Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 21, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 August 1900 — Page 7

FARMS AND FARMERS

For Controlling Horses. The control of vicious and runaway horses is a matter that has often been the study of the inventor, as numerous devices already on the market attest; but there is always room for improvement, and the illustration shows one of the newest forms. It Is the inventor’s Intention to have the appliance used especially for those animals which are in the habit of taking the bit between their teeth, which, as Is well known, makes It almost impassible to control them with the ordinary reins. The new apparatus consists of two straps threaded through guiding devices attached to the thills of the vehicle, the forward ends of the straps connecting with the bit in the animal’s mouth and the rear ends passing

VICIOUS HOUSES EASILY CONTROLLED.

through rings located on the carriage, with links to be grasped In the hand for use. The straps normally do not Interfere with the movement of the head, hut when the animal attempts to run the links are grasped in the hands and the straps pulled taut, the force exertejY being much greater than is possible with the reins, because of the increased leverage when pulling in a direct line with the driver’s feet, enabling him to draw the animal’s head down and dislodge the bit. Salting the Sheep. I would like to describe an apparatus for salting cattle and other stock so they will always have salt before them and no waste, writes Joseph H. Yoder In the National Stockman. For cattle or horses j would prefer to use rock salt placed in boxes or troughs for the winter, and scattered about the pastures on the grass in summer. Kalns have little effect upon It, and this will be found both convenient and economical. For sheep, however, this plan does not work so well. The rock salt is so slow to dissolve that they are not able to get a sufficient amount of It to satisfy their wants, hence it is necessary to use the loose salt for them. During the winter a box can be fastened up at.a convenient place In the shed, and at the proper height so they can have access to it at all times of the day. In summer, if they have not a shed to run under, the box can be fastened to a gate post and have a roof placed over it so as to keep out the rain. If It is desired to use loose salt for cattle, the same arrangements can be used as have already been described for sheep. The roof over the box should be high enough to be entirely out of the way of the animals. Where loose salt is used It is necessary to be careful to keep a supply in the box all the time, as the animals are liable to eat too much If they go without for several days. Giving Medicine to a Pig. As It is difficult to make a pig swallow medicine we give the accompanying sketch of a pig tied in the way he should be when giving medicine; always In a liquid form, or it cannot be given. The 1 medicine is given through an old shoe, the toe of which is cut so

TO GIVE MEDICINE TO A PIG.

that the medicine runs down into the mouth, when it is swallowed with ease and safety. The pig pulls back on the rope, keeping it tight, and does not struggle, and its attention being diverted from all other things It seems that he swallows his dose without knowing it Honeaty on the Farm. As a rule the farmer Is honest Some are so eager to get rich that they are not very honest with themselves, and ltjls hardly to be expected they will he with anybody else. In discussing this topic, a writer in the Homestead rightly concludes that a farmer can be the most dishonest man in.the world, if be desires to be. All the good of everything can be put in the top of the heap If he is inclined, and there is room In so many places to be dishonest, but a* a <jlass they are not dishonest. The best man In every special line likes to iJake his packages good in quantity and appearance. He will and should put a few of the best to the top of tbs

package, but all in the package should be merchantable. It is the honest farmer that prospers. The dishonest may prosper for a time, but he will lose the respect of his neighbors and friends and sometimes even that of his own household. The dishonest farmer is trusted by nobody, and everybody will soon learn of bis tricky ways, and even If he should feel like doing the square thing at any time, he will be watched. Get a good name and keep it It is worth everything to a man. —Barnum’s Midland Farmer. Chinch Bugs. One of the most destructive pests the farmers of this country have to contend with is the chinch bug. says the lowa Homestead. It of course originally subsisted on wild plants, but it learned very early to prefer cultivated ones. The new food supply being always at hand when the bugs lay their eggs and the young are growing naturally causes their numbers to increase, and the loose soil aboutthe roots of cultivated plants furnished conditions more favorable to the work of the young than could be found in the uncultivated ground. These facts largely increased the facility with which the chinch bug was propagated, and it unfortunately has few natural enemies. Its bedbug flavor makes it no very de sirable morsel to insectivorous birds, and the fungous diseases to which it is subject require a wet season for their propagation in the field, and in a wet season the chinch bug is not very dangerous. In normal seasons, therefore, all the natural conditions are quite favorable to the chinch bug in cultivated fields, and the farmer must mainly rely upon his own efforts for protection. One of the best remedies in the world for the chinch bug is to clean up. If infested lands be burned off and all the rubbish gathered and burned in early spring much will have been accomplished. All the rubbish accumulating along the fences and headlands should be cleaned; uncultivated prairie lands adjoining fields should be burned off early; corn stalks should be down and burned in the spring 'following a chinch bug year, as it will destroy millions of the insects that have hibernated between the leaves and the stalks. Wherever, by reason of the previons presence of the chinch bug, another visitation is probable, no pains should be spared to thoroughly clean up and destroy all the stubble, corn stalks, dead grass, fence row rubbish and the like possible, and it should be destroyed by fire. It is work, of course, but it is the work that will pay where there is any reason to anticipate the chinch bug visitation. Coat of Milk. It is Important to know the cost of production, and if weighing, milk will induce us to compute the cost let those of us who do not know begin weighing at once, says S. W r . Marble in Practical Dairyman. Mr. Carnegie, the great steel manufacturer, it is said, paid $40,000 a year to keep records of the cost of production of his steel. It is stated that every wheelbarrow of material that went Into the furnaces was weighed and recorded. It was the special work of a bookkeeper to keep those records, and every time they turned out an order for steel, whether for a bridge or for a ship, or whatever it was, It was figured out down to the very lasi detail. He knew the cost of every piece of steel that was turned out. Now, if he could do it at an expense of $40,000 on his business, the farmer, with twenty cows, says Prof. Henry, could afford to spend five days’ work a year on his business, because the percentage of difference would be a great deal less on the five-day investment, which is all that is needed, than to Mr, Carnegie on his $40,000. Dairy Figure*. There are 16,000,000 milk cows in the United States, distributed over 4,750,000 farms of three or more acres, and 1,000,000 more owned in towns and cities and on small country places, making about 17,000,000 in all. The product of 5,000,000 of these cows Is consumed as milk and cream, either fresh or condensed, that of 11,000,000 is made into butter and that of 1,000,000 into cheese. The average yearly consumption of dairying products per person is twenty-five gallons of milk, twenty pounds of butter and three pounds of cheese. There are about 11,000 creameries and cheese factories in the United States. Nearly all of the cheese is made in factories. Only about onefourth of the butter is factory or creamery made, the other three-fourths being’farm and home produced. The annual consumption as milk and cream is 1,750,000 gallons. The production of butter is 1.500.000,000 pounds and of cheese 300,000,000 pounds. To Have Cow Pea*. To harvest cow peas, cut with mowing machine, says Robert C. Morris of Olney, 111. “Cow peas may lie one oi two days after being cut, then cocked and allowed to remain until the peas get fairly dry. They may be bulked greener than beans, as they do not have so much oily matter in them. Cow peas cannot be threshed on separators until the speed of cylinders is greatly reduced, but they are easily flailed out." Bee* Have Keen Fyea. Bees are said to see an enormous distance. When absent from their hive they go up in the air till they see (belt home, and then fly toward it In t straight Hoe,

THE GOLD STANDARD.

ALL COUNTRIES ARE RAPIDLY ADOPTING IT. SoMtai Japan and India, with Their Population of 465,000,000 People, Have Fallen Into Line Since the Campaign of 1896. The currency question was so thoroughly discussed in 1896, and the assertions of the adherents of silver as a standard money metal have been so thoroughly dlsproven by' the events slnco that date, that a detailed discussion of the (question seems now unnecessary. It is not improper, however, to call attention to some great facts wfcich account in some degree, at least, for the coarse pf the great nations in one by one abandoning the double, fluctuating standard and adopting the single and now almost universal standard—gold. The general movement among nations for the adoption of the single gold standard began about 1870 (except in the case of England, which took this action in 1816/, and since that time all the nations of the world, excepting Mexico, China, Korea, Siam, Persia, and some of the smaller republics of Central and South America, have adopted the single gold standard. Recent statements indicate that China is pushing for the introduction of the gold standard in her customs service. This, if accomplished, will doubtless be the initial step toward similar action with reference to the currency of that country. Consular statements recently published indicate that Siam is preparing to adopt the single gold standard. Even in the short four years since the campaign of 1896 thg gold standard has been adopted in Jay an, with a population of 40,000,000; Russia, with a population of 125,000,000; India, with a population of 300,000,000. and several of the Central and Sofith American republics. Ijl the three hundred and fifty-seven-yews prior to 1850 the gold production of the world averaged less than $lO,000.000 per annum; in the fifty years slnoe 1850 the gold production of the world has averaged $135,000,000 per annum, and in the year 1899 \yas $315,000,000. In the four closing years of the nineteenth century the gold production will be greater than that of the entire first half of the century. In the single yea/ 1899 the gold production was as greoit as that of the first thirty-three year* of the century. This enormous increase in the production of gold as compared With that of previous centuries began with the discovery of gold in California In 1847, followed by similar discoveries in Austral!* in 1853, then by later discoveries In Colorado a few years later, then by the enormous discoveries in Sohth Africa, which have proved the greatest gold producing mines ever known, and within the past three years thfe great discoveries in Alaska. All these have beep supplemented, and their results multiplied meantime, by the developmeq£ of new means of extraction, through which mines formerly abandoned as worthless again became valuable. These discoveries and developmeijts account for the fact that the gold production of the world in the last fifty years has been more than twice as great as that of the preceding three hundred and fifty years. A* a consequence, the gold in existence to-day, accepting the statistics of such eminent statisticians as Tooke, Newmarch and Munhall, and adding to these the later statements of the Director of, the Mint, Is more than three as great as in time the population has increased! 50 per cent., being, according to equally eminent statisticians, 1,075,000,000 in 1850 and 1,500,000,000 at the present time. This would give twice as much gold for each person to-day as in 1850. In addition to this, however, Mulhall shows that two-thirds of the gold of the world to-day is coined and used asmoney, while in 1850 only one-third of the gold was coined. This again doubles the amount of gold money, making, therefore, more than four times as much gold currency for each individual in the world to-da.v as in 1850. Of the world’s silver, according to the same authority (Mulhall), 40 per cent, was coined in 1850 and 53 per cent. In 1890. Gold, unlike most commodities produced, Is fur the most part retained permanently—not eaten, or worn out, or destroyed—and each year’s addition from the mines thus Increases the world’s permanent stock of the money metal, excepting the small proportion whleh is used in the arts, which averages, perhaps, 15 to 20 per cent, of the world’s product. Keeping this In mind. It will be seen that the result of the last half-century of gold production in the total amount mined is more than twice as great as that in three hundred and fifty years preceding, has enorniouwly increased the world’s permanent stock of this accepted money metal, and seems of itself to offer an Important, if not a complete, explanation of the fact-that during that half century in which the product has so greatly increased, practically all the nations of the world have abandoned the double standard and adopted this rapidly increasing and generally accepted measure of value. There has been also an enormous Increase in the production of silver daring the same period, the total of the last fifty years being, in round numbers, $5,000,000,000, against $6,000,000,000 lit the three hundred and fifty years preceding. This silver has also gone largely Into use as a money metal, and the amount of silver money in circulation as a full circulating medlugp-oias greatly Increased.

OUR ISLAND MARKETS.

French Journal Shows Their Value to the United States. The prospective value of Cuba, Porto Rico and the Hawaiian, Philippine and Samoan islands as markets for the products of the farm and factory in the United States, is illustrated by a recent publication !n the Monlteur Officlel du Commerce, an official publication of the French Government, which discusses at considerable length the consuming powers of those islands and their consequent economic value to the United States, and the prospective increase In their consuming powers through enlarged production under American capital. The statement Is as follows: “The consumption of foreign products by these islands is made up almost equally of articles of manufacture and of agriculture of the temperate zone. Out of $20,125,321 worth of products exported from the United States to Cuba In 1894, the value of $9,440,953 was In products of agriculture. Out of $18,616,377 worth of exports for the year 1899, $9,799,513 worth belonged to the same category. The exports from the United States to the ‘Pearl of the Antilles’ are made up principally of cereals, live animals, salt meat, cotton goods, machinery, footwear, Instruments* etc. A “Spain, under normal conditions, sold annually to Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines, about $40,000,000 worth of goods, principally manufactured articles, besides wines, oils, flour, meats and vegetables., Out of 135,000,000 'pesetas’ worth of merchandise shipped from Spain to Cuba in 1896, about 50,000,000 represented the value of products pf agriculture. The proportion was nearly the same in the case of Porto Rlctranc! the Philippine Islands. “Speaking generally, we may assume that under normal conditions the surplus production of Cuba and the Philippines before the war amounted to about $125,000,000 annually, and their consumption to $100,000,000, but that their productive power is capable of great increase, which In turn will cause a similar Increase in consumption. About one-half of the imports into these islands was of Spanish origin and the other half came from other countries proportionate to tbeir proximity or distance. Thus the Chi ted States furnished the greater pari of the imports into Cuba and Porto R’co, while the Philippine Islands received whatever Spain was unable to fumihh them with from Hongkong, Shanghai, Yokohama, Calcutta and Australian ports.” INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. Effect of United States, as a Great Power, at Uskui Conference. Following immediately after the brilliant naval and military achievements of the Spanish-American war, the Peace Conference at The Hague afforded the Government of the United States an opportunity of expressing the. pacific disposition and the love of justice which animate the American people by proposing, through Its delegates, a plan for International arbitration, which, re-enforc«d by other similar propositions, resulted In a convention for the pacific settlement of International disputes signed Ty the plenipotentiaries of twenty-tfo sovereign states, including all the #eat powers of Europe. The United States, In signing this great compact, at the same time insisted on reaffirming, in tae document itself, our adherence to the Monroe doctrine, and thus gained fOf that vital principle of our policy the recognition of the world. Without cherishing illusions with regard to the practicability of universal peace, It is yet possible to bel'eve that the existence of a permanent international tribunal before which diffqreuces may be adjudicated iJreir Lacipiency and before theit acusmulation becomes serious, will exetvise a profound influence toward a better and more rational solution of disputes between nations. The numerous arrangements for the arbitration of ipecial questions, which the Department of State has recently been able to effect, give evidence of a growing disposition to apply the principles of p&ceful adjudication to the solution of oontroversies wherever practicable. Oil as an Index. About one thousand million gallons of oil of all kinds are annually exported from the United States, forming cne of the largest and most valuable of the products of the country sent abroad. But all the money received in three years for our oil exports wouM be needed to offset the sum foreign shipowners take out of the United States each year for doing 93 per cent, df the foreign carrying. People readilf appreciate the value of our oil exportations, but they seem to be ignoraM regarding the gold or its equivalent In our commodities that is sent abroad each year to pay foreigners for carrying our Imports and exports. Germans for Expansion. Hon. Oswald Ottemforfer announce* that the IG-to-1 plank of the Kansas Clly convention will prevent the Ger-man-American voters from supporting Mr. Bryan, no matter how they may feel upon the question of expansion. If Mr. Ottendorfer will take the palQs to investigate a little further he will ascertain that the class of voters he indentions Js not feeling so very badly over the question of expausion, They Will Not Crack This Not* A nut for Bryan and liis party to crack: Wool and sheep are now twice their value, as compared with their market price in 1896. Why? Can they not see what the gold standard and protection has done? American owners of sheep aw now having a tittle profit It will be hard to change them off with the Bryan ruse,— Gray’s Harbor (Wash.) Gazette.

OUR BEET SUGAR SAFE

PRODUCTION OF CANE SUGAR DECREASING EVERYWHERE. ,** Two-Thirds of the World’s Sugar Supply Now Comes from Beet Sugar Growing Countries—'The Porto Rican Tariff—Onr Island. Markets. Simultaneously with the development of the withdrawal of slave labor from the production of cane-sugar, beets Increased their percentage of the world’* supply from 4.35 in 1840 to 14 per cent, in 1850 ; 20 per cent. In 1860; 34 per cent. In 1870, and they now produce 66 per cent., or two-thirds of the world’s sugar. This fact shows that the farmers of the temperate zone need no longer fear the competition of the tropics in the production of sugar, and especially If a reasonable protection is granted them, as Is the case In the United States. The farmers of this country have been encouraged by the Republican party in their ambition to produce the sugar of the country. The experience of other nations and of other parts of the temperate zone has shown that sugar can be produced from beets In great quantities, and at a very small cost, and can successfully compete with cane sugar under the most favorable circumstances. Under the stimulus given to the sugar production by Republican legislation, bsetsugar factories sprang up all over the United States, and the production of beet sugar has already reached large proportions and is increasing with wonderful rapidity. The first thought that came to the minds of the farmers when the events following the war for the liberation of Cuba brought under our control certain tropical areas was whether or got the possession or control of tropical territory by the United States would injure, or perhaps destroy, the opportunities which they believed were almost within their grasp-for supplying the $100,000,000 worth of sugar which the people of the United States anqnally consumed. This fear—if it reached the stage in which it could be caljed by that name—was answ:ered in tb« negative by the Republican party when it passed the Porto Rican bill. Tpe Democratic party fought with all Us power to prevent the enactment of Ibat measure which placed a duty upon articles coming into <he United States from Porto Rico. That duty was small, but It was an explicit declaration by the Republican parly that it would apt yield the power to fix such tariff, a* it might deem judicious, against the products of cheap tropical labor wherever located and UDcrfr whatever conditions. In other wards, it was a distinct promise to the American fanher that he need not fear that the Republican party would permit the cheap labor and cheap sugar of any tropical territory to be brought here in a manner which would destroy the American Industry of beet sugar production which the farmers of the Übited States have, under protection given by R»e Republican party, been building np during the last few years. The farmers of the temperate zone can produce beet sugar successfully In competition with the sugar cane of tte tropics when both are handled by £ee labor, and this advantage which the American farmer has will be strengthened in the United States so long as the Republican party retains its control aad is able to apply the protective principle in the Interests of its farmers as it fid in the case of the Porto Rican Ull, aganst which the Democrats turned their every energy. With a few years of moderate protection against £he cheap labor of the tropics, the sugar Industry in the United States will be placed fairly and squarely upon its feet Meantime ‘the improved condition of labor in the tropics, and t)je opportunities for higher wages Whioh the guidance of the United States will give them, will more nearly equalize the cost of the two systems of production. One further fact in regard to the world’s production and producing capacity is worthy of consideration in this connection, and that is that nearly two-thirds of the sugar now Imported Into the United States comes from the Islands of the Pacific. The total importation of sugar Into the United States in the ten months ending with April, 1899, amounted to" 3,303,020,763 pounds, and of this amount 1,180,442,362 pounds were from the East Indies, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Philippine Islands, thus indicating the posslblitles of our Pacific territory to supply that portion of our consumption which It wfli be necessary to Import until the farmers of this country are able to supply the home demand. Instead of sending to other countries and other peoples the $100,000,000 per year which we have been annually expending for forelgn-grown sugar, it may be expended under the American flag and in a manner which will benefit the people of our, islands, and incidentally those of our own people who may enter upon business enterprises in them. Political Pointers. One deceptive plank in a political platform readily contaminates the entire structure. It is not at all likely that the Kansas City ticket will make near the run that Aguinaldo has. Was there ever a political gathering so thoroughly bossed as the Kansas City convention? The anti-trust plank of the Kansas City platform was created by the aid of Tammany votes. Why dwell upon it? A foreign commerce of $2,244,000,000 with the gold standard rather puts silver out of the running. At least It cansot be claimed to be the running mat* of nrosperlty.

FLASHER FUN

Dqn’t complain if you lose your temper. You ace probably better off without It Some people have so much patience with themselves that they never succeed in anything. Jinks—There’s one good thing about spoiled children. Blnks—What’s that? Jinks—One never has them in one’s own house. “1 don’t see what you like about this flat, Clara.” “Well, Clarence, It is the only one we’ve looked at that fits our Navajo rug.”—Chicago Record. A false front: “Pa, our new dog is awful d’ceitful.” “How, Tommy?” “Why, when he barks at people he wags his tail.”—Chicago Record. Teacher (suspiciously)—Who wrote your composition, Johnny? Johnny— My father. Teacher—What, all of It? Johnny— No’m; I helped him.—Truth. Fair Painter—l hope you don’t mind my sketching In your field? FarmerLord, no, mlssie! You keep the birds off the peas better’n a’ ordinary scarecrow. “Sure, f*at, and why are ye wearin’ yer coat buttoned up loike that on a warm day loike this?" “Faith, yerrirerence to boide the shirt Di haven’t got an.”—Punch. “Now, honestly, Maud, didn’t Jack propose last evening?” “Why, y-e-e-s! But how did you guess?” “I noticed that you didn’t have that worried look this morning.” Real Cruelty: “Oh, mummy, do come and speak to Johnny; he’s tweading on all the worms in the garden.” “How unkind!" “Yes, and he won’t let me twead on any.”—The King. Visitor—What was the matter with the man they just brought in? DoctorStuck his head through a pane of glass. Visitor—How did he look? Doctor—HU face wore an Injured expression. Curious Villager—Ay, Sandy, an’ ye wis wounded at Magersfontein? Whit wls ye struck wl’ ? Sandy (tired of answering questions)—l was struck wl’ wonder when I kent I wlsna killed. Evidence: Friend—l suppose the baby is fond of you? Papa—Fond of me? Why, he sleeps all day when I’m not at home, and stays up ail night Just to enjoy my society!—Brooklyn Life. Magistrate—Do you mean to say such a physical wreck as he is gave you that black eye? Complaining Wise — Shure, yer worship, he wasn’t a physical wreck till be gave me th’ black eye. “Papa,” said Willie, “why did you buy a golf coat?” “To play golf in, my son,” said Mr. Willis. “Did yon need It?” “Of course I did.” “Then I nfeed a topcoat to play tops in. I seen ’em advertised.” Teacher (endeavoring to explain the meaning of the word “harness”)—What does your father put on the horse? Small Boy (his face brightening)— Please, sir, 'e puts on all ’e can if ’e thinks it’ll win. At the Summer Hotel: “Who is that good-looking young waiter who is tossing the plates across the room? Is he a student, too?” “Yes. He holds the record In Harvale for discus-throwing.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer. A Natural Reaction: “HI Tragedy— I understand the audience last night was very cold? Lowe Comerdy—They were at flrstfmt'f when they began to recollect that they had paid good money to see the show they got hot.—Philadelphia Press. Earmarks of Literary Ability: “Did that critic write any favorable comment on your novel, Belinda?” Ob, yes; he said my father had onc4 met tho Prince of Wales and that we had always moved in the best society.”—lndianapolis Journal. A Feminine Butter: “And now, children,” said the teacher, who had been talking about military fortifications, “can any of you tell me what is a buttress?” “Please, ma’am,” cried little Willie, snapping his fingers, “it’s a nanny-goat!”—Philadelphia Press. Mrs. Brown—l must be going back to the city at once; I’ve had three letters from my husband In two days. Mrs. Gray—Why, you poor dear! I know Just how you feel; two would be suspiciously attentive—but three! I really am afraid be has been doing something very reprehensible.—Brooklyn Life. The following birth notice recently appeared In the columns of a Kansas paper: “Bora, to the wife of Jim Jones, a boy. The boy favors his old dad In several ways, viz.: He is bald, has a red nose, takes to a bottle like a bumblebee to a lump of sugar, and makes a lot of noise about nothing. Selah!”— Exchange. The Virtuous Clerk: “Sign your name here,” said the chief conspirator, “and the money will be paid you at once.” “Sooner than let my good right hand sign that iniquitous documeut,” said the virtuous government clerk, “I would cut It off! But, fortunately. I am left-handed.” And he signed It.— • Cleveland Plain Dealer. An old gentleman wanted to catch a certain train, but before he had got to the station the train had started. “Hi, hi! a party of sixty wants to come on this train,” he called. The guard, not wanting to lose such a large number, stopiKMl the train, and the geutleman stepped Into oue of the carriages. The guard going up asked. “Where Is that party of sixty?” The gentleman, turning round, replied: “I am the party of sixty. 1 was sixty last week.” The guard promptly signaled for the train to proceed, amidst the laughter of tho bystanders.