The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 16, 1918, Image 1

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TSR ?l'MTF.R WAlVlllfAV K?ta> Consolidated Auk* a, 1 am session proposeu. 1HAD i*AW KNh)K( F.MFNT Fl NO not III I N am.OYYFO. gov? ernor wori.n havf; AOTER. t'nnfcrce* Hc.o bed AgTccnwnt Afto f Hearing IMutn Talk from the (io\ ?rnor?House thought Aguinst It. Columbia, Feh. 12.?If the fund fo law enforcement had not been insert ?d in the general appropriations bill.! or had the amount been Insuffb ?tont to make operative the provisions of the prohibition law, South Carolin; would have faced an extraordinary aeaslon of the general assembly. This became known today when it wae divulged that Governor Manning in his statement to the free confer? ence committee on the measure, told the conferees plainly that the people of the State would hold him respon? sible for the enforcement of the law, and unless he would be furnished with the means of bringing law violators to taw he would be obliged to place the blaine where it belonged?on the gen? eral assembly. The pivotal fight in the house this year was on the law enforcement fund which was defeated in that hodv by a large majority, following the re? fusal of the ways and means commit? tee, by a majority vote of one, to In? sert It In the general appropriation measure. The economists of that body were opposed to the appropria? tion on the theory of extravagance, rasing their argument on the prom? ise that the sheriffa of the State will enforce the prohibition law. When the measure went to the senate that chamber Inserted the fund, making H tio.too. When the Item reached free con? ference there was a two-fold tight; the houae members wanted the ap? propriation eliminated entirely, or, In ttOu of that, reduced one-half, with the proviso that the conatablea of thf governor would not aearch personal 'viggage. After the confereea of th< too bodlee had gotten together 01 the item allowing $25,000 for the Cfcad arid giving the governor the au iberlty to use the unexpended balance from the appropriation of last yen flrhlch made the fund approximately! 141,000. a split came on the proviso about disallowing constables to search t**reonal baggage. The house conferees wanted the P ovtso Inserted in the bill, but the j senate members of the committee etrenuoualy objected to any auch log? Stlatlon. It Is understood that the Senate membera then went to their b.aly for instructions. The senate, in executive freselon. told Its conferees. It Is stated, that under no clrcum Stancea ahould the proviso go into the rail, and approval was given the liO.SOO for law enforcement. Thus fortified the senate confereea return ad to the conference to hold out to the end. ) The governor waa appealed to an I hs wrote a letter to T. J. Smyrl. Ohlei conatable. instructing him and his men not to aearch the personal bag? gage of travelers "unless they hast been hitherto convicted of selling in? toxicating liquor In contravention of j law" or "unless the constable has certain knowledge that there Is liquor In the said baggage." It was only when the governors letter waa aent to the committee that certain of the house coafereea would go hack into the conference room. They were de- , termined that SSOaStaSSOS ahould not have the authority to indiscriminately r< through the personal effects of I ?pectable travelers when rbere was no Justification for suapectlng that these travelers were transporting ll'iuoi Following is the governor's letter to the chief constable. "It having been Intimated to me that the State constables have prob? ably misunderstood former instruc? tions In enforcing the prohibition law. I desire now to niMtruct you and tin S?ll? constables that they shall not search, or undertake to search, lie baggage of any traveler, unlex* that traveler baa heretofore been Indicted for selling Intoxicating llquoii In con. Invention of law. or unless stu b per eon haa a warrant describing the per-1 son or baggage to he Mean hed. oi un )<*? the constable has certain knowl? edge that there is Ihiuor in said bug gage ' fhe letter written by Gov Man? ning In no way abridges nor amen b former instructions issued to State eonstMjMrtt. They have been re pestedly told kg the governor, both verbally and in writing, not to aearch personal baggage unless flu . have aolld grounds for believing taot It contained Intoxicants in Hltelt amounts The governor. It is under nlood. before wilting letter to Chief ?tod April, 1860. "Be Mumm 881. STJ WAR LEGISLATION CONSIDERED CONTROVERSY IN SENATE NOW TAKING FORM. Secretary of Wnr Not to Ik' Examin? ed Further?Conference nt White House. Washington, Feb. 12.?Controversy over American war efficiency and or? ganisation promises soon to reach concrete form for action in congress. The senate military committee's In? quiry which began just two months, ; SO virtually was concluded today I ? I v. ?th the submission b?y Secretary i leaker of confidential information re-] 1 garding shipping facilities. About the ?OBie time it became known that President Wilson, unalterably opposed IS the committee's bills for a war council and a munition board, plans to begin tomorrow a series of con? ferences with members of congress, l;< publicans and Democrats, calling them to the White House to discuss legislation giving him power to effect1 such as he desires. The bill the president has had Senator Overman introduce probably will bo amended by the Judiciary committee and soon brought before the senate. Renewal of the senate debate which has been suspended for a few days Is scheduled for Thursday, Senator James of Kentucky, an administration spokesman, giving notice that ho would speak then on "America and Her National Defense." He will be followed Friday by Sen? ator Weeks of Massachusetts, a Re I ubllcnn member of the military com? mittee, in support of the bill for a war cabinet and munitions director. Chairman Chamberlain of the mili? tary committee announced late today that Secretary Baker probably would not be recalled again for questioning by the committee, his detailed state? ment on the shipping situation beim regarded as making it unnecessary. Secretary Daker. according to com? mittee momborn submitted complete Information regarding available ton? nage nnd prospects of securing allied tonnage for transportation and sup? ply of American forces sent abroad. Doubt remains in the committee, however. Chairman Chamberlain raid, as to whether Mr. Raker's In-i I formation supports his statement that t le prospects were not unpromising for putting l,r>f>0.000 American sol-' tilers In Europe this year. Although the secretary's data will not be made public, Senator Weeks Is' expected to make a general statement! In his speech, challenging some of j t ie conclusions. Constable Smyrl consulted with one of the best known circuit solicitors of the State, who gave it as his legal opin? ion that the letter only instructed the 8 mstables on what was already the law, and which had hitherto been thei P actice. This letter, however, ha 1 the effect of causing the compromise on the hiAV 'enforcement fund. When lit conference with the com D ittSS Cov. Manning said that an adequate fund for law enforcement w is absolutely necessary if prohibi? tion was to be maintained in South d rollna. He cited a conversation he hud held with F. H. Weston. district ittorney. who told him that N ."> per ? nt. of the liquor cases baled into the l\ leral court* were due to the activi? ties of the Btati constabulary. HQ told of a statement being made to hi n by n government scent operating' n tbis St.ite in which the internal revenue man said that the constable, under T. J Smyrl were keeping law Violator! suppressed to a arge extent, and the onlv assistance fciven by the j federal government was three men. Tins agent said thai additional eon* tables were not needed in Columbia'; in i Charleston, but more should be | placed at gpartsnburg) Qreenville and Pa rar (staad, Beaufort county, t<? mi.re thoroughly curb the dealers in blockade Itejuar near tin training eni IBS at those place. ii?- quoted la them ? letter he bad received from T. t Hyde, mayor of ' harlSSton and a telephone conversa? tion he had had with Blmore Mar? tin. Bhertfl Of Charleston. Both Of Ihe.fhclali said that it would have ???? ?I p| ?etil illy impossible to bav< kept <h?w n the Illicit sales of Hcjuoi wn tout the aaatetaaee and coopera? tion of the State constabulary, ae rordlni to the governor, They claim? ed, be said, that the continuance af the const ibuiary at Charleston is a vi? tal necessity, 0 rvernor Manning, it is said, quot? ed telegrams from Newton |> Daker. secretary of war: loaaphus Daniela, secretary af Ihe navy; which told him In unmistakable terms unless liquor and vice were kOfK away from the trai ung t amps in this State tbe gOV> Ml Fear not?toot all the ends Thon Ala MTER, S. C, SATfJRDi TO SPEND BIB SOWS. TEN MILLION DOLLARS TERMI? NAL FOR CHARLESTON. War Department Statement to Senate 1 Military Committee Tells of Plans lor Construction. Washington, Fob. 12.?Many new construction projects for the army In? cluding munition plants, ordnance de? pots, storage plants, port terminals,! hospitals, aviation works, canton- j ments and housing were discussed in ( a statement given the senate military I committee today by the war depart- j ment. The work Will cost a total of ? 268,650,000, and. while some of the I projects had been announced before, in most cases the location and coat had not been given. A port terminal costing $10,000, 000 will be built at Charleston, S. C, and at Eocton, Mass., $8,000,000 will j be spent for a similar terminal. Two millions are provided for three pow? der hag loading points at sites not yet selected. Hospitals for soldiers suffering with, tuberculosis ate to be built at Ashe-, rlllOi N. C, and Denver, Col., at a cost, of |500,000 each .and $12,800,000 is' to he spent on hospitals at 32 army training camps. A divisional cantonment for the regular army is to cost $8,000,000, btttj its location was not given. It may take the place of the regular army training camp at Charlotte, N. C. which soon is to be abandoned be? cause of the unsuitability of the ground on which it is located. Forty interior storage depots to cost an aggregate of $30,000,000 are to be erected at unnamed points. On avia? tion work covering a new canton? ment, tho location of which was not given. $40,000,000 will be expended. Ordnance depots are to be built on the South Atlantic coast at "some Seaports" at S cost of $ l,000,000 each, and one on the middle Atlantic coast 1 at a cost of $6,000,000. An ammu? nition depot at "some sea port" is to cost $7,500,000 and a like ?um is to bo expended for an ordnance depot in central Pennsylvania. For housing for the shipping board to relieve congestion in shipyard j communities the department plans to expend $31,000,000. This will rep? resent a part of the $50,000,000 for this purpose provided in a bill which passed the house today. In addition to this $600,000 will he expended at Newport News for housing the negro Stevedore regiments loading vessels there. 1 Another item is that of $250,000 for j a high explosive plant at Sandy Hook. L. L I The statement shows that $37,000, 000 will be spent in building a gas making plant at Fdgewood, N. J. Drlg. Gen. Isaac W. Littell in '. charge of cantonment divisions and Other construction jobs, also submitted Statements to the committee showing that, in addition to the new work, i his bureau has charge of construe-' tion now in progress calling for an j expenditure of $135,900,000, making j the tatal for present and future work I $404,550,000. ernment would abandon the camps in South Carolina, regardless*' of the amount of money expended on them. The governor said that, without the law fund, he could not keep liquor out of the State and he did not propose to take the responsibility of again hav? ing the State Hooded with intoxicants The governor said, it is understood, that the responsibility for making ade? quate provision for the enforcement of the law rests with the general as? sembly while it is in session, but after it adjourns the condition that exists will devolve on him. It is said that be told the conferees that the one ?rent thing the government is insist-1 ing on in tins war is that a clean: moral atmosphere shall surround the young soldiers in the training camps, I and. it is understood, he then asked if the general sssembly, by witmtoldlng a comparatively small appropriation, was willing to have South Carolins SppOar as holding back support fron the government in the pr< sedition of tin war. The governor told the con? ferees, it is said, that he for one was not willing to be placed In such a compromising position. It is known that the governor told the committee that whatever appro? priation given would be expended as KiOnOmtcally as possible and he would make it go as far as possible, but if the amount was Insufficient that he would use his right as governor to I mil tin1 legislature together in extra iSSSSOn and let the people of the gtatS decide whether he or the gen? eral assembly was responslhls. The 1 lovernor said that he was not threat ??t at be tbj Oonntrj't. Tby God'* ? LY, FEBRUARY 16 19; THE STATE APPROPRIATION. ____________________ / CALLS FOB LKVY OF NINE AND ONE-HADF MILLS. Persistent Fight Against Law Enforce-1 ment ? Exemption of I Jaggagt*j Search Sought. Columbia, Feb. 13.?The free con? ference report on the appropriation bill was adopted without dissent yes? terday noon. The bill carries a total i amount of $3,370,625.96, to be raised! by a levy of nine and one-half mills.1 The biggest fight in the free con-; l'eience committee rooms was that over the law enforcement fund. The house refused to put anything in the j bill for this purpose. The senate in- j serted an item of $50,000. The hoime '\ finally yielded to the senate in pro? viding $25,000, plus the unused por? tion of last year's appropriation for this purpose, amounting to approxi? mately $17,000. The condition on Which the house yielded was that State constables desist from search? ing baggage unless the owner has been previously convicted of selling whiskey, or unless armed with a war? rant for the person * r the baggage or unless the constable is certain of liquor being in the baggage. The Council of Defense item was another disturbing portion of thd measure. The house appropriated $25,000. This was Increased by the upper house to $50,000. The compro? mise effected was that $25,000 be ap? propriated and the governor empow? ered to borrow $15,000 more, should that amount be necessary. Another big change made in the appropriation bill by the senate was to increase the amount for needy schools from $50,000 to $100,000. This was accepted by the free conference committee from the house, but the $35,000 appropriated by the senato for vocational training was deleted. Recapitulation of the bill follows: Governor's ofllce .$ 15,680.00 Secretary of State's office. . 7,500.0 Compt. General's ofllce . . 9.800.0U Insurance com'r office .. 10,715.00 SJate treasurer's office . . 9,750.00 State superintendent of ? education. 17,580.0) Adjutant general's office 62,499.50 Attorney geenrai'i office. 2.135.40 K. R, commission office. 15,950.00 Public Schools . 509,104.y2 State librarian's office 3.139.00 Public buildings. 5,870.00 State electrician and en? gineer . 26,850.00 Catawba Indians. 7,500.00 Department of agriculture commerce and Indus? tries. . 4,200.00 Judicial department. .. 124,836.36 Health department .. .. 102.241.83 State board medical ex? aminers . 3,000.00 Tax department. 96,713.10 University. .1.30,200.00 Winthrop Normal and In? dustrial College. 196,325.86 The Citadel, the Military College of S. C. 75.860.00 School for Deaf and Blind 79,600.00 State Colored Normal, In? dustrial. Agricultural and Mechanical College 63,499.79 State Hospital for the In? sane . 616,496.17 S. C. Industrial School . . 89,275 3* State penitentiary. 8,140.00 Other charitable and penal purposes. 3,100.00 Chief game warden's of? fice . 7,82".. SO Historical commission . . 4,050.00 Interest on bonded debt.. 222.849.1?; Elections. 54,200.00 Expenses common to both nouses. 1,270.00 The Senate. 18,190.00 House of representatives 37,591.20 Engrossing department .. 6,407.20 Medical College of S. C. 47,620.00 Peneions and Confederate Infirmary. 299,800.00 State warehouse commis? sioner. 10,000.00 State Board Of Charities and Corrections . . . . 10,000.00 Joint committee on print? ing . 25,305.00 Miscellaneous. 311,315.41 Total.$8.370,625.9(1 An examination will be held on March 9th for the position of clerk - Barrier in the Sumter postofflcs, Ap? plications for this examination must be made On the prescribed form, which, with necessary Instructions, nay be obtained from the secretary of the local civil service board at the tostofnee iming, but was doing what he deem? ed his duty and would call an extra *ess-.on of the legislature If the ne Mastty arises. ad Tfitt'fc" THE TBTJ1 18. LEGISLATURE HAS ADJOURNED. END COMES TO SENATE AND HOUSE SHORTLY AETEIt MIDNIGHT. Session T*astcd ??3 Days i Bhortest in Number of Years?Usual Frolic Marks Closing Hours of House. Columbia, Feb. 13.?Shortly after midnight tonight the second session of the Seventy-second South Carolina general assembly adjourned sine die. This was one of the shortest sessions in a number of years, adjournment coming just 35 days after convening on January 8. The house adjourned I at 12.13 o'clock and the senate a few , minutes after midnight. Gov. Man |ning signed the general appropriation 'bill at 9.40 o'clock and the resolution ratifying the amendment to the fed? eral constitution 15 minues later. The county supply bill, which held up ad? journment, was given executive ap? proval shortly before midnight. The governor had given his approval to I 127 acts before the adjournment of the legislature. The members of the general assem? bly whiled a way the time awaiting the county supply bill from the en? grossing department by the usual , mock session and the rendition of old ! plantation melodies. The house choir was much i in evidence nuring the past two days. The senate did not in ' dulge In the spirit of boisterous hilarity; the dignity of the chamber was disturbed only by wreaths of tobacco smoke. Since this afternoon there has been far from a quorum in either house. The governor, up to 10 o'clock to !; night, had received 290 bills from the general assembly and by midnight had signed 127 of them, the vast ma? jority being measures of local appli? cation. Among the measures of State? wide importance signed tonight were the bills providing for a school for the feeble-minded, creating a reform? atory for wayward girls; increasing the automobile speed limit to 25 imles j!an hour; exempting building and loan associations from taxation, and plac I ing a consitutional amendment in a referendum on the question of abut? ting property. The general assembly today ratl tled the measure providing for a sys? tem of State insurance on cotton I stcred in the State warehouse system. The bill designates the governor, the State warehouse commissioner and I the comptroller general as a commis? sion to designate a reasonable rate. The premiums are to be collected by the warehouse commissioner and de? posited with the State treasurer. The ; sinking fund commission is to pay all losses out of the fund it now has on j hand. The State is forbidden to un? derwrite any single insurance risk larger than $100,000. The bill exempting soldiers and sailors from South Carolina in the service from the payment of commu I tution and street taxes was ratified to ; day. The provisions of this bill up | ply only during Buch time as the ? men are in the war service. j The measure creating a correction i ai administration for the State ot I South Carolina was ratitied today. The j board shall consist of five members, to be appointed by the governor by and with the consent of the senate, whose terms of ottice shall be for rive year.; and so designated that the term of one member shall expire each year. South Carolina Industrial School and the State Reformatory for Negro Boys. The chairman of the board and the superintendent of the State penitentiary are to inspect the premises and property of the reforni I'.tory and shall decide on the prop? erty now under control of the peni? tentiary, to be turned over to the re | formotory. They are to make their I report to the general assembly in 1919, recommending an equitable plan for the division of the property. The bill providing for the creating of a bureau of registration and em? ployment for teachers at the State department of education Was ratified 1 y the general assembly today. Gov. Manning sent the following message j to the general assembly late tonight: "Gentlemen of the general assem? bly. I respectfully inform your hon? orable body that 1 have signed the appropriation bill and the school and county supply bill, and have no fur? ther communication or aessage. "With this session coming to a ( lose permit me to say that you have pass? ed many of the measures which are particularly important In this nation? al emergency. I reglet very much the failure of your honorable bod) give your Official sanction to certain measures, but i believe that your f;? i SOUTHRON, Established *sn_o, tfSS. Vol. I LVI. No. 1. INCOME W RETURNS. TAX PAYER SHOULD CONSULT. OFFICERS AS TO INCOME. Every Individual Should Account for Income if it Exceeded One Thou? sand in 1017. Columbia, Fob, 13.?Preparations for a state-wide campaign for the col? lection of feder.1 income tax are be? ing made by D. C. Heyward, collector of internal reve me, as a result of the extension of time from March 1 to April 1 for filing these returns as an? nounced recently The fact that more time would be given corporations and individuals to file these returns was of general interest in this State, it being realized that complicated forms would necessarily require some time and study to be properly filled out, j and inasmuch a an extension of time under ordinary -.onditions can not be ' granted by a cc 'lector on account of absence from th< State or sickness of an officer who should sign the return, the extension by the commissioner will probably result in speeding up re? turns and collection of taxes, thereby facilitating the i suing of receipts and giving both individuals and corpora? tions less annoyance in correspond? ence relative to returns. In discussing ?he matter yesterday, Mr. Heyward outlined his plan for a drive in South Carolina during the next 30 days ir which he will en? deavor to bring before every citizen In this State, who may be liable for the income tax. the necessity for making a return Personal attention, will be given th s work by Collector Heyward, and field deputies will continue to visit ^very county in the State and assis tax payers in pre ' paring their returns. * The point I rvish to stress," said Mr. Hey ward, "la that every'tax pay? er should consu.t one of the field j deputies, or one of the deputies^Tn 1 the income tax department Jm Co? lumbia before deciding tl>at it will not be necessary to mrype a return Very often an miividual may not bo , j liable for a tax, but may be liable for ; a return, and I J eer-sure from letters I have received, and personal Inquiries made of the deputies in charge of this work, that r actically every cltl i zen of the State is interested in the ! collection of the I ax and realises that this drive for ra iting money by this method is as important and patriotic i as similar work done for the same cause through oti er sources." Mr. Heyward plans to take up per Isonally with a number of prominent men in each county throughout tho State the matter sf giving the widest publicity to makimg returns for the indivilual income tax. He said yes jterday that he hod been aided in this work so far not only by the federal and State officials and newspapers, but by the bankers, < hambers of com i merce, rotary clubs and other organ? izations who have devoted .both time and space in bringing this matter to the attention of the public. He plans to write these me t asking them to J tell the public in general that it will 1 be necessary for each individual to recount in some way for the money on hand or receive d during the year 1?17, provided it i* not below $1,000. I "I ai.. going to tsfti for volunteers .in this work," said Mr. Heyward, "and ! by this work I mean that I do not j expect any of those I call on to send j in the names of pi rties who may be liable for the tax, but only to assist 1 as far as possible in this publicity work." Paris, Feb. 13.?There was fairly ' heavy artillery fire last night in the neighborhood of Ffnen, on the Aisne i front, says todays' war office state j ment. Northwest of Rheims, the . bombardment was also rather lively. Enemy aviators lam n ght threw sev I eral bombs on Nancy. Three civil? ians were killed an I five wounded. ! vorable action will come at the sub ; sequent session. "In bidding you ,?ood-bye I extend my best wishes for your future wel ; fare and feel certain that you will carry each in youi hearts the mes? sages that have come from the pres? ident of the United States and others in authority. I ur?e you, now that you are returning < your people, to pee that the people of South Carolina are prepared and v. ill make every sacrifice necessary lo the preserva? tion of our national and State institu? tions our liberties und the mainter - i snce of right and justice of mankind, Which are now threatened by the grasping clutch of the fJerman mili? tary autocracy, "May ?Jod s blessi ig lest upon you and yours. Very respect fully. "Rtohard l Manning, dovernor."