University of South Carolina Libraries
VOL. XII. MANNINM. S. C.WEI)NESDI)A, AUGUST2.is; NO WAY TO BEAT BRYAN. WHAT THE FCURESOF THE ELECTO RAL COLLEGE SHOW. Changes in Political Seantiment That In sure Democratic Snccesm-The Greater Part of the Doubtful States Lean Toward Free Silver. It has been said that the political figurers may as well give up their cal culations this year. as the electioi is one in which the issues are novel, party lines broken and new deals made in the game of politics. While this is in a measure true the conclusion reached is incorrect.Except in a few states the Democracy is as powerful as ever, and in some parts of the country, where it has formerly for years had barely a standing, its strength has greatly increased. The marked enthusiasm of the large majority of the Democratic national convention means something. It in dicates a Democratic revival in the west and south. The Populist pow er- .is shown by the elections of 1892 and 1894. Its union on the Democratic candidate is just so much solid gain. If the bolting Dem ocrats should put a third candidate into the field, its only effect would be to draw to the ballot box the few De mocrats who, dissatisfied with the ac tion at Chicago, but not prepared to swallow protection. plutocracy and pateralism in McKinley, might oth erwise remain away from the polls. Itno third candidate should be in the-fied;- some disaffected Democrats might vote- for McKinley, but quite as many would vote with their party ratherlthan lose their votes. Hence there is good ground now for an intel ligent judgment on the outlook, based on former. votes and the ascertained strength of parties. The questions that present them selves in considering the chances of su are 1. Have the Populists lost oir gained strength since the election of 1892? 2. Wil thePopulist support of the Democratic -candidate for president, William J. Bryan, be general? 3. Will the defection from the De mocratic party, caused by the action of the Chicago convntion, be great enough to offset the increase of strength gained from the Populist vote? 1. Are the Populists growing? The total popular vote in 1892 was as follows: Democratic.............................. 5,556,918 Republican..............................5,17G,108 Populist.................................. 1,041,028 The Democratic and Pfopalist vote combined was 6.597,946, or 1,421,838 in excens of the Republican vote. The total Ponllist vote in 1894 was 1,363,452, or 322,421 Larger than in 1892. In -view of the large Populist vote, it is significant that the Democratic vote in 1892 *showed an increase of 18,685 over the vote of 1888, while the Republican vote decreased 264.108 from the vote at the election of four years previous. U the states which will be the bat t roundof the election the increase or-decrease of the Populist vote in 184, as comiared with 1892, is as fol lows: In- De In 1892. In 1894. crease. crease. Califiornia-...25,8,52 51,301 25,952 ... ( Colorado...'.. 58,584 82,111 28,5-27 ... Idaho-...... 10.520 7,191-...... 3,395 Illinois-....22,207 59,793 37,556 ... Indiana.-.... 22,208 29,358 7,180 ... Iowa...........20,595 32,118 11,523~... Kansas (1895). 63,111 18,829-...... 44,782 Michigan.....19,892 30,012 10,120 ... Minnesota...... 29,318 87,981 58,618 ... Montana .... 7,834 15,240 7,906 ... Nebraska.-...83,134 97.815 14,681 ... Nevada...... 7,264 5,523 ...... 1,741 North Dakota. 17,700 9,354-.....8,436 Ohio (1895)..... 14,850 52,675 37,.825 .... Oregon............ 26,965 -26,033 ....... 932 South Dakota.. 26,544 26,568 24... Washington..... 19,165 25,140 5,975 .... West Virginia. 4,166 Fasion '........... Wisconsin-....9,909 2.5,6(4 15,695... Wyoming-.... 7,722 2,176 .... 5,546 These figures do not correctly show in all cases the actual Populistic in crease or decrease. In Colorado, for instance, the Populist vote of 1892 shows the fiusion Democratic and Pop ulist vote. In 1894 (the congressional election) the Democrats had no candi date and divided their votes between the Republicans and Populists. In Idaho the Democratic and Populist votes were bunched together in 1892 and separated in 1894. The Kansas vote of 1892 shows the combined De mocratic and Populist vote, while in 1895 they were divided. In Nebraska in 1892 there was a bit ter fight among the Democrats over the question of'fusion 'on the Populist electoral ticket, the -local Democratic leaders fearing they might lose their power in their organization if fusio5n -prevailed. The combination was de feated, but the Democratic vote,which had been 80,552 in 1888 and 71,381 in 1890, d windled down to 24~,943. In 1894, on a union, with the Populists on governor, -it'- was '97,815, and 6,985 votes were cast for a silver Democratic candidate. .The Democratic Populist governor carried the state. In North Dakota the'Democratic and Populist votes were counted together as Populists in 1892 and separately in 1894. In Nevada in 1894 the vote of 5.523 was cast for Governor Jones, the sil ver candidate. Seven hundred and eleven votes were cast for a Populist. .In arriving at the total-Populist vote of 1,363 452, in 1894, some Democratic votes are therefore included in cases where Democrats supported Populist candidates.~ But this is offset by the fact that in North Carolina, where the Republicans fused with the Populists in electing a chief justice of the su preme court, and in other states where the Republicans combined with the Populists in electing judges and con gressmen the votes .were counted as kNepublican and no enumeration was made of the Populists votes. Hence the total of 1,363,452 is as nearly accu rate as possible. The extent and enthusiasm of the last St. Louis convention, as well as the proof given by these figures, show that the Populists strength has not di minished since its large vote of 1892. 2. Will the Populists support of Bryan be general?. It is as ridiculous to suppose that the Populists will not support Bryan as it was to imagine that the Chicago D~emocratic convention would not avail it-sell ') its -imple majority to make giood ;a tWCetIiIsI -*ota- to lay down a platform in accordance with its own views and to select its own standard bearer, or as it was to predict thast the St. Louis Populist convention , would throw away its chances of suc could not be elkett d i n preference to a candidate with a good prospect of sue cess. From the first the Populist conven tion was in favor of Bryau's nomina tion, but its members desired to act in a manner that would pre;erve their own organization intact and not merge it in the Democratic organization. The Texans were more earnest than others on this point, because of their great strength in their state and the much larger strength of the Democracy. But with them, as with all, the talk of a middle of the road candidate for the presidency was as nonsensical as the talk of a .side ditch" bolt f-om the action of the convention is now. The nomination of an independent Populist candidate for vice president accomplishes all the so called middle of the road delegates wanted. It pre serves the identity of the party, and instead of injuriously affecting the president's vote will serve to increase it. The last vote .in Texas for goverbor was, in round numb! rs: Democratic', 242,000; Populist. 160,000, and Republi can, 55,000. A Populist bolt in Texas would mean the cutting down of the Populist vote 30 per cent and the con 'sequent increase of the Democratic vote- With the Demccratic vote in the west strengthened and increased. by free silver a straight Populist nominee for president would only lose the P'opu lists the four states they carried with Democratic help in 1892 -Colorado,. Idaho. Kansas and Nevada. 3. Will the defection of the gold Democrats defeat Bryan! In considering the amount of dan ger to the Chicago ticket from the dis affectn of the gold Democrats, it is important to remember that -such dis. affection is serious in only a limited number of states and is scarcely of any account whatever in the west. Of the New England and middle states Maine, New Hampshire, Ver'. mont, Massachusettsand Pennsylvania elected the Republican electoral tick ets in -1892 and may be conceded to the Republicans now. Any gold Demo cracy movement in those states is im material. If half the Democrats should repudiate the Chicago candi dates, they could only swell the Re publican majorities Connecticut, New York and New Jersey are, on the other hand very important Democratic states. With Delaware. Maryland and West Virginia, their electoral votes were cast for Cleveland in 1892. It is claimed that the gold Democrats will turn over Connecticut, New Jer sey and New York to the McKinley Republicans in this election. In the section most affected by the silverand Populistmovements through the mining and agricultural interests, five slates ran no Democratic electoral tickets in 1892-Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, North Dakota and Wyoming. In Nevada, altho'ugh a Democratic electoral ticket was in the field, the Democrats generally voted with the Populists. Colorado, Idaho, Kansas and Nevada were in consequence car ried by the Populists by pluralities in Colorada of 14,964. in Idaho of 1,921, in Kansas of 5,874 and in Nevada of 4,453. In North Dakota the Populists obtained 181 plurality in the state, but the three electoral votes went one to each candidate. In Wyoming the Re publicans secured 732 plurality. In the other western and Pacific states a combination of the Deriocratic and Populist votes in 1892 would have made these changes in the results: California, carried by the Democr'ats by 144 plurality, would have given 25,496 plurality over the Republbcans. Illinois, carried by the Democrats by 26,993 plurality, would have given them a plurality of 49,200. Indiana's Democratic plurality of 7,125 would have been increased to 29,333. Iowa's Republican plurality of 22, 965 would have been reduced to 2,370. Michigan's Republican plurality of 20,412 would have d windled to 520. Minnesota's Reptgblican plurality of 21,903 would have been changed to a pluarality of 7,410 against the Repub licans Montana, instead of givi'ng 1,270 plurality for the Repbulicans, would have given a plurality of 6,064 for- thLe Democrats. Nebraska's Republican plurality of 4,093 over the Populists would have given a plurality of 20,850 against the Republican ticket. Ohio would have reversed the Re publican plurality of 1,072 to a plu rality of 13.778 for the 6ther side. Oregon, which gave a .mixed vo!.e, showing a - small plurality fcor the Republicans, would have given a plu rality of 6,206 against Harrison. South Dakota's plurality of 8,344 for .the Republicans would have changed to 737 against them. Washington's Republican plurality of 6,658 would have been wi ped out and a Democratic and Populist plurality of '12,507 would have turned the state to the other -side. West Virginia's Democratic plural ity of 4,174 would have been increased to 8,340. :Wisconsin's Democratic plurality of 6,544 would .have'swelled to 1G;453. Wyoming, which gave Hfarrison 732 plurality, woulId have doled out to him only 202. Allowing to the Chicago Dem~)-at ic candidate only 'the states that- are believed to be certain for him, wbat ever the gold D~emocrats niaty do, the following is the list of DEOrer ATIe 5T A~T. Electoral vote. Alabama.......- ........................ Arkansas................................ Florida...........,....................- . Georgia.......-..................,........ 33 Kentucky................... . 1: Louisiana................................. 31aryland............................ 31ississippi.........................--- 9 .\ issouri...............................--- 17 North Carolina........................--- 11i Southx Carolina.......................... Tennessee-................................ 12 Texas..... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 1 Utah....................- .....- ....... V irginia........ .......................... 12 Total........... ........... ..- ....... 153 Add the Populist States: Coloraxdo-................ - ............. 1 Idaho....... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... Kansas................................ N evada...................... .............. Conceding to the Republicans the i-tates likely to be affected by a Demo. cratic bolt, although the surrender of New York at least is strongly and vig orously protested against, McKinley is given the following states: Connectict................ ....... 31aine... .... ..... .... ......... ..... .... ... 31assachuisetts........... - ............ 1 New 11aupshire.......... -............ New Jersey................................ 1 P1nn syivani ........................ ........... Rihode Island.........:........................... 1 ert ont ........................................ 1 # yom ingr......................................... Tota........................................ I This leaves unplaced the following states: t~NPLAEi) STATES. C aiforniaf.......,. .............................. 9 Delaware........................... : 1llinois ......... 21 Indiana.. . 1 owa.......w................ ...................... 1;' M i igan .................................... . 1.4 M....................................... M o t n ........................ ................. Oregon. . ........................... 4 South Dako a a ................................... 4 Washington...n................................... 4 W est Virginia................................... t W isconsin........................................ 12 Total ....................... 1 WHERE WILL THE PLNACE TATEs Go? Of the unplaced States, where ought Califernia to go? -In 1892 its electoral vote was given to Cleveland by 114 plurality. The combined Democratic and Populist vot'e was 25,496 over the Republicans. In 1894 the Democratic governor was elected by 1.206 plurality and the Democratic and Populist votes combined had a plurality of 52,510 over the Republicans. It is a signifi cant fact that much dissatisfaction pre vailed, and wLile the Democratic gov ernor was elected-the other State ofli cers went to the Republicans. Delaware has gona Democratic seven times since 1876 and Republican once. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Michigan have in them some Democratic disaf fection. Judgment, based on ascertained facts, would be justified in placing Il linoisi Indiana and Wisconsin in the Bryai column. .There is certainly good grounds for believing they will maintain their combined Democratic and Populist pluralitis under the im petus of union and the promise of vic tory. The rest of the unplaced States are on t he crest of the great western tidal. wave of the free silver movement and are believed to be prepared to sweep away all opposition to Bryan. Minne sota, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia are all counted on to give the Chicago: candidate their electoral votes. They are placed in the Democratic column for good and convincing rea sons. Minnesota, because the Democrat ic and Populist vote of 1892,with both these-parties inharmonious and dissat isfied, was 7,410 larger than the Re publican vote. Montana, because without the pres tige of union and free silver coinage the Democratic and Populist vote combined was 6,064 larger than the Republican vote in 1892 for president, 2,489 larger in the congressional elec tion of 1894 and 7,257 larger in the last election for governor. Nebraska, becausa the combined vote was 20,850 larger than the Republican vote in 1892, was 10,187 larger in 1894 for governor and 19,614 larger last year on supreme court judge. North Dakota, because fusion with out the prestige of a solid union de feated the Republicans for governor in 1892 by 1,729 plurality. South Dakota, because the Demo crats and Populists together had a plu rality over the Republicans in 1892 under adverse circumstances that kept Democrats from the polls and reduced their vote more than 60 per cent. Washington, because it has shown large Democratic and Populist plurali ties ever'the Republicans in 1892 and all subsequent elections. West Virginia, because its straight Democrats gave Clevelaind a plurality, because all its state o21eers and judi ciary are Democratic and because in eight blections only one has been Re publiciim in its result. -Theeprobable results, based on the foregning facts,' aie' thus stated: ..THlE DEMOCRATIC Fo?.ECAsT. fPdpugt States of 1892................2 Caif~rnia ..................... 9 Delaware....................... -> Illinois:....................-............. 24 Indiana............'....'..'..... 15' Ninnesota.................... North DJ -t ................. regon'. ......... .............-. Southi Dakota.......... ....:: -... -I. Wes . ign .......... . ..- ..-.-...--...-4 . .THE REPUPLICAN FOR~cAST Conceded Republican..............-11:3 Iowa........................ ...... ....-l Michigan....:. ..............I....3.. A Wisconsin...-................................... 12 < Totah..::: ........'..'...... 182 EleefdiaI vote for Hfyai............-6 For McKinle...................12 Electdi-iT majority for Brjan............ COULD WIN ,WLTSOUT . LL.1NolS ANt) . !NDIApTA. 'Thie condissioin of Illinois and Indi anato. the -. Reptiblidaas would make the foliwiu.esulA - - Republican.probableSfates.....:........182 119in0i......... ..... ............. Indiana ....-..............................- 1:> Total.. .-............................ 221 Or in a 5rdhnce with other Repub lican fleures and claims; the iPesult might be foretold: States probably Republican......-....... 1.82 Delaware.........-...................... Indiana..........-- .................... West. Virginia...................- ....... Neliraska.............................. Oregon.................................. Total................................ 215 Other Republican prophets give up the western unpiaced states except In diana, but ce'aim for their ticket Dela ware, North Carolina and Louisiana. This would give, with the states as signed to the Republicansi Assigned votes........................... 18 D)elaware...:...........................--- - Indiana................................... 1l North Carolina.......................... .1 Louisiana-................................. Total-.............................-- 1 Still not enough to elect McKinley On the other hand, it is seriously questionedl whether . New York, with its deadly Republican local feud and a Democracy growing in enthusiasm for Bryan, whose only crimes appear to be hisyouta and his eloquence, will be found .in . the Republican column. Many Demccrats deny that Ohio can be saTeiy coanted for McKinley, while every man with a kr owledge of poli tics cati'judge whether it will not be more probable that iowa, Michigan aud W-isconsin will be found rolling on to the Democratic shore on the great western tidal wave than that Del aware, .i heois, In diana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon and Louisiana will ranige themselves in the Republi MIXSON ON HUBBELL. EVIDENCE OF TALL AND PREMEDI TATED LY!NG. ommissioner Mizson and His Nephew Flatly Contradict Mr. Hubbell - The Former Cla!ms iis First Statement is CUmenied. ro the Editor of The State: Mr. Hubbell says 'n reference to me in your issue of -sterday: "Every word he says about my o!fering him a rebate, directly or indirectly, of any amount, or in any shape. or at any Lime, is absolutely Jalse from begin ning to end." Yet he does not deny the interview in the sample room nor my statement of what occurred there. Bhould he do so and when he does, then he is the liar that I have already branded him in such event. I now go further and say when the offer of the 10 per cent. discount was made in the privacy of the sample room, (he having previously so pre -mptorily refused to give me the 5 per cent. off) I looked upon it:with ;uspicidn and hence the question, "Will you let it appear regularly on the invoices?" Upon his declining to Jo so and throwing himself behind the "trust" I was fully satisfied his mean ing was and consequently declined to leal with him and have never done so. In the matter of interest, my letter ,hould have read, interest beine paid after GO days in place of w0 days as stated. I now say ,hat his invoices for all goods bear pon their face "interest after 60 days it 6 Der cent. per annum," except on the X.XX ryes which he bills at $2.25 per gallon, four months. You must understand that the quan ity of XXX ryes is very small indeed mn comparison with the quantity of the other, which was billed on the 60 lays time. After assuming the duties of com missioner a draft came in from Mr. Elubbell's company claiming a balance )f interest due them. As Mr. Traxler bad not returned any amount due hem as such, I refused to pay foT ,ome time, and did not do so until I ad Mr. Hubbell to come out and had ltr. Trailer to go over the account wvith my bookkeeper, Mr. S. W. 3ruggs, who was soon convinced hat there was an accumulated interest rom partial payments of accounts due hem amounting to $t,255.34, for hich amount I issued a warrant on he State treasurer, Mr. Traxler agree ng to the same, which I now have in ny office in writing. . Even if Mr. Hubbell did not intend ny putting the return "cash" from the LO per cent. offered, in my own pock t as is so religiously claimed, he cer ainly offered to act, must I say, in )ad faith in trying to beat and deceive he "trust" of which he is an honored nember and I am intomed an ,tlicer, mnd in doing so he laid himself open o be adjudged capable of making ary kind of a proposition. As to the par; )f his letter which states "an agent of 21s called onme with a letter of intro luction," the only party to whom I ave a letter of introducticn was to Ar. Robt. M. Mixson under the follow ng circumstances: About the time I assumed the duties >f the office Mr. Robt. M. Mixson, a 2ephew o1 mine, who is and has been or the last 10 or 12 years, the solicit ng freight agent of the southern de >artment of the Louisville and Nash nile, with headquarters in Atlanta, ia., asked me for letters of introduc ion to several parties, in the interest >f his road. I readily and gladly omplied with his request and gave aim polite and gentlemanly letters to ~he following parties: George Hub sell, Cincinnati; Messrs. Block, Acme Brewing company, Macon; Penn Glass ompany, Anderson, Ind., and per [aps to another one or two, I do not recollect. What took place between Mr. Hubbell, the secretary of the ill Creek Distillery company, and Nr. Robert M. Mixson, agent of the Louisville and Nashville rail road, I do not know, but this [ :lo ~know, Mr. Mixson never in iated to me that his letter was to be sed for other than the purpose it was written, nor was he authorized to make nj proposition coming from me, and fany such proposition was made it was without my knowledge. Jmmedi tly on reading Mr. Hubbell's letter 1 wired Mr. Root. Mixson, asking him ror a statement of phat occurred be twseri hbimself and Mr. Hubbell that in any manner related to me and here with I give you his reply. Mir. Hu~bbell's statement in reference to'my sending him an agent to nego Late bears badly on his side, for after refusing to gi ve the agent, as he states, ~I per barrel for X, $2 per barrel for X. and $3 per barrel for XXX, he himself offers me $i1. 25 per barrel bor XXX and would not consent to put it on the invoices. Besides had 1 any intention of such a deal I would have been more discreet and not allowed a tl rd party the knowledge nor a part of the deal. I didlike very muchi to be for-ced to inlict all this upon the people, but it would be suicidal in my remaining quiet when stuck, and however disa greeabe it may ne for me to make these appearances in print, the people may rest assured that I will strike back when struck. F. M. MixsoN. The following is the letter of Mr. Mison's nephew to him: F. M. Mixson, State Commissioner, Columbia, S. C. Dear Sir :-Replying to your request to state to you what occurred relative to a letter of introduction to George Hubbell, secretary of the Mill Creek Distilling company, Cincinnati, given me by you some time the lirst of the year, 189J5. I beg to say that when I called upon you about the time you took char~e of the State dispensary, and asked you for letters of introduc tion for several western firms, from whom the dispensary bought goods, you kindly gave thenr. to me, among them one to Mr. Hubbell. As well as I can remnem ber,the letter read: "This will be handed you by mny nephew, Mr. Ri. M. Mixson, who represents the Louisville and Nashville railroad. Anythinm re' can do for hinm will be appreciate( by yours respectfully, F. M. Mixso. I secured thi letter for the -eason that I was anxion~ to haul all oz the shipments for the Mum Creek L':still ing company, having oe aauling only a portion of same under Mr. Traxler. I mailed this letter to Mr. Hubbell, stating that I would like to meet him on his next visit to this ter ritory. Mr. Hubbell replied that lie would notify me when he next came to Georgia or South Carolina. 1"!id ing thot I wao ingn his Mwan chin ment also, I wired him that I was anxioustosee him, and toplease wire me dead-head answer when he would be down. I finally met Mr. Hubbell on one of my regular visits to Macon, and had a, nice talk with him relative to freights and other things, During this conversation Mr. H ubbell made me a proposition to represent the Mill Creek Distilling company in South Carolina, and offered to pay me 50 cents per barrel on whiskey I would sell to the South Corolina State dis pensary. This went on for some months, when I met him at the Planters hotel, August, on his way to Columbia, S. C. lie then increased his offer to $1.00 for one X, $2.00 for two XX and $:3.00 for X X Il. e went on to Columbia, and on Saturday afternoon of same week he wired me to meet him Sun day afternoon following at the Plant ers hotel, Augusta. I was in Augus ta, and met him. lie informed me that he had a settlement in full with the dispensary and had concluded to abandon their business; that it was too risky, and therefore had asked me to meet him so that he could withdraw his proposition. The foregoing propositions were made tome individually, and not as agent for anybody else. Yours truly, R~ M. MasoN. Politics Oissolves a Firm. DETROIT, Autg-. 211.--The law firm of Dickinson, Thurber & Stevenson. which is compr-ised of lion. Don M. Dickinson, LIenry T. Thurber, private secretary of President Cleveland, and Elliot G. Stevenson, late chairman of the Democratic State central commit tee, has dissolved on account of politi cal differences which have arisen be tween Messrs. Dickinson and Steven son since the Chicago convention. In the Chicago convention Mr. Stevenson posed as the mouthpiece of Mr. Dick inson, who represented the adminis tration. Stevenson was chairman of the Michigan delegation and also chairman of the State central commit tee. le declared he would resign from the latter position, not on ac count of the platform, but because of the treatment of the Michigan delega gation in the convention. Mr. Stev enson did resign, but his resignation was not accepted, which was consid ered purely a personal victory rather than one for gold or the administra tion. Later Mr. Stevenson resigned again and made way for Fred A. Bak er, a rabid silver advocate, retaining a place on the committee, however. Mr. Stevenson has been taking an active part in the campaign in the interests of Bryan and Sewall. The action on the, prt of Stevenson so incensed Mr. Mr. dickinson that- the relations be tween the members of the firm became greatly strained. Articles ef dissolu tion were signed Saturday. Mr. Thur ber will remain with Mr. Dickinson. This law firm probably had a larger revent-than any other similar firm inthe-Etate. Mr. Stevenson,-besides being one of the most conspicuous Democrats in Michigan, is considered a lawyer of great ability. He came here from Port Huron a few years ago to become the junior partner of the firm and immediately took high rank among Detroit lawyers. Kied by a Negro Thief. SPARTANBURG, Aug. 16.-One of the saddest and most shocking tragedies ever known in this county occurred here today. Capt. J. H. Blassingame, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of the town, was shot and in stantly killed this afternoon about 1 o'clock.- Capt. Blassingame was at hisbother-in-law's house, having gone there while the family were away, for the purpose of protecting it from the robbers, as it has been for several Sun days past been broken into and robbed of jewelry and silverware. While he was lying on a sofa in the hall he heard a noise and upon going in he was fired at by the negro. Ten, shots were fired, 'and it is supposed that both did the shooting, as t wo pistols were found lying empty in the room. Capt. Blassingame was shot twice through the heart. A short time af ter the shooting a negro by the name of Chris Cannon was found at his home suffering from a pistol wound in his left side, and it is supposed that he did the shooting. Cannon is a noted thief and has for some time been sus pected. Cannon's wound is thought to be fatal. Great excitement pre ails, but the law will take its course. Capt. Blassingame wasabout 64 years of age. lie was one of the best known men in the upcountry and had held office in this county longer than any other man. H~eserved as sheritT and treasurer for years. lHe was at one time chief of police. He served through the war, and a braver soldier never drew a sword. Before the war he was a colonel in the Guited States Army. Another negro by the name of .Johnson has just been arrested as an accomnplice to the killing. -State. Au inhuumn wreteir. WlNirEz, Manitoba. Aug. 19. John Glenn, a farmer of Rapid City, a settlement near Winnipeg, is being closely guarded by law olticers from indign.'ot settlers. Some time ago Glenn dopted a fourteen year-old lad. On Satirday the lad, who had been ill treat-:d ran away. Glenn took a horse and followed him, catching the little fellow about ten miles out of the settlement. Ou Sunday the boy was found on the roadside dying from the effects of terrible bruises all over his body. Before he died the boy recov ered sutliciently to tell that his guar dian, when they got to a lonely part of the road, tied a rope around his waist, and pushing him off thre horse, dragged him along the road. The horse was galloped several miles at full speed. The child had nearly all bis hones broken. Glenn left him by the roadside, thinking he was dead. Died From a Spider's Bite. PHILLISDURG, N. 5., Aug. 19.-Mrs. A. Melinda Slavin, wife of John Sla in and the mother of nine chiidren, while performing her household du ties on Friday was bitten on the arm by a small spider. She brushed the insect off' and gave no heed to the small, stinging wound which it made. Saturday her arm began to swell, end on Sunday her condition was so alarm ing that a physician was called in. Blood poisoning had resulteu prom the bite of the spider. The woman died early yesterday morning in great agony. _______ D~etermained to Die. HoT SPraIxs, Ark., Aug. 18.- Ear - ly yesterday morning J1. C. Williams, from Montana, stabbed himself im the breast four times with a knife. Fail ing to end his life in that manner he jumped head ir-st into a deep well and brak hs neck. A TARDY CONFESSION. THE NEGRO TREATED BETTER IN THE SOUTH THAN IN THE NORTH. Th is i the Couclusion Reached by Zion' Herald, a LeadIng Methodist Paper Pu, Unhed ia lioston--The Negro I.oved at a Distauce. Zion's I Learld of Bcston reviews the negro question in the North, but more forcibly than it has hitherto been done, and reaches the conclusinn that the South treats the negro a great deal better than New England does. it may not be excited for his political condition, but it takes a great deal bet ter care of his physical condition. Take Boston, for instance, which is popularly supposed to be the most stal wart friend of the colored man in the Union. The Herald finds that the col ored population in that city is segre gated as a rule, not because of any de sire on the part of the negro to sepa rate on himself from his white breth ren, but because the latter do not like have him reside in their vicinity. Real estate tgents will not sell proper ty in the better sections of the town to a colored applicant, and he can secure a house or lot in such quarters only by quiet and careful scheming. To illus trate: A Boston negro recently pur chased a home in Brookline, through medium of a third party. As soon as it was known in the locality that the newcomer was a black the white neigh bors endeavored strenuously to buy back the property. Finally -the ne gro sold it for twice the amount it cost him, and then with a portion of the proceeds purchased another house only a few doors distant. But it is in regard to labor that the Herald is most distressed. Massachu setts is willing to educate the negro, but as soon as it educates him it wants him to move South. The writer says: "With years of residence in Boston we never saw a negro with the hatchet or the trowel, nor even with the blacksmith's apron. Doubtless there are some, but they are few. Here the negro carries the hod. in the South he lays the brick and mor tar; here he shovels out the cellar, there he frames the dwelling; here he whitewashes the fences, there he paints. the houses; here he cleans the stable, there he shoes the horses; here he is a common laborer, there he is an artisan." The stores of Boston con tain almost no colored clerks. The negro barber is no longer found in first class shops. Only the work which the white is unwilling t do falls to the lot of the black, and not much of that. Indeed, it is no easy matter for a negro to make even a meagre living in Boston, which explains wny so few of them go North, in spite of all the honeyed words they hear from that section. The social line is a distinctly drawn, it-the- piibli& resorts, -tie hctels and elsewhere. The negro cannot join a club, belong to the League of Ameri can Wheelmen, or any other similar social organization; indeed, he is be ing so generally crowded out by the whites, so given the cold shoulder, that he is living more and more to himself; and thus there is growing up not only in Boston but in every other Northern city, and a distinctive and separate negro quarter, where the ne groes live to themselves, and where they need not be thrown in any inter course with the whites. What Zion's Herald says of Boston, and which it seems to present as a charge against that city, which has made so many pretenses of being de void of all race prejudices, is not con fined to Boston. The Providence Journal, published in the second city of New England, says that it is equally true of Providence and remarks. "And asit is in Boston, so it is in other Northern cities. There is no par ticular moral to be drawn from the fact, no especial complaint to be made on either side. If one of two dissimi lar races is unwilling to admit the othier to its social life there must be thought to exist an impassible barrier too formidable for law to level or for even the moralist to inveigh against. Surely there is no ill-feeling entertain ed by the whites of the North toward the negro. Nobody wishes to deprive him ot a single legal right. But when it comes to the intimate and private phases of society the white man will erect such barries as he pleases, wheth er against the lacky, the ,Mongolian or the uncongenial white person. This is something outside the pale of law, and no amount of legislation could ef fect a permanent or widespread change. Perhaps in the future the white citizen will have a greater re gard, socially, for his black brother thia~n he has at present, but not till then will there be any important al teration in existing condilive in amity and neither mu-:t deny to the other its natural rights." This is tne plain, unvarnished truth, and we are glad to see New England confess it. It is the race question. in the South which, as the Journal de clares, cannot be settled by any legis lation, as Congress seemed to believe at one time. Our- New England friends see the question, however, in a modi-' ied formi. In a community where there is but one negro to every hun dred whites, and where the African isms have been rubbed off by 'inter course with the Caucasian race the colored man is naturally less objec tionable than he is in the South, where he forms in many localities three fourths, (and in some instances nine teen-twentieths) of the population, and where the white inliuence is so small that it has not been possible to civilize him, but where he still fre quently remains, in his habits, ideas and general characteristics, an Afri can sayage. If Boston and New England draw tbe color line they cannot be surprised at the view the South takes of the ne gro evil, which is sixty fold greater n ere, that being the relative propor tion of the negroes in the two sections. Our Northern friends, however, seem to be rapidly understanding the mat ter, and show a far better comprehien sion of it thait they every did before. An !Cnglish VIew. LONDO, Au~g. 19.-The St. James Gazette this afternocn published a col umn leading article pointing out that I ryan's chance of election to the Presidency of the United States is niot hopeless, concluding: "It is imnpossi ble to doubt that thousands of Amieri cans will vote for Bryan and free sil ver, mainly because they think it will mean a deadly blow to English capi talists and financiers who are sup. posed to have sucked the gold from the country and impoverished its arti PUT UP OR SHUT UP. A Republiean Campaign Lie Choked 1)1 by Bryau. U PPEt RED HooK, N. Y., Aug. 18. William J. Bryan, for the first time since Senator John M. Thurston, as alleged, declared that he (Bryan) was in the employ of mine owners, made an ollicial denial, coupled with a chal lenge to the National Republican Corn nittee to come out in the open and ac cuse him or forever be silent. Mr. Bryan's attention had been called to the controversy between Senators Thurston and Stewart, and he deter mined tonight to settle the matter, if possible. le therefore demands an open charge, which he says he will refute with details of his private life and his financial affairs, or silence. lie said tonight: "I have already denied this charge on several occasions, but the reitera tion of it by Senator Thurston, a dis tinguished resident of my own State justilled me in answering it again. I nave never at any time, or under any circumstances, been in the employ of any mine owner's individually or col lectively, directly or indirectly, nor have I ever been in the employ of or paid by any Bimetallic League Associ ation. Aside from my editorial sala ry of about $150 per month paid by the Omaha World-Herald, and a small amount derived from the legal profes sion, my income has been derived en tir 1y from lectures before Chautauqua lyceum and lecture bureaus, which ha'e usually paid me a fixed sum and fro n contributions made by the people of te localities where I have spoken. In some instances I have received nothing at all. In most cases I have received more than enough to pay travelling expenses. In only two in stances, I think, has my compensation exceed $100, and in those instances it was about $200 at one place and $300 at the other. "The fii-st platform on which I ran for Congress in 1890, before I was known politically outside of my State, contained a free coinage plank, and my Republican opponent that year was an advooate of free coinage. In the campaign of 1892 I again ran on a free coinage platform. In 1894 I again ran on a free coinage platform, and my opponent for the Senate, Mr. Thurston, while opposing unlimited coinage at 16 to 1, imisted that he fa vored bimetallism. I wrote the free coinage plank on which I ran in 1890, and the free coinage planks in the Ne braska State. platforms in 1891, 1894 and 1896, and tried to secure the adop tion of free coinage planks in the State platform in 1892 and 1893. I only mentienthis to show thatmy advocacy of free silver is not of recent date. "Having made this answer to Mr. Thurston's letter, I shall take no no tice of individual and newspaper com ment on this subject. If the Republi can National Committee will say offi cially that I have ever been employed to deliver speeches by any mine-own er, a group of mmie-owiers, or by any associations supported by mine-owners I am ready to make a statement show ing in detail all money received by me for speech-making." Replies to Nixson. To the Editor of The State: In your isue of the 7th inst., you publish a letter from Commissioner Mixson. Every word he says in that letter about my offering him a rebate directly or indirectly of any amount or in any shape, or at any time, is ab solutely false from beginning to end. He further states that "when Mr Trailer was commisioner he discov ered that the Mill Creek company was being paid interest after 30 days, and each 30 days calling for more or big ger interest." Ttiis statement is also false. All the goods we sold Commissioner Traxler were sold on 60 days or four months time, and interest was charg ed after the maturity of each invoice at 6 per cent, per annum, and so stat ed on-each invoice. I cannot unjer stand how a sane ma-n can msae .tucli a statemen$ ove-r his owni signa ture, when he knows~ the evidence to prove him a falsifier is on file in the ofiice of the State dispensary. The reason this man Mixson is so bitter against me is because I would not employ hir agent and pay him a commission. Shortly after he was appointed commissioner,: but before the business of the dispensary was transferred to him, he gave nis agent a letter of introduction to me. This agent said he could get me the busi ness of the State dispensary and want ed a commission of $1 a barrel on X, $2 a barrel on XX and $3 a barrel on; XXX whiske/', and wanted this on all we sold the State. I told him the Mill Creek D)istilling company fur nishaed the capital to mak~e the dispeni sary a success and that institution o wed us more than $92,000 at one time, and the books in the offlee of the dis peilsai-y would prove it, and I thought the maanagement of the dispensary would be cold-blooded and ungrateful if they did not gives. us a portion of their business without our having to t'put up" for it. We did not get the business. Now, I leave the readers of your paper to judge for themselves. GEO. IHUBBIELL, Secretary Mill Creek Distilling ('o. Cinemnnati, Aug. 18, 1896. (cetting Together. WasrearroN, Aug. 19.-1. N. Stevens. vice chairman of the Silver party, arrived in Washington to-day. He has been in conference with the leadears of both the Populist and Democratic parties here. Tt is the wish of the Silver party to arrange co-operation with the committees of both the other parties in order that there may be complete harmony among the supporters 'of Bryan. There is some talk that the headquar ters of all the parties will be in the Wormley building so that the co-op2 ration may be complete. The Popu List executive committee continued its session, but nothing more than a dis cussion of the situation was the result of the committee. A Disastrous~ Cloud( buIrst. SILVER CITy, N. M., Aug. 20.--Tele graphic comununication has been re establirehed with tue Magolon mining camp, eighty-two miles from here, in Socorreoco County, and details of the cloudburst of Wednesday afternoon received. The waters swept down the camp about 41 o'clock in the afternoon, totally destroying twenty-six houses arid business-places and causing loss in property of fully $25,000. John 1 Knight, a miner, was caught asleep in his cabia and drowned. An unknown4 Mexican was carried down the canon and drowned. There are reports of eight people missing but the loss of life so far r~s known is limited to CROP BULLETN. WEEKLY REPORT OF THEIR CONDI TION IN THIS STATE. Cotton and Corn Hurt by the Hot and Dry Weather-Riice. Cane and Other Crops Doing Very Well. COtUMBIA, S. C., Aug. 19.-The rollowing bulletin issued lby Observer Bauer covers the weather and crop ronditions for the week ending Satur lay, Aug. 15, and in its preparation were used reports from one or more correspondents in each county in the State. WEATHER. The abnormal heat continued dur ing the entire week with but little va riation from day to day, although the tendency was towards lower tempera ture. The heat was general, there having been but five degrees difference between the highest and lowest week ly means, viz.; 86 at Allendale and 81 at Greenville. The weekly mean for the State was 84, the approximate nor mal 79. Fifteen places reported max imum temperatures of 100 or above on one or more days. The highest tem perature was 105 on the 10th at Gilli sonville, the lowest 67 on the 15th at G-reenville and Cheraw. The rainfall was copious and well istributed over all sections of the State. although it fell in sca ered showers in the nature of thader storms. These storms were most nu merous on Wednesday and Friday. [n places, notably Chesterfield and Pickens counties on the 14th and Or angeburg on the 11th, they were ac companied by high wind, hail and washing rains that did material inju ry to corn and cotton. This week 36 stations retort rain against 22 last week and 23 stations rerort measure ments exceeding an inch against 7. last week. The following places reported heavy rains: Allendale, 1.87; Greenwood, 1.42;Spartanburg. 2.00; Cheraw, 1.67; Florence, 2.24; Kingstree, 2.50; St. Matthews, 1.15; Yemassee, 2.01; Co lumbia, 1.37; St. George's, 1.40; Pin opolis, 3.32; Santuc, 2.10; Camden, 1.35; Oakwook, 2.05; Elloree, 180; Chesterfield, 1.75; *Valhalla, 186; Darlington, 3.11; Trenton, 1.41; Little Mountain, 2.10; Gillisonville, 116; Poverty Hill, 1.20; Society Hill, 1.69. he average of all rainfall reports is 1.40 and the normal for the week is approximately ?53. CROPS. The weather was more favorable for crops in general than for some time previous, especially in the matter of rainfall, but the good effects of the rains were negatived by the cotinued abnormal heat which in places caused scalding of cotton and peas. There remained localities at the end of the week which had entirely insufficient rain and at those places..crop deterio ration was rapid, the drought affect ing all vegetation. Happily such dis tricts in the aggregate form but a small portion of the area of the State. Late corn suffered severely from the heat and dry weather and is called a partial failure, being undersized and the kernels drying and shriveling. By far the greater portion of the corn crop was made before the dry weather set in and is consequently safe. Fod der pulling continues. Interfered within places by the rains and by dry weather in others. Much foddee on late corn is so bnrnt and dried as to be unfitted for saving, and this im portant forage crop is a comparatively light one. The continuous hot weather is still an adverse factor in the seasonal de velopment of the cotton plant, caus ing shedding of leaves, blooms, squares and half-grown boils as re ported during the preceding week, but not quite so freely as then. Rust is common and reported from all ee tions of the State. The heavy rains, where they occurred, checked deterio eation - for the time but correspon lenizagree that the rains will not; :ause cotton to .recover 'the excellent :onidition it had when the extreme dieat anzd drought began in the third. lecade of July. Improvement is noted in the west-. ~rn counties, but the improvement will be confined, it is thought, to an ncrease of the size of the bolls which he plant now bears and better matur t'. No top crop is generally expect i as growth has stopped. There are ocalities to which this does not applf;4 nd where new growth promises a togV ~rop. On sandy soils, particularly .n the southern counties, the plant is lead. and from one-half to two-thirds f the bolls are open. Picking has egun actively in the eastern counties Lnd cotton. opening very fast over the mntire State.. In every county, except Berkeley, he prospective yield has declined ma erially during the past week. The- condition of rice continues ex cellent. Iharvesting the crop has now ' airly begun, although some fields are ust beading. All of it is fully up to, r above, an average condition. Peas are variously reported doing . well in some places and being very ooor in others, having been injured 'ay the heat and drynesss, or by too nuch rain and hot sun which caused ~calding. The pea crop is considera ly under an average one and a fur ~her falling off is more likely than an mrprovement. Sugar cane is doing fairly well in ome places, while others report it lried up to a large extent,and that the Vield of sy rup willbe thereby reduced. ain improvement can be noted in its :ondition. Sweet potatoes are still rery promising, but the tubers are -epried undersized where dug. Turnips, as a rule, are not doing well, but the rains permitted sowing ander more favorable conditions than bhave prevailed for some time. The minor crops generally are better han during the previous weeks, the rood egfects of the rains having quick y become noticeable. Fusion in south Dakota. MrrCHELL, S. D., Aug. 18-The )emocratic State Central Committee was in session here last night. The >bject was to determine whether a state convention would be held to put ip a State ticket. Senator Pettigrew Lnd Senator Kyle were present and Lssisted in the fusion deal. It was ong past midnight before arrange nents Were comnpleted. -it was unan ".ously decided to endorse the 1Popu ist State ticket and the nominees of he Chicago convention, Bryan and 3ewall. 'The Democrats get nothing ut of the deal. Sewall and Watson vill both receive the support of Popu ists aind Democrats in counties where ither is the st'-ongest. The fusionists xpect to carry the entire State, but r-e 'nnt alloesher sanguine of success.