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VOL. XIV. MANNING. S. C., WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 15, 1905. NO. 21. UGLY OHARGES. Books of State House Of icials Examined. COMMITTEE REPORTS Numerous Irregularities and Discrep acies, Caused by Failure to Keep a Proper Set of Books in a Proper Way. Secretary of State Complains. Senator T. B. Butler and Represen tatives Richards and Railnesford Tues day submitted a report on the ex amination of the -offices of the secre tary of state, comptroller general and state treasurer. The report was or dered printed in the journal and is considered one of the most sensa tional yet fled. The report says of some of the of fioes: "That they have examined the book I of accounts of the above named offl ers and find the ciMees of state treas urer, comptroller general and sinking fund correct, with proper vouchers, the offices and the books neatly and t well kept, and -the committee, with : pleasure, commend the effciency of s the cfMaers and assistants in these sev- I eral departments." I The report then recommends that t the comptroller general be supplied s with file cases for the keeping of the records of the offie. The report cn the secretary of state's office is in part as follows: t This oMee has not been included in C the examination heretofore, but last year this additional duty was placed on this committee, and it has been an enormous, unpleasant and extremely difficult matter to ascertain the exact and true condition of the finances of this cofee-due to many reasons which we will attempt to show later. When we first went to this office in April, 1904, we were inform- d that we oculd conclude our labors "in ten minutes" and were shown the bank tooks and a mere statement, of amcuuts, aggregate, received in that office, and amount paid state treasurer. Oa insisting that we came for a real examina tion, we were begged for time to prepare books, etc. However, your committee went to work but soon found, on account of the absence of books and in proper entries of cash received, wrong and improp r entries made in the bo)ks furnished, which had been badly kept. Your commit tee feelng the need of a thorough ex amination adjourned, and scured the services of an account, Mr. J. C. Hol lis, of Gaffney, S. C., and with his valuable assistance made up a book of every item we could find and was furn- S Ished by Mr. B. M. McCown, the as- v sistant clerk, said book being now in the possession of your committee. Af g zer adjourning, and before our return t with Mr. Hollis, many erasures and g corrections were made on the books c attempted to be kept. The only way is we could do was to handle each de- o claration of charter, return, applica- c tion for notary public-In fact, every c paper during Mr. Gantt's administra- f, tion. Seeing that considerable time a would be consumed in this examina tion, we did not feel jastified in go ing back of is term without express authority, so did not do so, Dut reel now that this should te done by the committee to be appointed. In comparing the return of corpora tors to the charters that were record ed, we found some unrecorded and S others erroneously recorded, such as where a charter had been granted in the sum of $15,000, same was recorded as having been issued In the sum of $50,000. This work we did not corn plete on account of a very damaging fire in the office where, principally, all records were kept, and' since that time we have been unable to do any such work for the books were badly injar ed, hence, such examination was nec essarily suspended. In many cases we found where over collections' had been made aggregat iDg 8367 55. ranging from 50 cents to $77 50. There was no evidence that these varicui items had been return1 ed to the pr. per parties, but, on the contrary, the secretary of state in formed us we "had nothing to do with these excess amounts as that was a matter between himself and the par ties sending them." We do rot agree to such a proposition. 'On the book which was supposed to be kept items were left off entirely. To illustrate: Camperdown mills, chartered April 30, 1904i charter fee $100, and others. Improper amounts credited to state: Puckaber Bros., Charlestcn; charter fee $50; amount state credited wit.h, *15, March 23, 1904. We feel ccml pelled to condemn this carelessness in1 handLing the people's maoney, and in not keeping proper entries of all mon eys coming through this offce, also the method that has prevailed in many instances where e. credit system has been allowed. To gi ;e an instance, the Norris cotton mnills, charter in creased on April 10, 19'23; charter fee, $50, amount received after charter is sued $25, and tbe cla:m was made that the late Col D. K. Norris con tended that "the offce already owed him $25." Either this money is lost to the state or is a loss to the secre tary of state; at any rate, such prac tice should be discontinued. T1here are other Instances. These Items of over coilections may have been re turned, but we have no evidence of same. Your committee is cognzt of one Instance where there has been a refund. The charter was granted on February 23, 1904, and refund made June 23, 1904, after these matters had been called to the attention of this office. We regret to report that "all mon eys" have not been paid over 'quar terly" to the state trea-surer as is re qusired by law, same being held, In snm Inatances, considerable time af ter the expiration of the several quar ters. Your c rmmitte begzs to report that, as the report vf receipts and disburse ments will show, hereto appended, the secretary of state has deposited in bank several hundred dollars in ex cess of amounts shown by his books or evidenced by proper voucbers in his &ome, as having been collected for fees. In this amount, no doubt, is ircluded some of these excess collec tions, sert by mistake by different parhtis throug'Lut the state and which do not belong to the state, but should be refunded to the proper par cies when the charters were issued. We found by mere chance that one tem of $120 50 for charter of the Union Ware House company of Co .umbia, chartered on the 15th day of January, 1902, during Mr. Cooper's dministration, was presented for pay ment in June, 1904, and has not yet been turned over to the state treasur Pr, being, we are informed, now in the Ace of secretary of state. There may be other items cf Mr. Gantt's pre Icessor still outstanding, but, as we tated, we did not go back that far. A letter was then sent by Mr. D. E. Means to Cairman Butler of the :ommittee stating that although the 3ash book of his effice had been lost, ae was rea'y to check up all of the Lcounts except the receipt book. A etter was accordirgly sent Secretary antt asking for these books but a eply was received stating that the ire which gutted the room made im )ossible for them to be found as yet, rut that so far as he knew Mr. Mean's Lcounts were always accurate. The ommittee then concluded as follows: In justice to Mr. Gantt. we beg to tate he informed us the reason his ooks were in bad condition was due o the fact that his time was occupied ecuring valuable and necessary in ormation for Senator Tillman to aid dm in collecting certain funds frcm ,he national government, and we are tified he did good work. The borks and accounts since Mr. . M. McCown has been acting as hief clerk have been kept in much etter condition, and since our thor ugh examination in June it is a very asy matter to keep track of the funds ,nd vouchers. Too much care in keeping the books a this office cannot be spared, for, as ill be seen by the following state ent of receipts and disbursements uring the years of 1903 and 1904, a arge amount of money goes through his office: Lmount received from pre decessor .. ......... 2,670 89 )ep'>sited in banks...... 31,430 89 Total........... Total. .............34,101 78 'aid state treasurer . 30'302 89 alance in bank......$ 3.799 89 'ees received in 1903.. .. 16,151 19 'ees to June 13, 1904..... 7,543 731 'es from June 13th to Dec 13, 1904.............,165 58 'rom predecessor ......... 2,670 89 Total..................$33,531 39 aid state treasurer ...... 30,301 89 ooks show balance...$ 3,229 50 Which shows a balance in banks of 570.49 over amount the books and ouchers of secretary of state show. Under the present law charters are ranted on payment of one mill on be dollar up to 8100,000, and in a reat many instances the state re aives only fifty cents, and in some stances as low as five cents, and it sts the state as much to grant one f these small charters as it does one apitalzed at 81.000,000, where the e is 8100. Therefore, we reccmmena bat the law be changed by the secre a~ry of state. There are about eighteen or twen y bocks containing the records of orporations damaged by fire in this ifice, and while not destroyed, the indings and edge s have been de troyd and it is almost absolutely ecessary that these books be tiran ribd. Therefore, we reccmmend hat these records be put in better hape a'nd conditi ;n for praiper hand ing and preservation, and that a mall appropriation be made to carry his into ffect. Respectfully submitted, On part of the senate. T. B. BUTLER. On part of house of representatives. J. G. RicHAins Jir. T. H. -RAIssoID. Dynamite Kiiled ?hree. A Haughton, Mich., dispatc'2 says bree men are dead, seven injured an d hree are missing as the result of an plosion of 10,000 pounds of dyna nite in No. 3 shaft, of the Kearsarge ranch of the Osmeola Consolidated nines Wednesday af ternoon, No ax lanaton can be given for the explo ion. The dynamite was kept in a rift at the eighth level and was used y the men in blasting. Tbe shaft is mn ire and it is feared the three men nis ing are dead. The searching arty was unable to get down further han the fifth level. The snafts are FouJ~nd Doaa. A dispatch frcm Spartr.uburg says ;he bdy of an unsnown negro was und near the side of the track which cads cf from Wellford to Tucapau ~otton mills Wednesday morning. It s believed that the negr> frcze to leatu during the nig ht. He was se en Lout Weliford and was drinking reely. He evidently started for his 2me and being overcome from drink 'ell down in the sleet anid froze to Jampea to Death. H. C. Swift, 75 years old, who ame to Savannah from Stockton, Ga., eight months ago, jumped from , window of his home there Wednes Say night and died Thu.stay. He bad been suffering from grip for sev eral years. Mr. Swift was a resident of New York. but came south seeking a, warmer climate. Pleaded Guilty. In the court at Towanda, Pa., Wed nesday Bigler Johnson pleadad guilty to the charge that he murdered his wife, Maggie B. Johnson and her iece, Annie Benjamin, ten years old, on Septermher 18 last, and afterward burned their bodies. He is 26 years old amd his wife was 40. MAKES REPLY. Mr. Gantt Promptly Defends iimself From the Charges OF THE COMMITTEE. Offers to Resign If His Statements Are Disproved. The Secretary Reviews the Report of the Committee and Denies Some of The Charges Made. Secretory of State Gantt gave out the following, which has been sent to the general assembly: Gentlemen of the General Assembly: I beg to submit to you herewith a full report of the finances of the office of the secretary of state and a detail ed itemized statement of all official re esipts and disbursements during my entire term in office. I beg to inform you that I have this day placed in the hands of the State printer as a sup plemental report to the general as sembly a full, accurate and complete list of all persons or corporations who have paid any fees to the office, which in its every detail proves the state ments handed you herewith to b3 cor rect. In doirg so I beg to make the fol lowing statement in repy to the re port of the cammittee appointed to examine the books and accounts of my office: I have been continuously since the appointment of the committee willing and anxious to make up and present this statement to them, having uffer ed to do so open their first visit o the office, but was informed that they de sired the papers of the office turned over to them without any checking, verification or statements in the con dition in which they were at the time. Presuming the committee competent to come into the office. take the books and make up a correct statement of its affairs, the entire papers and books of the.office were turned over to them; they were furnished a key, which the chairman retained for three months, and which was used to gain entry to the office when none of the clerks or employes thereof were present. This was permitted to allow the fullest and freest opportunity for full and com prehensive investigation of the office. During most of the time of the first investigation I was 'confined to my house by sickness. Durlrg the progres of this investigation reports were brought to me of statements by mem bers of this committee of a shortage in this office. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, which was during the week prior to the filing of the pledges by candidates for State offices. I secured an opp-rtunity to state to the committee te reports I had eard, and asked that they state to the public what they bad found. In response to this request, the commit tee published a communication in which it was asserted that no books were kept, which was false, and that they had collected certain vouchers from which they had made up a set of books, which was equally untrue, as there is not now and never has been any "vouchers" to be collected, and the original declarations and returns of corporators could not be so designat d, and principally from these I under stood the committee had made its statements. As I was assured that the committee had found nothing which they especially criticised, I supposed the statement they had se ured to be accurate. I had repeated assurances given me that nothing wrong was found. Consequently my as tonishment at the remarkable state ments made therein was as profound as was my surprise at the partial, in complete and inaccurate statement of the financial affa.irs the'ef. When reduced to its logical conclu sion and freed from the insinuation and innuendo in which it is clothed, the report charges that no accurate books are kept, or proper record of the receipts and disbursements of the ifice, and that the management of the offce has been defioient. The only reply which it is in my power to make to this charge is the renditi mn at once of a full statement of every financial transaction of the offce, properly bal ancing the cash found on hand durirg my term of offce. I assert to be true that, though prepared upon less than 24 hours' notice, this statement is sub stantiaily accurate, and I will forth with and immediately resign as-secre tary of state If I cannot prove to the satisfac:ion of any competent and un prejudiced bojkkeepor that it is a sat isfactory statement of the condition of the c.fi:e. atrd that the statement of the committee purporting to be' such is not a true statement of its af fairs and contains many errors. REPLIES TO AssERTIO~s. Replying to the several remarkable assertions of the committee, I wish to quote them as follows: "When we went into the ofie we were informed that we could con clude our labors in 10 minutes." I de ny absolutely and une quivocally that I made any statement at all in refer ence to the time it would require to make the investigation to any mem ber of this ccmmittee. "Oii insisting that we came for a real examination, we were begged for time to prepare books." I neither beg ged or cared for any time whatever; I suggested that I would like to c':eck over the entries that 'had not been checked for possible errors; I suggest ed that the examination would be fa cilitated irthe committee would per mit me to make a complete statement of its affairs, showing proper balances. Both offers were declined, and evident ly misconstrued. A s a result of the re fusal of the committee to accept any elp or suggestion In their work, noth ing whatever was accomplished during two entire weeks, and when Hollis, the expert, came everything that had been gone over was reccked. "Many erasures and corrections were made on the books." we wennumays that he marda ne or two corr. cions, with the knowl edge .nd, he thought, permission of the committee. "A charter has b:en granted In the sum of $1,500, same was recorded as baving been issued in the sum of 650, 000." This bas never been cilled to my attendon, and I have no idea to what is referred. I would suggest that a rccid must have been accessible to them which showed the proper capital stock. "In many cases w, found where over collections had been made aggre gating 8367,55." I beg to say that owing to the charge in the law for reerding cer tain papers, reducing the fee 50 cents, the reduction has been friquently overlooked by applicants for charters, in spite of the ado-ption of every means by the office to appraise the public of it. As every declaration on which it is paid is ollowed generally In two or thrte days with a return upon which a furtber fee is payable, it has been the practice of the office to deposit the additional 50 cents to the credit of the offcial accoun of the office, to be applied on the return fee. In some cases the return has been delaied, and in others It is never made. *here is now unrefunded of thesc .Yatters, tte sum of $41 25, which 's in bank to the credit of the State. "Improper amount credited to the State: Puckhater Bros., Charleston, S. C., charter fee $50; amount State credited with $15." It was discovered by the committee that the offize bad failed to detect an error in computing the proper fee for the charter of this concern made by John C. Mehrtens, Esq , their attor ney. Only 815 had been paid the office, as it was so entered. When the committee called attention to the error, the attorneys were %ired and immediately rerr itted the balance of $.5, which was entered on the books as soon as rec..ived ard the matter explai.ned to the committze. "All moneys have not been turned ver quarterly to the State treasu -er." It is true that I have directed that funds be not checked out of the bank ntil ample time has been allowed for he eollection of all checks, ect., de posited. Sometimes a check which Is received by the offlea is not paid when presented, and confusion in our ac sounts arises therefrom. For in stance, on March 3rd, 1903, a check ?iven by Thos. B. Butler upon the Darolina National bank for 83 was re used payment when presented, aLd he amount was not finally collected 'or about three months. It would tave been inconvenient to have turned hat over to the State treasurer, even :-hough %the cffice books showed that It was chargeable to U3. "We found by mere chance that )me item of 8102 50 for charter of the [Tion Warehouse ocmpany of Colum >1a, chartered on the 15th day of ranuary, 1902, was presented for pay nent in June, 1904, and has not been Fet turned over to the State treas irer." It is true that I discovered that 5hrough some neglect there had been L ?ailure to collect the fee for this sarter. I demanded its payment and i check was given therefore. which was held for final determination as to tts proper disposition. This check is properly accounted for. "There were certain books we had Ln our possession last year concerning the period of Mr. Gantt's predecessor which we were informed were kept by the present secretary of state." "The present secretary of state" wishes to say that he has never, ex :ept for a short period at the begin aing of his own term, kept any of the cash accounts of the office. Dur ig Mr. Cooper's term these accounts were kept by Mr. D. H. Means and the record books during this period tave never been in the personal cus tody of the present secretary of state. AS TO FEFA. When fees .were paid the cfee to im, they were turned over to Mr. vlans, whose personal receipt was aken therefor. Prior to this time, receipts were taken, the same prac. ice being in vogue. He regarded Mr. Means' letter as official notice to i-n of the loss of the books, from a ~ubordnate to his superior officer. The statt ment is made, however, that the report of the secretary of tate and the original papers and rec y di which were used by the commit ce to verify the liabilities during the present term, can be mane to serve the same purpose even in the absence of this book, while deposit at the banks and payments to 'the State treasurer will show all disbursements A gain reverting to the general fea tures of this report 1 wish to say that I requested an opportunity to test the accuracy of the figures made up by the committee and to explain any cause for criticism that appeared to them, but was refused. Without having seen the totals arrived at, I callenge the accuracy even of the addition in the purported statement which was mtde up. It does seem that men who proclaim so loudly their j alousy of the pEople's money should at least put enough va'ue upon the character and reputation of a man that they would at least re frain fronm Imputing to him that which is discreditable until they had observed the caution of ascertaining facts to rest their asst rtion on, and when criticising the efficiency of an other to be certain of their own. Respectfully submitted, T. L. GANNT, Secretary of State. Found ith Throat Cat. The lititle to~wn of Pearson, Ga., on thle Brunswick and Western railroad, w..s thrown sinto the wildest state of excitement Wednesday morning by the discovery of the mysterious mur der of Mrs. Mary Smith, an aged white womnan. Mrs. Smith resided on the outskirts of the town with her little ten-year-old grand-daughter. Wednesday morning the screams of the child attracted the attention of neighbors, and upon investigation the dead body of the woman was found in the house with her throat cut from ear to ear. The child could give no information about the killing. She had only discovered her grandmoth ers body a few moments before the neighbors arrived. GOVERNMENT COTTON REPORT. Number of Bales Ginned to January 18th, 1905. A report issued by the census bu reau Wednesday shows the quantity of cotton ginned from the growth of 1904 to January 16 to be 12,767,000, counting round as half bales. These crnsist of 12,524,777 square bales. 289,425 round bales and 98,110 sea island bales. Counting the amount as running bales the total is 12 912,312. This was ginned by the 30,221 ginneries which were operated at some time this season prior to January 16. The statistics of the cotton ginned to the corresponding date of 1904 show a total of 9,859,277 bales, embracing 9,038,890 square bales and 7,407,480 round bales and 72.907 sea island bales and 30.171 active ginneries. In the canvass this January 824 ginners have refused returns or failed to report and the quantities previous ly returned by them have been brou2ht forward for this report with out any addition. The total quantity of cotton thus brought forwa-d is 327,243 ru-ming bales. A maximum estimate of the quantity ginned by these establishments between Decem ber 13 and January 16 is 32,724 run ning bales. This estimate of 32.724 bales is not included in the above to tals. In this report no account has been taken of linters obtained by cot ton seed oil mills from working cot ton seed. The final report of the season will be issued about March 25. The final report will distribute the crop by counties, agregate upland and sea island cotton and give weights of bales. In connection with the census di rector the report says that every com plaint rzgarding the accuracy of the returi:s of individual ginners which 2as reached the census cfiee has been Carefully Investigated apd no material arrors so far -been found. REFORT BT STATEs. The report by states and running bales follows: tates. Bales. Ginneries. labama.. .1,422,426 3.902 Arkansas....... 826.528 2,440 Florida......... 81,855 279 Jorgla ......1,903 668 4,974 ndian Ter...... 463.549 509 K!ntuoky ...... 1,882 5 ouisiana.......1,005.328 2,223 dississippi.. ....1,576,853 4,055 dissouri........ 44,203 76 North Carolina.. 704 801 2,929 )klahoma .. .. .. 323,727 298 outh Carolina ..1,144,514 3,244 rennessee ...... 298.132 758 rexas... ......3.098,908 4,403 Virginia ....... 15.938 126 Tale or a Talking Tree. Oat on the farm of Will Albert, iear Heatb, county, Ky., the people Lre wrought up over the "talking ree" that has been there for some ime. Enormous crowds continue to ather there almost every Sunday to ear the strange noises that come rom the tree. The voice can be dis tinctly heard, and sys. "There are reasures buried at my roots." A party, comprising the most trust orthy cit~zmns of the county, visited he tree to make a thorough investi ation for themselves as to the noises eing heard. They listened patient y for several hours when a sudden ~rash, which has been given many imes before the marvelous produc ion of the human voice, came. The nystery yet remains unsolved, and so reat has the number of people been who have gone there in the last sev ral months that the tree is now dead, ~aused by the continuous tramping on he earth surrounding the tree. The only theory that has been sug ~ested Is that a man was killed under he tree in 1862, and wthi'e many do ot believe in "spirits" the facts are o plain and the voice can be so dis !nctly heard that they cannot dispute he fact. A family of people who ived there several years ago bccame o frightened at the voice that they old their farm at a .sacrifice, went West and are now iiving in Texas. Boughbc by Mrs. Lander. The property of the Williamston Female college was sold at public out ry Monda'y in Anderson. The build ngs and grounds were bid in by Hon. eo. E. Prince for Mrs. L. A. Lan er for the sum of 86,550. Since the emcval of the college to Greenwcod~ he property has been of no material te to the institution and a sale was leemed most advisable. The grounds over a little more than five acres, pon which is lccated the old colle uilding, built under the direction of Dr. Lander, its founder. It is prob ble that the building will be con erted into a hotel. Express Office Closed. A dispatch from North to The State says the sudden closing up of te uffce sof the Southern Express ompany thera has been the topic of nuch discussio;n. Numerous pack ages for people at thlat point have een pigeon :icled eisewhere. It is earned on reliable authority that the ailroad commission has given no au hority for the closing of the offie ad an investigation has been started. t is understood that the company eters the plea of not being able to et ar. agent. KiiieU by a Train.. Miss Magnolia Waters, a young ady of Westminster was run over ad killed by the fast mail Monday. The depiorable accident happened at arbins, about four miles south of rtat place. Miss Waters was 27 ears old and was a.flcted with deaf ess, which probabiy accounts for er not having heard the approaching rain. Cut Acreage and Hold Crop. At a meeting of the Greenville ounty Cotton Growers' association eld Monday the farmers present pledged themselves to decrease acre ge 25 per cent., buy less fertilizer nd to hold cctton on hand until paid 10 cents a pound. Assigned ?o south Carolina. Postcffic Inspector Gregory has ben assigned to duty in the lower part of South Calrolina, succeedir g In spector Marle, who has been called to arinin far servic at that piaco WILL MEET THEM, President Roosevelt Names th< Day When lie Will See COTTON GROWERS Representatives, Who are Headed by Senator McLaurin as Chairman. About Fifty Southern Leadisg Mill Men Expected to Meet Committee. President R~osevelt has appoiated Monday, Feb. 20, at 12 o'clock, to meet the committee of 10 appointed by the New Orleans Cotton Growers' convention to confer with the presi. dent, secretary of agriculture and mill men with a view to making arrangrments to enlarge Ameria's cotton trade with other countries. Toe committee will also confer with the secretary of commerce and labor. About 50 leading mill men from every southern Staate are expected to meet the committee at the Raleigh hotel in Washington at 4 o'c'ozk on the af ternoon of Saturday, Feb. 18. Sena tor McLaurin, the chairman of the special committee, gives out the fol lowing correspondence for publica tion: Florence, Ala., Feb. 4, 1905. To the Honorable Senators and Con gressmen representing the Cotton Growing States in the Congress of the Umted Soates: Gentlemen: I beg to call your at tention to the following resolution adopted by the National Cotton Grow trs' association in bonvention as iembled in New Orleans, Jan. 24th to N6th, 1905: "Wheress, the present markets for &merican cotton products are not racffient to dispose of the present :rop; and "Whereas, we believe the consump Aion of cotton can be greatly increas..d n the markets of the world; and "Whereas, such Increases will re iult In untol good to the cotton Zrowing States, reducing the surplus, hereby creating a greater demand and necessarily higher prices for our :otton; therefore, be It "Resolved, That a special commit ee be appointed by this conventior Zhe confer with the president of the United States, the secretary of agri. ,ulture and the manufacturers of cot on goods, to obtair such concerted action as will enlarge our trade in cot ton products in foreign countries." I beg further to call your attention to the fact that this was the most representatives body of men which 3as ever before been called together io discuss the great agricaltural in erests of the south. You are therefore earnestly request 3d to give your active and hearty sup port to such mheasures as will effectu ate the purposes embodied in these resolutions. Most respectfully, .TOHN LoWNDzs MCLAUEnr, Dha~rmaa of Special Committee on Foreign Trade, Cotton Growers' Convention. EEmsTEE A5HCEAFT, Secretary. Florence, Ala., Feb. 6, 1905. Hon. James Wilson, Secretary of Agricultre, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir: I beg to make grateful acknowledgment of your favor of the 2, and to thank you for your very courteous suggestion contained In some. Acting on your advice. I have to day directed a letter to Hon. Victor H. Metcalf, asking his co-operation In our effort to enlarge our foreign mar kets. It is a great pleasure to rote your hearty approval of this movement, and I feel sure that we wil receive wise and valuable suggestions from you when our committee visists Wash lngton on February 20th. Tnanking you for the interest you have shown in this matter, I have the honor to be Most respec:.fually yours, E~rsTRR AsaEEAFT. Secretary of SpecIal Commnittee on Foreign Trade, Cotton Growers' Convention. Wastington, Feb 2, 1905. Mr. Erister Ashcraft, Florence, Ala bama. Dear Sir: I have your letter of January 28th, asking whether it will be agreeable to me to co-operate with the committee appointed by the cot ton growers' convention recently held at N~ew Orleans for the purpose of oh taining concerted action looking to ward an extension of our foreign mar kets for cotton products. I entirely approve of this move ment. It Is legitimate ar~d wise, and anything this department can do to tielp will be very cheerfully done, but permit me to call your attention to the fact that congress has created a new department, that of commerce and lab~r, one of the objhcts to do this very kind of work. I thInk lb would not be wise for you and your associates to ignore that department, and I advise you to get mnto comn municaion with the secretary of com merce and labor, Hon. Victor H. Metcalf, and solicit his cyoperation in your enterprise. Of cour'ie I shall be pleased to meet your committee at any time, but I advise you to call also upon the secretary of commerce and lab r. In fact, I advise you to :10 that first. Very truly yours, JAiras WILsoN, Secretary. F orence, Ala., Feb. 6, 1905. Hion. Victor H. Metcalf, Secretary of Commerce and Labor, Washing ton, D). C. Dear SIr: Pursuant to a resolu tion adopted by the cotton growers' convention in New Orleans, January 26th. a special committee, of which~ ex-Senator Jno. Lowndes McLaurin of South Carolina is chairma,LD will visit Washington on Febiuary 20th, to take up the special work called for by the resolutipn looking toward the enlargement of foreign markets far cotton products. I trust it will be convenient for you to see the committee, and that they may have your co.operation in tis movement. Hoping to have from you a favor able reply, I have the honor to be, Obediently yours, ERisTER ASUCRAFT. Secretary Sp cial Committee on For eign Trade, Cotton Growers' Con. vention. STARV) 'TO DEATH. EGw a Negro .scaped Trial it Cout at Columbia. Was Wanted fir Shooting at a Police Officer, But Preferfed to Starve to Death. The Record says word was received in Columbia one day last week that Sam Ha.rris, the negro who is wanted in Columbia for attempted assault and battery, and who was caught in Savannah some time ago, will not be be returned to the city. The reason is plain en(ugh. Harris has starved himself to death in the Savannah jail, ending one of the most remarka b:e criminals with which the police have had to deal. Harris is a Columbia negro, and while not desperately wicked, was just bad enough to be continually in the hands of the p~lice. About three years ago in a raid by the police he shot twice at one of the offeers and dashed out of the house, which had been surrounded by the police. A number of shots were fired on both sides, but Harris escaped and nothirg was heard of him until abcut ten days ago, when it was discovered that be was at work on the chaingang In Savanpah. The authorities there were notif.ed and preparations made for his return, but the negro deliber ately refused all food until he was so weak that it was necessary to send him to the hospital andthere he died. The Savannah papers contain long accounts of the remarkable end of Harris, and the News has the follow ing: "One of the most remarkable cases of suicide known to the Savannah authorities was brought to light re cently when Sam Harris, a negro prisoner, died at the county jail prac tically as the result of his self-imposed starvation. Exhibiting the most wonderful will power in abstaining from partaking of food, the man, slowly wasted away until he was past all medical aid. "Harris' enforced starvation was the result of being told several days ago that as soon as he completed his sentence on the county chaingang he would be taken to Columbia, S. C., to answer the charge of shooting at. a police sergeant some time previous to the crime for which he was commit ted last February. . "With the expiration of his sen tence but ten days off he was rudely awakened from his dream of liberty about a week ago by the boss at the convict camp where he was confined. From that hour he grew morose and refused to eat. No manner of per suasion could induce him, to partake of food enough to sustain him and slowly he wastea away. "Harris was arrested by Patrolman R. B. Davis on Liberty and ]!ist Broad streets in January, 1904. He resisted while waiting for the patrol wagon, and shot the onicer in the leg. He was rearrested and given twelve months on the chaingang, and with his timre off for good behavior would have been a free man on February 15. About ten days agQ the authorities here received a letter to hold Harris when he was released, that he was wanted at Columbia for shooting at a police sergeant while resisting arrest. The order was sent to the Pipe Mak er's creek camp, where Harris was confined, and the unwelcome news was transmitted to Harris. "After fasting for a week the man grew sick and his condition was such that he was ordered placed in the ho3 pital ward at the jail, where he re mained until his death. .The county physician said the case was the most remarkable he had ever attended." A Graesome~ Find. A dispatch from Union to The State says a gruesome find was made at the Monarch cotton mills Wedines day afternoon when as the cotton was drawn through the long black suction pipe into the picker room, In the midst of which, as it fell out, was a long black withered finger. The miss ing member was apparently the third figer of the left hand and the nail till remained on It. Where the cot ton the finger was found in came from of course cannot be ascertained, but it is thought it must have been here in Union county as Monarch mils is a heavy buyer of Union county raised cotton. A Pair of Fools. A dispatch from Dresden, Tenn., says young Willie McCaleb, 15 years old, and mas former teacher, who is nc w his bride, though she is430 years old, must go into exile as a result oi their elopement. The indignant father of the lad has made this the cndition upon whicn he will refrain from beginning proceedings against the woman on a charge of kidnaping his son. So the happy couple will take to Arkansas next week. Despite the sentence. neither shows the slightest regret. The bride says she would be happy in a desert with her youthful lover, while Willie adoringly declares he would follow the woman to the end of the earth. Distressing Accident. Mr. Charlie Livingston, a young man about 21 years old, while adjust ing a belt at A. L. Otts' ginnery at Etoree, Tauraday, was caught in the shafting and both arms and legs were broken. The body of the young man was wrapped around the shafting In a most torturing ma.nner, mutilating the flesh of his legs and breast before assistance co.uld reach him. Medical aid was quickly summoned and all that is possible is being done to save the youtg man. Mr. Livingtson is a cever and promisirg man and the unorrnateaccident is greatly deplor d thee. HANDS OFF The Negro Question Says Repub lican Congressman Boufele. WILL A) THE SOUTH Is WorKing Out the Great Race Problem *at Confrants Her. He says lutel. ligent smpathy from the North Is Necessary to Accom. plsh Great Work. Representative Henry Sherman Boutelle, cf Illinois, was the principal oralor at the annual McKinley dinner of the West Bd Republican club. at Delmonico'srecently. About 250 mem bers and guests were present. Charles F. Bostwick, president of the club. was toastmaster, and with him at the guests' table were Gen. Stewart L. Woodford, Job E. Hedges, Represen tatives Henry S. Boutelle and James R. Mann, of Illinois Herbert N. Par sons, William S. Bennett and Willam H. 'Douglass, Judges John Proctor Clarke and Edward McCall, and Wil-. 1ham Halpin, chairman of the Repub lican county committee. "The South and the Republican Party" was the subject of Mr. Bou telle's address. He devoted the larger portion of his address to the discus sion of the negro question, as regard Ing suffiage in tae Soath. He said &ir part: "A great and wonderful change ias come over the South in -the past twenty years-a change that can only be understood by contrasting the pres ent situation in the Southern states with the-cenditions that existed dur tng the ten years immediately follow tog the civil war. No people .were ever brought face to face with mort utter desolation than that which on fronted the men of the South on their return from Appomattox. It was not alone that they had lost the cause for which they had fought. Their whole social, industrial, and political fabric lay in ruins. Their task was to bring a new order out of chaos, and they have triumphed gloriously. "And we of the North rejoice with them in their prosperity, for are they not our people, bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesli? "Batwrqn 1880 and 1900 the South's investment in agriculture inc 75 per cent., while that of the rest o the country Increased 65 percent. The value of farm properties in the South advanced from $2.300,000;00 to 64, 0000,000,030, and the annual value of farm products from $660,000,000 to $1,300,000,000. The railroad mileage Las increased from 20,600 to 52,600 miles, and the value or exports has:. risen from $260,000,000 to $464,000, 000. "Factories are springing up all over the South, and North Carolina bids f iir to rival Michigan In the output of furniture. In the manufactureof cotton goods the South has made rap id and surprising progress. Massachu etts still holds first place amcpg the states In cotton manufacturing. South Carolina now comes second, and North Carolina third. The total number of spindles in the Southern states Is nowr about 7,700,000 an increase of 5,000, 000 since 1896. - "The breaking up of the great plan tations has multiplied the number of towns and villages. The education of the blacks as well as the whites Is re ceiving greater attention, libraries and c lleges are increasing, and the whole South is reaping the fruits of the courage, patience and hope of tle men of 1865. "The answer to this question In volves the whole Southern Droblem. But it is more than a Southern prob lem-it Is a- national 'problem. The present situation is due primarily to the presence in the South of two alien - rae:s, between whom there can be there must be--nc faslon. "The leaders of Southern thought, at the close of the war, should have been allowed to retain their natural leadership over the Ignorant whites and blacks. The fear of ignorant nie gro domination has persisted long af ter the danger of suc.1 domination has passed, working often an injury to the negro, and always a greater injury to' the whites. We of the North have in years past made the so'.ution of this problem more difficult for our South emn bretan. We now owe them gen erous sympathy and patient forbear arce. "There is something that the fed eral gvvernment can do to help the situation. The Sau.th needs men. Her inhabitants are only twenty-nine to' the square mile, while in Ohio the density is 102. Government informa tion should be sent out to thd world regarding the resources, climate, soil of the South. "in the work of solving this prob lem the South could have no firmer. friend than- President Roosevelt, for all that the South needs is a square deal, and no one knows better than the president that a square deal for the South means siwpy Intelligent sympathy from Nortuern men. un prejudiced justice from the federal government."-Washington Post. Sold Stamusw A#t Half Price. Postoffice Inspector E. J. Palister had arrested in Spartanburg Wednes day afternoon a ytung white man, who appears to be a tramp. This man, who gives several names as his proper c )gnomez3, was selling 2 cent postage szamps in lots of 75 or 100 at half prie. He is in the station house and bis case will be investigated in United States Commissioner McGowan's court next Monday. He states that his bomne was in Augusta, Ga., and that bis name Is Harry E. Swain. Charged With Being F'agitive. Charles F. Taylor, being partner of Mrs. Alice Webb; Duke, has been ar rsted at his office at Cnicago charg el with being a fugitive from justice. He is alleged to have been implicated in a swindle at Nacogdcchies, Texas& invlving 83,000