davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Sharp County record., 1908-02-28

the camps, and on the farm.
Having had smallpox, [ not only
went to those places, but right
into the hospital where those
poor fellows were sick and dying
with smallpox and all man
ner of loathsome diseases and
looked into the condition and
surroundings. We went all over
the state to all the camps, to the
old walls, the brick yards, and
to the farm. We found many
abuses; negroes and white men
working side by side; negroes
guarding white men and prisoners
numerically whipped. We cor
rected what of these abuses we
could, had the management
changed and several of the
walking bosses' who did the
whipping, removed. We also
found contracts whereby three or
four hundred prisoners were
working for so cents per day
and the state had to furnish
board, clothing and guard hire;
and yet they were working side
by side with free labor that cost
So to S4 per day.
We made an exhaustive report
and among our recommendations
we said:
"We most respectfully submit
that we firmly believe that most
Of these abuses could be remedied
by putting all these convicts on
the farm and working them, for
the use and benefit of the State
and by the erection of a suitable
hospital for the care and protec-
ton Of the convicts. To tha. onG
we most earnestly recommend
that the hospital be erected so
that the black and white, male
and female can be kept separate;
that the contagious and hered-
itary diseased patients can be
kept in separate wards, and that
a suitable operating room be
provided for the penitentiary
physician.
"We also recommend that the
management of the penitentiary
be prohibited from allowing
colored men, whether TRUSTEES or
free, from guarding white men.
eve believe that the convict
farm should be the Penitentiary
Of Arkansas, and that all convicts
should be confined there. Under
proper management, we believe
that the penitentiary would then
not only DO self.sustaining, but
O source OF revenue. In a short
time the old walls will be torn
down, and we recommend that all
main Offices Of the penitentiary
officials be moved to the farm.
All the leases and contracts with
the exception Of the Dickinson
contract Will expire in June of
this year, and wo recommend
that this House forbid tho future
leasing or hiring out Of convicts.
"These recommendations are
being drafted into q bill which
we will introduce in Il short
time"
We introduced and passed this
bill at tho last session Of The
legislature, but afte tho legisla-
ture had adjourned, at tho re-
quest Of certain members Of the
penitentiary board, tho Governor
vetoed tho bill; tho conditions at
tho penitentlary have become 80
thoroughly disgusting, however,
that now, every candidate for
Governor has declared for the
bill, and should you send me to
the Senate, it would be tho pride
of my life and my most earnest
ehdeavor TO introduce IL again at
tha RayI a,aaia,, a,1 aaaal IA Ia.
Sharp County record., 1908-02-28
LOCAL NEWS.


lewis Smith and his wife, an
"a couple of Lave Creek town.
rs. are both quite ill Of pneu-
MIA.
|Prosecuting Attorney Thos' |.
|Srrn is at Salem this week
here the Fulton circuit court is
The tax collector is at Will
ia today, and will close his
Irular round in Lebanon town.
5ip Monday.
sE. F. Matheny of Batesville,
Ids US a check on subscrip-
He has read the Record a
time, and always has a
6d word for US.
RAssessor r. B. Clear was kept
Nome all last week, being i'll
He left Monday for
LIP over the county in the in
|1bst of his candidacy.
ID. M. Halliburton orders us to
|fRard him the Record at Anna,
6xas, Mr.. Halliburton only re-
sHtly located at that place. For
'hny years he was a resident Of
|6rdy,
yH M. Byrd Of Lake City,
xighead county, was a pleas.
at Record headquar-
xQ Monday. He recently moved
|Lake City from the Pough-
3psie neighborhood.
Iust eight more days and the
I1pty campaign will open at
Flat. Such a fine bunch of
6idates as Sharp county has
be expected to Tairly set the
hes on fire with oratory.
ndge j. w. Smith, who has
d confined to his bed the past
Rral weeks by a severe attack
rheumatism, is slowly improv-
but is not yet able to be out.
&dge Smith has had the sympa-
|Ylof all his friends in his mis-
NINE,
|QFen Lawhorn of Fort Smith
In the city the latter part Of
1week. He was called to his
Z home in lizard county several
before on account of the
|fIpus'illness which resulted in
death Of his father, Joe Law.
herilf W, o, Smith went to
y Rock last Saturday, taking
him Fred Davis Of King
who was placed in the
um for the insane. The el.
Davis, father Of Fred Da-
was carried to tho asylum
weeks ago,
illiam Il, Turner returned to
ping Shade Saturday, after
bsence Of almost six years,
is being warmly welcomed
his friends. He has spent
past two years at Seattle,
ho previous to which he was
2 regular army and station.
u the West,
8 " Hutchison is our author.
or the statement that Hon.
Oldfield covered himself
glory in q speech at Pough.
Pie Saturday, That section
county Is strong for Old.
and will assist tho other
l Of tho county in giving him
Fousing majority on tho day Of
a primary,
We Record will not, for friend. I.
or money, give publicity to
Ftlcle which brings charges
s' tho personal character
Y man. This thing OF as.
o0'lng or assaiIing private
Rct0r has never been In tho
rd's line of business, what.
ofher foultO 1t may possess,
emilia
Sharp County record., 1908-02-28

the bills granting them more
money until they complete the
present contract at least. In
1905 they wanted $500, 1000, and
in 1907 they wanted S325,OO
more; for instance, in the last bill
they wanted S150,000 for a mar
BILE dome; $4,000 for marble
columns and a few other little
"frills" to the tune Of one-third
of a million dollars. Now, my
plan is to compel the contractors
to finish the building with the
original cost, and then take the
balance of the money and furnish
1t with desks, chairs, carpets,
heating and lighting plants, etc.
Il claim that we saved the tax
payers of Arkansas, one third Of
a million dollars, by killing this
one bill.
PUBLIC ROADS
One Of the most important
things that confronts our citizen
ship is the subject of good roads,
and | assure you that no one will
do more toward the passage of
measures for the upbuilding of
our public roads than |. The
subject is so vast and compre-
hensive, however, that | have
not space in this short letter to
more than allude to the fact that
should | be elected that | will
leave no stone unturned to i'm
prove our present road law.
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
There is no new measure that
has been brought to the notice of
the people, by that matchless
statesman, William jennings
Bryan, that so vitality concerns
their interests as the Initiative
and Referendum. | am always
willing to submit any proposition
to the whole people and that is
what tho initiative and referen-
ytani means. 1t simply means that
if your law makers become cor
rupt and will not heed your cries
for good legislation, that you can
take the matter into your own
hands and pass them yourselves.
1t further means that if both the
legislative and the executive
branches Of the state become
corrupt, and pass bad laws, that
you can take the veto power in
your own hands and bring your
self out Of bondage. ] am, there.
fore, in favor Of the submission
Of such an amendment to the
people, and will, il elected, take
great pleasure in introducing a
joint resolution to that effect.
CATTLE QUARANTINE
AT the last session Of the legis-
lature, fellow citizens, we passed
the cattle quarantine bill, and at
your recent meeting Of the
Northeast Arkansas Cattle Crow
ers' Association, at which was
present and had the honor to
preside, we made arrangements
with the representatives Of the
United States government to move
the quarantine line below Ran
dolph, Lawrence, Clay and Green
and same is now being
done, | shall favor an appropria-
ton to protect this line and ferth.
er eradicate the Texas fever tick
from our part OF the state. This
10 very important matter and
will be worth thousands Of dollars
to our citizens.
CONCLUSION
And, now, my fellow citizens,
In conclusion desire to say 10
you that lam q young man, a
democrat and worker
for tho party, and while ! live In
the country on q farm, | feel that
am dualifIad far tha nAaitihn. / !
Sharp County record., 1908-02-28
..,.MY PLATFORM....
TO THE VOTERS OF THE End SENATORIAL DISTRICT:

~ EsNs ~ a.aRS VI ahS SS
FELLOW CITIzENs:-I am a
candidate for the Democratic
nomination for Senator from
Randolph, Lawrence and Sharp
counties, and in announcing my
candidacy for this high position,
| feel that it is nothing but right
that | should present to you my
views on the great questions that
are now confronting US and give
you my reasons why | think
| could serve you better at this
time any one else.
I have represented Randolph
county, in the lower house, dur
ing the last two sessions OF the
General Assembly, and my rec.
ord there is an open book and |
ain perfectly willing to stand or
fall on that record. In the first
place having served with the
members of the House and Sem
ate will be personally acquaint-
ed with most every member Of
that body and in Legislative af-
fairs, as in most other things, the
personal element is a. great
factor in the passage OF good
measures or the defeat of bad
ones,
STATE DEPOSITORY
In 1907 | passed bill provid :
ing for a county depository for
Randolph county, that makes the
bank bidding the highest rate Of
interest for the county funds, the
county depository, this interest
on said funds to go into the COM
mon school fund of the county
and be proportioned to all the
districts in the county. This will
put into the school fund Of Ran
dolph county anywhere from
81, 100000 to So, 10000 every year,
that has heretofore gone to the
banks. Now, there is no reason
in the world why this same
principle should not be applied to
the funds in the State Treasury,
and if Lam elected your Senator,
| propose TO introduce a bill to
provide for a State Depository or
rather, State Depositories.
Briefly, the measure is as fol.
lows: "My bill provides that
the banks that may want to keep
the money that is now in the
vaults of the State Treasury, on
deposit, shall submit a bid Of as
many per cent as they desire to
give on daily balances, to the
state; and the State Treasurer
shall select those making the
highest bids as the State Deposi.
tories, said repositories to give
good and sufficient bond for the
same. The interest on daily
balances in said banks to be paid
quarterly, into the state school
fund and then proportioned to all
the counties in the state as is at
present the custom with the
school fund, Think what this
would mean TO the school chill
dren of the state! Even live per
cent on one million dollars would
give US S50,000.00 per year on
money that now lies idle in our
vaults. And just think, what
a help this money would have
been TO our farmers when they
needed money 80 badly during
the recent panic to gather and
snip their crops. The money
would have been out in the coun.
try, In circulation, and could have
been used by the merchants, the
farmer and the laborer. And all
the while our money IL Just as
safe, just as secure and can be
called in and used as we need t.,
tho same as at tho present time"
pENITENTIARY
I0ppiblV nv n,aat iaaaa,la.,
Sharp County record., 1908-02-28
STATE CAPITOL

Ae you know tho contract for
the new stats capitol calls for the
expenditure Of ono million doll
lars' We'll, have twice fought
Sharp County record., 1908-02-28
CONCLUSION

And, now, my fellow citizens,
In conclusion | desire to say 10
you that am q young man, a
lifelong democrat and worker
for tho party, and while ! live In
the country on a farm, | feel that
! am qualified for the position. |
have made the science Of govern.
ment and parliamentary law a
study for many years, and ask
the support Of every one Of you
at the coming primary election
In return, II elected, promise
you that will DO always found
voicing the will Of the common
people Of the district, and trying
to represent your interests to the
very best Of my ability / was
born, raised and married here;
hero part Of my family are
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06
THE STATE PRESS.

VIM Parish Tribune: Don Gallery
confessed in speech in New Orleans Fri
day night of last week. He said he pre-
ferred negro rule to boss rule. Everybody
knew that-unless Gallery was the boss.
Lake Providence Banner Democrat:
When politicians do not act square after
making pledges, they will come to grief
sooner or later. They can't bamboozle the
people all the time and get off with the
load.
The Claiborne Guardian journal ex-
presses our sentiments in the following
paragraph: "We are glad the campaign
is over for several reasons, not the least of
which is that we are tired of reading the
campaign matters in our exchanges.
Newspaper readers, if we are not badly
mistaken, will welcome the change which
the close of the campaign will bring about
in the character of reading matter appear
ing in most of the daily and weekly papers.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06
THE GROUND HOGS DAY.

The origin Of the tradition that Candle
mas Day-February 2-is sacred to the
ground hog, better known to purists in
nomenclature as the woodchuck, is lost in
the obscurity of a remote past; but whether
or not we believe in his weather prophecy
we instinctively feel better if the unlovely
little rodent does not see his shadow on the
ground when he comes out of his hole on
the second day of the last calendar month
of winter.
Perhaps the legend of the ground hog
may be explained by accepting February
2-the day Of the publication of the peo-
pie among the pagan Romans and the
Candlemas of the Christians-ast the typical
day of the month and coupling it with
numerous weather proverbs which agree
in affirming that the season goes all wrong
If February be not full of foul and sloppy
weather.
February fill-dyke" was the name
given to this wet and slushy month by the
English of old. An old Scotch proverb
affirms that "a the months of the year
curse fair Februeer.'' The Norman
peasants declare that if there is plenty of
snow in February, the spring and summer
will be all right.
In the weather wisdom of all these good
people an early spring and abundant crops
were expected to follow foul February,
while February on which the sun shone
bountifully could breed nothing but a
rickety spring season out of all harmony
with nature. And from the Importance
attached to Candlemas Day for so many
ages, it is not surprising that they forboded
evil to come from good weather on that
the greatest day of the month.
Be all this as it may, the superstition is
ancient that if that day be foul and cloudy
the winter is about over, and if it be fair
six weeks of winter remain. A Scotch
rhyme expresses it thus:
eff Candlemas Day be dry and fair
The half O. winters to come and mair;
II Candlemas Day be wet and FOUL
The half o, winters game at Yule."
The Germans may have given origin to
the grounding legend, for they have
saying to the effect that the badger peeps
out of his hole on Candlemas Day and if
he finds snow walks abroad; but if he sees
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06
AMBITION.

81 charge thee, fling away ambition; by
that sin fell the angels" This is the Ian
puage of one who sounded all the depths
and shoals of human nature. Yet II all
were to accept this advice what deplora-
BILE result we should have. 1t is ambition
that moves the world. 1t develops the en-
ergies and qualities, the greatness in men.
1t has made men cruel and powerful, but 1t
has also made men good and noble and
great. It paints pictures and writes books
and carves marble almost into life. 1t
builds palaces and galleries and UNIVERSE
ties and hospitals and ships and railroads
and clears forests and opens mines, and
redeems the wilderness. 1t develops states
men and makes Governments and allevlates
suffering and throws light into the dark
ness in the pursuit of science in its mani
fold forms. Through its inspiration mortals
have mounted from ignorance and poverty
and obscurity to light and fame and USE
fulness and greatness and power. It's the
ladder which many have climbed from the
depths to the heights. Through ambition
have come most of thessworld's great deeds
and advances and achievements. Through
it also have come much of the injustice
and oppression and crime and misery and
cruelty of this world.
Ambition has many forms and degrees
and many penalties and compensatlons.
Diogenes, the cynic, had ambition, but not
oh, plpp', Tho fOnI who
fired the Ephesian dome was moved by
ambition quite different from that OF
Phidias The ambition which leads man
to do his best is excellent. But the philos-
opher is the man who seeks to live peace
fully and tranquility and usefully and with
no ambition but to be honest and just and
to live modestly, out of the glare and blare
and struggle of folly and fashion and be-
yond ''the tumult and the shouting" under
his own vine and figs.tree-modest, mode.
rate and regular in his habits, envying nc
man, doing no man injury, toiling ration
ally, cherishing no greed or avarice OF
hate or envy, bearing his burden bravely
fearing no man and neither welcoming mol
dreading death.
The ambition which leads men to seek
public preferment, high station, positions
of power, the applause of listening Sen
ates to command even when successful
pay an exorbitantspenalty, and in the enc
they are apt to feel sense of disappoint.
ment and regret. The rewards of polite:
are scant-yet those who enter the game
seldom voluntarily retire.
Ambition is the mother of contention
and through contention we move TOWARD
the truth, and 'sthe truth shall make III
Free But to have it said that one hal
done his duty within his sphere of actor
is "praise enough to fill the ambition of I
private man."
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06
Northern Hate and Murder.
Louisville Times.l


More than forty years has passed since
Wirz was hanged to crafty blind hate and
to give color to the charge that he was d.
rectly responsible for the deaths of thou
sands of Northern prisoners. The South
then could do nothing to stay the verdict,
and for all these years it has suffered from
the accusation of barbarous cruelty brought
against it by such specimens as Corporal
Tanner. It is time that the South should
be given an inning in its history, not for
the purpose of renewing old bitternesses,
but to establish the fact that the cruelties
of the Civil War were inevitable accom-
paniments, not the outcome of the malig-
nant cruelty of the Southern people.
The prisoners at Andersonville under
Wirz were there at time when the South
ern troops in the field were as near starva-
ton as were ever troops that still main
tanned conflict. The prisoners were kept
there because of Gen. Grants refusal to
effect an exchange. If many of them
starved to death, it was because of the fact
that the South too was starving. In one
Northern prison alone in one Of the latter
years of the war, the death list among the
Confederate prisoners reached 1890, the
surgeon in charge declaring that, if the
Northern troops in the field did as we'll in
proportion, the rebels would soon be wiped
out The North made a hero of the sur
geon. Wirz, it hanged, not for his own
sins, but because it was his i'll fortune to
serve the South in capacity which gave
pretext for holding him responsible for the
South's hard necessity.
The North has had mucn to say about
Andersonville, and the South has accepted
it. If the story of Northern prisons were
ever told, the comparison would cause
Andersonville to lose much of its horror.
Wirz may not, because of his achieve
ments, be deserving of monument. AS
Southern man who did his duty, and paid
for it by shameful death, the South owes
him the poor and tardy tribute of recogni-
ton, in which there is no note of apology
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06

the sun shining, he fears to venture forth.
And the German shepherd takes the same
view of the matter as the badger, tor ne
would rather see the wolf enter his stable
on, Candlemas Day than the sun.
With all this testimony who can help
feeling that the sun shining brightly last
Saturday indicated that ground-hog day
was really the beginning of our winter?
And yet the pesky varmint has fooled US
oftener than once.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06

The second primary election will be held
Feb. 25. The following named candidates
for State office will be in the second race:
Lambremont and Bailey for Lieutenant
Governor; Frazee and Capdevielle for
Auditor; Guion and Coco for Attorney
General, and Grace and Crandall for Reg
lister of the State Land Office.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06
FROM OVER OUR GREAT STATE.

New Orleans Mardi Gras falls on March
8 this year.
W. B. Gabbart bought 942 acres of rice
land near Welsh for S23, 553. Is.
Lake Providence doctors are now kept
quite busy with la grippe patients.
Governor elect Sanders will speak on
Prospective Legislation in New Orleans
on March 4.
An unknown man committed suicide by
plunging from Hospital Street wharf, in
New Orleans.
Fire at Melville, st. Landry Parish, de-
stroyed six business buildings, including
the postoffice.
By the explosion of box of dynamite
on farm near Kentwood negro man was
blown to pieces.
The Tribune says there is more sickness
in WINFIELD "now than for sbme time, la
grippe, measles and malaria being the
principal trouble
Governor Sanders carried thirty
seven parishes out of the fifty nine and
did not lose one of the seven Congressional
Districts. Sanders majority in this Dis
trict was 377.
Gov. Blanchard announced Saturday
the appointment of T. 0. Harris as Travel
ing Auditor OF the State of Louisiana, and
c. '. Porter, Jr., as private secretary to
the Governor.
By the heroic deed of Henry Kilson, a
negro, Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Grayson and the
latter's 2-year-old daughter were saved
from death at Monroe Wednesday of last
week, the three being jerked from beneath
train after their carriage had been struck
and demolished. Both of Mrs. Grayson' s
legs were broken below the knees.
The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-02-06
Tax Ordinances

Tax ordinances
As adopted by the Booster Leuee Board, in regular
session conUened, jan 2, 1908.
An ordinance levying 10 mill tax On all property
in the Bossier Levee District subject to taxation
for levee purposes for the yeat 1908
Be it ordained by the Board of Commissioners of
the Bossier Levee District, in regular session
vened That district levee tax of 10 mills on the
dollar OF its assessed valuation be and is hereby
levied on all property situated in Bossier Levee
District subject to taxation for levee purposes for
the year 1908.
An ordinance levying local assessment of cents
per acre every acre of aluvial land within the
| Bossier Levee District for the year 1908.
Be it ordained by the Board of Commissioners of
the Bossier Levee District in regular session con-
vened That local assessment of cents per acre on
each and every acre of alluvial land within the
Bossier Levee District for the year 1908 be and is
hereby levied.
An ordinance levying local assessment Of $50 per
| mile on all railroads within the Bossier Levee
| District for the year 1908.
| Be it ordained by the Board Of Commissioners Of
the Bossier Levee District, in regular session
and is hereby levied for the year 1903 on every mile
OF railroad situated within the Bossier Levee
District.
An ordinance levying special assessment of 50
cents per bale on every bale OF cotton raised
| within the Bossier Levee District for the year
| 1908.
Whereas, the funds to be raised from the 10 mill,
the cent acreage and the $50 per mile railroad
taxes are not sufficient to locate, construct and
repair the evees SO as to prevent disastrous foods
! Be it ordained by the Board of Commissioners Of
the Bossier Levee District, in regular session con-
bale be and is hereby assessed and levied on every
bale OF cotton produced within the Bossier Levee
District, on lands subject to taxation within said
| district, during the year 1905