davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1896-02-23

Messrs. Stnson & Co., now have
a contract for a handsome piece
which win reach this country about
the ist Of April. In addition to this,
they are manufacturing at their yard
on Market street, some very hand
some monuments from American
and Italian marble. Don't fail to
see these enterprising home manu-
facturers before placing an order.
They are men who viii treat you
right in every respect.
A little son Of Mr.. w. H. East.
who lives a few miles from tae city,
died from the effects of a burn on
Friday last. The little fellow was
in the field where the hands were
burning off sege-held when his
clothing caught fire and before aid
could reach him he was burned in a
most horrible manner. The CON-
MERCIAL sympathizes with the pa
rents in the loss Of their little one.
We are in receipt Of an invitation
to attend the thirty-thlrd anniversa-
ry of Pythianism, to be celebrated
at Starkville by Oktibbeha lodge,
No. 80, on Tuesday evening, Feb
ruary %, at which time an address
win be delivered by Hon. ]. H,
Powell, of Henderson, Ky. Mr.. w
w. MaGruder will deliver the adj
dress Of welcome.
Messrs. Geo. B. Williams, ex-
aminer of agents accounts, and c.
~. Gibson, cotton agent, of the Mo-
bile and Ohio railroad, attended the
Yiuneral Of our deceased friend anC
brother, Capt. A. j. Mcdowell, Fri
day as the representatives of the Of
Ecials of the M. and o. railroad.
Mr.. Charles Sherrod, with his
daughter, little Miss Mamie Sue, il
expected home this morning from
Townsville, Ca, where he ha:
been to take his sister, Miss Lilli,
Sherrod, on a visit to their sister
Mrs. d. ]. Sheffield, of that city.
Buy fresh Bone Meal for you
chickens. 1t is healthy and vii
make them lay three eggs every
day and four on Sunday. For salt
by j. G. Bryan.
Miss Lita Sherrod has been spend
ing the week with Mrs. Ben Ervil
at her country home.
Mr.. w. H. Ottley Will leave Mon
day for an extended business tril
through Alabama.
The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1896-02-23
BURNING QUESTION.

a 1AaN+-@f-~-H~
TIE question Of recognizing the
Cubah patriots and giving them
substantial aid is now becoming a
burning one in congress. The SYM
pathy Of tho American people with
these struggling heroes, who are
engaged in q terrible war with what
is to theirlimited resources a pow
.c,s,sal Toe, has. aroused a deep and
abiding feeling of sympathy among
the masses of our people, and this
growing sentiment is finding utter
ance in congress. While we depre-
cate war with any power, or for any
cause, we must say that there are
times when to shrink from respon-
sibilities and duties that might en-
tail upon us the necessity Of en-
gaging in war would be unworthy
our race and our history and tradi-
tons. In the community of nations,
be they ever so widely separated or
diverse in their institutions,
there are mutual duties and respon-
sibilities that arise, and among such
is the duty to prevent the destruc-
ton of the weak by the more pow
erful; to prevent the carrying on Of
a war in violation ofthe laws of hui
manity and of God; the butchering
of prisoners and the destruction Of
women and children. Spain is an
effete old monarchy that, in mas
terly inactivity for centuries and in
her utter imperiousness to the touch
of 10th century progress, has de-
monstrated her unftness to govern
her geople at home. Cuba she has
held for centuries as a dependency
a rich field from which she had al
all times drawn without restraint OF
justice or mercy to feed her impov-
erished treasury. The Cubans are
too near the shores of free America
not to have caught the spirit of lib
erty. 1t has been borne to them fol
years across the warm waters of the
gulf on the sound OF our evening
and morning guns at our military
stations on our southern coast. Oul
people have sojourned among them
and by thousands they have BID
farewell to their lovely isle wher
the weight of oppression became
in individual instances too great tc
be borne, and have become in name
and residence American citizens, but
in souls Cubans still. Millions o.
money and hundreds of men have
these exiles contributed through the
years to the cause of Cuban free
dom. We sincerely hope that the
day is near at hand when the strong
and free voice of American manhood
in the name of freedom and justice
viii be heard, in tones of thunder i
need be, all around that island il
the sea. If need be, let the flash o
American steel and the terribl,
presence of American soldiery witt
the emblem of liberty and glory
the American ilag-aoating owe
them be seen upon that stricken
isle, and in the name Of liberty, hui
manity and justice, let the fat o
peace, good win and liberty go fortl
and be maintained by American
valor.
The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1896-02-23

ELusvLLE, Miss, Feb. 19.-Mr.
John Anderson's saw mill and dry
kiln, which is two miles below here,
was burned this evening. The loss
is estimated at about $500, and
only insured for 800. Mr.. Ander-
son is very unfortunate with fires,
having been burned out a time or
two before.
The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1896-02-23
Funeral of E.R. Kirksev.

The funeral of Mr.. E. B. Kirksey,
on Thursday evening, brought to
the Methodist church a large con-
course of friends. Mr.. Kirksey was
well known and much esteemed by
our people. The services conduct
ed by the Rev. DR.. Standefer were
impressive. Mr.. Kirksey was an
Odd Fellow, and that organization
with their characteristic tenderness
and faithfulness, buried his remains.
The day was beautiful, bright and
crisp, and the scene at the ceme-
terry of so large and sympathetic
body of people, gathered to pay the
last sad tribute to the memory of a
young man, and to attest their SYM
pathy for his stricken young wife
and his tender children, was indeed
calculated to touch deeply the ten
der chords in the breast Of any one.
A COMMERCIAL reporter a few
days since visited the marble works
of Messrs. Stinson & Co., Of our
city, and was shown a handsome
piece of statuary; an imported piece
of work from Corora, Italy. It rep
resents memory dropping a flower
on the grave Of a loved one. The
proprietors of this concern have di-
rect dealings with firm in italy,
who manufacture the finest grade Of
art statuary, and inform as that
they can furnish anything in that
line; including life size statutes
from photographs, and they guaran-
tee a perfect likeness Of anyone,
with prices that are astonishing.
Mr.. W. B. Hopkins has been in
stalled as acting agent of the Mo-
bile and Ohio railroad. There is no
man in the Union who has more
friends than Mr.. Hopkins and it is
hoped by everyone that the NJ. and
Q. officials viii see proper to make
him their agent. He has been with
the company for many years, has
served them faithfully and deserves
the position to which he has been
temporarily assigned.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08
Harmonious Rivals.
THE WATCHMA.

THE WATCHMAN's Washington CORE
spondent makes the following interest
ing statement of the relations existing
between the rival candidates for the
r'publican nomination to the presi-
dency:
"The republican leaders in congress are
men OF too much experience in such mat
tiers to allow themselves to become the tools
OF the democrats, and to begin fighting each
other instead of the common enemy. They
know that the little hope that democrats
allow themselves to indulge in of ever re-
gaining control OF this government again is
based entirely upon their ability to stir up
dissension among the supporters Of the
several candidates for the republican presi.
dental nomination. Notwithstanding the
action and talk of few of the overzealous
your correspondent has no hesitation what
ever in asserting that the contest for the
nomination will not be allowed, either be-
fore or during the st. Louis convention, to
degenerate into cat-and- dog fight that will
leave sores for the democrats to throw salt
ON during the campaign. Each Of the candi-
dates has warm supporters among the
national leaders of the republican party,
and each OF these leaders will use every
honorable effort to bring about the nomina-
ton of his candidate, as he has a perfect
right to do, but there will be no blows be-
low the belt with their sanction, and when
the nomination shall have been made every
man of them will be found cordially sup
porting the nominee. In Washington these
things are we'll known, because republicans
all know the cordial personal relations
which exist between Speaker Reed, Cover
nors Mckinley and Morton, and Senators
Allison, Cullom and Quay, and that should
any one Of the six be chosen that he would
receive no warmer or more heartfelt con-
graduation than would come from the
other FIVE; but they are here written for the
especial benefit of those republicans who
sometimes make the mistake of getting
their information as to republican affairs
from the democratic or assistant democratic
nraaav
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08
Republican League Convention.

The executive committee Of the Republic
can League of Vermont calls a convention
of the republican clubs of the state at Mont.
peler on Tuesday, April %, at three
o'clock in the afternoon. The purpose of
the convention is the reorganization of the
State League, the election of officers and
the selection of delegates to the next Ma.
tional League convention to be held at Mil
waukee, Wis, August 25 and 26.
Republicans in every town are earnestly
invited to organize clubs and send full
quota OF delegates to the state convention,
The basis OF representation will be one del
egate for each club, and one additional del
egate for twenty-five me nbers or final
fraction OF that number exceeding ten. The
constituted delegates eG-OBtcio to the con-
vention in addition to those elected. The
railroads in the state will grant the usual
convention rates
A republican rally will be held in the
evening under the auspices of the league at
which 1t is expected Senator William p.
Frye of Maine, Senator John M. Thurston OF
Nebraska, Representative j. p. Dolliver of
Iowa and other distinguished republicans
will speak.
The work of the Republican League is to
promote in every legitimate way the sue
cess OF the republican party, its principles
and candidates., to supplement the work Of
state and national committees through Or
ganization and education. 1t il the pur-
pose of the League to make the meeting at
Montpelier fitting opening of the state
and national campaigns OF 1896, and to
awaken the republicans of the state to the
importance of the duties devolving upon
them to do their part toward the triumph of
the republican party and the re-ascendency
Of republican principles and politics in the
nation.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08

What he has had to say in the pending
state canvass, as at all other times, he
has said Gin language that was plain"
and which could leave no doubt in any
well-regulated mind as to his meaning
or purpose. In the matter of Major
CIRCUITS candidacy, has any reader,
whose faculties and whose moral sense
are in normal condition, observed in
the WATcHMAN's utterances any OBJ
scurity or round-aboutness, insinuation
or innuendo7 Hasn't the WATCHMAN
repeatedly asked the friends of Major
Grout to specify the acts of good legis'
lation or measures of reform he has
advocated "during his long legislative
career"? Have they specified any?
Not one, and we know of none. On the
contrary, he has usually turned up on
the side opposed to reform and prog
ress. The only answer to the request
for specifications has been vague gen.
eral claim of great service, or pro-
longed whine like this of the Monitors.
The WATCHMAN, observing its duty
as public journal, has dealt only with
the public records of the CIRCUITS. AS
candidates for public Office, the public
has the right to know what that record
is. The statement of some of the plain
facts of that record the Monitor stigma
ties as "guerilla attack" and its
proper and reasonable discussion as
assassination" Lofty conception of
the Office of public Journal Blessed
right of free speech!
In good unctuous phrases the Monitor
has denounced its opponents in politics
and policies-or published denuncia-
tons it has cribbed. Judged by the
standard it now sets up for the defence
OF Major Grout against criticism on just
and reasonable grounds, the contempt
rary has been a guerilla and an assas-
sin, and doer of whole category of
very naughty things. But it was dem.
ocratic OK, or some distant republican
boss" that was gored by the horn Of
public criticism. When, however, his
own pet OK enters the arena, and the horn
of truthful and proper criticism pricks its
thin hide, in the judgment of this edi
torial Pecksniff the critic is impelled by
personal hatred, influenced by preju
dice, instigated by malevolence and
cussedness in general. Verify, it makes
difference whose OK is gored.
But the course pursued by the Mont
tor and it's coadjutors is the only one
open to them, and their unhappy pligh
should perhaps excite COMMUNICATION
rather than provoke censure. Tht
facts and the evidence are all agains
them. Their only recourse is bluff, Of
that of the lawyer without case, abuse
of the other side.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08
Historical Contemporaries.

The Grout newspaper organs are in a
condition of acute hysteria. To illus
trate The distressful mental state into
which the leader of the Grout papers,
the Barton Monitor, has lapsed, we pro-
duce the opening paragraph from re-
cent article:
"The Vermont Waterman is still maintain
ing its guerilla attacks on Major Grout, and
is pitching into the Monitor incidentally.
We are glad to be able to suggest some top
les with which it can enliven its columns.
We are sorry, however, to be compelled to
say again that that paper, excellent as it is
in many respects, is hampered in its edito-
rial utterances by prejudices which make it's
opinions unfair and unjust. For reasons
which are founded on no broad or generous
grounds the editor Of the Waterman has a
hatred for William W., and Josiah Circuit,
and paper which, from its early standing,
ought to be above little and mean things, is,
80 far as these men are concerned, little
better than an assassin Those who have
read that journal duringlthe last few months
know that its attacks on Major GrOut have
been unfair. 1t has resorted to obscure re-
marks and roundabout editorials, to innu-
endOes, to anonymous letter writing, to
garbled and half-told things; it has insinu-
ated that his career as a legislator was not
respectable, it has ridiculed his farming, 1t
has assumed that certain pieces of legisla-
ton were not beneficial to the state, and has
had the unfairness to accuse Major Grout
with being responsible for all legislation
which, in the opinion of that paper, was not
wise. On the other hand it has not had the
manliness to say that any good legislation
occurred during Major CIRCUITS long legisla-
tive career, giving him credit for the same,
under the assumed fact that he was respon.
OnnA Wh oh a
legislature did while he was in it,"
The Monitor is in a panic. Its de-
lirium has suspicious symptoms. Had
the editor been "getting fou and unco
happy" at the new Barton inn? He
sees visions that rise only on brains
stepped in inebriation, physical or
moral, and clutches at explosives, right
and left. Selection is made with refer
ence to no existing state of facts or
things, but if the epithet bristles with
wickedness or is tinctured with gall and
saturated with vinegar, it goes.
An angry mans judgments are not
worthy of respect, but the contempora-
ry's ragout of irate English merits a
passing notice. The readers of the
WATCHMAN will find in it nothing that
characterizes the course or utterances
of this paper. In its editorial utter
ances the WATCHMAN has invariably
employed a fair measure of candor.
Some of its friends think it is some
times too candid. Its editor has al.
ways practiced due degree of indie
pendence in his discussions of public
men and measures. He has generally
managed to make himself understood
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08
The House Railway Committee Of 1886.

The Barton Monitor has done some
service to the cause of public enlighten.
ment in Orleans county by publishing
short article from the WATCHMAN on
the matter of Major CIRCUITS forming
the house railroad committee in 1886
"with manifest disregard of the public
demand" This service cannot be en-.
tirely neutralized by the Monitors in
effectual denial. The contemporary
says:
"At this date it is impossible to tell what
was public demand, but it will be just to
assume that, whatever public demand was
manifested, sought the naming of an intel.
ligent committee. Having been somewhat
familiar with the legislature of 1886, we
deny that the committee was formed in OPP
position to the public demand"
The first part of this extract is dis
creditable, professionally, to the editor
of the Monitor. Fortunately, it is not
necessary to " assume" what the pub
lie demand was in 1886. 1t is written
Gin letters of living light" on the pub
lie records of the times. In one breath
the contemporary AYERS that at this
date it is impossible to tell what that
public demand was; in the next, he
asserts his familiarity with public af.
fairs at that time and denies that the
committee was formed in opposition to
public demand. The two things tend
to illustrate the confusion of the Mon
itor's editorial mind, if indeed it pos
sesses that faculty, in its own right.
At this date it is possible to tell ex-
actly what the public demand was,
ten years ago, in the matter of rail-
way commission. The Monitor editor
knows we'll enough, if he knows any
thing about state affairs, but he finds it
convenient to feign ignorance. He
knows that in 1886 the people were
peculiarly aroused on the subject Of a
railway commission. Such a commits
sion had been sought for many years,
but measure creating the body had
been defeated in the senate. At the
county conventions in 1886, resolutions
demanding of the legislature an eff
cient commission we're passed, and the
senators nominated were committed to
the support of bill creating an efficient
commission. A senate favorable to
such measure was elected. A strong
senate railway committee was consti-
tuted. Josiah CIRCUITS loyalty to the
people had been strongly vouched for,
and he was elected speaker. When
the proposed composition of the house
| railway committee became known it
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08

and become satisfied that a majority Of
living members is constitutional
quorum. -
THE Monitor very naturally defends
the railway commission law, creating
what has come to be known, from its
largest public function, coroner's
jury" whose most important service to
the state was the evolution, after one of
its mortuary seances, of the mighty
moral +" 1t is dangerous to walk on the
railroad tracki" AS evidence of the
laws merit the contemporary points to
the fact that it has never been repealed
or materially modified. With a Web
sterian burst of eloquence he exclaims
"Ten years have passed since it went
on the statute book, and there it standsl"
Josiah CIRCUITS mischief was more
easily done than undone. Repeal a
law whose impotency commends it to
powerful and dominating interests, and
which offers to patriotic citizens oppor-
tunities for fat salaries, little work,
pleasant junkets and free and unlim-
tied transportation? Has the Monitor
gone clean daft?
THE Burlington Independent illus
trated last week, in the item relating to
the WATCHMAN, the inability of its
editor to preserve the proper arrange
ment of cart and horse when the two
are harnessed and hitched up for bust
ness. We observe further that the In
dependent produced the Ne,os' table of
the alleged expenditures of the state,
and is joining Justify in the cry for re-
trenchment. We want to ask the In
dependent, as we have it's daily contem-
porary-receiving no reply-if it would
begin retrenchment at home, in and
near Burlington? Would it call for a
halt in the expenditures on the state
military camp in the environs of Bur-
lington, which have already largely ex-
eeeded the appropriation? II it would
why has it not? If it would not, why
moi? incidentally we would ask the
contemporary if it believes it was wise
to buy land for a camp a mile or 30 from
the railway, necessitatiDg a heavy
charge for switching and carriage OF
about one mile, paying $50 an acre for
this land, so situated, in order to bring
the camp into close proximity to Bur-
lington? Or would it have been more
in accordance with the precepts OF true
wisdom and economy to have bought
land close by the railway track, at Els
sex Junction, for S15 an acre, saving
half the purchase money or buying
twice as much land for the same money
and avoiding charges for switching and
carriage? Are these expenditures in
and near Burlington for the College
and military camp judicious and neces
sary, while those at Middlebury for the
College, or at Waterbury for the Insane
Asylum are foolish and wasteful? And
if 80, why 30? And if so, why are no
these Burlington apostles beginning a
the Queen City to preach the gospel o.
retrenchment and reform in state ex
penditures, and carrying it thence into
the surrounding regions of darkness?
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-08

was plain that there was treason IN tne
camp; that the stronghold OF the peo-
nile. the house, was to be betrayed into
the hands of the interests opposed to an
effective commission. Five of the nine
members were free-pass men, of whom
two were in the service of the railways,
and all were either lawyers or business
men. The proposed chairman was a
railway attorney. Only three members
were farmers, and these were without
legislative experience, except one, who
was an invalid of three score years
and ten, who had been member
in 1916. The proposed composition
of this committee was sharply criti-
cised. An eminent citizen, one of
the tribunes of the people, Ex-Governor
Barstow, and others-interceded with
the speaker for the creation of strong,
impartial committee, upon which the
farmers, whose interests we're vitality
affected, should be adequately repre-
sented. But objection was made to
names suggested because, forsooth, the
persons proposed had studied the sub
ject, had some ideas upon an important
matter of demanded legislation, and
there was an improperly in putting
men of that sort on the committed
Moreover the slate for the committee
was made up, and there was an end of
the matterl
The public demand was clear and i'm
perative. The senate heard and obeyed.
Speaker Grout, we repeat, betrayed the
people in the house of their friends.
His hostile committee was master of
the situation. Action was delayed till
the end of the session. The bill that
was finally reported and passed was a
compromise that eliminated every fea-
ture essential to the efficiency of the
measure. The responsibility for this
failure was primarily with Speaker
Grout, who, "by malice aforethought,"
put on to the committee ma
iority of able men who were hostile
honestly enough, no doubt-to the
legislation proposed, and who success
fully interposed their will to defeat the
will of the people.
Contrast the course of Speaker GrouI
in this matter with that of Speaker
Martin, in 1882, who constituted the
ways and means committee with specia
reference to the enactment of an eff
Gent corporation tax law, for which, a
that time, there was similar public
demand; compare the action of Speaker
Grout with that of Speaker Stickney, il
| 1892 and 1894, in the matter of thu
committee on the Rutland city charter
and in every other instance of the con
fict of warning interests. Fidelity Il
public trust, judicial impartiality in thu
performance of delicate public duty
distinguished the administration of thu
speakership by these men. Disregard
of the public demand, betrayal of thu
best interests of the people, have distin
guished the legislative career of JOSIAH
Grout.
And yet the Monitor, with fine frenzy
exclaims, What an unjust and miser
able assertion that isl''