Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I m The Press and Banner.; V nx mjixiL wiijoui\. AKBI:tilm:,N.C. B THE ASSESSMENT ACTr" TEXT OF AN IMPORTANT NEW TAXATION LAW. In ImmrdlHlK Efltci?Was Introduced by ( Mr. J. P. Thomai. Jr.. of Richland, and 5 May Add IHIlliona to Taxable Property. ^ An act to provide for the return f and assessment of property for taxa 1 tion. c Be it enacted by the ?ereral assem- s bly of the State of South Carolina: * S<c 1. It shall be the duty of all 1 persons who are required by law to a make returns of personal property to make full returns of all real estate and ^ improvements thereon between the F tirst day of Januaiy and the 12tn day F of February, 189S, and the same time r in cvprv fourth vear thereafter. Pro- v vided, That for that portion of the ^ township of Florence, in theounty c of Florence, lying- within the limits a of the city of Florence, like returns F shall also be made between the 1st day a of March and the 15th day of March, 1897. S(c. 2. It shall be the duty of the a county auditor and township boards F of commissioners on or before the t first Tuesday of March in each year to d diligently seek for and discover all c property, both real and personal, in c ' his county, subject to taxation and not previously returned or listed with b j him; and it shall be his duty to list ^ I the same with taxation, giving the s I ttti V* tV?o nqmA rvf 13 1 V tti uauuu bilCiCUi) TTAIfli bUW UMMW w- A. \ the owner or person to whom it is v > taxable. b Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the a county auditor on or before the first Tuesday of March in each year to lay ti before the township boards of com- ? missioners and the special boards of t assessors the returns of all property, a both real and personal, made to him, f together with a list of all property, n both real and personal, which he can u discover has not been previously returned or listed for taxation, as re- a auired bv law. stating in the columns t of remarks upon each return and list t what he believes ought to be the val- s uation of the property returned or 1 listed. s Sec. 4. The township boards of com- t missioners and spccial boards of as- c sessors shall meet annually on the first Tuesday in March, or as soon s thereafter as practicable, at some con- t venient place or places,for the purpose c of performing the duties devolved up- t on them. It shall be their duty to a carefully consider the returns and e lists laid before them by the county 1 auditor, and if necessary to compare t the same with the tax returns and tax i duplicates for the previous year or 1 years. They shall diligently seek for t aDd discover all property, both real a and personal, in tneir n spective tax i districts not previously returned by c the owner or agents thereof, or not i listed for taxation by the county audi- e tor; and thereupon it shall be their s I duty to Jist tne same tor laxauon in ? J toe name of the owner or person to i p whom it is taxable. It shall thereupon f l be their further duty to fairly and ira- f ' partially assess the value of all prop- i erty, both real and personal, in their s respective tax districts, entering upon d the returns and lists furnished them, c and they shall have the right in per- e forming their duties hereunder to in- f crease but not to lower the valuation a of any property; real or personal, as fixed by the county auditor or as re- c turned by any person; and it shall not d be deemed material whether the re- 1 tujn so increased was intentionally or a unintentionally false, or whether the <i property whose value is so raised was s intentionally or unintentionally re- a turned at less than its fair cash value { by the county auditor and upon the g lists made out by them,the valuations fixed by them; said returns and lists, s with said valuations, to be by them I laid before the county auditor on or l before the third Tuesday in March in I each year, except that for the town- s ship of Florence, in the county of t Florence, for the year 1897, the same t to be laid before the county auditor t on or before the 31st of March. Pro- \ vided, however, that real estate shall ( be valued and assessed by said boards ^ only in those years when real estate i is by the law required to be returned, i except that said boards may, in any i year, value and assess any real estate 1 and improvements thereon which they ' may ascertain or discover have not t previously been returned or assessed i for taxation. Whenever the valuation t and assessment of any property is fix- I ed by said boards at a sum greater i il.AM 4 V* A A/] Vl** 4UA i Li a II me aiuuuui. ictuiucu uj mc i owner or his agent, or whenever any i property is valued and asseseed for i taxation which has not been previous- < ly returned or assessed it shall be the ( duty of the county auditor on or before the fourth Monday in March of i the year in which the valuation and i assessment is made to give to the owner or agent of such property written i notice thereof, which notice may be served upon such owner or his agent personally, or by mailing the same to . such person or his agent at his last : known place o? residence; and such owner or his agent, if he objects to ] such valuation and assessment, shall \ have the right of appeal to the county : board of commissioners, sitting on the ' county board of equalization, which ' appeals shall be heard by said county \ board. That account of the county ' auditor for the necessary stationery ; and postage to enable him to give the notices herein required, shall be a va- I lid claim against the county and shall ! be paid as other county claims are paid. Nothing in this act contained ' shall be construed as interfering with the duty of the county auditor of adding fifty per cent, to the value of personal property as a penalty as pro vided in sections 279, 295, and 297 of the revised statutes of 1893, nor with ( the duties of the county auditor as prescribed in section 29U of the revised statutes of 1893. Sec. 5. The county boards of com- j missioners,while acting as the county boards of equalization, shall meet on the fourth Tuesday in March in each year, and at such other times ss the hairman or a majority of the board shall direct, at the oilice of the county auditor, who shall act as their clerk. The county auditor shall thereupon jay before them the returns of property made to him and all property listed by him and by the board of township commissioners and special boards of assessors. Each member, having taken an oath,before some officer duly qualified to administer the same, fairly and impartially to equalize the value Df the real and personal property of thtir county, according: to the provis ions ci' law, the board shall immediitely proceed to equalize 4.he valuations fixed by the board of township commissioner.", so that each piece of property shall be enlered on the tax list at its true value. Tney shall hear ill grievances and appeals from the raluations and assessments fixed by he township boards of commissioners tnd special boards of assessors, and tct upon the same. For the purpose >f performing their duties said board ihall observe the following rule: First. They shall raise the valuation >f such tracts and lots of real propery or articles of personal properly, as n their opinion have been returned >r assessed below their true value, to uch pries or sum as they may believe o be the true value thereof, and due Ua Airvan in tVio A'.PnO?? r\Y* 1UUUC CllflU IA3 pivtu IV7 buv vttmwi igent of such property. Second. They shall reduce tue valuations of such tracts and lots of real roperty and articles of personal pro>erty, a3 in their opinion have been eturned or assessed above their true ralue, as c )mpared with the average raluaiion of the property of such ounty, having due regard to the rel,tive situation, quality of soil, im rovement and natural and artificial d vantages possessed by each tract or ot of real property. Third. They shall not reduce the ggregate value of real and personal roperty below the aggregate value hereof as returned to tbe county au litor. The auditor shall keep an ac lioata -iniir-nol nr ivn.nrH nf the DrO 14JMWVS I"" " eedings and orders of said board. Any person whose property has teen or may be assessed above its true alue who cannot secure relief from aid board shall have the right to ap ieal to the comptroller general, 10 rhom shall be forwarded all testimoly relative to each alleged grievance nd who shall act thereupon. Sec. 6. The said returns and lists of axable property, with the valuations ixed as hereinbefore provided shall hereupon be adopted by the county uditor for the purposes of taxation or the ensuing year, and shall be pernanently entered on record by him ipon the tax books of his county. T* oVioll kn 4 ho /Jiiftr nf t.VlA r.rtimtv x 1 ouali wv fcuv mu"j v* ""w ?/ uditor to mate up and complete the bx books of his county on or before he 13th day of June, as provided in ection 285 of the revised statutes of 893. Nothing in this act contained hall be construed as interfering with he provisions of sections 299 and 314 ?f the revised statutes of 1893. Sec. 7. Each member of the townhip board of commissioners and of he special boards of.asse3sors shall reeive for his services in performing he duties devolved upon him by this ,ct two dollars for each day actually mployed, not exceeding three days: roviaea, tnat m incse Lowusmpa ur ax districts in which is situated an ncorporated town or city of 1,000 and ess than 5,000 inhabitants they shall >e paid for not exceeding five days; ,nd in those townships or tax districts a which there is an incorporated city ir town of 5,000 and less than 10,000 ntiabitants they shall be paid for not xceeding 10 days: and in those townhips or tax districts in which there is ,n incorporated town or city of 10,000 nhabitants or more they shall be paid or not exceeding 20 days: Provided urther, that no per diem shall be paid tnless accompanied by the affidavit of uch member giving the number of lays actually employed and by the ewifi<?at? of t.h? rmintv auditor to the fleet that such member has fully perormed all the duties required by this ,ct. Sec. 8. Nothing in this act shall be onstruad to affect the pDwers and luties of the county auditor of Chareston and of the special boards of issessors of the city of Charleston as lefined in section 311 of the revised tatutes of 1893 and in any act or acts unending said section tnat may be >assed at the present session of the [eneral assembly. Sec. 9. That from and after the pasage of this act the governor shall ap )oint, upon the recDmmendation of be senator ana me memoars 01 me louse of representatives from the renective counties, three discre9t elecors in each incorporated city and own in this State having a populaion of not less than 500 inhabitants, ??ho shall be known as the board of issessors of such cities and towns, vhose torm of office shall be cotermilal with that of the governor by pvhom such assessors shall have b^en ippointed and until their successors lave been appointed and qualified, rhfl Hnt.ios hprp.tnfnrfl dflvolve UDOn he township board of commissioners is assessors shall be devolved upon ,he board of assessors herein provided or within the limits of their respectve cities and towns. Provided, That nothing contained n this section shall be construed as ifl'ecting the special boards of assesses in the cities of Charleston and Columbia. Bee. 10. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby repaaled. Sec. 11. Tnis act shall go into etfect .mmediately after its passage. An HelreaM Kidnaped. St. Louis, March 17.?Ella Burden, I 1 nno>*o Vioikocc ir\ <k. 1 OH fiHO VlQC Li. j ?ig v/iu, ivs ifivvj vvvj been inexplicably missing from her home since Monday. She lived with tier grand mother, Mrs. Burden, at 5032 Minerva street and left home Monday for the Dozier schcol, where >he is regarded as one of the brightest and prettiest of the several pupils. At i :30 o'clock in the afternoon, the usual hour, she left the school for home and went part of the way with several other p;irls, to a point where she usually Look the car for home. Nothing has been heard of her since. Mr. Burden has every agency pc~sibly at work for her discovery. He declares the only possible theory for her disappearance is that she was kidnapped and is tiing held by her captors until a sufficient reward is offered. Ella is a beautiful child and well grown for her age. A large reward is offered for her return Keleased from Prison. Washington, March 17.?Secretary Sherman has received a cablegram from Consul General Lee dated late yesterday, saying: "O^car Ce>nede?, a native of Key West, is released from Cabanas on condition he leaves the island." Oscar Cespedes is No. 40 on the State list of Americans in prison and the following information regarding him is in that list: "Twenty years, native of Key West; capturcd without arms in iusurgent hospital near Zapafa, about September 5, 1890; imprisoned at San Severino Fort; Matanras; question of compatency between military and civil jnrisdic tion decided m favor of military; case pending." M'KFNLEYS MESSAGE. STRIKES FOR HIGH TARIFFS AND MORE REVENUE. A I'Dint itlHUO riaiD xuni mo uuvrriimnui Must Either Spand Much Left or Receive Much More. Washington, March 15.?Both brauches of Congress assembled today in extraordinary session in obedience to the President's proclamation convening it. After the routine business of the two Houses were gotten through the following message wa3 read in each House: To the Congress of the United States: Regrettiug the necessity which has ' a- -.11 i. T required me iu can you lugemer. j. feel tbat your assembling in extraordinary session is indispensible because of the condition in which we find the revenues of the government. It is conceded that its current expenditures are greater than its receipts, and that such a condition has existed for more than three years. Witn unlimited means at our command, we are presenting the remarkable spectacle of increasing our public debt by borrowing money to meet the ordinary outlays incident upon even an economical and prudent administration of the government. An examination of the subjact discloses this fact ia every rlof o i 1 onrl 1 ao/lo in0TritoKlir tn t h A PrtTl - elusion that the condition of the revenue which allows it is unjustifiable and should be corrected. We find by the report of the secretary of the treasury that the revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1893, from all sources, were $125,868,260.22 and the expenditures for all purposes were $415,953,806.56, leaving an excess of receipts over expenditures of $9,914,453.66. During that fiscal year $40,570,467.98 were paid upon the public debt, which had been reduced since March 1, 1889, $259,076,890, and the annual interest charged decreased $11,684,576.60. The receipts of the government from all sources during the fiscal year ending June 30, lfc>93, amounted "to $461,716,561 ani its expenditures to $459,374,887, showing an excess of receipts over expenditures of $3,341,674. Since that time the receipts of no fiscal year, and, with few exceptions, of no month of any fiscal year, have exceeded the expenditures. The receipts of the government from all sources during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, were $372,802,498 and its expenditures $442,605,758, leaving a deficit ?the first time since the resumption of specie payments? Df $69,803,260. Notwithstanding there was a decrease of $16,769,128 in the ordinary expenses of the government as compared with the previous fiscal year, its income was still not sufficient to provide for its daily necessities, and the gold reserve in the treasury for the redemption of greenback was drawn upon to meet them. But this did not suffice, and the government then resorted to loans to replenish the reserve. In February, 1894, $50,000,000 were issused, ana in iNoyemoer iouowiog a seuuuu issue of $50,000,000 was deemed neces-1 sary. The sum of $117,171,795 was realizad by the sales of these bonds, but the reserve was steadily decreased until, on February 8, 1895, a third sale of $62,315,400 in bonds for $65, 116,244 was announced to oongress. The receipts of the government for the fiscal year ending Jure 30, 1895, were 390,373,203 and the expenditures $433,178,426, showing a deficit of $42,805,223. A further loan of $100,000,000 wa3 negotiated by the government in February, 1896, the sale netting $111,166,246, and swelling the aggregate of bonds issued within three years to $262,315,400. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, the revenues of the government from all sources amounted to $109,475,408, while its expenditures were $434,678,645, or an excess of expendi tures over receipts of $25,203,245. la other words, the total w*eipts for the three fiscal years ending June 30,1896, were insufficient by $L37,811,729 to to meet the total expenditures. Nor has this condition since improved. For the firat half of tbe present fiscal year the receipts of the government exclusive of postal revenues were $157,057,603 and its expenditures exclusive of postal service $195,410,000, or an excess of expenditures over receipts of $37,902,396. In January of this year the receipts exclusive of postal revenues were $21,316,994 and the expenditures exclusive of postal service $30,269,389, a deHcit of $5,952,395, for the month. In February of this year, the receipts, exclusive of prstal revenues, were $24,400,997 and expenditures exclusive of postal service, $28,796,056, a deficit of $4,395,059; or a total deficiency of $186,061,580 for the three years and eight months ending March 1, 1897. Not only are we without surplus in the treasury, but with an increase in the public debt, there has been a corresponding increase in the annual interest charge from $22,893,883 in 1892, the lowsst of any since 1862, to $31,387,297 in 1896, or an increase of $11,493,414. It may be urged that even if the revenue of the government had been sufficient to meet all its ordinary expenses during the past three years the gold reserve would still have been insufficient to meet the demands upon ^ 1- J wvAvvIs) v> 1 TT it ttUU UUI1U3 WUUiU Uui/Dooai i ij huve been issued for its repletion. Be tuis as it may, it is clearly manifest without denying orallirming the correctness of such a conclusion that the debt would have been decreased iu at least the amount of deficiency and business confidence immeasurably strengthened throughout the country. Congress should promptly correct the existing conditions. Ample revenues must be supplied not only for the ordinary expenses of the government, but for the prompt payment of liberal pensions and the liquidation of the principal and interest of the public debt. In raising revenues, duties should be so levied upon foreign products as to preserve the home market sa far as possible to our own producers, lo revive and increase manufactories, to relieve and encourage agriculture, to increase our domestic and foreign commerce, to aid and develop mining and building and to render to labor in every field of useful occupation the liberal wages and adequate rewards to whieh skill and industry are justly entitled. The necessity of the passage of a tarifl' law which shall provide ample revenue need not be . further urged. The imperative demand of the hour is the prompt enact; ment of such a measure and to this ob ; ject I earnestly recommend that congress shall make every endeavor. Bo fore other business is transacted, let i us first provide sulficient revenue to faithfully administer the government, witkoat the contracting ?f further debt, or the continued disturbances of our finances. William McKinley, President of the United States. The message occupied the undivided attention of the senators and of the audience in the galleries, but no dem onstrf.tion followed its conclusion. Then, on motion of Mr. Allison Uiepj of Iowa, the senate at 3:25 p. m. adjourned until to morrow at noon. THE NEW PENSION LAW. It is More Complicated Than the One It Supersede*. Columbia, March 19.?The latest pension law is creating more complications than the previous one, which it was supposed to simplify. In fact there are so many irregularities and inconsistencies in it that it is doubtful if pensioners will get their money before some time in August, though there is some chance of them getting it about the latter part of July. The contemplation of tae law is mat pensioners should receive their quota in June, but in the new law the year is made 1896 instead of 1897. This is an error from carelessness and will no); affect the payment in the least, but there are other things to be considered. The township Doards are required to meet on May 1 at d the County Board meetsi ten days late. All pensions! allowed will then have to pass the in* sDectiion of the State Board, and as there are so many of them, it will be utterly impossible to have the lists rsady by June 15, as required by law. Another c amplication arises from the formation of now counties and the division of townships As it is likely that but one or two of the new counties will be organizad by May 1, it is not known exactly what procedure shall be taken towards organizing county boards. Comptroller General Norton is giving the subject serious siuay ana it may resuiu m mm i^uuiing the fact that new counties have been formed and have the towDships organize just as if they had not been cut off from the original county. Again, there are many townships, especially in the lower section of the tState, where there are practically no Confederate soldiers, and if they do not organize township boards the State Board is required to do so. Thus the latter board,* before acting, will have to ascertain all these facts and that means further delay. The State Board nad all its blanks printed and sent out to the various couuties Defore the new law was passed,and these .blanks had nothingabout township boards. Mr. Norton hopes, however,to make them answer all purposes and save the printing of additional onesThe whole machinery of the pension department has to be done over by reason of the new law and while there was a great deal qf kicking last year over delays, there is likely to be a mighty howl tnis year. But it cin't be helped. The following is a brief synopsis of the law: 1. The surviving soldiers and sailors who were in the service of the Confederacy rr the State during the late war between the States are to meet on a convenient day prior to May, 1897, in the several townships of this State, and after organizing by the electien of a chairman and secretary, they shall elect by a majority vote three of their members or reputable citizens who are not applicants for pensions, who are to constitute the examining board of pensions for each township. 2. The township boards are to elect one of their members as chairman. 3. All applications for pensions are to be made to the township boards whose duty it shafl be to decide to which class the applicant belongs. 4. The several township boards are to meet before the first Monday in May, it5yy, ior me purpose ui uuuaiuering applications, and witliia ten days thereafter the county examining board shall meet to settle all disputes and contests. 5. In selecting pensioners from among the applicants, the board shall have regard 10 their physical condition and financial means, allowing to each applicant so s alec ted the sum of $G, $1 and $3 per month, as they may be entitled to under the law. 6. The members of.the township boards are to serve without compensation. 7. The chairman of the township boards are to meet at the county seat within ten days after their own election, and shall organize by electing a chairman and secretary. When organized they are to elect four of their tnemoers ana a regular jjrauiiibiug physician, who are to constitute the county examining board, which is tc meet on the first Monday in May, 1897. 8. The members of the County Boards are to recsive $1 per day and 5 cents per mile one way,the per diert and mileage not to exceed $3 each ic a year. 9. The pensions are to be paid no' later than June 15.?Register. Chance For Home Toivu. " ...... . a m if u i o ?i A IOUJ-iUaiMlA, Q. V/., lUttiUU 1U. II the annual meeting of the South Car olina State Teachers' association s committee of three men was appointee to see what could be done towarc securing a permanent home?ground: and building?for these annual meet iags, such homes as the teachers oi North Carolina and Georgia have From 200 to 300 teacheis from the common schools, high school, acade mies and colleges of the State attenc these meetings. How manv towns ir the State aro interested in thii movement? Thiscommittee make: its report in June." The Stat< ijesterday received the abovt I which is given for the information o! | the public. There is scarcely anj necessity of pointing out the grea benefit in many ways that will coim to the town or city which has th< number of teachors indicated to gathei therein once a yeir. All busiaes: concerns would profit directly fron the presence of such people. Kantian Ntuil?>utrt Arrc ? tefi. London, March 18.?A dispatch tc the Lunilon Times from St Pettersourg sayi that over a thous and students of the University au( other institutions hava bien arrestee at the very doors of the Cathedral o our Ia.idy of Kazan. There were en I dearoriog lo attend prayers svld fo the soul of a girl student name Vii roll', who, it is alleged, set tire to he banket and burned herself to death ii her prison cell to escape the insult and violence of a prison official. Shi has been jjnprisoned siace lXcembe on the ch-trge of being a political agita i tor. TILLMAN ON MARK HANNA. j p THE DISGRACE OF THE LATE PRESI- S DENTIAL ELECTION. s< SI The Ohio Statefimaii la Rewarded for the p.n.i?i<?inn of thn American Q h People?Senators Should be Klocted by a ^ I>lrect Vote. V Senator B. R. Tillman wrote as fol- jj lows recently to the New York World: e The attitude of the World in the last ^ ! campaign was a disappointment to its c friends who had expected that it would finally come out for free silver 0 and then give Mr. Bryan a hearty support. ? But while Democrats were disap- t| pointed that the great Democratic g Mom Vn??lr nit.ir assumed the > KXCklLJ \JL ilOtl *W*i? w?.j ? Q attitude it did, the telling blows which it has dealt to trusts and monopolies ^ and the courage and persistence with ^ which it leads the fight against corporations and their high priest, Mark ^ Hanna, must command the admira- n tion of every true patriot. We are making history very rapidly in this closing lustrum of the nine- j teenth century and the two opposing forces in American politics, the people and organized capital, are already marshalling their forces for the con- . test of 1900. The last election, al- j1 though it witnessed the triumph of 1 money, is acknowledged to have set- e tied nothing, and .every student of * current events must realize that the condition of antagonism between man and money of our country is becom- c ing more and more accentuated every j day. * As soon as it became known that Senator Sherman would receive the j portfolio of State in the Cabinet of Mr. McKinley the question of his successor came prominently to the front and for^ two months the figure of t MarK mona nis luumeu jjjucuuuua ly above the horizon as the man who was to take Sherman's place in the American House of Lords. There has been reports, interviews and surmises almost daily leading the people to believe that Governor Bushnell and Senator Foraker would re sist the demand for Mr. Hanna's appointment to fill the Senatorial vacancy. There were patriotic Americans trained in the old school of our nnlitics. both Democrats and Rapubli- * r ? ? cans, who hoped that official subserviency would not stoon so far that the , e reat State of Ohio might have as its : representative in the Senate one wor- 1 thy to succeed John Sherman. But the "business methods," for the i first time made familiar to the Ameri- : can people in the rec9nt Presidential canvass, have been too strong. The , news came to us within a week that Hanna is to be ihe next Senator from Ohio. Organized capital flaunts in < the face of American people the com- < mission to a seat in the Senate wrung ' from a reluctant executive, and the i 4th of March, which will witness the withdrawal of Sherman, will be followed swiftly by the entrance into the Senate chamber of a man who boldly , and unblushingly bought the Presidency for his friend and patron. ' I say patron, for I am not ready to use a harsher term which, however, is floating in the minds of the people, nor to believe that Mr. McKinley will : permit himself to become the mere puppet and tool of Hanna and the men he represents. The two men are very intimately associated and one owes the other , much, very much, but I shall hope to see the new President perform the duties of his high office in a manner that will reflect credit upon himself and the millions of true Americans ; who voted for bim, rather than lend ; 1 himself to the scheme of the conspira- ] tors who are pressing madly onward ! 1 either to defeat or revolution. The American people have done a ( greal deal of thinking since the No- , vember election and the masses have ' learned a great deal about the true nature of the issues presented in the last campaign. It is fortunate for those who have ? ' *'? T* u l: ~^ * noi despaired 01 meiwp'aunuauu wu^ believe in the capacity of men lor | self-government that Mar'c Hanna is to enter the Senate. His advent marks a further step downward, a "lower deep" in the debauchery of 1 Ameriean politics. The election to the high office of his Democratic pre decessor by bribery has been charged 1 with much show of truth, and no evi' dence to disprove it ever saw the light of day. What, with the fact that Ohio cast one vote in the recent election for every three and three-quarter inhabitants and now sees the manipulator of II1UL KieuLluu u nuspiauie^ tu nuu >vvU 1 ate?it is easy to sea that the downward course, the "easy descant to hell," is being rapidly trod. The I "business methods1' which have brought about these rerults and the 1 reward claimed and obtained so un1 blushingly must mark an epoch in American nistory. The seat tilled by bluff, honest old Ben Wade and "Grand Old Man," Allan Thurman, is to be occupied by M"-'r ITunino omrj tho nupsfinn Tifttllffll , iUai A iJLUUUM auu KUV 11 ly presents itself, what is the reason for thus honoring this man? Is it baI cause he has oppressed and robbed ia. bor? That he is in fact the embodiment of modern Republicanism which s is more cruel than th8 ex-slaveholders of the South and knows no God but Mammon? J Let the cause be what it may, the . American people have only tnemj selves to blame for the conditions in 1 which they now find themselves. The 5 struggle for the control of the government by the trusts and corporations has 3 caused us to witness strange sights withj in recent years. The Federal patronage f and the possession of the veto pow7 er are the prizes fought for in the t Presidential election. 2 A seat in the Senate, which is tie 3 fortress of the wealthy classes and far vored interests, is becoming so vaiua5 ble that the election oi a Senator in I any State, Worth or South where money can be used, is no longer left to the people or their representatives. Partisan feeling runs so high as to > threaten rioting and bloodshed. Wit. nesi the scenes in Kentucky last spnng, and see the situation in Ore 1 gon now. Then the elections for Sen1 ator in South Dakota, Idaho and f North Carolina are too recent to need - more than an allusion. They all cry r with trumpet voice for the election of - Senators by a direct vote of the peor pie. i The robbery of the people by still s more oppresive legislation than they a now endure cannot be accomplished r by legislative action, aud a vote in - the Senate in tho equally-ballancii condition of parties becomes mora and lore a prizi to b9 fought for and? las, I must say it?bought. The Reublican chairman, wjio is to become enator, has been actively at work H jcurint? votes in that body. When Congress convenes in extra 2sion be will himself be a member of and his intimate relations with the 8< ew President will naturally give im more weight than any other man a the Senate. Thus bribery, the wholesale debauchery of the ballot, 3 rewarded by the highest honor and se niluence. The highest honor in the d: ift of the State is the prize for the y wholesale prostitution of the Ameri- is an people. d; Again I say it marks an epoch in k ur country's history, and it remains e< 3 D6 seen wnetner me iriumpn 01 n rrong over right, of falsehood "over a ruth, of dishonesty and corruption o! hall be p3rmanent. I repeat that the n razen effrontery which has brought h bout this object lesson is fortunate si or the cause of humanity and patriot d: sm. h '"The mills of the gods grind slow, T >ut they grind exceedingly fine." fc !he people of great wealth who use tl uch unscrupulous methods to ia- p rease their ill-gotten gains are only b arnming up the water. a w State Board of Edncatloo. w Columbia, March 18?The follow- U ntr r.nmmunication to Oountv Super ntendents of Education will prove of o special importance to teachers d hroughout the State: v Colombia. S. C., March 15. 1897. ej Dear Sir: The State Board. of Edu- si ation will meet at Columbia on e ^pril 2, and will examine applicants f or Teachers' State certificates on ^.pnl 3, begining at 9 o'clock a. m. n V.t this meeting the County Boards of ji Education will be reorganized as re- a quired by the Act passed at the last n ession of the legislature. If you have G my matters to submit to this board at t< his meeting please send them in time, v Fhe regular examination or appn- t :ants for Teachers1 County certificates g vill be held by the County Boards of s education on April 16. Decide where s he County examination will be held "S ind give ample public notice of the b ime and place of both tbe State and L< bounty examinations. The questions a or the County examination will be h irepared by the State Board of Eduea- e ion and sent to you. by mail or ex t jress, in due time. Yours very truly, a W. D. Mayfield. r The meeting of the State Board of 1 Education as is seen from the above c s to be a most important one, as all \ Doards will be reorganized under the lew school laws passed by the last 1: Legislature. The follwing is tbe call a .'or the meeting of the board: e Dear Sir: Please take notice that 1 ,he State Board of Education will r neet at the Governor's Matfsion at 8 j j'clock p. m., April 2, at the office of c State Superintendent of Education at ^ ) o'clock a. m. on April 3d. Among s Jther things that will come before the i Board at this meeting will be adoption i af quesiions for the regular County i ?xamina1ion of applicants for teach- t jrs' certificates. This examination t will take place on the third Friday in \ A.pril. Please prepare and bring 1 with mil some ouestions to be adopt- ? 2d by the Board. * ~ i By order of Governor William H. f Ellerbe, Chairman of the Board. 1 ifours very truly, 1 W. D. Mayfield. t { Vary Important DecMlon. Columbia, March. 19.?In the Su- y preme Court yesterday the following 1 j -J li\TT tr t)^. ; aecision was nanaeu: v*. u.. i0fi 4 per, plaintiff, appellant, vs. Miss Sallie Shearer, styling herself Mrs. Sallie Pepper, defendant, respondent; affirmed. Opinion by Ira B. Jones, Associate Justice." Behind this is the sad story of a woman's betrayal and the perfidious attempt of the man in the case to heap further ignomy and disgrace upon his confiding victim. Several years ago, in Anderson County, Pepper paid marked attentions to the defendant in the case mentioned. lTnd?r t.hfi nmmise of marriaee he be- 1 trayed her, but her father and brother, j accompanied by a preacher a ad a ' couple of guns, persua'ded Pepper that j it was best to right the wrong he had j done, as far as possible, by marrying I the girl. Shortly after this Pepper a skipped off and went to Texas. Last i year he applied to Judge Witherspoon I at Anderson to annul th9 marriage on the ground that he had been forced 1 into it and had not entered into the I contract of his own free will and con- | sent. The Judge righteously decided against him and an appeal was taken J to the Supreme Court, which has just confirmed the decision of the lower court. It is understood that Pepper < has some property in which he does not ' wish his wife to share and tnat is why j he wants the marriage annulled, but i in this the courts have blocked hi'm. He isbtill in Texas, and even should he get a divorce in that State it will not atfdci his wife's rights to her personal share of what he might own in th'.s State, lor boutn uaronna rtujgnizss no divorce of any kind, no matter where or for what granted?Register. The Floodc. Mempais, Tenn., March 18 ?The work of rescuing the people in the flooded district is being carried on night and day and this morning half a dozen steamers brought to Memphis over 1,000 refugees. The seteamboat men tell some horro^iog stories of suffering and death. One woman who wad rescued from an Indian mound. 15 miles west o: here, held iu her arms a dead infaut that had perished from cold and hunger. Anotner familp of four when rescued, related that two small chilJrc-n were drowned in sight of their helpless parents. Inlands Nos. 40, 37, 36 and 34 in ttie Mississippi river are completely submerged and tne inhabitants to the number of about tiOO have abaudoued theii homes, liiiu oegau to lall litre yesterday afternoon aud at noon tjday there had b^eu no cessation of the downpour. The river now marks 36.9. Tne levees aro standing the strain much better than was expected, but a break is liable to cc:ur at any moment. Au Strangled. UlUL'i.Kt'OKT, Conn., March 1G ? Tip, a moustir elephaut whbu nas been shown throu^nout the couatry for many years uusi, was put todeatti by strangulation t>day. While toe brute's feet were chained 10 stakes lirmly driven into tne grouad, men with block aud tackle drew a ropj taut about his neck, until h-j was dead. The operation war* cjuupleted m tnir* teen minutes. Tip had developed vicious tendencies. Yesterd ly he was given poison, but witnout marked efiect. WAS A GREAT SWELL - I.. OW A SHARPER CUT A WIDE SWATH % IN COLUMBIA. veral Legislators Have Remembrances In the Shape of I. O. U'a?A Draft for /, Board BUI Which Was Worthies*. Columbia. March 19.?During the :ssion of the Legialuture a wellressed man, apparently about 40 ears old, came to Columbia and regitered at the Grand Central. He had ark hair, sprinkled with grey, whiseis of the same kind, wbic>i he parti in the middle, wore gl-i&ts, and on rst sight had quite a distinguished ppearance about uicn. His autograph a the hotel register alleged that nis ame was Golp. Mr. Golp seemed to ave money, in fact he did, for he ' noked good cigars and wined and ined himself sumptuously, both attha otel and restaurants in the city. hat is, he did it for a while, but be)re he left he wasn't quite so swell, irmorh Via tripri his hpst to keen UD SD earaaces on the small amounts he -!j ad borrowed from confiding new \ lade friends. They and the hotel rould like to renew acquaintance* 'ith Mr. Golp for a brief moment, jng'enougb at least to introduce him ) some policeman or other officer of f the law whom he failed to meet. J uring his sojourn here. Mr. Goip rent away leaving sad rememberanc3, a two week's unpaid board bill and . ' jndry small amounts he had "touch- ; d" vanou3 people for, he forgot to ~ j eturn. As the gentleman had apparently othing to ao but loaf around and enay himself, it soon became noised bout among legislators that he was a , lan of- wealth and position. Mr. tolp helped along this delusion by filing about the confidential relations mien existed between nimseu ana teorge W. Vanderbilt and let out ft entle hint that the millionaire's pone ? % trings were right in his hands. He ooke knowingly of the wonders of fandarbilt's palace at. Asheville, and V is dsscription of the luxurious furn- ? strings and equipment of the mansion r nd the lavish way in which money tad been spent on it, made his hearts' eyes bulge out in amazement and hey held their moutbs open in utter stonishment, for his auditors, a* a ule, counted themselves mighty ucky to have a three or four room, -M ommon, ordinary plank house in ?hich to live and rear their families. |* Having thus established himself as wing about the only pebble lyiiu? ibout on the beach, Mr. Golp proceed* d to inform everybody who cared to isten that he was in Columbia for ecreation and that one of his princi- , )al ways of getting a little change out >f the monotony of living was to / vnte lor the newspapers, ne repnr ented two or three big Northern pa>ers and several European journals, j; le said, though as far as anybody can -emember ho never happened to men- _ ; ion the name of any of them. In the a ixcess of his confidence) he informed ? jeople about the hotel lobby that he ? lad been an office^ in the German ?| irmy, cavalry setwce, and spoke retry ntelligently and correctly, it is said, ? ibout the Emperor's war machine. -< Chat he spoke with a German accoent ^ ent some color to his statement with .hose who didn't suspect him of being - -1 i ouai |rai. Finally he became very intimate ;;1 vith legislators and others about the I ]otel. It was "Hello, Jim," or "How I s it, old man!" with his new made I riends, in a very short time. His amiliarity at last became unbearable a o some legislators, and they "celled lim down." Some remarks he made I o others, with no intention of of'ending anybody, caused them, how-' I 3 ver, to threate a to knock his head off. Little things like that didn't phase lima bit, and he continued to walk a nto members' rooms and engage in I .heir conversations often to their die* just and late into the night, but they rvere too considerate to ask him out. [t was during these meetings that he ' 'touched" S9veral membara for small amounts, explaining that he had ne- I fleeted to draw eaou^ti out of the Dank during the day t j lait him. If ill he got this way was aggregated I into a single sum it would not amount I to much, but it was not his fault. I Legislators don't carry wads of green- I backs around with them at any time, H but to the extent of their ability he H 2;ot them. He told them whai a great fl Legislature South Carolina had, and how he was going to write glow- 'fl it :? Artoo Horn ah- H lag accounts <n n m wm ? tic and foreign journals he represent- H ed. This was a bait he threw oat in I order to catch suckers but lew bit, B and those who did have several week* B since realized that they had been fl duped. ^B (iolp stayed around Columbia some fl time after the Legislature adjourned, fl and finally left, supposedly for Ash- fl ville. He owed two weeks board and fl gave a draft on the Battery Bank at fl Ashe ville for the amount. It was re- fl turned as no good, and since that fl lame ail effort has been made to locate m Mr. Golp. He was heard of in several B towns iu the upper part of the Stafo hut before he could be arrested he had Hj skipped, for he is a very slick fellow, H auu wiii not come back to Columbia H it he can help it.?Register. H Deed of a Madman. Hj Augusta, Ga., March 18.?Wright Smith, an old, ode-legged Confeder- H ate soldier, had a dispute with his wife H in Summerville, a suburb of this city, H this aftcruoon, which resulted in him H killing ni3 two young children and H then committing suicide. Smith has H uot livel happily with his wife, who H is his second, his first wife having died some years ago. He went out H into the yard and seeing his two chil- H di-eu Dy his second wife playing, dealt Hj eaca or them a blow with his crutch, braining them, then pulled a revolver H from his pocket and blew his own^l braiti3 out. The oldest child waa H about live and the ^youngest three H| years o; age. Foul l'lay fuapected, SS Liberty, s. c., March 16.?Are-h port has reached here of a man named vVakecuster being found deadonthe^H Southern liiilruad, three and a half^H miles West of here, on the 14th. He^| was near the track and had a jug near^H him. There is suspicion of foul play as it is thought his body was put^| tuere 10 make it appear he was struck^H by a traiu. Coroner Jones was sum-^fl moned and held an inquest but I haye^J uot heard the verdict. He had a wife^H aud one child at Piedmont factory and^H was moviag aud the man who was^H moving him has not been heard arouuu here since Saturday,? Regfl^H