Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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rThe Press and Banner. BY HUGH WILSON. ~~ A ?uwii m w? w r1. ?fm. ?i?li w mmsm -v LET US HAVE A SHARE! * IF PROTECTION IS THE RULE, ALL SHOULD BE PROJECTED. The Able Speech of Congressman McLbqrln on the Dlngley Tarift' Bill?The 8ectlenalf <m of the Measure and its Unt&irness to the South Clearly Pointed Out. One of the features of the tariff debate was the remarkable spsech of Congressman McLaurin. of South Carolina, in which he takes the position now advocated by many of the younger Democrats, that for ten yearr, at least, protection will continue to be the policy of this country, arl i^??%*aron4oiiTTCC nf fllA bucrciuru tuc v* ? South should do what they can to obtain justice for Southern interests. The substance of Mr. McLaurin's speech as it related to the South's demand for reciprocity in protection js i given below. After some preliminary remarks i Mr. McLaurin said: < Wot long since I heard honorable 1 members of this body from the North. < especially from New England, defend < the single gold standard on the ground < that free coinage would cheats a the i * " 1 ? 9 1 A"L? aoiiar ana oring a loss iu mo xauuriug people of that section whose money ] was deposited in savings banks. This statement struck me with < great force, and I determined to in- i i vestigate the causes which made such i I deposits possible. I was well aware ) that no such condition existed in my State; that instead of the laboring 1 people of my section having bank ac- < counts, they had store accounts, 1 which a majority of them were unable : to pay when due. BANK VS. STORK ACCOUNTS- ! nUiflnrtAnf Onr? T V) Q TTA Tift VP1 JLU10 OMbCUlOUli auu Jk UMtv MV AV ? son to doubt its truthfulness?that the 3 laboring people of one section of this < country could have bank accounts, i while a similar class in another section 1 . could net, forced the conclusion upon me that somothing somewhere was i radically wrong. In looking into the matter I discovered enough to con- i vmce me, at least, that the interests of ] the laboring and producing classes of < the South had to a certain extent been ' sacrificed to the doctrines of free raw < . material. I imagined I detected tne ] fact that thd enthusiasm and heat of i debate, together wirn an intense opposition to the policy and principles of i protection, had caused us to forget or < neglect to demand a just reciprocity ] for our own people when at the beginning, as now, we fully realize that any i and all opposition will fail. Under 1 ksuch circumstances, whatever conaid- 1 ?ration is given to Southern interests J comes almost without a demand and is always of such a chaiacter as to in- i terfere as little as possible with inter- 1 eats in the North and East. In other I f words, men who advocate the theory T of free raw material and denounce a 1 tariff as jobbery are not in a petition i to ask reciprocity for their own people I who produce this free raw material and then buy it back in the manufac- i >tured article with a heavy duty added, i By reason of this unfortunate situa- ' i tion the people of the South have been J ' 'compelled to stand the expense of a * practical test of the doctrine of free 1 raw material. It is the only section \ that has not filled the corridors of this i Capitol with lobbyists and beseiped i the ways and means committed for protection to their industries. Mr. Speaker, I am opposed to any further experiments in that direction. If we are to have protection for finished products in New England, I de mand a similar right Ton the raw products in South Carolina and tne balance of the South. If we are to have -a protective duty for cotton cloth, let J us have protection also for the cotton 1 out of which the cloth is manufactur- j -ad. No one should deny the fairness J of this proposition. Are those who manufacture cotton 1 cloths more entitled to governmental < , favor than those who toil in the hot I sun to produce the raw cotton? If < those who spin and weave in New England can nave bank accounts, are those who plant and make the cotton 1 Jess worthy of a similar privilege? I i undertake to say that one is as wortfty as the other, and that under a truly popular government there should be no specially favored class, section or individual, bat that all sections, all classes and all industries should be placed upon the same footing, "with equal rights to all and spccial privileges to none" under the law. This is my contention and the pur-pose I would seek to accomplish. We know that the people of the North and Hast during the past thirty years have been pilingjip wealth almost beyond measure, we Know tnat tne people 1 of the South are comparativelyiicor. Whence this difference? s THE SOUTH THE ONLY VICTIM. As Democrats we have denounced the doctrines of protection and declared that the protscte i industries of the North and E^st were robbing the balance of the naticn. Believing this to be true, and known?* that in spite i of all our efforts for th?-ty years this ] doctrine still continues in operation, < is it wise, is it just to our people not ] to demand fair play for our section? i Must our people suffer fcscause of our i obstinacy or pride? Lst us demand < equal privileges for all the products of the South to the end that if the tariff ! is robbery our own section will cease j to be its only victim. If protection really brings higher prices, as we : . claim, let the people of the South real- I ize that fact when they market their : -cotton, sugar, tobacco, rice, lumber, <etc. i I am sure not one of them would <object, but on the contrary would make excellent use of th's additional remuneration for their labor. That the surplus money of tho country finds its way to New England and >the manufacturing centres, wneie all the profits of production finally lc ige, can be demonstrated beyond a doubt. And just as long as our people in the South continue to produce the raw ! material at a loss and buy the manu- ' faetured article back with a prot :tive ! r -duty added, just so long will they re' main poor and dependent on the North : and East. . ^ The South needs factories and other ; business enterprises to develop her resources and manufacture her raw material. It requires money to do this, 1 and money sne has not, neither will she ever have until she stops selling iier raw material at a loss and buying it back from New England at a high price. If the raw products of tbe South could be protected equally with the manufactured products of New England 4Vix? wnnld snnn he inde 1UUU, I UiJ K^'biku - VM.v. ---V? ? ? ? pendent and her laboring people in far more comfortable circumstances than they are now. FROM THE NEWS AND COURIER. I am not discussing this question from a theoretic or philanthropic standpoint, but simply demanding equal rights and a full share for my own section of the benefits which i may accrue from legislation, whether i such legislation accords witb my political creed or not. That I do not ' stand alone in this demand I quote from The News and Courier, of ] Charleston. S. C., one of the ablest i journals of the South. In answer to i J A J A a C'jrrespuuuein wuu ucmauucu a duty on cotton, this journal, under < date of December 31, 1896, says: ! (Here Mr. McLsurin quoted the edUo- : rial in full.) Mr. Speaker, what this article de- < mands for cotton should be demanded . for every industry, agricultural or 1 manufacturing, in the South. ] NOT A PROTECTIONIST. J I sav tbis not as a Protectionist, j (since I believe in tbe practical appli- < cation of a revenua tariff,) but as a < matter of justice and fair play among < all the people, of all the sections of i our country. At this point I propose < to give some facts and statistics con- < cerning the different sections of the I country with reference to the increase i of wealth, tbe accumulation of wealth, and the distribution of capital, and < wealth. I expect to disclose such an i unequal distribution in favor of New I England and the North, as to force in- ] quiry as to its cause and remedy from ' all who love equity and despise favor- i itism. ] NEW ENGLAND AND ITS ALLIE3. I Out of these forty-tbree States and I rerritories only twelve show an in- i rtMAooa nf nmnavtv Tralliofinn whilfi < U1VMU V/* pAVj/v&vj yt ?? .-- ? the remaining thirty-one show almost ] uniform decreases. j The total increase for the twelve 3tates is $337,800,753. i Of this amount $235,883,482 comes i from New York alone. Seventy par j sent, it is seen comes from New York 1 ind 70 per cent, of the balance comes ] from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. ] rhe total increase in the remaining i nine States is $30,822,092. i The thirtvone States and Territories j show a falling off. This decrease in j property valuation amounts to the | anormous sum of $500,185,795. It is widespread, there being no such radi- ] sal decrease as New York shows in op- ] position. New Hampshire and Ver- ] oaont show a decrease, but taken as a ' whole the entire New England and j Middle Atlantic States show a net in- ] irease in property valuation for taxa- < tion of $312,110,555. Only two of the Western and Middle States show an < increase, and the net decrease from t that vast territory foots up $319,821,- j 785. In the twelve Southern States < riven, four. North and South Carolina, < bTLorida and Louisiana, show a small increase. I am at a loss to account for such an increase, unless it be from the same cause as in South Carolina, where a reassessment of railroad and t?nk properties was effected which materially increased the taxable valua :ion of the State. But with this increase the net loss for that section is $90,284,580. Bear in mind that the year 1894 is compared with the panic year of 1893. These igures are startling. It is a story of stupendous losses the people have sustained and of the extraordinary gains that have been made by the money md manufacturing centres of the East it the expense of the other sections. It is a story of increasing poverty md lisaster on the one hand and increasing power and wealth on the Dther. As I understand it this immense sum refers to the loss in property values usually listed for taxation, [t does not refer to or include the depreciation of the products of labor, s Via Haniuoeinn in VtMClTlPCQ anH ilJJ . losses, or the enforced idleness or waste of labor efforts. Such losses mnnot be approximated much le?s fca riven in detail. Such a statement as this ought to repeal quite clearly that a vast difference 3f conditions and degrees of prosperity exists among the people of this jounty. THE SECTIONS COMPARED. In order to sustain my contention that the East is and has been pilling up vast accumulations of wealth while the great producing sections of the nation barely holds their own, I will give some comparative statements taken from the census reports of 1880 ?nd 1890. If the figures ju9t given are surpris ing these will be found more so. In fact, to analyze them carefully is to discover the most monstrous system of ixchangei brigandage of this or any , ither eountrv. It is enouerh to con- / yince any right-minded man that this 3ystem must b9 changed, and that at ance, if we would preserve our free institutions or national integrity. I shall quote, to some extent, from a synopsis of the census bulletins by Mr. 3. S. King, found in his book entitled "Bond-holders and Bread Winners." I will begin with the States of Indiana, Illinois Iowa, Nebraska, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. These nine States are those upon which the country depends for the production of wiieat, corn, and othei cereals, meat, dairy products, sugar, cotton, tobacco, rice and almost everything that the agricultural portion of our country produce. With these I will compare the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In these nine States is found the great manufacturing and money centres of the nation. The relative condition of these two groups of States should give a fair interpretation of the truth or falsity of my position. The fir3t group of States has 486,0-40 square miles of hand, while the second group of States has but 168,665 square miles about 3 to 1. The population of tne first group is 13,409,167 people, while the second is 14,507,407. During the ten years between 1880 and 1890 the first group, or , producing States, gained in wealth 1559,441,974. While the second group, , or manufacturing and money leaning States, gained in wealth $3,054,762,722. In other wortls the nine manufacturing States, with but one-third as much land, and less than two millions more people, gained in wealth five times as much as the producing State 3. The producing States gained 22 per C9nt. in the people and 20 per cant, in wealth, while tne manufacturing State gained 20 per cent, in people and 40 per cent, in wealth. OPPOSES FREE RAW MATERIAL. Mr. Speaker, 1 cannot endorse the doctrine of free raw material.- Its application is unjust, and if contiuued will bring ruin and disaster. Just why the cloth out of which my ?hirt is made should be protected five cents a yard and the shirt itself protected 40 m^iln iUo ?nttt percent, au vaiuicai, vrui^ duo mn material out of which the cloth is woven is not protected at all, and the plan considered fair and logical, is beyond my comprehension. If my shirt is to be protected by a customs duty, I say the cotton out of which it is made should receive ade quate protection also and if this is impossible withhold protection from both. This and this alone, can insure a reciprocity between those who made the shirts and those who made the cotton. It would be equal, honest and - # mi _ fi- T lair. xms is a proposition wuiuu j. emphatically endorse, and one which [ believe would benefit the people I represent. It is said that free raw material cheapens the manufactured article. A.s a business propbsltion this should be true, but it does not necessarily follow that the consumer receives either ill or part of this benefit. The manufacturer obtains all he can for his products, and in these days of pools and combines prices are, in many cases, established by boards of directors instead of legitimate competition. In ather words, free raw materials do not Df themselves insure lower price for the manufactured product to the con sumer, but only to trie manutacturer. The doctrine of free raw material sompels the producers of such raw material to sell in competition' with the whole world, and permits them to purchase in a restricted market only. They are forced to dispose of their proiucts at a competitive prica, and com- | pelled to purchase the manufactured irticle at a fixed or arbitrary figure. Such methods are neither legitimate aor fair, and brine about unequal exihanges. In fact the producer of the raw material is plundered for the benefit of the manufacturer and consumer. The manufacturer gets cheaper raw material with which to conjure trade, the consumer gets only the benefits forced from the manufacture*-, while the farmer waits in rain for the ap plication of this theory to work him a profit. As an illustration of thi3 theory take the wool grower, the man whose money crop is wool. His product was protected by a customs duty until the passage of the Wikon bili in 1893. { Since then he has produced and sold what is called a raw material. How has he feared under this condition? Se sells his product now for less than half what he received prior to 1893. rhe same . amount of wool which brpught him $10,000 in 1893 brings him about $5,000 now, making a less jf fullv $5,000. This loss can be pro- j perly charged to the application of the ioctrine of free raw material, and ;he question presents itself as to how nuch and in what manner is this wool grower benefited. How much )f this $5,000 loss is returned through Dther channels? I venture to say ;hat his net loss would exceed nineienths of the whole. His lawyer fees, loctor bills and taxes are no leas, and juite likely to be more. The new iational morteaere of three hundred ind sixty-two millions of peace bDnds nclude his property with the balance >f the country. He is compelled to stand his share of billion dollar Congress and other expenses, just as when lis products brought twice as much, [n fact he may scan his bills ever so jloseiy and he will find in its last analysis thai all his compensating :redits come from other unfortunates vho produce other kinds of raw mate iaL It is one class of labor compelng ggainst another claes of labor, vhile the manufacturer and money oaner thrives and fattens on their lieaster. Mr. Speaker, it is claimed that the nanufacturer, bv reason of his invest nent in buildings, macnmery, eic., ihould be encouraged in his enteririse, and to a certain extent insured igainst loss. Just why this class ihould be selected for Government f aror I am unable to conceive. The census shows that there are more farmers than manufacturers and operatives, with nearly three times as much inrested in lands, buildings, etc. Why s tne investment of one cla?s more :acred than that of another? Why should one be favored by legislation md the other neglected? A glance at ;he real facts will disclose that the planter runs far more risk iif his occupation than the manufacturer. There is no other business compelled to take as many chances as that of igriculture. There is no other business that can ?dapt itself less to circumstances than agriculture. When prices advance the manufacturer can put on more help and run on double lime. On the other hana, when ?- ? /in*! /lienKavtfA TtQrr. jnuea ucunuu, uu w?u u.-i^umgv ? )f his help, lessen the hours of labor )r close down entirely, and thus guard igainst lorses. With the plantar he xiust decide at the season of planting aow many acres he will cultivate, md whether prices go up* or down, le can neither increase nor decrease lis acreage, or in any manner protect iiimself against coming less or take id vantage of increased prices. The manufacturer turns his capital many ;imes during the year, and usually Fith a profit each time. The planter on the contrary, ran lse his capital but once, and must ake his profit or lo?s upon a single jast. We may examine the entire nethod of producing raw materials md finished products, and we will and that the manufacturer has the advantage at nearly every turn. Be sides the producer of raw material is not consulted, he has no voice in determining the price he is to rcceive for tiis product, or the price he is to Day for the product of others. He takes ais cotton, wheat or wool to market md the price is fixed by others, and ae has only the choice of selling or parting his produce back home. When he goes into the store to make i purchase the price is named which tie must pay or go without. Mr. Speaker, this bill favors the manufacturer as against the producer jf raw material, which I cont3nd is not only harmful, but in the ultmate will bring disaster to both. It is claimed that manufacturing in vestments are entitled to special privileges because of their character; that they are cash investments and largely employ iahor. I submit that the plantations of the South and the farms of the West are :ash investments, and that they also employ labor. I have bafore me a letter from the suparintendent of a :otton mill in my State in which I am interested, who says that the plant :ost about $145,00U, and consumes 5,000 bales of ?otton annually. I will [CONTINUED ON l"AOE FOUR. J ALMOST BLOTTED OUT, t CHANDLER WITHOUT WARNING, f TORN BYACCYLONE. C The Town Demolished and Many Lives j un-A, ? .1.- n.o^_ V JUUflL Ul CiUUUKII VOII1UO 1U1 iUO Houses Hanging to Trees?A Terrible j. Calamity. t Guthrie, Okla., March 31.?Chand- j: ler, an interior boom town fifty miles j from Guthrie, is a mass of ruins. At f 6 o'clock last evening a cyclone, deal- f ing death and destruction to every- s thing in its path, swept down upon jj the town and almoiit completely wiped e if nff lUa nnwfV* Of fllA xu wu. mo vjl uuo vox uu( v* TJ 1,500 inhabitants, twenty-five were g( killed outright and fully 170 were in- gl jured. Of the latter it is thought ten ^ will die and twenty-four others are v in a dangerous condition. The ra- ^ mainder of the population is homeless. The Presbyterian church, Mitchell's j, Hotel and two other buildings are all ^ that remain standing. These have v been turned into hospitals. The prop- v erty loss will aggregate half a million ^ dollars. There are not half coffins ^ enough here to bury the dead. c The storm came from the Southwest c almost without a moment's warning e and sweeping across the town, first n aemoiisnea tne busi ness district, men 4 laid low the residence portion, and, Sl passing on, spent itself into the open prairie. The wrecks of many of the buildings took fire and in a short time an v awful holocaust followed. Many of c the injured buried in the ruins were fl burned to death before help arrived, rj The people were slow to recover from n the shock of the calamity and not un- 0 til noon today did anything like sys- g tem prevail in the work of relief. n At 11 o'clock tonight particulars are a still meagre. Save one slow-working t< telephone wire out of Chandler, and b but one telegraph wire from Guthrie, is the town is practically cut off from n the outside World. The storm broke e upon the city suddenly. The sky was ii clear an hour before. Shortly beiore ts 6 o'clock a mass of dark clouds gath- tl ered in the southwest and whirled s< north. It soon developed into a fun- y nel-shaped monster and bore down o upon the outskirts of the town. As ci the mass touched the ground the roar ii was deafening. The funnel split as it n hit the southwest border of Chandler, tl which is situated on a hill overlook- b ing the Cow Creek Valley, and then turned north. Befora escape was pos- n sible the cyclone had passed through tt the town,tearing through the business ii districts. Stores were hurled right n and left or lifted high into the air and ti dashed into every direction. Chief fl. Justice Dale of the Oklahoma Supreme ri Court was holding court in the court ir house, which was crowded. He ran r< with his wife to a hollow. The two s< were protected by a large boulder and Is were unhurt* rr Others in the court house did not rr fare so well. A moment later the b structure was twisted around and o nurlea into tne street, a complete y> wreck. One of the occupants was fi killed outright and a dozen others tl were injured. Further down Main II street the Lincoln County Bank build- ci ing was toppled over and was envel- ei oped in llaines, Before aid could reach tl them five unfortunates were burned te to death. Still further down the street o three children suffered a like fate. A mass of psople, dead and injured, horses and wagons and buggies of all kinds, transformed Main street into a funeral pyre. Passing on into the residence district, the cyclone toppled 111 over dwelling after dwelling, turned ^ Iiaiiooc nn thaii* tnna an/1 nilprl qlraaffl ^ high with debris. ^ A two-days old baby was carried 1)1 four blocks and not injured,while the ai mother was crushed in her bed. When w an effort to send for aid was made it C( was found that all communication ri with Guthrie was secured. w A brief idea of the nature of the de- aJ vastation wrought, together with an appeal for aid, had been sent to the ? UyigUWVlJUU^ V4?J J TT UUU VUU ITiiWH . snapped and Chandler was again shut a' off. In the meantime, however, a ?c train bearing physicians and others ^ left for the scene. The wire was re- " stored and the appeals for aid met &' prompt response and additional res- ^ cuing parties were sent out as the ex- ? tent of the damage became known. w The night in Chandler was one of indescribable horror. With many of w its inhabitants, dead or dying, and w the remainder too badly injured or P( unable from fright or because of the w darkness to render assistance no order al prevailed. Rain poured down in tor- ** rents. The injured in many cases lay w in the wrecks of their homes until ^ daylight made it possible for them to tt] help themselves, or when aid from surrounding towns arrived. At l ocicck,twenty leaa ooaies naa g been taken from the ruins, while doz- _ ens more or less seriously injured had been removed to places of safety. But one of Chandler's physicians escapsd uninjured and even after aid from n( Guthrie arrived there was a scarcity tQ of surgeons. Only two vfere able to ^ do anything last night, and one of these, Dr. Walcott, with blood strea mingfrom a sightless eye, worked CQ until he fainted. ^ Daylight brought hundreds of peopie from surrounding towns and men, re women and children assisted in caring je. for the injured. Little progress was ^ made, however, and it was not until noon that an organized effort for alleviating the sufferings of the injured was begun.'The four remaining build- c ings are turned into hospitals and di- ^ rected by Major Kinney, the work ^ proceeded as swiftly as possible. ^i Queer sights graeted the eye on all jj sides. Ten trees have a housa hang* ing on eash; clothing and household w poods are scattered in the streets. Q[ Horses, cows and other animals are to ^ be seen everywhere while a pile of g ruins has a line piano perched on top of it. Many of the citizens wander cj, about the streets, dazsd at the calami- gj ty, and almost on the verge of insan- W( iiy at the loss of family and homes. Two or three have gone mad. Ten thousand people are in the city tonight. Many of them came to ren- so der aid but the majority are there as m sight-s?9rs. A great quantity of sti clothing, bedding and provisions has M been sent in and the Guthrie Club has ol raised $1,500 in cash to send to-mor- la row. The city has put to use all its fi( cash, about $700, for immediate aid. lis Hundreds of tents have been Sb^t from tb Fort lleno and Guthrie and will pro- ca vide temporary shelter for the unfor- bs tunates. All are homeless, however, qi and more su bstantial aid. must quickly hi follow. Food is also scarce and prac- h( tically all the town's supply of medi- at cine has oeen destroyed. at a thousand homeless. Chandler, Okla., April 1.?Alhough the tornado struck Chandler rvvitt.ai rrvi f vi niiro arm a xrcki^rr lihlo \JL fcjr UVUid M f VA J likbXU earch of ruins has yet been made, and f is feared that the death roll may be onsiderably increased. Scores of inured are under the care of physicians 7ho have come here from all parts of )klahoma. None of the wounded iad succumbed today, though some of hem cannot possibly recover. Neary all of the men slept in the streets ast night where fires were kept blszng. The women were eared for in the ew houses which were not destroyed or ound shelter in the tents sent from, unrounding towns. Fifty special po* icemen effectually protected the proprty of the citizens. A thousand peole are homeless. Help on a large cale is needed. Lawver John Daw* 5ii and Edgar Demoss, the barber, rho are numbsred among the dead, rare eating supper in Wallance's res* jrant when the tornado came up and j tie building collapsed. Dawson, who sft a wife and two children at Alma, feb., was instantly killed. Demoss ras pinioned by his right arm, but ras not injured. He cried for help, ut no one could reach him through tie fire. He bagged for someone to ut off his arm, but the horror stricken rowd was compelled to see him roastd to death. Search in the ruins is ecessarily slow and a true list of the ead and injured cannot be made for sveral days. The Western Floods. Jackson, Miss., April 1.?Green-, ille telegraphs at noon: Report? me hourly from all points in the nnripri diatrints shnw the situation is apidly growing worce. There are ow some 25 towns and villages more r less overflowed. Greenville will et considerable water, perhaps not as luch as in 1890, perhaps more. It is 11 a matter of conjecture. The hot>m lands are full of water from rains afore the breaks occurred. This city i now an island, situated in a wilderess of water, which surrounds it on rery side. As yet the water is not i sight of the town, but is at the ilanton gin, half a mile north, and at le Montgomery place two miles juth. Black bayou, Williams' baou, Deer creek and Fish lake are all ut of their banks. A meeting of the ity council is being held at tnis writ lg at the mayor's office to take the ecessary steps toward the safety of ie people, and for such relief as can a afforded to the flood sufferers. Natchez at noon: There is little ew to report with reference to levees lis morning, but the constahtly rislg river is rendering the situation lore acute which acuteness will connue to increase until the crest of the ood wave. The rise here for the peod froja'4 la3t p. m. to 8 this mornlg was 25-100, this making the guage sad 46.85 ""A terrific rainstorm with >me wind swept over this section ist night and it was feared its effect light be disastrous to the embanklents, but no danger thus far has een reported. The precipitation was ae ana three-quarter inches, but the eather now is clear and cool. No irther news hc<j been received from le Surget Asnley levee to this hour. ; is likely that the citizens of Con>rdia parish will apply to the govrnment for sacks with which to top leir levee, as indications are the waiv 5a rrnincr fn lncp hinrh flnnnch fn riin ver them? Dr. Samps Pope Tarned Down. Washington, March 31. ?Dr, Samp >n Pop9 was turned down by Presisnt McKinley today, and, therefore, e will not succeed Col. J. Stobo Far>w as second auditor of the treasury, r. Pope has made several visits to the 7*hite House since inauguration day, at not until this morning did he have a. opportunity to get in a few words ith the President. Dr. Pop9 was ac>mpanied by G. Washington Murly, A. T. Jennings, of Charleston, ho wants to be collector of the port, id T. L. Gant. When Dr. Pope's ise was brought to the attention of ie President today he informed Dr. ope that the place he desired had ready been assigned to another perin. Dr. Pope would have liked to ive remarked that he would cheerilly accept "something equally as aod," but the President's time was iluable, besides the members of the Duth Carolina party wanted a few ords with him. The President renested Mr. Jennings to file his papers ith the Secretary of the Treasury, Iding that when the Charleston ap)intments are taken up, hi^ claims ill be considered with those of other jplicants. Dr. Pope will look ound and see what other place he ill aspire to. He seems to be aiming lite high, but he may strike someing low in the end. Sight Came to the Blind. Baltimore, March 31.?Thomas lue, a young man of 23, from Hoffan, Richmond county, N. C., who as born blind, was brought hera >out two weeks a?o and put at the aryland General Hospital for blind;ss. Today the young man returned his home in Richmond county with stter eyesight than a great many iople and the prospect of constant lprovement. He is now able to iunt figures at a distance of more an twenty feet and can see small >jects near him. He will b3 able to ad wiih the aid of glasses. Before aving the hospital young Blue went rough the institute thanking the lysicians, esptsially Dr. Gao. Reulg, professor of opthalmology, for hat they had done for him. The >ung man's happiness, as he obtained s first sight of the beauties of nature sretofore hidden and unknown to m, appeared to know no bounds, e said life felt as though he were enring an entirely new world, because, ith the aid of glasses, he could not ily see the faces of his friends, but s home and surroundings as well, e was taken out to the park in the i ternoon and then shown about the | ty. The world as he saw it for the st time was a constant revelation of onders. liurned to Death, New York, March 30.?Thrra perns were killed in a fire in an apartent house at No. 61 West 105th reet this aft3rnoon. They were 1 iss Ellen Morrirsey and a three-year- 1 d boy and his mother, who, up t3 a te hour tonight had not bsen identi;d. Escape wes cut olP by the imes, and in the top apariments on ie fifth lloor they were slowly suffo,ted to death. The fire started in the isement of the hous3, and burned so i xickly that some of the occupants id to be resouci on ladders. The | jute was damaged to the extent of >out $15,000 and the tenants lost : >out $1,000 worth of property. BRAND NEW DOCTORS. Interesting Closing Exercises of Charleston Medical College. Charleston, April 1.?The sixtyeighth annual commencement of the Medical College of South Carolina was held tonight at the Academy of Music in the presence of one of the largest and most representative audiences ever assembled in the building. A number of the friends of the graduates from out of the city were present to witness the closing exercises of the venerable institution. The exercises were simple in their character, but most impressive and interesting. A pleasing programme, interspersed with musical selections nad been arranged, and was followed, to the pleasure of every one in the house. On the stage were seated the orator of the occasion, Prof. E, A. Alderman, president of the University of North Carolina, the boards of trustees, the faculty, the graduates in medicine and pnarmacy, a number of well known physicians and citizens and specially invited friends of the graduates. The exercises were opened with a Erayer by Rev. A. Toomer Porter, D. ?.; then followed the annual report ana address of the dean, Prof. Francis L. Parker, M. D. The duty of conferring the degree of medicine and pharmacy was imposed upon Hon. Chas. H. Simonton, president of the board of trustees. The graduates of medicine stepped up to Judge Simonton and received their sheepskins in the following order, as their names were called: E. M. Brailsford. Charles ton; L. L. Bell, Elyville, Ark.; R. B-. Bryson, Ora, Laurens county; D. E. Connor, Bowman; L. B. Clark, Charleston; W. H. DeSaussure, Jr., Charleston; T. H. Ellis, Hsrtsville; W. D. Ferguson, Laurens; A. T. Gaillard, Charleston; Henry Horlbeck, Charleston; Douglas Hamer, Laurinburg, N. C.; H. P. Jackson, Charleston; J. W. Jervey, Charleston; M. K. Mazyck, Charleston;C. H. May, Yorkville; R. W. Montgomery, Sumter; C. R. Peoples, Estill ;T. M. Scharlock, Charleston; R. C. Stoney Monck's Corner; W. G. Stevens, Cheater; J. W. Wessinger, Ballentine. Lexington county: H. H. Wv man, Aiken; W. P. W^bb, Rcskingham, N. C.; Wm. \yeston, Columbia; H. A. Willis, Cottageville. The honor roll in medicine was then read as follows: J. W. Wessinger, M. K. Mazyck, Henry Horlbeck, H. Wyman, W. D. Ferguson and H. P. Jackson. The graduates in pharmacy n^xt received their diplomas; B. A. Graham, Charleston; R. A. Lindiey Charleston ; W. L. Lockwood, Charleston: H. 0. Kellers, M. D., Charleston; J. 0. Searson, Allendale. R. L. Lindley and J. C. Searson were the honor men in pharmacy. Dr. Manning Simons presented the college cup to Dr. J. W. Wessinger in an eloquent and chaste speech. The medal for the best examination* in pharmacy was then presented to Mr. R. A. Lindley by Dr. John Forrest?State. Served Him Bight, Woman suffrage cqunts for something out in Kansas. The women are learning something about politics, and they aro making use of that information. A ca?3 in point is illustrated by a story from Kansas City. There was an election in Kansas City a few days ago for mayor, and Mr. 6. L. Short who, it was generally supposed would win hands down, was defeated by less than thirty votes. The reason of his defeat is said to be his alleged treatment of Miss Sadie Pa*3nno TTa Vio/1 Vw>An An era. OP A tn Miss Parsons for 12 years. Finally he agreed with her as to the date upon which the marriage was to take place, and within two days afterward married another woman who had but recently been divorced from her husband. Miss Parsons told all about the affair at the time, and when the city election came on the story was ravived and industriously circulated among the women of Kansas City. The women did not vote against Short solidly, but enough of them voted against him to ensure his defeat, and his treatment of Miss ParsoDs is the only reason that is assigned. This is what may be termed practical politics, and it is creditable to the ladies that they stood by their sister when it came to voting. They treatsd Short exactly right. Kentucky Family Perished. Louisville, Ky., April 2.?A special to The Post from Eddyville, Ky., says: News has bsan re3eived here of the drowning in the Cumb3rland river last night of Wil'iam Flick and his family of three. According to the report Mr. Flick was tiding to move his family of wife and two little children from his flooded hoir.3 onVhe Cumberland, near Trigg3 Furnace, in this county. The skill overturned, and in the darkners all were drowncl til. 1 ai xuo i;u.rrcut lucio 1? vci j dv/hi, auu no small boat could live Jn it. Mr. Flick was a well-to-do farmerA Gruesome Requc.U. Watkinsville, March 31.?A portion of the rope that encircled the ncck of the negro, George Elder, who wfs hanged here Friday, was by his special request, prassnted to his mother. He advised her to keep the gruesome relic in a conspicuous place and to constantly remind his little brothers of his fate, and to warn them against the bad conduct that led him to the gallows. Lacy Cobb Ulrls on a Lark. Atlanta, April 1.?A sp~3ial from Athens, Ga., to The Constitution says that 18 girls slipped away from Lucy Cobb institute this morning and took in the town. Tney victimized a number of soda water fountain stores and merchants. Then they hired a tallyho and a band and paraded through the streets. The principal expellei every , girl in the party. They belong to pro- | minent families all over the State. Killed by Lightning. ( Atlanta, Ga., March31.?A spccial from Americus, Ga., to the Constitution says that two negroes were killed by lightning there yesterday. The i victims, Margaret Jones and her 7-year old son, were in a cabin on the Thomas plantation. Lightning struck the cabin, killed both inmates and set it on fire. The Koyalty Reduced. Beaufort, S. C., March 31.?The Phosphate Commission to-night decided to reduce the royalty to 25 cents per ton on river rock. The reduction goes into effect on April 1st. Coosaw has 35,000 tons on hand and wants the reduction to affect sales so as to put I her on par with other companies. A GREAT FALLING OFF IN OUR PHOSPHATE INDUSTRY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. Algerian and Florida Phosphate Is Nov .. Fat on the Market at a Price that Leave* a Very Narrow Margin of Profit for South Carolina Miners, . M Augusta, April 2.?There are few people who fully appreciate the great falling off there has been in the revenue to the -State from the phosphate i rovaltv. Frmn ?n annual innnmanf nearly $250,000 the royalties have dwindled and dwindled until the present year will hardly show an income of one-fifth of that amount. What has been the cause of the great loss of revenue from phosphate royalty? There has been no one main cause. There have been a combination of circumstances, chief among which was the discovery of phosphate rock in. Florida,Tennessee and Algiers. Boom Carolina rock as much as possible^md make it necessary to the trade, the fact cannot be disguised that the Algerian and Florida rock have entered the foreign markets, and have forced k ^ the market price down to such a point ttiat tne price has been barely sell- , supporting to the industry, if that much can be said. Certain it is rock is not bringing six,eight and nine dollars, as it once did, out Algiers has furnished a rock that forces that of South Carolina down to about $2.15 net per ton, out of which the royalty is to be paid, and that is the situation in a nutshell. If South Carolina wants to remain in? the European markets she must meet competition, and that was the chief reason that induced the board of phosphate commissioners to make the reduction in the royalty to ' 25 cents per ton on all shipments after today. It will be an exceedinrlv interesting ' > study to note the ups and downs of the MM phosphate industry as indicated in the statement of royalties received by the %* State, as shown in the reports of the . \ phosphate inspectors. The figures are -Ik as follows: Tons of Rock 8hippsd by Companies Working Under State License. 1870... 1,989 1884.. *.151,243 187 1 17,655 1885*. * .171,671 > 187 2 22,502 1886 ..191,174 ffi 187 3 45;777 1887 ..202,757 | 187 4 57,7161888.. .190,274 J 187 5 67,969 1889.......212,101 % 187 6 81,912 1890 237,149 187 7 126,569 1891... .^.169,292 i ] 187 8 97,700 1892 192,461 187 9 98,5861898... ^.249,338 . )A 1 OQA ? 1CO 1COi tIA oqi + * UUtlU? -'V-."i 188 1 124,5411895.... ,.174,400 188 2 140,772 1896 121,602 1883 129,318 Total shipments 1870 to August 31, ' , s 1896, 3.455,911 tons. Royalty at an average $1 per ton, 1870-92. .$2,796,290 Royalty 1893-96, at 50c per ton 300,000 Total.. 13,096,290 The estimate now ia that the receipts ; ~;fe from the phosphate royalty for the '{/ current year will be about $40,000,and this is rendered possible by the fact that the Ooosaw Company now has 35,000 tons of rock on hand. A SOLE SURVIVOR* * Talking about Coosa w reminds one of the fact that out of the score or more companies that have undertaken the phosphate mining business the i/oos&w company is uio luucauuu survivor. It is a striking commentary on the vicissitudes of such business to note that there is such a graveyard full of phosphate companies, with the simple legend, "Busted." BEAUFORT VISIT OUT SHORT. The phosphate commissioners and their friends expected to (itake a day JJj off" today and run down to Bay Point and see how many drum and other fl-L ii u ?J-v mL _ K T..??n nan mey couia cmcu, xuo uiuw had been tendered for the occasion and all were ready for a pleasant day . > 7 About midnight, however, a rain set in and soon afterwards the wind rose, * and by morning there was a heavy blow?hard enough to knock (he bot- . ft torn out of the propased trip?and so the party decided to return to Columbia via the Charleston and Western , Carolina Road and Augusta.?News and Courier. _________?> The Dingley BUI Passed* Washington, March 3L?With tomorrow morning the duties imposed by the Dingley tariff bill will De in force and the present law will be a thing of the past if the last amendment attached to the bill before its passage in the House today, fixing tomorrow as the day on which its provisions shall go into effect, should be it io flnallv Ill kUD UU1 nusu m w UUIU.J - and should be held to ba legal by the courts. The Republican victory today was complete. They presented an unbroken front, to the opposition; all the rumors that dissatisfaction with particular schedules of the bill might 1 J ATran IKA ? xeau auuie ui mom i>i# vicao utw party traces proved absolutely unfounded. On the other hand, five Democrats, one more than was anticipated, braved the party whip and gave the bill the approval of their votes. These five Democrats are intested particularly in the sugar schedule. They were: Messrs. Broussard and Davey of Louisiana and Kleberg and Slayden of Texas, One Populist, Mr. Howard of Alabama, voted for the bill. Twenty-one other members of what is denominated "the opposition", consisting of Populists, fusionists and silverites, declined to record themselves either for or against the measure. The vote on the final passage of the bill stood: Ayes, 205; nays, 122; present and not yoting, 21?a majority of 83. Becomes a General. Washington, April 1.?Col. Wm. R.Shafter, fiwt infantry, has bean elected for appointment as brigadier general by the President, but his nomination will not ba sent to the senate until Brigadier General Wheatson is confirmed as major general to fill the vacancy casued by Gen. Ruger's retirement tomorrow. General Wheaton's appointment is already prepared. Col. Shatter, who now gets his promotion, has been at the head of the list of colonels for a long time, but was passed over three or four times in the selections made by Mr. Cleveland. May Come Together. Washington, April 1.?Senator Earle has fcaen con6ned to his bed for four days with tonsiletis and fever. i It is likely that the Webster and Melton factions will come together, and if they do Rcpubiicans expect some South Carolina appointments in the next 10 days.?State, 9 X