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THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION. ATLANTA, GA., TUESDAY JANUARY 12 18=6
THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION.
lawn*! itthe Atlanta rnrtOBoe u icotmil-claaa
nail matter, Sorember 11, 1574
WeeklyConsfltutlon, •1.2.1 per snnnm.
Clubs of five, ft.OO.cach; elubt of ton 11.00 each
and a copy to gcttcr-upofClub.
A WORD WITH YOU.
tog? Ills responsibility la no less to. He
undoubtedly afraid to go to *!eepfor fear bia
elephant may overturn a home or *o while
hia watchful eye ia closed. He cannot eat,
for no conservative farmer would let aneb
crowd get in reaching diatanee of hia home
while hia gun holds out to shoot.
let ua imagine this melancholy caravan,
cold, hungry and misnndcratood, approach
ing a farmer’s home in the night. YVe can
If you are not a lubscriber to The I ace their hulk by the light in the window
Constitution, this copy is sent you Skulking with heavy hearts up tbo lane—
■ m.M . “ ® ft .1 . I 4Va mftft.n Anil nt,alIia.Y ,1 rtrlr/itv lriAillnrv tlln
you examine and decide whether or I ” > ***•- tI,e
# . a a.!., fa. If.... .amftl I WOOW
, _ _ ----- , i uoum an explanation for the gigantic ghosts
not you want to take it You need that folIow hIn)( jj,, flfst oonMon is, of
agood paper for 1886. We think
The Constitul
_ _ course, with the farmer’s dog. That animal
! Constitution is the best paper I rushes ont belter skelter barking like a
you can get. I mitrailleuse. Suddenly u huge cloud
Please examine it carefully. Read arises, the dog is seized in tlio noiseless and
It, compare It with other papers, mysterious arm* of the night, oscillated
1 , t. I solemnly about tree-high, and then thrown
andsend us jour *ubscr!pbon. It , 0(0 ^ , )rcathlng a
will be the best investment yon ever I mil t, we j p ra yer, haiiocs at the house. The
made. I farmer cautiously, but not yet dreaming in
Try it One year, and you Will his wildest suspicions of what is in store for
never quit it
ATLANTA, GA., Tt'ESBAV, JANUARY 12, 1885,
Tilt: northern papers nre trying to tell
everybody how to mske home-mado French
bread. Thanks. The Georgia pone is good
enough for us.
Tim tables show that railroad accidents
liaro become n strong feature of a year's
casualties. About 1,1100 accidents take
place each year—last year, 1,210 occurred,
in which :HK> were killed and 1,400 wounded.
It ia a very considerable battle that affords
a larger loss.
The appointment of Congressman lllonnt
to the chnirmanshlp of the postolllce com
mittee, makes him one of the most Import
ant tlgurcs in congress. “Jim Blount,” us
his people in tbo sixth district love to call
him, has quietly worked up bis way to a
high place in the .onnclls of the nation, and
Georgia is justly proud of him.
Mississippi originally elected her judicia
ry, rendering the three branches of tho gov
ernment absolutely Independent bf each
other. Hinrc that time tho selection by ex
ecutive appoiutmont lias been tried, and the
peoplo are not satisfied with it. As a con
sequence, they are now calling for a consti
tutional convention, so that they may re
turn to the customs of their fathers.
An international commission, appointed
to find some way of ridding the world of the
gambling hell at Monte Carlo, in the princi
pality of Monaco, near Nice, report that
from 1877 to 1*M—eight years—1,820 peo
ple committed suicide on account of lo.
the gaming tables. This was at the rate of
nearly five a week tho year round. It
ought not to bo difficult to devise a way to
rid the world of such n nest. Either France
or Italy ought to send n battalion, with
fixed bayonets, to Monte Carlo, and npset
the entire concern, inclndlng the petty
prince who lives on the blood of those
whom he attracts to his capital.
him, appears at the door. “Boss, conld yon
let ns stay nil night wid yer j “Who have
yon got with you?’’ Kealizing the utter to
tally of answering “an elephant and two
camels," the negro slowly advances, ills
companions hopefully follow. As ths lingo
apparition of the elephant is bodied forth
from the darkness, followed by the mockc
but not rcaasnring spectres of the camels,
the farmer .hoots: “What in the (lingua,
tion have yon got there?” nnd rushes for
his gnn. Thera is no explanation licyond
this. “Take them things off my land I” Is
the inexorable demand. And so on they
go—more desolate, more misplaced, more
pitiful than any of the world’s outcasts from
tho Wandering Jow down to little .lo. No
where can they rest. Imagine them steal
ing fora moment’s respite from the wind
Into n barnyard or a stable, wlicrn respecta
ble cows nnd provincial mules are bonsed
for the night. Could they get rest and
welcome even there? Not much. Not un
less the mules and cows could carry off the
stables anil the fences with them, which in
their hurry they probably could!
Sergeant Bates once set ont to prove that
the eonth was reconstructed by carrying tho
stara and stripes through every state. That
test might have satisfied somo folks. Bat if
n strange negro can march on foot with an
elephant nnd two camels through n hundred
miles of Georgia farms, is there any ono who
will doubt that there never con lie any fitr-
ther trouble betwen tlio races. Wo hope
the dusky pilgrim will reach Atlanta safely
with his charge. If ho can go forty days
without rest or food or fire, font rivers, sleep
a walking, ilrink at tho branch, and carry
fifty loads of small shot in his hide, he may
get through. Even if he docs, it will lie
ninny n long year licfnre middle Georgia
fanners will again nnliar their doors to pass
ing callers,before newly-arrived dogs in Aln-
Ixuna will scent out in the night and bark at
something they don't see, and before tran
quillity bis returned to the distracted rows
and males thnt dwell along tbcliigh road lm-
tween Macon and Atlanta.
Tiik Constitution has just closed the
biggest mbscrlptlnn week of its whole life.
When the gates of our New Year were opened
it looked like the whole world was coming
ponring in. Along with the new snlwriliers
came words of praise from our old readers.
Altogether, the first week of 1888 was a busy,
bustling, cheerful week.
Now let ns have just another. Are yon a
subscriber? If not, we assure yon you can
not do Ix'ttrr thou begin at once. Don't
subscribe alone. That costs yon $1.2.1. (let
lour neighbors to join you ut $1 ca:h. Do
this at once. ^
Are yon an agent? Then give ns a'day
this week and make np a big club, (let all
yonr club to renew before their time is out,
anil ask every one to bring a new sufascrtlior
with him when be come*.
Are you a irabecriber? Then make it a
point thta week of getting at least one other
mbacriber. Yon can easily do it. Show
•one one yonr paper, nnd he will sulucrlbe.
Let na all make a puli—a long and atrong
pnll and a pull altogether—this week and
make it head last week ! We mast have our
100,000 subscribers. If yon do your part we
will get them 1 We expect to hear (Yum you
this week.
TV* urge our iwmtsrs when they answer
ailvertl»rm«tit* to iiirutiaii that tiny mw
them In the Constitution. This will help all
a rounds
better harvests, and have therefore made
more meat; bnt thin fact alone does not
errant for the great decrease in the exporta
tion of hog products from this country. The
hostile action of France and Germany
prohibiting the importation of onr pork
products bod much to do with it; for
lost not only the trade of the two countries,
but tbe trade, to some extent, of other
European countries, who are afraid to tako
our pork after France and Germany have
discarded it as trichinons.
Mr. Dodge contends that the fullest and
closest investigation does not sustain the two
governments In the action they have taken.
All reported cases of illness have been traced
to domestic pork, and not one to American
pork. The domestic product in Germany
at least is known to be largely diseased, and
the liogs of France are not much better.
Mr. Dodge nrges, in tbe meanwhile, the
farmers in the hog-breeding states to make
lietter pork and bacon—to feed their hogs
more pens on the vine and other forage,
and less corn—to kill them before they
are suffocated with lilt or weakened by
cholera—to, in a word, render the presence
of trichina; an impossibility. Mr. Dodge’
advice to our liog growers is certainly good
and should be taken, even if his views as to
onr foreign policy are not wholly wise and
acceptable.
The Force of Public Opinion
The returns of tho follies, casualties and
crimes of Christmas and New Year’s day are
all in.
Tho record is not without its block spots,
lint it promises well for tbo future. One
thing is worthy of noto. Onr correspond
ents, writing from “wet” towns in Georgia
and other states, nearly all called attention
to the fact that thesaies of liqnor for holiday
pmposes showed n great falling off compared
with the sales of former years.
From this it appears that the effects of the
temperance agitation was being felt in places
whero prohibition has not been strong
enough to carry tho day. Tbe nnasaal
moderation manifested dnring the holidays
was not the result of legal restraint; it was
tbe result of public opinion. After all, this
tbe best law for the regulation of certain
perplexing social problems. When public
opinion is educated np to the proper stand
ard it becomes a mighty force. Sometimes
may crystalize in the shape of a statute,
bnt in all snch instances tlio real power of
the law consists in what stands back of it.
The temperance people may well feel en
couraged. Even where they have been de
feated they have not been routed. The in
fluence of their work remains. Tbe next
best tiling to peranading people to abolish
liquor is lo perenade them not to nso it or
nso less of it.
Wo urge onr readers when they answer
ndvertliements to mention that they saw
them In the Constitution. This will help all
around.
The I’nparalleled Cold.
The continent of America lias never been
so cold in tlie memory of thta generation as
during the present cold spell. The whole
reuntiy has been frozen—thorn the orange
groves to the great lakes. Snow blocks tho
railroads and ice holds the ships in ita terri
ble grip. Travel ir stopped, the mails are
halted, and the telegraph wires ate down.
Whole communities are isolated. Herds of
cattle are lost on ths plains. Train loads of j
passengers are blocked on tbe prairies.
With the breaking up of all this, terrible
Tho Secret of liniiilgralion.
The December bulletin of tlio commis
sioner of immigration for the territory of Da
kota, lies before us. It Is n handsome pam
phlet of eighteen pages, well Illustrated, and
it lias a red cover. Tlie Georgia reports and
hnllotlns have no cover at all.
When wo look into this copy of C’ommls
sloncr Dunlop’s monthly, we see at n glance
why the laud of Idizznrds has, within a few
yean, attracted a thrifty population of fully
half a million, and Ison the rood to a mil
lion. Even blizzards cannot imllify tbo ef
fects of «ood advertising. Tho tint article
in the pamphlet relates to tho weather In
Dakota, November is shown to have been a
delightful month of Indian anmnier weather.
Facta and figures are presented to show heir
sunny it was dnring the month. The num
ber of lnud entries of November Is then
given. Tlie next article sums up the crops
of the territory. There Is then an illustra
tion of a public school bnilding of one of tho
new territorial towns. “Dakota homestead
era’’ are next discussed, and then there nre
illnstretlons of a bank building nml n “pal
ace hotel’’ in another town. A state govern,
ment, Northern l’acidc laud sales auil the
Indian qnestion, are sntyect* that follow, to
gether with clever pictures of school build
ings, land offices uudotherpnblicstrnrtnres,
Tlie modern architect, it Is plain, Is abroad
In Dakota. A doctor of divinity writes
ahont higher cdncatlon in Dakota. There
are railroad notes, an article on fruits, nml
also one almut the newspapers of tbe terri
tory. The last named uurnber over three
hundred. And then two counties are taken
up utid careftdly described. Each bulletin
contains an exhaustive description of two
comities of the territory.
Tlie man seeking a new home receive* one
of these booming official pamphlets, nnd re
reives not a line from Georgia, aud he very
naturally turns towards Dakota. 11a may
rnronnter a blizzard when he arrives there,
hot he his gone too far to retreat, and so
the frozen land* gain a population that
would lie much happier and mors prosper-
scenes of suffering will be dleclosed. Great
•* «* I on "‘he lontb, -imply because they'aro
.Hums.afdel- told about tho tewrarere of the one, and are
stttisttzKEi :tr ,n ig “ of ot th °
when the snowy mantle is lifted and tbe
hold of the ice is broksn. Elsewhere we I <>i k agents should remember that this is
print all that is known of the storm. In I the harvest-time for subscribers. Nine ont
■ext week’s Constitution we will devote a I of ten men who subscribe for tlie year do so
whdepagetofMggtto.thrilling incidents | this mouth or next. Other agents are at
of the storm, tlie adventures of the belated, i ,
«»d tbe actual damage done. It will be a 'T ® 10 ^
wonderful chapter of history that everyone °"“ r to “ ,hat T " E Co!reT1Tt '-
cVamU i . .i ... a .... I TIOV Dots l\iom Ynw m tlx* Inn amt Unto
should read,
fcimnoN.
Look out for next week's Cos-
A Pilgrim and Hie Charge.
In circulating the sympathies evoked by
the cruel cold, let ns not forget the colored
thin gets them. Now is the hamst-time.
Don’t lose a day 1 The friends of other
lepers nre at work.
The American Hog.
, .. , Mr. Dodge, statistician of the department
pilgrim who Marred two days ago from Mon- I of agriculture, warmly defends the Amerl-
zoe, whrrc Giles' circus was sold, with nu can hog against all France and Germany,
elephant aud two camels, aud who is, with lie first shows that tlie average export of
hia ponderous charge, "till plodding his I hog products in the decade, 1671-1680, was
weary way between that burg aud Atlanta, ini aloe over sixty million dollars a year.
Truly, his U a deplorable figure. A lie- I Tho largest exportation wax reached in the
gro, tramping a hundred miles throngh a I flsrol year ending June 110, 1881, when the
strange country with the mureusy hitting I rquiv.lznt of tl,103,OOObogswaswnt abroad,
xrro is to be pitied. When he has to make There was then a large tailing off—the ex-
the journey with a three ton elephant and a I ports in the following year b«l»g reduced
pair of depressed camels as his companions | nearly one-half We have recovered some
he is entitled to mors than pity. The eni
bazTSlernent* that follow his invasion of a
pastoral neighborhood with (best unex
pected and terrifytoganimals most be crash-
lost ground, but we are at praaent exporting
not oi er 4,000,001) as against 8,000,000, five
years ago.
The European countries hart of late bad
A Northern Sham.
A correspondent of tbo Nation, who signs
himself Sclnh Howell, writes from Harvard,
Massachusetts, in regard to tho comments
of that excellent weekly on the refusal of
the hotel-keepers in Troy nml other New
York towns to entertain the colored jubilee
singers. The Nation, it seems, criticized
tho hotel-keepers, whllo Mr. Sclnh Howell
is of the opinion that it is northern senti
ment, ns represented liy the peoplo of the
north, tliat ought to lie criticized.
No doubt Mr. Sclnh Howell is right, pro
vided there Is any criticism to make; bnt,
under all the circumstances, wliat is the ne
cessity of criticism? What reform is criti
cism likely to accomplish ? For forty years
all tho politics nml all the literature of tho
north have been directed to rouvincing tho
jicoplo of tho north that they ought to as
sociate with negroes on terms of equality—
tliat they ought to take them totheir homes
and receive them socially.
We hail supposed that this tremendous
intluence, covering so wide a Held nml em
bracing so long a period, hod had a serious
effect, but It seems not. Mr. Selah Howell
writes to tlio Nation that tho landlords do
not refrise to receive tho jnblleo siugers be
reuse they nre negroes, hut because of the
sentlmeuta of their white guests. These
guests, Mr. Howell argues, “say very plain
ly to the landlord that unless negroes are
refttsed the courtesies of the house, they
will go elaowhere.” With the landlord it is
a question of business, not ot personal feel
ing : nnd, from the nature of his business,
he is bound to make himself and his house
agteeablc to his patrons.
It Is to be observed that, in spite of the
tore that is made by onr republican friends,
tbe negroes are treated no better at the
north than they are treated at tlio sonth.
Individually, they are not treated os well.
Collectively, they have a better showing in
the south than they have at the north; they
are shown more consideration, they have
more privileges and greater advantages, and
they receive greater sympathy. It is time
that the sham northern interest in the negro
was valued at ita true worth, which is noth
ing.
firmly believed himself to be Irvin, but
while in jail he had studied over tbe matter
and the memory of past events had returned.
To his unspeakable grief he had suddenly
awakened to tbe discovery that he recollec
ted certain events which were said to have
occurred in the life of Frank Douglas. It
seemed to Idm at times that he could recol
lect having married a yonng lady In Texas
who was still living. At other times he was
confident that he was Irvin ami that he had
only one wife. In this terrible state of per
plexity he was willing to rctam to Texas to
settle the matter, and was willing to have
the habeas corpus case dismissed.
It is needless to say that this phenomenal
personage was at once handed over to the
minions of the law from Texas, and forth
with shipped to that state securely hand
cuffed. The arresting officers were consid
erably taken alack liy the statements of
their captive, but they claim that he is
Donglos, and nobody olsc. They farther-
more say that he is one of the most depra-
i eil rascals that ever lived, and predict that
when the courts get throngh with him ho
will Ik; sentenced to the penitentiary for
ninety-nine years. It is to lie hoped that
justice has made no mistake, but when tbe
(liattannogans think of their late fellow-
citizen they cannot help wondering whether
he is really himself or the other fellow.
cmtic factions in the city in n desperate con
dition. Tammany was weak nnd without a
leader, and he gave it confidence, and he in-
fried something of his energy and courage
into the county democracy, which was in a
languishing condition.
He covered the whole gronnd and carried
on his campaign in person. As an evidence
of his courage nnd confidence it has been
stated that be placed his entire fortune of
fifty or seventy-five thousand dollars at the
disposal of the campaign committee to cover
the expenses of the campaign. Such confi
dence bad its effect, and the result was that
he was elected as a straight ont democrat
without compromises of any kind, and his
administration will be strictly as democratic
us that of Andy Jackson’s.
Under nil the circumstances, his victory
was a notable one. He has demonstrated
that the people like their democracy straight
and unadulterated, and each a demonstra
tion will have an overpowering but timely
effect on the campaign of 1888.
Tlio Thugs of New York.
It is n rommon thing for tbe swarthy brig
ands of Italy to kidnap a man of means and
hold him for ransom, bnt it is something of
a novelty to hear of snch outrages in a large
city like New York.
The boldest case of the kind over known
occnrrcd only n few days ago. Mr. James
T. Stevenson, a prominent builder, sudden
ly disappeared. After waiting n few days
Mrs. Stevenson offered a reward of $500 for
the body ofher husband, dead or alive. Tills
set the police to work, bnt all efforts to find
the missing man were unsuccessful. It was
ascertained thnt on the day of his disappear
ance lie had ensiled n cheek for $1,000 and
bnd storied over to Jersey city to see nhout
contract. That was the last seen of him.
Home days after the publication of the re
ward an elegantly dressed lady called on
Mrs. Stevenson and notified her that if paid
$1,000 she would produce Mr. Stevenson.
She refused to give her name and address,
but said that Stevenson had boon decoyed
to n small town on the Pennsylvania rail
road where lie was kept under lock nnd key
by two men who had robbed him of all his
money. When her demand for the ransom
was relnscd she left the house aud the police
linve lw-en unable to trace her.
The final outcome of the case may he mnr-
dcr. Every year well known people disap
pear in New York, and no explanation is
ever made. In more than ono instance,
doubtless, there is an attempt made to prac
tice tbe same game that Is being worked an
Stevenson. There Is no end to tbe myste
ries and miseries of a great city.
in I
Is lie I tic Other Fellow?
A badly mixed case occurred in Chatta
nooga, last week. Officers from Texas visit
ed tho city in qneet of a noted counterfeiter,
forger nnd embezzler named Frank Douglas.
They found their man masquerading os
Manton D. Irvin. They recognized him
and pat him under arrest.
The alleged Irvin atontly maintained
that he was not Dongtas and proved hia
identity by a number of people, including
an old school-mate. The Texas officers were
firm Olid the prisoner sued out n writ of
habeas corpus. When the case sms called
for trial Irvin rose in his place and damb-
fonnded the judge, the lawyers and the spec
tators by reeling off the most remarkable
yam ever heard in or out of the court room.
With a end free, end with the moat en
gaging candor imaginable, the prisoner ad
mitted that he might, for all he know, lie
Frank Donglos, of Texas. Sometimes he
thought he was, and then again he was sat
isfied that he was In in. Nome years ago,
he said, Frank Douglas and In in were on a
Mizslmippi river steamer. He was one of
them, but he eouldu't positively say which
They took the yellow fever, were put
■bore, nnd one of them died. It was possi
ble their clothing got mixed. When he re
covered he found his clothing marked levin,
and was called by that name by those around
him. He had no recollection of the past.
He shortly afterwards settled at Madson-
ville, Tenn., where he married. Later be
scent to Chattanooga and engaged in bnai-
An old schoolmate met him and re
cognized him gs Irvin. Until his arrest he
Heitor Country Rond*.
Mild weather docs not help tho situation
the country, because mild weather in the
winter season means rain, and rain in Geor
gia menus mud. The need of better coun
try roads is nowhere greater or more press
ing than in tho sonth. In the northern
states frost during the winter season supplies
roads that nre harder nnd smoother than
Macadam ever built, bnt In the south we
hnvc no frost that can be depended upon to
give ns good roads even tor a single week,
WIint is the result ? Dnriug at least a
quarter of the year trade is at a standstill;
tho roads nre impassable for even empty
wagons; children cannot go to school in
many cases, nor adults to church. Society
stagnates. There are plenty of railroads,
hut the people cannot go to or from tho rail
roads over the wretched and almost liottom-
lcm highways.
Our highway policy is simply indefensi-
Bepairs arc made in such a way that
they do not repair the roads against
bnd weather. Tho taxpayer should pay bis
shore of the highway taxes os ho pays any
other tax, and thu policy of allowing them
to work when, and how nnd almost whero
they please, should lie abolished. Wo have
outgrown such methods. Komi making should
bo done by skilled men, or at least under the
superintendence of n road-maker. The em
ployment of the convicts of a section, nnder
the gnidancc of a competent official, is n
plan that is widely approved, and if tbe plan
was adopted in every county, there would
soon lie a network of roads thronghoat the
state as good os any that Tennessee or Vir
ginia can hooat.
The roads of England and France nnd oth
er European countries are proof against nil
kinds of weather. They ore hard, durable
and easily kept in repair. Na wagons arc
mired in such roads; nono are stalled. A
span of borses can draw a load upon them
that w ould astonish a farmer who has uerer
been out of this state. Even ia Canada-then;
nre'good roads, and in many parts of tbe
northern states the country roads have been
brought up to tbe English standard. The
southern towns should tako this matter in
hand.
The south needs better country roods,
and we need not expect to attract many im
migrants or to see a considerable develop
ment of the resources of tho state until we
hare them. Good roods and good pnblic
schools are two things that men looking for
new homes always inquire about, and when
they find them they are very sore to see ad
vantages i if the surrounding lands.
A Queer Divorce Case.
Brooklyn ftirnisbesone of tho most tangled
divorce cases,of the season.
In ]8."0 Laura Mclicn married ■William
Houghton. When the war came on Hough
ton entered the confederate service, and his
wifo heard that lie was killed in battle. Re
cently she heard that Houghton was living
in Mobile. She went to that city and found
him married to another woman. When
Houghton was arrested for bigamy, he pro
duced a judgment of tbe supreme court of
New York, showing that bis marriage to
Bliss Mclicn had been annulled on the gronnd
that in 18,74 she had married a man named
BIcGlynn. Mrs. Houghton returned to
Brooklyn, nnd asked tbo coart to set aside
its judgment, ns she had never married Mc-
Glynn. The evidence was roluminons.
Hongliton failed to prove the BIcGlynn mar
riage, and failed to prove that snch a man as
BIcGlynn bad ever existed.
The presiding judge said that tbe cose was
a most extraordinary one. He ordered it to
be re-opened, and the chances ore thnt when
tho decision is reached BIr. Houghton will
find himself in an uncomfortable fix. It is
believed thnt he invented the story about
the BIcGlynn marriage, and secured his di
vorce by fraud and perjury.
TTs urge our readst* whew they answer
ftdvertlftemeutft to mention that they saw
them In the Constitution. This will liolp all
hround.
An Old Fashioned Democrat.
The inauguration of Governor Hill, of
New York, the other day, Is a more import
ant event than the brief and inconsiderate
chronicles of tbe time would have it appear.
It was the inauguration of a democrat who
made a straight out party fight, and who
mode know n the fact that he was opposed to
the sham civil service reform that has been
inaugurated for the purpose of keeping re
publicans in office.
Governor Hill was bitterly opposed by all
regular republicans and by all the mug
wumps. He was denounced as a thief, a
corruptionist and a swindler, and nothing
was left undone by those who had taken the
contract to defeat him. It eras said that
he was opposed to Mr. Cleveland, and that
his election would give the democratic ad-
ministration its first black eye.
All this, however, had no effect on Mr.
IlilL Ho inaugurated the most vigorous
campaign that has been seen in New York
state in many a day. Ho Brand the demo-
Fnllttrcs In tho South.
The statistics of business tailores show
that there were mors in the south in 1883
than there were in 1884 ; although fewer
failures occnrrcd last year in other sections
of the country than were recorded for tho
previous year. The extension of business in
the sonth accounts for somoof the additional
nnmbcr, hot it ia scarcely sufficient to ac
count for all oi them. In the west there
was a similar extension of trado withont an
increase in the number of failures. The
l’biladclphia Times is confident tlie Increase
in the south is due in good port to the sys
tem of credits indulged in in this section.
“Smoil credits,” it says, “are extended too
long and collections are made with difficulty.
This discourages business men who have to
pay cash to the manufacturer, the wholesale
merchant or the commission house, and the
difficulty of raising money that is due when
it is needed is such that in many cases they
arc obliged to suspend. The indefinite ex
tension of small credits docs not prevail in
tho western and I’acific states, where the
nnmbcr of firms nnd the amonnt of capital
invested is probably increasing as fiist as in
the south, if not faster; bnt both these sections
illustrate the conntry’s increasing prosperity
by reducing their business failures, and the
most progressive, cash-paying states of the
south, like Texas and Georgia, both show
considerable reduction in the volume of lin
hillticsof snspended firms. The lesson of
the year 1883 for tho sonth is, pay cash.”
only serve to moke it more clear that prices
have been tending irresistibly toward a
lower level than that of 1680, not only dur
ing the period of paper depreciation, but
since gold has been the measure of value.
The New York Blail and Express presente
a table showing that most of the staples are
still very low—that the rise in the last
months of 1883 was not general. We give
its table:
Articles.
No. z red wbciit bu. (SU Pee.
No. z mixed corn, bu .Vffv Dec.
Family flora-. bl, II «o ft 50 Dec.
lard, refined, lb.
Changes.
Pork,spot meaz.bbl.il oo 10 (0 Dec. I
Butler,cn-smeryjh l*a20 25a.1l Adr.
Cbccze, crti.icrv, lb 714*54 914*10 Adv.
_ r, refined, 16... !Ai 6 s-to Adv.
Coflie, Bio, lb sjZ . 8?4 Dec.
No. 1 pi* Iron, ton,t8 00 18 17 Adv.
Par Iron, 80, lb.... 1 00
Steel rail*, ion...,...27 OO
Copper, lake It's
Tin, itrolta 21;;
Lead, domestic 8 85
cotton.mld. up., lb 1074
Wool, Ohio, lb...,., 20as
Prints, CtxtW, yard,
Piitml'ra port $»H1
Fetrorm cert., bbl. fti
I «Sa2 Adv.
U 00 Adv.
. 11U Adv.
20)2 Deo.
4 65 Adv.
08-16 Dee.
82aS7 Adv.
83-16 Adv.
8% Dec.
'm
.8
5nw'
Ot 19 staples named, 10 have advanced
and 0 have declined. The advances have
been in daily products, sugar, metals, rails,
wool and prints. Declines have been in
grain, provisions, cotton and oil. Broadly
stated, mannfactnrcd products have ad
vanced, while products of the soil have de
clined.
The general tendency toward lower prices
is due to n great many things, bnt cheaper
transportation, better machinery, larger
capital and lower ratesofinterestbavo much
to do with it, BVhcther bottom lias been
reached or not, still depends upon these
causes, some of which have not been ex
hausted. There is a general belief, how
ever, that a higher range of prices will pre
vail this year. Iron is firmly held at an ad
vance, wool is firm, sugar is higher, hut
wheat and cotton are weak and declining.
There Is simply a hopefrtl feeling, which
may lead up to confidence and activite. Lei .
us hope it will.
We urge onr readers when they answer
advertisement! to mention that they saw
them In the Constitution. This will help alt
aronnd.
Tlio Low Range of Prices.
A correspondent of the New York Triliano
(hows tliat the average of prices in 1883 was
lower than in 1884 by 8.24 per cent. The
fall in prices, which culminated in August
of last year, was, however, partially regain
ed before the close of the year, bnt not
wholly; for the cloeing prices of the year
were 1.4 per cent lielow the level of tbo first
day of the year. For the lint time tbo gen
eral level of prices for n year has fallen more
than 20 per cent below that of May, 1860.
7Ve give the figures:
Wheat, bushel
Corn, bushel
Cotton, tb.
Wool, K
Beef, frenh,
SO m
Bn
Hides, lb...
Butter, lb,...
lire, foe, ton
Total.... — 422 70 t
Here thrre was a decline of 20 per cent in
the price of every article except one, and in
that one an advance of only 3 per cent, and
yet, because of the large price of tbe quan
tity usually quoted, a relatively small ad
vance in the price of iron alone drowns ont
of sight the greater decline in all other quo
tations. The result of the comparison after
the old method Is that one finite a general
advance of more thru 2 per cent, although
in fret prices bnd fallen severely.
The writer of the article from which we
are quoting then proceeds to show that
874.5(1 woahl have bought in Angnst last as
much as $174.77 in November, 1803, of tbe
articles named below : Wheat, corn, oats,
rye, barley, beans and pens, mess pork,
bacon, ham, live hags, lard, fresh beef, tal
low, live sheep, poultry, batter, cheese, eggs,
milk, hay, potatoes, turnips, cabbages,
onions, apples, raisins, sugar, brown and
crushed; molasses, coffee, tea, tobacco, whis
ky, malt and hops; mackerel, eodliish, salt,
rice, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, cotton, prim
cloths and standard sheetings, wool of differ
ent qualities, blankets, carpets, flannel*,
leather, boots, dtoos, hides, silk, India rub
ber, iron, pig and !>ar; nails steel rails, coal,
oil, erode and refined.
Tile tables presented in the Tribune show
that there hits been a general tendency to
word lower price*. From 18W until 1871.
and again from I-72 until 1876, and again
item 1M-2 until 1885, prices fell quite stead
ily. Indeed, had not the short crop of l—I
routed a temporary advance in the spring of
Itt-2, the range of Jaunary, 1-Ht, would
bar e lieen the highest of the later period,
and it might have lieen said that tlie present
era of declining Drircs had continued with
little intt i mission for six years. None will
fail to observe how swift and sharp the ad
vances have been—alnut 12 per cent from
Novcmlier, 1-71, to May, 1872, and 25} per
cent from October, 1876, to January, 1880.
Bnt these spasmodic advances, by which the
general tendency downward is interrupted,
A Familiar Rill In Congress.
Congressman Bicliae, of Arkansus, has
introduced a bill to refund the cotton tax
collected on raw cotton from 18(13 to 1868,
inclusive. The bill appropriates a little
more than $68,000,000, nnd Georgia's share
would be $11,887,094. Mr. BloUae’s bUl
differs from some of the previous refunding
hills in the respect that the money is to be
paid to the states, nnd the states are to re
turn the taxes collected to the producers, or
their heirs, so far ns they can be ascertained
and shown by dear and satisfactory evi
dence . Each state is to establish a conrt
for that purpose. Ail monies not claimed
by tlio producers within a reasonable time
shall he retained by tho state to become a
permanent free school fund. Not a cent of
the money is to bo used for any other pur
pose. The right of redaiming snch taxes
is dedared by the bill to be of a personal no-
tore, and the states ore expressly prohibited
from reimbursing any assignee.
The fact that the United States supremo
court dedared the whole scheme of taxation
unconstitutional, and the clause directed
against the speculators in these cotton-tax
claims, and the clause looking to n irco
school fluid, are relied on to give the bill a
lighting chance—something more than prey
vions bills relating to the tax in question
have had.
Bnt still it is too early to indnlgo in spec*
illations over tho payment of so many mil
lions to tbe southern states. True, tho
money was collected ontsido of tho law ;
true, too, the south I* fearfully taxed for
pensions nnd other things that nre disbursed
In the northern states; true, fhrther still,
tliat the general government shonld assist in
tbo work of educating the people it sudden
ly transformed into citizens; bnt despite
nil these things congress may reftase to re-
flind the tax this year us it bos done in oth
er years.
BIr. 8. 7V. Goode.
We recommend this gentleman, whom
real estate announcement appears elsewhere
os entirely reliable and capable. He has in
tegrity, influence and energy. Those who
wish to buy or sell can not do lietter than
consult him. He deals with perfect fairness
with both side*.
“His Mysterious Enemy.”
A wonderfully good story in next week's
Constitution and the third installment of
Bln. Barnett’s great story.
SABI JONES IN CINCINNATI.
Evangelists Jones and Small Arrive anil Will
Begin at Oner.
CurcncxATi, January ((.-[Special.]—Rev. Haul
Jones and Mr. Sam W. Small arrived In the city
this morning from Georgia. They were met*t the
depot and taken to the Gibson house, whero they
will mako headquarter* during their stay in tho
city. The orsngclists have come here In respoiuo
to repeated and uzgent Invitations from Christians
ot all creeds sad will Inaugurate their mootings at
Trinity Methodist church tomorrow morning at
10:20 o’clock. This la the largest available church
In the city and will accommodate somo twonty-fiva
hundred people at each service. When U shall
became aeccisaiy to have more room, arrange-
menu have been made to transfer tb* meetings to
the largeaudltoriomof the music hall.
Already the peoplo or Cincinnati are concerned
over the outcome of the labors of the fiunous Geor
gia evangelists. Sam Jones made a profound im
pression upon thousands of this peoplo who heard
him last apring at Uw Loveland camp meeting.
Ul> coming here has been fully advertised and hta
words and eourze will be heard and watched with
intense interest. Tbe Christian people are alive to
tho Importance of hi* mission aud are prepared
to ftivo him the most active and
cordial support At a recent meeting of minuter*
»t the Burnett bouse parlor* there were sixty pm-
ton of this city and lu suburbs prescut. They
unanimously pledged a hearty cooperation to
every work for the evangelization ot the city.
Hum Joucs said today: "I do not ice wby wo
should not have a grand victory in Cincinnati. My
faith in the willingness of tho Lord to blew any
people who seek a blessing ia implicit. I do not
know whether we will remain here longer than a
month, but I will aay that we don’t intend ta
abandon our effort* until w^are satisfied that they
arc wholly futile.”
This cold weather which keeps folks in
door* will show what a blessing Tm: Cox-
•mruox is. It brightens many an hone
tliat would otberwiK> be tedious. You can’t
do without it, so subscribe at once.
John Sherman •» Hia Own Successor.
Com mbits, Ohio,January 7.—The republican
legislative caucus today renominated John
Sherman as bis own sncceesor in the United
States senate. No other name was presented.
To Onr tt«adera.
0*r Mflert trill j>r,nrutl$ their ownintereH
and emt by mntimehui thmamtufThc Cnuti*
tutitm nhen they teriU to advertisers, Djn’tfcr
get this, , . *: