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The Times-Dispatch
Published Daily and Weekly
At No. 4 North Tenth Street,
Richmond. Va. Entered Janu?
ary 27, 1903, at Richmond, Vs..
et second-class matter, under
Act of Conorees Of March 3,
1879.
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WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 21. 1903.
THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY.
The Canadian Commissioner? In p
fusing to sign tho Alasklan award seem
io us to bo "doing the baby act," to use
an expressive slang. Tho case was tho?
roughly invertigatod and intelligently ar?
gued by both sides, and tho award made
according to the fact?.
Our caso was well presented by Mr. D.
fT. Watson, counsel for the United States,
and a full ? ynopals of his address wag
printed at the tim? In tho London Tele?
graph. Mr. "Watson began by saying that
what was acquired by the United States
in JS67 from Russia was a Uslero of const,
running round tho heads of tho inlets of
the coast of South Alaska, Russia sub?
mitted to the United States, no proof of
her title to possess what she offered to
nell, the facts that ehe had dlsewerod
tho coast In 1741: that ehe had been In
oocupation of It from 3799 until 3S67, for all
the purposes for which it was fit to be
occupied without a single nation over ob?
jecting, and that Great Britain and Cana?
d? had by their acts assented to the lino
which she claimed as the boundary be?
tween Alaska and British Columbia. Trio
evidence of this, which was submitted
to the American Senate, Included mapa
Issued by Russia not long after tho 1S25
treaty, showing; their boundary going
round tho heads of the Inlets. The Senate
approved of the purchase, but took pre?
cautions of stipulating that the purchase
money should not ba paid for eight
months after the conclusion of the bar?
gain.
At that Urne (1S67), Mr. Watson pro?
ceeded, Great Britain and Canada knew
that the United States wero buying this
territory in the belief that Its extent
and boundaries were those which
were described by Russia In her mans.
Then if ever In good faith, he argued,
were England and Canada bound to have
eaid, "We claim the heads of the In?
lets." But they offered no word of pro?
test. Both stood by and allowed the
purchase to be made on the basis of th*
Husslan maps without a single intimation
that anything: was wrong with Russia?
delineation of tho country which she said
ehe had been In possession of for neurly
B? century. Immediately afterwards ships
of the United States began to run up to
the tops of the inlets. Great Britain said
nothing, Canada said nothing; tho agents
of the Hudson's Bay Company said no?
thing. Tho United StateB began to exer?
cise Jurisdiction, aifd gradually, from year
to year, enforced her laws.
And It Is probablo that nothing ever
would heure been said had not gold been
discovered In the Yukon Valley.
? But that discovery made a great differ?
ence, and Englmd and Canada, after hold?
ing their peace for so long, set up the
claim that they were tho owners of the
upper part of the Lynn Canal. When
there were great Interests at stake and
when Canada thought she could get some?
thing that would bo of inestimable value
to her, she put forward the contention
that the boundary line did not run round
tho heads of tho inlets, and now thero
was not a bit of tho United States bound?
ary line which was not disputed.
The tribunal had not only to answer
certain questions in referenco to the true
meaning and application of certain
clauses of tho treaty of 1825, said Mr.
Watson, but had also to "take into con.
elderation any action of tho several gov?
ernments, or of their respective repro
?entaU'i-es, preliminary or subsequent to
the conclusion of the treaties (li-.'? and
1837), so far ab tho same tonds to bIiow
the original aJid effective unders-tandlne
of the parties In respect to the llmltu
Of their several territorial Jurisdictions
ander and by virtue of the provisions of
Hid treaties." Now, if he could prove
that both Russia and Great Britain as?
serted, that tho boundary line ran round
the heads of all the Inlets, that would
go far to determino the meaning of the
treaty of U25. He reminded tne tribunal of
the rule of civil couru that whore there
was ambiqulty in tlia wording of a ci
tract between parties the courts looked to
the object and purpOBc- of both parties in
making the contract, with a view to get
gt Its true meaning. This, he said, with
TOierenoe to the phrase m the 1825 treaty
gbout mountains and he added that If
the tribunal answered In the way he
Wlst^d it to answer the earlier question
put to It by the convention of i&o:i, they
would not require to wander about among
100 mountains in order to trace a bound?
ary.
In conclusion he called attention to
th? Russian imperlai ukase of 17W?, ?taut
log the first charter to the Rusetan-Amer
lean Company, In this ukase there wa?
an assertion liy right of discovery of
exclusive ownership of nil the coast from
Dohrlng Straits down ?? the fifty-fifth
parallel, and ? granting of full hunting,
trading find Industrial rights to tho com?
pany. The Russinn-American Company
established their posts In tho Islands of
the coast, and traded with tho native*
who H'l-ed up nnd around the Inlets of
the mainland for pelts. That was what
waa valuable to the Russians?the ex?
clusivo right to trade with those natives
who lived Up theso Inlet?. British traders
never xVent near the coast at that time,
but United States traders did and they
complained bitterly of these exelusive
rights. This led to another iikiisc. Issued
in lot. reasserting her exclusive ownership
round this const, and Interdicting to for?
eign ahlpa the carrying on of any traffic
or barter with the natives of the island?
nnd of the northwest coast of Amorlca,
from Behring Straits down to tho fifty
first degree of northern latitude. Tills
meant that they were prohibited from
going up any of these Inlets, rtussla used
the word "coast" as Including nil tho In?
dentations from the shore, whether they
were Inlets many miles long or bays only
one mile long. Sho did not mean "gen?
eral trend of tho coast." This ukase was
communicated to tho European govern?
ments by Russia, nnd through Its min?
ister in London, Count Noseelrode, In?
formell the British government of Its ob?
jects, which were to prevent smuggling,
the sale, of arms to tho natives and other
olijectiolnable operations of "'Vagabonds."
Gretit Britain and Canada accepted the
situation, nnd when Alaska was pur?
chased our title was undisputed. It is
now too late to upset it. The British Com?
missioners havo takon the Just and sen?
sible view, and the Canndlan Commis?
sioners should have acquiesced.
HAWKINS' FAME.
The Memphis Coninicxcinl-Appeitl re?
cently protested very vigorously against
the credit for leading the- charg? at Bf.
Juan Hill being, given to Mr. Roosevelt,
while tho real hero of tha.t occasion, Cien
oral Hawkins, is constantly overlooked.
In reply tho Washington Post says Sir.
Roosevelt has novor attempted to appro?
priato glory which rightfully belongs to
another. It asserts that ho has "never
claimed a part In tho charge, hut on the
contrary has been at pains to tell In his
hook, 'Tho Rough Riders in Cuba,' how
he watched tho tight from the summit of
Kettle Hill, about half a mile to the
rear," where, much against his desire, he
was ordered to stay. And on the same
page of tho book General Hawkins "la
mentioned as the hero who really led tho
charge." General Hawkins, we are as?
sured, has "received recognition In every
official report, and was honorably retired
a year or two ago, and Is now Governor
of tho Soldiers' Home at Washington."
All this Is true, no doubt, but who over
hears of Hawkins, tho hero? How often
is his name associated with tho charge
nt San Juan Hill? Somehow, his glory is
overshadowed, if not obliterated, by
Roosevelt's.
In the light of the facts presented by
our Washington contemporary, we cannot
lay the fault at tho President's door, hut
we can't so readily exonerate some of his
friends. So deopseated and wldospresd is
the" Impression that Roosevelt was the
hero of the battle In question, most of
the Americans have never hoard of Haw?
kins?Hawkins, the hero of San Juan Hill.
NEGRO DIALECT,
Wo print elsewhere a communication
from a North Carolina correspondent in
which he says that The Times-Dispatch
is right in maintaining that there is such
a thing as a fairly uniform negro dialect
throughout tho South.
Wo have never moant to say, of course,
that all negro sla'ves In all sections talked
alike. There wero variations In different
sections, cren of the same State.
Wo recall, for example, that on the
Burgwyn plantations in the Roanoke bot?
toms of Northampton county, N. C, there
was a distinct lingo and a peculiar In?
flection of the volee, which botrayod ,i
"Neck nigger" wherever he was found.
Our only contention Is that there was ?
characteristic dialect, such as that spoken
by "Uncle Remus," and that with slight
variations hero and thero it was spokon
by the great majority of southern ne?
groes. Wo were not dealing with the ex?
ceptions, but with tho rule. ?
But tho original articlo was designed to
show that the jargon manufactured nt
tho North was novor spoken at any time
by any riegro anywhoro. ?
SELF-RELlAiNCE.
?\'? understand that many children in
the public schools of Richmond, espe?
cially those In the primary grades, never
carry their books home, which means,
of course, that they do not study at home.
They como to school In the morning with?
out having prepared their lessons, and
tho toachcr has to drum It Into them.
The teacher Is held rusponslbla for the
progress of tho pupils, and In consequence
the children aro stuffed as much as pos?
sible.
This seems to us to bo an utterly er?
ronoous Idea of education. Education Is
a process of development, and studies
are a moans uf developing the talents
and training the mind. Study Is tho most
Important part of education. It Is more
Important than Hie mere acquisition of
knowledge. That which the child learns
for luelf by diligent study Is worth u
hundred-fold moru than that which lg
dru mined Into It by the teacher.
Therefore, It becomes a mutter of su?
premo Importance that children should
be required to study at home; to study
Independently of the teacher and inde?
pendently of the member? of tho family,
In some oases there U too much teacliTTg
at hnnia; in other cases there is too much
teaching at school, if the child is going
to be stuffed it might as nell be 6ttiffed
by the teacher In school as by the mother
at home, But tho child should not be
sturfed anywhere. It should ho thrown
to a certain extent upon Its own re?
sources, ?t should bo taught self-roll?
ance; It khould be taught to tackle the
subject in hand and wrestle with It and
overcome dlfllcultles by It? own efforts. By
*'?h ? procete It may not gain as much
knowledge In a given time, It may not
tnako as fino a. show on parade day, but
it will have made bettor progress In true
education,
Wq do not underrate the office of the
teacher, There must be guidance nnd
instruction, but tho Importance of self
rellanco should be kept always In view.
When a little lot Is taught to walk It Is
guided by the hand of mother nnd en?
couraged and instructed. Hut what the
teacher Is trying to do Is to teach the
child to rely upon Its own strength to
stand erect and move the limbs. In short,
it le taught the lesson of self-reliance;
it is taught to dopend upon Itself rather
than upon mother, and by and by when
self-reliance Is thoroughly established
the child scorns assistance.
Mental training should bo of the same
sort, American manhood means self
reliance, and that Is the lesson, tho (ill
Important lesson, to be learned In school.
With that lesson thoroughly learned, all
the rest will bo comparatively easy.
Benjamin K. Turner, who Is repre?
sented as an engineering expert, Insists
that there Is a running river away down
In tho earth below Governor's Island.
Borers for artesian wells have gone
down to the depth of .1,800 feet without
success, but Mr. Turner Is not dismayed.
A second well Is now at 450 feet depth
without results. ?G it falls, Mr. Turner
and his financial hackers will try to get
water from the running river they speak
of, nnd the Now York Tribune says they
will re?oive $1 oO.fKX? If successful. He
claims to have a. "certain psychological
gift" for discovering water.
The 1,800-foot well struck granite and
Mr. Turner warned tho men engaged In
boring that they woixld better desist, ns
they could not expect to strike water In
such rock. A similar difficulty presents
itself here In Richmond, except that tho
granito is found much nearer the sur?
face. Sometimes crevlcos in tho rock
are struck where running water !s
found.
Mr. Graver Cleveland had a. cordial re?
ception In Chicago last week, which
shows that ho still has many friends
and admirers. The Inter Ocean says that
every third man in the crowd expressed
to Mr. Cleveland the hopo of having
an opportunity to vote for him again, and
further states that the bulk of the crowd
wn-s made up of worklngmen.
Home and Farm, a weekly Journal,
published at Springfield, 111., recently
took a ballot through Its columns h'y way
of ascertaining tho choice of its readers
for tho presidency, which resulted In
12,833 votos for Cleveland, bolng more than
tho combined vote of Bryan, Johnson, Hill
nnd Hearst. Tho Stato Register took a
similar ballot, In which Cleveland came
out first, with 1.S38 votes, and Bryan se?
cond, with 938.
Those statements are taken from the
New York Sun.
The Knoxvillo Sentinel has Just pub?
lished a trado and Industrial edition, con?
taining thirty-six pages. This Is tho fourth
annual edition ot this character, and is
the largest of tho series. The Sentinel
says that Knoxvillo Is enjoying a genuine
boom?not a land boom, but a'trade and
Industrial boom, which Is substantial. As
a newspaper is a fair index to tho trade
of the city It represents, this edition of
our enterprising contemporary in itself
substantiates the cla-im which It. makes
for Knoxvillo. It Is also fair to say thaf
the Sentinel Is a powerful factor In the
progress of Knoxvillo.
As a means of stopping deserters from
the army, General Funston recommends
that the pay of the enlisted men be In?
creased. Ho says that with better pay
more country mon could be Induced to
enter the service and that they would
bo preferable to the played out fellows,
who aro too often enlisted in the cities.
Our impression is that tho recruiting
officers havo been at work hi the coun?
try for several years past. We know
they havo been In several of tho small
towns in Virginia and North Carolina,
The death rate of New York city has
been cut down from twenty In a thousand
Ir. 1901 to 1S.75 a thousand in 1002, and the
returns for tho first eight months of this
year indicato a rate ot only eighteen per
thousand for 1903.
Montgomery Advertiser: Virginia has
been trying the viva voce systom of vot?
ing and from what we can learn from
their papers there was but little viva
mil loss voce. Tho system 1b out ot
date.
Ex-Editor Bibb has abandoned hlB
scheme to enter tho Journalistic field in
Richmond and hae sot up as an Inde?
pendent candidate for tho Legislature
in the county of Louisa.
In his Chicago speech, Mr. Cleveland
Improved on tho Into Senator Ingalls'
autobiographical ekotch by describing
himself as "a politician who Is not In
politics."
"Incorporated dishonesty" is the appro?
priato name Judge Grosscup. of Chicago,
has given to some of tho charters that
were born In New Jersey.
The meuniers of the legislature aro
having tholr washing done and their
grips dusted up for the trip to Richmond
next month.
The White House detective force Ig to
bo enlarged. Carrie. Nation has an?
nounced hoc purpose to seek an Inter?
view with Mr. Roosevelt.
Atlanta had a horso ?how last wook
uWo and us la true of everything Atlanta
undertakes, Is was a howling success,
With such a bunker crop Inolio bams
and granaries It is bard to ligure out a
panic or hard timos for tho South.
Wall Street is keeping Secretary Shaw
too busy to allow him to do any stump
speaking this fall.
There are no ?pots on Virginia's grand
and gloriai? October sun.
The June of the Indian ctummer seem!
to bo approaching with rapidity.
Horse show profits this year enlarged
the "velvet" pile considerably.
? ?+-?+??++???? 4 4??? ? ?+-???-?++? ?.
? I
t TSr?n? o/ TJhought i
? *#* 0?*Y?? X and 4
? .4.??--?-4^??-.4~???--*+*-?~?~??+ + 4
MemphlH Commercial-Appeal:
Hanna lins prnluo for JefferAm, GI4Ve?
land. Tilden and other Democratic lead?
ers. Roosevelt has no praise for any
president except himsolf.
Savannah Newa:
Worse than a Chin?se puzzle lo those
who look on from afar Is tho New *'ork
city political situation. Even New Vork?
urs themselves do not understand It. It
is a muddle that even the eleclon on
November 3d may not quite clear up.
Birmingham Age-Herald:
The champion gold brick up to this writ?
ing Ik the United States shipbuilding tru.it.
oi which Schwab was the etnei ni ? ist.
Charleston News and Courier:
One of tho indications of civilization in
South Carolina Is the Increasing atten?
tion now being given to the Improvement,
of our highways. Some very excellent re?
sults have been obtained.
Augusta Chronicle:
Hero it comes at last; somebody has
suggested Uncle Aillai Stevenson as the
r.o.M Presidential nominee. But the Dem?
ocratic party Is in no humor to bo Jokol
with right now.
A Few Foreign Facts.
A now Austrian battleship, Erzherzog
Karl, 10,000 tons, was launched on October
4th at Trieste.
The revenue of the Orange River Colony
for the past financial year amounted to
?il,770,000 and tho expenditure to ?1,524,
U00.
Telephone connection between St. Pe?
tersburg and Berlin Is contemplated, the
cost being estimated at ?2?0,000.
Of 400 natives belonging to the Ameri?
can mission at Rahurl Bombay, India,
who were Inoculated against pingue, only
one girl caught the disease, and she te
covered.
Two English and two Italian olllcors
have arrived at Jlbutll, East Africa, and
will accompany the Abyssinian force,
which is to co-operate with General Egor
tons columns In the impending advance
against the Somali Mullah. ,
A wine merchant at Elsenstadt. Hun?
gary, found guilty of adulterating wines,
was sentenced to twenty days' Imprison?
ment and costs, Including those of ad?
vertising tho judgment In the principal
newspapers of Hungary. ,
Personal and General.
General John B. Gordon, of Georgia,
has resumed his lecturing tour In the
South.
Mrs. Cortelyou twill make her first of?
ficial appearance as the wife of a Cabinet
minister at the public reception on Now
?ear's day.
August H. Becker, the woll-known
painter and decorator of St. Louis. Is
dead. Hie work remains In many of the
city's most notable buildings.
Theodore' Hansen, first secretary and
charge d'affaires of?'the Russian Embas?
sy, has closed the summer headquarters
of the embassy st Bar Harbor and hae
returned to Washington;
Former Chief Justice Wlllinm E. Par
menter, of Massachusetts, has just died
ip West Cambridge.. ' He had been a
lawyer since 1842. audJ remembered Bos?
ton as a town and. saw.. Lafayette when
the lattor vjslted America. Ho was born
in 1817. . '?; '
Dr. Charles W. Hargltt,' head of the
biological department of the Syracuse
(New York) University, is homo from a
sojourn of eight months In Europe. On
the Bay of Naples he caught a specimen
of the Jellyfish which had long been
sought after by famous European scien?
tists.
With a Comment or Two,
The next pleasure awa'tlrg the resi?
dents of this garden spot of the world 's
Kood old Indian summer time?the glory
and beauty of which Is nowho:o quite so
charming as In Virginia.?No. folk ,-tdger.
That's what we havo been contending
for. but thero aro many people who in?
sist that Indian summer is gene.ally a
myth, and very uncertain at best.
General Thomas L. Rosser Is running
for tho Legislative In Charlotlosv lie.
The Lou Dillon record Is still reasonably
safe.?Harrleonburg News.
Safe It Is. Even the short legs of
Thomas N. Williams, who is an Inde?
pendent candida e for the Legislature, In
Pittsylvanla, will hardly fracture It.
If the South woiked for internal lm
? provomonts by the government l.ke the
other sections, our mate. ?al advance?
ment would be very much more rapid.?
Knoxv.llo Sentinel.
Exactly so. "The old flag and an ap?
propriation" mako good piatto m timber.
We need more of It In the South.
Tho verdict of the lury does not speak
well for South Caiolina. Jnst.ce, but tho
sentiment which It may ar.ii.se may wann
the old Palmetto State up to tho p.Inc.
of endeavoring to make a rad.cal re?
vision of her criminal code.?Mobile Reg?
ister.
Better radically revise the moral sense
of her men subject to jury duty.
North Carolina Seitim?nt.
The Raleigh Times briefly refers to the
great reunion thus:
North Carolina Is safelv In tho lead
in this timely consideration of honor?
ing those of her people she has so gen?
erously loaned to other S ates, and even
other countries. And Greensboro has also
made an enviable score.
Tho Charlotto Chronicle says:
Ex-Senator Mar.on Butte., national
chairman of I he Po,.uiist\ paity, Is
quoted as saying that the roorgani ed
Popul.sts will eust more than two mil?
lion votes for an independent ticket of
| thotr own In comiiiK preti de..Mal elee
t.oii. Which w,l| bo a very foolish thing
for them to do when they conni doubt?
less turn these votoa luto a good deal
' of patronage by a fusion nriangemeni.
The Wiiiston-S.ileiu Sentinel suys:
President Roosevelt took a position
against the trusts, but when the water
begun to lie squeezed out of the bg
corporations and folks began kicking
around In the flood, he cried out that h.?
enemies were br.nglng trouble upon tne
country for the sole and onlv pur, osa
of emba? russine h ni p.il.Ucnlly. As a
trust buster lie did not intend to be taken
seriously.
The Wilmington Messenger says:
It is a. pity the newspapers do not let
Mr. George Vanderbllt alone about that
Biltmoro affair It Is entirely of a pri?
vate nature and something with wh.ch
the nubile, has nothing to do. That some
of IiIj trusted employes have been swin?
dling him nnd how he la going to act
under the d.sagrneable cltcumstancus i.re
his business, ami the public should not
attempt or desire to pry into Ina per?
sonal apalrs.
The Wilmington Star ?ays:
It is said that Bookor Washington now
advocates the removal of the nvgroeo
from tho congested blaok bolt of ;he
houth to tho regions of the North and
West. Wonder If Booker would head the
column If destined for Ervaneville, Ind.,
or Waterloo, Iowa.
9 - ?
Negro Dialect.
Editor of The Times-Dispatch:
air.-That The Times-Dispatch Is right
? In Its assertion that there Is ouch a
thing as a fairly uniform negro dialect at
the South will, 1 am suro be borne out
by the most observant people to the
n.annor born. As Is admitted, there are
exceptions to the general prevalence of
this dialect, tho most noticeable one b^
Ing In tho Ogoecheo region of Georgia.
I am roliably informed that tho negroes
of that region, who aro undoubtedly lato
Importations from Africa, speak u lingo
compounded of native African and Eng?
lish that ta almost wholly Unintelligible
to people accustomed to tho negro dialect.
But this nnd other Instances arc only the
exceptions. There Is undoubtedly a sur?
prising uniformity In the general negro
dialect of the South. It seems to be
much more uniform than tho dialect of
tlio Illlterato whites. And for this there
Is good reason. The diverse white dia?
lects of tho South are doubtless Survivals
under more or less modified forms of ?he
diverse dialects of England.
Thero are two reasons why there should
be substantial uniformity In Hid negro
dialect. In tho first piuco, It mainly had
Its birth In Virginia nnd North Carolino,
from whence negroes wero carried In ante?
bellum days to all parts of the South
and Southwest; also to Tennessee, Ken?
tucky nnd sumo parts of the West, An?
other, and though doubtless far Ic?s po?
tent, cause In producing the uniform
negro dialect was that It was the result
of nil attempt Of the slaves to > Imitate
the language of their masters. Tills dia?
lect of the educated whites of the South,
and the English language nt Its pnrest. Is
but a dialect which has over-mastered
other and competing dialects of the Eng?
lish people, was, of course, common to
tho slave-holding class generally. In Imi?
tating this the resultant dialect naturally
had moro or less uniformity.
I was born on a southern plantation
ten years before the war, an/1 In com?
mon with so many other southern boys,
my playfellows were llttlo negroes. Since
the war many negroes havo come Under
my observation, and among them negroes
from most of the Southern States. The
uniformity of their dlaloot has always
been noticeable, though, of course, there
are. modifications and variations. I saw
not very long ago a striking illustration
of this, l luid long known that In this
part of North Carolina the Albino negro
is called a "Molly Glaseo." i took this
to bo a purely local word, ospeclally as
the ?ur-namj; Glasgow Is found In this
neighborhood among tho mulatto free
negroes. But upon recent inquiry I find
tho term familiar to a negro from Geor?
gia and sev?ra] from South Carolina and
It is probably understood hi other South?
ern States.
I will add that I never know a negro
to use the word "Mussa" or "Mosser."
It Is always I'Marster," or. when at?
tached to a given nume It Is "Marse. '
'mus he would soy. "Ole Marster'? or
"Young Murster" nnd "Marse Juwn" or
"Marse Jeems." ,
In thu following four lines of nogio
dialect which you reproduced from the
New York Tribune thero are about u
dozen errors.
"Dat, sah am not a fact'ry. L,it am
S'ri John's Tlscopal Church, where Marne
1'atrlck Henry done get up an' a? de
Lawd to gib him llborty or gib him
deaf."
The old time negro, provided he used
tieso words would havo rendered them
thus: "Dat. euh, al' no fact'ry. Dut
Bain' Jawn's 'Plstopul Chu'ch, whar
Riarso Partrick Henry git up on ax de
Lawd to gin him libe.-iy or gin him deaf."
But the chances are that If he had
known that much about Patrick Henry
he would also have Imbibed sufficient
knowledge of the Revolution to embel?
lish his assertion in somewhat tho follow?
ing picturesque fashion.
"S>at, stili, at; no fact'ry. Dat Sain'
Jawn'o 'Pistopul Chu'ch, whar Marso
Partrlck Henry hop up en ax de Lawd
to gin him llborty or gin him deaf. King
George done got mighty blggity, ver
know, suh en 'low he ev'body's daddy.
But, blmoby, ho got enough cr dat deal
bus'nes', en he gin Marse Partrlck Henry
whut he ox de Lawd fer. En it all hap
p'n right in dar. Dat whut ho say, suh."
When I was a boy it was a common
expression among the older negroes that
If I had so and so "I wouldn't ax King
George to be my daddy."
The negro never rolled his R'e, and to
be perfectly accurate ? should bo used
after vowels In Its place. ,
O. W. BLACKN?LL.
Blakenhall, Kittrell N. C.
IVbjor S'iles' 8ook,
Editor of Tho Times-Dispatch:
Sir,?As a Virginian and an ex-Con?
federate soldier, I feel It a duty to recog?
nize the valuo of every contribution' to the
truth of the history we hold so dear.
Most of the books and articles published
since the greatest of all wars ha>re been
faulty, full of error, or too partisan
and prejudiced to he worthy of unquali?
fied endorsatlon. Major Robert Stiles In
his "Four Years Under Marse Robert,"
has avoided these weaknesses. He has
dealt, with a master's hand, not only
with the events of the war, but with its
| philosophy. Rather than exaggerate he
lins sometimes undorcolored tho picture,
but tho whole book is as true to life as
it is possible for It to be wrltton.
Even his anecdotes, while deeply In?
teresting, are nowhere overdrawn. Story?
tellers are very apt to amend and add to
the coloring with each repetition until
truth Is sacrificed to romance. This can?
not be said of Major Stiles' book. Tlrty
nlne years ago he related to my brother
one of the incidents retold In his book, as
we trudged along tho road on tho march,
and it was told then Just as he has pub?
lished It to-day.
The work Is the most valuable contribu?
tion to the history of the Confederacy yet
written, because It puts every phaso of
the politics Involved In Its correct set?
ting. His military criticism roads as if
written by an able general. But more than
all Is the work of value historically be?
cause It so ubly points out the inherent
weaknesses of the conduct of our af?
fairs. No one who cares to form a Judg?
ment on the great Iliad of our history
can afford to neglect becoming familiar
with this work.
ARTILLERYMAN.
G^ocl Ron s in Charlotte County,
Editor of The Times-Dispatch:
Sir,?A good roads meeting was called
for October court day, but as political
speaking had the right of way and poa
scsslon of the courthouse the Mentis of
! the movement, after consultation decided
to appoint precinct committees to bring
tho mutter prominently before tho peo?
ple by holding meetings In all parts of
tho county.
Public opinion is strongly developing
toward taking some action at an early
day. A law was recently passed by the
Legislature empowering the county to Is.
mio bonds to the amount of $125,000 for
permanent road Improvement.
The jaw provides that tho above amount
muy be spent In addition to that derived
from tho regular road tux at present, and
that money derived from bond issue shail
be spent only for permanent road Im?
provement.
The peoplo are aroused as to the im?
portance and urgency of the question of
better roads, but divided as to methods.
R.
Colo's Ferry, Oct. 18.
s .
John Skelton Williams,
Tho confident, determined stand that
John Skelton Williams has taken In the
race, of the temporary trouble that Ii?s
befallen hla firm is but characteristic of
tho .man. Relying as implicitly in Mr.
Williams as ho does himself in his ability
to tide over the embarrassment his
friends and the many people In tho South
who know him personally or by reputa?
tion feel gratification In the knowledge,
that the Seaboard Air Linn Is In such
competent hands. They recognize that tho
stability of tho Seaboard has nover been
threatened, and they feel sure of the fact
that Mr. Williams and Mr. MlddendoiT,
of Baltimore, are fully able to take care
of their firms,
Mr. Williams has dono too much for
the wido section of the South that the
Seaboard Air Lino traverses far that
section not to place every corsidenco in
him. His assurances of facia have al
waye been followed with the demonstra?
tions that time brings. That values of
ncutiourd securities will rise and that
those holding them will realize upon their
investments are beliefs he confidently
professes, and the entire course of hla
and the allied firm of Middondorf &. Com?
pany hau proven that ho Is willing to
abide by his Judgment- Such confidence
as ho lius shown cannot fall hi time to
?Tv?
The Ideal Brain Tonic. The Most Delightful Beverage. Re?
lieves Mental and Phyncal Exhaustion. Specific for Indices?
tion. Will not produce wakefulness or nervousness.
5c at All ?Soda Fountains.
POEMS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW
Whatever your occupation may be, and however crowded your
hours with affaire, do not fail to secure at least a few minutos
every day for refreshment of your inner life with a bit of poetry.
1'rof. Charles Eliot Norton.
No. 9.
Oh, Why Should the Spirit of
Mortal Be Proud?
WILLIAM KNOX.
William Knox. a yowiijr poof of considerable talent, was txirti In Scotland, In 17R0, ?nil
died nt Edcnbiirgli In IMI.', lit the ngn of 30, Anther of The Lonely Iti-uriti. San?? nr Urani,
Tup Hnrp of Zlon, ntc. Ill? fftthor ?vai a respectable .vcomnn, and lie himself ?nceieillnf to
good farms iindor the Dtikfl of Bllcclench, becanio loo noon hi* own master, aud plunged into
dissipation nnd rutn, 111? tnlent thon showed Itself In ? finn ?train of penetre poetry.
? no? apont Ills later yearn in Kdliibtirgli under hin father's roof, nnd amidst oil hit error?
was admlrabl.r faltlifnl tu tho domeitifl affiliions, ? kind anil respectable ?oil, nnd Ml attach?
ed brother. 'Die poem hero quoted no? inueb admired by Abrnhnni Llucoln, who often repent?
ed nnd referred to It. ,
WHY should tho spirit, of mortal be proud?
Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying ?touil,
? flash of tho lightning, a break of the wave,
He passeth from life to his rest in the grave.
As the young nnd the old, the low and the high,
Shall crumble to dust nnd together shall lie.
The leaves of ihe oak and the willow sha?? fade,
Re scattered around, and together be laid;
The infant a mother attended and loved,
The mother that infant's affection who proved.
Tho father that mother und infant who hlest?
Each, all, are away to that dwelling of rest.
The maid on whose brow, on whose cheek, in whose eye,
Shone beauty and pleasure?her triumphs utc by;
And alike from tie minds of the living erased
Are the memories of mortals who loved her and praised.
The head of the king, that the sceptre hath borne;
The brow of the priest, that the mitre hath worn;
The eye of the sage, and the heart of the brave??
Are hidden and lost in the depths of the grave.
The peasant, whose lot was to sow and ?o reap;
The liordsman, who climbed with his goats up the steep;
The beggar, who wandered in search of his bread?
Have faded away like tho grass that we tread.
So the multitude goes, like the flower or weed,
That withers away to let others succeed;
So the multitude comes, even those we behold,
To ropeat every tale that has often been told.
For we are the same that our fathers have been;
Wo see the same sights that our fathers have seen;
We drink the same stream, and wo feel the same sun,
And run the same course that our fathers have run.
The thoughts we are thinking out fathers did think;
From the death we are shrinking our fathers did ehrink;
To the life we are clinging our fathers did cling.
But it speeds from us all like the bird on the wing.
They loved?but? the story we cannot unfold;
They scorned?but the heart of the haughty is cold;
They grieved?but no wail from their slumbers will come;
They joyed?but the tongues of their gladness Is dumb;
They died?ah! they died?we, things that are now,
That walk on the turf that lies over their T>row,
And make in their dwelling a transient abode,
Meet the things that they met on their pilgrimage road.
Yea, hope and despondency, pleasure and pain,
Are mingled together in sunshine and rain:
And the smile and the tear, and tho song and the dirge,
Still follow each other like surge upon surge.
'Tie the wink of an eye; 'tis the draught of a breath
From the blossom of health to the paloneas of death,
From the gilded saloon to the bier and shroud;
0, why should the spirit of mortal bo proud t
Poems you ought to know begau in The Tlmcs-Dlepitch Sunday, October 11, 1603. On?
Is published each day.
HANDSO VIE
SCRAP BOOKS
TO PRESERVE THE
POEMS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW
15c Each. B^.,L '
TIMES-DISPATCH BUSINESS OFFICE.
teget confidence, and thon a docldcd im?
provement In securities will follow.
Lena than ton years ago Mr. Williams
bocavne Identified with this soctlon of tho
South through his reorganisation of the
Georgia and Alabama Railroad. That
comparatively tshort lino was put upon a
basis that Indicated the master hand that
??naped Its destinies, and It became u
property of which Mr. Williams was Just?
ly proud. He was not fashioned in a
mould that permitted him to bo content
with modest enterprises In this age of
tremendous railway projects, however,
and when the opportunity offered for the
amalgamation of the Georgia and Alli?
neimi, tho Seaboard Air Eine and tho
Florida Centrui and Peninsular Railroad,
he wus slow in taking advantage of
It. Many will recall the sensation cre?
ated when it was announced that tho
Ueorgla and Alabama had acquired tin?
Hea board. Some were teady to declaro
that there liad been an error, and that
It was the Seaboard that had acquired
the Georgia and Alabama. The true con?
dition seemed to them to_ present too
many aspects of the "tale wagging th?
dog."
The name of Mr. Williams, coupled
with that of Mr. W. W. Macknll, o?
Mils city, has been synonymous with pro?
gross In Savannah. Chief in the great
enterprises peculiar to the city that have
been launched largely through Mr. Wll
Hams' Instrumentality is the great system
of terminals on Hutchlnson'e Jutland,
where suoh a vast volume of freight is
bandied annually. To him, too, ?? the
head of the Seaboard Air ?Jne whjch
was the movant force, through Mr. Maok
ail, In the plan for tho construction of a
union passenger station In Savannah, may
largely be ascribed the handsome ant)
commodious station on West Broad Street,'
The geaboard. Air Eine Is too closely
Identified with a wide section of tho South
for it ?ot to ?liare any measure of pros?
perity and success that piay be the
couth's. Never before was the South in
a more flourishing condition, und this
fact in itself mean? that the Seaboard
.must soon have its values recognised,-?
Savannah Morning News,
