davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

We are surprised that journal usually so
fair and judiciouS as the New York Eceaihg
Past, should, in its remarks upon the propos.
ed amendments TO the postal law, indulge in
remarks like the following:
AS to the newspaper postage clause, it Is
merely bait TO the journals which subsist
precaIiously upon the public advertising, and
which in turn are expected TO regulate public
opinion, so that il may acquieScc finally in
the revival OF tho old ranking system in lis
fullest extent.
Not one country press in five hundred has
a dollars worth of public advertising where
the Er,Hil,g Post has thousand nor are
members of congress fools enough TO believe
they can buy up the country press with such
sop to support the iranking abuse, which
has always met more intelligent and persist
cnt opposition from the country than the pre-
tentious city press. The country press dc
mand this local free circulation in the
mails, first, because it is unjust 10 tax news
papers carried but iew miles in the mails
the same that city papers twice as large are
taxed that are carried thousand miles; and
secondly, they demand it as an equivalent ior
the free delivery which is accorded both to
letters aud newspapers in cities, 1t an expense
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
THE OLD ABoLITIONIsTs.

The 'mutual admiration" gathering OF the
old abolitionists at Chicago which adjourned
last evening after four days session, was at.
tended by less than two hundred, though
rather interesting in its proceedings. They
were conducted very much on the plan OF
one of our Old Settlers gatherings, each one
in his turn bringing up "reminiscences of the
olden time and telling his experience, being
of course careful to duly magnify the part
acted by the narrator. Vice President Will
son was not present to take the chair, being
kept at home on account of his mother-in.
law not feeling very well and Gen. Chatham,
one of the vice presidents, took his place.
Among those in.attendance Ottawa is credited
with but two, Daniel Brown and Rev. f. Bias
com. Among the more active in attendance
apparently are such venerable semi-martyrs
to the cause as Il. Eastman, d. l.. Hough, DIR,
Blanchard, w. d. Fyfe, A. j. Grover, c. G.,
Burleigh, Judge Williams, and half dozen
of Chicago amt Wisconsin clergymen. OF
the old stagers, those whose names have real
~ become historic in connection with the
agitation, the Rev. VIM. Goodell
now of GAINESVILLE, Wis, is almost the only
one present. Such old heroes as Jas. W. AL
den, editor OF the Emaacipator; Francis Gil
lett, Liberty Senator from Connecticut; Chas
Francis Adams, son of John Quincy Adams,
a somewhat noted abolitionist in his day; T.
w. HIgginson, Wendell Phillips, Fred. Doug
lass, Elizur Wright, j. G. Whittier, j. F.
Farnsworth, with hosts of others still alive
that might be named, none were present, and
those named only sent regrets The meeting
must have been somewhat disappointing,
in spite Of its many otherwise pleasant and
interesting features, ON account of such
notable list of abscntees.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
THE WISCONSIN RAILROAD WAR.

There Is quite Il turmoil in Wisconsin in
regard to the railroad law passed by the leg
islature OF tina, state last winter known as the
Potter Bill The bill undertakes to fix maxi
mum rates of fares and freights, like the law
in this state, and otherwise to place the roads
under legislative control While all the
roads in the state are alike affected by the
law, and equally interested and anxious by
legal decision or otherwise to defeat its oper.
alton, the job Of fighting the law appears, by
common consent, to have been put upon the
| Chicago and Northwestern K. H., the circum-
stance of part of its road and its head quar-
tiers being located out OF the state enabling it
more readily to get its cases in the |. ,,
Courts in preference to the State Courts for
trial.
The law was to take effect, we believe, on
the 1st of May; but as in this state two years
ago, the railroads started out by setting it at
defiance, having fortified themselves before
hand with the so called Opinions but
which IN reality were but labored arguments,
of Judge Curtis, late Of the L. s. Supreme
Court, and W. N. Evarts, OF New York, toI
the effect that the law was unconstitutional.
Gov. Taylor, Of Wisconsin, however, unaw,
ed by these pompous opinions" issued al
proclamation telling the railroad companies
enforced, and he proposed to do his duty
though it compelled him TO bring into requi.
siton the whole mighty regular army and
navy of the state with all its volunteers and
propose to wait and see first whether the
courts would decide the law constitutional or
not. Should the decision il the end be adj
verse to the law, there would then be ample
time to settle the little damages the roads
might sustain by reason Of Its enforcement.
SO the war goes on. People get on to the
cars and when the conductor comes around |
cents mile, they pay him 3
cents, and pitch HIM off if he grows obstrcp-
,rous or insuting and when freight has
oeen carried, the people pay the legal rates
hough but halt what the roads demand, and
hen let the roads commence suit, if they want
more; and when they commence suit, the To-
al courts invariably decide against heroads.
The Northwestern road, however, by its ad,
'antage already referred to, has got its cases
nto the L. S. Courts, and doubtless decision
here will go far to settle the question.
The chances in favor of the L. S. Supreme
court sustaining the law, however, are highly
avorable. One advantage Wisconsin has
yer Illinois, in her railroad legislation, is,
hat the constitution of that state, before any
1 the charters of her railroads were granted
sserted for the state legislature the right, at
ny future time TO alter, amend or repeal any
f the charters so granted. While we believe
1 Illinois, that by the principles of common
Nv and universal equity, the state has right
} regulate and control corporations of its
wn creation, so far, at least, as to protect the
eoplc against eXtor,ion and injustice, the
tate of Wisconsin stands on a higher vantage
round in the fight, by having carefully re-
'rved that right TO the fullest extent before
and
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

WHIT a BANNER TnNKs-The CHICAGO
Iaaustrt1I Age is advised from reliable
source, that prominent banker of tina, city
has received a letter from one OF the heayies,
railroad men in this country, within the past
week, in which the gentleman said the Far.
ners' Movement had done much good. Il,
had, he said, already stimulated the courts 10
decide against watering stocks, and would
soon compel the passage of such laws as
would protect the stock holders IN railroads
from being swindled by rings and directors
In such event, the stocks of railroads would
be among the most safe and reliable invest
menis that could be made, and they would
appreciate and be anxiously sought. "Tell
the farmers Of the West 10 60 on in their
good work. They will, by perseverance, &c,
tie reduction in rates 10 which they are en-
titled, and, by stopping stealing, get honest
men again TO take charge Of the business OF
railroads, and horeS, iacn in the public posi-
ions Of The country"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

North Carolina has passed the most string
ent liquor law Of any. 1t provides that any
person who manufactures, sells or deals in
spirituous liquors, as drink of any name or
kind, containing foreign properties or ingre-
diepts poisonous to the system, shall be pun
ished with five years imprisonment in the
peniten,iary As alcohol, even taken in
small quantities, is professionally poison.
Gus to the system" to say nothing Of tusil oil
and other poisonous and foreign properties
that are contained in greater or less quaint
ties in all liquors, i: is doubtful whether any
intoxicating drink can be made that wouldn't
come under the ban of such law
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

During the exhibition of Forepaugh'>
show at Mendoza on Tuesday a furious rain
storm arose, drenching the people with water
and converting the ring into mud puddle.
Yet the performance went on, the actors turn
ing sommersaults IN the mud, and the steeds
wading knee deep in the mirc. The two ele.
plants, Romeo Jr., and Annie made their
escape during the night from their keeper
One was recovered In the west part of the
city and the other was captured near Knox
Grove
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

Hon, Charles B. Lawrence, who was de.
les'ed Tor Supreme Judge by the farmers n
year ago last spring, is the attorney for the
northwestern railroad, and makes the motion
;or the United States District Court to assume
l u OF the eases instituted by the
'Ia AZ, Oh Wisconsin, against that road.
"hen Judge Lawrence was defeated one
OF the railroad dailies denounced !, as ma
result OF brute force Tine will devclonc
VINO was tAe nearest correct, the people or
the ne~spapers.-iadWstria Age.
ms snei'her dignifed nor manly. Judge
Lawrence is private individual, urac,icinr
law ioE a living, and has an unouestionable
figA' 10 engage on any side in lawsuit h,
p.eases when the parties desiring his service
are willing 10 pay for them VIVA, he ma,
choose to regard them as worth. Such nett,
meannesses are degrading to the press
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

ACAicago Times correspondent, into whose
ear royalty delights TO pour its confidence,
says that Queen Victoria made inquiries re.
gaTding SarL and wrote to the president in
doFsihg him This was truly gracious. The
least the president can do is to hunt up Ike
" husband for poor little Beatrice. Perhaps
II Lieutenant Colonel Fred were appointed
opAe Of Montana, prince Of Posey country,
fellow q! the !. NJ. c. A., and commander.in.
chief Of the eolored troops, he might answer
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

ANOTHER ExToRTIoN SUIT,-In the Alex.
ander Circuit Court, at Cairo, on Monday, in
the case of the H. Railroad Commissioners
vs. the Central r. r., for eXtortonate freight
charges, Judge Baker decided in favor Of
the Commissioners, holding the railroad law
to be constitutional There were 81 counts
in the declaration, 10 of which were sustain
ed The suit against the road is for 500, 900
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
CANAL TOLLS.

Do our merchants and shippers generally
know that within a week or two important
reductions have been made in the tolls upon
the canal? Tolls on lumber have been re-
duced 20 cents per 1000 feet, and on leading
articlee of merchandise from 33 10 80 per
cent. Under the reduced rates it is believed
that merchandise can be transported by canal
at rates that will more than compensate Eier-
chants tor the tardiness of the route as com
pared with railroads. There Is no good rea-
son why our canal should not be crowded
with boats, and this action of the board can
not fail to contribute largely to such result
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

lNDIANA.-A state convention of the far
mers or Independents of Indiana, numbering
ABOUT ooO delegates. met at Indianapolis on
wednesday, and nominated strong anti
monopoly state ticket 10 be supported by the
new party at the next election. The platform
Is vigorous protest agains, railroad monop.
Oily anu tariff spoliation, and against the cor
rupiion that has crept into our politics, and
embodles an energetic demand for reform
but is marred by an absurd resolution on the
currency question, which, whatever it may
mean, is conceived in the language of the
widest and crates: imitation theorists.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
EUREKA COLLEGE CoMMENcEMENT-The

EUREKA COLLEGE COMMENCEMENT Inc
anniversary exercises of this institution ioca-
ted at Eureka, Woodford county, Ill, occur
red last week. As reported by the Woodford
.youjnal they consisted of exhibitions byiour
societies: The Excelsior, consisting ofladies
only. the Edmund Burke and Periclesian, of
both ladies and gentleman, and the Mathesi-
an, of gentleman only.-on commencement
day six degrees were conferred; and the adj
dresses by the graduates, two OF whom were
ladies, are highly commended. The address
by President A. NJ Weston possessed great
merit IN scholarly point Of view.
The announcement was made that the Col
Iere was entirely tree from debt: with rap
idly increasing endowment fund, popular
administration, large and steadily growing
attendance, commodiaus buildings, beautiful
location, and encouraging prospects gener-
oil
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

The Mendoza artesian well, at last accounts
was 2O36 feet deep, and the tax payers were
to vote On Monday whether the woik should
he continued. For the last 200 feet, the water
has risen about one foot TO every additional
20 feet in depth. At that rate the well mus,
be 5000 feet in depth TO get flowing water.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

Last week we mentioned, in brief para
graph, that parties in Rockford had com
menced suit against the Chicago Times for
libel, laying their damages at $4,000. Or.
dinarily libel suits spring from such absurd
or unworthy motives, that very little mpor-
lance attaches TO them, and we passed this
over as probably worthy of no further re.
mark but subsequent developments show
that the case has about it some unusual and
atrocious features. The libel consisted in the
publication by the Times of sundry letters
from Rockford, charging upon a highly re-
spectacle citizen named Crawford and a
Miss Early, daughter Of Senator Early, and
a lady noted no less for her beauty and ac-
complishments than for her modesty and pur.
ity of character, disgraceful and degrading
criminal intimacy. No less than four letters
from apparently as many responsible and re-
spectacle business men of Rockford, had been
written TO the Times making these charges,
upon the strength of which the Times greedily
published the SANDER as choice bit of SEN
sational scandal. But for once the Times, in
its pruricncy of sensational nastness, was
overreached, The prompt response it got
from Rockford was u summons to answer in
this suit for libel, upon which the Times sent
an emissary there tollook into the matter. The
emissary, when he got tic the Forest City,
opened his eyes half foot wide to discover
the state of feeling. The people were nearly
ready to tear him TO pieces, and as for the
Times, nobody in town was willing to touch
a copy even with pair of toncs. The fact
was soon made plain that the Tu,.es had been
badly sold The four letters, signed by re.
spectacle citizens of Rockford, etc, were for.
geries. and the whole story pure fabrication
The emissary telegraphed his discovery to
Story, epon which he was instructed to make
the most obsequious apology, and to offer
$1,000 reward for the discovery of the forger
80 the matter rests Whether the iorger Is
discovered, and if so what of its the future
= must decide. Meantime the Times deserves
all lis humiliation and punishment besides fol
us eagerness to publish SO nasty arecltal
! 'housh IT should have been true.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

DESTROYED BY A WHIRLwIND.-Ihe town
of Tompico, on the Mendoza and Clinton
branch of the c., b. Il Q. Railroad, in White
side county, a town of about 100 houses and
200 inhabitants, was last Saturday night al
most totally swept away by whirlwind.
About IL o'clock at night heavy storm was
observed coming up from the west, when an
other dark cloud was observed approaching
from the north 1t had commenced raining
slightly, when the two storms met, and IN an
instant, every house in the village was either
totally torn to pieces and scattered, or at
least rendered untcnabe Most of the peo-
pie were in bed al the time, yet strange 10
say, nobody was killed, and but hall dozen
injured. The district dcsolaied 10y the storm
was not over 10 rods wide and half mile
long. Unfortunately the village was IN ABOUT
the center Of 1t. The pecuniary loss is esti-
mg'ed at $4,000.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
GRANT ON RESUMPTION.

President Grants veto of the Merrlmoh
currency bill, "a few weeks ago, was IN ltseIi
sufficiently disturbing element nearly 10
drive the radical politicians at Washington
who are so intensely concerned for the integ-
rity of the party, to distraction. But BY show
ing that after all it was doubtful whether
the bill meant initiation or contraction they
temporarily averlcd the danger by putting on
"A forced air of Indifference. The delusiYe
calm thus secured, however, has been rudely
broken up by IL letter which the President a
week ago wrote to Senator Jones, of Nevada,
and which that gentleman obtained permits
sion to publish. That letter, in plain English,
means square declaration Of war by Grant
against the nflationists, and as such, in the
light of maintaining the integrity of the rad
ical party has produced that state of affairs
which common paIlancc describes with more
force than elegance as "hell TO pay and no
pitch hot" The manifesto" it is generally
agreed, means division, or, in stronger and
more correct terms, dissolution of the re.
publican party, the antintlationists adherlng
to Grant, and the rest joining Q. p. Morton
and John A. Logan's "new party Mr.,
Grants letter :, too lengthy for insertion here,
but the following, which we copy from the
Chicago Times, is a very correct synopsis Of
it, The Presidents financial plan contem-
plates:
/. The repeal Of the legal.tender act, the
repeal to take effect about one year from the
present time. . Resumption by the treasury
one year after the repeal of the legaltender
act, the coin tor that purpose to be obtained
by selling bonds bearing sufficiently high
rate of interest to command par in gold. 3.
The complete retirement and destruction Of
all circulating notes of less denomination
than ten dollars, within two years after re-
the bills under five dollars being
retired during the first year and the remain.
ing bills under ten dollars during the second
year 4. The collection of an excess of rev.
enue over expenditure, by economy, and by
increased taxation, it necessary, in order to
reduce the debt and the interest charge, and
provide coin for the resumption of notes In
order to force redemption upon the banks, the
president would make all taxes payable in
coin or United States notes after resumption
by the treasury. With that safeguard against
undue expansion, he thinks it would be safe
10 authorize free banking.
The Times, with most of the antiinflation
organs, naturally critlcses and finds fault
with this plan for many reasons which will
suggest themselves to most persons; yet while
few of the early resumptionists might agree
with Grant in the details of his plan, ii looks
very much as If parties in this country were
'apidly arraying themselves on one side or
he other Of this question, and that the oppos-
ne leaders may yet be Morton and Grant
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

Brother Moody, who some years ago desert
ed his cobbler's bench to go into the high
ways and byways of Chicago to convert the
heather, found the job bigger one proba
bly, than he had anticipated, or possibly, as
a local paper suggests, that "the amount Of
hell in the average Chicagoan was not more
than was necessary to a cheerful, active eXis
tence :" at all events, he deserted that field
and sailed for Scotland, where, uniting with
one Brother Sanky, famous exhorter and
solo singer, this greatest religious comblna-
ton of the nineteenth century" is meeting
with success in outstanding, or at least
Moody-Sankeyizlng, the wild heather at
rate that makes Sawney open his eyes like
saucers. But while meeting with such I'M
bounded success among those far off island
ers, Brother Moody has played cruel joke
on couple of unsophisticated Scotch evan
gelists, named respectively Barber and Cor
don, whom he has deluded into coming all
the way from Edinburgh to Chicago to con
vert heather whom Brother Moody himself
had found invulnerablc OF course they are
in despair at the job before them. What
with Swing and Patton and Cheney, her
crusaders and Sunday process
sions and picnics, these calow EdiEburghers
can hope to effect by pitching into such
frenzied mob, Is in itself problem to drive
1,nn
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

1t was the Duke of Brunswick that made
the city of Geneva, in Switzerland, happy by
dying and willing it most of his property !;
but San Francisco has u more sensible citi-
zen, one James Lick, who makes the city
happy by deciding itall his immense property
in his lifetime, so that he can see and share
its happiness. HE gives 100000" says a
San Francisco paper, "for the construction of
the largest and best telescope in the world for
the observatory at Lake Tahoe; $4,000 for
public monuments; $4,000 tor public baths
in this city; 100000 for the Old Ladies'
Home; 10000 to the Society for the Protec
ton of Animals; $4,000 to the Ladies' Pro
lection Relief Society $4,000 to the Me
chanics Library $4,000 to the Protestant Or
phan Asylum $4,000 for the erection of a
bronze monument to the author of the Star
Spangled Banner" in Golden Gate Park;
100000 for the endowment of school of
mechanical arts in California, and the resi-
due in in excess of $t,,sO,OO0 to the Pioneers
Society.
ale makes ample provision for his relatives
and reserves $25,000 per annum for himself"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

fifty times greater in proportion than this
trfling free delivery in the country would
T.,
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

Mr James A. Weston was elected Cover
nor of New Hampshire on the Sd by the leg
islature, the democrats having clear major
ity of thirty.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
Our Clubbing.

We are prepared to club The FREE TRADER
with the following publications, furnishing
both at the prices named The offer is open
to old subscribers or new at any post once
the country:
FREE TRADER and Chicago Weekly Times. s30o
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13
A GOOD BEGINNING.

Secretary Bristow is doing finely in the
treasury department. He has difficult task
to perform, in restoring among his subordi-
mates the sense of responsibility and the re-
cogntion of authority which they had almost
wholly lost under bls predecessor, yet he has
already accomplished great deal in this d.
rcction. Every official who has come in con-
tact with him has been made to feel the new
spirit which governs the department. So
says an enthusiastic correspondent at least.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-13

There is quite strong probability that the
tax on sugar will be restored. good many
senators favor the proposition. It said that
the Louisiana sugar interest needs this pro
lection; that sugar is 10 cheaper since the
abolition of the tax, and that as soon as our
government struck it of the Cuban govern
mcnt put it on.