Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-31

Cal exercises Dy bne STUDENTS y
others Of CenterYiIle Institute and
Grange. The programme was excel
lent. the music and voices good and
sweet, and some Of the actors were
remarkably good performers. 1 have
seen poorer performers on the part Of
professionals. The entertainment was
a success and it was quite midnight
when the curtain dropped at the close
Of the last act.
Bright and early next morning the
crowd began to increase, and by the
time the usual hour Of meeting had
arrived 1t was estimated that not less
than four thousand persons were pres
ent. They had come from all the ad-
joining counties. Many of them from
distant ones. The representatives Of
seventeen counties were there. The
announcement was made that the ex-
hibits were ready for the inspection OF
visitors at the Exposition Hall, and
many crowded thitherward. There
were numerous handsome exhibits Of
needle work, farm, dairy and garden
products, fifty pound watermelons,
big turnips and beats, that beat any
thing Of the kind l had ever before seen.
On the outside and near the hall
fine cattle, hogs, sheep, stations,
jacks, broodmares and colts were to be
seen that were a credit to any county
or people. At 10 o'clock Prof. ]. l..
Cooper, of Cooper Institute, Lauder
dale county, a scholarly and eloquent
gentleman, entertained the audience
for an hour on the subject Of prohi-
bition. He declared that the protec-
ton of life, the protection of homes,
and the salvation of souls was a part
of the policy and work of the Grange.
Just here it may not be amiss for me
to state that no question has ever so
absorbed the minds of the people, and
no movement has grown and spread so
rapidly and widely, than has the bus
ject of prohibition. Everywhere I go
| find it the main topic of converse
ton. The people are aroused and
seem determined that the reign Of King
Alcohol shall cease, and are sparing no
effort to accomplish this end. They
are in dead earnest.
At eleven o'clock Capt. Put Darden,
Master of the State Grange and a
candidate before the approaching
Democratic State convention, was
introduced to the audience amidst
loud and prolonged applause. 1t is a
well known fact that this cores
pondent is a Lowry man. he is recorded
by his own hand as such-nevertbeless
justice to himself-justice to an honest
journal that expects and has a right to
demand of its servant an honest report;
justice to the readers of that journal,
justice to Mississippi and justice
to her son Capt. Put Darden
demands that he write the truth
and nothing but the truth about the
latter. His address of an hour and
forty minutes contained nothing thai
could offend any Democrat, for it was
Democratic speech from beginning tc
end. He has the hearts and affections
Of the people he addressed, and com.
pliments and praises were shoWered
upon him on all sides, and the wonder
is, that flushed with pride, he had not
said something indescreet. l never
saw greater devotion from a people to
their leader and friend than wal mani
tested by those big hearted, plain, hon.
est people among those sand hills. The
same men that swear by and stand by,
and who will continue to stand by 0. r.
Singleton, are as loath Co distrust Oar
den as they are willing to believe that
the sun, moon and stars of political
perfection rise, set and dwell In Single
ton. Those men learned their Democ-
racy from Singleton, and who has ever
dared to question or to deny the purity
of Singleton's Democracy? Well, Put
Darden made to those grangers just
about the same speech that the old
war horse has made to them many
times. Now l believe l have stated
the truth. l know / have tried to dc
so.
After an interesting entertainment
Wednesday evening on the part of the
children of the Patrons Union, and
a grand sociable and promenade
at night in which all took
past the encampment for the year 1885
was brought to a close. In reference
60 tie crops in this section 1 learn
that they are from 20 to Is per cent
haitian IN inoraaon Ovar Loot vaor