smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

The Dallas Herald says ''that although the
merchant may ostensibly pay twenty-five
dollars year occupation tax, he quietly,
and perhaps properly, transfers its payment
TO the farmer by a small additional per cent.
on the price of his goods. Thus the pro-
ducer pays 1t after all. the merchant being
but the medium through which this tax is
collected. Merchants pay to the govern
ment larger duties on tobacco, coffee and
sugar, but the consumer eventually foots
the bill, and the merchants are simply the
agency through which this tax is gathered.


The Herald should have added that the
farmer or producer not only refunds the
tax to the merchant but pays interest and
profit on the tax which is added to the
prime cost of the goods. Therefore it is
commonly argued, since all taxes fall finally
on the producers of the country, that it
would cost them less if all taxation were
direct and none indirect. Then produ-
GERS should alone eXpend govern nent rev
enues, and this is certainly true in munlci-
pal governments in which the State and
iIo SOullo plOlcCI llle anu TIRnC anu llDeTLy
while the local government deals only with
property. And yet here m Texas the nom
taxpaying rabbe constitutes the balance of
power in towns and counties and here, as
In the older States, demagogues so shape
legislation that principle and right are vio-
lated and the whole country is plundered
by adventures that appeal successfully to
the prejudices of this nomadic voting mob


Demagogues are compelled to confess the
presence of the evil; but are always amend
ing charters and pretending to inaugurate
reforms in municipal institutions conscious
that there is but one recourse which consists
in making those rulers who pay the cost of
maintaiHing municipal systems. Such is the
uselessness Of the privilege of suffrage in
city or town, where the rabble is potent,
that decent people set no value on it and do
not exercise it, and thus the condition of
towns, once prostrated, grows steadily
worse. The new Constitution perpetuates
these progressive calamities, and patriots
and sensible people will vote it down.
Year: 1876

THE laxIty of political thinking is con-
formed to that of moral reasoning of our
time. Even that staunch, old, strict con-
structionist, Reverdy Johnson, who fell
dead the other day at Annapolis, believed
that there is constitutional authority for the
government to appropriate money for the
Centennial Exhibition in that portion of the
Constitution which gives it power to levy
taxes, etc., and to borrow money without
limitation as to amount to pay debts, and
provide for the common defense and general
welfare. This authority, if shackled with
nice distinctions, would deprive the gov
ernment of powers most essential to Its
wholesome operation. The legality of an
act appropriating money for the Centennial
must rest, he thinks, not upon express, but
implied power-the same implied authority
which enabled Congress to appropriate
money for the relief of those whose prop
erty had been destroyed by an earthquake,
and to establish and support an Agricultural
Department, for which no express provision
is made in the Constitution. He further
says, that if the latter instrument were to
be literally interpreted, the United States
would be without powers essential to its
prosperity, and be reduced to the dimen-
sion of petty municipality.
Year: 1876

a slight study Of the working Of the rev
enue system shows that very deep errors
lie at the bottom of it aud tend constantly
10 make it Ineffective. To our personal
knowledge Comptroller Darden has time
and again laid facts before the Legislature
and asked for the passage of such acts as
would place it in his power To make the
system more effectual, but as yet the re-
quired legislation is lacking. Coming leg
islatures will do Texas great service by
giving this subject earnest attention, and
acting upon the advice of those who have
made the subject u matter OF careful and
even official study.


Below We give some points Of interest
touching directly and indirectly upon the
subject of reforms:


OCCUPATION TAXES.


The iBsufhciency of the present revenue
system Is shown in the fact that the occupa-
tion tax Ia 1874 was over $50, 600 greater
than IN 1915. Too much authority Is taken
cut OF the hands of the Comptroller. and
until there is thorough reformation in the
management of the revenue system very
great evils must prevail. Il should De the
object of the Legislature to pass such laws
as TO give this officer more authority, rather
than % be continually curtailiDg IT. Al
present he has about as much power oveI
the acts OF revenue officers as any privste
individual has. he Can sue the bondsmen
Of delinquent officers, and this is the extent
of hIS control over them. He can call on
] them for settlements and they respond -
Year: 1876

Pacific should be made known everywhere,
and this copy of the STATESMAN sent into
every town and village east of the Missis-
sippi would do infinite service to Austin
and Travis county
Year: 1876

MENTAL INDEPENDENcE.- is a
tendency always to think, in the masses,
not what is true, but what is respectable,
correct, orthodox, authorized; that we
ask. 1t comes partly from cowardice,
partly from Incidence, from habit, from
imitation, from the uncertainty and
darkness Of all moral truths, and the
dread of timid minds to plunge into the
investigation of them Now truth known
and believed respecting God and man
frees from this, by warning of individu-
al responsibility. But responsibility is
personal. 1t cannot be delegated to
another, and thrown off upon the church.
Before God, face to face, each soul must
stand 10 give account. Do not, how.
ever, confound mental independence
with mental pride. 1t may, it ought to,
co-exist with the deepest humility. For
that mind alone is free which, conscious
ever of its own feebleness feeling hourly
its own liability to err, turning thank
fully to light, from whatever side it may
come, does not refuse to give up that
right with which God has invested it, or
to abrogate its own responsibility; and
so, humbly and even awfully, resolves to
have an opinion, judgment. decision
of its own.
Year: 1876

PRESERVE THE PIcTUREsQUE-The
farmer or country resident who has an
eye for the picturesque will show it in
the small features of his estate Moth
ing, in fact, viii be neglected. He will
make the paths and drives suggestive
he will repair all the broken and worn
out portions of the house and its artifi
cial attachments with thought and skill
and he will take promptly away all ac.
cumulations Of unsightly rubbish, which
is, perhaps, the most crying sin of all
those that help TO deform. The attract
i've place need not be new one. Some
of the oldest are, in fact, rather prefera-
BILE on account of their age, if they be
we'll kept for nothing shows finer in a
landscape than where some home has
imprinted on it the customs and styles Of
long departed generation. An old
we'll sweep, or a pen stock, or an ancien
doorway, where the door is cut in halves
or some broader feature of the house
which takes you back to the previou;
century, are things that may well be pre-
served, where they can be- and are
sometimes worth more than all the cary
ed decorations, angles, cornices, scroll
work, and projections that shine out il
SO smirking and selfsatisfed way il
your neighbours freshly painted and city
like domicile. Not that these things are
not good of their kind but they some
times, so to speak, get the best of the ed
ifce or its situation, and when they do
no amount of money or perfection o.
workmanship can make them seemly OIL
tolerable.-JoeL Beato.
Year: 1876

A SUBSTITUTE FOR Coal. The prop
osition to supercede coal by the use of
carbonic gas extracted from chalk has
been subjected to practical test, and
with very satisfactory results. Extract
ed and applied to anthracite, it produces
strong fame and heat, and at so slow
a rate of combustion that good fire
was maintained for twenty-nine hours in
furnace which heats church with on
ly fifty-six pounds of anthracite, and an
equal quantity of chalk mixed with it
during that time. Through the aid of
this remarkable property of chalk the
Ignite known as shale may be used for
the production of an Illuminating gas to
an extent which will appear incredible.
Even the coarsest clay of this singular
formation is fs9 of gas, and the expert
ments made in England, though imper-
feet, show that one ton of this substance
together with due proportion of chalk,
will yield as large an amount of gas as
eight tons of ordinary coal. From these
tests the inventor argues that London
will be warmed and lighted at half the
present cost, that smoke, dust, and other
nuisances might be lighted with gas, and
the kitchen fire, with some slight altera-
tion in the crate might supply the house
with light Finally, Ignite and anthra-
cite beds would become valuable proper
ty, and chalk would be exported as coal
is now.
Year: 1876

CANNIBALs Find spiders where you


will, they are still cannibals. Father
spider will make breakfast, without the
least hesitation off his children, while
the mother, spariug her children, after a
vain endeayor to prevent hubby from
eating the children, frequently comes to
the conclusion that he would make a
good meal, and falling upon him would
gobble him up in short order. Even in
the reproducing season will madam spi-
der attack her lord, and conquering him


in fair fight, will at once devour him.
A certain species of spiders are supplied
with small bladder, somewhat similar
to a drum, and the sound made by it,
called by the superstitious the dead
watch" is nothing more than the spider
drumming for his mistress to come forth
from her hiding place. Allusion is made
to this by Lacon, where he says " an old
man, like the spider, can never make
love without beating his own dead watch.
Year: 1876

KEEP THE FEET CLEAN.-The ma
joriiy of people pay little attention to
the cleanliness of the feet, and yet a
square inch of the sole of the foot de-
mands cleanliness, perfect cleanliness,
more than any square foot of surface Of
the body, as far as health is concerned,
because the "pores " are much larger
there than anywhere else ; SO large in.
deed that they may be called "sluices
for carrying away the impurities of the
system. Hence the bottom of the feel
should Be well rubbed every day.
Year: 1876

ANEcDoTE OF LORD NELSON When
Lord Nelson gained the great victory of
Copenhagen, be silenced the sand bat
teries by his broadsides but he found
out that one or more of his ships were in
shallow water. Itwas, therefore, deemed
expedient to send letter to the crown
prince of Denmark to demand cessa-
tion of hostilities in order to spare fur
lher efusion of blood The letter being
written and neatly folded, Lord Nelson
sent for stick of sealing wax. 1t SO
happened that he who was sent on the
commission had his head taken off by
cannon ball This was reported to Mel
son. :" Send another messenger for the
wax, said he. 1t was observed to him
that there we're waters on the table.
" Send for the sealing wax" he repeated.
Il was done and the letter was sealed.
Some one said: May / take the lib.
erty of asking why, under so hot fire.
and after such an accident, you attached
SO much importance to circumstance
apparently trifling?" He replied eff
bad made use of wafer, it would
have been still wet when the letter was
presented to the crown prince; he would
have inferred that the letter was sent off
IN hurry, and that we had some pres
sing occasion for it The wax tells no
tales"
Year: 1876

A SLIGHT MIsTAkE.-A few nights
ago says the Nashua Telegraph, a eler-
gyman of that city called at drug store
and purchased ready made pack
age Of sage. He took it to his home
and gave it in charge of the servant with
instructions that she make some tea for
the child. The servant mentioned re-
paired to the kitchen; produced dish
and some hot water, broke the end of
the package and thumped it in the belief
that quantity of sage would fall. No
sage another thump. Thumps. but no
sage followed. Finally the package was
opened, when-two euchre decks The
clergyman was as cool as a philosopher
and the druggist blushed and allowed it
was mistake.
Year: 1876

ANIMAL SORROW. During a recent
visit to the Pacific coast, was told the
following incident by an eye witness A
heifer had gone in the morning with the
herd to the field for pasture. During
her absence her first born was slain. and
the skin carelessly hung on the barn
yard fence to dry. The evening brought
the milch kline home. A gentle breeze
blowing revealed, by mysterious instinct,
the loss of the dam. She neared the
spot, stood motionless, and her whole
frame seemed to tremble with emotion.
Not a murmuring low as usually, was
heard. Overwhelming sorrow was as
plain on her face, as the mother wiring
ing her hands in agony over an empty
cradle. Several farm hands we're look.
ing on. They saw the great round tears
flowing silently down This dumb
beasts sorrowful eloquence, telling them
of their cruelty, they could not stand.
They too, wept like children. Sunday
School Times
Year: 1876

The Literary Fraternity of Colby
University held public debate Wednes-
day evening, on the question whether the
right Of suffrage should be restricted To
those persons who can read and write
After the discussion the question was put
to the audience. and decided la the affir-
NATIVE by large majority.
Year: 1876

Is it not rather undemocratic Tor
the City Council OF Calais to deny TO
the voters of that City the privilege OF
expressing their wishes at the ballot
box, upon the question of the Shore
Line Railroad?
Year: 1876

There's generally about six of them
in the bunch, with light dresses on,
and they have three poles with as
many hooks and lines among them.


AS soon as they get TO the river
they look for a good place to get down
on the RATS, and the most ventur-
some one sticks her'b6ot heels in the
bank and makes two careful steps
down; then she suddenly finds her
self at the bottom With both hands in
the water and q feeling thatevefy-
body in this wide world is locking at
her and she never tells anybody how
she got there. The other girls profit
ing by, her example, turn around and
go down the bank on thaifhanda and
toes, hackYN
Year: 1876

A PARTY met at a public table
when the conversation turned upon
the subject of transmigration, Mr.
X. was firm believer in the doctrine
and was expatiating largely upon its
points, when he was interrupted by d
gentleman who was present with X.
what do you suppose yourself to have
been before your name was K, 1 dc
not know, replied X, 4 might have
been a pig, Cor aught | know Well
rejoined his friend, you have not al.
tered much-only got upon your hind
legs
Year: 1876

A four year old boy in Washington
county drank half pint Of lye, and
is expected to recover, though the
doctor says he will never be good for
anything but to edit a political news
paper.
Year: 1876

That villain took it with him when
he dropped under the wheels. What
is to be done?


we must 60 on just as we are go.
ing now. If we cant reach Apsley
Junction before the express, we are
lost


And so they still tore on through
the murkey night, plunging death
ward with every second.


Jennie looked steadily ahead.


i see lantern, Joe


"A lantern! he cried, trying to
rise. 1t is the switchman at Apsley
junction


At the same instant both heard the
weird and ominous scream of a whis-
tie.


1T is the express approaching at
the other end ; shouted Joe with the
sudden energy of despair. If we
have two minutes in our favor we are
saved. What is the color of the Ian
tern, Jennie?


Red, and he waves it up and down.
He is running across the track


Sound the whistle four times
screamed Joe. 1T is the signal to
switch us off.


She knew how. Three shreking
blasts and long concluding wall
The watchman had set his lantern
down. One minute


Over tie rails they jnmped, and
were safe on the siding With rusty
groan the watchman closed the switch
A flash and ayell and express No 50
had safely passed


Both trains were secure. Kiss me
Joe--no danger now, she whispered.
He caught her just in time, fer she
had tainted. Already he bad reversed
the engine, and the train was stand
ing still.


The old switchman with his lantern
came hobbIng over


You whistled in the nick of time,
he said, TREMENDOUSLY. There was only
two minutes between you and eterni,
ty my man


Two minutes said Joe, and q
womans loving heart


And that was true.
Year: 1876

REJECTING THE BIDS OF THE COMPANIES.


At meeting yesterday of the City Gas
Commission an opinion was received from the Corpora
ton Counsel that the commission had legal power to re-
jeet the bids the gas companies. Mr. whitney added


In this case the bids would seem to furnish conclusive
evidence Of cousOn between the various companies
by which the city mapped out and divided up between
them and the city is deprived OF all competition"


On motion Of the Mayor the bids were then rejected
The following proposition received from the Globe
Gaslght Company Of Boston:


The company viii afix their patent "gasoline
attachments' TO all the street lanterns now
in use in your city, or any number OF
the same not less than 1000; will supply
material and cause the to be lighted every night IN
the wear giving light in accordance with your specif
cations lately advertised keeping the lanterns clean and
ia repair 70 the satisfaction OF your board painting the
lanterns and posts at least once In the year in the best
manner this service the City OF NewIOrk shal pay
the said Globe Gasght Company the sum OF 26 4S per
annum In monthly nstaments fOreach ana every lamp
SO lighted cared for, sufficient guarantee TO be gwen
by the Globe Company for the faithful performance OF
this work.


On motion OF Controller Kelly the Commissioner OF
Public Works was directed advertise for proposals for
lighting the streets from JAN TO March 81, 1877 IL
was understood that the purpose Of this that the
Legislature might have time TO provide remedy against
the exorbitant rates demanded by the gas companies
These companies 1t was reported yesterday, had in-
formed the commission that they had lost money last
year their contract with the CITY, and could not af
ford to light the city at lower figures.
Year: 1876

Several of the ladies' interested in the sue
cess Of the ahnemann Hospital have enlisted In the aid
of their charity a number OF the younger members Of
wel.known families who upon former occasions have
shown decided ability in negro minstrelsy. This
evening amateur performance the proceeds OF which
win he devoted To tho FIee Bed Fund OF the hospital
will be given at Chickcring Hail. AS the anna
teurs are members OF the NendelssOhn Club mu-
so OF high order s promised. The tickets,
which are SO each, be obtained at tho
hail and also ut Dtson's store at No. I'll Broad
way These amateur charity entertainments have
always well attended by people in tho beat society
OF the city The ladies interested feel that the benefit
derived from this entertainment will bo especially ac-
ceptable at this time, tho approach Of Winter has
made the increase OF the fund necessary and the volun
tary contributions have sufficient to meet the
demands made upon IL.
Year: 1876

For the first time since the fire the streets
at the front OF the Brooklyn Theaer yes
tertay thrown entirely Open and spectators were al
lowed to approach the ruins from any side except
through Floods Alley. This still guarded to
vent accident from the falling bricks of the wall that is
being taken down next The pOca station.
Year: 1876

TwEED's HIDING PLACE.
tendent Walling says that he believes
that Tweed is living somewhere in Can
ada; that trustworthy information has
been received that points conUlusively to
Canada as his present hiding place.
Nevertheless, the superintendent admits
Tweed may still be concealed in this
city. He could remain here very easily,
and none of the persons in pursuit Of
him could learn the least thing about
his hiding-place. There were men con-
nected with Tweed who would serve him
TO the death and never divulge his hid
ing place or say or do anything TO attract
the attention or suspicion Of the authori


ties If he were to be taken sick, he
could find plenty of physicians who
would be willing to attend TO him and
ask no questions. Where Tweed is, the


Superintendent concludes, can only be
coniectured at best, but it is truly re-
markablc that nothing positive or de-
finite has been heard Of him since his
escape from custody.--Mo~ York Trib.
Year: 1876

These lost imports were not diverted to
other ports, nearly all the other importing
cities in this country showing proportioned
loss.


The New York Herald publishes list
Of church and other property in New York
exempt from taxation. IL shows that fifty
thousand lots, valued at one hundred and
twenty six million one hundred and seventy
thousand dollars, pay no tax to the city gov
ernment. The cost of gas to the lamps kept
burning before the churches at the expense
of the city, is fifty thousand dollars. These
figures and facts are grouped as note Of
warning on the subject Of church taxation.
which threatens at no distant day to be one
OF the leading questions of the great political
parties


The New York Herald takes cheerful
view Of the business outlook. IL thinks the
business prospects of New York ere better
now than many have anticipated. There has
been depreciation in the value Of property,
but owners of real estate prefer to hold their
investments to selling them at panic prices.
I" Altogether" says the Herald, "we may feel
that we are to have better year than we
have had for some years past. There is the
centennial as an artificial impulse TO help us
as well as our plucky aud well deserving city
Of Philadelphia. We shall have the election,
also, in its way stimulus to business activity
and enterprise"
Year: 1876

"MYb boy, tell us what you know about
rattan said the committeeman. at
is sometimes called the calamus rottang;
comes from Penang, Samarang and Pa
dang, and is used BY the master in this
school too dang Often"