The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-17

Z, WEDNESDAY,, MARCH
CURRENT TOPICS.
TEE xACryIC NAIL CONTRACT.
In recent issue Of tho DExocRAr allusion
was made to contract having becn entered
into between the Pacific railroads and the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company. By which the
former agree to subsidize the latter to the ex-
tent Of d 500 600. to be paid In monthly INSTALL
ments for five years. Representative Manning
Of Mississippi. has. since that time. introduced
q resolution In the Houea similar to that offered
In the Senate by Mr.. Bailey Of Tennessee en-
towering the Judiciary Committee to send for
persons and papers to ascertain the exact char
acter OF the contract. A former counsel Of the
Pacific Mail states that there ia no doubt this
contract will do much to strengthen the Reagan
inter. State commerce bill. and Its announce
IN emit. he thinks. Ia unfortunate at this time.
He believes the contract Is q stock. jobbing
operation. as the stock has been driven up from
II to o. within a short time. making clear
profit to somebody Of between Ss.ooo.00o and
81, o0o.o 600. Ho thinks Congress might be able
to reach and forbid the execution Of the con-
tract. Mr.. ManniDgs resolution has been re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee. 1t Is said
ment OF the contract and the stir It makes In
CONGRESS. 1t was just the Rrist he required for
h is mill. The Senate resolution will be referred
to sub committee. which Is expected to push
the matter at once.
EXPLORATIONS IN MEXICO.
It Ia announced that Mr.. Pierre Lorillard. OF
New York. intends to devote large sum OF
m oney to explorations In Mexico. with the end
OF collecting the antiquities OF that country. In
studying the character OF the arts OF the old
jewellers of Mexico. 80 far the subject has been
| OF most onfusing character It becomes quite
evi dent that. for anything like an aul hentic
history OF the Aztecs. the beginning Of 1t cannot
be placed further back than the seventh eentu-
~. Some references put 1t back as far AZ the
! sixth century. but this assertion would seem to
rest ON no solid basis. Evidently the civlliza-
tion OF Mexico was greater many centuries be-
fore the advent of the Spaniards In 1917 than on
their arrival. Speculation seems with some
reason to point to certain centres In South
America whence this civilization ORIGINATED
and from whence 1t spread. II the beginning
OF European knowledge. with Its art. Is sup
osed to have; been derived from Asia. and to
have slowly made its way westward to Europe.
80 1t is quite possible that from Central Ameri-
Gu came the original people who. spreading
|
M. CharnaE some time ago made very fine
series of photographs OF Mexican and South
American monuments for the French govern
ment and Ia an explorer OF great merit. NJ. de
Cessna. who made researches on the California
coast last year. will shortly return from France
and will prosecute his archaeological studies In
South America. The ground to work over is
mple and though the United States may not
rec Give the entire advantage of Mr.. Lorillard's
liberaity. the world at large will be the gamer.
GRAPE CULTURE IN AMERICA.
In France and Italy and other wine growing
countries OF Europe. the extensive Yavages OF
the or ape disease have resulted In such losses
to the agriculture Of the Old World. and have 80
persistently defled all the remedies applied that
q general resort is now being made to the i'm
portation Of American grape. vines. which are
found to be unaffected By the disease. This.
added to the fact that In California and other
portions OF the United States grape culture has
already been found profitable employment.
may be regarded AZ new proof OF the progress
made BY this republic in lines OF production
which were once deemed essentially foreign to
the genius Of our institutions and likely to be
always monopolized by Europe. Grape. grow
Ing has indeed made progress In the United
States that compares favorably with that OF
many lines OF manufacture. which were once
deemed mere hot-ho exotics. but which are
now strong, deep-rooted and fourishing sta
pies. American grapes. whether for the pur-
pose Of manufacturing into wine or raisins. or
for table use as fruits. are making rapid head
way In many PARTS Of the country. where the
vineyards give somewhat European aspect to
the landscape 1t Is. however. a business that
requires study. care and attention as we'll as
practical experience There Is scarcely any
portion of Louisiana that is not more or less
adapted to grape culture. and In many sections
the industry has been carried on with marked
SUCCESS There is no doubt about there being
money In 1t. although capital might perhaps.
b. equally we'll invested In other lines Of pro-
duction. As for example. In that Of silk, OF
which we use a very large quantity In our man
ufactures. but are obliged to import the whole
Of the raw article from foreign lands.
''MuERA GRANT"
A correspondent Of the New York World who
IL In N exioo with the Grant party states that In
one of his previous communications he 'inten.
| tionally avoided mentioning the disaRreeable
fact that about dozen men belonging to the
| 'opp oeition' and to the anti. American party.
shouted. as Grant left the Buena Vista station {:
| 'Muera Grantp 'Mueran los Americanosp"
The correspondent then goes on to enliRhten
| the readers of the World by saying that the
words ''muera" and ''mueran" were not used
In murderous sense. aud must not always be
translated literally; the malcontents who ut.
tered them on the occasion referred to merely
intended to express their disapprobation OF
what they deemed useless expense. AL OF
which Is. doubtless. true: the Mexicans are
human beings. like some of the rest Of us. and
do not object to Grant or any other man" hav-
| Ing q good time. provided they are not called
upon to foot the bills of the ilustrious traveller
and Rift.taker. With John Russell Youngs
narrative before US. We are led to believe that
Grants trip around the world was one grand
and continuous ovation from its commence