t
id
O A. -v
I . KOSCOWEK, Editor,
" JIEIiE SHALL THE PRESS THE PEOPLE'S RIGHTS MAINTAIN, UNA WED BY INFLUENCE AND UNBRIEED BY GAIN."
W. P. DAT1S, Publisher.
VOL. I. NO. 15.
GOLDSBORO, N. C, FRIDAY, DEC. 16, 1887.
Subscription, 01.00 Per Year.
p Iff
u n in in - n
7
IDEALS.
. j e's of Growth, cf cl.-l, in that enrprl
.Of m nr fir t virion, wild and ewett.
$ I ci:r il in passionate sigha
" ' r.'y u r.nwi'jo
J:'"t j- descend my heart to mcc4-
' y heart bo sl.e.v to rise.
I Jin t'M-s I ray: Anpt'io ho to ho!
j( .vr!) your shining poise- afar
A nil to mr v.inhea bold
l' j'Jv with -cold,
it iijittieii, like a ehr
1 i( i;i the heavens old.
i
I
i
V i
dii
r .h a en 1. what were ye mora iiyi J ?
f nc't 1 y this ye arc olivine
3 'i h it native to the krl
i i' cannot hie
Jr ww ;r.l, and give low hew is the wlnS
Tli.:t should reward tho high ?
H ".!( ret in wpiiwsa I no more complain
jt 1 y.'iir a! Ming in your places ;
( h. Ktill, howe'ir my pain . .
V i!l prayers may rain,
. ( p pare o:i his'i the perfect graces
. i !;t ; tooping could lmt stain.
'ot ' n;it" ;it your lowne?s. bet to !cj
A'-." lift t ) yon"- angelhood,
..jf I " yoi;r surprises pnro
I I'ii-.vn f-ir and sure
: w l!ic tinnnU of young blooJ,
I .n,l stmliLe there endure.
frit i he re ! wait, and invito mo while I climb
J 1 1. (', I i iiiih! but Blow, but slow!
j i t ever a:; yen chime,
:-i'!t Kill M'Mitne,
;i: ;:f my feet, they move, they fjo
4 l ; th treat stair of Time.
David A. Wageox.
Vitovitch's Ice Fort.
f 'V-A'vT' stories ere abun
UV) VA d:int in Siberia, anc
(i" f V'jV" nmy ot them are of f
c'v f v'r fearful character that it
lOyt ' !' sufficient todetei
t!io strougest-heartec
from wishing to hav
cily dealings with them. In the mosl
uOithor'v part of (Siberia the aniniali
sMiin over the country, particularly ir
tile '.veu led parts, in large packs, some
tico .st if even a thousand or upwards.
They attack men and beasts indiscrimi
ratelv , and even have been known tc
inftL' an attack upon some of tho smallei
j. villa; res, where their numbers enabled
Urt'Ni t do a great deal of havoc before
thf.v could finally be driven off.
J hit all the aggressiveness is not
allowed to be on their side, for the men
oftlie country seek every opportunity
todnniiuVh their numbers, from various
motives. Very naturally the people,
for their own protection, desire to get
rid of as many as possible, and a bounty
paid in some quarters upon every ani
mal Killed is an additional incentive tc
the work of execution. Then their
hktcs can be tanned into excellent
leather, and are in great demand and
bnn hie.h prices. The fur is also very
uselul to the natives, being heavy and
THim, and is much used for trimming
the lai;e hood whi ch the Northern Si
berians are accustomed to wear.
, Of conn-c, in a country so largely
infeded by these brutes, there are pro
fessional hunters, whose sole business is
that of trapping aud killing wolves.
. ..Stepan Diouski was one. of these, a
- big, si-foot fellow, who was a black
smith by trader, but during his later
years hud devoted himself to wolf-hunting;,
in which he had been wonderfully
J j j
I . "nuvi.jh to hep hh Inmyfcr a time"
f . successful. During the six years lib had
bei'i i engaged in the business he had
prow 11 rich, and it was the unanimous
? vertii t in and around Tobolsk that he
i liaxl slaughtered more wolves than any
other man in Siberia.
? But Stepan always said that he didn't
t kudu about that. 'Perhaps Igor Vito
t, could tell betteiv
t Igor was the son of a border farmer,
?k who .luring the last two winters had
i- helped Stepan in his wolf-baiting. He
was a stout, ruddy-faced youth of seven-
teen or eighteen years, with dark hair
'C and ei s tliat he had taken from some
3Ior)' ol ancestor who had swept over
the" country in the train of Genghis
K&u or some of his successors. But
he. "ias a true Slav enough in vigor and
com, i;;e. He was strong as a full-grown
I Jian, and had the inherent obstinacy
f bold nets of his race. These
1 ftjaiihes lui.l carried him into more
. ian one adventure, and had won
V thorough appreciation of Stepan
!' lel-sKi.
t Tlie piveedinn winter, in particular,
I Jfci h d been the hero of an adventure
f wJoeh had not yet ceased to be the talk
and w aider at the fireside of serf, villian
t' OF-cdlVi1!!.
I i had been a cold, hard winter, and
I t-J w. lives were unusually numerous
ll teiocious. Stepan and Igor had
it t jjnHit in at one time over six hundred
I M s "f the tierce beasts which they had
I fr.,'o. . The animals were caug'ht in
j various ways, sometimes by poisoned
but. and again by traps.
Tin1 commonest kind of trap, and the
' used by Stepan and Igor, was con-t-ted
as follows:
Ihi'.'Ii wooden fence Was made, in
f tj'ij' a circular pen. Outside of this
I j I" wiw another similar one, perhaps
m7lmn" entirely around it. In the
1 Wit!
ol t
pen is placed a live deer
the outer
In
iion- win a swmging door athich
hich is left seductively open
he wolves scent the live bait in the
jhe of the pen and pather around the
I'. m nerce, liowhnrr
I1T
er vainly ndeavoring toleap over
vtecting barrier and get at it, a
rrrnnno
I a
I tin:
"i j.n.is me ioor standing
S 2 T
f z' iff IT JU'T'aJ. ir
open, and at once enters in. The pas
sage between tho inner and outer fence
is wide enough to enable him to move
ahead comfortably, but too narrow to ad
mit of his turning round.
Having completed tho circle of tho
pen, he arrives at his starting point and
finds his further progress completely
barred by the door, which still stands
open as when he entered.
Tushing against this, he shuts it close
in order to get by, and thus effectually
makes himself a prisoner.
Then the crafty huntsman, who has
all the time been concealed within,
shoots or spears the animal from the
top of the fence, draws his carcass
within, so as to save it, and opens the
outer door again to receive the next
visitor.
When wolves are plenty two men or
more in one of these pens have a very
busy time for a miralwr of days, and are
scarcely ablo to slaughter or skin the
animals as fast as they would like to
rush in unconscionely to their death!
It not infrequently happens that the
men are kept in these pens for a number
of days at a time, being unable to get out
I on account of wolves, which surround
them and would tear them to pieces the
moment they made their appearance.
The only thing for the hunters to do
Tinder such circumstances is to keep on
trapping and slaughtering until the ani
mals are all killed, or, starved out and
disappointed, abandon their position
and scurry off to another part of the
country.
Stepan and Igor had just this experi
ence on two occasions that winter, and
the animals in that immediate vicinity
were getting reduced in numbers.
Their last excursion they made in
March, going off into the country a
score of miles or so.
Before they had their pen wholly
made there came a sudden thaw. Hain
and the warmer temperature melted
"Jfc discharged his rifle at the foninozl trea
tnre.n away much of the snow, and the river, a
tributary of tho Obi, was swollen to a
great torrent, breaking up the ice and
carrying it down stream. The surround
ing country became almost impassa
ble. This weather continued nearly a
week, and the supply of food they had
with them threatened to give out. In
view of this fact it became necessary
that one of them should go to the near
est village more than a dozen miles
distant so as to replenish their stores.
The task fell on Igor from choice, and
one day, a little afternoon, he set off on
his snow-shoes, taking his trusty rifle
with him, and also carrying that insep
arable weapon of the Silurian hunter, a
short-handled axe, in his lelt.
Ho calculated to get to the village be
fore nightfall, which came on early in
that latitude at that time of the year,
and having been cramped up in camp
several days, it was a pleasant experi
ence to the lad to have the privilege of
stirring his legs.
It was growing colder, the wind was
blowing from the northwest again, and
the snow was gradually hardening.
That didn't matter much: it would only
le the easier traveling when he return
ed with the supplies.
So Igor walked, whistling merrily and
keeping his eyes open for game. Some
two miles below tho camp lie shot a sa
ble and hung the lody in the fork of a
tree to freeze until his return.
The country he was walking through
was level and wooded, with openings at
intervals, and not far off flow ed the river.
The village that he was going to lay on
the other side of the stream, and ho hail
no doubt but that farther up he should
find a bridge of some kind.
Late iu the afternoon he ran upon
two wolves in the middle of an open.
As soon as thev saw him thev retreated
I into the timber, and Igor paid them no
further thought.
. The straps of one of his snow shoes
troubled him, occupying several minutes
in repairing, and when he started for
ward again, he was startled to see how
low the sun had got. It was just ready
to sink down Inching the trees, !Night
was close at hand.
He quickened his pace considerably,
but it was slow work at best. Sudden
ly he paused. He had heard a quick,
short yelp far back upon his track. He
knew it was the bark of a wolf.
The yelp was repeated, and responses
were heard from several directions, in
front and across the river. He glanced
around him. Dusk would be coming
down soon, and the village was stili
more than Jive miles distant.
He could not hope to reach it in time,
for he knew that his terrible enemies
would presently le gathering upon his
trail.
Pretty soon half-a-dozen huge, gray
ish bodies appeared bounding forward
from the timber.
He pansed and turned in his tracks.
The six wolves halted, too, and sat down
upon their haunches, watching him
with burniug eyes and lolling tongues.
Others were coming in on either side.
There might be a score of them for all
he knew, and there was but little tim '
for him to act.
He was dose to the river now. and he
' looked eageilv for a bridge He saw-
none, but his sharp eyes caught sight of
something else, something that caused
his blood to flaw to his ve'iy iinger-ends
with a sudden glowing flush.
On the side next to him there was a
sharp indentation in the river, and
close to shore the broken ice was piled
up in blocks like small houses. In a
second he thought "Why not make a
fort of one of these I "With a fair kind
of a barricade, I can irake a good de
fense against the brutes, and perhaps
by morning they will go away or some
one from tho village will come along.'
Fortune favored him. As he junqvtl
among the ice blocks, he noticed half a
dozen pieces tippe lover against a larger
one at such an angle as to act like the
roof of a house.
"These is the place for my fort,' he
exclaimed aloud.
He glanced back at his pursuers.
They were walking leisurely forward,
watching his every motion. They had
ceased to howl, as these animals
always do when they have gathered in
numbers sufficiently large to attack their
prey.
Igor knew that just as soon as it was a
little duskier, they would spring upon
him like so many fiends let loose.
His mind was made up on the instant.
He leveled his rifle and discharged it at
the foremost creature, and under cover
of the smoke sprang into his place of
shelter.
The interior was largo enough to hold
a dozen men, and the ice was so piled
around it that there were but two open
ings, one at his rear, just big enough for
a man to crawl through, and the place
by which he had entered, which ho
began to fill up by scattering pieces of
ice.
Before he had completed his work,
the pack came rushing up, snapping
their teeth and snarling, but they did
not test the strength of his intrench
ment, and the loy kept at his labor till
he had a complete wall of ice on that
side, which no force of thcira could
break through. The crevice at the
other end he left oien, and crawling to
the aperture, waited for tho animals to
make their appearance, as ho was sure
thev would.
lie had not long to wait. Boon he
heard snifling, and then a pair of blaz
ing eyes glanced in at him. Igor had
his gun at his shoulder, and he took
aim between those two balls of fire.
When the smoke cleared away the
fiery eyes were no longer visible, and
outside there were horrible growls and
munching and savage snarling.
He glanced out aud could just distin
quish a mass of dark figures fighting
over the lones of their devoured com
rade. It looked as though there might
lie two score of the brutes. He was be
sieged in truth.
They gathered in a circle around his
fortification and set up a doleful howling,
feeling disappointed, no doubt, iu losing
such an excellent supper.
Presently another pair of gloaming
eyes shone at the opening. Igor waited
this time till the savage beast was half
way through the crevice Wfore he fired.
The lifeless Inxly of the wolf pitched
forward, ami Igor drew it wholly into
the inclosure. The carcass made a
warm carpet for his feet, and he deemed
it a fortunate thing that ho could make
so good use of his enemies, for it was
getting the least bit chilly inside the ice
fort,
The young hunter had enough to
keep him busy for a time, for a wolf
continually presented himself at the
aperture.
After he had shot several, Igor had a
thought; he would save his ammunition
and use his axe instead. So he flung
away his gnu, and, grasping his broad
bladed weapon, stood ready like any
stout guardsman that might have fol
lowed the fortunes of the Muscovite
czais.
It is almost incredible, but when the
morning dawned there were twenty-two
wolves lying dead inside tho ice fort,
and Igor was confident ho had killed
half as many more, most of the latter
having been devoured by their compan
ions. He felt greatly relieved when the
dawn came, for the large number of
warm carcasses inside had greatly
heightened the temperature, and the
water was dripping from tho isy roof
like a January thaw.
As soon as he felt certain that the
wolves were all dead or had disappeared,
Igor hacked his way out of his fortrt ss
and continued his journey to the village.
He returned the same day with help,
skinned the wolves, ami procured a
supply of provisions for his companion
at camp, which he reached before night.
Within a fortnight they had made
nnether haul of wolves at th . pen, and
Igor's share of the bounty money and of
the market value of the fur amounted to
so many bags of roubles that I hardly
dare to tell vou. Any way, it was a
sum sufficient to enable him to buy
a
farm, stock it, - and marry, which of I
course obliged him to give up wolf- '
give up
hunting for the rest of his life. Golden
Days.
The Practical Joker.
e following story has its headquar
ters at Clinton: On one of tho tine days
of last week a lady came down town to
do some shopping. She brought her
"yearling m a baby carnage, which
. ,. ; ' i -i i l i
sneien in a certain (try gooos store
while sho went in to make lier pur-' a m ans for the dis' ursoment of ths excess of
chases. One of the clerks in the store, j our revenues; but these bonds have all been
who knew the mother well, thought to retired, and there are no l,onds outstanding
, . , c , ., , ' , " , ' the payment of which we nave the right to
play a joke. So while she was busy he , illsis UV1IK The contribution to the s nking
went out and wheeled the carriage nnd fund which furnishes the occasion for expen
bal.iv into an adjoining store. Though diture in the purchase of binds has been al
hewas not aware of it tho lady had1 ready mide for the current; year, so that
leen watchiug his manoeuvers, and
when she was ready to go home she did
so without carriage or bale. Shortly
after "bubby" kicked up high jinks,
and the joker clerk was sent for to take
him away. And as the jnother was
gone he was compelled to wheel baby
home, the youngster howling at the top
of his voice nearly the whole of the way,
and advertising the situation, much to
the annoyance of tho clerk. When he
reached the gate the mother came out,
and Iter exclamation was: "Dear me, I
forgot a parcel, did I i" and as she
saw the youngster, "Oh, I thought it
was a spool of twist I had forgotten."
It was worse than a spool of twist on
the clerk. Tor on to Globe.
Died of Too Much Money.
A Boston man w ho, until ho was 40,
lived an economic, hardworking life, and
one which was both happy and useful,
had the misfortune at that time to in
herit from a relative a fortune of some
millions. He was instantly over
whelmed with impoitnuities from all
sides. Gifted with vn acutely sensitive
New England conscience, ho was not
ouly anxious to do gmxl with hi3 wealth,
but he was almost morbidly arraid that
through ignoian"o or cai closeness he
should do harm with it. Ho investiga
ted with the most painful care the cases
presented to him, and ho literally agon
ized over the things he dsired to do,
that he feared to do, aud those that he
was urged to do. Two years of this
worry kilted him. His physician said
ultcrward that the certificate to be accu
rate should have leen filled out to read,
"Died of his money," and the state
ment would have been literally true.
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
To the Co'jrc i? cfthtt United Stat?s:
You are confronted at tho tbrethold of ycrar
legislative duties w.th a cou lition of the na
tional finances which impjratirely demands
immediate and careful cwi Wat-ox
Th amount of mo.i -y annually exacted,
through the operation of pies nt laws, from
tho industries and necessities of Iho people,
largely exeve lathe suti neess try to meet tho
expenses of fie Government.
When 'wo consider that the theory of our in
stitutions guarantees to every citizen the full
enjoyment of all the fruits of his industry and
enterprise, with only such de duction us may
be his sharo t mard tin cirjful an 1 econom
ical maintenance of tho Government which
protects him, it is p'a'n that the exaction of
more than this is indefensible extortion.and a
culpable betrayal of American' lsr.rusi and
justice. This wrong inflicted upon those who
bear the burden of national taxat on, like
other wrongs, multir lies a broo I of evil con
sequences. The public treasury, which should
only exist as a conduit conveyin; the peo
ple's trihute to its legitimate ohje-:ts of ex
penditure, becomes a hoarding place for
money needlessly withdrawn from trad and
tho people's use, thtu crippling our national
cnergies, suspending oar country's develop
ment., preventing investment in proiuctive
enterprise, threatening linan ill disturbance,
and inviting schemes of the public plunder.
This condition of our Treasury is not alto
gether new, an 1 it, 1m; mor e than once of late
Lein submitted to tho eopto's representatives
in the Congress, who alone can apply a
remedy. A nd yet the situation stiil continues,
with aggravated incidents, more than ever
presaging financial convulsion and wide
spread disaster.
It will not do to neglect this situation be
cause its dangers are not now palpably
imminent and apparent. They exist none the
loss -eitainly. and await the unforeseen and
unexp ted occasion when su l lenly they will
be pi eeipated on us.
On the .'W!h day of June, 15, the excess
of revenues over public expenditures atter
t complying with the annual requirements of
ine sinking lini't act. was ? 1 4fiv.t, 1 6-x til ; dur
ing the year ended June 1SS(, such excess
amounted to l:4,.,-10yF45.C0t and during the
year ended June ISO, 1W, it leached the sum
of $.kVW,.-.
The annual contributions ti the sinking
fund during the three years above specified,
amounting in t. n aggregate to f 11H,0V
tt.'O.'.M, and deducted from the surplus as
stated, were made by cillinr in for that pur
lo e outst aiming 3 r cent, bends of the Gov
ernment. During tho six months prior to
June iV 1S7, the sm plus revenue had grown
so large by repeated accumulations, and it
vas feared the withdrawal of this great sum
of money needed by the people would so affect
the business of the country, that, tho sum of
f7l',S(f-,l(M) of smh surplus was applied to the
payment of the principal and interest of the
6 ier cent. Ixuids s!ill oatst'.inding,and which
were then payable at the option of the (iv
ernment. Th p e. arious condition of finan
cial affairs among the people still neidiug
relief, immedint ;y after the :,0th day of
Juno, ls-ST, tho lemaisider of the 3 pjr
cent. bond3 thn outstanding, amount
ing with principal and interest to
the sum of &isi;7,-yi, wer. called in and
applied to tho sink'iig fund contribution for
the current fiscal year. Notwithstanding
these ocrat ions of Ibe 'frepvjry Pepartiueat
representations of distress in biisiiuss circles
not only- continued but increas-'d, and l so
lute p rilseeuied.it hand. In thes circum
stances the contributions to th" sinking fund
for the current flsc-d ye ir was a1. on--e com
pleted byhe exp enditure of ,Wt,,j:5..'5 in
the purrhase of iTovcruni'-nt Ikui Is not yet
due bearing 1 and ll.2 per cent, interest, the
premium paid thereon averaging a I wait til jer
cent, for the former and 8 per cent, for the
latter. In addition to this the interest accru
ing during the current year upn the out
standing (sonde 1 indebtedness or the Govern
ment was to some extent anticipated, and
banks se-oeted as deposit a is of public money
were permitted t-j somewhat increase their
deposit.;.
While the ex"cdieiit.s thus employe 1, to re
lease to the people tha money lying idle in tin
Treasury, serve 1 to avert imrii bate danger,
our surplus revenues have continued to accu
mulate, the exce;s for the present year
amounting on tho 1st diy of "December to
$.ViVS7Ul.r., and est mate I to reach the
sum of I llll.nooJt) on the :."th of J;ip nexr,
at which date it is expected that this sum,
added to irr scoiiuiulations, will swell the
cmi pliif in the Tre nary to ?t I'l.icrt.o ).
1 here seins to be no asstinm v tint, with
such a withdrawal from u of the ixmple's
circulating medium, our hu-micss community
may not m the near lutiire I subjected to
I the same dist ress which w as quite lately pro
duced I rem the same cutis And while the
functions of our National Treasury should be
few and simple, and w hile its U st con ition
would I reached, 1 believe, by its entire dis
connection with private business interests,
yet w hen, by aperers"on of iis purposes, it
idly hn'ds money uselessly subtracted from
the channels of trade, ther s'ems to be
reason for the claim that sonic legitimate
meins should hi devis-d by the Government
to restore in an emergency, without waste or
extravag nice, such money to its place amon
the eople.
If such an emergency arir,es there now
exists no clear and undoublel executive
t-ower of leltef. Heretofore the redemption
oi wu ee per cent, uoiius
of three per cent, bonds, which were payable
at the option of the Government, has afforded
there is n. outlet iu that direction.
In the present state of legislation the only
preten-e of any existing execut ve power to
i o -tore, at this time, any part of wit- surplus
revenues to th? people "by its exieudit ;ires.
consists in th- si;iKs tiou that tho Secret iry
of the Trea-ury may t nter the rnirket aud
pun ha.-e the ben Iscf the Government not yet
flu", at a rate of premium to lie agreed upon.
'I lie only provision of law from which such a
power could be dei ived i foun 1 in an annro
pr:aiioi tan pass a a nu'iiner ot yeirsago;
and t is subject to the suspicion that- it was
intended as temporary and limited in it? ap
plication, instead of eonierring a continuing
discretion an I auth rity. No condition ought
to exist which would justify the grant of
po.ver to a single ofti-ia!. upon his judgment
of. its mvessity. to withhold from or release
to the busin- si of the peopl., in an unusual
manner, motiev h ld in the Treasury, and
thus afl'o.'t, at his w ill, the financial situation
of the ceun'ry: and if it is deemed wise to
lodge in t!-e r'-oeretiry" of tlw 'I reasury the
authority in the present juncture to purcha-e
bonds, it should Ik plain y vested, an 1 pro
vided as far as -o-sib!e, with such oh-ksand
limitations as will d 'tine fits olfM-ial's right
and discivtio-!, a:i 1 at the same tinw relieve
him from nndu ie.Mouahility.
In considering the question of ptirelcising
I o tds as a mortis of restoring to cireu'ati u
tlva surplus nion accumulating in th
Tiea. ury.it shoi.l I be borne in mind that
premiums must of cou re le paid iqion su.-h
purchase. That thei isi iv I e a laruro part o'
th"s- bndj hell as investment which cannos
I e p lrcl-a: c 1 ut any prico, an I that comhbiu-ii-t.is
amo ig holders who are willing to se!l,
i.iay unrcasoT.b y enhance the cor.tof such
bon Is to the Government.
It ha- 1-eeii susreste I that tho present
I ended debt might bj re undo 1 at a less ra'O
of interest, and I lie fliitercii- e In ween th-3
old and new security pi id i i cash, thus find
ing us- for the surplus in th tr 'a.-ury. Tha
success of t lis plan, it s apo u cut. luu-t do
jen I upo;i th volition of t he holders of tin
present lon is: an i it is not entirely eersain
tiat the indu.-ement whi h mrs, v offered
them would result in more fi.iancial l.-ii;fi
t- the Govern ni nt, thin the purcba e of
lond-, while tho letter proposition would
re hi"-e the principal ni th" debt by actual
payment, instead of extending it.
The proposition to deposit tin mon?T held
by the Government banks throughout the
country, for ne by the people, is, it werm to
m. exceedingly objectionable In principle. 83 I
establishing too close a relationship between J
the operations of tho Ucvernmeit treasiuy
and tho business of the country, and too ex
tensive a commingbng of their money, thm
fostering an unnatuial reliance in private
business upon public funds. If this scheme
should be adopted it should only be done as a
temporary expedient to meet an urgent ne
cessity. Legislative and executive effort
should generally be in the opposite direction
and should have a tendency to divorce, as
much and as fast as can safely be done, the
Treasury Department from private enter
prise. Of course it is not expert! that nnners
nary and extravagant appropriations will be
made tor the purpose of avoiding the accu
mulition of on eecessivo revenue. Such ex
penditure, beside the demoralisation of at.
just conceptions of public duty which it en-
tails, stimulates a habit ot reckless improvi
dence not in the least consistent with thg
miss on of our people or the high and benefi
cent purposes of our Government.
I have deemed it my duty to thus bring to
the knowle Ige of my countrymen, as well as
to the attention "of their representatives
charged with the responsib'lity of legislative
relief, the gravity of our financial situation.
The lai'ure of the Congress heretofore to pro
vide against the dangers which it was quite
evident the very natur of the difficulty must
neceari'y pioluce, caused a tondition of
financiil d stress an I apprehension since yo ir
last adjournment, which tixed to the utmost
all the authority and expedients within Ex
ecutive control ; and thesj appeir now to be
exhausted. If disaster results from the con
tinued inaction of Congress, the responsibility
must rest where it belongs.
Though the situation thui far consid
ered is fraught with danger which should be
fully realised, and though it presents features
of wrong to the people as well as peril to the
c ountry, it is a result growing cut of a per
fectly "palpable and apparent cause, con
stantly reproducing the same alarming cir-cum-tances
a congested national treasury
and a depleted monetary condition in the
business of the country. It need hardly be
6tated thit while the present situation de
mands a remedy, we can only be save ! from
a like predicament in th future ty the re
moval of its cause.
Our scheme of tax ation, by mean3 of which
this needless surplu s is taken from the peop'e
and put into the public treisury, consists of
a tariff or duty levied uon importation 4
from atroid. and internal revenue taxes
levied upon the consumption of tobacco and
spirituous and malt liquor.?. It must be con
ceded that none of these things subjected to
internal revenue taxation are, strickly speik
ing, necessaries; the e appears to be "no just
complaint of this taxation by the consumers
of those art icles, and there s wim to be noth
ing so well able to bear the burden without
bardshp to any portion of the people.
But our present tariff laws, the vicious, in
equitable an 1 illogif a! source of unnecessary
taxation, ought to be at once revised and
amended. These laws, as their primary and
plain eirect, raise the price to consumers of all
articles imported and subject to duty, by pre
cisely the sum iaid for such duties. Thusths
amount ot the duty measures the tax paid by
those who purchase for use these imported
articles. Many of these things, however, are
raisl or manufactured in our own country,
anl the duties now levied upon foreign goods
and products are called protection to these
honi manufactures, becauso they reader it
IKjssible for tho-seof our people who are manu
facturers to make the e taxed articles and sell
them for a price equal to that demanded for
imported goods that have paid custo nsduty.
fc'o it happens that while comparatively a few
us the importe 1 articles, millions of our
people, w ho never use an 1 never saw any of
the foreign products, purchase and use thinss
of the same kind made in this country, and
pay therefore n-arly or quite the same en
nance 1 price which the duty aids to the im
ported articles. Those who bay imports pay
the duty charged thereon in the public treas
ury, but the great majority of our citizens,
who buy domestic articles of the sarn cl.tss,
pay a sum at least approximately equal to
this duty to tun home manufacturer. This
reference to the o,)erat:o'i of our t iriff laws
is not mad by way of instruction, but in
order that we may be constantly reminded ol
the manner in which they iniK)so a burden
upon thos3 v.hocons'imedomestic products a;
well as those who consume imported articles,
and thus create a tx njon all our people.
It is not propos.fi to entirely relieve the
country of this taxation. It must be exten
sively continue 1 as the source of the Govern
ment's income, and in a readjustment of out
tariff the interests of American labor engaged
in manufacture should be carefully consul
ered, as well as the preservation of our manu
facturers. It may be cal!e l protection, or b
any other name, but relief from tlv hardsh;pf
and dangei s of our present tariff laws should
lie devised with e.-jiecial precaution against im
periling the existence of our minufacturing
interests, but this existence should not mean
aeonditiou which, without-regard to the public
w elfare or a nat ional exigency, must always
insure the realization of imnvns j prolts in
stead of moderatefy- profitab'e returns. -As
the .volume and diversity of cur national
activities increase, new recruits are a ided .to
those ho desire a contiriu ition of the ad van
tages which fiey conceive the present system
of tariff taxation directly affords them"
stubbornly have all efforts t.i reform thf
present condition boon resisted by thoie of
our fellow c.t ens thus engaged, that they
can hardly compla'n of th suspicion, enter
tained to a certain extent, thit there exists
an organized combination all along the line
to ma ntain their advantage.
We are in the midst of centennial celebra
tions, and w ith becoming pride we rejoice in
American skill and Ingenuity, in American en
ergy and enterprise, and in the wonderful nat
ural advantages ami resources developed by a
century's national growth. Yet when an at
tempt is made to just'fy a s -heme which per
mits a tax to bo Hid upon every consumer in
the land for the benefit of our manufacturers,
. quite beyond a reasonable demand for govern
mental reyar.l, it su ts the purposes of advo
cacy to call our manufactures infant indus
tries, still needing the highest and greatest
d"gree of favor and fostering care that can be
w rung from Federal legislation.
It is al o said that the increase in the price
of domestic miuuf i 'tii f-s r suiting from the
present tariff is neces -ary in ord-r that higher
w ages iniy le pii 1 to our workingmen em
p'oyed in nianuf ictories than are pa!d for
what is calle 1 th" piup r labor of Europe. All
will acknowledge the forte of an aruitent
which involves the welfare and l.beral com
pensation of our laboring peop'e. Our labor
is honorable in the eyes of every Ameri -an
citizen : and as it hes at the fo-indit on of our
ievelopment and progress, it is entitle l,witi
:nt affectation or hyroorisy, to th- utmost
ret ard. The standard of our lamrer.v lite
shout I not be measured by that ol any -tner
t nntrv less favored, and llu y are entitled to
the.r full share of all our ad antages.
liy th last census it in made to appeir
that of tbol7,:itfj,o:w of our popnlition en
gaged in all kinds of industries i,1"0,4?!3 are
employed in iigriculturj. 4.074.2 r in profes
sional and personal service, ( l.i7i of
wco n are dome-tic servant and laborers.)
whde l,S!fV;.Vj are employed in trade and
transportation, a id :v 11 1 are classed as
emp'oytd in nianufict'iring an 1 ra nm;.
r-or" present imposes, however, the last
uunlier riven shoul I tie censidet ably r-
flucfl. Without attempt:ng to enumerate
a l, it will be concede I tht there e ould be
. V. ... 1 r .. -n lit
ue.juctou i rum uwu !;, iki-v
j erp "ntei s and joiners, '.., 101 milliners,
I dre. m iters, an I seams resse-. i,l&S black-
Miiitl'K. !.i-t,7."X tailors nn I tai'or-sses, 102,473
i masons. 7V.M1 I nvhers. 4i,.rt' bikers. 2-VJ
j ii:t-sieio -s, an 1 eng-gl m mnnnfa -luring
azri' ultuial iro -It meats, ano intieg in
' th-aggregate to 1,214.U2.;. leaving jrajSt
jicrjoiii employed ia such manu'ai turing in
i i u -tries as are claimed to be I enekteJ by a
h'ph tariff.
I I thes- th appeal is nili tosivetho'r
rmployment'and in tint on their wages by re
listing a change. There should l nods;o
s tion to answer such s tggestons by ths
al egation that they are in minority amon
those who labor, and there fore should torego
an ndvantaze, in th- interest of bvr prices
lor the majority: the r compel sttion, as it
mav be affected by the iteration f Ih-tu-.ff
las, should at all times be scrnpu o id k;pt
in view; and yet with slight rejection they
will not overtook the fact that they are con
su mers with tho ret; that they, too, have
their own wants and thos 3 of their families
to supply from their earnings, and that the
price of the necessaries of lite, as w-H as the
amount of their wag3s,will regulate themeis
ureef their welfare and corafort.
But the reduction of taxation deroandei
should b so measure I as not to necess tate or
justify either the loss of employment by the
working man nor the lessening of his wages;
and the profits still remaining to the manu
facturer, after a necessary readjustment,
should furnish no excuse for the sari flee of
the interests of his employes either in their
opportunity to work or in the di
minut on of their tompensitiou. Nor
can the worker in manufacture! fail
to understand that while a b:sh
tariff is claimed to be necessary to allow th
piyment of r?mun -rative w.ges, it certainly
results in a ver large increase in the price of
nearly all sits of manufactures, which, in
almost countlcsi forms, h- needs for the use
of h rr.se f and his fam ly. He receives at
the desk of his -employer hi3 wage;, and per
hips liefore he reaches his home is obliged,
in a purchase for family n-v an arii 1)
which embraces his own lalor, to return in
the payment of the increase in price which
the tariff rmits, the hard-earned compensa
tion of many d-tys of toil.
The far ner aid the agriculturist who
manin'a turn nothing, but who pav tni m
crea ed price which the tariff imposes upon
every agricultural implement, upon all he
w eirs and upon all he us-jsand owm.except tji
increase of his flocks and her Is and Miv-h
things as h's husbandry pro-luc'-s from the
fo I, v invited to aid in m unt vning th
present situation : and he is told that a
high fluty on ini-orte1 wool is necessary for
the benefit of those who have sheep to shear,
in order that the price of their wjol may
le increased. They, of course, are not
reminde I that the farmer who has no sheen
is by this scheme obliged, in his purchase of
clotirng and woolen goods, tn piy a tribute
to his fellow farmer as well as to the manu
facturer and merchant: nor is any mentoa
made of the lant that the sh- ep-owners them
selves and their households, must wear cloth
ing and use other ai ti le manufactured from
the wool they tell at tariff prices, and thus as
consnners must return their share of this in
creesed price to th? tradesman
I think it may lie fairly arsumed that a
large proportion of the sheep owned by the
farmers throughout the country are lound
in small flo-ks" numbering from twenty-live
fo fifty. The duty on the grade of imported
wool which these sheep yield is 10 cents
each pound if of the value of o0 cents or less,
and 12 cents if of the value of more than S"0
cents. If the 1 beral estimate of six
pound-, be a'lowed for each fleece the
duty thereon would be fO or 72 cents,
and this miy be taken as the utmost
enhancement of its price to the farmer by
reason of th s duty. Eightf en dollars would
thus represent the increased pi ice of the wool
from twenty-five sheep and thirty-six dollars
that from the wool of fifty sheep, and at
prevent va'ues this addition would amount tt.
about one-third of its price. If upon its sale
the farmer receives this or a less tariff profit,
the w col leaves his hands charged with pre
cisely that sum, which in all its changf s will
uohete to it, until it reaches tho consumer.
When manufactured into cloth end other
goods and material for use, its cost Is not
only increised to the extent of the farmer's
tariff profit, but a further sum has bern
efldfi fr the henefit of tho manufacturer
under the operatoi of other tari'F liws.
In the meantime the day arrives when
the farmer finds it necessiry to purchase
woolen goods and mater:al to clothe him
self and family for the winter. When ho
faees the tradesman for that purpow lie
discovers that he is obliged not only to
re turn in the w ay of increased price his tariff
profit on the wool he sold, and which then
perhaps lies before him in manufactured foi m.
but that he must add a considerable sum
thereto to meet a further increase in cost
caused by a tariff duly on the manufacture.
Thus in the end he is aroused to th9 fact that
he has paid upon a moderate purchase, as a
result of the tariff scheme, which, when he
sold his wool seemed so profitable, an increase
in price more than sufficient to sweep away
all the tariff profit he received upon the wool
he produced and scld.
When the numbers of farmer engaged in
wool raising is compared with all the farmer3
in the country, and the small proportion they
lear to our population is coni lered: whun it
is made app irent that in the case of a la-ge
pn it of those who own sheep the l-nofit of the
present tariff on wool is illusory, nnd above all,
when it must lie conceded that the increase of
the cost of living caused by such tariff becomes
a burden upon tho e with moderate means
aud the por. the employed and unemployed,
the s ck an l well, and the young and o'd. and
tint it cinititutes a tax which with re!entle-s
grasp fastens upon the clothing of every
man, woman, ami child in the land, reasons
ate suggested why the removal or reduction
of this dutv should be included in a revision
f our tariff laws.
In speaking of the increased cost to the con
sumer of our home manufactures, resulting
from a duty laid upon imported articles of the
same description, the fact is not overlooked
cnat competition among our domestic pro
ducers sometimes has the effe-t of keeping the
price of their products l-e'ow the Irghest limit
allowed by such duty. Put it is nt orious that
this comp tit:on is too often s'rangled by
combinations quite prevalent at this time,
and frepuntly eal'el trusts, which have for
th ir object th t regulation of the supp'y and
ririce of commodities ma le and sold by m -m-ers
of the combination. The people can
hardly hope for any consideration in the
operation of these s-ddsh s -hemes.
If. however, in the ah nee of suh combi
nition. a healthy and free competition re
du-vs the price of any particular dutiable
ai tele of home produ tion below the limit
which it might otherwise reach t:n ler our
tariff laws, and if, with such reduced price,
its manufacture continues to thrive, it Is en
tirely evident that one thing has been discov
ered which shoul 1 be carefully scrutinized in
an effort to reduce tixation.
TtiA nncossitv of combinition to fnnintnin
the p-V of ray i o -Ji'.iy to the tariil
po t.t, lurimhes proof K at some one is wiring
l-tacc pt lower prie s lor su- comii-odity,
nnd that such rie; a-e remi.iiTati.ve: and
lower prices prm u e4 .y corrietition prove
the same thing, .bus where t.therot li.ta
condit ens exist, a case woul I seem to be pre
sented fir an cay reel -action of taxation.
The considerations which have ben pre
sented touching our tariff laws are hit -nd d
only to enlorce an earnest recommendation
that the suri Jus i e venues of the overnment
be prevented b the reduction of our ustonn
dut es, and, at the same time, to emphasise a
suggestion that in acc mphshing thfs purpo e,
we may d s ha geadoub.e duty to ocr e p e
by granting to tnem a measure of le'ief frum
tariff taxation in quarters where it is most
needed an t Tern urc s w.iere it can be
most fairly and justly aeeo:-d;).
ICor can' the presentation made cf such con
sie'eritions lie. with any degree of lairness.
ieardfl as evid-'nee of untnendl n-
towar 1 our mnnufa t irinj mt -ies s. or of any
lack ot appretiation of their value and im
portance. These interests, con't tnte a leid'ng and
most Mibstanttal element of cur national
gr atm ss and furnish tho jTftud prof of our
e-ounlry's progress, but it in ihi: e-mTgency
that messes upon us our mun fa tareis are
asked to sum n ler oometh-ng for t tie public
goo 1 and to avert disaster, tic ir i-nti join n.as.
j well as a grateful reccgn tion cf advantages
already aflonJed. should leadthein t willing
I co-operation. No do nand is ma le b it th"y
I thall forego all the lienviisof governmen al
j regard: bus theyeannot f ail toliead oonUhed
of their duty, as well a? their enlight-ne lself-
interot and safety, when they are reinindel of
j the fact that tin uiciaf panic an I tollai-, to
j which the present con lition ten Is, afford no
greater shelter or protet tion to our niaouf ac
, tares than to our other import int enterpris -s.
Opportun ty lor safe, careful and deliberate
reform is now offered; and none of us shou'd
lie unmindful of a time when an abu-cJ and
irritated people, fceelless oj thoss mha have
resisted timely and reasonable relief, may in
sist upon a radical and sweeping rectiricatico
of their wrongs.
The difficulty attending a wise and fair re
vision of our tariff laws is not underesti
mated. It will require on the jtart of tba
Congress great labor and care, and eufiaily
a broad and national contemplation of the
subject, and a patriotic disregard of s-ich
local and selfish claims as are unresonaKl9
and reckless of the welfare of the entire
country.
Under our present lawj more than 4,0 0 ar
ticles are subject to dny. Many of these do
not in any way compete with our own manu
factures, an l many are hardly woith atten
tion as subjocta ot revenu-. A e msi d rab'e
reduction can be made ia the aggregate, br
adding them to the free lit T taxation
of luiuri s pres.'nts no fea urrs of h r lhp:
but the necessiti of 1 fe used an I consume I
Ly all the peop'e. the duty nvon whic'i a Id
to the to t of living in every heme, shoul I bi
greatly clacrened.
The radical reelu''on of the duties imposf!
npon raw material ued in mannta -imts. or
its free importation, is of on so an imi.i tant
factor in any effort tor -due t!j pru o ttvsa
necessaries; it would not only ie'iev 'hem
from the increased cost cansel by t he tariff on
such materia1, lut the rrmnu'ac! a e I -ro u t
being thus bea ened, that part of the tariff
now laid npon such product, as a remap sta
tion to our manufactur s tor the pre ent price
of raw material.cou'd be accord pgly mobne L
Such redwtfon. or free importatntn. wo d 1
serve ty sido to largely re-la -w the rwvenne. It
is not apparent ho sncb a rh ngs ran have
any Injurious effect upon our mtnufai t arrrs.
On the contrary, it arwihl apivar to gtv
them a better chance in foreign markets with
the manufacturers of other lOintriea, who
cheap n their ware by tiee muter, aL Tjus
our people nv'ght have th- o port'inity of ex
tending their sites beyoiid the I m V of boms
consumption sav ng them f:om the de
pression, interrupti-m in taiMness, and ! s
caused by a glutted domestic m trti t. nt 1 at
lord ng their empfo.'as more -ntan an?t
steady laltor, tilth its r j.-ub lag quiet and t pa
tentment. The question thus imperative'y pr-sented
for solution shou d l approache I in a sutrit
higlierthan partisanship anl consi-li-red n
tlie light of fhtt regard for patriotic duty
which shou'd characterise fh? act on of tbo
intrusted with the weal of a conldin? p; o.
tut the obli patron to de-dared pa ty policy
and principdo is not wanting to nrg piorapt
and effective a tion. Bothof thegrmt pilitk-al
parties now represented m i-e liovcr mnt
have, by r.peated and authoritative del r -tioiis.
condemned the condi ion of our laws
which permit the collection from the pope
of unnecessary revenue, a'd have inthe
most solemn manner promised its corre tioi;
and neither as citizens nor partisens a e our
countrymen in a mood to inndme the delib
erate violation of tbesj pl-dge.
Our progress toward a w;s i onelusion will
not be improved by dwelling npon the theo
ries of protect on ant free r id i Ths savot s
too much of bandying epithet. It is a con
dition which ccn'ronts us not a theory.
Relief from this condition may involva
a slight reduction of tho aivantng
which we award our home pro taction,
but the entire withdrawal of snei
advantages should not be contemp'ated. Tho
question of free trade is absolutely ineleyant;
and the-persistent claim made in certain quar
ters that all efforts to relieve the p op! fro n
unjust and unnecessary taxation are schemes
of so called free tradeis, is mischievous anl
far removed from any consideration for tho
public good.
The simple and plain duty which we owe the
people is to reduce taxation to the ne- e-sary
expenses of an eonomit at operation of the
Government, and to restore to the business of
the country the money which wo hold in tho
treasury through the perversion of govern
mental powers. These things can and should
be done with safety to all our in lustries, with
out danger to the opportunity for remunera
tive labor which our workingnv-n ned, and
with beneflt to them and all ocr p"opl, by
cheapening their means offfubsis cm e anl
increasing the measure of thej com'c-rt.
The Constitution provid- s that the ti evi
dent "shall, from time to time, giro to tho
Congress informat'on of th1 state of tho
Union." It has b"en the custom of the Ex
ecutive, in compliance with this provision, to
annually exhibit to the Congress, at ths
opening of its session, the general ion
dition of the coun'ry, and to detail, with
some particularity, tho operations of t e
different executive depaitments. It would
1 e especially agreeable to follow this course
at the present time, and to cdl atten
tion to the valuable aecoiiiulishments of
these departments during thj last fiscal
year. But I em so mnch imprest
with the paramount impoi tince of tho
subject to which this communica
tion has thus f ar been devoted, that I shi I
forego the addition of any other topic, and
only urge upon your immerli ite courd-Ti-tkm
the "state of the Union" a shown In tho
present condition of our treasury and out
general fiscal situation, upon which -every
ilement of our safety and prosperity de
pends. 1 he reports or the heals or nparUnbnts,
which will be snbmitt d. contain" full and ex
plicit information Um-jhina the transaction of
thi business entrusted to them, and snch
reoom.rendntions re ating to leg station iv t'te
public interest as tey deem advisable. I as'c
for these reprts and recommend .ton t'ie de
liberate examination and action of the legisla
tive branch of th Government.
l here are other subjects not em brace t in
he departmental reports demanding le ;ilat
ve com deration and which I should be glal
jo submit, tfome of them, howeeer, have
cn earnestly prwe"t in previoun mwisa-reii,
and as to them, I beg leave to repeat pri.-r
lei-ommendations.
As the law niakes no provision for any re
port from tbo Department of Ktate. a brief
history of the transactions of that important
department, together with othT matteis
which it may hereafter be deemed essential
to commend to tho attention of the Congress,
may furnish the occasion for a future cottv
mnn'cation. OROVER CLEVELAND.
. iroArtinjfon, Dec 6, 18S7.
The Rattlfttnake's Ejf.
A writer in Fonsi nnd tr am sajs:
"When he is alive and e cited, I know
of nothing in all nature of so dreadful
ap4 e mince as the eye of the rattlesnake.
It is enough to strike not only bhds an I
little animals, but men with nightmare.
I have on feveral occasions examined
fh m closely with strong glas-es and feel
with all the force what 1 state, and I will
tell jou that there are few men on the
face of the earth who ran look upon an
angered rattlenake through a good
glass bringnr.him apparently w.thin a
foot or two of the eye and staad it more
tnin a moment."
For Masonic; Widow.
.Tere Baxter has donated to the Masor'c
order ten acres of land just outside tl e
it v of Nashville, Tcnn., on which to es
tablish the proposed Masonic widow is ard
orphans home. " The project is now will
under way. and its success assured.
Shot Theui to Deal b.
A mob of - Ecvcnty-five masked men
took three negroes from jail at Charles
ton. Miss., Sunday night and shot them
to death. They were charged with tho
assassination tf a white man.
The importation of Me x lain Silrer.
Statistics in the office of the United
States collector of customs give the, im
jxirtation cf silver ore from Mexico
last month as 0,762 tons, valued at $340,
135. Tli'w h an average of 22(i tons per
day.
Peter Bcnnet, a wealthy old miser,
living at Newport, Me., who distrusted
banks and kept money in his house, was
beaten nearly to death a few da s ago,
and robbed of $32,000 in cash.