University of South Carolina Libraries
1 -HE TiUST WAR. intebest^)1 o q.Ji njz s ruu ' i>cxcffoSTHic<teuj^By|yy A Letdrr from Atecdmi|i, and annntervjew WitftJ Col. Ownonn, Anager of the Alnance Exchange. '' For the past week or so there hare I been considepibyr j murandeiptyidip^, between the A^lliaiiei aha thfc Chatlte^- ton Cotton Exchange in connection with the wiro ties that are being used to bale jtbttan with. JiTho tefollpwing letter iia connffiion^with jtho aUwVe froih \y. K.^BteedinjA and jin Interview win eh was hhd v>th - JMr-l>unc%fl, the Alliance Exchange inaungefj in Columbia, yith a News and Courier .representative, will explain matters considerably: CnAftnKSTON, 8. O., Oct. 3, '96. Deak Mu. Duncan: I want to writ*, you about thin wire tio. business ?<ince, you have been unable to oomo to Charleston, and let mo say I still h6p<Ty6u will come, so tljut ygu may correctly understand tkft.ttituftlioft, aud.tbjcon^uyour ])u.sitiji4ai^?iiiflatb<l^p^v|(intiii^ injustice to our port ana people.'1' I was not in the city when you brought tho original wire-banded bale, but as you were then informed our people are, not fighting the Alliance interests and will do everything within reason to assist in tho light against tho trust oppression. As tho wire tic was then nocepted, so it is now accepted, and from the thousands of bulcs thus fur received not one bule has .been docked to the uxtorit of one dopt, although the compresses arc charging each exporter 115 cents per bale for substituting ties where the bales nro bauded with heavy wire. ,., r i ? x V..IIIIAII urm:?u lliui V1J1I IIIIVC nilthorized tli?i use of tbo ties which are causing 'ho trouble, somewhat more of a rod than a wire, made with n loop instead of a buckle, iu weight 1 jo.r.ud 4? ounces, stilt, uupliablo and rigid. Such are appearing iu large quantities hero, and tbo bopo was, when seeing thu iuuovution upon the tie you had introduced, you would withdraw your sanction to its use. No com press anywhere cttu use tho tio rod I am describing, and to compress a bale othor bands must be substituted, which causes the 125 cents charge by compresses. As manager of the house of Knopp, Frerichs Ac Co., I have so far bought 30,000 bales, and have paid out no inconsiderable amount of money thus far to the compresses, but I see by tho papers that ties for 73,000 bales have already been ordered into tho State tiud still more oomiDg. If you will not come to ^tbie 'ciljy will you send mo a sample of the authorized tie, and it may ooour that we will tind that We have , ' been . unnecessary alarmed. We see the ^Httt" tie spoken -if.* Are these the South Caroliua au'v ized wire tie? Oan we get a nipleif thoy are npt similar. to y?uf :,*** for it i| cae# tH*a o?tr Chktlif-, ton AjSp^tTses can do and axe willing to do anything that any other compress in the wide land is able to do? The point, you see, is this:.. A cor-, tain rod wire tie is appearing here that our compresses are nnable to utilize. Are the same ties accepted elsewhere? If ho, inform us where, and I will send our agent to see and learn how to overcome the difliculties that now seem insurmountable. I am hoping for an early reply to this letter, aud am Sincerely yours, W. K. Stbkdman. It would appear that the only trouble is with a heavy wire that is being sold throughout the State. Col. Duncan suys that he wants everyone to ( know that the wire tie that is being sold through the Alliance is pliable and rendily used, and that the heavy and objectionable tio is being sold by other parties. He says that he has not wanted to say anything about the heavier ties, as it was his desire to see tha band tio pushed out of tho market l>y whoever wanted to enter the market. Many of tho ties sold by others than the Alliance ho says are good and pliable, but he thinks that the heavier l tio can easily be used and gives this manner of using tho heavy wire: "Cut off 8 feet long and have loop on top of bale, bring aronnd to man who is going to fasten it and run through loop, hringit towards him and bend it down and run under onco. There is no use to wrap tho wire two or three times, as one twist will hold any bale of cotton that has ever been packod, Mr. Dnncan says that he is aware of tho fact that a wire tio is upon tho market that is heavier and loss manageable. This tie is supplied by the Cincinnati house doing this business, and ho says that this is a No. ft rolled wire, and that the tio that is being sold by the Allinuco and others is made of drawn wire and is moro malleable and llicro enn bo no complaint mado about its use by uny one. Mr. Duncan says that ho hopes the "rod tie" can bo nsid, is everything done against the iron band tio is that mifch nearer a coml>Iete victory. The Ciuciunuti tie, that n said to bo made of rolled, iustoad of drawn wire, is boing eoldby a Charlet* on broker. Mr. Duncan says that thoro' arc sov | iral firms selling wiro ties in tbisStuto and as lnr as ho is informed the Oliver Wire Company, of Pittsburg, is selling a BOft oi drawn wire. Tho Alliance wire tio is mippliod by tho Wnshburnc, Moon Company, of Worcester, Mass. Thon thero is tho Cincinnati tio sold through Charleston, and iho Hitt tio. Mr. Duncan says he has not yet seen tho "Hitt tio" and docs not know what thero is in it. Tho business of supplying wiro ties is open to competition. Saturday two ear loads of ties were sold at (Ireeu- j wood l>v tho Cincinnati manufacturers, i I Uol. Duncan says tnut ho ia receiving ; orders over) Jay, and that from all Jwfli 11 utsa lQ, "Aire tiea all over Iho State is brisk. On Jkmiino he- eatd that- any preju' dice#" feeling thai migtit he eugouI ^orcRinI,U) tio ifAht oqqIiI <1$ CharlesI foQ^& giod and ljb waifrtleHgbtert that the flfiattj^ hnkbafn esitisfactorfly ex1 Tbelgoaou a*fils wkiqh not* I uso largo ^uantmeft of doltbn, md not I care what stylo of tie was used, and this had to be considered by the buy*r8*" r w a rrr r v > UFB ffiASjtO TO RK STATU |LI|UCR C|MMIS81ONK(I. V. J? Jft M :?r .. ,k 2, Tlio State Hoard Promptly Accepts the Resignation; Then it Refuses to Buy Liquor Prom Peebles und Llvo ' OakJ } The' Columbia State of last Friday ,'s?ys,ttbat alter all there have been two very surprising things to develop from th?ur<Ml*ut dispegfcury investigation, audi!harJ|cti9it Of the State Board of C^tMlrol. fi- In frolics!; place State Commibsioner Mixson has resigned bis position and his duties ceased last Saturday. It waa a complete surprise to eveU-CoL. Mixson's friends. The other . matter is the determination of tlio State Board of Control to leavo the Mill Crepk and Peebles eonccrua out of it when it comes to purchasing liquors for tlis dispensary. It hud been noised around that Commissioner Allison had. determined to bafcnlln his resignation, inasmuch as the board's resolution had cleared him of all wrong-doing. No amount of questioning-could bring any light to bear on the matter. Several members of the board, when questioned, deuied flatly that the board Lad requested the " resignation, and Col. Mixson himself, when asked if this were true, denied it almost emphatically. Ho declined to nay say whether lie would reaigii or not. Thursday Col. Mjxson was summoned bcforo the hoard of control and found Governor Evans already present. From what can be ascertained this was duo to the consideration, by the board of the matter of getting Governor EvanB to stop tUo seizures of imported liquors by the constabulary. Mixson, it seems, was called in to make a statement as to the extent of such seizures by the constables, but what tho upshot of tho matter was is of course unknown. , It w.aa about 6:30 o'olook in the afternoon when Col. Mixson sent to the board his resignation in the shape of the following letter, which gives hia reasons for his notion: - CoiitJMBia, S. O., Oct. 8,1896. To the State Board of Controt: It ba^tkeen ray' daaire fox some esign my position as State CQmjnijpioifer, but op Account of the rinany Tumors and slanderous reports iu circulation I could not afford to do so, preferring to wait an investigation by yoGrto'onorableP bbard. Yon have conducted this biyantigation and bare i exonerated me fully from my wrongdoing, and I now tender yon this my resignation, to tase euect as soon as you.gentlemeb can name my successor, or in any other manner relievo me of the duties. I would be glad to havo you act at as early a time as you possibly can, bit I do not wish to embarrass you nor the business in causing you to act hastily. Very Respectfully, (Signed.) F. M. MrxsoN. Shortly afterwards the State board of control took a recess until the next morning. After the doors were opened it was ascertained that the board had accepted the resignation of Commissioner Mixson, to take effect at 6 o'clock the next evening. One of the members of the board, when asked what the board would do about electing Col. Mixson's successor, stated that the board had not acted in regard to the matter as yet, but that it would make propor provision for the conduct of the busiuess of the dispensary until the place could bo.filled. How tho board will overcomo the features of tho law affeoting tho conduct of tho business in case of the commissioner's resignation, which were pointed out iu Tho State a few days ago, remains to be seen. [ Those features of tho law were called | to the attontiou of Tho State by I uu attorney of somo note. It is un dorstood that tho attorney general's oflice holds different views, however, md<1 is of tho i pinion that tho provisions of tho law quoted do not apply to tho matter in tho way pointed out. Tho hoard, it is avid, considers itself free to go ahead and select a successor to Col. Mixson. The board was busy yesterday with its monthly purchases of whiskey. Most of tho purchases wero made, but no information in regard theroto was givoh for tho public, except that no orders wero given to tho Peebles and Ijive Oak companies. Tho hoArd has determined not to mako public honceforth the names of the parties from whom liquors wero purchased and tho amonnts that wero purchased. This information will bo withheld in the future. HYPNOTIST IIKIJ> Ifpsponslhlo for tlio Acts of His Subjects. If tho ruling of Judge Foute, of Atlanta, On., Holds, hypnotists will linvo to bo very careful what they order their subjects to do. The Judgo holds that tho hypnotist is directly responsible for tho acts of his subjects. During a performance at a thentro in Atlanta the subject of a hypnotist imagined he was a monkey. He grabbed a hat from a man in tin* audience and bit a piece out of it. The or feasor and his business manager deeliacii 10 make good the cost of the lint and the hypnotist was prosecuted before Judge Ft jto upon a charge of malicious mi <chief. The Judge sustained the charge and bound the hypnotist over to a higher court. iiiiino in mn FAR APART AS EVER. AH Day and Night Session, But Nc Agreement. The two Republican executive com. mittees held an all day and nearly an all night session in Colombia last week in an effort to amalgamate. Four propositions were made. First that the committees coalesce, to be composed of half and half. Second, that the electoral ticket be divided. Third, that the State ticket be divided, and fourth, that Congressional candidates be divided. All of these propositions were rejected, except the see oihi, upon wnica conference committecs agreed. But there whs a hitch m the adoption of that proposition. It appenra that tho Clayton committee understood that tho proposition was that the Webster people should have fivo members on the doctoral ticket and tho other side four, without auy conditions being attached. But it appears that tho Webster committoo had added a proviso thut tho Clayton party must abandon their organization before they would bo given anything. Tho Claytou people kuew nothing of this and with tho Wobstor conference committee agroed on the following uomiuees on the electoral ticket. Webster?Dr. Cruru, W.R. Talbcrt, E. W. Screven, John Luncy and J. M. Tindnl. Cluyton?S. E. Smith at large; J. A. j Noliind, D. E. Yates and H. L. Shrewsberry. Tho Clayton conference committee were present at the Webster committee meeting when tho conference report was read aud in much discussion the fnct was brought out that this proviso had been tacked on to the agreement. They wore much incensed at such ac tion ami plainly the Webster committee that their committee would accept uo such propositioD. Fiually by a vote of 19 to 4 the Webster committee ntuck t.? the proviso thut the Clay touites must disband. That committee then reported back arid as they would not agree all efforts at coalition were at an end. Colonel Waliuco and otlior regular candidates made addresses to the committee. New Fraternal Order. Tho Home, Sick and Accident Indemnity Company of South Carolina has recently been organized in Chester and has asked for a charter. The company is formed in accordance with the Act of the last Legislature relating to fraternal organizations. The corporators are: T. J. Irwin, W. O. Our, I'. J. Bolin, Thomas H. Fnirchild, j. HnTY TTr?r?d W TT TTrvnrl R b Rafn John O. R. Neeley. In Columbia last Wednesday, Witt an t, the insurance man, was allowed bail in the mm of $1,000 for his apance at the October term of court for ltiohland oounty. He was represented by Col. John T. Sloan and Allen J. Green. Judge Towsend appeared for the State. ~ ...|W ? 4*?- -J The grand jury of Sumter county in making their presentment to the court, report that after having ex-Treasurer1 Keel's books examined by an expert accountant; find him a defaulter to the amount of $7,164.95. The Erskine College Athletio Association expects to put a strong football team in the field this year. The average weight of the team is near 150 pounds. ' The board of directora of the W*l. balla cotton factory have declared a semi-annual dividend of G per cent, after paying all expenses and interest on some machiuery. Little Joe Hanes, the first orphan to bo admitted to the Epwqrth Orphanago at Columbia, died last week. Aged 7 years. At Abbeville, one Sloan Morrow and a Mr. Milling attompted to assassinato the Hon. W. N. Oraydon, a prominent lawyer of that place. Bishopville recently held an election to docide whether they would have a dispensary at that point. The dispensary won by a majority of thirteen. There are now 130 students in Era kine. This is larger than at any time since the war. . Messrs. J. W. Hammond and Jas. n. Evans, two enterprising printers of Charlotte, N. C., have opened a job priming ouico ni lioeK 11111. ? Tho Medical College of the Stato of South Carolina in Charleston baa entered upon ita G7th course of loctures. ltico birds are being harvested by the thousands around Georgetown. There are 145 young ladies enrolled at tho Duo West Female College. 4**i At Belton bloodhounds are being usod to advantago in catching thieves. J. no rrouiMtion people ot tuo t-state aro actively at \*ork again in its behalf. Rome sympathy is expressed In certain English circles over the fact that the allowance of Princess Hand Is not large enough to ho really and truly royal. As she will receive about $80,(KM) a year out of the sum granted the Prince of Wales by Parliament it Is not likely the young woman will suffer. If the royal worshipers in England are really sory for the Princess there Is nothing In the world to prevent them 1 rom adding to her Income by contributions from their own private purses. J in jjji ilftti ? ? | OF VALVK TO POSTERITY. | The Work Being Done by Oen. Hugh L i Tfri State Historian. Of ell the work that the State of South Carolina is now engaged in for the sake of posterity there is none of an oh greet importance as the work that Oen. Hugh L. Farley, the State his torian, is now busily engaged in. And there ia nothing that tho State can support more freely and genoronsly than the work whioh will provide for tbefntoro population of this State a correct record of what their forefathers did in the most famous war that the world has ever koown. OeD. Farley's duties are to collect -11 iv i * ?. % - * j un ia? uaiu oDtainauio concerning the i part played by tbo troops from this | State in tho late war aud to secure correct aud comploto rolls of every command that went forth to fight the I battle for principle. A moments thought will indicute to the mind of every one what an enormous amount of rk this duty has entailed npon the man chargod with it. Fortnuately, however, General Farley, being a soldier himself and very familiar with the veterans of tho State in all portions, was well equipped to undertake the work. Ho lias had to travel all over the Stato many times, bnt he never wearies of the work, for it has a special attractiveness for him. He has just made a lour of eight counties in tho Piedmont section. He states that a large proportion of tho rolls have already been gotten up and fully revised. Others are now in the hands of various members of tho several commands, being revised in es6cutiul particulars. t As to tho other historical data. General Farley seems to have obtained a wealth of it. He lias succeeded in getting most of tho surviving brigadiers and otbei officers to write sketches of the nart that thpir rnBiidcliuo rnm_ not been equalled here. BRYAN IN IOWA. Joined in theCelebratlou of the State'a Celebration of Its Half Century of Statehood. In the eonc'uding ceremonies Thursday of Burlington's celebration of the semi-centennial of Iowa's admission to the Union, ffm, J. Bryan was the principal attraction. The city was profusely decorated uud great erowds of visitors illlod the streots. Mr. Bryan arrived from Chicago at 6 a. m. on the special car which he will have at his disposal for the rest of the campaign and took breakfast at the house of John J. Set-ley. At 9 o'clock, Mr. Bryan was escorted to the court bouse, where he held a short reception. A pnradeiu which the tiandsand mounted and unmounted organizations, int luding a number of ladies on horseback, took part, escorting the candidate through the principal streets to the Colllseum in Crapo Park. Here ho delivered his principal nddrcss to an immense eruwd of people. John J, Boerloy, who presided, introduced him. Several other stands had been erected in the park and from those Mr. Bryan and others made short speeches. After leaving Burlington his first stop was at Cedar Rapids. Here ho spoke to au appreciative audience at tho Athlotlc r?rk. At Mursbailtown two mooti?gs wore addrea-od by Mr. Bryan, the first in a big tonfc erected hi front of tho court house aud the second in tho opera house. Both places wore crowded. To Stir Southern Spinners. The delegates attending tho fourteenth annual convention of the national mule spinners association, which met in Boston, Mass., last week, completed their work on Thursday nnd adjourned to meet In Boston next year. Previous to adjournment, it was decided to make an immediate < iTort to organize the spinners in the South, that Robert Thownrd. of Fall lliver, should confer with President Gompers of the American Federation of Labor concerning this proposed movement and that the American Federation of Labor should select two organizers from tho national Mule Bpinners association. mantis played in the grnml struggle made by the bclovedSouthlaud. Among these will bo oue from GeneralCapers; still aBother will be from tho pen of General TlfbGowau; then Genera). Brntton and General llngood will do a like service. At the coming session of tho legislature an appropriation sufficient for boginning the work of printing these records will bo asked for. The desire is general that tho legislature make an appropriation that will do this work handsomely. It is a matter of State prido now, and be a matter of inestimable value to future generations. DAGOES FOR M'KINLEY. The Republican Candidate Receive* and Speaks to Pittsburg Italians. Last Thursday a delegation of 300swarthy, dark-haired Italian-Americans with banners and band from Pittsburg, Pa., representing the United Italian ltepublicnn clubs of that olty visited McKinley at his home at Canton. O. These Itnlian born citizens have learned to cheer and they gave the Major a stirring welcome when ho appeared on the porch to address them. The spokesman for the clubs was Lewis Begglno and he made a'speeoh which was a model of brevity. Mr. McKinley In turn then addressed them, reviowlng the issues of the campaign, aud saying that .he was specially gratified to be assured that V*X MlowoHlwens. the Italtan;were enrolled Afcrvtarln the ranks of the Republican ipart^-. (Great applause and cries of "pood.") ouu iiibv iuc}' aic nuiuiou iu >i pninuuu ?lfort to achieve a victory for themselves for their labor, for their occupation* aud (or ' their country. (Cries of three cheers fcr the next President. The next delegation to visit McKlnlcy were one hundred Republicans from Logansport, Indiana. W. T. Wilson acted as spokesman. In addressing this delegation, Major McKinley dwelt upon the inability of the government to create value or money. Ho said, if by mere flat the government could raise 60 cents to 100 cents in value, then the work of Washington, Hamilton and Jefferson in constructing a linaucial system was folly and the people have been robbed of all that has boen taken from them in tuxes. "Rut." declared Major McKinley, "the government cannot creato somethijg out of nothiug and the man or partv which teaches that it can, teaches n false doctrine." * * The Jefferson county (Fn.) delegation, 1,000 strong, which wns the next to arrive was a representative one, composed of miners, lumberman, farmers and working men. More tbau '2,000 voters of Cleveland, in uniform and ucconipanied by excellent bonds, marched up while Major McKinley was addressing his Pennsylvania visitors. When he hnd finished the Cleveland men passed in review before him, aud were loudly cheered by the other visitors In Canton, who remained to see them. The Cleveland delegation filed into Major McKiuley's yard and packed it densely. The Major's appearance on the porch drew forth n tornado of applause which in volume, intensity and duration, has 'HARBOR DEFENCES. WHAT THE GOV'^UfKNt lSDOS'' ING FOR CHARLESTON. Will Require a Large Garrison. The Plan Mapped Out Is Being Compiled Wltb. , i . .. I Very little has been 6&id. and it looka as if yery little will be said, about the , harbor defenses that the government J is buildina at Charleston. hnt tliA flrw I " . ' " lumbia State says that three flat ears passed through that city recently loaded with a big 12-inch motar and the parts that are nocessary for it to be mounted, few who saw it realized what an cngino of destruction was being carried to Charleston to enablo that historic seaport to copo ns successful against any fleet of foreign war vessels as she did at the beginning of the revolution against tho British. But the defenses that Uncle 8am proposes to ereot will bo more formidable than the little fort of palmetto logs and sand hastily erected by Moultrie and gallantly defended by Jasper. In tho first place, the government is not going about this matter in a halfhanded way. General Nelson A. Miles last year strongly recommended that tho principal harbors on tho Atlantic coast bo put in such condition thft no i foreign power could send a fleet against them with any chance of success. Charleston was ouo of theso ports. A plan was mapped out, and it is now Vsciug closely complied with. It is to put thero 10 gnnB and 16 mortars. Of tho gnus, six aro 12-iuch and four 10 inch. Tho mortars aro all 11! incb, this moaning that the size shell or projectile is 12 inches in diameter, while it is about three and a half feet t long and in weight varies from 500 to 1,000 pounds. And when this projectile is iircd from a mortar with a charge . of not less than 100 pounds of powder tho velocity is almost beyond compre- c hension. It never stops under five or i six miles, and then is capable of plow- > iug through a vessel's deck, which is J tho most vital part. I The rapidity and aocuracy of the t firing is another source of surprise. c About every threo or four minutes u j projectile can ho fired, and with such \ accuracy that a vessel would probably be struck at least three times out of five at a distance of five miles. A test was made in which a target the sizo of B a ship was pierced by four out of five h shots. r Mortars are used more in this conn- J try for harbor defense than in any d other. Their advantages over heavy fl guns are easily aeen, for, while the latter are ereoted against the aides ot jj a vessel, the former, by throwing a a projectile at a certain angle, lets it fi come down with terrific foree on the unprotected deck. And decks cannot be armor-plated, as the sides are, on account of too great weight. The mortars will be arranged in groups of about four and all fired at the same instant, thus making it ( almost impossible for a vessel to cs- q eape one of the falling shots, which l means the sinking of the vessel. With the number of guns and mor- t tars previously stated Charleston would a prove as invincible in the future as 8 she has in the past. The air around ? the harbor could fairly be kept alive t with huge projectiles that would briDg r destruction to the objeet against which 1 they were direoted. ' But this is the outeome of experi- v ments of which Charleston is about to * reap the benefit. The mortars are in every particular abreast of tho times. ? The sizo and weight of one of them, ? with all its parts, can easily g be conceived when it is stated 11 that three fiat cars were necessary to J? hold it all. Tho mortar proper was y not so bulky, but made up in weight, 1 which was put down at 14 1-4 tons, or * 32,150 pounds. The cost of the defenses, when all is complete, will not fall far short of ? $1,500,000. ? Tho garrison that will necossasily g have to be stationed there will add to ^ the pleasure and profit of Charleston. ? Tn Trior* n oi'nrvlA iMAat*- ? ?- -1 A -w w PtU^lU XiiUl iUl A 1*11 (Air US 1UOUI 0 ton Roldiers, and tbo twenty-six pieces N will require a good number?prob- 11 ably 400. A garrison of that size, * stationed on Sullivan's Island, would i, bo of inestimablo benefit by increasing b its popularity as a summer resort, and in other ways. That Charleston is one of tho first tl Southern cities to receive the atten- H tion of the government in the matter ^ of coast defenses is gratifying. This it question has been agitated consider- fr ably by tho Northern press, and is now bearing fruit of which Charleston o1 rea^s a good harvest. be ei I The Llfe-Saviug Service. The United States I.ife-Saviog Service, In its annual report for 1695, states that there g| are 251 life-saving stations on tho Atlantic, cc Gulf and Pacific coasts and the Great Lakes; P' 184 of theso being on tho Atlantlo coast line. tl| There Is but one river station, at the falls of ki tho Ohio, nt Louisville, Ky. During the year 675 disasters to vessels on these coasts fu were reported, involving property valued nt tli (10,725,175. Of this property nine-tenths of was savod by tbo life-saving stations and salvago and wrecking companies working to- wl gethor. These disasters involved the lives of Wi 6,523 persons, with only 26 lives actually lost. , Of the 675 vessels in jeopardy 73 were lost. On tho New Jersey coast, with 49 stntioi rt pi about 1.000 nersons Vera nn hsssl i r a f'*' ?' HI danger, and only or.e lifo wfls lost, And only *1 $83,535 worth of property was lost out of tho oj $2,000,000 worth in peril. The total net ex- a/l pendituro for the service in 1805 was $1,285,- i.. 517. bn fU. W Irk wire?llave you noticed that j.1, Mudgo hna quit cigars uml taken up a to pipe? Yalmlcy?Yea; I wonder what la the eniiRO? has ho been playing tho ' races or getting engaged??Indianapolis j C< Journal. *v .. ; r THE COMMERCIAL WORLD. Increased Railroad Earnings and. Generally Improved Tone. Jlelow Is the \jreekly reviews of trade for the past week, as reporteifTiy It. Q. Tun A Co. and Rradstreet: Distinctly better conditions have appeared of late, and are reflected in the somewhat larger employment of labor, In large transactions, and in the continued buying of materials for manhfaoture. A. gregt.patrol tho change Is due to those restless laws of supply and demand,' which take wheat where it is wanted, and goia wnere It is wanted. India Is waiting for cargoes of wheat on the way from the Pacific States, just as Austria and Bouth Africa wore not long ago. The surplus usually available from India disappears, and the surplus from Russia and European countries is reduced, according to late estimates, 75,000,000 bushels. Happily, this country has a supply which ofllcial accounts have not oorreetly measured,it actual movements do not greatly mislead, , A feature of largo Importance, too, is the unusually ;heavy foreign demand for corn, which is a rarely falling sign of deficient crops abroad, where other grains are used Instead, when wheat becomes scarce and dear. It is another good sign that the railroad earnings, amounting to $39,745,318 in the United States for Beptembor, snow a smaller decrease than in August?1.3 por cent., against 5.7 compared with last year. The outward movement of money to the Interior has been $4,000,000 for the woek, md little is doing In commercial loans, with rates about percent. higher than a week ngo. The failures for the week were 296 in the United States, against 296 Inst year, and 16 in Canada, against 52 last year. nnXbstRrEx'S REPORT.' Cold weatbor and continuing heavy receipts of cotton and wheat and other influences have stimulated the demand for staple ?oods at various points, but tlio" volume of trade, remains moderate without material change from a week ago. The tendency in some quarters is for a smaller volume of trade, but the general < utlook is lor an immediately improved demand. Except in the cotton and wheat regions mercantile collections coutinue unsatisfactory. Trade imnrnvpniBiit id ronAi-f in! f?*Am a a ........ r- ~ nvm annum, au^uo* in. Chariest oil, Birmingham, Aln.; Now Orleans and To ns cities. Silver has declined In price and value. The Georgia Election. Reports to the Atlanta Constitution say hat the indications from Wednesday's Statu lection are that Atkinson's majority will ox eed 35,000, with tho probability that it will ;o over 40,000. The majority for tho ro? nainder of tho Stato ticket will largely exiced that of Atkinson, tho probability being hat it will go beyond 60,000, wlii.o Atkinson's najority will bo from 12,000 to 15,000 largor han was received by him two years ago. leports from ovory section of the State show argely-lnc'roased Democratic majorities over lie vote of two years ago. Tho Populist halrmau is slow to concede the State, and ays he looks for surprises. A light vote was lolled in Atlanta. Tom Watson's district vent Deiinouratio. <" Death List Grows Lighter. Many of the missing persons from Cedar Leys, Fla., have returned and the latest deflite information is that the total number of eooverod dead Is fifteen and the'missing end nine. In addition to these four colored pongs rs from the schooner Rosa I.ee were rowned. It la now thought that the spongo e?t was beyond the range of wind, as ? oatpaan arrived from the direction taken. j them and did not report much destruo* [pa. The city la still out off from r&ilroad pd talfcgraphJo communication and will bw 3t about a month. > lis Fran Milt j : > . The Populist campaign text book, the last if the list of these books; has beeb to preee. PheJollowlng from the prefaoe to the book s a key -to thd entire volume: ' "The focus of his campaign is the money question, and th? -oters who act together iq tm* aetdetnent oi his question.on tue side of the people will ilsobe forced to act together for the proper olution of all the other great lspues confined in the People's party platform. Boilnd. the gold standard the monopolists and rusts have mussed their forces, making the eal issue now whether the monopolies and rusts will capture the government or IfhAtbAr thn nAnnlrt will Kn nKU he gQvernmeiit from the control of thoo* rho have debauched and plundered a great nil onoe prosperous republic." * * * .&.? Dillard F. Ragland, a messenger in the treasury Department, appointed from Oomd, TerAs. committed suicide by inhaling as. He was to have been married in Attain to a young woinnn from Dallas, Texas, at for some reason change^ bis mind, and athor than tell his Intended that he'was not et in a position to marry. hOikR|ed himself, 'he circumstances of the suicide indicates but the aot was not premeditated. > Senator Butler, chairman of the Populist ommlttee, has made an estimate, in which e claims as "reasonably safe for Bryan" th* tates of Alabama, Arkansas, F16rlda, Georla, Louisiana, Mississippi, Mlssonrl, 8 nth arollua, Tennessee, Texas, "Virginia, Colrtdo, Idaho. Moqtana,. Nevada, North Daota, 8outb Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyming, Kentncky, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, loi-th Carolina, Oregon, California, Maryind and West'Virginia, giving 232 yotee, 'bile he says Bryan's chances ore at leas! von in Illinois, Dolewate, Michigan and awa. .Ohio, he say?, is trembling in the alance, U '4 In the discussion of campaign eontribuons It should not be forgotten that Uncle nm himself draws by fad the'-largest check >r expenses for 41 presidential contest. This 111 appear when it Is stated that the single em-. , <pf y enrajopty, supplied ee of charge to the" members or ttfe Douse id Senate thus far in this campaign cost 10 government, through its publUT printing Mce.thesum of one hundred and forty thouid dollars. The buormous demand for these ivelopes has compelled the government to jy two additional onvulopo presses. It Jsannonnced.thnt ashortage cf between 16,000 nitil flU.000 bus been fbondfn tbeao>uuu< of Dr. A. C. lyittorsot^ the assistant lysiclad la charge- of (tie^Hpalnal anil homiilai wards of tlie government hospital for ie Insane ou the outskirts of this city, loWrf as 8t. Elizabeth's Asylun},,;.The dolit does not oome oat of the government nds, but out Of si/ms paid- by private paints. Dr. .Clodding states that the amount tho shortage ha.<< already Beert made good, id that the master, which \fas one with tiich the government Had'notlli&g to" do, is closed; ?, .. , Tho Navy Department hMnxwjtvdd roports fha t(ir/rnJ nruofion rr?a/la K? 1I>a *?? - ?w .w.?. V I' - ..v-v,yw lit w\?v l/f liu) UJUIOOK ilelgh while she wan stfrttonrfd oh tho Florn <mrt6t?<e?it)y In .rtpjtynpber. They show coptionally good work nV the guns, and in kHtfoit 4?u!icata tixa pntiro success of tho ircubpUn *h< 11 adopted by tno navy. Tho rfccffl I'd 1 nt was tho hull of tho* wrecked irk (Jarmolna, nt a distance of about a mtlo id a linlY.' Nearly'every* shot sfruok tho nfk nad. tUo *li?il0 burst witldn tho two lea of tho hull, J list as thej% Werv calculated do. * * * Tho President has appointed William II, >oper to bo colloctor lor the district of JDcU rare.