Our American Letter.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 8

Our American Letter.

San FitANCisco, July 3rd. THE POLITICAL OUTLOOK,

I think it probable that Hancock will win thia fight. The South, which is now "solid," is expected to go for him. This would give 138 votes in tho Electoral College, leaving 47 votes to be got elsewhere to win. New York, New Jersey , Connecticut, Calif ornia, and Pennsylvania are doubtful States, and it ia easy to see, therefore, that tho chancos are strong in his favour. New York has 37 votes in the Electoral College ; Pennsylvania casts 29 votes ; New Jersey 9 ; Connecticut and California, 6 each. The Democrats claim each of those States, as well as Indiana, to which English, who is the nominee for Vice-president with Hancook, belongs. Now Indiana has 15 votes in the Electoral College. The contest will therefore be very keen and very olose. The prize at stake is the distribution of four hundred million dollars annually, and the shaping of national policy for at least four years. But there is something more than thiu. Tho census, now in course of compilation, will change the balance of power from the East and South to the "We&i; ; but if the Democrats can elect their President and Central Congress, they could and would devise oomo machinery for distributing the eeata in Congress, and the yoteß in tbe Electoral College which would inure to their advantage. Under the present law the distribution would be made ou the basis of population, which would never do at all. The Republicans are equally confident, and being in possession, will apare neither money nor contrivance to carry their point;. Meanwhile, business will ba aeriously interrupted. A Presidential yoar is idw&ya a bad year for business.

The papers have opened fire on each other in the campaign, and there will be hot work soon. One of the Texas delegates at the Republican Convention made himself famous by his unabashed frankness of expression. When the Civil Service Reform plank was up for conoid eration this expectant officeholder got up and denounced it. " What are we here for but to secure 7 the offices?" and roars of approving laughter answered hia question. The Greenback Labour Party met at Chicago two days after the Republican Convention rose, and nominated General Weaver, of Pennsylvania, member of Congress, for President. Denis Kearney was a delegate from the California working men, the Supreme Court having decided, on a full review and hearing of evidence, that he had been sentenced to six months' imprisonment and lOOOdol fine under an assumed ordinance that had never been passed. His enlargement excited a great many, who wanted to imprison him " law or no law." The Greenback Convention had a chaplain (the Rev. Mr Jugalls, of Dcs Illoines), who was quite as original and candid aa Flanagan, the Texan ranger, jadg« ing from the following authentic report of his opening prayer in the Inter-Ooean. He said :— " Thou knoweot that the exalted aristocratic preachers of this conntry declined to pray for us ; Thou knowest that they agreed that on the last Sabbath of May they would pray for the two great Conventions at Chicago and at Cincinnati, leaving out the Greenbackers. We come to Thee, O Lud, on our own hook, rejoicing iv the love of the Lord Jesus Christ above all the prients and the Levites, and tbe Pharisees of the world. [A voice, 'Amen.'— (Loud applause.) We rejoice that we may come to Thee under the glorious truth that the rich and the poor meet together before the Lord as the Maker of them all. Oh, do Thou bless the Greenback Convention. Do Thou give us to see that God aud humanity are joined in a glorious partnership to break the shackles of oppression and rescue American liberty— [' Amen,' and general shouting]— from the bonds of the ungodly.— (Loud smiles.) Oh, do Thou bless this people for whioh Thou didst raise up Washington and Linooln.— (Applause.) Bless us, North and South ['Amens I ], East and West. Make us to be of one mind, and prosper Thou our holy work. Amen.— (Applause, continuing for some time.)" The Hen Convention was in seßsion in Chicago during the Republican and Greenback gatherings, but whereas the former would not listen to a plea from woman on behalf of her right to vote, the Greenbaokers listened to a speech, although Denis Kearney protested against such folly. "If I vote for giving women a vote," exclaimed Denis, "my wife Baid she would greet me with a flat-iron on my return," — "I know now," shrieked Miss Anthony, "who wears the breeches in the Kearney household." The laugh was against D. X., but whether it was this unhappy allusion to the breeches, or the inherent " oaasedness " of the sox, the Woman's Suffrage Convention broke up in a row. Miss Crocker called Sister Anthony a "person," which raised a squall. She then said many wicked and unclean things, which exasperated the Suffragists, who put her bodily out of the hall, kicking and sere lining, and report hath it that the Woman's Convention broke up in a free fight. Captain Howgate, an Eastern shipownor, has ntted out an expedition for the North Pole, which is to take the old North-wesb route. He proposes to establish colonies and work towards tho pole from these. The expedition is well found and equipped, and is expected to add to tho general stook of scientific lore. It is not under Government control. The ship is said to be unseaworthy. A party of Pennsylvania engineers recently left New York for Russia, at the invitation of the Czar, for the purpose of inspecting the coal and iron fields of Southern Russia, The project embraces a railroad from a port on tho Sea of Azov to the mines, and their development. This railroad would open a fine wheat country. It is also contemplated to build elevator warehouses to handle grain at the port, and Bessemer Bteel works to supply railroad iron for the new Russian railroads. ■£he Czar is partial to Pennsylvania engineers. The oapit&l will be about £1,200,000, which will be subscribed in Pennsylvania and Pittaburg on a favourable report by the engineers. Thus America is reaching out her hand to control tho industry and commerce of the fallow regions of South-eastern Europe. The Fourth of July will be celebrated with gjeat dinplay this year. For a fortnight past the boys have made noise enough to lasc for a twelvemonth at least. The quantity of powder aud fireworks consumed upon each an occasion ia fiomethiag wonderful. Every available anglo and projection on a building is covered with flags, and the streets are crossed with bunting. An arch spans Market street at Kearney's, on which cannon are mounted to fire a salute. It may interest some of my readers to know that tho Texas jury which tried Currie, the detective, who shot down B. O. Porter, an actor, in cold blood a year ago at a hotel, has been acquitted, No one is ever hanged by due process of law in Texas. The American Press condemns the jury in strong terms.' Tho Apache Indians, after scalping and murdering scores of settlers in Arizona and New Mexico, and whipping the troops, orossed the line, and are now safe in Mexican territory. They threw back the disturbed districts several years, but the railroads in course of construction will dispose of them ultimately. News from Mexico is to the effect that they have been successful in their raid, killing many people and taking fresh horses. The Marquez revolution in Mexico proved a ridiculous failure. The Government troopa followed Marquez, who retreated to American territory and disbanded Mb followers. Judging from results, he ia engaged in the business of horse-atealing. If caught by tho vaqueros of Sonora he will |be suspended from a lasso. The United States census is in course of compilation. I think it will shotf our population at aboub fifty millions. At the ( present rate of incresae we should numbor one hundred millions in 30 years from novy. California has retrograded, 1 fear. Cau«e : Land monopoly, urijual; tax discrimination, and Chinese labour competition. Nebraska

may be taken as the type of a State settled hVbonafide farmera, without any admixture of coolie Blave labour. Ten years ago Nebraska had a population of 178,000; it now has* population of 500,000. The city of Omaha only increased 16,000 in the decade, showing that the growth of population generally was in the country, and not in the towns. This is the way the " Far West,"or rather central States, are filling up. Owing to the causes named above, California will show an iaoreaae ia the large towns and a decrease in the country. New York city has 1,500,000 inhabitants. General John A. Sutter, formerly Governor of Northern California, under the Mexioane, is dead. It was upon his estate at the fork of the American River that Marshall, who was digging a mill«raoe for him, discovered gold in California. The rush set in, and Sutter's patrimony was torn from him. The colony of New Helvetia, which he had founded, was broken up. Saoramento is built upon his eßtate, which comprised 21 leagues Bquare ; title perfect. But the United States refused him compensation, and he died in a rain endeavour to secure some pittance. One of his eons is a notary public in this city, and another son and daughter reside in Mexico. , Geaeral Sutter was a Swiss, and served with distinction as an officer in tbe French army during the Peninsular wars. He had au ambition to found a oolony on a patriarchal plan, and sailed to Amerioa. There he encountered trappers, who filled his mind with the wonderful country beyond the Rooky Mountains and Sierra's, and he made his way as far west as Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, then belonging to the sister repub lie. Here he joined a party of trappers, and journeyed to the Columbia River, in Oregon, whence,in despair of reaching Yerba Bueno(San Francisco now), he took ship for Honolulu, trusting to luck to bring him to California, At last ho sailed from Hawaii in a schooner for Alaska to get furs, and by stress of weather the captain put into San Francisco Bay ; bub the Mexican commandant gave him 24 hours to take in water and leave. The vessel dropped down the ooast to Monterey, about 100 miles distant, then the capital of Alt a- California, and there the Governor received Sutter kindly, and gave him permis* sion to explore the country. He journeyed north to the abandoned trappers' oarup so often desoribed to him in his overland journey, where he fixed his home, in a scene of rural beauty rarely equalled. Here it was the gold-seekers found him a prinoely, hospitable gentleman; and from this point he wandered after American justioe north, and died in obscurity in Pennsylvaina. The Society of Californian Pioneers buried him with honours. Thus another remarkable manjhas passed away, leaving no mark behind him, although his career began with so much promise in California, He was, doubt* less, the victim of oircumstanoes which he could not in any way control. We have had very severe stormß in various parts of the country since my last. One at Council Bluffs, lowa, June 11th, wai half a mile wide, and demolished everything in its track. It did not last 15 minutes, and was without rain. Twenty people were killed, and several missing. Six or eight persons were carried away bodily, and have not been found. The fields are littered with the wreck of houses, farms, barns, and fences. ' Harvest has set in. The yield of wheat is an average, but the vastly greater area sown will run up the total available for export to ! more than one hundred million bushels. Where is the market ? The new wheat and barley in California is so far of .inferior quality, and will not fetch high prioes. It is probable that a great deal of ib may be fed to stock, the grain-buyers objeoting to the unclean, inferior, and ungraded parcels which come to market. Owing to this negligence on the part of grangers, to contiauous cropping of wheat, and to want of care in the selection of seed, California shipments sell lower in the English market as a rule than either New Zealand, Australian, or Chilian wheats. This fact should not bo lost on your farmers. The Flouring Millers' Convention at Chicago did not pay expanses, I should add that California exported ten million centals wheat, valued at £6,000,000, in the year ended Jane 30th. just past;. The army-worm, in countless myriad?, has been ravaging New Jersey. This grub eats up every green thing except red olover. It nips off the maize about an inch above the ground. In a few days a large field of maize will disappear as completely as if it had never existed. One farmer lost 900 acres of maize, and 100 acres of his wheat w<s stripped as clean as if done with a knife. The army-worm is partial to timothy and maize, but climbs trees and strips them bare of foliage for want of something better. Their advance is made like an army ; hence their name. Ploughing deep furrows with one vertioal side round the field usually checks their progress, but this season they came in such numbers that this precaution was n&eless. The courtry around Long Branch has been turned inftt wilderness by them. The army -worm is tne grub of the Loucania unipunota, whioh is, when fully developed, a night moth. The body of the grub is dirty grey colour, and may always be recognised by three yellowish stripes on its back and a single stripe on each side. It grows about three-quarters of an inch long. The head is a dull yellowish brown, sparsely ornamented with Bhort hairs, which are also scattered over its body. Burrowing is the only sure way of destroying the enemy. Hogs, poultry, ducks, and geese eat the worms greedily, but unfortunately the late supply overtasked their appetites. '' ■ ■*' The survey of the Florida Canal is completed. It is to connect the gulf with the Atlantic, thus shortening the voyage between ~New Orleans and New York by 500 miles. The canal scheme contemplates utilising 34 miles of St. Mary's River ; the canal navigation being 122 miles, This will divert the grain trade of the Mississippi Valley down the river, Captain Eads having deepsned the channels at the mouth of the river. New Orleans i 3 destined to be a great emporium of trade in the near future. The capital of Louisiana has been fixed at Boston Range. By a collision in Long Island Sound the Narraganßett was cut to the water's edge, caught fire, and. sank. As near as can be gathered about 58 persons lost their lives. A most diograceful Bceae, ensued on the

collision. The captain officers, and crew lost their heads, and struggled for the few boats available. Strongmen trampled over women and children, and thrust them out of tTe boats into the water The scene on the by men «« ft wefe uge . STEd & UfebeHs inaccessible. But for the presence of other boats and steamers the loss of life must have been enormous. It now transpires that the sunken vessel waa Irtrthv although passed by GovernKl£2^a W*"" carried 2000 SSengers. The inspectors as usual, aoSepted bribes, and loss of life is the consequence The collision having taken place at about 11.30 p.m., most of the rescued were in their night-clothes. The steamboat company is being sued for damages. Another steamboat catastrophe occurred m Long Island Sound on the 28th June. A passenger steamer, having , several hundreds on board, caught fire amid&hips and burned Hko tinder. Sixty -two persons were burned or drowned. The captain beached her, and then jumped into the water and was saved. The crew behaved admirably. It was in broad day and the water was soon swarming with boats, which plied a questionable trade in rescuincpeople irom drowningatsomuch a head. "How much will you give if we save you ? was the question asked, and in many cases it was no pay, no rescue. Charles A. Dana, of the New York Sun, and several leading Sew Yorkers were on board, going to their Co^e r htten S ; revolution in the Argentine Republic, and Buenos Ayres was beleagued by the National troops after severe fighting outside the city. Peace has been Wnred by an obnoxious candidate withdrawing from the Presidential ticket. It was his political aspirations which caused the trouble The Chilians continue victorious by sea and land, yet Peru will not make peace. Callao is closely invested. The Nicaraguan Republic hag made a valuable concession to America engineers for the construction of &n inturoceanic canal. 1 ehould not be surprised if the Americans begin this great work at no distant day. Admiral Ammen is at the head of the project, and General Grant is favourable °Rev. De Witt Tahnage has done a large stroke in the revival business, having received 416 new converts as church members one day recently. 1 think I told you before that the Independent Cathoho Church movement in the East had collapsed, but if not I will note the fact. One of the so-called priests never had been a Catholic, and there was a polygamist, and none of them had a Hhred of character left. Yet they got followers and money at command. Hanlan was beaten easily in the International rowing match at Connecticut. He complained of a stitch in his side, and stopped rowing. Those who profess to know, thmk he sold the race. The New York Tribune publishes an article showing the earnings of theatrical stars last season, and if the figures are true, they prove that America is liberal to the stage ---Mary Anderson's earnings are set down at I50,000dol; Campanini took 100 OOOdolto Italy after a short engagement; Adelaide Neilson, now in San Francisco, made 75,000d0l in New York, and is paid 500dol a night (£1CO) here. Of the members of Maurice Grau's Opera Company, for a Beason of 452 performances— Capoul, a passe tenor, got 50,000dol ; fMdlle Paola Mane, 32,000 : Mdlle Angle, 12,000 5 Buffalo Bill, a long-haired Indian scout of fine presence, earned 50,000 ; Joe Jefferson is credited with 65,000; Maggie Mitchell, 60,000; John M'Cullough, the tragedian, 51,600; Jimma Abbott, 70,000; Joe Murphy, 30,000 ; Barrett, 40,000 ; and Lotta, the charming little California Variety actress, 60,000. You may believe all this if you please. Many of the "stars," however, have done well, which is much more than the managers can Every kind of secret benevolent society has been placed under the ban of the Church in this country, and the Catholic Archbishop of Quebec has excommunicated for this yoar anyone concerned in attacking " any person belonging to a labour society or not, or any member of his family, because such person works, haß worked, or is willing to work, at a price which he sees fit." This has Bottled the dock-labour strikes, which were so often attended by bloodshed and crime in Canada. 50,000d01. has been appropriated by CongreßS to enable the Commissioner of Agriculture to continue his investigation on forestry. The destruction of the forests by fire and lumber-men, and failure to plant fMs ln lieu of those removed, is becoming a % serious matter, and involves important economic considerations. The culture shonld b& encouraged in New Zealand and Australia. One hundred and thirty-seven million pounds of American cheese were exported to Great Britain during the last fiec*l year. Doubtless a great deal of it was shipped to the Colonies as English cheese. You can hardly ever tell what you eat. Jacob Terry