The Fairfield news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1881-1900, January 12, 1898, Image 1

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I ?- j m VOL. LII. WINNSBORQ, S.C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1898. NO. 23. 'v| 1 " K TO HELP TflE FARMER. [. JEL A PROPOSED TAX ON COTTON AND j w GRAIN FUTURES. t " I j Intended uj Break up Gsmblisg is Future#?Snsgfsticn ot an Expedient Which Shall Eeatrcy the Pcwsr cf the 8p$czi!aten. To the Jixiilor of the Stale: ] lenders a copy of correspondence ^ . which ^relates to a subject exciting ; " much lEte'rest amorig {he producers o' i H^-cotton and grain. If rot too volumi < B Hfeous' ^ ^ would net occupy more ? Hr^psce than you can conveniently < 4^spare, it might throw some light on c the discussion that would be crofita- t ble. t Of course you remember tro effort i made in congress a few years a?o to ^ suppress 'gambling in "futures" and 1 the!; result. The proposition to tax t "future" sales was then made, and the ( objection urged was that it would af- t feet a great number of cotton planters 1 perhaps a ms jority, who raised cotton i for future delivery, and therefore 1 would cut both ways. My recollection 1 is an;sttempt was then made to ex- ( emrvf' *?<? raiearc nf but I am i t not sure, as I do not recall the details |: of tfia debate. , While I do not faEcy the idea of fr using the taxing pc^cr to destroy anything, or to be em ployed for any other purpose than the raising of revenue, I am not sure but that 1 would be willing to forego my scruples in this particular case if it could be made practible. Senator George, a mcst accomplished, careful, painstaking lawyer, offer ed an amendment, substantially a substitute, for one of the bills, making gambling in futures a misdemeanor, ] and for that I voted, hoping to reach the evil by criminal prosecutions, but that, too, as I now remember, came to nothing. ] I have not the pleasure of a personal acquaintance with Mr. C. A. Smith. 1 He is evidently a man of intelligence < and a business m an of laj-ge experience i *V?Vk-io nrviwionq qta onfi. 1 AUU) WVlViVUV) UiS Vjk/4-UAVAiU W VMM tied to great weight The subject is : certainly one of sufficient gravity to i command the attention of every < thoughtful man, whether in public or private iife,and heice I make no apol- 3 ogy for offering you this correspond- 1 ence. Very truly y ours, 1 M. C. Butler, 1 Washington, Jan. i, 1898. ] (Copy) < Charleston, Dac. 3,1897. < Hon. M. C. Butler. < Sir:?After reading your letter to J Mr. W. T.'Bradley, published in The i fftofo nt tKio data nr> mttnn si til a- 1 tioD, I take the liberty of addressiDg J you ana giving some of my views as a ] business man in relation to the matter, i I have never dealt in ccttcn but am ' in the grain and flour trade, with < which I nave been for years familiar, 1 and as grain and cotton are ?orerned { by much of the same influences, I feel s ; that I can at least understand some of t the causes that work against the rais- t ers of those articles. " c k ~ It is safe to say that it would b9 im- t L possibletc enter into ar.y arrangement f ffi A whereby the amount raised could be c Controlled, and while Mr. Eoddej's i Hblan might possibly work c ul to some ^^advantage, it seems to me that it t would be almost impossible to carry s it out without great opposition and I unfavorable criticism. * t Do you ask, then, what I propose? s . .Itis simply this: Prevent by law the f : dealing ip "futures" in all agricultu- t ral products, for from a long expsri I ence m such dealings I assert teat i there is no cause in the business world 2 today-that is so hurtful to the farmer t .and mankind in general?demoralz * iDg legitimate business in the trade, f and taking hundreds of millions of 1 dollars from the tiller of the soiL Not c a prominent crop do we raise but s what is depressed by the shcrt seller * and the legitimate owner made to ta-te 2 less for his crop than he otherwise * would. My experience in the specula 5 tion "pits" is that there are at least as * a rule five short sellers to one buyer 1 and why is this so? Because it takes s less capital to be a "bear" than to be a "bull." A "bull" must be prepared * to take and pay for the stuff delivered t to him, therefore he must have some i capital, or if, Derchance,he is a 4,buil" without capital he is made to run t q'lick and sell out for 'ear it will be 1 celivered to him, which is jast as de- * pressing an influence on the market 1 as he is compelled to throw his pur ' chase overboard at any thin e he can < *et, being unable to take and pay for ? it; ? Now. how can this be prevented? , Pass a United States law in the shape A/ A 1TA 1A YT? Q ov A-n?? * Ui t* IC ? Oil T G -Cfc >v a. ui uuc cent per bushel say on grain and one- ^ half cent per pound on cottoa, on all ( sales made for future delivery. Ijo ] other words make all sales spot unless the tax was paid. This would be no \ hardship to legitimate trade, neither * would it present a legitimate short j selling as it would oaly put the speculative market on the same basis as 1 the New York stock market is now , conducted, viz.: If a man wants to sell 100 shares St. Paul stock short he * can dc so and his broker gees to seme 5 owner of the stock and borrows 100 1 shares on Vcali", makes his sale for his short easterner and delivers the borrowed on the sale- By this process a bear can never sell any more stock than he can borrow and so on cotton. If there is only 50,000 bales in. New York no "bs&r" could sell or < n no set of 4'bears" could sell more than ? Mr - 50,000 bales, as they could no: borrow 1 any more than wss actually on the 1 spot. By this plan speculative trade > could be kept dewo to the actual 1 amount of cotton on I and. The Jaw ( should require that on sil sales of cot- s ten or giain a warehouse receipt or I bill of lading of the actual property t shculd.be delivered to the buyer with i in, say, 18 hours from time of sale. t A provision in the law mi^ht allow s the actual raker of a crop to contract t it ahead. : Under such a law the busir ess of the exchanges would be driven into legitimate channels ard houses of means an^stjmding wculd take the business c aricCtclcase a lot of yenng men for ( othejrpursuits who now congregate j around the 4*pit" and uyawp" the * market up and "down?many of them J who-cannot for the life of them raise * money enough to pay for five ba'es of V/VbkV/ii XVV WIAOUVJO KJL Y* .CvUU s'iil they can icfluenc3 the mariet under present methods to the amouni of hundreds of thousands of dollars | per day. I .Qttve written this hurriedly and 1 perhaps have not mace myself fully * understood, but the plan I propose is * entirely practical as is proved by the ^ nethcds on the New York stcck exjhanee and could congress b* brought ;o fully understand the matter and act jonest there would a vsst cbapge for he better take piace among tillers of he soil bo^h north and south. Yours iruiy, C. A. Smith, 5S Bell Avenue, Cleveland, O. (Copy ) Washington, D. C.. Dec. 6, 1897. ilr. C. A Smith. Charleston, S. C. My Dear Sir?Yours cf ths 4th inst. s just received. There is great force n what you say, but I?fear the proportion to impose a tar on sales would ;carcely be practicable. A detenu iced iffort was made a few yea^s ago in jorgress to suppress gamfclirg in fu ures, but such insuperable complications confronted the efforts that it ailed. Among other things it was sroposed to make it a misdemeanor, >ut it was said in reply that the opera .ors could evade the criminal process >f our courts by simply trsns-'ericg A- 'intticH*!/*. neir operations io ? iuxc^u. j ***?.'?? , ion. The tasiog power wrs invoked md discussed and that too wss ti'ought :o be impracticablesnd ineffective. I lavea very firm, conviction that the )nly remedy for evils which. everybody admits to exists is to be found ia jnited sction by the producers of cot;o* and grain. 1st. By limiting the acreage ard thereby the production, icd 2ad. By every producer placing limseif on a self sustaining, indepenient basis, thus exercising some con:rol over his own property. ' As it is i [certainly as to cotton) he finds him I >eif in ac attitude tow&res the buyer! ind speculator of "stand and deliver." | Every other industry protects itsc-lf by j i combination and concert of action. | Cce farmer will have to do it. I don't i 38lie7e ieg'.siauon can ever aim. Very truly yours. (31gn.ee) M. C. Butler. Cleveland, Jan. 3, 1893, Son. M. C. Butler. My Dear Sir?Owing to my continued absence in the scuth your esteem-1 ?d ktter of Dec. 6 has but just reached me, and in reply to your question! would say that I have no obj-ction to tour using my letters for publication if in your judgment they can do the ^use any good. I feel quite certain, however, that aothing can ever be accomplished in the matter by any attempt to curtail the production of either grain or cotton, further than that wh:ch will natirally take place whenever a commod" * v _ 1 A. -M ity drops to a price Deiow cost ot proiuction?in fact, the continued introiuction of new and cheaper methods jf producing will on the whole cause i still larger production. 'We have reached a point in our labor condition where it is absolutely imperative that i larger proportion of cur people will save to till tne soil to gain their livng. The war and the effects of the war, so far as living extravagantly, is >ver. We are again on a normal jasis, ar d it is only to the soil that the jreat masses can look for support. It ieeics tome, therefore, that the only rue way to improve present coridi ions is to eliminate all ficticious conlitions of the markets and bring them >ack to the legitimate and natural sonditions of the laws of supply and lemand. Then they will be selt reg ilatineI feel certain that laws preventing he trading in "futures" iaour great itaple products of cotton, grain and )ork would go far fo bring a satisfactory condition abcu!, and relieve the igriculturalist from the baneful ;.nluence now prevailing. I also believe hat such a law ss I propose can be >assecL if prepared ?nd fought out on be lines of a revenue measure. On uch lines it would fce perfectly cjnstiutional and no valid objection can fce aised against it. I am ;uware of the ormer attempt to pas3 the Hatch and iVashburn bills, but they were too :umbersonae in their details and had ;erious obj ctionable features:?and as irrn as I am in my views 1 could not ipprove of them. There is a certain tmount of this future business that is ;eriectlv legitimate, and ought not to ye fettered, as it is eminently conserrative, and under the plan I propose luch transactions could bs carried on -but it would always keep the tmcunt of trading confined to the ac,ual amount of stock of the article on tand Of course the bill would meet with ;he opposition of the gambling porion of the trade, but it would gain ;he support of legitimate traders, as it would teed to throw the whole busi less into legitimate handlers cf the :otton and grain And I have considerable faith that if such a plan? plainly set forth in clear and precise ianguage?were presented, that it would find the necessary support even itcong such a congregation of ' 'iinpracticables" as compose our present iongrtss. You would at least have ;he masses cf the people scuth and frest pulling on one side of the stnu*Ie. One great troub-e ia the matter ieems to be"that our legislators do not seem to get any clear ideas cf this business. They do tot seem to clearly understand its workings. From a large personal contact with business men?both in this country md Europe?I know that the general ientiment among them is favorable to wiping this trading in futures as now AntiTAlTT r?nfc I encloses newspaper cutting herein Very truly yours. C. A. Saiith. Krpabl'caa Chwk. It is observed that at the conference >? Indiana Republicans held at Indi icopcl's Tuesday, ' Senator Fair janks expressed the belief that the OiDgley law will prove a blessing and jriDe prosperity equalled only by the idcSinley law itself." "Prosperity quailed only by the McKin'e? la 7 itself !'' There is nerve for you. Sena,cr Fairbanks evidently supposes that he people have forgotten that it was mdtr the McKinley law that the jcasury,ir?cui< uru&e lur iuo jurat uaic since the war and that the country 'sperienced its first paDic for twenty fears. A. FAlllEg Oft. A comparative statement from De :ember 10th to date for last 3 ear as ;ompared with this year, indicates hat there has been a very decided 'aliing off in the income from the ariveiege tas. List year it was |4,-j >52 50 as against $3,237.00 for this pear. A Bis Hog. Mr. B. B. Braze al, who li7es beivreen BeJton and Anderson, has a Poland China hog who measures from in ftf nos?> to root of tail eiirht feet :cur inches, sr'x feet in circnmfereEce, ind its estimated weight is about 900 .bs. The hog is not fat ' CONFEDERATE RECORDS ! WHAT THE STATE IS DOING TO PRESERVE THEM. The B<p>rt of 'he Historian--SCuci T7oik Has Yet to Be Doae? Scms Kecoids That' Hiivc Not Yet Bacn Securcd. The snnual report of the State Historian, Colonel John P. Thomas, was presented to Governor Ellerbe Thursday, Colonel Thomas givas the history cf the conception cf the work in 1862, when Prof. Wm. James Eivers of tie South Carolina College collected ths names of 10,000 and more o? the Confederate dead. Then came Prof. Rivers' work in 1864 of collecting statistical and other information. The third movement to collect Confederate records in South Carolina was by the State Survivors association duricg the years, 1869, 1S70 and 1871. He quotes from the report of the association cn what was accomplished. ] f homing that cut of a population of ? j 68 000, the State eave 44,000 volun-j teers during the first IS months of the? I war. at least one soldier for every i vote cast for secession; that the State probably gave 12,000 lives to the southern causa. All rol's collected were turned over to the Stats. In 1882 the general assembly took action passing an act putting the -work in the hards of the adjutant general. Gen. Manigault did some admirable tf-ork during his tfrm of office. He sscertsined the organization of 496 companies of October 3L, 1S85. Gen. Bonharn and Gen. Farley also did gocd work during their terms of oftice. Id 18S3 the general assemb-y, on the 33rd anniversary of the passing of tbe ordinance of secession, passed a joint resolution placing the work in Gen. Kershaw's hands. He was permitted to do no more than prepare the preface before he was called to his rest. Gen. Farley's work as State Historian is detailed and highly com- j mended. This brings the matter down ] to the appointment of Uolonen nomas to succeed General Farley in October last. The following extracts from the report will be found of interest: Finding that a large number of the printed rolls that bad been sent out bj Gen. Farley for revision bad rot been returned to this office, I proceeded * * 1 *ll- - L iorinwi-.n to mass every euun 41 my i command, through individual corres -! pondence and appeals in the press of j the Sta'e, to secure the prompt return 1 of the rolls given out. I further call- j ed for other rolls to complete the rec 5 ord of the troop3 furnished by Sout^ ; Carolina to the Southern Confederacy. J The next subject^that-engaged, rcg attention was the^careful examination of all the rolls" and papers turned over i to me by the late historian's represenj tative, as well a3 the Confedrate records transferred November 221 last, by your excellency's order, from the office of the adjutant and inspector j general to the cffice of the Confederate [ historian. All these rolls and papers of everv kind have, with the zealous and ef? rient assistance of Capt. Wade H Manning, been overhauled, analyzed, systematically classified, and securely filed in logical order. The total number of roll3 printed and turned ever to the present histo j ri&n by Mr. L. E. Farley, represent- j ing his brother, my predecessor, is as I Tn fa nf ktt 01 fi 1 1 v>ll\s if 5? X' iivat J w* VA : lery, 24; cavalry, 34; tctal, 268. Miss-j ing: Infantry, 146; cavalry, 37; total, 183; filed and missing, 451. With .the rolls were also turned \ ever: (1) two memorandum books;] (2) the Kershaw pre ace, and (3) Gen. j C. Irvine Walker's sketch of the r Tenth and Nineteenth South Carolina ] regiments?1861-65. The papers, other than company j rolls, obtained from the office of the! adjutant and inspector general, con-! sist cf the two valuabla works of Pro- { lessor Rivera, hitherto referred tc; a j rnll of fielJ agd staff of South Oaro 5 lina regiments, infantry, artillery and ; cavalry and miscellaneous notes, be- j ing mainly individual records of Confederate soldiers. The results of my work, since my gssumption of office in October last, and the present status appear in the tabulated statements herewith enclosed, maiked A and B. It will be seen from schedule A that u? to this dale. January 5, 1893, the exhibit stands thus. On file and prin ted: Infantry companies. .320 Batteries ariiilery * ? * 34 Calvary troops.............. 43?397 Out for revision and missing: Infantry companies...... * 129 Batteries artillery. *.. 14 Cavalry troops., . ....... 43-397 Total. ...569? Schedule B shows a balance on hand to the credit of tbe fund style ^'Completion of Confederate Rolls" of $L86.80. In the way of historic data there have been recently seat into this office the two folioiring important historic papers: 1. "Short sketch of the services of McGrowan's Brigade in the late war oetween the States." 2. Gist brigade C. S. P. A., to the spring of 1864, by Bishop Ellison Ca pers, formerly general C. S. A. Un' er ths joint resolution cf the general sssc-mbly of Dac. 20, 1893, it is my duty, as the successor of Gins. Kershaw and Farley, "to superintend i the preparation of the Confederates rolls for publication and to prepare appropriate sketches of the part taken by* the State of South Carolina ard iha various commands from this Stale in the late war. to ba published with said rolls." So much of ray time has been taken up witii the caliing in ci the rolls sent out for revision and with ine analysis and the synthesis of the matter in band that I have not vet given any attention to the historic part of my office. Considering the completion of the rolls as the ground work of the pro pos^d history. I have not deemed it expedient; or wise to begin the superstructure contemplated before the foundation has been laid. Your excellency will see that mush remains to be done io complete the rolls and that the historic material on hsnd is exeeediogly scanty. * * * This crflc tViA r-.lar? dp-u'ispf? K-d f^An 1 Farley and in the execution of which he was amsted by his iilnos3 arid subs* qaer.t death. Is was well conceived. The Confederate soldiers to whom he entrusted the rolls for revision and the distinguished officers to whom he assigned the pieparaf.on or supervision of sketches, cannot more . 11 T XI ? i.L ^ 1-4.^ ! jsigH3iiy nonur me mexxory ui me soldier and historian than by prompt! compliance vit'a the arrangement now emphasized by his death. The present historian, recognizing the eminent fitness of Gen. Farley's appointments, begs leave torene^and confirm them with the hope lhat the gentlemen named?CoL William W&iiace, vice u-en. jojm u. j^enneuy deceased? will be pleased to execute the work to each assigned. And the present historian begs leave further to invite tbe cooperation of the South Carolina division cf tbe United Confederate Veterans and cf all the Confederate csmps in tbe State in carrying out the work of his office. It has been my design in this report to present to your excellency and to the members of the general assembly an exact sbo^iug of the present status of this office, as preliminary to further work on my part, if such work shall be decreed. As for the future, in order to complete the work provided for in the joint resolution or Dae 20, 1393. it will be necessary to devise some efficient racde or sscuriDg the rolls out and missir-g, and, this done, the next step would ba for tbe commissioner and nistcrian to secure the necessary aata for the history that it is intended shall accompany the completed rolls?a history of the par: tairen by the State in the late war and that taken by the troops furnished by the S;ate to the Southern Confederacy. This, it must be seen, is a work of no small magni'iuie?onearduaus and exacting, and j*;t an achievement worthy of any South Carolinian's ambition, I do not consider it my part to make any recommendations. With the facts submitted through yc-ur excellency to the general assembly that body, in its wisdom and its patriotism, must take the responsibility of dee ding what is best to b2 done in the business of this office. In csrelusicn I desire to express my acknowledgments to the Dress of the State for ihe assistance given me in raj public communications. John P. Thomas. THE CITADEL ACADEMY. A. Erift Qiacco at vhe Annual Report "of the Instiiatlon. The annual report of the board of visitors of the State Military academyhas been prepared and turned ever to the State superintendent of education. The report shows that everything at ^ -1 - - f* -l - 1 me academy is m nrsc ciass couuiuuju. The enrolment has ic considerably increased. The beard has not yet acted upon the proposition made by the city of Charleston that the city give five scholarships in the institution upon certain conditions. The receipts ard . Cizadel tor the period be^mnin? Cht 1, 1S96, and esdiag Oct. 1, 1897?report fcr academic year 1899-7?were as follows: RKCKiPTS. Balance ? 81 62 Berry fund 19,333 29 Pay fund 14,754 G6 Repairs used from State treasurer .. 1.500 00 Citizens of Charleston. 265 00 Quartermaster sales , 181 16 Borrowed from bank. .rr...nr.. - 243 *11\ 536,359 50 EXPENDITURES. Salaries $11,499 95 Miscellaneous cadet expenses . 5,495 77 Board of visitors, etc 2,052 90 Clothing, etc 7,376 56 Subsistence, etc 7,837 16 . Repairs, etc 1,907 31 Property, etc 156 77 Balance 32 08 $36,359 50 F.)r three inontbs ending Dac. 31, 1897, the receipts and expenditures are as follows: RECEIPTS. Balance $ 32 OS Berry fund 6 666 72 Pay fund 5,949 50 Quartermaster sales - 65 72 $12,714 02 EXPENDITURES. Salaries ? 3,591 65 Miscellaneous cadet expenses 1,659 49 Board of visitors, etc 820 90 Clothing 2.258 38 Subsistence 2,873 32 T?Ann.irs 1.047 96 Property 119 04 Borrowed Carolina Sayings bank, paid 243 77 Balance 119 06 ?12,714 02 The total enrolment for the scholas t'c year 1895-97 vas 123. This year that number has already been increased, tbe report to Superintendent Mayaeld some time ago giving about 130 for this year. Killed by an Explosion. A terrible accident occurred on the Cincinnati Southern railway Wednesday, causing the death of two of the best known men in the service of that ro2d. Thomas Lennehan, Engineer, and Fireman Denham w:re the unfortunate victims of an explosion, which, beside causing the death cf the J ? ? -TuAirthf /towe two uiei/, ucraucu twcivc vau and did other damage. The explosion occurred twenty seven miles from Hirriraan Tenn., at about 11:30 o'clock Wednesday morning. Train No, 32, the fastest freight train between Cittanccga and Cincinnati, was running at a high rate of speed, the train being a double head-r, haviag two engines airshed, on account of a heavy grade at this point, when the boiJe? of one of the engines exploded with the results stated abov9. Tho O.'flerenc?, If that express asent at Brunswick who found he was sbort $500 had written a note telling his wife to bring the $500 savings he had at heme to make it up there would have been 1-r* if Tnc'a.sn rvf t Vi c? f Via I O JLLI^ .'CilCO X~*JL 4U. VI I'Uwu **V wrote his *?ire to do the best she couid with the $500 and hinnself decamped with $L5,0u0 belonging to the Express Company. If he had gotten away with tbe money or hidden it, the conclusion would nave been that he was merely an overbold tbicf. But as he get caught with the money on him inere is no escape from the conclusion that he is crazy.?Charleston Critic. No Stale Bread for Him. While a circus wes parading on Toltenham road in the outskirts of Lordon a baker gave one of the ele-j phants a couple of loave3 of stale bread. A few nights after the ele pbant broke from his fastenings in the circus then was, got away from its keepers ar d made its way back to tt.e j baker's shop, where it broke in tbej plate class windows and ate up the j oread exposed for sale. It then allowed itself to be led quielly back: to ts stable. A NOBLE WOBK. ' THE STATE'S CARE OF THE DEAF, DUMB AND BLINDAn Interesting Beport o' ScperlntSEdent 5?. F. W*}k?r, Wiiich Gives Some I<J?? of tlifl Graad Worts Btirg Dane at OeCar Springs. The report cf Superintendent N. F. Walker, cf the State Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institution at Cedar Springs is in th8 hands of the State printer. The report is fnll of information about this class of the State's unfortuates. The report says: One hundred and seventy-nine pupils have been enrolled during the year. It gives me great pleasure to state that with the above Eurnber cf pupils ia attendance no death has oc curred and not a single ca e of serious illness. As I stated in the annual report cf 1SS6: ''We fee.1 that this is largely du8 to the following causes: The healthf ulnass of our lccition, the care in providing the proper diet, regulation requiring aauy ouiaoor ex*rei:e, regular bathia?r, the perfect drainage of the ground ard well ventilated character cf the buildings." I uave had the cordial and earnest support of a corps of teachers and of ficers and hence am able to report a year of successful work. With your consent I visited duricg the year several cf the largest and best equipped schools for the blind and deaf in the United States. When we remember that it is only about three guartc-rs of a century sites the fi?st school of the kind was established in this country, it is astonishing how rapidly the education cf these classes hss advanced. South Carolina was the 12 ih State to enter upon this work, and with nodesire for self or family laudation, I am free to say that our State has no reason to be ashamed of her standing . . _ I" _ " # _ _3__ .1.' on mis iin.3 oi eaucanon. ui course, i our school dees not equal in numbers or in its plant some of tho schools of larger and wealthier States, but in the preparation of these classes for useful and happy citizens we have no reason to feel that our work does not compare favorably with the best of them. Still I saw much on my visit to these schools, that tended to give me many useful ard practical hints for th.3 welfare and progress of this school. Tee hearty welcome accorded me at these schools and the untrammelled opportu city for careful investigation ana examination of the work bein?* done was quite gratifying to rre. I found a few men still in the profession who ^vere friends and colleagues of my father almost half a century age. Most of the schools for the dea?, like ours, have for the past decade or two baen ffivin? social attention to the tefchixy? o? articiiMion and lip reading. We began this work ~gf ritbe? employed 3 teacher for this special work, in 1880 and have bad satisfactory results J Most semi-deaf children and quite s. percentageo' thoso totally deaf can be taught to speak to greater or less extent and to read language from the lips of others. The character of the work we have dons in this line was jfuUy..t?-?fte3* :aring the past term. Two girls, totally deaf, were at the "begin ning of the session placed in a class of blind pupils a.id continued as members of said class until the end of the summer term. Under a careful and accu rate sjste^zt of marking these two deaf girls stood, respectively, second and third, in a class of 32 The placing of tfcess deaf pupils in a class with blind children did not in any way tend to wtsv/l flip of thfifc rtlass. This combining cf deaf and blind cnildran in the same clas3 for recitation has never, so fa1.* as I am informed, heretofore besn attempted in the United States. It was not done in this instance by us for the special ad van tage of either the deaf or blind childres, but rather assn experiment and to economize cur teaching force. As stated above 179 pupils, representing 38 counties have been admitted during the year as follows: Deaf, 120; blind 59. _ Oiie hundred and forty fire of this number are present at this cat?. The average atter diEC9 has bar n 142 Th8 last legislature appropriated for support and electric light plant the sum of $21,000 and $450 for repairs. As shovm by th6 financial statement we have paid for support and electric light pliot the sum of $20,956 52; for repairs $172.2-3. .Our per capita for support, which includes ail running expanse has bscn $130.77. T<is av.-r sae cost per capita for support in 34 schools for the dear in the Uoi:ed States for last year wa3 $235. The above statement includes schools in all parts of the United 8t*tes. For the sum of $2,386.27 we erected boiler, engine and aynamo rooms and installed a 40 power boiler and *n up to-date engine and dynamo sufficient to light cur buiidisa: and yard. The entire plant was carefully examined by the expert electrician of the Southeasrern Tar;ff association and approved bj him. It has proven entirely satisfactory since starting upon Ootofcy? last A portion of ttefund for repairs has been expended for a newgarden fence; laying floor of front porch v?i-h tile, rr?t . L.i r ?:j I kic. cue oaianca 01 sniu sumium-'suwu is being expended for the erection of a cos? barn. RECEIPTS. From appropriation $20,000.00 Other sources.. 292 25 Balance on hand Jan. 1,:97. 514 46 $21,806.71 Among the chief items of expendi tuie were: For salaries, $7,263 90; grccsrps and provisions $4,884 54; wsge3 $1,953 44; furniture $919 23; wood and c >ai $670; cattle $469 66; repairs $425.93; washing $423 65; books stationary, $232 07; traveling expecs-?s $2S0 67; n:edicai attention act! ra^d-'cine $106.45; clothing $101. 72; electric plant $2,386 27. The balance in tiie hands of the bosrd of commissioners is SS50 19. Tae balance on hand for support is about the usual amount we usually carry over in order that we may have a small amount of cash for expanses fcr January and February until appro priaiions are made by the legislature. The only change in our teaching force during the jear was caused by the resignation of Miss M. M. Bang, articulation teacher, and the election of Miss Virginia Walker to fill the place. Tiie following items of repairs and improvements have been made during the year; a complete electric plant installed, ircluding boiler houss and dynamo room; the front porch floor lain with tile; additions to sewerage and drainage; new garden fence; a new cow barn in process of construe-1 HUH &uu vanuua uijuki ikuij. As I have teretofore sutedinmy ; reports our greatest need now is a building for cur department of color ed pupils. Tie large and growing attendance makes it advisable tbat we enlarge our shop buildings. Especially do we need a well equipped wood working shop. The following appropriation will be necessary for the proper maintenance of the school for the year: $20,000for support; $10,000 for building for the ?^ ,r?.a>o nnn cuJ^rcu urL'ttrunciJLL, <iui ouuu buildine; $500 for repairs. Bescect'ully submitted, N.F. Walker, Superintendent. DEVTH Or GEN. HAGC0D. Another CocScdcrate Gsn?ral Answers the Lsot Eoll Call, General Johnson Hagood died at his home in Barnwell, S. C , Tuesday afternoon, at 1 o'clock. Gen. Eagcod was born in Barnwell county, February 21, 1823. His early education was received at the Richmond Academy in Au^usla, arsd at the age of sixteen -ke entered the Citadel, where he graduated in 1847 with the highest honors cf his class. He studied law and was admitted to the bar m 1850. In 1851 he was elected comraisioiier of equity for RiTircTcl ITc'viinfTr -otrVn/Oi n-fpr?^ TiclH VUVIUVJ , until 1861, when he resigned to eater the Confederate army. He was elected colonel of the First South Carolina volunteers and took part in the bombardment of Fort Sumter. He was promoted to a brigadier generalship in 1862. At the termination of the war hs returned to the active supervision of his nlanting interests. In 1871 he was electtd a delegate to the taxpayers' convention. In 1876 he was nominated for comptroller general, on the ticket with Hampton, and he contrifcu ted largely to tb*e great political victo ry which freed the state from radical rule. During, the time of the Eilentoa riots he was appointed by the re- j publican Judge "Wiggins in charge of a poscee to repel the disturbance. In May, 1877, he formally cock possession of the office of comptroller general and applied himstlf to thoroughly organizing and systematizing the department. He was re elected in 1878 and continued in office two more years, when he wss elected governor. His administration as governor wss a success, and notwithstanding the efforts of friends to induce him to accept a second term, he resolutely refused. Since then he has not taken an active part in politics. As a citizen, he has done his duty to his country and party. His attention has been given chiefly to agricultural pursuits and development of local enterprises in Barnwell. He took great interest in education, and at the time of his death was chairman of the board of visitors of the CitadeL In 1854 he married Eioise, daughter of Judge A. P. Butler, and he has one son, Mr. Butler i^2gcu4?Register, The BeKist*iv&l2f^PSkl?3? On Tuesday night of laStSZgek Columbia had the unique experience's^ oca-constricior m caarge or tae eauorial rooms of a morning daily. 'The scene of the performance was the Register office, and following is the story, as we fiad it in the News and Courier: About four months ago, f a dime museum was shoeing in the city, and a big snake was said to have escaped. People here did not believe the story, and paid no attention to tales that were told from time to time about a huge serpent being seen in various parts of the city. This moraiag the colored porter of the Exchange Loan Bank went into the basement to start the heating furaace. With a yell he 5 rushed to the street, telling of a" snake | he Ma s^en in the cellar. From time j vj wine uuriiig hwz uay u^-jr puupic vrho went into tiia cellar declared they had seen tie snake. A party, made up of the members of the Register s:aff and one of Arnold's theatrical ircupe, armed with ropes, clubs, lanterns and a bottle of chloroform entered the cellar and affected the capture of the snake. He was not very lively on account of the cold, but some difficulty was experienced in taking him. He was carried to the Register office under the influence o? chloroform and cold, put in a box a replaced by the store, where he was vi'?ed by hundreds ol Columbians. Awkt 8 o'clock to-night all torpidity disappeared from the snake, owing to theffTeat of the room. He escaped krv ori/1 -fft* liol-f o n<^ ! i X-JjlLL kllg k/V-X JLCVa. avvux JLL ?**.?. UUM hour owned tie office. Ecitorswere perched on desks, reporters climbing partitions and everybody sought placcs Of refuge, while his sn&keship paraded from one room to the other. An cx-snake charmer, wi?o happsned to be in the city, as a rsiic of the State Pair, brought peace to the office by chloroforming the varmifc. The snake is a boa constrictor nearly fourteen feet long, weighing considerably over one hundred pounds. The agility developed. by the editorial staff is said to have been amazing. The Btata Income Xa Lsw. The income tax law, as enacted by the General Assembly last year, went into eff; ct January 1 and those people who have an income of $2,500 annual ly had better prepare to come to the scratch. The number of those whc I have sue a incomes is small already, but it will bs even smaller than ever 20 v. The way tha decrease will go on will be bewildering. According to the Act, the return must include (he amount of gross income from all sources, not including interest oni securities and bonds exempt from taxation. Necessary jexpenses actual-' ly incurred in conductiog business, occupation or profession, not including remuneration to the taxpaj^r for per j scnal supervision or support and maintenance of his or her family, shall! Se deduced from the gjoss income or j revenue, and the -rord "income," ss I ?!-* /I iw tV?A Aflt choll .oa! I U3vU Ut iUN- UUUAJk vw. ?? I taken to mean Egress income.". Fol- j I towing me the rates, which may interest seise people: On an income of $2.-' 500 to $5,000, the tax shall bo one per cent.; $5,000 to $7,000, the tax shall be one ana one half per cent.; $7,500 to $10,000 the tax shall be two per cent; i $10,000, to$15(0C0, thetsx shall be two acd a half per cent., $15,000 and over, three per cent. Hacking a?*ins? lumbers. The town of Denmark has appropriated the sum of $100 and a private citizen has contributed $50 more toward securing: an injunction against our county, says a Bamberg letter. The money bas been given to W. M. Williams, and he has gone to Washington, to push the case. Tbe citizens cf Bamberg were surprised to learn o! this repeated procedure. However, they are resting contentedly, being i - r ^ -I- J: :n _ ^ i assured ma; mis prcceeumg wiu collapse more quickly than, the former ones* FARMING AS IS FARMING. Marlboro County Makes a Magnificent; Showing. To the Editor of The News and Courier: I have read with interest statements showing results of intensive farming in various sections of the State, and thought a few facts and figures from a county where this is a common system of agriculture might he of some interest to your readers. Col. C. S. McCall planted the present year 1,248 acres in cotton, and om <iTin?of?c t\f 1 079. Twnrsrls JJAPH AU V* ? V^IU^V VA Aj V I ?? cotton per acre. Ee also planted 300 acres in oats, and after feeding ?bi7dt 50 mules, tvro and a halt- montbs, threshed 4,625 bushels,- His com and pea crop are in proportion to above. Dr. J. L. _ Napier planted 80 acres, and mad?-#i bales. CbarTes Crossland planted SO acres, giflf made 85 ba] es. Oa 120 acres E.W, Breeden made 130 bale3. Oa 360 *cres 1. J. Breeden made 350 bales. On 72 acres C. E. Breeden made 71 bales. J. F. Breeden made an average of 1,370 pounds of seed cotton on 175 acres, and an average of 25 bushels of corn per acre, while his sen, T. L. Breeden, made about the same quantity of cotton and 30 bushels of corn per acre. C. F. Moore planted 95 acres and made 97 bales of cotton, and as a side i-nPnotirrr ir? tV-Q nA1 ahlvwbnod Of ii-ii-l. IAOI JI J IJL.U buv _ _ 50 rsgis;ered Essex pigs. 0. A. Mcore made 140 bales of cotton from ISO acres, and had gathered at last reports 17 bales from 8 acres, vyith a small quantity yet to gather. J. D. Moore made 140 bales from 135 acresSheriff J. B. Green made 386 bales on 370 ?cres. J. A. W. Moore made 100 bales on 100 acres. C. M. Weatherly made 165 bales from 155 acres. S. T. McQ aay made about 400 bushels of corn on j. F. Everett's plantation, at a cost of $30 50, counting his own work a*. 50 cents per day. L. C. Rivers, on same plantation, made 300 bushels at a cost of $16 50, including all cost except hire of mules. I have not selected exceptional cases, but could multiply above names by a good large figure and still be able to find others who averaged a bale per acre. Most of the above crops were made on our common uplands that produced but a few hundred pounds of seed cotton per acre only a few years ago, and shews th9 results of good work added to fine judgment. I think the disposition is general to reduce the cotton acreage in this county the incoming year, and increase the provision crops, though oui best farmers have been living at homo for jears. A fine stock association, is to be organized on the first Monday in January by some of our most progressive farmers, to encourage the raising of improved cat-1 Tte. swine, sheep, poultry,, etc, etc. | Tiefc^are some good pasture lands in the rivpfr^etion^fclhe country, which will doubtfet&?H|to^'al liable if stocked with im^^B^gttls^hogs, I trust The News continue to urge the necessity orWfeij at home. Yours tru'y. Pee-Dee.' Bennettsviile, S. C., Dec. 31, 1897. Mi or IiOMes In Caba. For those people who do not think Cuba has been, or is now, in a state of war, the record of losses that have resulted to the island and its inhabitants from the devastation by Weyler's troops, and the insurgent bands, may prove a rather startling argument Without any reference to the human lives that have been sacrificed during the struggle by butchery, starvation and disease, the material losses show something of the terrors of the situation in the Queen of the Antilles. Hers is a list or the estimated damages., Oce hundred thousand country houses and 50*000 dwellings in villages and rtcmlptsHAsrhvrrei?. $16 000.000:800.000 cocoa trees cut down, $5,000,000; 1,000,000 palm tress destroyed, $10,000.000; 2.000.000 fruit trees destroyed, ! $1,000,000 ; 5.000,000 banana plantsdeIstroyed, $125,000; 1,000 tracts of j boniatas ar>/i yuccas destroyed, $2500,000; 4,000,000 ccffee plants destroyed, $480,000; 3,000,000 small cocoa plants destroyed, $1,500,000; 2,000,000 horned cattla killed outright, $30,000,000; 2,000 horses killed, $200,000; 500,000 cordels of fencing burned, $3,000,000; 300,000 hives of domestic bees destroyed, $1,450,000; 650,000 head of sheeo and swine destroyed, $2 300,000; fino fiOO li^ycesof tobacco appropriated, $5,000,000. Those interested in the future of this beautiful and productive island may well shudder at the picture. Under the most favorable conditions, who can tell how long it will take to rehabilitate the land, and make it again a sailing garden of luxuriance and besuty ? But surely, none but favorable conditions should be agreed upon. Under any other, Cuba will not rally in a whole generation. The Penitential}' The psnitentfary is one of the most prosperous institutions of the State. Within a few days Superintendent Neal expects to pay into the state i treasury $10,000 for the general fund, La sum made from "the opsrations of : the penileotiary. Tois is the first time in the history of the institution that such 3 taina has been done and In ? + ok7o a rri d S>T. f\? nf thfl pffl IC CL LL WAMVMV. w ciency cf the management. In addition to this the sum of $8,869 72 was paid on the Reed farm purchase, being the last payment on the price of t be farm?$10,000. The money to buy the farm was borrowed on a four year basis, but it h-'s all fcesn paid within two years. Even with these payments tha institution will have enough money on hand to run on a cash basis this yesr, paying for suppli'-s, guano, etc., instead of purchasing them on credit. It is a splendid showing< and one that the directors, the superintendent and the State should be proud of.?Register. ] *?hera Thry Cams F?om? Immigrants landed in Ne-sp York in 1896, 233.400; in 1SS7, 172,420; de. crease. 60 980. Of the 172,420. there cime 14>661 from Germany; 10,817 fcom Hungary, lo 906 from Sweden and 56,S08 from Italy, Ireland stil] sends a steady stream, ner total being 18,417. England sent us 4,9S2, Mardrred ai Breskfaot Table. G-cCrge Baker and wife who liy< about three miles west of Fairbury. Neb., were murdered Wednesday morning at the breakfast table. Eact had r?ceiv?2d a charge of bird-sho* ir the head. Ihere is no clue. THE PENSION BOABDS WILL MEET THIRD MONDAY OF THIS MONTH. 1 -- .." -'..5 New Its tractions J oat Issued by the State Penclnn TTrtw P*r. !nnevt M"nit Proceed Before tbe Boards. ?k<i pension board will meet in a fe^r days and in order that there shall be as little confusion as possible, and in order to enable the boards to work with greater facility, the state pension board-4ias issv^dthe foUQwing in* " structions: ' f The pension boards organized in j 1897 will meet as required by law on \. the third Monday in January at a j| Z convenient piace in eaco. towns nip ior y the purpose of examining the town- l: ship rolls of the i*espective townships, a.' and for passing upon any new applications for pensions. All new applicants for pensions must appear in person be fore the to unship boards. Said applications must have the approval of the township and county boardi A before the state board can approve. The township boards may drop from the rolls of pensions the name or * names of any party or parties which \ in their judgment are not entitled to \ a pension under the law, stating the 1 reasons therefor in writing and, also, erase the names of those whom they 1 know to be dead. They may add to 1 the roll only such names of new ap- 1 plicants as may file applications. Those already on the pension roll need not prepare nor file new applications. All new apolicitions not properly and correctly filed in each particular, although approved by township and county boards, will be disapproved by the state board. The county boards ^ are requested not to forward to the state board the names of any pensioners disapproved by the township or county boards. Complete county and u:_ ?j ?? iom tuwnauj.p Haw w aupruvcu ior xost are herewith sent to the township beards from which they are expected to make up the list of those to be continued on. the roll; the same will be handed to tne county ooard for their approval. Township and county boards will notice that the law provides three classes, "A," "B" and 4*C," (with five subdivisions of class "C,") as follows: "Class A?Those who have lost both bands, or both legs, or both eyes, or whose absolute disabilities arising from wounds, are equivalent to the loss of either, and whose income does not exceed $250. This do$s not include soldiers whose disabilities arise from diseases cr causes arising sines the war. Class B?Those who have lost one arm or one leg, or whose disabilities from wounds are equivalent to the loss of an arm or a leer, and whose income does not exceed $250. Class C.?(No. 1)?Those soldiers and sailors disabled by wounds, but not sufficient to be placed in Class B, whose income do not exceed $250. Class C?(No. 2)?Those who have reached the age of sixty years and ' .-J whose income do not exceed $100. Class C.? (No, 3.)?Widows of those who lost their lives while in the service of the State or Confederate states, ^^whose^mcames do not exceed -? Class C.?(No. 4)?Widows above the age of sixty years, whose incomes 3 i- - I A4AA GO noi exeeea tauu. Class C.?(No. 5.)?Widows of pensioners. This class is not mentioned in the printed acts sent out, but by the act approved 9ih December, 1894. Blanks for the reports of township and county boards in accord with these classes and subdivisions have been prepared and will be mailed to auditors for distribution among the boards. Class A gets $6 per month, or $72, and will be paid this amount; Class B $1 per month or $36. After Class A shall hsive been paid, the balance will be pro rated between B and C on the basis of $4 or $3. This money will be sent to the clerks of court as ' heretofore as has been provided in the appropriation acts each year, and will | be sent just as soon as the roll for the State cin be corrected and verified. Township boards cannot be too careful in these matters of * Income" and - -i j:l: ? ti ?! "pnjsusu uujUuiuuul. xi> is a vcrjr poor man whose gross income from labor, rent, and other sources, does not exceed $100, or poor landit, if any, which will produce this amouut gross. Probably sufficient to produc $100 in applicant's or his wife's nam*j debars, him or her. Where soldiers or widows dispose of their property by giving or selling to their children, they are debarred from receiving a pension. The question of service to the State in connection with tne various classes of reserves called into the service of the State just at the close of the war, will depend much upon the evidence submitted to the State board. When real service was rendered the pension should be allowed. Any citizen of the State over sixty years of age, and otherwise qualified, is as much entitled to a pension as that class of her good citizens who merely met and organized on call, without real service to the State. Please note very carefully the following: ||? Let township and county boards act promptly and fairly, giving the State baard full information witn compieie reports bj township for each county, writing names full and clear, with particulars for. approving or disapproving in each case. Township boards must first approve or disapprove, in writing, each new application, and then county boards, and afterwards the State board. In making 1 reports to county boards township boards should be signed by each mem: ber. Respectfully, D. H. Tompkins, Sac. of State; W. : A. Barber. Attorney General; T. P. Epton, Comptroller General; State 3H Board of Pension. ; Attest: Kate F. Maher, Pension Clerk. Set Fire to Herself. Miss Thompson, aged 25, of Dal!a*, Tex, -who since last August has been 1 visiting at the residence of M. E. Thompson at Leroy, N. Y., attempted J suicide Wednesday by setting fire to her clothinsr. She first saturated her 1 hair and clothing with kerosene oil \ and applied a match. In an instant ' sae was enveloped in names, momb irsjzf the family extinguished the file, but not before every particle of hair was burned from the young woman's s head and the upper part of her body * ;Jg| , was badly burned. She will probably r die. Mii? Thompson had suffered a i long time from heart trouble, and ofl ten expressed a fear that she would be? come insane. .