The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-29
CURRENT TOPICS

Colonel Bryan can't get anythlng
straight. In naming his paper he has to
iurgle with a definition. He quotes Web
ster's Dictionary as defining COM
,noner" as zone OF the common people"
He conveniently leaves out Webster's adj
ditica and qualification, ''one having no
rank of nobility. In the United States
the word has no relevancy. The Colonel
might just as well cali .sis weekly emana-
ton The Serf The Slave, or The Peasant,
as The Commoner. The title is absurd
New York Sun.
The Standard Dictionary gives the fol-
lowing definition: "Commoner Great Brit
ain), one of the conlmonalty; any subject
not a neer." 1t is alnu:.1s lndtret:, 1!idt
Mr. Bryan should employ British term
as a name for his great American news
paper.
In a sermon delivered in New Haven.
Conn, on Sunday last, Bishop Potter
placed the blame for the present troubles
in China on the unctlristian conduct OF
ana bankers in China He exonerated the
missionaries. and said that their work
was mostly above criticism.
IF / were called upon tonight" said
he ito hold a brief for either of the two
great contestants in the present struggle
between China ana the Powers l should
choose in favor of China. III my opinion,
we should be attained Of ourselves for
our treatment Of the Chinese. We have
tra,npled on their most sacred traditions,
we have ridiculed ana scoffed at their
gods, we have laughed at their ancestor
worship. Is it any wonder that the chi
nese have risen against US? Our treat
ment of the Chinese has been a d!sgra &c
to our religion, and we should despise
ourselves for it. We ilave sent men over
mere who are not Christians, but savagcos,
and who have tra3le1 the name OF CarlS-
tan in the dust.
What we need to do first of all is to
convert the people we send to the en-
1leSe and then convert the Chinese. we
must do this before we can ever be sue
,essful IN our missions. We should create
a public sentiment that will raise up our
whole treatment of lie Orient2is. IN
stead of soothing al their gods, let us show
Let us treat them like brothers. Our
tradesmen have gone there to get what
they could our missionaries to give what
they can The Christian tradesmen ana
travellers have been at the bottom OF all
the trouble in China and their savasery
mas caused all the trouble. Let Us con-
vert them nere at home.
a bill has" been introduced in the In
fOrf J.
lishment of whipping posts in every
county in the State.
The bill makes provisions for the pun
isllrnent of various crimes by the serving
Of stated number of lasiles on the bare
back of the convicted man, who, first,
IS tied hand and foot to the post. The
measure makes no provision in any man
ner for its use as a punishment for female
criminals.
Any male person over IS years of age
WHO shall strike or beat a girl or woman
shall be punished by not less than fifteen
nor more than fifty lashes, inflicted by
the Sheriff, with a rawhide whip. Any
male resident Of the State ever II years
CT age who Shall be guilty of profanity
stall be given no less than five or more
than fifteen las!les. Petit larceny is pun
stable by from FIVE to fifty lashes, and
tramps are to receive from ten to fifty
blows from tie rawhide whip A man
who deserts his family must bare his
back to at least thirty lashes, while the
number, in aggravated cases, may run
as high as seventy-fve. The man who
drinks will come in for his share Of the
terrible rawhide, if the measure passes
tbs Legislature Upon the fourth con
victon of intoxication he shall receive
not leSs than ten nor more than twenty
five cuts from the corrective whip.
Some criminals deserve to be publicly
hoggel. but the whipping post is 50 brutal
" - = +olerated for long in a
civilized community.