The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-11-26
TIMELY TOPICS.

TIMELY TOPICS.
Crude rubber has risen fifty per cent
in price since last spring, owing to tht
supply. The caoutchouc trees of Brazi
are dying out, lowing to frequent tapping
and the Indians who collect the gum ar
compelled to 20 further into the danger
Gus and almost ostimpenetrable forests. Al
the Indians are lazy, and the work ardu
ous and poorly paid, they will not un
dertake it if other employment can bt
found. The twenty-five per cent. taa
levied by Brazil makes the matter worse
There are said to be fully 200, 900 beg
gars tramping about the German empire
and they are estimated to get as aims
not less than Sls,OO0,0O0 annually ir
money, without considering the value O.
foed and clothing given them. Many d
these beggars got into the habit of gain.
ing their livelihood in this way through
the oppressive laws formerly in vogue
that required apprentices to travel Lit.
orally as journeymen, with view tc
perfecting themselves in their respective
trades.
Belgium suffers from an odd in1iction,
Owing to the immense number of con.
vents, rest at night, especially for the
inhabitants of the smaller towns, where
convent frequentlyItouches convent, has
become almost impossible. The com
munal councils of some towns have in.
tervened and forbidden this annoyance
of nocturnal bell-ringing. The convent
ual bell-riagers have gone to law with
these communal councils, and the court
of cessation has decided finally that the
councils were within their right by
protecting the inhabitants against such
an intolerable disturbance of their hours
of rest. .....
Eminent German statisticians hav
recently published an estimate of the
total amount of capital invested in the
construction of railroads since Stephen
sons experimental locomotive first
glided over double rail, revolution
izing the transport system OF our earth.
The result of their calculations is the
amazing sum of seventy-6ve milliards
of francs. or Sl5, ,000, ,0O0, 900. The event
that inaugurated the expenditure Of
such an amount as this-nearly fifteen
dollars head for every human being
inbabiting the terrestrial globe-is de-
clared by New York paper to be
worthier of celebration by jubilee cere-
monies than the anniversary Of great
battle.
In an interesting article in the Inter-
national ReuicD on "the political situa-
ton in France" I'M. Talandier says: The
republic is steadfastly growing, and
after having successfully withstood for
the last eight years the efforts of its do
mestic enemies, it now shows itself able
to withstand even the faults of its friends.
The second ordeal is much more the
crucial, and we now see only its begin.
ming. Yet it can be, I think, safely af-
firmed that our present political estab-
lishment is so strongly believed in, and
so deeply rooted in the affections Of the
French people, that it almost defies not
only the powers of its adversaries, but
the conceits, miscarriages and absurdi-
ties OF It's advocates.
The substitute for wooden railway
sleepers, which is promised in the man
ipulation of thewaste from, blast furnaces
is one of the most interesting of recent
suggestions in connection with the con-
struction and repair OF railways. Wood
is fast becoming scarce, and in time will
be expensive, the destruction of forests
not being made good by planting. By
the new process OF treating this furnace
Stag, it is toughened after being con.
verted into a coarse sort Of glass, and
put into form for sleepers. Actual ex.
periments is said to have demonstrated
the practicability ofthe discovery, which
will be received by railway corporations
as welcome source of reduction in the
expense of construction.
Two Illinois farmers, who had large
crop ofwheat to sell, went to Chicago
and frequented the board of trade
rooms, which is a resort for spectators
in produce. Their attention was at
tracted by an old man who constantly
talked and gesticulated all by himself.
They made his acquaintance, and he
told them that mis- strange conversation
with spirits, who kept him informed was
as to the future of the market. He said
that he lacked the moneyto take advan-
tage of these supernatural points, but
would sell them at q reasonable price.
The farmers at once put him on a liberal
salary, and only lost faith in him when
he stole diamond pin from cne of them.
The fact that he had swindled many
other speculators was then divulged.
General Myers, of the United States
signal service, has completed arrange
ments with the principal railroads of
the country by which system of rail-
waybulletins of weather reports is to be
introduced. Under the new system the
signal service bureau can furnish to any
railroad company wanting to use the
same, the synopsis and indications Of
weather at fixed hour. This informa-
ton is to be transmitted by the railroad
companies telegraph operators over the
lines without charge to the United
States, and to be printed on bulletin
boards at their respective stations tor
the benefit of agricultural shippers and
the travelling public. The necessary map
reports and stationary supplies are to be
furnished the railway companies for
each station by the chief signal officer
for the purpose of assisting the COM
panies to cooperate with the signal ser
vice department in giving the weather
Views.
The Department of State at Washing
ton has advices of the favorable recep-
tion by the British and German govern
ments of the recent circular issued by
the United States, calling attention to
the determination of the American gov
ernment to prosecute all persons engaged
in polygamous practices. and informing
them Of the presence of agents amongst
their subjects making converts to this
sect. It appears that about the time Of
the issue of this circular the number Of
proselytes shipped to the United States
was unusually large. Reports from the
consular officers at the principal points
of shipment of this class of people state
that the police are energetically at work
to stop this emigration by formal no
tifcation of the purpose Of the Am -rican
government TO arrest and prosecute emil
grants of this sect Immediately upon
their arrival in the United States. The
secretary of state now feels that Swith
the cooperation of the governments ad-
dressed, the inflow of proselytes from
the old world will be entirely cut off
and with the energetic measures now be-
ing enforced in Utah the whole system
will speedily crumble to pieces.