190(1 
869 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—There are in the Kansas State penitentiary 
at Leavenworth 40 men under sentence of death. They 
have not been hanged because for years no governor has 
been willing to sign the death warrants required by law. 
In view of these facts. Governor Stanley has recently 
instituted an investigation of the entire subject of capital 
punishment and its relation to mob law in the several 
States of the Union. He has intimated that if his in¬ 
vestigation indicates that the abolition of capital punish¬ 
ment has a tendency to increase lynch law, he will re¬ 
commend the enactment of a law enforcing the death 
penalty in Kansas. ... A passenger train on the 
Northern Pacific Railroad was wrecked by going over an 
embankment near Brockton, Mont., December 13; three 
persons killed and many injured. . . . The recent death 
of George Griffiths, for 13 years clerk of the Board of 
Education of Cincinnati, O., shows a shortage in his ac¬ 
counts exceeding $500,000. ... A terrific electrical storm 
swept over San Francisco, December 14, doing much prop¬ 
erty damage, both in the city and among shipping in the 
bay. No lives were lost. The entire Pacific coast has 
suffered from severe storms. . . . The report, ex¬ 
tensively circulated, that the transport Hancock brought 
a large cargo of dead from the Philippines is authori¬ 
tatively contradicted by the War Department. 
The Normal School at Fredonia, N. Y., was burned 
December 14, and seven lives lost. . . . An American 
missionary in the New Hebrides recently asked for a 
warship to protect native Christians there, and the matter 
was discussed by the President and Cabinet. The islands 
lie about 1,000 miles east of Australia, and just north of 
New Caledonia. They have been under a divided French 
and British protectorate. There was a general disposition 
on the part of the Cabinet officers to do everything proper 
and possible to meet the request of the missionary in¬ 
terests, but it was found that to send a warship to this 
part of the world would require a trip of about 4,000 
miles from the nearest American station, and the Navy 
Department has no vessel now available for such service. 
It also was reported that French and British gunboats 
patrol these seas, and doubtless would seek to prevent 
any such attack upon the native Christians as is said to 
have been planned. . . . December 14 an earthquake 
shock was experienced at Joplin, Mo. . . . Three new 
cases of smallpox were discovered in New York, Decem¬ 
ber 17, and two December 18. One case occurred in a 
neighborhood hitherto untouched by the disease. . . . 
Chicago is suffering from an epidemic of “pink eye.” It 
is contagious, but is said to result chiefly from the dust 
of the uncleaned streets, blown about by high winds. 
New York suffered a similar visitation, in a lesser de¬ 
gree about two months ago. . . . Two men were killed 
by an explosion at Sellersville, Pa., December 20, while 
thawing dynamite. 
CONGRESS.—The United States Senate in executive 
session December 13 adopted, by a vote of 65 to 17, the 
amendment to the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, authorizing 
the United States to defend its interests in the canal. 
Further amendments were offered, but not acted upon. 
At the open session Senator Hanna spoke for three hours 
in support of the Ship Subsidy bill. . . . The Pension 
Appropriation bill was completed December 13 by the 
House Sub-Committee on Appropriations. It carries 
about $45,250,000, of which about $144,000,000 is for pensions 
and the balance for administration. . . . December 15 
the House passed the War Revenue Reduction bill, the 
minority refraining from voting. A motion to recom¬ 
mit, with instructions to report a bill reducing the 
revenue at least $70,000,000 and with an income-tax pro¬ 
vision, was defeated—131 to 155. The amendment placed 
in the bill in committee of the whole to tax express re¬ 
ceipts was defeated on a yea and nay vote in the House, 
125 to 139. The Pension Appropriation bill, carrying $145,- 
145,230, was passed in exactly 13 minutes. . . . December 
18 Senator Bard, of California, offered another amendment 
to the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, reserving right to make 
lower tolls for American ships. Discussion of the treaty 
continued in executive session; it was expected to reach 
a vote December 20. . . . The Senate ratified the minor 
treaties before it December 20, extending time for the 
consideration of the reciprocity treaties, which failed to 
secure action at the last session of Congress, and also 
the new extradition treaties with Bolivia and Chile. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Prof. C. C. Georgeson, special 
agent of the United States Agricultural Department, in 
charge of the experiment station in Alaska, at Sitka, has 
arrived at Seattle, Wash., for the purpose of making his 
annual report to the Government. He thinks Alaska will 
be ultimately as promising a field for agriculture and 
stock raising as it is now for mining. Speaking of his ex¬ 
periments in Alaska, Prof. Georgeson said; “There is not 
the slightest doubt that grain can be matured almost 
anywhere in Alaska. I have this year obtained samples 
of perfectly ripe barley, oats, wheat and rye for several 
points in the interior as far north as Eagle. I also grew 
flax at Sitka, the first year.” 
The Legislative Committee of the Pennsylvania State 
Grange demands United States Senators’ election by 
direct vote of the people, oppose the passage of the Ship 
Subsidy bill and favor amending the vinegar law, so that 
the farmer can sell his product when guaranteeing pure 
cider vinegar. The agricultural committee reported in 
favor of direct tax legislation, equalization of taxation 
and reduction of the legal rate of interest in the State 
to five per cent, and recommends that the law restricting 
the killing of rabbits be repealed, and that efforts be 
made to defeat the proposed Kirk road bill. The commit¬ 
tee recommends that the Oleomargarine law be amended 
so as to require publicity of licenses and cases tried and 
their termination, in quarterly bulletins issued by the 
Agricultural Department. W. F. Hill, of Westford, was 
reflected as Master. The other officers elected were: 
Steward, H. M. Gooderman, Patton; assistant steward, 
H. H. Pratt, Oceanvllle; chaplain, Rev. W. H. Clipman, 
Finleyville; treasurer, S. E. Nivin, Landenburg; secre¬ 
tary, J. T. Ailman, Thompsontown; gatekeeper, W. Chase, 
Fall Brook; Ceres, Mrs. V. B. Holiday, Crooked Creek; 
Pomona, Mrs. L. A. Thayer, Atlantic; Flora, Miss 
Florence Rhone, Centre Hall. 
The Iowa State Agricultural Convention finished its 
meeting at Des Moines, December 12. Treasurer Ellison 
reported a State Fair balance on hand of $28,616.16. Res¬ 
olutions were adopted favoring the creation of a National 
Park at the headwaters of the Mississippi, and the con¬ 
centration of the control of the Government forest re¬ 
servations under the Department of Agriculture. 
The Michigan State Grange met at Lansing, December 
12. Delegates from 51 counties, representing 400 Granges 
and 25,000 members, were present. During the year 100 
new Granges were formed in the State. In his annual ad¬ 
dress, Master Horton dwelt at some length upon the 
public questions of the day, taking a firm stand in favor 
of the extension of rural mail delivery, Government con¬ 
trol of trusts, establishment of postal savings banks, 
completion of the Nicaragua canal by the United States, 
more effectual food regulations, giving adequate powers 
to the interstate commerce commission, the election of 
United States Senators by the people, regulation of the 
use of shoddy and regulation of the manufacture and 
sale of dairy products. Determined opposition was ex¬ 
pressed to the Ship Subsidy bill and the irrigation of arid 
western lands at public expense. Control of railroads by 
the Government through a thoroughly fortified com¬ 
mission was said to be of leading importance at this time, 
the Cullom bill being advocated. It was declared that 
if merchant ships are subsidized, the farmers will pay 
most of the tax. If the Government fertilizes the western 
lands with water, it should furnish fertilizers for all 
farmers. 
The Illinois State Grange, in annual session at Peoria, 
appointed a legislative committee, which will have in 
hand all legislative matters which the Grange desires to 
further. George W. Curtis, of Freeport, who is a member 
of the State Board of Charities, was made chairman of 
this committee. His associates are Oliver Wilson, of 
Magnolia, Master of the State Grange, and John Me 
Connell, of Leroy. The Grange will make strong demands 
for reformation in taxation and in the management of 
State charities, which they contend should be freed from 
the domination of politics. The organization is asking 
for the further extension of the free rural mail delivery 
system. Next year’s convention goes to St. Clair County. 
At the forty-fifth annual convention of the Illinois State 
Horticultural Society, which adjourned at Champaign, 
December 13, the following officers were elected: Presi¬ 
dent, Henry M. Dunlap, Savoy; secretary, L. R. Bryant, 
Princeton; treasurer, J. W. Stanton, Richview. 
At the first day’s session of the thirtieth annual con¬ 
vention of the Indiana Grange, December 11, the reports 
of the officers were read and committees appointed. 
Worthy Master Aaron Jones, of South Bend, in his ad¬ 
dress said there had been an increase of 25 per cent in 
membership during the year, with 15 new Granges and 
live reorganized. He advocated legislation by the State 
for pure food, a State railway commission to regulate 
rates and two cents a mile for the passenger rate, against 
the use of public highways by private electric lines, re¬ 
duction of the number of circuit judges in the State and 
to encourage forestry. He urged that the Granges en¬ 
courage lectures, holding that a Grange properly is a 
school of instruction. 
NEW YORK DAIRYMEN MEET 
And Discuss Weighty Hatters. 
Part II. 
A WORKING COMMITTEE.—The most important thing 
that the State Dairymen’s Association accomplished at 
the annual meeting in Watertown was to appoint a com¬ 
mittee to raise funds and send a delegation to represent 
the Association at the hearing of the Grout bill before the 
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, in Wash¬ 
ington, D. C. The members of the committee appointed 
for this important work are Thomas F. Rutherford, Chip- 
man; W. A. Rogers, Watertown; Allison Cook, Denmark; 
W. H. Peck, Syracuse, and G. H. Babcock, Mexico. Mr. 
Rutherford is chairman of the committee; Mr. Peck, 
secretary, and Mr. Cook, treasurer. The committee met 
at the Woodruff House immediately after the adjourn¬ 
ment of the meeting and laid plans for prosecuting the 
work. The first thing, of course, is to collect funds to 
pay the expenses of the delegation to Washington. Mem¬ 
bers of the delegation are to act without pay, and the 
funds raised are simply to pay the necessary railroad 
and hotel expenses. It is quite important that a good- 
sized delegation represent the Association before this 
committee in order to demonstrate to the Senate that 
the dairymen of New York State are vitally interested in 
the bill. The delegation is also instructed when in Wash¬ 
ington to look after the interests of the Cheese bill 
which is now before Congress, having been favorably 
reported from the committees of the House and Senate. 
The appointment of this committee was the result of an 
address by Mr. Flanders, the First Assistant Com¬ 
missioner of the Dairy Department, in which he gave a 
history of the legislation on the oleo question, and showed 
the necessity of this bill to the farmers of the country 
if they hope to continue in the dairy business. He showed 
clearly that the Grout bill was not designed to prevent 
the sale of oleo, but simply to legislate the fraud out of 
its manufacture and sale. 
THE RESOLUTIONS. —The Committee on Resolutions 
commended Hon. Thomas C. Platt in pledging himself 
without qualification to vote for the bill, and request¬ 
ing his colleague in the Senate, Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, 
to cast his vote for it. The resolution also tendered 
thanks of the Association to the Congressmen from New 
York State who supported the bill in the House, and 
condemned in strongest possible terms the action of the 
Congressmen from this State who voted against it and 
worked for its defeat. A resolution was also passed 
exonerating State officials from any blame on account of 
the abandonment of the State suit against the Armour 
Packing Company. This suit, it will be remembered, is 
the $1,500,000 suit entered against the manufacturers of 
oleomargarine by Ex-Dairy Commissioner Francis C. 
Schraub, during his incumbency of the office. Sub¬ 
sequently Armour & Co. offered the State $20,000 in set¬ 
tlement of the suit, with an agreement not to sell any 
more oleo in the State. Commissioner Wietlng, Assistant 
Commissioner Flanders, and the attorneys in the case, 
recommended a settlement on this basis. Governor Black 
seemed to feel, however, inasmuch as the case was 
initiated under a Democratic administration, that the 
settlement of the suit by him on this basis would be mis¬ 
construed and result against him and the party that he 
represented in future election campaigns. Governor 
Roosevelt took the same ground, and consequently the 
State lost the $20,000 offered by Armour, besides the ex¬ 
penses of the suit, which will probably amount to $20,- 
000 more. Ex-Commissioner Schraub was retained in the 
case as counsel, and has already drawn from the State 
about $6,000 in fees. Naturally the resolution was not 
received with very much enthusiasm, and under all the 
circumstances there might well be a question raised as 
to the wisdom of presenting the resolution at this time 
and in this way. It is clear enough, however, that the 
officials of the present State Department are in no way 
to blame, as their recommendations in the matter were 
overruled by both Governors Black and Roosevelt. Other 
resolutions commended the State Fair Commission for 
enlarging the dairy buildings, and increasing the prizes 
on dairy products at the State Fair, and requesting the 
reappointment of the president of the Association, Mt 
Geo. A. Smith, as a member of the State Fair Com¬ 
mission. Dr. L. L. Van Slyke and Prof. H. H. Wing 
were appointed a committee to revise the constitution 
and by-laws of the Association, and directed to report 
at the director’s meeting to be held in September next. 
Wednesday afternoon Dr. J. M. Twitchell, of Augusta, 
Me., gave an interesting lecture on judging and scoring 
of the dairy cow by points. He used for this purpose an 
Ayrshire cow from the dairy of E. T. Butterfield, and a 
Swiss grade from Warren A. Rogers. The lecture was 
given in Exhibition Hall It was a practical and useful 
lesson, and it was only to be regretted that the con¬ 
ditions made it impossible for a great number to see 
it and hear it. 
BREAD AND EDUCATION.—There were two lectures 
on Wednesday evening; one by Prof. Robertson, of 
Ontario, and the other by Dr. Jordan, of the Geneva 
Experiment Station. Prof. Robertson’s subject was The 
Gospel of Bread and Butter. He did not restrict himself 
to the “loaf” and the “print,” but went on more par¬ 
ticularly into the matter of training and of educating, 
especially in those particulars which teach people how 
to do things. The cost of living he thought would be very 
much reduced if people understood the relative value of 
foods. He seemed to carry the idea that people, especially 
in the States, were buying expensive foods, believing 
them to be more nutritious because they were more 
expensive. As an illustration he pointed to the fact of a 
pound of oatmeal being equal in nutrition to two pounds 
of beef. He says that the people of Canada, who earn 
from $500 to $1,000 a year spend about 50 per cent of their 
income for food, while the same class of people in the 
United States spend from 55 to 64 per cent. 
Prof. Jordan’s subject was The Education Underlying 
Intelligent Dairy Practice. It was a strong scholarly 
paper. It would be rather difficult to give a synopsis ot 
it that would do it justice. The main idea in his criticism 
of the present system of education is that the schools 
are proceeding on the grounds that all the pupils have 
high ambitions and intellectual aspirations; consequently 
the work is carried on as if every pupil in the common 
schools were passed on to higher educational institutions 
and colleges, while experience shows that only one in a 
hundred has these aspirations, and the proper practical 
training of the 99 is consequently neglected. We must 
produce a better man before we can produce a better 
laxmer. A man is the subject of the first consideration. 
The farm should be considered something to serve the 
man, not the man to serve the farm. Public educators 
should take account of not only what the man is; but 
what he is to do. Schools should not only be a refine¬ 
ment but a utility. He would have the public schools 
teach the elementary subjects of reading, writing, 
arithmetic, geography, and enough of the principles ot 
government to Insure intelligent citizenship, and after 
that such training for the individual pupils as would fit 
them to control and master their own environments. 
The majority of young men who become farmers are 
ignorant, he says, of even the elements of agricultural 
science, and he contends that the education of the rural 
people must be brought about by a widespread 
educational movement which would reach every public 
school and seat of learning to which the farmer's sons 
and daughters have access. 
SILOS AND COWS.—On Thursday, Prof. I. P. Roberts, 
of Cornell, spoke on the subject of the Silo, and How to 
Raise Material for It. He said it was not necessary to 
have it entirely airtight, but should be as near airtight 
and watertight as possible. He recommended the round 
silo, with rough-sawn edges on the stave, and if beveled 
at all but very little, so that not more than one-third of 
the width of the stave should come in contact with the 
next one to it. Corn he recommended as the best ma¬ 
terial for silage. Mr. C. P. Goodrich, of Wisconsin, gave 
an interesting talk on Improved Dairy Methods. His talk 
for the most part was somewhat reminiscent, and cov¬ 
ered the first of the great improvements in dairying in 
Wisconsin, and especially in Jefferson County of that 
State. In 1876, he said, the average product of the cow 
in their county was 120 pounds of butter. Now it is 240 
pounds. Up to 1876 the principal business of the county 
was grain-raising. Now it is principally dairying. At 
that time 60 per cent of the farm lands were under mort¬ 
gage. Now the reports show that less than 10 per cent 
of the assessed valuation of farm lands are under mort¬ 
gage, and the bankers tell him that the dairymen are 
the depositors, while the tobacco growers and grain 
growers are the money borrowers. One reason for this 
he attributes to the fact that the dairymen get their 
money every week, and get into the way of paying for 
things as they go. He gave quite a practical illustra¬ 
tion of the value of properly balanced ration for the 
dairy cow. 
The nominating committee reported the following of¬ 
ficers for the ensuing year, and the report was unani¬ 
mously adopted: President, George A. Smith, Frankfort; 
first vice-president, Prof. H. H. Wing, Ithaca; treasurer, 
F. E. Dawley, Fayetteville; secretary, W. W. Hall, Gouv- 
erneur. Directors: H. E. Cook, Denmark; Jared Van 
Wagenen, Jr., Lawyersville; D. P. Wilier, Berkshire; R. 
P. Grant, Clayton; M. T. Morgan, West Winfield; Dr. 
W. H. Jordan, Geneva. Honorary Vice-Presidents: Hon. 
Benjamin B. Odell, Albany; Hon. Timothy L. WoodrufT, 
Brooklyn; Hon. C. A. Wieting, Cobleskill; E. J. Burrall, 
Little Falls; George Hyde, Cortland; Charles H. Royce, 
Rhinebeck; Fred H. Merry, Verona; W. E. Dana, Avon; 
J. P. Clark, Jamestown; R. H. Bent, Adams; E. J. Pres¬ 
ton, Amenta; C. M. Lamont, Owego; F. A. Converse, 
Woodville; George W. Sisson, Jr., Potsdam; A. D. Har¬ 
rington, Oxford; V. C. Beebee, Arcade; Frank W. Bau- 
der, Fort Plain, j, j. p. 
