Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1889 — The MEmecen Limestone Ledge. [ARTICLE]

The MEmecen Limestone Ledge.

The reported occurrence of a shower of live frogs at a certain point in Dakota was probably only a ruse of some smartboomer to attract French emigration. Merchants and dealers may do well to take cognizance of the sac t that the new law against selling tobacco to minors under sixteen years is now in full force; and those who violate it are liable to a fine of from one to ten dollars, for every offense. It is forbidden to sell or to give, in any manner, directly or indirectly, tobacco in any form to persons under sixteen, to be 'smoked or chewed by them; also to sell to another person knowing that it is to be used by a person of the prohibited age. This tew, as we understand it, would not prohibit the selling to a person under sixteen if the tobacco was known to be for the use of an older person, as to a young boy for the use of kte father. One important and generally interesting law enacted-last winter, has, for some reason, received but little publicity in the papers. The law is of special interest to farmers. It provides that the Trustees and Faculty of Purdue University shall appoint suitable persons every year, before November Ist, to hold county institutes during the winter, in the various counties of the state, for the purpose of giving farmers and others interested, instruction in agriculture, horticulture, agricultural chemistry and ecenomic entomology. The law provides that no old, back number knowledge shall be worked off on the unsuspecting tillers of the soil, at these institutes, but everything must be of the latest and most approved kind. It is europinion that these institutes a ill be the means of disseminating a vast amount of needful information among the people. The law for the prevention of cruelty to animals, passed by the late legislature, and now in force, is very comprehensive in its provisions and includes all brute creatures and demestic fowls in its protection. Cruelly beating, overloading, overdriving, underfeeding, neglecting to properly shelter Ac., all come under the terms of the act; smalso does the fighting of any animals for amusement such as dogs or game fowls, and also the shipping or transporting of any animals or fowls in cars or other vehicles, with their legs tied together. Backs or crates must be provided, so that they can stand or lie down. No sick or maimed animal shall be abandened to die i» a public place. The law also applies to shooting matches where fowls or other animals are shot at, &c. &c. The • penalty for violating the law is a fine not to exceed S2OO, to which may be added imprisonment not to exceed sixty days.

Th« first person sentenced to the j death penalty, by the application' of electricity, under the humane and progressive new law in New York, is one William Kemmler, of Buffalo. Under the provisions of the law the sentence is to be carried out in the strictest privacy, and it is forbidden to the newspapers to publish the details of the executions. Even the time for the execution is not definitely fixed, the warrant simply stating that it shall take place “Upon some day within the week commencing Monday, the 24th day of June, in the year of our Lord, 1889, and within the walls of the Auburn State Prison, or within the yard or enclosure adjoining thereto, by then and there causing to pass through the body of him, the said Wm. Kemmler, a current of electricity of sufficient intensity to cause death, and that the application of such current of electricity be continued until said William Kemmler bedead.” The law requires that all executions in the state shall take place in one of its three State’s Prisons, each of which is provided with electric appliances, for the purpose, of the latest and most approved kind.

Once more The Republican must say that it is a mistake when many of our exchanges say that a new law has been made whereby township officers all hold office four years. The law has not been changed in the least.— Winamac Republican. Our esteemed namesake of the State of Pulaski is greviously in error. Chapter 226, section one of the Acts of 1889, page 425, provides that elections shall be held in all the townships of this state, on the first Monday of April 1890, and every fourth year thereafter, for the purposes of electing Justices of the Peace, township Trustees, Constables, Assessors and such other officers of townships as may be provided for by law. Other sections of the same act provide that all of these officers shall hold their offices for four years. Another, but less important, phauge will be found on page 344, wherein it is provided th kt the terms of office of Trustees and Assessors * shall begin upon the first Monday in August, following their election. This change is valuable in that it will do away with the necessity of an extra settlement with the outgoing Trustees, in the spring after every election. Mr. Editor: I find this item in the Fowler Republican of last Thursday: “Even at this early date the election of Circuit Judge and State Senator is being vigorously agitated by some of our citizens, who think that Benton county is justly entitled to both positions.” 1 am a Republican and believe in a free right of choice. Vigorous agitation majHielp our party to nominate and elect the best Judge and Senator. It is the individual votpr and not the county that can rightly help to fill the positions. TBe law requires the judge and senator in the narrowest sense to serve all the people of the district composed of Benton, Newton and Jasper counties, and in a wider sense the citizens of the whole state. Concede that our best men for the positions live in Benton county, yet I cannot be of those “who think that Benton county is juetly entitled to both positions.” The positions are not county positions and the county has no right as such. The factious dogma of “county rights” can only play a mischievous part in a republican district convention. No proscriptive test of such a nature should bar a free choice. I do not want to see Confederate language used in Republican conventions. The place of residence of the nominee, if in the district, should not alienate the support of members of the party. Before the convention it is not wise to base a Saramount claim on the mere accient of living in any county. Agitate but do not proscribe. Republican. . Mr. Henry Valerius.ofHar per, Keo - kuk county, lowa, has found what he regards as a sure cure for rheumatism. He says: “In regard to Chamberlain's Pain Balm. lam pleased to say that I can recommend it with confidence, and that it has done more for me than any other z medicine for rheumatism, of which I have been a groat sufferer.” Sold by Frank B. Meyer.

The commission appointed to remove limestone ledge th the Kankakee river at Momence, 111., met in the .State Auditor’s office last Friday, and" in view of the fam that the State’s loan is to be made, they decided to go ahead with the work. The civil engineer employed by the commission was instructed to prepare plans, ac- | cording to the survey, for the cutting of a channel one hundred feet in width, and seven and onehalf feet deep, with a (all at the bottom of three inches to the mile. He was also instructed to prepare plans and specifications for cutting a channel two hundred feet wide, and five feet deep above the opening of the one hundred foot channel so as to form r. ilooef channel. As soon as the- engineer has these plans completed advertisements for bids on the work will be made..