j MY GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER'S JEWELS. J
4 BY ELLEN FRIZELL WYCKOFT. • ,«
In the legends and traditions that
stand for history in the old Southern
aity, these jewels play an important
;>art. The dainty little French wom
an liud brought them with her from
across the seas. There were rubles
red as heart's blood and amethysts
purple as the summer sky ut mid
night. There were moonstones and
emeralds and diamonds from the
heads of Indian idols, jewels from
temples old as the earth, and gems
from royal crowns and coronets.
Kings and warriors had laid them at
the feet of the capricious beauty.
Each gem had not only a long and
ancient history of its own, but each
represented a broken heart as well.
For the beauty had at last given her
hand and lier heart to a comely Eng
lish lover, and away they had sailed
to America, to astonish the new world
with the splendor of maiden's jewels.
But one day when she was old,
when her beauty was gone and her
Crletids were dead, and there was no
nweetness In her withered heart, and
Ho joy in liviug. Madam laid down
tmd died.
She had grown sour and resentful
because time, the great robber, had
stolen away her marvelous beauty
mid power, and she had cowered alone
and ashamed and altogether unlovely,
.11 her great curtained chamber that
opened on a flowery terrace which she
shut quite away from every ray of sun
shine.
But she died, for if time is cruel
death is merciful, and they liid her
hideous old body away in the earth
and talked of the time when she was
young.
And when a little time had passed
they began-to search for the Jewels.
My great grandfather and his genera
tion sought with diligence, but they
found no shining treasure. At best
there were but a few letters in quaint
aid French, and some in a queer for
eign lingo that nobody could under
stand.
My grandfather and his generation
sought with faint hearts, surrepitious
,y. My father and his generation
laughed at the old legends and tradi
tions indulgently, regarding the kings
iind warriors as the merest myths,
and the Jewels as nothing more than
a pretty ornament for a fine old story.
1 and my generation listened in our
turn to the stories, but each with his
individual opinion, for we had come
upon a time of Independent thought.
We had drifted, too. far from the
Did Southern city, though the fine Kng
lisli name hung to us. With great and
pardonable pride 1 claimed for my
jwn the name of the Englishman who
had brought the fair Marie awaj from
ail her lovers.
There were times when I fancied
that I belonged farther back than the
record. Times when 1 wearied of the
modern clash and rush and longed for
the slow quiet of the old days.
With one of these spells upon me
I drifted down to the old Southern
city. The place was a dream of
beauty with its soft, sun-bathed,
flower-scented air. its wonderful pur
ple-blue sky and the glistening green
waters of the ocean washing up in
little white-capped waves on the nar
now strip of beach that skirted the
city toward the east.
I was enraptured.
"The fair Marie's jewels." I said to
myself. "The great quivering emerald
here at my feet, the great yellow opal
all about me. the shimmering ame
thyst above me!"
And one day, in a many terraced and
flowery old garden. 1 met the fail-
Marie herself. And when 1 saw her 1
believed even the most romantic of
I lie stories that had followed the first
Marie over the seas. 1 watched the
timid, shy-eyed maiden walking in the
garden and 1 gave her my heart, for
I had nothing more, not money, nor
fame, nor Jewel.
Her father had deigned to read my
letters of Introduction, and with a
Midden change of manner had opened
his arms and his doors and had
laiuicd me as his kinsman, a being
to be treated with consideration and re
spect.
Then I heard again the legends and
traditions that belonged to the his
tory of my great, great grandmother.
I saw, too, a picture of her painted
by one of the fatuous artists of her
lay. A slender maiden in a quaint
■III gown, and a face that was Marie's
awn. only more piquant and daring,
and lacking the shy beauty of Marie's
English blue orbs.
"And you are the brawny English
man again, except for your sad. tar
seeing eyes: I fancy that I lie first
Marie's were like them when she was
uot quite happy," said one of the
•tately old dames who liehmged to
Hie household, smiling U|M>II me.
Each day my faith lu the Jewels
was strengthened. If only I could
And tiieni and give tlicm to Marie!
The desire consumed me. I gave lio
heed to any who came or went. I was
living iu tiie world of romance. I
tared for nothing but the sight of the
girl I loved Her face, the dark, pi
quant face with iis forget ine not eye*
tilled my sky.
Ami then In a subtle ami Indesciih
■ Ide way I began lo feel myself less
welcome, for uiy heart had come to
live iu my eyes and even the courteous
old Southerner could not fail to see
that I loved his daughter Ami some
liOW even yet I cauuot tell Joel bow,
eo delicately lectful was tuy dlemisaal
-I fouu4 toyeelf staying with alio!her
kineiuau. aud I wee net asked to at
tend Marie's coming U ui ball
"It is u singular oversight," the old
colonel said, holding my hand In a
warm, lingering grasp.
These soft, beautifully mannered
Southerners could not endure to
wound me.
"Isn't it that I'm poor and they
want a rich husband for Marie?" I
blurted out. sharply.
"Well, my dear lad, since you have
spoken I may not contradict you.
You will not, however, fail to remem
ber the stern necessity of the case.
Your blood is of the best—as good as
any that flows. Hamilton would
greatly prefer it to any this side a
crown, but there are debts and mort
gages and there is a rich Yankee lover,
and—the last hope is Marie."
Then with a graceful wave of his
white band lie set the subject aside,
and began to plan a little trip for him
self and me that would include the
night of Marie's ball.
Of course 1 could not allow liiiu to
sacrifice so much for ihy sake, and the
outcome of it all was that I told him
and iiis household good-by the day be
fore the ball. Hut I lingered in the
city. I could not go without a word
with Marie. The ball promised ine
one opportunity.
1 dressed myself in fanciful imita
tion of an Knglisli knight of UtK>
years ago, and walked up and down
terrace outside. Madam Marie's
chamber, trying to gather courage that
would make me brave enough to enter
the ballroom.
The place was a wonderland of
bi>auty. Men and women in all man
ner of costumes walked among the
flowers. In memory of the first Marie
and in compliment to her pretty
namesake there were kings and war
riors, young and old. And at last
1 saw Marie herself. She was tin'
little French maid stepi»ed fi jm the
old picture! With her bare white
hand she beckoned me to the window
of the great jessamine under which
she stood.
I hurried to her, wild with joy. She
had shown me shy favor until now. 1
could not remember that I had come to
say good-by.
When 1 was nearer she drifted
away with a slow, gliding motion, still
beckoning me with her hand. Through
a door into the old curtained chamber
she led me, smiling over her gleaming
bare shoulder, and I hurrying on could
never quite reach the lovely floating
figure and archly smiling face.
It did not occur to me to wonder at
the soft, luminous glow that surround
ed her. enveloping her like a garment
and leaving the space about her «|ti'te
dark, for this part of the mansion had
not been lighted for the ball.
We passed through the great cham
ber in which the first Marie had lived
and died.
"This way." came softly bark to me
in pretty French. "Come this way."
And 1 followed.
She led me through an odd little
door that I had not seen before, and
we entered a low. narrow passage.
The place was close and 1 was obliged
to stoop as I went; but with the lu
inlnous figure before me anil the smil
ing face over the gleaming shoulder,
little cared 1 for that. <>n and on she
went, down and down, as it seemed
to ine. and farther and farther from
the flowery terrace.
Once I called out begging her to wait
for me, but only a sound of soft laugh
ter came back as she floated on.
And then suddenly I was alone and
all in the dark. Had she taken some
sudden turn that I had not seen in the
long narrow passage? I called aloud,
halting my hands against the solid
walls.
in doing so 1 found that 1 had
reached the end of the passage. My
hand came in contact with something
like cold Iron. The object was a box
an iron IMIX set in the solid wall. Still
calling loudly for Marie. I was an
swered by smothered echoes of my
own voice.
Panting for air and numb with cold
and fear. 1 tugged with all my strength
at tlie box. some Instinct giving to my
fltigers skill and desperation, making
them strong, i thought only of the
Jewels now. Marie was hiding be
hind ine to frighten inc. and by acci
dent I hail come upon the box. I was
sure that it contained the Jewels. It
was embedded ill tile wall, but I pulled
and tugged, straining every muscle.
After a while it yielded. I was uiov
lug It it was mine! As 1 drew It out
a sickening thud as if falling earth
made me shudder. A musty, stilling
odor tilled the place. My mouth and
eyes were full of a tine nauseating
dust. I fell back ami felt, with a liur
ror 1 cautlot describe, the suft cold
earth settling UIMIIII uie.
I don't know how long it was lie
fore I saw a thill gleam of light Was
It Marie wailing further on? I made
a tremendous effort, still holding to
the IHIX. and raised myself from the
earth under which I had I teen hurled
1 felt grass beneath my feet cool,
sweet, iiiitrlmiucd grits*. And tree*
belli above me great, dark liuilxd ce
ilars, through which the luiHiiil glit
sifted 111 needle like rays.
Where was I? Tile soft hreexe
blew tile horrible, clinging till*! oil:
of my face, the fragrance of Jtwsa
mine* mid olive nunc to me. Here
and there I »a\v S|Hl|» ol glio«||y. »hlu
lug while. And then I knew I was
atandlug ill lite old faiull.t graveyard
back of Ihe church ami it quarter of
u mile from the mansion Ity what
si range underground passage had we
touts' And where <s** Marie?
U |IM» HI out* sauk IT* light CAW a
aslant under the cedars, and I saw a
terrible tiling. A grave Imd fallen in;
the opening yawned at my feet. I
knew that 1 had conic up through it.
It was one of Ihe old-time bc*.-like
tombs, strongly built of brick with u
marble .slab laid on top, horizontally.
This slab had fallen In with one end
still resting on the brick and the other
upon something in the grave. On the
blackened slab 1 could even now read
the name of poor Madam Marie.
A spasm of horror and fear over
came me; I sank to the ground. When
the east began to be streaked with
light 1 crawled away to my room,
where 1 stood and gazed at my lie
daggled tlgure and ghastly face.
A note from one of the stately old
dailies awaited me. Deep trouble had
fallen upon them; her brother desired
that. I come for Marie's sake.
Hastily dressing myself, I put the
box. still unopened, in a valise and
hurried to the mansion. My courteous
old kinsman met me. For the first
time 1 observed a slight confusion in
his perfect manner.
"It was Marie, my lad. Last night,
when the clock struck 12, she sank In
to a death-like swoon. Nothing could
be done. We gave her up for lost. I
was crazed with grief. I knew that
you loved her as your soul—even as
1 do. to whom she is all things. And
you are my kinsman. So I sent for
you. She is awake now, and—you sire
welcome. Why. lad!''
The room reeled like a ship In a gale.
I heard a crash,l saw a streum of ru
bles red as heart's blood and amethysts
and diamonds like the summer sky at
midnight. Then I saw a fair white
face and all was dark.
When I saw the face again it was
bending above me in the ruddy glow
of firelight. Very sweet and gentle
looked the small French face with its
tender English eyes. 1 smilled iu hap
py content as a cool hand was laid on
my forehead. •
"Don't—drift—away-again, Marie,"
I said faintly.
"No. I'm very securely anchored
here beside you," she answered iu her
low, sweet voice, only now it seemed
strong and determined.
I glanced through the window. Many
of tlie trees were bare. Had I been
ill so long?
"Tell me about it." Marie demanded
when 1 was better, and she sat perched
like a saucy bird on the arm of her
father's clialr. "Tell ns about the jew
els. How did you flnd them?"
"Haven't you been told':" I asked,
smiling at her puzzled face.
I was sorry when it whitened lo the
lips.
"I'.'" she said. "You forget— that
was the night—of the ball. Such
dreauis—oh. don't let me think of it!
We were going you and I going—
father, I've forgotten!"
"Yes. dear. Dreams are easily for
gotten!" Tell us how you found tlie
Jewels."
It was true then. In some unex
plained way I had found my great,
great grandmothers Jewels. And
very slowly, as it came dimly to me,
I told the story of that horrible night.
The flue old face of my kinsman
whitened. Marie's eyes darkened.
"The gems are very valuable, very
valuable, my lsd. and on the Ins is en
graved the messag • that they belong
to any one of our name who finds them.
They are all yours. I have them iu
safe keeping for yoll."
Hut I laughed.
"They are Marie's, hcrsund Ii Tsouly.
11' I had leu thousand more I would
gladly pour tlieni at her feet. Each of
these was a heart story a story of
love and passion and it would take
thetu all tell her bow much I love her."
Again and again we tried to find tln
odd low door In Madam Marie's cham
ber. only to fail. In the old graveyard
no excavation ever revealed any under
ground passage. The grave hail fallen
iu. just as 1 had seen it, but that was
all.
Hut the Jewels were real real as my
love for Marie. And there was enough
to relieve lis from enibarrussuieHt. to
strengthen my business and to till
Marie's Jewel case with rubles red as
Intirt's blood and diamonds and ame
thysts like the summer sky at mid
night. Waverly Magazine.
A Taper City.
The return of so many wounded sol
diers from South Africa to Great Hrlt
ain has taxed the local hospitals t • the
utmost, so that all sorts of cuieigcncy
homes must lie provided fur the sl>k.
The oddest of nil Is "a paper hospital"
iu tlie suburbs. Not far fl'.im I.olid. Hl.
at N'etley. is to be found a whole pa pel
city with a imputation of smi men all
in a paper wrapping. This pii|s>r city
is ihe convalescent branch of Nttley
hospital, and ihe material of which it
is built is papier uiaelie. It is a lit w
It lea for a honpital hut. There are 45
of those huts behind tli * red brick hos
pital building, ami In each of them are
ten men. who us a rule, »|icml a fort
night iu the paper city. The houses t>l
this city are glistening, white, lean,
lung and business-like. At the end.
mid so that there tuny be a <u t tin a'
ihe doorway and no draught. Is a bulg
lug (Mireh. fluttering from each of tin*
windows is a »carlel ■ in tutu to give a
touch of color to Ihe white laiidx up*.
IIIHIIIC tin' papier uiaelie building It is
all quietude ami comfort, Kmii build
ilig is .'lli feet long Hanging along the
lellwlh are tell bed*, with easy spr 11-<
mattresses that call allow for Ihe lo«»
lug of II man still in pain, et u If It • is
con*lllescelil. Heaide each b. d la loom
(or the necessary kit nlld ul out* " d
of the hut in the wooden mess table.
Mwtlll*«« I ail»r«a«» uf III# I
The rUlltese are luferlol' to Euro
peso* Iu physbsl strength lull allow
II luarteioos siuouut of euduruuie,
Tkey will work IV hours a da* witte
out toinplaluin*
ADOPTING GOLD BASIS.
CENERAL. MOVEMENT OF NATIONS
FOR THE SINCLE STANDARD.
ftnsstn, Japan and India. With Their
I'npnlHtlon of 405,01)0,000 People,Have
l'talleii Into Line Since tlte Campaign
of 189G~»Tlte Production of Gold.
The currency question was so thor
oughly discussed in 180(5, and the as
sertions of the adherents of silver as a
standard money metal have been so
thoroughly disproven by the events
since that date, that a detailed discus
sion of the question seems now un
necessary. It is not improper, how
ever, to call attention to some great
facts which account in some degree,
nt least, for the course of the great
nations in one by one abandoning the
double, fluctuating standard and
adopting the single and now almost
universal standard—gold. The general
movement among nations for the adop
tion of the single gold standard began
about 1870 (except in the case of Eng
land, which took this action in 1801),
and since that time all the nations
of tlio world, excepting Mexico, China,
Korea, Slam, Persia. and some of the
smaller republics of Central and South
America, have adopted the single gold
standard. Itecent statements indicate
that China is pushing for the introduc
tion of the gold standard in her cus
toms service. This, if accomplished,
will doubtless be the initial step to
ward similar action with reference to
the currency of that country. Con
sular statements recently published
indicate that Siam is preparing to
adopt the single gold standard. Even
in the short four years since the cam
paign of 1890 the gold standard has
been adopted in Japan, with a popula
tion of -10,000,000; Kussia, with a pop
ulation of 125,000,000; India, with ..
population of 300,000,000, and several
of the Central and South American
republics.
Iu the three hundred and fifty-seven
years prior to 1850 the gold production
of the world averaged less than $lO,-
(K)O.OOO per annum; in the fifty years
since 1850 the gold production of the
world has averaged $135,000,000 per
annum, and iu the year 1800 was $315,-
000,000. Iu the four closing years of
the nineteenth century the gold pro
duction will be greater than that of
the entire lirsf half of the century. In
the single year 1800 the gold produc
tion was as great as that of the first
thirty-three years of the century.
This enormous Increase In the pro
duction of gold ns compared with that
of previous centuries began with the
discovery of gold In California in
1847, followed by similar discoveries
In Australia iu 1853, then by later dis
coveries in Colorado a few years later,
then by the enormous discoveries in
South Africa, which have proved the
greatest gold-producing mines ever
known, and within the past three
years ihe great discoveries in Alaska.
All these have been supplemented, and
their results multiplied meanwhile, by
the development of new means of ex
traction. through which mines form
erly abandoned as worthless again be
came valuable. These discoveries and
developments account for the fact that
the gold production of the world iu
the last lifty years lias been more
than twice as great as that of the pro
ceeding three hundred and lifty years.
As a consequence, the gold iu exist
ence to-day. accepting the statistics of
such eminent statisticians as Tooke,
Newmarcli and Mulhall, and adding
to these the later statements of the Di
rector of the Mint, is more than three
times as great as in 1850. During that
time the population has Increased fifty
per cent., being, according to equally
eminent statisticians, 1,075.000.0tiu iu
1850 and l,siHi,ooo.t)iK) at the present
time. This would give twice as much
gold for each person to-day as in 1850.
I'i addition to this, however, Mulhall
shows that two-thirds of the gold of
the world to-day Is coined aud used as
money, while In IKSO only one-third
of the gold was coined. This again
doubles the amount of gold money,
making, therefore, more than four
times as much gold currency for each
individual in the world to-day as in
1850.
Of the world's silver, according to
the same authority (Mulhall). forty per
cent, was coined In IN*,II and tit ty three
per cent iu 18! Ml.
Gold, unlike most commodities pro
duced. is for the most part retained
permanently not eaten, or worn out.
or destroyed and each year's addi
tion from the mines I litis Increases
the world's iN-rinaiicnt sioeU of the
money metal, excepting the small pro
portion which Is used iu ihe arts,
which averages, perhaps, fifteen to
twenty per cent, of the world's prod
uct, Keeping this in miutl. It will lie
Keen I hat the result of the last half
century of gold production in the total
amount mined Is more than twice as
great as thai In three hundred aud
tlfiy years preceding, lias enormously
Increased the world's permanent stock
of this accepted money metal, aud
seems of itself to offer an iuiportnnt.
If not a complete, explanation of the
fact that during thai half century in
which the product has so greatly In
creased, practically all tin* nation* of
Ihe world have abandoned tht double
standard aud adopted tills rapidly In
creasing aud generally accepted meas
ure of value.
There has been also nn enormous
Increase lu the production of silver
during the same |terlotl, the total of
the last it fly years la-lug, hi round
uuitiliers. |s.tMsMSNi,issi.agaiiisi tu.isst,
IMII.ISSI 111 the three hundred ami lifty
years preceding. This silver has also
gone largely tuto use aa a uiolM-y
metal, and Ihe amount of silver Money
hi circulation as a full circulating uie
til ii in has greatly lucres set.
One deceptive ptank lu a itolltical
platform readily toniauiinates Ike vu
tlr* structure
OUR ISLAND MARKETS.
French Journal Shown Their Value to
tlie United State*.
The prospective value of Cuba. Porto
Ulco and the Hawaiian, Philippine and
Sainoan Islands as markets for the
products of the farm and factory in
the United States, is illustrated by a
recent publication in the Monlteur Of
llcel du Commerce, an official publica
tion of ihe French Government, which
discusses at considerable length the
consuming powers of those islands and
their consequent economic value to
the United States, and the prospective
increase in their consuming powers
through enlarged production under
American capital. The statement is
as follows:
"The consumption of foreign prod
ucts by these islands is made up al
most equally of articles of manufact
ure and of agriculture of the temper
ate zone. Out of $20,125,3121 worth of
products exported from the United
States to Cuba in 1594, the value of
$0,440,053 was in products of agricul
ture. Out of $18,01(5,377 .worth of ex
ports for the year 1800, $0,709,513
worth belonged to the same category.
The exports from the United States
to the 'Pearl of Antilles' are made up
principally of cereals, live animals,
salt meat, cotton goods, machinery,
footwear, instruments, etc.
"Spain, under normal conditions.sold
annually to Cuba, Porto liico and the
Philippines, about $40,000,000 worth of
goods, principally manufactured arti
cles, besides wines, oils, flour
meats and vegetables. Out of 135,(100,-
000 pesetas' worth of merchandise
shipped from Spain to Cuba in 1890,
about 50,000,000 represented the value
of products of agriculture. The pro
portion was nearly the same in the
case of Porto Itico and the Philippine
Islands.
Speaking generally, we may assume
that under normal conditions the sur
plus production of Cuba and the Phil
ippines before the war amounted to
about $125,000,000 annually, and their
consumption to $100.( (00,000, but that
their productive power is capable of
great increase, whlcli in turn will
cause a similar increase in consump
tion. About one-half of the imports
into these islands was of Spnnish
origin and the other half came from
other countries proportionate to their
proximity or distance. Thus the
United States furnished the greater
part of the imports into Cuba and
Porto ltico. while tlie Philippine Isl
ands received whatever Spain was un
able to furnish them with from Hong
kong, Shanghai, Yokohama, Calcutta
and Australian ports."
Herman-American Vote.
The German-Americang of St. Louis
will support McKinley this fall, just
as they did in 1800. If there is any
of the dissatisfaction among the voters
of Teutonic birth, upon which tlie
Democratic press of the country has
apparently built sucli ardent hopes,
it is completely overshadowed by the
German distrust of Bryan. Gerinan-
Ainericans of St. Louis say that the
citizens of that nationality are still
true to tin- Hag and the party, and can
be safely counted upon to vote for
McKinley and Koosevelt in the ap
proaching election. The AVestliche
Post of St. Louis, the most influential
German newspaper in the West, will
support the Republican platform and
nominees. The same is true of every
journal of Influence printed in the
German language in this country.
Czporta of Cotton.
Our expor's of cotlou compare as
follows:
Fiscal year. Value.
1890 $250,068,792
1801 200,712,808
1802 258,401,241
1803 188,771,445
18<>4 210,8(59,280
1805 204,0<J0,t»00
1890 100,050,400
1897 230,442.215
1898 200,504.774
During the Democratic administra
tion of 1893-00, which closed our mills,
cotton became so cheap that its value
fell below the cost of production, and
we supplied low priced cotton to'the
foreign manufacturers who were ship
ping tin ir goods into our market. Now
our mills are using tlie cotton and its
value has advanced. I'olluii growers
know that "tlie opt u mills" policy Is
Ihe IK st.
A lor lit I'npar.
One of ihe valuable and growing ex
ports of the lulled States Is paper,
and iln* growih of our patH-r manufac
turing Justifies our pride. Neverthe
less, at th«' present rate of exportation
of Ainerlcau paper stock, it would re
quire the earnings of forty year* to
make good the amount paid by the
American people In one year to for
eigners for carrying American imports
and ex|Mirts. It I* such facts as these
that assure a large majority vote iu
favor of ihe passage of the shipping
bill nt the next session of Congress, in
order that the tlioiisitud million of dol
lar* seut out of I lie ('lilted States every
live years to pay for the carriage of
our iui|sil'ls ami eX|Hirts 111 foreign
Ixiitouts may be retained Ml home for
(lie employment of American labor In
ihe i'oi|ktri|i lion and o|ieratlon of Ihe
nlii|M employed iu carrying our ship
ments to and purvltttMM from foreign
U'tllOU*.
liwwtm f»r Kiinhiiliiii.
I 101l (ItU lllil (Hlelttlorfer ItUllOtlllce*
that Ihe sixteen lo olio pi. ink of the i
K.uisas I'lty coiivtrillion Mill prevent
ihe 11v rutuu Vuicroi.n voters from
•upiiortlua M>- ttrjfiia, no mailer how
1 hey may feel U|s>U 111- question uf eX
paiutlon If Mr. Ollendorff!' will lake
I In- pains lo investigate a llllls further
lie will ascertain that the cls»s of Vol
era lie HleUlloUS Is not feeling so Very
badly vv«r lite guest leu of t-xuanaie*.
OUR BEET SUGAR SAFE,
THE PRODUCTION OF CANE SUGAR
DECREASING EVERYWHERE.
Two.llilrd* or the World's Sueur Sujiplf
Now Comet From Beet Sngar Growing
< DUlll rle»—The Porto Ktlcan Tarlfl—
Onr IIIHIKI Markets—The Outlook.
Simultaneously with the develop
nient of the withdrawal of slave labor
from the production of cane-sugar,
beets increased their percentage of the
world's supply from 4.35 In 1840 to 14
per cent, in 18T»0; 20 per cent. In 1860;
34 per cent, in 1870, and they now pro
duce CO per cent., or two-thirds of the
world's sugar. This fact shows that
the farmers of the temperate zone need
no longer fear the competition of the
tropics in the production of sugar, and
especially if a reasonable protection is
granted them, as is the case in the
United States. The farmers of this
country have been encouraged by the
Republican party in their ambition to
produce the sugar of the countcy. The
experience of other nations and of
other parts of the temperate zone has
shown that sugar can be produced
from beets in great quantities, and at a
very small cost, and can successfully
compete with cane sugar under tin
most favorable circumstances. Under
the stimulus given to the beet sugar
production by Republican legislation,
beet-sugar factories sprang up all over
the United States, and the production
of bee; sugar lias already reached
largo proportions and is increasing
with wonderful rapidity.
The lirst thought that came to the
minds of ihe farmers when the events
following the war for the liberation of
Cuba brought under our control cer
tain tropical areas was whether or not
the possession or control of tropical
territory by the United States would
injure, or perhaps destroy, the oppor
tunities which they believed were al
most within their grasp for supplying
the $100,000,000 worth of sugar which
the people of the United States annu
ally consumed. Thi3 fear—if it ever
reached the stage in which it could be
called by that name—was answered in
the negative by the Republican party
when it passed the Porto Kican bill.
The Democratic party fought with all
its power to prevent the enactment of
that measure which placed a duty
upon articles coming into the United
States from Porto Rico. That duty
was small, but it was an explicit dec
laration bv the Republican party that
it would not yield the powr ■ to fix
such tariff, as n. might deem judicious,
against the products of cheap tropical
labor wherever located and under
whatever conditions. In other words,
it was a distinct promise to the Ameri
can farmer that he need not fear that
the Republican party would permit the
cheap labor and cheap sugar of any
tropical territory to be brought here iu
a manner which would destroy tht*
American industry of beet sugar pro
duction which the farmers of the Uni
ted States have, under protection given
by the Republican party, been building
up during the last few years.
The farmers of the temperate zone
can produce beet sugar successfully in
competition witn the sugar cane of the
tropics when both are handled by free
labor, and this advantage which the
Arnerlr in farmer has will be strength
ened in tile United ftales so long as
the Republican party retains lis con
trol and is able to apply the protective
principle "o the interests of its farm
ersas it did in the case of the Porto Ki
can bill, against which the Democrats
turned their every energy. With a few
years of ■ loderate protection against
the cheap labor of the tropica, the beet
sugar Industry in the United States
will be placed fairly and squarely upon
its feet. Meantime the Improved con
dition of labor in the tropics, and the
opportunities for higher wages which
the guidr.nee of the United States will
give them, will more nearly equalize
the cost of the two sys' js of produc
tion.
One further fact in regard to the
world's production and producing ca
pacity is worthy of consideration in
this connection, anil that In that nea'rly
two thirds of the sugar now Imported
into the United States comes from the
islands of the I'acltlc. The total impor
tation of sugar into the United States
In the teu mouths ending with April,
iv.rj. amounted to pounds,
and of this amount I.lH< 1,4-I'.'.3o2pounds
were from the East Indies, the Ha
waiian Islands and the Philippine Isl
ands. thus Indicating the possibilities
of our Pacific territory to supply that
portion of our consumption which ii
will be necessary to import uutll the
farmers of this country are able to
supply the home demand. Instead of
sending to other countries and other
peoples the per year which
we have been annually ex|>eudliiK for
foreign grown sugar. It may be ex|>cud
ed under the American flag and iu a
manner hich will benefit the people
Iu our Islands, and incidentally those
of our own people who may enter upon
business enterprises iu them.
Political fulnteri
It is not the fault of the Pet tlfre w*
and the Atklnsous that AuuinaM •
didn't uiake Manila a foretuuuer of
IV kin.
It Is a noticeable fact thai all of ih<>
desirable migration from the |mtno
erutlc parly is toward the Republican
I tarty.
The Xui h Carolina Democrats wdl
uow renit ve their red shirts au>! re
sume their talk ot "government with
out the consent of the governed "
t he Republican administration is not
limit llK the voters of lit* country in
Invest in theories. The) aio simply
requested Iu contemplate eolldlt lulls
The professional trauip enjoys lit*
prosperity of lite cuuutry lie Uno
lunger compelled to divide the territory
•ml ww««i« the amateur fewtws.