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FRIGHTFUL FLOODS. Several Mississippi and Alabama Towers Cut Entirely Off. THE RIVERSRISE FAST.5 Three Fatalities are Reported, the Victims Being Negroes Who Lost Their Lives Trying to Save Cattle The rains that visited this State last week seems to have been general over the South and Southwest. A great deal of damage was done. A dispatch from Birmingham, Ala., says- 'North ern Alabama has experienced a flood exceeding any ever known before. Five miles of the Southern's track near York is under water, and two miles of the Alabama Great Southern road in the same vicinity is washed away. All trains have been abandoned. 'The L. & N. is under water near Bangor, north of here. The K. C , M. & B. suffered considerable damage. Nearly all trains coming into Birmingham are delayed and many trains have been annulled. The mines are flooded and at some work cannot be resumed for a week. A number of industries will be crip pled." A dispateh from Meridian, Miss says: The flood situation has reached frightful proportions. This city is out off from the outside world except by three telegraph communications on the Western Union wires. All trains are marked annulled for an indefinite penod. The Atlanta & Vicksburg pas senger, due here at 12 o'clock Wednes day has been water bound twelve miles from the city twenty-four hours. The passengers are without food, the trtn being unable to come forward or go back. The damage to the Atlanta and Vicksburg, Alabama Great Southern, Mobile and Ohio and New Orleans & North Eastern railroads reach $50,000 in tracks and trestles swept away by the flood. Twenty-five per cent of all fertilizer on farming lands throughout the State is a total loss and the truck plantations in a radius of ten miles are submerged. Three fatalities are re prted, the victims being Negroes who lost their lives trying to save cattle. Their bodies have not been recovered. The rain has ceased and the waters are reeding."I A dispatch from Memphis, Tenn., says: "Reports from Northern and Central Mississippi are meagre. Tele graphic and telephone communication are seriously interrupted. The heaviest rains those sections have known in years fell on Monday and Tuesday of last week. Travel and traffic are sus pended. Reports from Jackson state no trains have passed through there since the southbound passenger train on the Illinois Central Tuesday morn ing of last week. Washouts are re pored in all directions. The "Little o and Illinois Central tracks are under water at several points. Re ports from Crystal Springs and Madi son say the cranberry and strawberry beds are under water and the early crop entirely lost. Both cotton and corn crops will have to be replanted in many Diaces. A dispatch from New Orleans, La., says: '-The rain storms here are al most unprecedented and railroad traf fle is seriously affected. Much damage has been done to property. Eight inches of rain fell at Amite City, Iowa, in twenty four hours and over nine at Vicksburg. The Illinois Central road is unable to move along the me.in line. Much damage has been done to the crops. Heavy winds accompanied the rain storm and telegraph and telephone wires are down all over the State, while bridges are washed out and mails delayed. In New -Orleans the streets in many phoces were flooded six inches deep. A dispatch from Mobile, Ala., says all trains on the Mobile and Ohio rail road between that~ place and Meridian, Miss., are abandoned and no train there for three days. GROWS MORE sERIot~s. A dispatch from Jackson, Miss., dated April 20, says the situation is rapidly growing worse, and a good size section of the southern portion of the city is submerged with the backwater from Pearl river. Surrounded on three sides by water and with Lhe numerous Small streams swollen beyond their banks, the city is at the same time conu fronted with the danger of a water fam ine, as the overflow of the river has put out the fires in the pump house of the waterworks company and compelled the plant to close down. No lives have been lost. Many people have been driven from their homes by the inun dation and are searching for lodging. It is reported that 27 miles of track of the new Gulf and Ship Island road be. tween Jackson and Hattiesburg has been washed away, that Leaf river has broken from its banks and is spreading ouit over the surrounding country, sweeping away fences and houses, in undating crops and drowning much live stock and poultry. Viewed from the wagon bridge at this point, Pearl river is now one vast lake stretching six or eight miles to the east and south. The Alabama and Vicksburg railroad bridge is tottering en its foundations and will doubtless be swept away be fore morning. TERRIBLE CONDITION. A dispatch from New Orleans, dated April20, says: The flood which commenced the early part of the week had already caused, at a conservative estimate, fully $2,000,000 loss in central and southern Mississippi, to say nothing of the dam ages by the railroads. The extent of the losses have not yet been fully realised and it may be some days yet before an accurate total can be reached for mail communication has been to tally cut off between these localities which have suffered most and the out aide world and telegraph lines suffered greatly so that the news is just now be pinning to arrive by wire. In Louis iana, too, the damage done by the un precedented rains was general but in this State they are more inferential than po'tive. A special from Columbia, Mis' which was received late tonight fixed'the loss in that little town and its immediate vicinity at $500,000. BOUSES CARRIED AWAT. Many farm houses were carried away by the mad waters, the occupants bare ly escaping with their lives and the number of cattle drowned was great. A great many gins and mill honses wore wash ed away and many sawmills saw their lumber piles melted away as if by magic. Nearly every bridge around Colmbia was swept down stream. Pearl river is now higher than it has been known for many years. Miles and miles of the New Orleans and Northeastern track are still under water. Honey island, the rendezvous under twenty feet of water and the isl and, which has for years been one of the natural game preserves of the south is now devoid of wild animals. Hundreds of deer were drowned and the hills near the banks of the Pearl river are now the temporary abiding places of all manner of four footed life. LOSS OF LiFE REPvRTED. Distressing news comes from Hick ory, Miss., a small town vhich is now completely surrounded by water and inundated in many localities.. Hun dreds of hogs and cattle near this point were drowned and miles of fencing have been washed away. The latest advices from the town of Enterprise state that the losses there have been great and much destitution prevails. Half a score of towns are completely cut off from the outside world as they have beent since the early part of the week. I From Chunkey river swamps, near Enterprise, comes the news of a heavy loss of life. GREAT DISTRESS. A special from Enterprise, Miss., says: The total loss of the merchants of this place by the recent overflow amounted to about $40,000. Quite a large number of suburban residences with live stock are a total loss. No one can conceive of the distress that hovers over this section. Thousands of dol lars' worth of fertilizers sold by the merchants to the farmers of this coun try have been swept away and in many fields all the soil was washed off, leav ing only the clay. Twins Marry Twins April 17th will hereafter be a nota ble day under the roof of a little double house in Westerville, Ohio. It was the wedding anniversary of two couples and tho birthday anniversary of all four members of those couples. On that day Guy Omer Crabbe and his twin brother, Roy Homer Crabbe, are 27 years old. On the same day 18 years ago Adrien E. Dotson and Edna A. Dotson, twins, were born. The boys were born in Westerville, 0., and the girls in Harrisville, W. Va. A year ago Guy Crabbe made a tour of the West Virginia oilfields and met Edna Dotson. He found her a pleasing girl and she rather liked him. A friend told him of the girl's twin sister, who always wore identical clothes and whose resemblance is remarkable, even for twins. Crabbe was interested and wrote a letter asking permission to visit Miss Dotson and to bring his twin brother along. The novelty of it all pleased the elder Dotsons and the twin brothers went to Harrisville. The visit was pleasing to everyone interested, and the double wedding is the outcome of a double courtship started at that time. Three months ago the Crabbes had a double house built at Westerville, both both sides exactly alike, where they took their brides. The brides selected their furniture and househeld effects together and every article as mutually agreed upon was ordered in duplicate, so that there is a most delightful same ness on the two sides of the double home. Gen. Gordon an Evangelist. A special from Waco, Texas, says: "General John B. Gordon, commander in-chief of the United Confederate Vet erans, who is on a lecture tour in Texas, attended the revival meeting in Gatesville, Coryell county, conducted by Abe Mulkey, and at the conclusion of the sermon the evangelist called on him for remarks. General Gordon re sponded from his place on the platform near the preacher in one of the most powerful extrorations, it is said, that has ever been heard in this state. His remarks were addressed principally to the Confederate 'veterans present, In most eloquent periods he depicted their grand and glorious achievemsnts as soldiers in the service of their country, moving his hearers to the highest pitch of patriotism; then in tenderest tones he made an appeal to them to take up the armor of Christ that was sublime and absolutely resistless, At the close of this appeal about forty Confederate veterans came forward. No such scene was ever enacted before. The old gray-haired veterans crowded aroundj their chieftain, one after another, emn bracing him, and then they would fall upon one another's necks shoutin&, the tears streaming down their faces. It was some time before the ebullition of religious fervor became sufficiently controlled for others to reach the plat form, but about one hundred others finally came forward for prayers." Tillman's Ridicule. Senator Tillmen in discussing a reso lution providing for the temparary gov ernment of Porto Rico said: "We are to have a grand bageant on May 1 when the new governor is to be inaugurated. This inauguration is to to take place with the greatest ceremony ever seen in any part of the United States. I imagine that the purpose of this display is to impress the islanders with the grandeur and greatness of the United States as well as to impress the people of the United States with the new pol icy of imperialism by which an Ameri can pro-consul is to take possession of the island. After a while, of course, we will have another governor sent to the Philippines and he will be of so much greater importance than the gov ernor of the little island of Puerto Rico that I suppose he must have the navy escort him across the Pacific and must have umbrellas held over him like the Bey of Algiers and the Sultan of Mo roco. We will have him attended by our subject princes in the Sulu archi pelago with Mohammedan bodyguards and all that sort of thing. If that is the purpose of keeping those army offi cers in Puerto Rico I will interpose no obstacle to the tht passageof the reolu tion." FREE BLOOD CURE. An Offer Providing Faith to Sufferers Eating Sores, Tumors, Ulcers, are all curable by B. B. B. (Botanic Blood Balm,) which is made especially to cure all terrible Blood Diseases. Persistent Sores, Blood and Skin Blemishes, Scrofula, that resist other treatments, are gaiickly cured by B. B. B. (Botanic Blood Balm). Skihi Eruptions, Pim ples, Red, Itching Eczema, Scales, Blisters, Boils, Carbancles, Blotches Catarrh, Rheumatism, ete., are all due to bad blood, and hence easily cured by B. B. B. Blood Poison producing Eating Sores, Eruptions, Swollen glands, Sore Throat etc., cured by B. B. B. (Botanic Blood Balm), in one to five months. B. B. B. does not con tain vegetable or mineral poison. One bottle will test it in an case. For sale by druggists everywhere. Large bottles $1, six for five $5. Write for free samplebottle, which will be sent, prepad to Times readers, describe simptoms and personal free medicaf advice will be given. Address Blood Balm Co., Atlanta, Ga. A boat on board of which were 20 members of the Catholic Students' as sociation, while crossing the river Rhine Wednesday from Bingen to Rue Desheim, was capsized and 13 of its DISPENARY VS. PRORIBITION. Col. A. Howard Patterson of Barn well. Contrasts the Two. Your issue of January 4th, last, con tains a letter from the Hon. Joel E. Brunson, criticising, from the staud point of a Prohibitionist, an article of mine upon the Dispensary, which first appeared in The News and Courier, and then in your issue of the 28th of Decem ber. As will be seen from a reference to a1y said article, its purpose was not so much to expose the weak points of Prohibition, as to show the fallacy of the argument then being used that the dispensary law should be abolished on ac count of the recent scandals in the State Board of Control, and to present to the public some strong reasons why the law should not be repealed by the (then) ap proaching Eession the Legislature and the license system substituted in its place. The only allusion to Prohibition that said article contained was the fol lowing: "While Prohibition may be de sirable, and I for one would advocate it if I deemed it practicable, yet ex perience has taught us that it cannot be enforced and that it virtually means free liquor." The above paragraph contains, in a nut -shell, my views on Prohibition, but as my position in regard to the Dis pensary has been attacked by one of the champions of Prohibition, I desire to state, more fully, my reasons for preferring the Dispensary to Prohibi tion. I entertain the highest respect for those who are Prohibitionists from principle, and as will be seen from the above quotation, and from this article, I have always had a leaning towards the theory of Prohibition myself, for theoretically it looks well, but experi ence and observation have taught me that practically it is a failure. In 188, when I was about twenty three years old, we had an act passed by the Legislature prohibiting the sale of liquor in Barnwell county. We did not leave the enforcement of the law solely to the county officers, but organ ized an exesutive committee, of which I was chairman. We brought case after case for the violation of the law, but with the exception of two or three, the indictments w-,-e thrown out by the grand jury aE fast as they were presented. The "blind tigers" became so numer ous in my own town that I took it upon myself, personaily, to enforce the law. Upon one occasion, the sheriff of Barn well county and myself caught a man in the act of selling liquor, we saw both money and whiskey pass, yet when this case went before the grand jury upon our evidence, the indictment was thrown out. In our endeavor to enforce the law -we found it utterly impossible to induce the better class of citizens, i. e., those who had advocated Prohibi tion from a moral standpoint and who were the most clamorous for it. to as sist in enforcing the law, although they knew that it was violated with impuni ty. In nearly every instance the cases which were brought before the courts were worked up by detectives employed for that purpose. We also found that many of those who had voted for Pro hibition patronized the "blind tigers," and woud denounce our executive committee for trying to enforce the law. To this day I have the ill-will of the old barkeepers of my county for the realous manner in which I endeavored to have the law enforced. The law was violated in every section of the county with impunity, and became sucha farce that the people becoming utterly dis gusted, petitioned the Legislature to re peal it, which was done in 18.36, after a trial of three years. Although my faith, in the enforce ment of a prohibitory law against the sale of liquor, was shaken to its foun dation by this personal experience, yet, owing to my hatred of the old barroom system, I voted, while a member of the House of Representatives in 1890, for what is known as the Child's Bill. And when the question was submitted to the Democratic voters of the State, at the primary election in 1892, I voted for Prohibition. In 1894, .when the Dispensary law was passed, I wais at first a little skep tial as to its workings, yet I was sur prised and pleased with the uniqueness of the idea, and as it totally revolu tionized the old barroom system, and did away with many of its attendant evils, I was willing to give it a fair trial. And although it has never had a fair trial, as every obstacle that the ingenuity of man could invent has been thrown in the way of its enforcement, yet I am convinced, even with its im perfections and short-comings, that it comes nearer solving the liquor problem than any law that I have ever heard of. Epitomized, the Dispensary law recognizes the personal right of maa to drink, yet regulates and controls the sale of liquor in such a manner as to act as a check upon his appetite. As I have already, in former articles, shown the good features of the Dispen sary, I will Dow show a few weak points of Prohibition. Since the whole tenor of Mr. Brun son's argument is, that it is wrong to drink or sell whiskey under any circum stance or in any way, I wish to say, that while I admit that it is best not to drink intoxicating liquors as a bever 'age, and have since arriving at my ma jority tried to live up to this belief and to inculcate the same upon the minds af others, and would be willing (if it were possible) to have absolute Prohibi tion, yet it is idle for one to assert dog matically that it is sinful to take a glass of beer, wine, or whiskey as a beverage. It is the abuse of it, and Dot the use of it, that is sinful. The Bible teaches temperance, not Prohibi tion. Christ himself recognized the use of wine, which was intoxicating, and it is folly for us to deny it. In all ages of the world, among all nations, there seems to have been, and is, a craving for stimulants. The fact that the last report of the State Board of IControl showed that over a million and a half dollars was spent in South Car olina last year for lig nors, proves that the vast m ajorntv of the people do not Iregard it as sinful to drink, and that it is utterly absured to think that you could suddenly stop them from doing so by law. You had aa well try to make a river flow up stream~ asi to at attempt to prevent the people of South Carolina from drinking liquxor absolute. ly. The following answer of a tramp to a lady, is the standpoint from which nine-tenths of the people look at this question. She said "Don't you know that rum is a destroyer?" Weary Wll"Ys, lady; but Eo is trolley cars and bicycles, and dum-dum bullets, and corsets; but still folks will use 'em." Let us now look at this question from a common-sense standpoint. In the event that yeu succeeded in ha ring a law passed prohibiting the sale of liquor, the first question that would arise would he. How are you going to stabulary force? Surely not, for you claim now that one of the worst fea tures of the Dispensary law is its "brutal constabulary," who invade the sanctity of the citizen's home-which in ninety-nine cases out of every hun dred prove to be the lairs of "blind tigers." But suppose you swallowed your scruples and did have a constabu lary, how would you pay them when you derive no revenue from the sale of liquor to pay them with? Although, liquor can now be obtained lawfully in South Carolina, yet it required last year the sum of $42,862.76 with which to pay the constables. Therefore, if you were te prohibit the sale of liquor absolutely, does it not follow as a natural conclu sion that the temptations to violate the law would be increased a hundred-fold, and, consequently, a larger constabu lary force and more money to pay them with would be necessar3 ? Only a few days ago the Legislature refused to appropriate one hundred thousand doliars for the common schools, although they are sadly in need of more money, therefore, you could hardly expect it to raise by direct taxation fifty or a hundred thousand dollars with which to enforce a law against the sale of an article that nine tenths of the people now use. Don't you know that it would not? But you say that you would not have a con stabulary force, that "Publio Senti ment" would enforce the law. As I stated before, I have had a little experience with "Public Sentiment" en forcing Prohibition. In the first place, you will find that just as soon as you attempt to prevent the "Public" from getting liquor, the "Sentiment" will be against the law and that "every body's business will be nobody's busi ness." We now have a law against carrying coDcealed weapons, which habit "-Pub lie Sentiment," condemns but how many cases have you ever seen brought into court by citizens who were prompted by "Public Sentiment" to prosecute the offendei ? Ah, but you say, that it will be the duty of the county officers to enforce the law, just as they would any other upon the statute books. I agree with you fully that it would be their duty to do so; but would they do it? Experience has taught us that they will not enforce a law against the sale of liquor. Why? Because to enforce it they would be preventing nine tenths of the voters from drinking, and the drinkers and the men who sell liquor are generally very potent factors iTn county politics. Even now, under the Dispensary law, y ou can count the indictments for the violation of the same brought by county officers, upon the fingers of your hands, and it is found necessary to have a separate and distinct constabulary to enforce the law with. The followin'g from Marlboro county, one of the strongest and oldest Prohi tion counties in the State, sustains the above views: "Cliff Dorn, State Dis pensary constable stationed here, cap tured last night one dozen .bottles of 'Old Pepper' rye whiskey in the ex press office. There are beyond doubt three or four blind tiger establishments in town running at full blast; everybody knows t and many of the best citizens are anxious to break them up, yet they continue to do business in apparent de fiance of law and public protest. Ben nettaville is becoming notorious for whiskey drinking and the majority of it 'is blind tiger liquor,' and thii state of affairs will be the meaus of estb - lishing a Dispensary in th~e town. This correspondent has al ways main tained that Bennettsville was practi cally a Prohibition town, which was true, but within the last few months the facts and preponderance of evidence are in the other direction. it can be broken up and the violators punished if the officers do their duty. The above is from the report of the local correspondent of the News and Courier February 27. Men do not look upon the violation of a law against the sale of liquor as they do upon one that is against a crime malumn in se, for they regard it as a personal right to drink, and that the man who sells to them is but catering to their appetites and that they are (morally) particeps criminis. Consequently it is a very difficult mat ter to get evidence against those who sell liquor illegally, as there is a cer tain degree of odium attached to it that men of character do not wish to volun tarily assume. Would you play the "role of informaer or attempt the duties of the sleuth-hound?" Another objection to Prohibition would be that drug-stores would be al lowed to bandle alcoholic liquors for the purpose of compounding drugs. This would be swapping "the devil for the witch," for they would soon be nothing more nor less than bar-rooms. We all know how hard it is now, under the Dispensary law, to prevent them from selling "Soft Drinks" and "Malt Extracts," that contain a greater per cent. of alcohol than the law allows. I can best illustrate the condition of affairs that would prevail, -if we had Prohibition, by the following anec dote: Two wome~n were talking about their husbands who were addicted to the habit of drinking too much. Une said to the other, "I am so glad to in form you that my husband has sobered up, and han itopped drinking whiskey." Her companion exclaimed, "Pray tell me, what did he taper off on?" To which the ether replied, "'Spiritus fra menti, which they sell at the drug store."~ Having heard a great deal about Prohibition in Maine, and being anx ious to know from an official source if the law was ever violated there, I recently sent for, and now have before me, a copy of the Attorney General's report for the years 1897-8. How many indictments do you think were brought during the year 1897 for viola tions of her Prohibition law? Over sixteen hundred; and yet 8he has a population of only about seven hun dred thousand, and which is almost ex lusivaiy white. Now, if there were sixteen hun'dred indictments you can imagine how many violations there wee that never came to light. South Carolina has nearly twice as many inhabitants as Maine, and over half of them are Negroes. I think I have shown very plainly why I do not believe thaL Prohibition could be enforced. Let us now look at the matter from another standpoint. There are some so called Prohibition ists who are advocating a coalition be tween the Prohibitionists and those who are in favor of the license system for the purpose of downing the Dispensary, and agreeing to divide the spoils in that event, That is, that some counties may have Prohibition and some the license system. As I remarked upon a frmer occassion, such, a combination is calculated to make Neal Dow and Gough turn over in their graves in dis gust. It is the lion and the lamb over again, except that in this case the lamb is to get the offices and the lion the liquor. Every unbiased man in South Caro lina knows that the Dispensary law with all of the crimes, fraud, scandals, etc., laid at its door, is far superior to the ment and control of the sale of liquor. Once listen to the siren voice of the advocates of license and destroy the Dispensary, and as certain as the sun shines today you will have the old bar room system with all its attendant evils fastened around your necks as tight as the old man of the sea was around that of Sinbad. Remember the familiar fable of the dog that nad a bone in his mouth, and while crossing a stream looked down and saw his image reflected in the water whiah he mistook for another dog with a bone and made a grab for it, and low and behold, he lost his own bone. Moral: Don't give up that which you have by attempting to get all. As a writer by the name of Finch stated in The Baptist Courier some time back, you now have, under the Dispensary law, the right to vote out the Dispensa ries-citing the case of York county. While I do not believe that the' illicit tariffic in liquor can be prevented in counties that have Prohibition, yet the bill introduced by Mr. Winkler in the recent session of the Legislature in which it was provided that upon the petition of one-fourth of the citizens of a county, the Governor should order an election giving the people the right to vote as to whether they should have, or retain, dispensaries in their counties was agreed upon in a caucus of which Senator Tillman, myself and others were members. This provision was substituted as an amendment to the "Archer Bill" and passed the House by a large majority, but was killed in the Senate. I urged the delegation from my county to vote for this amendment, believing that the people should have this right, but was most assuredly op posed to the question of license being submitted. I have always contended that the Dis pensary was created, not for the pur pose of making money, but to control and regulate the sale of liquor and to act as a check upon one's appetite, fur nisbingit only to those who will have it, and not encourage and induce men to drink. The following good points of the law sustain this view: Selling only in the day time; not selling to minors or drunkards; or selling on election days or on Sundays; not selling less than a half pint; not allowing liquors to be drunk on the premises; and selling for cash. The social features of the old bar room system is best described by the following quotation from a letter which I received a short time back from a prominent gentleman in the upper part of the State: "The writer has drank whiskey excessively, but God forbid that I ever take another drop as a beverage. The whiskey habit of mine was contracted in old-fashioned bar rooms. The beautiful attractions and social features of bar-rooms carried me there; the cenvenience of getting mint julips and cocktails carried me there; the nice place to loaf at nights in the billiard room carried me there. Now there is nothing in a Dispensary to at tract or entrice, and if the ordinary person goes to a Dispensary and buys whiskey, he commits a cold-blooded act on his part and no one is to blame but himself. The Dispensary has no street strikers to drum up trade like the old bar-room had." Prohibition will not prohibit, and this is why those who are in favor of the license system are advo eating a coalition. Not because they hbate prohibition less, but hate the Dis pet:sary more. One of the strongest argumecnts (while it does seem paradoxi eal) in favor of the Dispensary being a more potential factor in the advance mient of temperance than prohibition, is the fact that not only the advocates of the license system, but the old bar keepers and the keepers of "blind tigers" always vote for the Prohibition candidate in preference to the candidate that is in favor of the Dispensary. H ow do you account for this anomaly? Because the liquor men know that Pro hibition means free liquor for a short while and ultimately a return to the old bar-room system. The very in fluence that is now advocating a coali tion a few years back, before the Dis pensary was heard of, was bitterly op posed to prohibition. I say let us re tain the Dispensary law. Lop ofE such exeresences as hotel and beer privileges, which I have always contended are con trary to the letter and spirit of the law. Throw as many safeguards around the sale of liquor as possible. Appoint good men as dispensers, who will not encourage men to drink; do not treat them as you would saloon keepers, but as officials, and require them them .to perform their duties properly and punish those who do wrong. Enforce the law in all parts of the State without regard to the locality in which it is violated. These good results can be accomplished under the Dispensary system, but it is utterly impossible to do so with Prohibition. And common sense tells us so. A. Howard Patterson. Barnwell, S. C., March 6, 190 W asting its Time. *The Washington Post, though nominally an independent news paper, is generally in line with the Republican party. It was an ardent advocate of McKinley's election in 18963 and will un doubtedly support him against Bryan tis year. As The Post desires to aid the Republican party in the coming campaign it makes bold to counsel it as to the course it should pursue. In its earnest efiorts to save from defeat the party which it pre fers to any other now organized, The Post says: "When the elections of 1898 had assured Republican ascend ancy in both houses of the fitty sixth congress, The Post men tioned as one of the important duties that would devolve upon that body the accomplishment of some practical anti-trust legislation. It was evident then, and it has become more apparent every day since that time, that the trusts would be one of the leading issues of the presidential camnpaign. The Post auggested then, has ever since persistently urged the necessity of depriving monopolistic combinations of any chance for shelter behind tariff schedules. As a consistent advocate of the doctrine of pro tection, The Post has protested and will continue to protest against its abuse. Attention has been called in these columns to trade"combinations in protected industrties that were and are stifling competition while pay ing large dividends on enormous over-capitalization. Testimony given before the industrial com mission by managers of such combines convicts them of exploiting almost fabulous amounts of ficititious stocks. such combines sel their pro ducts all over Europe at lower prices than are charged for them to domestic consumers. These facts have from time to time pointed out, and in the interest of the great principle of protec tion to which our marvelous development and splendid pros perity are largely due, The Post has advocated the reduction, not in all cases the destruction. of schedules thus outrageously abused." The Post then asks what con gress is ' going to do in order to put the Republican party in good form for the campaign?" It goes on to show that it is in cumbent upon the Republican majority in congress to make an honest effort to restrain the trusts, and adds: "It is admitted by all fair minded men that there are some trade combines which have by legitimate means reduced the cost of production while increas ing wages and not increasing prices. No indiscriminate war fare on trusts is called for. But against the sort of combines that are taking advantage of protec tive duties to prey on the public there is a remedy at hand, and every congressman knows what it it." The remedy suggested by The Post may be easily applied and would undoubtedly prove effec tive. John Sherman proposed it in the senate nearly ten years ago, but the friends and attor neys of the trusts were strong enough in that body to cause its rejection. They did so because they knew that it would bring the trusts to time. For exactly the same reason the present Re publican congress will refuse to adopt the method of dealing with the trusts which The. Post recommends. There is a partnership between the Republican party and the trusts which the former has no idea of breaking. The president may inveigh in words of seem ing indignation against the ag gressions of trust poWer, and Republicans in both houses of congress will probably give forth similar stage thunder be fore the opening of the campaign but there can be no safer predic tion than that congress will take no action that will be disagree able to the truts. The Post is wasting its time. The Amended Loud Bill. The Loud postal bill, though it went to the house backed by a unanimous report of the com mittee on postoffices and post roads, was defeated in that body by a large majority. The main objection urged against the bill in the debate on it in the house was that it was too sweeping, that it excluded fromi second class mail privileges much mat ter which is fairly entitled to the second-class rate. Though the house voted the bill down, it agreed to re-commit it. We are glad that the committee has reported it in an amended f rm, which gives it much better pros pects of passage. As it now stands the bill contains no pro vision that can be objected to by the friends of country newspa pers, college or fraternal publi cations. It merely declares 'that mailable matter of the second class shall embrace all newspa pers and other periodical publi cations which are issued at stated intervals and as frequent ly as four times a year, provided that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to ad mit to the second-class rate pub lications purporting to be issued periodically and to subscribers but which are merely books or reprints of books, whether they be issued complete or in parts, whether they be bound or un bound, whether they be sold by subscription or otherwise, or whether they purport to be pre miums or supplements or parts of regular newspapers or perio dicals. That news agents shall not be allowed to return to news agents or publishers at the, pound rate unsold periodical~ publication, but shall pay post age on the same at the rate of 1 cent for four ounces." A perio dical which is not included in this classification cannot, by the most liberal construction, be considered as coming within the intention of the second class mail law. The mails are now burdened with a vast mass of trashy stuff, circulars, etc., which are carried at second class rates at an immense loss to the government. The postmas ter general estimates that it costs $20,000,000 a year more than the revenue derived from it to handle this bulk of mail matter improperly included in the second-class. If the Loud bill in its amended form should pass it will not only relieve the postoffice department of its an nual deficit but would insure a surplus revenue, which would very soon make one-cent letter postage an accomplished fact. And at the same time it would do injustice to nobody. CARE OFHNORSES.-Don't feed tiay in the middle of the day. Give the heaviest feed at night. Some horses require more hay than cthers. Study your horse, and never give him so much hay that he looks stuffed. If your has been standing in the stable fcr some time, be very carefully when you take him out, as a hard drive under these circumstances is very apt to bring on spinal menigitis, or some other serious trouble. Rogular exercise is one of the most important things in keeping a horse in good condition. KILLED BY A TRAIN.-A dispatch from Swansea says Thursday night WV. K. Bell, a flagman on the Florida Cen tral and Peninsular Railroad, was knocked down on the track and a car passed- over both legs above the knees, md right arm and shoulder, also crushed the right hip bone. He lived two hours mud fifty minutes; death resulhing from internal hemorrhages and s.hoek. Mr. Bll was 31 ea old. Makes the food more del """ BIRD FLIGHT "",= The Stork as a Model for Aerial Navigation. The latest flying machine Is the In vention of Herr Arthur Stensel, of Hamburg, Germany. Like many of his predecessors, especially Lilienthal, he has made a special study of the fight of birds to guide him in his construe tion work. The grace and power of the stork especially appealed to him, and the resemblance which his ma chine bears to that bird Is easily noted.. One of the chief problems In aerial navigation has been that of alighting gently and at will, and this he has learned from the stork as it hovers over his nest. It rises and moves for ward by the action of the huge elastic wings, which imitate faithfully the ac tion of a tying bird. LATEST FLYING MACHINE. These wings are made of hollow ribs of steel covered with very fine linen, rendered air-tight by a bath in liquid rubber. They spread nineteen feet on each side and are five feet broad. The motive power or force that waves the wings up and down and forward is a small, but very powerful, motor driven by compressed, carbonic acid. The machine is steered by the tail, which consists of two Interacting blades which can be turned to right or left, up or down. The motor, which generates three horse power, weighs but eight pounds. The carrying power of this machine is most remarkable, for if the wings flap but seven times in flye minutes it will bear a man weighing 150 pounds up into the air. It is easily guided and de scends gently at the will of tBe oper ator. Hitherto experiments have been con ducted merely to show the corectness of the principles employed, but the In ventor is now engaged in constructing a still more perfect and lighter machine with aluminum frame covered with silk, by which he hopes to take longer flights, remainIng in the air as long as he pleases and going in any direction, with or against the wind, just as the stork does. A Blessed Stamp. "It used to make me mad," said a lady teacher, "to find the backs of new periodicals disfigured by the analine stamp of the newsdedler. "What right," I used to say, "have these fel lows to print their advertisements on things I paid for? Now I feel differ ently. It came about through a visit which I paid to another city last week. As I passed through the depot I bought a magazine at the newstanld, and later on, when I was uptown, I had occasion to step into a large department store. As usual they had a book counter, and while looking at a volume that caught my eye I laid my magazine carelessly on top of a pile of periodicals. When I was walking away a strange man walked up to me and said, 'Excuse me, madam, but you have forgotton to pay for that magazine.' 'Why, I did not get it here,' I replied, greatly startled. 'I had it with me and have been holding It in my hands all the time.' As soon as I spoke I realize51 that that wasn't strictly true, and the girl clerk, who had rushed around the counter, contra dicted me at once. 'It ain't so!' she said breathlessly. 'She wasn't holding it in her hand! I saw her pick It up myself, right off the top of the pile!" 'I witnessed that myself,' said the loorwalker, 'madame has probably for gotten.' he added, ironically. "I thought I should faint. A thou sand things rushed into my mind. Of course I could prove my Innocence by the man at the depot but that would involve' the scandal of an inquiry probably an arrest-and some people would always have doubts. On the other hand. payment would be a con fession of guilt. The affair would cer tainly cost me my position and blight my character forever. I held out the magazine mechanically, and there on the cover was the big, hideous, blessed stamp of the dealer. We all saw It at once, and, oh, I wish you could have witnessed the abasement of the floor walker! He groveled. The very -curl came out of his mustache. He told me he had a wife and children, also a mother, which I took the liberty to doubt. His anguish was Ell tlhat saved me from hysterics. The clerk shed maudlin tears and 'oped the lady wouldn't bear no malice. I treated them both with scorn. I spurned them. When I went home I- Tought peanuts of the depot newsdealer." New Orleans Times-Democrat A Scalp Masseuse. A young woman in Brooklyn has made a place for herself as a scalp masseuse. She goes from patIent to patient, or sometimes sees several pa tients at the house of one and receives a few at her own -rooms. The object of the L.-eatment is to arrest threatened baldness, whether of men or women. The masseues's business has so in resed that for nine months of the year she is occupied most of the day and part of the night. The work of massage is done chiefly with the balls of the fingers. This paart of the treatment lasts twenty min utes. It is designed to increase the cir culation of the blood in the scalp, so that the hair may be nourished proper ly. In addition to this the masseuse shampoos the heads of some patients and in the case of all she recommends lotions, the prescriptions of regular yractioers. How He Eats. "She says her husband Is awfully bliging. He eats almost anything that is set before him." ~Dear me. she couldn't expect him to eat it if It was set behind him, could ghe?"-Phildelolhia Bulletin. THE cotton planters of the South mnay again have to resort to cotton sheeting as a covering for their cotton, and to seek ome substitute for ties to hold the bales in shape. These need ful supplies are now entirely controlled by the trusts. Last year there were half a dozen com petitors in each line. This year there are none. One concern has absolute control of all the otton bagging in the country, and another has absolute con FOWDER URE icious and wholesome M Co., oW.OI FEAR OF LIGHTNING RISK GREATEft IN THE COUNTRY THAN IN TOWN. "3 Advice to People Who Fear the Elee tric Bolt-Danger k-rom Trees and From Buildings-Where 1t is Not Wise to Stand. In the Century Alexander McCabe gives encouragement and advice to peo ple who have a fear of being struck by lightning-or thunder, as some of them think. "The keen suffering which many un dergo just in advance of or during a thunder-storm Is of a dual nature. The sense of impending danger alarms and terrifies, but there is also a depression of spirit which is physical and reel, brought about by some as yet unknown relation with the nervous system and conditions of air pressure, humidity and purity. The suffering due to de pression and partial exhaustion re quires. from those who are strong, sympathy rather than ridicule. The suffering due to alarm and fright, how ever, is unnecessary. It is largely the work of the imagination. To the ner vous nature there is something appall Ing In the wicked, spiteful gleam of the lightning. and the crash and tumult of the thunder. But such a one should remembei that the flash Is almost al- - ways far distant, and the thunder can do no more damage than the low notes of a church organ. Counting all the deaths from all the storms during a year, we find that the chance of being killed by lightning Is less than one In a hundred thousand. The risk in the city may be said to be five times less than in the-country. Dwellers in city houses may ie star tied by peals of thunder, but owing to the great spread of.tin roofing and fair ground connections,- If buildings are adequately protected, and the momen tum of the flash provided for, the oc cupants many feel secure- A good conducted, grounded rod is necessary in all Isolated and exposed buildings Barns, especially, when lined with green crops, should have a. goa light ning conductor. "The question is often aslied, 'Do trees protect?' The answer is that the degree of protection will vary with the character of the tree and its distance from a water course. An oak is mere, liable to lightning-stroke-than a. bea.' The character of the wood, the area of leafage, the extent and depth *of root, will determine the liabliity to stroke "Another question which Is often asked is whether there Is danger aboard a large steamship during a7 thunder storm. On the contrary there are few safer places. Suficent metal with proper superficial area is inter-: posed in the path of the lightning, an& its electric energy converted Into harmj less heat and rapidly dissipated. Ace dents occur chiefly because the victims Ignorantly place themselves in the line of greatest strain, and thus form part of the path of discharge. For this rea son It is not wise to stand under trees, near flag poles or masts, in doorways or porches, close to fireplaces, or nears barns. Those who are not exposed In any of these ways may feel reasonably safe. "It should be remembered. in the event of accident, that lightning does not always kill. It more often results In suspended animation than In actual: death. Therefore, In case of accident, try to restore animation, keep the body warm and send for a physician, with-. out delay." ""A Novelty for Gentlemen. Some men are as particular about their clothing as the fussiest of women. They object to anything being folded or pressed down by the weligt of other clothing. They do not like to have all of their clothing hung in the closet by wire hangers. Such a man recently had a ciothes case made to order. His tailor furnished the proper measure ments of all his clothing to the cabinet maker who constructed it. This case had to be long enotugh to contain his winter coat, If he should take a notion to keep It in a sliding section, and other compartments were no deep drawer-everything was a slid- i lg shelf. with just enough room fort one article and partitioned off to fit The shirt slide had three partitions, as that they could not help lying in order. This allowed of the shirts being drawn out one at atime. The slidesewereall shallow, about three inches deep. There were special places for each article of underwear, cuffs, collars, neckties and hose and jewel boxes and toilet articles compartments. Thr was a big front board, which opened down like the lid of a desk and formed a shelf, on which things could be laid. and sorted out preparatory to being placed In their proper receptacle. A Queer Lamp. A rather remarkable spirit lamp has been found in the workshop of a Hin doo watchmaker. It is in the shape of a boar and has the burner on ifs back. The design Is not inartistic nor is it badly executed, but the most striking feature of it all Is that its owner re gards it as a household god. It Is sacred to the memory of the watchmaker's father, by whom It wa'm made, and some hold that there: a 1 A EEMAEEABLE TLAMP. suggestion of the transmnigration of the souls of men Into the animal in the reverence with which this animal Is regarded. It Is used. nevertheless. for the purpose for which It was originally designed-as a spirt lamp by which the watchmaker heats metal or solder. As an Instance of the combination of busines and piety It is rather Interest The extreme depth of misery Is a small boy with a ne'w pair of boots and no puddle. THE NEW RAILROAD LAW--The new railroad law went in to effect. The act does away with the old rates of travel and on and after teday no second class tickets will be sold, the rate be ig strictly three cents a mile for all passenger service. The law also does away with the "excess" charges which( conductors have heretofore been al lowed to collect on trains from those faling to have tickets from one reason or another. So far as known the rail roads met the requirements of the new. separate coach act promptly. A kingdom for a cure. You need not pay so much. A twenty-five cens bottle of L. L. & K. Will drive all ills away.