Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-29
Let EN- Rip.'


to say anent the threatened readjusters'
boom:
It is said that Mr.. Massey is soon to
be reinforced by the persevering Paul
and the uproarious Riddlebarger, and
these three mighty men of valor and
vapor are to raise storm of opposition
to the plan of adjustment adopted by
the last Readjusting Legislature, which
will blow the settlement to smithereens,
and dash those who favor it to infini-
tesimal atoms. We are glad to know
that our patriotic fellow citizen. is to
have help in the generation of the pro-
posed teapot tempest. Atlas should
not longer be permitted to bear the
weight of the world ON his shoulders.
We think it quite as well to permit
these disinterested patriots to have all
the fun to themselves for awhile. The
dog days are just at hand, and possibly
they may exhaust themselves, and the
people as well, before the rainy season
sets in. The best policy for the present
is to give 'em rope and let 'em rip. The
best answer to their chronic complaints
and the best evidence that can be fur
nished to the people of the folly of this
proposed crusade against the settlement
is to inform them how the thing is
working. 1t is stated that long before
the General Assembly will again meet
the eight millions of bonds required to
be presented in order to seal the con-
tract with the agents of the bond-hol-
ders, will have been refunded. The
new contract will then be fixed and
unalterable, and it will not be possible
to avoid its obligations except by legis-
lation that will not stand the test of the
courts or bear the stamp Of common
honesty. Even were it possible to eff
feet repeal no good would be accom-
plished, for the original and more ex-
acting contract would remain in force,
and Coupon would still be king, with a
sword of double weight and keener edge
in his hands.
Again we say let 'em rip and rear,
and sweat and swear! The people are
not with them this trip; and their last,
despairing effort to prolong the agita-
ton which has SO long cursed the State
is destined to end in ignominious fail
ure.
YELLOW JACKS HIsToRY.-Theh his
tory of yellow fever in this country
shows that it has hardly been the excep-
ton when the fever appeared as an cpl
demic the gear following an epidemic.
In 1847 there were $3.50 deaths in
New Orleans, and $50 in 184s, and
1877 in 1S49. In 1858 there were 1870
deaths in the same city, and there were
,423 deaths in 1854 and 2,67O in 1885,
In 1858 there were 1889 deaths, but none
the next years. In 1867 there were 8, O93
deaths, and none the following year.
In the same proportions the fever ap-
peared in the smaller places in Louisi-
ana and Mississippi in those years. In
184S, when it re-appeared in New Or
leans, it came in June, while the cpl
demic of 1847 began in August. The
great epidemic of 1853 began in May,
and the epidemic of the year following
| came in July, and in the next year in
June. The epidemic in North Carolina
| in 1852 was followed in 1854, two years
afterward, by one of increased mortal
! ity, but not in the same cities and towns
as a general thing. In 1897 Philadel-
phia's death list was 300. in 1898. 8 500,
and in 1899 there were 900 deaths. Sc
| it was in 1902 three-ffths, when >Phila-
| delpbia next had the fever as an cpl
demic. In South Carolina it had been
almost invariably the case that the sec.
ond year brought an epidemic. Mem
phis and all other points which were
infected in 1873, escaped the second year
In that year the fever began in Shreve-
port first, and did not come until the
latter part of August, reaching Mem
phis September IA. August has been
the favorite months for its inception
Last year it began near the first of that
month in the South.