Today -100: November 7, 1911: Of acquittals, prohibition, ultimata, women’s voters and women candidates

Back in March, Booker T. Washington was beaten up in NYC. Henry Ulrich, the man who did it, is acquitted, although he is immediately re-arrested on an outstanding desertion warrant. Ulrich, who found Dr. Washington in his apartment building looking at door plates, suggested he was a burglar, a pervert, or both. Washington said he was trying to locate a friend of his. The defense lawyer insisted, over the prosecutor’s objection, on asking whether that friend was white or black (he was white). One of the justices who acquitted Ulrich commented that Washington had no business in the building.

A recount of Maine’s September election decides that the state did vote for prohibition after all.

Russia sends an ultimatum to Persia. Something about an insult to its vice consul during the seizure of the house of the brother of the deposed shah (its guards were Cossacks). Russia wants an apology or it will occupy the provinces of Ghilan and Mazanderan.

Women’s suffrage came to California a little late for some of the 1912 elections, depending on local registration requirements, so that women will be barred from San Francisco’s municipal election tomorrow -100 but not LA’s election next month.

Taft goes to Ohio and votes early, including for a Miss Edith Campbell, running for the Cincinnati school board. This was the first time a president voted for a female candidate for public office. Campbell was elected. (She was also the first woman elected to a public office in Cincinnati.)

Today -100: November 6, 1911: Of Europeans and North Africa

The Ottoman Empire formally asks the US to intervene to stop Italian atrocities in Libya.

France is doing a victory lap over Morocco. Prime Minister Joseph Caillaux says it was puerile to suppose that such a vast country as Morocco, systematically closed to “civilization,” could continue to exist next door to French Algeria.

Today -100: November 5, 1911: Italy isn’t great at war; who’da guessed?

Italy, frustrated at the Turks’ failure to hand Libya over to them without a fight, are threatening to invade other parts of the Ottoman Empire, possibly the Dardanelles. The threat that this might destabilize the perennial “sick man of Europe” would force the Great Powers to slap Italy down, since no one wants the Empire to collapse, which would certainly result in a free-for-all in the Balkans and suchlike fun and games.

Obama and the Rebalancing Agenda of Doom

Obama gave a press conference today from the G20 meeting in Cannes (because nothing says “get used to the new age of austerity, suckers” like a bunch of world leaders partying in Cannes).

IT’S RAINING SO THERE PROBABLY WON’T BE ANY HOT TOPLESS CHICKS OUT: “we came to Cannes with no illusions.”


OBAMA DOESN’T WANT YOU TO MAKE A MISTAKE: “Make no mistake, there’s more hard work ahead and more difficult choices to make.”

THIS JUST STRUCK ME AS FUNNY: “All of us have an enormous interest in Europe’s success”.

IT INVOLVES BERLUSCONI AND THREE HOOKERS. YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW. “We also made progress here in Cannes on our rebalancing agenda.”


By the way, Berlusconi was due to release a CD of himself singing love songs this week, but decided to postpone because the timing might look bad, as opposed to everything else Berlusconi has ever done.


Asked how all this would affect his re-election prospects, Obama lied, “Jim, I have to tell you the least of my concerns at the moment is the politics of a year from now.”

NERVOUS: “And although the actions of Papandreou and the referendum issue over the last couple of days I think got a lot of people nervous...” Sadly, no follow-up question on why the Greek people’s opinion was not required.

He kept talking about the “firewall.” Greece has been downgraded from nation-state to computer virus.


WAIT, ISN’T THIS EXACTLY WHAT HE KEEPS SAYING ABOUT REPUBLICANS? “But I am confident that the key players in Europe -- the European political leadership -- understands how much of a stake they have in making sure that this crisis is resolved, that the eurozone remains intact, and I think that they are going to do what’s necessary in order to make that happen.”


I THINK YOU MEANT TO SAY “REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS” RATHER THAN SIMPLY “CONGRESS.” “And as soon as I get some signal from Congress that they’re willing to take their responsibilities seriously, I think we can do more. But that’s going to require them to break out of the rigid ideological positions that they’ve been taking.” You know, calling the Republicans’ positions ideological is to give them far too much credit, implying that they’re adhering to some sort of principles.

Today -100: November 4, 1911: Have to change the damn maps again

China’s Yunan Province declares independence.

A German newspaper reports that the Italians have executed 4,000 Arabs in Libya.

The French-German accord over Morocco has been signed. Germany recognizes France’s right to establish a “protectorate” over Morocco (a right Morocco hasn’t recognized, but then it hasn’t been asked), and is compensated with 96,525 square miles of Northern French Congo (the 1 million or so Congolese weren’t asked if they wanted to be ruled by Germans). France gets a little bit of Togo.

Today -100: November 3, 1911: O Canada

Speaker of the House Champ Clark says “Nine-tenths of the people of this country favor the annexation of Canada, and I don’t care who hears me say it.” He seems to be planning to run for president in 1912 on this platform.

Francisco Madero is elected to fill out the remainder of former dictator Díaz’s presidential term.

The Portugese republic orders monarchists to return or have their properties seized.

Mrs. Roselyn Monze of Nowata, Oklahoma is granted a divorce on the sole ground that her husband is an infidel.

Irony is dead, or something

Cain, refusing to answer questions about the now three women he allegedly sexually harassed, yells at reporters, “What part of no do you not understand.”

Monday was Cain’s best fundraising day ever. Who knew that the Berlusconi model would work in America?

Some random news items:

San Francisco is banning nudity at restaurants (for customers, not staff, I guess). The ordinance was proposed by Supervisor Wiener, because of course it was.

Looking at the SF Chronic’s website for their version of that story, I stumbled across this headline: “Dolores Park’s Latest Controversy Involves Sausages.” A hot dog cart has been banned from the SF park. It’s called the Sausage Slinger, because of it course it is.

Japanese member of Parliament Yasuhiro Sonoda, asked by reporters to prove his repeated claims that the Fukushima nuclear plant is now safe, drank a glass of water collected from the reactor. He will be missed.

British headline: “Queen Victoria’s Giant Bloomers Expected to Fetch £3,000 at Auction.”


If someone buys them just to wear while eating at Hot ’n’ Hunky Burgers in the Castro, I don’t want to know (yes, I know Hot ’n’ Hunky is long gone).

(Follow-up: they sold for £9,375.)

Today -100: November 2, 1911: Generous and chivalrous civilization

In the Los Angeles mayoral election, Socialist candidate Job Harriman (Eugene Debs’ running mate in 1900 and currently one of the lawyers for the McNamara brothers in the LA Times bombing trial – which is currently dragging through jury selection) wins a plurality over Good Government candidate, incumbent and general asshole George Alexander, 20,157 to 16,790, not enough to avoid a run-off next month, or, as the LA Times puts it (Nov. 1 issue), “a final battle between the Good Government forces and Socialism”.

Italian Prime Minister Giovanni Giolitti denies that Italian troops are killing Libyans and Turks indiscriminately. Why, if they are guilty of anything, it is an “excess of humanitarianism.” “He who asserts that the Italian soldier would offend woman or child shows ignorance of our country and race.” He also complained about the “treachery” of Arabs who declared loyalty to their new imperial rulers, then shot them in the back, and then knifed the wounded. He calls the invasion “an example of generous and chivalrous civilization.”

Speaking of examples of generous and chivalrous civilization, one Italian pilot drops four bombs on a Turkish encampment, the first ever aerial bombardment. Hurrah.

Headline of the Day

From the Guardian: “Al-Qaida Targets Somalia Drought Victims with Cash Handouts.” Oh noes, it’s “targeting” those poor, poor people with money, rice, milk, dates and clothes, “a Guardian investigation can reveal.” Haven’t they suffered enough? Will no one send in armed drones to stop the bastards?

By the way, Amazon is selling the complete Arrested Development for $29, today only.

Today -100: November 1, 1911: Of trusts

Taft defends the anti-trust laws: “I would cut my hand off before I would injure business. ... [But] Only one course is open. Either we will have individualism or we will have combinations in restraint of trade going to that point where the people will demand that the power of men engaged in such corporations be transferred to the Government. And then we will have State Socialism.”

The White House explains...

why atheists and the ACLU can go fuck themselves.

“A sense of proportion,” indeed.

Today -100: October 31, 1911: Of imperial apologies, boxed generals, indiscriminate slaughters, and going to the theater

Chinese Emperor Hsuan-Tung issues edicts granting full constitutional government and apologizing for his past actions: “I have reigned three years and have always acted conscientiously in the interests of the people. But I have not employed men properly, as I am without political skill.” To be fair, he is 5 years old (you may remember the little guy as the protagonist of Bertolucci’s film The Last Emperor.) “Much of the people’s money has been taken, but nothing to benefit the people has been achieved.” He observes, “The whole Empire is seething. The spirits of our nine deceased Emperors are unable to enjoy the sacrifices properly”. Obama never mentions ghosts in his State of the Union speeches. The emperor promises a new cabinet with no members of the nobility, amnesty for political prisoners from all the recent revolutions, the abolition of old laws, etc. (Spoiler alert: too little, too late, little emperor dude).

Headline of the Day -100: “General Escaped in a Box.” Gen. Chong-Piao, commander at Wu-Chang, escaping the Chinese Revolution there.

The NYT correspondent reports that the Italian Army has responded to an attack on it in Libya with “indiscriminate slaughter.”

In a speech in Chicago, President Taft suggests that the Republicans may be turned out in the 1912 elections. It is believed that he’s feeling a little demoralized after a rather lukewarm reception during his tour of the country, especially in the West.

A black man sues NYC’s Lyric Theatre for refusing to let him and his female companion sit in the orchestra seats he’d purchased over the telephone (they offered him the balcony). It is illegal in NY to exclude people from a theater on the basis of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

Today -100: October 30, 1911: Of picturesque troop movements, lost legs, and Pulitzers

20,000 Chinese soldiers are demanding complete constitutional government, or they will join in attacking the Manchu dynasty. Manchu women in Beijing (those who aren’t fleeing the city) are trying to look more Chinese, wearing Chinese dress including special shoes to make their feet look small. “Picturesque movements of Manchu troops through the city gates occur silently after nightfall to prevent excitement among the population,” writes a correspondent who seems to think he’s reviewing a pageant put on for his amusement – “picturesque” indeed!

Headline and Lawsuit of the Day -100: “GETS $15,000 FOR LOST LEG.; Court Then Sets $10,000 as the Value of the Same Man's Wife's Love.” C. H. Kealiher sued his parents-in-law, who alienated the affections of his wife, their daughter, and then “suddenly became friendly and tried to sell him a half interest in an Alaska mine.” While he was inspecting the mine, the father-in-law took charge of the bucket elevator, “threw on all speed, and he came up so fast he was whirled around the drum like a pinwheel until the bucket was smashed, and he sustained injuries that necessitated the amputation of a leg.”

Joseph Pulitzer dies.

Romney explains “this problem”

Twitt Romney on Occupy Wall Street:

If we had 6 percent unemployment, instead of 9.1 percent unemployment, this wouldn’t be going on. So if we had a president who had understood what it took to reboot the American economy and get us back to work, we wouldn’t have this problem, or we wouldn’t have people protesting, because they’d be working. There are some people in that protest effort who are just angry that they can’t find work. And that their costs are going up and their income is going down. And I certainly sympathize with those people. I’m sure there are others in the group that have less benevolent sentiments and are intent on just causing difficulty of one kind or another.

So the only motivations for protest (or “this problem”) that Romney finds acceptable (or “benevolent”) are self-interested, apolitical ones which do not challenge the financial establishment (“cause difficulty of one kind or another”) or economic inequality in any way.

Today -100: October 29, 1911: Of unknown Eskimos, elephants, Muslims, holy wars, and boning

Explorers for the American Museum of Natural History have discovered a hitherto unknown tribe of Eskimos. Who shared their food with the explorers, but also insisted on sharing all the explorers’ food, before sending them on their way without any food.

The king and queen of England, aka the emperor and empress of India, will be visiting India for a coronation durbar. But no one can convince Queen Mary to ride an elephant. And as everyone knows, you can’t have a decent durbar without elephants. Lots and lots of elephants.

In 1911, there were approximately 200 million Muslims in the world. Of these, 95 million are located in the British Empire, compared to 90 million Christians. British Christians are getting worried about this.

The Vatican is evidently distancing itself from the bishops and clergy in Italy who are calling the war in Libya a holy war.

The first Solvay Conference, one of a series that brought together eminent egg-heads and essentially kick-started 20th century physics, opens (click for whole picture).


Note Albert Einstein, 2nd from the right, Marie Curie sitting. Also Ernest Rutherford, Max Planck, Henri Poincaré...

ProQuest Typo of the Day (LAT): “BONING DEFENDED.; An English Clergyman Says He Is Ashamed of the Opposition to Boning Matches.”

Especially church picnics, probably

Miami Herald headline: “Colombia Elections Come amid Violence and Corruption Charges.” But to be fair, so does everything else in Colombia. The headline might as well have been “Colombia Church Picnics Come Amid Violence and Corruption Charges.”

Massive fraud, 41 candidates assassinated this year alone, or, as President Santos puts it, a great improvement in political violence.

That free trade agreement was such a good idea.

Today -100: October 28, 1911: Of presidential hands, the comic opera of South Carolina politics, and bricks

In a speech in Chicago, President Taft implicitly denies that he has any political motive in going after US Steel: “I would rather cut off my right hand than to do anything to disturb the business of this country, especially with a motive of cultivating political success.” And you know he’s serious, because his right hand is his eatin’ hand.

South Carolina Gov. Coleman Blease, while waiting at a hotel with friends to see if the editor of the Spartansburg Journal will take up Blease’s challenge to show up and repeat his remarks that Blease was “the villain in the comic opera of South Carolina politics” (the editor did not show), is overheard saying “If I were not in politics I would whip the newspaper editor who lied about me. If I were not man enough to do it, I would get a double-barreled shotgun and kill him,” adding “Pistol manufacturers make all men the same size.” Not such idle words in South Carolina, where the lieutenant governor shot and killed the editor of The State in 1903.

Headline of the Day -100: “BRICKMAKERS WIN FIGHT.” Presumably with bricks. Brickmakers have succeeded in blocking plans to build new firehouses in New York state out of concrete. Key to winning the argument: the destruction of Austin, Pennsylvania a month ago when the dam broke. The only buildings that survived were made of brick.

Today -100: October 27, 1911: Of steel trusts and disappointed boy scouts

The US government files suit to dissolve US Steel for violations of the anti-trust laws.

China: the minister of war is reported to have been killed by his own troops. And the rebels have taken the city of Canton and Szechuan province.

The Turks are finally beginning to win some of their battles with the Italians in Libya. Prisoners on both sides are being shot and/or mutilated.

Headline of the Day -100: “Taft Disappoints Boy Scouts.” They waited in the cold for him to give a speech, but all he did was tip his hat at them and drive on; didn’t even get out of the car. The Minnesota governor, who was in the car, later rebuked Taft.

Newt, Calista & the Giant Replica Ax of Doom

Click for bigger – it’s the facial expressions that make this pic.


Caption contest.

Today -100: October 26, 1911: Of war chests, college yells, and hair

Chinese revolutionaries have captured the government’s war chest of 1.5 million taels (however much that might have been in real money). This means government troops can’t be paid. Things are also tense in the fairly new National Assembly, which is threatening that if the powerful minister of posts and communications isn’t fired and punished, the Assembly will dissolve itself. Sheng Hsuan-Huai, for that is his name, was largely responsible for a policy of strengthening the national government at the expense of the provinces, one of the causes of the Revolution.

Speaking at the University of Minnesota, President Taft suggests that students could spend their time better than in “barbaric yells.” “The President’s remarks about college yells were called forth by the greetings he received from the Minnesota students under the leadership of ‘cheer leaders’ who jumped in front of Mr. Taft and went through various sorts of gyrations.” He says that back in his day, college students “got along with a less sharp yell and a somewhat more graceful hurrah.”

Crime of the Day -100: Rae Bogert, a department store model, is mugged for her hair. Which was chestnut.