Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Till iv. :'nrTiiI Hikkks wakH Hna. A uiH Hll men have aH Hi.0 Seu ators 'fflf Hud the KeprcH BHin the houhiIHSH H'n go/ornnioni pou^B H 1 he freest access of tmH Huth ern coitou manuiaiH Hnar kets of China. 'JH Hiera hold that the ChiucH Hv far the most important H K1'1" v view with alarm tliH R'1 (l1 spheres of influencH HCcr many nnd other poH I the South Carolina UciH Ho do all they can for tlfl Hie of Die open door poliH anteed by treaties, H HB Lauriu was the llrsiH He let ter and his reply is iH I!i:n n 1/1 i s\ ) i.liH Hl2. Messrs. J. 15. ClcvelH HjMont gomcry and otliB Hil^K) been evory Faueo of ic Soulh Jolicy" is LThis has "treaty ^pected by JXtCLt to rade iuter recognizing for nations, fo acquired Icrefrom our Issia hasgiud aud is build* )eria to com liua. Germany I waiting: in ex po Philippines, sia all tbo ft nils Dear Sirs: You received. I fully thing you say about the retention of the with China. Tbo "or what wo need and hitherto been sect rights," which have other nations only which it conduced to est. While osteiif these "treaty rights in violation of then territory and oxelink legitimate commerce, ually absorbed Manch ing a railroad across wand the trade of Q has been active and pectancy to obtain Japan has given Bit of her victory of lm)2. France has been the willing toil of Russia, and England has been passive in her fear to assail her. T This was the status in the East when tho battle of Manila occurred. This victory thwarted all tho schemes of Russia for tho dismemberment of China, and rendered its absorption and partition impossible. If you want the "open door," tho United States now holds tho key. The archipelago of the Fhiliprnoivift lies along the coast of Asia miles and commands it. Ma the point in tho East which is Iitro of ocean traffic. It is the hit whero foreigu nations could jbtamcd commercial stations It a struggle. ithe vicissitude and good fortune of a war with Spain, and without any intention of doing so, tho United States has acquired the possession of the Philippines, which gives to her paramount political and commercial advantages. My judgment is that the control of them, or at least of some portions, is tho only safeguard for our trade inter ests in the East. The abandonment of them I means the dismombermcnt of China, its partition among the Euro pean rjoweis, and the inevitable loss of our Chinese trade. I n0te you say in your letter, "that tho question of our rights in China docs mat include au attempt to bring other kiations under tho influence of our flolg ; that this is not a question of empire, but simply a question of trade, otc." It Wcms to me that the question of trade is not alone involved. The com mercial and political aspects of tho great problem of tho hoiir in this country aro inseparable, and it is use less to cIopc our eyes to this fact. Would it not be folly fo^ us 'to sacrifice our commercial interests for purely political considerations y ?The main tenance of our trade in'the) East doci not.nccessarily mean the forcible annex ation of tho Philippines, or the denial of the right of local self-jgoverument, hut when the war is ifcnoTcd by treaty or otherwise for Congrcsc [to settle nil questions in a just and cfcufditutional way. [ I do not favor the ado/ption by the country of a colonial polity because of tho vexed and thrcatcni/ng problems growing out of it; but I4I0 think that, if possible, tho United) Stales should maintain sufficient jVuxeresta in the islands to commandl equal trade rights with other nations hp China. This will prevent for a long tume the dismember ment of this vast JempJro. England and Japan favor tjhe Eitegrity of the empire ; but they alone|baunot guaran tee it against tho other/European pow ers. With tho^wehdit <0f tho influence of tho United 'Stages/thrown against dismemberment, it would bo rendered impossible. / At present, "4Ioiig Kong, undor British influence;, is; the great distrib jUting centre, of tb,o orient. Manila, indc.r American, influence, will occupy better strategic/and geographic posi )ecomc a commercial lortlon of tho world, romacy is tho goal of hation?it is only at f commercial progroso expansion. In this vng tho nations, wlth four own, while they long themselves, Dew fanila bay, wo find foot jo days' journey of this ?mere, where half the I he world is congregated no lar^or than the tib\n? and should ceuVe of thatl ComUjorcial sij every , cWl'rbw.fj tained throuj and common great battle out desigr wero haoglinj oy sails nntc hoMrWlthln land of cot population within an aj Uniled statu Iuch political rot in the} ding of tho term "impe ls a misnomer, intended id deceive. It involves e incorporation into our as American citizens, e seml-barbarouB inhabi pical country. I do not k thing is intended, possi ble ; nor is such a result secure such commercial wo want. 1 think the nomon sense will govern 1 people, and the ghost " sprung for political not prevent them from > full fruit? of the victory , and treading tho path so 1 out by an overruling ng to concede honesty of sincerity of conviction i these question*. It is a representative to view i as he should whilo the war is iu progress, and both parlies attempting to make political capital out of it ; ono making frautic appeals to "stand by tho Hag," and I ho other crit icising ]on humanitarian grounds every thing that is said or done. When these questious aro considered by Con gress, it is my purpose to act and vote for what I conceive to bo for tho best interests of South Carolina. A dis charge of duty to tho best of my ability will come up lo the fall moasuro of my obligations. As you request, I will use my ut most endeavors to preserve and en force all of our "treaty rights" iu China ; but with the lights now before mo, I feel that these are feeble safe guards. The Uuitcd States, witli tho control of the Philippines, by treaty or otherwise, will be in a position not only to insist upon, but to assort equality of trade rights iu tho East. Without this, all she can do is to respectfully but firmly protest against their viola tion by other nations, but, as in fho past, is not in a position to assert and maintain thorn. Yours very truly, Jno. L. McLatjrin. Senator Tilhunu has made the follow ing reply, which tersely and correctly states the position of the South both politically and commercially : I have your communication of Sep tember 25th, addressed to the South Carolina delegation in the Congress of tho United States. I have read it carefully and can assure you that noth ing will bo left undone by me to have tho United States government protec'. American interests in the East. I op posed the annexatioii|Of the Philippines, but I am ready to vote money and men to prevent tho Asiatic market being closed to our manufactures. There is common sense and patriotism in ouc policy and thoro is danger and abso lutely no necessity for the other. I will say for your private information that in tho debate on the Spanish treaty last winter, it was made very evident that the motive which led to the pur chaso of the Philippines from Spam was clearly outlined to embrace tho preservation of tho Chinese market to American manufactures, and that it was thought there was ndvantago in holding those islands with that view. I thought wo could get all Iho trade advantage without anuoxtiliou by ex ercising a protectorate, and not at tempting to deal with the perplexing problem of governing so many hetero geneous peoples. Tho whole world is watching tho developments in tho East, and I think there is no need of alarm lest America be left out. Yours respectfully, B. It. TlLLMAN". TUE QUESTION OF LABCx*. Correspondence Homo and Farm. Among all the dilllcult problems that confront the Southern planter I know of none moro serious than the question of hired labor. The over production of cotton is a secondary matter by tho side of that. There is a remedy and a good one, too, if our people could be induced to see it, for the troublo with cotton; but I see no solution of tbo help problem?no solu tion that appears at all likely of ful fillment. It is well known that tho mainstay on many of our Southern plantations is in tho help derived from the old negro slaves and those whom they can influence. These old slaves had been trained, not only lo work., hut to work well and with judgment and care. Thoy will all soon he goue, and there will remain as field hands only tho coming generations of blacks. So far as my observation has extend ed in travels over half a dozen of tho old slavo States, it has shown mo clear ly that thoro is no hopo of cvor mak ing reliablo hold bauds out of the pres ent generation of young negroes. Those who seem to havo any ambition to succeed in life get a little smatter ing?as it is called?of "education," and this leads them to beliovo that there aro other ways of making money in the world besides working hard for it. They look witli scorn and con tompt on tho plow and the hoe and tho chopping ax?and especially tho ax. I cannot recall tho day or tho time when I havo seen a uegro under forty years of ago hunting work with an ax. All th~ chopping that is done about this town and other towns where I havo visited recently is dono almost entirely, so I am advised, by old ne groes. Tho young fellows will carry notes for schoolboys and get a nicklc or so, and then thoy lio around tho homos of thoir mothers nnd smoko cig I arettCB and play cords, while tho moth er is wearing horsolf out at the wash tub in efforts to support tho gangs that live.off of her earnings. The country farms aro being deeort cd at a fearful rate by the negroes, nearly nil of them wanting to got close to the towns. Tho youngor set can't bo induced to take hold of any regular work, They prowl around and live after a fashion off tho crumbs from somebody's tablo until thoy aro caught in some crime, and then away thoy go to the penitentiary or chain-gang. Tho statistics show that the great majority of our criminals now in Southern pen I itontiaries aro nogro bovs from flfteon Ito thirty. The brutes that have been lynched wcro nearly all young villains without trado or profcssibu or regular employment. Very Tew young negroes are trying to learn any trade. We havo no hope of securing foreigu laborers that aro desirable It has long boon tho policy of the dominant party in tho No;th to keep all tho best class of the foreigners that come to our shores away from the I Southern States. The minds of the immigrants aro filled with tho horriblo pictures of Southern barbarism, and tho new-comers are hurried away to sr.mo Western country, where they can ho easily converted into matorial that votes and fights against tho South. Some time ago I was looking over tho statistics of the Federal army?statis tics showing the nationalities of tho troops. The publication stated that over 700,000 of the F?deral soldlers who helped whip the South in the war over secession were of foreign birth? this is actually more men than all (he South put into the field In her own de I fonso. The Southern Coufcdo'tcy did not have a single brigade of foroigu soldiers. Nor ore wo likely to get any foreign help soon in tho matter of labor on our Southern farms. The tide of work men hunting agricultural fields does not turn Southward. What aro wo to do ? Wo do not havo enough of our own sons to fill I he places in other vo cations?let alone putting thorn into tho Holds of agriculture. 1 have raised livo sons. Thoy havo had no trouble in getting good positions as soon as their education was finished. Not one allowed any inclination to remain on tho farm when the outlook for making a living there presented so few induce ments. Wherever I go I find the young white men drifting away from the farms. The sons of furtners are gotting college educations, lind ready employment in the various new depart ments that modern science is creating in Industrial life, and where the in come has less of doubt and uncertainty about it than the farm offers. Our editors plead in vain for the youths to stick to the plow, when tho youths easily find pleasanter "jobs" elsewhere. Usually, I am not a pessimist. I trv to sc? tho brightest side that every event, has. But the more I study this question of help ou the farm the less light I find about it. There is no use In trying to change the course of tho young negro. You can no more change his mind and his habit than you can change the skin of tho average African. Tho negro himself is not altogether to blame for this state of affairs. If it were left to the Southern man and the darkey together, I could see some ray of hope for both. But fools and fauatics of tho North?and the cor rupt political preachers they place in the negro pulpits all over the South?' theso arc responsible for the present condition of affairs. It is a condition winch I griovc to confess is fraught with danger to the agricultural inter ests of the South, to say nothing of the sociai blight that is already becom ing an unutterable nuisance. M. V. MooitE. Auburn, Ala. ROUND VS. SQUARE BALES. Editor Home and Farm : I have been reading a book publish ed by the Standard Bale and Compress Company of Louisiana, Arkansas and Tennessee, and other reading matter sent out by Mr. C. C. Hanson, of Sa vannah, Ga. The book and circulars are for the purpose of showing the bad features of the round bale and tho good ones of tho square bale. I was anxious to know why Mr. Hanson was so much interested in ihe farmer, for they claim it is for his benefit, and I find that he has all tho compresses of the Central Railroad Company over this section leased. Mr. Hanson's in terest is for self. Round bales are compressed at the gin, hence his objec tion to them. Now, tho only remedy for nil dependent upon the cotton in dustry, say the square, bale people, is to change all press boxes to 24x54 size. It will lower freight on land and water, also insurance, and even the buyer says he will pay 50 cents per halo more for cottou in the. standard size. The 24x54 bale will still be square, and handled tho same old way. I under stand that the sample must bo takcu out before cotton is baled at the gin, under tho round bale system, for it is compressed there and cannot bo sam. pled afterward. What a deadener ou cotton buyers and railroad compress men and warehouses, say tho square bale folta. It is a curious fact that all the documentary evidence, such as cir culars, newspaper articles, etc*-, in fa vor of the round bale has emanated from parties interested in, or holders of shares in tho company. Well, it is equally curious that the evidence against the round bale is from com preBS men, cotton exchanges and cot ton buyors. The shape of the bale, unless it raises the price, cuts no fig ure with the farmer. Farmers have been "horn-snogglcd" by cotton middlemen so long that they will try anything if that class opposes it. They have run over them with over production, although nakedness staring them in the face. Now thoy say change all presses to 24x54, and w,' will give you 50 cents more per halo than for same cotton in irregular bales. This 50 cent offer is to offset tho round bale people, who say thoy will give 45 points moro for cotton in round bales than their limit for same cotton in square bales. Now it is a fact and has been for many years,Liverpool fixes tho price, and it is based on the condition of tho cotton when it reaches thorn. They havo years ago found out how much to deduct for short weight, caused by so much sampling, and, Mr. Farmer, you don't get one cent for ycur bagging (you aro told to boliovo you arc making a profit on it), for they buy net cotton. It should bo known that all of tho costs of handling and transporting cot' ton comes out of the pocket of the farmer. Tho round halo stops one ovil, if not more?taking samplcB by everyone who handles it. It is cov ered with cotton goods (that's an itom) and it lands in tho markol without a break from sampling. The opponents of tho round bale say it is a trust? that Inman & Co. are tho only buyers of tho round balo (thoy can buy if they want it) and will coutrol tho markot. What if they do? Hotter bo con trolled at homo than from Liverpool. They cry aloud that It is a great mo nopoly, thoy rout their pressen. Bet ter for the ginner. If the system does not Huit his customors ho is not tho Idser. Suppose a company should of for gins or saw mills on those torms? Tho round balo doos away with so many middlemen and overthrows cot ton gambling, for a while at loast. I think it will'be a good plan to put up about one-tbird of tho crop in round bales, as it will got up competition be-' tween tho non-producers, and thero is where wo want it. They claim there is no markot for tho round Vale. In man & Co. only, thoy say, will buy It. Yes, tho factories will do tho same? they must havo cotton. Tho farmer is asked to put on heuvier bngging, not giving enough bagging now, although making the cotton at a loss, more or less, according to tho part of the cot ton bolt in which he is living. I think the showing below will about give tho next crop. Say wo mako as largo a crop por aero. Say crop of last year (11,000,000 bales), less 1,000,000 decrease iu acrcngo, 1,000,000 decrease in fertilizing, aud 1,000,000 put up in round bales, leaving 8,000,000 square bales. I lake out Iho 1,000,000 round bales, as it is out of tho hunds of the regular I rude. It goes direct to nulls, aud is uot held to squabble over by cottou exchanges. 1 uoticc they aro very much troubled now to iiud out how much of 1808 aud 1809 crop is in round bales. If the farmers will hold back their cotton and put it on tho markot by dc srroes tho market will continue to ad vance. Tho mills will soon be out of cotton, and thoy must got their supply from the now crop, as the cotton re maining from the last year's crop is a low grade. Judging from prices of cotton goods, cotton should bring 8 cents today. The mills aro gotting 10 cents for cotton ropo, and it is made from tho very lowest grade ot cotton. I hope the ginuors will use tho rouud bale system, get up some competition, change the manner of handling, aud thus stop tho gambling to somo extent, and give the farmer a fairorotil. That is all he asks. A. I. Seymouu. Cohanbus, Oa. A FLORIDA FARMER'S NOTES ON WHEAT GROWING. Correspondence Progressive Farmer. It is generally supposed that wheat growing in tho extreme South is un profitable, I >ul if properly managed, it can he made ono of tho most successful crops on the Southern farm. Outs, rye, and barley arc apt to get fory severely damaged, if not entirely killed, if an extreme frost should ocour, such as we had last February. Rut wheat is frost proof and after Iho severe bliz zard of the 16th of February hist, ruy wheat crop was the only green 'hing ou the farm for a few weeks. It came through that severe weather i?i perfect condition and henceforth it shall have a place among tho winter crops of Iho farm every year. Any ono who has once grown it will continue doing so. Like corn, it is one of thoso crops that no farmer can afford to be without. On the sandy soils of the South it,is often affirmed that wheat cannot be grown that will lill out plump and hard in tho grain like the Northern-grown article. But if the proper grade of fertilizer is used it can be quite as successfully grown on the sandy soil of tho South as anywhere else. There are curtain varieties that suit our climate best, and and if theae are adopted and Iho fertili zation of the crop along the proper lines, success is sure to reward the efforts of any one who will give this crop a fair trial. Tho farmer who con templates growing wheat should plan well ahead and when he is planting his spring crop arrange to prepare for the fall planting of wheat, by sowing eith er cow peas or velvet beans on thai land. My preference would be the velvet bean, as it ii a better nitrogen gatherer than the cow pea, but when it comes to plowiug under the crop, the cow pea is the easiest managed. Rut if the velvet bean is moved and allowed to lie on the land where cut, it will be easily plowed under then. Tho land for wheat should, bo put in tho best possible condition by repeated work ings of the cultivator and harrow until it is as line and friable as an ash heap. At the last working of tho cultivator the fertilizer should be applied broad cast and as evenly distributed on the entire area as possible. This fertilizer should bo a complete plant food for wheat ; it should analyze 8 per cent of phosphoric acid 8 per cent of potash, and li per cent ot nitrogen. About GOO pounds per acre on ordinary sandy soil will be quilo rvmple, Bui should the soil be in a good physical condition and well filled with humus, a eout/.c of hundred pounds more would be a goon investment. After the fcrtihzor is ap plied, the cultivator should be run as evenly as possible over the ground so as to leave small shallow furrows for (he socd to fall in. In tho absence of a wheat drill one has to seed by hand as evenly as possible. A bushel aud a half lo the acre is a good average seed ing. After sowing run a harrow tho cross way of the cultivator marks. This will cover it even and cause it lo sprout uniformiy. A roller should bo run over the land immcdiataly after, or in the absence of a roller, a heavy drag, to prevent water standing in pools and eventually cause washiugduring a heavy rain. Some wheat growers apply salt to the crop, claiming it will produce a bright colored straw, whore such straw is wanted for any special purpose. Salt may be an important addition, but by using kainit as tho source of potash in the fertilizer, tho same end may bo at tained. Early in March a top dressing of nitrate of soda is recommended, ap plied immediately before or during a rain. Never apply nitrato of soda to a dry soil in dry weather. Spring wheat is not a success in the South, as hot weather is on before it is ready for ripening and spring planting is always ripened prematurely. The best timo to sow wheat in this latitude is between tho 151 h of October and tho 15th of November. When sow ed then it is ready for harvesting from the. middle lo the end of May. The heat variety for uso hero is ltod Turkish; it is a heardod wheat not very hoavy in straw but has plump round grains and nils up very well, and can stand a rea sonable amount of dry weather, such as wo get in May and early Juno. I can 800 no renson whatovor why overy farmer in tho South should not be as much interested in a wheat crop as in, a corn crop, for tho ono is certainly as profitable ar tho olhor, and it will bo so in a tow yoirs, that whoat on tho South ern farm will bo deemed as important as corn. O. K. McQuakrib. Do Funink Springs, Fla. In Switzerland a milkmaid gots bettor wages if gifted with a good voice, be? cause it has becn^liscoyorod that a cow will yield yiygrrtdK femUn&tiuyihcd duringfflfl tM Boart tho - ' BlgnatntoA] A GR 10 AT SHOWER OF STARS. THE EXPECrl<]l> METEORIC DIS PLAY. Tho Heavens Will be Aglow With ThousamlH of Meteors?The Frag uicnts of a Great Ooinol. On tho night of November 14 ono of tbo grandest spectacles ovor ofTorod by tho hoavons will bo witnessed hero in tho form of a gri at fall of Moteo rltcB. They aro known as Leonidi and thoir dazzling performance, which oc curs only onco in evory tblrty-throo years, will bo plainly visible in South Carolina. In thi9 wonderful display tho raetoo rites will touch tho atmosphere of the earth and becomo ignited by tho rapidity of their flight. Million of them will fall and they will appear as dazzling globes of multi-colored llamo. Tho fact that thoy lgnito und dissolve on coutact with the atrnosphcro is all that saves tho oarth from destruc tion. Scientists all ovor tho w-r!:' aro making olaborato preparations for ob serving the appearanoe of tho Leonids. This century has boon tho Ii i st that astronomers have discovorod the causo of tho groat Novombor meteoric shower. It was Tompol who found that tho Leonids aro fragments of a formor comet. Beckoned by tho figured of the heav ens tho Leonids aro but Infants. Ac cording to Prof. Simon Nowcomb, Tcm pol's comot has boon doadonly thlrty throo hundred yoara. Tho cause of tho explosion was tho heat generated by the rato at which tho comet re volved as It tore through spaeo. Tho sight, as tho great fiory body burst into a million molton fragments, must have been grand and awful boyond tho powers of human comnrohonaion. Hut for tho fragmonts of tho burn ing body thoro could bo no rest. Tho visible but rolontloss forcos which drew tho larger body through couatloss ago^uiong a cortain path wero at work also among tho shattered Hying parti cles. Thoy foil Into lino. Tho largost fragments forgod to tho front and tho smaller particles foil In behind for a million miles and moro. Tho unend ing journey, Interrupted for a while, was taken upagaiu along tho old path. The course of Tempers comet, and of ll? subsequent fragments, complete ly encircles tho orbit of too earth, touching It at ono placo only on Its outer edge. Onco only in thlrty-throo years does Terapol's comot comploto its orbit, and onco only do tho fragmonts cf the doad comet, myriads in number, trail across tho orbit of tho oarth. When this does happen, however, mil lions of these partlclos aro drawn from tho orbit and fall into tho atmosphoro of the oarth with an olloot which dazzles the spectators. Tho single meteor or mutcorito that makes when It strikes the earth's at mosphere tho 8o-callod shooting star Is a moro tramp of tho hoavons. It Is a dotached fragment of some shatter ed planot, and it wandora moro or leas at random through space until It cornea within tho circle of attraction of aomo largor body, whon gravity causes It to fall. In the courso of Its descent through the atmosphere tho meteorite generates BO much heat that It is on tlrely consumed : tho meteor, being largor, continues on and strikes tho earth. Occasionally tho hoat generated by the meteor is so groat that It bursts before coming in contact with any solid subata co. In auch a caso it la tormed a flro-ball. But neither tho singlo meteorite nor tho meteor can be obsorved by tho toloscopo or by tho naked eyo except at tho brilliant mo ment of its death. But tho comot is a creature of tho sklea moro to bo reckoned with. Erra tic aa Its wanderings may seem to tho unlearned, In reality it pursues a de finite courao among tho moro regular orbits of tho stars. Tho longth of tho orbit which it travels varies from tho comparatively small distance of a few hundred millions to ono that roaches into tho thousands of billions. Tho tlmo which different comets tako In completing their orbits varies from threo and a half to a hundred thousand years. Tho precisenoss of. astronomi cal knowlcdgo la such that tho exact rato per second of tho movement of these bodies can bo determined and tho time at .which tho3 Ivlll arrive at any glvon point of tholjf orbits can bo predicted to tho socond. Regarding tho approaching meteoric display Prof. William A. HartrneiiS. who is in charge of tho astronomical .'apartment of tho United Statea gov ernment naval observatory, Bald: " Wo aro unablo to predict tho exact hour at which tho Novombor motcorlo showers will begin. Prom the bost prosont estimates it may bo oypected that tho showers will rcaoh a maxi mum at 1 a. m. on the morning of tho 15th of Novembor. Thoy will probably j bogln throo or four houra oarllor than this to-fall in small bursts. Thoy will contlnuo throughout tho morning of tho 15th of Novembor and will bo moro or 1-88 observable during tho ovonlngs and mornings of tho 15th, 10th and 17th of Novombor, although on each suc ceeding day tho number of meteors Ob servable Will diminish. "Those meteora and meteorites vary lo wolght from a fow grains to many pounds. They strike tho earth's at mosphere at a height of aovonty-four mllea and begin to burn, being ontlroly conaumed when thoy aro at a height of fifty mllea. " Tho phonomonon of a groat mo toorio showor is generally a porfectly noiseless ono. Whon the stroak ie fli t formod It is narrow and porfectly straight, but soon becomes sorpontlno and assumes an irregular figure as it drifts along undor tho Influence of tho wind currents In tho uppor region of tho atmosphere. Theso streaks or trails aro of various colorB, owing part ly to tho composition of tholr olomon tary substances and partly to their altitude. Some are of a delicate groonlsh huo, while, others light up tho skies with a ruddy glow. Stroaks of orango, red and white, with bluish white, commingle to form a most re markablo and beautiful spectacle. Oc casionally an orango colored meteor may bo observed, leaving in its wako a stroak of greon. "Many valuable results will no doubt bo gained from thin year's ob servations. This will bo first time in tholr history that tho Leonids will bo tho centre of a systematic observation throughout tho world." If it wore not lor our elastic atmos phore it would be dangorous to bo on oarth during the coming bombard ment. Pieces of iron as large as a wal nut, moving at tho rate of from eigh teen to forty railofl a second would go through tho roofs of our houses with little retardation and would set every ilng combustible on fire. But only 3 larger ones and they are extremely re, ever reaoh the surface of the rth. Thero are but two In stances corded in history of men having been Hod by moteorlo stones?one in Laly the filth century, and one in our untry in tho early part of the pros ont century. Our air 18 not only In dlsponaable for respiration, but It pro '<.??? ?? ua from boiug stoned to death by tr cosmic gravel. According to Dr. Donning, tho most brilliant display in our annals wa? tbo Novomber meteoric shower of 1833. In Uoston alone It is ostlniatod that 240, 0U0 meteors woro visible during tho sevoo hours' duratlou of tho shower, and he says : "Tho words 'prodigious,' 'stupen dous,' and 1 magnlticont,' do not do sorlbo It. Compared with tho splen dor of this celestial exhibition, tho moat brilliant rockota and fireworks of art boro loss relation than tho most tiny star to tho dread glare of tho sun. " Btars" fell until thoro was none loft. " A South Carolina plautor, writing of this meteoric display and its ellect .pun tbo negroes on his plantation says : " 1 was suddenly awakened by tho most distressing cries that over foil on my ears. ShrlekB of horror and crios of morcy I could hoar from moat of tho nogroea of threo planta tions, amounting in all to GOO or 80U. " VYhllo earnestly listening for tho cause, I heard a faint voice near tbo door calling my name. I aroso and taking my sword, stood at tho door. At this moment i heard tho same volco besoeching mo to rise and say ing, "Oh, my God ! Tho world is on (ire 1" '? I then oponed the door, and it In difficult to Bay which oxcltod mo tho moat?dl6tro88cd cries of tho negroes. Upward of a hundred lay prostrato on tho ground?some speechless, hut with hands upraised, imploring God to save tho world and thorn. Tho scone was truly awful; for novor did rain fall much thicker than did the meteors to ward tho oarth, east, woBt, north and south it was tho samo. " It may be safely Bald," contlnuos Dr. Denning, " that In tho month of Novembor all astronomer,; and a groat majority of tho general public will be come meteoric observers, for tho phe nomena presented will bo of an excep tional kind and of a character to intor est everyone. " Thoro Is scarcely any natural event which to tho observant oyo is bo bril liant and so Impressive and anlmatod as a rich shower of meteors. " A solar total eclipse, with its weird shadow bands, corona and red promi nences, a largo comot with Its train spread over a considerable) extent of tho heavens, aud a brilliant aurora borealis with Its streams and conden sations of crimson lights, have their striking attributes ; but it Is question able whether they can comparo with the ramarkablo features which accom pany a great fall of shooting stars. The rarity of tho spoctaclo also en hances Its intorest, bo that whon once seen It is novor forgotton. " For hours ruetcora descend, not singly or in pairs, but in bursts of ten or twenty or more, and thoy are mostly fine objects Uko Sirius or stare of the u r.-t magnitude." HEUOES O? THE TRANSVAAL. Seven Bravo Soldiers Qave Their Lives That Their Comrades Might Bsoape. Tho story on tho wireB of tho re markable matyrdora of seven brave Boer 8oldlora is winning tho attention of tho civilized world today, says the Augusta Hera d, and has caused to spring up anow in many an American breast tho hope that tho Boors may not bo wiped out as a nitloa by the overwhelming forco that is crushing down upon thorn. At tho Elandsgaato buttle a command of Boers wore caught on tho rocks by a large forco of British. Tho British were advancing slowly. Should they corner tho command all would bo taken prisoners who did not fall In tho attempt of a hundred men to over whelm a thousand. There win but one chance of escape? through an open space, and, while tho mon were exposed to an open firo in passing through this opening, tho British could mow them down. It was neccs sar*y to resort to strategy. Suddenly tho British woro amazed to soo eight Boer Infantry men make a sortie on tho space bot?roon tho fight ing linos. Standing oreot thoy com menced a deadly fire into the British lines. In a moment ovory British rille was turned upon them. They ro turnod tho firo as best thoy couid. Finally sovon of them foil In death, cut to pieces by English rlilo balls. But a shout was hoard to ring out. The British advanced In its direction. It came from the boloaguorod Boors on the loel^s. Whon tho British firo had bbon sent after the bight patriot* martyrs,1?H|Boor command bad clear ed the spaooaod had escaped. These olght mon had gone, out to glvo tholr lives that their comrsdos might es cape. They knew thoy WO^ going to certain doath. This act was grander than Hobson's whloh Americans have lauded and ap plauded ; greater than that at Ther mopylae, which a world has told of in song and story. Such devotion to a causo, such martyrdom, Buoh self-oacrl lice, wins admiration for and dovotoos for any causo. An English general withdrew from tho contlnontal war when he found an Amorlcan gonoral subsisting sololy on sweet potatoes. If that spirit Uvea now In Hor Majesty's army, there will, in conaequonco of this martyrdom, be retirements from the Transvaal. How Curiosity Was Satisfikd.? There Is a handsome young woman In Washington who had the misfortune to fall downstairs a few years ago, so badly fraoturlng ono of her knees that tho limb had to bo amputed. The young woman, who walks with the aid of orutohos, Is not In the least sensitive about tho matter. One afternoon rocently she got on an F street ear, bound for the hill, and found hersolf in tho same seat with a. sharp oyed woman who seemed to take a whole lot of interest in bor and her crutohos. She scrutinized tho young woman's face carefully for a couplo of Inhalten, then turned her attention to the workmanship of tho crutohos, whloh sho took tho liberty to handle' ouriously. Thon sho looked the young woman over again, and leanod over to her. " Do yoa mind, tolling mo how you lost your log P" sho asko?, rasplly. "Not in tho loaat," responded tho young woman, amiably, " I lost it in the battle of Gettysburg." ?Two-thirds of the quinlno con sumed Is produced In the Island of Java, from oultlvatod trees, tho young plants having been proourod by tho Dutch govornmont from Peru in 1852. The English government also started cinchona plantations in India, whloh now produce largo quantities of qui nine. Boars tho Big nature of * The Kind You Have Always Bought SLOW PROGRESS IN LU250N. AN INrKKKSriNO 8UMMAKY. Tho Territory Controlled by tho Amer icans?A Republican I'npcr Throws Light on the Situation. The Chicago Tribune prints u sum mary of tho situation in the Philippine islands from its special correspondent Ulchard H. Little. Tbe letter, which is dated Manila, Soptombor 14, says : " H?re aro some figures, made seven months and a half after our campaign against the Filipinos bogau. Say it is live miles to Angeles?wo hold posses sion, of tbe railroad up to that po nt. Wo can fairly claim possession of the land a half mile on each side of the track. Wo have possession of the wu gon road, and let us say, a half mile on each sldo from San Fernando through Haeoloor to Santa Kita, oight miles, with four miles to Guagua. Wo havo a road from Mololos to Ballaung, 11 niUos northeast. Wo can claim 11 square miles here. " Wo have- Manila, out as far a3 tho wator works, live miles away. That gives us, say, 25 mllod around tho city. "Thon we havo the road and a half mile each side down 18 miles to Imus. Then wo havo Calamba and somo other points on the lake that General Liwton captured before bo was ordored back Those towns aro not approached by road, but by boat across the Laguna do Hay, and wo only control the land they stand on. "Adding up our total poasosaiona wo lind wo havo 117 square uiiles. " Tho ialand ol Luzon contains 12,000 equaro mlloa. " Outaido of Luzon tho insurrection aneius to bo growing. Tho insurgents hold porta in Mindanao, tho largeat la land to Luzon in tho Philippines, and said to bo Incalculably rich In gold and silver mines, iron and copper oroa, and Other minerals, beaidca poaaosaiug wou derful foroata of hardwood. No Amer icans have dared vouturo there as yet, aa General Otia has Bent no truops to the island. Englishmen and Gormana are prowling about the Island getting all the concessions they can. It iB aaid several prospecting partloa aro at work. " General Otis reporta conllicta bo twoen tho 1 robber bands ' and Amer ican soldlora In Nogroa and Cebua. The Nineteenth, tho Eighteenth and the Sixth, and one battalion of the Twenty third Infantry are now In theao i8lands lighting tho robber band, who dig tronchos and occupy towns and make night attacka aftor tho fashion of tho inaurgontaIn Luzon. " A lato report from Cobua la that some 2,000 1 robbora ' wero menacing our forces and a collision was Immi nent. "Tho next campaign ia goicg to bo different from tho last. Wo will got out of tho Hat, open country Into moun tainoua, thickly wooded country, if wo do not end tho war hero wo will have to carry it into tho high, rocky ribbed mountains of Luzon. " It will bo no violation of a state se cret to say that tho first object of tho next campaign will be to got tho root of tho railroad from the hands of the inaurgents. Tho inaurgonta ought to bo firmly convinced by thla time that we want the Manila aud Dagupan rail road, as wo havo fought along that line soven months. Thoy know wo want it, and they alao know thot wo uro going to got it, for they aro already tearing up tho track, burning tho tiea, and burying tho raila north of Angoloe. " The country oast of the railroad north of Angeles to Dagupan, is much like it is south of Manila, except high er and broken. West of tho railroad arc high mountains that will otter the inaurgonta hotter opportunity to ro troat and escape than they had in tho low country. With tho taking of tho railroad wo will havo cut off tho pro I vlnceaof Zambalcs, Paggasinnu, Tarlac and Pampanga, und Bataan, from the [main part of tho islaud, and can lay l claim to a good deal moro country than tho precise amount of real estate on which our army la now camping. " Prom tho railroad Agulnaldo's army can hardly retreat anywhoro but nothward across tho mountains to tho fertile, valloy of tho Hlo Grande do Caguary. Tho walled city cannot un derstand why the army has so much troublowlth tho railroad. When tho officers in tho hold notify tho walled city that tho rails havo boon torn up from the aoctlon of track just captured and that tho ties have been burned aud tho grade destroyed thoy got an ordor to ' lix It.' So aftor a few mllos of railroad Is captured the soldlora havo to acattor up and down the track and go mining for stool ralla. The insurgents bury tho ralla Hvo or aix feet deep. Thoy obsorvod that tho AraorlcanB located tho ralla by Bound ing with acrowoar, eo thoy resorted to tho expedient of putting a layer of ties over tho rails. To replace the burned ties the quartormaater'a depart ment wore forced to uao planks, two b?ards, each two Inches wide bolng nailed together for tlos. The Blde traok, wherever possible all tho way back to Manila, waa jerked up, carried north and put down whoro tho.__ra.lls could be found. " The American army ia badly In noed of railroad tics and stool ralla. " Another great need of tho army la light draft stoamboata for uao on the many rlvera and lakoaof Luzon. Thoro is hardly a placo In the world where an army could uao river steamers to grcator advantage. Tho Uio Grando, the Chlco, tho Ulo Grande Pampanga, the Agno, tho Ilieol and the Puslg all flow through fertile and densely popu lated valloys and offer a rooana to tho army of brlnglngup suppllesand swlft ly transporting largo bodlea of aoldlera that would bo invaluable wero it util ised. "From what cau bo learned from the insurgents they aro woll satisfied with toe present condition of alTalrs. Their congress has just roturncd n communication to tho American poaco commission declaring that, while they would havo accepted autonomy from our government if they had been pro porly dealt ?Ith at first thoy will now consldor no proposition oxcopt inde pendence. Wlthialmost 42,000 miles of territory from which to draw supplies and with boats coming In without any opposition from Mong Kong, Japan and from Contral and South Amorlcu and Australia, tho insurgents probably are doing woll as far as supplies are con cerned." ?Tho occurrence of French names like Joubort among tho Boors le ox plalnod by tho fact that many Hugue nots went to tho Capo of Qood Elope while it was still a Dutch colony, and thero bocamo proBporous and promi nent. The descendants of many of these Huguenots may ho found in the Transvaal today, and aro quito as Dutch in thoir ways as the other Boors. OASTOIIIA, Bean tho Ihfl Kind You Have Always Bought OAULi SCHURZ ON IMP The Country's Grcatost D Mctiuley's Forol^n P Worst Possible Kvil. A nuuilor of prouilnen citizens recontly addrossed tion to lion. Carl Schurz an addross In Cincinnati, a lowltg reply has boon roco him: New Youic Oct. It was a matter of regret to] unable to accede to your rcqrj liver a non-partisau addrea poriulism in Cincinnati on trip from Chicago. This wa duo to my anxiety to roach hi because a non-partistn diC this question is no longer 1 would bo plruned if th| couid bo taken out of pa? becauso If this is not dt choice that will bo loft j will bo between a party] Imperialism and sound! another party which, in imperialism, will combit unsouud money lssuo. j This alternative can om if the imperial policy Is the first step necosaary to not alone tho cossation of by a victory of our arms, b'.. llnqulsbment of tho PhJJ the Filipinos hi"; noi i^flj dependence then impeSH the main issue in tin T election next your, erowj issues into the backgrou? nro already apparont at the Cincinnati Volksblattl lows : " I'raotical pooplo opinion that Mr. Schur? greater service to tho would come to Oh'o and! tho silver swindle instead* into tho hands of tho free placing annexation in the l For it is a fact free coinage* a greater danger than annei 1 am ol a dilTorent oplnioj can say of me that 1 undo* danger that may arise frot age. But 1 hold that luii decidedly more dangerous, for tho ruin of our froo instltut then, wo could not oppose imj without working Into tho hand] free coiners, as Tho Volksbia, what then P It means that ago, in good faith, wo olocte^ dent to aolvo tho money qi instead has burdonod us wl lam. In this connection tt " to speak of something ole peculiar. Of what do tho speakers who hj been called Into Ohio really ape/ Did Cov. liooaovolt, for Instance, dij upon the silver question P principally occupied in calll porheuds in answer to our ir ailstlc arguments. Andr'^ the oratord do likewise. if under theao circumstai^ by tho agitation of the sll'vl aid the Republicans of Ohio I would bo convinced that tt istration would construe sucbj as tho endorsement by th( its Imperialistic policy an^ limited capital out of it. a result I cannot consclen! tribute. I am of tho honest con| the grcatost danger that] ens tho republic is imperi| lieve that it is our high duty to sot aside all pa and do our best to avort It was to this end that laat posed the candidacy of Hoc governor in this State. I though 1 was a pcrBoni Ltoosovclt and worked i civil service reform. I b?" and still believe that his his imporlaliatlc program! spitetof his near earned have frightened the adro" Washington from the* \ the Philippines and i<. lv\ danger would have boen^ imizud. Many of my acquaintances hen were then of a contrary opinion, with mo now that tho result of tt rllico would have been well worl price. The situation this yoar a| to mo to bo oxactly tho same, fall elections result in a manni tho administration and Cjongri oncouragod to furthor protjrosi^ path to imperialism, thoq, lookod-for eventsishould main question that next year in tho lVosh will bo imperialism, ail nepuhlic from bor great" require unpleasant saoij couragoment to tho should bo withheld at Wo a"o in the midst which every good cltizej it as his highest duty important subaorvlont' portant, according to and conscience, and not' to bo governed simply Orations. With friendly grootlnj_ 5C11UU'/.. .TJtlUMPH OF ?buciiouv.? Ono of tho moat dillicult and peculiar surgical oporatlons over attempted in Balti more was successfully performed at St. Josoph's hospital, when Professor I Louis iMcLano TUIany, assisted by Dr. I Carey Gamble and other surgeona of tho hospital, romovod from tho head of Charles C. Barker a at'.ol chisel four and a half inches long, ono Inch wldo and one-quarter of an inch thlckj operation lastod only a little^ an hour, and thoro are goodW tho man's recovery. Mr. Bl attending a woodworking which contains two stool make I,'.'.du revolution., a ml?ff^WB waa leaning over the machino wnwH| the chieols wore driven out by tho^B tromondou8 centrifugal forco. Ho was 1 wounded over the brldgo of tho UOSO und the wound, which waa a cut an inch wide, waa droased ao any ordinary wound. One of tho chiaola was found, hut tho other ono was not. A fow daya later Mr. Barker suffored partial paralysis and waa takon to St. Joseph's hoapital. There Professor Tiffany ex amined him and suspected tho chisol was In his hoad. Tho x-rays wore ro sorted to anil showed his aurmlse to bo correct. The sharp tool, hurlud with tho forco of a bullet, had ontored where tho wound waa ovor tho noae and had taken a downward course. ?Tho Kansas City Journal trans cribes from the registor of tho Savoy Hotel in that city tho following curi ous entries., which fol lowed each other in tho ordor given: " J. U. Plgg, Wind aor, Mo.;" "C. B. Hegg, Canton, O.;" and "Brown Bacon, Chicago." The Journal adds : " Tho threo gentlemen who attachod suoh strango names in i juxtaposition were not acquainted with eaoh other, but when tho hotel clerk saw the strango signatures the threo gentlemen whose names at tracted so much attention were eagerly sought by tho curious, and it was but a short time boforo Messrs. Piggt Qogg nml Baoon woro good irlonds."