davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24
NERO FIDDLED; CLEVELAND FISHES Chicago Tribune

R. c. Dun dE Co. in commer cial re- port Git must be noticed this house is not political but strictly business) summed up the history of the fiscal year thus:
 "A fiscal year never matched in the history of the country in volume of industrial produc. ton, in magnitude of domestic exchanges, or in foneign trade, has just closed"
 On the 10th of September, 1892, the Dry Goods Economist said:
 Dress goods manufacturers ought to be happy this season because they are busy de- livering the goods already ordered and book ing orders for more ' They can conf dently look forward to a continuous run of business for the next six months"
 The final quotation, that shows this state of affairs, may well be made from the last message December 6, 1S92) made by President Harrison to congress:
 "The general conditions affecting the con- mercial and industrial interests of the United States are in the highest degree favorable A comparison of the existing conditions with those of the. most favored period in the history Of the country will, I believe, show that 80 high degree Of prosperity and so general diffusion of the comforts of life were never be- fore enjoyed by our people There has never been time in our history when work was so abundant or when wages were as high, whether measured by the currency in which they are paid or by their power to supply the necessaries and comforts of life"
 The foregoing extracts will show the condition of affairs in 1892. In Novem- Der of that year the result of the elec- tions foretold the repeal of the Me Kinley tariff bill and the free. trade policy on the part of the democratic party. From that day to this we have had. first, distress, uneasiness and doubt; we have had the curtailment of business, tho reduction of volume of enterprises, and general shrinkage involving the business of the country. Little by little we have gone on dimin- ishing our exports. Wheat has gone lower Every product of the farmer has diminished in value. Our manufac- tured articles have gone to such price that there is no profit in manufactur- ing, and manufacturers have had to reduce their forces and their output. Reductions in wage schedules have been made. Strikes have followed until the result is now seen in a financial con dition hitherto unknown in this broad ,nnd.
 These are not idle words. The facts iet forth above are incontrovertible. No one who reads this article has been exempt from the tax of this condition.
 The effects of this impending change became visible when President Cleve- land began his administration in March, 1893, but, not desiring to recog- | nize the true cause, he and his party associates charged them to the Sher- man law, After much procrastination
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24
A BROADER MEANING.
Sentiment of the Memorial Day of tbs
 Euture.

Sentiment of the Memorial Day of tbs
 Future.
 Every year the ranks of the veterans are thinning, and while the sons of veterans may inherit much of the en- thusiasm that nerved the arm and fired the heart of their vahlnt sires, they are, after all, only "sons of veterans" Decoration day must henc2forth take wider ground and be charged with broader meanings. In the coming years, when the story of the war of the rebeliion shall assume it's proper pro- portions in the record of American his %ory, it may come to the happy thought of wiser generation that Commemo- ration day might be wisely used to hold in deachless memory all heroic souls who in life or death, by service or by song, have enriched our land. Even now we take occasion of the hour to decorate our own graves where we have laid for ''the long undreaming sleep" the dust of those we held dear. So, with ever widening and more pa thetic meaning, Decoration day touches us all and makes the whole land at the end of the blossoming May time a land not of sad but sacred mourning. Sat urday Evening Herald.
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24
"Come on; let's see." And Lulu and

Come on; let's see." And Lulu and Fred went to examine the fence.
 The old lady sat down on the grass and smiled at Mollie and Nellie. "Pm very tired, children" she said, apologetically. She held little bunch of lilacs and syringas, which she laid down in her lap The children smiled back at her sympathizingly. '1 try to come to his grave every year." the old lady continued My boy, you know, he was killed in the wat"
 "A soldier!" the children said under their breatbs.
 "Yes, soldier, and brave one, too, even if it is his mother who says it. He was only eighteen. He enlisted younger than they meant to take them, but he was large and full grown and he was wild to go. Oh, those were terrible times, back in charlottesville and tear tricklcd down the old lady's cheek.
 "We always intended to have stone with his name and the company to which he belonged, and Died in de- fense of his country at Vicksburg'--b stones used to cost more than they do now, and then fifteen years ago we moved away, and after that we didn't seem to have good luck. John-that's my husband-and I used to come here every year to Roberts grave; till eight years ago John died, and I've been coming alone ever since"
 The children were silent, and Nellie was wiping her eyes on the corner of her checked apron. Finally Mollie asked, softly:
 Do you live far from here?"
 "Yes, it's days journey, and I'm getting so old and so lame that each year I'm afraid won't be able to come the next"
 Just then Fred and Lulu came back.
 "Oh, we've found a splendid place to get in. Come on!" they cried
 Nellie helped the old lady to her feet and kept at her side, while Mollie led the way with Fred and Lulu. She told them softly all about the old lady's boy soldier.
 They helped her carefully through the fence where Fred had pulled out the pickets, and then followed her slowly down the soft green paths, be. tween graves covered with myrtle and star-like, blue flowers. She brought them into forsaken corner to a grave covered with rose briars and hidden under last years dead leaves Then she sank down and said, piteously:
 "Pll have to rest"
 Nellie got down on her knees and be- gan scraping away the leaves with her fingers, and the other children followed her example.
 The old lady sat watching them with the tears trickling down her cheeks.
 Saturday morning I'll bring over the rake, and these rose bushes need trimming" Fred said, with business like air.
 Moilie slipped her hand into the old lady's as she rose to her feet
 Do you like pinks?" she whispered. 'I'll bring root over and plant on his grave"
 'They were his favorite hower," the
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24

bargain-and-sale order. Louisville Courier-Journal tDen.l.
 s3 In 1861, when the republican par ty took hold of the reins of govern ment prophets of evil said "all was lost" And yet the republicans brought order out of chaos, and such prosperity as the world never before saw. They can do it again-more than that, they will. Chicago Inter Ocean.
 ES-Of the sixty-two cities in Indiana which have just held elections fifty three elected republican mayors and nine democratic This is equivalent to a republican majority of about fifty thousand on a state election. The state gave Cleveland a pluralityof [, l25. A change of more than fifty-seven thou sand votes in eighteen months is ex- traordinary, but that is what Indiana thinks of democracy now that she has had taste of it.-Cincinnati Times Star
 GB The government continues to run behind every month The receipts for April were So, 800, 900 less than the ex- penses. The total deficit for the past ten months foots up s65, 44T, Al, or an average of over SC, 300, 900 month At this rate the democrats will have the whole country mortgaged to Wall street before the end of Cleveland's term. And what makes the outlook still more gloomy is the fact that the Wilson bill in any form possible to pass is almost certain to increase the deficit Chicago Sun.
 as It may be claimed that national questions did not enter into the cleo tions recently held, which were gen. erally for town and municipal officers Such position cannot be maintained So generally have these elections re- suited in favor of the republicans, even in districts heretofore strongly demo- cratic, thatit is vain to attempt to dis guise the fact that they are protests against the folly and incapacity of the democratic administration of national affairs. Brooklyn Standard Union.
 eB- An organ of the present adminis- tration says that what worries the men in control of the government finances is not how to keep gold in the treasury. but how to get money. That is the trouble exactly, as it has been for the last nine months. The democrats have done a good deal of dust throwing in the form of talk about the necessity of replenishing the gold reserve for the protection of the money standard of the country, but what they have meant has been that the revenues of the gov ernment needed padding out by means of borrowing, in order to prevent the nation from falling into something very like bankruptcy. Cleveland Leader.
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24

grave. The year after this first Deco ration day at Cranes Corners, Nellie and Mollie Dent, Lulu and Fred Ash. ley were waiting for her at the train and escorted her to the little cemetery behind Deacon Miles gray team, with the deacon himself driving The mar ble monument that stood over her soldier boys grave could be seen tow ering slim and white half mile away. The children had written her about it, but it was more beautiful than she had dreamed.
 And to this day there is not lot so beautifully kept, nor grave so con stantly covered with flowers as the one with the tall monument inscribed: Robert Allen, aged eighteen years. of Company c, Fourteenth infantry. Died in defense of his country at Viclls- burg, 1863. Emma Bennett, in De- trolt Free Press.
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24

school around by the cemetery that night. The teacher had been telling them that afternoon that all the ar engagements were made to have a big celebration Decoration day. It never had been celebrated at Cranes Corners before, but when the Cranes Corners folks undertook to do thing they did it up brown" Es- quire Tonnley and Deacon Miles had been up to the city and engaged great 0rator-oh! a wonderful man!--to come and make the speech. And the Cranes Corners band and the band from East MilbanlS met twice a week in the old brick meeting-house and practiced till their lips were sore and their arms ached. And now the school trustees had decided that after the bands and the orator and the few old veterans, and the citizens who would join in the parade, the children should march in line. The girls were all to be dressed in white with blue sashes, and to carry bouquets, and the boys were to carry flags for the soldiers graves The graves were all to be marked be- forehand, and after the orator had spoken the band was to strike up some real stirring war tune and the children were to march up the narrow, grassy walks and on each soldiers grave the girls were to leave 8 bouquet and the boys to plant a flag.
 After school was out they all walked together as far as the corner, and the teacher told them they would meet and go over it all together Saturday afternoon, for Decoration day was only next Tuesday and it would be awful not to have everything go just right Then she went into the house where she boarded, and the most of the chil- dren said goodnight and turAd down the west road toward homE There were just Mollie and Nellie Dent and Lulu and Fred Ashley who kept on straight up the road Say" Lulu said, when they were by themselves, 'it wouldn't be but little out of the way to go round by the cemetery. Let's go."
 "All right" the other girls said, and Fred said he'd just as soon. So they went on, the longest way round, till they came JO tne ucdT Olu-idSiiOueu cemetery It was surrounded by a high board fence, painted white, like tho tombstones peeping over it. You could catch a glimpse of graceful will lows and matted rose bushes between the piclxets. At the front the big white gates were fastened with a paddock, and the steps that usually served to scale the fence had been carried away to be painted in order to present more creditable appearance at the cele- bration.
 As the children stood wondering how they could most easily get in neat little old lady came round the corner of the churchyard and joined them. She stopped and looked when she saw the steps were gone. The children noticed she carried crutch and was lame.
 "How can get in?" she asked, ap- pcalingly.
 The children looked at her and then at ouc another.
 ''Oh, say, Lu," Fred began, suddenly, don't you remember there used to be some loose pickets over on the other side? Maybe can take them out, and we can all get through in that way"
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24

and Deacon Miles brought him over from the station in his buggy. He and the minister were going to head the procession in Esquire Tonnley's best phaeton.
 At ten o'clock to the minute they started. They were followed by the squire's gray team and the deacon's double carriage, with the four "old veterans" that Cranes Corners pos sessed. Oh, dear me! forgot the band. That headed the procession, of course, and it did credit to all of its pracCicing, too! After the veterans came the citizens in line, and last, but not least, by any means, the girls and boys, laden down with flags and flowers.
 The exercises opened with n prayer from Rev. MT. Doolittle, pastor of the brick church, and then Hon. lloratio Bigelow made speech that added luster to his already famous rcputa- tion-to this day the Crano's Co ners folks speak of him in the same tone of awe.struck admiration that they use in speaking of Daniel Webster and Gladstone. Then the band burst forth into My Country, 'Tis of Thee" and the procession began to move
 There weren't very many soldiers buried in the Cranes Corners burying ground. There were Squire Tonnley's two boys who were shot at Bull Run. There was a large monument put mp to their memory-the largest in the ceme- tery. The procession marched to that first The band played softly: Tent ing Tonight" while the children laid 6 wreath on each grave and the boys planted their flags. During the cere- mony all heads were uncovered and at its close Hon. Horatio Bigelow made some appropriate remarks.
 Then the procession moved on to an- other grave and another, even stopping at old Mir. Deans grave, who ruined his health in the war, but lived to a good old age, and died a peaceful death many years after it was over. That was the last grave-the last that had been marked for the children to visit.
 Nellie Dent and Fred Ashley were at the head of the column. Nellie still carried a beautiful bouquet and wreath over ner arm. Fred still held his flag.
 They turned out of the broad drive way, down into the side path and all the rest of the procession followed them. The paths were too narrow for anybody to keep step with anybody, but they followed just the same until Fred and Nellie stopped at their sol dier's grave.
 Hon. Horatio Bigelow looked in vain at Squire Tonnley for hint toward an appropriate word over the grave in this far away corner. Esquire Tonnley looked back ut him with blank face He did not kn ow who was buried there
 Hon. Horatio Bigelow decided to take matters into his own hands. and made way for himself through the crowd up to Nellie and Fred.
 Was this soldier relative of yours?" he asked, softly, as he saw the tears in Nellie's eyes.
 Then Nellie poured the whole story into this great mans ears. He listened to it with close attention.
 Don't be afraid" he said ''I wan:
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24
APPROPRIATE CELEBRATION.
Tho Educative Influence of Decorating
 the Graves of Buried Heroes.

Tho Educative Influence of Decorating
 the Graves of Buried Heroes.
 It has frequently been hinted, by some, that If the money expended on flowers to decorate the soldiers graves was used to supply the widow and orphan with food and raiment, it would be commendable. Granted, but how then would the memory of the brave men who gave their lives in defense of country be kept fresh and green in the hearts of our children? It is behtting the families of the dead heroes should be cared for, and we do not believe the government is neglectful of its duty, but if that were all, if all thought or honor to the dead soldiers end ed there, what an unfeeling, ungrate ful nation this would be. Every beat of the drum, every note of the bugle, every column of soldiers on Decoration day, every grass-grown mound in the soldiers plot in the cemetery, stirs the heart and brings vividly back to mind that time of great peril when noble men re- sponded so promptly at the call of country when right and wrong were struggling for the mastery.
 Those were sad, dreary days, many hearthstones were desolated, and many returned from the field of battle bear ing scars which lifetime will not ef- face. But think you that either the soldier who fell in battle, or the scar marked veteran who marched so proud. ly home to the music of victory, would regret the part he took in so noble conflict? Would they not each teach their sons if any danger threatened this dear land again, to follow in the same footsteps and with their lives if need'be conquer the evil that assailed it?
 It is well, then, if for no other req son than to teach lessons of patriotism to our young peoplo, to perpetuate tho heroism of our dead soldiers by dec- orating their graves, friend and foe alike, for now the blue and the gray are not looking upon each other as enemies, but as brothers of common race, both strong and valiant We re- joice that the north nd the south draw nearer together as each Memor- ial day comes round. The breach that was so wide half century ago lessens each year, and who shall say the bcau- tiful flowers with which both sides are remembered are not the heaven-sent messengers which are quelling tho heart strife and discord and bringing peace to all?
 And what of those honored graves in lonely places, unknown, unmarked, where the silent sleepers rest as tran quilly but where the tread of martial feet or the sound of martial music never comes, and where garlands are never strewn by loving hands? An! the stars are their sentinels, the winds chant the requiem. Nature does not forget them, her hand strews the star eyed daisies and sprinlSles the clods with green grasses, and heaven waters them with its dew.
 God grant that there may be no more war, that sighs and tears for the fallen upon the battle field may never again be heard in our land, and God grant, too, that while life lasts our hearts may be kept tender, and that each Memorial day we may dropa tear and a flower upon the gray es of our departed soldiers. at Work.
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24

he summoned congress; sLd, largely by his personal influence, succeeded in having that act repealed. They charged that with this act repealed prosperity would immediately resume its sway. the wheels of industry would again revoive, good wages and plenty of work would bless the worlSingman, and all our ills would be removed.
 The sherman law was repealed and we have watched vainly The remedy did not touch the disease. The threat of the utter spoliation of our industrial conditions was broader and deeper than any Sherman law. It was not silver, in its purchase or its non-purchase. It was the threat of free trade and the destruction of our protective system.
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24
A GLANCE BACKWARD.
A sharp Contrast Between the Years of
 1892 and 1893.

A sharp Contrast Between the Years of
 1892 and Is04.
 The present condition of business and industry in the United States is known and admitted of all men in every part of the country. All the manufacturing and productive interests are crippled, closed up or seriously embarrassed.
 At least estimate one million work ingmen, who heretofore have had good work, good wages and comfortable homes, stand idle. Many of these are suffering for the want of the necessar- ies of life, and their wives and children are in the same condition. It is seri- ous question for them to obtain suita- ble clothing for their families, to buy school books for their children; or to secure necessary food and meet the common everyday expenses of life.
 Many of these men go from town to town in search of labor; they find their fellow workingmcn in similar straits, and on all hands discover the financial conditions which are tending to lower wages and reduce their condition from its former prosperous state
 It is well for us to look this question squarely in the face Let us see what are the causes which have led to this condition. Let us see how things stood under the Mckinley bill, under a re- publican administration, and how they stand now with the threat of the Will son bill, the threat of the abolition of protection and democratic president, senate and house.
 The elections occurred in Novem Der of 1892. It will be we'll to find what the state of affairs was previous to that date.
 July 15, 1892, the Boston Herald, a supporter of Cleveland and in favor of the reduction of customs duties, said:
 Where is the idle woolen mill to-dayg There is none 2" Not only are tho great majority Of the woolen mills employed but many arc con templating endorsements and Improvements What Goes all this mean? IL means the great. est consumption of wool the country has ever known for years
 July r, 1892, the New York Herald, an ultra democratic paper, remarked:
 Tho business of the country is in provok- ingly healthy condition New indus. trial enterprises for manufacturing iron cotton and woolen fabrics are going into operation in various sections In the face of such a con. dition of things the calamity hopslers must re- main silent"
The Coconino weekly sun., 1894-05-24

you to tell that story over again, just as you have been telling it to me-" and before she knew it he had lifted her onto the front seat of the deacon's double carriage that was waiting in the driveway to carry back the veterans" and she was telling the story over again.
 When she stopped there was not a dry eye in the crowd.
 Esqulre Tonnley was wiping his eyes with big red bandanna and saying to Deacon Miles that he he,remembered as distinctly as if it was yesterday. Ic was John Aliens boy Robert-as good lad as ever lived"
 Then Hon. Horatio Bigelow's clear voice rang out:
 "Fellow citizens! Brothers! Patriotsl Your faces tell me that you are deeply touched with this little story. You are grateful to these little children who have saved one of your heroes from neglect to-day. You weep with tho widowed mother whose fond ambition to raise stone to her son has not been gratified. Let mo tell you-do some thing more than weep-raise tine monu- ment for her. Make the widow happy and do honor to her boy hero!''
 Here the speakers words were drowned in wild applause, and the band broke into ''The Star Spangled Ban ner." In the midst of it all Nellie found herself in the crowd with Hon. noratio Digelow's silk hat in her hands, and men and women, young folks and children were doing their best to fill it, raining in bills, silver and small change.
 That was several years ago. The old lady still lives and is able to come on her annual pilgrimage to her boys