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THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON, D. 0., THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 1883.
The National Tribune.
(Established 1877.)
.
To CARE rOS HIM WHO HAS DOflNC THE BATTLC, AMD TOfl
His widow and orphans." Abraham Lincoln.
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toneo. Sec. , Art. XIV, Constitution of the United
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COVMEUD IT TO ALL COMKADES Or THE OflOER."
Paul VanDervoort,
Comtv.etR-iN-Cmcr, G. A. R.
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CNTEKCS AT TM WMHWOTON POT-0riC SC0OS0-0U48 WATTER.
The National Tribune.
WASHINGTON, D. C. MAKCII S, 1SSJ.
The number of Ascriptions to Tjn: Na
XIONAI, TltlHUNE rcccired during the iccclz
vnditig Tuesday, March Mh, was S);J0.
The number of pension certificates issued
lad signed during the, week ending March
Bth, was as follows: Original, G73; increase,
117 j ra-iffluc, '.)!', restoration, 17; duplicate,
B3; arrears, 0; accrued pensions, 52; total,
D31.
"We must again remind our correspond
ents of the importance of writing their com
munications in a bold, legible hand. It
frcgueufty- happens that the signatures to
ijr letters are undecipherable, and in such
Mr publication is, of course, out of the
kou. This statement will perhaps cx-
otin to some of our correspondents why
heir articles have received no attention.
Kkcipikxts of sample copies of The
Tribune should endeavor to obtain at least
one subscriber for every extra cop' sent
lhem. Show it to some comrade or neigh
bor or acquaintance, and call his attention
to its merits. If he is a soldier or the friend
of the soldier, he cannot fail to be interested
in its contents and impressed -with the value
of the work which it is doing. Make it a
personal matter to secure bis subscription.
In the extension of The Tribune's circu
lation onr readers are equally concerned
with ourselves. The more numerous its
subscribers, the greater will be its ability &
promote the growth of the -Si-anil Army,
compel the recogition of the rights of the
Boldiej-fey Congress, silence the hue and cry
flTo. slanderous press, and advance the inter
ests of our veterans generally. The Trib
une ought to have at least one hundred
thousand subscribers; if every rfcader who
receives a sample copy will procure one new
subscriber in return for it, that result will
soon be accomplished. Don't waste your
ammunition, therefore, but make every shot
tell.
.... , ,
As will, be seen by reference to our re
port of Congressional proceedings, Commis
sioner Dudley has transmitted to the Senate,
in compliance with Senator Beck's reso
lution, an alphabetical list of all pensioners
on the rolls January 1st, 1883, and that
the Senate has ordered the list printed.
It will occupy about 4,500 pages of the same
size as those of the Congressional Record, and
the cost will be about $57,000 ! In all proba
bility the list will not be printed until De
cember next, in time to be laid before the
Senate at the opening of the session, when,
no doubt, Senator Beck will make another
effort to secure the passage of his bill to post
the list at every post-office and advertise it
in the newspapers. When he comes to figure
up the cost of the publication, however, he
will find some difficulty,-we imagine, in con
vincing his fellow Senators of the necessity
of such an expenditure of the pitblic money.
Ifit costs 57,000 simply to prirl, the names
in a pamphlet form for the convenience of
the Seuate, what will it coal to print it in
the advertising columns of the newspapers
at twenty, thiity or forty cents per line?
Mr. Beck is not the first statesman who has
beon floored by a simple kuiu in arithmetic
The refiwal of the House to pass the
bonded whisky bill, despite the desperate
attempts of the lobby to compel action upon
it in the clo-iag hours of the session, will
long -he remembered' to its credit. Had this
measure became a law it would have robbed
the Treasury of the interest on some eighty
millions of dollais, and possibly of the prin
cipal itself, :o the sole benefit of the dis
tiljeis. Aj;am:-t the injustice o? such a pro
cedure Tub Tribuxe protested with all the
ability at its cemmaad, and it is with no
flight satisfaction that it records the failure
of Ute bill. At the opening of the next ses
sion of Cm?Ttss, we dare say, Rh attempt
will be made to secure the repeal of the
whisky tar itself, but our veterans have it
in their power, between now and the first
Monday in December, to array public senti
ment so strongly against the movement that
Congress will not dare to countenance it
Forewarned is forearmed, and now that our
ex-eoldie'rs know the character of the op
position with which they will have to con
tend, they should resolve to work persistently
and unitedly for its overthrow.
Tho Adjournment of Congress.
The work of the Forty-seventh Congress
is finished and the record of its labors is
before the country. It unquestionably com
mitted many grave blunders, but some of its
acta will redound to tho permanent benefit of
the country. At its first session it enacted a
river and harbor bill of such huge proportions
that the peoplo were constrained to carry
their disapproval to the polls. At its second
session, however, it nut forth an earnest effort
to regain public favor, and although it made
the mistake of construing the result of the
fall elections as a declaration in favor of a
reduction of internal revenue taxation and
tariff charges, it accomplished a good deal
in tho way of wholcsomo legislation. It
passed tho civil service bill, provided for a
reduction of the postage on letters, disposed
of the long pending question of tho return
of tho Japanese indemnity fund, enlarged
tho usefulness of tho Court of Claims, and
took measures to prevent tho adulteration
of tea. It refused to pass tho bonded
whisky extension bill and a new river and
harbor bill both virtuous acts of omission
The total appropriations made at the first
session amounted to 6205,505,039; at the
second session to but $220,327,511. 30 a
very considerable retrenchment, which will
go far .to balance the curtailment of the rev
enues involved in the operation of the tariff
bill. As to the unwisdom of the last named
measure we have spoken at length else
where, but there is this to be said in cxlon
uation of its action that Congress was sub
jected to a heavy pressure from those who
were anxious to have the internal revenue
taxes abolished entirely, and in consenting
only to a partial reduction it preserved to the
Treasury at least half of its anuual surplus.
Indeed, if we were sure that no further re
duction would be made iu the near future,
Ave should be disposed to accept the result
with tranquility, since the revenues of the
Government are still ample to meet tho just
demands of our ex-soldiers without affect
ing in tho slightest degreo tho discharge
of its usual obligations, and it is only the
apprehension of what the next Congress
may attempt in this direction that has
occasioned us disquietude.
However, our ex-soldiers have carried
their main point in tho defeat of the attempt
to abolish tho taxes entirely and thereby
wipe out every penny of the existing surplus,
and it is now a question simply of maintain
ing their advantage. That they can do so,
if they choose, does not admit of doubt, but
it is essential thai they should lose no time
in getting their forces into line. The ability
of The Tribune to lead them on to victory
is only limited by the size of tho army at
its back. It has held its ground so far
against superior numbers and in the face of
overwhelming odds, but in the campaign
that is opening it is necessary that it should
have tho support of every ex-soldier in the
country. Its influence is directly depend- -cut
on its circulation ; tho larger that JS tlsc
more potent TuRmutv'SKwill bo for the
aceomnliaumcnt of the great work which
has been given it to do.
Homo, Sweet Homo.
" Bo .it ever so humble, there's no placo
like home," wrote John Howard Payne,
himself a wanderer in foreign climes and
destined to dio in a strange land. If there
is any class of citizens that more than an
other have reason to know and. appreciate
the meaning of these immortal lines, it is
our ex-soldiers. It was to preserve their
homes from invasion and desolation that
they waged a four years'- war with traitors.
It was their deep-rooted love for the homes
which they had left behind them that sus
tained them through all tho trials and
perils which that wax' involved. It was the
hope of restoring to those homes the peace
and happiness of other days, that inspired
them to carry on the strugglo to tho end.
What was it that the soldier talked of,
thought of, dreamt of, wrote of, day after
day, night afLr night, iu camp, on the
march, in the trenches, in tho hospital, in
the prison-pen, never wearying, never tir
ing of the theme? Was it not perpetually,
always, " Home, sweet home"? "What was
it that he sighed for, prayed for, fought for,
died for? Was it not " 1 Tome, sweet home."
What was it that when days were long and
nights dreary, when hope grew faint and
the future cloudy, never failed to bring a
smile to tho soldier's face and a thrill of joy
to his heart? Was it not a letter from
home. Ah, iho.se white-winged messengers
of love and affection, that darted back and
forth, like a shuttle, between camp and fire
side, in those memorable days, spun ties of
marvelous strength between the two, and
did more to hold the soldier to his duty
than all other influences put together.
And what of those who remained behind
the aged mother, the doting wife, the
helrdcss children? What sacrifices did they
not make to keep the hearth fires burning?
The home of the soldier was a temple of
patriotism in those days, but a temple where
lint was picked instead of incense offered,
where the votaries plied the needle instead
of counting their beads. The historian has
recorded in glowing language the achieve
ments of those who risked their lives to pic
serve their homes, but where, alas, shall we
look for the story of the sacrifices offered
by those whose presence only made these
homes worth fighting for? Theirs vas the
anguish of watching and wailing, and theirs
the hard duty of cheering tho heart of the
soldier when their own hearts were break
ing. For theirs was not always the happy
homo which the soldier saw in his dreams.
How often was poverty an unbidden guest
there when the soldier lilllo knew it! How
often Death crossed the threshold when he
was unconscious of that hated presence!
How often black Care brooded over tho
household when the soldier was powerless
to combat it ! If there is any class of women
that more than another have reason to know
and appreciate the truth of the saying
"there's no placo liko homo," it is the
wives and the mothers of our soldiers.
Reunited long since mothers and sons,
wives and husbands, brothers and sisters,
lovers and sweethearts let us hope that
they arc realizing at last all the blessings
which cluster around a happy home, "bo it
over so humble." For home is, after all,
where the heart is; and where tho heart is,
though friends be faithless and Govern
ments ungrateful, thero lovo and affection
will never be lacking.
Tho Kntl of a Iiong Contest.
The failure of the bill to increase tho pen
sions of our one-armed and one-legged
veterans to pass tho Senato in its original
form is much to bo regretted, but as
amended it unquestionably secures to them
a modicum of the relief asked for, and that
is more than at one timo it seemed likely that
they would receive. It is unnecessary at
this late day to enter into any discussion of
the causes that have operated to tho preju
dice of all soldiers' claims before tho Con
gress that has just expired. It must have
been apparent long ago to the readers of
The Tribune that influences of an unusual
character were being exerted to prevent any
further recognition of the rights of our pen
sioners, and considering tho persistence
and maliciousness with which many of the
leading newspapers of tho country have cir
culated their falso charges of fraud in the
pension roll, it is really a cause for congrat
ulation that any action whatovcr was taken
by Congress on tho bill in question. But
for tho earnestness with which the
various l'osts oi tno Uranu Army me
morialized tho Senate, the urgent repre
sentations of the Grand Army Tension Com
mittee, two members of which Past Commander-in-Chief
Merrill and Surgeon-General
Ames appeared in person before tho
Senate Committee, and tho substantial sup
port afforded by The Tribune, it is doubt
ful, to say tho least, whether a vote would
ever have been reached on the measure. As
it was, as our readers can seo for themselves,
it was only lifter the Senato had spent a
whole day and the better part of a night in
discussion and tho amendments offered by
the enemies of the bill with a view to kill
ing it in the House had one after the other
been voted down, that decisive action was
finally taken.
We aro thus particular in showing tho
uncertainty which up to the last moment
hung about the passage of tho measure in
any form, because we do not wish any of
our ex-soidiers to imagino that tho partial
triumph which they have scored over tho
opposition was a matter of accident or
chance. It was, on the contrary, tho result
of the hardest sort of work, aud tho lesson
which it leaches is that our vt?vnns must
hereafter rely upon jllie potentiality of their
own efforts ry.ther than upon tho passive
good-will of legislators to secure tho full
recognition of their claims. Wo do not pro
pose to indulge in idle recriminations, but
it is very evident from the sentiment devel
oped in the Senato during the debate on tho
Forty-Dollar bill that the poison so carefully
instilled into tho public mind by the anti
soldier press is doing its work, and that
belief in the existence of cxlensivo pension
frauds has warped the judgment of many
who hitherto have always been found on the
side of the soldier. From this lime hence
forth tho influence of our veterans should
be exercised collectively aud individually to
combat this belief, and they cannot make a
better beginning than by withdrawing their
support from all newspapers and politicians
that misrepresent them and transferring it
to journals and statesmen whoso integrity
and fidelity is undoubted. The National
Tribune proposes to fight it out on that
line, and our ex-soldiers should follow whore
it leads.
A Chance for Itanium.
"Itanium has outdone himself Forcpaugh's ln-thousund-dollar
beauty nowherul He has secured,
at ureal expense, and will exhibit this Benson, a
soldier who served through the war aud did not
con (met any disability or discover one afterward,
lie is supposed to be tho only one living. He will
be exhibited for a few days only in the House and
Senate and War Oillco."
This coarse attempt at wit emanates from
the Cape Ann (Mass.) Advertiser, a newspaper
which is in a fair Avay to secure for itself an
unenviable notoriety. It really merits no
notice at our hands, yet it seems a pity that
a gentleman so famous for astuteness as Mr.
Baruum should be thus wantonly slandered.
Mr. Baruum has had too long an cxpcricnco
as a Bhowman to be guilty of such an error
of judgment as the Advertiser attributes to
him, and there nre a thousand curiosities
which ho would be more likely to select for
exhibition than the one in question. There
is, for instance, the editor who, twenty years
ago, wrote flaming articles on the duty of
pie hour, aud appealed to his fellow-citizens
to lake up arms in defense of tho Union, aud
now, when tho Union has been preserved
and the men who saved it are crippled and
destitute, brands them as paupers and beg
gars! If Mr. Barnum is in need of a new
attraction,' here is ono that would draw im
mensely. Let a cage bo buifc expressly for
him. Let it be ornamented after the manner
of those containing other wild beasts, with
tho name and species of tho monster, and
pictures illustrating his haunts and habits.
We venture to say that every soldier in tho
land would be willing to pay fifty cents for
the imvilcgc of obtaining a good view of
such a curiosity. "We can imagine with
what eagerness they would hobble up to tho
cago, and with what a multitude of questions
ply the keeper! "Where did you catch
him? Capo Ann, Massachusetts? Impos
sible! Why, I belonged to a company that
was raised there. You don't tell mo that
this fellow has dared to call us frauds and
beggars? Well! well! And he stayed at
home, tho coward, did he? And he never
even smelt gunpowder, or heard the whiz of
a bullet, or felt tho surgeon's knife, or
marched all day through the mud, or waded
a river, or bivouacked in tho snow, or starved
in prison? "What do yon call him, keeper?
An ingralc, did you say? What's that; a
man? No, I thought not. Stir him up a
litlio I want to hear him whine. Ah, it's
like a faint echo of tho 'rebel yell.' But
what do these figures on the side of the cage
mean, keeper ? What he was worth before
tho war and what he is worth now ? Why,
I only got thirteen dollars a month whilo I
was in tho army nud lost my leg in the bar
gain. Called us frauds and beggars, did he?
Well, well, keeper, this is tho 'greatest
show on earth,' and no mistake. Buy his
photograph? That I will. It'll just do to
match that picture of Jeff Davis in my
wifo's album. Wo kind of hated to stick
anybody's photograph alongside of his, but
it seems there's a pair of them, and, if any
thing, I think ho's a litlio tho worso of tho
two. Movo on? All right, keeper, I'll let tho
rest of the boys have a chance. But mind,
you keep a sharp eye on him. I'd sooner
trust a tiger than an ingralc."
If Mr. Barnum wants a now attraction,
tho editor of the Capo Ann Advertiser is
certainly his man.
A Great Educational Problem.
Among the moro important measures
which failed of action by tho Forty-seventh
Congress was the bill introduced by Repre
sentative Sherwin, of Illinois, to appropriate
annually, out of tho funds in the United
Stales Treasury, for five successive years,
ten millions of dollars, to aid in the support
of free common schools, the money so appro
printed to be divided among tho soveral
States and Territories in proportion to tho
illiteracy of their inhabitants, but with tho
limitation that no State or Territory shall
receive a greater sum than that appropriated
out of its own revenue for school purposes.
Whether or not the bill in its original form
was calculated to accomplish the desired
object is perhaps an open question, but inas
much as tho propriety of tho General Gov
ernment engaging directly in tho work of
education, hitherto confined to States aud
municipalities, is likely to be a leading issue
in the next Congress, it may not bo unprofit
able to consider briefly the causes which
have led to tho agitation of this subject.
The starting point appears to have been
the fact disclosed by the last census, that
notwithstanding tho vast sums that have
been expended in tho support of our common
school system one-eight of tho people of tho
United Stales arc totally illiterate, and sev
enteen per cent, of all persons over ten years
of ago do not know how to write. Taking
this fact as the basis of inquiry, it appears
that the high "VGrags.cf- illiteracy is almost
wholly duo to tho preponderance of igno
rance in the southern States. All the north
cm and western States show a percentage
of illiteracy below the general average, and
tho percentage in tho border Stales is only
slightly above it, whilo forty per cent, of all
classes, whilo and black, in the old slavo
Stales Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louis
iana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Virginia are illiterates, fix
eluding tho while population, tho degree of
illiteracy in these Stales is still greater,
ranging from seventy to eighty per cent.,
while tho showing in Tennessee, Texas, Ar
kansjts, and Kentucky is but little if any
better. Out of a colored population, over
ten years old, of 3,'M7,174 in these twelve
Stales, 2,951, GG2 aro illiterate; and out of a
total population of 9,991,102 blacks and
whites, over ten years of ago, 4,333,204 aro
illiterate. To show tho bearing which this
prevalcuco of illiteracy in tho South has
upon the interests of tho Nation at large, it
is only necessary to say that 1,354,974
voters, or nearly thirty-three per cent, of the
entire voting population, aro unable lo read
the ballots which they deposit. As Repre
sentative Sherwin says, the question is in
this phase one of national importance, sinco
when men come up and deposit their ballots
for Presidential electors it affects Illinois as
much as South Carolina if tho ballot is not
intelligent and honest.
Granting all this and the facts cannot
be disputed tho question arises whether it
is the fault of tho Stales themselves or tho
General Government that there is such a
dangerous preponderance of illiteracy in tho
South. Statistics tend to prove that, con
trary to general belief, the States them
selves, in proportion to their means, havo
done all that can reasonably bo expected
of them for the support of public schools.
Thus, whilo New Jersey, with nearly tho
same population as Alabama, spends moro
than five times as much as tho latter for
school pmposcs, the lattcr's taxable basis is
only ono-flfth as largo as tho former's. In
proportion lo her means, Alabama, therefore,
does as much as Now Jersey to cducato her
illiterates. To ask her to do more is neither
just nor reasonable. Yet tho fact remains
that tho amount which Alabama and her
sister States devote to the support of schools
is totally inadequate to meet tho require
ments of the prevailing illiteracy, and tho
alternative is presented to tho Government
of permitting this illiteracy, with all its at
tendant dangers, to go on unchecked, or of
helping the South to rid itself of the incubus.
It is contended on the one hand that educa
tion is the business of the Stale and not of
tho general Government, and that tho effect
of extending National aid lo the common
schools of tho South will simply ho to re
movo tho iucintivo to self-exertion on tho
part of the South; but, on tho other hand, it
is urged that in emancipating the slaves the
general Government imposed a greater edu
cational burden upon the South than it
could fairly be expected to bear, and that it
Bhould now take part of the burden on its 1
own shoulders, if not as a matter of equity,
at least from considerations of self-interest.
This is the issue as it is presented to the
country to-day, and that it Is ono of the
highest importance no person of intelligence
is likely to deny. Upon its decision may
depend, for aught anybody can now foresee,
the preservation of our republican form of
government, for tho intelligent use of the
ballot is, after all, tho chief bulwark of the
Republic
Not as Had as it alight Tic.
The passago by Congress on the very last
day of the session, and nlmost without dis
cussion, of tho tariff and internal revenuo
bill can only be explained on the supposi
tion that it was a political necessity. Tho
bill itself was not thoroughly acceptable to
cither party. Protectionists and Free Traders
were both divided in sentiment as to tho
equity of its provisions, and, although tho
vote by which it was adopted was mainly
a party one, it was not exclusively so. A
number of Democrats voted with tho ma
jority, and several Republicans were recorded
with tho minority. Indeed, it may be said
with truth that the vote a3 taken was not a
vole on the merits of the bill itself, but on
the naked question of whether or not any ac
tion whatever on the subject of tho tariffand
the revenue should be taken by the expiring
Congress. But for the fact that the Democrats
will have a majority in the next Congress, the
Republicans would doubtless havo permitted
the measure lo go over without action. It
was the apprehension that in that event the
Free Traders would control tho revision of
the tariff and seriously impair, if not en
tirely eliminate its protective features, that
led them lo compromise their differences
and give a formal support lo what was ad
mittedly a hastily contrived and defective
measure. This was unquestionably tho
dominating reason for their action, but it
was not the only one. With the question of
tariff revision was bound up tho question of
internal revenue reduction, and it was tho
opinion an erroneous one, as wo believe
of tho ttejutblicnu leaders that lo adjourn
without making some provision for the re
duction of the internal revenuo taxes would
create public dissatisfaction and imperil the
future of the party. That they should have
held to that belief is not surprising, consid
ering the gross misrepresentation of the
slate of popular feeling that the newspaper
press has been guilty of during the past few
months, although, as we have frequently
pointed out, tho question has never been
made an issue at the polls.
But explanations of this sort are not cal
culated either to justify or excuse. The fact
rcmaius that by the passago of the tariff bill
Congress has very materially reduced tho
revenues of tho Government, and to that
extent imparled tho chances of a fuller recog
nition of tho soldiers' claims by its successor.
Tho oxact extcut of tho mischief which has
been (lone cannot ns yet bo accurately esti
mated. According to the published esti
mates, the decrease of revenue resulting
from the abatement of internal revenuo
taxes will be in tho neighborhood of $35,000,
000 yearly, and tho I033 by tho reduction of
duties will bring the total up to $70,000,000.
It is possible, however, that the modifica
tion of tho tariff will have tho effect of stim
ulating importation, and in that event tho
net loss to tho Treasury will be somewhat
less than this. As it is, however, $70,000,
000 is an immense revenuo to be cut off at
a single stroke, and the worst of.it is that at
least half of it will go into tho pockets of
monopolists and not benefit the general pub
lic in the least. It will be a rich plum for
the patent medicine proprietors, for instance,
but consumers of patent medicines will be
none tho better off.
It is an old saying, however, that things
aro nevor so bad but that they might be
worse, and we perhaps should bo thankful
that the revenuo taxes wero not wiped out
entirely, as the more rabid enemies of tho
soldier desired. Tho receipts of the Govern
ment will still bo some seventy millions in
excess of ordinary expenditures, and so long
as this surplus exists the poverty of the
Treasury cannot decently be urged as a
pretext for ignoring the demands of our ex
soldiers. Tho Government can still " afford "
to use the favorite term of those who look
upon pensions and bounties as mero gratui
ties and refuse to recognize the existence of
any binding contract with tho soldier to
equalize the bounties and mako suitable
provision for tho maintenance of those who
suffered martyrdom in Southern prisons,
and whether it is compelled to do so or not
depends upon tho determination, tho per
sistence, and the concert of action with
which our veterans prosecute their claims.
A great battle remains to be fought, but
victory is certain if they will but stand
shoulder to shoulder with The Tribune
in the struggle.
American Farms.
According to tho last census, tho number
of furniB in tho United States is 4,003,907.
Tho comparative smallness of these farms
furnishes tho key-note to our unexampled
agxiculiuial prosperity. Of tho whole num
ber, 2,208,374, or moro than one-half, are
under 100 acres; 1,095,983 of tho remainder
are less than 500 acres ; 75,972 exceed 500
acres, but not 1,000 acres; and only 28,578
aro 1,000 or moro acres in extent.
There arc several reasons which might be
cited to prove tho assertion that tho siip of
farms in this country has a direct bearing
on its agricultural prosperity. Tho first of
these is that the smaller tho farm tho moro
productive, proportionately, it is apt to be.
A farmer may bo land poor in moro senses
than ono, but never so truly land poor as when
he has moro acres than he has the means to
cultivato. The smaller the farm tho more
likely it Is to be thoroughly tilled and its
resources folly developed.
The second reason is that the smaller the
farm tho more certain and constant is sure
to be its cultivation. The curse of England
to-day is tho vastness of tho landed estates
of her nobility, against the partition of
which the law of entail operates as a perma
nent restraint. So long as a large percent
age of the lands suitable for agriculturo are
thus locked up, her dependence upon other
Nations for food supplies must steadily in
crease. In tho United States, on the other
hand, there is no bar to the acquisition of
land by tho small farmer, and as a conse
quence our agricultural development keeps
pace with the growth of population.
In this connection it may bo of interest to
inquire in what section of tho country largo
farms predominate. At first thought ono
might be inclinedlo reply: " In the "West;"
but such is not the case. The census re
turns show that large farms arc more num
erous in the South than anywhere else. The
State of Georgia leads with 902 farms of
1,000 acres and over, Alabama has GOG, Vir
ginia Gil, South Carolina 4S2, Mississippi
481, Louisiana 371, and North Carolina 311.
Illinois has but 194. It would be more
correct, however, to speak of tho South
ern farms as "plantations," and their
largo sizo is a relic of labor system
under which they wero formerly operated.
But oven in the South the benefits resulting
from small farming arc becoming manifest,
and the division of the old, unwieldy plan
tations is going forward at a rapid rate.
That it is not more rapid is due simply to
the fact that white immigration still shuns
tho South. The blacks, dependent as thoy
are upon their own labor to acquire the
means necessary to buy land for them
selves, havo not been able to effect as sweep
ing changes in Ihc system of farming as
would havo been brought about had immi
grants from tho old world over-run tho
Soulh as they have the West sinco the close
of the rebellion. But the outlook, is, never
theless, encouraging, and the time is not far
distant when the agricultural resources of
the South will be as fully developed as those
of tho North and "West. The old planter
aristocracy is bound to wane aud disappear
before tho steady advanco of the horny
handed sons of toil.
Flour 3Tnn Grid ley.
There is no brighter page in history than
that which records tho work of the Sanitary
Commission twenty years ago. Its labors
contributed indirectly, if not directly, to tho
success of our arms, and if they did not
avail to strip war of its horrors, they, at
least, alleviated many of its pangs. The pa
triotism of those who, for various causes,
other than personal cowardice or positive
disloyalty, remained at home during the
rebellion, found a practical outlet in the
work of tho Sanitary Commission, and al
though the men who founded it and carried it
forward to the height of its usefulness have
passed almost entirely from public remem
brance, they aro as deserving of a monument
as those who perished on the field of battle.
There were many interesting incidents in
the history of the commission, but none, per
haps, more romantic than ono which tho
Grand Army has recently undertaken to
commemorate in a substantial and enduring
form. We refer lo the exploit of R. C. Grid
ley "Flour Man Gridley," as he came to he
known who sold and resold a sack of flour
from one end of- the country to tho other,
until it netted the Sanitary Commission the
magnificent sum of $275,000.
This is the story : Gridley, who was a mer
chant at Austin, Nevada, and a Democrat in
politics, made a wager with one of his fel
low citizens, a Republican, on the issue of
tho local election, the loser to carry a fifty
pound sack of flour on his shoulder through
tho streets of the town. As it happened,
Gridley lost, but he displayed so much pluck
and good temper in paying tho forfeit, that
his march through the town became a tour11
of triumph, and at its close, in a moment of
enthusiasm, he put up the sack of flour at
auction and ran the price up to $300, at
which ho bought it in. He then put it up
for the second time, but with the under
standing that' the purchaser should donate
it to the Sanitary Commission, to be again
resold. The excitement grew, tho idea took
liko wildfire, and tho news of what had oc
curred at Austin having been telegraphed
away, what might otherwise havo remained
a mere local episode, became an event of
national interest. Gridley with his flour
sack started for tho East, and his coming
was awaited everywhere with eagerness.
That sack of flour was put up, knocked down,
put up again, and again resold, in every
great city of tho Union, until, as we have
said, it netted the Sanitary Commission
$275,000 in haid cash. It made Gridley fa
mous, but it ruined him absolutely in pocket
and in health. It was Gridlc3''s life rather
than tho sack of flour which brought $275,
000. He returned home only to find his
business gone to pieces and his health shat
tered, lie died afterwards at Stockton, Cal.,
in comparative obsenriiy and absolute pov-'
erty, and nothing but a plain head-board
now marks his last resting place. That is
Gridlcy's story short, but sublime in its
lessons for all Americans.
The Grand Army, as wo have said, now
propose to commemornte his services by the
erection of a monument over his grave.
Rollins Post, No. 23, of Stockton, Cal., is the
pioneer in tho movement, and at the last an
nual Encampment of the Department of
California, the enterprise was heartily in
dorsed and the co-operation of all other De
partments earnestly invited. A pamphlet
has been prepared containing a sketch of
Gridlcy's life, and is for sale at the headquar
ters of tho Department of California, at San
Francisco, at twenty-five cents-per copy, tho
profits, should there bo any, to be dovoted
to tho monument fund. The movement has
our hearty indorsement and we trust every
Post in very department of the Grand Army
will contribute somotliing towards tlio erec- J
tion of a monument to that citizen-patriot
"Flour Man Gridley."
In another column of TnE Tribune, thia
week, will be found a sketch of the origin
and growth of the Grand Army, written by
Commander Stimspn, of tho Department of
Colorado, for tho Grand Army Magazine.
The main facts originally appeared in Tub
Tribune, but our subscribers have multi
plied so rapidly sinco the dato of tho first
publication, that to many of them the sub
ject of the reprint will be entirely new. So
far as the leading incidents are concerned,
wo believe this story of the birth of the
Grand Army is entirely authentic, and to
Doctor Stephenson tho credit is unquestion
ably due of having founded the Order. It
is to-day essentially what ho created it, and
what it is lo-day we trust it will continde
to he. The basis of fraternity, charity, and
loyalty is broad enongh to support in se
curity the magnificent stnicturo which ha3
been reared upon it, and so long as theso
principles arc rigidly adhered to there is no
danger that it will be undermined. It may
bo that at some future time politicians will
again seek to control the Order, but they aro
not likely to be again successful. The ten
dency is decidedly in the other direction.
Party passions aro powerless now to sway
the opinions of our comrades, and the ques
tion which is most apt to rise to their lips
when their suffrages are solicited for this or
that candidate, is the simple query: "Is he
a friend of the soldier ? " .
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
The last issuo of The International Jietimo is a
double number, containing tho uumbora for
February and March, and it appears under new
editorial management that of William 1'alston
Balch. According to the announcement, it h
intended to make ifc tho leading publication of
its kind in tho United Stales. In consonance
with this intention and tho change in manage
ment tho publication day hereafter will lo tho
15th of each month for the mouth following.
The number before us contains a full quota of
ablo and well considered papers, among Avliich
arc: "Protection to American Art," by Thos.
Donaldson; "The Social Reconstruction of En
gland," IL M. Hyndrnnn; "Admission of Wo
men to Universities," Florence Kellcy; "Declino
of the French Premiership," I N. Ford; "Trial
by Jury," C. S. Patterson; " Our Future Rank
ing System," A. S. Bolles; "Tho Divine Law of
Divorce," Kwd. Quincy, Jr.; Toor Pny and No
Pensions," F. D. Y. Carpenter; "Onr Land
grant Railways in Congress," George W.Julian,
and " The Story and Meaning of tho Now York
Election," Duncan C. McMillan.
A special edition of the Jialtimore and Ohin
Bed Book, under tho title "IIow'Twas Done,"
has recently been issued by tho Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. It treats of the political revo
lution of 1882, and contains tho official return?
of the vote in eleven States, with the returns of
the preceding election, arrauged in comparative
tables, in a remarkably clear and concise form.
Tho presidential vote of the States by counties
for 187G and 1HS0 is also given, besides mm h
other valuablo information relative to the poli
tics of the country. It is a work of 117 page1,
neatly printed on fine paper, and with a hand
some illuminated cover. Mr. Joseph CK Pang
born, the efficient Assistant Genoral Paomnx'T
Agent of the railroad, is its author. No chargo
is mado for the book, and it will bo forwnrdul.
by mail to all who apply to Mr. C. K. Lord,
General Passenger Auent, Baltimore, Md. Men
tion The National Tribune.
A unique and useful almanac is St. JacoTj3
Oil Family Calendar for 18d3-'-I, for, besides con
taining much valuablo information, wo have
seldom found a book in which is condensed so
much original wit and humor. Among tho
articles will be found copyrighted contribu
tions from such noted humorists as M Quad,
Detroit Free Press; Spoopcndyke, of tho Brook
lyn Eagle; Georo W. Peck, A. Miner GrH
wold, Bill Nye, tho editors of Texas Fifl'mgi;
"Tho Danbury News man," Uncle Rtsnnis, as
also tho wits of Fuck, The Judge, Lowell Citi
zen, Boston Fost, the San Francisco Wasp, and
other papers. Tho illustrations aro also by tho
best artists and are exceedingly amusing. Per
haps never before has so expensive a work been
gratuitously distributed.
OPINIONS WORTH READING
What Our Cotcmporarlcs Hare to Say of Tho -National
Tribune.
It Is Xuitiii!,- a Gallant Fight.
BoofZ Count; (H.) Reporter.
Tnn National, Tuibunc, published at WashinK
ton, is one of the ablest defenders of our soldiers
nud tlioir rijrlit.-?. It lias grown from a .inmll
monthly publication iu 1877 to a seven column
quarto weekly in 1SS3, and contains tho choicest
rending matter of the day. It ia inakinjriimosb
Rnllniit fight for soldiers' righto and in defending
the laws granting pensions and back pay and
bounty due them against the encroachments being
made on such laws by the KiLstern hyIock prcM.
It is sent for the small price of 1 per year, and,
should be in the lumild of every Union soldier.
TiikXatioxai. Tkidunk should have an agent in
Wood County Post.
First Class In IlTcrj Particular.
East St. Louis (Ills.) Weckiy Signnl.
TilE Xatiosai. Tkiiilwk, of Washington. D. C,
has enlarged from forty-eight to fifty-six columns,
and is printed from its new Scott web perfecting
press, built expressly for its use by C l'otter, Jr.,
of New York. It now circulates in every State and
Territory of the Union, and ha.s subscribers at
nearly eleven thousand pot-onlces. It is. without
doubt, tho bent paper of its class in the country,
and is a jwwer in furthering the interests of ex
fcoldicrs. jN'o man who served in either the Union
or Confederate army should be without it. It is
iirst class in every iwrliculivr.
A Lire and IteailaWc Paper.
Jfuhanoy (Pu.) Tribune.
The Natiojtat. Tuibcsk, published at Washing
ton, D. C, has been enlarged from forty-oight to
fifty-six columns. Although containing a variety of
general news, this iwper is largely devoted to tho
interests of Grand Army and icn-ion matters, and
the publication of interesting reminiscences of tho
war. It circulates in every itato and Territory of
the Union, aud has subscribers at nearly ll.bOOpost
oftices. It is a live and readable paper.nud to thoso
who have been soldiers it in probably tho moat
useful and interesting published iu the country.
An Unmistakable Eiidcnco of Prosperity.
The Worker THnhhannock. PJ
A3 an unmistakable evidence of prosperity this
grand soldier's imper "comes to us this week etir
larged from forty -eight to fifty-six columns, and
printed on its new Scott web perfecting press, built
expressly for its use by C. l'otter fc Co.. of Xcw
York. Tim National Tkiiiun'k now circulates iu
every State and Territory of the Union, ami baa
subscribers at nearly eleven thousand posl-oflices.
It is the soldier's paper. Subscription price, $l.'X).
Scud for sample copy to Tim National Tuibia'k,
Washington, D. C.
Tea, It Has Come to Star.
J?(inooo(Z (Acm.) Etrprcss.
Tnr. National Tuibuatc, published at Washing
ton, D. C, comes to us enlarged from a forty-eight
to a fifty-six column jMipcr. aid is printed on their
new Scott web ierfecting press. It is the friend of
the soldier, aud has a large circulation iu every
State and Territory in the Union. We eon tit
illate tho managers of Tub TjsiBcifK i:imii their
success, and hope they may long continue in their
Held of labor.
The Soldier's FaTorite Paper.
Clay County (iVeo.) Journal.
Tho soldier's favorite paper, Thk Natiosai.
Tkxbuxb, comes to us enlarged from forty-eight to
fifty-six columns, and is printed on a mm pre.-u,
built expressly for it. The TuinrNS circulates iu
every State and Territory where there is an ex-soldier,
and is an excellent newspaper. 4
A Long-Lircd Famllr.
A correspondent of Tub Tribi-nk writes : Thero
Is in this State a baby who, when nine months old,
liad two great-great-grandinothera and one xmt-grcat-grandfathcr;
three great-grandmothers and
two great-grandfathers; two grandmothers and
two grandfathers, also father and mother living,
nged twenty-two and twenty-one years respective
ly. At tho time of its birth both great-grandmother
and grandmother, on the mother's side, wero
teaching in the public schools, neither' ono havinjj
a notice ablo grey hair. In October last, five gnc-
rations met at tho home of the maternal great
grandfather and mother. The oldest of the fire,
enjoy the reunion quite as well as anyone else.
ttinnrrh nirni ?r-lr Via wn wa -.1,1 -....-. .!. a
