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Scraps and |acts. ? The completeness of British control over the telegraphic communication with South Africa is shown by the fact that that the secretary of war at London, has given permission to I)r. Leyds, the Transvaal diplomatic agent at Brussels, to send a telegram to Pre-| toria to ask the number of killed and wounded on the side of the Boers. The Boers have no seaport, but communicate with the Portuguese neutral port on Delagoa hay; but the British control the cables communicating with Europe. ? James J. JefFerys is still the champion prize tighter of the world. He fought 25 rounds with Thomas SDarkey before the Coney Island Athletic club last Friday night, and although the fight was not of a decisive character, the referee awarded him the decision. The two men appeared to be quite evenly matched, aud at times duriug the fight each had an advantage that seemed to promise victory. The fight is said to have been quite a decent affair as prize fights go, aud it is likely that the two men will be pitied against each other again in a fight to the finish. ? A recent issue of the Transvaal Critic contaiued this suggestive bit of news: The man Uys, who thrashed two native servant girls to death in the Wakk erst room district some months ago, has been senteuced to two years hard labor. Mild as the sentence will appear to those who correctly estimate the value of human life, it has astounded the relatives and friends of the accused. It says a good deal for the jury that they did not decide on an acquittal, seeing that the State attorney stated in the Raad not so long ago that to thrash a native servant to death was not a dishonorable action. ? Says a Charlotte dispatch of November 4: A rumor having gone ' '5 V? <-v t hot AT rC auroau uvcr tuc tuuuuj * *.?. Stonewall Jackson, widow of the distinguished Confederate general, is absolutely penniless, in want and hopelessly ill and blind, Mrs. Jackson said yesterday to a representative of the Associated Press that these statemeuts are very much exaggerated. It is true that she is not in affluent circumstances; but she has a competency aud has always been above want. Her health is somewhat improved and she is not blind, though still suffering from a painful illness, facial neuralgia. Appeals having been made all over the south for her relief, Mrs. Jackson is anxious that the true state of the case should be known, as she is unwilling to accept any donations except those offered as testimonials of love and admiration for her husband. ? Secretary Hester's weekly New Orleans Cottou Exchange statement, issued last Friday, shows a decrease in the movement into sight, compared with the 7 days ending the same date last year, in round figures, of 205,000 bales, a decrease under the same days year before last of 87,000. The amouut brought into sight during the past week has been 373,128 bales, agaiust 577,76(5 bales for the seven days euding this date last year, aud 460,628 year before last. The total movement for the 64 days from September 1, to date, was 2,085,569 bales, against 3,563,148 last year. The movement since September 1, shows receipts at all United States ports of 2,007,791 bales, against 2,(532,086 last year; overlaud across the Mississippi, Ohio and Potomac rivers to northern mills and Canada 317,925, against 207,111 last year; interior stocks in excess of those held at the close of the commercial year 375, 077 bales, against 438,370 last year; southern mill takings 2S4.176 bales, against 25S,576 last year. Foreign exports for the week have been 169,574 bales, against 350,677 last year, making the total thus far for the season 1,327,593, against 1,571,759 last year. The total takings of American mills, north aud south and Canada, thus far for the season, have been 794,378 bales, against 023,440 last year. Stocks at the seaboard and the 29 leading southern interior centres have increased during the week 49,046 bales, against an iucrease during the corresponding period of 97,2SS. Including stocks left over at the ports aud interior towns from the last crop and the number of bales brought into sight thus far for the new crop, the supply to date is 3,004,467, against 3,S03,714 for the same period last year. ? A correspondent describing the fighting around Ladysmith, uuder date of Tuesday of last week, said that although the day was terrible to the British it must have been more so to the Boers. The British artillery fire is said to have been appalling, especially on account of the use of lyddite shells. When the shells burst, the casualties in the immediate vicinity were numerous. General Joubert sent a formal written protest to General White against the use of lyddite as iu human. '1 he >?ew York feuu says ot this: "The use of powerful explosives in shells has never been condemned by the nations. It was not even criticised at the peace conference. Lyddite is a secret compound, the invention of British ollicers. The bureau of ordnance of the United States army has but little information regarding its composition. It is classed with melenite, the French explosive, which is known to be a picric acid compound. Lyddite has been used by the British principally in the 12-pounder mountain guns. It is used for bursting the 12pounder shells, and, being about six times as powerful as gunpowder, the shells burst into thousauds of fragments and cover a considerable area. The sound of bursting shells charged with lyddite is much greater than in gunpowder shells and proves demoralizing to the enemy's forces. The army ordnance department of this country has been experimenting for some time to secure a safe yet high explosive, aud will probably adopt thorite, a secret compound invented by l'rof. Tuttle, of Seattle, Wash. The English army use incendiary charges in the guns of their smaller mountain batteries for the purpose of firing villages. When the I'liiled States recently purchased several mountain batteries from Maxim & Co., of England, a supply of incendiary shells for use in the Philippines was also secured." ? A vigorous plea for rural free delivery is made in the annual report ol first Assistant I'o.-tmaster (leneral Perry S. Heath, just made public. Mr. Heath says the service so far has resulted iu increased postal receipts, enhancement of the value of farm lands reached hy rural free delivery of from $2 to $3 per acre ; a general improvement of the condition of the roads traversed by the rural carrier ; belter prices for farm products, the producers being brought iu daily touch with the state of the markets, besides educational benefits conferred by relieving the monotony of farm life through ready access to wholesome literature and knowledge of current < events. On November 1st rural free delivery was in successful operation ( over 383 services, radiating over 40 states and oue territory, Idaho, Wyoming, Mississippi and Montana being 1 the only states unrepresented. Beitween the beginning of the new fiscal Ivrnr .Tnlv 1 1890. and November. J.?., V??v - , 7 with an additional expenditure of $150,000, rural free delivery has been extended to nearly ISO,000 persons at an annual cost of about 84 cents per ' capita, against au average per capita cost of $2.80 in small towns of 5,000 population. "It is a small matter to a resident of a town," says the report, "to be saved a walk of a few hundred yards to the postoffice, while on the contrary it is a great accommodation to the farmer to be spared a drive of i 5 or 10 miles over country roads to get his mail. In a recent public dis- i cussion advocates of the system who ( took the value of the time thus lost in the busy farming season, at only 50 cents per head, found that their figures ran up into many millions of dollars lost to the agricultural interests through being obliged to send to the village for the mails." Rural carriers < are shortly to be authorized to receive | and receipt for letters for distribution as city carriers do now. <slu 41ovlu'iUc (Enquirer. ! YORKVILLE, S. C.: 1 WEDNESDAY. NOV'R 8. 1899. ' ? Senator McLaurin considers the Philippines the front gate to the open door, while Senator Tillman rather believes in taking chances on being able to climb the yard fence. Neither, however, seems to be willing for the locking of the door unless the United States be tendered a duplicate key. ? Up to the time at which it was necessary for The Enquirer to go to press yesterday, it was impracticable to get any definite information from the Kentucky and Ohio elections. Such news could not have been secured until 12 o'clock last night. It seemed to be pretty generally couceded on Monday night that Goebel would be elected governor of Kentucky by a good round majority ; but as to whether McLane would carry Ohio was a matter of very considerable doubt. Both sides were claiming the state, and the chauces appeared ahout even. ? We have a private letter from one s of the numerous parties to the dispellsay controversy, asking us to print what he has been having to say on the subject. We respectfully beg leave to decline. We know uothing about the matter except what we have been reading in the papers. Some of this stuff we have believed and some we have not; but we frankly confess that we look with more or less suspicion on all the parties engaged in the controversy. To discriminate between them would be extremely difficult; but we are sure that we are not going to substitute such stuff as they are writing for the matter we are now giving our readers. ? Referring to our observation that it was rather curious that the daily papers of the state had not seen fit to to publish the correspondence between the Spartanburg mill meu and Senators Tillman and McLaurin, the Columbia State remarks: So far as The State is concerned there is nothing curious about it. The correspondence was not sent to this paper ami hence was not published therein. The letter of the cotton mill men ami Senator MeLaurin's reply, were first published in the Atlanta Constitution, and we knew nothing of them until they appeared in that paper. Perhaps the correspondence was not intended l'or home consumption. We also first noted the correspondence referred to in an exchange. No ( one asked us to publish it ; but calculating that it was of very considerable interest to the people of this section < aud observing that it was not copy- . righted, we did not trouble ourselves to inquire whether or not it was intended for "home consumption." Many weekly papers have published the correspondence aud it is still free to the dailies. < ? Although it is not difficult to ex- i plain what is meant by the open door | policy in China, to give a clear under- < standing of the attitudes of the different European gevernments, in a short 1 newspaper article, would be rather l impracticable. Briefly, however, the 1 Chinese empire is looked upon as being 1 on the verge of a "breakup." Its J integrity has been affected by the in- < terference of the various European na- 1 tions. England was the first to thrust < herself upon China by loree. Then i eame France, Germany and last Jius- i sia. Japan also figures in the compli- < cation. Kach of these countries have s in turn wrested from China by diplo- I mati?- t .! :?tcertain concessions. I |The 1 uit. il *!a;< - has a treaty with China by which this country is guaranteed all the commercial and other rights that may be accorded to the "most favored nation." So far as China is concerned, of course, this country can ask nothing more. Germany, Russia aud France have not agreed upon an established policy with regard to China ; but they are inclined to favor an arrangement which calls for the establishment of "spheres of influence." In brief, this means that each shall take a slice of China and have absolute control of the commercial relations of the same. England, ihe United States and Japan are invited to participate in this arrangement. The matter is now the subject of diplomatic negotiation ; but from such statements as are reaching the public through the public prints, it appears that the three last named powers, and especially the United States, are disposed to insist that all nations have the same rights in all the Chinese ports. There seems to be no reason to believe that the settlement of the question need necessarily lead to war. It is thought that if the open door nations insist, the sphere of influence nations will forego their intentions, and agree to the open door arrangement, which ought to give the greatest satisfaction all around. BUSINESS AND POLITICS. When we criticized the daily press last Saturday for refraining from a discussion of the practical business questions involved in the Philippine issue, we had no idea that the matter was to be so soon forced upon it, and with 3uch tremendous vengeance ; but now the battle is joined, and in our humble judgment it is likely to remain joined until it is fought to a finish. The Southern Cotton Spinuers' association has thrown down the gauntlet in the preamble and resolutions unanimously adopted in Charlotte last Thursday night and published elsewhere iu this issue. Coming as they do from such a source, and embodying as they do such an important mixture of business and political declarations, these resolutions cannot be ignored. They ire well calculated to command?to force?careful, serious, consideration from all who are capable of thought. The signers of the first Mecklenburg rleclaration were out for liberty, and the signers of this?which may very properly be called a second Meek- i leuburg declaration?are out fordiviiends. Both these incentives, it must | be admitted, are very strong, and to . cur view, whether morally right or ( oot, conditions are ripening for as | rapid a spread of this second propa- i ;anda as was experienced by the first. ' The bold confidence with which the ' cotton spiuners map out a policy for >ur international relations, is, to say he least, somewhat startling. Their 1 programme involves doctrines that are liametrically opposed to what a considerable section of the southern daily j mess has been laying down as the cor- , ect rule for political guidance; but 1 ,hat is easily accounted for. Until I iow southern manufacturing interests I lave taken no part in polities; but ;ince it has entered the field, it is but lateral that its creed should be idenlical with that of the north. And if it is the "main chance" that s to prevail in this matter, there is no eason why the cotton spinners should ie alone, for logically there belongs vith them not only all the mill operates; but also all the cotton proiucers. For instance, suppose it is a fact that the market for cotton goods ;an be held at its present volume or ieveloped only by the maintainance of Iree trade in China, then everybody nterested in cotton is interested in this free trade. The contraction of :he market, of course, means the stoppage of many spindles, throwing out if employment many operatives, and lessening the demand for cotton, while ihe expansion of the market, equally, if course, means the opposite effect. But the cotton producers are not ?o nuick to see the "main chance" as ' ?, .. 1 are the cotton spinners, and they are slower to take advantage of it unless | thoroughly convinced that they are morally right. And in the present i oase, as information develops, the ' right of the matter is becoming plainer every day. After all, who is threat- , ening to close the ports of China ? Not ( Chiua herself; but Russia, Germany and i France, which countries would keep 1 out our manufactures for their own 1 benefit. Looking at the question from this standpoint, the declarations of the ( spinners involve considerations that ( are not altogether devoid of correct I principles. THE FACTS I.N THE CASE. I The report of the Philippines commission, synopsized elsewhere, if ac- , cepted as true?and it is difficult to see how one can refuse to accept it, puts i the whole matter in a new light?and i proves that many thoughtless squibs on the subject have been unwarranted. Of all the reasonable objections that have been urged against our occupak ~ T) Iti litMiinno t c? I ma n rroc t LIU II U1 II1C A lilii buu oiiuugvoi j have been these: How can a liberty < loving civilized nation like the United States be guilty of crushing and butch- 1 ering a people engaged in fighting for \ liberty and independence. 2. The Ira- , Jilionul policy of the United Slates as a | nation has been to remain at home and t Attend to their own business and keep I nut of foreign complications. We 1 diould, therefore, assume no respousi- J nility with regard to any foreign coun- ( ry or people. , The report of the Philippines com- | mission furnishes a great deal of evidence to show that the first objection is not based 011 fact, and that although there is abundant justification for the second objection, the responsibility has been forced upon us in such a way thut it is simply a matter of impossibility for us to escape its consequences. Take the facts set forth by the commission, in the case of the first objection. We were at war with Spain. Aguinaldo, who had, by selling out his country for cash, proved that he was uot a patriot, volunteered his services against the Spaniards. All the facts show that he was impelled purely by considerations of personal interests. The Americans took Manila. Aguinaldo desired to loot the city for the benefit of himself and followers ; and because the Americaus refused to sanction the murder, rapine, robbery and arson that would have been instituted by him, he declared for independence and set up a government of his own. Into this government he co-erced thousands of his own people by force, and made other thousands believe that they could place no more dependence in the promises of the Americans than in the promises of the Spaniards. He had no more moral right to the position of dictator assumed by him, than did any one of the other several millions of Filipinos in the island of Luzon, and there is no reason to believe that he would be able to give his people even as good government as the Spauiards gave them. The Americans were, therefore, from the first, and are still, confronted with a choice between two propositions: 1. Of retiring ignominiously from the country and deunrlinry ttufto/1 noAnloa anrl intPrPGtfi that we ourselves have heen the means of placing at the mercy of an adventurer; or 2. Establishing peace, order and good government such has for years beeu earnestly desired by the educated and progressive classes among the Filipinos. Our departure from the Monroe doctrine, of course, is still an open question, and remains for future settlement. That we will have to remain iu the Philippines uutil order is restored is settled. Either that, or there must be some other arrangement whereby the responsibility of the matter can be completely transferred. But with the restoration of order it does not follow that we have to remain in the Philippines. If we see fit, we may withdraw and return to our traditional policy. Which course we will pursue promises to be the one great issue of the next national campaign, and judging from developments up to the present time, it promises to play as much havoc with party alignments as any issue that has confronted the people since the establishment of the government. THE PHILIPPINES COMMISSION. 3ayn Tlmt Thin Country U Honor Itouod to Suppress Agulnuldo. The commission appointed by the president last winter to investigate the situation in the Philippines, submitted tin exhaustive preliminary report last Thursday, and the same was at once u;iven out for publication in the daily papers of Friday morning. The report is evidently prepared with great care. It commences with the rebellion that took place against the Spaniards in 1896, and reviews all the important developments up to the time the commission left the islands some months ago. The report is signed by J. C. Schurman, George Dewey, Charles Den by and Dean C. Worcester, [t is published iu full in all the metropolitan dailies, and an extended synopsis of it was sent out by the Associated Press. The full text of it would fill nearly two pages of The Enquirer ; but a synopsis will probably prove as interesting to our readers. The insurrection of 1896 is described as having been instituted, not for the the purpose of gaining independence ; but merely to secure the reform of outrageous abuses that were being perpetrated by the Spauish government and the Itomish clergy. The specific complaiuts of the insurrectionists are published in full. The Spaniards acknowledged the justice of these complaints, and after some fighting secured a settlement of the trouble by the promise of a large sum of money to Aguinaldo, and the grantiug of the reforms demanded. By the terms of the argument, Aguinaldo und his associates ^ lolanrlo hoftiro t hp VCIC IU leave tlJC iDiamio uviv>v vmvi money would be paid. They left. Spain paid a part of the mouey to Aguinaldo on his arrival at Hong Kong, and promised to pay the balauce when the insurrectionists laid down their arms. The iusurrecliouists laid down their arms; but Spain refused to pay the balance of the money. Not only this, but so soon as she found the insurrectionists helpless she abused them worse tbun ever. The Filipinos, of course, were greatly outraged, not only at the Spaniards; but also at Aguinaldo for the way he sold them out. Upon the breaking out of the war with Spain, the United States consul general at Singapore advised Admiral Dewey that Aguiualdo would arrange with him for co-operation against the Spaniards. Admiral Dewey accepted the offer; but after the battle of Manila found that Aguinaldo had neither arms or men. Admiral Dewey supA . iU.J.U dlh ormc I'll F?f 111'Pfl jJUCU n^uiumuu witu . from the Spaniards, and joined by the native militia that had been equipped by Spain, the Filipinos established themselves at Cavite, and soon overran all the Island of Lnz>11 except the city of Manila. At no time did Admiral Dewey form itn alliance of any kind with Aguiual;lo, and it was not until after the arrival of General Anderson that Aguinildo ever said anything about claiming national independence. Admiral Dew:*y requested Aguiuuldo to remove his Headquarters from Cavite to Bacoor, in irder that the Americans might occupy Cavite. Upon this Aguinaldo pro:laiuied himself dictator, and upon his nvn authority told his people that the tVmericans had promised them iude^ tendence. Aguinaldo is said to have been so exasperated at the landing of the Americans thut he wanted to attack them at once ; hut deferred doing so for the reason that he did not have sufficient arms. Aceordiugly he and the members of his cabinet decided to wait until the full of Munila, when they calculated on gettiug possession of the arms and equipments of the Spaniards. When the Americans begau to invest Manila, they encountered more or less opposition from the Filipinos who had already established themselves along i > uv/o iv r? ao uvvvoooi j iui vuv ? caus lo occupy. The Filipinos, however, were made lo get oul of the way, which they did without attempting to make trouble. The Filipinos took no part whatever in the attack at Mauila on August 13; but after the city was taken inarched forward with the intention of looliug it. The American forces refused to al low them to enter the cily. Theu Aguiualdo boldly demauded a part of the Spanish mouey that had been captured, all the arms that had taken from Spanish prisouers, the palace of Maiacauau for himself, the right to loot the churches of Mauila, Paco and Ermita. These demands were, of course, refused. After the taking of Manila, the relations between the American and Filipinos became more strained daily, The Filipiuo soldiers were iusistent on their rights to enter Mauila, uud the Americans continued lo bold them back; but without violence. After awhile the Filipiuos begau to believe that ihe Americaus were cowards. Ou Jauuary 28, a conference was held between Filipinos appointed by Aguiuuldo aud representatives appointed by General Merrill, with a view to coming to some understanding as to the intentions of the Filipinos aud the people of the Uuited Slates. The Fiiipiuos were uuable or unwilling to give auy definite statement; but tbe Americans gave assurauce that they would not inaugurate auy hostile act. After that the Filipinos gave more trouble than ever, aud, finally, on the 4th of Feb ruary, eulered the American liues aud forced the Americans to tire ou them, after they had heedlessly iguored the usual demaud to halt. The story of the trouble that followed and tbe result has already been published. After this the Fiiipiuos were given to understand that the Americans would guarnulee all the reforms that they had usked of the Spaniards and more; but Aguiuuldo reminded the people of Spain's broken promises and said that Americaus were no more worthy of belief, etc. From this ouward, he and other leading Filipinos did all they could to foment discontent, aud are keeping it up. The commission insists that there has not been a time since the arrival ol Admiral Dewey in Manila, that the Americans could withdraw even if such a step hud been desirable. Il has beeu the desire of Aguinaldo and his crowd lo loot Manila and the country generally, and this country owes it not only to foreigners, but to the friendly na- j lions, to protect them from the unarchy that would certainly follow our with- , drawal. i MERE-MENTION. The German minister of the interior ( has hinted that if the balance of trade with the United States continues 1 against Germany they may have to abandon the gold standard. v-The explosion of a cotton compress cylinder in Natchez, Miss., last Saturday, caused the loss of $30,000 worth of property. It is claimed that the < president is about to appoint a civil governor for Cuba to succeed General Brooke us military governor. The Maryland campaign closed last Saturday night with the situation in doubt. Admiral Schley received a great reception in Atlanta last Saturday. In a speech in the Virginia campaign a few days ago, Senator Daniel ilmt Hnn VV T Rrvnn mav iiiiiaituru vntiv fT , j ^ uot be the next Democratic nominee, j The New York papers give from one to four pages each to the t JefFerysSharkey prize fight. The American Steel and Wire company has closed a deal for 50,000 tons basic iron i and 50,000 tons bessemer pig iron, at a cost of $2,375,000. Blast furnaces in i the south will furnish 40,000 tons. A number of prominent Gold Standard Republicans, of Massachusetts, have i published a circular announcing it as i their intention to vote the Democratic state ticket as a protest against the I criminal aggression policy of the presi- i dent. Mrs. Hazen, who is to be I the wife of Admiral Dewey, is a Ro- I man Catholic. In a card published Monday morning, J. R. McLean < said he would certainly be governor of i Ohio. Mississippi's quota for the i Spanish war was filled by 700 Chicago I volunteers. It now develops that Mississippi has an old statute that allows j $00 to each resident of another state i who enlists in her regiments in time of ] war and the Chicagoans are combining i to prosecute their claim for the money, i Charleston has raised the yellow fever quarantine. A considerable I force of Kentucky troops went to Lou- , :n..;iia nn monHn v nn umm 11 nt of threat- ' ened election troubles. President < on McKinley left Washington for Ohio ] Monday for the purpose of casting bis 1 vote iu yesterday's election. ] DauKliterK of the Confederacy. j The convention of the South Caroli- s ua Daughters of the Confederacy will I he held in Greenville on November 14 r and 15. Two delegates from each of c [the 28 chapters are expected. Up to r November 1, the following had report- i ed : Mrs. Duncan Mclutyre, Marion; s Miss Florence Mullins, Marion; Mrs. i J. W. Simpson, Spartanburg; Mrs. r James H. White, Johnston ; Mrs. J. H. j Powe, Cheraw; Mrs. Richaid O'Neale, d Columbia ; Mrs. T. P. Bailey, Georgetown ; Mrs. L. S. Ehrich, Georgetown ; Mrs. J. T. Pendervis, Sumraerville; Mrs. Altamont Moses, Sumter; Miss v Sadie Townsend, Edisto Island ; Mrs. . William Laugiilin, Anderson; Mrs. M L. Bouham, Anderson ; Mrs. Lula Ayre Vandiver, Anderson; Mrs. Nannie ^ Bomar, Aiken ; Miss Susie F. Hall, I Aiken ; Mrs. L). D. McColl, Bennetts 2 ville; Mrs. Hugh Buist, ltoek Hill; , M iss Mary Swatlield, liock Hill; Miss Julia Smith, Spartanburg; Miss Sara u Ball, Laurens ; Mrs. O. L. Schumpert, Newberry ; Miss Claudine Khett, Char- ? leston ; Mrs. J. W. Brunsoh, Florence, s LOCAL AFFAIRS. INIkKX TO NKW AI?VKKTISK.UKV VS. W. II. Hicklin?Calls ihe attention of cotton raisers to the fact that lie is now prepared to put up their cotton in eith er round or square bales as may be desired. The Enquirer Office?Will pay a liberal reward for the recovery of a pocket book and contents advertised in today's paper. J. H. Riddle?Returns his thanks to persons who have discharged their indebtedness to him, and asks those who have not yet to settled to do so without delay. He will soon have on hand 100 barrels of flour of different grades. Sam M. Grist?Announces the removal of ( his place of business to the room one door south of The Enquirer building. He gives some information about the Oliver plows and still has on hand three Corbin disk harrows. 1 W. B. Moore Co.?Announce that on next Monday tbey will have something unusual on exhibition. They do not say what it will be ; but wants you to come and see for yourself. Grist Cousins?Tell you about the Californir evaporated peaches tbey have on hand, the New Orleans molasses that is expected, and prepared buckwheat flour that they have in store. J. J. Hunter?Don't want the ladies to forget his Reginashoes, and wants tbein to examine his new lot of capes and jackets. John E. Carroll, Superintendent of Education'?Calls the attention of school officers and teachers to the law with regard to Arbor Day. ARBOR DAY. Lest they forget, Superintendent McMahau calls attention of the school authorities to the law relating to Arbor Day. He hopes all schools will take an interest in the occasion. He has written as follows: To the County Superintendents of Education : The legislature, by an act, .approved February lf>, 1898, has directed "that the free public schools of this state shall observe the third Friday in November of each year as Arbor Day, and on that day the school officers and teachers shall conduct such exercises and engage in the planting of such shrubs, plants and trees as will impress on the minds of the pupils the proper value and appreciation to be placed on flowers, ornamental shrubbery and shade trees." Until the observance of this day in our schools has become an established custom, it may be overlooked, unless specially brought to the attention of the teachers. You will, therefore, nrge upon all the teachers of your county to celebrate the day in their schools. THE COTTON MARKET. The generul tendency of the New York and Liverpool murkets during (lie past few days lias been upwar.l. There has been, however, no especial excitement. On the local market the best price of which the reporter had information as having been paid yesterduy was 7.40. It is quite probable that a better price may have been paid after these figures were obtained. The local receipts up to this time have not been nearly up to tbose of the same date last yeur. It is not practicable today to give exact figures; but it is reasonably certuin that the total does not post up more than 2,000 hales or about 25 per cent, of last year's receipts. The farmers of the surrounding country have so far been reluctant to sell. It is doubtful as to whether in the aggregate they have marketed as much as 50 per cent, of their crop. ABOUT PEOPLE. Mr. G. L. Riddle, of Zeno, has been quite ill for two weeks past. Mr. B. D. Springs, of Charlotte, was in Yorkville last Monday on business. Miss Belle Mendenball, of Belhesdn, is visiting her brother, Mr. J. B. Mendenhull, of Yorkville. Mr. \V. H. MeFadden, of Smith's Turnout, spent last week with Mr. Philip L. Moore, near Yorkville. Mr. R. S. Davidson, of Chester, is confined to his bed at the home of his sister, Mrs. VV. H. Herndou. Mrs. Elins Irman, of Bullock's Creek, spent seyeral days last week in Yorkville with friends and relatives. Mr. Robt T. Howe, of Chester, spent several days last week visiting the family of his son, Mr. Joe. A. Howe, at the York Cotton Mills. Mrs. T. S. Jefferys, Mrs. Hanahan, Miss Bessie Gilbert and Dr. Jas. Han- 1 ahau, left Yorkville last Saturday for 1 Columbia, to attend the fair. Mrs. T. G. Gulp, of Fort Mill, who bad a prolonged attack of typhoid fever in the summer, is again confined to her j oed, and her condition is considered to be quite serious. ' Rock Hill Herald : John T. Rod- ( ley, of New York, spent Wednesday I and Thursday in his old home. We i never saw him look so well, and we ( Lake it that he is doing well. Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Pursley and Mr. ind Mrs. C. T. Thomas, of the Zadok 1 neighborhood, left last Monday uight for the state fair, at Columbia. It was < their iuteution to return home lomor- < row. The Enquirer is in receipt of the < following from Tuscumbia, Ala.: "Mrs. J. C. Damtella requests the honor of four presence at the maniage of her ( laughter Frances, to Reverend Charles ' Banks Katehford, on Wednesday, No- f /ember the 15th, at 12 o'clock, at the ( First Presbyterian church." . Dr. Win. M. Walker continues to jrow weaker and weaker. There seems to be but the slightest hope for J is recovery. He seems to retain his neutal faculties in their full vigor, ex- I :ept that he is troubled by a peculiar c Irowsiness which he is unable to oversome except when forced into converat ion. As to how long life may last s a matter of uncertainty. The end I Duy come at any moment; but the M'obability seems to be that it will be leferred for days, perhaps weeks. a .?? I WITHIN THE TOWN. a The county hoard of commissioners i rill hold its regular monthly meeting ii n the oflice of the supervisor today A carload of operatives arrived in D 'orkville last Friday night from North n /nrolina to work in the Sutro mills. a sight work will commence shortly, e nd the mill will give steady employ- v nent to 75 operatives. ^ Mr. Benjamin Armstrong, who was (j hot on the 9th of September by Cou- j table Ferguson, called at The En- a (iUiRER office last Saturday to protest against the published statement to the effect that he was advancing upon the officer with an open knife in his hand. He sa^s he had no knife, except a worthless barlow that was in his pocket, and his statement was corroborated by a little boy named Whisonant, who says he witnessed the shooting. A tenement house on the Isabella Steele place, occupied by Negroes, was destroyed by tire last Monday at noon. The building was so nearly destroyed before the alarm was given, that the tire department was unable to accomplish anything. The property destroyed was worth $75 or $100 and was insured. Charley Smith, a colored mortar carrier, employed ou the York Drug store building, fell from a scaffold last Friday afternoon, and sustained injuries that came very uear proving fatal. He fell a distance of 12 or 15 feet, and his bead struck a brick. The bony vault around the left eye was broken and for some lime he was insensible. Another laborer uuderuealh the scaffold was injured by the falling debris. He suffered principally in a severe sprain to the ankle. Smith's injuries were attended to by Dr. Miles Walker, and the wounded man was taken to bis home near Gulbriesville on Suuday. The shopliftiug Negro, Ed Ellerbe, who sometime ago reaped such a rich harvest in Yorkville and was caught in Chester, where he has siuce been serving a term on the chaingang, was brought up to Yorkville last Saturday and committed to jail to await trial at the next term of court of general sessions. There is little reason to doubt that he will be convicted. I/OCAL LACONICS. For Housebreaking and Larceny. Randolph Davis, colored, was committed from Belhesda township by Magistrate 0. L. Sanders last Saturday on the charge of burglary. The prosecutor is auother Negro named Sam Crawford. Preaching at Sutton's Springs. There was quite a good sized con gregation to hear Rev. J. C. Johnes, who preached in the school house at Sutton's springs by special iuvitation last Sunday afleruoon. Mr. Johnes was invited to preach in the schoolhouse again on 4th Sunday in November. and he accented the invitation. Salesday. There was a lurge, well-behaved crowd in town on lust Moudgy, salesday for November. There were no unction sales by t he sheriff or the clerk ; but there was a great deal of general business transacted, along with considerable horse-swapping. There was not a great deal of whisky in evidence (luring the day. Out at the York Cotton Mills. The York Cotton Mills uow have a sufficient number of operatives to run all their machinery. In all about 250 operatives bave regular employment. It was decided not long ago that 1,000 additional spindles would prove a good investment and they were ordered at once. They will be put in operation as soon as possible after their arrival. In North Carolina and Tennessee. The Charlotte Observer says: Mr. J. A. Johnson, who has charge or a force of bauds on the 0. R. & C., ou the Tennessee and North Carolina line, says that the}' are at present cutting their way through stone. Tne scenery, he says, is the wildest he ever saw. Johnson City, 25 miles distant, is the nearest town. He and his inen had to walk over the mountains, a trip, be says, that they are not apt to forget. May Not Be Here. Will Strait, who is charged with having attempted to poison bis mother-inlaw, Mrs. Kidd, some weeks back by sending her a mess of green corn with strychnine in it, may not appear for trial at the next term of the court. He is now in Arkansas, where be went with the knowledge and consent of his bondsmen, and is reported to he quite sick. Theer are many suspicious circumstances in connection with the affair and the neighbors and relatives of Lhe parties directly concerned are very much divided over the question of Strait's guilt or innocence. Speech From Senator McLaartn. With the approval of the members jf the board of trustees, Superintendent Dendy and the teachers of the JTorkville Graded school, have invited Senator McLaurin to deliver an adIress before the pupils on the occasion )f the one hundredth anniversary of ,he death of George Washington. The inniversary occurs on Thursday, De emuer 14. oeuaior iuci^aunii nas not ret had time in which to reply, and whether or not he will be here carnot fet he stated. If, however, he finds t practicable to accept tbe invitation, le will find here a thoroughly apprelialive audience. THK WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA. >eart)i of New? Continues; Hut British Difficulties Are on the Iucrease. Still there are uo satisfactory details >s to the results of the fighting near jadysmtlh uu Monday of last week, ind but little iufurmation as to bowhe army under Geueral White is makng out with the besieging Boers. >ince last Thursday telegraphic communication with Lady-smith has been iruclically suspended, aud only a few leagre scraps of uews have occasionlly been coming through, it is supposd, by means of uative runners. Tbe /hole story of the fighting has not yet een told. A telegram from Pietmoritzburg, ated November 2, aud published in .ondou the next day, said that Gener1 White had sent tbe women and