Newspaper Page Text
XLhe %cxiretort (5a3ette
VOL. 108, NO. 17 LEXINGTON. VIRGINIA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1912
$1.00 PER YEAR
POLITICAL SITUATION
IN NATIONAL CAPITAL
Democracy Has Best Opportunity of
Years to Win
Washington. D. C., April 22 ?
This is a Democratic year. It in a
peculiar fact tbat Dearly every Re?
publican that you meet in t.iis, tbe
political nerve coater of tbe United
Status, and wbo haa some reputation
either aa a statesman or a man of af?
fairs, will tell you tbat the Republi
cans, so far as tbis year is concern
?d, are absolutely and (hopelessly
defeated. It sounds yery good to
me as an old-fashioned Democrat to
hear that sort of talk coming from
Republicans, who have been in au?
thority so long and who have been
leaders of tiieir party in all the po?
litical campaigns for the last thirty
years. From tbe outlook, I agree
absolutely witb their sentiments,
tbat unless the Democrats play the
infernal fool at their convention in
Baltimore, they certainly will win
the Presidency and the next
House of Representatives and pro?
bably the next United States Senate.
If they do, they will win something
that has not occeirred since Cleve?
land's last election jd 1892, and then
c. n demoiistr. ii- to the entire coun
t ? -i v.."' Uta* *"? Domocrats of
thia ctMiatre who are elected as rep?
resentatives of the people, can be
constructive legislators io the inter?
net eif the people instead of obstruc?
tive and destructive members of
Congress.
It is with a profound feeling of
personal misgiving tbat I attempt to
prognosticate any th ing appertai n i n f
to tbis campaign, but when you aou
two and two together and recognize
the fact that Roosevelt is ripping
the Republican party up tbe back
every time he opens his mouth and
tnat La Pollette is tearing great
boles in tbe Republican armor every
time he makes a speech, it is plain
to be seen that tbe Republican party
ia in a bad way and tbat it ia gradu?
ally getting worse. A Republican
said to me today tbat Roosevelt was
out to destroy tbe Republican party
and it looked very much to him as
though he were going to ba a very
successful destroyer. It also looks
that way to every maa in tbe capi?
tal of tbis country wbo keeps his
lingers on the pulse of politics and
his ear to the ground listening to
the echoes that come from tbe war?
rior.
The militant Democratic majority
in the House of Representatives has
put up to a Republican Senate its
ultimatum on tariff revision en a
number of schedules that seriously
affect the pocketbooks ot people and
are now waiting for the Republican
Senate to get budy and either pass
these laws up toa Republican Presi?
dent or turn them down, just as they
aee fit. If they are turned down,
tbe Democrats win. If they are
passed and a Republican President
vetoes them, tbey still win. In
other words, tbe Democratic party
is today on the shady side of Easy
street and like a man who owea a
debt, they are letting the other fel?
low walk the floor.
Great Luck Raising Chickens
Thomas J. Harman has a record
of which any Augusta county poul?
try raiser may well feel proud. With
a single hen he has batched 78
chicks, each and every one of them
being in perfect health. He has not
lost a single one from disease or
weakness or in any of the other af?
flictions which affect baby chicks.
He explains bis success as be due
to the use of tbe following feed:
10 pounds coarse meal,
10 pounds coarse bran.
10 pounds shorts
5 pounds beef scrap.
1 pound nutrine salts.
Mr, Harman explains tbat these
ingredients should be mixed thor?
oughly aud kept before tbe little
chicks in a hopper all the time in
addition to other feed.?Staunton
Dispatch.
The Supreme Court of tbe United
States hus ordered tbe State of Vir
ginia to advance $*i0,OOO te> pay the
fees of the specikt muster, C. E.
Littleflold, in the debt contr iversy
witb West Vii ({iniii. to be oharged
lo tbe cor.ts of toe case.
ROCKBRIDGE FARMING
INTERESTS ADVANCED
Figures of Recent Census Show
Agricultural Growth
NUMBER AND VALUE OF FARMS
Reduction in Size but Increasing ia
Feitility and Value
The fol low iut; article was pre?
pared for publication by Mr. J. McD.
Adair, who was ceasus supervisor
Tor the Tenth Virginia District:
There may be -some who are ;"ter
ested in tho agricultural intere
of our county, as adowa by the cen
ava returns of 1910. If so I will be
very glad to give any information I
can to those concerned. The Census
Bureau divides farm land into (1)
unproved land, (2) wood lund aud
(H) all other improved land.
Improved acres iu Kockbridge,
124,916.
Number of farin*, 1,533.
Number of farms io 19(H), 1.333.
Value of land, $6.123,955.
Value of land in 1900. $3,447,460.
Vulue of buildings. $2,146,565.
Impletueuts and machinery, .WOO.
947.
Average land and building per
farm. 1-4,148.
Average per acre, $21.41.
Average in 1900, $12 96.
Number of white farms, 1,464.
Number of Negro farms, 69.
Individual owners. 1,368.
Joint owners, 165.
Farms free from mortgage, 1.233.
Farms with mortgage debt, 314.
Number with co report as to debt,
16.
Amount of mortgage debt, $286,
)28.
Value ot land mortgaged, $1,251,
160.
Hoc kb ridge land,-as mortgaged, is
ibout 22 per cant; Augusta, 23 per
?.ont: Ootetourt, 21 per cent., and
toe king harm, 24 per cent.
I'AU XXHNSKS
Labor?Farmers reporting, 1,213;
iinoum ezpended, 1182,600.
Feed--Farmers reporting, 623;
imount expended, $28,340.
Fertilizers?Farmers reporting,
>57; amount expended, $45,450.
Principal erops: Corn?Acres,
2.078; bushels, 658.402.
Oats?Acres, 2,548; bushels, 40.
98.
Wheat?Acres, 23,661; bushels,
84,703.
It would le interesting to go
li rough other crops, live stock, etc.,
mt it takes up t.oiuuch space and I
o not wish to ..impose on Th*. Qa*
etta, that has always niven me
uch kindly consideration. Just a
rord more about Virginia in gener
ral and I am through. Five coun
ies?Au n us ta, Shenandoah, Roek
-igham, Hockbridge**and Frederick
ounty?report one fourth of the
verage of wheat iu tho State. Vir
iuia ranks'twentieth in population j**?*
nd thirty-fifth in laud acres. The
verage value of farm land, for the
? hole State, is $20.24. During the
ecade from 1900 to 1910 tho aver
ga vulue of land per acre has more
ban doubled, increasing from $10.08
j $20.24. Theaverage sizt-oFfarms
an decreased from UH acres
900 to 105 in 1910. The average
aloe of each farm in Virginia, in
luding equipment, is $3,397. In
nirteen counties the average value
f tbe land is less than ten dollars
er acre. In five counties it is!
fty dollars. The total wealth in
ie form of farm property in the
tate is $625,065,000. of which 85.1
er cont, is represented hy land
nd buildings, 12 percent, by live
tock and 2.9 per cent, by imple
tents and machinery. ja t
A careful comparison satisfies me j ni
ld Rockbridge is as good to live in
? any, and butler than most conn- **n
es, and ia improving every year, i ??'
uiwithstatiding the "tator" cup ?*??*
as a failure in 1911. iof
The voters of Augusta county are ! Je
nw wrestling with a proposition hil b\
:>.tt a million dollar bond ixsue for j hi
ie purpose of building good roads th
id already the campaign is at- I It
?...ting considerable interest. V
fl
- I Ri
Subscribe tor The Gazette, $1.00. jul
't^***W>^'*S<i<$*m^S*V$*Ayi^^^.
We Are Afflicted With Al- \
together Too Many
%**Sel<w<$^-&**m*^w'mW* ? #?-_*/? Q0*<*m-$m4ri*v4y*<t*e*e&pZ
By _[ *\m**%?YV & ,y Supreme Court Judge
W. O. HOWARD t?MMtW?i**??<4 of New York
CH tRE ARE TOO MANY LAWS, TOO MANY COURTS, TOO
MANY APPEALS, TOO MANY TECHNICALITIES. NOBODY
KNOWS THE LAW, NOBODY CAN KNOW THE LAW. IN
THESE DAYS A LAW LIBRARY WOULD FILL A 8ARN. THE
HUMAN MINO CANNOT COMPREHEND SUCH A MASS OF STUFF.
AND ITS BULK IS INCREASING AT AN APPALLING RATE.
JuJge*i governors and legislators are working at a feverish paere
making law books. Thousands of thick volumed constitute the writ?
ten law.
Five appellate courts mav lia in session at the same time renderint;
decisions and writing opinions Beceaserily and, in fact, IX COX
FLICT WITH EACH OTHER One legislature makes a law for
the guidance of the people; tbe next legislature IIEPE.-V.LS it. A
governor aelvor*nto*-> thc passage of a lnw and then in a few mon'-h.*
urges its repeal. Under saicI* conditions who can know the law?
The Jaw should be FIRM AND POSITIVE. It has come to be
like QUICKSAND and slips faster than you can place your fee't.
This uncertainty of the law propagates litigation ; it BREEDS LAW
SUITS. Ita havoc upon the taxpayer is frightful. In a large per?
centage of cases it costs the public more to foot the bills of the litiga?
tion than it would to pay the claim in dispute.
Instead of being endless, litigation should terminate. If judge*)
would heed FORM LESS A_NT> SUBSTANCE MORE, lawsuits
would be fewer and shorter. But fettered as they believe them?elvei tc
be by our present system of jurisprudence, the JL'DGES BECOME
SLAVES TO RULES?rules which frequently work injustice, incon?
venience, delay, expense ; rules whicii burden the public and disappoint
the litigant.
'he Titanic Disaster Considered a
Crime
Tbe judgment of the world upon
tie shortsightedness, the moral
ian ner?, the criminal carelessness
f the White Star Company in its
kiln re to provide lifeboats sufficient
i transport its passengers from a
inking ship, should be crushing
ud exemplary.
In a ? aim sea. a gigantic steam
hip, .eighted witb thousand- of
ves, sinks slowly down. There la
me and opportunity to carry off
om the ship ss many people as the
feboata will bold. Hot the life
aats will bold only a few more than
quarter of the number of men, wo- j'
en and children wbo bave commit-' j
d themselves to the care of tbis y
eamship company! I
This Titanic wss the last cry and \
ie faultless rsach in thescienceand j
?tof shipbuilding. 11|was supposed i
i be irreproachable and iucompara
e. It was equipped with sll tbe
xuries and sninptuousitiesof mod
n travel. Hut the prime neces- i c
.ry of life* was lacking. No means t
ere provided whereby the 2,200 a
eople might survive for a few boura I
i accident of tbe commonest and i
sst avoidable kind. j
It is a kind of .ambler's spirit j s
at rules in this matter. Tbe
eamship companies, in their burry *,
r tbe last increment of dividends, a
i under tbe illusion that the inevi- t
ble disaster will always strike t
se where tbau upon their own ja
'Oed and folly. j j
They stake the lives of travelers <m
i their own anticipated luck. They \
vest money readily enough in
cry refinement of cookery, in I
ery device of obvious elegance!a
id ea**e. These investments pay c
lick dividends in the shape of ex- u
avagant passenger fares. But it.
supposed that passengers wi i
it notice tbe lack of tbe absolute
icessaries of life.?Brisbane, in'
nw York Journal.
*
ii
Modern Jesusalem r
Jerusalem is to be modernized
ith a new tramway service, a fine
jctric lighting and water heating.1''
ant curbed and cemented street**, i
telephone service, policemen oa, '
cycles. ,n
The gradual rejuvenation of the '
clent capital ol the Hebrew na- If
ni, has been la progress for years, j "
d traveled to and from the "City ''
the Great King "is not aa perilous. '
. in the days of Peter the Hermit, j
rui.aie.iii has bena trodden duero I s
1 the Gentiles for over aighteein '
ind red year*, and accoidiogto
n forecast of the man of Galilee., "
i the First Century of tbe Chris-10
anira 'i nus besieged it with a '
uian army at which lima the plod I *
tba Wanderin* Jew began. I o
Water Power When the Coal Is All
Used Up
The great primary energizing
power of the future, after the pres
ant deposits of coal Jive been ex?
hausted, will be water. Millions of
horse-power are available in the
United States for electrical and in
dustrial use, and the importance of
trsjr.serving and regulating the use
of this power has been al ready tn-ule
. serious problem bv the govern
xient. Something of what it means
vo bring into use the vast water
sower of the country will be made
.Wain by a group of articles that
-?ill appear in the May Scribner,
rhere will be four of these, ci vcr
ng in a clear and most interesting
way the si-znincaoc** of "Water und
Power in Industry.'' No one who
les ever read the story of some
r,remt engineering achievement will
leed to be told that here is a sub
act full of tbe romance of the life of
he men who did things. The mod
rn engineer is both explorer and
liscoverer. He blazes a way
brough tbe unknown wilderness
.nd in bis wake follows civilisation.
Ie builds a waterway hundreds o!
niles long commencing, maybe, up
n tbe high mountains, and tbe de
ort is made to bloom.
It ia not the mechanical side of
uch enterprises tbat appeals io the
verage reader?that may be left to
he scientific journals and papers?
mt there is a human side, that has
ll of tha fascination ot fiction, and
t is tbis tbat the authors of the four
nicies in this number bring out
.?ith full force.
Tbe story of the harnessing of
wagara has been a familiar one for
long time, but other even mora re?
markable undertakings are going on
ill over the country.
Prepare to Fight Flies Now
Tbe Time to insure houses free
rom flies in August, is to begin the
ght now, according to a special
ulletin of the Virginia Health
-rpartment.
Witb the cheerful prediction that
juntless millions of flies will breed
uring tba next u;onth and will
amish tue nucleus for auy army
umbering untold trillions of pests,
it) Health Department urges a cen
ral cleao-upof premises, the screen
,g of windows and scrupulous care
i handling stuble material and
? ge tabla wae te.
"Put ia fly-screen*, at ance,"
.ii* tha bulletin, "and clean up au
ia premises before tba flies have
> ai Hi plied in such numbers as to be
? in.'ii.if. Precautions at this time,
utinued .*. ith a small expenditure
[energy until tue coming of fall,
ill guarani c ? reasonable degree
cotafuri io tbe average boona."
ii
w
li
si
1"
Ut
INSPIRING MEETINGS
OF S. Jj. RELEGATES
Annual State Gathering Largely
Attended
REPORT OF SECRETARY DIGGS
Harrisonburg's Cordial Greetings to
All Visitors
The Twenty-first Annual Conven
tion of the Virginia State Sunday
School Association was held in Har?
risonburg, beginning Friday after
noon and closing Sunday afternoon,
April 19th-21st.
The annual report of Mr. Thomas
C. Diggs of Richmond, tte general
secretary of tbe Virginia Associa?
tion, made Friday afternoon to tbe
Executive Committee and presented
Saturday to the convention, was
careful summing up of the year's
work, and contained many salient
features. Among tbe items were
the following:
Virginia stands third in Sunday
-ichools in the United States, with
24.4 per cent, pooulation enrolled.
N'orth Carolina and Pennsylvania
ire tied for first place witb 24.9 pei
lent.
Five new as soc i at i ems have in?
creased the number in Virginia to
S'2. New associations are Richmond.
fioan ike and the counties of Scott,
Montgomery and Pulaski: and a dis
trial association in Hanover.
One hundred and nine associa?
tions is the goal of the future and
lecessary to cover the State.
An announcementef Statewide la*
erest was made. Mr. Diegs said
hat the weakest point in Sunday
icbool was reaching the larger boys,
ie is planning a series of confer-;
nces for bo\ s over 15 years old to
I
uart them in personal work, similar
o the Y. M. C. A. movement. The
on fe re ti ces will be held at Manas- c
as, Amherst, Burkeville. Wake- u
ield and some points in the South- *
.-est. Help has been promised and
be movement is under way.
During tbe year the secretary |a
raveled 13,000 miles, attended 26!T
ity and county conventions and P
isited 44 counties*,and cities. e
Ol the 52 county aud city assoc ia- ci
ons no conventions were held in
brunswick. Greene. .Mathews, IDl
ortsmouth. Prince Edward and "
myth. !CI
In order to strengthen the associ-1 'c
iions, delegates to Statee Cern ven?
ous and members of Executive!
ommittee should be made by the
cal associations, android-year eon- \ p.'
cremes of the Executive Commit- j ai
ie and county representatives | ci
nould be held. I p
To help the schools the secretary .
jggested helpful addresses, per- ti
"mal work by superintendents, d.fi- t?
ite amount of work allotted each, B
ad a system of graalng. He said fi
ile of Wight held tbe past year d
itb 84 per cent. o
In contributions to tbe State As- | r
x-iation. Charles City led with g
2.68 for every hundred of white ia
opulation. Sixteen counties gave ti
othing. The isverage is 42 cents, tl
The budget this year calls for
i.000, an increase of 25 per cent.
A Virginia Publicity Bureau for ll
unday school interests is being in- ti
jgurated. Clippings and news
ill be sent to ail the papers in tbe n
tate. tl
Broke Three Records
Washington and I>ee held the an?
nul tield meet Saturday afternoon
id broke three records. There
ere not a great iuidv entries, hut ec
ie best men ll school were out. o-.
bom ran two miles in IO min
iea 57 4 5 seconds?several sec
ids off o'dtime. Carter Glass, Jr., jcs
ont through two of the speed re- sd
irds for short gains. He clipped I fu
5 second off the 220 yard dash and j hs
b off tbe 440. Time un 220 was ! wi
I 4 & seconds and on 440, 53 2-5. ed
iles threw the discus 104* feet, I bi
itting a mark for future throws. (Tl
The record* as set Saturday are ed
ie to the coaching of Dr. Pollard. \ gt
ho has iia.i tbe men in charge, in
a bas developed every man in his : bi
>ecial departmant and expects to | in
ji a airon. team against V. P. I. un
iia week. I Ul
NO CHANGE MADE IN
STATE SCHOOL BOOKS
Present List to Remain in Force for
Two Years
The Board of Kducation of Vir?
ginia at a meeting last* week in Rich?
mond took steps to free the patrons
of tbe public schools of tbe State
from tbe annoyance of constant
change in tbe text books used ia
tbe schools. Tbe board decided to
allow tbe present list of books in
use in tbe elementary schools to re?
main unchanged for two years
longer.
This was done iu order to get to?
gether the dates for the selection of
the books foruseinthe High Schools
and in the Elementary Schools. The
selection of the books is made every
four years in each department. The
selection of tbe books for the High
Schools was made in 1910, and an?
other list will be adopted by tbe
board therefore in 1914.
liv postponing the adoption of
books for the Elementary Schools
for two years, the date for the adop?
tion of books in both departments
will be the same.
Wbileithe meeting of tbe board
was secret, it was learned tbat a
majority of thc members favor a six
vear term during wbich tbe books
adopted shall not be chanced by the
board instead of the four vear term
which cow prevails. It is likely
that the six year term wi.l be
adopted at the meeting two years
hence.
There was registered with the
board strenuous opposition to the
policy of constant change in the
extbooks. This opposition came
not only from many of tbe teachers
md principals of tbe schools, but
nore especially from the public
renerally. The board's decision
vas embodied in the following
?esolution:
"That in order to get together the
[ates for the adoption of books for
ise in the Elementary Schools and
he date for the selection of books
st tbe High Schools, the present
>t of books be adopted, selected,
nd continued for a term of two
ears from the expiration of the
resent contracts with the publish
rs; providod a satisfactory price is
barged by the publishers. "
While the publishers have not
sen consulted, it is thought that
ie board will experience little diffi
ilty in renewing the contracts now
i force.
Democratic Candidates
"Why are the Virginia papers
*ving more attention to Roosevelt
ad Taft than to discussing Demo
ratic candidates"*"' writes a corres
ondent to the Norfolk Dispatch
The answer is very simple says
ie Alexandria <.'a**.ette. The con
?st now being waged between
oosovelt and Taft is of more bene
t to Democrats th.in any partisan
iscussiou as the possible nominee
f the Baltimore convention. The
ent in thc Republican oarty is
rowing every day. Roosevelt's
ttacks on Taft and his administra
on is capital for the Democrats in
ie coming campaign.
The Democratic party is nearer a
nit today than it has been since
*>92, and the only difference seems
> be of local interest in the various
actions. The great issue in the
ext campaign will be the tariff,aid
ie Democratic candidates for the
Liminations have practically all tbe
ame views on that subject.
An Editor's Duty
Tbe New York World in a recent
litoria! expresses the following
union of the duties of the editor:
"An editor should not try to be a
imaging politician; besbould be no
ndidate's confidential campaign
i viser, he should raise no campaign
nds for any candidate; ha should
ive no secret campaign conference
ith a candidate; he should baan
itor and leave to politicians the
isiness of political manipulatiooa.
te two jobs are incompatible. Ao
ii tor w ho becomes a political mans
tr must either sacrifice soma of his
dependence as ac edi tor or neg,ec t
s work as a politician. His tuii
ate persona! relations witb ihe
.ndidate are a continuing ?uuuv.
ag alliance." .
