davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

can be no question that Aristotle stands
forth, not only as the greatest figure of
antiquity, but as the greatest intellect
that has ever appeared upon the face
of this earth. The OvermaStering power
with which this intellect swayed the
course Of subsequent thought was in
one respect highly beneficial to the in
terests of science; but in another respect
it was no less ~deleterious. 1t was bene-
fetal in so far as it revealed to man
kind the true method of science as OBJ
j~ective and not subjective. 1t was
deleteriOuS inasmuch as the very
magnitude Of it's force reduced the in
tellect of Europe for centuries after
ward to a condition of abject slavery.
Nothing is more d~eleterious to the in
terests of science than undue regard to
authority. Before all else the spirit of
science must be free it must be unfet-
tered by the chains of prejudice,
whether these be forged by own
minds or manufactured for us by the
minds of others. Her only allegiance
is that which she owes to nature; to
man she sOwes nothing, and here, as
elsewhere, it is impossible to serve two
masters. Therefore, the only use of
authority in science is to furnish men
of less ability with suggestions which,
as suggestions, may properly be con
sidered more worthy of testing by the
objective methods on account of their
~parentage in the mind of genius. But
it is an evil day for science when such
~parentage is taken as in itself q suffi-
cient warrant for the truth of the ideas
which have been born Of it; for then it
is that authority is allowed to usurp
the place Of verification; instead of
her true motto. prove all things, >
science thus adopts it's very opposite
"Only believe" Now the whole his
tory Of science has been more or less
blotted by this baleful influence of au-
thOrity, which even in our w days
is far from having been wholly ex
plunged. But in no part Of her history
has this influence been exerted in any
degree at all comparable with that
which was thrown over her, like a
shadow, by Aristotle. 1t is, of course,
only fair to add that Aristotle himself
was in no way responsible for this evil
effect OF his work. The spirit in which
his work was thus received was quite
alien to that in which it had been ac-
complished; and alike by precept and
example he was himself the most noble
opponent of the former that the world
has ever produced.-GeO. j. ROmaneS,
IN The Contemporary ReUjew, for
February.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

Dudesci and Tchernavoda the two ends
of a series of spans. The St. Louis and
Illinois bridge over the Mississippi, de-
signed by James B. Eads, the distin-
guished engineer, is noted as being an
accomplishment unprecedented in mod
ern engineering, the east pier and abut-
ment reaching 1876 feet below high
water mark. The arched spans were
at that time the longest in the world,
with ribbed arches made of cast steel,
the center span $50 feet and the other
two not less than 500 feet in the clear.
The quantities of iron and steel used
are itemized at 2, 800 tons of steel, 500
tons of wrought-iron, 1000 tons of
rolled-iron, and 200 tons of cast-iron.
The Forth Bridge, in Scotland, crossing
the Firth Of Tay, is the most ~stupendous
of modern bridges, and among the
greatest achievements of engineering
science. It is the longest iron bridge in
the world. 1t has eighty-four spansa and
exceeds two miles in length. Over the
navigable part of the Tay it is level,
the rails 90 feet above high-water mark,
leaving IS feet for the passage Of ship
ping above high-water spring tides.
The proposition Of a bridge across the
English Channel, twenty-five miles in
length is not thought preposterous, and
may be a fact in the next decade
Age Of Steel.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
PROGRESS.
BRIDGE-BUILDING

Engineering science has had no more
critical and complicated duties than in
the building of bridges, and in no ac-
cOmplishment has it been so hOnOrably
distinguished. The engineers in the
remOter periods in human history had
considerable skill and constructed per
manent passages over streams, precl-
pieces, and arms Of the sea that under
the circumstances were marvels of in
genuity and prOdigieS Of accomplish
ment. 1t was left, however, to mOdern
times to Guido in daring and skill all
historic precedents. The Brooklyn
Bridge is 3,475 feet in length and keeps
it's head out of water for some 1876 feet.
It's cost was little less than SIS, 600, 900
and it took thirteen years of work to
complete it. The Niagara Suspension
Bridge is 621 feet long, has an estimated
strength of -, 600 tons, and hangs its
fligree of iron 245 feet above the sub
lime disorder Of the river below. 1t IS
proposed to rival all ~antecedent Ameri-
can examples in the building of a bridge
between New York and the north New
Jersey shore with a span of not less
than $500 feet. The Lagong Bridge
built over an arm of the China Sea IS
five miles long, with 800 arches of stone,
70 feet high, and 70 feet broad. The
Britannia Bridge crosses the Menal
Straits, Wales, at the decent distance
of 1O3 feet above high water. 1t IS
made entirely Of wrOught-irOn, is 1,511
feet long, and cost about s., OOO, 900.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge over the
river Avon is 245 feet above the water,
has a span of 7O3 feet, a carriage-way
of 90 feet in width and a fOOt-way of
81 feet. The Tower Bridge over the
Thames will have, when completed, a
central arch which a be opened to
allow ships to pass, and having, when
opened, a foot bridge above, where the
modern cOckney a scrape his shoes
135 feet above the river. 1t is proposed
to build a bridge acrOs the Danube
provided the ROumanian Government
| can furnish the necessary cash-that
is to be 20 miles in length, and make
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
ALLIANCE

were appointed by the State Executive
Committee, at it's recent session, as fol-
lows:
First district, Prof. F. S. Blair Minola,
N. c..
Second district, Capt. E. A. Thorne,
Airlie, N. G..
Third district, DR.. v. N. Seawell, Vii
lanow, n. G..
Fourth district, Rev. P. H. Massey,
Durham, N. G..
Fifth district, J, B. Smith, Gull
ford College, N. G.
The appointments in the 9TH, 8th and
9th districts will be announced in a few
days. These Lectures will be regular
authorized agents for The PROGRESSIVE
FARMER and other Alliance literature.
Parties who wish to secure a lecturer
willdo well to correspond with their dis
trict lecturer. E. G.. BEDDINGFIELD,
Sec'y n. G.. +. S. A.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

A singularly-colored specimen of the
common English frog was exhibited by
Mr.. Rowland Ward at a recent meeting
of the Linnean Society, of London. 1t
was full grown, and entirely of white
flesh tint, the eyes being bright ruby
and trimmed with gold as though set
like jewels, making it a most curious
and most beautiful animal. Albinism
among frogs and reptiles is so rare that
only four or five cases could be found
on record.
A New BUFFALO. There are now re
ported to be twelve "sealskinn buffa-
lOes, which have been obtained by
crossing polled Angus cattle on the
wild stock. The hump and shaggy
name Of the buffalo almost entirely
disappear, and the animal is easily do
mesticated. The new breed promises
to be successful and valuable. It sur
wives cold too great for ordinary cattle,
and it produces fur which is said to be
fine and glossy, resembling that of the
seal, but much thicker.
THE STEAM LIFEBOAT.-The first
steam lifeboat, it will be remembered,
was not long ago finished for the Royal
National LifebOat Institution, of Eng
land. The design contained many pc
culiarities, the water-jet being adopted
as the most promising mode of prOpul-
sion. Practical use and exhaustive
tests, according to II of the builders,
have now proven the great value of the
vessel for ~Ife-saving service, and have
shown that it possesses these advan-
tages: The p%rOpelling power is instan-
~taneOuS, and as efficient in heavy seas
as in smooth water. No racing or in
furious effect on the machinery results
from rolling and pitching. The vibra-
ton is much less than in a screw or
paddle boat. AS the engine runs in
only one direction, the complication,
weight and wear and tear of machinery
are greatly reduced, and there is no
loss of time, due to stopping and re-
versing, for going astern. There are
no serious obstacles under water.
Should anything happen to the rudder,
the turbine alone will steer well; and
with both together the manOeuvring
power exceeds that Of any other known
steering arrangement.
FLIES OF LONG AGO.-The chief sup
plies of amber, which is a fossil gum
that exuded from pines and other trees
perhaps two million years ago, come
from the bed of the Baltic Sea in north
ern Prussia. Many of the humps of
amber contain insects Of various kinds,
leaves, parts of flowers, etc, which
became entangled when the gum was
soft, and have been perfectly preserved
through all the intervening ages to the
present time. Prof. Richard Klebs, of
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
RELIGIOUS.
Pulpit Review of Current Events by Rev. ThOs.
Dixon, IT., for Sunday, March y, 1891.
THE SALOON TRIUMPHANT.

THE SALOON TRIUMPHANT.
Rev. Thomas Dixon, Jr., pastor of
the Twenty-th r street Baptist Church,
preceded his sermon this morning, at
Association Hall, by the following re
view of Current Events:
The saloon is the mightiest single pO-
litical force in America to-day. It's
social power is beyond computation.
AS a force in society it is both a cause
and a~result. The appetite which feeds
it is often the result of poverty and
misery. The chaotic social hell in
which it thrives and breeds pestilence
for the nation is also a direct result of
the institution itself.
The combined wealth of the saloon is
greater than any other combination Of
capital on the continent. The annual
income of the concern is 5000. 900. 600
a sum of money beyond the conception
OF any finite mind. The returns given
the nation for this liberal investment
are, briefly: the wages paid the 500. 900
men employed in the manufacture and
sale Of drink, 100, 600 killed outright,
at least 500, 600 wounded in body and
character, disease, squalor, poverty,
starvation, crime, the d~ebauchery of
the State IN its legislative halls, the
corruption OF politics, the destruction
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
Poetry
HE VOTED STRAIGHT.
THE WOMEN DID IT.

ii NOmEN DID L.
was one of them fool farmers yes, III own
it like a man;
There was plenty of us fashioned on the same
And I've lived but here in Kansas more than
five and twenty years aIu
appears.
1 seldom read the papers-I work too hard for
And never knew why I got lean while other
IdidI men fo5 6Pv With politics; I had too much to do:
But | always voted as l shot, and as they told
me to.
The day before election, just imagine my dis
When / keetched my wife a-readin'-nOw what
ever would you guess?
A free trade publication, and, to make it worse;
She'd read it regular each night before she went
to bed.
And, do you know, that wife of mine jest faced
me up and down
in town?
l always try to get around these warm domestic
But when / praised Protection she laughed and
answered Rats"
IbristIed up; it kindIed all the sentiments of
strife,
rupun' of my wife;
quit her then and there before her argument
was through,
That night we had a campfire and our Con
gresham was there;
We gave him John Browns Body" when he
went to take the chair;
wore my old blue uniform to spite the Demo-
But ali the time I wondered what my Mary
meant by Rats
Our Congressman was eloquent, he made a STIR
rim speech;
I could almost see the battles smoke and hear
the bullets SCreeCh;
And when he babe Us vote as we had shot at
Malvern Hill,
We rose With one accord and cried with one
acclaim, We will!'
We sang the good old war songs and we ate a
And we passed the eyenin' pleasantly, r~ecallin
And we took % the straight-out tickets and we
But Iii iinF the time | wondered what my Mary
meant by Rats.
When reached home noticed that my Mary
Which seemed to me as indicatin' storms ahead
To head her on I said: You'll call me early,
For to-morrow Viii be the Invest day freetrado
viii have this year"
Next mornin' just at sun-up, as l woke and
rubbed my eyes,
Ny clothes and hat and boots all ranged in order
And bearin' each a card I'd swear I never saw
before.
~ per cent"
Nv trousers. Taxed lD SO tins l. what
My vest said d" faxed 100" and my shoes Taxed
-"
My coat and hat IA with " Protection makes
u thrive
-, 1n5
vent 70 M lne ptsim anu l hoSiCtu al l t"Inei
Taxed 10 per cent "re"U scout the tower
NJ 9tI' lne SduLe. ..3,,. A., dron,ad = ~
Inc soap WaT marked ~ A9 "r"ppsu on
IHt "C"l -.I. Ell oF ooo1 oL,u-od
l cAatCc! - 9ce d 9cu''Ie III " OO"I OH'lN0N
~
passed into the Kitchen ana II gives me pam 10
~, STATE oooIo, dra-- s+or,Dod
That my wife had on " WOODEN dress stamped
AID :, IIG3nin,, ont q Guinea hen she made a
AH' n - ++IHnoIG;ttt@o -
WI ityLit6Uy!i,nff . n,fr Of stockings with a card
W men SuoN - . t'i' VI ~
Tro r,nv =, his little bed was Ivin' fast asleep;
II O. - - lf++Ia rban as most u~ncOmn0n
'oI""i 80 1
d. ILc'T' .La -u LI,.l.4 rinou-
nuI "nGn SdT lutih C'iu7 Oh ol"hheI' pIlIo"'
Gil" iiLb HH'tl'
Iei' d Iuhlp II7e III NY lnI'"'' l hht" Ih7C l
""
\, r,.++o~ rLo,. 7 want s+r1oL, tbarD na.l,v lit
The stove the plates, the knives the forks the
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

leled cheek! The monumental impu-
dence! Think of a mob Of chronic
criminals, meeting in solemn conclave,
and drafting a bill granting themselves
immunity in the protection of their
criminal business, and coolly demand
ing that thesupreme law-making power
do their bidding. Think, then, of the
depths, the unfathomable depths of in
fanny to which the supreme law-maklng
body of the State has fallen, when we
are actually in doubt as to what they
will do about it. We know amajOrity
of them would like tOgrant the request.
The only question is: will they dare?
Let the prostitutes call a general as
sembly, embOdy their aspirations in a
bill defining virtue and the sanctity Of
marriage, and demand it's enactment
Let the burglars and pick-pOckets also
get together and formulate a measure
that will relieve them of annoyance
from meddling men dressed IN blue
coats and brass buttons. Let them
strike now; now is their chance. The
time seems ripe. The law-making
powers, through political debauchery,
have touched the lowest depths of deg
radiation just now ever reached in this
century. They can go no lower.
The i~mpudence of these chronic
criminals embodied in this bill is abso-
lutely sublime. It took the breath even
from the New York Sun, as the follow
ing editorial paragraphs Indicate:
The mere fact that the liquor deal
ers themselves, thrOugha committee Of
their representatives, have usurped the
p~rerOgative of the legislature and pre-
Sumed to take into their own hands the
framing of a law which affects the
health, happiness, business, morality,
and good order of the State, should be
a barrier to it's favorable cOnsidera-
tiOn -" X X \ X X \
The whisky business is perhaps the
one in the whole range of industry that
appeals least to any kind of respect. ="
What more the liquor dealers of New
York City want, unless they want the
earth, we are unable to see. The city
government is theirs. They have
Grant in the Mayors office and Pat
Diver on the Judges bench. The Elk
else Board is theirs. They usually
grant a license to anything, to any
body, anywhere. 1t is perfectly safe
to say, that if the devil himself should
apply to this board for a license to set
up a branch establishment of hell on
the chiIdran's playground in Central
Park, they would grant it. Meakim
would be absent, and the other two
crOnies would put it through. The
only way to prevent it would be for
the people to rise in might and scare
the whole brood out of town, until His
Satanic Majesty went back home.
They say things must get worse be-
fore they get better. They say the
darkest hour of night is just before
day. God grant, that as we go through
this valley of humiliation and affliction,
the forces Of truth and right, Of purity,
Of Christian civilization, may be
brought into harmony! Let differences
be buried, Catholic join hands with
Protestant, prOhibitiOnist with high
license man, and, fighting together,
there is hope for the future, though
the day is now dark.
-
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

In obedience to the new lecture sys-
tenn, the time for holding county Al
~liances, will, by authority of the State
and National Presidents, be changed
so as to conform to the appointments
following, when and where l will ad-
dress the people; publicly, at II o'clock
held at 3p. m.
New Berne, Craven Co., April 1.
Trenton, Jones Co., April 2.
Kinston, Lenoir Co., April 3.
Snow Hill, Greene Co., April 4.
Windsor, BERTHE Co., April IS.
jackson, Northampton Co., April Is.
Halifax, Halifax Co., April Is.
WarrentOn, Warren Co., April -.
Henderson, Vance Co., April 20.
TarbOro, Edgecombe Co., April "a.
Wilson, Wilson Co., April Is.
E. A. THORNE,
District Lecturer
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

Konigsberg, has been studying the
fossil insects during the last twelve
years, in which time several hundred
thousand specimens of amber have
passed through his hands. His work
has yielded many facts of great scien-
titic interest, such as the discovery of
insects between the gnats and the short
winged flies, and much knowledge con-
corning the early history of ants. The
most numerOusly represented of the
insects found IRE two-winged flies, of
which 20, 600 have been counted from
these ancient f~y-traps. Lice, gnats
and mosquitoes are not numerous.
Some 1000 specimens of beetles have
been noted, and 5000 members of the
white ant and dragon-fy family, be-
sides cOckrOaches, crickets, locusts,
leaf-insects, and more than 1000 kinds
of butterflies and moths. The amber
encloses also spiders, centipedes, and
even parts of birds, Lizards, and other
creatures.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
PROF. F. S. BLAIR'S APPOINT
MENTS.

In obedience to the new lecture sys-
tenn as understood and promulgated,
officially, from Washington, D. c., on
the 10th inst, the following programme
was agreed upon at the Organizing
District Convention, in Plymouth, on
the 18th inst, and endorsed in Raleigh
on the goth inst. by the State and Ma
tiOnal Presidents that | as District
Lecturer for the first district, shall
attend county meetings of County Al
lianceS, which shall be public in the
forenoon and private in the afternoon,
as follows:
Menola, Hartford Co., Friday, April
Sd.
Gainesville, Gates Co., Saturday, Apl
4th.
Hartford, Perquimans Co., Monday,
April 9th.
Edenton, Chowan Co., Tuesday, Ap1
9TH.
Elizabeth City, Pasquotank Co.,
Thursday, April 9th.
Camden c.. H, Camden Co., Friday,
Aril 10th.
Currituck c.. H., Currituck Co., Mon
day, April 18th.
Manteo, Dare Co., Wednesday, ApQ
18th.
SWAN quarter, I1yd0 20, fFIudy,
April 18th.
Bayboro, Pamlico Co., Monday, Apl
goth.
Beaufort, Carteret Co., Wednesday,
April 22d.
GreenviIle, Pitt Co., Friday, April
9th.
Washington, Beaufort Co., Saturday,
April 25th.
Williamson, Martin Co., Tuesday,
Plymouth, Washington Co., We'd
nesday, April goth.
Columbia, Tyrrell Co., Friday, May
1st.
Morning session at 10 a. m. Every
body invited. F. S. BLAIR,
Lecturer First District.
Menola, n. G..
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

The time intervening between April
I'd and May 18th will be occupied by
the county meetings, the time of hold
ing which has already been published.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
ALLIANCE MEETINGS.

DR.. V. n. Seawell, Lecturer for the
Third Congressional District, will meet
the Sub-Alliances at the following times
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

Ireden County Alliance will meet at
Mooresville at the regular time, and
brethren r. B. Hunter and A. Leazer
will address the Alliance. Brethren of
Iredell, let's all be there. Bring your
dinner, NJ. w. WHITE.
The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-01-01
A Danger in Great Fortunes.

1t is well known to those who are
familiar with the money market that ii
is in the power Of few capitalists in the
United States, whose names are famous
and who are devoid Of principle, to bring
the country to the verge Of panic even
in a season Of great prosperity Il they
should conspire together with that object
in view. Such a condition Of things
as this cannot continue for any great
length Of time without exciting a pro-
found feeling Of popular opposition, and
already this feeling is showing unmistak-
able signs Of its active existence. Un-
less the existing industrial conditions
are altered there will in the course Of
time be found in the country number Of
men whose fortunes will be so huge that
any one Of them will have ii in his power
at any time to precipitate a panic IL he
shall think his interest will thereby be
promoted. The law Of national preserva-
ton will compel the erection Of barrier
against such probability as this.
The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-01-01

had walked In the direction Of the shore,
where stood . summer house, In which
she would now and then seat herself,
and watch the dim stretch Of waters be-
yond. This evening 1t was rather chilly
down by the rocks, and she passed in
land among q great grove Of 6r trees
that rose near one Of tho roadside gates.
On q sudden she heard the sound Of q
feminine voice emerge from q specially
dense cluster Of trees. At once she rec
ognized the voice a. that Of her sister
in-law, and paused, listening in surprise.
"Never come like this again" Natalie
was saying. "Your letter gave me .
great shock. IGhould not have met you
here, and you have been horribly impru-
dent in writing for me to meet you as
you did write. The money you needed
was one thing, Archibald; to insist on
seeing me was another"
Then came the unmistakable sound Of
Q mans voice; already Natalie and her
companion (whoever he was) had strolled
beyond earshot, and all that Brenda
could now hear was . swift succession
Of words, few Of which conveyed to her
more than a faint idea Of their meaning.
The girl remained for a moment quiv-
ering with CONSERVATION. Then she
hurried forward, and, through an open.
ing in the trees, presently discerned two
forms that moved side by side along
path leading straight to the outer oppo-
site road.
The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-01-01
LARGEST FARM IL TUE WORLD.
It Is a Hundred Miles in Length And Twenty.
Five Niles in Width.

In the extreme southwest corner Of
Louisiana lies the greatest producing
farm in the world, measuring 100 miles
north and south and twenty-five miles
east and west. 1t is owned and operated
by a syndicate Of Northern capitalists.
The l,500,O0O acres Of the tract were
purchased in 1888 from the state Of
Louisiana and from the United States
government.
At that time 1t was a vast grazing land
for the cattle Of the few herds Of the
neighborhood, over $4,000 head Of half
wild horses and cattle being thereon.
Now this immense tract is divided into
convenient pasture stations or ranches,
existing every six miles. The fencing
alone cost in the neighborhoOd Of t60, 900.
The land is best adapted for rice, sugar,
corn and cotton.
All cultivating, ditching, etc., is done
by steam power. A tract, say half
mile wide, is taken, and an engine is
placed on each side. The engines are
portable, and operate cable attached to
four plows, and under this arrangement
thirty acres day are gone over with only
the labor Of three men. Narrowing,
planting and other cultivation is done in
a like manner. There is not = single
draft horse on the entire place.
OF course, horses are used for the herd
eFs Of cattle, Of which there are $1,000
head. The Southern Pacific railway runs
for thirty-six miles through the farm.
The company have three steamboats, op-
Grating on the waters Of their estates, Of
which there are 800 miles nayigable.
They have also an ice house, bank,
ship yard and rice mill
. .tasI a@A-.