Republican farmer., 1919-08-22
SIR RALEIGH
 DISCOVERED TWO
 VALUABLE CROPS

The potato and tobacco were dis covered by Sir Walter Raleigh, and first introduced by him into Ireland. On Aug. 19, 1917, Sir Walter Raleigh sailed from Cork with fourteen yes sels on his last voyage to the New World. Within the celebrated Tow CT of London on the River Thames, which today again looms up in fear full interest as a possible dungeon and domicile of an ex-emperor, of William Hohenzollern, there is a tiny cell or dungeon of surpassing albeit grew some fascination. You have to stoop almost double to enter this dungeon. It has a tiny loophole of a window, a stone floor, and oank stone walls, from which the moisture drips. In this black dungeon Sir Walter Ra- leigh, courier, discoverer, gentleman, poet, historian, noble friend, was confined for years. In this cell the oldest part of the Tower of London, called the White Tower, he wrote his History of the World. The Tower of London, the four Towers which compose the grim pile of shocking history, and which the tour ist visits today as one of the most magnetically horrible sights of Lon don, was built by William the Con- queror about 107S. Its list of cele- brated prisoners is a long one. The beheading- block is still shown; and the very axe of a dreadful, dreadful red-dust color, which severed the spinal cord of the great and the un- fortunate of the earth. The words of England's own poets apty de- scribe the terrible Tower of Lon don
 By many foul and midnight mur-
 der fed.''
 To enter the gateway of the Bloody Tower, is an experience in a life. The very air seems impregnated with the groans and sobs of illustrious victims. Sir Walter lived in the stirring reign of Queen Elizabeth. He had mea gre means, though his father was a coun- try gentleman of old family. He used to say that his court clothes represented his estate. It was Sir Walter Raleigh who took his velvet mantle from his shoulders and spread it in the mud for the Queen to pass dry-shod over a puddle, in one of her royal progresses through London. Vain Queen Bess did not forget that graceful deed, and she made him the courts favorite. The age was astir with maritime adven- lures, with colonial enterprises, in conflict with the Spaniards in Amer ica. It was after Sir Walter Raleigh's g return from his first voyage to Amer fca, that he introduced on his estates in Ireland, granted to him by the crown, the cultivation of the potato and tobacco. The Tuber and the fragrant Weed he had brought back with him from the New World.
 It was in his ventures in coloniza- ton that he gave to a vast unnamed territory the name of Virginia, in honor of his Virgin Queen, of Great Elizabeth. It was in 1887 that Si~ Walter lost his popularity. at court. called upon to fight for the place as favorite with the dashing young Earl of Essex. Pickle Queen Bess accused him of a nason with a maid of honor, and he was thrown into the Tower of London. Released after a short ses- sion in the dreadful priscn, he fell, however. from royal favor. It was after the Queens death, and upon the accusation of conspiracies against James l., her successor, that Sir Walter was again committed to the Tower, and this for a term of years. He was executed in 161S. What would the Kaiser do in Sir Walters cell today?