1899 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
5oi 
Events of the Week. 
DOMESTIC.—George Wray, of Columbus, Ind., aged 103, 
obtained a divorce from his fourth wife, aged 30, June 
22. . . H. T. Oxnard, President of the American Beet 
Sugar Association, has issued a reply to the statements 
of H. O. Havemeyer, made before the Industrial Com¬ 
mission. Mr. Oxnard accuses Mr. Havemeyer of seeking 
to divert attention from the sugar trust by attacking the 
tariff. . . All eastern railroads running out of Chicago 
have materially reduced the freight charges on both ex¬ 
port and domestic oats and corn. . . A strike in the 
Chicago Stockyards threatens 35,000 men with idleness; 
1,000 went out June 23. . . Miss Rachel Hicks, a pre¬ 
possessing young woman who had been engaged as a city 
missionary at Providence, R. I., was arrested June 23, be¬ 
ing accused of forging Miss Helen Gould’s name to a 
note for $20,000. . . Commodore Giffard, commanding the 
British naval squadron protecting the Newfoundland fish¬ 
eries, has had a dispute with the French authorities, 
through his action in enforcing the right of American 
tishermen to take bait on the French shore. The Ameri¬ 
cans have been continually hampered by the French, and 
serious friction has resulted; it is likely that, like Great 
Britain, we shall need a patrol in the disputed waters. 
. . A three-year-old child at Falls City, Neb., died June 
23 as the result of treatment by so-called divine heal¬ 
ers. . . A fire at Laurel, Del., caused a loss of $400,000 
June 24. . . The Texan cattle trust, now in process of 
formation, is exempt from attack under the present Anti¬ 
trust law, which does not operate against live stock and 
agricultural operations. A new law, however, which is to 
go into effect Jan. 31, 1000, makes no such exemption. . . 
Mrs. Addie Barrow, the third of the New York kidnappers 
to be tried, received a sentence of 12 years and 10 months. 
She pleaded guilty; had she not done so, she would have 
received the same sentence as her husband, 14 years and 
10 months. . . June 2G, the freight houses of the Michi¬ 
gan Central and Chicago, Hamilton & Dayton Railroads 
were destroyed by fire at Toledo, O., loss $300,000. . . 
June 24, customs officials at New York seized jewelry and 
laces valued at $130,000, which they accused Mrs. Phyllis 
E. Dodge, of New York, of attempting to smuggle in on 
the steamer St. Paul. The seizure included one pearl 
necklace valued at over $80,000. The property was after¬ 
ward nearly all returned to her, as it was purchased in 
this country. . . At Kearney, Neb., June 25, five inches 
of rain fell within two hours, doing great damage. . . 
An immense bear stopped a freight train on the Pennsyl¬ 
vania Railroad, near Gallitzin, Pa., June 26, by seating 
himself on the track to examine the locomotive. The 
trainmen could not dislodge the animal, so the train had 
to stand until bruin completed his inspection, when he 
strolled down the mountain. . . Mrs. James Platt, of 
Union Mills, Ind., gave birth to a quartette of girls June 
26; only one of the babies survives. The mother is but 16 
years old. . . Thirteen St. Eouis aldermen were ar¬ 
rested June 27, for willful partiality, misconduct and the 
abuse of authority in unseating an unpopular mem¬ 
ber. . . The Clyde Line freight steamer Pawnee, from 
Brunswick, Ga., for New York, was burned at sea June 
26, 90 miles off Hatteras. No lives lost. Great courage 
and discipline were shown by officers and crew; Capt. 
Ingram, who commanded the Pawnee, was on the steamer 
Delaware when she was burned last July. . . Serious race 
riots occurred at Brookslde, Ala., June 26. Three negroes 
were killed and others wounded. . . A Chicago man who 
was taking home a lawn mower and a sickle was run 
down by a man and woman on a tandem bicycle June 27. 
The sickle was forced into his thigh, cutting the femoral 
artery, and he bled to death within two hours. . . At 
Reading, Pa., 15 railway laborers were struck by a bolt 
of lightning June 28; four were badly burned, and one is 
likely to die. . . Burglars who robbed a New York 
dressmaker of $1,000 worth of goods returned the articles 
by express, with a letter saying that they had read in the 
newspapers that she had been robbed several times before 
and felt sorry for her. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—A movement is being inaug¬ 
urated on the Pacific coast to induce American farmers to 
go to Hawaii. The United States immigration laws will 
soon be applied to the Islands, preventing the entrance of 
Asiatic laborers and for this reason the large planters 
will be seeking white labor. . . Great floods on the Rio 
Grande are changing the course of the river, and destroy¬ 
ing thousands of acres of irrigated crops. The change in 
the river bed has cut off some American ranches, leaving 
them on the Mexican soil and transferred Mexican terri¬ 
tory to the United States. . . The Hon. I. J. Evans, of 
Rome, N. Y., has been designated by Attorney-General 
Davies to prosecute the oleomargarine cases pending 
against Armour & Co., in New York State. . . The 
wheat yield in Oklahoma will be larger this year than 
any previous season. The total yield is expected to reach 
from 30,000,0u0 to 40,000,000 bushels. In Kay county alone 
the wheat crop is expected to reach 7,000,000 bushels. All 
other crops look well. 
PHILIPPINES.—Government will send re-enforcements 
to General Otis beyond the limit of 30,000 men, which was 
the number lixed upon by that officer, as necessary to 
quell the insurrection. Enlistments are to be continued at 
the regular army recruiting stations, and the men so en¬ 
listed will be credited to the provisional volunteer army. 
Under the Army Re-organization act, the limit of the 
regular army was set at 65,000 men, and all these have now 
been secured. For this reason, the men who are now be¬ 
ing enlisted, though practically regulars are to be re¬ 
garded legally as volunteers. The new troops will hardly 
be ready for service before the end of the rainy season. 
Even if they were in condition before then, the Govern¬ 
ment is not provided with means of transportation to 
Manila. The transport service is very meager, but will 
soon be increased by several vessels, which are now being 
litted on the Atlantic coast. . . The gunboats engaged in 
blockade duty will now allow boats with regular clearance 
papers to pass the bockade, but the issuing of this order 
was delayed, because the opening of the ports would 
permit the insurgents, who control them, to collect cus¬ 
toms duties. There was great distress at several of the 
closed ports, owing to lack of food. A close watch is kept 
to prevent the landing of arms and ammunition. 
CUBA.—Santiago has had several small race riots be¬ 
tween Spanish and negroes. The city has been placarded 
with incendiary notices calling upon the Cubans to expel 
Spaniards and Americans. . . The President has issued 
an order permitting Cuban vessels to fly the American flag 
under special regulations. . . Police engaged in a des¬ 
perate fight with bandits June 15, at Guamo, and it is 
said that seven of the police were killed. . . At Cien- 
fuegos, June 25, three Americans created a -riot, resisted 
arrest, and shot a policeman. They were locked up. . . 
The yellow fever at Santiago is said to be of a more 
malignant type than usual. Complaints are made of the 
large number of American tramps, gamblers and other 
disreputable characters now in this city, who give the 
natives a bad idea of the American character. . . 
Great destitution exists in the Province of Santa Clara. 
FOREIGN.—The Lipton Company has been fined in 
England for including the weight of wrappings in the 
weight of tea. . . An explosion in a coal mine at Glace 
Bay, Nova Scotia, killed 11 men, June 16. . . The draft¬ 
ing committee for the arbitration scheme of the Peace 
Conference finds difficulty in harmonizing the views of 
Germany with those of the other powers. . . The Turk¬ 
ish representatives at the Peace Conference have been an¬ 
noyed by the presence of members of the Young Turks 
or reform party, who confer with Armenians to further 
the cause of equal rights. One of the Turkish peace dele¬ 
gates challenged the reform leader to a duel, which was 
refused. Great Britain and the United States voted against 
the interdiction of explosive bullets and bullets constructed 
to spread and flatten on striking. The United States also 
wishes to reserve the right to use bullets containing suf¬ 
focating gases, should such be invented. . . Five little 
girls who were digging clams on the beach at Summer- 
side, Prince Edward Island, were caught by the tide June 
22, and only one escaped. . . The Samoan Commission 
has decided to abolish the kingship, and uphold the rulings 
of Chief Justice Chambers. This, it is believed, will nullify 
claims l'or damages against this country. . . The city 
of Tampico, Mexico, is flooded by the rise of the Tamesi 
River, which is now a mile wide, its ordinary width being 
75 yards. The water is two feet deep and over in many 
houses, and boats are the only means of transportation. 
. . . Anti-foreign riots are again occurring in China, 
and the murder of three missionaries and seven converts 
is reported at Kien-Yang. . . Anti-tax riots at Sara¬ 
gossa and other cities in Spain cause alarm, and many 
arrests have been made. . . Belgian socialises aie 
growing riotous over a new suffrage bill, and much dis¬ 
order has occurred at Brussels. 
NEW YORK’S NEW BICYCLE LAW. 
A new law for the regulation of bicycle riders was 
enacted by the last New York Legislature. It is a 
very sensible piece of legislation, in many respects, at 
least, as it makes all the ordinances of the State re¬ 
lating to bicycles, uniform. Heretofore, there have 
been so many different regulations existing in differ¬ 
ent places, that the wheelman never knew where he 
stood. Now, it is easy to become posted on the law 
which requires all local regulations to be the same 
throughout the State. No city, town or village in the 
State has power to make any ordinance or any regula¬ 
tion of any kind, contrary to this act, and any regula¬ 
tion so made has no force whatever. Furthermore, 
the law seems to be very clearly worded, so that there 
is little opportunity for misunderstanding. 
The bicycle may not be ridden upon a sidewalk in 
city or town, unless the sidewalk is constructed ex¬ 
clusively by cyclists themselves. But bicycles are not 
excluded from footpaths or portions of public roads 
lying outside of the thickly settled cities or towns, 
which are worn only by travel, and are not improved 
by the public authorities or by the abutting owners. 
All riders are required to give an alarm by bell, 
whistle or otherwise, which may be heard 100 feet dis¬ 
tant, when about to meet or pass pedestrians, and 
when about to meet or pass other vehicles. The car¬ 
rying of lights from an hour after sunset till an hour 
before sunrise, is also required, said light to have 
such an illuminating power as to be seen plainly 200 
feet ahead; still, any one whose light has been acci¬ 
dentally extinguished, or who is necessarily away 
from home without a light, is exempted if riding at a 
pace not exceeding six miles an hour, and an audible 
signal is given as often as 30 feet are passed over. 
The speed of bicycles is also to be regulated, but 
any ordinance may not restrict them to a rate of 
speed slower than is allowed any other kind or class 
of vehicle. Coasting or the carrying of children under 
five years of age upon bicycles may also be prohibited. 
Fines for violating any ordinance may not exceed $5 
for each offense. Any one arrested under any of the 
provisions of the law, or any ordinance or by-law 
adopted as provided, may tender as security, either $5 
in current money, or his bicycle as security for his 
appearance in court. 
This law states the rights and obligations of wheel¬ 
men very clearly. It grants them some concessions 
which they have not heretofore enjoyed, and while it 
is likely that some will be found who will take ad¬ 
vantage of these provisions, the law, as a whole, is a 
good one. If properly enforced, it will be a benefit 
both to those who ride and those who walk. Rightly 
interpreted, it protects both the riders of bicycles and 
non-riders. The provisions of the law apply not only 
to bicycles, but to tricycles and all similar vehicles. 
In connection with the side-path law, this marks 
an advance in the recognition of the bicycle in New 
York State. 
Sugar-Growing in Hawaii 
THE RIGHTS OF LABORERS. 
An Islander States the Other Side. 
On page 311 of The R. N.-Y., is an interview with 
one who writes as a farmer visiting this Island. What 
he says is fair as strangers are expected to see and 
state things, except the sugar paragraph. This 
farmer was asked, “What about the sugar business?’’ 
He answers, “In my opinion, the production of sugar 
is about all the Hawaiian Islands will ever do in a 
commercial way in the world’s markets, and when we 
destroy the present system of contract labor, the sugar 
business will go, too.” So much for his opinion, 
which he is entitled to. Then he goes on and pre¬ 
tends to state facts thus: “This contract system is 
worse than our American slavery ever was. The la¬ 
borers, Chinese and Japs mostly, get $7 per month, 
and board themselves. They buy everything they eat 
from the plantation stores. This keeps them always 
in debt. There is no way for them to escape from 
the Islands, for the few ports are all guarded, and 
they must either go to the mountains to starve, or 
into the sea for shark food.” A horrible picture, 
truly! Fortunately it is not true. 
Of these contract laborers, the men get $15 per 
month, and the women $10 per month, and board 
themselves. Their wages are paid them monthly. In 
addition, the employer contracts to furnish house- 
room, wood and water, pay the personal tax—$5 per 
year—for each male contract laborer, supply them a 
physician and medicine free when they are sick, pay 
their passage from their own country, and their quar¬ 
antine expenses after they arrive here. On most 
plantations, they are allowed land free to raise vege¬ 
tables for their own use. As to contract laborers 
being compelled to purchase all their supplies from the 
plantation store at extravagant prices, I know nothing 
of it. I heard of this being done on one plantation 18 
years ago, but not since. If it is done anywhere now, 
it is a rare exception. Some plantations have stores, 
but their laborers can purchase where they please, 
and there are always stores owned by others close at 
hand. In this district, there are five plantations 
whose output averages 5,000 tons of sugar each, year¬ 
ly, and only one has a store. There the workmen can 
purchase their supplies, should they so elect, not 
otherwise. 
As to there being “no way for them to escape from 
the Islands, for the few ports are all guarded” to pre¬ 
vent them, this assertion is an ignorant or a willful 
slander of both the people and the former government 
of these Islands. As this government and that of 
Japan, to guard against the possibility of any of these 
contract laborers getting stranded here after their 
contract expired, for want of means to pay their pas¬ 
sage home, compelled the planters to deposit to the 
credit of the laborer 10 per cent of his monthly wages 
in some safe place, to be paid to the laborers In a 
lump at the expiration of their contracts. So, if they 
wished to leave the country they would have means to 
pay their way. Scores and hundreds of them left, and 
many after stopping in Japan or China a number of 
months, again shipped for another three years’ labor 
here, preferring this kind of “slavery” to being free 
men at home. 
The laborers have the same rights in our Island 
courts as their employers, and if the latter don’t fulfill 
their part of the contract, their “slaves” can, and 
sometimes have brought their bosses before the court. 
If the case is clear, the boss is fined, or the laborer is 
released from his contract. Taking all things into 
consideration, it looks as though laborers have 
about as good times here as laborers have in any part 
of the world, for as low as their wages appear, every 
economical laborer can save one-half of his wages. 
While I have been writing this morning, about 15 
Japs have come in with money to send back to their 
relations In Japan, ranging from $15 to $40 each, and 
some of them have been here only two or three 
months. So much for their being kept “always in 
debt” by “buying every thing they eat from plantation 
stores.” 
In the United States, the people and their Govern¬ 
ment are all permitted to make contracts with farm 
laborers, with sailors, with contractors for erecting 
buildings, bridges, steamships, warships, etc., with 
heavy penalties and bonds for faithful performance. 
Which all people there think is all right. But when 
the same principle is invoked here, 2,000 miles away, 
particularly if with laborers, some throw up their 
hands with holy horror, and write, “When we destroy 
the present system of contract labor, the sugar busi¬ 
ness will go, too.” They intimate a desire on their 
part of destroying at least the sugar business of these 
Islands. jno. m. iiorner. 
