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TRAPS FOR TH UNWARY REV. DR. TALMAGE :-XY- .HEv ARE A UA AS Hone3bee ard t:B We T -ve op-a'on that is Deicou.ts ar' A:me:In. S,t Damagirng and L-e:ueuve:-mbrcel Nectcr for wor. Rev. Dr. Taimgei searts with an criental sc.Le, ro ich he drags practic.1i les^:as as o the ai lurement. w:.. a. : r r: r and the disuarse ,. . = rk c their g ard. Tie- x : xiV, 43, "I did bu;a : o e un the ena of tue r - hand, ad, , T : . The hou: :s at: ingenious architect, atCr : r Wrei amrong insects, "eomatt Lr . Y,; t xa-cns and penta ors a free. ote- r,)ob g the delds of po:n au a ar1ma, won drous creature of God xie bicgra phy, written by :i:. and Ssam merdan, is an ercem:: ent .ur asy lover of nature. \ rti cel*orated the bee in his fable of Aril :,nd Moses and S muel at d Dav u and Solomon and Jereinan a E mici and St John used the delcac::s 0 bee manu facture ss a Bib. s . b::i. A abiracl of formauo is tot z e. F; t - es. two tongues,the oLa r :ving a sheath of proecion, h:r , a a.i _des o? its tiny body to uAof lowers, 1si 9: taeaia l the world riaw. s ,f 1e :ee ii e. Te honeycomo is a p-c- ': a::s co ene but Gud could poln a:d e . oceybe construct ; its ce.s soxuetime s a cor mitory and sometimes a s:orehouse and sometiames a cemetery. These winged toilers drst make eight strips of wax and by their anteni which are to them nammer and csel and square and plumo line, fashion them for use. T wo and t ,-o these workers shape the wall. If an accident rap pens, they put up buttresses of extra beams to res':tay the damage. When about tae year 1776 an insect before unknown in tie .ig-ttime at tacked the beeives all over Eirope and the men who owned them were in vain trying to plan something to keep out tut, invader tinat wms the ter ror of the beehives of the continent, it was found that every where the bees had arranged for their c sa protection and built before their honey combs an especial wa.l of wax, with portholes through which the bees mig iht go to and fro, but not 2arge enough to ad mit the winged combatn:, called the Sphinx atropes. Do you know that the swarming of the bees is divinely directed . The mother bee starts for a r ex home.and because of this the other bees of the hive get into an excitement which raises the heat of the hive some four degrees,and they must die unless they leave their heated apartments, ana they folios the mother bee and alight on the branch of a tree, and cling to each other and hold on until a com mittee of two or three bees has ex plored the region and found the hol low of a tree or rock not far cif from a stream of water, and they here set up a new colony and ply their aro matic industries and dive themselves to the manufacture of the saccharine edible. But wno can tell the chemis try of that mixture of sweetness, part of it the very- ife of the bee and part of it the life 'of the nields? Plenty of this luscious product was hanging in the woods ot B:thaveu during the time of Sauil and Jonathan. Their army was in pursuit of an ene my that by God's conmand must be exterminated. The soldiery were pos itively foroidden to stcp to eat anyv thing, until the work was done. If they disobey ed, they were accursed. Coming through the woods they found a place where the bees had been busy, a great honey manu factory. Houey gathered in tne hllow of the trees uzntil it had overib~wed upon the ground in great profusion of sweet ness. All the army obey ed orders and touched it not save Jonjathac, and he, not knowing the military order about abstinence, dippiei the end of a stick he had in his hand into tiie candid li quid, and as yellow and tempting it glowed on the end of the st~ick he put is to his mouth and ate the honey Judgment tell upon himt and but for special intervention he would have been slain. In my text Jonathan an nounces his awful mistak e, "I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and, lo, I must ate." Ala s, what multarudes of people in all ages have been damaged by forbidden honey, bsy which I mean temptation, delictou s and attractive, but damaging and destructive. Corrupt literature, fascinating but deatblul, comes in this category. Whejre one good, honest, healthful book is read now there is a hundred made up ot rhetorical trash consumed with avidity. When the boys on the cars come through with a pile of pub lications, look over the tities and no tice that nine out of ten of the books are injurious. All the way from here5 to Chicago or Ne w Orleans notice that objectionable books dominate. Taste for pure literature is poisoned by this scum of the publishing house. Every book in which sin triumphs over vir tue, or in which a glamour is thrown over dissipation, or which leaves you at its last line with less respect for the marriage institution and less abhor ence for the paramour is a depression of your own moral character. The bookbindery may be attractive, and the plot dramatic and startling, and the style of writinig s weet as the honey that Jonathan took up wit'a his rod, but your best interests forbid it, your moral safety forbids it, your Gcd f or - bids it, and one taste of it may lead to suctt bad results that y ou may have to say at the close of the experiment or at the clcse o a misimpi -i lifetime, "I did but taste a little i y with the rod that was in my hand, and, lo, I :nust di." Corrupt literature is doing more to day for the disruption of domestic life than any other cause. Ebopeznents, marital intrigat s. six coriesnondence, fictitious names' givea a: 'postetlics windows, clandesuine meetings in parks, and at ferry gates, arid in hotel parlors, and conjagal perjairies are among the rumocus rusuits. When a woman young or old gets her nead thoroughly stuf::d witn the modern novel, she is in appalling peril. But some one wvill say, "-The heroes are so adroitly knavisb, and the heroines so bewitchingly untrue. and the turn of the story so exq uisite, and all the characters so enrapituring, I cannot quit them" Myv brother, my sister, you can tind styl:es ci liarature just as charmicg' tat wi elevate and pai rify and enntoble and Christiari:ze while they p ease.T e devil does not own althe no-'er.' Tae- is a wealth! of', god to-sk ~cczdne lott fro-mi our publishing hous~s : atsave no, excuse for- the choic ofiat which si' debauchin to "ody m:dndu . Go tosomie intei.:n nu r c 1 an and ask' for- a ls: C. bocas it will' morai cnditioj improvement so a-'saed that you] cannotaffor to f:iup with' sa and ciniders ar'- de-rs In- ie amer stices of businers that ~ yo n anis reading that wh:ch wi: rreparehm1 to bea merchact pei-re, and tht young vwcman is~ lg her -ne wt an intelligence that wi yet either man's home or give her an indepen de::ce of charsc'er that will qualify her to build her own Lome and main tati it in a happiness that requires no aumn;~anenfl from any of our rough er :ex. T ':at vcurg man or young wo:an can, by : ' -ight literary and eral improvement of the spare ten ninu:tes Lere or there every day, rise head and shoulders in prosperity and charscaer ard ir:luence above tne u erswho read nothing, or read that which bed warfs. See all the for ests of ,ood American literature drip pig with horey. Why pick up the ioneycombs that have in them the trv be-s which will sting 3 ou with an eternal poison while you taste it? a::e bock n:av for you or me decide eery-hig for this world and the .x It Ras a turning point with inc when in a bcokstore ia Syracuse one day I picked un a bcok called "The D suties of Ruskin." It was only a bock of extracts. but it was all pure honey, and I was rot satisfied until I purchased all his works, at that time exp'nsive beyond an easy capacity to own them. and with what delight I went through reading his "Sev -n Lamps of Architecture" and his -Stones of Venice" it is impossible for me 'o decribe except by saying triat it gave me g ranture for good books and an everlasting disgust for decrepit or irnmorai books that will last me while my life lasts. All around the church and the world to day there s-re busy hives of intelli gence occunied by authors and au :.oresss from whose pen drip a distil ieion whicu is the very nectar of heaven, at d why will you thrust your rod of is quisitiv-ness into the death ful sactharine of perdition? Stimulating liquids also come into the category of temptation delicious. but deathful. You say, "I cannot bear the taste of intoxicating liquor, and how any man can like it is to me an amazement." Well, then, it is no credit that you do not take it. Do not brag about your total abstinence, be cause it is not fromt any principle that you reject alcoholism, but for the rea son that you reject ceitain styles of food-you simply don't like the taste of them. But multitudes of people have a natural fondngss for all kinds of intoxicants. They like so n-uch that it makes them smack their lips to look at it. They are dyspeptic, and they like to aid digestion; or they are annoyed by insomnia, and they take to produce sleep; or they are troubled, and they take it to make them obliv ious; or they feel happy, and they must celebrate their hilarity. They begin with mint julep sucked through two straws on the L ong Branch piazz. and end in the ditch, taking from a jui a liquid half kerosene and hale whikey. They not only like it, but it is an all consuming passion of body, mind and soul, ana after awhile have it they will, though one wineglass of it should cost the temporal and eternal destruction of themselves and all their families and the whole human race They would say, "I am sorry it is go ing to cost me and my family and all the worl's population so very much, but here it goes to my lips, and now let it roll over my parched tongue and down my heated throat, the sweetest and most inspiring the most delicious draft that ever thrilled a human frame." To cure the habit before it comes to its last stages various plans were tried in olden times. This plan was recommended in the books. When a man wanted to reform, he put shot or bullets into the cup or glass of strong drink-one additional shot or bullet each day that displaced so much liquor. Bullet after bullet added day by day, of course the liquor became less until the bullets would entirely fill up the glass, and there was no room for the liquid, and by that time it was said the inebriate would be cured. Whether any one ever was cured in that way I know not, but by long experiment it is found that the only way is to stop short off. ar d when a man does that| he needs God to help him, and thereI have been more cases than you canI count when God has so helped the man that he left off the drink forever, and I could count a score of them, some of them pillars in the house of One would suppose that men would take warning from some of the omin-i ous names give-a to the intoxicants! and stand cff from the devastating in-| fluence. You have noticed, for in stance, that some of the restaurants are called The Shades, typical of the fact that it puts a man's reputation in. the shade, and his morals in the shade, and his prosperity in the shade, anct his wife and children in the shade, and his immortal destiny in the shade. Now, I find on some or the liquor signs in all our cities the words "'Old Crow," mightily suggestive of the carcass and the filthy raven that swoops upon it "Old Crow:!' Men and women without number slain of rumn, but unburied, and this evil is pezking at their glazed eyes, and pecking at their destroyed manhood and womsanhcod, thrusting beak and claw into the mortal remains of what was once gloriously alive, but now morally dead. "Old Crow!I" But, alas, how many take no warning! They make me think of Caesar on his way to assassination, fearing nothing, though his statue in the hall crashed into fragrents at his feet and a scroll containing the names of the conspira tors was thrust into his hands, yet walking right on to meet the dagger that was to take his life. This infatu ation of strong drink is so mighty in many a man that. though his fortunes are crashing, and his health is crash inig. and his domestic interests are crashing, and we hand him a long scroll containing the names of perils that await him, he goes straight on to physical and mental and moral assas sination. In proportion as any style of alcoholism is pleasan t to your taste and stimulating to your nerves and for a time delightful to all your phys ical and mental constitution is the peril awful Remember Jonathan and the for biddden honey in the woods at Bethaven. Furthermore, the gamester's indul gence must be put in the list of temp tatioa s delicious but destructive You who have crossei the o::ean many times have rnoticed that always one of the best rooms has, from morning un til late at night, been given up to gambling practices. I heard of men who went on board with enough for a European excursion who landed with out money to get their baggage up to the hotel o:- railroad station. To many there is a complete fascination in games of hazard or the risking of money en possibilities. It seems as natural for them to bet as to eat. In eed the hunger for food is often >verpowered by the hunger for wag ers. It is absurd for those of us who have never felt the fascination of the esger to speak slightingly of the ~emtaimn. It has slain a multitude f iteilectual and moral riants, men udwomen stronger than you or I. Dawn under its power went gl-orious Jiv-er Goldsmi'h, and Gibbon, the ~mous historian, and Charles Fox lrenowzsd s-.atesman, and in olden .mes senators of the United States, w iso usedi to te as regularly at the gamn bli-g house all night as they were in te :ails of iegisltion by day. On, the tragedies of the faro table: I know persors3 who begau with a slight stake in a ladies' parior ad ended with the suicide's pistol at Monte Carlo. They with black marks on them, not know ing that -satan was playing for their bones at the same time, and was sure to sweep all the stakes off on his side of the table. State legislatures have again and again sanctioned the migh t yevil bypassing laws in defense of race tracks, and many young men have lost all their wages at such so called "meetings " Everf man who voted for such infamous bill has on his hands and forehead the blood of these souls. But in this connection some young converts say to me: " it right to play cards? Is there any harm in a game of whist or euchre?" Well. I know gcod men who play whist ar d euchre and other styles of games wi'h out any wagers I had a friend who played cards with his wife and chil dren and then at the close said, "Come, now. let us have prayers." I will not judge other men's ccosciences, but I tell you that cards are in my mind so associated with the temporal and spiri tual ruin of splendid young men that I would as soon say to my 'amily, "Come, let us have a game of cards," as I would go into a menagerie and say, "Come, let us havea game of rat tlesnakes," rr into a cemetery and sitting down by a marble slab say to the gravediggers. "Come, let us have a game at skulls." Conscientiois young ladies are silently saying, "Do ycu think card playing will do us any harmi" Perhaps not, but how will you feel if in the great day of eternity, when we are asked to give an account of our influence, some man should say: "I was intreducpd to games of chance in the year 1898 at your hcuse, and I went on from that spoit to some thing more exciting, and went on down until I lost my business, and lost my morals, and lost my soul, and these chains that you see on my wrists and feet are the chains of a gamester's doom, and I am on my way to a gam bler's hlt." H ney at the start, eter nal catastrophe at last. Stock gambling comes into the same catalogue. It must be very ex hilaraing to go into the stock market and depositing a small sum of money run the chance of taking out a fortune. Many men are doing an honest and safe business in the stock market and you are an ignoramus if you do no: know that it is just as legitimate to deal in stocks as it is to deal in coffee or sugar or flour. But nearly ali the outsiders who go there on a financial excursion lose all. The old spiders eat up the unsuspecting flies. I had a friend who put his hand on his hip pocket and said in subtance, "I have there the value of $250,000." His home is today penniless. What was the matter : Stock gambling Of the vast majority who are victimized ycu hear not one word. One great stock firm goes down and whole columns of newspapers discuss their fraud or their disaster, and we are presented with their features and their biography. But where one such famous firm sinks 500 unknown men sink with them. The great steamer goes down and all the little boats are swallowed in the same engulfment. Gambling is gambling, whether in stocks or breadstuffs or dice or race horse betting. Exhilaration at the start, but a raving brain and shattered nervous system and a sacrificed pro perty and a destroyed soul at the last. Young men, buy no lottery tickets, purchase no prize packages, bet on no baseball gamnes or yacht racing, have no faith in luck, answer no mysteri ous circulars proposing great income for small investment, drive away the buzzards that hover around our hotels trying to entrap strangers.. Ga out and make an honest living. Have God on your side and be a candidate I or heaven. Remember all the paths of sin are banked with flowers at the start, and there are plenty of helpful hands to fetch the gay charger to your door and hold the stirrup while you mount. But farther on the horse plunges to the bit in a slough inextrica ble. The best honey is not like that which Jonathan took on the end of the rod and brought to his lips, but that which God puts on the banquet. ing table of mercy, at which we are all invited to sit. I was reading of a boy among the mountains of Switzer land ascending a dangerous place with his father and the guides. Tue boy stopped on the edge of the cliff and said, "There is a fiowerlImean to get "Come away from there," said the father. "You will fall off." "N3," said he. "I must get that beautiful flower." And the guides rushed to ward him to putlt him back when, just as they heard him say, "I almost have it," he fell 2,000 feet. Birds of prey were seen a few days after circling through the air and lowering gradual ly to the place where the corpse lay Why seek flowers off the edge of a pre cipice when you can walk knee deep amid the full blooms of the very para dise of Gcd? When a man may sit at the king's batnquet, why will he go down the steps and contend for the re fuse and bones of a hound's kennel? "S weeter than honey and the honey comb," says David, is the truth of God. "With honey out of the rock would I have satisfied thee," says God to the recraant. Here is honey grathered from the blossoms of trees of life, and with a rod ma'e out of the wood of the cross I dip it up for all your souls The poet Hesiod tells of an nmbrcsia and a nectar the drinking of which would make men live forever, and one sip of the honey from the eternal rock will give you eternal life with Gad Come off the malarial levels of a sinuful life. Come and live on the uplands of grace, where the vineyards sun them selves. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is gracious:" Be happy noa and happy forever. For those who take a different course the honey will turn to gall. For many things I have admired Percy Shelley, the great English poet, but I aepiore the fact that it seemed a great sweetness to him to dishonor God. The poem "Q 2een Mab" has in it the malignmng of tbe deity. Shelley was impious enough to ask for Rowland Hill's Surre'y chapel that he might denounce the Christian religion. He was in great glee against God and the truth. But ne visited Italy, and one day on the Mediterranean with two friends in a boat which was 21 feet long he was coming toward shore when an hour's squall struck the water. A gentle man standing on shore thirough a glass saw many boats tossed in this squall, but all outrode the storm ex cept one, in which Shelley and his two friends werie sailing. Th at never came ashore, but the bodies of t wo of the occupants were washed up on the beach, one of them the poet. A fu neral pyre was built on the seashore by some classic friends, and the two bodies were consumed. P'oor Sheile' : He would have no God while he lived, and I fear had no God when b'e dit d. - Tne Lord knoweth the way of the righteous. but the way of the unged ly shall perish.' Ba ware of the for biddJen honey: An Editor Commits suicide. Captain George R. Guss. editor and proprietor of the Chester County Demcocrat, committed suicide at nis home in West Chester, Pd. -late Tues day by inhaling iliuminatmng gas. Bfore killing himself he wrote the following note: "Standing on the brink of eternity, I ask the forglve ness of all, aslI forgive all. Noai w ers: no funeral. Good-bye, God Oless WHERE THE MONEY GOES. AN ESTIMATE O= THE MONEY NEED [ D THISYEAR. The A ppropriation Bill as Submitted by the Ways and Means 0( =mittee of the H !nee to That Body. In the House on Thursday the Wa' s and Means Committee presented 1he annual appropriation bill. It cuts down materially some of the estimates pres. nted for the several departments of the govern-rent. Tae principal items of the bill are as follows: GOVERNOR-S OFFICE. Siar7 of G,verncr...... $ 3,(00 00 Salary of Private Stc.... 1 350 00 Salary of Messenger..... 400 CO Contingent fund rewards, etc..................... 5,000 00 S:ationery and stampz.... 300 00 OFFICE SECRETARY OF STATE Salary of Secy. of State.. $ 1.900 00 Salary of Chief Clerk.... 1,350 CO Contingent fund......... 150 00 Statiorery and stamps.... 400 00 OFFICE OF COMPTROLLER GENERAL. Salary Comptroller Gen. $ 1,900 CO Salary Chief Clerk....... 1,400 00 Salary Bookkeeper....... 1,500 00 Contingent fund......... .200 00 Statiorery and stam p3.... 300 C Priating................. 300 00 Travelling expenses of the Comptroler and assistants 500 00 OFFICE OF STATE TREASURER Salary of State Treasurer $ 1 900 00 S .iary of Chief Clerk.... 1,5)0 00 Salary of Bookkeeper.... 1,350 00 Salary of Bookkeeper loan department............. 1,350 00 Contingent fund......... 200 00 Printing of bonds........ 1,400 00 SLationery and stamps.... 200 00 OFFICE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCA TION Salary Superintendent E l cation ...........,..... $ 1.900 00 Salary of Clerk.......... '900 00 Contingent fund......... 50 00 Stationery and stamps.... 125 00 Books Qnd blanks for pub lic schools............. 400 00 Expenses State B.ard Edu cation ................. 250 00 Travelling expenses Super intendent Eucation.... 200 00 OFFICE ADJCTANT AND INSPECTOR GEN ERAL. Salary Adjutant and In spetor General......... $ 1,200 00 Salary of clerk........... 900 00 Salary of State Armorer.. 350 00 Contingent fund......... 75 00 Stationery and stamps.... 100 00 Collecting arms. etc...... 150 00 OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL Salary Attorney General $ 1 900 00 Salary of Assistant....... 1,350 00 Contingent fund.....,... 150 00 Stationery and stamps.... 75 00 Expenses litigation....... 2,000 00 OFFICE OF STATE LIBRARIAN Salary of State Librarian $ 800 00 Contingent fund........ 125 00 Stationery and stamps.... 250 00 For purchasing books for State Library.......... :100 00 PENSION DEPARTMENT For pensioners.......... $100,000 00 Salary of clerk........... 600 00 Stationery and stamps.... 123 00 INDEXING AND CODIFYING ACTS Salary Coue Com msaioner $ 400 00 CONFEDERATE HISTORIAN. Compensation.... ......... $ 500 00 Expenses for Wtober, No vember and December, 189................. 500 00 Relhef of certain soldiers.. 100,000 00 Salary clerk pension board 600 00 Stationery and postage... 120 00 KEEPER STATE HOUSE AND GROUNDS. Salary two watchmen.... $ 800 00 Salary Jantor............ 160 00 Salary Engineer ($75 per mo. for 7 months, and $25 a mo. for the rest of the year... ...... 650 Co Salary two Firemen ($25 month each)..,.... 600 00 Contingent fund........ 100 00 Fuel for S~ate House..... 900 00 K-.eping grounds in repair 200 00 (and convic:s.) K1 DICIAL DEPARTMENT. S alary of cuief justice for six months and t senty nine days at $4,000 per year, and for five months and one day at $2,850 per year. Salary of three associate justices..............$ 9,200 CO Salary eight circuit judges 26,000 00 Salary of eigtt circuit sc licitors............. 11,050 00 Salary of iight circuit ste nographers ........ 10,000 00 Salary of State reporter. 900 00 Salary of clerk of supreme co~r....,....,..... 800 00 Sa1l'y of liorarian of su preme court.......... 800 00 Salary of messenger of su premre court ......, 200 00 Salary of attendant of su premne cou...... 200 00 Contingent fund....... 200 00 Purchase of books for su preme court........... 500 00 Purchase repor:s for su preme court........... 350 Co H EALTH DEPARTMENT. Salary of quarantine offi cers, Charleston... $ 1,650 00 Salary of quarantine offi cerr, Port Royal.. 700 00 Salary of quarantine offi cers, St. Helena....... 700 00 Salary of g iarantinte offi cers, Georgetown.. 450 00 Expenses State board of health ...............1,000 00 Salary of keeper lazaretto 300 00 Salary keeper of hospital buiidings Port Royal 175 00 Maintaininag quarantine 2.500 00 Expenses quarantine sta tion, Pori. Royal....... 300 00 Expenses quarantine sta tion, Georgetown.. 150 00 Expenses quarantine sta tion, Charleston... 1,000 00 Expenses quarantine sta tion, St. H elena..... 150 00 TAX DEPARTMENT. Salary County audators... 25,500 00 Printing books, blanks, etc., auditors and treas urers...................2 500 00 RAiLROAD COMMISSION. Salary e mmissioners.... 5 700 00 Salary secretary........ 1,200 00 Contingent...............750 00 !OUTHt CAROLINA COLLEGE. Support S. C College.... 25.000 C0 Support negro colleg e.... 10,000 00 CITADEL ACADEMY. Suppzr:. beneficiary cadets 20 000 00 Eq~iipment and repairs... 750 00 Tr'easurer............... 1 200 00 WINTHROP NORMAL AND INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE Support of.............. 3'),000 00 For scholarships............,456 00 Sanitary improvement se w erage and drainage of... 3,000 00 STA~TE HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE Salary 'uperimr.dent. 3,000 00 S3apport c/.,.............100,000 00 For payment on Wallace p o perty ....4..... 5,000 00 C mpletion Parker build ing.... ...........13.520 80 B ard o regents per diem $1 and 5) cents mileage DEAF AND D)UMD ASYLUMi Suppcrt o!...............1,000 00 CATAWEA INDIANS, Sappnort 0f.................800 00' PCU LIC PRINTING. Public prinume...........15000 00 PENITENTIARY. S.Lary of :tiperinatendent of penitentiary......... 1,900 00 Saar rapnin of guad... 1 050 00 Salary of physician....... 1,000 00 Salary of chaplain........ 600 00 Salary of clerk........... 1,200 00 .MISCELL: EOUSa. Columbia Waterworks... 2,000 00 Completion funding old bonds and stock........ 1 100 00 Salaries supervisors regis tration ................ 8,000 00 Support militia........... 8.000 CO Expenses phosphate com mission............. 500 ) Repairs of governor's man sicn, etc.............. 250 00 Claims passed.......... 2,00J 00 Lighting public buildings, itcluding basement of State House........... 2.900 CO A wricultural and Mechani cal society............. 2.400 00 Interest to accrue......... 283 744 03 THE L[EN LAW COMES FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE. In an Etabarate Debate the Subject Is Fuly Discussed frcm Every standpoin*, but no Action Taken on It. One ef the warmest debates that has yet occurred in the Hcuse of represen tatives took place on TuEsday, 25th instant, over the following bill to amend the lien law: Section 1. That section 2399 o' the al gener statutes 18S2 being section 2512 of the revised statutes of 1893 be, and the same is hereby amended by adding the words "and supplies furn isted during the year" after the word "him" on line three, and by striking out the last four lines of said section when so ammended shall read as fol lo ws. Section 2512 (2399). Every landlord leasing land for agricultural purposes shall have a prior and preferred lien for his rent to the extent of all crops raised on the lands leased by him and supplies furnished during the year, whether the same be raised by the tenant or other persons. No writing or recording shall be necessary to cre ate such lien, but it shall exist from the date of contract, whether the same be in writing or verbal, and the landlord shall have the right to en force such lien in the same manner, upon the same conditions, and subject to the same restrictions as are provided in this article for persons making ad vances for agricultural purposes." This bill was argued from all points of the compass, Members were found who indorsed every provision of it, and others arose to fight its en tirety, while others objected to cer tain sections and in the meantime the debate was strung out at length and no action taken. The words which give the landlord a claim prior to that of a merchant 'or supplies caused most of the talk. This clause was constructed to mean that after a merchant had carried a farn-er for three quarters of the year the landlord coula "furnish" him for the ifs t quarter and then lay claim to the entire crop. When Mr. Glenna' bill was called Mr. Walling moved that the bill be recommitted. Mr. Sullivan spoke in advocacy of the bill. He said it was a serious matter to the farmers and would meet the obj ections to the lien law. He explained that this bill would stop outside interference with workers on the farm. Mr. Walling spoke in reply to Mr. Sullivan and reiterated his objection to the passage of the bill at present, and urged its recommittal. Mr. Robinson announced that it was not his original intention not to speak on this bill, but that he had changed his mind and desired to add his voice to the support of the bill. Mr. Garris said he was a farmer and not a merchant. He asked no par ticular favors but his sympathies al ways went out to the man who made his bread by his muscle. He opposed the bill on the grounds that it gave the merchant more of a hold on the farmer than he should have. The following gentlemen also took part in the discussion: Messrs. Bedon, Fai rey, Ilderton, Efird, H. J. Kinard. While Mr. Kinard was speaking on the bill he was assailed by several questions as to whether he was a mer chant or a farmer. The questions seemed to imply self interest as to the gentleman's motives in the matter. Mr. Kinard replied very hotly that he was both a merchant and a farmer, but did not merchandize articles that usually came under the head of farm "supplies." Mr. Livingston objected to members insinuating that other members were acting from selfish motives. He stated that it made no difference to him and that he was going to speak plainly on the subject. He regarded the present bill a direc~t attack on the lien law, more insiduous than a bill to re peal the law and he moved an indefi nite postponement. By a vote 45 to 43 the house agreed to an indefinite postponment of the bill. A number of bills came over from the senate and e -e re fei rad to the proper committees. At this juncture Mr. FEdwards arose and askea that the aye and nay vote taken on the motion to indefinite post pone the bill be verified. This being done it was dircavered that the house had refused to indefinitely nostpone by a vote of 45 to 46 and this result was announced. At this juncture the house went into the election of a senator, and argu ment on Mr. Glen's bill was pastoned until 1 o'clock. When 1 o'clock came Mr. Magill called the chair's attention to the fact. Mr. Magill spoke in favor of the motion to recommit. He pointed out that the bill gave an absolute monop oly to the landlord to the . xz~usion of all others and was a great hardship on the man who gives the lien. Mr. Pollock spoke on the saire lines. Thle gentleman pointed out the merchants-if the proposed bill was passed-would not give advances and renters would be dependent on their landlords. During the course of Mr. Pollock's remarks be made use of the word swindle when Mr. Bedon arose and inquiredI if the speaker had ever had any experience in swindling. This rather riled Mr. Pollock and he pro tested against the use cf such words. Mr. Bedon explained and after a little Mr. Pollock cooled off. Scarcely had he resumed composure when Mr. Caugh man made a point of order atd advanced the advice that the gentleman's remarks were not germaine to the subject. The chair allowed the gentlemaa to proceed. Mr. Pollock resumed his remarks by expressing his sympathy for Mr. Uauguman's lack of knowkdge of the English language. Mr. Caugnman. "T anks for your sympatby." (Lautghter.) Mr. Robinson n'ext to-ok the floor. It was his opinion that the farmer should be protected on the same grounds that the old negro saved his tishing companion, who had falleu into tne ri'ver. "He has all de bait." Previous question was called and M~r. WValling s motion to recommit the b:li was cariied by a vote of 52 to 48. Mr. Magill had the usual clincher THE STATE DISPENSARY. THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THESTATE BOARD OF CONTROL ISSUED. Financlat Statement Cverirg the Perlcd Since the State Board of Control Tock charge of the Business-Fignrr K of Much Interest. The annual report of the State bo-.rd of control was Friday made public. The report is prefaced as fol lows: To His Excellency, Wm. H. Ellerbe, Governor: We herewith submit cur annual re por' to be transmitted by y ou to the general assembly of South Carolina. Below will be found a concise state ment of the business cf the dispen sary for the past year, as well as a re capitulation of its business for the p1st year, as well rs a recapitulation of its business for the past 21 months, or the full time that the dispensary has been under the management of the board of control. We find that the county boards cf control are costing more than $10,000 per annum, and do not meet the re quirements of the dispensaries, and recommend that they be abolished and some more suitable and Economical plan be devised for local super v.sion and control. All of which is respectfully submit ted. D. M. Miles, Chairman. L J. Williams, J. B. Douthit, M. R Cooper, State Board of Control. B. C. Webb, Clerk. The comparative statement of assets and liabilities for the fiscal year end ing December 31, 1897, is as follows: ASSETS. Cash in State treasury Dec. 31, 1897.......................... .....$ 61,901 26 Merchandise in hands of county and hotel dispensaries.......... 211,402 13 Supplies (inventory)............... 11,499 54 Machinery and office fixtures (inventory)................. 2,50000 Teams and wagons (inventory)... :,000 00 Merchandise (inventory)......... 88,158 30 Personal accounts due State...... 2,811 50 Total assets........................$379,332 73 LIABILITIES. School fund.......................$319,380 40 Personal accounts due by State... 59,952 33 Total liabilities.....................$379,332 73 Statement of profit and loss account for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1897, is as follows: PROFITS. Merchandise........ ......$308,177 06 Contraband seizures.................. 4,634 52 Profits from beer and hotel dis pensaries..................... ..26,1C8 20 Ilebates and discounts on whiskey purchases........................... 42,510 36 Permit fees............................ 6 00 Sale of cart............................. 6 00 Unearned profits on goods in hands of dispensers Sept 30, less reduction in prices Decem ber 1, 1897, since accrued...... 42,871 75 $424,371 49 Difference between net accrued profits and net profits for the first three-quarters, placed to credit of the school fund from time to time......................... 12,619 49 Total $430,990 9S LOSSES. Breakage and leakage.......... 1,888 SG Constabulary................... 40,000 43 Freight and express............ 64,839 60 Labor......... ................ 14.919 97 Expense............... ...... 20,66:3 73 License........................ 143 75 Supplies.........................119.306 02 Insurance ...........,... 2,95891 Wear and tear of teams, wagons, machinery, office fixtures, etc. 671 GG Worthless accounts placed to profit and loss............... 1,769 05 .Ex-dispensers' sbortages entered to profit and loss............. iG,006; 33 Losses by fire at Darlington Man ning and Kershaw dispensaries 6,478 9S $290,547 89 Total amount placed to credit of school fund during year...14G,443 09 Total..................... 5436,990 9S Several hundred dollars of worth less accounts, due the State for empty barreIs, kegs, etc., most of which were found on the books when this board assumed charge of the State dispen sary; and also several hundred dollars due the State by an insolvent insur anco ccompany for property lost by fire, which occurred whiile property was in sured in said company, have been placed to profit and loss account. We have also placed to profit and loss account several thousand dollars of ex-dispensers' shortages, about half of which occurred prior to the or ganization of this board. These short ages are in the hands of the attorney general, and some are now in process of settlement. The cash statement for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1897, is as follo ws: RE CEIPTS January receipts...........$ 115,257 47 February receipts............ 102,100 48 M1arch receipts............... 111,997 0.5 April receipts................ 69S .2 0 M1ay receipts.................. d' , . ') June receipts................ 51,783 13 July receipts............... .67,170 94 August receipts................. 72,712 43 September receipts............. 86,355 90 October receipts............... l,599 73 November receipts.............. O,257 1)7 December receipts.............. 122,509 753 Total receipts for year...1,17,803 04 Balance in State treasury De cember :3l, 1897.............. 78.263 41 Total......................-$1,196,068S 45 DISBURSE MEN TS. January disbursements...$ 150.003 07 February 'disbursements........ 9,.61 90 M1arch disbursements.......... 9.320 S83 A pril disbursements........... 112,633 96 May disbursements........... 90369 25 June disbursements........... 54,559 47 July disbursements............-93,220 42 August disbursements.......... 47.9'34 21 September disbursements.......7,344 44 October disbursements......... 09,098 70 November disbursements.......97,765 93 December disbursements...... 12:3,S03 90 Total disbursements for the year.....................31,1:;4,10~ 1:' Balance in State treasury De cember 31, 1997............ 61.901 2'3 Total...................... -1o'i. 4.; Purchases for the tEscal year of 189,: January................ ..-..... c 9505'I33 February...................... 1,5'>() MIarch ... ..................... 67,60 46 April ................ ..............,7 98 Mayobe....................... .... -01) 74 neme...... ............... o40728 Decemb........................ ~2vP5 67 ATout.................-...... i 780,5 . 4 Net profit of the South Carolina dispensof~ for 21 mnonths: Net pronits of county, beer and hotel dispensaries for nine months in' 1596... ...........- I'; Profits of State dispensary for nine mnonths in 16 passed to the credit of school fund by Net pronts of county, beer and ho tel dispensaries for the year Pronl: of State dispensary for the year 1 497 passed to credit of chool fund by Sta~t board. ..14,443 09 The amount i a by the state. _ unty, beer and hotel dispensaries to the State. counties and towns :. Apri, ist, I is itemized as follows: Amount paid to cuanties and towns in 1 . . .... ....... ..--- i.. :; . ; Amount paid into the State treas. ury by the State hoard on ac count of the general fund in I 1000lj UOl Amount pail to ccunties and tow ns in IS'7....................... i . Balance due on account of the general fund paid into the State treasury by the State board in Amount paid into the State treas ury by the State board on ac count of the school fund in 1 ............................ I?1,O) 00 Total amount Dec. :1. 19.....9 .0' 1 .3 IIavinr since paid into the State treasury on acc~ount of the school fund ........................... 20,1X ( 0 Total amount .............4 ;.'' 51 The report of the legislative examinirg committee reads as follows. ' According to the books of the State dispensary, the balance o! cash on hand in State treasury, on Dec. 31, 1897, was $61 901 26. According to the statement furnished by the State treasurer, the balance on that day in the State treasury to the cr dtt of the State dispe nsary was $66,423 64 The difference between these two bal ancs is $4,522.38. The dispensary warrants drawn upon the State treas urer and unpaid on Dec. 31. 1897, ac cording to the list furnished us by the I bookkeeper of the State dispensary, amount to $4 516 34. which leaves the 1 discrepancy at 6.04, which was the same difference we found at the time of our last Examination. We called attention in our report for the quarter en ding 30th June, 1897, to the amounts I due by various ex-dispensers and re- I commended at that time that the same be turned over to the law department of the State for collection or settle ment. We also recommended that re ports te made showing the disposition and final settlement of these balances We repeat this recommendation, the necessity of whicn is apparent from the large amount of ex dispensers' shortages, which on Dec. 31, 1897, was carried to the p-ofit and loss account, to wit; $16.006 33. We repeat a for mer recommendation that a separate account be kept cf F xpenses of litiga tion. These expenses have heretofore been charged to the constabulary ac count. 'he stock of liquors and supplies was taken on 30th and 31st. Dec. 1897, by Messrs Douthit and Williams, rep resenting the board of control, and Mr. Moses, representing this commit tee. Altimont Mcses. Jno P Thomas, Jr , C. R. D. Burns, Committee. GOOD ACVICE TO FARMERS Price of Cotton Ncxt Fall WiLL be D c'dcd in a Few We eks. The following circular from Lathan, Alexander & C., of New York, is in teresting reaaing and we commend the advice therein contained to the cotton farmers: It seems to us that the most vitally important lesson for the South to learn is that over prcduction of cotton is se ricusly harmfu' to the material p-o: perity of that section. We have repeatedly written on this subject anid feel that we have ex hausted the argument; nevertheless, with the result of the current crop, we are constrained to write again, even at the risk of reiterating what we have said before. Whatever share the merchants and planters of the South are to have in the revi -al of budiness and gerneral prosperity of the country, now ap-1 parently well started, will depend upon the p:-ofit that is made in the prdution of ctton, a crop worth $30,000,C00. The tot al crop of 1895-96 WESs 7,157, 346 bales, and it sold at the averase price of 8 09 cents per pout d. or $40.82 per bale according to the record of ex ports and tie ofE cial figures of the bu reau of statistics at Washington. The planters that year made larger food crops, and when the planting season the next year began, they were forti fed with every requisite to produce c~ttcn cheaply. Last year the total crop was 8.757, 964 bales, and the averge 'trice was 7 42 cents per pound, or $37 40 pe r ble, the crop yielding, perhaps, a larger pr fit than for many years, oe cause planters had few supplies to buy. The success resulting f rim the con servative policy which was pursued thse two years did not induce plsnt es to adhere to that line of action ; on the contrary, they increased their pur - chases ot fertilizers this year, and many of them drifted back almost to the all-cotton principle, and p lanted the largest cotton acreag e ever knowu., hoping that the world would p.ay re-i munerative prices for the staple, no The disastrius resalt of over-plan-i ing this year is already clearly shown by comparison with last year, when the acreage devoted to cotton was d. -- cidedly loss. Las. year the amoun; of cotton mar keted to January lst was 6,398,192 bales. the average price realr zrd was 7 53 cents por pound. $37 97 per bale, r $242, 939 350. This year 7,260,033 bales were mar keted to January 1st, the averege price realized was 6 05 cents ner pound, $30 49 per bale, or $221,358 406. The planters shipped to market 861, 841 bales of cotton more by January 1st this year than last, and re:eived fr them $21, 580.944 less money. In other words, o wing to the biwer price, induced by over-production, the peo pe of the South have lost on cotton sbippd to market by January 1st this year, the total value of 611,84L bal s, namely $32,724,102 and 08S 5Sf0 941 be sides, usakrng a grand total lkss of $54,305046 To further lijustrate the rtinous ei fetof over-plan ting, wetmake the fol lowing summary o'ecrops and pric s: Crop. Average Po~ B~;.9. a-. Prce. Poeds, It wisi De stea 'uat mn 1S93 94 a e ou of 7549,817 bales sold fr $4 014 395 more ttl the large crop of 9 9A1151 bal s the next yer; ink195 96ia crop of oly~ 7,157,346 bales br oagnt $3 3i5 - 933 more than the 9.901i crop, and tnat the crop of 8,7a7,954 oales brotig b! $38.62,350) more than was received for 9 901 151 ba'es market~d in1894- 95. ~ucn inconate.naLe? facts shoWw vhat enormous losis toe S aiah Las tus taed by over-prduction, and are suliient to cause~ a radicai enaa ce im patig operationts. It is concededl en every band that the price thus far received for this 3eara c:. p nas yielded no proLi to) :e plaer, and even thougzh more tean two tirds of the crcop nas been sold to this date, prices are even yet oeio yj the c o~ f produ.~L. - (L aecan~tt of the. large crop andI lov DrictS resuhinig tuerefrom, it iu of viii imaportance, no'. only to the Sojth, tut tue whole couatry, that th cotton acre age for the next 5ear be m aieialy reduced, in order to ad-!i atce the price of tne greatest producnt of the Uuited States to a paying basis.1 If the planters of she South iudfer loss te peonl of the whole country6. Royal makes the food pure, w holesomc and delici:us. JOYA POWDER Absolutely Pure ROYAL BAM C CO"ER CC., %EW YORK. nust share in it. Tne South cannot s and another cot n crop. of .he same dimensions as his year's, without bringing about lisaster and bankrupty to planters wad handlers of cotton, and relative farm to the zeneral mercantile inter ;t of that seotion. The price of cotton is more readily flaenced by the in, x rable law of upply and demard than any other rticle of c~mmerc-. for no commodi: y is so sersitve to ii ictuaticns, and when a superabundance is hanging )ver the market, cotton trade in all its )ranches is adversely affected. Cotton raising in this country is virtually a tonopoly-two thirds of be entire producti.,n each year is eadily taken by buyers in forei2n >untries, and the ihntirs n the 3 )uth are justly entitled to a fair re nueration for their labor. An over upply is the only reason why they Save to sell 6,000,000 to 7,000,000 bales f cotton to fcr.ign spinners, withet arc fit. The cotton crop can and should be nade the most profitable in this coun-. y. it is wholly the planter's fault hat such is not the case, as the figures in this letter clearly show. Tne cotton int# rest of every kind, very where, woul prefer an advanc ing market to a declining one, good prices t- poor ener, because trade in all of its ramifications is quickened thereby. Even the cor su-r'-rs of cot ton goods are so slightly affected by an advance of even two or three cents per pound in the raw mattrial that they are nit unwilling that the nlant er be well paid for his labcr. But, if the planting interests of the South con tinue to increase cotton acreage year after year, continual loss is inevita ble. The mere fact that a large crop has been planted affects the price adversely at once, and ccntinues to affect it un til the crop has been marketed, and if the planters of the south would deter. mine to largely reduce the acreage a favorable irnfluence upon prices and the cotton trade of t) e world would at nce become apparent. By the s: s ematic and cc-operative ction between the merchants and lanters the cotton crop must be kept nthin xeasonable trade demar da or else destroy the most valuable source f profit to the mercanti'eat d agricul tul interest cf the South. For the 'cod of all concerned it would be in fitely better any year to make a mil ion bales less cotton than half a mil ion ba'es more than necessary. The ma'erial welfare of the South i more dependent upon her cotton crop than upon all ode- sources of ic me combin~ed, and it. is entirely with he planters and cotton commission erchants to determine whether the value of this crop shall from year to year be a source of annually increas ng profit or a so~rce of disappoint unt and loss. ____ An Im portant Decision. The Eupreme Court of the United states has recently rendered one of he most imprtant decisions that his 2me from that tribunal in some time. The case was one int enich the heirs of man who h ad commi~ted suicide sue d o recover a large amount of itnsurance n his life. The plaintiffs won the c.se in the lower court, but the su preme r.urt held that no insurance ould be recovered on an irsurance policy held by a man wnbo was sane when he committed suicide. Tne de cision implies that the court dons not accept the ccmmonly held theory that no suicide is in his rizat mind. The ourt argued that to compel the pay 1nt of polices such as those in ques ton would be to put a premium upon sel destruction by cfferirg incentives ich might overcome those whose only hesitancy about~ committing sui cide is the fear of leavioe destitu e persons who are di p -r den t u pon them I, by insuring their lives il-avily and aing a tithe of the premium requir ed by the cempanies they c >uid make sre of the supprt of these sum-vvors this bar to suicide, wbit h maiy be faie ly consicered as influer cng marny e to prevent their self-destruction, oula Dc ,Aifnar1nf. inle Atliata Journal thinks the ab~ve pretty sound reasoning. out says insuran'-e is often paid wt era all the evidenie aces to snow that the holce? of toe policy was sane and ishnited his self dstruction with the utmost delite-a lin. Some insu-ance comdpA es co - ider it good policy to psy al such caims without ga'-tion Tn~e elf et o~the supreme court's decion~ wisl eran'y be, however, to ircrea e itigation over the psyrneat of ins.uA ance policies where the ou'--ton cf auicide is raised. GOT HIx Ar iA-S - I' e Al ~onution tells of an old darky weh i 'r day with anotlher 'ar y "Y b. he said wiib epr ts ' I gune pow, for shc : Y o~ a'- ar m.,2AJ Le linglfl don c yte i 'e " e' ib " the old man contiu2d by way c! Soaiition, "'0 bI o .e ~ers(o d n' xt arest; I co .e see lo'- (- bl.e m t daou by de~ -'ae' er Ga m m-s ultors, b"t no, m. i a ole g, leae Gjo de wani as a t a a a U ut erolb . te Yited States was as oes in i- Y thywere is 1S96. the .er ' f en e on and great depressi.-re we i~e. the mo.:ury qu.e - 'a-t e id stau-Ja:d :-nine, th ges eiaiI dish'onor e miln - : - 1 ove bado is u - he a. ng. em reth a dcuole 1e.r of chickers. ih a dusk or tso tero-n at a et the faiures are -e.:er than eyt .d the i utin-ssa L. seCs more iu b, yes, busn is r envig--dc wn An exchne ay t-e- r o , E e feest Ie/c o s tV en tc ftbe postc!U~e the :na. who coit )aids of -i. psc er pig she preach the L ast , -t 'u woo coipilns be most cof 2 s neighbo~r, is the meau t nihbor, and th~e man who nas latsense. is the mon con el'ed.