davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
VOL. VII.
PROGRESSIVE WOES OF THE
pOOR

Philadelphia newspapers deplore the
departure from that commonwealth OF
multitudes of its toiling people. In
dustry is prostrated, mills are idle,
mines unoccupied, railways bank
rupted, and oil that the rich may be
made richer and the poor poorer.
Sherman is the impersonation of bank
ing anil bondholding selfishness, and
the multitude starve even as syndicates
are organized. From 1880 to 1870, as
shown by census tables. Pennsylvania
grew in wealth $50 per cent, and in
population 81 per cent. In 1850 the
per capita wealth of the people was
$4s7; in 1870, $1oSl. This great
wealth still exists - but the people
have it not Hunger and want pre-
vail everywhere, and bankrupted
farmers, laborers and artisans are fee
ing from their homes. How has this
fearful revolution been wrought Gov
ernments have been directed exclusively
by bankers and Camerons and bond
holders, and employed, like corporate
systems in Texas, to legislate money out
of the pockets of one class into
those of another. Here petty knaves
used Incapable, imbruted voters
to destroy cities like Houston, while
in the East great States have their very
life blood crushed out of them by ex-
actions imposed by money monopolists.
The rapid reduction of the volume of
currency has lessened as rapidly the
' .lue of farms and of their products,
and each farmer who owed a debt two
years ago finds it doubly as difficult to
pay as when the debt was contracted.
Each farmers dollar of to-day costs as
much toll as two dollars two years ago.
Hopeless, helpless and penniless the
poor are driven away, and their homes
seized by the favored Of Sherman. The
exodus of the many enriches the few,
and thus syndicates are made powerful
and the sristocracy of the East omnip-
otent. The streets of towns and vii
lagos of Pennsylvania swarm with
tramps and outcasts and idlers. Within
brief period 800, 900 working people
have been thrown out of employment,
and desperation follows in the track
of want, and Tom Scott's proposed
standing army of 1000 men may
yet be required to repress the
violence of people reduced
to hopelessness and desperation that
bondholders in America and Europe
may not lose a penny. The public
credit, as it is called, though it means
Sherman's special friends of the syndi-
Gates, must be maintained, even if .
million poor Pennsylvanians, bowed
down by the exactions of railroad mag
mates and of bondholders upon State
and Federal governments, starve. Our
ennobled bondholders are doing for
Pennsylvania what those of Ireland
have dore for that hspless ''gem of
the sea" and we are forced to confess
with Goldsmith that
"Ill fares the land, to fastening Ills prey.
Where wealth accumulates and men decay"
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
OueRs.

Even now there exist people who be-
lieve in omens. To enumerate the num-
Der in which our forefathers believed
would be impossible; but we give one
or two which may be amusing to the
young people. Stumbling IN going
down stairs or gong out in the morn
ing is very unlucky. 1t is sign of ill
luck to lay ones knife and fork cross-
wise; for sweethearts to interchange
knives, as it will cut away their love !;
to present anybody with knife, scis-
sors, razor or any sharp instrument.
To avoid i'll consequence, pin, far
thing or some trifmg recompense must
be given in return. To find knife or
razor is unlucky. That it is ill-luck to
find money and worse to keep 1t, may
seem paradoxical to many. 1t Is lucky
to find four-leayed clover, a piece of
iron, an old horseshoe.
Moles are indicative Of good or bad
fortune, according to their position on
the body. A mole against the heart de-
notes wickedness; on the knee, o
wealthy wife; on the nose, q traveller; /;
on the throat, riches on the lower Jaw
of woman, sorrow and. pain; in the
middle of the forehead, a discourteous
and cruel mind; oa the right side Of
the forehesd, command, esteem and
honor; on the left. near the hair, mis-
ery: on the left, near middle of fore
head, prosecutions from superiors; on
the hp, great eater on the chin, rich
es; on the ear, riches and respect; on
the right breast, poverty rear the bot
tom Of the nostrils. good luck; on the
left foot, rsshness night foot, wisdom !
on the wrist or hand, an ingenious
mind; near side OF chin, an amiable
disposition; many moles between wnst
and elbow. many crosses, which win
end in prosperity.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
HIGHWAY ROBBERS.

We have often insisted that travel
ers on railways about Dallas should be
armed and organized before reaching
the vicinity of that sweet place, but
must shll insist, despite facts, that
these bellIgerent passengers must not
fire into the Dallas mob congregated
at the depot when each train passes by.
The whole population of the interest
ing town ls not engaged in this awful
business. Many of the leading lawyers
OF Dallas are even now in Austin, and
the editor of the Herald is too fat to be
successful in the spoliation of mail
trans. 1t is female trains that he
most affects. He is always stepping
on them to show how gracefully he
can tip his beaver and assure the fair
creatures, of what they knew before,
that there is nothing in it. But this
mail robbing business about Dali
las is growing monotonous. The
disorder might prove infectious.
The jolly highwaymeu may be induced
by the perfect impunlty that attends
their failures and successes to enlarge
the sphere of their operations, and dis
patches like that we publish from Dali
las may yet go out from Austin. 1t
does not harm Dallas, but would do Sc
rious detriment to the fame of the cap
ital, aad it is earnestly desired that
measures may be adopted by the State
authorities and others by which pc
Rod may be put to the recurrence of
these incidents, as disgraceful to Texas
as to our systems Of government and
moral training of the people.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
Editorial Notes.
The impecunious Chicagoan is pre-
pairing to sing:

The impecunious Chicagoan is pre-
pairing to sing:
"Tinkle, tinlde, little punch,
So glad you don't apply to lunch.
Sardou says: 'The toilet of an &C.
tress is what the envelope is to the let
ter; the one always makes ds guess the
contents of the other"
"The book trade is affected, sup
pose, by the general depression. What
kind of books feel it most?" 'Pocket-
books" was the laconic reply.
The thin, pious man, who is contin-
ually groaning over the wickedness of
this world, is more troubled with dys-
pepsia than blessed with religion.
Henry Bergh on swill milk :"You send
man to prison for uttering a spurious
coin or bank note, which cannot dam
age the receiver beyond Its pretended
value; but here, by basely counterfeit
ing an indispensable article of food,
and imposing it on the unsuspecting
for what it is not, health is destroyed,
lingering and distressing diseases are
induced, and life itself destroyed with
impunity, to say nothing of the tor
ments inflicted on dumb animals"
None of the Nez Perces drink liquor.
They sell trinkets occasionally to visit.
ors, and on several occasions these Wis
itors from Leavenworth have brought
bottles of whisky with which to ingra-
tiate themselves with the Indians. Ii
every case the Indians have refused the
liquor. 1t seems to be part of theil
creed not to drink whisky, and the rule
of the tribe not to drink intoxicating
liquors, it is said, is not broken. They
are very religious, and have services O.
their own and religious dance at sun
down each day.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
FINALLY DONE FOR.

The sum required to close the con-
tract with the bidders on propositions
made by the directors of the George
town and Manor road is only $1,000.
This sum will be secured along the line
and the contract will be doubtless ex-
ecuted next week for the completion
of the branch. 1t will be of the gauge
of the Central, which will thus have its
terminus at Georgetown and, of course,
make things lovely for Austin trades
men, bankers and propcrty-holders. or
course this branch of the Central will
not stop at Georgetown. 1t will be ex-
tended year after year to the immense
landed possessions of the Central in
Comanche, Brown, Eastland, Coleman
and other northwestern counties, and
only with less rapidity than the cheaper
narrow gauge would have been if
matchless folly and sel6shness could
have been induced to save themselves
in saving Austin from blow which
dwarfs it into final and hopeless
poverty and lnsignifcsnce. 1t is no
fault of ours and the sufferers have
none to blame besides themselves.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

IT is plain enough that the people of
Georgetown would prefer cheap road
and cheap narrow gauge freight and
passenger rates TO Austin to broad
gauge rates to Manor. Manor is not
the place at which they would deal
with retailers, and Manor is not the
capital. Bully Rutabaga constitution
al conventions never slosh around in
Manor, and goods at wholesale and re-
tail are not as abundant at the village
as in the city. It would be easy, there
fore, to change the purposes of George
town. Twenty-Five or thirty-five thou
sand dollars shaken at the good peo-
pie Of the place would make it come
down. Then the fifty thousand dol
lars which Georgetown would invest
in the narrow gauge would certainly
pay profit Of six thousand dollars an
nuallY, while the Central Company
would coolly pocket the fifty thou
sand dollars invested in the George
town branch. Why not, therefore,
convoke the Chamber of Commerce
and let US see what can be done.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

ABOUT thirty years ago, when SOL
diers of the old American revolution
had been reduced to avery small num-
Der, they still met annually. Distance
interposed no obstacles and age and
disease were defied till none were left
above the land for which they fought.
The same conduct should distinguish
the heroes of the war of Texas inde-
pendence. The survivors of the Texas
revolution of 1885, now citizens of
Travis county, are: Col. F. w. John
son, Col. W. j. Russell, E. M. Pease,
George Hancock, John NJ. Wade, o..
Wilcox, Andrew Neill, A. Deffenbaugh,
George W. Davis, Lewis Wells, w. B.
P. Gaines, John NJ Swisher, Joseph S.
Able, II. w. Raglin, Washington An
derson, Joseph Barnhart, S. II. Darden,
Desha Bunton, H. E. McCulloch, John
G. Duval. These old and honored cit
izQns and their families and the widows
and wives of veterans are especially in
vited to participate in the coming cele-
bration of the anniversary of the victo-
ry that made Texas free. The people
of Austin should spare neither pains
nor money to make 1t the grandest
event in Texan history and the names
and virtues of It's soldiers ever honored
and memorable.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

A WASHINGTON special to the st.
Louis Republican, says that ''train and
mail robberies have become so frequent
in Texas that the Postoffice Depart
ment has addressed letter to Cover
nor Hubbard, of that State, asking that
he issue proclamation Of outlawry
and take more active steps in the rob-
berries than have yet been taken. He
is promised all the aid that the general
government can give" 1t is surely a
bad state of affairs when the people
dare no longer to transmit money by
mail or express. The other day the
treasurer of Galveston county remitted
to- the Comptroller Ball, Hutchins &
Co. s check a James Fl. Raymond &
Co. for 500, 100. The Treasurer cannot
afford 90 pay express charges at time
like this on such sums, and these bank
ers become very useful. They are CON-
pensated because they may pay him at
par one-fourth Of the sum due him in
warrants. and no charges are made By
the bankers. Under such circum-
stances the robbery OF trains about the
capital win prove very proftless. In
truth, people that go abroad on Texas
railways, until dozen highwaymen
are executed. should follow in the foot
steps Of the original apostles and take
with them neither purse nor scrip.
But it is : sad condition to which law
lessness reduces society. and 50 very
unfortunate that It comes even when
Governor HabbArd's career is drawing
70 ils eIoss.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

IF the election of John Ireland is
proposed because of his hostility to the
International, Texas Pacific and other
Texas railways, as alleged by a paper
supporting him, he will never be NOM
mated. He cannot be the second
choice of any supporter of Hubbard
or of Throckmorton. The paper
doubtless does Ireland injustice. He
is not an ignoramus or Rutabaga. He
does not hate railways or railway
builders, and is rather the friend of
both.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

THE unwarrantable attack made up
on Major Ssyers through the Ne'os's
Austin correspondent gives this gen.
tleman reason for Yindicatlng him.
self, and this is done IN style so we'll
demonstrating the frank and open
character of this worthy gentleman
that we especially call the attention of
cur readers to the facts in another
article. Every man who knows any
thing about Sayers isready to testify to
his answering honesty and to his
manly course. There are men with
more glitter about them than Sayers
carries, but there lives not in Texas
or in the broad Union truer
gentleman than this man. He is
in the prime of life, and Is possessed
of an active and vigorous mind that
leads him to success in all his under
takings. We know that 6ayers may
be trusted in all things, and this is
Why many deem him worthy of any
gift at the hands of the people Of
Texas.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

NEWSPAPERS that were connected.
with one and another thieving ring are
constantly deploring the exit of Grant
and substitution of Hayes. They tell
US of the good old times when plumb
erers were in power everywhere and
thieving was the law and honesty un-
recognized by authority. This is the
condition of the country to be repro
duced when Grant, in 1880, returns to
power. 1t Is pleasing to know that
public sentiment evinces no sympathy
with the purposes of these admirers of
Grant. The pressure of hard times,
growing naturally out of the weight of
knaveries and taxation practiced
through eight years of Grants
reign, renders popular assent
to Grants reelection wholly i'm
possible. Hayes may not be what we
want, but Is infinitely to be preferred
to his predecessor, and, if for no other
reason, because he is civilian rather
than soldier. The people, too, have
implicit faith in HaYss's personal and
official integrity. While Grant was not
rogue and was not directly bribed,
yet he was gitt-taker, and they were
especially favored, like Murphy, who
gave gifts. Grant, 1t is commonly
stated, is kept out of the country that
he may not become involved in any en-
tangEng alliances at home. 1t was not
intended by his managers that
he should discuss the silver bill, but a
private letter from the ex-president on
this subject was unfortunately suffered
to see the light. 1t was published,
and Grant pronounces himself the
sturdiest of bondholders and gold
bugs, detesting greenbacks and the
silver bill. The production OF this un-
fortunate letter was Grants suicide.
The West and South concur at least in
adhesion to Pendleton's and Voorhees,
greenback and silver platform, and
New England and New York will not
give the country, in our time, another
President.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

SECRETARY DICK THOMPSON says he
is growing old, and needs, now and
then, little rest. He has spent a
life of ceaseless toll, and is to-day the
most laborious of men. He refuses to
have an Assistant Secretary of the
Navy who shall be mere figure-head,
and wants, ..instead, an assistant who
can lessen his labors. The number
of frauds discovered by Mr.. Thomp-
son and leaks that have been closed
are numberless, and slowly the depart
ment he manages may be reduced to a
perfect system, and then we may build
a navy; but not while the old thieves
remain in office.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

POSTMASTER GENERAL KEY is de-
voutly inclined to conciliation, and
therefore takes with HIM on the ex-
cursion to Cuba the venerable sore
head Hannibal HamliD. If Key unlock
Hannibal's bowels of compassion and
induce the good old creature to look
Ieniently at last upon the conduct of
the South the cost of the excursion
Will be well spent.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

THE New York State Capitol has al
ready cost nine millions and isn't half
finished. The Texas Legislature, rep
resenting a greater State of the future,
as FIVE to one, than New York, thought
it had done wonders when it set apart
three million acres of land for the pur-
pose of building proper capitol for
the broad commonwealth.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

THE press of learned Boston advo-
cate the bell punch. They copied and
approved a paragraph from the STATES
MAN which asked whether a board of
aldermen, without State legislation,
could not adopt this mode of taxing
whisky and Of extinguishing a city
debt and building narrow gauge to
Georgetown or Lampasas. Bar-rooms
that sell little are taxed little, and all
the money goes into the till. Why
not suffer whisky to become the great
est benefactor Austin has ever known
by building for US the narrow gauge?
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

THE question of fraud in Louisiana
and Florida has nothing to do with
the validity of the Presidents title to
his office. If the electoral commission
act, under which Mr.. Hayes was in
vested with office, be constitutional,
his title is perfect. If Congress did
wrong in passing this bill, then Con-
gress and not Mr.. Hayes is to be con-
demned. Congress cannot repudIate
the President without repudiating its
own acts and stultifying itself.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

THE st. Louis Republican thinks that
the Democratic party has lowered it.
self in popular estimation by its con-
duct with reference to the election of
Polk, and it was not unscathed when
the FItzhugh farce was enacted. In
neither case was the purity of the officer
impugned, and only the greed for Office
and weakness of Congressman was IL
lustrated. The successor of Col. Polk
Is rebel general, of whom the RepU6,
ican says, if the Democrats continue to
make such appointments and to deal as
they have with their appointees, 'they
will get and deserve thorough drub-
bing at the polls"
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

WHEN the Louisiana Legislator
was about to pass the bell-punch liquor
law the States bonds advance one per
cent. in the market. It's astonishing
what confidence the "bloated" bond
holders have in the capacity of some
people to absorb whisky. If the Dal-
las board of aldermen followed in the
footsteps of the Louisiana Legislature,
the paper of that town, signed by "Old
Tige," would go bowling up to an ex-
travagant premium, and other taxation
would be wholly needless. We don't
see why Dallas, with the bell-punch,
doesn't take contract to pay off the
national debt.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

TIE New York Herald says "Henry
Clay Dean is the Landmark of Temper
ance." We never heard before that he
was a soiled dove. That he is q
'.mountain of flesh" and not of dirt,
and is nominally ''Clay" nobody de-
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

THE most beautiful book and cheap
est of modern times, full of most fasci-
mating pictures and written in admira-
BILE taste and style, is entitled "The
Rocky Mountain Tourist" A speci-
men copy will be sent without cost on
application to W. F. White, Topeka,
Kansas
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18
Personal.

The Astors have twice reduced theii
rents since the panic, and now an
nounce that they will again reduce
them on the first OF May.
During Nine Janauchek's twenty
seven years OF stage life, she has re.
ceived from emperors, kings, queens
and the nobility OF Esr7Dpe, ieHeIl.
worth $3.50
"What is your chief consolation 81
life2" asked pastor OF q young lady
in Bible class. The young Iail1
blushed and hesitated, but said, ~
don't like to tell you his name, but
have no objection to telling you where
he lives"
The late Plus IX. discontinued the
ancient ceremonies when receiving for.
eign ambassadors, because he claimed
he was prisoner. The new Pope h1.|
revived these ceremonies, and Tilef
Count Paar, the Austrian AmDassadot
TO the Holy See, visited the Vatican tc.
Gently, all the old forms were zone
through in the Throne Room.
Senator Lamar sent this sentiment a
Augusta, Ga, on st. Patrick's p1|
''The typical Irishman-His homo. =
world; his friends, al the peoplb
faith, his own no cline to him 80 a
as will not produce a shamrock
soil 80 barren as will not grow "a
lab. Foremost at q eight, frolic
funeral; his generous nature 1nd
blow for the bad, q smile for the
or tear for the sad. (.
We don't know Ruth Natalie Cd
well, but We judge she is 6 very ci(l
nice girl TO have for an Acquainted.
She POLITICALLY sighs, kiss me, Ior|
kiss me ever, till dream no dream LI
this; till the world on golden lever. a
its minutes stepped In bliss, turns upon
. rosy kiss" We don't believe Il can
be done, Ruth. The young man zcn|d
become exhausted before the Hol'
had half turned.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

Sarah Bernhardt, the French actle
has industry enough for three wou4t
Ia the morning she takes = long f.l|
IN the saddle; At noon she turns sca'
tor. and works on three or four br..
which she Is goiag to send to the Ex'
bition then she goes with her chiee' e
her group Of 'sMedea.p at c'cIo<1
she takes up the brush and works on E
large painting; at nightfaIl she u ~
ing her memoirs, OF FeheaEs1nn
roles, or attending 20 her corrcspe1
ence- In the evening she appeaf. O.
the stage.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

A London correspondent, referring
to the recent court reception at Buck
ingham Palace, says: ''Such display
of naked arms, bosoms and shoulders
was never beheld by daylight before.
The corssge q Ia Jeanne dare is scarce
ly decent, SO tightly il II made 70 lit
the figure, and the skirt so strained
over the stomach that the whole OF the
outline is as clearly defined as when an
artists model stands before him IN wet
drapery. The one novelty was the in
tToductlon Of the jardiniere, a small
basket either Of very fine wlcker-work
or gilt or silver flagree. II is made fiat
on one side, so as 10 lie quite close to
the wearer. and Is filed with cut fiow-
ers, which hang gracefully pendant
over the edge on the other.n
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

ENGLAND demands the unconditional
withdrawslo of the treaty Of San Stefano
or ITS submission to the judgment Of
Europe. Each OF the great powers de-
mands slice OF Turkey and the Rus
sian bear Is wolfsh. The lion and
unicorn and eagles and bears will pro-
baby tight like other Wild beasts and
birds Of prey about il.