The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-08-14
General News.
SPARKS FROM THE WIRES.
The Latest Reliable News From the Earth's
-Four Corners Selected and Condensed for
Progressiva Farmar Readers

The story that old Geronimo, the
Apache Chief, in confinement at
Fort Still, had gone crazy, is pro-
noUnced a fake.
An obstacle in the way of the
Nicaraguan canal project is the re-
cent seizure of the Maritime canal
company's cars and other property
by the Nicaraguan government, the
time of the canal concession having
expired and an arrangement for the
arbitration of the difficulty having
failed, owing, it is said, to the de-
mand of Nicaragua that all the ar
~bltrators be citizens of that country.
The oldest newspaper in the world
is the Kin Pan of Pekin, China. 1t
has been published continuously for
over 1000 years. It began as a
monthly and then, A. D. 1851, be-
came a weekly, and about 100 years
ago it became a daily. It now issues
three editions a day and for the pro-
lection of it's patrons s paper of
different ~colors the first edition
being yellow, the second white and
the third gray.
Since the defeat China suffered a
few years ago at the hands of Japan,
there has been a surprising awaken
ing in the Middle Kingdom. The de-
feat opened the eyes of the Chinese
for the first time in forty centuries
to the superiority Of Western civil
zation and the result has been a
great demand for Western books
and newspapers, especially for trans
lations of standard works on history,
geography, and general science.
They seem to be having some poll
tics in Arkansas this year also. The
following energetic paragraph isfrom
the Vicksburg (Miss.) Herald: Some
of the more self-respecting Demo
Gratis of Arkansas, including ex-GOv-
ernOr Fishback, have revOlted at the
scandalous nomination of that prince
of bIaokguards and blather-skites
Acknowledgement jeff Davis, for
Governor. Jeff rises to the emer-
gency of combating their reasons by
denouncing them as ''hell hounds, y
etc.
General apathy marked the Ala
bama election last week and a light
vote was cast. Reports are slow in
coming in, and Captain Smith, of
the State Democratic campaign COM
mittee gives out no figures but it is
estimated that the majority will be
more than $4,000. The only issue
was a test on the question of holding
a constitutional convention, which
will eliminate the negro from poll
tics. It was carried by a large vote,
the Democrats being almost solid for
the convention.
A Charlotte IN. Co. dispatch says
Owing to the present high price of
cotton, it is stated a number of cot
ton mills in this section are reported
to be on the point Of closing for sew
eral months, or until the q cotton
crop begins to move freely. The
movement is not a scattering one,
but it is said will be participated in
by many mills, as a concerted action.
The closing of the Chinese markets
has been keenly felt by the mills,
and some are already changing their
grade of output to grades suited to
the demands of the home marhet.
AS a consequence of the situation
in China all exports to that country
of American cotton goods, princi-
palIy heavy sheeting and drills, have
practically ceased. Frederick L.
Bailey, of the firm of Joshua L. Bal
lev, of the firm of Joshua L. Bailey
& Co., one of the largest dry goods
commission houses in Philadelphia,
stated a few days ago that the mills
of this country annually exported
about $40, 900, 900 in cotton goods of
the foregoing descriptions to China
alone, and that those most likely to
be affected by the sudden stoppage
of shipments are located principally
in the South. These have been fitted
with machinery adapted for the China
trade. It is not believed, however,
that they will be compelled to close,
but instead, much of the trade, Mr..
Bailey said, can be diverted to the
Philippines, Cuba and Porto Rico
and a portion of. the goods can be
sent north, and there transformed