The progressive farmer and the cotton plant. [volume], October 04, 1904, Page 8, Image 8

About The progressive farmer and the cotton plant. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1904-1905

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PROGRESSIVE FARMER AND COTTON PLANT.
iSiesday, October 4, 1904.
Tjje Progressive Farmer
AND THE COTTON TUiNT. '
(Consolidated September 27t 1904.)
Entered at Raleigh, N. C, as second class mall matter.
CLARENCE H. POE,
B. W. KILQORB, 1
C. W. BURKETT,
Editor and Manager.
Agricultural Editors
CURRENT EVENTS: THE DRIFT OF THINGS
AS WE SEE IT.
The publication of Judge Parker's letter of ac
ceptance was the chief event of last week in this
country. In the Russo-Japanese War r.o import
ant more was made by either side, but Russia
did announce that she is now going to raise a
colossal army and fight in dead earnest. The
cotton mill men met in Charlotte and, having
failed in all previous efforts to depress the price
of raw cotton, adopted the more sensible policy
of trying to raise the price of the manufactured
product. Senator Hoar, one of the ablest and
purest of our American statesmen, died Friday at
the ripe old age of seventy-six.
. A Spiritless Campaign.
When Judge Parker sent his famous gold stand
ard telegram to the Democratic National Con
vention it looked to many as if the Democracy
had found a bold and dashing leader a man who
would hit hard, speak bluntly, and personally di
rect a brilliant onslaught on the Republican
Party. The writer thought at once of what one
of the best-known New York editors said to us in
May that Judge Parker had rather do a thing
his own way, and do it wrong, than do it the
other fellow's way and do it right.
But since the gold standard telegram which
now seems to Jiave been suggested by the New
York dailies acting in concert Judge Parker
has played the part, not of the spirited and ven-
tjirc&nree. leadejy hsfratfceV -of he dispassionate,
judge, finding after a cold survey" of the facts
that the opposition party is wrong, and asking
the jury to report accordingly. His letter of ac
ceptance is not a bugle call, though it is some
what more spirited than his speech of apcept
ance. How nearly together the two great parties have
now drifted will be seen from the fact that
aside from our local race iestion in the South
tariff reform presents the -only sharp line of di
vision between Democrats and Republicans, and
as Judge Parker points out, a Democratic Presi
dent the next four years can do nothing as to this
except so much as a Republican Senate will per
mit. The issue of "constitutionalism vsn im
perialism" doesn't appeal to the people generally,
though to, a man with Judge Parker's fine appre
ciation of legal forms and the strict construction
of the Constitution, it probably assumes greater
importance. As to our treatment of the Filipinos,
neither party would abandon the islands at once,
but the Democrats would promise self-government
as soon as the islanders are ready for it. 'This
question, however, was well threshed over four
years ago, and it is not now arousing much inter
est. There is now no such vital issue as free
trade in 1892, free silver in 1896, and free silver
and colonialism in 1900. It is a spiritless cam-
torn, and this probably accounts for the fact that
"constitutionalism" is the first issue discussed in
his letter. The people certainly are more inter
ested in the trusts, the tariff, and our colonial
policy. "If we would retain our liberties," says
Judge Parker, "we cannot permit the ar-
rogation of unconstitutional powers by the execu
tive branch of our Government. The executive
should not be permitted to encroach upon the
other departments of the Government, and as
sume legislative, or other powers, not expressly
conferred by the Constitution."
Tariff reform is probably the one issue on
which the Democrats might have elected a Presi
dent this year, and it is not surprising that
J udge Parker lays especial emphasis on this. He
scores the Dingley tariff and quotes with fine ef
fect from President McEjnley's Buffalo speech:
"The period of exclusiveness is past. The ex
pansion of our trade and commerce is thepress
ing problem. Commerical wars are unprofitable.
A policy of good will and friendly relations will
prevent reprisals. Reciprocity treaties are in
harmony with the. spirit of the times; measures
of retaliation are not." Judge Parker points at
what is generally accepted as true that the Ding
ley riaes on certain artiacles were made excessive
ly high with the distinct understanding that they
should be promptly reduced by reciprocity treaties
the protected interests, however, ltaer defeating
these treaties and waxing fat by unjust levies on
our people. Still Judge Parker concludes even
this with the dispiriting admission that "the Re
publicans, however, who do not admit in their plat
form thta the Dingley tariff needs the slightest al
tertaion, are likely to retain a majority of the Fed
eral Sentae throughout the next Presidential term,
and could, therefore, if ;they chose, block every
attempt at legislative relief."
araignmen of official extravagance, but as long
as the Government is supported by indirect taxa
tion, it will be hard to arouse public interest in
this subject.
Russia and Japan Preparing foriHeavier'Fighting.
Russia has finally discovered that she has un
dertaken no small task in her effort to conquer
little Japan, and the Associated Press dispatches
announce that "a second Russian army is to be
created, under command of General Grippenberg,
a veteran of many wars, and it is expected that
within a comparatively short time there will be
armies aggregating six hundred thousand to
seven hundred thousand men ready to take the
aggressive against the Japanese."
But neither has Japan yet exhausted her re
sources. She, tpo, is preparing to enlarge her
army, and it is said that her new conscription
regulations will add 200,000 men to her fighting
force. She can also raise more money as well as
men. Her people are prospering, and three years
government income would pay her national debt,
while as a writer in the October Review of Re
views points out : "France has a national loan
more than eight times the annual revenue of that
country; Italy has a national loan equivalent to
seven years of its revenue; in the case of Eng
land, the national loan represents about five years
of the government's income; and with the United
States, nearly four times the total revenue equals
the amount of the national loan."
We are likely to see very much more severe
fighting before the war ends. Russia has tremen
dous resources, but the fighting is far from ,her
headquarters. The Japanese are fired with a
fanatical patriotism that will keep them in the
struggle as long as the nation can muster an army.
Prices of Cotton Yarns to be Advanced.
paign.
Judge Parker's Letter of Acceptance.
In the first paragraph of Judge Parker's let
ter of acceptance, he again refers to his gold
standard telegram, reaffirms his "unqualified belief
in said standard" and proceeds to a discussion of
other issues "tariff reform, imperialism, eco
nomical administration and honesty of public ser
.vice." Judge Parker's judicial training, as we have
just intimated, has probably made him peculiarly
sensitive to any. departure from strict legal cus-
Judge Parker on Trusta'and Pensions.
The trust question Judge Parker handles very
gingerly.. He does not even-mention it among the
four leading questions enumerated in the first
of his letter; and here is where the Democratic
candidate is likely to lose many votes. His close
alliance with August Belmont and other repre
sentatives of the great New York corporations
has not strengthened him with the Bryan ele
ment. In his letter he repeats his belief that
the common law affords the necessary legal reme
dies for trust evils, and cites a Supreme Court de
cision in answer to President Roosevelt's aser
tion that the common law is not recognized by the
Federal Courts.
As to our colonial policy, Judge Parker's policy
is briefly summed up in this one sentence: "I am
in hearty accord with that plank in our platform
that favors doing for the Filipinos what we have
already done for the Cubans; and I favor mak
ing the promise to them now."
The one sensation on the letter is Judge Park
er's reply to Mr. Roosevelt's pension order chal
lenge. You criticize me for issuing the order
that all veterans over sixty-two shall have pen
sions, said Mr. Roosevelt; will you revoke this
order if the Democrats win? 'This opportunity
for scoring a point Judge Parker fully improves.
The order was illegal, an unconstitutional as
sumption of power, he says, and if elected he will
revoke it. At the same time he saves himself
from G. A. R. opposition by adding: "But I go
further and say I will contribute my ef
fort toward the enactment of a law, to be passed
by both houses of Congress and approved by the
Executive, 'that will give an age pension without
reference to disability to the surviving heroes of
the Civil War . . . as a just due to the peo
ple through their chosen representatives and not
as largess distributed by the Chief "E five "
Here indeed is . hit, a palpable hitone that
is likely to prove of not inconsiderable advant
age to the Democratic candidate.
The latter part of Judge Parker's letter is an
It has seemed to us for some time that the
cotton mill men were pursuing a foolish policy
in the effort to make their business profitable.
Instead of admitting that the general higher
leveL of prices for other products justifies an in
creased price for cotton, they have persistently
sought to create the impression that ten to twelve
cent cotton is unnatural, artificial and temporary.
The result has been that buyers of cotton goods
have waited for the expected drop in prices, and
the mills have not been able to market all their
output. At last, however, instead of trvine- to
depress prices of raw cotton, the mill men have
resolved to act together and raise prices of their
own goods. At a meeting held in Charlotte last
week representing 500,000 spindles, a higher
schedule of prices for yarns was fixed, and the
.following resolution was adopted: "Re
solved, that we, each for ourselves and for the
I mills we represent, do approve of the schedule
of selling prices for yarns as this day adopted,
and hereby bind ourselves and the mills we repre
sent to govern ourselves accordingly in making
sales and not to accept any orders at less than
said prices, until we are advised of change by
the advisory committee."
The Death of Senator Hoar.
Senator George Frisbie Hoar, of Massachusetts,
who died last Friday is a type of public man
becoming all too rare, one is almost forced to
think. For in spite of our optimism and we are an
optimist, believinc with Bishon Fitzcrprnld Tin
"only an atheist can logically be a pessimist; that
the movement of humanity under the rule of all
wise, all-gracious, all-mighty God must be for
ward, not backward" in spite of our optimism,
we repeat, it must be admitted that men now care
more for wealth than they did fifty years ago, and
that the United States Senate especially has be
come a club of successful money-makers instead
of disinterested public servants. Among the in
creasing number of millenaries and would-be
millionaries in the Senate, Mr. Hoar held stead
fastly to the simple ideals of another era. Using
a public office for private gain, he would not
have called "graft" but plain theft and prosti
tution. Ostentation was far from him; plain
living and high thinking might have been his
motto. And withal, he did not surrender his con
science to his arty associates, but had opinions
of his own and expressed them with vigor and
earnestness regardless of political expediency.
The world is poorer for his death.