1900 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
4i 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—A passenger train collided with a stock 
train in the railroad yards at St. Paul, Minn., January 
3, killing one person and injuring several others. . . . 
Three persons were killed and three injured, January 1, 
by an unexplained gunpowder explosion in Lowndes 
County, Ala. . . . The Torrens Land Act was declared 
constitutional by the Massachusetts Supreme Court, in a 
test case decided January 3. ... A fire in Richmond, 
Va., January 5, burned 15,000 hogsheads of tobacco. The 
total loss is $360,000. ... A tenement-house fire in New 
York City, early in the morning of January 6, killed three 
persons. Another tenement fire, early in the morning 
of January 7, caused a loss of $200,000. ... A man living 
near Pittsburg, Pa., a believer in Christian science, al¬ 
lowed two of his children to die of malignant diphtheria, 
refusing to allow a physician to attend them. A third 
child is now ill. . . . Michigan has appropriated an ad¬ 
ditional $75,000 for the relief of indigent veterans of the 
Spanish War, in addition to $184,000 already expended. 
. . . Destructive floods are causing damage along the 
Nooksack River, Whatcom County, Wash. ... A great 
avalanche has done considerable damage at Glacier, B. 
C. . . . Suit will be brought against the Standard Oil 
Company in Indiana, to test the constitutionality of the 
anti-trust law in that State. . . . The Transvaal gov¬ 
ernment flatly refuses to permit the American consul to 
represent British interests during the war, the only rea¬ 
son given being that they do not desire any British rep¬ 
resentative in their territory. This decision is at vari¬ 
ance with the custom of civilized nations, and contrasts 
strongly with the courtesy shown during our late war by 
Spain, that country permitting Great Britain to care for 
American interests at all points in her territory. . . . 
In a fight between strikers and sewer laborers in Chicago, 
January 8, one man was shot and mortally wounded. 
. . . The British ship Georgian arrived at New York 
January 8 with 34 persons rescued from the German 
steamer Ella, which foundered off Nova Scotia January 
6. . . . The New York residence of Joseph Pulitzer, pro¬ 
prietor of the New York World, was destroyed by fire 
January 9; two lives lost; property loss about $300,000. 
. . . The barns of the South Chicago railway were 
burned at Hammond, Ind., January 9; loss $130,000. . . . 
During a fire in a bowling alley in New York January 10, 
a number of firemen were overcome by resin smoke, 22 
being sent to the hospital. . . . January 9, the New 
York Fire Insurance Exchange advanced the premiums 
on all risks from 10 to 30 per cent. This action was due 
to heavy losses sustained during the past year. . . . 
January 10, 25 inmates of the State Firemen’s Home at 
Hudson, N. Y., were alarmingly ill from ptomaine poison¬ 
ing, the result of eating stale headcheese. 
CONGRESS.—Business was resumed January 3. Sen¬ 
ator Foraker introduced a bill providing a form of govern¬ 
ment for Porto Rico. All the inhabitants of the island 
are to be made citizens of the United States, and are to 
elect a delegate to Congress, who will have a seat, but 
no vote. . . . January 4, Senator Beveridge, of Indiana, 
offered the following resolution, which is regarded as an 
outline of the Administration’s Philippine policy: “Re¬ 
solved, That the Philippine Islands are territory belong¬ 
ing to the United States; that it is the intention of the 
United States to retain them as such, and to establish and 
maintain such governmental control throughout the Arch¬ 
ipelago as the situation may demand.” ... In the 
House a resolution was adopted calling upon Secretary 
Gage to give information concerning the deposit of Gov¬ 
ernment funds in certain New York National banks. . . . 
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations reported fa¬ 
vorably on the bill creating a territorial government for 
Hawaii. . . . The President has issued an executive 
order regarding quarantine regulations in the Philippine 
ports. This is rendered necessary by the presence of bu¬ 
bonic plague. . . . January 8, Senator Pettigrew offered 
a resolution authorizing the United States to offer medi¬ 
ation between Great Britain and the Transvaal. . . . 
The claim of Admiral Dewey, his officers and men, for 
$382,000 prize bounty due them for the destruction of the 
Spanish fleet at Manila came before the Court of Claims 
January 9. . . . January 9, Senator Beveridge, of In¬ 
diana, opened the debate on the Philippines, asserting 
that duty and interest alike compel us to hold the islands. 
Senator Hoar (Mass.) challenged the assertion that the 
Islands are incapable of self-government. 
PHILIPPINES.—With the arrival of the transport 
Grant, Gen. Otis will have under his command about 65,000 
men, including the entire volunteer army of 34,000. . . . 
The report of the death of Aguinaldo’s wife is obviously 
untrue, as she is now a prisoner with the American 
forces. . . . Lieut. Gillmore and the other American 
prisoners are at last free. Gillmore was half starved 
when rescued and had suffered much from harsh treat¬ 
ment. . . . January 5, an insurgent stronghold was cap¬ 
tured at Arayat. Five American soldiers held as pris¬ 
oners had been shot and mutilated by the enemy; two are 
dead. . . . Gen. Schwan captured Indang January 8. 
The rebels are being scattered all through Cavite. 
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.—A shot-gun quarantine has 
been established around the plague-infected Asiatic 
quarter of Honolulu, but sanitary measures and disinfec¬ 
tion have been, practically, abandoned. Owing to this 
strict guard, many of the poor Japanese and Chinese who 
worked in the American quarter are starving, and riots 
are feared. Many leading Oriental merchants, who live 
in a sanitary manner, are included in the quarantine, but 
Asiatic merchandise is landed by Hawaiian stevedores 
without disinfection, thus risking a general spread of the 
disease. The Board of Health is now burning plague- 
infected buildings. The sugar growers are quite anxious 
over the situation, fearing that they may be prevented 
from marketing their crop. . . . January 9, one Ameri¬ 
can was reported dead of plague. 
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.—The steamship Patria, 
which sank after a fire on the English coast last Novem¬ 
ber, was floated January 4, but sank again, drowning five 
persons. . . . January 1, the Boers captured Kuruman, 
Bechuanaland, which, with a garrison of only 120 men, 
had held out against repeated attacks since the beginning 
Of the war. A general attack was made on Ladysmith 
and, January 8, the situation was desperate, but after 17 
hours’ terrific fighting, Gen. White drove the Boers back. 
. . . Germany has been annoyed by the seizure of ves¬ 
sels suspected of carrying contraband goods on the Afri¬ 
can coast, by British warships. Great Britain maintains 
her right to make such seizures, but is willing to pay 
indemnity when shown to be in the wrong. The fact 
that Boer supplies are undoubtedly being furnished by 
several European nations, causes a strict watch at Afri¬ 
can ports. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—The town of Bethel, Sullivan 
County, N. Y., has been suffering from an outbreak of 
rabies among domestic animals, and the State Department 
of Agriculture is investigating it. Owners of dogs have 
been ordered to keep their animals tied up for 60 days, 
from December 12 last. 
North Dakota farmers are reported to be Increasing 
their area in flax, which pays better than wheat. Flax 
straw, it is found, is relished by cattle, and the flax 
growers have, therefore, begun to keep more stock. 
The St. Paul (Minn.) Stock Exchange protests against 
the passage by Congress of the Tawney bill, taxing oleo. 
An epidemic of epizootic is reported among horses in 
Chester County, Pa. 
The Indiana State Board of Agriculture elected the fol¬ 
lowing officers January 3: President, Aaron Jones, South 
Bend; vice-president, John C. Haines, Lake; secretary, 
Charles Downing, Greenfield; treasurer, J. H. Lagrange, 
of Johnson County. 
Prof. Stinson, horticulturist of the Arkansas Station, 
has been appointed Director of the Missouri Fruit Experi¬ 
ment Station. 
The annual meeting of the Pennsylvania State Board 
of Agriculture will be held at Harrisburg January 24-25. 
The Idaho State Horticultural Society met at Boise Jan¬ 
uary 16-18; secretary, Robert Millikin, Nampa. 
The first annual Winter meeting of the Wisconsin Hor¬ 
ticultural Society will be held at Madison February 5-8; 
secretary, A. J. Philips, West Salem, Wis. The Wisconsin 
Cheese Makers’ Association, the Wisconsin Bee Keepers’ 
Association, the Wisconsin State Forestry Association and 
the annual meeting of the Alumni of the Short Course 
School will meet at Madison during the same week. 
The seventh annual meeting of the Washington State 
Dairymen’s Association opened at North Yakima Decem¬ 
ber 28, 1899, and was largely attended, several other States 
and British Columbia being represented. The following 
officers were elected for 1900: President, H. L. Blanchard, 
Port Hadlock; vice-president, D. M. Shanks, North Yaki¬ 
ma; secretary, D. S. Troy. The next meeting will be held 
at Cheney, Wash. 
A horticultural society, in affiliation with the Ontario 
Fruit Growers’ Association, has been oi’ganized at Lon¬ 
don, Onl 
Congressman O’Grady, of New York, is reported to be 
in correspondence with the Department of Agriculture at 
Washington relative to the matter of extending the trade 
mark or copyright laws so as to cover new plants, the 
result* of which, it is said, will doubtless be a bill to be 
introduced in Congress. 
There will be a two weeks’ school of horticulture at the 
Rhode Island College opening February 26. Special atten¬ 
tion will be given to the study of soils, fertilizers, propa¬ 
gation and spraying. Particulars may be obtained of 
Prof. Fred. W. Card, Kingston, R. I. 
The New England Tobacco Growers’ Association adopt¬ 
ed resolutions protesting against the admission of Porto 
Rico as an integral part of the United States as a danger¬ 
ous precedent, the “sure forerunner of disaster and ruin 
to the leaf tobacco interests of the country.” It is urged 
that the Island should remain under the military jurisdic¬ 
tion of the United States for at least five years. 
A LETTER TO YOUR CONGRESSMAN. 
What Shall We Say? 
The r. N.-Y. urges its readers to write strong 
letters to their Members of Congress, urging them 
to vote for the bills now before Congress, designed 
to give the public protection against the fraudulent 
sale of oleomargarine. Let us start with what is 
known as the Grout bill. This measure is known as 
No. 3,717: “A bill to make oleomargarine and other 
imitation dairy products subject to the laws of the 
State or Territory into which they are transported, 
and to change the tax on oleomargarine.” We cannot 
cast our vote directly for it, but let us do the next 
best thing—bring all possible influence to bear upon 
the men in Congress. 
What shall we say? There are hundreds of good 
men who do not know just how to approach their 
Congressman. Now a Congressman is only a man. 
He is, ready, the servant of the people, though ne 
doesn’t like to admit it until he goes on the stump in 
a close election, when every vote will count. In or¬ 
der to strike him effectively, you must suit your letter 
to the man. We have asked a number of influential 
men to tell us just how they would write to the man 
at Washington. Here is a letter written from a one¬ 
sided district, where the vote is not close enough to 
worry the Congressman. This is a formal petition: 
Dear Sir: The agricultural interests of this State, and, 
we believe, of the whole country, require that oleomar¬ 
garine should never be sold as butter. After careful con¬ 
sideration, we are satisfied that this end can best be at¬ 
tained by a general law that will make all articles of 
commerce, when taken from one State to another, sub¬ 
ject to the laws of that State as soon as they are brought 
in It. 
We, the undersigned, your constituents, most earnestly 
request and desire you to use your influence and vote in 
Congress to secure the passage of such a law, and your 
petitioners will ever pray, etc. 
Here is a letter that can b used in case you think 
the Congressman considers your support necessary. 
A good, dignified letter for a close district: 
I am fully convinced that the passage of the Hill-Grout 
bill, putting the control of all foods and food products 
under the police powers of a State so soon as the State 
boundary is crossed, would be for the benefit of the whole 
people, and I shall depend upon you to use all legitimate 
influence that you may have to secure its passage. 
Very respectfully and truly yours, 
I 
This is another brief note that tells the story sim¬ 
ply. This was written by a man who is not of the 
same political party as his Congressman: 
I am a resident of your Congressional district, residing 
at .. county of . There is now be¬ 
fore Congress, Bill .. which I desire to have passed. 
This is of vital importance to our agricultural Interests, 
and you will confer a great favor, not only on myself, but 
many others in your Congressional district, by voting for 
it.—I remain, most respectfully yours, 
Here is a letter written by a prominent dairyman. 
It is long, out it tells the whole story, and puts the 
case so that the Congressman will know what it is 
about. He can’t dodge this letter: 
My Dear Sir: From my standpoint as a farmer, I feel 
very sure that the present great depression in agriculture 
can be quite largely overcome and the agricultural com¬ 
munities of this State again be made prosperous, by the 
simple enactment of three measures by the National 
House of Congress. 1. By a tax of 10 cents a pound on 
oleomargarine made in semblance of butter. Such a law 
would not do injury to any honest person or corporation. 
2. A law to the effect that any dairy or food products 
manufactured, sold or exposed for sale in the United 
States shall not be falsely branded or labeled as to the 
State in, which they were made. This would protect our 
State cheese brand, which has been counterfeited, much 
to our injury, by unscrupulous manufacturers and dealers 
in others States. 3. That dairy and food products trans¬ 
ported from one State to another shall be made subject 
to the laws of that State the same as though they had 
been manufactured in that State. 
We have faith to believe that if you will investigate 
these questions you will readily see that the enactment 
of these measures into laws will result in great good to 
the entire agricultural classes, and protect all the people 
against frauds which stand as a menace to public health 
and the prosperity of agriculture. Can we count on your 
support for these measures? Would be very much 
pleased to hear from you.—Respectfully yours. 
To Hon-, M. C. 
Washington, D. C. 
Some people like to put more spice into their let¬ 
ters. The question comes up as to how much a Con¬ 
gressman really cares for a threat of opposition. In 
a close district such a man will Gare a good deal for it 
—more than he will admit. There is more meat in 
the following letters: 
Dear Sir: I assume, of course, that you desire to know 
what your constituents want in the way of legislation. 
As a farmer I am particularly interested in the passage 
of the two bills, now before Congress, which aim to tax 
and control the manufacture and sale of oleomargarine. 
These bills seem to me just and fair. They are, in my 
opinion, of as much importance to the farmers of this 
country as any bills now before Congress. I trust you 
will vote for them, as I feel sure you wish to represent 
the best interests of the district. I feel so keenly the 
necessity of putting these bills through Congress that in 
case you see fit to oppose them I shall consider that you 
are opposing my business, and I shall use my influence 
and vote to prevent your renomination or election. 
Yours truly. 
There is now a bill before Congress known as the House 
bill, 3717, providing that oleomargarine, and other dairy 
products, should be subject to the police powers of the 
State to which they are sent, whether in the original 
package or otherwise, and also providing for a tax of 10 
cents per pound on oleomargarine when colored in sem¬ 
blance of butter. I wish that this bill should become a 
law, and I would especially request that you do every¬ 
thing in your power as representative of our district to 
favor the passage of this bill. I am so firm in the con¬ 
viction that this is a just measure, and so interested In 
its success, that without regard to party preferences, I 
should refuse to support a candidate who neglected to 
support this bill. I thank you in advance for any per¬ 
sonal attention that you can give the matter, and also 
for the support which I feel sure you will give the 
measure.—Yours very truly, 
We give these forms, which may be copied or 
Changed. Do not fail,however, to write some sort of a 
letter to your Congressman and to each of your Sen¬ 
ators. Do not wait. Do it now. Write three letters 
at once to each Senator and your own man. Three 
weeks later write again to your Congressman, and two 
weeks later write again. You cannot spend 10 cents 
to better advantage. Get the neighbors to do the same 
thing. Help stuff Uncle Sam’s mail nags. Do it nowl 
PREVENTIVES OF OAT SMUT.—I treated my seed 
oats to one ounce of formaldehyde to 10 bushels of 
oats; the result, not one head of smut, while that sown 
with untreated seed contained, I should think, 10 
per cent of smut. I did not lose one hair of my head 
by the use of formaldehyde (I am inclined to think 
our friend spoken of in The R. N.-Y. was bald-headed 
before he disinfected). To know how to kill smut in 
oats and scab in potatoes with sublimate is worth 
more than The R. N.-Y. has ever cost me, and 1 
have taken it at least 25 years. h. i. b. 
Applegate, N. Y. _ __ 
