Crawfordsville Weekly Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 4 February 1869 — Page 4

THE JOURNAL.

ITH7B. MCCAIN and J. T. TALBOT. Editors

Crawforflsville, Ind..

FC1K^_

I^ooltnt Uie Vcllowjp"***1-

yellow label, like this:

Smith John 3s70

AA«fii(r

thu flsiues at the end Is, that John fj,i ins subscription to the 1st day of Jan-

Sniitli ha- I[in(] .,.

the a

fore9aid John Smith does not

hii'subscription previous to that date, his paiSTwill be stopped. Keep your eye on the label, and inn will thereby keep posted as to your account. ^Journal Office, Jannary 7, 186-3.

HELP HKIiP

The growing disposition of both individuals and corporations to seek government aid for private purposas, is forcibly illustrated by the number of bills of this character introduced into Congress. On Monday last, twelve new bills were introduced asking aid for some purpose. Great numbers of others of the same character had previously been introduced. Wti are rapidly developing into a large salaried, dependent people, complaining of high taxes and doing everything calculated to increase them. Everybod}' wants a subsich". The Government is asked to take in charge all kinds of speculations and hazardous enterprises in which the public are in nowise interested. The Government is deeply involved in debt, and no individual in the same condition would be justified in lending his aid to every charity seeker he might chance to meet. And vet Congress is expected to pledge the Government to every such extravagant measure. People seem to have lost sight of the fact that a government, as well as an individual, must be just before he is generous.

But there is another fact that ought to be taken into consideration in connection with this prevailing disposition to demand subsidies. Subsidies were originally granted to foster individual enterprise. But too much nursii- •iia.r. almost resulted in death. The great expanding impulses of the country get half their life from government donations. Independent, pushing industry on the part of individuals is fast breaking down under the heavy pressure of government aid. Enterprises are undertaken 011 ly when it is made probable that half the expenses will be defrayed by the public.

RAILROAD LEAME.

The Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central Railway has been leased perpetually to the Panhandle and Pennsylvania Railroad Companies, the lessees engaging to keep the road in first class condition and equip it with any further machinery needed without charge to the lessor. All through traffic is to be pro rated over the roads of the three Companies and 110 contract for the division of earnings to be made between the Pittsburg, Ft. Wayne & Chicago and the Panhandle, without the consent of the C. C. & I. C. Railway. The lessees guarantee the payment of interest on the bonded debt and will proTide for redeeming

the

bonds of the

C. C. & I. C. Company. This item of news will put an end to the uneasiness manifested by so many lest this road should- pass into the hands of the Erie Company.

THE Supreme Court on Monday made an important decision. The case came up from California, where it was held that an income tax is a direct tax within the meaning of the Constitution, and that the tax laid by the Internal Revenue law is unconstitutional, because it is upon property, and not divided pro rata among the States, according to their rep re sentation in the lower House of Congress- The Court decided against this ruling, and affirmed the constitutionality of the tax in its present form.

GRANT is at last defeated. The inauguration ball, against which he protested, it is announced, will come off. The arrangements have been completed, and the new wing of the Treasury Department selected as the place.

EDITORIAL NOTES FROM THE CAP* ITAL.

The time of the General Assembly up to this time has mainly been taken up in the introduction of bills, resolutions and petitions, in consequence of which not much business has been finally disposed of. It might be said that the Legislature is now passing through the first stages of legislation. This, of course, is necessary. The excitement growing out of the Senatorial contest has subsided, and matters have again assumed their wonted shape.

THE GOLD APPRAISEMENT BILL. A bill originated in the House a short time since making all assessments, on both real and personal property, on a gold basis. Tuesday of last week it was put upon its passage from which sprung a lively discussion. The bill was lost by a vote of 42 to 43, the Democrats, with the exception of two or three, voting for it, and the Republicans, with a like exception, voting against it. A reconsideration of the vote by which it passed was had on Thursday. The bill, failed again for want of the constitutional majority 51. It goes to the Speaker's table for another vote to be taken at the pleasure of the friends of the bill. Republicans generally regard it as a thrust at the currency of the country.

THE FISH LAW.

Mr. Elliot has introducad a bill in the Senate repealing the fish law. This seems to be a step in a backward direction. The law has been in force long enough only that the advan tages may begin to be seen. A wiser step, it seems, would be that greater care should be taken to preserve, rather than destroy the supply of the finny tribe. Our fishermen will be pleased to learn, however, that the bill has been killed. SPECIFIC SALARIES FOR COUNTY OF­

FICERS.

A bill is pending now in the House providing for a chauge in the present method of compensating county officers. This I believe to be a step in the right direction. The present system is not only unjust, but in many instances, it is oppressive. Fair wages for work performed is a good rate and should not be departed from. This should be the rate in the compensation of our county officers. The present fee system is a fruitful source of corruption- Candidates, it is said, can afford and do pay largely for the nomination in the dominant party. Let an honest and fair meth od be adopted and it will do much toward purifying the ballot box, as well as securing honest, faithful and efficient men. THE SALARY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. A bill was introduced in the House last week increasing the salary of Superintendent of Public Instruction. This will be consigned as it should be to an early grave. The Superintendent's income including the salary, travel, clerk hire, and office rent, amounts to $4,650. If he can't manage to live on that sum, let him resign and there are any number of men, equally as competent, who would willingly accept the place even on the the small salary and perquisites he is now entitled to.

THE SENATOR ELECT.

Hon. D. D. Pratt, the United States Senator elect, made his appearance, before the assembled wisdom of the State in joint convention on Wednesday evening of last week. He made a short address which was pronounced by all to be the very essence of statesmanship. Fortunate it is' for the Republican party that the discordant spirits united on such a man as is Senator Pratt. He is without doubt a worthy successor of H$nv T.. A. Hendricks and a fit equal with Senator Morton.

THE EIGHTH DISTRICT.-^-.

The election of Mr. Pratt to the Senatorghip creates a yacan&y in the XLIst Congress. Gov. Baker has ordered a special election to be held in the Eighth District fo fill said vacancy on the 20th day of February. The

Republican nominating convention will be held at Kokomo on the 11th. The District gave Pratt over 2,200 majority.

A MEDICAL LAW.

This Legislation will likely pass a a law protecting its citizens against empiricism in medicine. A bill has already been introduced to this effect. It provides that no person shall practice medicine until he can show a diploma, and procure a license from the State Board of Medicine.

REPUBLICAN NOMINATIONS. The Republicans held a caucus on Wednesday evening of last week to place in nomination candidates for the various offices yet at the disposal of the General Assembly. A. H. Conner, the present incumbent, was nominated for State Printer*, by a vote of 63 to 17 for Capt. G. W. Brouse. James N. Tyner who was nominated a couple of weeks since as one of the Directors of Northern State Prison tendered his declension, and Col. Willis Blanch of Kokomo, was nominated in his stead. Dr. P. H. Jamison, was nominated for President of the Board of Trustees of the Benevolent Institutions Dr. J. H. Woodburn as Trustee of the Indiana Asylum Hon, John Beard as Trustee of the Blind •Asylum Dr. J. M. Kitchen as Trustee of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum and Capt. H. B. Hill, of Rush as Trustee of the Soldiers' Home. CHANGE OF TIME OF HOLDING ELEC­

TIONS.

A bill is pending changing the time of holding the Spring elections. It provides that an election for township and county offices shall be held every two years, and that in the Fall. It is to be hoped that the bill may become a law, as it is well known that a fuller vote can be had in the Fall, besides saving a large amount of time and money.

A PUBLIC PRINTING OFFICE. This Legislation will i* all brobability abolish the office of State Printer. In castf it does, a Public Printing Office, in which will be employed the Deaf and Dumb, will more than likely be established. In fact such a bill is now pending in the House.

PRISON REFORM.

The two Houses were addressed last Friday afternoon by Messrs. Brockway and Coffin, a couple of philanthropic and humane gentlemen, on the subject of Prison Reform. The subject is one of importance and should demand the attention of our lawmakers. The addresses left an impression on the minds of our legislators that will doubtless lead to measures looking toward a reformatory system instead of a punishing one, in our State Prison.

A PLEASURE TRIP.

The Legislature went, on an inspection tour to the Soldiers' Home, Kinghtstown, last Saturdaj'. It was as much of a pleasure trip as anything else. However, a nice place was visited and a gay time had.

PERSONAL.

I meet Col. Willson the other day on the street. George Robinson and Billy Hartman, the one on the Sentinel, the other in the Journal office, are behaving admirably. The many friends of Uncle Johnny Beard will be glad to learn that he was nominated in the Republican caucus the other night for Trustee of the Blind Asylum. 1

MISCELLANEOUS.

The School Fund of Indiana amounts to $8,259,341 34. The House of Refuge has one hundred and eight inmates.

Velocipedes are all the rage here now. They will soon be so thick as to become a positive nuisance.

5

T. H. B. McC.

THE bill increasing the pay of clerks in Government employ has been rejected by the House. It is said the clerks are preparing for another assault upon Congress, but if that body succeeds in putting them off until after the fourth of March, they will have an opportunity to join the grand army of mourners for lost subsidies which will^ turn up on that memorable occasion.

}QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

QUESTION.—What is the result of all the experiments that have been made with a view of ascertaining the proper depth for plowing ground for crops

ANSWER.—We are not aware that any effort has ever been made to collect the results of the various experiments on this subject. This much is known: that after years of experimenting, the advocates of subsoiling have not convinced the farmers generally of the utility of that kind of cultivation. Mr. Greeley is a great advocate of deep cultivation, but others who have more practical knowledge of agriculture than he has, maintain that plowing the ground more than six inches is a useless waste of labor. Some gentleman, whose name we do not remember, recently published an essay in which he gave dives instances where the finest of crops had been raised on ground cultivated only five inches deep. All seem to agree that the roots of corn do not penetrate the ground to any depth but spread out near the surface The probability is, that if the ground is rich, the season favorable, and the crop kept clear of weeds, there is nothing gained by what is called deep plowing.

If the farmers of our county will send us brief statements of the results of their experience on this subject, we will gladly give them publicity through our columns.

QUESTION.—Can a member of the Indiana Legislature, who voted against the resolution giving fifty dol lar's worth of stationery and a copy of Gavin fe Hord's Revised Statutes, accept the same and shelter himself from censure behind the vote of the majority

ANSWER.—If a band of thieves, before proceeding to a contemplated act of plunder, can legalize the act by a vote among themselves, we answer yes—otherwise, no. We presume that the Legislature has aright to provide such stationery for each member as he may need for use in an official way. But, in our judgment, to vote a dray load of stationery and law books to each member to be traded off for clothing, private libraries, pocket change, &c., as we have been informed has been done in many instances, is as much a plundering of the public treasury as though the members had, in a more direct way, voted themselves a new suit of clothes all round. No man can accept the fruits of this scheme of plunder and shield himself from indignation by saying he voted against the resolution. Our statutes provide the same penalty for accepting stolen goods, knowing them to be such, as they do for stealing them.

QUESTION.—What is a velocipede ANSWER.—The vehicle now most in use, bearing this name, is a small two-wheeled carriage, with one wheel immediately behind the other, and with a saddle between, for the rider. It is driven by the action of the feet and legs, as an engine is driven b}7 the action of its piston rods. The pegs, on which the feet rest, are inserted in the front wheel, on opposite sides of its center, and about halfway between the center and circumference, so that one goes down as the other goes up. The upright position of the machine is preserved on the same principle as that of the,common hoop which boys drive.

For the benefit of the person making the inquiry, we send him an exchange, containing a full description of this vehicle, illustrated with a cut.

MRS. LINCOLN'S PENSION.

The report of the Committee ©n Pensions, in the case of Mrs. Lincoln, says they are unable to perceive that she is entitled to a pension under the letter and spirit of any existing law. The committee are aware that the friends of the resolution expect to make a permanent provision for the lady under the guise of a pension, but no evidence has been furnished them or reasons assigned why such provision should be made. If such was thfe intention, the corftmittee submit that the reference should have been made to.some other committee.'

CONGRESSIONAL.

Bills granting railroad subsidies still continue to find their way into Congress.

Mr. Howe, of Wisconsin, has some friends who have hit upon a novel method of putting an end to the frauds upon the Internal Revenue Department. He has presented a memorial from them, praying for the appointment of a competent phrenologist to examine applicants for offices in that department.

In the House, last week, a discussion in reference to the pay of Clerk of the Committee on Public Lands, brought out the following statement of the expenses of the House, from Mr. Washburne, of Illinois:

Capital police, $65,000 clerks, 880000 sergeant-at-arms, $6,000 postoffice, $20,000 laborers, $16,000 folding room, $60,000 book-keepers $44,000 clerks to committees, $36,000 pages, $7,000. Total $335,000.

The House, on Saturday, by the necessary two-thirds majority, passed the resolution making an amendment to the Constitution in the amendment proposed: "ARTICLE.—Section 1. The right of any citizen of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State, by reason of race 01* color, or previous condition of any citizen or any class of citizens of the United States. "SEC. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article."

The vote on the resolution stood 150 to 42. The Senate has had the subject under consideration, and it is probable that early action will be taken there also.

Some indications of a regard for economy have been manifested in both Houses within the past week. Several Railroad Subsidy bills have meet with a cold reception. Some reductions have been made in the Pension and Naval appropriation bills.

VALENTINES.

VALENTINES.

Just received at the Corner Boole Store, a choice lot of VALENTOES, embracing Sentimental And Comic —the nicest assortment ever presented by ns to the public. Step in and see them.

L. A. FOOTE & CO.

CORNER BOOK STORE,

South Room, National Block,

Washington St.

fcb4w2

BANKRUPT NOTICE.

IN

BANKRUPTCY—This is to give notice that011 the 21st day of. January, A.D. 1869. a Warrant in Bankruptcy was issued against the estate of Benjamin M. Vancleve, of Parkersburg, in the county of Montgomery and State of Indiana, who has been adjudged a Bankrupt, on his own petition: That the payment of any debts and delivery of any property belonging to such Bankrupt to him, or for his juset and the transfer of any property by him is forbidden by law: that a meeting of the Creditors of the said Bankrupt, to prove their debts and choose one or more Assignees of his estate, will be held at a Court of Bankruptcy, to be holden at the office of John W. JRay, 24V£ East Washington street, Indianapolis, on the 20th day of February, A.D. 1869, at 9 o'clock, A.M. BEN. J. SPOONER, U. S. Marshal, Dist. of Indiana. Messenger.

MARBLE WORK.

Phcenix Marble Works.

SINCE,

Phoenix-like, we have arisen literally from the ashes, we hare moved the remnant of our stock to the east side ot Washington street, next to Miller's new buiiding, north of the court house, where /we have now a nice assortment of !. Grave-Yard Work, Such as Monuments, Tablets, Slabs, Ac*, which we will sell cheap.

CUT As the late fire did us much damage, we must work hard and sell cheap, to make money to meet our liabilities. I. F. WADE & SON.

N.B.—If any of our friends want to give us a little "material aid" on aecount of our loss, they can do so by if they owe us, cull and pay: if they want any work in our line, either

Grave-Yardor

Building Work,

give us a call. We will do. you NICE WOKK at LOW PRICKS, and be mach obliged. BUILDING WORK done to order

Crawfordsville, Dec. 30,1868.