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THE WORLD’S MOST
PRECIOUS METAL
IS IT GOLD OR IRON?
THE GREAT PART THAT AMERICA
PLAYS TO ROTH.
Astounding Army of Finnrra In Be
half of Gold Matched by the
Equally Remarkable Statistic* iu
Behalf of Iron—Why Wall Street
Says Gold Is the Most Precious.
Pittshurit** Answer—We Are Abend
of All Competitors in Pis, Iron and
Steel, bnt Australia the World's
Leading Producer of Gold.
By Terence J. Kelly.
New York, Dec. 24. —Which is the
world’s most precious metal?
Wall street would say gold. Pitts
burg would say iron. So many rea
sons and figures could be given in
favor of either that the average man
would be as puzzled to decide as ever
was any reader of Stockton's “The
U&dy or the Tiger.”
It is certainly one of the two. No
other met'al approches either of them
in monetary value of world-wide im
portance, although the electricians
might have a word to say in favor of
copper, on the same princible that the
(cobbler declared there was nothing
like leather.
So far as the actual money value of
the mined material is concerned, gold
undoubtedly takes the lead, not only
in the United States, but throughout
the world. On the other hand, the
production of iron ore is increasing at
a much greater rate than the produc
tion of gold. But gold, Wall street
would say, vitalizes all the world’s in
dustries, including iron and steel.
“How could you develop your mines
and your steel making plants if we
didn’t put up the money?” the kings
of finance might ask.
“You could not work your gold
mines at all without our machinery
of steel!” Pittsburg might well re
tort. ,
Gold Made Possible by Baser Metals.
It would be true. The great mod
ern developments in gold mining have
only become possible through the
progress of the iron and steel indus
tries. Deep-level mining could not be
practiced without the help of gold’s
greatest rival among the metals. With
out iron and steel gold-washing and
gold-mining would have to be carried
on in the primitive ways of the Incas.
Pittsburg might urge, further that
gold is only a medium of exchange
which is of small practical value in
itself to the world at large. Another
medium of exhange might be found,
but nothing could take the place of
iron and steel. There are other metals
which might be made to serve their
purposes, but those metals are too
rare, and therefore too expensive, for
anything like common use.
The World's Industries.
Without iron and steel, brMgec, rail-’
ways, steamships, all the
things we have grown to depend on ill
our daily lives and have grown to re
gard as indispensable, could not exist.
The sewing machine, the reaper, the
steam engine, which has revolution
ized the world’s industries and trans--
portation system none of these
things would be possible but for iron
and steel. The age of machinery
would never have come into being at
all without them; the Inventor’s occu
pation would never have existed, for
no matter how ingenious the machine
he contrived, it could not be built to
operate properly without the strong,
yet cheap metal of which nearly all
modern machines are constructed. The
modern industrial arts of peace could
not be practiced without iron; neither
could modern war be waged, since
nothing but steel is strong enough and
cheap enough to make into huge
power guns.
Gold or Iron In Mars.
It is commonly said that money—
resources—which means gold, or the
ability to get gold—will decide the
Far Eastern war. But is not steel even
more necessary to the fighters, al
though the days of the reddened blade
made have almost past? And the very
surgeons who attend to the wounded
men on the battlefield could not do
their work without the finely tempered
instruments that mark the apotheosis
of steel,
"You must have our goods," Pitts
burg would conclude. "There are no
substitutes, but gold is only a token,
and you could get something else in
Place of it."
Wall Street's Argument.
this very reasonable argument
all street would retort by asking
where another medium of exchange
as good as gold is to be found. There
are other mediums, but gold has to be
at the back of them, in the greater
part of the civilized world, at all
events. Look at the people who use
other tokens—the savages with their
beads and cowries and elephant tusks.
Are we to return to their condition?
And so the controversy would go
on, until the average man was hope
lessly bewildered.
But whether gold or iron deserves
the palm, it is at least certain that the
production and treatment of both
metals are industries of the highest
importance to the United States. In
regard to both of them, this country
Plays a leading part in the world. We
are now far ahead of all competitors
in the production of pig iron and steel,
but we have lost our former premier
Place as the world's greatest pro
ducer of gold.
America's Gold.
An estimate has been made that the
amount of gold raised from the earth
• tom the year 1492 to June 30, 1881,
was worth $12,360,880,066. Previous
to 1492. the value of all the gold raised
was $5,267,374,000. This large figure
takes account of the vast treasures of
gold brought from the land of Ophlr
by the servants of King David and
King Solomon for the building of the
Temple. Of course, these figures are
simply wild conjecture; so, also, is the
theory that about half of the gold
from the time of the discoveries of
Uolumbus down to the year 1881 came
from the American continent. But
when we come down to more modern
times, we get exact and interesting
figures.
In 1881 the United States enjoyed
undisputed superiority over the rest
'he world In regard to gold produc
"on. its output was worth $55,000,000
out of a total of $83,000,000, while
Australia, now the leader, only pro
'luced $6.5*5,000.
Outstripped by Australia.
>n l*os. as tn I*o2. the United States
”11 behind. The, output tn twenty
'bre* elate* tind territories wss worth
U3,5*1.700, while the Australasian total
y us sM.iio.loo The African production,
with Mouth Africa Jtyit recovering from
'ha disastrous effects of the H"r war.
' 'ept upward*. reaching I*7 Ott.ioo The
'ota| of iha world's production was
13*5,527.500. This was s gain of IIF
> ttoo on l*os, and of ttetrs than ss.-
’■Oo.ooe In lays, r torn more gold was
‘tostp’sf than ever before In the hte
' ‘Ty ol the world,
I* 'he i'nn4 fftstea there wee •
m 9t ever mjm,*#, as np
pared with 1902. This was due almost
entirely to the strikes in Colorado,
where there was a decrease in produc
tion amounting to nearly that figure.
There was also a slight decline in Cal
ifornia s output. Colorado, however,
■was still by far the largest producer
of gold among American slates and
„ e > rn ! ories ’ w -th California second.
Alaska third and South Dakota
fourth.
Silver’s Importance.
Silver is of much less Importance
as an industry. Less than $30,000,000
worth was mined in the United States
during 1903. Mexico passed the United
b,ates In the production of this metal
in 1902, and she has kept the first place
and considerably Increased her lead.
Nearly four-fifths of the world's out
put of the white metal, which amounts
to about $100,000,000 annually, come
from two countries—Mexico and the
United States. Last year Mexico re
ported an increase of nearly $10,500,-
000 fine ounces, which is nearly one
fifth of the total production of the
United States.
Whiie gold is found in all parts of
the world, in many places it occurs in
such small quantities that it is impos
sible to mine it at a profit. Its ex
traction is a great industry in West
ern Australia, the Transvaal, Rhode
sia, New Zealand, West Africa, India
(Mysore), British Columbia and other
countries, besides the United States.
The World's Great Gold Mint's.
Out of the thirty largest gold-pro
ducing mines in the, world, according
to the Economist, a London journal
of high repute, only three are Ameri
can. They are the Homestake mine
in South Dakota, which is by far the
largest gold mine in the world, and
the Portland and Camp Bird mines
in Colorado. Out of these thirty big
best mines, no fewer than seventeen
are in the Transvaal. Six are in West
Australia, and the others are in India,
New Zealand and Queensland.
Although Homestake is the largest
gold mine in the world, it is one of
the poorest relatively, as the ore only
yields about $3.75 a ton. However,
over 1,400,000 tons are treated every
year. There are many mines which
earn better profits than Homestake,
but none approaches it in size. The
next largest gold mine in size, though
not in value of output, is Alaska
Treadwell, on Douglas Island. It is
a notable fact all over the world that
the largest gold mines are not nec
essarily, or even generally, the most
profitable.
The Greatest Gold Field.
The most important gold field in
the world is unquestionably the Wit
watersrand field in the Transvaal,
which was discovered as recently as
1886. It is generally conceded that
mining is carried on more scientifical
ly there than In any other part of the
world. Shafts are sunk to Immense
depths before the reef is struck, but
nevertheless many of the mines were
yielding fabulous profits before the
Boer war. They are beginning to re
port large monthly outputs again, al
though their owners grumble about
scarcity of labor and have brought a
hornets’ nest about the ears of the
British government toy clamoring for
Chinese coolies.
Will last for 8b Years.
According to one expert, “it is not
expected that the field will be worked
out for at least eighty years, and there
is a prospect that operations will be
considerably extended under British
irule, which will probably involve a re
duction in the working cost, and ren
der some areas workable which hith
erto have not been able to be worked
profitably.
“Gold is known to exist over a larger
area than that of the Witwaterstrand
proper, and rumors of the discovery
of the same reefs at places consider
ably distant have lately been current.
There are also other fields in the
Transvaal, such as the Lydenburg, the
Murchison, the Klerksdorp, and the
De Kaap. These have hitherto been
only very partially worked, but it is
expected that sooner or later opera
tions will increase in magnitude, as
economic conditions improve and be
come more steady.” It seems prob
able, therefore, that South Africa will
soon pass the United States in gold
production, as Australia has done.
The Iron Industry.
For the past two or three years, the
dominant factor in the iron and steel
industries has been the exceptionally
large demand for those products in
the United States. This has naturally
had the effect of stimulating produc
tion in a remarkable degree. It has
not only done this, but has practically
withdrawn the American producers of
pig iron and steel goods from compe
tition in the markets of the world.
They have not ibeen able to meet the
native demand. Large importations
from Great Britain. Germany, France,
Spain and other Iron-producing coun
tries have been necessary. In spite of
the fact that the United States has be
come by far the largest producer of
iron and steel in the world.
It is, of course, a commonplace to
say that the history of the world's
material progress in the nineteenth
century is the history of the develop
ment of the iron and steel industries.
Everybody knows that fact, in a gen
eral way, but few people have taken
the trouble to look into the figures
for themselves and find out how true
it Is.
Tlie World 1 ! Iron Supply.
From 1801 to 1820, Inclusive, only 36,-
000,000 tons of iron ore were produced
in the world. From 1881 to 1888, In
clusive, about 367,000,000 tons were
mined. According to Mulhall, the
greatest of statisticians, over 1,273,000,-
000 tons of ore were produced during
WItONG IDEA.
Don’t get the wrong idea into your
head that starvation is good for Dys
pepsia.
Its not.
Those who have not studied the
subject very deeply, or with trained
scientific minds, might think so.
But facts prove otherwise.
All specialists in stomach and diges
tive disorders know, that it is best
for dyspepsia to be well fed.
Whv. dyspepsia is really a starva
tion disease!
Your food doesn’t feed you.
By starvation you may give your
bowels and kidneys less to do. but
that does not cure your digestive trou
bel—slmplv makes you weaker and
sicker; less likely to be permanently
cured than ever.
No, the only right way to perma
nently cure yourself of any form of
dyspepsia or indigestive trouble is to
eat heartily of all the food that you
find best agrees with you, and help
your digestion to work with Stuart's
Dyspepsia Tablets.
This is a safe, certain, scientific, re
liable method of treatment, which will
never fall to cure the most obstinate
case* If persevered In.
Stuart’s Dyspepsia Tablets have a
gentle, tonic, refreshing effect on the
secretory glands of the entire digestive
tract. _ , , .
They gently force the flow of fresh
digestive Juices.
Th*v contain, themselves, many of
the chemical const ltuente of these
Juices, thus when dissolved they help
tn dissolve the food around them In
stomach or bowels.
They therefor# quickly relieve all
the symptoms of Indigestion, and com*
the gland* to take a proper pleasure
tn doing their proper work.
They cons you buck to health.
fi„ id her tnvd lon I treat mem of any
sort n*r any fad ay stem of "Culture"
or "Cure” will give you the solid, yer*
mane tit curative results, that will
■Hush's Dyspepsia Tablets.
, Write /w a f*a Book of ffrwif/
toms. r. A- •-*•* Cm., Marshall
BK
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY. DECEMBER 25. 1904
the first eighty-eight years of the
eentury. During that period Great
Britain enjoyed an undisputed leader
ship among the iron-producing coun
tries. In the eighty-eight years her
miners raised 577.000.000 tons of ore
from the ground. "The United States
came next, with 212,000,000 tons; Ger
many was third, with 185,000.000 tons;
France fourth, with 109,000.000; and
Spain fifth, with 55.000,000. The United
States and Spain increased their pro
duction wonderfully from 1870 to 1888.
Lucie Sam Leads the World.
Since 1888 the world's production of
iron and steel has gone ahead by leaps
and bounds. In 1902. the estimated
production of pig iron for the whole
world was 44,557,991 metric tons, and
of steel. 36,479,788 metric tons. This Is
the estimate of the famous expert,
Joseph Struthers. The United States
produced nearly half the, steel in the
world, namely, 15,186,406 metric tons,
while their production of pig iron
amounted to 15.003.44S metric tons. This
latter total more than exceeded the
combined production of the two next
Iron countries. Great Britain and Ger
many. The former produced 8.653.976
metric tons and the latter 8,402,660.
Great Britain's day as the leading iron
producing country of the world seems
to have passed forever, despite the
fact that her mine-owners and manu
facturers are reorganizing their works
and plants on the best modern meth
ods, to enable them to hold their own
with their American competitors in
the markets of the world when the
great activity in the iron and steel in
dustries of the United States slackens
sufficiently to allow of American ex
portations corresponding in vastness
with American production.
Not Likely to la>*e Its Lead.
America is not likely to lose her
lead in Iron and steel as she has lost
it in gold. All the natural advantages
are on her side. The probabilities are,
that she will vastly increase h£r lead
in the course of the next few years.
The value of the production of iron
ore throughout the United States in
1902 was $64,769,546, as compared with
$47,408,714 in 1901. These figures
show the remarkable rate at which the
industry is expanding. It will be
noted that the value of the iron ore
has not yet reached the value of the
gold produced throughout the coun
try; but it must be remembered that
the iron ore increases enormously in
value in the finished product.
Although it has been pointed out
that the United States is not at pres
ent an exploring country so far as
iron and steel are concerned, this is, of
■course, merely a relative statement.
The United States does export vast
quantities of iron and steel, but they
are as nothing when compared with
what might be exported were it not
for the tremendous home demand. In
1902 the iron and steel exports were
valued at $97,892,036, as against $129,-
633,480 in 1900, when the production of
ore was much smaller. There was a
great rush for iron and steel material
all over the United States in 1902 and
1903. Steel rails had to be produced
for over 6,000 miles of new railways,
• to say nothing of electrical railroads,
tramway roads, steel skyscrapers,
bridges, locomotives and a thousand
other things.
“Steel, steel, steel!”
There promises to be a rush equally
as great during the coming year. Al
ready the cry is going up on all sides,
here and abroad: “Steel, steel, steel!
Good yellow gold for steel!” And ns
it grows in value and the great mills
pulsate with life day and night and the
whole country feels the beneficent ef
fect of the demand for rails and beams
and skeleton work, It will not be hard
for Americans to decide the question
—Which is the world's most precious
metal?—in favor of iron. For there is
no getting away from the fact that
along with wheat, corn and cotton,
iron is primarily responsible for the
nation’s prosperity.
THE WEATHER.
Washington, Dec. 24.—Forecast for
Sunday and Monday:
Georgia—Rain Sunday and probably
Monday, fresh west winds.
South Carolina —Rain and colder
Sunday; Monday, partly cloudy, fresh
southwest winds becoming northeast
erly.
Eastern Florida —Fair Sunday and
Monday; light west winds.
Western Florida—Rain Sunday and
Monday; light south winds.
Morning News barometer, Dec. 24,
11:30 p. m 30.05
Morning News thermometer, Dec.
24, 11:80 p. m 62
Yesterday’s weather at Savannah;
Maximum temperature 1
p. m 72 degrees
Minimum temperature 8
a. m 68 degrees
Mean temperature 65 degrees
Normal temperature 54 degrees
Excess of temperature .... 11 degrees
Accumulated excess since
Dec. 1 4 degrees
Accumulated deficiency
since Jan. 1 260 degrees
Rainfall 00 Inch
Normal 11 inch
Deficiency since Dec. 1 ..1.83 Inches
Deficiency since Jan. 1 ..11.15 Inches
River Report.—The hight of the Sa
vannah river at Augusta, at 8 a. m.,
(75th meridian time), yesterday, was
6.4 feet, a fall of 0.2 foot during the
preceding twenty-four hours.
Observations taken at the same mo
ment of time, Dec. 24, 1904, 8 p, m.,
75th meridian tlme:
Name of Station. ! T I \VJ R.
Boston, cloudy I 18 ]N .00
New York city, snowing..,| 24 iNE .12
Philadelphia, snowing ...| 26 N .28
Washington city, raining. : 34 'NE .68
Norfolk, raining I 58 SW .14
Hatteras, cloudy 60 SW .00
Wilmington, cloudy 58 IRW T
Charlotte, cloudy 66 SW .06
Raleigh, cloudy 60 W .00
Asheville, cloudy 54 SE .04
Charleston, cloudy 60 SE .00
Atlanta, cloudy 56 SW .20
Augusta, raining 62 8 .01
Savannah, cloudy I 61 SW .00
Jacksonville, clear 66 SW .00
Jupiter, partly cloudy 70 SW .00
Key West, partly cloudy.. 72 E .00
Tampa, .clear 68 W .00
Mobile, cloudy 64 S T
Montgomery, cloudy 58 SE .34
Vicksburg, cloudy 68 S .12
New Orleans, cloudy 70 8 .00
Galveston, partly cloudy..i 64 8 .14
Corpus Christ!, cloudy —| 70 SE T
Palestine, partly cloudy...l 68 SW .00
Memphis, clear 1 62 8 .32
Cincinnati, raining 36 NE .12
Pittsburg, raining 32 N'E .10
Buffalo, snowing 12 NE .02
Detroit, cloudy I 20 NE .00
Chicago, snowing 26 E .04
Marquette, cloudy 8 8E .01
St. Paul, snowing 20 IRE T
Davenport, cloudy 2* K T
St. Louis, raining 36 NE .41
Kansas City, cloudy 30 NE .00
Oklahoma, clear 42 E .00
Dodge City, clear 30 SB I .00
North Platte, near,,■■■■■.| $4 8 j !oo
H. B. Boyer,
Local Forecaster.
-Mm*. Catherine Tolstoi Is regard
ed by many as the moat beautiful young
woman now in the British metropolis.
She w*as widowed two years ago. Her
husband, a captain .In the Russian
army, died of consumption snd left
her a very estenetve estate. The crosm
<>f England's gilded youth ere eald to
be st Iter feet, both on account of her
physics) -harm* and the fortune she
wilt bring sea bridal dowry. It la re
ported bowevet that she has refused
lb* hands of duks and barons and
will soon Marry a plain Inndon bar
rtatar, without Mils or shekels
B'RISTRAS^
the day of all days when only the
choicest should be served
“old Joe "
i the same satisfaction it has throughout the year.
is the most popular brand of whis
today, more than 1,500,000 bottles
pply this year’s demand. From Vir-
IgD JOE” is preferred to all others
ist whiskey obtainable—a smooth,
can’t be duplicated. Sold by good
Every bottle has a red seal over cork.
•EE PROPRIETORS
BicKart, ATLANTA.
SIDNEY HERBERTS LETTER
Facts of Interest to War Veterans and Others.
Pine Crest Villa, Maitland, Fla., Dec.
24.—Writing of my birthday. Dec. 10,
William Riley Boyd same two years
my senior, says: “Permit a word of
congratulation upon having come to
three score and more years, as It is a
long road, but there is much ahead
which may prove helpful to yourself
and others who read your printed let
ters. My advent was Aug. 15, 1830,
yet I feel no older than I did when
sleeping under a blanket on the frozen
ground at Nashville, Tenn., in the
campaign of 1864. My theory is that
there is too much thought given to our
ailments and too littlo effort made to
preserve perfect health. I have neither
ache nor pain, and hope long to avoid
both.” Happy indeed, is the veteran of
the Civil War who “slept under a
blanket on the frozen ground,’’ and
yet can write in this style. May he
live long and prosper. * * • The press
telegram that William H. Davenport,
actor, dead at Missoula. Mont., was a
lieutenant in the U. S. A., for ten
years, promoted from the ranks for
gallantry in Seventh Cavalry battles
with Indians, is evidently an error,
as I have never known of more than
one William Davenport In the regular
army, and he died years ago. * • *
I am not seeking to “break into” the
"Fire drill” discussion in Savannah,
but in order to fortify my previous
statements as to its compulsory use
in orphan asylums, factories end
schools, I would call special attention
to the Hebrew Orphan Asylum fire in
New Y'ork city last week. The chil
dren, from little tots to half grown
hoys and girls, were aroused from sleep
by the “Fire drill” signal, got up,
dressed and marched out safely under
this well regulated and applied sys
tem.
Since the days of my dear old Irish
gentleman friend, Judge John Ersklne,
of the United States courts In Georgia,
the judges have been soldiers, and all
heroes in their way. Judge Henry
Kent McCay (of the North), was a
brigadier general of Georgia State
Troops In the Confederate service In
that state; Judge William T. Newman
of Tennessee, the present Judge, was
a gallant captain in the C. S. A., and
lost an arm In the service; Judge Wil
liam B. Woods of Ohio, brother of Gen.
C’has. R. Woods, was a brigadier gen
eral in the Union army; Judge Don A.
Pardee of Ohio resigned from the
United States Naval Academy (from
Dewey's class) in September, 1854, and
became a midshipman tn the navy,
from which he resigned In 1857, went
into the Union army In 1861 as mujor
of the Forty-second Ohio Regiment
and came out In 1864 a brevet brigadier
general; Judge Emory Speer of Geor
gia was n boy hero In the Confederate
army and won high commendation for
his gallantry. 1 think that Judge
Brawley of the United” States court
at Charleston, S. C., is a one-armed
Confederate hero, like Judge Newman
of Atlanta, Ga. Judge Thomas G.
Jones of the United States court at
Montgomery, was a gallant Confeder
ate on Gen. John B. Gordon's staff.
We were universally sorry here
In his home state where ev
erybody loves and esteems him,
when Capt. W. B. Denham
was transferred to Savunnah;
and now we are all sorrier because of
his transfer to Wilmington, as It Is
not a case where "distance lends en
chantment to the view.” The nearer
you get to Capt. Denham the better
you like him arid the more you es
teem hint. 1 don't think I ever knew
a man In any position who was more
justly beloved and respected by his
associate* snd subordinate*. In the
famous little comedy of “Box and
Cot" we have "Mr*. Mouser, always
the lady,” and In Capt. Denham we
have a man who Is "always the. gen
tleman.” The Morning News pay*
him a deserved tribute, but errs as to
his graduation and Immediate en
trance upon railway service tn 1870.
He graduated In the class of 1849 at
the famous Virginia Military Insti
tute, being a classmafA of the late
Col. Clifford W. Anderson of Savan
nah, and Gen, C. J. Anderson of
Richmond, Va. He wee a cadet of
more than ordinary ability and was
honored with an appointment si as
sistant professor of the Institute,
Capt. Denham Is not an aggressive
man, nor a brilliant one, but better
then all this, he ts a safe and reliable
mat) in any position or emergem y.
and never loses tb* rtmflArwm and rs*
spe'-t of his superior* or hi# swbordl
nstsa.
The Tooth’s Companion of Bos.on
issue of Dee. 22, contains a very In
teresting illustrated article on "The
Crusade of Peace," being a sketch of
the progress of international arbitra
tion. Excellent pictures are given of
EUhu Durrett, Jean De Bloch and John
Hay. The article starts off with the
treaty of John Jay, then chief justice,
with England, and comes down to the
treaties of John Hay, present Secre
tary of State, two names very much
alike, but of two men very much un
like. The article occupies a full page
and is valuable for historical refer
ence in discussing the peace and ar
bitration movement from its infancy,
so far as this republic is concerned.
* * * The press telegram about a
Blue and Gray reunion in Washing
ton, D. C., on May 10, 1905, is mislead
ing. It should be signed by five
Union and five Confederate veterans,
the number composing the committee
appointed at St. Louis. Then it
should be shown that the G. A. R.
and the U. C. V. have officially ap
proved and indorsed this movement —
fathered and promoted, so far as I
known, by two ambitious preachers.
If I understand the matter, the G. A.
R„ at Boston, and the U. C. V., at
Nashville, gave the movement a
“black eye,” as was also done at
Hartford, Conn., where one of the pro
moters made an eloquent appeal for
Its indorsement. This proposed re
union is uncalled for and can result
in no good to either the G. A. R. or
U. C. V.
Gen. Corbin ought to resign his high
rank and become colonel of the famous
Twenty-first U. 8. Infantry, now at the
Presido, Cal., which is the champion un
married regiment of the world, it hav
ing only three married officers In Its
ranks. What a glorious time Corbin
could have preaching his No Marriage
doctrine to the second lieutenants of
the command. But then, on the other
hand, Just think of a whole regiment
with only three women to supply the
places of absent mothers and sisters.
I am sorry, indeed, for this big crowd
of bachelor officers shut out from the
best and most pnnobllng Influences of
good women as wives and mothers.
• * • Last Saturday the Metropolis,
of Jacksonville, Fla., Issued a big
Christmas paper, and among other arti
cles In It was one: “A Look Backward
by an Old Resident," or “What Lionel
Jacobs saw when he came to that
city In 1876. Well, I was a year Ahead
of Veteran Jacobs, and saw that now
beautiful and rapidly growing city
when it was a struggling little town.
The Everett Hotel was then the Na
tional and in front was a little park,
and adjoining It was an Insignificant
10x12, I think, brick depot, Jackson
ville's only depot, and passengers had
to sit on the steps of the old wooden
freight depot. The St. James Hotel
was the only really first-class hotel In
the state, except Vail’s St. Augustine
hotel, then off any railroad line. I
can fully match, and in many things
beat, Veteran Jacob* in his reminis
cences of both old New York and old
Jacksonville.
Patent medicine certificates are get
ting to be a common vehicle for am
bitious men to air their supposed great
ness In the newspapers. Under the head
of "War Scarred Union Generals Defy
Disease." a patent medicine "ad.” con
talna certificates from MaJ. Gen. Alex
ander Hamilton and a “Gen." W. F.
Melbourne. The latter thus eulogizes
himself: “I am a veteran of the war
with Mexico, the expedition for the
suppression of the Free States tn Kan
sas In 1856. and the Mormon rebellion
In 1857. I have fought the Indians for
years, served through the Civil War,
and wns In the war with Spain." Now,
to read this biography one would sup
pose this hero wa* a full general and
covered with medals of honor. And
yet an ungrateful country allowed him
to be a private soldier In the Second
U. p. Dragoons from April,lßs2, to June,
U4l, at which time he became a sec
ond lieutenant, And a few months
later, a first lieutenant, and with this
exalted rank "Gen." M. resigned in
pec., 1864. So It appears that this
"War Hcarred Union General" was
simply a lieutenant. It Is safe to state
that two-thirds of the “generals" thus
paraded before the public tn theae pat
ent medicine certlft*at were never
general*, but seek false honors through
this now sensational channel
The New York Tribune aska, "Are
we the real Americana?" 1 should say
not. There were other people here be
fore we came. I sin reminded of the
little boy and girl who thought tho
Bishop was s fool because he didn't
quits agree with them that Columbus
discovered America. "But,” said the
Bishop, ’’did he find anybody hers?"
They replied, “Oh, yea, there ware la
■ Hens here “ If this bishop war* alive
to-day h# might possibly claim that
the Indian* srs th* "real Americans.”
But the matter 1* hardly worth sober
discussion. Let the United States of
America stand and use the term
American Just as we do now, unoffi
cially. We are not plain “United
States,” as there are various other
"United States,” and the term Ameri
can has become sort of common prop
erty, and it Is all right for a man to
say, “I'm an American citizen, and
proud of the fact." Although the le
gal term is “United States consul,” It
is not a proper one, and "American
consul” might be as objectionable In
some quarters. Why not put it ‘'con
sul of the Uaited States of America,"
In signing official papers. Shall we
have the Central American, the Cana
dian American, the United Slates
American and the North und South
American.
There is too much carelessness In the
spelling of names and too little care
given to accuracy. The Troy (Ala.)
Messenger refers to Lieut. “Nobel’’ J.
Wiley, U. S. A., whose name is No
ble, and a New York correspondent
writes of Mrs. "Thos. C.” Glenn and
her son "Girard” Glenn. This refer*
■to Mrs. John T. Glenn and her son
Garrard, a nephew of Col. William
Garrurd of Savannah. • • • In my
last letter I spoke of a "hefo’ de war”
Christmas I spent In Kufaula, Ala.
Just after I had mailed that letter 1
had a call from Mr. J. L. Roquemore,
claim agent of the Atlantic Coast Line
Railway at Lakeland, Fla., which I
greatly enjoyed, as it was at a Col.
Roquemore's plantation near Kufaula
that I saw the negroes In the full en
joyment of an old time Southern
Christmas. Col. R. was one of the
largest cotton planters In Barbour
county and his family to the present
day has always occupied a prominence
position In social and professional cir
cles. Mr. R, of Lakeland, while not a
member of that family, Is closely relat
ed to It and a worthy representative
of that honored name. I was more
than glad to talk over old times In
Columbus and Eufaula with hlrn.
* * * The “Holiday Edition” of The
People, an enterprising weekly of Fitz
gerald, Ga., is a "hummer," with Its
handsome cover and numerous Illustra
tions. Its history of the magic "Sol
diers’ Colony City" is also quite in
teresting, showing how the old Union
soldiers swarmed Into the then forests
of Irwin county and built up s live
city with three or four railroads drawn
to it even in its Infancy, Most of the
pioneers were old pensioners, and every
three months some $30,000 came from
the Knoxville, Tenn., pension ngent to
Fitzgerald. This gave th city Its rapid
growth.
Several times I have stated that Gen.
Mills at West Point and Capt. Brown
son at Annapolis wers powerless to
stop hasing so long as congressmen
were allowed the privilege or having
cadets and midshipmen restored who
had been expelled for hazing. Recent
ly, however. Congress has taken a
stand In support of these efficient su
perintendents and seems disposed to
prevent the reinstatement of expelled
hazers. Only a few days ago three
expelled mldshipment sought in vain
to be restored through congressional
action. Unless Gen. Mills and Capt.
Brownson are fully and firmly sus
tained In this matter It will be a use
less task to attempt to suppress haz
ing at West Point and Annapolis. It Is
a mean and cowardly practice, and It
is a false estimate of backbone and
courage that claims for It any virtue
in developing the character of a cadet
or midshipman along proper lines. It
is simply brutal for a dozen young
men to surprise and haze a single ca
det or midshipman. A few days ago
Klngdon Gould,, the millionaire's son,
wa* the victim of an attempt of this
kind at Columbia Collsgc, in New York
city, and only escaped by the use of
his revolver and the later arrival of
his father and friends. Such cowardly
practices have no place in a well regu
lated and properly disciplined college.
There Is nothing manly or noble about
such conduct, which Is generally bru
tal and mean.
During the Spanish-American War In
Cu*>a It will be remembered. I took Is
sue with Gen. Clement A. Evans, C.
S. A., or Atlanta, about the use of
barbed wire as a military article of
defense to obstruct the enemy's ad
vance. The General laughed at the
Idea, and yet It has secured a strong
foothold In our own army sa well as
the armies of other nations. Ons of
the late dlspotr.hss from the Japan-
Russia wnr shows how effectually tho
Japs repulsed a Russian attack by the
use of barbed wire obstructions. My
limited experience with this kind of
fencing here In Florida has convinced
me thst tt Is more dangerous than the
hind feet of a fraction* mule when It
Is suddenly cut loose snd goes It wild
tn every direction. I am satlsffed that
barbed wire will become a vary popu
lar and effective article of defense In
future warfare, as present experiments
have proven oo euoceewful. I remetnbei
the aim pi* and erode abet rt*r lions we
often used in the Civil War, and how
easily and rapidly the enemy removed
or overcame them. Not so with the
barbed wire defenses of the Japanese.
Why, even the Russians, noted for
barb-arltles. cry out against this barb
ed wire system of defense as unworthy
of civilized warfare. However that
may be, It Is a system of defense that
has tome to stay.
On Tuesday last. In New York city,
L. H. Low Bold the largest collection
of coins, medals and Confederate pa
per money ever put on the market. In
the collection were two famous Con
federate silver coins known as the
Jefferson Davis and Gen. Beauregard
dimes. Quite a stir among New
York coin collectors has recently been
caused hy the supposed theft of one of
the famous Georgia five dollar gold
pieces of 1880, coined by the state of
which only some three or four are tn
existence, and these now worth some
S4OO each. • • * The pension busi
ness, in Georgia and elsewhere, as
well oh at Washington. D. C., is a cu
rious thing. The deaths of pension
ers only *eem to Increase the number
of pensions to be paid out. Commis
sioner Ware, at Washington, reported
100 deuth of veterans dally, and yt
the applications for pensions came in
at the r&te of 700 a day. There is
about the same condition of things In
regard to Confederate pensions in the
Mouth. The whole system, state and
national, Union and Confederate, is
based upon an unjust, unequal and
burdensome foundation, and badly
needs reconstruction and re-adjust
ment. The well-to-do now get too
much, while the really poor and needy
get too little. • • * In last Sun
day’s Morning News appears a New
York special about "Moving Monu
ment to Tom Paine,” tn which It is
stated that his bones do not repose
beneath ihe monument; that William
Cobbctt of England spirited them
away years ago for reburial In fa
,mous Westminster Abbey, and no
body knows what became of them
when they wero refused Interment in
the abbey. Lord Byron thus sarcasti
cally poetizes Cobbett's action:
“In digging up your bones, Tom
Paine,
Will Cobnett has done well:
You visit him on earth again—
He'll visit you in hell."
I was greatly suprtsed to find In
“The Goode Family; A Name of Rare
Distinction,“ by Eleanor Lexington.
In last Sunday's Morning News, some
Important versee taken from my
sketch of John Howard Payne, and
for which no credit was given me. I
copied the Payne verse and Lamar
verse from the old album of Mtse Em
ily W. Goode, daughter of Judge Sam
uel Goode, of Montgomery, Ala., who
married Rev. Dr. David Llnley. an
eminent Presbyterian dlvtne, and
whose son allowed me to copy the
Payne verse and also the reply veree
by Gen. Mlrabeau B. Lamar of Geor
gia. Finley graduated at the old
Franklin College at Athens. Ga., and
wa* a classmate of Gen. Francis Si.
Bartow, Dr. Crawford W. Long and
Hon. Junius A. Wingfield. His son,
referred to above, was dThomus Fin
ley, Esq., a well-known Atlanta at
torney-at-law, Miss Goode was a
lovely* and very accomplished young
lady, and PRyne, while in Georgia and
Alabama, made love to every such
young lady Into whose society he was
thrown; but he never had a real
sweetheart tn Georgia, as claimed, nor
anywhere tn the South. He was at
times unable to support himself, much
less a wife, for ho was always home
less and somotlmea penniless, yet
wrote "Home, Sweet Home." But La
mar was a very different kind of a
man—a brave soldier, a gifted poet, a
wise statesman and a true Southern
gentleman. Here is another poem he
penned tn Miss Goode’e album:
“The Hose I saw on Anna’s breast,
I deemed the happiest of Its raoe;
In such a world of beauty bleat.
How could it ask a brighter place?
Yet all Its hue* departed soon.
Like fading clouds at closing day:
It could not brook superior bloom.
And sank In envy's pale decay.”
Sidney Herbert.
CHRISTMAS AT ASIISIUCIi'S.
r.scelleei Business Was Done hr Ik*
Merchants.
Americus. Qa., Dec. 24.—Fifteen
thousand holiday purchasers thronged
Americus' streets to-day, coming from
all the surrounding counties and towns
end Increasing th* Christmas trade to
phenomenal proportions. Americus
merchants have had the most excellent
holiday business In years and all srs
thoioughly satisfied therewith.
Tu-dsy the streets were well nigh
Impueeable for th# wagons and multi
tude of people Jamming them. There
has not been the slightest disorder snd
with the teaming thousand* her* to
day not an arreal for Intoxication was
necessary.
Monday will tie observed as Christ
mee day. with suspension of business
hi ail unes.
9