People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 August 1895 — Page 5

IN NEW ZEALAND.

government ownership enriching THE PEOPLE. A Sensible Talk from a Man Wh° Knows Railroads anil Telegraphs Held All the Taxes for Improvements. Macaulay’s New .Zealander is stoppir at the Grand hotel in this city. He .s a member of the New Zealand parliament from Wanganui, named A. D. Willis, who has been making a trip around the world. He told yesterday how the woman’s suffrage, the government ownership of railroads and telegraph lines, government insurance, government banking, co-operation in public works, the doing away of large land holdings, Henry George’s singletax theory, and other things only dreamt of in the rest of the world are known in the practical every-day life of that southern land. All these things, he says, have been brought about by their legislature and are far beyond the experimental state. Speaking last night at the Grand, Mr. Willis said: “The mass of the people is the first consideration with us altogether, and everything is being done for them, from the government ownership of railroads down to loaning money on land. I have been for some months traveling in different countries in Europe and the United States, and find that everywhere a great deal of interest is taken in our government on account of the many new departures we have made and the desire to know how our new experiments, as they regard them, are coming on. But we have got far beyond the experimental stage. I have received the greatest kindness from 'Americans everywhere, and I am leaving the country with a very feeling toward the people, but with a decided dislike for their system of government, by which wealth is represented and not the people. “With us, all that our government is for is the mass of the people. We are very radical. There is no conservatism about us at all. I suppose you want to know something about woman’s franchise and how that is working. The last parliament was the first to be returned under the new system. The women are coming to the front at a rate that astonishes us. The most astounding thing about it all is that, while the conservative party took the greatest interest in giving the franchise to women, in the hope that it would help their dying cause, the women have come out strongly against them, and. over two - thirds of the members of the house of representatives were returned by the liberals. The liberals never had so large a majority before the women were given the franchise. Even the women who were careless about getting the franchise are making full use of it.. As you Americans say, it has come to stay. Generally speaking, nearly as many women voted as men. They formed their own committees and worked very hard and very systematically and are making a careful study of all political questions.”

Evidently, according to Mr. Willis, there is no question about the advantage of government ownership of railroads. He said: I have been astonished to see how blind the people of America are to their own interests in allowing railroads and telegraph lines to be taker: up by monopolies. In our country we look upon railroads much as we do on wagon roads, and think it would be just as bad to hand the turnpikes over to monopolies to erect toll gates every few miles and collect tolls as to hand them over those greater highways—railroads. Railways, we believe, should be a means of assisting farmers to take their products to market even if there is no profit in running them. There are over two thousand miles of railway in New Zealand, nearly all owned by the government. Our system of managing them can not be beaten. There is no corruption and not a single abuse. The telegraph system belongs entirely to the government. Then we have a government system of insurance which works admirably. Through this we are abolishing all pensions. All government employes, including those connected with the railroads and telegraph system, are compelled to provide for their own insurance out of their salaries.

Our taxation is based on Henry George’s theory of a single tax on land, and we also have an income tax. All legislation is so arranged that there is no taxation on improved land. Land improved and unimproved pays the same tax. Under our income tax we exempt all income under 300 pounds a year, and on incomes from 300 to 1,000 pounds the rate is six pence per pound. On incomes from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds the rate increases from six pence to a shilling, and on incomes above 2,000 pounds it remains a shilling to the pound. Last year we adopted a system of lending money to farmers on both freehold and leasehold lands at*a low' rate of interest, with a 1 per cent sinking fund, which clears off the loan in thir-ty-three years by compound interest. New Zealand has taken the bull by the horns in the question of preventing large holdings of land. As to this Mr. Willis said: We have passed legislation by which we can take back, lands held in large blocks. That is, a bill has been passed giving the government a right to purchase all of one man’s holdings over from one to three thousand acres, depending on the quality, to be decided by arbitration. H does not follow that

much of this will be done yet for awhile until our population increases. Then we have not the money to spare. Government land is now leased for 999 years in small portions form 100 to 500 acres. Any one who wishes to take such land pays a low rate of in- ; terest on the value of the land, and for j the first two years is required to put in a small amount of work until it is in condition to settle on. Then he must live on it. But our people are not satisI fied with that. What we want and , what we shall probably get soon is a ! system of leasing in perpetuity with a ; revaluation from time to time.

We are trying something entirely new in the way of co-operative labor in public work. Instead of letting such work out to contractors, it is cut up into small pieces by the government engineer, who values it at fair working wages, 7 shillings a day, or about $1.75 in your money, and contracts are given out to the men at that rate. This system has been so successful that it is being extended to all work such as painting public buildings, building stations and the like. Probably there will be no contracts let under the old system in the future. In every way, as I have said, we look carefully to the interest of the mass of the people. Our factory girls arc not allowed to work over eight hours a day. children under 14 years of age arc not allowed to work in factories and until they have passed through certain grades in the schools. We compel employers in factories to give a weekly half-holiday: No shops are allowed open on Sunday, and every shop must be closed one day in the week at 1 o’clock in the afternoon. The closing of the shops on Sunday was not at all on secular grounds, but simply to give employes a reasonable amount of rest. The governor sent over by the queen has no veto power over our legislation and is really only a figure-head, for lie has really very little to do with our government. We have home rule in reality. Mr. Willis looks hopefully to the practical workings of the single tax theory as soon as it is adopted in its entirety by the government of his country.—San Francisco Examiner, May 4.

Will They Do It Again?

In 1878 there was a strong greenback sentiment in Missouri that threatened to overwhelm the Democratic party. When their state convention met it adopted the following plank in its platform; “We regard the national banking system as being oppressive and burdensome, and demand the abolition and retirement from circulation of all national bank notes and the issue of legal tender notes in lieu thereof, and in quantities from time to time sufficient to supply the wholesome and necessary business demands of the entire country, and that all greenbacks so issued shall be used in the purchase and retirement of bonds of the United States, so that the interest bearing debt of the country may be lessened to the extent of the greenbacks thus put in circulation.” This plank corralled the boys. They all fell in and whooped for the grand old party. The green backers warned them that it was only a bait and meant nothing except to catch votes. These warnings were unheeded. They followed the leaders until they are now in the gold-bug camp. And now the Democrats of Missouri are trying that same old trick. They have held a free silver convention. They have declared for free silver. But the trouble is they still remain with a gold-bug party. They are in the minority. They will have to vote for a goldbug for president in 1896. It is the same old story of betrayal. The people must be deceived in order to save the party and give a few men office. It is a continual scramble for spoil instead of principle. The same farce is being played in other states. How long will the people suffer themselves to be thus fooled for the sake of a party that frustrate their objects?

Debt Slavery.

Chattel slavery could have been legislated oyt of existence had it not been for the intolerance of the slave power. Not by proclaiming them free without remunerating their owners, but by purchasing them, and forever prohibiting slavery in the future. This would have been much cheaper than the war. But the Slave Power in its arrogance would not permit it. The policy was compromise. It secured the Dred Scott decision. It hung John Brown. But all these did n,ot make it right. The party leaders refused to settle it by legislation and the people rose up and shot it tot death. We have in this country today a system of debt slavery. Its burdens are greater than chattel slavery imposed upon the blacks. The people have been trying to settle it by legislation. The creditors, the owners of labor, are arrogant —insolent. They want to extend their dominion over the people as the slave power did over the blacks. The-people are willing to pay their debts, but they insist on the right to pay in the dollar of the contract. The creditors insist on payment in a dollar of greater value. They bribe the people’s representatives, the executive and the courts. The income tax decision is almost a parallel to the Dred Scott decision. The court of last resort has declared for plutocratic wealth. The people have lost confidence in government and respect for law. They are approaching the temper of revolution. Debt slavery must go. If It is nut legislated out of existence — that is, if the people are«ot given an opportunity to pay their debts to the dollar of the contract, they will- shoot debt slavery to death aa they destroyed chattel slavery. Nothing Is ever settled until it to settled right, and debt slavery to no more right than was chattel slavery.

THE PEOPLE S PILOT. RENSSELAER. IND.. THURSDAY. AUG. 22. 1895.

REV. SAM JONES TALKS

GIVES HIS VIEWS OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION. Says Olil Party Lines Are Fadlntr < u . and the Country Is Organizing on the Brains and Common Sense of tii Common People. For the past twenty years the ianl; and file of citizens have given very little attention to politics. Our rapidly developing country, the various commercial and agricultural interests, Lave commanded their attention, every man has been busy with his Own affairswatching his opportunities in the business world. We have literally turned the governmental machine over to the politicians, and for years the professional politicians and tricksters have manipulated things to suit themselves, and all they had to do was to write out their platform and write democratic or republican above it,, crack the par y whip, and the people fell in line. As long as the old governmental cow gave milk enough for the family nobody cared how many calves sucked, but when there was not milk enough to go in the coffee the question was raised. The people have attended to their own personal business and have turned governmental affairs over to pot politicians and tricksters until they have managed things their own way until the government of the United States is literally in the hands of a set of political stealers and government robbers. * * *

The only question the average politician of to-day asks is: “What plank and what man will capture the most votes?” The vote hunter has made appropriations wherever he could capture a vote, and every fellow who got scared at the sight of a soldier or a gun during the war, or who had a bad cold or stumped his toe, has got his pension and gone to town to whittle white pine, while a few of the honest soldiers are supporting nearly a million of Uncle Sam’s loafers and white pine whittlers. The question now is how to get a. public pap to suck. When the democratic calves are sucking the republican calves stand around the lot and bawl. When the national election the gates and turns out the democratic calves every little republican calf rushes in. grabs a tit, shakes his tail and goes to sucking. * * • The people looking on the depleted treasury, gazing on their property reduced to one-half its value, putting their grain and stock upon the market at half price, pouring their hard-earned money into the depleted treasury of the United States, in heavy taxes, are beginning to look square in the face the question of the absolute bankruptcy of the United States unless something is done. They have waited four years on a wrangling congress, cross lifting with each other and the President, and bringing no relief. They have stuck to old party lines till hope has died within their bosom, and now almost every thoughtful citizen in the United States has got his ears backed and is prepared to kick the filling out of any fellow that cracks a party whip over him. * * * The old party lines are fading out and the country is organizing on the brains and common sense of the common people; organizing on a basis to secure speedy legislation on the questions that most need immediate attention. I looked upon this as the most fortunate thing that could happen to our great commonwealth. This is a re- ; publican government. We need an in- j telligent citizenship. To have this we ] must have first a free press, with brains and statesmanship at the head, not bought and bribed and dominated by a party lash, but governed by patriotism, I intelligence and sense of right, instruct- j ing the people honestly and impartially j on the great governmental questions of I the day. The common people are be-: ginning to think more than ever on*, government questions; they are begin- j ning to doubt, investigate and examine.: and the time is coming and ought | quickly to come, when the masses of | the people will cease to be driven into j line by party lash wielded by corrupt, I selfish and designing politicians.

* * => If I should make a cartoon of the government of the United States I would picture Uncle Sam standing with his hands thrown up saying: “Anything you want, gentlemen,” to the liquor king with his gun presented on the right and the money king with his gun presented on the left. Money and whisky have got the politicians, and the politicians have got the government. My hope has always been in the people. I have never had any hope in a politician except as he feared the people and acted for ihe people. People are aroused from one end of this country to the other, and well they may be, and the politicians may look to hear thunder before long. * • • Party lines are broken; the people are thinking independently and the time has passed when a little pot politician can take a drink out of his flask and yell Jeffersonian democracy a few times and call the democrats into line, hitch them to his little wagon, crack his party whip and ride into office. This country is bigger than any political party. Political parties have died and the country has lived, and some •more can die and the country will be better off by their death. Bankers and usurers are the only men that ever questioned the credit ol this government in time of peace. Tbe way tc win is to work to win. Now is a rood time to begin

CASUALTIES.

Fire destroyed the business portion of St. Kilian, an isolated village sixteen miles north of West Bend, Wis. The loss is $25,000 and insurance $8,500. Spontaneous combustion caused a fire qnd several thousand dollars’ damage at the National Linseed Oil Association mill at Dubuque, lowa. Field and forest fires are doing much damage in many parts of southeastern Michigan, and farmers are engaged night and day in efforts to save their buildings from destruction. Great damage is inevitable, if the protracted drouth in that region should continue. Six men were drowned by the capsizing of a steam yacht during a squall off Buffalo, N. Y. Six men were killed and three fatally injured by an explosion of molten metal at the Carnegie works at Braddock, Pa. Fifteen bodies have been recovered from the ruins of the Gumry house at Denver. Work had to be stopped Tuesday on account of the danger of ihe walls falling. The business district of Connben, Mich., has almost wholly destroyed by fire. The loss is put at $50,000, with little or no insurance. The elevator at Beatrice, Neb., was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire. Loss, $6,000; insurance, $3,500. Sweet’s.hotel at Grand Rapids, Mich., has been damaged $7,500 worth by fire, with $4,000 loss on furniture. Fully insured. Heavy marsh fires are reported in Palmyra, Hebron, and Cold Spring Townships, Michigan. Fires are running under the sod, destroying thousands of acres of meadows. Settlers along Lake Samis, Washington, report there is an unbroken line of forest fires from Belfast to the lake, destroying largo as well as small timber, and rendering the atmoephere almost suffocating. There is much alarm felt throughout the community. The sloop Jumbo sunk at Newburyport, Mass., and Capt. Stephen Orr and George Welch were drowned. A party of Illinois, Michigan and Ohio lumber dealers who arrived at Tacoma, Wash., report an unbroken chain of forest fires from the ltocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Leonard Blessing, a merchant of Clay City, 111., was thrown from liis cart and seriously injured. James Mann, a Western Union messenger boy, was drowned in the Arkansas River at Wichita, Kan., while swimming. Ho was tlie sole support of his mother.

LABOR NOTES.

Mill workers at Dundee have begun a strike. Ten mills are closed and 7,000 hands are idle. A general strike is expected. James Ingles’ planing and feed mill at Plainfield. Wis., was destroyed by fire. Loss, $3,000. Ishpeming and Negaunee, Mich., miners have voted not to return to work. Coal handlers have settled their differences at West Superior, Wis., and are going back. The strike at the Atlantic mine at Houghton, Mich., has been declared off and operations resumed. One hundred and fifty employes of the Royal Mantel company at Rockford, 111., are on strike because of the discharge of one of their number, a leader among them. The company has not lost a day during the business depression.

C RIME.

Post master Hnrnisloii at Vernal, Utah, lias been arrested, liis accounts j showing a shortage of $2,800. A blood-besmeared knife, supposed to have been carried by Durrani, the I alleged murderer of Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams, has been found at Mount Diablo, Cal., at which place I Durrant was arrested. A. J. Lusk, cashier of the First National Bank of Wichita, Kan., was arrested at Long Beach, an ocean resort near Portland, Ore. He is charged with ■ embezzling SBO,OOO two years ago, for which he escaped on a technicality once and then fled. It is now said the shortage of Ainsworth U. Spofford, librarian of Congress. will be at least $35,000. The detailed report of Treasury Expert Myers has shown so serious a condition of affairs that Secretary Carlisle has laid it before tlic President for action. It is charged at Santa Fe, N. M.. that Congressional Delegate Thomas R. 1 Catron at»d his law partner. Charles' R. Spear have attempted hy bribery ! and intimidation to prevent certain ; persons from appearing as witnesses in the case of the murder of ex-Sheriff Chavez. A gang of robbers held up a passenger train on the Chicago & West Michigan railroad Tuesday night. They blew open the express car and saTe with dynamite, hut secured no booty. The passengers were not molested. The investigation into alleged abuses j committed at the Dunning insane asy- i lum commenced at Chicago Tuesday. ! Gross cruelty was proved against many I of the attendants. A gang of bandits took possession of the Union Pacific east hound overland flyer Tuesday night. The amount of money they secured Is not known. Samuel Lewis was lynched at West Palm Be.ach, Fla., the mob also killing Jailer Gustave Kaiser. A boy named Montz, of Mexico. 0., was crushed to death under the wheels of a farjn wagon. Jacob Ross, a wealthy farmer of Racine Bounty;, Wisconsin, was fatally kicked by a horse. Con Sullivan slabbed to death Patrick Sullivan, a lad 24 years old, at Houghton, Mich. The Rev. O. D. Taylor, pastor of the First Baptist Church at The Dalles, Ore., has been arrested for obtaining money by false pretenses by tbe sale bt

Experts have reported that the accounts of ex-County Treasurer M. W. Stewart of Wyandotte County, Has., are short $33,885. Foster Holbrook, one of the most desperate of the Christian gang of robbers, has been captured and is in jail at South McAlester, I. T. Deputy Marshal Charles Baird, of South McAlester, I. T., captured Foster Holbrook, one of the Christian gang's trusted lieutenants, and lodged him in jail. Holbrook is a desperate man and has half a dozen charges of murder hanging over his head.

FOREIGN.

Forces of the Quito government have been defeated* and Col. Talbot was killed in a battle with the patriot forces led by Gen. Serrano at Portetc, near Cuenca. Fifteen thousand pounds have been expended by a commission for the relief of the distress in Newfoundland, in addition to which guarantees have been given to the amount of £7,000. The steam trials of the American line steamer St. Louis over a measured course in the English channel were a success. The course was 104 knots and the time four hours and forty-one minutes. John Daly, ex-member of the house of commons for Cork, while alighting from a train at Sydney fell between the platform and the carriago and had his left hand and foot badly injured. The foot was amputated. The consul general of Mexico in Salvador reports that the tenacity of the yellow fever there warrants the conclusion that the disease will continue increasing in violence, lasting probably till November. Great Britain has notified her ambassador at Pekin to demand of the Chinese government permission for an international investigation into the recent massacres.

MISCELLANEOUS.

A rate war prevails among retail druggists at Kansas City whicji is demoralizing the trade. The Pullman Company has discontinued the sale of wines and liquors in its cars in Wyoming rather than take out state licenses. The twenty-eighth annual Peace Union opened at Mystic, Conn., and will continue four days. It is expected at least 10,000 people will attend. Directors of the Atlanta Exposition have decided to prevent the Mexican village commissioners from holding a bull-tight during the exposition. Vice-Chancellor Emery, at Newark, N. .7., granted the Edison United Phonograph Company an injunction restraining Thomas E. Edison from selling kinctiphoncs in Europe. O. M. Anstend, a retail dry goods merchant at Decatur, 111., made a voluntary assignment to .1. M. Ehrman rather than sign a judgment note. As. sets, $30,000; liabilities, $5,200. The National Association of Wire Nall Manufacturers is considering at Pittsburg the advisability of advancing the price of nails from $2.15 a keg to $2.25. Trade Is reported brisk. The educational section of the American Pharmaceutical Association had an animated session at Denver, the remarks at times being personal. Prof. Hallberg, of Chicago, was elected chairman of the department. Senator Quay has won his tight for supremacy in Pennsylvania politics. He wilt control the coming state convention.

In a race with the Vigilant to determine the supremacy of the American yachts, the Defender was disabled by an accident to her sails. Repairs will take at least a week. The steamer City of Sheffield, carrying 100 passengers, sank at Cairo, 111. No person was hurt. leading citizens of Minneapolis are to present a silver service to the cruiser Minneapolis. Thomas B. Heed, ex-Secretary Whitney, and Secretary Luniont were entertained by Secretary Herbert on board the Dolphin and the New York at Bar Harbor. An old negro, convicted in the United States court at Fort Smith, Ark., of stealing horses, said he had been a slave of President Andrew Jackson, and that he was born at the Hermitage 86 years ago.

LATEST MARKET REPORT.

CHICAGO. Cattle—Common to prime.sl.lO @6.00 Hogs 3.00 @4.70 Sheep—Good to choice 1.25 @5.85 Wheat—No. 2 64 @ .65 Corn—No. 2 36 @ .37 Oats 19 @ .20 Rye 43 @ .44 Eggs It @ .12 Potatoes—New—Per bu 30 @ .35 Butter 9 @ .19 BUFFALO. Wheat—No. 2 red 71 @ .72 Corn—No. 2 yellow 44 @ .45 Oats—No. 2 white 20 @ .22 PEORIA. Rye—No. 2 45 @ .46 Corn —No. 3 white @ .37 Oats—No. 2 white 23 @ .24 RT. LOUIS. Cattle 2.00 @5.75 Hogs 4.50 @5.10 Sheep 2.50 @3.50 Wheat—Cash 66 @ .67 Corn—Cash August 36 @ .37 Oals—Cash August 19 @ .20 MILWAUKEE. Wheat—No. 2 spring 66 @ .67 Corn—No. 3 38 @ .39 Oats—No. 3 white 19 @ .20 Barley—No. 2 .43 @ .44 Rye—No. 1 45 @ .46 KANSAS CITY. Cattle 1.25 @5.50 Hogs 4.50 @4.86 Sheep 300 @5.15 NEW YORK. Wheat—No. 2 red 71 @ .72 Corn—No. 2 47 @ .48 Oats—No. 2 21 @ .26 Butter to @ .21 TOLEDO. Wheat-No. 2 71 * .72 Corn-No. 2 mixed 40 * .41 Qita—No. 2 mixed 26 @ ,21

ENGLAND ALARME

DIPLOMATIC COMPLICATIONS WITH AMERICA THREATENED. the Building of the Nicaraguan Canal Threatens to KaUe Some Nice Points Lord Itosebery’s Leadership Threatened —Foreign News of Interest. London, Aug. 21. —The St. James’ Gazette, in a leading editorial, asks the question: “How does Great Britain stand with the United States in regard to the Nicaraguan canal?” Pursuing the subject the paper adds: “As far as can be seen we are heading straight for a crisis, and there will be either a diplomatic deadlock between the two countries or an English surrender of important treaty rights." Hoscbery May Bo Deposed. London, Aug. 21. —The Standard (conservative) says: "There is a movement among the radicals to change the leadership of the party. It is the belief that having a peer for a leader militates against success- We understand that the Eari of Rosebery will not retire unless deposed by a vote. The party in the house of commons has elected J. W. Lowther, member for Penrith, chairman. He was under socretary for foreign affairs in 1891-92 and must not be confounded with the Right Honorable James Lowther.” Flouded with Counterfeit Money. London, Aug. 21. —A Singapore letter to the Times says that consequent upon the legislative retention of the silver guilder at the old value, which is about double the intrinsic value In the Netherlands, coining factories have been established in China, and the export of guilders thence yields a handsome profit. It is estimated that two million of such counterfeit coins are already In circulation and the evil already threatens to increase.

Kit 11 mud Kocordit Broken. Aug. 21.—The London & Northwestern Railway company’s new' fast train, which left Huston station at 8 o’clock last evening, arrived at Aberdeen at 4:58 o'clock this morning, having covered the distance of 540 miles in the shortest time on record. .lute Worker* (Strike. Edinburgh, Aug. 21.- The strike of the jute workers in Dundee is spreading rapidly. Thirteen thousand workers went out to-day in addition to the 7,000 or more who struck yesterday. The strikers are very orderly and are giving the police no trouble. Will Build it New Viielit. London, Aug. 21.—The Evening News claims to have information that the prince of Wales Is likely to build a yacht which will lie a better boat than the Britannia. Arrnat ItiinNlau Officer*. London. Aug. 21. —The Daily Telegraph’s Vienna correspondent says that two Russian staff officers descended In a balloon near Jaroslav, Austria, where they were arrested.

SERIOUS FOREST FIRES.

Immense llamuKe Seems Likely to Happen In New •icnejr. Toms River, N. J., Aug. 21. —The forest fires which started near this place on Sunday and to which but little attention was paid now threaten serious loss. Last night a strong northwest wind blew and the flames were driven toward the farms along the Manchester road and threatened for hours to reach the farm buildings. The farmers, aided by volunteers, fought the fire all night. Valuable timber was burned, but the efforts of the fighters were entirely directed toward saving the crops and buildings. If the wind holds It will carry the flames Into the extensive cranberry bogs, which are dry and will burn. Egg Harbor City, N. J., Aug. 21. The great forest fires near this place are still burning and have more headway than ever before, although hundreds are fighting the flames. The flames are now headed directly toward McKee City and there are many houses In the path.

Will Make Paper Pulp.

Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 21. —A syndicate of Philadelphia capitalists has purchased the rights of a power company which was recently formed to develop the Sault Ste. Marie canal and has organized ffie Lake Superior Power company, with capital of 62,000,000. The company has two large mills and expects to operate the one on the Canadian side within a month. It is proposed to make paper pulp. The plant on the American side will be located at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., but will not be In operation for some time.

Shortage Is Admitted

New York, Aug. 21. —The World publishes a special from Washington to the effect that the report of Expert Myers of the fifth auditor’s office, which has just been presented to Secretary Carlisle, shows that Ainsworth R. Spofford, the venerable librarian of congress, Is behind in his accounts owing to bad methods of bookkeeping. In an interview Mr. Spofford admits the shortage and offers to make it good, bui denies any attempt at robbery.

Old River Craft Burned.

New Orleans, Aug. 21.—The steamer John D. Scully, one of the oldest crafts plying southern waters, was destroyed by fire while tied to the bank at Carrollton last night. She was owned by Captain M. N. Wood, an old-timer, well known in river circles, end was usually run as an independent packet during the busy season in the tributaries and bayous of the Mississippi river.

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