davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
ia, Ia. SAMUEL
An Open Letter To Would-Be Con-
gressman S N Wood

An Open Letter To WOuld-Be Con-
gresham S. n. Wood
COLUMBUS, Kan, Dec. 7.-Allow me
to congratulate you on your safe anchor
age in the Democratic party. was not
at all deceived In you, was Sam? 1
lay no claim to che gift of prophecy, as
itrequired no special ability to read you.
You know sized you up exactly, and
that is the reason you fought shy. You
evidently made good use of the license
granted you by the Greenback Stale
convention that voiciferously applauded
the sentiments expressed in your letter
to Hon. E. G. Ross, in which you pro-
posed to trade off in 1890 our entire
ticket to pull one candidate through.
You almost succeeded in trading your
self into congress, and may possibly Sc
cure seat in that body by accident.
The State Journal evidently speakos
adviscdly when it says, should you sue
coed in your contest, you will take your
seat on the Democratic side and that
you are now Democrat For myself l
have no regrets at your departure, but il
must be Notifying to these Greenback-
ers who put their trust in you, TO find
| themselves taken in The Sam We cd
campaign having ended, and the Sam
Wood party having consolidated will
the Democracy, the Greenbackers car
now go forward again. There are time!
when the rivers are so full of driftwoo6
that vessels cannot run. That was the
case with the Greenbackers in Kansas
during the last campaign. They had t.
tie up while the driftwood ran out.
| j. F. Mcdowell.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

SLEEPING CAR LIABILITIES.
The supreme court of Indiana has re-
Gently decided in a case brought TO re-
cover the value of property stolen from
passenger occupying sleeping berth
that sleeping-car company is not liable
as an inn keeper or common carrier, but
1t implicitly agrees to watch over its
patrons while asleep and to tate reason
able care to preventive theft of his goods
and money from his person. The case
of an occupant of berth in q sleeping
is similar to that of the occupant of
statc-room on a steamboat, and 1t has
been held that tue steamboat COM
pany is liable to such occupant, in the
absence of negligence or fraud on his
part, for the value of goods stolen from
him during the night. 1t was found by
the court that two sleeping-cars in "a
train were under the charge of one con-
ductor and that he left The train during
the night, and for eighty-four miles
there was no conductor in charge of the
cars, and, therefore, one conductor had
charge of four cars. Each car had a
porter, but he had duties which we're
inconsistent with his keeping watch ov-
er occupants. These facts clearly show
cd negligence on the part of the CON-
pany, and 1t was held 70 be liable for the
value of the stolen property.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
SENArnR pLnMR

Hiawatha World: Senator Plumb
has left for Washington. The legisla-
ture Will meet next month and Senator
Plumb will he reelected senator soon
afterN ards-on the day provided by
law. This election will closely rcsem-
BILE Gen. Lanes reelection, January ~
1865. He received SO votes, VIM. A.
Phillips Z, VIM. G. Mcdowell 4, C. b
Brace 2, w. Y. Roberts 2 and b. NJ
Hughes /. Lane had made a canvass as
Plumb has, and the result was an over
whelming victory. Several men who
had been elected as anii-Lane men vot
ed for the senator tn strengthen hi:
hands and give Kansas prominence in
the national councils. We shall see his
tory repeat itself next month. The Dem
Ocratic attempt to secure a candidat,
against Plumb has been a ridiculous
failure. That candidate, like Lore
Dundreary's goose. will haYe to go of
alone and flock by himself
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

BEATEN BUT NOT WHIPPED.
The following letter written by Gov.
ST. J 1hn to friend in New York was
published in the last issue of the Wit.
ness:
Many thanks for your good letter of
the 11th inst. IL affords me graat deal
of pleasure to say TO you that l am in
splendid physical condition, In a good
humOr, and never felt more like contin-
uing the good fight for prohibition than
do now. Though beaten l am neither
dishonored, discouraged nor whipped.
| OF course we expected the whisky
ring Ia resort tU all manner OF corrupt
means to compass my defeat. We felt
that we could overcome that, but We did
not anticipate the treachery there was in
the Republican ranks. Personal jeal.
ousy, coupled with greater love for the
| saloon than for principle, resulted II
| transferring the votes of from 1900 20
$4,000 who claimed to be Republicans TO
the Bourbon Democrats. thus result
ing in my defeat. In 1856, pro-slaveEy
Democracy defeated John q. Fremont,
but we crowned Abraham Lincoln with
n grand victory in 1860. John Brown
was hung as a fanatic, but the princi-
piles for which he gave his life will live
forever, and the soil of slavery, drenched
in John Browns blood, Is now free. Our
soldier boys were defeated at Bull Run,
but they did not throw down their guns
and sneak off like towards, but they
rallied once again, shouting the battle
| cry of freedom" and by their bravery
stimulated by a devotion To principle
in due time gave the enemy its Apo
mattox 4 thousand St. Johns may GO
down ia the fight for prohibition, but
the principle will still live, and if We
but do our whole duty, will eventually
crown the homes OF this nation with the
blessings of peace, sobrIety, morality
and good government. Let US take nc
steps backward, but looking TO God fol
His guidance, press forward, with iul
faith that He in His own time and OWL
way, will give us the victory.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14


Secretary Teller in his annual report
recommends the disarming OF all Indi-
ans supported by the Government, fair
compensation being made to them for
their guns. He wants the Indians to
have an equal show with the white man
in all questions affecting property rights
and believes that many OF the reserva-
tons should be reduced in size and
thrown open to actual settlers. The In.
dian children shout be given the ad-
vantage Of technical training in manual
schools, ciyilizing them being cheaper
than suppressiDg outbreaks. The land
department report shows that Il. 1000, GOO
acres of the public domain were dis
posed of during the year. The repeal Of
the preemption acts is recommended, as
also a change in the homestead law re-
curing proof of actual residence and
cultivation for at least one year before
entries can be commuted in cash. Sec
rotary Teller fayors strongly the propo
sition that the national government shall
make appropriations to the several states
in aid of education, the allowances to bt
based on the amount of illiteracy a!
shown by the last federal census.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
AS9ESS0RS

Several stale papers have announced
that All effort will be made this winter
TO do away with township assessors and
substitute county assessor instead.
Some of them favor the movement For
several years in our earlier history we
township, and then from township 10
county assessors. and we presume anoth-
or change will be demanded now that
the people have become acquainted
with the workings of the present sys-
tenn, and know who will make good
assessors. 1t is "anylhing for a change"
with some people, and that is the
only reason now offered for substi-
tutiDg county for township assessors
We have not seen u single good reason
stated, as yet for such u change, and We
hope unless there is some demand for a
change founded on good grounds, il
will not be made By the township
system better men can be had to do the
work than If the office were left to bi
trading stock in a political convention
Many OF the townships have pursued
the policy Of keeping good mar
in this most important po
sition for years when they have found
one, and Tie work OF assessing til
property is done much more correctl,
and with greater dispatch than it woul'
be if left to one man in each county
Our present system is working well
and why not let il alone.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

Cath" in the Cincinnati Enquirer,
gives some interesting railroad Stats
tics. The railroads of the world, it
seems, have grown from AGO miles of
road 1910 to 240, 500 miles on December
81, 1881. The system which, in 1910.
was confined to the United States and q
few countries of Europe. is now spread
To all quarters of the globe. OF the 249,-
500 miles of road at the close OF 1881,
North and South America are credited
with 122, 1856; Europe, 1OS,O02. The
United States led ali other countries
many fold, having at that time 104, 831
miles of completed road. The second
country In extent OF railroad is Ger
many, which had 81, 466 miles, Greal
Britain coming next with 1921 miles
In the United States not less 13y0C(
miles will be completed in 1882, and il
is estimated that IN less than three year
there will be more miles of railroads IL
the United States than in all the rest o
the world. The road now building i
mostly through undeveloped country
aud is stimulated largely by the i'm
mense immigration. A few years henc
every habitable portion OF the Unite,
Stalee will be opened up to settlement
by iron highways. and the possibilitie
of development be measured.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
The amour: of money expended each
year since 1856 tor pensions is AS fol

Postmaster General Howe, in his an
nual report recommends that system
of postal savings banks should be in
augurated. After careful study he has
arrived at the conclusion that the tele-
graph and postal systems of the country
should be included under one manage
ment, and that the only protection for
the public against multiplied extortIons
is for the Government TO assume exclu-
sive control of the transmission of do
nestle messages. lie considers the tel
egraph "too terrible a power to be
welded by any other than the represent
atives of the whole people" For the
first time in thirty-one years the post
Office has not been burden ON the pub
lie treasury. After deducting all extra
expenses there was net Surplus of re
ceipts over expenses of $S30.O50, while
last year there was deficiency o
s.. 446, 1888. The estimated revenue fo
the fiscal year 1Ss3-s4 is given at $50,
$40 456, and the estimated expenses a
S4e,74i, III, which will leave surplus
revenue OF 90, 920, 49,.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
THE PUBLIC DIET.

The belief is quite general throug b.
out the country that The public debt is
being reduced more rapidlyi1han nee
essary. The latest report Of the comp
troller OF the currency shows that the
reduction tor the twelve years ending
June so, 1881, amounted to $64S ,0O0, 600
and the average annual reduction for
the three years ending November LIST,
1882, amounts to 1926 PCS. SIS, the re-
ducsion last year reaching $14S,64S, $50,
while the reduction so far for the cur
rent year has been at the rate Of $780,
OOO,O
The comptroller recommends the ces-
saIion of this rapid decrease of the debt.
and points out the fact that. at the pres
ent rate Of decrease, all of the interest
bearing bonds will soon be surrendered
and cancelled, which would bring
about contraction of the currency by
compelling the banks to surrender their
bonds and withdraw their circu-
laiiOn. thus affecting the price of all
commodities, and doubtless causing Sc
rious embarrassment in business and
financial circles. To avert these threat
ened disasters the comptroller recon-
mends various measures, probably the
most important of which is to induce
the holders of four and four and a half
per cent. bonds IN exchange them for
new three per cent. bonds, allowing
them n premium for the old bonds not
TO exceed fifteen per cent. This pre-
MUM. he states. upon the outstanding
four and four and half per cent, bonds
amounts only to $i05. 600. which
could be paid as the bonds are presented
for exchange. from the surplus revenue
of the government. which would be
practically reducing the debt $105. co.,
600 by prepayment of interest which
must be paid at u greater rate each year
until their maturity. Numerous other
measures for the same'purpose have been
recommended by the press Of the couu-
try.
At any rate there is strong sentiment
against making so much haste 10 pay off
the debt, and an annual decrease of $45.
100000. the requirement of the sinking
fund, it is thought would be sufficiently
rapid. In the near future there will be con-
siderable reductions in internal revenue
taxation, which is everywhere demand
ed. After this has been done, our navy
and sea cost defenses, and the general
need OF increased educational facilities
may receive some desirable attention
which the lack OF available money, as
matters now stand, prevents. The pres
ent generation has borne the burden of
debt nobly, and if, after having reduced
and refunded it at an unprecedented low
rate OF interest, the coming generation
should have tn bear a portion of it, it is
Al little difficult TO see how the latter
could regard it as a gross injustice.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

4 man who has attended his own exc
cuuOn, and survives TO relate the details
is worthy Of short paragraph. Ac-
cording TO The London Echo his name
is Colonel Marleras, and in 1867 he was
on the point of being proclaimed presl'
dent of Uruguay when he was arrested
aud condemned TO death. Ga Monday,
June so. of that year Ito be precise) he
was taken by platoon of soldiers out
of the city To n meadow in the heart OF
forest, and bound to a chair. At the
word "ire!" "spasmOdic shock" threw
him to the ground; he did not hear the
volley; the soldiers marched away with
out giving him the customary coupe de
grace, and Marleras by the kindly aid o.
neighboring laborer got away, wa:
healed of his wounds, and to-day serve,
society more humbly but yet more safely
us a waiter in "A Paris cafe.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
"GArH'' has been talking TO one of the

Gath" has been talking 10 one of the
wealthy men of the east upon the sub
Ject of individual wealth, and this gen.
tleman, who is supposed 90 know what
he is talking about, if anybody does,
said:
"We have no idea of the extent and
number of the private fortunes in this
country. Here is q man who generally
ranks at $500, 600; from my investiga
ton of his wealth / am satisfied that he
is worth $4,OO0,O00. Here Is another
man, much better known, who is thought
to be worth $500, 600; think / would
give him 81, 900 900 for all he is worth
above g .OO0, 900, and make some money
for myself. Think of q man like. Ed.
ward Clark, the sewing machine mana
ger, dying few weeks ago possessed oil
| SO, O0O, 600. Who considered that Mos
es Taylor had S45, 100000 Why, in the
| little city of Columbus, which has hard.
| ly GO, 1000 inhabitants, there are q dozen
| TO twenty millionaires at this day. The
same way in Cleveland, and ia nearly
all the secondary cities, and millionaire
exist in the third-class towns. sometime.
half dozen to each. In former year
the fortunes of men were generally over
rated. think the developments of tn,
last few years show that fortunes are I'm
[ 6arrafad -
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

Commonwealth The tables of re-
ceipts and expenditures now complete
in State Superintendent Speer's depart
ment show the total amount received
and handled during the year ending
July 31st, 1881, by district treasurers, to
be s., FOG. 40 80. The reported balance
on hand July 31st, for the same year, is
81, 9T7, 920.34 The total amount paid
oat by these officers IN 1881. is $342, 1884,
OF. The reports for the year 1882, made
by the same treasurers, show balance
for the same date, of only $506, 1925, q
discrepancy of 5000. An inyestiga-
ton in the state superintendent's Office
of similar reports for previous years
shows like discrepancy of reports Of
money on hand at the same dates. This
fact. clearly showing loss of money Il
the school fund, calls for Legislation
and a change in the system of disburse
ment of said funds.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
HALsTEAp ON BEEcHER.

Mr.. Beecher, whose theological gym.
nastics have finally landed him outside
of the pale of orthodoxy, is presented
with a tough nut to crack, by Murat
Halstead, of the Cincinnati Commercial,
as follows;
Beecher finally accepts the doctrine
of evolution, and denies the fall of Adam
and imputed sin to all his descendants;
but he hesitates about accepting its logi-
cal consequences, the doing away with
the divine scheme OF salvation. But If
there was no fall there was no need of a
scheme Of redemption that involved the
sacrifice upon the cross of the incarnated
Divinity. There is no escape from this
lconclusion. Either man fell from a
state of perfection and drought sin into
the world and all our VICE." or the doc
trine of the atonement is a surplusage of
theology that should be abandoned. II
| is vain to attempt to harmonic the
scientific theory OF creation and fall OF
man. The labors of all the ministers in
| the world cannot harmonic the rela
tions between them. Either the scien
tif1c theory is erroneous or the dogms
| is.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
THE JOHN BROWN Song.

The question as to who started the
John Brown song. is still marching on
among the Kansas newspapers Some
of the boys are claiming that it was a
Kansas production. Here is what the
Wichita Esgle,says:
Quite a discussion is going on as to
| the origin of the song John Browns
Body" a mir. Sw6eiZer is claiming
| the honor for Massachusetts, regiment
in the spring of 90. That the song is of
Kansas origin We have not the least
doubt. We heard 1t sung by some of the
Second Kansas boys in the EAPoRIA
NEWS office in the latter days of No
vember, 1851. One of the singers was
Charles Stotler-brother of Jacob Stot-
ler--who afterwards fell in the battle of
Prairie Grove Delighted with the
words and thrilled by the sweetness and
volume Of the music of the chorus, We
asked the boys where they got il, and
the answer was: "Oh. all the Kansas SOL
der boys are singing it."
Web. Wilder. who is the best Kansas
authority on ali historical matters, set
ties the disputed question in the follow
ing paragraph in the Hiawatha World,
of Dec. Z:
The Topeka Capital recently publish
ed a paragraph intimating that the
John Brown Song was not composed
until 1862. The facts in regard TO the
first singing of The song were gwen in
The World some weeks ago. 1t was
composed by some private soldiers in
the 18Th Massachusetts regiment while
they were q1artered at Fort Warren in
Boston haFbor, in the summer OF 1851. |
Fletcher Webster, a son of Daniel Web |
steF, was the colonel of that regiment |
They first sang the song in public while |
marching through the streets of Boston,
on their way TO the front, July |
23rd, 1861. We happened to be in |
that city on visit about two weeks |
afterwards. The music and words were |
already printed and exhibited for sale |
in the shop windows We bought sew
eral pieces, and mailed one to Sam'l +. |
Atwood, Leavenworth. We left copies
at Rochester and Detroit on our Way
home, and published it soon after in the
LeavenwOrth Conservative. The Annals /
is right in saying that the song was first
publicly sung at LeavenwOrth, Sept.
both, 1861. The city and the Fort were
then the headquarters of everything in
Kansas, and the soldiers quartered there
and daily moving in and out soon took
the song all over the state and the west |
1t was sung on the streets, in the camps,
in thealers, and was everywhere the |
cause of enthusiasm, loyalty and pa
triotism. 1t suited Kansas.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

-Four territories are now seeking adj
mission into the Union as states-Ea-
kOta. Washington. Utah and New Mex
leo. If Washington and Dakota should
be admitted the present winter they
would have six votes in the Electoral
college of 1884. As they are Republi
can territories the Democrats will assur.
edly oppose their admission. Goyernol
Ordway, of Dakota, on Wednesday las
was in Chicago on his way to Washing
ton for the purpose of urging the ad
mission of the territory. He is chair
man of committee who will present
memorial TO Congress on the subjec,
He estimates that Dakota has now 300,
| 900 inhabitants.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

Senator Sherman says: kansas is n
great state, and probably has as much
arabic land as any other orthern state.
] saw great many people in different
places, and l have no doubt that Kan
sas will be not only one of the most
populous, but one OF the most
moral, intelligent and industrious states
in the Union. IL Missouri does not
look out 1t will pass her within two or
three decades"
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
Iisannoonce5 that he noIicv of n

1t is announced that the policy OF the
Democratic party at the remaining ses-
sion of the present congress, viii be to
resist any reduction of the internal rev
enue taxes, with the intention of reserv-
ing it for the action of the Democratic
congress recently elected. The idea is
for the latter to come out with banners
flying and receive credit for a very pop.
nlar measure. The Democratic party
has never been particular about the
lasting quality of its record, and IL there
is an opportunity to blunder between
this and 1884 the party may be trusted
to take advantage Of It.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

The minion editors of the Kansas
City Times and journal have locked
horns and are indulging in an exchange
of journalistic amenities, which it Is
gravely feared may eventuate IN an en-.
Gagement with jaek-knives or some
Other equally deadly instruments o.
warfare. When Field and Baker enter
the arena the public are prudently adj
monished TO betake themselves to the
top seats TO escape the impending inun
dation of pOre
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14
Maior Thomas B. Eldndre.

Major Thomas B. Eldridge, q man
widely known in Kansas, especially by
the early settlers, died suddenly Sunday
morning at his residence in Lawrence,
of rheumatism Of the heart. aged 81
years. He came to Kansas in 1855, and
was connected with the famous Eldridge
house in Lawrence. He was engaged in
other branches of business in that city,
and some time previous to his death had
occupied the position of claim adjuster
for the X. @. Fl. S. s. G. and L. L.-& G
railroads. Wherever Tom Eldridge
was known there will be expressions Of
regret at the news Of his untimely death
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

The talk about whisky. beer and to-
baeco taxes being a burthen u any body
- nonsense. Consumers pay the tax
and don't feel IL Abolishing tie tax
wouldn't make the fraction OF cents
worth of difference in the price or quail
ity of whisky, beer and tobacco served
10 customers.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

The Arlington cemetery which over
looks Washington. and where over TO-
coo OF the nations brave defenders
sleep. is. according TO a recent decision
Of the supreme court, the property
OF the heirs of General Lee, whose es-
tate it was prior TO its confiscation by
the government. 1t is one OF the most
beautiful spots in the world and seems
especially fitted for the sacred use to
which it has been appropriated.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-12-14

Here is nut for some Of our capital
isis TO crack III New York firm can
clear million dollars, in few years,
manufacturing corn starch for Kansas
aud other markets, from corn which
Gusts rs cents per bushel, how uch
money could q Kaus as firm clear upon
'.arch made from 35 cent corn.