as i

; ; | will certainly relieve real estate to some ex- |

tent, and reach wealth centres hitherto un- | What wants from all) For some time past the market for ocean eitizens is prompt payment of taxes. Every \freights has been completely paralyzed day's delay necessitates a loss to the city. jalong the whole Atlantic seaboard, Mon it must have our money, if it is not paid | treal, Boste n, New York, Philadelphia and in, it has to be borrowed, and so our year’s | Baltimore sharing in the aluost unprece-

ae

Che ia

Ocean Freights

touched the city

“ ‘ eekly Cxaminer [ISLAND ARGUS.

MAY

13, 1881

—

interest account is swelled We have| dented depression. Rates have receded

\ Commercial Blunder. looked into Civic Finanees somewhat | with a rapidity and to an extent that is

—— jelosely the last few days, we like the | simply astounding, and some extraordinary

. j i of the Srd inst. pub- | appearance, We see diminution in cheap engagements have heen negotiated

oe jexpenditure ; no extravagance and | in grain from New York to Liverpool, 9d

ties , wing jeading article, tO) though, as we remarked before, we see un- | and Is ld per quarter having been secept- v ; ie attention of the /’atrwt | colleeted arrears, we notice that last year’s|ed. These are said to be the lowest figures an v as well as the leading | arrears are very much smaller than the two | knewn within the past 25 years. A‘ this i ‘ part Let ther: | Preceding ones. A little more interest in | port freights have been steadily doclining,

a cate | civic matters, prompt payment, and lese | and are now offered freeiy at 3s for grain

oo over shis gress wribate 50 | caviling at a particular species of taxation | by steamer to Liverpool, with little shauce the National Policy lis wanting. We trust to see this altered | of obtaining it. It is thought, however, | While enterprising merchants are and willing assistance given to the City | that a basis will shortly be established reaching out for new markets, or endeavor- | Fathers when their work deserves it. | upon which business can be effected. The

» old ones into greater prolit- re has slipped away from us, loors, @ foreign trade werth 000; a sum abeut equal to expert trade to Brazil and yined. The just published e Canadian Minister of Cus. vat, in the fiscal year ending 1880, the imports from the s fell off to the amount stated upared with the imports of the ar. It is true that, on the port, the amount of decrease $14,000,000, in round aurm- allowing for the goods passing eountry to Canada in bond, of trade foots up $15,000,000. turers of New England have, nm heavy losers by the diminu- eree with our neighbor of the

ing to devek ableness, th right at our fally 315,00 our present Mexico com report of ¢

toms shows t with June,

United Stat above, a8 co preceding y ' the r appears to b

face ol

bers, Dut, Oh through this the total los The manufa ot course, be Tien of com north.

fue change in the Canadian trade is attributable to Canada’s taking example by us sud esteh) ishing for herself a prohibitive, or rather et: My ve.” ++ ; Pune advocates of Canada’s so-called “ national

tt pune etry

policy will not hesitate te claim for that nolicy the credit for the decided improve- ment in the trade of the Dominien. The sh that the experts of the Do mimion for the fiscal year in question exceeded in value those of any other year sil i874, and that value was only exceeled in (wo years, viz., 1873 and 1874, ai! the date of the Confederation. The ‘ s also show a result unprecedented in the history the Dominion, an excess of e s over imports. The ameunt ef the e over total imports was $1,421,711, and over goods entered for consumption,

129,109 The customs revenue was also correspondingly increased.

Witheut going into a long array of sta- cistics. a few examples will show wherein ovr manufacturers have beea sufferers by the new protective policy. The imporia- tion of cotten fabrice inte Canada from the | United States in the fiscal year 1878-9 am ounted te 20,966,844 square yards, while, in the fiseal year of 1879-80, the corres- ponding tation was only 6,812,702 sneer yard Ir the matter of refined sugars an ejually remarkable showing is | made. Im the year 1878-9 Canada bought

of us some 61,000,000 pounds, but last year the Canadiar dropped to In many Otacr United State notably in u weolen gvods, music x] instr of wood, and to home indt cotton from te 13,.162,0 Canadians al: of eur wheat soft coal, anc ions.

While the trade with th: the fiseal yea largely incre: Great Britau try being ove total for 187% Britain to the more than 1n ing their pur

ss than 20,000,006 articles produced

pouuds. in the

agricultural

cigars. stries sent the umports of raw

im 1879-80. » purchased more extensively and Indian corn, of hard and

\) pounds

total United States diminished in of 1879-80, the Canadians wed their direct trade with

1878 9. hases of us by $15,000,000,

they- managed to sell us to the amount of over $5,000,000 in excess of the previeus year. They also in-

creased their exports to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Holland, Belgium, the West indies, South America, and South Africa. They largely augmented their direct purchases from Cuba, the British West Indies and South America. By means of the new Montreal and Rio line of steamers, which is subsidized by the Canadian government, the volume of trade

between the ]’ominion and South America will be still further imereased. The facts here presented show what a blunder was

made when our statesmen let slip, a few years ago, the opportunity for the negotia- tien ot an treaty with t

e Dominion. If we are per-

ose so eonsiderable a share

manently to ; of 2 trade of Canada as has already slipped away from us, we must, with in-

creasing manufacturing facilities, seek the | of our direct trade with the |

develupment , Spanish and |’ortuguese speaking countries

of this continent. Our true commercial solicy is to secure free trade with all the tropical and semi-tropical countries of the two Americas We must have a larger | foreign outlet for our manufactures ——_— _— Our City Taxes.

‘Tee City Council will shortly levy the rate for the current year. We may fairly presume that he assessment on real estate will ther 1} or 14 and on income 1| per eent. This, together with the ordinary sources of revenue will yield something

a sum sufficient for the yearly expenditure, now, that a material reduction has | # in the current expenses. This sum wil! net be sufficient to pay the amount due “ne Union Bank on overdraft —gome $11,000 ; but out of it will be paid debentures failing due in the year, amount ing to some $5,200. This payment on de- benture aceount is a lessening of the City indebtedness, and if every year a similar ade, the city will shortly be elear of deb The interest now paid is over $7.000 per annum. We shall be glad to see this amount lessened, and this can only be done by reducing the debt.

Last year a mistake was mede in not making the asseasment on real estate 1}, instead of 1 per cent. We would not then have this yes provide not only its cur- rent expenses but for last year’s deficit. Citizens gene the increased tsxation which has been lev- ied the last few years. It is due tov two principal causes, namely, the large amount

like $45,000

een

payinent be

purchase from our refineries |

the importation diminished, |

.720,000 pounds in 1878-9 up| supervision. A The i Chieago Times, after giving the names of '

eight

of meats and various provis- |

their exports to that ccun- : \ $9,000,000 in exeess of the | persons who have no insurable interest in

9, They also bought of Great | the person insured, which is not legitimate amount of over $3,500,000 | and amounts to specuiatien * * Even while decreas- | holding public office and trusted positions

xtremely liberal reciprocity |

ily wonder what necessitates |

Passenger Accommodation.

difficulty in answering the questions of **Enquirer,” published elsewhere. The amount of circumlocution necessary te re- ceive a reply to such questions is truly wonderful. We had intended, before re- eeiving ‘‘ Enquirer's” eommunication, to have made some remarks regarding the in- convenience of the arrangement as at present advertised. As some strangers re- marked lasi evening in our hearing, it seems prepared with a view to all passen- gers taking a stateroom fer the night and paying $1.00 extra therefor. We may as well say first as last, that the Steam Navi- gation Company is behind the age, and that cheir systera of parsimony and utter negleet

in providing news of the where- abouts of their boats, is killing them fast. Public opinion cannot

be disregarded, and the Prince Edward Tlend Sivam Navigeten Company imay ae

on Prince Edward Island will operate against their obtaining a renewal of the very advantageous terms upen which they extended their contract with Government in 1873. For years past it has been netorious that, at the Cempany’s office, no news ceuld be obtained of the movements of the steamers during stormy weather, and the obtaining of information as toa second class or through ticket to Hali-

{if a person making an enquiry, got a civil } answer, he was to be congratulated. The time has ;ceme when our people will

stand this sort of treatment. It enough to |

| j |

| Inter-communication, but, when navigation ig tmimpeded, and the makes a convenience of the passenger trade

| out to the

We call the attention of the Company serious defects which their time | table contains, and we ask an rectification of the same.

. acid tinct lay aeticemi | Speculative Lite Insurance -—- Bet" ting on Death.

From Pennsylvania comes the startling | news that 165 so-called Insurance Compan- | ies are engaged in the criminal practice of

pufactures of iron and steel | gambling or speculating in human lives. implements, | ments, beoks, manufactures | The stimulus given |

This business is carried on under the purely co-operative system, and these com- panies refuse to submit to governmental the

spesial telegram to

companies that combine the ce- | operative with other systems, and which it | states are free from the speeulative taint ;

volume of Canadian | and two companies that profess to be duing

legitimate business, says :

** But these latter companies allow their policies after issue to be transferred to

* Men

are getting themselves into trouble by speculating beyond their means, and in their desperation using the public funds. The sheriff of an interior county is said to be in financial trouble, as he is carrying

the extent of $8,000. This officer is very much worried abeut the uncomfertable position in which it has placed him, and the state of his mind may be inferred from his own language, the purport of which is: **'The beggars don’t die fast enough.” The same state of affairs is shown to exist in |several other counties— namely, Berlin, Schuylkill, Lebanon, Perry, Lancas- ter, Yorx, and Philadelphia. In York eeunty a poor man, Louis Strayer, has risen to be worth over $10,000, made aimost wholly by having pelicies | issued on the lives of persons in question- able health and afterward transferred to himself. In Philadelphia a representative of a half-dozen speculative companies has been found who boasted of having written $35,000 in three days, who offered to insure

a man’s diseased and dying unele, aged 88, |

the amount of $25,000, $5,000 to be placed in the following companies : Com-

to

| burg, Augusta or Sunbury, and $5,000 to | be left to the discretion of the insurer. in it, that he would bring his own physi cian, who would make the examination ‘‘right,” and then he sold a policy to the reporter for $11 on one Mary Walker for

and not likely to last more than a month. Similar cases are furnished from the other counties named above. Among the irter- | esting incidents is that of a doctor insuring a patient under his charge, and an under- taker a man whom he had been called to measure for his coffin. A son in one instance insures his dead father, and six instances have been brought to light where the insured -have been murdered by ihose holding assignments of their policies. Some of these offenders have been brought to justice, but the so-called insurance com panies are not interested in presecuting them, though called to pay the policies which have been dyed deep with fraud and crime. their disposal until a death or murder of an insured person makes an assessment neces- sary, and in the 25 or 26 per cent. of the policy retained by them as charges consists their profits. The policy-holders whe pay | the assessment are, of course, the losers, | but as they, one and all, are expected io profit in turn by much the same methods,

new to be paid to the School Board | they pay asseesments for a while, and in

and the imterest on the aceu mulated elicits of several years. The amount paid yearly for these two

items is over $16,000. All city expendi- ture haa been materially lessened. have less and better regulated labor on the streets.

due time the company breaks up, and the gamblers in human life, unsuccessful in one company, are usually quite ready to try their luck in another. Evidence

—the Comnmonwealth—has for its officers

The police tax costs about one | State Printer Hart and Edward Herricks,

half what it did four years ago; and the city | chief clerk in the auditor general’s office,

now pays it while in 187:

ever $2,500. The fire department mecessar-| P. Schell, the

ily is an exce) tion; its outlay has increased from 22,500 +o $6,300, in round numbers, in the last four years.

While writing on this subject we can- not but express surprise at the large amount still due the city on the past threc years assessment. This ought not to be. We believe the tiie of favoritism has passed; but we fear that lethargy at least has suc- eceded it. #5,000is, in our opinion, too large au emouns to consist solely of arrears. On whom does the blame rest? We dojnot see that the Collecter can shift it onto the shoulders of the Couneil or vice versa. Both are, in our opinion, in fault. We troat that sore real effort will be made to collect these arrears.

The Income tax will be collected this year for the first time. From what we ean learn, the Assessors have generally placed the Incomes very low. They must have done so, when the total income of the citi- zens is by thea summed at only $406,0Q0. All that ean be raised from this is $4,000, yet we think they acted wisely. It is an obnoxious tax in many ways. It however equalizes taxa‘ion, and insures that ae well as the proper'y owner, the monied man, phall contribute to the ¢ity revenue. It

officials less than $1,500, | and that by permission it refers to Henry the Uity Government cost | M. Hoyt, governor of the state; Hon. Wm.

auditor general; Hon. | Samuel Butler; the state treasurer; and Hon, Wm. A. Williams, ex-United States senator, the indorsement running as fol- lowa : ‘That it may be understoed that the directory of this association will in good faith carry into effeet all they promise, they have but to point te the names of the dis- tinguished gentlemen to whom they have permission to refer.” It is also demonstra- ted that there are syndicates of the state legislature formed in Harrisburg fer the purpose of issuing policies upon the lives of diseased and dying old people, with a view of profit thereby. There is an old man living near Siegersville, Lehigh county named Hefferflinger, 70 years of age, a worn-out man. Representatives Sieger of Lehigh, Higgins, and Schiletcher, of Schuylkill have ordered a policy on him. They have already paid $50 for other cases. Schlicher drawing the check. Other mem- bers are doing the same, but their names are for the present withheld. ee

George H. Williams, the only negro in the Ohic Legislature, has fallen heir to $50,000, and will retire from business and politics and devote himself to a history he is writing,

We have made enquiries and find some |

well take notice now, that public opinion |

the Lecal |

fax was entirely out of the question. In fact, |

net | is bad i be served so in the matters of | Company merely | to serve its own ends, it is time for any |

faithful exponent of publie opinion to speak |

immediate

upward of $100,000 on the aged and de- | crepid, and it is alleged that to enable him | to carry this enormous sum of insurance he | hes made an inroad on the public funds to |

| monwealth, State Capital, Lecal of Harris- |

He guaranteed that there would be no risk |

$1,000, the woman being a consumptive |

The managers have no funds at |

is ad- | We | duced showing that one of the companies

immense amount ef tonnage new begging | for freight at five of the prineipal Atlantic | ports is owing te the unusually light stocks at the sea board, Dut now that the canais are open, a large fleet of barges laden with grain is already meving eastward, and it 1 to be hoped that the present demoralized state of the freight market will soen be suc- ceeded by a healthier traffic. —Qaze/te.

<< =-—- The Revenue.

The customs and excise receipts of the Dominion fer the menth of April again shew a very considerable advance un ihe colleetions of the corresponding month last year. In April, 1881, the customs revenue | amounted to $1,457,436, againat $1 152,258 in the cerresponding period in 1880, an in- crease of $305,178, and the inland revenue receipts were last month $386,261, agabnat $382,342 in April, 1880 ; increase of $3,919. | The revenue of the Government from other | sources was $440,863, against $434,499 in April of last year,an increase of $6,364, so that the tetal revenue of the Government in the month just closed exceeded that of April, 1880, by $515,461. This is a most satisfactory result, and taken in connection

with the increases which have oceurred | during the firat quarter of the year, it is more than probable that the surplus revenne | of the current fiscal year will exceed the |anticipations of the Finance Minister.- | Gazette.

j }

7 EAB tet ' Obituary. | THomas J. Battery, C. E.—On Friday afternoon last, Thomas J Bailey, Ksq., C. | E., Government Engineer for this Proviues, | died suddenly at his residence in this eity. | It is needless to say that any one acquaint- ed with Mr. Bailey was shecked at the an- | nouncement of his death. In July, 1877, he arrived here unknown, and eonsidering the position ef the Govern-

of whieh, vou are pleased to say,

Correspondence,

a a eee eee neneneneeee

“BE We do not hold ourselve responsible for the statements or opinions of our correspandents, —— oe a

We Must Improve our Expores.

To the Editor of ‘he Bacmuner.

Sm,—In your issue of the 31st March, a short letter I wrete for the Patriot “on the imprevement of our ex- ports,” is republished with a very slever editorial on my letter—complimentary I should say. You assume ‘‘ negatively,” that as | pointed out te manufacturers of crude starch under the N. P. the cream of the business would be in the manufacture of refined starch put up in paekages with handsome labela, for local and Dominion consumption, Lam for protection, and in- vite me to rejoin the Conservative ranks, 1 was

onee a pewerful and respected member. I[ eannot accept yeur advice.

In breaking with my old colleagues on theirf Railway pelicy | was fully aware that it meant loss of che influence | possessed in the front ranks of a powerful party; but having assoeiated oyself with the Liberals, and having had the advantage of some experience in the cansps of both parties, I may claim to have received some pelitieal edueation, and elect to remain in the ranks of the Libera! er Reform party. 1 am persuaded that the ** Pree Trade Policy is the fairest and west progressive policy for This Canada of Ours, snd more eepecially for our Ieland F'rovince, Owing to our isolated pesitien during the winter mouths, it would be impoasible fer

| ws to compete snecessfully as mann/actuzers | with the other Provinces, and we eve there-

fore under the ‘‘ N. P.”', merely consumers of the protected manufactures of the more favored Proviuces of the Dominion. We get nothing in return. We have no miner- ala to protect—our shipbuilding has passed away—We have nothing to rely upen Dut eur Agricultural and Fishing products which have uo protection at all.

I am free to admit that 1 may be fairly charged—as having been strongly in favor of Coufederation—with having assisted in bringing about this state of affairs, The

| old anti confederates say, ‘‘We predicted

ail thie before Confederation ! se they did ; bub my contention is that incidentally the

lanti-confederates wers the strongest con-

federates on the Island ; beeause as a body, and mere especially in Charlottetown, Summerside, and Geergetewn, they threw their influence into the scale, when Mr, Pope's Railway Policy was sprung upon t Lezislsture, and was trembling im the balance! Now te every person who thought abeut the matter, our Railway meant Confederation. It was manifest that when we got hopelessly in debt with our

inent, he came under most unfavorable actihcle adie a shank tne

|eircumstances. Before long, Mr. Satley, | al a t Gnade . > veltel ” th ea ; ce : ;

ever unassuming, gained the reapect ond 1 as re . . = mee

esteem of all those with whom he eame in | contact, and alwe.ys faititul to the iateresta } of the Department whose servant he was,he | gained not only the Teppest but also the esteem of those who had business thereat. | Before be came to this Island Mr Bailey had served in his profession in var- ious parte of the world, notably at th. of Good Hope, in the surve. of the Canada Pacitic, aud in the Hudsen?, Bay Company. In 1877 he accepted th, cfiice of Engineer of the Publie Works | Department—a pesition which he held with honor to himself and advantage to the | Province until the day of his death. | Many as were his friends, tew knew of | illmess, yet the whole city was thunder- | struck on heating of his death. | As an Engineer—houered within the last few mouths by the distinction of a | member of the Institute of Civil Engineers | of England—he stood high in his profes- | sion ; socially, he was # prince among good | fellows. Naturally of @ retiring cisposi- | tion, by those with whom he assuciated, ie was beloved ; by the Department, whose | servant he was, he will be greatly missed. | To his widow and child, in this the hour | of their deep affliction, we tender our deep- _est sympathy, assuring them that, amony | the names of those who have won the afiec. | tion and esteem of our pert: the nam ot ;'Thomas J. Bailey shall hola a high anu | enduring place.

Cape

The Presbytery. Thursday afterneon, the libel case against | Mr. Lawson was ceatinued befere the free | bytery. Dr. McNeill, Kev. 8. G. Laweon, Senator Carvell and Geerge McLeod, faq, Cashier of the Union Bank, were examin and cress-examived. Dr. McNeiil’s testimony was ununportant. Senator Carvell’s testimen) did not attach anything dishouest er aishou- orable to Mr. Stewart, and that of Mr McLeod, Cashiercf the Unien Bank, showed that the transact-ons with the Unieu Bark were ali in the name of J. M. Pidgeon, and that Stewart's uame did not occur.

At this stage Mr. Lawson asked that a cam mission of Piesbytery be appointed to take the | testimeny of Messzs. James Gourlie and James | Campbell, of Summerside, and submjtted at | tested documents from those parties as te what they could testify. A committee was | appointed for this purpose to whom these | documents were handed. ‘This committce, | after consultation, recommended that the eom- mission be not granted, ‘ihe recommendation | was adopted. From this decision Mr. Law

son protested, claimed the mght to appeal and craved extracts. rning

were heard on

This me Messrs. Lawson and Allan | the defence. Messrs McKis non and McLennan were beard m behaif et | the pre Mr. W. D. Stewart, accord ing te a privilege conceded te bim by this | Presbytery, at a previous sederunt, was per | mitted to address the eourt, defemding his |own eharacter from the charges preferred

secution.

| against him by Mr. Lawson, in the columus | of the Presbyterian. | ‘The parties were then removed fram the | bar of the Presbytery, aud the court proceed | ed to adjudicate upeu the case. Members of | the Presbytery were called upon according to seniority when, one by one, they declared that in their epinien the secend count of the libel was sustained, viz: *‘'‘that on several eceasions, aud in maby issues of his paper, he (Mr. Lawson) had charged Mr. Stewart with | dishonesty and complicity in fraed, and that | | when opportunities had Looe given to him in the civil court he bad failed to advanes euf- ficient to suppert enid charyos | This count wae declared proven by a unani- | mons vote—Rev. Dr. Murray alone declining to vote.

Reports on Sabbath Seheols, and om the | state of religion, were received and approved. | It was agreed to hold a sabbath School Cen. | vention in Georgetown in the month of | August, am. Messre. McKinnon, Frame, and Gunn, were appointed a Committee to make the necessary arrangements.

{t was agreed to extend a cerdial invita- | tion to Key. Dr. McKay, returned missiosary | frem Formoera to visit this laland, and appoint ed the City Ministers a committee tu make arrangements for meetings to be addressed by the Doctor.

The Presbytery adjourned till Tuesday J7th ist., then te meet in Zien Church at 1}! o'cleek, a m., to resume the further eonsidera- tion of this libel, and for general buainess.

——— — + ea

Tuk Cunada Gazette of the 9th eontains regulations for annual drill, Ail the eity corps, except field batteries of ariillery, are to drill at their local headquarters fur

evicence

twelve days, and to eoncentrate al! | rural corps drawn fer drill, and the ; city field batteries in camps of ex. |

ercise in their respective districts fo; twelve days, including the day geing to aud the day revurning from camp. The city corps, which drill at their local headquar

man 50 cents, and eaeh horse 75 cents per | diem. The officers and menef rural corps | | to be trained in camp of exercise will re |

cording to the regulations fer service, with

$1 per diem for horses of officers

and of |

camp, and

during the period of encampment supphes for eaeh camp will contracted for by public

and orders for active service.

specified.

ro

eutz,”’ a vessel which has already made three

similar voyages to the Aretie regions,

ters, will be paid for each officer $1, exch ‘

mounted corps, free transport from and to| Whe Go net live, they only exist.

free rations and forsge | venture te state that if one or two cheese

The | factories had been put in operation four

he | Years since the sdvautages would be av per- Low peti- | ceptible they would scen become general,

: . i 18 . r 1

tion, and the receipts and issues directed | *?° little or no encowrage vent would have by a special officer under the regulations | "°°" $¥id out to starek factories, Well

The places | might the Bon. Daniel Davies remark that

where the camps will be located are rot, °4*

) Ing we bate the cheapest raw material in

| the worid-— potatoes. A Doren polar expedition sailed from Am- | T4800 we must be the mere on cur guard.

sterdam on Saturday in the ‘* Wilham Bar-| ! kaow from experience that a potato erop |

is | Sow thistle and other weeds and it ig an’

especintly as our Union Bank has made

| very large advances to the contractors-—

were ina ‘‘tight place”—and, of course, the Directors were converted to Confed aration! This Bank has been s& power in the land since its inception. Though in favor of Confederation, and also in favor of a section of the Railway between Char- lottetewn and Summersida, 1 was not, as a; independent supporter of the Govern- msnot of that day, desirous of seeing Con- federation forced upon the people under the disguise of a Railway. without fully ascertaining the wishes of the country constituencies ; but there was a *‘ Railway wania” at the time and I relunctanitly xavo way under the pressure trought to bear upon me. Now | say that it is not fair tacharge Confederation with the great shrinkege in valine of preperty—more especially in our business centres—as well as the general dullness of trade. My im- pression is that it is the “* outcome” of a Railway that is only ‘* sectional,” was not required, and was entirely beyond the weans of the Celouy. It is easy to be

wise after the event! but when we cone = to censider that in ovr Island, where, on the average no

a@ mer is more than five miles from a ship viny pert. Our reseurees are limited to agrieniture, fishing, and a dsing-out ship- boiling ‘udustry, with a costly fiee edu ational eystera to maintain, the conversion of leasehold syacem into freehold and the ordinary expenditure on roads, bridges, &o. to be previded for, we were under- taking too much in building a railway, and that onr resources weuld not bear *‘ the strain” ef what experienee has shown to be « useless railway. I say ‘‘ useless’ because iteest ns, in round nambers, about four milliens of dollara to conatruct, and it costs the Dominion Government about 880.000 a year, on the average, to work it—over and above the receipts. Now, if we had kept four mubens of dollars, spent on the railway, at interest at flve per cent., it ueuld have given us an annual ineome of P30U,C00—a sum mere than sufficient to have paid tor the cost of education, and also to have wacadamized every main post road en the Island I do not, Mr. Editor, make these remarks in a ‘‘ party spirit” but [ cannot help regretting the way in which we “fooled” our money away on the ex- pensive laying of a railway which we could have very well done without. Now that we are sadd'ed with the railread, we ought to make the most of the facilities it affords us in the cultivation of our avil and the dive posal of its produce, In my epinion we are far behind our American cousiusin working up our “ splen@id agricultural resources.”

| ams clad that my old friend and school mate, B. E. Wright. Esy., has taken up tue subject. Heiaa skilled agricaltaralist, and his ideas are well worthy of the atten- tion of every farmer on the Island.

This letter is merely incidental. I will. next week, eend you a letter which I ain preparing ov the subject I am writing upon—viz., the improvement of our ex- porte.

ine

Yours truly, Dantet Davizgs. Ch’town, May 10, 1881.

A Letter From B. &. Wright, Eec.

—— —

| To the Editor of the Patriot ;

Sin,—It must be plain to all that a great chenge in the former method of farming is insviteble. What, let me ask, have the farmers to depend on? Potatoes are not worth anything. Giving away potatoes, sellirg hay, and neglecting steck will not psy. Oates are an uncertain crop, and often ov worn oat land do uot pay for seed and labor. Notwithetending their having to face al] these great disadvantages the intel- ligent farmers of P. E. Isiauc certainly cannot feel complimented to be told by one ef their representatives in Parliament that we need the better class of English tenant farmers to come te settle down among us and teach us how tu farm. Progress, they imagine, will then be the order of tha day. Would it net be better to give a helping hand to develop eur reseurees than te talk ef bringing Bnylish tenant farmers to teach us how te farm? Wo are not, Mr. Editer, the descendants of Britons, if we do wot demand # great reform, a great reduction of useless expediture. Half the pewher of members frem each braneh of ; the Loyislature, united in cne Honse, eould be amply sufficient for ail purposes, Gut the p-aple will net consent tu have the

| infinence ef the Legislative Connci! alte. gether doneeaway with. much good might be done.

From this saving Encouragement tbe given te start the cheese factory When there is anything that

¢

‘US. LO@sa,

can be done for the general good and to alicviate the sufferings of our fellow crea- | ceive the pay of their respective ranks ac: | od werden 9 shirk tho responsibility of

forming it. there are plenty, bit how many are there

Of independent farmers

T will

h fact-ries onght to succeed here see-

But for that very

a bad one to encourage the growth of.

| Lion,” and was rising 6

“exhaustiag srop.” It should always be ut on ean grotind, and the part ‘oulest with weeds if it were ploughed two er three times and worked in dry weather, and put under turnips, it would almost des- troy any weed. If manure ran short, buck wheat might be sown ev a part of the ground; it might either be ploughed under for manure, or out for feeding purposes. I weuld like to see factories of the mght description as thick as hops. Every farmer could have a factory by turning his wlock into a factory, and keeping it ia proper working order. Be could manufacture the raw material, and the district factories, if established, would complete the operation. This, together with fattening sieck, would bea sound system of farming. all tending to the one great temperal end, the improve- ment of the land, which means good hay and grain crops, (all things permitting) and flourishing finances. But under the starch factory system the farmers would be ruined, the land exhausted and overrun with weeds. Only think of the labor, expense, the grubbing amd hauling of seven hundred bushels of potatves te make up et eight dellars. Listen te the poor eattle bawlimg round the yard. Only think of strangers coming bere and remarking, ‘‘ Le this the Isle by the sea we have heard called the garden of North America! Why, it is naught but a bed of weeds.” But let farmers look at sew-thistles and other nox- ious weeds as an invading foe, and muke no biunders in manoceuvering, but buckle on their armor and repulse the enemy at the point of the boyonet, not only repulse him but keep him at bay for all time to come. The true expression would then flow forth, ‘tis certainly the Isle of the Sea the Gar- den of North America.” I remain, etc., Benxsamin E, Wricat. +n

THE MARENTS.

POTATOES.

Latest Besten advices state that there bas been agved demand for choice Rose, and prices early this week stiffened up a little, but with large supplies at the clese prices show an easiertendency. The best Aroos- tock Rese have been selling at 90 to Qbe. Prolifics command 85 to 90c, but Jacksons and other stock are hard to sell at over 75c. We quote :

New York Rose, 80 te 85 cents. Jacksons, 75 cents, Prolifics, 86 to 90 cents.

In Halifax on the 7th, Island potatoes were quoted at from §1.50 to $1.75 per barrel.

Baas.

The Boston Market Report of the 7th says there has been a farther deeline in tho prices, with sales of Eesstern at 13 te 14 cents ; Nerthern 13 to 1 and Westera at 12} te 13 per dezxen. The market closes quiet with P. E. island eggs quoted at 13 to 134.

oaTs.

The market fer oats in France is quiet at 20s. €d. for 304 lbs, small cargees,’and bidders are eby. The probable quetaticns for the United Kiugdem direct is 20a., and bnyers are timid iv epera' ingowing t) the report thet seve- ral cargoes remained in vessels during the winter. Oate in the Montreal market om the 7th were quiet at 37 and 38 cents, while ic Halifax on the same date, they were quoted at 50 te 60 cents. snd in Charlottetown, they bring from 44 to 45, seed oats selling aa high as 60 cents.

FLOUR,

Tue Montreal flour marke’ on the 7th, was quiet, and the receipts ef the few days previous amounting to 9,000 barrels did wot tend to strengthen it. Sales were reported of 1,000 superior, in sacks, on private term, 250 barrels apring extra at 85 20, 100 taiddings at $4, 100 do at $4, 100 superior at $5.40, 125 choice de at at $5.45, and sev- eral luis of extra, the priees of which did not transpire. The following are the gen eral quotations :—

Superior Extra.........--. $535 @ 5 40

Extra Superiine................ 525 @ 000 FP AR4Y. cccccocerecnesceeetbosccosnnce’, 0 08 @ § OO Spring Extra......sccccccosree 5 20 @5 224 Superfinge...--.. .,.--------seeene 460 @ 4 OU Stromg Bakers’.......ceee 550 @ 615 TEED «-cescccsesviovensepsctonsqapore Oe @ 4 OO Middlings. ...ccccc.rerecseeserveee £00 G 000

A circular from Galt, Ontario, dated 6th inst., says :— ‘* The weather keeps cold aud backward, and while seeding is making pro- gress, vegetation is at astandstili. There is no dowbt bat that fall wheat is consider- ably injured by the remarkably dry and barren weather experienced since spring opened. The plant looked fairly well when the snow left us, but the cold dry winds that have asiace prevailed during the day, and the heavy frosts at night have, in some sections, completely blighted the crop. Business has been quiet all week. The ac- counts frem Britain to-day are more hope- ful, and as stocks are light it is net ex- pected that priees will be any lower for some time to come. Flour is in jair de- mand. Quotatiens are the turn easier on the week, but millers are sargnine of the tnture, and the improved tene in Britain is already having its effect here.”