Newspaper Page Text
OFFICIAL ORGAN
—or—
FRANKLIN county.
VOL. III. NO. 31.
f 0R ALLIANCE)! EN.
loles and Current Comment Regarding
the Great Reform Movement,
The Alliance Times (Kansas)
iffho would be free himself must strike
lie blow.’ Yes, and we may add that
iiwho will not strike the blow when
ie has freedom and opportunity to do
deserves to be a slave.
***
The New York World says “the evils
-^plained of by the People’s party are
Now why in the world didn’t the
iVulid sav so sooner aud insist on the
democratic party correcting done the evils.
hstea'I of that it has nothing but
jjjwl tariff for years.—Ex.
The mouey of the rich will buy more
ttal twice as much of the necessities of
, |S it would twenty-five years a<ro
Thenroducts of the labor of the poor
sill "they not sell for onc ; half ns much money
would then. This is the inequal-
jty, the burden of which tho people are
complaining-
* *
sort , of . position will ... those
What men
,ho were once loved and trusted leaders
of the Alliance, but whose party p.edi-
lectious were so strong as to overcome
their love of the Alliance, be in when
victory shall have come, as it, must and
will, to the people in their Ex. mighty strug-
gle with plutocracy?
***
Five hundred years ago an English
parliament classed together in the same
act “servants, laborers, beggars and vug-
abonds,” and required discipline. the towns to keep
stocks for their It was one
of the desperate attempts of the govern-
ing class to prevent the social rise of
laborers, which had been in progress for
many years. *
* *
Alliance Herald (Alabama) condenses
fact and wisdom in the following:
Whoever controls the money of the
country controls the destinies of the
people. The Jeffersonian idea is that the
government must directly control the
Currency, so that all the people will have
their rights respected and thu interest of
each and ail be kept equally and fairly
guarded.
***
If our government could safely carry
a three thousand million dollar debt con¬
tracted in the destruction of wealth to
the value of twenty thousand million.',
to say nothing of the destruction of a mil¬
lion lives, is the as danger happened it incurs in our in civil war,
there purchas¬
ing the railroads, telegraph and tele¬
phones, when it will receive in actual
value one dollar for every hundred cents
it will have to invest?—Economist.
*
tfc *
James Gaven Field, the nominee of
the People’s pavly for vice-pres deut of
the United State>, is a lawyer. He w as
horn in Walnut, Culpepper county, Vu.,
February 24, 1820. In 1818 he went to
California, and in 1850 was secretary of
the Constitutional convention of that
state. In that year he returned to Vir¬
ginia and began the study of law, and in
1853 was admitted to the bar. He was
attorney to 1865. general for Virginia from 1860
In the late war he won the
title of general in the confederate army.
At the battle of Slaughter’s mountain he
lost a leg.
*
The Home Sentinel (Kentucky) says:
“The present congress is said to be con¬
stituted as follows: Lawyers, 274;
hankers, 27; merchants, 11; doctors,
9; editors, manufacturers aud farmers,
6 each; business men, 5; teachers, 3;
mechanics, ffich; clergymen and soldi-rs, 2
stock raisers, buil lers, mail con¬
tractors, millers, miners, shippers, brew-
crs each; * prin’erc, while sailors and engineers, 1
two class themselves as
politicians. We suppose they did noth-
The tog at all and had to so class themselves.
people would just as well expect
water to run up hill as to expect equita¬
ble hgislation from such a body ot men.
For ***
years .bankers have been borrow-
tog of the government at 1 per cent. Is
it wise to loan to c ipitalists aud refuse
to loan to wealth producers upon equally
good security? The proposition that the
government loan legal tender notes to
tod.viduals is not new or strang >. The
government has for years loaned such
ootes freely upon the security of bonds,
they are certainly not better securities
than real property. "But they are hankers,
sod borrow money, not for the purpose
f, f productive industry, but for those of
usury. The gov.rnment simply puts its
money the into the national banks and forces
wealth-producers is indisputable. to pay them tribute,
rats
***
THE people's PARTY PLATFORM.
R' e eyes of the world centered upon
( .
- Omaha convention, and it laid a sure
foundation for success iu the adoption
of a platform. Thinking business men
know and real'ze this lo be true.
Monopoly allowed to run riot and iu-
cre &sc, as it has during the last decade,
n 'ust soon bring a fearful climax. It
Wust’stop. Position The Peopb’s paity takes a
which will gradually but surely
«troy all monopoly. It must prevail!
**’y? Because it is right. No belter or
reason ever can be given for success,
ftie Omaha platform is the same as the
■ Louis, with errors corrected and the
Preamb e improy. d by showing that the
government ownership of railroids should
a, k he allowed to increase lie govern¬
ment patronage. Progressive Farmer.
—
STATE MEETINGS.
The regu'ar anmial me tings of State
* nances will be held oif the date and at
Places named below. Rqrorts from
“met states will b e added to the list as
!a “ as received:
Tennessee, Nashville, August 10.
e sas, Austm, August 1G.
nniana. I dimapolis, November 17.
.Vntw'ky, Owensboro. November 8.
WLsiana, 'bpnia, R chmond, Augud 17.
aiifornia, Monroe, Sacramento, August 2. 3.
eorgia, October
orkansis, GaioesviUe, L August 27 10.
; tHe Rock, August
, J ' l ;’TPP', '.'iana, Monroe, Stiirkv.llc, Augu 10. t 23
August
THE ENTERPRISE *
North Carolina, Greensboro, August 9.
West Virgiuia, Clnrksburg, August 10.
ber Pennsylvania, Williamsport, Octo¬
25.
* *
jects The to Progressive being designated Parmer (Raleigh) the People’s ob¬
as
party organ. In a recent issue it sava:
“This paper bus been (fferod the organ-
become ship but reap ctfully declined. It could
a Democratic or Republican organ
at any moment, if it would c nsent. But
while we publish notices for the People’s
party and say much in favor of it, bclicv-
ing its platform and nominees superior to
all others, and that all political reforms
must come through it. if secured, we
would never think of resigning as organ of
'he Alliance to become a party organ,
The People's party is right, will succeed,
but th e Alliance is better than all parties
and no paper should slight it to become
a‘party organ.’ The Progressive Parmer
r(,si S ned simply to get in position to say
wh ,t >t may desire. We feel free and
(0 ,ten<cd " nd wil1 staud or fal1 b y the
Alliance and its principles. We want to
s ! a y ’ n a Potion to knock the spots off
tlle Pco P le ’ 8 party if it gets crooked.”
***
polk memorial fund.
The ladies assembled at Omaha during
,he national People’s party convention,
on?anize d a ladies’ auxiliary for the pur-
po?c „ f assiftiD „ the polk Memorial As-
60C iation. Mrs. Ben T< rrell, of Seguin,
Texas, is pre-ident, and has appointed
onc vice-president in each state, as fol-
i 0W8;
Alabama—Mrs. Gaither.
Louisiana—Mrs. Clayton.
Florida—Mrs. A. P. Baskins,
Noith Carolina—Mrs. W. H. Worth,
Georgia—Miss Lizzie Peake,
Missouri—Mrs. Dr. Neff,
Tennessee—Mrs. J. H. McDowell,
Iowa—Mrs. Goodrich,
Nebraska—Mrs. Gen. Van Wyck.
Minnesota—Mrs. Dr. Fish,
Mississippi—Mrs. Eva M. Valash.
California—Mrs. Nye.
Connecticut—Mrs. Crumsby.
District Columbia—Mrs. Crandall.
Kansas—Mrs. Fannie Vickery.
South Dakota—Mrs. Loucks.
North Dakota and Washington—Mrs.
Muir.
*%
TIIE HOMESTEAD LESSON.
In commenting on the Homestead af¬
fair the National Economist says: Eight
thousand troops at Homestead maintain
the semblance of peace. But such peace
is not of the kind calculated to inspire
flunking men with any degree of respect
b r the present civiliz ition. It seems to
demonstrate that man’s advancement
aloDg the line of material development and
has been at the expense of his better
tenderer attributes, the extinguishment
ot which will certainly make all human
life intolerable. The corporation with
which the Homestead people are battling
has no soul to perish, no heart to feel for
suffering, and no conscience to torment
widi remorse. It only needs a succession
of victories on the part of such bodies
to effectually cru-h out every atom of
feeling of brotherly love and kindness
on the part of those in their employ to¬
ward those who are at ail
better situated than they. A
defeat of the Carnegie extinguishment workmeu
at this time means the
of their organization, and this means
that the lever which they have effectively
employed in the past in compelling the
corporation to share with them tho pros¬
perity which special legislation conferred
upon it is forevep broken. Mr. Frick has
arrogantly determined that the combina-
lion of ca; ital, of which ho is master,
,-hal! no lo'ger recognize the combination
of labor with which he is quarreling, that
and has declared it as his ultimatum
he will tre >t with the men only as indi¬
viduals. If present conditions'are main-
lainrd the deteat of Mr. Frick would only
mean that the day of capital’s ultimate
triumph has been postponed, while the
defeat of the men will mean that labor’s
evil day is already here. If it ever
becomes possible for such capitalistic
combinations to compel their men to
treat with them singly, labor’s in¬
dependence of capital servile, will collar be bound gone,
at d in its place will a reign Un-
chattel service supreme.
dtr present conditions what now appears
a remote possibility will rapidly lnateri-
alizs into an accouip ished fact. Mr.
Frick has unlimited wealth at his dis¬
posal, he is backed by the state troops,
and if this force should prove insufficient,
the regular army is at his call. If, un¬
der these circumstances, he finally yields
it will be because, in his opinion, the
time is not ripe V r crushing out inevitably organ¬
ize i labor. 'Ihe day will
come, without a change in economic con¬
ditions, when the augmented power of
Mr. Frick’s company will enable it to
surely accomplish what it may now fear
to undertake. This is indisputable, and
the lesson it teaches is that labor should
use its combined power at the b .Hot box
to the end that such huge accumulations
of wealth in private hands would be im¬
possible. ___
Stopped J ust in Time.
At the Eureka mine Gligo Terzich, an
Austrian, was returning from work at the
“76 ” The trail was narrow, the moun¬
tain’side steep, and a hard cmstjvas on
4 1 snow. Stepping outside the pain,
. .p sliding down the
Terzich fell and began The
frightful descent head first. crus
such that it was impossible for the
was such impression in it as
man to make an and regain his
would enable him to stop
feet. nearly 1,500 feet from the
Finally, he'struck pine buffi and grasp¬
ing path a ffis
the limbs, held himself tiff com¬
panions zfeh-s came to Ins relief. Finding ler the
leg broken above the knee,
companion broke tbe crust on the snow,
S£H ami i.v«i went pi«° after '“'hV’TUTr aid. A.lot oi
to rest camed _ Terzich
men came to the rescue,
to his cabin, and called Dr. neut, who
tance'beiow where which the he man would stopped have gone is a
nvec aid been" nice over bad the bush not stopped
killed
bis descent. __
Cat ;£ . i. m d the? first JuffinS thorouchlv
WBS using 6oft brush, and
prepa -ared chalk, neglect a of
being careful not any
the crevices, This will give it a fine
Equal Rights to all, Special Privileges to None.
CARNES VILLE" FRANKLIN CO.. GA., FRIDAY. AUGUST 5.1892.
GENERAL FIELD AT HOME.
National Watchman.
lion. James Gaven Field,the nomi¬
nee of the People’s Party for the
high office of Vice-President,
born in Culpepper county,
February 24, 1820,and ‘
is in his G7th year.
A representative of the Watchman
visited Mr. Field at his
home, in Orange couuty, one day this
week and spent a few hours under
his hospitable roof. South of
ington, 97 miles, the picturesque little
town of Gordonsville is located al-
most under the shadows of the
capped Blue Ridge. The railroad
seems the skillfully through to thread its way into
town a gorge, aud a
beautiful valley, with its matchless
verdure and dainty farms, breaks up
on the vision. A short drive of three
miles on a historic dirt pike over
which Jefferson and Old Hickory
staged their several ways to
ington to assume the great office of
President, and the home of Mr. Field
is reached.
And such a home ! A grand old
bouse set back from the pike on a
commanding -haded eminence, verandahed,
and cool, with the grassy
lawns spreading away on every side.
It is a typical Virginia home indeed,
a home that is seen nowhere else on
this broad continent save in the Pied¬
mont region 6 of the Old Dominion,
-p. The proprietor . . of this - valuable ,,, estate . .
which by the way embraces 2,000
acres of the choicest land, met the
winter hanitha, at the threshold-nay, better
at the very gateway-and
the hearty welcome every stranger
accorded by these big-hearted people
was uttered before our name or mis-
sion was known.
John Gaven Field is descended
from English ancestors, who, with
propagandist energy and rifle and
compass, blazed their way when the
country was new. One of these an¬
cestors, John Field, was a noted
scientist in his day and was knighted
for his astronomical dircoveries. Cy-
rus Field, just dead, and Justice
Stephen D. Field, of the United
State Court, are lineal descendants
of the same family as the subject of
this sketch, and so was Gen. Charles
W. Field who distringuished himself
is a division commander in the army
of Northern Virginia.
The Virginia family naturally sided
with the colonies in their struggle for
independence, and the name figures
prominently io the record of the con-
ference held at Williamburg to pro-
test against the oppressions of the
mother country.
In both the war of IS 12 and the
Mexican war of 1845, t e. family of
Fields contributed its quota of dis-
tinguished soldiers, and in (he civil
war three members of the family
were slain in combat, and two others
were m .itned bv wounds.
“I see the newspapers are begin-
ing to call laughingly.” me general,” “That remarked is
Mr. Field a
misnomer. I never attained to a
greater rank than major, and in that
capacity was attached to Gen. A. P.
Hill’s staff during the war.
“How did I lose my leg?
“Well, quite naturally, like many
another soldier, I left it at Slaughter
Mountain, or, as the Federals call it,
‘Cedar Run.’ A. P. Hill’s light divis-
ion had a sharp combat there
prior to the second battle of Manas-
sas, and the Federal artillery was
sweeping off everything above the
soldier’s heads. I was mounted, and
a piece of shell plowed its way
through my horse’s shoulder, cut my
stirrup leathers and crushed my leg
below the knee. An amputation fol-
lowed, and that’s the whole story.” poli-
“Mr. Field has never been a
tician in the sense of seeking prefer
rnent. He returned to his law office
at Culpepper after the war and took
an active part in the politics of his
county and State, acting always with
the Democratic party. In 1877 Gov-
ernor Kemper selected him to fill the
unexpired term as attorney general
and he was afterwards a candidate
for this office and was elected on the
ticket that made Holliday, Beyond this Demo- Mr.
crat, the governor.
Field lias sought no office, but bis
seemed to prefer the quiet aud eon-
tentment of his home circle.
“My lands are line as you see, and
they are most interesting to look up-
on but I find that farming does not
pay,” remarked Mr. Field. ‘ I take
____interest some in stock, of couise. 1 1
have a pretty flock <>f Shrop-hire
sheep, black faces, and my cattle are
Holsteins and shorthorns crossed.”
“Do 1 like the sports? Look at my
do g g _setters, pointers and the like.
“I am fond of hun'ing and the rod
both. I have killed a great many
deers and turkeys in the mountains
in my day. and I manage to get mv
quota of birds now whenever 1
gunning.” A brown eyed lad of seven or
years is the eldest cf ihrce boys,
fruit of Mr. Field’s second
Three children by 1 is first wife
living and are the pride of the fatb-
er. The eldest eon is a
young attorney of Denver, a-sod .fc,
w ith the firm of which Seiiitor 1\ < b
cott ; s tbe gen ior partner. A seeon i
aQ accomplished yuwg geuilu-
man, is an assistant paymaster in the
navy, and was attached recently to
tho Swatara. The only daughter is
the wife of tho principal of Roanoke
college, Virginia. prominent member
Mr. Field is a
of tho Baptist denomination, and
takes quite an active part in church
affair8 ' He the president of Bap- tho
Vi T' inia p. e,,eral Association of
t,sts , a tli,s time ’ and has been for
; 6evoral ast
^ P am,” ' he remarked,
“Located as I
| I “with Montioelto, the homo and of Jeffer- Mont
I son, on one side of me,
i j pelier, tho estato of Madison, on the
j other, I have, from the very nature
j of choice, my surroundings, affiliated with as the well Democratic as from
party, but my idea is that the Dem¬
ocracy has outlived its usefulness,
j So it is with the Republicans. The
caucus hag taken possession of their
j representatives in Congress, and tho
two parties have surrendered what¬
j ever of principles they have once
claimed to represent. The war has
i been ended a quarter of a century,
i and yet we find these old party com¬
manders fighting their battles over
as vigorously as ever, and crimina¬
tion and recrimination is the order
instead of fraternity and go;«d will.
I see in the birth of the new party
the dawn of a new and brighter era
for both sections—a tangible some¬
thing that means something more
substantial than platitudes and prom-
! ises.
i I IlT “I , have never , been an Alliance- , „•___
man becauge occupation as a j aw .
yer barred ' admtarfon into that
* with
ord but j ha e been in touch
them ag a farmer and j believe j wa9
a s the fi r8t wbo sympathized Aem
with lhem and advised to or-
f izQ intrt withVit a arty and demand their
j ighfc8 _ organization they
could accomplish nothing.”
From the Hayseed Mansion.
Josiah Hayseed (that’s my hus¬
band) came from town the other day
and said, “Polly, the editor of the
j People’s Advocate says you must
1 write for the paper.” Well, well,
j thought I, what must I do. I wrote
j two communications lately, one for
the Southern Alliance Farmer and
j one for the People’s Advocate, and I
j have been swinging like a pendilum
j 0 f a clock from joy to sorrow ever
j j since in my I feelings. for The the communi- Southern
cation that wrote
All ance Farmer pleased Hon. Tom
Watson so much that he asked his
wife to write to me, which she did.
j A few days afterwards I received a
j j letter Democrat, from a I preacher do not know) (I expect begging he is
a
| m e not to let Satan entrap me in pol-
i ics but to give my time and talents
j to the cause of Christ and to the ad-
j vancement of His kingdom; that
1 there was men enough now almost
wild on that subject, without women
j to help. Aud a few days later came
a letter from a farmer’s wife, saying
| s he had read ray letter in the People’s
Advocate of June 3, and felt so
ashamed and so mortified when she
{ saw my name in a political paper
„he felt compelled to write to me aud
j beg me never to let my name be seen
in a political paper again. Mind you,
she is a Democrat. We hear more
talk about platforms here of late than
j f 0 r 25 years past. I will write out
Josiah Hayseed " and Polly Hayseed’s
platform. Wc believe in Christ, and
[ n the church, and in the extension
0 f His kingdom, for we pray morning
and evening in our bumble home,
r ['hy kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as in heaven. So you see
j to keep on our chjirch platform and all we her work insti- to
support the
tntions; and for our Government for
| God fearing and lawmakers, aid God loving for when men the as
rulers
wicked rule the people mourn. Is
there not mourning today all over and our la-
country, amonj the farmers
bo ring class, pecause of the heavy
burdens imposed upon them which
ihey have to lear, because of clags
legislation, an! wicked rulers and
lawmakers? Here is woman’s place
; n politics. Yiu know we are not
allowed to vott, but this is the way
[ do, I vote .Bsiah Hayseed. You
se0) b i s eyesigu is not good and I
bav e to read f»r him, and so I keep
posted on all the questions of the
<lay, for we talie papers and read up
on both sides <f politics. The wife
j., the better half, so considered,
Josiah and I sre one; why not let
him do my voiing and what harm
can there be ina woman advocating
a righteous cai^e and using her influ-
ences God on and husband htrne, and and for son the to vote wel-
f or
f are 0 f our cortitry? The hand that
rocbs the crdle rules the world.
Q; ve u8 g 00 d Christian mothers and
w [ V ps, and w; will have a good
j ; grvernment. Svery man mother’s in these boy.
United States |s some
Oh, ye mother! awake! awake! to
! your duty, edicate and inform your-
selves on all he political questions
r ,f ^ be da y j SO you can instruct your
son8 an q bo ]j U p your husbands
j ban ds in the; great fight against
vrrong, helping 4 them and teaching
, bem t0 Christiln vote they’ pray, voting for
honest, men who cannot be
ijouaht or bnbld, to rule over us and
niake our laws|
Auw Polly Hayseed.
Those “Brighter Prospects.”
Omaha World-Herald.
Just now the organs of the
taxes are straining every prosperity nerve
convince tho peoplo that
has followed every move of tho re¬
publican policy. The Omaha organ
of the barons quotes at length from
It. G. Dun & Co.’s last tinaueial let¬
ter, and comments thereon as fol¬
lows :
"What brighter prospects could this
nation have in material prosperity? Why
tin's Omaha oonveniion ?"
The organ is unfortunate in asking
such questions at this time. Home¬
Four thousand men in tho
stead works, belonging to that high
chief of protection, Andrew Carne¬
gie, can answer them both. As they
gaze at the lately barricaded works,
pierced by loop holes and guarded
by armed sentries, they can express this
in their drawn faces a reason lor
Omaha convention. The steel mill
men at Joliet can express in words
that burn the reason for the Omaha
convention. They were deluded in¬
to voting once more for the tools of
the tariff barons, aud their reward is
a reduction of 45 per cent, on their
wages. That 45 per cent, reduction
is an unanswerable reason for hold¬
ing tho convention. Every farm mort¬ is
gage upon a fertile Western
a reason for it. Every trust, fos¬
tered by a system that is abused to
the limit for the benefit of the few is
a reason for it. Every trust is a
reason for the convention. The sys¬
tem that fosters a monopoly in the
line that makes the first rattle the in¬
fant hand grasps, and protects and
fosters the trust that controls the
casket in which his mortal remains
must lie, is a logical, unanswerable
reason for the Omaha convention.
Every drop of sweat of unre-
qited toil, every starving stomach,
every ragged child, every homeless
family, is a reason that cannot be
gainsaid. prospects? Rather
What brighter rich
what darker prospects. The
growing richer and fastening tighter
and tighter the chains of oppression
that fetter the poor.
Conclusions.
National Watchman.
It is always proper to take an after
view of all important events in order
to discover errors, consider what
might have been better, and to pre¬
pare for whatever action maybe nec¬
essary. At a distance, amid the calm¬
ness of an impartial review, the re¬
sults of the Omaha convention par¬
take strongly of the marvelous. The
meeting, great and important as it
was, can truly be said to have been
almost wanting in individual guile or
political chicanery. The wire-puller,
the trickster and manipulator was
not seen, and his nefarious methods
were not called into use. There
were scarcely any secrets or candor secret
meetings, and an air of honest
seemed to pervade everywhere. adjourned
When the convention
there were but few wounds, and little
if any heart-burnings. In this it was
remarkable, and stands alone among
all similar conventions for the past
quarter of a century. The platform
is a model of perfection, clear, point¬
ed, and easily understood. There is
nothing ^equivocal in its entire make
up. The choice of candidates was
in the main satisfactory, and will con¬
tinue to grow in favor as the cam¬
paign advances. They are truly a
pair of fighters. General Weaver
will have to stand by his reputation
as a campaigner, for General Field
is a veteran in that line also.
With these two men leading the
contest, an enthusiasm will doubtless
be aroused that would not have ob¬
tained with the other candidates men¬
tioned. No doubt when this fight is
on, and the qualities of these two men
are fully displayed, the people will
forget all else and flock to their sup¬
port. There is serious trouble in the
camps of both the old parties. Past
neglect, present ambitions, and a de¬
sire for revenge, are stalking in broad
day in their midst. United as the
People’s Party is, officered as splen¬
didly as it is, and led by such vete¬
rans as Weaver and Field, surely
something besides a disastrous defeat
should await its efforts.
From the National Committee.
To the Workers Throughout the
United States :
The National Committee of the
People’s Party makes this contribution appeal to
you for an immediate
for campaign funds. The events of
the past few days and the advices
received from every part of the
Union render it certain that a politi¬
cal crisis is upon us, aud we must be
supplied with funds immediately work to
enable the committee to do the
that has been thrust upon it. Civil
liberty and public order are at stake.
Do not delay a moment. Take up
collections at once and forward by
money order, postal note or draft, to
M. C. Rankin, treasurer of the com¬
mittee, Terre Haute, Ind. Let every
patriotic man and woman send in at
least one dollar each before the 24th
of July. This money is needed to
meet the legitimate and indispen¬
sable expenses of the campaign.
This is the people’s fight and the
people must, support it. “Quit ye
like men ; be strong.” Each indi-
vi'iif^l will consider himself a com-
mittee of one to forward a dollar,
and in addition the chairman of
each club and each speaker will read
the address to his club or audience
and take up a oolleotion, urging each
person to contribute at least one dol-
lar, and forward the mamo without
delay. * II. E. TauBKNKOK,
Chairman. .
M. C. Rankin,
Treasurer.
L, McPhari.in,
J. II. Turner,
Secretaries.
Power of Prejudice and Ignorance.
Southern Mercury.
11 is said by those who should be
considered good authority that no
man is educated who has not learned
to think. Accepting the proposition
as true, it follows as logically as that
light dispells darkuess that he who
lias neglected to cultivate this part
of his education is ignorant. And
it is universally admitted that a re¬
publican form of government cannot
be perpetuated where the voters or
law-makers propositions are ignorant. American Applying
these to poli¬
ties of the present as presented by
the two dominant parties,the gravest
apprehension institutions for the perpetuity of
free should be aroused.
What has been and is the policy of
tho Republican and intolerable Democratic par¬
ties? The most system
of proscription has been pursued by
them for years, lie who dares to
think for himself is at once tabooed
by party henchmen and refused even
a hearing by his former confreres. If
he happens to be a man of any
prominence and has ever held posi¬
tions of honor in bis party, be will
be assailed with such vigor by the
“whips” of the party and in such a
way as to make it a warning to those
who might relied follow. Party discipline
alone is upon to control elec¬
tions by tho old parties, and so com¬
plete are the methods that legislators,
State and National, and even gov¬
ernors of States, admit that party
discipline is stronger with them than
honest convictions. They will admit
thal nominations aud platforms do
not represent measures that would
be for the best interest of the coun¬
try at large; yet they will stultify
their manhood, dethrone their better
judgment and vote for the odious
measure and a more objeetional
man. It is ignorance that makes
men bigots to party rule. What did
you say of the adherents to the
church before the reformation ?
What have you said of those who
burned women for witches? Was it
anything but blind devotion to a
cause or creed that made these big¬
ots and unreasoning fanatics? Those
are the terms which have been ap¬
plied to these men of former times.
Are not these same terms as appli¬
cable to the old parties to-day ? The
party rack, stake and pillory are as
much a dreaded factor as disci¬
plinary engines as tho actual instru¬
ments were of old. As the ignorance
and superstition of old melted be¬
fore the application of thought freed
from personal dread, so will the mist
and fogs of party superstition and
party infallibility be swept away as
the mists before tho sun by the re-
form thought that is now being ap¬
plied to the test.
Government Railroads.
In Hungary, under government
ownership of railroads, the rates are
so low that it costs only $ 1.92 to trav¬
el a distance equal to that between
Chicago and New York. A system
of tiokets somewhat like postage
stamps lias been adopted, which tra¬
velers can use on all lines, and with
which freight can also be prepaid.
The saving is enormous, and the peo¬
ple get the full benefit of it. In this
country the ticket, freight and adver¬
tising agencies which competing rail¬
road companies are employing cost
over #200,000,000 a year, The
princely salaries and “pickings” of
presidents, directors, contractors and
a host of parisites, amount to fully
an equal, if not larger, sum. Then
comes the interest on stocks abund¬
antly watered. For all this the peo¬
ple pay. It is safe to say that of tbe
gross earnings over $800,000,000
would be saved to tbe people by gov¬
ernment ownership and operation of
national highways.
The Belgian government took
charge of the railroads of that coun¬
try in 1865. The first eight years
the tonnage increased over 100 per
cent, receipts almost 50 per cent and
saved the people in reduced rates
$4,000,000, after paying a profit to
the government of $1,500,000. From
1870 to 1883, according to the latest
reports at hand,the receipts increased
164 per cent, with the very best ser¬
vice and management in the world
still in vogue.
In Australia the government owns
the railroads. It only costs a person
$6. 50 to ride 1,000 miles there
Commutation rates for local service
are still lower A workingman can
ride to and from his work a distance
of six miles for 2 cents a trip, twelve
j miles for 4 cents, eighteen miles for
6 cents, twenty-four miles for 8 cents,
thirty miles for 10 cents. Y'early
rickets, good for thirty-mile trips, are
sold for $17. 40. This is tho kind of
centralization we need in this coun¬
try. It centralizes bread and meat
into the mouths of the workingman’s
children and clothes on their hacks.
OFFICIAL ORGAN
-oi> the—
FRANKLIN COUNTY ALLIANCE.
$1.00 PER YEAR.
1 A Dream of (lie Fields.
You fcllors from the country —you keep
awtiy from town,
If you don't want to unsettle thine, and get
: us up-sldo down;
For y<>» »'•»«>•» 'owe a memory of the
* meadows and the streams,
An ^ ^alK‘tway get to wlshln’ and to
flshln’ in my dreams!
Vou fellers from the country—whon you
strike me at my desk
The room begins to blossom an’ the street
looks picturesque 1
And the roarin’ of the city with its engines
an’ Us hells.
Seems to melt Into the music of the moun¬
tains aud the dells I
You fellers from the country—you get so
much of life—
So little of its sorrow, of Its tears and of its
strife,
That I want to get off with you and just riot
In your joy,
And wade in your cool branches, like I used
to, when a hoy t
— [Atlanta Constitution.
HUMOROUS.
Tho train of thought of some peo¬
plo are the slowest kind of thoughts.
Teacher_When does rain return
to the sky ? Scholar—In dew sea¬
son.
Mrs. Gay—TIow do yon like your
now homo? Fine landscape, I sup¬
pose? Mrs. Glum—No; but there are
two fire ’senpos.
"Now that I have my brand-new train,”
She said, with joyous smile;
“I think I’ll take a little walk
And clean the streets awhile.’’
Bagby—I have often wondered how
a blind man can loll what sort of food
he is eating. Leslie—Easy enough if
ho has an oyotooth.
Johnny—I do wish that I wero
grown. Mother—Wlmtfor? Johnny
—So I could get a shave instead of
having my faco washed.
A Nevada hunter spoilt three months
looking for a grizzly boar, and tho
man’s relative* have spent three months
j looking for him. They think ho must
have found tho bear.
Girls, never throw yourselves at men,
Or you may learn too late
That girls may throw and throw again—
But never can throw straight.
Ethel—What did you mean by tell¬
ing Josso I was tho biggest flat you
ever knew? George—I meant that or
—you were tho most level-headed
girl in town.
Visitor (to little .lohnny)—Are the
Btudents in your class very bright ?
Johnnie—Guess you’d think wo ought
to be if you’d soo the polishing off
Bomo of us get every day.
Tho Visitor—But why become en¬
gaged if you never meant to marry
him? In the Hammock—Because lie
is so sensitive. You know it mortifies
a man much moro to bo refusod than
to liavo an engagement broken.
Where Goatskins Are Obtained.
The great impetus given to inorroco
manufac*ure iu this country lately is
due to scienco and invention—the dis¬
covery of Improved methods of
tanning und the development of
modern machinery. Tho sumac pro¬
cess, so long used, has been succeeded
by an alnm-and-gambier tannage.
This new system is what is revolution¬
izing tho leather business. Owing to
it, this city, great in many tilings,
is the greatest goatskin port in the
world. In round numbers, moro
than 21,000,000 unlanncd goatskins
came in through the Narrows in tho
year just closed. To secure this im¬
mense number of skins buyers for
New York houses have visited and
made permanent homes in the utter¬
most parts of tho earth accessible to
human beings.
Tiieso historic animals are found in
greatest numbers where civilization is
ai its lowest ebb. 'lhe Importers of
tho Western world find their supplies
among Uio savage bill tribes of the
northern and southern slopes of the
Himalayas, in (he valleys of Persia,
oil tho steppes of Asia, and among the
seini-barbarous described by- Marco
Polo; they get them from lhe sandy
waters of Arabia and die Sahara, from
the slave caravans that reach tho coast
of Somnaliland from tho head waters
of the Blue Nile, and fiom the Kaffirs
of South Africa; they scour the re¬
motest pampas of South America, and
die foothills of the Andes after goat¬
skins, and (ho Indian pastoras of
Central America and Mexico, aud ail
tho islands of (be sea contribute to the
total.—[New York Tribune.
How a Camel is Loaded.
The ordinary load for a camel is 600
pounds for a long journey, though if
the journey is to last only a week or
ten days, 1000 weight is frequently
placed on (he back of an average
animal, but not without strenuous ob¬
jection on the part of the beast, which'
watches the process of loading with
groat anxiety, and frequently inter¬
rupts it by rising and refusing to
kneel to receive more.