THE BATESBURG ADVOCATE? I VOL 1. BATESBURG, 8. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCIT 13, 1901. NO 9 H 1 r- * HELD IN SLAVERY. Result otih? Investigation of the Anderson Chand Jiry. A PLAIN RECITAL OF FACTS Direct Charges Preferred Agdnst Those Guilty of False Imprisonment and of Barbarity. Tho special committee of the Anderson County Grand Jury appointed by Jadgo Benet to investigate certain obarges against largo land owners in that oounty made its report last Tburs day to the oourt. The committee &ys that in the caso of Magistrate J. J. Gilmer we find that for some timo past he has been in the habit of issuing warrants and causing arrosts and frequently committing accused persons to jeil without ever entering the oase upon his docket. This is especially truo where the casos have been oompromiBcd after the arrests were made. Wo find that from Sept 16, 1899, to Jan. 12, 1901, ho made payment to the oounty treat urcr of a number of fines and items of costs collected by him, but that during that time he oolleoted through the sheriff's office alone $34 80, which properly belongs to the oounty and failed to pay them over to the ocunty treasurer as required by law. He also collected $18 80, whioh he failed to turn over. Wo find that Feb. 19,1901, after this investigation was begun, tho said .1 J. Gilmer paid to tho county treasurer tho sum of $53.20 to cover these amounts. While wo have not boen permitted, for tho laok of timo, to make a full inves titration of all tho modularities of this offioe, wo aro oonvincod ho has been guilty of the grosecst irregularities, and we would suggest that a complete investigation of his books and accounts should bo had and that he should bo presented for misappropriation of the funds so colleoted by him. THE KATE OK tWI.I, HULL Regarding tho arrest of tho Negro Will Hull, whioh you wcro directed by the oourt to investigate, we find that a warrant was issued by Magistrate Gilmer for the arrest of this Negro upon an affidavit of A. T. Newell, charging him for a violation of labor ooniraot, and that W. 8 Newell, a brother of tho prosecutor, was depu tizsd by tho Magistrate to servo said warrant; that the constable ho depu tized requested the deputy sheriff, ,J. A. Dillingham, to go along with him and assist in making the raid arrest and representing that Eaid Ilull would probably create trouble when arrcHted ^^^^^^UU^^hat-^ho_ag8istatn'iO of tho deput}' The arrest was made on Friday night and the Negro was brought to Anderson on tho same night. The deputy sheriff suggested that the prisoner be taken to jail, but tho Negro said that ho would prefer to go on with W. S. Nowcll, and that Mr. Newell informed tho deputy that tho magistrate had instruetcd him that he should carry tho prisoner on homo with him. Subsequently tho magistrate was informed by the prosecutor that the oaso had been compromised and that the Negro had agreed to stay with him and work out his contract. Tho rest of tho faots wore brought out in open court. Wo exonerate the deputy sheriff from all blamo in tho matter. Tho prinoiial work of this conimitteo has been the investigation of tho stockades of the county and the abuses of laborers under tyrannous contracts that has grown out of the fanning out of convicts and the working of free laborers with them. Wo have taken the testimony of more than 50 persons ?that of tho landlords, their ovcpscers and guards, together witli a large number of laborers and a few other oitizens. In these investigation wc have been treated with every courtesy and genorally wo have found no dispo sition to obstruct our work upon tho part of those whoso farms and stockades wo visited. A most careful inquiry failed to roveal that any general abuso of tho laboring class exists in this county, so that our work soon narrowed down to thoso places whore stockades cxisttd and free laborers wcro employed. We visited the farms of J. llclton Watson, A. T. Nowell, P. B. Allen, J. K Miller, Elias MeGce, W. Q Hammond and J 8. Fowler. 1 IlEiDTi i< AWti r,U<\ I r. I '? We were unable to find any abu-es attho farm of .J. B. Watfon. lie has a stockade and works free laborers also, but wo found no evidence that free la borcra wero put in tho rtockalcs and worked in lino with tho convicts, or lubjeotcd to any illegal restraint or abuso. ' Tho 8ID10 thing waa true at tho farm ' of 1' B. Allen. Wo found that he had takon two contraota in which the la borers agreed to work under gis ard and bo looked up at night, but hia own cv idoree and that of all tho laborers eo far as wo could ascertain, was that ' f those provisions had never been enforced. I A. T. Newell works State convicts and has a Btockado, but ho has worked no froo laborers along with tho conl victs recently, wlion ho has taken two contraots of that sort. One of these was tho oaso of tho unfortunate Negro Will Hull, who was killed by W. S Nowoll a few works ago and whose P UADO ID IViOllCU I XJ UUXJW B " KK EE LABORl" I J. II. Miller formerly worked conI* viots, but thoy wcro taken away by the B Htato, and hn now employs only "fee' labor, if indeed wo may ubo tbo word j?& v freo to doscribo thoflo laborers wIk have signed bis contracts and r-ubj rotcd themsolvo* to the conditions existing on his farm. Ho has a stookadc whicl was originally built for his Stato oon |H viots and his oontraots provide (hat tlu jB "freo" laborors will work under guart JB and will allow thomsclvcn looked up ai night. Our first investigations at this plaoi B were met by a statement from the nc BE groos that, thov were tatiafied witl jS their treatmont, but their manner indi |i';; oated coercion and subsequently w B made further investigations whioh oon vinood us that J. 11. Miller, and hi overseer, J. A. Kmerson, had beer rajM guilty of whipping nogroos, lookini thorn op at night, working them ondtr guard and patting shackles upon them. Among these unfortunates were John Harrison, Will Wright, Warren Sloan and Liego Jones. Wo found several of Mr Miller's contracts loft blank as to tho time of soivioe and amount to be paid, though tho oontraots woro duly signed and witnessed. In tho oaso of Warren Sloan, ho seemed to havo beon arrested by J. 11 Mdlcr and another man, whoso namo wo ooald not ascertain, noar Contra), in P okcusoouuty. There is testimony that no wurrant-was exhibited, if any e*i-ted, but bo was handcuffed and taken to Miller's otookado and kept there until this investigation began. Sinco our first visit to this stoohaio ho was turned loose and allowed to go homo. In our iildffompnt (ho atid -T It ?--l j ? ,MV ?? . * a* a liipi i?UU J A. Emerson should bo presented by tho grand jury for tho cifanacB abovo mentioned, ?nu wo so icoommtnd. kuab mcork s plan. Id many rcspcots the most mm*''.ablo otso coming under our coti' . is that of Elias Mcgoe, who has no\ _r om ployed State convict?, but who built a stockado and prepared to troat his la borers as convicts. IIis contraots pro vide that the laborers shall bo worked under guard and looked up at night and there war abundant cvidenoo to Bhow that bo ht.d locked up in the stockade, worked under guard and whipppod his laborers Among those who suffered a rart or all of these abuseso were Wesloy Norman, Handy ldtrle, Vance Smith, (Jeorgo Tilly, John Clinkscalcs, Clar onoo (jMilliard, Evins Wood, Louis Alexander, Morris Jordan. Some of these negroes had been arrested and signed contracts after being put under arrest. .John Ciink cilcs was accused by Elias McQcc of stealing cora, was brought to Anderson handoutf id and after he had sigaed a contract, but without any trial, turned over to W. Hammond, who carried him to the latter's stockade. Wo think the grand jury should make presentment against Elias McGoe, and we so rcooinmeud. W. Hammond runs a largo farm in this county and employs a considerable numoer both of Slate convicts and "free" laborers, llis contracts provide that the "freo" laborers shall bo worked' under g*.ard acd locked up at night, and they suffer th;s illegal imprisonment and more, for the tvidenoe shows that a cum'-or of these unfortunates have been worked under u *rd and gun, have been locked up at night and on Sundays and have b.on shackKd and whipped. Among those who suffered these thiegs at the hands of Mr. Ham mond and Lis overseers, Win. liailey, James Martin ard Hay, are the following: Ishatn Abcrcromoio, l'ick Uogers, James Ciintion, .John llowey, Tom l'arks, Charley Johnson and John Cltnkseilcs. Several of those wcro in jail at tho time of our examination, fbcv lud been indicted last fall for gambling, bad been takon out of j ail on bond by Mr Hammond and kept at his farm without trial until the inveBtigaback to the sheri^^^^C^^^r"^^ ,-7lT The negro, carayton Wheeler, ono of the bullets passing through Wheeler's hat. 1 Tho testimony goos to show that 1 George Thomas shot at Dock Krecley and that ho was alc.0 ready at tho whip pings. Andrew Djbba was found to bo suffering from rheumatism which ho says was brought on by beiog oompollod to stand almost waist deep in mud a-d | water in cold weather ditching. He was arrested by A. M Bailey, who has ' been acting as a sort of oonstablo for > J. S. Kowlor but was nevor tried. .J. A. ' Uioe is a negro of rather weak mind 5 who was captured somewhere in Gcor\ _ A -U- i 'iL i : 1 K.in auu uiiuritru wiiu naviug cbu?pcnd confined in tho stockado woro composed largely of a clasj of shiftless debtors who arc subject tc indictment for potty offenso, and who could not bo snoooss fully worked undor ordinary oontraots. They arc men who havo no property, and mon who evade their dcbis udIcsb compelled to pay them. Against them tho process of a civil coutt is worth less; that of tho criminal eourt under existing laws is inadequate. Somothing should bo done by the legislature to grade the punishment of this olass according to tho offcnco. But the worst ircuble has not been in the defect of 1 the provisions of tho law so much as 1 its enforcement. It has come to bo a icttlcd policy in this county that in ' lictmcct for violation cf contract and 'or disposing of property under lien ' ihould bo compromised, and not tried. ( Wo are oonvinoed that this is wrong in principle and dangerous in praotice. Whatever injustice may bo dono an J ndividual by disposing of proporty on vhich he has lien, or by tho violation ] >f a contract by ono of his employes, 1 tnr) irkftfurar f^? * VJt iWIWU Ull^Ut UU IU ho effect of penal statutes to irducn payment of debts or fulfillment of eon- 1 racte that nevtrhas bron the true in- 1 rhoy arc cnaoteo^^^?rovon^p7uTic wrong, and when a prosecution lias oneo been instituted and the powisr of tho criminal court invoked, the question of private rooompenee shouid disappear, and the public interest alone should bo considered. While this way result in occasional hardships, it is tho only safe polioy. Abuses will otherwise grow up until the oriminal aourts are degraded into machines for private gain, and often for extortion and oppression. In our judgment it should bo a crime to compromise any oaso aftor indictment found with a view of private gain. Nor can wo condemn too sovorely that other fruitful source?in fact, the origin of the abuses herein reported? tho loasing out of conviots to work on private farms. Evils already detailed aro too eloquent to necessitate a discussion to prove this. Such a system Hhould not bo tolerated after its results have been cxpised as in this oounty. Wo have heard it intimated that our investigations and oxposuros would disturb the labor conditions to suoh an extent as to create trouble in this Stato. We do not boliove that it is truo, but if it wore wo would not hosi tate to dcolaro tho evils wo fine and to demand that they should bo ab>li-hod. Tho duty of this body is plain: Wo must stop tho violations of law that now exist, and if others begin on tho part of tho laborers themselves, then wo will unito with tho law abiding citizens of tho county in punishing and terminating theso evils. Tho result of our investigations show that tho system of working them in stockades does not exist in this crunty further than wo have reported, l\obably not as many as twenty men, eithor as prmoipal or agent, either directly ar indirectly, havo been engaged io this abuse. On tho other hand, the numbers of laborers and lienors who have violated tho law will doublo that number many times. Wo thcroforo reiterato that tho influence of this grind jury, and wo do not hesitate to tay of the court also, will not bo oxtendod to enable any man to avoid a just contraot, and that wo havo found that most of the labor contracts of tho county aro legal and just If violat'ons of just contraota begin as a result of tho investigation wo havo made, we euggest that warrants be sworn out and prompt punishment given. Wo have not undertaken to assume tho responsibility of prosecuting tho laborers who 1 avo violated their eootraots, bcoausothe position and influence of the landlord makes them fully ablo to do that without assistanoo from us. This speoial report his been brought about bcouuse of the opprcs sion and abuso of men who woro too poor, too friendless, too ignorant and often too degraded to act for thornselves, but who aro nevertheless en titled to tho full proteotion of the law, and who because of their weakness have a peculiar olaim to our prctcotion. All tuKtrtK id rranftrtt fill u c-nii milled. Drunk at the Throttle. Tho Moscow correspondent of tho London l>ail.v Mail says: ''During (ho recent heavy snowstorms f)0 noon were sent to oloar tho snow out of a railway cutting near Wolovo, on tho HiasanUral lino. They wore just leaving tho cutting when tho train canio down at full speed ana ormhod about MO men into shapolosa masses, their clothing clinging to tho axlos and stopping the train. Inquiry shows that tho ongino driver and all the guards were drunk." A TRUE INDICTMENT Of the Unied States in Her Deal* ing With Cub*. "LIAR3 AND HYPOCR.TES ' Is What France and Spain Tiuthfufly Say We Are. Our Country Disgraced Before Nations Tho dealing of tho United SlateB ..'si. n-L. _ !_f * wnu V/Ulib is iniamoua. 11 you aon t think bo read what wo print below from tho Columbia State: Tho Latin raccB aro accustomed to sneer at tho hypocrisy of tho AngloFaxon. Frenchman, Spaniard and lUl ian regard cant as a chartotcristio of Bitish and Amerioan expression, and they marvel much at tho curious bent of mind which oauso* tho men of theBO nations to oloak all their evil purposes with the pretonoc of high and holy motives. Kven moro do tney marvel at thia hecau o tho oloak is threadbare from ovcrmuoh use and utterly fails to conceal that which it attompta to oovor. The solomuity of this moral pretcnco is mado even moro absurd by its utter fatuity. Doea tho Anglo Saxon buo coed in fooling himsolf? askt the Latin; how oan he? And as ho cm neither doludo himsolf nor tho rcRt of mankind by tho assumption of holiaesa in h:fl worst works, what is the use of it all? Tho Latin is right. In this respect the Anglo Saxon ia his inferior, for ho not only aina as freely as any other in dividual of the human family but he aids to that sin tho further vioo of hypocrisy?and all to no iffoot except the creation of a universal diagust. The Latin docs not trouble himself to bo hj paorit'c .1. IIo takes a pleasure rather in being frauk about the mo lives for his wickednesses. If he wishos to conquer another ho admits that ho does so for tho sake of glory; if ho wishes to seize upon tho property of another ho acknowledges that he is actuated by tho desiro for loot; if ho wishes to appropriate tho rights of mother ho proclaims that ho docs it for tho sake of power. lie is above tho contemptible meanness of alleging that he indulges these appetites simply for the good of tho victim. When the United States went to war with Spain in ordorto "liborato" Cuba, 3paniarda and Frenohmon, relying up>n their generalization of tho AngloSaxon character, insisted that the pledge contained in tho Teller resolu Lion would bo violated and that a way would bo found to hold tho Cubans in lubj-ction to the oonquerors. Timo has nr^o^thaUtho^^?to^i^ht^|i^jj^^ | States, pledged in this matter,is a"rI little regarded as it was when the Uaitod States administration in the spring of 1S61 pledged iteelf not 10 disturb the status quo regarding Fort Sumter and telegraphed south, "Faith as to Sumter fully kopt," when an expedition wan actually in making to vio'ate the agroomont. Spanish official papers whioh wo road in the interior of Cuba beforo tho close of the war, appraling to the Cubans to make common cause with Spain for tho roason that they would bo betrayed by tho Waited States and placed under alion control, wore prophotio in their warning. The Cubans refused to believe this, and wo could not imagine such bad faith in view of the professions with whioh tho war had been entered upon; but tho event proved that they were right. For a concentrated exhibit of AngloSaxon hypocrisy in its most loathsome form wo commend to the public the in augural address of Presidont McKinlcy delivered recently. Nothing in D.ekens is more illustrative of that oon tcinptiblo vioo than this deliverance of tho chiof magistrato of tho United States on his assumption of the powers of government for a second torm. The whole addrosB is permeated with eant and falso protcnoo. It gives one tho oroeps to read it. Tho president iB "glad to ho advised by tho recont aot of oongross of tho policy wh?oh tho lcgiHlativo branch of tho govornmont deems essential to tho best intorosts of Cuba and tho United Statos"?a policy whioh the prosideut himself formulated an 1 forced through oongross by in?ans which can bo obaracteiiz )d only as bribery. The same nausoous pr.tonoo of oboying the mandato of congress is made in regard to tho Philippines? when congress in this matter, as in tho Cuban matter, aotei only upon tho c* f\ t\ lit nml inH iiitnnna nf in onartn and an. duction proceeding from the executive. The address fitly concludes with tho assertion that "tho government's representatives, oivil and military, are doing faithful and noble work in thoir mission of KM ANCI PATION and merit the approval and support of their couotrymcn." Faugh I Wo oonoludo wrth an editorial from th) Chicago Timos-Herald, whoso odi tor. Mr. Kohlsaat, is a personal friond of I'rcsidoDt McKinlcy and a Republican. Lot tho administration bo judged by an honest friond! Bat yesterday the word of this republic might, like that of Caesar's, havo stood against tho world. Today who so weak or simple in all tho oourts of ua'i >ns as to do it reverence? Tho Times-Herald has a word of comment to offer upon tho Cuban amendment to tho army bill as an orig tnal propou ion. It may contain the wisest provisions that oou'd bo devised for establishing peioo and g'ving a stable government to tho island W'haL wo insist upon is that the United Siates was not free to adopt any suoh conditions and hang them abiu tho nce\ of Cuba. It was pledged to strike tho Spanish foitcrs from an oppressed and shamefully abused people, with a Bo'cmn disavowal of any pur |oso of substituting American rule, however beneficent, in its plaoo We wish Tho Times Herald had tho spaoo to roproduco ono tit'e of the fervent uttoranoos that acoooipanied tho adoption of the now notorious rosolutiono of April 20, 1899. Thoy fill pages and pages of the Congressional Kooord, and in the light of tho action of tho sonato this week they ring falsct than the kiss of Judas. How tho senators hoped and prayed that tho starved and soourged poop1! of Cuba would not bo betiujod with tbo promiso of frocdom only to bo taught to look with suspioion and hatred upon tho Stars and Stripes an they had looked on tho hated yellow flag of Spain 1 " Tho air of both houses of ojng'oss was surcharged with eleotrio oloquonco that contrasted American honor with Spanish perfidy. Such a oool heads 1 senator as Knutc Nelson of Minuo60ta declared that there wero "better and stronger grounds for our roeognizing the Cuban republir than there was for reucgaix in* tho Uaitod Sates by France in 1778. To ignoro Gom? z and tho Cuban republic,"taid he, "teems to mo to be odd, ioy hearllotsccts, unworthy a great na'ion and a great people." Intervention and independence for Cuba wrrj on tbo lipa and in the votes of a maj >tity of tho senate, and almott I A tin t.iimnno Kamca ? 4'? - * 1 1 | ? in/UlO VjUl U? I II O Jlglll I of April 18, 1898, when tho fauiou: reso1 lutiom went bsc'i ?nd forth bctwocn tho two houses until they ?ame to a final agreement which let slip the ar mica of tho Uuitea States for the (iutt o:patioD of tho llopublio of Cuba from the thrall of Spaio. Snator Stewart regarded "tho ro cognition of tho iodepondenoo of Cuba as a c "Edition precedent to any inter f rcnoo wha over." Ho roj udia'od all suggestion of "hostilo constraint on pa'r.ots who havo struggled as tho Cuban patriots havj." It was "with much hesitation and iiiuoh sadness" Senator liawley diseased the declaration of the independence of Cuba which ho opposed. Our own Senator Culloin denounced Sjain as a robber nation, and appealed to every "lover of freed y-n and humanity tho world over" to fu.ther tho sactel causo of Cuban indupondenoo. In concluding his speech on the question April 15, 1898, this what Sona tor Teller said in repudiating the idea of a war of agurandizemoat: ' Mr. P.esideat, I want tho senate, bofore wo conclude this debate, to fay to tho world in tho mod cotpha'io manner that wo do not in'ord in any waj or manner to derive benefit from this inteivjat on. Spain is too weak and too poor to pay indemnity. 1 want tho Ecnato to eay that we do not intend to tako that nland; that whatever wo may do as to some other islands as to this island, the great bone of con tontion, wo do not intend to tako it from the legally constituted authori tics of tho island as njw established "At the proper time, if no one else does so, I propjso to offer pome amend meit to the joint resolution that shall make it olear to t) o world that it shall not be said by any European govern ment whon wo go out to make bittlo for tho liberty and freedom of Cuban patriots that wo are doing itfjr the purpose of aggrandizement for ourselves or increasing of our territorial holdings." S.nd Mr. Teller was as good as his fi ft! lV?g* nAn.?l?a/l?nf? H .a?.nA-w?1 ^ oers curiously spell opinion. That he is gentil that doth gentle dedis still holds gooc in the high court of common sonso. We speak of men "behaving liko gentlemen," but tho phraeo i9 unhappy. A man cannot behavo liko a gentleman unless ho is one?for alfco tation or insincerity is itself bad manners. "Nothing can constitute got d breeding that has not good nature for its foundation," says Hulwer. Thackeray's definitionof a gentleman is ono to which thousands of tuen rocas uro up who never saw the insido of a college or even a high school and have no distinction either of birthor wealth. "To bo a gentleman," says tho author of Vanity Fair, "is to bo hottest," to bo gentle, to bo generous, to be brave, to be wiso, and, possessing all those qualities, to oxerciso them in tho most gracofnl mitwnr.i nnnni>r " Tho irmt lelrn tint Huxley | utfl it a litilo difTeroot and makes a just distinction when he says: "Thoughtfulness for others, generosity, modesty, and self respect arc ihu qualities which make a real gentleman or lady, as distinguished from the veneered artielu which commonly goes by that name." Judged by thoso high standards it is quite probab'o that there are as many rea' gentlemen among tho gunners as among tho commissioned officers ol Unolo Sam's navy. ? Now York World. Five Killed. Kivo men were killed and two others soriously injured in a mino accident at i the Kcglcside zinc mino in Centre Valley, Mo. The live men killed were oonfined in the drift and tho others wero in tho main shaft. Karly this morning two shots had been fired, but tho whole chargo failed to cxplodo. This aftornoob i a whole box of powdor was sent intc the mine. Oao of tho men acoidontall] discharged an unexplodod shot and tin I box of powder was sot off, rosultirig ii > torriblo destruction. TAX MACHINERY. J t b The Changes In the Law as to o o M king Returns s ti THE ACTS RECENTLY PASSED c C a What is New Provided as to the ? V R'quirennnts forlnjU'arce si . I. C rrpanies Walking in ol 'r P I ?- vwuuiuuiujt uinaYUTii Ul I to^an BUzjraiiil^o^CaDa in j^HpRoof Spanish shackles. ^^h%t vot.o ho and his associates haye str'pped tho intervention of tho United Siatoa on behalf of Cuba of the last vostieo of disintorostodnoss and have written hypocrisy and shameless p?rfidy like a blister aoross the hitherto fair and untarnished brow of American honor. WHAT II A GENTLEMAN' Gunner Morgan Has Proven Himself to be Entitled to That Honor. What is a gentleman? 1 ho question hi\s been variously answered. Admiral Sampson's view is tbat it rt quires certain specific r.d van tares of early cduca t:on and training to make a gentlemin. J f that is so, then gcntlcmanlincss is an acquired art, not a natural gift. This is not a great advance on the old English social doc.rini that gentlemen re born, not made. But in this dem ooratio age and c >untry neither high birth nor liberal education is essential to the making of a true gentleman. When Gunner Morgan, in spito of the unfavorable endorsement of his letter to Admiral Sampson, cillci on the latter and exploded his regrot tbat the correspondence should havo been so published as to annoy the admiral, he went so far tosLov himself a gentleman in the true sense of tho term. It was a gcntlo deed, justifying Steele's ob servation in tao Tatlor that l4tho appellation of gentleman is nevor to bo affixed to a man's oircumstanccs, but to his behavior in them." Old Chau mo 01 The followirg is the text of tho act w passed at the recent session of tho gen- fi cral asecmbly in regard to tho making ' upon ii 6hail be their duty to list the 84 sauio for t txation in tho name of the owner or poison to whom it is taxable, ih ^ diatnot, er entering upor^n^^^^P|fe aod lists furnished thorn. And mo'shall have tho right in performing their duties (horcunder to increase or to lower the te valuation of any property real or per wi sonal as fixed by the county auditor, or in as returned by any person; and it shall di not bo deemed material whether the ro- gi turns so increased was intentionally or ec unintentionally false, or whether the b< property whoso valuo is so raised was y ooe hundred dollars more than tho 1 amount returned by tho owners or his 1 agents, or whenever any" property is c valued and assessed to taxation -which 1 has not been previously returned, it ' shall be the duty of the county auditor on or fccforo tfco fourth Monday in y March of tho yoar in which tho valu ( tion and assessment .is tuadOj to give 1 to the QWDer or agent of such property 1 written notice thereof, which notioe may I bo served upon such owner or his agent personally, or by mailing (ho same to. suoh person or hiB agent' at bis last known plaoo of rcsideuoc, and suoh owner or his agint, if he objects to su ih valuation and assissmcot, shall havo i the right to appeal to tho oounty board of commissioners sitting as tho oounty i board tf equalization, which appeal shall bo heard by said county board. The aooount of tho county auditor for tho necessary stationery and postago, to enable him to'give the notice heroin required, shall be a val-.d olaiin against tho county, and ulrali bo -paid as other oounty claims aro paid. Nothing in this act oontained shall be construed as iir-? teif .ring wiih the duty of the oounty of addir g 50 per oent. to tbe value of per sonal properly as. a penalty, as pro-, viued in sections 279, 295 and 297, of the lleviBtd Statutes ot nor with tho du irs of tho county auditor as pre sorib'cd in section 290 of the Kcvistd Statutes of-1893 . "Sec. 2 -That all acts Aud parts of acts inconsistent with this.act tyo, and the same aro hereby repealed." ' INsnRAXr?..cOM,l'Al(lKp ' *' * ' And hero is (he ad amending tho law in regard to ipsurance companies, throwing further protection around (ho policy holders: An aot to amond an act chtitlcd "An i act to amend sections I and 2 of an act i entitled 4An act to requiro any insuri anco company or association to bo p03? sestiod of one handred thousand dollars f surplus or capital, or in lieu thcroof to q have ono hundred thousand dollars on a deposit with soma State for the benefit of all polioy holders, or in lieu thereof o deposit with the treasurer of tb Itate valid State securities aggregate ou thousand dollars, said securities 0 subject to any judgment against sa ompaoies, and said judgment shi perato as a loan on such seouritie nd providing a penalty for the viol ion of the provisions of this act.' " Section 1. He it ooaclcd by the re ral assembly of tho State of Sou1 larolina, that seotion 1 of said aot i monded, be further amended by ad lg to section 1 tho following provis 'rovided, howevor, that all five intu oo oomp-iuics incorporated under tl tws of this State, with a capital sto< f $25,000 or moro shall not bo cot 1 lie d to deposit certain valid seouritii r bond as above required; providei ud company shall prooure and fi ith the comptroller general a cert oate of tho county auditors in eoui cs where stockholders reside; ihit ll ajority of the stockholders iu tl ipital of said corporation are fre> ciders, and rceido wihin tho Stat re worth the amount of their stoc ibsoribcd to tho capital of said oo oration over all their debts and liabil cs, and exclusive of property cxem| uth Carolina, valid tocurities aggrc ,tiog $10,000, or a bond for sal count made by a solvent serurit mpany, said treasurer to be the judg the vaiidity of such securities am mds, whio> bond shall be oonditione pay any judgment entered up in an. urt of competent jurisdiction in tbi ato, upon a policy of insuranco issue* any oit'ten of this Stato by aoysuo! mpany, and said judgment shall bi lien*upon such securities: Provided iwcv?r, that all fire insuranoe com Dies incorpc r ited under tho laws o is State, with a oapital stock of $25, 0 or more, shall not bo oumpcllcd t< posit said valid securities on bond ai ovo required, provided said oompan] all procure and filo with the oomp illor general tho certificates of th< unty auditors anuually in oouatiei lere stockholders reside, that the ma rity of tho stockholders in oapital o id stockholders aro frco holders ant side within the State, and aro wortl d amount of their subscription to the The secretary of state asks that at ntion bo called tho fact that a lai as passed by tho iegislaturo prevent g any officer from discharging th< ities of his position until ho hai ven bond and had been commission I. College trustees, members of Seat lards, constables, etc , are oonsiderc ficers under tho law, so are othe embers of boards of various ohai iters who aro provided for by th gi-laturo. They get but little pe icrn or mileage, but thoy cannot lc ally assume duty of aot until the avc been duly commissioned by th icro'.ary of stato, Thoy do not hav ) pay any for this commission; it is ioro matter of form. A great man tembers of various kinds of boarc avo neglected to carry out the pre isions of tho law, and their attcntie i called to the fact. The new aot ii ccd makes it unlawful to fail to hi he oaths and get a oommission bofoi ttcmpting to discharge tho duties ii cited.? The State. Decided Decrease. Tho clerk of tho State board of pe ionssta cd Tuesday that the approvi oils ot pensioners had teen sent in 1 nest of tho county boards. It is not rorlhy that these rolls show a deoid< lecreaso in tho number of pensioners lomparcd with last year's list. This irobibly duo to tho operation of tl irovisions of the new act now of for browing greater safeguards around tl li.-bursemoni of the pension appropri ion. l).-spite tho iaot that many ho jouniios havo sont in their lisl ho lists will havo to be returned for \ rision, owing to defects. This lourao, will of necessity delay t meeting of .tho State board, and oo icquenlly checks will likely reaoh t pensioners later than usual?T State. Forest Fires. Tho winddof tbo put few days hi boon p.oductive of very serious a extensi vj forest fires in various p lion of this and Lexington count and ruuoh loss of property has result* News of tho tiros in this oounty reac ed Columbia Wodnday. They havobe very destructive in tho turpentino a saw mill sections near Killian's on t line of tho Southern rialway and a upon tho lino of the Seaboard towai Ca'mdt'n. After hard fighting the ci zona managed to check the onward ri of the tunics, tut not bofore mi valuable timber had bc.cn lost. Over Lexington oonsidorabto damage of I oljaraotcr has also bom done Kors cral nights the glare of foroitfiresl been visible from high points in t oity. . . In a Bad Way. - Minnesota has a novel y in Ucllra cjuoiy, which is bankrupt Sad ir condition bordering on acardhy. court decision which allows logg companies to avoid tho payment hack taxes has caused tho trouble. ' oounty has no money and no fualfoi offices, aud merchant# have long si refused to aocopt warrants. The oon judge and jurors have gone out on sti and most of tho offices have been olo by thoir ocoupnnts. Tho sheriff, t has been oaring for his prisoners at own expense, threatens to tarn tl loose so that ho can hunt for a job I will support his family. The legi turois being supplicated for aid. 5 WHAT IT COSTS. '1 !ll Congress Expended Neatly a ~ $ a' Billion and Half Dollars. 3 '???- > ''v'-vjB tq IMPERSALIBM COMES HIOH. J *8 I o: Congressman Livingston Says ' 10 That the Half That is Coiled tumplated Has Not Bean jj* Put In Operation. '? Representative Cannon, chairman of the house committee on appropriation*, and Representative Livingston,' the 1C senior Democratic member of the com10 mittee, have prepared statements of the appropriations of tho 56th oongress. Both placo the total appropriations for tho ooDgress at $1,440,062,515. plaoT.~ ing these for the first session at $710,- \ 1 150,862 and for the seoond a $729,911,- \ 683. Mr. Uannoa publishes a table ,D showing tho expenditures of the previous congreisat $1,568,212,637 and Mr. LVmgston makes a comparison 11 with the 54th congress whioh appropri j ated $1,044,580,273. ;r In his statement Mr. Cannon says: i "Of the total appropriations made at is this session, at least $30,000,000 will e not, in the light of past experienoe, be >r expended. This considerable margin h between actusl expenditures and approe priations made by congress indicates 0 a sum total of expenditures during the wr^. i- fiscal year 1902 of not exoeeding $699,a 911,683 07 This sum includes $53,000,1 000 on account of tbe sinking fund re! quirem'eots for tho fiscal year 1902, 0 whioh, of course, under the terms of e the law, will be met only to tush extent n as surplus revenues in tho treasury >f may permit. After meeting the full: est ordinary requirements of the public d service under ttie appropriations whioh y havo been made, there will surely ree main sufficient revenue for 1902 to moot d not less than $30,000,000 of the required ments of tho sinking fund. y "Tho most marked inorease indioated s in the appropriations for ordinary ex- / 1 penses of tho government made for the 1 i two years 1901 and 1902 at tho two sos- 1 ? '? ' a u.v/uD ui vu 19 ?uu$[OFa over inose 01 ine J , two procoding years 1899 and 1900, provided for by tho 55.h congress, is for f the postal servico. Tho neoessity of - these increased appropriations to meet j largo business demands is referred to 3 as a cause for congratulation. The ap- ^ 1 propriations have been reduaed $128,150,091 by this congress Tinder those 3 provided for by its predecessor and s this has rendered possible a reduotion of taxes in the sum of $11,000,000. f "With a oontinuanaa^d the wise ad1 ministration enjoyed ^Pwhe country, ^ $ i there is^cvery reason t?^^cinate a war. "The bTTh congress is dhe firstco^^^J H 3 gress appropriating, 'iorthe support of ^ j the government since the oloso of the eo-called Spanish American war. The 0 difference between the appropriations d made by the 5<>:h congress and those made by tho 54 th congrc aro $295,.. 482,272. c During the session just olosed the der minds of tho people, through their representatives, for the construction of y the Nicaragua canal, have gone un0 heeded, and those for new public build,c ings have boon persistently denied. a The river and harbor bill has been .. permitted to fail. Tho payment of just [3 claims of honest people against the - _ , government has not been provided for. |Q "The most casual examination of the ^Hj g tahlo makes comment practioally un L6 ^ ^ *** ***J 1WA V ro eaoh of the. two years prior to tho 9 a. Spanish- American war oost a little over $23 000,000, and but little more than $40,000,000 for the two years covered by the 54th congress, while for the two years sinoe that war?1901 and 1902 n- ->~it cost. $115,000,000, or $230,000,000 sd for tho two years, exclusive of the de>y fioienoies that have been provided tor e- in large sums out of appropriations ad made for expsnses of tho Spanish war as during the 55,h congress, is The navy eost for tho two years tie 1897 and 1898, $03 302,000, while for 00 tho years 1901 and 1902 the appropriate tions rcaohel nearly $144,000,000. ia- For the payment of pensions the apof propriations Bhow an ioGnfaflo o2*^ttri?. ts, $8,000,000 for tho two yearn. - . ~ ? - ?... re "Id a word, this table shows that tho ~ ? of price to the people of the policy of this he administration that has boon thiust in- upon them by the Republican party is, ho in round numbers, $400,000,000 within he a period of two years, and tho half that ia contemplated has not yet been put in operation." Wapjon Train Ambushed. n(j A wagon train and a detachment of or. the signal corps, together with six Maoabcbo scouts were attaokcd by tho insurgcnta about midway between the jh! towns of Silang and Damasmarinas, in ,en Cavito provinco P. I. Three Amerind cans were killed and two of tho Maoabcbo scouts woro woundod, while one 1 min ia miaalncr Knranu anrl on a rj8 mule wero killed Capt. Mair, with detj tachmonts of infantry and cavalry from lsh Sileng, arrivod at the scene of the surprise too lato (o intorocpt tho enemy's Jn retreat. _____ his Chinese Cruelty. cv The empress of Tndia, arriving from r ?*9 China, brings an aocount of the harbarous murder of Uapt Watts Jones. It is said tbat he was received with apparent friendliness in the yamen of Shan Si and was in the aotof receiving his passnm port when his hands were struck off. i a lie was then taken outside the yamen. A slioed in several piceoa^nd_his diced ing out cft\ ,UU companion, a RomafT~-? of Cfttioito bishop, was put to a lingering . rho death, his tortures bemr indicted so rits gradually that it was four days before noo death rolioved him. riko . Convicts Mutinied, ifci A dispatoh from Florence to a news sho egenoy says a serious mutiny of oonhis viots has occurred at Santa Ceterina i if in prison, resulting in the military being A that called out and 10 of the oonvieta jg| sl?- wounded. is attributed to poor food