Newspapers / The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.) / Dec. 9, 1909, edition 1 / Page 1
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r All VOL. XXVII. RALEIGH, N. C. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1909. No. 48 THE ECONOMY PLEA. President Taft Urges Curtail ment of Expenses in all Departments. SOME SUBJECTS OMITTED. president's Message a Surprise He Will I'robubly Send Special Mes HV,es to Congress to Cover the Im portant Subjects Omitted In Regu lar Message The Sugar Trust FrnuriN Strongly Urges Establish ment of Postal Savings Banks To Change the Date of Inauguration. (Special to The Caucasian.) Washington, D. C. Dec. 7, 1909. Both Houses of Congress assembled ibterday. but adjourned promptly out of reject to the memory of Sen :t!or Johnson of North Dakota and K preventatives Lassiter of Virginia ami De Armond of Missouri, all of whom have died since the adjourn ment of the special session last sum mer. It was announced that the Presi dent's message would not be sent to Congress until to-day. There was not, however, the usual expectant inter est as to what the message would contain, because the members of Congress as well as the people of the country generally felt that the Presi dent had outlined in detail the sub stance of the message in his many speeches made in his recent long swing around the circle through the North, West, and South. Hence, the conversation between members of Congress was in fact directed more to the remarkable political situation in England than to our own affairs. The astonishing action of the House of Lords in rejecting the bud get passed by the House of Commons was the uppermost topic of conversa tion, the general opinion being that the House of Lords had committed rash and dubious action which might threaten the overthrow of that here ditary body. The President's Message a Surprise. But this evening the one topic of conversation among members of Con gress is the President's message, which is being discussed more for what it does not contain than for what it does contain. The interest as to the President's message, it may be said, centered chiefly around how far the President would go in his recommendation for advanced legislation on the three great cardinal policies of the Roose velt administration, namely, the trusts, the railroad control, and the conversation of natural resources. The extreme conservatives were hop ing that the President would touch lightly on these questions, while the progressives were hoping that he would come out at least as strong along the Roosevelt lines as indicated by the President's speeches in the West. But to the surprise of every one, the message contains no recom mendations on these three great questions. A Western Congressman said it is a case of "Hamlet" with "Hamlet" left out. The friends of the administration are pointing out that the President will take up these three questions and deal with them more effectively in special messages, while others take the position that even if he should do this, that much valuable time will be wasted, and that if such messages are not soon sent to Congress it will be too late for any effective legislation along these lines to be enacted at the present session. It Is understood that the President's reasons for omitting these most important domestic ques tions were that he was not able to de cide upon a middle course between the views urged upon him by the re actionaries on the one side. and the progressives on the other. But It Is certain the President will speak out on these questions later. Foreign Questions Chiefly Dealt With Nearly half of the President's mes sage is devoted to foreign affairs. Of course, the situation In Nicaragua Is discussed, but most of the message on roreign affairs deals with the Far eastern situation. The Sugar Trust Frauds. . A number of members of Congress had prepared resolutions looking to Congressional Investigation of the enormous and multifarious frauds perpetrated upon the Government by the Sugar Trust, to say nothing of the robbery of the public. These are much disappointed that the President in his message should ask Congress not to Investigate these frauds, but to leave the whole matter to the Attor ney-General's Office. However, it is thought that the President's request win be acceded to and the Attorney General will be given time to prose cute the criminals with the belief that the higher criminals will not be allowed to escape. The Economy Plea. The President strongly urges in his message that expenses of the Gov ernment in all departments shall be cut down to the lowest possible notch A Western insurgent Congressman, commenting upon this recommends "On, said that his conntrv was too tig and too rich to begin a cheese paring policy at the expense of na Wonal growth and development. In eluding the beautiScatlon of the na tional capital. He asked significantly if such a recommendation was made because it was believed that the tariff bill placed the duties so high on im ports that not enough revenue would be received from it to conduct the Government in a way fitting to its size, dignity, and growth! Strong for Postal Savings Banks. The friends of postal savings banks are very much gratified that the Pres- dent in his message spoke out In strong and positive terms for the es tablishment of a system of postal sav- ngs banks. The president pointed out that It was not necessary to wait to see what the monetary commission recommends and what Congress does for currency reform before passing a aw to establish a system of postal savings banks similar to systems that have already been adopted in nearly every other civilized country in the world and which are- working with such success and popularity. The President might even have gone further and pointed out that no one step could be taken by the Gov ernment that would be a greater check and preventive for panics than such a system, besides the great ben efits to result in encouraging the poor to save up sufficient capital for in vesting in enterprise or to make a substantial stake of some kind in the country. ro Change the Date of Inauguration. The District Commissioners have in their report to Congress strongly urged that the date of the inaugra- tion of the President be changed from March 4th to the last Thursday n April, and sentiment in Congress seems to be strongly in favor of this date or even a later date in May. The Commissioners have also urg ed that with the retrocession of that part of the District of Columbia lying south of the Potomac and within the State of Virginia, which was receded by Congress in 1846, it should be again taken over. The Washington Board of Trade has passed a resolu tion raising squarely the question as to whether or not such retrocession by Congress was not unconditional. and to-day the chairman of that Board presented these resolutions to resident Taft. It is understood that the President is interested in the question and may later send a special message to Congress upon this sub- ect. It will be remembered that when the Government was founded it was provided that there should be a ten- mile square. strip on the north and south side of the Potomac, one-half to be ceded by Maryland and the oth er half by Virginia, to be known as the District of Columbia, to be the site of the Federal Government and entirely under its control. The Vir ginia part of this cession was re ceded, as already stated, In 1846. It 13 now seen that the capital will soon outgrow the reduced District and will need the entire ten miles square. Two Other Congresses in Session. There met in Washington on yes terday two other congresses besides the Congress of the United States, the proceedings of which will be of no small interest. One Is the Southern Commercial Congress and the other s the National Rivers and Harbors Congress. Both are well represented by a large body of fine-looking dele gates. SENSATIONAIi RAID IN BURKE COUNTY. A Deputy Sheriff and Magistrate Ar rested for Operating a Blockade Distillery. Hickory, Dec. 3. The most sensa tional revenue raid that ever occur- ed in this section was made yester day when special employe C. F. Bla- ock and posseman H. W. Jones cap tured Carl Swink, deputy sheriff of Burke County; Haywood Swink, his son, and Timothy Lail, a magistrate, operating an illicit distillery. Several days ago the officers re ceived word that a still was in opera tion in the South Mountain district of Burke County. Leaving Hickory yesterday at 8.30 o'clock they drove 20 miles, and on their arrival at the place described in their information, it is said they found the still running full blast, with the above-named men operating it. The 50-gallon copper still, the cap and worm, with nine fermenters, about 1,000 gallons of beer and four gallons of low wines were destroyed A shotgun and one and a half gal Ions of corn whiskey were conns cated. The men were taken Into custody and brought back to Hickory, where they were given a hearing to-day be fore United States Commissioner L R. Whitener, who bound them over to the spring term of Federal Court. In default of $500 justified bond each they were committed to Jail at New ton to await trial in Statesville next spring. In the month of November, 1908, Mr. Blalock destroyed a still near the home of Carl Swink. Swink was tried for this, but judgment was withheld - against him for two terms of court on condition that he let blockading alone. A warrant was is sued for his son at the Bame time. but up to yesterday the officers had never been able to lay hands on him The Baptist State Convention is In session in Wadesboro this week and much interest is being taken in the meeting. TAFT'S JflESSAGE. President's Message Read in Both Houses of Con gress Tuesday. ECONOMY IN DEPARTMENTS. The President Advocates the Estab lishment of Postal Savings Banks, Ship Subsidy, Civil Pensions, and Also Urges That a BUI Be Passed Requiring Congressmen to File With the Government a Statement of the Contributions Received and Expenditures Made in Their Cam paigns The Nicaraguan Affair. The message of President Taft was communicated tc both houses of Congress Tuesday. The message Is a lengthy document which we have condensed for our readers. Of Central affairs the President says: "I need not rehearse here the pa tient efforts of this government to promote peace and welfare among these republics, efforts which are fully appreciated by the majority of them who are loyal, to their true In terests. It would be no less unneces sary to rehearse here the sad tale of unspeakable barbarians and oppres sion alleged to have been committed by the Zelaya government. Recently two Americans were put to death by order of President Zelaya himself. "At the date when this message is printed, this government has termi nated diplomatic relations with the Zelaya government. It may later be necessary for me to bring this subject to the attention of the Congress in a special message. "Our traditional relations with the Japanese empire continue cordial as usual. The matter of a re vision of the existing treaty between United States and Japan which is terminated in 1912 is already receiv ing the study of both countries. Government Expenditures and Rev enues. - Perhaps the most important ques tion presented to this administration is that of economy in expenditures and sufficiency of revenue. The report of the secretary shows that the ordinary expenditures for the current year ending June SO, 1910, will exceed the estimated re ceipts by $34,075,620. If to this de ficit is added the sum to be disbursed for the Panama Canal, amounting to $38,000,000, and $1,000,000 to be paid on the public debt, the deficit of ordinary receipts and the expendi tures will be Increased to a total de ficit of $73,076,620. This deficit the Secretary proposes-; to meet by the proceeds of bonds "issued to pay the cost of constructing the Panama Canal. I approve this proposal. 'In order to avoid a deficit for the ensuing fiscal year, I directed the heads of departments in the prepa ration of their estimates to make them as low as possible, consistent with imperative governmental neces sity. The result has been as I am advised by the Secretary of the Treasury that the estimates for the expenses of the government for the next fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, are less than the appropria tions for this current fiscal year by $42,818,000. So far as the Secre tary of the Treasury is able to form a judgement as to future income and compare it with the expenditures for the next fiscal year ending June 30, 1911, and excluding payments on ac count of the -Panama Canal, which will doubtless he taken up by bonds, there will be a surplus of $35,931, 000. Most of the great Industrial or ganizations, and many of the well conducted railways- of this country are coming to the conclusion that a system of pensions for old employes, and the substitution therefor of younger and more energetic servants promotes both economy and efficiency of the administration. I am strongly convinced that no other practical solution of the diffi culties presented by the superannua tion of civil servants can be found than that of a system of civil pen sions. Frauds in the Collection of Customs. I regret to refer to the fact of the discovery of extensive frauds in the collection of customs revenue at New York City, In which a number of the subordinate employes in the weigh ing and other departments were di rectly concerned, and in which the beneficiaries were the American Su gar Refining Company and others. The frauds consisted in the payment of duty on underweights of sugar. The government has recovered from the American Sugar Refining Com pacy all that it is shown to have been defrauded of. The sum was re ceived in full of the amount due. Criminal prosecutions are now proceeding against a number of the government officers. The Treasury Department anw the Department of Justice are exerting every effort to discover all the wrong doers, including the officers and em ployes of the companies who may have been nrivy to the fraud. It would seem to me that an investi gation of the frauds by Congress at present, pending the probing of the Treasury Department and the De partment of Justice, might by giving Immunity and otherwise prove an embarrassment in securing convic tion of the guilty parties. In the interest of immediate econ omy and because of the prospect of a deficit, I have required a reduction In the estimates of the War Department for the coming fiscal year. For the same reason I have directed that the army shall not be recruited up to its present authorized strength. These measures can hardly be more than temporary. The coast defenses of the United States proper are generally all that could be desired. There Is, however, one place where additional defense is badly needed, and that is at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, where it is proposed to make an arti ficial island for a fort which shall prevent an enemy's fleet from enter ing this most important strategical base of operations on the whole At lantic and Gulf coasts. I hope that appropriate legislation will be adopt ed to secure the construction of this defense. Department of Justice. The deplorable delays in the ad ministration of civil and criminal law have received attention of com mittees of the American Bar Associa tion and of many State Bar Associa tions, as well as the considered thought of judges and jurists. In my judgment, a change in judicial pro cedure, with a view to reducing its expense to private litigants in civil cases and facilitating the dispatch of business and final decision in both civil and criminal cases, constitutes the greatest need of our American institutions. I do not doubt for one moment that much of the lawless violence and cruelty exhibited in lynchings is directly due to the un certainties and Injustice growing out of the delays in trials, judgment, and the executions thereof by our courts. Of course these remarks apply quite as well to the administration of jus tice in State courts as to that in Fed eral courts, and without making in vidious distinction it is perhaps not too much to say that, speaking gen erally, the defects are less in the Federal courts than In the 8tate courts. (Here the President recommends that appropriate legislation be enact ed to remedy the matter in accord ance with the planks in the Repub- lean platform.) Postofnce Department. The deficit every year in the post- office Department is J -rgely caused, by the low rate of postage of 1 cent a pound charged on second-class mall matter, which includes not only newspapers but magazines and mis cellaneous periodicals. The actual loss growing out of the transmission of this second-class mall matter at 1 cent a pound amounts to about $63,- 000,000 a year. The average of the transportation of this matter Is more than 9 cents a pound. A great saving might be made, amounting to much more than half of the loss, by imposing upon maga zines and periodicals a higher rate of postage. They are much heavier than newspapers, and contain a much higher proportion of advertising to reading matter, and the average dis tance of their transportation is three and a half times as great. Postal Savings Bank. The second subject worthy of men tion in the Postoffice Department is the real necessity and entire practi cability of establishing postal sav ings banks. The rate of in terest upon deposits to which they would be limited would be so small as to prevent their drawing deposits away from other banks. Ship Subsidy. Following the course of my dis tinguished predecessor, I earnestly recommend to Congress the consid eration and passage of a ship subsidy bill, looking to the establishment of lines between our Atlantic seaboard and the eastern coast of South Amer ica, as well as lines from the west coast of the United States to South America, China, Japan, and the Phil ippines. Conservation of National Resources. In several departments there is presented necessity for legislation looking to the further conservation of our National resources, and the subject is one of such importance as to require a more detailed and ex tended discussion than can be enter ed upon in this communication. For that reason I shall take an earl op portunity to send a special message to Congress on the subject if im provement of our waterways. "Political Contributions.". "I urgently recommend to Con gress that a law be passed requiring that candidates in election of mem bers of the House of Representatives and committees in charge of their candidacy and campaign, file in a nrooer office of the United States Government a statement of the con tributions received and of the expen dltures incurred in the campaign for such elections, and that similar leg islation be enacted in respect to all other elections which are constitc- tionally within the control of Con gress." The plant of the Michael Gheens Manufacturing Company, at Lincoln ton, N. C, manufacturers of all kinds of wooden products, was burned Fri day morning, the loss being $10,000. THE MACHINE VIEW. Collector Brown, According to Patronage Machine, Will Not be Re-Appointed. WANT MACHINE FAVORITES. Question Is, Who WU1 Have Preel dentlal Ear? The Organ I ration Does Not Favor Some Recommen dations Made by Congressmen Grant and Morehead Is It a Plan to Down These Two Enterprising Congressmen ? The following Washington special first appeared in a leading Demo cratic dally, and now it appears in one of the Republican patronage ma chine organs, under a Washington date line, and as a brand fire new special. It seems to be the machine view of the situation: Special to The Gazette-News. Washington, Dec. 4. President Taft has some big. Juicy plums that he is going to hand out North Caro lina way shortly after the advent of the new year. The terms of all the big Federal office-holders expire in February and March, and this means the transfer of some of the most de sirable political berths in the State to other hands. Wheeler Martin, the Collector of Internal Revenue in the Eastern Carolina District, is probably the exception, and will not be dis turbed. Mr. Martin was appointed two years ago to succeed E. C. Dun can, who left the Government ser vice to become a receiver of the Sea board Air Line. There Is no fixed term for collectors of internal reve nue, but tney are generally allowed to complete four years' service before they are disturbed. The Indications are that Wheeler Martin will not have to worry about his job for an other two years. Mr. Brown's Case Different. But with Collector George H. Brown, of the Western North Caro lina District the case is different. His term will expire early In the new year. About the same time the Presi dent will have the appointment of two District Attorneys and two Unit ed States Marshals. In addition to these five big offices there are two assistant district attorneyships to be piled With ech office there is con siderable patronage attached, some of which is protected by civil service. District Attorney Harry Skinner is the first of the big officials whose terms expire. His commission will be out of date on February 1, which means that he will have one month more of official life after the new year. Thirteen days later the Presi dent will have to name a successor to the acting marshal In the West ern District. Marshal Milliken re ceived his re-appointment on Febru ary 13, 1906, and although he re signed some time ago, the appoint ment of the new marshal will date from February 13 th of the new year. The term of office of Claudius Dock ery, Marshal in the Eastern District, will expire on March 1st of the new year. District Attorney Holton has until March 20th to serve, that be ing the date of expiration of his com mission. The Candidates Busy. Already the various candidates for Presidential favor are getting busy. The incumbents desire another term, and it is certain that they will all have opposition. The first to arrive on the scene was W. E. Logan, of Asheville, who wants the Western Marshalship, and who has the en dorsement of his Congressman, the Hon. John Grant. Mr. Logan prompt ly subjected himself to the Inspection test at the White House, which prov ed so popular with North Carolina office-seekers when the President was considering the appointment of a successor to the late Judge Pur- nell. It would seem that the meas uring test and personal inspection system is as popular as ever with Tar Heel candidates for office, and that it promises to have much vogue as long as the disposition of the big Federal offices In the State remains an open question. The Presidential Ear. Interest in the contest over these positions is not whom the candidates will be, but who will have the Presi dential ear when it comes to making the appointments. It has been plain for some time that the Republican State organization has the favor of the administration, and is meeting with little oppositon in putting over its patronage program. The question of interest here is, will Congressman Morehead and Grant, who are not working in harmony with the organi zation, be able to land the men they have endorsed for two of the three big jobs that are allotted the west? Mr. Grant is pulling for Logan for the marshalship, and it is certain that Mr. Morehead will do his utmost to bring about the appointment of Thomas Settle to one of the three big positions that are accredited to the west It is not expected that the or ganizatlon will be found endorsing either of these candidates. It is the understanding here that all sides are for a new deal, and that none of the incumbents in the west will be re appointed. District Attorney Holton has already had three terms, and this will be the objection to his re-ap pointment. Collector Brown's suc cessor is being kept close under cover bat it U said here there will be a new collector. So far as the east ii concerned, that Is a matter that Is up to Nation al Committeeman E. C. Duncan. He has a death-like grip on the Repub lican political situation throughout the east, and the administration, real ising that it may need delegates very badly at the next Republican Nation al Convention, will, in all probability, give Mr. Duncan a free hand in shap ing the political slate In the east. Xo Love for Skinner. Mr. Duncan has no deep-seated love for District Attorney Harry Skinner, who is completing his third term. It was current gossip during the judgeship fight that Mr. Duncan had promised Iredell Mearea the Dis trict Attorneyship, but that was de nied. Now it is said that he will rec ommend the appointment of T. T. Hicks of Henderson. Herbert Sea wel), who was Duncan's persistent candidate for the Judgeship, Is not to be overlooked In this contest for the position held by Harry Skinner. How ever, Duncan feels very kindly also towards Hicks, whom he endorsed for the judgeship after he ascertained that there was no hope for his man Seawell. The President having per sonally inspected all of the candi dates for the District Attorneyship when he was casting around for ma terial for the Eastern Carolina judge ship, it will not be necessary for the various candidates to subject them selves to another personal inspection. Although he found that they were all spavined or short-winded when they made their dash for the judicial han dicap, Mr. Taft may be able to find one of the number who is able to cover the short distance District At torney course. As for the marshalship in the east, it is best opinion that Claudius Dock- ery will get a second term. BRIEF NEWS ITEMS. Alabama reports fifty deaths from pellagra during the past 9 months. William Hauser was killed at Cox's sa w mill, near Shoal, Surry County a few days ago. William J. Calhoun, a prominent attorney of Chicago, has been offered the post of Minister to China. Barbee's school, three miles from Durham, on the Fayetteville road, was destroyed by fire Sunday night. A dispatch from Chicago tells of a severe blizzard and snow-storm that Is delaying traffic throughout Illinois It has been reported that Congress man Morehead will recommend Mr. W. P. Ragan for postmaster at High Point. 1, ' ." i The Dukes have donated a half million dollars to Trinity College for a pharmaceutical and dental de partment. Mr. A. W. Douglass, a contractor at Durham, dropped dead Tuesday morning while working on the top of the Duke factory. The plant-of the Kingsdale Lum ber Company, near Lumberton, was destroyed by fire Thursday night The loss is estimated at $50,000. Senator Culberson has resigned as minority leader in the United States Senate. Senator Bacon of Georgia, has been mentioned as bis successor. Sallie Thomas, a colored woman of Spencer, died Monday from Pella gra. She was the first victim of the disease in Rowan County. The Louisville and Nashville and the Louisville, Henderson and St. Louis Railroads, and the American Tobacco Company have been indicted in the Federal court at Louisville, Ky., for rebating. Robt. K. Abbott, a traveling sales man, attempted to commit suicide at Asheville Friday night by drinking poison and then jumping headlong from a third story window of his hotel. His skull was crushed In the fall, but he still lives. Sunday night, near Ormondsvilie, JesseRoblnson was killed by Walter Faulkner, the facts as found by the Coroner's jury was that the killing occurred over whiskey, both parties being Intoxicated. Walter Faulkner has made his escape. John Allen Stackhouse, was tried at Laurinburg Satruday for wire murder, and sentenced to die in the electric chair at the State penitenti ary, on February 15th. Will Wad dell, another negro, was found guilty of second degree murder. The 3-year-old child of Mr. Jno. Hall, who lives at Kannapolis, In Cabarrus County, was burned to death a few days ago. The child upset an oil can near the fire-place, and was burned before assistance could reach it. The Southern Commercial Con gress was in session in Washington, D. C. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednes day, of this week. The object of the meeting was to exploit the South as a region of opportunity. The Con gress was addressed by Ambassador Bryce and Jusserand. BIUQNSJN JAPAN. A Wonderful Record of Pro gress in the Past Fifty Years. BUT THET MUST LEARN. Mlsalottary Work Active oa the Is lands h'mclM A boat Um Kdi Uoaal Wort, and the Leading Re ligious Uodif-e -The Tempi at Xara A Wonderful 1W1 A Ureal Deer Park Xlkku, U llat Temple in EiUleace Tuday, The Form of Government. Correspondence of Tot Cauraaian Eulerprlse. Toklo, Japan. Nor. 24, 10. 1 hev tried ter tell sotuelhin' o the wonderful progress the Japan ese hev made in the past fifty years bow thejr hev jumped from the por tion or condition ov an ignorant race ov people to the very tront rsnks; how they he cllmtxHl from the bot tom round ov the great ladder ov International fame to a round not far from the top awl in about fitly years. There ix a reason. The thirst fer knowledge and the grim deter mination to gain hit, be bin at the botton ov hit awl. But there will be a re-actton. The old ssyin' "a new broom sweeps clean," can be applied to things other than brooms. Japan is now intoxicated with success. Her peo ple air ready ter believe that they air greater than they are, and that they air wel nigh Invincible. Pos sibly they will learn that tbey air not so far ahead; tbst other nations air greater. Possibly the smart lltll rascals will learn in time. But the chances air that hit will take a Jott, a jar, to bring them back to the point whar they will hev to start life anew. Missionary work it goln' forward actively In Japan, which is proof that education Is not a failure In lb country. The Presbyterians hev three boardln' schools for boys ami twelve for girls; awlso a number ov primary schools. The Baptists, CongrwgaUoo allsts, and Methodists each her a number ov schools in connection with the missionary work beln' done, dome ov these schools air really col leges. The Japanese government supports nearly thirty thousand primary schools, attended by more than five million pupils. In addition to primary schools the government conducts about two hundred and six ty high schools for advanced pupils with an attendance ov erbout one hundred thousand. With such a start, awl accomplished in about thirty years, who will say that Japan iz not doln' wonders along educa tional lines? No wonder she bes caught up with, even surpassed, some ov the sleepy old countries ov earth. Shlntolsm is the lead in' religion in Japan, though hit is not a religion in the full sense. The Shintos wor ship neither God nor earthly Idols; tbey worship man. Hit iz a form ov ancestor worship, and, as such. hez commendable features. Some people, even in the United States, hardly ever speak ov their ancestors, onless they were "big bugs." With the followers of Shlntolsm In Japan hit iz different; they fairly worship their ancestors. But I hope they will finally get over awl that love their ancestors an' worship the great Crea tor ov mankind. The Buddhist faith wuz Introduced in Japan by the Chinese some four teen hundred years ergo. Hit spread rapidly, hit iz sed. Fer a time hit ran ahead ov Shlntolsm. But the Japanese finally weakened on idol worship and 8hlntolsm got in the lead again. But the Buddhists air still very strong in Japan, prob ably one-fourth ov her people beln in sympathy with that form ov reli gious superstition. If not active wor shipers in the numerous temples still to be found in every portion ov Japan. At Nara, one ov the medium-sized Japanese cities, stands a Buddhist temple said to hev bin built about the year 700. This temple wus built ov the best ov stone and the buildin' is ax good today az when fin ished. In the center ov this temple iz an image or Buddha, and on either side the figure ov a soldier. There iz awlso in this temple a God or War, to which the ancient Japanese were in the habit ov payln' their vows, proof that the ancient Japan ese were more or less warlike though hit took them hundreds ov years to develop a real army and real fltin' qualities. Near the temple at Nara stands an ugly image, which ix practically cov ered with little paper wads. The worshippers chew the paper wads and throw them at the image. If the wads stick to the Image the wor shippers air forgiven; if they fall hit means that the suppliant must re turn again and again until the wads adhere. In the same temple ix a great bell, one or the largest in the world. Hit ix thirteen feet high, nine, feet in diameter at the bottom, and eight inches thick. A tap on this bell can be heard many miles, the sound beln clear and rich in tone. A thousand years before our great independence bell at Phlladel- ( Continued on Page 2.)
The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.)
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Dec. 9, 1909, edition 1
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