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Weefelj ©jrwirte & (Comatnutionalisl
VOLUME XCV
THE DAILY CHRONICLE AND CONSTI
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ADDRESS ail communications to
WALSH A WRIGHT.
UHBOWICT.X ixt> Cowrrrrr’TiosAUwr,
Augusta, Ga.
editorial, notes.
Badeau has ruined his life of Gbant, it
seems. It is more of an apology than an
eulogy. ti
Mahone to Conkling—- “Come hither,
child of misfortune : I’ll weep with thee
tear for tear.”
Tar. cause of the Chattanooga Bank fail
ure is said to have been mismanagement
and want of funds.
Grant will be in Albany this week; and
grim-visaged war will proceed to put on his
bloodiest face hues.
Conkr.tso and Platt should travel this
Sammer. If necessary, they might alter
nate on the lecture room.
We would call the attention of our Charles
ton neighbors to the fact that Mr. Wadley
has already reached the water’s edge-
Managers having railroads to rent during
the Summer will please confer with Mr. W.
M. Wadley; Post Office, Savannah, Ga.
When the marriage of Miss Bernhardt
to W. Michael Anoklo is announced, we
may know that she has given herself up to
art.
Conkling does not seem to be much of a
bolter after all; but when he “gets a whack
at the evidence” in New York State next
year, somebody will get hurt.
Avgusta wishes her new combination so
fixed at the start that het merchants will be
relieved of all discriminations. Let the
Mayor and City’Attorney see to this.
The Republican Germans of New York
do not regard the Hon. Wit. A. Wheeler as
staunch. The Hon. Wm. A. is evidently
‘.not a member of the old Knickerbocker
Stock.
Since the Administration has so decided
ly indicated its purpose to snub Mahone,
why does'n ho resign and appeal to Riddle
ueroeu ? Virginia is itching for a chance
to vindicate Mahone.
It mnst be very mortifying for the late
Hon. Wm. A. Wheeleb, who spent four
years of good fishing, while he was Vice-
President and Assistant Fraud holder, that
he “has not the courage of his convictions.”
The latest effort to shift the fight is by a
Oonvlinoite, who says: "This fight is not
against Gasfield, but against that man
from Maine. Garfield is all right The
question is with Conkling whether he shall
allow Blaine to manage the party in this
State.” ~
Perhaps the Clyde Syndicate, which is I
now allowing the Charlotte, Columbia and
Augnsta Railroad to discriminate against
Augusta merchants, might be brought to
terms in the Augusta and Knoxville com
bination. This is a matter which deserves
attention. ~
Let Augusta insist upon fair rates over |
the Augnsta end Knoxville combination and
likewise over the Charlotte. Columbia and
Augusta Railroad, owned also by the Clyde.
Rates to Trenton. Johnston’s and other sta
tions, we are ere libly informed, force mer
chants in those places to buy corn in Nor
folk and Richmond instead of in Augusta.
So much attention has been directed to
the movements of Mr. Conkling and his
asset fates, that the public has not proper
ly apo Tciated the very remarkable financial
achievetnents of the Treasury Department
in virtuah'v refunding the five and six per'
cent, bonds at three and a-half percent., in
■uch away a\ to keep them hereafter with
in easy reach of the Government.
The Knoxville and Augusta Railroad
mar soon T-e a connection of the :
Augusta and Knoxville. The former will
be built from Maryville, Tennessee, to a
point on the Tennessee and North Carolina .
line, where the Western Railroad of North |
Carolina will connect with it. It is sub- I
•tan t tally ore of the Clyde connections with
the East Tennessee. Virginia and Georgia |
Railroad
w
So at last the treaty for the cession of i
Thessaly to the Kingdom of Greece has ,
been formally signed by the Sultan and
ratified by the allied Powers. Thia is a
Aomewhat tardv fulfillment of the Berlin
treety but still the little Kingdom of
Greece is fortunate in obtaining without war ,
an enlargement of her territory, which she
would not possibly have attained by her ex
artions without the aid of powerful allies. |
Thy American Premier seems to be in
b*d form? Men whom Blaise trusts, or .has
trusted, are hawking his confidences for .
■ale at Albany, where they find a ready pur- |
chaser in the man who, of all men, will
make the mCfat desperate and malignant use •
cf them. Worse than that, two men sit at
Garfield's Cabinet table with him, whose .
days and nights -when they are delud- f
ing him with slack treason or deceiving I
him with suave falsehood—are spent in ■
hunting material to defame and ruin him. <
John Roach and Prof. Sumner do not
agree upon the American ship question.
Roach is a practical ship builder, and shows ■
that since our work upon coastwise ‘
rteemers is as fine as any in the world, 1
whenever protected, we cannot compete ■
with English manufacture. Prof. Sumner |
ia a fair theorist and a plausible freetrader. !
There is too much of "fair fallacy" among |
•try economists. America has grown to be '
a great nation by protecting her own. Our •
factories and our commerce need protection '
■till—not subsidies.
S. J. Tilden, says an Albany special,
ha* signified his disapproval of the scheme
to nominate himself for Senator. He has
gpoet positively and emphatically forbid the
sbae of his name, and to a gentleman who
interviewed him on the subject a day or
ago, he reiterated his purpose never to be
come a candidate for office again. When he
gave up the Presidency he buried his politi
cal hopes and worldly ambition, and he
would not be disturbed in the melancholy
happiness of a contemplation of the grave
for all the kingdoms of earth.
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.
i Amid all the rapid changes that have
■ lately taken place in railroad matters, Au
: gusta has certainly had no cause for dis
i content, but rather for congratulation. We
have now six railroads centreing here, two
■ of which are under the management of a
I man who has said himself that he will do
i all in his power to add to our trade and in
i crease our prosperity. Augusta occupies a
> most important position on the railroad
j map. Within a few hours' ride of three
great Atlantic sea ports, it presents advan
tages that few other interior towns in the
United States have. Railroad managers
in this age are not slow to see these and to
sieze them when the opportunity offers.
Besides these three lines to the sea, we
have a through all rail route to the West
and two to the East, and we are not over
sanguine when we say that we will have
another direct line to the West and another
to the East, via the Augusta and Knoxville
Railroad. Augusta has come to the front
as an enterprising city in railroad matters
as well as manufactures. Os the six hun
dred and thirty thousand dollars of bonds
issued by the Augusta and Knoxville Rail
road, the whole amount has been taken at
borne by our own people. The road will
be built from Augusta to Greenwood
principally with Augusta money, and
it will be a monument of what |
can be done by people who are
determined to succeed. It will also be a
remarkable enterprise on account of its
cheapness, having been built for a less price
than any other railroad in the United States.
Notwithstanding its cheapness, however,
the work is all of the very best character.
There is nothing shoddy about it. The
bridge across the Savannah river is one of
the finest iron bridges in the country, and
the trestles are admirably constructed and
substantial structures. This road will fur
nish a trunk line for a through route to
Baltimore byway of Spartanburg and Dan
ville, and a short line to the West via Ra
bun Gap and Knoxville. With these lines
in operation, Augusta’s power will be
greatly increased. As it is, we have
every reason to be satisfied with the pres
ent and sanguine of the future. We have
made rapid progress during the past few
years, and everything points to an exceed
ingly prosperous state of affairs in the years
to come. With our manufactories and our
railroads, it is impossible for our advance
to be retarded. In the past it has been said
that our people were slow, and did not take
advantage of the opportunities that were
offered. If this was ever true it is certainly
so no longer. The city of Augusta stands
high to-day, North and West, for financial
stability, and for individual and collective
enterprise. There is no better proof of this
than the readiness with which our new fac
tory stocks are taken in those sections.
Capitalists there believe that we are on
the high road to continued prosperity. They
believe that we are destined to be a
great city in wealth and population, the
largest manufacturing town in the South,
as we are to-day one of the most important
railway centres. We have an abiding faith
in the energy and the growth of our city,
and we believe that the next census will
show that it is the largest city in the State.
There is no reason to doubt that in 1890
our population will be fully fifty thousand,
and that all the available water power of the
canal will be utilized. Indeed, we believe
that the latter result will be achieved long
before that time. Ere many years have
passed the Augusta Canal will be lined with
factories, and factories bring population
and wealth. As we have said, we have
every reason to be satisfied with the situa
tion and to be proud of our city.
in* ■
KING COTTON.
We publish, this morning, a very inter
esting address from President Morehead, of
the Mississippi Valley Cotton Planters’ As
sociation, in which he gives some figures
that our planters would do well to ponder
over. He says: "We will estimate that the
crop has averaged all round 8 cents per
pound, which would give us, for 6,500,000
bales, or 2,600,000,000 pounds, $208,-
000,000, or the remarkable showing of $12,-
000,000 less than we got for a 5,000,000
bale crop.” This is indeed a serious mat
ter, but President Mobehead proceeds, at
some length, to show what the general re
sults are of planting so much cotton and so
little of anything else. From the showing
he makes he deduces the very natural con
clusion that "in order to decrease cost of
cotton production the planters must save
the millions they pay out, by raising their
own wheat, hay, corn, oats and live stock.”
This is sound and sensible reasoning. The,
one idea of raising cotton and cotion alone
has pervaded the South so long, that almost
every other agricultural product has been
neglected. We know that it is rather a
thankless task for a journalist to give ad
vice on such a subjsot; we know that it is
ordinarily looked upon in the same light as
the criticism of military heroes who counsel
those in the field from the safety of their
own firesides, but in this matter we have the
experience of those who make planting a
study, who have looked closely into the j
situation and reason, as Mr. Mobehead
does, from results. Figures speak for them
selves, and he presents an array that is
startling. In this immediate section we i
have ample evidence of the truth of what |
he says. There has been an immense quan
tity of Western and Northern hay sold
throughout Georgia the present season and
prices have advanced rapidly under the de
mand. Good hay is now selling in Augus
ta at one dollar and sixty-five cents per
hundred weight and is very scarce at that.
And yet there are as fine lands for raising
grass in Georgia as is in any section of the
country. It can be produced and harvest- ;
ed with far less trouble and expense than I
cotton and it always meets with ready sale.
But the planter will generally find use on
his own farm for all that he can make, and
he will discover, also, that he can save a i
large amount, comparatively, in the cost of
cotton production if he does not have to
buy provender for his stock. At present
prioes it takes one pound of cotton to pay
for twenty pounds of hay. In other words,
the planter makes cotton at a low rate to
buy hay at a high price. This may be wis
dom, but we confess we fail to see it. And
the same thing will apply* equally well to
other articles required on a farm, and
which the planter now buys, in a great
measure, from the West. His corn is paid
for out of his cotton money, when he
has acres upon acres of planting lands
which, if not as productive as the West
ern prairies, will yet make good returns of
corn, wheat or oats.
Mr. Mobehead very justly observes that
"a stranger to our country might, with
good reason, infer that the South could not
produce anything but cotton to judge by
the thousands of tons of corn, oats, hay,
flour, lard, butter, canned meats and vege- I
tables and wooden nutmegs of all kinds
with which steamers and railways come
laden to our shores. If this - were in the ;
slightest degree true I would not deem the
term theorist an improper application for
th,OM who call on the South to do impos
sibiikles by raising these articles, but every |
bmh within tte bearing of my voice knows,
an-l well knows, w)th like care and
attention. and, indeed. I hesitate not to
say. with much less cultivation Sfld care
the South will produce, acre by acre, aLeat, <
corn, oats, hay And other produce crops, '
equal to any other qf the Northern States I
from whom we now buy tA-wa articles, and
the same is true of our ability to raise
hora?s, mules, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc.’
These are not idle words of our
i readers know that they are not. Wherever
j thoughtful effort towards raising any of the
I prodeeta named has been made baa
crowned the endeavor. We need only dis
abuse oar minds of Che one idea that has
taka* possession of it, that w« WS st devote
all our energy to producing cotton, taking
all the money raaeired from one crop to
make the next. Cotton wjli continue to be
king and ought to, for it is one of the
sources of power in the South, but it should
not be made an autocrat. We can still give
eotton the highest plane and yet not alto
gether neglect other products that would
add so materially to oar prosperity and
commercial independence.
“A FRATERNITY THAT SHALL, NEVER
DIE.”
At the recent reception tendered Col. E.
W. Cole, by the citizens of Atlanta, the fol-
I lowing telegram was read:
New Yobk, May 26.—The Empire State
of the North desires to join the Empire
State of the South in developing its rail
roads, commerce and manufactories and in
kindling a fraternity that shall never die.
Geobge I. Seney.
To those familiar with the hardships and
privations endured by the South since the
war, there is no need to wonder or place for
astonishment that the reading of this tele
gram was the occasion for the wildest en
thusiasm and evoked an outburst of gener
ous applause from ardent Georgiana
The message of Mr. Seney means, that
there are enlightened and liberal minds
North, that are unwilling to believe the
countless and baseless charges daily hatch
ed to criminate and defame the good name
and honorable character of our people. It
means tha? the conservative opinion of the
North is rising above and asserting its pow
erover that ultra-element of stalwart Re
publicanism, which has been preaching
the gospel of hate and putting enmity
between man and his fellow-man.—
It means an indisputable recognition at
that spirit in the South that upholds fair
dealing, that maintains honest public cred
it, that suppresses lawlessness by enforcing
good government, that encourages religious
and educational means among the people,
that is lighting furnaces in our midst and
projecting springing enterprises, that is
opening up fertile sections by railways and
formulating them into huge systems, that is
erecting new and vast manufactories and
stretches out to welcome at our ports the
commerce of the world. Here is
a man of large means, 'of splendid
business qualities and a philanthropic spirit
with a fortune estimated about twenty mil
lions, who gives the highest evidence of his
faith in the resources,future and government
of the South by his works. Think of one man
raising sixteen million of dollars to compose
a syndicate to perfect a Southern system of
railroads, and this ■Geobge I. Seney did
with his friends within thirty-six
hours. A Christian gentleman of
princely charity, he has endowed the
Emory and Wesleyan Colleges, of Georgia,
each with the handsome sum of fifty thous
and dollars. When Dawes and Conger and
Conkling come to vilify the people of this
section on the hustings and in the Senate,
and narrate outrages that have no founda
tion in fact for their existence or commis
sion, these stalwarts may well inquire
of the living faith of Geo. I. Seney, who
could afford to trust his fortune in Southern
securities and embalm his name in South
ern hearts. The practical and thoughtful
statesman of the future may well prepare
himself on the questions of the future
which Mr. Seney suggests in his telegram
—railroads, manufactories and commerce.
For out of the development of railways
when the great trunk lines are completed
and systems are perfected may come the
petition that the strong arm of government
may be interposed; out of the erection of
manufactories may not the tariff question
become a living issue, and out of the future
commerce of the South may we not feel
a deep anxiety in the reformation of
the revenue laws, about which hereto
fore we have been so little concerned ?
And it is upon these new questions and
their solution that the Empire State of the
North and the Empire State of the South
may be vitally interested and deeply con
cerned, and shall strike hands on a common
platform. When the fires of political bias
and prejudice, fed by those who mini, ter to
such sentiments at the North, shall go out un
der the rising light of a day ot reconciliation
and fraternity, founded upon a community
of thought and interest in the railroad,
manufacturing and commercial enterprises
nf the South, then, indeed, shall be rekin
dled “a fraternity that shall never die.”
THE KING MILL.
The organization of the Jno. P. King
Manufacturing Company, yesterday, was
an event of great importance. It is destined
to be an enterprise of magnificent propor
tions; but, after all, was the natural out
growth of the success of Augusta’s cotton
mills. Since the war their success has been
assured, and increasing year by year. Such
progress is unprecedented, and notwith
standing the fact that new mills and large
extensions are, even now, being built here,
the King Company will find plenty of room,
abundance of water power on the canal and
ready markets for their goods. Several of
our Augusta factories have already orders
six months ahead of production for their
cotton brands. In such prosperous times
it is, then, no wonder that Northern capital
should'flow to this section, where thrift and'
security combine to stimulate local enter
prise and make the prospect inviting. We
confidently expect, too, a full quota of
English aid to this new and mammoth
manufactory.
THE YORKTOWN CELEBRATION.
The commissioners to secure the success
of the Yorktown Centennial celebration, in
October next, have purchased a tract of five
hundred acres of land, on which is to be
erected the memorial shaft, where, it is
said, a fine view of the James river is com
manded for several miles, both above and
below the town. The ol I Moore house,
where Cornwallis signed the capitulation, is
being fitted up for President Gabfield’s
headquarters. It has been decided, in a
council held by Secretaries Blaine and
Lincoln, Gen. Shebman and the Yorktown
Centennial Commissioners, that the battle
ground monument shall be constructed of
Virginia granite. We have the following
further information of the intended cele
bration movements:
On the 18ih of October the earner-stone will
be laid by the Masons of Virginis. It is ex
pected that four thousand Masons will take
part, making an encampment there for two or
three days. On the 18th Governor Holliday,
of Virginia, will deliver in address. On the
19th the President will receive the monument
on the part of the Nation, and the dedicatory
exercises, consisting of an oration, poem and
ode, will take place. It is suggested that a
grand chorus and orchestra be organized to
render the ode. Judging from the responses
received by the committee, there will be pres
ent at least ten thousand troops. AU the thir
teen original States will by represented by their
Governors and citizen soldiery.
WILKES COUNTY .VOTES.
Washington, Ga., May 30.—0 n Monday
last Mr. Hackney, who was placed in jail
and charged as an accomplice in the escape
of Albert Smith, had a preliminary investi
gation of his case before Judge Wingfield.
After a vigorous prosecution and an able
defense, he was required by the Court to
give bond for the sum of $2,000 for his ap
pearance at the next regular term of Wilkes
Superior Court. The bond was given as re
quired. On examining the jail. Smith's au
tograph was discovered on the wall in words
to this effect: " Albert Smith was jailed
April Ist, escaped Thursday, May 20th, and
left for parte unknown.” Since this event,
so sensational in its character. Wilkes Is
beginning to regain her composure and
usual serenity. The voices of the young
ladies are harmoniously blending for the
concerts soon to be given, under the lead
ership of Prof. Merton, to aid in completing
the new Methodist Church. The hotel
widely known as the Arnold House, and
lately in charge of Dr. King, will soon pass
jnto ths hands of new proprietors. Mr. 0.
M. i?ay. formerly of Edgefield, South
Carolina, tes moved to Washington, and
occupies the rtoie rpppntly vacated by D.
John Kowser. Oor merchants report a
good business for the season, and are not
anxious to seU largely on credit. A planter
in this county has a lot of cheat with an
occasiona* bead of wheat to be seen.. The
“short” grain is noy being decapitated.
Much of the cotton crop is vet under
ground, and but a little bottom land planted
in corn. The indications' for rain to-day
are better thail for some time, though the
old farmers assure us "there will be no rain
until the drouth is audnd.” J.
Ifrill-Attcwd, If Bulneaa Permits.
iRy 'Jrelegrsph to the Chronicle.)
Washington, June J.—Hon. H. V. M.
Miller, Foreign Commissioner of the At
lanta International Cotton Exposition; in
company with Hon. Emory Speer, called
on the President to-day and invited him to
attend the Exposition. The President said
he was heartily in sympathy with the ob
jects of the Exposition and will attqpd, if
the state of his public duties will permit
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MOBNING, JUNE 1881.
KING COTTON.
INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES
Relating to the Greet Southern Staple—
Address of President Morehead to the
Cotton Planter*’ Association.
At the meeting of the Mississippi Val
ley Cotton Planters' Association in Mem
phis last Wednesday, President Morehead
opened his address by showing the entirely
practical character of the Convention, and
asserting the earnest desire of the planters
to secure the best appliances for the agricul
tural and manufacturing development of the
South and to promote immigration. He
then showed that the ten cotton States con
sumed 166,684,279 bushels of corn more
than were produced in those States, and
forty-two thousand bushels of wheat more
than were produced; that the deficiency in
oats was 77,762,107 bushels, and the defi
ciency in hay about four million tons. The
deficiency, he said, represents the defi
ciency, not exactly in what the South does
ccnsnme, but in what it would consume if
properly fed; for owing to the great cost of
these supplies, neither our laborers nor
stock are given the liberal allowance they
would receive did we raise these products
ourselves. A cropot six million five hundred
thousand bales, estimating an average of three
acres to produce a bale, would give us nine
teen million five hundred thousand acres, at
eight dollars per acre, $156,000,009, which
goes to permanent investment account. Es
timating that one mule or horse will culti
vate twenty acres, we would have nine hun
dred and seventy-five thousand mules,
which, at eighty dollars per head,
would give us $78,000,000, which also
goes to permanent investment account.
Estimating all the implements used in cul
tivation-harness, wagons and sundries of
this character—in round figures at $25 per
mule, we would have $24,375,000, which,
added to the previous amount, would give
us for permanent account a total of $258,-
375,000. Say now that on an average one
hand will make three bales of cotton, we
would have 2,166,666 laborers to feed and
clothe, which, with those dependent on
them, would cost at least fifty dollars each,
or $108,333,300, which we will pass to
working investment account; the cost of
fifty-two million yards of bagging at eleven
cents, and thirty-nine million ties at six
and two-thirds cents each, or two dollars
per bundle, would give eight million four
hundred and fifty thousand dollars for bag
ging and ties, to go also to working invest
ment account. To feed the teams would re
quire, at a low calculation, estimating, as
started out to do, only the deficienty in
home supply that is to be purchased, at
least thirty dollars per head (and this esti
mate is low with corn seventy-five cents per
bushel and hay thirty dollars per ton), or
twenty-nine million two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, which is to be added
also to the working investment account.
The cost of marketing the crop would be at
least one cent and a quarter per pound; on
two billion six hundred million pounds
would be thirty-two million five hundred
thousand dollars, added to the cost of feed
ing and clothing the laborers, feeding the
teams, preparing with bagging and ties and
marketing the crop, would give us a total
working capital of $178,533,300. We will
now add our permanent to our working in
vestment account, and we have a total capi
tal of $436,908,300 invested, exclusively
in cotton cultivation on a basis of the share
system.
Now we will estimate that the crop has
averaged all around Bc. per pound, which
wou'd give us, for six million five hundred i
thousand bales, or twenty-six hundred mil
lion pounds, $208,000,000, or the remark
able showing of $12,000,000 less than we got
for a five million bale crop. I must here be
permitted to disagree for a moment and in
dulge in a few reflections called for and
made peculiarly appropriate at this point
by the foregoing figures, and by which <
course I hope to be able to sink the facts
elicited deep in the public mind. If the ■
price of cotton has declined from 1 Ic. to
Bc. as the crop increases from five million five i
hundred thousand to six million five hundred
thousand bales, it will be somewhat inter- 1
esting to our people, from analogous reason
ing, to know that we could scarcely expect i
more than an average of 6c. per pound for a 1
crop of seven million five hundred thousand i
or eight million bales. You can not say that 1
my hypothesis in regard to such a crop is i
an impossibility, for have we not increased i
the crop in a few years from two million to
six million five hundred thousand bales ? the I
increase for the past year alone being about i
one million bales, in round numbers, with i
a similar increase for this year confidently i
predicted by the buyers and spinners and 1
looked forward to with trepidation by our ■
own people. Let us anticipate, then, what |
may happen, and suppose our growing crop <
reaches eight million bales, or thirty-two I
hundred million pounds, which at 6c. i
would give us $192,000,000,0r $28,000,000 <
less than five million bales brought us, and i
$18,000,000 less than our 6,500,000 crop. ,
Now, if we are to hold our own, as our crop ]
increases and the aggregate sum for it de- 1
creases, we ought to be able to buy our I
mules at lower prices: we ought to -be' able i
to hire our cotton chopped out, picked and 1
ginned at lower prices; we ought to pay <
less for our bagging and ties, and we ought j
to be able to purchase all our supplies at i
less rates. But what is the fact? You all t
know that prices are not materially lessen- <
ed to the planter for anything, and on the j
contrary a big crop means to all the world <
who sell to the planter big prices for their j
goods, no one counting its suicidal cost, f
and all believing that such a crop must <
render the planters rich and prosperous. <
But ah ! my countrymen, too well you f
know it, or at least will know, the mockery ]
of such prosperity. And I say to you if 1
such a thing do come to happen, the fabled i
Tantalus surrounded by water, with not a ]
drop to drink, will not be in a more pitiable <
condition than you, surrounded by yonr i
cotton bags, with not a cent in the world <
you can call your own. Even now, on all ]
sides, the cotton factors have become our i
largest planters, many of them owning i
from five to as high as fifty plantations, and i
I makf the assertiifa without fear of contra- ]
diction that not one was gotten from a i
planter who made cotton a surplus crop, <
but from men who knew nothing, and 1
would learn nothing but to make all cotton. '
With one more remark I will return to my I
calculations, and it is this: If the God of j
dire disaster, storms, pestilence and famine, i
sees fit to urge our people to pursue their '
present all-cotton system of farming
until they .shall produce eight mil- |
lien bales, there will not be one of j
this category of planters sound financially i
left in the country. Providence, on the i
other hand, with far seeing wisdom, know- 1
ing only bankruptcy and ruin will ever 1
make some planters give up the all-cotton |
plan, may be taking this terrible manner of i
saving them at last; on the principle of the ;
surgeon who cuts unsparingly to save the ,
patient who has been given up as a forlorn
hope. But let us return to our estimates.
Os the total amount received for crop the
planter’s share is one-half; planters, there- <
fore, receive $104,000,000, from which de
duct the expense accounts chargeable to the
planter—feed for teams, $29,250,000; half
cost of bagging and ties, $4,275,000; half
cost of marketing crop, $16,250,000; loss
of twenty per cent, in decreased value of ,
stock, $15,600,000; loss and decrease in (
value of implements and machinery twenty
per cent, $4,875,000; repairing fences, •
houses, etc., we would estimate at five per .
cent, on value of land, say $300,000. and (
taxes at two per cent , $3,120,000; taking
total amounts charge»blL o planters' ac- I J
counts, $80,670,000 from ‘he $104,000,- ,
000, gives us $27,330,000 as planters’
profits, or a sum less than one per cent, on j
total investment. Now, my friends, I would
not have you think I put this estimate for- '
ward as infallible, or even accurate, for no J
general estimate of a subject so diversified, '
made on the basis of one system, when
there are hundreds in vogue, could be ,
expected to be perfect ; and, beside- - ,
every one knows that the individual plant- i
er increases or decreases his per centage ■ !
of profit in proportion as his plantation is j
more or less self-sustaining, so that the .
planter whosfe cotton crop is absolutely a
surplus, according to his estimate, would ! 1
make one hundred per cent, on his cotton 1
crop, and that one’s profit who raised noth- (
ing to speak of but cotton would descend 1
to zero, or deep into the minus quantities. ' ‘
My figures, therefore, are intended simply ,
as approximations to illustrate the main ’
facts to which I wish to call your attention. ;
that no country can afford to make cotton or ; t
any other crop, or carry on any business for t 1
one per cent, on its invested capital. The | ‘
reason why we do not make but one per
cent, on our invested capital is clearly be- '
cause of our defective system, which adds :
so greatly to the cost of production. How, , ‘
then; is this to be reduced? First, we would I ‘
say, by raising the provender for our teams, •
which at one stroke would add twenty-nine J
million dollars to our dividends; then we ‘
should save at least part of the sum we-an- ‘
Dually pay tb feed our laborers, and there is i ’
no reason why we could not save it all; but
suppose that we save hah', we would add f
forty million dollars more to our dividends; ‘
suppose that we only raised enough mules *
to keep up our* present supply, say twenty 1
per cent, of that number used, we would
add about twenty million dollars more to 1
our dividends. But why proceed ? the rea- | '
aoning is appAent, that in order to decrease ‘
cost of cotton production, the planters must ; '
save the millions they pay out by raising *
their own wheat, hay? corn, oate and live 6
stock. Will they dp it ? Will they listen £
to book farming and the so-called theorists? *
Possibly not till forced by bankruptcy '
and* ruin. Now, piy friends, one who
proposes a reform is often called a the- i 1
o.iat, and if the theory never be carried out, .
he is apt to be termed besides a visionary; i
bnt this is too vital a subject to our country
for any one to be turned aside by such epi
thets.' 1 boldly assert that the all-cotton 1
planter is the most deluded and pitiable of 1
all risioniste, and, on the contrary, that we i
liave only to look t around us for practical 1
examples of planters who have successfully t
diversified their farming, and made cotton 1
I their surplus crop, thereby attaining, inde
pendence and riches, to nail such expres
sions as shameful calumnies, uttered in
; most instances by men who are too con
ceited to imagine anyone can tell them any
thing about farming, or too ignorant to
understand and appreciate the great funda
mental truths of political economy, which
they $o outrageously violate in their all
cotton farming; or, 'by those too lazy or
timid to try anything but the beaten track.
A stranger to our country might, with good
reason, infer that the South could not pro
duce anything but cotton, to judge by the
thousands of tons of corn, oats, hay, flour,
lard, butter, canned meats and vegetables,
and wooden nutmegs of all kinds with which
steamers and railways come laden to our
shores. If this were in the slightest de
gree true I would not deem the term theor
ist an improper application for those who
call on the South to do impossibilities by
raising these articles; but every man with
in the hearing of my voice knows, and
well knows, that with like care and atten
tion, and, indeed, I hesitate not to say,
with much less cultivation and care the
South will produce, acre by acre, wheat,
corn, oats, hay, and all other produce
crops, equal to any of the Northern States
from whom we now buy these articles; and
the same is true of our ability to raise
horses, mules, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc.
The United States agricultural report for
1879 gives to Georgia an acreage of nine
bushels per acre of wheat, and no cotton
State falls below seven bushels; while the
great groin State of the North. lowa, aver
ages only ten bushels. I mention the
wheat crop because it is considered to be
the most difficult grain crop to raise in the
cotton States, and I venture to say with
good cultivation the average could bo easily
raised to over ten bushels per acre, or* a
greater average than lowa now has. Do
not understand me to say that every part
of the South will raise these pro
ducts equally well, for in all coun
tries some lands are better suited for
certain crops than others, but I do mean
to say that I know that every cotton
State, with possibly the exception of Flori
da, has such a variety of soil and climate as
will produce in the greatest abundance
staple products necessary for home con
sumption, without in any wise curtailing
the extent of the cotton crop. It is not the
extent of the cotton crop per se that I object
to —though it would be better if that were
curtailed—and that impoverishes us, but
the ruinous cost of its production. No sane
man will pretend to say the South can afford
to pay twenty dollars per barrel for mess
pork, seventy-five cents per bushel for corn,
sixty cents for oats and thirty dollars per
ton for hay, which are present cash rates
delivered from first hands, and raise cotton
to pay the bills at eight cents per pound.
To these prices you must add at least twen
ty-five per cent., and in many instances
much more, to find out what many of the
planters and nearly all the laborers pay ;
and, therefore, I assume very logically,
that all planters and laborers who have
to buy thess necessaries at such prices to
make their cotton crop, instead of rais
ing them, make no money, and more often
come out in debt. Dwell on it, my friends;
a bale of cotton for a barrel of pork, or
hdfaton of hay, and wonder not longer
why the deluded and infatuated visionist of
a planter, with all-cotton his god, remains
in debt and disgrace and renders odious and
a byword what should be the proudest em
blem in our land, the name planter. One
bright prospect which promises legitimate
ly and practically to reduce the cost of cot
ton production is the healthy, and I may
.say universal disposition on the part of our
people to avail themselves of the most im
proved labor saving implements and' ma
chinery, and my great hope is the belief I
entertain that inside of five years we will
see one man cultivating and picking from
thirty to fifty acres of cotton, which will
then at once, if we don’t come to it before,
place jt practically in the hands of our
planters to adopt entirely the wages sys
tem of labor, which I regard as the only
true method enabling the planter, as it will,
to intelligently direct the labor, diversify
crops and keep up his improvements. In
the discussion of improved labor-saving ma
chinery and implements I might go on to
tell you haw the buggy plow and walking
cultivators arc being gradually introduced
and what per centage of labor they save in
the cultivation of a crop, or I might give you
an estimate of the number of good
mules that are annually ruined by de
fective horse power, and the millions of
cords of wood annually consumed uselessly
by defective steam power, and the conse
quent economy in having first class steam
as well as horse power; or I might tell you
how various parties are now working hard
to perfect implements to barr off, chop out
and hill cotton by once going over it with
mule power; or I might tell you that the
average price of the entire cotton crop could
be raised by many millions of dollars by the
general, adoption of the best cleaners and
gins, and better handling of the crop gen
erally. The extent to which the introduc
tion other improved implements would les
sen the cost of the production of the cotton
crop can scarcely be. estimated in price;
and, additionally, the adoption of such im
plements by a planter as will save him the
labor of one or more hands increases his
labor force and solves the labor problem to
that extent. There is more opportunity
for profitable enterprise and investment in
this respect than in the operation of all the
cotton factories that there is even a remote
possibility of being built, for the capital
required is insignificant compared to
the large sums necessary to make
cotton manufacturing a success. For
instance, a planter producing five hun
dred bales twe hundred thousand
pounds—worth eight cents per pound,
sixteen thousand dollars, can, by the expen
diture of one thousand or fifteen hundred
dollars on his gin house, improved gins
and cleaners, increase the average value of
his crop at least one cent per pound, or two
thousand dollars per year, which is done on
an investment of one thousand to fifteen
hundred dollars. If it was only increased
one-half cent per pound, it would add one
thousand dollars to value of crop, or nearly
one hundred per cent, on the cost of im
provements, and it may be well to remark
right here, before leaving this subject, that
unless planters do adopt these improve
ments and a big crop of seven million five
hundred thousand or eight million bales is
produced, two million bales or a large part
of which shall be very low o >ttons, you will
find they will be virtually unsalable.—
Therefore, I do not sav it is simply advisa
ble, but absolutely indispensable that every
planter should at once look carefully into
this subject, for no investment in his reach
would pay so well and so immediately.
As to the factories in the South, he sug
gested that every cotton State should pass
laws exempting cotton and all other facto
ries built in their borders from taxation for
twenty years. Mississippi exempts cotton
factories from taxation for ten years from
the time they were built. He thought
twenty years was better. He believed that
no mill can attain its highest capacity of
profit with less than thirty thousand spin
dles.
OS TO THE WEST.
The Clyde Combination Proposes to Take
Charge of the Augusta and Knowllle
Railroad and Build a Road, via Elber
ton, to Knoxville.
It is now considered certain that Augusta
will soon have another Western connec
tion. Yesterday Colonel A. C. Haskell,
President of the Charlotte, Columbia and
Augusta Railroad, which is a part of the
Clyde combination, had several conferences
with President Verdery, of the Augusta and
Knoxville Railroad, and with Mayor May—
.his object being to obtain control of the
Augusta and Knoxville. He proposed to
take the city’s stock, which is very nearly a
controlling interest, and guarantee the com
pletion of the road to Greenwood without
delay, and also to build a line from the
Georgia end of the Augusta and Knoxville
to Knoxville, via Elberton, Toccoa City and
Rabun Gap, within three years, and to give
the city stock in the new line for an amount
equal to the present stock field by the city.
For the faithful performance of these things
he agreed to, give the city a bond of five
hundred thousand dollars. An informal
meeting of Council, in committee of the
whole, was held yesterday afternoon, at 3
o’clock, at which this proposition was sub
mitted by the Mayor, and the opinion was
expressed that it ought to be accepted, pro
vided the proper guarantees are given. It
is said that it will be an easy matter for
Colonel Haskell to obtain the requisite
amount of stock to make up a controlling
interest, if the arrangement with the city
can be perfected.
The building of the line via Elberton,
will not only bring back our lost trade from
Elbert and adjoining counties, but it will
give us another outlet to the West —a most
important thing for Augusta. We already
have several lines to the East, but only one
to the West, and this yoad will add much
to our importance as a railway centre. The
trunk line from Augusta to Walton’s Island
will be used by both the Greenwood and
Western routes. Colonel Haskell will give
a guarantee, also, that trains shall be run
daily between Augusta and Greenwood, so
that original intentions in building this *
line will be fully carried out.
At the informal meeting of Council refer
red to above, a memorarfdum of agreement
was submitted. A resolution was adopted
declaring that if a proposition was formally
drawn up including specially a guarantee
that the road to' Greenwood will be con
structed at once, the Council will favor iter
acceptance. Col. Haskell proposes to build
the road tff Elberton from Jenkins' Ration,
eleven n)iles from the city.'
Donbtfal AnthSrity to the
(By Cable to the Chronicle.) •
poNDON,
leading article, says it is doubtfql whether
the powers possessed by the Government,
under tfie widest interpretation of them
that of crown lawyers could
suggept, would give legal authority for a
formal suppression of the Land League.
LETTER FROM ABBEVIL,L,K, S. C.
Crop Prospect*—Ulen Law*, Immigration
—The Temperance Movement Rail
roads, Newspaper*, Court, Etc., Etc.
[Correspondence Chronicle and Constitidionalist.']
Abbeville, 8. C., May 31st.—Abbeville
county, in common with her sister counties,
has suffered severely from a six weeks
drought. Spring oats are a failure, and
the wheat crop very much injured; corn is
backward and looking badly; as to cotton,
that which was planted early is looking well
and has been wall,worked; that which was
planted later has not come up well, and, in
some places, is yet under ground. Gafdens
are almost burnt up. The farming stock of
all kinds is looking badly, on account of
the want of long forage. It is getting to be
quite common to see our depots with plenty
of bales of Northern hay, for which high
prices are paid.
There is no disputing the fact that, so far
as our county is concerned, the present
crop is being raised at great expense. The
sale of horses and mules alone amounted to
over six hundred. Now add to this the large
amount that will be due for guano, and then
for supplies, at high prices, and some con
ception may be formed of the total amount.
Everything generally used in farming in
terests, from an axe handle up, is now
bought at the stores, and must be
paid for out of the crop. It will
not require much thinking to prophecy
what will be the final result ot such a
course. IJ; is urged that the repeal of the
lien law would bring people to their senses,
and force them to adopt a diversified sys
tem of farming more in common with pro
gress and good hard common sense. The
press has done its duty, and it only re
mains for the people to heed the warnings
before it is too late.
Immigration.
South Carolina is inaugurating a plan for
the encouragement of immigration and, as
a result, many immigrants have already
been introduced, and so far have given
satisfaction. The necessity of looking else
where for house servants has been forced
upon our people by the attitude of the col
ored laborers in many of the small towns
and villages; in several the cooks and wash
erwomen are leagued not to hire, except at
high wages. The advent of immigrants
will put an end to all this, as well as solve
our political problem, because there is in
finitely more development among them in
tellectually,'financially and morally, than in
that of the negro. The one with a
spirit imbued with the principles of
liberty will aid in developing the
country; the other, at best a sullen
laborer, with no politics but color and
spoils; and even with education is
practically a hindrance rather than an aux
iliary to our progress.
The temperance movement is still on the
increase in South Carolina'. It is now
suming an organized force, and is making
its influence felt; heretofore it was every
body’s business to see that the laws upon
this subject were not infringed upon, which
was tantamount to nobody’s business. The
temperance movement now proposes, to
keep an espionage upon the law breakers,
and hope to influence by the force of public '
opinion the enactment of a prohibitory law.
The question whether such a law will ac- 1
complish what is claimed for it, is doubtful. '
The experience of other places is that where '
bar rooms are closed, private drinking is 1
increased, and as a substitute drinkers re
sort to narcotic stimulants. Intemperance is 1
a great evil, and we are in favor of any plan
that promises to stop the evil effects. The 1
church, we fear, is too lax in regard to the 1
evil among its membership, yet we must '
look to it and to a sound, healthy public 1
opinion to exert an influence before any '
great improvement can be expected. The
act passed by the last Legislature was a J
good one, and a long stride in advance of
what had been done heretofore. 1
i
■ Railroads. ’
The railroad excitement is still lively in i
our county, and if all the projected roads <
are built, we will at least have a good chance <
for becoming a rich and prosperous county. 1
The very fact that there is such a desire for >
their construction is proof that the people 1
think they need them. Men arg not apt to i
spend their money upon a barren idea.- A t
reaction, however, may be expected, when
there will be a fierce warfare for the “survi- 1
val of the fittest.” The building of rail- i
roads in connection with that of cotton sac- i
tories is a good sign that we arc waking up, 1
and that the South . has capabilities not t
dreamed of by our Northern friends. Sue- 1
cess to all such enterprises. 1
Newspapers.
f
Our county is emphatically a reading (
county, for we have three secular dnd -one t
religious paper. The Saluda Argus, of j
Greenwood, is the latest candidate for popu- (
lar favor. It is-a sprightly, newsy and read- E
able paper, and well printed. Its issues, up j
to this time, are unexceptionable, and do t
great credit to Hogan, who runs the ma- ]
chine. Ouf county papers will compare f
favorably with those of any other in the c
ability of their editorials and in giving the j
latest news. c
Court.
Judge Hudson will preside at our next j
Court, and Mr. E. B. Gary, ol the Abbe- g
ville bar, will, it is believed, appear as So- E
licitor, in the place of I. S. Cothran, ap- t
pointed Judge to fill the vacancy caused 5
by the death of Judge Thompson. Our (
people are delighted at the appointment of a
Judge Cothran, and predict that he will f
add lustre to the Bench. Mr. Gary, who is f
supported for the office of Solicitor by the (
Abbeville bar, is a young man who has
risen very rapidly in his profession, and we (
shall be greatly disappointed if he does not f
show that he is master of the situation and ,
worthily fill the place, and make a good ,
officer. (
Although Col. Cothran was one of the 1
best Solicitors in the State, it does not fol- {
low that others cannot be found who will .
fill the position with equal ability. There ]
is truth in the old motto: "What one man E
has done some other man can do." (
Yours truly, 8. S. s
~ — “ <
RAILROAD RUMBLINGS, 1
As Heard From New Routes in Alabama. )
<
[Columbus Enquirer. 1
The Columbus and Western (formerly Sa
vannah and Memphis) is on the move. In
structions were given, as stated by the Tal
ladega Reporter, early last week to the chief
engineer of that road to proceed immediate
ly to survey the route from Good water to
cross the Coosa a little above old Fort Wil
liams, so as to connect with the Shelby Iron
Works Road, which has been extended down
nearly to the Coosa. This will give them
fourteen or fifteen miles of graded road
from there to Columbiana, where they will
cross the Selma, Rome and Dalton Railroad,
thence to Siluria, where they cross the
South and North; thence to Jonesboro,
where they cross the Alabima and Chatta
nooga Road; thence direct to Lost Creek, in
Walker county; thence to deep water on the
Tennessee at or below Tuscumbia. Such,
we are informed, is the general line to be
surveyed. The work of survey has already
begun.
Another account js that the road will take
nearly an airline ffotn Goodwater to Rrier
field or Ashby station, and thence through
the Cahaba and Warrior coal fields, passing
below Syllaoogga and Shelby Iron Works.
The lYoy Enquirer says the certainty of
the extension of the Brunswick and Albany
Railroad to Montgomery is assured. On an
air line this road would run a few miles
below Eufaula, and join the Montgomery
and Eufaula at Unioa Springs, or run par
allel to it as far as Montgomery; but it is
understood that under the ch’arter granted
the Montgomery and Eufaula no railroad
can run parallel to it withjn six miles. Tphis
will necessitate the rqqte of the Brunswick
and Albany being changed, and it is very
probable that it will cross the Chattahoochee
at Fort Gaines, and pass near Clayton and
through Troy to Montgomery. It. is the
impression of those who ought to know that
the latter route will be adopted, and that
the survey of the road will commence within
ninety days. Such a consummation would
be of incalculable benefit to this cjty, and
■the prospects of its realization are decidedly
promising.
South Alabama is on a boom with pros
pective railroads. The Pensacola and Chat
tahoochee Railroad is being surveyed, and
will undoubtedly be built without delay.
The Brunswick and Albany will also be in
course of location and survey in a few
weeks. The Montgomery Southern narrow
gauge is under contract for ten miles of its
route. The Troy and Elba narrow gauge
will have a corps of engineers on it within
sixty days. The Greenville, Elba and Ge
neva is ip the prospective, without definite
plans or expectations, but may develop
more rapidly than is at present contem
plated. The outlook for the rapid develop
ment of this section is certainly very flatten
ing.
The survey of the route of the Pensacola
and Atlantic Railroad is progressing rapid
ly. A corps of engineers were at Geneva
last Tuesday and expect to have Hie survey
completed to Chattahoochee byrtfi o 15th of
June. The road is expected toTie completed
by the'first of January; 1883. It is under
stood that it will be located on the Alabama
and Florida line, or trithin five> miles of it,
for two-thirds of the distance. Geneva will
be on the route., *
THE BfiAR SWAMP DISASTER.
Father Detail* of the Rallmd Di***ter
e, Hew Jerwy-Two Killed and* Dozen
Jared;
(By Telegjapb *o" the Chronicle.)
I'RKaox; May 31.-A serious acci
dent occurred on the Pennsylvania Rail
road, at Bear Swamp, about four miles from
this city, yesterday. A train, consisting of
the engine, baggage car, a PuUmon ea» and
three other care, <hioh left York at
3:k5, p. m., running at fulj speed, ran into
an open switch: The Pullman car djd not
leave the track, and no person in jt was
injured. Three other cars left the track and
one was completely turned over. August
Bitter, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Lucretia
Pennington, of New York, were killed, and
a dozen others wounded,
i T7TOSTTNCT JRIStTI'
AFFAIRS AT THE STATE CAPITAL.
Carnival of Cash—Col. Seller* Cock of
the Walk—Atlanta Buoyant ' and
Optimism Rampant—Health Question
and Social Phases—A Live Music House.
[Correspondence Chronicle and Constitutionalist]
Atlanta, May 30, 1881.—The public
pulse has latterly been kept so much un
der sensational and electric influences that
ordinary matter must fail to evoke any
signs of interest. We have been stunned
by the many and startling pictures daily
presented by the magic lantern of the
bonanza company, in which millions upon
millions dazzle the eye of the simple mind
ed spectator, that it has almost unfitted us
for the hum-drum duties of common mor
tality. We find it impossible to get out of
the dream-land of speculation. Col. Sel
lers seems to have taken possession of
: the press and the universal conti
nent is at his feet, with the right
of way secured, and capital subscribed
for an air line or so to Calchos and the
Golden Fleece. The man who is not in
some big railroad or other grand stock job
is a small fellow and slinks back into his
little corner of obscurity with a depress
ing consciousness of his 'utter insignifi
cance. There seems to be an imposing
carnival in progress, with overflowing
promises of a perpetual series of splendors
in the grand combinations of the perform
ers, who seem somehow to have all the fun
to themselves. The spectators lookon-with
dazed wonder, meekly asking, perhaps,is all
this real, or is it but the phantasmagoria of
Col. Seller's magic lantern ?
Atlanta is happy, for she is the central
figure of the show. Colonel Cole
has been here and. amidst the fes
tive scene of the banquet, received
the homage of our citizens in a general
love feast and genial flow of post-prandial
oratory; but all that has happened, or just
about to transpire, is a mere bagatelle to
what we are to realize in the near future.
Mr. Grady, who seems to be master of cere
monies, with his incomparably fascinating
pen, keeps the public in a chronic fever of
delightful anticipation. We seize the Con
stitution as early as we can procure it every
morning, in the full assurance of some new
phase ot the situation, some still more gor
geous feature, sketched possibly in myste
rious nebulous outline, if not boldly pre
sented in the unquestionable lines of well
defined and irresistible fact. The optimists
have the floor. We give it to them cheer
fully and wish them success, with the hope
that they may not abuse ths privilege, for
all desire to see the country crowned with
a signal prosperity.
The recent report of alarming sickness
here, to the detriment of the city, has hurt
the amour propre of our. people very much,
but will stimulate the authorities and Board
of Health, it is hoped, to renewed vigilance
in all that pertains to the hygeian welfare,
the noted salubrity of the climate and
unique situation has too long been the main
reliance for health, with a comparative in
difference to other essefitial conditions, with
a rapidly increasing population, coming
into daily contact with hundreds of strang
ers, either visiting or passing through the
city. In the present case the cause was ex
aggerated, creating infinitely more comment
abroad than here, where it scarcely became
even generally known, much less a subject
of genera' anxiety. But it will serve to re
mind us that even Atlanta is vulnerable.
There is no abatement in the spirit of
architectural growth and improvement.—
Building material is in steady demand ;
masons and carpenters have plenty to do,
and new territory sells rapidly for fresh oc
cupancy. Accessions of neiv men with
money ocuur so often as to excite no special
comment, and faith in a glorious future is
the chief article in the municipal creed. We
are to have a new street railway line, one of
the largest stockholders being Mr. Nelson,
of the firm of Nelson, Barker & Co., who
subscribed after only two weeks’ residence.
This firm handle and control a large
amount of Northern capital, and having
only a few months ago transferred their
office from lowa, where their operations
were large for many years, are now lending
money freely on five years’ time, secured
by desirable property. They are also buying
real , estate here, and propose to identify
their interests with Georgia for the future.
There has been talk of a club among the
leading mercantile men, but I think the
move somewhat premature. There is not,
as yet, sufficient social cohesion in a popu
lation so cosmopolitan to insure .success to
an institution which belongs to a more set- '
tied state of sympathetic influences. Hospi- 1
tality, as yet, has scarcely been admitted to '
the full dignity of citizenship, and it would 1
seem that this ought to be a sort of condi- '
tion precedent to the organization alluded '
to, as indicating a social city pride. Still, '
if it can be shown that it will likely re- ’
dound to any good, financially, the neces- .
sary impetus will be imparted to the en
terprise and the funds to sustain it forth- 1
coming. Atlanta does not fail in big things.
It is in whiit .are apparently small things i
that she refuses to take stock. She is good
on a monster fair, 05 she can fill rfn opera
house at premium prices when a Bernhardt
or a Salvini is on the bill, bnt for anything '
less glorious, she finds le jeu ne vant pas
le chandel. We do have innumerable little :
side shows, however, dime entertainments,
and small fairs for charitable objects, where ‘
the labor is great in proportion to the har- '
vest, the burden of which falls upon the
dear ladies as usual. These are not without '
advantage even if the primary object fail,,
for they seem to be the chief ‘means of as- .
sembling the gentler part of the people, and
encouraging sociability among many who ,
would remain strangers to ahch Other. In ,
connection with the enjoyable occasions,
fresh in memory, I am inspired to pay a
passing tribute to the Estey Organ Company,
whose complimentary musical evenings on
every Tuesday night, for the last three
months, have proven one of the most i
charming features of the season. This :
great house has its Southern headquarters
here, under the management of C. M'. Cady,
and has already obtained a strong hold up
on the confidence of the people all over this
section. Certainly the music lovers of this '
city are indebted to the enterprising gentle
men in charge for many delightful evenings,
their complimentary invitations being hap
pily distributed throughout the community
freely and in no exclusive spirit. The
large hall of the company, with an array of .
elegant specimens of musical instruments op
either side and in front, is arranged to com
fortably seat about two .hundred persons.
The programme is always a good one. Be
sides the energetic ana obliging manager,
Mr. Cady, with his strong baritone voice,
his admirable, young daughter. Miss Sallie
Cady, whose light, airy soprano never toils
to inspire and win the applause of her au
dience, and the nolished artist, Mr. Samuel
Bradley, organist of St. Phillip’s Church, .
and associated with this company, much of :
the musical talent qf the city has been free- :
ly drawn upon to make up the charming
bill of tore for each evening. The result '
has been a great success in character and
variety of the harmony, and the surprise
has been expressed at the ample evidence of
musical resources in the city. New names
have appeared on every programme -the
last being the fifteenth of the season, and
the supply is apparently inexhaustible. We
are thus placed under additional obliga
tion to this live house in making known to
the public, in such a pleasant manner, how
rich Atlanta is in musical people, who have
come from all quarters of the compos and
staked their fortunes upon the future of
the Gate City. Elmobj:.
THE IRISH QUESTION. ’•
Opinion* ot Vnrlon* British Journal* Qn
the Sabject.
(By Cable to the Chronicle,)
Lonpon, June I.—The Landon corres
pondent ot the Edinburgh Scotsman says
the statements that at a meeting of the Cab- '
inet, on Saturday last, a proposal was made 1
to suspend all public meetings in Ireland 1
for six months and to suppress the Land 1
League, are unfounded.
The Manchester Guardian's London cor- •
respondent says it is pot ip the leqst likely •
that the Government have detennined tt> '
deal with the Land as an illegal or- 1
ganization, but it is understood that com- ]
munioations have passed since the arrival j
in Dublin of Mr. Forster, Chief Secretary ‘
for Ireland, which go to show that the Gov- 1
emment are determined not to delay using f
their powers under the Coercion act to c
crush intimidation.
The Times, editorially, cqmmeuw upon t
the effect upon Irish Iqauezs cJ the rumored I
intention of the Government to adopt c
measures for abating the terrorism of the t
Land League, and expresses the view that 1
debate in the House of Commons on c
Mitchell Henry’s motion of privilege (in ”
reference to Mr. Egan’s letter f
Messrs. Paurr and McCan), js so be record- ’
ed as the turning point In the Irish qties- ’
tio,p. _ _ «
pNCLE SAM’S BALANCE ?
Debt Statement I*«aed ye*terday, Show- ?
iWg CqpUHlon of fttatlonal Finance*. «
(By Telegraph to tfeo Chronicle.) t
Washington, June I.—The debt state
tnent issued to-day shows the decrease of ®
the public debt during the month of May to 1
be $11,150,721 87; cash in the Treasury, c
1236,496.088 18; gold certificates, $5,- «
919,600 00; silver certificates, $50,773,-' f
250 00; certificates of deposit outstanding, J
$10,860,000 00; refunding vertitfeatee, c
$694,850 00; Iggal tenders outstanding, c
- 0
debqsince June 30,1880, $889,250,323 83; d
sash balance available, $155,161,896 54. 8
' c
Riot nt * Tenn***’ Land Sale. °
(By Cable to the Chronicle.)
Clonmel, May 31. —There wae a riot to- i
day at a public sale of the tenants’ interests c
in twenty-one farms. Most of the farms u
were knocked down to the Emergency s
Clammittee. The mob stoned the police ii
ind soldiery. The police charged once r
md the hussars three times, using the flats z
as their sabres. One soldier, one policeman t
md some civilians were_ injured. ti
$2 A YEAR™POSTAGE PAID.
MALTLIQUORS.
THE DEMAND RAPIDLY ON THE IN
CREASE.
It* Advantage* Over Alcoholic Stimu
lants— Spe*cl» ot Frederick L»nr, Esq.,
President of the Brewers’ Association.
Gentlemen—We have met in the great
•nd prosperous city of Chicago —a city
which, for enterprise, thrift and unconquer
able energy, is to-day the wonder of the
world -for the purpose of taking into con
sideration matters which seriously affect the
business interests we represent. Within a
quite recent period the so-called temperance
reformers have manifested unusual activity,
and in their crusade against alcoholic
liquors, have also vowed death and destruc
tion to our great national beverages—beer
and ale. In State Legislatures and in pub
lic assemblies these agitators have been in
sidiously gaining power, and have shown
their determination to stop at nothing short
of measures which, if accomplished, will
work the ruin of one of the most important
industries of the country, in which millions
of capital are invested and thousands of
men employed. There is a class of people
in this country who, blinded by tonatacism
and actuated by bitter prejudice, would
crush out of existence, if they could, an in
dustry which is destined to do more for the
cause of true temperance than can ever be
accomplished by legislation which is both
despotic and impracticable, and therefore
radically wrong. Sumptuary and pro
hibitory laws have always toiled of their
purpose, and resulted only in the increase
of drunkenness and crime. The great mass
of mankind will not be deprived of the
stimulating beverages to which they have
been accustomed, and the desire for which
is implanted in our very nature. It is a fact
which has often been asserted, and which
all history proves beyond contradiction,
that In all countries and in every age man
kind have used stimulating beverages, and
it may therefore be assumed that they will
continue to be used as long as this world
endures. The human system requires a
stimulant, and when the amount produced
by the digestion of food is insufficient, the
desire for an additional supply is both ra
tional and natural. This desire may be
regulated as the laws of health dictate, but
it can never be eradicated by legislation.
How shall this craving of nature be appeas
ed and guarded against in excess and abuse ?
The only rational answer is, by encouraging
the use of a mild, innocent, but nutritious
and strengthening beverage, instead of the
fiery alcoholic stimulants which, when
habitually used as a drink, are so hurtful
in their effects. In this respect the brewers
of the country have proved themselves the
benefactors of their race. Beer, our pure
and wholesome beverage, containing all
the health-giving properties of malt and
hops, is rapidly superceding the use of
spirituous drinks. The demand for malt li
quors has increased rapidly, and is now
four times greater than it was ten years ago,
showing that the people of this country are
educated to the substitution of harmless
beer for the poisonous compounds that are
sold under the name of spirits.
To aid in this real reform, Congress
should enact the most liberal laws in favor
of the brewers, and the several States should
endeavor to foster, and not destroy the in
dustry in which we are engaged. The most
fair minded advocates of temperance admit
that total abstinence cannot be enforced,
and some of them are convinced that the
only cure for drunkenness is the substitu
tion of malt liquors for alcoholic drinks.
We have the testimony of physicians that
malt liquors, when judiciously used, are
promotive of health and strength, especially
to those . who are not robust. They are
tonic, and gently stimulating to digestion.
Dr. Parkes, an eminent physician, who is a
strong opponent of the' use of distilled
liquors, says: “For the large class of peo
ple who live on the confines of health,
whose digestion is feeble, circulation lan
guid, and nervous system too excitable,
mild wines and malt liquors are benefi
cial.”
In this great, free country, there should
be erased from the statute books of the
States whatever taws have been passed to
curtail and repress individual freedom.
The United -States of America are looked
upon as the centre of progress. We havq
astonished the world by our inventions.
and improvements in. steam, railroads, tel
egraphing, the telephone, the electric light
and every branch • of scientific discovery'
and the mechanic arts. But while thus
taking the lead in the march of progress, .
our misguided moral reformers are taking
retrograde steps by adopting the princi
ples of Mahomet, as they were promulga
ted six hundred years after the wordly ca
reer of that greatest of all Teachers, who '
“spake as never man spake,” and they
are now endeavoring to accomplish, by
weapons as destructive as fire and sword, 1
what they have toiled to effect in any oth- 1
er way, and are also destined to toil by
these means. As the first Mahomet arose
in the east of Europe, so arose Mahomet
No. 2, Neal Dow, the American prophet,
in the east of the United States. With <
men of his stain >to promulgate the fanati
cal ideas, born of a spirit of despotism,
what do we ; behold! Must we not turn
away with shame from such pictures as have
been, presented in this country to the down I
trodden and oppressed inhabitants of Eu
rope, who would gladly seek refuge on our
shores were they not aware that in the Uni- 1
ted States, which claims to be “the land of
the free and the home of the* brave,'’ .there 1
exists a species of despotism to a greater '
extent than in the countries ruled by kings
or emperors. Who ever heard of enforced
prohibition in any monarohial country in
Europe, or tyrannical edicts regulating the
food and drink of its inhabitants? And yet
we have but to turn to the United States,
and here,we find not*Duly prohibitory laws -
•f the juost stringent nature, like thfi? oY-
Maine, but actual constitutional provisions,
against the product and sale of all liquors, 1
which not only robs the citizen .’of his
liberty, but strikes a death blow to a large :
■and (vroductive branch off industry and I
destroys the value of the property invested
there n, without thought of making com- ‘
pension therefor;, and all this to gratify
the blind, intemperate zeal ahd vengeance I
of intractable reformers'who would enforce '
their own toise and impossible standard of :
morals upon the whole people, in violation 1
of the very fundamental rights of man.
Look at Kansas, .where even the Use of
wine at 4he communion- table- ia made a
•misdemeanor/and lowa, about to become a
witness of the same wrong. Virginia had a 1
ridiculous “hell-punch'’ law, a vestige of 1
barbarism, to harass and annoy her business 1
men, but a sober second thought 'secured 1
its repeal. Nebraska is trying prohibition |
by excessive penalties, odious to every de- 1
cent, free born «citizen, and fit only to be 1
applied to the worst and irreclaimable i
.criminals and outlaws. was about :
to follow in the footsteps- of Kama's, but I
fortunately vrwer counsels have prevailed. '
In my o.wp State, Pennsylvania, a eopati- 1
tutional prohibition, as radical as that of <
Kansas, has passed the popular branch of '
our legislature, by a considerable majority, ,
and has bpen favorably reported in the Sen
ate. In Alabama, prohibitory legislation is
in agitation. North Carolina has acted
wisely by submitting the question tff a vote <
of the people, and' has at the same time
provided for non-interference gp_ regards
wine and cider, and wait wine or -the wine ’
of malt, meaning heey. The State Agri
cultundSociety of South CarcdinnW worn-.
mended the encouragement as the product
of wine.and ffiaU liqucwi. <
Now, if the South acts wisely, her beauti
ful lands and genial climate will attract
thither hosts of emigrants, who will de- 1
velop her'vast resources, and that i
country th6 paradise of America, fler soil
and climate, so well adapted to. the cukiva- <
tion of all the a&,d most delicate varie- ‘
ties of the smpes of Spain, Portugal, and
the 6oqOi of France, may eventually become
the. coQtrayer of the wine trade of the world.
No section of the United States holds out 1
bdtfer inducements to German immigrants
and if these industrious people of'the old
world can be assured ttjat they may found
here free homes, and that they will he nn
trammeled in the exercise ttf their personal t
rights, we may expect an increased immi- „
W Shotes, and the building up ’
of the South With a Sturdy population. *
And qqw, <xu&ing to the point, have
these total abstinence reformers accom- I
plished any good ? I most emphatically 8
deny that they have, but, on the oopivavy. £
their extreme measures have bnei the pro- J
moting cause of licentiousness and crime, d
of broken laws, ot *psery and degradation.
The finaqta of crime a darker record <
forth? prohibitory States, than those in &
which liberal license laws pzevail. In the
former we find family brojta, disputes and 8
separations, resulting in divorces, mental h
wreolte and insanity. The New York Her
ald, of a, recent date contained the follow- g
ing editorial m regaxLfo divorces in the o
New Englund State*, where total abeti- d
eftte And fanaticism have for many years
had their home; <> From a number of ®
unpleasant facts collected by Bev. Samuel
W. Dike, of Vermont, and embodied in 8
a J Monday Lecture ’ at Boston, New Egg- ”
land appears to be far beyond, 'tfeo sewer
countries in regard to that threat- o
en the sanctity and influence of the
family ration. ‘ Divorce, which is charac- u
terited by the preacher as particularly • a
Connecticut institution, is becoming more F
common in New England aa the years go b
on, until the ratio, fa proportion to popula
tion, is tian that of France in the 8 '
days of the revolution. Loose laws are a
sometimes charged with the afarming in- tl
crease of divorce in the past quarter of a
century, yet Mr, Dike says that in New
Hamphiie, where the law has beenxhauged
but little <fn a century, the increase is as
marked as elsewhere. No? does the great
influx of foreigners of low extraction ao
oount for the change far the wtnrse, far p
nearly all the parties are natives. The vice x
seems to foltaw the race, or be named by h
it, forthe Western Reserve, in Ohio, 0010- si
nized mainly from Connecticut, - records n
nearly twice as many divorces. in propor- n
tion to population as does the remainder of t’
the State; in one of the counties, said to be ii
1
the banner county of the Union, divorcee
are to marriages as fourteeen to one bun
. dred.” This shameful state of affairs
. is not chargeable to adultery, only '
about a quarter of the complaints being
. brought for that extreme cause ; neither
, does it arise from the incompatibility of in-
tense intellectual natures that are supposed
to be so numerous in New England. Most
t of the parties to divorces in these States
j make but slight claim to intelligence or
religion; and the complaints are generally
of cruelty or desertion. The moral of all
3 this is that the New England people are at
- fault in regard to their temperance .laws;
, that instead of tolerating the use of beer
k they indulge too much in whisky drinking
in secret, behind the doors, and that more
’ homes are ruined through this blighting
, cause than from any other. A sermon by
j the Rev. James H. Nutting, on last Thanks
giving day, shows plainly that divorces are
principally among the “cold water” popu
lation; as wines and malt liquors are sooth
• iuß> pacifying and beneficial to humanity.
Hence it was that the Saviour, who went
, about doing good, turned water into wine
; to sanctify the marriage feast in Cana, of
. Galilee, and that the Apostles never forbade
, the use of it. It is a great pity that the
i once noble and pious Ptfritan stock has de
: generated and almost died out, on account
i of the miserable prohibitory ideas of their
descendants.
Rev. Dr. Howard Orosby, a prominent
member of the Presbyterian Church, iu a
lecture delivered in Tremont Temple, Bos
ton, on the 10th of January last, shewed
conclusively why rational and reflecting
people will not endorse the plan of prohibi
tion. In summing up his remarks, he says:
‘•The right system must be one that recog
nizes practically the difference between ex
cess and moderation, and the difference be
tween injurious and harmless drinks, and
that will appeal to the common sense of rea- •
sonable and thinking men. It must be a
system that deals honestly with history,
science and Scripture, and does not invent
theories and then support them by garbled
quotations and imaginary facte. It must ba
a manly system, that has no cant or foolery
of orders and ribbons, degrading a matter
of high principle to the hocus-pocus of a
child’s play. Such a system would be found
in the exclusion of distilled liquor from com
mon use as a beverage, both by public
opinion and by law, and the wise regula
tion in society and in the State of the
use of vinous and malt liquors. The
wild radicalism of the teetotalers is just
what the rumsellers and their advocates
enjoy. They know that this absurd ex
travagance disintegrates the army of order
and renders it powerless; that so long.as
temperance is made to mean 'total absti
nence from anything that can intoxicate,’
the great multitude of order-loving men
will shrink from joining any temperance
movement. We should act with an even
mind on Ho grave a subject, and see to it
that every step we take is solidly founded
on right reason. We should urge before our
Legislature plans that are free from the
taint of crude prejudice and instinct W»th
practical wisdom; and when we do this we
shall be surpriseed to see how many, wfiom
we took to be enemies, there are who are
ready to join us in the work, and establish
foundations of order and peace in the land,
that shall save us from a moral slough."
■
BURKE COURT.
Case* Tried *t the Last Term—CrlminMe
Convicted.
After a laborious session of nearly two
weeks, the Superior Court adjourned at
Waynesboro last Friday nigljt. Judge
Snead, notwithstanding 3 temporary ill
ness, made -a strong effort to dispatch busi
ness, and heli Court repeatedly at night,
and sometimes until after midnight.
Several felonies were tried, and convic
tions were obtained ~in every case where a
verdict was reached. Solicitor-j General
Wright is a popular officer., The following
extract from the general presentments of
the grand jury speaks for itself. After com
plimenting his Honor Judge Snead, tjiey
use the following language in regard to Mr.
Wright: "We can but reiterate the glowing
tribute already paid by the other grand
juries of the Circuit to Boykin Wright, Esq.,
our new Solicitor, and are assured from the
able, zealous and courteous manner in
which he has commenced his. official career
in this county, and that neither the delay
nor the denial of justice will ever be found
in his office. Either is a.ourse to.good gov
ernment, and neither can occur with oom
petent and conscientious officers in its ju
dicial department.”
The presentments of the grand jury re
flect credit on that body. Among its num
bers w£re gentlemen of high standing and
intelligence. Mr. Francis A. Jones presided
with efficiency as foreman. It recommend*
the passage of a law prohibiting liquor traf
fic in the county, and very urgently re
quests the -imposition of a tax on dogs of
one dollar per head, to go to the educational
fund.
This last recommendation, strange to say,
meets the general approval of the colored '
population. Notwithstanding the abun
dance of dogs kept up by the negroes, they
manifest a commendable desire for the ed
ucation of their children, and are willing to
undergo many sacrifices to this end.
The most important criminal case tried at
this term was that of Paul Lawson, charged
with the murder of Lucinda Miller,- in
March last. The testimony developed a
case of unusual atrocity.
Several negroes were gathered by the fire
side of a small cabin in the night time. The
tenants of the cabin were two sisters. The
fire had gone out and the room was in dark
ness. The. door stood ajar. One of the
wdmen, actuated by what seemed an inde
finable fear, begged them to shut it. A
piece of lightwood was thrown on the fire.
It suddenly blazed up. In a m ment a shot
•was,heard through the wall, near the five
place, and all again was darkness. Lucinda
Miller, one of the women, fell heavily, with
out a gVoan, her head and jaw torn to pieces
by a load of buckshot, and her brains 00*- .
ing out on the floor. All fled but her sister.
Soon after, the grout d in the neighborhood
was examined by parties who came upon
the peene, and behind the chimney were
discovered the footprints of the murderer.
Suspicion fixed upon Paul Lawson. He
had induced thitf woman to live with him”
for a time, under the idea that he would
obtain a divorce from his wife; she had left
him on account of his cruel treatment, and
he followed her up with threats. Just pre
vious to the killing he had threatened her
life to others, and had bought powder and
shot. His shoes corresponded with the
tracks behind the cabin. He was arrested,.
and, in charge of negroes, rode upon the
coffin of the murdered woman to
grave. According to a superstition among <
them, the negroes present approached--
the bedy, one by . ose, and touched *
it, expecting some sign from the corpse to
indicate the murderer. Lawson rec-oiled in
terror and refused to touch the body..
This, however, wte excluded from the
testimony, though evidence of a confession
on another occasion was permitted' to go to
the jury. After an abJA defense by Messrs.
Jop.es, Perry and Lawson, the prisoner was'
found guilty, with a recommendation of
life imprisonment in the penitentiary, the
recommendation being based upon the cir
cumstantial character of the evidence.
Among, the civil oases of importance tried ‘
was thak of Jefferson Brinson vs. the Cen
tral Railroad and Banking Company, in
which a verdict was rendered against the
railroad of $12,500. The case was once
before tried and a verdict Obtained of $lO,-
000. The plaintiff was represented by
Messrs. Rodgers, Gibson A Brandt and
Brinson, the defendant by Gen. A. R. Law
son and Col. J. J. Jones. A motion for a
new trial is pending.
The citizens of Burke have good reason
to be satisfied with the prompt disposition
of business at this term.
THE KINS FACTORY.
Meeting or Corporators The Charter
’ Adopted—. The Capital Fixed at One -
Million Dollars.
Pursuant to call, a meeting of the corpora- '
tors of the King Manufacturing Company /
was held yesterday,'at 12 o’clock, at the
Augusta Factory office.
Present—Messrs. W. B. Young, H. B. ->
King, P. L. Cohen, Chas. Estes, X U. Jack
son, Patrick Walsh, Thos. G. Barrett, M. P. Ji
Stovall, B. 8. Dunbar, G. M. Thew, Wm. E. *• -
Jackson, J. O. Mathewson, Eugene F. Ver- X
Mr. Wm. E. Jackson was called to the'. ■ •
Chair, and Mr. P. L. Cohen was requested *
to act as Secretary.
The Chairman said it was not necessary. 1»
state the object of the meeting, as it was
known to all. .-/fr '»>•
Mr. J. P. Verdery read the charter, fer •
granted by the Superior Court. It’ is ex
ceedingly liberal and the company starts nn
der the very, best auspices. . .
The charter as read was unanimously so- '
cepted.
Messrs. Charles Estes, J. P. Verdery, B.
8. Dunbar, P. L. Cohen and J. U. Jackson
were appoinnted a Committee on Subscrip
tion, with authority to ask the assistance of
others.
Ou motion of Mr. Walsh, Judge King was
unanimously elected temporary President
md Mr. Charles Estes temporary Vice-
President. Mr. J. P. Verdery was elected
temporary Secretary.
On motion of Mr. H. B. King, the capital
itock was fixed at one million dollars. The
jompany has /be privilege of' increasing
thia to three millions.
-
Freaeh Sympathisers Vanished.
(By Telegraph to the Chronicle.)
Mabsbuxbs, Jhne I.—The chief partici- •
pators in the demonstration here in favor of
reprieve for the condemned Russian
Nihilist prisoner, Hessy Helfman, have been
sentenced one to three months’ imprison
ment, and 100 francs fine; another to one
month, imprisonment and three others to
two , months, twenty days and eight days’
jhpnzonment, respectively.