Pike County Democrat, Volume 31, Number 34, Petersburg, Pike County, 28 December 1900 — Page 5

Vital Principle of Democratic Creed. DECLARED BY JEFFERSON. Acquiescence In the Decision of ' the Majority.

SHEET ANOHOB OF THE BEPUBLIO. Owr Crown I njc Glory an a People la Our Abaolute Subnilaalon to Will oC the Greater Number—Bail Features of Our Political System—“Consent of^tbe Governed” In Connecticut. Anuie Laurlc’a Grave — Thoughts From u Literary Genius—Italy and. Swltaerland Contrasted—The Cross . j of Peace.', [Special Washington Letter.] .When Thomas Jefferson delivered his first Inaugural, which has become a classic, he enunciated the Democratic creed. Among the points of that creed Is this: “Absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the majority, the vital principle of republics, from which there is no appeal but to .force, the vl-. tal principle and Immediate parent of despotism.” lie was the chief priest, apostle and prophet of civil liberty, lie knew the American people thoroughly. Their “absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the majority” is the most amazing feature of our American citizens. Had a man from the moon landed on our shores on Nov. 5 and strolled into wrangling groups of our citizens, heated with argument and enthusiasm, he would have concluded erroneously and prematurely that, no matter how the electlou went, we would have a revolution."By Nov. 8 he would have observed, to his astonishment, that we all acquiesced in the decision of the majority and that there was not even a riot of any considerable proportion except where people imbibed too freely. And this “absolute acquiescence in the decisions of the majority” is obr crowning glory as a people and the sheet anchor of the republic. To vote oue’s. sentiments is a great privilege. The ballot box is a great leveler. Suffrage is a powerful weapon. John G. Whittier’s poem eutitled “The Foor Voter on Election Day” is well worthy of careful study. Here it is: > The proudest now is but my peer, The highest not more high; Today, of all the weary, year, ~ A king of men am 1. Today alike are great and small, The nameless and the known; 1 , My palace is the people’s hall, The ballot box ray throne 1 Who serves today upon the list Beside the served shall stand; Alike the brown and wrinkled fist. The gloved and dainty hand! The rich is level with the poor. The weak is strong today; The sleekest broadcloth Counts no mor# Than homespun frock of gray. Today let pomp and vain pretense My stubborn right abide; 1 set a-lSiain man’s common sense Against the pedant’s pride. Todiw shall simple manhood try ,,^The\ strength of gold and land; The wide world has not wealth to buy The power’in my right handl

While there's a grief to seek redress Or balance to adjust, WheraHveighs our living manhood less Th^n Mammon’s vilest dust; While^there’s a right to need ray vote, • A wrong to sweep away, Up, clouted knee and ragged coat; A man’s a man today l The worst feature of our system ,1s V that from the moment a uiau becomes a candidate until he ceases to hold office every liar iu the land appears to ha^e carte blauclie to slander and vilify him. It’s a real pity that the campaign liar is not condemned to have his tongue burned full of holes with a rcdhot ron, as were other liars In the olden times, - In one respect public opinion is in a transition period. We have progressed far euough to squelch the duelist, but we have not progressed far euough to give a man substantial damages when he Is slan* tiered. Until the people are willing to do that the campaign liar will have full swing. Occasionally somebody shoots one of them. The more shot the better. GoTernroent of Connecticut. Up in Connecticut they have uever yet succeeded lu evolving a state government based upon the cousent of the governed. Each year it gets further from it. Every ten years, just after the census is taken, they have a little agitation upon the subject, and again It goes over to the nest census, while yearly the situation grows worse. I would respectfully suggest that “the folk of the wooden nutmeg1” come to Missouri and see how we do it.i j The trouble in Connecticut is this: Hartford has 100.000 people, and Dogvllle has 500. Dogville has one representative iu the state legislature, and so has Hartford. That plan was adopt- , ed when Connecticut was a colony and i \^has held ever since, many, notably the Hartford Courant. opposing a change \ because of Its being a time honored custom. old as tbe bills, venerable and • musty Old things are sometimes the best. That is the case with whisky, but because old whisky Is good should we Insist lipon using old eggs? . The census returns show that Hartford has grown 50 per cent in ten years, that New Haven has gnowo 83 per cent, while the little villages have grown scarcely any Up tIfero the Htnie Is divided into tow us or sownships, anti it looks as*if tbe fUUIg is so

fixed that, should Hartford grow to th< size of New York, it caunot change thi plan. Two legislatures in successioi must vote for an amendatory measun before it can become a part of the state constitution, and of course thej will not do it The country and th< city seem to always align themselvei on opposite sides, but so long as th< present arrangement holds the little towns can defeat the big ones in mat ters of legislation. Of course the conn' try members of the legislature will nol willingly relinquish their power. Thus in Connecticut we have taxation with' out (adequate) representation for the inhabitants of the cities. Strangely enough, it was the influence of Connecticut which put into the constitution of the United States the provision that each state, no mater whether it be little Delaware or mighty New York, should have two senators, no more and no less. The same influence which forces Hartford’s 100,000 to the humiliation of having their pet measures killed by the member from Dogvllle also lowers the population of New York to the same voting influence in the senate as the state of Nevada. These facts constitute a much to be regretted commentary upon our theory of “the consent of the governed.” And it is as hard to change, it in the case of the United States senate as it is in the matter of the Connecticut leglsla

ture. We are constantly being disillusionized. In our vStiUooO^lays we were charmed by the lovely poem found fu every Fourth Reader entitled “The Bobolink," by William Cullen Bryant, 1 believe. Now comes the Information that this same Robert of Lincoln is doing great damage to the rice crops in South Carolina, where, after migrating from sentimental New England, he is known as the reed bird and is such a glutton that one extensive planter alone has used 2,500 pounds of gunpowder in a year, employing men and boys to shoot them without trial. Grave of Annie Lan*le. The statement is going the rounds of the press that the grave of Annie Laurie, ypBtjouuy heroine of the sweetly lovely soifg, remains to this day unmarked. This is not as it should be. It seems to me that every man and woman, every callow youttrur-simper-ing lass whose heart has (been made to beat faster by that delicious “concord of sweet sounds.” would be willing to contribute a mite in ord(er that the grave might be marked with a slab bearing the name and reciting the lovely virtues of the sweet Scotch maiden. Many doubtless imagine that “Annie Laurie” was but a figment of the Imagination, as was the “Sweet Alice” of Dr. Thomas Dunn English. Not so. She was the dainty daughter of Sir Robert Laurie of Maxwelton, whose estate lay just over the river from Dumfries—and, by the way, that same town of Dumfries furnished the,original settlers of Alexandria, the old Virginia tpwn onc the 1‘otomac. 1 wonder if any of her descendants are burled in that old churchyard iu Alexandria where the newest of the gray stones are nearly a century old. Young William Douglas of Finland wooed her and in his wooing wrote the song. They say that every lover is a poet in his heart. We sadly chronicle the fact that, while young Douglas wooed her. a country laird won her, one Sir Alexander Ferguson, who was possessed of a title and gold in place of poetic lire, all of which goes to prove that the feminine heart of that day was much the same as now. But in one way the Douglas won. He rendered his fair Inamorata and himself famous, while Sir Alexander is lost iu obscurity. The song as originally written runs thus: Maxwelton banka are bonny, Where early fa's the dew, Where me and Annie Laurie Made up the promise true; Made up the promise true, . And never forget will L. 1 And for bonny Annie Laurie I’ll lay me down and die. She’s baekit like the peacock, She’s breistit like the swan, She’s jimp about the middle. Her waist ye weel micht span; ■ Her waist ye weel micht span, And she has a rolling eye, And for bonny Annie Laurie « I’ll lav me down and’ (fie.

The literary history of Scotland, the richest of the world, tells us that the fair Annie was both Dec. 1C, 1C82. Two centuries have passed and carried away the fleeting generations born since she was a lass of 18, but the tender grace of the lover’s song is still finding warm respouse in the heart of every lover. Poor Douglas! Doubt* loss he kept the faith and laid him down and died. The musty voice of the past does not tell us much of him. Possibly some grass widow soothed his sorrow, but It Is more in keeping that we should Imagine him wandering like some pale ghost about the banks of the Nlth, sail and dreary hearted, mourning the loss of his Annie Laurie. The delightful air of the old song was composed by Lady Jane Scott and will live so long as musk? has a devotee or heart to heart responsive beats. The wording of the soug has undergone several changes, the presesjt version being the work of Lady Spottswood of the same family ns that Spottswood of Virginia to whom Dr Tieknor referred when he wrote the martial lines: The kindliest of the kUcfly band That, rarely luitini; rase. » Yet rode with S|><>tisv»oad round the land And Raleigh round the seas. A Literary Grains. In the 'Jlttle village of East Aurora, N. Y., there Is a book publisher ami lit erary genius of tin- ismm> pf Elbert Hubbard, familiarly known to the thousands who know and admire him through his writings and bis beautiful do luxe editions as Era Elbert us. This man once carried a dinner pnil-~not always MoKinleylml--aud_- worked for day ' wages lie thinks, writes bis thought in vigorous and plcturestjue .English and club mouth stands us a

> few of tliem In The Phliistlne at 10 » cents per. i In 1SU8 Ilubhard was In Italy. He « writes: To refuse to give to the beggars is to Inrite in* ’ suit ami insolence. Desperation la written on the , dark faces that beseech you, and when you remember iiow, not many moons ago, this superfluous 1 Italian populace exploded in one wild yell and i made^a dash for the baker shop window's you do not wonder. , Naples, Rome. Florence and Milan were placed under martial law, and at Milan alone in the month of May, 1S98, 200 people were shot by the soldiers in the streets during my brief stay. 1 saw volleys fired Into crowds. The living would scurry away like frightened, rabbits into alleys, houses, side streets, cellars, hut there on the sidewalks and in the streets lay the fallen and tumbled dead—men, women and children. In less than five minutes’ time wagons with soldiers dashed up. the dead and dying were thrown like cord wood into the springless tumbrels, and with a cracking pf whips the horses and wagons dashed away. Some of the soldiers regained, and with hose and buckets and brooms every vestige of blood was washed away. The newspapers made no reports. Some of them denied that a volley had been fired. And now the king of Italy has gone by a quick and painless route into the beyond. He was only a man—not a great man; neither was he a bad man, only a vain, ignorant, selfish man, with transient moods of wanting to do right, whose feet had been caught in a mesh of wrong and Who hadn't the power to get away. To kill him was absurd, for the wrong for which helped still exists. It is the institution and policy, tiot the man. More volleys will be -fired Into the crowds that cry for bread. The death carts will continue to dump their victims into cofifinless graves. Pity the Helpless, I shed tears for the homeless, the harassed, the oppressed, for the women who hold hungry babes to famished: breasts, for the ignorant and brutal who wrench at their bonds and who by violenoe hope to achieve freedom. For the dead king I waste no pity. He himself caused thousands of men to be tilled. He lived by the sword and died by the bullet. What else could he expect? He invited his late. He was only a slave at the last, and death has set him free. Italy has less than one-half the population of the United Slates, yet she has a navy that o"tmatches ours. She maintains an army of 250,000 men In time of peace. She cannot possibly advance and carry the army that rides upon her back. Italy is the extreme type of all European countries except Switzerland, Holland, Norway and Sweden. These last stand ior intelligence, sobriety, beauty and worth. Italy is rotting at the core. The moss is at work pulling down the palaces that Caprino planned;, the grass springs from between the paving stones where Michael Apgelo trod, and the noble Romans and courtly Florentines, like the crawling lizards, only bask in the sun in winter and move but to keep in the shade in summer. Conscription kills ambition. Men will not work where the government demands half their wages, as Italy does. Only two careers worth mentioning are open to aspiring youth in Italy—the army and the church. Manual labor is held everywhere in contempt, and this accounts for the seeming superfluity of folks and the brazen beggardom. The rich set the example of idleness. Italy’s art is a thing of the past. Italy was.

Menace of the Soldier, Governments imprison men and then hound them when they are released, llate will never die so long as men are taken from useful production on the spacious plea of patriotism and bayonets gleam in the name of God. And the worst part about making a soldier of a man is not that a soldier kills brown men or white men, but that the soldier loses hia own soul. In America just now ihere are strong signs tff following the example |f modern Italy. To divert the attention of men from useful production to war, waste and wealth through conquest is to invite moral disease and death. The history of nations dead and gone is one. They grew “strong” and died because they did. Insurance actuaries say that athletes are very bad risks. Switzerland today is the least illiterate as well as the most truly prosperous country in the world. She is, in fact, the only republic, for the people themselves make the laws. Her government is of the people. In Switzerland to work with your hands is honorable. Manual training for both boys and girls is a part of the public school system. Her gilded social aristocracy is either English or American. The Symbol of Peace. Switzerland has no navy tor the same reason that Bohemia has not, and while every man is a soldier, yet three weeks’ service every year is only a useful play spell. In Switzerland there is no beggardom and little vice. Everywhere life and property are safe; the people are healthy, prosperous and happy. Switzerland minds her own business, and the chief tenet of her political creed is, “We will attend to our own affairs.” She will only fight if invaded, and fortunately she is not big enough to indulge in jingo swagger. The dag of Switzerland is the white cross—white on a red background—and this is the symbol of peace and amity the wide wcrld over. The “Geneva cross”—a red cross on a white background, designed in compliment to Switzerland—is the one Rag upon which no guns are trained. And now at the parting of the ways would It not be wise for America to choose between the example of Switzerland and Italy? America is a giant. It is well to have a giant’s strength, but not well to use it like a giant. This is the richest country the world has ever knownin treasure and in men and women. If we mind our own businesfcand devote our energies to the arts of peace, we can solve a problem that lias vexed the world from the beginning of time. Shall we make our country blossom like the rose, or shall we follow the example of Italy ?

Getting Rid of Ruts. To learn tlielr pet aversions and by every means show them that they are unwelcome guests, giving them freely of everything that they least desire. Is the only way to keep a house free from, rats. Poisons teach them transitory lessons, but they “die In the house” and cause regrets thereby outside their own circles. Among the thiugs to which they particularly object are cayenne pepper, broken glass and chloride of lime. The glass should be pounded, mixed with dry cornmealttnd placed about tlieir favorite haunts and-in their holes. Cayenne pepper and chloride of lime thrown dow-n their holes will completely discourage them. Soap and tar stuffed into their holes will also cause them to remove to the neighbors. If these remedies are renewed occasionally, even though no iutruder is seen, the place will gain a desired unpopularity. Mahogany Foreatn Nearly- Extinct. The true mahogany tree Is a product of the American tropics, but has been so nearly exterminated that the wood of kindred species Is now largely imported from Africa and the far east, especially the Inexhaustible forests of the Sunda Islands. The Swletopla glauca of Borneo Is equally line grain ed. but a trifle paler, though after belug soaked In oil the wood Is almost indistinguishable from that of its South American congener and takes a brilliant polish. Extensive groves of the genuine mahogany are said to exist lu eastern Peru, but under present circumstances are more inaccessible than those of Senegambla. - Indianapolis . iPress.

«4FRED SMITHS , ' Dealer in all kinds of FURNITURE! ■n *r* i-i C* £

Funeral Supplies a Specially. We keep on hand at all t^meg the finest lit e of Parlor and Household Furniture to be found In the city. Bedroom and Parlor SultB a Specialty. In funeral supplies we keep Caskets, Shrouds, etc., of t he hest make. MCDERMOTT’S -Call and see our powerfulCold Wagon Tire Setting Machine Most perfect work in town. Special attention {riven to forging and interfering horses at special prces. Prices reasonable and work guaranteed. Shop near Derings’Saw Mill. Telephone No. 48-8. FRONT AND HACK VIEW AMERICAN

:«r> Retains Severest Hernia1 with Comfort VUUL Easy tr Wear No pressure on VHIps or Back. No understraps Never incv^s. For Sale by Paul Bros.

Tire Difference Between an Old Clothes Dealer and a Merchant Tailor Is a common bushelman, and not a tailor. Tailoring is an art and requires a oerson of refinement and taste. He must be an up-to-date man, keep pace with all the cutting and making and be a connoiseur in stylish cloth, cheviots and tweeds —we claim all that. Try a suit of our clothes—they wear and always look stylish.. Step in and examine our line and get our prices. L. H. CLAES, Cleaning, Repairing and Dyeing.

& The Great Central j Southern Trunk Liuc. WINTER TOURIST TICKETS Now on sale to » FLORIDA andihe cs-tcx-ip COAST. folders, descriptive matter, etc., to C, L. STONE. General Passenger Agent, LOUISVILLE,, KY. itr address to K. J, WEMYSS, Immigration and industrial Agent, LOUISVILLE, KY. And lie will mail you free MAPS, ILLUSTRATED PAMPHLETS AND PKIOE LISTS OF LANDS AND FARMS IN Kentucey, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Write fc Send yo Geueral No. Si, sou No. 82, limi t No, 88, soul 11 No. 81, north fraips No, vtlle and W run bet ween. K\ Ft r sleeping car and further inform, ticket maps, rate your nearer A., T.A. Evansville, Ind. C. 11, WEBB, Agent, tvterahursr, lnd.

♦ * * .* * * * * * 3 r p\ For the First Correct or Nearest Correct Guess on the nuniber of seeds in the pumpkin now on exhibition in our show window we will gi\ e away on January 15,1901, * * *3* * * * * f A Sewing Machine worth $30.00. t * * * * * * * * * * * 4* 4 i* 4 4 * ♦ for Second Nearest Correct Guess, a $12 Clock, for Third Nearest Correct Guess, a $4 Doll. A GUESS WITH EVERY $1.00 CASH PURCHASE. We guarantee our prices to be as low as any store in the county on Dry Goods, Clothing, Oil Carpets, Boots, Shoes, Wire, Nails, Groceries, etc. All at rock bottom prices. All kinds" of produce wanted, :or which we pay the highest market prices. Call and give us a guess and get one of these 1 andsome prizes. * * * * tf * * C. E. IVIscavcr, * .“Vtr * f irjfk -OTWELL, INDIANA. *1* •$* *■ $+ 4* 4* 4* 4* <4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* ^ 4&

i* * * * * * * * First Class >, * Job I’rintin 4* at Reasonable Prices. i isQZ&^i i*£«d$l iji'4

OUR JoU Printing Department is the most complete in the county. It J is eq ippecf throughout with up-to-date machinery and material. A big ! supply of paper, etc , always kept in stock. You do not have to wait until the stock fo: your job can; be had from the city. We are p epared to do all classes of Commercia. Job Printing in first-class style. We i o blank book and pamphlet " printing anu binding and we charge but reasonable . rices. It will pay you to get our prices on t anything you nee/1 1 a Job Printing. Mail orde s solicited and given prompt j attention. Every job of printing we do is-guar-anteed to g. re perfect satisfaction. Send you; orders to us.

THE DEMOCRAT. 3* 3$ 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4 • 4^ 4* 4*4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* 4* &

[ l A Telephone in j time and make you m Our present Rate modern necessity. Don t “sponge” o convince you. Place placed in your resider Cumber and T J. w. Tim 3 is Money : : : Tin 3 Saved is Money Earned Dor. t Travel,—Telephone! iur Residence, Office or Store will save aey. leave no excuse for being without this i your neighbor. Thirty days trial will .our order now, and have a Telephone e. Let us know your wants. lephone & Telegraph Co, THOMAS, Manager. E /ANSVILLE, IND, Secured at this College will c a practical education. Book Banking, Business Law, Con This School has doubled its graduates in positions. Fine cilities in all departments, training ever given by a Bus Department B, ialify you for success in life. The age demands seeping by the actual business plan, Penmanship, ;pondence, Shorthand and t‘ Touch ” Typewriting, attendance in the last two years, Hundreds of Equipment, Experienced Faculty. Superior fa« -heap board. The highest grade of Commercial .ess College. Write for catalogue. Address, Lockyear's Business College, ^>SUE SCRIBE FOR<? The- Democrat, $i per year