River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-12-28

AAHA&A
$4,000 mules. have been bought here
and shipped to South Africa for the
Transvaal war.
Missouri has sold mules, mostly for
war purposes, the past year, to the
amount Of 5000, 600.
The exports of corn from this
country to Europe are now more than
1000, 0O0 bushels a week.
The government is about to place a
latitudinal monument on parallel 450
midway between the equator and
north pole-at North Perry, Maine.
New Orleans has shipped 1900, 900
bushels of corr the past season. The
most of this is said to have been pur-
chased by the Beers of the Transvaal.
The number of gallons of brandy
made in France last year was 200, 000
but there were exported 1900, 900
gallons. What was added to the
100000 gallons to make the ~increase?:
Since 1873 New Zealand has export
ed more than 200, goo, 600 rabbit skins.
The people of that country are deyel-
oping a new industry from the result
of the rabbit pests that destroy their
crops. They can the flesh and send it
to Europe where it finds a ready sale.
Within the last nine months GIL
759, 324 pounds of coffee have been i'm
ported into the United States. In
September the imports amounted to
81, 522, SO pounds. The first cost of
September importation when landed
in the United States was SO, 1876, 493-
about five cents a pound. When it
gets to the coffee pot it has cost the
consumer all the way from 10 to 10
cents a pound. That is to say, the
middlemen have pocketed a profit of
100 to 700 per cent.
During the last two years, while the
war has been in progress between the
United States and Spain, and during
the insurrection of the Filipinos, the
enlistments in the army show II per
cent of ali TO be natiye-born Ameri-
cans. Five years ago u soldiers
were principally men of foreign birth,
Irish and Germans predominating.
Americans do not like to play soldier
but when there is any need of fighting
to sustain the flag their patriotism
urges them to the front.
Republics may be %ungrateful to the
living, sometimes, as it is often said,
but this Commonwealth does not for
get its dead heroes. No soone was
the statement published that the
lamented General Lawton left his
family in financial straits than a
spontaneous effort was made to pro-
vide for the widow and children. Con-
gress promptly voted a pension of
$4,000 and the people at large will
raise by voluntary subscription $4,000
for the aid of the family.
The United States volunteered its
good offices to secure the release Of
the Spanish prisoners in the hands of
the Filipino insurgents. There were
two ways of effecting the release Of
these prisoners: Pay to the insur-
gents a ransom, which Spain was ne
gotlating to do, when stopped by Gen.
Otis on the ground that the large in
demnity demanded would furnish aid
to the insurgents in the war against
the United States: or to force the in
surgents to abandon them when
pressed in pursuit by our armies. The
latter project has secured the release
of 1000 of the Spanish prisoners who
are being sent home. This has saved
Spain several millions Of dollars which
she was willing to give for the release
of her soldiers. Uncle Sam can do a
thing in the right way-only give him
time.