Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SiN IS INFECTIOUS. REV. DR. TALMAGE SHOWS THE EVILS OF BAD COMPANY. Association With the Wickt Breeds Corruption-Re Who Consorts With the Unclean Will Be Poi ute(. Says the Great Die'!. WASHSGTON, May 17.-Young and old, but more especially the vouug men and women of our time, have a vital interest in the theme upon which Rev. Dr. Talmage discourses today. He chose for his subject, "Bad Com pany," the text selected being Pro verbs i, 15, "Walk not thou in the way with them." Hardly any yound man goes to a place of dissipation alone. Each one is accompanied. No man goes to ruin alone. He always takes some one else with him. "May it please the court," said a convicted criminal when asked if he had anything to say before sentence of death was passed upon him -"may it please the court, bad com pany has been my ruin. I received the blessing of good parents. and, in return, promised to avoid all evil as sociations. Had I kept my promise I should have been saved this shame and been free from the load of guilt that hangs around me :ike a vulture, threatening to drag me to justice for crimes yet unreveaied. I, who once moved in the first circles of society and have been the s uest of distin guished public men, am lost, and all through bad company." This is but one of the thousand proofs that evil associations blast and destroy. It is the invariable rule. There is a well man in the wards of a hospital, where there are a hundred people sick with ship fever, and he will not be so apt to take the disease as a good man would be apt to be smitten with moral distemper if shut up with iniquitous companions. In olden times prisoners were herded to gether in the same cell, but each one learned the vices of all the culprits. so *hat instead of being reformed' by in carceration the day of liberation turned them out upon society oeasts, not men. We may, in our places of business, be compelled to talk to and mingle with bad men, but he who deliberately chooses to associate himself with vi cious people is engaged in carrying cn a courtship with a Delilah whose shears will clip off all the locks of his strength and he will be tripped into perdition. Sin is catching, is infec tious, is epidemic. I will let you look over the millions of people now inhab iting the earth, and I challenge you to show me a good man who, af ter one year, has made choice and consorted with the wicked. A thousand dollars reward for one such instance. I care not how strong your character may be. Go with the corrupt, and you will become corrupt; clan with bur glars, and you will become a burglar; go among the unclean, and you will become unclean. Many a young man has been destroyed by not appreciat ing this. He wakes up some morning in the great city and knows no one except the persons into whose employ he has entered. As he goes into the store all the clerks mark him, measure him and discuss him. The upright young men of the store wish him well, but perhaps wait for a formal introdnc tion, and even thenhave some delicacy about inviting him into their associa tions. But the bad you~ng men of the storest the first opportunity approach and offer their services. They patronize him; they profess to know all about the town; they will take him any where he wishes to go-if he will pay the expenses-for if a good young man and a bad young man go to some place where they ought not the good young man has invariably to pay the chares. At the moment the ticket is paid for, or the champagne settled for, the bad youngman feels around in his pockets and says, "I have forgotten 14hour afer the yug man has entered the store the badfellows of the esablishment slan him on the shoul der familiarly and at his stupidity in taking certain allusions say, "My yugfriend, you will have to be boein" and they immediately pro ceed to break him in. Young man. in the name of God I warn you to be ware how you let a bad man talk fa miliarly with you. If such a one slap you on the shoulder familiarly, turn round and give him a withering look until the wretch crouchesin your pres ence. There is no monstrosity of wickedness that can stand unabashed under the glance of purity and honor. God keeps the lightninigs of heaven in his own scabbird, and no human arm can wield them, but God gives to ev ery young man a .lightning that he may use, and that is the ligrhtning of an honest eye. Those who have been close observers .of city life will not wonder why I give warning to young men and say, "Beware of evil com pnions." I warn you to shun the skeptic-the young man who puts his fingers in his vests and laughs at your old fash ioned religion and turns over to some mystery of Bible and says, "Explain that, my pious friend; explain that." And who says: "Nobody shall scare me. I am not afraid of the future. I used to believe in such things, and: so did my father and mother, but I have got over it." Yes, he has got over it, and if you sit in his company a little longer you will get over it too, Without presenting one argument against the Christian religion sucrn men will, by their jeers and scoffs and caricatures, destroy your respect for that relig'ion, which was the strength of your father in his declining years and the pillow of your old mother when she lay a-dying. Alas! a time will come when this blustering young infidel will have to die, and then his diamond ring will flash no splendor in the eyes of Death, as he stands over the couch, waiting for his soul. Those, beautiful locks will be uncombed upon the pillow, and the dying man will say, "I can not die-I cannot die." Death, stand ing ready besiae the couch, says: "You must die. You have only half a minute to live. Let me have it right away-your soul." "No," says the young infidel, "here are my gold insand these pictures. Take them al.'"No," says Death. "What do I care for pictures? Your soul r' "Stand back!" says the dying infideL. "I will not stand back," says Death, "for you have only ten seconds now tohlve. I want your soul." The dying man says: "Don't breathe that cold air into my face. You crowd me too hard. It is getting dark in the room. O. God!" ,'Hush!" says Death. "You said there was no God." "Pray for me!" ex claims the expiring infideL. "Too late to pray," says Death. "But thre more seconds to live, and I will count them off-one-two-three." He has gone! Wherel Where? Carry him out and bury himt beside his father and mother, who died while holding fast the Christian religion. They died sing ing, but the young infidel only said: "Don't breathe that cold air into my face. You crowd me too hard. It is getting dark in the room.' Again I urge you to shun the corn pamonship of idlers. There are men hanging around every store and olhice and shop who have nothing to do, or act as if they had not. They are apt to come in when the firm are away and wish to enae you in conversation. while you are engaged in your regular employment. Politely suggest to such persons that you have no time to give them during business hours. Nothing would please them so well as to have vou renounce your occupation and as sociate with them. Much of the time they lounge around the doors of en gine houses, :or after the dining hour stand upon the steps of a fashionable hotel or an elegant restaurant, wish ing to give you the idea that is the place where they dine. But they do not dine there. They are sinking down lower and lower day by day. Neither by day nor by night have any thing to do with idlers. Before you admit a man into your acquaintance ask him politely, "What do you do for a living ' If he says, "Nothing; I am a gentleman," look out for him. He may have a very soft hand and very faultless apparel and have a high sounding family name, but his touch is death. Before you know it, you will in his presence be ashamed of your work dress. Busi ness will become to you drudgery, and after awhile you will lose your place, and afterward your respectability, and last of all, your soul. Idleness is next door to villainy. Thieves, gamblers, burglars, shoplifters and assassins are made from the class who have noth ing to do. When-the police go to hunt un and arrest a culprit, they seldom go to look in at the busy carriage fac tory or behind the counter where dili gent clerk are employed, but they go among the groups of idles. The play is going on at the theater. when sud denly there is a scuffle in the top gal lery. What is it? A policeman has come in, and, leaning over, has tap ped on the shoulder of a young m'n, saying, "I want you, sir." le has not worked during the day, but some how has raked together a shilling or two to get into the top gallery. He is an idler. The man on his right hand is an idler, and the man on his left hand is an idler. During the past few years there has been a great deal of dullness in busi ness. Young men have complained that they have little to do. If they have nothing else to do, they can read and improve their minds and hearts. These times are not always to continue. Business is waking up, and the super ior knowledge that in this interregnum of work you may obtain will be worth $50,000 of capital. The large fortunes of the next 20 years are having their foundations laid now by the young men who are giving themselves to self improvement. I went into a store in New York and saw five men, all Chris tians, sitting round, saying that they had notning to do. It is an outrage for a Christian man to have nothing to do. Let him go out and visit poor, or distribute tracts, or go and read the Bible to the sick, or take out his New Testament and be making h's eternal fortune. Let him go into the back of fice and pray. Shrink back from idleness in your self and in others if you woul.i main tain a right position. Good old Ash bel Green at more than SO years of age was found busy writing, and some young man said to him: "Why do you keep busy? It is time for you to rest ." He answered, "I keep busy to keep out of mischief. !' No man is strong enough to be idle. Are you fond of pictures? If so, I will show you one of the works of an old master. Here it is: "I went by the field of the slothful and by the vine yard of the man void of understand ing, and lo! it was all grown over with thorns and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered well. T looked upon it and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth and thy want as an armed man." I dont know of an other sentence in the Bible more ex plosive than that. It first hisses softly like the fuse of a cannon, and at last bursts like a 54 pounder. The old proverb was right, '-The devil tempts most men, but idlers tempts the devil." A young man came to a man of 90 years of age and said to him, "How have you made out to live so long and be so well?" The old man took the youngster to an orchard, and, point ing to some large trees full of apples, said, "I planted these trees when I was a boy; and do you wonder that now I am permitted to gather the fruit of them?" We gather in old age what we nlant in our youth. Sow to the win, and we reap the whirlwind. Plant in early lie the right kind of a Christian character, and you will eat luscious fruit in old age and gather these harvest apples in eternity. I urge you to avoid the .perpetual pleasure seeker. I believe in recrea tion and amusement. God would not1 have made us with the capacity to laugh if he had not intended us some times to indulge it. God hath hung in sky and set in wave and printed on grass many a roundelay, but he who chooses pleasure seeking for his lifeI work does not understand for what God made him. Our amusements are intended to help us in some earnest mission, The thundercloud hath an edge exquisitely purpled, but with voice that jars the earth it declares,I go to water the green fields." The wild flowers under the fence are gay, but they say, "We stand here to make room for the wheatfield and to refresh the husbandmen in their nooning." The stream sparkles and foams and1 frolics and says: "I go to baptize the moss. I leave the spots on the trout.1 I slake the thirst of the bird. I turn the wheel of the mill. I rock in my] crystals cradle muckshaw and water lily." And so, while the world plays, it works. Look out for the man who always plays and never works. You will do well to avoid those whose regular business is to play ball, 1 skate or go a-boating. All these sports2 are grand in their places. I never de rived so much advantage from any - ministerial association as from a min isterial club that went out to play ball every Saturday afternoon in the out skirts of Philadelphia. These recrea ions are grand to give us muscle and spirits for cur regular toil. I believe i muscular Christianity. A man iss >ften not so near God with a weak stomach as when he has a strong di- - estion. But shun those who make it3 heir life occupation to sport. Thesea ire young men whose industry and f sefulness have fallen overboard from 1 Lhe yacht. There are men whose bus- -S iness fell through the ice of the skat ing pond and has never since been I heard of. There is a beauty in thec gliding of a boat, in the song of skates, in the soaring of a well strucki ball, and I never see one fly but I in- 1 voluntarily throw up my hands toC oatch it, and, so far from laying anc injuction upon ball playing or anyi other innocent sport, I claim them all as blonoing of right to those of us who toil in the grand industries of church and state. But the life business of pleasure sekn awy makes in the end a crma or a sot. George Brummel: was smiled upon by all England andi his life was given to pleasure. He danced with the peeresses and swung< a round of mirth and wealth and ap plause, until, exhausted of purse and worn out of body and bankrupt of reputation and ruined of soul, hei begged a biscuit from a grocer and de-< clared that he thought a dog's life was better than a man's. Such men will come into your office, to decoy you off. They will want you to break out in the midst of your busy day to take a ride with them. They will tell you of some people you must see, of some excursion that you must take, of some Sabbath day that you ought to dishonor. They will tell you of exquisite wines that you must taste, of costly operas that you must hear, of wonderful dancers that you must see, but before you accept their convoy or their companionship remember that while at the end of a useful life you may be able to look back to kindnesses done, to honorable work accomplished, to poverty helped, to a good name earned, to Christian influence exerted, to a Saviour's cause advanced, these pleasure seekers on their deathbeds having noling better to review than a torn playbill, a ticket for the races, an empty tankard and the cast out rinds of a carousal, and as in the delirium of their awful death they clutch the goblet and press it to their lips the dregs of the cup falling upon their tongue will begin to hiss and uncoil with the adders of an eter nal poison. Again, avoid as you would avoid the death of your body, mind and soul any one who has in him the gambling spirit. Men, who want to gamble will find places just suited to their capacity, not only in the underground oyster cellar, or at the table back of the cur tain, covered with greasy cards, or in the steamboat smoaking cabin, where the bloated wretch with rings in his ears deals out his pack and winks at the unsuspecting traveler-providing free drinks all around-but in gilded parlors and amid gorgeous surround ings. This sin works ruin first by unhealth ful stimulants. Excitement is pleas urable. Under every sky and in ev ery age have sought it. The China man gets it by smoking his opium, the Persian by chewing hashesh, the trap per in a butfalo hunt, the sailor in a squall, the inebriate in the bottle and the avaricious at the gaming table. We must at times have excitement. A thousand voices in our nature de mand it. It is right. It is healthful. It is inspiring. It is a desire God giv en. But anything that first gratifies this appetite and hurls it back in a ter ritlic reaction is deplorable and wick ed. Look out for the agitation that like a rough musician, in bringing out the tune plays so hard he breaks down the instrument. God never made man strong enough to endure the wear and tear of gambling excitement. No wonder if, after having failed in the game, men have begun to sweep off imaginary gold from the side of the table. The man was sharp enough when he started at the game, but a maniac at the close. At every gam ing table sit on one side, ectasy, en thusiasm, romance-the frenzy of joy; on the other side, fierceness, rage, tumult. The professional gamester schools himself into apparent quiet ness. The keepers of gambling rooms are generally fat, rollicking and obese, but thorough and professional gam blers, in nine cases out of ten, are pale, thin, wheezy, tremulous and exhausted. A young man having suddenly in herited a large property sits at the hazard tables and takes up the dice cup the estate won by a father's life time sweat and shakes it and tosses it away. Intemperance soon stigmatizes its victim-kicking him out, a slaver ig fool, into tthe ditch, or sending him, with the drunkard's hiccough, staggering up the street where his family lives, But gambling does not in that way expose its victims. The gambler may be eaten up by the gambler's passion, yet you only dis cover it by the greed in his eyes, the hardness of his features, the nervous restlessness, the threadbare coat and his embarrassed business. Yet he is on the road to hell, and no preacher's voice, or startling warning, or wife's entreaty, can make him stay for a moment his headlong career. The infer nal spell is on him; a giant is aroused within, and though you may bind him with cables they would part like thread, and though you fasten him seven times round with chains they would snap like rusted wire, and though you piled up in his path heav en high Bibles, tracts and sermons and on the top should set the cross of the Son of God, over them all the gambler would leap like a roe over the rocks on his way to perdition. A man used to reaping scores or hundreds of dollars from the gaming table will not be content with slow work. He will say. "What is the use of my trying to make these $50 in my store when I can get five times that in half an hour down at Billy's ?", You never knew a confirmed gambler who was industrious. The men given to this vice spend their time, not actively engaged in the game, in idleness or intoxication or sleep or in corrupting new victims. This sin has dulled the :arpenter's saw and cut the band of the factory wheel, sunk the cargo, broken the teeth of the far mer's barrow and sent a strange lightning to shatter the batte ry of the philosopher. The very first idea in gaming is at war with all the industries of society. Any trade or ccupation that is of use is ennobling. The street s weeper advances the inter sts of society by the cleanliness effect ad. The cat pays for the fragments it ats by cleaning the house of vermin. he fly that takes the sweetness from :he dr'egs of the cup compensates by aurifyin g the air and keeping back :he pestilence. But the gambler gives aot anything for that which he lakes. Erecall that sentence. lie does make return, but it is disgrace to the man 1e ileeces, despair to his heart, ruin to iis business, ~ aneriish to his wife, hame to his children and eternal ~rasting away to his seul. He pays in ears and blood and agony and dark ess and woe. What dull work is >lowing to the farmer when in the illage saloon in one night he makes Lnd loses the value of a summer bar rest! Who-will want to sell tape and neasure nankeen and cut garments Lnd weigh sugais when in a night's came he makes and loses and makes tgain and loses again the profits of a eason? John Borack was sent as nercantile agent from Bremen to England and this country. After two rears his employers mistrusted that I was not right. He was a defaulter or $S7,000. It was found that he had ost in Lombard street, London, i29,00; in Fulton street, New York, 1l0,000, and in New Orleans, $3,000. le was imprisoned, but afterward es aped and went into the gambling >rofesson. He died in a lunatic asy um. This crime is getting its lever mder many a mercantile house in ur cities, and before long down will ome the great establishment, crush ng reputation, home comfort and im nortal souls. The whole world is robbed. What s most sad. there are no consolations *or the loss and suffering entailed by raming. If men fail in lawful busi ess, God pities and society commiser ites, but where in the Bible or society, s there any consolation for the gain ler? F-romi what tree of the forest ozes there a balm that can soothe the ramester's heart ? In that bottle where 3-od keeps the tear-s of his children are here any tears of the gambler? D)o 1he winds that comie to kiss the faded ~heek of sickness and to cool the heat d brow of the laborer whisper hope md cheer to the emaciated victim of he game of hazard? When an honest "Poor fellow," they say. But do gam blers come to waen at the agonies of the gambler: In Northumber'end was one of the finest es'ates in iEngland. Mr. Porter owned it, and inl a year gambled it all away. Having lost the last acre of the et ite. he came down from tle saloon and got into his car riage, went back, put up his horses and carriage and town house and played. He threw and lost. He start el for home, and on a side alley met a friend, from whom he borrowed ton guineas. He went back to the saloon, and before a great while had won ?20,000. He died at last a b:-ggar in St. Giles. How many gamblers felt sorry for Mr. Porter: Who consoled him on the loss of his estate! What gambler subscribed to put a stone over the poor man's grave! Not one! Fur thermore. this sin is the s ;urce of un counted dishonesty. The game of hazard itself is often a cheat. How many tricks and dcceptions in the dealing of the cards. The opponent's hand is ofttiimes found out by fraud. Cards are marked so that they may be designated from the back. Expert gaiesters have their accomplices, and one wink may decide the game. The dice have been found loaded with pl tina, so that d )ublets come up every time. These dice are introduced by the gamblers unobserved by the hon est men who come into the play, and this vccounts fo- the fact that 99 out of 100 who gamble, however wealthy when they began,at the end are found to be poor, miserable, haggard wretch es that would not no.v be allowed to sit on the doorstep of the house that they once owned. . In a gaming house in San Francis c-) a young man, having just come from the mines, deposited a large sum upon the ace and won $22.000. But the tide turns. Intense anxiety comes upon the countenances of all. Slowly the cards went forth. Every eye is fixed. Not a sound is heard, until the ace is revealed fovorable to the bank. There are shouts of "Foul, foul!" but the keepers of the table produce their pistols, and the uproar is silenced and the bank has won 095.000 dollars. Do you call this a game of chance? There is no chance about it. But thes dis honesties in the carrying on of the game are nothing when compared with the frauds that are committed in order to get money to go on with the nefarious work. Gambling, with its r~eedy hand, has snatched way the widow's mite and the portion of the orphans, has sold tbe daughter's vir tue to get the means to continue the game,has written the counterfeit's sig nature, emptied the banker's money vault and wielded the assassin's dag ger. There is no depth of meanness to which it will not stoop. There is no cruelty at which it is appalled. There is no warning of God that it will not dare. Merciless, unappeasa ble, fiercer and wilder it blinds, it hardens, it rends, it blasts, it crushes, it damns. Have nothing to do with gamblers, whether they gamble on large scale or small scale. Cast out these men froan your com pany. Do not be intimate with them. Always be polite. There is no demand that you ever sacrifice politeness. A young man accosted a Christian Qua ker with. "Old chap, how did you make all your money?" The Quaker replied, "By dealing in an article that thou mayest deal-in if thou wilt-civ ility." Always be courteous, but at the same time firm. Say "No" as if you meant it. Have it understood in store and shop and street that you will not stand in the companionship of the skeptic, the idler, the pleasure seeker, the gambler. Rather than enter the companion' ship of such accept the invitation to a better feast. The promises of God are the fruits. The harps of heaven are the music. Clusters from the vine yards of God have been pressed into tankards. The sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty are the guests, while standing at the banquet to fill te cups and divide the clusters and command the harps and welcome the guests is a daughter of God, on whose brow are the blossoms of paradise and in whose cheek is the ilush of celestial summer. Her name is religion. Her ways are ways of pleasantn ss And all her paths are peace. Cotton Acreage. The last of May finds cotton practi cally all in, with the fact established that the acreage is away ahead of last year. The government report indi cates that nearly 15 per cent more round is in cotton than a year ogo, while many in the trade believe the increase is even greater. These prem ises point to an acreage about as large as that of '94, 3,000,000 acres in excess of '95 and 35 millions greater than in '93. The acreage of '95 was placed at 20,191,000 acres. Applying to this an increase of 14.S per cent., the gov ernment's present estimate, a probable 9 acreage of 22,179,000.acres results. Should conditions remain propitious throughout the crop year and one bale be harvested for every 21 acres, as was the case in the '941 full year, these fig. ures hint at a commercial crop from the cotton now in the ground of near ly 9,300,000 bales or nearly as great as that of two years ago. Much may transpire. however, be tween now and Sept. 1, and these fig ures are in n2o wise given as a proba ble crop, but simply point to what might result, providing the history of former years of full acreages is repeat-' ed. Texas, the largest producer, showed an acreage of 115 per cent. compared with '95, according to the May government bulletin, Mississippi 10, Louisiana 109, Alabama and South Carolina each 111, Georgia 113, North Carolina 117, Virginia 107. The less important states all show a big in crease, including Florida 143, Arkan sas 123, Tennessee 127, Missouri 141, Indian Territory 159. Average for] the entire country I114.8. Planting has been earlier than usual in most of the cotton states, but there is complaint1 :f drouth in portions of Texas and1 Louisiana and fairly good progress, elsewhere, with the season generally favorable. The amount of cotton coming into: sight from the old crop is surprisingly, large for the time of year, but it is con idently believed that most of it has now appeared. Ordinarily, at this< [ate date. 95 per cent has come into sight. The actual amount from Sep ember 1 to May 8 was ,71S,000 bales, md carry ing out this ratio a commer 3ial crop up to September 1 is sugges ie of about 7,100.000 bales from the barest fields of '93. The statistical position is therefore rather strong ow ng to the smaller available suplies ad this in a measure offsets the bear ish tendency of operators who other wise would endeavor to break the market, owing to the brilliant outlook for the next crop. While the market at present is uneventful there are slight threatenings of manipulation or possible corners in Liverpool and New York on account of the relatively small supply expected to be on hand at the end of the season. Two Girls Killed. LANCASTERL. May 21.-During a thunder-storm yesterday afternoon] t wo daughters of Mr. R. S. Sullivan,< a well-todo farmer, living in the coun-] try, aged 19 and 17, were struck and1 instantly killed by lightning. The girls hadl been hoeing in the field and ] were taking shelter from the rain un-1 ,dm. a tree r arby, whean killed. , THE STATE DEMIOCRACY. [CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.] Clarendon ................... 7 - Colleton .....................1 - Darlington.................. S - Edgefeld..................8 - Fairfield.................... - Florence.................... 8 - Georgetown................. Greenville.................. - Hampton... .............. - Horry...................... Kersbaw.................. - Lancaster................... 6 - Laurens.....................- S Lexington................... G - Marion...................... s - Marlboro.................... 8 - Newberry................... 8 -- Oconee...................... 6 -- Orangeburg.................12 - Pickens..................... 5 - Richland....................- 10 Spartanburg................14 - Sumter.. ............... - Saluda...................... G -- Union....................... S -- Williamsburg............... 8 -- York........................10 -- 253 C7 The Aiken delegate voting in the negative was Mr. Thorpe. The four Berkeley negatives were Messrs. Stan land, Wiggins, Williams and Causey. The Chesterfield negative was W. F. Stevenson. Charleston's delegation was instructed how to vote. THE DELEGATES. On Mr. Austin's motion, the conven tion, proceeded to elect delegates to the national convention. The nomi nations were to be made without speeches. Mr. Efird offered a resolution, which relived the necessity for hav ing ballots on each nominee. For delegate at large, Mr. McCown nominated W. H. Ellerbe. For an other Mr. McCalla nominated Senator Tillman; for the third position Mr. Tatum named Governor Evans, and for the last delegate at large D. J. Brad ham was nominated. These four delegates at large were elected by acclamation. T he alternates at large where then elected, as follows: C. M. Efird, W. H. Mauldin, W. 0. Tatum and J. C. Wilborn. The delegates from the congressional districts were then chosen, as follows, having been agreed upon previously: First District-M. R. Cooper of Col leton, Thomas Martin of Beaufort. Afternates, G. D. Bivens, Colleton: Thomas Talbird of Beaufort. Second District-M. B. McSweeney of Hampton, B. L. Caughmau of Sa luda. Alternates, W. S. Bamberg of Barnwell, J. H. Edwards of Saluda. Third District-I. H. McCalla, of Abbeville. J. B. Watson of Anderson. Alternate- -J. T. Duncan of Newber ry, E. P. Earle of Oconee. Fifth District-W. F. Strait of York, T. Y. Williams of York. Alter nates, T. J. Counningham of Chester, W. P. Pollock of Chesterfield. Sixth District-W. D. Evans of Marlboro, A. H. Williams of Will iamsburg. Alternates, G. P. Scarbor oug of Darlington, D. H. Traxler of Timmonsville. Seventh District-Dr. 0. R. Low man,of Orangeburg, Dr. H. T. Abbott of Sumter. Alternates. C . Garris of Colleton and J. W. Dreher of Lex ington A FIGHT ON A BANKER. The nominations of the fourth dis trict convention had been Wilie Jones of Richland, J. J. Walling of Fair field. Alternates. J. H. Latimer of Greenville, J. C. Otts of Union. When the fourth district was called Mr. Shuman protested against the caucus nominees, saying some of the counties had voted full delegations therein, when they were not entitled to it. Mr. John S. Reynolds defended the caucus-and could not see why the con vention should make an exception of the fourth district. Larry Gantt, when lie was ruled out of order, speaking on Mr. Rey nolds' side, rose to a question of per sonal privilege, and said he believed in the rule of the majority. Larry said he was a Reformer from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet and back again. He was very vigorous in what he had to say. Then there were several other speak ers to "questions of personal privi lege." Mr. McSweeney made an earnest ap peal to the convention to either stand by the caucus or let the district dele gates settle the trouble themselves. Mr. D-.ncan made the point of order that no one had the right to name del egates but the convention. Mr. Shuman nominated J. D. M. Shaw as one of the delegates. Mr. Harrison of Greenville, who presided at the caucus made a state ment as to how the delegates were elected. From this statement there was no complaint. He said lhe had heard none up to thre present time. He said no question was raised. There was a long discussion over the matter. Mr. Earle said nine of Richland's delegates resided in the Fourth district. Mr. Dun can of New berry, Mr. Harrison of Greenville, Mr. Otts of Union and others spoke on the subject. It seemed to he a tight on Col. Wilie Jones because he was a bank ofiicial and there was a vague suspicion that he might be touched with gold somewhere. And this, too, notwithstanding Mr. Harrison had stated that Colonel Jones when re guested, had stated thert he was for ree silver at 16 to 1. PUT ON THEIR VoIR DIRE. Mr. Tatum got a resolution through that the candidates be brought in and interrogated. Mr. Price of Orangebu-g wanted to know if he wvas an "ar* bust" man. Mr. Lemmon said that they wanted simonpure silver moan and he didn't hink that they should elect any man ~hey had any doubt sabout. Colonel Tones should appear himself. The vote was then taken, resulting n the election of Colonel Shaw and Mfr. Walling by the following votes: Jones 136, Wallmng 258, Shaw 154. Mr. Gentry wanted a guardian ap ,oited for the Fourth ::ongressional istrict. Mr. Behre nominated Mr. -entry. RECESS TAKEN.] Mr. I. H. McCalla offered the fol-] owing resolution, which was adopted:j Resolved, That shoul:1 in his judg;1 nent the welfare of the Democratic< arty demand it, the president of this :onvention be authorized to reconvenei ;he same by giving pu blic notice in1 :he newpapers.< Resolved, second, Thr.t this conven-] ;ion take a recess until the 1st of Sep ;ember, 1896, unless otherwise called< ;o reconvene by the president and if 2 such call is macie by the president y the 1st of September, 1896, said ~onvention will stand adjourned sine ie. Mr. Efird offered the usual resolu ion of thanks to the officers, etc., .hich was adopted unanimously. ] The delegates volting with Senatori [rby on the Reynold's minority reporti ~ame from Georgetown, Horry, Rich and, Beaufort, Charleston and Sum In the vote for delegates fromi the ourth district the Pickens and Spar anburg delegation a were excused from 1 tiner The convention took the recess till September at 8 minutes of 2 o'clock this morning. } CROPS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. The Weekly iulletin of the I). p.tm inent of .gricnlture. COLUnIA, S. C., May 19, 1Sj)6.- i This bulletin covers the weather and crop conditions for the week ending Saturday, May 16, and in its prepara tion were used reports from one or more correspondents in each county of the State. WEATHER. The temperature during the week under review averaged about S de grees per day higher than the normal, with maxima in the nineties each day, at a few places reaching to and above 100 degrees, except iu the extreme Western portions where it was slight ly cooler. The heat was tempered during the latter portion of the week by partly cloudy weather in the after noons, which had, however, but little effect in reducing temperature, and the riights were hottest at the close of the week. The average mean temperature for the State, during the entire week, was 79 degrees, ranging from 72 at Green ville to 84 at McColl. Marlboro coun ty. The normal for the same period is approximately 71 degrees. The highest temperatures reported were 104 at Gillisonville,102 at Shaw's Forks, 100 at Blackville and Green wood on the 11th; 101 at Gillisonville and 100 at Blackville on the 12th; the lowest reported was 54 at Batesburg on the 10th and 12th. The rainfall during the week was very light and scattered, and of the 44 places keeping rainfall records the following places only reported any rain for the week: Blackville, 0.30; Trenton, "T"; Kingstree, 0.17; Little Mountain. "T": Poverty Hill. 0.05: Hagood, 0.35; Statesburg, 0 17. The normal amount for the same period is approximately 0.00 inch. The drought has become a serious menace to crops over large portions of the State. The deficiency in rainfall has been accumulating since Septem ber 1st, 185, and since then only one month, February, 1896, gaue more than the usual amount of rain. The ordinary or normal amount of rain from September 1st to date is 31.22 inches. The amount that fell is 21.98 inches. This shows that no reserve supply of water was stored in the sub soil. Comparing the rainiall since the beginning of the crop season-March 1st-with the normal for the same pe riod the deficiency is more marked. The normal rainfall, for the entire State, from March 1st to date is 9.17 i:..es, the average actual rainfall has been but 5.00 inches; but this 5.00 inches was very unevenly distributed leaving many localities with but a small percentage of the usual amount, instancing Charleston where the d- i ciency is 6.55 inches. and Columbia with a deficiency of 6.38 inches. A correspondent in the Southeastern section of the State writes as follows: "There is no further use of denying the fact, or withholding the truth, a most serious drought prevails in this section of the State." The same is true of a large section in the interior of the State, havtng Richland, Fairfield and Kersnaw counties as the center of greatest rainfall deficiency. The defi ciency in iainf all does not, by itself, convey an adequate conception of the dryness of the ground. The showers have been fairly numerous, but so light that the surface soil only was wetted and that evaporated in a few hours under the influence of the ex treme heat that prevailed the greater portion of the time. At times, too, the waads were high, hot and exceed ing dry and desicating. Not a single report was received but that stated the urgent need of rain for some crop or other, indicating that droughty conditions of more or less severity exist over the whole State. Light hail was reported from Barn well county on the 13th with no in jury to crops. The sunshine exceeded the normal, ranging from 70 to 100 per cent. of the possible, with most cloudiness in Anderson county and least in the Northeastern portions of the State, being practically a cloud less week, ex ept for a few hours each day during the latter portion of the week. CRoPs. Crops are being adversely affected by the drought. Corn and cotton, where stanas have been attained, are doing fairly well, particularly in the Western and North western counties where there was plenty of rain during the previous week. Corn is reported as wilting during the day. It is well worked, clean and f a healthy color generally. Some late planting not yet up and comple tion of planting delayed, owing to rought. The same is reported of cot on, and on red lands small cotton is ying. Where stands are good cotton looks fine, is growing well, is clean, and of a healthy color and fair size. hopping out continues, and is near ng completion in many sections. Grain is needing rain badly where ot yet ripe. Wheat and oats harvest egun in the lower portions of the state, both being short. Spring oats re generally a failure, being too far one to be helped by rain should it ome soon. Gardens are parched and vegetables re becoming scarce and of an inferior tuality generally. Transplanting sweet potato draws ad tobacco at a standstill, but where obacco and draws have been trans-: lanted and are rooted, they are grow-: ng nicely. Melons are in blossom. As compared with the previous week ~rops have deteriorated in condition, ~xcept corn and cotton, which have ~eld their own generally, the hot ieather being the condition best suit d for their development, but they also would be greatly benefitted by rain. he hot weather injured peaches and erries. J. WV. BAUER, Director. A Thick skinned Jury. CHuATTA~ooGA, May 21.-Chief ustice David L. Snodgrass was this( orning acquitted of the charge of as ault with intent to kill John Hi. Beas y. The -assault took place in The ~imes building Dec. 25, 1895. Bseas-t .ey was wounded in the left arm and as lost the use of that member. The t ury voted for acquittal on the first oll, and consequently there was nos liscussion on the merits of the case. 'here was no applause when the fore-] an, Mr. Hixon, announced the vote, ut Judge Snodgrass and friends ~rowded about hinm to congratulate I im. The defendant sat for 12 min ates listening to further prcceedings< f the court, then quietly withdrew. he charge of pistol carrying against im was continue d until niext term. Killed by LightnIng. RALEIGH. N. C., May 19.-During a torm this afternoon at Moncure, bout thirty miles from here, Mr. J. t . Bryan's two small children were stantly killed by lightning while t laying in the yard. A New York judge awarde-d at rownstone houss to a pretty widow,e nd the pretty widow kissed the judge. ' ith such a prospect, isn't it possible hat the New York couirts will becomee Absolutely Pure. A cream of tartar baking powder. Hi-hest of all in leavening strength. -Latest United States Gocernment Food Report. ROYAL BASING POWDER Co., New York City. Commissioners may prepare lists of all properties for sale in their respec tive counties, as farms, water powers, manufacturing sites, fruit and stock farms, truck farms,timber and mineral lands, etc, and such lists should be printed for distribution at the Exposi tion. As this is to be a strictly Southern Exposition it affords us an unusal and valuable opportunity to make our re sources known to millions of people who would never become aware of them through other channels. It will advertise our State far more exten sively and effectively than has ever been done by any other means. We call upon the people of South Carolina to zealously improve the chance oifered to them by Chicago's unrivalled genercsity. That city pays all the expense for buildings and man agement, and the South has only to provide the exhibits South Carolina should not be sec ond to any other State in the charac ter of her exhibit. E L. ROCHE, Commissioner for South Carolina. The Battles of the Late War. General Marcus J. Wright, who is in charge of the Confederate records in Washington, has furnished to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, an arti cle which gives the number of battles fought in each State. They were dis tributed as follows: Alabama........................ 21 District of Columbia.............. 1 Georgia.......................... 5U Illinois ..........................1 Kansas .......................... 2 Louisiana........................ 37 Mississippi ....................... 47 Maryland........................ 17 Missouri..........................341 North Carolina................... 31 South Carolina................... 20 Tennessee........................140 Virginia......................... 2 West Virginia ................... 2 Ohio.........................208 Indiana.......................... 51 Indian Territory.................. 2 Texas............................ 4 Captain Frederick Phisterer. late of the United States army, in his supple mentary of "Statistical Ricord of Mil- - itary Actions in the Civil War." gives the date and place of all engagements, beginning at Fort Sumter, April 12 and 13, 1861, and ending with te suzr render of General E. Kirby. Smith's forces, May 26, 1863. In this compi - lation a surrender is classed as an en gagement, and he sums up all meet ings of opposing forces when partiei pate d in by many or few, at 2,261. 1 think he has orr.ed some minor en gageaients on both sides-of the Missis sippi river, of which no official repors were furnished. The actions in 1861 were 1563. - The actions in 1862 were 564. The actions in 1863 were 627. The actions in 1864 were 779.. The actions in 1805 were 135. The year 1864 was the bloody 3 ear, not only because of its greatest rnm ber of battles; but also because of the great campaigns of Grant and Lee in Virginia, and the heavy operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Ten gge ments by States are tigured by Captain Phisterer as follows: Pennsylvania................. 9 Maryland.................... 30 District of Columbia............. 1 WVest Virginiia................ 80 Virginia.....................519 North Carolina................S85 South Carolina................ 60 Georgia.....................108 Florida.....................832 Alabama.................... 78 NissiSSippi.. ............ ..188 Louisiana...................118 rexas...................... 14 Arkansas .....................167 Tennessee...................298 Eentucky...................138 Dbio........................3 [ndiana...................... 4 [linois ...................... 1 Kissouri....................244 Kansas.................,..... 7 Yew Mexm'o.................. 19 [ndian Territory.............. 17 This dods not include the engane :nent~s of the United States troops with .he Indians; in the Western and Norh - western States and Territ.>rs, f.) ;hey had no connecti.>n with the tlau ederates; and were not inspired by silver First and Last. Pr~cALUD, Ida , May 16 -The Re -_ ,ublican State convention met_ here ;oday, 200 strong. T'he Deabois meni vere in control, and c< rary to ex yectations, harmony reigne-d suprem~e, 1. resolution pledging thme delegates tu. Land by the national ticktL was de~ 'eated-93 to 56. "Bime.taim, pro ection and reciprocity" wev the spirit. >f the resolutions. The~y instructed. he delegates to St. L->uis L,> use every neans within their power to stand by he white metal and secure the nom? Iation of a man who is favorable to he free and unlimited coinag- of both ~old and silver. The action o[ the he enators from the inter-mountain states vho recently voted for silver is com nended. Silver is declared to be the >aramount issue in the politics of the Jnited States. The delegates are Fred '.Dubois, Willis Sweet, A B. Camp ~ell, Lyttleton Price, M. Gwvnn and. I. E Rich._______ Gold Buga Give It Up. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., M-ay 21. -The eding gold Democrats in the State ave announced that it has been de nitely decided that the party in In iana shall enter the free silver camp. o eiTort will be made to defeat the lans of the free silver people to put a the State platform a plank declar eg in favor the unlimited coinage of ilver at the ratio of 16 to 1; to send to he national conventi-n a delegation hat will be in favor of free silver, and a nominate a candidate for governor rho wishes to make his campaign on .free silver platform. Silver MIen Indignmant. AlBERDEEN. S. D., May 21.-After be adoption of the- gold standard plar. arm early this morning, the silver 2en in the Democratic St ate conven ;on charged on the floor that this was ccomplished by the free use of proxies eld by 42 Federal marshals and of ce holders acting under instructiona THE SOUTH IS BURNING. Brie f I. port -Crop Co:nditions From all Southern States. WASmNGOo Ma&y 119. -Weather and cro p staent of u the a ,ricultural depart lneut: VIRGINIA. tichnond-Absence of rain and high, dry winds have cfused deterio ration of wheat. oats and grasses from previous condition; chinch bugs still on wheat, but not spreading much; peanuts, cotton and tobocco being planted; berries ripening. NORTH CAROLINA. RIleigh-Excessively warm, dry week, injurious to all crops; drought damaging to wheat and oats, and has killed some young corn and cotton and delayed tobacco transplanting till plants have become overgrown; bulk of corn and cotton crops standing drought well; gardens much injured; fruit dropping more than usual. SOUTH CAROLINA. Columbia-Urgent need of rain; drought has ruined spring oats and garden truck generally; also retards and prevents completion of planting corn and cotton; excessive tempera ture and drying winds prevails; crops that have attained stands doing fairly well: crop conditions best in western and northeastern counties. GEORGIA. Atlanta-Week extremely hot and dry; except in a few favoredl localities, all crops and vegetation suffering for rain; gardens and pastures drying up: some complaint of cotton lice and and bud worms injuring bottom land corn FLORIDA. Jacksonville-Week unfavorable ex cept in some gulf counties and limit ed sections, where local showers fell on the 14th and 15th; drouth severe, over large section of west and north districts in cotton, oats, rice and vege tables, with orange trees showing ill etrects. ALABAMA. Montgomery-Warm, sunny week, except scattered showers Thursday; cotton making good growth and chop ping nearly completed: early corn beginging to tassel, and late corn and cane healthy, but need. rain ; early oats being cut and minor crops doing well; early peaches ripening, but fruit bad ly damaged by insects. MISSISSIPPI. Vicksburg-Continues generally fa vorable weather; timely rains were of inestimable value to all crops; cotton growing and s-me well-cultivated corn in silk and tassell and being laid by; more rain needed in few sections and toc.al complaints of worms and potato bugs. LOUISIANA. New Orleans--General improvement in crops since showers of the 13th, 14th and 15th, but rains badly distrib uted and more needed ; week warm and sunshiny; corn being laid by.; cotton chopping contiunes; cane doing well, too dry for rice; oats ripening. TEXAS. Galveston-Severe local storms damaged crop, some sections over northeast portion, but rain over east ern portion of State materially im prove crop conditions; rain is needed over western portions for cotton and corn; wheat and oats harvest in pro gress. ARKANSAS. Litte Rock-Weather favorable for cultivation and growth~ of all crops; cotton and corn grow nicely and well cultivated: Irish potatoes much im proved; sweet potatoes set out and doing well; fruit falling bdaly; con ditions not so- good as previously re pcr ted ; wheat and oats only fair. TENNESSEE. Nashville-Drought continues sg vere in eastern and central portions, and crops generally rapidly lowering in condition ;good r-ains in western portion and crops growing well; corn and cotton fairly good and being worked clean; some tobacco set; rain much needed. Southern states Exposition. South Carolina Exposition Company, Columbia, S. C., May 1.6, 1896. Dear Sir: A convention of the peo ple of South Carolina, in the interest of the State exhibit at the Southern States Exposition in Chicago next fall, was held in the city of Spartanburg in April last at which time it was decided to form the South Carolina Exposition Company. His Excellency the Gov ernor of this State was made president and the Hon. WV. A. Courtenay vice president; Mr. E. L Roche commis sioner and Messrs W. A. Clark, J. C. Hemphill and J. B. Cleveland, with the otlicers named, were constituted the State executive committee. It was also decided to appoint an active, pro gressive man in each county as the commissioner forhis county, who will, have charge of the work in the county. and who may associate with him such persons as he deems best to promote the work. A meeting of the officers: of the State Exposition Company and: Lhe comimissione-rs from the different: counties was held in Columbia on the: lhh instant for the purpose of consid ering the best means of pushing the work. The first question considered was the proper division of the amount to be raised for the Exposition, viz: 510,000. The following was agreed uipon as a proper apportionment of the runds to the several counties, viz: Abbeville..$105 Horry. ..... .$ 96 Aiken.... 349 Kershaw.... 158 Xnderson..384 Lancaster... 131 B~arnwell...37:; Laurens..2:39i Beaufort...211 Lexington... 1981 Berkeley.. .... 02 Marion...219 Jharleston. ..1,216 Marlboro.... 1491 3hester.......223 Newberry... 289 ihesterfield.. . 91 Oconee...155 llarendon....131 Orangeburg. 4t1 lolleton....251 P'ickens..1251 Jarlington .... 221 Richland.... 443 ~dgefield...200 Saluda...165 iairfield...211 Spartanburg. 643 lorence....215 Sumter.~.377t iieorgetown.... 119 Union...195 Ireenville.-.407 Williamsb'g. 155 t Elampton...129 York....... 365 i Mr. WV. A. Clark, president of the Jarolina National Bank, Columbia, vas elected treasurer of the fund, and dl money should be forwarded to him ts soon as collected. It is necessary o collect the funds at once, as the ime is very short in which to prepare he exhibit. The exhibit will represent all the re ources of the State. and all products, nanufactured and unmanufactured.I twiil be arranged to represent the I tate as a whole, out companies or in livid uals desiring to make special ex ~ibits will be allowed to do so in the pace allotted to South Carolina. Each punty or town will get full credit for 11 articles e xhibited by it. The duty of the county commission- ~ rs will be, first, t-) see to t he collec- ~ ion of the money assessed to the ~ ounties. to assist the State commis ~ toner in securing male ial fo: the, hate exhibit, and to induce mauufac- a trers and others to make special exhi >its. The commissioner in each coun y may appoint such committees to aid tiim as he finds necessary. Tnere t hould not be less than one in each f ownship, the commissioner having r har-ge of all the details in his county. t The women of the State are invited to a eip to raise the money for the general b xhibit, as there will be no separate f