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VOL-. XV. MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1900. NO,20 THE 1011 STRE Il The Race for the Goal Has Now Commenced. LAST HALF OF RUN BEGUN. The Compliments of 1he Hustings Orators n-) Dcubt Brought Blushes to Lancaster's White Rose. The dividing lire meeting at Lan caster Wednesday was quiet. The au d ience was thoroughly unde monstrative and attentive. There was little ebeer ing, no noise. When the meeting was called to order Chairman Porter stated that if every candidate spoke according to schedule the meeting would continue from 10 30t until 4 30. Mr. J. P. Drham was not present and sent excuses. He was absent on account of sickness and anaounced his platform and showed the work of his office. Mr. Brooker started out by say ine he had already saved the State $5v, 000 and was in position to save that much mre. Gen. F! ayd spoke tut Rouse was absent. Then came the candidats f-r rail road commissioner. Mr J. [1. Whar ton spoke first. He said there were towns discriminated against in rates. Then he took up the matter of over charge and wanted agents authorized to pay overcharges or make allowances for lost articles. He said there was no sense in the argument of long and shorts hauls when the rate on lumber is less from Augusta to Camnd:'n than from Lucknow. Maj. Barnard B Evans said freight rates were higher here than in any southern State. He said there was something rotten in Denmark and it was in the railroad commission. The commissioners were liable to arrest when riding over the State on free passes. The commission is doing nothing for the people. Mr. T. M. Berry said he was running on his own merits and not on the de merits of anyone. le was a prohibi tionist and always advocated temper ance. He wanted to be measured as a man and stand on his merits. He saw nothing so bad in the present commis sion. Promises can be easily made and broken. If elected there would be comfortable stations. Mr. T. E Pettigrew always believed in the value of the railroad comiis sionership. Railroads are -combining and the people must combine through their commissioners. He is and always has been a simon-Lure farmer, but raised tobacco, cotton and truck. He promised to be faithful to the interests of the people, as heretofore. W. D. Mayfield spoke of the mill development and argued that the sur plus cotton ought ai be bought in this State and not from t;'orgia. The rates are prohibitive. Furniture factories prospered in North Carmiina because of better rates. Then he took up the manufacture of tobacco goods and ar gued that the local rates wre too high and the same applied to fiour mills. Wholesaling must remain small he cause of the rates. He Lelie-ved the commissioners shculd not ic paid by the railroads or provided with passes. Mr. W. D. Evansq sail the commis sion knew some of the rates were too high, but the thing has to be etrefully done. The Texas commission cut, aui rates 50 per cent and has been tied up in the courts since. Then he showed wherein recently the rates have been reduced on fertilizer, shingles, wood, cotton, brick, etc. The only way to work was to act jointly and continu ously. The two Evanses disputed as to the North Carolina rate. The North Caro olina rate as quoted is all wrong. W. ID. Evans stated. Hie says eltet him and have one honest man on the board. send Mr. W. D. Evans. 'Gcd save the mark, W. D. asked to have his character and reputation compared if need be. B. B. Evans-I'd never compare my charaater with you. W. D. Evans-I have never tried to pass off anything bogus on the people. If you will look in the attorney gener al's report you will find he insured 41 dispensaries in bogus companies and the companies were not worth a cent. B. B. Evans said it would be well to look at the records in WV. D. Evan's county. W. D). Evans went on to say when he ran for the constitutional conven tion there was intense opposition, to him and a warrant was sworn out against him for fast driving through the streets and drunkenness. He insisted on be iug tried and was acquitted. B. B. Evans-Oh, that's not it. I mean where you cheated a man out of $I3,000O and a jadgment is recorded against you. Chairman-Time's up. W'. ID. Evans-Let me explain. 13. B. Evans-That is a rersonal matter and he attacked me. Make him sit down. The chairman then without further ado presented Mr. Capers and.W. D). Evans went to his chair saying: "I paid that claim, every cent and am poor too." Mr. Ca.pers then went on to say if elected he would not employ Yankee soldiers to teach in the summer schools. MeMahan 13 honest but wrong. His chief complaint was that McMahan ig nored county sap~(rintendent s and other Carolina educators. Capers objected to white teachers being over colored normal schools. Mc~lahan wanted to explain, but the 1:me was up. Then came the gorwror. .. E\ a't Whitman insistcu that from what others saw the variud deparmen'. are in tad shape and he want~zd to rei-:uy things. Disregard .of law in So-yth Carolina was amniog and disgraceu not only as to the dispensary law everything else if these speakers are to be believed. The best men at tiu , he feared, took just a little too mnuen liquor. A little drunkenness docs not affect a man as much as tellhng a lie. God never made a midfit and there is use for liquor. The Bible does not condemn ansone for getting drunk. Col. J. A. lioyt and Mr. Whitman had stood .on every platform that has ever been erected. The people of Lan baster were already converted to prohi itin h dipnary is ut forward as the best solution of the liqur prob lem. Itis a system adapted to a mon arehy. but it is not for America. The cornerstone of Democracy is that what tver comes to the people should come from them, and he explained how this was not the case. le explained how dispensaries have been forced on the people. The dispensary has its good features, if they were enforced. Bo quets were presented Col. Hoyt by the "Women of Lancaster." Mr. Frank B. Gary thought the flow ers apt for Col. Hoyt's political funeral. He was hot here to villify or abuse anyone. He argued that no better plan than the dispensary was yet proposed. He knew this to be a prohibition c. inty but he would not change his views. All are marching to temperance. Prohibition will bring tigers. He was no apologist for the dispensary as now run. it is not a system for revenue. He was reliably informed there are 200 tigers in Columbia. Mr. A. Howard Patterson said the people, and not the papers, were the jury. If Gary s tood no better chance than Bryan he was sorry for Gary; but he favored Bryan. He stuck to Gary and his family al.! along and has gone down with the family. He announced himself before Gary and had a right to run. He then read from the report of Gary's Charleston speech and em phasized that Mr. Gary would not ans wer his questions in Charleston. He devoted time to Mr. Gary and said if you have e.cal option it will be good by to cis-ensary. Gov. McSweeney said when they charge that the incumbent has not been successful se hurled it back at them The dispensary is better enforced today than ever before and he can prove it by letters from mayors. Charleston is a seaport and i is difficult to enforce the law there. Hte had done his best to en force the law ti ere, but he had done as well there as anyone else le saved the State $10,000 t: constables' salaries He did this as a business matter. Some of these candidates tell you what they would do with the dispensers. He asked all to view the attitude of the people towards the constables. He wanted to say reference was made that constables were here howling for him. They were not here by his order3. He did not countenance their being here. They have no business here, unless they have work here. He was going to investi gate the matter and if any constables have been attending meetings for polit ical purposes they would be removed and they certainly would not be paid for being here. He knew the constables were not here in his interests. They were free men and any constable could vote for whoever he pleased, but they must attend to their business. le read a letter from the mayor of Newberry in which he said: "There is no violation of the dispensary law here." Similar letters were read from the mayors of Spartanburg, Saluda, Chester, etc. They agreed that the sale of liquor has decreased. All constables had instructions to do their duty and if they do not he would remove them. The lieutenant governors came next. Col. Sloan said he had to sing fast and he sung the praises of Blair and Jack son and Sims and Jones and then re counted his services and qualifications. He denied that there were 200 tigers in Columbia, for his people were law abid ing. Mr. Cole L. Blease urged that the prohibition platform demands the sale of liqqor for mechanical and scientific purposes. They condemn the sale and still insist on the sale. All laws are vi olated, so must all laws be repealed, as is argued. He argued for good free schools. Favored biennial sessions. Mr. Jas. H. Tillman said he had more kinpeople here than in any other ounty. H e said Col. Sloan's remark about tigers in Columbia had better be salted down. He jumped on Col. Sloan for fighting the separate coach law. As to Blease and schools he voted to take $20000 from the schools. He insisted that when you strike down the dispen sary you lose the best friend temper ance has ever had. He read numerous letters to show that prohibition did not suit. Mr. Knox Livinston sympathized with the audience for its patience. He gave his certificate of character, so to speak, by showing that he had never been befeated at home. H~e has always been consistent in favoring prohibition when the people wanted it. Mr. Winkler spoke of his services in the house. He was emphatically in f a vor of the dispensary and urged that it had worked wonders. His only regret was that the good prohibitiohists and others had not helped to support and try the law. He wanted better school houses, better teachers and better pay. He spoke kindly of the veterans. Mr. James H. Moore, for attorney general, said he was charged with be ing a former Charlotte printer. He has had his experiences and he was glad of this experience. Work was nothing to be ashamed of. He was proud of his North Carolina descent and that he came here for his home. He said that Gen. Bellinger was either indifferent to coming before the people or was afraid to face him on the stump; that he had gotten awfully busy of late and had gone to Washington on a wild goose chase on an alleged suit against the State by the United States in ignorance of the fact that congress had repealed the act authorizing the United States to sue a State. Regrets were presented from Gen. Belinger, who was unable to be pres ent. Capt. Jennings for State treasurer made a clever speech. The meeting tomorrow will be at Chester. August Kohn. Immediately after the meeting Mr. WV. D). Evans sent this teliegram: C. S. McCall, Bennettsville, S. C. Barney Evans accuses me of swi nd ling Matheson $15, 000. As trustee of fund please wire me whether this is true or false. W. D). Evans. The telegram in reply. lon. W. D). Evans, Lancaster, S. C.: Telegrams received. Accusation as toj defrauding Matheson false. C. S. McCall. Mr. Evans requests the publication. Mr. McCall was the trustee of the fundI oauA Col. W. D. Evans. A. K. MIissionaries Murdered. Two English missionary ladies, Miss Church and Miss Searell, have been murc ered at Usai Oi, in the province of Shar. Si by Chinese. Massacres are also reported from Tai Yuan and Pao inng Fu. GOES FOR TILLMAb About What He Said in His Ben. nettsville Speech. HIS REPLY TO THE CHARGES The Senator States Over His Owr Signature What He Really Did Mean in His Speech. In his Bennettsville speech Senato Tillman declared there is in Soutl Carolina "an unholy alliance of preach ers and barkeepers, led by Col. Hoyt t< defeat the dispensary." The Senator is being savagely criticised for hi: speech and even the dignified Bishoi Duncan is in arms againt the Senator. In an interview with the Greenville News the Bishop said: "It was manifestly false and an out rage," said the bishop, his small, tene trating eyes gashing as he shook E clenched fist. "I always make it a ruk to nail a lie whenever it comes up, whether it comes from the president of the United States or a United States senator, or from anyone else. It is all the more shameful that the statement comes from a United States Senator. Suppose I were to say, for instance, that the merchants of this town were in league with the thieves, the chicken thieves, to rob the citizens, don't you suppose there would be a mighty pro test? Well, there is just as much sense in the one statement as in the other." In the Greenville Methodist confer ence held in Greenville last week the committee on temperance, to which was ref erred the Senator's charge, submit ted a report to the conference, and the following is a part of that report: Resolved 1st. That we reaffirm it to be the duty of the Church to enforce among its members the rule against drinking spirituous liquors except in case of necessity. Resolved 2d. We conceive it to be the duty of a Christian citizen to pro tect the State against the demoralizing, home-blighting, crime-breeding, prop erty destroying drink abuse by using his influene to restrict its manufacture and sale to medicinal, sacramental and scientific purposes. Resolved 31. We denounce any in sinuation that the effort of Christian ministers and other citizens to rid the State of this gigantic evil is a sought or voluntary conbination with the saloon element as a base slander that is itself an attempt to strengthen the power of this most damnable iniquity. R. E. Stackhouse, P. F. Kilgo, R. R. Dagnall. Dr. Chas S Gardner, Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Greenville preached a sermon Sunday night week on prohibition in which he denounced a. false Senator Tillman's charge that 'thA preachers and liquor men are in unholy alliance led by Col. Hoyt." He said: "Senator Tillman, who made the charge, knew it to be false when he uttered it. The charge cannot be in terpreted as anything else but a mean and contemptible effort to break the force of the almost unanimous advoca y of prohibition by the preachers and srved its author as a good occasion also to throw contempt upon a class of men for which he has in many otber ways expressed his contempt." SENATOR TILLMAN IN REPLY. Dr. J. 0. Wilson of the Southern Christian Advocate wrote to Senator Tillman asking if he were correctly re ported and requesting a reply. The re ply is contained in last week's issue of the Advocate. It reads as follows: Trenton, S. C,, July :23, 1900. Rev. J. 0. Wilson, Columbia, S. C. Dear Sir: I have your letter of July 22d, asking if my speech at Bennetts ville was correctly reported. I do not recollect the exact words I used at Bennettsville, but they are in effect true as quoted; and inasmuch as the district conference of the Methodist church, under the leadership of Bishop Duncan, has taken the matter up, and the bishop is reported to have "nailed" my utterance "as a lie," while the re port of the committee on temperance "denounced any insinuation that the efforts of the Christian ministers and other citizens to rid the State of this gigantic evil as a sought or voluntary combination with the saloon element as a base slander that is itself an at tempt to strengthen the power of this most damnable iniquity," I will take the occasion offered by your inquiry to make an announcement over my own signature of what I said and meant at Bennettville. Of course the report gave only the barest outlines. I have no quarrel with the ministers of any churchi or denomination and have no purpose to give offense to any of them. I have always borne testi mony to the high character and purity of purpose characterizing the ministry, but I believe they are wrong in fighting the dispensary law as they do, and I claim the right to say so. acknowvleding at the same time their right to freedom of speech and freedom of political ac tion on this and every other subject. I mentioned the attitude of the ministers incidentally as an illustration of the anomalous political situation. The minisers attack tbe dispensary because it does not go far enough, and the high license people and the blind tigers, whom I designated as the "old bar keepers," attack the dispesary because it goes too far. They are thus found figbting side by side in the campaign. Thre is only one candidate in the field for governor opposed to the dispensary, Co Hoyt, and all of those elements are allied in his support, and the proof is that Charleston, in the last guberna torial election, voted for Mr. Fecather stone and prohibition when it is noto rious that the whiskey element in that city is predominant and that the dis pensary law is not enforced, msinly by reason of the lax morals of the grand jurors who have failed to discharge their duty under their oaths. Col. Hot last winter in his paper, The Mountaineer, u-god coalition between the high license people and the prohi bitionists in the general assembly it order to repeal the dispensary law. Col. Hoyt seeks the governor's ottce, an of cours wants votes. I am op posed to his election solely on the these grounds, and called attention to the elements supporting him. There may be no open "alliance," and technically I may have been in error in asserting it, but I think it permissable to declare all the supporters of any one candidate "allies" and if the Methodist ministers who have accused me of "slander" will show that they do not intend to work to the same end as the bar-keepers for the overthrow of the dispensary, I will then consider the propriety of an apol ogy. Until such proof is given I shall stand by my guns. If the Methodist bishop chooses to call me a liar, and the church temperance committee feels constrained to denounce my opinion cf existing conditions as "slander," the people of South Carolina will judge be tween us. If they can stand it Ican. I long ago learned "Evil is wrought from want of thought, As well as want of heart." When good men find themselves in bad company, they usually pause to consider how they got there and whether they are not in fault to some extent. There is no concealment about it and the editor of The State, who is the spokesman of the license element, has announced his position clearly and openly. The denial by the preachers that the combination is "sought" cats no figure. It exists, and that is all I asserted, and to my mind it is "unholy" and must make every good man feel uncomfortable. If the dispensary is overthrown every practica' maa knows that saloons will be re-established in less than five years. I would deplo e such a result as a great loss to society and know many preachers are of the same opinion. I shall yet hope to see all good men of of all classes united to make the dis pensary the success it can become I believe prohibition is a Trojan horse by which the saloons seek to aga'n en ter the State. The whiskey men believe the same thing. I am against the saloons and all of their friends wheth er they be good men who are blind, fa natics, or scheming politicians. Yours truly. B. R Tillman. WEATHER AND CROPS. Weekly Bulletin Issued by Section Director Bauer. The following is the weekly bulletin of the condition of the weather and crops of the State issued last week by Director Bauer of the South Carolina section of the United States weather bureau's weather and crop service: The week ending 8 a. m., July 23d, was nearly three degrees warmer than usual, and had a maximum of 102 de grees at Batcsburg, and a minimum of 66 at Greenville. There were light, widely scattered showers during the entire week, heavi est in the central counties. By far the greater portion of the State had no rain, and severe drought conditions prevail in places. The need of rain is general, and nearly all crops failed, or are be ginning to suffer for lack of moisture, especially old corn that is maturing. The dry weather was favorable for laying by, and ridding fields of grass and weeds, so that crops are being laid by in generally clean condition, al though grassy fields are still oommon. Old corn failed materially, except on moist lands, where it shows slight im provement. On sandy lands it is firing. Young corn continues to look well and retains its color, but is not growing, and will soon fail unless moisture is supplied. Bottom land corn has made little recovery sinca the June freshest. Cotton improves slowly, except on sandy lands, where it is shedding leaves and squares and is turning yel low. Cotton is generally small and late, although fields are now clean and fruit ing normally, but the crop is spotted and its average condition remains poor. Sea island cotton is doing poorly owing to drought, blight and shedding. Tobacco is ripening fast, and curing made rapid progress, being now over half finished. The hot weather injutred tobacco to some extent. The prospect for a large forage crop is good, especially of field peas, which look very promising. Minor crops gen erally, as well as pastures and gardens, are failing rapidly,.and stand in urgent need of rain. The apple and melon crops continue poor, while peaches and pears are plentiful, but the peaches are rotting badly. Grapes are ripen ing. A general rain would materially improve the crop prospects. A Determined Mob. Seldom has there been such grave determination on the part of the mob or such dogged resistance on the part of a sheriff as that displayed at Hunts ville, Ala,, last week. A mob of one thousand men went to the jail to take a negro rapist and lynch him. The Sheriff and his deputies fired upon the lynchers, wounding some of them. This did not deter them. The sheriff appealed to the governor, and the mili tary were ordered out, but too late. The mob received tar and feathers and oil, and having gotten into the lower corridor of the jail, piled them on the casement floor and fired them. The work of smoking out the inmates was begun The sheriff retreated with his prisoner to a point fartherest removed from the odoriferous pile. He swore that he would die with his prisoner. The chief of police forced his way to where the sheriff was and exhorted him to leave the building. The sheriff was then half suffocated. The official had securely locked his prisoner in a strong cell. The police chief seized .the sheriff and dragged him unconscious fromx the building. The mob took hold of the prisoner and carried him from the jail and hanged and shot him to death. Paid Him to Wait A farmer in Clay county. iowa, has a bin containing about 800) bushels of wheat. About a month ago he pro posed to market the grain, but on go ing to the bin he discovered that a hen had established her nest on the wheat, was setting there, and that to remove the grain would "break her up." He decided not to disturb her, but wait until she came forth with the chicks. In the meantime the price of wheat advanced until the farmer discovered he had gained over $100 by allowing the hen to sit it out. SPEAKS AT CHESTER Tillman Makes a Red Hot Dis pensary Speech. CRITICISES HIS CRITICS. He Refers to the Recent At tacks of Bishop Duncan and Dr. Gardner on Him. At the campaign meeting at Chester Thursday Senator Tillman made a red hot speech and put new ginger in the fight. He was held until the very last, and when he talked, made it lively. Tillman was received with that old time whoop. To start at the end, Till man said: This was his seventh meeting and he protested against always being put last. There were some who thought he ought to remain at home. It was not his fault some one else does not want to be senator. He never felt happy un less he had opposition, and he pre ferred it. He may be a fool, but he was never accused of it, and, therefore, he did not try to be a dictator, but felt free to give advice. As long as he was senator he felt free to talk. All are agreed on national issues and there was no use to talk on such matters un less he wanted to sheer around or say some sweet things. He had seriously regarded his duty. He had thought it over, and feeling his obligations, he felt it carried with it some responsi bility to assist in throwing light. Did you not teach me to use this tongue and to use it vigorously ? Did you label that tongue "for national use only?" if so, say so. If you say so I will obey. If not otherwise advised he was going to talk right out on the liquor question. The people were free to do as they pleased and he wanted them to do so. It is charged that but for Tillman there would now be pro hibition. He said he worked for the dispensary law. The prohibition vote cast was nothing like a general vote, and over 30,000 did not vote at all. As to the dispensary being a great politi cal machine. When it came in he had just been reelected and he needed no machine. He advised the dispensary because he did net believe prohibition could be enforced. He did this to save the State from degradation and being hypocrites under prohibition. The people have voted on this ques tion almost solely on State offices, and the legislature in four elections, and but for him it would have been put in the constitution without any buts or ifs. He did this because the supreme court decision was pending. He wrote the clause, and whenever his tongue grew forked he wanted to be kicked out. The minority is asking you to give up your God-given rights and asking you to give up without a contest. If you are not careful you will be back where you where eight years ago. The State holds $400,000 worth of liquor, and that liquor will fritter away or be lost. If you want it that way it is your right. Dispensary men he hears are going to vote for the prohiki tion candidates. Men should stand for principles and stand by them. Stand by your principles! If it is going to be a matter of reli gion and good-fellowship, then you had better go back to the convention sys tem. Your committees are going to ruin the primary by gagging the speakers and limiting the speakers. He said the reporters were generally fair. Men must not vote for personal preferences but on principles, but you have such a right and do as you please, and he would not complain. The people have governed South Carolina and the only way is to allow free time and take off the bridle. There have been accusations of in tegrity and no time for the charges or denials. He wanted to serve notice that he was going to speak first some where. This gagging of speakers will kill the primary. Better have fewer speakers. What use is there, for in stance, for eight candidates for com missioner. They can show nothing in ten minutes, absolutely nothing. You do not want a man who can merely tell jokes, but these men can tell nothing in that time. It was an outrage to limit the gover nors to 30 minutes. They are all the same. They should all have more time, but some of them do not want more time. Every man should have all the time he wants. It was funny to see Gonzales, an open, avowed license man, now the organ of the prohibition party. He said Gonzales fought openly and bravely, although he so.netimes does not tell the truth. It was old and stale this thing about the liquor men and preachers being on the same line. He never said there was an agreement between the preachers and barkeepers. But much is now be. ing made out of it, although he had repeated it 25 times. He pictured the ministers in white fighting the dis pensary and then another army in white aprons all fighting the same dis pensary, and Col. Hoy t certainly was accepting all these votes Now the sole question is whether these armies are fightingr the same dis pensary. Now Bishop Duncan said I lied when I said the prohibitionists and liquor men were allied under Col. Hoyt. That was severe language and he once used such language, but he did not do so now in the senate, but left that to Bishop Duncan. (Applause.) Bishop Duncan would feel sorry for what he said of him. IThen he took up the temperance com mittee and its declaration, which "de nounced any insinuation that the ef fort of Christian ministers and other citizens to rid this State of this gigan tic evil is a sought or voluntary comn fbination with the salooon element as a base slander. That is itself an at tempt to strengthen the power of this most damnable iniquity." IHe said if these ministers wished to acuse him of issuing a slander it was well and good. It would not hurt him. The people saw and knew what was going on and what the conditions act ually were, and he reiterated that the liquor men and prohibitionists were al lied, and whether this was accident or conceit he eared not, as he only spoke of conditions. He quoted the definition of "alliance." Then he took Dr. Gardner's sermon and aid he would reply to the arges there made when he got to Greenville and said he left to the audience if he had wilfully misrepresented anyone. He meant no reflection on the minis ters. He believed they were mistaken. He believed they were wrong and per haps fanatical. These men have left their pulpits and gone into politics and made themselves liable to criticism. These ministers have come down to discuss polities and those who come down put themselves on a plane with other politicians and he was going to talk out and if they do not like it they could lump it. The Ten Command ments have nothing against selling liquor and the Bible makes liquor sell ing permissible. No man can go fur ther than he as to the evils of liquor selling, but he as much as any minis ter wanted to curtail the sale. When you go home think well whether you want to spew out all the good thing of reform. He would have no complaint as to what is done. He asked all to watch the legislators. Senator Tillman received a great deal of applause and whooped up the dispensary. He will at attend the meetings at Winnsboro, Yorkville, Gaffney, Spartanburg, Union, Green ville, Pickens, Walhalla, Anderson, Edgefield, Saluda, Lexington, and Co lumbia. McKINLEY'S REPLY To the Chinese Appeal for Restoration of Peace and Order. The following correspondence be tween the president of the United States and the emperor of China has been made public by the state depart ment. Translation of a cablegram re ceived by Minister Wu on July 20, 1900, from the Tao Tai of Shanghai dated July 19, 1900. Having received a telegram from Gov. Yuan (of Shan Tung) dated 231 day of this moon (July 19th), who, having received from the privy council at Pekin, a dispatch embodying an im perial letter to the president of the United States has instructed me to transmit it to your excellency. The imperial message is respecttully trans mitted as follows: The Emperor of China to His Excel lency the President of the United States. Greeting: China has long maintained friendly relations with the United States and is deeply conscious that the object of the United States is international com merce. Neither country entertains the least suspicion or distrust toward the other. Recent outbreaks of mutual an tipathy between the people and Chris tian missions caused the foreign pow ers to view with suspicion the position of the imperial government as favora ble to the people and prejudicial to the missions, with the result that the Taku forts were attacked and captured. Con sequently there has been clashing of forces with calamitous consequences. The situation here become more and more serious and critical. We have just received a telegraphic memorial from our envoy Wu Ting Fang, and it is highly gratifying to us to learn that the United States government, having in view the friendly relations between the two countries, has taken a deep in terest in the present situation. Now China, driven by the irresistible course of events, has unfortunately incurred well nigh universal indignation, For settling the present difficulty, China places special reliance in the United States. We address this message to your excellency in all sincerity and candidness with the hope that your ex cellenoy will devise measures and take the initiative in bringing about a con cert of the powers for the restoratien of order and peace. The favor of a kind reply is earnestly requested and awaited with the greatest anxiety. Kwang Hsu. Twenty-sixth moon, 23d day. (-July 19, 1900.) It is therefore my duty to transmit the above with the request that your excellency, in respectful obedience of imperial wishes, will deliver the same to its high destination and favor me with a reply. Yu Lien Yuen, Taotai of Shanghai. Twenty-sixth year, 6th moon, 23d day. (July 19, 1900 ) This cablegram was at once commu nicated to the president at Canton, and the following is his reply: The President of the United States to the Emperor of China. Greeting: I have received your majesty's mes sage of the 19th of July and am glad to know that your majesty recognizes the fact that the government and peo ple of the United States desire of China nothing but what is just and equitable. The purpose for which we landed troops in China was the rescue of our legation from grave danger and the protection of the lives and property of Americans who were sojourning in China in the enjoyment of rights guar anteed them by treaty and international law. The same purposes are publicly declared by all the powers which have landed military forces in your majesty's empire. 1 am to infer from your majesty's letter that the malefactors who have disturbed the peace of China who have murdered the minister of Germany, and a member of the Japanese legation, and who now hold beseiged in Pekin those foreign diplomatists who still sur vive, have not only not received any favor or encouragement from your majesty but are actually in rebellion against the imperial authority. If this be the ease, I most solemnly urge upon your majesty's government to give pub lic assurance whether the foreign min isters are alive. and, if so, in what con dition. To put the diplomatic representatives of the powers in immediate and free communication with their respective governments and to remove all danger to their lives ar~d liberty. To place the imperial authorities of China in co'mmunicatica with the re lief expedition so that cooperation may be secured between them for the liber ation of the legations, the protection of foreigners and the res toration of order. If these objects are accomplished it is the belief of this government that no obstacles will be found to exist on the part of the powers to an amicable settlement of all the quecstions arising out of the recent troubles and the friendly good oflices of this government will, with the assent of the other pow ers, be cheerfully placed at your majesty's disposition for that purpose. Win. McKinley. July 23, 1900. By the president. John Hay, Secretary of State. THE STATE ALLIANCE. Decides to Continue the Exchange After Long Discussion. The State Alliance met in Columbia on Wednesday evening, the following delegates being present: Abbeville-J. R. Blake. Anderson-J. B. Douthit. Edgefield-W. H. Timmerman. Florence-A. C. Stewart. Horry-Jas. A. Lewis. Kershaw-J. A. Mahaffey. Lancaster-J. F. Nesbit. Lexington-James B. Addy. Newberry-W. B. Counts. O onee-J. B. Pickett. Orangeburg-S. C. Kennedy. Richland-B. C. DuPre. Union-J. C. Liles. York-J. F. Ashe. Greenwood-J. L. Hughley. After the presidents address a recess was taken to allow the board of trustees of the State exchange to continue its discussion over the $18,000 and try to determine what was best to be done with it. At about 12:30 o'clock Thursday morning the fight over the exchange and its funds ended. It had waged warmly all the evening. Col. Dancan and Mr. Keitt both made vigorous speeches. A three-fourths vote was re quired in order to withdraw the capital stock from the exchange. When the proposition to withdraw the money and return it to its original subscribers was finally brought to a vote, about $8,000 worth of the stock voted for it, and the other $10,000 voted against. Thus it was determined to continue the ex change, which has been suspended for about one year. As to the details of the management, they will be decided upon later by the board of directors. At 1 o'clock Thursday morning the board of directors of the State Alliance exchange was elected as follows: From the State-at-Large-J. R. Ashe, York, and Mr. Blake, Abbeville. First District-T. S. Browning. Second District-W. H. Timmer man. Third District-Jos. L. Keitt. Fourth District-A. C. Lyles. Fifth District-S. T. McKeown. Sixth District-Charles Crossland. Seventh District-D. F. Efird. The alliance then resumed its ses sions, reelecting its present officers Senator Alexander, president, and Mr. J. W. Reid, secretary and treasurer. Mr. Keitt's term as executive com mitteeman having expired and he hav ing opposition, an election was necessi tated. Mr. Nesbit of Lancaster was chosen to succeed him. The officers of the board of directors of the State Alliance exchange were then elected as follows: President-A. C. Lyles. Vice President-J. L. Keitt. Secretary-Dr. W. H. Timmerman. Treasurer-Charles Crossland. The alliance elected 0. P. Goodwin of Laurens delegate to the national al liance, which jmeets in Washington, D. C., in February, 1901, instal!ed the officers and then adjourned sine die at about 1:40 o'clock Friday morning. PROHIBITION IN MAINE. The Democrats Call for Enforcement and Resubmission of the Law. The platform adopted by the Maine Democratic State Convention at its ses sion in Lewiston on Wednesday, July 11. contains the following respecting the State prohibitory liquor law and its onenforcemnent: "For nearly half a century we have had a statutory law, prohibiting the manufacture, sale and use of intoxicat ing liquors. For nearly half that time it has been embodied in the State Con stitution. Since it was first enacted scores of amendments, each more stringent and the penalties more severe than those preceding it, have been passed. "For nearly twenty years the alleged nforcement of the prohibitory law has been growing more and more lax, until today in nearly every city in the State nd many of the larger towns, there are egularly established bars and saloons where liquors are sold in open, lagrant violation of the Constitution and statu tory law. Nearly every hotel, many restaurants, hundreds of so-called drug stores and unnumbered and secret sa loons and bar rooms in the cities sell without restriction, save an oacasional seiure and fine for political purposes. "For the present shameful, disgust ing condition of affairs in relation to the prohibitory law, the Republican leaders and their supporters arc solely responsible. Today in many parts of the State we are having all the evils of 'free rum,' and none of the redeeming features of a license law. "For years the prohibitory law has been a political foot ball. Its hypocriti cal enforcement has been used to con trol the liquor vote, to increase the in ome of perjared officials and to swell the corruption fund for campaign pour poses. Through its instrumentality, the party in power has intuenced juries, corrupted official sworn to enforce the law; debauched voters, deceived the ad vocates of temperance, betrayed the cause which it professed to support, reating a contempt and aglisregard for all laws, and has made the good name of the State a byword and reproach wherever it is known. "We maintain that the Republican party in Maine is under the practical ontrol of a ring which has finally be ome the rum syndicate of the State, promoting the illegal sale of liquor, protecting the dcalcr in the sale, pocket ing a large revenue from these transac tions, assessing rum sellers for money with which to control caucuses, conven tions and elections, and saddling a heavy debt upon and loading the tax ayers with bills, charges and alleged liburseents too grievous to be borne, and by such duplicity they are demor alizing the youth of our State and edu cating them to disregard law and order. "We believe the respectable, law abiding citizens of the State, irrespee tive of party, favor a change. They demand that the law shall be either en forced or repealed. To that enc we favor resubmission. For the Usu.ai Crime. A negro was lynched near Knox ville, Ga., Wednesday night and his body riddled with bullets by a mob. He had attempted to assault a fourteen year old girl, and had been arrested. He was taken from the officers of the law by the ynchers. WAR OR PEACE? That Is the Question Being Dis cussed Now. LATEST CHINESE NEWS. The Pigtails Supposed to be Get ting Ready for a Gigantic War on all the Powers. News from Washington says Admiral Kempff's letter, given publicity by the navy department Thursday, made the direct statement that the imperial au thorities were in sympathy with the Boxers, though he added that the gov ernment was afterward paralyzed and incapable of controlling the situation. This was the first official declaration to reach our government contradictory of the Chinese representations that the imperial government had steadfastly and from the first opposed the Boxer movement, and our government is bound to accept the word of its own officer until that is overcome by irrefragable proof. The exchanges that are in constant progress between the powers are tending more and more to cast sus picion upon the genuineness of the many communications that have come from Pekin through Chinese govern mental sources. The imperial edict promulgated by Viceroy Tak, at Can ton, has left a disagreeable impression. Despite the Chinese minister's view to the contrary, this edict is looked upon as suspiciously like a preliminary to a formal declaration of war, and as only one step toward securing time to move Chinese forces into better position for defense against the internationalists. In the Yang Tse region active prep arations for war are in progress, not for war against the foreign powers. Junk loads of Chinese soldiers and Boxers disguised as Coolies are arriving there daily. The arsenal is full of arms and supplies are constantly coming in. The Nan King and Wu Chang garrisons are being constantly reenforced and the viceroys admit that they cannot much longer withstand the pressure brought to bear by Sheng and Li Hung Chang upon them to join the forces of Prince Tuan. FIGHTING AROUND TIRE TSIN. Japanese Aided by Britsh and Rus sians Capture an Arsenal. A dispatch from Tien Tsin dated July 13, which has just been received at Washington, says after fighting all day a force of 2,000 Japanese, supported by British and Russians, captured the Chinese fortified arsenal two miles east of the city, making a night attack. The foreigners charged under a very heavy fire from the arsenal, following the Chinamen and killing 400 of them. The foreign loss was heavy, but it is not reported. The Chinese bombarded the foreign city of Tientsin heavily for three days and killed some British sailors on a tug today, besides several Frenchman. The foreigners are mounting heavy guns from the fleet, among them be ing four 12-pounders and four 4-inch guns and will attempt to locate and silence the Chinese guns. An explosion of dynamite killed 20 Russians. Two, battalions of the Ninth United States infantry and 304) marines from the cruiser Brooklyn dis embarked and started for Tientsin t, day on lighters. As they went up the foreign ships cheered them heartily. Refugees of all nationalities will be taken to Japan by the transport Logan. The Japanese were the heores of the battle. Their fighting was remarkably brave and was praised by all their cel leagues. When some of the foreign of ficers counseled retreat last night, the Japanese general said: "When my men move it will be for ward." This morning they charged the breaches in the wall made by the artil lery and fought hand to hand in the streets. Their conduct after the fight was equally good as they refrained from looting while some of the European sol diers were having an orgie. Dead Chinamen cover the walls and streets of Tientsin. Fifty guns were captured. The place was full of munitions of war. Many fires have been started and most of the city will probably be burned. The Chinese are retreating toward Pe kin. Six Handred Massacred. The Hongkong correspondent of the London Daily Express wires as follows under Fridays date: "An Italian priest has just arrnved here from Hen Sien Fa, in southern Haan, where the Italian bishop and three priests have been mas sacred after revolting torture. This took place on July 4. Six hundred converts were massacred after the women had been subjected to hideous brutalities. Six other priests fled to the hills, where they were probably killed. The priest who escaped had a perilious journey to Honkong. He hid in a coffin on board a river boat for 17 days. Having a Run' One of the most conspicuous adver tisements in a.negro paper published in Washington is Hartonia, decoction that is guiaranteed not only to straighten out the most stubborn kinky hair, but to bleach the dark skin white, not in spots but all over, and make the user smell jike a basket of fresh cut roses in May. timc. It is having a run. The scent killer is put up in powder form.i Five Were Drowned News comes from the eastern part of. California of the drowning of five per sons in Wiley's Lake Wednesday. It was an exceedingly hot day and Mrs. Bryon H. Wiley's little party of five were in bathing. They went out to a raft, which suddenly began to wobble and some of the bathers fell into the water. The others made a des perate attempt to rescue their compan' ions and in so doing perished.