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VTANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 1900. UNITED ONCE MORE Tne Republican State Converntion of South Carolina. MET IN COLUMBIA LAST WEEK The Proceedings Were Unimor tant and Slow. Delegates to Nominata McKinley Elec ted to Philadelphia. The Republican State Convention on Tuesday of hsst week met in the State House at Columbia. There was a large attendance of delegates from all over the State, and the crowd was a familiar one to those who have been handling Republican conventiors for years. Bob Smails, Webster, George Washington Murray, Purvis, Ensor, John R. Tolbert, John F. JoneF, Reed Red Tolbert, Deas, Didkerson, Lat brop, Morris, Screven and all the notable figures were there. It was a little after 2 'eleek when 11. R. Tolbert called the convention to or der and Secretary Jnr..on, of the State committee, read the call inued for the National Convention by Nation al Chairman Mark Hanna. There were about twenty white men seated in the convention hall, all the others being colored. The State convention call was Lhen zead, providing for 125 delegates and asking all classes of Republicans to come into the regu'ar organization. The convention was then about to be opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Thomas, when Robert Smalls said he thought that the roll should be read first. But the prayer followed and then the roll of delegates was called as follows: Abbeville-R. R. Rolbert, Jr , J. M Collins, W. H. Lomax. Aiken-E J Dickerson, S Smith, A S Johnson. Anderson-E F Cochran, Robert Price, M S Smith, John R Sims, J S Adams. Barnwell-W T Dixon. P 3 Mc Knight, G G Butler. Beaufort-Robert Smalls, G A Reed, J I Washington, B H Houston. Bamberg-D D Geter, C P Robin Berkeley-D T Middleton, A P Prio leau, F S Edwards. T L Jaudon. Charleston-W D Crum, G I Cun ningham, James Robinson, T L Grant, H W Purvis, W W Beckett, R W Hol loway, W H Grayson, J W Wheeler. Chester-A Davie, J C Atkinson, A D Walker. Cheroke-J F Jones, E Littlejohn. Chesterfield-M D McFarland, L F Hyland. Clarendon-R A Stewart, R A White, E D Wells. Colleton-E D Benr.ett, J T Brown, B Levy. Darlington-E 11 Deas, W H Wad dell. Dorehester-J Ii Ih md, J ) Ladd. Edgefeld-P Simimns, J B Odom, A W Simkins. Fairfield-P Ricen, J1 S Bird, Ben Florence-J E Wilson, M W Hlarrill, W C Rush. Georgetown-J A Baxter, G E Her riott. Greenville-James Brier, L~ F Gold smith, Thomas Brier, C B Johnson, J W Miller. Greenwood-J W Tolbert, J R Tol bert Hlampton-J C Eubank, P HI Riley. Hlorry-B R King, T J Walker, Robert Guess Kershaw-W E BRykin, WV W Car ter, H Powell. Lancaster-F R Massey, Win Me K anna. ;.aureDs-P S Suxber, J M Rtobertson, L W C Blalock. Lexington-B L Hayes, W A Smith. Marion-W H Collier, S P Sima.ons, M K Bolloway. Marlboro-E J Sawyer, R A Drake, J W Thomas, I W Brockington Newberry-R E Williams, T T Trib ble J P Dawkins. 6conee-A C Merrick, W J Thomas, J G Daniels. Orangeburg-ES A Webster, A La throp, J H Fordham, HI A Bostick, Caroline Paulling. Piekens-J WV Hadden, A M Folger. Riehland-E WV Sereven, L C Scott, L Pryor, Y E Lewis Saluda-J M Jones, J A Daniels. Spartanburg-G WV Foster, Laban Morgan, R P Rogers, G T Pointer, B F Means. Sumter-W W Ramsey, W J An drws, Z E Walker, G W Murray. U~nion-J C Hunter, J P Sarter, J D Norris. Williamsburg-James Thorpe, L J a cobs, S.D G Lowery. York-G A Watts, J J Massey, R E Foster, C P T White. State Chairman R. R. Tolbert then addressed the convention. It afforded him pleasure to see these faces again. He then told what was before the con vention. Hie was happy to see in the hail men who were, four years ago, meeting in the other end of the State House. He was glad to see that once more South Carolina had a united Re publican party. (Applause.). Peas, on behalf of the executive committee, presented the name of J. H. Fordham for temporary chairman and of the Rev. J. H. Johnson for tem porary secretary. Fordham was escort ed to the chair by Smalls and Deas. On taking the chair Fordham did not make a speech, merely requesting all to observe that a carpet was on the floor and that cuspidors were provided for the protection thereof. The temporary roll of the committee was adopted as the temporary roll of the convention. Theo appointment of a committee on eredentials was authorized, consisting of nine members, one from each district and two at large; contesting delega tions being barred after a brief discus Thten Smalls moved that no member of the State executive committee be allwed to serve on this committee and a long fight followed. Peas wanted this tabled. The convention by a roll call, refused to table the amendment, te'vote being 55 to 58. Smalls did not wish any delegates who had heard the cause to be on this committee. Peas said such a proposition had near been heard . Dickerson, of Aiken discussed the matter. He had requested Deas to withdraw his motion to table. He thought that the executive committee's members should be allowed their rights as members of the convention. When the committee came back all would then pass upon the question; those who he ird the cases would come back in here and vote on them. The conven tion was about to establish a bad prece deat. It was wrong and dangerous. Grant, of Charleston, wanted a com mittee that had never heard a word of the testimony. Stewart, of Charleston, wanted a new com:ttee. Smalls then vigorously presented his reasons wby he wished the members of the committee who had heard the cases barred from the cmmnittee on creden tiais. Those who had heard the cases had already voted aRnd dccidcd. le wanted justice done and the defeated men to feel that it had been done. He wanted to keep the Repubbcau party united as it now was It presented a solid front to Democracy. "Though cheated and robbed out of our ballot. we are, thank God, a united Republi can party." (Applause.) Smalls and Deas had a running dis cussion, whici caused much amuse ment and applause. Deas intimated that Smalls had an axe to grind This brought Sxalis to his feet. He said he was slated "or the NatIontl C.ven tion and if he was defeated lie would go home. There was a lively, frec for all fight. One dtlegate got tired of it and wauAi to call the previous ques tion 1)-as asked him what his author ity was for thib; no rtiles had been adopted. The reply was "under de common rule of dis country, when a gemman talks too much." This response was richly delivered. Boykin, of Camden. spoke at lcngth. Then another roll-call was had on Small's amendment direct. The Smalls amendment was voted down by 42 to 79. The committee was then appointed as follows: At Large-A W Sitmpkins, Edgefield; James 0 Ladd, of Darchester. First district, J W Wheeler; 2d, W-S Dicker son; 3d, E F Cochran; 4th, L Morgan, 5th, E J Sawyer; 6th, E H Deas, chair man; 7th, D T Middleton. The committee was working far be yond the hour for the convention to re convene. The darkness came. The E!ectric Light Company could not fur nish light, and the superintendent of the gas works could not be -found, and it was a case of kerosenelamps or noth ing. The committee sent out and at 7:30 o'clock a large mumber of new lamps were brought to the Capitol. They had tobe filled and fired and it looked as if it would be 9 o'clock be fore the convention could get to work again. It was near 9 o'clock when the con vention got to work again. Chairman Deas, of the committee on credentials, presented the committee's report. There were five counties contested, as follows: Colleton, Greenville, Pick ens, Florence and Richland. The com mittee reported in favor of seatiug the delegations named in the roll above. There was considerable discussion, led by Deas and Parvis. That portion of the report not referring to contests was adopted. Then the contests were taken up, Colleton coming first. Each side was allowed ten minutes to present its case. The ground was gone over in detail. About this time the gas was turned on and the light was better. The Benet delegation was about to be seated, wben Grant, of Charleston, made a vigorous plea for discarding gagging methods. lHe said Benet was here by himself, no other delegate be in here with him. He was applauded The conv'entiou, by a vote of 97 to 17, tabled the motion of Dr. Cram, of Charleston, that the Myers delegation be seated. Prelulean, of Berkeley, made an im passio-u(d appeal for Feace, aid he of fered an amendment that both the Benet and the Myers delegation b-o seated, and each given half a vote. Smith, of Aiken. seconded this. Dickerson, of Aiken, opposed the substitute. By a vote of 97 to li-the'substitute was voted down.- The Colleton delega tion, headed by Benet, was seated. Deas wanted the rest of the report adoptd as a whole, in the conlusion resulting Brier, fron- Greenville, inquired if this were a lad college or a Sunday-school. He wanted to get down to work. George Washington Murray made a fiery appeal for the Republican party n the State to go forward a solid pha lanx to meet the Domocracy, which, like a demon, was overriding the liber ty of the people. Deas kept interrupt ing the speaker. !0me member wanted' to stop Deas. hie exclaimed: "Sit down, you damn fool, yor On a former occasion Deas said something about "Snowing under the opposition like hell." An old preacher of the cornfield type was inexpressibly shocked and said Deas ought to be turned out of the church. Murray resumed his speech, to which Dickerson replied. The report of the committee on ^cre dentials was then adopted as a whole with a whoop. It was then 11.30 o'clock. The per manent organization had not, up to that time, been efected, on account of the wrangle over contested elections. The temporary chairman and secretary were then elected the permanent officers. The election of delegates to the Na tional Convention, at Philadelphia, June 19, was then entered upon. Grant, of Charleston, nominated S E Smith, of Aiken. R A Stewart, of Manning, nominated E D Deas, of Darlington. Dickerson, of Aiken, nominated B A Webster, of Orangeburg. Crum, of Charleston, nominated Robt Smalls of Beaufort. C P T White nominated R R Tolbert. Smith withdrew his name. The four remaining nominees were elected by acclamation. The convention had taken many hours to organmze, but when it did or ganize it disnosed of its business in thirty minutes. Dickinson nominated a list of alter nates. Grant protested that nominations should be made individually and not! by manufactured lists. The Dickinson list consisted of Abial Latrop, S D Poiaier. R 2 Williams . nd A R Jnhnson. A colored preacher from lumter thought the majority wanted too much. He suggested S E Smith as an alter nate. Smith declined. The four names on Dickinson's li;t were aeceptcd by a-c-l mation. The convention then adjourned after adopting a platform. FARMERS AND COTTON FUTURES A Noted. Expert Gives Some Good Advice as to Them. There is a tendency on the part of some cotton growers to consider favor ably plans for selling in advance the crop which they expect to raise this season, and some ne wspapers have ad vised them to try it. In regard to the proposition that Southern farmers bhould sell on a basis of New York fu tures for September ,and October de livery their crops of cotton not yet planted, Mr. Alfred B Shepperson writes as foilows in the Manufacturers' Record: "No farmer could sil his crop on the basis of prices for Septeuiber ani October delivery unless he agreed to deliver it during those months. IHe could deliver only a small proportion of his crop by that time, as picking usually goes on until December and sometiwes much lat, r. lie could only beil with sfety for delivery in Novem ber and December, and New York fu tures for these months are nearly half a cent lower than for September de livery. The present price for Novem ber delivery would leave the farmer, after paying freight, commissions and other charges, about 7 cents per pound for middling cotton. rhis should not be regarded a very tempting price. since it has been exceeded during every calendar year with only one exception since 1826 "Should the farmer sell now for de livery next fail or winter and prices be fore then should advance from any rea son, he would have to make a deposit of money cqual to the advance, and the raising of this money might prove inconvenient and expensive. If the farmer should sell more than his crop turned out to be, he would then have to buy of his neighbors to make up the quantity. In the event of higher prices ruling at that time than he had sold at, he might thus suffer a consid erable loss, besides having to part with all of his own crop at a lower price than his neighbors were receiving. "If, from the condition of his crop late in the summer, the farmer should feel reasonably confident of making 200 bales of cotton, it would be wise, per bap3, to sell 100 bales for November or December delivery against his crop if the price was satisfactory. This would be safe and perfectly legitimate, and is frcquently done through Southern fac tors. "The old adage that a 'shoemaker should stick to his last,' through very homely, is nevertheless true in a gener al way, the exceptions but serving to prove the rule. A farmer should not try to be a speculator. His trainirg, his environment and his facilities are all against his success and handicap him in the struggle with men of keener wits, greater opportunities and less in nate honesty. "Let the farmer use better and more scientific methods, studying closely the needs of his soil so as to get the great et yield at the least cost of production. Let him buy nothing which can be pro duced at home. More careful cultiva tion and the proper selection and more liberal use of fertilisers would give far better results to the cotton growers than the large increase in aereage which is now so generally expected." A Glass of Water at Bedtime The human body is constantly under going tissue changes. Water has the power of increasing these changes which multiply the waste produces, but at the same time they are renewed by its agency, giving rise to increased appe tite, which in turn provides fresh nutri ment. If you do not accustom yo ir self to drink water regularly, you are liable to have the waste products form faster than they are removed. Any obstruction to the free working of natural laws at once produets disease. Great weakness and languor on rising in the morning is generally due to a large secretion of these waste prodnets, and the remedy is to drink a tumblerful of water, eithr hot or cold, just before retiring. This materially assists in the process during the night, and leaves the tissues fresh and strong, ready for the active work of the next day. Stuckey Must Do Ten Years The Supreme Court has rendered its decision in the Stuckey case. They affirmed the verdiet of the lower court and ordered that John H. Stuckey be sent to the penitentiary for ten years. In December, 1898, he killed John Sevier, sh~oting him with a revolver, at Spartanburg. The shots were fired in Stuckey's office, where there were no eye witnesses. The jury, after thor ougly sifting the evidence and examin ing the scene of the shooting, pro nounced it manslaughter. Sevier had been Stuckey's bookeeper. Mr. Stuckey has been out on bond since the trial pending the appeal. He has a large grocery store and considerable real es tate in Spartanbuirg and the suburbs. A Big Elevator Fell. Thirty persons were 'ujured shortly after 6 o'clock Wednesday morning by the falling of a freight elevator in the rear of the building at 126 Market street, Chicago, where the victims of th accident were employed by the Blakeley Printing company. The men had ero vded into the elevator at the top floor. The big elevator had moved slowly to the third floor when the en gine broke and the lift, filled with its mass of agonized victims, crushed into the basement. None of the injuries were fatal. Disasters at Sea. The steamer Warrimnoo reports thle utter Espeigle went to pieces on Ooma reef in Austrailian waters. Capt. John Castle and 20 longtons were drowned and a valuable cargo lost. The French bark Emile Renouf, car rying 3,700 tons nickel ore, for Glas gow ran upon an unchartered rock, 80 miles south of Mare island February 6, sinking immediately. A'. escaped. Why Is It Sol In the House debate over the Loud bill it was shown that "Sapho" goes through the miils at one cent a pound, wheras Bibles pay 8 eents. NEBRASKA SPEAKS. The Piatform Adopted by the Democrats of that State. TEXT OF THE DOCUMENT. An Income Tax and the Free Coin age of Silver Demanded. Porto Rican Tariff Opposed The pltform adopted by the Nebraska Democratic . Convention, which was read and endorsed by Bryan before its adoption, was as follows: We, the Democrats of Nebraska, in convention assembled, do hereby reaf firm and endorse, in whole, and in part, in letter and in spirit, the platform adoptcd by the Democratic National convention bel. in Chicago, 196. We favor amenrments to the Federal constitution specially authorizing an income tax and providing for the elec tion of Unitel States senators by a direct vote of the peoiie. We oppose Eovernmernt by injunction and the Ilacklist, and ;avor arbitration as a means of settling disputes between cor porations and their employees. We observe with approval the sup port given by Democrats throughout the country to the movements looking towards the municipal ownership of municipal franchises. We favor the principle of the initia tive vnd referendum w:,erever it can be applied. We are in favor of liberal pensions to deserving soldiers and to their depen dant!; we belicve that names upon the pensions rolls should not be arbitrarily dropped, and we believe, as stated in the last national platform, that the fact of enlistment and service should be deemed conclusive evidence against disease and disability before enlistment. We are in favor of the immediate ons;ruction and fortification of the Nicaraguan canal by the United States. We condemn the Dingley Tariff law a a trust breeding and extortion in viting measure, skillfully devised for the purpose of giving to a few the favors which they do not deserve and f placing upon the many burdens which they should not bear. We welcome the opportunity offered this year to take the Federal govern ment out of the hands of the Republi can party, which has abandoned Amer can ideas and American ideais and, at he command of corporate wealth, has plotted against the financial indepen dence of the individual and now con templates the nullitication of ihe decla ration of the American independence. We pledge ourselves to wage an un -easing warfare against all the trust Lhe money trust, the industrial trust and the international land-grabbing trust. Instead of a system which would chain our nation to the gold standard and comrel it to participate in all the disturbances which come to European ations, we demand an American fnancial system, made by the Ameri an people for themselves, to be secur d by the immediate restoration of the free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1 without waiting f r the aid or consent f any other nation. The Republican administration has dmitted the gold standard to be un atisfactory by appointing a commis sion to solicit foreign aid in restoring the double standard, and a Republican onress, even while trying to make the gold standard permanent, ha~s confess d judgement against the standard by ttempting to revive the delusive hope f international bimetallism. instead of the system favored by the Republican party, under which na tionsl banks are to be permitted to is sue and control the volume of paper money for their own profit, we reitier ate our demand for that financial sys ten which recognizes the govern ment's sovereign right, to issue all money. We demand the retention of the greenbacks as they now exist and the retirement of national bank notes a rapidly as greenbacks can be sub stituted for them. We believe that private monopolies are indefensible and intolerable, and we conde mn the national administra tion for its failure to enforce the pres et law against the trusts or to recom mend a more effective law. We favor a State constitution which will prohibit the organization of a mo opoly within the State and alto pre vent aomnopoly organised elsewhere fom doing business within the State; but we further believe that congress should supplement the efforts of the State by legislation which will require every corporation, before engaging in interstate commerce, to show that it has no water in its stock and that it has neither attempted in the past nor is attempoting to monopolize any branch of business or the production of and articles of merchandise. In its plat form of-1860O the Repuolican party declared that the maintenance of the principles promu'gated in the dec laration of independence and embodied in the federal constitution (viz :That all men arc created equal; that they are endowed with inalienable rights; that governments are itstituted to secure these rights, and that govern ments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed), is essen tial to the preservation of our repub lican institutions, but the Republican iarty, under its present leadership, is endagering the preservation of re publican institutions by placing the dollar above the man in the construc tion of government, and by violating the principles that it once declared to be essential. We condemn the Puerto Rican tarif bill recently passed by a Republican house of representatives as a bold and open violation of the nation's organic law and a flagrant breach af good faith. We assert that the constitution fol lows the flag and denounce the doc trine that an executive or a congress, created and limited by the constitution can exercise lawfuil authority beyond that constitution, or in violation of it. Believig that a nation cannot long en dure half republic and half empire, we oppose wars of conquest and colonial possessions. 'he D'lninns cannot be citizens with out endangering our civilization; they cannot be subjects without endanger ing our form of government, and, as we -are not willing to surrender our civilization or to convert a republic into an empire, we favor an immediate declaration of the nation's purpose to give to the Filipinos, first, a stable form of government; second, indepen dence, and third, protection from out side interferance, as it has for nearly a century given protection to the re publics of Central and South America. We favor expansion of trade by every legitimate and peaceful means, but we are opposed to purchasing trade at the cannon's mouth with human blood, neither do we believe that trade secur ed and held by force is worth the price that must be paid for it. We are in favor of extending the nation's influ ence, but we believe that that influence should be extended, not by force and violence, but through the persuasive power of a high and.honorable example. We oppose militarism. It imposes upon the people an unnecessary burden and is a constant menance. A small standing army and a well <quipped State militia are sufficient in time of peace; in war the citizen soldier should be a republio's defense. We bclieve, with Jefferson, in peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations, and entangling alliances with none, and we regard with appre hension the doctrine, advocated in some quarters, that this nation should in its dealings or diplomacy show partiality toward any of the European nations, not because of hostility to England, but because we believe in the principles of a republic and reject, as did our forefathers, the theory of mon archy. Wu sympathiz with the Boers in their heroic efforts to preserve their national integrity. The failure of Re publican leaders, who four years ago expressed sympathy for the Cuban patriots, to feel an interest in the struggle of the Dutch of South Africa, shows the paralyzing influence of the imperial policy to which the admin is tration is now endeavoring to commit the country. The Silver Republicans. Chairman Charles A. Towne, of the national committee of the silver Repub lican party has issued a called for a national convention of the party to meet in the Co-.tes opera house at Kansas City, Mo., at 12 o'clock noon on Thursday, July 4, 1900 to place in nomination candidates for president and vice president of the United States and of such other business s may properly come up. A ordial invitation to attend is extended "to all electors in the United States who in 1896 lef& the Repulican party because of the abandonment by that party of its traditional policy of bime allism; and also to all present members )f that organization, which by its adop ion of the gold standard by its retire ment ot the greenbacks, by its surren Ier to banks of the government fune tion of issuing money, and by its other numerous acts of recreancy to the prin iples and traditions of the best days of the Republican party, have been con inced that the party of Lincoln no longer exists, and who are prepared to recognize the duties of patriotism as superior to all party obligations." Dewey in a Downpour. A dispatch from Macon, Ga., says: "In a steady downpour of rain Admiral Dewey reviewed 3,000 school children of Bibb County Friday morning. The children stood patiently in the rain for nearly an hour waiting for the distin uished visitor. The cadet corps of the Qordon Institute, of Barnesville, Ga., acted as a guard of honor. As the Admiral passed through the lines of children the little fellows yelled lustily, and this was by odds the most enthusiastic fea tre of the reception. Onie of the fea tures of the ride was the enthusiastic reeting of the students of Wesleyan Female College, the oldest institution of the kind in the world. By reason of the inelement weather other features of the entertainment were cut short. Admiral Dewey and party left for Jack sonville over the Southern at 10.10 Friday night.t" For the Usual Crime. A special dispatch from Richmond, Va., to The News and Courier says: "Reuben Griggs, a colored youth, was hanged Friday at Cumberland Court House, Va., for a criminal assault on a little girl of his own race. This is the first instance of the kind in Virginia, if not in the whole South, where a Negro has been legally executed for a crime of this kind, where the victim was a Ne gress. Griegs's crime was revolting in the extreme and for a titne there were fears of lynching. Friday Griggs's nerves gave way as Sheritif Adams placed the rope around his nek. It took five men to hold the boy up on his feet. This is the nirst hangirng that has taken place in Cumberland County in fifty seven years. There were seventy-five Neroes around the jail at the time of the hanging." For Another's Crime. Governor McSwveeney Friday par doned Charles Mills, colored, who was convicted in Spartanburg County on the charge of stealing a watch. Judge Buchanan and Solicitor Sease urge the granting of the paro 2. it appears that Charles Mills was confused with Eugene Mills and that the wrong man was gotten into the meshes of the law for the watch stealing and that it was a case of mistaken identity, the two brothers looking so much alike that people could not generally tell the dif ference between them. Valuable Statues. A gold statue of Miss Maud Adams, nearly six feet high and weighing TOO pounds, has been made for the Paris exposition. -The statue will typify "An American Girl" and is the only solid gol-1 statue in existence. Miss Adams was chosen as the model last summer. The statue is said to be worth $150,000. The silver statue of Ada Rehan weighs 2,000 pounds and, with its gold base, cost $250.000. Poor Fellow! Jacob Lorillard has filed a petition in bankruptcy, placing his liabilities at $69.327 and his assets at nothing at all. He declares that he has only $100 in cash, and clothing and personal or naments worth $200. Mr. Lorillard admits that he has an income of $40, 000 a year, but says it is barely suffi int for his needs. THE WEATHER. Three Well Defined Cold Waves Come This Way. THE RAINFALL VERY HEAVY. Conditions Were Unfavorable for Farming Operations, So Farmer Bauer Asserts. Below is the monthly bulletin of the South Carolina section of the United States weather and crop service for the month of February, which will be of special interest to the farmers of the State: WEATHER AND CROPS. The month of February, 1900, was much colder than usual, with three well defined cold waves, one on the 1st of the month, the second on the 18th, and another on the 26 26th. The cold est weather of the month generally occurred daring the second period, al though at a few places it was coldest on the 1st. The temperature extremes were within previously recorded limits. There were comparatively few days on which the temperature rose above the normal, and the average mean was below. the active crowing point, over the greater portion of the State. The rainfall was heavy, and in ex cess of the normal ameunts, over the extreme western portions of the State, where, in places, it amounted to over 10 inches, with gradually decreasing amounts toward the coast, where there was less than the usual amount, al though the deficiency was not large enough to be harmful. The weather conditions were unfa vorable throughout the month for farming operations, and the severe cold of the 18th killed much track of all kinds in the coastal regions. The ground was generally too wet to plow, and few, if any, spring oats were sown, while reports from all sections of the State indicate that fall sown oats were badly damaged, espacially on light, sandy soils. Many such fields will be plowed up and devoted to other crops. Wheat withstood the severe weather, and, although small, remains promis ing. Over the greater portion of the State the buds of fruit showed no signs of swelling, and are probably uninjured. In the extreme southeastern portion of the State plum trees began to blossom on the 10th of the month, but other fruits, especially peaches, had not be gun to bloom at the close of the month. It is believed that the fruit prospects are as yet unimpaired. General farm work is later than usu al. No corn was planted during the month, and gardening was impracti cable owing to the coldness and wet ness of the soil. VAARILE WEATZR. In recent years, and the same was probably true before weather records were so generally kept, the month of February has become- noted as the most variable month of the year. In some years the entire month is spring like, mild and balmy. Again the entire month is cold, wet, cloudy, and windy, while ether years exhibit in rapid suc cession the various weather phases pe culiar to this State in the winter sea son. The mean temperature for February, deduced from varying periods of from S to 12 years' observations, is 46 3 de gree-s, or nearly 2 degrees higher than the mean for January. State means have been deduced from observations covering so short a period of tim~e that it is probable that the extreme varia tion has not been definitely determined, only approximately so, by the existing record, which datesback to 1893. Since that time February, 1897, was the warmecst, with a State mean of 50 0 de grees, and Febiuary, 1S95, the coldest, with a mean temperature of 37,4 de grees. The highest maximum temperature recorded in the past 8 years was 83 de grees at Gillionsville in February, 1897, and the lowest minimum in 1899 at Santuc and Shaw's Fork, where 11 degrees below zero was noted on the morning of the 14th. It is not alone in the matter of tem perature that the month shows great variability but also in precipitation, which for the past 8 years ranged from a State average of 0.8G of an inch in 1898 to 7. 89 inches in 18)7, while the av erage amount, or normal, is 4 40 inahes. Snow is quite common, and there has been no year since 1893 without some snow iu the State. The least was re corded in 1898 when a trace fell at So ciety Hill, while the year with the heaviest snowfall was 1895, when 18.5 inches were recorded at Holhnd. Snow seldom accumulates to any consider able depth, and rarely remains on the ground longer than three days, except in 1891, when~ it lasted about seven days. Farm work usually is actively carried on in this month, especially in the eastern portions, where lands for cirn and cotton receive their first prepara tion, and in some years corn and oats are planted during the latter part of February. In the same sections fruit trees usually begin to bloom and gar dens are prepared and planted, while the hardier vegetables are cultivated on the truck farms. In the central and western portions of the State little farm work except plowing is practi cable, and usually it is too wet to do much of that. A Business Womnan. Mrs. Evelyn Tome, of Port Deposit, Md., is the only woman in this country who is the president of two banks. She is president of the Cecil National Bank, of Port Deposit, and of the National Bank of Elkton, the county seat of Cecil County. She is still a young woman and has the sole direction of an estate worth several millions, which was left to her by her husband, the late Jacob Tome. -The Diference President Hyde of Bowden College, states the truth pithily in saying: "Gladstone changed his mind; McKin ley has allowed his mind to be change d for him. No man who so acts can command the respect and confidence of t he A meriaan penpla." A HORRIBLE CRIME. A North Carolina Negro Nearly Wipes Out a Family. A dispatch from Raleigh, N. C., says the most horrible crime in the history of North Carolina was perpetrated ear ly Thursday morning near that city, when a Negro, Tom Jones, commonly known in the county as "Preacher" Jones, murdered Ela Jones and her oldest daughter, Ida Tones, and then set fire to the beds in which lay the bodies of the murdered victims and four others, all children, ranging in years from a baby one month old to the largest boy who was not more than five years of age. The work was done with an axe, the murderer, according to the story of little seven-year-old Laura Jones, who escaped with her younger sister, deliber'tely and coolly striking the mother four times and then making two heavy strokes into the body of the oldest child. The house was completely destroyed by fire and the bodies of the four youngest children were so frail that they are now distributed among the ashes, which alone remain to tell the story of the conflagration. The dead are: Ella Jones, the mother, aged 33; Ida Jones, 13 years of age; Jessie Jones, 5 years old; Nancy Jones, 3 years old; Clever Jones, two years old; an unnamed baby, one month old. The two girls escaped from the fire with their lives were: Laura Jones, 7 years old; Sid Jones, 4 years old. Jones was arrested on the evidence of the seven-year-old girl, Laura, who escaped from the burning house after he was gone. She took with her, in her arms, her little sister, Sid, who was sleeping in bed with her and an elder sister, Ida, who was murdered. They went to the house of a neighbor, half a mile away and told what had happened. Those who went to the fire could see distinctly the bodies on the bed inside the burning building, but it was too late to rescue them. The charred re mains of the two murdered women were taken out and buried. The four small children, except the baby clasped in its mother's arms had been entirely con sumed. The child Laura is very bright for her age, and though she told the story of the murder many times she never varied from her account of it given while her home was burning. She said: " 'Preacher' Jones came to our house last night about 9 o'clock. I went to sleep. Then I woke up-moth er woke me up screaming. I saw 'Preacher' Jones strike her four times with an axe. Then he came to my bed and struck sister twice. The blood flew in my face. After that he struck a match and set both beds afire and went out. After he had gone I took Sid up in my arms and ran out. I car ried her in my arms all the way to Mrs. Winter's and told them what 'Preach er' Jones had done." Tom Jones denies the murder, but he does not undertake to explain his whereabouts at the time. He admits that he was intimate with Ella Jones, who is not related to him though she ears the same name. He says that hey had quarreled about her charging im with the paternity of her month ld child, and this, it is understood, was the cause of the crime. Porto Ricans Starving. A dispatch from Ponce, Porto Rico, says: "The situation here is now more serious than at any time before or since the terrible hurricane. In many places the poor are starving. The price of rice, beans and codfish has in reased from 50 to 100 per cent. Demonstrations against the delay of the United States Government in set ling open questions have recently been held at Mayaguez, Tacuco. Areeibo, Aguidallo, Aajardo, Juan D'iaz, Guam and many other towns. The people are nabe to understand the delay and tey condemn all Americans indiscrimi ately. Bad feeling is arising, which t will take years to overcome. Even iots are threatened. Trouble is most inevitable unless the tension is elieved. Even wealthly land owners annot command ready cash and many mericans are penniless, being glad to ork for their board." How to Grow Earthworms. At the meeting Thursday of the Zoo ogical club Mrs. W. H. Pinney read n interesting paper on earthworms: Isaw seated in a natural history olume that if a worm should be divided he anterior part would grow a tail and he posterior part would grow a head. took twelve worms and divided them, lacing the divided parts of each worm in a separate glass. In less than a onth I had t wenty-two worms, losing nly two tail parts. The head parts ad grown tails and the tail parts had rown heads. Two weeks ago I divided he worms into halves and put the four arts into a glass, into which I placed arth, but no food, and the head parts te the tail parts."-Springfield Union. With Vs all the Way. With the formation of the coffin akers' and grave diggers' unions in hicago, the trusts and the trades nions will go hand in hand holding up ankind from the cradle to the grave. Lhere is a trnst in about everything eeded in this life, from the rubber ipple of the nursing bottle to the asket in which the "late lamented" is laid to final rest. A Good Fee. When a doctor gets a good chance t a really rich man, he usually "soaks t to him." In Nice recently a doctor, or Bergman, performed a compara ively simple operation upon a Russian illionair, removing two nerves from heek. The operation was successful, and the doctor's bill was $50,000. The Russian was able to pay, so that was an ed of the matter The Appletons in Trouble. A dispatch from New York says Justice Bischoff, of the Supreme Court, lhursday appointed J. Hampden Dougherty receiver for D. Appleton & Co, publishers. on the application of Daiel Pritchard, a stockholder. The liabilities are $1,100,000. The assets onsists of stock and outstanding ac IN HONOR OF DEWEY Fifty Thousand Peeple Engage in Demonstration at Savannah. THE DAY'S CROWNINO EVENT Was Banquet at DeSoto at Which Admiral Was Presented With Silver Vase. Judge Speer's Speech. A dispatch from Savannah says "if ty thousand persons on the street here Wednesday afternoon gave Admiral George Dewey as enthusiastic a wel come as was ever accorded to any pub lic man anywhere. The admiral had recovered from his indisposition of Tuesday sufficiently for him to take part in the military parade and review ar ranged in his honor, and as he rode through the streets with Mrs. Dewey at his side, ringing cheers rent the air and waving colors made the scene one to be long remembered. There were present and in the par ade fire military companies from Char lestoir under command of Maj. H. Schachet, one or more companies of naval reserves each from Charleston, Mount Pleasant and Beaufort, S. C., and Brunswick, Ga.; and military or ganizations from Columbia, Pelser and Timmonsville, S. C., and Augusta, Brunswick and Thomasville, Ga. There were in all 17 out of town or ganizations. Adding the local militia there were nearly 4,000 men in line. The review took place in the park ex tension where an admiral's salute was fired by the Chatham artillery, from brass pieces presented to the organiza tion by President George Washington. Business. public and private, was suspended from noon in honor of Ad miral Dewey. The climax of the occasion oecurred at the banquet at the DeSote hotel Wednesday nigh$, where the admiral was presented with a beautiful silver vase on behalf of the city of Savannah by Hon. F. G. DaBignon. The vase is elegantly engraved and stands nearly three feet high on a marble base. At the banquet table Gen. Nelson A.Miles, who arrived in Savannah Wednesday evening, too late for the military par ade, sat next to Admiral Dewey. While the main function was in pro gress a committee of 60 ladies enter tained Mrs. Dewey at a banquet in an annex adjoining the banquet hail. Upon the conclusion of the dinner the ladies were accommodated with- ehairs in the main room that they might hear the speeches. Among the speakers were Judge Emory Speer, of the United States court, Surgeon General Wyman, Congressman Brantley, of Georgia, ex Attorney General W. 0. Smith of Ha. waii and others. In speaking to the toast "The Presi dent of the United States," Judge 3m ory Speer said in part: "While the administration of Presi dent McKinley more than any other save that of Lincoln, will afford the historian material at one to attraet, to instruct and to thrill the students and readers of the future, it is nevertheless true that his -Americanism, while prompt and purposeful in o~nvietion and decisive iD action, has been cau tosand conciliatory at home and abroad. * * * The war was inevit able. Its results have followed in in ev'itable sequence. * * * By the supreme law of the land the Philippine islands became the territory of the United States with a title as clear as that which we have to Florida or to any foot of that marvelous empire to the westward of the Mississippi ac quired by the Louisiana purchase or by treaty with Mtexico. Who will say that the president had the power or right to ignore this duty to the Ameri can people and to mankind in a terri tory thus? * * The administra tion of William McKinley and its greet achievements will receive proud recom pense. He will live in history as the first president who directed the ener gies of this nation in a great and sue eassful war beyond the seas. Greater civic renown may yet be his, but to my mind the crownmng glory of his life will be found in those simple words of prof fered kindly national recognition of the honor due the sacred ashes of his once incomparable foes." This peroration refers to President McKinley's recommendation that the graves of the Confederate dead should be cared for by the nation. The First Train. The Seaboard Air Idne Thursday brought its first train from Portsmouth to Columbia over the new line from Cheraw via Camden to that city. The new line is a direct route and will give the Seaboard a splendid Florida con nection as soon as the bridge over the Congaree river, just south of Columbia, is finished. The new line is built of the finest material and heaviest raiL All the rock ballast has not yet been put in. Freshets delayed completion of the Wateree river bridge near Cam den and the Congaree river bridge near Columbia, but within a month the Sea board's trains will be running through and over the F. C. & P. Eaten by Cannibals. The steamer Warrimoo brings from Dutch New Guineai the shoeking~ ac count of the devouring of three ofileers of the steamer General Pell by canni bals, who caught them while on ,shore taking photographs. Ernest Wiegan, one of the party, was wonuded by ar rows, and while hiding saw the bar barians tie his his three companions to trees, cut of portions of their living flesh and finally roast and devour them. The Dutch man-of-war Sumatra is reportad as prepared to avenge the act. The Body Pound. An Atlanta Dispatch says the body of Kelly Brinsfield, who disappeared several months ago, was found this moring under a-house formerly occupied by him. Brin field, who was a minister's son, was short several thousand dollars in his accounts with an insurance com pany at the time of his disappearance. The house has been occupied by new tenants ever since. Brinsfield's young wife leased it and returned to her