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I YOL. XLIX. WINNSBORO, S. C., WEDNESD^T, NOVEMBER 7, 1894. NO. 13. |j "ioTEMMENT RAILROADS. NOT A 8UCCE88 IN ACTUAL PRACTICE ANYWHERE. Th? Becultt Not by Any Means Eccourmjrlaff?A BiUo ot Paternalism Hostile to Republican ln?t!tutlono. The interstate commerce commission has been compiling for some time a statement of the conditions under which the railroads of the world are operated. The subject was not suggested by the recent testimony before the commission meeting in Chicago. The labor union men there hare testir fled their belief that the solution of the problem of employer and employed on the railroad world was the government control of railroads. The facts and the figures which the interstate commerce commission has gathered together do not, says the Phil- j adelphia Times, confirm their theory by the experience of other nations. 4 Even in the United States the experiment of railroads controlled by the State has been tried in different sections and has so far proved a distinct failure. There are only six countries In the world in which the control of virtually all the railroads is in the hands of the state. They are Australasia, the Ckpe of Good Hope, Egypt, Nicaragua .^^^Mfifel^araguay ana reru?cwruuiuy uoi< feuratriee after which the United States Brid be very much tempted to patthere are some great counmp which the state is a part owner ^ railroads, and these include GerJnjw many, France, Denmark, Aestrianfinagary, Belgium, Brazil and Canada. KS&eft Eleven countries, or one-half of these Bn in which railroads are operated, have K no Interest in the operation of the roada I fcheyond a claim for money advanced! to wome of them. In two countries railBoads are owned by the government, Krat are leased to private companies, Kvhich operate them. W In Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru, |Wwhere there was no inducement for fir private capital to invest in railroads, the governments were obliged to build what few lines there are, and these are J9 operated by the government and run I by the government- employees. In Australasia, with the exception of one or p two short lines, the colonial govern r meat have built toe roads with money derived from loans negotiated by agents t general. In Victoria and New South r wales so many abuses grew out of toe I partisan control of the roads that ten yean ago they were placed under the direct management of a non-partisan commission, which net only directs their operation, but has charge of toe construction of new lines. In Egypt ? there are about ly25G miles of railroads u c . belonging to the government and two W short lines, which are under private controL At toe Gape of Good Hope H^all but about 180 miles of lins in Cape iScIony is owned and controlled by the nmnent, IfcfcST GOVERNMENT CONTROL. ^charged on these out-of-toe* a Mr tasis for toe ^^nflH^^U^Bcfstate-controlled roads. Vwhich are owned by private [ 0 or individuals. Yet Joseph j T Jr., the statistician, has lound H iMB^KEeiLustraaanroads a strong arjraW meit against government control. His remarks (whtcn are net quoted by the Interstate commission) are: "Construction of railroads in Australia failed as a private enterprise. Then each one of the five colonies took the matter up separately as governmental enterprises. ?\ Their construction has been a source of <? grave charges of dishonesty, and their management subject of popular complaint, especially among tie farmers. Freight charges are much higher on the Australian railroads than on our Amt - erican roads." Marshal M. Klrfrman >. writes that the experience of Cape Colony has been the same. "In order to get the necessary votes in the assembly 2 ??V .-1? fkn nnnotw)/.. W pttSB Ik UU1 OUVUUIU>Ul(( UUO w/usw. uution of meritorious lines, it has been necessary to baild other lines, that were ) not required and will not pay it" The condition of affairs finds a parallei in the American congress in the w matter of river and harbor improvements, for the river and harbor bill Is P notoriously a ''log-roll- d" measure. The result of the construction or nonpaying lines in English South Africa, , Mr. Kirkman saps, is that high freight rates axe charged oh the good lines to b make up for losses on the poor lines, p - and this has acted as a prohibition on every industry except diamond and gold mining, and sheep and ostrich farming. Private railway lines are forbidden in Cape Colony because their WI11PCUUUU WtUI U10|VTCluiu?i?iuauu ^ would be fatal to the latter. l Even In Germany the government Jk _ found it necessary to buy up many private roads because their competition Wp was ruinous. Ninety per cent of the W mileage in Germany is owned by the W government, and under the law the government is required to manage the r roads as a single system in tbe interest ; of geoeral traffic. The government may cause the construction and equipment of roads and enforce uniform traffic and polic regulations; and even the few private railways are under the control of state boards, and their maximum rates are fixed in their charters. Although Germany's government [ methods are so admirable in many rel spects the experience of the people of r that. *nnntrrv with flwrammfint Control [ of railroads has been encouraging. Instead of operating the roads in the interest of the people, the government uses them as a source of revenue and r power, and the rates charged are higher than those which are charged in the United States, while the rules of the road are much store burdensome TOO MUCH BED TAPE. An oft-repeated story of Channcy Depew illustrates the red tape of German railroad management A party of young Americans ran after a moving train to board it. The official of the platform called to them to stop. They ran on and boarded the train. At the next station at which the train stopped they were taken from the car by a file of soldiers, and Informed that as they had dearly violated a law of the Empire they had already been tried and Mnttgyrf, without a Hearing, to uuny k days imprisonment. Senator Cmllom, L oo his return from a trip to Germany, few years ago, said that there was more fuss oyer the departure of one In Germany than one would see in a year's travel in America, and that if our railroads had to pay the army of officials which was needed to manage the German roads, they would have to charge twice the present rates. ^ In France the original intention was to have the railroads constructed at the joint expense of the state, the localities through which the lines were run and private individuals; but eventually the roads were to become the oroDertv of the government. The first railroad law wis passed in 1842, the plan outlined being for the construction of lines to diverse from the capital. The operatlog companies contributed about one^ halt the cost of construction. The roads were to belong to the government (after thirty-six years. The panic of 1847 and the political changes which followed altered the origlral plan a great deal, and a new law was passed in 1859, by whlsh the state assumed super* ~ vision of railroad rates, and by this law the roads were to beloog to the government in about one hundred years. Under a law passed in 1883 the government virtually went out of railroad building, but the private companies which construct these roads are required to advance the amount of money which the state would have contributed to the construction fund under the old law, and this money is to be paid gradually by the state within the time when private ownership will cease and the roads will revert to the state. By the middle of the next century France will own all of the French roads, unless a new system is adopted In the meantime. Under this government supervision and half control passenger rates are almost double those of the United States, and freight rates are more than twice as great. The conservatism of France in the introduction of improvements is a matter of comment among American travelers. The same is true of other countries where the government exercises general or partial control. In Belgium about four-fifths of the mileage is owned by the State, and the remaining one-fifth will revert to the government after a period of years. Railway affairs are administered by a department of railways, post offices and telegraphs. Bates are fixed by law. Tne railroads are exempt from taxation. The Belgian system was to hava h?pp a modfil for thfi crovemmftnts of the world, and at first it unquestionably excellent Bat the disposition of government departments to stick to old methods,so well illustrated in the departments at Washington, where for the first time in a ceatnry the red tape in the accounting offices has been shortened recently by a congressional commission, kept the Belgium railroads at a standstill when all the; world was constantly adcpting new improvements and recent devices. The Belgium roads, together, therefore, are monuments to old-fogylsm. The rates of passenger fare charged, however, are very little higher than those of the United States, and the freight rates are only a little more than 50 per cent, higher. In Russia about one-third of the mileage is owned and operated by the State, and some of the private lines have received government aid. A 'tariff council" supervises rates for all lines, and no rate can be changed without the sanction of this council. In Russia as in Japan (where two-thirds of the mileage is owned by the gcvern meat,; uio ouows uuaeruus.es w. any whether a proposed private liae is needed. In fact, there is no free right of way in any country bat the U nited States. In Austria-Hungary ona-half of the railroads are owned by the government, but all private charter ) expire at a stipulated time, not exceeding a period of ninety years, and at thattime all lines, lands and buildings revert to the State. The government fixes the tariffs for its. own line# and revises the tariffs of private lines every three years, andean reduce rates if the net earnings exceed IS per cent. Transportation charges in Russia are 40 per pent, higher than in America. In Austria the passeager rateti are aboat- 60 per cent, higher than in America, and the freight rates more than donble as much. The passenger rates in Spain and Portugal are about whatthey are in IfctBsfecAa of the roads In these countries are private property but most of them have been aided by the government on condition that they become the property of the State within ninety-nine years. ITALY FINDS IT A TAILT7RE. In two countries?Holland and Italy the government owns a part of the mileage but leases its share to private corporations. Italy has tried State railroads and private railroads and almost every relation between the State and individuals in the management of the roads which could be suggested. The whole subject was investigated, by a commission in 1878 and this commission reported adversely to State management. In leasing its lines in 1885 to private parties for a term of sixty years, the Italian government summed up the situation thus: It is a mistake to expect lower rates and better facilities from government than from private mmnanifta. The actual rasults are just the reverse. The State is more apt to tax industry than to. foster it, and when it attempts to tax industry it is even less resposible than a private company. State management is more costly than private management. Much capital is thus wasted. State management is demoralizing both to legitimate business and politics." Italy had one unique experience during the period of government control. One of its provinces, Lombardy, found it necessary to suspend freight service because of lack of ability of those in charge to handle it. In Great Britain and Ireland, as in the Uuited States, none of the roads are owned by the government; but ia the British Isles no lines may be constructed without permission from par liament, A law was passed in 1844 giving the government the right to acquire railroads constructed after that date at a computation value based on profits; but a commission appointed in 1867 reported that it was inexpedient "to subvert the policy which has hitherto been adopted of leaving the construction and management of railroads to the free enterprise of the people, under such conditions as parliament may think best to impose for the general welfare of the public." The board of trade has supervision of the management of the roads in certain respects, and there is a law governing rates anmafVi<n?lilra nnr Inforafrftte mmtllArM I (A. lUVVUtU^ &AAV VViA ftuwt.VMVv law. It is not generally remembered that the United States has made experiments in the State ownership of railroads. Kirk mart, in his book on government control, says: "Government ownership has been tried in a limited way in the United States. Fifty years ago the State of Illinois constructed a road at a cost of 31,000,000,bat disposed of it later for 3100,000. Indiana had a similar experience. Georgia owns a railroad, bat has found it expedient to lease it to private parties. Pennsylvania-constructed a railroad from Philadelphia to Colombia, but subsefuently sold lt,for the reason that the commonwealth, on reflection, believed that transportation was to be regarded as a private enterprise and not as a public function. Massachusetts acquired the Troy and Greenville line, but found it expedient to part with it. Michigan, in its early history, constructed and operated railroads, but within a decade found it advisable to dispose of tbem, and the people of the State, by provision of their construction, subsequently forbade the State from participating in such work." The State committee on interstate ! commerce made a report on the uubject of government control in 1886, admitting the virtue of general control of the railroads as one system, but saying that the giving of additional power to the government would always prove a formidable barrier to the adoption of the policy, and that "the committee sees no necessity for considering its advantages or disadvantages until other methods of regulation more American in spirit have at least been given a trial and proved unsutisfacj tory." ? . . i ; SHAKING UP SHEEHAN. A LIVELY DAY IN THE LEXOW COMMITTEE. Counsel Gcfit and Commissioner Sheehan Have the Klasr to Themselves? Tammany mad the I/quor M?n-A Flat Kefasal. Xew York, Oct. 31.?Commissioner Sheeban was on the stand again today hafnra t-Vio TiTAm oAmmittoa and So UVJJLViVJ vuu JUOAVT VV I > liiiVWVV v*mv? ? usual a good deal of hot talk passed between the witness andL-. yer G-ofC. Half an hour before adjournment, Mr. Sbeehan was excused for the present and another witness took his place. Solicitor GofE drew the commissioner out in reference to his ideas of the duties of the police board. First and foremost, the witness claimed the duty of the board was to see that the $5,000,000 amual appropriation was properly expended. The board must also see that the officers on the force did their duty. Mr. (^off endeavored to make t? telling point by getting the witness to admit that the board considered the proper enforcement of the rules among the officers as secondary to the expenditure of the ?5,000,000 appropriation. The commissioner, however, would not admit the truth of such an inference. In the afternoon, Mr. Goff spent considerable time questioning the witness about the New York signal service. The commissioner admitted that the service was greatly inferior to that of Chicago,Boston and several other large cities, but he could not explain why this was the case. At the conclusion of Mr. Sbeeban's testimony tor tne aay, Mr. Goff tola the witness to bring his private and .'public bank book tomorrow. This the witness positively refused to do. Some of the incidents of the day follow: "What do you do, anyhow, for your salary?" Mr. Goff asked. "I work for my salary." "I want a specific answer to my question." "We have to see that the money appropriated by the city is properly expended; we have also to see that the police force does its duty, and a thousand and one things ?" , "What else?" i "We must see that the laws of the #?lfw nf Van? "Vftrt "Have the police cemmlsstonefirseen that the laws were "enforced?" "Yes sir, the poHce commissioners have given ths citizens of New York the best protection they ever had, and the people are satisfied with the police ? force. There may be a few dishonora- | l)le men on the force, but the remain- j mg members should not be held re- , sponsible for their acts." "1 have no doubt, Mr: Commission- , er," said Mr. Goff, sarcastically, "but < that a certain percentage of the citizens of 2Tew York have bad ample pro- j tection." j Chairman Lexow then asked the wit- l ness whether in the Cross trial he had ? not said he would cot believe the evidence of a woman who kept a disorderly house. The witness said he was not prepared to express any opinion on anytrial unless it was before him. "I am t not going to say whether I would be- < lieve a witness or not," said he, "until ] the entire e eidence is in." i "Bat yoa took the evidence of pool 1 room keepers." ] "There were many decent men among < the pool room keepers. Tbey gave up i the business when it was declared ille- i gal." i Mr. Goff referred to the case of Capt. < Price, who was tried for allowing dis- ' orderly houses to run in his precinct. < "What was the verdict in Capt. Price's i case." ( "He was fined five day's pay." 1 "Well, Capt. Martens was tried for j the same offence and fitted thirty day's j pay, while Capt. Doherty was dismiss- j ed on the same charge. Explain how i these different sentences came about i for the same offence." 1 "Capt. Price was tried on the charge of allowing a disorderly house to run j in his precinct. This house had been ; closed long before, but two aetectives managed to bring women in the house, i He was fiued for not being vigilant ] enough. I was in favor of reprimanding him, 93 I believed the house had < been closed." "Why did you vote for hie conviction ?" "Well, in order to him vigilant, if t wo detectives got into the house oth*r people could also gut in. The evidence showed Price did his best.', "Why Wits he cenvicted.then?" asked Senator O'Connor. "Because, I suppose, he did not do better." The case of Captains Westervelt and Haughey were then referred to. They were both fined for allowing disorderly houses to run in their precincts. "In the month of July, Captains Cross, Devery and Doherty were dismissed from the force for permitting disorderly houses to run; while Cap<-a<na Prima H"anfl>h6V and I bdiug JL. 4AWV) MMkWVMvj ? ? ?D Wester velt were only fined for the same offense. Please explain the different sentences?" "The cases against Cross, Dotierty and Devery were entirely different from the others. The three captains who were dismissed were also convicted of taking money for protection from the keepers of disorderly houses." "Is it not a fact that those captains who were lined belonged to what is known as the Sheehan-Williams ring." "I never heard of sach a ring." "FTavfln'fc rartatn commissioners ta ken pains to protect certain captains ?" *1 have never heard of it." Mr. GrofE read the presentment of the grand jury on March, 1892, calling for the suppression of vice and the weeding out of corruption from the police force. "That is a general indictment,*' said the witness. "I believe it was learned afterwards that it was based on the report* of newspapers." "Why, the superintendent himself was before the grand jury." "Oh, yes, I believe he was." "Have you heard that Mr. Tabor, the foreman of the grand jury, said in an interview, that from 37,000,000 to 810,000.000 was paid annually to the police force for protection ?" "If Mr. Tabor made that slatement he lied." "Do you mean to say that Mr. Tabor, a respectable merchant, lied ?" "I mean to say that If he made that statement, he lied." "Is that Menry M. Tabor?" asked the chairman; "Yes sir," replied Mr. Goff. "Did Mr. Tabor lie when he said that the police department of this city received blackmail?" "He lied when he said the polce department received 310,000,000." "That is not the question; did he lie when he said the police department re J *1 i it ceivea Diacammi : "Why, Mr. Goff, blackmail ha? been paid the police for twenty years." "What do you know about it?" said the chairman sharply. "Hearsay, like you." "Now did Mr. Tabor lie, when ha said the police received blackmail. "He may have some specific evidence to base his belief upon. ,He lied when * T : i he said the police leved S10.e0O,OGO." "I want to place you on record- Do you mean to say that Mr. Tabor lied only about the amount V It took a long time to get tbe answer but, at last, the witnees said: "Mr. Tabor lied only as to the amount paid." When the witness said it would be impossible for the police to set $10,000,000 annually from this city without the people rising up and crushing them. "That is what they are doing now," quietly said Chairman Lexow. After a recess, Commissioner Sbeehan said be would like ta qualify the state ment made about Mr. Tabor. "1 want to say now," he said, "when Mr. Tabor made that statement he was mistaken." Mr. GofE called the witness' attention to aa interviewin which the latter stated that the police commissieners had never tied the hands of the superintendent In the execution of his duty. He said there reached the commissioners a rumor that saloon keepers were paying the captains and that the board concluded to transfer them. "That was the cause of the big shake up," said the commissioner. "Did you investigate the rumor?" "Yes, sir. I sent for several saloon keepers, but could get no evidence." "Name one saloon keeper for whom you sent ?" "I can't recollect now." Witness then said that the transfer of captains was caused by himself. "1 bellev?," Bald he, "if the captainst were getting blackmail the transfer might stop that practice." ' You belleye that they were getting money from the saloon keepers ?" "Yes, but I could get no proof." Witness said he believed that since the big shake up the liquor dealers had not paid a cent to the police. Mr. GofE read another portion of the interview, in which the witness said that word had hpon Sftnfctn t.h? ?#lnnn Voanonx t.hrrtnwh the various liquor dealers' association not to pay any more money to the captains. "Who sent the word ?" "1 don't know." "How did yon know 'word was sent? "Is It not a fact that liquor dealers paid the money into the Tammany Hall instead of the police, after the transfer of captains?" "1 never heard of it." Have you not heard that President Mahan and Mr. Groker met at the Hoffman House and agreed with the liquor dealers delegation that the latter 3hould,psy"the money into Tammany Hall for election purposes?" "I may have read it, but I believe it false." Will you swear the money was not paid into Tammany HaJl ?" "Not to my knowledge.'' Mr. Groff then said he would like Mr. "iheehan to nrodnce his nrivate account 300k tomorrow. UL also ask you," said ie, "to produce your public and private bank book tomorrow." "I refuse to produce my public or private bauk book," said the commisiioner, stolidly. "You do. Well, I want to put it en ?ie record that the subpoena called for ;he production of all your books conlected with your private accounts and ilso with the police department." The commissioner was then excused. Speculators Seared. Hon Yviui, OUl. ?i- w ? lie cotton exchange here and in otni&r :ities are somewhat excited over the proposition to form a gigantic trust of ill the cotton raisers of the South, tfhichis being advocated by John T. Etoddey, a prominent broker of this 5ity. The exchanges are opposed to ;he scheme. If such a trust is formed ;he brokers say that their business seill be ruined, so far as exercising any xmtrol of the market is concerned, rhe trust would be able to practically ilctate the price of cotton in the open market. Mr. Roddey's plan is fer every fnwioi. nn mot-tor hrtor small til i/UUOUU ICUiUOl) uv ujhvuv^ uv t( MMMvwMy ?? become a shareholder. When the crop is gathered each member shall tarn into the trust one bale oat of every live or six bales raised by him, or If the urop Is a small one, then ooe bale oat: af every seven or eight shall go to the trust. The amount of cotton thus placed in the hands of the trust shall be held by the latter as a sort of balance wheel to the market. The farmer will market his crop, less the amount tamed over to the trust, as bes suits bim. The trust supply will be held until the market price shall be high enough to warrant its Bale and the return of a geod profit. Mr. Roddey feels sure that the adoption of his plan and the formation of a trust, as proposed, will at once pat the price of cotton up to about S cents from the present price, which is about 5 cents. Thif would be an immediate and material benefit to the farmer, who would also benefit by the dividends which it is expected will accrue to him on his trust m itr&tr&ata a suaies. Jul. jlivhiuc; lQ(? in New York at an early date of representatives of all farmers' organizations in the South, to consider the matter. He has received a number of letters from prominent cotton planters and leading citizens of South Carolina who heartily endorse the plaD. When seen at his office,80 Broadway, Mr.: Roddey said he expected active steps towards organization would be taken this week. j Cotton GroiMri Macon, Gan Oct. 31.?At a meeting of representative cotton planters held at the Dixie Interstate Fair today, the following important resolutions were passed: The present ruinous price of cotton affects injuriously not only the farmers who produce it, but stagnates business of every kind and paralyzes efforts in all legitimate industries. Hence the duty is imperative upon us to use all honorable means to avert impending disasters. Without attempting to discuss the various political resolutions assigned as the cause for the present fearful depression we desire to resist the results as we find them. In the multitude of remedies suggested we have seen none that so strongly recommends itself as the paper submitted by the president of the Agricultural Society, Col. John 0. Waddell, in his call. for the meeting. That we endorse the salient points in that call and commeud them to the farmers of the cotton growing States and request the delegates appointed from Georgia to attend the Cotton Growers Convention at Montgomery. AIa? on November It, to urge the suggestion as the proper and just solution of this vital question. That the delegation to Montgomery fA Mrs oil fVtof fhotr pan tA DC W uo (Ml U11UU uuuj WIM w stop the shipments of cotton from the farms thus reducing the heavy receipts which have a tendency to create a wrong impression about the amount of the present crop. Boycotting oar B??f. Berlin, Oct. 30.?The prohibition acainst the landing of American cattle and American beef annoanced by a decree of the Hamburg Senate Saturday last,was extended today to every port of Germany. The officiols of the interior department say that the importation of cattle from America suffering from Texas fever has been clearly proved and that the measures taken are purelj of a preventive nature, such as eaeh German state is entitled to exercise through its police authority within its own territory. t ?0 OUR FARMERS. AN I*RGEN1FAPPEAL TO THEM TO b PROTECT THEMSELVES. ? if. Jttr, Jtoddy, oI N*ew York, Thinks That ? ' theuParmers, to Avert KuId, Mast 0eE(?l so and Ik lit for Themselves Against Speculators. Columbia, S. C.. Nov. 1.?The following article from the pen of Mr. Boddy, a New York broker," was published in the State several days ago: To the Editor of The State: Many of your readers may perhaps disagree with me, but I wish to write n 4iA ik/% 4.Klr.U<MM a lew wujlub WJ UIC IUIUMUI^ peupic of the South and West. I verily believe that if something is not done to bring about a change, speculators, capitalists, trusts and cliques will so far depress the products of the farmers and the laborlag men that anarchy will be inevitable. When a clique of capl&uists, with their power and Influence, can combine and so depress the prices of the products of the South and West as to cost the growers of these products millions of dollars each year, and practically starve the laboring class, and cripple the interests of these sections, it is high time to stop and think. Many who have a comfortable living are satisfied to quietly sit and say something is worng, but we do not know what it is, and many do inotcare, but you had better think and act too, or your country can never have any hope of prosperity and peace. The capitalists or cliques practically control the Liverpool, New Yerk and New .Orleans exchanges, as mAl 1 nn f Ka m> I oo r?/% ! rv ou. oo uic uuaiu vjl iiiauuy add grind the money ont of any who may oppose them, and yet they talk of hard times and say poor business Is the canse of the depression in prices of the products, whereas the very fact that they have depressed these prices is the cause of poor business, for as long as the farmer or producer receives barely a living for his labor and products how can business be anything but poor. Some claim the laborer is ignorant, has no education and receives as much as he should when in fact theae same people so far depress his products as to place him in actual want and to deprive him of the advantage of buying newspapers, books and literature, and of sending his children to school for an education. . How can he keep up with the times? I see no hope for you as long as a clique has the right legally to sell more cotton, corn or wheat than you may raise without owning or expecting to own what they sell. It forces you to sell your products at whatever prices they may fix. These people depend al- 1 most entirely upon you for their food and clotning and yet do not seem to aa?a V* />ttt morttt onffnv Vitt f H flnraa a WOIO UU If iUOUJ PUJICI. VJJ UUOU ing prices of products. Legitimate supply and demand control prices, but a false supply Mils, to an extent, the demand. For instance, Mr. Ellison, who is considered authority on cotton, estimated the demand for American cotton at 8,200,000?the crop proved to be 7,500,000?but did not the , clique continue to hammer the price, not the demand have been greater; Will Liverpool or New England mills buy cotton freely when they expect ; prices to be carried lower, or what prevents Liverpool and Near England buyers from joining in and helping to ' depress prices in order that they may get your spot cotton cheaper? The majority of you sell your crobassoon as gathered at whatever price the exchanges may fix and they know it.? In other words you are absolutely governed by the exchanges, even if the price go to two cents. ? - ? i? n X0U are Diesseu uy irruviueuce m being la the only section that can raise corn, cotton and wheat, and should 1 have something to say regarding the price and yet you are powerless. Suppose spinners had to send buyers to you with instructions not based on exchange prices, you might have soihethlng to say as regards prices as they have when you come to make your purchases, but they compel you to lake to so-called established price or they buy from one who is forced to sell on account of his poverty. You see by the papers that exchange price are declining, going lower and lover, and knowing that you are in debt, possioly for supplies and so forth, you rash your cotton to market, peibaps, after oelng notified of vour debt by t&e merchants, at whatever price buyers may dictate or allow you. Spot buyers anticipate your sales on their purchases and sell on exchanges thus depressing prices and helping the bears. The ex changes are a great benefit; to the spinners, they never give themselves one minute's uneasiness about getting their supply?they know that aa long as the exchanges fix a price, no matter how low, you will have to take it under the present conditions. There are probably over a million bales sold and bought by speculators for every thousand bales of spot cotton delivered on contract and yet some claim the exchanges are necessary in order to get rid of spot cotton; 1oes it look natural that more than ten hundred thousand bales of cotton should be traded in to decide the price of a thousand bales actual cotton? When any one with one thousand dollars can sell the crop of one huhdred planters, probably reprejnf/Nwnnf On/? Q b&UlilUg LLLD 1UW1COU ouu UiLL^wuJiu^ ? thousand souls, to say the least, it Is placing a small valuation on your labor. These speculations and capitalists would not sell cotton so freely if they had to risk buying'the actual cotton, but the exchanges establish a price and they know they need not fear of your not selling at exchange prices. One advantage the bears have is that if any one have a contract for a certain month, the bear or person who has sold has the privilege of offering to deliver to the purchaser the cotton aboutjfive days previous to the month traded in, or of not delivering until the end of the month traded in, as he chooses. In other words ii you want the cotton he has sold you he has over thirty days to deliver it and if you do ? w**-i flail An f ha nr. UUb YYftLLt 10 JUU iuuov ocu vu uuu vachange whatever It will bring. Another advantage, the carrying charges favor the bears about one cent per year. With snch advantages Is It to be wondered at that speculators depress yoor products. The Fanners' Alliance of the South is supposed to be an organized body ' with intelligent leaders, but it appears i that they have not as yet touched the key note to the situation; they are discussing the silver bill; the tariff and other different measures, but they should begin at home, see what Is the i cause of the depression and why they are kept down; find out how you may ' financially better your condition and ! reap the greatest benefits from your labor; why your products are kept down and vour condition not improv . lug. You can raise absolutely everyi thing, have nothing to buy, whereas " your oppressors raise absolutely noth_ ing and have everything to buy. If you were so organized that you could 11 simply say, we will not take less than height to ten cents for our cotton and > ^ stand to it, for three to five million bales you would get ten cents at least. If you can't sell leave tne other on your plantations rather than sell at four to five cents- Ten cents for one bale is better than four cents for two or three bales. If you were organized you could command a price far your products, but if you are going to rush your cotton to market, regardless of price, the professional bears know it, will help you to ruin yourselves, or anticipating this, ruin you before you sell it. If a railroad had the exclusive privilege of ruuniDg through a certain country, do you suppose they wou'd allow capitalists and corporations in a different section to fix their rates, or even influence them V It will be a hard tight for you to organize thoroughly, but you will have the advantage ot being able to live without selling, while they must buy your products. Now many will say it is impossible for you to organize so as to hold your cotton; that many must and will sell regardless of promises and pledges?Of course at first some will sell their cotton, but when they see that it would have been bstter to have stood together, they will fall in line and yon will gradually grow stronger until you are one united body. You have no opposition and could dictate if organized. It looks like bad judgment when .the South (13.000,000 people) famish 75 per cent of the entire world with a necessary part of their wearing apparel, and then be deprived by speculators of everthing except a bare living. It you could not get a living price and knew it be fore hand, you would not raise cottor, but you raise, taking a gambler's chance on whether or not the speculators may advance the price on the exchanges, but you are absolutely in their hands; they know it and you know it. Again do not the laws of your States consider as a gambling debt and not collectable, any loss you may [sustain through future operations on these exchanges ? You receive less year after year in actual value for your crop, no matter how Providence favors yon. Within the past few years ten cent was considered an average price. Now you receive about five, and unless some change should take place, you may consider five cents an average price in a short time. I refer to my letter of April 18 of this year, in which I said: "Aslong as it is continued things must get worse and I anticipate in a few years that cotton will sell at five cents."?Cotton is now below m cents; it was then eight cents. Organize yourselves, get together, let no class of speculators continue to wreck you?to ruin your lives, your homes.your children and your country. John T. Roddey. Thanksgiving Day. Washington, Oct 31.?Tbe Pre3iJ 4. ueuu ouuay iboucu lun luaunviug. By the President of the United States of America?A Proclamation. The American people should gratefully render thanksgiving and praise 1 to the Supreme Ruler of the universe, who has watched over them with ; kindness and fostering care during the ' year that has passed; they should .also 1 with humility and faith supplicate the 1 Father of all mercies for continued 1 blessings, according to their needs, and ' they should, by deeds of charity, seek ' the favor of the givar of every good Therefore, X'Grrover creveiana,TriesIdent of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart Thursday, the ] 29thday of November, inst., as a day ' of thanksgiving ahd prayer, to be kept and observed by all the people of the land. On that day let our ordinary work and business be suspended, and let us meet at oar accustomed places : of worship and give thanks to Al- : mighty God for our preservation as a nation, for our immunity from disease and pestilence, for the harvests that : have rewarded our husbandry, for a renewal of national prosperity, and for ' every advance in virtue and intelli- ' gence that have marked our growth 1 as a people. And with our thanksgiving, let us 1 pray that these blessings may be multiplied unto us, that our national conscience may be quickened to a better recognition of the power and goodhess of God, and that in our national life we may clearer see and closer follow the ?ith of righteousness. And in our places of worship and praise, as well as in the happy reunions of kindred aad friends on that day, let us invoke Divine approval by generously remembering tbe poor and needy. Surely He who has given us comfort and plenty will look upon our relief of the destitute aud our ministrations of charity as the work of hearts truly grateful, and as proofs of the 8in?erity of our thanksgiving. Witness my hand and seal of the United States, which I have caused to be hereto affixed. Done in the city of Washington on the first day of No vember, in th9 year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety-four, and of the independence of the United States the one hundred and nineteenth. (Signed) Grover Cleveland. By the President*. W. Q. Gresham, Secretary of State. May Catue a Death. Hyattsville, Md., Nov. 1.?Edwin Gott, Jr., son of the S3cretary of State, is dangerously ill from the effects of hazing, and a numoer of the students at the Maryland State Agricultural College are very much worried over His condition. One evening last week the students organized a moot court, tried and convicted Gott of a heinous crime, and proceeded to execute the sentence of hanging. A rope was placed around his chest, thrown over a transom and the victim was hauled up and left hanging some hours. Gott was very much frightened but offered no resistance. He appeared at breakfast on the following morning apparently uninjured, but later in the day became violently ill. He has had several spasms and becomes weaker after eacii attack. It ie supposed that the fright has shattered his nervous system and the faculty have grave fears of his recovery. Half a dozen of the students are kept in close confinement awaiting the result ot (icsi's id janes. Stare Driver Killed. jSTevada City, Cal., Oct. 30.?Arthur Meyer, driver ot the stage coach running between vhis place and North Bloom field, V7as shot and instantly killed by a hignwayman this afternoon. At Rock Creek, three miles north of here, the incoming stage was stopped by a lone highwayman, who commanded Meyer to get down out of the bos. Meyer refused, and the bandit ;.ired twice at him, witn a revolver. The second shot passed through the driver's body. C. H. Bovee, of Sierra county, who was the only passenger, jumped from the coanh and ran into tne forest. After the robher haii crone. Bovee came out of tbe boshes cook charge of coach and and horses, and bronaht the dead stage driver to town. So far as known, the robber secured no booty. Acquitted. DArlington, S. C., Oct. 27.?McLendon, the IStateXoDstable, charged with starting the riot here in March last, has been acquitted and is now a free man. He was ably defended by Col. Aldrich of Barnwell, and H. H. Bruni son of Orangeburg. THE FALL IS COTTONOPINION OF A COTTON AUTHORITY ON THE SUBJECT. The Sontt'j Enormous Loss 01 Baying Power Dae to theDecilde In the Pries of ber Chiet Product.?Klag Cotton's Crisl*. York, Nov. 1?The decline in the price or cotton, going on now for more than a year, but sharply accentuated within tae last six weeks, ha3 been watched with curious interest by many people in this and foreign lands, and with deep anxiety hy more. Despite adverse conditions and the persistent efforts to dethrone him, including four years of ruinous and bloody war, King Cotton still rules absolutely m nine great States of this Union. The question that confronts these nine great agricultural States just now is, How long can cotton be grown at 5 cents a DOnnd. the nrice it sells fnr in the Southern interior towns today? The drop in the price of cotton has already cost the South, taking the difference between values a year ago and what they are today, on the estimated crop of 9,000.000 bales, the tidy little sum of 890,000,000 in round numbers. If the crop turns out 10,000,00? bales, as many believe, the shrinkage and loss will measure up to $100,000,003. The views of some leading cotton merchants of this city are given below ou the serious situation that confronts the South in this enormous loss of buying power. As the South manufactures but little as yetand her merchants draw their supplies almost entirely from the North, their deprivation and poverty will b8 felt severely above the Ohio and Potomac as well, especially in this city, which sells annually -goods worth many millions of dollars to the South. Alfred B. Shepperson, editor of (Jotton Facts and secretary of the sub-committee on cotton of the United States, is regarded as about as well posted on cotton culture and manufacture as anybody in the country. Mr. Shepperson had charge of the Government's cotton exhibit in Chicago. Of the prevailing demoralization of cotton he said: "There are very few men in the cotton trade who have seen cotton as low as it is today, for in this counrry it has not touched Drice3 as low as at present since 1848, when middling upland cotton sold In New lork for 5 cents a pound, while such low prices as now rule In Liverpool have never been known in that market. In October, 1848, under the influence of political disturbances on the continent and financial panic in England, the price of middling upland cotton in Liverpool was forced to Z% pence. That was the lowest qiotation m the Liverpool market until now, when the prlc9 is down to 3 7-32 p2nce. "The greatest piv3/ious depression in recent ye?-s was in the season of 189192, when the commercial crop exceeded 9,C3C,003 bales, and was the largest aver marketed. This immense crop mcceet'ed one almost a3 large, and under the great supply of cotton and oth er unfavorable inn nances trie price in Marcb, 1892, declined, to 611-16 cents in New York and 3 9 16 pence in Liver York nose at 513:I¢als* cent lower tban in 1892. and 2% cents lower than this time last year. At these prices cotton culture not only sease3 to be a remunerative industry in this country, but except under the mo3t extraordinary and exceptionally favorable conditions, the cotton planter could not possibly get back the actual cost of bis croD. "From gome recent investigation for a committee of the United States Saniteit was made evident to ma that under tne most favorable circum3tancas only a very small portion of the crop could be produced for as litf'e as 5 cents per pound delivered at the nearest shipping point to the plantation. Wnere the soil is poor and fertilize;.: have to be used, the cost of production bc ^ms to range from 6 to 7 cents a pound, when proper facilities are employed, while the cost to farmers no, possessing such advantages is higher and sometimes very much higher. ??r*n aopfinnr. nf f,?7A VflTV low DriC83 in i 1892 the acieage which wa3 planted In cotton in the spring of 18S2 was estimated by the department of. agriculture as fully par cant le3sthan the previous year. It was the crreatest curtailment of acreage of which we t ive any official record. \s at the! present price3 the average cotton grower ctnnot get back a new dollar for an old one expended in cotton cultivation, it seems to me inevitable that the acreage of the next cotton crop will be reduced in even a greater proportion than in 1892, unless a very material ad vance in prices should occur before the time to prepare for planting. I? the price of cotton does not promise a fair remuneration for their efforts the cotton planters will most assuredly give more attention to other products and cultivate Jess cotton. "The low prices now ruling are not due to an excessive presert supply of cotton, for the stock in both Europe and American markets is somewhat les3 than a year ago, and over half a million bales less than in these combined markets two years ago. The chief depressing influence at present is the general expectation that the crop now being marketed will be very large, and that that the weight .of receipts during the next two months will, on account of the dulness of trade and notable lack of outside speculation carry prices still lower. I do not suppose that any thinking man can wish that cotton should go lower, and men who talk flippantly of middling cotton declining to 5 cents in New 5Tork do not realize what an immense loss this would be to the South, and how it would, by its reflex action, injure about every mercantile and manufacturing industry of the North, and what a serious derangement it would cause in our foreign ex t .IQUgW "The average price in New York last seasoon was 1% cents, while for the previous season it was 8^ cents. When preparations were made for the present crop middling cotton was worth 8 cents in New York, and the farmers doubtless expected to get about that price, and the expectation was not unreasonable, because the average pries had not been as low as that for over forty years. Few people estimate the crop" at less than 9,000,000 bales. Every cent a pound reduction in the price of a crop of that size means a curtailment of the resources ..of the country: (for the South * is happily a part of it now) to the extent of $45,000, 000. An average price for the crop on the basis of 6 cents in New York would therefore, amount to a loss of 899,000, COO from the anticipated resources, while 45 cent cotton in 2sew York/ which some people so glibly talk about would mean a curtailment of the country's resources to the enormous extent of S135,000,C30. "As 70 per cent of the last cotton crop was exported a great reduction in the value of exports of cotton would require large shipments of gold from this country to fill the gap caused bj the shrinkage in the value of exchange based upon the exports of cotton. So . gieat a drain upon our slender supplj - - - i of gold would beyond a doubt cause serious financial trouble. The low price of cotton is a very grave matter, and should the decline proceed much further and the reduced range of valnes be continued there can be no doubt that Very serious results will follow, which will injuriously effect the interests of thejcountry. "Jb or many millions of the human race cotton cloth is indispensable for shirts for the living and shrouds for the dead. The South will not yield its control of the production of cotton, but the effect of the present depression will serve to teach it anew the wisdom ot following the advice of its best men N ?to give hereafter greater attention to a food crops and to make cotton a surplus or money crop. "I do not care to go into the question ~>i. of the probable siza of the present crop, -v but I received yesterday a letter from the acting Secretary of Agriculture saying that after a careful investigation since February 1 ofthe question of cotton acreage the conclusion had been reached that the acreage of the crop of 1893 94 was 19,525,000 acres. In June the department estimated the acreage lOQi OS wi wm wv^ ux jwr?M luvjnr '"'Ti. '"J. as six-tenths of Iper seal; more than the previous crop. This would make the acreage of the present crop 19,642,000 acres. Ihe New Tort Chronicle's estimate of this crop's acreage Is 20,107, 000 acres, and some estimates are higher. Some time ago the statistician of agriculture wrote to Europe that he wa3 satisfied that the area under cotton in 1893 was somewhat over 20,009,000 -acres. It will be seen, therefore, that the result of the investigation by the \ ) department baa been to make the acre- V age, 500,000 acres less than thejstatis- \ tlclan's views oefore its completion, and the department's figures of acreage of present crop are about 500.000 acres less than most estimates. The yield per acre of 1893 94, the department stated, was .384 of a bale per acre. The general expectation is that the yield will be greater this season. Assuming it to be four-tenths of a bale per acre the deducation from current estimates based upon an acreage, of twenty million acres would equal 200,000 bales." 4 SUN'S COTTON REVIEW. . . Tt.e Amertein Staple Considered the But and Cheapest in the World* New York, Nov. l.?The Sun's cotton report says: Cotton declined 1 to 2 points, but recovered this and advanced 4 to 5 points, closing steady at a rise of * v ^ 3 to 4 points. Tne sales were 90,030 bales. Cotton goods sold a little more freely. Manufacturers of linings are working overtime to catch up with or- v ders. Russian Mills have begun paying dividends of 20 per cent, and over, and making a profit in some cases of 50 per cent. Garman and French manufacturers have been carrying very small stocks of raw cotton. American cotton, its friends contend, is the cheapest in the world, and not only that, it crive3 the De3t results. Some of the private cables from Liverpool were bearish. Fatman & Schwartz sold, supposed to b9 for continental account. The bears are as a rule timid about selling. Most of them are waiting, li'-a Mtcawber, for "something to turn up." JChfl-?te&e-atJS"e w Orleans is said to ba somewhat A pound" or yarn fflacw J? from American cotton is worth 40 per csst more than a pouad of yarn from Ei3t India. E?t India supplies are J comparatively smalL Egyptian ia relatively higher than American: Exports Pmrv> t-Kia rtiinntrff mnlinno lcircfA T/U 11UUU UU10 WS/UUUi. J WUWMMV _ - day they were 42,232 to Great .Britain, J 12,190 to France and 21,186 to the can- -i tinent, total 75,658 bales or 25.033 more than today's receipts at the ports. Bombay receipts for the week are 2.003 against 8,033 for the same week last year; total since January 1, 1,578,003, against 1,536,033 for tii9 same tlm3 last year. Bombay shipments since i January 1,47,003 to Great Britain and 44,0X for tbe same time last year while co tne continent they ware 751,030, against 752,003 for a like period last year. Ne?v York stock in licensed warehouses is 63,809 bales, against 116,709 a year a?o aud 255,300 at this time in 1892. Port receipts are 50,3M, agamsc 61,713 this day last week and 36,447 for the same time la3t" year; total . CD.US rar mis wees, nave ueeu eabuuabcu as high as 425,033. S3me chink these figures will not oe reached. Port Royal reports a shipment of 6,505 bales to \ _> Liverpool. Exports from the ports season to last nignt are 1,089,621! against 889,038 for the same time last year. The short interest ia this country part- ..-.a ly against sales to Europe and mlliiag interests of the United States is ballev- . 1 ed to be very large. Some expect large A receipts at the ports next wees. New Orleans receipts tomorrow are estimated at 12,030 to 14,030. Oae firm said: "A let np in th9 movement is necessary to sustain prices, but no material decline is looked for. A large demand for actual cotton will no doubt be felt when the idea becomes general that prices are at the bottom. E ast ;rn mills continue to buy freely and we are adv.'sed from- ? 4 Boston that they have purchased enoc^h to i*st till the 1st of February. It must tk remembered that they always carry a few months' supply." A telegram from New Orleans this a nnrroa i^nHant. thflM says that reports from every where tell of an enormous movement, and that next we3k promises to bs nearly as large as this. The Great Oil Trout. -JgS New York, Nov. 1.?The annual meeting of the American Cotton OH Company was held at Gattenburg, N. "i J., today. The report for the year ended August 31, 1894, shows a sirplu3 of $46,617 aga;n3l $507,751 ia 1893 and $1 ?33,011 iu 1892. Profits for the year ' 1894 were $1,428,152 against $1,800,040 lasi year, the administration expenses $191,866* again81 $220,992; debenture In* terest, $201,374, against $84,728; sink* ing fund nothing, against $25,000; pre- ?I ' 3 j? j art* aaa , miam uuuus reucouiuu ?4i,uw, wa-uou $20,504 aad other expenses in 1894, $30,234, total expenses, $731,S55, against $652,932; net profits, *$o96,296, ( iisrainst $1,147,107, depreciation, $25,; 832, agairfst $23,182; dividend on preferred, $611,916, against 611,916; other . ?' dividends, 1,931, against $4,258 and total ' so-pla?, $5,982,959, against $5,926,342 1 iq 1893. The number of stockholders is 1,864, asatost 1,760 last year and 1,. 320 in 1892. The company added ' in the year a tank stiamerof4,200tons, ' real estate, docks, etc., at a cost of $773,497. Oae third of this amount was for tha Holland compahy. There were spent for improvements in the year, $432,987. The company has 120 plants cf various kinds in sixteen States and 49 out of 72 crude oil mills are in operation, five are dormant and 18 are dismantled. Ths comnaav has one tank steamer 355 1 tan cil cars, 230 bos cars and one bai. ,1 car. The cash and bills receivable exceed the cnrrent liabilities by .$925,255 - i and tue marketable goods are worth $4,1 069.312, & total working capacity ot $4, 994,568, The company *J1 pay the ) ;icome tax so that dividends to stockholders will be net and no. subject to j