davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-02-26
Something About Fiji.

The receipt of the first discovery o.
Fiji, published in 1879, suggests some
remarks about that group, which i:
destined to occupy prominent place in
the future of the Pacific half of oul
globe. The islands are situated in
latitude 18o south, nearly in a direct
line between San Francisco and Sydney
400 miles from the latter port, and
about the same distance from New Zea.
land, Tahita, Honolulu, the Marshall
Islands, Caroline Islands and New Gui-
nea, and half as far from New Caledo-
MIA, and the New Hebrides, Solomon,
Ellicc, Samoan, and Friendly groups.
Amid all these, Fiji is central point,
with the prospect of great commercial
facilities when MICRONESIA name in
Guiding those small islands of the South
Pacifc-is well supplied with steam
vessels. Five years ago FIJI became a
British colony, but the civilized author
ity was so weak in some of the smaller
islands, or districts remote from the
seaports, that cannibalism did not
cease till two years later. "Long pig 81
has ceased to appear on the
native bills of fare. There is an
orderly government, with police, courts
of justice, public records, and last, but
not least, a regular system of taxation.
The group has an area Of 1000, 200
acres, much of which belongs to the
Colonial Government, and is offered for
sale at $5 an acre for first class and less
for poorer qualities. The area cult
waited by white settlers is $4,000 acres,
and no mention is made of the acres
sold to white men, belonging to natives,
or unsold of the first quality. The
group has eighty islands, making an
archipelago $40 miles long by 26O wide.
There are 10000 natives, including
10000 available for work, but, when
employed as laborers they idle away
their time, unless closely watched.
Their wages are 500 year, beside food,
clothing and tobacco, costing $50 more,
making the total expense less than 81 a
month. Natives of New Britain and
New Ireland, hired by terms of three
years at 800 year, are more industri-
Gus. With such wages, there is no
chance for a white man to make any
thing as laborer, and there is little
opportunity to make much as an en-
ployer unless he has $40, 900 capital to
begin with. The chief exports are
cocoanuts, cotton and sugar, and it is
supposed that coffee win be largely
cultivated. The dried cocoanut,
called copra, makes up nearly
two.thirds of the exports; and
OF the $4,000 acres planted by white
settlers, 5000 are in cocoanuts, $500 in
cotton, 1900 in sugar cane, 1000 in
coffee and $50 in arrow-root. We are
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-02-26
A Playful Elephant.

Romeo, the elephant, amused b a.s
in various ways during 9 recens NJ 4.
boat voyage from New Orleans y, q y,
cinnati. He made himself quns "A
with the freight that was VIM =
reach, and tumbled boxes. 6afls'. n,
bales promiscuously. At vlcksO
hawser, a heavy cable some Int q ~
in diameter, was used to the up ~ III
The observing Romeo saw W
hands hauled it in once or tMle
he concluded that he could do = sE
quite as well as the dozen ms. y
long thereafter as he was kePs =
forecastle he hauled the haWseI, ..s,1
at least, as hauling it in Was .co ~
The deck hands dragged y 8
made it fast, but the moment Y !. W. NJ
tied the elephant seized i via N n -
and hauled it aboard. The 49,
running from the pilot house 70 " 8
room passed under the cs6lo ;SsdlF
rectly over his back. re
noticed that when the wires m 49,
bell rang. He began to ring - y
himself BY pulling the wiz ssf
trunk. The first time ne ]efAs ~ =
wire the engineer stopped y. ~
!" What's the matterp" sakea NJ,
through the speaking tube. !. 80 y
responded the engineer. 1900
YOU stop her for?" "Beca s1ff|
The bells I" At didn't ring 1 u
a-iing-ling-ling!" clattered - - 49,
if there were spirits IN It. ~ H.
rushed out Just in time 70 60 v
Jerking the wire and the y
explained. - g \
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-02-26

HOWARD L. SMITH, Boston negro,
finds himself rewarded by bequest of
S27, O00 from a Baltimore man whose
son he once saved from drowning.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-02-26

THE driver of the iron noI.e
know how to handle his ass
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
Notes and Notions.

Mr. MALONE, the new senator from Vir-
ginia, was poor Irish boy educated on
free scholarship at the military institute
wherein Stonewall jackson taught. He be-
gan his career by carrying surveyors
| chain on his shoulder.
THOSE who wish "fair play all round"
will thank the president for having named
General Howard as General Schofeld's sue
cessor at West Point. Under his admins
tration the color of cadet will not afford
prima facie evidence Of guilt.
REV. DIR. Fulton: "If the people of the
north turn deaf ear TO the cries of the col
ored people they are no better than those of
the south,who do the same thing and who still
claim the right as in the slave days to fog
or shoot "niggers" at their pleasure
IT is almost certain that the total census
OF the country will nearly or quite reach
fifty millions. The common gossip is that
the house of representatives will be in
CREASED to three hundred, which would give
l66,666 for each congressional district.
BosroN Herald "Tf President Hayes is
aware of all the kind things being said
about his valedictory and its author, he has
reason to feel that the thorns which beset his
path in the earlier part of his administra-
have blossemed into roses in the latter days"
ATLANTA Constitution During all this
confusion there is one sentiment that is
strong and well Defined and that is justice
to the strength and genius of Samuel j.
Tilden. The old man towers immeasurably
above the bowling mob that cut him down
at Cincinnati"
X. G. lNGERsoLL "My own opinion is
that most of the southern leaders are hear
tily ashamed of the course pursued by their
northern friends, and will take the first OPP
portunity to say So The forgery will be the
death of the Democratic party in the north,
and its epitaph will be written in Chinese
Memento Morey."
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
Yorktown Centennial.

A bill is now pending before the legisla-
ture making provision for Vermont's TAX
ing some part in the celebration of the sur
render of CORVALLIS at Yorktown, October
10, 1871, thus ending the struggle for our
national independence, We are not alone
in this movement. Congress has already
appropriated $4,000 for the celebration and
will undoubtedly appropriate more. Pur-
suant to notice previously given, meet
ing was held at Washington, d. c., on the
10th inst, to consider this matter and the
following extract from the Associated Press
report of the meeting will be of interest To
our readers The congressional committee
on the Yorktown centennial celebration,
composed of one senator and one member of
the house from each of the thirteen orig
inal states, and the Yorktown centennial
commissioners, appointed by the governors
of all the states, had a conference to-day in
the reception room of the senate, Senator
Johnston Of Virginia presiding, The gem
eral plan of the celebration was referred to
subcommittee of each of the bodies. 1t
was the prevalent sentiment of the commit
tees that the appropriation by congress to
aid the celebration should be increased from
100000 to 100000, and that liberal appro-
priations should be made also by the states.
The general opinion was that participation
of United States authorities should not ex-
tend beyond two days. At the meeting of
the committee of commissioners from the
different states of the Union on the York
town centennial, held at the capitol this
afternoon, the following resolution was
adopted
Resolved, That the commissioners respectfully
ask the governors OF their respective states TO take
such measures as will secure n sufficient appro-
priation from their legislatures TO enable their
states to take a suitable part In the celebration.
State commissioners were appointed 10
superintend the arrangements in the respec-
tive states, including Hon. j. w. Patterson
OF New Hampshire, Colonel G. r. Mattocks
of Maine, General W. II. Buckley of Connec-
ticut, Major j. l.. Barstow of Vermont,
Colonel S. Lincoln, Jr., of Massachusetts,
General Rogers Of Rhode Island.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
Another Princely Charity.

Besides his school for girls at Northfeld
Mass, Mr.. Moody is to start a school for boys
at his Massachusetts home. He has bought
three hundred acres of land for farm, and
he purposes work and play and study for
the boys whom he undertakes TO educate.
The new farm-school is to be on the family
plaza group of dozen boys or so in a
family home, instead of on the dormitory
plan. 1t is not to be reformatory institution.
my plan is" says Mr.. Moody, =" to take
boys of unfortunate parents who are not
able to educate them; but the boys shall be
promising ones, and such as, if educated,
would make good preachers and missiona-
ries." The tuition bills are to be graduated
according to circumstances. When it seems
necessary, the boys will be taken without
cost to themselves or their friends. About
fifty thousand dollars for this enterprise is al
ready in hand-twenty-iive thousand dollars
of this being from Mr.. Hiram Camp of New
Haven, Connecticut. There will be no debts
incurred in building or managing the insti-
tuition. When Mr. Moody was asked if he
thought a school of this kind was needed
in this country, his characteristic answer
was, Yes, ten thousand of them. What is
more needed than religious, moral and intel.
lectual training for boys who would not
otherwise get it ?" The first family home
is to be ready for boys about the first of the
new wear. The idea is a GOOD one. and il
bids fair TO be well carried out.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
A Merry Christmas.

Our Christmas greeting must be brief
one, but what it lacks in amplitude we as
sure our readers and friends is fully made
up in the cordial good will with which these
frosty Christmas days abound. The old
old story can receive no new baptism of in
terest at the hands of writer, orator or poet,
but the people as the years sweep them
further away from the era of Christ's ma
tivity give to the great anniversary glad
welcome that swells in fervor with every
decade that passes over them.
Many people not old to-day remember the
casual merry Christmas greeting that in
their school days alone distinguished the
worlds great holiday from its fellows. The
Catholic and the Episcopal communions
were considered to possess monopoly
of the joyous ceremonials with which the
day was ushered in and its observance cele-
brated. Now Christian sects and commun-
ions the world over vie with each other in
appropriate demonstrations of honor and
generation to the great day. Instead of a
few toys for the stockings of the children,
all the resources Of art and science are laid
under contribution to produce those gifts
which by their exceptional excellence shall
fifty typify that Peace on earth and good
will toward men," which was proclaimed
two thousand years ago.
Let no man wrap himself in the mantle of
his own selfshness in this holiday season.
There are still many hearts to whom Christ
mas brings no merry anticipations. Search
them out, and the consciousness of charit-
able deed done and a human being made
happy will gid with a joy all its own the
Christmas days of 1880.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
The Tax.Bills.

That the matter which is of the liveiest
interest to the people of the state has finally
been reached is clearly shown by the ami
mated debates that have taken place in the
legislature during the past week The dis
cusson of the provisions of the two bills
which have been conspicuously before the
senate and house during the past few days
has not been exclusively confined to legisla-
tive halls. The streets, hotels, stores and
clearinghouse have resounded with the
debate. Wherever two members have met
together the subject of their discourse has
been taxation, and it is more than likely
that they were not entirely in accord
as to precisely what provisions the bill
should or should not contain. There were
nearly three hundred individual opinions on
the subject in the legislature when the de-
bate opened. Great progress has evidently
been made towards harmonizing many rad
ical differences of opinion. The bills which
the two houses have been simultaneously
considering are substantially the same,-be-
ing the bills reported by the joint commit
tee on the grand list. This bill was'briehy
epitomised in the JOURNAL of the 18th in
slant, and quite fully outlined in the reports
of legislative proceedings designated
as senate bill 1914, and house bill 444, re-
spectively With some amendments, which
relate more to the calculation of the bill
as reported rather than TO any radical
change in its provisions, this measure
has passed the senate. The house de-
bate has been characterized at times by
great warmth and sharply conflicting views.
A large and increasing minority has been
strongly in favor of making no offsets
from the list on account of debts owing.
The advocates of this feature have claimed
with apparent reason that by this means
every loophole for evasion would be closed
and all the taxable personal property in the
state must inevitably be brought into the
list that thus the list would be made SO
large and the percentage of taxation 20
small, the debtor poor would pay smaller
tax than If he should be allowed exemptions
for his debts. The bill originally reported
in the house has been amended in the di-
rection of securing greater efficiency in its
practical working, and of closing up any
apparent avenues through wsich taxable
property could escape by evasions. The
last amendment proposed and adopted di-
reefs the listers to deduct from any deduc-
tons allowed on account of debts the
81 Ill - IL. A. \
by the taxpayer claiming deduction, and all
debts due him from solvent debtors. In
this condition the bill passed the house by
the sweeping vote of one hundred and forty
eight to forty-fve. The differences be-
tween the senate and house are not irrecon.
cilable, and there appears to be every rea-
son to expect that this measure will become
the law of the land for the next two years.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
Let the Legislature Elect.


The house last week killed the bill which
which had passed the senate providing that
the supervisors of the insane should be con
frmed by the senate upon the nomination
of the governor. This is move in the right
direction. II there is anything incongruous
with the theories upon which the govern
ment of our state has been conducted, II is
the principle OF oneman power. Two years
ago the directors of the state prison and the
house Of correction, which had been separate
boards heretofore, were consolidated, and
1t was enacted that they and the trustees OF
the reform school should be appointed by
the governor and confirmed by the senate
This was move in the wrong direction
The legislature of Vermont can be safely
trusted with the choice of all the state Off
GERS who are not elected by the people
That trust has never been abused, aud IL,
exercise has given us, as rule, only first
class men.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
The Vermont Central Decision.

The unanimous decision of the full bench
of the supreme court, which we publish in
the supplement, bears out the position which
the WATCHMAN AND JOURNAL took as early
as 1873 in regard to the assaults which
were made at that time upon the trustees
and managers of the Vermont Central and
Vermont and Canada railroads. We con-
tended at that time that the trustees and
managers had been unjustly attacked, and
that the receivers debt constituted first
lien upon both roads; that the assaults
which were made upon them were made by
interested parties in Boston who were anx-
ious to demoralize the securities so that
they could buy them up in stheir own inter
est at low price. Those assaults have
been kept up for that purpose from 1873
down to the present time; and not only
have the trustees and managers been at
tackled, but the courts of the state, and par
ticularly Judge Royce, who, as chancellor Of
the Franklin county court, had immediate
charge of the case, were made the targets
of unmerited abuse. The result of the long
struggle is complete vindication of Gov.
Smith and the managers, and also of Judge
Royce and Judge Poland, the chancellors
who have had the most intimate connection
with the various phases of the proceedings in
court. The effect of the decision is to make
the first, second and third equipment bonds,
the income and extension bonds, the guar
anteed bonds, amounting in all, with inter
est, to about five million dollars, a first lien
upon the trust property. The rent due the
Vermont and Canada and the principal and
interest due the first and second mortgage
bondholders are made secondary to the
above named obligations. The court post
pones the consideration of the status of the
floating debt (about million) and the debt
due the Central Vermont, (about eight hun
dred thousand) for the present. The decision
is happy outcome of most disastrous and
unfortunate litigation.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
The Mormon Question.

Two notable expressions concerning Nor.
monism have lately been made the one by
President Hayes, in his annual message, and
the other by John Sharp, one of the Mormon
bishops, in an interview with the reporter
of a New York journal.
The president not only declared that IL
was the duty and purpose of the United
States to suppress polygamy, but recon-
mended no less drastic remedy than the
withholding of the right to vote, to hold
office and to sit on juries from all who con-
tilue to practice it. He added the opinion
that If thorough measures were adopted,
"within few years the evils which now
afilict Utah will be eradicated.' The bishop,
on the other hand, talks as if the distinctive
institution of the Mormons was to be as
permanent as it is peculiar. He asserts that
eighttenths of the people of Utah are Nor
mons, that very few of the younger people,
the children Of Mormons, leave the faith,
and that the Mormon people are constantly
increasing in numbers. No less than two
thousand Mormon immigrants, according TO
Bishop Sharp, have been added to their
number during the year. The twelve "apos-
ties" who became the head of the church,
on the death of Brigham Young, retain their
power unimpaired. The Mormons, he ad-
ded, although anxious to have Utah admit
ted to the Union as state, would prefer to
have it remain territory rather than sur
render polygamy. "Not only is polygamy,"
he said, ga part of the Mormon faith but it
is obligatory. Those who say otherwise are
not true Mormons, or else they do not know
what they are talking of. Some make their
consciences easy with only one wife on one
pretext or another. 1t is not COM
pulsory, as there are no penalties, but IT is
obligatory; it is part of our religious faith
and it cannot be rooted out"
Several causes have combined to procure
delay in dealing with this Mormon iniquity
according to its desert Many have believed
that public opinion would soon shame it out
of existence while others fondly hoped that
with the death of Brigham Young, his fol-
lowers for lack of bold and sufficient
leader, would be dispersed. These and kin
dred causes have induced Uncle Sam to 90
very slow. But we should not be surprised
if, some of these days, while the bishops and
apostles are felicitating themselves upon the
permanency and prosperity of the faith once
delivered to Joe Smith by Joe Smith, the
r
fectually upon them, and for the honor of
the country it is to be hoped that the day is
not far distant.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-22
The Late Fair.

The fair of Capitol Guard having closed
a word may be said about its lottery feature
without mourning the charge of hostility to
the general enterprise. The fact that such
scheme was prominent feature of the
programme came to our knowledge at so
late stage in the proceeding after our
people generally who have commendable
pride in our militia company, and desire to
aid it in every honorable way, had pledged
their cooperation and contributions of vari-
GUS kinds, that we deemed it unwise to en-
list in crusade against carrying out the
programme. Such course would have
only availed to give additional ferment to
blood already sufficiently heated. But now
that the scheme has been completed, and all
eau look back calmly upon it, there are few
who will deny that such a public and fla
grant violation Of plain statute Of the state
is most dangerous and unwarrantable
proceeding. Nor is it simply illegal The
fascinating and beguiling Influences of
games of chance are working greater de-
moralization every year, especially with the
young, not only in the cities, but through.
out all our rural communities, as those best
know who have an occasional glance be-
meath the curtain. Nor is the fippant re-
tort, "You're another" sufficient answer to
all this; it is only an admission that no justi-
fication is possible. If some church has had
ten-cent, ring cake, or baby doll (though
we apprehend the truth in regard to these
practices would come far short of what is
chargeD, and it is wrong in principle-as
all will admit-it by no means justifies a
much greater wrong in the same direction.
A result greatly to be regretted in this
connection has been the spirit manifested
toward those who saw fit to demonstrate
against the lottery feature of the fair. Their
action was couched in terms altogether
kindly and respectful, and was doubtless
prompted by motives entirely conscientious
and commendable. Not one of them but
would go as far as the farthest in encourag-
ing and assisting the soldier boys in every
proper way So far as we know, the hands
OF all were entirely clear in respect to that
against which they demonstrated. Such
men, acting from such motives, no commu-
nifty can afford to treat with uncharitable
criticism and aspersiou.
After all, this occurrence, which in itself
is to be regretted may eventually produce
good results. Now that the public gaze is
turned upon the transaction in its true light,
we question if it is soon repeated in this
community, either in ''church or state"