davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

! land fer cultiza ton. pay them by fam
lilies from $75 to $ss for travelling ex.
penses: allow them another S3s per
family for settling expenses; allow
them seed for their acres and timber
for building and fuel from govern,
ment forests.
But the settling of the territory has
been slow rhe first Russian agricul-
turists reached the Amur in 1859 and
established the village of Astrakhan
on the river Zeya. tributary of the
Amur By 1869 SO of these small set
Elements of agricuiturists had been as
tahlishedy by 1879 IA more bad been
added; by 1889 there was another 80
settlements. and at the present time
the total of these settlements numper
10. For the use of these settleme nts
the government has sr.5 aside sos. .206
acres of land. This ia for the use OF
the settlers, but does lot become their
property at any tire.
The following figures will show the
effect of Russia's efforts at colonizine
eastern Siberia:
From 1852 to the 1st OF January.
1899. there arrived in eastern Siberia
1,117,7i5 immigrants from European
Russia overland and 33.60S by sea
From 1883 TO 1899 532 persons returned
to Russia.
The great number of Chinese labor.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

this way it is possible to ascertain with
a fair degree of accuracy just what the
actual expense is of providing south
ern negro man with what he considers
three square meals day.
In the months of May and June, 1897,
II of these studies were conducted
among the negroes Of Franklin conn-
ty, Va. The IL families were scattered
over large area, covering a radius Of
some IS miles, bordering on the Dsn] ]sl
swamp. The investigators say It'd It
among these families they found Il e
general conditions existing among the
negro families of that portion of Vir-
ginia we'll illustrated, and that the re-
suit of the studies may be taken as a
fair average for the remainder of the
families in the district.
In tbs portion of Virginia the land
is low and swampy; the houses are
small, rarely consisting of more than
two rooms, and constructed of boards
IN the simplest and crudest manner.
The negroes obtain their living from
the soil, practically all of them renting
a one-mule fafn, tor winch thsy pay
either a percentage of their crop or
small cash consideration. On what
is left after the rent has been paid,
together with the cash secured by the
performance of few odd jobs for their
more prosperous white neighbors, the
families live. The farms are not of the
best, and consist of but a few acres.
OF the diet upon which these people
live the report of the investigation to
the agricultural department says:
"As among the negroes of Alabama,
hog and hominy' literally form the
larger part of the diet. Side bacon is
the principal meat, and, with some fish
and little milk, formed the major por-
ton of the animal food. Large guam
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
Development of SIBERIA.

The Empire OF the Gear Expending
Vast Sums In the Far East.
L UROPE is watching Russia's ad-
vance in the east with covetous
eyes, and with reason. for the en-
pire of the czar is preparing to step
into the eastern areEa as star per-
former.
Manchuria. which is ostensibly g
Chinese province. but which is virtual
ly in the hands of Russia aud the
Amur river region of Siberia, are at
tracing the attention of all of Europe
because of the improvements which
Russia is making. The Chinese East
ern railroad. in reality but the east
ern terminus of the Siberian railway,
is being pushed to completion at a
rapid rate and at great cost. Already
more than 1880 miles are completed.
running from Port Arthur to Monk.
den. and the line from VIadivostock to
Stertinsk will soon be ready for oper-
alton.
Russia is pouring vast sums of
money into this portion of the east.
Along the line of the Chinese Eastern
railway she is maintaining a military
force OF 4,2o0 infantry. 1000 cavalry
and 1000 so-called friends of China,
which are gangs of Chinese with 3
semblance of military formation and
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

i of their fathers" and the young dnk.
| may yet astonish the world with his
valor. There is one difference between
the appointment of the duke OF Mari
borough and some of our own yolun-
teer officers; he had to start practical
ly at the bottom and accept lieuten-
ancy in the yeomanry cavalry, while
many of our sons of fathers" were
given higher rank.
The queen has many relatives serving
in South Africa, and among them is
Prince Christian Victor. son of Princess
Helena. He is in the regular English
service. and secured his appointment
by graduating at the military academy
at Sandhurst BE is a veteran of sew
erai campaigns, and has won by gal
liant service the promotions that have
come to him. Another is a nephew,
Count Gleicben, who is also graduate
of the military academy and has served
through several campaigns with homer.
Three others are the Princes Alexander,
Adolphus and Francis of Teek, brothers
of the duchess Of York. All thrae OF
these scions of royalty have military
training and are capable Of rendering
efficient service.
OF the English ministry that is pros
ecuting the war practically esesy fam.
ily with sons TO send il REPRESENTED
al the front. and all OF this assists Eng
land In her efforts at recruiting for
South African service.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

a charge is an inspiration which lends
strength to his muscles and drives fear
from his heart.
To us one man is as good as another,
but the successful man, whether his
success has been won in business or
the professions, who volunteers to fight
for his country in time of need is
an inspiration to other men to Go like
wise. So it is in England with the
nobility, and experience has proven
that the majority of the common peo-
pie. upon whom the government must
rely for its main defense, will follow
the lead of a titled nobleman much
quicker than they will one of common
birth until his capa bilities have been
proven.
But with all of England's titles the
principles of democracy are carried out
in both the civil government and the
military establishment. In the colonial
office the man whom the world blames
for causing the present war, Joseph
Chamberlain, is commoner born and
bred; a nan without the advantages
affordedsey college education, with
an American woman, the daughter of
Hon. W. C. Endicott. secretary of war
in President Cleveland's first cabinet.
for wife, while his under secretary is
Sir Edward Wingfeld, and among the
colonial governors who come under the
orders and direction of the colonial Of
fee are any number of earls, viscounts
and lords.
The democracy in the army is carried
to the same extent. It is the man oi
ability that secures the position of
trust, whether he be of the titled no.
bility or of common birth. In fact
many officers in both the army and
navy have found the military and naval
service but the stepping stones to a
title. which came as reward for work
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

well done, and in England these are
rewards that are appreciated. Gen
Buller won his titles in this way In 1882
1885 and 1894. Gen. Kitchener is an
other of the English generals now serv'
ing in South Africa who won both fame
and title on the battlefield, being Gre
ated baron of Khartoum in 1898 for
his successful campaign in Egypt. Still
another is Gen. Roberts, created first
baron Of Kandahar and Waterford as
a reward for gallant military service in
India
And so one might follow the dis
tinguished generals throughout much
Of the long,list. Disastrous as the Eng
Esh campaign has so far been in South
Africa, there are men serving there to
whom titles will no doubt come as re-
ward for services rendered.
Up to 1871 the nobility found it an
easier matter to secure a start in the
army, and even to secure promotion.
than did the man with neither title
nor money, for up to that time commits
sions and promotions in the army were
purchasable and each grade and each
branch of the army had its fixed price.
A Junior commission in the infantry,
for instance, cost at that time s450.
and every promotion had its fixed value.
At that time it was an easier matter
for the sons of the nobility to secure
these commissions, because the nobility
usually possessed the money necessary
to buy them. But with the reforms in
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

family, which had not been benefited
by the institute training, there was
much untidiness and ignorance.
There was also marked difference
in the expense of living between the
families educated at the institute and
those without such training secured
there or elsewhere; but none of them
dropped much below the general aver.
age of the families in Fran kiln county,
In the home of colored bookkeeper
in Hampton was found the greatest
expenditure. it being q cents per day
per man, while in but two cases did the
expenditure fall below the genera
average of nine and one-half cents OF
the families in Franklin county. and
then it was but a fraction OF cent
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
sS1}$1 y $1$11S1Sn y y $11$$11S11$1$ng1g1g 3

including "rations" with which they
were often paid for work, would Iot
average above $3.50 per year per fam
lily, while the families consisted all the
way from two to dozen and more
The result of these Investigations shows
that the average cost of days sus-
tenance for fully grown man in this
portion of the country and among these
colored people averages about nine and
one-half cents. Of the families studied
the cost ranged all the way from 20
cents per day for each man down to
four cents. with the majority under ten
cents.
In 1898 series of this same class OF
studies was undertaken among the
negroes of Elizabeth county. Va. in
and around the city of Hampton, where
at least part of the colored people had
come within the influence of the Hamp-
ton industrial institute. That educa-
ton will do much for the colored man
of the south is proven by the results
of these Investigations. Of the families
in this part of Virginia whose methods
of living had been affected by the iu-
stitute great change for the better
was noted Of three families residing
in the immediate vicinity of Hampton
the investigators say two showed in a
marked degree the beneficent influence
of the institutions training, and in
which the children had been educated.
These two lived in substantial and
commodious houses; the housekeeping
was well attended to and considerable
attention was given to the selection and
preparation of food, while in the third
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

titles of fish are obtained from the wa
ters of the neighboring Chesapeake
bay and form an important source of
food. Frogs, turtles and even snakes
were not infrequently eaten by some
of the families at certain seasons of
the year. Unboited corn meal, costing
about cent a pound and containing
very large amount Of bran, furnishes .
large portion ofthe nntriment of the
diet. The coarse bran is removed by
sitting. but the meal actually used still
contains a large proportion. The bread
is made simply of meal wet up, without
salt or leayening material, and baked,
as a rule. in the ashes Cash cake')."
Aside from the produce derived from
sheir small farms the average income,
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
% 81 ~

the English army put into effect in 1871
this practice was abolished, and to-day
the officers of the English army secure
their commissions much as they DO in
this country, either by course of
schooling at the military academy, BY
appointment from specified college
graduates after satisfactory examiua-
ton has been passed or by promotion
from the ranks. To every man in Eng
lands army who can meet the govern
menr requirements, whether he be
nobleman or a commoner by birth.
there is the possibility of both fame and
title for tasks well done. There is one
feature of the system of appointment
to commissions in The English army
which we DO not have. and that is pro-
motion from the officers of militia. An
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
ALONG TIE BANKS OF rAE amua R,vEa. s.sEa,A.

discipline and differed by Russians.
Their maintenance is a part of the
price Russia is paying China for the
privileges she is enjoying in the Celes-
tial empire. In addition to the sums
necessary for the maintenance of this
force the Russian government is ex.
pending large sums in the rapid con-
struction of the railroad aud the i'm
provements that ii makes necessary,
but the results attained when all is
complete will be worth all the outlay
and Russia is ready to take the place
she is destined to occupy in the com
nlercial field of the far east.
European merchants who have found
good markets at the Siberian ports
which have been open to the com
merce of the world are also watching
closely the gradual introduction of a
customs revenue which they fear will
in time close the ports of Siberia to
them. There is danger of the evil not
stopping at that even, but of it going
so far as to close the ports of the Rus
sian sphere Of influence in China
Russian officials contend that the
ports of Siberia are open to the world
and will remain so, but every little
while some new article is added to the
list of those dutiable. The last of
these articles so added was leaf lea.
When this was suddenly added to the
dutiable list there came the rumor
that the port would be entirely closed
in few years by the imposition of ex.
cessive customs. but this was imme-
diafely denied by Russian officials
On the other hand. the United States
commercial agent at the port Of vlad-
ivostock, Richard f. Greener, reports
to the state department that he has ii
on good authority that such a plan
has already matured.
Still another Siberian ruInor that is
attracting attention in Europe is to
the effect that Russia intends making
of Vladivostock commercial port.
and making of Port Arthur the mill
tary port of eastern Siberia. Talien-
wan is the commercial port on the
Pechili gulf. It is but few miles dis
tant from Port Arthur and under Rus
sian jurisdiction. The Russian gov
ernment is exerting every possible ef-
fort to make Of it an important COM
mercial center. Elaborate plans have
been formulated for its improvement.
including the widening. Strengthening
and paving Of the principal streets.
the building of imposing government
buildings. of wharfs and warehouses
snd railroad shipping facilities.
In Manchuria Russia has territory
with an area of $1,000 square miles.
and with a population of 100000 peo-
pie. That this is not properly Russian
territory at the present time is Of but
little significance. for it viii be bnt
matter of a few years before it is for
mally part of the Russian empire in
the east.
Just north of Manchuria in Siberia
proper, is he great territory ot The
Amar. rich in every essential but pop
uiation and to add this Russia is ex-
erting every influence. To encourage
migration from European Russia
to the Anur territory the Russian gov
ernment allaWs emigrants grants Of
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

ers and small merchants arriving iu
The Amur territory deserves serious
attention. The unanimous voice of the
people is that the inroads made by the
Chinese into Russia will be a matter
of danger in the future.
The yellow population. male and
female, of Vladivostock and Khabar-
ofsk is as follows: Chinese, 7.757;
japanese. l.427; Coreans, $50; total.
lo.l64. OF the settlements: Chinese
E,196; japanese, 1874; Coreans, 1880;
total, ,74o-making a grand total OF
2S, ,904.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
. NGLlsH nobility are fighting side

Z NGLISH nobility are fighting side
by side with the common people
of the empire in South Africa.
They are bearing their part of the
kardships of campaigning. and while
America laughs at the duke OF MARI
borough and his elaborate war equip
age other nohlemen of England are
sleeping on their arms. without cover.
ON the South African battlefields.
To the people Of this democratic ma
tion Of ours titles usually stand for
depravity rather than for man hood;
to us they are useless superAuity.
entirely meaningless, but to the COM
mon English soldier, fighting for his
country, whether it be right or wrong,
the presence of a son of the nobility
fighting beside him or leading him in
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
GERMANY's MARINE.
Is Developing al More Rapid Raj
Than That of Any other Nation.

Is Developing at More Rapid Rate
Than That of Any other Nation.
n ATOMS of Europe, and especially
vi England, are watching closely
the development of Germany's E
marine interests. Should the rapid ad
vance Of shipbuilding in Germany dur
ing the past year be kept up for
any considerable time, England would
either have to make greater efforts In
the same line or would lose her proud
place as the greatest maritime nation OF
the earth. There is yet great distance
between the two nations, but it is dis
tance which Germany is making rapia
strides at closing. The following ex-
tract from a leading German paper
gives sene figures that cause uneasl-
ness TO England:
According to the latest review OF the
commercial fleets OF the world, made in
the autumn Of 1869. Germany has made
recently a greater advance than Eng
land. Germany's ocean steam feet
gained in the last year 248,00o gross
tons and l49.0ob net; the English only
100000 gross and 10000 tons net. An
increase ike that of the German com
mercial fee, Has been shown by no 9th
er country"
1t has been but few years since prae-
tically all of the steamships employed
in the transatlantic service of Germany
were built at Glasgow, Belfast or other
English ports. but these conditions are
rapidly changing. and Germany is
turning out of her recently constructed
shipyards vessels that the equal Of any
thing Guilt in England. Her vast ship
building interests al Stettin. Hamburg.
Dantzig and Kiei are To-day among the
industrial maryeis of Europe.
Germany now occupies second place
among the maritime nations of the
world. with only England ahead of her
She has taken the place formerly occu-
pied by fhe United States, but we are
falling behind rapidly, while Germany
forges ahead. The following table
shows The standing of the four great
maritime nations OF the world:
Country Net tons Tons Tons
Great Britain and
colonies ........6 It's no 2.6e2ag0 9420.0oJ
Germany ...l i66.tf0 $4,000 i,714.9og
United States..... S72.Mg i.29la0g 1853, ,00G
France ...,........ $4,000 100000 S25.6OG
Total ........... .gil2.NO 4.Sl0.G09 las22.oO0
Germany las atfaiued ner position
among these four in the short space OF
Ten years. time. MAX OWEN
Emery.
Tf money talks, how is it that talk ia
chesp IN r. Journal. :
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

institutions and by the government. t.
These studies have consisted in select
ing certain number of average fam
lilies in given section and of ascer-
tanning what they live upon during a
given time. The cost of their food and
its nutritive value are carefully as
certained, and by system of tables
the average number of meals provided
for fully grown men from the amount
of food consumed is determined In
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03
pom what, and at what cost, do

pom what, and at what cost, do
the southern negroes live? That
is question that has attracted
the attention of some of the Industrial
and educational institutions of the
south, including the Normal and Agri-
cultural institute at Tuskegee, and
which the agricultural department of
the government has been investigating
since 1897
For several years so-called dietary
studies among the negroes of'Virginia
and Alabama have been made by these
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

A Emery.
Tf money talks, how is it that talk ia
chesp?-Nss = journal.
St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1900-03-03

Total .sil21O 4s16.o09 ls.922oe0
Germany las atfaiued ner position
among these four in the short space of
len years time. MAX OWEN
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-05-01
Too Much to the Point.

During the recent city campaign a
certain doctor of divinity expressed,
in Methodist ministers meeting, his
adherence of bringing within such sa-
cred precincts reports Of the slum
campaigns which the two old parties
were conducting. He gave it out cold
that if that sort of thing continued
he was likely to shoulder his cellar
door and rain barrel and go home and
never no never come back again. 1t
didn't seem to worry him so much that
his party should poison the blood and
morals of men and boys alike who
gathered at it's rallies or that it should
try to buy the votes Of the voters
present by mingling liberal portions OF
beer with its oratory, but that these
facts should be recited, to the disturb.
ance of the peaceful minds and quiet
haunts of the sacred ministry, this was
awful! In some quarters it is much
more popular tos study and preach
about Moses in the Bullrushes' than
about the evils which exist to-day
under our very eyes and noses.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-05-01
BACKBONE.

favor the reduction and promise that
after election the relief asked for will
be granted. There's some very good
material for thought here.
Our ribs have suffered several pokes
because, in our last number, we spoke
of Robert Pratt as the mayor of Min
neapolis. What of it? To be sure,
the present occupant Of the mayors
chair is Democrat and his name is
Gray, but Mr.. Pratt is also somewhat
gray, and we have grown gray in try
ing to determine the difference be-
tween Republican and a Democratic
administration of city affairs. Tariff
and currency cut no figure and upon
the saloon question they are in as low
ing accord as couple of college
seniors, of opposite sexes, in these
|spoony closing days Of the school year.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-05-01
A Cash Item.

We were so happy over it that we
forgot to say last month that we is
sued $4,000 copies of that number. Our
readers seemed to like it's size and
contents. It is in their power to have
an equally good paper regularly if they
will stand by U.S. The thing most es-
sential to our ability to publish good
paper is to have our subscribers keep
their subscriptions paid year in adj
vance. It is not a question Of their
being 'tgood for it," we must have
money with which to pay our bills.
Without it, we are compelled to lessen
our expense and to resort to other
means and spend time in getting
funds, time which both our subscribers
and we would prefer to have us de-
vote to making better paper and
increasing our circulation.
Backbone. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1897-1906, 1900-05-01
A Unique Party.

National Chairman Stewart predicts
that the national convention will be a
revival meeting" This is his way
of saying that the religious spirit of
the Prohibition party is on the in
crease. Nothing but trust in God
could have kept it together in the face
of it's reverses, or at least of the
delay of the victory for which it
fights. Such sublime confidence can
not fail to manifest itself in the
councils of the party, as it did at our
recent state convention. A political
party which opens it's conventions
with prayer, determines it's problems
from the standpoint, not of expediency,
but of loyalty to Gods word, and con-
cludes with the Doxology, may be a
new kind of a party, but it is a party
nevertheless, and it will yet sweep the
Nation.