Newspaper Page Text
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THE MACON TELEGRAPH.
MACON, GA., SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 21, 1894-TWELVE PAGES.
aUngU Copy, 5 CinU.
By the Author of “Ole Miss an* Sweet
heart,” “Two Runaways,” Etc.
The shadows of Memorial Day were
lengthening upon the wooded slopes;
crowds of gaily dreiksed people
streamed steadily beneath the arch of
the cemetery to wh.ere the long ranks
• »f Ounfr.hT.it.•.* 1 iv t-i."p. There was
a‘ hum of voices In the air, the flutter
of ribbons and the flash of gorgeous
flowers. Out of the distance floated
swelling strains of nurttal music and
soon through the trees that .bordered
the dusty roadway came the gliflt of
bayonets from where the gray platoons
rolled onward. White-haired men
viewed the pageant in silence, mothers
Whose braids wore the white bands of
time beheld It with flushed cheeks and
dimming eyes, little children danced
upon the carriage seats and clapped
their hands. There Is this difference
between memory land tradition.
I wandered aimlessly from the focus
of this human throng, willing to es
cape the annual wave of emotion
Which for nearly thirty years had
broken above those silent mounds In
heart aches and in tears, and. presently
found myself in the rear of a remote
grass plot bordered by euonymous. A
fall woman in black stood within the
enclosure above 'two graves that
lay side by side, unmarked by
board or stone. Her heavy
veil was pushed aside, hut her
face was concealed by her attitude,
which was that of prayer or reverie,
or both, for reverie WRh the aged is
ofttimes prayer. A* I paused irresolute,
fearing to disturb her by a movement,
and partially screened by the shrub
bery, «fhe exposed a defp-lined face of
singular sweetness and dignity, and
from the little basket she carried be
gan to arrange flowers upon the
graves. Her supply was varied and
limited chiefly to the woodland flora-
star grass, wild azaleas, dog wood
blossoms, primroses and violets, but
under her deft, loving touch there
soon speared effects which glorified
the homeliness of 'the materials. Pres
ently, the holy task concluded, she
stood erect and pensively surveyed the
scene. Her hand still held one flower,
a Mareohal Neil of great beauty, the
only rose of her collection. This, after
a moment’s hesitation, she replaced- in
her basket and was -turning away
when, as if obeying an impulse;’She
drew it to view again and laid it upon
one Of the graves: For a moment more
she knelt in prayer, then, with a fare
well glance at tfhe spot, she gently, as
4if remedying some defect in the ar
rangement, moved the rose to the other
grave, and rising beckoned to an old
negro who stood near with ralte and
broom. lAs he entered and began to
clear away the dead leaves, ■ she van
ished slowly among the trees.
I was glad to avail myself of the
•tifllc «eat tucked away in one c irnar
of the hedge. To my inquiry as to who
lay burled beneath the two grassy
mounds, the old negro, touching his
hat, replied In the peculiarly ecfft and
■musical voice of the coast negro (modi
fied here because unintelligible to
mo3t readers): •
“Massa John an’ Masaa Tom, suh.*-’
~>*And the lady I suppose is their
Bftthcrr
Wi'iuer i
I/'Yes, suh, dat’a dey Ma. She gatin’
wan, but we toleege iter come out
(tjyah onot or year an* sorter straighten
un de place. You know de fambly,
"What family?”
“De Baileys, suh! Dls whnr fley bury
de las’ of dclr boys. De ole mon avus
'drowned down yonder on the cons,”
“And you came up with them. You
speak like a salt water daflkey.” The
old man lnughed cheerfully for one
engaged In hie peculiar task.
“Yes, suh; ole miss and me, we come
fum down deJr, cause one er de young
missile, sho marry up country mon nn’
ole miss aint got no Wlur else ter go.
An* when sho git hyah nothin’ gointer
do- but dey mus’ sen' down an’ fetch
dose hyah boys erlong an* put ’em out
hyah whnr ole Miss c’n come wi’ de
fl-ower nn’ somebody ter look ntter de
grass an’ weed.”
“Diving or dead a Mother’s boy is a
manor's buy,” 1 ».iid, muring over ihe
recduil. The old man took it us a re
ply:
“Yes, suh; nlnt no en’ ter dat. But
Mnssa, dey wan t’ing fret me ’bout dose
hyah boys fur forty years; hue come
when dey is twiDs, mise de came, Ma
de eame, school de same, chaunce de
same, one go headin’ fur de crown fum
de vc’y start an’ 'iuther head straight
fur de Dev’l! Hits more'n anybody
c’n work out.” -He had paused a mo
ment to let this indignant comment go
free, .but now he resumed his raking and
his rambling narrative: “Delr Is Massa
Jonu; de Lord nev’r sen’ no ooman er
better boyn Mussa John. Dey say he
out steddy de whole school ev'y time;
an’ at home—warnt nobody like him.
He des work ’roun’ es Ma fum daylight
tell dark doin’ fur ’er—bringiu’ de
chair, hau’ln’ water, threadin' needle
an’ pOuyin’ wid Vr hair when she sew
in’. Hit was ‘wul't, lemme do dat fur yer
Mrt!’ an’ 'set still. Mu, lemime ten ter
hit.’ an’ ’Ma, lenvme go. You goln* ter
wear yo’se’f out.” Ho was quicker ter
do dan air nigger she had, an’ ole Mlml
ttlway say <k* buy warnl long fur
wpi.d. An' V des so patient wi’ Masse
Tom hit look like er shame! Many'#.*
time when Majsa Tofci ’buse ’em, I
look ter see Massa John smash ’em wid i
somep’n, but lie only laugh un* move
'way. 8o hit werot fur mnny er year. I
Ev’y body had a good word for Massa
John; he stood way up yonder In de
Chu’ch an’ when trouble come he met |
hit like er man;—like er nxm,” he re
peated as he cleared the tines of his
rake of the perished leaves.
"And the trouble, I reckon, came
through the other—Tom.” The old
ma.n shook his head and looked slowly
about him: 4
"I aint blamin’ de dead, but hits de
troof; Masser Tom was de black Iheep
at school an’ er runaway. He des
woukfci* t-ek ter de book fur no body.
He does so conrary ’e can’t boir fur no
body ter spute es word; an’ lu» woul’n*
. let nobody boss ’im. Tie took de bit
In es teef fum de tftart, an’ bless God
If *e dLdn* hoi* it tell ’e d *aJ. He des
so contrary hit look like all he want is
ter And out what dey don’t want an’ he
make er pint er doin’ dat ve’y t’ing au’ J
only de blessln’ of God in Mcissa John [
heart kep’ him fum runnln' foul er [
him. Only one time de boys ev’r come !
togYer—when Mussa Tom lie git mad j
an’ smash Ole Miss in de face wl’ es fu\
Den Mussa John up fur onct In es life !
an’ tek de bit too. He draw lxic’ es arm ]
an’ he look so wicked he look like Mas- j
net Tom his sc’f. -But he change ’es l
mind; he de* ketchum by es collar''an’ I
ch licit an* pitch um in de corner. Mns-
►a Tom he so phi ns Used an* 'stnofab, :
he des set delr an* look blc’. But |
birneby he git up an* , go out; an' fum
do*, day look like he git wom?r! Kf delr j
any trouble ’bout de.pfcice Musa Tom
sho* at de bottom. De niggers •feud r
of 'em dan de .Vbble; an’ b»* gi’ ’em
oau-*e ter be. He big trouble t r Ole i
Miss den an’ 6he aint sleep now ’: iu»e .
er dat boy. He#sped* *tx>ut alt d? m *n -y I
de 2 nnbly got *fo’ the war come or’, -ng.
an’ what he aint spe* Mas*& John spin* j
fur ter git *im oat er trouble. Den >
kill er moa down In Savannah playin’ •
cyards, an’ MOM Jolin sUn’ ter git
'im loose, an* lie up un’ run ervroy; an’
dat -busted de fambly. Massa John sell
ev’y t’ing an’ pay de debt, an’ sot up er
littit* sco’ an' Lrt ergin. But dal
wurnt de en’! Fus news come dat Md$-
so. Tom sick ’way out yonner an’ need
money; an’ Ole Miss pass de letter to
Mass.i John. He iv.td it an' siy nothin’,
but lie gtt de money. Den dey hy.ili
kill ner mon some whar out Wes' an*
V kill Her m*m s.-m* wlv.ir out Wes’ an’
write boc* fur mo* money ter pay de
lawyer. Ole Miss 'tuk on powerful, but
Mas-si John he lay es li.in' on ’or arm
an’ say, 'I’ll sen’ hit; don’t iry, Mill*
An’ *e did.
“An* so it went tell de war come er
long. Ev’ybody t’ink er heap of Massa
John. Dey oome twenty mile ter trade
wid ’im. an’ es word was de law d’awn
delr. Misw Emily Lrtve she t’ink more’r
him 'n anybody, an* he would er marry
her long ergo, but ev’y time he git mos*
ready tie money hatter go ter Mussa
icavij- uv ju-juw-y iiuu.it go ier AiuoKi
Tom. But de war come erlong. an’ he
mus* be ca.pt’n an go off an’ light.
‘'Night ’fo* he lef’ he tell me ter ketch
es horse an* go long wid *lm ter see
Mis* Emily Jin' sav g. n».l bye. ll - J.-f'
mo at de big gate -wid de horses an’
went erlong in de parlor, tin’ he stay
deir long .time, De lights doy was
burnln’ bright, an' I could se ’im Btan-
nin’ up by de pyanner. she er playin’
an’ him er slngln’. You.know dait ole
song, massa. we all sing erlong ’-bout
dat time—’bout de years parsin' by Lop-
reener sence he hel’ her' ban’—hits
strange how dem words done lef’ me!
An* den’ after er little dey comes out
into moonlight, an’ bimoby dey gits
down enbout de big gate. I done tied
do horses, an’ was er layin’ delr in de
grass ruminatin’ ’bout de war, when
dey stop, an’ he -tell -her how much he
love ’er. an’ hbw much he gointer do fur
ter make ’er happy. He say he gointer
com-e back wid de gole ©tripes all over
him, an’ diait she'd «bo proud of her sol
dier. an' how he warn’t gointer let her
marry nobody short of er cunnel. He
tell -her all dat an’ Ilf* up her face In de
moonlight wid his han* unner her cliin
an kiS9 ’er on do (forehead. She dldn’
Ba 2 r i.. a< ^ 1 In’, but jes stan’ deir wid ’er
wh.te face lifted up -ter (hte, an* I reck
on deir mus’ .er been (team in 'er* eyes,
fur when de light fall on 'em hit trlm-
^ hit trim'bles on de grass at
night when de dew is heavy an* de
breeze start up de3 ’fo’ dnv. nv
, jo juravy an ue
breeze start ud des -fo’ day. Er mon,
? Kl . ssa ' is K°od ter guees fine
“V 1 ooman some how sorter
feels de trouble cornin’, j reel hit. too,
dat night, wid my face down in de
K , ra ff’ an me er cryln- for both er dem
cniwen.
inm' e ti?i d i m . an memory had run away
into the lateral drama nnd seemed to
rest upon this parting. He busied him”
•at again clearing the rake. As-the
breeze had .sprung up, and, as he wait-
the 'L^ 3 strains of
whcr ® the military bond
SrotSmmo "T - 50 "* 3 ° f th * memorial
A 8m1, e for an Instant lit
ho tu k me a a C ^ ahe llftcJ hls hand
de aK? ^ward me. “Delr hit Is,
f 1 ? night.”
S3a»ssa. fc arSss
ZBp&szjgff' camp
•i*/ e 5v 8U "» he come back; but dev bring
_ ■ -- time uay
SSFTK , ul . Savannah one day Massa
Tim ride In de yard wid es blue chrS
i?hi??n Bta Sr v elr by es ma. ’Whar dat
rleh't J'V cr direr er mine.’ he say. cuuln’
’cite I? too; but she don’t-hear;
spite er de change In him; spite cer de
blueclo os she t'ro’ both arm ’bout ’Im on'
Den I,e ^ off a™look
d ® y0UnB missus; but de young
War*™ "l Darl " n an- don’t see “m
H ord ’ what k time delr was den!
hard" 11 HeTe’w'hlt he °S t0I> an ' ha Hfle
nara. He kep hit up bout er week nn*
Wue coTu rfi e ? * i 0n6 day *° mo mo ^ e
blue coats ride In de yard. He Jerk out
es pistol an’ kill one. but doy ketch Massa
crazy man ■’l' 1 "’’ , Ito , C * h ‘ " k « #T
!! on dc nlBBer ter he’p;
?? al " ‘ nalr n ‘KS" Hf es han’. Ef
lilt hatter been Me-ssa John delr’d been
er rookus sho. Nobody he’p him but es
mo. She draw his coord and awing it
wl both han’ an’ come down on cr sojer*
Jn* 1 hit Jw h t blade 0n h,a Kun bar ’i
an hit flew ter pieces. Den dey lock 'er
In de room nn' ride off wlj Massa Tom
on de dead sojer. Ole miss call ter me*
_Gc wJd 'im, Silas; go wkl ’im-fur ir.e. :
1 took ole mule un follow 'long ter de
blue coat camp, an' I say 1 mus’ see
,vn ?8 „ a n?T; an ’r! ley „ ,0 . t ,ne ,n - He tell me
cen an delr: Do Jig s up ole mnn,’ dc-a
so. Den dey come nnd lead him out. I
khow d hit warm right to be tleln' one
er ole miss boys like or runaway nigger
an^ I go fight up ter de head gcnTs tent
nn tell him he belter mek his folks learn
some manners—dat dey was treatin’ ole
miss boy outrigeous. He look at me
queer like an’ ask me If I know dat boy
aerted an’ kill one er dey mon too. I
say I don’t known nothin’ 'bout 'serted,
but dat ho kill lo moil 'cause he come
In de yeard an’ didn't b'have right fo’ ole
Miss; dat ho des couldn’ he’p lilt, 'tildes
ho been er spoiled chile all cs life nn’
dat ought er count for lumpin'. I ox
■lin how long fo’ dey gointer turn Mass
Tom loose. II© dldn t say nothin', but
Tinted out to whar do whole army was
drawd up. I c’n see de long lines now,”
continued the old negro, hi, voles falling
under the press of memory’s most fearful
moment; “do blue coats, do llag wavin'
an’, ev’ybody lookin’ at Massa Tom stan.
in’ dclr by hese’f, Jes so.” lie rested his
rake upon the ground, and, lifting his
head, threw hts shoulder, back.
Ab thus he posed a volley of musketry
crashed through the wood nnd sharp and
clear from where the military stood to
salute the dead. A thrill shot through mo
and Involuntarily I sprang to my feet;
but the speaker convdln'vtly cast Ills Im
plement from him and stag'tcrej. His
eyes were fixed upon the dutanee and
full of an unutterable horror,
".My Godl my God! my God!" I heard
him whisper, an-1 ’hen before I could
reach him he pitcncd face downward
upon the graves. The story was ended.
Water from a neighboring spring toon
revived the old tram, und though wait
and tremulous ho was able, leaning upon
his rake, to take in his homeward jour-
ney. We parted beneath the arch, but 1
turned again with a question;
’’Whose grave is It, Undo Silas, that
has the rose upon It?” He shook Ms
head; the 1 mmedlate vpost was Wotted
out and his mind held only the echoes
of the olden tragedy:
“I tuk Mm home,'* ho nM, "an* delr
wan ole miss down by er pine coffin an*
Massa John inside, lie was wropped in
er flag an’ covered up wid de flowers.
Ole mis.* move a little an" smile, an’ we
put Maesa Tom’s box deir, too. She tek
ba’f de flowers an’ put 'era ou top er i It,
an’ rigtot delr wo lef* ’er."
Twilight was falling as ho turned awa**.
The brief summing up of the two liver
so much revealed, so much left to infer
ence, had Impressed me deeply. How
closely woven! How wlda apart! I
thought that I had lift the lonely mounds
to silence and eternity, but a» tm* time
grew the scene, the drnma,becran to oat nt
my waking and dreaming hours. I *1111
asked myself the unan » ver«sd que.-ft cn.
It Is still unanswered. Las: nigh: I crept
Into the cemetery ant stood MbloJ the
hedge. As I waited there. *hrough the
trees floated the tender strains of that
old war song followed by % crash of mus-
U'try. From the ■tfiado-w glided quickly
a tall woman lr. Mack, ffhe blood by thr,
mounds a ■wxr.ent and gaz^.d furtively
about; then testingshe
"— from one gT$*„ t oHbe
1 the
How
t say;
or when sn,- ol«a,p eJrrt -kJ curnoi
when I looked agaf, not
The forest flowere K* vanisStf- but lhe
rose had become an >n morto j| C S.
" vivid. sV ca !’
i dreai
took me to the ‘pot ton, y>
had long since swept av/-'^ lhe '
flower and the princely rost D(Bido\5 e
mound on -which the latter i H .* B ^ c( j f* -
./ithered petals was a third |hy #| j\ s j
just greening into life.
Harry SUlwell
INDIAN SUMMER.
Fair October h-.\a come with her brigh.
gladsome days •
That promise us winter with keen frosty
While so dear to our heart in a thousand
sweet ways
The fair dusky sprite “Ifadian Summer"
is here.
The warm summer breezes seem fainter
to grow
As fondly they kiss the bright asters
asters good-bye;
To the golden rod yellow they e'er whisper
low,
While softly they murmur a half-tender
sigh.
The “last rose of summer” lies faded and
dead—
Her brief life is ended, her duty is done;
Like a maiden neglected she bows her
fair head •
And mourns for her lover, tho dear sum
mer sun.
But chrysanthemums bright, e’en the fair-
. est and best
Of sweet Autumn owers, the stars of tho
Fall,
Ever seem to remind us, though gone all
the rest.
They're willing to blossom to comfort us
all.
The perslmnmn’s aroma flows soft on the
breeze;
The chlnqueplns harden and fall to the
ground;
Busy squirrels, are feasting among the
tall trees,
And hiding away the ripe nuto large and
brown.
How delightful the sunshine! it tenderly
sleeps
In green mossy nooks, upon soft, verdant
hill*
While adown the green valleys entrancing
there leaps
Wdth flashing and dancing the cool trick
ling rills.
Gay and splendid the sunset e’er flushes
,the crest
Of mountain and hillock with' rose-col
ored flame,
While tho dear little birds have all flown
from their nest
To seek sunny climes, whence last Sum
mer they qame.
And the maples have donhed, too, their
robes bright and fair,
With treasures of beauty which to them
belong;
The gay Will-o’-the-Wisp swings bis lan
tern in air;
The wild bird sings sweetly Its low.
plaintive song.
Softly gleam the bright stars In the dark
purple skies,
WJth radiance surpassing a warm sum
mer night;
And the fair, splendid moon renders
earth paradise,
While beaming upon us with clear silvery
light.
Indian Summer so winsome! so wondrous-
1 y bright!
A wicked coquette I have learned that
thou art,
But I’ll always adore tbjr sweet beauty
and light,
And give thee forever
toearj.
—Daisy L. Hall.
nuniiK.
Notes by Arthur Pew. M. A. M., C. E„
Jf. Inst. C. E.
The argu.nonts (or fiovernmenit own
ership i.r rail raids may be divided into
two genual elasseo. z
Tho first class embraces those argu-
uienta that are Intended to show that
Kov. rnmcj-x should control tho ralt-
ln order to prevent dlscrlmlnn-
uon.xr* cu , re low r,ue8 ' «nd Insure the
,rratSsi.’' e * r<!0 of effiWency In serving
the pubrip-
The cl:las embraces those that
-re lnt«rJ«l ‘how that the govi'm-
n -nt should X WI > *nd operate the rall-
roai„..
Th. on iy reasuR a ' l!l arguments that
have -...n udva:icc5.h the advocates t>f
govi'rm., en t owner*!belong to the
place In my
Maqon, Ga.,- October, 18M.
EPPIE ELLSL/EH.
Thait Charming Actreau In Her New
Play Monday Night.
Tho coming or Ellle Ellsler and her
oompany, in which are auch weli known
actors no Frank Weston, Robert Drou-
ot. and others, to the Academy n( Music
Monday evening, October 23, cannot
fall to be a dramatic occasion u( special
atitraotlveneas. more so Is this the case
since "Ooris." Miss Ellsler's new play,
la to bo .presented. The play was one of
the most Important nnd most success
ful productions of last ceneon. Speaking
of a recent .perfomance, an exchange
says: “Efile Ellsler appeared as .’Doris’
at the Grand Host night, and thnt she
scored a suceos3 mnv be gathered from
the fact that she was thrice recalled
by the large audience. ’Dnris' Is a road
piny, nnd gives Miss Ellsler fine scope
for the display of her fine glfls ns on
emotional actress. Miss Ellsler Is no es
sentially a gentlewoman In everything
she aiys and does that to see her In a
clean, wholeerimc play Is nn elevating
Influence which no one who has ever
seen her would willingly forego.’’
LILLIAN LEWIS IN ’’CLEOPATRA.’’
‘'Cleopatra” will be produced by
Miss Lillian Lewis at tho Aeafiomy
next Friday nnd Saturday, October
2G-27, op a grand spectacular scale.
Miss Lewis’ version of this great
drama Is by that master mind, Will
iam Shakespeare. Enough eaid for tho
dramatic composition. Miss Lowls <ha*
introduced four Roman and Egyptian
ballets, fifteen operatic choruses, *the
b!g storm scene, calcium and other
light effects, living pictures and many
other novel effects into the play, which
adds greatly to its attractiveness. The
scenery, all of which is carried by the
company, is a marvel of the scenic
artist’s work. The costumes ore elab
orate and the company a capable one.
Taken All In all, *It Is n grand spccacu-
lar production of Shakespeare’s grand
est ptay, Saturday night Miss Lewis
will present "Article 47.”
THE DAZZLBR.
"The Dizzier" bus always be^n noted
for the string specialties which It con
tains; and Cosgrove & Grant's comedi
ans are thl© year stronger than ever In
that line. Among tfifem firs the DanrKt
sisters, two charming Washington
girt* who not ‘only *!ng beautifully but
play upon the cornet and violin in a
way that nightly aronics the audience
enthusiastic Applause. Their Instru
mental duets are one of the most plcas-
In features of the show. They will be
seen at the Academy of Music on next
Thursday, October 25.
When traveling, always take a cake
of Johnson’s Oriental Bosp with you;
dismiss are often caught from using
hotel soap. So6d by Goodwyn & Small,
drugget*.
DENTISTRY.
Dr. A. S. Moore, who has for the
hut eight years been reasonable in hU
charges for dv-ntal fork, and who la
better prepared to do bridge, crown and
all «»f denial work, having taken
a post-graduate course In prosthetic
dentistry, owing to the stringency of
the time*. Is willing to be even more
reasonable in hi* charge". Come, let
nlm examine your teeth and eee how
reasonable you can have your dental
work done. Teeth extracted without
p.iln. 121 Washington a venae, near
Fin*; Biml«t church. VlnevJlle and
tBelt Line of street cars pass hu office
h>mTi,i, 1( .|n ownerwi.*w -uviuuk *'*
first cla*> mentioned afe'jve. told lose .ill
ct their fo vce a8 aoon ud .effective gov
ernment control Is established.
It is certain ithaiwhen -tht railroads
were subject » Q no control rhatever,
abuses of power by them were ftequent.
and many able economists recognized
the fact that a certain amount of gov
ernment control was 1'dvliable and inev
itable.
Charles Francis Adanto, Jr., in an ar
ticle on "The Government and tho Roll*
road Corporations.” published in 1871,
said; \
The question for ithe conslnleration of
intelligent observers is no Ioniser, then,
“Shall the national governmen\a?«ume
this control?’ but 'How shall it be cxer-
oised. whan assumed?’ • • V*
"If our people distinctly feel an cvdl
and can be made to see tha t some one iN
responsible for it. Un rr Is no intennt .u
combination of interests (that can long
resist the pressure.” • * *
/'That the national government must,
then. Horner or later, and in a greater
or leaser degree, amume a railroad ju
risdiction, Is accepted ns an obvious
conclusion fo be dedaced from the irre
sistible development of the system In
the course It ha« hitherto pursued.”—*
North American Review, January, 1871.
His prediction has been verified, und
any arguments for government control
of railroads are ouf >f (late.
Some persons may amuse themselves
In arguing as to whether or not Che
Federal and stnte governments had o
legal right to control the railroads, but
there can be no question as ito whether
or nat. they have asserted that right.
Congress has passed a law establishing
a commission for the control of all rail
roads now engaged In the transporta
tion of Interstate Commerce, and thirty
©tales hace established eemmlftslons for
the regulation of railroads within their
borders. ’ •.
These commission* have been excrete-,
ing their function^ for years, and have
generally accomplished the objects for
which th«y were'cheated. If any of thorn
have failed, they are responsible ito tho
people of their states for their failure It
can hardly be charged that their powers
were Insufficient.
These powers vary slightly In dlffer-
en .L* rta J: e1, but Wi Willy as follows:
To fix, revtoe alter or make a sched
ule of rates.. ;
“To make cLasslflcatlon of freight and
passenger .traffic.
“To hear complaints under oath: tty
compel ottendancV'of either party, or
to subpoena wltnf?i3os.
*’nroceedlngr» in the name
or the state, and to'enforce Its decisions
through the courts.
;;T° examine t>ooks, accounts, otc.
To procrlbe ; the form of reports nnd
method of keeping accounts,
i , , ^ 0 J’ e '^lfl’t 0 £ < i n hect'lonfl andtermoof
interchange of; traffic between tho rall-
K (S l? 'Z9 triite R,nl,ron( I Commls-
siona,’ by Frefl C. CMrk.)
*2® th ' M ? to? b ? Added the following
powers which abe txxwfvssed by the com
mission a Ip some states:
To ride* free when on duty*.
Tn I2 ulal0 i Bpeed of ,tra,na -
To tni|na Uj bc run -
points d 'fhofna to slop at certain
established, nnd de-
pote built at certain polnte.
To SSSrufi^wJBSf*- on awldM,t "-
of'toemTlraa.la nn “ Clal mnna ^'" a nt
tlmn recdmm< t n<J 'tow or altered lefflsl.i-
every decision we have made has been
final. Tho orders and directions issued
have! u every instance been complied
with by the railroad companies.”
HSook in hla “Corporation Problem”
says: “The days of reckless, irrespon
sible and dishonest management of
railroads are passing uiway, nnd great
questions are 'being settled largely by
the character and honesty of (he rail
road managers.’’
Van Oss, from the standpoint of the
English Investors, writes: “Tho un
scrupulous, reckless and dishonest
element Is being gradually expelled
from American railroad management
and men of Integrity ^are replacing
them." __ .
Interstate Commissioner Voazy, in
an Interview in the Washington Star
of July 21, 1894. says: “Regulation un
der the law, state and national, la
working out its designed result, in
correcting evils that had crept into
railroad administration. • • lJW
not bellevo that transportation by com
mon carriers, or the 1 ” t ® rcfl,s % .° 1 f n |l 0 ft r Ur
merce will be Improved by government
ownership nnd operation of rnllro.ul
Thrao eentlenien have nothin* to gain
by making false statements. They are
men of high character and worthy of
full credence. Tho fact that there may
be occasional Instances in some particular
state where the commission lias trouble
(ties not prove that tho law as a whole
Is cot effective.
Ifvthe law in any particular state la
defeefio the legislature can easily rem
edy It. \
When wr have such testimony that con
ditions ha^ygreatly Improved, and con
tinue to do X there la no immediate ne
cessity for ev\a considering tho danger
ous experiment if government ownership.
There are app&Xntly only two points
k on which AmericanSallroad laws In gen
re! are defective. Ties© aro of great
Increasing Importoire and will com-
thc attention of legslators In the
ornment ownership of railroads was dis
cussed pro and con by representatives of
two literary societies, and while the de
baters were young men, it is highly im
probable that any political epeakers ever
met on a platform in tho United States
who were »o well prepared to discuss this
subject, Intelligently, or who had had
access to so largo a quantity of rellablo
statistics In regard to It. These gentle
men (Guy S. Ford, Robert RIenow, D. F\
P W A At tfl
c »Ttalnly a formidable array
of powers for states to exercise over
* n wb *S h * hey bava purchased
no InteroEt, and theso powers are to
be exercised by mon who "must havo
”Mv P X rt („ n l ? ny railroad, nor hold
any ofllce for the same.’’
if.fi. 2?! y . '? re * .Vl the commission
5*i“' r ' sny qu.illflcjtlono preiorlba t
nxhfre’ . x : op . t ; h K osc .„ of a pomSI
rvwsfU* e< At „ * Tho three states that
«fSni..1 b, ! n 5 l .‘ on I,y Proscribing a
»Wr« ir 0f P. tn ” 3 ,' or thr, r oomn,Is-
Connecticut, Maine and
Georgia. (See page 68.)
.u?^ COm . ml!!llon ln Geo rgi.i must con-
a"raflrosdamans “ bU " ln "' ,S m,,n ,,nd
In Connecticut a lawyer, a civil en-
S,r f nr. year< ' >
and EX&W * ClVM CnB " ,eer
other states there aro
provisions that they niuat not all be-
OI,ft P°JltIcaf party.
/.i^i ^ ur JP e f n t government has exer
cised such rigid control' over private
railroads. They gorvrally exercise
some control In tho fixing of rates
and supervision of accounts, but.it is
generally either on account of an ex
press provision -to that effect in the
n . y ’tL/v? nrtor or on account of
iiDerai subsidies or guarantees of divi
dends by the government.
But In this* country twenty-seven
states, without hiving purchased any
interest in the.railroads or having re
served any such right In the charters
granted, have empowered a. commis
sion of three men, neither of whom is
required to have the slightest Knowl
edge of railroad matter", to decide
(among other things) the difficult ques
tion as to .what is a reasonable rate,
one of the most difficult problems that
the railroad mamger has to deal with.
A pertinent question te, “What were
the* abuses that induced the general
government to assume this control?”
Mr. Aldace F. Walker, a former
members of the Interstate com
merce commission, nys In un ar
ticle in the Railway Review for Jan-
uary 4. 1*90, that the Introduction of
the Interstate commerce hill was pre
ceded by a long Investlgiilon, which
resulted In a concise statement of the
ciuscs of complaint against the rail
road system. That the points covered
by this Indictment were eighteen in
number, whleh could all be comprised
In the one word “discrimination.“
• i fiuestlon to consider is,
\\ pat has been the result of thte
control?”
The Culla.m committee reported, “The
experience of the MaWnchmetts com
mission is satisfactory evidence that
the system has proven effective where
it na* oeen most thoroughly tested.”
C. W. DavLs ( in author) in favor of
government ownership writes: “There
is compared with th<* time preer ling
the hv but little discrimination In
progrecs.’’
. m . nv *' v 1 ° n ° r Dey (of Iowa) says:
We do not believe there Is much, If
any, diner! ml nation In Iowa.”
Governor Bob** nays: “Years Ago
there were complaint*, but t know of
no compl lints now.”
(f *The Ndbriika commlsolon report:
“It Is a nutter of congratulation that,
) the protection ofV minority
stockhoflfh'i'ft and the restrictku^nf plain
ly unnecV»»ary railroad constrihypn.
The firstthese points has bePs
looted too OT«g already. Tho lawi ^
talnly ure dtVect* vo wJlcn tl,e y Ctt,<
prevent or corraC 0 ^ such a programme i?
cnrrled out on Central nallroad ol
Georgia ft few yuV r s ogo.
With a little Jt, diclous legislation to
prevent tlKao ubuscsN. people would
have nothing wliateve&L 10 gain*by gov
ernment ownership. \
If the government shou JJ purcliaso tho
railroads there would b eSpif two Im
portant additional functions Rtej* lt to per
form, namely: The uppolntimvnt of tho
officials and the disposition of vH* 0 earn
ings. \
If we can Judge by the ejq»erle V® oj
the majority of nations that have* W’ted
government management, the latter fui
tlon would be very simple. It would con
slst only in calling on congress for u
appropriation to meet the dell lr It In op
eratlng expenses or fixed charges. (This
statement will bo fully proven in a subse
quent article.)
The most enthusiastic advocate of gov
ernment ownership must admit that un
less we have an absolutely perfect civil
service system the appointment of rail*
road .officials by the government will be
an unmixed evil.
There aro at present less than 200,000
persons employed ln all the departments
of the government.
There were employed on the rdllroada
last year 873,002 persons. (Seo Interstate
Commerce Report.) When we consider
tho tremendous influence exercised by the
comparatively small number of federal
office holders at present, would lt not bo
dangerous to our Institutions to Increase
their number to moro than a. million?
Such Is the opinion of many ablo think
ers. Judge Thomas M. Cooley, whom f
Mr. Watson admits Is “one of tho great
est lawyers now living” and ”an author
ity upon tho subject of constitutional
law,” says:
“Government ownership of railroads In
volves. thp wielding of a tremendous po
litical power. In « rtpubfic like ours the
attempt to assume this gigantic‘und »r-
taklng would speedily shatter tho govern
ment to fragments.”
Hon. Martin Knapp, Interstate com
merce commissioner, says:
“Government ownership Is a project, a
scheme of dangerous Import, wholly In
harmonious with the spirit and aims of
democracy.”
Gustav Cohn, a Gorman political econ
omist of highest rank, and a strong ad
vocate of state railroads, is quoted as
aylng that, though state railroads arc the
proper thlpg for aermany, that In Eng
land or Franco a transition to state rail
roads would bc a bold experiment, (b’ce
Aegis.) How much more so would lt bo
ln America?
Tho reasons for apprehending danger
from this source aro well expressed by
Mr, II. Walter Webb, vice president of
tho New York Central, In tho New York
Herald of September 9, 1894. as follows:
“DANOER OF POLITICAL CORRUP
TION.
“Suppose that we odd the million or
moro railroad employes of this country
to our civil service. Docs any one sup
pose that tho day will not come—and
very quickly, too—when these men will
find It to their lnt**r»*»t to vote ns a unit?
That Is to say, docs any one suppose that
a political party, If invested with office,
will not convert this multiplied army of
employes nto an army of partisans, Just
os Is tho case now? And with the pat
ronage of a million offices at Its disposal,
what party could ever bo overthrown or
turned out with anything short of a revo
lution? A party onco ln power would
stay In power until It had grown so cor.
rupt that the people would rise en masse
to drive It from power.”
Tho government of Australia owns and
operates tho railroads In a manner In
tended to bo free from political Influence,
but they have experienced so much trou
ble that the Sidney Herald, one of the
leading dailies, in its Issue of August 5,
1J&3, siys of the situation:
“Tho only possible remedy Is to abol
ish the state railroads or abolish the
right of state railroad employes to vote.”
Mr. Watson says: “Germany owns her
railroads and Is governed through politi
cal parties to a great extent; yet we nev
er heur of railroad patronage controlling
politics.*' The fact that Mr. Watson has
never heard of 1t proves nothing except
that he Is not well Informed on the sub
ject. We will sec wtiat others say of It
On page 20 of his railroad pamphlet he
says:
“In Germany the government owns the
railroads, charges less for the service
than our corporations charge us, etc. • •
In Sweden, Holland, Belgium, Russia,
India, Now South Wales, Victoria, Cape
Colony, Egypt, China, Japan, Denmark,
Portugal, Italy; Queensland nnd Now
Zealand the government owns most of
the railroads and operates them with en.
tire success. • • Even In Canada the
government owns four great railroads
worth *32,000,000”
There Is no Important political subject
on which the ordinarily well informed
American has os little reliable Informa
tion at his command oa that of statistics
of government management of rail roods,
to that the average reader Is not able
to say positively that the above state
ments are not true.
The object of theso articles is not to
present a comprehensive discussion of the
arugments for government ownership, but
to present to the reader some facts in
regard to government railroads (generally
taken from official reports) which he
could not collect for himself without
weeks or months of research and a con
siderable amount of trouble and expense
The Aegis for February 2, 1894, a maga
zine published at the University of Wis
consin, contains a great deal of valuable
Information on this subject.
The question of the advisability of gov-
O’Keefe, P. E. Doudna, A. M. Simons
and W. W. Allen) consulted some 300 vol
umes and periodicals and were careful to
make only such statements as could not
be disputed.
They had Access to some works which
tho writer has not been able to obtain,
ahd besides did "a largo amount of cor
respondence with every civilized country”
and obtained soino valjahle Information
in this manner.
Some of their statements, which were
not questioned by the opposite side, nro
quoted in this article, credit being given
to tho Aegis. The following statements
In regard to tho railroads In politics aro
taken from It:
"Dawson, writing In favor of Bismarck's
scheme of state railroads, admits that Mn
Germany, naturally state railroad serv
ants throw all their influence, both Indi
vidually and officially, In tho scale of
tho government, and Independent politi
cal parties are ulways placed at a disad
vantage; that state railroads enable tho
government to exercise pressure In elec
tion time with a view to securing a trac-
tablo house of deputies.* “
"When tho Belgium minister of publla
works demanded an Inquiry into the cau.ie
of the state railroad deficit, a member of
parliament said: 'If an Inquiry is to be
made It 1b we who ought to bo charged
by It, for tho members aro most culpable
for tho deficit. They havo demanded un
reasonable favors merely to gratify thelc
constituents.' ”
Of corruption ln Australia, Hon. Job*
Fortesque, from the standpoint of an En
glish Investor, writes: “The politicians
are responsible for tho disaster in Austra
lia. Their borrowed millions havo been
spent on (railroad) works that were pro
ductive of votes, not of wealth.”
The Sydney Herald says: “Tho rail
roads of New South. Wales havo been
[>ullt as political jobs," and a leading
rnb&r of parliament Informed us “the
‘ ‘-‘t surest of re-election is the ono
un get tho most railroads for hla
dlstrlv"
ert Hamilton, governor of Tas
mania, b.vB: "Lines havo been built
where theYvte little produced and practi
cally no ponblllty of development.”—Tho
Aegis. X
Mr. Findlay, IhVThe Working and Man*
agement of an Wglish Railway,” pags
237, says: V
“In Belgulm, when, as before stated,
the railways are workca as a department
of the state, und the apptnlmcnt of min
ister of railways a polltlcjuone, tho pat
ronage which lies In his gift nwell known
be largely exercised for qarty pur-
CK.”
Henry l’arker, who wan pr.sUPuit
national Australian rnnvtiliun
that mV 1 - for the purpmo* <>r forming • ho
Australia* 1 commonwealth in JK!*2, wild a
a apeocih 1WJ, referring to his rcslgna
tlon from ti\® Australian parliament, that
“he had aeNfi what appeared, to hi-
such an utter\j>rofilgacy in voting me
Urge sums of\»\ on *y for public roe*
that he felt U w3**\ tine ho Should rerun,
to sit In a parliament where' such things
were possible." (ScXFcderal Government
of Australia, page l.X
This did not necewaMjy imply the ex*
lstenee of great corruptl^ ,n the Austro*
Han parliament. It slmpfly showed thal
Australian congressmen ar\Mke Ameri
can congreasmen—when one g'qes home ho
likes to show to his constltulxnts what
largo appropriation!! he has seeded for
river and harbor Improvements, /uslol-
floes or custom houses in his district! and
where tho government constructs urJ of
tho rullroads the cost of other IrnproVe-
pionts Js insignificant In comparison.
A favorite argument of the advocates')
of government ownership Is thnt capital
ists buy up legislators. If this should 1 bo
true would !t be ,wj»e for the people to
buy and place 'undoi* the control of
Islarors $11,000,000,000 worth of property,
which, with tho most careful manage
ment, only pays 3 per cent, profit? Be
sides, the system Is constantly growing
and wo must continue to add to It several
thousand of miles every year. The pos
sibilities of corruption In securing fut
“government contracts" Would bc greatly.
Increased.
The Populist answer to all these state
ments Is that the management of tha
railroads will be placed under tho clvill
Hervlce rules. Would It not he well to
perfect that system with regard to the
comparatively small force under Its rules
at present, before wo assume that It will
ho effeotlvo when more than a million
men are brought under lt?
Hon. Charles Lyman, president of the
civil serylco commission, In an article In.
the North American Review (November
1*93.) says, that while the civil servlco
law has boon a success, that'lt will bo
many years before all that la expected
of It will come to .pass. lie says:
“What h«« been true In tho past Is still
true, that In many Instances promotions
are made without any regard to merit or
fitness."
Ho thjnka that “all will bo well” if it
Is accomplishing what was expected of
It at the end of twenty years after lt
was Inaugurated. 6
When that time comes the question of
govern men tol management of nailrouulji
may be discussed. It should not for n.
moment be considered a« long as our
civil service Js imperfect.
(To be Continued.)
u
SOMETHING OF A MORTGAGE.
It Will Require Two Weeks to Rcco
'the Documents.
The first consolidated mortgage
the 'Southern 1 till way Company
filed at Knoxville, Tann., yefltert
It Includes all t/ho property of tho <
solldated Hues of tho Southern t
tem. •
The mortgage Is for *120,000,000 4n
vor of the Central TruM Company
New York. Gold bonds (to rim 100 ye
at 6 per cent, are to be Issued, v
which to pay the Indebtedness of
various roads nnd to Improve *them
modern demands.
The mortgage contain* over 60
words, and will require two weeks
record k. It will be registered In
cauntlea of the various shite* Uiroi
which the Southern pagse*. one
which is Glytm county.
The puper* have not yet been fl
In 'this office, but will be along at
early day.
It will he the largest mortgage e
ecorded In Glynn county.—Brungwl
Tlmes-Ad vertlse,.
O. L. Rice, Mendota, Hi., wi
“Have used your Japanese Pile (
ar.d fonud It a sure nnd perma
cure.” Hold by Goodwyn & Hi
drugglstt.
QUICK TIME
To Florida Via Southern Rallwn
At present you can leave Maco,
10:45 p. m. and arrive Jacksons
Fla.. 8:25 next morning, making <
eoifliection for all point* m ihe »nt<
of tho state. Through Bleeper to .1
sonville. Reservation* made in
vnnee by calling on or addressing
JIM W. CARH
Paosenger and Ticket Agent, Me