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6 Letters From Abroad. ' t: ???< BY A. M. STACK. (Copyrighted, 1000, by R. F. Measley.) I NO. 17. e ri The Turkish Blight Upon the is Holy Land. u r< Palestine is a land without e monuments. The Jews were re ligiously opposed to the making of images, and, const quently, c developed no sculptors, painters * or architects. The Arabs, who ^ constitute three fourths of the ^ present population, are by na- 8 ture destructive and not construe ? tive. They can tear down and () destroy but are no' builders. They 1 are, and have been, vandals of ^ the worst type. There are, there- ^ fore, practically no ruins in the 0 Land of Promise outside ot the a land itself. The country itself is a one vast ruin. Once a land flow- 8 ing with milk and honey?now ^ one of gloom and desolation. ? Many writers have pronounced ^ the land under a^curse. That is not true. No country on earth can excel it in variety of climate, soil and productions. The soil, f even in (he mountainous sections, s is exceedingly fertile and will g produce almost anything. The e finaaf nuraalc u n / I irorvotu H UUUOV V/VI VHIQ J 11 11 ? ' " CI 11 Vi f C VC7IO" * bles will grow in abundance, and ^ one may see in every direction F its flocks and herds?its cattle d on a thousand hills. But no ono c can visit it without seeing at a t glance that something is wrong, a And, in a certain sense, it may 1 be said to be under a curse : that e is to say, cursed with a sorry ? population, a pernicious religion 1 and a shabby government. But I not more so than other countries 8 which are under the blighting c influence ot the Turk and Mo 1 liamraedanism. As is well known, 1 the Holly Land is a part of the ? Ottoman Empire and under the rule ol the Sublime Porte. Its I government has some resem- 8 blance to the way the Romans s ruled the country. But Turkey t does very few things like any 0 other nation on earth, past or c ______ * fi < 1 A . . i present, it is uie mosi autocratic 1 of any on the globe and all power j is centered in the isulfcan. llis will is the supreme law. All countries under his control are ruled (or misruled) entirely and absolutely trom Constantinople. There is hardly the semblance ol local self government. The ^ local officials get their appoint ments and orders from Constan- . tinople. No local improvement . can be undertaken without an g order from the citv on the Bosr phorus. Even the city affairs of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, etc., are Q regulated and controlled at cons stautinople. ^ JIOW THK DONKEY TAX IS LKVIKD. 8 Not even a public road or 1 street can be laid out or improv- 1" ed without permission from the v capital, often more than 1,200 l miles away. When so ordered to 1 be made or improved, a tax there r for is levied and collected. An h order for this tax must come e from the Sultan. And a Turkish statesman has lop-sided ideas of taxation. A road tax is usually (and properly) called a "donkey M tax." That is, a tax of one cent ? is collected out of every loaded donkey that passes the road or ft \ THE LAI> treet lor a certain period of tri [me. Another method is by a tb< house tax.'' Whenever a per- ' on builds a new hou*e, a small po ivy is made on every mule, cam pa 1 or donkey load of lime* hair, res ock, ashes, dwfc or lumber that sd< } brouerht to the building for bu o se in its erectiou. Sometimes du oa?l money is raised by a toll on ge very carriage that passes lorn mi imited period. ed Many of the most trivial affairs mi annot be transacted without a mi icense from his Majtsiy(?) ch Vhen I was in tbe Chapel ol go he Nativity in Bethlehem, my sin ttention was called to a small cit >atch on the edge of the tapestry til n the wall. Tliat patching could Tli lot be done until permission to lo so was first obtained Irom Constantinople. Once a year the ^ hurches of (he Iloly Sepulchre m. it Jeruealem, and of the Nativity 0(j it Bet hleln m, are given a good f0] weeping. An order to sweep, pr L'sigtiating where the Latin, m) Jreek and Armenian sects are _ .1 110 o sweep, munt come Irom ti e Sultan. fchl tin T1IK SULTAN'S NIGHTMARE. J)p The Sultan is under a constant ea ear of an uprising. To keep his w! ubjects from doing this is his tin ;reat concern. His methods, how a*| ver, are peculiar. When Pre9i- a dcKinley was asnaisinated, he mi vould not allow Turkish news- y.i >apers to publish that (he Presi- thi lent was murdered,but 1 he press of ensors required all newspapers th 0 print (hat Mr. McKinley died to 1 na'ural death but very t-udden- io y. No telegraph lines are allow bo id except those belonging to (he pi; [overnraeut and used exclusive- hi y (or governmental purposes, nc Jrivate companiesorcorporation ea ire not permitted to erect and ca >wn telegraph lines. Telegraph 1* ines, he believes, would enable ^ he people to have concert of aj iction and plan a simultaneous ge iprising in various localities.? a? ^or the same reason, telephones ire absolutely forbidden. He is , I r? il?o '?ppcged to good mads, as an hey would facilitate the invasion f a hostile army or enable his VV I iwu subjects to concentrate^their orces the more readily. ro IILLY 0()ATS AND BULL YKAHLlNOS *11 BY MAIL W< The Sultan's postal systom is i curiosity. He has granted mi oncessions to the French, Ger- ' nan, Russian and Austrian gov- mi irnments to have and to operate ('a heir own postal service in this ra< ountry, and each couniry has mi fcs own postoffices. These are ^ ' n addition to the Turkish postal yRtem. The Russian govern- 8;* nent in turn graded its conces- m' ion to a Russian navigation ompany and the Russian postal ,e ervice is conducted by a private to orporation. So many different 80 ystems have caused competition ^ 11 the sale ot stamps and cut m irices may be had. If one wants fl,( ery many stamps it pays to "try e91 he market." Rut Turkey al- ?* ows no mail to beciriied on the ,a ail road except that by the Tur wt sh post. The other mails, how- a ver, usually beat that on I lie A Card. Thin is to certify that nil druguiata are nthori.'.e 1 u> refund your money if Foley'a du [oney and Tar faila to cure yonr cough or . >ld. It stops the cough, heals lung* and e<* reveuts aeriona results fr>m a cold, Cures _e. , grippe oongha, and prevent* pneumonia lit oonanmption. Contains no opiatea. tnt he gennine is in a yellow package, lie. ise substitutes. Funderburk Pharmacy, thi TOASTER NEWS, APRIL 17. 1 tin. This is always true of ? mails coming to Jerusalem. Competition has extended the stal service beyond letters, pers and small matter. Two W tidenis of Jerusalem recently I Bill several days Jaffa on I isinet-s. They feceived their ? niers daily from Jerusalem, I ting pies, preserves aud fresh ilk .Another gentleman informme that he sent a goat by til. One may send a jug of ilk, a crate of oranges, coop of ickens, fresh meat, a billy "T at, bull yearling or even a tall donkey by mail. Seaport n( ies get a lower rate of postage it* an inland towns and cities, ui lis is to encourage commerce. PUBLICANS AND SINNKKS. ?C The method of farming out e customs and taxes, which ule the Publicans so much hat , still obtains in a modified - A t xl. ? 11 11. ? < - riii. v/iit'-iviiiii i j i mi iiit? mini oducts is due to the governBnt as public revenues. But 'w it is an estimated rather an au actual tenth. This mend of assessing was adopted cause the tillers would often t or sell portions of their crops ile green, aud thereby defeat e collector of his tenth. An sessor goes upon the lands of section and estimates how te itch the section will produce, lues the prospective crop, and en assesses in money one-tenth the amount on the farmers of e section or village. The right T_ collect these taxes is then sold the highest bidder, who gives nd for their payment. The irchaser proportions to each s share of the tax and there is i control over his action. It is sy to see how readily a Publi ^ n can become also a sinner. } te tax collector's execution is Winchester rifle. Tax collee rs, like Mormon elders, gen?rly go two together. You mty e these tax gatherers galloping ?out the country any day. mi _ 1 a 11 i i. iiere ih aieo a iax on an iruif ?es. This tax is very odious d many owners cut down their 90s and sell them. The olive >od commands a good price and made into souvenirs. The ots are dug up and sold lor el. Fire wood is sold by ^ aiglit. All stock, cattle,camels, _ eep and goats are taxed so nch per head, fat or lean. Mie income tax is novel Every in must annually pay three ys of his salary to the govern3ut. If lie has no income lie 1st pay llfly cents anyway, le "silt tax" hits everybody, le government furnishes the It and a tax is laid on every ?. ember of a family. This must paid whether the salt is uo? n or not. No one is allowed lisli without a license to do W One-third in value of all P at is caught goes to the govern ent. There are no big fish iries in this country. Ileal jj late is taxed about 1 per cent! at its assessed value. There is no \ lit x on real estate within the ^ tils oi Jerusalem, because it is loly city. Jj OKI'IIAN GIRLS IN DEMAND. AH Mohammedan males of a . rlain asie are liable to military ^ ty. Yountr fellows are march- gj. away in droyes for service in at note provinces, while their >thers follow them weeping to . 3 station or steamship. Chris- J 1 ' s ' , . 907 ffi YOUR agi mm taub uu uii re offer below for your consideration >peal to all who want to save money c JVe Are Not >r running a CRUSH SALE, but we v em quoted here not now in stock. We itil withdrawn : $5.00 Overcoats at 2.98 ; 7.50 Overct ats at 7.50. Men's Suits from 3.98 to the best in i 54-inch Broadcloth, sold at 1.00 and 1 Wide Taffeta Silk, black and colors, ; 54-inch Ladies' Cloth, 42 1-2 cents y? 20 pieces A. F. C. Ginghams and Lin Solid case Cotton Blankets at 63c, 89< Only six of our 6.00 Wool Blankets 1( Men's Odd Pants from 75 cents to 3.' 5.00 Forbush Shoe: $3.50 Krippendof Shoes at 2.98. Ladies' Fine Shoes at 75 cents pair a: 2000 yards heaviest weight Sheeting zuuu yaras oc riaius at o cents yard. Job lot Men's Fine 2.00 and 2.50 Fur Big lot Laces, Insertings and Embroi Get our prices before you make your e to save you money. Yours for Funderburk ( Very Low To Norfolk, Va.f and Account Jamestown Ter=Cente i/ia Southern Seas n, sixtv day and fifteen day i commencing April 19fh, to and inc Very low rates will also be made f bands in uniform attending the ex STOP OVELiS will be allowed or and fiteen day tickets, same as t icket8. E??r for and complete information c Southern Kailway, or write: Divis ( Without Labor and Econon none chii be rich; with both none need money, but have you a bank account fo this money? No matter how nm a 11 or h?'W large a bank account It will axuiat you in th< in many other waya. You can open an any expense and can have the uae of the aa if it were in your pocket?without th< being lost. Come in and talk with tia ab The First Natio LANCASTER, 8. Feed and It jvery Stablest compli I have opened a first-class kusin ivery Stable on French street, tlre ijacent to the jail lot, and so- We nit the patronage of the public. ly turnouts are stylish, up-toite, and it will be my endeavor w > please my customers. I will p. v.e so run ieam man, j Feed Stables Canne i connection with the livery rl miovnnf AA f/\ ? iu f^uaiautcc laj fjivc y\j ur ock the best attention if left ; my stables. Very respectfully, las. T. Hunter heai LTUK1T7 t * i i some prices that should ?n their purchases. Crushed rill forfeit $100.00 for any make the following prices >ats at 4.98 ; 10.00 Overstock at 9.00. .25 yard, now 85c yd. at 87 cents yard. 1 ird. pn-finish f!hnmhravs. 10c. c and 1.23. jft to close at 4.25 pair. 18 pair. s at 3.48 nd up. at 6 cents yard. Hats at 1.48. deries at old prices, purchases. We guaranbusiness, Company Rates Retturn, initial Exposition, Railway tickets oa eale daily iluding Nov. 30,1907. or military and brass position. i season, sixty day , . on summer tourist all on Ticket Agent* R W. HUNT. ion t'asHenger Agent, Mi;t r leai on, b. C. iy_ be poor. You work and earn r the care and conaerving of your income, you ahould have i practice of real economy and account at thia hank without money depoaited juat the eame ; chance of having it atolen or out it. nal Bank , 0. rur a nm 1/Yvmv.u: will pay a liberal reward person or persons finding city of Lancanster a more ete and up-to-date livery ss than ours. Rubber lggies and stylish horses. have a few mules left. BUGGIES sell the following buggies: ont, Rock Hill, Rlatter\. Wrenn & Sons, Taylor dy and Tyson & Jones, one of them guaranteed months. j WAGONS V sell the Virginia, Nissen irver. m-ELLIOTT MULE CO. "-'i