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THE SANDER3V4LLE HERALD.
* Epilepsy and Other Brain *
~ Storms ~~
By Prof. Andrew LUilson, of Glasgow
University.
HERE Is no doubt that it is around epilepsy as a centre that
^ i the "brain-storm” idea is to be considered in its most typl-
• r I ^ • cal development. The ailment, in its every nature, suggests
Z R Z the nerve-explosion as its most siRniflcant feature; but in
# ^ ♦ other phases of insanity, or, at least, of disordered brain, the
"storm" may be represented.
jr Let us be clear regarding one point, which is often com-
pletely missed or misconstrued. Epilepsy per se is not it
self an insane state. Many insane persons are epileptic; but
many epileptics, so far from being insane, are persons of a very high order of
intellect indeed. It'is well known that certain historical personages have ex
hibited epileptic symptoms, and the names of Julius Caesar, Mahomet and
Napoleon I. are to be ranked In the category of people who were,, so affected.
The list might be extended to include a vast, number of individuals (Who, so
far from exhibiting any mental defect, show forth the typical cultured men
tality. These are the people In whom the "brain-storm" is to be regarded as
a mere physical incident of no great importance in so far us the normal work
ing and control of their lives are concerned. i
It is different when the ailment becomes associated with definite struc
tural changes In the brain cells. Then'physical degeneration will beget men
tal and functional collapse, and the ease of the epileptic insane falls to be con
sidered by the alienist and expert.
There is a form of epilepsy which our French neighbors term petit mal,
In opposition to the well dettned attack,jknown to them as grand mal. In the
lesser variety of the ailment, a person walking along the street with a friend
will pause for a moment in the middle of a sentence, give a slight shiver or
two, will lose consciousness for that short interval, and will then resume the
sentence where lie broke it off and walk on ;as If nothing had happened. There
could be entertained here no question at all of the sanity of the subject. He
suffers from the,mildest breeze compared with his neighbor wno illustrates
the "brain-storm" in its typical development; none the less, it would be inter
esting ns well as curious to know precisely the attitude 'of the'law toward
such a man, provided he happened to get entangled in its meshes.—Detroit
News-Tribune. i
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Don’t Let Snakes Spoil
Vacation : : :
By W. S. Wallace.
HE only snake which is so dangerous as to merit'extermina
tion is tho one which is least often seen, the copperhead.
This fellow is found only, as a rule, in high, rocky regions,
in thickly grassed uplands or in rocky fields. Rattlesnakes
are seldom numerous and so easily recognized that they
need no further mention. >
The copperhead, which has bright, triangular marks
down its back, and a bright, coppery spot on its head, and
the small eastern ^rattlesnake are the only poisonous snakes
eastern states. There are some twenty different kinds
or blue racer and the rough
In all the
of other snakes, of which the black snake
scale black snake are the largest. The bite of thesesnafies is about as dan
gerous tas a pin-prick. Their teeth are usually about as large as the smallest
capital letter on this printed page.
There are no vipers, adders or asps, no jiolsonous blowing vipers, no
monstrous serpents eighteen to twenty feet long anywhere in our land, as
Shields's Magazine tells us. Do not let the enthusiastic space-map of the
Special County Correspondent terrify you into hysterical cowardice when you
are on your summer vacation. V
There is nowhere in the world a snake with a sting in its tail, nor are
there any snakes whose breath can poison even a fly; or does a snake, mur
dered, live until sunset. Such stories are the vaporings of ignorance apd su
perstition and cause untold barbarity.
The most beautiful bird in the forest never wore a handsomer coat than
our common corn snake does, or that gorgeous creature, the "thunder-and-
lightning” or "chain snake.” Even the lustrous, steely blue of a racer is
beautiful.—New York Sunday World. >
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Safeguards Against Class
* * * Wars * * *
By Dean Vincent, of Chicago University.
AFEGUARDS against hopeless division of this country into
warring and envious classes are to be found, but not by rev
olutionary or leveling methods. The press, and particularly
the daily newspaper press, is a most important agency in
_ the welding of the people of tills nation together. The com-
mon-mindedness of the nation is maintained by this marvel-
ous system for the rapid distribution of ideas. We ought
* *— not to belittle the extraordinary service to national unity
which is accomplished by the press throughout this country.
The political parties, by their platforms, documents, workers and spell-binders,
seek to produce and maintain great areas of common-mindedness from sea
to sea. So long as we can keep both our national parties inclusive enough of
all our fellow-citizens, we have one of the greatest safeguards against that
class struggle which is one of the banes of the older civilizations. While the
churches are stratified by distinctions of social classes, in the 20,000 sermons
that are preached every Sunday there is a tremendous amount of common
thought and consequent like-mindedness, obliterating social and denomina
tional differences. The wheat pit, the theatre, and daily talk, to say nothing
of the Incessant travel, all tend to maintain an astounding measure of com
mon thought and feeling.
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The Common Man the )
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Republics Mainstay
By Governor Davidson,
of Wisconsin.
ROPER laws are possible of enactment by legislative bodies
only when the people awaken to a genuine realization of
their surroundings and attack greed and discrimination with
out thought of personal favor or gain. These much-sought
ends will not come from themselves nor from the efforts of
a few. Great leaders are necessary to point the way,
but the final protection of our institutions rests upon the
common man. Here is the place for thought and individu
ality. The more direct and sincere his participation in gov
ernment, the nearer do we approach a realization of a government by and of
the people. Each person has a duty to perform. Upon all of us rests the duty
to preserve the state. As we think individually, so do we act in a body. Good
government springs from the common man, and unless a high moral regard
the duties of citizenship distinguishes this fountain head of our law, you
■ rest assured that our institutions will be treated with apathy and disdain
slowly, but effectively, private interests will displace public good.
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BHSFStS
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Georgia Briefs
Items of State Interest Culled
From Random Sources.
Banks Ready to Ship Currency.
Advices have been received by banks
in Atlanta, which indicate that the
banks of New York and other cities
are now in readiness to commence
shipments of currency again. Banks
In Augusta received similar notice and
the same is true with other cities in
Georgia.
Corporations Out of Business.
According to the annual report of
Secretary of State Philip Gook, now in
course of preparation, 182 corporations
went out of business in Georgia during
1907. These were mostly small con
cerns, many of them working on the
co-operative plan. Of this number fifty-
eight were in Atlanta, sixteen In Chat
ham county, six in Richmond and five
in Bibb.
What Corporations Pay to State.
Public utility corporations have paid
the state in taxes for 1907 a total of
more than $(115,000,which is the amount
the state receives 5 mills' on total
assesments of $123,000,UUO. This is
about, $165,000 more than they paid the
state for 1906, last year’s assessments
having been considerably increased.
Of the 1907 taxe3 more than $475,-
000 was paid by the steam railroads.
Locker License Prohibitory.
There will be no locker clubs in Mll-
ledgevllle. At the last meeting of the
city council an ordinance putting the
license tax at $10,000 was passed with
out a dissenting vote. This action of
tho council was in accordance with the
sentiment of the majority of the com
munity and to have the matter thus
decisively settled is more satisfactory
to the club men than to have the
matter up In tho air, as will be the
result in some communities.
Important Question Up.
An interesting question Involving the
Jurisdiction of the railroad commission
in compelling ono telephone company
to conect with the lines of another,
will come up for hearing before that
body on January 24.
The case comes up on a complaint
made by the' Atlanta Telephone and
Telegraph company of Atlanta and the
Georgia Telephone company of Savan
nah against the American Telephone
and Telegraph company, which oper
ates a number of long distance lines
in Georgia.
‘ Sea Island Cotton Receipts.
The receipts of sea Island cotton
In Valdosta so far have been 6,175 bales
again 5,887 for last season. The re
ceipts for last season were the larg
est in the history of tho city, although
the crop in the section was the small
est in six or eight years. It looks now
as if this season’s receipts will be
much greater than last year. Good
grades of tea island are bringing 28
cents per pound, hut a great portion of
the staple Is of a very inferior qual
ity.
Valdosta has for many years been the
largest interior sea island cotton mar
ket in the entire cotton belt.
Fulton’s Tax Record Smashed.
The county and state tax collections
in Fulton county so far have amounted
to $730,000, the largest in its history,
so says Tax Collector tSewart.who does
not explain the increase by the high
er rates alone, but states that the
fact that there are more taxpayers has
much to do with it.
When all the money that is due the
state and county is within the coffers
there will be just $275,000 added to the
already record-breaking total, this sum
.being the amount of taxes yet due. All
of this comes from some 20,000 tax
payers who own property in Fulton
county.
Negro Escapes Gallows.
Lee Holmes, a negro, convicted of
the murder of E. A. Sands, a white
man, in McIntosh county and sentenced
to be hanged January 21, will escape
the gallows. The prison commission,
after careful inquiry into his case, has
recommended commutation to life im
prisonment, and it is believed the gov
ernor will endorse this recommendation
and issue an order accordingly.
According to the evidence at the trial,
Holmes was trying to shoot another ne
gro with whom ho was quarreling, but
instead of hitting the man he was aim
ing at the bullet went in another di
rection and killed Sands, an innocent
party, who was sitting some distance
away on a hale of cotton.
Trains to Run February 15.
Trains will be running into Atlanta
over the Atlanta, Birmingham and At
lantic railroad by February 15, accord
ing to a statement of General Superin
tendent C. B. Wilburn' of that road,
who was in Atlanta a few days ago
for a conference with Vice President
p. S. Arkwrigth.
It had been intended to have trains
in operation over the Atlanta division
sooner, but one delay after another in
terfered with these plans. Everything
is now in good shape and Mr. Wilburn
is confident that the middle of next
month will find regular schedules being
maintained into Atlanta. Through trains
arc now being run via LaGrange far
into Alabama and the construction
forces are steadily marching upon Bir
mingham.
Fist Rate by Southern.
The state railroad commission has
accepted a definite proposition on the
part of President W. W. Finley of the
Southern railroad to put into effect on
April the first the following rates:
A flat 2 1-2 cent rate on all the lines
Df the Southern railroad for intra-state
travel, provided that no charge shall
be required to be less than ten cents.
Two thousand mile books, intra state,
Interchangeable with such of the solv-'
ent roads of the state as will consent,
at 2 cents per mile, good for heads of
firms and employes, not exceeding a
total number of five.
One thousand mile books, lntra-stato
and interchangeable, at 2 cents per
mile limited to one individual and good
only In the hands of the purchaser.
Five hundred mile books at 2 1-4
cents per mile, good for heads of fam
ilies and dependent members thereof,
intra-state and non-interchangeable.
Mr. Finley further proposed ttiat
these rates should be kept in effect
for a period of twelve months, so as
to give a fair trial, with Ko under
standing that the railroad by such trial
waives no. right to relief should the
rates prove to he unjust or confisca
tory. Tills proposal also meets with
the approval of the commission.
Food Inspector on Second Round.
The state pure food inspector is out
on his second tour of the state in
search of adulterated foodstuffs which
he will get a sample of and return
to the state department of chemistry
for analysis and report. The Georgia
pure food law has not neen in effect a
year yet, but good results have already
been made patent. Last fall the in
spector found a great many condiments
which did not measure up to tho pure
food law, and lie discovered adulterated
flour and impure vinegar, which were
reported and the sellers lulled before
the commissioner of agriculture. The
inspector is seeing to it that cotton seed
oil, the well known Southern product,
is sold as a pure article. He is also
watching out to see that cotton seed
meal, which Is recognized ub the best
cattle feed, measures up to the stand
ard desired by the department.
' Money for Vets and Teachers.
Georgia Confederate veterans may
receive their quarterly pensions early
in February, Instead of waiting until
March 1, when the quarterly payments
become due. Georgia teachers proba
bly will receive their back salaries In
a short time.
The state has received much more
money than had been expected, Treas
urer Park having just received more
than $600,000.
The old soldiers formerly wore paid
their pensions annually, hut it has
lately been the custom to pay them
quarterly. It is now believed that, with
the funds the state lias on hand, they
can be paid now instead of waiting
until March 1.
The sum of $235,000 is due the sol
diers and about $600,000 is due the
teachers of the state.
CARTER LOSES FRAUD MONEY.
Through Court Decision Government
Gets Four Hundred Thousand.
Judge Kohlsaat in the United States
circuit court, at Chicago, has rendered a
decision in favor of the government
in the suit of Captain Oberlin M. Car
ter, formerly United States army en
gineer, charged with having defrauded
the United States of $700,000 through
conspiracy with Contractors Greene
and Gay nor.
The court ruled that Carter was not
entitled to the $400,000 in Union Pa
cific registered railroad bonds and oth
er securities traced by the government
to safety deposit vaults and banks in
various parts of the country.
Under the decision the government
will retain these securities and the fa
mous case, which resulted in the con-
viotion of Captain Carter and of Greene
and Gaynor and the Imposing of pen-
tentlary sentences, is brought to a
close.
The funds of Captain Carter, which
tho government claims were proceeds
of Carter's collusion with Greene and
Gaynor are tied up by suits pending in
■the federal courts of New York, New
Jersey, West Virginia, Georgia and Illi
nois. By agreement all of these suits
were consolidated, and tried before
Judge Kohlsaat in the United States
circuit court in Chicago about a year
ago. It is the claim of Carter that the
funds in question were given him by
his father-in-law, the late Robert F.
Westcott, of New York.
TROOPS TO GUARD WAREHOUSES.
Raids of Night Riders Greatly Alarm
Lexington Authorities.
Alarmed by the night riders’ raids
in Bath and Fleming counties, Ken
tucky, the city and county authorities
met in the court house at Lexington
and decided that it was advisable to
ask that troops he stationed in the city
to protect the warehouses against
raids.
GRAFTING UPHELD
In Decision of California
District Court of Appeals,
SCHMITZ DID NO CRIME
Abe Ruef is Also Benefited by Finding
of the Court — "Holding Up” of
’Frisco Restaurant Keepers
Legitimate Business.
The California district court of ap
peals at San Francisco handed down
a decision Thursday setting aside the
judgment In the case of former Mayor
Eugene E. Schmitz, convicted of ex
tortion in the French restaurant case.
Abe Reuf also benefits by tho ruling
of the upper court, for, according to
its decision, he pleaded guilty to an
act that was not an offense against
the laws of the state.
According to the appellate judges, the
compelling of French restaurants to
pay “fee.s" to Abe Rent was not a
crime, even though Rout divided the
fees with the mayor.
After discussing the point tho court,
reversed the judgment against Schmitz
on the ground that no acts constituting
a crime had been proved against him.
Abe Reuf, who pleaded guilty to ex
torting money from the French restau
rants is therefore equally guiltless.
The decision wipes out the Frenctt
restaurant cases and pending charges
of extortion against Schmitz and Reuf
must be dismissed. Both are now en
titled to release on bail. If they obtain
the necessary bondsmen they can re
main at liberty until such time as a
jury finds them guilty on one of the
indictments charging them with receiv
ing bribes from corporations. Owing
to the number of cases against them
tho bail, figured at $10,000 a case,
would reach an enormous figure.
Schmitz and Reuf cannot take ad
vantage of the decision for sixty days.
The prosecution has twenty days in
w hich to ask for a rehearing. Then the
appellate court will have ten days to
consider the application. When that is
done the prosecution will go through
the same procedure in the supreme
court which will take the same length
of time. Consequently Schmitz and
Reuf will still be kept in Jail for two
months at least.
The decision was written by Justice
Cooper. The opinion comments on
Judge Dunne’s ruling, and says ho
erred in admitting hearsay evidence.
"In our opinion,” says Cooper, “the
cross-examination was entirely im
proper, and was not confined to the
matters on which the defendant was
examined in chief.”
They had reference to the answer
Schmitz gave in regard to the pay
ment to him of part of the $5,000 con
tributed by the restaurants.
The attorneys for Schmitz had at the
trial questioned Reuf as to whether
he was testifying in expectation of
immunity. Judge Dunne refused to
permit any of these questions to be
answered, holding that they were not
proper cross-examination.
The appeallate court says:
"These rulings were erroneous and
highly prejudicial to the defendant.”
The decision comments on Rent hav
ing pleaded guilty to the same charges
and then taking the witness stand
against one who had been his friend.
“His conduct,” said the appellate
judges, "was such that under the plain
provisions of the penal code his evi
dence was branded so that the de
fendant could not have been convicted
upon it without corroborative testi
mony.”
It is not an unlawful act, reasons the
court, to threaten to hold up the
licenses of the restaurant keepers, or
actually to do so.
The decision will have the effect
of invalidating the other four indict
ments charging Schmitz, as well as
Reuf with extortion, and renders void
the plea of guilr.y made by Reuf as
the appellate court hefld that no crime
has been committed.
ANOTHER VICTIM OF WRECK.
Wealthy Retired Merchant of Cleve
land, O., Dies in Atlanta Hospital.
The injuries of Alexander Forrester,
a wealthy retired merchant of Cleve
land, Ohio, and a passenger on tho
ill-fated Southern flyer, which was
wrecked near Hiram, Oa., resulted
in his death early Thursday morning
in an Atlanta hospital. The wrecking
of the train left Mr. Forrester with a
dislocated shoulder, a broken apklea.nd
numerous contusions about the body.
HALF OF PARISHES DRY.
Prohibition is Spreading Rapidly Over
State of Louisiana.
Prohibition Is quietly spreading over
the entire state of Louisiana, according
to the official liquor statistics for 1907,
just issued at Baton Rouge. Twenty-
one parishes, comprising nearly half
the state, are completely dry by local
option laws. In two other parishes
high liquor licenses of from $3,000 to
$5,000 have made prohibition an ac
complished fact without laws.
POLITICS ARE BARRED
By Farmers’ Union in Resolution Pass
ed at Memphis Meeting—Financial
and Other Legislation Suggested.
The annual meeting of the Farmers’
Educational and Co-Operative Union,
which convened in Memphis, Tenn.,
Tuesday, adjourned sine die Thursday
night after adopting the following res
olutions:
“That any man holdnig office in the
Farmers’ Union who desires to run for
.any political office, either county, state
or national shall first resign his office
in the Farmers’ Union.
"That any man now holding an office
in the Farmers’ Union and at the same
time holding a political office, shall be
asked to gjve up his political office or
resign his office in the Farmers' Union.
"That we denounce and condemn fu
ture gambling in farm products.
“That we believe in dealing only h<
bona fide contracts.
"That we ask the national congress
to enact such laws as will abolish and
prohibit future gambling in farm prod
ucts.”
The following legislation by congress
was also requested:
A law by which all money shail
be issued by and under the direct
control of the government.
The immediate abolition by congress
of the federal bureau of distribution of
seeds, and the speedy enactment of
laws substantially excluding the pres
ent alien influx by means of an in
creased head tax, a money requirement,
the illiteracy test and other meas
ures.
Congress to extend the parcels post,
increasing the number of pounds to
be carried hi the malls from four to
eleven pounds, and a reduction in
postage from 16 cents to 12 cents per
pound; also the establishment of a
parcels post system on the mall de
livery routes, carrying a special rate
to be charged on packages originating
on rural routes, the rate to be 5 cents
for the first pound, 2 cents for each
additional pound up to eleven pounds.
The establishment of postal savings
bank system as a means of keeping
money at home, aiding the circulation
and guaranteeing for the farmers a
safe depository.
At the Thursday afternoon session
a resolution providing for the estab
lishment of two factories, one east and
one west of tho Mississippi river, for
the manufacture of cotton bagging,
sacks and other wrapping material was
Indorsed.
One delegation from each state In
the cotton growing sections the dele
gates composing a committee will be
instructed to canvass among the mem
bers of the union for funds to push
the work. It will be left to the dis-
tlon of the board of directors as to
where the factories will be located.
STATE WANTS ITS MONEY.
Files Intervention in Affairs of Neal
« Bank Receivership.
The state of Georgia has filed an
Intervention in the affairs of the Neal
bonk receivership, in which it asks
the superior court to order the Central
Bank and Trust corporation, the bank’s
receiver, to pay it the state’s money
which was placed on deposit In -the
bank before it suspended.
The state deposited $204,373.98, ot
which $192,502.90 came from the treas
urer and the balance, $11,871.08, from
the tax collector of DeKalb county.
January thirteenth was set for the
hearing, and the receiver is ordered
to show cause why the intervention
should not be granted.
SUNSET EXPRESS WRECKED.
Woman, Her Baby Son and an Un
known Tramp Killed.
The Sunset Express, southbound, on
the Southern Pacific, running an hour
late, was wrecked Thursday alight at
Rucker, twenty-five miles south of
San Jose, Cal.
Mrs. A. P. Boyd of Portland, Oregon,
and her little son were killed; a tramp
is also reported killed. Eighteen in
jured are being treated in San Jose.
TO INVESTIGATE WRECK .
Gorgia Railroad Commiccicn Send3
Track Walker to Scene Near Hiram.
The Georgia railroad commission of
Georgia is having the wreck at Hiram
on the Southern railroad investigated.
One of the expert track walkers in the
employ of the commission was sent
to the scene of the wreck to make a
minute examinp.tion of the track, the
track bed, the trestle and the bolts
and croSsties.
GEORGIA BUYS GUANO TAGS.
Gives Out Contract for Eight Million
at 30 Cents Per Thousand.
The Georgia state department of ag
riculture has let the contract for fur
nishing fertilizer tags for the current
year, 1908, to the Reyburn Manufactur
ing company of Philadelphia, at 30
cents per 1,000. The next lowest bid
was 41 cents.
The state will pay for tags this year
a total of $2,400, and the number or
dered will be sufficient to tag 800,000
tons of fertilizers.
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