Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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rtfll [[lit 118 8ISIE AFFAIRS. Tells the People the Result of the Year's Study. IANCES UNSATISFACTORY. His Circular Letter to Preachers Kcport a Decrease in Drinking and Drunkenness, But the Legislature Will Have to Wait for Action at ? Washington Before Anything Can ' ? Be Done With the Great Whiskey Problem. Below is the Governor's message on State affairs as read before both houses of the General Assembly on the 11th: To the Gentlemen of the General Assembly: In thia first annual message I regret that I cannot congratulate you and the people of the State upon y the condition of affairs '8s f *^at *aces y?u today. while we have not ft gj bad the predicted reVa. / turn of prosperity, we* should recall with TSj^fi/^^thankfulness the good /j^^Qealth, peace and hap- ( ^c^J^^jcfe^piness we have been permitted to 'enjoy.. Without furthor preliminary I proceed . to discharge one of the most important dnties imnosed nnon the Chief Execu t tive by the constitution. The finances of the State are in a very unsatisfactory condition. During the session of the General Assembly, for , 1S96, a levy of four and a half mills was laid to meet the current expenses of the fiscal year, beginning January 1st, 1897, and ending December 31st, 1897. The sum raised by this levy proved insuffi[ dent to meet the expenses, and we, k have, therefore, a deficit of $100,000 to r be provided for. By using every dollar [ from every available source and by i overdrawing in small amounts upon f banks in which large sums of the State's , funds have been deposited, we have ! met promptly all current obligations without borrowing a dollar. The books L were opened for the collection of taxes, ft October loth, and since that time we ft have used money thus collected to pay ft current expenses. This money now bejf ing collected, however, belongs legitiF mately to the current appropriations r for 1898. By refusing to borrow ?100, 000, as is often done, though I have not saved the State any great amount in the way of interest charges. I have refused to sanction what appears to me to: be a bad policy?the policy of borrowing money at interest. The levy for State purposes will be high, but you must remember that we have a deficit of $100,000?not of your ! making?to be provided for, and that i the State will no longer receive any L revenue for current expenses from the I ft dispensary profits, for under the proft visions of the constitution all profits Bfrom the dispensary must hereafter to the rchool fund. During the Vpast year the general fund has been W augmented by $02,000 received from the F dispensary; the year previous . th*a [ augmentation amounted to $100,000. t I have endeavored to secure a stateI roent of the finances of the State from the treasurer. But as his books were not balanced up to the time of completion of my message, I beg to refer you to the treasurer's report The Dispensary. . The most difficult problem that conV fronts you is the regulation of the ? liquor traffic?and it is your duty, as the trusted representatives of the l^eople, to use your best eflorts in satisfactorily solving this qnestion. In my inaugural address I asked that no material change be made in the dispensary law until it could be given a fair trial. This it had never had. Upon my recommendation the law remained as* it was, with the exception of a few I unimportant amendments. On assuming the duties of Governor I undertook the enforcement of the law, endeavor- i ing to do with as little friction as possible. At first, my efforts were encour- j agiBgiv success!ui, uui iuisbuwcjo v?as > hindered by disagreements among the members of the State board of control, f The mismanagement of the State dispensary and the bickerings and dissensions in the State board disgusted some of the warmest supporters of the law, and caused a great many to lose faith in the system. But by reorganiI zatiou of the force this mismanagement was corrected, and the board has since worked in harmony. Be it said to their credit, the dispensary is now conducted r in a more business-like way than ever before. Had it not been for the intervention of the Federal Courts I do not hesitate to say that the dispensary would today have very little opposition, and would have already proved, i both financially and morally, a great ' success. The Federal Courts have seriously ] crippled the law and rendered futile all i my efforts for its enforcement, behold- i ing in the case of Donald vs. Scott that ' citizens of the State have a right to im- 1 f port whiskey for personal use. A great I many who were engaged in tne illicit j traffic in whiskey took advantage of , this decision to import whiskey for j sale; it thus became very difficult for j the State constables to tell when it was j l imported for personal use only. The i ( State constables, under my inGtruc- i tions, seized quantities of whiskey , I where there were suspicious circum- j P stances connected with the importation; ! I but upon application to Judge Simon-j i ton nearly ail tho whiskey seized was ; I. released. _ . \ Beginning with this decision the { State has been involved :u continuous litigation. In the case of Ex. Par te . r.--v. - Loeb Judge Simonton held that agents of liquor dealers outside the State might come into the State, take orders for liquors and ship them to citizens of the State. Encouraged by the above decisions, the liquor men applied to the United States Circuit Court for greater privileges, and in the Vandercook decision were granted all they desired. In this case the same judge held that citizens of another State might import, etore away and sell liquors in original Unbroken"packages of all sizes not less than one-half pint. This led to the opening in the State of hundreds of private liquor houses and flooded the whole of South Carolina with whiskey. Blind tigers, furnished by "original package" dealers, began the sale of whiskey in quiet, peaceful communities, where liquor has never been sold. in my eflorts to enforce ttie dispense ry law, as riodiSed by the judge's decis- j ions I met Vith great difficulties. At one time Judge Simonton seemed to as- | sume the combined perogatives of the Chief Executive and the Legislature of South Carolina, and undertook the | amendment of the dispensary law by J injunction. The Governor, the con- j stables, and all persons connected with the enforcement of the law, were enjoined from interfering in any way with the 1'original package'* dealers, and the law enacted by the representative! of a sovereign State was practically re pealed by a Federal judge. c When it was reported to me tbat Varn, Byrd & Co., "original package" dealers at Bamberg, were selling whiskey to drunkards, I immediately ordered the constables to seize their liquors and arrest them for maintaining a nuisance. This was done, but they applied to Judge Simonton to have the stock of liquors returned at once, and asked that the constables and all persons acting under them, or by virtue of authority from them, be restrained from further intermeddling with the said property. This request was granted, notwithfhot thfiv bad Ciauuiug ntbUCOOOd on v> v VMM* J seen the man who bought liquor at or about the time of the ^ale and that lie was drunk. The judge held that, to be guilty of the offense of selling to a drunkard, the party selling must either know or must have substantial reason to beliave that the party buying was drunk at the time. Agein in the case of E. 0. Connor vs? Geo. S. McCravy et al., Geo. S. McCravy, sheriff of Laurens county, notified me "ihat'four two-horse wagons had been sent to Augusta for whiskey and that on their way back to Laurens he received information that the drivers were cL. ank and boisterous and were selling whiskey from the wagons. I ordered the wagons and liquor seized as soon as they arrived at Laureus. Thereupon E. J. Connor filed a bill of complaint in the United States Circuit, Court praying for a J perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from seizing liquors of the complainant. Upon this bill being filed Judge Simonton granted a rule against the defendants, requiring them to show cause why a temporary writ of injunction should not be granted, and at the same time he made a restraining order to the following effect, to-wit: Enjoining the defendant from* sefeing or attempting to seize, in transit or after arrival, or otherwise carrying ewav or confiscating or detaining any of the liquors, wines or beer imor Rent, into the State bv the complainant; and furthermore commanding said defendants to forthwith deliver the horse, wagon, wines and liquors to the possession and control of the complainant In the above instance yon can see some of the difficulties that have confronted me in the enforcement of the dispensary jaw. "Original package" dealers have been allowee to sell to drunkards, and from wagons on public highways. Whenever a seizure was made the complainant would hasten to Jndge Simonton, who seemed at all times ready and willing to lend a helping hand to such applicants. Judge Simonton's decisions and his unfriendly attitude towards those who were charged with the enforcement of the dispensary law so completely demoralized the State constables that t: e - wers of little use, and became almost a dead expense to the State. The cost of maintaining the constables was about $4,000 per month. They were afraid to seize liquor for fear the Federal judge would jail them for contempt. When they did make a seizure it was, with few exceptions, released and the constables enjoined. Inasmuch, therefore, as Judge Simonton Had practically paraljTzed the constabulary, I dismissed the force, leaving the responsibility for the enforcement of the law in the incorporated towns and cities, in the hands of the city and town authorities. I retained a few detectives to suppress "blind ti gOID iu IliU CVUUUV UjUCIC IJld 17CV}'1C i have little or no protection. The dispensary act makes it ^he duty of the State board of control to withhold their share of profits of the dispensary from any town or city in which the authorities do not enforce the law. So far the profits have been withheld only from the town of Suinter,and I have appointed a constable to be paid out of the town's Bhareof the profits to see that the law is enforced there. We have then to face the following condition of affairs: Under the pro tecticn of a circuit judge of the United States Court liquor is being sold throughout the State, in the country as well in the municipalities, and in defiance of the laws of the State. The J rights of a sovereign State to police and regulate the liquor traffic in its own way is nullified and trampled under foot. The act of Congress of July 8, 1890, has been, so far as South Carolina is concerned, repealed, and we are told that the enactment of prohibition alone give a State the right to exclude "original package" dealers, unless the profit feature of the dispensary is destroyed. The language of Judge Simonton in the Vandercook case is as m 11 n Tf .11 _1-_1_ -1* 1 * 1 ioiiows: " 11 an aicononc liquors, Dy whomsoever held, are declared contraband they cease to belong to commerce, and are within the jurisdiction of the police power. But so long as their manufacture, purchase or sale, or their use as a beverage in any form or by any person, are recognized, they belong to commerce and are without the domain of the police power." The power to license the sale of liquor, tc exclusion of these interstate commerce dealers in ''original packages" has been therefore destroyed by this decision, unless it should be reversed by the Supreme Court. The attorney general of the State has appealed, but the appeal will not be heard until March 7, too late for you to know what the I decision will be, in time to legislate m accordance therewith. It cannot be doubted that a large ma| iority ol our people favor th6 dispensaI ry law, if it can be secured against the interference of the Federal Courts. Three successive General Assemblies have declared in favor of the dispensary as the best method of dealing with the liquor question. Our representatives in Congress are at work seeking to secure additional legislation for the protection of the State against the inierfe. e 02 of theUnited States judiciary The United States Senate has already passed a bill by uuaniinons yote giving the complete control of intoxicants to the States, and it is hoped that the House also will pass it. But we must have immediate* relief from the present intolerable conditions. Free liquor, with its accompanying increase of drunkenness and consequent increase of crime must at all hazards be pot rid of. As I have said, a license law will not secure immunity from this avil. Judge Simon Jon has destroyed, alone with the dispensary, the license 83-stem when run for profit. What, then, is left to do ? We must either enact prohibition or continue the dispensary system without the profit feature. Many?a majority I believe-do not think prohibition is practicable, aud many Rave approved the dispensary system because of the profit feature. | We can certainly get rid ot the "orjgi- i I nal package" dealers and their demorI alizing traffio by continuing the dispensary shorn of all profits and administered onlv as a police "Regulation to control and reduce the liquor evil. The Federal judge will have neither occasion Dor excuse for his ever ready injunctions, if that 'system .shall be inaugurated, unless he shall again reverse his own previous decision. This, then, Ep; ears lo me tie 1.eit vud almost the tne only thing leit us to do. We might try this policy for a year, and next winI ter, after Congress shall have acted, or failed to act and after the Supreme [ Court at Washington shall have decided what is to become of the State's power to control liquor under the Wilson bill ox 1800, we shall be in a position to take final action. But as facts speak louder than words, I will give the testimony of ministers of the srosDel in the State as to the ef- | feet of the dispensary law on the morals 1 of the people and on the reduction of drunkenness among them. Out of four hundr?d and sixty-three answers I received from the ministers of the State to questions submitted to them in a ! circular letter, dated October 1st, 1897, | three hundred aud twenty-four reported ! a decrease in drinking of forty-six and one-third percent., and a corresponding decrease in drunkenness since the dispensary law went into effect. Sixtynine reported an increase in drinking of fifty-four and three-fourths per cent. Yet, in the face of such testimony as to the good results of the system, Judge Simonton declares it is not a police measure. * * * * Let us, therefore, do what is left us, and wait for action at Washington. Public Printing. During the year the office of publio printer having been declared vacant, the committee provided for by law, consisting of the Governor and the chair men of the committees on printing of ??- Vin/^ioa met anrl fllected vuiu iiv/uviauio ik/vu?u^ mw ^? Air. Charles B. Calvo public printer. This committee thought the State might have been saved several thousand dollars had the act provided for, or permitted, competitive bids. The price to be paid for the work is fixed in the act and the committee found itself compelled, under the provisions of the law to make the appointment 1 recommend that the act be repealed and that a committee from each of your honorable bodies be selected to let the contract for public printing at competitive prices. J further recommend that the act fix the maximum price to be paid for the work so as not to exceed the price being paid now under the existing law. IJirect Tax. There are $8,130.79 in the State treasury to the credit of the direct tax fund, whicn, under an act approved 24th December, 1891, is available for public purposes. I recommend that you pass a joint resolution authorizing the State treasurer to transfer this account to the general account. Special Legislation. **" ' * ;-l me numDer 01 special aiaimes auuuiu be reduced by the enactment of general laws, embodying ample provisions and remedies for the relief of persons, corporations and communities, relative to subjects of a general character and to put an end to the present flood of special legislation. As it is easier and in some cases cheaper to apply to the General Assembly for relief rather than to the courts or other tribunals provided by general law, the legislature is being, upon various excuses, subjected to constant pressure to enact special laws for the relief of individuals. Indeed, even constitutional provisions intended to limit such special legislation have often been evaded under the guise of a socalled general law. In the constitution of 1895 there are express provisions prohibiting special and local legislation by the General Assembly. Prior to 1895, during each legislative session a great deal of timo was consumed in the consideration of such special legislation, at great expense to the State. It was to check this growing evil that these prohibiting provisions were introduced into the constitution. It is natural and may be praiseworthy for individual legislators to sees to advance xne mxer- i ests of their localities and constituen- J cies; but 6uch interests should be sub- . ordinated to the general public good, j and sueh special and local legislation is j evidently injurious to the public xveal. ! Too much legislation, both general and I special, has undoubtedly characterized South Carolina for the past thirty j years. i Such special and local enactments, ; besides being a species of class legisla-1 tion, are most harmful in making it un- j certain what the statute law is. It is, j therefore, a wise provision of our pres- j entconstitution, which prohibits localand special legislation* and it should : be rigidly enforced. But, notwithstanding this constitutional inhibition. ! an examination of the acts passed by the General Assembly during the sessions of 18DG and 18117 will show that this wise provision was evaded and that I there was considerable special and local i legislation. Since the adjournment of , the General Assembly in 185)7 an act passed during the last session has beeu decided by the Supreme Court to bo unconstitutional on the ground, among others, that H was special aud local legislation. It was an act forbidding a : < citizen of one county to fish in another j < county for profit, without first j ] obtaining a license from the j i county treasurer. This seems to ' i be a general statute, but in the ! i third section of the act it is provided i ; that the act shall apply to no counties j . in the State except Colleton and Berkeley. This disregard of constitutional } 1 provisions if not checked wili open the ! : way to an increasing mass of this kind ; ; of legislation, and must result in the practical defeat of the objects of the ! 1 constitutional inhibition. < Prompt action should be taken by < your honorable bodies to enforce ob- 3 scrvance of the provisions of the con- i stitution on this subject, and to confine 1 legislation as nearly as practicable | within the limits prescribed by the constitution. I would respectfully recom- 1 mend for your earnest consideration the creation, by a joint resolution, of a joint committee of the two houses who shall be specially charged with the duty of j supervising all-bills introduced, and reporting such as come within the proprietory provisions of the constitution, relating to local and special legislation. With such a safeguard the General Assembly can successfully avoid the enactment of laws forbidden by the constitution and insure the faithful observance of its wise and salutary provisions. State Colleges. . The attendance at the State colleges is fully np to the average. They all appear to.be doing satisfactory and careful work. During the past year Dr. Frank C. Woodward was elected president ol the Souto Carolina College, and Prof. HenryS. Hartzog president of Clemson College. They were elected to fill vacancies occasioned by the resignations of Dr. .James Woodrow, president of the South Carolina College, and Prof. E. B. Craighead, president of Clemson College. .Results are proving the wisdom of the trustees in making thesa excellent selections. Phosphate Industry. Only $40,700.25 have been oaid during the year into the State treasury' from the phosphate mining industry. This amount, under the law. must be devoted to a sinking fund for the re- < demption of State bonds. You may ex- ] pact a still smaller revenue from this i nnv/ta nart rear Cnmnetition with Al- I , DU Ui VV J , giers and Florida has so reduced the , price of phosphate rock that some of our miners have been forced to suspend cperations. Those who are engaged in the business are mining at a loss, notwithstanding the fact that the board of 1 phosphate commissioners reduced the i royalty from 50 cents to 25 cents per ton. ( The Sinking Fund Commission. The total value of the assets of the comulative phosphate royalty sinking fund is $268,007,50. Of this amount $37,532.00 was loaned to counties at a rate of 5 per cent, interest per annum. The sinking fund has permanently invested in State stocks $35,728.50. There is invested in temporary loans, under the act of February 25, 1890, and February 25, 1897, $58,484.22. This leaves a balance of $131,262. 78, which has been deposited in bank, bearing 4 per cent, payable monthly. You can see from the above statement that under the act of 1897 only a small amount was lent to counties; while the greater part of the fund has been deposited in banks and is unsecured, except by the credit of these banks. It will also be seen that on the 31st of December, 1896, there was then loaned to the banks at 44 per cent interest, and secured by a deposit with the State , treasurer as collateral security of State | Brown 44 per cent, stock, $173,984.22, I leaving only $2,816.03 cash deposited in 1 bank. Confederate Records. It has been particularly unfortunate j that the office of State historian has 1 been made vacant by the death of two worthy incumbents. Since the adjournment of the General Assembly the grand old Confederate soldier. General Hugh L. Farley, has passed awav, before he had completed the work to which he had been assigned. I appointed Col. John P. Thomas Confederate historian, to carry on the task. You will find in the report ol Colonel Thomas a detailed statement of the work already done, together with what remains to be finished, especially as to the completion of the Confederate rolls. It is the duty ot the State to prepare an historical account of the part taken by the com mands from this State in the creal civil war and to complete the rolls. J therefore urge that provision be made for carrying on this work. To insure completion I recommend that a sum be appropriated sufficient for carrying out this undertaking; and I suggest as an inducement to its early completion that while sufficient money be allowed monthly for current expenses, the major portion be paid oulv upon the completion and acceptance of the work as now mapped out. . County Government. The General Assembly should givt | careful consideration to the matter ol expenditures by county governments. The system now in force is very cumbersome, and in many counties leads tc extravagance. From the represeuta- i tion by townships arises a tendency to < reciprocate favors, and this leads to useless expenditures which, if there were 110 opportunity for these mutually beneficial exchanges, \vould be avoided. Many counties have remedied thistroftble as far as possible and have made a further saving by placing their officers on fixed salaries and turning the surplus left over after pa}ring the salary into the general county fund. Conclusion. I desire to impress upon the members of the General Assembly the necessity ! for the strictest economy in the appro" priation of public moneys. While unnecessary and excessive appropriations of public money should be avoided at all times, and the strictest economy consistent with good administration in j every branch of the public service j should be at all times enforced, there h j at this time a special reason why this j principles should be carefully applied. ' : The people have endured a long period j of business depression, but the present low price of cotton,our principal money j crop, has caused still greater depres-; siou, aud the mercantile and industrial ! inactivity is keenly felt by ail classes. : As guardians of the public interests and custodians of the public funds the para- < mount question at this juncture, when considering the appropriation of the people's money, should be. (Inn this expenditure be deferred without injury ; to the public interests, until business ' shall have resumed its normal activity? . t On account of low prices and the scarcity of money the burden of taxation presses with more than usual severity npon the people, and in no way canyot? , more richly merit their approval and 1 eratitude or justify their confidence in < you than by judiciously striving to c lighten this burden. t I have endeavored, after a study of t the State's affairs, to make such recommendations to you as seem proper and just. The Governor cannot make laws ?to you alone is entrusted, as it should be, the power to pass bills and to ' change existing laws for bettering the 1 conditions of our institutions and for i reducing taxes. My recommendations j are merely advisory; the responsibility < for the passage or defeat of bills, intro- 3 duced or recommended, lies with you. , It is my desire to co-operate during the , coming session, as during the past, with your respective bodies and members in 1 the interest of the taxpayers and of our ' people generally; in that behalf I win at all tunes be pleased to consult with committees or with individual members. The responsibility for" the defeat of : any good measure for whatever reason shall not rest on the executive, nor , shall I allow myself to be influenced in : any of my actions by intimations that my measures may be defeated. Personal preference or desire shall not be indulged by me in the proposal of any measure. If they be found not subservent to the public interests, my suggestions should be ignored; if in that interest, their defeat will harm not the executive but only the people. 1 call your attention to the reports of the various State departments, which will give you a more intimate insight into State affairs. In the various departments of the State government I find in the officers a general disposition to follow the law and discharge properly the duties of their officers. Wm. H. Erlerbk, Governor. FAME WITH A FIDDLE IViumph of a Young American Girl in Europe's Musical World. Though only 17 years old, Miss Leonora Jackson has scored a great musical success in Europe and has accomplished something no girl hailing from this country has ever equaled. This Is thewmmngor rue "..uenaeissuim supvuJium," a prize coveted by violinists all 3ver the world. Miss Jackson's father is a banker of Mud Springs, Cal. She Is a protege of Mrs. Grover Cleveland, by whom she was sent to Berlin to study her favorite Instrument under Joachim. Representatives from a score of countries annually strive for the stipendium. This year artists from all the great European cities and from various sections of this country were among the contestants. When Miss MISS LEONORA JACKSOIT. Jackson was declared the winner Dr. Joachim went into transports of delight, embracing his favorite pupil in the presence of a host of people. Since then she has performed at the Royal Opera House of the German capital in a special performance before the Empress and the court. Subsequently she appeared at many important concerts in Berlin and in some of the provincial towns of Germany. When she played in May with an orchestra accompaniment at the Anhaltish musical festival in Kothen, under the court conductor, August Klughaedt, she was then and there engaged for two orchestra concerts at Dessau next winter. A little later on she will fullill her successive engagements in various orchestral concerts at Vienna, Leipsic, Munich and Hamburg. Wherever Miss Jackson has appeared she has sustained her fast growing reputation as a talented orchestral soloist. In London Miss Jackson has lately played for Dr. Richter with marked success, and also at Mr. Henschel's. That eminent artist called the young American " a genius?one not found in thousands." Tian Away"Backward. A singular accident occurred in the Frisco yards, near Joplin, Mo., recently. Engine No. 12(J, running extra, left town upon the Girard pasenger train's time. The trains met on a curve on I the edge of town. Both engineers ap- i plied the air brakes and reversed their J engines, also giving a full bead of steam to mitigate the collision. The engineer. fireman and trainmen of the extra engine jumped for their iives. The engines collided, but with only enough force to crush the cow-catchers. Haviug r. full head of steam and being reversed. the extra engine, with no one aboard, rebounded, and at a terrific speed began backing out of town. It passed through East Joplin going at a ] rate estimated at a mile a minute. The j dispatcher was promptly notified, and j all trains in its direction were held to j prevent another collision. Searchers j found the engine two miles from town ! rm a hill, with the steam and water ex- j hnnsns!. but with no apparent damage from jn wild rum It's all well enough for a man and i vile 10 puil together, but they should i Iraw the line at hair-pulling. i | HOUSEHOLD .AFFAIRS. For Dampening jCloth~<*?. To dampen thoclptlies before ironng. a Texas wpmiiifchfts invented a ieviee which consi?tsvof a water rereptacle with a sponge at the bottom. ;o be attached to the nose of the iron tnd wet tile cloth as it siicles along. * v Laun&erlriff Don't#. The don't-s for" laundering white silk landkercliiefs are: Don't iron while vet with a very hot iron, or the silk vill shrivel and spoil; don't fail to rinse the soap thorbi%hIy out of them, jr they will be coarse and hard; don't cnb the soap directly upon them, or wash them in hot water" or they will become yellow to' a certainty. These are the directtgps, by negatives, to wash them' well, % Cclerr in IdcaY^onditlon. To have your celeryph^ticularly fine for dinnfer prepare it ^rly in the morning like this: Cat oiT the root, part close to the stalks. Rehyove the lihrons outside stalks and the fine white tender stalk3 in cold w^VrWash them perfectly cleau and witii\ small sharp knife remove all specks or blemishes. Then take a large, deep earihen dish, put a layer of celery, in the bottom and sprinkle a very fine sugar over it, then cover it with chopped ice. Now put on another layer of celery and sprinkle it with sugar and pack it in chopped ice. Repeat this process till all the celery is in the dish, having the top layer a thick one of ice. Put the dish either in the refrigerator, or, if the day is cold, stand it out on the window ladgo or somewhere outside. Xeep^t in this packing of ice till time to serv?v it for dinner. (now to Coil and Slnfllt Potatoes. Mashed potatoes are such a common accompaniment for roast poultry that it is interesting to know why cooks so frequently fail to 3end them to the table, as they should be, a mass of snowy lightness. The reason is not hard to find. At this season of the year potatoes shohy be put over the fire in cold water, and gradually brought to the boiling point. They should be scrubbed clean with a brush, but ,they should not be peeled. The cook ordinarily peels her potatoes and puts thenr^ver the l.ro in boiling water. ' ^ The averaged-sized potato cooks iir ' * * * ' * ? - - half an Hour alter tne water on xnem begins to boil. They should not bq salted until they have begun to boil and are partly cooked. Twelvo petatoes require an even tablespoonful of salt added to the water they are boiled in. When the potatoes are done, drain them, peel them quickly, return them' to the hot,?dry pot they were cooked in, and if they are to be mashed beaS them' thoroughly with a wooden potato * beetle. This beetle coasts ten cents.' and is better for 'its purpose than any fancy patented beater eyer invented. Properly boiled potatoes should fall into a snowy mass at the first blow of the beetle. Do not add anything to the potatoes until all lumps are beaten out. Do not add cold milk or cream, bat to every twelve potatoes add half a cup of hot, but not boiling milk. Do not be sparing of salt. A dozen potatoes * which have been boiled in salted water still need an even tablespoonful more when they are mashed. Add a liberal tablespooitful of butter, and whip the potatoes into a light mass with a spoon. The beetle is no longer needed. Do not smooth the mashed potatoes down in the dish they served in, but pile them lightly in a well-shaped, rough mass. They are better if they are served [at once.?New York Tribune. , i * 1 ? J Recipe*. Sngar Cookies?One cup of sugar, half a cup of butter and soar cream, ono egg, one teaspoonful soda, flavor as desired. Flour to roll. . Cheap TSponge Cake?Odo cup of sugar, one egg, half a cup of new milk, one and one-half cups of flour, onteaspdonful cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, salt, lemon or vanilla to taste. Jelly Cake?One egg, three-fourths cup of'sugar, half a cup of sour cream, any spice, one teaspoonful cream of tartar, half a teaspponful of soda, salt, flour for a thick batter. Bake in three layers and spread with jelly.' y Ginger Snaps?One pint of molasses, half a <pup.of water, boil together fifteen minutes. While boiling, stir in one cup of butter or lard, or a mixture of the two, and when cool, add two teaspoonfuls of soda, ginger, and flour to roll. I^oll thin ana bake quickly. Crullers (tested)?Two eggs, one cup of sugar, a jitt'e less than a cujvofmilk, prepared flour enongh to make a sti8 batter. Flavor with vauilla, cut out and fry in deep fat, and sift powered sugar over. Warranted to disappear at the rate of half a bushel in twentyfour hours. . Egg Soup ?Mix one -egg with flour until fine, like cornmeal, sift this as you would cornmeal into the liquid where a soup shank or a pice of beef has been boiled. Season with small teaspoon o? salt and half-teaspoohful of pepper to a quart, and just before 1 ~1 * --3-3 - ? AMrr trail uismng, uuu a ijtvY . This is a particularly appetizing soup. Lilla'8 Eibbon Cake?Two cups o< sugar, half a cup of butter, three eggs,; oue cup of injlk, one teaspoonful of soda in the piilk, three cups of flour. Divide into two parts; add lemon to one and bake in two sheets, add spices to the'other half, a spoonful of flour and a cup of dried currants, bake in two sheets. Arrange the two kinds in alternate layers with jelly. Xew Bicycle Tedal. Bicycle pedals are being made with an adjustable extension at the rear to Blide into the hollow of the shoe next to the heel and prevent the foot from slippigg.forward on the pedal.