davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
The South and the Negro.

Major Hearsey, the editor of the New
Orleans States, is man of candor. In
terviewed in New York, he informs the
Sun: we are going to have a consti-
tutional convention and we are going
to stop the negro voting. The condition
of affairs has reached that stage where
this is necessary, and it will be done"
Major HearseY gave reasons why it
was necessary in Louisiana to adopt
some measure that would remove the
negro from politics. He said that it
was simply question of continuing the
present system Of ballot-box stufIng
and election frauds or of legally re-
stricting the suffrage i'm such a manner
that the negro would no longer hold
the balance of power in state politics.
The convention, he said, would restrict
the franchise in three ways. 1t would
adopt the Australian ballot system and
it would impose an educational quail
tication and a property qualification.
The laws would be made sufficiently
severe TO make it impossible for any
person to exercise the right of suffrage
who was not qualified to be an elector
and to have a part in the carrying on
Of the government. The property
qualification, the major said would
probably be fixed at $3.50. He thought
personally that it should be higher, in
order that it might shut out all per-
sons who We're not qualified to exer-
else the franchise, but that was i'm
possible, and $3.50 would very likely
be the figure.
The people of Louisiana, the major
added, We're friends of the negro. They
doubted his ability to rise, but their
hands were continually extended to aid
him, if he had the ability. 1--WE want
no lynching," he said. I'VE want him
protected in every way civilized gov
ernment can protect a people. We will
guarantee to him a white mans rights
and a white mans protection in the
courts, We will protect him in his
property right in his family and home
circle. We win educate him. In every
thing he shall have, and we are bound
that he shall have. all the protection
that the highest civilization can give
to man, but he Is not fit to rule. He
cannot himself do the things that it is
necessary to do to bring to him the
highest enjoyment of life. We are
determined that he shall not dominate
the state. Such domination means
simply the states ruin"
We do not criticize this representa-
! tive southernar for having tho coura os
! to avow openly what many Of hM
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
TRUE PARTY LEADERSHIP.

From Hollands" New York Letter.
A distinguished Republican who was at
the mead of the Republican organization
in war days was speaking today to
group of friends about party leadership,
and he said he could illustrate great lead
ership by a single anecdote.
In the darkest days of the war 1t was
believed that with a proper nomination
for Mayor of New York the Republicans
and War Democrats should win the cleo
tion and the neral effect of such VIC
tory just at that time would be very
great.
One individual seemed to be pre-emi-
nontly indicated for that choice, the late
George Ordyke Thurlow Weed was then,
as for forty years he had been, the politi-
cal leader of the Republican and the
Whig party in New York state. With the
influences he commanded he could have
prevented the nomination of Mr. Opdyke.
There existed between Weed and Opdyke
an intense personal enmity due to certain
litgations.
The veteran Republican who told this
anecdote said that he, as the official head
of the organization, sought Mr., Weed and
said TO him:-
"Mr. Weed the feeling is general that
the Republicans and War Democrats can
elect George Opdyke Mayor of New York
and can nominate lin provided you do
rot oppose the nomination. / am sent to
ask you whether you viii oppose it,"
Mr.. Weed drew up to his full height
he was a man Of giant stature--and his
merriment was Characteristic Of him
when he was intensely interested. He
Eaid:-
you toll me that you can elect George
Opdyke Mayor of New York;"
There is no doubt of it," was the re-
ply
"And he is the only man upon whom
the Republicans and War Democrats can
unite?"
"T'he only man so far as we now
know"
"Then," continued Mr.. Weed, "you may
go to your Republican friends and say
that so far as l am concerned l shall be
| rejo!ced at Mr.. OpdYke's nomination and
| election and do everything 1 can TO aid
| ii. You thought I would oppose it be-
| cause Mr. Opdyke and myself are not
friends but enemies, but never allow my
personal feelings, and never have, to in
terfere with what is for the best interests
of my party
"That," said this veteran Republican,
'I regret as real leadership"
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
HOW SPAIN FIGHTS.

Spanish Cormandante: eve welcome
you, Senior Captain, from the bottom of
our stomach for we've been out of pro-
visions for three days. Here, men! open
some of these fat packages, quick!'
Captain of supply train: Sorry, sir;
but we brought no provisions. These are
copies of the newspapers containing the
captain generals official announcement
of the complete Pacihcation Of this prov
ince, which you are TO distribute among
his inhabitants"
Commandante: 81 am here to obey his
excellencys orders, hut these papers are
hardly readable. What are all these holes
through them?"
Captain OF supply train; "Those are
bullet holes, sir. We've had TO make a
running fight all the way. The insur-
gents have captured several packages and
we're lucky to get il with any"
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
Coal Land,

4 contention Of some interest has
arisen between the commissioners and
the newspapers Of Luzerne county rel
ative to the assessment Of coal lands.
The commissioners have instructed
the assessors to assess all such land at
its full value as land, regardless of the
coal underneath; hut certain journal
lists are not satisfied with that. They
want an assessment made on the value
Of the unmined coal, alleging that it
is unfair 30 the farmer to tax his acre
of farm land, from which he gets a
surface income merely, as highly as or
more highly than the acre of coal land
from which the owner may reap both
q surface crop and royalty.
Deputy Commissioner Dreisbach
makes the following argument in de-
fense of the present system of assess
ment in Luzerne: Here. for instance,
is a tract of an acre of coal land which
IS slowly being mined. 1t may take
twenty-five years until all of that coal
is taken out. Is it just to make the
owner of that land pay the full value
which the coal would bring in market?
He Is reapng no profit from the un-
mined coal and is not in the position
of Il real estate holder. whose reVe-
rueS go on from year to year accord
ing to the value OF his property. Then,
again, supposing there were a propo-
sition to assess the coal land at its full
market value, how are the assessors to
determine the amount of coal there is
underground? There is no telling how
the vein may pitch or how faulty it
may be, and it would be manfestly un-
just to estimate the quality and depth
OF the veins under the entire tract ac-
cording to the conditions at the point
where the mining is going on. This in
itself would be a serious impediment
10 the work, and in fact might make
st utterly impossible to get at the value
of the coal. II is true that the land
holder gets a royalty from the mining
company for the coal that it taken
out But the mined coal constitutes a
small portion of that which remains
underground, and while it may appear
to some that there should be a way
to get at the income which the owner
receives in the way of royalty, it would
not be fair to tax him for coal that
remains untouched and may remain so
for years There are tracts of land
from which no coal at all is taken, and
there are other tracts from which a
small portion is taken irregularly.
Would you tax such properties year
after year according to the full mar
ket value Of all the coal? The COM
missioners cannot, Of course, assess
the royalty the landholder receives for
the coal that is taken out. That is in
come, and tax upon that would be an
income tax, and OF course that is an
other question"
1t is possible that the reputed exemp-
tion of the owner of coal land from
adequate taxation is more apparent
than real. The moment that that own.
er begins to receive a royalty he must
find ways of investing the royalty. II
he buys city real estate, he is taxed
roundly. If he invests in securities
all of these save government bonds
must bear their share Of the tax bur
den. He cannot make a move in any
direction with HIS royalty money with
nut running afoul of the tax-collector
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
AS to Van Valkenburg, ct Al.

The settlement of the POttsville sem
atorial bribery cases out of court was
a natural consequence of the charac-
ter of those cases. They involved, 1t is
believed, no violations of statutory
law ana hence trial of them could
have served no other purpose at this
time shan to revive past factionalism
and, as the saying goes, "wash dirty
linen in public"
The charge against General Reeder
was that he and two others conspired
to defame John Wanamaker. Now all
that the information upon which the
arrest Of Reeder was based alleged
was that Reeder and his associate de-
PENDANTS arranged q plan whereby one
Of the financiers Of the Wanamaker
senatorial campaign was caught in the
act. That was not a conspiracy to de-
fame Mr.. Wanamaker, but rather to
uncover Mr.. Wanamaker's agents.
Even this charge fell through at Eas-
ton. but had it been sustained it would
not have involved General Reeder in
any penalty. 1t is not against the law
to Law a trap for the man who is sus-
pected of being a boodler in politics.
At Pottsvilc the charge against Van
Nalkcnberg was that he had paid
money to certain candidates for the
legislature. Undoubtedly such pay
ment, if made, was vicious in intent;
but if in the eyes of the law it took the
form Of a voluntary contribution to the
natural expense account of the cam
paign it is doubtful if it could have
been made the basis of a successful
criminal prosecution. Until a string
ent Corrupt Practices act is passed
whereby all political proffers of
money save for specified legitimate
campaign expenses which must be
published under oath, item by item, arc
declared unlawful and made the sub
ject of penalties, cases like those at
Easton and Pottsville cannot be effect
i've save in influencing public opinion.
The latter. however, does not need
additional incentive to inspire it to
move vigorously for a radical cleans
ing of many Of the methods in vogue
in the politics of Pennsylvania.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

The question asked Of Postmaster
General Gary by the Philadelphia Press
in an editorial elsewhere reprinted is
a pertinent one and upon the character
of the answer much will depend. The
people undoubtedly want postal saw
ings banks; but they also want to he
assured concerning what disposition
would be made of their deposits in
such banks in case the latter should
be established. Before the govern
ment can pay two per cent. on postal
deposits 1t must find some way to earn
at least that much by use of the de-
posits. What ways are proposed?
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

and thus indirectly the value which, as
unmined coal. temporarily escapes tax
alton is taxed Just as soon as the coal
has been converted into cash. Perhaps
1t isn't taxed as much then as it should
be; personally rarely gets assessed
with the approximate fairness which
characterizes most assessments OF
realty; but the remedy for this situa-
tion is hardly to be found in u forcing
of unfairness into the assessment of
llnn1inp1 coal
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
CornfOrtables.

Full size Comfortables,
both sides fancy at csc, $3.50,
$2.25, $2.7S, $3.25.
French Satine Down Quilts
at $3.e8; special price for this
week only.
Also a choice line of Silk
Comfortables.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
SCRANTON, NOVEMBER II, 1897.

Agreement by Senator Quay, SEN
ator Magee and Secretary Martin on
a gubernatorlal candidate would be
important; but there would still remain
to be secured the acquiescence of the
people.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
Smaller School Boards.

There ie reason to believe that the
opinion of Judge Bennett of Llzerne
declaring unconstitutional the act un-
der which the present boards of con-
troll in third class cities are organized
was not delivered prior to very careful
study of the question and consultation
with other jurists of renowp That be-
ing true, the probabilities would seem to
be that his opinion will be sustained
by the higher courts and the city of
Scranton, among other cities, Conse-
Guently be carried back to the system
of school beard of six members elect
ed at large. Would such a result be
a good or an i'll fortune?
That many complications might arise
touching the legality of past acts of
the 2l-member board is not to be de-
MED, but on the question of the merits
of small VS.. a large school board the
testimony Of experience is overwhelm-
ingly on the side Of the smaller body.
In New York state city school boards
are appointive by the mayor and rare
ly exceed a membership of three. Ser
vice is purely honorary and the result
is that men of nigh standing and ample
personal means predominate on the
board and save it from the taint of
jobbery AS well as from the taint Of
small sectiunalpreiudiCCs and jealousies.
Albany is a city comparable with
Scranton in size of population. In AL
bany the mayor appoints the school
commissioners and the element Of
politics is almost wholly absent from
the citys school system. Factions,
cliQues and rings inside the school
board are practically unknown; money
is expended prudantly and with econ
omy and the whole morale of the
schools is noticeably superior because
made so by superior system.
A board of six members elective at
large would be small enough to dis
patch business promptly and egicient-
| ly if those six We're fairly representa-
| tive men. 1t is possible that when the
great powers of the office of school
| controller came to be centralized in
such comparatively few hands there
would be serious popular effort to Sc
cure the choice of six good men. As
it is now, the ward system reduces
| the choice Of school controllers to a
| game of petty politics in which regard
! for the Welfare of the schools is fire.
| quently the least conspicuous consid.
Grafton discernible in the campaign
An election for controllers comprehend.
ing the entire city would give the ma
|
jcrity of the qualified voters of the city
the kind of school government they
might see fit to order If good, bad
or Indifferent, there could afterwart
be no uncertainty as to the location OF
the praise or blame.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

At what ruinous price would the bonds
have to be bought for postal savingsY
Why, moreover, since the treasury IS
pledged to buy up government bonds and
redeem them, should the postofiice de-
partment begin raising their price by
buying them for postal deposits?
O.
This Is not the want. Mr.. Gary makes
the amazing proposition that the postal
savings deposits be invested in public
buildings by the government. With full
respect for the postmaster generals mo-
tives in making this proposition, 1t Is i'm
possible to avoid feeling that he sug-
gests here a most dangerous step. Prac-
| tically this would turn the savings OF the
| country into the federal treasury ready
for any wild and eXtravagant scheme
Public buildings would be followed by
public works, and this perhaps by old
age pensions. Where would the savings
of the country be today IL the S2,000OOO,-
| 900 in our savirgs banks had been in
vested'' after the fashion Mr.. Gary rashly
urges? Moreover, when this Invest
ment' is made is the government to go
on paying interest on it forever? If it
pays off this popular mortgage Oh its
| buildings, where is the money to be in
vested? How are Withdrawals of depos-
| its to be provided for when the money
| is Invested" In buildings? No one would
| dream of proposing to borrow money on
| bonds to enter on tho erection of public
| buildings, yet under this plan the govern
| lnent would borrow wholesale and con-
gress could spend the money without the
| check and balance of taxation.
| o
No such plan ought even to be per-
| mittod to take shape. 1t would end In ex-
| travagance run mad. Yet If this Is un-
safe and government honds impractie-
able, there remain only state, city and
railroad bonds, and no one, not even Mr..
Gary, ventures to suggest how the gov
| ernment would discriminate between
| these. Instantly there would come a
pressure in congress to recognize dubious
securities and the bonds of defaultng
states. Like all his predecessors, the
postmaster general proves unable to ex'
plain how a country with no permanent
national debt can safely invest savings
bank deposits.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

The Ohio Republican who possesses
discretion will keep out of range of the
Mark Hanna buzz saw.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
FAITH AND FAITH CURE.

The Chicago Tmes-Herald tells how an
English judge after much cogitatton fin
ally dismissed two prisoners, believers
in the faith cure who had been convicted
of manslaughter in refusing to call in
medical aid for their chieldren; and 1t
adds "Manlfestly this was the wise
course. No good could possibly come
from the punishment of these men. What
they did they did with strong conscien-
tous motives. Although a rigid construc-
tion of the law might make manslaughter
out of their neglect to provide regular
medical attendance, no doubt the learned
Judge felt grave misgivings as to his right
to trespass on their conscientious be-
liefs, and perhaps had some doubts as to
the infallibility of the schools of medicine
sanctioned by statute. We have known
allopaths who would be willing to swear
that a man who would call in hom-
copath or an eclectic to attend his family
would be guilty of manslauGhter.
O.
"The case Is not without parallels in
| this country. In a great many cities the
health officers have refused to accept
death certificates from the hands OF
| Christian scientists mind cure prac-
t.tioners and other irregular physicians.
Two or three times in this city faith heal
ers have been arrested for homicide when
patients died under their treatment But
of late there has grown up among all
| classes of people-medical practitioners
| not eXcepted-a more generous and toler-
ant feeling toward these sciences This
| is not wonderful, since the results of med
| iCal attention are SO often unsatisfactory
| while the various irregular schools are
able to exhibit cures that are not rea-
sOnably explained by them and are in
capable of explanation in the present
| stage of the worlds thought A few
| months ago the Times-Herald printed an
article mildly ridiculing the so-callod
| science of "Csteopathy.' Judge of our
amazement when a few days later a let
ter was received from a politician of ma
tional reputation, man of good educa'
| tiOn, hard-headed, shrewd and possessed
of considerable experience in worldly af'
fairs, who stoutly maintained that he had
| been cured by the 'bone-setters' of dis
eases that defed the skill of medica
| specialists!
| TT is impossible to deny this testi'
| mony, and until such cures (and the still
more remarkable cures of the Christian
scientsts) are explained by a broader
knowledge OF physical laws it will be im
possible to judge of their real value as
| evidence Today they are miracles. IL
| the twentieth century they may be a:
logical as those natural phenomena, nov
! thoroughly understood that our ancestors
looked upon as manifestations Of super
| ,tsnI
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

Reciprocity these days means some
thing in which both sides benefit. The
iug-handled style has gone out Of date.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

If Japan is determined to try a tilt
with Russia, the United States can
probably furnish the necessary war
cOrrpSpOn1pntS
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

IF congress does not recognize the
bclligerenoy of Cuba the American
people will, informally perhaps, but
efrectually. They are firing Of Spains
mumbling nonsense about an impos-
sibla pacification based on a rc-forg-
ing Of the old fetters.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

The talk of peace in Cuba will be
realized when Spain gets out and lib
erty gets in.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

Robe and Wrapper Blankets (Rever-
sible), brocaded patterns for Ladies'
Wrappers. .Gentlemen's Bath-Robes and
Smoking Jackets.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

Canada does well to evince eleven
th- hour renitence for her unneighbor-
ly slaughter of the seals. 1t comes
just in time to save Canada q lot Of
trouble.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

It is estimated that the present yell
low fever epidemic has cost the South
$2J 900, 900, which is a big price to pay
for the gross incompetency of Spanish
sanitation in Cuba.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

The trustees of Columbia university
have persuaded Hon. Seth Low that it
is his duty to continue in the presi-
dency of that institution inasmuch as
he failed to get a more conspicuous
job. Seths esteem for Seth assured
from Nov. . that Seth would stick.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

Mr.. Hanna might notify his recalcit-
rant legislative constituents that a
federal judge has just declared the boy
colt illegal.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

1t is said that Charles ]. Bonaparte,
the Marylander who wants to succeed
German in the United States senate, is
q Mugwump; that is, an idealist and
a free trader. If this is true we can
foresee his finish.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

The idea of Commissioner Dunning
appears to be that the streets belong
to the people. It is a novelty but we
like il.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

Now all that is needed to relieve
public suspense is Hon. Seth Lows re-
vised estimate Of Hon. Thomas c..
platt
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
Thanksgiving Linens

The Linen Department is of our greatest srongho
Everybody knows that all table linens imported no
being made in this country Consequently the tariff
has raised the cost from to IS per cent We antcpa
ted this great advance by laying large stock the old
duty and will continue to sell them at low tariff prices:
Heavy Table Damask, 81 inches
Bleached Table Damask inches
Bleached Table Damask, wide,
Very Fine Table Damak
Table Linen, 6S inches wide,
lots
Table Cloth
I'M l2H cents and is
price 25 cents:
We have Napkins in all sizes match nearly all Ia
bic Linens.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

Wilkes-Barre and Scranton capitalists
have invested their money in coal lands
i'm New Mexico. 1t is just possible that
these Self-same gentlemen would nOt
subscribe a cent We're they asked to ac-
cord support to home industry. -lIazleton
Plain-Speaker
So far as the Scrantonians are con-
cerned, not one of them has shown
any hesitancy in standing by home
industries. They have millions invest
ed at home.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17

The best and safest currency on
Garth is the way the Troy Times
describes American money. We don't
know that it is that; but it is certain
ly very good currency and the people
will he slow to sanction monkeying
with it so long as all the currency
doctors appear to disagree.
The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-17
All-Wool Blankets.

Cur line OF California and Elder
Down Blankets is always complete.