davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
4 Road LAW.

lBrenham Bauner.l
The Austin STATESMAN, referring
to the demand for a road law, saws
that bad roads cost the people of Texas
millions of dollars annually. Stock is
overworked and injured in hauling on
bad roads and produce that should be
in market is kept at home at great
loss to farmers. Every winter the
people of the towns are placed under
involuntary contribution by being
compelled to pay from So to $12 per
cord for wood which, were roads
good, they could buy at FROM $3.50 to
81 per cord. But unfortunately hu-
man nature is perverse, and some
men would rather pay $15 cord for
wood than to contribute $40 towards
repairing roads and bridges. The
people of the state are almost unani-
nous in their demand for better
road law, and the solons of the legisla-
ture will be recreant ii they do not
formulate one.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
Personal.

Julia Ward Howe is said to have
abandoned the principles of woman
suffrage.
Gov. Cleveland, of New York. ex-
poets TO save 5000 year out of a
$4,000 salary.
President Arthur's name heads the
list of the signers of the petition for
co-education at Columbia.
Gladstone owes his long life to a
phenomenal constitution, aided by A
celebrated physician, whose commands
he obeys implicitly.
Mrs. McElroy, the presidents sis
ter, who has presided over the social
entertainments at the white house
this winter, has already become a
favorite in Washington society. She
Is an accomplished musician, and her
singing and playing are greatly ad-
mired.
Emerson, as poet and essayist,
was rated sixth or seventh in his class
in Harvard" writes Josiah Quincy,
whose letters have just been pub
lished. The names of the six or
seven geniuses greater than Emerson
have, unfortunately, escaped the
memory of the biographer.
The late Marshall Jewell, who used
to be connected with a Hartford fire
insurance company. is said to have
mounted box amidst the ruins of
the Chicago fire and assured the bust
ness men about him that his COM
pany's policies would be paid in full,
and, with the top of his high hat for a
desk, he there signed the first draft,
indemnifying skeptical merchant
who desired to test his sincerity,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
Picture Of American Women.

Prof. John Nichol, of Edinburgh, in
his new work entitled American Lit
erature. and Historical Sketch. 1890
$780," gives this criticicism of fash
ionahle American women who are
seen in Europe:
The maids and matrons who flash
through the pages of Mr.. James and
Mr.. uowells have fascinating fea-
lures: with really wicked people these
exemplary writers have little to do:
but we would. in either equinox,
cross the Atlantic to escape from some
of their heroines. Delicately photo
graphed. and evidently held up for
our admiration, they are. though Of
ten as seductive, generally as scorn-
full, as the Jungfrau. Clever to the
core, or with "brains all over them"
self-possessed and irreproachabIe, they
are represented as in their own coun-
try. inspired with the conviction, and
guided by the rule that men must
work and women must spend. Per-
sonages with orbits anu systems of
their own" they have u mission Of
enjoyment and vanity, TO whose free
scope fathers, brothers, or husbands
are unfortunately Indispensable in
cumbrances. 1t seems quite natural
for one of them to exclaim: I'm
America the gentlemen obey the la
dies" AS a rule. they exact from
their cavaliers Difference as sutmis-
sive as it is unrequited, and delight in
the grovelling adulation which never
dares repel with
II she be not fair 10 me,
What care how fair she Der
They 20 abroad, like fowlers, to bring
down birds for their pastlme, encour-
aging and receiving addresses, espec-
tally from English peers, for the pur-
pose of disdaining and rejecting them.
Their temperaments of Ice are i'm
pregnable shields; passionless or
fancy free" in the vortex of fiirta-
tions, like games of cards with one
sided stakes, they are absolutely safe:
and beginning by regarding mar
riage as an Infringement Of their
liberties, they generally end by
making shrewd matches. Their wits
are keen, their repartee crushing,
their beauty restless; but their ac-
complishments are superficial, their
self-conceit profound. From San
Francisco to Finland they run about
the world. without touch Of
mauvaise homie, in every circle at
their ease, Haunting the flag of the
American girl. conquering and to
conquer. This female type is almost
Il creation of the last twenty years.
She has no equivalent In the pages
either of Irving or Cooper or Haw-
thorne or Longfellow, and is as far
removed from "Z"nobia" as from
'Eyangeline." Il she a new fact or a
new idealp
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
Some Usefal Fscts.


II may not be Improbable lust now
Ior the people OF Austin TO recall to
memory the following facts. The first
part Oh tnem Will be useful TO all who
buy groceries, wood, etc:
A cubit is two feet.
a pace is three feet.
A fathom Is six feet.
A span is 10% inches.
A palm Is three inches.
\ great cubit is IL feet.
A league is three miles.
There are 1850 languages.
Oats, 80 pounds per bushel.
Bran, 30 pounds per bushel.
Barley, 4S pounds per bushel.
A days journey is 3316 miles.
Two persons die every second.
Sound moves 743 miles per hour.
a square mile contains $40 acres.
A storm blows SO miles per hour.
Coarse salt, So pounds per bushel.
n tub OF butter weighs "a pounds.
Buckwheat, 90 pounds per bushel.
The average human life is 81 years.
a barrel of rice weighs 600 ounds.
An acre contains 1910 square yards.
\ tirKin of butter weighs Sc POUNDS.
a barrel of flour weighs 1896 pounds.
A barrel of pork weighs 200 pounds.
Slow rivers How five miles per hour.
Timothy seed, 40 pounds per bushel.
n hurricane moves so miles per
hour.
A rifle ball moves 1000 miles per
hour.
Rapid rivers flow seven miles per
hour.
A hand Chorse measure) is four
Electricity moves sss.oOo miles per
hour.
The first lucifer match was made
In 1920.
Gold was discovered in California
in 1913.
The first horse railroad was built
in 1887.
A mile is $3.50 feet. or 1850 yards in
length.
The first steamboat piled the Hud-
son in 1907.
Corn, rye and flaxseed, fifty-six
pounds per bushel.
A moderate wind blows seven miles
per hour.
Wheat. leans and clover seed 60
pounds per bushel.
The first use of locomotive In this
country was in 1929.
The first almanac was printed by
George Van Purbach in 1910.
The first steam engine on this con-
tinent was brought from England in
l753.
Until 1915 cotton spinning was per-
formed by the hand-spinning wheel
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01

remain in the hands of individuals
the constitutional provision must not
be violated; but when grants are
made TO corporations the law may not
reach them. In law 4 corporation
never dies, hence lands granted to
corporations may have the force and
effect OF creating in the individuals
who may compose the corporation a
neyer-endlng estate. 1t is true that
corporation may become the owners
OF large bodies of land by purchase,
and the same results would follow,
hence we do not propose to con-
slider the question from legal stand
point, but rather the effect and con-
sequences of large land grants as af-
fectlng the material development of
the country under such a policy. We
have often asserted that agriculture
forms the basis of all material wealth
In all countries adapted to such indus
try, and hence it must follow that the
more extensive you make the indus
try the greater will be the wealth of
nation. And as large land grants
tend to retard rather than encourage
agricultural pursuits, they work an
absolute injury to the country. We
lind now IN Texas, along our western
border, many evidences of the evils
which have and will grow out of the
large land grants. The grants which
have been made to railroads, while
we think they are wisely made. still
they may in time result injuriously to
the state for the reason that some
of the railway companies, and perhaps
all, have taken their lands out of the
market and are now leasing them
to the flock masters and the cattle
men. When these land grants were
made such thing was not looked for,
because the value of railroad property
is more dependent upon the products
of the soil than all other industries
combined. and hence they will doubt
less soon see the folly of retarding the
farming interest along our western
border and will put their lands on
the market. The corporations which
have recently made the large govern
ment purchases contemplate engag-
ing in the stock business, and hence
the large area of country owned by
them will become vast pastures in
stead of farms. The stock men of the
state, and especially the large cattle
men of northwestern Texas, are
knocking at the door of our legisla-
ture for law either selling or leasing
the public domain to them for pas
lures, and should such law be pass
ed one of the richest and fairest por-
lions of Texas will continue a wild
frontier for years.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
What PeODle Eat.

The editor Of the Christian States
man, published at Milwaukee, saws he
was lately informed by RAILROAD
official that he transported over his
road at one time four tons of cookie
seed, to be ground up and mixed with
black pepper. A confectioner of that
city recently received a letter with a
handsomely Autographed head, from
New York firm Of importers, man
ufacturers and exporters" whose
business was established in lS20N
The letter SAYS: Enclosed please find
sample of refined French terra alba
which we offer at seven-eighths
cents per pound. Barrels included
Packed in handsome new barrels and
branded California Beet Sugar
Freight to Chicago $3.50 per 100 lbs.
Shipped as sugar" Terra alba is
merely a finely powdered white earth.
This earth is largely mixed with the
cheap candies. Some of the baking
powders are made of this earth and
ammonia. There are mills in which
nothing is ground but terra alba.
Gypsum is also largely used. Ship
loads of this article are sent to China
to be used in making green tea. An
other letter, also from an enterprising
New York firm, says: IF you use
terra alba, We can sell you goods like
the inclOSed sample at one and half
cents per pound. 1t is put up in sugar
barrels, and each barrel is stenciled
Imported Potato Starch and shipped
as SUCH" A firm of Philadelphia
druggists show quite equal enterprise.
They offer through their agent 100
pounds of an article they call Cali
fornia Sugar" for 80 cents, for which
they have large trade among con-
PETITIONERS. This is sweetness dirt
cheap. 1t is no wonder that our peo-
pie are afflicted with dyspepsia and
debility, and that children die young.
Until laws against the adulteration
of food are enacted and theoretically
enforced. we shall have to eat not
only the proverbial ''peck of dirt" but
no end to nastiness, and there is no
telling what poisons.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
The Story Of the Tariff.

New York World.
Everybody is now beginning to see
that the tariff is a matter which
comes home to the business and DO.
som of every man, woman and child
in the country. 1t is everybidy's
business, for it meets us all in the
prices of everything that men wear
or eat or drink or use in any way
whatever. 1t concerns us all, there
fore, to know the history of tariff
legislation in our own country,
and the World accordingly lays be-
fore its readers a table prepar-
ed in the treasury department of the
rates of duty levied in this country at
different epochs during the last hall
century. The first column shows the
average rate of adj valorem duty
which would have fallen on imported
goods if all such goods without ex-
ception arriving here had been made
dutiable. The second column gives
the average rate of the ad Yalorem
duty computed on the foreign values)
which would have been levied on ali
dutiable goods Excluding goods on
the free LIST if the rates had all been
ad yalorem rates.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
An Unjust Reflection.

lIdtNcolOu
The National Republican newspa-
per at Washington estranged its jew
ish patrons by saying that Judah T.
Benjamin had none of the character
istics of the Jew but his stinginess
1t was certainly very foolish thing
for the Republican to say. The Jews
are not remarkable for stingiDess
No people enjoy themselves more IA
tionally and more thoroughly. No
people take better care of their poor
and helpless. No people appeal SO
little to the charity of others while
contributing so much to charities
outside of their own. No people en-
terrain with more large-hearted and
liberal hospitality or do so much for
public amusement. But Jews are
seldom drunkardS, rowdies and spend
thrifts. Instead they are usually
sober, industrious and economical,
and hence they are prosperous and
frequently become rich.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01

The highest rates of duty before the
civil war were levied in 1880 and the
lowest in 1861. In 1868 the rates were
higher even than in that trying and
dangerous year, 1880, in which duties
were levied under law passed in
1928 which led to the notification
movement in South Carolina and was
finally rescinded by Mr.. Clay's COM
promise tariff of 1882. Before the
passage of the tariff law which was
enacted to meet the expenses of the
war of 1872 our rates of duty
had been moderate, but in July,
1872, the rates bounded up under
the war pressure rs suddenly as they
afterwards did i'll 1861. After peace
was restored, the rates in 1916 were
reduced. But they were again in
creased In 1924 by law against
which Daniel Webster expended in
vain the earliest and ablest efforts of
his reason and his eloquence. This
movement came to climax in. 1928,
and in 1880 our rates yielded nearly
90 per cent on all dutiable articles.
Mr.. Clay's compromise" tariff fol-
lowed. The presidential election
OF 1910 was fought on the
tariff question as well as on the bank
question, and the Wings won a victo-
ry which costthem dearly. President
Harrison died Ihortly after his inau-
guration, and the veto of his success
sor, President Tyler. broke down the
bank scheme of the Wings. The
Wings, however, succeeded in passing
the protective tariff of 1912, known as
the black tariff" by which they res
t0red many of the rates of 1924 and
1928. The distress causedby the tariff
led in 1874 to the Democratic victory
of Mr.. Polk over Mr.. Clay and t.
the enactment of Robert J. Walker
free trade tariff of 1916, which, modi-
fled by reduced rates under Mr..
Guthrie in 1857. remained in fore,
during sixteen years. with the result
of swelling immensely the industry
and commerce of the country. Never
had the United States been 80 pros.
porous as when the civil war of 1861
came upon us like a cyclone. How
many Democratic congressman have
ever read Secretary Walkers great
free trade report of December 3, 1916,
or examined its six cardinal doctrines
and rules for arranging Democratic
tariff schedules?
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
For Resumption.


A minority report of the senate
committee on penitentiaries, which is
exhaustive ON that subject, and in
opposition to the cases now under
consideration. has been submitted,
and is creating considerable stir
among the solons. 1t deals with
plain facts and figures, showing that
the state by leasing is giving away
thousands of dollars to individuals,
who make great fortunes out of the
convicts. 1t is in favor of the state
itself managing the peniten-
tiaries. There seems to be
considerable feeling against the
state specializing in convict
labor. but this opposition comes most
ly from faction that favors the
speculative bidders. We cannot see
where the harm is in the state manag-
ing its own convicts, and deriving a
profitable revenue to aid in running
our criminal courts, and defraying at
least a portion of the heavy expense
of prosecutions. 1t cannot be half so
to make per cent from the
labor or the criminals as it Is to let
them out in job lots to contractors
who use and treat them as if they
were herd of unfeeling cattle, with
no thought of reformation when their
terms of sentence eXDira
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
Correct the Error.
To the Editor of The Statesman:


Among the fifty odd counties To-
Gated in northwest Texas, by a law of
1876, there is a mistake in the be-
stowment of a name which the legis-
lature ought to correct. 1t was doubt
less clerical mistake in the engross-
ment or enrolment. of the bill. The
name given is Dickens, "as a martyr
of the Alamo" No one of that name
fell in the Alamo. The name in
tended was evidently Dickinson, in
honor of AlmerOn Dickinson,
lieutenant of artillery, whose
wife and infant were spared
and are known of throughout the
country. The most perfect list of
those martyrs, corrected from every
known source, can be seen in posses
sion of Gov. Pease, Gen. Andrew
Neill and probably others in Austin;
and in all accounts of that event the
name of Lieut.. Dickinson has been
classed as fifth in prominence. follow
ing those of Travis, Bowie, Crockett
and Bonham. The writer has been Of
this opinion from the first, but was
not absolutely sure of there being no
Dickens" on the roll until these lists
could be examined. Let us have
The RIGHT NAME.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
THE STATESMAN OUT WEST.
KERRVII1.E Feb % 1

KERRvILLE, Feb. go, 1882.
To the Statesman Publishing Company, Aus
tin, Texas:
Your card of 18th inst. informing
fne that l am indebted for subscrip-
ton to January 4, 1884, in the amount
of 81 is at hand, and enclosed you
have the amount by check on John
Twohig, banker, at San Antonio.
! have been one of your subscribers
for many years and believe you are
generally about right upon all ques-
lions of public interest, and venture
to express hope that you will not
join the crusade against railroads un-
til we in this out-Of-the-way section,
who are willing and anxious for the
chance to pay five cents per mile fare,
shall have obtained some of its ad-
vantages. Very truly yours,
Jos. A. TIVY.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
To Cure Foot Rot I'm Sheen.

The preparation OF the foot Is Just
rs essential as theremedy, for II every
part Of the disease is not laid bare the
remedy will not affect cure. A So
luton of blue vitrol as strong as you
can bear your hand in, for a moment.
having the liquid three or four inches
deep, or deep enough to cover all the
affected parts; then hold the diseased
foot in this liquid ten minutes, or long
enough to penetl ate to all the dis
eased parts; put the sheep on q
dry barn floor for twenty hours
to give 1t u chance TO take
effect. In every case where
| have tried it, it has effected q
cure, and have never given sheep
medicine internally for foot rot. This
remedy l call dead shot when the
foot is thoroughly prepared, but q
more expeditions way, and where you
don't hardly hope to exterminate the
disease, but keep it In subsection, 70
this: After preparing the feet as for
yitriol cure, take butter of antimony.
pour oil of vitriol into It slowly until
the heating and boiling process
ceases, and apply with a swab. This
remedy works quicker, is stronger
than the vitriol, and is Just as safe,
but its mode of application renders It
less sure.-Ohio Farmer.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
What the Telescope did for Astrono-


The foundations OF physical astrOn-
omy were laid in the invention of the
telescope. Every one has heard of the
emotion which filed Europe at the
announcement of the discovery of an
instrument which had the power OF
making distant objects appear rs II
they were near. 1t was at that time
that Calico, having only learned that
such an instrument existed, discover
ed its arrangement, constructed one.
turned it toward the sky, and, with
this aid, fortified by his genius, made
a series of magisterial discoveries.
These discoveries belong pre-eminent-
ly TO physical astronomy, and form
its first courses. II we admit of some
observations without the aid of the
telescope, all the stars appear to the
eye only as brilliant points. and admit
of no studies except of their motions.
Therefore, as astronomy without
the telescope would never have
permitted us otherwise than as
a matter of probability to consider
the planets as like the earth in form.
constitution and Office. But when il
was seen that these brilliant and al
most blazing points were resolved
under the telescope into the well de-
lined disks, showing indications OF
clouds and atmospheres;
when satellites were perceived
around those globes playing the same
part to them as the moon plays to the |
probabilities gave place |
TO clear certainty. Telescopes. then,
are the instruments by means OF |
which the constitution of the solar |
system has been definitively unveiled,
and the earth has been assigned its |
part and its rank in the system of the |
planets. The discovery of the spots |
On the sun and of it's rotation
completed the conception of |
he solar system and prepared for
he theory of its formation. Here is |
marked a well-determined phase in
he history of human ideas respecting
he universe, and it is characterized
~ the great name of Calico.
Was it possible at once to 20 be-
Tond this? Was it possible to cues
ion the stars in their turn, and In
Iuire if, like the sun, they had a SEN
ibie disk, spots, a rotation, and
'lanets revolving around them-wasl
possible, in short TO extend to the
tellar universe the notions we had
lready acquired concerning the solar
ystem? The methods in use did not
ermit this.-Jules G. JunsseD. In ;
'opular Science Monthly Tor Februa-
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01

= The controversy among medical
men as to the full effect and meaning
OF Koch's discoveries regarding tho.
bacillus tuberculosis, or germ Of con-,
sumption. would seem still far from
settlement. but a paper read last
month before the Chicago Medical
society points out that from the in
vestigations of numerous experiments
it may be regarded as demonstrated to
ce tainty that microscopic examina-
ton of sputum is the earliest and
most reliable test for tuberculosis.
Also. that every case of pulmonary
tuberculosis can be shown by means
Of microscopic examination even be-
lore the clinical examination reveals
it with certainty; and thatif repeated
proper examination of the sputum
fails to show the bacillus tuberculosis,
pulmonary tuberculosis does not ex-
Ist. On the other hand, a Vienna
journal quotes Prof. Koryani.
an eminent authority, as holding that
the presence of Koch's bacillus Is not
4 sure sign of tuberculosis and as
having found It where that disease
lid not exist. Even he, however, ad-
nits that such Gaze Is rare. only ono
having come under his notice.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01

PLANTERS and their agents are now
In Austin ready to offer as high as
$50 per month for penitentiary con-
yictsi yet they are leased for fifteen
years for fraction over sixty-two
cents per month to favored contract
ora Can the legislature afford to Gil
dorse these leases because of per-
sonal influences brought to bear upon
ynanharq9
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-01
One objection

Elsewhere we publish Senator Ter
relI's poll tax bill. 1t viii be seen
that our level headed Senator Pfeuffer
agrees with Judge Terrell. Should it
become law the repeaters. dead beats
and vicious floating population,
whose votes are battered and sold
like dumb driven CATTLE" would be
nearly the only ones affected by it.
Our only objection to it Is that it
would increase the Democratic ma
jority in Texas. already too large, to
over 100000. and kill the Republican
party so dead that the resurrection
trump would scarcely reach 1t.