Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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9 --5A9 X(Tb,_ VII. -- - MI AN JNGq S. C., WEDNESDAY., JANUAR121S.NO2. TO HELP THE FARMERI A PROPOSED TAX ON CO:-ON AND GRAN FUTURES. Intnddtd B> Break up G nobg in Fu turea-Suggeticn of a= Expediert tthich Shan Des'-roy the P,.wer cf the Specula r ters. To the Editor of the State: I enclose a copy of cortespondence which relates to a subj-ct exciting much interest am:ong the producers of cotton a:d grain. If r.ot ic volumi nous, if it would not ccoupy.mcre space than ycu can conveniently spare, it might throw some light on the d scua&i:n that would be profita ble. Of ccurse you remember the dffcrt made in congress a few years azo to suppress gambling in "fitures" and the result. The proposition to tax "future" sales was then made, and the objection urged was that it would af fect a great rumber of cotton planters perhaps a majority, wrho rai;ed cotton for future celivery, and therefore would cut both ways. My reclcection is an attempt was then made to ex empt the raisers cf cotton, but I am not sure, as I do not recall the detains of the debate. While I do rot fancy the idea of using the taxing power to destroy any thing, or to be employed for any other purpose than the raising of revenue. I am not sure but that 1 would be will ing to forego my scruples in this par ticular case if it c:uid be made practi ble. Senator Gcorge, a re-st accamplish ed, careful, painstaking lawyer, ofer ed an amendment, substantially a sub stitute, for cne of the bills, making gambling in futures a misdemeanor, and for that I voted, hoping to reach the evil by criminal proscutions, but that. too, as I now remember, came to nothing. I have not the pleasure of a pcrsonal acquaintance with Mr. C. A. Smith. He is evidently a man of intelligence and a business r an of large experience and, therefore, his opinions are enti tled to great weight. The subject is certainly one of sufficient gravity to command the attention of every thoughtful man, whether in public or private life.and hence I make no apol ogy for offering you this correspond ence. Very truly y ours, M. C. Butler. Washington, Jan. 4, 1898. (Copy ) Charleston, Dec. 3, 1897. Hon. M. C. Butler. Sir:-After reading your letter to Mr. W. T. Bradley, published in The State of this date on the cotton situa tion, I take the liberty of addressing you and giving some of my views as a business man in relation to the matter. I have never dealt in cotton but a-n in the grain and flour trade, with which I have been for years familiar, and as grai and cotton are gorerned by mu of the same influences, I feel that I can at least understand some of the causes that work against the rais ers of those articles. It is safe to say that it would be in possible to enter into any arrangement whereby the amount raised could be controlled, and while Mr. Roddey's plan might possibly work cut to some advantage, it seems to me that it would be almost impossible to carry it out without great opicsition and unfavorable criticism. Do you ask, then, what I propose l It is simply this: Prevent by law the dealing in "fuitures" In all agricultu ral products, for from a long expsri-. enee in such dealings I assert that there is no cause in the business worla today that is so hurtful to the farmer and mankind in general-demoraliz ing legitimate business in the trade, and taking hundreds of millions of dollars from the tiller of the soil. Not a prominent crop do we raise but what is depressed by the shcrt Eeller and the legitimate owner made to take less for his crop than he otherwise would. My experience in the specula tion "pits" is that there are at least as a rule five short sellers to one buyer and why is this so? Because it takes less capital to be a "bear" than to be a "bull." A "bull" must be prepared to take and pay for the stuff delivered to him, therefore he must have some cspital, or if, perchance, he is a "-bull" without capital he is made to run quick and sell out for s ear it will be irelivered to him, which is just as de pressing an influence on tae market as he is compelled to throw his pur chae overboard at anything he can ret, being unable to take and pay for it. Now. how can this be prevented? Pass a United States law in the shape of a revenve law laying a tax of one cent per bushel say on grain and one half cent per pound on cotton, on all sales made for future delivery.- In other words make all sales spot unless the tax was paid. This wc-uid be no hardship to legitimate trade, neither would it prevent a legitimate short selling as it would oily put the spec ulative'market c-n the same basisj as the New York stock marL-et is now conduct.ed, viz.: If a man v~acts to sell 100 shares St. Paiul stock short he can do so and his broker goes to some owner of the stock nad borrows 100 shares on "call", mrakes his sale for his short customer and delivers the borrowed stock on the sale. By this process a bear can never sell any more stock than he can borrow and so on cotton. If there is only 50,000 bales in New York no "besr" could sell or no set of 'bears" could sell more than __50,000 bales, as they could not borrow .any more than was sctually on the spot. By this plan speculative trade could be kept down to the actual amount of cotton on land. The law should require that on all sales of cot ton or grain a warehc use receipt or bill of lading of the actual property shculd be delivered to the bayer with in, say, 18 hours from time of sale. A provision in the law mig ht allow the aotur.1 raiser of a crop to contract it ahead. Under suoh a law the busiresa of the exchanges would be driven into legiti nrate channels and hotses of means and standing wc uld take the busine ss an~d release a lct of ycng men for other pursuits who now congregate around the "pit" ard "yawp" tne market up and down-msny of them who cannot for the life of them raise money enough to pay for fire bales o cotton or 1(O bucheis of wh-eat, and s'ill they can influence the maraet under present methods to the amoumt 'of hundreds of thousands of dollars per day. I ha~ve wrinten this hurriedly and perhaps have not made msyself fully understood, but the plan I propose is nirely practia as is proved by the methcds on the Nei- York tcck ex chase ar a could con;ress b brought to fully understand the m-atte r and act honest there would a vast carige for the letter take place among tillers of the soil both north and scuth. Yours truly, C. A. Smith. 5S Bell Avenue, Clevelund, O. (C opy ) Washinaton, D. C., Dec. 6. 1E:97. Mr C. A. Smith. Charleston, S. U. My Dear Sir-Yours of the .h inst. is just received. There is great force in what you say, but I fear the prop, sition to impose a tax on sales wculd scarcely be practicable. A detcrmied effort was made a few years ago im congress to suppress gamblir g in fu tures, but such insuperable complica tions ccnfronted the efforts that it failed. Among other things it was proposed to. make it a misdemeanor, but it was said in reply that the opera tors culd evade the criminal process o o:;r .ourts by simply trans erimg their ont rations to aforeign jurisdic tion. The taming power wer invoked and discussed and that too w s t':ouh ht to be impracticable aud ineffecie. I have a very firm conviction that tVe only remedy for evils which every body admits to exists is to be found is united s cion by the produce rs of ct ton and yrain. 1st. By limiting the acreage and thereby the prcduction, and 2d. By every producer placing himself on aself sustaining, indepen dent basis, thus exercising some con trol over his own property. As it is (certainly a; to cotton) he finds him self in an attitude towards the bu3 er and speculator of "stand and deiiver." Every other industry protects itself by a combination and concert of action. The farmer will have to de it. I don't believe legislation can ever relieve him. Very truly yours. (3ignec) M. C. Butler. Cleveland, Jan. 3, 1595, Hon. M. C. Butler. My Dear Sir-Owing to my contin ued absence in the south Tour esteem ed letter of Dec. 6 hss but just reached me, and in reply to .your question would say that I have no obj ction to your using my letters for publication if in your judgment they can do the cause any good. I feel quite certain, however, that nothing can ever be accomplished in the matter by any attempt to curtail the production of either grain or cot ton, further than that which will nat urally take place whenever a commod ity drops to a trice below cost of pro duction-in fact, the continued intro duction of new and cheaper methods of producing will on the whole cause a still larger production. We have reached a point in our labor condition where it is absoiu'ely imperative that a larger proportion of our people will have to till the soil to gain their liv ing. The war and the effects of the war, so far as living extravagantly, is over. We are again on a normal basis, and it is only to the soil that the great masses can look for support. It seems to me, therefore, that the only true way to improve present condi tions is to eliminate all ficticious con ditions of the markets and bring them back to the legitimate and natural conditions of the laws of supply and demand. Then they will be selt reg ulating. I feel certain that laws preventing the trading in "futures" in our great staple products of cotton, grain and pork would go far to bring a satisfac tcry condition about, and relieve the sgriculturalist from the baneful in fluence now prevailing. I also believe that such a law as I propose can be passed. if prepared and fought out on the lines of a revenue masure. On such lines it would be perfectly consti tutional and no valid objection can be raised against it. I am ;aware of the former attempt topass the Hatch and Washburn bills, but they were too cumbersome in their details and had sericus objectionable features-and as firm as I am in my views1 oould not approve of them. There is a certain amount of this future business that is perfectly legitimate, ar-d ought not to oe fettered, as it is eminentiy conser vative, and under the plan I propose. such transactions could be carried on - -but it would al ways keep the amount of trading confined to the ac tual amount of stock of the article o hand. wt Of course the bill would meet wt the opnosition of the gambling porI ion of the trade, but it would gain the support of legitimate traders, as it would tend to throw the whole busi ness into legitimate handlers cf the cotton and grain And I have con siderable faith that if such a plan-I plainly set forth in clear and precise language-were presented, that it would find the necessary support even among such a congregation of "im practicables" as compose our present, congre ss. You would at least have the masses of the people si uth and west pulling on one side cf the struz ge. One great trouble in the matter seems to be that our legislators do not seem to get any clear ideas of this business. They do Lot seem to clearlyI understand its workings. From a large personal contact with business men-both in this country and Europe-I know that the general sentiment among them is favorable to wiping this trading in futures as now practiced entirely out. I enelcse' a newspaper cutting herein Tery truly yours, C. A. S nith. Re pabic~ chu k. It is observed that at the confe rence of Indiana Raublicans held at Indi anjpolis "udsday, 'Snator Fair banks expressedl the belief that the Dingley jaw will prove a blessing and Orir e prosperity equalled only by the SiKinley law itself." "Prescerity equalled only by the McKr.e. Ia it set: !' There is nerve .or ';ou. ::ant tr Fairbanks evidently supposes that the people have forgotten that it was under the M~cKinley law that the treasury, went broke for the first timse since the war and that the country experienced its first panic for t wenty years. ______ A Faning Onf. A comparative statement from De cember 10th to date for last y earr as compared with this y ear, ind:cstes tat there has been a very decided falling off in the income from the privelege tax, List y ear it was R4 652 50 as against $,267.00 for tais A 1sa ihg.~ Mr. B. B. Brazzai, who lives be tween 13r-ton andJ Anderson, i;ns a Pland China hog who measu res from tip of nose to root of tail eight feet four inches, six feet in circnmference, and its estimated weight is about 9uu 1hbe The hno is net fat. CONFEDERATE UECORDS WHAT THE STATE iS DOING TO P'E SERVE T HEM. The. B<pr )-.f the Hastorian-fuch Woh k Has Yet to Be D:ne-Scme Rec7d! Tha: Have NoY Tet Us1 n Sac:rd . The snnual report of tie State His tcrian, Colonel John P. Thomas, was nresented to Go'vernor El:erbe Thurs day, Colonel Thomas gives the his tory of the conception of the work in 1St2. when 1 roi. W. James Bivers of the Sou.h Carolina CoLege collect ed the. nsams of 10,000 and more of the Confederate dead. Then came Prof. Rivers' work in 1864 of collect ins statistical and other iufcr'nation. The third movement to collect Con federate records in South Carolina was by the State Survivors association during the years, 1369, 1870 and 1871. He qaotes from the repo"rt of the asso ciation cn what was accomplished, sho" iur that cut of a population of 6S O00, the State cave 44000 volun teers during the first IS months of the va, at lea.t one soldier for every vcte cat for secession ; that the State probably cave 12,0'0 lives to the southern cause. All rol's colketed were turned over to the State. IL 10S2 the general assemby tock action passieg an pct putting the wcrk in the hands of the adjatant general. Gn. Manigauit did same admirable work during his term of offico. He 'scertsi:ed the organization of 496 comranies of October 31, 1SS5. Geri. Bonham and Gen. Farley also did good work during their ternms of of tice. In 1893 the general asseinb'y, on the 33rd anniversary of the passing of the ordinance of secession, passed a joint 'resolution placing the work in zen. Kershaw's hands. He was per mitted to do no more than prepare the preface before he was called to his rrst. Gen. Farley's work as State Historian is detailed and highty com mended. This brings the matter dov-n to the appointment of Colonel Thomas to succeed General Farley in October last. The folio-wieg extracts from the re port will be found of interest: Fir.ding that a large number of the printed rolls that had been sent out by Gen. Farley for revision had .Ot been rettrned to this office, I nroceeded forthwith to make every effort at my command, through individual corres pondence and appeals in the press of the Sta-e. to secure the prompt return of the rolls given out. I further call ed for other rolls to complete the rec ord of the troops furnishbed by South Carolina to the Southern Confederacy. The next subject that engaged my attention was the careful examination of all the rolls and papers turned over to me by the late historian's represen tative, as well as the Confedrate rec ords transferred November 22.1 last. by your excellency's order, from the office of the adjutant and inspector general to the ofim of the Con federate historian. All these rolls and papers of every kind have, with the zealous 2nd Eli eient assistance of Capt. Wade H Manning, been overhauled, analyzed, systematicilly classified, and securely filed in logical order. The total number of rolls printed and turned over to the present histo rian by Mr. L. E. Farley, represent ing his brother, my predecessor, is as follows: Filed. Infantry, 210; arill lery, 24; cavalry, 34; total, 268. Miss ing: Infantry, 146; cavalry, 37; total, 1S3; filed and missing, 451. With the rolls were also turned cver: (1) two memorandum hooks; (2) the Kershaw pre ace, and (3) Gen. 0. Irvine Walker's sketch of the Tenth anad Nineteenth South Carolina regimnents-1861-65.. The papers, other than company rolls, obtained from the office of the adjutant and inspector general, con sist of the two valuable works o' Pro fessor Rivers, hitherto referred to; a roll of field and staff of South Caro lina regiments, infantry, artillery and cavalry and miscellaneous notes, be ing mainly individual records of Con federate soldiers. The results of may work, since my assumption of office in October lass, and the present status appear in the tabulatt d statements here with enclos ed, maiked A and B. It will be see-n from schedule A that uo to this date, January 5, 1898, the exhibit stands thus. On file and prin ted: Infantry companies... ....320 Batteries artillery...... ..34 Calvary troops.......... 43-397 Out for revision and missing: Infantry companies........129 Batteries artillery......... 14 Cavalry troops............ 43 -397 Tots.l........,...........56 Schedule B shows a balance on hand to the cre dit of the fund style "Com pletion of Confederate Rolls" of $186.80. In the way of historic data there have been recently seat into this ofle the tnoc folio 'ing imports~nt historie papers: 1. "Shor-t sketch of the services of McGovan's Brigade in the late b-ar oetseen the States." 2. Gist brigade C. S. P. A., to the spring of 1864. by Bishop Ellis-on Ca pers, formnerly ge z~eral C. S. A. Un er the joint rt-solutuen of the general assembly of Dec. 20,~ 1893, i is nmy duty, as the successor ot Gens. Kersbav and Farley, "to s-aperintend the nreparation of the Confederate rolls for pubiication and to prepare appropriate sketches of the part taken by the State of South Carolina ar~d the various cormmano-s fromi this State in the late war, to be published with said rolis." So muah of my time has been takeno up vriii the calling in of thte rojis sert out for revision and with the analysill and the syn~tnesis of the matter mn hand that I have not vet given any attention to the historic part of my oilice. Ccnsidering the comoietion of the rol as the ground work of the ro poed ristory. I have no' deemed il expedient urwise to cin athes"per structure contemplated oefore the foundation has been Lid. Y our- excellency will see thatnu remnains to be done to ecmr'te tec rolls and that the histoi m t ri 1 on hand is exceedingly scan ty. This was the plan devised b; Ge-i. F'arley and in the executki of which he was airested by hi ilness and suba q tert death. It was well con ceivee. The Ccnfederate soldiers to whonm heetrusted the rolls for revis ion and the distinguished oficers t0 whom he assigned the preparation os supervision of sketches, cannot more eignlly hnon the menory of tha late soldier and hittcrian than by prompt compliance with the arrangement now emphasized by bis death. The present historian, recognizing the eminent finess of Gen. Farley's aapointments, begs leave to renew ana conirm thea with the hope that tne gentlern a named-Col. William Wallace, vice Gen. John D. Kennedy eccased-will be pleased to execute the work to each assigned. And t he present historian begs leave further to invi'e the cooperation of the South Carolina division cf the United Confederate Veterans and of all the Confederate camps in the State in car rying out the work of his office. I: has been my design in this report to present to your excellency and to the members of the general assembly an exact showing of the present status of this oifice, as prelimuhiary to further wcrk on my part, if such work shall be decreed. As for the future, in order to corn plate the wcrk provided for in the j ,int resolu:ion of Dec 20, 1893. i will be necessary to devise some efficei eat mode of securing the rolls out and missicg, and, this done, the next step would be for the commissioner and historian to secure the necessary data for the history that it is intended shall accnipany the completed rolls--a histor: of the part ta:en by the State in the late war and that token by the troops furnished by the S.ate to the southern Confederacy. This, it must be seen, is a work of _o small magnitu-e-onearduaus and exacting, and yet an achievement worthy of any South Carolinian's Eambition, I d : not consider it my part to make any reconmulendations. With the facts subintted through your excellency to the general assembly that body, in its Wisdom and its patriotism, must take the responsibility of decidiog what is best to be done in the business of this ~clce. In corclusion I desire to express my acknowedgments to the press of the Sta.e for the assistance given me in my pablic communications. John P. Thomas. Tr CITADEL ACADEMY. A Eirlf G ance at the Ann-iui Report :cj the Institution. The annual report of the board of visitors of the State Military academy has b:en prepared and turned over tc the State superintendent of education. The report shows that everything at the academy is in first class condition. The enrolment has ir~considerably in creased. The board has not yet acted upon the proposition made by the city of Charleston that the city give five scholarships in the institution upon certain conditions. The receipts ard expenditures of the Citadel for the period beginning Ott. 1, 1896, and ending Oct. 1, 1897-re port for academic year 1899-7-were as follows: RECEIPTS. Balance............................ $ 1 2 Berry fund............................ 19,333 2o Pay fand............................... 14,754 t6 Repairs use. from State treas urer .................................. 1.500 0( Citizens of Charleston............. 26.5 00 SQuartermaster sales................. 181 16 B3rrowed from bank................ 243 7 ti36,350 5( EXPENDITURES. Salaries......................$11,499 Ot ~iscelaneous cadet expenses.5,496 7" Board of visitors, etc............ 2,052 9( Clothing, etc................... 737G 5t Subsistence. etc................7837 l Repairs, etc..................... 1907 3: Balance........................... 32 O $36.3i50 5' For three months ending Dec. 31 1897, the receipts and expenditures art as follows: RECEIPTS. Baance..................- 32 0: Berry fund...............- 666 7: Pay fund....................... 594' 51 Quart ermaster sales.............. 65 7: I $12,714 0: EXP'EiDITU~RES. ~Saaries.......................$ 3,591 G, 1iscellaneous cadet expenses...1,659 4 Board of visitors, etc.............S20 9 Clothing........................ 2.258 3 Subsistence..................... 2,873 3 2Itepairs........................ 3,047 9 Proerty....................... 119 0 Borrowed Carolina Savings banir, nai............................. 243 7 Bfalace.,....................... 119 0 $12,714 0 The total enrolment for the schola! 'c year 1896-97 was 123. This yea ithat number has already been increa! led, the report to Superintendent May field some time ago giving about 13 for this year. Ktiled by an Explosion. A terrible accident occurred on th ~Cincinnati Southern railway Wedne' day, causing the death of two of to best known men in the service of the road. Thomas Lentnehan, Enginee: and Fireman Denham were the ut frtunate victims of an expiosior which, beside causing the death of tb two men, derailed tweive freignt cal ad did other damage. The explosio occurred twenty-seven miles frcot 'Hrrman Tenn., at about 11:2: 'cock Wednesday morning. Trai No, 32, the fastd freignt train b t-eon Cattancoga arnd Cinoinnati, we running at a high rate of speed. tt tan being a doubiM head-r, havn tw engines attached, on accoulnt of havy krade at this noi.at, when ti bole of one of the er.gines explode wihte resultn stated above. 'The Difrarance, If that exc'm agent at Brunwic vho foun'd he was sh'ort $500 hs wrv en a note telling his wife to brin the $5 t0 sa-'g he" had at omne: me~'ke it up there would rav be syn aense ia it .Ins ~ead o' that I wrt his o' to do. the best she couW with the $500- a~-d himsel f dcampt with $15 J 000 r~lnging to the Ex~pre Copary. If he hadJ gotten aws withthemony o hidenit, the cot clsinwoudhvebe tat. he v; merely cn obid thif. But 0s5 go cau;-h with the money on hi merie 's no ecapeD from the coincl'in ta1;e is er z- Ch narieston Critic. SSt..i- Ereasd fo:- Hirn. Wh'a cras wa.s paradlnz c Tokenhamra 'n the outskirts Ladn a baker gave oe of the e ,ar a couple of loa-es of sts red. A few nights afler the ei hit broke fromi his iastmngsmia cirusthn as .ot away from keepers ar d miade its way back to t baker's shop, where i.t broke in plate glass windows and ate up oread exposed for saLe. It then lowed itself to be led quietly back ts stable . A NOBLE WORK, ITHE STATE'S CARE OF THE DEAF, DUMB AND BUIND. An Iterestiag Report oM Superintendent N. F. Waiksr, Which Givze Some Idea of the Grand Work Bieirg Dne at Ceia springs. The report of Superintendent N. F. Walker, of the State Deaf, Dumb and Blind Institution at Cedar Springs is in the bands of the State printer. The report is fnlI of information about this class of the :at's uortate. The report says: One hundred and seventy-nine pu pils have been enrolled during the year. It gives me great pleasure to state that with the above number cf pupils in attendance no death has oc curred and not a single case of serious illness. As I stated in the annual re port of 1896: 'We feel that this is largely dus to the follow:ing causes: The healthfulness of our iccation, the care in providin the proper diet, regulation requiring daily outdoor ex rci:e, reguisr bathing, the perfect drainage of the ground ard well ventilated character of the buildings." I Lave had the cordial and earnest support of a corps of teachers and of ficers and henca am able to report a year of successful work. With your consent I visited during the year sev eral of the largest and best equipped schools for the blind and deaf in the United States. When we remember that it is only about three quarters of a century since the first school of the kind was established in this country, it is astonishing how rapidly the edu cation of these classes has advanced. South Carolina was the 12th State to enter upon this work, and with no de sire for self or family laudation, I am free to say that our State has no reason to be ashamed of her standing on this line of education. Of course, our school does not equsd in numbers or in its plant some of the schools of larder and wealthier States, but in the preparation of these classes for useful and happy citizens we have no reason to feel that cur work does not compare favorably with the best of them. Still I saw much on my visit to these schools that tended to give me many useful and practical hints for the wel fare and progress of this school. Toe hearty welcome accorded me at these schools and the untrammelled opportu nity for carerul investigation and ex amination of the work being done was quite gratifying to me. I found a few men still in the profession who were friends and colleagues of my father almost half a century ago. Most of the schools for the deaf, like ours, have for the past decade or two been giving special attention to the teaching of articulation and lip read ing. We began this work or rather employed a teacher for this special work, in 1880 and have had satisfac tory results. Ms: semi-deaf children and quite a percentage of those totally deaf can be taught to speak to greater orlessex tent and to read language from the lips of others. The character of the work we have done in this line was fully tested during the past term. Two girls, totally deaf, were at the begin ning of the session placed in a class of blind pupils and continued as members of said class until the end of the sum mer term. Under a careful and accu rate syste-n of marking these two deaf girls stood, respectively, second and third, in a class of J2. Tbe placing of these deaf pupils in a class with blind children did not in any way tend to retard the advancement of that class. This combining of deaf and blindecnil dren in the same class for recitation has never, so far as I am informed, heretofore been atecpted in the United States. It was not done in thif instance by us for the special advan. tage of either the deaf or blind chil dren, but rather as an experiment and to economize our teaching force. As stated above 179 pupils. represent ing 38 counties have been admittec during the year as follors: Deaf, 120 ~blind 59. Oae hundred and forty fivt of this number are present at this data The average atte d.ce has ban 142 ~The last legislature appropriated foi support and electric light plant ths sum of $91,000 and $450 for repairs iias shorrn by the fia'sncial statemen we have paid for support and electr1< 7ight plant the sum of $23,956 52; fo: repairs $172.23. Our per capita fo: - support, which includes all runn expanse has been $130.77. The aver age cost per capita for support in 3& r schools for the deaf in the United State: for last year was $235. The above -statement includes schools in all part. 0 of the United States. For the sum of $2,386.27 we ereete< boiler, engine and dynamo rooms an< installed a 40 power boiler and an up e to-date engine and dynamo sufficien to light cur building and yard. Thi e entire plant was carefually examined b: t the expert electrician of the Southeast ern Tariff association and approved b: him. It has proven entirely satisfac tory since starting upon October last e A portion of the fua d for repairs ha s been expen ded for a new garden fence a Ilaying Iloor of front porch v~ith tile etc. The balance of said appropriatio! 0 is being expsnded for the erection of a 'cow barn. s From approra~t.... $20,000.0 eOther sources........... 222 Balance on hand Jau. 1, '97. 514 4 e $21,806.7 d Among the chief ilems of expend. ture were: For salaries, $7,263 9C graries and provisions $4,884 54 wages $1,913 44; furniture $919 23 d wood and c nl $670; cattle $469 6C g Irepairs $425.93; washir.g $423 61 o bocol:s stn.arv, $92207; travelin iexenscs $2S0 67; medical attentbo e ao msd.cine. $1V 45: clothiing $101 d 72; electric plans $2.3:S86 27. d IThe balance in tee hands of it sboard of commissioners is $S50 19. Tne balance on hand for suppor!. . about the usual amount w~e usuall scarry over in order that we may hay e a s-nall a-nount o' cash for expense jfor January and February until appr< n priaions arc made by the legislaturc The only change in Our teachin focc during the year was causea b the res'gnation of Miss M. M. Kin; r.artculauc~a teacher, and the election< M iss \ irr.inia Walker to ili the placi e- Tne follo ving items of repairs an eimiprovements hav-e bsen made durn e th ear; a complete electric plant i: *e staleI, iincludiing boiler house an Is dynamno room; the front porch flo< ie lain with tile; additions to sewera~ eand drainage; new garden fence: 2new cow bara in process of constru tion and various minor items. toAs I have heretofore stated in m reots our greatest need now is building for our department of color ed pupils. The large and growing attendance makes it advisable that we enlarge our shop buildings. Espec ially do we need a well eouipped wood working shop. The following appronriation will be necessary for the proper maintenance of the school for the year: $20,000 for support; $10 0G0 for building for the colo:ed department; $3,000 for shop building; $500 for repairs. Respectrully submitted, N. F. WALKER, Superintendent. DEATH OF GEN. HAGOOC. Anothe: Oonfederne Geera Answ.:rs tht Last Roll Call. Ga?eral Johnson Hagocd died a1 his home in Barnwell, S. C., Tuesday afternoon, at 1 o'clccr. Gen. Hagood was born in Barnwell county, Fcbru ary 21, 1829. His early education wa: receive:l at the Richmond Academy ir Augusta, and at the age of sixteen h entered the Citadel, where he graduat ed in 1817 with the highest honors o his class. He studied law and was ad mitted to the bar in 1850. In 1851 h( was elected commisioner of equity for Barnwell county, which office he hekl until 1861, when he resigned to enter the Confederate army. He was elect ell colonel of the First Scuth Caroling volunteers and took part in the born bardment of Fort Sumter. He wea promo t.d to a brigadier generalshi in 1862. At the termination of the war he re turned to the active supervision of hi: planting interests. In 1871 he way elected a delegate to the taxpayers convention. In 1876 he was nominat ed for comptroller general, on th< ticket with Hampton, and he contribu ted largely to the great political victc ry which freed the state from radico rule. Daring, the time of the Eilen ton riots he was anpointed by the re publican Judge Wigins in charge a possee to repel the disturbance. L May, 1877, he formally Look posses sion of the office of comptrolier gene ral and applied himself to thoroughl organizing and systematizing the de psrtment. He was reelected in 1878 and con tinued in offiee two more years, whei he was elected governor. His admin istration as governor was a success and notwithstanding the efforts c friends to induce him to accept a set ond term, he resolutely refused. Sinc then he has not taken an active par in politics. As a citizea, he ha done his duty to his country and pal ty. His attention has been give: chiefly to agricultural pursuits an+ development of local enterprises is Barnwell. He took great interest i education, and at the time of his deat: was chairman of the board of visitor of the Citadel. In 1S54 he marrie Eloise, daughter of Judge A. P. Ba ler, and he has one son, Mr. Butle Hagood-Register. The Begister'd Big Snake. On Tuesday night of last week C lumbia had the unique experience of boa-constrictor in carge of the edit< rial rooms of a morning daily. Tb scene of the performance was the Rel ister office, and following is the story as we find it in the News and Courie, About four months ago, a. dim museum was showing in the city, an a big snake was said to have escapet People here did not believe tt story, and paid no attention to tali that were told from time to time abot a huge serpent being seen in varioU. parts of the city. This mornicg tb colored porter of the Exchange Loa Bank went into the basement to sta the heating furnace. With a yell 1 rushed to the street, telling of a snal he had seen in the cellar. From tim to time during the day other peop who went into the cellar declared the had seen the snake. A party, nac up of the members of the .Regist staff and one of Arnold's theatric: troupe, armed with ropes, clubs, la: terns and a bottle of chloroform ei tered the cellar and affected the ca ture of the snake. He was not ver lively on account of the cold, bi some difficulty was experienced taking him. He was carried to ti Register office under the influence chloroform and cold, put in a bc and placed by the storee, where he wi viewed by hundreds of Columbian About 8 o'clock to-night all torpidil isappeared from the snake, owing the seat of the room. He escap from the box and for about half at hour owned the office. E.litors we perched on desks, reporters climbit partitions and every body sought plac of refuge, while his snakeship para ed from one room to the other. ex-snake charmer, who happened be inthe city, as a relic of the Sta Fair, brought peace to the oteece chorof orming the varmit. The snal is a boa constrictor nearly fourtet feet long, weighing considerably of one hundred pounds. The agility veloped by the editorial staff is said have been amazing. The State income Ta. L aw. The income tai law, as enacted - the General Assembly last year, we into effect January 1 and those peo; who have an income of $2,500 annu: ly had better prepare to come to t scratch. The number of those w: have such incomes is small alread but it will be even smaller than es r ow. The way the decrease will on will be bewildering. Accordi )to the Act, the ren must incku 5the amount of gross income from sources, not includin~g interest - seuite and bonds exe..it frc itaxation. Necessary exese actu -ly incurred in conducting busing occupation orproersion, noti metudl remuneration to the taxpg er i'r p !sonal supervision or '-upp'o-t I antnanice of his &rner .~inly.E be deducted from ihe gm" 'sc3 1revenue, and the wordi "m.o -e -usd in the Act, shall :d tken to mean gos ioe 10 sing. are t"e rates,"f whi nIy 1 es some p.eope On a me i 500 to $5,000, the tax sha' be ei s cent. ; $5,000 to $7,000, the tax shei r one and one half per cent., $750 $t 000 the~ tax shall be two per c: -ad a half per cent., 15,000) and cv three per cent. The town of Denmark ?la apc priated the sum of $I00 and a pi citizen has contributed $50 more. Iwad securing an mau.cuanx aga our county, says a iBamberg PgU Te money has been gi'en to W. IWilliams, and he has gone to n.a *rng ton, to push the case. ,The clizi 'e of Bamberg were surpnseA to -'r a this repeated proceaure. Howes .they are resting contentedly, tel assured that this proceeding w~lc 7 lapse more quickly than the fo ones. FARMNG AS 1S FAF1.MING. albrc oonty Makegs 3a.nfice:21 To the Editor of T e e-s n.o Courier: I have read with interes statements showing results of inten sive farming in various sections of tb State. and thcught a few facts and i ures from a county where this a corn mon system of agriculture might be o some interest to your readers. Col. C. S. McCAll planted the pes ent year 1,24S acres in cotton, an( made an averace of 1,072 pounds sec cotton per acre. He also planted 301 acres in oat , and after feeding abou 50 mules, two and a half months threshed 4,625 bushels. His corn an< pua crop are in proportion to above. Dr. J. L. Napier planted SO ..es and made 84 bales. Charles Crcsand planted SO acres and made 85 bales. On 120 acres E. W. Breeden mad 130 bales. Oa 360 acres T. J. Breeden made 35 bales. O: 72 acrcs C. E. Breeden made 7 J. x. Breeden made an average o 1,370 pounds of seed c:tton on 17 acres, n d an average of 25 bushels c corn per acre. while his son, T. I Breeden, made about the same quant: ty of cotton and 30 bushels of corn pe acre. C. F. Moore planted 95 acres an made 97 bales of cot ton, and as a sid industry sold in the neighborhood c y 50 registered Essex pigs. C. A. Mcore made 140 bales of co ton from 150 acres. and had gathere at last reports 17 bales from S acre: with a small quantity yet to gather. J. D. Moore made 140 bales fro: 135 acres. Sheriff J. B. Green made 356 hall . on 370 acres. Ji A. W. Mcore made 100 bales c 100 acres. C. M. Weatherly made 165 bal from 155 acres. H. T. McQ iay made about 400 bus els of corn on J. F. Everett's plant tion, at a cost of $30 50, counting h own work at 50 cents per day. 1 L. C. River5 on same plantatio' - made 300 bushels at a coat o' $16 5 including all cost except hi:e of mule f I have not selected exception cases. but could multiply above nam e by a good large figure and still be ab t to find others who averaged a bale p acre. Most of the above crops were ma a on our common uplands that product but a few hundred pounds of seed cc a ton per acre only a few years ago, a a shows the results of good work add< i to fine judgment. I think the dispo s I tion is general to reduce the cottc d acreage in this county the incomi: t- year, and increase the provision crop r though our best farmers have been ii ing at home for years. A fine sto< asscciation is to. be organized on t] first Monday in January by some our mcst progressive farmers, to e a courage the raising of improved c: tie, swine, sheep, poultry, etc, et e There arc some good pasture lands - the river section of the county, whi , wifl doubtless become valuable stocked with improved cattle, hc, e etc. d I trust The News and Courier w continue to urge the necessity of livi e at home. Yours tru y. Pee Dee. 's Bennettsville, S. C., Dec. 31, 1897. wfar Losses in enba. e For those people wh do not thi1 a Cuba has been, or is now, in a st: t~ of war, the record of losses that ha Le resulted to the island and its inha e ants from the devestation by We e ler's troops, and the insurgent ban' emay prove a rather startling argum& y Without any reference to the hum ea llies that have been sacrificed duri tr he struggle by butchery, starvati d1 and disease, the material. losses sa. tsomething of thee terrors of the sit a- tion in the Qauen of the Antill 23Here is a list or the estimated damag y One hundred thousand country nou tt ad 50,000 dweiings la vill vees a n. hamlets destroy ed, $16,000,000; ;800, e cocoa trees cut down, $5,000,0 f 1,000000 palm iress dest.royed, d x000,000; 2,00 0,000 fruit trees destroy' is $1.00,000; 5.000,000 bar'ana plants s. stroyed, $125,000; 1,000 treets to 000; 4,000 000 colfee plantLs aestroy. 40,000; 3,000,000 small cocoa pla d dstroyd, S.500,000;2.000.0'00 tort relcatte killed outright 43),000.0 2000 horses killed, $J00,000; 500, es cordels of feucing burned,~ O3,00, 1300,000 hives of domnestmt bees n; stroyed, $1,450,000; 650,000 head to sheep and s vine destroyed, $2 300,0 te 500,000 tiercesof tobacco sopropri&t y$5,000,000. Those interesten in efuture of this beautiful and product __island may well shudder at toe pict. er Under the most favorable conditic e-who can tell how long it will tak to rehabilitate the land, and make again a smiling zarden or .:uxuria ad beauty ? But surely, none favoabls conditions should be agr y oos. Under any other, Cuba tno rally in a whole generation. Tae penitentiary is cne of the ir o - oprous institisions of the St thinl a few days Sueatn ~0Neal expec;-sto pa~y into the gtresury $10,0'0 for the rie'erai i2 ias.tm made fromn the cperatius ne penite:.tiary. T.:is is the i'e inhe history of the iusttut tat such a thing has been docne a iniscut>.ole evidece of thi ciny of the m-~aaen. .E I" ton toi this the - 1mt of ~SS C! 72 t efarm-m02.Tsmu er chatn.S for supu s.eg"o, the drors. " tne sri en en ag-. er' a evda curge-e WehiJ~L het There is n'ocl. THE fENSION BOARDS WILL MEET THIRD MONDAY OF THIS MONTH. New InstructIcn, Jas Iis=ud by the State Pezs!on Banrd-Hw rjsloners Mast Prfocecd Be-or the Boards. The pension board will meet in a few dayTs and in crder that there shall be as little contusion as possible, and in order to enable the boards to work with greater facility, the state pension J board Las issued the following in. t structions: The pension boards organized in i 1S97 will meet as required bylaw on the third Monday in January at a convenient place in each township for the purpose of examining the town sh p rolls of the respective townships, and for passing upon any new appli Scatons for pensions. All new appli cants for pensions must appear in per son be'ore the township boards. Said applications must have the approval 1 of the township and county boarde before the state board can approve. i The township boards may drop from 5 the rolls of pensions the name or f names of any party or parties which in their judgment are not entitled to a pension under the law, stating the r reasons therefor in writing and, also, erase the names of those whom they d kno v to be dead. They may add to e the roll only such names of new ap i ucants as may file applications. Those already on the pension roll need not prepare nor file new applications. d All new appl:cttions not properiy 3, and correctly filed in each particular, although approved by township and n county boards, will be disapproved by the state board. The county boards i are requested not to forward to the state board the names of any pension n ers disaoproved by the township or c unty boards. Complete county and is township lists as approved for 1897 are here':ith sent to the township 1- coards from which they are expected a- to make up the list of thcse to be con is tinued on the roll; the same will be handed to tne county board for their , approval. , Township and county boards will s. notice that the law provides three al classes, "A," "B" and "C." (with five ?S subdivisions of class "C,") as follows: le "Class A-Those who have lost both er hands, or both legs, or both eyes, or whose absolute disabilities arising 'e from wounds, are equivalent to the :d loss of either, and whose income does t- not exceed $250. This does not include td soldiers whose disabilities arise from :d diseases or causes arising since the n- war. in Class B-Those who have lost one 1g arm or one leg, or whose disabilities S, from wounds are equivalent to the v- loss of an arm or a lei, and whose in s come does not exceed $250. ce Class C.-(No. 1)-Those soldiers of and sailors disabled by wounds, but a- not sufficient to be placed in Class B, t- whose income do not exceed $250. c. Class C.-(No. 2.)-Those who have in reached the age of sixty years r.id whose income do not exceed $100. if Class C.- (No. 3.) -Widows of those s, who lost their lives while in the ser vice of the State or Qonfederate states, ill and whose incomes do not exceed ag $250. Class C.-(No. 4 )-Widows above the age of sixty years, whose incomes do not exceed $100. oClass C.-(No. 5.)-Widows of pen te sioners. This class is not mentioned e in the printed acts sent out, but by the i. act approved 9 th December. 1894. .Blanks for the reports of township Sand county boards in accord with it. these classes and subdivisions have an been prepared and will be mailed to oauditors for distribution among the on boards. Class A nets $6 per month or $72, and will be paid this amount; -a. Class B $4 per month or $36. After s.Class A shall have been paid, the bal 3ance will be pro rated between B and ssC on the basis of $4 or $3. This money r.d will be sent to the clerks of court as og?heretofe as has been provided in the o.appropriation acts each year, and will 0o. be sent j..st as soon as the roll for the State cein be corrected and verified. e- owshp oadcnot be too care ."physical condition." It is a very dpoor man whose gross income from ts ilabor, rent, aad other sources, does Lnot exceed $100. or poor lands, if any, 3o* which wiji produce this amount gross. 3 I Probably sailficient to produce $100 in 0-iapphcant'.s or his wife's name debars del him cr her. WhLere soldiers or wid of I ows dispose of their property by giv 00 n or selling to their children, they dare debarrad from receiving a pen the sion ie' The question of service to the State Lre. i n connection with the various classes ns, of reserves called into the service of to the S::ate just at the close of the war, it Iwill depend much upon the evidence ace subnitted to the State board. When but real service was rendered the pension eed Ishould be allowred. Any citizen of the ~iState over :ixty years of age, and otherwise qualified, is as much enti tled to a pension as that class of her good citizens who merely met and or LOS gozed. on call, without real service Pla.ent very carefully the fol owi.g: Let township and county boards act o: promnptly snd fairly. giving the State r bard full information with complete kn recorts by township for each county, ~nl writing names fail and clear, with pariulaars for approving or disap iproving in ea case. Township 'oI rpo\e, in w'ii7 a c~tA new applica of. ,an tbe eoauty boards, and a! buy~ -tards th a brori In making -e u -epr .o 00 - ards township ii.b ra i . .s - d' & ech mem .4. :. l ' F. aher, Pension Lis hopsn aged 25, of Dallas, Te.vho sirce last Auguast has been Sm isinatteesw'ee of M. E. d... Tunoo atLr V. E,.attepted Ce e ucd ededyb etmn fire to i' :hrrclo.hin . S., s: sturated her denhir and ti i:wt erosene oil s n ap . e.m~ih In an mnstant sh wa s eneoe in iiams. Memn s i he 'ml er..iumshed the fire, b no:. Mrs r nec ptcle of hair 3 brre fs .bte young woman's ad Ed ibau; er part of her body baetK jybrn Sne will probaoly ae Thompson had suffered a :seg from heart trouble, and of ~ten expressed a fear that she would be comie insane. L1