Newspapers / The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, … / Aug. 9, 1898, edition 1 / Page 2
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HE PE03BE2DIVE PABEIDB : AUGUST 9, 10D8. m PROGRESSIVE FARUER MRS. L. L. POLK, . J. L. RAMSEV. . CLARENCE H. POB, J. W. DENMARK, . . Proprietor. Editor . Asso. Editor. Business M'g'r. Raleigh, N. C. -flUBSOBIPTION ot-l 2wIm DnaVMT ... 1 1 00 Six Month 6) One copy out yar free, tt any m sendla: c of Ten. Cash Invariably in 4wn. N. R. P. A. REFORM WORKERS, ATTENTION! T7ie Progressive Farmer trill be sent to anyone from now till the election for only 25 cents, cash in advance. The Progressive Farmer will be sent to all new subscribers from noiv till March 1, 1S09 for only fifty cents cash in advance. We make this offer be cause we are willing to lose a little money rather than allow the people .to go without the truth. Now that we make this sacrifice we hope our read ers will see to it that the paper is put into the hands of every man who can read- Be sure to get up a club in your neighborhood. Offer No. 2 means that you will get a complete history of the war, all the campaign and election news and a com plete record of all the acts of the next legislature, besides our regular agricul tural, literary and State news features for only 50 cents. Dear reader, we ex pect a club from your neighborhood, we expect a club from you. Lot U9 have it at one a. EDITORIAL NOTES. Mr. Simmons' reply to Mr. Mew boorne was crowded out of our last issue. We were even compelled to slightly condense Mr. Mewboorne'slet ter in order to give it a place. Now we ehall expect those brethren who ac cused us of unfairness to prove their fairness by correcting their untrue statements regarding our position in the matter. College Trustees and religious jour nals may rquirm, but the fact remains that they are not in a position to op pose trusts so long as they accept the blood money wrung from the public, and it is but natural that these trusts can have an influence in shaping the policy of these colleges. If trustees and professors are not better than the balance of mankind they will bo in fluenced. "Christian Education" can not succeed with such environments. The County Union published at Dunn in Harnett County is a funny paper. In its issue of July 27 wh it advises the negroes ot Harnett County to demand recognition. It says they are entitled to part of the county ticket and in the same issue and same column it calls upon the people of the county to or ganize what it terms "White Supre macy Clubs." Wants one in every School house in the County. Is con eistency a jewel! The Agricultural Department paid into the State Treasury during the year ending June 1st, 1898, $58 033 72 which was the largest year's work of the Department. The amount turned in for the two years, from June 1st, '95, to June 1st, '97, was $100,172 90, or an average of $50,086 45-$7 947 27 less per year than last year. Mewboorne took charge of the Department June 1st, 1897. So this shows the first year's operations sice 3 the old admimstra tion went out compared with the best two years under the old regime. Per haps the News and Distorter can get some comfort from this. An editorial in last week's issue of a certain religious paper in this State surprised us surprised us, first, be cause of the style, which did not be come a religious paper ; second, because it was bitterly partisan, which in a re ligious paper is disgusting, and third, because an attempt was made to cover up this dirty partisan work with the spotless cloak of Christian education, which made it disgraceful. Does such work merit the confidence or support of Christian? But we will let that pass, ior we believe the author now regrets that he gave place to bis wrath, and we trust he will bring forth fruits meet tor repentance. The Biblical Recorder of last week, speaking of the controversy between this paper and it, says that we "sur render" and "back down," thereby leaving the erroneous impression on the minds of its readers that this paper did attack "Christian education," and while still opposing it, was compelled to "surrender." D3 you consider that fair, Bro. Bailey, when you know that we simply explained for your benefit a certain paragraph, putting on it the same construction which we have held to all the, while? Or will you compel us to adopt the language of the slums, assume supernatural power, and say: 4iYou give out statements you know are not true ?" We are told this is your way of saying a man is does not agree with you. The Fourth District Populist Con vention will be held in Raleigh, Sep tember 8:h. Bro. Tuck will doubtless capture the bachelor vote by that plank favoring a reduction in price of marriage licenses. "'Simmons" get better after after frcst bites them. Wonder if Chair man Simmons is a bettor man since Mowboorne's froat settled on his bud ding hopes? Democratic management of the State Penitentiary shows more than double the deaths and five more escapes from the prison than during 1897, while in pardons the "97 management shows a net gain of only one half a man. In 1895, three convicts were killed by the guards whilo attempting to eecape. In 1896 one suffared the same fate, and one killed himself to batter his condition, while in 1897 one .sue cumbed to the shot of the guard. Have the ex pie eaters anything to brag on in this? We are apologists for no man's pub lie sins. We ask, however, why should there be such a falling off in the death roll at the State Penitentiarj ? There were 43 deaths in 1895 ; there were also 43 deaths in 1896, while there were only 20 deaths in 1897. Why this dif ference? Were the prisoners treated more humanely ? Is that a sin? The ex pie ring crow heavily on the pardons by Governor Russell. "About to depopulate the institutions," they say. The truth is in 1895 there were 37 pardons, in 1896 there were 34, while in 1897 there were just 36, only an average of a half a man a year above the last two years that the State was under Democratic management. "Escaping convicts" has baen the cry of the Hypocratic organs for some time. L3t just ons get away and the "Fusionists," the "Russell Butler crowd" catch it from Murphy to Man teo. But see here, boys, did the News and Distorter ever tell you that there were 38 escapes in 1895, 52 escapes in 1896, and only 40 escapes in 1897? These are facts, and they show an average saving of 5 convicts per year by the management of 1897. Bro. Johnson, of Charity and Chil dren, says: "The Postcffice Depart ment is more inefficient than we have known it in three years. We never exercised greater care in mailing Charity and Children and we never heard more complaint. The fault lies at the door of the new postmasters, we suppose, who have not learned their business yet." About the same way with us. If any of our readers fail to re ceive papers regularly, however, we hope they will notify us, as we may be able to help them. LATEST WAR NEWS. No answer has been received frcm Spain on the peace question, and while the delay is provoking, it is believed that she will accept cur terms. The Maria Tereea, one of Cervera's sunken vessels has been raised and re paired and will sail for Norfolk under her own steam in a few days. ON TO PORTO RICO 1 As the First North Carolina Regi ment is to go to Porto Ric3, the de scription of that island on page 3 will be of especial interest to our readers. Persons who have been f righteced by the reports of a possible yellow fever epidemic in Santiago, have no cause for fear of such a catastrophe among soldiers in Porto Rico, for it is the healthiest of the Antilles. Johnson's Encyclo; se lia says: "Water is abun dant and vegetation very rich. Toe island is remarkably free from beasts of prey and ssrpents, but is infested wiih rats, thousand legs, mosquitoes and other tormenting insects. The climate is hot, especially in the valleys and coast land, but not unhealthy." DAY DREAMS. The editor of the Charlotte Observer evidently has formed the habit of tak lag a nap just after dinner to "dream dreams." The issue for the 5;h con tained an editorial telling of the fear ful and wonderful decadence of tha Populist party in the West and por tions of the South, all of which has been beard before. The Observer pre diets that in two or three years the Populist party will be completely for gotten. Then it says : " We hope that the Populists of this State will be warned in time and will seek a safer habitation before the crash comes." We prepume that the above is a threat The Ooaerver thinka that if the Democrats can succeed in carrying the State they will resurre cfc all their old scheoies of bru ality, and make it so hot for the Populist3 in this State that they will be glad to escape from the borders into some other land. It i3 certain that a very large number of Democrats entertain such hoDea. and if the Observer is not in hearty accord it is a well wisher. Not long ago a Democrat said to the writer: "All we want is to carry the legislature once more. We will then fix things eo no other party nor com bination of parties can carry the State." Of course he meant that they will pass an election law that will enable the minority to carry the State. And this man has been a Democratic office holder and is a prominent and active church member. We imagine that the management of State affairs will have to become very bad before the people will consent for such a crowd of law breakers and liberty crushers to get in again. Men who are willing to adopt dishonest methods to carry the State and retain possession cannot and will not give good government. Every one of them ought to ba wearing stripes. Is the Charlotte Observer willing to endorse such methods? Does it really mean that its crowd hopes to get in and make it unbearably hot for the Populists in this State? We hope not, but fear that it has reached that low notch in the scale of politics. But the Populists will "take warning." LET THE RECORDS TELL. Much smoke is beicg raised of late about the penitentiary. We believe in fair play and truth. As claims that the penitentiary has been self sustain ing under past administrations have been persistently made, and perhaps believed by many, we wish to call at ten tion to a few figures from the re cords. The Superintendent of the Peniten tiary in his report for the year 1891, says he began that year "with a cash balance of $113,069 98 " Add to this the appropriation of 1893. $25,000, and the appropriation of 1895, $44,158 71 This shows that the institution had in eluding the balance started with $182, 228 69, which it did not earn during the years 1891-2-3-4-5 and 6 Then it is evident that, if the penitentiary was self sustaining all this time, it should, at the end of 1896, have had a cash bal ance on hand of at least $182 22S 69 We find from the records, however, that the cash balance in hand when Mr. Leazsr reported for the year 1896 at the close of his term, was: Farm products, $28,346 68 2,659 bales of cotton at $29. $77 111 Less drawn on same, 29,000 48 111 00 Cotton seed, surplus, 1 225 00 Bricks, 5"5i7 27 CiSh, 8,494 45 Making a total balance, $91,694 40 Diduct from this an advance by the State Treasurer of $5 000 which is not mentioned in the report, and you will ceo that counting every thing in sight at his own figures, he had only, all told, $86 694 40 Subtracting this bal ance from what it should be, if self supporting, there appears a shortage of at least $95,534 29 What has be come of this? Who will explain? Don't try to hide it behind smoke. Note The $113 069 98 included unused balances of all appropriations to the beginning of 1891. and was by no means an evidence that the peni tentiary had supported itself up to that date. NOW YOU HAVE I F. The News and Observer of the6,h contained an editorial a column and a half long headed, "The Present Elec tior L iw is Infamous." That editorial needs no comment. The heading tells where the News and Ooserver stands. The only law the N jws and Ob3erver can approve is one tnat permits a few men to carry the S.ate and disfranchise, if they wish, eight tenths of the voters of the State. And that crowd chink they ought to be given control of theS:ateJ But the News and Observer minority will not be able to fool the voters. COMING HOME TO STATE. SAVE THE The News and Observer aoncunces that Mr. N E Jennett is coming oack frcm New York and will do cartoon work on that paper for three months to help redeem the good old S:ate. If Mr. Jennett does not meet with better sue cess than did Mr. Daniels, the good old State will have a rocky time. But we are glad Jennett is coming back. He is one of the brightc st of the many bright boys who have been born here. He began to make cuts with a pocket knife ia Sampson county a few years ago. Laier he did some very good work for the News and Ooserver. A year or two ago he went to school in New York and added knowledge to bis natural capacity for cartooning and so fast did he learn that ne has been able to take a place in the front ranks of skilful cartoonists, his productions ap pearing regularly in some of the lead ing papers ot New York. Yes, we sre glad Jennett is coming back. His wood cuts illustrating cur rent events and taking off individuals were about all that nas appeared in tne News and Ooserver under the present managtnrsnt at least all that was na -ural and reliable. Open the way for Jennett. NOT PERFECT BUT A GREAT IMPROVEMENT. The Progressive Farmer doesn't be lieve in smothering truth in any form. We do not believe in trying to cover up or hide any of the shortcomings of the present administration. Whenever a foult is discovered, it should be cor rected at once. A perfect administra tion was not expected, for to err is hu man, and wa suppose that no voter considered any candidate the incarna tion of the angel Gabriel. Still, with out denying that our present admin istration has its faults, we mu3t say that we consider it far superior to for mer ones. The State no longer loses several thousand dollars per month, in the Secretary of State's office ; there has been no secret midnight lease, nor hob nobbing with corporation lobyists; the Governor is not a corporation tool ; no oyster frauds have been approved ; there is no drunken incompetent in the capitol; so far as we know no Democrat has ever stated that the Treasury, Auditor's or State Depart ments were ever better managed ; the death rate at the penitentiary has been reduced about 40 per cent; no abler Superintendent of Public In structicn have we had for years but we have not the space to enumerate all the important reforms even in the Executive Department. Of improve ments in our judiciary and legislative deparptments we might also tell, but it is not our intention to deprive our Democratic friends of all campaign thunder unti later in the campaign. We are informed that an appropria tion of $25 000 was made to enable the Department of Agriculture to make an exhibit of the State's resouxces, etc., at the Columbia Exposition in Chicago. We learn also that $15,000 of this ap propriation was spent in Michigan for show cases in which to make this ex hibit, and we are told that these show cases were brought to our State Mu seum after the close of the exposition, and that they may be seen there by any one who wish to see them. The question is why should Michigan wood and Michigan labor to make show cases at such exhorbitant figures have been given the preference in these ex hibits? Didn't we have wood suitable and workmen competent at heme? And could not the show cases said to have cost $15,000 in Michigan have been made for less than $5,000 in North Carolina? Who will answer? Com pare the Michigan made with the North Carolina made show cases, ia the Museum, and remember that North Carolina made cost less than half as much as those from Michigan. HAD THE CAMPAIGN COMMIT TEE BORROWED IT? Oa November 30 .h, 1896, the then Secretary of State paid mto the State Treasury what the auditor's voucher accompanying the payments said was collections on the accounts to whica credited "to date." This was his last payment into the Treasury. When Dr. Cy Thompson was inau gurated January 12 ch, 1897, the same outgoing Secretary of State turned over to Dr. Thompson on the same ac counts (which, as the last payment Nov. 30th was "to date," should have been for the amounts collected on these accounts between Nov. 30 ch, 1896, and January 12 ;b, 1897,) the sum of $3, 304 05 The books in the effije of the Secretary State show that on these same accounts the total collections be tween Nov. 30;h, ?96. and Jia. 12;h, '97, were only $835 98 These being facts, it is evident that $2 558,07 of the cash turned over to Dr. Tnompson was collected before Nov. 30th, 1896, and should have been turned over to the State Treasurer then or before, and the mystery is, where was this $2,558 07 onNjv. 30ih, 1896? It is easy to ac ccuat for smoke to hide tuch facts as these. We are simply seeking after the truth, and The Progressive Far her is ready to publish any satisfac tory explanation. Subscribers will do well to preserve thir copy of The Progressive Farmer, as it contains soma f&Cis and figures which the Hypccracy of the Ssate wish to smother. But we propose to keep hammering away on this line all sum mer and fall. Just get a club of sub scribers from your neighbors and put the truth before all voters. A few minutes work may bring forth much fruit. WHAT THINK YE OF IT? It is not our custom to publish an nouncements of candidates for county rffiaes, but we have received from Bro. N. N. Tuck, of Person county, his tn nouncement as candidate for the legis lature and in it he advocates reforms aoout which we should like to hear from our read ere. The legislatures of 1825 and 1897 did some good work but taey were not perfect, and as we will see from reading Bro. Tuck's letter there ia still room for improvement. In annour clog his caniidacy he says that he endorses the Populist platform and will do all in his power to have the following additional legislation enact ed, to wit: To abolish biennial sessions of the legislature and substitute quadrennial sessions. To reduce the number of Senators from 50 to 25 and the number of Rep resentatives from 120 to 50. To abolish the present Railroad Com mission and have its duties devolve upon the Secretary of State, Auditor and Treasurer, who shall be Ex Officio Railroad Commissioners, without ad ditional compensation. To constitute the Superintendent of Public Instructions Ex Officio Secre tary of the Commission without addi tional compensation. To abolish the office of County Treas urer and have his duties devolve upon the Sheriff without additional com pen sation. To abolish the Court Cost against the County for County Officers and Solicitor. To reduce the term of Superior Court Clerk from 4 to 2 years like all other County Officers. To tax the Railroads according to their Capitalization. To tax all Railroads one per cent upon their gross incomes in addition to valuation tax. To tax all other Corporations both native and foreign doing business in this State, in the same manner and at the same rate as railroads are taxed. To reduce the Officer's Fees on Crop Liens from $1.05 to 30 cents. To reduce Marriage Licenses from $3 00 to 25 cents. To provide for four months public schools in every district every year. To provide for the State to pay over to the County an amount equal to the Terrell fund. To provide for the Board of Eluca tion and County Supervisor and School Committees to be elected in Person county by the people at an election to bd held for that purpose on the 1st Monday in May, 1899, and at every re gular election .for county officers thereafter. To provide for the patrons of Public Schools to elect their Public School Teachar. To provide for the election of the Su perintendent of the Home for the Aged and Infirm by the people. To confirm the action of Gov. Rus sell in suspending from effi jo the two Wilsons as Railroad Commissioners. To enact an effective Anti Trust Law so effective that it will drive every trust from North Carolina soil within thirty days after its enactment. To provide for the election of United States Senators by the people at pri mary elections to be held at the same time and place as the regular election for members of Legislature who will be required to elect a United States Senator. To tax legacies and inheritances. To withdraw all appropriations from the University and all other Colleges until a four months term of the Public School in every district shall be pro vided for. We do not agree with Bro. Tuck on everything but as a whole we must say we believe this is the best platform for a legislative candidate that we have seen this year. Many of these reforms have been but little discussed, and we should be pleased to have our readers give us their opinion of the laws proposed by our Person county brother. TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. We do not have to leave home to find funny typographical errors, but it comforts us to know that "there are others." In a Missouri newspaper office, re cently, the boy who "makes up" the forms got the galleys mixed. After putting the first part of an obituary into the form, he, by mistake, took the next handful of type from a galley containing a description of a fire. The paragraph thus made read as follows: "The pallbearers lowered the body to the grave. It was consigned to the flames. There were few, if any re grets, for the old wreck had been an eyesore to the town for years. Of course there was individual loss, but that was fully covered by insurance." And in a religious newspaper of this State last week we find the following amazing statement: "By scorching the scriptures you may learn how a sinner may be1 saved and how a Christian may Become stronger in spiritual things." Of course, we know that editors get pretty hard up during the summer months, but until this appeared we supposed that none of them had tried to cook the Bible . Perhaps this editor has a long list of delinquents, too. But, after all, we expect he wrote, "B searching the Scriptures,'' etc. Nothing is politically right that Is morally wrong O'Connell. THE THINKERS. A little, short doctor of diving . large Baptist convention ,fn. step and said he thanked G0d h Q a a Baptist. The audience couu 8 hear and nallod- T.r-i.i .. &0t higher," some one said. "IcaQWP replied. "To be a Baptist is B3 V ! as one can get." But there is 8om thing higher than being a Baptist aT member of any other church, and th is being a man. Success. - Charles Dudley Warner, in the (W look, tells the story of his encouate with a bear last summer. Brought into close quarters, some very eeriou thoughts quite overwhelmed him! "a8 I was cocking my gun, I made a hastv and unsatisfactory review of my whbl tie. The sins came out uncommonl8 strong. I recollected a newspaper eu scription I had delayed paying, year8 and years ago until both editor acd newspaper were dead, and which no never could ba paid to all eterniu That is a warning that ought not to"be neglected. It may set some people to thinking of bears and unpaid subscrin. tions. Wo shall be awfully sorry if bear shall come out of the mountain and devour any of our friend this buqj. mer. Central Methodist. The railways of the United States and their equipment, represent ebout $2,700,000,000 of actual money, but are capitalized for fOver $11,000,000,000 Think of it I Over eight billion dollars of counterfeit capital drawing tho ssme interest and dividends from far mers, merchants, manufacturers and other patrons of railways, that the real or genuine dollar gets. Ani this in our boasted "land of the free and home of the brave." To contemplate, when paying 90 cents for a railway ticket, that 60 cents of it goes to pay interest on counter feit capital and 30 cents to real capital does not tend to lift the eyebrows and raise the corners of the mouth. Farm Stock and Home. George Gould is trying to evade h)'s fair share of war taxes. He says that the $7,000,000 bt queathed him by the late Jay Gould was not a gift but a salary of $500,000 a year for a period of ten years. The New York Journal estimates this piece of trickery prop erly and says: "Mr. Gould is trying to show how one law may be cheated. Yet none would cry louder than ho if the legal rights of his various corporations were invaded and set at naught for the pub lic. He would discern anarchy in an effort to take the elevated railroads in to public ownership, and an tffwttn uvuunr reduce the tax wh-ch he levies on the I public is to him a grave injustice." In a few years Mr. Gould may Jearn how it is possible to tax his salary at the rate of $500,000 or more a year. There is nothing like precedents. The New Time. Should we enter an Anglo American Alliance? Much may be said on both sides. A formal, iron-clad confeder acy seems unwise. Washington's words express good sense still: "Ea ter into no entangling alliances" Should the Anglo Saxon race form a union, the Latin races might do the same. We should not antagonize France, our ally of the Revolution. We should not antagonize Russia, our friend in the Civil War. We want to keep a frank, generous openness to ward each of the whole brotherhood of nations, as heretofore. A cordiai understanding we can re joice in and promote. For us it has borne fruit already ; we shall not un generously forget. Arbitration, within reasonable limits, and carefully guard ed, may be adopted. Between the cabinets, certain projects of large mo ment, like the Nicaragua Canal, might be amicably diecussed, and agreements entered into. An Anglo American council might annually, or oftener, consult upon current politics. Sue cess. Fiction occasionally makes history, or, what ia the same in effect what pisses for history with the uninformed. A striking illustration of this fact may be found in Mrs. 8towe'a "Uncle Tom'fl Cabin" which for fifty years has been accepted by millions of American readers as historical truth. That it did contain a certain coloring of truth, no candid reader will deny; that J was a true representation of the instJ tution of elavery in our Southf 8tates, no intelligent reader will dare affirm. It ia not my purpose to defend slav ery as it was; its justification was xn the fact that it existed long before America was a nation, and that it w as recognized and protected by the Fed eral Constitution of 1783, although the word slavery" does not occur ; m that instrument. All the colonies im ported Africans, BDd held thrm m fer vitude. In the northern colonies they were unprofitable. South of Mascn and Dixon's line they were a source ot wealth. The northern people did not want an unprofitable investment tor their money, and got rid of weir slaves ; the southern people found proa in slaves and held on to them. This is history. It is not only tory, but it is universal history. ben Culture, Akron, Ohio. r
The Progressive Farmer (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Aug. 9, 1898, edition 1
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