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6 ’RiE&feTiTOTieS CLAKK HOWELL Editor W. A, 11 EH I'll ILL Business Hnnnger Entered nt the Atlanta postofllce ns second-class mail matter November 11, ICT." The Weekly Constitution SI.OO Pe.' Annum. < lul s of five. $1.(10 each; clubs of ten ?l.no each ana a copy to getter-up of Chib U E WANT YOI'. The CoNSTrrr'rtoN wants an agent as every postoffiee in America. Agent’s outfit free anil good terms. If you are not in a club we want you to act as agent at your ofliee. Write us. Change of Address. * When ordering address of your paper change, always give Uift old as wed as the new address. Always ,-ive pcst'lftice, comity and state, if you.’ paper is not received regularly, notify’ us. If you send us an order for new subscribers please allow us a week to get the mimes on the list and paper started before you write a complaint, as we arc very much crowded now. I><> not forget to make your rent wills In time. W atcit your direction tag and see when your subscription expires. The next six months will b" full of interest, mid you should not miss a single copy of The < on sttt iitioii. Send your orders at least a wet k in ad vance to tmikestire. It may not taken week In every Instance; will get them on ns sooi ns possible. The Price of Cotton. Some time in August, when the price of cotton was between 6 and 7 cents, 't he urged the farmers to tiring t heir cot ton to market. realize upon it, pay their debts if they owed any and have the math r over with. Wc based tiiis advice upon tiie experience of the past. I’or years the price of cotton has been firmer and higher at the heels of an old season and the beginning of a new season than at any other period. \Ye have urged the same course on the farmers for several seasons. The figures show, howevt r, tha t the adv ice of The < lonst i* tut ion was not acted on to any great ex tent. 'l'he receipts at the ports for Au gust and September fell far below those of previous years. In the earl.’ days of September, a prominent merchant of Atlanta, in talk ing with a reporter of The Constitution, predicted that the price of cotton would fall to 5 cents before the season was over, and this prediction, credited to the gentleman who ni.de it. was printed tor what, it was worth. A day or two af t < rw a rds, The < ,’onst itution called atten tion to the fact that the statistical posi tion of cotton was almost identical with that of wheat, that the world's supply was at a lower ebb than a' any period since 18X0, and that if there was any thing in scarcity, the price of cotton tead of do .vn. W dwelt on and emphasiz'd this favorable position of cotton in two or three edi torial articles, pre-enting the figures and showing w hy cotton should be fetch ing from 8 to 9 cents instead of 6. N’cvert heb'ss. w went mi to show that the price of the staple was not likely to i ise until the demand for cotton goods became active enough to stimulate tin in crease in production. Weshowed that the lack of demand for goods was due to the scarcity of money, this scarcity being the result of the contraction brought about by flic gold standard. Now o ojip'is. or criticize the gold standard is the .nine as treading on a lip; ■tail. The small pack began to a 'd yelp and howl that Th" Con stitu'.on was trying to bear the price of cotton, first, by advising the farmers to get rid of their crops, so-ond. by pre dicting 5-< ent cotton, and, third, by at tacking tiie beautiful and beloved gold standard. Me.l i while Mr Henry M. Neill, who represents ir. tb. s country the interests of European ers. filed in the TJver pool . •;< liange his guess that the present crop would amount to 10,500,000 bales. Immediately the price began to fall in Liv<-‘pool, followed by a corresponding det line in New J ork and elsewhere. Now the lie that tiie whippets have started is that The Constitution pre dicted 5-cent cotton. This prediction was made by a prominent business man of Atlanta and was given for what it was worth. The printing of that predic tion had no more effect on the price of cotton than the digging of a well has on the gulf stream. On the other hand while The Constitution did not predict a fall in the prict of cotton, it did not commit itself to any prediction of a rise. I' said: I h;.t the present low price of cotton i- unreasonable and >llllllOl con tine is almost certain.” This was as ■ar as w" went: but even this was go ing too far. though it was based on fig ui. r that si nted to point unmistakably to a r : se. About that time, Mr. Neill's . stimaie was made public, and the price has fallen st ill lower. N V T: ■ 1 ' U- 1 s ion ;>ref. ;■ .to ? :>m m< nr on facts rather than make predic tions. and the fact is that those farmers who followed The Constitution's advice and sold 1 heir cot ton when the price was ti cents or more, are more fortunate than those who have been holding for a rise, • Mr. Carlisle sees grave defects in our <5 : .in sy- ■ m. So far as the bop' t< a u..1, : D syst.-m might as wtol : .1 : > :• — Canada Looking Over the Line. Th.- i si: of Sir Wilfrid Laurier to Washington is one which may be 1 taught with great interest for tiie fu ture of Canada. Tin fact tiiat he bore such a promi nent place in the assembly of colonial 1 :• tni'-rs on th.- occasion of the queen's jubil ■■> has marked him out as a min if destiny. A thorough I’reii'diman. I ■< won lb.' premiership of the Dominion Ci.ough the suffrages of the Anglo-Sax on provinces. A free trader in the with st...:<.ation of the term, his .sympa thy ■ h:iv<- been natu.ally with the Unit'd Suites, since the union of his country with the great republic would bring about the realization of his fondest poli- •y. Happening to be the premier of I ingland's greatest colony during I'he .jubilee yeat'. his presence in London gave him the importance to which his representation of the Dominion entitled him. He wa.s easily the lion of the oc casion, next after the 105a 1 personag<■. ■ there assembled. It did no; take Premier Laurier long 10 iliscove; that after th" brass banj, had pti>s< <1 by and the heavy dinners w'over, the L’Titish government hat l more important matters to lay before tiis visiting premiers. This scheme was diviiii.ed through a speech of the duke •if Devonshire, in Liverpool, in which he spoke of a certain reciprocity between the 1 rovinces and th" mother country, to which 0111 side nations would not. be ad m tied. Mt. Chamberlain then came forward with pretty compliments for loyalty of the great I’rench-Canadian and vainly sought to entrap him into a scheme which would build tip national alUtigonism between the Canadas and the Unit'd States. With the politeness oi his race he received the compliment, spoke evasively and returned home. Next we find him in Washington, making ac quaintances which may be valuable in the future, and talking over policies which will be of value to people who have to live on the same continent. It is no wonder, then, as we have seen through the press dispatches, that the British government is jealously watch ing Hie whole proceeding. Under the cover of talking about pure municipal affairs connected with the Klondike. Premier Laurier is certain to discuss matters much more deep and grave. —*. It is now said that Mr. Hanna is to he the victim of a. combine. Just think! the great advocate of combines to Lie downed by a political combine! What Does This Mean. That is a singular piece of news which 'Die Chicago Times-Herald gives to the public through the Associated Press. There is a strike among the coal min ers in what is known as the .northern Illinois district. 'These men. white men and Americans at that, have been labor ing for years under the depression brought about by the infamous gold standard. During that period they have, twice combined to overthrow republi canism in their state, although it was the party which held their traditional al legiance. When in 1X96 the issue be tween tiie people and their masters was clearly formed, the republicans went to those old-time comrades, and with the promise of international agreement in om' hand and of immediate prosperity in the other, they induced these men to vote for the election of the republican ticket. The appeal was successful. Mc- Kinley was elected. He took his place in the white'house. He has had a full session of congress through which he lias passed that much vaunted protection bill. For one entire year republican ism and gold standardism have been in unqualified possession of the high places. The country has passed from winter into the vernal season, from that into autumn and the harvest has been gath cred, added to which the country hasi been blessed with dollar wheat, owing to an affliction of providence in the old world, and no thanks to republicanism. Yet after all this, what is the situa tion? The editor of The Times-Her ald is the close personal friend of Mc- Kinley. He was one of those who car ried on the incipient campaign prelim inary to the national republican con vention, and made possible the nomina tion of his friend. He, of all men. shogV !.’>' the firs’ to lie able to paint in glowing colors the success of this re publicanism which was to do so much for the prosperity of the people. It is from the pen of this editor that comes this information: t ■ f Chinese miners are to take the ! li J s place of Americans in the north- “ s ern Illinois district. An attempt s c i will be made to break the strike a B J that exists, and the skilled celes- s ® tials have been picked up for the « work. They will all bear arms, ' ■ live inside a gatling- gun equip- b > ped stockade and be body-guard- ’ 1 ed by 100 former Chicago police, a s An agent of the Chinese Six Com- J E 1 g panies was in Chicago last week e f and made a contract with the , B g General Wilmington Coal Com- « * pany to deliver 800 Chinamen at B s the mines of the Wilmington- s ! Braidwood district. The first con- I 5 i> signment of Chinamen will be i s there on next Tuesday and others a t soon as provision can be made s * to take care of them. Arrange- J t ments for an additional 1.300 u * Chinese miners have been made a i con- itional on the success of t ’ those engaged. Elaborate prepa- j / rations have been completed to ® ’ take care of the first 800 China- ’ t men and to give them ample pro- 2 s c , tection. a tti'n ew mr— •• w »c » vx What a pretty picture this descrip tion makes! Thousands of Americans, with thoiis sands of women and children dependent upon them for support, are to be turned out of employment, turned out of then iionn-.s in tiie cold and pitiless winter, to go starving or begging as they may. while their places ar>? to be taken by Chinese slaves, imported for the express degradation of white labor! These slaves are 10 be guarded by galling guns and a regiment of police. Shot ami shell and canister awaits the appearance of the trembling Americans, if ihcy should vcmure to come within sight for nego tiation. Not onl.v this, but the informa tion is given that another thousand of these slavish laborers are to be import <■(l upon the success of the present move ment. Then we will be presented with, a sight of white Americans, men, wo men and < hildren, crying for bread, as the pitiless winds of the great hike re gion ruthlessly pelt their forms as they wander through the valleys of northern Illinois. The stars and stripes will be run up over Hie worse than convict, camps of slavish Chinese, working for start ation prices ami protected by the \mi rican uniform. while till around them will be mounted the frowning gal lings to mow down those very men who \<it"d for Mr. McKinley last fall. There is republicanism! Take it. size it up. measure it and pass your judg ment upon it! Governor Bushnell, of Ohio, can be the next .senator from Ohio if h.e > an get four republicans to vote with the democrats. Frightened. The Now York Times sees a warning in the results of the recent election to the effect that the money question will come up before the people again, and be trays its fright in the following style: Li is plain that the most powerful leaders of Hi dcnioi-rnt e ;i ii :\ of he: y.-.ir now nc in to inak the light again, and think that they can win. Tin fight itself would In a gn at mi: f>nti:ii' 1 and then- is only one way in which it inn be prex eni.'i. Tlnit is by a r> form of the eiirr. i:, y on t >■ basis of the gold standard, securing a sound, sta ble and elastic system that w'll m< ■ ' t■ r al needs of the whole eountry a ;.! of till its Sections. To that "lid duty and S"lf ] i "S'rva lion r-quit'.- that the adrntnistr.i lion shall have all its energies. 'l'he gold organs do not attempt to con ceal rhe fact that the republican slump in the recent cleetions has given them a teriible scare. The oilier day Mr. Chauncey Depew was (•ailing on the re-j publicans to perform the impossible feat j of settling the financial question beyond , ail chance of rec ic.ning it, and novi I TTTE WEEKLY CONSTITUTION: ATLANTA, G A., AFONDAA , NOVEMBEB 15, 1807. comes The New York Times pleading with the republicans to do that which they dare not attempt. A currency sys tem that will meet the needs of the whole country will not be tolerated for a moment by the money power. Tiie administration doesn’t dare to put itself behind such proposition, but will content itself with trying to solidify the republi can party in behalf of the scheme to re tire 1 lie greenbacks and treasury notes, and thus add $500,000,000 to the interest bearing debt. \Ve do not know how the republican congressmen will regard this proposition. Many of them have announced that they are opposed to it, but. they are men with very flexible minds, and we have no doubt that a majority can be “fixed,” b”-‘ we do not think the silver men in tiie senate can be "fixed,” consequently Mr. McKinley and his friends will have to modify their proposition or leave the finances to settle themselves until a democratic president is elected in 1900. Meanwhile, a new congress is to be elected next year, and we think the re publicans will hear no uncertain sound from the people on the proposition to re tire the greenbacks, and on various other propositions of more or less importance. Mr. McKinley has promised the coun try prosperity, and it lias not arrived. He said the Dingley law would cure the deficit, and it has increased it. The republicans, in fine, are in a plight that has no parallel in the history of par ties. Its huge majorities have shriveled though the party lias been in power onl.v eight months, and its whole scheme of relief is in the air. there to remain* 'There seems nothing left for Mr. Mc- Kinley to do but to rush the country itro a war with Spain, and that would not help ilio financial schemes of the repub lican party a bit. To a casual observer the situation is very interesting. Tlu' Cincinnati Enquirer cruelly re marks that “the billbynum party of Ken tucky is trying to crawl under the dem ocratic canvas." Well. let. it come. After it has had a Turkish bath and a change of duds, it will make a fair ap pearance. As to Democracy. Now Di,-it Henry Watterson is once more timidly grazing within democratic pastures, the spirit ol inquiry has seized his mind. What it is to be a democrat, ami what it is not to be, are two questions' upon which lie ha'- -petit much thought. On<“ thing lie knows, il is no entirely com fortable to he a repnblic.in. and it does not pay. especially in Kentucky. Be sides. there arc certain attractions about, democracy which chain the attention <>> cv< n th" most wayward, ami il is no wonder th.it a returned peniteir should give mmh study to the p/im-ipb's which have called him back within tiie lines of paYty harmony. It is mu Lo be ex pected that when a man surrenders he does so “all in a heap." Some time must be given for the softening of asper ities and for the creation of a new home feeling, such as will make him forg ■( the troublous days which are over. Therefore, when Mr. Wat:erson, hav ing re-aligned himself with his party, spends a little time in trying to extract comfort from the recent elec: ions, ms dalliance must be pardoned, cspecialls since we know how little < omfo.-f there is to be found in be special r-ie wb. h he is just now following. The asser tion that the democrats of Gr-’aio" N< w York eliminated from their plan of < im paigii all disturbing national issue* 10-ms its force when they declared themselves organized democrats, recognizing regu lar party control. while in Maryland t: straddle went down in d ■!'• al. i he lesson to which he should pay most attention is tlr. of Kentucky, where the issue was fair y and squarely mad", and where donioeiac.v has won a. comulete and emphatic victory. In giving up the militant part of his programme, Mr. Wat- • on still feels inclined to keep up the polemical .-ide, and makes a declaration of principles. 'Die gist of his long edi torial expression is contained in the fol lowing paragraphs: O 1 1' wbl" - < r:n Ir> I,r . pl . h j,-’, st , :!( g be !■ (if party u .. , h l 'l ''t ' t“ party I■ ihl- is. rem.iin ’ipen the sc< pe .1 ucliial ami a- vital ;s 1!,. v ~■ r W'T"; immortal: fur truth .an ui v"r .11 ■; an t b"c, ai'" three simple propositions in which good government most .-mi. m-h it self. from which it mu h t euste -1:11 " if w< ar. to I >ii n 1h" "ori. rof the new century a repubii" in both tin sub stam- I.ll’ th ■- j T ' wiii. h w. ‘ P" ,1 by tin niakcis n' the i-.nist it ut ion. ;■ iv i vr. m" n >u not ;■. ■ o. r I'iuitat l ■ >r l"gai, to tax tin l peopi- >x ■ -I■ to raise mom j fi r its . "Vi ry 1011, ir of taxation <1?. rt i fI. -11 lth s, inu po-. is r.ibln ry, mal it is ■q i dly nt ■ portant ti nt the in hi. y h '.'.illv eolli . tcil shall lie honestly ; pplied'. Sei-oml, th. right of th p.-ipl ■ to 10. il self-g'O’ernm. nt i an n.il c 'bl - r elit: to 10. al option in th. l oiint'es; to inmn- rule in the cities, to ill ri h •- in tin- Slate not i x press! j de he ati -I to t lie g in o'll g iv. rn -111" it. ami that tn. !>>'• i". at hm of this rh'lit o! Deal s 1. -'ovornrm t is .s-■ nt .1 to that Jo : . .11111>i’i11in h' tW""i: liberty ami law. \s I i> h are tie c.inr .-"ones of our syst'in of f'.leriil a.ii st.ii.- insti:u- Third, tin- mqttev of the country must h good mon< y: drciil.iting iv rywh' r.-: un (|U"Stiuni "l and imque-d iotmjtl": r ''cz 1 at once and taken at its full v.ihi"; and. that to attain this univ. rs.il i. < ogi.j on I amt aci' ptaino il must consist of gold and silver, and pap r. the win. l .. of inter clmm Ad. \.ib> . .-ach ■ mx- ri .>h into tln otber on demand amt fr.ely "iri iilating ■ sid. by side. Th s ■ propositions are as true now as i I'V-r tin y were. In a m r.il way they . embrace th" political is.-ms of the day. ' If they be democracy, then we .ire a d' in- I ocrat. If I’" not <1 mocracy. then we ar- not a <!■ .no-rat. As to the theories here advanced, there can be little if any dispute. No dem ocrat, so far as 'Die Constitution knows, has ever thought to tax people except to “raise motley for the support of tiie gov ernment.” 'Die second declaration re- > lating to local self-government may pass ■ equally unchallenged. it is with the third declaration* that Mr. AVaiterscn hopes to shake the red rag. A reading of that declara ion will develop that there is nothing in it to arcuse the op position of even the most ultra free coin age democrat. The democratic party, as Mr. Watterson well knows, is not a' free silver party any more than it could I be a gold or paper party. In the lan- I guage of Mr. Watterson it is “in favor of good money,” gold, silver or paper, all ol interchangeable value, ami Mr. Walter- \ son has stated it. no stronger than it lias been stated hundreds of times in 'The Constitution. li will be seen, however, that Mr. Wat- i terson carefully ignores the teal differ-; enee, and that is his assumption that the . free coinage of silver would change the t condition of things called for in his third j section N'otwithstahding the fact that the bullion price of silver rules at one half its coinage value, the silver dollars now in circulation arc floated of equal value with either gold or paper, so (bat it will he seen that MT. Watterson's as sumption is very far fetched. Why should hundreds of millions of silver dollars, without the promise of government re demption, with nothing behind them save the stamp on their face, pass as cur rent with gold, which he claims to be the unit of value, and paper which, un der the policy of the government, is re deemable in gold? 'Die fact is that the objection to silver coinage does not come from a legitimate zeal in behalf of the country, nor of its finances, but out of a super-serviceable interest in the affairs and the prosperity of a government which is foreign to ours. On this line might be quoted a few re marks made by Mr. Marshall Field, of 'Die Chicago Times-Herald, who has re turned from a trip to Europe. Speaking of England, he says that the English take no interest in the Cuban question. “Great Britain.” says ho, “has enough business of her own to attend to without bothering with the affairs of this ■ oun try. Besides,” he sttys in conclusion, “it is characteristic of the English that they .should mind their business at all times.” There is a world of interest in this observation, which it would bo as well for all Anglo-maniacs in this coun try to (:> <■ to heart. l.et us be con cerned about American prosperity, and leave English financiers to take care of themselves. Our own affairs should be sufficient to engross our attention, and if we keep them well in hand, we will have more prosperity, even though we lose the taffy which is doled out to cer tain American statesmen from the pur lieus of Lombard street. Where the Tr.i ikl ? Was. 'l’he Constitution has recently received a very interesting letter from tiie ed itor of a southern gold democratic news paper. who has decided to drop all oppo sition to his party, and to place himselt in line with the regular organization. One paragraph in that letter is of pub lic int-'rest in that it. embodies the feel ings that animate a great many gold democrats who have been making war on their party, bur who now. since the collapse of the “national democracy." so called. are preparing to act with the reg ular organization. Our friend says: My views on silver have not cbange.l, lint I have lieen wilting to leav" it to time. With ■ ai li passing x ar T have a growing distrust of die princi]>les and th" practici s of tin 1 republican party. The trouble with our part} is its in> ipaelty ’n olli. ■ . In opposition, it is magnificent, tint manly m< a .should not be eontant with agitation. D'l th' in striV" to build up as w> II .is to lair down. 1 want to S"c th" <b‘moci"i'ic par> v “do something” and do -onn 'liirg w< ’ and do il in away that strengthens p< <>!ar confidence. It. is hardly necessary to say that the wi'er of tiie foregoing wa.s an ardenl Cleveland man. and yet till he says with respect to incapacity in office raters to the dreadful results of Mr. Clevelands . pond t( rm. .I' makes no diffi .ence whether tiles ' results were due to im a p.iciry in office or to a deliberate con spiracy to wreck the party; tiie etfect wa.s the same. If Mr. Cleveland could have won over to his views and plan.s tiie leal leaders of the democracy, the democratic party would have ceased exist as a party. Now we are not abusing or pursuing Mr. Ch vland. On th>> .contra: y w.- think it will be admitted I •:<>.liter by the im purtial historian that he did tin- dem ocratic party a gr< i ’ service by driving i to a point where it was < impelled to <ln ■ tself fnmi t.he trieksters anu juggk -of the east, and return to the p-j p]< . f .!• '! i mian detuo< racy. L th howev. •, was unintentional. Th" policy of those who wore responsi ble :'"! '' " 1 ' ■ .■' u d a<lminist."?tion a io kick d'.wn the ladder by which they rose, and i: was no: their fault that the party wa- immeasurably stronger in de fea: in 1x96 than it was when Mr. Cleve land was elected tour year.; before Ar tin very beginning of his second term Mr. Cleveland unfolded his plans to di vide and dismembi r the party that had honored him. 'There is not an import ant pledge of the platform that he did not repudiate. It was supposed that no would b<‘e iger to carry out the tariff reform pledge. But in the very beginning he announced that the declarations of a platform bore no relations to th” practical workings of an administration. It was. believed that lie would insist on a tariff for rev enue only. But the tariff that he did insist on was for a deficit, and deliber ately ptopared io picluce that, result, and tacked to the tail of it was a free list, every lino of which concealed a job 'Die party has had but one man in of fice as president since the war. and all ill-- damage that one man could do. I’e did. <,■: tried to do. But. the real lend ers of the party refused to follow him. and his course brought them to the ne cessity of reaffirming demccratic princi ples with tin emphasis that had no paral lel in forty years: and so i: happened that the party which Mr. Cleveland though be had do ,toyed was stronyer u the defeat of 1x96 than it was in the Cleveland victory of 1592. It '.' :s ns if the hand of providence had been in terpo:-< d to preserve the party of the peo ple. and with it their liberties and in- i leivsts. Ncvertliele-s. wo want no more experi ments with such men as Cleveland. ‘ 'They do very '.'.('ll to adorn private' lif>'. or to deliver ponderous addresses on va i rious subjects that have been exhausted; I but in public life wo not'd m-’ti who are j itive to the rights and interests of ; the common people, and who believe with Jefferson that these same common people arc capable of -ettling every ques tion pertaining to their government. The Geological Department. 'l'he action of the house finance com- i mittee in resolving upon a reorganiza- | tion of the geological department was on ; the right line. No community and no state can wish : to remain in a primitive condition in an j age when every other community and j every other state is straining every nerve i in the march of advancement. 'To be able i to read the great book of nature, which ! go.ilogy opens, is a preliminary m'cesst- • ly to any advancement which Georgia can hope to makA. ’Die argument■ that i in making the necessary geological stir- ; vey individual- may happen to be bene- j sited, is equally .'.’.ood against every othc: .step which the i.tate might take, and to pay attention to it would be simply to bring on a condition of legislative pa- But 'there are people who, granting the benefit of geological surveys, insist that the Georgia department has failed ! in its work and therefore call for its abo- I lition. It is at this point that (he house I finance committee rises to the dignity of j statesmanship, and declares that recon- j struction and not abolition is the true i policy. Hitherto, the appointing power of not only the geologist, but of all his I subordinates, has been with a commis sion composed of the statehouse officers. ’Tiie result was that every assistant felt it lo be his duty to shoot over (he head of his nominal chief, in order to win a a little favor with the commission. As might have been expected, there has been a lack of discipline in the depart ment, and the fault lay in the law itself. Now, however, it is. proposed to change all this, so that the state geologist shall be a state officer in fact, with the full” power of appointiittg and removing his assistants. It will then become their duty to aid the geologist, instead of play ing for a position over him, and if they refuse to give that aid, the responsibil ity rests upon the geologist to get rid of them and to fill their places with men who will have a better understanding of their duty. * On the Question of Straddling. 'The Springfield Republican is of the opinion that, the only hope of the gold democrats is to return to the democratic party and attempt to seize the organi zation from the inside, not by a bold and courageous stroke, but by committing it. to another series of straddles, dodges, : hedges and evasions. It calls this pro gramme of dishonesty “the new fight against Bryanism,” and depends on “the appetite of the democratic politicians for spoils” to send honest, and truthful men to the rear and give the party over to the leadership of the impracticable and unpatriotic men who have done their utmost to destroy it. We think our Springfield contempora ry has forgotten what occurred at Chica go in the summer of 1X96. For thirty years, up to the assembling of the na tional democratic convention of that, year, the actual control of the party hau i been given over to the straddlers, dotl i gers, hypocrites and politieally dishonest | mon. 'l'hey had made its platforms, I filling them with evasions and strad ■ dies, and had named the candidates, i They wont to Chicago in 1896 with the l avowed purpose of carrying out their [ old programme. They wore all there — Whitney, Hill. Tom, Dick and Harrity. i But they found themselves facing now 1 conditions. 'They found themselves face to face with genuine democrats who had I received instructions from the people in the primaries. 'To all intents and pur poses the Chicago platform was writ ten by the people when they selected their delegates to the state conventions. Now. if those straddlers and dodgers had no influence on the party in the very flower of their popularity, as it were, is it likely that they will have any now that the nature of their scheme has boon exposed? The Republican men tions the name of Mr. Hill in the same breath with Die recent victory in New A'ork. Does our contemporary think that Mr. Hill could command a nomin ation from the democratic party in Now A'ork. or, commanding it, receive the indorsement of the people at the polls? To put the matter in another shape, how can the late bolters wield as much influence as repentants as they wielded before they announced their opposition to the Chicago platform? Would dele gates from New York bent on straddling have any more, or as much, influence on a future national convention as Whitney, Flower and Hill had on the convention of 1X96? It is to be borne in mind that “tiie appetite for spoils" does not reach to the masses of th" people. In order for a politician to share in the spoils, he must, fit.st receive the approval of the people. (>;h rv.r>' his cake is all dough to begin wit h. On the main issues there will be no straddling of any sort. As Mr. Bryan says, these issues embrace the present rci 'il'l'can programme, which is- I'oreign control of our primary money. Nation::! bank control of our paper money. Trust control of the taxing power. We think that even the republicans must admit that the democratic position is considerably stronger today than it was last year. In the first place, republican prosperity has proved to fie what is tormed a news paper fake. In the second place, the stimulating effect of the higher price of wheat has prov'd the truth of the democratic ar gument in favor of better prices. In the third place, th democratic declaration for independent biimtall.sni ha.-' Teen jtistifi'd by the total failure of the repitbli';ia : to bring about inter na: ional b!n’>’t.''.llisin. In the fourth place, the republican claim that the higher price of wheat would scotch the silver movement in the west has proved io be unfounded. The result in Ohio, where the > ampaigit was made on the Chicago platform, and in Nebraska, who e the silver fusiouists won a victory, .show that the free coin age movement is stronger in tiie west to day than ever. It may be said, therefore, that if the late bolters are returning lo the party with any other idea than that which promotes party fellowship, namely, the yielding of the minority to the will of th" majority forth" sake of the whole democatic idea and system, they will no: only he disappointed, but they will have their feelings hurt besides. i’or there is to be no backward step, i no halting, no straddling, no tampering with pur-' democratic principles. 'The in Maryland didn’t help Mr 1 . Gorman. The refusal to straddle in I Ohio greatly strengthened the demo cratic party in that state. Not even mo tives of self-interest can prompt a dem ocratic politician to straddle hereafter. Tn view of these things, we d i not be- ) lieve that the errant one- are returning 1 with any hope of wrenching the party I to their gold views. We prefer to be- ' liev" that they are willing to surrender j their v'ew.s on the money question for the sake of promoting the democratic system of government. Exports of American Cotton. Mr. R. B. Handy, of the United States department of agriculture, is contribut- : ing to The 'Textile American a very in- [ teresting .cries of articles on the his tory of American cotton. In the cur rent issue of that industrial magazine the writer deals with the steady growth of foteign exports which has taken place during the past one hundred years. I’rom 1786 to 1790, according to Mr liand?'. the exports of cotton from the Utiited S'ates to Great Britain tiveaged only l-636th of the total amount of cot ton purchased by Great Britain in the world's market. Sixty years later, how ever, the United States supplied four fifths of Great Britain’s demand for cot ton. Giving exact figures, the writer states that from 1786 to 1790 the average amount of cotton imported by Great Britain from the United States was only 100 bales. From IXI6 to 1820 it aver aged 166,310 bales, from 1846 to 1850, 1.297,230 bales; from i 876 to 1880, 2,589,- 070 bales. The following table, com piled by Mr. Handy, shows the extent of our foreign exports of cotton, in bales, since 1878. including exports to Great Britain and to the European continent and Mexico: is s 5= § I 18W49 _ j 2J15.T000* I 1,413,000 I ICTIi-M) | :.'..'Z.I,iHJO | 1,3W.W)0 I 3.XIAT I | IV-.0-SI I 2(CXI 1.733,1KK! I ■l,.>‘i'>.'t , l' ISSI-S 2 ' 2. (HHt 1,256,1100 I 3.551.0()<l ISX2-X3 ‘ 2.5M1.1)00 I.XtIX.OOO 4.721.000 IXSS-XI I 2 4X5 IKK) I 1.432.1KK) 1 3.'.'17." IHI ISS4-X5 ' 2J2..AU I 1.4!»5JKi0 I 3,(<20.00 ISXS-SH 2,tCS,iK:O I 1.771.000 I 4."00 I,sm;-s7 7'U " " I.7II."" 1 it ’ ISS7-XX I r’.xi'.'X'O l.xitt.oeo ; 1,627.iMt IS'SS-S!> 2.510.000 ' 1,026.O"O ■l." l ‘'.O"') 1.'51.'.111 2.'■51,un0 i 2,052.000 I 4.'_iiii;.iiOO IM,O-91 I iITuOOO | 2.4'16.000 I 5.71'1.'” i'isl-t’ 3 317 iH<O 2,511,000 ' ' "' s “ ” • . •• uoi’noo 2.< : muio(i i i.:::i'i."ii' 1 l.| T'Ml.iinO 2,371,000 l 5'2">2.000 : ;'. , ::.27'(.i'00 1 ’l'|,,. figures show to what extent the I American cotton crop affects the world s ' market. Since 187. x the amount of cot i toil exported to foreign countries has i increased from 3,466.000 bales to 6,726,- 000 bales. What the Farmers Need. In the current number of The South ern States Farm Magazine Dr. Charles , W. Dabney, Jr., discusses some of the i needs of agriculture in this section. On account of the timeliness of this article | The Constitution feels warranted in call- I ing the attention of its readers to some I of the salient points therein discus.-.ed. As Dr. Dabney puts it. the great pron : lem of southern agriculture is to make I farming in this section pay. Ip to th" I present time the farmers of the soutn have not derived from the soil that measure of recompense which its unsur passed fertility is calculated to yield, and the reason which Dr. Dabney gives for this unsatisfactory experience is that our farmers, like those the world over, are disposed to move along in certain ruts. He contends that for twenty years or more the farmers of the south have 1 devoted themselves almost exclusively to the raising of cotton ami tobacco, and that present conditions in the south are largely the result, of this restriction. “The high prices of cotton and tobacco which prevailed twenty years ago," says Dr. Dabney, “naturally betray* <1 our farmers into raising these ere;;.- ami simply because they know how to grow them easily they continue to raise cotton and tobacco, in spite of th" fact that prices have fallen almost ■ to the cost of production. This tenden cy exists the world over. It is far easier ‘ to keep in th'' <>!<! rut than to pull out of it.” a remedy for present evils Dr. Utibnei urm's our southern farmers to study th" resources of their farms for tiie purpose of raising supplies nced ! ed to support the workers employed l thereon, and also, at the same time, to : study the demands of the market. He argues that our farmers are too prone to raise money crops without giving any I attention to those needed supplies tor ■ which large sums have to be paid out 1 during the year. In this connection Dr. i Dabney says: ; On,- sp"' !,i! med us south' in agrieultur" ■ is to matte still more meat ,in<l m lt> With i th" increased production of forage in th ■ : s 'iith th' production of nu ai. milk an I I butter lias greatly iin-n i a-.j during th" I last ten years. The increased . ru;,i ~,f I corn mean more bugs, and larger crops of : hay and oats (m an more < attic and stock I of every kin). * * * iiairy products will i always bo in great ■! ni.i’ul an ong > i\ liz .1 i people. Tii mor" highly civilized they :ir< i th. more of this.- pradm-m they < insiniie. j It is ■ st'mat'd by the L'liued St ite.s depart ; iib'ii’ of agrh'iiltur, tbit til- milk fr >ni I 5.000,(100 cows :: annually ccnsiuned as miiu ' in the t’nii' d States, th,' iv- rage b ing. i about (w iity-fiV" and a hai:' gallons p> r i year for ■ :,,•>) p. rson. * * * Butter is be coming more and more .' necessity to al: wcll-eon<i ■ I ' • i r> cen t year- ere.im his besom" n important ar ticle of l oinm- r. ■■. The >1 injii'l for <■>:>- ; di iisi .l milk is said to !>■■ leidily gi ,w ng. , ' ■ d.-' i ■. more ami more : fn this country .is an article of fo-.a!. To show how little the south hits con tributed toward supplying the demand for dairy products, point'd cut in the foregoing paragraph, Dr. Dabney con tinues: Tiie facts show that the sniithern fartm rs ha\" many fewer cows than the farmers of any oth' i S'ction of lb- country. T,e pop id it ions of G< orgi.i and M:• liiga na re p pi ox ima t-It the same, and so ar" t!,.- num ber of improved acres in farms, i.nu Geor gia had in ts>'.> less than 360.000 inilcii cows, ag.iinsi aiiii.orti tl tie - tat'- of Al;. iig "i; V1 rginia md VViseonsin li \ ■ :■ >pn ■ m . ■ ly i;■ -■ ilat ind lie .sain, numb rof improv,icres in f irm :. Many portions of Virgini.'i are jus: as Wi il nd lut ed for dairying is is Wi-consin. while Vir ginia has every advantage in the way of '■limite and i I'i’i' y to niark":s. Itu; Virginia, had in ISS9 onl.v 275.01.0 mil' ll • >v..s, as against SuO.OiKi in Wisconsin. Os cour.'-e anything lilt, a thorough review of Dr. Dabney’s article cannot be nti'nipted in this connection, but fiom the fea'iif'S touch'd upon, it is evident that our southern farmers, in addition to raising diversified crops for the mar ket, need also to produce such farm sup plies as will enable them to live at home. Comprehensive and Povzerful. l-’roin Tin- Itoni. , Ga, Tribune. Tin- Atlanta. <’■ ns:l'.ui ion's comprehi'iislve and powerful editor A on the election re sults is worthy of that paper in tb< i r,- niendous tight il lias made for il;,. eiuse of silver. The Constitution can Weil glory in tiie triumph, for a.-suredlj the dr ft is all absolutely toward democracy. ♦ A Stamp Trust. From The Washington Star. il costs till go\einnient now jus: 5 cents for l,v"l stamps delivered anywhere in the United States. One thousand 2-cent stamps are s"!d for S2O. It will (tins 1,, seen Dial Uncle Sain has u trust worth having, ami that liis pro Ats m,. >:<>t p e despis' d, even by a bloated uo’.dhold, r. In fact, Uncle Sam is envied so much l>y other capitalists (hat i'requen’iv c lu r par ties start into tiie biisin.-ss of ] riming stamps, without first securing a license or evrn trying to get one. Sometimes Div -• ciet s rvlce oflic,. catch es Hie guilty parties, but in ease liie discre tion is exercised die counterfeiting of stamps is not very difficult, as little close at cntlon is bestowed upon them in the mails. But tile v.xpinse is >o great and tiie returns so sniad that, the counterfeiters do not linger long at a stamp job. During a singiv y< ar tin bureau of pr nting inn ; engraving prints about SSU.OW),O(JO Wvi'lli stamps. Tins is over an iver igo , f ( , Cl . 1 e.ul for ,\.:y .nhabitam of die Uniied States, and indicates that we are a gm.-t r ire of letter writers, assuming tn.-it |, person writes one letter a week. All pe.iple who write letters. however, are . thoughtful enough to prepay them. Sonic id. a of the number of delinquent corre spondents who like to send their litters postage due may be ibtaiucd from .tv., fact, that during tiie last fiscal year t | lt , valut of postage due stamps attix. d to let ters without sufficient postage aggregated $150,658, mostly in l-ehnt and 2-cent stamps. “Songs of the Soil” By FRANK L. STANTON. A Face. The lovely twilight lingers like a spirit round the place; The sweetheart ro es at the gate are memories of her face; Tiie lili's lean and listen—the ghosts of lost delight— Tiie suntlower like golden star signa.s . i»i silent night. This is lb" place I met hcr-therc, in the Whence’was all of hope and all its ws.r. tuu .hwv< t for i • • ■J his is the place I met lu r-thts is the dear, sweet place. I And all the world is wondrous with mem ories of her race-. j (Jit, H ni»iv be that riot for nw anoti.r light shall shim i Like the last ligM Hk" the past light tint made sweet this life «f mine, It may be I sliall never S"e, for all * grief and grace, The I"' mi. the gleam, the ream dream, and over all that face. Strange ways, strange days, and lands , d bands, and what we think S fat' , But over all some crimson bands that b I a twilight late With rare star-surinkle.l roses, with their youth-time grace, And those sweat lips that kissed ni". ai I evermore that face! I Let us forget! and yet—and yet—we w:l remember still ’TIk- blood that made the rose so red t ripple of th" fIH I The hills that climb' <1 to lieaw'ii, and ■ i remember, A place ; Thai mad.' the whole world sw ''-r for • ■ dear wom in’s laen! D, ar fact ! I may not me. t th"' I may ever sight I The phantom ship that bears th" - from watidi-lif s of my night: : But Still ' a . ' ' ' aiij evci more 1 see . A fa<" that maD 111 ■ I' ,u ' :l 1 ’' 1 sweet face for tn''! In ian Summer. 'I :. ,1. " . lOU ' ' " ■' World that se< ms in time. i Thrills right through a !■ Ilers soul Like a <ll'< ah o' Jn i' ’ Sei ms that birds, with golden win s I Brush you—soft as silk. ! And y,ai almost .-<■.■ the springs Cool tiie butt, rnulk! t But while you air die imin' co In I'D S.’.'l-L Mind' you'll hear a i,lizard blow , An' be 10.-t in sb-et! In Winter Timo. ’ Sorter like th" winter time U Uli fir, bl ,z n' br ght, . WI). , all tile cotl-ig" Willis air green I An’ all th- m<"idoi.s white; i When from th" In’. ■ zy country-side ’i’ll" blue smoke upward curls An' tin m-: I. I"" i -t, t.ipttn’ • Tiie nd lips o' th- girls! Sorter ilk'- th" winter time— Fer what's the snow an’ sleet When tl,-.' fiddle mak, the music I', r . f 'ii. r's willin' fe, t'.’ Wh 'i th" girls air m iDy-i'UlUn’, Tiie ol’ foil's iioduin’ idgh ■ n’ 11 »«• njist )»•<<><■ i•' t‘ nipt hi An' (liar's kiss n’ on lb. sly! Irrepressible. They put him up for congressman In country and in town; j Tii" other fellow l--.it him And h" hauled bis colors .'.own; But iie shout.,! tor If" wilinei, And be bet. another hat He'd make the legi lature. And they lieat him out for that! But he saw the sheriff’s office.. Ai.d lie .-aid: "I'm goin* in!" The road was mighty dusty. And lie found lie couldn't win. But failure didn't phase him— I Though the weather WUZii't fair, I He jumped into the saddle I And !;*■ ran along for mayor! And still li" was unfortunate - I!.' lest tile wished-for place, And h"’s alwa.es running, running, And lie’s never out the race! A Tired Fellow. ' Talkin' bout November days—l v » tin.vie all right; But | has er fetch the wood in f,r •* big oak lit', s at night; i reckon snow a-faliin’ mak- s a party er show. But it ain’t so powerful pb-a 'int when t has ter .-hovel snow! Talkin' 'I,OU'. Novetnl, r days- with ft' i furrows gray, They ain't so powerful pl -iu ant Wil, n spend ' ‘tn haulin' h.ij ; I like tn,' sharp, clear mornin's-the tei-'s lively horn, But I'm f.■< :in' mighty solemn wh'.-n I :a set to shuckin' corn! I've conn ter the conclusion this woi d • fer man an' boy. Is about a peck o' trouble ter . very pint "' joy: I like bill" skies an' meadows—a bird t a..: knows a song, But 1 can't jiue m the chorus when ' work me all day long! In Spite of All. Good times'll corne to the country In spite o' tile trouble an' :.ll; The I'o.-.uf M,y will lie sw> -.1 on til' v , And i11,.' biooms from the braiu iu s i. : Good times'll come to the country The storm leave the hi iVens aliove, An’ - .".i 'll slay wtong. tn’ ;la world with song A. sw, "t halleluia of lovei A Thanksgiving Note. Talk al,,:,ut Thanksgiving, with its pl. and iis joys— i a-lo king forwarfl to a with the boys; And Sin will com" from college, and J u n won't foiget. And we'll a l f. , | mighty happy that Wi 'iC tills side Jordan yet! Ive seen the turlv y spreading ot h.s feathers fair and tine, And b.s “gobble. gobbl< . gobble" s, , ms i dav. (he folks to dine; ’1 be verdict's been against him, and h:s Ami he mak ■ . ■ hapi they're ali a-living y, i! The Bills. Hear tiie members with their bills. Lengthy bills! Mhat a tai" of t,’,l s ousness each readii s long instills! How they chatter, flatter, spatter iliiou; ‘ the dull November day; How nite bi ng> n< w matt, ns blossoms blown in May! Keeping , me, i:nic. lime, to the eourthon u steeple’s chime, Io the t.ntlnnabulation that nioiiotono'i - rills From th.- ti lls, bills, bills, bills, bills, bills, From the squeaking and the shrieking of tin- bills! Briefs from Billville. Th" folks down here say. it's best to be liberal, although we are alive. We re uiid. r the impression down h« L’ that were living’ in a world which is full of humanity. W. 11, the last m utiomri thing is a good thing top this world. We are all broth' rs. The only trouble is, some of us won't pay the brethren. Let the yekow f<ver come in! BiJlville has be* !! through the hard times, and she dun i fear anj thing.