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f THE LEXINGTON DISPATCH. g. Bepreaentatioe Beujapaper. Botrers Lexington and the Borders of the Snrrotutdinp Bounties Lifce a Blanket. ? VOL. XXXVII. LEXINGTON, S. C., WEDNESDAY. APEIL 10. 1907. 23 fcc ^1^?^^^^^^^?M?^ BSfe t ? . 1 ir* ? , SLAVES TO COTTOH, SATS LEVEE AT CSESTEB. ||fe Chester Comity Farmers Enthused by Speech of Young Congressman and His Suggestions Touching Diversify. fled Agriculture. ; Chester, April 7.?A large and enthuv ; siastic crowd greeted the Hon. A. F. Lever at the Opera House in this city p| yesterday morning, when he addressed 1 the Chester County Cotton Associa p . tion. Mr. Lever delivered some good ?H and forcible truths. He made no set speech, but talked about such things | ' as would interest an audience of farmers, the burden of his address being a plea for diversification of crops and |c. - organization of interests. Mr. Lever has a thorough and correct under& standing of the peculiar conditions that surround farming interests in the South to-day. He is a forceful speaker, never at a loss for a word and driving his arguments home with precision | r and dispatch. Mr. J. M. Wise, president of the Chester County Cotton Association, . resided and introduced the speaker. The address made a profound impression on those present, the prevailing opinion being that Mr. Lever's diversification idea is the only correct system for Southern farmers to pursue. Mr. Lever alluded to the possibilities of this State, of what nature has endowed us with in the way of soil and climate, jtie declared tnat we are not taking the proper advantage of these factors, bnt are moving backf ^ wards in [many respects, our great failing being that we trust absolutely to cotton. We are the slaves of the <H; one-crop system, slaves as absolutely as 8X0,1110 serfs of Russia. South Carolina on two separate and distinct occasions has demonstrated her supremacy in the matter of growing corn. We also excel in raising alfalfa, peavine hay and other products, and it has just been demonstrated on&fann in Snmter County that drug plants can be grown to advantage in South Carolina, experiment having developed the fact that a net profit of $75 was realized to the acre in Sumter. The United States is annually sending out of the country $14,000,000 for matting material. After repeated J effort this plant has been smuggled out of Japan and is now being grown in California. Our soil and climate would favor its growth, and we should endeavor to substitute it or other v plants for cotton. The fact that cattle have to be fed for "only about two months in this latitude is an argument for cattle raising. If the bleak climate of the North and Northwest make cattle raising profitable, why should we not be able to raise cattle here wiih profit to ourselves? South Carolina is now expending 13,500,000 annually for Northern dairy products. Why can't this amount be kept at home? It can if our farmfers will cut loose from cotton and give y some of their attention to other crops. The Southern farmer can never hope to have a monopoly on cotton. He must put his product upon the market in order to meet the demands v of the merchant and the banker. Cotton should be grown as a surplus crop. Every need of the home should be looked after in the matter of the cultivation of crops, and then the residue of energy and time should be expended on the surplus crop. Diversified farming is on the increase . not so much, perhaps, through choice as from necessity, the stringent labor situation having rendered - smaller farms a necessity, and it hav ing been found possible to grow other crops with less trouble than cotton. The tendency of the brothers in black is to leave the farm and move into the towns, and right here Mr Lever declared there should be a rigorous enforcement of the vagrancy law. compelling the negroes to remain on the farms rather than haunt the towns and turn criminals. It is absolutely necessary for South Carolina to make cotton a surplus crop. We can't compete with the rich bottoms of Texas and Mississippi, where a bale of cotton or more can be grown to the acre with but small outlayfor fertilizer. We are expending five millions an? Rjwr; - -V. * y. . , - ' ' - . * " "v. * - ' i \ G "W. ? LOaO MAIN 8TBE Solicits a Shar nually for fertilizer, a great part oi which is wasted, when it is entirely possible for us to manufacture oui own fertilizers with no outlay at all. We pay too little attention to rais ing horses and mules. South Carolina was once famed for raising stock, but nowadays stock raising is an almost forgotten art. Cattle raising and fertilizing go hand in hand, and the soil can be enriched in untold degree in this manner. Turning his attention to the Cotton Association Mr. Lever spoke of the need for a strong branch of the association in Chester. Farmers, he declared, are the only class on earth who will not organize. Twice before there have been organizations, but on both, occasions the members have allowed politics to creep in and disrupt the organization. Politicians should be debarred from allying themselves with the association, and no man who holds public office should under any circumstances be allowed to have official place in the organization. Another characteristic of these farmers' organizations-has been the disposition to break ranks and join a a jubilee as soon as tip first fight was won. This is prejudicial to success. As showing what the association has accomplished Mr. Lever referred to the ginners' report which came out a few days ago, showing that up to the 1st instant more than thirteen million bales had been ginned. This had no bearish effect whatever on the market, so much has been done for better prices by the association in its short history. On the subject of immigration Mr. Lever touched but scantly, declaring the subject a political one. However, he expressed himself as favoring the bringing over of only the better element of foreigners. These should not be herded in cities, but scattered throughout the rural districts. In closing Mr. Lever referred to the grand and glorious possibilities of life on the farm, the freedom and independence as contrasted with other callings and the elements required to hew out success. He foretold the day when better mail facilities would obtain and each man's home in the J * * r* la __ * j_t_ . n country do a paiace, nctea up wiui an the comforts of our highest civilization, and in easy reach of our great centres, so thorough will have become our system of passenger travel.?News and Courier. Notes from Newberry College. To the Editor of the Dispatch: Many of the students took advantage of the Easter holidays by taking a trip to the parental roof, or to the home of some friend or relative. They have ail returned and have begun their work on the third college term. The base ball season is on hand now and our team is doing some very fine work. On the 27th of March Newberry played Clinton on our diamond and kept her from making a single score, while Newberry scored. On the 1st of April we played Columbia. Up to April 5 Erskine college had the reputation of having the strongest team in the association. Newberry's team, this year, lines up as follows: Crouch, pitcher; Cabaniss, catcher; Ray Hoover, 1st base; Wicker, 2nd base; Boozer, 3rd base; C. C. Habanich, short stop; Roof, right field; Wes9inger, center field; Scurry, left field. The result of the game for yesterday was as follows: Erskine, 4 hits and 2 runs; Newberry, 12 hits and 8 runs. Newberry's best batters were, Cabaniss, 3 hits and 2 runs; Wessinger, 3 hits and 1 run; each getting 3 hits in 4 battings. Erskine did not earn /a run, the two runs being made on errors. According to reports frcm other colleges we have whipped our strongest team. ? La9t night in the city opera house the members of the Lyceum course had a "spell" of Victor aud hi9 Royal Venetian Band, consisting of 22 members, excluding the lady vocalist,. Miss May C. Amo. The members of the band were all Italians. It is the finest thing in the music line that has ever struck Newberry. A Senior Student. April 6. [LOBE DRY 01 l. 9 ET, ... e of Your Valued Pa f THE HOP --4 | ' I LEXING' I DEPOSIT Y( I B 1T7*xT_ T> 1 J X ,'11 I Willi I ills Dituh. auu. wc win to borrow. The influence of of its DEPOSITORS in all no when money is scarce and ha ed absolutely to our depositor F. W. OSWALD, ALFRED J President. FREE BRIDGES Over Congaree and Broad Rivers? Of Great Interest to Columbia Business Men and Citizens of Lexington County. By McDavid Horton, City Editor, Columbia Daily Record. As to the desirability of having the tolls which now restrict traffic over the Congaree and Broad river bridges abolished, there is no divergence of interest and probably none of sentiment between the citizens of Lexington county and those of the city of Columbia. For both it is eminently desirable that intercourse between the sections be made and kept free and unburdened. Even without the tolls the two bridges can hardly be considered adequate avenues of communication, and it is hard to understand how Lpximrton and Columbia? unfavorably affected and retarded in their development as they both have been, in about the same degree?have so long tolerated the exaction of these restrictive tolls. No where else in the country have such vital arteries of traffic been allowed to remain subject to private tax, for so long ,a period, except perhaps in the country around Paris, Ky., where practically every main road leading to the county market town was a privately owned toll pike, until the people of the affected territory awoke to the poor business judgment of further submitting to the heavy pike charges and by issuing roadway bonds acquired and threw open to unhindered use every highway in the district. Impressed with the need, both of Columbia and of Lexington, for the freest communication and the closest business and social relations, The Columbia Daily Record has undertaken a determined and persistent campaign, having for its purpose the arousing of the people concerned to the growing necessity and practicability of removing the tolls on the river bridges. The Dispatch has realized Lexington's -vital interest in this fight and lias kept its readers informed of the work done by The Record, lending to the latter's efforts its cordial good will J xf? ~r 4-u ^ ana cooperation, cni tins siue ui tnc rivers it is realized that if the river tolls are to be removed the burden of the cost mu9t be borne by Columbia, this city's interest of the matter probably exceeding that of Lexington. However, jt is not to be forgotten that the farmers, dairymen, truck growers and poultrymen of Lexington county, especially those of the Dutch Pork, would be given free access to a market which they must now reach under a, handicap which places them at a very considerable disadvantage in eompetion. As pointed out in The Record recently, the farming country around i Columbia exploits this market less than the country around any other city of Columbia's size or larger in the South. Columbia sends out of the State every year, for butter and similar farm products alone, over $50,000, not a cent of which would go hovnnH T,AvintH\nn and Richland COU11 ties if the farming sections of the latter were properly developed. The local demand is 9uch right now, without taking any account of its certain increase, as to take care of the entire possible production of both these counties for years to come, without M COfflPAJY ST, TE5., Iv^E-A-OiT-A-C c tronage. Polite and Prom] IE BANK J that )f badh r?N, S. C. - LTr eral )UR MONEY 9t^ loan to you when you need incre the Bank is -at the command and '< tatters of business. In times I whic rd to get, our loans are limit- I S. 5 ries c ' I were recer . FOX, K. F. OSWALD, I there Cashier. Ass't Cashier. | salar go in fiscal ?^? ??^mm) UfJT depression of prices to the unproflt- be fa able point. neces As to the feasibility of removing of th< the tolls: $ quest Learning that by acquiring and solici throwing open to traffic the two thouj bridges under discussion, Columbia to m; would increase its business for the publi year by $30,000 to $50,000. The Record cedui several days ago undertook to ascer- Qu/(rf tain whether Columbia township might secure the bridges by a bond 1 issue of reasonble amount, and found W,1C , TAKP the status of affairs to be about as ' , ? remu follows: ' thep The bridge over the Congaree, at ^ ^ the foot of Gervais street, may be ^ceg acquired, probably, for $60,000, and age that over the Broad, above the city, "T1 for $30,000. Allowing $10,000 margin, part the cost would be, say, $100,000. Co- certa lumbia township could issue forty-year favoi bonds in this amount for a yearly in- othei terest charge of $6,000. The stock- culat holders of the two bridge companies fietrii would probably waive cash payment muct for their holdings, in. preference ex- ^ s0 pfinntrincr thoir ahflrps nf atnolr fnr t.hp . 0?? ? s1Cie ] township bonds, taking the latter at ^at par. There are no legal obstacles. It cfrcu will be necessary merely to secure terril the required number of signatures to a petition for an election order and co]ie then to submit the issue to the town- ^ s] ship freeholders at the polls. meai The question is merely whether the the c removal of the present toll?burdens ness , upon inter-county traffic?would en- j facili large the volume of Columbia's trade j rate to an extent that would justify the as- j stor< sumption of an annual interest debt i woul j of $6,000. j '"I Conservative and well informed j hard ( local business men and bankers, men j not < who ought to know, are convinced j agen . that the increase will be five to eight ! that times $6,000. In other words, that Co- j rier lumbia's profit on the investment ] pete would be 500 to S00 per cent.?and j colle : some of them are likely at an early i "I * i , . date to inaugurate a movement to j cam ' have the township acquire the bridges | caus after the manner above outlined. ' inad i While it is believed on very good crea authority that the stockholders of the ; ther bridge companies would turn them than , over to the township at the figures cam mentioned, these amounts are very I of 60 > reasonable, in view of the present j high prices of labor and material- ; . The Congaree bridge could hardly be built now for $75,000?perhaps not for j $100,000?while the Broad river bridge would certainly cost not less than j Be-( $50,000. * och 1 . _ davs T 1 I ? ; T. D. Mitchell Arrested Oa;1?1' _ . chur i. Serious Charge- . chur L T. D. Mitchell, well known in 'his j see t county and throughout the State, on j to tl account of the many entanglements , to In ' he has been in in recent years and 011 j how account of the part he played in the ! Sh trial of Col. Jas. H. Tillman for the i good 1 murder of X. G. Gonzales, was arrested j her. * in Columbia Monday charged with j devc ' having attempted to criminally assault she 1 Emma Lowman, a negro woman, in ! dren Brookland Saturday night. He was j f^eii 1 later released under a $350 bond. j Sis I 1S49; , ' ! age; | Thrown From Horse and Hilled Asie< i T.ord Allpn. thp pldesfc son of Mr. ^1( ! i James Allen, Jr., of Charleston, was j ^ ra thrown from a circus horse at Sum- I Un merville Friday, and received injuries Th from which'he died. The young man by h ! was a former Clemson student, and , . . . _ mou - had many friends. ! 3-E3E8, OLUMBIA, 8. C. pt Attention. October 18tf Pay of B. F. D. Carriers. ishington, April 7.?The fact that ; seems to be a general impression 1 the rural carriers of the mail are j underpaid, as well a9 prohibited earning something on the side, 'ourth Assistant Postmaster GenDegraw to make the following ment: ^ -ealizing that it would be just to ^ ase the pay of the rural carriers, it the same time protect the mails being padded with matter upon 11 h no postage was paid, the postI department increased the sala- . >f the men from S600. which thev then receiving, to $720. In my ^ it report I recommended that ^ ! should be a further increase of ? o y to $900, and this increase will j( to effect at the beginning of the year, July 1. jhis should enable the carriers to n irly paid and to have the means ^ jsary to pay for the maintenance ^ sir horses and vehicles, but the ^ ion of carrying packages and of ting orders required careful ?ht and discrimination necessary ike it agreeable to the general c, as well as to have such proP e conform with the postal rements. carrier is entitled to carry any c ige in bulk larger than that tl h the postoffice department will k but he is not allowed to receive a neration for his services from erson who sends the package. In " ises he must collect for his ser- ^ from the recipient of such pack- tl i] here was great complaint on the a of the various newspapers in a in localities against the carrier s ing one newspaper more than the fc and thereby increasing the cir- o ion of the favored one to the a ment of the other one, and inas- 1< i as the carrier was in a position d licit and deliver newspapers as a h issue it is reasonable to believe <3 he could readily increase the e laft/Mi omr Yin vi-ar\Q in Vli? lavivii vi uiij uvno^u'i'VA M* :ory. i? lso if a carrier were allowed to i ct from a merchant who desired 1 hip goods to local patrons by a is of the carrier it would influence ;arrier to try to increase the busi- c of the merchant having such 1 ities for delivering and at any * would cause people to buy at the ^ i of such merchant, because it I Id be convenient. 'his would necessarily work a ^ ship with the merchant who did 1 smploy the carrier as a delivery ^ it, and for that reason it is best 1 all packages carried by the car- ^ which do not conflict nor comwith his regular mail business be . >cted for at their destination. )uring the early part of the winter iers resigned in great numbers be- , e the pay was deemed by them | equate, but since the latest inse has been assured by Congress 3 have been no more resignations are usual, that is, of the 37,000 iers there are usually an average ) resignations per week." Obituary. 1 March 31, 1907, Mrs. Mary M. ill departed this life to the Great md. Sister Scoffill joined AntiBaptist church in her girlhood : i. She brought her membership 1 elion to help organize the Baptist eh at that place. She loved her ] ch and her great desire was to ' ;he church house completed, and ' lat end she worked, but God said ?r soul, come up higher? Oh, we will miss her! < e was a lovable Christian, full of I deeds, loved oy an wno Knew She was a, good neighbor, a . >ted wife and a loving mother, leaves a husband and nine chil, besides a host of relatives and ids, to mourn her departure. ( iter Sccffill was born August 18, ; died March 31, 1907, making her 1 >7 years, 7 months and 13 days. ep in Jesus blessed sleep, ^ om which none* ever wakes to ' weep. lm and undisturbed repose, ibroken by the last of foes. J e funeral services were conducted er pastor in the presence of a j ?congregation. We should not rn as others who have no hope. W. L. KEEL. DEATH AND RUIN. Terrific Tornado Sweeps Over Three States, Leaving Death and Destruction in its Path. Buildings Demolished, Killing Scores of People. A destructive tornado visited porions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on^Priday last, leaving death ,nd destruction in it9 path. Over 300 niles was swept over in the three tates named. Parts of four towns Tere destroyed with damage exceedag $500,000. Crops and telegraph rires were damaged considerably, it least 50 were killed and many Lmes that number more or les9 seriusly injured. .Hundreds are home599. The tornado began at Alexandria, <a., Friday about 1 o'clock in the lorning, killing many persons and e9troying property. Soon after dayght it had reached the edge of the Iis9is9ippi river, killing many persons t Jackson, La., and at Bauyou Sara. The tornado next appeared at Caron, Miss., where the greatest damge to property was done, and disapeared about noon at Selma, Ala., rhere the inhabitants saw whirling loud9 rise like smoke into the air as hey crossed the river. It is not yet nown exactly how many was killed t Selma. Alexandria, a town of about 16,000 ihabitants, had a terrible experience. Vhen the tornado struck the town be electric lights went out, the crackig of falling buildings could be heard boye the noise of the terrific wind, nd vivid lightning flashes showed uch sights as an empty Iron Mounain passenger train rolling over and ' ver. The discomfiture was greatly dded to by a heavy hail storm. At gast a hundred buildings were greatly amaged, including many business iouse9. In the woods trees were cut [own by the tornado for a distance of line miles. At Jackson, La., the insane asylum ras blown down killing three women nmates and wounding many others, ["he property was damaged to the imount of $200,000. At Carson, Miss., a depot was blown lown, also a church and school house. ?rom Carson the storm crossed the state line and entered into Alabama, vhere it began to lose much of its jower. At Bradleytown, Ala., the home of 5ugh Farrer, a prominent farmer, vas blown down, killing Mr. Farrer and his six-year-old daughter nstantly and seriously injuring Mrs. Farrer. Lexington. Baptist Sunday School Convention. The Lexington Baptist Sunday School Convention will meet with the Sandy Run Baptist church at Gaston on Friday before the first Sunday in May at 10 o'clock. A full delegation is requested from all schools. Program. 10 to 11.?Devotional exercises and organization. 11 to 12.?Sermon, prepare the soul, by W. L. Keel. 12 to 1.?Recess for dinner. 1 to 2.?1st Query?'"What relation is the Sunday school to the church and the church to the Sunday school?'' Opened by R. J. Fallaw. 2 to 3 o'clock.?2nd Query.?"Qualifications and duties of a superintendent of a Sunday school?" Opened by D. E. Clark. Saturday. 10 to 10:15.?Devotional exercises. 10:15 to 11:15.?Duties of Pastors to Sunday school work. Opened by Rev. J. F. McGill. 11:15 to 12:15.?Sermon, subject, 'Sowing the Seed," by Rev. Leroy Lucas. 12 to 1.?Recess for dinner. 1 to 2.?"Duties and Qualifications )f Teacher." Opened by C. H. Cor)itt. 2 to 3.?Essays on Sunday school kVork by Miss Sue Corley and Mrs. Sallie Hutto. Sunday. 10 a. m.?Rpnitattrm nf T.oco/vn f . ..w.wwvwm v* ? VOUVH LVJk Current Sunday. Miss Sue H. Corley, eacher, 11 a. m.?Sermon, 4'Reaping the larvest," by W. B. Fallaw. C. H. CORBITT, For Committee. H. V. RISH, Secretary.