Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 72, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 May 1899 — CURRENT COMMENT [ARTICLE]

CURRENT COMMENT

The number of lynchings during the last few weeks has created the impression that this year will show an increase over previous years. As a matter of fact, there have been but thirty-one since Jan. 1, and at the present rate the year’s total will be less than 100. The Chicago Tribune’s figures for 1898 were 127, and for 1897, 166. Hence there has really been a decrease. This year, as last, the vast majority of lynchings have been of negroes, and have taken place in the Southern States. In the talk of Spanish war anniversaries those of the rebellion are already forgotten. It was thirty-seven years ago, on April 25, 1862, that Flag Officer Farragut appeared with his fleet before the city of New Orleans and demanded its unconditional surrender. The Confederates destroyed all the ships in port, loaded with cotton, together with a great number of steamboats. The value of the burned property was $3,000,000. For the first time, if Kalakana be excepted, a reigning king is to visit the United States. King Leopold of Belgium is coming over in the royal yacht Albata. Among former royal visitors have been an Emperor, Dom Pedro of Brazil, a pretender, Don Carlos of Spain, the Prince of Wales, and a number of crown princes and Indian rajahs daring the World’s Fair. But Leopold will be the first actual, life-sized king. The announcement that the Interstate Commerce Commission has lowered the freight rates from Chicago on corn for export calls attention to the enormous increase in the amount of this cereal which we are yearly sending abroad. In 1880 the United States exported 98,000,000 bushels, in 1890 it had risen to 101,973,000 bushels, in 1897 to 176,916,000 bushels, and in 1898 to 208,745,000 boshels. The Chicago papers, which go to press st 3 o’clock in the morning, often print dispatches dated at Manila at 8 o’clock the same morning, and the afternoon papers have, daring the war, gotten out extras describing events which took place the next morning according to Chicago rime. These seeming discrepancies are explained by the difference of time—lo% hoars—between the two dries. ' Unknown Italian, New York, stabbed Michael Qnigley in the back, killing him instantly. He had accidentally jostled against the Italian in passing him.