Jamestown weekly alert. [volume], January 07, 1892, Image 4

About Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925

Image provided by: State Historical Society of North Dakota

                
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Thejamestown Alert
TSlBMSi
The D«lly AluH In ilullvered In the city by c*
rtora,»t SOoeiits a mouth.
Daily, one year |6 uo
Dally,nix mouths 3 00
Oally three months 1 50
Weekly, one year 2 UO
Weekly, six months 100
DAILY (EXCEPT SUNDAY) & WEEKLY
W K.KKLLOGO.
THK fourth olaas postmasters are unit­
ing ia an effort to raise the compensa­
tion of their offices. A national conven­
tion for the purpose is soon to be held,
and North Dakota will have two dele­
gates from the towns of Sims and New
Rookford. At a first glance everybody
is naturally inclined to Bay that more
pay should be accorded the fourth class
postmasters, and if a petition were cir­
culated nine out of ten men asked would
sign a request to this effect. In the
oourse of the last tlfty years no post­
master general has done more to advance
the interests of the public in the post
office dapartmeot than the present in
cumbeot, Hon John Wanamaker. He
has infused into the service the animat­
ing energy of his own wonderful abilities
as a successful business man whose name
is known from one end of the country to
the other. He is making a fight for
postal telegraphy and for many postal
reforms that the progress of the times de
mands. What he says, therefore, about
the pay of the fourth-class postmasters
can be taken as a wise view of the situa­
tion, and a liberal one. According to his
annual report to congress, there are in all
61,329 postoffices, from over two-thirds
of which the postmasters received all the
receipts. The postmaster general says:
It would seem ludicrous, then, unless
conditions were radically to change, thai
there should be any general demand for
increased compensation among public
servants who get everything there is, ami
it seems a little ungenerous that public
officers who have eagerly sought the
place and succeeded against the candi­
dacies of perhaps half a dozen others, or
who, meeting with no opposition in their
caudidaoies, accept a place in many in­
stances on the implied supposition that
they shall never exert themselves to fill
it, except by deputy, should complain
about their pay
.The direct compensation
of the fourth-class postmaster can only be
brought about as the result of a busi­
ness proposition. In order to get more
pay he must deserve it,either because he
does nrore work or because he does a
greater variety of it. I would give him
a chance to do both. I would gradually
but surely extend to him the manage
roent of the rural free delivery, aud still
more gradually, but none the less surely,
the extension of the telegraph and tele­
phone service in the country and the
transfer of the postal deposits.
THE Scandinavian prohibitionists of
the state held a meeting at Hillsboro last
week. There were two factions repre
sen ted, one led by Editor Foss of the
Normanden of Grand Forks, the leading
Scandinavian journal of the state, and
(he other in control of Scandinavian poli­
ticians, who have held office, or who ex­
pect to. Among the latter are L. C.
-Johnson, brother of Congressman John­
son. Ministers were engaged on both
sides of the controversy apparently
equally sincere. The Foss faction claimed
that prohibition could only be retained
as a law of the state by joining the Scan­
dinavian vote with that of the Independ­
ents or alliance the other side main­
tained that the republican party was the
trae prohibition party and that the Scan­
dinavians must keep faith with that
political organization at all hazards. All
reports agree that the Independents weie
in the minority, although they made a
stubborn tight. A resolution was finally
adopted, setting forth that the interests
of prohibition would be best served by
allegiance to the republican oarty. The
result is reported as a triumph for the ie
publican wing, and Editor Foss and
friends are said to have been completely
routed.
This meeting is of more than passing
importance. It shows that there is little
possibility of a split in the Scandinavian
ranks, and that their party leaders will1
have that vote mostly in line for the re­
publican ticket and for prohibition next
year. Both Scandinavian factions are
determined to continue the farce of the
prohibition law—-and one is equally in­
tolerant as the other in that view. By
the Scandinavian vote solely, prohibition
was injected into the constitution and
made a law of the state. The revolt
against this measure is forming in many
parts of the 6tate, among nearly all
classes. Opposition to it is less among
the Scandinavian rank and file than
any of the naturalized citizens, while the
betterment of the temperance morals of
Scandinavians is not conspicuous any­
where. The alcohol toddy—in modera
tiou and excess—is still as dear to the
heart of the Scandinavian farmer on the
prairies of "Nord Dakotay" asitwasbe
fore he left the rugged bills, valleys and
fiords of his native land.
The only escape from this unfortunate
situation is for a combination of all the
forces opposed to prohibition, a united
front against it, a campaign of business
men in their own interests and in
the interests of and respect for laws
that can be enforced. There is a chance
open to the repnblicans to take the lead
in this movement but it is feared that
the selfishness and demagogy will throw
that chance away.
THERE
it
is a great deal of dissatisfaction
with the South Dakota law relating to
1-
f'
the sale of delinquent tax certificates.
The complaints are that it sautsout
small bidders, and as the lands are re­
quired to be sold in bulk, only syndi­
cates or capitalists can get them. The
last sales show that eastern parties
have bought up most of the
certificates at a maximum rate of 15 per
ent interest. The lands revert to the
chasers absolutely after three years.
The tax laws of both North aud South
Dakota are very stringent, and if a few
years of poor harvests were to continue
most of the small land owners would
be bereft of th ir property if
the laws are strictly enforced.
The rate of taxation is also too high, in
this state at least. With a comparative­
ly small state debt, at low interest, a large
government grant for school lands, and
small salaries, the taxes are beyond ques­
tion in excess of any rightful needs. Legis
lative extravagance is largely to,blame for
this, and a destruction of revenues from
the passage of a prohibitory law.
THE Minnesota farmers are feeling
prosperous this year. At an alliance
meeting in a western county of the state
last week, it is B^id that $6,700 were
raised to prosecute the work of the or­
ganization. Every North Dakota farmer
who has a little surplus this year can
well invest a contribution from it, for
the same purpose. Minnesota and the
Dakotas must join hands in this cause.
Already there are signs that the orth
Dakota alliance is gathering to its mem­
bership a better class of farmers—men
who are capable of planning and execut­
ing. In their hands can be held the
baiance of power in the next legislature
and if the sentiment of the rank and file
of the farmers of the state remains as it
»w is there will be so many represents
Lives pledged to serve the people, that it
will be next to impossible to defeat a
majority of them.
THE directors have decided that liquors
may be sold in restaurants at the World's
fair, the same as meals. The idea is
gradually getting fixed in the public
mind that a world's fair cannot be suc­
cessfully run on prohibition principles
The logic of this will open the gates on
Sunday. America is bound to be the
land of the trea and the home of the
brave right along.
The problems of the World's fair man­
agement are bringing many practical
questions home to the people of this
country, and in the
settlement of tbem.tbr
opinions of other enlightened countries
and voice and influence of the humble
emigrant from Europe, who knows ho«
to prize his liberty, are having no little
weight.
ANOTHER year has been checked off
for all of us. Take it for all in all, it
has been a friendly and satisfactory year
It has seen the turn in the lonsr lane of
hard times which have worried the best
and pluckiest of North Dakota people,
and which has sent many away
to look for pastures new. The
year beginning tomorrow is bright in
every prospect. The assurances of good
crops are piled on every field, and the
belief in another year of prosperity
shines in every countenance. Everyone
crosses the threshold of 1892, with a
stout heart, and a determination to make
the most of the good fortune it contains.
The compliments of the season are gen­
uine enough this year.
EDITOB MUIR, of the North Dakota
Independent, is taking a leading part in
getting the alliance paper on a firm foot­
ing. He explains the necess.ty of secur
log a manager and editor who can give
his full time to the enterprise, and brinu
experience to the work, neither of which
Mr. Muir has been able to do. The
alliance needs a bold, upright and active
newspaper. The field is ripe for such a
publication, and every citizen, whetner a
member of the alliance or not, will wish
su :h a journal success.
THERE ate indications that the failure
of the Farmers' and Merchants' bank at
Cllendale was an especially crooked
affair, and that the public has not been
told the truth concerning the amount of
deposits. The authorities of Dickey
county and the state should discourage
this kind of business in North Dakota
ty putting the guilty parties behind the
bars. One such example may save other
farmers from heavy losses and protect
the credit of the state abroad.
SIGNIFICANT extract from official re­
port of the last state farmers alliance
meeting at Larimore:
At the close of the alliance meeting
almost the entire membership remained
to formulate plans for independent polit­
ical action in '92. The meeting on the
22nd of February in St. Lonis will de­
cide whether the movement will become
national, or be confined to each state.
It was agreed that it must become na­
tional to bring relief to the workers.
Benson County News: How big a ma­
jority does the Jamestown Alert think
the republican party will get in this state
and Iowa if it abandons prohibition?
In Iowa the big republican majority
Jhas already gone whistlfng down the
wind, because the party has stubbornly
clung to prohibition. In North Dakota
the same wind will mournfully whistle
throngh the republican whiskers if the
exampleof Iowa is followed much longer.
THE attempt to make Mr. Blaine re­
sponsible for and suffer the penalties of
the misbehavior of a son, is peanu
li» vi" PWRPP*^" rwisp-"""-#*-4' «p "Or w*".
politics. Blaine was once defeated by a
shibboleth of little consequence, the
three Us. He will not be beaten again,
ilf nominated, by any means outside of
bis personal record, and few have any
doubts of his election, if he is the nomi­
nee at Minneapolis.
WHEN the newspaper man of the pro­
vince sees in a metropolitan daily, on the
editorial page, a misspelled word, a lame
sentenoe, a stumble of the proof reader,
it does ye oountryman good, tie heaveth
a sigh of satisfaction and sayeth softly to
himself, "Ah, there," and likewise mur
mureth complacently unto himself—"all
flesh is grass."
A LONG suffering public is behind the
kick of the man who was behind the two
big bats at a Minneapolis theatre. The
newspapers have taken up the kicker's
case, without fee. One of them well
states the case when it says a man pays
his money to see the legitimate drama,
and not a spectacular millinery display.
ARGUMENTS for an open Sunday at the
World's fair were made Sunday last at the
Workers' church in Chicago, by a Uni­
tarian minister, and a local labor leader.
Tbe minister declared that it was a fair
open to people of all nationalities and be­
liefs. and that it should not be turned
into a Christian enterprise.
IT IS rumored that a sensation in state
banking and financial ciroles may be ex
nected before long. If so the avarice of
E-istern people who are crednlous enough
to b«Iieve that 12 per cent interest can
'e paid out of safe legitimate banking
operations wilt be largely responsible
for it.
THE Lisbon Star speaks of what is
certainly a merry war—that of the local
wheat buyers who raised the market
orice 4 cents at that place last week. The
Farmers would like to see hostilities of
that kind open at every station in the
state.
THE first number of the Edgeley Sen­
tinel is at hand. Editor Britton knows
how to get out an interesting newspaper
and will have, no doubt, enough material
in LaMoure county to do this every
week.
THE Fargo Argus credits the Bismarck
Tribune with an opinion on the late
Scandinavian prohibition meeting at
Hillsboro. The Tribune's sentiments are
not entirely those expressed by the arti­
cle, which was reprinted from The Alert.
AN ALERT correspondent believes the
only way to repair the recent state su­
preme court tax decision is to get every­
body talking about it, discussing its
merits—if it has any—and letting tax­
payers know just where they stand.
GOVERNOR Humphrey of Kansas, has
appointed ex-Congressman Perkins to fill
the senate vacancy. He was defeated
for re-election last year by the farmers'
alliance.
Tbe Dead Returned.
Tho announcement of the suicide of
Dr. F. D. Clarke, in Chicago, led to a
sensational incident when Dr. H. V.
Oldfield entered Fenwick's restaurant to
take his dinner next day. With one ac­
cord the people arose from their chairs.
"Has the grave yielded up its dead?"
was the query on every face. Dr. Old
field looked startled himself. He turned
red, then white, and tottered to the
desk. The gentlemanly attendant drew
back. At last one courageous man ap­
proached the desk said, "Are yon
not dead?" This braaghn out an ex­
planation.
Dr. Oldfield bought Dr. F. D. Clarke's
business here two years ago, and, owing
to the reputation of the place, continued
tbe old name. Oldfield is in feature,
form, manner and voice the exact coun­
terpart of the Chicago specialist.—De
troit Cor. Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Sickness In the Jury Itiiom.
The sanctity of a jury room appears to
be so well guarded that even in case of
sudden sickness a physician may not en­
ter except after due process of law. Iti
the Foss will case, tried recently in Bos­
ton, the jury were deliberating, when
late one evening one of them was sud­
denly attacked with what proved to be
a stroke of apoplexy. The officer in
charge notified the deputy sheriff, who
not having authority to let any one into
the jury room, drove across the city and
informed the sheriff, but even this offi­
cial was not high enough to act, and an­
other expedition starred in search of the
judge. As the latter happened to be at
home, the requisite order was obtained
to snmmon a doctor.—Boston Medical
and Surgical Journal.
Raising Mushrooms All the Year Bound.
A company in St. Louis is raising
mushrooms in an immense cellar, 12 by
90 feet, for the western market. An in­
quirer who ventured into the subterra­
nean garden found an almost Egyptian
darkness and a temperature of 50 to S3
degs. Fahrenheit. The company began
operations in August last and has al­
ready sold 40,000 pounds of the BUCCU
lent fungi. The season of field mush­
rooms lasts only six weeks, and the St.
Louis growers propose to meet the de­
mand for the remainder of the year.—
New York Post.
Not at All Gallant.
"Do you know, Mr. Hicks," said Ara­
bella, the night after Halloween, "1
went down stairs last night at midnight
with a candle and looked into tbe
mirror to see the face of my future hus­
band reflected there, and—tee-hee—1
iaw your face!"
"What beastly ridiculous things these
Halloween customs are!" said Mr. Hicks.
/-t vvy.- ..^IF
AGITATK IT! DISCUSS IT!
A Correspondent Take* Another
Turn at the Land Description De*
clston.
Such, in the opinion of Mr. Steckel of
Iowa, is tbe only way tbe unfortunate
North Dakota tax decision can be
brought to a rehearing and a settlement
more in line with common sense and pub­
lic policy. In pursuance of auch a course
Mr. Steckel Bays:
Editor Alert.—I truft that neither you
nor any Dakotrn will think me hostile to
your interests as a state, because I have
criticized the recent tax decision of your
supreme court in the oase of Powers vs.
Larabee, which was a sort of general re­
lease to the people of Dakota from pay­
ing taxes on real estate. On the con­
trary, remember in the first spelling
book I studied that there were some
mural and religious maxims, and among
these was one which said—"Our best
friends are those who tell us of our faults
and teaoh us how to correct them." It
is first important, that the people of Da­
kota should know what bus occurred, like
when the Dred Scott decision was ren­
dered, and then agitate a little to get
back in the right track. Your editorial
is like putting an emollient or liniment
on a dislocated joint or broken limb. It
will leave the cure harder every day it is
left in that condition. Among the many
other things the supreme court decided
was the following Here is from the sylla­
bus itself: ''Said attempted description
of tbe land is insufficient as a 'basis' of
taxation, and no valid assessment was
made or could be made on such pretended
description. A description
of real estate is essential to its assess­
ment, and there being "o sufficient de­
scription, there is no assessment, and
consequently no tax," and a great deal
more. All over Dakota the descriptions
are just the same there may be here and
there a little exception, but not in Stuts
man county. "There is no description of
land, no assessment and no tax." That
is the declaration in a nutshell. Now,
you say the people will pay their taxes
all the same. Well, I hope they will, but
nobody needs to, unless the supreme
court turns ovet* a leaf or the legislature
legalizes.
You say in your headlines that this de­
cision "worries non-residents." Yet, it
does, and it does worry and will a good
many residents. One of your liniments
on the broken leg is that the "speculators
did not bid this year," not for fear, but
lack of 30 per cent, and that tbe "state'
bought the land. That leaves it just the
same as though no sale had been made,
or else tbe supreme must do better by
the "state" than by individuals. Proba­
bly the state bought it without paying
out any money into the county treasury—
while the "speculators" had to have cash.
If "Mr. State" paid the cash, all tbe own­
ers of the land have to do is to pay no
attention to the sale until time of re­
demption is out, and ther proceed to a
court of equity and have the sale, with
the subsequent taxes, annulled as void,
and refuse to pay back the taxes—and all
the costs of suit to be paid by "M.\ State"
of North Dakota. That will be
the way it will move round
unless tbe state can claim
what it denies to individuals. What is
the state but the sum of the individuals?
Paul said, "I ke«p my body under, lest
after 1
have preached to others myself
be a cast-a-way." Now what right has
the state to gel a title to land by a tax
title process that it denies to the indi­
vidual man. unless on the principle that
"might makes right." Here is a state
with void assessments—too rotten to
build a tax levy thereon—and yet tbe
revenue machine can assess taxes, de­
clare them delinquent and sell to the
state, and the state proposes to appro­
priate the lands on a tax title that is
void and so rotten that tbe private citi­
zen cannot get back the actual cash paid
out. Does tLe state teach another not
to steal and then stealest thou thyself?
By this time the private individual is
humbled enough, that he not only does
not ask the promised 30 per cent, but he
would be glad to "get his bat back."
You say tbe "county officials" opinions
are that tbe descriptions are sufficient,
and many more such emollients you ap­
ply that will not work. Tbe supreme
court said, "There in no description or
the land recognized by law," therefore no
assessment and therefore there can be no
tax. There is insecurity in the pnblic
mind, there will be no end to law suits,
and you will have eyerything but money
in tbe treasury emollients and liniments
will not do. The supreme court were so
sure that they would not give a rehear­
ing to the case, but still let the supreme
court be willing to learn and reverse
itself or, it infallible, then let tbe legisla­
ture legalize the descriptions, assess­
ments, levies fcc. as made, or let there be
some other radioal cure let the state be
honest, both with residents and non­
residents alike. Dakota needs a great
many outside people and a good deal o'
money, for, not "stately battlements" nor
vacant prairies, "but men, high minded
men constitute a state." Yours truly,
AMOS STECKEL.
Teachers' Examination.
At tbe court bouse, January 8th, 1892.
Applicants will come supplied with ne
cessary stationery, promptly at 9 o'clock.'
T. 8. WADSWORTH.
To keep the beard from turning gray.
And prevent, the appearance of age, use
Buckingham's Dye for the Whiskers, tbe
best dye made.
An Enjoyable Way to Take Tea.
There are people who get more out of
life than others by a sort of philosophy
of contrast or chauge. The listener,
being invited to tea not long since, found
the table set nuder the apple trees just a
few steps from the kitchen door. There
were several children seated about the
table, expressing by their demure manner
that it was not a novel thing at all "Ob
no'" said the hostess: "we've hardly eaten
dinner or supper in the house for three
weeks. If it's a possible thing we set the
table out here or on the piazza at least.
There is only one disadvantage, it makes
it harder vn the girls, but we all take
bold and help, so that they are as pleased
as we are."
It was delightful to sit nnder the trees
that flecked the table cloth with moving
shadows and seemed to add new flavor to
the simple food The house stood back
from tbe street of course, and yet if it
had been near the street there might
have been a great gain for the passerby.
It would have given a touch of sociabil­
ity to the street, like that so character­
istic of the French, who eat in public so
gracefully
It formed a sort of daily picnic, with­
out the toil aud bugs and depressing
after effects of that great American in­
stitution It added charm and relish to
the meal, and made the summer more
distinctly a time for vacations and out
of door impressions. It seemed a cus­
tom that could be profitably followed by
many suburban dwellers and it would
be a distinct lengthening of the play­
time of midsummer.—Boston Transcript.
He Changed the Day.
The story is told of the late "Pig Iron"
Kelley that on one occasion a young
woman, the daughter of an old Pennsyi
vanian. who had been one of Kelley's
political lieutenants, applied to bim for
a position, which he promised to secure
for her the next day On the following
morning, when the young woman called
on tbe judge, he had forgotten all abon%
her case, but upon being reminded, apol­
ogized profusely and told her to "call
tomorrow." The judge kept this up for
nearly a month, when the young woman
lost her patience. On the occasion of
her last visit the judge, who was very
absentminded. did not catch her name
as the servant announced her presence
in the parlor and. walking hurriedly into
the room, shook bands with her and be­
gan the old formula.
"My dear young lady, 1 am very busy
today: you will really have to call to­
morrow.!' 'But, judge," she protested,
"that is what you have told me for a
month. 1 have come almost every day,
and yon have invariably told me to call
tomorrow." "I beg your pardon, lam
cure," said the judge with great suavity.
"Call day after tomorrow."—San Fran­
cisco Argonaut
The Most DIMcult Tliinc Match.
The most difficult thing to match is
white paper. A customer comes iu here
with a sheet of white paper, letter or
any other kind, and asks for paper just
like it. Not once in 5,000 times can
such a customer be accommodated, and
for the reason that there is such an end­
less variety of shades in white. People
look astonished when 1 tell them it is so,
but when they go out and try they soon
find out.—Interview in Chicago Tribune.
j^fvrr^'Mrv'
SHAW & CO
BIG SALE SATURDAY
TO CLOSE REGARDLESS OF VALUE.
nderwear,
Hosiery.
Big lot of Remnants at
Remnant Prices.
Watch for Hand Bills.
SHAW & CO.
The Sw«ele«t Vl«il&
There is a pleasure in little, "scrappy,"
unexpected visitings with friends, which
is often wanting from the planned and
rounded comings when the "fire is bright
and the cake basket ready in tbe closet.''
We are never conscious of a warmer,
more living nearness to a friend than
after we have unexpectedly chanced upon
him in the street and had a few minutes
of that flavorsoine chat which glances at
so much and grasps so little, or after he
has dropped in, for an unanticipated
half hour, at a time when we had no
reason to look for him.
Why is it that the longer, more
ordered hours of meeting leave, on the
the whole, an impression less vivid and
less warm': Perhaps because we have
lived he visit once, in anticipation, and
the reality Las some faint fatal suspicion
of staleness? Certain it is, the scrappy
hours are sweetest.—Boston Common­
wealth
Miss Maggie Donger of Shelbyvtlie,
Ind., began a unique course of treatment
for consumption last week. Under the
advice of her doctor she uses a diet made
UD exclusively of yonng dog flesh.
How's This!
WeofTerone hundred dollars reward
for any oase of Catarrh that cannot be
cured by Hall's Catarrh Cure.
F. J. Cheney & Co., Props., Toledo, O.
We, the undersigned, have known F.J.
Cheney for the last 15 years, and believe
him perfectly honorable in all business
transactions and financially able to carry
out any obligations made by their firm.
West & Truax, Wholesale Druggists,
Toledo, Ohio Walding. Kinnan Mar­
vin, W holesale Druggists, Toledo. Ohio.
Hall's Catarrh Cure is taken internally,
acting directly upon tbe biood and mu­
cous surfaces of the system. Price 75c.
per bottle. Sold by all druggists. Tes­
timonials free.
OrritOI My New Catalogue is
\|"|s||\l now ready. It tells of
ULLUUl good things for tbe
garden and farm which you will soon
need. Tested Seeds of Beautiful Flow­
ers, superb vegetables, Selected Farm
SeedB, Fruit and Forest Trees and
Shrubs. The earliest field corn in the
world, sweetest sugar corn, beBt ensilage
corn and many other things whioh can­
not be told here. See for yourself, it is
frGO*
LANDS
you rooiif iv is
TREES!
OSCAR H. WILL,
Bismarck, N. D.
at Crystal Sprlnff*
4,500 Acres of Hay, Farm­
ing and Grazing Lands,
Adjoining the VILLAGE OF CRYSTAL
SPRINGS, N. 1).,
FOR SALE IN PARCELS
To suit, to close an estate.
Thfse lands will be sold
MUCH BELOW THEIR REAL VALUE,
-IF TA"EN SOOJf.
Atldresc:
HANNA BROS,
513 Chamber of Commerce Building,
CHICAGO, ILL.