Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1893 — TOPICS OF THESE TIMES. [ARTICLE]

TOPICS OF THESE TIMES.

THE ANDERSON FISH AND I GAME CLUB. I The little city of Anderson has an organization that should be imitated la every country town in the State of Indiana. It is styled the “Andersott Fish and Game Club,” and its avowed object is the enforcement of the fish and game laws of the State. Evidently its membership is made ■up of the right kind of materialmen whose patriotic zeal in behalf of the vanishing wealth of our streams and woodlands is not daunted by a false sentiment that would protect a wealthy offender while dealing out the full penalty of the law to less fortunate nimrods whose lack of worldly possessions might be the impelling cause that led to their offending. Proof of this has been recently furnished in the cases of no less a personage than Maj. Charles T. Doxey and Thos. Stillwell, wealthy and well-known citizens of Anderlaon, who felt that they must have “quail on toast" before the lawful date. So they went forth in all the glory of breech-loaders and canvas coats and shot a mess, and on their return were quietly escorted, at the instigation of the Fish and Game Club, to the office of a Justice of the peace, where they “paid the fiddler” to the extent of sls and costs, without protest. Mr. Doxey is a wellknown politician and business man. That he should be an offender against no wise a law is remarkable, but he is not alone by any means in this transgression. From all over the State come reports of “illegal and unmerciful slaughter of poor Bob White." It is a disgrace to the State, a shameful record. The only remedy is in just such organizations as the Anderson Fish and Game Club, that shall be actuated by the same fearless spirit of patriotism to deal with offenders harshly and summarily, and an improved public sentiment that will aid them in such action by a moral support, without which all efforts to preserve what little game is still left in our forests and streams must prove futile.

MORMON POLYGAMY. People have been lead to believe that polygamy among the M irmons of Utah has been practically eliminated if not altogether extinguished, and the sentiment that the Territory of Utah was entitled to admission as a State has rapidly gained ground since the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of prominent Mormon elders some years since for that offense. Rev. Samuel Wishard, superintendent' of the Presbyterian Home Mission of Utah, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, in an interview in Indianapolis, last week, gave to the public some statements that lead to the conclusion that the crime of polygamy is still firmly rooted in the Mormon creed. He states that the law has for years been enforced only in the most flagrant cases. Not a single Mormon of the old faith has given up his belief in po’ygamy. The spirit of pei secution of other religious sects is only dormant and ready to break out on any pretext as opportunity may offer. The Mormon church is now, as it has always been, a political machine, operated very much like Tammany in New York. The conduct of the Mormon authorities has been such as to give the impression abroad that the church had officially abandoned polygamy, but all this, Mr. Wishard says, was done for effect, and all the objectionable characteristics of the Mormon faith are still adhered to with fanatical zeal.

PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS. Artificial fertilizers have long been used in various parts of the United States, especially in the East. So important has the industry grown that new sources of supply have from time to time been opened to the market. Previous to 1841 the principal commercial fertilizer was bone dust, but in that year the guano deposits of the Peruvian islands were drawn upon for the first time and the demand for the com modity rapidly increased because of its superior solubility. The supply, however, proved inadequate, and in 1887 the phosphate industry of South Carolina was established. In Florida the phosphate mines were not opened until twenty-one years later. In 1891 the quauntity of phosphate produced in the United States was 757,133 tons. France in the year named produced 400,000 tons, and Belgium 200,000 tons. The phosphate is in good demand throughout the United States, and is considered especially valuable for the cotton crop of the South and the fruit crop throughout the country. South Carolina has twenty-three land mines and seven river mines; North Carolina has one land mine, while Florida has eighty-eight land mines and eighteen river mines. These statistics are gleaned from a

L l . ■ ■ i.r--special report of Carroll D. Wright, Commissioner of Labor, and from this document we learn that the quantity of this valuable fertilizer in sight in South Carolina is estimated at 14,000,600 tons, and at the present rate of production the visible supply will extend over twenty-eight years from 1891. Florida is credited with the enormous visible supply of 133,056,116 tons. The total average number of persons employed in this industry is estimated at 9,175, but this does not include the skilled labor employed in connection with the industry, for which no estimate is reported. A HOLY WAR The holy wars of past ages are matters of history. The crusades of Peter the Hermit and the later military movements of the Mahdi at Khartoum have all gone glimmering into the silence of the past. But fanaticism still survives and its erratic movements have broken forth on the very outskirts of civilization in exhibitions of desperate courage and deeds of heroism seldom witnessed unless inspired by hope of a future reward in the land beyond the shadows. The Spaniards at Mellila in Morocco have been amazed at the courage of the Moors in battle. Repeated and bloody repulse of the savage hordes of Northern Africa only seems to increase their valor and determination. Death has no terrors for them. • Led by their chiefs and holy men they marched to certain destruction. The reason for this extraordinary exhibition has been developed through the capture of Moorish prisoners, who have informed their captors that the Moors did not fear defeat or death, and that they were shielded by a supernatural power in their efforts to drive the Spanish invaders from their soil. Such fanaticism is marvelous in this day and enlightened age.