y. f. MAI SHALL, UUor *mi rro»ri«tw._ DEVOTED TO THE PROTECTION OP HOME
VOL, XXIV. GASTONIA, N. C., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22.
READY FOR
THE HOLIDAYS
•J Our buyer is just back from
the northern markets where he
purchased a large and complete
line of goods for the holiday
trade. We have just what yon
want. Don't do your Christmas
s h o p p i n g till you have been
through our store—you’ll find
just what you want right here.
Our Grocery Department is also
excellently prepared to fnmish
everything for t h e Christmas
dinner. E v e r y department
full and complete. You’ll find
a welcome at the People’s Store
Thomson Co.
The People’s Store
SPANIARDS DESPISE
TRADE AMD LABOR.
Have an Idea Thatl It ia Dagrad
log—All Want Garernmsnt Po
siliana — Millions art Idle—
Ahant t5.0M.0D0 Aanoally Ex.
yen dad on Boll Fights, Bat
Schools Are Scarce.
William E. Cnriia, writing fox
the Washington Star from Gran
ada, Spain, Nov. 30 says:
It may seem a very simple
thing, but it is nevertheless a
matter of great importance that
a Spanish workman rolls a cig
arette every few minutes, and
thns wastes a great deal of valu
able time. OveT in Gibraltar,
where ten or twelve thousand
Spaniards are employed by the
British government, no holidays
and no cigarettes are allowed,
and any one who cares to study
the question can find a most ex
traordinary difference in the
men, in the results of their labor
and in their character, their con
dition and their earnings. They
"get a white man's wages, but
are required a white man’s
woTk,” as the English boas put
it tome, "and no dago nonaenae
is allowed.” Tne success of
this policy indicates what might
happen in Spain if some practi
ces were introduced, throughout
the kingdom, but Spaniards will
tell yon that a revolntion would
follow if snch a thing were at
tempted.
Another important point,
which also may seem absurd, is
the amount of time wasted in
formalities, • such ss I told you
about a day or two ago. No
gentleman will introduce busi
ness at hit first call, but will
come back the next day; nor ia
U considered good form for a
Spaniard to decide a question at
the first interview, it will not
do for him to agree to anything
promptly. There must be an
overture in every opera. That
is the etiquette of the country
and waatca no end of valuable
time.
THAtnt AKn u»o« DFsriann.
Then the old fashioned idea
still prevails that it la degrading
lor a man to have anything to do
with labor or with trade. Trades
men have ho social position.
'The farmer who raises wheat ia
••■***4 in an honorable occupa
tion, but the miller who grinds
it and the merchant who sells it
are not. They are not gentle
men aod cannot be as long as
they live. They must be born
aguin before they can be admit
ted to good society.
For this and other reasons
young men will not go into busi
ness or engage in manufacturing.
It ia more honorable to be a
sponge or a loafer and spend
their time gambling at the club.
In Spanish families to-day the
eldest son looks after the estate;
and of the older sons, if there
are so many, one geta a position
under the government,- another
becomes a lawyer, another a sol
dier, another a priest, or they be
come chronic loafers. Service
in the army iiinore popular than
it used to be, because there are
no colonies to keep in subjection
and the army ia not sent out of
Spain. Bat the regulation that
military officers may not marry
without a certain tucotne, in or
der that their widows and or
phans shall not be a burden to
the state, prevents many a young
man from entering upon a mili
tary career.
The most desirable employ
ment is in a government office,
no matter bow hnmble or how
unprofitable the position. Hence
about one in every 195 baa hie
name on the public payroll,
drawing from $10 a month up in
the way of salary. No matter
how small the pay, the occupa
tion is honorable, although there
ia no chance of advancement,
and a young woman of wealth
and social position will marry a
man wbo holds a sinecure iu a
government office with earning
naif the small salary he receives,
while she would reject with
acorn an offer from a prosperous
merchant or manufacturer, who
u earning an honest living, ac
cumulating wealth and doing
something toward the improve
ment of hia country.
MILLIONS OS TDLSSA.
Nearly one-half of the 19,000,
000 population of Spain, or to be
exact, 8.727,519 persona, accord
ing to the last census, declare
that they have no occupation,
and they are proud of the fact.
Probably many of them lied
about it. aud claimed to be idlers
while they are actually working
for wages. That it enough to
explain tht poverty of the coun
try, and why the streets are filled
with idle yonng men, who re
ceive small allowances from their
fathers and spend theft time in
dissipation and vice. According
to the same census there are 97.
257 persona in the employ of the
government, 64,008 retired mili
tary and naval officers, 91,600
lawyers, 68,916 doc tors, 43.258
priests and only 41,654 school
teachers. A little calculation
wilj show you that there if one
priest to every 400 people and if
you will include the 50.932
monks and nuns, which is a very
low estimate, you will find that
there Is only one tracher for
every 200, while there is only one
teacher for every 400 of the pop
ulation and a school house for
every 2,200.
MOBR SPENT ON BULL UINGS
TltAK SCHOOLS.
School houses are very scarce
in Spain. More money is paid
to support bull ring* than tbc
schools. It is estimated that
more than $5,000,000 is expend
ed on hull fights during each
year, while in 1001 only $1,617,
314 was expended for public edu
cation. There were more stu
dents in the University of Sala
manca alone 400 years ago. dur
ing the reigu of Ferdinand and
Isabella, than are enrolled in all
the nine Universities of Spain
to-day, and, by the census of
1606, more than 68 per cent of
the population are illiterate.
The exact figures show that
6,104,470 can neither read nor
write, 3,417,855 can read a little,
while 2,686,815 can read and
write a little.
The act of July 1902, requires
a school for every 500 population
SLANG PtAlSED BY
_HAIVAIB MAR.
Frederick Manley Brads Oat the
■ul Gesds ts Essex. N. J.,
Trackers Institute.
New Yolk World.
Slang was handed out yestei
day good and proper to the Es
sex County, X. J.,Teacbers’ In
stitute. Frederick Manley, of
Harvard University, who was
carded for a spiel on "Language,
Literature and Life," let go of
aome- wise, straight, talk that
made the bunch of intellects sit
up and get next.
For the first time in its history
the institute had a divided an
nual session. The Hi^h and
Grammar sections met iu the
First Presbyterian Church at
Newark, while the primary and
kindergarten sections met in the
Newark High School.
Mr. Manley addressed the High
and Grammar School teachera in
the church and the way he
whirled out hot facts about slang
would sure make George Ade
happy. He urged his bearer* to
get wise to the fact that he
wasn’t rooting for the slang fac
tory, nor yet carrying arouod
slang samples in a neat weather
proof case; nevertheless there
THE LAWYER’S ADVICE
While returning to his
home in Grand Rapids
tfccently, Stewart Edward
White, the author, fell
into conversation with an
elderly In the smok
ing room of the parlor
car. The man, ns he af
terward found out, is one
of the most prominent
lawyers in Ohio. Tim
talk turned on the timber
interests of the North,
and several other men
took part. Mr. White
has lived half his life in
lumber camps, and showed
a familiarity with the sub
ject that greatly interested
_ the Ohio lawyer, who i
to him
and said:
“Young man, do you know of a book called 'The W«H 1
Trail?'"
“Yea, I know of it," said White; "in fact-**
"If you haven’t read that story," broke In the man,
“you ought to get out at the next station and get it. I've
recommended it to every man of my acquaintance, paiticu- <
lady the young men. But you particularly ought to read It,
for you’re interarted in lumber—I suppose you are in the ,
business end, as a picture of forest and lumber camp life,
It’s wonderful. I tell you, young -” i
"Excuse me," interrupted White, in confusion;
"but the fact is I wrote ’The Blazed Trail!”*
The older man looked at him hard, and thy his eyes
twinkled. “I’ll send yon s bill later for the work I have
done in booming it,” he said. ,
THE BLAZED TRAIL
BT STEWAXT EDWAID WHITE
WILL BE OUR NEXT SERIAL STORY
You can avail yourself of legal advice without paying for it.
Commences in The Gazette Dec. 29th.
and the minister of education is
required to examine teachers to
see that they are qualified and
to inspect the schools for sanitary
reasons and for discipline, bat
tbc law it not enforced, and i
few day* ago Senor Silvela, re
cently prime miaister, in ex
plaining his retirement from po
litical life, declared that he bad
reached the melancholy conclu
sion that hit country was not in
terested in agriculture, industry,
trade, public works or public in
struction._
AGoed OU Ale
HeW Ynck rice.
United States Senator Pettus,
aged eighty-three, attributes hi*
health and long life to an avoid
ance of gravy on his meats.
Perhaps if he had eaten gravy he
might now l»e 12,1 fears young,
instead of eighty-three years old.
which reminds me of a story:
Uncle Jeff—"Look s-heah, yo'
Ilcn’y Clay White I How many
timea has Ah toi’ yo’ dst
smoke in'll ahoten yo’ latfe tno’n
haf?"
Young Ilcnry Clay White—
"Wal UnWer Jeff, vo’s been
smokin’ mo*' all yo' laife, en
yo's er putty ole man.”
"Dat’s all rtight, yo’ fool
nigger. Ah’a eighty-four, en el
Ah hadn’t er smoked when Ah
was er b<>v Ah ma<ght e-been
tuo'n er 100 year* ole b/ dis
time.”
were times when slang waa the
goods—the real thing, from soda
to hock.
"For example,” said Mr. Man
ley, the "marble heart, and the
"glad band," are expressions
which had they been used in the
Dible, would now be referred to
by professors of literature as
simple and beautiful. I remem
ber a small boy at a prosy lec
ture who exclhimed: ’Gee I If I
don't get out o’ here. I'll have
bats in me belfry I” What could
be more severely critical and
definite?
"I remember hearing a boy
enthusiastically describe a girl
as 'a peach with the dew on it.”
She was a lovely creature with
the bloom of May on her cheeks.
Was not the boy’s description of
her beautiful?"
*— ■ ——- i
Shipping North Carolina Cette*
Seed U Texas.
Monro* Xwirlrrr.
Msoy thousands of bushels of
cotton seed for planting will be
shipped from North Carolina to
Texas this season. There is a
buyer on the market in Charlotte
buying every bnehrl of King's
Improved cotton seed ha can get.
This variety, being early, is In
great demand by Texas planters,
as it matures before the dreaded
boll weevil does so much dam
axe.
4a OwanrcvM Vbbub.
K«w York Moil oad Monts
I stopped to get ■ glass of milk
the other day at a Jersey farm
home, said the commuter, and
the female head of the estab
lishment, who bad six children
playing around, waa inclined to
repine at her hard lock in hav
ing so roach work to do.
I ran this whole farm," she
remarked, in a tone which in
dicated that she was ready to
resign."
"How maoy acres have yon?”
I inquired.
"A hundred and forty."
"Ciot any atock.”
"Ten head of cattle, two
:owa, six bogs and work bones
For the place."
"And yon ran the whole bnsi
pest?' i asked.
"Indeed I do; every hide an1
hair of it,” she sighed.
"Don’t yon hire some help?"
"Of course, but 'taint hired
kelp that takes the load often
one's body." There was some
philosophy in thst and I panned
a minute.
"Haven’t yon got a husband?"
I then asked symnatbetically.
"Yes." she said sternly, "bat
pou see I have to ran him,too."
Canadian Empire.
Kirtunoad Nwi
The disposition in this country
to minimize the outlook for a
great empire to tbe north of tut
is largely tbe reaultof ignorance
or thoughtlessness. The more
prevalent conception of Canada
takes in only the provinces of
Quebec. Ontario and New Bruns
wick and a few more or less im
portant islands, with tbeir com
paratively limited area and a
population less than that of the
State of Pennsylvania. As a
matter of fact, however, Canada
possesses a total land aud water
area greater than that of the
United States. There is a gen
eral Vague impressionol a north
west Cauadian territory, hut this
carries with it the idea of a
bleak, m uninhabited, region—a
notion as erroneous as the one
regarding the size of Canada.
Several years ago tbe Domin
ion government instituted under
■ scientific commission a syste
matic survey and exploration of
Northwest Canada, and the re
ports of tbe commission, which
arc given in great detail, show
that within that territory there is
a vast area pf unparalleled rich
nesa, with a climate little, if any
more severe than the climate of
tbe States on the northern border
of thia country. With the
spread of this information the
region has begun to fill np rapid
ly, and there has been steady
development. For the fiscal
year ending June 30 last nearly
*2.000 natives of the British Isles
settled there and 38,000 foreign
speaking immigrants, from every
European country except Turkey
and Spain helped to swell their
ranks. In addition, 45,000 farm
ers front the Western States of
the United States emigrated to
tbe "new land of promipe,”
many of these we are told, mov
ing tbeir flocks and herds, their
agricultural implements and all
tbeir possessions with them,
while others bought their out
fits on arrival. During tbe year
the Dominion government
granted free 31^343 home
steads, of 160 acres each to
settlers and other incomers
bought 2,680.519 acres from the
Canadian Pacific Railway Com
pany; 1,160,000 from a specula
tive land organisation from the
United States, and large areas
from smaller corporations and
from the government. In the
meantime’ railroads are building
into the region and others ere
are projected. This story of
northwest development is inter
esting not only in its bearing on
the matter of dixpelliag wide
3 resd misapprehension bat as
demonstrating the wisdom of
basing all efforts to secure im
migration on absolutely reliable
intelligent statements at to
WE OLD RELIABLE
,
,
THREE PAYS MOREI |
Scarcely three day* remain ia which J
to do your holiday abopptag. Almost 4
takes one’s breath as the lew remain- J
lag days before Christmas' go flying
past, ft ia ao easy to pat thing* of. >
Don’t doit. Come to (U right now ,
and let us belp yon get answers to
yoar Christmas questions. ft it’ss
question of anything beantlfnl for 4
the correct answer, the stylish answer, 4
the latest right.trp-to4be-miMtt
answer, and we shall be perfectly hap- *
py to place ourselves at year service A
when you call. 1 Call early aadoften
is the cordial Invitation we give *
yon. Yours for a Happy Christmas. t
J. F. YEAGER :
.>3
m PRUDENT SANTA CLAUS
will depots* here at least
part o! the amount onlinar.
tei&’SKSSES
little hoar hank*, and drop
them into the stocking,.la*
atcad of somethin* of tea
porsry valne. The Gastonia
Savings Bank nil! open an
account upon a deposit of $1
or over. Yon not only give
yoor child the dollar, hot
you nay firt hia a habit of
aaving. worth' more than i
money.
GASTONIA SAVINGS BANK,
L. L. JENKINS. Aw. /_ £.. HARDIN. Cmxkitr.
Gastonia Banking Go.
■ ■ Gastonia, N. c.——
__ «
CAPITAL AND SURPLUS, $75,000.00
State Beak Incorporated May 13, 1303
STATE AND COUNTY DEPOSITORY '
OFFICERS DIRECTORS
♦ ♦♦ ♦♦♦
JNO. P.LOVB.PrcaUattt «, o. LOVI
R.C.O.LOVB.V*. Pr~, J-J"*
JAJL *♦ rAO»« Cm»t mr. t f T»
_ -V
* Gne of the most perplexing questions of the jresr is what
tobayaa a Christmas gift. What is mom asefal fora
Christmas present than something is Clothing nr Maw’s
Furnishings? If you want something that wfl) please yawr
husband, youc non, or your sweetheart nothing will tans
fully meet this requirement than a nice : I j *
811k Muffler.
Keck Tie, a pair of 8flk laspsnden, Glores. Handker
chief*. eod a thousand other thiags to he had at the : :
W. A. SLATER COMPANY
aaay..Vfc^ tesaftFEisgj