The Louisiana populist., 1897-09-17
times the size of the District of Co.

tlmeS Iue SIG VI Ine DlStTlCb VI OO'
lumbia. This is the largest distribu-
tion of seed ever attempted by the
Department of Agriculture, and it is
said that seedsmen all over the coun-
try are complaining that they do not
make sales to farmers and others be-
cause they are getting all the seed
they want free from the Department
of Agriculture.
Says the New York Times: SAN in
cident in the career Of the late Isham
G. Harris that has been ignored in
most of his obituaries is so illustrative
of the Senator's character that it de-
serves recalling and remembrance,
When the Confederacy fell there was
in his possession as Governor of Ten.
nessee 100000 in gold belonging to
the State school fund. As al ardent
Southern sympathizer, Governor Har-
ris was desirous of preventing this
money from falling into the hands OF
"Parson" Brownlow and the other of
ficials of the new State government.
He took it with him, therefore, when
he avoided capture by flight to Mexi
co, and after remaining in that coun
try for eighteen months carried the
treasure to England. Many another
Confederate officer, State, municipal
and military, did much the same thing
with public funds, but not quite all Of
them, if rumore can be trusted, imita.
ted the subsequent course of Governor
Harris. After he had been in Eng
land year, affairs had so settled down
in the United States that he could
safely return. So back he came, and
with him he brought the 100000,
still iu gold, and turned every cent OF
it into the Tennessee Treasury. OF
course, this was only simple honesty,
but it must be remembered that Har.
ris had lost every penny of his own
large fortune, and that he might have
used the argument which others in his
position are said to have found valid,
that Confederate money had no lawful
owner after the Confederacy ceased to
exist. -
The United States Government is
already preparing to take observations
of the total eclipse of the sun, which
is to take place on May %, 1900, says
the Atlanta Constitution. Observa-
ton stations will be established along
the path of the total eclipse and ex.
perienced astronomers in the service
of the government will be sent down
to take the observations and make the
astronomical calculations which it is
expected will be so valuable to science
and to astronomy. 1t may seem rather
early to begin to take observations
now for an event that will not occur
within the next three years, but the
government will begin to take the OBJ
servations May Is, and continue unit
the same date in the month of June
These observations will be for tht
purpose Of determining the best points
at which to establish the permanent
stations, where the final observation.
will be taken during the eclipse o.
1900. The path of the total eclips,
will extend in a direct line from New
Orleans to Norfolk, Va, and will pas
through Georgia in the locality of Ma
con. Blank report sheets have beer
sent to all the weather bureaus in tn,
vicinity of the path Of the eclipse will
the instruction to the weather man tt
secure the services of capable and in
telligent men to take the observation
and register the results in the sheet
made for the purpose. The exact con
dition of the sky, of the sun and o
the whole heavens will be marked
down in the sheets every morning o
the month when the observations ar
!, being taken, and all of the sheets whel
filled out will be sent to Washington
and carefully graded. The perma
nent observation stations will be es
} tablished at the points where the frs
} observations taken receive the highes
percentage.