smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

find that the failure of the system may be traced more to the INDIrrER- ENcE OF THE PEOPLE AND TnE NEGLECT AND woRTHLEssxEss OF OUR SCHOOL OFFICERS than to the law. If the law as it is was enforced-if the du- ties which it imposes upon school officers were faithfully aud efficient ly and promptly discharged, and if the people would do their part by putting their children in the public schools and by showing some inter est in the success of theIr district schools, we would have far less cause to complain of the failure of the system. Let the people elect better qualified and more zealous school of ficcrs, especially for county and district positions, and let full and prompt discharge of every duty i'm posed by law be demanded of them, and we will have more successful schools. The law provides penalties and forfeitures for the non-perform- ance of duty on the part of school officers, and yet notwithstanding the fact that there is scarcely a school officer in the State who has not in- cured the penalty of the law by the grossest and most willful neglect of duty, when has one of them been made to feel the penalty so justly due his nonfeasance? Here lies the troubie-school officers fail most miserably and disgracefully to do their duty and the people are too in- different to demand the enforcement of the forfeiture due the county and district. The hue and cry is then raised that the public school system is failure and that the tax money paid therefor is thrown away. This is all mistake. The public school system is the correct system; our state school law is very good, if properly enforced; money paid for the support of the public schools is most wisely expended, and if the people will only take sufficient inter est in this matter to see that the school officials do their duty and to keep good teachers in their school houses and their school houses full of school children, great and inesti

 mable blessings will flow from the public schools-ignorance, the curse of our land will be driven to the heather and civilization will go marching forward.
Year: 1878

We are proud to see that just now the subject of our Public School is getting some attention and evok- ing some discussion from the State newspapers and correspondents thereof. Interest in this matter is what we want, and it augurs we'll to see the subject brought into discus sion. We can erect no monument which will reflect as much credit upon the wisdom of our statesmen as to give the State good system of Public Schools. Government can confer no blessing upon Its subjects of so lasting and paramount value as to make ample provision for the education of the masses. The i'm portance of this matter has never yet been felt by the people of our State, anu at times we had almost despaired of ever seeing interest enough aroused in the premises to secure it the attention that it's i'm portance demands. We are, there fore, glad to see some discussion through the public prints on the subject. A correspondent of the atchman, published at Beebe, White County, criticises and con demns that feature of the School Law which provides that the State school tax shall be paid into the Treasury. This correspondent ia vors the payment of the State School Fund, directly into the County Treasury for the respective counties. The Gazette combats this plan, and we must agree with our Capital con temporary, that the law as 1t stands in this respect is far better for the whole people than it would be if il were as the Watchman' correspond ent would have it.

 In our opinion, however, the fail ure and inefilciency of our Public School system, is not due half SC much to the defects of our State School law as it is to other causes The law may be defective. but if ws sift the matter to tho bottom we vii
Year: 1878

With the present issue the DEMO GRAF enters upon it's Fourth year. What good the paper has accom- plished in it's three years existence just closed, we leave for the public to say. One thing we know-it has taken hard, steady work from all connected wi.h~ the publication of the paper to keep it up. The pub fisher, editor, and printers have worked faithfully and hard to give the pubic a good readable paper. It has taken money, too. We do not regret our labor, nor are we dis- couraged; but we must be allowed to say that the people of our county have not shown that appreciation of our paper, which, without any self vanity, we think we are entitled to. We are grateful for the support we have received, and we now take this opportunity to thank all our patrons for their encouragement. For the future we only promise the same faithful efforts to give you good paper that we have exerted in the past. We would like to have more readers among our county people. It would make us feel more like laborlng, and more like we were doing some- good. Wishing that while we are laboring upon our paper this year, endeavoring to do our duty, all the people ot our coun- ty may enjoy prosperous year, and come more generally up to the sup port of their county paper, we pre- sent you with this First number of Vol. ".
Year: 1878

The good that is sure to result from the wide circulation of a good county paper among the masses of the people of the county can scarcely be estimated. In thousand ways it is calculated to advance the general interests and stir the people up to ac- tion and energetic effort. As me- dium of inter communication and ex- change of views it is the best and cheapest medium which the people can possibly get. As means of quick and general notification of i'm portant events, it is ahead ofall other mediums. But home paper to be valuable as a means of serving the pubic good must be read by the mas ses. For instance, suppose we are publishing the best paper in the world here, with the best writers in the country as regular contributors. What good would it dc if the masses refused to take and read the paper? Or, suppose we could make truthful predictions of every danger that threatened the public veal and pub lished them every week, what would it benefit the people If they did not read the paper and be informed? The work of the best editor in the world is useless if he cannot secure circulation for his journal among the people. It Is love's labor lost A county without paper is like ship in fog without any fog whistle-lia- ble to be run over at any time, or lia ble to crush to pieces upon the coast rocks at every turn of the wheel.

 To illustrate the use of & pewspa- per, let us suppose that some matter of vital importance should require a unanimous rally of the people of thls county at the court house next Satur- day. If every reading family in the county took the DEMOCRAT all that wodres be necessary to get notice to every nook and corner oi the county would be to publish it in Thursdays paper, and by Saturday morning ev- cry man in the county would know it, whereas without this medium it would be necessary 10 send out a score of couriers on the fleetest cours- CTS, as was done in olden times.

 Again:-Our Moreland correspon- dent in this weeks paper makes the suggestion, land a good one it is, tool that we set aside a column of onr paper as an Educational depart ment for the publication of items from teachers and others in the in. terests of education. Now we are perfectly willing to do this, but .whas good will it do if the people refuse to read the paper. And how much

 good it might do if every family kept the paper on their table and gave their young folks access to it. The

 DEMOCRAT ought to visit one thous- and homes in Pope county every 

 week, and if it did it would not

 take from three weeks to three
Year: 1878

What a hard thing it is sometimes to get people to move in a matter of the most vital importance to them. The truth may be presented to them in the most forcible and convincing manner. They may admit the truth and force of the argument and ac. quiesce in all that can be said, but there is no ACTION; they simply Ac- oUIEscE, and to acquiesce merely is to let theIr most vital interests go to the dogs. Strange! Strange!! But when we remember that it is only by the steady, oft-repeated, sturdy blow that the forest is leveled, the rough rude iron beat Tn shape and utilized for the purposes of civilization, and the valuable ores and hidden wealth of the earth developed and brought to light, we are not discouraged from picking up our Faber often in cause which we believe to be intimately connected with the prosperity of the laboring and industrial classes of Pope county's citizens.

 Ever since last fall when we made our first attempt at holding County Fair, we have been appealing thro' this paper to the people of the coun- ty to form a permanent Fair Organi- zation and prepare to give first class County exhibition every fall. We have appealed through the paper to the public generally and to those of our citizens by name whom we thought were most interested and most public spirited. So far we are not discouraged, although we have as vet aroused but little action and elicited but one response. Last week our esteemed Dover correspon- dent took up the subject and sug- gested the first Saturday in Februa- " as day for holding a general Mass meeting at Russcllyille for the purpose of taking initiatory steps. We are thankful that we have got our friend aroused in the cause, and we trust that others will now fall in- to line. If anything is going to be done it is time for action. The first Saturday in February would be a good time, and we now make the sug- gestion that the friends of the move ment make 1t generally known that there will be grand rally on that day tor the purpose of getting the sense of the people on the subject, and taking such steps as may be deemed prudent. We shall then see what can be done, We hope to see our best men take hold of the mat ter. We HAVE good men in the county and we hear from them al ways when their is an office to fill or honor to be conferred. We will see if we can now hear from them when there is move to be inaugurated for the furtherance of the best interests of our farming and industrial classes.

 Show your colors, gentlemen!
Year: 1878

SOME experiments have been made at
Brussels in breaking down horses by
means of an electric bride. The appa-
ratus, called the Engstrom bride, after
its inventor, consists simply in couple
of reins, along which run electric wires.
At the end of the reins small electric
battery is attached, which is entirely in
the power of the experimenter. By
pressing on a little knob the electric
current acts on the corners of the horses
mouth and after a few consecutive or
intermittent shocks the animal becomes
perfectly docile. A very intractable
mare was broken in after one expert
ment with the bride. The inventor
asserts that runaway horses can imme-
diately be brought to stand-still by
means of this apparatus.
Year: 1878

ANXIOUS times are ahead for a good
many officers in the Italian army, who
have just been called upon to make
their choice between the Pope and their
King. A royal decree has been issued
ordering all officers who were married
simply in accordance with the rites of
their church to get married again, ac-
cording TO the civil law, as the military
rules does not recognize the religious
car,,oorv
Year: 1878

The complacency with which juries
sometimes disregard the evidence is
illustrated by trial in st. Louis. A
man who had fallen in an uncovered
sewer hole sued the city for damages.
He had 80 clear a case that the only
question fairly opened to the jury was
what sum TO award him., The Jurors
retired, and from their room saw an
open sewer hole into which nobody
could have fallen except through his own
gross carelessness. They Immediately
agreed to verdict against the plaintiff
Subsequently they learned that the
sewer hole of tie suit was entirely differ
ent from the one on which they had
based their verdict.
Year: 1878

THE story Of Genevra has been re-
peatsd in a sad way near the town of
Dixon, Missouri. Two little children
concealed themselves in a trunk to hide
in sport from their father, whom they
saw on his return home. After a long
search, they were found in the sleep of
death by the Mortified parent.
Year: 1878

"WELL, / don't carel Satan was
sharp and knew what he was about"
said lady whose husband was holding
the first woman responsible for all the
trouble in the world. He knew mighty
we'll that if he offered the apple to Adam
first he would eat it all up himself and
not give Eve taste, and so to be sure
of getting both into the scrape he gave
Eve the first chance at it."
Year: 1878

AN exchange says: "The unequal
length of the lower limbs sometimes
observed in man can be more readily
detected when the man is lying down on
the floor than when he is standing up.
Experienced tailors assert that this alb
breviation accounts for some misfits in
trousers" Under such circumstances
the only way for a tailor to give man
fits is to throw him down before the
measure is taken.--Ne,o Orleans Picayune
Year: 1878

The testimony of McLln was continued.
He stated that, from all he heard, and all
that took place, W tness looked upon Noyes
as a special representative of Hayes, ex
pressing his views with regard to every
thing, and felt satisfied that If the State
went for Hayes, leading Republicans of the
State would be provided for. General Lew
Wallace was very active in getting up testi-
mony before the board; getting in returns
and evidence in contested precincts and
counties. He said he had been te1egraphed
to by Hayes, requesting him to come to
Florida. and said before and after the can
vass he was satisfied that Hayes, if he be-
came President, would take pleasure in pro-
viding for the Republicans of Florida.


Witness said his party feeling had more to
do with his course in the board than any
other cause, and did not know that he was
directly influenced by the promise of Office,
though these were not without weight. He
felt assured that. SD far as pecuniary profit
went, he could gain as much by casting his
vote one way as the other. Witness said he
had come to the conclusion that if the board
had followed the instructions of the Su-
preme Court of the State, had counted
precincts which were thrown out by them,
and had thrown out the counties of
Alachua, Leon and Jefferson, in which
fraud had evidently been committed, the
State certainly went for Tilden.


On examination by Hiscock witness testi-
fed that no direct offers of money were
made by either Noyes or stearns to influ-
ence his official action. On one occasion,
Mr.. Manton Marble, after assuring witness
of his belle that the state had fairly given
its vote for Tilden, and that fraud was be-
ing resorted to by the Republicans to give
the State to Hayes, made an appeal to him
to do his duty. w tness replied ttat if he felt
that Hayes was elected he would die in the
ditch before he would give up the State, to
which he alleged Marble said, There is no
danger, ifyou do right, of your dying in the
ditch or dying poor" Think Mr.. Marble
had subsequently made public denial Of
witnesses were examined, but no definite
testimony as to fraud was given.
Year: 1878

policy of the National Administration.
There was no evidence of "hate" in the
programme" which called for the wanton
assassination of scores and hundreds Of Re-
publicans in the campaign Of 1875 and '76
in Mississippi, and which, two years after
the overthrow of Republican supremacy in
the state and the complete restoration Of
home rule and local seli-government,' y
caused the cruel and cowardly murder Of
those to whose memory few devoted
friends would now humbly pay tribute
For evidence of "hate" the attention of the
public is turned upon the widow and or
phan children who on the first anniversary
Of the death of their loved ones, in the city
and church of their adoption, have pre-
sumed to petition at the Throne Of Grace
for strength to bear up under their grievous
wrongs and great weight of woe.


But what Is to be done2 Will United
States troops be called out on Sunday next
to prevent services being held at the Metro
poltan Church, or will WATTERsoN be
there with hundred thousand Kentuck-
ians?
Year: 1878

IT is the policy of the Democrats at this
junGture to bciOg and misleld the popular
mind. They assume that the Republicans
in the House are throwing themselves in
the way Of an investigation into the elec-
ton frauds Of 1~78 when the contrary is
the truth. The Republicans demand Il full,
fair, and just investigation into all the
frauds incident upon that canvass. In
truth, they want more investigation than is
proposed by the Democrats, and because the
Democrats have determined that such in.
vcstigations shall not be had, the Rcpubl.
cans resist their restriction of the scope i'll
sisted upon by their opponents. That is
the question in nutshell, and that is all
there is Of it. The Republicans are neither
to be nisrepresentcd in this case, nor are
they to submit tamely to u greater fraud
row upon that election than can possibly
be shown under their resolution. 1t is the
Democrats, not the Republicans, that stand
in the way of investigation.
Year: 1878

Mn. MILLS, Of ToNR4. should seize his baggage
ard get out Of the Democratic party by the shortest
route ana on mn express train. He evidently don't
belong to that vile organization. lie has II mind Of
his own, and Isn't afraid To exercise II in his own
independent way Hushhsg'on HcpUWicm.


We unite in urging Mr.. MILLS to move at
once to the Republican camp. lie is too good
and pure, and he knows too much. His great
independent mind will never be at ease until
it throbs uniettCrcd upon the bosom Of the
party which stole the PrGsdcuCy.-Bditi
GI-site.


1t remains to be seen whether or not Mr..
MILLS will accept this notice TO quit rs au-
thcntic and seek more genial associations.
The Democratic party is no abiding place
for an American citizen who is intelligent,
Independent, patriotic, and loyal to the best
good ol the Government. A man to be a
Democrat must wear collar, give heed to
tho party lash, sink his seli.respect, his love
of country, his sense Of right, and utterly
abnegate and subordinate himself to his
party leaders. Then he will never become
too good and pure" or know too much" to
be worthy disciple of SAM RANDALL and
Year: 1878

The highest ambition of q Southern Con-
federate Democratic member of Congress
appears now to be to invent, advocate, and
give success to some scheme, by which the
South can get even with the North. They seem
to regard the late unpleasantness between
the two sections of the country us yet un-
settled, and to think that the old scores of
that difficulty have become matters of book
account, to be evened up by any advantages
that may be taken of the people of the
North, in legislation or otherwise no mat
ter how ill-advised or unjust. The primary
purpose ofthess people appears to be to an
noy, embarrass, or oppress the Northern Sec
tion, by measures that will operate un-
equally or oppressively toward the people
of the loyal States during the period of the
rebellion. The spirit of enmity that led to
the endeavor to destroy the Government
docs not appear to have been placatcd
ltmny sleep; but it rankles in the heart of
the Southron while it appears to sleep, and
gathers venom for some future outbreak in
the mission of mischief and unlricndli-
ness. This has been specially manifest
in the discussion of the question of repeal
ing the bankrupt law The South is COM
parItiyely free from debt, while the North
is heavily encumbcrcd and embarrassed. The
North has need of the bankrupt law, while
the South has not, and hence its repeal was
strongly advocated and championed by the
South rs one of the means of getting even
with the North.


While the question of reducing the tax
on tobacco was under discussion recently in
the House, Mr. CABELL, of Virginia, became
very much excited because that proposition
was antagonizcd by those who regard it but
wise and just to make that product
pay its proportion of the national
debt. lie gave vent to his heated
feelings on tho floor, and then
retired to the cloak-room where he gave
them still more fresh and unguarded flow.
lie there declared in the hearing of
of our informant in substance, that if the
North resisted the reduction of the tax on
tobacco he should urge the imposition of an
income tax, for the reason that the North
had the business, the money, and the in
comes and in that way and with that un-
comfortable measure the South proposed to
get even MS far as possible. In this way
animosity is nursed instead of being
placated, and petty feeling of hate seems
to inspire acts of n vengeful character to-
ward the North upon every available op-
tunty. This is the plane of fraternity and
unity that is at present occupied by our
Southern brethren, and they are constantly
aggressive.
Year: 1878

THE Ohio soldiers have not forgotten, In
the turmoil and confusion of recent political
events, the man who has ever been their
friend, who was their commauder-in-chef,
and who, even now in these days Of Concili-
alton, boldly declares that he and they have
no apologies to make for their glorious past
Tneir invitation to him to participate in the
Newark reunion next July furnishes ample
evidence of this fact
Year: 1878

THE Deadlock continues in the House
Five days of valuable time have been
wasted by the Democratic majority In that
body in attempts to make partisan capital
out of an investigation which they claim,
however falsely is not intended to accom-
plish any result beyond the smirching of o
few Republicans. Taking them at their own
iAy-so, the Democrats are responsible for
this delay in the public business
Year: 1878

Mr. POTTER, in behalf of the Democrats,
refused yesterday to allow the House to
proceed to the consideration of legislative
business. This refusal fixes the response
bility for the wasteful delay of time
by the House exactly whore it belongs.
Year: 1878

IT Is currently reported that BEVERLY
DoUGLAss-with BILE between the and
the g-saw double yesterday and paired of
with himself. The eye of the Democratic
organ probably spotted him as one of the
Democrats who didn't pass between the
stcllerr
Year: 1878

THERE never was a better opportunity
than the one afforded by the present situa-
ton in the House for some Democrat to win
imperishable glory and the gratitude OF his
fellow-countrymen, including hundreds and
thousands OF his fellow-partisans, by effec-
lively organizing and leading the anti
POTTER wing Of that party against the pro-
posed Title Investigation. There would not
necessarily be n coalition with the Repub-
licans in such o movement, for it need not
extend to an approval of Mr.. HALE's pro-
posed amendment to the POTTER resolution.
All that is necessary would be combina-
ton, non-partisan In its character to put
the House back on its beaten track of legit-
innate duty. e.. the enactment of needed
laws for the restoration and preservation of
peace and business prosperity, Those Dem
ocrats who continue to follow Mr.. PoTTER's
lead will fail to embrace this opportunity
and incur their share of the responsibility
for tho consequent disturbance OF public
affairs. so long us the POrTER-TuDEN
wing continues its tsdcmand fora Jug n andlcd
investigation, just so long will the Rcpubli-
cans continue their demand for a Sweeping"
and non-partisan inquiry. Who, among
the Democracy has the wisdom and inde-
pcndcnce TO make the effort?
Year: 1878

THE full returns Of the election
in Los Angeles county show that
only forty-two per cent. Of our
qualified voters took the trouble to
cast their ballots. This is consid.
erably less than one half OF the
vote polled here at an election in
which the people take any interest.
Elections involving Constitutional
questions are always, from some
unaccountable cause, neglected by
the people. One would suppose
that there could not well be more
important issues than those bound
up in possibly radical changes of
our organic laws.