Huntsville gazette. [volume], December 08, 1894, Image 1

About Huntsville gazette. [volume] (Huntsville, Ala.) 1879-1894

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by HUNTSVILLE GAZETTE COMPANY. “With Charity For All; ami Malice Towards None .*» SUBSCRIPTION, $1.60 Per Annum.
/PLUME XVI._ HUNTSVILLE ALA., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1894. NUMBER 2.
__■ULUM^—w^—r-wrm—1-1 1—n 1 ---»mrwimmm —I—— I iiubii ■mmm jrminrn rr
other Parkhuest is now after all
nsses, and lie warms to liis work
later Hruwnlow. “The more re
able the boss," lie says, “the more
ably dangerous he is.*’
autumnal foot-ball casnalities in
ca will l»e in the neighborhood
men killed and thirty seriously
cl, which beats anything that
'■bring in Spain can show in five
;ipa is a three-billion state this
■ oranges, and California is coin
ward to help make this country
, greatest producer of oranges iu
tIk world. The beauty connected with
raising choice fruit is that the world
never gets a surfeit of it.
Tin: sensation the new cure for diph
theria is exciting in Europe may lie
judged from the fact that two hundred
thousand deaths occur from this dis
ease every year in Germany and Aus
tria alone. The French towns are sub
scribing large sums to obtain supplies
..f tlie new remedy.
A Detroit dentist who inadvertent
lv pulled the wrong tooth for a lady
lias lieen compeled to pay $500 dam
ages. As the usual amount asked in a
breach of promise suit is $50,000, it will
be noticed that Writing one love letter
may prove as expensive as pulling all
the teeth of four summer girls. *
The Susquehanna, a lordly looking
river, is not navigable on account of
its succession of rocky*rapids. Hut it
is proposed to dam its waters and gen
erate electricity, to be supplied to the
«ities of that region. Many schemes
of this kind are talked of, and await
the results of the great experiment at
Niagara falls.
,\ niLOSSAi, statue of William Penn
will soon he placed in the tower of the
i-i(y hall at Philadelphia. This build
ing lias been under construction for
twenty-live years, and its cost is $20,
•WO.OOO. Fortunately, William Penn
and Benjamin Franklin will not be on
hand to offer any remarks on the sub
ject of municipal thrift.
I hi: post office department would be
self-supporting if Fnele Sain were not
required every year to transpdH a
mountain of penny dreadfuls and sim
ilar rubbish at low rates. It would be
millions in pocket and a moral aid to
the people if this stuff should be called
on to pay at least the eost of its dis
tribution through the mails.
Canada has arranged in London for
a loan of 812.500,0IX) to continue its
work of canal enlargement and gen
eral improvement of the Dominion wa
terways. The "Soo” canal, which par
allels the American canal on the other
>ide of the river, will l>e deepened to
twenty feet. Canada must be credited
with leading in this sort of enterprise.
A profkssionat, pugilist wants to
know whether football players can l»e
gentlemen. According to recent re
ports of games of national renown, if
they can they wont, for they resort to
tactics that, if practiced in the piizc
ring, would subject the perpetrator to
immediate loss of standing in the con
lest in hand, and the execration of all
true sportsmen.
I in Wrench war budget for 1805 calls
for a little, more than 8100,000,000 pro
viding for 500,000 men. The Germans
" T] spend -150.000.000 on their army
nc.vf rear, maintaining about 70.000
more infantry alone than France has
under arms. The 2.436 companies oi
1 rench infantry do not average more
than 135 men. while Germany's 2.40S
companies muster 150 men each.
I m: eighteen provinces of China
speak- several different languages, and
are loosely held together by an admin
istrative policy at Pekin which is near
inkr on end. The empire is evidently
al'ont to break up, and even if thepres
1 at claims of Japan are settled, China,
•I - known to the present generation,
will soon be a thing of the past. His
tory will be made along the eastern
borders of Asia during the next few
years.
°NI v 13,000of the 365,630 immigrants
wlio tame to America during the last
fiscal year intended to settle in the
south. Vet no part of the world pos
" 'scs greater practical advantages for
■'ll industrious manor a capitalist than
’hc section thus neglected. If there is
•mvthing in the southern states, politi
l'a; or social, to repel the worthy im
migrant i r the man with surplus
money to invest the southern people
should take pains to remove it, and
' ^e7 alone can do it.
1 Hi: writers of a generation ago who
' "ntendeil that the downfall of slavery
!,irant a heavy decline in the cotton
1 op were very much in error. In 1830
a,VT"P of 1.000,000 bales was reached for
"c lirst time, and the 2.000,000 mark
•'■ passed in 1843. The average crop
m ,ilP ten years ending 1860 was 3,301.
"" !';des. In this decade the average
,,fcn 6.080,000 bales, and the esti
oj this year's crop varies from 8,
1,1 to 10.500.000 bales. These fig
ndicatc that free labor is about
' we as productive as slave labor.
"i m ( \uot.i.\A has doubled her
*-urn crop this year, while Mississippi
' !‘°ris a gain of ten million bushels of
.p*’‘1 Arkansas sjx- million bushels and
eight million bushels. The dis
/' c’: 1 of this gold mine ought toat*
■**ivt more attentiou.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
The President Makes His Annual
Communication to Congress.
A fieneral Review of Our Foreign and
Domestic Relations and a Resume
of Secretary Carlisle New
Currency Scheme.
—
President Cleveland's message to the
second session of the Fifty-third con
gress was submitted to both houses. It
is.as follows:
To the Congress of the United States.—
The assemblage within the nation's legislative
halls of those charged with the duty of making
laws for the benefit of n generous and freopco
plc impressively suggests the exacting obliga
tion ana inexecrable responsibility involved in
their task.
At the threshhold of such labor now tobe un
dertaken by the congress of the United States
and in the discharge of an executive duly en
joined by the constitution. I submit this com^
municatiou. containing a brief statement of the
condition of our national affairs and recom
mending such legislation as seems to me neces
sary and expedient.
Foreign Affairs.
The history of our recent dealings with other
nations and our peaceful relations with them
at this time additionally demonstrate the ad
vantage of consistently adhering to a firm but
just foreign policy, free from envious or am
bitious national schemes and characterized by
entire honesty and sincerity.
PEACE AND ORDER IN BRAZIL.
The termination of the civil war in Brazil
has been followed by the general prevalence of
peace and order, it appearing at an early
stage of the insurrection that its course would
call for unusual watchfulness on the part
of this government, our naval force
in the harbor of Rio tie Janeiro
was strengthened This precaution, I am
satisfied, tended to restrict the issue to a sim
ple trial of strength between the Brazilian gov
ernment and the Insurgents, and to avert com
plications which at times seemed imminent.
BRAZIL AND OUR TARIFF.
, Although the government of Brazil was duly
notiticd that the commercial arrangements ex
isting between the United States and that
country, based on the third section of the tariff
act of 1890, was abrogated on August 78. 1804, by
the taking effect of the tariff law in force, that
government subsequently notified us of its in
tent ion to terminate such arrangement on the
first day of January. 1895. in the exercise of llie
right reserved in the agreement, between the
two countries. I invite attention to the corre
spondence between the secretary of state and
the Brazilian minister on this subject.
THE NEW CHINESE TREATY.
On the 17tli day of March last a new treaty
with China, in further regulation of emigra
tion. was signed at Washington, and on August
13 it received the sanction of the senate.
Katitlcution on the part of China and formal
exchange arc awaited to give effect to this
mutually beneficial convention.
A GRATIFYING RECOGNITION.
A gratifying recognition of the uniform im
partiality of this country towards all foreign
states was manifested by the coincident re
quest of the Chinese and Jsipanese govern
ments that the agents of the United Stales
should, within proper limits, afford protection
to the subjects of the other during the suspen
| sion of diplomatic relations due to a state of
war. This delicate office was accepted, and a
misapprehension which gave rise to the be
lief that in affording this kindly unofficial pro
tection our agents would exercise the same
authority which the withdrawn agents of the
belligerents had exercised was promptly cor
rected.
THE CHINA-JAPAN WAR.
Although the war between China and Japan
endangers no policy of the United states it
deserves our gravest consideration, by reason
of its disturbance of our growing commercial
interests in the two countries and the in
creased dangers which may result to our citi
zens domiciled or sojourning the interior of
China.
Acting under a stipulation in our treaty
with Corea (the first concluded with a western
power) 1 felt constrained at the beginning of
the controversy to tender our good offices to
induce an amiable arrangement of the initial
difficulty growing out of the Japanese
demands for administrative reforms in Corea,
but the unhappy precipitation of actual hostili
ties defeated this kindly purpose.
COMMERCIAL ( LASH WITH GERMANY.
Acting upon the reported discovery of Texas
fever in cargoes of American cattle, the t in
man prohibition against importations of livt
stock and fresh meats front this country lias
been revived, it is hoped that Germany will
soon become convinced that fhe inhibition Isas
needless as it is harmful to mutual interests.
THE BEHRING SKA AGREEMENT.
Early in the present year an agreement was
reached with Great Britain concerning instruc
tions to be given to the naval com
manders of the two governments in Behring
sea and the contiguous North Pacific ocean
for their guidance in th<- execution of the
award of the Paris tribunal of arbitration and
the enforcement of the regulations therein
prescribed for the protection of seal life in the
waters mentioned. An understanding has also
been reached for the payment by the United
States of $175,000 in full satisfaction of alt
claims which may be made by Great Britain
for damages growing out of Hie controversy as
to fur seals in Behring sea. or the seizure of
British vessels engaged in taking seals in those
waters. The award and findings of the Paris
tribunal to a great extent determined the facts
and principles upon which these claims
should be adjusted.
HAWAIIAN REt (IGNITION
Since commuicating the voluminous corre
spondence in regard to Hawaii and the action
taken by the senate and house of representa
tives on certain questions submitted to the
Judgment and wider discretion of congress the
organization of a government in place of the
provincial arrangement which followed the
deposition of the queen has been announced
with evidence of its effective operation. The
recognition usual on such cases has been ac
corded the new government.
PROGRESSIVE JAPAN.
Apart from the war in which ihc island em
pire is engaged. Japan attracts increased at
tention in this country l>y her evident desire to
cultivate more liberal intercourse with us. and
to seek our kindly aid in furtherance of her
laudable desire for complete autonomy in her
domestic affairs and full equality in the family
of nations. The Japanese empire of !■>
dav is no longer the Japan of the
past, and our relations with this pro
gressive nation should not he less broad and
liberal than those with other powers.
THE Bt.UEETEt.DS INCIDENT.
Prominent among the questions of the year
was the Biuefields incident in what is known
as the Mosquito Indian -trip bordering on the
Atlantic ocean and within ihe jurisdiction of
Nicaragua Bv the treaty of I860 between
Great Britain and Nicaragua the former gov
ernment expressly recognized the sovereigbty
of the latter over the strip and a limited form
of self government was guaranteed to the Mos
quito Indians to he exercised accordingto their
customs for themselves and other dwellers
within its limit-. The so-called native govern
ment. which grew- to be largely made up of
aliens.for many years disputed the sovereignty
of Nicaragua over the strip, and claimed the
right to maintain therein a practically inde
pendent municipal government. Early in the
past year efforts of Nicaragua to maintain sov
ereignty over the Mosquito territory led to
serious disturbances, culminating in the sup
pression of the native government and the at
tempted substitution ol an impracticable com
posite administration, in which Nicaragua and
alien residents were to participate. Failure
was followed by an insurrection, which for a
t une subverted Nicaraguan rule expeling her
officers and restoring the old organization.
Tnis.inturn.gave place to the existing local gov
ernment established and upheld by Nicaragua.
The Nicaraguan authorities having given no
tice of forfeiture of their concession to the
canal company uti grounds purely technical,
and not embraced in the contract, have iftedyd
from that position,
THE C/.AIt ' HEATH.
The recent death -'f the czar of Russia called
forth the appro' ' :te expressions of sorrow
and sympathy of part of our governments
with his bereave ily and the Russian peo
ple: us afurthe* ii'-tratioil of respect and
friendship out -rat St. Petersburg was
directed to re; our government at the
funeral ceremt
BUS 1KHKINC SEA.
The sealing of Russia in Behring
sea tire second our own. A tnodu
vivendi has i re been concluded with t
the imperial gi tent restrictive of pouch
ing on the Russ •ekertes and of sealing in i
waters which tvi at comprehended in the
protected area ■ 1 in the Paris award.
T ETA CASE.
The president y reviews the case of th
Salvadorean re s, < irn. Kzeta and com
panions, with th ion of this government in
tiie premises.
SPANISH INJUSTICE.
Attention is called to the exorbitant and un
just penalties indicted by the Spanish authori
ties in Cuba against American vessels and their
cargoes on the most trivial pretexts. The
Mora indemnity has not yet liven paid and there
seems to be no immediate prospect of collect
ing it.
TCRKY AND THE ARMENIANS.
In my last annual message J adverted to the
claim on the part of Turky of the right to expel
as persons undesirable and dangerous Ar
menians naturalized in the United States and
returning to Turkish jurisdiction. Numerous
questions in this relation have urisen. While
this government acquiesces in the asserted
right of expulsion it will not consent that
Armenians may be imprisoned or otherwise
punished for no other reason than having
acquired, without imperial consent. American
citizenship.
Tlie National Finances.
THE TEAK'S INCOME AND EXPENDITURES.
The secretary of the treasury reports that
the receipts of the government from all sources
of revenue during the fiscal year ending June
30.1894. amounted to $372,802,498.29, and its ex
penditures to $412,605,758.87. leaving a deficit of
$69.903,260.58.
There was a decrease of $15,952,674.66 in the
ordinary expenses of the government as com
pared with the fiscal year 1893, There was col
lected from customs $131,818,530.62. and from in
ternal revenue f 117.168 179.70. The balance of
the income for the year, amounting to $93,815,
517.97. was derived from the sales of lands and
other sources.
CUSTOMS AND INTERNAL REVENUE.
The value of our total dutiable imports
amounted to $•275,199 086. being $146,657,625 less
than during the preceding year, and the Im
portations free of duty amounted to#379.795.536,
being #64.748.675 less than during the preceding
year. The receipts from customs were $73,536.
486.11 less, and from internal revenue #13.836.
539.97 less than in 1893. The total tax collected
from distilled spirits was $85,259,250.25: on
manufactured tobacco $28,617,898.62. and on
fermented liquors $11,414,788.01.
THE YEAR S EXPORTS.
Our exports of merchandise, domestic and
foreign, amounted during the year to $892,140.
,572. being an increase over the preceding rear
Of $44,495,378.
the Movement of gold and silver.
The total amount of gold exported during the
fiscal year was $76.898,061.as against #108.680.444
during the fiscal year 1893. The amount Im
ported was $72.419.119. as against $21,174,381 dur
ing the previous year. The imports of silver
were$13,280,552. and the exports werr $59,451.
265.
SUGAR BOUNTY PAID.
The total bounty paid upon the production of
sugar in the United States for the fiscal year
was $12,100,208.89. being an increase of $2,725,
078.01 over the payments made during the pre
•ceding year. The amount of bounty paid
from July I. 1894, to August 28. 1894.
the time when further payments ceased by
operation of law. was $966.185.84. The total ex
penses incurred in the payment of the bounty
upon sugar during the fiscal vear was' $130,
110.85.
AN ESTIMATED DEFICIT.
It is estimated that upon the basis of the
present revenue laws the receipts of the gov
ernment. during the current fiscal year ending
June 30. 1895. will !>■■ #124.127.718 14. and its ex
penditures $444.427.748.14. resulting in a deficit
of $20,000,000.
THE NATION'S STOCK OF MONEY.
The first day of November. 1894. the total
stock of money of all kinds in the coun
try was $2,240,773,888. as against $2,204.
651.000 on the first day of November.
1893. and the money of all kinds in
circulation, or not included in the treasury
holdings, was $1,672,093,122. or $21.27 per capita
upon ah estimated population of 68.8K7.ooo. At
the same date there was held in the treasury
gold bullion amounting to $41,615,107.55 and sil
ver bullion which was purchased ala cost of
#127.779,9': 8.
SILVER BULLION.
The purchase of silver bullion under the ai t
of July 14.1890, ceased on the first day of Xo
veinber. 1893. and up to that time there had
been purchased during the fiscal year 11.717,
658.78 tine ounces at a cost of $8,715,521.32, an
average cost of *0.7313 per Hue ounce. The to
tal amount of silver purchased from the time
that law took effect until the repeal of its
purchasing clause on the date last mentioned
was 168.671,082.53 fine ounces, which cost $155,
431.002.25.the average price per fine ounce being
#0.9241.
COINAGE OF THE MONEY METALS.
The total amount of standard silver dollars
coined at the mints of the United Stales since
the passage of the act of February 28. 1878. is
#421.776,108,of which #378.166.793 were coined un
der tlie provisions of that act: *38.531.143 under
the provisions of the act of July it. 1890, and
#5.078.172 under the act providing for the coin
age of trade dollar bullion. The total coinage
ot all metals at our mints during the last fis
cal year consisted of 63.485.220 pieces val
ued at #106.216.730.06. of which there
was #99.471.912.5) in gold coined;
#758 in standard silver dollars: $6.024.110.30 in
subsidiary silver coin, and $716,919 26 in minor
coin.
PRODUCTION OF PRECIOUS METALS.
Iiuring the calendar year 1893 the production
of precious metuls in the United States was
estimated at 1.739.323 fine ounces of gold of the
commercial and coinage value of $35,955,000 and
60,000.000 fine ounces of silver of the bullion or
market value of #46.800.000 and of the coinage
value of $77 576.000. It is estimated that on the
first day of July. 1891. the stock of metallic
money in the United tales, consisting of coin
and bullion, amounted to #1.251.640.958.of which
#627.923.201 was gold and $621.317.758 was silver.
NATIONAL BANKS.
Fifty national banks were organized during
the year ending October 31. 1894. with a capital
of $5,265,000: and seventy-nine, with a capital
of $10,475,000 went into voluntary liquidation.
Twenty-one banks, with a capital of $2,770,000
were placet! in the hands of receivers. The
total number of national banks in existence on
the 31 si day of October last was 3.756. being
forty less than on the 31st day of October. 1893.
The capital stock paid : was #672.671.365. being
$9,678,191 less than at the same time in the
the previous year, and the surplus and undi
vided profits less the expenses and taxes paid,
amounted to $344,121,082.10, which was $16,089.
780 less than on October 31, 1893.
The circulation was decreased $1.711.563. The
obligations of the banks to each other were in
creased #117 260.334. and the individual deposits
were $277,294 48!’ less than at the corresponding
date in the previous year. Loans and discounts
were #101.206.923 more than at the same t ime the
previous vear and checks and other cash items
were $90,349,963 more. The total resources of
the banks at the date mentioned amounted to
$3,473,922,055. as against $3 109.563.284.36 in 1893.
The War Department.
STRENGTH OF THE ARMV
From the report of the secretary of war it
appears that the strength of the army on Sep
tember 30. 1«>4. was 2.(35 officers and 25.7R5 en
listed men. Although thi' is apparently a
verv slight decrease compared with the
previous t ear, the actual effective force has
been increased to the equivalent of nearly two
regiments, through the reorganization of the
system of recruiting ami the consequent re
lease-to regimental duty of the large force of
men hitherto serving at the recruiting de
partments. The abolition of these de
partments. it is predicted, will furthermore
effect an annual reduction approximating
*250.000 in the direct expenditures, besides pro
moting generally the health, morals and disci
pline of the troops. The execution of the pol
icy of concentrating trie army a; important
centers of population anil transportation, fore
shadowed m the last annual report of the sec
retary. has resulted in the abandonment of fif
teen of the sina ller.posts. which was effected un
der a plan which assembles organizations of the
same regunents hitherto widely separated. This
renders our small forces more readily effective
for any service which they may be called upon
to perform, increases the extent of the terri
tory under protection without diminishing the
security heretofore afforded to any locality,
improves the discipline, training and esprit de
corps of the army, besides considerably de
creasing the cost of its maintenance.
emergence cai.es on the arme.
It is hardly necessary to recall the fact that
in obedience to the commands of the constitu
tion and the laws, and for the purpose of pro
tecting the property of the L'niiedStates.aiding
of the porcess of the federal courts and re
moving lawless obstructions to the perform
ance by the government of Us legitimate
functions, it became necessary, in various
localities, during theuyear. to employ a con
siderable portion of the regular troops.
The duty was discharged promptly, courage
ously and with marked discretion by tho
officers and men, and the most grati
fying proof was thus afforded that, the army
deserves that complete confidence in its effici
ency and discipline which the country has at
all times manifested. The year has been free
Jfroni disturbances by Indians, and the chances
E>f further depredations on their part arc con
stantly growing more and more remote and
improbable. I
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
The total enrollment of the militia of the
several states is 117,533 officers and enlisted
men. an increase of 5.313 over the number re
ported at the close of the previous year.
The reports of militia inspections by regular
army officers show a marked increase in in
terest and efficiency among the state organiza
tions, and I strongly recommend a continuance
of the policy of affording every practical en
couragement possible to this important auxil
iary of our military establishment.
A RECOMMENDATION.
In recognition of the long and distinguished
military services and faithful discharge of del
icate and responsible eivil duties by Maj.-Gen
John M. Schofield, now the general command
ing the army, it is suggested to congress that
the temporary revival of the grade of lieuten
ant-general in his behalf would be a just and
gracious act. and would permit his retirement,
now near at hand, with rank befitting his
merits.
Department of Justice.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S ItKPour.
The report of the attorney-general notes the
gratifying progress made by the supreme court
in overcoming the arrears of its business and
in reaching it condition in which it will be able
to dispose of cases as they arise without any
unreasonable delay. This result is. of course,
very largely due to the successful working of
the plan inaugurating circuit courts of appeals.
In respect to these tribunals the suggestion is
made, in quarters entitled to the highest con
sideration. that tin additional circuit
judge for each circuit would greatly
strengthen these courts and the
confidence reposed in their adjudications,
and that such an addition would not create a
greater force of judges than the increasing
business of such courts requires. I commend
the suggestion to the careful consideration of
the congress. Other important topics are ad
verted to. accompanied by recommendations,
many of which have been treated at large in
previous messages and at this time, therefore,
need only be named I refer to the abolition of
the fee system as a measure of compensation
to f deral officers; the enlargement of the pow
ers of United Slates commissioners at least in
the territories; the allowance of writs
of error in criminal cases on behalf
of the United States and the establishment of
degrees in the crime of murder.
UNITED STATES PRISONS.
Eight years ago in my annual message I
urged upon the congress as strongly as I could
the location and construction of two prisons
for the confinement of United States prisoners.
A similar recommendation lias been made
from time to time since, and a few years ago a
law was passed providing for the •selection of
sites for three such institutions. No appro
priation has, however, been made to carry the
act into effect and the old and discreditable
condition still exists.
Tlie Post Office Department.
KEYENCE AND OUTLAY.
Tlie report of the postmaster-general pre
sents a comprehensive statement of the opera
tions of the post office department for the last
fiscal year. The receipts of the department
during the year amounted to 875,080,479.04 and
the expenditures to $84.221414.15. The transac
tions of the postal service indicate with
barometric certainty the fluctuations of
the business of the country.
INCREASED EXPENDITURES.
The expenditures increase steadily and nec
essarily with the growth and needs of the coun
try. so that that deficiency is greater or less it*
any year depending upon the volume of re -
ceipts.
The postmaster-general states t hat this de
ficiency is unnecessary, and might be obviated
at once if the law regulating rates upon mail
matter of the second class was modified.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAILS.
The total numberof post offices in the United
States on the 30th day of June. 1891. was 09.805.
an increase of 1.403 over the preceding year.
Of these 3.428 were presidential, an increase
in that class of 88 over the preceding year. Six
hundred and ten cities and* towns are provided
with free delivery. Ninety-three other cities
and towns entitled to this service under the
law have not been accorded it on account
of insufficient funds. The expense of free de
livery for the current fiscal year will be more
than $12,300,000. and under existing legislation
this item of expenditure is subject to constant
increase. The estimated cost of rural free de
livery generally is so very large that it ought
not to be considered in the present condition of
affairs.
THE POSTAL UNION.
The report also contains a valuable contribu
tion to the history of the universal postal
union, an arrangement wnich amounts prac
tically to the establishment of one postal sys
tem for the entire civilized world. Special at
tention is directed to this subject at this time,
in view of the fact that the next congress of
the union will meet in Washington in 1897, and
it is hoped that timely action will be taken in
the direction of perfecting preparations for
that event. _
The Navy Department.
PROGRESS IN < fiNsTRl.TTtON.
Attention is called to tlie report of the secre
tary of the navy, which shows very gratifying
progress in the construction of ship-, for our
new navy. All the vessels now building. In
cluding the three torpedo boats authorized at
at the last session of congress, and except the
first-class battleship owa. will probably be
completed during the coming fiscal year.
A PI.EA FOR -MORE BATTLESHIPS.
The tsecretary presents, with much earnest
ness. a plea for.the authorization of three ad
ditional battleships anti ten or twelve torpedo
boats. While the unarmored vessels hereto
fore authorized, including those now nearing
completion, will constitute a fleet which it is
believed is sufficient forordinary cruising pur
poses in time of peace, we have now completed
and in process of construction but four first
class battleships and but few torpedo
boats. If we are to have a navy
for warlike operations, offensive and de
fensive. we certainly ought to increase both
the number of battle-ships and torpedo boats.
I recommend tba! provision be made for the
construction of additional battle-ships and tor
pedo boats.
ACTIVE WORK FOR THE NAVV.
During the past fiscal year there has been an
unusual and pressing demand in rnanvquarters
of the world for the presence of vessels to guard
American interests. In January last during
the Brazilian insurrection, a large (ieet was
concentrated in the harbor of Wo do Janeiro.
The vigorous action of Kear-Admita Benham
in protecting the persona! and commercial
rights of our citizens during the disturbed con
ditions afforded results which will, it is be
lieved. have a far-reaching a id wholesome in
fluence whenever in like circumstances it may
become necessary for our naval commanders to
interfere on behalf of our people in foreign
parts. The war now in progress t>< tween China
and Japan has rendered it necessary or ex
pedient to dispatch eight ves.-r!s to those wa
ters.
PERSONNEL AND PROBATIONS.
I feel it my mperativc duty to call attention
I to the recommendation of the secretary in re
gard to the Dei sonnet of the line of the navy.
^Conti/iUtif "it I'furtli J‘a I
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.
Southern Corn Crop
Data has been received from the
! agricultural department at YVashing
I ton giving the corn yield of the south
ern states for 18*54.
rJ his year's crop is compared with
| that of last, and it will be seen that
there is an increase of about 50,000,000
bushels. The figures given here are
j in round millions of bushels, and will
| be found interesting:
"Yield 1893. Yield 1894,
States. bushels. bushels.
Maryland.. 15,000,000 J1.060,000
! Yirptnia . . 31,000,000 32,000,000
Xorth Carolina. 30.000,000 33,0 0,000
South Carolina. 12,000,000 19,000.000
Georgia. 34,000,000 ©,000,000
Florida. 5,000,000; 5,000,000
Alabama.. 28.OOo.OOV 3 >,000.000
Mississippi . 26,000,' 00 ©.000,OIK)
Louisiana . 15,000,000 18,000,000
Texas. 01,000,000 69.1100,000
Arkansas. 32,000,000 38,000,000
Tennessee. 04.000.000 68.000,000
West Virginia. n.ooo.ooti 1:1,000.000
Kentucky. 68,OJO,OdO 68,UR) ,000
Total. 140.000,000 190,000,000
Commenting on the above, the New |
Orleans Picayune says: It is certain I
that the southern states are giving
more attention to corn than ever be
fore, ami it is big money in the pockets
of the southern people to do so. When I
they shall make their own corn and j
bacon, as they undoubtedly can. then j
they will be truly independent. Their 1
cotton, sugar, rice anti tobacco will lie j
pay crops, because the expense of feed
ing laborers and animals is one of the
heaviest burdens which can fall on the
southern planters.
Round ltaleu.
Mississippi Confederate I'eiislouer*.
The auditor and pension eominis
| sioner of Mississippi have completed
I the list of confederate pensioners for
| the present year. It shows a decrease
of 20 per cent, compared with las',
year. The appropriation is for S*i7.7>oo
It is distributed pro rata, giving each j
pensioner *27 annually. The fund was
first created in is**. The first year
! showed 1,000 pensioners, and the ap
I propriation being only *21,000. they
I got *21 each. Last year the number
j had increased to 3,000, and the pro
portionate amount each received was
decreased to *70. This is the first year
showing a decrease, which results i
largely from the close ruling of the
pension commissioner, and a law
passed by the last legislature.
A Woman*** Construction of Law.
Noah Massey obtained at Charlotte.
N. a license to marry Emma Timms,
who is from South Carolina. Later lie
was informed she was already married,
but this she denied indignantly.
They were married, and as soon as the
j ceremony ended she told him she had
; been married, but it was in South C'ar
! olina, and that as no marriage license
j is required in tlie latter state the cere
mony was not legal. Massey knew
better, and told his bride they would
go to his father's and there eat their
| first and last dinner together. When
! dinner ended Massey left, and Miss
j Timms is doubly husbandless.
I.fuelled by Negroes.
Win. Jackson, a negro desperado
i wanted for various crimes, committed
a criminal assault upon the person of a
negro woman near Martel, a small vil
lage in Marion County, Fla. Jackson
was arrested by a constable, who. while
taking the prisoner to Martel, was met.
by a large armed body of negroes and
the prisoner hanged to the nearest tree.
Successful Revival.
The great revival at 1 lie First Pres
byterian church in Jackson. Tenn.. by
the North Carolina Evangelist, Rev.
tV. 15. Fife, closed the other night. It
was one of the greatest religious
awakenings ever known in west Ten
nessee. There have been over 100 con
versions. Mr. Fife goes to Covington.
Tenn.
Crushed Beneath a l.og.
Abernathy, a young man engaged
with others in rafting logs, met a hor
rible death at Wood's Ferry, Coosa
river, Ala. He stumbled and fell in
front of an immense log, which was
rolling down a hill, and was crashed
by it into an unrecognizable mass.
The Pistol wan Loaded.
At Piedmont. Ala., young Millard
Daniel handed an <>ld pistol that he
had just bought to his brother Caleb for
examination. As it was not I?) loaded,
Caleb playfully snapped it at Millard.
The ball entered near the heart and he
is not expected to live.
Alabama Wants Immigration.
A bill has been introduced in the
. lower house of the Alabama legislature
asking for an annual appropriation of
! $30,000 for the maintenance of an immi
gration commission.
\ Bov Granted a Respite.
Gov. Turney of Tennessee has grant
ed a respite to George Mapp. a 17-year
old negro boy. sentenced to hang at
i Chattanooga, for murder, until Jan
uary 11.
effects or a Drought.
The drought continues in the neigh
borhood of Dallas, Tex. Many pastures
around the city have burned, and tva
! ter-haulers are doing a rushing busi
ness.
Death of a .Jurist.
Judge John Frizzell, of Nashville,
\ Tenn.. died the other evening after a
j long illness. He was 65 years old, and
; leaves a widow aud several children.
While Walking for Plmntirr.
Dr. T. J. Wallace, aged 65, of Colliers
I ville. Ky.. dropped dead. He was walk
ing his piemisos for pleasure, and was
j In apparent good health.
HERE’S A STATE OF THINGS.
American Cruisers Idle While American
Cit izens are in Hanger in China The Na
val Authorites Cliarginetl.
AN asuixotox. Dee. 3.—The report
that Minister Denby hail appealed for
help in a cablegram to the department
of state is now confirmed, but the dis
patch, instead of coining Friday, was re
ceived. as stated in these dispatches,
several days ago. It was last Monday
that Secretary Gresham learned from
the American minister that protection
was required, and the navy depart
ment immediately cabled to Admiral
Carpenter, directing him to deliver a
draft of fifty marines to the Monocacy
at Tien-Tsin. As the old Monocacy
could not furnish accommodations for
such an increase to her crew, it is t<:
he presumed that the men were to bo
landed.
Admiral Carpenter, however, must
have failed to receive the order, for
early in the morning of the 'Till a
cablegram was received from him an
nouncing the departure of t lit? IUilti
more for Nagasaki, were her arrival
was reported two days later.
To say that tlie authorities of the
navy department are very much cha
grined over Admiral Carpenter's ac
tion in this matter only mildly
expresses the state of feeling.
While it is well known here that
no foreigner is safe on Chinese
territory to-day, the flagship is
leisurely coaling at the pleasant port
of Nagasaki, and the second important
ship of the the fleet, the Charleston,
has been over a month at Cheiuulpo,
Corea, where there is not a vestige nl
danger to American interests, the
strong Japanese force there maintain
ing the best of order.
It is known that some sharp mes
sages have been sent to the admiral in
the past few days, and that he has
been directed to send the Charleston
at once to the Chinese coast. It is
also understood, though in the present
irritated condition it is impossible to
confirm it, that Minister Dciiby was
authorized several days ago to trans
fer the legation to Tien-Tsin.
A PLEA FOR FREE SHIPS
The Burden of the Report of the Com
missioner of Xstifation.
Washixgtox, Dee. 3. The annual
report of the commissioner of naviga
tion is mainly an argument for free
ships, based on maritime facts of ik<*
United States and other nations. Only
six American steamships, including
the New-York and' Paris, .crossed the
Atlantic, and only seven the Pacific
last year, while from New York and
Philadelphia alone thirty-three steam
ships, mainly new steel vessels, owned
by Americans, crossed regularly to
Europe under foreign flags. American
enterprise, he says, is a century in ad
vance of the law. for Americans own
more steamships forbidden by the
registry law to wear American colors
than they own steamships in foreign
trade under the Stars and Stripes.
The admission of such vessels to Amer
ican registry is desirable to enhance
our maritime rank.
The report reviews government aid
to shipping by Great Britain. Prance,
Italy and other nations, showing that
only 3 per cent, of the British nicr-.
chant marine rci eives any government
compensation and giving statist ics con
cerning other countries.
Discriminating flag taxes have been
abandoned by maritime nations, as
they invite retaliation which nullifies
any prospective benefits. Cost of con
struction and of operation are exam*
ified with full figures on coni pa rat i vo
wages, and foreign and state taxes art)
compared. Amendments to the net
tonnage and tonnage tax laws, the
abolition of registry bonds, and an ex
tension of the power of the secretary
of the treasury to mitigate or refund
penalties on sailing vessels are recom
mended.
A LONG TALK.
.Satisfactory 'lost of Krickson’s Loiij;-dis
tance Telephone Transmitter.
Mkmphis, Term., Dec. Between
Birmingham, Ala., and Memphis to
day, was made the first test in this
country of the long-distance telephone
transmitter patented by Erickson, ot
Sweden. The distance of this test is
28j miles. The test was made over the
Commercial Cable Co.'s wires under un
fa vorable.wcat her conditions, and were
conducted by Albert Klein, local man
ager of the Postal Telegraph < o4 The
test was perfectly satisfactory, t In
voice coming mure distinctly over this
distance than it usually Is transmitted
by local service By ar arrangement
of instruments in the office, a circuit
representing the resistance of l,"Ml
miles of wire was formed and the re
sult was equally satisfactory. and ad
ditional distance apparently making
no difference.
THE MARCH ON PEKIN
May Ik- Abandoned- Five Hundred .Milan
ese Captured and Probably Killed.
London'. Dec. 3.—The Che-Foo corre
spondent of the Central News rays:
"The prevalent impression is that the
Japanese will abandon the march on
Pekin. Part of the Japanese fleet lias
; been seen in the gulf off Wei-Hai-Wei
I but it lias made no attack. It. is re
i ported that an army of 250,000 Chinese
expect to intercept the Japanese on
their march toward New Ohwang.
| The Chinese surrounded a detachment
I of 500 Japanese in a town recently and
1 captured them. Probably all the cay*
I viveti were killed."