June 8, 1908 (Monday)

ANOTHER CASTRO CONTINUES TO TRY AND BEDEVIL THE US IN THE CARIBBEAN: Don Cipriano Castro, the president of Venezuela (above, in 1906, I think), has come up with a new epithet for the United States, according to today's New York Times. The paper passes on, in a small article on page 4, a phrase that Castro has coined and published in El Constitucional, the official organ of the Venezuelan president. He calls the USA "the Cain of America, which simulates fraternal cordiality in order to disguise brutal instincts."
The El Constitucional also includes a "New York letter" that describes a rumor that the U.S. will support Colombia in secret in case that country has a war with Venezuela.
Depending on the opinion of Castro, he is known by some as "The Lion of the Andes" and by others as "The Bandit of the Andes" -- in recognition of his being the first ruler of Venezuela who was born in the highlands of that country.
[NOTE: The "Cain of America" label was evidently used in the 16th century or so for Nicholas Durand Villegaignon.]

June 7, 1908 (Sunday)

GEN. LEONARD WOOD APPLAUDS FRENCH FOR THEIR "TAKE NO PRISONERS" STRATEGY IN MOROCCAN WAR: In London, U.S. Army Gen. Leonard Wood has been treated warmly in England, where he is generally admired because of his role with the Rough Riders. A New York Times correspondent interviewed Wood. He asked Wood, who was criticized for the widespread killing of women and children in the Moro Crater massacre in 1906 in the final phase of the Battle of Bud Dajo -- in the Philippines -- about the current French policy of taking no prisoners in its fighting in North Africa. Here's his response, which might sound relevant today, whether you agree with his conclusions or not:
"War with Mohammedans is always a difficult business. Their fanaticism leads them to adopt any measures for the purpose of accomplishing the death of Christians, or as they call us, 'infidels.' I remember an incident in point which occurred in our own campaign against the Moros. One man, shamming death, lay on the battlefield with his face covered, as is the custom, with white cloth, a part of his costume. He jumped to his feet at the moment our troops were passing and drove a spear through the nearest man to him. They would even attack Red Cross nurses while they were attempting to bind up their wounds. Time after time when we asked them to surrender the reply was always, 'We have orders from our holy men. Come on. Fight.'
"Nor would they send their women out of the range of fire. The women, you know, wear bloomers like men, and are often armed... One of our soldiers, accused of shooting women, replied, 'Well, a woman is just like a man to me when she comes at me with a spear.' The task of the French, I am sure, is not easy."

CONCERN OVER RISING HEALTH-CARE COSTS IS NOT LIMITED TO 2008: Today's Boston Globe offers this little joke that illustrates worries about the cost of health care, attributed to the Washington Star:
Eminent Surgeon: "Yes, we are doing much to prolong human life."
Mr. Sirius Barker: "I'm glad to hear it. By prolonging life you give a man more time and opportunity to get together the amount of your bill."

June 6, 1908 (Saturday)

"PHOTO HISTORY" OF AMERICAN INDIAN IS CALLED A "MARVEL": The book section of today's New York Times includes a glowing review of the multivolume project of photographer Edward S. Curtis (right), a set of volumes on "The North American Indian." It has the sponsorship of J.P. Morgan and features an introduction by Theodore Roosevelt. Two volumes have been published and more will be published at a rate of three per year. The Times says, "Nothing just like it has ever before been attempted for any people."
Curtis explains it this way:
It has been the aim to picture all features of the Indian life and environment -- types of the young and the old, with their habitations, industries, ceremonies, games, and everyday customs. Rather than being designed for mere embellishment, the photographs are each an illustration of an Indian character or of some vital phase of his existence."
Drawing particular praise is the photographer's "The Three Chiefs" (above), which can be purchased here.

June 5, 1908 (Friday)

MILITARY JOURNALIST FIRES PISTOL AT DREYFUS DURING REBURIAL CEREMONY FOR EMILE ZOLA IN PARIS: The Dreyfus Affair lingers in France. It resurfaced in a big way yesterday in Paris when writer Emile Zola was honored in a canonization ceremony in the Pantheon. Zola was instrumental in the restoration of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, so it's not surprising that Dreyfus was at the ceremony. A military journalist named Louis Gregori pulled out a revolver and fired two shots point-blank at Dreyfus.
According to today's New York Times, here's how Gregori explained his action (that's him -- without the hat, I believe -- being arrested in the photo above):
"I did not wish to kill Dreyfus. It is true I aimed at him, but I only wanted to graze him. My object was to protest against the participation of the army in the glorification of Zola and the rehabilitation of Dreyfus. My blow was aimed less at Dreyfus than at Dreyfusism."
Gregori fired the shots as the orchestra finished playing "Chant du Depart," which you can hear on YouTube here.
Evidently Dreyfus was hit by a bullet in the wrist. Gregori was beaten by the crowd.

POLICE CHIEFS WOULD LIKELY BRISTLE AT ANY DONUT JOKES: Many of the world's top cops are meeting in Detroit at the convention of the International Association of Police Chiefs. Yesterday, the crime fighters passed a resolution that was introduced by Chief Kohler of Cleveland. The resolution declares that police officers are entitled to more respect and consideration, according to today's New York Times. Not surprisingly, the vote was unanimous. The Times adds,
The cartooning and caricaturing of the policeman in publications and the making of him a subject of ridicule in stage productions were condemned and efforts to stop it were ordered begun.
If they're upset in 1908, wait until they see the Keystone Kops (shown above; with "Fatty" Arbuckle on the right).

June 4, 1908 (Thursday)

NOTED MEDICAL MISSIONARY SURVIVES A HOUSE CALL IN THE FROZEN NORTH: Medical missionary Wilfred Grenfell (above) had a narrow escape recently escaped death according to a tale brought to New York by Capt. W. Bartlett of the steamer Strathcona, which "just arrived from the north" to the port of St. Johns, New Foundland, according to today's New York Times. Here's the hair-raising tale of what happened to Dr. Grenfell when he left Battle Harbor, Labrador, to visit patients at a settlement about 10 miles away:
While traveling over ice with his pack of dogs, he found himself on an expanse of ice that had BROKEN FREE from the mainland. Before he could control the dogs, they fell into the OPEN WATER. He and the dogs struggled to get back on the ice floe. The temperature was about 10 below, a gale rose and night loomed. He avoided freezing to death during the night by:
Taking off his skin boots and cutting them in half so he could cover his back and chest to help him stay warm;
Killing three of his dogs -- for warmth and so he could feed that meat to the remaining dogs (so they would be less inclined to attack him);
Wrapping himself in the skins of the dead dogs;
Running around on the ice, occasionally, to keep himself warm.
When daylight came, he had to figure out how to signal people on land that he needed help. He took the LEGS OF THE DEAD DOGS (meaning 12 legs) and LASHED THEM TOGETHER to form a POLE. He attached part of his shirt to the top of the pole, "to serve as a signal."
George Reid and others at Locke's Cove in Mare Bay spotted the flag. They rescued the doctor.

NASHVILLE POLICE CHIEF BRINGS HIS OWN VERSION OF "JIM CROW" TO DETROIT: Capt. Henry Curran, who is the police chief in Nashville, Tenn., is in Detroit, Michigan, for a convention. Yesterday, he went into a restaurant, sat down and began to order his breakfast. At that time "a negro sat on the stool next to him," according to today's New York Times. That didn't sit well with the Southern police chief. Here's how he described his actions:
"The man didn't seem willing to leave, so I took him to the door. Did I throw him out? Yes. I guess that's about the size of it."
There was no report of any protest made about Curran's actions.

June 3, 1908 (Wednesday)

WHAT CAN A FEMALE EDITOR, WHO'S A DEMOCRAT, DO WHEN HER HUSBAND, A REPUBLICAN, IS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION: Mary McCreary Parkman, the editor of the Emporia (Kansas) Times is a "life-long and loyal Democrat," according to an item in today's New York Times. Her husband is a Republican office holder in Emporia (shown above, in 1909). He is running for re-election. Her paper has come out editorially AGAINST him. Mary -- "the editor, or editress, or editrix" -- has explained the situation to the readers of her newspaper, which has never printed the name of her husband. Mary says she and her unnamed husband "agree on literature, religion, art, the nebular hypothesis, the proper method of poking the fire, the value of breakfast food as a brain-builder, paving, municipal ownership, and the facts in the Gunness case." However, they are FAR APART in politics. Mary, using the editorial "we," added:
"We will cook for our husband; we will mend our husand's clothing; we will darn and brush him up -- as our husband. But as an office-holder of a vile, venal and corrupt organization, an emissary of Wall Street, and as an oppressor of the poor, our husband has only our unspeakable contempt. He should thank his lucky stars that we keep his name out of The Times."

GERMANY'S GRIP ON MILWAUKEE MIGHT BE LOOSENING UP A BIT: Today's Times notes a trend in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It notes that, "For many years, it was one of the most prosperous and enlightened of the German cities." However, a German drama was offered in that city recently and the showing failed to cover its own expenses. The Times notes that residents in the heavily German city "have always been good Americans, but with a hyphen." The "rising generation," however, might be erasing that punctuation mark. Relatively little "fresh German blood has been injected into the municipal veins of Milwaukee lately," the Times says. Between 1880 and 1890, more than 1.4 million German immigrants came into the U.S. (out of total influx of about 5 million). In 1897, the nation received 37,807 immigrants from Germany, while Russia sent 258,000 and Italy 285,000. The paper says, "Of course, it is a good thing for Milwaukee to be American and discard its hyphen."

May 29, 1908 (Friday)

SCHWAB EXPLAINS WHY WEALTHY MEN WANT EVEN MORE WEALTH: Charles M. Schwab told members of the Boilermakers' Convention in Detroit yesterday that all the millionaires he knows have made their money HONESTLY. Schwab (left) told the conventioneers that the key is that many of these millionaires were willing to take risks and speculate, according to today's New York Times. Regarding millionaires, he said, "There is not a dishonest man among all of them that I know of."
Schwab was asked why already-wealthy men -- yes, that was the noun of choice -- continue to try to accumulate wealth. His answer:
"It's the love of the game. The man that makes his own money and has been a worker cannot reconcile himself to becoming a drone. As long as a man's blood flows red in his veins he likes to be up and doing. It's different with those who inherit their wealth."