davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
ATTENTION!

Our merchants, business men and others interested, would do we'll to remember that there is a penalty of fifty dollars for neglect ing to properly stamp and can eel the stamp on all checks on banks or any paper that serves as a voucher on which money is paid at bank. The stamp required, we believe, is two cents; the pen alty applies alike to drawer and bank. It is said that the revenue detectives are on the qui vive, to catch up tresspassers against this law.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

There is no probability that the present Congress will take any ac- tion on the Arkansas question looking to the displacement of the Garland Government. And we think i. right that it should not. What is most desirable now in Arkansas, and every other State, is peace, and we hear of no re- ports from Arkansas that flavor of war. The people down there have suffered enough from the contests of rival factions. Let us give them a chance to work their farms this spriDg.-St. Louis Globe.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
while it would give MT. Kellogg

while it would give Mir. Kellogg the undispnted right to the gu bernatorial duties for the remain der of the term, Is thought by many to differ in It's results very little from what is demanded by the conservatives, which is that Kellogg's administration be not recognized as legal, but be merely submitted to as long as it is rec ognized by the administration. This would doubtless be for the whole of his unexpired term, and in view of this fact many of the friends of this unfortunate state, think that for the sake of termi- hating the present state of uncer- tainty, and avoiding the confusion and probable consequent mischief of Q change, it will be better to ac- cept the compromise, than to keep the State two year longer in state of turmoil and chaos.
 The people of Louisiana-and especially Gov. McEnery, have won laurels by their wise, forbear- ing course, and it would seem de plorable to spoil 1t all now by a vain resistance to the inevita. ble.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

tics. We notice our young friend 1 R K. lobe is business manager Success to the enterprise.
 From the Dardanelle Independent.l
 We have received the initial number of the Russellville DEMO cRAT. James Battenfield, editor, and B. F. lobe, printer. It is a neat gotten up little six-column ioureal, and full of advertisements. As advertisements are the life s blood of newspaper, of course the DEMOCRAT is permanently es- tablished.
 From the Pine Blun Press.l
 We have received the second number of the Russellville DEMO GRAF. a live spicy newspaper pub lished at Russellyille, Arkansas. The paper displays considerable editorial talent and it's editor, Mr J. K. Battenfield gives great promise as journalist of merit. We cheerfully place the DEMO GRAF on our exchange list and wish the editor abundant success. From the Fayetteville Democrat.l The first number of a sprightly, spicy and ably edited, 2S column, paper comes to us this week from Russellville. The paper is called aThe Russellyille DEMOCRAT" " and the name of our young friend James E. Battenfield is flying at | it's masthead. Any craft sailing under genuine Democratic colors has our best wishes for q safe and prosperous voyage. Jimmie, here's our i"
 From the Little Rock Republican, We have received the first mum Der of the Russellville DEMOCRAT, published at Russellville, Pope i, county. It is seven-column weekly, gotten up in excellent shape, and the number before us gives evidence of considerable newspaper ability. In politics it claims an independent position, but like all such papers will prob ably remain so but in name very short time. It is published by the Democrat Publishing compa- ny, and edited by James E. Bat | tenfield. We wish this new en- terprise in our state success, and extend to Mir. Battenfield a frater
 nal hand.
 For all of which we make oul
 most profound bow to the fraterni
 ty, and hope ever to so conduct
 ourselves as to merit their res |pect.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

slider what it will be in 1876, if we let it accumulate on us. The state will simply have to take the lands, or else remit the tax alto gether. In 1872, thextax was $2.65; in 1873 it was,,. $3.15; in 1874 it was S3.25; for 1875 we suppose it will rot be less than $3.OO-these four years footing up $12.05; add the penalty. 15 per cent. for 1873 and 1S74-96 cents, ard we find we have the ruinous sum of $13.01 on the hundred dol lars to pay in 1876. Again; the state pays } and 6per cent. on her indebtedness, and the interest laws of the state forbid the.loan- ing of money at more than 10 per cent, but now when she pretends to be lenient and wait on the tax payer, she demands To per cent doubtful lenlency.
 We urge every taxpayer in the state to pay up now. It will be just as hard next year as now and fifteen per cent. harder. Scrips are now low and taxes can. be paid for sxity cents on the dollar. By all means try and make some ar rangement to settle without letting farther accumulations accrue.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
OURSELVES AS OTHERS
 SEE US.

From the L. R. Gazette.
 The Russellville DEMOCRAT is the latest. It is neat, tasty and democratic. James E. Batten- field, (notJ H. is the editor, and makes a good beginning.
 From the Fort smith Heraldl
 The Russellville DEMocRCAT James E. Battenfield editor, steps to the front and wants patronage. It is a neat and we'll got up paper, and with a hearty welcome we Ex.
 From the White County tsearcy) Record.l
 The Russellvillians have rus. selled out another newspaper. This time it is the DEMOCRAT. Battenfield sits on the three-leg ged stool, and our young friend Frank lobe takes in the cash. We wish them success. The DEMOCRAT looks well and reads well.
 From the Camden Beacon.l
 We have received the first num- Der of the DEMOCRAT, a paper just started at Russsellville, Ark. The DEMOCRAT is neat little paper, and the best thing is it says in it's salutatory, that it is able to keep its head up, we hope so. The DEMOCRAT is edited by James k. Battenfield.
 From the Des Are Citizen.l
 We have received the first num- Der of the Russellville DEMOCRAT published by the Russellville Printing Association, and edited by James F. Batuenfeld. It is n neatly printed seven-column pa | per, and is conservative in poli-
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
PARAMOUNT, ILLINOIS, Jan. 18th, 1875. {
P. M. RussellviIle Arkansas.


 Dear Sir: This letter is intended for Mir. M. E. Royce, who l am told lives in your place or in Rus sellville Pope county. Ifyou know him please hand it to him. And if you can't find him if you will answerit you will receive my hum ble thanks. 1 desire to emigrate to a warmer climate, and for more than one year have been thinking of your country. Is it healthy? How is the climate? Have you good drinking water, plenty of timber? Is it a good fruit coun- try? Is the soil productive? How is society? Please give prices of land and farms. Have you stone coal? Is the country pretty well improved? How about school privileges, and anything else that you may think would interest one who contemplates going to move to new country. If you can't find Mir. Royce and you have not time to answer this inquiry, please hand this to some one who will answer it. I want to hear from it for l mean business.
 I am very Respectfully Yours,
 H. B. GIBSON, Fairmount, Vermilion O., III.
 F. $. I am a farmer, and if l come would like a farm with plen- ty of fruit and good water and would like to have living stock water. Please answer immediate ly. H. E. G.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
RELIEF CD FOR THE TAX
 PAYER,

We publish today, for the in formation of our readers, the act to suspend the enforcement of the collection of taxes for the years 1873 and 1874. The motive which prompted the supporters of this bill, and the end aimed at, is per haps laudable, but we are inclined to seriously doubt the propriety of such bill, and to fear that it will fall short of atfording the relief needed. It seems to us that it is only a short respite, which will incur additional severity of hard ships when the time is up, which will overbalance the temporary re- lief afforded. Many of our tax payers now are in arrears for tax
 es of 1872 and 1873 and if they now fail to pay for 1874 under the delusiye inducements held out by this bill, when the tax collector comes around in 1876, they will find themselves confronted with a demand for four years taxes, and a penalty of fifteen per cent. on the taxes of 1873 and 1874. This will be enormous. We now complain at the hardship of mak
 ing provision for the payment of one years taxes, of three, or three and enc fourth per cent; but con
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
IMMIGRATION.

Our readers may think we are very pertinacious on the subject of immigration, but we only hope we may be able to say enough to impress the vital importance of this question upon the minds of our people in Pope county, and to stimulate them to some action in the matter. There is no other question of more importance to us now than this-How can we se- cure a flow of immigration into our county? The benefits to be derived from the accomplishment Of this object are so numerous and so advantageous, that it is worth much work and attention. There are thousands of families in the older and crowded states who are wanting homes in the new, fertile and sparsely settled west. There are hundreds of families in the impoverished and ruined grass hopper regions, and in Kansas where they have been frozen out of stock and everything else, who will, this spring and fall, seek homes some where else. Here we have the homes for them, and here they are needed and will be welcomed. But they want to know this, they want to know that they will find congenial home among us. The press can assure them that this is true, and we do assure them that it is true that we have thousands of acres of land for them-that homes can be obtained cheap-that the lands are good-that there is abundance of timber for fuel and fencing that it isa healthy, mild and love ly climate-that the water is good-that they will be welcomed among us, and that we will do them all the good we can. The press, we say, can give them all these assurances; but they would like to hear from the people them selves; hence the importance of some expression from our people hence the necessity for socie- ties for the promotion of such in- terests. Statistics should be plac- ed before the world of immigrants they should be informed as to the description of lands-adapta- tion to different agricultural pro ducts-quality and quantity of timber and mineral wealth-kind of water and climate-quantity and quality of lands subject to en- try and homestead-average yield price of deeded land, improv- ed and unimproved, &c. Such information as this can be more readily obtained and more relia- ply, too, by an organized effort.
 We suggest, therefore, the pro- piety of holding a meeting to con slider the subject of immigration and get the views of the farming masses of Pope county on this question. Committees could then be appointed, addresses prepared, and immigration societies organiz- ed and efficiency secured. This is something in which the farm ing class IS necessarily largely considered, and they should, per haps, be in the front in such q move. What does our grangers say? We would be glad to hear from some of them, and an expres- sion from any ofthem is solicited
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

The above letter was handed us to answer through the DEMOCRAT. We will always be glad to furnish all such inquirers all the informa- tion we can command and to send them specimen copies of our paper containing such information.
 We can assure all who, like Mir. Gibson, are seeking new homes, that there is not more advan- tageous field for new corners, any where, than right here in Pope county. Our political affairs are all settled down, we have good local government-as good as as there is anywhere, there is no political strife or excitement in our county. Our people are thrif- ty and noted for industry and hos pitality. The climate is mild and pleasant, a fine intermediate be- tween the cold, icy temperature of Illinois and Kansas, and the sultry depressing warmth of the region further South, giving us a long season which enables us to grow almost any kind of crops or fruits. The health is nearly always good. We seldom ever have much pneu- monia or other levers. Chills and ague and fever prevail to some ex- tent, some years on the bayous and rivers, but on an average the health is good. Our water is very good. We have some fine springs. and good wells of drinking water are easily obtained. We have a world of timber, pine, oak, hicko- ry, ash, gum, walnut and cedar. Cordwood is worth $l, 50 to $2,00. Pine lumber at mills $1O per thousand. We have stone coal in abundance-very fine for fuel. The soil is moderately productive. River lands produce on an average | 1500 pounds of seed cotton, and 50 bushels of corn per acre-up- lands 500 to 1000 cotton, and p to 35 bushels corn. Tobacco grows we'll. Grasses have been tried bnt little, but where fairly tested have proved profitable. Land is cheap. We know of fine upland farms improved and with good houses that can be bought for from $6 to $10 per acre. Riv- CT lands can be had at $15 to $40 per acre. There is a large amount of wild lands that can be obtained on lease for six and seven years for clearing and fencing. The money can be made in this length of time to pay for the lands at ex- piration of lease. We have free l schools three months in tho yaar
 and subscription schools as long as people desire them. We have churches and Sabbath Schools in almost every neighborhood. Al together we think Pope county offers as many inducements to i'm migrants as any part of Arkansas,
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
4 FEARFUL PRECEDENT

a precedent by which the will of the people may be readily nulli- fled and all republican forms of government perverted and liberty destroyed.
 The Conservative caucus at New Orleans has adopted the Wheeler compromise by vote of 34 for and B against, the five city members voting for the compro- mise.
 Governor McEnery is natly op- posed otbe proposition and there seems to be a strong feeling in the city against it. This compromise,
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

HE DlTUAIlON IN AkhANSAo. The state of affairs in Arkansas is becoming alarming to that people. President Grants wicked usurpa- tion has brought and will bring untold evils upon the people of Arkansas. The facts are, from that State, that the uncertainty of the future paralyzes all industry throughout the State. That whole sale merchants North and East are refusing to sell on time or make any further advance to the Arkansas merchants. and the commission merchants in New Orleans, Memphis and St. Louis, that have heretofore advanced supplies to the planters of that State are now refusing them aid to make another crop. The situ- ation is indeed alarming to enter prising and lawabiding people of Arkansas. If there is not some thing done soon to restore conf dence and stop the monstrous, traitorous usurpation of Grant, the State will be ruined. It will be but barren waste and how ling wilderness, from the fact that the farmers will make an entire failure in a cotton crop this year.  |- Jackson Tenn. Dispatch.
 Our worthy contemporary will doubtless be glad to know that un- der our present state government, we are in fair way to recover from the depressed and embar- rassing financial troubles which have cramped us for several years past while under the Clayton dy- nasty. See the following from the l.. R. Gazette. When public confidence is again restored we will have no difficulty in getting along.
 FINANCIAL MATTERS.
 Mayor Kramer has received from a Berlin capitalist, the fol. lowing propositions:
 To loan the city of Little Rock $1 ,000,0 on twenty year bonds, for the following purposes:
 First-To buy up all outstand- ing indebtedness.
 Second-Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to be expended on improvements of streets. Third-One hundred thousand dollars to be expended in sewer age for the city.
 Fourth-One hundred thonsan6 dollars for city and county jail.
 Fifth-One hundred thousand dollars for school purposes.
 The same party also proposes to loan the state $2, ,500,000. This shows that confidence has not yet entirely departed from our gov ernmen. and people. We take this as a good indication, wher foreigners are willing to entrus' their capital in state downtrod den like Arkansas has been fol eight years. Our sky is bright ening, and all is well.-- Little Rock Gazette.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
LOUISIANA.

LOO10RANA As
 Our latest advices are to the effect that the Congressional com mittee on the state of affairs in Louisiana, have handed in their reports-a majority and a minority report.
 The majority report is signed by Foster, Phelps, Potter and Marshall, and Messrs. Hoar, Wheeler and Frye dissent and submit a minority report.
 The report of the majority is brief, clear and convincing, and is A FULL MEDICATION OF THE COURSE
 OF THE CONSERVATIVES IN LOUIS
 LANA.
 The report opens by saying that the majority cannotl agree with Messrs. Hoar, Wheeler and Frye, and asserts that the laws lnimical to the colored people of Louisiana, referred to by the mi nority have been repealed for years, and excepting during a part of 1872 the republican party has long had control of the machinery of the state. The majority report shows clearly that there was
 NO INTIMIDATION, AND that the assumption by the minor ity that intimidation of colored voters was the cause of the chang ing of the result of the election throughout the state, and the vic tory of the conservatives, is not supported with facts or any direct evidence, but that the election Of last November was
 FREE, FULL AND PEACEABLE, and that there was elected to the lower house of the legislature q clear majority of conservatives, which majority, the conservatives were deprived of and cheated ont of by the
 UNJUST, ILLEGAL AND ARBITRARY AC'
 TIoN OF THE RETURNING BOARD.
 On this vital point, to-wit.: that the Returning Board by their il legal and arbitrary action did de prive portion of the conserva tive members of their seats, anC grant certificates of election to re publicans who had not been elect ed, thus subverting the fairly ex pressed will of the people, the whole committee, are fully agreed.
 The committee did not go into any investigation of the election of 1872, and while Kellogg may or may not, have been elected, g majority of the committee are ir favor of the resolution recogniz ing him as Governor for the re mainder of the term. This reso lution is based on general rumor not upon evidence. The two democrats of the committee Messrs. Potter and Marshal, ut terly oppose this resolution ol recognition, contending that there is nothing to show that Kellogg was elected, that he seized the state government through the aid of federal bayonets, and that tc recognize a usurpation so gross and so utterly in defiance to al republican form of government is establishing
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
STATE ITEMS.
DREW COUNTY.

Pork sold at } cents per pound on our Streets last week. It is worth more than that price; but where is the money to come from. - Monticellonian.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

1875. 1875
 PROSPECTUS!
 OFTIIE
 RUSSELLvILLE DEMOCRAT,
 PuBLIsHED WEEKLY AT agwsllvl!s Pope county, Ark
 THE DEMOCRAT,
 An Advocate of Liberal
 Progressive
 DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES,
 And n complete record of Current Events! Both in and out of our county and State,
 And devoted to LOCAL,
 POLITICAL,
 COMMERCIAL,
 AGRICULTURAL, AND LITERARY INTELLT-
 GENCE. EMPHATIC ALLY THE "PEOPLES PAPER" TIE DEMOCRAT is thoroughly in- dependent in its course, under no pledge or covenant to support the> schemes or fortunes of any man or set of men, always having at heart first, the good of the people of Pope county, and of the state of Arkan sas. It claims no right to lead or direct in politics, or any other sphere; but it does claim the right, and will fcarlessly and at all times1 assert it, to speak it's own opinions, on all matters coming within the scope of it's duty as an independent journal. Whatever prominence it maintains in the affairs of this county or State, will be voluntarily accorded by the people who support | it. In short the DEMOCRAT wishes. to be judged solely upon its own merits as local and state newspa- per, having for it's chief object the dissemination of the news of the day with such comments upon current topics as seem appropriate and are conscientiously entertained by its management. twill heartily supG Poie "ii iuoNciucuts, poiitiCdl UT otherwise, which promise to fur thur, and unhesitatingly oppose those which would jeopardize, the interests of the people. In every | department it will be as enteIpris- ing as its patronage will justify. Sensible men will approve the busis- ness management that limits expen- diture to the bounds of income; on- ly fools or enemies expect a degree of excellence in all points that can alone be attained by the possession of resources and income.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04
PRAIRIE

Mir. CUMMINGS, a colored gentleman, and also a counterfeit CT, escaped from the Helena jail on the 17th. Any one catching Mir. Cummings will receive $l0O. - White River Journal,
 JOHNSON
 The new Railroad bridge over Spadra is about completed, and is fine piece of ofmechanism. h. stead of having a pier Tn the mid dle of the stream as was originally intended, it now spans the entire creek. This we regard as much better, and at the same time more durable.- Van guard.
 THE BoLDEsT YET.---Last We'd lesday evening, Squire Duming rode into town and hitched his po-
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

RUSSELLyTLLE ADV'TS.
The Russellville Democrat., 1875-03-04

The people of Pope county should feel thankful that they are so well off in this respect. We think our county is s..about as we'll off as any county in the state.