TARIFF MESSAGE OF PRESIOF.NF McKINLEY.
PLAIN, milEOT AND POINTKD.
Congress Ih Asked to Increase tlio
Tariff Immediately?The Condition
of ilxi Kevfluue Demand* Prompt
Action.
The following message from Presi
dent McKinley was sent to Congress
upon its oponing:
To tho Congress of tho United States :
Regretting the necessity which has
required me to call you together, I foel
tbat your assembling in extraordinary
session is Indispensable beoause of tho
oooditlon in which we find the revenues
of tbu government. It is conceded
tbat its current expenditures are
greater than its receipts and that suoh
a condition has existed for now more
than three years. With unlimited
menus at our command, we are pre
senting tho remarkable speotaclo of
increasing our public debt by boriow
ing money to meet the ordinary out
lays incident upon even an economical
and prudent administration of tho
government. An examination of the
subject discloses this fact in every
detail and leads inevitably to the con
cluelon that the condition of tbo rev
enue which allows it Is unjustifiable
and should be correottd.
We flud by tho reports of tbo Secre
tary of tho Treasury that the revenues
for tho Qsoalfycar, ending June 30,
18l)2,fromall sources were $425,888,260.
22,and the expenditure.-; for ail purposes
woro $115,903,800 50, leaving an excess
of receipts over expenditures of $9,914,
453.CG. During that fiscal year $49,570,-,
407.98 were paid upon the nubile debt,*
which bad been reduced sinco March
1, 1889, $250,076,890, and the annual
interest charge decreased $11,684,570.
60. The receipts of tho government
from all sources, during the fiscal year,*
ending June 30, 1893, amounted to
$461,710 561, and Its expenditures to
$459,374,887, allowing an excess of re
ceipts over expenditures of $2,341,674.
Sinco that tlmo the receipts of no
fiscal year, and with but few excep
tions of no month of any fiscal year,
bavo exceeded tho expenditures. The
receipts of tho government from all
sources, during tbo fisoal year, ending
Juno 30, 1894, were $372,802,408, and its
expenditures $442,605,758, leaving a
deficit, tho first sinco the resumption of
specie payments, of $00,803,260. Not
withstanding there was a decrease of
$10,769,128 In the ordinary expenses of
the government as compared with the
previous fiscal year, its income, was
Btill not BultlclcBt to provide for its
dally necessities, and the gold reservo
in the treasury for the redemption of
greenbacks was drawn upon to meot
them. But this did not suffice, and
tho government then resortod to loans
to replenish the reserve.
In February, 1894,$50,000,000 fn bonds
wore issued, a^d in November follow
ing a second issue of $50,000,000 was
doomed necessary. Tbo sum of $117,
171,795 was realized by the Bale of
these bonds, but tho reservo was stead
ily decreased until, on February 8,
1895, a third sale of $02,315,400 in bonds
for $65,116,244 was announced to Con
gross.
The receipts of the government for
tbo fiscal year ending June 30, 1895,
were $390,373 203, and the expenditures
$433,178,420, showing a deficit of $42,
805,223.
A further loan of $100,000,000 was ne
gotlat d bv tho government In Febru
ary, 1896, the ealo netting $111,160,240,
and swelling the aggregate of bonds
Issued within threo years to $262.315,
400. For tho fiscal year euding June 30,
1806, tho revenues of the government
from all snurcos amounted to $109.475,
408, while Its expenditures were
$434,078,654, or an excess of expendi
tures over receipts of $25,203,245. In
other words, the total receipts for the
three fiscal years, ending June 30.
1890,'were insufficient by $137,811,729
to meet tho total expenditures.
Nor has this condition since improv
ed. For the first half of the presont
fiscal year, the receipts of the govern
ment, exclusive of postal revenues,
wero $157,507.603, and its expenditures
exoluslve of postal service $195,410,000,
or an excess of expenditures over re
ceipts of $37,902,396. In January of
this year, the receipts exoluslve of
postal revenues were $24,316,994 and
the expenditures oxclusive of postal
sorvlce $30,269,389, a dellolt of $5,952,
395 for the month. In February of
this yoar the receipts exoluslve of
postal revenues'were $24,400,997 and
tho expenditures, exclusive of postal
servioo $28.790,050, a deficit of $4,305, ?
059; or a total deficiency of $186,061,
580 for the three years and eight
months ending on March 1, 1897. Not
only are wo without a surplus in the
treasury, but with an increase in tho
publio debt there has been a corres
ponding increase in tho annual inter
est oharge from $22,893.883 in 1892, the
lowest of any year since 1862, to $34,
387,297 in 1896, or an Increase of $11,
493,414.
It may bo urgod that even if the
revenues of tho government had beon
sufficient to meet all its ordinary ox
penses during tho past threo years, tho
gold reserve would still have been In
sufficient to meet tbo demands upon it,
and that bonds would neoessarily have
been Issued for its repletion. Be tbls
as It may, it is clearly manifest, with
out denying or affirming the correct
ness of such a conclusion, that the
debt would have been decreased in at
least the amount of tho deficiency, and
bust ness confidence immeasurably
strengthened throughout the country.
Congross should promptly correct the
existing conditions. Ample revenues
must be supplied not only for the ordi
nary expenses of tho govornmcnt, but
for prompt payment of liberal ponslons
and the liquidation of tho principal
and intorest of the publio debt. In
raising t evoauos, duties should be so
levied upon foreign products as to pre
serve tho homo market, so far as pos
sible, to our own producers; to revive
and increase manufactures; to relieve
and encourage agriculture ; to inoreaso
our domeslio and foreign commerce;
to aid and develop mining and build
ing, and to ronaor to labor in every
held of useful occupation tbo llboral
wavert and adequate rewards to which
akill and Industry are justly entitled.
The necessity of the passage of a tariff
law which shall provide ample reve
nue, need not be further urged.. The
imperative domand of tho hour is the
pron.pt enactment of suoh a measure,
and to tills object I earnestly recom
mend that Congress shall make every
endeavor. Before other business is
transacted, let us first provide suflloiont
revenue to faithfully administer the
government without tho contracting
of furtbor debt, or the oontlnued dis
turbance of our flnanoon.
(Signod) WM. MoKiNbBY,
President of the United States.
?An exchange says: " Kerosene
will make teakettles shine as bright as
now." " Yes," remarked another pa
per, " kerosene will do wonders; it will
make a bouse shine so it can bo seen
for mites, but It Is dreadfully destruc
tive tO paint."
HILfj ARE* IS AT WOKK.
Ills Wife Keeps Him Btuy to Help
? His Hbeam*tUm-A Lecture on
Woman's Rights ami Wrongs.
I Uko to work when I feel like it.
but my wlfo likes for me to work when
she feels like it, and so between the
two I have to work nearly all the time.
Yesterday I was grunting around with
rheumatism, but she took. a notion
that it was a good day to take the ve
randah trellis down and clean away all
th't old dead vines, and thought it
would holp me to get warmed up by
exerolse?and it did. She knows?she
has heard me try to play off on grippe
and rheumatics before?you can't tool
the woman you have been living with
forty-eight years?so I got the ladder
and ollmbed up to the top and out
away the tangled web and trimmed
the running rosevinesand the wisteria
and Virginia oreeper and then tore
away the eld canes and cleaned up all
the trash and buruod it. It was a big
job for the verandah is fifty feet long
and I had to move the old rlokoty lad
der a dozzcu times?several times I
J;ot sorter 'dizzy and liked to have
alien,, but ray folks don't believe I am
us old as I am, and they never will be
lieve it until I break my arm, or my
log. or my neok. Then I reokon they
will be sorry.
tjV. man never grows old to his own
family; no man is ?*hero to his own
servant. The sei rant knows him too
well, and just so my wife won't admit
that I am too old to bo useful, and she
koeps me trotting around. She gives me
precepts and examples, for shots never
idle?makes up toe bed, cleans up her
room, puts out the washing and dis
tributes it when it oomesin, mends my
clothes, darns my stockings, sows on
t hi missing buttons, hides ray best
pants to keep me from w^rKlng in
thom and soolds me ever and anon
about my carelessness. She keeps on
making little garments for the grand
children and still finds time to boss me
in the flower garden and go to the
missionary meeting, and. writes letters
to tbo hoys. She never reads until
almost bedtime, but next morning can
toll us all the news worth knowing,
and has her opinions about Cleveland
and McKinley and Lyraan Abbott and
Dr. Brougbton and female suffrage. I
read to her the recent vote In parlia
ment about that and asked her what
she thought of it.v "Well," said she,
" I dou't care to vote, of courso I don't,
but if female suffrage will lesson
female 'sufferage,' I hopo It will pass.
It makes ray heart bleed to read about
these heartless men deceiving and be
traying foolish young girls who trusted
them?what a pitiful scene it was?
that ruined girl following that man
and his bride into the parlor cars in
Atlanta, and in her presence upbraid
ing him with his infamy. And just
look around all over this country at
the young married women who have
been abandoned by their unprincipled
husbands, and now havo to work and
toil and almost beg for a living for
themselves and their little ones. If a
jury of women could try these dooeiv
ers and these faithless husbands thoy
would be sont to the obalngang, where
thoy Belong. If a young man embez
zles some rich man's money and runs
away, the judgo and the grand jury
and the newspapers make an awful fuss
about it and send telegrams all over
tho country to oatob him, but if he
ruins a woman and breaks her heart
and makes a wreck of hor life it is
bushed up and nothing is dono. .1 am
not a woman's-rlghta w9man. She has
rights enough, but there ought to be
some way of avenging her wrongs."
That is a faot, and my opinion is
that hor wrongs never will be avenged
uutll she is not only empowered to
vote, but also to bold offloo in school
rooms and in tho government of the
towns and villages. Tho age of gal
lantry and chivalry toward women has
passed.. This is the unfeeling age, and
woman has to shift for herself. Thirty
years ago she worked at seventeen
occupations, and now at 130. and gets
about half price for hor labor?half
the price that tho men* get who do it
no bettor. I am ashamed of my sex,
and I never buy a sbirt for 50 cents
but what I remember that a poor wo
man made it?made it in some garret ?
worked all day and part of the night,
" With fingers weary and worn
With eyelids heavy and rod."
And yet these lords of creation pre
tend tbut if woman is allowed to vote
she will get down in tbo slums and lose
her purity. She is down In the slums
now and would get out If she could. I
know women who are at work for less
than a dollar a day and have to support
themselves and their little children
out of It, while tholrrlob employers
sit high up In tho ohurohes and say
amen and amen to the preaobors pray
ere. I know women, good women, ac
complished women, whom men have
ruined by neglect or abandonment, and
all tbey oan do is suffer and be silent.
I know women whoso unprincipled
husbands have been breaking thoir
marriage vows ever alnoe thoy.made
them, and still they pass and repass In
tbo community as gentlemen. But
this is the samo old story?who cares.
Now it is said thai, although tho wo
man's suffrage bill has pasaod the
house of commons by a large majority,
It will bo ignonlmously killed in the
house of lords?why I should Uko to
know ? Tho lords are not a senate,
whoso age and dignity might correct
hasty or unwiso legislation, but they
aro a pampered purse-proud nobility.
Tbo most of them are and many of them
have as many wlvos as Brlgham Young
ever did. But the time is near at
hand when women will' be enfranchis
ed in more ways than one. The laws
of marriage and divorce are better In
England now than our-. Tbey are
governed by the uburoh?by the ec
oleslastlcal courts. It takes no little
time to get .married. The*matter is
considered and discussed openly and
frooly before an engagement Is-made.
It must be a union that Is fit to be made
and the bans must be . published and
announced from tllO pulpit for B< i.i.Wjf
Sabbaths previous to tho cev ^y.
Consequently there are no clop i :auts
?no runaways, and of courso not so
many divorces. Inoonsidorato young
people used to runaway to Crctna
Green, in Scotland, and bo married by
an old Scotch blacksmith, but those
marriages were declared illogal about
forty years ago, and now it is a orimo
to bo married any whore save in tho
oburob aftor tha bans have bean pub
lished. Great solemnity Is attached
to tho eoromony. But hore anybody
can run away with anybody's daughter
and bo marrlod by anybody In any sort
of fashion and get loose whenevor tbey
take a notion. Tho Whole business of
marriage and divorce should be re
modelled by Cong.'OHS and made uni
form in nil the States. It makes mo
sick to read those dlvoroo advertise
ments of lawyers In Chioago : " Dl
voroes obtained without attracting
attention." But tho dovll Is now un
chained and the thousand years are
out. * Bill A hp.
?Tho editor who was told that his
last article was as cloar an mud quite
promptly replied, "Well,'?bat covers
the ground."
The Cotton Growers' Protective Association
?V? t
FARMERS ADVISED TO D1VER
. BIFY CROPS.
The Are* Devoted to Cotton Will
Yield More* Profitable Returns?
The Kind of Protection Needed for
Southern Farmers.
The following address was Issued by
the Cotton Growers' Protective As
sociation, whloh met a few days ago
in Augusta, Ga., and, which advises
the growing of food orops as the surest
road to agricultural prosperity in the
South:
To the Cotton Growers of America :
The Cqtton Growers' Protective As
sociation of America, in convention us
s ibled at Augusta, Ga., on this 15th
March, 181)7, again como to you with
an urgent appeal for co-operative ac
tion In planting tbo crop for 1807. It
is a matter of extreme congratulation
that tho appeal made to you in 1805
and 1800 was so generally responded to
and tbat the orop of 1805, made up?n
the diminished aoreage, did have the
effeot of greatly Increasing the prices
of cotton. The crop of 1805, though
estimated to be 3,400,000 bales abort of
tho crop of 1804, was In the markets of
the world worth more by nearly $30,- 1
000,000. In the faoo of this result to
abandon the Idea of diminished aoro- '
age would be to sound tbo rotroat in ;
tbo face of viotory. It is the consonus
of opinion among the best tbinkers
that if by any means the cotton orop of
America should be held within the
limits of 8,000,000 to 0,000,000, bales
per annum for live years, tho people
of thoso southern states would be the
richest and most prosperous agricultu
ral people In the world. I low can this
be brought about V The answor is
with you. We appeal to your self In
terest and patriotism to do all In your
power to keep down tbo production of
tho staple. Do not abandon the ground
you have woo. Fight on upon tho
lines laid down, make the cotton states
self-supporting, put more land in
clover and grasses for your hogs to run
on, diversify your orops, and when you
have done all this the aroa devoted to
cotton will yield more profitable re
turns than if you sought to increaso
tho number of your bales. While tho
reduction of ?,he aoreago to be planted
In cotton for tbo Bole purpose of reduc
ing the size of the crop may be Im
practicable, tho inorease of area plant
ed in food crops must inevitably bring
prosperity to cotton growers, Irrespec
tive of the size of the cotton crop.
There has nover boon a tlmo in the
history of our section of the country
tbat a movement looking to tbo In
creased production of corn, bay, oats,
hogs and otbor food orops, was so im
portant and,necessary.
It is felt by tbe most thoughtful men
that' wo are entering upon a year of
great uncertainties, and tbat even a
small cotton crop may fall to glvo ade
quate returns for its produotion. Tho
mutterlngs of a storm are disturbing
values and unsettling all business cal
culations. The prudent man will
trim hie sails to meet It. With tho
commerce of tbo country Interrupted
by war?and war may como?cotton
would bo unsalable, except at nominal
prices. Every consideration, then, of
patriotism, of solf-lnterost and of pru
dence dictates that you adhere strict
ly to tbe rule of diminished acreage.
Earnest men aro earnestly working to
lead you and to guido you into pros
perity. Do not lot them labor in vain,
but cheerfully aud hopefully respond
to their appeal.
In conclusion, wo desiro to say to
evory cotton grower, whether his crop
is ten h.ilos or ono thousand! bales, see
to it first that your place is self-sus
taining--and we mean by this to be
sure you grow on the farm an ibund
ance of corn, moat, bay, oats, peas, po
tatoes, etc., for all tbe people on tho
place, both whito and colored. If tho
tenant will not produce tbeso articles,
soil them to blm and keep tho monoy
in your own pocket, in place of send
ing it out of tho country. Whon you
have dono this, or providod for it, grow
what cotton you can.
It overy farmer or planter in the
cotton growing district will make this
his rule of action, and llvo up to it
conscientiously, It will accomplish the
result we so much desire of making us
all prosperous and happy, whether
your cotton, which will be a surplus
orop, sell for a high or low price. Wo
would urge you again to maio suro
first of a cheap, homo grown living for
all tbe people and nil the animals on
tbe place, and then make what cotton
you can.
We address our argument to each in
dividual farmer. Evory farmer may
measurably control tho cost'of produc
ing his cotton.
Let caoh individual farmer rosolvo
in his own mind and without regard to
what others may do, to cut down tho
cost of producing his cotton. By con
fining his area to tbo best fields and
to tho best parts of his field ; by con
centrating his skill, his industry and
fertilizers on a smaller area he will
produce his cotton cheaper. Evory
farmer knows that tho hotter tbo land,
the bettor preparation and cultivation,
tho more liberal tho amount of well
balanced fertilizers ho applies per acre,
tbe loss will ho tho cost per pound of
cotton.
Put only tho boat land in cotton and
corn and tho poorer lands In rye, peaa,
etc. This will certainly reduce, your j
crop product in tbo aggregate, but it
wili much more reduce the cost.
So that, in auy event, whatever
other.i may do, you will bo all right. i
?Judgo Maokey, who has been In
Columbia sinco tbo session of tho
Genoral Assembly, proposes to pub luh
during the coming ?summer a book of
abo it. 150 pages, which ho will call
South Carolina Lott and Found. The
work is Intended to give a history of
politics) affairs in this State from 1805
to 1877, with Bpeoial reference to the
Reconstruction period, with which
Judgo Mackey has every reason to be
ejptlrely familiar, having taken quite
a hand In bringing about the settle
ment of the troubles. He says that In
his book ho will " with tho sclmetar of
truth share off some tall plumes." Ho
will start cut With the Secession porlod
and take the position tbat tboro was
no need for this Stato to have pre
cipitated tho war, and that many of
her best and abl?st sons woro against
the Secession movement. Judgo Mac
key expects to have bis book before
tho puhllo about tbe mouth of August,
and will soon go on'to New York to
arrange for Its publication.
?Allowing tbe horBO to stand hab
itually upon a dry board loor often
causes tho horse's hoof to become brit
tle. A linseed meal poultice Is the
best remedy.
?Only 70 years have elasped sinoo
tbo first railway in tho world fvas fin
ished. During that comparatively
brief period 400,000 miles hafve* been
constructed.
THK niri.OMAUC POSITIONS.
The Appointment of Ministers to
England and France?The ISest
Places in t ho Diplomatic Service.
The President has made the follow
ing nominations to be ambassadors ex
traordinary and ministers plenipoten
tiary of the United States : John Hay,
of Washington, D. C, to Great Britain,
and Horace Portor, of Now York, to
France, and JHonry White, of Rhode
Island, Is to be seoretary of the em
bassy at London. Messrs. Hay and
Porter receive a salary of $17,600 a year.
John Hay Is a native of Indiana, 59
fears of age, and graduated at Brown
fnlversity in 1858, and began tho prac
tice of law in Illinois in 1861. Presi
dent Lincohji appointed him assistant
seoretary and kept him in that capacity
throughout his administration. He
also acted as Lincoln's adjutant and
aide-de-camp and was breveted lieu
tenant colonel. Entoring diplo
matic circles in the sixties, ho was
at various times chargo at Vienna,
first secretary at Paris, and secretary
of legation at Madrid. In 1870, Mr.
Hay connected himself with tue press
and for nearly six years devoted him
self to edito-'ni wo4ra 'eur'ing New
Y rk if .. araper.
In 1875 he entered politlcp, taking
an active part in tho presidential cam
paigns of 1876, 1880 and 1884, being
then a resident of Cleveland. Presi
dent Hayes appoiuted him First Assis
tant Secretary of Stuta, which post ho
filled for nearly three years. Since bis
retirement from ollice Colonel Hay
has resided chiefly In Washington elt>,
whore he occupies a palatial homo on
LaFayctte avenue and has devoted
himself to literature with the greatest
Buccess, somo of bis best known works
being "Pike County Ballads," "Cas
tlllian Days," and a history of Lincoln
written in collaboration with John
Nicolay.
Colonel Hay has also hoen a frequont
contributor to the highest class of
periodicals, and to him has bcon
ascribed tho authorship of tho anony
mous novel, "The Breadwinners,"
which caused such agitation in labor
circles.
General Horace Porter comos of rev
olutionary stocV Ills grandfather,
Andrew Porter, being one of Wash
ington's most valued officers.
General Porter's father was David
Rittenhouae Porter, at ono time Gov
ernor of Pennsyvanla and a prosperous
manufacturer. Horace Porter was
born just sixty years ago in Hunting
don, Pa. Hs was well educated in bis
own State, at Harvard and finally at
West Point. Soon aft r his gradua
tion from tho military academy be was
assign d to duty in tho South. He was
an ordinance export, so most of his
work was in tho military sorvice on
the staffs of McClellan, Rosecrans and
Grant, where ho earned the reputation
as a gallant and foarless figbtor, as is
shown by his brevets. Ho served in
the Chickamauga and Wilderness cum
gaigns and was in tho first assault on
harleston, where ho was wounded.
General Graut was greatly attached
to General Porter and made him Assis
tent Secretary of War while ho him
self filled the secrotaryshlp. Ho sur
rendered his army commission in 18711
and plunged into active business, be
ing first president of the West Shore
railroad, vice president of the Pullman
Car Company, and associating himself
with other great corporations in a
dircctivo capacity. Ho is well known
In tho field of literature, being an
author of repute and much sought for
as a public speaker.
Tho appointment of Mr. Henry
White to bo secretary of American
embassy in Great Britain is practically
a i-eappointmcnt, as Mr. White had
bold this ollice for eight years pre
vious to Mr. Cleveland's last adminis
tration. He has boon in London most
of tho time since his displacement and
the fact was brought out after his nom
ination that he had rendered Mr. Olney
important service in tho recent Vene
zuelan negotiations. Tho present sec
retary, Mr. Roosevelt, resigned somo
time ago.
MISHIOD A GROWN.
An Intercatlug Chapter or South
Carolina History.
Boston Education Maga/.ina.
South Carolina has had ono promi
nent man of whom it may ho said, "Ho
missed a crown." An account of him
and his family forms a chapter of in
terest in tho annals of tho historic Pal
motto State.
Tho Middlotons are not only ono of
the most distinguished, hut ulso ono of
the oldest of the Carolina families. An
account of thorn and their estates reads
almost like tho history of somo noblo
family of England. Boforo tho English
had boon permanently settled In tho
colony a dozen years, wo lind Edward
Midddloton a mombor of tho council
under the Lords Proprietors. Ho was
born m England and inherited a largo
property. His son, Arthur Middleton.
headed tho revolution which throw off
tho rulo of tho Lords Proprietors and
placed tho provlnco diroctly under the
protection of tho English crown. He
was afterwards Governor of tho prov
ince Henry Middleton, son of Arthur,
?M president of tho Continental Con
gress in 1775.
The most famous of tho Middlotons
was Arthur, who was a signer of tho
Deolaration of Independence. Ho was
t'.ie son Of Henry (jlist mentioned), and
was born at the family soat in 1748.
Ho rceolvod his education in England.
In 1779 ho took tho fle'd in defense of
Charleston, and tho following year he
was made a prisoner, but was after
wards exchanged. At ono time during
tho revolution he declined tho Govern
orship of bis St to. Hodled in 1787.
His homo, tho Middleton Place (which
was in tho low^ country of South Caro
lina) has boen destroyed, but tho fol
lowing "pon picture" of tho grounds,
published in 1888, will givo the reader
an idea of what a flno placo It must
have been:
?'The old gates with their massive
pillars stand intact, but of tho home
stead itself only the ohimneys and parts
of tbo walls remain. At Middleton
Placo, an Englishman would feel at
homo evon to-day. .Many of the old
terraces and hedges remain as they
wore a century ago, and tho ample
grounds, wbloh oro tolorably woll kept,
have a decidedly English air. This
placo is still In possession of tbo Mid
dleton family."
During the present century this
family has furnished ono governor to
South Carolina; that wasllonry Mid
dleton, pon of the "signer;" he lillod
tho ofHco 1810-12. after which ho sorved
in Congress, and was also, for several
years, ministor to Russia. When a
young man, he traveled a good dcul In
Europe, and for somo ttmo during tbo
Frenoh revolution was in France. His
death occurred in 1846.
Governor Middleton and tho lato
Gov. Bonjamln F. Perry wcro both
members of the Union party during tho
. stirring times of nullification, and Gov
ernor Porry, in his delightful "Roml
nlsconcos" (which can well hn read
I with pleasure and profit by many others
' besides South Carolinians), has given
us a pleasant sketch of Governor Mid
dleton, with whom ho was well ac
quainted. Among* other things ho
says:
"Governor Middleton told me that
ho was personally acquainted with
almost every distinguished man in
Europe. He saw Bonaparte in every
station which he had tilled, from that
of General of tho Interior to his seat
on the throno of France. He was on
termsof intimaoy with him while hewas
Qonoral of tho Interior, and was in the
habit of visiting his family. At, ono
period of their acquaintance ho re
ceived encouragement to addross his
stop-daughter. 'Little did I then
think,' said Governor Middleton, 'that
she would ovor be a queen.'"
Am I not right in saying that Gov
ernor Middleton missed a crown '. Who
can doubt tbat, had ho married Na
poleon's stop-daughter, ho would after
wards have been made king of some Eu
ropean country by tho groat warrior,
and ho would undoubtedly have raado
a wise and just ruler. We may sup
poso, however, that as Governor of an
American State ho was probably hap
pier than ho would havo been as king
of 8omo Europoan country.
McDonald Fuhman.
Ramsey, S. C.
FKEH PUBLIC LiIUHAHIKS.
The Opinion of an Experienced
Observer as to the Honcllts to bo
Derived
A. 8. Rowell In the Piedmont Sun.
Too much importance, cannot bo
attached to tho value of a Free Public
Library in u town, and especially in a
"cotton mf'g town." We are behind
tho times in this rcspoct in tho Old
Palmetto State. If we want to take u
front rank among the progressive
States, wo must move forward. Agri
culture and manufactures cannot
achiovo the beet result, with a lot of
ignoramuses as employers aud employ
ed. The masses must be fairly well
educated in order for any community
to stand abreast with the best. It is
good moral policy for a town to es
tablish a public library : it is good
business policy for a manufacturing
company to found a freo library for
the benefit of its employees. The
youthful minds during tho formative
period will seek in almost any direc
tion for that which will satiate tho
longing folt within. if parents or
friends at this time will wisely direct
tho expanding intellect along tho line
of reading good and useful books, tho
mind will naturully turn from dissipat
ing habits aud foolish pustimes into
thoso channels that will bo productive
of pleusuro and profit. Good habits
will bo formed instead of bad one?, and
the Individual and community will
bo tho hotter for it. Of courso tbo dis
cipline und training of a good school
will better aocomplish tho same end.
Let it bo understood that wo arodircct
ing our words chielly to those who do
not havo all tho school privileges de
sirable. Wo are fortunate in having
hero in Piedmont a free public library.
In tho very beginning of tho history of
the place tho directors of tho company
made provisions for its establishment
and enlargement, and the original idea
has boon earnestly fostered aud pro
moted by tho Presidents ever since.
Many of our young men and women
have passed the school day to take up
tho stern realities of life, but wo as
suro them that education need not
stop on that account. In our library
are works of every cluss, aud if there
be a felt need of any particular lino of
good usoful books, that want will ho
met. Fifteen or twenty minutes u day
spent, in studying or reading up im
portant subject s will in tho course of
a year bring tho student a vast amount
of valuable information.
Wo would like to seo our young men
and women taking more advantage of
tho privilege our library holds out to
them. They would bo the gainers
personally and indirectly would benefit
tho town. Wo would also like to seo
the state of South Carolina have a
free library in every town.
As wo said in tho beginning tho im
portance of such an institution cannot
bo too highly estimated. Let us see
bow this subject is lookod upon in
other sections of our country. In tho
New England States, two libraries,
that of Uavard College and the Bost.m
public library, each contains more
volumes than aro contained in all tho
libraries combined in tho State of Vir
ginia. In tho Now England States
there aro 050 Libraries of 1,000
volumes. Tho city of Boston appro
priated thisyoar $200,000 to her library.
In Massachusetts, of the 353 townB and
cities, 328 havo free public libraries.
Comparing tbo different States tho
following interesting statistics aro
developed : Massaehusettes has for
every 100 population 2?7 volumes,
New York 74, Peunsylvunia 51, Mary
land 89, Virginia 22, Kentucky and
Louisiana oacli 20, South Carolina 18,
Tonncssco and Georgia each 15,
Alabama 8, Texas 4. In 181)1, tho
libraries in tho New England States
had 7,219,124 volumes. In tho South
ern States 2,250,212 volumes.
Hero in Piedmont wo have a library
of nearly 2,500 voIuiuob, or seventy ono
volumes to ovory ono hundred ol our
population. So it will he soon that our
town is pretty well up in tho scale.
All wo want to do is to use tho books
well. ^
?Tho air is so clear in tho Arctic
legions that conversation can bo ear-,
ried on easily by persons two miles |
apart. It has also been asserted on
good authority that at Gibraltar the 1
human voice has been distinctly hoard
at a distance of ten miles.
?A gentleman traveling in Porsia
says ho has boon in a town whoro tho
bolls ring for prayer flvo times a day,
and business mon rush out of their
oIHcob to tho churches, leaving their
places of businoss alono nnd unlocked,
and nobody ovor has a thing stolen.
?French papers insist that tho
roller-boat of M. Ba/.ln, which is to
cross tho ocean In three days, is likely
to be a success, and that it will glido
over tbo water as smoothly as a car
riage along a road. A trlul trip on the
Thames Is promiBod shortly.
?Jack rabbits aro so numorouB in
some partB of Colorado that thoro Is
an annual " round-up " to exterminate
tho posts. At tho round-up hold tho
week before Christmas at Laraar 15,000
rabbits woro killed.
?A whalo recently captured In
arctio waters was found to havo im
bedded iu Its side a harpoon tbat bo
longed to a whaling vessel that had
beon out of eorvloo nearly half a con
tury.
?Whlto-wlno vinegar can bo mado
by adding flvo gallons of ralnwator to
10 pounds of mashod ralsln.i, and let
ting it stand in a warm plaoo for a
month.
?It Is thought tho output of tho
steel rail companies thisyoar will he
In the neighborhood of 2,000,000 tons,
or fully throe times tbe output of 1800.
?" What is It that causes tho salt
ness of tho ocean V" asked a teacher.
" It is the codfish," said a little girl.
A WARNING TO THE COTTON FARMERS,
DO NOT INCREASE Till; ACRE
AGE.
The Cotton Goods Trade ExceedIngljr
Dull?Food and Forago Crops
Should be Ample?Make Cotton a
Surplus Crop.
Tho following letter in reference to
decreasing tho production of cotton
and increasing tho production of food
supplies is sent out for the information
of cotton planters. Coming from an
export statistician on the production
and consumption of cotton, it empha
sizes tho conclusions and justifies tho
action taken by the American Cotton
Grower*'Protective Association, which
met in Augusta on the 15th Inst.
Now York, March 12, 1897.
Hou. Patrick Walsh, Editor Augusta
Chronicle.
My Dear Sir : Though our present
cotton crop will probably not exceed
8,500,000 bales aud tho stocks in the
world's market! and mills at tbo end
of tbo season may bo oven below tho
moderate ligures ut Its commencement,
tho fact remains that cottjn is half a
cent per pound lower tnTtn a year ago.
The cotton goods trade is exeooding
ly dull and prices at about the lowest.
Many American mills are running on |
short time. My friend Mr. Thomas j
Ellison, of Liverpool, thinks tho Euro
pean mills will consume no more cotton
the present season than during last i
season. In view of tho injury to
British trade from tho pluguo and I
famine in India it is, in my opinion, {
even doubtful if last season's consump
tion will be uctuully maintained. In
Bombay, tho cotton mills aro practical
ly, closed, thus releasing moro cotton
for export to Kurope than had been esti
mated. It Is to bu added that tbo cotton
crop iu India will be larger tliau tho
estimates of several mouths ago. Our
Congress is abaut to meet in extra
session to discuss u general revision of
the tarilT, and tho uncertainty as to tho
outcome of tho matter will depress
every kind of business. The session
may bo a long one, and it is by no
means certain that any kind of a tariff
bill will bo passed as tho Ivopublicana
do not control tbo Sonata. The de
pression in business ou uccouut of
uncertainty in regard to tho tarilT
would then continue into 1898. Theso ]
are the conditions which confront the !
Southern farmers upon tho eve of
planting time this spring. It scorns !
to me they indicate with a clearness [
which admits of no question that ovory
farmer should first make provision for
ample food and forage crops before
considering tho matter of cotton acre
age.
In July last, when tho crop prospects
were so favorable that many peopie
predicted a yiold of 10,000.000 bales, the
price for November delivery declined
to noarly (i 1-8 cents, while middling
cotton on tho spot sold at 7 1-10 coats.
Had not tbo severe drought occurred,
the crop might easily have reached
9,500,000 to 10,000,000 bales and this ad
dition to tho supply would probably
have resulted in lower prices by fully
one and a half cents per pound than
aro eurront today. I tiiiuk middling
cotton would have sold at live and a
half (5 1-2) cents in New York and
this would have been disastrous to
Southern fanners and a serious injury
to tbo eutiro country on account of tbo
disturbance iu foreign exchanges,
which would huvo been caused by ho
great a shrinkage in tho vaiue of our
cotton exports. 1 do not believe that
one planter in a thousand can produce
cotton so cheaply that ho can SOU it on
the basis of live and a half (5 1*2) eonts
a pound for middling in New York
and get back oven the co^t of pro
duction, to say nothing of any profit.
It is woll for our Southern farmers
to remember that the cost of produc
tion exerts no intlucnco whatever on
the immediate market value of any
commodity. The present price is gov
erned almost entirely by tho existing
conditions of supply and demand.
When commodities are sold for less
than tho average cost of production,
that fact will necessarily curtail pro
duction, and a diminution in prico.
Farmers, 'however, cannot wait for
theso processes as they aro generally
compellod to soil their crops promptly
in order to meet thoir obligations.
It is truo that corn is considerably
lower in Chicago than it was a year
ago, while oats and. provisions aro a
trifle lower and wheat and Hour a lit
tle higher. The reduction in tbo prico
of home of these articles, bowover,
should bo no reason for planting moro
cotton and less grain, for of what avail
to tbo Southern farmer would bo tho
low prico of grain and provisions if his
cotton had to bo sold for 80 littlo as to
icavo him no surplus money in which
to buy tbe&9 things '.'' Tho world does
not need as much American cotton as
can bo grown on the present acreage.
If all Southern farmers would raise
thoir own food and forage crops (in
cluding meat and farm animals) and
make of cotton a surplus or "money
crop " they would have in their own
hands the amplest protection aguinst
low prices for cotton, inasmuch as
the overproduction of the staple would
be avoided and they would never be
forced to sell their cotton in the periods
of its greatest depression.
Yours very ruly,
Alfred B. shepperson.
THE PENSION MUDDLE.
Tlio Now Act Will Cause Pensioner*
to Wait lor Their Money.
Columbia State.
Tbo new pension law has bad tho
comptroller general scratching bis
head and wondering where tho Stato
board of pensions is at. There are
?omo provisions in it that would pu/.zlo
anyone. Asa rosult, oven construing
tbo aot as it was evidently intended it |
should pass, tho pensioners of tho
State will of necessity he compelled to
wait possibly till August, before thoy
can get thoir monoy, and it is no fault
of tho authorities charged with tho ex
ecution of tho law.
In tb'j lirst placo, in tho -icction pro
viding for tho tlmo for tho payment of
tho pensions tbo ligures fixing tho
year were loft reading " 1890 " instoad
of "1897." Of courso tho intention is
clear, but unless i ho law is construed
in that light nothing at all can bo paid
not.'I the Goncral Assombly meets
again.
Then township boards havo boon
provided for and otbor complex machl
norj ?o thoapproval of applications.
Thoro a?o something ovor 1,000 town
ships in tho Stato. It would bo a
physical impossibility to got the boards
organized In ovory township in tho
Stato and have tho applications go
through all tho machlnory provided in
timo for tho payment of tho pensions
by tho 15th of Juno, as Is provided.
Comptroller Genoral Norton, who has
had muoh oxporlonco with this pen
sion mattor, doolaros that leaving
everything olso aside it would holm
possible to got tbo warrants out to tho
pensioners In the several oountlos bo
loro the middle of July or August.
He is going to propare a sot of In
structions and rulos governing tho
organization of tho township and
county boards aud simplifying the law
so that they can work in a uniform
manner, but doos not think that this
will facilitate matters very much. Ho
will endeavor to remodel tho former
blanks in such a way that they can bo
used.
In addition to those troubles, tbero
is tho matter of tho formation of now
counties. Scarcely one of them will
bo in working order in time for tho
township boards even to be formed.
There is but one way loft open for tho
pensioners in these counties to got their
money along with the others, und the
others cannot get theirs until it is
known bow many there aro in tho
several new counties, inasmuch as the
umounts havo to be pro-rated. This Is
by a looso construction of tho law,
requiring the boards iu tho several
old counlios to act upon tho applica
tions of thoso residing In tho new
countios or leuviug the pensioners in
tho new counties out altogether, letting
tho Legislature help them when It ro- j
convenes. #
A BACKWARD LOVER.
ilia Troubles a-ui Perplexities Ah
Boen by the Maiden Bister.
Sister Em came into tho kitchen and
exclaimed excitedly !
" Oh, Matilda, Joe is going to ask pa
for mo, today."
"Humph!'' said I, for I never loso
u chance to snub her, for sho is always
sneering at mo for boiug au old maid.
Now I am all practicality and rush
and hurry, aud moving from morning
til night' my hands arc big and red
and rough ; I am stitY aud long and
angular ; all tho graces of my girlhood
havo been scrubbed, washed aud iron
ed out of me.
Hut Bin's different. Sho is one of
the lolling, languishing kind. She
can simper and giggle, and "Oh, don't
Johu-ah," in a "Oh, do John-uh " tone
of voice, aud sho has had beaux with
out number over since she was horn.
After sho had been deluged with
lovers of all nationalities, she caught, a
real Yankee, not ono of the sharp,
driving, money-making kind, but a
gentle, soft-headed, tender-hearted fel
low. He never failed to put oil to
morrow what ought to bo done to-day.
Well, as I started out to say, Km had
announced that Joe was going to ask
for her, and I had "humphed" in my
most incredulous style ; for during the
last five years Joe has hud periodical
spasms of courage.
Full nineteen hundred times he had
made up his mind to ask pu for 10m.
and then begged oll'. I could never .
understand why it was such a bugbear,
for pa would have been perfectly de
lighted to give her away, for she has
always beeu quite a bill of expense to
bim. After a few days Em would
prod him to the verge of distraction.
Then he would brace up again aud
promise to do it, but it always ended
iu his postponing it indefinitely.
So 1 said "humph !" as aggravating
ly as possiblo. That made her furious.
" You act as if you thought ho
wouldn't ask pa."
At that moment Joo unluckily came
Into tho kitchen.
"Em, hadn't you jusl us soon wait
until next Sunday V"
" No, I wouldn't," sho cried, an
grily.
" But. Em, by that time I might got
a raise in my salary."
Poor fellow, ho was only earning
$15 a week, and it was the dream of bis
life to get a "raise."
"Yes," Em answered bitterly, "a
raise has bee n your excuse for the last
four years : why don't you ask permis
sion to put it oft until after tho Nash
ville exposition ?"
IIo evidently did not notice the cut
ting sarcasm of her voice, for ho said,
eagerly,?
" Why, that's a good idea ; suppose
wo wait until then, so you can be at
home to help your folks entertain your
relations V"
Km was in such a rage that she
almost cried, but instead sho fuirly
screamed,?
"Joe, do you want to marry mo ?"
"Of course 1 do," ho responded
placidly, "or olso I wouldn't como to
see you."
" Well, then, you must ask pa, for 1
am not going to get married without
his consent."
" Hut I am going to ask him."
" When ?"
" Now, sec hero, Em, do bo reason
able ', he knows what I como here for,
and, of course, he is willing, or he
wouldn't let me come."
" When are you going to ask pa''"
she repeated angrily.
" Why?ah, i don't know?ah !"
" Well, now, I'll tel! you ono thing,
Joseph, that if you don't ask him to
day, I'll never, uevor marry you."
" Oh, Km, don't ho hard on mo !"
" You march up this minute, sir,
and ask pa for mo, or I'll never marry
you !" and ??he rushed out of tho room,
Hung open the piano and begun to play
eo violently, that 1 thought every cord
in the instrument would snap.
Joe looked ut me appculingly.
" What do you think I had hotter
do V"
"Go upstairs and sec pa," I replied.
" Do you suppose she'll feel better
in a few minutes ?" he inquired anx
iously.
"No, sho 16 in dead earnest, aud if
yon want her?"
"I'll havo to ask for her, I suppose,"
he answered, with u disconsolate high.
I couldn't help feeling sorry for him,
for he looked as dejected as if he were
go'ng to tho stuko.
" It won't bo very hard," I ventured
to say.
" Oh. it's a terrible thing to do."
His lips grew white, the perspiration
stood out on his forehead, und he was
shaking from head to foot with a ner
vous chill.
So bo went upstairs, and was gone
about five minutos, and then thoy both
came tearing out into the kitchen,
where they danced, and embraced, and
kissed each other like two mud crea
tures. Sho was so proud of him, and
ho was so glad ho had the thing of! his
hands, that they nearly strangled oach
other.
Thon ho had to tell hor about 10
times bow ho felt when ho went up
stairs, and what pa Bald, how ma look
ed, and what thoy thought, and how
thoy acted, und all about it, until I
was forced to como to tho conclusion
If this Is tho Ninotconth century stylo
of "asking pa," I am glad no ono ovor
askod for ino.
? - ? ? ?
?It la rolatcd that about a year ago
a houso in Wichita, Kan., was entered
by a burglar and a pockotbook contain
ing aome money was stolen. Uecontly
tho owner of the pureo received a let
tor through the mails inclosing a $10
bill and tho following note : " A year
ago I stolo a pocket-book from you
containg $00. I havo been sick and
remorse has boon gnawing at my
heart, bo I sond yon $10. When re
morHo gnawa again I will send you somo
moro. Hurglar."
?A good railway engine will travel
1,000,000 ralles.before It wears out.
WAYSIDB GATHERINGS.
Bits ol Humor and Nuggeta or Truth
for t h<> Multitude.
?Satan docs not objout to our holiness i
if wo aro proud of it.
?Mexico is tbo riobost mineral
country in tbo world, not excepting
Peru.
?The queen has 60 pianos at Os
borno, Windsor and Buoklngham Pal
ace.
?No man has any bettor religion
than that which boactuully exhibits In
his daily life.
?The worst troubles lose their keen
edgo when we insist on getting somo
good out of them.
?Owing to tbo dry, cold atmosphere,
not a singlo infectious disease is known
in Greenland.
V
?Michigan produces one-fifth of tbo
iron of this country, mining nino mll
liou tons a year.
?About $2,000,000 worth of Amer
ican whiBky is annually sont abroad,
most of It from Baltimore.
?American collogos rocoived last
year gifts of monoy and property
amouuting to $16,000,000.
?Keep your conscience clear In tho
sight of (Jod, and you need not fear
what men may do to harm you.
?It is said that peoplo who drink
a great deal of water have rbouma
tism less than tho non-water drinkor.
?Tho United States and Gormany
arc tho only groat powers that have no
postal saviugs banks.
?Politics should bo treated as any
injurious insects undor entomological
rules and woll sprayed with common
sense.
?Thero is a movemont in Colorado
to erect a monument to tho memory of
Zebulon Piko, tho first explorer of
Pike's Peak.
?Tho tono of a piano is host when
tho instrument is not noar a wall. An
even tcmporatu"o should bo maintain
ed in tho room.
?To prevent corrosion of collar but
tons by contact with' tho neck, a re
cently patented button has tho back
madu of cork.
?Spain's wretched showing in ag
ricultural pursuits is said to ho duo'to
tho use of primitive implomontsof tho
time of Julius Caisar.
?As early as tho timoof Aloxandor
II of Scotland, a man who lot weeds go
to seed on a farm was declared to bo
tbo king's enemy.
?Before tho great freeze in Florida
tho annual orange crop was from eight
to ten million boxes. The estimate for
this season is 70,000 boxes.
?Broad as a dally article of food is
used by only ubout one-third of tho
1,500,000,000 peoplo that constitute the
present population of the earth.
?Claus Spreckels is building a $0,
000,000 house In San Francisco. In it
there will ho six bathrooms that will
cost $00,000, no two of which will bo
alike.
?An error of a thousandth part of
an inch in astronomical records may
mean a dilTerenco of 200,000,000,000
miles in tho distance of a star.
?When a man is no longer afraid,
but is prepared to welcome whatever
comes, because bo sees In it the ap
pointment of a loving Fathor, why
then he is in a happy state.
?The man who comes to tho sta
tion two minutes behind time, and
sees the train scudding out at tho
Other end, derives no satisfaction from
the provorb, " Better late than never."
?Aunty?I feel provoked to think
that you and your mum ma wore in
town the othor day and went to tho
restaurant instead of coming to our
house for dinner. Why didn't you
come V Little Nephew?W?> was hun
gry
-?~~e?-o?
Til 10 NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Notes Ahout Men and Things In and
Around Washington.
Tho domo alone c' tbo capitol cost
$1,200,000.
Tumbull painted tho four boat hit
torieal pictures in the capitol rotunda.
Tho state, war and navy building
was begun in 1 ST 1. and cost $10,000,000
to complete.
Tho now naval observatory at Wash
ington is ono of the finest scientific
plants in the world.
Genen infield Scott fathered tho
Boldierfe i. .no, which was established
by Congress in 1857.
The Crawford bron/.o door of tho
Senate wing weighs 11,000 nounds, and
cost nearly $f>7,000.
Ainsworth K. Spofford has been li
brarian of Congress sinco 1861. His
salary is $1,000 por year.
The Congress of tho United States
has met annually in Washington sinco
November 17, 1800.
The hall of tho Houso of Represen
tatives is tho largest legislative as
sembly room in tho world.
Tho columns of tho eastern portico
of tho capitol are each solid blocks of
sandstonu, thirty feet high.
A marbl lOlumn surroundod by a
statue of Lincoln stands In front of tho
district courthouse.
It costs about $loo,(tot) a year to run
tho white house, exclusive of tho pres
ident's salary of $.V),000.
Seventh, Ninth, Fourteenth, F
and G streets are rivaling Pennsylva
nia avenue as business locations.
The bronze propeller of his famous
flagship, the Hartford, was cast into
tho statue of Admiral Farragut.
The Rogers bronze doors at tho main
entrance of the capitol toll the history
of Columbus, and cost $28,000.
Tho capitol rotunda is nlnoty-flvo
foot six inches in diuinotor, and from
lloor to canopy measures 183 feet throo
Inches.
The terraces of the capitol woro
only completed In 1801, tho total cost
of the building footing up $14,455,000
The treasury building was complet
ed in 1809, at a cost of $8,000,000. It is
the largest government department.
Pennsylvania avenuu, paved with
asphalt, and 100 feet wide, is consider
ed tho tiuost parade street in tho
world.
John Qulncy Adams designed tho
allegorical group, " The Gonlus of
America," on tho castorn portico of
the capitol.
Tho Socloty of tho Army of tho Ten
nessee orocted tho $50,000 statue to
(ienoral Jarnos B. McPhorson in Mc
1 'horson square.
Tho oostoiii ?. department building
was orocted in 1839, and oxtended In
1855, at a cost of over $2,000,000.
The reclaimed Potomac flate will add
about 1,000 acres to the mall, extend
ing down tho river In the form of ?
I promontory.