74o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
OCT. 17 
THE 
Rural New-Yorker, 
TIMES BUILDING. NEW YORK. 
A National Weakly Journal for Country and Suburban Home*. 
ELBERT 8. CARMAN, I EDITOR8 
HERBERT W. COLLINQWOOD, ) 
Rural Publishing Company: 
LAWSON VALENTINE, President. RURAL NEW-YORKER, 
THE AMERICAN GARDEN, 
EDGAR H. LIBBY, Manager. OUT-DOOR BOOKS. 
Copyright. 1891. by the Rural Publishing Company. 
SATURDAY, OCTOBER, 17, 1891. 
Owing to a delay in securing a revised 
copy, we are unable to print the interview 
with Major McKinley this week. 
The request is made that all plants and 
seeds for trial or specimens for identification 
he sent to the Editor, River Edge, Bergen 
County, N. J. 
Diplomatic pressure in favor of the American 
hog is now b-iing exercised chiefly on France, with 
excellent prospects of success in the n^ar future. 
The admission of the noble beast into that country 
would open much greater opportunities for him 
than even his entrance into Germany. Prior to the 
exclusion act«, France used to take every year an 
average of 60.000,000 pounds of. American pork 
against 30,000,000 taken in Germany. 
The Committee on Nomenclature of the Ameri¬ 
can Florists’ S iciety are evidently timid about say¬ 
ing anything that might offend any one. “ In ex¬ 
amining our fl insts’ catalogues,” the report states, 
“your committee has found it a difficult matter to 
find out many mistakes intentionally committed, 
with the view to deceive and defraud.” Great con¬ 
science ! Mayn’t we assume that fl irists who will 
manufacture natn^s for their “ novelties” will lie as 
to the intention t The fact is, dear Committee, you 
are either afraid to tell the truth or unwilling to 
incur the displeasure of your associates by a candid 
exposure of their “ unintentional mistakes.” 
The present frostless season gives a perfect illus¬ 
tration that the leaves of trees are necessarily 
neither colored nor killed by frost. They die a 
natural death, just as does the old man or horse, 
which, having inherited a vigorous constitution 
from his ancestors and lived a long and temperate 
life, gives it up without pain or struggle, and na¬ 
ture does the further work of fitting the dead body 
for the use of future vegetable and animal life. It 
is no doubt true that frost intensifies the fall color¬ 
ing of many hardy, deciduous native trees, but 
the term of usefulness is past and the brilliant col¬ 
oring is a fitting emblem of a useful, finished life. 
The new census shows that the total coal product 
of the country in the census year reached 141,229,- 
513 short tons, and was valued at the mines, before 
any expenses for shipments, at $160,226 323. The 
amount included 45.60i>,487 short tons of anthracite 
coal, worth $65,879,514, and 95,629,026 tons of bitu¬ 
minous and lignite, valued at *94 549,809 The 
average value of all palable grades of anthracite 
was $1 58 per ton at the mines, and the average of 
bituminous coal was 99 cents per ton. What an 
extortionate addition is made to the price by trans¬ 
portation companies and middlemen before the pro¬ 
duct reaches the consumer ! This is a matter which 
affects the hearths and homes of nearly all m the 
country, and should attract more public attention. 
The Indian commercial policy with regard to the 
sale of wheat is in striking contrast with that ad¬ 
vocated by the Farmers’ Alliance in this country. 
Not only has this year’s crop been hurried to mar¬ 
ket to secure the ruling high prices; but contracts 
have already been made f >r shipments of a good 
deal of next year's crop in March and April. Owing 
to the early date at which the Indian crop comes 
into market, two crops from that country can com¬ 
pete with one from this, and thus exercise a ten¬ 
dency to depress prices owing to the additional sup¬ 
ply available for market. Still the chief fear here 
is that too much will be rushed to maiket as soon 
as it is ready rather than that too much will be held 
back, to prevent a glut. In the 13 weeks since July 
1, the receipts of wheat at the Western and North¬ 
western centers have aggregated 80,000,000 bushels 
against 30,000,000 in the corresponding period last 
year. 
In one respect at least it appears to be a rather 
fortunate thing for us that free silver coinage is not 
now in force. Owing to our enormous exports of 
food stuffs to the famine-threatened countries of 
Europe, the influx of gold from across the Atlantic 
in payment is already great and sure to be greater. 
The bullion value of our large silver dollar is only 
about 80 cents, and if free coinage of silver existed 
here now and the bullion value of the dollar re¬ 
mained the same, or if there was any premium on 
gold, foreign countries would be likely to pay us for 
our exports in silver bullion at the rate of 80 cents 
on the dollar. Now if the foreign debtor sends us 
silver, he will get credit only for its bullion value 
in gold, as he can dispose of it here only at its mar¬ 
ket price per ounce, instead of being able to get 80 
cents’ worth of it coined into a big, white dollar pay¬ 
able for 100 cents’ indebtedness. Few disapp"int- 
mentsare without compensation to the philosopher. 
In the potato growing districts of this State, pota¬ 
toes sell in large lots at 25 cents per bushel—just the 
amount of the duty. Tbe crop of the entire coun¬ 
try is large, as is usually the case after a year of 
high prices The Canadian crop is also large and, 
as we learn from Canadian papers, prices are even 
lower over the line than they are here. Free traders 
point to the low price as an instance where a tariff 
failed to enhance the price for the farmer, appar¬ 
ently forgetting that it also disproves their own 
argument that a tariff makes the workman’s food 
dearer. Surely potatoes are cheap enough for 
stock food this year. Protectionists tell us that 
pric< s to th Q farmer would be cheaper than ever but 
for the tariff, which, they say, has increased com¬ 
petition and reduced the price, at the same time 
giving American farmers better prices than the 
Canadian farmer can get. These are the argu¬ 
ments—how do you apply them ? 
The labors of the late Irrigation Congress at Den¬ 
ver crystallized into the decision to ask Congress 
to donate to the various States the arid lands within 
their borders on condition that adequate provision 
should be made for irrigating them at the expanse 
of the States, and for selling them in sm ill holdings 
to actual settlers. The price to be paid by settlers 
is to be sufficiently high to more than repay the 
State for the cost of doing the work, the surplus 
to go into the school fund or be used in any other 
way for the public good. Congress has the p »wer 
to pass such an act, but cannot compel any Soate 
to accept its provisions. Should any refuse to engage 
in the irrigating work within the specified time, the 
land would revert to the general government. Such 
a policy appears to be the least objectionable for the 
irrigation of the public domain in the “ arid sec¬ 
tions” of the various Western States. There are 
very strong and very reasonable objections t > the 
performance of this enormously expensive work by 
the Federal Government mainly for the benefit of 
the States in which the irrigable lands lie ; and 
there are reasons equally forcible against entrust¬ 
ing the task to private enterprise. Tbe plan ad¬ 
vocated bv the Congress has been urged by The 
Rural New-Yorker for years, and is likely to be 
ultimately adopted. 
The public had a good taste of the quality of the 
New York City Board of Health in its action over 
the “p >isonod grape” scare. A more absurd and 
unjust attack upon a reputable business it must be 
hard to imagine. Men supposed to be qualified to 
protect the health of this great citv ought to have 
known of the use of theBjrdeaux Mixture and ought 
to have known that, as used on grapes, it is about 
as harmless as so much salt Bat no !—these self- 
important fellows begin to bluster about “Paris- 
green” and give out the basis for columns of absurd 
statements which only serve to frighten the public 
and injure a business already suffering from serious 
competition. Now this thing is too much. It is an 
outrage upon justice that this gang of incompetent 
politicians should sit here and do their best to rum 
a fair and honorable business. The city is run in 
all its departments by just such boodle gangs. If 
any honest man doubts it, let him come here and go 
into any of the public departments and tako a look 
at the “ workers ” The present Tammany G >vern- 
ment of New York City may be a tr.fl-*. more out- 
waidly respectable than that of B »ss Tweed ; but 
under the surface, it is just as corrupt and rascally 
and in great part carried on by the same people. 
The R N Y., would rejoice to see the farmers of 
New Yoik State spray this city’s goverment under 
with their ballots. It might kill the Tammany rot, 
which is now eating up the city. 
For 40 years the Ulster County Savings Institu¬ 
tion of Kingston, N. Y., enjoyed the complete con¬ 
fidence of the public and the best patronage m the 
county. Its trustees were among the wealthiest 
and most respected members of the community, 
and until three weeks ago, there had never been 
the faintest suspicion of wrong doing against any of 
its officers. On October 3, however, the public 
were astounded at. the announc* ment that the 
Treasurer, James E Ostrander, had for a quarter 
of a century been m^appropriating the funds of the 
bank, and that his assistant, Matthew Trumpbour, 
had all the time been his accomplice. The defalca¬ 
tions amounted to about $500,000 and the brace of 
rascals found safety from the just wrath of the 
swindled depositors, behind prison bars. Some of 
the trustees appear to have profited pecuniarily and 
politically by their position to the loss of the stock¬ 
holders, and all had been guilty of gross negligence 
and carelessness, so that there is small wonder that 
the police had to guard some of them from public 
vengeance. Of the 6.000 or more depositors, the 
vast majority were farmers and vineyardists, and 
of $l,25u.000 of the bank funds invested in mort¬ 
gages over two thirds was on farm property. It 
will now probably be necessary to foreclose these 
mortgages to the absolute ruin of hundreds of 
farmers and merchants in the county. What 
language can adequately express a just measure of 
condemnation of the half a lifetime of duplicity, 
dishonesty and treachery of the trusted rascals now 
in j ail, or of the culpable carelessness of the trustees, 
which ought to place them there ! Tne predatory 
chiefs of the Dark Ages and the rough bank robbers 
of the West are heroes and gentlemen in compari¬ 
son with the sleek, hypocritical, perfidious scoun¬ 
drels that for years plundered their confiding 
friends in Ulster County. On contemplation of 
the depth of their turpitude and of the widespread 
ruin and wretchedness it must cause, even the most 
law-abiding citizen must half regret that the rascals 
escaped their desserts from Judge Lynch’s halter. 
Doubtless there are hundieds of similar rogues 
hitherto undetected in positions of trust, some in 
every State and Territory in the Union. Shouldn’t 
such exposures at once comp* 1 a rigorous investi¬ 
gation of at least every fiduciary institution in the 
country, to prevent further fraud and rascality ? 
BREVITIES. 
We want no sta’I fel leaders, we dwellers on the farm. 
No Dubli --manger leaders, wbi v| w work with alarm ’ 
We hav.- no u-o for "sta e men," w- o ibl-k 'he flag will drop, 
Unless th. y ac» as gaus-nen to Uncle Sam’s big sboo. 
We w ui no 'Oft ba-i > ehlraer—no walking bago- gold, 
No coupon-cuti worker, no i arr w-mlndea scol i 
Bring men » b - fought ihr ugh troubles t > he-v ,he1- manhood square, 
Wno mast-red rock -no* bubbles; men bu ll of steel - ot air. 
Bring men who vc fell the si inging of Dov. r y. an i bear 
The hopes forever ringing tor th se who will noi fear 
Bib g solid l v, s -not hollow, wh re hopeless men mav read 
A nobler life ! w e’ll follow where such men dare 10 lead ! 
Those who grow fast, can’t hope to last. 
As you make your hay mow, so do you move it. 
Which one stubs his toe— he quick or the slow ? 
Better a hen in New Jersey than an ostrich in South 
Africa. 
How many fleeces of wool must you sell to f qu d a good 
Galloway bide T 
Don’t a«k who holds your nose on the grindstone, but 
who put it there. 
Thk McKmley Bill certainly does not etop our exports 
of spples this ye - r. 
Thy a single tree of tbe Dr. Reeder Pear in the home 
orchard, or as oue of a collection. 
An iujudicious method of attack is that of klckiug the 
enemy with bom feet at the same time. 
There is a chance in every life to shake off slavery and 
rise superior to tne strife wlcn mind and purpose free. 
Mr J. M. Smith ins been beaten by Mr. Terry in the 
barrel of potttoes contest. Full particulars next week. 
A water tower provides a shower in drought’s worst 
hour; It is, tnerefore, a right-bower to the enterprising 
gardener. 
We all love the fihg, thoneh it’s only a rag. with Its 
big stripes of red, white and bine ; for the memories told, 
flappiug out from each fold, they just thrill a fellow ail 
through. 
At home, in the barn, the Jersey cows seem able to get 
more fat out of their food tdan aDy other breed. Soill it is 
a fact, tbar the Holsteius are taking almost all the prizes 
at public shows. 
Young men, your kind attention; I’d suggest—if not 
too Oolu—that you ra'i-e tne Galloway for its hide, it will 
serve as sure prevention tor me winter’s bitter cold when 
you t»-ke your yall away for a ride. 
Oh for a parasite to eat tbe vile potato bug ; when such 
a i hlug appears we hope a better crop to hug Tne cup of 
human happiness will need to draw its plug, to see our 
Colorado frieud nis striped backbone shrug. 
The Seckel Pear is “ a lump of swe*tness.” George T. 
Powell is r--porred to have said, on seeing the exaioit at 
the Rlverh-ad, L I , Fair: “ If you can raise suen rf*-cxel 
Pears down heie, you can’t possibly set out too many 
trees I” 
That man is a scoundrel who deliberately goes into 
winter-quarters without food enougn to carry his stock 
tbrr ugn and with me settled determination to “pay out 
no moiev for feed.” We regret to say that tnere are maoy 
such scoundrels. 
The price of creamery butter varies but, little Why t 
B-cause tne quality ot the butter varies still less, and 
ptoplr- know what they are buying. Home made butter 
iiiu^t be uniform in quality or tne price cauuot Os uni¬ 
form. Deceive a good customer once and you will never 
get anoi her chance to do it 
Cocoanut butter is taking the place of cow batter 
rapoly in G*- maDy and more slow ly In other parts of 
Europe. Da ryu eu who were wroth at m> comp-ttiiou of 
‘‘bull butter” are exasperated at me lmruslou of this 
new competitor; but consumers deciare t'iey must nave 
it, as it is cneaper to*n ordinaiy ouiter anu q ute as 
wholesome and palatatde. Ju-tas witn weatner cuanges, 
it’s 1 ard to make economic coauges to suit every body. 
A CONSIDERABLE amount, of wheat is being shipped from 
Caul-rnia to Ausi ralia ' bree of i he colonies iu tne lat¬ 
ter countty grow a su'plus of wheat,, wnlle there Is a 
dedclei cv in i he other lour. Naturally me deflcleucy of 
tne Ltier would be snoplieo trorn tne superaouudance of 
the former ; Out the demand f. r particular orauds ot Aus¬ 
tralian wheat is so urgent In Europe at the hlgnest prices, 
to be ground witn softer sorts, that the colonics flgure at 
once a» importers and exporters ol wheat. 
A lawsuit, the issue of which is of no sma’l importance 
to memc era • f the Farmers’ AHi LCa ana Grauge, wno are 
interested in - 5 iperative stores, is now peudiug at Charles¬ 
ton, South Carolina, borne time ago the Alliance store In 
Spartanbuig County, laded. At tne time of tne crash tne 
A liance disclaimed all liability for its ludeoteduesS, 
holding that the najagers were responi-lble personally. 
Tie creditors, however, oelug uuab e to col.ect their deots 
in «ny otb»r way. ha' e brought suit against the Alliance, 
and as th> y live outside South Carolina, tne case has oeen 
eut-red in me United States Court. It wni oe an Inter¬ 
esting point to ascertain now far tee Alliance is respon- 
s.b.e lor the deots incurred by its agents in suen cases. 
A graduated or graded income tax Is a tax which shall 
bear Leaviiy on me largest Incomes, lighter on the smaller 
ai d not touch the smallest It uas already found 
much favor amoDg the farmers and all tne industrial 
classes, and is steauily becoming more p ipular. To catch 
votes, the piinciple was m b died in the Ohio Democratic 
platform, thougn now G .vernor Campoell, me party’s 
candidate for 1 8. fiction, iranaly says: “ l'ne question Uas 
no business in a ta ■ p »igu m this State, for I oelieve mat 
a gradt d Income tax would be unconstitutional. It does 
not seem to be in harmony witn me spirit of tne organic 
law ol the S ate.” Isn’t it an anomalous state of affairs 
■when a political party embodies in Its platform a principle 
which its standard-bearer repudiates as unconstitutional ? 
