davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12
WANIp

We want correspondents tof
Progressive FARMER. WeendOfs
following, whicBib clipped from =
change:
"There are at least ten taEme",
wives that can WrlEe :
and interesting articles for puOnD
in agricultural papers, to e'S''
that tries it," 8.
Write us on Alliance matters +
are sn Allianceman. Tell Wna'
doing in your section. OrglVe~ :
views on the political situa'lOn
shall be glad TO hear from you
too, we are endeavoriDg to OES'
agricultural department
ideal. Can't you help US on NAV,
our readers the benefit OF your
experience and observation "
matters. We also have q "a
Life column, and our fifth psSs =
voted to jokes, bits OF hunioh
etc. Perhaps you can asSl.' 7
making these interesting. LIZ
hear from you. Our "4oans N
column is open to the chlial"
State. Put some spice In tna'
News items are always &C.
If anything unusual is hapI
your neighborhood, tell the
through our columns. In
the world the benefit OF 49,
Don't hide your light unael ,.sv
Even If you can't get your go
actly as you want tnem' 80 y
along. II any corrections 800
sary, we can make them
letter s published.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12
WATER WATER

Are our citizens aware that tbea
in this town are at the lowest ebl'
years, and that a fire would sWsal
town without opposition save troil
chemical extinguishersG And :
even to supply these for az hours
would be hard to get. The Lap'
work for our people has to be 90.
the creeks near town, and drinkIn!'
cooking water is at a premium Y
for all building purposes is now D
in barrels-a terrible traVesty
splendidly watered mountain coO'
-Brevard News.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12
THE DRcADENCE OF TEE AGRI-
CULTURAL FAIR AND ITS
CAUSES


The Boston Daily Advertiser OF the
9th inst, has something to say con-
cering the decadence of the New Eag-
land county fair. Among other things
the Advertiser says:
1.-THE vote passed by the directors or
the corporation to sell the grounds OF
the Worchester Go. Agricultural So
ciety in consequence of the constantly
repeated deficit following each annual
exhibition has brought into general
prominence a fact long knownto those
in a position to be bast informed on
the subject; namely, that the Old
fashioned New Eogland county talr
does not ''pay." 1t did once, but 1t
does no longer.
Gwen the various and dubious ex-
pedients to which resort is had inorder
to draw a crowd are more often than
not inadeq uate to accomplish the de-
sired end. It may be, asis asserted by
way of justification, that more people
than care for the Legitimate attractions
come to witness the horse racing, the
balloon ascension, and perhaps the per-
Torrance of q marriage ceremony on
the grand stand between the young
lady who has received a majority OF
the votes-at 10 cents a vote-tor 1.-The
prettiest girl" and the young man who
hustled the hardest to get the votes for
her.
Possibly these last-named attrac
tions bring more gate money than do
the farm stock, the agricultural ma
chinery, the dairy products, the
fruits, the patch work bedquilts and
other such article as in former times
were supposed to be the chief features
Of agricultural fairs. But ever so, it
appears to be increasingly the expert
ence Of the management that there is a
balance on the wrong side of the ledger
when all accounts are audited.
1.-The question which is confronting
New England farmers is whether to &C
cept the seemingly inevitable and let
this old and cherished institution go by
the board, or endeavor to devise some
new and legitimate attractions that
will be suh 3ient to make the financial
ends meet.
"NOr is this all. The opinion is gain
ing strength with the best elements ip
rural communities that ever when the
so called agricultural fairs are made to
pay expenses by a somewhat reckless
resort to doubtful catch penny schemes,
the success is purchased at too dear q
price. It is felt that what the com
munity gains from the encouragement
Of rural industries, from new ideas,
rev knowledge, healthy social slim.
illus and Wholesome recreation is not
enough to compensate for the lowering
of the moral tone, for the loss Of self
respect conseq lent upon successful re
sorts to schemes of which the manage.
ment cannot possibly help being more
or less ashamed"
Concerning this last paragraph it is
editying to ponder for awhile over the
advantages of having a good Christian
Board of Aldermen to counterfeit 90
the evil tendencies Of anything inn,
meal in the fair, by keeping bar
rooms open all night How thankful
we should be that we have such a
boardl
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12
HIS GOOD

This is the way a Georgia editor
sends good subscribers to heaven:
Ended-life's story
Cor life is but vapor).
His soul is in glory.
He paid for his paper.
Subscribeno and avoid the obituary
rush.-Atlanta Constitution.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12

Alamance Fair commences to day
tuesday, and continues until Satur.
day. We acknowledge receipt OF an
invitation to attend it, but will be I'm
able to do 40.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12

Total 5.yrs1 10 mos .se2 62S, % tons
The average for the last two months
OF 1855 was 0 1857. 80 tons, add this 60
the sales for the ten months of this
year TO date, and it will show q sale of
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12
PRESS CLIPPINGS.

Redeeming one kind of money |
another kind of money is like red
ing one pledge by making and
pledge.-Woodbury Messenger. I
If Mckinley brought up the Pm
wheat, bacon and other commo
we must buy, is he not equally re-
sible for the low price of cOttO
principle commodity we have to
Alliance Farmer (La.)
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12
FERTILIZERS IN OUR STATE.

The sales of fertilizer tax tags by the
Department Of Agriculture for the
past six years have been "a follows.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12

or subtracting first three years from
the second three we find an increase
in sales of the second over the first of
100, sO4, S8 tons, which is more than "a
per cent.
These figures will be studied by fer
tiliEsr dealers. They will profit by
them. Cannot our farmers get a lesson
from them, also3
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12

81 am stand:ng o just behind the
curtain, and in fall gLOU0 h con1tI9g
sunset. Behind me IRE the shGGotCS on
de track, before me lies the dark vGttey
10 the TSueT. When n1fIgLe tCtth tCS
dark aUaters I tUGRt to cast one finger
fS0 look upon q country whose govern
Bssnt is OF the people, for the people,
and bg the people, "-L. L. PoES, jug
ffb, 1890.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-12

21S, 5s4 40 tons for this year. Counting
the cost at a bale Of cotton to the ton
and you can see what figure fertilizer
accounts will cut in this years crop.
Let's look at the figures again, aver
aging the next two months to fill out
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

port, the president pro tenn. of the New
York senate, has introduced a bill in
that body which has attracted more
widespread attention than all the freak
legislation Of the so-called "woolly"
West
Senator Ellsworth views with alarm
the liberties which the bright young
artists Of the metropolitan press are
disposed to take with the features of
public men, and proposes to stop carl
caturing and the publication Of I'M
authorized portraits. His bill provides
that mo person, firm, partnership, cor
poration or voluntary association shall
print or publish in any newspaper.
magazine, pamphlet or book any por-
trait, or alleges portrait Of any por-
son or individual living in this state
without first having obtained his or
her written consent to such printing or
publication
The bill makes violation a misde-
meanor punishable by a fine of not
less than $1,000 and by Imprisonment
for not less than one year.
Mr.. Ellsworth certainly had no per-
sona1 cause for complaint. for his pic
ture had been printed only once be-
fore he introduced his bill. Now the ar
lists are after him with their keenest
pencils, and he is being mercilessly
cartooned throughout the length Of the
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
5 FREAK LEGISLATION
How Some SoTons Seek Regulate the Universe.

The present day is the season of the
fantastic legislator. He walks up and
down in the land from the rising Of the
sun to the going down of the same
and sometimes holds night sessions. If
he were listened to and given his way.
certain states would be burdened with
more laws than ever harassed old Eng
land in its most thoroughly governed
days. His one aim and object in life
is to regulate, and regulate, and reg
ulate.
AS a. result, the sessions of the state
legislatures now in progress have wit
messed a remarkable flood Of queer
and unusual measures. Good, bad AMI
Indifferent, the measures proposed have
been OF such a nautre as to warrant
their classification under the head leg
1slative freaks"
Kansas, through the maneuvers Of
several former legislatures and the gra-
tuitOus assistance Of a considerable
portion of it's inha bitants, had already
established a name for itself as a stam-
ping ground for peculiar legislative
measures, but Kansas has now plenty
of rivals.
Sober old New York, which has
found much pleasure in the past jeer-
ing at Kansas, takes its place at a
bound at the head of the crank pro-
cession. Senator Ellsworth. of Lock
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

1naugurate new costume for our min
listers? Mr.. Sherman once appeared
before Napoleon III in knee breeches.
He wore an evening suit, knee pants.
black silk stockings and pumps. and
he says in his book that it seemed
very awkward at first until he saw that
ali the other parties at the reception
We're dressed as he was Clifton r.
Breckinridge, our present minister to
st. petersburg, appeared at the court
OF the car with his shapely shins clad
in silk stockings. Now in these days
OF bicycle suits there is no reason why
some such dress might not be adopted
as the ordinary dress of the American
citizen" 1t was so in the past Whe1.
John Adams was presented to King
George III he wore a coat embroidered
with lace. his fat calves were clad
in silk stockings and his shoes were
ornamented with silver buckles Ben
Iamln Franklin at his presentation 10
the King of France wore a plain suit
of black velvet, with black velvet knee
breeches, white silk stockings and
black shoes. He had intended to wear
wig, but when it arrived the hair
dresser could not squeeze it upon
Franklin's big head. The man worked
and stretched and Franklin finally told
him that the wig was not large enough,
WhereupOn the French hairdresser
angrily threw it upon the floor. saving:
4AOIISItuI, lIldl IS lIlpOSSQDlS. II IS
not the wig which is too small: it Is
the head which is too large"
QUEER DIPLOMATIC STORIES.
Most Of our American ministers do
good service. They labor under the
greatest disadvantages, and have 20
compete with men who have spent their
lives in the school of diplomacy. They
have no money, and are under the
shadow of probable removal at the end
Of four years. The method of their
appointment is such that it is not
strange that many inefficient men find
their way to the head of our foreign
legations, so that every now and then
one of them does something which is
a disgrace to the United States. I
have heard Of a number of such in
stances, ard the stories Of the adven-
lures and mistakes Of American min
listers abroad, could they be collected
would make a book more ridiculous
than Artemus Wards travels, One of
the diplomats whom Cleveland sent to
Italy lived, it is said, over dairy
stable and appeared at court in a
frayed collar and a sOiled shirt. I was
told in Cairo how one of cur former
consuls general used to so to Ismail
Pasha ard whine about the poor salary
his government gave him. He re-
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

reys, the nearest of kin and ministers
to bestow floral offerings.
In a faCetiOus mood Senator Keller,
of Minnesota, introduced bill into
the legislature requiring saloons TO dis
card the green screen and TO display
outside their doors a red light bearing
The warning sign, Danger" The bill
was meant for a joke, but when the
measure was brought up it came with
in a few votes Of passing. But the bill
was lost, much to Senator Kellers re-
lief
The most freakish piece of legislation
during the present session of the North
Dakota legislature is the bill to create
a state board OF examiners for BARRIERS,
consisting of three practical BARRIERS,
who shall give bonds in the sum Of
5000 and examine all persons aspiring
to practice the art tonsorial. All bar
beers must be registered, and the pro-
posed law makes it nisdemeanor
TO serve as a barber without a certi-
ficate of registration from the state
board. The object Of the measure is
somewhat in doubt, but it is presumed
it is to reduce the mutilaition Of pat
rons Of barber shops to the minimum,
and that the sufferer at the hands of
the careless wielder of the razor may
follow up his butcher through the state
register of BARRIERS and bring him to
justice.
Aside from this, the one unusual fea-
ture of the session is the bill to make
the playing Of football a mfsdemeanor.
This was introduced by Representa-
tive Hawk, but it was defeated in the
house.
Nebraska also has an anti-football
bill. and it's sponsor is no less a per
son than the speaker of the house, ].
n. Gaffin. The bill not only provides
fines and Imprisonment for actual par
ticipation in games, but makes train
ers, umpires, reporters, and even spec
tators, subject to prosecution. Fur
Their than that. law officers are empow-
cred to arrest any person found train
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

Empire state. But the newspapers are
careful to print very good pictures OF
Senator Ellsworth.
Senator Ellsworth is not solitary
among the legislative freaks at AL
bany. Senator Martin wants to have
the department stores declared trusts
duced a bill TO tear down all the bill
boards in New York city
The Missouri legislature is quite up
to date in the matter Of freak legis-
latiOn. Representative Hood, Of Barry
county, is opposed to railroad en-
rloyees flirting with women passen-
gers, and his opposition has taken the
form of a bill making such conduct
illegal. The bill prohibits all cOnduc-
tors, engineers, firemen and brakemen
from flirting in any way with women
on the trains, and makes them subject
TO fine of S25 if they attempt to
play the agreeable, whether the women
III the case betrays willingness or not
But Mr.. Rebo, of Clark county, holds
the palm Of bills Of an unusual nature
Mr.. RebO does not believe liz running
the risk Of being tossed by an angry
bull So he has introduced a bill call
ing for the dehorning of all bulls at
an age Of two years. the time at which
most of them show the evidences of a
distaste for red rags and an ability
to remove the offender.
In line with these bills is one intro
duced by Representative Wamsley, Of
Jackson county. It provides that rail-
road companies shall be prohibited
from using wooden rails and tying
them with a string. The penalty at
tached for violation Of the proposed
law is $50 900 fine. OF course it is un-
derstood that the bill must be in some
way intended as a joke. But for all
that it Will go through the regular
routine.
In the Kansas legislature fully fifty
bills of this sort have already been
killed by committees during the present
session, and more are under considera-
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

ton. A bill against boomers, another
tC prevent the wearing of cOrSets and
others of a like nature have been done
away with. There are several still left.
however.
In South Carolina a bill has passed
the lower branch of the legislature re-
curing everybody to get a license to
work, except farmers and labOrers. The
proposed law provides that every per-
son, firm, company or corporation en-
gagged or intending to engage in bust
ness in this state shall obtain ON or
before May l, 1897. a license" Nearly
a column of fine type in a newspaper
is required to give the list of businesses
and the amount of the licenses, and
the list is full of queer features. as
that artists, ambrOtypists, photo
graphists, etc. must pay twenty-five
cents for each thousand inhabitants Of
the place where they t'do business"
BARRIERS, twenty-five cents for each
chair in the shop; dealers in any ar
ticle of merchandise. each 81 for the
first $4,000 or less of goods. etc, sold
and twenty-five cents for each addi-
tionaI thousand sold; fruit and peanut
dealers who stand on streets, 81; law
yers, physicians, dentists, chemists. So
each. without regard to their income or
the population of their places of resi-
dence; hand laundries, fifty cents. But
While the poor country doctor must pay
S. the richest farmer pays nothing,
and while the poor laundry woman
must pay fifty cents the highest paid
laborer pays nothing.
In the Minnesota house of represen-
tatives Hon. Louis 0. Foss has en-
deavored to suppress that form of sick
ly sentimentality which showers bou-
Duets on imprisoned murdererS. His
bill produced an impression, but was
defeated on it's third reading. Mr.. Foss
moved to reconsider the vote, which
was carried. and the bill. after amend
ment, passed. AS originally introduced
it unqualifiedly prohibited the giving
of flowers TO incarcerated murderers.
After amendment it permitted attor-
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

were developed in the annual election
of officers by the pressfeeders' and JOB
pressmen's union Thursday evening.
The attendance packed the hall and
every one evinced an active interest In
the proceedings. A vast amount Of
business had accumulated during the
month and although President Rinke
applied himself industriously in Eek
pediting it's disposition, several matters
remained untouched when an adjourn
ment was taken shortly after midnight.
The following were chosen to admin
lister the affairs of the organization for
the ensuing year: President, Frank
Pampusch; vice president, H. L. Nc
Donald; recording secretary, j. E. Hot
bauer; secretary treasurer. j. j.
O'RouTke; ergeant-at-arnls, Charles
Pomplun; executive board, John Ris-
tine. Mart McHugh, Frank Menshek
and Martin DUEL; auditing board,
Henry Tiel1amp, Frank Webinger and
John Ristine; delegates to trades and
labor assembly, Frank Pampusch, Mar
tin Duel and Frank Menshek; dele
gates to union label league, NJ. T.
Mostert and NJ. Duell 1t was deter
mined to send two delegates to the
convention of the International Print
ing Pressmens union, to be held in
Detroit next June, and the following
candidates were placed in nomination.:
c. A. Rinke. Frank .Pampusch, ]. j.
O'Rourke, J. P. Schroeder, Frank Men
shek and NJ. F. Mostert. The election
for delegates will occur at the next
meeting. The unions fifth annual
dancing party will be given at Assem-
bly, hall on May 1st. A novel enter
talnment is being arranged for the next
meeting, when the installation Of Of
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

military uniform, and if not he tries
t. get over the regulation in some
other way James Buchanan compro-
missed on black suit, white vest and
black-handled sword. Our first min
lister to China, John Ward, adopted the
costume Of a captain of the Georgia
militia. He had BEEN elected captain
Of a little company knewn as the Chat
ham artillery, and the Uniform which
he had made for himself as captain
had brass buttons marked c. A When
he was at the ChineSeEcOurt one of the
Acknowledged silk gowned noblemen
asked him what the letters G. A. stood
for. Mr.. Ward replied that they were
made in honor of the friendship of
to give the greater honor to China
its initial, c., had been, placed in front
of that of America. This seemed to
delight the Chinaman. Gen. Lew Wal
lace wore his military uniform while
he was minister to Turkey. 1t was his
uniform that first attracted the atten-
ton Of the sultan. The first Friday
after Gen. Wallace arrived in Constan-
tinople he went to the building oppo-
site the mosque to see his majesty as
he went to prayers AS the sultan
came out Of the mosque he looked over
at the party of foreigners about Gen
Wallace, and asked who the fine look
ing man in uniform might be. He was
told it was the new American minis
ter, and he thereupon raised his saIlow
hand to his red fez cap and saIuted the
general. Shortly after this when Gen.
Wallace was presented the sultan re-
ferred to having seen him, and the
two became strong friends. Gen. Wal
lace spent much time at the sultan's
palace, and among the other memen-
tOs which he brought back from Tur-
key is a very fine pencil sketch of his
majesty, which the general drew while
his majesty posed.
KNEE BREECHES FOR MINISTER'S
Why should Secretary Sherman not
The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-07

minded the khedive that his majesty
was rich. and asked him for aid our
or the Egyptian treasury. The khediVe
gave this consul general money again
ana again, our government never
knowing how much it was being dis
graced 1t is no excuse for this man
10 add that he was usually drunk at
the times he made such requests.
AN AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT
l have heard stories of the queer
acts of some of our South American
ministers Of the past. One of them
lived in BuenOs Ayres for years in a
small room over the shop which he
had rented as our legation. He gave
no functions whatever, until at last
the outcry against his parsimony be-
came so great that he rented a skating
rink and sent out printed circulars
asking the distinguished people of the
Argentine republic to come to an
American entertainment. When the
president, the diplomatic corps and the
rest of Buenos Ayres swelldOm arrived
they found the American minister sit
ting on platform with the stars and
stripes festooned above him and a
tigers skin at his feet.
about him were thirty eight women,
dressed in all colors Of the rainbow, to
represent the thirty eight states which
our country then had. The minister
did not rise to greet his guests. They
wandered about the room to the music
OF a brass band, and waited in vain
for the dancing to begin. There was
nothing to eat and nothing to drink,
and the occasion passed off as the So
cial curiosity of the year. Another
South American minister took rooms in
a humble part of the capital at which
he was stationed. He got an Indian
woman to do his cooking for him and
did his marketing himself. Shortly
after he arrived he applied for a posi-
ton for his daughter as teacher in
one of the schools, but the superin-
tcndent of education told him that
public sentiment would not approve of
the employment of the daughter of a
man Of SO high rank for that purpose
SOME SHINING DIPLOMATS.
1 could tell a lot of queer stories
about some of our ministers to the far
East. How, for instance P, one of
Cleveland's ministers to Japan used to
come in person to the front door Of his
legation to answer the bell. At such
times he might possibly be in his shirt
sleeves and without a collar This
man was the laughing stock of the
far East for time, and his popularity
at the court of the mikado was not in
creased by his letters, which were pub