davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
SENATORIAL MANNERS.
st. Jerome Edmunds Said to be the
BOOr OF the Senate Chamber.

Especial 10 the Courier-Journall
WASHINGTON, Dec. Ex-senator Ed
munds is the most overbearing man
in congress. He is the most insulting
man To his fellow-senators imaginable.
lie turns his back upon any one who
interrupts him with a question, and
pretends to read book when any one
Is answering an argument he has
made. He acts surly and is sour to
all. He frequently cuffs his colleagues
all the time he is in the senate, and
they take it too. Everybody is APP
parently afraid of him. To-day, as
rudely as any boor could have said it,
he told Senator Hoar bluntly: IF you
will sit down l will go on" and again
to Blair, of New Hampshire, he
Snarled when the latter got up to
supplement some remarks he had
made by some more of the same sort
" You have had your say once had
you not better be contentedl" Judge
Edmunds made Mr.. Blair feel awfulIy
cheap for about an hour. Mr.. Blair is
d professional temperance man, andhe
moved to-day an amendment to the
civil-Service bill, prohibiting the re-
tentlOn of any one now in office, or the
appointment of any one to office, who
is addicted to the use OF intoxicating
liquors. Judge Edmunds treated him
in an unmerciful manner. Without
saying it in SO many words, he paraded
Mr.. Blair Us a temperance advocate by
profession, and with his cutting words
wanted to know why people who
drank should be singled out, and
thieves, cut-throatS, gamblers,
robbers, slanderers, adulters
and other evil-doerS were given to un-
derstand that they could get places if
they passed the required civil service
examination. He just rubbed it on
Blair until the smallness that the
latter felt could be seen even from the
galleries. Mr.. Edmunds proposed an
amendment that none who had evil
habits should be retained in the ser
vice or be hereafter appointed. In
this way Blair's amendment was kill
ed. Atterward, Edmunds consented
to let up on Blair, and consented to
reconsideration of his amendment.
BlairS amendment-with a slight
change, so that no one addicted to the
excessive use of Intoxicating liquors
shall be retained in office or he hereaf-
ter appOinted--waS in the bill as it
PASSED.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

THE Vicksburg Herald puts Chal-
mers down as the tool of the Arthur
administration in Mississippi. 1t was
recently given out that Chalmers
would be provided with a fat office
until he could draw his salary as con-
gresham. The promise has been
made good, and Chalmers now appears
in Mississippi as Assistant United
States District Attorney" and is pros
ecuting Mississippians for less offences
than he himself has repeatedly COM
United in that state. There is no ne
cessity for an assistant United States
attorney in the state, and the place is
provided for him simply that he may
be paid for the meanest of service to
the Republicans.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS AND
THINGS.

The pope has opened n Rorgia mn
scum at Rome.
CO. re Lesseps has announced a plan
nas one creation of an inland sea in the
Desert OF Sahara. ~ ''40
N1Nlgatlon is now open between
Ine nearL OF the Everglades of Florida
ana the Gulf of Mexico. - '0'iu"
Inc expenses of the CITY goverr
lhent OF New York for ISs3 viii Iva
over S30OOO,OCo. ~ 1000 VIII De
~ n young lady says, in Iondon
truth, that every nice girl is alwavs
nicer than her letters.
The government property at Uar
pers Ferry is to be offered for colo
manufacturing company offers To
bid $4,000. 'nei' W
Track laying on the Mexican Cen
Irai Is now pushed at the rate of two
miles day. There remains about $50
miles OF road to build.
Two years ago Wesson. NIississippi
was only pine forest. 1t has now n
COTTON mn employing 1000 hands. and
nearly 5000 inhabitants.
When the public works contemrla-
ted by Minister Freycinet are compile
Tea tne taxes i'll France will be lust
about double what they were in 1863
The Canadians are talking< about
building railroad to Hudson Bay. 1t
seems TO be quite a pretty specula-
:. .i su ~ VIII be so easy to work the
IIeezlng-out process in the winter
anu anu % easy 10 water the stock in the
The Northern Pacific railroad dur
ing that portion of the present wear
up 10 tne END OF October had. il is
stated, carried 5000 head of cattle
out 10 Montana, and it is predicted
that next season the road will carry
.lo,OOO head from regions which it viii
traverse.
Mark Twain failed to answer let
Ter written to him by Sergt. Ballan-
tine. After waiting a reasonable
time the latter was SO exasperated at
not receiving an answer that he
mailed Twain sheet of paper and a
postage stamp as gentle reminder.
MT. Clemens wrote back ON a postal:
Paper and stamp received; please
send an envelope"
A most extraordinary and painful
phenomenon has lately occurred in
Warsaw. A lady lately died under
somewhat peculiar circumstances,
winch gave rise to a report that her
death had been caused by her hus-
bands i'll treatment. Hence, several
weeks after the interment her body
was exumed for postmortem examina,
ton, when it was found that in the
grave perfectly healthy child had
been born.
Joaquin Miller writes from New
York to the Cincinnati Commercial:
Truly it is the carnival of Rome
without the confete, the badinage and
the vulgarity. Every man, woman
and child is not only richly. but ele-
gantly and tastefully clad. 1t is con-
ceded that there are no such we'll
dressed people in the world as
those who promenade Fifth ~aye-r
nue.. The less pretentious or
poorly dressed keep to the other
streets. Elegance alone and wealth
and beauty take their airing here"
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
VindicatiOn of FitZ John Porter.

Gen. Fitz John Porter, in response
to kindly resolutions of the 22d and
32d Massachutts regiments and the
Sd battery associations, writes:
During the dark days that tell of
your endurance and courage and de-
votion to your country's cause, up to
the day our government, through mis-
information, deprived me of my right
to draw my sword in her defense, and
sent me into the world with the brand
of Cain, l felt that the confidence that
l had reposed in you and all the fifth
corps on holly contested fields of
battle was reposed by you in
me, who had never unnecessa-
rily harrasSed you, or recklessly
exposed you to disaster, but who,
where duty demanded, never hest
tated to strike with you blow needed
for our cause, or toward one aimed at
it. Though socially and politically
oStracised by that governments act,
severe as it was, and all the more
severe because undeserved, / feel that
if my country demanded of me sacri-
flee greater than that of my life,
offered on many bloody field, l could
endure it with a steadfast faith that
when the passions of the hour to
which l had been sacrificed should
have been Gained, my character as a
soldier and patriot would be vindi-
Gated, and that vindicatiOn has come"
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

WHILE prohibition has proved a
failure in Kansas and Iowa, their
neighbor, Nebraska, is well satisfied
with the working of a high license
law that went into operation a year
and half ago. The law is a compro-
mise measure upon which the prohi-
bitionist and low license people agreed.
1t fixes the license for selling intoxi-
eating liquors in cities having over
10000 inhabitants at $1,000, and in
cities having less than 10000 inhabi-
tants at $500. Thenumber of barrooms
has been diminished about two-thirds,
and in many of the smaller towns
there is no liquor sold as result of
the heavy license tax. The city of
Omaha, with $1,000 inhabitants, still
supports ninety saloons, however, and
the city of Lincoln with population
of 1900 maintains ten. The money
from the sale of licenses goes to the
school fund. The prohibitionists are
satisfied to let the law stand as it is,
and are now working to pass an act
providing for the disfranchisement
for five years of persons convicted OF
drunkenness.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
A Wonderful Parrot.


Able Gras has sent the editor of
Les MOndeS an account of a gray par
rot of remarkable intelligence, which
he got from Gaboon four years ago.
1t was extremely wild and timid at
first. Coco Girls" Gas he is called) has
now more than fifty phrases at his
command, which he gives perfectly,
and he sings and whistles many airs.
His remarks are Strikingly apropos.
When going into his cage he says Tin
French, of cOurse): Wen go to the
cage. When he swings: Coco Girls
IS swinging" When Cocotte "a green
Brazilian hen-parrot given him for a
companlon) screams, he says: "Come,
COcotte, you must not scream; sing"
II she sings: You sing well, very
well, indeed" On asking, WHO
slngs!" the reply is: 1T is Cocotte."
II Cocotte goes into the cupboard,
Coco leans forward and says: What
are you doing there, COcotte?"
When the able speaks somewhat
loudly to his servant, Coco breaks in
"low-what-don'tyo you understand 2"
Coco was lately taken on a railroad
journey, and after some hours silence
he came out of his cage and asked, in
a frightened way: What have they
done? 7" He repeated this several
times, and said hardly anything else.
AT the end of the journey he was re-
preached for not eating, but said: Il
was not hungry The able says he
can produce numerous witnesses to
the truth of his account.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
IT looks as though the political and

IT looks as though the political and
financial spectators have completed
plans for the admission of Dakota
rs sort of pocket state. The re-
pudiated Yankton bonds, alleged
to be held by a syndicate of poll
ticians, have been arranged, and will
be paid in full as one of the conditions
precedent to the admission of the new
commonwealth. The SUN total of the
speculation will be profit of scores
of thousands on repudiated bonds, and
the division of the senatorships and
state offices among the spectators.
These plans are in keeping with what
the Republican managers usually pre-
pare, and it may be hoped the Demo-
Gratis will be able to defeat the schemes
of plumber and of base political prefer
ment.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
Lowell for President.
lGath.l

There are number of men avail
able for the Republican nomination
who might easily be elected, though
they do not have a political following.
Among them is james Russell Lowell,
our minister to England, a man of
probably finer quality of brain and
more grace, knowledge and self-re-
Spect than we have ever had in the
presidency, not excepting the second
Adams. Mr.. LowelPs political ex-
perience is now very
large one. He has been
q controversial writer in favor Of
the views which are. now, fully tri-
he is acquainted with our
affairs for the past thirty-fve years in
and as our minister abroad
has added to his knowledge of his
own country whatever d public man
can acquire from older systems of
politics and society. If these promises
Of reform we are hearing in the party
be at all sincere, the best proof it
would be the nomination of IA man
like this, who perhaps has not likely
his equal in the United States at pres
ent as man of both requirement. and
original courage and talent.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
If Burdette were q Mule.
CHawkeye.1


No wonder the mule is a kicker.
Were l a mule, love, l, too, would
kick. Every time l got chance l
would lift somebody higher than a
kite. know just exactly what kind
of a mule 1 would be. A bay mule.
One of these sad eyed old fellows that
lean back in the breeding and think.
With striped legs like zebra And
a dark brown streak down my back,
and a paint brush tail. And my
name cut short, and my foretop bang
ed, and head as long as afour barrel,
and I'd be worth two hundred and a
half in any market. and I'd wear a
fiat harness and no binders, and some
day, when a man hitched me up to
dray. and piled ton and a half
of pig iron, a cord of wood, six bar
rels of flour, a good load of household
goods and steamboat boiler, l would
start off with it patiently and haul it
steadily until / got to the top of the
grade on the new road around North
Hill, and right about there and then
a falling maple leaf, fiuttering down
in a spark of gold and crimson. would
scare me all but to death, and the au-
thoritieS would have to drag the Mis-
sissippi river six weeks to find all of
that load and some of that driver,
while in three minutes after the
emeute would be TRANQUILITY brows-
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

CoNGRESsMEN, opposing the reduc-
ton of letter postage to two cents, say
that one reason for doing so is, that
the reduction would benefit only the
mercantile classes. Such demagogical
stuff will hardly bear inspection
by the ignorant classes. All
would be benefited by the
reduction, and since the mercantile
classes are the main supporters of the
postal department, they especially de-
serve consideration. Benefits to the
mercantile classes are correspondingly
felt by the masses. AS a matter of
fact, all who write letters will be
benefited by the cheaper rates. Every
body, in truth, is interested in this
reduction, and, in spite of these dem
agogical appeals to popular prejudice,
it looks us though the bill will be-
come a law.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

Kept by responsible men, and the
nquor dealers there actually employ de
tectlves TO see that the law is not yio-
lated. With such a license fee self-in-
tereSt makes the licensed dealer a
friend OF law, since he cannot afford
to wink at unlicensed competition.
IL has long been our opinion that
the strong drink problem should be
dealt with as far as possible by exist
ing laws. If the number of irrespon-
slble liquor dealers was reduced by
the establishing of a high but not un-
reasonable license fee, and the disor-
derby liquor saloons were dealt with as
Is any other nuisance upon complaint
from those who suffer from
1t, many present abuses of
the business would disappear.
But we presume the advocates
of prohibition who have gotten that
one idea into their heads to the exclu-
sion of every other, would call this
compromise with sin and dalliance
with the devil. There is wisdom
sometimes, however, in taking what
one can get, and half a loaf is better
than none. The most radical advo-
Gates of prohibition wish merely to
eradicate drunkenness, and we know
of few reasonable men who do not
wish to attain the same end. WHY
not join forces, and do what is possible
instead of wasting time and energy
on the impossible!
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

TIE Georgia sesqui-centennial,
about which so much is said, just
now, will he celebrated at Savannah
on the 18th Of February next. 1t is
the one hundred and fiftieth anniver-
sary of the first English settlement in
the old colony. Gen. James Ogle-
thorpe was the man most prominently
connected with that settlement,
and with him it was a labor
OF love. His idea was to open a
place OF refuge for poor debtors
from England, and give them an OPP
portunity to recover their fortunes
and standing, and also to aid persons
prosecuted for religious belief on the
continent of Europe. 1t was for these
purposes that Oglethorpe secured a
charter from King George III, in June.
1872, for the country lying between
the Savannah and Aitamaha and
westward to the-GIDRc. The British
parliament appropriated $4,000
for theeoiOny, and it started prosper
ouSty.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
The Strong Drink Problem.
773,795
EVERY Evening, Wilmington, Dell

livery Evening, Wilmington, Dell
The fact that SO many suggestions
are made as to the best mode of deal
ing with the trade in strong drinks
indicates the deep feeling that exists
upon this subject. Every Evening
while deploring the mistaken policy
that has too often prevailed recognizes
the necessity for a peculiar treatment
of this trade and Is ready for anything
reasonable short of prohibitory legis-
lation.
The incorporate friends of temper
anc" are widely mistaken in their
wholesale denunciations of liquor
dealers, and the surest road
to a settlement of the problem
would be a return to reason.
The aim should be to enlist the deal
ers themselves on the side of some
reasonable law. They seem far from
friendly to our present law. and some
one explains for them that its arbi-
trary features are Objectionable. I'm
der a wholesome system the licensed
liquor dealer carrying on legitimate
business should be the most eager of
all men to ferret out and punish the
unlicensed dealer, and the nearer we
approach to such state of affairs the
nearer we shall be to the settlement
of this problem.
Mayor Wales calls attention to the
Nebraska liquor law, which requires a
heavy license fee, $500 or perhaps
$1,000, aud which is said to work to a
charm. 1t is represented that Lincoln,
Nebraska, a considerable city, has a
few well-appoiuted drinking places,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

WHILE the object of prohibition is
coop. the evidences are that it fails to
accomplish the ends desired. Laws
are eyaded and whisky selling is car
ried on under base guises, and drunk
enness increases instead of decreases.
In Maine, last year, whisky was on
sale at 9lS places, while in the year
before it was sold ut $50 places. In
Kansas it was sold last year at 1460
places, against 11S2 places in 1881.
The heavy license system seems to
give more protection against
whisky than any other plan yet tried.
1t stops the sale of whisky at cross
roads bar-roOms and low groggeries,
and places its sale in the hands of the
more decent dealers. 1t takes the
liquor question out of politics, and
governments are benefited Oy the
license instead of being de-
frauded by the liquor being sold
everywhere in an undetermined, often
in an openhanded way. The legisla-
ture, if it take up this question, will
act wisely to benefit the state. while it
benefits humanity, by passing law
which will take the question out of
politics. 1t is, in fact, not a political
question, though many men do try to
ride into office upon it.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
A Base Conspiracy Defeated.
Hartford Times.1


A close guess was made in a Hart
ford saloon the other day. In one
partition of money drawer was a
large number of pennies. Among the
frequenters of the place was man
who was always ready to make a bet.
1t occurred to the proprietor Of the
place, who had been taken in a good
many times by the betting man, to
lay for him. He took a friend into
his confidence, and the pair made up
their minds to beat the fellow with
the contents of the money drawer. So
they counted the pennies and found
there were just 625 of them. Then
they laid low for their opportunity.
That evening the betting man was
on hand, and IN a manner not to excite
suspicion the saloon keeper said to a
friend: Il wonder how many pennies
there are in this drawerl"
The betting chap pricked up his ears
and remarked: Let each of us put up
50, and the one comes nearest to the
number shall take the pot"
This was agreed to, and the saloon
keeper marked 624, his friend 626 and
the fellow that was really ignorant OF
the number, and whom they expected
to trap, by the merest chance put his
figures at 625. The establishment OF
the two sharperS was no greater than
the wonder of the other at such re-
markable sharp guessing. After this
the betting man was the boss of the
saloon
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11

THE legislature of South Carolina
is about to pass bill creating rail-
way commission, which will place the
railways under very stringent regula-
tons. The bill provides for the APP
pointment of three commissioners,
who will have the power to fix the
charges for freight and pas
senger traffic and to make rules
and regulations Tor the government
of the railroads. They are also given
power to investigate the books of the
different companies and to compel
them to obey the orders of the COM
mission. The bill has passed both
both branches of the legislature. but
there are some slight differences be-
tween the two houses to be compro-
missed. The measure is probably the
most stringent one of its character
passed by any state legislature. and
predictions are that it will fail when
put to- practical test.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-11
A Brothers Signature.
Lewiston (Ne.l Journal

A man from a neighboring towi|
wished one of our banks to take hi
note, short time ago. The directoi}
said they would cash the note if hi
brother would endorse it. The nexy
day, in came the man with his BROTH
er's signature on the note. The baH
took it and paid the money. Who
the note became due, the signer
not pay it, and the bank notified d
brother. That gentleman came II
the counting-room in amazement,
asked, What have you against II
Didn't you endorse note for
brother?" asked the cashier. q
that l know Of" replied the n
Isn't this your signatureT" theI
manded the bank official, produd
the note. The man looked At his
name, written on the paper. and rub
bed his eyes. yes" said he, "that's
my signature, sure; but II should
think he might have allowed me II
write It'll" He paid the note.