The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-08-22
LETTER FROM WILLIAM.


has appeared and shown more thau MS
Gust om airy energy in destroying the crop.
on the uplands of this section the drouth
is very severe, not of very great length but
very severe. Many planters are attempt
ing to destroy the army worm with poison,
Paris green is giving way To arsenic. X
few ounces Of arsenic (arsenious acid) are
boiled in IA barrel OF water and sprinkled GA
the cotton. OF course, when the mixture
strikes worm, it kills him, but 1t is "A
very great Undertaking to apply any prep
aration 10 all the bottom lands in Texas
WHAT makes the early appearance of the
worm more than ordinarily serious, IS the
fact, that the plant has not reached the ma
turitv with which it usually encounters the
eaemy. rne grlssnoppers fingered mere in
the spring aud planters were deferred
from early seeding and, conseq uently, the
worm proves more than ordinarily destruc-
tive.
The drouths here need not be so pro-
tracted a there to prove equally or more
destructive to vegetation. The constantly
blowing winds promote evaporation and
carry away moisture from these lands,
while the still, hot sultry Mississippi days
are not so uniriendly to vegetable growth
because they do not dry the land so rapidly.
| Look across Texas field aud you can see
| Lazy Lawrence everywhere. / suppose
your readers will understand what | mean
| hy Lazy Lawrence. 1t is eorgia term.
Mr. Jones explains it on scientific princi-
| piles by reading from large books, and calls
it long, hard name, which l will not write
here. because | might offend some of your
nd
come into the house, and my face is set in
standard grin. which would be fat al to my
happiness were 1 to attempt any hard
names. The two causes mentioned will
materially diminish the Texas cotton crop.
Corn is abEndant.
Much more attention is paid to millet
than | ever observed in Mississippi. Large
fields of il, all around me, have been mown
this season and stored away for winter
feeding. Two tons to the acre are not an
uncommon yield, and to provide for win
fering stock with millet is an easy mat
ter.
The CLARION, containing proceedings Of
your State Convention, has reached me,
and [ am satisfied with its action. There Is
"A regret felt by all OF us here that only one
Governor can be chosen at time.
The Convention chose good one in Gov.
Stone. When he shall have served out his
time and retired, he will have confirms d
my previous assertion, that he is as just as
Aristides and as brave as Cesar. Gen. Fail
coner, should he live, will leave to his sue
cessor the best arranged office in the United
States. Mrs. Cornelia thinks that the Gen
eral should now turn his attention to matri- !
~ t,f.
ination, as his children will hear him |
mourned when he is gone, by the voluntary |
and unanimous expression OF popular feel |
ing. am not acquainted with Col. Gwina
but have no doubt he is good man. hope |
he is a better man than Jones S. Hamilton. |
If he is, the State will be blessed. No OBJ
lection ca- be had to your coming Attor- |
ney- General. Mr.. Jones would have been |
delighted with the selection of Col. A. Y. |
Harper for that responsible office. His |
day, however, has not yet dawned. His re-
firing disposition and his great dislike for
of all kinds, have affected his |
success, yet, when an emergency sh9ll usher
in his day, it will be found that Mississippi |
has had no son more worthy Of history. Ii |
is to be hoped that Gen. Smith may be fur
and foster a great system of public instruc-
ton that shall bring to your people, by the
potency of general culture, freedom from
and learning which will secure the
priceless blessing OF liberty forever.
l have observed with interest the action
of the Trustees Of your State University
At first thought one congratulates himself
that the advantages of college training are
placed within the reach of every one in the
State. little indulgence in sober, second
thought suggests serious doubts on the sub
ject.
Thoughts like these present themselves.
If boy is prepared to enter Freshman
class, and selects the State University as the
College wherein to complete his education,
he must for his expenses, as set forth in the
annual catalogue, or rather i'm the annual
have about 5000 for the first
year. He must have that for four years
to $500. His clothing and Incl
dental Outlays will increase his necessary
expenditures to about SI4OO-say $3.50 per
lnnum- This is an amount that can be
spared only by the same class of people who
rave always attended college. The amount {
rec tuition in the University ostensibly for
III classes, really benefits those vino are
bile to help themselves, and does not reach
hose for whose advantage it is appropri- {
ted. The sum annually Appropriated by {
he State, in lieu of tuition bills, is paid in a I
.reat measure by those who can never reap i
IS advantage, except in the liberal cu- J
ure Of the favored few. An enlarge
nent of the system of popular educa-
ion, so as to provide local High Schools I
hroughout the State, would bring to the S
oor of the poor, ambitious boys the advan- /,
ages of academic culture, and open up a p
ista to them, at the end of which would u
tand the UniveI sity. They would :,
cave the high schools resolved to make 4
heir way through the University, and from
he University TO take rank with those who
ccupy positions of usefulness and honor.
hese high schools would furnish teachers :,
Or the common schools of lower grades,
nd serve as feeders to the University. :,
haping the course Of school and leQlslat- al
~ tor its usefulness and prosperity, are d.
luch like playing the fiddle-they look ~
lsy, but there is no part of the responsible ! ~
les OF State government that demands -,
lore thorough knowledge In every DEPART ~
lenJ 81 luOuPnt lndn the administration of ~
ne affairs OF State institution or a system y,
{ public education. The strikes through y
ut the country originate with parties
no receive more pay than the teachers
our common schools, yet but for
ese poorly paid teachers society yvonId c.
sintegrate. The Southern States do moi
FED colleges as they need schools. The We
gislation Of the country should nurse the co
'mmon schools first--common to all, then In
cailze high schools-common to all, and To-
EN- would come the University. a svs- r.
m of legislation beginning at the Univer- b.,
ty and ending with common schools. is a oil,