University of South Carolina Libraries
Scraps and |acts. : ? John P. Altgeld, former governor of Illinois, was the guest of the Independent Club at the banquet given in Chicago last Friday night. Governor Altgeld spoke on the subject "Shall the People Own the Monopolies?" "Monopolies," he said, "from their very nature will be permanent and the acts of congress, such as the creation of the interstate commerce law, and the appointment of an industrial commission, having in view the control of private monopolies were dismal failures." Public ownership of public utilities, he declared to be the only solution of the problem. ? Says a Washington letter to the Greenville News: Chairman Burrows, of the senate elections committee, has stated positively that the resolution introduced by Senator Pritchard, providing for an investigation of the charges made against Senator McLaurin by his reckless colleague, would not be considered for several days, perhaps two weeks. Senator Pritchard is attending court at Asheville and will be busily engaged for some time. The committee will therefore postpone its final sessions for the investigation of the Tillman-McLaurin episode until his return. ? Charlotte Observer: That class of politics is very peanutty which prompts the party adherent to object to everything that the other party does. Here are the Republican papers of North Carolina, for instance, making a great outcry because of the provision of the election law which requires that the intending voter shall exhibit a receipt or present other proof that his poll tax for the preceding year was paid by May 1st, before being allowed to vote. The Republican papers speak sarcastically of this poll tax receipt as a "passport," a "liberty badge," etc., and profess to be very much wrought up about the matter. This is because they think they have to. They are not wrought up at all. There is not one of them but knows that this not only a proper but an excellent requirement. The man who is *nn triflinc tn nav a noil tax. especially when he Is allowed six months after it is due in which to pay it, ought not to be allowed to vote and everybody, including the delinquent, knows it. ? Says a London dispatch of December 7: There was a striking rcene in the city temple, yesterday, when, during the course of his sermon, the Rev. Jos. Parker, JD. D., the minister, administered a pointed rebuke to King Edward, which was loudly applauded by the congregation. Having alluded to public houses as "trapdoors of hell," Dr. Parker referred to the king's recent brewing of beer while visiting Lord Burton. "Pray for me," said the divine, "that I may speak delicately, | loyally. If the king brews beer, what can be wrong in the subjects drinking it? "What the king does is likely to be imitated by others. His majesty, is more than a man, and must regard all questions from a kingly viewpoint. If the king goes to a Sunday concert, as he did recently, he deals a deadly blow to the Englishman's Sunday. The king cannot attend a non-Conformist place of worship, but he can go to a Sunday concert." This remark called forth cries of "Shame 1" and Dr. Parker continued: "If the king, who is the head of the church and defender of the faith, can violate the English Sunday, what can the people do but follow in his steps? I would rather give a great sum in gold than appear to be disloyal; but I cannot be disloyal to Christ, and it is better that these things should be said." ? Washington dispatch of Saturday: Speaker Henderson and Chairman Payne, of the ways and means committee, and Senator Allison, member of the finance committee, called at the White House today presumably in relation to the pending controversy over Cuban reciprocity. There was the most positive declination to discuss the purposes of the call. It was said, however, that the president had in no way changed his attitude favorable to reciprocity. In this connection there were renewed indications of a special i message which would clearly set forth the president's views on the subject. The Republican members of the ways and means committee favorable to Cuban reciprocity have held long conferences to perfect their organization for carrying forward the contest. In connection with these conferences, the belief has gained ground that there would be a special message if it proved to be necessary. There was renewed talk of compromise today, one report being that 12 per cent, reciprocity might be substituted for 20 per cent. Both sides, however, denied the 12 per cent, compromise story. The plan of having a committee visit Cuba and investigate the needs of Cuba for reciprocity was revived during the* day and was discussed as a solution, and there is no indication that those in authority were ready to accept the plan. ? During the debate on the bill to put rural delivery of the mail under the contract system, says the Washington correspondent of the Greenville News, Representative Latimer made one of the most forceful arguments that has yet been made. He was limited to ten ?: 4. 1 * 4-v* + iiuuuitrs, uui nc niciue bwu use vj. uiai time. He went to the heart of the subject at the first bound, stating that if economy was the object of the bill the committee should have framed a measure putting all free delivery under the contract system. We spent, he said, this fiscal year, about three million dollars for pay of rural carriers and seventeen millions for salaries to city carriers. Why, he asked, does the committee propose to continue to pay city carriers from $600 to $1,000 salaries and grind down the rural carrier to the lowest bid possible. "Is it possible," Mr. Latimer again asked, "that you have reached that point when you are wiling to admit to the American people that services rendered to the rural population must be of a lower grade than that enjoyed by the city, and is the argument to go unchallenged in this hall that the rural population is more easily corrupted by contact with carriers than it is in cities, and for this reason you propose to eliminate political influence by letting the service to the contractor? I repudiate such an argument with contempt. The purest patriotism and greatest freedom of thought and action (if contrast shall be made), exists in the rural districts of this republic, and to contend that the mail carriers will overawe the members of congress and unduly influence the rural vote, is worse than nonsense. Let us make a liberal appropriation for this service, as we nave done for the cities, and throw such safeguards around the appropriation as will guarantee to all citizens equality under the law, and leave the details of the service to the department, that it may in its wisdom and experience, do justice to all the people. lite ItorhviUr (Enquirer. YORKVILLE, ?. C.?T WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 1902. The Columbia State has announced subscriptions to the Micah Jenkins sword fund amounting to more than $100. We are for an amendment to take wnisky out of the constitution of South Carolina. It is time now that the thoughtful people of the state should be beginning to learn the terrible mistake that has been made. It is presumed that in repeating the .ovniiiiinnarv reminiscences of the aged Negro in the Chester county home, The Lantern intends that it be taken partly at least in jest. General Washington was neither at Eutaw Springs or King's Mountain, although Colonel Washington was in the first named battle. General Washington did not see any active service in South Carolina. What the senate is going to do in the matter of providing punishment for those who attempt to kill the president is not yet apparent; but stringent measures should be adopted. It is a qi^stion as to whether the life of the president should be held more sacred than that of any other man. There is no doubt, however, that the president is in greater danger of assassination than is most individual citizens, and he is entitled, therefore, to tne greatest protection. There would be nothing wrong in giving the United States court jurisdiction and allowing a jury to impose the death penalty, if it sees proper, for an attempted assassination. The Mississippi house of representatives, a few days ago, adopted a resolution, published elsewhere in this issue, declaring for business and political alliance of the south with the "East." Two days later the resolution was rescinded. Just how the original resolution came to be introduced and passed has not been made absolutely clear; but it was along remarkably sensible lines and should have been allowed to stand. Indeed there is a probability that as the Mississippians study the matter more, they will come to see that they should have stuck to it, and they will say it again once more for all. There is more for the south in the East than there has ever been in the west. The action of the old line insurance companies in raising their rates on certain classes of risks, has created something of a sensation in mercantile circles throughout the country, and In different localities there is talk of organizing new companies to fight the old ones. As we see it this a question on which there is no occasion for excitement or animosity. It is purely a matter of business. If what the insurance companies say is so?that they lost money last year?they are doing the proper thing in raising their rates, and the new companies are doing a very foolish thing in attempting to occupy ground that has been shown by experience to be untenable. But after all the thing will likely regulate itself, and if safe insurance can be profitably furnished at a less rate than is offered by the present companies, the proposed new rate will hardly be established. Whnt of tlie Fnture? As soon as the necessary machinery can be put in motion, and that will be without a great deal of delay, the town of Yorkville, for 20 years past one of the soberest and most conservative towns in the state, is to again engage in the liquor business, and we beg to make just a few preliminary remarks by way of preserving the record, perhaps for future reference. Time and again during the past 20 years, we have discussed this question with all the intelligence and earnestness that we nave been able to bring to bear. Though we may have appeared harsh at times, we have always endeavored to say our say without mal ice, and never yet have we uttered a sentiment on the subject that we did not believe to be absolutely true. During the past few weeks especially, we have been at particular pains to lay the situation before our readers as we have seen it. All that we have said we believe. We know that there are those who honestly disagree with us, and we know that there are many on the other side who do not care whether we were or are right or wrong, so they get whisky and plenty of it. Under our system even these last are as much entitled to say what they want, and get it, if there are a majority of ?U/v*v? no Vio 1-A tKnoa A AAneulop tha IUCM1, UO IICl>C ll?V??c ? Uw vwii^iuvt v?.v interest and welfare of others along with their own interest and welfare. But as to how much of what has been predicted will turn out in accordance with predictions, remains for the future to determine. We do not believe that the legal sale of whisky is going to increase the trade or prosperity of the town. There are those who seen to fear that there may be a disposition on the part of some people to punish the town on account of the establishment of the dispensary. We do not believe this. Trade depends on having the best goods at the lowest prices and keeping the people advised of the fact. But we do believe that the increased sale and consumption of liquor in this locality, especially in the homes of the better element of our people, is going to decrease the earning and producing capacity of this section as a whole, and for that reason industrial and business growth will be less rapid than it would be otherwise. We believe also that the highways leading out of Yorkville will became less safe than they have been, and that security to lire ana property win oecume ieaa sacred than heretofore. We are sorry to say these things, and we hope it will develop that we are mistaken. We shall centainly not try to bring vindication of our views in proof. On the contrary, our readers may depend upon it that we will continue to stand, as we have always stood, for decency and order. If it shall turn out that after all the dispensary is the best thing for the country in general and individual homes in particular, we shall rejoice at the kind Providence that sent it against our wishes. If, on the other hand, however, it shall develop that we are correct in the fears we have expressed, we hope no one will seek to lay at our door any share of the responsibility. The Cuban reciprocity question is giving the Republican party a great deal of trouble just now. .And the president is also considerably worked up. It is a question of justice to the Cubans on the one hand or the pecuniary interests of the beet sugar growers of the United States on the other. In his message to congress on the convening of that body, the president called especial attention to the duty of the United States to Cuba, recommending the adoption of reciprocity relations upon a liberal basis. Since the principal surplus product'of Cuba is sugar, and since the admission of Cuban sugar free or at a reduced rate, will seriously affect the interest of the sugar growers in this country, especially the beet sujrar growers, the majority of the Republican congressmen have been wavering. The ways and means committee wants to give Cuban sugar the advantage of a reduction of 20 per cent, over other sugars. The president Is in favor of this proposition; but all along a majority of the Republican members have been against it. Of late, it has been claimed that the president has crawfished somewhat in his position; but those closest to the administration claim that this is not the case. It will not be surprising if the president is forced to publish an especial message in order to declare his position. The Republicans have been caucusing without being able to get up a majority in favor of the proposed 20 per cent reduction. The Democrats with the exception of a few who represent beet sugar districts, are for the 20 per cent, reduction; but it does not suit the Republicans to allow the Democrats to decide the matter, and for that reason, they are all the more anxious for a caucus agreement. THE SIMMER CAMPAIGN. Something Should be Done to Minimize the Nnisnnce. The general public seems to have almost lost sight of the fact that there will be a May convention this year. It is the forerunner of a season of political turmoil and trouble. There are very many things that the May convention can do, but unquestionably the greatest service that it can do the people is to put a stop to the county to county campaigns. This is not a new suggestion, but from time to time it has been made in this correspondence and elsewhere, simply because of the glaring humbuggery in the present system. Two years ago the idea was advanced and took well, and county conventions went so far as to favor some curtailment of the present nuisance. Senator Tillman wrote an open letter to Editor Parks, in which he heartily favored cutting down the number of meetings to a limited number, but insisted that the primary system must stand, and that it would not be hurt by a severe pruning. It needs the pruning badly. It has been my fortune or misfortune to have attended and to have reported more campaign meetings in South Carolina than any other man, and my experience and observation in seven different series of appointed campaign meetings has impressed on me the conviction that these gatherings are failing more and more, year by year, of their orignal purpose; that they do not always result in the electiqn of the best men; that they are preventing good, strong business and professional men from entering their candidacy because of the mudslinging and annoyance; that it is a useless and burdensome tax on the already poor people; that it is being watched more for possible "scraps" than for sensible discussions of issues; that it is an annoyance and a severe cost to the people; that it is bringing the primary system into disrepute, and finally and chiefly, it is a high type of a humbug for a variety of reasons. The natural question is why the meetings keep up and why do the peo pie attend the speaking? The first inquiry is answered by the fact that there are too many active and latent candidates in the state conventions, which adopt the constitution and rules of the party. There seems to be a great fear that whoever suggests and advocates the curtailing or abandoning of the county to county campaign system will have to face the charge that he is afraid to go before the people, and that he will be twitted and, perhaps, politically damned, and that his epitaph will be: "He was afraid to trust the people." This is now, and has always been, the bugaboo. It is not real, but it may as well be, because it has the same effect, and men in public life, seeking office or having that in view?and they largely make up state conventions?are afraid of the after results, and that by opposing county to county meetings they may give their opponents a heavy club. There are some forty-one counties in the state and each year there are a number of special and extra meetings provided for, and the candidates are practically compelled to attend these extra meetings. The state convention ought not to. abandon the Idea of.havlng the candidates appear before the people and of having them cross-examined by the voters, not at all. But why would not seven or ten meetings give the candidates exactly the same chance of presenting their views as fifty, and why would not seven or ten meetings allow the people to ascertain and Inquire the views of their candidates? There are already five avowed candidates In the field for tne United States senate and an equal number for governor; that means ten half hours at the very least calculation, or five solid hours of talking, without interruptions or overtime allowances, for the candidates for only two offices, and the prospect is that there will be more candidates in both of these contests. What " *" A*/lAftl ! r* l\Aitf tVlO fltHflC flf tin ui uwai i tt nui auvuv ? other candidates? They pay their money and have their rights under the present constitution. The party constlitution may restrict the campaign meetings to candidates whose elections stand for policies, and in that way somewhat save the audiences and the candidates. There promises to be four or more candidates for secretary of state, two for attorney general, two or three for adjutant general, a couple for superintendent of education, three or four for comptroller general and so on down the list, and a regular hurdle race for railroad commissioner, and the candidates for congress and solicitor often contend that they pay their money and ought to be allowed a few minutes at each of the meetings, and all of this takes time. If at the campaign meetings issues, real live and vital questions, were discussed, it would be a different matter, perhaps, but how small a part Issues> now play in a campaign is a serious concern, entirely independent of the sense of having fewer campaign meetings than the present constitution provides for?mudslinging, sarcasm, backbiting, criticism and personal praise now make up far too much of what is heard from the stump. If the state convention simply provides for one meeting in each congressional district and stops, there it will do a great political service to the people, for it is only the politicians who hope that someone will make a "break," and those who dote on prize fights on the stump who really care very much about these meetings. The people are easily satisfied and all they want to know is how the candidates stand on leading issues, and not how they can withstand the jabs of a political opponent or themselves provoke others. It is not such characteristics that make the successful officeholder.?Adjust Kohn in The News and Courier . TAKE COURAGE. A Correspondent Remind* the Faithful That Their Labor* Are Not Ended. Editor of The Yorkvllle Enquirer: Assuming that a dispensary will be established in our midst, I beg the use of your columns to say to those who opposed it that its establishment will not absolve us form 'our duty to those most surely to be -affected by it, especially the boys in town that are growing into manhood. The latter are readily divided Into those who were born with a thirst *for liquor in their veins, inherited from the fathers that begot them, and those that were not so born. They are all menaced by the evil or temptation, but hardly in the same degree. With rare exceptions, the mother who knows that her boy was born with this thirst in his veins may be counted upon to be watchful for a better manhood for the boy. Let us not forget that there are other evils in this world?evils that confront us upon every hand. One may hear any day in Yorkville such profanity as "Damn your soul," and other kindred salutations. I would not be deemed an apologist for these; but it may at least be said for them that men wnu are must nuieu iui men piuiauuj are conspicuous in any community for their lack of brains. Then, too, such words are idle; at least, they are not to be classed with the deeds of the pious hypocrites who, for the money that is in It, are willing to see young men damn their souls. Let us, therefore, take courage. It behoove us to be yet more watchful. Evil is around us, and will be until, we finish our work here. Minimize the evils, If we can; and if we cannot, meet them bravely and with a quiet determination to suffer as little as possible from their baneful presence. a. d. Yorkville, S. C., March 12, 1902. The River and Harbor Bill.?South Carolina gets an appropriation of $145,000 for improvements of her rivers and harbors under the bill soon to be reported by the committee. This amount constitutes the cash appropriation for work to be done this year. In addition the bill authorizes a new contract providing for the expenditure of $106,300 for improving the Great Pee Dee, according to the survey made several years ago. Referring to South Carolina's share in the bill, Representative Finley said: "The delegation are in the main much gratified at the treatment accorded the state by the rivers and harbors commit*AA tkta tfAnt. lirUtl/% ?.r/v A 1 A nrtt rrQ * uuii^tr itiio jxai, wiuit: we uiu uwi b^1all that we asked for in every case, the' amount carried in the bill is sufficient to accomplish a great deal toward the improvement of the rivers and harbors and I sincerely hope the bill will pass. The appropriation for the Great Pee Dee is the outcome of a survey made in 1900. For work on the river from the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta railroad bridge up to the town of Cheraw, a distance of 69 miles, the bill carries a cash amount of $12,000, the remaining $106,300, being for contract work. Below the bridge work to the amount of $10,500 is provided for in the bill. I have been working to obtain this new contract ever since I came to congress, and the people of that section are greatly interested in seeing the work started. The Santee, Wateree and Congaree are given $27,000 for maintainanee and continuing improvements recommenaeu in surveys made in former years. The Sun tee gels $20,000 of this amount and the Wateree and Congaree $3,n00 each, to cover the expense of maintenance and for a survey of the Wateree, with a view to improving it as far as Camden."?Washington correspondence of The News and Courier. LOCAL AFFAIRS. NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. D. C. Clark?Tells you that he is the agent for the Maryland Nursery company, and asks that you see or write him for full details about trees. W. H. Hicklln, Guthriesville?Offers for sale at the market price, a quantity of red rust proof seed oats. J. P. Pursley, Clover?Announces the arrival of a lot of new goods of various kinds, and calls especial attention to his Champion corn planters, plow points, seed potatoes, etc. Jas. M. Starr & Co.?Want you to buy various kinds of garden and field seeds from them. They also want you to try Pratt's food for horses and mules, and also Pratt's chicken powders. W. M. Kennedy, Agent?Calls your attention to seed potatoes of different varieties and of the purest qualities. He also calls attention to crockery, clothing, garden seeds, etc. ? ABOUT PEOPLE. ^Mlss Mamie Johnson is visiting Dr. P. T. Gordon's family In Charlotte. *^br. Wm. Kennedy, of Laurlnburg, N. C., is In Yorkvllle on a visit to relatives and friends. SyMiss Jennie Llnd Moffatt, of Due west, Is visiting In Yorkvllle, the guest of Mrs. D. E. Finley. vMiss Helen Riddle, of Zeno, is In Yorkvllle this week, on a visit to her grandmother, Mrs. L. M. Grist and other relatives. ^Messrs. T. Howard Riddle and T. A. Uifatchford, of Zeno, left Monday for a visit to the Charleston exposition. They will be absent a week. N/Miss Alice Ross, of Columbia, who fts been attending Mrs. W. B. McCaw for the past two weeks, has returned to Columbia. Mrs. McCaw is much Improved. JXlt was the store of J. M. Stroup instead of the store of W. B. Stroup, that was burglarized recently. The mistake was made by the reporter through inadventence. INCREASED INSlKAntEi. The old line insurance companies have decided upon a very material increase in the rate of insurance charged against a certain class of risks. They state their position in the following circular letter to agents: "The very serious loss whidh we, in common with other agency Companies, have sustained during the past three years, has forced us to the decision to require an increased compensation for the liability we assume, particularly upon certain classes which have proved the most persistently unprofitable. "From and after this date we will ask you to secure for this company an advance of 25 per cent, over existing rates upon the following classes: "1. All stocks of merchandise. "2. All frame store buildings. "3. All manufacturing plants and special hazards. "This advance in rates to be effective from this date and to continue until further notice; and, as our action is an individual one, we will ask you further to disregard the action or competition of other companies and either secure the increase in rate for us or decline the business." THE CHAINGANG. Although much hindered of late by the bad weather, the chaingang is still at work on the Yorkville and Tirzah road.# The "Robinson Hill" is receiving more attention than any other one point, and the work that is being done there is or a very sausiaciory imiuic. Speaking of the situation on Monday, Supervisor Gordon said: "The outlook] Is that we are not going to do nearly as much work on this Yorkville and Tirzah road as we would like to do. The people have not hauled enough rock. There has been some rock hauled, but not nearly as much as will be required. I fear that we are not going to be able to do much beyond Improve some of the hills. The weather has been too bad for rock hauling of late, and when It clears up now the people will have to go to plowing." There have been two more deaths on the chalngang lately. "Will Fewell, who tried to poison the Fewell family at Ebenezer, died about ten days ago, and Will Gill died in the poor house last Friday. The case of Gill was a pitiable one. It developed some six months ago that he was going to die. Dr. J. H. Saye and others interested themselves in his case and tried to get him pardoned. The grand jury recommended a pardon, but Governor McSweeney declined to grant it. At last the Negro got so bad that the supervisor took it upon himself to send the poor fellow to the county home, where he was given as good attention as could be. had under the circumstances. There is no special regret In the case of Will Fewell. He has all along been a desperate fellow, and gave the guards much annoyance. They are agreed that his death was about as good a thing for all concerned as could have happened. ^^WJTHIN THE TOWN. ? The Enquirer's club contest closes this (Wednesday) afternoon at 4 o'clock. No subscription remaining unpaid at that hour will be counted in the contest. ^>ri1fimediately after the result of the dianensary election became known, a petition was circulated for the appointment of Mr. J. W. Snider as dispenser. The petition was signed quite generally. ? The question now is, where will the dispensary be established? There will be no trouble on that score. Any old place will do, and it will not have to advertise for business either. It will be much easier to find than has been the case with the tigers. ^"Wallace Jackson shot Henry Brice in a gambling row, near the oil mill, in "Swamptown," last Sunday afternoon. Both men are colored. Wallace fired three shots. Two shots went wild, and the other struck Brice on the forehead, but glanced off without doing material damage. ^ Senator Brice has the following letter from Richard I. Manning, Esq., ? *? C? n 7* ?TY>1 aaiea csuuner, o. vman... .. J. J. Dargan, formerly of this place and recently of Darlington, expects to deliver an address In your town. His purpose is to awaken interest In South Carolina history?not in the interest of any particular work on that subject; but In the subject Itself In its broad and essential features. His work is largely one of love and patriotism. I write to ask not only in his behalf but in behalf of the work he is engaged in, for your kindly interest and your effort to get others sufficiently interested to help this cause by their attendance at his lecture, feeling that all who hear him will be well repaid and deeply interested." Col. Dargan is an interesting and well-informed talker, and there is no doubt of the fact that if he comes to Yorkvllle, he will find many people to take an intelligent interest in the worthy cause he is trying to advance. THE DISPENSARY ELECTION. In the hurried report of the dispensary election published in the second edition of the last issue of The Enquirer, the result was given as 96 for the dispensary and 75 against; making the majority in favor of the establishment of the dispensary 21. These figures were?aken as the first announcement of the managers. It was understood at the time that there were certain complications to be straightened out; but as there was no indication of anything to change the net result either way, there was no reason to delay publication until the managers should settle an official figures. The final count showed 176 votes in the box, with only 170 names on the poll list, showing that the box had been stuffed to the extent of six votes. During the counting the managers came' across two suspicious bunches of tickets. In one of these there were three "yes" votes folded together, and in the other two "yes" and one "no" vote folded together. Under the rules and regulations for conducting elections, six votes had to be drawn, and with his back turned an anti-dispensary manager drew out five "no" and one "yes" votes. Before the drawing of the surplus votes, there were 75 votes against the dispensary and 95 for it. After the drawing the anti-dispensary vote was reduced to 70, and the dispensary vote to 94. This left a majority of 24 for the dispensary. In the box also there were six challenged votes, all for the dispensary, and as they could no longer affect the result the managers decided to count them also, making the final figures 100 to 70 and leaving the dispen |A? ? * OA ?fA?Aa T ooirlncr sary a majority ui ov vui?. ....0 off the six stuffed votes and the six challenged votes, the dispensary majority was 19. HONEFOLK8 IN WASHINGTON. The following from the Washington correspondence of The News and Courier, is of especial interest in this part of the state: Representative Finley and a Rock Hill delegation, consisting of Messrs. Wilson and Anderson, appeared before the committee on public buildings and grounds in advocacy of Mr. Flnley's bill to construct a new public building at Rock Hill to cost $100,000. All three of the gentlemen made brief speeches to the committee, presenting strong arguments In behalf of the measure. Referring to the report that he would' be in the race for congress this summer to succeed Mr. Finley, Mr. Wilson confirmed the report. "I was in the legislature for eight years and during that time acquired an extensive acquaintance, and I believe I have many friends who will stand by me in my race for congress. I take it there will be no discussion of national Issues in our campaign, but it will merely be a question of whom the people think is the best man for the place. I understand my competitors in the race will be Representative Finley. who will stand for re-election; former Congressman Strait and Adjutant General J. W. Floyd. Mr. Wilson has recently visited the exposition, and in talking to a number of congressmen in the Democratic cloak room this morning, gave an attractive description of the "Ivory City." "Only recently has the exposition been entirely completed. When I arrived I found a city full of visitors and an n" T V?onnf HroampH CApUBlllUII OUCU ao X i* au i*vv vi.v?.?wv. of. All the exhibits are now In place and the grounds are blossoming forth In flowers of many hues. The buildings quite surpassed my expectations, and when Illuminated at night the sight Is one never to be forgotten." Several of the congressmen wanted to know what would be the attitude of the state towards the president's visit. Mr. Wilson said the recent unpleasantness of the South Carolina senators and the disgraceful conduct of the lieutenant governor had aroused the people of the state, regardless of their political views, and that as a result the president would be welcomed at Charleston by crowds from all over the state, who will go there for the express purpose of assuring the president of a hearty welcome. "Indeed, I think the president will receive a much greater ovation since the telegram of 'Jim Tillman' was sent than before," concluded Mr. Wilson. Representative Finley doesn't write the most legible handwriting In the world. Indeed there Is much more of originality than of legibility In his penmanship. He flattered himself, however, that through practice he was able to write the name of his home office, Yorkvllle, S. C., quite plainly. But) [he now has his doubts about this, and| is seriously considering taking a course In penmanship at one of the night schools here. This Is due to the fact that he recently had an Important letter directed to Yorkvllle returned to him from the postoffice here, after several days' delay, with the remark written on the envelope that there was no postoffice in South Carolina whose name at all resembled the marks on the envelope. EIPRIIT SAFE BLOWERS. The safe in the office of the Victor Cotton Oil company was blown open by expert cracksmen last Friday night, and robbed of such of Its contents as the onerators cared to carrv off. It Is not known that they took away anything, however, except cash to the amount of $75.78. It was a good Job. Nltro-glycerine was used. The safe was of only medium strength, being an inexpensive one formerly used by the Ganson Dry Goods company. But all the surroundings indicated that the burglars knew their business. Nitro-glycerlne, as most of our readers know, is an explosive fluid which develops its greatest power in a seam or crevice. Indications about seemed to tell a story to the effect that the crack around the door of the safe had first been daubed with mud, after which a section of a razor blade was used with which to effect a wider opening through which to pour the explosive fluid. After a sufficient quantity of the explosive had been introduced, the charge was detonated by some means best known to the burglars, and which can be arrived at only through theory. As the result of the explosion, the outside door was blown oft with such force as to tear up the floor near by and batter the walls of the office building. The Interior of the safe was opened up to the burglars who forced open small drawers with a chisel or Jimmy and got Into a small Iron door by driving It In with a hammer or crowbar. There were Indications of the use of a chisel around the safe door, and the probability is that the whole Job must have required several hours. The oil mill, within 25 yards of the office, was in operation all night, and, of course, at the time the explosion occurred. One Negro claims to have heard the explosion In the seed house, and says it was between 12 and 1 o'clock. He did not pay any attention to it, because it did not occur to him that it indicated anything serious. Several people living In different parts of town also claim to have heard the explosion and they seem to unite In the ?? i_ * ?? AL_i. li. ? _ i _n upiniuil nut I 11 WitB ttlUIlg UUUUl (, o'clock in the morning. Although there was found in the office a section of razor blade tnat had probably been used as a wedge, and some other articles that the cracksmen had employed, there was nothing that could be made by the local detective talent to serve as a satisfactorily clue. And up to this time tnere has been nothing to suggest the identity of the robbers unless there is something In a state of facts put together by Policeman A. Rose. It seems that a day or two before the burglary, there appeared at a boarding house here a pock-marked man and his wife, who represented that they were expert carpet cleaners from Chicago. They claimed to be able to make old carpets as bright and clean as new without taking them from the floor. About the same time there appeared In the town .two strange Negroes whom it afterward developed, were in the employ of the carpet cleaner. Policeman Rose and Sheriff Logan Investigated the carpet cleaner during Saturday morning. The people at the boarding house remarked several suspicious circumstances. For instance, on the day before the man had referred to the contents of a bottle in the presence of a servant as glycerine. He did not say what the glycerine was for. The boarding house people were not able to say that either-the man or the woman was out of the house during Friday night; but they were up at an unusually early hour on Saturday morning. Policeman Rose was able to account for the whereabouts of the Negroes ? Friday night, except between the hours of about 10 o'clock p. m., and 3 o'clock a. m. On the strength of suspicions aroused by the circumstances related, Policeman Rose and Sheriff Logan took the carpet man in custody and made a partial search of him. What seemed to be a pistol in his hip pocket turned out to be a bottle, and the scared expression that came over the fellow's face when Policeman Rose put his hand on the bottle gave rise to the further suspicion that the bottle might have contained nitro-glycerine. The fellow had some tools in a satchel that might have been used for either carpet cleaning or safe-breaking, and while the officers were not thoroughly satlsffed, they finally decided to let the entire party depart. The man and woman took the Three C's tram for Rock Hill, and the Negroes also managed to get to that town. LOCAL LACONICS. Reliable Fruit Trees. The announcement of Mr. D. C. Clark with reference to the Maryland Nursery company, in another column, ought to prove of especial interest. The Maryland Nursery company is well known in this section, and has a high reputation for reliability and being up to date. Mr. Clark is now taking orders for fall delivery, and is in a position to arrange to get anything in the fruit^tree^hie that a customer may desire. Death of Mrs. H. N. Carothers. Died in Georgetown, Texas, on 25th of February, 1902, Mrs. Harriet N. Carothers, widow of the late Samuel D. Carothers, who died about 20 years ago. Mrs. Carothers was Harriet N. Perry. She and her husband were both reared in the India Hook section of York county, and were members of Ebenezer Presbyterian church. He was an elder during < the pastorate of Rev. P. E. Bishop. They left South Carolina in October, 1851, in wagons, went to Arkansas for a few years and then to Austin, Texas. Mrs. Carothers was atout 75 years old. FnmraPof Dr. Chalmers. WJiiiulboro special of Sunday, to the Charlotte Observer: The remains of the late Rev. J. T. Chalmers, D. D., were brought from Charlotte yesterday and laid to rest in the A. R. P. cemetery at this place. A large number of people attended the funeral services, lnclud -? "A M nu??.L/> ing auoui -u xrum v/iiunuuc, ?uv accompanied the remains here. During the services, eloquent and touching addresses were made by Revs. C. E. McDonald, of Wlnnsboro, and J. P. Knox, of Columbia, setting forth the high character and noble work of the deceased. The noral offerings were profuse and beautiful. The Hoard of Control. A meeting of the York delegation was held in the office of Senator Brice yesterday for the purpose of recommending to the state dispensary board names for the county board of control. Messrs. Brice and Beamguard were present. Inasmuch as there are only three members of the delegation now, it was agreed that each name a man. Mr. Haile telegraphed the name of Mr. J. S. Drakeford, and accepting this, Messrs. Brice and Beamguard completed the board by adding the names f Dr. J. H. Saye and Mr. J. R. Lindsay. Although the appointive power lies with the state board, it is not probable that there will be any change in these recommendations, ilurul Free Delivery. Special Agent Howard, of the Rural Free delivery service, has been over the proposed new routes, leading out from Yorkville; one to the Clay Hill section J and the other to Bethany, etc., and has decided to recommend the establishment of both. Mr. D. C. Clark was the only applicant for the position of car- P rier on the Bethany route; but two can- F didates stood the examination on the f otner rouie. Mr. n. omiin naa auuui r worked up a route to take in a 25 mile