davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01
Prison Labor.

There has been reason for the for
nation of many of the labor organiza-
tons. Their members have right to
demand protection against the selfish
rules which capital has sometimes pre-
scribed. The man who works with his
hands stands on impregnable ground
when he asserts that he, as well as
others, is entitled to the benefits of the
golden rule. When, however, he goes
farther and refuses to his less fortunate
brethren the right which he claims for
himself, he is only initiating those
whom he deems his oppressors. The
vexatious prohibitions of apprentices
and of female competitors by the labor
unions are unquestionably bad, and so
also are the rules which forbid convicts
to labor. These last have been passed
by complacent politicians who are anX-
ious to secure the working-men's vote.
1t is right, of course, that honest labor
should not suffer general and injurious
competition from criminals, but it does
not follow that the prisoner has no
claim for consideration. In New York
state contract labor is forbidden, and
the prisoners in the great penitentiaries
have little or nothing to do. They do
not pay the state for their keeping, and
are for the most part idle in their cells.
The tedium from this enforced inaction
is really painful. The prisoners beg
for work, and in some cases have been
made nearly or quite insane by being
left to brood upon their own thoughts
When their sentences have expired
they are often without any trade anC
the disciplinary objects of punishment
have been totally neglected. The came
complaints come from other states, anC
it is high time that legislators should
be governed by their sense of justice
rather than by theories imported int
this country by European socialists
Surely some way can be devised of rem
dering common humanity to prisoner
without being unjust to laboring-mer
in general.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01
Our Forests.

The memorial to be presented to the
president by the committee appointed
from the American Forestry Congress
is at present attracting wide attention,
as it contains recommendation which,
if adopted, will make important and
salutary changes in the existing land
laws. 1t recommends the creation of
new bureau in The department of the in
terror, with forest commissioner at its
head and large number of subordinate
officers. This would doubtless lead to
the formation in each state of schools
and organizations devoted to the care
and preservation of the forests. The
immediate necessity for such action
can be doubted by no one acquainted
with the reckless and wauton inroads
that are yearly being made upon the
once extensive timber lands i'll the
United States. The bowling wilder
ness is disappearing with deplorable
rapidity and the time has come for the
adoption of an iron-clad protective pol
icy. According to the statement in the
records of the land office, the value of
the timber stolen from the forests on
government lands increased from
1891 ,SSS in 1881 to SO ,339 $40 in 1886.
The whole amount stolen since 1881 is
considerably more than $50, 900, 900,
and this in spite of a protective service
costing half million dollars, which
has proven totally inadequate. The
"interests of agriculture, manufactures
and transportation" as the memorial
puts it, demand more effectual resist
ance to these harmful depredations.
The first measure proposed is the with
drawal of all public timber lands from
sale and their immediate examination
and classification. The annual con-
sumption of the forests is estimated as
twice the amount of material supplied
by annual growth. 1t will be no easy
task to remedy this evil alone, and the
work should enlist the services of a
|
high class of men. Every European
nation has for centuries devoted large
appropriations annually to the preser-
walton of its forests, and the profession
of forester is both honorable and
remunerative. The European capitals
maintain near the boundaries huge
forests--a practice which the larger
cities of the United States might well
adopt. Near Paris there are one OF
two which extend over fifty thousand
acres, yet which are entirely artificial
The work of transplanting was done
centuries ago, and now the people
profit by the forethought of their an
cestors and the liberality of previou:
governments. Let America go and dc
likewise.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

it is hard to get FIVE per cent with
out running some risk, and out of this
taxes must be paid. With people
whose savings are small and whose
capacities for earning money are di-
minishing, through age or failing health,
it seems the chief consideration to Sc
cure large rate of interest. 1t is
certainly pleasant to succeed in this,
but ii should be remembered that the
main thing is to keep ones capital
intact. The shrewdest and most con-
sentative, even of property-owners, are
not always able to do this, yet the in
vestors in securities which offer solid
seven or nine per cent are not usually
from this class. The buyers are mostly
people who have saved few hundreds
or thousands for their declining years,
and who, if once mistaken, rarely have
a chance of acquiring new fortune,
however small. We are by no means
disposed to think that the exceptionally
high rates attainable through invest
ments in western farm mortgages will
! always, or in the generality of cases,
prove delusive. There are sound COM
panies and agents, and money is worth
much more on the frontier than in the
older settled states. 1t should be re-
membered, however, that the farmers
are poorer and that the lender really
knows very little about them. Indeed
the eastern heads of a company may
be deceived by the reports of their
western local agents, and such catas-
trophies as the recent widely-extended
prairie fires in Dakota would render
the payment of mortgage interest very
hard in many cases. We would only
urge on our readers who have money
to lend to be wary, for we have seen
cautionary signals displayed of late
in various quarters. The extract
from the American Cultirator, published
in our last weeks issue, is specially
worthy of consideration, for it avoids
denunciation and extravaganza, while il
sets forth reasonable view of the
case. 1t refers only to single state
but its structures are applicable to
others as well.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01
results of the labors of the supervisors
themselves.
Denison, Texas.

Perhaps few words about the " Gate
City" Of Texas, which is just now at
tracing so much attention on account
of its wonderful growth, may be of in
terest to your readers. 1t is situated
on the Red river and is the railroad
center of Northern Texas. 1t has
seven lines of railway built and more
coming. 1t commands the trade of the
civilized Indians of the territory on the
north, and is the great distributing
point of Northern Texas. 1t is called
the Yankee city" of the Southwest,
as it was built by Yankee enterprise.
1t stands on rolling table-land, about
two hundred feet above the Red river,
and is surrounded by, and the resident
portion built largely in, an open forest
of oak and other trees. Around it is a
rich agricultural country. The soil is
particularly adapted to small fruits.
Blackberries are largely grown for the
markets of Kansas City, Denver and
other cities, and l find that 500 per
acre is being made by many here from
these alone. Strawberries are largely
grown, and are very profitable. Good
farms outside the city in the famous
Red river valley, with fair buildings
and land under cultivation, cost Sl2 to
$50 per acre. The city was a wilder
ness eleven years ago, but has over
$4,000 people to-day, hotels, public
buildings, four large public school
buildings, many churches, electric and
gas lights, street railways, etc. Main
street, the business thoroughfare, is
nearly a mile in length. The railroads
have their shops here. The payroll is
over $4,000 month. a syndicate
of Boston capitalists has just pur-
chased over 81 100000 worth of land
here and proposes to put in big cotton,
iron and steel mills, canning factory
etc. The city is growing fast. 1t is as
quiet and orderly as any town in Yer
mont, only marshal and one police
man being necessary. Having travelled
over the city in various directions late
at night, nothing surprised me more
than the perfect quiet and order every.
where observable. After being in the
city nearly week / have yet to heal
or see the first fight or case of drunk
enness.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

THERE is little hillock, overgrown
with grass and weeds, in the cemetery
at Dublin, Georgia, which has curl
Gus history. Georgia voted for Will
lam Henry Harrison in 1910. That
state was one of the most closely-con-
tested battle-ground in that campaign.
The people of Laurence county were
ardently for Harrison. When the
president died, in 1871, casket was
inferred in the cemetery at Dublin in
honor of William Henry Harrison, and
for many years it was visited annually
and decorated by the ladies of the
place. Since the war the grave has
been neglected, but the election of the
grandson to the presidency has revived
interest in the little mound.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

WHEN this number of the WATCH
MAN reaches its patrons the cere-
monies of the constitutional centennial
will be past and the nation will
have entered upon the first week
of its second century. 1t is well to
turn our eyes to the past, for only by
so doing can we fully appreciate the
benefits we have received from the
hand of God and through the self
denying efforts of patriotic and Chris
tian ancestry. Yet this duty of retro
spection should not blind us to the
fact that it is our chief duty to look
forward and to do for our posterity
what our ancestors have done for us.
The progress of our nation thus far has
been wonderful indeed, but evils great
and manifold still remain to be fought
and overcome. Unless we address
ourselves manfully to this task we shall
prove ourselves unworthy of what has
been done for us.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

GENERAL BOULANGER, the eXiled
leader of the Patriotic League, has
broken up housekeeping in Belgium
and transferred his headquarters to
London, where he hopes to find Sc
cluded retreat in which to scintillate
without interference from the powers
that be. The itinerant patriot and his
little galaxy of personal followers were
naturally gloomy and detected at their
departure from Belgium and bore their
enforced pilgrimage with bad grace.
The star of Boulangism appears at
present to be steadily sinking toward
the regions of oblivion beneath the
political horizon.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01
Press Notes.
The balmy days are almost here,
When picnic woods are dry,
And picnic pants get full of ants
And sit down in picnic pie.
- Y0sbjn0fOl UofcLef

In order to succeed in his calling the
liar must possess the virtue of consist
ency and have long memory. -Ne'o
York Herald.
"EXCUsE haste and bad pen," was
the message left behind by convict
on escaping from western state
prison.-PittSb,Tg Chronicle.
THE state legislature will adjourn for
a whole week in order to visit New
York and assist at the centennial cere-
monies. For this relief much thanks
Nel0 York Herald.
The highest office in the gift of the
president is that Of postmaster at Min
eral Point, Colorado. 1t is twelve
thousand feet above the sea level
Norristo,0n Herald.
A FELLOW in Indiana put one end of
a gun-barrel in the fire and looked
down the muzzle to see if it was loaded.
A coroner's jury decided that his sus-
picions were correct.
THAT a burning blush has never been
known to ignite the powder on wom-
ans face is pretty good proof that
powdered faces do not flame easily
Bmghamton Republican.
The lively Admission Times, admits
that Admission has no river, but, b'gosh,
says the Times, she'll make her one
and put it down right in the front door
yard of the towp.-Chattdnooga Times.
AND now, children" said the SUI
perintendent, benignantly, "are there
any questions you would like to ask
before we leave this lesson?" " How
long did it take you to get all the pigs
in the pen the fret time you tried?''
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

THE unfortunate Major Andre, who
was hanged as a spy during our revolu
tionary war, wrote a mock heroic poem
called the "Cow Chace." This was
printed in London, shortly after his ex-
ecution, with the following advertise
ment, which shows English loyal
opinion of our countrymen and their
cause. We quote: 1.-The following
poem was written by the late gallant Ma
ior Andre, who was condemned to die
for doing his duty to his king and coun-
try, by set of miscreants calling them
selves general officers in the Amer
lean rebellion, all of whom are thou
sand times more deserving of death for
their crimes, with the inhu man Wash
ingtOn at their head, by whose authority
their sentence was put into execution,
and who has, by his own personal orders,
caused more than fifteen hundred Brit
ish subj Gets to be executed since he be-
came traitor, for the bare profession
of loyalty and because they would not
add, as he had done, perjury and trea-
son to cruelty and rapine."
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

THE swarm of settlers that swept
over the boundaries of Oklahoma at
noon last week Monday found the
promised land to be wofully deficient
in milk and honey. The exiles are
already signing for the fesh-pots of
Egypt. Water is at a premium and
there has already been much suffering
from hunger. Many of the would-be
settlers found upon their arrival that
the claims upon which they intended
to locate were already occupied by per-
sons who had entered the territory be-
fore the appointed time. Large num-
bers gave up in despair and returned
the following day to civilization, but
the population is still too dense fol
comfort
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

HIGH LICENSE may not be remedy
for intemperance, but, as enforced in
Pittsburg, Penn, it is playing havoc
with the number of saloons and deal
ers. Judge White of the common
pleas court has granted only ninety
three retail and forty-three wholesale
licenses in the city, against total of
over seven hundred two years ago and
two hundred seventy-four last year.
Thirty-nine retail and fifteen whole
sale licenses were granted in Ale
gheny. The total number of whole
sale and retail licenses granted in the
county was two hundred fifty-four,
about one-fourth the number granted
in 1887. His action has occasioned a
good deal of excitement, and if as
marked diminution of sales as of SELL
ers could be guaranteed the action
would certainly be a long step in the
right direction. His discrimination
against some of the wholesalers was
occasioned by the discovery that they
were secretly supplying unlicensed re-
tail establishments and thus aiding
violations of the law.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

REPORTS come from Europe that the
Empress of Austria has become insane
since the suicide of her son, the Crown
Prince Rudolph. Other reports deny
her actual craziness, but admit that she
has suffered a terrible shock. We fear
that there is some truth in the graver
rumor, for no less than twenty-six
members of the Bavarian royal house,
of which she is a daughter, have be-
come maniacs since the opening of the
present century. Epilepsy and scrof-
ulous humors are also the inheritance of
this house and of those to which it is
most nearly alicia striking illustra-
ton of the folly of the continual inter
marriage of blood relatives.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

amendment in Massachusetts. at is
the first proposed amendment to the
constitution" says the editor, "that
has been rejected by the people in the
whole history of the state. Since the
adoption of our constitution, in 1880,
twenty-uine amendments have been
submitted to the people and accepted
by them, but in no case has an amend
ment been rejected by the popular vote
until now. This, however, does not
take into account the revised constitu-
ton, which was submitted to the peo-
pie in 1851 and rejected by them in its
entirety"
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

IN selecting DIR. Daniel Dorchester,
the exemplary Methodist minister and
noted statistician, as superintendent of
Indian schools the president has made
an appointment which will be cordially
approved by all good citizens. DIR.
Dorchester unites ability and integrity
in no common degree. The fact that
the choice was made without any solicit
tation on DR.. Dorchester's part renders
the compliment all the more appre-
ciatiYe.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

ACT No. 13l, laws of 1888, pro-
vides that "All warnings for town,
city, village, school and fire district
meetings, and warnings for freeman's
meetings and for the election of presi-
are posted, be recorded by the clerk of
such town, city, school or fire district,
respectively" 1t would be interesting
to know to what extent this require
ment of law is understood and OBJ
served. If there is any virtue in the
rigid observance of legal requirements
it is important for the various corporate
bodies enumerated that this statute
should be complied with.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

WE are moved in spirit of charity
to caution Colonel Elliott f. Shepard,
editor of that peerless and immaculate
sheet, the New York Mail and Express,
against the reprehensible practice of
mingling Scriptural quotations and
very unscriptural nineteenth-century
doggerels. In the issue of Thursday
last, for example, the Biblical selection
reads; Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will con-
fess also before my Father which is in
heaven" But our sense of eternal fit
ness was nearly Jared off the hinges
by finding the following bit of garbage
directly below:
Now Boulanger in London doth prepare,
Although the channel gave him NAL de nler,
manifesto setting forth the fact
That by no word of his, nor any act
VIII the entente cordaie that now exists
Between England and France be spoiled. Nomists
Shall cloud the sunny sky of pvacS-oh, that's
What we call gun, Boulanger. Come of Rats
The two seem tritle incompatible. IL
in order, we would suggest as an APP
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

THE case of the four Indiana demo-
Gratis, arrested last week for causing
thirteen inmates of an idiots asylum
to vote their ticket at the late election
is strange one. Why the men should
have wasted their time working over
these weak-minded brethren is a pro-
found mystery. If left to themselves
the whole colony of idiots would have
turned out and voted the straight
democratic ticket. Intimidation was
wholly unnecessary.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

"CoUNTING the cost of running the
election, the loss of time sustained by
many persons and the incidental ex-
penses, a million of dollars is a fair
estimate of the cost of taking the vote
on the prohibitory amendment in Mas
sachusetts." So says the Boston Jour
nal, but the educating influences of
the speeches made in behalf of the
amendment and of the literature cir
culated may prove to have been cheaply
paid for at this price.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

propriate text for Brother Shepard's
next issue the following: "My breth-
rem, these things ought not so to be.
Doth fountain send forth at the same
place both sweet water and bitter ?
Can a 6g-tree, my brethren, bear olive
berries, either vine figs ?''
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

SIR JULIAN PAUNCEFooTE, British
minister to the United States, arrived
in New York week ago Sunday and
was promptly lassoed by the omnipres-
ent reporter. He was very commune
cative on general subjects, but when
Intercepted upon the subject of Ameri-
can politics declined with thanks. The
sad history of his predecessor is evil
IDENTIFY lingering in Sir Julian's reten-
tive memory.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01
A Caution to Small Capitalists.

The rates of interest at the pres
ent time do not average more than
half of those generally paid thirty
years ago. Consequently an estate
whose annual income would have
afforded a family good support in
1859 will not do so in 1899. Ten thou
sand dollars would have yielded 5000
annually in the earlier year. Now
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01
dNattbman & Journal.
WEDNESDAY, MAY |, 1889.

"a TEACHER " makes strong and
pertinent contribution to the discussion
of the apprenticeship of schools. We
commend it to the attention of the
members of the boards of education
throughout the state. Let merit pre-
vail against influence in all the coun-
ties in choosing this official.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-05-01

The Boston Herald calls attention to
a significant fact in connection with
the recent defeat of the prohibitory
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-09
SILK WORKS THREATENED BY FLAMES.

The Astoria silk Works, covering a large square
Of ground In Steinway-ave. Long Island CITY, were
Threatened with entire destruction yesterday. At
IL 80 a. M, while the 100 employees were at work
in the building, fire broke out In the drying room
situated in the southeastern part of the building In
an instant the flames rushed toward the roof and
windows. The alarm quickly given and the
employees, mainly young Nen and wOmcH, rushed for
the doors and windows. The volunteer fire depart
ment promptly the and gave such
valuable assistance that the main building saved
from the flames. The dye-house building was gutted
and the machinery destroyed The finishing room
damaged considerably by water. Otto and
the but unable estimate the damage
lr is thought, however, that IT will not exceed
$4,000. The fire Is supposed to have originated
from an accumula.n Of gases which suddenly
plOdel.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-09
POLITICIANS PLEAD FOR THE SWITCHMEN.

indianapolis, jan (spcciaD.-A branch Of the
Central Association OF Railroad Superintendents was
formed here this afternoon at meeting of the general
officers of the railroads entering Indianapolis After
the organization had been formed, a committee
ssting of Governor Gray, Ex-Governor Porter, ex
Lieutenant Governor Hanna, Nicholas McCarty and
Solomon Claypoo called upon the superintendent in
behalf of the switchmen Of indianapolis. II is the
belief of the switchmen that the different companies
have entered into agreement not TO employ, and TO
prevent, II possible. the employment by roads else
where Of all swltchmcn who have participated in
strikes The committee asked that the boycott. II one
existed be- lifted. The spokesman for the switchmen
was Governor Gray The Superintcndents said moth
ing that could be construed as encouraging.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-09
THE AUTHOR OF THE HUTCHINSON LETTER

Los Angeles, Cal, Jan. S.-Gcoree Osgoodby, the
author of the Murchon letter whose identity was 60
vealcd yesterday, says he did not until few days be-
fore the correspondence made public have con
cepton Of It's importance In political sense. When
he did the thought Of the far reaching effects and
possible consequences TO himself personally rather
alarmed HIM The author is a citizen @; Pomona, I'm
this county, Of good rcpute and OF family, a
fruit farmer and of considerable property. He
has lived in Pomona number Of years. His parents
and a brother also lived there lie Is Of Scotch English
parentage but born the United States, native
OF New York Hs has been teacher. His letter to
sackvte West Vas written upon his kitchen table
in the presence of his wife and brother.