The Peoples Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 5, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, April 23, 1897 Page: 1 of 8
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The Peoples Voice
VOL. 5.
NORMAN. CLEVELAND COUNTY, OKLAHOMA. FRIDAY. APRIL 23, |8Q7.
WHAT A U. S. CONSUL FOUND.
S
K
We present below the summing up
of Consul Connolly in his report
made to the state department for
1896 on the political changes con-
summated in the government of
New Zealand during the past five or
six years. The report is an exhaust-
ive one, and after reading^it care-
fully from advance sheets we can-
not but admire a people that could
take a government that had long
been in the hands of the aristocratic
and monopolistic classes, and over-
throw their influence and adopt such
radical and sweeping changes in
so short a period, and all of such
changes in the interest of the home
builders 'and laboring classes, and
still be able to show a large increase
in the wealth of the country, in-
creased prosperity, and force from
the lips of those who bitterly oppos-
ed the change to words of commend-
ation for the new policy:—the gov-
ernment buying land and leasing
same, even loaning money to her
farmers, adopting an income tax
releasing improvements from taxa-
tion, and giving to women equal suf
frage with men. The history of the
movement in New Zealand is carry
ing out in a practical way many of
the demands of the Peoples' party
of our country. The opposition is
no more pronounced here among
the monopolistic forces than it was
there, but our system which develops
such intense partisanship has delay-
ed the work here. It was not until
the producers and laboring classes
had been ground almost to powder
by the burdens imposed by wealth,
that it ignited and burst forth in a
blaze of resistance that set them
free. The gold standard is doing
its work in this country, and ere
long the shackles that now bind the
people will be torn asunder, and the
people will take the step New Zea-
land has. It might be well to re
member that New Zealand is in the
same latitute as the United States,
only south of the equator, in a lati-
tude in fact where the highest type
of real manhood is developed. Keep
at it, boys. Our turn is coming
soon. The following is
the report.
"I have been a studious observer
of every phase of social life and
legislative change that has taken
place in this colony during the past
seven years. I arrived at the very
beginning of the experimental era—
and it is no misnomer to call much
of the legislation of the past few
years experimental in the truest
sense.
"But while it is so, there is a
most gratifying feature which com-
pensates for the violence done to
the feelings of those whose motto
has been, 'let matters remain as
they are—they suit usr now.' That
the legislative innovations of the im-
mediate past have shocked the sen-
sibilities of a large number of prom-
inent and well-to-do colonists is un-
questionably true, but, at the same
time, as against any inconvenience
they may have experienced on this
account, there is the fact of increas-
ed prosperity in nearly every branch
of trade and industrial life through-
out the -ountry, farm products are
fetching satisfactory prices, manu-
facturing industries are running full
time and paying good wages and
fair interest on the capital invested,
labor is remuneratively employed,
interest on money has fallen from 6
and 7 per sent to 4 and 5 per cent.
(This of itself is sufficient to prove
that money is abundant.) Millions
of English capital are flowing in for
the development of the gold fields
of the colony, and the credit of the
country at no period of its history
stood so high in the English market
as it does today.
"I may also mention that, through
the genuine encouragement given by
the government to the small farmer
class, the waste lands of the country
are being rapidly taken up wherever
land is found suitable for farming
or grazing purposes.
"Notwithstanding the admitted
prosperity of the colony and the
fact that the government has had a
substantial surplus over expendi-
tures now for a number of years, the
national debt continues to increase.
But the increased indebtedness is
not of the usual character, for the
reason that the country has security
for nearly all the money borrowed
in recent years. Money had to be
borrowed under government guaran-
tee to save the bank of New Zea-
land from closing its doors. This
was done to avert financial disaster,
and if the government had not come
to the rescue at the critical moment
it would have brought the colony to
its knees. The government holds
the principal assets of the bank as
security, and these are presumed to
be ample.
"Money has been borrowed to
purchase large estates for the pur
poses of settlement. Those who
take up land under this system, as
already stated, pay an annual rental
sufficient to cover the interest on
purchase money and cost of admin-
istration. The land is always vest-
ed in the government and this must
be regarded as a good asset. One
and one half million sterling was
borrowed last year in England at 3
per cent per annum. This #7,500,-
000 loan is called "the advances to
settlers loan." This money is lent
out to the farmers at 4 per cent per
annum. One per cent is considered
sufficient to cover the cost of ad
ministration. The government has
special valuers, who are men of ex-
perience in their respective districts,
and who report upon all properties
on which it is sought to obtain an
advance. These valuers submit
their reports to a board known as
the "advances to settlees loan
board," who either approve or re-
ject the application. This loan has
been a great boon to struggling
small farmers, who were paying as
high as 8 per cent on their mort-
gages.
"Immediately this money became
available, interest came tumbling
down to 4 per cent for good free-
hold security, so that, taking the in-
creased indebtedness for the pur-
poses mentioned, it can scarcely be
called a real increase in the national
debt, because of the class of secur-
ity available to meet the obligations
thus incurred.
•'Of course, it must be admitted
that there is an element of risk in all
kinds of borrowing, but, in this in-
stance, every precaution seems to
have been taken to prevent any loss
being made. I need scarcely add
that the large landholders, the mort-
gage companies and the money lend-
ers generally did not favor this kind
of legislation, particularly the cheap
advances to settlers, but their oppo-
sition was utterly futile. With the
advent of the 'one man one vote'
and the extension of the franchise
to women, the power of corporate
wealth in this country appears to
have been irrevocably destroyed.
Whether this be for good or evil I
am not, of course, in a position to
say. I can say, however, that no ill
effects of the change are apparent
up to the present; on the contrary,
the country is more prosperous and
at least as honestly and economical-
ly administered as it was under the
old regime.
"To say that this country is, in
my opinion, more truly democratic
than any other country in the
world, would be merely stating a
simple truth; and to say that the
present government is a working-
man's government is equally true.
A great deal of the legislation of re-
cent years, however, is in advance
of the requirements and ideas of the
people, with the result that some of
it has proved to be annoying and
iiksome to many. This is especial-
ly true of some of the labor laws.
The government is honestly endeav-
oring to place the masses in pos-
session of their legitimate rights
with as little friction as possible,
and a' the same time with due re-
gard to vested interests and the pro-
priety of things generally. But
while struggling thus with the duties
and responsibilities of their official
positions, the members of the minis-
try are torn asunder by the clamor-
ous and impracticable demands of
the unreasonable and irresponsible.
Their sympathies are unmistakably
with the people; but the honor, the
dignity, and the welfare of the coun-
try will not permit them to depart
from a course too inconsistent with
the sense of obligation, fair dealing,
integrity, and responsibility which
are the admitted characteristics and
duty of all civilized governments.
"The great danger at the present
moment is too much legislation in
one direction. This is the one thing
wherein the government finds it re-
ally hard to resist the demands of
organized labor. There is, howev-
er, a very gratifying disposition
manifesting itself among the more
reasonable members of the labor
societies to let well enough alone
for the present—a disposition it is
much to be hoped may extend
throughout the whole body of the
whole body of the workers. If not,
I have no hesitation in predicting a
serious revulsion of public sentiment
and sympathy within the next few
years. Labor has had a good inn-
ing; common sense should suggest
moderation, now that so much has
nlready been accomplished in the
short space of four or five years. I
do not mean that, by any chance,
that the people would revert to the
old order of things, but they would
call a halt to the trend of legislation
if no steps are taken in this direc-
tion in the near future.
"The leveling process, which be
gan here about seven years ago, has
now reached a point where pru-
dence, good taste, and a due regard
for the rights of others might fairly
suggest a respite, and that, too,
without loss of dignity, or interest
to any class. Indeed, for the well-
being of the nation as a whole, it
would seem to be desirable that for
security and the uninterrupted main-
tenance of public confidence in the
integrity and stability of govern-
ment—such as it now enjoys to the
fullest extent—wisdom should sug-
gest a modification of the ipacc.
People, as a rule, have no objection
to the process of evolution by easy
stages, but they have a pronounced
dislike to being hustled or hurried,
and that is why I believe discretion
to be necessary in the legislation of
the immediate future in New Zea-
land. J. 1). Connolly, Consul.
Auckland, N. Z.
hookayt
Oh, the inillt> arc all a-runnln',
Workin' nioriiin', 110011 an' night;
Foremen round the utreetn a-gunnln',
iiiiin' workmen right on Might.
Confidence ha*come a-ftylii';
Orders com in' in like fun,
Advance audit's quit a cry in*.
Work in stores is never done;
Makln' ropes tor county hangmen,
Makin' bars for city Jails,
Makin' poisons, drugs and acids,
Suicides are drinkin' pails;
Makin' cottins in tlie churches,
biggin' graves in vacant lots,
Htrln' cable cars for hearses,
Fill in' poorhouses with cots,
Arrestiu' men lor bein* naked,
Grocers sell in' dogs an' cat?,
Women breakin' into houses,
Butchers busy skinnin' ruts.
Whoop 'er up 1 Don't be despondent,-
Big pcrce&hun's goin' past—
Kver'iXKly shout for glory—
Confidence is here at lust :
—Iv of L. Journal.
REPUBLICANISM'S FUTURE.
sented of a country fast in the vise- j "We have heard so, and, what is
like grip of the money power. Ma- j more, it did not occasion in us the
jor McKinley, an amiable and, we least surprise. Whaj more natural
must say, an intelligent and well-in-' than that those who control the gold
ten ti on ed man, is bound hand and | °^ *',e vv,)r'li should also wish to
* . . .. , . . control the silver and head off the
feet by the advance trades and1 - n™ uu mi
promises made by his agent and
boomer, Mark Hanna. In rounded
periods and unctuous platitudes he
tells what he will do for the public
welfare; but grinning and sneering
behind him are the visages of Mark
Hanna, Phil. Armour, George M.
Pullman, John 1). Rockefellar, and
a score of other millionaires who
bought and paid for his election. In
the name of the national hon-
or they advised us to vote for
the Republi can candidate, and we
did so because we could not swallow
the anarchistic doctrines of the
Chicago platform. But now they
show the cloven foot, and stepping
boldly forward, claim, like Shylock,
their pound of flesh. Where are we
to look for an avenging Portia to
baffle their unholy schemes? From
the first, international bimetallism is
thrown to the winds. The promises
of the St. Louis platform are laugh-
ed to scorn.' A man from the west,
the representative of the western
money kings, is, against the wish of
the president, forced into his cabi-
net. Regardless of the views of the
president, this man from Chicago
proclaims war against the green-
back from the start, and declares
for a currency to be issued by the
national banks.
What are we to expect? Where
will they land us next? Can the
contraction of the currency go on
much further without bringing on us
a still greater quota of misery and
trouble? We believe not.
It is hard for us to prophecy evil,
but we must warn the Republican
leaders that they must do something
toward injecting a new spirit into
their policy. The people are not
looking forward to protection with
any great degree of hope. The ag-
riculturists of the country are more
and more against it. One part of
the country will not stand forever
the idea of being robbed that an-
other section may become prosper-
ous. It is easy to deprecate the di
vision of the masses and the classes,
but this cry will not down. Like
Banqtui's ghost, it is the disturbing
element at every political love feast
in the land. Today there is a spirit
of unrest all over the United States.
It began on the plains of the far
west, but now its cry for relief meets
with an echoing response from every
city and hamlet. We hope and
pray that Mr. McKinley will see
the situation as it really exists be-
fore it is too late, and that he will
shake aside these men who, if they
are given the chance, will pull down
the Republican party ir.to one great
ruin.—Boston Traveler (Rep.)
It would seem that the lessons of
the last four years might have had
some effect on the ideas and spirit
of Republican leadership. The
dennis flynx's national anthem,
My ofllce, 'tis of thee—
soft place reserved for me,
Of tliec I sing t
JMiice that I long to get,
Worked (or in cold and wet —
l'lucc that 1 want, you bet!
Of thee 1 sing :
I love thy downy bed-
Soft chair and tape so red,
Tou bet I do!
1 love thy full control.
I love thy big pay roll.
I'm for you heart and soul—
I'm after you!
The Rothschilds own or control
about three-fourths of the silver
wave of popular feeling which swept ; mines of the world and are hasten-
in on its crest to the White House a ing to purchase the remainder and
Grover Cleveland was supposed to before long the men who are travel-
have brought profitable and salutarv ing around making silver speeches
wisdom to the Republican party. ! will be chagrinned to find that they
But judging from recent events, , have been serving Rothschild with-
the same arbitrary spirit, the old j out receiving compensation and the
radical notions and worn out theo- J reform newspaper that advocates
ries are still being brought to the | the restoration of silver and that
front. And besides this, the Re- alone as the cure for hard times
publican party today, and we say it will awake some fine morning to a
with pain and sorrow, is the rendez similar realization. The Twentieth
vous for legalized robbers and j Century, answering a correspondent
thieves and looters who are using its j who inquired if it was aware that
heroic history and magnificent tra- i the Rothschilds were purchas-
ditions as a means to advance their ing the silver mines of the United
simpletons who have been striving
so hard to revive prosperity by a re
turn to the double standard? Had
the people won in the last election,
there is no doubt they would have
given the bankers a hard run in
their control of the currency, but,
in the three years until the question
will again be before the people,
such banking houses as Rothschilds,
Bleichroder Co., will have bought
up all the silver mines in both this
country and Europe, and then inter-
national agreement, or any other
agreement, to increase the volume
of money, will be a question, not for
the people, but for the firm of Roth-
schild and company, to decide. It
is evident that the time will come
when the people shall refuse to use
any kind of metallic money, the
credit of the government being suf-
ficient guarantee for the payment of
debts. Paper nuney is the most
convenient as a medium of ex-
change, and we predict that the
next election will not turn on the
go'.d and silver question, but on the
issuance of paper money by the
government. There is only one
way of beating the alert gentlemen
who are prospecting in gold and
silver mines—by repudiating both
metals and returning to the medium
that so safely brought us over the
most trying times in the history of
the country."
Now that war has actually broken
out between Turkey and Greece, it
is interesting to know the "size" of
the combatants, so it is here given:
lurkish army — Peace fooling:
infantry 226,4000. cavalry 24,600,
artillery 38,400, civil guards 40,000,
engineers 7,500, ordinance and sub-
cistence 12,700. Total peace army,
349,600. War footing : standing ar-
my 349,600; rediffs 460,800, musta-
fiz 230,400, Hamidian cavalry 65,-
000; war total, 1,105,800. The
Turkish navy consists of 15 armor-
ed battleships, and 97 other mod-
ern vessels, carrying 583 Krupp
guns.
Greek army—peace footing: in.
rantry 16,039, cavalry 1,146, artil-
lery 2,187, engineers, 1.213. Total
peace army, 24,877. War footing:
Above, 24,877; reserve 104,500, ter-
ritorial 146,000. War total, 275,377.
The Greek navy has 3 armored bat-
tle ships, unarmored 6, gunboats 2,
corvettes 2.
An Editor's Prayer.
An exchange over in Arkansaw says
an editor went to church the other
day, aiul was called on to lead in
prayer, when he said:
"Almighty, and kind Father, who
doth from thy throne look down on
the government of men and delinquent
subscribers, most humbly we beseech
thee to draw near unto them and
whisper a few things into their ears
that the statutes forbid us to print.
Thou knowest our wants but the sub-
scriber knoweth them not. and sel-
dom steps in to inquire. Let it be
known unto them that there are large
patches on the homestead of our
pants, and there is an aching void in
the front part of our backs, and that
we hunger and thirst and he asketh
us not to sup with him. Thou know-
est, Lord, that our print paper and
ink cost money, but the subscriber
knoweth it not, and careth a darn
sight less. Thou knoweth that we
are cold and the subscribers bringeth
not the wood he promised, and we are
shivering and shaking while he roast-
eth his shins before the red hot stove
of his mother-in-law. Tell him all of
these things Lord, and if he then fail-
eth and bringeth no succor, banish
him to the lower regions to dwell
among the populist calamity howlers,
and thine shall be the glory and praise
throughout our newspaper career.
Amen.
Report of Dist., 41>.
The following is the report of the
Canada school for the past six weeks
ending April, 9th 1897. Enrollment
64. Average attendance 54. No. of
visitors 12.
Those neither absent nor tardy
I were: Bertie and Nellie Burkett,
Minnie Davis, Ross and May Cart-
NO 39
tion were: Grammar grade. George
Alkire. First intermediate. Bertie,
Frankie and Winnie Burkett, Lizzie
and Josephine Tarp, Clara Stufllebean,
Lizzie Montgomery, Dianna Davis,
Hose and May Cartwright, Kinsley
Hitchcock and Clyde Cartwright.
Second intermediate. Buel Maple,
Flossie Wyatt, Nellie Burkett, Anna
Canada, Inez Alkire, Grade Buglier,
Joseph Taylor. Snead Hobberson and
Guy Hitchcock. Primary grade,
llattie Canada, Cornea Hitchcock,
Mattie Montgomery, John Tarp, F.nos
Cartwright. Lige Wyatt, Henry St lit-
tle be a 11 and Jasper Muck.
We will close our school May, 4th.
There will be closing exercises at the
school house by the pupils, beginning
at 10 o'clock A. M., and lasting till
half past eleven. Then we will go to
the grove for a picnic dinner. After
dinner, l'rof. Boyd, of tile University,
will lecture to the pupils and parents.
Supt. Cralle will be with us also. All
are cordially invited to come and
have a good time. The school house
is two miles south and one mile east
of Noble.
Maggie) Ar.ford, Prin.
Mekme a l ford, Asst.
A VALUABLE PHESCRIHTION.
Editor Morrison of Worthington,
Ind., "Sun." writes: "You have a val-
uable prescription in F.leelrie Bitters,
and I can cheerfully recommend it for
constipiition and sick headache, and us
a general system tonic- it ha* no equal."
Mrs. Annie Stehle, "t>"5 Collage Grove
Ave., Chicago, was all run down,could
not ent or digest food, had a backache
which never left her and ti lt tired and
weary, but six bottles of Electric Bit-
ters restored her health and renewed
her strength. Prices 5(1 cenls and
$1.00. Get a bottle at Blake & "Reed's
drug store.
Davis Hro's. have put in a fine hath
room ir. connection with their barber
shop and are prepared to give baths at
any and all hours. 2!llf.
Stoves! Stoves! Stoves!
Heating stoves, cooking stoves and
all kinds of stoves at Jas. 1J. Maguire's,
West Main Street, as cheap an any
place in the city. 8lf
Money to Loan.
We have money to loan for 1, 2 and
8 years time, 011 good farms at the
lowest, rate of interest ever loaned be-
fore in this city.
88tf. Tate & Kinqkade.
For Sale.
I have 100 bushels of German
Millet seed for 8'lie. Parties wishing
to secure some of this seed to sow
should see me.
82tf L. P. Barker.
Closing out lor Cash.
Cspt. Rice, the West Side furniture
Dealer, informs us that lie intends to,
if he can get purchasers, for cash,
close out his entire line of furniture,
carpets, etc. lie does not intend to go
out of the business, but as soon as his
present stock is taken for cash he «ill
put in more goods. To cash buyers
looking for good furniture or carpets,
Capt. Kice will give them the lowest
prices ever quoted in this town and
parties desiring to make purchases
would do well to see his goods and
learn his prices.
Don't Tobacco 8pit and Sinoke Your Life Away.
If you want to quit tobacco using easily
and forever, be made well, strong, magnetic,
full of new life and vigor, take No-To-Bac,
the wonder-worker, that, makes weak men
strong. Many gain ten pounds in ten days.
Over 400,000cured, liuy No-To-Bac of your
druggist, under guarantee to cure, 50e or
#1.00. Booklet and sample mailed free. Ad.
Sterling Remedy Co., Chicago or New York.
wright, Albert, Clara and Henry
StufUebean, Dora, John and Katie
Tarp, Lige Wyatt and Jasper Buck.
Inez Alkire and Lige Wyatt have not
. . . , been absent during the whole term of
iniquitous and unholy schemes. j States, having recently bought over j seven months
Stripping the mask from the situ-j 100 silver mine claims in a single j Those who made an average of 90
ation, the horrid spectacle is pre- district in New Mexico, replies— per cent or more in the last examina-
THE FIT OF A IVAIST
is as Important
To a waman as the fashion of it.
You can insure a perfect fit by
wearing a pair of our Corsets
fashioned upon living models.
The C. B. French Corset sold ev-
erywhere for Si.25 we sell for 90
cents. Corsets of all kinds,
styles and numbers, from 12 cts
up. Ladies white kid gloves 80
cents. Ladies handkerchiefs, in
profusion. We have just receiv-
ed a lot—some rare bargains. La-
dies hose from 51! to 50c. Our 50
cent hose is well worth 75c. Call
at the New York Racket.
E. M. Maphis, Mgr.
WANTED—SKVKItAl. FAIl'llFH. MEN OK
Women t« tiavel fin responsible estab-
lished house in < ikluhonm. Sal ury f7H0 payable
f 15 weekly iintl expenses. IVnltion periiianeti).
Heteience. Enclose s«*ff it<Mr«-sse<) stamped en-
velope. The National, Star Bhig, Chicago,
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Allan, John S. The Peoples Voice (Norman, Okla.), Vol. 5, No. 39, Ed. 1 Friday, April 23, 1897, newspaper, April 23, 1897; Norman, Oklahoma Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc116939/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.