Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1891 — Page 3

THE HOME MARKET.

HOW MUCH OF THE WHEAT CROP IT WILL EAT. Over 200,000,000 Bushels Will Be Exported, While Our Protected Classes Can Eat Only 15,000,000—The Truth About Wages—This Year and JLast—Foreign Trade In a Nutshell. A Dead Failure. One of the much-vaunted objects of protection is to provide a houn market to consume the produce of our farms. Impose a high tariff, say the protectionists, and men will engage in manufactures, will give employment to large numbers qf laborers, and thus a great home market will be built up to consume, all that our farmers can produ e. It|s upon this basis that they go to the fanners to seek support for our high tariff system, even trying to persuade them that they get greater advantages from it than anybody else. This thing has now been goinr on for thirty years, and it would sjem that by this time protection ought to have accomplished something substantial in the way of building up its home market. Let us see what the result so far has been. By taking wheat as the most important of our farm products, and finding out how much of this year s crop will be consumed -by the protected classes, we can form an approximal ly correct estimate of the importance of protection’s home market . How many peop e in this country are •ub ect to foreign competition, and therefore benefited by protection? In answer to this question three eminent spe iailsts in the employ of thi Un tdd States Government "have made estimates These are Worthington C. Ford, Chief of the Bureau of Statistics of the State Department; Professor Simon Newcomb, Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac, rNavy Depa tment; and E B Elliott, the United States Government Actuary. These three authorities reache.l slightly different resu ts According -o Ford the ntilnber of persons subject to foreign competition is 4.70 j er cent.; according to Elliott, 4.75 per cent.; and according to Newcomb, 5.20 per cent For our purposes hero let us lake 5 per cent, which is a little above the average of the three estimates. Now the average population of the country for the fiscal year now passing Is given at about 15,000,000, and the party dependent on protection by the above estimate is, therefore, 3,250,0 pa This is, then, the dimensions of protection’s home market. Now let us see how much of our wheat crop this boasted home marke; will ea’t this year. According to the Agricultural Department at Washington the average p:r capita consumption of wheat in the United States is now about 4% bushels. At this rate, our protected classes will consume just 15.266,000 bushels of our present large wheat crop At the same rate the farmers themselves and other unprotected classes of our population will require 288,106,000 bushels, an amount which dwarfs into utter Insignificance the consumption of the protected classes. The wheat crop of the present year has been placed by the Agricultural Department at 541,C00,00 J bushels, though some authorities put it higher. Besides this, a surplus of 20,000,000 was brought over from last year's crop. The total supply this year will, there ore, bo not less than 579,000,000 bushels. The entire home demand for this wheat will be about as follows: Bushels. Nonprotected home market 288,160,000 Protected home market 15,266,010 For seed...' 55,000,000 Total 858,432.1X0 This leaves for export to the foreign market over 211,000,090 bushels, or a quantity sufficient to feed, at our own rate of consumption, a population of 45,000.-000. This is a most astonishing result after thirty years of effort at creating a home market. According to these figures our farmers will have to sell thirteen times as much of their wheat abroad as the •protected classes of this country will consume. If protection had carried out its boasted scheme of creating a home market large enough to eat all our farmers' wheat, it would have had to bring here 45,000,000 people and put them into some form of protected manufacturing. With such figures as these before them our farmers will see what an enormous contract at market building protection has taken upon itself. Do they believe that it will ever finish the job?

One of Horr’S Jokes.

R G. Horr, the New York Tribune’s tariff joker, is at it again. In a recent number of the Weekly Tribune he tries to show that our protective tariff causes foreigners to lower their prices, and as an illustration of this he says: “We have been for years making no tin plate in the United State-. A protective tariff was placed on foreign tin plate by the McKinley bill, and our business men are preparing to make American tin plate. If my doctrine is true, the following will be the result: Tin plate will be produced in America in a few months after our factories are set in motion, better in Quality and cheaper in price than during the past five years, when we obtained all our supplies from abroad. If such shall be the result, will not that prove the wisdom of that increase of duty? Do not misunderstand me! Ido not say tftat tin plate will not then also be cheaper abroad than it is now That will of course be the case. But we have been waiting for a fall in price for foreign tin plate (which is mostly iron or steel) similar to the reduction that has taken place in iron andsteel goods which are made in this country. It has not come. ” Nov wjien Mr. Horn says this he is either showing his ignomnee of the subject, or e'se he is making a willful mistatemont If he had consulted the Treasury reports he would have found that the plate has declined in price very greatly during the past eighteen years. The tin plate imported in 1873 was invoiced at 7.65 cents per pound; in 1876, at 5.16; in 1879, at 3.78; in 1882, at 3.76; in 1885, at 3.28. The average price for the five years 1886-’9O was 3 cents. For the fiscal year 18V1. however, the import price was 3.socents per pound,an increase due to the enormous demand created by the McKinley law. If Mr. Horr will examine present English market reports he wil) find that the grade of tin plate known as “I C Bessemer steel, coke finish,” the kind most in use, is now selling at exactly 3 cents a pound. This all means that tin plate has fallen to considerably less than half the price it commanded in 1873. This fact

the tariff joker could easily have verified by merely examining the Government reports. But the joker is true to his character as a wag. After making the willful mistatement just exposed, he winds up his a: tide by saying T “Falsehoods have had their day. The supremacy of truth is at Land.” Vhere will Horr stand under that “supremacy?”

HAPPY ABOUT PORK.

Inconsistent Protectionists Rejoice that Germany Will Buy Our Pork. The protectionists are making merry over the removal of the prohibition of American pO;k by Germany. In their glee, however, they are overturning many of their favorite idols of economic heresy. They are showing, for example, that it will make a market for from $10,000,000 to $20,000,600 more of American pork; and in putting (his down as so much gained, they neglect to make any deduction whatever for the Gorman duty on pork. According to the oftrepeated teaching of our high-tariff foreigner pays the tax” in this /Country. Bpt if the .foreigner pays the tax when we Import from Europe, then we must pay tariff taxes in Europe whenever Europe imports from us. Now Germany has a tax on pork and bacon of more than 2 cents a pound. Are farmers ready to pay that tax in order to sell their hog meat? That'is what they must do if there is any truth in what the wise Republican editors so often tell us Look into the editorial columns of the New York Tribune and other high tariff papers, and you will find frequently assertions of this principle: When we put a duty on foreign goods there is no increase of the price of those goods in our own market, since the Europeans are compelled by our tariff to reduce their prices by the amount of the duty. It is a poor rule that will not work both ways; and what is sauce for the European goose must also be sauce for the American gander. Of course our farmers will see that German lawmakers with this brilliant protectionist theory in their heads, must argue in this way: “We have put a duty of more than two cents a pound on pork, but that does not make it any higher to German buyers, since the American farmers have had to knock off more ifhan two cents a pound from their price, and thus j ay our tariff tax. ” This is an exa t reproduction of the “argument” so often made by our protectionists. Now, one question for these protectionists: If you believe your own teaching, why do you rejoice over the fact that the -American farm rs will have to take two cents a pound less for all the pork th'ey send to Germany ? The protectionist organs are pointing out, too, the benefits which both countries are to get by the renewal of trade in pork. Not simply America but Germany, too, is to ba benefited. But this knocks down another protectionist idol. Have we not heard over and over again that when a nation imports what it can produce itself and is producing, there is a loss to the community? Labor, the high tariff wiseacres assure us, is made poorer by every pound of competing foreign goods brought in. But Germany produces a very large number of swine; and it was to protect these that Bismarck prohibited our pork upon pretended sanitary grounds. Notwithstanding this excellent opportunity to apply their native-grown American theory on German soil, our high tariff organs are actually claiming that Germany will be much benefited by taking our pork. When they make this statement they forget also that other cardinal principle of the protectionist crew, viz , that when you buy an article made at home you make a profit and the seller makes a profit, and thus yon keep two profits at home; but when you buy a foreign article only one profit stays in the country. This is venerable protectionist teaching, but they shrink from applying it to Germany. They reserve it for use upon home-grown American fools. But our protectionists are right for once. Get them off American soil and they throw their theories to the winds and indulge themselves in the unwonted exercise of ordinary common sense. The American farmer will not pay the German tax; and our pork Is really good for Germany. They see it! «

The Truth About Wages.

The position of the tariff reformers in the matter of wages and competition from European pauper labor has been all along that the greater producing power of American labor Should remove all fear of dangerous competition from Europe. They have always claimed that wherever a true comparison is made between wages in America and in Europe, a comparison of the proportion of wages in every dollar’s worth of goods, American wages will almost invariably be found lower than wages in Europe. The tariff reformers did not expect to see this fact admitted by the high tariff cranks; but now the New York Tribune, the most tariff-blinded of all protection journals, says; “It is acknowledged by foreign manufacturers and railroad men who have visited this country and carefully examined affairs here that the higher efficacy of labor secured by higher wages here to a great extent counterbalances the difference in wages paid ” If so, what need for protection? Do you not see that you have given away your case?

This Year and Last.

Last year President Harrison and Mr. McKinley inveighed against cheapness, and declared that “a cheap coat means a cheap man.” This year ail the Republican speakers and organs are trying to show that pretty much everything, including a coat, is cheapen than before the new tariff law was passed. Last year every Protectionist newtpaper declared that a higher tariff was necessary in order to prevent the “flooding of the home market with foreign goods. ” This year they are boasting of increased importations.—N. Y. World.

Reciprocity on 'Tother Foot.

Certain Republican papers are making ammunition for the enemy in pointing out the great benefits which Southern Republics will enjoy because of the reciprocity policy. The question arises if Cuba is to be benefited by putting coal on the free list and San Domingo by abolishing duties upon “machines, implements and tools for agricultural, mining, manufacturing d*d industrial purposes, ” why a like policy would not benefit this country? Neither the law*

of trade nor of political economy differ with degrees of latitude.—Chicago Times.

Foreign Trade in a Nutshell.

T. E. Willson says in the New York World: Jones; an American farmer, .has 10,000 bushels of wheat He takes it to Liverpool, sells it, and receives a check on a foreign bank for SIO,OOO in payment It will not pay him to bring back gold. He could have sold his wheat at the same price in New York as in Liverpool. less freight, and at the same price in Chicago as in New York, less freight He loses his time and his work, sehing for gold, and there is no profit in it. Gold is worth less in the Untted States than in any country on earth. An ounce buys less of anything. But the value of a dollar is so much greater in Liverpool than in New York that the SIO,OOO will buy there - woolen goods worth $20,000 here. “He invests his bank check ,-,fof SIO,OOO in clo'h. and brings the cloth back to sell here It goes to the Custom House, and Jones is informed that he can have it upon payment of $12,000. which is the fine levied his competition with the wooleh mill-owners. Instead of selling his wheat at $1 he has sold at 80 cents. His net proceeds for his 10,000 bushels of wheat, after aciding the fine and selling the cloth to his countrymen, is SB,OOO. He is between the devil and the deep sea. He must soil for gold at no profit or for cloth at a losa It does not matter whether Jones, the farmer, dues it himself or hires men to do it; whether the Chicago broker hands him 80 cents anl settles at once or waits three months. The result Is the same, the law is the same, the intent is the same. “Protection is a fine levied upon the payment received for our exported farm surplus to prevent the surplus American farmer from competing with the American mill-owner.

The Farmer Sees It.

Major McKinley thinks Americans ought to buy shoddy at high prices and to pay $2 extra a box for tin plate Imported by Niedrlnghaus and other operators. Mr. Harrison thought when he wrote a letter to the Kansas City Commercial Congress that American farmers should not trouble about European markets. What do the events of the year teach the people about these doctrines? In the present financial uneasiness where would farmers, merchants and railroads be but for European markets. —[Kansas City Timos.

A Hard One for McKinley.

Mr. McKinley says that revenue can be raised only in two ways—by taxing the people directly, or by taxing foreign people’s property by means of a tariff. If the United States can tax other people why did he throw away $50,000,000 a year revenue by taking off the duty on sugar?—Nashville American. If the tariff compels the foreigner to charge lower prices and thus pay our tariff taxes, how does protection protect?* Domestic manufacturers would in this case receive no benefit. And yet are we not assured that protection has built up the industries of the country? How can it build them up if the foreigner pays the tax and his goods are sold as cheap as ever? Does McKinley believe that, the foreigner pays the tax? If so, >yhy did he put beet sugar machinery on the free list till July, 1892, to help our beetsugar men? If the foreigner pays the tax surely a duty on this machinery could do no harm to our beet-sugar industry.

Canada’s Population.

Our neighbors of the Dominion are somewhat disappointed at the result of the recent enumeration, which shows a total population of only 4,823,344. The. enumeration of 1881 showed a total of 4,324,810. The increase in ten years, therefore, has been only 498,534, or 11J per cent. The increase during the preceding decade was greater not only relatively but absolutely—63B,2l4, or 17j per cent. What makes the figures the more disappointing is the fact that the report of the Dominion Department of Agriculture shows that during the decade 886,171 immigrants settled in the country. It appears, therefore, that, without considering immigration, the population of the Dominion is actually 387,637 less now than it was ten years ago. The knowledge that the Increase in the United States during substantially the same period was nearly 12,500,000, or 25 per cent., that over 7,000,000 of this was natural increase, and that we didn’t have to pay a cent for our foreigners, nor did they have to pay a cent for the privilege of coming here, but that, on the contrary, we spent a good deal to kfcep certain kinds of foreigners out of the country, does not lessen their disappointmen. On the score of natural increase we gained about 14 percent., while the Dominion lost about 9 per cent.

Not Republics.

There are those, no doubt, who think that South America is a'collection of republics. But they are mistaken. Those governments simply have the form of republics, and are military despotisms, pure and simple. The Government of Chili has never been anything but an oligarchy, and will continue one no matter what becomes of Balmaceda. The rich few govern the poor and ignorant many. Probably we are not yet correctly informed as to the merits of the revolution in Chili. Balmaceda and his adherents were “in” and wished to stay in, while the “outs” were determined to get in at any cost. But South American revolutions long ago ceased to astonish any one; they seem to come as naturally as the changes of seasons. The victor, no matter who, is always cheered and crowned with flowers, while the ignorant masses delve in fields and mines, and know almost as little about political affairs as their domestic animals. Decapitation of a politician in South America means exactly what its etymology signifies, and not merely a removal from. office. Our State Department seemed V) side with Balmaceda in this contest, which may cause a “coolness” toward us for a time on the part of the new political powers.

HUMOR OF THE WEEK.

STORIES TOLD BY FUNNY MEN OF THE PRESSMany Odd, Curious, and Laughable Phases of Human Nature Graphically Portrayed by Emlnont Word Artists ol Our Own Day. Its Etymology. “I wonder how Chautauqua got its name?” observed Mrs. Snaggs. “It comes very naturally from the character of the place,” replied Snaggs. “How is that?” “Well, there’s social conversation there, and lectures, and a lake.” “Still I don’t see the connection.” “Don’t you? It’s a combination of chat and talk and aqua.”— Pittsburg Telegraph. Not Much of a Trick. A Philadelphia surgeon says that by three strokes of the lancet he could paralyze the nerves acted on to make a man get mad, and thereafter any one could pull his nose, cuff his ears and spit on his boots, and he would simply smile a soft, bland smile. Pshaw! Any butcher could, with one stroke of, a lancet, so paralyze a man that all the abuse in the world would not even cause him to >pen an eye. Black Sheep Dwell In Every Fold. She Oh, yes. I quite believe there’s a simpleton in every family. Don’t you? He —Well—er—my opinion’s rather oiased. You see I’m the only membet of our family.— Boston Budget. Keeping an Eye on the Till. Assistant —I’m told that our funny paragraphs about Vassar are hurting the institution. Editor —In that case we had better look out, or the chewing gum manuwill withdraw their ads.— — The Choice*! Morsel. Mrs. Pert—We had an elegant supper at the sewing society. (Mr. Pert—What did you relish most?” '“Oh, wo dissected a watermelon.” '“ls that all? I thought probably fqu had dissected at least a halfiozen of the neighbors!” “You’re just too hateful I”—Harrisburg Telegram. Profitable Athletics.

Old Houlihan—“And it’s an athletic club yure afther wantin’ to join, is it?”Young Houlihan—“Yls, sor; for company and exercise.” Old Houlihan—“Company and exsreise, indade? Jlst take one of me jhpare hods on yure shoulder to-mor-row marnin’, an’ Oi’ll bring yez to a lob where yez’ll find plinty av both!” —Judge. • Wanted. Young men who will court for business only. Old men who know when their courting days are over. Young women who can understand that a ten-a-week beau can’t supply ten-a-day luxuries. Old women who will mind their awn business. Dudes to understand their utter uselessness. Bores to forget our address.— Lima Times.

An Amended Amende-Honorable. Due de Montmorenci Monsieur Barton, what you has said of me in ze club has cast a slur upon ze illustrious name I bear. Will Monsieur apologize? Mr. Barton (nonchalantly) Oh, certainly. In speaking as I did nothing was further from my intention than to cast a slur upon an honored name Due de Montmorenci —Your hand, Monsieur. . Mr. Barton (shaking hands) —I considered that as an alias, you know.— Puck. Width Necessary. Laura—How do you like my new dress? Jennie—The sleeves are absurdly full. “That’s done in self-defense.” “What do you mean?” “That dreadful, absurd Tommy Knoodle calls every other evening, and I must have somewhere to laugh in.” Pittsburg Bulletin. Politics Explained. She—Charley, I don’t quite understand this political talk. He (drawing closer) —Well, when I put my arm around your waist that’s protection. I steal a kiss and you recover it, that’s free trade. “And if I let you keep it and take one from you, that’s reciprocity?”

Very Annoying.

Mrs. State Street—l do so sympathize with poor Mrs. Hill Bunker. She certainly has continued ill-fort-une in securing disciplined domestics. Her embarrassment must certainly have been terrible last evening. Mrs. Monu Ment—lndeed! Did anything serious occur? Mrs. State Street—Serious! Why, she actually detected her new housekeeper using parlor matches in. the Iritch en.— Chronicle- TelegraphThe man who was going to be hung was rather paradoxical when he told the sheriff that he desired the job done quickly, as he did not want to be kept in suspense.

ACROMEGALY KILLED HIM.

Che Mysterious Malady That Carried ofl Francisco Solferne. Francisco Solferne; the Italian fruitdealer whose disease baffled the skill Of the medlcei fraternity, died at the Almshouse, says the San Francisco Examiner. Solferne was admitted to the Almshouse in June, and the disease which ended his life is called acromegaly. It causes an enlargement of all the bones-of the body. About all the physicians could do was to study the malady, which, slowly but painlessly sapped the life of the victim. It is known that the cancellous tissue ol the bones becomes hypertrofied, causing the extremeties to become enormously enlarged, and not much more can be told by the physicians. Dr. Bunker tried every known remedy for kindred ailments, but not the

SOLFERNE A MONTH PRIOR TO HIS DEATH.

slightest advantage was gained to arrest the progress of the disease, which is almost unknown to science. ' When Solferne applied for admission to the almshouse he presented a hideous spectacle. His head was enlarged to nearly the length of that of a horse’s. The forehead was high and broad and the frontal bone projected far beyond the eyes. The nasal bone had grown to the else of a banana, and his ears could Scarcely be covered by an ordinary-sized hand. His whole body was affected in a similar manner, his hands being of such an enormous size that one could easily cover the surface of a ham, and his feet were as large as a fivegallon beer keg, with toes grown to the proportions of a man’s fist. The knee Joints were about as large as his legs at the thighs, and from the waist up his body had the circumference of the bodies of two 200-pound men, his ribs having grown out of all proportion. About a month ago Solferne took to his bed, lost his former cheerfulness, refused to converse with any one, became very irritable, and finally relapsed Into a lethargic state, from which he could be aroused with difficulty when it was necessary fir him to take food. Solferne said that the disease first attacked him when he was-about 20 years old, but thinking it was some ordinary trouble, paid no attention to it. But as time passed his extremities grew larger rapidly. Medical advice was of no value, and nothing could be done to save him. The body was burled In the potter’s field. Some of the physicians talk of resurrecting it and making a thorough and systematic investigation of the cause of the disease.

AUTUMN COSTUMES.

Two Very Stylish Gowns with Hate and Gloves to Match. The two costumes pictured In illustration are types of autumn styles such as are met with at the exclusive and refined country resorts. The white cloth gown on the right is most

charmingly set off by a yoke and a deep band of pale-blue silk striped with white, while the bottom of the skirt and the corsage are finished with deep volants of pleated white gauze. A very stylish black velvet hat of an original shape, trimmed with autumn flowers, and black gloves complete this exquisite costume. The garment worn by the lady on the left is made up in old red silk, richly trimmed with black lace, and is intended to be worn over a thin house gown when driving. A black feather boa and a black lace hat richly garnltured with autumn flowers add to the air of refinement and distinction which characterizes this garment.

Easily Accounted For.

“Now, just look at those dogskin gloves, after wearing them once in the rain. I don’t see why a little water makes them shrink in that way.” “They were probably made from a dog tnat died of hydrophobia.”— Smith, Gray & Co.'s Monthly.

The catacqmbs of Rome contain the remains of about 6,000,000 human beings, and those of Paris . about H,000,000. The latter were formerly stone quarries. Many of the victims of the revolution of 1792-4 are buried there. . Going to school in Sumas, Oregon, is perilous. Bears and cougars ara numerous there, and the children have to go in crowds, for safety, the big boys carrying arms.

RUINOUS EARTHQUAKE.

SAN SALVADOR DEVASTATED THE NINTH TIME. The Volcanoes Clave Warning by Their Unusual Activity—Only the Coast Cities Escape—Los* of Property Tremendous— Life Los* Comparatively Small. Pursued by an Evil Fate. San Salvador, the smallest but most populous and one of the most prosperous of the five Contra! American republics. is again in ruins, and for the ninth time since its founding in 1528 by Senor Jorge de Alvan* 10. the tlty of vador is leveled by an earthquake. Millions of dollars’ worth of property and many lives wore destroyed in the republic by this visitation. Whole towns were wiped out, and so far as advices received from the capital indicate, hardly a city in the country, except those along the coast, escaped the awful effects of the convulsion. There had been Ind cations for several days past that a seismic disturbance of more than u ual power might be expected. The volcanoes of San Salvador, San Miguel and Izalco have been unusually active, and deep subterranean rumblings and slight earth tremors have been felt

Such things are not uncommon there, however, and while there was a foe.ing of uneasiness there was no great alarm felt At just five minutes before 2 o'clock In the morning the earth began to shake. The wave had astrong vertical and oscillatory movement. People rushed into the streets in their night clothing, and while the shock lasted only twenty seconds, before it had passed away there was a {anic-strlcken mob making its way to he open country outside the city. The scone was terribly sub irne. Men, women, and chi,dren wore shrieking and praying in the streets; walls of houses, cracked, tottered, and foil: tiiero was a deep, continuous rumble as of heavy thunder; the sky was overcast and the air was filled wish a fine, penetrating dust. While the shock last d the earth rose and fell in long waves, and strong men wore unable to keep their feet. The pan I -stricken mob flocked to the open ground cutsido the city; temporary aheltors wore thrown up whorever possible, but nearly ah the mon and a great many of the women and children had only tho sky for a cover. All through tho morning there were slight shocks, but none approaching In Intensity that which had boon so destructive. The inhabitants wore afraid to return to tholr houses, and are making themselves as comfortable as possible in the temporary camps until the commotion subsides.

President Ezeta is doing his best to stop the panic and care for tho homeless people until It is considered safe for them to go back to their homes. Tho towns thioughout the country have suffered more severely than the capital even. Analaqulto and Comasagua were destroyed. ( ojutopoque, Santa Treia, San Pedro, and Masahuet wero so badly shaken that they are practically ruined, while the shock was plainly felt and damage was done by it at Santa Anna and Susimtepoquo, fully sixty miles from San Salvador. It is impossible at tli'is writing to form any idea as to tho number of lives which wore lost Two people were killed at the capital, though there were many almost miraculous escapes from death. It is feared, however, that there have been many people killed in the smaller towns. Tho loss of property will run well Into tho millions. This is the ninth time since its founding, and third time within loss than forty years, that San Salvador has beet, destroyed by earthquake shocks. April 0, 1854, not a single house was left in tho city fit for habitation, and over throe hundred lives were lost Tho dust and debris from the falling Landings filled up all of the wells and drinking places. Again, March 19, 1872, the city was shaken to the ground. Over 85,000,000 worth of property was destroyed then and upward of fifty lives were lost, and more than five hundred seriously injured. The entire republic comprises only about 7,500 square miles, 300 less than Massachusetts, and It is peopled by about 11,000 whites, 350,000 Indians, 300,000 mestizoes, and 3,000 negroes. It Is very mountainous and thickly dotted by volcanoes, ha,lng no less than eleven which have at different times contributed to tho destruction of her cities. Izalco, 4,000 feet high, is the only one which 14 unctaslngly active. The soil is good, in pla. es remarkably rich, and the country hat built up a very large trade in maize, oranges, lemons, pineapple, coffee, cotton. tobacco, plantains, and suzar. But by far the most valuable product Is Indigo, though the quantity raised has considerably decreased since independence was atta ned In 1839. Numerous fine cattle are raised, but the mineral wealth of tho country Is largely undeveloped. Rich silver mines are altogether neglected, and the iron trade, though largo deposits of .excellent ore exist, has fallen into decay. The manufactures consist of coarse cotton goods, cutlery and ironware. San Salvador has been the scone of many violent revolutions, and has many times been at war with surrounding states. She has never been whipped, but has had several close calls. The title of republic has been sustained since 1856. In all Central American revolutions San Sal. ador has been obliged,, because o ' her geographical position, to take an active part The government at present is vested tn a president and two houses of congress, the senate consistinq of twelve members, and the bops; of representatives of twenty-four members, Every male citizen over twenty-one years of a,e is entitled to vote, except domestic servants, those without !e-al o cupation, those who contract debts fraudulently, owe money past due to tho state, enter the service of a foreign power, or are of notoriously bad character. It will bs seen that the San Salvadoreans observe a decided y modern form of government Tho standing army consists of 1,000 mon, and the militia of 5,000. The Boman Catholic re igion is recognized by the state, but all denominations are protected. The republic has a very well endowed university at tho capital, San Salvador, and its work Is highly regarded. Peace has prevailed since 1886, when President Barrios was shot by successful Insurgents. The city of Jacksonville, Fla., protects catfish in the river as scavengers. It is a five-dollar fine to catch one of them and the fish seem to know it The river is fat! of them, and they vary in size from a baby to a 200-pouad man.