Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-21
ECHOES FROM ALTON.
TIE MONEY THAT IS PAID FOR
DEANS.
suggestions Regarding Employing
the City UnempIoyed-Mount
Climbing and How 1t Should BE
Donc-Mending the Roads.
Correspondence Of the Dlspatch.)


Correspondence of the Dispatch.)
ALTON, VA. February l9.-Imagine lit
tie Holland, after the Dutch had taken
it-with dikes--coming to America for
onions, or Dubious roots: or the French
people drawing on California for wine;
or Newcastle mining for Goals in Vir-
ginia. and one has some idea Of how alb
sUrd 1t seems that this country should
pay million dollars year in gold for
foreign white beans. 'Is this soT' asks
the farmer. Yes, 1t is fact; search the
import records and see for yourself"
We pride ourselves. at least some OF
our northern cousins do. that next 10
pumpkin pie, baked beans might be
quartered upon our national shield. One
million OF dollars a year we pay for
beans. when we SOW that Indigenous
crop upon our hillsides for fertilizers,
and bid the thriftless negroes gather them
Tor their value; and, at that, If 1t Is a
good fruit year, the beans are often
left TO go back to the soil. i know the
farmers, who comprise one half OF the
whole population, have much to COM
plain OF, but for one remedy, growing
beans is better than growing.
In the civilized world there are no
working farmers that stand on the In
tellectual plane of the practical farmers
of America. Take up any book OF the
laboring ella sses-the tillers of the earth
In other lands-and there are no farmers
families that have our comforts.
We can talk of the hard times" and
the low prices, ali that We please, but II
one only looks elsewhere, the state OF
things is much worse The property
Of the farmer IS essential 70 the general
welfare, as we know, and one OF the
foremost objects Of legislation should
be 20 foster agriculture, but within him.
self, perhaps, the farmer could do very
much to better his own condition.
HE WANTS WORK.
Another thing that does not strike an
even balance is that old agitation in po-
lltical economy, the Laborer. You may
spell him with a capital ~ and organize
measures for his relief from Maine to
Mexico. but what he wants is to go 10
work. Forty thousand of him, starving
and freezing In Chicago; soup-houses ana
meat-hOuses, coffee-rooms and city mis-
sions everywhere, when'it does seem that
some plan could be agreed upon between
the country and the city whereby the
citys surplus Of unemployed might at
least be made seif-supporting. Perhaps IL
would be good thing to have town farms
IN each county, and put all these unem-
ployed city men on reservations. mat
would be more humane than the war
some heartless man (and man with a
pretty good name back OF him, which l
have forgotten suggests as disposal OF
these hordes Of restless, idle city people
There are many farmers in the country
tributary to Richmond that are In need OF
labor. and work could be obtained upon
farms, that II low in compensation would
be more desirable than for able-bodied Ia
borers to remain a burden upon others,
already taxed with the support Of many
helpless women and little children.
ON THE INCREASE.
Highway robbery, house-brealEing, ana
minor offerings are certainly greatly on
the increase. All this talk Of criminology'
and hereditary taints and so on, to the
contrary, the main cause OF this Is chat
these people are hungry and destitute.
The world is no worse now than 1t was.
The roads are bad for either riding or
driving. Fortunately, in the mountains
we are good walkers, and through the
fields and by-ways 1t is not so bad.
Nothing is more healthful or invigo-
rating than a brisk walk, which is some
thing far more than the simple putting or
one foot before the other.
1 saw two girls, with their escorts,
walking up the mountain TO Alton yes
terday One of them went up like a rub
Der ball, bouncing and bounding at every
step; chattering briskly TO her COM
panion as she went, stopping now and
then to pant little, and throwing rocks
back down the glen TO see If she could
outsllng him, and then taking a fresh
start, both with her elastic way Of walk
ing and her chatter. Presently her friend
came quietly along. She was letting the
young man beside her do the talking
and she was mounting the long hill with
short, inelastic steps. She used her heels
as well as her toes In going up.
A GOOD RULE.
This Is a good rule for hill-climblng, as
! have proved. Women doctors say so;
and many women remember 1t in going
up stairs: That, by going slowly, with
the foot heel and toe alike-put firmly
on each STAIR one may arrive at the top
Of four flights of stairs really rested,
instead of gasping for breath as when
one runs up staiis In mountain climb
Ing, It IS a good form Of exercise IL one
goes at it in the right way to get its
benefits.
A pleasant little candy party was given
by the young folks OF Locust Dale"
wednesday evening.
Mrs. T.. L. Mays was guest at Chest
nut Ridge" this week.
Rev. Hartwell Hawthorn has accepted
the charge Of Hillsboro' Baptist church,
In connection with his pastoral work of
Hebron and Mount Ed. The services will
alternate with meetings in the evenings
OF second and fourth Sabbaths at Heb
ron.
Mrs. Ruche Heilfrlch is visiting her sis
ter. Mrs. Warren Cloud. of Charlottes-
vile.
Mr.. Duncan Lipscomb Is at 'Redlands'
for a few days.
Miss Sue ID. Wombee is the guest OF
Mrs Crawford Undertake. Of "The
Farm"
Mr.. Richard d. Martin is very Ill.
r. P. Smith and a force Of hands are
working the road between Alton and
"The Mountain Top" They will blast
the largest rocks and otherwise level the
'road-bed.
Imnnniol Unip po6onnratnr