THE CHARLOTTE MESSENGER
VOL. 111. NO. 25
THE
Charlotte Messenger
IS PUBLISHED
Kvery Saturday,
AT
CHARLOTTE, N. C.
In the Interests of the Colored People
of the Country.
Abie and well-known writers will contrib j
wto to its columns from different parts of the
country, and it will contain the latest Gen
vral News of the day.
The Messenger is a first-class newspaper
and will not allow personal abuse in its col
umns It is not sectarian or partisan, but
independent-dealing fairly by all It re
serves the righ tto criticise the shortcomings
•of all public officials—commending the
worthy, and recommending for election such
rnwti as in its opinion are best suited to serve
interests of the people.
It is intended to supply the long f»lt need
of a newspaper to advocate the rights and
defend the inter •sts of the Negro-American,
especially in the Piedmont section of the
{'orolinas.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
(Always in Advance.)
1 year - - • - $1 V)
n months - - - 100
*> months - 75
i months - - 50
3 months - - - 40
Address,
W. C. SMITH, Charlotte, NC
Careful observers assert that the postal
receipts and operations afford as accurate
indications of the conditions of the
ncss of the country as any figures that
are officially compiled. With the close
of the summer, there began an upward
movement of the most substantial and
steady character, free from the unstable
nature of a boom, but indicative of a
gradual reawakening froip a period of
business inactivity. . .
The latest invention of car brake*
v.hich promises a fortune for the inyen
tor, has just made its appearance in
Pittsburg. It ill intended for freight
cars. The officers of the Pennsylvania
ro°d have offered $70,000 for the exclu
sive rights, but the inventor, a laborer
by the name of Timmins, refuses to sell
it. '1 he contrivance is so arranged that
a train of fifty or sixty cars, running at
a speed of thirty miles an hour, can be
stopped by the use of the brake within a
spare of very few feet after the pressure
has been fully applied to all the cars. It
can be worked by any of the brakemer
on top of the cars, or can be used from
?he engine, or the caboose at the rear ol
the train. It is so simply constructed
that it can be put on with one hand, and
contains such a power of compressed ait
♦hat it can lock the wheels of a locomo
tive in three seconds at a speed of fortj
miles. That, at least, is what is now
claimed.
The New York Su i relates that while
Thomas C. Acton was Sub Treasurer he
had for a visitor a young Connecticut
mis 3, and ho instructed Cashier Floyd
to show her and her mamma through
the vaults and lot them see how com
} actly Uncle Sam stored $140,000,000.
Mr. Floyd is one of those jolly old gen
tlemen who believe in pleasing the
young folks. He took from one of the
vaults a package containing $6,000,000
in SIO,OOO bank notes, and handing it to
the young miss, said, “I guess we can
spare that for you.” She looked pleased,
folded the package of new bills in the
middle, opened her hand ratchet, and
was about to drop the big fortune into
it when Mr. Floyd, noticing that eke
was in earnest, told her that the Gov
ernment was a little short that day, and
he would hive to postpone the gift to
feomc other time. The young miss lives
in Forestvi le, Conn., and only recently
*he thought her papa might let h**r
come to New York and get the present
awaiting her at the Sub-Treasury.
A reporter who recently visited Sing
£ing prj-;on found that Ferdinand Ward’s
lot th re is not as h ird ns might be ex
pected. Ilis cell is carpeted, and there
are pi turcs of his wife and his son on
the wall. Every two months he gets a
good box from home, full of boned
turkey, lobster salad, boned chicken and
other luxuries. He reads a great deal,
and takes several magazines. His favor
ite books are nove’s He talks seldom,
but when he does talk he is very inter
esting. He said that one day he was
walking down 15road wav, and saw a
hand omc* plate in front of a shop. He
picked it up and risked the price of it,
and was told SIOO. He bought twenty
four of tie plates. He says that General
Grant signed the Grant & Ward papers
wishout looking at them. War l sings
in the choir Sunday*, and is accounted a
good tenor. “Boodle” Alderman Jaehne
occupies a carpeted and comfortable cell,
and is in good health and spirits. He
also gets boxes of boned turkey and
honey from his friends. Every prisoner
gets a two-ounce package of tobacco
every Saturday night, and Jaehne is en
ployed over the prison bakery in wrap
ping up the«e two ounce packages for
the prisoners.
SONG OF THE CHRISTMAS WQQ jj «
As on my roving way I jg>
Beneath the starlight's,
Upon a bank oi feathery snow
.1 find a moonbeam
I crouch beetle tho pretty miss
And cautiously I £tre her
My gentlest, tendjresfi tifctte hfe*
And frown to see her shiver*
Oho! Oho,! <
On bod of snow
Beneath the starlight's gfeaming^
I steal the bbss \
Os one sweet kiss
From that fair friend 1
I scamper up the gloomy street
With wild, hilarious
And each rheumatic sign B meet
l set forthwith to creaking;
The sooty chimneys and sigh
In dismal apprehension.
And when tin rich man passes by
I pay him marked attentions
Ohor tho!
W ifch gusts of snow
I love to pelt and blind kin*—
But I kiss the cuarfn
Os the beggar-girt*
Who crouch in the 'lark behind hnm.
In summer time a poey fair
Bloomed on the distant heather*
And every day .we prattled there
And sang our songs together;
And thither: as we sang or toi\s <
Os love's unchanging gfrury*
A maiden arii l her lover stafttsk.
Repeating our sweet story*
•‘Oho! f*>!'*
We murmur low—
The maid and.l, tojgetho u
For summer s seed
And lo ve is dead
Upon the distant heather.
MOtgnm
A CHRISTMAS SIUPRISE
a wrerrr or tks. wicresk.
A Cntifornia mining leva* away taj
amid the scow-claf; r ck toantf peaks
of the Sierra N«va*N mountain*
The tera was irregtalarty ffcfrJ e»«t*
and'am* scattered along a creek
emptied rrto the CfeasiNMnes BCrxeir sev
eral miles below. Both th® dwrtllrnig*-
and bitsinccs houses— or* more pioMraty
speaking, c: bins—etmsftruckswl 'ofi
unh**wn pine logs, the vrertees Iwtoc*©*
the tirn’ e-s- bci'ig ‘-•(‘krakedT and pfi*?
tered vt i tfc mu< L Tb? town eontadined! ah
least a dozen saloons, oc salleoa* aiudl
gamblirg-ho-Lscs eoaafenad, ami in ttasc
much of th: kan'i.-“ajmwi m/m/px qA
the miuer parted company wtfta foiW ts©
rake up Its temporary abode in tke
SilWw the pwokrt of the pr©festooafigana~
blc%.‘* Tfte dwclTings of th© towns werw
scattered along the creek ©e hwSb tth©
side, of the mountain* the la&jswrtlrT ©t
them being rough, "‘bachelordkfeer
wonien were very • carce in the aeprilw
discovertfd diggings.
In a small cabin tn eh* upper end ©£
the town sat a woman in widows vcofc.
holding upo.i her knee a bright ewl*
sunny-fared little girt about hre yvoc*
old, while a l.tMe of ahy Hay
upon a bear skin before th©cyan furx
piaco. It was » hristmn* Eve; and thw
woman sit gazing abstractedly int© tfts©
fire bh wa; yet young, and *» tk©
glowing Hanes lit up her sad face they
inverted it with weird keexty*
Mary Stcwaj t wzs th: widow of
Stewa. t, and bat two years kefo*© hatl
lived comfortably ami hapfilfy Bn a caa*p*
on the American Fiver. Aleck was a
brawny nrner, but the prematiore «x|K)e>-
si«in of a blast in an un'lergroowi tnausrt "
had blotted out his life in an instant*
leaving his family arMtatt a pratnet©?
and in straitened eirt.umsfan es* Ifiiis:
daily wages Bud been tbete sob: sjsopcrA
and iov that he wa> gene wfcat C'taiß'i
th*y do?
With, her littl faaaiy Mm Stewart
hail emigrated to the camp* in whadk we
find them, and there she earned a preca
rious livelihood by washing clothe* far
the miners. He>3 was a hard ior* Bwxt th©
brave little woman tofieef cheered by
th<; thought that her daily [abets stu-od
b- tuccnh«r ibrling IBttie ones and th©
giiiut wolf of starvation. Their cforfees
were patched a*d kibby* a..d tthear C*9«d
plain and socnet mes scanty*yet they wet©
never fcd’v e l to ab.?obite suTiferiag
Jack I>t’w on. a str >ug* h»o-st aaiaw.
w.is passing th'’ cabiu this Cbridma*
Eve, when tfi - voice of th? littL© ginl
within atraciel his attention. Jack pos
sessed an iuojd'nite few for rhßMita,
Anil although hb m inly spirtfi wowlVd :Ib
ho.; the sneaking pvac ke > i
ping, he could not resist tke tnus;,
‘to steal up to the wksdow .jjasftm nommuit
to Gisten to the -Wset ©wre
The first words he c .tight were :
papa died, we always had Chartstaas;
didn’t wp. mam-'i! •?*
‘*Yes. To tty darting, but papa viwtwhl
money enough to afford t» caake his nut
tie peti happy at least oace a yetiff.. ¥«a
remember* Totty* that w© lur© very
poor, and aitbomrh »>in wwks wry
Lard, she m scarcely earn cocwgb t©
supply us tv it fi food and ckrthfea.'"
l.iLd? bright facci Bene? Fncsed Va ,
curjjh od from h ta soft rest hath© wnr»
be/ir«k n, fm4 cheufoßf sail: **W
wait t.li I dit to b<* a bul
oo won't have to w< rt. Tsc do**' co b©
a drt at bid miner, 'k: pttpa wo\ am dit
’oo * verso much money, bat I woat da
near 'em hateful bh*tta’ Hogs aaa* d t
tilled ‘ike papa ‘lid.
Jack Daw-on still Lingered up*:a tkr
outride. He con M not leave*
he ifelt ashamed of himself so» £t»lra;rig..
“Why, bless my BittHe man." retr*»*3»d
the mother, ‘what » brave fnttnr© be hem
planned! Ido hope and pro;;* darFar.
that you will grow !jpaaferoogai?da<cm*l
man, and one who wilt be a i
a comfort ft© ©asma when she £»rts oHL* i
“We bang up «mr itartati la«t I
<*hristmas, dida‘t we* mam ' <t>ac« |
tioned the little girl
“Yes, Totty, but vt wot mm tono* ri
CHARLOTTE, N. G. SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1887.
a»S Ml Onn* »ertr noticr* re»l poor
Ifswffte. Me g»T« yon a tittle candy,
l3wm. jpo*» broaaac yoa were such good
trSiiMrf*.'"
““5s aw *ay poorer bow, msTtima?'’
“'*o4. yes. much poorer. He would
merer menace «s at *3l, now.”
•lack Itawso* detected a tremor of
safiitW!«si*ltl»e widow's voice as she ut
tered ttibe last words, and he wiped a
SHBfisrioo* dampness from his eyes.
"Wtere's our cikaa stockings,"mamma?
I'm (to Iwng mine up, anyhow;
anaytSe fee wJS <oc*ie like he did before,
Joist Ibensiose w* try to be good chil
dren.” sail ToWy.
““lit viUte no use. darling. lam sure
fecwiSl •«Bme 1 1 'an(i tears gathered in
SfeemnsSfeer’s eyes as she thought of her
empty wwtse.
—I dray. care—J-m going to try, any
feew.. PJoase got one of my stockings,
SMurma,” pleaded the little girl.
"Yemr e3ean slockinrs are on the line
watts de, ;s*d I cannot go out and hunt
Its tferaa this bitter cold night. You
aaay feter.g up your old ones; but oh!
dsnUacg. I fear you will be so terribly
dtram-jontiod in the morning. Please
sst it ge until steal Christmas, and then
aw m«y be richer.”
““Set, saantma; I am going to try, any
how.”
Jack Bauson's great, generous heart
swd&ndmat!it scorned bursting from his
bosom He hoard the patter of little
Vsae feet «m the cabin floor, as Totty ran
abwnt hunting for fens and Penny's stock
iings, and, after she had bong ttnrn up.
board borswret voice again a c she won
dwedcrer and over if Santstlaus really
wtrsjd beget them. He lirard the moth
rr, in a ebaking voiee, tell her treasures
Sogrit ready for led; heard them lisp
their childish prayers, the little girl con
efediiieg;
-“A»d oh, land, please tell good Santa
bfesas t2sat we are very poor, but that we
Dew him as much as" the rkh children
de. fee dear Jesus' sake. Amen.”
After they were ialmd,througnastnull
mat an the pH* white curtain, he sau
ttfec widow sirring loefore the fire, her facr
bsriel an her hands, and weeping bitter
By. fW a peg. Just over the fireplace
feua -two Jink patchei and faded stock
Bargs; a®d then fee could stand it nt
! Baoucr.
Hr so tßy n veil r.way from the win
dow t» th' rearof tbc cabin, where somt
oh rets flattering in the wind met hit
rsv- Among tbev he searched until h«
;«arjcß a B title lilac stock ng which he re
revel from the Jine, folded tenderly anc
pftac d aa his overcoat pocket, and ther
set <«as. for riaeraain street of the camp.
BBe ra’cved Henry Hawk's gambling
Breiß, the largest in the place, where a
fever cf msnrrs and gamblers were at
f |>4ay. Jack w«s wcil known in the camp,
amdatfer n fc got upon a chair ahri called
fora'tcntwa. ifee hum of voices and the
chirking of ttwy c3»e.'ks suddenly ceased.
. Thro in an earnest voice, he told them
what he had sien and heard, repeating
cccvrc word of the conversation bet we n
Sfer rocilhtr sod her two children Ir
cwjkaswxi hr jaid;
'•Boys. I think I know you, every one
of yon. and I know what kind o’ metal
J«nr made of. I>e *n idee that Sant}
tlbra* knows ps* »har that Calvin's siti
watad. an' FAe an Moc bell find it a lore
mooning- HTax's one o' the little gal’s
sSorkiogs that I hooked ofTn the line
wh«r I beard tfee wtdder say she'd hung
can wrrh the wa-hin'. The daddy o’
rbnm IrttSe was wwa good, hard-workin’
vaajcrs. an' fee crosstd the tange in the
Brae o' duty. Just as any of ns is liable to
do is o*r dangerous business. Hyai
J goes a twvevntyrdallar piece right down in
she nne. an feyar I lay live stockin g on this
rat'd raSde. Now chip in, much or life.
«Be. *s ye km afford.”
' ■Hold them chicks of mine on the ace*
nek-” raid f rocky Clark, a gambler,
and. Braving tßrefsrotable, he pi ked the
I Bible semrking up carefully, looked at it
tended}- srd when be laid it down, an
esher twwary had gone down the
9«e, to keep company with the one placed
three by Bawson.
Another sod another came up. until
tfee Soot of tfee stocking was well-filled,
trad then came the cry from the gambling
table*::
"Bass her around. .lark.
At tß*r word be liftevi it from the table,
and started around the halL Before he
circnlatied rt at half a d v.en tables, it
- wowed sagas of bursting beneath the
jj weight of gold and silver coin; and a
-tro: g coin bag. such as is use d for send*
ring troasare by express, was procured,
and lire workrng educed inside of it.
Titie round of the large hall was made,
and in tfee meantime the story had
sjarevad all over the camp. From vari
ed* salo ets came messengers, saying:
"mad the vto kio round the camp;
tfee Sort are »-waitin' for it 1”
With a party’at bis heels, Jack went
frwra saßwm to* saloon. Games ceased,
usd tipplers left the bars as they entered
each place, and miners, gamblers, specu-
I try eeerybody. crowded up to tender
tfetar t hrwuroasg ft to tfee miner's widow
avii .Vpha:s Anyone who has lived in
the far Western camp-, and is acquaint el
with the pcaeroriiy ol Western men. will
tre! m> Mirpjee er doubt my truthfulness
warns 1 my that, after the round had
bets made, the little blue stocking and
the Vary canvas bag contained over
gfei thrr.' smtd dollars in gold and silver
Tvaa.
IVto were procured, and a party
kqwlcVvt to a large town down on the
kuna hi—m na, from which they returned
mu das break with toys, clothing, pro
assanns, «c.., in almost endless variety.
Airragiag thrrr gif ts in proper shape,
an I rerarefy tying the month of the bag
as ewia. thr puly ooiselessly repaired to
shr widow’* humble cabin. The bag
•a* hM hud on the at*p. and the other
eri«ta( (died up ta a tieap over it. tht
sfee top wa* (aid the lid of n large paste
board bos. on which was written with a
piree of charcoal
•Saatv Claus decant always Giro poor
iekea thr shake is th a caaap. ’
Christmas morning dawned bright and
oeautiful. The night had been a sting
ing cold one, and when the riaing sun
peeped over the chain of mountains to
the east, and shot its beams upon the
western range, the sparkling frost flashed
from the snow clad peaks as though their
towering heads were sprinkled with pure
diamonds.
Mr. Stewart arose, and a shade of
pain crossed her handsome face as the
empty little stockings caught her
maternal eye. She cast a hurried glance
toward the bed Where her darlings lay
sleep'ng, and whispered:
“Oh, God? how dreadful is poverty!”
She built a glowing lire, and set about
preparing the frugal breakfast. When
it was almost ready she approached the
bed. kissed the little ones till they wore
awake, and lifted them to the floor.
With eager haste Totty ran to the
stockings, only to turn away, sobbing ns
though her heart would break. Tears
blinded the mother, and clasping her
little girl to her heart, she said in a chok
ing voice:
“Never mind, my darling: next Christ
mas, lam sure, minim i will be richer,
and then Santa Claus will bring us lots of
nice thiugs.”
“Oh, mamma!”
The exclamation came from little
Benny, who had opened the door and
was standing ga7ing in amazement upon
the wcslth of gift 9 there displayed.
Mrs. Stewart sprang to his side, and
looked in speechless astonishment. She
read the card, and then, causing her
little ones to kneel down with her in the
open doorway, she poured out her soul in
a torrent of praise and thanksgiving to
God.
Jack Dawson’s burly form moved from
! behind a tree a short distance away, and
! sneaked off up the gulch, great crystal
tears chasing . each other down hts
face.
. The family rose from their knees and
began to move the stores into the cabin.
There were several sacks of flour, hams,
canned fruits, pounds and pounds of
coffee, tea and sugar, new dress goods,
and. a warm woolen shawl for the widow,
shoes, stockings, hats, mittens and cloth
ing for the children, a big wax doll that
could cry and move its eyes for Totty,
and a beautiful red sled for Benny. All
were carried inside, amid alternate
: laughs and tear-.
“Bring in the sack of salt, Totty, and
that is all,” said the mother. “Is not
God good to us?”
“I can't lift it, mamma; it’s froze
down to the step.”
The mother stooped and took hold of
it. and lifted harder and harder until
she raised it from the step. Her check
blanched as she noted its great weight,
and carried it in and laid it upon the
breakfast table. With trembling fingers
she loosed the string, and emptied the
! contents upon the table. Gold and sil
' ver—more than she ever thought of in
| her wildest dreams of comfort, and al
most buried in the pile of treasure lay
Ti tty's little blue stocking.
We will not intrude longer upon such
hnppioess, but leave the joyful family
sounding praise to Heaven—and Santa
Claus.
The whole story soon reached Mrs.
Stewart’s ears, the knew Jack Dawson
by sight, and when next who nr t him,
although the honest fellow trier* hard to
push by her, she caught hold of his coat
and eompe led him to stand and listen
to her teaiful thanks. The tears shed
w- re not all he rs, for when Jack moved
away there were drops of liquid crystal
hanging <o his ruddy chechs.
i-our months fiom that “Merrie Chris
tmas” Mrs. Stewart became Mrs, Jack
Dawson; and every evening, when the
hardy miner returns from his elailv labor
to his eomfoitable and happy home,
Totty and Benny will climb upon his
kneea, and almost smother him with
kisses, while they lovingly aeldrcss him
as “Our Kalita Claus papa.”
Thomas Jefferson’s Last Honrs.
On the day that John Adams died at
his home at Quincy, and only a few
hours before Adams's death, Thomas
Jefferson expired at his seat at Monti
cello. Mr. Jefferson s ifftred from a
i vli.irrhranf long standing, but was con
fined to his bed only a week. During
hi v la t illness his only wish was that his
life might lie prolonged until the Fourth
iof July. The fulfilment of his wish was
I accorded him and he died soon after
1 midday on the anniversary which he
| crested, and which must always hold the
; first place in tile hearts of the American
people.
The coincidence of the death of the
two ;cx-Presidents who did more than
all others in Congress tor the succe-s of
the Declaration, which has become a
a charter of liberty for all the world, was
universally commented on at the time,
and ever since, when the demise of one
I of these great meu has been talked of,
| it has always suggested the almost si
multaneous death of the other. Mr. Jef
j ferson’s last words were: “I resign my
I soul to God and my daughter to my
I country.” There was Jeffersonian sim
plicity at his funeral, which was attend
ed only by his former neighbors and the
professors and students of the I'niversity
of Virginia at Charlottcville. When the
news was spread abroad, however, that
the two ex-Presidcnts had died on the
same day, and that day the Fourth of
July, there were imposing funeral pro
cessions in honor of both in all the lead
ing cities.
It is always claimed that Jefferson
died’poor, but nmong liis effects sold nt
auction were not tower than ISO negroes.
The slaves were ‘ aid to be the most valu
able part of the estate.
A progress of constructing mirrors up
on which old impressions ran be repro
duerd at will at any time, is said to have
been diaeovered by two French scien
tial* The secret is said to be the pecu
liar action of light upon the metal seleni
um fortified by aid of olectricit^
TEMPERANCE.
Prohibition.
A wily spider’s net was 'spread
With the remains of hapless flies;
No valiant arm avenged the dead.
Where duty watched with sleepless eyes.
The matron, chancing there one day,
Beheld the tyrant in her room,
Darting upon his struggling prey;
Bhe swept him with her legal broomt
A gaunt and hungry wolf, whose lair
Was httored o'er with whitened bones,
Grew fat upon his dainty fare;
Ho heeded not the victims’ moans.
Whai’s death to lambs, to wolves is fuh.
High living mndedhe wild beast bold;
But Justice shot him with his gun
Vo save from death the harmless told.
A vulture, flying from its ne t
Upon the mountam’s cloud-capped height.
Went forth a-foragibg in quest,
Os doves that ventured in their flight
Fron the protection of their cote.
A marksman with unerring aim
Fired well a prohibition shot
And brought to terms the fluttering game.
A dog was foamihg at the mouth,
Dragging along a broken chain;
He hated water, though a drought
Scorched his hot, own jaws with pain.
He was n dangerous beast: would bite
With fatal tangs mankind or brute;
But be fell in his tracks, despite
His hart ing at. the men who shoot.
—Geo. IF. lUnuioy, in National Advocate
Appnlline Figures.
That we are a thirsty people is pretty
generally submitted, but few suspect just
how much fluid, besides water, it takes
to keep the throats of our population in
» satisfactorily moist condition. The
records of tho Internal Revenue Bureau
throw some light on,the question, and,
being official besides, leave no room for
loubt or dispute. If all the beer drank
last year by oiir people was impartially
illo’od to every man, woman and child
j n the nation, in-/ equal quantities,' it
■ would give each one ten and three-qunr
j ter gallons. To this must also be added
I one and one-fifth gallons of spirituous
liquors.
But pursuing these figures'a little more
closely gives us other results'worth men
tioning. Not every man or every woman,
drinks beer and whisky, and none of the
children. It is safe to assume that one
third of our population, or about twenty
millions of our’ citizens, absorb all the
strong drinks of the country. This
would make the allotment of beer to
every drinker at least thirty-two gallons
and nearly four gaUons of whisky.
But they indulge in other luxuries
also. Enough cigars are smoked in the
country to give forty-two to every in
habitant, besides several cigarettes and
three and a quarter pounds of chowing
tobacco. It is estimated the cost to the
American people of drinking and smok
ing, if equally distributed among that
portion of our population which does
drink and smoke, would give an average
I cost to each of $37, or enough to buy all
| tbc food they can consume in a year. Tho
] army ration costs the government S3S
per annum, and it gives tho soldier more
than he can cat. In short, the drinking
portion of our population consumes
enough beer, tobacco and whisky to buy
them food supplies for the entire year.
But study the following recently com
piled by a Hartford (Conn.) eontera
orary as showing how we spend our
money;
Liquor $300,000,000
Tobacco (100,000,000
Bread 5O5,O0(\OCO
Meat i 303,030,000
Iron and steel 290,000,001
Sawed lumber. 231,000,000
Cotton goods 210,000,000
Boots and shoos 190,000,009
Sugar and molasses 155,000,000
Public education 35,000,003
Home and Foreign Missions..... 5,500,000
Thus our liquors cost nine hundred
million dollars ($900,000,000), or
One eighth more than all our meat
and bread.
Three times as much as our iron and
steel.
Ten times as much as our public edu
cation.
Our tobacco costs six hundred million
dollars ($600; 000,000,) or
One-fifth more than our bread.
Twice as much as our meat and iron.
Three times as much as our boots and
shoes.
Seven times as much ns our public
education.
Our. liquors and tobacco costs oot
billion five hundred million dollars (sl,-
500,000,000), or
Three times as much as our bread.
Five times as much as our meat and
iron.
Seven times as much as our lumber.
Seventeen times as much as our public
education, and these two items a<ono
Cost more than four-fifths of all the rest.
—New York Herald.
A “Georgian,” writing of prohibition
in Georgia, saya: “No county, locality,
town, or city in the State has ever yet
returned to the liquor-traffic after the
two year's trial of prohibition by a voto
of thr people.” .
Whatever be the merit* or demerits of
alcoholic drinks, the man who sells
them seems alwaya prone to become a
.ocia! nuiaiiice, and his shop a fountain
»f eril.— Ntu> York Nation.
Terms. $1.50 per Aide Single Copy 5 cents.
The Soldiers’ Beer.
Those who do not drink beer or any
other intoxicant can scarcely realize in
how many quarters beer is a burning
question. Now the temperance women
are bringing it before Congress, as it re
lates to the inmates of the National Sol
licrs’ Homes. They ask that bser bo
sbolished as one of the comforts and hu
rries of the ex-soldiers, and that its sale
oe no longer permitted within the limits
jf these establishments. We have a com
nunication in defence of the sale of beer
it’the Homes, which is so extraordinary
:hiit it would be considered by our read
srs as a flagrant attack on the manage
ment of the Home mentioned. It is cr
juo.l that the soldiers will have their
beer at ail hazards, that the saloons in
the ncighborheod are vile and dangerous,
;hut in these soldiers have been drugged,
robbed and murdered, and therefore it
ts much better that the Home should
provide the boor and have jt drunk on
:ho premises. This is a mere hint of the
part which beer plays in the life of the
retired warrior. His beer in town sent
aim to the station-house and enriched
the saloon-keeper, while his beer in the
Home deposits him where he can be
taken care of and lessens the anxiety of
his guardians. In answer to all this and
much mote of the same kind, the ladies
will say that the temptations to the sober
of beer at hand in safety, more than
couutci jjaUncei the evils of danger and
distress of the inveterat; beer-drinkers
wjio will get it in the saloons. It is re
markable that such a matter can be dis
cussed at th'o present period in the his
tofy Os reform. ’lf the government is to
provide beer for its.pensioners, or make
it easy for them to get it, it may as well
go into the business on a larger scale, and
protect (he rest of the nation from the
dangerous aud r'apacious saloon-keeper.
—New York Oheerttr.
\ —rr“ *
Action by Canada Methodist*.
The General Conference of the Metho
dist Episcopal Church, at its late session
in Toronto, adopted the fol'owiug:
“That in view of the importance of the
temperance question in our country to
day, and in the certaiqty that in the near
future legislation in the lino of entire
prohibition of the liquor traffic will be
obtained, it is desirable to appoint a
permanent c'onmittee on temperance;
therefore resolved, that a committee of
seven persons, laymen and minister, be
appointed to watch the interests and
phases of the temperance question, and
to make such representation to the gov.
?rnment9 and I’arliamcnt of the Domin
ion us shall secure, prohibitory lcgisla
t on, for which we,bflicve the country is
ripe, co-operating with ecclesiastical and
temperance organizations through exist
ing parties, or, failing our end through
lliete, the formation of another and pro
hibitory party.” The motion was subse
quently (hanged ill regard to the ap
pointment of a crnnniltcc, and three
committees were appointed, one each for
the East, for Quebec, and for the West
ern conferences.
A Growing Organization.
Tho Church '] emperanco Society, es
tablislicd five years ago, has now nmong
its Vice-Presidents fifty Bishops. It al
ready has organizations in thirty.five
dioceses. It publishes a mathly paper,
has crcnlcd a temperance literature ou
Scriptural principles, has drafted and in
troduced a new license law for the State
of New York,' has largely influenced tho
government of the city of New York in
the enforcement of tho law; and during
the past year lias carried on in the same
city, in connection with the Sunday
evening services, the work of. personal
rescue and reform No other fact need
be given in defense of this movement
than that in our own country $900,000,-
000 are annually spent for strong drink
against $503,000,000 for bread.— Living
Church.
‘A beeldeil Change.
A decided changc ( has occurred in the
views of medical men as to the use or the
necessity for alcoholic liquors in case of
sickness. It is now generally agreed
that alcohol hns no restorative power ex
cept as a stimulant, and that the reac
tion following its use more than offtets
its supposed benefits: We do not use so
much strong liquor per bead as a hun
dred or more years ago, when Us use
was nearly universal among the early
settlers. It is true, however, that liquors
in those days were less adulterated and
less injurious than those which are sold
now, many of which, aside from their
lleobol, are poisonous compounds.—
liodon Cultivator.
Tiio great underlying evil which
paralyzes every rffort to get good laws
and to secure the enforcement of such
as we have is in the system of local
politics, which gives the saloon keep-rs
more power over government than is
possessed by all the religious and edu
cational institution* in the city. —New
York Timet.