The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-06-30
Written for The Spirit of Democracy
From Washington Township.
GRAYsYIILE. .Inne 81

ED. SPIRIT: The annual "Crop Repor-
ter" will find but few imposing statistics
in this section Of the country. The long
continued "dry spell'' has seriously in
jured 8 portion of our crops. Hay and
oats seem to have suffered the most, and
these staple products may now be cor
sidered almost total failure. The
wheat crop, however, will be good ;some
fields, which are already turning a gold
en- yellow, present a finer appearance of
full crop than has been seen for several
years past. The corn, although small,
still retains healthy, green color, and
the farmers have not yet despaired of
an average crop. The potatoes are still
among the uncertainties. The ravages
of the bug and the dry weather have,
perhaps, entirely destroyed some patches.
The days of the potato bug, however,
are, about numbered. 1t has been dis
covered that strong decoc,ion of May
apple root tea is almost specific for the
bug disease. A profuse application of
tee tea has never been known to fail in
clearing the vines of the pests. The
liquid Kills the young ones instantly, and
the old ones bug out on short notice
The remedy is simple, comparatively
harmless, and within the reach Of all $50
that any one may, by little extra labor,
prevent the destruction of his potato
crop. The products of the garden, 9TH
erwise called "garden sass" have been
delayed for want of rain, and peas, ,toma
toes, and the like, are still quite luxu-
ry.
This much in respect to the crops.
There are other matters / would like
very much to mention, among which is
the question of the adoption of the pro-
posed new Constitution. There does
not seem to be very well defined opin-
ion about it here. The printed instru.
ment has just been distributed in pam
phlet form, and after the people have
read it for themselves,t they will be better
prepared to express their opinions
Those who have already examined the
proposed changes are disposed to con.
slider them improvements on the origi-
nal. The great fear seems to be that the
cost of our State Government will be in
creased by some of the changes, and
consequently the taxes. For my part, 1
am satisfied from what have seen and
read of the proposed changes. that they
are not only an improvement on the arti.
cles which they alter or amend, but that
they will render the cost of the State
government much less expensive. The
Cincinnati Enquirer, which has some
circulation in this part of the county, OPP
poses the adoption of the new Constitu-
ton, and, in one of its recent issues, sets
out several objections. Among these
objections l notice one which really sur
prised me. 1t is the one in which they
declare that sit is unpopular and against
public interests to have the State and
National elections at the same time" ]
nix the readers of that paper will re.
member what an outcry and dismal howl
hthis same sheet made year or so ago
simply because our State election could
not be held on the same day Of the Pres.
1idential election! This was when our
State was flooded with Cabinet officials
who stumped the State in the interests
of the administration. Now, when this
change is proposed, they howl out of the
other side of the mouth. The other OBJ
iections presented have about as much
weight as this one I have noticed, and !
do not think will have very much inau-
ence on the minds of the people. would
like, however, for some one who is post
ed to answer these objections in detail.
The recent County Convention finally
resulted to the satisfaction Of many o
our fair minded Democrats, although
the majority vote in this township was
for candidates not nominated, with one
exception. The defeat of Mr.. Armstrong
would have been regretted by many wht
voted against him through misrepresen
tations. They had not taken the pain
to inform themselves, and accepted tn
charges of certain parties who opposed
him as true. I don't think the same thin!
could be done again. The comment
of the SPIRIT on the Convention, and OF
the manner in which MI. Armstron!
was treated, have appri ed many Demo
Gratis of the true state of affairs. Th
I, ticket nominated will be supported a
usual The action of the SPIRIT in re
| fusing to champion the cause Of an
candidate before nomination, and it
mild and consistent tone generally,
, highly approved and its course cannc
[ fail to meet the wishes of all fair mir