Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1892 — Page 5

REAL RURAL READING

WILL BE FOUND IN THIS DEPARTMENT. How to Close the Crack Coder Tour Door —Concerning Dairy Stock Bench for Mowing Harness, Etc.—An Effective Hog Catcher—General Farm Matters. Weather Strips. In most outside doors there is quite a crack between the door and the floor. The arrangement shown here, from Farm and Horne, is made so that whenever the door is closed, a strip covered on the bottom with felt is pushed down against the crackfand when the door opens the strip raises so as to be out of the way of the door when swinging back. In figure 1 a general view of thedoor is given with the parts of the weather strip arrangement slightly enlarged. CC is a strip of wood of any size desired, Ixli inches being the most convenient. This strip is painted or stained and varnished, and may be made to match the door. Figure 2 shows a cross section of this strip. The shaded part is the felt strip glued in the corner. The piece cut away in the right - hand corner of figure 2 is a small place cut out in the middle of the stake to receive a, part of the

piece D, shown in figure 1. This piece I) may be either wood or iron, as desired, and reaches up a little beyond the lower panel in the rtSlddle of the door. It is held close tfr the door by the two damps 88, shown bv the section view in figure 6. These clamps may be easily made otlS of ribbons of iron,, such as are used to fasten bundles of shingles The upright Dis fully illustrated in figures 3 and 4. A cross piece is "placed at the bottom to CC, and about two-thirds the way up are two projections, shown in figures 3 and 4. If the piece D is of iron, they may be of one piece only, but if wood is used, two screws may be used.

Between these two projections is the end of the latch E, which plays on a pivot F, and is kept from the door and on a level with the front of Dby a small washer. (See figure 7.) The part of the latch beyond the pivot is made heavier so that by its

weight it keeps up the upright D and the strip CC. To the side of the door post,liKe the catch of a common latch, is fastened the piece A in figure 1, and also shown in full view in ngure 5. The upper side of this slants upward. Now whenever the door is opened, the heavy part at the latch, in figure 1, keeps the strip up from the floor, but whenever the door opens the end of (the latch strikes A and runs up, thus pressing down CC against the floor, and so covering the crack. The thing is simple and easily made with a few tools. Cow-l’etia for Fodder. With the many 'different kinds of fodder that are now recommended, says the Germantown Telegraph, it becomes an important matter to select such as will be likely to give the best results, taking into account the general purpose of the feed. For. which reason when butter production is the object, the thought should be directed to quality in preference to quantity. It is often the case that a smaller quantity of a superior quality is much to be preferred to a larger quantity of inferior quality. Now regarding the results from using cow-peas as a fodder in butter production, one who has been an extensive grower of them says they give a golden tint and a particularly pleasant aroma and delightful aftor taste to butter; that no June pasture-fed cows will produce butter equal to that of cows fed cow-peas. The use of cow-pea meal is highly recommended, and this is probably the only way that Northern farmers could test the advantages to tie derived, as the pea itself can hardly be matured in a northern climate. If the feed is in the market, it would be worthy of trial.

I>*lry Stock. The uncertainty of deciding the value of dairy stock by general appearance was recently demonstrated by a breeder of high-class dairy cows. According to Hoard’s Dairymen, his herd had been carefully bred, and, in a general way, he thought he was well acquainted with the proportionate value of each. He believed he could pick out the best, and did so, pricing a number of them to a distant prospective purchaser. This was before he had submitted the milk of any of them to chemical analysis—which of late has become so simple and cheap a process as to be within the reach of every dairyman. The tsst was a revelation to him; he discovered that the milk of one of the cows, priced among the very lowest of the lot was .yielding over sixteen pounds of butter per week, while he had not suspected her capable of the half of it She was seven years old, and he raised her from a calf. A result somewhat similar followed the testing of another cow. and this was also a surprise; and still another, which was esteemed of far greater value than either, and was thought to be among the most profitable butter makers in the herd, showed a ca- : pacity of la trifle less than a pound a day. Luckily for the owner, the buyer was tardy in accepting the cat-

tie at the offer. A revision of prhse# and estimates followed. These tests did more toward convincing tbe breeder of the utter ajgbiguitf of judging a dairy cow by her “looks” than a whole life of argument could have done: He names no prices for any of his cows until after they are tested. Then, he says, true value can be approximated with some degree of satisfaction. A Sure Gate Clottar. The annoyances resulting from open garden and lavcn gatescan be avoided by the contrivance shown in the accompanying illustration drawn from the American Agriculturist. This

A SELF-CLOSING GATE.

gate closer will not only close the gate everv time it is opened to the usual width, but if the gate is swung completely back -to the fence, it will also hold the gate open. This is a great convenience, as all realize who have tried chains or ropes with .weights, and self-dosing'hinges or springs. With self-closing gates, the carelessness of children and callers will be overcome, and the trees and plants saved from injury by trespassing cattle and swine.

Seorch Instead of Scald.

It is quite a common practice in Europe to remove the hair from slaughtered pigs by burning instead of scalding. The heat has the same effect either way in destroying the epidermis or outer skin, and thus removing the hair from the carcass. The method is as follows: Some dry straw is laid down and the pig is laid upon it, more straw is thrown on the carcass, and fire is set to it all. All that is required is to scorch the skin; it must not be burned. If this is done as soon as the animal is dead and still warm, a blister is raised on the skin and the hair is loosened. It is necessary to manage the fire and turn the carcass so that the heat is distributed evenly and not too much of it is made. The carcass is then scraped in the usual manner.

Does Poultry Pay?

The question is often asked, does poultry pay? The question is answered by the success of many. Mr. James Rankin of Massachusetts, makes the following statements in the lowa Homestead: “1 aiu exceedingly cautious by nature, and public opinion has been against the success of the poultry business when undertaken on a large scale. In sedition 1 had many kind neigh boss wliomssured itffe' repeatedly that it was only a matter of time when I would come to grief; that my land would soon become poisoned by constantly growing,poul-, try upon it; that disease and vermin would step in and carry off my hopes and expectations, etc. That land has grown one lot of poultry and one of barley and rye each season for the past fifteen years and remains unpoisoned yet. 1 have increased my plant until I have grown 10,000 birds and am increasing it still. The past season has seen two new buildings added to the plant and I can truly say that i see no symptoms of either vermin or'disease among any <of my fowls for the past ten years. During the past season, notwithstanding the high price of grain, the returns have been highly satisfactory, as the prices for chickens and eggs have run higher than ever before. At present I am busily engaged in turning $3,000 worth of corn, wheat and oats, bran, etc., into some $7,0000r SB,OOO worth of poultry and eggs. ”

through, large enough to put a common pair of clamps up through, having the hole the same width of the clamps, i from bottom. Mortise the hole to fit the taper of the clamps; by pulling them up through, the taper of clamps will hold very solid. Clamps can be made out of oakshingle stuff, the clamp ends being from around a knot. Fisheries. Use dry straw for bedding. Small hogs make the best meat. The eye of the owner fattens the stock. Oil meal with bran makes a capital ration. A thrifty hog should never squeal for his food. A few bogs are necessary to eat up the waste. The best way of feeding bran and oil meal is in the slop. A little turpentine in the feed is good for worms in hogs. Select the largest, most growthy, and best sows for breeders. The most essential items with hogs are good health and thrift.It is always an item to feed growing pigs for bone and muscle. One or more good brood sows is a positive necessity on every farm. Too much fat with growing pigs will check the growth of bone and muse’e. Hogs kept by neat, systematic farmers arc generally the freest from disease. WnEX skim milk is fed to the pigs •a little bran and oil meal stirred in will greatly improve it. Brood sows thrive better with plenty of range duriug the day and a warm place to sleep in at night The start that a pig gets in the first three months of its lffe has much to do with its thrift and future profit. Growing a mass of fat in the shortest time possible is not all that is necessary to make a pig most profitable.

WMw Ptotelloa fcr Tnn, Some fruit growers hare much trouble during the winter seasons from the depredations of mice among their small apple trees. Mauy of these trees are entirely girdled and rendered worthless. Where snow fall 9 deep, but light, it allows tbe marauders to work freely along through tbe grass and stubble. The only thing that can be done by those who take no precautionary measures in the fall to protect their trees is to keep the snow tramped solidly about each tree. But it is much better to take care that another winter shall not find them unprotected. A bit of wire netting, or tarred paper, ped carefilßy abobt the base should give good protection, or. a split tube or a flexible wooden covering may be applied. It does not pay to plant fruit trees, and care for them during the season, only to have them destroyed in the yvinter from lack of care. Litter and weeds of any kind about the base of an unprotected tree or near by in the orchard, are simply a cordial invitation to the mice to come in and shelter themselves. Young fruit trees may be protected from girdling by rabbits by wrapping the trunk with straw, hay. or cloth for one or two feet from the ground. Pieces of corn stalks, split in,halves.and tied around ‘the'tree, with the flat side next the trunk, will keep the rabbits from eating the bark. Rabbits girdle trees on clean ground, and mice those on weedy land. Should a tree be girdled, heaping earth around the fresh wound will sometimes save the tree*

Handy Bo( Catcher. Have a blacksmith make you a hog catcher just like the cut, which

die, and fit end loose in socket The jaws should be large enough when closed to hpld agog’s leg firmly, without slipping out. It is a difficult thing to go into a pen of porkers and catch them, especially if one wants to single out one ani-

mal.says the Practical Farmer. Take the catcher by handle in right hand, and rope in other. Hold it to the hog’s hind leg, pull by rope, and you have the animal fast. The cost is very small, and the farmer will find it a saver of time and temper many times during the year.

Treatment for a Halter PuUer. Probably the best way to break a horse of halter or bridle pulling is to hitch him by the tail, i. e., by means of a rope about twenty feet long, put under his tail like a' crupper,: ana then twisted two or three times and each end run under a girth, and then passed through the nose-piece of the halter or rings of the bridle and hitched to a tree or post. This plan is recommended by Rockwell, and the writer has seen it tried with satisfactory results. A horse thus hitched, in attempting to break loose, is considerably surprised to find that the force and hurt comes noton the head, as he expected, ar.d as it is natural for him to go from the hurt, he steps forward and ceases to pull.—Baltimore American. Tillage I* Manure. _lt is practically,. although not technically true, that •‘tillage is manure.” But tillage with manure, is a safer rule, if you are after big and paying crops. In the same line of thought, science is a valuable aid to agriculture. But ‘‘science with practice” is the combination that *nust unlock tne secrets that lead to the highest agriculture and the most profitable farming.

Miscellaneous Recipes, Cupped Potatoes. —Boil, mash and season. Mold by pressing into a wet teacup. Coat each one with beaten egg and brown in the oven. Whatever receipe for pancakes you »jay follow, ipie rule always holds good: Mix all the liquids together in one bowl, and the dry in another, then stir the liquid into the dry and there will never be any danger of lumping. Oatmeal Cakes.— The cold oatmeal left from breakfast mixed with an equal measurement of flour—that is, one cupful of flour to one of cooked meal, with one beaten egg, half a cupful of milk and a spoonful of baking powder, will make very nice pancakes. Salt Pork —Boil four or five pounds of pork which is partly leaD. in plenty of water for an hour and a half. Take it out, remove the skin, cut gashes across the top, sprinkle with powdered sage, pepper and rolled cracker. Place in the oven until well browned. Flannel Cakes. —Sift two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one of salt with a quart of flour. In another bowl beat three eggs, add one and a half pints of milk and two ounces of melted butter; pour this mixture into the flour, beating vigorously the while.

Apple and Pear Marmalade.— Take equal quantities of such apples and pears as will cook well together, and to each pound when pared and cored, add three-quarters ot a pound of preserving sugar. Cook over a slow fire, continually stirring until the fruit is quite soft. Store in the usual way. Tomato Catsup. —Take two quarts of ripe tomatoes, peel and put them in a pan; stew until soft; then add a tablespoonful each of salt, black pepper, mustard and allspice; when cold add a pint of good vinegar, and strain through a sieve. Set it on the stove and let it simmer slowly for half an hour, and when cold seal in bottles. Stewed Lamb with Peas. —Take the neck or breast cut in small pieces and put in a stew pan with enough water to cover it Cover closely and stew until tender, then add a quart of green shelled peas, adding more water if needed. Cook until the peas are tender, then add butter, salt and pepper; let it simmer a minute, then serve

WAGES ARE GOING UP.

FACTS FOR HIGH-TARIFFITES TO READ. Able Journals Say Expeditious Measures Should Be Taken to stop the Tariff Robbery—Evidences that the People Are With the Incoming Administration. All Since the Election. The McKinley bill took effect in October, 1890. It.had full sway, until November Bth, 1892—two years and two months —when two-thirds of the American people got sick and tired of “McKinley prosperity.” During this period mere than 1,000 wage reductions occurred in protected industries. The Reform Club of New York published 700 last July, and now has about 500 more ready to add to the list, and It is probable that the ground has not yet been half covered. Anxious to-show that the McKinley wage-advancing bill was not a complete farce, the protectionists made desperate efforts last summer to find cases of wage advances. Circulars were sent out to protected manufacturers. Twenty-eight reported advances, and the American Economist printed the list with a great flourish. Their joy was of short duration. The Reform Club quickly obtained the facts in eacli case. These showed that wages had actually been reduced in abotit half of the cases. In the four or five cases where advances had occurred, they were due entirely to the demands of effective labor organizations. The McKinley bill as a wageadvancer was not a “howling success.” On Nov. 8, the course of human events struck a snag and reversed its wheels. A few of tne protected manufacturers, notably Carnegie, Frick & Co. and the Pottstown Iron Company, have gone on reducing wages just as if the election had not occurred. But generally, the' downward tendency has been checked and an upward tendency is manifest. Here are some of the advances reported by the Associated Press: Lowell; Mass., 'Nov. "15. —'&t a meeting of the agents of the Lowell cotton mills it was decided to grant an increase, not to exceed T per cent. , in the wages of operatives, to take effect Dec. 4. Boston, Nov. 15.—The owners of the Carpenter Mills, at Providence, to-day voted to raise the wages of their employes 15 per cent., without demand.

explains itself. A is the rivet, BB are the eyes, D is a socket Pass a four-foot I rope through eye 88, make a knot on one end of rope. Take an o'.d broom-han-.

The owners of the Goddard Mills, the Lonsdale Company, and the B. B. &D. Knights, the largest cotton mills in the world, to-day announce a voluntary increase, hinted to be between 6 and 7 per cent. Wheeling, W. Va., Nov. 16. Thomas Meare, proprietor of the largest Reg ahU barrel factory in this part of the country, to-day notified bis men of an advance in wages of 10 per cent, all around. +. Boston,-Jtaßß.)Nov. 17.—The Blackstone Manufacturing Co., cotton manufacturers, of Blackstone, Mass., today posted notice that they will advance wages Dec. 5. Providence, R. 1., Nov. 17.—A1l the cotton mills in the State will follow the lead of the two big firms and Increase wages at an early date. The Messrs. Goddard are still undecided whether tb make the advance 7 or 10 per cent. There is the greatest rejoicing among the operatives. Lowell, Mass., Nov. 18.—The carpet corporation followed the lead, of, the cotton mills to-day and raised wages 7 per cent., beginning Dec. 5. Rockford, 111., Nov. 20.—The Mechanics’ Furniture Co., which employs a large number of bands, posted’ notices on Saturday evening that, beginning with Monday, there would be a general advance in wages. Providence, R. 1., Nov. 20.—Four more Rhode Island cotton mills have posted notices of increased wages, to take effect the first week in December, while one factory grants an increase on Dec. 1, and,, another on Jan. 1.

Greensburg, Pa., Nov. 26. —The packers in the United States Glass Company’s works were last week notified that their hours of work would be lessened from ten to nine hours per day, and wages raised from sl2 to sl3, beginning with Monday, Nov. 21. It is thought the change will be made in all the fifteen factories of the company. Lowell, Mass., November.—Lowell spinners want 10 per cent, increase instead of 7 per cent., that is to go into effect shortly. Providence, B. I.—The increase of the J. & P. Coates Co., Limited, at Pawtucket, will be from 10 to 15 per cent, in all departments. Within less than one month after the McKinley bill was frost-bitten, more genuine advances in protected industries have come to the surface, of their own accord, than all the Republicans could dig up in two years of strict McKinley rule. Perhaps the American Economist may care to investigate as to the accuracy of these strange phenomena.

Unchecked Prosperity in Woolens and Cottons.

How little business was affected by the last election, or landslide, and how smoothly and prosperous it has been since, is evident to those who read trade journals and reports. The new mills going up and the enlargements being made even in protected industries, where there is a strong probability that the protection will soon be lessened or abolished, have been so numerous and conspicuous as to almost completely silence the Republican “calamity howlers,” who, two months ago, saw only ruin ahead if this country should elect Cleveland and declare for “free trade.” The “scare” now is largely confined to the politicians, who are afraid that their evil predictions will not come true. Because of good crops in 1890 and 1891, and unusually high prices in ISOO. and in spite of the-McKinley bill, we were enjoying prosperity before election; for the same reasons and because of the prospect for free wool, coal, ores, etc., and in spite of evil predictions of some Republicans and a few attempts to close mills, reduce wages and charge it to the result of we are still prosperous. Here is a sample of the pictures in trade papers. The American Wool and Cotton Reporter, a limited protectionist journal,, has a column (or columns) each week, beaded, “Bulletin of fr«w Enter-

prises." Theseoontain a listof “New Mills” and a list of “Enlargements and Improvements” In cotton and woolen mills. The number of mentions made are an index of the degree of prosperity in this industry. The following are taken at random: Knlarge--1891 New Mill*. inents. Total. March 17 11 10 -11 Aorll 1 « 18 17 June 9 18 ll 14 Sept. 8 18 95 89 Oot. 6 9 38 45 Oot. 18; 18 11, 89 Oct. !U 17 Ift 41 Oot. 17 11 Ift 47 Nov. 3 14 81 48 NOV. 10 18 18 54 Nov. 17 Not given. Not given. Nov. 14 15 18 33 Deo. 1 10 14 44

Not a Bad Programme.

Certain bills have been passed by the House for the relief of industry and loweriug of taxes. Certain others of like kind are ready to be reported. These bills have been maturely considered and carefully framed. In their preparation close I attention has been given to the condition') of the industries likely to he affected by them. It is the. desire of the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means to pass the remaining bills of this class through the House at this session, in order that the new Congress, in an extra session, may promptly enact them Into laws, leaving the further work of tariff reform to be considered at leisure during the recess and completed at the regular session next year. The enactment or these bills would not work a satisfactory reform of the tariff, but it would be a long and helpful step in that direction. It would give free raw materials to our manufacturers and cheaper goods to the people. As there is nothing-in any of these bills which must not be a part of any general bill that may be framed, there would seem to be no valid objection to their separate passage at t he extra session, without waiting for the laborious preparation of a general reform measure. .Such, at least, is the view many.of'the leading men in the House. They urge In support of It another consideration. The passage of these", billsin 'tne spring would give to the country the most pressingly. needed parts of the reform us early as next fall, and leave a whole year between that time and the next Congressional elections for their benefits to appear. It is argued with force that a year’s experience of free raw materials, enlarged markets for our products and cheaper goods for the people would dispel whatever remains of apprehension as to the effects of a more liberal policy and convert tariff reform from a party proposal into a national policy approved of all the people. This- programme is worthy of careful consideration. It looks to the speedy accomplishment of results.— New York World.

Stop the Robbery at Onee!

That there should be more than one opinion among Democratic leaders on the subject of a special session is surprising to the Herald, which believes it cannot be mistaken in the sentiment held by the people toward the McKinley tariff. They have twice condemned that tariff as a monstrous wrong. They rejected it overwhelmingly in 1890, when it was fresh from the hands of its makers. In 1892, after they had unwillingly given it a two years’ trial, they repudiated it still more emphatically. They have twice demanded Its repeal, and they have commissioned the Democratic party with power and instructions to strike every line "of the infamous law from the statute books.

It is difficult to exercise patience toward those who talk in this connection, about the dangers of “hasty” action. The-protective tariff is a burden and a crime. Is a peace officer expected to act with “great deliberation and delay” when he discovers a helpless victim in the grasp of a h'ghwayman? Should he go at once to the assistance of the unfortunate victim or should he summon his fellow officers and consult as to the best means of preventing the robbery, meanwhile permitting the ‘thief to continue undisturbed his work of spoliation? There is but one way in which honest people would answer these questions. The Democratic party cannot act with too much expedition in the work of reforming the tariff. An act repealing the McKinley bill and arranging the tariff schedules on a revenue basis should be passed as soon as possible after the 4th of March. Jt is not necessary that the new act should, in all of its features, go into effect at once, but its prompt passage by Congress is essential as a guarantee that the Democratic leaders intend to keep faith with the people.—Chicago Herald.

The Cartridge Trust Trembles.

The New York Tribune of Nov. 18 announced, under the heading, “Business Men Canceling Contracts,” that “The Union Metallic Cartridge Company say they also will feel the effects of the change.” They certainly will, if the twice expressed wishes of the American people are respected by the Fiftythird Congress. This is one of the principal cartridge companies in the Cartridge Trust, as miserable a specimen of “our protection” era as now exists, and it has hundreds of competitors. Protected by a duty of 45 percent., it has for years been selling cartridges cheaper to foreigners than to Americans. But this is an ordinary proceeding with protected trusts. It is also common for trusts to raise or sus-tain prices. Few, if any, however, have been able to advance prices about 100 per cent, above fair prices and to sustain them there for ten years, as this trust has done. Here are the changes that have been made in prices of leading styles since May, *IBB3, when the trust was formed: Since May, 1883. Dec., 1883. Dec., 1890. 22ca1., short *I.UB ti.su *2.14 22 cal., lone 1.44 2.16 2.57 32 cal., abort 2.16 3.60 4.28 :t2 cal., lone 2.43 4.14 4.93

No Sugar Duty.

We notice that two or three of our contemporaries commend the proposition made by one or two Democratic members of Congress, that the old duties on sugar should again be imposed. The effect of such legislation would be to increase the price of sugar to consumers generally by at

least 2 cents a pound. . We do not believe that this propsition will And favor with even a small minority of those who will control the next House. It deserves no support whatever. The Fifty-third Congress will not begin its work of revising the tariff by increasing the cost of the necessaries of life. —New York Times.

Protection and Monopoly on Top.

The following delicious bit of Irony from the Iron Age of Dec. i recalls the riotous times before protection and monopoly were given a black eye on Nov. 8. It Is the last chapter ol a story begun when McKinley made his*’tariff bill- No more such stories will be begun in the new era now opening: At a meeting of the former strikers of the lleaver Falls mills of the Carnegie Steel Company, Limited, at Beaver Falls, Pa., held last week, a circular was issued, an extract of which reads as follows: “Assistant roller, reduced from s!> to sti.4o per day; engineer on No. 1 engine, reduced from $2.64 to $2.25 per day; water tenders, reduced from $2.50 to $2.25; firemen, reduced from $2.10 to $1.80; engineer on big engine, reduced from $2.85 to $2.75, his helper *«edueed 15 cents’a day. The heaters lave to work three furnaces for 27 aents, where they should receive 56 cents per ton. These are facts susceptible of proof, and there should be no statements that are not based on facts. To all our friends who have stood by us we return our earnest thanks. To those who have tried to defeat us, and have succeeded in doing It, we say we want no apologies, and we want them to glory In their victory.”

“Going to the Dogs.”

The Carpet Trade Everything looks favorable now for a lively spring trade and at good prices. In extra supers several Philadelphia lines, notably those of Ivins, Delta & Magee, have been advanced 5 cents. In Brussels the Lowells, Bigelows, and Victorias show no advance as yet. in some of the Intermediate grades, however, there has been an advance of 5 cents. Humor has It 'that Alexander Smith, Sons & Co. will advance the price on tapestry 2J cents right through the line. Moquetles are a puzzling feature. Some In the trade say. that it looks now as If they would advance. In ingrains the advance of 2J cents will be general. Some of the finer fabrics, as the Tremonts, for example, will advance five cents. The goneral feellug In the trade as to the prospects of spring business Is very good. —American Wool and Cotton Reporter, Dec. 1, 1892.

Harrison’s Message.

It is a message which will have as much influence on legislation as last ycar’B almanac—no more.—Providence Telegram. We must allow something for the animus of a defeated partisan. His arguments are the result of his desires.—Atlanta Constitution. In short, the dominant tone of the message Is one of petulant defiance, such as can be recalled in no previous public document of Its class.—Philadelphia Times Mr. llabrison gives bis parly no suggestion of recognition. He has nothing around which to call a rally of his disheartened followers.—Kansas City Times. Mr. Harrison Is a man of great intelligence and profound attainments, and it Is immeasurably discouraging to hear him repeat the stale formula of the proteellonist at tills hour.—St. Paul Globe. Tins is a gratuitous performance, as nobody has denied that the country has prospered, though the Democratic party maintains thatit has not prospered as it should have prospered, with its manifold natural advantages. —Rochester Herald. And then, with an expression of regret that the work of revising the tariff must be. delayed at least three mouths—becanse the threut of great tariff changes disturbs business and production—he deliberately recommends that the whole subject be left to the incoming Congress.—Detroit Free Press. It is hardly In keeping with the dignity, not of the defeated candidate of a political party, but of the chief magistrate of the people, to use his privilege of official communication to Congress to assail the wisdom of the people’s action or to sneer at their declared purposes.—Louisville Courier-Journal.

It is inordinately long. In tone it is melancholy and in parts peevish. It is more of a defense of the position the administration has held to during the past two years of its economic debauch, and therefore, without intending to do so, furnishes a justification of the Democratic victory.—New Haven Register. Tiie message adheres to the oldtime policies of the Republican party throughout, including a recommendation for further subsidies and a still further enlargement of the pension rolls. It would have been gratifying to the whole country if Mr. Harrison had broadened out in response to the recent verdict of the people in national affairs, and such an example would have been of great value to the politicians.—Kansas City Star.

Having stated that the horse was seventeen feet high, the President, now that he has just taken a tumble from the hurricane deck of the beast, sticks more stubbornly than ever to that opinion, and backs it up by such authorities as Census Superintendent Porter and Labor Commissioner Peck. He shows that we have a great, glorious and growing country and endeavors to show that for these blessings we are more indebted to a protective tariff than to a kindly providence.— Louisville Times. Pkesident Harrison certainly deserves credit for the sturdy and bold demeanor with which he faces the overwhelming defeat of bis party and the complete condemnation of his officialadministration. He makes no apologies, offers no excuse, and seeks to condone no mistakes. He does not admit, even by implication, that any mistakes were made, but he calmly undertakes the task of vindicating the policy which has met such an overpowering repudiation.—New Orleans Picayune.

HEREDITY.

THE INHERITANCE OF ACQIIKKIT CHARACTER. Can Mental Traits In Men or Physical' Peculiarities In Brutes Be Tran»> mltted?—An Interesting Question. At the November meeting of the Brooklyn Ethical Association an interesting paper was read by Dr. Martin L. Holbrook, editor of the Herald of Health, on‘ “Inheritance of Acquired Characters.'.’ He said, in part: “A belief in heredity is as old a* history. In all ages and among all people it has Itcen observed that children inherit certain characters and peculiarities from their parents, and transmit them on to their children indefinitely. We know that the black race never gives birth to white children or to tlioso with straight hair and features belonging to the Caucasian. We know a Hebrew at sight, because all of this race have certain characters; and the same is true of Germans, Irishmen, Italians, and so on. We also know that traits in animals arc wonderfully persistent; that they do not disappear after hundreds and thousands of years. Agassiz tells of Animals in Lake Erie exactly like the fossils deposited in the strata long ages ago in the same region. If there were no persiatence in types, our stock-breeders would not be able to < alculate on what they could do iu improving breeds; nor could our horticulturalists rely on any fixed law In altering the character of any plant. “Within the last, decade an entirely new study of the subject has been made. Woismann vigorously denies that acquired characters ever are, or ever can be, transmitted to offspring, and many other evolutionists are equally positive in the *.ime opinion. An acquired character is some trait, some skill, some peculiarity, some state of body or mind, taken on by environment, by food; by education, training, acoident or disease, during the lifetime of the individual. “A wild animal, taken from its native home and domesticated, becomes tame, docile, and loses its wildness; but its young will invariably betray the original instinct, undiminished in force. In the case of the guinea pig, this is still observable after 400 years of domestication. Tiie young guinea pig is as wild to,day, it ia said, as its ancestors ever were.

“The art of playing on the violin or piano, or of singing, ia an acquired character, and every generation has to learn it to ptyscss it. Weismann states that t heNnusical is us strong on the average in the Africans and Polynesians as in tho people of Western Europe, and that, under favorable circumstances, one race is as capable of producing individuals possessed of musical ability of a high order as the other. He cites the case of Brin(lch, of Hulas, a Cuban 1 negro violin virtuoso, who was endowod dot merely with excellency of technique and delicacy of ear, but whose playing, according to the opinions of musical experts, was that of a true artist. He might have citod the caso of Blind Tom, the negro idiot, whose ear for music was so acute, and power to execute so great, that after hearing a piece played once he could repeat it with almost absolute,accuracy. He gives case after case of musical celebrities who have beeu born in families in which it did not exist in any marked degreo, and in which it lifts not been transmitted to descendants. “Tho question may be asked why do not Handels and Mozarts arise in Africa and Polynesia, to which he» replies, even if one having equal musical ability should be born there he would not have an opportunity to develop it much beyond the best Polynesian or African musician.

“The same argument is drawn from the power of uttering intelligible speech. It, also, is an acquired character. Wc do not inherit it, though our ancestors, from time immemorial, have gone on (peaking one or more languages. Prof. Weismann thinks it well established that children of civilized nations, i£ brought up in the wilderness and cut off from all communication with man, would make no attempt to talk with each other. This is told In many well-known cases of young or adult persons found living in an utterly wild state in the woods; cases which have occurred from time to time up to the last century in Germany, France, England and Russia. Nearly all these are said to have uttered sounds resembling the erics of wild animals, with which they had associated, but not one was ever known tp speak. “If we go from intellectual traits to physical, wc get the samo results. Prof. Weismann mode experiments on mice by cutting off their tails for many generations, to test whether an acquired physig 1 character of a tailless mouse would be transmitted. With him it was not. Every mouse born had just as long and just as good a tail as if their parents had not been deprived of theirs. “I have seen, however, a letter from A. J. Studwell, of Lexington, Ky., which seemsto negative Weisman’s experiment In it he says: ‘I selected a pair of wh inice. on account of their rapid breeding I bred them in-and-in, clipping each generation, and selecting a pair of the last young each time, until I got a perfect breed of tailless mice.’ ‘ “We know how very persisteqt the tail is in our domestic animals. Farmers always take off the tails of the young of sheep; but, notwithstanding, this has been done for a very long time, the offspring have good and long tails. The same is true of horses. “Prof. Ermer, who has written a *tl able work in opposition to Weisma cites eases in whicli a variety of dogs have been bred without tails, and gives many cases of domestic animals, in which physical deformity has been transmitted.”

What About the Rest ?

The announcement that the Crowley manor estate, Cheltenham, England, is still in the market reminds a correspondent of a quaint story told in connection with Chosen, a small village lying at tho fringe of the property. A worthy locum tenens thought to please the good people of the village, and gave out as his text: “And make all Thy Chosen people joyful.” A horny-handed swain, however, who had wandered from a distant parish, interpolated the ejaculation, to the no small consternation of tne said locum tenens and the amusement of the Chosen people themselves: “Andwhat about poor we Huckiecut folk?”—[Washington Star. Of unprofessional strong men the Czar is a splendid example. His fingers possess extraordinary strength. He can twist a nail with them until it resembles a corkscrew, and double up a silver coin in his palm. He has a rival in Sig. Gioletti, an Italian politician. ' He can l>end a horseshoe with one hand, and double up a five-franc piece in his palm. Sometimes he amuses himself and astonishes his friends by tearing up an entire Mick of cards. One of his friends says tnat a grasp of his hand is like a. judgment from heaven.