smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

There are some men who look up- on railroads as the enemy of the people. This is very foolish view and we trust there are very few such men in our part of Arkansas. I he only trouble is we have not railroads enough. We have reason, however, to be proud of those which we have in this part of our State, for there is no mistake about it the Little Rock and Fort Smith road is now doing more for this country than anything else. The efforts put forth by the Land Department has attracted much attention and raised much en- quiry in regard to the country be- tween Little Rock and Van Bureh. The road has been great blessing to our people. The management of the road, in its different departments is in good hands, and in control of gentlemen of energy and fine busl- ness qualifications.

 The last issue of the Weekly Grange pays the following tribute to the road. It is fully deserved and we wish the road a prosperous and successful career.

 This is road which does not car ry immigrants through this State in to anotbcr, but one which is trying to do something to settle up our va cant lands. We frequently meet people from Illinois, Indiana and Iother States, and from Germany and the other day we met fine specimen of humanity from La Belle France. The French gentle man had his better half with him, and that means that he has come to stay. We learn that there are others

 f his eountrymen with him. They arc all welcome. We love the French
Year: 1877

Centuries upon centuries added to its years will never blot out the memory of this great wrong.

 Augusta Constitutionalist. There were honest differences among the Democrats. There need be no differences among them now.

 Savannah News.

 The great State of Ohio is dlshon- ored in being made to finnish the first fraudulent president of the United Staies.

 Toledo Blade.

 That bad men may have got to the front in some of the Republican States of the South may be true, but we want their accusers put to the proof

 Dallas Commercial.

 Instead os despairing of the repub- lie. the honest heart of the nation will be reused to the necessity of purging the Supreme Court, and res tore the power and efficacy of the ballot box.

 fCharleston News and Courier. President Hayes may be sure ot one thing. The Southern people will be just in dealing with him and his administration.
Year: 1877

With immediate specie resumption as
demanded by Mr.. Hayes and with mon>
ey loaners refusing to loan dollar in
Minnesota under the new usury law. the
business interest of tae State ought to
look up. Don't it, Donne,ly?-FaribauH
Democrat.


Will the business interest OF the state
..look up' by allowing money lenders
to loan at SO per cent. per annumP II they
refuse to loan at all ii will simply be, to
their debtors, the difference between a
sudden death and slow one. But ii they
refuse to loan at II per cent. in MINES
sofa whether will they take their money
where they can get more? And il
they don't leave the state what business
can they invest it in within the state that
will yield more than II per cent? 1t GER
tainly isn't farming or manufacturing
or trade.


This outcry in part of q scheme to com.
pei the next Legislature to repeal the
usury law.


We will see il they can do it.
Year: 1877

distrust even of the soundest companies.
And no wonder. Companies that once en-.
loved public confidence have been found
to be seriously impaired or utterly rotten
The managers Of some Of them have lied
and stolen with amazing audacity. State
suvervision has turned out to be not only
no protection, but delusion and snare.
Under these circumstances it IS no Won
der that the people are asking what
company is going next, and wnetner
there is such thing as a sound company
in existence, and, if SO, whether there
is any way of finding out which one it
is. Certain it is that the prevailing dis
trust is very seriously affecting the
business of the best companies. Agents
find it next TO impossible to obtain new
risks, and the demands for cash on sur
rendered policies are so great that 1t Is
difficult to meet them. Thus the COM
panies are crowded upon both sides, and
though they may be perfectly solvent,
they must be embarrassed, for the time
being, unless they are strong beyond
the absolute requirements of prudence.
There are those who think that the
existing distrust will be permanent, and
that within a few years the whole busl'
ness of lite insurance will become ex


tinct. They look for such disclosures Of
mismanagement, extravagancy, anc
fraud before the current series OF failures
terminates as will bring permanent obi


um upon the whole business the more
SO as they are themselves unable to SEE
how it is possible to provide safeguards
adequate to the protection of ofpolicy.hold


ers against swindling officers and agents
The Times is inclined to think that NJ


such result is to be apprehended.


| These terrible times are sorely tryin!


the constitution of men and corporations


Only 1.-THE fittest will survive"
Year: 1877

We would remind our readers that
these are substantially the positions TAX
en- by our fellow tOWnsman, Judge En-
NETT, in a communication published in
the ANTI -MoNOPoLIsT, IN Janury, 1875.
He then insisted that the solution of the
question must eventually be found in the
familiar common law rule above recog>
nized and applied that neither the State
nor the railroad had absolute control
over charges for freight and passengers;
and that the most the State could do was
to fix rates which should be deemed by
law prima facie reasonable. He stood
alone at the time, but proves to have
been substantially correct; and we con-
gratulate him on having so clearly tore>
shadowed the grounds on which these
cases would at last be decided.


This is not correct. The principle
enunciated by the o S. Supreme Court,
in the great case of Mum VS.. Scott was
as follows.


"In countries where the common law
prevails it has been customary from time
immemorial for the legislature to declare
what shall be reasonable compensation
under such circumstances or, perhaps,
more properly speaking, to fix the max
imum by and which any charge made
would be reasonable. Undoubtedly in
thatwhich the public has no interest, what
is reasonable must be ascertained judi
cially, but this is because the Legislature
has no control over such contracts. So,
too, in matters in which legislative con.
troll may be exercised. 1t there are nc
st,tutory regulations upon the subject the
court must determine which is reason
able. The controlling fact is the power
to regulate at all. II that exists, the
right to establish the maximum ol
charges, as one of the means of regula
ton, is implied. In fact the commc1
law rule which requires the charge to bt
reasonable is itself regulation as K
price; without it the owner could maxi
his rates at will and compel the use
the public to yield to bis terms or foregt
their use, The conclusion is that the Law
is not repugnant to the constitution
Of the United states and that there
is no error in the judgment"


This clearly demonstrates that in tn
opinion of the court tha legislature ha


power to fix definitely and finally th


maximum rates Of charges; and is nc


obliged to refer it to courts and jurie


for final adjudication.


We have great respect for judge En-


NETT, bat there is no propiety in mi:


representing what is now the law OF th


land. s4
Year: 1877

The desire for land is universal. The
Yankee that wanted "all the land that
joined him. was true type of our great
land-grabbine conquering white race.


Now here is writer who tells us how
we may double the size Of our farm
without running in debt for a single ad-
ditional acre. Hear him:


1.-The man who owns piece of land
owns the air above it, with 1.-THE fertil-
izers. and all the gases that enter into
the composition OF plants which it con-
tains. The farmer need not look off
over his neighbors' possessions for more
land to cultivate until he has so cult
vated what he already possesses as to
utilize all the sources of fertility that be-
long to 1t. If he ants more land let
him extend his cultivation downwards
and he will get it. If he has been in the
habit of cultivating his soil but xinches
deep, let him extend that cultivation
twelve inches deep, and he will double
the quantity of soil in cultivation and
double the amount of produce raised. II
| he has been in the habit of leaving the
surface of his land but poorly pulverized d
when he has sown his seed upon it, let
him double the amount Of labor upon it.
and SO double its capacity fer absorbing
and appropriating the erial manures
that are held in the air above it, and he
will again add half to the quantity o
land in cultivation and increase the
amount of produce in the same pronor
ton.


Farmers seem to forget whatit take:
to constitute q farm They are SO il
the habit OF scraping over the surfacs
and using but two or three inches of soil
they have come to regard this as the ex
tent OF their possessions-as the measur,
of the land they own. Looked upon i,
this way, we do not wonder tha
farmers want more land, for indeed ;
thousand acres OF surface three inche
deep is but little land after all. But whe,
we add to this three inches in depth an
unlimited extent below, a thousan,
acres, and indeed hundred, or eve]
fifty acres, is great deal of land. Th
true way and the cheapest way for tn,
farmerl to get more land is to 90 deepe
and cultivate the surface better. W


hesitate not 10 say that very large ma
ljority of the farmers in California nigh
double their possessions and double thei
productions in this way. Asto the meT
chant, the doctor, and the lawyer. tn
less land they have 70 lie uncultivated o
10 be cultivated but poorly, tho better
will be for them and the country.
Year: 1877




are in demand.


California is fine State; some Sec
tions very fertile, while others are barr
rem some parts healthy while others are
sickly. and it is mistaken idea that one
can pick up gold without labor. There
is to my knowledge. thousands out of
employment in San Francisco alone, to
say nothing about the rest of the State,
and it is sad to see large families, as did,
without means or friends, and could not
get job at twenty-five cents cord saw
ing wood. The board OF emigration is
responsible for this. / admit that it is
worse than usual, for they have had no
rain tor near a year, and the farmeas and
stock raisers are looking blue. The cat
tie and sheep are dying off by the thou
sand for want of grass and water.


No man would live in the western
part of Oregon who had any desire for
good health. Chills and fever reign
supreme. Whole families down with it..
Eastern Oregon is moro healthy, and 4
great grazing section. Poor land, sage
brush, alkali, etc.


In the eastern part OF Washington
Territory. there is some fine farming
lands, but it costs all it is worth to get
the product out of the country, with plen-
ty OF fever and ague. The western part
Of the Territory has no farming land.
but the finest timber in the world. find
plenty seeking employment who cannot
| find it.


| will close this letter up saying to my
old friends and neighbors, be contented
with your lot, for there are many worse
places than cold Minnesota with her
grasshoppers.-Jackso,s Republican.
Year: 1877

The Chicago Journal OF Commerce
SAYS, under date of Feb. 2Sth:


The substitution of silver change for postal
currency has benefited only few spcculators
in silver. The general retail trade of the coun-
try :has bern fettered and retarded by the
change. Few if any thought of boarding postal
currency; but many lay by silver; and just in
proportion as they have done SO has the circu-
lating medium OF tie country been depleted.
The retail trade demanded an increase OfSmau
bills and fractional change. If the postal cur
rency must he called in and destroyed then
should there have been substituted not merely
the same amount of silver coin but at least %
per cent. additional in order to furnish the
same advantage for business enjoyed during
the postal currency period.


But the wholesale trade, and the manufac-
turing and agricultural interests of the nation
need very much larger amount of the circu-
lating medium. England with her business,
Ler banks and all her home institutions
crowded into space little larger than Illinois
has a floating currency-per capita-5O per
cent. greater than we have. Scattered as our
population and business are we need 100 per
cent more than her people do. This govern
ment will not discharge its duty toward the
people until this is the case; when the
people become truly enlightened oD this prob
lem they will demand it.


| We are not opposed to return to sfecie pay.
ments: but We are opposed to the destruction
of single greenback. We need all we have
and all the specie we can obtain in exchange
for bread, meat and our manufactured goods
besides. Interest on money must be reduced
until the producing classes shall realize a.
high rent G n the capital invested in thei
business as bankers and money lenders do OF
the amount of gold, silver and bank notes
which they lend. Our government will mo-
have done its duty till this state of things prac
tically exists. 1t may easily be brought abou
by making all our national circulating medi
Interchange with national bonds bearin!
1896 per cent. interest. Then our loanabl
funds will never be more or less than tn
trade, commerce and the manufacturing inter
ests OF the people demands


If these views were advanced by TIL
ANTI. .MoNoPoL1sr they would probabl,
be denounced as communistic an
utopian. But here we find them in on
of the leading commercial journals Q
the leading city OF the West.


The only wonder is that governmen
which proposes to represent the peopl
does not endorse and adopt them.
Year: 1877

That's the way contraction and re-
sumption work. Are they not noble
fruits with which to astonish and delight
free, selt>governing people? Think of
it! Nearly two million dollars OF bank
ruptcies in one city, Chicago, in ono
month.


But then we were inflated heretofore ::
we are now getting back to healthy
condition. On this principle man WELL
fed and well clothed is inflated. Look
at his stomach! While poor devil who
has had nothing to eat for twenty-iour
hours, and who is lowering on the bor-
ders of typhoid fever, is in the natural
and normal and healthy condition Of man.
If he dies his condition is more normal
still. If all Chicago goes into bankrupt
cy, then on this theory Chicago would
be in the natural condition OF great
American city.
Year: 1877

the price of glass so high as to make it
a luxury which only the rich can enjoy ?


Well; some day the people will get
mad all over, and they will enact that
the respectable gentlemen who get up
such combinations to plunder the whole
people, are bigger criminals than the
Younger brothers, who simply proposed
to crack bank or two.
Year: 1877

Cross AND CREsCENT.-The Patriarchs
of the Greek and Roman churches in
Turkey, are taking advantage Of the Sui
tan's weakness. They refuse to sanction
their followers going forth to fight the
battles of Turkey if they have to fight
under the banner of the Crescent. They
demand that the Christian troops in Turk
ish service shall be modified, separated
from the Mahomedans aud fight under the
Cross. AS the Christian population of
Turkey in Europe is greater than the
Mosem, it will be seen that this demand
is serious one under the circumstances.
Doubtless the Porte will submit to the
law Of necessity and lot the Christians
light in their own way, glad to get them
into the field on almost any terms.
Year: 1877

TIE matter Of altering our constitution
in many points is being discussed by the
press generally, and one point particular
ly which deserves the greatest attention
Is the matter Of taxing notes and mort
cages, SO that rich men worth large fort
unes may be compelled TO pay more tax
es than the poorest men in the communi-
ty. Very often we see men worth from
twenty to fifty thousand dollars paying
less taxes than men worth a couple OF
thousand dollars, by simply paying tax
on their residence with all their other
wealth converted into notes, bonds and
mortgages OF extra cash value in drawing
interest, and often times bogus loan to
evade taxation. We do not believe in
double taxation, but we believe in a man
paying tax for just what he is worth
All solvent debts should be taxed, and an
Offset allowed for liabilities. - Y1eka
Journal.
Year: 1877

IT isn't often that the Vice-President
of the United States has an opportunity
to exercise the constitutional power ol
breaking a tie in the Senate. Wheeler is
exceptionally favored. No other Vice
President since Filmore's time has had
the felicity Of showing in a substantial
manner his fealty to the party that elect
ed him. In 40, it is recalled, Henry
Clay proposed Butler as a candidate for
Chaplain of the Senate in the place OF
Reverend Slicer, who had grown gray in
the service. The vote was tie, until
Fillmore settled the question by bringing
in Butler. In 1915 Dallas gave the cast
ing vote whereby the Polk tariff became
a Chicago Times.
Year: 1877

IMPECUSIoUs LAwMAKERs.-The AS
sembly reached out ahead before adjourn
ing, and in order to celebrate the holidays
in manner bcftting the rank and digni-
ty of their station, directed the Controller
TO pay their per diem in advance. They
forgot it is considered a good paymaster
who pays when the work is done. We
suppose the idea originated with some


impecunious Solon who lost his little dab
in some Of the numerous temptations of
the Capital City, and did not see where
the Christmas wassail was coming from.
The Controller, however, promptly
squelched the movement by pointing out
the unconstitutionality Of the resolution.
Year: 1877

A BALLOON with all the machinery for
imitation has been forwarded to India at
:he request Of Salar Jung, who will send
it up on the occasion of his forthcoming
reception of the Viceroy and tho great
native Princes. 1t will be the first bal
loon ever seen in India.
Year: 1877

TENNESSEE is bothered a bout her debt
and special session of the Legislature is
being held TO arrange it. The general
opinion fsvors settlement of the debt at
fifty per cent, but strong party fayors
reputation in toto.
Year: 1877

HOW Two Children were Charmed


by n MOnater Reptile.


A correspondent writing from
Annapolis saws:


A remarkable story of "snake
charming" has been brought to
light here. Mr.. Luke Brewer lives
near the dock in this city, and is
the father Of a little girl and boy
aged respectively nine and six
years. He discovered on Saturday
last that his children had been in
the habit Of playing with a water
snake three and a half feet in
length. 1t appears that the reptile
had made its land home un-
derneath the kitchen flooring of
Mr.. Brewers dwelling, and came
thence through an orifce in the
ground just outside the house.
The little girl on the day above
mentioned informed her father that
they had a pretty pet just like an
eel that came out of a hole IN the
ground, and played with them and
the kittens. He asked the child to
show him where it was, but was told
that it would not come out while he
was there. He left for few min
utes, and while returning was met
by his daughter, who said she had
called her pet, and it was now
playing with her brother. The
frightened father hastened to the
yard, and was almost paralyzed with
fear on discovering his little boy
careSSing the snakes head. He
ordered the little fellow away. The
child reluctantly complied by STEP
ping back, whereupon the father
seized q club, when the reptile
commenced to make for its den
The boy then moved toward it,
calling it endearing names, and was
about to pick it up when Mr.
Brewer dispatched it, against the
earnest and fearful entreaties of the
infatuated children. The boy, O
robust, hearty little fellow, refused
to be comforted, abstaining from
food the rest of the day, and beg
ging to be allowed to bring the dead
serpent into the house. Mr.. Brewer
thinks that the children had been
amusing themselves all the summer
with their strange pet. The tail of
the snake for a distance of three
inches from the end bore evidence
that two kittens, which were in the
house, had also been participants
in the sport.
Year: 1877

AON DOHhOH 0hHAS AAy Ou hOOiN.


What / am about to mention is
on a delicate subiect-so delicate
that it is told only in whispers that
there is such thing. 1t is con-
cerning ankles-those belonging to
ladies, of course; gentlemen never
have any. This is about ankles,
and the pretty boys who tend in
our fashionable boot and shoe


stores. 1t would seem at first as
though one had nothing to do with
the other, but they have a good
deal in common, and the more the
handsomer the customer. Recently
a young miss in my presence tried
on ten pairs of boots without a
fit, and between her desire
for a perfect one and the
prayer of the clerk for none at
all, there was a prospect of her
passing the afternoon that way. |
could not blame the fellow, for she
was a beauty, but was shocked at
the abandon of the lady. l do not
wonder why positions in such stores
are very desirable and very scarce,
especially in these days when there
is so much wickedness. 1t takes
me a long while to get at what l
intended to say, but l have reached
it at last. 1t is very improper for
girls to allow young menlto fit their
boots they should do it themselves.
Year: 1877

laborer out Of the labor field. He
cannot contend with them except
by sacrifices he cannot make. Labor
in the hands Of the Chinese, what
becomes of business? Who are our
oustomersY Who will buy the
goods the merchants import or
those which the Chinese themselves
manufacture? The Chinese buy
little or nothing, yet they will abb
sorb the earnings of the laboring
class. If the Chiuaman could ex-
pand into u white man his presence
would not be so Objectionable. In
time we could teach him our ways
and inspire him with a desire to
raise above the animal life his con-
dition has placed him in. There
is no enmity against the Ohinaman
as an individual. No one blames
him for trying to better his condi-
tion. But we do object to eompe-
tition with a race so low in the
scale of civilization that provision
for their lowest bodily wants is their
only care.
Year: 1877

He who boasts Of being perfect
is perfect in folly. l have been a
good deal up and down in the
world, and | never did see either a
perfect horse or a perfect man; and
[ never shall until two Sundays
come together. The old saying is,
Lifeless, faultless." Of dead men
we should say nothing but good;
but as for the living, they are all
tarred more or less with the black
brush, and half an eye can see it.
Every head has a soft place in it,
and every heart has its black drop.
Every rose has its pricklcs, and
every day its night. Even the sun
shows spots, and the skies are dark
ened with clouds. Nobody is so
wise but he has folly enough to
stock a stall at Vanity Fair. Where
l could not see the FOOLS cap, / have,
nevertheless, heard the bells jingle.
AS there is no sunshine without
some shadow, so is all human good
mixed up with more or less evil /;
even poor-law guardians have their
little failings, and parish beadles are
not wholly of a heavenly nature.
The best wine has its lees. All
mems faults are not written on
their foreheads, and it is quite as
well they are not, or hats would
need wide brims; yet as sure as
eggs are eggs, faults Of some sort
nestle in every mans bosom.
There's no telling when a mans
sins may show themselves, for hares
pop out Of ditch just when you
are not looking for them. A horse
that is weak in the legs may not
stumble for a mile or two, but it's
in him, and the rider had better
hold him up well. The tabby-cat
is not tapping milk just now, but
leave the dairy door open, and we
will see if she is not as bad a thief
as kitten. There's fire in the
flint, cool as it looks; wait till the
steel gets a knock at it, and you
will see. Everybody can read that
riddle, but it is not everybody that
will remember to keep his gunpow-
der out of the way Of the candle.
- John Ploughman.