-Scraps and ?acts.
? The Rev. W. H. MeCart was acquitted
in superior court at Covingion,
Ga., last Tuesday, on the charge
of having murdered Monroe Smith, a
neighbor, forty-five years ago. MeCart
fled Immediately after the shooting
in 1870 and was arrested when he
returned recently from Hawaii, where
he has been a missionary. He was the
chief witness in his own defense, declaring
that Smith had struck his
mother and had threatened to kill
him.
? Edward M. Grout, twice elected
comptroller of New York city, and the
first borough president of Brooklyn,
was convicted in a New York court
Tuesday of perjury. He was charged
with having made a false statement
of the financial condition of the Union
bank, of which he was president, just
prior to the second collapse of that institution
in 1910. After the bank failed
the first time. Mr. Grout was made
president, partly because of his financial
experience as comptroller and
partly because it was thought his name
and reputation would help to dispel
the shadow that hung over the institution.
In delivering sentence. Judge
Lewis said: "After a fair and impartial
trial you have been justly convicted of
the crime of perjury. While the court
regrets that a man having occupied
high and exalted public office should
be in your position, yet the court is
responsive to the duty which it owes
to the people as well as to yourself.
Mindful of the recommendation of the
jury and that the conviction prohibits
your further practice of the law, the
sentence of the court is that you be
confined in the state prison at Sing
Sing at hard labor for a term of not
less than one year nor more than two
years."
? The casualties In the British army
and navy have reached a total of 330,995,
according to a printed statement
issued by Premier Asquith. The total
naval casualties up to July 20
were 9,106, and the military casualties
to July 18 were 321,880. The naval
losses were divided as follows:
Officers killed, 499; wounded, 87;
missing, 29; men killed, 7,430; wounded,
787; missing, 274. The military
losses were divided as follows: Killed:
France, 3,288 officers, 48,372 men;
Dardanelles (including naval division)
7 RC7 mon* nthor thof)tTPQ
of operation, excluding German Southwest
Africa, 145 officers, 1.445 men.
Total, 4,000 officers, 57,384 men. Total
killed. 61,384. Wounded: France,
6,803 officers, 156,308 men ; Dardanelles,
1,379 officers, 28,635 men; other
theatres, 248 officers, 3,247 men.
Total, 8,430 officers, 188,190 men. Total
wounded, 796,620. Missing: France.
1,630 officers. 50,969 men; Dardanelles,
198 officers, 10,892 men; other
theatres, 22 officers, 641 men. Total,
1,383 officers, 62,502 men. Total missing,
63.885. Total killed, wounded
and missing, 321,889. Total casualties
by war theatres: France, 11,254
officers. 255,649 men; Dardanelles. 2,144
officers. 47,094 men; other theatres,
415 officers, 5,333 men. Total.
13,813 officers, 308,076 men. Total
military casualties, 321,889.
? Port Au Prince, Haiti, July 28: A
revolution, more terrible in the toll
thus far taken than any, even in the
days of Nord Alexis, flamed out in the
Haitien capital Tuesday. It was an
off-shoot of the movement to the nbrth
where the adherents of Dr. Rosalvo
Bobo, twice expelled from Hayti, have
striven for several months to break
the power of the Haitien president.
General Vilbrun Guillaume. One hundred
and sixty political prisoners, including
a former president of Haiti,
Genera! Orestes Zamor, were put to
death by order of General Oscar, governor
of Port Au Prince, who later in
the day was dragged from the shelter
of the Dominican legation and riddled
with bullets. Vilbrun Guillaume, the
president of Haiti, was removed today
from the French legation, where he
took refuge after yesterday's rebellion,
and was shot to death in front of the
building by a mob of infuriated Haitiens.
His body then was mutilated
and tied to the end of a rope, and
dragged through the streets of the
city. This act of violence followed
immediately the burial of the 160 political
prisoners who were massacred
in prison yesterday morning at the
time of the revolutionary outbreak
against Guillaume. The mob was composed
in large part of relatives of the
victims of this wholesale execution.
The mob invaded the French legation
and. in spite of the urgent protests of
M. Girard, the French minister to
Haiti, carried President Guillaume out
of the building. The mob surrounded
the president and shot him to death.
After his body had been dragged about
the streets it was abandoned, and later
was buried by several women in a cemetery
outside of the capital.
? Washington, July 28: Defense of
the right of a belligerent to blockade
a neutral port through an enemy in
receiving supplies or attempting to
market his own products is the chief
argument to be made in the supplemental
note Great Britain is prepar
Jllg IJX rcpij' lU Hie Atuci ivaii yi vivoi
against the enforcement of the orders
in council, and which is expected within
a week. All other issues that of
the blockade of neutral ports, it is
learned, will be regarded by the Britiish
government as subsidiary and
proper for later discussion. Upon recognition
by neutral governments of the
principle from the British viewpoint,
depends the ability of a belligerent
which has otherwise established control
of the seas to profit by the enormous
expenditure and sacrifice which
made possible that control. The matter
is all-important in the British
view. Two developments not discussed
in the original note will be taken in
in the supplemental communication.
The first is the American caveat of
July 17. conveying the notification that
the United States government would
not recognize the orders in council as
a substitute for the provisions of international
law. The second point
arose in connection with the enforced
unloading on the London docks of the
American steamer Neches, June 24.
The ship was en route from Rotterdam
to New York with a cargo of
non-contraband, mostly of German
and Belgian origin. The British government
asserted the right under its
blockade of Germany and that part of
Belgium under German control, to
prevent any goods from being exported
the sale of which might aid the
enemy financially. Because the principal
British argument is directed to
that phase of the right of blockade
which affects goods sought to be introduced
into an enemy's country, it is
believed that the British foreign office
felt it necessary to supplement the
original note by an argument extending
the claim to cover the case of
goods exported from the enemy country
through a neutral port.
? Secretary Garrison issued a state
meni xuesaay niyiii umi nc uc nui
pressed for details of the military policy
now being formulated until the
appropriate time has come to make
them public. The secretary will submit
to the president next week a general
plan of army re-organization, now
being outlined by the general staff. "I
have absolutely refrained from making
any statements, because I feel
that the effect thereof at this time
would be more hurtful than helpful,"
the statement says. "There have been
published many unauthentic statements
of what is in contemplation,
and I feel that the effect of these has
been hurtful rather than helpful. My
reason for refusing to make anything
public at this time is that the policy
has not yet heen formulated with its
details sufficiently worked out so as
to make it possible to present it as a
whole. If some one or more of various
parts are put forth separately and
debated and discussed, they might excite
opposition, which would be entirely
dissipated, if not turned into approval,
when considered in connection
with the whole plan. 1 believe it is
a fact in art that a figure, such as
the human figure, must be proportioned,
if a correct representation is intended,
to the distance from which it
is to be viewed. To some extent, if
not completely, this is the way in
which I view the problem that we are
now studying, and until the various
parts ure not only agreed upon as to
their own features, but also in relation
to the other necessary parts, any
discussion would be premature and
much more likely to do harm than
good. I feel that all sensible, patriotic
citizens wish to see a wise, sensible,
practical, adequate military policy
proposed and agreed upon. We are
working to <lo our part towards that
end. We are only hampered by premature
discussion of specific details,
which can only be properly considered
in relation to all the details. If all
those who wish to see a proper policy
adopted will devote themselves to
showing the necessity of such proper
policy, and abstain from discussing its
details until the plan is disclosed as a
whole, the very best possible results
may be attained. I feel so strongly
upon the subject that I take the liberty
of asking every earnest advocate
of a proper military policy to devote
himself as suggested and to abstain
from pressing for details until the appropriate
time has come to give
them."
$Ik ^orlu'ille inquirer.
Entered at the Postofflce In Yorkvllle
as Mail Matter of the Second Class.
YORKVILLE. S. O.i
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 1915.
The most difficult task that confronts
a demoralized world these days
is to keep its head.
Governor Harris of Georgia, appears
to have been very much affected
by his recent visit to the Georgia
state prison, and the understanding is
that he is to sign quite a bunch of
pardons as the result of that visit.
It is quite to be expected that The
Enquirer will be severely criticised in
certain quarters for printing so fully
the remarks of former Governor
Blease at Filbert yesterday, more particularly
the fierce criticism of President
Wilson. We are not prepared to
endorse what Mr. Blease said in this respect
because it is at very considerable
variance with our own views and impressions;
but that has nothing to do
with the matter. When it comes to
things of general public interest like
this, we try to print the news as correctly
as we can, whether it is pleasing
to us or not. We have no apologies
to make in this matter; but for the
benefit of those who would blame us,
we desire to suggest that all that was
said was said in the presence of certain
of the people's duly elected representatives,
as well as of many would-be
critics. The rules at the picnic were
not so strict but that anybody who desired,
whether a specially invited guest
or a bystander, could have gotten
the privilege of a reply if he had so
desired. And If there had been a reply
we would have done our best to give
the substance of it.
"He Is Not Interested."
It appears that Editor Grist of The
Yorkville Enquirer, is noi imeresieu
in the Home Coming Week which it is
proposed to have in York in September.
He writes as follows in the current
issue of his paper:
"A committee of Yorkville gentlemen,
the same who accomplished what
has been accomplished in changing
the name of the town from Yorkville
to York, are now arranging to celebrate
the change and inaugurate the
new era of prosperity and higher endeavor
with a home coming week, to
be held in September. The general
plan in so far as the same has been
agreed upon, is outlined in a communication
published in various Sunday
papers as follows."
The foregoing Is from the Anderson
Daily Mail of Wednesday.
We beg to say that our esteemed
contemporary is very much mistaken
in the supposition that "Editor Grist"
is not interested in the home coming
week, etc.
The Yorkville Enquirer, and Editor
Grist are always interested in all that
pertains to the welfare of Yorkville
and York county, and of course it is
interested in this proposed home coming
week.
But The Yorkville Enquirer has no
part in this matter. It seems to \>elong
entirely to people who prefer to get
along without asking any assistance
from The Yorkville Enquirer or taking
It into their confidence.
The chairman of the board of trade,
the mayor of the town and the clerk ol
the town council and the attorney
thereof, have newspaper interests of
their own and they seem to consider it
legitimate to use all the patronage and
pap they can get from the town for the
benefit of those interests.
The home coming week is the private
property of the Board of Trade
and the town council and neither the
Board of Trade nor the town council
considers that The Yorkville Enquirer
has any part in the affairs of the town
except to pay taxes and the like.
The information that was introduced
in the paragraph quoted by the
Mail was furnished to different newspapers
throughout the state; but not
to The Enquirer, and the only way
The Enquirer had of getting It was
by clipping it from one of these papers.
The fact that The Enquirer published
the information would seem to us
to be ample evidence of interest.
The Enquirer of course prefers first
hand information; but does not hold
itself above printing second-hand information
when the same promises to
be of interest to any considerable number
of its readers.
Rights of the Cotton Producer.
If the United States government desires
to insure a fair price for this
year's cotton crop it can easily do so:
but the United States government is
not at all likely to have such a desire,
and unless the cotton producer uses
such means as he may have at hand
to help himself, he is not likely to be
helped very much.
It will be remembered that last
year there was a strenuous effort to
persuade congress to valorize cotton
at 12 cents a pound, and that it would
do nothing of the kind. The events of
the year have proved beyond doubt
llliH. 11 UUIIglCTid IIclU aiiriiijiirvi nuv.it
valorization as was desired, it would
have put millions of dollars into the
pockets of the cotton producers of the
south, without one cent of expense
to the government.
As it was, the only thing that the
government did was to go into the
marine insurance business for the benefit
of the shippers, thus enabling
them to make millions of dollars out
of cotton that was bought from the
producers at a little more than half
the cost of production.
The farmers of the south were told
last year that they were legitimate
victims of circumstances that were
beyond human control. It was put up
I to them that by reason of the utter
demoralization of the cotton manufacturing
industry and commerce, by
reason of the European war, there
could be but small demand for their
tremendous crop of raw cotton, and
it was simply out of the question to
create an artificial market so far in
advance of real values, etc.
What we have actually seen is exactly
the opposite of what we have
been fold. Instead of there being a
smaller demand for cotton, the demand
has been larger than ever. Instead
of the cotton being manufactured
into goods that would help to reduce
prices on present and future
markets it has been destroyed?annihilated.
Instead of a glut there are
prospects of a famine. And we are
confronted by the fact that whether
the war goes on and continues the demand
for powder, or comes to an end
and permits a renewal of the demands
of commerce, the supply of cotton
will not nearly be up to requirements.
At present cotton is tiea up more
or less by embargoes levied principally
at the instance of England, which
country has ample supplies for her
immediate needs and some to spare to
her allies. England Is fixing the present
low price and preventing the free
sale to Germany, Austria and other
countries that would gladly enter the
market and increase the price to the
consumer.
The situation is one of hardship to
the south and there are those who
think it can only-be relieved by very
drastic action on the part of the
United States?action that would seem
to seriously threaten war.
It is quite probable that the United
States would be justified in demanding
and enforcing free trade in cotton;
but whether the United States does
that or not, it is clearly within the
power of this country to help the
southern producer out of the present
dilemma.
If congress will at its next session
valorize the present crop of cotton
at something like 10 or 12 cents a
pound as it can easily do, it will help
the southern cotton producer out of a
serious situation and do no harm to
anybody.
But in view of what has been done
all along?the opportunities there have
been for helping the cotton producer,
and helping him legitimately?we do
not advise our readers to look for assistance
from the government. If he
gets help in the present situation he
is going to have to help himself very
much as he has been doing.
The Prop:-e?s of the War.
The great European war which, in
the opinion of so many at the beginning,
was to last only from three to
^ in maw nlnoin cr Ha flrat
01A lliuiiiuo, io nun uiuutiiQ
year, and the time of its probable ending
Is fully as Indefinite now as it was
at the beginning, and It might be
said, with equal truth that the possible
direction of victory Is no less uncertain.
Though it is difficult to determine
which is the most Important scene of
activities, whether in France and
along the channel, or Southern Austria
and Northern Italy, or the Dardanelles,
or Russian Poland, around
Warsaw, it is reasonably certain that
a positive decision at any of these
fronts will have a far reaching effect
on the final settlement
The operations in France and the
effort to force the Dardanelles have
probably excited the greatest interest
in this country from the beginning of
the war up to the past few weeks; but
since then attention has been concentrated
more intensely on the drive
of the Germans against the Russians
in Gallcia and the present stupendous
enveloping movement by which Generals
von Hinterberg, Macksen and
other leaders are trying to capture the
entire Russian army along with the
city of Warsaw.
It is almost out of the question to
get an adequate idea of the extent of
the operations in the Warsaw arena;
but roughly speaking, it appears thai
the Germans are approaching the Russians
from both the north and south
with immense forces that are possibly
capable of a big round-up that might
put an end to any immediate further
resistance on the part of the Russians.
At first, it appeared that this enveloping
movement was possessed of such
irresistible momentum that it was
bound to succeed; but within the past
few days the dispatches have indicated
a serious check that throws doubt on
the probable outcome.
As to what is going on along the
Dardanelles there is very little that is
certain except that the fighting is
tierce and the loss of life is tremendous.
During the first weeks of the
fighting the British seemed to be very
confident that the navy alone would
be able to force this world-famed
stronghold within a "day or two
mnm " hut (ho nnorntlnns hfl.ve been
strung out for six months, and notwithstanding
the assistance of tremendous
land forces, the "day or two
more" is still in the future.
There have been reports from time
to time that the Turks have become
wearied and discouraged; that they
have practically exhausted their ammunition
and that they are wasting
the remainder so their German commanders
will have no other recourse
than to allow them to surrender.
These reports sound encouraging
enough to those of the allies who realize
the tremendously important results
that will follow the forcing of the
Dardanelles; but as the days go by
without materialization of the promises,
encouragement sinks into doubt.
As to whether there is anything to
it except talk is a matter of speculation;
but there are repeated stories
from time to time that the Russians
are becoming dissatisfied with the
British. Prisoners are quoted as saying
that the British are great on
promise; but not much on achievement:
that even with a large part of
the German forces withdrawn from
the trenches in France for use against
the Russians around Warsaw, the
British are sitting quiet and bringing
small pressure on the German lines in
front of them. There are suggestions
of suspicion too and frequent repetitions
of the jesting remark that has
become so common to the effect that
the "British will fight it out to the
last Frenchman or the last Russian."
It seems to be a fact that the British
have furnished a pitifully small number
of men compared with either the
Russians or French: but as to whether
the Russians have made any complaints
on this account there is no satisfactory
way of knowing.
As to what the English have actually
done or are doing is a matter mainly
of guess work. Very few estimates
nliii-o thp tntnl numher of men she
has put in the field at above 1,500,000,
and considering the population of the
British Isles and the various colonies
of the British empire, the whole world
knows that her armies should number
five times as many men as they have
numbered up to this time.
It is the common expectation that
if the Germans wind up the Russians
as they are trying to do, they will be
able to immediately devote more attention
to the western front, and unless
England makes a better showing
than she has made up to this time, it
will not be a great while after she
has transferred her eastern army to
the west before she will be making
most serious drives at the British
coast across the English channel.
? The large mercantile establishment
of Bailey Bros., one of the oldest
and strongest business concerns of
Clinton, was completely destroyed by
fire Wednesday night. The alarm was
given shortly after 9 o'clock and the
fire department responded promptly,
but fought the flames to no avail. The
entire two-story building and all its
contents were destroyed, not a dollar's
worth of goods being saved. Xo cause
can be given for the fire. The total
loss aggregated $50,000 and was well
tUmiorVt not V?oui*u onmiph tn
Ilinill t~U, lIK'UBIi ??v?v iivuf/ vi.wmo"
cover the loss. The firm is composed I
of It. L. and C. L. Bailey. I
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
NEW ADVERTI8EMENT8
R. S. Riddle, Clerk?Invites the public
to annual W. O. W. picnic of
Black Jack camp, at Oak Ridge
school, August 10th.
Committee?Extends an Invitation to
the public to annual Blairsville
picnic on Saturday, August 14. A
number of good speakers invited.
James Bros.?Ask you to watch for
their next ad. In The Enquirer and
say it will be worth your while.
Standard Oil Co.?Wants you to see
the advantages of a Perfection blue
flame oil stove. See page four.
Bobs?The chewey chewing gum?5
cents a package. Sold everywhere
and chewed by everybody. See 4 th
page.
Th* HirlfAru dravn hand furnished
* ,w ' / ?
the music at Filbert yesterday and Its
performance was generally enjoyed.
This band has attained a high degree
of excellence in the rendering of first
class music.
Lancaster is to have a home coming
on August 10 and 11. There are quite
a number of Lancastrians in Yorkville
and York county who will no doubt be
interested in the occasion.
"I have a crow to pick with you,"
said Captain G. P. Smith of Rock Hill,
to the editor of The Enquirer yesterday
morning. "I came into your office
on the day the courthouse was dedicated,
paid you 12 for the renewal of
my subscription, and you did not even
make a mention of the fact that I was
in town." We herewith beg leave to
even up with the genial captain. He
was at the Filbert picnic yesterday,
and this column would not furnish sufficient
space to record the names of all
the people he met and shook hands
with.
WITHIN THE TOWN
? Rev. John W. Ham, the well
known evangelist, who conducted a
meeting here last year, expects to return
in September. The meeting this
year will be held in a tent which will
hold 1,800 or more people.
? Dr. William Black, evangelist of
the North Carolina Synod of the Presbyterian
church, proposes to come here
either in September or November to
conduct a revival. The evangelist conducted
a meeting here several years
ago and much good resulted.
? About thirty-five persons were
baptized in the First Baptist church
by the pastor, Rev. J. H. Machen, on
Wednesday evening. Most of those
who were baptized were persons who
had connected themselves with the
Second Baptist church as a result of
the revival recently conducted by Rev.
F. D. King of Charlotte.
? It has been moving day around the
courthouse this week and the county
officials are now occupying their new
offices. Some were not anxious to
leave the old hotel building in which
they have been housed since March,
1914, due to the fact that they had
become domesticated there. A force
of hands from the chaingang was
kept quite busy for some time moving
numerous records and other valuable
matter into the new building.
? E. G. Talley, a checker expert of
Gastonia, broke even in his contests
with Messrs. S. E. Jackson, J. B. Pegram
and G. M. Carroll, which were
h'eld in the shop of Mr. J. F. Moore
last Wednesday. The Gastonia man
defeated the loc&l "sharps" Quite easily
in the games played Wednesday
morning; but at the afternoon session
he seemed to have lost his luck and
the local players defeated him with
ease.
PROHIBITION ELECTION.
Following is the law bearing on the
prohibition election to be held in September,
as stated by D. W. Robinson,
secretary of the steering committee of
the Anti-Saloon League:
; "This election will be held on Tuesday,
September 14. There will be
two ballots, as provided by the statute,
one, "For the manufacture and sale
of alcoholic liquors and beverages in
South Carolina." the other "Against
the sale and manufacture of alcoholic
liquors and beverages in South Carolina."
"There will be but one ballot box.
If the result of the election is against
the manufacture and sale, the county
dispensary will be closed after the 31st
of December, and the sale of alcoholic
liquors and beverages within the state
will be unlawful after that time.
"This has nothing to do with the
gallon-a-month law, regulating the
importation of liquors from outside
the state.
"All persons who are eligible and
desire to vote in this election must
have a registration certificate and a
receipt showing the payment of all
his taxes for the year 1914.
"To vote in this election a person
must have been registered more than
30 days before the election, unless he
becomes of age within the 30 days.
The only remaining opportunity to
register for this election will be in August.
The books will be open for it
at least three days in August, in every
county and at such place in the county
as the board of registration may
designate, by two weeks' public notice.
In those counties having 50,000
people or more, the books will be
open for the first 15 days of August.
It is earnestly desired by those favoring
prohibition that the election
shall be a full expression of the people,
both for and against prohibition.
And for that reason, all persons who
are eligible to do so, are urged to register
and vote.
A. R. P. 8. S. CONVENTION.
Very few delegates but quite a number
of members of the local church
attended the Sunday school convention
of the A. R. P. churches of the
western portion of York county,
which convention was held in the local
A. R. P. church Wednesday. The
convention was the first of its kind
ever held in the county and was by no
means the success which its promoters
hoped it would be.
The features of the convention were
a number of stirring addresses dealing
with various branches of Sunday
school work, the list of speakers including
Miss Maud Blgham of Chester,
who showed the small number of Sunday
school workers how a Sunday
school could be made to grow through
better organization: Prof. D. L. Rambow
of Chester, whose address was in
the nature of a criticism of the methods
of teaching which are used by
many Sunday school instructors; Miss
Marie Craig of Valdosta, Ga., who
spoke of "The Growth of Sunday
Schools Through Better Teaching,"
and Rev. W. P. Grier of Clover, who
chose as his subject, "Growth Intensive."
*
Several of the Sunday schools which
are included in the association, viz.:
Clover, Hickory Grove, Sharon and
Yorkville, made brief reports on the
progress being made in their respective
schools.
On account of the fact that the delegates
present were hardly representa
live or an me cnun-ues which are included
in the association, and since
many who had been expected, failed
to come, no attempt was made to effect
a permanent organization. The
convention named J. W. Kirkpatrick
as temporary leader, and Miss Fannie
Stroup of Yorkvllle, temporary secretary.
Following are the delegates who
were present:
Bethany?Misses Ruth Whitesides,
Ada Davis, Mr. Boyce Faulkner.
Clover?W. O. Stroup, P. O. Stroup,
Rev. W. P. Drier, Miss Mell Neill.
Smyrna?Miss Bessie Quinn, Moffatt
Quinn, R. J. Castles.
Hickory Grove?Miss Janie Wylie,
H. B. McDaniel, Jno. McGill.
Sharon?S. A. Gilflllan, P. B. Kennedy,
J. M. Brice. Mr. and Mrs. G. W.
Whitesides.
Yorkville?Mesdames W. D. Glenn,
and J. L. Oates; Messrs. J. J. Gaulden,
W. J. well, B. M. Shillinglaw, Lyle
Love.
ABOUT PEOPLE
Miss Ada D. McElwee of Yorkville,
is visiting friends in Columbia.
Mr. Walter Fanning of Shelby, visited
friends In Yorkville this week.
Dr. E. A. Law of Bartow, Fla., visited
relatives in Yorkville, this week.
Miss Inez Ardrey of Yorkville, is
visiting friends in Rock Hill and Edgmoor.
Miss Mary Brown of Chester, is visiting
Miss Elizabeth Wllborn in Yorkville.
Mnnrn r\f Pnokv \f niin t
X. C., Is visiting relatives In Yorkvllle.
Miss Gladys Bridges of Blacksburg,
is visiting Miss Mabel Ashe in Yorkvllle.
Rock Hill Herald. July 28: W. J.
Beamguard of Clover, was a visitor ,
here today.
Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Lee of Yorkvllle,
are spending this week with relatives 1
In Shelby.
Miss Julia Crossland of Rock Hill, 1
visited Mrs. F. C. Riddle in Yorkville
this week.
Miss Pat Ashcraft of Monroe, N. C.,
is visiting her aunt, Mrs. R. E. Heath,
In Yorkville.
Misses Elizabeth and Lida Grist left
this morning for a visit to relatives in
Spartanburg. ,
Mr. T. A. Matthews of Potsdale, Ark.
Is visiting relatives and friends in i
York county.
Miss Alee Starr has returned to her 1
home in Yorkville after a visit to
friends in Chester.
Mrs. W. W. Dixon of Wlnnsboro, is
visiting her sister, Mrs. W. F. Marshall
In Yorkville.
Miss Dorothy Skinner of Bishopvllle,
is the guest of Mrs. R. E. Montgomery
in Yorkville.
Dr. W. S. Bean of Clinton, and Mr.
J. H. Glenn of Chester, visited friends
in Yorkville this week.
Mrs. T. B. Huskey and two children
of Preston, Va., are visiting Mrs. Geo.
W. Shcrer in Yorkville.
Mr. Pink Smoak of Columbia is
visiting the family of his father, Mr.
A. W. Smoak in Yorkville.
Mrs. Elzle Myers and Miss Mary Jo
Dickson of Central, S. C., are visiting
Mr. J. G. Dickson in Yorkville.
Mr. Hoyte uunningnam 01 ntuiutw,
N. C., visited his uncle, Mr. J. C. Wllborn,
in Yorkville this week.
Mrs. W. I. Barber of Chester, visited
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Montgomery,
in Yorkville this week.
Rev. and Mrs. E. E. Gillespie and
children of Yorkville, are spending
some time at Sullivan's Island.
Miss Delle Scoggins of Hickory
Grove, is spending some time with
Mrs. Mary Crawford in Yorkville
Mrs. Stewart Abell of Lowryvilie, is
spending some time with her mother,
Mrs. Mary Crawford, in Yorkville.
Mrs. S. A. Robinson and Miss Pearl
Gallant of Gastonia, are the guests of
Mrs. J. W. Kirkpatrick in Yorkville.
Dr. Eleanora Saunders of Columbia,
visited her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
O. L. Sanders in Yorkville this week.
Mrs. J. D. McDowell and children,
Mary Alice and Martha, of Yorkville,
are spending some time at Montreat,
N. C.
Miss Ida Miller Quinn, who has been
spending several weeks in Greenville,
has returned to her home in Yorkville.
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Spencer, Miss
Beck Spencer and Master Donom
Spencer of Yorkville, left today to
spend several weeks at Blowing Rock,
N. C.
Lancaster News, July 27: Mr. J. T.
Thomasson spent Sunday in York
county with his aunt. Miss M. C.
Thomasson.
Misses Pauline Whisonant and Bonnie
Plexico of Rock Hill, visited the
family of Mr. M. E. Plexico in Yorkville
this week.
Messrs. W. J. and John McClain of
Charlotte, visited the family of their
father Mr. W. T. McClain on Yorkville
No. 1, this week.
Mr. R. N. Plaxco of Yorkville No. 1,
went to Lancaster this morning on account
of the critical illness of his sonin-law,
Mr. Walker Craig.
Mrs. W. El F^aulconer of Washington,
D. C., arrived in Yorkville this morning
to spend several weeks with her
sister Mrs. G. W. S. Hart.
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Neely of Edgmoor,
and Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan
Stultz of Rock Hill, visited Mrs. H. A.
D. Neely in Yorkville, this week.
Misses Louise Simril and Maude
Barron of Chester, and Miss Maggie
Hayes of Rock Hill, are the guests of
Miss Jessie Baber in Yorkville.
Mr. W. B. Kerr of Yorkville No. 3.
was in Rock Hill Wednesday to see
Mrs. Kerr, who is undergoing treatment
in the Fennell infirmary.
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Willis, and Miss
Miriam White have returned to their
homes in Yorkville, after spending
several days in Hendcrsonville, N. C.
Misses Janie Wylie of Hickory Grove,
Mary Land of Baltimore, Md., and Janie
Land of Yorkville No. 1, visited
Miss Reba Cain in Yorkville this week.
Rev. Henry Stokes of Yorkville, and
Rev. H. B. Hardy of Hickory Grove,
were among those who attended the
funeral of Rev. R. L. Hoiroyd in Rock
Hill Monday.
Mr. Andrew Wllkerson, who has
been spending several weeks with relatives
in North Carolina and Virginia,
returned to his home in Yorkville on
Tuesday night.
Misses Mary Sue Wallace, Ora L.
Simril and Ora and Mabel Glenn of
Rock Hill, visited friends in Yorkville
this week on their way to the mountains
of North Carolina.
* ^ ? ? ? ? O O . Y>i.,if
a. n. rresujrienau, juijt t,o. nui.
J. L. Pressly left on Monday for York
county, where he will canvass for
Ersklne. Dr. E. W. Pressly of Clover,
came by last week to see Mrs. J. B.
Pressly.
Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Wltherspoon of
Yorkville, left yesterday for Shelby,
N. C., where they expect to spend
some time. They anticipate going to
Catawba springs, near Hickory, N. C.,
after their stay at Shelby.
Mr. John J. Knox who for several
months past has been in the United
States navy, having been on the training
ship Franklin at Norfolk, Va., has
returned to the home of his father Mr.
Geo. W. Knox in Clover.
Mr. John R. Harrison, who learned
his trade as a linotype operator in The
Enquirer office, and who for several
months past has been working in
Montana, is spending a few days with
his parents in Rock Hill.
Mr. Harry C. Smith, who has been
spending several months at the home
of his father, Mr. F. E. Smith, in
Yorkville, returned to Charlotte this
week, where he has a position with
the American Cotton Oil company.
Fort Mill Times: John N. Carothers
left Fort Mill the last week for Washington
city, where he will take up electro-chemical
work in the bureau of
soils under the supervision of the department
of agriculture. For several
years past he has had charge of the
plant at Nitrolee, of the Southern
Electro-Chemical Company.
The following from the current issue
of the Kings Mountain Herald will
be read with interest by many York
county people who are acquainted
with the principal: Prof. Edgar
Long, who has been connected with
the English department of Erskine
college for a number of years, has resigned
that position to accept similar
work at the University of North Carolina.
Prof. Long will do post-graduate
work and will teach some of the English
classes. He and Mrs. Long are
now in Due West making preparations
for leaving.
Gastonia Gazette, July 27: Misses
Katherine McLean and Mary Bradley
returned yesterday from Hickory
Grove, York county, where they were
members of a house-party at the home
of Mrs. Sarah Whitesides. Mr. Walter
Smith and sister. Miss Mamie Smith,
of Clover, are visitors in town today.
Mr. W. D. Flanagan of Bowling i
Green, S. C., was in the city on business
Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. C. G. i
Hill returned this morning from a two
weeks' vacation spent with relatives at
Cross Hill, S. C. En route home they
visited Mrs. Hill's sister, Mrs. H. L.
Summltt, at Yorkvllle, S. C. Attending
the Sabbath school rally at the
First Associate Reformed Presbyterian
church today are Messrs. J. A. and W.
M. Crawford. Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Ferguson,
Mr. J. J. Henry, and Mr. and
Mrs. James Adams of Crowders
Creek, Rev. W. P. Grler of Clover, and
Prof. W. P. Grler of Charlotte. Rev.
F. W.' Dibble, pastor of the Clover
Methodist church, was in Gastonia
Saturday, en route home from a visit
to Columbia.
THE FILBERT PICNIC.
There was another great picnic at
Filbert yesterday, and when the day
was over it was conceded by all those
most directly interested, that the occasion
measured up fully with all the
interesting events that had gone before,
not only in point of general attendance;
but in the prominence of
the speakers, the interest and significance
of the matters discussed, and in
other features.
There was a tremendous gathering
of people in attendance. They came
from Gaston and adjoining counties
of North Carolina, from the country
immediately surrounding, and from
all parts of York county, and from
distant parts of the state. As to how
many were present is a matter of es
umaie oniy. congressman r tniey pui
his figures at 3,600. Former Governor
Blease said between 3,500 and
4,000. Congressman Lever thought
there must be between 7,000 and
8,000 in all, and Mr. W. F. Stevenson
Bald he did not know, but it looked
to him like there must be between
4,000 and 5,000. Others made other
estimates; but none of them fell below
3,000. As compared with the
crowd of last year some thought it
larger and others thought It smaller;
but all were agreed that from the
standpoint of attendance there was
little more to be desired.
The grounds presented somewhat
the appearance of a midway in the
number and variety of the shows and
the like. There was a picture show,
a "snake charmer," a merry-goround,
and booths for the sale of .soft
drinks, ice cream, sandwiches, etc.,
and all of these did good business
throughout the day.
There were large numbers of women
and children on the grounds, and
the behavior of everybody was all
that could be desired. Several policemen
were on duty, and all of them
made themselves useful in helping
strangers with necessary information;
but if any were called upon to make
an arrest during the day, the reporter
did not learn of the fact
The principal attraction of the occasion
outside of the general social interest,
was the distinguished array of
invited speakers in attendance.' These
included former Governor Blease,
Hon. John L. McLaurin, Hon. A. F.
Lever, Hon. W. F. Stevenson, Hon. D.
E. Fin ley and Rev. Lacey Holt of
Norfolk, Va. While at no time were
there more than five or six hundred
people listening to the speakers, and
a part of the time considerably less
than n hundred, the attention was
generally close and interested.
The principal feature of the economic
discussion was the general endorsement
of the state warehouse
law. Mr. Stevenson led the way along
the lines already laid down by Mr.
McLauiin, and Mr. McLaurin accepted
all that Mr. Stevenson had said,
with approval. Mr. Flnley wanted as
many warehouses as could be had,
both state and independent, and wanted
to put a stop to substitution in independent
warehouses. Mr. Lever
thought the state warehouse a good
thing, but seemed to be of opinion that
his proposed Federal system would be
superior. Mr. Blease was for state rather
than Federal regulation of warehouses,
because it was reasonably certain
that the Federal government
would not always be in hands friendly
to tho cotton producer, and the system
might be used to the south's disadvantage.
The audience was not quite as demonstrative
as some previous audiences
had been; but it was courteous and
considerate, as well as appreciative,
of all the speakers. The committee
purposely held former Governor
Blease to the last, in order to "hold
the crowd," and the result attested
the ex-governor's continued popularitv.
His manv friends aDDlauded him
frequently, not only when he scored
the national administration, but when
he denounced England and praised
Germany.
Hon. J. E. Beamguard, senator from
York county, presided over the speakers'
stand, and Mr. A. J. Barry, a
young ministerial student, opened the
exercises with an earnest, appropriate
prayer for Divine guidance and blessing.
Hon. VV. F. Stevenson of Chesterfield,
was introduced as the first speaker,
and he held the interest of his audience
for nearly an hour, mainly in a discussion
of the war situation as it relates
to the price of cotton. He commenced
his remarks with a clear and comprehensive
review of the conditions that
developed in the south on the breaking
out of the war last August, told how
prices went to pieces, and how the
business and industrial situation was
plunged into sudden demoralization
that seemed to threaten panic and ruin.
The new cotton crop was about ready
to go on the market; but the spinners
suddenly quit buying, and there was
no way to borrow money for the reason
that the local banks did not have
any, and there was no means of guaranteeing
local warehouse receipts in
such manner as to make them negotiable
abroad.
The situation, said Mr. Stevenson,
was one which called for courageous
action on the part of the chief executive,
and the chief executive had the
courage to meet that situation by calling
an extra session of the general assembly,
the only thing to be done under
the circumstances. He went on to
say that the extra session of the general
assembly gave the problem by which
it was confronted its most careful consideration
and its labors resulted in the
passage of the state warehouse law,
which law, though passed in a shape
that was not altogether satisfactory,
alone fully justifies the action of the
governor in calling the general assembly
together, and is well worth the entire
cost of the session. He said that
the warehouse bill was passed in the
face of the most powerful opposition
that could be brought to bear, this opposition
coming from the cotton buyers,
the banks, and the cotton mills,
and other interests which saw the possibility
of so much of the profit they
are now getting out of the handling of
the cotton crop being saved to the producers
thereof.
Next Mr. Stevenson reviewed the
state bond proposition, which received
so much attention at the hands of the
general assembly and which was so
much discussed throughout the state
last October. He gave the full credit
for tho idea to Mr. J. K. Henry of
Chester. "I did not think much of the
proposition at first," he said, "but the
more I thought of it, the more it ap
pealed to me, and when I give my approval
to any proposition I give it my
full support." He explained how the
bond proposition provided a means
whereby the state undertook to lend
the farmers 9 cents a pound on cotton
which was then bringing only a little
more than 6 cents, and how it was intended
to use the credit of the state to
help the farmers out of their difficulty.
He told how the bankers of the state
following the lead of representatives
of that interest from Spartanburg,
were enthusiastic for the bond issue so
long as it appeared that the bonds
were to be turned over to them for
distribution to their own customers,
the people who owed the banks and
who borrowed from the banks; but how
when it was finally decided that the
bonds should be loaned directly to the
owners of the cotton in a way that
would give preference to the smaller
growers, the renters and the like, the
banks turned against the bill and put
the daily papers to fighting it. He
cited the course of the cotton market
through the period from the time of
the proposed legislation to May to
show that if the bill had become a law,
all of the $24,000,000 worth of bonds
could have been retired on the legitimate
market in May with the farmers
of South Carolina having about $8,000,000
profit to their credit as the result
of the transaction. "And this $8,000,
000 would have felt good In a year like
this," he said. '
Mr. Stevenson insisted that the feas- <
ibility of the whole plan had been '
proved beyond question by actual de- <
velopments; but he had no quarrel <
with Governor Blease for holding up I
the bill so it could not become a law J
until too late for the ratification of
the people in the pending election. He 1
was willing to trust to the good judg- i
merit of the people in any proposition; i
but while he himself had no doubt l
whatever as to the adequacy of the ^
bond idea, he recognized how it involv- I
ed questions that the people could not I
understand without intelligent explanation,
and as the time was so qhort 1
for such explanation, he was not pre- I
pared to say that the governor had I
acted unwisely in handling the matter i
as he had done. He did not hesitate to <
say, however, that the bill was "sand- I
bagged and hamstrung" by people who j
get their living out of the cotton producers
of South Carolina. <
Next Mr. Stevenson took up and dis- i
cussed at considerable lenath the con- I
troversy between the United States i
and England as to cotton. When our I
government protests against the action <
of England in holding up cotton des- 1
tlned to Germany, etc., England comes i
back at us with the precedent set by I
the Federal government when It was
trying to starve the south during the
civil war. He thought it was the duty
of the president to repudiate this old ,
doctrine, and to insist that cotton (
should have the freedom of the seas, ,
and although he did not want to be (
understood as wanting war, he felt that
the president would be amply justified
in giving England to understand that j
unless she agrees to free trade in cot- ,
ton, the United States will lay an embargo
on the food supplies and munitions
by which alone England Is now
able to carry on the war. He explained
that the cotton for which England is
now paying 10 cents is the same that
was wrung out of the farmers of the
south for 6 cents, and every cargo that
England seizes out of this crop makes '
Just that much less that she will have ;
to pay for out of the next crop. Mr. J
Stevenson said he did not believe in
this war business, but he did believe
in this country protecting its rights
and he thought that the exercise of- a
little backbone would secure what
properly belongs to us. Mr. Stevenson
was liberally applauded.
Hon. John L. McLaurin.
Hon. John L. McLaurin followed Mr.
Stevenson and began his remarks with
hearty commendation of what that
speaker had said as to the proper
treatment of England. He repeated in
part what he had said about everybody
getting rich out of the war except
the cotton farmer, and showed
how our misfortune in the matter was
chargeable to the high-handed arro
and said that the express companies
of America are charging sixteen times
as much as any European country for
carrying a hundred pounds a hundred
miles. He' characterised the express
companies as mere parasites without
tangible property or responsibility
and told how he was working on the
problem of reducing transportation
charges when the war broke out He
hoped that much would be accomplished
in this direction.
He discussed the president's ship
purchase proposition and differentiated
between it and the subsidy proposition
on the ground that purchase
went down a little deeper into the
public treasury and procured ships
for the government ownership, while
the subsidy idea proposed to help individuals
at the expense of the whole
people. Although he had long been .
interested in the development of ocean
transportation, he had not favored
the purchase idea very strongly at
first; but the more he had studied it,
the more he was pleased with it He
spoke of the opposition the president
had encountered to his idea, principally
from the north and west; but
predicted that although the law had
not passed at the last session, it would
yet go through. He referred with
admiring enthusiasm to the president's
determination and tenacity of
purpose, and said that heavy jaw was
like unto that of a bulldog, and when
it once took hold, it could not De
prized loose with a crowbar.
Mr. Lever commended the advice
of Senator McLaurin not to become
panic-stricken but to hold on to the
warehouse system, back it up and be
patient. "If you will do this," said
Mr. Lever, "I will almost gamble that
you will break the opposition to high
priced cotton."
In conclusion Mr. Lever told how the
continuance of republican institutions
depended upon the prosperity of
the farmer. He said that if all the
skscrapers of the big cities were destroyed.
with the agricultural interests
remaining intact, the skyscrapers
eould be rebuilt almost in a night;
but any hostile legislation or calamity
that injures the farmer means injury
for all.
Hon. Cole L. Bleaae.
The introduction of former Governor
Blease was followed by the most
pronounced demonstration of the day.
Cries of "Blease! Blease! Hurrah
tor Blease!" came from all parts of
the crowd and amid cheers and hubbub
could be heard, "Give it to 'em,
Coley," and the like.
Mr. Lever had gotten off a pleasintly
intended little skit about having
been bitten by a mosquito that
had bitten Finley, with the result that
he had gotten to be almost as good
looking as Finley. Referring to this
skit, the former governor said it was
not a mosquito; but a gallinlpper that
had sucked all the blood out of Lever,
ind put it in Finley. and there was
i laugh at the expense of both Lever *
ind Finley.
Continuing, the speaker said that
he esteemed it an especially high
honor to be invited to address the people
of York county at this great Filbert
picnic for more reasons than one
Put one of the reasons was because
:he invitation gave the lie to certain
slanderous stories that had been circulated
about him all over the state
land with her councils prohibiting the
shipment of cotton to neutrals.
The supply of cotton now in hand Is
smaller than it has been at this time
of year in five years, said Mr. Finley.
The trouble is. not with the supply, but
with the distribution of that supply.
The speaker was proud of the fact
that he was a citizen of the most
Christian country in the world. He
was glad this country was at peace.
I do not believe that the United States
should fight England or Germany, or
both, said the congressman, who declared
he would cast his ballot for
complete armament, especially for the
building of submarines, which were the
chief factors in naval warfare today.
gance of England, and the lack of organization
in the south. He deplored
the sinking of the Lusitania as a most
horrible affair; but he insisted that the
freedom of the seas for American cotton
was a matter of very much greater
concern to us than this horrible tragedy.
The Lusitania matter was little
more than an ordinary incident of war,
the loss of a thousand lives or so in
one place where other thousands of
lives were being just as unjustifiably
snuffed or starved out in other places.
But against this tragedy he was disposed
to weigh the tragedy of hundreds
of thousands of our own people
being deprived of the proceeds of their
labor without any show of right or
Justice because of the high-handed
action of England. He charged that
England had taken our cotton wholeyJe
at 5 and 6 cents a pound and was
retailing it out to other nations at 30
cents a pound. He did not want any
war, he said; but in this matter it Is
up to us to defend ourselves, else we
are liable to be reduced to circumstances
no less desperate than war can
bring upon us. In view of the fact
that the United States is now the only
country in the world that is on a gold
basis, and we are adding to our wealth
at a rate that in another year will
make us wealthier than all the other
nations put together, we are going to
be extremely lucky if we get through
with this thing without getting into a
war that might be brought about
through envy of our good fortune.
Mr. McLaurin discussed the warehouse
system at length, stressing more
particularly the finance feature thereof,
and declaring that it Is the only
means by which the cotton producers
can hope to take care of themselves in
the existing situation. He gave figures
to show how the tremendous cotton
crop of last year had so largely
disappeared by reason of the use of so
much of lb for making powder, and
how although next year the world's
supply will be only about two-thirds
of the legitimate demand, the producers
of cotton cannot hope to get anything
like their share of the high prices
that are certain to ODtain unless iney
warehouse their cotton and finance the
same in accordance with the system
that he has worked out. The greatest
enemies of the cotton producers, he
said, are not in England and Germany,
but right here at home?the people
who refuse to help them out of the
present situation and be satisfied with
their Just proportion of a legitimate
profit. If these would join in and help
in what we are trying to do, it would
be easier and more profitable for all
of ua
The speaker discussed in detail the
necessity for a law to license cotton
grading and told how it would work
without injustice to anybody, and in
doing so emphasized the significance
of the fact that although we have laws
governing weights and measures in
all other commodities, these laws afford
no protection whatever for cotton.
In conclusion, Mr. McLaurin reviewed
the strenuous efforts he had put
forth during the past several years to
help the cotton producers to a fairer
and more equitable method of marketing
their crops, told briefly what had
been accomplished up to this time, and
put it up to his hearers something like
this:
You understand very well what I am
trying to do. I have explained to you
fully and frankly the imperfections of
the warehouse law, and how much depends
upon your backing. Now what
are you going to do? If you are going
to build warehouses, quit talking
and do it. If you are not, say so, and
let me return to my own affairs. I
promise you that if you build warehouses
and put your cotton therein, I
will see to it that you get all the money
you need, from your local bankers if
they will co-operate, and from elsewhere
If they will not. If you will give
me a law to license the grading of cotton,
I will see that the law is enforced,
to the very great profit of the seller, or
I will give you some mighty good white
labor on your roads. But whatever
you are going to do, do it, and quit
talking.
The fact that Mr. McLaurin had
many friends in the big audience was
evidenced by frequent applause. When
he concluded his address, shortly before
12 o'clock, he started for Charlotte
with the intention of taking Mrs. McLaurin
from the hospital to the mountains.
Hon. D. E. Finley.
Sometimes, said Congressman D. E.
Finley, who was next introduced to
the audience, the Filbert picnic is a
Woodman's picnic, again it is a school
picnic and all the time it is a people's
picnic. i
The question of absorbing interest i
at present, said the speaker, is the Eu- <
ropean war. I trust that it will end i
speedily. I have no sympathy with 1
either side. People ask me occasional- I
ly, "Why this war?" and I tell you as ,
1 did the people at Armenia yesterday,
it is because those people in Europe
have forgotten God.
We have suffered at the hands of (
England and at the hands of Germany, ]
declared Mr. Finley. How are we go- <
ing to help it? The chief crop of the |
south has dropped from 16 to 8 cents |
a pound. Does not that show that we j
have suffered? We can't grow cotton i
at that price. Yes, both sides have
worked great hardships on us?Ger- i
mnnv with her submarines and Eng- |
I do not propose to vote as I have
said, for purposes of offense, but rathsr
for the purpose of defense. Are you
with me on this? asked the speaker,
who observed that the southern farmsrs
seem to be catching It. If It isn't
the boll weevil it is the bull-headed
European nations.
No one has ever heard me say a
word against warehouses?any kind of
warehouses, said Mr. Flnley. The more
warehouses we have in this country
Lhe better for the southern farmer.
We should have enough warehouses to
take care of forty per cent of the cotton
crop.
The speaker advocated diversitied
Farming and was glad to see York county
farmers making such rapid progress
in that direction. He deplored the unstable
market in this section for such
crops and declared that we would have
to make preparation to dispose of such
products.
In concluding Congressman Flnley
liscussed the question of rural credits
it some length. The average rate of
Interest paid by farmers throughout
the country is 8 1-2 per cent. Congress
Is now considering the-Idea of enacting
t measure whereby the farmer can use ^H|
the crops which he produces to some
advantage, since they may in the future
be regarded as security for loans.
Hon. A. F. Lever.
Representative in congress from
the Second district, and chairman of
the committee on agriculture, was the
first speaker after dinner. He made
juite an Interesting and instructive
speech in which he explained the operation
of the L?ver cotton futures
law, told about a Federal warehouse
bill which he had introduced and
which he expected to pass at the next
session of congress, discussed the
pending ship purchase bill, and paid
a glowing tribute to the sagacity and
determination and grit of President
Wilson.
o* t iuur arnaA hefnre a friendly
and sympathetic audience, and he
immediately proceeded to get closer
to his friends by repeating some of
the jokes and anecdotes from the
large fund he has accumulated during
his experience. The Jokes and ^
anecdotes related mainly to himself, ^
and dealt with his youth at the time v
he entered congress, with his dimlnu- x
tive size and his dried-up personal
appearance. He said this was his fifty-ninth
speech since the 1st of
March and he was still feeling pretty
well and looking very well. He compared
himself with Mr. Flnley in
looks, much to the amusement of a
large portion of the audience.
Mr. Lever had Intended to devote
himself to other subjects of very great
importance; but since the discussion
of the day had hinged very largely
on cotton, he would have something
to say along that line also. He began
by discussing the marketing question,
explaining how price depended
upon supply and demand, and how
when the supply exceeded the demand
it was necessary to conserve the surplus
bo as to keep supply and demand
in proper balance.
He told of a cotton warehouse bill
he had Introduced and which he expected
to get through at the next session
of congress. This bill provides
for the standardization of cotton
grades and for receipts which guarantee
title, weight and grade to the
holder. It provides for licensed cotton
graders, bonded warehousemen
and all other considerations that go
to make up a thoroughly negotiable
paper. He had not studied the state
warehouse system sufficiently to give
a satisfactory opinion as to its merits;
but endorsed the general principle of
it However, the state system was not
calculated to give the same unquestionable
character to a receipt that
was to be expected from the proposed
Federal system, the idea being that
just as the state receipt had its advantage
over the private receipt, the
Federal receipt would be that much
better than the state receipt.
Mr. Lever discussed at length the
operation of the cotton futures law
Introduced in the senate by Senator
Hoke Smith, in the house by himself,
and gotten through by the joint efforts
of both after a long and tedious
fight against various Interests that
were opposed to its passage. He cited
Ko faot thai th? Inw hud found full
justification last fall, for upon the
re-opening of the exchange after it
had been closed after the war began,
trading was commenced on contracts
under both the old and new style, and
the new form contracts invariably
sold at from 26 to 40 points over the
old. The principal virtue of the bill
was the requirement for the delivery
of actual cotton of standard grade,
and of not less than seven-eighths ol
an inch staple, whereas formerly any
kind of trash was deliverable on contract.
He quoted Frank B. Hayne as
saying that although this law is still
in need of revision it has already
saved to the cotton producers no less than
$60,000,000.
In discussing the necessity for an
adequate system of warehouMng, Mr.
Lever said that experts had advised
his committee that the "weather
waste" in the south amounts to $40,000,000
annually. "You can put me
down absolutely and unqualifiedly in
favor of the state warehouse syBtem,"
said Mr. Lever, and if you have not
got a complete and satisfactory law,
you must go on and Improve it until
you get it perfect
Mr. Lever discussed quite interestingly
the discussion of small packages.