest pos sible extent and to sell the fertilizers thus produced to the farmers at as low a rate as possible. It will be to his interest to do this, because the uplift which would thus be given to agriculture and all allied indus tries would make tremendously increased market for his automobiles and his farm tractors. @
 The masses in the South and West are not concerned over the fact that large prof it's might come to MT. Ford in the course of his development; for they believe that these profits would come not out of what they themselves would otherwise possess but out of new wealth, created by Mir. Ford's opera tions out of the latent resources of the Mus cle Shoals region. And from no other propo- sitioh which has been made for the devel- opment of Muscle Shoals, they think, is there so much prospect of fair share to the public in the active wealth which may be created from these latent resources.
 As we have already said, we are not now concerned to discuss the question whether this widely held opinion is correct, But whether it is sound OF unsound, sincere be- lief in it gives to the proponents of the measure standing which must be respect ed. A sincere belief of this kind cannot be bowled over by shouting Another Tea pot Dome!' The bill goes to the Senate with favorable momentum of no mean proportions in it's majority of 103 in the lower house. If the house view is there overturned. it will have to be by the over- throw in fair and respectful argument of the underlying reasons by which the action of the house was determined.-Columbu Ohio, Evening Dispatch.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
Watching The Parade
Rx JOHN PILGRINE

Down in the country I come from we used to call him Hoss Leonard. He was just boy then, beginning in small way as a horse trader. Unlike the average man in that line, though, he never had more than one horse at a time.
 q can study one horse," he used to- say. 'But when I have two or three horses I scatter too much The horses don't do so well and lose money"
 As time went on his capacity expanded He began to handle a team at time. Then he bought range ponies herd at time. When automobiles came in he began to deal in them Now he is handling real estate in a big way, but still the old plan. He never has more than one project on his hands at once. Not until he clears the books does he take up another. No doubt he is not doing as large business as he might but the point is that it is safe one He has never had failure.
 T found out when was a kid,' he said the other day, that | have narrow sort one job, and see all around it and through it and up and down and crosswise, but if I take on too much l neglect everything. I close niy mind to everything except the one piece of business I am putting through, but watch every angle of that one piece"
 It looks to me as though lots of us might take warning by Hoss Leonard. President Wilson once said that he had a single-track mind. President Coolidge is remarkable for the fact that he takes up one bit of busi- ness at time, considers it calmly and coldly, and then acts. Not until then does he take up anything else, except under the pressure of public affairs. Young Pierpont Nor gan has the same trait. Financial affairs of magnitude may have a thousand collateral branches, every one of which must be cor sidered. But he does not mix his delivery When Babe Ruth determined to become sluggep he forgot that he was still very good pitcher. He began to slug.
 Hoss Leonard, horse trader, had the saple system.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
Sinner And Saint
tsI.nsAs EII..s..h Wade Ia Nov York rIns.,

The March Winds Pirate
 He sails the sky seas, And swoops to the forests,
 To twist the tall trees. Oh, Whi-i-iff, and Oh, Wi-i-iff
 And Oh, Whi-i-iff. and Oh, Whuff! And snap go the branches,
 The Wind is so rough s. The March Winds a Pirate.
 He lands in the town. He rattles the shutters.
 And shakes a sign down. Oh, WhoO-oO-O0, and Oh, WhOo-oo-0o,
 And Oh, Whoo-oo-oo. and Oh, Why! And rich. sir, or poor, sir,
 A tears in your eye The March Winds a Pirate.
 He blows with will. He sounds his weird whistle,
 So loud and so shrill. Oh Whee-ee-ee. and Oh, Whee-ee-ee,
 And Oh, Whee-ee-ee. and Oh, Whew And off goes your hat, sir,
 No matter how new! The March Winds Pirate. He steals all he can A sheet from the clothes-line- f A scarf from a man. Oh, Whi-i-iff, and Oh, Whoo-Oo-OO.
 And Oh. Whee-ee-ee, and Oh, Whist It's only St. Patrick srs,-. Keeps March on our listl
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
Denlocrdcy's Problem
Ky n. ADDiNcTov BRUCE

In the course of careful analysis of q recently published book, an English review CT gave utterance to some thought that I would take as my theme. They constitute an uncommonly direct and lucid statement of demOcracy's great opportunity and chief problem:
 Democracy has such chance today as it has not mad since the golden days of Athens. The larger part of the world is offered to it. if it can but take and keep the prize.
 If it relies as of old upon smere num- bers, if the many use their power to despoil the few. if democracy again follows the ty- rants of Asia in yielding to the delusion that wealth which is stolen will continue to be created. if it teaches citizens to look to the state for support which they have made no serious effort to gain for them selves, then the great experiment will again fail and the new hopes will gc the way of \ the old.
 But if it strengthens the character of the citizen while asserting his rights, if it insists that there can be no rights with out duties no wealth without industry, no liberty without order, no equality of op- portunity except one based upon the in equality Of tslents. no progress to the new world but by partial acceptance and par. tial modification of the old. then the good citizen wiI} have his chance and with tbe aid of hope and time will lay the founda- tioHs of the new world.
 To insurance that democracy will in fact chart it's course thus wisely is of a truth the urgent need. And the problem can be correctly solved only through n systematic ed edVcationf having object not merely a diffusion of sound knowledge but. still more, an infusion of really high ideals.
 On that point all who have studied the social situation most closely are in accord.
 As things now stand. ignorance. prejW dice and passion have altogether too free play. They perpetuate the class division which mean class conflict. They promote acceptance of theories and doctrines as mimi cal to true democracy. as were the despotic flats of the autocrats of old.
 They make for destruction not eonstruc- tion. They give demagogues an influence which is itself a sad commentary on the failure of the present educational system really to educate.
 Democracy, it cannot be too emphatically urged, 9can never come into it's own until the people in general are taught to distin- guish between the true and the fallacious the genuine and the spurious, the worth while and the ilIusory. Or. as the same fundamental need was otherwise voiced by thar British man of genius. the late W. H. R. Rivers:
 We must think far more seriously, and turn the best minds of the nation to the thought of making education means where by the group may enter into that collabOra- tion with its leaders so that the disorders of our civilization. may be remedied.'
 Remembering too, that change is the law of life, that there is never static con ditiOn but always progress or retrogression. the urgency for immediate effort to estab- fish the new education will become apparent. Democracy cannot trust to time for the so- who would succeed it must depend on it's own exertinnS
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
The Right Word
AN EXPRESSION OF OPINION
By CURTIS NICHOLSON


Nrlhu tne ErrOr III This Artlcle)
 Mrs; C. A. Jones' superintendent of schools of Orchard. Neb., earned 100 per cent in the last test. The following is her comment on the third question "'Will you please drink your soup? is correct if liquid can be taken from a cup, but if it is to be taken with a spoon Eat your soup is correct, according to Frank Fl. NiZetelly. managing editor of the News Standard dictionary. I believe the expression, Drink your soup,' is most gen. orally the one considered correct" In marking the hundreds of papers. which have been received in connection with the last test, Eat your soup and Drink your bullion are considered correct. However, Mrs. Jones has been given credit for her analysis and her own point of view.
 Others who earned 100 per cent will be announced daily.
 Penetrating the Address
 Genevieve Scheff of Chicago makes the following inquiry
 As regards punctuation, which of the fol- lowing IS correct form. or, if either is correct which is preferred (1) in addressing an en- velone; @ ill heading letter?
 MT. J. Doe
 r. Washington St.,
 Columbus,
 Ohio.
 "Mr J. Doe
 12 Washington St.
 Columbus
 Ohio
 T think modern business methods tend to eliminate or abbreviate punctuation. Is sentence than thus: Hoping, etc. etc. : I am ...... Very truly yours ?' Miss Scheff is right. The second example is the better for both the envelope and the beginning of letter. The suggestion as to the ending of a letter is also good.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
The Once Ouer
By II. L. PHILLIPS

If The President Went On That Lion Hunt (The president has been invited to lion hunt in the southwest News itemo
 First Day e. President. accompanied by secretary, reaches camp. Immediately asks for full facts about the lion. Gets them. Sends for cabinet.
 Second Day
 Cabinet arrives Members compare notes on lion and go into executive session to de eide on plan of campaign. Decision is to draw up presidential message advising lion to come out and surrender. Great excite ment as party debates question who is to read message to the lion. @
 Third Day Republican party disturbed by rumor Demo crats have stuffed canyon with starving lions. Immediate action advised by party leaders. Hunt is about to start when Senator Lodge arrives with speech denouncing lion. De- clares whole thing is Hiram Johnson plot to eliminate Coolidge as candidate at next election. Everybody goes to sleep, including the lion. ,..
 Fourth Day i. E. President starts to meet the hon. Lion starts to meet the president.
 Democratic newspapers halt hunt by charging Attorney General Daugherty has entered into deal to film the lion hunt for 90 per cent of the gross. sS
 Fifth Day
 Hunt resumed. Lion suddenly encounters president. President suddenly encounters lion. Party thrown into panic by sight of lion. Lion thrown into panic by sight of party.
 Order is restored by sudden hosting of banner reading Keep Coolidge" Presi- dent undetermined on course of action. Asks secretary what is proper thing for a presi- dent to do when he meets lion. Secre- -tary advises him to shake hands with it. Senator Lodge begins another speech. Lion becomes infuriated and chases president. President becomes infuriated and chases lion Party of 246 movie camera men get in the way and spoil everything. Sixth Day
 President and lion running around in cir cles. Now serious question whether it is a lion hunt or n president hunt. Democratic manding. "IS THE PRESIDENT CHASING THE LION. OR IS THE LION CHASING THE PRESIDENT?" President refuses to commit himself
 Seventh Day
 Lion bites the president but can't make him talk. Critics make great capital of in- cident and say that if it had been Roose- welt he would have bitten the lion.w
 Eighth Day | a4&I Lion attacks president Cabinet mem bers declare their neutrality. tG:aH
 Ninth Day
 President issues brief statement 'I have nothing to say. This is no time for hys- teria.'' Cabinet disagrees with him. Lion shows signs of weakening. Can't endure the awful silence. Tenth Day isr s Lion now much weaker. Cabinet meets and nominates Senator Lodge to talk it to death. + =
 Eleventh Day
 President skins lion. Public comment is Il told you so
 Party starts for Washington. President s secretary issues proclamation ,decreeing Ma tional Lion Week.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
WARRINGToN's FINE EXAMPLE

A fine spirit of enthusiasm and a com mendable example of the value which the people of Warrington, Alabama, a rural community near Guntersville, attach to edu- cation, were set forth in a recent report of plans for the erection of an adequate school building in that district. Each of the sev- enty families residing there will assume the responsibility of cultivating two acres of cotton, the proceeds from which will so to the school building fund. With one hundred and fifty acres of cotton cultivated under methods prescribed by the county farm agent, a tidy sum is expected for the new building. The plan has attracted much interest in that sec kion, and preparations for the largest pos sible yield on the hundred and fifty acres are already under way.
 When the people of a community are will ing to adopt so worthy and so self-sacrificing d method to provide their children with proper school advantages, they not only de- serve Encouragement, but they are sure to succeed because their self-reliance is sup ported by recognition of the practical value If good schools, and a willingness to CO., operate fully for realization of their worthy purpose.
 Not only do the participants in this en- ,sEprise deserve success; but it is safe to
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

predict that the community training obtained through such an effort will be of greatest value. When education is held in such value, it is apt to be used in effective and productive ways. The people of Warrington in this un- dertaking will not only benefit their own community, but they are setting fine ex- ample of enterprise and constructive pur- pose to other. neighborhoods where improved school facilities, good roads or other local benefits are needed, to insure larger measures of progress and prosperity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
IN WRITING FOR A NEWSPAPER

UsN typewriter if you can and double space your lines.
 If you use pencil use soft one that will make a distinct black mark.
 Don't run your lines together, but keep them evenly spaced.
 Don't hurry Careless writing may go di- rect to the scrap basket A linotype opera tors time too costly to waste in guessing at illegible writing
 Write on one side of paper only.
 Always read what you have written and correct errors
 Don't abbreyiate. Capitalize. paragraph and punctuate. Take the same pains as you expect of the printer.-Tampa Tribune.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

have long since disappeared, but their places have been taken by other ''prospectors" who go West in motor cars and in palatial trains in quest of fame, of fortune, and of pleasure. On our book shelves, thanks to Stevenson, Bret Harte and others the old California will survive.
 Stevenson sleeps at Vailima, on his grave stone carved the epitaph he wrote himself, that exquisite Requiem" beginning,
 Under the wide and starry sky
 Dig the grave and let me lie; but the spell he wrought lives after him. For nearly thirty years the presses have been turning out books about Stevenson. The quantity of this material, in the past year or two, has reached astonishing proportions, and no diminution of the output is in sight, so great is the interest in Stevenson, the man and the author. The sick and forlorn Scot, who is now on the high seas going back to the "dour land" that gave us Stevenson, Scott and Burns, could never ascend the path blazed by "R. l.. s. whose place in the literary Armament is as unique as 1t is se- cure.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
WORDS OF WISDOM

It is from the remembrances of joys we have lost. that the arrows of affliction are jOinted-Mackenzie
 To make a fine gentleman several trades are required, but chiefly barber.-0liver Goldsmith.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

It is probable that bucket-shop operators m Washington are also interested in the list of those who sometimes speculate in oil which the investigating committee is making public
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
Under the wide and starry sky Dig the grave and let me lie;

Reports that the former German crown prince has become salesman of farm imple- ments suggest that perhaps he is not so de- void of common sense as was generally thought. Promoting the conversion of the sword into the plow-share is no fools work.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

Apparently other matters of more public interest have so enlisted the attention of the people that they have little disposition to analyze recent efforts to revive much frazzled Thaw publicity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

Mr. Rogers is in error in accusing any. body, of attempt to break down the Brandon administration. It has never been built up That is the trouble.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

It may be true that even in the old days whisky never did anybody any good but there's no doubt that the brands peddled in these days develop a large increase of medical practice.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

While there is doubt as to who let the cat out of the bag at Washington, there is not the slightest question that the cat obtained its freedom with embarrassing results.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

Babe Ruth publicly announces that h.
 would rather play ball than do anything else Apparently he knows which side of his breat is buttered. -t
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

You never can tell: Some men let thei hair grow to appear artistic; others to say the price of a haircut
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

A great many people act as if they thought backbone and the bone of contention are one and the same.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

One of the surest routes to political. fiHan- cial or social failure is the indiscriminate use of sarcasm.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
THE E..AGE-HERALD
rEEpERlcK l. THoMpsoN......PR PRESIDENT

Untsred at Birmng gharn. Aia.. post office ss see- on1-e1ass matter, act of Congress March {. 1878.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

NEWS RUREAUS-wasningt gton, 500 Davidson 1nllding: State Capital. Montgomery. Journal Bufi6fng; Tennessee Valley. Decatur Daily Uou1tain Eagle Building; Anniston. Star Build lag: Gadsden, Journal Building; Muscle Hnosis 1Tt-Cities Daily Building.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
THE SCHOOL MASS MEETING

Telephone (private branch exchange cokAeet" fng all departments), Main 49o0.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
THE ONE nAY

Personally we feel like soaking the rich every day except on pay day.-Dallas News.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

5s MEMBER OF ASSOCIATED PREss-Ths Associated Press is exclusively entitled to ths
 nses for publication of all news dispatches credited to it. or not otherwise credited in this paper and also local news published therein. All rights of republication of special dispatches 9zrs also reserved.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

N SUBSCRIPTION RATES-By mall. payable fn advance, in United States and Canada; Daily sad Sunday, one year. $500; six months. sAoo; three months, S2.2s; one month, Sse. Daily only One year, ss.so: six months. Ss.2S: three months, si.7s; one month, 16c. Sunday only; One year, t2.sO; six months, Sl.So; three months. 7ec; one month, 2S.
 By carrisr where carrier delivery Is main tained: zoe per week, Sbc per month.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

Value Of Diversified Industries Millions of dollars are coming into Alabama for her manufactured cotton, steel and other products that are converted from the raw material into the manufactured product. It is always the manufactured product that brings the big price, and that is why as many industries should be encouraged to come into the stats as possible.-HuntsvilIe Star.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

MOntevaIIo Is Tempting Field.-G Graduates of Alabama College at Montevallo make good wives, according to a bulletin. Of the sey- eral thousand only six widows are reported among the graduates of Una tschool. Broad cast this information and the men will move towards Montevallo in Montgomery Journal.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24

If The President Went On That Lion Hunt
 (The president has been invited to lion hunt in the southwest News item.)