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' SUBSCRIPTION RATES.-â€"In advance 75 cents; at‘end of year $1.00. Good clubbing arrangements with leading Canadian papers. CIRQULATION.â€"Tr_ia \VATCHMAN~WARD£R'S circulation is 5,000, of which 4,500 copzes go within tradmg distance of the town. It is becoming increasingly evident that the afi'airs of this town cannot be administered without large expendi- tures of money. Already large and costly public works have been undertaken and Will be prosecuted to their completion. There are still others pressing. Among these is the fire system. A 7,; ,J--‘I you Au .LA\ ---' V _-'__V J For years this has been the civic bugbear. A great deal of mOney has been expended on it at different times, but no council has had the courage to grapple with the problem effectively. As a consequence the system has been in a srate of collapse, and this town has bee-.1 con- tinually bombarded with direful threatenings by the Underwriters’ Association. Meanwhile Providence has dealt tenderly with us, and no great fire has come to take advantage of our inability to fight it. It will not do, how- ever, to presume that past favors of this sort are to be continued indefinitely. If there were no such danger, the present conditions are ‘ a reproach to good finance. The hook and ladder wagon‘ is stored away frsm the other appliances at a cost of $75 a year. For lack of drying facilities the hose goes to pieces in one third of the time‘that it should last. The firemen’s quarters are so cold that during the winter months it takes between ten and twelve dollars’ worth of wood per week to heat them, and then it is only imperfectly done. There are at least three courses open and each has itsl advocates. Things can go on as they are, and there are some people satisfied that they should. The present buildings can be remodelled so that they will answer the purpose better than they now do. A good many favor that cotirSe. A new fire hall of modern plan and equip- ment can be built. Others strongly advocate that conrse. We are among them. True, the people recently voted down a by-law to raise money for that purpose, but that makes it none the less a necessity, nor does it at all deter us from insisting that in this is the only solution of this vexed problem. There are other matters to be discussed in connection with the fire system, but we wish to re-open the question of building a new ball as the centre around which further reorganization must gather. When a farmer gets bilious he talks of the drop in land values. It is the dirge of agriculture and is as true as any- thing a farmer ever says. That it justifies the lament with which he is wont to couple it is not so certain. It is a common thing to hear it said that farms are worth only half what they once were. That is likely true only of certain isolated and very exceptional cases, but that there has been in recent years a steady decline in ' the market price of farm lands cannot be denied. r A . '. L---- .‘l- An authority says that the farms of Ontario have de preciated in value to the amount of $100,000,000 in the past 15 years. It is estimated that there are 20,000,000 acres of this province used for agriculture purposes. If these figures are accurate they mean that since 188 5 there I II has been an average decrease of five dollars an acre in farm lands. Likely that has regard to their assessed value. If so it does not represent the real depreciation, for vast sums of money have been spent on the farms of the provmce during that time. It in spite of the clearing, fencing and draining that has been done, the assessment has fallen off a hundred millions. We are forced to con- clude that but for these improvements it wou‘d have dropped much lower. To get the real fall in values wel must add to that Sum the amount; that have been» spent in mechanical operations that tend to enhance the value of the land. That is to say : the land plus, the improve- ments, is worth $roo,000,ooo less than the land itself was 15 years ago. So to that sum we must add these expendi- tures upon the land. What they are Would be hard to tell. Would one dollar per acre be too much? We are inclined to think that it would not begin to cover the average cost 0t such improvements during that time. But suppose it would. Then $20,000,000 must be added to the $r00,ooo,000 and $120,000,000 becomes the enormous sum by which the farms of Ontario have fallen in value in 15 years. 1 1 In value In ‘D ycala. To the casual observer such a statement would seem to involve min for the men who own and work these lands. It would be a telling statistic for the orator prophesying the early collapse of agriculture in this province. It certainly is a text by which many farmers justify the poor face they are wont to pull. In our opinion neither the casual observer, the orator nor the farmer is right. It might not be hard to prove that despite the foregoing formidable figures the condition and prospect of agriculture are better now than ever be- fore. Probably although their land will sell {or $120,000,- 000 less to day then it would 15 years ago the farmers of Ontario are more prosperous now than they were then. If so, it sounds like a strange problem in financeâ€"a case of getting rich by subtraction. But likely it is true. _,1 He must know the relation of the property he has to other commodities. The producing power of his property, and the purchasing power of a dollar bill, are better tests of a. man’s wealth than his stock book. It is our opinion that INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE NEWSPAPER. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING AT 115 AND 117 KENT-ST" LINDSAY, ONT. DONE YVILLE. A meeting of the patrons cf the Mapie Leaf cheese factory will be held on Tues- day next, March 13th, at the factory, at 1 p. m. A full attendance requested. The following is the report of the Royal Oak school for the month of Feb- ruary. Names are inserted in order of merit. 52h classâ€"Luella Turner, Mary J _ McLean, Allan McDonald. Neil Fer‘ guson. Sr. 4th classâ€"Aime: Crossen, Olive Crosser), Murray Black, John Mc- Donali, Mac McDonald. Janey Murray, Wil ye Tremear. Charlie McPhaden. Jr. 47!: classâ€"Marlon Croaaen. Sarah Bundle, Mabel McDonald, Florence Mc- Donald, Katie McKinnon. 3rd classâ€" Eva Turner, Eva Rnudle, Herbert: West. 2nd classâ€"Ada May Innes. Sr. part let LETTERS 0F From Correspondents All Over the County THE WATCHMAN-WARDER THE VALUE OF LAND OUR FIRE SYSTEM ROYAL OAK INTEREST ahead of year $x.oo. classâ€"Pearl Croaeen. May West, Herold Went, Donnie McDonald, Willie Murray. Jr. pt. let: classâ€"Ronnie McDonald, Willie Innes, Norman McDonald. M. E. PINKHAM, teacher. GELERT Mr. M. Harrison, who came home sick, ls some better, Snow-shoes are coming into use. Horses are strictly out of it: when roads are no bad, eapectally last Sunday, when a young man went to visit _hla true lo_ve. Some young men don’t know enough to mind their business, when they will get along the fence and try to find out what a young man and his best girl have to say when they are out: walking. ()ne fellow felt the wind and something sing- ing as it w.nt by his head. Several of the young men of this vicin- i'y are off for the N orthweab this spring. Mr. Wm. Ramsey 9f Goderich is spend- 'The‘enow is deep and the roads are very bad. The LB. 0. train has not been able to make its trip for a couple of days. Mr. Donnelly’s house was on fire last week and in a. few minutes a large crowd gathered. If they had been five minutes later the house would have been de- etrpyed. ORE SS IVE LL these two things have become so altered during the past 15 years as to more than counterbalance the falling off in land values. The average hundred acres in Ontario wil, if handled according to modern methods. prnduce more values than it would in 1885. There is more of it under cultivation. Some bush has been cut down and the small patches left are worth more on the market now than the whole woods was years ago. A great deal of rough land has been 1 cleared up, wet places have been drained and the activities of modem agricultural methods have very largely increased the producing area of the average farm. We are aware that there has been too much indifference about maintain- ing the fertility of the land, and on that account the bene. fit of the larger acreage has been largely nullified, but is yet far from disappearing. To the larger area must be added the new markets for products that come in all seasons of the year so that the farmer’s time as well as his ‘land, is enlarged. Taking these and the'scientific methods by which the quantity and quality of products are increas- ed and it is likely enough that the average farm will bring its owner more money than it did 15 years ago. Then the purchasing power of a dollar bill has increaS' ed with regard to nearly everything a farmer buys. His clothing, groceries, machinery, and nearly all farm equip- rrents are cheaper by an average of probably 30 per cent. than in 188 5. Uunless, then, our premises are altogether astray the condition and prospects of agriculture are better now than ever before in the history of this province. We sincerely hope that is the case. The little brush between the students of McGill College and Laval University on the day of the Ladysmith cele- bration was of no significance in itself, and the bluster of the hoodlums that took the matter up did no harm, but the stupid wrangle in the press and on the floor of the House rouses one’s sympathies for a country that is cursed with party journals and politicians. Student fights are among the bloodiest and best-natured events in the country. They are a necessity and a con- venient way for the collegians to get rid of their surplus vitality. The boys make errors in judgment but leave them alone and no injury will be done that cannot be remedied with a red handkerchief. The McGill boys had no business Over at Laval and Laval fellows soon let them know it. A scrap of that sort would be a picnic for the men of any two colleges and when it was over they w0uld be no worse friends. The ready apologies that passed be- tween the two schools confirm this view. There is not a. student. in the DOminion that) would pull down a. British flag. When it was reported that the Laval boys had done so. we did not believe it) and it turns out that they did not). On the other hand they carried it at the head of their procession and made a loyal demonstratiOn before a. statue of the Queen. A crowd of hoodlums did pull down a flag but) their actions have no significance. They no more represent the French than they do the English sentiment. If let alone the occurrence Would have been passed lightly over by those who took part in it, but the party papers have wrangled over it and hurled about charges of disloyalty until the Dominion is roused from ocean to ocean. Nor is that the worst. The members of Parliament have: quarrelled over it until they present a tenfold mrse spectacle than the rankest student-hoodlum confliI-r. that ever took place. Such an impression has their quarrel made abroar‘ 'hat Mr. Chamberlain on Tuesday spoke of this little .. tim- mage as those “unfortunate riots.” We have a 'ace problem in Canada, but all its danger like most :her woes of this Dominion arise from the anwtion of politicians and party newspapers. Rid us of these and soon we should forget that there are two races and religions on this continent. IT IS SUGGESTIVE that while the christian pulpit is nearly everywhere the mou'hpiece of jingoism and bloodshed, unbelievers like John Morley, Herbert Spencer and Gold- win Smith plead unceasingly for charity and peace. IN THIS ISSUE we publish another letter from Sergt. McCrea in South Africa. In it he speaks of the trinkets that he would send home. Those ot us who anxiously go to the post-office to receive letters and parcels from our friends who are about their peaceful duties. perhaps in the next county, can feel the intense pathos of these letters and trinkets to his family, from our Victoria boy amid the perils of war be)ond the sea. May he come safely back again. THE BRITISH people have strong martial instincts; they rouse quickly at the sound of the war bugle, and when their fighting blood is up, the lion is their appropriate emblem. But they have a spirit of nobility that even the passion of conflict cannot spoxl. Compassion follows close behind their blows. Skill and courage rouse their admira- tion even when tound in their enemies. The present war has brought out this fierceness and nobility in striking combination. While Roberts rolled his avalanche on the fleeing enemy the nation savagely cheered him on. But when, at bay, the Boer general with a handful of men fought off his powerful foes day after day, Great Britain rang with praise for the courage and skill of Cronje. Amid all the rejoicing at Ladysmith’s relief there were few if any strains of vengeance. The British are no greater than they are great-hearted, and a man may well be proud that he belongs to a nation that loves its enemies. fTHE MONTREAL TROUBLE EDITORIAL NOTES awhile. THE WATCHMAN-WARDER: LINDSAY. ONT; Report: of 3.8. No. 11 Mariposa for the month of February. 5th classâ€"Annie McKinnon. Sr. 4th classâ€"Annie Fen- nelly, Julia Noble, Lorne Daviaon, Sara Reazin, Fred Jackson. Winnie Evans, Lena McDonald. Jr. 4th classâ€"Welling- ton Colllna, Katie Fennelly. Helen Mc- Phaden, Garfielfl Woodward. Willie Grant, Howard Keelick. 3rd classâ€" Mildred Elleker.’Mil|ie Both. Frank Both, Russell Evans” Hamilton Collins, Willie McEachern, John McIntyre, Donald Napier. Sr. 2nd classâ€"Hilda Wood- ward. Charles Copperthwaite, Beulah Kinee, Heeba Jackson. Jr. 20d classâ€"â€" Harry Keelick, Violet: Davlaon, Pearl Woodward, Bruce Woodward. Sr. pt). 2ndâ€"Hezekiah Woodward, Carl D vieon, Victor Jackson, Elsie Woodwar . Jr. on 2ndâ€"Eolalie Kinee, Meta Varcoe. Po. latâ€"Bertie Woodward, Bpatrlce Leslick. On Sunday last Mrs. Lucy Ramsey of this vicinity passed away after an illness of about ten weeks. On Tuesday after- noon she was laid to rest: in Salem cem- etery. Inga few days with his friends around Creswell. FRANKLIN The deferred snow has at: last come and a. ‘Ipav look oub for lively times for The storms of last week so completely blockaded the roads that: the attendance at school was small. Mr. Nugenb and fami'y left here on Tuesday last for their future home in Midland. Owing to the condition of the roads the Rev. Mr. Barrett was unable to fulfil his appgintlflept in_ this place, 7 -Mr. Tripp had the misfortune to get his new cutbar badly shattered here last week, and sold it. to Mr. Jae. Speir, our worthy blacksmith. Three of Mr.\ Samuel Nugenn’s horses remain in the village. This shows that: Mr. Nugenh must have had the right kind of stock. When the news that Ladyemith was relieved reached here the people were hightly pleased, but no fl age were hoisted and as a. result: no riot occurred like that in Montreal. The latest: edltlon of humanity, of which every couple think they possess the finest quality. arrived at the home of Mr. William Whiteelde last Friday morn ing. William carried a smile on his face all day. FENELON FALLS Mr. John Austin returned to Kinmonnt on Saturday. Mr. C. MeArthut of the Detroit Dental College is home for 3 Weeks vacation. The Rev. Mr. Hill, who is conducting revival services in the Methodist church here, is much admired for his telling ad- dresses and good singing. Mrs. E. A. MoArthur sang at the Patriotic concert in Bobcaygeon last week most acceptably. She gave two numbers both of which were loudly encored, and to the encorea she gracefully responded. Dr. F. A Walters, dentist of Lindsay, will be at the Twomey house on Tuesday next, March 13th. Those requiring dental work of any kind should keep the date in mind and come as early as possible. The news of the relief of Lsdysmithi was received with great enthusiasm and ioy in Fenelon Falls on Thursday last, March let. All the bells and whistles in the village clamored out their joy, and the blood in many veins ran quicker with the thought that the dear old flag was triumphing as in days of yore. Every one who owned a flag raised it, and our village showed some very pretty ensigns. The trustees of our public sthools pro- cured some sleighs and drove to the schools. taking the children home and proclaiming a general holiday. In the evening a procession was formed with torches, the band. and a number of per- sons in regimentals, all the village volun- teers being out, a couple of them on horseback. The procession traversed the principal streets. dear its the severe storm, which caused the torches to go out twice. As the procession passed down Colborne- st. Mr. H. Robson ignited some red powder in front of his pharmacy which ‘caused a most beautiful light to illumin- ate the procession and sky. The demon- stration showed the loyaly hearts in Fen- elon Falls, and was a credit to the place. On Monday evening our hockey team played a team from Sunderland in the rink here and defeated the visitors in a score of 2â€"17. The Sunderland team drove all the distance here and were delayed by the terrible condition of the roads, so that they were really not fit to play. As they were unable to leave the next day on account of the storm, another game was played on Tuesday which resulted in a victory for Fenelon Falls in a score of 2â€"27. Our boys are in splendid form. Beteau is quite well again and Ellis is ably filling the place of Ingram, who was obliged to return to Deseronto. All the members did some very fine plaving. but we must speak iparticularly of Beteau and Boyce. The former made a number of very brillant rushes and flashed across the ice like a meteor. He scored a very large number of goals and seemed himself again after his accident. His playing on both even- ings was well worth watching just for its beauty. Boyce got in three of his long, cool shots on Monday night. On Tuesday he made some fine rushes. but the three goals made by him on Monday are plays which are rarely equalled by senior first- claas players. Gould as goal tenderis diffiult to equal and Aldous and 0. Boy- man and H. Deyman also did some splendid plaving. Our team goes to Lindsay on Friday (to-morrow) evening to play again for the Simpson cup and as they are in such splendid condition we bespeak for them a victory. The Sunder- land players were a gentlemanly lot of fellows and played a good game. CCCCCCCCCCCC SPUMPS! PUMP“; ' MFG.CO. 9 3.....OC®@®@@@@ 0 for any depth of well up to a one hundred and fifty feet, and guarantee satisfaction. We would also be pieased to supply Wind-Mills on specifications. Mi: Dennis still has charge 0: the Pump Business in our employ. Orders for Pumps or Re- 0 pairs will receive prompt . attention. a Write for prices or apply at Office. Sylvester Bros. Having taken over the Pump Business from Mr. Dennis. we beg leave to announce to the public that we are prepared to supply both . . . . Wood and Iron Pumps There is so much newness and beauty, style and elegance, getting firS showing in our Dress Goods section these days that we scarcely 1mm: which to emphasize first. Not a day passes but what some new nOV‘elt comes to add grace and richness to our display. Of course these IEpre}: sent the most approved styles, the latest novelties and the new=st creations for Spring wear. Dependable qualities as a matter of course, and stvles varied enough to suit every taste. â€"â€"54 inch Homespun Skirt Plaids, large and smail patterns and stylish effects. in dark grounds overcast with colored woven checks. at $1.25. -â€"New 42-inch Black Figured Crepons, in Wool, Mohair and Silk Mixture, with medium design. dull or bright finish, $1, $I.25, $1.50. $1.75 per yard. --New fine Dress Tweed Suitings in the latest two-twm c010urs, Grey prevailing, medium weight, at 50c, 60c and 7 5c. â€"Black Fancy Dress Goods in a range of neat and stylish designs ; these lines were bought before the advance, are worth I 5 per cent. more than we are asking for them. very special at 2 5c, 25c and 5°C. â€"New English Vigoneux Suitings, in all lad- ing plain and two-tone colors, firm, close weave and very durable in the wear, at 600. â€"New English Cambrics in a splendid range of dark and light grounds, with fancy patterns, fast coloxs, regular 12%c quality, special 10:. â€"New Fancy Scotch Zephyr, in a large and complete range of fancy patterns and choice colors, at 12%c, 15c, 18c and 20c. â€"New Scotch Dress Ginghams in choice fancy colored Plaids, checks and stripes, medium and light colors, very special, 18c. Stylish New Fabrics for Spring Wear l' SO â€"An Extra in Dress Printsâ€"So pcs. of Moore Brand Prints; this is a ver heavy cloth, weighing 5 oz. to the yard, and guaranteed fast; these goods are fully 32 inzhes Wide; all the season’s designs and colors, and only to be had here, regular price 1293c. our special 100. Visit the store and see for yourself how easily we have eclipsed < previous efforts, and how beautiful these Spring Fabrics really are THE BARGAIN GIVER, "NEW" Spring Goods ARRI V IN G R. B. ALLAN 8: GO. are daily receiving New Spring Goods in the loilowing lines : â€"JVew Spring Dress Goods, in all the New Colors. â€"â€".New Black Dress Goods, an elegant stock. in all the Plain and Figured goods. â€"Blach Crepons, at all prices. â€"J\’ew Colored Costume Cloths, all colors, beautiful goods, from one dollar a yard up. â€"â€"Ladies’ Muslin and Cotton Underwear, a large and complete stock. -â€"Just to hand, .N'ew Embroideries, Wezc Laces, Table Linens, Towels, Toweling‘. â€"â€"JVew §Cottons, Bleached Cottons, Grey Cottons. -â€"JVew Prints at all prices. â€".flll lines of Staple Dry Goods for the Spring ' trade. R. B. ALLAN 8: CO. , J. CA R TER re. ,__-J..__GAHTEB, . A--- LINDSAY __Severa.l Big Clothing Extras ‘The CARTER Clothing is well and Widely known. So are its prices. For this Week we are making important rcductionson several of our lines of Men’s and Bow? Clothing: ‘ â€"Men’s Trousers $1.00, â€"Boys’ Suits . . . . â€"7 5 dozen 4-ply Collars in this lot, siu- Izto 17%, two styles each. of stand-Up and tum-down, regular pnce 15¢ each, now 10. or 3 for 25¢. â€"2o dozen Men’s Printed Moleskin 52in. collar attached, size 14/ to 17, gogd dark patterns, regular 65c quality, special for this week see. â€"Men’s and Boys’ Colored Cambric Shin open back, separ- ate collars, sizes 12 to 17, regular price 75c, our price 50c. â€"We ate sole Agents for the celebrated- Barrington Hats in Lindsay. Take no other. They are the best. ‘We are now ready to show you the very latest shapes and colors in Barrington and also many Ameri can novelties, that are only to be had from us. â€"White Unlaundered Shirts made from extra heavy cot- ton, guaranteed linen front a. n d cuffs, reinforced ‘6 fl bosom and con- tinuous facings ; this line would be good value at 75c, our price 50c. 1.25, Tweed Suits 5.00, MARCH 8TH, 1‘ 7-95: I95, 2. 50, LINDSAY, V ONT instead 01' $1.2: H 0111' fl-Wool («33'0“E Poplins are here 75‘: and ....... imChecked 3:“ .â€"-Dou’t forget our th‘ mwhfleold 11¢me :ldeaind 111th Am G New W: towyadd 'EUH Book and St: OPP. I'M dues: Sour yx/n