davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Hot Weather and Hard Times,

About all the mainest news that you
a hear down in this strip of country
nowadays is hot weather and hard
times. Everybody you meet up with
has got somethin to say in regards to
the hot weather and the hard times. If
strike up with n Of the neighbors
in town or along the big road he may
give the crops and religion a lick Or
two in passin, but the mainest things,
you understand, is the monstrous hot
weather and the orful hard times. 1t
makes me plum weak and weary in the
legs, and it puts me in mind of a story
l have heard Aunt Nancy Newton tell,
about the time when Jake Ballentine
got struck by lightnin and killed.
That was years and years ago down
in the Panther Creek settlement. One
day Jake was plowin down in his new
ground. A thunder storm come up and
he run under a big tree to keep out of
the rain. About that time a streak of
blue lightnin struck the tree, and when
the dust settled and the smoke bowed
away, you understand, Jake Ballentine
had went the way of all human flesh.
The hews spread fast and furious
through the settlement and the neigh
bors come pilin In one by one to see the
sad sight.
Now it likewise also come to pass
that old man Hiram Lucas was about
the first man on the ground. He was
on his return back from town and
thanked up" you understand, to about
six bits in the dollar. He stood there
over the shattered remains of Jake Bal
lentine and saw the neighbors como
and 60.
One nan would come up with a sad
face and q solemcholy voice and say
Poor Jake, he's dead"
Then another one would come along
and gaze down at the dead body and
then bresh away a tear and say:
Poor Jake, he's dead"
And another one would come up and
heave a long, deep sigh and shake his
head and remark:
Poor Jake, he's dead"
Well, things went on about that way
for an hour or SO till finally at last old
man Hiram got sick and tired listenin
to the same thing over and ver and
over. By-and-by another man come up
cryin and sighin and remarked hat
poor Jake was dead, and that was jest
one more than the old man could stand.
'Of course Jake is dead" says old
man Hiram. ANY blame fool would
know that. Hedied a most tremendous
orful death, and he is dead, dead, dead.
But who in the thunder is disputin of
it ?"
So that's what makes me tell you
what I do about the hot weather and
tho hard times. We are more than
probable to have hard times about this
time Of year. and we most in generally
have some hot weather along in the
summer. But who in the thunder 10
dis2utin of It?
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Must Paw to Do Business.

To the Editor of the Herald:-1 en-
close a notice received from the secre-
tary of the commonwealth of Pennsyl-
yania, by which it appears that a cor
.poration in any other state is prohib-
tied from doing business in that state
without having an Office within its
limits, = certified agent. and paying a
fee of $40. rs for fling a certificate OF
the same.
Is not this another form OF the local
taxation of travelling statesmen which
was rife at one time, especially in cit
les of the southern states, and which
was stamped out by a decision of tie
United States supreme court?
It seems unjust and contrary to the
normal relations of the states that be-
cause a mercantile concern happens to
be incorporated it can send no man to
transact business, however unimpor-
tant. in the state of Pennsylvania with.
out first securing a n Office there, ap-
pointing an agent. and fling q certih-
cate, at much cost, to that effect.
New YORK. u. II.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
FARMERS MEETING IN BELFAST
timely Discussions and the 0r..t;o.
Box,

A'"eAy discussions and the Question
Box.
Ihe Farmers club met In Belfast
tuesday. The meeting was called to
oroer by President Litchard. G, Il,
townsville read a paper on "How We
ought to Be Taxed" While MANY did
not agree with Mr.. Townsville, all
agree that it was a most clear and log
1cal presentation. He started with the
proposition that men who can best at
1oroiJ 'hould pay the taxes. Improve
ments should not be taxed as .hey in.
Jure none and benefit all. Mortgages
should be considered joint owners in
the property mortgaged. All taxes
should be levied on land. values ire
spective of improvements. AS New
York city has one-half of the real estate
values in this state the burden would
o fall unduly on the farmers. He
then spoke in favor of the Ainsworth
bill, which recommends local option"
in taxation.
A quartette composed of Capt. R. R.
oeeiy, Levi Mills, Lizzie Stebbens and
Maud Cunning sang "The Farmer,
Song"
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
TO USE THE KNIFE


And Submit to n Painful Operation-This
the Doctors Advised as the Only Hope,
the Case Being a Critical One-The Hap
py Termination Of a Dcep-Isoctcd Preju-
dice.
Mr.. Lincoln Nelson, Of uartville, Mo,
had an interesting experience with the doc
tors recently, and was on the verge of a
painful surgical operation. He writes: g!
hereby add my unqualified endorsement of
your excellent remedy. S. S. S For six
years l have been a sufferer from a scrofu-
lous affection OF the glands of my neck, and
all efforts of physicians in Washington,
d. G., Springfield, ILL.,, and st. Louis failed
to reduce the enlargement. After SIX
months constant treatment here my physl-
clan urged me to submit to a remove of the
gland. At this critical moment a friend
recommended S. S. S., and laying aside a
deep-rooted prejudice against all patent
medicines, l began its use. Before l had
used one bottle the enlargement began to
disappear, and now it is entirely gone, and
l am almost cured. / am not through with
my second bottle yet. Had1 only used your
s. S. S. years ago, l could have escaped
years Of misery and saved over s15o. If
this endorsement will servo you in any way,
use it."
This experience is like that of all who
suffer with deep4seated blood troubles. The
doctors can do no good, and even their re.
sorts to the knife prove either fruitless or
fatal. S. S. S. is the only real blood REM
edy. 1t gets at the root of the disease, and
forces it out permanently.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Taxing Cats to Raise Revenue,

Austria is the country par excellence
for taxation. Everything there is taxed
except the air, and even that has to be
paid for in places famous for their salu-
brity. 1t is thus that Franz Josef's
domain is n of the few places on
earth in which the government man.
ages to pull through without a deficit,
the yearly estimates invaribly showing
an excess of income over expenditure.
These estimates are always confirmed
blythe recorded results. The balance,
it is true, is very little; but it is at
lea% on the right side, and that ia
everything.
Until a very short time g 1t ap-
peared that nothing had been excluded
from the revenue-producing list. Even
dogs, cycles, newspapers, advertise.
ments and innumerable other articles,
pleasures and necessities, are subject
to taxation. But now has come for.
ward a provincial inancier who has
sent to the finance minister an exhaus-
tive report on a neglected source Of
revenue-cats.
According to this reformer, if the
horse, the ass, the goat, the hog, this
chicken, the goose and even the un.
sophisticated duck, are to contribute
their mites to the support of the state,
the cat should not escape taxation.
Grimalkin, according to this revenue
raiser, is a parasite, paying nothing to
any one, yet preying upon every one.
Why, he asks, should a Christian state
perpetuate this relic of Egyptian idol
airy? There is no intelligent reason
for il. The cat is one Of those miser.
able animals that caused some of the
early Christians to swerve from the
true faith and to believe in a principle
of evil as well as in a creator of good,
and is thus to some extent responsible
for the formation of the Mani
ch@an sect. Has a cat ever been
known to perform a good
action? Certainly not. It lives, o
and has it's being in an atmosphere OF
egotism bordering upon crime. 1t
springs at you treacherously, and
scratches your face in the most wanton
way. 1t is a born thief, and loves
cream, milk and dainties of most kinds.
It is a professional destroyer Of nests.
It massacres useful birds, thus injur.
ing the farmer; causes fires in houses,
and renders night hideous with it's
noise. 1t kills rats and mice merely to
satisfy its appetite when it can not see
its way to allay the pangs of hunger
by stealing. And this is the holy, in
violable, tax-free idol of a modern
state! That a cat should be permitted
to be at large scot free from taxation.
sans collar, sans tag, sans number, sans
its name being written in the revenue.
book of life, is a disgrace to the
great Hapsburg dynasty.
The unfortunate dog, mans real
friendin need, is treated in q very differ.
emit fashion in Austria. Put into a sortot
strait-waistcoat termed a muzzle, it is
up in a yard, harnessed to
milk carts, compelled to hunt, to per-
form many duties in war, to rescue tho
to dig up the traveller bur.
led in-the snow-and, in spite of all,
the dog is heavily taxed. This is NOT
immoral" exclaims the Aus
TRAN fnancier, sit is improvident. The
very least we should do is to compel
The owners of the spiteful and immoral
to pay q yearly tax to the state. -
Philadelphia Record,
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
TAX ON EVERY GRAVE.

Aoaoon Borough Expects to Reap a
$4,000 Harvest.
MEDIA, Pa, March 6.-Yeadon bor-
ough, the graveyard town of this sec.
tlon' expects to reap a harvest of Sc, 600
from its cemeteries. The town council,
IN December, passed an ordinance to
tax every grave one dollar. Solicitor
John J. White has been authorized to
proceed against Holy Cross and Mt.
Morlah cemeteries to collect the fees.
If the ordinance can be enforced
about $4,000 will be collected. -Phila.
delphia Record.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
lax REFORM STUDIES
EDITED BY BOLTON HALF.
An Open Field.

N my one has an impression tia.
,u;1n un,catlons to these "Studias"
thu 40. De published unless thew echo
'ae GATORS ideas he is mistaken
r,; nf''cies on any aspect of TAXATION
Snl always be welcome, if thew ara
IL wen written, within reason.
llm,ts and to the point, excent
s'ae we do not discuss the tariff.
lana owners especially shou,d h.
as the principal benefit ~
aiy improvement or social advance
goes to them in the increase Of valns
gwen to land. Address this Office Nv
~ Lock street, Buffalo, N. Y,
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Personally Disappearing.

The report sof the New York board
Of assessors to the legislature shows
that the total value Of property in this
state for the year 1894, as assessed by
the local assessors, was 81. 400, TIC, 127,
divided as follows: Real estate, 50, s41,-
$50, 74s; personal property. $5s2, 1913, s7s.
OF the personal property SLICES, SO
was corporate property not subject
to taxation locally for state porposss
Post
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Most Terribless Confusionmen,.

They had the gonebyest time and the
most terriblest confusionment you ever
heard tell Of over at the Cross Roads
one day last week, whereas the Rocky
Creek Academy is o split and busted
from Dan unto Habersham, as it were.
1t is all past and over with now. The
devilment is done, and I don't mind
givin up the general facts in the case as
they have leaked out and come to pass.
Some two weeks ago it seems as If a
gang Of the school boys got together
one Saturday night and went out on q
little wayside frolic. They had plenty
of music along with them, and by some
unhappy hook or mercrook they run
into a wildcat still somewheres owe in
the hill country. Consequentiallly, you
understand, there was one boy in the
gang that got more than his share of
the spoils and didn't show up no more
till late Sunday evenin. And that boys
name was Billy George Randle, which
up to that time he was way yonder the
most brightest boy in school and stood
way up head in all his classes.
But Professor Castleberry, the gen.
eral boss Of the school, is q monstrous
nice man and the most allfiredest tem-
perance epistle you ever heard tell of.
He don't SO much as use tobacco and he
wouldn't even drink a cup of coffee for
the headache. The other boys didn't
give Billy George away, but whensom-
ever there is any devilment In the air
the Professor can smell a cold trail two
Ill. "a aud az Grol1r a. 1oct The $oo%.
in the case leaked out and come to light.
Then the Professor put right in and
called q meetin Of the school board to
take up the case. And right along
there, you understand, is where the
Professor dropped the jug and split his
molasses. When the board come TO-
gether he lit In and brought up the cast
agin Billy George right there before
the whole entire school and the Trus-
tees to boot. He pitched in he did and
made one Of these blood and thunder,
sky-scrapin temperance speeches and
wanted the Board to take Billy George
by tho nap Of his noel and the seat OF
his breeches, as it were, and fire him
bodaciously out Of the school.
somethia Was Bound to Drnp.
When at last the Professor got cut OF
breath and run down and stopped, .
tremendous big silence fell on the gen
eral crowd. Then presently Luke Stag
gers, the youngest son of Jeems W.
staggers and the biggest boy in school,
rose M from amongst the boys and
lowed he would love to say q few brief
words to the Board in regards to the
case and on behalf Of his friend and TEL
Y sssvant Billy George Randls. And
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24

1und that must be paid in any event.
wnether 1t goes into the pockets of an
lole rent receiving class or into tb.
common treasury Of it's creator, tn.
people, as I propose. NEAL MOORE
Dallas, Texas.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24

err said Uncle
Dan'i Ruther-
t d t t h 9
crowd over at
tbs Cross Roads
one day. And
the good old
man was plum
right q b o II t
that. 1t is 0
than probable
to be cold in the
winter and chill
ly in the spring
and hot in the
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
AN OHIO OPINION.
we present 1t as Received Without c,r,.
ment,

we present 1t as Received Without cor,.
mont.
IN the taxation of INTANGIBLE ner.
mi property, much, if not all. Of the
Information to be gained concerning it
must De acquired from its owner. and
~ oroer that he might tell the truth
nc "ould be put under oath, and what
ut says under oath must therefore he
received as the truth.
+. 70 show the p~racticabilitv of this
system we wish to quote two examples
OF its operation.
In both the following the statements
are required to be made under oath.
Inc remark vas made to an official
IN the Ohio tax department that, ut
seemed, that there was not a wealthy
man IN the state of Ohio who was not
a perjurer," and he replied: 1T is
true"
In Georgia a tax is levied UPON
watches, and when it was asked how
mulch revenue was derived from this
source the reply was: "Accordiing to
He assessments, there are not ten men
10 Savannah who own watches!"
An oath is a public and solemn invo-
cation OF the Supreme Being to wit
ness the truth of what is about to be
said.
I'm disregard of this invocation is to
be the inevitable result of this tax,
may we be delivered from it!
OF more value do we deem the intee-
rity, truth, and honor of the citizens
OF this state than any amount of rev.
enue that might be derived from such a
source.
But admitting that it seems impos-
sible to levy a tax upon all kinds of
personal property, does it necessarily
follow that those persons, who are ex-
empted do not pay any part of the pub
lie taxes?
On the contrary, we believe hat un-
der the principle of the diffusion of
taxes, each citizen will bear his pro-
share. We do not endorse
what seems to be the generally &C
copied theory, that in order to tax equi-
tably and uniformly it is necessary to
subject all property to assessment; and
more especially, that the exemption of
any form of what is termed money |
capital" is to grant a favor to those
who possess such property, and are
best able to bear taxation at the
expense of the remaining and the poor
er part of the community.
But we hold to the opinion in oppo-
sition to this theory land it is only a
theory, for no country O community |
ever attempted to fully execute it,,
that equality of taxation consists in a
uniform assessment of the same ar
ticles or class of property that is sub
ject to taxation, and that all taxes
and diffuse themselves, and
if Lived with certainty and uni
upon tangible property. and
upon fixed signs Of property, they will
by a diffusion and repercussion reach
and burden all equally.
r. 6. M- |
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Highest Of all in Leayeuing Power-Latest u. S. Govt Report
R!Aa!!! k Fsxdssz
ABSOLUTELY PURE

If you try t find out what women dey do
or don'tdo tings for, you're worse off your
base dan before. See1 Dc best way is t
takt'em as you find 'em, and try MOTTO go
crazy thinking bout it. OATS right.-Chim-
mic Fadden.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
Tho True Laxative Principle.

or the plants used in manufacturing tha
pleasant remedy, Syrup of Figs, has a per-
manentlv beneficial effect on the human sys-.
TEN, while the cheap vegetable extracts and
mineral solutions, usually sold as medicines,
are permanently injurious. Being well in
formed, you will use the true remedy only.
Manufactured by California Fig Syrup Co..
THE U~EvARNIsnED FACT.-He-"Arctio
explorers are the safest men in the world to
trust yourself to- Shc-"WEy so' He
with a haw-haw)-"They are always cool
in the time of greatest danger."-Detroit
Free Press.
CLIENTS Sulphur Soap is Il genuine rem
edv for Skin Diseases.
Hills Hair and Whisker Dye, SO cents.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
SQUIRE F SANDERS
Tells Stories and Gives the News
From Rocky Greek.
they Talk About Hot Weather and Hsrs
2ines-"But Who In the Thunds u .
Dispuein Of its"-A Mighty
C~onfustonmsnt.
Copyright 1850

II have took notice all nv life that
along about this time of year we most
IN generally have some sort of wealth.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24

MRs. JACKsoN-"Do o call this sponge
cakes Why, it's as hard as stone. , Cook
YES, num-, that's the way a sp, ngc is be-
fore it is wet. Soak it in your tea.7'-Truth.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24

summer and cool in the fall. But at
any rates, along about this time of year
we most in generally have some sort Of
weather.
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24
he Basis Of wages n the Single Tax.

Editor of the Cleveland Citizen:--]
noticed your editorial in which you re
fer to the Brooklyn strike as another
proof that this country is becoming
corporation ridden. You are right in
desiring q peaceful settlement of the
struggle between capital and labor,
but how is it to be done? Is the mod
ern laborer as willing to accept the
half loaf SO grudgingly offered him as
were his ancestors in times before the
discovery of America? Manifestly no,
and so strikes r. increasing in fire.
quency and violence.
It is evident that no half way meas
ures, such as compulsory arbitration
and other state regulation will give us
peace. Nothing will serve but a can
did consideration of the rights of both
labor and capital and an earnest at
tempt to adjust the equities between
them, discover the cause of their an
tagonisms and do away with it. Labor
and capital should be friends. They
are partners in the business of produc-
ing wealth, discords and ~wrangling
have a disastrous effect.
Now, the root of the trouble is in the
fact.that neither labor or capital are
free to apply themselves to the land,
from which all wealth must come. The
most desirable land is held by a small
percentage Of the population who do
nothing themselves to create wealth,
but live in idleness and grow fat on
the rent they are enabled to demand of
others for the use of land. Thus SO
long as the source of wealth is locked
up and labor denied access thereto SO
long will wages remain low and ever
tend to get still lower, for the basis OF
wages is what men can make by o
ing for themselves, and if opportuni-
ties for self employment were larger
and more plentiful wages would rise.
If men were free to apply their labor
to land without having to pay others
for the privilege, opportunities for self
employment would be open TO all, so
wages in all branches OF industry
would rise to the full earnings OF the
work performed. The freeing of the
land would not necessarily increase the
number OF farmers, for few would care
to revert to the soil were the remuner-
alton for their present work sufficient
for them. But the fact that they a
become farmers, or otherwise work for
themselves, should they choose, is what
will raise their wages to a satisfactory
basis.
The problem Of freeing the land is
Of solution, it involves no ex-
tension of government power, no con-
fiscation and leasing Of land as the ma
tionalist proposes, but by amending
the tax system in such manner that
the products Of individual industry,
thrift and honesty may be entirely
and exempt from any share of the
burden, and the national, state and
revenues obtained from
source alone. namely, land values
such would be but simple justice, Q
whv need we discourage and restrict
the free play Of productive energy by
taxing il when the growth OF popnia-
ton and improvements in the arts Is
ali the tirao creating . fund that Is
pnoueb tor govsrlmcnt expenses, 2
The Opelousas courier., 1895-08-24

UNLESS a man is first rich on the inside,
no amount of money can give him wealth.
RAMS Horn,
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-07-30
Scandinavian wood Pulp.

The amount of wood pulp now pro-
duced in Scandinavia is reported to be
enormous, and besides the many wood
pulp mills there are a large number of
native cellulose and sulphite works, the
former supplying more than one-half the
wood pulp production. Next to these
come the sulphite mills, the wood pulp
mills exporting barely half their pro-
duction, or considerably less in quantity
than the sulphite and cellulose. Almost
all the paper exported from Sweden is
said to be made from wood pulp. A re-
Gently published account of this industry
show a>total of some 50 establishments,
and for So of these the aggregate power,
usually water, is reported to equal about
$4,000 horsepower. The most IMPORTANT
Of these are thus enumerated: Those of
Ornon, Tralhatton, 2,450 horsepower,
with "a horizontal and 2 vertical mills
hat Of Munkidal, Uddevalia, 1850
horsepower, with 10 horizontal and /
vertical mill, and Tossefors, Ottebal, 300
horsepower, with II horizontal mills.
There are ~ patron cellulose works and
II sulphite establishments. New York
SIM.
The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-07-30
Big Demand For Alarms.

Patents for alarms are in great variety
in the patent office at Washington. One
Of them is set off by escaping gas. An
other is designed as a safeguard for Mr..
Hayseed. His effort to blow out the gas
tits a delifcately balanced e~lectrode,
closing the circuit and giving notice in
the Office of the hotel. An alarm in the
Office of a cemetery gives notification Of
any attempt to rob a grave. There are
several devices for connecting railway
tracks with wires so that no train can
enter a block while another train is ON
it. One of these stops the entering loco
motive, shuts off it's steam automatical.
ly and spills sand on the track.
A new application of electricity is for
a Jail cell, the walls of which are com
posed wholly Of bars, giving as much
light and ventilation as possible. The
bars are Of hollow pipes, carrying heat
in winter, and are connected with a bat
terry. If the prisoner saws through one Of
them, the circuit is broken and an alarm
sounds. New York World.