The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, May 07, 1886, Image 1
THE WEEKLY UHIOH THIS,
Utrofctl to Agriculture, horticulture, Domestic *conomg, polite literature, politics, and the tfunent jfleii's of the Dag.
VOL. XVII.?New Series. UNION C. II., SOUTII CAROLINA, MAY, 7, 18S0. NUMBER IS.
From tlio Allmny Argus.
COINCIDENCES.
TI1ESTOKY OF AN KYEUY DAY LIFE.
At tlio time that Fichte Hansom, Professor of
Scientific Philosophy, forty years ohl. ami a
bachelor, brought home -to the College town n
briJo of eighteen Boston summers, all of the
good folks said that he must have made some
mistake.
The young thiug was pretty, shy, denture
and delicate: and all agree that as h unmingbirds
are not fit to be in eagles' eyries, she was
not worthy to be the mistress of the great
scholar's home. The President said it. the
minister said it, and Mary Sutilh sai l it. Mary
had hoped to become Mrs Hansom ; but a week
after she had pronounced on the Professor s
blunder, she had married Joe Blake, the cnui
ncer. This was another mistake, people suid,
for Mary was a plump, matronly girl, and Joe
was too much iu love with his bottle to have a
very deep affection for a wife.
Hut the modern gossip is removed some ways
from a prophet, and all in due time Mrs. Professor
Ransom proved herself worthy of her
position, and Joe i'dakc demonstrated the fact
that ho could be a good husband. Of course
the Professor 3 wife never did make light bread,
and Joe spent no small part of his time at the.
ale-house, but, taken all in all, the Hansoms
and Blakcs got en very uieely. The last
shadow of the gossip was removed when Mrs.
Ilnnsont stopped her carriage on tlio street to
ask Joe what lie had named the haby, and
6omo months later when Professor Hansom
called at Mrs. lllake's and compared the wee
thing in tlio engineer's nrms with his own little
one.
After this the Professor bought the little cottage
across the way from his own line house,
and sold it to Joe : and Mrs. Blake did sewing
for Mrs. Ransom ; and Ilattic Blake and Tom mic
Hansom were playmates together.
Scveu summers had been purified by soven
winters, and in the eighth there came a chill ami
dreary day. The day had a freezing night, and
out of its sky a silvery moou looked upon the
?i.? ?:r_ - ?
nuitv It?vv l IIV A luiwoyi 3 Will", Ul'lUl,
and a tiny infant but a week old by her side
Mary lilakc went through the snow to robe
the lady for burial, and sat by the body through
the night, 'l'heu the morning euuie, and with
it came an electric pulsation of the thrill of
Borrow. There had been an accideut out on
the Central, and the engineer had met a frightful
death. Joseph lllake, aged forty-two?and
Prof, llansotu sent the widow a message of condolence.
Mrs. Blake went forth to the coming years a
wise woman. She hud the mortgage, and she
had her child : she oaid the mortgage. and she
made the child her all, her hope, and her
strength. Over the way the Professor's Vermont
sister was installed, and the master was
far away in foreign land-. The babe was Aunt
Phoebe's charge, aud Tom was gtowing a boy
who had a heart for mischief, and a hand for
youthful will. Grave and refined like his
rather, and with his mother's features aud
sunny hair, ho was a child, and yet had not a
childhood, lie had played with IIattic Blake
but before lie had passed into his teens the two
studied together, and the bvy led the girl
through tho mazes of school-day life. The
widow's daughter did not love her books, but
learned easily, and the boy had to recognize
her at tho head of the seminary class. A fairy
girl, she: a quiet lad. he.
The widow had planned Matties future as
teaching. Tito Professor had market! out the
law for his soil. And tlie two children were in
accord with both of these plans.
Tom was fifteen when his father came honto
from his foreign wanderings, and to"U up his
former work at the College.
"There are two thing- to dime,' the Professor
said 10 his sister, methodically. "Tom
must leave school, and be tilted for College by
my own band, and 1 must marry again."
The two things came. Tom was disappointed
because of his piivatc tutelage, but be bad
nothing to say. lie wanted to become the man
his father wished to see him. and he had no j
idea of any way of objection. And the
matter of marriage was as well up to the tine
fact.
Mrs. M orthington St. Clair wa- a lady of
Paris. (>f fashion, and of wealth : a lady ijuite
well lilte l to he the achat ir s second wife. No
one said that the Professor had blundered this
time. The minister called a' an early day: the
President commended the Professor's choice : I
and Mary Make lent the cook the receipts for
her best gold-and-silvcr cake. All went on
smoothly.
Tom liked the lady from the lirsi. and she
liked him. If lie was a model step-son. she
was a model step-mother, and there was not the
least friction between thein. He hud respect
.for her ways, her manners, and her friends,
with one exception. An 1 -he liked the lad, ,
and all thai was his and of him, with but one
exception, lie m ile some plans of her own
' oforc she had been Mrs. 11 an so m a twelvemonth.
It Iter opinion II.attic Make was n u
a fit person for Tom to lie intimate with,
and in Tom s opinion, Marion Flint
his step-mothers niece, was not worth a
thought.
(till Mr; I.n.l f I ? *' ...
should marry M irion?ami Marion w,i< an
hcitess.
The l'r-ifo-Sur landed lii** son in ihc Sophomore
class, aul ha'l Ihc pleasure of seeing him
do brave and noble work in hi* course. Mrs.
llansom had in luce I Aunt l'liocho Intake Mrs.
lilake and her daugliler with her i her (ircm
Mountain home. And Mrs. Ilansom was
properly prov?ked when Tom thought best I"
spend his vacations at Appleliehl, with his
nun!, in preference to going to Saratoga, where
Mi*s Flint wa? the belle of two gay seasons.
Five years gave the sixth Mis. I'aitsoin, on
her return from the White M <>uii(niii<. tarried
at the homestead at \ppletirl l. to say to Aunt
l'liobe that Tout and Maviou were to u.arry as
I
soon as the young man had entered upon ti e
practice of the law.
Jlattie hitl nought !o say. She had hoped ?
but girls hope i 'O often. Of course it was
truo, lor 'Join had written of the gay summer,
and had not had time to come to Vermont, of
Into.
Marion was pretty and rich, and Ilattic was
a widow's daughter, and a school-teacher. She
said a plaiutive. Never mind ! and went to
her school with a faint heart. l'erhaps she
had come loo near to loving her old schoolmate.
At the time when the maples redden with
bloom, tlio persistent and ambitious student
was admitted to the bar. On his way to Albany,
where lie was to locate with his mothers
brother, he had a few hours to spend in Applefield.
1?u t 11 attic was away among the mountains)
"Troubled with a little cough,'' Aunt l'liwbe
said. He felt his love for her. At the time
when the maple redden with the blush of Autumn's
carnation, they sent her love to him?
her farewell love. She that he loved was djing.
He went, and found her kissed by consumption's
cold lips, lie heard her mother calmly
sny that when the leaves fell she would go.
No !" lie said ; she should go with him to
the fair Bermuda, and leave the foe behind.
Would she go?as his wife? The inspiration of
long-deferred love was all too potcut medicine,
and she consented. The man of <<od came, nud
once more the sun shone into the maiden's life.
The maple brauclies came bare too soon. She
did not suffer lunch or long. She spent nothing
on the future. The pale fair cheek caught contrast
in a drear night-time with a scarlet thread
that came from the thin Hps. The young husband
and wife were alone together. The chill
ot her death touched him, anl they found her
sen-seless hand holding his insensible.
The February winds heaped the maple leaves
over the newly-tnado grave.
The coming of the snow mantle found the
voutig man hard at his wovk. Thus it is that
true heroes are made. Work done in sorrow is
work of heroism.
Thomas Itausom was rising lawyer, an ardent
ivnrL'nt* ?> >? ? ? ' 1 *1 * ' '' ' * * '
? 1111111 vi nuiuuit' win. --\u inai lie am
was done with success, and all that he looked
upon prospered, Each new mouth made him a
little more eminent,and it was told that fortune's
cup was always at his hand.
0"!-' day he brought anemones and violets
to his oflice window, aud to a July sun. llattie
had loved the frail anemones, and Viola was
tin second name of Marion Eliut.
llut the lawyer had not thought of this when
ho paid his nickel to the flower-girl for the
bouquet.' At mid-aftcruoou ho thought of it,
lor the violet was us withered as the ui.iuilowcv.
Could it he that Marion would?? Again the
heart nerve thrilled, llut tl:? flower- wer dead.
It did not need to he. 't he hrillian Marion
Flint had no idea to die of love. nor yet t>> live
too well for love. Kut she made no remonstrance,
felt more.
l'rof. and Mr-. Hansom were -atisficd ; but
there was no love in the matter. Marion wanted
a hu-hund, and Tom a wife?and that whs
all.
The wedding was named for the Wednesday
of Faster week and it was to bo the towns event
of the season. The friends of the contracting
parties came out on Tuesday. Tho groom was
not expected until tlte morning.
Early evening l>rought the professor a note
from hi- si.-ter, :i few lines telling of the death
of Mrs. Mary illake. and asking that the piofes
>r see the -cxlon about the grave. The moon
was in the earliest days of its first quarter, and
the old man went alouc to the village buryingground.
The Make lot was to the west, and a little
way out from the walk, doe > pinin stone had
a very modest appearance beside the shaft of
marble thai stood at the head of his daughter's
grave. There wa? -pace for the oilier, and
Jenkins would see it, the ptotes-or thought,
hut he went lint near in the twilight, and the
scholars eye- were dim
There was a form on the newer grave, lait he
did not see it, and he retraced hi- steps.
Thomas Hansom, keeping vigil night long at
his wife'- grave had much to forget. In the
morning lie was at the altar, and :i: night he
had gone t< Ula-iy with his bride.
The home yonder on Stale street was a home
of all that was of social life's joy and brightness.
Who did ind know ii? The time of ro-cnml
the time of the Hudson's hrightniug current-.
and a rose bloomed there?
"illoome l iti a burst of midnight pain,
And plumed it- life in fair expanse
Keneath love 'n nur-ing sun and shine.
Hs-e Kan-mil. a Idti-h r-'-e, a damask, a eliild
fair, and tine and sweet. Thomas Kaml-mn
felt a touch n- of terror when liiev brought him
his new-born daugli tor. and he saw -lie had
every feature of his tir-t-lovc.
As llaitie I'dake had looked, so ' .iked that
child, and a- the days and years came forward.
S > came that strange rcsemhlaiieo of feature-*
1'erhnj - Marion K iiisoin had dwell ton long
over the face that -lie had been wont to see in
a daguerreotype on her husband - desk I'erI
llfllt- 1 ill t 11 OH if U'fta tvoll
I lie 1'iuiH t :l! lli'lir lady hungS It 1> i?'t 11 J*f of
ihc Virgin in her that the t';i< f Iter
babe limy bo madonna-like. and the-h a I wife's
fare ha I v. !!?? I -iiuilii' worth. I'-ychologioal
! science may o--ay explanation, if sir h it thing
run tie ex|ibtine<l.
Hightecu y?- ar . A tiny in April, and at M.
1'cter an l.t-'cr we blin r. I'lie hour was two
' in iliC afternoon. The spiii-imiv ehIIroll W0?
crowded with invite'! gnosis when the wedding
parly entered. Tito only daughter of Judge
Hanson wai the bii'lo, i>11 I it fairer fare or more
graceful figure was never at the alter in this
' rilv. 'I'lie groom was a young iiinniifaeliirer.
. hanl-ni e. wealthy, ami p ipular. They t-?>k
their place.-at tit altar, and the Judge gave
| away his Hose.
T!ic sun (hat morning had risen upon a
cloudless sky, at noon, clou<ls lntd piled in dark
and heavy hanks ou (lie western horizon: and
as the oflieiating minister pronounced the pair
man and wife, one deafening crash of thunder
broke over the city, and the rain fell in torrents.
The reception at the home of the bride's father
was a very elaborate all'air, and among the
wedding gifts was a house on one of our fashionable
avenues, where, after the bri lal tour,
the young couple began housekeeping. If appearances
indicated the truth, they were as
nearly happy as any one could well he: and if
wc were to write the name it would he >eiid
that there was no reason why its possessors
should not have l?cen happy.
vi :> *
The ninth ?lav of January of this year of
grace. A day of drifting heavy snow, and a
strong cutting wind of frostiest fierceness.
Two physicians walked down Ma lison avenue
front the penitentiary, where they l.ad had a
day's dealing with the plague. The city clock*
struck one as they turned into a well-known
cross-way, and crossed Hamilton str. et. A shabby
cross street, narrow, dirty, wretched. At the
corner a saloon, where the vilest of drinks are
sold to the vilest of men and women. A den, .a
foul place, a place past which the physicians
were hurrying n* if thev had a dread of the (
coming forth of something worse than the
plaugue.
In the snow an object crouched?a woman
closely veiled, and trembling in the coid .
The two men stopped.
She was gazing into the window through the
hlind, and they could see what she saw . A
man. wcli dressed, ami with blood on his face,
was with a dozen companions, at the bar.
llotli men knew him. an l the woman, looking
up knew the men. They went in, and led
him out. The woman was gone. They look
him home, and she?his wife?was there to
welcome him, her bestial, drunken husband.
Ii was that man to whom on that Ikister-titnc
that ltosc had boon given. Ami ho was
was now a drunkard. It was i hat womau
who had boon given, the Ilosc
wlto had stood in the storm of a wintry night
and looked on tier fallen husband.
On last Sunday morning a child was born in
this city, and in the hour id' its birth it was
motherless. The father was not there, lie is
named a drunkard, lie lias forgotten his marriage
vows. lie is a life of death. The lady
who died was the lovely bride of a faded Master,
the happy wife of a pleasant home, the pale,
trembling woman who shivered iti the storm.
The life had been a change to death.
A strange story, and strangely toll, 'lite
story of a broken life, sleeping t > waking wit ?re
there is no death, sleeping when the (Sabbath
situ arose in go'de beauty upon this world of
ours. A true story ; ;i story of several coincidences:
a:t every-Jay story : a story of our city.
1 >aw Judge Hansom to-day.
lie told me this story,
llis name?well, it isn't Hatisotu.
lie said in conclusion :
Oil the very day on which my .laughter
bccaruc of the same ago as lav first wife was
when she die 1. she also pased away!'
_
Houses and Tiieiii Feet.?What
makes the horse wear out in one-third of
his natural life' What makes him have
contracted heels'/" What makes his feet
full of corns? What causes the navicular
trouble? What brings on a bono spavin?
Why do splints come on horses legs? Why
do horses have string-halt? What i- the
cause of a seedy toe that may horses have?
What makes them have thrush, cnicer of
the foot, laminitis and weak heels? i'ho
shoe makes and causes all the many trou
b'cs here mentioned. Still, owners of horse*
insist on having their horses .-h i the
old way, with a heel-and-toe shov : with '
corks big enough f ir j ick-sev ows. 11 >w to |
prevent all tbe above trouble that our p in* i
h >rscs have to suller : lh not allow a smith j
to use a knife on the foot of y >ur hois at
all. simply rasp the loot oil', just enough to
get even bearing, then apply a tip, or a thin.
11 it shoe. Should you use tho tip never r i.-p
the lice! down at all ; shonhl you have your
horse's feet shod with plain, il it shoes, ki p
the heels d ?wu 1 >w < n<>ugii t > g, ; a frog
pressure ; throe niils on neb si I arc j
enough t iiohi i: in n'aee on any <iriv .
o .
uorso until til- sli .0 is wa rn out. Never i
allow the smith to r.i?;> the oui.- i le of ti>u
foot at all. If you will l"i|!. w thes -in- uc
tions you will sav" many a liorso IV on g iiig
lame. 'I'hc roads in t'hicigo ar n e too
hard for any horseV I'e-.t, if you will give
the loot any show whatevi r. !.' v -n !< t
the smith cut the sole an) If...; to .-nit his
will ami pleasure. then lili it full us' nails,
rasp it oil until it i-. tliiu as paper, y.ui
must expect lame h"i>- s. :iimJ you will have
them. Only think of the h u"> in hi- natural
state. Ho will travel over .my road
day in iinl ilav out. barefoot still, as ^>on
;ivs he is brought to the city lie is soul to the
smith ; then trouble commences. Any
horse that is shod with a bi<r. heavy shoe,
neve'' should he alloc , ,1 to eo out of a walk.
A Jri vitv- horse Ihr road pleasure has no
tnore u be for a calk than the wriur has for
thirteen toes. Any man who tells you that
a loot w! Vieh is strong ami healthy i. ijuiie
a shoe to lu'otrct tiie liaijj and lie, !-, tells
you what not so, and he can not prove it
by showing results.
ARE THE TAXES OF OUR STATE SO BUR
DENSOME?
Editor ('otfoH / bint.?Curing the past
few mouths there have been many statements
in letters and articles, as well as at
various meetings, that the taxes iu this
State are constantly increasing, and in some
eases it is broadly affirmed that they are
actually higher than under the Chauiborlaiu
regime'. In order to test the truth
er falsity of these political economists I
have 'akeu tiie seven years from 1800-70 to
1871-7.") and lind the State levy ranged
from 5 mills to 12, amounting in all to 02
1 - uiills. or 0 mills per annum ; while the
seven years from 1 STt?- T t.? 1SS1-2,
ranged from - It-1 to 1' 1 'J mills,
amounting to .'!(' 1 1 mills, or a
trifle over milN agiin>t 1? for tho
Radical period, or scry little more than
o)i> hit ft what the levy used to he, instead
of being higher, as bo recklessly asserted.
To this o mills must, of course, he added,
tire Constitutional --mill school tax, bringing
the State levy up t > T mills, but still 2
mills under the radical figures, and that,
loo. with a much lower assessment by several
millions than theirs. This 2-mill tax
realized in 1SSC.VS299,9 111. hut. as the
people themselves imposed it by a Constitutional
vote, the Legislature is not responsible
for its existence.
Total State taxes Issj-T? Couiptrolcr
(jonemt's Iteport, p. : !... ?Sll U :'.l
Tolnl I'niinlv T'it.w iKtll-'". I I^ Hi
From the above it will bo seen that the
County taxes are last approaching the State
levy; and at page 73, Comptroller s report,
the total State and County bonded and
floating debt is stated to bo $13,17 1,53G,
that of the State being $0,522,188. and the
County SG,052.348, or $130,100 in excels
of the former. |
Xo doubt the County levy an 1 debts
have both been largely augmented, but by
whom ? llave not these Counties cnuc
year after year, asking powers to saddle
themselves with those debts by issuing
bonds for building railroads ? They no
doubt supposed some benefits would accrue
1'ioni this somewhat hazardous methods of
building railroads, but 1 am afraid the most
they have so far discovered is that the in*
teresi i.- not ways' >r'hcmning. and that
p.iy d. y eoi.i'-s round with unpleasant
rapidity. Spartanburg's 'little bill' amounts
to an annual payment of sotno $22/100 for
the County, exclusive of the town debt of
$55/100! There are hut three Counties.
Abbeville, Lexington and Williamsburg.
free from debt. Wc constantly find in tho
papers reports of meetings at which new
r??ads are projected and further liabilities
proposed ; and it would seem that there
will soon be more railroads that traffic, and
hat tin; County expenses will exceed that
of the State.
In the call for the farmers' convention
it is stated as a fact that farmers pay threefourths
of the taxes and "get nothing. It
is almost impossible to /trove how much
they do pay. but it is very easy to provo
they do n<>t pay 7f> per cent., for Charleston
pays Iti per cent, and the phosphate
royalty yields 10 per cent., so this statement
is not all gospel truth. Let us take a
few items, and see if oiu-Jui//' is not nearer
the njark. The Comptroller General's Itcport
for 1 SS I So, gives the 1. Mowing :
ItailroUil properly $1"> ;;ts
Merchandise 7 .'!M H'.M
Appcrhiiiiings to Mannfucinee- J<l.'5 .07*2
Manufacture'! Articles "> 'J7Credits
7*1 (Mix
Slock". except National Haul;- I it'-"' -111
ISoit'ls, not exempt - 11 ? JO I
ti-.lo r I'orsnnal property, JS'.OIS- )
1*2*. deduct lor lowns4 say j "> Ol ? 04*2
I'.t al estate and lltiihlings in town l'.i'.t '. P.")
M iney, lunik, bills, ,Nc I 2*2'. 111
St'i'.i r-i>il
"Tliis am.ittnl, dedacte ; Vain
the grand total of. ... $l-M 71 '1 .
I.eaves I'or towns ddd i,o'
Leaves for Country S "? o7?i J?I
?>i eotjr-e, farmers .vc some interest in
hank", stores. &e.. hut have, 1 am afraid,
hut low bonds and li'tlc cash ; on 11:c other
hand 1 have uiveii iietn credit for all hor
scs. mules, v u ri e_'es. pianos and watcher,
s ih.it probably the estimate may he approximately
c >rrce(. If it ho, thon farmers
instead of paying thrr>-fourths of the
taxes, are four witfi'mis short of even noini
nally owning o,,o-half the property, much
be in : mort^a^cd.
I'or the - ike of comparison 1 have taker
form the e. nsus r? - art of 1880 the atnoun
of t.x paid /"/ in, ifii! and tfivo the follow
in r lL'tires. sh<?\vi> -z 'hat our taxes arc no
h h//n / than other ifes : South Carolina
SI >.'! tieor"ia; ' i. Mississippi. 82.10
\ ir;:iui I. ; K,v. "I.y, ; JiOUlS
i:in;i. > I l>7 Imli-r.-i. *."? ."i0 ; Illinois, 8(?.0(
I V'iin?ylv:iiti.i, New Jersey, S7.00
<?isi New Vnrk.811.()0; Mnssachu
sell-. Sl.'I: 1 >r o eh man, woman ami child
We nil' e n-tniit 1 j bainjj reminded of tli
ewi i:iore i-in taxes and multiplication o
lliccs, A;e , ami attention is calicd to tli
j UeporK
On referring to Treasurer's He- 1
port for 1 S-T.'-W) timl the to- i
tal expenditure exclusive of 1
interest ) ?">00 fiVo
The Comptroller Centrals ?a/i- "i
matr of supplies for ISSo-V. ox- >
elusive of interest anil schools ^
is i $ it):; oSO
Salaries in 1 M>i>, l''H. in
lS8o-'G. ? o4 MO
Lunntie Asylum 1N'>0, paupers
in ISbo-'G ? OS (KHt
Penitentiary, in lsso-'G G ;!<?(>
Superintendent of lMueation.
18Nn-V? it OMl
It will bo scon front the abovo that tbo
ifcnrrnl espouse* ol the State tiovormnont
are about the same now as in IS50, notwithstanding
the groat additional expenses
of tho A>yluui and Penitentiary; and
that salaries are actually loss, although two
additional ollioos have boon added.
it may bo said that tho State was rich
then and very poor, now which 1 atn compelled
to admit. I hit wo have now a population
of a million, all endowed with tho rights of
citizenship, while then about three-fourths
of this number seldom came under State
laws, being controllc 1 and cared for by
their owners, but who now crowd tho jails,
the Penitentiary and Asylum. Taking all
things into consideration it is surprising
that the general expenses exceed by so little
those of 185(1. Then the interest on the publie
debt was paid out of (ho profits of tbo
Stato llank ; now tho Phosphate royalty
yield not quite half the amount of interest,
the balance having to bo provided for by
taxation.
We must remember too that during tho
radical rcigu the public debt was largely
iiiui<*u3<ju, in.it liiu luiurcat iv.ia Ulll'll 1011
unpaid, that they managed to gobble up
one year's taxes entirely. incurring also in
addition to this, an enormous Heating
debt in every County, most of which has
now been paid. That by the persistent effort
of the law officers of the State, she
has been at last relieved from tho Blue
Ridge swindle, and thus narrowly escaped
being saddled with another load ofSl.SOO,000;
and that another suit has just been
gained against Coi ino .vS'ona for $2 1,000,
illegally held. In addition to this the
Agricultural Department has succeeded,
in uiitn for recovering royalty and property
for th Slate, ainonotiog to ;ome
three or four hundred thousand dollars.
The State taxes being imposed by the
Legislature, and those of tho Counties
mainly by the residents therein, it may be
as well to enquire bow and by whom the
enormous taxes necessary to support all the
Railroads, with thousauds of miles, running
from West to South, all th? iliniiunniD
of otnployccs. andthe profits of other thousands
of people through whoso hauil come
our corn, meal, bacon, flour, horses, hay
aud almost everything wo eat, arc levid and
collected. There has been no law passed
to compel the payment of theso expenses,
but they certainly are collected even more
uioro rigorously than cither Stale or county
taxes, and fall with crushing weight on
farmers, because they ought to raise the
very thing* they buy and pay freight on
for hundreds of miles.
'J hc 'Convention' called on April UUth,
is ostensibly in the interests of farmers, bnt
like many others, I can't see how they can
be much benefitted by moo'ing for a day
or two ; at the same lime would he very
glad to hope such may be the result and
would respectfully offer a few suggestions
and remarks.
In the first place L would ask if the let
tors proceeding the call, and the c;?H itself,
can he admitted to possess that candor,
fairness and veracity that such a sc
rions subjct reijniivs '! Did not the ear
'ier ones denounce everybody in the shape
ul'officers. State and county, .Legislators,
is being robbers,' oppressors,'&c.? WliiU
an the 'call' it is admitted that an 'insane
fl .stein of farming' is the cause of our poverty,
which is. 1 thiih. tin: truest part ii
the document.
With c;tton at 8-?c, and from preseni
i indications then: is little hope of its Lcin?j
much higher, how can a fanner in this, 01
any Slate ra'neit. and pay taxes on a thou*
' and miles o| railroad, over which his cori
bacon, meal, flour.&e., are hauled? Can Ik
1 afford to have his horses and mules raiser
for him, and pay for them ont of a fos<,
1 Can not each farmer come to a sensible con
t rtl 11 Jli ill All t \ i iwn AAlllts 'tltil ( irrir /uif on/il
" j to successful results'' (Jan a convontio:
1 { convince farmers tint it is hotter to plan
sun Her areas of cotton. r;?i>o lio^s, horses
: flour, com,\c.. and live at home, au<l cat
it cti/'ori'r the practice of such a course
' oven with hundreds of1 llcsolution?'' If i
can then it would pay to have one even
week!
' 1 Surely, farmers know that a loss lie p<
c b., means * 1' it a ."iOOlh bile, and tiin
^ they p?t about that less than in ISSf, [i
u addition to the lower price there have her:
four years in which most people have madt
but t\vo*thirdri or three- fourths cf a crop;
consequently on n crop of 500,000 bales of
50011*.
There would ho, at 2c less than
lbSt. a less of ? "? 0C0 t? O
j Say n shortage of only ?>0,(HM1 bales
at t? It? . 2 (KMI (1(H)
One year's loss 000 (VHi
This reduction in price has boon continuous
for some years, and amounts to j u
immense sum when to is added the loss ia
four years crops. Supposing the abovo
xi iun niif/i<>hs\\:\i\ been wu./c instead of
would the tJovcrnmcnt or Legislators have
been credited with having achieved such a
pleasant result? 1 dont think so. Then
til,.,,, 1.! 1.., 1.1 1 I ...
? ?"?iwuivi tn* ji ui; i?i?i inv '4 nit iu.it ivu
which they are in no wise responsible?
We may just as well come down to lund
facts at onee. It is utterly useless to pretend
to raise cotton under the totally changed
conditions o! labor, which costs about
four times as much as it did before the war,
without being half as good or reliable, and
the staple bringing about the same price.
Then the labors' increase was a eoutinua 1
source of wealth ; now but an incubus that
will, under the present system, inevitably
bankrupt the State. As shown in your
March number, we have nearly 1100,000
agricultural laborers and some 00,000 plan
ters and farmers who produced, in 18S0,
the paltry amount of SI 11 per head ; or
but. very little more than the wages and
rations of an ordinary plough hand! Hoes
not this :inn up the whole matter in a few
words ?
We may try tobacco, Jerseys, and all
other new ideas, hut until we grow more
grain, employ less labor, grow everything
wo need for ourselves and all the stock we
raise, we will remain poor, and yearly sink
lower, as all countries inevitably must do
that depend upon one crop, and that a losing
one. We may grow a little better cot
ton, perhaps, than other countries, hut we
certainly don't either own or control it whga
made much less possces any monopoly in
it!
From various sources it is whispered that
certain delegates to this Convention have
been already coached in the political pro
gramme, and that a n> w ileal is in the main
and only object of the meeting, and that
the farmer*' grievances have been used as
a blind. How far this may bo true, of
course 1 can not say, but circumstances tend
to confirm the rumor. From tho compose
tions of the majority of the delegations t
have seen named, tliero is every roasou to
believe that whatever measures may be pro
posed inimical to the unity of the J)emo
crutic party, and consequently to tho .Statu
and poople, will meet with prompt and olloctual
roaiatuiiC;: ; and that it* but little good
and b? accomplished. conservative aud pr?
triotic uion, ol' sound, hard sense, will ccrtainly
prevent any evil results.
I regret the mauuc; in which the (Jons
ventiou has been called, as there was not
the least necessity for resorting to vulgar
abuse, perversion of truth, and setting 0110
olass agninst another. Are farmers so oh
tunc andao devoid of common decency and
manliness that ihey must have a highlyspiced
'Call proved to he lull ol' misstate*
incuts, addressed to thorn, before they will
take the trouble to meet together and discuss
the situation? Would not a calm,
temperate statement ol a low lines, every
word being capable of proof, have bad much
greater force and dignity? llut onr. construction
Could have been put on the real
meaning of such a paper, whereas now the
most charitably inclined can not shut their
eyes to tlie obvious intentions of some of
the originators ; and many of those why are
coming may be expected to act on the prit> .
ciple that 'an ounce of prevention is worth ft
a pound of cure.' and that their dibits wiil
be successful in defeating any niciiauns
detrimental to farmers and the State at
' large. A Farmer
( The Anderson Journal -ays: Congressman
Aiken is still suffering n great deal of pain in
his hip. and is eutilined i > Ins he<l the greater
I part of the time, hut his general health is go ml,
and he lias the assurance ol his physician that
' lie w.ll improve rapidly as warm weather nd.
varces. lie has not heen free from pain for
over a year, hut lie has stood it heioically,
though confinement is a great trial to one of his
i ! active, energetic disposition,
I | I,\iioiiKits t)ii.ii:ciiN?i to JSitoitr Mores. ? San)
: dusky, Ohio, April ?The publishers of the
/{ryixhr attempted to put the eight-hour law in
force this utiernoon. i ho men iinmediateiy
i struck, refusing t? work on limited time. The
> 1 men aeeiaged three dollars for about ten homo
. iv rl The Illllllllf'll l liri-l'S t ell. oil. mry-i.-1
ns?r i!ic eight-hour law. The Jto/istrr'* failure
' | cncourages them. Mechanic-- generally do no
' i favor tiic eight hour hw,
. I
'lht> old sailors of .the Philadelphia naval
asylum h ive struck for lohsconvc, plttmduft'and
^ other nautical dishes in the place of veal potior.
and left, the dining hall dtnnorlcss on
i
3 Friday.
.
1 '1 he d<ad body of an unknown colored man
i was found on Friday in n piece of woods near
i ( haiiotto where negroes frequently gamble,
j There was a largo bullet hole in tho skull.