Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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^ 'i^y HE" -i ' - '-f.fi'% 11 VOL. LIL WIXXSBORO, S. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1897. ' NO. 17. 1 :-m I f "PUBLIC ADVERTISING. i K .. A PAPER READ BEFORE THE PRESS ASSOCIATION Kw tho FHJt-nr thft I ning Tims"?, Who Shows the lijuatice Dona tho Press by ho legislature. The following psoer read before the > State Press Association at Newberry by the Editor of the Manniu^ Times shows jangy* toe injustice noue the Press of the ^^^^LState by the Legislature in reducing price of all official ad^rtisiuf: ^T&r- President and Members of the South Carolina State Press Asso ciation: I am honored greatly sad above merit in bavin? been charged with tbe duty of setting before you the relative obligations of those entrusted with the interest of the individual, and the public welfare, as sif^cted by the pub I ^ lisher or a newspaper. It m?y be well considered that the i publisner of a newspaper, whether a daily, semi weekly, or weekly, enters upon such an enterprise with high purpose to subserve the best interests of The State, the people at large, and the community's interest effected by its columns. The nerrspapfr failing tc L meet the favor of the public must fail. f Any newspaper failing to give information of matters affecting the interest of the community whe;o it is published should fail. The puolisher under the conditions asd demxsds no.v prevailing, must provide for ihe patrons of his paper the current news of the day, select with care from ex. changes, secure correspondents and contributors, look carefully after lo^ cals of interest, and have well digested editorials upon subjects interesting and educating. The publishers work does not stop witn tnese arduous duties, but he must, with great care, look after all advert;saments, that* each may appear to the best advantage he can present, and display same to catch and please the eye of the reader. It is not the quantity of matter in an advertisement which secure? best results, but rather the care and , judgment exercised in the style and method. ff Great strides have been made within the past few 3ears by newspaper pub s Iisht-rs in sending out pap?rs or sucn > merit as to become household necessi-j ties. It is manifest that assiduous toil, 5 careful thought, exacting labor, is the j lot of the publisher, ana to all of this j P add a grave responsibility, greater ! than that of any other of the commu-j nity, that he so publish as to uphold j and build up the tone and character of \ the people, and instill healthy action i in all things pertaining to the mate \ rial welfare of the community. This j V glimpse at the position of the duties, j the labors of the successful publisher of a newspaper, places him with more influence than any other citizen, iu closer contact with the people than R any dozen citizens "combined. His gfc teaching is seen and felt everywhere, and his paper becomes a household necessity; it iz through his paper that | information or publications will reach ? a larger number of the people than any other method or medium of ad- j DL vertising will afford. P> This seems to have been recognized over a century ago. The law makers of this commonwealth, by Act of the General Assembly of 1791, provided for the fullest advertisement which could be secured in the county, district, or State in all matters of public interests, or which affected individual rights in property. The tax collector, the sheriff, and all officers of the courts, by mandatory acts, were required to publish or advertise in what was then donominated "gazettes," now Known as newspapers, ail mar ters alfectmg public or private inter| ests, sr ch as time and place for payment of taxes, assessments, judicial sales, election notices, citations, and I all legal notices. The purpose of the Act of 1791 was evident; the la v ma kers of that day wisely saw the neces s sity of advertising, sought to secure j the widest publicity to matters of | legal notices and public affairs, con-j sirtaTftt.inn hpir:or hsH fnt? t/hpsp. inf-pp. I Iests without even an expression as to the cost. The Act of 1791- continued in force until amended or repealed by the Act of 1S75, private rights being protected for almost the entire period and public imeresis advanced. The war between the States brought great changes to this old Slate. The venal, the unscrupulous, tne vicious, and the ignorant desecrated her sacred a J tars, and for the first time in the history of journalism i\ this State came croosea practices ana aisnoncst management in matters of public prin ting. The State was not represented W by her loyal sons, nor did the sons of other States who came to South Carolina with honorable purpose have a voice, nor was the press in charge of those who respected themselves and took delight in honorable action Such was the evil which had come to the public, tiiat an effort was made to correct it by an Act of the General Assembly, entitled: kiAn Act to limit, Ulc aui ku vcjlusing ucriiuu l;vj g tices," approved December 22, 1875.1 This Act provided as follows: "Thai the charge for advertising j the notices of Sheriffs, Judges of Fro bate, or other county officers, or of officers of Court, or of executors, ad ministrators, or other persons acting ^ - in a fiduciary capacity, in any newspaper, as now rtq iired by law, shall not exceed one cellar for every nundred words for tht> first insertion, and ^kJ&fty cents for each insertion after -wards." Tms was not well considered leglsla It lUli. JLL id VUtt* tu.'v Oi" lorded to the venal publisher and the corrupt officer opportunity for coiiu sion and fraud. Multiplicity of words, unnecessary; small type and inad9 quale display could j^ave atforcieu large excess over lair work., such as anhonoraoie man would go. Tie Act was a violation of the printer's rule of measurement, and enc.uragtd a continuance in the very dishonest practices it was intended to correct. Probaoly such considerations brought about the ctacge mace by Charier XCVI1, Section 2424, if trie General Statutes, which provided as follows: "Tne charging for advertising the notices of Sheriffs, Judgts of Probate, i or other county officers, or of officers j of Courts, or of executors, acministra j Iiors, or ether persons aciiag in a iiiuciary capacity, in acy newspaper, as now required by iaw, shall not exceed one doliar per iqiitre for the first insertion anu fifty cents for euch subiequent insertion; Provided, Thai in case the ruuai caarge for publishing for private individuals advertisements occupying the saint space anu for like i 1^- time, "be less tn&c lae rates aforesaid, j it shall no; b* Jarful to charge higher] ' V-7/' rates th?n so charged to private indi- { viduals." I have quoted so much of Section j 2*24 as bears upon the rate and terms for advertising: legal notices. Thej portion of the Act quoted is the expres- j sicn of careful consideration, fair, J just. ard wholesome in its provision?-. showing- the handiwork of an intelli- { gent indea and the appreciation of the p*icting business, and I dare say, the author of that Act was actuated by a bigh business sense and a conscientious d. "harse of duty?compensation was to Lv allowed the publisher for j public ui ;';es at a fa.ir pries, or on the j same bask s and terms he was willing j to contact for with private individuals This Act placed the publisheria! a fair rela'ioa to those charged with | the dutv of publishing legal notices, j a Ed with a sense cf justice to himself and to the public, and in all seJi re-; spect he cculd do such work. Every enterprising publisher of a newspaper properly desires to afford j to his patrons all information tobej derived from the publication of legal j notices. Every self-respecting pub j Usher will strenuously adhere to sush j conditions of publishing advertise- j ments as will uphold high , character j for his work, both as to its execution j and its fairness. Toe Act last ab'jve j quoted is well suited to secure the best I results and pror-erly protect all interests involved in such publications. I This, however, does not seem to have j been so regarded by our present law; irakers. The General Assembly of] 1891 re enacted the provisions for com- j pensation for advertisements of pablic) notices which the Act cf 1S?5 contain- j *d, adding the provision "That the) caption to notices shallbe at the rats of j five cents per word." Tins last set was not approved by tbe Governor, and became law without his approval under the provisions cf Section 22 of Article III of the Constitution of 1S68, and Section 23 of Article IV o? the Constitution of 1S95. Tnis last Act is open to cbj>c-j tion, as reasonable as that nad J against the Act of 1S75, and j is even more objectionable, in that the! last clause presents to the weak a ] temptation to make money at the ex j uansa of inte^ritv aad fair dealing:, i The dishonest are afforded an opportu- j nity to make a caption, so that at five j cents a word money could ba realized j that an honest man -would not have, j while the honest publisher must do? fair vqgrk, for which he cannot obtain ? just compensation. Legislation tending towards eneour- j aging or opening the way for unscru-1 pulous conduct is wrong in principle, i vicious, and destructive to the inter- j A'jts mrvst trt Ha cuarded and festered * It may ba argued by some in support? of this last Act that it is not obliga j lory upon Ihe publisher of a news pa J per to advertise public noticas. Such, j however, would be th9 merest sophis- j try. It is not from a legal sonse obli- j gatory, but from a business acdaj professional sense it is obligatory up j on the publisher of a bewspaperj to afford his patrons all the ad I vantages ana benefits of all matters j concerning the public; but I contend j mat rignt ana justice inane it a nua-: dred fold more obligatory upon the representatives of the government, the persons honored and charged with properly guarding all public interests t3 furnish to the paople, j through the best attainable channel cr medium, notices of all such matters as come within the Act. I do not admit thatthe law making power hasa right to nx the price of a printers} cnarges. unless the rule of "Might J' naakes Right," for it is my honest opinion that if a test were made, the Courts wculd say it is a violation of 1 the rights intended to be given citizens 07 the framers of our constitution. The public interests should not be sab- 1 served at the expens* and charge of the newspaper publishers, or any other respectable private enterprise. Where public interests require that the individual's property snuuld be surrendered for public use, provison was made to secure to the citizen just and fair compensation for his property. On like sound, equitable basis should the newspapsr publisher reopivft Mmnflnssf.inn fni* tha usa of his 1 property, fair remuneration under regulatioas that the honorable publisher can b9 protected by, and that the venal cannot make available for corrupt practices. The venal! thanks to tfce worthy, courageous, and honorable helmsmen of the press, the dark days are past; the unreliable and corrupt have been Jriven from ou?' ranks, and today the newspaper fraternity of the State are worthy the respect, the confidence, the esteem, and kindly re .-roYv^ r>* all tt-o r\f this crrQiori old Commonwealth, and in all mat ters of public notices, the newspapers should receive fair compensation on such tercns as the same class of work would be performed by honorable men with fUed business principles. | It is wrong; it is not in the interest) of the public good for so important at? | institution as the Press to be hampered j and crippled by law makers, who, to j win a littie notoriety, pos^ before the public as economists, to j imp upon we newspapers and cut into the compensation they receive for very important work. I venture to say that the legislators, who were so anxious to revolution: 7.i the printer's trade b? do ing away with the "fjr all time,: custom o! measurement, and in lieu thereof put the printers to the trouble of counting each word, had not the slightest idea the cost of setting type, or the ordinary exoenses of a ne^s^a per-, The^e same economists (?) re ciuced the pay of the printer, and when tbty go before the people tney with great show of sincerity, tail bow faithfully they labored for the peoples' in teres>Ls, and cite a reduction of possibly one hundred dollars a year in the income of Editor , who was too poor to buy a suit of clothes to make a presentable appearance a; the meeting where the s:a.esniau (?j was harasgu irsor I'm rwinlc " Tnp nanolii ! noibeiii =r conversant with the facts, and always ready to have their laxes reduced, applaud the | cut in its editor's income. The | statesman?candidate- for-re-election, I while makicgiiis show and boast of cutting tioxii the poor tdii-jr's income of a few paliry doiiars, careful; 7 avoided showing the people that to i cuttne editor out of mess few dollars., the time consumed to do this great piece of siatemanship was ten times : xiiorc U;A;jftjwa. iiiccai-i j lor lost say one hundred dollars, and j [ the taxpaj e:.*s lost a thousand in ^asie j I of timet This same statesman never { j mentions the number of d3ys he vrasj [out cf his seat while the "dear people" j | were paying at the ra'e of ioar doi- j j iars per day. Hs failed to teli the J I peopid that ne voted to reduce the edi I isor'sincome on account of some per-} [tonal grievance, and he never at-j tempts to show where he stepped up the spigot, and let the leak How out of the bu*i?. I am conscious that I have not been able to treat this subject with the care and ability necessary to its full presentation, I am dteply sensible of the honor you have conferred upon mfinmnar&tivejv an inf-int in journ alism, and I stand ready to work with you in the purpose of this Association to guard, protect, and advance the interests and the influence o' the newspapers ?Gr the pleasure, the conifer!, and the benefit of the pcopJe. TOOK A NAP iN A FURNACE Aad Wa3 Tak.n Oat JBroilsd to ? Turn. Patrick Converv went to bed in a furnace of the Trenton Steel and Iron works Wednesday night and was taken out broiled io a turn, says a Trenton Ne=v Jersey speciil. Onvery is a first class? mechanic, employed at the steel works. Now and then he is said to drink more lhau is good for him and last nighi he went uo;vn town aud met some acq'iaitance in a saloon. He is also an ea-'nusiast on the game of football, and h3 took the defeat of the Tigers to heart, but the beer he drank want to his head. Along: about midnight he suddenly wmartM "Wall hnrs t.hp. crame went against Jc-rsey, and it cannot be helped now. I guess i have got all the beer I want and the next thing is to get to bed. Good night." Convery walked out of the saloon and made his way in the direction of his lodgings. His course lay past the works were he was employed, aad when he reached tne bier iron grates tViflt .->i6n int.rt t"hn varW Via t.hrmrrht that ii would be a good id6a to stop inside and take a nap in one of ihe big furnaces, which <vere warm and comfortable. Tne fires had been drawn several hours before aad the temperature was a little more than at blood heat. The man had no trouble ia getting into the furnace and siretchiag out on the grate, fell a.rleep A couple of hours later John Doane, the fireman, came into the building. It W3s time to light the fires in the furnaces, and, Doane, ail ucconscious of the pres euce of the sleeper, touched a match :o the shavings piled under the grate, r>u which Coavery was lying1. The Jtl.im&s began to curl up around the sleeper and raised a blister on his neck. He yflled, but th s was smothered by the smoke, and did not reach the ears of Doane very clearly, but he heard something and wondered wh^re it came from The fire among the shavings grew more fierce each minute, and the pain that he -was suffering at last fully aroused Convert, who managed to crawl to the door of the furnace. He rot his head outside, and scrcamed until he attracted the attention o? the fire roan, who came up and grabbed the roasting man by the coat collar hauled him out of the furnace more deai than aliye. His neck and face were fearfully burnt, and he was taken to the hospital in an unconscious condition Che physicians say that if h? recovers, it wili be nothing short of a miracle. To tho Sunday School Worksra. To the San day School Workers of the State of South. Carolina: Asking divine guidance, I have ac tested the call to the position of field secretary c.f the South Carolina Sunday School association and have entered u^on niv official duties. It will be my purpose to do all I c*u to further the Master's kingdom in this special iina of work and will try in as short a time as I can to vibit all tha counties of thisS:ate to the end that they may ail be enrolled under tha organized oanner of the Sunday School association's inter denominational work. I would earnestly ask that all interested in this work will open correspondence with me, that we may arrange dates for hcldin? county conventions, snd would earnestly urge that this particular matter in our work bs emphasized; also th^t the officers and executive committees cf the various countv organizations bestir themselves as to place of meeting, programme and contributions from tiie schools for the 3lale work. I am your servant in this great work and my desire is that "I maj study to show myself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed." (i Tim. ii, 13) and that I may uader Grod become a very useful vessel in His service. Lst us be earnest in prayer one for another and for the wjrk, and we have the assurance of that promise. i-That 3e who ha;h begun a good work in. you will cantisue i: until the day of Jtsus Christ.7' Yours in lh^ work, Frank F. Whilden, Field Secretary for South Carolina. Charleston, S. C., N07. 15, 1SJ7. Two Gr*u(l Heroes. Gan. liia? R.vera and Col. Ricallac, two Cuban soldiers, who were capiured by the Spanish, last March, iviii li7e iu hist >ry as patriots who declined personal treodoai the ex? - ? - * Ti* . .1 1 pease ox meir country. weuuesuay orders were givea for their release from the prison ia Havana ia which tfce.y have beei coahaed since their capture, but before thay were actually freed, botrt were conducted to the palace, eateria? by aside door and going up a private stairway. Marshall Bianco received them aad proposed that they should help restore peace cy assisting ia tUe esublisHmeai of auwaoray. 'Xhey declined to accept his proposition. Then he requested them to make a formed compromise acd to agr^e aot to take up armr a>jain against Spi-.ia. This aiso they refused, declaring on the coalrary, tna: when actually fr.'ed they would return to the insurgent camp. After this hignspirited reply they were promptly returned to the Cabinas fortress, ^nere they now remain prisoners o? war, no effect having b^en given to the orders for their release. Mj G?ut-rai Jfru?yerliy. Accumulating stocks cf id.'c money at ^reiU ceoiicj are not signs or general prosperity, but, tha reverse. Tne . * 1 . J *r> l; I I ? J opriugueiu xvspuyucia cj.iuiiy una honestly reviewing bu-iae^s siiaa. tioa sajs: "What is calhd the initial trade in the fall distribatioa or goods to retail haads vras rarely ever cetter than in the past tiiree moatns. Merchants, ia a word, gave iibsrai Ural oracrs. They were raoved by Ihe great expec:atioas prevalent everyfvners Bus vrna; was thus to be merely a beginning is proving to as nearly the whole thing. Duplicate orders &ra disappointingly small aad infrequent. Consumption, cr the popular demand, has not come up to expectations." I SOW TO BUSINESS, j MR. RODDEY'S SOUTHERN PLANTERS COTTCN UNION. i I Kd E.-wp!i?ii:s li'.a Plan in a Circular Letter i Vffclcti Has Juat Hccnljfcued?5anafiihiog | 2Tor Cotton Growers. As the time becomes shorter for the | convention of ibe cotton growers of t the Southern Spates theiaterestin that i event increases. It is to be held on iDfC. 14. Oa all sides a feasible and ' effective piau to prevent the driving down of the price of cotton is beiog soujht after. A lively interest is being manifested !in Mr. Koddev's olsn to organize the "Southern Planters' Cotton Union." ill regard to this Mr. Redder has, in ' the last few dajs from New York sent broadcast the following letter: To the Southern Farmers: I No doubt, several years azo, you j were surprised at mv not continuing ] my plan for organizing the farmers, | but as th3 nnrket immediately began to advance, and sold up $20 pir bale, . J lio/l Koar. o . t cv:iVJ, uur V>'? J'o; jj au j piished, I deemed it best to say notnI in?, and I would have remained silent had not in tie lass few weeks the professional operators began tkeir tactics, and are trying again, it seems, to | wreck the South. Now, I consider it I an absolute necessity that we form oar i union, and show to the wcrld that the I South will no; submit to any kind of : servitude that i^ie balance of the world J is trying to placa upon tham. that the jsou'h nas a practical monopoly of a : product ihat is neccssary to all classes and countries, acd that they will no ! long-r allow operators represesting ! diif-irent sections and countries to keep ihem in a condition of servitude. | I b=ii:-ve if you do not organize and! ;"orm a cotton company that you will j forever remain in the depths of pover- j : ty. 0:her interests are diametrically ' | ouposed to high prices or full value j | for your cotton; they are organized 'and >vork upoa business principles;] jthey combine acd force the pric<; of j j your cotton to a point where you can j ' barely live in order to ailow them to) | make their profits and Lo keep you ia ! i ^ aa?^<ti^TKqtt nrv^nt tn ! i ii UCiJKUUCUt vUUUiUUU. Jlutj vaui n/ ! keep you from organizing, to make | you distrust and have no confidence iin each ottier, and to ridicule in every way the idaa that you have the ability ; to or^aniza. I? you would only real- j I iz? tnat they were opposed to you, you j i would expect no assistanca from them, j | Has Neill, the Englishman, ever fail | ed to mike an estimate that he did not j |endeavor to drive prices lower, and is jit not natural that other sections ana j countries that have you in their power should try to keep you there and j get your cotton for as little as poss ble "in nn/ioi. HiA f.hftV I UUU UUUUl Wj w.wwj ?J I will keep you there unless you wa?e j up and decide that you will not time- ] ly submit to such an imposition. It. j is ycur duty to your children and you j wives that ihey do not have to carry j a burden all their lives which you! have not attempted to put doarn. Ij want every farmer to speak to his j neighbor and urge the necessity of formation. Many may say that this ' is a scheme of mine to fleece the farmer, bus I am a southern man, withi southern instincts and southern incii-1 nations, aod it is the dearest wish of j mv hpsrt to nromotethe welfare of the i I South. OScial figures show that the cotton j producers have created over one-half j the wealth of the whMe couatry, and I yet the assessed valuation on all the j property of the cotton .States is j not as great ?.s that of New York alone. Is there any reason for this? Is there any justice in this? Is there any sense in this? Will you allow the price of your labor to be hxed by a people ia ether sections aad in other countries who have no interest in your welfare, but rr.Lner the contrary, or will you wake up and show to the world thatycu are at least intelligent, rational beings, and not I slaves? A professional gambler in gambling only ruins the inaividual with. wnom he is gambling, but professional operators. in order to accomplish tieir ends not only ruin the individual, but will aiso ruin many millions of individuals, by affecting markets which affects them all, in order to make their profits. Sapply and demand for spot cotton doss not fis the price, bat supS yutt (inn tiprnanH fnv fiitiirvs asilfthlishes , ? tne pnce. i or instance. every spot buyer simpiy asks how is the future market and if tne future market is 10 poiuis lower ho immediately lowers his limit equal to the drop in futures, and every farmer that markets his cotton simply suffers from the drop speculators cause. In otiaer words. Spot buyers and aiiii m^n oaly have | to br^as the fu'ure market ia order to I bay tneir spot-, at whatever price they ! care to fis, kao^ing: absolutely that j the average farmer must sell, on ac i c:>unt of his poverty, atleasl; a portion of his crop. Lirge" American aad Eiropean spinners never give taem'eives one cnomeats uneasiness about getting I their-.applies. Ia fact, they simply reason inattney will get together, sell thousands of bales of futures, which, .viii put do .vii tao price, and as long is they coatinue to sell the lower tha pries will be. aad when ihey get the ! pries barely where the farmer can ex : ist ihey thea bay Lheir suoo cotton, j realizing that o?er a miliioa balss per i month will be marketed at absolutely any price ihey may fix. iiaoy farmers owe for their supplies aad fertilizers, aad simply must sell, aad tne lovver-he price tae stronger tae c. eiiior insists on his money, because ne fears that at the low price the crop will not be suifijisat to pay; whereas, if cotton was a: a good price j the creditor would know ha need no: I worry about his money, ana would j act insist oa having the crop rushed to j market and forcing a sale. ! II must undoubtedly be verj dis coaraging to the farmers that, before ihey btg;u piantiag, many wealthy ! operators are willing 10 sell them *?nai ithey expec: to make at a pries at whica they can Dareiy exist. Taere is no other ciass of labor, ex c^pt tne f&rroei that has tne product of his labor traded upon by a people tha: neither know or care auytiisg about bio wel.'are or prosperity. Suppose tliere would ba allowed au excaange on the labor of clerks, lawyers or mechanics, wnero a crowd of uninterested people could get tcgetner and trade in tne iuture labor oi this class of people. One party would cii'er to get a clerk who is now receiving $1,000 a year for $90'J. Another will oiler to iill his place for $So0, another for $750, and so on, even selling his labor to a point where he can oart(| ly make ends meet. This clerk must; \ either accept the salary the speculators! ?s cr allow his family to starve, and jJ the lower his salary can be kent the j le:;s chance he has to improve his con- f dition in any manner. Now, it is just this way with the farmer. He is allowed a price for his labor which en.Li J._ i i. l i. * 'j auies. mm. iu uareiy exiss,; dul now is u possible for him ever to improve? In! C?.se he should receive a legitimate price for his labor for a few years, he would be in a position to have some thing to say as regards his future la- 1 bor, and would not allow a prica to be fixed by people who know nothing r and care less for his labor. Will anv class of laborers, except tiie farmer, i allow their labor to be bouarht and j sold for a year in advance? No, the farmers are considered as being the mosi important class, and these shrewd 1 operators would not attempt it on any 1 ether das; of labor. Yet, at the same ] time, in ruining the farmer, they are , rutjning every other class of people with whom the farmer comes in con- * tact. Nearly every class and race of 1 oeoole must have vour cotton, but if ; we think i&at foreign countries, andT even otherlections of his country will 1 not force ul to take as little as possi- ? ble for ourprcduct, then we had bet- i ter realiz; - it at ones. Don't let us x look for sympathy. . The balance of the world is depend- j 1 ent upon the south, whereas the south ir should be and could o-s absolutely in- i1 dependent of any section. What is K -i ! a- i -i i. n T _i r tne souia goiag 10 uo aoout xu jusi p tilings roll along as they are? idany !c coatiuue to work for 40 cents per day; j t strong, able-bodied, sensible, good)? white farraers, for $12 per month. j{ "Will you take no interest whatever in j 2 your future conditioa aud thus give!1 renewed ener-rv to those that are in j* jaahgyou? You are, in my honest j1 \ opinion, beiag systematically robbed, sc wrecked and ruined. I have watcasd ; t,ue a,ua siucucu ii> ^IU3GJ..Y, <au.u. j have bean ia a position, for seven p years, to see how it is done, an?l I trust?* I have the cours^e to stats openly p ! what I consider the cause of your depression, why that, ihou^H naturaliyjc blessed, you cannoi improve your con- t diiion. f Oar constituion says neither slavery k ; nor involuntary ser7itude saall exist s | witiing the United Stairs, yet under t ! the present conditions yea are abso- \ j lutely slaves. If you make a large c I crop, you v/ill receive a b ire iiving, 1F \ aad if vou make a sm iii crop. you|s may receive a little more in price, bat?* stiii a bare living. You will not be ] entiruly crusaed out. simply because K your cotton is necessary. If you jt psrmit other sections and other coua- I tries, through their representatives, to j s dictate the price of your labor, when you j' have a practical monopoly of a pro Jc I duct that is absolutely necessary to all jc sections and couairies, you deserve no j1 better fate. No; you have the great-j <3 est; organizations in ma vToria against * you, with tija most parfaai system, and t you wiil ba allowed a living, no mat- z ter whether you raise a large or small i crop, but you will never ba allowed to s ba in a position tu help yoursel, if you; can be^preventei. J I hava received a great many encouraging Ie:ters from all parts of the 1 sou th, urgicj the naee.^ity of forming s the Soutnerh'Oottoa Planters' Union, c and stating that all classes are eager F and willing to work for the souths j \ welfare. I ^ Within a short lima the charter,c will be granted for the Southern. Cot- j' ton Planters' Union, and no man or I ^ or set of men will undertake tojl hereafter dictate the price of car I great staple, if we stick together. I ask the good wishes, influence and c cooperation of all interested in the 1 south's welfare, and justice 10 all t men. Do nothing, expect sympathy. < 3Gd God pity us; but wake up, wors : and God pity those who attempt to 1 wreck our lives and our country. Full details of the plan for our pro- \ tection will be given later. It is noli 5 ' ! Uorrn 1 I neCwasiiry ior lu~ wrcciLcto ^avgij anything but an in'diag of it jast ^et. ji JohnT. Roddey. j ______ Koc JB'Or Wbalit. J Maj. S. A. Jonas, the wiss and prac- ' i tic3vi editor of the Aberdeen, Miss., 1 Examiner, does notappprove of south- i em people raising any considerable i amount of wheat beyond what they ordinarily do. Hs contends that, as a t rule, and especially in the cotton belt, j I it will never be a generator favorite J crop in this region while flour can be j [ purchased at $3 or ?i a barrel, as was c the case prior to the present European 1 deficit and Asiatic famine spurt, and jf will in ali probability be the case for j i the next decade. Wheat farming has} s been to a large extent abandoned in j1 Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and other ft stales of the old west, and in most of j t the eastern and middle states except in j t the vicinity of the great merchant! \ mills, where ii can be delivered from jc farm wagons wiihout bsing tythed by J { railroads, elevators and middle men.j i Uar Misissippi triend counsels au xaroiers anxious to improve their condi- t lion to devote more attention to their i meadows, fences, water poolsand dry i cattle, and add to their holdings c small flocks cf sheep. He urges them $ to turn to the Oarciiaas and Florida, I where within the last few years tens t of thousands of poor people have upon c thin pine lands attained competence i and evea wealth by tlie cultivation of i tobacco. This is ^ood advice. If any i farmers care to raise wheat, and has c j raciimes xor grinding n xicar v j hand, ?3 might make the experiment, i but, as a ruie, extensive wheat grow- i iog at the so^to, under existing con- 1 diuons, and with a prospect of cheap ' | Hour at the west nexi; jear, cannot be s greatly commended.?Augusta Chrcn- : icle. i His Ks^ltli fully Sea:ored. ] | Senator Tillman has fully recovered j, jj his health, and is once mo~e approach j j 1 in? the two hundred pound mark, j I He was in Columbia Wednesday onjj j his way nome from the Cneraw Fair. 5. ^ To a reporter of the State he said he | ] heurs of all irinds of political multeriugs ia the State ia regard to the ap , proaciiing Slate campaign, but; has iioi heard v/nat is going on. lis says . tbe dispensary is all ri^ht; if Judire Simouxoa's decisions as to the 0. PM ( question are sustained he says he does aot ftur aaythia^ Irom them. He feels confident that he will get his . dispensary bill through ecagress a: the approaching session. He remark- ( ed, however, taat he did not feel any , uneasiness taa: Judge Siraonlon's position would be sustained. XswarCstl tor Bravery. A i?old medal vras yesterday pre ^ -i x _ ttt __ o 3 ? S seiueu tu vv m. c. xja.zigiu?"u. a. > -h.8 oiiice of ihe New York Central j and Hudson River Railroad company, for saving the lives of three passen-1 gers in a submerged car at tne recent disaster a? G-arrisons. H-j s 77am out i ' to the car and chopped a hole in it. * 1 WICKED WOMAN'S "WILES. rL05SlE KERR AND HER BLACKMAILING SCHEME. Caa victim a r*ew iozk jxexca.uu*? c.oi Plans T7e:e Elsborace acd Worked Well Until Broken np by tha PollC3. Charleston is now diicassing a ather sensational-case, involving iphyoiciaucf that c":ty and a^ew fork mercha.fc. The following paricuiars of ike case we take from the Sews and Courier of last Wednesday: Ficssie Ke:r is ihename of a rather Drepossessing looking mulatto woman ^ho, a year ago, was notorious in the ife on the shady side of the Charlesnn "Rmltr?. Shfl had her flinfi'. as lings go, in the class to which she beongsd, and then for a time h?r place iere knew ber no more. Several nonths later ihe Kerr woman appear:d in the city onc9 more, took up her esidenca on. Magazine street, and took ip with it most of thu wickedness vhich had previously made ber a nark for the attention of the auihori les. oaa wis, ajwyar, guut.701.uii irvert act against the peica and iignity, of the city, and until yester iay morning she trod in security tue >ath vrhich she had chosen for herelf. Batyesi-srdiy Caiaf Boyle and iis cohorts visited the house at No 10 iagiZ'tie street and laid violent hacds! ipon ij\os$ie and aa iatimats friend of i ters, and now ooih women are Ic2ksd : ip at p3l:c3 headquarters, and the; ;hargas a^iusi tiiem are trie most j ensationai, if not the m):t serious, j ha5 have ever been ioigad over ered in. the graas day bosk that is ! :er>t at the G-aard House. For good and suSficiect reasons all j ?; iha story cannot yet ba tclii, that is! o say, a na^ie nere and there is with-1 tela by the autaorities for the time! )2ing by request. But chief Boyiei aid, waea speaking of tha matter yes- ] erday: "I said when I came iatoj !iis office ihat I would administer ray i [titles witnout fear cr favor, and'Ij >ropose to do so in this ins'.aace. This I caudal involves in a bad light the] Lames of a New Yorker and a young; 3narIeston pnysician. I hold them] or the present, but a: the proper time j hey will doubtless be made public." Ir. seems that one year ago this Fios-I ie Kerr went to Nsw York to reside. iVnether she set up an establishment j >f her own or went into service as a j [omestic has net been definitely &et j led, but while there she made the ae-i [uaintance of a respectable and weil-j o do marriad man. 3ae professed to j o a Spaniard, aad passed under the! tame of F. Alontese. Having onca nvoived this person in an intrigue, j he concocLed a schema by which she j >roposid 10 blackmail him into sup >or:ing her in cohort for years to] :om3. After ssveral months spent in se w Y$rk she informed ner victim that he was to Dseome a mo:her, and she lemanded that he tike steps to sup* >ortand protect her. Bit^een them t was agreed tkaS she should come to Charleston, aad remain until she :oaid once more appear in Ne w York! without iear of rerealin? her shame.! Che New Yors dupe was, of course, to >rovide the moaey with which this >ian was to be successfully executed. Tnus it was thai, after a few mouths >f metropolitan life as F. Montese, Flossie Kirr once more appeared on he Riako in tnis city and took up the >id life where it had been dropped a 7ear ago. .Remittances were sent her i eguiariy by the New York man. Jsually it was $5'Jeacii montn, but on he 1st of November the check was for >100. The increase in the amount was arobabiy due to extra expense in nurse lire ana medical attention wnich lins rionth was expected to bring form. Bat Flossie Kerr was crignL. She inew that there would come a day ?rhen she could no longer collect tribute from her Ne*r Yori: bunker uness she could produce ample and convincing proof of cheir mutual sin Chus it was that she amplified the de ails of her scheme. About the 1st o.November she saw ia ths Xsw York Eleraki the announcementthat certain >arties had a young baby which they lesired to dispose of effectually, quiet y and comfortably. She seat a bosom riend of hers, Baby Sumter by name, o the raetropolis io bid for tne poises iion of this misplaced bit of humanity. Che Sumter woman made the journey o the great city, leaving here November 2. and on November 5 she returned o Charleston successful. She brought viria her a preity little baby, 2 weeks >ld, wiiich was destined in Flossie's >laas to be a veritable Klondike to her 'Head and herself. Bit tnis was not all. Flossie knew hat men who have been bl-icxmailed xatii sick and tired of. it sometimes ook fcr loopholes cl escape. They iemand c inducing prooi of their juiifc, or els3 ih?y shut their purses. 5o it came to pass that she concluded hat it would be best to have a physi ti f/.Mai that shft lad becoiro a mother on a given day md dale. Tnis document sae found neans ic obtain, and it is new en record amoi:g the rtsi, of the iaiereitini; laia whisa is collected and prc^erveJ .a the health office ia the City H&ii 'or various and sundry reasons. This ivas Flossie's lir.t.a scheme, and it worked admirably until yesterday. Bui the cunning desige? cf ilagadne street reckoned without consult.ng Chief Boyle and the iins^eyed psr sons wno do his benesis. In a way iaat it is not now necessary to explain Ciiief Boyle go; an. inkling of Lho wossans doiccs. Assisted by D<.tectivts James Hogau and Hanisy the chiei: went to w^rk on ibe esse personally. The ca>s was uu extireme[y delicate one to nandle, but it was worked out by the chief most admiribly, until ho now believes he has in possession all the proof he needs to substantiate his case. Yesterday Chief Boyle sent down to the house in Alaganize street and had both of tne women arrested. Tney ? "L _ ^^ V- VkT?v-? iwHTi-irliiollr. were ^ciuiv JUIU-I. iuu,.viuuunj and subjected to a rigid examina tion. Tne result was itiey practically confessed to iho iac;s as tney are given above. The chi^f has communicated ~ith the Nevr Ycri: authorities, and ether developments in ihis s^aiaLicnaiaii'air may be brought to light in the near ??-?* .. im-m an nn i UllUi V* XllU T( IT WA U at the Station, una the little baby that was to have hsen made the innocent means of carrying out their plan of extorting money from tne New York man waa sent to the City Hospital to be taken care of. The child is white, and is a pretty baby girl. MR. RODDY'S FLAN.. | | t7kas ilis Xtw York Xewsspera Say i About Ic. j i Here is what the Xew York Wor^ | says: 5 I utr > ! __ /"I-.*.. tp? ^'U^w/vn. j "Jiemoers u; tut: iiituaugc | here and fa other cities are somewhat I excited ever the proposition to form a ! gigantic tiust of all tbss cotton raisers j cf the South which is being advocated by John T. Roddey, a prominent broker of ibis ci;y. Tee exchanges are ( opposed to tbe sefceme. If suchaj( trust is for^ud the brokers say their i) business will ba ruined, so far as ex ; I ercising any control of the market is ' j concerned. The trust will be able to ' i practically dictate the price of cotton in the open market."-- ' Th^ Mercantile and Financial Times, j New York, sars this: - - -. - - . , .ii! "it nas I0ii? ry?nn a notorious rscijthat the original ^-educsrs cf cotton ' in tbi 5 country get a far smaller share j than anybody else of the prud*3 which ! it yields bc.'ore it reaches the inili * Speculators, brokers, spinners and ; capitalists manage >.o secure a bulk of ; the rich returns which the m3fiaicent i* cotton fields cf the South render pes- * sible. The trouble is that the cotton js grower as a rule has not capital r enough to enable him to handle his > ! croduet as he would like to. To a j! i urge extent ha has gone in debt for is j y j before it was raised; and when it is i \ I picked he has no chance, in the ma- J \ | jority of cases, but to sell it for what- j" j ever he can get. The cotton producers 1 i of the Soir.h ought to be rich men by >J ! rights. That they are not is only too {J i wcfii knov7n. i; ' lMr. John T. Roddey, a native of ! South Carolina, now doing business j1 j in New York as a member of the cat- f ! to a brokerage hrm of John T. Roddey : :& Co., has suggested apian whereby * I the cotton gro wers shall form a gigan-. ? j U2 comoiaauun ur ujuipauy. >, I As may ha supposed, Mr. Rod-ley's j,! | suggestion has caused a tremendous 1c, scnsation. Tae speculators in New!* York aud elsewhere are alarmed beyond measure and the Southern plan-1 I ters are delighted. There is no doubt j I bat the thing can be done if those j concerned will but "put their shouldera to tne wheel." j j If five cent cotton will not stimulate ( the planters to make an effort to help * themselves, we do not know what 1 will. It is quite certain, aLso, that unless they uo something, and that * right speedily, taev will get daepar in j the mud than they are nosv in the ' mire. v ' thpi Vow "Yrvrlr Tfibune. 13. ' S ''Trie bear element, in speculative \ exchanges is one of the 'most vicious ; obstacles tha industries of the cDiatrjr j have had to contend against. The de j" pressing influence the bears of specu- > iatioa have nad for the last year upon ' | legitimate trading has been one of the * I unfortunate features of the hard times' t ; aad recuperation under their savage j ; attacks has been slow. Natural con- T j anions may, 01 nac&saiiy, tiytuptji pn- c ;cas to drop, bat then the bears fores ] i ttiemi still lower, never takiag any thought of who is to ha the loser. The c bsar slem^t ia-c^ecalatioa has caus-y x ed more distress", "bankruptcy and rain j than any adverse condition of the j times. li; is an element that stops t nothing to make profits for itself, and j it revels in its success. - i I "Unfortunately for the people of the \ [ South their staple product, cotton, has ? I fn? t>>Q loct ttook Kaan t.h? frmfchal] of l the operators of decline in the trading s on ths cotton exchanges hers and abroad. Tiiere has been no let up in j the steady warfare they have carried ( on against it, and every possible trick < and devica has been used to hammer j down the price." < Samter'* Bloody Rccord. ' The jear 1897 hi is been a bloody one < in Sumter county. The number of s homicides that have been committed < in the county already average more ] than os e a month up to the present 3 time. It will be remembered that on 3 New Year's day the arch fiend, Simon 1 Coopsr, killed Grant Davis at Magno- 3 iia and serious]v wounded several 1 others, and in a few days after butch- j ered the Wilson family and the negro i Preston Smith, making a total of live 1 for him and was subsequently lynch- s ed himself; Henry Cooper killed by ( J. J. McCoy at St. Charles, justifiable; j Jerry Mack killed at.Elliott's by John j Blaylock, acquitted; Jim Boone killed ] by Henry Carter, penitentiary for life; Harvey Tsylor killed at Brog- j kw T/nn-iiie XXTiliiomc? i ft**'-* iXULL ^ V.V U1UC ?? uuAuid) u?\^wivwM * Ben Hill kiiled at Bishopviile oy Ben < Brit ton; Alex Haynsworth killed at 1 Searboro b7 Henry Barrows; W. J. < Lae killed near Bishopviile, supposed 3 to have bseu killed by Charles Wil j liams, now ia jail: Mingo Thompson 1 killed in Sumter. This does not ia- j elude the number of thoce who have : j rr,e: violent death?, such as by light- j I liing, Cat in ?ics or killed by railroad S; | trains, etc., but only a list cf iiomi- \ namos rtf t'np TWrtios killed it I and by whom and the result of the i I trials schere trials have been held.? 1 1 Columbia Slate. 1 2 I Tlie G3org{a Vvonciar jSal>bad. Ric?nt<v Mrs. Annie Abbott, the j Georgia Wonder, was 3'obbea'iii Co- j iumbia. Her trunk had been broken iiito and a $500 diamond ring,, some ; j loose diamonds and other valuables ( nakenout. Suspicion .'pointed to the j ifourceen year old son of the W<onder < and a man tained Current They j j "??? <- x-'ce-rerl o-nri tV??< roiesir*or i round in tlieir possession. The pair were carried before a magistrate. Mrs. Abbott had sworn cut the warrant 1 charging them with grand larceny, ; When her son came in she threw her: j arms about his neck and wept, ex- 1 I claiming, "Oil, Fred, how could you j | do jour mother sol"' Then she fainted < i and fell to the ihor in the magistrate's ( office, wh*:re she lay cold and white ; | until revived. But the hearing went ; j on ana Current and Fred went to jiil 1 :in aefauit of bond to answer to the ' j serious charge made against them at : | the next term of the court of sessions. 1 Collection Eisiiicta. j Collector Webster has rearranged j the collection district, which. hereafter j? j will ce composed cf the following! ] counties: 1 First Districts?Aiken, Bamberg, j ?-arnv7eJl, Berkeley, Beaufort, Chtr- ? lesion, Colleton, Dorchester, Edgefield ; jFiirficid, Georgetown, Hampton, OrI'angeburg. Lexington, liichiand ano Sumter?16 counties. Second?Chester, Chesterfield, Che- < i'ckee, Clarendon, Dariington, Fior enc*, Horry, Kershaw, Lancaster, Marios. Marlboro, Williams Surg and York?13 counties. Third?Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Newberry, Oconee, Pic'sens, Sainda, Sparian* burg and Union?11 counties, * ' FIRST ffl TEE FIELD. 3GVERN0R ELLERBF; WANTS TO BE F.E ELECTED. ? " '&<> Gives His Vlorj on the L'quor Qae?- ' ? w ? rf^.4- WM. UOIi-r*VUIO IUO Jbr^j7V4ioa*| +. jlaoi , auou - " ; Prohibition? He Is Tired ot Being Criticised. Governor Elierbe has declared his jacdidacy for reelection as governor >: the Siate acd in advance of his annual message to the general assembly le has seen fit to present his views in e?a:."d to the liquor question. He has ilso strongly expressed himself in regard to certain criticisms that have J - .r L."_ TTT? j jeea maue ci xiis uuicuu. acts, tvouaesday night the governor gave to ;he press the following interview. Se said: '*1 see in the News and Jourier of Tuesday an editorial comnentingon the report from its Ches;er correspondent, which, while not iirectly doing so, may by insinuation .'?aa people to oeneve tnat tne goveruv? &dv ised Newbold not to surren* ler. Th9 language used by the Ches:?* correspondent is: "He was instructed by the Slate authorities not to rut render today or until the court of ;cr.e>*al sessions of Spartanburg coun;y had adjourned. "I wish to denounce the statement .~Ji is absolute!v and unqualifiedly false. -4 [ seat Mr. Now bold no message, gave-" lim no advice and made no terms with, any one for his surrender. I am jetticg heartily sick and tired of such iirty fiings and insinuations. It seems hat a gentleman has no protection, )ut has to submit to such slanderous ?< - nsitmations. "I have also been harshly criticized or pardoning May and Baice for killa? Sims. Sims was a desperate moonihiner who was openly violating the aws of the State and when May and 3lice attempted to seize the liquor Sims started to fire on the officers,and lad they not killed him, men in the iischarge of their duty would have jsen killed. Moreover, Mr. Crawford, V UU WW LCai/lLLUVL VUQ rilJing was in self-defense. This is smireiy aside from the petitiona and he endorsement of saven of the jur:r.-. There were in addition to other istitions one signed by many of the rery best of Spartanburg's citizens. "There seems to ba a common understanding on the part of certain jeople to destroy the dispensary law tad' they take advantage of all these inforfcunate occurrences to use them against the law. Since I have been governor I have tried fearlessly to jerfcrm my official duties, and will lot ba swerved by idle clamor or ease.ess criticism. ; >3 "Several days ago anhiterview was jrinted from Rev. Carroll, in which I ?. ?3 1 iL.4. rvas leuufleu tu uavc skuu uut ?kuu ban joia the Ibuor men, I would go o ' A great many have asked me o fill out that blank. What I said ^ vas: "Bsfora I would turn this State >ver to the liquor element I would go lome and go to plowing.' . "The most difficult problem that confronts us today is that of the liq- - . lor teaffjy-.Ihe dispensary,-! Jth in , 5 ths best solution of the Question, " " jut -as the courts have decided that he dispensary is not a police regulaion, I am in favor of amending the . -S! aw so as to make it a police regulaion by eliminating the profit feature. iad, if necessary, not to sell it as a leverage, but only for medicinal and lacramentsl purposes. ?? J ??.?l.:_U "XflOia wag auvwaw m^u mwuc iave surely not read carefully the decisions of the courts, for in the case of Scott vs. Donald the court advanced ;he view that the State could prohibit, ;hey could inspect, but could do no nore. If the dispensary is not a poles regulation and the State cannot control the liquor under the dispensary law, it certainly cannot do so un- . ler high lic&nse. Beside?, under a ligh license system it would in a few months degenerate into the open barroom. As a rale, men who would buy i li^arssp tr? s? 11 whiskev would have ao moral character and would be al.ogether irresponsible and perfectly indifferent to the welfare of the State wd of th* pecple. Their only object would ba to make money and the constitutional restrictions would be disregarded. This liquor fight is not a fac:icnal issue. It is a fight between the noral elements cf our people and tiie Liquor men." *\Do you prorsoss to make a fight on ;his nest year?" "I propose to go before the people 3n 2217 record aid if 'necessary to advocate the policy just outlined. Some my enemies have said I might be re elected because of the unwritten law to give a governor two terms. I prant it understood that no one need ieep out of the rscs on this account, lad I wouid not nave it as a mere natter of precedent if my efforts did or warrant an endorsement. "If I cannot refute the numerous jharges that have been made against re, and cannot show to the people Sat I have honestly and faithfully tried to discharge the duties of the office, I do not care to be re-elected. Soxe people may think it is a very . ha governor, but there ? ire other things I valure more highly md before I would sacrif-ce my manliness or any principle 1 would be ie'eaied a thousand times. While I tike to p ease I had rather have the ;1 consciousness of having done my duty ;nan the applause of the world." Killed a Burglar. Vi^xr Wc^npdftT morninc Mr. Li. 3, Giesson, of Milieu, Ga., [was iroused from sleep by some one endeavoring tc enter the room. He investigated the noise, but seeing no one returned to bed. He was soon aroused again, asd this time saw a negro crawling toward hi in from the naU ccor. He immediately began shooting at the approaching negro, who rolled over on the lloor, fatally wounded. Ihe negro saw Mr. Glesson carry his mocey komts from the store is what caused him lo.attempt the robbery. Me had a pistol in hi3 hand as he approached but Mr. Glesson's first shot paralyzed Mm cr he would have shot ilr. Grlesson. ? . .. . >3|| Gtn. Lee Guarded. The tube reported to have contained > dynamite which was found by a mansubsequently arrested by a private watchman of the American consulate building :in Havana Thursday after- * noon, near-the doer of the consulate is classed in official circles as being-/- . nothing inore than a joke. The man arrested is telievei to be the individual who placed tiie tube where it was found. But, in order to guard against anv possibilities, the Spanish officials are taking precautions to guard the United States consulate and. to protest United States Consul General Lee.