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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 1903)
SUCCESSFUL HENHOUSE. I Will Uncle Sam Some Day Own All the West Indies ? At Present Dissatisfaction and Unrest Are Noticeable In Many of These Islands. (8S5SpHERE liavo been wilder dreams, Porto Rico already belongs to ua, and annexa tion Bcntiment is growing among the Cubans. Then, many of tho West Indiana feel kindly towards us because of gen erous aid givon them In tlmo of ca lamity devolutions by volcanic erup tions and by hurricanes. Wo probably could got tho Danish West Indies If wo wanted them very badly. And last, but not least, discontent with present conditions is rifo in tho British West Indies. Geographically nnd commercially, thero would bo somo reason for these outlying portions of land to come un der tho strong government that ob tains on tho mainland; but would wo caro very much for tho added responsi bility, would tho islanders themselves adopt with much enthusiasm tho flag that bears tho stars and stripes? Lot ub Inquire into It a little. But first, perhaps, wo better take a survey of tho groups of Islands dom- THE MARKET PLACE, ST. lriated tho West Indies, which islands geographers describe as "partly inclos ing tho Gulf of Mexico and the Carib bean sea." The names Leeward and Windward aro applied rather loosely to groups of Islands in tho West Indies, but tho British, uso tho terms to suit them selves, subdividing their possessions thus the Bahamas, Barbadoes, Ja maica with Turks Islands, Leeward Islands, Trinidad with Tobogo, Wind ward Islands. Geographically, the Islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, which belong to Franco, aro included In tho Leeward and Windward islands; officially, for the sako of government, Great Britain has somewhat changed tho old moaning of tho terms, tho meaning as still interpreted by sail ors. Tho Bahamas, northernmost of tho British West Indies, consisting ot 20 Inhabited and many uninhabited Islands, haa an area of 5,140 squaro miles and a population of about 55,100. Tho trado i mostly with tho United Stateu. Tho Bahamas aro noted for their beauty and havo become famous as a health resort. Mr. A. K. FIsku, a v student of political, social and com mercial conditions In tho West In- dies, reports In theso lines thero is lit tlo evidence of growth or advancement In tho Bahamas. Barbadoes, though Isolatgd (95 miles from her nearest neighbor) , has a population of 200,000. 'It has rich natural resources, but In tho present stato Is overcrowded, tho peoplo discontented. It lies openly exposed to tho florco hurricanes of tho Caribbean region. Jamaica, tho largest of tho British West Indlc3 and third in size of tho Greater Antilles, has a population of -about 800,000. The scenery Is diversi fied and beautiful with high mountains arid tropical vegetation. Sugar and coffeo havo for many years been tho main crops, but now increasing atten tion is being paid to the cultivation of tobacco, cacao and fruits. Part of tho year tho cllmato Is delightful, but at times violent thunder storms and dreadful hurricanes work havoc. Tho island on the wholo Is healthful, In tho past, sorlous negro insurrections disturbed tho peace, but at present the negroes, who form the bull; of tho population, aro law-abiding. Most of the white residents nro English. About one-half of tho imports come from Great "Britain and onc-nalf from tho United States. For a long time thero lias beon somo discontent In Jamaica. TAr. Flske suggests the following as prJmo causes depressed condition of trade, a lack or vrelite colonization, mistaken treatment of tho freed ne groes, and a lack of enterprise in vary ingthe industries of tho island since the decreaso of profit in tho sugar and coffeo trado. The British islands. Imown officially as tho Leeward Islands (Antigua, Barbudu and Redonda, Vir gin Islands, Dominica, St. Kltts, Ncvls, Angullla and Monlsciret), havo an area of 701 square miles and a popu lation of 128,000. Thoso known official ly as the Windward islands (Granada, Cll 1IM I St. Vincent, tho Grenadines, and St Lucia) havo a limited population, nnd tho volcanic eruption of 1902 decreased by 1,000 the small numbers residing ot St. Vincent. Trinidad, a "detached fragment ol tho South American land system," hat an area of about half that of Porto Rico. With Its forest-covered moun tains and wido grassy plains the land is South American in character, American capital is employed la ex plotting "Trinidad asphalt," and is needed to develop various of tho neg lected resources of tho Island. Thero Is considerable trado between Trinidad and Venezuela. About one-eighth ol the land is under cultivation, The sugar industry has, as in tho other iHlands, fallen off of late years, and other industries are beginning to re cclvo attention. It la a crown colony, with littlo recognition given repre sentation of tho people. The British West Indies aro report ed very much dissatisfied with British rule, but as not ready to mako over- THOMAS. JAMAICA. tures to tho United States. Causes for discontent aro freely given the mother country has not been careful In se lecting good officials for tho WeBt In dian dependencies; when a hurricane recently worked devastation in Ja maica she gavo little either of aid or sympathy to tho sufferers; in tho riots of last March in Trinidad no Justice was shown tho people, and at that time, though an epidemic was raging In tho town of Port of Spain (Trini dad), tho government for "tho sake of economy" shut off from the people tho supply of pure water. When ono is told that tho governor of Trinidad, ruler over less than 300,000 people, re ceives a salary half as largo as that of tho president of the United States, ono cannot wonder at complaints over gov ernmental blunders, and that a change In administration Is desired. Owing to Canada's recent prosperity and to tho shutting out of German sugar by tho Dominion government, at least tho sugar growers In tho British Went Indies have been decidedly friendly towards the question of annex ation to Canada. , Guadeloupe enmo Into possession ol the French in 1G34, and Martinique tho following year. Tho former haa an area of C88 squaro miles and a pop ulation of 182,000; tho population ol tho latter in 1901 was 203,000 but in May, 1902, almost tho -rholo Island waB overwhelmed by a volcanic erup tion, and to-day littlo remains to sug gest It was onco "tho most Interest ing Island of tho most attractive archi pelago In tho world." Tho Danish West Indies aro a barren lot, scattered over a watery spaco 100 by 20 miles In extent, but with an inhabited area of but 575 squaro miles and a population of only 5,000. The extent and conditions In general of Cuba and Porto Rico havo filled the papers ever since the Spanish war; so we need make no roferenco to them, but can turn attention to tho repub lics of Haiti and San Domingo. Over a million people dwell In Haiti, nine tenths of whom are negroes and the rest mulattoes. There are mountains In Haiti with an altitude ot almost 10,000 feet, and It Is thought great mineral wealth Is con cealed In these mountains. Tho political disturbances of the last two centuries have admitted of little progress and development of tho country. Tho old plantations are In decay, industrial en terprise Is lacking, and political cor ruption Is doing lt3 work. Thero is somo trado with Europe and tho Unit ed States. Tho population of San Do mingo (tho eastern portion of the Island of Haiti) Is about 010,000. The peoplo are a mixed race, and whites aro comparatively numerous. Consid erable American capital is Invested In San Domingo, daniel cleverton. Xext TIiIiikt lo II. He Don't worry If I haven't much, dear. Money doesn't buy happiness. She But . It buys clothee. Town Topics. . ' Hotr o flectire All the Hcternn Thai Could lie Ilcnnonnlily Expected from (Jo oil Uciim. Tho following considerations for the comfort of fowls and tho convenience of their caretaker should always bo ob served In the construction of a good henhouse. In their natural stato fowle do not breed In large flocks, and they never lay well In large flocks. No mat ter how many hens one may keep, not over 20 should be kept In ono room, and tho henhouso should be divided Into as many compartments as Is necessary to accommodate the flocks on this basis. Moreover, tho hens In theso compart ments should never be crowded. Six square feet of floor space Bhould be al lowed for each hen Intended to bo kept in the compartment. In caring for hens they should be disturbed aB littlo aa possible, If a largo egg yield Is desired. It Is, therefore, very Important to build A USEFUL HENHOUSE. the houso so that this can bo accom plished. Tho houso should bo built lengthwise east and west and facing the south. Along the north side a separate passage for tho attendant should be built and all the arrangements made for caring for the fowls from this pas sage. Tho nest boxes should project part ly Into tho passage with a lid on top on that side. Above tho nests inside tho compartment should bo a platform with roosts above, separated from tho passage by a swinging door hinged at the top. Beiow the nest3 thero should be slatwork large enough for tho hens to get their heads through easily. Just outsldo this the troughs for soft food and water nro placed, so that the hens are not disturbed by changing this, nor by collecting the eggs or the droppings. The floor of tho henhouse should be of wood covered by six or eight Inches of straw Utter, Into which the grain food should bo scattered. On the south side of the henhouse there should be large, square windows, with the dust boxes directly under them, where the sunlight can fall directly Into the boxes. These boxes should contain dry earth or ashes or both with about a quarter of a pound of dry sulphur mixed In. Every com partment should contain a small box full of Bhell making material such as plaster, grit, oyster shells or pounded broken crockery. Such an environment supplemented by proper food and care should produce all the returns that could be reasonably expected or desired from good hens. Prairie Farmer. SALTPETER FOR STUMPS. MnKKrtcliiiRcttn Experiment Stnllon Declurca ltn Due to He Coatly nnd Not Effective. A correspondent in one of our agri cultural papers reports that ho had found It possible to destroy stumps in tho following manner: A hole one or two inches In diameter, according to the size of the tree, and 18 Inches deep is to be bored in tho stump. Into this put from ono and one half to two ounces of saltpeter, fill with water and plug tightly. Six months later put into the same hole about one gill of kerosene oil and set fire to it. The stump will smoulder away without blazing, even down to every part of the roots, leaving nothing but ashes. On November 4, 1895, 50 stumps of trees cut in 1894, Including maple, hick ory, hemlock, white pine, yellow birch and elm, were bored, according to di rections. On December 11 saltpeter and water were put In tho holes, ac cording to directions, and the holes plugged. During July, 189C, tho plugs were removed, the holes were filled with kcroscno and an attempt made to burn tho stumps. It was found that not even tho oil would burn. Portions of the stumps were left until Juno, 1897, when another attempt was made to burn them, using a low test oil, called parafllnc gas oil. The stumps aro stjll in the field. The method has been given a thorough trial, but must be re garded as a complete failure. Report of Massachusetts Experiment Station. In l'rnlMC ol Alfalfa. a In an address delivered by R. S. Smith, ; of Sherman, Tex., at Texas Farmers' congress, he said: "Of all the grasses, that is paramount above all others. All kinds of religion have their times of re I vival the time is now on with ,the farmer. We havo an agricultural re vival now on and the universal text is alfalfa. Tho more wo hear of it, the more wo want, to talk about it, Tho . horses and cattle love It; the picturesque goat leaps tho Jcnce for It; tho pig squeals for it. fi makes the hens cackle and lay eggs. It Is oven said that tho Indians smoke It and the Mormons mako , tea of It. I don't believe .that; but I do I know 'that It is a calamity kljlor and a . mortgage lifter," 1 ' At Home With the Bulgar ians of Macedonia Hov They Live In Fear of the Sultan arjd rils Perse cuting Officials. OOR Bulgarians of Turkey, naturally demoralized by tho oppressor's yoke, but still possessing the patience and stubbornness that give hope for their future. Their Ignorance Is equal to their plcturesque ness, and their superstitions to their ig norance. Tho evil eye and the photo graphic machine they hold In almost equal horror, and If I sometimes suc ceed in persuading a biblical-looking group of men, women and children not to turn their backs when the awesome Instrument Is leveled at them, It is only, I am ashamed to say, by fervent assur ances on the part of my canvass (a guard or sort of orderly) that I have the spe cial permission of the powers to prac tice my evil arts; and that to "come out" In a photograph Is not a "shame." The women In their scanty whlto sergo garments, embroidered widely MARKET ILACE IN A on skirt, and flowing sleeves, work In the fields from early morning till twi light, or trudge from distant villages to market behind their lords and mas ters astrido the small be-panniered donkeys. Chivalry, it is needless to say, is not observed out here. We in the west venture to doubt that woman was made for man; but here, beasts of burden and women arc In tho same unfortunate condition of inferiority and neglect. At first one overlooks these and sim ilar details, and in the huge slums which constitute an eastern town, ono sees but the picturesque; it is only later that one is sometimes tempted to forget it In tho pity and contempt of the European for tho misery and de cay that lie beneath. The old turbaned Turk sleeping peacefully in his shady shop or sitting cross-legged In the gor geous sunlight, placidly smoking his cigarette, though he does sometimes remove it to spit devoutly as the ghlvor passes, is a pleasant object to look upon. So, too, Is his co-rellglonlsts, the Mussulman Albanian, with hja gun over his shoulder, his whlto fez and broad red cummerband studded with cartridges, and his ellm, light figure. He Is a terror to all population, Christian and Turkish alike, when ho is roused, or when "reforms" aro sub mitted for his consideration, though it is whispered that he is really rather like a haughty, bullying schoolboy with something smaller than himsolf, and tho is quite ready to fly before any thing "regular" in tho way of Euro pean forces. From his native moun tain haunts come grim stories of long blood feuds, carried on from father to son, of Christian villages pillaged, and cattle carried off. But with It. all thoro Is ever about him the inde3crlbablo attraction of the free man man who has hardly felt tho oppressor's yoke. He has one redeeming point, too, even In his most lawless state, for though he shuts up his woman-kind with the deep est religious fervor, feminine presence will usually prevent attacks on parties of travelers who havo ventured tbo far into tho wild regions of tho moun tainous Albania. In the towns a great Eoy'sj establish-, ment Is usually supported by Alban ians, who, In return for tho meal or bread which form their simple suste nance, stand about in the yard (a garden is not often seen out hero) ready at any moment to render ser- vice. They "eat his bread" and live In their Bey's "shadow," and the accom panying obligations aro varying. Tho harem has to be watched carefully at all times, and when the jrreajt man goes 'out his white-capped "attendants are in" waiting to support him to his (carriage. That.is literal. A great" Bey j la or should be stout the greater the cf3 JL, rr"' personago tho larger the person, aftd, as I say, his floppy, pulling per son Is always reverently supported un der tho arm-pits to the rusty vehiclo without. His followers are also called upon to Inflict corporal punishment on any foes either in or out of the estab lishment, and when the Bey's temper is a short one, or he has happened to tako an extra strong do3c of rakl (a strong spirit) the. night before, that last duty is In considerable request. Tho correcting rod Is the simple and effective method of reform for Turk or European alike In Macedonia. One's cook spoils one's dinner once, twice, three times, according to the length or otherwise of tho Bey's patience, or as tho perquisites have too long ex ceeded even those allowed by tho easy going European master. Then tha cayasB Is called, mysterious words aro muttered, followed My tho accompany- MACEDONIAN TOWN. Ing deferential shake of the head which out here denotes assent, and the cavass disappears below. Immedi ately afterwards1 loud thuds are heard from that region, few or many as the digestion of the master has suffered little or long, or as the accounts have for a longer or shorter time been for given. The next day the cook, proba bly a capable, but unreliable Greek or Bulgarian, sends up an excellent din ner, and for somo weeks his menu 13 altogether irreproachable and his ac counts only permissibly fanciful. In any case, however, it Is unadvisable to spare the rod for an unlimited per iod. A great Bey's cook Is already so great In his own opinion and that of his friends that the correcting rod Is absolutely necessary to make him re member the superiority of his master. In the east kindness and expostulation are looked ypon with contempt as evi dences of fear. No "high person" wastes time in remonstrating, and 1 hough we in the west might be tempt ed to call them bullying, h?s methods of reform are the only respected and effectual ones. Perhaps among the varied races ot the Macedonian east the Roman Cath olic Albanian is on tho whole the best. Ho usually, thanks to the elementary church schools scattered about, can read and write,, and he possesses also a certain self-respect which ono hardly ever sees In the other Christian races, either Greek or Slav. He marries, or rather Is married, at an early age. Ev ery Albanian or Bulgarian mother thinks it her duty to get her daughter off as soon as possible after she is "hidden." That means that after -12 or 13 she Is considered marriageable, and owing to Turkish Influence and ex ample It Is then considered Immodest for a girl to be seen with uncovered face. Even then she 'is not allowed to go out except to church, -when sho must be nccomnanlod bv hor mnfnnr 'As for tho Bulgarian girl, she never goes to church, except onco a year at the Easter festivities. It is complete ly, -incorrect! It is a little difficult ea passant for the uninitiated European to know when a thing is correct, ex cept that in general what is proper and conventional in Europe is the revere In the shadow of tho sultan. BENJAMIN FRANCIS. " Nothin' Do In. "No," snapped the angular-faced, female, "I don't want no insurance. Your old companv is no good." "Why do you s;t- that, madam?" asked the meek and lowly solicitor. " 'Cause It ain't," replied tho a. f. 'My husband's beon.payln' preml-' unis on a policy for goin' on seven, years, and he ain't dead yet." Chicago Daily News.