davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
WOULD NOT NEGOTIATE.

Heartless Insurance Oficiais Refused a
Patrons Reasonable Request.
A man with a red nose which looked
| chronic and had the air Of being legiti.
mately acquired.called at the Office OF
a big life insurance company, and ad'
dressing the first official he happened
to meet said:
"Sir, 1 am insured for five thousand
dollars in your company"
"Well?"
1.-THE policy, strange to say, is made
out in the name of my wife. She has
possession of it."
Not strange at all, but eminently
proper" said the o%ficiaf,
"And if I could get hold of the poll.
cy I would hook it," continued the
man with the red nose. ''but she keeps
it hid. / am here, however, for the
purpose of making a proposition to
you, and the whereabouts of the poll
CIV is neither here MOI there. Are you
open to a deal?"
"We are" answered the official cold
ly.
"Well, here is my plan. Since I can
not raise anything on that policy l
spring upon you the following situa-
ton: Before nightfall l shall be a
dead man, and you'll have to pony up
that five thousand dollars"
How do you make that out?" de-
manded the official, in tones of sur
prise.
"Simply because 1 can not get a
drink" replied the policy holder. IF
whisky is not forthcoming l perish. I
simply lie down and stiffen out and
you lose your money. A quarter of a
dollar, however, will ave my life and
ave you five thousand bones. Twenty
Eve cents fixes me and I live. With
ont it I breathe my last and prove a
dead loss to you. If I survive, how
ever, my wife will 60 or paying
premiums, and who knows but what l
may become a cen~tenarian?"
He looked anxiously at the official,
but the latter seemed to be frozen
solid.
do I get the quarter" he demand
ed, after a pause.
"You do not" was the reply. in icy
tones.
Every WELL" and he sighed heavily,
that settles it. Make out your death
claims and things. Fill up the check
payable to the order of my weeping
widow. Charge me to profit and loss"
He walked heavily out. Louisville
Times.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Taxation and Bank Deposits.

"a peculiar case has just been de-
terest to bankers and indirectly of gen.
eral Importance. The legislature Of
that state recently enacted law which
provided that for the purpose of asses
sing personal property every banker
should be required to exhibit to the as
SCISSOR his books in order that tho
amount of money which each of hfa
customers had might be ascertained.
The president of one of the national
banks refused to comply with the law
and was indicted.
1.-THE court properly held that the
law was unconstitutional so far as it
concerned the national banks, as it was
in conflict with the act of congress regu-
lating national banks, and that it If
unconstitutional SO far as state banks
are concerned, on the ground # public
policy. That is, it is stated that dis
eliminating in favor of national banks
in s. important a matter would give
them a monopoly of the business and
then work injustice to men doing bust
ness under the state bantsing law.
"Both the law and tbp logic of the
decision are invulnerab1e to attack.
No legislature has a right tclinvade the
private affairs of a citizen in the man
ner provided by that law. 1T is entire
~ proper that a %citifsn may be e
quired to mako return of his property
under oath, but after having dope
that, to compel the banks in which he
deposited his funds to exhibit it's books
for the purpose of verifying the return
would be nothing more OF less than az
outrage."-Chicago Times-Herald.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Selling Boys for Taxes.

One day a Man called at the Door OF
q Farmer and said: "Sir, did I not see
you in conversation just now with the
Man in yonder Buggy?' You did"
answered the Farmer: what of it?''
MAY I ask what his Business wasp
went on the stranger. HE was bar
gaining with me for my Saw-logs for
his Mill, and ! have Agreed to let him
have them ~ thought as much.
said the Person. land my Errand is
much the same ! want to bar
gain with you for your Boys" MY
Boysm exclaimed the farmer;
ssdo 70 think I would sell my
Boys2'' 81 guess So replied the man,
cody. and the Farmer grew very ane
CRY. Hold up. my Friend" he went
OF s.you vote the License Ticket, don't
you? Then you give your Approval 10
the Business / am in. I also run q
Mill-a Whisky Mill-and | require
Boys to keep it going, just as that man
requires logs for his saw mill. Now I
don't ask you to deliver the Goods just
low. You sign this Paper, and ] viii
get the boys all in good time" ..Sirl"
began the Farmer. indignantly. But
the other stopped him. oh saidhe,
you want to know about the price7
II will be the Amount of the License
Fees, which will reduce your Taxes,
you know. All, I thought you yer =
man az Business Sense. And the Far
mer forthwith signed the Petition for
the opening OF another saloon in the
ns;ghborhood,-Iha Tsmpla4s
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
MUST DRAW THE LINE.
The New Woman Should Not Forfeit Her
WOmaulY Reserve.

Tho New Woman Should Not Forfeit Her
WOmanly Reserve.
One OF the most admired character
istics of women used to be that OF
reserve. Whatever her emotions might
be she, if well-bred, would try to pre-
serve a quiet and calm exterior, and SO
strongly was this felt to be becoming
and seemly that it was quite ! n APP
proved maxim that "a lady should
never be surprised till the rows built
in her pocket, and then she might won
der where the sticks came from"
Since those days women have great
ly changed, and in some things no
doubt very much for the better; but
though we rejoice in their greater OPP
~portunities Of mental and physical
culture, and would be sorry indeed to
see them retrograde to the old false
ideas of gentility which forbade gen
tlewomen from earning their own liv-
ing, still, in casting aside the old fet-
tiers which so long trammeled them, it
would be we'll if they kept a firm hold
of a properly womanly reserve.
At the present time women not only
assert their right of freedom in their
w sphere, but many of them seem to
recognize no boundaries whatever, and
by so doing they place themselves OF a
lower level in the eyes of men than
women should ever occupy.
Now come the questions, What should
be the limit of women's work? Where
should they draw the line? This, at
any rate, it is safe to answer: cat that
point where their work ceases to do
good" AS soon as a woman feels she
is in a position in which the best and
noblest of men cease to look upon her
with reverence then she may be sure
she has overstepped the limits of WON
anly dignity and reserve, and that
there her influence will not be pure,
elevating and noble.
There is plenty Of real work for all
of us to do beyond the sphere Of home,
in the fields of art, science and litera-
ture, and also, like Florence Nightin-
gale and many other brave women, as
nurses and comforters of the sick, the
wounded and the dying.
Woman's influence is sometimes said
~ NC S1SdCSA " OAoA LII Po9V OAhACE
1t is more palpable, certainly. but 1
doubt whether more potent. for, as we
know we'll for centuries, the hand that
rocked the cradle ruled the world.
The difference is that nowadays wom-
en- are not content to work quietly as
mere wirepullers; instead. they like to
see and be seen, and to have the credit
of their deeds.
The old idea was that linen must
work and must weep" but the
newer dea that women should work,
too, according to their talents and OPP
portunities, seems more rational and
healthy, and is calculated to make
them weep less. Let them give over
weeping by all means, but in all their
work let them remember that woman
is not undeveloped man, but DIVERSE"
and therefore not to try to be like
men. and also not to think that moth
ing is too high OF too sacred for them
to NEEDLE with.-Home Notes.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Tax the Vacant Lots.

II the tax commissioners, as report.
ed, have decided to assess at their full
value for taxation all the vacant lots
IN the city, they have adopted a wise
course.
The most selfish man in any com.
munlty, and especially in a growing
community where there is use for every
loot OF land, is the man who puts his
money in unimproved real estate and
waits for the gro with of the neighbor-
mood to d value to his property. He
does nothing for the improvement of
his city; exercises neither brain nor
Drawn to add to its trade or increase
It's capacity to produce wealth. He
simply sits still and expects the activ-
lty n toll and enterprise Of others to
make him wealthy by multiplying the
value OF his lots. He is q bar to pub
lie improvements, aIu he objects to
being taxed upon his unimproved prop
erty because it is not earning anything.
He torgets that in New York and 9TH
er large and growing cities the annual
increment he takes in the way of in
creased values is usually more than
his money could carr in productive in
dustry. and he has done nothing to
produce the increment.
The only sane and just policy of tax
alton is to assess vacant lots at their
full value. If there is to be discrim-
nation it ought to be exercised in
favor of land -owners who improve
their holdings, thus giving employment
to labor and providing homes for the
people or establishments for business
men,.
Should vacant lots be assessed at
their true valne an impetus would be
given to every trade. Holders of these
lots would then either improve them
to make them income earners or dis
pose of them to others willing to do
SO. The present policy of placing
nominal assessments upon vacant lots
is a discrimination against improve
ment and against enterprise and public
spirit. This policy should be changed
SO that vacant lots will be assessed at
their true value. Harlem (N.Y.) Local
Reporter.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
KNOWLEDGE

Brings comfort and improvement and
tends to personal enjoyment when
rightly used. The many, who live bet
ter than others andenjoy life more, with
less expenditure, by more promptly
adapting the worlds best products to
the needs of physical being, will attest
the value to health of the pure liquid
laxative principles embraced in the
remedy, s. rup of Figs.
Its excellence is du to its presenting
in the form most ACCEPTABLE and pleas
ant to the taste, the re reshing and truly
beneficial properties Of a perfect lax
alive; effectually cleansing the system,
dispelling colds, headaches and fevers
and permanently curing constipation:
It has given satisfaction to millions and
met with the approval of the medical
profession, because it acts on the Kid
neys, Liver and Bowels without weak
ening them and it is perfectly free from
every Objectionable substance.
Syrup of Figs is for sale by all drug
gists in Doc and 81 bottles, but it is man.
ufactured by the California Fig Syrup
Co. only, whose name is printed on every
package, also the name, Syrup of Figs,
and being well informed, you will not
accept any substitute if offered
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Some Funny Things About Taxes.

Hon. Edgar L. Ryder, ex-assembly.
man from this district, is very much
in favor of single tax. He admits
it himself. He recently made d
little speech at the raising of MI.
VIM. H. Lyons new barn at Bedford
Station, and he said some new aud
strange things about onr present
method of taxation, which may ret
some people thinking.
Mr.. Ryder is not altogether wrong
on the single tax theory, but in ous
present system of political economy we
don't see how it could be very well
substituted for the very clumsy and
sometimes very inequitable and unjust
system that we have at present. His
remarks will be found on an inside
page, and are well worth reading By
all taxpayers, and even by those OF
our citizens who are not taxpayers
Mt. Kisco Record.
We would call the attention of the
esteemed editor of the Recorder to the
fact that every one of its citizens are
taxpayers.
The only people who are not tax
payers are tramps.
Every person who rents a house or
eyen a room; who buys a suit Of
clothes, a pair of shoes or a hat, pays a
proportion of the taxes which have
been levied against the building in
which those things were manufac-
tured or were exposed for sale. II
those things have been taxed al per-
sonal property, that tax is also added
to the cost of the article, and Is finally
paid by the last purchaser. EDITOR
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
state Profits From the Salt Springs

At an annual net profit to the state
treasury Of something over twelve
thousand dollars, 3O9. 055, 40 bushels OF
salt have been produced at the state
salt works known as the Onondaga
Salt Springs, during the forty-eight
years beginning with 1s47 and ending
with 1894. It is officially stated that
the net profit for this period is more
than six hundred thousand dollars.
How much more is not stated. In the
light of recent efforts to have the state
dispose Of the salt springs to private
parties, it appears to be very signih-
can't, that all this profit was made dur
ing the first forty years. During the
nine years-1ss6 to 1894 inclusive-the
balance has been without exception,
on the wrong side of the ledger.
Taking the total figures, the salt
springs have cost the state these latter
nine years, $685., T92. 80, while the total
revenues were only $437, 423. 70, making
the net loss for the entire period of
nine 1888, 1863. "a, or an average
annual loss Of ST., 596.6s. The account
seems to stand thus:
Thirty-nine years. 1917 to ISo5-aver-
age annual profit $40. 445. So. J. $685. $50 Sc
Nine years, 1888 to 1894, average an
n~ualloss Eli. $685. s. ............. loS,SS "
Average profit entire period Of %
years, Si2, 500 90 ...-........ 0O,ooo %
Mr.. Peter J. Brummelkamp, the
present superintendent OF the works
was appointed by Gov. Cleveland in
1883. Early in January OF the present
wear. Mr.. Brummelkamp, by official
communication notified the legislature
that he was authorized by responsible
parties to offer to lease the salt springs
from the state ut an annual rental OF
one thousand dollars. November g,
1892, BY q vote of 171,424 to 170, 76b. the
citizens OF the commonwealth refused
TO permit the salt springs to be sold,
yet Notwithstanding this expression OF
the popular sentiment for some reason
clearly inconsistent to the welfare OF
the people who pay the taxes. THE
NEW CONSTITUTION PERMITSTHE
SALE OF THIS VALUABLE PUBL
PROPERTY TO PRIVATE PARTIES
The people will conserve their inter-
ests BY informing themselves thor
ourhly with reference to the salt
snrinrs property. Who are the parties
Is diligently scheming 70 get posses
sion Of the salt springs?
why has the production OF salt de-
c1;ned il late years To less than one
third 81 the product Of former years?
while the state can operate its salt
works, at 8 profit Of nearly $4,000 per
vear j$lg, AS. 81, what transcendental
impudence for any private individual
Us undertake 70 get possession OF such
valuable property for less than its nc
tual value.
surely here sppeers tobs sufficient
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Bread and Butter and Taxea

EDITOR FARMERS VoICE-Most apri.
cultural papers seem to avoid the dis
cusslon OF the tax question. No doubt
tney think it belongs to partisan poll.
Tics; DO not. But it is rather a bread
and butter question of the first import.
anee to farmers.
onoer the present system Of taxa.
ton we farmers pay more than our
just proportion of taxes, and a good
part OF our labor goes to enrich land
spectators. This ought not be and
need not be if farmers generally
would give the subject a little study.
production is the basis of ownership.
II . man produces or makes anything
"a chair, a table or a house-it belongs
to the maker, his labor produced it.
n SO, It the combined or indistin-
%guishable labor of a dozen men pro.
duced a value, that value belongs to
the men who produced 1.-THE whole
dozen. If a thousand or a million
men produced a value it belongs to
the producers
Products of industry belong to indi-
vlduals, the producers, land values to
the producers of that value, that is, to
the community, the whole people.
AS the productiveness of labor in
creases all commodities decrease in
price. In any prosperous town or city
you car buy a coat, a carpet or a piano
for much less than you could a few
years since. But how about land? Is
that cheaper? On the contrary it has
constantly increased in value.
The single tax would eliminate land
speculation. And that means millions
of acres now held out of use would
soon be thrown open to productive in
dustry, and that the seventeen thou
SAINT vacant lots of New York city
would soon be held out of use no
longer. All wealth is produced from
land by labor assisted by capital. The
product goes to land, labor and capital
rent to land, wages to labor, interest
to capital
Under the present system Of taxation
we make believe to take taxes from
all the above products, but in reality
nearly all is taken from labor's share,
as both real estate and capital shift
their share largely on consumption,
that is, on what labor has produced.
Labor pays all taxes three times La
Dor produces rent ground rent); labor
pays taxes from consumption, and Ia
Dor pays nearly or quite as much more
into the pockets of a few favored indi-
viduals. The single tax would take
all taxes from rent, a fund that
goes to land Qandlords) by a law of
nature as fixed and sure as the law Of
gravitation.
BY taxing rent into the public treas
ury lahor's part Of the wealth product
and capitals part would remain intact,
for the good of each. Production and
exchange being 40 longer hampered
and restrained by taxation, would re-
ceive an immense impetus. Labor
would be in demand, wages would rise,
and general prosperity would result.
Better than all else, speculation in
land would cease. Its only value in
the future would be a use value. No
one would rent more land than he
could put to a good use. And thus
would the AK be laid at the very root
of that baneful influence among farm
ers, the desire to own all adjoining
lands. A desire that has made tenant
farmers of tens Of thousands of farm
owners j. w. MOORE.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
TAX REFORM STUDIES
EDITED BIZ BOLTON HA1r.
An Open Field

any one has an impression that
I'm to these "Studies"
tha Q De published unless they echo
'ns eoltor's ideas he is mistaken.
u;n Cruces on any aspect of taxation
ni always be welcome, if thew ara
oecent, well written, within reason.
s .ae limits and to the point, except
'ias we do not discuss the tariff.
Land owners especially should be-
interested as the principal benefit Of
any improvement or social advanco
goes to them in the increase Of vaIra
gwen to land. Address this Office. or
~ Lock street, Buffalo, N. Y.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

"WHEN we do go into politics." said Miss
honest election and o fair count"
wouldn't a fair duke do just as well, sisH'
inquired her younger brother.-Chicago
TrihI,Da
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

grounds for the suspicion that the
state OF New York in recent years, has
ia1led to realize adequate returns for
us salt springs property Facts aud
Queries
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

-He-"Higbee would have run
through his fortune in q year If it
hadn't been for his wife, She-..How
did she prevent it?" He-"she spent
Il herself"-Tit.Risa.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

The valueOf 4 newspaper as an
advertising medium consists in
Its circulation.
When You can secure the COM
hined circulation OF two papers
for the price Of one, it is money
saved
The ST. Landry Democrat
vas consolidated on the Sd Of
March, 1884, witt" The OpelOu-
Pas Courier The advertising
rates have not been increased
Nhile the price of subscription
lsS been reduced to 81 d year.
Tie COURIER being BY odds
stl!e best paper in the empireP Par
ia of ST. Landryis thereforeth
kheapest.
1ni ilur prieAc Ear lax Wnrk
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Highest of all in Leavening Power-Latest U. S. Govt Report
@@!!a!!! R Rs%asSf
ABSOLUTELY PURE

AS THE itinerant with the organ came in
full view of the sign :"Beware of the Dogs
he passed on to the next house, emitting
from his machine the well-known notes of
81 don't want to play in your yard ."-Yonk-
ORC Statesman.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

SNOW THAT we are married, Hettie, we
will have no further secrets from each
,ther." ''Then tell me truly, George, how
much did you pay for the ~ringl"-Judge.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

Mrs. TIM1DE-'Aren't you afraid to stay
IN your house alone, your husband being
away SO much?" Mrs. Dacks-'O, not at
10 nv cook.n-Truth,
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

SCHOOL of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
how can you write populace with three psi
Cross one OUT" Recruit-'Which p shall ]
cross out, Mr.. Sergeantl"-Berliner Tage-
blatt.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

"DEAR PAPA" wrote the little girl, "Isent
you a kiss last week by the express man. I
hope he gave it to you all right. Hereafter
I'll send 'em by mail, because the express
man is very homely and don't like giving
them to him, and neither ann nor nurse
will do it for me."-Harper's Bazaar.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

He (waxing serious)-"Do you believe In
the truth Of the saying: Man proposes;
God disposes7'" She (archly)-"It de-
Brooklyn Life.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

H~UBBs--"Dubbs doesn't look quite so
lofty as he did during the war; Tubbs-
"No; he went into matrimony as q lieuten-
ant and he never got promoted. Louis
vile Courier-Journal.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

WI think Piso's Cure for Consumption is
the only medicine for Coughs.-JENNIE
PINcKARD, Springfield, Ills, Oct. l. 1894.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

PAr1ENT-"I wish to consult you with re-
gard to my utter loss of memory" Doctor
-"Ah-yes-why-er-in cases Of this ma
ture always require my fee in advance"
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

THE angrv man who takes his words back
Is very apt TO use them over again when oc-
casion ofers.-Texas Siftings.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

HALF BAcK-"Scared a dozen people into
6ts yesterday" Center Rush-"Howln
Half Back-"Rode my wheel home dressed
in my football suit!'-Chicago Record.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

How MUCH that the1vorld calls selfishness
is only generosity within narrow walls-a
too exclusive solicitude to maintain q wife
in luxury, or make ones children RIGHT.
w, Higgiuson.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

In Other Words.-''What is your favorite
Hssipation2" "Sir!' "Beg pardon! l
lean Of what sin are you most tolerant in
,thers"-Puck.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

AcoAr of mall-A postman's uniform.
Eyes" said the landlord, pointing to his
block Of new houses, "they're all fuls ex
cept the one at the end; that's last, but not
leased.n
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07

UpelOuSdS courier
IS the advocate Of Democratic
principles and the friend of the
people.
Their welfare is its welfare, and
it will ever be found defending
their rights with all OF its
ability.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
Halls Catarrh Cure
Is taken internally. Price 75c

WHY should a lady's home dress last for
ever? Because she never wears it out.
WHEN will smoke not go up the chimney?
When there is no fire in the stove.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-07
A FINE place-The police court

IMPORTANT, If true-A rich friend.