Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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‘ <9 A L<argr Body ol Good Make>t'p—Aearly All the Cnuntlrs Royroooalod—The Proceeding* la Detail. Pursuant to the call heretofore pub lished, the State Convention of Farmers met in AgricultuTal Hall, Columbia, on the 29th ult. Promptly at 12 o’clock the Convention was called to order by Capt B. R. Tillman, of Edgefield, who pro ceeded to deliver an address in substance as follows: If I were much in love with myself, this manifestation of approval you have just given me might turn my head ant make mo egotistical. I hope to prove before I conclude wliat I have to say tliat, while I am a man who entertains i>ositive opinions and am not afraid to express them unequivocally when occasion de mands, yet still I know who I am and what I am. I have been asked to cal this convention to order, and state my views as to the objects to be gained and the mo per mode of proceeding to attain w hafVe have in view. In some respects I am thus placed in a jiceuliar and cm-, barrussing situation. There seems to be a current opinion that I am a dynamiter, a communist, who stands ready to sub vert society and overthrow the Demo cratic party. The neuBpaj^rs and the politicians have striven hard to thus pic ture me in the mind of the public. I 1 JAve lieeu christened the “Moses,” anc lias stuckJjid will continue to > l The applicM&gwas first applied: uie in derision byCoiomi D. P. Dun can, and it was taken up by the uew spa- ]>ers, and has constantly lieeu connected with me and the movement which I claim the honor of having originated. But I am not ashamed to lawr the name. My friends even call me Moses. I hope sincerely that I may, if even in the very smallest degree, resemble the great law giver and leader of the Egyptians; and if I shall lie aide, like him, to l>enefit my people—the w hole people of the 8tat< without regard to any one class—1 will feel tliat I have accomplished my highest object This jh my mission, and has lieeu since, at Beimettsville last August, I started this movement. Selfish, littl* men—politicians and editors—have im pugned mymotives, thus seeking to im- jaur my influence and bring me into lanl odor. I shall nevertheless continue to move onward till I reach my goal. You must reform Uie farming before you can reform the farmers. There must Is among us more thought, more bruin phosphates. This ugitutaun has already broadened into formidable nrojortions; it is now a grand reform movement whiph will and must triumph over all obetaoles. The cry is ever heard that if we are not very careful how we proceed we will injure the Democratic party and divide our people. No man man in South Carolina is a truer Democrat than I am, but if necessary I would not flinch even if our grand reform movement should go into politics and rectify the abuses in the Democratic camp and wash its dirty linen. It was feared that I would be violent and communistic and advocate the rending asunder of all prevailing in stitutions, but all I have to say is, tliat if every man m tins convention is as eon- servfctive as I am, no class of our citizenV . jMjl have any cause to complain of the '^Plioii of tills body. He had somewhere seen a cartoon which hail amused him much, and which had impressed on him an important les son regarding the attitude of the office- Jiolders and'rukfs of the party toward this farmers’ movement. It represented a large enclosure of glam, in which there were a number of rats, each enjoying a piece of cheese. On the outside w as a cat endeavoring to get in, and mail at the failure of her efforts to effect an en trance. • Beneath the picture the legend ran, “You Can’t Get In.” There.jwere hungry political cats in South Carolina who were mail liecause they could not get into the Fanners’ Convention, but the farmers were inside just now; for once they held the keys, and they in tended to stay in, and as they were in ijicy had hotter take a nibble at the cheese, just to see how it tastes. llie farmers had been so lofig accus tomed to the condition of dependence and vassalage to the unfavorable condi- fifins around them that they had reached a s|aie where they were unwilling to make an e£(brl to release themselves of to respond to an effort to secure flebver- gpoe. He told the story qf Sterne, who, Wllilp Wtdk48 hi Paris, hapd a f>brint*vfr ory like ’that of~r wo- J man or child, “I can’t get out!” “I can’t get ont!” His compassion was aroused, and following the sound he discovered that it proceeded not from a human pris oner, but from a caged starling, and, yield ing to the feeling of pommi-mikm ex cited by the cry .and the sight of the tfclptive bird, he opened’ the door of the cage. The bird hopped from Hr perch to the open door, surveyed the fields dition of mental and political bondage. Unless these shackles Are broken and they would use the ppportunity to assert their ci<M|bship and come tat into tha light and liberty which was [their ri^ba, he was afraid that when the cm of the New South did come it would find the* lands oi the farmers in the hands of 'eensnlt together for the good of their aliens, and the sons of the present own- Respective caUings, and claim for onr- ers sunk into a condition of slavery more abject and degraded than that of the slaves which their fathers held. “Say, you men of South Carolina,” exclaimed Mr. Tillman, “who own the soil and pay three-fourths of the taxes, how do you take this system of dry nurs ing, thjjp intolerable insolence?” He urged upon them to find out wliat was the wish of the fanners on this subject and then go home, and in the primary assemblies aid in securing true men to represent them, he carudmot what w as their calling, whether Imryers, doctors, preachers or wliat not, so tliat they were prejiared to do tliat which was for the best interest of the farmers and all other classes. What the farmers wanted was self- government. Since 1876 the negroes ha<l been corralled in a convict camp with the Democratic party as a guard over them. The guards bail sunk into a deep sleep, while a favored few had l>een foraging the fields and reaping all the benefits and emoluments. He earnestly protested his loyalty to the Democratic party, and said that “no private citizen had done or risked more tlian lie liad in 1876.” If the reforms advocated by him wen' adopted he believed that the bottom would be reached, and the futun* would be bright with hoj»e and not dark with gloom as now. * In the years in which he had struggled to Ids present position as a farmer he had learned a little about faming, and when be came to die he would jirolablv have learned altout as much as he might have homed in four years at a well conducted Agriculbiral College. Cspt. Tillman's address (of which the above is but an imperfect syno])sis) was well received, and was nqieatedly ap plauded. At the close of his address (’apt. Till man declared the Convention ready for busimos. Dr. W. H. Timmerman, of Edgefield, nominated the following-named gentle men as temporary officers: Chairman, J. E. Tui<lall. Vice-Presidents—First Dis trict, W. T. Brooker, Lexington; Hecoud 1 hstrict, W. J. Talbert, Edgefield; Third District, J. A. Hligh, Newberry; Fourth District, M. L. Donaldson, Greenville; Fifth District, J. H. Hanlin, Chester; Sixth District, E. L. Stackhouse, Ma rion; Seventh District, George Tupjier, Colleton. Secretaries—0. F. Cheatham, Edgefield, an,] Thomas W. Holloway, Newberry. The Chair ap}x>intcd Messrs. Timmer man, Stackhouse and Thomas a commit tee to inform the Chairman of his dic tion, and they retired and soon re*tumid conducting Mr. Tindall to the platfonb. Mr. Tindall returned his tlianks in a First. That we, the members of this Convention, assert and reassert that our object is not at all to antagonize the well being of any other profession or profes sions whatsoever. Second. That we recognize the right of all citizens to hold conventions and selves only the same right in assembling to-day. Third. That we recognize and rwflizo the fact tliat our State has good, patriotic and useful men in all avocations of life, and we invoke the aid of all such to as sist us in advancing the interests of the whole State. 4th. Tliat we solemnly avow our object is not to create any new party or to bring about any dissensions or trouble in the Democratic jiarty, but simply to unite tlib farmers of the State for the promo tion and protection of their interests, and to bring about any reforms in the admi nistration of the State government that $7,818 42 On motion of Mr. Talbert, of Edge- ———- ui,,,. Add, the explanation was accepted by may result advantageously to the tillers Bie Convention as satisfactory, and the of the soil in common with everv other i, “ 1 J “ —* ’ ‘ , , , , icponeu lavora- graeeful sjkcc i, conc udmg as follows: Wy ^ r , m)hltk)Uh of Mr 8%h) o( New _ • r lue i/T-ftlltUhst nf All raviliKAtinna m « - ^ “The grandest of all civilizations is that which is built upon the social country life of an intelligent and virtu ous jioople. It shall In? only necessary for this intelligent body to announce their wishes, and there wlil be found no party in the State who will have the temerity to stand in the way of their en forcement.” A committee on credentials, consisting of one member from each County, was appointed, to whom it was refeired to examine credentials. The committee re toed, and the Convention took a recess till 3 P. M. AFTBRNOON SESSION, On motion,“Cojnmissioner A, P, But ler and Master J, N. Lijaoomb of the State (/range were invited to seats on the floor of the Convention. Mr, Allen, of Spartanburg, moved that Governor Thompson be invited to address tlie Convention. Mr, Evans, of Chesterfield, opposed the motion and it w as lost Mr, Williamson, of Sumter, moved to reconsider. Mr. John J. Dargan sug gested a rising vote. If there were ob jections or charges against the Governor they should be made (Vpenly. Mr. Evans disclaimed any reflection on the Governor, either as an official or as an individual. He simply meant that the time of the Convention should not be taken WP with general speech-making. The Chairman ruled the discuesion out of order, as the Convention was not yet oraranized. • organized. After fc little further debate a motion to receive the report of the Committee on Credentials was carried, and this rei>ort Fas made by Mr. Clarkson, of Richland. The list of delegates included the names of two hundred and seventy-five per sons—every County in the State Vung represented expep; Barnwell, Beaufort, Georgetown and Horry. The report was adopted and the tem- poraap organization was made penaa- nent. .* The Chairman said ho thought the class of citizens in South Carolina and the United States. 5th. That while wo are not here as a political liody to arraign the State admi nistration or any branch thereof, we claim the right to discuss any. questions in regard thereto which may affect our interests as an agricultural people, and to demand our rights as taxpayers. 6th. Tliat we do not claim this coun try as the farmers’, the lawyers’, the me chanics’ or anyliody else’s alone, but as ofH country, to l/c governed for the mu tual benefit of all. • On motion a Committee on Resolu tions w as selected, one from each County, to whom all resolutions were referred. Under this rule a uunil>er of noolutions were introduced and properly referred. Col. J. N. LqiecoTnb, in response to an invitation, addressed the Convention upon the matters projiur for its consid eration. The Convention then took a ncios till 8, p. m. NIGHT SESSION. A number of resolutions were were in troduced and properly referred. The Committee on Resolutions report ed favorably on the following, which were adopted: Whereas, The agricultural interests of the State demand protection, develop ment and advancement, and to accom plish an end so desirable, therefore, Resolved, Tliat in the opinion of this Convention, therasliould be a jn rinaneut farmers’ organizatl >n. Resolved, Tliat one delegate from each Congressional District be appointed a committee whose duty it sludl lie to draft rules and resolutions for the government of said organization, and the same be re ported to this Convention as early as practicable. The Chair appointed the following committee: Messrs. Stackhouse, Tillman, Bradley, Dargan, Massey, Duncan and Donaldson. The Committee also reported favora- others returning them ^ doubled to raise fundi ; therefore, be it ~ Agricultural College. 8. That the inspection of fertilizers be l»erry, urging the Legislature, to paiM an Act limiting the number of references in actions fox the settlement of the estates of deceased person*. The noolutions were unanimously adopted. The follow-ing resolutions, offered by Dr. D. C. Tompkins, of Edgefield, were also reported by the Committee and adopted: • Whereas in the report of the Conij)- troller General it is stated that some of the ‘Counties return their taxable projier- ty at figures far lielow others, some of the Comities returning horses at from $48 to $50 and from $90 to $100 Resolved, That the attention of the next Legislature lie called to this dis crepancy and a remedy prodded. After hearing an address from Col. D. P. Duncan, the Convention adjourned till Friday momiug at 9 o’clock. MtcmU Day. The second day’s proceedings opened promptly at 9 o’clock on the morning of the 30th ult. A number of resolujtions were offered and properly feferred, among them the following: Recommendihg the primary plan in nominating Congressmen; fixing the per diem of the Legislature at $3; that no member ot the legislature should be the attorney for any corporation; to discontinue $9 appropri^pn for the militov ByUilr. Rice, of Union—Fixing the maximum rate of interest at 7 per cent.; asking the next Legislature to provide for taking the census; also, inquiring why a privileged class is established in the South Carolina University. By Mr. Prince, of Anderson—That a committee of ten be appointed to exam ine the books Mid voueheofof the sever, al departments and report the result to a future meeting oLtMh body. Mr. Thomas moved that the resolution aroundthe prison, ofi which n6 single' mattdJJ invitihg Governor Thompson tree Offered a refuge |o ^ to try td addles the Convention should come fe lofig mmseif wing* in flight, an4 fcm lefopi ^ ^ W* he fcOjSf jaane fhrued discouraged back U}t6 th<t«P member would make a motion to that wjth the dGsjsunng ery, "I can't get end ' VJ” This has been the condHton of tapers of the fttato. as ha - . , * * i mm- it was unanimously adopted /Trom his own experience. Made that the resolution ought to go to the committee under the rule. Mr, Allen said that it was competent foif the Con vention Jo d^l directly w-ith the reeolu- t*9to. Prince said the charges had been specifically made by Mr. Tillman in his resolutions that there was malnij ministration by the govenaywit officials f - inmi uu> OWU ' S ‘6aptives by the adverse circumagkoes which followed the close at the war.knb- jyeu.il for teg years to • rqjen&em system (if t brig&nd&ge and oppcMBon, th<7 had reached a state from which there was ab solutely no relief but in a Dew system of farming. ' % m The cage Las been opened for $pi yean, and jet the ery offlie t *we can't get out!’’and they Mr. Talbert offered the following .M amble and resolution* which were unan imously adopted, as expressing the gen eral platform of the Convention: ybereas, the farmers’ movement lias been stigmatized by some as antagonistic to the interests of other professions; and whereas, it has been said by others that said movement has for its object the nwaHng of a new party and injecting kto ourhody politic false “ “ Aa - W M n reaoxvea, •yr etc.; was not true The resolution was referred. The resolution inquiring as to fees oer of the State.] Cotopel Butler replied that H%u be cause he was the attorney for the Coosaw Mining Company, and in view of that fact it was deemed advisable to employ Another attorney. Mr. Ransom, of the Agricultural De partment, made a statement including the resolution of the Board of Agricul ture, authorizing the employment of counsel—under which Senator A. T. Smythe, of Charleston, had been retain ed. Mr. Smythe was authorized to re tain' assistants. The entire cost of the phosphate liti gation, extending from 1881 to Novem ber, 1885, which has been described above, has been $7,818.42, divided as follows: Fees of Messrs. Smythe, Ver- dier and Lee, from Hpril, 1881, to November, 1885, - -$5,750 00 Costs, surveys, etc., 1,968 42 Foe of Mr. Samuel Lord, in Coosaw case, 100 00 thanks of the l>ody were returned to Colonel Butler and Mr. Ransom for the information. *’ The committee was then discharged from the furtheir consideration of the subject. The committee reported favorably the resolutions offcred by Mr. Prince, sub stantially as follows: 1. Tliat the farmers be wrged to plant less cotton and more of tobacco, fruits, melons, grains and grasses. 2. That fanners take more active inte rest in the State Dejortment of Agricul ture. 8. That the Legislature take measures to encourage manufactures. These resolutions were unanimously adopted by a rising vote. Governor Thompson, at this stage, ar rived and made an address to the Con vention, which w as frequently applauded. When the Governor took "his seat, Mr. Tillman rose to make a disclaimer. He hail lieeu credited with charging “roblie- ry and misnile.” He hail used thiae terms Init applied them not to thioe ofli- cits but to a ring of ]>olitieianH which nearly everylsxly believed to exist. As to tlie “robbery,” he said he referred to tin' hen law—“a system of as damnable roblxry as was ever fastened on a peo ple.” The commitb'e nq/orted favorably the noolutions offend by Mr. Tillman, which are in substance as follows: L That tlie Legislature establish “a mol Agricultural College”, ae]orate from the South Carolina College, and modeled on the Agricultural College of Missis sippi. 2. Tliat the institution be under the control of the State Board of Agricul- turet who shall receive bids for its loca tion from the several counties. 3. That exj>erimentid stations Isj es tablished in connection with the Agricid- tural College. 4. Tliat Congress be memorialized to paas the bill introduced by Mr. Hatch, and now pending, which appropriates $15,000 annually to each State for thb* purpose, and tliat we {i$k our Senators and Congressmen to use all legitanate means to secure its passage. 5. That we protest against the money for the Agricultural College being under the management of the present Board of Trustees. 6. That the Trustees of the Agricul tural College be chosen, not by the Leg islature, but by a State Convention of farmers, to be composed of representa tives from each County Agricultural Society. —- - 7. That the privilege tax on fertilizers be doubled to raise funds for the pro- be laid on the table. The Chair thought- -that no committee be appointed—none Ant tlin Ii.. ■, * TT ■tt'l-r—TT'' wuc made more thorough and effective 9. That the Citadel Academy be abol ished, and the money now appropriated to it be devoted to raising the standard and improving the equipment of the South Carolina College. 10. That the establish an Indus trial College for Females, similar to that of Mississippi. 11. .That a committee of one Jroaa each Congressional District be appointed to present the matters in these resolu tions to the General Assembly. Resolutions 1, 2, 3 and 4 were adopted without debate. Np. 5 ws£ discussed, but finally adopted- Np. 6 passed with out debate- No. 7 caused some debate, but was fiqally adopted, No, 8 passed without debate, No, 9 created some confusion, but was adopted by a vote of 140 to 26. No. 10 was adopted—Mr. Till man first expunging the words “dude factory” applied to the Citadel, and “moral graveyards” as applied to cotton factories. No, U caused h6 debate. The resolutions Fere then adopted as a whole. AFTERNOON SESSION. The resolution to appoint a committee to investigate the fiscal offices of the State was reported, with the suggestion being deemed necessary. Resolutions to call a Constitutional Convention, to repeal the Lien Law, to make Judges hold office for life, and to abolish useless offices, were adopted. The committee oe permanent organ! 1- ration tecommended the" formation of ‘ “The Agricultural Association of South _ I* i X 1 a • ^ i • t i it a■.xjpyrvAswwyaa >»**■* ■,« * Mr, Ti'lmin, from his place, B Carolina,” to be composed of members Oft not true olaMAI KWhi-:,.,, — elected by the county organization* on the basis of representation in the Legis lature. The committee suggested • com- paqj to attorneys for litigation in the mittee of seven to •frame, a constitution matter of “Chisolm's Island,” came up, *— * — Mr. Dargan said that what the Oon for the Association. - — -— It was resolved to appoint an execu- vention wanted to know was why the tive committee of one from ef h county conduct of this suit was not committed to organize the farmers and keep up the to the Attorney - General, aa the law ofi- preeent agitation till after the meeting of *1-- ■ the next General Assembly. ■ticns suggesting the improve- our tax sytissn; recommending diimfiU of crops, and afinafpg allegi ance to the Democratic platform, were men, owing to the obstinacy of Yiee- severally adopted. % President Hoxie, who refused repeatedly Tlie following committees were ap- to listen to their complaints. The dis- pointed by the Chair under the respect- trict assembly was not required by our ive resolutions: . laws, however, to appeal the matter to Committee to Draft Rules and Regu- the executive board before ordering a lations for the Agricultural Association— strike, and this is one of the things that Messrs. Stackhouse, Tillman, Bradley, we expect to amend at our next general Donaldson, Hinson and H. R. Thomas, convention. We shall so amend the laws Committee to Memorialize the Legis- of the order that no aetanbly can order lature and Congress on the Subjects Considered by the Convention—Messrs. J. W. Rummers, First District ;B. R. Till man, Second District; J. A. Sligh, Third District; D. P. Duncan, Fourth District; Iredell Jones, Fifth District; Charles Crossland, Sixth District; H. R. Thomas, Seventh District. Executive Committee—Abbeville, J. E. Bradley; Aiken, Dunbar Lamar; An derson, R. P. Clinkscales; Berkeley, J. B. Morrison; Charleston, W. G. Hinson; Clarendon, Jos. Spratt, Sr.; Chester, R. T. Mockbee; Chesterfield, S. W. Evans; Darlington, W. E. McKnight; Edgefield, B. R. Tillman, Chairman; Fairfield, T. S. Brice; Lexington, W. J. Heibels; Marion, E. T. Stackhouse; Marlboro, W. D. Evans; Orangeburg, J. H. Fel der; Pickens, S. F. W. Clayton; Rich land, Thomas Taylor; Sumter, H. R. Thomas; Union, O. E. Font; Williams- bnrg, J. G. MeCutchen; York, Iredell Jones; Lancaster, L. J. Perry; Laurens, ' ' ;—'j — x O. W. Shell; Kershaw, L. C. Thompson; the man who labors. Oconee, A. B. Broyles; Greenville, M. "It is quite generally reported that an L. Donaldson; Hampton, John Lawton; effort will be made on the 1st of May in Newberry, R. T. C. Hunter. tokalf of the eight-hour system. Would The customary resolntions of thanks »t have the approval of the order?” were adopted, and the Convention then, “We cannot countenance it at present, at 5 o’clock, adjourned sine die.* because we lielieve such a movement MR. POM DRHI.V AT HOME. HI* X lew* on tbe Mrike*. ihe El«bl-Huur Sy*. lem. *a4 Sene Other Matter* Aow Afitallac Ihe l.aborlag People ut the toaatry. (Prom the New York Star.) Although General Muster Workman Powderly of tlie Knights of Labor is an advocate pf a reasonable share of rest for the world’s workers, he deems the entire tweuty-fonr hours too brief for his own daily task. The click of the typewriter is heard late into the night in the cozy little lock office of liis unassuming resi dence in the Hyde Park section of tlie city where the labor chief makes his home. When tlie correspondent of the Star called to see the master workman he found him hard at work in this office. Tlie way was led by a modest, courteous, attentive and intelligent little lady, who stands between the labor chief and the hundreds who are continually calling to see him. This is Mrs. Powderly, and she is a wonderful assistance to her hus- land in the performance of his exacting duties. Having introduced the visitor, she withdraws, and the folding doors which Meliorate tlie front jarlor from the office library are closed. Tbe workshop in which the general master workman labors is crowded with books and lajicra, but niotiiess, order and method are ap- lorent in the arrangement oi every article, from the glaM pajicr weight to tEe pilo oi bound volumes that contain copies of all the important letters he lias written in the discharge of his official duties during tlie six yearn that he has been at the head of the greatest labor organization in tlie world. A mass of lettera, brought in one day’s mail, rises from the carpeted floor almost as high as the chair upon which ho is seated, and Mr. Powderly is carefully going through these and making such notes of their contents as he thinks they deserve. “You must receive as large a mail as the average exchange editor,” said the correspondent after the first friendly greetings were over. “Well, I don’t know how much of a mail an exchange editor generally gets,” said Mr. Powderiy, “but this is a fair specimen of what comes to me every day through tlie mails, and my telegraphic correspondence is not much less. As a general tiling the assemblies of the Knights of LjJ^or select intelligent secre taries, and their letters are always ip ex cellent shape, but I receive some epistles that would puzsto an expert calling for decisions on knotty questions that would stagger Solomon himself. There is work enough in my office to keep six men fully employed, and yet I am expected to do ^ and at the same time have sufficient leisure for philosophical essays on scien tific and economic problems that would tax the wisdom and scholarship of & John a strike hereafter withom first submitting the matter to the highest authority in the organization, except at toe risk of having ft its charter revoked. There must be no more strikes if it is possible to avert them, and I think it is.% “Is it true that a general effort will bo put forth by the order throughout the country, on tlie first of next month, to make eight hoars tho standard day’s work?” “There is no truth whatever in such a report. While I am, as you know, in favor of shorteninwthe hours of labor, I recognize the groai%et that tho public is not yet fully educated np to the re quirements of inangnrating tho eight- hour system successfully. A reform like that requires time for discussion. We want tho manufacturers and employers of all kinds to have plenty of time to talk tho matter over and sco wherein it would l>e of lieneflt to all concerned— the man who employs labor as well as now would prove aliortive, and we want to prejiaro the country for it. Just now the public is unprepared, and tho result would bo to seriously cripple industry and prevent men from making contracts. We are not in favor of introducing any such chaotic condition of affairs.” “Do you expect to see tlie eight-hour movement effective at any time in the near fnture?” “Whenever we find tliat tho country is reaily for it we shall urge it with all the earnestness at our command, Imt be fore thfit time employees and employed must have ample opportunity to become acquainted with its l/eneflts.” “What would be the principle benefits of shorter hours of labor to the working men of the country?” “A more general diffusion of lal/or and consequently fewer idls men in the coun try. Tho employed Tiare not as many opportunities to improve their condition when there are a gnat many idle men as they would have if all were at work. There aw many other* advantages to be derived from shorter hours of lal>or which it is not necessary to enumerate at present, since that would lead to the dis- cussioa of the question of labor-saving machinery and matters of incidental im portance.” “How soon do you expect to sec the eight-hour movement successful?” "No time has been fixed for it^ aud it would be difficult to fix any time just now. It may be two, three, or more years hence, but not until the question is fully discussed and thoroughly under stood by the country. There will be no general strike for the eight-hour move ment in this country on tho 1st of May, " i some of the newspapers suppose. ” Mr. Powderly apjMored before Con gressman Curtin’s committee of investi gation at Washington on Tuesday. tAPTIRK OP THE WHITE HOIKB. < hlldrrn Take Pimm-mIob of Hie Urotiod* sad Roll Ba*ter Efs* All Day, Washington ha* one observance of Easter which is unparailelud andp ocnliar to itself—it is tlie forcible entry and pos session of ihe President’s grounds on Easter Monday by the children under 10 years of age. How the custom origi nated and when, nobody knows—only that on every Easter Monday all the little chiUivu in Washington, directly after breakfast, swarm to tho White House to roll Easter eggs on the green slopes of the grounds. Tbe grounds are in a mea sure open to the public, but even the Chief Magistrate is entitled to some pri vacy. But by a law of the children’s staking, all others are superseded on Easter Monday. No part of the park is sacred, and a crowd estimated from five to eight thousand, all under 10 or 12, riot at will over the grassy knolls. Vcn- Btuart Mill. Then it m astonishing holders of Easter eggs drive a thriving quickly I am taken to task for too use of tra^ The scene is highly picturesque some learned phrase or expression fcat and interesting. The young onescon- AtoW negate in gxo-rs, the girls and boys thmk of at the ti^o, lam always anx- generally separate, except among tho »t*s te g*ve my ideas the simplest form very likle toddlers, who toll themselves of expression possible, Bo that there $*7 as often as the Easter eggs do » n the hill be no misunderstanding of what I say or The older boys pursue the sport sciratifl- wnte. Such sjmphdty requires study, caUy, and the girls therefore exciu 'e mid **1 fiove no time for study or reflee- them, as the boys would soon come to tion, the thought must be taken on he have a monopoly of the eggs. All day own merits without regard to the setting, long it goes on, and when the multitude What with sickness, worry and work I has departed it looks as if an army of have bad a busy time of It lately, and I locust* had passed over the land Preto see no 14 up in the near future. Our dent Arthur always came out and en- order is increasing with amazing rapidi- joyed tho aeene immensely, and Prem- ty, and as a general thing new members dent Cleveland enjoyed the gambols of me more likely to misunderstand its mis- the children for a long time. sion than the old ones. It ought to be — ^ generally known that the order of the . —The latest London device for attract- K^ghts of Labor is emphatically op. ***« attention of paasera-hy to a shop posed to strikes until all other means of Yi^dow is to run a strong electric cur- rvoas** wv owaam.^o iaaigaa rax a UUJir* ~ UUT- securing a settlement of the matters in rcn ^ along a brass bar placed outside ap- diapute have tailed. But I find tliat some P*wntiy for the purpose of protecting of those who want to join us have quite glass. You involuntarily place your * diflerent impression, and appear to be- hand on the bar and immediately receive beve that we are organized for the pur- a The effect is somewhat start- pose of conducting instead of preventing hag, and the temperament of the suffer- strikes. ’ t er is hardly softened by disooverugfc “Was the general executive board cog- ’! lien 111H ail over ’ a <*"1 whereon nizant of the fact that there was going to of tho brass bar are an te a strike in the Southwest prior to the Bme,y * ort h' - ® strike taking place?” i -As a last reoort Wise “We knew that the men there had grie- County, Virginia, brefcd • rheumatic ranees, but we were not quite certain that patient up to the use* in the ground, and the matter would culminate in a strike, showed hip SB remain in tbs* position for pins rlarfi* Be was entirely quiDd. A JEFF DAVIS IN H0NTG01 JL THB PBOPLD WILD WCm ! 4 THE familiar ydll. iTMh tb« Oath «r Montoohbbt, Ala., April 28.-TtHky will qyer be memorial in the history of Alabama. Every locality was represented, and many adjacent towns and vfUafas poured their entire population lute toe streets of Montgomery. At gu mdf hour the sidewalks were so Imanfr packed tost locomotion was difficult. II had rained all night, and poured down until 10 o’clock. Instead of going to ton park it was decided to go to thdlnpilgt grounds for the speeches to be Ado from the very spot where Mr. Davis took tho oath of office as President of the Confederate States. The entfranfiy gaily decorated, and the City Hah Mia United States flags flattering out of every window. Pictunp of the Confed erate Generals are fastened to the out* side walls, while the names of Coofcdte- ate Generals fluttered to the bnana on streamers. The Capitol was beautifully decorated. From the topmost point on the high dome, towering far above erarj thing in the city, floated the teats and stripes. The entire front was sev ered with streamers and deviees, whfla there was surpended along tbs front col umns immense Federal flags re doWfi almost to the heads of the era. Private houses soil' all have a liberal supply of and devices and words of weioosM to Mr. Davis. The scenes around Mr. Davit this morning and the great desire to aat and shake him by the hand are hide scribable. Being feeble, it was more than tra could stand, and he had to retire. Tlie military escort formed in front of the hotel and extended far up the at leading to the Capitol. It was i to form a square in order that the pro cession might move. The oomp were formed and stretched ott on side. A carriage with four white was drawn up to the door, and promptly at 2 o’clock Mr. Davis, escorted by Mayor Reese, Governor O'Neal and «a- Governor Watts, formerly of his Gatd- net, stepped from the hotel and the carriage. The shunts of the tude as be was seen to emerge from hotel had a peculiar nervous jerk, characterized what became “yell of the Sou them am" the over. The next carriage < * r ' ,>fe V T rH Gan. John B. Gordon and Captain W. Ll Bragg, Miss Winnie Davis, yo •laughter of Mr. Davis, and Mias tlie Mayor’s daughter. The third • riage contained W. W. Screws, Gordon, Miss Gordon and the latter a niece of Mr. Davis. _ _ carriages followed, with the tmalmn „ tho Monument Association and the Guv' emor’s staff. Amid the waving of hats and kerchiels, the booming of qantxwi. *Rf playing of bands of music and ■ louder than ever "before heard, the presented was rarely ever Titaias any country; the demonstration in honor of a man proscribed by thi United States government and as u tte bate to the dead soldtere of a • was lost The route of the was about half a mile long. Thai is very wide, but the crowd wten it be gsn to move was packed from oaateds I the other. When toe procession, arrived at tb Capitol the gateway was cleared lot Ms Davis, tiie military being formed so ae I prevent the overrunning of thebuildfaM and grounds before he had reached hi place. He was seated upon the v< **~ri spot ho occupied February It, MM] Arranged in front was a place for th press and on the sides a*>d in the rear o Mr. Davis were the members of ration organizations interested in toe bufldini of the monument, which it is prepOtei to erect on the hill and north of the Capitol. People, men women and children, were packed free the steps to toe front gate, and while i was impossible for a great part of toex to hear, they stood in their places out o respect for Mr. Davis and a desire torn him. When order had been mem Mayor Reese advanced to the front aa “Mx Countrymen: It iswitoproioun emotion that I present to you the fan most type of Southern manlwyl ) Hoi Jefferson Davis, ex-Preaident of the On federate States of America.” The scenes heretofore enacted wu gone over aa Mr. Davis advanced, and was some isinntm before he could p* coed. It was the first that tho sands in the crdYd bad seen him tenon 1 arrival, it being impossible for all to pf sonally reach him at the hold. Tl sheuta finally dying away, lb. Dm leaning on his cane, with a Fedomlfi hanging over him and Oonfadooteni rang before lim. who had come] of miles to hem and cee Mm, ringing votes, showing ' of his feelings, but pause, except shouts of fate! “My friend^ ij should attempt to i gratification white titration. B^JJm sonal, and g, * u#ni dearer * ™