Newspaper Page Text
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The Constitution.
Entered nt the Atlanta post >.'ll co as locond-claai
cil n otter, Ncvcir.ber 11,1873.
The Weekly Constitution 51.25 per annum.
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ATI7a NT GA?, FEBHUARY 2b 1888.
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Soul hrrn 1 ><■ % elopiucnt.
Vast changes have been going on in the
south during the past ten years, and these
changes have made their influence felt, not
only in industrial development, but in
agricultural progress. The cutton spindles
in this section have doubled in number dur
ing the past seven years, and the value of
the cotton products lias risen from $21,W0,-
000 In ISSOtO SBI.OOO.tmO in 11-bT.
In this connection (if the New York Sun
will pardon the eno 1 merit of the phrase)
the New Orleans C.itton World, which is
the most trustworthy ] api r of its class to be
found in the country, prints some compara
tive tables that are of great Interest, We
give the summarii s:
SI MM.UIY, ISS7.
Value of products
Acre*. outftiiuM,
Corn 25,11 ~',’S .•_*• *0
Whcut -1," .‘'...1 • n«o
OaU 4,< I
Total grain . .:ui, , .h , .*.7>2 S-’Tj.u.M)
Cotton tMi 11,067 2t’ I. COO
SI'NMAIIY IS>V AtliFA
Corn
Vic.t i.
OaU
Total grain 27,(<V.02
(Oton 1 {, vs,
Gram u< n>u<' .»uti , is>7 <*>r.>.7 s 2
Gram acreage, Stuib, 1 x). • • • 27,0ut,1<.b
Increase C>.9!5.1u0
Cotton iu na ;« -uh, |s>7 I*-,'-. <
CullOn iu iciix < 1 •'0 . . 11, iJ'.M'i
IncrcfißO.. 4,27,>,n71
This shows that the southern farmers are
keeping fulh abr< ut of the progressive
times in whit h they H\r.
' iiK,inia and the Tobacco Tax.
Governor !.<•<, of Virginia, recently vis
ited Washington and talked with President
Cleveland conrern’ne the effect which his
»< ssiige would have <»n the tobacco growing
interest* of Virginia, and he is reported as
having said that the prosiib ut is about to
•end a supplementary message to
tn which he will rvv.w w much of his posi
tion on the internal revenue a< covers the
tobacco tax. The pn ident, it is said, ad
mits his error in tiiis particular, and now
concede ; the ur. nt net. tor the repeal
of this tax.
It is sin erriy to be hoped that this is
true; ami it such action uill reflect
credit on the wisdom of the preshimt. It
is rrpmtcd that the president says that he
overh 'kesi the neut ssity of the reduction of
this tax in his urgent desire to bring about
tai ill iediu t ion. it thiti is so, the compli
cation into which the democratic party has
gotten P t If. can be rendered much less
annoying by .n .uswimmt m > *me bill
xvl* h v. ill cre.ite a reasonable roduvt'.i n tn
the tariff, and uh. h at 11. r >a:ne tinu will
giv« firn t..b.uu-0 wres of Virginia ami
other stales the r.di. t which t!., y . un;. :,.i\
<•« n-'i:l lu re is no n.cnwby th • ilemo
vr ■' ■ ■ iiil mi umte i.iia t
11 T-- Il j l h b.-thtluw, , I!b ]
.! »' Im; if in his power, by making
an >' n ins | /on on the matter, to . ieiuh
111 • H impregnable in the
**’•' '■■■■' •' about to undertake.
■■■ ' ■ »a. t a:
C 141. lne of the chief campaign argu
ments O the ; :uty .1 that time. U, lU e JKQ
dleof Virg.miL was that tbv tobacco inUr-
THE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION. aTLAMA, GA.. TUESDAY. FEBRUARY 21, 1883.
ests of that state must look to the democratic
party fora relief from the burdensome
taxation which the republicanshad placid
on the great staple of the state. The demo
cratic party of Virginia lias always taken a
firm stand on the question, and lias ever
been determined in its d< mand that this tax
should be removed. Thus, w hen the pro i
ilent, in his message to congress, outlined a
1 olicy, w hich, if adopted, would completely
shut out all hopes of receiving such relief
from democratic hands, the faith of the
great tobacco interests of Virginia was nat
urally shaken. These men have remained
true to the d< mocratic party for many years,
looking alone to it for relief. It has been
in pow er nearly three years, and the farmers
of Virginia find that the inti rnal revenue
collector still makes his rounds among
them, levying a federal tribute which is
unwise, injurious, undemocratic, ami in
violation of distinct pr, >■. -o of removal,
made in every democratic platform for years
past.
The average Virginia tobacco planter is a
man of modest means. They are scattered
throughout the state, away fr< m raiiroads
and cities, ami many of tlu m depend soleiy
on the products of their little farms for a
livelihood and th? support and welfare of
their families, lb' finds that he is bur
dened with a law by which lie cannot turn
to advantage the products of his farm unless
he goes through a system of inspi < tion ami
taxation, which, when through with, robs
him of the reasonable profit whieh he has
the right to expect. What cares he for firn
spun sophistry and ridiculous prattle about
it b< ing easier for the farmer to bear the bur
dens of inti rnal taxation than the tariff. He
knows that the former is a constant weight
on his work, and a heavy and burdensome
taxation on his resources. He further
knows that theoretical free-trade has noth- '
ing whatever to do with giving him relief I
from his oppressive ann yancc.
In I'SO the democratic party received a
strong rebuke in Virgini.ion this very issue,
when the republicans earned the state in
the congre -iomil elections. Since that
time the democrats of Virginia have
demanded from the party in congress the
repeal of flu measure by which the state is
being slipped from the democratic founda
tion. Tiio state legislature has taken a ;
positive stand on the question, and Governor
Lee was enough impn ssed with the impor
tance of the necessity of action by the
democratic party, to go to Washington and
talk with tiie president about it.
There is no doubt about it. The tobacco
tax must go. The democratic party is not
foolish enough to cling to a measure which
it knows to be its constant menace. We
beg our representatives to think of this and
save the country from the impending p- rii
of falling again into the bands of republi
can misrule.
' ♦— l
Brother I’laine,
There is no doubt in the wc>ild that Broth
er Blaine was cut out for an advance agent
for a circus. We used to think that Colonel
Billy Hayden was the only man ever born
to that business, but Brother Blaine could
give him points and discount him. The
great difference between them was that
Hayden advertised somebody else's circus,
while Brother Blaine’s circus, of which he
is the advance agent, is all his own.
The result is that the Blaine circus, with
a thousand performers on wind instruments,
is attracting great interest in this country.
He has managed to keep his •‘immense
aggregation” before the public for some
time, and although be is now in Italy, he
continues to give regular performances in
this country.
He w ill continue in this business until the
next republican convention, and it is safe
to say that B. F. Jones already has advance
sheets of Brother Blaine's next letter, in
whieh lie states that if the country cannot
absolutely get along without him, he will
consent to accept a renomination. It is
this circus attachment that will destroy
Sherman's ambition and cause little Benny
Foraki r to have his breeches made bigger.
AVhvrr the South Staruln.
Hon. F. M. I . n;1 y, us LaGrange, has
written a letter to Hon. T. C. Crenshaw,
United States collector at Atlanta, which
the latter has given to The Cons tit ltion.
Mr. Crenshaw -ays that Mr. Longley’s let
ter is written to him in reply to a personal
communication, in whieh he asked Mr.
Longley's views on the tariff. While Mr.
Crenshaw does not agree with the policy
set forth in the letter, he gives it to The
( on-'titv i ion as c oming from one of the
strongest mm in Troup cyunty.
On the subject of the tariff, Mr. Longley
says:
I -un n southern tartfTiimn ♦hat is, 1a nil cases
where s »ut!.ern vr< l- ft u u .11 build up southern
m-.hiHi i< ■'•. uot'A i*J ‘■•..Bi '.itu: .ts effect upon foreign
or yiuikvi enter;: im•*. 1 Bin in such < iu-vs a very hi h
Uui! • i Ido net huan i.l v ill to any pvop’O'-n this
oil eiuth of ours, but do mean wry, wry good will
to my own southland. We have ] aid tribute to
wnom tribute due. and to who.a tribute in con
science was m t duo fur the last futy or seventy-five
ytiir*. nnd now that tairsmokin< furnaces, ourcut
t<>n tactvi ev and other Southern indusiries me
throbbing with v:e«w.‘H* life ami likely to bring
ai-nit a r iproeityof tribute under u wholesome
}:o e, u. I would not throw a stone in the way.
'1 in- i • iti u cn p sla old be mauutaetured here nt
b'-; le. giving employment t tour own pvople, und
bring into Fouthcrn jucktesthe pro:’.is..f maun
taetare ! goud<. Alre.'v’.y I •>» ith has driven New
England out us the pr. ! ton of the coarser fab
ric*, ami the time will lu.iewhvn eastern uulls
tnu»t either shut down or come down. The same
reason obtains in rvlfttb nto onr iron. Take Ala
-lam i. tie- >rgia a id wl ere the coal and
ir . u:c iiubc nk I side by side. Os course ir »u und
steel can be produced muoh chca]H*r iu th. se states
limn in reuusylvania. If, therefore, protection will
help the iron industries of i'enusylvan a. a greater
pr'.it uid I- e.ijoyel n t e states referred to.
Wt.it we need is di\er*i d industries, giving
employment to our people, f.ndiug a home market
for the i. anufi.ctuiv of our hone r list’d inAterhil,
and then draw on the outside worl I fur our eoiton
i;,»n nud steel, s . .ar and rice, ‘ keep alt you
have got and get all yo i eau' froin abroad. Instv.i I
of | uyln • tribute lo’.igcr. th > uh - i »u!d demand
tribute. I lielievv cn o ir.i jcmvnt and protection
of liom'enterprises will du more to build up the
south than anything else.
1 tin*. ' r»t f>r Tron: . th n Georeia, then ti o s -nth
Os v •. -v 1 ant soy .1 to the Vnfte l state*, but 1 nm
not v ’.’.h the i u -idviit on t‘ < tariff quc-ti.m. 1 i.xn
wI li h.m. ;v ■. ver. in opr*-.■.i nto i: e * ir; ’ -1
trust some | olltical > yv’oae w i strike t ie treasury
do; ailment and l l w ihi. sue; U broa I a-i o.er
the c. untry. s • that It m..y ,-el .ack i. l • th. bnu S
of the vx*ople.
This is very sti. ngly p. t. .nd • r> • ”.t> tin
matter in a light which bring* it nun.e to
vwty Georgian. Mr. Longks is a | r.ici*e;d
ai d | ro'gre.-'.*i\u man, ami hi* so
dearly expi’» >si d, can be ijkm as an in-.< x
to th** son mi. nt of tl.<* p. oph* of the state
wherever they hnve into the matter
enough to clearly understand it. It is unnec
osary id go into detail in commenting on
the arguments which Mr. Longley | icstnt<
as to why the industries of the south need
prvtvctivu. JUv state* the cave dearly, con-
i cis' Iy and accurately, and Tm: Constitu
! then indorses i-wry word lie says.
Os tlie Internal revenue, Mr. Longley is
bear: Jy in f; ’. or of its i 'peal, if the state
i takes the matter of the control of the manu
facture of spirituous and malt liquors in
liar. 1. He is opposed to its repeal, if its
abolition means free vhisky and free distil
leries. On this question Mr. Longley is
also right, ami aligns himself withan over
whelming majority of the people of the
state of Georgia. Os course nobody is in
favor of free whisky, nor indiscriminate
distilleries, unlicensed an 1 uncontrolled;
nor are the people of Georgia in favor of the
' infamous system by which unnecessary
federal tribute is extorted from them, while
they have all they can do to meet the just
taxes levied on them by the state. If these i
i laws are repealed, the state would of course
1 license and control the distillation of liq
uors. Our state taxes would thereby be I
reduced, our people would become more '
pros:. r.:<, and above all, they would be i
rid of the more than Russian tyranny with l
which they have been oppressed for a Quar
ter of a century.
The Cotton SeetlCil Tat.
We regret to si onr esteemed contempo
rary, the New Y’ork Times, aligning itself I
with the hog monopolies es the west for the |
pur; ose of injuring the cotton seed oil in- '
dustry of the south.
The Times takes the position that cotton i
seed oil should be taxed because it is used, ;
hi great quantities, in the manufacture of :
lard, to the detriment of the hog crop of the i
west. We are surprised that such a vigor
ous opponent to the policy of protection
should thus array itself on the side of pro
tection in its worst form. What right have
the hog monopolies of the west to be pro
tected, at the expense of the cotton seed oil '
industry of the south ? The Times thinks I
that tlie use of cotton seed oil as an I
adulterant in tlie manufacture of iard, makes |
it liable for taxation in order that the genu- I
ine article may be protected. Our es
teemed contemporary makes a grievous
mistake in classifying cotton seed oil as an
adulterant. Webster defines the meaning
of the word ‘'adulterate,” "to debase or
make impure by admixture of baser mate
rials; to contaminate; to corrupt.”
i Cotton seed oil is just as pure as hog's
fat. it is a purely veg'table oil; is as ch ar
and wholesome as olive oil; and besides
being very much cheaper, is the fruit of dis
tinctly an American industry. In its mix
ture with hog’s fat to make lard there is no
c. ncealnient about how it is done: nobody
is injured, no harm is done; lard is rendered
I cheaper, and the men who grow cotton are
provide ’, opporianity of turning a few dol
lars out of what before was a useless refuse
I on their hands. Gs course this state of as
! fairs is not entirely satisfactory to the hog
monopolies of the west, because the lard
i. anus.. nurers of this country do not now
have to depend on them as they once did.
The consequence is that hog fat has been
. r-du . 1 pnop'ortionatelyinprice, as the value
of cotton seed oil has become more gen
erally recognized. Therefore the hog fat
monopolists appeal to congress and ask it to
tax the cotton seed oil industry out of exist
ence to prevent it from further injuring
their business.
This is simply absurd. If they want to
make hog fat lard, they have the material
with which to do it and both the meansand
privilege to do so. They can establish lard
manufactories, and can make as much of
the pure heg fat article as they want, and
they would meet with a ready sale for it;
but, if other men want to make lard with
cotton seed oil and hog fat mixed, they also
have the right to do so, and the public has
a right to suit itself in what it buys,
vided, of course, that there shall be no de
ception in the article sold.
The truth of the matter is, the effort to
tax cotton seed oil is simply another step
towards carrying out of the internal reve
nue policy, which some of our democratic
friends seem to admire so strongly. Our
people are burdened with taxes on their
corn, taxes on their orchards, taxes on the
products of their farms, and taxes on their
tobacco, and since some of our public men
seem to be willing not only to condone, but
to continue the infamous system which al
lows it, other people have come to the con
clusion, that they will be w illing to have
our cotton taxed and will yield to it without
a murmur. It is coming to this and the
sooner our people put their heels on the
neck of this infamous, iniquitous and Rus
sian system of internal revenue taxation,
and crush it absolutely out of existence, the
better it will be for the. advancement of our
interests.
The New Yo-k Mail and Express very
properly sayS"of this new departure of the
internal revenue contingent, to tax cotton
seed oil:
The i r.’pssl is vtterly wrong ami mischievous on
nil uev unis. The cotton s< e.l oil industry Is as le
gitimate i s the lion growing industry, and it will be
as gn ss an outrage for the government to interfere
with tlie one ns with the other. Such legislation,
in svhatever interest it is I'n's.d. is a degradation of
the functions of the nutioral government and a sti p
in the direction of centralization and palernalisni.
The cole res» of the United States Bas no business to
pitivr w.th il e details of the grocery business in
any e.in-, an I esj'celally it has no business to legis
late tor the desin.e.ion ot the industries of a part of
the pesjpie in order to secure larger protits in Lu-i
--iics. t > anotln r ] art of the people . tie whole thing
is uudemucrntl'’. unrcpublli an, un American.
The Prohibitionists Against It.
Senator Brow n presented to the United
States senate on Thursday, a petition signed
! by more than a thousand members of the
Women's Christian Tempi ranee Union,
i urging the absolute and unconditional re
peal of the internal revenue laws.
This p. :iti n v.as I ' ided by Mrs. W. (’.
Sibley, of Augusta, G orgia, the head of the i
■ tent] t rance movement in this state, and I
bore the names of many prominent women I
I workers in tire cause of ptohibition iu Geor
gia. The p. tit ion sets forth the evils of the ■
j internal revenue laws, and says that their i
' i xistenee will be an ever‘lasting obstruction ■
! in lire way of prohibition.
The national prohibition convention of ,
four v .‘ars ago, took a ‘f. ng-taml against 1
th. S." laws, and passe I r. mlulioirs demand
ing tho.rrep' rl. and ]>rohibitionlsts through- '
< :;t the union are determined in th.-ir oppo- ■
■ siiiou to this federal statures by whi. h the I
v.:. is.. i . mo. iopo >v of the vv e-1 is etmV 1* .1,
tu t o'd’y to th: it ie the cause of ; ml., bill. n.
but w ..oil ,;v s it a 1 t'.. ■ eo.i:.-
try which is sttonger .ii.> ‘ the law and to .
whieh even pul lie sentiment is ma le sub-
I servient. Ihe pronounced prohibitionists
■ In the state of Georgia are in favor of the I
refM'.d of these laws, and this issue is by no
unans confined to them but is one in which
ail good citizens should unite in demanding
their overthrow. In many of the strongest j
anti-prohibition counties in the state, senti
ment is overwhelmingly opposed to these
laws, and the verdict of the people has time
again been expressed in disapproval of the
iniquitous system.
Day by day tlie people see that the mon
ster whisky ring of the west is extending its
scope, and it is now working at the very
doors of congress in order that it may pull,
not only the federal statutes, but the courts
and the law-making power into its meshes.
The tocsin has been sounded, the alarm has
been rung, and the people are awakened to
the impending danger which threatens
them, in the power of the whisky ring.
Rhode Inland Becoming Civilized.
We are glad to announce that the earn
est efforts of The Constitution for sever
al years past, in behalf of a free ballot, ami
a fair count for the monopoly oppressed
]>eo]4e of Khode Island, is beginning to
bear fruit; am! it now seems probable that
all ' 1 men of that state, irrespective of
a.-e, color, nationality, previous condition
of servitude, or present condition of pocket
book, will soon be in a position where they
can exercise the full right of citizenship,
intended to be the privilege of every Amer
ican citizen.
In the distant past, the aggregated mon
opi <of the little state’gained absolute con
trol of it. How this was done, we do not
know: but we do know that ever since that
time, th'se monopolies have held the
state at their disposal as a republican pock
et boro gh. It was natural that these mon
opolls; s. representing the money power of
the s'it?, after having gained complete
control of its l olltlcal management by be
ing in the position to disfranchise all those
who could not come up to the standard
m asurement of dollars and cents which
was fixed as a requisite for the privilege of
suffrage, should turn the state over to the
r.•;.-..l'Ueans, as at that time —and it has not
changed since—republicanism and monop
oly were hand in hand. Thus for years the
republican party gave every encouragement
to enable the Rhode Island bond barons to
maintain their grip on the state, and for
many years, thousands and thousands of
good men of Rhode Island have been dis
franchised from taking any part in the
management of the state’s affairs.
For many years The Constitution has
been engaged in denouncing this barbarous
relic of the middle ages, which has received
the indignant criticism of the press and
public throughout the country. Fortunate
ly the democrats elected their governor in
the last state campaign in Rhode Island,
and while the legislature is still republican,
the constant increase in the strength of the
democrats has frightened the republican
money power into taking steps toward rem
edying the oppressive features of the suf
frage laws of the state. During the past
week the legislature passed a bill, which
goes before the people for indorsement in
April, which creates a marked advance on
the exclusive system of elections now in
force. It does not, however, fully free the
state from the grip of the money barons, in
that, while the discrimination against citi
zens of foreign birth is abolished, and the
privilege of voting on state and national is
sues is extended to all properly registered
male citizens twenty-one years of age, the
line of restriction is drawn by requiring
every voter in municipal elections to be
worth an assessed property valuation of at
least $134.00.
—————-•
The Bloody Shirt Issue.
It now seems probable that John Sher
man will receive the republican nomination
for the presidency, and the bloody shirt issue
comes to the front as the great question on
which the republican party will again appeal
to the country.
Mr. Sherman is the foremost representa
tive of the bloody shirt contingent, and his
nomination will mean that this issue will
be pushed more vehemently than ever by
the republican party. When Mr. Blaine
was nominated four years ago, it was cer
tainly his purpose to conduct the campaign
on a higher plane than that to which it was
lowered before its close. His whole course
as a public man gave rise to the hope that
he would eschew sectionalism in his cam
paign for the presidency, and that he would
base his candidacy on more solid, substan
tial and patriotic principles. He undoubt
edly entered the contest with this in view,
and it was not until he saw that he was con
ducting what he believed would be a losing
fight, that he raised the bloody shirt ; and
in hopes of turning defeat into victory,
waved it before the country w ith a venom
and hostility whieh surprised even his own
support. Instead of the result being as Mr.
Blaine desired, it insured his defeat and
robbed him of even that kindly feeling which
the people of the south had felt for him.
Os those who stood behind Mr. Blaine,
holding up his hands and lending every
encouragement to his tirade against the
south Mr. John S. Clarkson, editor of the
lowa State Register, and a member of the
national republican executive committee,
was among the most prominent. Mr.
Clarkson has for years been looked upon as
a most bitter, prejudiced, vindictive and
acrimonious enemy of the south, which his
paper has abused w ith a venom almost
inconceivable in its intensity; and when
Mr. Blaine, in desperation, took up the
bloody shirt, he did so with the heartiest
approval of Mr. Clarkson and his paper.
The country was startled a few weeifi ago
by the announcement that Mr. Clarkson
and the Register had experienced a com
plete change in sentiment about the bloody
shirt. He openly announced that there was
no chance of republican success as things
now stood, and that to be successful, it was
| necei-sary to break the solidity of the south.
I He believed that this could be done, if the
i republican party abandoned its position of
I hostility and broadened its platform; drop
ping old war issues, and cultivating a
t ndly feeling ". ith the white] eupleof the
s nth. Since then Mr. Clarkson has been
, very emphatic in his position on this ques
tion, and has continually urged the repub
lican party to take down the bloody shirt
as :s standard, and go before the country
. on live and patriotic issues.
Whatever may have been Mr. Clarkson's
I moose in adopting this course, he will find
•i at he does not re; :< sent the sentiment of
tii leaders of th? r 'p'tblican party. If lie
: <undid in the position he takes, he de
s,. es credit, and w ill be sustained by good
;e tblieans throughout the country. Ilow
: tire men who control the machinery
< ' t e republican party will not listen to
him. but will continue their relentless war
fa eon the south in hopes that they may
yet be successful on that issue. It is said
I that Mr. Clarkson had an eye on Louisiana
' w hen he announced in favor of a change of
policy, for "if the republicans will not
scctionalize the tariff by taking the duty off
sugar,” says Mr. Clarkson, "there is a
chance to carry Louisiana at the state elec
tion in April, and thus break the solid south
before the national campaign is really
opened.”
Mr. Clarkson will find that Louisiana will
not be carried by the republicans in April;
and the sincerity of his position will be
shown by the course he adopts after the
result in that state is known. The repub
licans have already begun their national
campaign, and it is evident that they are to
base it chiefly on the bloody shirt issue. If
Mr. Sherman is nominated, we will have
such a campaign of sectional malignity’ and
southern hatred as the country has never
seen before.
The anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s
birthday calls renewed attention to the fact
that he was the only really great man in tlie
country that ever belonged to the republi
can party.
An Interestins Case.
Tlie final issue of the Tyler case in Brook
lyn will be awaited with interest every
where.
It will be recollected by many of our read
ers that Mr. John Tyler was an impecun
ious business man with a craze for specula
tion. He borrowed money, and procured
policies in various insurance and mutual
benefit companies to insure the loans. He
failed in his enterprises and committed sui
cide, after willing his insurance money to
his mother, brothers and sisters. His last
letter to his family appeared to convey the
idea that he had insured his life with the
deliberate intention of killing himself.
It seems that some of tlie insurance com
panies paid tlie claims against them, but a
number of mutual benefit companies went
into the courts and byway of defense
alleged that Tyler had worked a scheme to
defraud them. The jury took this view of
it, and gave a verdict for the defendants,
but it is announced that an appeal will be
taken.
As a rule, according to the decisions of
the courts, suicide is a prima facie evidence
of insanity, and does not release an insur
ance company from the payment of its poli
cy. Os course, the case is different when
a man plans his suicide, aud then takes out
his policies. That would be fraud.
But the Tyler case is a peculiar one. Tlie
money-lenders tempted tills man to insure
his life. They loane4tliim money at a heavy
interest, and it was not until after Tyler’s
failure that he committed suicide, and his
last letter shows that he was a disappointed
and disheartened man, completely unnerved
by his bad luck. It is therefore possible
and even probable that he did not attempt
to defraud the companies, but that he final
ly yielded to his suicidal impulse in a mo
ment of despair when his mind had lost its
balance.
When the case comes up on appeal it may
be that the result will be different. At any
rate, the insurance companies and the peo
ple would like to see tlie questions involved
finally settled, although it is safe to say that
very few men will go into a fraudulent
scheme in which self-ir-lirder is essential to
success.
The Africanization of Cuba.
It has always been said in Spain that Cuba
must be either Spanish or African, and
recent developments have given a gloomy
significance to this threat.
The emancipation of the slaves on the
island has been gradual, but it is now com
plete, and the general demoralization at
tending such a movement is spreading.
Hundreds of plantations have had to be
abandoned becanse the freedmen could not
be induced to work. In tlie meantime the
enormous taxes are forcing the whites to
the wall. The .currency rules at sixty per
cent discount, and matters are going from
bad to worse. Such a condition of affairs
naturally brings with it bad government,
and there is said to be little protection to
life and property at present.
In tlie midst of this disorder and decay,
the only living thing that flourishes is the
freedman. He can live without work. Tlie
spontaneous products of the soil, the forests
and the waters supply him witli food, and
in that mild climate a few wisps of straw
suffice for clothing. So the Africans are
increasing in numbers, while tlie whites are
retiring to the towns and leaving the coun
try. Without some unexpected change,
this tendency must result in the Africani
zation of this beautiful island. Whether
the situation calls for tlie interference of
the United States is a question. In our
hands, Cuba would enter upon a career of
civilization and prosperity. But we cannot
forcibly seize this unfortunate island. Spain
does not care to sell. Under the circum
stances, what can we do but stand off and
view this spectacle of wreck and ruin?
Will Take Him nt Uis Word.
Mr. Biaine will no doubt be as much sur
prised at the impression his letter has made
as the public was on receiving it.
It is certainly very apparent, from read
ing his letter, and in fact, in thinking over
his career since tlie last election, that .Mr.
! Blaine has since then nursed a lingering
hope that he would be president. No one
can doubt but that his defeat w as a sad blow
to him, and the fact that he attributed it to
l disaffection in his party made it more griev
ous to bear.
The simple statement from him over his own
name, that, under no circumstances, would
lie be a candidate, would have been much
more impressive than his long letter, if lie
had been in earnest. Mr. Blaine has long
been ambitious to be president. It was his
friends who defeated Grant for a third
i term, and he made mugwumps out of many
I followers of the famous SO6. Few deino
! crats in New York were better pleased witli
his defeat in that state than was Roscoe
| Conkling, one of tlie leaders of this med
aled haul. Blaine's course nominated
Garfield, and he was rewarded for his ser
i vices by being given the first ofllce at tlie
| disposal of President Gariield. This ir ;
: a new crop of enemies for Blaine anion.: the
republican leaders, but lie was slux ..\l
enough to overcome all opposition, and
caniedthe next republican nomination with
astonishing unanimity, more on account of
the tragic death of Garfield than on ac
count of any inherent strength he had with
, his party.
It was doubtless Mr Blaine’s purpose,
when he wrote his last lelter. to have it act
as a counter-irritant, as the doctors say.
But lie will be taken as meaning just what
he says, and while he possibly did not in-
tend it to be so, the letter takes him out of
the race. The readiness with which repub
licans, who have heretofore doubted his
sincerity, take him at his word, and in fact
the unanimous consent of almost all repub-'
licans to so construe it. and the apparent
fact that the democrats want him to make
the race, will astonish him at the effect of '
the letter, even as shrewd as it was.
But what will be the result? “Without
doubt one result will be to greatly strength
en Sherman, and if there are no further
complications, we may expect the republi
can ticket to be Sherman and Allison.
While Sherman and Blaine supported Gar
field, Sherman was shrewd enough to shove
all tlie responsibility of tlie defeat of Grant,
when Hayes was nominated, on Blaine.
The friends of all the republican presidents,
from Grant to the end of the list, are
strong supporters of Sherman. Blaine’s
course on tlie force bill was always a thorn
in his flesh with these men. They never
forgave him, aud did not want to see him
president-, not on account of his irregulari
ties, but because they thought he would be
too friendly to the south.
Sherman is the most implacable enemy
the south Jias. lie need not say one word
about what he will do; no one, democrat or
republican, can doubt what his course will
be, and it is unfortunate for us that his
feeling towards tlie south makes him popular
witli his party, just as It had the effect of
making Biaine unpopular, because he had
held different views. Conkling will sup
port Sherman, and so will Edmunds, Blaine
and all the leaders. He has had as much
to do with making our present tariff and
the internal revenue laws as any man in.
congress. He is a strong protectionist, and
a strong supporter of the whisky ring. He
is just tlie man to take advantage of the
present attitude of our congressmen on the
internal revenue laws. He will invite at
tacks from the south, and when they com
plain, will answer coollv, "Were vou not
rebels?”
Taking it all in all, we consider Mr.
Blaine’s letter unfortunate so far as the
south is interested. If he had been elected
there is no doubt that he would have at
least acted fair toward the south. He did
so as speaker, and while he made a very
unjust attack on the south in his speech on
Andersonville, and in other instances, in tlie
latter part of the campaign he took special
pains to let some of his confi
dential friends in congress know that
it was done merely to make
friends with his party. Sherman will not
be required to resort to such duplicity. His
hatred and maliciousness towards the south
does not require to be uncovered. It is just
what lias made it possible for him to be a
candidate for president as the nominee of
tlie republican party.
EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.
The fences in the United States cost tha
people more than the national debt. We waste
enough money to make everybody comforta
ble.
General Wilson and Senator Reagaw
had a pleasant meeting in Washington, the
other day. Wilson captured Reagan with
President Davis and Ids party. He offered
Reagan his parole, but the latter refused to ac
cept it, saying that Mr. D.avis was sick, and
he would stick to him. At that time Reagan-,
fully expected to be hung.
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