davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
CHEAP MONEY.

TLocc who clamor so loudly at the west !oi
"chcap money" meaning paper money that
is deprecated to from - to 40 per cent. be-
law par, are neither farmers, business men
or working men, but reckless spectators who
have corner lots to sell and want to get up
another ezra of specuiation.' They care
nothing about the inevitable smash-Up by
which such eras are always followed, as the
ruined ones are generally poor people, while
the big operators have made their pile and
"lit out"
But aside from the wholesale robbery OF
these grand eras of speculation, has the ordi-
nary farmer, business CT working man ever
sat down and calculated how much tins vari'
able, tluctuating, ever changing paper cur
rency is costing him? Take familiar eX-
ample: Last December gold was worth in
New York 9i5 in greenbacks. Two months
ago gold was 113i5, or four per cent, higher
This was owing entirely to the strength the
intlatoniSts showed in congress, making il
probable that they would succeed in further
adulterating the currency. Now from the
1st of December last up to the 1st Of April,
the actual consumption OF foreign products
in this country was in round figures $780,
OOO, 900, to which must be added tariff duties
$55,000000 and freight Sl00O0,OOO, all in
gold, swelling the grand total TO $265, OOO0 900,
mainly necessaries, such as sugar, coffee, tea,
clothing, woolens, &c. In order to pay this
sum in gold the people had to raise $500, 49,
900 in grecnbaCks. or S35,,15OOO premium.
But if this initiation swindle had not been agi-
tated, and gold had stood at 100, as in Decem-
Der, the people instead of paying $35,715,OOO
premium, would have paid but $50, 10000,
or $l0,600,0O0 less. A pretty round sum
for the amusement of casing about the cur
rency.
But this four pc: cent, or ten millions in
tour months, is but a small part of the cost
of our tluctuating currency. The price of
gold is constantly fuctuatng, varying, as on
the famous black Friday, from 60 per cent,
down to 0. Now the New York importer,
who buys foreign teas, coffee, sugar, silks,
woolens &c, pays IN gold, but must sell for
grcenbaCks, and must therefore fix his prices
to the country or retail dealer so as to cover
this entire tluctuation, for when his pay day
comes he must buy the gold whether the pre-,
mum be 0 or 20. So in fixing his price to
the country merchant or local retail dealer,
he puts on enough TO cover this tluctuation,
the general average being about ) per cent.
which is exactly the additional cost we pay
tor every article Of foreign importation the
people of this country consume, more than
they would pay if we had gold or stable
currency,-certainly not less than SejOOO,00O
a year. What a glorious thing this "chcGp'
money is, to be sure!
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

Weston, the .lrst Democratic Governor
New HanlD shire has had in sixteen years
was inaugarated Last week, and in his mes
sage, which was read TO thc Legislature, Il,
mainly discusses local topics. The only
topic OF general interest TO which he gave
especial attention was Temperance, in refer.
ence to V'hich dc declared it as his be,
lief that entire prohibition was against
public sent ment, and this: careful, inst
and rational liceRcc law %old be respected
arc cbeyed. IIewas in faTcr Of prudent and
sensible leg islatiGn on the subject of ardent
spirits. The Democratic party was e liberal
party, and never gould, while it remained
rreto It's principles, seek TO Cypress one per.
tier O. "a people fGe the .beGeft or grati6ca-
tion @. anoiier. Temperance, morality and
virtue were creatures of enlightenment and
advancement, and tae fewer proscriptive Laws
there were passed thc better OF a communit"
or cOrntry " Ould lie. -"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

TIE HuY rene Court CT Illinois has Jus;
filed opinions in several important cases ar
guea before theHl at the January term al
Springfield. Among them is the case of Por-
ter Ts. The Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis
R. r., involving the right of the State Board
Of Equalization 10 assess tie capital stock Of
corporations in addition to their visible prop
erty. The Court held that the capital stock
isrightly assessed but that;he separate shares
only owned by persons residing in this
state car he assessed, The Court also sustain
Ihepowcr of'the state Board to make orisi-
ma asseasments-tha is, 70 supply omissions
Of local assessors
Another cascis that Of Ramsey VS.. Harger,
IL which the railway and law of1SG0, faGnil
iaNly known as The "grab law, is declared to
be unconstitutional.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

PLANO.-FOr 4 quiet village, largely set
tied by division of antipoy-gamic Nor
mons, said to be the most exemplary OF that
sect, and otherwise by a church going, intel
| ligent rural population, Plano, Dekalb coun
", Illinois, can give us about as robust and
vigorous specimens Of rowdyism as any town
in Texas or Nevada. The Yorkville Record
in It's weekly letters from Plano, gives II:
frequent entertaining rcctals like the follow
ing:
! The past week has again been an evcntul
one in Plano, and anarchy and the devil have
! held high carnival with the rowdy element
who are allowed to take possession OF the
streets and sidewalks and attack any and all
whom they chance to meet who do not be
long to the whisky ring.
| On Wednesday evening several ladies were
| insulted with vile epithets and obscenity, run
against, pelted with stones, etc, by drunken
set of rowdies, to whom no provocation what
ever had been given. Mrs. Moore was hit no
less than three times with stones one OF
which was thrown with such violence as to
hurt her severely Mr. A. E. Steward was
hit in the forehead with stone, making a
cut which bled profusely and swelled badly,
but proved to be only flesh wound
On Saturday evening, after the temperance
meeting, the ladies called at Munch's saloon
to see what was going on, but had been there
but short time before Mrs. Moore was VIC
lently pushed off the sidewalk ; and when she
resented by telling him not TO do that again, he
assaulted her like u tiend, attempting to strike
her, but was prevented by Mr.. Otis Latham
and G.. II. Steward, who, ia turn, were attack
ed by the whole gang of rO~dies, causing a
general melee, during which Mrs. Latham
was Knocked io~B and her hat torn off by
Hardin. Asthqha$ could not be found, it is
supposed that'is:waStaken by the brave" in
place OF the scalp which he tried but failed
to get Mrs..G. H.Stcward was also roughly
handled by this same rough, but escaped in
Jury. When the excitement had partially
subsidized, some of the ladies wished to 60
across the way, and to do so must encounter
such a throng that they chose to take the
street and pass around the crowd, but had
proceeded but few steps when a stone was
thrown, striking Mrs. Moore on the head,
just above the temple, intlicting an ugly
wound and nearly crushing the skull. She
was taken 10 the drugstore and DIR. Allen
called, who dressed the wound and made her
as comfortable as possible, when she was tax
en- to her home The police constable was
ear at hand, but he affirms that he has been
instructed by the President OF the Board to
make no arrests of parties in cases of distur-
Dances growing out of the temperance aSi'a-
ton.
If any moderate sized town lacks devlish-
ness enough for an active, vigorous, health
full existence, there is plenty TO spare in ia
no.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
RoCT GOING BACK

i The Ottawa Repn1sout shows 50 macl
anxiety To place the FREE TRADER III oppo
sition to the Independent party, as to ind'
cate that the editor is afraid that party may
hurt somebody Take from the Independents
all democratic support and the republican
combination imagine the latter would have
an easy time of it,
But the republicans are destined TO griev
Gus disappointment. There are no democrats
in this part of Illinois wild enough 70 enter
tain the idea of recognizing the scattered
forces Of the democratic party, to make bat
tie against the independents, differing as
they do with them only on IL single negative
point of the platform. Such democratic
organization would lack at least one element
without which the FREE TRADER could give
| it no encouragement-"a reasonable prospect
of success"
1t is true, we should greatly prefer to sup
port party that possessed the manlness &c
take square ground in favor of an honest
currency. zone currency for the govern
ment, the people, the laborer and the office
holder, the pensioner and the soldier, the
producer and the bondholder." But as there
| is no such party in the field in Illinois, We
are compelled to take the next best thing-a
party that leaves il an open question for fu
ture decision, and is right on all other essen
tial points; rather than to help retain lis
grip on the public purse, that other party
which after making so many and such often
repeated solemn pledges to bring the gov
eminent back to a sound currency and specie
payment at the earliest day, now, when tina,
most desirable consummation is within their
very grasp, resolve to put off the day indeti,
nitely by favoring initiation in the worst form
through the unlimited issue of national bank
notes.
The Ottawa Republican, up to the holding
of the Springfield convention, called itself a
hard money paper, opposing initiation, and
favoring such legislation by Congress MS
should at least hasten return TO specie pay
mcnt But since that convention, it fops
over to the other side and now yelps for more
national bank rags and no reduction ofgreen
backs. The FREE TRADER is not of that
sort. Entertaining an honest and profound
conviction that initiation means robbery, and
and that no nation can prosper or have an
honest government or do business on honest
principles that has tiuctuating and dis
honest currency, the FREE TRADER will sup
port that party which, being right on other
questions, is least Objectionable on that funda
metital issue whether it be the Independent
or any other party.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

APPALLING CATAsTRoPHE.-On Tuesday
evening an appalling catastrophe occurred
at Syracuse New York. A strawberry fes.
tiyal was being held in the 'parlors" of the
Central Baptist Church, when without any
premoniton, thefloor gave way, precipita.
ting several thousand people into the base
ment rooms below. The rooms underneath
were also full of people at the time, and the
crash was terrific. Fourteen dead bodies
were taken out of the ruins during the night,
and over 200 were more or less injured, of
whom many more will probably die. There
are said 10 have been ten thousand persons
in the building at the time of the accident,
and the whole city is in mourning
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

Prot, Wise, Che aera1aut, has an article in
q Fhila6elpLis paper, in which he elbows
more pluck u2n lie did in the affair Of the
Hraph!c balloon, last summer, Cor he boldly
attacks tie utility Of lightning rods and thus
~ctes tie whdle terrible race o. lightning
rod men In supported his si&e ofthc ques-
tor, he nGrrates several instances in recent
gFea, storm in .Eiladellhi wllec buildings
we're struck by lightning though apparently
.vunaantly protected by "metaln. conduc-
tors presenting polished points 10 heaven
Doubtless the freaks Of lsghtning are often
such "a to DEFY any human conference to
Fcuu7cnt Il en-, bat no fat is easier of de
@oasuation than that sincet he general intro.
euc'ieO of Lightning rods the casualties BY
!ightnlng have been diminished to zone in
ten compared with amelightcing rod times.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

The name of Col. w. T. Dowdail, edilor OF
the Peoria National Democrat, is faVoraDiy
mentioned by the press in connection WIN 'he
Congressional nomination for that district.
If the people of the Peoria Congressional
district wish a representive in Congress who
is sound on the issues involved III Inc strus
gle between the monopollsts and the people
let them elect Col. Dowdali: For the last
twenty wears we have recognized him as one
of the truest and ablest men oil me state: lie
is Invariably right in shaping his political
action and is in no way tiDctured with old
foeyism. Such men are needed In Congress
at the present time to aid in restoring the
government to its former prosperity and great
ness. Joliet Signal.
As Dowdall belongs to the tribe OF infa'
tionists, and is therefore on the great imam
cial issues in accord with Logan, Oglesby and
the late Republican State Convention We
don't see why the Signal, which claims 10 De
a democratic journal, should take stch a
deep interest in his political welfare
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

Theodore Tilton has again stirred up the
Beecher.Tiltcn stink, by publishing seven,
column letter in the Golden Ass giving com
pete hstoyy Of his trouble with the pastor of
Plymouth church He says Instead Of hav-
ing slan&ered Beecaer, the boot is on the
other leg, fGd thGt lie will bear it no longer
lie charges BeeoEer with an otlense against
him which he WIZ not name, and hints at
other oFeEses BY the same-par'y The letter
will doubtless create another profound sen
eatiORn
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
GRANT SURRENDERs.
and no les,

The good Of the party" finally brought
Grant to terms. The radicals in Congress
dared not adjourn and go before the people
without having passed some kind of measure
on the currency question, and some measure,
too, to appease the supposed clamor of the
west for more currency. SO, after infinite Ia,
Dor and squabbling, they cooked up the bill
which finally passed and which contemplatcs
an addition Of $j2,000,000 of national bank
paper to the currency, and Grant has signed
it! after having vetoed another bill, because
its tendency was in the direction of initiation
though at the very most il could not have
added over S30,000,000 to the currency
That surrender seemed TO extinguish in
Grant every other manly instinct II was
followed up Immediately by the outrage of
appointing Boss Shepherd to the head of the
commission for the provisional government
of the District Of Columbia. Nothing could
be more congeuIal to his old time radical IN.
stincts than this. Shepherd is man after
Grants own heart. He was the head.thicf
and scoundrel-in-chie of the District ring,
hat stole $i50000OO in three years. Boss
Tweed was novice 10 Shepherd. Grant ev.
identity admires greatness wherever he secs
it, and in Boss" Shepherd he met the great
est OF living thieves! anything for the good
OF the Oariylr
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

PRoHIBITIoS STATE CoNyESTIoS.-Every
body in the state OF Illinois believing in alb
solute prohibition as a plan TO suppress the
sale and consumption of intoxicating drinks
and TO cxterminate the vice of drunkenness
is invited TO go to Bloomington on the Both
inst and participate IN grand Mass Con
vention and Jubilee" and 10 nominate can
didates to be supported by the prohibitionis,s
for state officers, congress, Legislature, &c.
AL the railroads touching Bloomington will
return persons attending the convention at
oneffih fare. Throttle the wretch and
down with The 5ram shops, is our motto"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
CHICAGO & PADUCH r. K,

IhIs railroad, which has been IN process
of construction for the past three years, was
on Tuesday completed to Altamont, where
in combination with road running cast
ward from ST. Louis it forms a new and at
tractive route from Chicago to ST. Louis, pass
ing over the c. b. & Q. from Chicago via
Aurora and the beautiful Fox River Valley
to Ottawa, crossing the river here, and thence
by the way of Streator, Pontiac, Windron
&c, to Altamont. and thence to st. Louis
At first blush this looks like Il round about
way to get from Chicago to st. Louis, but
take look at the map, and you will see that
the distance from Chicago to St. Louis by
this route is greater only by few miles than
by the Chicago IL Alton route, while it is
through an infinitely more attractive re
gion Freight and passenger Cars are to be
put upon the route at once, and the road,
aside from its heavy way business, i. soon
expected to do also a good through business.
For this road rs most of our Ottawa read.
ers are aware, the people along its line are
entirely indebted TO the energy and pluck of
Col. W. II. W. Cushman, Col. Plumb, David
Strawn, now deceased), and possibly one or
two other individuals. They have pushed it
through in spite of the panic last fall and the
general collapse Of all similar enterprises,
and now have road which they know will
prove one of great importance to
the public and it is hoped profitable TO its
builders. 1t is road in which Ottawa has
an especial interest 1t gives Us a direct
route 10 the SOUTH as well as u choice of
routes to the east, and opens to our manufac-
tureis vast country east of the Illinois Cen
trail Railroad and west of the State line, to
which they had hitherto had no access.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

SwING.-We have been piled with circulars
for several weeks past from couple of rival
publishing firms in Chicago, each of which,
1t seems, has got out a volume of Swings
sermons, and b, ii desiring us to commend
their own and pitch into the flash and in.
correct edition" of the opposite firm. Gen.
'lemen, you must manage your own fight
our columns are open at IS cts line 10 what.
ever you may write over your own names,
provided 1t is decent and decorous. Mean
time candor compels US 10 say that we take
very little stock in Swing anyway. wehave
read few of his sermons as published in the
Chicago papers, and while they may be very
pleasant reading to such as prefer the sen,i.
mental, poeiical and imaginative in religion.
we mustb be allowed TO say il.a, We have vastly
more faith in the scripiural, evangelical and
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
italy.

As the multitude were returning from -
grand TIE Deum at St. Peters, Rome, on Sun
day. the Pope was seen at one of the windows
of the Vatican Hundreds Of people waved
their hankcrchicts, and som ex.Pontitical Pc
liccmen shouted, Long live the Pope, our
King" Several arrests were made. The
troops cleared and took possession of the
streets.
The Pope, on being presented with copy.
of the address from Catholics of the |. 5. to
archbishop Ledochowski, said: THE Uni
ted States is the only country where am
really Pope IN the eyes of the Government
am always afraid lest European Govern
ments shall oppose or control my acts; where
as l can freely send pontfical documents to
the United States without fear Of opposition
on the part of its Government
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

CoHNEH ST0NE LAID.-St, Johns day, june
= H. which is one of the big festival DAYS o
NE inasonie fraternity, vas marked at Ghica
.so'on Wednesday by the additional masonic
pageant Of laying the corner stone Of thenev
custom house and Sost Office which the aoy
efnLent is hG@ing erected there Che Mascp,
were invited 10 perfasn tliie ceremony by SIC
Us Secretary Of war, to Il infinite disgu,
.. President Blanchard AMI his ca .an,.ma
sonic .cealots. Tie day was On intensely no
one, yet It's said le,0e9 Free Massas, od(
Fellows &c, marched in the procession anC
A0O,0OO people turned oct to witness the cerc
IEony All passed off pleasantly, with n,
accidents.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

hAiSE--The democracy of Maine mel in
convention on Tuesday aud nominated can.
oidate for Governor. Their platform is
sound. IL fIyors an early return to specie
payment, declares for tree trade, condemns
Carpenters pressgag law and iis supporters
and concludes by pronouncing the party in
power deserving Of TIE righteous indignation
Of the people. The world does move. Time
was when no political party in Maine would
have dared to speak out Cor free trade Ele
meDiary instruction in the laws of trade
brought home TO the people Of Maine by the
decay Of the ship.bullding interest, has work
ed revolution in sentiment !, makes all
tbe difference 10 the world whose OK 10 gored
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

Secretary of State-Danl. Morgan, Of Ma
haska.
State Aud,or-J VI. King, of Dubuque.
State Tlcasurcr-P. +. Barnes, Of Dc>
Moines.
Atty. Gcncral--J W. Kcatley, Of pottawot
tonic.
Ok. Sup. Court--G, W Ball, of Polk
The delegates separated universally salisf
ed with their work and confident OF the tri
umphant election Of the ticket.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

AChicago judge recently decided that
verbal renewal CT insurance, in which no
preaium money was paid, and the agent
merely said, consider yourself insured" is
net legal insurance. Those who are in q
habit Of verbally renewing their policies,
would do well to bear this in mind.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
Spain

SPAN.
The latest advIces from the North say that
the Carists are concentrating at Monte Jurra,
near Estella. They have cleared the country
of provisions, horses and vehicles. Marshal
Concha's force numbers $4,000 men and he
has 81 pieces Of artillery,
Quite number Of Marshal Conola'a men
are suffering from dysentery, which the sur
geons attribute to raw onions, which have
constituted the principal part Of their food.
Marshal Cocha's plan to localize, and by
which he hopes to eventually overthrow the
Carlist instruction, provides for the estab-
lishment of a fortified military line comen.
eng at Losarcos passing Estella, Pirenta la
Ricna and Lamplora, and terminating at Aviz.
The Marshal expects by this means 10 contine
the Carlists 70 small district of country des
titute of resources.
The Carlists made an attack upon Bell.
mount on the 23d and the garrison, to avoid
burning the place, surrendered. The insur'
gents made demand upon the authorities
for $4,000, and took several persons as hos
tages for It's payment. They were followed
and overtaken by the republican troops, who
killed twenty of their number.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

Ten Prusslan bishops are in attendance
upon the Roman Catholic conference at Full
da. The Seas of Cologne, Poseu and Treves
are represented by delegates, the bishops OF
those places beng in prison.
Prof. Gneist is about to proceed to Amer
lea, for the purpose ofsearching the archives
of the different states of the American union
for information to aid him in preparing 8
history ofthe constitution ofthe United States.
While in Washington he will be the guest OF
President Grant.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27
TURREY.

Intelligence has been received at Constan.
tinonle of the terrible disaster IN the Sea OF
Marmora. The Turkish vessel kars, eIrOa'e
for Salonica, was run into on Friday by an
Egyptian vessel, and sunk in a few minutes
THE Kars had $40 persons on board, includ-
ing passengers and crew, and Of this number
800 were drowned
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

There was truthful utterance made by
Mt Cox the other day, in the House of Rep
-csenutives in regard to the civil service re-
form. lie said that true civil service reform
was honesty and capacity"
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

Intellectual. There is certainly nothing to
lie surprised about or make fuss over the
fac, that q man like Swing should withdraw
from the Presbyterian church HIS theology
nhout as much resembles CalyiniSm as Il
thin fog resembles roaring torrent
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-06-27

There is Grange Touring mill at James
Vile. Wis, that is doing thriving business.
II lately received an order for car load OF
sour from a grange in Kentucky.