THE WEEKLY TELEGRAPn AND MESSENGER, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1884.
THE TELEGRAPH & MESSENGER.
Dally and Weakly.
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AU communications should be addressed to
H. C. HANSON, Manager,
Macon, Oa.
ii.
IuAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1884.
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Tho Weekly Teleorapr and -Mes
senger will contain able discussions of
tho issues which will come up in the
State and national elections this year,
and a summary of the important news
of the world. It will contain nothing
unsuitable for ladies and children to
read. Every ono who is not familliar
with it should give it a trial this year,
wtf
In crossing tits Red Sea, the False
Prophet should take occasion not to fellow
Pharaoh’s example.
Rxpubucan Senators nave no observa
tions to make about tho existence of mob
law and wholesale lynchings out in Minne
sota. It isn’t a Southern State, and it
doesn’t vote the Democratic ticket
Tim floods that are devastating the West
will be aft to visit us later in the season,
In this section we are behind on water
and fanners and railroad men may look to
trouble before tho bluo birds bring out their
broods.
The present Hood ought to bo sufficient
to convince the people of some of die cit
ies and towns along tho Ohio that they
can make money by moving hi dryer
neighborhoods. No local advan’ago can
offset theso periodical overflows.
“A Lokponee writes to tho Pall Wall
Gazette that American convicts spend their
time reading novels, eating big dinners,
smoking cigars and drinking gln-slings.’
“A Londoner” must have attended a sea
sion of a Republican Legislature.
One appropriation bill has emerged from
the committee emasculated of the estl
mates of the Navy Department. Retrench-
meat and reform are good things to apply
to a navy that has more offleors ard men
than can be lately floated in its shi;».
Fiance la to be again vexed by those
poor old frauds—the Bonapartista. There
was one Bonaparte, and he was fit to be a
king. Thero have been other Bonopnrtes,
and some of them were worthy to serve
. on petit juries or bold offices of low dt gree.
New England has an'‘Historic Gtneo-
loglcal Society,” and some of its men lien
can doubtless trace themselves bat k to
Jack Cade and Praise God Barebcnes.
But this does not give them the advantage
over plain people that look ahead Instead
of looking back.
Tbe New York Timet s|«aks of the
Tribune aa “the organ of tbe I earn strutted
Republican machine” in New- York city.
The Tima is evidently posted, but Is it al
together kind in turning thus upon the
representative of decayed methods in “the
grand old party?”
The street railroad will be a great con.
vcnlence to our people, bat that Is not the
main idea in connection with the enter
prise. It it principally important, In the
opinion of tbe writer, te indicating the
steady progress of our growing city. Ma
con is moving forward surely and solidly.
The Sublime Porto has doubtless ob
served that El Mahdl la still able to be up
and about' The Red Sea is not broad
enough to arrest the fanatical storm. It
will blow upon tbe dry bones of inert
Arabia, and her multitudes of armed men
will live again in warlike array. El Mahdl
victorious means Turkey dismembered.
It may or may not be true that the
policy of the English ministry on the
Egyptian question will be censured by tbe
House of Commons. So far as the rest of
the world la concerned, the policy meets
almost pnireraal condemnation, In that its
weakness has given strength to the war
like False Prophet, and added to the
difficulties of maintaining the peace of
Another Railroad.
We are reliably informed by a gentle
man just returned from Atlanta, that
Messrs. W. T. Sylvester, of Jackson
ville, Fla., N. It. Grnelle, of Gaines
ville, Fla., George W. Iloaginnd and
II. Judd, of New York, W. F. Reading,
of New Jersey, J. W. Sylvester, of
Florida, and Will S. Stephenson, of
Illinois, liuvo filed articles of associa
tion in the office of the Secretary of
State under the name of The Macon,
St. Johns and Gulf Railway Company
for the purpose of building a broad
gauge road from Macon to some point
in Florida not yet decided upon. A
charter will be|asked^or through Bibb,
Houston, Dooly or Pulaski, Wilcox,
Irwin, Berrien, Lowndes and Echols.
The capital stock of the company is
placed at 82,000,000, divided into 20,-
000 shares of $100 each, of which the
incorporators each take one hundred.
The estimated length of the road is 230
miles.
The rout* outlined embraces the same
counties through which the Macon and
Florida Ah- Line road is now having ft
line surveyed, and is evidently the
effort of a rival scheme to forestall and
break down the enterprise on foot. It
will be noticed that thero is not n Geor
gian upon the list of incorporators.
Tills movement is not altogether a sur
prise to tts. It lias been known all along
that tliu organizations which have mo
nopolized the Florida freights and cutoff
Mncon from a participation in the vast
and growing mercantile business of
that State, would make a desperate ef
fort to retain control. Wo may next
look for a demonstration with a survey
ing corps ami a multitude of promises.
Tho surveying party sent out by the
Macon and Florida Air Lino Company
continue to press forward to the Flor
ida line. Tlte people everywhere are
enthused over the prospects of the
road, and the public may feel assured
that an actual breaking of - dirt will
soon lie witnessed. Mncon is bound to
havo a road into Florida. Doubtless
the company already at work would
give way to any that will guarantee to
build a road of similar character as
that already planned, but it cannot
bo frightened or driven from the field.
Tho men who compose it are devoted
to tho interests of this city and propose
to seo them cared for.
The Now Road Law.
Six hundred citizens of Cobb county,
one of the most progressive counties in
tho State, assembled at Marietta on
Tuesday last, as we learn from the
Journal, "for the pnrposeof asking that
lie new road law be repealed aud that
tho old be restored.” Resolutions to
this effect were adopted witli but ono
dissenting voice. We hear of similar
dissatisfaction elsewhere, whilst in
other bounties the now Ian- has been
adopted and is heartily approved by the
people. The enforcement of tho act is
mode dependent upon the action of the
grand jury, which alone is authorized to
adopt and put it into operation.
Wo aro satisfied that tho new law is
an improvement upon tho old road law,
and a trial of it for ono or two years
would, wo think, have convinced the
peoplo generally of tills. All changes,
ami especially all radical changes, arc
sure to encounter more or less
opposition, particularly in agricultural
communities. The mistake committed
by tho Legislature nos, not in passing
the act or a better one, hut in leaving
its enforcement to tho grand juries of
tho several counties in tho State. This
course only transfers tho discussion
from tho law-making power proper to
the people, many of whom have never
seen or studied the act, and aro depen
dent for information upon the mere
hearsay of others, some of wltom arc
probably prospective candidates for
office. If an act ought to bo passed at
all, the Legislature ought to take the
responsibility of it, and not shift it to
tho shouldors of others.
Tho action of the meeting in Cobb
demonstrates one tiling clearly, to-wit,
that the peoplo are not yet prepared to
make the necessary contribution of
money and lahoi to uumro good roads.
Work and money are just as necessary
to make good roads os they are to make
good streets, or to bnlld good rail
ways and good houses. As far as it
goes, the late act of the Legislature is a
step In tho right direction, and
improvement upon the old
cumbersome system of keeping up tlte
roads; but, if the pecplewho use the
roads are content with the latter, they
alone will have to fear the conse
quences-
It would bo safe to say that thero
has not been a session of the Superior
Court in any countv in Georgia, for the
last fifty years, where the presiding
judge lias not called attention to the
condition of the public roads, and
where tbe grand jury lias not pre
sented one or more of them. Cobb
county probably does not constitute an
exception to the rule. And yet, in all
Tiizkz would ire nothing strange in the
arre-t of Now York legislator!, or United
Htate.1 .Senators,or tlte President himself,in
Canada or in any other Country. The rec
ord of tin- l-v-lcral Government since the
w at. and during it, convinces outside na
tion.- that it can't be induced to fight any-
l>ody but the Southern people that vote the
Democratic tiiket, and the Indians who
do not vote the Republican ticket For
eign nation- know whom to kick.
lira ure no points incommon, insofar
,tir information goes, between ths land
• and the Joe Urown pike—though the
ntor ot the iatter undoubtedly had the
i.-r In ids mind's eye while the deadly
[H.n wa- taking.-hape in bis longhead.
but fair to say, however, that the
set i- -nerally regarded as the morel
ru . live agent of the two—especially In
■Jits not blessed by the stock law.
Speculative Capital.
The power and extent of .speculative
capital was never more strikingly illus
t rated than on Friday last, when Jay
Gould went single-handed into Wall
street, and in less than forty-eight
hours advanced the whole list of secur
ities, one line of stocks increasing in
price forty-one per cent. Tlte transac
lions on Saturday amounted to four
hundred millions of dollars, and the
bold speculator retired to his couclt
that night rieiter by two millions in the
rise^in Western Union alone, titan
upon the day before. What his profits
elsewhere were, cannot be ascertained
In the two days contlict in the street
it is probable that but little money
was lost by tho outside public, the fight
being mainly between speculators
themselves. The outside public will
rush in later to beat the speculators at
their own game, and be caught in the
general reaction, for it is the opinion of
capitalists that the positions lately held
by securities represented very nearly
their actual worth—the level to which
they sank naturally during an inactive
season.
The evil and the curbing of this vast
amount of speculative capital will
some day furnish the social scientists
with food for reflection. Indeed the
day is coming when these students
will find It necessary to impress upon
tlte people the necessity for restricting
laws, whereby stocks may he protected
from the wild and ruinous flue
tuations which at times nre brought
about by the speculators. There is no
gain to the country in the upward
movement of Saturday last. While
from a speculative point of view these
stocks have increased in value, to capi
tal seeking investment they are really
w orth less. If at tho close of the mnr-
ket Oregon Navigation stood 40 per
cent, higher than on Friday morning,
it was only of benefit to those who
bought to sell. The property itself had
not changed in value; the stock is of no
value save for what it represents. Sup
posing this stock to hnve stood at its
true figure on Friday, as dictated by
the extent and regularity of its divi
dends, the man who buys it to-day to
hold as an investment, throws away a
sum of money equal to tho 40 per cent,
advance, for sooner or later tho stock
will come back to its true level.
Speculative capital as to-day wielded
commits two great evils against the
country. It bears a line of stock until
prices sink to nothing, destroying for
the time, and perhaps n critical time,
the credit of the company assailed, l>e-
sidetr stripping frightened investors; or
it buys all that is offered for future de
liver--, until tho apparent demand car
ries the figures to a ruinous height,
where honest capital will not touch it.
The road is therefore stripped of stead
fast friends interested in its develop
ment and success and ready to back it
up in tight tithes, and tiirown into the
hands of men who may bo friends and
foes upon the same day.
These evils alone aro sufficiently
strong to require attention. But there
are others. This wild speculation is
an offense against public morals. It
tempts men to betray their trusts; it
leads to crime in a hundred ways; it
creates a false impression and leads to
undervaluation of money. It is an
offense against the people, for it draws
from tho realm its life-blood, which
should circulate and keep healthy every
section and industry. It leads to cen
tralization and establishes a power
which threatens good government and
corrupts legislation.
corpora ted into onr jurisprudence some
very plain and practical rules upon
this important subject.
\>'o rather incline to the views of a
recent writer, who says: “Perhaps
tlte rnbst direct way to adjust this mat
ter would be to adopt the French prac
tice, by which the court calls the ex
perts, and neither the prosecution nor
tlte defense is allowed to tamper witli
them. But it is clear that our practice
is radically defective, and that it needs
amendment specially in these two par
ticulars: First, no medical witnesses
who have not made a special study of
insanity should be admitted; second,
tlte evidence of alienists should be
takeu in the simplest and most direct
manner, after thorough personal ex
amination of the defendants by tnem,
and the circuitous and distorting hypo
thetical cases should be discarded.
VAl.V-jUI'/li IV I liO IUSU> 4SIIU |vl| lit salt
these counties, anti during oli these
years the people, rather than make the
necessary effort, have boon content toi
drag along over the old highways as
Ithelr fathers left them.^Hb^BB
A Cavalry Reunion.
Our Atlanta letter this morning con
tains interesting news for the military
circles of this city and the State in gen
eral. Captain John Milledge, of the
Governor’s Horse Guard, has been for
some time quietly working to have held
in Macon,in May next, a reunion of the
Georgia cavalry. With this end in
view, he has opened up a correspon
dence with the various organizations
in this branch of the military service,td
arrange for a programme embracing a
tournament and tournament bull, tbe
details of which will he found in the
teller to which reference has been
made.
The Telegraph heartily indorsee
Captain Milledge's proposal, and will
lend evcrjr.endcavor to assist in making
the affair a grand success. Macon and
her military will, we feci sure, extend
to visiting commands such a welcome
as has never before been offered in
Georgia.
The insanity Dodge.
A Louisiana jury lias lmd the courage
to sit down on the insanity dodge.
Some time last summer a preacher by
the name of Jenkins murdered another
preacher named Borden, both belong
ing to the same denomination. Bor
den was the principal of a female col
lego, and had been the friend and in
structor in theology of Jenkins.
In justification of his deed it was
given to tlte public by Jenkins or his
friends, that Borden had wronged a
young lady, one of his pupils, to whom
Jenkins was engaged.
The trial excited great interest. The
witnesses were numerous aud tho attor
neys multitudinous/ These last were
only surpassed in numbers by-the ex
perts, or rather country doctors, who
were put up to testify as to insanity.
The testimony developed a most horri
ble and cold-blooded assassination
Jenkins was but a mere acquaintance
of tbe young lady whose reputation lie
sought to blast in order to save liis own
miserable life. She never told him that
Borden had wronged her, and even if
she had told him so and it had
been true, she had a father
and brothers capable of redressing her
wrongs. Jenkins and his brother, who
was indicted with him, both claimed to
have killed Borden, and after quarrel
ing as to who fired the fatal shot, in
dulged in a dance before their victim
had ceased to breathe. They had
friends and money, and a desperate
effort was made to save them. One
brother waa acquitted, the other waa
found guilty without the recommenda
tion of the death penalty.
A very strong effort was made
to establish his insanity, hut it failed
as it should have done.
He had been allowed to take an ac
tive part in his father’s mercantile
transactions, and had been permitted
to engage in the businesa of saving the
souls of other people, and nobody had
suspected him of insanity, until ho
had murdered a man in a fit of
jealousy and ill temper. Ileomdit to
have been hung for the murder. It
waa impossible that any one could have
had sympathy for him after his attempt
to ruin the life of a young girl to save
his own.
The expert testimony as to his insan
ity was beneath criticism evyn from an
unprofessional mind, and furnished a
strong reason why we should have in-
Three Statesmen.
The foremost statesmen of the world
just now are Mr. Gladstone, Prince
Bismarck and Leo XIII. They are all
men far advanced in life, with large
and ripe experiences. Mr. Gladstone
has been called a many-sided man,
and such he is. lie is a scholar, fond
of poring over the Latin and Greek
text books brought with him from col
lege and w riting Latin verses. Ho is
an essayist with strong religious ten
dencies, and delights to discuss from
a Protestant standpoint the decrees
of the Vatican. He is courteous,
conservative, patient and patriotic, and
has served his Queen and England with
unselfish devotion. He was in Parlia
ment when Queen Victoria ascended
the throne forty-six years ago, and
though he has been retired by the fluc
tuations of political sentiment, he comes
to the front again. Beaconsfield, tlte
master of audacious strategy and cool
diplomacy, hurled him from power,
but he has reached the Premiership
once more. His present administration
has been perplexed with the Irish and
Egyptian questions. Upon this
last, but a few days since,
he was assailed unsuccessfully in
the British Parliament. - It is likely
that he will be able to hold his own,
and if his life is spared lie may, in his
careful and prudent way, do much to
remove the causes of discontent and
distress in Ireland.
Bismarck is the civil government in
himself, of Prussia. Tlte Emperor Will
iam, now superannuated, was never
anything but a cavalry officer of limited
intelligence, bad morals, and the hab
its of a swash-buckler. Bismarck has
given power and direction to his ad
ministration.
First crushing Austria, a neighboring
and dangerous power, he turned his
attention to France, tho ancient foe of
Prussia. Inveigling her by shrewd
diplomacy into war for which she was
unprepared, he devastated her fields,
exhausted iter treasury, destroyed iter
power mid humbled her pride. Wrest
ing from her Alsace and Lorraine as
standing pledges of peace, he retired
with the gathered plunder to enjoy the
triumph of his own diplomacy and tlte
military skill of Von Moltke.
Of violent temper and arbitrary dis
position, a slave to his appetites, and
with but little sympthy for hjs kind,
Bismarck has ruled with an iron
hand. Ills special dislikes are
newspapers and the Catholic church,
and he lias been in a continual quarrel
with each and has been worsted by
both. Uponhis death, fearful troubles
will be apt to greet his successor.
Pope Leo came from tho cloister of a
cardinal to succeed a man whose hu
manity and kindness had endeared him
to tho civilized world. In a long life of
retirement and study ho had learned
the' secrets of tho human heart and
mind aud tho springs of human action.
Ot cold and simple habit, he
has not been encumbered by
sentiment, in addressing himself
to the troubles present and future of
the church. Stripped of his temporal
power, "a prisoner in the Vatican,”
with a hostiio government at his doors
seeking to confiscate the real property
of the Propaganda, ho has found time
and means to grapple witli Bismarck
and to consult with Gladstone as to the
unfortunate condition of the Irish peo
ple. Slowly he has gained ground by
appeals to the justice and better nature
of tiie world and no matter when
he shall lie in state lieneath the
dome of St. Peters, he will have
materially strengthened tho power of
the clutrch nnd have conferred bless
ings upon the governments and peo
ples of Europe.
We cannot see who aro the men to
come after Gladstone and Bismarck,
hut among the trained diplomata of
England and Prusaia thero aro perhaps
men who will be found equal to the de
mand. >
The Catholic Church always has in
the ranks of her prelates more than one
esteemed fit to wear the tiara of
Pope.
A cood Name.
A clergyman in Northwest Georgia
writes to a friend in Macon, enclosing
his subscription for tbe Telegraph
and Messenorb. Ho says:
“I write to order the weekly Tele
graph and Messenoer. I want it. It
gives thieves fits in high or low rank.
It exposes fraud. I want it.”
We aro much obliged to the worthy
clergyman for his good opinion. Simi
lar expressions of approbation reach us
daily from many quarters. We havo
always believed that an honest and in
dependent journal would commend it
self to the approval of good men and
good women. Nor have we ever had
any doubt that a newspaper of honest
principles and clean methods would re
ceive the support and encouragement
of the people. It would lie sail to be
lieve otherwise in this age of civiliza
tion and Christianity.
We avail ourselves of the occasion
to assure our clerical friend, and all
mothers and fathers, that they need
have no apprehensions as to the course
of this journal. It will not be neces
sary for them to examine its contents
before putting It into tlte handset their
wives and daughters. It will contain
no reports from the slums, nor other
unclean matter to shock the modesty
of young or old. If anything improper
should find its way into theso columns
at anytime, it will be by accident, and
against the tvishes of its editors and
proprietors, just as a noisome bat will
sometimes find its way into cur dwell
ings in spite of every effort to keep it
out.
It was only last year that Judge
Clark, of the Atlanta City Court, in
flicted condign punishment upon the
publisher of the New York
Police Gaulle tor selling and
circulating it in that city. This
was right and proper. Not only were
the pictures, by which that publication
was illustrated, vulgar ahd obscene,
but its contents were equally shocking.
The ordinary newspapers seldom gar
nish their columns with illustrations of
any kind, but some of them, we regret
to say, sometimes dish up and serve
most unsavory messes to their readers,
old and young, maiden and matron,
The Northern and Western papers take
the lead in this species of literature
Such publications, though equally
guilty with the Police Gaulle, may not
be punished by tho courts,but they de
serve the condemnation of all virtuous
people.
It would be venturing hut little to
say that many of the social irregulari
ties among very young persons, of
which we hear so much in these latter
days, is directly traceable to these sug
gestive publications in the daily press.
The country weekly papers, it affords
us pleasure to state, have no stomach
for such vile offal.
"A good name is better than great
riches, and loving favor than silver and
gold.” _________
Macon's Splendid Credit.
The law under which our bond com
mission was formed,provides for the in
vestment of all tho surplus arising from
three-fifths of tho taxes on real and
personal estate, which are controlled by
the commission, in tho bonds of the
city. The commission has so far bought
$52,000 of these. For the last pur
chased it had to pay 108. It will read
ily appear to any business man that so
long as the law remains as at present, it
is within the power of the holders of the
bonds to force the commission to pay
an excessive premium for them. The
debt of the city is small. Its taxable
property is- rapidly increasing, and
hence tlte surplus of the commission
will be augmented each succeeding
year, from taxes. In addition to this,
the interest on all bonds held for the
sinking fund is compounding, ami it
will lie bnt a short whilewhen, instead
of $15,000 to invest yearly in these
bonds, the sum will he twice that
amount.
A change in tho law is demanded by
every consideration of public interest,
Instead of requiring the surplus to
be invested in city bonds, no mattor
what the premium may be upon them,
the law should be so amended os to
authorize the commission to invest it
in any good securities when city bonds
cannot be obtained, at a rate not to ex
ceed 105. • This will practically carry
out the original intention of the framers
of the law, or else guarantee to tho
holders of city securities at alt
times 105 for the same. The growth
and prosperity of the city havo been so
marked, and the management of Its
finances so able under tho present law,
that its condition is much more favora-
nblq now than the most sanguine con
templated it would be four yearn ago.
Verily the projectors of the bond
commission “builded wiser than they
knew.” Bonds that sold within the last
five years at fifty cents on the dollar,
now readily bring ono hundred and
eight.
Stats Agricultural Fair.
In Savannah, on tho 12th Inst., will
he held a meeting of the Georgia Agri
cultural Society for the purpose of
determining whether a State fAtr will
he held next fall, and at what point.
There is no city in Georgia as well
located ami conditioned for a State fair
as Macon. Centrally situated and
equipped with spacious grounds and
commodious buildings, it presents
claims superior to any other point—i
fact which time has frcqnmtly demon
strated.
The biennial lairs of .the association
are held at such points as hold out, tho
largest money inducements, anil It
rests with the people of Macon to say
whcthcror not they will secure the
next. A subscription of $3,000 would
probably induce tho Society to choose
thiii point. Will the people raise that
amounts.
FROM ATLANTA.
A BRILLIANT EVENT IN THE CAPITAL'8
SOCIETY CIRCLES.
Crand Leap Year 8all«A List of the
Prominent Couplea—Deliver* of the
“Telegraph and Messen-
ger”—An Outrage.
^fecial cokszsfondixcz.1
Atlanta, February 7.—The social sen
sation to-night in Atlanta is the grand
leap year ball, given by society ladies to
gentlemen friends. There Is music and
dancing ot Concordia Hall, elegant cos
tumes and a grand success, which fully
justifies the elaborate and costly prepara
tions that were njade and the efforts of tlte
ladies to make it a delightful and memo
rable occasion. The ball Is pronounced a
brilliant success.
Your correspondent is enabled to fur
nish you a list of the prominent figurea of
the assemblage, which is herewith given.
It is almost impossible to get a complete
list, but enough is given to indicate the
character of the occasion:
DELIVERY OF TnE TELEGRAPH AND MESSEN
GER. I " I
I called at the post-office here yesterday
about the morning delivery of tlte Tele-
graph and Messenoer. I found that about
half the time the paper gets in on time (7
a. m.). while it goes to sale early on the
news stand, toe post-office carriers fail to
deliver it till the afternoon. I hnve often
called attention to It in the office, but they
always claimed that the paper had
not come. Yesterday it occurred
again. I went
operation in the movement-
CapL Gordon, of the Georgia Huzzars r
varnish; Cnpt. Clark, of the Hidin'
Huzzars, Augusta^tbe McIntosh Tr
Liberty Troon) nnu
which compruo the
the State, He is now An
even in the event of fa
‘hem lie proposes to carry
Macon in May and hold th.
nient, makingfit as grand at.
an occasion as possible. ^
[special correspondence^
Atlanta, February 9.—Your correct
dent In u recent letter, under the l) ,
"Corruption in the Federal Court ttAtyi
lanto," gavo some prominence to an inter
view had with t well known Republican,
in which charges were mode oi corrupt
practice among the officers of float court
in Its criminal business, affecting the in
tegrity of its administration, as wt II as the
rights of citizens of this State, nothin its
Jurisdiction. It was further charged that i
rn..... Hto tile Judge McCay pours a liberal denial Into
post-office about 9 a. m. and was told tho the open car ofa newspaper reporter.
* " * ' ‘I' 11 ■ k . 11
paper had not been received. .
again about 11 o’clock and found the
I went
again aoout it o ciock ana lound the paper
there. I then called on Col. Vickary.
sujierintcndent of the mail service, and
made a statement. He was surprised at
it, and called up tho postal clerks, and
they acknowledged that tho Telegraph
and Messenoer bundle (s frequently left
at the depot till the carriers have gone out
on their morning rounds nnd not delivered
till afternoon, it has been an outrage,
and what influence has been nt the bottom
of it, beyond the negligence of the clerks,
I do not know. Col. Vickary acted
promptly and vigorously, and assures me
'hat ft will not happen again. The paper
ras delivered all right this morning.
RAILROAD COMMISSION.
The commission hud an important and
protracted session to-duy iu which the
Central railroad appeared through Major
Shcllman in support of its petition under a
resolution of tlte directors of the road, ask
ing:
1. Tho revocation of circulars 41,42 and
2. The restoration of old rates of C. D.
and F.
The substance of which is the road
makes a proposition to reduce the through
rate on freights coming under the classifi
cation of C., D. and F.—flour, meal, grain,
etc., if the commission will make an ad
vance on the local rates under the same
classification. The petition, the resolution
of the directors authorizing it and the ar
guments supporting it were submitted in
writing and made up a bulky document.
This action of the Central was seconded
or indorsed by the Richmond and Dan
ville, through Mr. Sol Haas, and by tho
Western and Atlantic railroad, through
Mr. James M. Drown. In this di-.-iiH.inn
ot chango ot rates asked for by tliejCentral,
there also appeared the representative of
the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and
luitoa largo number of Atlanta millers.
• heso gentlemen, however, were not at all
harmonious In their views. Some favored
tho proposed changes, others opposed
them.
One of the commissioners, In talking
with your correspondent this afternoon,
said fhat the local rates which the Central
asks to be advanced are too low, ami the
commission recognizes that fact, but that
they cannot be advanced so long as tho
through rates remain ns they are uow
fixed. From which I infer that the peti
tion of the Central will Hkoly be granted,
as they voluntarily pro;>osc a reduction in
the through rates, in consideration of the
advance in the local rates asked for.
However, the commission has not yet ren
dered Its decision. Another meeting will
be held to-morrow.
$150,000 TOR STREETS.
The aldennanlc board today approved
th* resolution of the city council, mode at
its last meeting, to pass up $150,000 to tho
account of permanent street improvement
for the ctirrcntyear. This Is a liberal ap
propriation. and wise action on the part of
the city and will meet the approval of tax-
publication of tliatjkinterview, with the
specific charges rhoreln made, has
created a visible stir among the
fraternity of officials interested in the
criminal business of that court. Report
has it that there has been considerable ef
fervescence among the officials Indicated
in the interview, and that they ore still In
a shite of unrest The charges are Feriouz.
as affecting the administration of justice
by a Federal court, and arc not to he put
aside by a mere puff of tho breath or a
•weeping denial. The public is interested
in their truth or falsity, and it remains to
be seen if the allegations mado are sus
ceptible of proof.
In respect to the charges, District Attor
ney Speer throws himself blandly behind
the protecting n-gis of his character, while
put on entirely new postal nnd
express cars on the fast night
express trains, leaving Atlanta
for Savannah at 0 p. m. and reaching
Atlanta from Savannah at 11:15 p. in.
These aro very handsome cars, and nro
equipped with all modern Improvements.
After the 20tli ot this month the West
Point road will run a special limited ex
press between Atlanta and New Orleans,
leaving Atlanta 3 p. nt., arriving at New
Orleans 7 o’clock the next morning.
The buffet ears on the Air Line between
Atlanta and New York on the afternoon
train ltavo became so popular that they
will be put also on tho morning trains.
The Kuniny Journal of yesterday, fol
lowing a republication of tho interview,
had tile following:
“A Journal reporter celled on (fudge
McCay yesterday, and asked him if L'te aa- ’ I
sertious were true. *
“•No, sir;’said he, ‘they are not, nnd
without mincing any words In the matter,
you ran say for inc that it Is a lie.'
“‘How many United Slates commission
ers are there in Atlanta?' asked tlte re-
porter. A
’’’At one time therc'.were several,| but
at present I knob- of only two—Messrs.
Pirklc and Conley—who aro doing any
work.’
"'Wlnit has become of the others?’
"'Some of them have quit the business
and others have moved awav.’
f’ls a commissioner's office a very remu
nerative oneb’ j
“‘The fees of an entire month, todill tho
business done by the commissioners, will
not go over $100.’
"In the revenue office the reporter wits
told that Mr. Pirkle was in every tray
a reputable man, and was in every -ruv
highly respectable; that ho understood his
business and was capable of performing
Ills duties.
“District Attorney Speer said that not
only his own$eharacterd>ut that, of July-
McCay wos'too well known tothc|pcopl*of
Georgia, to bo affected by any such -ur-
rilous statements.' ”
In reply to this, I have been fumis ted
the following counterjstotements by the In
formant referred toln my first letter. wh'ch
is commended to the consideration of
Judge McCoy and to thcpullic. (■
Judge McCay, after a general denial of
the charges, is represented'as stating to
the reporter that there are but two cuH
missioners—l'erkle and Conley—who ir*
doing any work, and that the fees fot til
the business done by tho commissi niett
will not go over $100 a month. On the
contrary, the fact is, there are at boat
•even commissioners in Athuta
•who do more or less
Inal business, viz l’irkle. Con®
Hoflman. Buck, Boyd, IV. B. nnd \Y. 0.
Smith. Four of these commis-ion-rs,
- -w
are clerks 'of
ABOUT THE LANIER HOUSE.
I had a talk with some hotel nten this
morning, and as the topic was tho well-
known Lanier House, I send the Mints as
of interest to your Macon readers. A
gentleman of long and successful expe
rience In the mamigsment of hotels, and
now connected with tbe leading hotel of
Atlanta, hacked by ample capital, has
mado a proposition to Mr. J. 8. Stewart to
sub-lease tho house and furniture, and of
fering liberal terms. Mr. .Stewart refused
to accept because of the suit pending be
tween himself and the Lanier House Com
pany, anti did uot feel at liberty to sub-
lease until the matter was out of the courts.
The case will come up before Judge Sim
mons on the 11th, during the adjourned
terra of the Bibb .Superior Court. It is tho
opinion of hotel men here that If the Lan
ier is put in good shape, its splendid loca
tion would attract a large number of
Northern and other visitors nnd he made
a valuable hotel pro;>erty. While it is not
modern in its construction, it could he
made so by the judicious expenditure of a
few thousand dollars. It contains 107
rooms, ami can he easily made a commo
dious and attractive house. IJr dining
room is the largest in the 8tatc,
and its three parlors In the old
days entertained the beauty, wealth
and intellect oi Georgia. The parties here,
who are trying to get control of the lease,
propose to make extensive improvements,
modernizing the whole building, repaint
and furnish, put In elevators, and convert
The Teleoiafh and Messenoer hss the open spue back of th* office into an
elegant ball room. It It understood that
often called attention to the fact that every
citizen of the 8tate It directly or indirectly
Interested In its industrial enterprise*
Georgia lias already made considerable
progress In manufacturing, and it Is gen
erally admitted that this fact constitutes
one of its strongest guarantees of wealth
and a teeming population in the futon.
8nch being the cate, no man should lose
any opportunity of encouraging such en
terprises.
Ths “young Republicans” of Brooklyn
are actually going to engage in some sort
of a celebration' of George Washington'!
birthday. There is absolutely nothing in
common between young Republicans or
old ones and General Washington, except
in the matter of being mortal: and there
is a difference between them, in Washing
ton's favor, even in that particular. Tbe
'youug Republicans” of Brooklyn ought
to confine themselves to celebration* of
the birthday of John Brown, Thad Stev
ens, and other* of that Ilk.
Agents should not fall to see our
offer of premiums elsewhere in this is
sue. tf
the opera house company favored the se
lection of that open space for the new
opera house, but the siie below the court
house was finally decided upon. An At
lanta man with money ie waiting and
watching to jump forth* lease as soon as
the hotel is out of the courts, and it is un
derstood that there is a Macon syndicate,
composed of some ot th* well known - and
leading capitalists of the city, keen dor the
•ante move.
a cava lavtoubnament for mat.
Captain John MiUedge, captain of the
Governor's Horse Guards, is In con
ference witli Captain W. W. Carnes,
Messrs. 8. R. Jacques and George Urown,
of Macon, with reference to having a
grand prize tournament in Macon in. May.
It is proposed to invite ell mounted com
panies of Georgia to join in tbe tourna
ments, which H to wind up with a grand
tournament ball. If the arrangements are
successful among the prizes to be offered
are a fine bone and a handsome diamond
ring; the latter the victor is to place upon
fair finger ot the qneen of the tourna
ment, who is to be a Macon lady.
CapL Milledge Is very much interested
in the proposed tournament, and snatches
time from a heavy law practice to nurse it
to lucttM. Hr nil two lilfiiln ilfiw mm ■, ,,
to elevate and popularize the cavalry ter- tontl us a club of fire subscriber.)
»■ t! /
Macon and Atlanta. He bss written the 4,1 ®**X 1° p4y your next }7
following carolry organizations, asking c-| subscription. Give it a trial. if
Pirkle, Hoffman nnd the two -Smith-
hare no other occupation, Conley is
lawyer, and Buck uni Boyd t ' '
court
Now as to tho fees:
Tho records in the clerk's office, to wh ch
Judge McCay's attention is directed, show
that the feu of the commissioners last
year aggregated more than six hundred
dollars a month. As theso facta nre mat
ters of record, and at variance with Judge '
McCay's statements contained.in tbe Jour
no) Interview, and not in harmony with
Ilia general denial, .they are submitted for
his consideration.
Now, as to tho character of the business
In the United States Court here, to which
reference was made, tho records show that
thero have been suspensions of sentence
in nearly a hundred cates within the last
year, because the cases against tho partite
were in tho main frivolous or technical.
These suspensions of sentence were mado
after either pleu or verdict of guilty. If
tho cases against these parties were frivo
lous. or their guilt technical, the cases
should have lieen nolproted. Why were
not these cates nolproted? Is it
explained by the fact that the
district attorney gets only five dollars
where tho case Is nolproted. while fora
plea he get* the more lucrative fee of $10,
and for a verdict the still more tempting
bonus of $20? It is a fact of record that •
the cases are not nolproted, but when the
district attorney lias earned the larger lee,
tho defendant u turned loots on a suspen
sion of sentence.
A search of tbe records of the court also
•hows that a large number of the nett
cases have been commenced on affidavits
made by persons whose sentences have »
been suspended. It Is also trua that a re-,
cent grand jury of tho United States ■
Court here, composed of some of tho
most reputable citizens of tbe
State, In its published presentments,
severely criticised the character of
a large portion of tbe criminal business of
tho court, a notice of which was at the
time published in the TzucosArn.
Tbe public will understand that all of
these charges are capabloof exact proof,
ami if there Is specific denial of them, and
If further proof Is needed, It will be forth
coming to sustain each and all of these
statements. ,
I (eked State Treasurer Speer to-day if U
was true, as stated, that lie would decline
a reflection. Ho replied affirmatively,
and that under no circumstances would ne
be a candidate. He had bail several very
tempting business offers involving tho
managementoflargecapital, and at the
expiration of hla term ot office will devote
Ids attention to business. Tlte Stale will
thereby loses most capable, vigilant and
faithful public servant.
There will be a very lively race before
tbe Legislature for the sollcitorshiti of the
Atlanta circuit It will be a triangular light
between CapL John Milledge, Chant
Hill and Frank Haralson. All i three art * J? j
prominent and popular and will rally to m
their support strong friends from every ,' W
section of the Btatf. Whoever win* tnay
well claim a brilliant victory.
Major Temple, the genial chief engineer
of the Gcorgial’acific railroad Isentlmsl-
attic on the subject of blooded stock, and
has a line farm devoted to the scientific
culture of Jerseys end fine sheep,
conversation with him vesterdsy I
me with a rather «ad ana trou! ltd expres
sion on bis handsome face that the results
of his experiment thus far netted him a
very much greater proportion of bulls and
billy-goats than he desired or appreciated.
\Unle that situation of things is not par
ticularly dcdrable, the Major Is not as one
without hope and has every confidence In
the future of his etock farm.
I inferred further, daring my talk witli
ajor Temple, that he docs not entln.-
Iv approve the policy of the Georgia
Paeiiie Ins removing Its shop from Atlanta
to Birmingham, on the Idea that Atlanta
seemed to him the better location for
them.
I understand today that Mr. Post, the
New kork architect engaged by the cap!-
tol rommiHioners, has about nniihed his
examination o! (be plans, and will hr
warty to submit a report to the commi
•ion at ita ae»*nm Monday.
TO SUBSCRIBERS.
We will creJIt any aul.- riber' to I
Meekly Telegraph and Mehsezo
with one year’s subscription wlvoi
UHlil lid • .visit. A | 4l_ . * t .
_
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