Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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VOL. XXIV. LEXINGTON, S. C., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1894. NO. 51. . * ? I ? " ' GOVERNMENT RAILROADS. NOT A SUCCEfeS IN ACTUAL PRACTICE ANYWH = RE. The RcsqUr >?ot by yirgv* Eccourag< J nit?A Kelic Of P*?ein?)l?m Honllle to Republican Io?tl*at!o^g. The interstate commerce commission has been compiling fo - pome time a statement cf the conditions under which the railroads of the world are operated. The subject -*as not suggested by the recent testimony before the commission meeting io Chicago. The labor uDion men there have testiiied 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 Pniladelpbia Times, coclrm their theory bv the experience or other nations. Even in the Uoited States the experiment of railroads controlled by the State has been tried in different sections and has so far proved a distinct failure. There ars only six countries in the world in which the control of virtually all the railroads is lu the hands of the state. They are Australasia, the Cape of Good Hope, Egypt, Nicaragua Paraguay and Peru?certainly not countries after which the United States would be very much tempted to pattern. But there are some great couitries In which the state is a part owner of railroads, and these include Germany, France, Denmark, AustrianHungary, Belgium, Brazil and Canada. Eleven countries, cr one-half of those in which railroads are operated, have no interest in the operation of the roads beyond a claim for money advancedl to ?nma r?f thom Tn t arn nmmtries rail roads are owned by the government, but are leased to private companies, which operate them. In Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru, where there was do Inducement for private capital to invest in railroads, the governments were obliged to build what few lines there are, and these are operated by the government and run by the government employees. In Australasia, with the exception of one or two short lines, the colonial government have built the roads with money derived from loans negotiated by agents general. In Victoria and New South Wales so many abuses grew out of the partisan control of the roads that ten years ago they were placed under the direct managemeut of a non-partisan commission, which not only directs their operation, but has charge of the coDStruction of dpw lines. In Egypt there are about 1,250 miles of railroads belonging to the government and two short lints, which are under private control. At the Cape of Good Hope all but about 180 miles of lina in Cape Colony is owned and controlled by the government, against government control. The rates charged on these out-of-theway-lines are not a rair basis for the comparison of state-controlled roads with those which are owned by private companies or individuals. Yet Joseph Nimmo, Jr, the statistician, has lound in the Australian roads a strong arguL ment against government control. His f remarks (whtch are not quoted by the interstate commission) arc: "Construe tion 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 changes of dishonesty, and their management subject of popular complaint, especially among the farmers. Freight charges are much higher on the Australian railroads than on our Am encan roads." Marshal M. Kirknun j writes that the experience of Cape Colodj haa been the same. '"In order to get the necessary votes in the assembly to pass a bill authorizing the construe tion ot meritorious lines, it has been necessaij to build other lines, that were not required and will not pay it." Tne condition of affairs finds a paral lei in the American congress in the matter ot river and harbor improvements, for the river and h -.rbor bill is notoriously a ''log-roll-a" measure. The result of the construction of non paying lines in English i<outn Africa, kMr. Kirkman sa\s, is that high freight rates are charged on the good lines to make up for losses on the poor Jines, 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 * K fKn mAfTorn mc.n t mad Q CUILipeiHlUU V> HU bUC uuicu v a isMUhj would be fatal to the latter. Even in Germany the government found it necessary to buy up many private roads because their competition was ruinous. Ninety per cent of the mileage in Germany is owned by the government, and under the law the government is required to manage the roads as a siDgle system in the interest ~ of general traffic. The government may cause the construction and equip ment 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 respects the experience of the people of that country with government 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 power, and the rates charged are higher than those which are charged in toe * United States, while the rules of the road are much more burdensome TOO MUCH BED TAPE. An oft repeated story of Cbauncy Depew illustrates the red tape of German railroad management. A party of young Americans ran after a moving train to ceard it. The official of the platform called to them to stop. They ran on ar.a boarded the train. At the next station at which the train stopped they were taken from the car by a tile of soldiers, and informed that as they rhad cleany violated a law of the Em pire they bed already been tried and sentenced, without a hearing, to thirty days imprisonment, senator liuuocq, od bis return from a trip to Germany, a few years 8go, Baid that there was more fuss over the departure of one train in Germany than one would see m 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 road?, 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 , throjj^r whiwb the lines were run and l -~ privtifemdiv duals; hut eventually the F roads wt ret become the property of i the governn it. The first railroad lawwas passed in 18411, the plan outlined being for the construction of lints to diverge from the capital. The operating companies contributed about onehalf the cost o? construction. The roads were to belong to th*- government aft#r thirty six years. The paDic of 1847 aLd the political changes which followed altered the original plan a great deal, and anew law was passed In y 18?9, by whish the state assumed super- i r vision of railroad rates, and by this law the roads w?re to belong to the government in about one hundred years. Under a law passed In 1*83 the government virtually went out oi railroad building, but the private companies which construct th^se 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 tfce state within the time when private ownership will cease and the roads will revei t to the state. By the middle ot the next century France w;i! own all of the French roads, unless a new svstern is adopted In the meantime. Uader this government, supervision and half control passenger rates are almost double those of the United States, and freight rates are more than twme 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-lifths of the mileage is owned bv 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 telegrapbs. Rates are fixed by law. The railroads are exempt from taxation. The Belgian system was to have been a model for the governments of the world, aod at first it wai unquestionably excellent. But 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 centnry the red tape in the accounting offices has been shortened recently by a congressional commission, kept ihe Belgium railroads at a standstill wben all the world was constantly adopting new improvements and recent devices. The Belgium roads, together, therefore, are monuments to old-fogyism. Toe 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 13 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. Ia Russia as in Japan (where two-thirds of the mileage is owned by the government,) the State undertakes to say whether a proposed private line is needed. In fact, there is no free right of way in any country but the United States. In Austria-Hungary one-half of the railroads are owned by the government, but all private charters expire at a stipulated time, not exceeding a period of ninety years, and at that time all lines, lands and buildings revert to tne State. The government iixes the tariffs for its own lines and revises the tariffs ot private lines every three years, and can reduce rates if the net earnings exceed li per cent. Transportation charges in Russia are 40 per cent, higher than in America. In Austria the passenger rates are about 60 per cent, higher than in America, and the freight rates more 1 tbaD douole as much. The passenger rates in Spain and Portugal are about what they are in Russia. All 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 FAILURE. In two countries?Holland and Italy the government owns a part of the mileage but leases its share to private ?v Tt--*1rr hoa triuH strata COrpurclUUUS. ioai/ uao UIA&U S^'jmvw i railroads and private railroads and al- , most every relation between tae State and individuals in the management of the roads wmch 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 ?~ fti" jihufmn rhiio- Tr ta a. miafjilrp U)J ILC OUuauivu V? ? .??V,? v co expect lower rates and better facili- , aes from government than from private compauies. fhe actual results j are just tne reverse. The State is more apt to tax industry than to foster it, and when it attempts to tax industry , it is even less resposibh* thau a private company. State manage u*snt is more costly than private management. Much capital is thus v isied. State management is demoral zing both to legitimate business and politics." Italy had one unique experience during the , period of government control. One of , its provinces, Lomoardy, found it necessary to suspend freight service because of lacfc of ability of those in charge to handle it. In Great Britain and Ireland, as in the United States, none of the roads are owned by the government; but in the British Isles no liues may be constructed without permission from parliament. 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 1S 7 reported that it was inexpedient "to subvert the policy which has hith erto been adopted of leaving the construction and management of railroads to tne free enterprise of the people, under such conditions as parliament may think best to impose lor 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 something like our Interstate commerce law. It is not generally remembered that the United ."States has made experiments in the State ownership of railroads. Ktrkman, 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 Sl,000,000,but disposed of it later for SIOO.OC'O. Indiana had a similar experience. Georgia owns a railroad, but has found it expedient to lease it to private parties. Pennsylvania constructed a railroad from Palladelphia to Columbia, but subsequently sold it,for the reason that the commonwealth, on rcliectioD, believed that transportation wa3 to oe 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 rs early history, constructed and operated railroads, hut within a decade found it advisable to dispose of them, and the people of the State, t?y provision nf their oonsrriifttifirL sub.-itaaentlv I V,.. , ^ . lorbade the State from participating in such wor&." The State committee on interstate commerce made a report on the subject of government control la 18*3, admitting the virtue of $eaerai control of the railroads as oae system, bat saying that the giving of addi lond power to the government would aiways prove a formidable barrier to the adoption of the policy, an.l that "the committee sees 110 neC:SS!ty lor considering its advantages or disadvantages until other methods ot regulation more American la spirit have at iesst been given a trial and proved unsa'isfac, toryr' SHAKING UP SHEEHAN. A LIVELY DAY IN THE L.EXDW COMMITTEE. Oouns-l Q' f! and Comajlf^l^iier Shtehnn Have tb? King t-> Theuuflves?T?mm?QT and the L'tjior Man?A. Flat Ketafa!. Xk w York, Oct. 31.?Commissioner Sbeerian was on :he s<and ajpiin today before the I>xow committee and ar usual a good deal of hot talk passed between the witness ard Lawyer Go*. Half an hour before adj )urnuienr, Mr Sbeehan was excused for the present aDd another witness took his pi tee. Solicitor Golf drew the commissioner out in refereuce to his ideas of the duties of the police board. First and foremost, the witness claimed the dutv of the board was to see that the $5,000,000 annual appropriation was properly expended. The board must also see that the officers on the force did their duty. Mr. Goff endeavored to make a telling point by getting the witness to admit that the board considered the proper enforcement of the rules amoag the officers as secondary to the expenditure of the 85,000,000 appropriation. The commissioner, however, would not admit the truth of such an inference. Ia the afternoon, Mr. Goff spent considerable time questioning the witness about the New York slgual 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. Sheehan's testimony for the day, Mr. Goff told 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?'' M>. Goff asked. "I work for my salary." UL 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 el3e?" " ,rT ? * f Ka 1 r* TTTCf A f f ho YY K TTlUSli tUHO UiiU i a n o v/i uuu city of JPew York are enforced." "Have the police cemmissioaers seen that {he laws were enforced ?" "Yes sir, the. police commissioners have given the citizens of New York the best protection they ever had, and the people are satisfied with the police force. There may be a few dishonorable men on the force, but the remaining members should not be held responsible for their acts." "1 have no doubt, Mr. Commissioner," said Mr. Golf, sarcastically, "but that a certain percentage of the citizens of New York have had ample protection." Chairman Lexow then asked the witness whether in the Cross trial he had not said he would not believe the evidence of a woman who kept a disorderly house. The witness said he was not prepared to express any opinion on any triad unless it was before him. "lam not going to say whether I would believe a witness or not," said he, "until the entire evidence is in." "But you took the evidence of pool room keepers." "Tnere were many decent m -n among the pool room keepers. Tney gave up the business whea it was declared illegal." Mr. Golf referred to the case of C ipt. Price, wno was tried for allowing as orderly houses to run in his precinct. "What was the verdict iQ Capo. Fnce's case." i "He was fined five day's pay." "Well, Cape. Marteas ?as tried for the same office aad fiaed thirty day's pay, while Capt. Doherty was dismissed on the same charge. Exp aia how these different sentences came about tor the same offence." ' Capt. Frioe was tried on the charge of allowing a disorderly house to run in his precinct. Tnis house had been closed long before, bat two detectives managed to bring women m the house. He was fiaed for not being Vigilant euough. I was iQ favor of reprimanding Qtin, as I believed the house nad been closed." "Why did you vote for his conviction?" " Well, in order to m aks him vigilant, If two detectives got icto the nouse other people could also get in. The evidence showed Price did his best.', "Way was he convicted .then?" asked Senator O'Connor. * J2 J A * ".because, i suppose, ub uia wju uu better." The case of Captains Westervelt and Haughey were then referred to. Tbey were both llaed tor allowing disorderly bouse? to run in tbeir precincts. "In tbe month of July, Captaias Cros3, Devery and Doherty were dismissed from tbe force for permitting disorderly bouses to run; while Captains JL'riee, Marten?, Haughey and Westereeit were only fined for tbe same offense. Tiease explain tbe different sentences?" "The cases against Cross, Doherty and Dsvery were entirely different from tbe others. Tbe three captains who were dismissed were also convicted of taking money for protection from tbe keepers of disorderly bouses." "Is it not a fact tbat those captains who were ilaed belonged to what is known as tbe tjheehan- Williams ring." 4?T n KftOrH r\f O T*i T"> Ct " X ur v ci ucaiu kjjl o uuu a nug, "Haven't certain commissioners taken pains to protect certain captains?" \I have never heard of it." Mr. Golf read the presentment of the grand jury on March, 1892, calling .'or the suppression of vice and the weeding out ot 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." "On, yes, I believe he was." "Have you heard that Mr. Tabor, the foreman of the grand jury, said in aa interview, tnat from S7.OJ0.000 to S10,* 00J,<JG0 was paid annuaii> to tne poiica force tor protection?" "If Mr. Tabor made that statement he Ilea." r?n majn f f\ C-J ^7 \T r_ TahOf. XJ\J JUU \J\J VMMW ??. - _ _ , a respectable merchant, lied ?" "I tueau to say that if be mad9 that statement. be lie'd." "Is that Menry M. Tabor?" a3ked the chairman. "Yes sir," replied Mr. Goff. "Did Mr. Tabor lie when he said that tbe police department of tbis city received blackmail?" "He lied when be said the polce department received 810,000,000.'' "Tbat is not tbe question; did he lie when he said the ponce department received blackmail V "Why, Mr. Gaff, blackmail ha? beeu paid tbe police lor twenty years." "Wbatdoyou know about it?" said the chairman sharply. "Hearsay, like you." "Now did Mr. Tabor lie, when he said tbe police received blackmail. "Hem y nave some specific evidence to base bis oellef upon. He lied when he said the police leved 310.900.000." '*1 want to place you on record. Do you mean to say that Mr. Tabor lied only about the amount?" It took a long time to get the 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 get 810,000,000 annually from this city without the people rising uo and crushing them, "That is what they are doing now," quietly said Chairman Lexow. After a recess, Commissioner Sbeehan said he would like to qualify the statement made about Mr. Tabor. "1 want to say now," he said, "when Mr. Tabor made that statement he was mistaken." y%r%! 1 rl f Kn irifncee' off ^nf Inn iyir. VJ'J11 ua;i:u mo r? xuuuoo wuu^uuiuu to ao interviewlQ which the latter stated that the police commis9leners had never tied the hands of the superintendent in the execution of his duty. He said there reached the commissioners a rumor that saloon keepera were paying the captaias 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." "Nam? one saloon keeper for whom you sent V" "I can't recollect now." Witness then said that the transfer of captains was caused by himself, "i believe," said he, "if the captalnst were getting blackmail the transfer might stop that practice." "You beiieye that they were getting money from the saloon keepers?" "Yes, but I could get no proof." Witness said he believed that elnce the big shake up the liquor dealers had not paid a cent to the police, air. Go ff read another portion of the interview, in which the witness said that word haa been seutto the saloon keepers through the various liquor dealers' association not to pay any more money to the caDtaios. " Wh? sent tne word ?" "1 don't know." "How did you know 'word was sent? "Is It not a fact that liquor dealers paid the money Into the Tammany Hall instead of the Dolice. after the transfer of captalus ?" "1 never heard of it." Have you not heard that President Mahan and Mr. Croker met at the Hoffman House and agreed with the liquor dealers delegation that the latter should pay the money into Tammany Hall for election purposes?" T may have read it, but I believe it false." . Will you swear the money wa3 not paid into Tammany Hall?" "Not to my knowledge.'' Mr. Goff theD said he would like Mr. bheehan to produce his private account book tomorrow, "jl also ask you," said he, "to produce your public and private bank book tomorrow." "I refuse to produce my public or private bank book," said the commissioner, stolidly. "You do. Well, I want to pat It on the record that the subpoena called for the production of all your booki connected with your private accounts and also with the police department." The com nissloner was thea excused. Speculators Scared. New York, Oct. 3L?Members of the cotton exchange nere snd in other cities are somewhat excited over the proposition to form a gigantic trust of all the cotton raisers of the South, wbien is beinz advocated by John T. ltoddey, a prominent broker of this city. Theexchauges ara oppoied to the schema. If such a trust is formed the brokers say that their business will ha ruined^so far as exercising any control of the mirket is concerned. Cne trust would oe able to practically dictate the price of cotton in the open market. Mr. R -ddey's plants for every cotton farmer, no natter now small, to become a snareholder. When the crop is gathered each member shall turn lato cne trust oae bale out of every live or six Dales raised by him, or if the crop is a small one, then one bale out of every seven or eight shall go to the crust. Toe amount of cotton thus placed In the hands of the trust shall be held by the latter as a sort of balance wheel co the muket. The farmer will market his crop, less the amount turned over to the crust, as bes suits him. Tne trust supply will be hel until the m <?-ket price shall be hign enougn to warrant its sale aad the return of a good profit, ilr. Koddey feels sure that tae adoption of hU plan aud the formation of a trust, as proposed, will at once put the price of co; ton up 10 aoout ? cents iroui me present price, which is aoout 5 ceats. Thle would beau 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 shares. Mr. RoJdey suggests a meeting in New York at an early date of representatives of all farmers' organizations in the South, to consider the matter. He has received a Dumber of letters from prominent cotton planters and leading citizens of South Carolina who heartily endorse the plan. When seen at his office, 80 Broadway, Mr. Roddey said he expected active steps towards organization would be taken this week. Cotton Qroweri Maoon, da., 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 upoa 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. Ia 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 commend them to the farmers of the cotton growing States and request the delegates appointed from Georgia to attend the'Cotton Growers Convention at Montgomery. Ala., on November 14, to urge tne suggestion as the proper and just solution oi tms vital question. That the delegation to Montgomery be requested to da ail that ttey can to 3top tne shipments of corton from the farm3 thus reducing: the heavy receipts which have a tendency to create a wrong impression about the amount of the present crop. Boycotting oar Beef. Berlin, Oct. 39.? The prohibition against the landing of American cattle and American beef announced by a decree of the Hamburg Senate Saturday last, was extended today to every port of Germany. The ofliciols of the Interior department say that the importation of cattle from America suffering from Texas fever has beeD clearly proved and that the measures taken are purely of a preventive nature, such as each G.rman state is entitled to exerci?? tnrough its police authority within It* [own territory. A TO OUR FARMERS. AN URGENT APPEAL TO THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVESMr, Roddy, of New York. Tblnks That the Farmers, to Avsrt RqId, Mast Or- ! gamize&nd Fight for Themsslves Against peculators. Columbia, S. C.. Nov. 1.?The folio wing arncle from the pen of Mr. Roddy, 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 a few words to the thinking people of the South and West. I verily believe that If somethiDg is not done to bring about a change, speculators, capitalists, trusts and cliques will so far depress the products of the farmers and the laboring men that anarchy will be Inevitable. When a clique of capitalists, wiGh 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 not care, 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 York and New Orleans exchanges, as well as the Chicago board of trade, and grind the money out cf any who may oppose them, and yet they talk of hard times and say po )r busine33 is the cause 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 these same people so far depress his products as to place him in actual want and to deprive him of th9 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, oorn 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 Gx. These people depend almost entirely upon you for their food and ciotning and yet do not seem to care how many suffer by their depressing prices of products. Legitimate supply and demand control prices, but a false supply kills, 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, ana of course check the demand; Suppose the price had been higher, would not the demaad nave been greater; Will Liverpool or Xew Eagland mills buy cotton freely when they expect prices to be carried lower, or what pre vents Liverpool and Nev Eagland buyers from joining in and helping to depress prices 111 order that tbe7 may get your spot cotton cheaper? The majority of yoa sell your crob as soon as gathered at whatever price the exchanges may iix and they kaow it.? lu other words yoa are absolutely governed by the excaanges, even it tne price go to two cents. You are ble3secl by Providence la being in the oaly section tnac can raise corn, cotton aad wneac, and should have something to say regarding the price and yet you are powerless. Suppose spinners had to send buyers to yoa Wiih instructions not based on excnauge prices, you mignt have si?meimng to s?y as regards prices as cney have when you come to make your purchases, out tney compel you to :ake to so-cai.ed estabiisned p.noe or they ouy from one who is forced to sell on account of his poverty. You see by the papers Gnat exchange price are declining, going lower and lower, and kuowing tnat you are in debt, possioly for supplies and so forth, yon rush your cotton to market, peihaps, after oeing notlded o? vour debt by tne merchants, at wnatever price bnyeis may nr allow vou. Snot buvera an ticipate your sales on tneir purchases and sell on exchanges thus depressing prices and helping tne bears. Tne exchanges are a great benelit to the spinners, they never give themselves one minute's uneasiness about getting their supply?they know that a3 long as the exchanges tlx 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; loes it look natural that more than ten hundred thousand bales of cotton should De 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, probabl? repre-1 sentlng the interest and affecting a thousand souls, to say the least, it is placing a small valuation on your labor. These speculation 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. Ooe advantage the bears have is that If any one have a contract for a certain month, the near or person wuj uaa sold has the privilege of offering to deliver to the purchaser the cotton aoout'flve days previous to the month traded Id, or of not delivering until the end of the month traded in, as he chooses. In other words If you want the cotton he ha3 sold you he has over thirty days to deliver it and if you do not want it you must sell on the exchange whatever it will bring. Another advantage, the carrying charges favor the bears about one cent per year. With such advantages is It to be woDdered at that speculators depress your products. mi A Af f h A VJah t h X QtJ J? SI LLiCl C5 XXUldUOC VI OLi^ uvuuu Is 9uppo36d to be an organized body with intelligent leaders, but it appears that they hare not as yet touched the key note to the situation; they are discussing the silver bill; the tariff aod other different measures, but they should b"gin at home, see what Is th6 cause of :he depression and why they are kept dor. n; And out how you may financially better your condition and reap the greatest benelits from your labor; why your products are kept down and your condition not improving. You can raise absolutely everything, have nothing to buy, whereas your oppressors raise absolutely nothing and have everything to buy. If you were so organized that you could simply say, we will not take less than eight to ten cents for our cotton and stand to it, for three to live million i bales you would get ten cents at least. ; If you can't sell leave the other on your ; plantations rather than sell at four to live cents- Ten cents for one bale is better than four cents for two or three bales. If you were orgauized you could command a price for 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 running through a certain country, do you suppose they would allow capitalists and corporations In a different section to Ox their rates, or even influence them ? It will he a hard tlffht tor you to organize tnoroughly, but you will have the advantage of being able to live without selling, while they mu3t 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 better to have stood together, they will fall in line and you 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 theSouth (18.000,000 people) furnish 7? per cent, of the entire world with a necessary part of their wearing apparel, and then be deprived by specuj lators of everthing except a bare living. It you could not get a living price and knew it be fore hand, you would not raise cotton, 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 nn rhaoa orohaneraaV Vnn rop.alvrt Ipsa year after year ia actual value for your crop, no matter how Providence favors you. Within the past few years ten cent was considered an average price. Now you receive about Ave, and unless somechauge should take place, you may consider Ave cents an average price in a short time. I refer to my letter of April 18 of thi3 year, in which I said: "Aslong as It is continued thiDgs must get worse and I anticipate in a few years that cotton will sell at five cents."?Cotton i3 now below 5X cents; it wa3 then eight C9nts. Organiz-5 yourselves, get together, let no class of speculators continue to wreck you?to ruin your lives, your homes.your children and your country. JonN T. Roddey. Thanksgiving Day. Washington, Oct. 31.?The President today issued the following: iiy the President of the United States of America?A Proclamition. The American people should gratefully render thanksgiving and praise to the Supreme Ruler of the universe, who has watched over them with kindness and fostering care during the year that ha3 passed; they should also wi:h humility and faith supplicate the Father of all mercies for continued hluoainorcj an^nrrlincr to fhfiir nftflds. and V?VVV?M?WJ^ ??? ?>> ?-VVWWy they should, by deeds of charity, seek the favor of the giver of every gojd and perfect gift. Therefore, i. Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, do hereby appoint and set apart Tnur3day, the 29;hdayof Novernoer, inst., as a day of thanksgiving and prayer, to be kept and observed by all the people of the laud. On that day let our ordinary work and business be suspended, and let us meet at our accustomed piac.13 of worship and give thanks to Almighty God for our preservation as a acion, for our immuuity from dissase and pestilence, for the harv -sts that aave rewarded our husbandry, for a reuewai of national prosperity, aad for ever* advance in virtus and iatelii geace that have marked our growta as a people. And with our thanksgiving, let us pray that these blessiags may oe multiplied uuto us, <.ua, our national con-| science may bi }iic<eaed to a better j reuogaitua of o) ver and goodness of God, and the . in our nation ?l life Wd LL1 iy UlCALCL flOO 3UI1 wiiu n oh- pita of rigaceousnsss. Aad in oar places of worship aad praise, a* well as ii the happy reunions of kia ired aad friends oa chit day, let as mvois D:vioe approval oy generously remsaaoenag ens poor aad needy. Surely fie wao has given as co ntort and plenty will look upon oar relief of the destitute aad oar ministrations of charity as the work: of hearts truly grateful, aad as proofs of the sincerity of our thanksgiving. Witness my hand aad seal of the Uaited States, wnich I have caused to he hereto allixed. Doae m the city of Washiogcoa on the lirst day of Novemoer, ia the year of our Lord eighteen hundred aad ninety-four, aad of the independence of the Uaited States the one hundred and nineteenth. (Signed) Groveu Cleveland. 137 th9 President*. \V. <4. Gre3ham, Secretary of State. M*y Came a U)*u, Hvatisville, Md., Nov. 1.?El via Gott, Jr., son of the Secretary of State, Is dangerously ill from the effects of hazing, and a numo3r of the students a: 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 aronnd his chest, throwa over a transom and the victim was hauled up and left hangiogsome hours. Gott was verv mucn frlgntened bat offered no resistance. He appeared at brea&fast on the following morning apparently uninjured, but later lu tne day became violently ill. He has had several spasms and becomes weaker after eicn attack. It ie supposed that cue fright has shattered qis nervous system aad the faculty have grave fears of his recovery. Half a dozsa of the students are kept in close continement awaitin the result of Gott's injuries. 5:a<*e Drlvar Ivillad. Nevada. Citv, Gal., Oct. 30.?Arthur Meyer, driver of tne stage coach running between tat3 place and Xorcn Bloomiield, was shot and instantly killed by a hlgawayman this afternoon. At lloek Creek, three miles north of here, tne incoming stage was stopped oy a loae highwayman, who commanded Meyer to get down out of the box. Meyer refused, and the bandit lired twice at him, with a revolver. The second shot passed through th8 driver's body. C. H. B&vee, of Sierra county, who was the only passenger, jumped from the coach and ran into tne forest. After th? robber had gone, Bovee came out of the bushes took charge of coacn and and horses, and brought the dead stage driver to town. "So far as known, the robber secured no booty. AcqxntSed. Darlington, C., Oct. 27.?McLendou, the tjtate Constable, charged with starting the riot here in March last, haj been acquitted and is now a free man. He was ably defended by Col. Aid rich of Barnwell, and II. H. jlrun, son of Orangeb irg. THE FALL IN COTTONOPINION OF A COTTON AUTHORITY ON THE SUBJECT. The SanthU Eaormou* Loss ot BuyJDg Power Da<j to theDeclld<? la the Price of ber Catct Product.?Klag Cotton'* Crisis. New York. Nov. 1?The decline iq the price of cotton, going on now for more than a year, but sharply accentuated within the last six weeks, has been watched with curious interest by many people in this and foreign lands, and with deep anxiety by more. Despite adverse conditions and the persistent efforts to dethrone him, including four years of ruinous and bloody war, King Cotton still rules absolutely in 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 pound, the price it sells for 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 wnat they are today, on the estimated crop of 8,000.000 bales, the tidy little sum of ?90,009,000 in round numbers. If the crop turns out 10,090,009 bales, as many oeueve, toe snrinkage ana loss will measure up to 3100.003,0J3. The news o*t some leading cotton merchants of this city are given below oa the serious situation that confronts the South ia this enormous loss of buying power. As the South manufactures but little S3 yetand her merchants draw their supplies almost entirely from the Xorth, their deprivation and poverty will be 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 Cotton Pacts and secretary of the sub committee on cotton of the United States, is regarded as about as well posted on cotton culture and mauufactura 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 tne cotton trade who have seen cotton as low as it is today, for in this couurry it has not touched prices as low as at present since 1848, when middling upland cotton sold in Xew 1'ork for 5 cents a pound, while such low prices as now ruie in Liverpool have never been known in that market. In October, 1848, under the influence of political] disturbances oa the continent and 11-1 nancial panic in England, the price of middling upland cotton in Liverpool was forced to 3^ pence. That was the lowest quotation in the Liverpool market until now, when trie price is down to 3 7-32 pence. u The greatest previous depression ia; recent years was in ttie season of 189192, when ttie commercial crop exceeied 9,000,003 bales, and was the larga3t ever marketed. This immense crop succeeded one almost as large, and uu- i der the great supply of cotton and other unfavorable influences the price in March, 1892, declined to 611 10 cents in .New Fork and 3 9-10 pence in Liverpool. Middiincr cotton is quoted in N"ew York now at5 13 16 cents, beinv of a cent lower than in 1892. and 2% cents lower than this time last year. At these prices cotton culture not oily cease3 co he a remunerative laiustry in this country, hut except under the most extraordinary andexceptionaliy favorable conditions, the cotton plaater could no$ possibly get back the actual cost of qis crop. ' From 3ome recent Investigation for a committee of the United States Senateic was made evident to me chat under tne mo3t favorehie clrcunucancsi jaly a very small portion of caj crop cjnld oe prod iced for as little as 5 cents per pound delivered at the nearest siippiag point to the plantation. LVnorj fho a-?il ia mir and frtpf.iliz ' t utlw uuu mmv* ... nave to be u-jsI, one cost of production seem* to range from 6 to 7 ceats a pouad, wnea proper facilities are employed, waii? the c;s> to farmers not posse.'siag such advantages 13 higher aad sometimes very much aigher. "On account of tie very low price3 in 1882 cae acreage which wa3 planted la cotton ia the spring of 1832 was pi-* mated by tae department of agriculcure as fully par cent lessthaa the previous year. It was tae greatest curtailmeat of acreage of which we have any official record. As at the pre39nt prices the average cotton grower caanot get back a new dollar for an old one expended in cotton cultivation, it 8sem3 to me inevitable taat the acreage of the next cotton crop will be reduced in even a greater proportion than in 1892, unless a very m'aterial advance in prices should occur before the time to prepare for plauting. If 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 less cotton. "inelow prices now ruling are not due to au excessive present supply of cotton, for the stock ia both Europe and American markets is somewhat less 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 hPinur marketed will be very large, and that that the weight of receipts daring the next two months will, on account of the dulne33 of trade and notable lack of outside speculation carry prices still lower. I do not suppose taat any thinking man can wish that cotton should go lower, and men who talk flippantly of middling cotton declining to 5 cents in New Fork do not realia; what an immense loss this would be tc 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 ic would cause in our foreign exchanges. "The average price in New York last seasoon was 7? cents, while for the previous season it wa? 8}{ cents. Whec 1 nren*r;itions were made for the pre3 eat crop middling cotton was worths cents iu New York, and the farmers doubtless expected to get about tha* price, and the expectation was not unreasonable, because the average pric; had not been as low as that tor over forty years. Few people estimate the crop at ies3 than 9,000,000 bales. Lvery 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 613,000 000. An average price for the crop on the basis of 6 cents in New York would therefore, amount to a loss of 699,090,000 from the anticipated resources, wnlle *5 cent cotton in New York,' which some people so glibly talk about would mean a curtailment of the country's resources to the enormous extent of 6135,000,000. "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 by the shrinkage in the value of exchange based upon the exports of cotton. So ^ great a drain upon our slender supply f"~ A 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 values be continued there can be no doubt that very serious results will follow, which will injuriously effect the interests of the country. "For many millions of the human race cotton cloth is indispensable for shirts for the living and shroud3 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 be3t men ?to give hereafter greater attention to food crops and to make cotton a surplus or money crop. "I do not care to go into the question of the probable size of the present crop, but I receivea yesterday a letter from the acting Secretary of Agriculture saying that after a careful Investigation oin/io I?1 AP fho AiioaflAn AP OiLA'wC 1 COl a^l J X VI \jLX\J UVOU1VU VI cottoa acreage the conclusion had been reached that the acreage of the crop of 1893 94 was 19,525,000 acres. la Jane the department estimated the acreage of the crop of 1894 95 (now coming la) a3 six-tenths of 1 per cent more than the previous crop. This would make the acreage of the present crop 19,642,003 acres. '1 he New Tone Chronicle's estimate of this crop's acreage Is 20,107,003 acres, and some estimates are higher. 6ome time ago the statistician of agriculture wrote to E irope that he was satisfied that the area uader cottoa in 1893 was soma what over 20.003,003 acres. It will be seea, therefore, that the result of the Investigation by the department has been to make the acreage, 133,030 acres les3 than the statistician's views o?fore its completion, and the department's ngures of acreage of present crop are about 503,033 acres less than mo3t estimates. Tne yield per acre of 1833 94, the department state 1, was .384 of a bale per acre-Toe- ' general expectation is that. will iw tjuto jit. Assnming it to be four-tenths of a bale par acre the deducation from current estimatei based upon an acreage of twenty million acres would equal 233,033 bale3." SUN'S COTTON REVIEW . Tii? Am? rlcia Suftpl? Coast<S?r?d th? B tit ad Cl9ap?at la tin World. , New York, Nov. 1.?The Sun's cotton report says: Cotton declined 1 to 2 points, bat recovered this and advanced 4 to 5 points, closing steady at a rise of 3 to 4 points. Tae sales were 93,099 bales. Cotton goods sold a little more ireel_v. Manufacturers of finings are working overtime to catcl up with orders. Russian Mills have begun paying dividends of 20 per cent, and over, and making a protit In come cases of 50 per cent. German 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 gives the oest results. Some of the private cables from Liverpool were oearish. Fatman & Schwartz sold, supposed to be for continental acconnt. rne oears are as a rale timid about selling. Most of them are watting, like Micawoer, for "something to turn np." Tae strike at New Orleans is said to be impeding the movement of the crop somewhat. A piuad of yarn made from Americaa cotton Is worth 49 per m ira thi.i a n'liin'l rtPrraro Ui J i.\J vu^ 4 U JU 44 Vi. ^(4iU JLbW E*st Ialia. Esse iQdU supplies are comparatively small. E jyptian is relatively bigaer taan A.aisricaar Exports from tins country continue large. Today cney Wdre42,232 to Great Britain, 12,190 go Francs ani 21,185 to tie con- J ciaent, total 75,653 bales or 25,000 more ctiiQ today's receipts at tae ports. Bombay receipts for one weelr are 2,000 ^? against 3,000 for the same week last year; total siacs January 1, 1,576,000, i^tiast 1,535,000 ror tie s?ms cims ust year. Bemoay saipments since Ja mary 1,47,009 to Great Britain anl 41,000 for ens same time last year while vj ens continent taey were 751,000, against 752,000 for a lite period last 1 year. Xsv 5T jck stock la licensed warehouses is63.809 oales, again3t j'V 709 a year ajo and 255,300 at f5* ?^?1,3 in 1892. 1'orG rece'O" ar3 *>0,3 JI, against 61,713 l;*'" }ai' wee* aud 36 417 for TMl> 8ain3 Cltn3 ia3t year5 to:;al ru'ua rar tb.is week nave been estimated as high as 425,000. Some tnlnn tnase figures will not oe reached. Fort Royal reports a shipment of 6,505 bales to Liverpool. Exports from the ports - - * - - * /nora ; r, ? r idaSOQ 0 1435 nigau srd i,\joh,UH ajfaiuov 8SJ.03S to? tie aaaia time ia3t year, f tie abort interest in this country part* ly against 3lies to Eirops aal milling interests of the United States is balloyed to be very large. Some expect large recelpt3 at the port3 next weex. New Orleans receipts tomorrow are estimated at 12,033 to 11,033. One tirm said: "A let up in tti3 'movement is necessary to sastala pric93, oat no material decline is looted for. A large demand for actual cotton will no doubt be felt when the idea bacom33 crsaeral that prices are at the bottom. E astern mills continue to buy freely and wa are advised from Boston that they bave purchased enough to last till tie 1st of February. It mu3t be remembered that tbey always carry a few months'supply." A telegram from New 0:laaa3this afternoon from a correspondent there says that reports from everywhere tell of aa enormous movement, and that ; next weefc promises to be nearly a3 an th ia JLaL ? u J W4J. iwi The Great Oil Truat. New York, Nov. 1.?The annual meetiag of the American Cotton Oil ; Company wa3 held at Guttenburg, N. ; J., today. The report for the year ended ^ i August 3L, 1831, shows a surplus of ? $45,017 against $507,761 ia 1893 and $ 1,333,011 in 1892. Prodis for the year 1894 were $1,428,152 against $1,800,040 last year, the adm:ni3;.ratioa expenses $191,805, against $220,992; debenture Interest, $201,374, against $34,728; sinking fund nothin?, against $25,000; preQiium bonds redeemed $24,000, f.'ainst $20,504 and other expenses in 1894, $33,234, total expenses, $731,355, against $552:932; net profits, $596,295, against $1,147,107, depreciation, $25,832, against $23,182; dividend on preferred, $011,910, against 611.916; other dividends. 1,931. against $ 4,253 and total surplus, $5,982,959, against $5,925,342 in 1893. Tae number cf stockholders xs 1,80 i, against 1.709 last year and 1,320 in 1892. Tae company added in the year a tank steamer of 4,200 tons, real estate, docks, etc., at a costof $773,497. One third of this amount wa3 for the Holland company. There were spent for improvements in the year, $ 132,987. The company has 120 plants cf various kinds in sixteen States and 49 OUt 01 i'Z cruuo ua mills arc iu u^siabiuu, live are dormant and 18 are dismantled. 1 The compaQV has one tank steamer 355 1 tan oil oars, 230 box cars and one barrel car. Tae each and bills receivable exceed the current liabilities by $925,255 and the marketable goods are worth $4,0(59 312, a total working capacity ci $4, 994 568, The company will pay the i income tax so that dividends to stockholders will be net ana not subject ko ' tax. *