Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-12-19

:Batavla corrsspondence

:Batavla Correspondence.
EDS. COURIER =:
Our people have shared in the In
terest, widely felt, in the murderer
Rande, now identified as Charles c.
Scott, formerly of Fairfield. Bata-
VANS have . special interest in him,
inasmuch as he once taught school in
this place-the winter of lS62-3-and
was married in this vicinity, Feb. q,
1863, by Rev. A. Axlipe to Miss Eliza
Jane Bickford. cannot learn that
there was any thing special in his ca
reer as teacher, to cause our people
| to remember him. He seems to have
been well-informed, skilled mechan-
| ic, Of good family connections, and of
unsurpassed personal bravery, yet a
murderer. knowledge is power for
evH as we'll as for good. No attain
ments of learning or art or culture
will make good citizens, unless there
be the sub-stratum of correct moral
principle in the heart.
Does the COURIER need TO be in
formed that we are having hard
times in this region? Such is the
general impression. 1 suppose it
must be so. But there are facts
which initiate against the supposi-
ton. The amount of money spent in
Iluxuries and superfuities lie generally
regarded as an index to the condition
of q people financially. In our vii
|lage, of about 400 population, in anot
very densely settled farming region,
there has been sold at retail, Of the
u single article of Tobacco In its vari.
Gus forms, during the past year, some.
thing more than $500 worth. TO.
, bacco costs Batavia more than all hel
: churches and schools and newspaper
! combined. If, now, in our village Of
400, tobacco and cigars are sold to the
amount Of 81, 500, what amount is ex
pended for that purpose in your flour
: fishing and stylish city Of 1O,OO0?-
/. Pears to me it would be about $62,
500! l venture the opinion that tn,
money spent in Ottumwa in one year
: during these hard times, for Tobacco.
b would meet the entire expense of al
n your schools, public and private
Sunday schools included, and supper
lall your churches and have q liberia
9 balance for general benevolence.
d Ihave lately been looking through
q volume on Social Science, and hav'
wondered to what extent intelligen
citizens, and especially those who tax,
i an interest in financial questions, ant
e industrial problems, are familia
4 with such works. There is q larg
: class of citizens who would perus
= such works with interest and prof
l. and who, suspect, are not familia
l. with them. The teachings of politi
\ cal journals, of stump speeches o.
: questions of finance, currency, labor
&C., have to be received with som
b allowance. They are sometimes fai
= and valuable, but often one-sided IN
- partisan, and as crude a. they are cor
:: fident. But when we get hold of til
q mature views of one who has mad
such themes his life study, who hi
mastered the literature and the staff,
!. tics of the subject, who has no part
!, san purpose to subserve, and who's
e character and attainments have place
!. him in the chair of instruction in or
=, Of our foremost Universities-we ma
% expect to find something that will r,
- - pay perusal.
~ Among the themes discussed in th
tOluIu6, 6t0At UOOh III VuE 0t6V0 ~
~ versity, is one upon which the Cou
~ TER has not been silent, the impo
~ lance of manufactures, and the val,
~ of varied industry to the prospect
~ Of State or community. AS to m
:. terial interests community has /
" ~ better friend, and labor has no bett
81, friend, than the man or the men, wi
no invest their means in manufacture
me enterprises; thus supplying hon
- wants and improving home marke
We hear much nowadays of t
~ conflict between labor and capital al
VI certain misguided or malicious 81
re- tators would persuade us that there
real sntsgonism but if veal
To- should avail itself, as it is doing al
TO- is likely to do, Of your Ottumwa "
ID. ter power, and put into operate
\ new and extensive industries, lab
=, would move with winged speed, Ii
ny bees to the buckwheat blossoms,
ty avail itself of its advantages.
an Batavia, Dec. II, 1877. j. M, M,