davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Five-Cent.Fare Politics.

All is not serene in Greater New
York in respect to it's relations with
Albany. Governor Smith, idol of the
State Democracy as we'll as of the
1ammany organization, is not as
popular below the Bronx as he was
a few weeks ago, when he rolled M
an enormous majority. and was re-
turned to the State House and set
up definitely as the favorite son of
the party for 1928. A change has
come to pass, and it all hinges upon
the question of street railway fares.
When Mayor Walker was elected
In November, 1925, to succeed Mayor
Hylan, 1t was considered likely that
he would push plans for a better
ment of the transit situation in the
Greater City. But for the first year
of his term he has been chiefly
occupied In heading reception cons
mittees, and paying honors to the
various grades of greatness that
have been landed on these shores.
Even his warm supporters have be-
gun to grumble at the failure of the
City Hall to step out and do some
thing to relieve the congestion and
to ease the burden. The other day
Governor Smith proposed that the
Public Service Commission of Great
er New York, which has to do with
the local transit situation, should be
merged with the State Transit Com
mission. Immediately an cutlery
arose in the boroughs. Higher fares.
it was urged, would be the result of
such a blend of authority and re-
sponsibility. The mayor proclaimed
loudly against such a move. Yester-
day George W.. Olvany, leader of
Tammany Hall, declared fatty that
that organization would stand back
OF the'mayor in his fight to prevent
an increase of fare.
OF course this breach will be
closed. 1t is not the custom of Tam
many to allow any schisms to de-
velop. Governor Smith will probably
recognize that he is trespassing upon
ground sacred to Tammany and,
although he is the foremost individ-
ual figure in that organization, and
holds his Office largely because of it's
favor and support, he Is likely to
withdraw his suggestion. Then
comes the mayor into the limelight
as the man who defied the mighty
one up the river. His term has three
years more to run. Another gov
ernorship campaign will be on in
1928. Governor Smith is not likely
to be again drafted" for service at
Albany. He is more likely to be
pushed into the arena of the National
Democratic convention eighteen
months hence. Will Mayor Walker
be his successor in the State House?
Will there be as hearty and whole
souled support Of the favorite son
at the presidential convention as
though he had not made this shock
ing suggestion about a merger of
the transit and utilities commissions?
Five-cent- politics prevails in
Greater New York to the exclusion
of most other questions, and the gov
ernor has shown a somewhat ques-
tionable judgment in venturing to
make his proposal. which has so
swiftly been resented and has
brought such an emphatic rebuke
from Tammany.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Editors Hold Pleasant Debate
On Coffee Championship Issue

over, and along comes an editor of
at the champ In behalf Of a lad OF
that city. On top OF the challenge
of the blue-eyed molder Of public
opinion comes another from Akron,
Ohio. And then there is the man
from Newark. But Gus amt going
to be rushed off'n his feet by no fly
by-nighters. The Percolator Prince
of Fergus Falls says: Il amt dis
paragin' their styles; If they want a
contest let 'em chalk up record
All Of which Is fair enough. If the
hero of the squared circle, adhering
to custom, can lie back for a year or
more between battles, reaping the
royalties that are his by right Of con-
quest, why should the champion OF
the coffee urn be denied similar
privilege?"
But before the contest for the ma
tional championship comes off," de-
clares the New York Herald Tribune,
there are details upon which the
public will want to be informed. What
sized cups does Mr.. Comstock use?
And what is the prescribed strength
of the brew? 1t looks like rain
said the cheerful boarder as he sat
gloomy companion, cycling his cup,
but 1t smells like coffee Is Mr.. Com
stocks brew so attenuated or is 1t a.
real bracer? And must it be black?
A cup of coffee with cream ordered
the customer in the Quick-lunch room.
Spotted cow! beloved the counter
man. Does Mr.. Comstock permit
spotted COW? And what Of sugar?
All these details the public must have
SN - a.
OF the champions prowess. Lastly.
a public made cynical by accusatory
gossip about the prize ring will want
an impartial investigation to deter
mine whether or not Mr.. Comstock
Is subsidized by the Brazilian coffee
interests. This business of drinking
a cup Of coffee every 10 minutes for
10 hours cannot escape the appear
ance Of propaganda"
The Los Angeles Times welcomes
the addition to the list of Winter in
door sports" with the appearance of
the worlds champion marathon oof-
fee drinker," and Is impelled to re-
mark: THAT he is a champion is svi.
denced by the fact that he insists that
his challengers get a reputation be-
fore he will take them on. How did
the Philadelphia Sesquicentennial
come to miss this attraction" The
Sarasota Daily Times adds its com.
ment on the fame that has been
brought within the grasp by this per-
former on the northern border. with
the suggestion: I'VE prattle q great
deal these days about the power Of
printers ink. We often say that it's
not what a person Is or what person
does that counts, but that it's getting
his name in the paper about any old
thing, when all the world sings
praises to him. Twould seem that |
the tale Of the champ coffee drinker |
whose name no one recalls Indicates =
this cynicism is unwarranted."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Well. here 1t is Christmas eve-and
what are we all thinking about?
Surely, about all those nice pres
ents we are going to get tomorrow.
Those persons who have opened
their parcels, despite the DO Not
Open Till Christmas" seals, already
have paid the price.
There will be no surprise for them
tomorrow.
They are like the children who can
not wait until the Fourth of July. but
must shoot off firecrackers days,
even weeks, in advance.
When the big day comes they are
tired of the sport before it begins.
All Of us good boys and girls, how
ever, who wait patiently for Santa
Claus shall have our reward.
We have seen the parcels in the
closet, and can almost swear as to
what Is In each one of them.
More than once we have been
Christmas, and let 1t go at that.
There are some good arguments in
favor of such a course. especially for
the grown-ups. The first reason Is
the simple one that so many persons
do. undoubtedly. open their presents
on Christmas eve.
This Is, of course, a purely personal
matter. Every one has a right to do
as he pleases, and If he wants to have
his Christmas on Christmas eve, that
Is his own business.
The second reason is like unto the
first-perhaps it might not be bad
thing, IL one cannot wait, to lump
Christmas eve and Christmas all In
one and put it on the former.
X r n
..z.,,l ~i>o,~ tAo ohilIrop and
allow Christmas day to be given over
wholly to religious observances, un-
spoiled by thoughts of mundane gifts.
Probably there would be more
festivity in the celebration Of Christ
mas in the evening than In the cold
Of the morning.
But the great argument against this.
of course, Is the very nature OF the
celebration and the religious significa-
ton. No, we will not push our plan
to have Christmas on Christmas eve.
Surely Christmas eve is enough in
itself.
This is the evening Of expectation.
We will not allow the material side
of our Christmas (modern to obscure
the ancient aspects, nor to sway us
for second from the true relation
ship of the gift to the giver.
Despite the worry Of Christmas
shopping, now happily over, the
hundred and one petty details, the
sending Of gifts to those who do not
deserve them, and the not sending to
some who do, we will cling fast to the
ancient tradition. to the happy thought
of giving, out of the fullness of what
one has, to others.
This, after all, is the true signif1-
canoe Of Christmas, which combines a
pagan plenty with a Christian spirit,
and does so al deftly as holly and
mistletoe are wreathed together in our
front windows.
X
Even those who make life per-
petual Christmas. and give freely to
others ae>all times, may make to-
morrow a special day, in the sense
of special gifts.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Coffee drinking as a competitive
sport admittedly has its drawbacks
but the country seems mildly interest
ed in the recent 62-cup performance OF
a Minnesota man and the rival claims
to fame advanced by champion guz'
zlers in other parts of the country.
THE Fergus Falls man." in the opin.
lon of the Seattle Daily Times. should
be an object of interest to the sclen-
tific world A person who apparently
Is immune to the effects or canelne.
the alkaloid found in conee, snoulu
be an eighth wonder OF the world. IL
is popularity believed to be dangerous
in large Doses and 81 cups OF conee
should be SUFFICIENT to sink an ele-
phant, If Fergus Falls put on col
fee-drinking tournament, it would do
the rest of the country a favor oy
saving nothing about it. The country
has been surfeited with pie-eating
contests. hog calling tournaments ana
corn,husking bees. Let's not make
things worse by drinking coffee to ex-
cess"
The question of fame interests the
Abilene Reporter. which takes note OF
the fact that because he drank at
one sitting some 81 cups of conee,
certain male broke into fame. as
people would say" But that paper
insists that he didn't break into fame.
His picture was printed ana MS
name printed in several tnousAnu
papers. But how about 1t? can you
tell teacher, bright and snappily, the
name of the man who Is the worlds
champ coffee drinker? Neither can
we, Nor can we name the WORLDS
champ oyster-on-the-s shell gulper, corn
on.the.cob eater, or the man with the
reddest hair and the biggest feet.
Still the query comes from the New
Orleans Tribune as to whether us
own city. which is one of the big
coffee import cities Of the world, is
going to "let an interior town like
Fergus Falls get away with the
ee.drinking championship. What
are the New Orleans coffee drinkers
doinx?" It asks. I'm a city where the
oyster gives so much gastrOnomic in
spiration, 1t seems ridiculous that
there Is not at least one cupman more
canacious than the Minnesota cham
pion. What's a measly 81 cups of
coffee anyway? Especially Minnesota
coffee? Who would not drink a hum.
bred to save the immortal reputation
of New Orleans? Up and At 'em,
men! Put coffee in thy cups"
"Sad.eyed moralists who insist that
the refinements OF civilization are sap
ping the virile fiber, are requested"
says the Harrisburg Telegraph. ito
wipe their weeping optics and direct
a hopeful glance in the direction Of
Fergus Falls, home Of Gus Comstock,
the worlds champion coffee drinker.
Gus qualities as Mocha Monarch, kick
ing Voltaire's record of so cups into
the discard and sending the free verse
architects of Greenwich Village back
to their draughty attics In despair.
The word goids forth naturally has
attracted coffeS hounds the country
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Washington as the
Soul of America
From the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

From the PhiladeIphia Inquirer.
Tucked away in a corner of Presi-
dent Coolidge's message to Congress is
an interesting little paragraph con-
corning the Capital City. He speaks
of what has been done there and tells
of the program for new buildings and
Of the general Identification of the
District of Columbia. These buildings
will be of permanent nature and he
feels that into them should go the as
pirations Of the Nation, it's ideals ex-
pressed in forms of beauty. He in
sists that IL our country wishes to
compete with others it should be not
in the support of ornaments. but in
the making of a beautiful Capital City.
Let It," says the President, Eek
press the soul of America" He tells
us that whenever an American goes to
the seat of the Government, no mat
ter how cultured or Travelled he may
be, he should find there the best in
architecture to arouse his imagination
and his pride. If Mr.. Coolidge has his
way. Washington, in the coming years.
will not only be the art center of our
own country, but of the world. He
would have in It the best in science,
In learning. In letters and in art.
These" he insists. ARE the results
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

which justify the creation Of our ma
tional resources with which We have
been favored"
Here we have a side of President
Coolidge which has not been so well
known to the mass of the American
people. We have praised him for the
simplicity Of, his character, for his
executive ability and for his sanity in
politics. But he makes 1t clear that
having attained material prosperity
we should pay attention to the finer
things of life. He has his ideals, and
so have many of the people. The
pioneers of America were too busily
engaged in fighting with nature to
pay much attention to art and beauty.
But in most of us Is the yearning for
fine things, and the time has come
when we may express these desires,
particularly IN the Capital Of the
country.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Single Track, Eighteen Dead.

A shocking reminder that heavy
traffic is still running over one-track
railroad lines is given by the col
Hsion at Rockmart, Ga, where two
trains met head-on at q switch and
eighteen persons were killed and
many more were injured. These
were express trains, of the kind
known as flyers" both heavily
loaded. and both running on fast
schedule. One of them had reached
the station and had taken a siding
to allow the other to pass. The
approaching train, 1t seems, failed to
take the through track but went into
the siding and crashed into the
standing train. All the casualties
occurred on the moving train, bound
north.
So rarely does a head-on collision
occur in these times that the case
demands special attention and study.
A railroad operating on a one-track
basis. as few still do in this coun-
try. must of necessity maintain
sidings and switches to allow the
traffic to pass. Upon the depend
ability of the switches rests the
burden of safety. 1t would seem that
the switch in this case had been left
open. or sprang open upon the ap-
proach of the speeding train, 1t was
not dependable, for either a human
or a mechanical cause. The sacri-
Ace of eighteen lives resulted.
It seems archaic to operate heavy
traffic on a one-track basis. The
double tracking of railroads has been
In progress for a good many years.
The southern travel has increased
greatly during the past decade and
there has surely been time to put all
of the lines serving 1t in shape to
handle the volume of business on
double track basis. The Florida
lines, until recently all one-tracked,
have been double-tracked almost
throughout their length.
It remains to be determined, If
possible. how the switch was left
open at this point. 1t must be
assumed that the apparatus was OF
the most reliable character. A one
track line, carrying heavy traffic,
must be equipped with the securest
means of preventing accident. How
q switch could be left open, or could
snring open upon the approach of a
train is a mystery that NAV or may
not be solved. Inquests and investi-
gations do not always reach the
exact and specific causes of railroad
accidents.
Grade crossing accidents teach
their lesson of prevention, and The
cure of that evil is progressing.
Rear-end collisions teach their les
son, and the cure for them is on
the way to adoption. Head-on col
lisions in turn teach their lesson.
which was in fact taught years ago,
and the cure for them should have
been adopted long since. OF all the
forms of railroad disasters this seems
to be the least excusable. The Rock
mart tragedy is certainly preceded
by a long enough perspective of
warnings to have been rendered i'm
possible by a double tracking to
conform TO the modern conditions
of travel, or, pending double track
ing, by safer mode of train
handling.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Skyscrapers and Traffic.

Considerable anxiety has been ex-
pressed in New York on the score of
the proposed new 110-story building
projected for a mid city site, not with
reference to its stability or practical
ecenony, but with regard to its effect
upon the local transportation prob
lem. In itself it will not add materially
TO the congestion. AS an example of
what may occur later IL 1t should sue
coed as business venture, however,
II is viewed with alarm" Already
New York is seriously congested, with
It's six million people crowded into a
comparatively narrow area, and at
least four million OF them packed into
very restricted space during bust.
ness hours. The "skyscrapers" of the
past twenty FIVE years have added
heavily TO this load. II now they are
10 run up to 1lO-story heights, and
perhaps higher. the concentration will
be increased. and the problem of moy-
ing the people who occupy them for
business purposes morning and eve
ming will become one Of the gravest
that ever was faced by any city.
When the buildings began to grow
high thirty years ago-and twenty.
five stories was a sensational height
New York had one bridge and no tun.
nels. 1t had no subways. 1t was
served by two elevated railway lines
in addition to the surface roads. The
buildings grew faster than the trans
portation facilities, for by the time
the first subway was built thirty story
buildings were In existence. Through
out the years the structural engineer
have, kept a step ahead of the trans
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

portation engineers. And this new
110-story building is the latest stride
forward by the former. A vehicular
tunnel is about to be opened between
New York and Jersey City, but it is
already discounted by the accumulat.
ed growth upward of the years that
have elapsed since it was projected
The Hudson River Bridge project is
on the point of actual starting, but by
the time it has been completed, unless
present signs fail, midtown New York
Will be spring higher than even the
latest marvel of architecture. So no
wonder New Workers who look for
ward see crowded times ahead.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
SHOOTING STARS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

The Absent Santa Claus.
Good, old Santa, going strong,
Gayly drove the deer.
Some folks say he brought along
A load o. Christmas cheer.
Carefully, good Santa Claus
At stockings took a peek.
Said he, II can't use these, because
They're almost sure to leak"
Good old Santa paused awhile.
A round and rudy elf,
And murmured, with a genial smile
'TM taste this stuff myself"
If Sanity misses US this year
It's due to that carouse.
They doubtless have hlm and his deer
Locked in the station house.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

AS a dictator Mussolini enjoys the
privilege OF selecting his own regalia-
But what he most values in the way
of attire is his little old bullet-proof
set OF step-ins.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Prohibition agents must assist in
enforcing the law regardless Of the
temptations of a private thirst. The
individual is expected to sacrifice his
own inclinations for the good Of the
state.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

It requires a. gun to make gun
man. The ease with which weapons
are obtained by irresponsible people
remains one of the points of weak
ness in the efforts to secure universal
peace.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Fall and Doheny jurors sang sweet
" before the acquittal The Fall
Sinclair trial may call for men who
are unprecedented by knowledge of the
facts, but who have taken courses in
voice culture.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Opponents of capital punishment
may find relief of mind in contem-
plating the number of killers who
remain undecided in addition to those
who are freed after trial.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Rate by Mail-PayabIe in Advance.
MARYLAND and Virginia.
AIT other States and Canada.
Member Of the Associated Press.

The Associated Press is exclusively entitled
patches credited to ii or not otherwise cred.
ited in This paper and also the local news
published heren. All rights of publication
Of special dispatches herein are also reserved.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Spain has lotteries as well as "a de-
mand for tickets to bullfights. The
Spanish Santa Claus is obliged to be
something of a sport.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Forgetting Father.

You must admit that George
Washington was the father OF his
country"
YES" reioined Senator Sorghum.
But how many people nowadays obey
their parents?"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

A snowless Christmas is predicted.
Even the Weather Bureau is permit
ted to break into the picture with a
bit of holiday cheer.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

A. carelessly lighted Christmas tree
makes the visit of the Fire Depart.
ment more welcome than that OF
Santa Claus himself.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

The Chinese, instead of avoiding
foreign entanglements, continue to
look for them, regardless OF risk.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Those who "shopped early" in the
steel market are now enjoying excep-
tional prospects of a merry Christmas.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Gone Are the DAYS!

From the Baltimore Sun.
Children are being made the subject
of a great deal of study-that is, II
there are any children.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Applies to Everybody.

From the st. Paul Dispatch.
Good blood isn't everything. The
child Of a king must be taught which
spoon to use.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

While watching the old year out"
number of night club patrons win
also watch for the police.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
prOcrastinatiOn.

Shop early" With a restless frown
He started on a search forlorn
To find some shopping place down
town
At 6 am. on Christmas morn.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Judge Lands. hailed originally as
GEAR" in base ball, finds himself
in the position of an umpire.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

From the Long Beach Press.Telegram.
Happy Is the home where there is
Q baby grand and grand baby.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

V1ITIBVK1EG8 UHIOSs
Them Snake Ridgers have armed
themselves and are comm to shoot
UP the town.
I'VE need some guns here In the
Gulch," said Cactus Joe, land it'll be
40 easy to take 'em away from them
feliers that it'll seem jes' like q visit
from Sanity Claus"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
The Sufferers.

Now, Justice has peculiar ways,
Which frequently we sec.
They lock the jury up for days,
While prisonssv stay free.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

Jud Tunkins says one way to be
sure of getting good news is to be lib
eral with tips to q fortune teller.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24
Editor

The Evening Star with the Sunday morn.
lnF edition. is delivered by carriers within
she aty = 60 cents per month dn,y day.. e ohi
Der month, Orders NAV he sent by mail or
f. telephone Main 5000. Collection 10 made BY
earlier at end of each month.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-24

The very newest thing under the
agricultural sun is the suggestion that
what the farmers mainly need IL q
VIII Hays. a Judge lands or an
Augustus Thomas. What those three