davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
UNIFORMITY In RAILWAY ACCOUNTS.

The New York Press says it would
like to see a uniform system of book
keeping prescribed by federal authority
for all railways in the United States;
and, if necessary, a board of examiners
similar to the examiners of the national
banks, created, whose duty it should be
to supervise these accounts. The sug-
gestion is in the direction of govern
ment control of railroads, and public
sentiment seems to be drifting that way.
1t is a question of vast Importance, not
only in its immediate results, but in the
quences likely to follow any further
steps in that direction. We say fur
Their steps, for a first one has already
been taken in the enactment of the
interstate-commerce law. And, by the
way, this law gives the commission the
very power above suggested, viz, the
right to prescribe a uniform system of
bookkeeping for all railroads. The
fact that the commission has not yet at
tempted to exercise this power is no as
surance that it may not. The commits
sion has evidently thought it best to
pursue a conservative course, and to 60
slow in asserting the powers conferred
upon it by the law. Undoubtedly this
was the wise course. 1t has tended to
lessen the friction necessarily incident TO
the enactment of such a law, and to
give the railroads and the people
q chance to discover both its merits and
defects. The provision of the law rela-
tive to establishing uniformity of ac-
counts is in Section 90. After empower
ing the commission to require annual re-
ports from all railroad companies, and
answers to specific questions regarding
their business and business methods,
rates, etc., it says:
And the said commission may, within its
carry out the purpose of this act. prescribe
(f. in the opinion of the commission, it is
practicable to prescribe such uniformity
and methods of keeping accOuntsl a period
of time within which all common carriers
subject to the provisions of this act shall
have. as near as may be, a uniform system
of accounts. and the manner In which such
accounts shall be kept.
This provision gives the commission
discretionary power to prescribe and en-
force a uniform system of bookkeeping
and ~ccounts for all the railroads in the
United States. If the presentlaw is to con-
tinue in force, or if any system of gov
eminent control of railroads is to pre-
vail, it will probably be found advisable
to exercise this power of prescribing a
uniform system of accounts. 1t would,
undoubtedly, contribute to the reform of
many abuses, and add to the efficacy Of
government control of the roads.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
TIMELY WARNING.

1t has come to light that the Demo-
cratic managers in Illinois and other
States nave made arrangements, under
an alias, to put into the hands of the
farmers of that State, to be read during
the winter season, pamphlets assail-
ing protection. Unfortunately for the
scheme, the pamphlets which have been
sent out bear the imprint of a declared
free-trade association in Chicago. In
this the more astute leaders of the De-
mocracy, like General Palmer, see a sig
nal of danger, for while farmers may
listen to free trade when skillfully sugar
coated with revenue reform, they will
reject the undisguised article. 1t is not
the doctrine of free trade to which these
sagacious leaders object, but the open
esp0usal of it.
In other States similar efforts to quiz
city scatter free-trade literature have
been discovered-all under the auspices
of Democratic leaders. Not many years
ago several States in the West were lit
orally papered with free-trade tracts,
WHICH,, unlOItuudbtiy vi tnC OlStIIOu-
tiers, bore the imprint of the Golden
Club. Doubtless, the anglomaniacs of
the New York Free-trade Club circulat.
ing the pamphlet, regarded the Golden
Club imprint as q taking card, but the
Western farmer, who, to use the words
of Ralph Waldo Emerson, sis the true
patriot, who stands to his bOot-tops in
his native SOIL" naturally resents the i'm
putation of the British free-trader that
he stands in need of British instruction.
The Golden Club is sending no more
tracts direct; but may we not ask who is
furnishing the Democratic managers with
!. the funds necessary 70 meet the expense
and distribution of the free-trade tractsf
Who but the deeply-interested foreign
manufacturer and INTERCHANGEABLE, if
not the members of the Golden Club?
In Missouri, which is fast drifting away
from bourbonism under the influence of
immigration, manufacturing and public
schools, the Democratic leaders have
become alarmed. and have been going
up and down the State holding free
trade meetings for the purpose of check
ing the growing sentiment in favor of
protection.
These are timely warnings to the
friends of diversified industry in the
West. They show that their opponents
are up and doing-their% opponents being
their foreign competitors who have con-
snired with the Democracy to scatter the
seeds of the free-trade heresy at a sea-
son when they can quietly take root
They should meet them with the same
weapon, and at the same time; and the
best weapon is a Republican newspaper,
which, from day to day and from week
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
COMMENT AND OPINION.

WHEN General Raum was at the head of
the Internal Revenue Bureau he made
things disagreeable for illicit distillers.
For this reason some of the Southern Demo
cratic papers are now engaged in vilifying
him.-WashingtOn Press.
GENERAL HARRISON made a bold and able
fight for honest money in Indiana SOM
years ago, and we do not believe that under
his administration the proposed scheme for
the debasement of our currency will be ac-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Sentinel.
TO-DAY where the United States -four.
ishes. which is in the home market, she
f1ourishes because she has adopted a pro-
tective policy; where she languishes, which
is on the ocean. it Is because she has aban-
doned a protective polIcy.-Chicago Inter
Ocean.
THE millions who sustain the system Of
protection would ~ good reason to
abandon it, and certainly would abandon
il. if it were so modified az to serve only as
a bounty to a small minority of American
laborers, and that a minority, composed of
the laborers who least need the defense.
New York Tribune.
If free speech and a fair vote can be re-
fused In Mississippi. the same thing can be
done in every other State. Our boosted
liberty is q laughing stock in Mississippi
| and other Southern States. and if we would
preserve it in other States We must find the
! means of cutting out this canker sore which
is fostering in the South.-Philadelphia
Press.
The first step for q colored man to take
to secure recognition and Advancement is
| to get an education. Then be will not be
advanced because of his color. but because.
by his industry and intelligence, he has
| shown himself worthy of advancement
The same rule applies to white men. Intel
hgence is the region of equ~aiity.-Cleve-
land Leader.
WoRKINGMEN have no objection to just
pensions. The bulk Of the Union army was
made up of workingmen, and the war for
the Union was the workingmen's fight
made to preserve the government which
had given. and still gives. the workingmen
the best chance ever afforded them by any
government established among men since
| history began.-Louisvilie Commercial.
DELAYS are sometimes unexpectedly dan
gerous. 1t has probably occurred by this
| time to the lawyers for the Cronin suspects
that they would have riskcd less by ac-
ceptlng the first jurors that came along.
and pushing the trial to a speedy conclu'
sion, than by procrastinating until the ! 2,
J velopment of the secondary pots had
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
GOSSIP FROM THE CAPITAL.
Harrison as 2 Handshaker-How Mrs. Har.
rison's Photographs Sell.

Harrison as q Handshaker-How Mrs. Har-
rison's Photographs Sell.
Washington Special.
President Harrison is a much more simple
and agreeable man when met casually than
the public have been gwen to understand.
He enters readily into a conversation,
though h PRESENTS an attempt to encroach
upon the privacy of his thoughts. and is
very accommodating in his relations with
che strolling public. During the reception
to the knights. who were here last week,
he shook hands with more thousands than
any President before him has had to do at
one time. Yet he was quite amiable and
showed no disposition to complain. The
next day he had almost as many hands to
shake. At the end of several special recep-
tons. he was left in the East Room with
only Captain DinsmOre and three newspa-
per men. He immediately Joined the latter
and entered into a conversation. His right
hand was somewhat cOngested and swollen
from being pressed SO much, but he made
no reference to it. and when l asked If he
wss not fatigued, he reI4ied: Il don't mind
it, and he really did not appear to mind it.
A moment later Captain Dinsmore called
his attention to a crowd of about q thou
sand persons outside the house.
LET them in,n the President said: and
they came in-nOt q Thousand only, but
twice that number. His hand was very
red when he got through, but he said moth
ing.
Mrs. Harrison has grown younger since
she entered the White House. She has
changed but few of her simple domestic
WAYS. and may be seen now and then with
a towel about her head when the dust is
flying; but happiness makes folks young.
and no woman was ever made more happy
by sudden elevation than was she. Be-
sides, she has come to wear a little more
fashionable bonnets and more becoming
dresses. She is naturally a fine looking
woman, and undoubtedly was a fresh and
pretty girl of the American type when she
was young. She has recently had o new
set of photographs taken, representing her
in a slightly different attitude from that
of any of her former pictures. They are al
| most full face, with the head thrown a
| little high. and a becoming arrangement of
the hair gives a much more youthful ap-
| pearance. The first pictures she had taken
were not at all fattsring. but, IN the con-
trary, made her look plain and more
elderly than she is. These pictures bad no
| great sale; but the new pictures sell quite
We'll. large dealer in photographs tells
| me that during the crowd here last week
| they sold quite as. well as those of Mrs.
Cleveland.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
WORK FOR AMBITIOUS NEGROES.

The real secret of the disagreement
between Hon. John NJ. Langston, the
colored orator of Virginia, and General
Malone is said to be that Langston re-
sented his assignment by Malone to dis
tricts where his audiences would be COM
posed wholly of negroes. He took this
as an insult, and forthwith departed to
Ohio, where he could address white au-
diences. Mr.. Langston is an accom-
plished man, but he is not beyond the
point where he might read and reflect
with profit upon the remarks made by
one of the cOlored speakers at Allen
Chapel on Wednesday night: eve
have not" saidthis gentleman, "yetcome
up to the standard of respecting u
selves. When we have reached this
point other people will respect U.s." 1t
was in the nature of thirss that the ne
grees of Virginia should be more deeply
impressed and more readily influenced
by the speeches of an educated man of
their own color, and it was natural that
Malone. being a shrewd politician,
should assign his oratorical forces
where, in his opinion, they would do
the most good. Whether in Langston's
case this was true or not, however, is
not to the point. He, at least, should
have assumed it to be true, and nothave
betrayed his weakness by looking for an
insult where there is no proof that
one was meant. Moreover, he
should have respected his people. Why
should Langston or any other colored
man look upon association with his own
race as an injury to his standing with
white citizens? Certainly, the greatest
work open to ambitious negroes is
among their own people. The black
man who is to rise to the greatest dis
tinction in this country in the next half
century, isnot one who, with a false sense
of pride, seeks to avoid those of his own
race and to class himself as a Caucasian,
but one who labors to lift up his own
people and TO bring them out of the
wilderness of ignorance and oppression.
Such a one will be hailed as a Moses by
black and white, and no honor will
be withheld from him. Such a one, too,
viii care more for the plaudits of his
kindred than those of alien blood, and
will not feel himself insulted by the
white man who passes him by. The
coming negro must be faithful to his
| race if he and his race would win.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

gomery county, Alabama, had a popula-
ton of 13,457 white people, and $500
colored. Yet, in the last presidential
election the county is reported as having
cast 3,712 votes for Cleveland, and 1890
for Harrison. That is to say, in the
county referred to, 13,457 white people
ostensibly cast 752 more votes than 49,
500 colored people did. Under the cir
cumstances the peaceable submission of
the colored people seems to deserve a
compliment from the grand jury. The
'amicable relations are like the order
that reigned in Warsaw.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
IRIS HARKrsos AND MRS. LOGAN.
No Basis FOR the Reported Unpleasantnes,
Eefueeu These Ladies'.


Between These Ladies'.
Interview with Mrs. Logan in Chicago Tribune.
"What is the basis of the New York
Worlds sensational articles to the effcct
that Mrs. Harrison and yon have mutually
snubbed each otheri"
There is, of course. no correct basis. The
incident on which the articles rest is the
fact that / happened TO entertain at my
home the Knights Templars during their re-
cent eonclave in Washington the same night
q White House reception was given. and
that sent Invitations to the ladies of the
Cabinet. No newspaper. unless a political
enemy. could see any thing in such an incl
dent TO declare that Mrs. Harrison's social
relations at the Capital City wers strained.
The night the reception was 10 be held at
my house was chosen BY the entertainment
committee of the conciave, and its coinci-
dence with a reception at the White House
was naturally not thought of at the time.
as the White House reception WIS not de-
termined on until later. L had already
issued invitations 70 the ladies of the Cabi-
net. lhey sent regrets which were entirely
satisfactory TO me- There was no clash
Whatever In the two receptions. and none
was ever dreamed of by either Mrs. Harri-
son or myself. In throwing open my home
to the Knights Templars | was fulfilling a
promise made to the Chevalier Bayard
Commandery at sc. Louis in 1856. by Gen.
Logan. General Logan in working there
to secure the next conclave for Wash
lngton told his own c~ommanderv that
he would give a reception to tho
Knights if they came to Washington. Bnt
the prelimInaries of the reception were
taken in hand by the committee on enter
tainment of the c~onclave. i had nothing
to do with the date or any other details. it
is absurd to try to show. any GOODNESS be-
tween Mrs. Harrison and me-, because there
is none We used to be associated together
in several charities in Washington. We
correspond still, and the last time ] was at
the White House ! was most pleasantly re-
see me, although l had not called for him.
During the conclave parade General Harri-
son took off his hat when the Logan Invin-
cibles of Baltimore passed him, although
he did not uncover before any other COM
pany. 1 recognized il as q token of his re-
gard and respect for my husband. and a re-
ciprocation of his action that day would
express my feelings for him and his estima-
able wifeo
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
COLLEGE PRESIDENTS AND OTHER PEOPLE

The News, commenting on the con
version of President Eliot, of Harvard
College. to Democracy through free
trade, says: at behOOves the mind and
conscience of the [Republicanl party to
sit in council when it finds its economic
tenets condemned in every educational
institution in the land-once the strong
hold of the party-and men of ideas
leaving it for conscience sake" The
argument is: ID a political or economic
policy that is condemned in every educa-
tional institution must be wrong; (2) the
policy of protection is condemned in
every educational institution; (3) there
fore, protectioni is wrong. Bothpremises
are false. The assumption that college
presidents and professors are better
judges as to what constitutes a wise
economic OF commercial policy than are
merchants, manufacturers, business
e workingmen, farmers and average
citizens generally, is not sustained by
reason or fact. 1t is contrary to the
theory of our government and to the
teachings of experience. There are thou
sands of business men in this coun-
try who are better posted in the
practical aspects of the tariff question,
and better qualified to speak of the
actual results of protection and the
probable results of free trade than
President Eliot is. He might very
properly laugh at these men if they at
tempted to discuss with him the rela-
tive merits of a classical OF an English
course, whether the study of languages
or mathematics furnished the best men,
tai discipline, or what branches the col
lege curriculum should embrace. They
can, with quite as much reason, laugh at
him when he assumes to prove to them
by a priori reasoning that protection
docs not and cannot protect. John
Sherman has made much longer and
closer study of the tariff question than
President Eliot has, and is a more prac-
teal man. Chauncey NJ. Depew is as able
a man as any college president in the
land, and understands business as we'll as
books. Hundreds of public men might
be named who know far more about the
practical aspect of the tariff question
than President Eliot does, and who
firmly and conscientiously believe in the
policy of protection. The practical
wisdom of the country does not all dwell
under the hats of college presidents.
The second premise of the argument,
viz, that protection is CONDEMNED in
every educational institution in the land
is very far from the truth. Even if true
it would not prove that protection is
wrong but it is not true. Probably as
many institutions teach protection as do
free trade, but the largest number treat
the question impartially, and leave
students to decide for themselves. A
poll of college graduates in any year
will show as many protectionists as free
traders. Afew colleges and college pro-
fessOrs seek Dotoriety by advocating
free trade, but the statement that pro.
lection is condemned in all is glaringly
untrue. Even the president of Harvard
has but n vote, and it carries 10 more
weight than that of the man in overalls
who favors the policy that insures him
employment and good wages.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

A DECISION of Judge Taylor knocks
another act of the last Legislature out
of court and probably off the statute
book. The defect in this case is not
unconstitutionality, but stupidity on the
part of some person in drafting or trans
cribing the bill. The act relates to
mechanics liens, and was intended to
amend certain sections of the act of 1888,
and repeal Section 8 of the same act.
Instead of repeating Section 8, it repeats
Section 4, and inflicts an injury, instead
of comforting a benefit, on mechanics.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
Harvard's Glass Orator.

Wv
Some inaccurate statements having gone
abroad with regard to the election of Mr..
Clement Garrett Morgan as class orator of
$50 at Harvard. it is desirable to state the
facts in the matter, as ascertained from
trustworthy sources. MI. Morgan is re-
ported to have had on the informal ballot
of the class los votes to his opponents lis,
with 20 scattering. 1t was decided to re-
quest hat the scattering vote be cast for
one of the two candidates, and, as a result,
the formal vote showed a handsome ma
jority for Mr.. Morgan. and not the solitary
one majority reported in a dispatch to one
of the New York papers. Mr.. Morgan won
the first Boylston prize for oratory. last
year, and his present competitor for class
orator is the second. He is about twenty
nine years old. aud is of the negro type,
very dark in skin. straight and tall. with
peculiarly brilliant eyes and a fine voice of
musical quality. He has a very modest
style OF speaking. but withal a very inn
years of study, instead of the ordinary
four. passing simply in the prescribed
Studies He stands particularly we'll in
political economy.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

The free-trade papers are worrying be-
cause the farmers are selling their potatoes
for % cents per bushel. yet no f~ree-trader
has been known to offer a cent mors TO n
~free-traders doing that. One of their car
dinal doctrines is to buy where they can burr
the cheapest. 1t is therefore not out of
sympathy for the farmer that they arc
kicking. but because they like TO kick. The
of them told q reporter of the Michigan
City News the other day: Il wish ! could
sell all of the potatoes ] can raise on my
place at . cents q bushel. ! would not
bother with wheat and corn. would plant
the whole farm in potatoes. There is more
money in potatoes at that price than there
is in any other farm produce
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

IT is announced that Gen. Clinton B.
Fisk, late candidate for President on the
third-party ticket, has retired from poll
tics, and is organizing an accident insur-
ance companyIwhich has some features
different from any other company. Per-
haps as Mr.. Fisk could not be elected
President, and establish an instantane-
ous reign of virtue, he means to do the
next best thing, and insure at a high
rate against accidents caused by the
Demon Rum.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

IT is rumored in Washington that
Judge Cooley is in a critical condi-
ton of health, and viii probably resign
his position as chairman of the Inter
state-commerce Commission. He has
been overworking himself for many
years, and, as usual in such cases. nature
has begun to protest his drafts. Judge
Cooley is easily one of the foremost men
of the country. and his enforced retire
ment from public and professional life
would be O public loss.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

APERusAL of Emperor Williams speech
to the Reichstag. and his demand for an ad-.
dition of over $50. Geo. 900 marks to the mill
tary credits, leads to the conclusion that he
is bound to preserve peace if he hast whip
all Europe to obtain it.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
years.

A CAREFUL survey of the political sit
uation in Ohio and a balancing of prob
able results indicates a safe Republican
majority in both branches of the Legis-
~lature, with hardly a doubt of Governor
Foraker's reelection. There is a large
reserve Republican vote in Ohio, and
when the 'old guard" turns out, as it
does in cases of emergency or danger, it
is entirely safe to count on q Repub-
lcan majority.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25

ARE not the wheat-growers and farm
srs of the Mississippi valley assuming a
bigger contract than they carry out in
undertaking to control production7 1t
is no criticism upon the worthiness of
the ultimate object aimed at to say that
the power, sometimes called Providence,
which causes tho sun to shine and the
rain to fall, is commonly supposed to
govern the harvests of the earth.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-10-25
Doesn't Seem TO Consist.

Terre Heute Express-
The Indianapolis Sentinel. speaking Of
the proposed rem tbs OF the nre chlsf IN
was one of the issues at the city election.
Therefore. the Sentinel holds that as the
people voted the chiefs party out of power
that the chief should resign. For the life
of us we can't make this position consist
with the Sentinels indignation because
General Manson was requested to resign
after his party was voted out of power.