i89i 
71 
TIMELY TOPICS. 
Governor Hill of New York has consented 
to be elected U. S. Senator to succeed 
Evarts. The place has all along been at 
his disposal; but he feared Its acceptance 
might in j ure his chances for the Democratic 
Presidential nomination. 
Senator Hearst of California is dying at 
Washington of cancer of the colon or large 
intestine. His family have been summoned 
to his bedside. He is 72. His death would 
result in a gain of a Senator for the Re¬ 
publicans, as the California Legislature is 
overwhelmingly Republican. 
In the recent attempt to form a Harvester 
Trust, each company revealed the bottom 
facts in regard to its business, and the 
project having collapsed,an extraordinarily 
keen competition and great cutting of 
prices are anticipated during next season. 
Bad for the “little fishes,” and hard for 
the “ whales ” and “sharks,” but good for 
the farmers ! 
Another “revolution” was started the 
other day in Entre-Rlos.in Argentina, alias 
the Argentine Republic or Confederation ; 
but has been promptly suppressed. It sent 
gold up from 164 to 248, however. Entre- 
Rios has an area of 50,000 square miles, and 
a population of 120,000: the whole country 
an area of 591,000 square miles and a popu¬ 
lation of 1,750,000. 
Senator M’Connell has introduced a bill 
in the Senate to provide for a settlement 
between the government and the Union and 
Central Pacific Railroads, which owe the 
Nation over $100,000,000. The government 
is to take control of the roads, paying the 
companies a fair price. It Is also proposed 
that the government should lease all the 
railroads for 50 years. 
Long-winded Senator Blair of New 
Hampshire, is to be succeeded in the 
United States Senate by Dr. Gallinger, who 
has just been nominated by the Repub¬ 
licans by a vote of 120 against 48 for Blair, 
whose term expires on March 4 next. 
Gallinger supports the McKinley Tariff 
and the Federal Election Bill, and opposes 
the free coinage of silver. 
The most terrible of all plagues, the 
•‘black death,” is ravaging the whole of 
Asiatic Russia from Samarkand to the 
mouth of the Obi, and has reached west¬ 
ward as far as Tobolsk, the capital of West 
Siberia. All efforts to check it are hope¬ 
less. It is the result of poor food, great 
misery and bad sanitary conditions. It 
may reach Europe; but is hardly likely to 
do so. 
A new scheme proposes to continue the 
work on the Panama Canal by means of a 
succession of annual lotteries of 100,000,000 
francs, of which 20,000,000 are to be given 
in prizes, the net proceeds to be used in de¬ 
fraying the expenses of the canal until it is 
completed. It is said the French Govern¬ 
ment is likely to approve of the measure 
though it disapproved of a somewhat 
similar scheme over two years ago. No 
one in any way connected with the manage¬ 
ment of the old fiasco, is to have anything 
to do with the new project. 
A revolution has broken out in the repub¬ 
lic of Chili—area, 330,000 square miles ; 
population about 2,000,000—against the 
“ encroachments ” of the executive power. 
The army is “ faithful; ” but the navy has 
rebelled, and three of the war ships are be¬ 
sieging Iruque, to block the nitrate trade, 
the chief source of revenue. The govern¬ 
ment has proclaimed the vessels pirates, 
and foreign countries are likely to treat 
them as such should the rebellion not make 
rapid headway. It is spreading on terra 
Jirma; but is not general there. 
Dr. Koch has promulgated the compo¬ 
sition of “Kochine;” but the doctors here 
and in Europe say his explanation needs 
another explanation. It consists of “a 
glycerine extract derived from the pure 
cultivation of the tubercle bacilli.” There’s 
still a controversy as to its merits. The 
first enthusiasm with regard to it is fast 
subsiding; but the majority still believe in 
it as a remedy in the early stages of con¬ 
sumption, and in all stages of other tuber¬ 
culous diseases. It may also prove a specific 
for cancer and leprosy, as experiments in 
this line are promising. 
There’s an almighty hubbub about the 
Behring Sea seal fishery embroglio, and 
for some weeks rumors of war have been in 
the air. It has been alleged that Blaine has 
been twisting the British lion’s tail for the 
gratification of the Irish voters till the beast 
has turned in his wrath and threatens to 
retaliate. The English and German fleets, 
we’ve been told, will prevent or avenge any 
capture of British sealers next spring ; 
while the American Pacific fleet is to as¬ 
semble at San Francisco to take part in the 
shindy. The report, however, turns out to 
NEW-YORKER. 
VALUABLE SEEDS 
OF 
NEW VARIETIES 
GIVEN TO ALL YEARLY SUBSCRIBERS TO 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
In accordance with our promise, we describe below the 
choice varieties of field and garden plants of which we will send 
enough seeds to each yearly subscriber to enable him to secure 
“stock-seed” for future use. We have been disappointed in 
several things originated on the Rural Grounds, that we had 
hoped to be able to send out this season, but found the avail¬ 
able supply to be wholly inadequate to the great demand, so we 
are obliged to hold them over for another year. In their place, 
however, we have arranged for several good things, which we 
believe will be highly satisfactory to our subscribers. 
These seeds are sent to yearly subscribers only, on icquest. 
We only ask that the subscribers shall pay the postage, which 
should be sent with the requests. The varieties follow : 
RURAL THOROUGHBRED FLINT CORN. Fully described in previous issues. 
This is the variety of which Mr. Carman has grown at the rate of 103 bushels of shelled 
corn on one acre. It is also probably the best of all varieties for ensilage purposes. 
About one gill. Postage, 3 cents. 
THORBURN’S LONG KEEPER TOMATO. Originated on the Rural Grounds, the 
product of selection by Mr. Carman covering a period of over 13 years. It is considered 
perfect in shape, is uniform in size, of rich color, with solid flesh of fine flavor, and pos¬ 
sesses long keeping qualities unknown in any other variety. A small packet, Postage, 1 
cent: will be included with any other package without charge for postage. 
VAUCLUSE WATER-MELON—red seeded. The bright red seeds and brilliantly 
colored flesh make this, perhaps, the handsomest of its tribe for the table. The flesh is 
of especially fine flavor and free from stringiness. It is of good size, ripens early and is an 
excellent shipper. Postage, 1 cent. 
EVERBEARING CUCUMBER. The new cucumber of our own originating not 
being ready, on account of the small supply of seeds, we have purchased a lot of this, 
which we consider the best of recent Introductions in its class. It is small in size, very 
early and highly productive; especially valuable for pickling. Postage, 1 cent. 
SILVER BEET. This combines in rare degree both useful and ornamental qualities, 
being a superior table vegetable, while as “ greens” it is thought by many far better than 
spinach, and it yields much larger crops. It is ready for the table from early spring to 
August, at a time when the farm garden is too often lacking in green things, and when 
the human system is most in need of fresh vegetable food. Further, its beautiful foliage 
is highly ornamental, so that rows of the plants are frequently arranged as ornamental 
hedges. An ample supply for an average garden. Postage, 2 cents. 
FLOWERING POPPIES. Who does not love these sweet flowers t But how many 
know of the wonderful improvements in the varieties in the past few years t Among 
them are gorgeous beauties that are as unlike the old kinds as the new roses are unlike 
the old wild sorts. We give you a package of mixed seeds, from the FIFTEEN best va¬ 
rieties known to modern gardens, including the famous “ Shirley ” strain. Postage, 1 
cent. The seed is very fine and light. 
SWEET PEAS. The Eckford’s Hybrid and the White Everlasting are, perhaps, the 
finest of all this fine species of exquisitely beautiful flowers. But we need not sound the 
praises of the favorite sweet pea. We present our readers with the finest to be obtained. 
Postage , 3 cents. Enough for 20-foot hedge will be sent. 
fl-^plf any subscribers prefer to have the seeds go by ex¬ 
press, not prepaid, no money need be sent us for postage ; in 
such cases all of the kinds will be put in the package if desired, 
and if the supply holds out we will put an extra quantity of 
the Rural Thoroughbred Flint Corn in all express packages. If 
TEN CENTS is sent, and you live near an express office, ex- 
pressage can be prepaid by us in most cases, as most of the ex¬ 
press companies accept small prepaid parcels at that price. 
THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, New York. 
THE RURAL 
have been a stock-jobbing canard; negotia¬ 
tions still continue, and a peaceful settle¬ 
ment—probably by arbitration—is probable. 
The English Government is backing up an 
appeal for captured American seal “ pir¬ 
ates” to the United States Supreme Court; 
but while the unfavorable decision would 
be accepted by England as conclusive in 
the matter, it would not be at all bound by 
an adverse decision. Moreover, as the 
question is now a matter of diplomacy, it 
is thought that Lord Salisbury has put an 
affront on Secretary Blaine, by favoring the 
movement to bring it before the Supreme 
Court. This body is likely to decline to 
pass upon it, on the ground that it has no 
jurisdiction in the matter, as the appeal is 
taken from the United States Court in 
Alaska, and no law exists giving the right 
of appeal from its decision. 
In Europe the winter has been the coldest 
of the century. Heavy snow storms, severe 
frosts and violent winds have been nearly 
continuous for over seven weeks. All traffic 
by ordinary roads has been suspended in 
most of the British Isles as well as in 
northern France, Germany, Austria-Hun¬ 
gary and more northern countries, and rail¬ 
road traffic has been greatly interrupted 
and impeded. From three to nine feet of 
snow covers most of the country ; the riv¬ 
ers are frozen over and the harbors, especi¬ 
ally those along the Baltic, are greatly im¬ 
peded with ice or entirely frozen up. A 
great number of shipping disasters have 
therefore occurred. The rigors of the 
weather have extended with exceptional 
severity as far south as Italy and Spain, 
and even into Algeria. There the effects of 
the unusual cold have been extremely 
severe, as the people were unaccustomed to 
such weather, and the houses were unfit to 
protect them against it. All out-door labor 
has been suspended, causing a tremendous 
amount of distress among the cumpulsorily 
idle. In London alone it is estimated that 
200,000 workingmen can’t get work, and the 
proportion is said to be greater in other 
towns and cities in Great Britain, and mat¬ 
ters are about as bad on the Continent. 
Numerous deaths from starvation and ex¬ 
posure are reported. The Socialists and 
other political agitators are, of course, mak¬ 
ing the most of the severity of this wide¬ 
spread distress; but hitherto no disturb¬ 
ances have occurred, probably because it’s 
hard to fight on an empty stomach, and ex¬ 
tra precautions have been taken by the 
authorities to prevent or promptly sup¬ 
press all turbulence. 
After a long and rather acrimonious de¬ 
bate the Senate, last Wednesday, passed 
a simple silver free coinage bill, instead of 
the complicated piece of legislation favored 
by the House and a large minority of the 
Senate. From the Northern States east 
of the Mississippi River every Senator 
voted or was paired against it except 
Mr. Cameron, of Pennsylvania, and three 
Democrats, Messrs. Payne, of Ohio, and 
Turpie and Yoorhees, of Indiana. From 
the former free States west of the Missis¬ 
sippi 11 Republicans were against it and 16 
Republicans and one Democrat in favor of 
it. But from the former slave States only 
one Republican and two Democrats op¬ 
posed it, while 29 Democrats favored it. 
Maryland was divided, Mr. Gorman going 
with the South and Mr. Wilson and the 
two Delaware Senators with the North. 
Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South 
Dakota and Wyoming voted solidly or 
were paired against free coinage. Oregon 
was divided, and Kansas, Nebraska, Colo¬ 
rado, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Cali¬ 
fornia and Nevada voted or were paired 
solidly for free coinage. The fate of the 
measure in the House will depend, it is 
claimed, on the fate of the Federal Elec¬ 
tion Bill. The Republican majority there 
insist on the passage of that measure to 
prove that the recalcitrant Republican 
Senators, who are free coinage men par ex¬ 
cellence, did not bargain with its opponents. 
If the Senate doesn’t pass the Election Bill, 
it is said the House will kill or shelve 
the Free Coinage Bill. Free coinage is 
certain to become a law, however, in this 
Congress or the next. Should the Presi¬ 
dent veto the bill, free coinage is sure to 
be the main issue in the next Presidential 
election campaign. 
The recalcitrant Indians in South Dakota 
have finally surrendered to Gen. Miles 
at the Pine Ridge Agency. The ghost 
dances assumed a threatening aspect about 
two months ago; and straightway the 
troops began to assemble from all quarters 
in the territory west of the agency, as the 
belligerent bucks made that section their 
“stamping ground.” The troops were 
manoeuvered to surround them. At length 
they have just been a quarter persuaded 
and two-thirds forced into submission. 
About 7,000 men, women and children 
“came in.” The various tribes will be 
sent to their respective reservations. While 
on the rampage, detached bands of young 
bucks killed many isolated settlers and 
attacked small squads of soldiers, broke 
into open hostilities at Wounded Knee, 
slaughtered the entire large herd of gov¬ 
ernment cattle, stole or slaughtered a great 
amount of stock belonging to the settlers 
and destroyed many of their houses, stacked 
and stored crops and other property. The 
property of friendly Indians who refused 
to join the hostiles suffered quite as 
severely. The total loss of the whites in 
killed is estimated at about 110, soldiers and 
civilians, three-fourths being soldiers. The 
Indians are supposed to have lost over 350, 
in all, over 185 of whom were killed at 
Wounded Knee and during the succeeding 
pursuit and operations. The Indians are 
reluctantly surrendering their arms, less 
than 100 nearly worthless rifles having been 
hitherto handed in; the rest are supposed 
to be cached. The settlers are putting in 
claims for the Indian depredations. Before 
this outbreak there were already pending 
over 6,000 claims for Indian depredations, 
aggregating over $20,000,000, some of them 
dating back for 80 years. In the last 10 
years 479 claims, aggregating $1,752,986, 
have been filed. Some of the claims have 
been already paid at an average rate of 
about one-third of the amount sought, and 
on this basis the claims now pending would 
be settled for about $7,000,000. Special ap¬ 
propriations have to be made by Congress 
to meet such claims; but the government 
reimburses itself out of the funds in its 
charge due to the Indians for annuities on 
account of the sale of their lands, etc. A 
debt and credit account is kept with each 
tribe. There are altogether in the country 
244,000 Indians, of whom 185,000 are self- 
supporting or nearly so. 
