Newspaper Page Text
1 Talks LDith Farmers
J Conducted By C. H. Jordan
♦ Official Organ of Southern ♦
♦ Cotton Growers* Association ♦
’ ’ Tb« Semi-Weekly Journal ia th* offl- < >
• 1 eia’ organ of the Southern Cotton < >
« • Grower* Protective Aasoclatton. the , >
< ► only official paper of that organise- , ,
< > tlon. and hereafter all official com- , ,
< i numicatione of the association's offl- , ,
< » cars, and aU matters pertaining to it* < ,
< > affaire will appear in there column*- ( ,
< , The Journal also invitee members of , ,
, , the aaaoetatton and cotton growers and ( ,
, , fanners generally to use Its column* ( (
, , for the expression of such views and
, , suggests. ni aa may be of interest and
, . value to the agricultural Interests of
, the south
The Journal will devote each week
two columns, as requested by the aa- ' ’
' aociatlon. to a "Cotton Department." ' ’
• • in which will appear the official com- " 1
* * municatlons of the association and ' 1
* 1 such statistical and other information ' 1
’ > aa bears upon the work of the asao- < >
• 1 elation and all matters of Interest to * '
1 > southern cotton growers. < >
TARE ON COTTON.
This is a subject about which there i*
probably less known, by the average far
mer. titan of anything else connected with
his farming operations. Yet it is a matter
of vita! importance to the cotton produc
ers. and one about which every man who
raises cotton for market should be fully
posted. The present system of deducting
six per cent off the weight of a square
hale of cotton, by the spinner, on account
of the weight of the bagging and ties,
defined tn the cotton vocabulary as tare,
has been the direct means of robbing
southern cotton producers out of hun
dreds of millions of dollars within the
past quarter of a century.
The system of robbery by which the
farmers of the south have been so grossly
filched out of their hard-earned dollars in
this department of the cotton business
has been as unjust, unrighteous and illegal
aa the criminal work of the highwayman
on a defenseless individual in the dead
hours of the night. The more deeply in
vestigations are made into this subject
the more glaring becomes the perpetration
of the fraud, and should fittingly rank
alongside of such unlawful dealings as the
sprinkling of salt water on Jute bagging
by the Jute manufacturers to increase its
weight; the average reduction of 5 pounds
tn the weight of cotton per bale by the
buyers of square cotton; and the system
of excessive sampling and stealage to
Which the square bale is subjected during
its circuitous route between the ginner
and the spinner. The manner in which
farmers are at present treated, and have
been for a long number of years, by the
handlers of our square-bale cotton, exem
plifies total depravity and dishonesty In
me minds and hearts of those who are so
wilfully responsible for the existence and
maintenance of such methods. The sys
tem Is all the more appalling because of
its open barefacedness and recognition by
the shippers and handlers of the south's
great crop.
Facts and figures shall be fully presented
in this article to bear out the assertions
made, and doubtless every local cotton
buyer familiar with the handling of ex
port eotton will endorse every statement
made and the charges preferred. There
have been, doubtless, many recorded In
stances In which individual farmers have
made effotta to overtare or false pack
hale* of -cotton, but these instances are
hot only rare, but are nearly always de
tected at once by the eagle eye of the
buyer, and instead of being the gainer
•ueh farmers become losers.
Illustration of Tare.
It should be thoroughly understood at
the outset that the spinners only pay for
the actual weight of net lint in any kind
of bole or package of cotton which they
purchase. In the case of the socalled
square bale of cotton, which until within
quite recent years has been the only form
•f package universally used in the south,
the spinners have deducted 6 per cent
from the gross weight of the bale for tare,
un a bale of cotton weighing 500 pounds
this would be 30 poufids deducted for the
weight of the bagging and ties. This
average reduction of 6 per cent is inten
ded to cover the difference between the
gross weight of the bale including the
bagging and ties and the net weight of
th* lint. Thy difference between the gross
and net weight is termed the tare, and
in tbe case of cotton refers solely to the
covering. Now let us illustrate plainly
and simply the points under discussion
and see wherein the injustice to the pro
ducers comes in on the transaction. The
price of raw cotton is fixed by the spin
ners who are the final purchasers of the
product for manufacturing purposes. The
spinners in figuring the price they can
offer for American eotton and only being
interested In the lint, must take into con
sideration the covering of the package,
and on all square bale cotton they deduct
g per cent off for tare from the gross
weight of the bales.
Applying this rule to a square bale of
notion weighing 50# pounds less 6 per cent
tare, means a reduction of 30 pounds for
which nothing will be paid by the spinner.
> iguring this on a basis of 8 cents offered
by tbe spinner for net cotton, less the
banu ng and transportation, reduces the
price K* 1 per bale or nearly one-half a
cent per pound to the producer.
To make it plainer, a farmer offers a
bale of cotton as follows:
One bple square cotton 5(0 pounds.
Less * per cent tare » pounds.
Net weight 4J* pounds.
This last weight is aU that the spinner
will buy or pay for. and the 30 pounds
•aro is a net loss to the producer, though
he may not know It.
Now a great many farmers Imagine they
make money on their bagging and ties,
when, as a matter of fact, they always
sustain a net loss. Let us illustrate that
paint, not as it appears, but as it actual
ly exist*. We have seen that the tare de
ducted on a 500 pound bale of cotton re
duces the spinners price, based on 8 cents
for the actual lint, nearly 1-3 cent per
pound or 82.40 per bale. We will now fig
ure the bagging and ties on a 500 pound
bale of cotton when the market offers 8
cents for the cotton.
Thirty pound? tare deducted by spin
ner at 8 cents. 82.40.
23 pounds bag and ties on bale at
Scents 81.78
Less cost bag and ties 90
Apparent gain to farmer 88
Deduct apparent gain from spinners
charge of 32. H and we have a net loss of
81M
So that on this basis of calculation the
farmer who paid SO cents for his 22 pounds
of tagging and ties and sold the same at
8 cents, thinking he was ahead 86 cents on
the transaction, is in reality sustaining a
net loss through the indirect taxation of
the spinner ot 81-54 per bale. The un
just and fradulent feature of the trans
action comes in the fact that the Liverpool
brokers will not allow the producers to
put on the full 30 pounds of tare which
are deducted by the spinners. The usual
allowance by the Liverpool brokers is
only 30 pounds per bale .and If farmers
persist in putting on more, the price of
fered them for their staple is correspond
ingly reduced.
The action of the Liverpool brokers Is
based upon the manner in which they get
their pay for handling American cotton.
The difference between the actual tare of
20 to 23 pounds on square cotton, and
the 8 per cent. tare, or 30 pounds to the
bale, allowed by the spinners is the
brokerage which they receive and the
only source from which they derive an In
come. This average of from 8 to 10
pounds to the bale gives them, on a basis
of 8 cents cotton, from 64 to 80 cents
per bale, or an average of 8750.000 on every
million bales handled, which comes di
rectly out of the farmers’ pockets, and to
which the farmers are Justly entitled.
Kick By Liverpool Broker*.
It seems that last season the square
bale compresses in this country undertook
to patch square bale cotton at the com
presses. thereby increasing the weight of
the average tare allowed and put on by
the producers, and correspondingly reduc
ing the brokerage allowed the Liverpool
handlers of export cotton.
1 am in receipt of copies of letters and
affidavits submitted by the "Liverpool
Cotton association. Limited." directed to
the United States Secretary of agricul
ture at Washington and by him referred
to me. These letters, a portion of which
I publish below call attention to the sub
ject of over-taring cotton recently indulg
ed in and say that unless an immediate
stop Is placed upon it the planters will
have to suffer.
Following-is a copy of such parts of
these documents as bear me out in the
charges made:
“LIVERPOOL, Feb. 1. 1902.
"To the Secretary of Agriculture. Wash
ington, U. 8. A.
Dear Sir: On behalf of this association.
I beg to bring to your notice in the accom
panying copies of documents which have
been sent to the cotton exchanges of Am
erica. the growing practice of over-taring
bales of cotton which unless remedied
will have a material effect upon the value
which the American planter will receive
for his cotton. In submitting these docu
ments I would respectfully ask that the
influence of your department should be
used to discountenance the practice and
In tbe interest of th* honest American
trader to point out the inevitable loss
which in the long run wul follow per
sistence in it. Yours truly,
"(Signed) A. W. WILMER.
"Pres. Liverpool Cotton Ara'n. Lim."
The following is an extract from one of
the documents bearing me out in that
statement that the usual allowance of
tar* on American cotton by the Liverpool
exchange 19 only 20 pounds per bale, al
though the price to -ae farmer is based
on a deduction of 6 per cent or 30 pounds
per bale.
"LIVERPOOL. Jan. 29. 1902.
“I, William Laing, warehouseman to
Messrs. Lee. Sutherland & Co., of Liver
pool. cotton merchants, make further af
fidavit ahd say that previous to the in
spection held by Messrs. Thornburg and
Taylor aforesaid. I stripped one bale taken
out of the above mentioned hundred bales
cotton marked —. and found the covering
to consist of canvas and 23 bags.
The canvas and bags together weighed
59 pounds. The said bale, before it was
stripped, weighed 560 pounds. The usual
Liverpool allowance on this bale w’ould be
20 pounds. The weight of the bands, the
covering and the 23 bags together amount
ed to 68 pounds. The allowance on this
bale of 6 per cent as per American in
voice amounts to 34 pounds, showing a loss
to Messrs. Lee. Sutherland & Co. of 34
pounds on this bale.
(Signed) “WILLIAM LAING.”
The broker tn this instance not only lost
the difference between the usual Liver
pool allowance of 20 pounds to the bale,
and the actual tare of 34 pounds, but lost
in addition thereto 34 pounds, it Is claimed,
for excess tare over the amount allowed
by the spinner. This affidavit is recited to
show that the Liverpool brokers do not
want and will not allow more than 30 to 23
pounds tare per bale, bus they get the
benefit of 30 pounds tare in dglivering the
cotton to the spinier. ,
My attention was called to one impor
tant cotton market in this state a year
ago. where the farmers were putting from
30 to 40 pounds of bagging and ties on
their quare cotton, thinking they were
receiving the full market price for their
cotton and doing quite a good speculation
on the heavy weight of the covering on
their cotton. Upon investigation, however,
it was found that their market had been
quietly cut by the buyers 3-8 of a cent be
low what the legitimate market should
have afforded, hence that was an apparent
case of where •‘when ignorance is bliss it
is folly to be wise."
Byway of diversion. Just here it might
be well to state that I was recently in
formed that one large cotton firm doing
an export business in Georgia bought
about 30.000 bales of square cotton' in one
of our principal city markets during the
past season, and that out of the samples
taken from said purchase 94 bales of cot
ton were packed. The samples In this in
stance not only largely reduced the ope
rating expenses of the firm in question,
but made ot them quite extensive cotton
producers, although they are in no sense
tillers of the soil.
Reducing the Tare.
The new system of compressing cotton
at the ginnery instead of turning out loose
heavy square bales to be recompressed
at an additional cost of 50 cents per bale
to the producer, tends to reduce to a min
imum many of the evils with which we
have to contend, principally the questions
of tare, recompression, heavy transpor
tation and insurance charges, excessive
sampling and stealage. On compressed
cotton at the ginnery the tare Is reduced
from 6 per cent to 1 1-2 per cent and the
farmer loses only the actual cost of the
covering, as he receives the full credit
for the weight of the covering as it act
ually appears at the ginnery and no ad
ditional weight is assessed against him to
cover brokerage for future handling by
foreign brokers. On each 10.000 bales of
square cotton marketed in every county
the producers sustains a net loss on the
Jute bagging and ties, after allowing for
tbe apparent gain of 815.000—a little more
than one-half of which goes into the pock
ets of the Liverpool brokers. If the farm
ers were allowed to put 30 pounds of bag
ging and ties on their square cotton they
would in that event only lose the actual
cost of the covering. But the system
under which square cotton Is managed
has been going on so long that there can
be no hope that any such desirable change
will ever be permitted.
Summing up the whole proposition, it is
highly admissible for the producers to
adopt any system which will correct the
evils complained of and reduce the tare
on their cotton to the lowest possible per
centage. If there were no covering there
would be no tare and we would receive
the spinner's price, less the cost of hand
ling and transportation, hence the lower
the reduction of the actual tare, the near
er we will come to getting the spinner's
price, less the other fixed charges enu
merated. These are matters which should
receive the serious attention of the pro
ducers. and secure their co-operation in
bringing Into use a package which bears
a uniform tare reduced to the lowest pos
sible weight.
HARVIE JORDAN.
WOMAN MET AWFUL DEATH
BY FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT
NEW ORLEANS. May 28 —The wife of
Hon. F. L. St. Martin, was accidentally
shot and killed yesterday at home on St.
George plantation, just above the city.
While arranging her dresser she knocked
over a double barrelled shot gun loaded
with No. 6 shot in such away as to re
ceive both charges in the face and breast,
resulting in instant death. Before her
marriage she was Miss Angele Mayonne,
one of the most talented young ladies ot
the state and a daughter of one of its
oldest and most respected citizens.
THE SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MAY 29, 1902.
THE JOURNAL’S “JOINT DEBATE.”
Continued from Page Four.
twelve years, and the prohibitionists have
long since ceased to defend it, and have
been trying to extend it by direct act of
the legislature to the whole state or to
replace It with state prohibition. But Mr.
McCord says that I quoted Mr. Terrell
as saying "I still favor this law as just
and salutary and democratic in its pro
visions." Yes, for I want the people to
understand that Mr. Terrell is not in
accord with the prohibitionists of the
state in saying he “still favors this law
as Just and salutary." Just to w’hom? It
cannot be just to the counties now under
prohibition when 28 wet counties are ship
ping spirituous liquors into these dry
counties, and saying in effect “that al
though you have de Jure prohibition you
shall not have de facto prohibition,because
we intend to run our liquor into your
counties and make money out of you and
debauch your people Just as if you had
no prohibition.”
But the general local option law is very
“just” and very “salutary” to the liquor
dealers; yet it is Just what they want.
Now these 28 counties can sell to the 109
counties under prohibitory laws. So it is
to be expected that they favor the gener
al local option law, and strange to say
many of our prohibitionists are misled
right along on this line. Some again are
making a hobby out of th* general local
option law to ride themselves and their
friends into office. It is true it was re
garded when passed as an educative tem
perance measure. But the general local
option law is now a back number with
prohibitionists and has been so considered
for a long time. Now what Is the whole
truth? Mr. Terrell and Mr. Estill say they
will not help to elect members of the sen
ate and house of representatives who fa
vor the abolition of barrooms! Mr. Guerry
says he will. Mr. Terrell and Mr. Estill
say they do not favor state prohibition.
Mr. Guerry says he does.
The plain question when reduced to its
last analysis is state prohibition at least
to the abolition of barrooms, as against
state license. Choose you this day whom
you will support.
* C. R. PRINGLE.
Sandersville, Ga.
“SHOEMAKER, STICK
TO YOUR LAST”
To the Editor of The Journal:
The Rev. Walker Lewis is one of (he
most prominent Methodist ministers In
Georgia. He is a man who has accomplish
ed a great deal of good by preaching the
gospel, and a gentleman who is held in
universal esteem by his many admirers.
This gentleman's influence has been cre
ated through his service of the Lord, and
not through any admiration of his ability
as a statesman or politician. But it seems
that he is not content with his influence
as a servant of the Master, but, like Alex
ander. he longs for other worlds to con
quer, and no consideration for the dignity
of his high calling or the vast field of la
bor which the Lord has laid before him
can stop him. and we find him preaching a
Guerry sermon in Macon a few Sundays
ago.
This attempt to proclaim Guerry from
the pulpits as the vicegerent of the Air
mighty is sacrilegious. It is a prostitution
of the most sacred things and emotions
and places to the personal politics of the
day. This tendency of some preachers to
make their sermons into stump speeches
and to turn their pulpits into the hustings
is a sacrilege of divine and sacred things.
The Baptist preachers have got just as
much right to preach Terrell from their
pulpits as the Methodist preachers have
got to preach Guerry. Mr. Terrerl is a
member tn good standing in the Baptist
church. He is an avowed prohibitionist.
He has lived prohibition, voted prohibi
tion and talked prohibition, and the moral
forces of this state have just as much
right to use him as a biblical text as they
have to preach Guerry; more so, we be
lieve. And yet Mr. Terrell's supporters
among the ministry have too much sense
and too much religion and too much re
spect for the sanctity of the pulpit to
prostitute the house of God by turning it
to mere secular things.
This thing is wrong. There is utterly no
palliation nor excuse for it. It violates the
loftiest coricepttons of right thinking peo
ple. It drags down into the vituperation
and abuse of politics the stainless mantel
which should cloak the preacher. It is no
use to try to excuse this thing by saying
Mr. Guerry is advocating prohibition. So
is Mr. TerreH. What right has the ser
vant of the Most High, with his com
mand to judge not thundering in his ears,
to set up Guerry on a pedestal to be
worshipped, and to consign Terrell to the
realms of outer darkness? This thing vio
lates the inherent conceptions of right and
proper conduct in every sensible and
right-thinking man.
It is bad enough when the preacher neg
lects his pulpit and goes out on the
stump, but when he turns his pulpit into
the stump, we do not believe that the
Eternal Spirit dwells In that church dur
ing that discourse.
The attempt to confuse politics and re
ligion is as old as time, and as wicked as
sin. The ages back are covered with the
dry bones of dead religions which have
fallen through a mad attempt to carry
this incubus. The native sense of humani
ty has eternally revolted from this pre
posterous marriage, and the spirit of love
and charity has • divorced itself from all
persons and religions which have ever at
tempted it.
If Mr. Terrell was a man of the most
vile life, of corrupt-habits, of ideas of
government which were a stench in the
nostrils of decent people, whose election
would be a disgrace and a dishonor to his
state, perhaps in that great emergency
the preacher might become the stump
speaker, but even then we have grave
doubts ot the propriety of the utilization
of the pulpit as the place from which to
hurl his philippics.
But at such a time as this, with the pub
lic endorsement of his own pastor, a man
himself of pure and lofty life, to attack
under the cloak of the minister a man
whose Jife has been an open book in
which all who know him read lessons of
temperance, of sobriety. *f honor, of in
tegrity, of manliness, of courage and of
ceaseless and unremitting labor even from
his boyhood—to turn the pulpit of the Lord
into the secular battle ground against
this noble gentleman Is shocking to our
sense of the eternal fitness and propriety
of things. O. G. COX.
LaGrange, Ga., May 20, 1902.
OFFERS TO PROSECUTE IF
FURNISHED THE PROOFS
To the Editor of The Journal:
I do not ask space to reply to the im
plied questions sneeringly hurled at me by
Sam Jones in your issue of the 17th. The
public can have no possible interest in any
of these of a personal nature. He does
ask one of a public character, to-wit:
“What office does he hold?” In reply
thereto I answer: I hold none, and desire
to hold none!
While waiving the personal flings I ask
space to pay my respects to this worthy
in plain, terse, and dignified English. I
can not hope to compete with him in the
use of billingsgate, and am ready to con
cede him the palm without a contest. I
have no desire to either imitate him or
rob him of that peculiar distinction which
differentiates him from all other bullies,
to-wit:—the capacity to blind his adver
sary with filth before attempting to land
the first blow.
I have decided to risk a contest with
Sam Jones because I thoroughly believe
in the following principles:
In a republic, the'character of the gov
ernment, whether or good or bad, depends
wholly upon the civic virtues of the citi
zen. Where the will of the people, con
stitutionally expressed, is the fundament
al law of the land, and where all authority
springs from the consent of the people,
there is a supreme need for confidence
in the law. This is true because it is al
most impossible for the average man to
differentiate between the law and the
magistrate that administers the law.
Respect for the magistrate begets re
spect for the law; contempt of the magis
trate engenders contempt for the law—
and from this fertile source springs law
lessness and anarchy. I hate lawlessness
and anarchy like I hate perfidy, treason
and hell.
If public servants be corrupt—ls they re
gard not their oaths of office—if they sub
vert the law, and trample with unhallow
ed feet upon the rights of the people—then
they deserve and should receive the just
condemnation of all good men—ahd should
be visited with the punishment fixed by
law.
On the other hand, if public servants
have been true to the trusts reposed—if
they have been diligent in protecting the
interests of the people—if they have con
formed to the law, and by precept and ex
ample have taught respect for the law—
thhn they deserve the rewards of the
faithful, and do not deserve to have their
good names besmirched by false charges,
even though these charges be preferred
by a preacher.
I believe it to be mean, cowardly, and
contemptible to charge by Implication and
tnuendo that which . you are unwilling
to charge 1n direct terms, giving specifi
cations.
I thoroughly believe Sam Jones and oth
ers to be attempting to bring the law and
the magistrate into disrepute and con
tempt by a campaign of abuse and vinifi
cation. Among many other reasons for
this opinion, I mention the attacks made
upon the general assembly, the supreme
court, the railroad commission, the prison
commission and the attorneys general, liv
ing and dead.
He boasts of his integrity and virtue,
and claims a monopoly of all good graces.
This fact alone ought to be sufficient to
damn him, for when a man makes a
proclamation of his honesty, all sensible
people know'that he will bear close watch
ing.
My motives may be questioned: so be it.
Time alone can demonstrate whether my
criticism of San Jones be founded upon
personal spite, selfishness, or other im
proper motive, or whether my position is
inspired by a desire to see law and order
and good (government prevail in Georgia.
But for the present let’s do something to
show the good or bad faith that animates
us. To this end I make this proposition:
Furnish me with evidence upon which any
honest grand Jury woqld be authorized to
find an indictment against any one or
more of the public officials belonging to
the classes who have been maligned, or
against any bribe-giver or bribe-taker, or
lobbyist—or evidence that would authorize
an impeachment, and at my own expense
and risk, assuming sole responsibility be
fore the proper tribunal, first having giv
en bond with solvent security that the
prosecution shall be vigorous and thor
ough and shall not be a sham, I will pros
ecute the person designated to the fullest
extent of the law.
But if you cannot and will not name the
man, or men, who are guilty of corruption
or malpractice in office, then the people
will await to see whether you have the
firmness and courage to admit that you
have been misinformed, or that you have
wilfully and intentionally misrepresented
honest officials for partisan purposes.
Now, do not come back at me with a lot
of stuff about your three-year-old grand
child. The little one is too innocent to be
thus subjected to. vulgar humor, or used as
a shield for parental bluster. Respectfully.
J. D. KILPATRICK.
Decatur, Ga., May 20, 1902.
THINKS TERRELL HAS STATED
WHAT HB- STANDS FOR
To the Editor of The Journal;
Since the band wagon crowd haze been
turned loose In the papers to tell what
they know about saving the state, of
them are asking whet does Mr. Terrel
stand for? They ha** never read hl*
speeches. They echo Sam Jones. A.
M. Williams. J. H. Goss, members of an
association known as Our Brothers Keep
ers, and have their little say like sopho
mores on the stage. .
Mr Terrell, In his Forsyth speech, was
explicit. In his announcement address he
was explicit, and in his Oglethorpe speech
he was explicit. He said he was no ca
lamity howler, but still was proud of Geor
gia and Georgians. He thought with all
of our mistakes the democratic party was
worthy of praise. He had faith in men
like Alien Candler, W. A. Wright and
General Evans. He had filth In the peo
ple We have achieved much. Georgia
was yet the Empire state. He wants to
see It the Empire State of th* Union.
Taxation was a practical question. The
legislature had to do with this problem.
It was for it to devise means to meet ex
penses. The governor could only advise.
He favored equalization of taxes, special
privileges to none. Corporations should
pay their full share of taxes and if they
eluded, he would do all in his power to
execute the laws. The law must be made
so as to get at property if such law was
not on the statute books. The present
laws do not cover the franchises of rail
roads. And it was in the power of the
legislature to remedy this. Much tax mon
ey would come into the treasury by such
a law. The old tax act of '74 should be
remedied and this done woud Increase our
tax receipts. Amend the act of '74. And
tax money should be got from bondhold
ers. And he liked the Alabama law where
the constitution fixed a limit to a given
rate. We should amend our constitution
in this regard and a fixed limit be estab
lished beyond which the legislature cannot
go. This of Itself would draw capital to
the state and build up enterprises.
Terrell said also in his speech, he favor
ed education. Our common school system
is not perfect, but needs perfecting. The
towns and cities supplement the amount
from the state by local taxation, and thus
secure long terms. But the terms In the
county are too short, and means should
be devised to lengthen them. These coun
ty schools need first consideration. Do
not destroy them, but better them.
The pension system should not be de
stroyed, but all abuses corrected. The
system mutt live. Needy soldiers should
have pensions.
As to the temperance question, he voted
for local option—our present law, and
helped to enact It Into law. It was Intro
duced In 1884 by W. J. Northen, but be
came law in 1885, and has proved the wis
est solution of the liquor question over
yet devised in any state. Many states are
now favoring it as the best solution yet.
Georgia leads in temperance. Our law is
better than that of Maine, or Kansas or
Vermont. We get more temperance than
they do. Where the law is so stringent
and drastic as to forbid the sale of liquor
anywhere In the state, forcing the neces
sity of sending out of the state, such in
convenience follows that even good people
wink at the violation of the law; so that
secret places are provided and the clandes
tine system prevails which so debauched
the morals of Maine and Kansas. But
while holding these views and willing for
all counties to become dry on their own
vote, if the people through the legislature
differed from him, he would set up ho
stumbling blocks to thwart their will.
He is opposed to anonymous circulars
and misrepresentation. He opposes turn
ing the pulpit into a political rostrum; he
regards the kingdom of Christ a spiritual
kingdom and opposes secularization of the
churches. To do so is a step backward. He
stands for good morals, good citizenship,
temperance in its highest form. He de
clares faith in the old Democratic party;
does not believe in turning It into a chaos
of nothings; he believes in Georgia, and
wants our people not to break into frag
ments, riding a hobby, but be a homogen
ous people—one in thought and purpose,
standing for what is best in government;
solid for good government, temperance,
soberness and truth; solid for law, for or
der; solid for the principle of home rule,
for good society, for virtue, honesty, in
tegrity; solid for the advancement at our
state along all lines, for advancement of
religion and civilization, keeping the faith
of the fathers, fighting a good fight, con
tinuing in the things which are good, and
assured of, making full proof of his faith
and works before all the people.
Such in brief are Terrell's views express
ed in his speeches. That man displays
wonderful ignorance who continues to ask:
“Where does Terrell stand?” He certain
ly stands for removal of ignorance.
FRANK C. KEEN.
Oglethorpe, Ga.
THINKS ESTILL’S PLATFORM
BEST SUITED TO CONDITIONS
PARSON, Ga., May 22, 1902.
To the Editor of The Journal:
The gubernatorial campaign is fast ap
proaching the climax. Within two weeks
the people will have declared who shall
be the next governor of Georgia.
It is gratifying to note that Georgians,
as the canvass nears the end, are losing
sight of sentiment and are casting about
for the real, tangible, practical question
of the campaign that should predominate
and shape Georgia's political life for the
next four years, and in their search for
truth are discovering that the financial
question is the paramount issue; that the
state needs a strong, healthful business
administration, guided by a master of fi
nance, and that it is imperative such an
administration be inaugurated at once.
Thus viewing the situation, they are in
stinctively turning to Private John Hol
brook Estill, of Savannah, as the candi
date who will make a governor par ex
cellence for the times.
The state is now’ unable to meet her
obligations and maintain her financial in
tegrity without borrowing money for that
purpose. It is conceded she is financially
sick and sadly in need of a physician who
cajt locate the cause of her distress and
the heroism to apply the proper remedy.
His friends commend Mr. Estill as a spe
cialist in this line; he has large experi
ence and, if elected governor, will surely
bring order out of this financial ahaos; he
has the ability, the patriotism, the hero
ism and the integrity and would give the
state a hlghtoned, honorable business ad
ministration.
It takes no wiseacre to understand and
appreciate the fact that the public school
and pension systems of the state are de
pendent upon a successful and economi
cal business administration for the at
tainment of their highest good. These
systems should not be abolished, but reg
ulated within proper limitations according
to common sense and sound business
judgment, and then support them with
liberal but not extravagant appropria
tions. Mr. Estill favors this safe and pop
ular policy.
On the temperance question Mr. Estill*
stands upon the Democratic principle of
local self-government and majority rule.
Local option, which permits every coun
ty to regulate the whisky traffic accord
ing to a majority vote of the citizens,
is a sound policy, places this moral—not
political—question where it properly be
longs and no other policy will ever suc
ceed in Georgia. Prohibition is not dem
ocratic; it is a fanatical hobby, and he
who attempts to ride into office with it
as the chief plank of his platform is not
entitled to the vqfes of democrats and is
misjudging Georgia Democrats if he ex
pects to win on it in this state. It is
possible under eiistinif laws to have pro
hibition in any and every county in the
state; all that is lacking is for the peo
ple to will it to be so—vox populi, vox
del.
Lobbyism is another hobby-horse that
h V been brought into the campaign and
it now appears that “the fox is the find
er.” Then, the insinuations of fraud
against the prison commission and other
departments of the state government
seems to have a double back action at
tachment to it that hits the insinuatqr
harder than any one else; and “It is ru
mored” that “the wish was father to the
thought.” Madame Rumor is being made
to play a “heavy’ part in the campaign.
Mr. Estill plants himself squarely upon
the constitution and laws of Georgia—the
best and only necessary platform in the
campaign—which guarantees “equal rights
to all and special privileges to none.” If
elected governor he would absolutely go
Into office unhampered by any entangling
alliance—“no friends to reward nor ene
mies to punish.” This Is as it should be.
Mr. Estill is a clean man, no charges of
unseemly advantage or dishonesty can be
lodged against him, his buslnessh methods
are open and free from suspicion. He has
a lofty sens* of justice an<j equity, and
never hesitate* to do right by those with
whom he has business relations. He is a
gentleman at all times, in all.places, and
under all circumstances: is courteous to
all and knows that "money dtffs not make
the man,” and his affability and consid
eration extends to rich and poor without
discrimination. He is wealthy, but exceed
ingly liberal with his wealth and no wor x
•thy charity is passed unhelped.
The writer,, as an employe of Mr. Estill
quite 30 years ago, is afforded great pleas
ure in penning this just and true endorse
ment of his former employer, and without
his knowledge. No man can have greater
consideration of his employes than Mr.
Estill, and none seems more gratified than
he at their prosperity nor more ready to
lend a helping hand over the rough place*
when he sees them trying to help them
selves. Any statement other than that he
Is absolutely just and true to his em
ployes is untrue and can be only the vap
orings of an ingrate.
Mr. Estill would make Georgia a model
governor just at this time and Georgians
wil honor themselves In honoring him.
BEN T. ALLEN.
TERRELL’S EQUANIMITY)
OPPONENTS’ VITUPERATION
To the Editor of The Journal:
The campaign for governorship was, in
1 its early stages, marked by a one-sided
but noticeably wordy warfare. Later it
became a veritable battle royal of words.
This feature is possibly not more in evi
dence In this campaign than in all others,
for to be reviled and suffer the vitupera
tion of the small minds of the envious and
covetous, who are always ready to con
demn. is the penalty imposed upon great
ness.
But who should care for report*—for the
whispers of idle mischief or industrious
malice? For the most part, one would as
soon imagine a man taking heed of every
tuft of dandelion that passes him in the
air, or every little insect that crawls be
neath his feet as taking note of the Idle
reports that buzz around his career.
Since they are false he can afford to
laugh at them. And the favorite in this
race—the people's choice —has chosen wise
ly and well. Cap we fancy his acceptance
of his opponent’s challenge for a joint de
bate which has been hurled at him defi
antly and unrelentlessly since the cam
paign opened? Never. He ha* stood firm
in the wisdom of his convictions In this
as In his steadfast policies of truth and
allegiance to right as a servitor for the
public good during his many years of tried
and trusted service.
He ha* shown to his compatriots and
fellow men the admirable quality of
manly independence, and, contradictory
as it may seem, his manly dependence
and reliance in their absolute and ulti
mate loyalty to these convictions.
’Tl* said the greatest foundation of civil
virtue is self-denial. Would that the en
emy might find opportunities for exercis
ing this noble quality in refraining from
violent outbreaks of seeming pleasurable
vengeance In his veritable artillery—
of words. He surely cannot know that
the greater one’s strength and power, the
quieter it is expressed. What a grand
example of this in the next governor's de
portment and manners. 'Tls wonderful
how much talent runs into manners.
I would say to Mr. Guerry In the words
of Shakespeare: "Heat not a furnace for
your foe so hot that It do singe yourself.” i 1
f I
SUGGESTIONS FROM II
OUR CORRESPONDENTS I
SAYS GEORGIA BUTCHERS
WON’T PAY FOR HOME CATTLE
To the Editor of The Journal:
In your Semi-Weekly Journal of April
24th, I read quite an extended article on
the rapidly Increasing price of beef In At
lanta And quite a severe denunciation of
the beef trust.
It seems to me there is another side
to this question which should commend
itself to the people and especially to the
farmers. While the so-called "beef
trust” are charging high prices for beef
I notice too that live cattle are selling at
good prices on the Chicago market, from
six' to seven cents per pound, and the
farmers In Indiana, Illinois, lowa. Ne
braska, and adjacent states are getting
about six cents for their cattle at home
on their farms. How different is the sit
uation In this state. Local butchers are
only offering from two to two and one
half cents per pound gross and don’t want
to buy them by weight at that price, pre
ferring to buy as they say, by “the head,”
as one told the writer when I Inquired.
“What are you paying for good steers?”
>• e are paying about two cents, but we
are getting all we want by ‘the head - and
they only cost us about one and one-half
cents."
Another butcher told me how he bought
a steer from a farmer who asked him
three cents per pound.
Now he says. I don't want to buy this
steer by the pound, we have got no scales
here to weigh him. I am going to pay
you the money for it. Now how much
money will It take to buy him. The
farmer says: “I will not sell him for less
than $9.00.” Butcher says, "that is mighty
high, but I have got to have some beef
right away, and It is too late to look fur
ther tonight and I will give It."
The butcher told me the steer weighed
900 pounds when he reached town with
him and he charged me 12 1-2 cents per
pound for steak from that same animal.
Talk about “robber trusts," do you
think they can beat home talent?
There are plenty of cattle here in the
country now for sale at 2 1-2 to 3 cents
per pound. Couldn’t steak raised In Geor
gia be sold for less than 25 cents per
pound? If that is not margin enough of
profit it wouldn’t reduce the price very
jnuch If they stole the cattle.
The butchers would of course answer
"the quality Is not good.”
One of your resident butchers adver
tises at your state fair that he can make
cattle rolling fat In 60 or 90 days fed on
cotton seed hulls and meal and that the
Increase in weight more than pays for the
cost of feed and care and Its Improved
condition doubles the value of the animal
a thousand pounds. Steers bought at 830
so fattened would be worth 360, the in
creased weight paying for feed and care.
Thus in 60 days he would make as
much as the fanner In three years of
growth. Added to that the retail profit
made on the consumer at the prices quo
ted in your paper would make a profit of
flso per cent more, in all. 250 per certt. Ye
Gods, what more do your butchers want?
If that would not suffice, they should sell
out and go Into' the prescription drug bus
iness, where they can sell "aqua pura”
for one dollar per pint.
The butchers again claim that native
beef is not as good as western raised.
This I contend Is not necessarily the case.
Having eaten the best selection ot the
herds as sold by local butchers in the
west. It is no better than Georgia raised
killed under local conditions here; but
the slaughtering establishments have a
system of refrigerating which brings the
quality up to that standard of excellence
so pleasing to the consumer.
What we farmers and beef producers
need in this state is a branch of this rob
ber trust located here in our midst. They
are willing to divide with the producers.
Our daily prayer should be, God save
us from our friends, the local butchers.
CHARLES L. WHITE.
' Riverside, Greene county, Ga.
COLDEST AND HOTTEST
DAYS IN PAST 20 YEARS
To the Editor of The Journal:
Will you kindly through your inquiry
department answer the following ques
tions: What has been the coldest and
hotest recorded days in Atlanta in the
past 20 years?
What was the coldest day the season of
1897-1898?
What is the normal difference in tem
perature, if any, between Fulton and New
ton counties? SID YANCY.
Porterdale. May 17.
The weather department furnishes the
following replies: .
The hottest recorded temperature in At
lanta since 1879, the date of the establish
ment of the office, was July 19, 1897, when
100 degrees was reached. The coldest tem
perature was 8 degrees below zero, on
February 13, 1899.
The lowest temperature In the winter ot
1897-1898 was 13 degrees above zero, on
February 3, 1898.
The normal mean of Newton county is
about 1 degree higher than that of Fulton
county.
STRONG PLEA FOR THE
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL
Just outside the classic city of Athens
Is situated the State Normal school, an
Institution that deserves the interest, sym
pathy and the hearty co-operation of every
loyal citizen of Georgia. Should not this
school claim the attention of every Geor
gian since it is the means of making hap
pier and better the people of our entire
state?
Year by year it is sending forth well
prepared and enthusiastic teachers whose
highest alm is to go into the remote corn
ers of our state and carry light where now
is darkness.
At present the school is not capable of
accommodating all that seek admission.
How can the work of educating our teach
ers be carried on when we are handicap
ped by the urgent need of more room? We
have in our school building only four
small recitation rooms for the use of six
classes, a faculty of fifteen and a student
body of more than 300. Is it not the duty
of our legislature to appropriate funds
sufficient to enable us to erect a commodi
ous, well-equipped college building? The
good results of such an appropriation would
be felt in the homes throughout the state,
especially the small towns and rural dis
tricts.
This noble institution deserves from the
state more generous support than it has
received in the past, for during its whole
For of what avail all this iniquitous, un
just and unpolitlc indulgence in personali
ties on one side as against the man on
whom we can bestow no higher praise in
his ineherent qualities of a gentleman
and magnanimity than that he harbors
another's prejudices with a hospltalilty so
cordial as to give him, for the time, the
sympathy next best if indeed It be not edi
fication in chanty Itself.
Alas! to be praised by honest men is,
too often, to be abused by rogues.
Mr. Terrell has long since proved him
self to be a man whose thought uses at
will oply the harmonious resources of
speech, and one who has attained to the
full and masterly expression of himself
and his undefiled principles, and he would
as soon dream of heeding the buzz of in
sects on these summer days as the venom
with which petty natures seek to sting
one.
The gods always favor the strongest
battalion and the cause of right shall pre
vail. Therefore, Mr. Terrell, as our future
illustrious governor, Je vous saluer.
L E. WILLIAMS.
Atlanta. Ga. ... . _ *
existence the legislature ha* appropriated
only 87.006 ror its improvement, while the
Technological school has received 81*7.009
and the Georgia Normal and Industrial
school has been given 8115,000. Is not the
good done by the State Normal school
equal to that accomplished by either of
the above named Institutions? Surely
this urgent need of more teaching room
at the normal deserves th* careful con
sideration of our legislature. *
Mr. George Foster Peabody has given us
810 000 towards this building, on condition
that our legislature give us $25,000. If this
kind-hearted philanthropist, whb Is a na- •
tive of this state, but who for many years
has been a citizen of New York, has of
fered us this aid, should not our own cit
izens be willing, nay anxious, to do their
part?
Not only can the legislature of Georgia
lend a helping hand toward uplifting our
state through this school, but noble-heart
ed men, who are willing to establish schol
arships in the normal can aid tn this grand
and inspiring cause. The Southern Edu
cational conference has not only given us
fifty scholarships, but it has also offered
to duplicate every scholarship given by
the citizen* of Georgia to the number of
fifty. Hence, If any person In Georgia is
willing to give 850 a year for three years,
it would educate at the normal two girls.
There are around us, even in our own
county of Fulton, hundreds of deserving
girls and boys who are working ■ their
young lives away in ignorance and pov
erty, although longing and yearning for
an education. Who has not seen here in
Georgia worthy white girls working in the
fields side by side with negroes? Do not
these girls appeal to us for sympathy and
relief? Will the men of Fulton, county
miss such an opportunity'to add sons* no
ble, hard-working girl? In the near future
may each county grasp the meaning ot
what we have said and heartily respond.
Will not Fulton, which boast* of the thrivr
ing and loyal city of Atlanta, push eager-:
|y to the front and lead all other counties
in this glorious enterprise?
TWO FULTON COUNTY NORMAS
STUDENTS.
Athens, Ga.
, ARMY CAPTAIN DENIES
ALL STORIES OF OUTRAGE
WASHINGTON, May 26,-Captain Mo-
Donald, formerly of the 26th volunteer In
fantry, one of the officers accused In Cor
poral O’Brien's testimony, was before the
Philippines committee of the senate to
day. He denied all the allegations made
by O’Brien and said O’Brien was on duty
elsewhere at the time he claims to have
been present. McDonald said that Amer
ican officers had not violated a Spanish
woman op other woman to his knowl
edge. He also denied the statement
made by O’Brien that he (McDonald) and
a number of other officers misbehaved
themselyes at a native dance.
He showed that at the time alleged. Ma
jor Cook, one of the officers named and
himself were on duty elsewhere. The
shooting of bearers of flags of truce and
the burning of a woman and child by his
command was another story by O’Brien
that he denied. t
Mr. McDonald said O’Brien was a troub
lesome soldier from the first.
famWg!
SEARCH IS 111 VAIN
M. L. MOORE, WHO LIVED NEAR
CHARLOTTE, N. O, HAS MOST
MYSTERIOUSLY DISAP-
PEARED.
CHARLOTTE, N. C., May 26.-Many
people have for two days searched fruit
lessly for the body of M. L. Moor*, a
farmer, who came to this city from his
home some miles in the country, Thurs
day, and mysteriously disappeared near
Latta Park, on the southern outskirts of
the city. His horse and buggy were found
near the park and his pocket knife, keys
and other things which apparently cam*
out of his pockets were found a short dis
tance away, but so far no clue as to th*
man's whereabouts has been discovered.
Workmen are putting in a sewer abput 13
feet under the surface near where th*
buggy was found and one theory is that
the farmer was killed and thrown into a
section of the excavation where the pip*
had already been laid and then covered up
with the loose dirt which was being shov
eled Into the ditch. Another theory Is that
he was drowned In the lake In Latta Park.
The latter will probably be drained and
if nothing is discovered the sewer will
likely be opened. Moore's relatives ar*
confident that he Is dead.
DUKE WILL BUILD
sl,oooxooo COTTON MILL
CHARLOTTE, N. C., May 26—J. B.
Duke, president of the American Tobacco
Company, has given a contract sot th*
erection of a 81,000,000 cotton mil! at th*
Gregt Falls of the Catawba, in Chester
county, S. C. Mr. Duke and his associates
have for 18 months been purchasing land
in the vicinity of these falls, which are
capable of generating about 25,000 horse
power, and now own an area of half a
mile on each side of the stream adjacent
to the falls. This property is said to have
been the only rival for the present site ot
the United States Military Academy; and
that the selection of West Point was made
by one vote.
Duke and hi* associates now own a
number of desirable watet powers in the
south and it is believed that they intend
to enter largely into the manaufacture of
cotton goods. J. B. Duke is quoted as
having said that the present Underwood
plan of merging the southern yarn mills
was absurd, apd that the only way a com
bination could be formed would be for a ’
syndicate to purchase the mills outright.
From the interest that the tobacco man
ufacturers are taking in the cotton mill
ing industry there is a belief among man
ufacturers that he intends to undertake to
form a cotton combination for the con
trol of the trade as has been done wftU
his own tobacco interest.
CAPTAIF *nd officer v
ARRESTED FOR CRUELTY
SAN FRANCISCO. .May 27.—United States
Commissioner Peacock issued warrants here
for the arrest of Captain K. F. Martin* and
First Officer W. Q. Harstedt, of the army
transport Buford on charges of cruelty to the
sailor on high seas. The Charges are made by
B. Beckhoefer, third cook of the transport, /
who claim* to have been tied up for an hour
and a half.
Captain Martins asserts that this punishment
wa« only continued for fifteen minutes. Other
charges were that the vessel's brig, where the
men slept, was over crowded and in an un
sanitary condition. ’
' L--L I—J
• *
900.00 Steel Range *Bl n °-
fessfesdl Our free circulars give Cut
prices ot everything.
J\ Stoves »«.«), Dinner Beta
' 53.48, 24 P* eces minted Tabla
-fc Sets |2 00.
RADGETT FUR. CO.,
Ancruata. Ga.
, I-
5