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6
CLARK IHHVELL Editor
W. A, HEMPHILL HiisinesH .llnnuser
Entered at the Atlanta postofflce as second-class
mail matter November 11, 1873
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A Long Step Forward.
Tho result of the southern bankers’
convention, which has been in session
In Atlanta, is chiefly significant in the
encouragement it gives to those who have
demanded currency reform on the line
of principles enunciated in the demo
cratic platform; not that the bankers
convention has indorsed the demands of
that platform as regards the currency,
but because this representative meeting
of southern bankers has joined in em
phatic action in the contention that
the present federal currency system 'is
rotten to the core, and in the demand
that it must be changed.
As to the demand for state bank is
isr.AS, The Constitution’s position on
this question is so well known that it is
needless to emphasize ottr approval of
the declarations of the convention on
this point. The democrats of the south
have heartily advocated state banks,
while indorsing the time-honored demo
cratic principle of bimetallism, as de
clared for in the national platform of
the party, and in the well established rec
ord of tho party as made through its rep
resentatives in congress, and the demand
for which is more urgent today than it
has ever been.
The action of the bankers’ convention
indicates that a change of sentiment i
has taken place among prominent bank
ers and business men, and it is simply ]
a question of time when the iniquities of !
tho present currency system will force
the business sentiment of the country
to tho acceptance of the democratic plan
as the only hope of relief from the pres
sure of existing conditions.
Tho work of the bankers’ convention
was a long step forward, and when the
fact is taken into consideration that
this convention is but a little more than I
a year removed from th<> last prc-ido'i- I
tial campaign, when “agitation” w is de- j
dared to be a menace to prosperity, the ■
significance of the resolutions mh pteu ;
is apparent.
Those who will carefully read these
resolutions ami compare them with the
attitude of the ’banks two years, or even
one year, ago will find that in some of
the declarations material advance is
made. Ami it is a step in the right
direction, and therefore gratifying. It i
is especially gratifying to The Consti
tution, which has for years argued for I
some of the reforms embodied in the |
resolutions indorsed by the convention.
It is hardly necessary to s.t\ that wc >
do not believe in tho retirement of the
greenbacks. But we do not propose to
discuss th s mattci here and now. We '
desire simply to congratulate the south
ern bank* rs on the unanimity with !
which they decided to take their long
step forward in the direction of real
banking reform. Mr. Dodsworth, of The |
New York Journal of Commerce, boldly :
alluded to the movement of the southern )
bankers as “this great money agitation.’ '
He and al] the bankers have discovered ‘
that a restoration of confidence as the I
result of no agitation has had no influ- ■
ence whatever on th< situation. Every-|
body now seems to have confidence '
that somet ng sh ild ■ done, am ■
the only way to do it is by means of at<- I
tation —the very form of agitation which ■
some of our business men and bank- rs I
were deploring a year ago.
As a matter of fact, t... necessary re- 1
form in this country <an be effected i
except by means of agit::.! >n- that form I
of agitation which appeals i-» tho in-i
terests, reason and common sense of!
the people. The 1.•• that the bankers!
have committed themselves to this form !
of agitation is most gratifying, for it is!
an evidence that the course of events I
during the last y.-.-tr has convinced
them that there is something; radically
wrong in our banking laws so radical- '
ly wrong that they are willing to agi- ■
tate in behalf of reform. It. is fatuous :
blindness,” Air. Dodsworth declared, “to
imagine that the withholding of a legit- i
imatc function of banking from ineor-i
porated state banks can be much longer i
perpetuated.” Then he announced in
favor of “the equal right of all proper- i
ly qualified banks to issue circulating
notes.”
Well, what is this but an elaboration !
of The Constitution’s constant demand
for a dozen years that the right of the!
state banks to issue credit notes should :
be restored? And what is Air. Dods- i
worth’s demand for the abolition of the !
bond guaranty but a repetition of sug-j
gestions made in The Constitution over ;
and over again? But this bom] guaran
ty has been declared by eastern finan
ciers to be the very essence of security
find safety—a sacred thing and not to bo
disturbed.
But the working of this guaranty ah- I
solutely weakens any southern commit-!
""" that takes advantage of it. For!
Instance, let its suppose that Griffin, or i
Albany, or even Atlanta, desires to have |
another national bank with $109,000 cap- I
Ital. As the bond market is to the i
north of us, $115,000 in cash must be ■
taken out of the community to buy the j
bonds, and of that amount only $90,000 .
I can be issued in notes. This sort, of |
! thing has passed for "banking” for so i
i long that a great many well-meaning
| men havo come to believe that it is
banking. In a quiat and courteous way
Air. Dodsworth gave the absurd law a
most tremendous dressing down, ami the
bankers applauded him! Surely there
is promise of better things when such
events take place in broad daylight, and
in public. When an idol is jeered at,
its destruction is only a question of time.
’l’he speech of Air. Dodsworth wm. a
long stop forward, but. the convention
went further. It not only adopted Air
DeSaussure’s resolutions (on the prac
tical features of which we have already
commented at. length), bitt, adopted a
resolution in behalf of a banking and
financial system tinder which banks with
a capital of $25,000 and over may issue
notes to circulate as money on com
mercial assets! 'Think of that com
mercial assets.
AA hy, when The. Constitution talked
about commercial assets as the basis of
bank notes (including the property lia
bility of individual stockholders), a na
: tional banker wrote us a note inquiring
i why we didn’t come out lor the sub
treasury plan of the alliance, which ho
averred was “something better.” But
now, behold! The Constitution was only
a few years in advance, and the proces
sion has not only caught up, but is
trying to pass us in the road!
It, is but tho evolution of the inevit
able, and the long step forward taken by
the southern bankers convinces us that,
In good time, and in their own interests,
they will be willing to accept the dem
ocratic plan of currency reform, which
will not only take the government out
of the banking business, but will take
the banks out of the government busi
ness and enable, them to their
credit notes on the sound and enduring
basis of coin redemption.
This is a part of the gratification The
Constitution gets out of the interesting
convention of southern bankers.
Fake Prosperity.
The. New York World makes this re
mark:
Tho 10 per cent reduction of the Fall
River cotton spinners )>a- been followed by
the .itmounc-mctil of a reduction in wage. 4
by tiie Royal Weaving Company, of Cen
tral Falls, It. 1. No explanation of th!,
retrograde prosperity need be expected be
fore the congressional eb-etiosi next year.
That is probably time, ami when the
campaign comes on, no republican news
-1 paper will be more active than The
j World in informing its readers that the
! country is enjoying the blessings of a
! tidal wave of prosperity. When Alc-
I Kinley was elected The World devoted
pages of its valuable space to telegrams,
statements and declarations to the effect
that prosperity had returned.
Nobody has ever been able to discover
what the McKinl y "democrats” were
up to when they announced that repub- I
lican success had restored prosperity.
Nobody has ever ben able to d : scovor
j their motives for putting the fake in-
I formation in circulation. It did nc
! good, and certainly deceived a. great
mai y ] m< n into making pur-'
I chases and investments by means of i
which they have lost money.
There was not tli'-P, and there has not
been since, otic single substantial sign ;
of general prosperity. Consequently
there has been no “retrograde prosper- i
itv” among the cotton spinners of tho •
east. They are not at the beginning
i of their troubles and they have not seen ,
i the end. We should have more sympa- |
i thy for them if they knew what is hurt- |
I ing them. Either they do not know, or j
th< y ar< afraid to . peak of it in public.
; Tii< y thought the tariff 'would h<’lp .
them, and now they .--■m: to think that.
I the true remedy for their ills is to be
found in a reduction of wages, and a. |
national labor law that will place them
j “on an equality with the mills in other 1
1 states.”
It is none of our business now far .
! they go in their pursuit after follv, for ,
I we know that, in the end, the pinch will j
’ come when they will have to U' it'iowl-i
, edge tho truth or so out of the business!
lof spinning cotton. They want high-!
I er prices for their good.-; in order to
i make :t profit. Well, the reduction of j
wages will i it giv< them higher prices, ;
not will labor laws. They can. only g< t
; high prices as a result, of the public de-,
1 mand for their goods, and the reason .
: that demand has non cut off is because'
otl r produce!s are working at a 1<
. and have no money with which to buy
By making the scarcest ami most val-|
i uable of the money metals our sole |
standard of taino, wo have depreciated]
! evi'rvthing else, especially the products .
of 1 i’.man labor. Wo havo “sound” |
I money, but prices are not "sound,” and
i profits are nowhere.
If tho New England spinners prefer
1 “sound” money to good prices, it is
i their privilege to shout for it; but we do
not perceivo that e "sound mom ji -
! doing them any good. In tact, it will
' finally destroy the'r enterprises. This
i is not a now, but it is an unusual, nieth
i od of performing hari-kari, and wo com
! mend it to all who tire in favor of de
stroying their own productive indus-
l tries.
Next year, if they manage to eke out
tin existence for so long, the New Eng
! land spinners will urge their employees |
to vote lor “sound ’ money men lor
! congress if they want “prosperity” —it
; they don’t want, their wages reduced
i stiil farther and probably (though we
1 have our doubts, for there is an end even
to the gullibility of mill operatives) the
; employees will vote for "sound” money
< . i A I all <h< AlcKinlc)
I “democrats” will join in the cry for
“sound” money congressor •!. More 1
’ over, we shall have another era of fake !
| .prospiTity. .Mills that, have .dint down
! to give their employees an object les
son, will ‘ open” again.
But we don’t see what tho McKinley
! "democrats” are complaining about.
I q’luy got what, they wanted. If ‘sound”
i money is not a remedy for all political
evils and troubles tho people were
mightily deceived last. year. There is
almost as much prosperity under Mc-
Kinley as there was under Cleveland
almost, but not quite. The eastern cot
ton m'ills. perhaps, are in a worse fix
■ than they were under Cleveland, butt
! wi.nt difference does that make, so long!
! as wc have “sound” money and such I
i redoubtable • Immpions of the gold stand- ;
: ard as Eckels and Bill Bynum?
What is the reason the country can't
: get. along without real prosperity so long !
as we have “sound” money? If there
1 is ever any real need of prosperity uu
j der our present system ail that is neces
; sary is io get word to the McKinley
THE WEEKLY CONSTTTTTTTON: ATLANTA, GA., MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1897
“democrats,” and they can fake it up in
four and twenty hours. What is the
use of keeping the real article on hand
when we can get. the fake variety so
cheaply and with so little labor?
We are more than surprised—we are
disappointed—to see The New York
World talking about, “retrograde pros
perity.” Is its able corps of writers
dead or disabled? Can’t they make
things as prosperous now as they did
when McKinley was elected? We think
so indeed!
o
'The Eastern Spinners.
To-those who will look for it, there is
a good deal of entertainment to be found
in the economic discussions that some
times take place in the eastern newspa
pers. 'l’he crisis among the Fall River
cotton mills, for instance, has brought
to the surface so much unconscious hu
mor that it is difficult to read what the
New England editors say about it with
a straight face.
Not all of them believe ns Congress
man Dingley does, but all of them give
reasons quite as silly. Air. Dingley, the
author of the famous tariff law, believes
that the mill troubles in New England
are due to the big cotton crop. If any
end-man at a. minstrel show ever got
off a. bigger joke th tin that, it has never
been reported. The mills are about to
go to ruin because cotton is cheap—be
cause they can buy the raw material
for less than they ever paid for it; this
is the point of the Dingley joke.
The reasons given by the editors are
almost, as funny as Air. Dingley’s joke.
We have referred to some of these ex
planations in former articles, ami it is
not necessary to reproduce them here.
AVhat is most curious, however, is the
suggestion to be found in more than one
New England paper to the effect that
in four years competition in the south
has grown to the extent of pushing the
l-'all River mills to the wall. It. is cu
rious bei-ause no farther back than the
fall of last year the Fall River mills
were declaring 8 and 12 per cent divi
dends. AVas this done to deceive the
people into believing that .McKinley
had restored prosperity, or was it
brought about, by honest earnings?
The Boston Transcript hints that one
cause of the trouble is that “ox-slave
cheap labor” is abundant. Whether the
editor is joking or mil, wo tire unable
to say, but. the remark is funny. Ne
gro labor is comparatively ( heap and
abundant, but its cheapness ami abun
dance are not utilized in the southern
mills. Mill labor at Hie south is cheap
er than mill labor in New England for
reasons obvious to all. But. by tho
time the eastern mills get through their
reductions, wages there will lie less than
w'agos in the south, all things considered-
It is queer that the mill managers
and the editors do not. perceive that the
reduction of wages will not help mat
ters. If the trouble is southern com
petition, there is but one way to meet.
It, and that is to transfer their plants Io
this section and secure the advantages
to bo found here, which are by no means
confined to cheap wages.
Bit! the main trouble with the eastern
mills is that they are unable to market
their goods. It is said of Fall River
that her product is such that it <an be
produced everywhere, but this is only
another way of saying that the output
of the Fall River mills belongs to the
class of goods m< s* in favor with < on
. . , Ther whet there is no
demand for time goods, it is about time
for the mill managers to inquire serious
ly why consume: s do not enter tho mar
ket, If they will ask themselves that
question and proceed to consider it in
tho light of common sense and reason,
being determined to follow the inquiry
to its logical end, thej r will find the way
illuminated.
There is this fact to be considered
that, taking into account the shut-downs
and tho short hours of the past four
years, the production of all tho cotton
mills of the country, counting the new
spindles, lias not been materially larger
titan firn production of tho four years be
tween IM1!) and IST?- certainly not ma
terially larger in proportion to the ’ n '
crease of population, and the necessities
of tho people. No doubt the records
of production have been kept, both north
and south, ami it should not boa very
difficult matter to got approximately cor
rect figures.
It will lie found whenever tho com
parison is made, that while the produc
tion of tho last four years was not ma
terially larger than the preceding four,
consitmiion Ims loon rcdtieod more
than one-half. It is safe to assume
that tlm quantity of cotton good- lying
tn tho warehouses, jobbing rooms rum
retail ston Id is three times larger
than it was in December, 1592. Now,
there must be some serious reason why
people do not buy these gm'ds. Their
necessities are just as great. When peo
ple really need anything and fail to
buy it. in spite of tho fact that, the price
is abnormally low, there can bo but one
reason for their failure. They either
have no money to buy the goods, or they
cannot spare for that purpose the little
they havo.
And then there must lie some reason
why people who bad a fair supply ot
money four years ago have none now.
This reason also lies on tho surface,
•Tim products of their labor commaim
only about, one-third the amount of
money that they would fetch four years
age. AVheat. is the exception, but wheat
is made more valuable than money by
the extraordinary demand from abroad,
and by the efforts of speculators to
(orner the market. The higher price
of wheat is enabling many farmers to
pay their debts, but it is not giving
them enough to buy all they need at
the stores.
The only way that people can get
money is to exchange for it the products
of their labor. When prices are low
the purchasing power of the people in
the markets is reduced, and general bus
iness must suffer in consequence. That is
why the easiern mill men find it difficult
or impossible to market their goods.
And there must be some fundamental
reason why p ices are low. '1 here should
be no difficulty on tho part of tho east
ern mill men in finding out why the
dollar will purchase twice or three times
the quantity of goods that it would
command even four years ago. Some
thing has happened, and it would be to
the interest of the cotton spinners of
New England to lose no time in finding
out. just what it is.
Southern Beet Sugar.
As the result of successful experi
ments to manufacture beet sugar in Vir
ginia, it is given out from Richmond
that a stock company with $1,000,000
capital has recently been organized in
that city for the purjtose of developing
the beet, sugar industry.
This is a new departure not only for
Virginia, but also for the south. Vp to
this time capital has lacked the neces
sary courage to espouse the beet sugar
industry, and tho Richmond enterprise
is the first venture of its kind which
the south has undertaken; but since the
soil and climate of this section ate thor
oughly adapted to the growth of sugar
beets, there is no reason why other
southern states should not emulate Vir
ginia’s example.
Os course there are several states in
this section engaged in the manufacture
of sugar from cane; but if the resources
of our soil admit, of the manufacture of
sugar from beets also, why restrict the
industry to cane alone? So far as the
demand for sugar is concerned, it is well
known that this country is obliged to
make large imports of foreign sugar
yearly, and that millions of dollars go
out of the. country in this way which
might otherwise be diverted into the
•soutli. As it is now, the south sit pt .-lies
only a small fractional part of the coun
try’s demand for sugar; but with the re
sources for making sugar which nature
has bestowed upon this section in such
lavish measure, there ought to be at
least double the activity which is now
going on in the sugar industry in the
south. Since Virginia has led off so
nobly in the matter of developing the
beet sugar industry, it is more than like
ly that, other states in this section will
<lo likewise in the. near future.
Arranging for the Reunion.
Atlanta is fully alive to the. magni
tude of the approaching Confederate
Veterans’reunion to be held in this
city next summer, and is moving along
In the matter with characteristic push
and enthusiasm.
AVith the establishment of permanent
headquarters ard the appointment of
special committees to take charge of the
details of arranging for the great re
union, most of the preliminary work
has already been outlined and divider
up anti nothing remains but for each
committee to carry out the particular
part assigned to it. That each commit
tee will do its full duty is evident from
the sturdy character of the men to whom
the work of arranging for the reunion
has been entrusted.
Six months in advance of the time
set for tho reunion M none too early for
beginning the la’: irious campaign of
getting ready for our gue;-ts; as only
those who have had experience in mat
ters of this kind can appreciate the
amount of labor and enterprise in
volved. Adopting the most conserva
tive estimates as to Hie size of the mul
titude which the a;.preaching reunion
will bring to Atlanta, it is safe to pre
dict. tiiat not les than 100,000 visitors
will pour into our gates at that time,
making Atlanta’s population during the
reunion aggregate 200,000 souls. Such be
ing the outlook, onr people sli iuld bestir
themselves and 1< :vc no stone unturned
in their efforts to mak■■ the forthcoming
assemblage historic in its character.
With the prcliniina y step il ( uly tak
en, much of tiie labor of preparing fir
the summer is mad • easy, and nothing
is likely to inter.' <’ the smooth
and sat isfactory ■ ■ o" the work
which the variom on>mi:t - have tak
en upon themsel'. ’s.
Seldom has ?.il. ■ : < ai-d into any
thing with more than into tlio prep
arations which she is now making for
tlie confederate reunion. Although typ
ical in many resi.eets of the young and
enterprising south, it is also true that
no city during the late war passea
through such a tt' ing ordeal of fire and
bloodshed as Atlanta. On account ot
her strategic p x i'.ion she was looked
upon by military commanders on both
sides of the struggle as the key to the
situation, ami tills fid General Sherman
in IMI to project his celcbra'ed march
to the sea. As the result of the bat
tle of the 22d of July fought in this im
mediate vicinity, Atlanta fell into the
hands of General Sherman only to be
fir-d by the re, to;.-•< les.- torch and con
vet ted into smoking ruins.
In the years which have followed the
war Atlanta has become a flourishing
metropolis. But. In tender retrospect siie
still breeds over t eh- roism her brave
defenders, some of whom sleep today in
the embrace of the sod; cihers of whom
with silvered brows and bended forms
arc hastening to join their comrades.
Bound to the past by such grateful and
tender associations, it is not surprising
that Atlanta should take keen interest
in preparing for the confederate re
union or that commerce itself should
gracefully yield ] lace to the demands or
patriotism and valor.
Six months in advance of tho forth
coming reunion Atlanta extend.- most
affectionate grec ings to every old sol
dier who donned the gray, and bids him
make ready to enjoy her hospitality.
The American Alliance.
The iullttemcs which bring together
the rival races of earth often have their
origin in unfore.-aen and unpremeditated
incidents.
The ether day when a distinguished
American citizen was invited upon the
floor of the Mexican congress, and was
permitted to address the members, if
presented a scene watch will yet take
it 3 plat e in history a. one of the . -
most importance.
In the enthusiasm which greeted the
presence of Mr. Bryan till the bitterness
which grew out. of the conflicts between
General Scott .“nd Santa Anna departed.
'l’he bloody line, as the Rio Grande
might well be described, was for the
moment wiped out. and the two great
American peoples who inhabit the north
ern continent had come together to form
a union fully as important as that which
ever existed b' tween the allied nations
of Europe.
That a man who was esteemed wor
th” of the votes of ovr (‘>,000,000 Ameri
can freemen, and who is, therefore,
more thoroughly representative ot th*;
nation than any accredited ambassador,
should havo been invited by the defeat
ed nation to speak words of peace and
fraternity upon the floor of its congress,
is an omen of future alliance which has
its mainspring from tho peoples of the
two republics, who feel that their occu
pancy of a common continent is for the
common benefit, and who are ready to
stand together in declaring to the whole
world the inviolability of American ter
ritory and the invincibility of American
statesmanship.
The fact, that, Mr. Bryan will undoubt
edly be the candidate of his party in
the next presidential election, and the
certainty that that party will be success
ful, will place him in a position where
his words of 1897 spoken in the Aztec
capital, will become the declaration of a
more expanded American policy, which
will have all the effect of law.
Industries Migrating Southward.
In commenting upon the migration of
industries The New York Commercial-
Advertiser dwells at some length upon
the tendency to move southward which
the iron and cotton industries of this
country have exhibited in recent years.
With respect to the iron industry the
New York paper observed that its field
has shifted from tho Atlantic coast to
the vicinity of the great lakes and the
southern mountains, where coal amt
iron ore lie in close touch with each
other. While this observant, paper docs
not go so far as to say that the iron in
dustry in the south is still in its infancy,
and that infinite possibilities wait upon
it. in the near future, such is neverthe
less the case; for with the development
of the marvelous re atrees of this sec
tion, the iron industry is bound to in
crease in its proportions. In regard to
the southward migration of the cotton
industry. The New York Commercial-
Advertiser says:
The enormous Increase of cotton mills In
the south from (><17,000 : f.lndtos in ISSO to
4,100,000 now baa been attracting attention
for tho last decade, but It is only within
n. year or two that its effect upon tho New
England industry has be..un to bo antici
pated, and it is only now that practical
demonstration of that effect Is given. Tho
cut of wages in the New England mills, In
tho midst of Increasing industrial prosper
ity, with demand for product in-'tcasing
and raw material lower than for years, Is
a flag of distress, a sign of migration of
the Industry to a more favorable .-cat.
where labor and power arc cheaper, trades
unionism Is le.-s arrogant and •.■•■»•>! aml i ■ w
material are close at hand. The cotton
manufacture ot the country is about io
move to the south, as th” ion industry
moved to the west.
The result will be cheaper production,
low< r pr'ees and a more ext, nd<d market.
Tito larpjst effect of migration of tho iron
imli'.-try was production so che.i;> and prleo
so low that it not only conqU' red the li< ni >
market, but disdained’tariff prot-?c’ion and
Invaded tl.at of the wo.ld. Th' ■■am- ■
suit may be expected in time with < etton.
Tho exiiccted strikes in New England ent
ton mills will announce cheap r cotton
goods and tlo- ••omplcttor of th- riip.ration
of the imitt.'try to tho south will t remise
the long-look' d-for export of our great
south rn product in cloth in.-'toad of bales.
What, is trim of Die iron and cotton
industries will also in time become trite
of other i trit in t ■ ■ ;try, for
Tialii o hmj lavishly endowed the soil
of this section and m; de it the store
house of unlimited possibilities.
The Cotton Seed Industry.
Tho extraordinary growth of the cot
ton seed industry in the south during
the past decade constitutes one of the
most striking features of our industrial
progress since the war.
Ten years :■’’<> the cotton seed was
looked upon wit!': coniompt tts something
which could not be titiliz l ’’! ex.ept for
planting or fertilizing purposes, end
on account of the vast quantity of cot
ton •■■c , t produced, m )st of the > rop
found it.: way hack in o th? soil. Today
the cotton seed is looked upon with ad
m'riiig homaeo. On account of 'its
incK :>-<>d value the farmer cannot aff< ra
to fertilize his soil with it as in Jmes
pa: i, but prefers to haul it into mar
ket, where it becomes tributary to the
cotton seed industry.
Since the bir:h of the cotton seed in
dustry !' ibis section each year has
: iilar.: ■ d Hs growing area and increased
the scope of its possibilitic.;. At. the
present time the fim.-t. quality of salad
oils, compound lard, butterine and other
nroducts a r, ‘ made from cotton seed:
while the w.iste material resulting is
used to fall on cows and hogs for mar
ket. If such results ha . e been accom
plished during the brief period of only
ten years, can anyone limit, tho possi
bilities which the future holds in store
for the cotton seed?
As to tho present size and importance
of firn industry it is estimated that the
toi l w-'~:ht of cotton sc M products
man' factured in the south is fully ei|i: il
to half the weight of the cotton crop.
This 14 something enormous, as the
weight of this year’s cotton crop, on the
basis of 10 11 ’,OOO bales, can hardly fall
short of 5,000,000,900 pounds, making
tl ■ total weight of cotton seed products
menu fact tired not loss than 2,500,000,090
pounds. But there is still room for
much greater expansion. On the au
thority of agricultural experts, it is
s’, ted that the total amount of cotton
seed produce.l yearly is double the
amount of cotton baled; and applying
this ratio to the present crop, it makes
tho an.rrnt of cotton seed aggregate at
least 10,000,000.000 pounds. As the
products manufactured from cotton seed
■->c>.-’te in weight only one-fourth tff
this amount, it is. ' vident that the indus
try as yet consumes only a small per
centage of the cotton seed available.
Although t- '.rioted exclusively to
this section, tho cotton seed industry has
made itself felt in northern and eastern
market.-, ami is destined in time to
stamp its impress upon international
commerce.
Star Route Postal Reform.
Congressman Tate’s measure, which
prev <'c for certain tadica.l changes in
the preseti.t. system of awarding star
route postal contracts, is. fraught with j
beneficent and practical results. In tho
first, place It seeks to break up the stat
route syndica;which are rapidly
coining money at the expense of the gov
ernment; and in the second place, it
seeks to confer better mailing facilities
upon the rural districts.
With tills two-fold object in view it
should meet with the hearty support of
our national law-makers.
What are known as star routes in the
postal regulations of the government
extend mainly throughout the rural dis
tricts, embracing territory which is not
traversed by railways. I’nder the sys
tem of awarding contracts which is now .
observed, parlies other than residents
of the various districts covered by these
routes are permitted to make bids; and
consequently the star route syndicates
which arc now feeding upon the gov
ernment with such voracious appetites,
owe their exisience to slatutory causes.
These syud'entes contract with the gov
ernin’nt to deliver its mail along the
various star routes for certain stipulated
sums, ami then in turn they enter into
contracts with third parties, agreeing
to pay them s«> much less for each route.
Wit bout doing the least particle of work
the ; vi’dicatos are enabled in this way
to put thousands of dollars annually into
their (Offers. Obviously the system
which tolerates such abuses should not
be allowed to exist. If morej- is to
be made from the award of star route
contracts, beyond namable compensa
tion for tho work, why should not this
money be made by the government’
With only half of the revenue which the
star route syndicates derive annually
from the sub-letting of its contracts the
government, could easily afford not only
to give its carriers bettor wages, but
also grant improved mailing facilities
to the rural districts.
The measure proposed by Congress
man Tate aims to cure the defects of the
present: system of awarding contracts
and to save the government the enor
mous sums of money which are now
tributary to the coffers of the star route
syndicates, '(’he measure provides that
star route contracts shall be awarded
to parties residing in the districts
through which the routes extend and
consequently makes it impossible for
syndicate abuses to spring up under the
contract system as a.mended. Congress
man Tate bails from a portion of the
state in which the evils of the present
system are strongly felt, on account ot
the number of star routes in the district.
As I ho measure is general in its scope
and character, applying to every state
and territory in the union, it. should en
list the zealous support of our national
law-makers.
__®
The Coming Industry.
Within the last few years the putting
up of canned goods has become one of
the most, important industries of the
United States. Scattered throughout
this country at the present time there
are not less than 2,000 canneries, repre
senting the enormous capital of $75,-
000,000.
'The industry is divided into four main
branches. First, comes the canning
of food preparations, such as meats,
cereals, soups and the like, in which
branch some 5.000 persons are employed
and capital amounting to $7,000,000 is
represented.
Next comes the canning of fruits and
vegetables. In this important branch
of the industry not less than 00,000 per
sons are employed, while the capita)
represented amounts to $30,000,000. This
branch of the industry is carried on
mainly in Maryland and New York.
Slili another important branch is
concerned with the canning of preserves
and pickles. In this branch ot the in
dustry several thousand persons are em
ployed. As to the eaj tai repr< sent* <l.
it. closely approximates $25,000,000.
Last comes the canning of (tystors,
salmon and other kinds of ti-h. which
employs some 15,000 persons, and repre
sents a capital of $13,000,000. The htud
ships occasiom d by r be-
tween the states greatly stimulated the
canring industry in this country, but
without the least interruption since that
time the industry has steadily grown
Into its present, extraordinary propor
tions. To what extent the south has
shared in thi industrial ( th d<>es not
appear, hut there has, nevertheless, la -a
marked activity in tho canning industry
throughout, this section.
The Pension Scant’al.
if tho people of this country are ever
to escape the spoliation involved in the
increase of the pension list, there mt:.-:
be tin emphatic protest, against it, and
that protest must come from the north.
The so ’ill is somewhat haadteapD’d in
■he matter. \ protest h re, or f nn
sou!it< in loaders in \\ ash in.a,ton, wc'ilu
W(
the government should reward every
soldier who worihily served it. and who
is now physically or final dally unable
to take care of himself. So feeling, the
southern representative.', in (ongre.’- >
have n >t only fay ored ] in dons to soi
die s who really fought for the union,
but have refrained frem protesting
against, the raids which the pension
Sharks have been making in the public
treasury during tho past ten or fifteen
s There are already signs that public
sentiment at the north is beginning to
make itself felt in opposition to the
wholesale spolkiticn that has been go
ing on under < >vcr of the pension bills.
Senator Gallinger, of New Hampshire,
who has. been very m .ive in the pension
business, and who knows all its feat
ures, growled forth a protest the oilier
dayi’and General If. A'. Boynton, a vet
eran of the war and a republican, has
written an article filled wit it unsparing
denunciation of the pension abuses.
We trust that these protests arc fore
runners of an impending storm ot pub
lic indignation which is to arise in the
north. Whether this storm comes as
the result of the fact that the republi
cans are now responsible for the deficit,
or as a protest, against flirt her spolia
tion. will make no difference, so long as
a reform is accomplished. Out of a to
tal of $392,000,000 for all government ex
penses for the etirreu' fiscal year, the
on 1 11 is sl-11,000 000! And ;
$150,000,000 is in sight for next year.
General Boynton says that, if nothing
is dont
be $170,000,000 in tit roe yours! Curious
to relate, .Mr. Dingloy declares that the
increase in the pension bills is due "io
more rapid administration of the pres
ent laws.” But General Boynton, who
Is more familiar with the facts tht-i Mr
Dingley, says that it is due to abuses.
He declares that “if tho pension lists I
could lie printed, every community in j
the land would be disgusted with •■s )
revelations.” Ho says that wealthy
men 'ii largo numbers would bo found
upon it. and the names of b.ottmnds
would bo revealed whose (fisal-llit ;os
worn only
I’he truth seems to be that we are on
the verge of an exposure from the in- I
side that will show the pension swin- ;
dies to be in the nature of a groat na-i
tional scandal.
Brier Rose.
Tt seemed tt lieovenly fragrance gtiido.l me
O’er many a v ; ■■ " ■ ■ i .
I wand’ t’ <1 on, led i'V some unknown
A fairy sp< 11. yet woven for no harm.
I ri tched it lissst w'.” sime>l a magic
hedge
Just on a p.i'.-i’-'o garden s very > dge—
A thlek' t stoc- of tliorns to bir my w -,v
Which only D ■ ' could pass. Th t ■ h tp
py day
I pierced the hedge; then on all sides were
Rich, roy.-’l velvet draperies of 'oven,
A r.n’.i<l' ii’s e i iniber front all eyes to
screen.
The Snell sti'.l led mo to this hidden bow. r -
I paus'd. I entered, and found my llow t.
Ash ep she lay; ■' soft green coverl-d
Half veil'<l her beauty; and but partly hid
The pink and white of her fair face peeped
out.
Bright 'neath tit" '•erdant •'■.-.ipei-ies about—
Sweet maiden face with crown of golden
hair,
Fri sh Ups haJf-(parted waiting for my ■
kiss
Soft rounded chick, rich tinged witli color
rare.
To nt ke h r dream r> ility of bli.-ts.
1 pressi d my lips upon her pink white i
cheek.
And 10. my princess woke, yet did no t
speak,
But smiled upon lite prince; and I—site
know.--.
How 1 tile e.is' le robbed of Brier Rose.
—ABBIE TAKWEDL BHOWN.
“Songs of the Soil”
By FRANK L. STANTON.
The Palace of My King.
I.
Tn a lonely land and far,
’Neat!) a sky without a star,
Eo.' l. t v.-.'indereil, where no way
Led from darkness into day;
Lost. Where wrathful thorns and red
’Round my feet their crimson shed;
Praying lor the light to bring
To tiie pulace of my King.
11.
Then, beneath the hopeless skies,
Sleep kissed down my weeping eyes;
And in dream- the dreary night
Biossoined to a star of light!
Sweet from lilddcn hills and dells
Came a breath, with songs of bells.
“Thesu are they,” I said, “that ring
In tiie palace of my King.”
m.
At my side. In raiment white
As a lily kissed of light,
Stood an angel, starred and bright
As with glory from Hod's sight;
Saying: “Goest thou the way
Where the manger-keepers slay?”
“Nav.” I said, “wimre sweet bells ring
in tiie palace of my King.”
IV.
Then I stood, with myrrh and gem,
At tiie gales of Bethlehem,-
Costly gifts from far, fair lands:
Fa n to kiss tiie King's dear hands;
Deeming all my travail sweet
For one kneeling at His feet.
Yet I heard no sweet bells ring—
Saw no palace for my King!
V.
Tn a manger He was laid,—
Yea. of straw His bed was made!
And a lowly roof and dim
All tiie shelter over Him!
“Suri',” I s id, “no 1- ng is thio
For my prayer and for my kiss!
\‘, t j h.-ard sw.'vl voi(. - sing!
“Lo! tin- palace of tny King!”
VI.
Then, far over hills and dells
pealed tile guidon Bethlehem bells,
While immortal symphonies
('.me in chorus from the skies.
'fill I fell and worshiped tliere—
Crying in the song-thrill.-d air:
“All my love -my life, I. bring
To tin. pal.:- e-of my King!”
VII.
There is never hand to less
Sweeter !•;-in my King's hand Is;
Never palace shone as lair
As His lowly d-.ve.llng there.
And whim dark the way appears—
tVit h its tearfc
Maj I re t, whilo glad bells ring,
In tiie palace of my King!
In Christmas Land.
la :! " beams and gleams came the Chris.-
mas dreams
To tile little children there.
Ami hand In hand, to th" Christmas land
o fair,
They went away in a magic sleigh
That tinkled with silver bells,
e whit ow, one night,
hri tmas dwel s.
Tin y -aw him marshal his soldiers small.
In b.'.i atil'u:, bright brigades;
At the tap »' the drum they saw them
come
With yens and glittering blades.
The littli soldiers wre made of tin,
With painted coats of red,
And they llrllled away, with their banner
By a cute little captain led.
But a’. is! for the King o’ the Christmas
land
And the march that his soldiers made!
For the < sed in their very
<> th. dolls were on dress parallel
And they i-niili d so sweet al the sold.ers
brave—
Each beautiful, fairy doll,
Thej- dropped their guna for the smile they
An’ ran away with them all!
But—sueb Is the wonder of Chrlstmts
land—
Whim :n the morning light
The children woke Irom the Christm is
dreams.
There stood the soldiers bright;
And the dolls v. ere smiling their sweet' t
smiles.
An.l they .- lid: 'T'r .ii our land so true
The soldiers brought us a thousand miles
To the horn .- and the lie; rts of you!”
The Christmas Children.
The little folks at our house—they talk
like anything
'Bout Santa Claus’ c<. n:n', an’ what he's
gain' to bring;
Au' it. .tlier never has to scold, or tell 'em
’bout the noise—
They’r,- just tl >■ sw> etest little girls—the
best o’ little boys!
’Cause why? They know that Santa Claus
knows < \ er'thir.g they do,
An’ while he's loadin' up his sleigh he's
v.'.itehin' of 'em, too!
An’ th ; m that minds their mother, they
gets the most o' toys—
Thiy’r.- just tl." sweetest little girls—the
best o' little Loys!
They've just been wiltin’ letters to Santa
t'latts each day,
An’ t' lliii' him just what they want, an’
showin' him the way
To where our house is, so's he’ll know just
where to leave the toys
For just the sweetest little girls—the best
o’ little boys!
They're longin’, longin’, longin’ fer tne
days an' nights to go.
An' till o' them are happy, an’ they make
their mother so!
She never has to scold 'cm, or tell 'em
'bout the noise—
’Cause they’re, the sweetest little girls—tl.®
best o' little boys!
The Christinas Waifs.
Fer little brother her<, an’ me
11 ain’t no ha tpy day:
Wo don't havo any Christmas tree
Since our folks went away.
Fer Santa Claus don’t come no inure
To little children that's so poor.
He likes the ones that wear good elozc—
Jes’ loves 'em anyhow!
1 wonder if our mother knows
How bad ho treats us now?
He don’t love folks with cloz.e so thin,
An' roofs where rain conies boatin' in!
Yet little brother says to me:
1 mustn’t talk like that:
It mly b God'll look an’ seo
The pin.- we're I vin' at;
An' if wo love Him night an’ <1 iv
He’ll show His Santa Claus the way
Tiie Sweeter Music.
In tho Christmas time
Sweeter tho bells in the steeples chime;
Or is it the voices of children tint m. <s
Tho fhusic in hearts which their silence
would break?
O sweeter In cities and shadowy dolls
The- voices of children than music ot b-Us!
In the Christmas time
The bells swing their sweetest in chime
and in rhyme;
Or Is it the voice of children tli.it ring
Our hearts to the roses that reddened
youth’s spring?
O swietcr o'er all of earth’s sorrows and
wrongs
Tho voices <>f children than sora-uhim »">’ ,sa l