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HOWIOFIX I. Senatcr Tillman Points Out the Weak Points of the STATE DISPENSARY As it is Now Operated and Suggest a Plan of Making It an Institution Without Graft, if the (irand Juries Will Make Officials Do Their Duty. Mr. James A. Hoyt, Jr., says in The State that SenatLr Tillman wert to Anderson with the expectation of making a speech in which he should outline his views on the dispensary and give his remedies for the canker now eating cut the life of.that insti tution. He had gone to the unusual trcuble of writing out his speech, showing that he desir d it published, and published in full, in order that his views might have the widest pub licity. The conditions were.such that he was prevented from delivering his spet ch in full, though it must be said, in justice to Senator Tillman, that had he been ur-generous he could have made his -peecn and had plenty (f tima to do 2t in, but be was very careful not to intrude upon the rights of the other invited speakers, and gave way to them. particularly to Mr. Smith. the president of the Cutton Growers' a..sociat-ion. Senator Till man, had he had the opport'inity, might not have stuck close to his manuscript, as he is not accustomed to speaking that way, and the little of it which he did read was interpo lated with side remarks as they' would pop into his head. But his prepared speech is of interest and is given in full as follows: I think the facts will warrant me in claimirg that I know as much or more abcut the dispensary and about the liquor traffic in general than any other one man in the State. The law was enacted in December, 1892, and went into effect 1st of July following. During this interval I examined most thoroughly into the whole question and gave the administration of the proposed system the most earnest thcught. Everbody predicted failure and I was most anxious that the ex periment shculd succeed. For a year and a halt I administered the law almost alone, and I therefore had the fullest opportunity, both bj observa. tion and experience, to find out its good and bad points, and above all, fts weakness. The original draft and much that is still in the law was the work of the prohibition committee, and only such changes were made rin the bill as it passed the House as was evidently ne cessary for the changed purpose to which the law was to be devoted. At the next sesson of the Legislature my efforts were devoted ,entirely to strengtheninlg the statute so as to prevent and punish the illicit sale of liquor. I gave no thought to safe guarding the State against fraud in its adinuistration except in the rules and regulations, because I did not not then believe, and I do not now believe, that the State of South Caro lina could elect three men to the highest responsible c ifices of Gover nor, Comptroller General and Attor ney General who would fall so low as to become thieves. During the 12 years that the system has been on trial the law has been changed time and time again. But my opinion and advice have bad no weight. Tne first bad blunder was taking the law out of the hands of mren elected by the peo. ple and putting it into the hands of a board elected by the Legislature. The next mistake was taking the appoint ment of the county boar d out of the hands of the State board, and giving it to the delegation in the Legislature from each county. The State board is no longer directly responsible to the people, and there is no way to get at it unless the Governor shculd exercise his implied power of removal. The cunty board is no longer responsible to the State board, because it does not depend upon that Dcard for ap pointment and is not responsible to that board, excEpt in a way, but looks to the Legislative delegation. Temp tations that the Governor and other high State officials would have been expected to withstand have, I fear proven too strong for the boards elected by the Legislature. The ad ministraticn by the State board fias been lax and altogether cernsurable. -It has allowed some of the most valu able restrictive features of the law to fall into disuse--filling out request blanks sellunit to minors, drunkards, etc. There has been no executive head with power to see that the law was administered in good faith, and the county boards have too often al lowed improper influences, nepotism and other selfish motives to govern in electing dispensers. Orne of the most far reaching and destructive actions of the State beard was the change in the manner of buying liquor from that which was instituted in the be ginning, to wit, the puronase of whis key to be sold under the brand and name and in the package of the seller. The original scheme, which has the soundest reasons In good business judgment for its inauguration, pro vided that no liquor, except bought in barrels ar.d bottled at the dispen sary and labelled X, XX, XXX, XXXX, according to age and quality. All of the bottles sold through thre dispernsary were of full measure and all the whiskey of full proof, as desig nated on the label, and all were sealed tightly with the best sealing wax. The prices were put on a card and hung in the window, so that there could be no zheating of the purchaser, by the dispencers. Case goods were sometimes bought but only upon special orders of individuals. They were not kept in stock. Let us see what demoralization has been wrcught by the departure from this policy. The first years of the dispensary's e-x istence the local dispensers were not| approachable by any man in thej whiskey trade, because no one knewj where the liquor came from, and there:| was no charnce to bribe or corrupt a I local dispenser to push any special brand. No cases were shipped di rectly to the dispensers In the packa ges from the distillery, so there was no chance to put in extra bottles as bribes. Everything went from the State dispensary. All cases were of uniform size, one for quarts, one for pints and one for half pints, and they held a given number of bottles. Thre i-quor was sealed hermitically. There was no chance to change labels or alter bottles. The request boks prtvented that. and the Governor was in the closest touch with every cog and wheel in the machinery. I had a detective who watched the con stables anad wh. reported to me alone whether or not they were in collusion with blind tigers. I had another detective who watched the dispensers to see whether they were complying strictly with the law and regulations. Whi.key drummers banging around the botels in Columbia to get a chance to sell whiskey were unknown and the agents of whiskey concerns travelling over the State and getting in close touch with the lc.cl dispensers for the purbose of corrupting them were also unknown, and the condition of Lffsdrs disclosed by the Spartanburg investigation was simply an impossi bility. What are some of the temptations which seem to have been too great for the State board of directors to resist? Purchasing whiskey as it has been done left opportunity for collusion; this man or ttat on tbe board receiv ing money as cjmpensation for pur chasing from a given concern. The State commissioner subjected to the temptation of sending out the case goods of this or that firm in prefer ence to those ordered by the dispens ers. Tde opportunity for graft, the pot phrase now in vogue, was im mense. The original scheme adopted, as I say hastily, depended for the in tegrity of its administration upon the high character and honor of the State's hignest dficials. But when we recollect that, as it is now admin istered and has been for six or eight years, through the breakage charges, leakage charges, watering the liquior in the local dispensaries because of bottles not properly sealed, changing labels, buying places as dispenser, the opportunity for stealing at the dis pensary in not sending out all the liquor bought, but shipping it off, it is a wonder we have not had a worse carnival of corruption than seems to exist. I do not doubt after the exposure in Spartanburg others will cqual if not eclipse it elsewhere. I coula go more into detail and discuss this phase of the subject more at length, but I prefer to point out the remedies which have suggested themselves to my mind and which in the future I feel sure will be adopted and be the means of reforming the dispensary sistem and making it well nigh impessible for any one any where to steal any of the public money or be corrupted by the temptations which have been sr, plentiful heretofore. We will take the State dispensary first. I believe the administration of this law should be in the hands of men elected by the people, the same as the other laws are. I believe and always have thought that a board ex cfficio, composed of the Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller General, to be the best that can be devised. Now to prevent even these high officers from being subjected to temptation or laying themselves open to charges or corruption, such as my enemies have not hesitated to bring against me, I suggest tbe following plan. Let advertisement be made, as now re quaired by law for bids to be submitted to furnish the State of South Carolina for a year with such whiskey, brandy, rum, wine and beer as it may reqaire. Let the Act go Into detatis and speci tically describe the kind and qaality needed. Whiskey and beer .are the two main things, and these two are staple articles and can be dcseribed with such definiteness and particular ity that there will be slight need even of an analysis by the chemist. Let these bids be submitted in triplicate sealed with wax. One sent to the State Treasurer, accompanied by a ~check for $10,000 as evidence of good faith, one sent to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and one sent to the Speaker of the House of Repre sentatives. Have these opened during the session of the Legislature In the presence of the dispensary committee of the two houses, and award the contract to the lowest bidder. Then let the State board enter into it with such lowest bidder, requiring the con tractor to deposit for tne fu filment of his obligation 3100,000 in South C ir lina State bonds, or such amount as may be thought necessary, which shall be subject to forfeit if he does not comply strictly with all the terms and conditions of his agreement. The contract being thus made for the purchase of whiskey of a given kind and quality at a given price, the State commissioner who will have charge of the business part of the dis pensary can order cut from the dis tillery at such time and in such quan tities as may be necessary the ligaors needed to supply the demand of the local dispensers. Have the bottles and other supplies that may be needed purchased in a similar manner to the whiskey, all of these bein~g paid for by cash checks on the treasurer. Let the State commissioner take out a recti fier's license and have the liquor bot tled after dumping and mixing when desired, and this musti be under the immediate supervision and Inspection of a United States revenue officer, whose books will be a check as to the quantity that will thus enter into the consumption. Let the dispenser's books and the internal revenue collector's books be inspected quarterly by such person as the State board may appoint for that purpose, to see that the qual ity of the goods contracted for and the goods delivered correspond, and that all the goods purchased have been sent out from the State dispensary or other wise accounted for. The Legislature, through its committee, can examine into and report at each session upon the whole management. Let the name and brand of the liqoor be blown into the glass so there can be no change of labels. Havelno case goods kept in stock and confine the purchase of these to special orders from private individuals. Do away with beer disoensaries as now run, and let the regalar dispensers keep beer on ice to be used oy the bottle only, and not drunk on the premises. A bove all see that the request books are always used before a purchase is made. So much for the central depot. Now for the local dispensaries. I elieve more satisfaction will result and a better adm'inistration of the law be had, if the supervision and control of the local dispensaries be placed in the hands of the county su pervisors elected by the people, the mayor of the town in which the dis pensary is located, elected also by the people, and one person to be appoint ed by the State board, who shall re-. 3eive reasonable ecompensation for his tme and labor. They have the local dispensers elected by the people of the sounty. Where there is more than anc they can be elected on a joint icket. Let the Governor have the power to remove for cause and let him Any one familiar with the or rdi tions as they now exist can readily i understand why such amendrcents to the law as are here ou lined will make it almost impossible for any one con nectcd witq the dispen-a-y from the top to the bottom to steal any of the public money. We will have better I qu-r, and if the grand juries do their outy we will have no more Sparsanburv scandals. It must not be ftrgotteL that no law was ever devised that can enforce it self. He said a detective ought to keep after the diepnners to see that re q-est b-oks are used, and the law is tbetter eforced. His was not afraid ab,,ut going back to the Senate. He simply wanted to stand en his record. but if any better man cin be found., elect him. He was not mixing poli tics in this affair, but others were do Ing so. AGAINST THE 200K TRUST. Courts D cIde that Indevidual Mei - chants Can Reduce Prices. "A decision has been handed down in the United States Chcuit Court by Judge Ray, in the action cf Charles Sclribner & Sons and the Bobts-Merrill Cimpany against R. H. Macy & Co. for an inii c ion to re strain Macy's from selling ccpyright books at less than the retail prices fixsd by the Publishers' Association which will have a far reaching effect on all trade combinations," says The New York World. "Stephen H. O:in and er:Attorney General W. B. H. Miller appeared for the complainants, and ex Secre tary of the United States Treasury J hn G. Carlisle, and Ed-rond B. Wise for Macy's. Judge R-y gives a sweeping dccsion in favor of R. H. Macy & C.., dis mis:;ng the complaint and severely criticising the combination of publish ers and bocksellers, which he holds to be in violation of the Sherman Anti Trust Law. Eiitorialy the New York Journal says: "The firm of R. H. Macy & Co. renderTd a really great service to the pub'ic at large and to the busi ness interests of the communitY in their fight against the Book Trust "The Book Trust alleged its right to forbid retaile:.s to sell books below a certain price fixed by the trust. "Macy & Co., acting in behalf of tbe rurchasing public, maintained in the c urts at considerable expense, their right to sell merchandise bought by them for wnatever price they pleased. - "The case was heard before Judge Ray in the United States Circuit Court, Isidor Straus and Nathan Straus partners. appearirg under the firm of R. H. Macy & Co., in behalf of the public and the rights of the individual business man. "The thanks of the public are due to R. H. Macy & Co. for the fight they made against this particular form of trust opptcssion. And still greater thanks are due to Judge Ray for this excellent opinion, in which he sustains the action of Messrs. Straus appearing in behalf of the pub lic interest. "It Is to be hoped that the get-rich quick gentlemen who proposed to get such money from the public by mak ing themselves lords and masters of puchaser, retailer and all others take to heart the lesson that is taught them in che opinion quoted above. TWXLVE NEN KIE.D By a Larg~e M1ass ol Stone Falling Ujpon Them. A mass of limestone weighing thousands of tons slid from a side of the quarry of mill A of the Lehigh Portland Cement company at Orm rod, Pa., at noon Wednesday just five minutes before time to qiuit work. Twenty-seven men were at worg in the quarry, which is 1,000 feet long, 150 feet across and 100 feet deep. The heav.y rains of the past two days had softened the earth and caused the slide of rock. Where the fallen mass slipped away a smooth, nearly perpendicular wall was left, rising sheer 100 feet above the bottom of the quarry, while the entire quarry floor was covered .with brken, jagged rock. Oa1ly nine of the men got away safely, four of whom escaped by running up on a mas of rock at the opposite side of the quar ry. The rentaining 18 were . huidled in a spacs ten feet square, and 12 of them were killed and six injured. T wo of the latter may die. All of the men are Slavonians who lived in shan ties close to the quarry. T wo men who saw the side of the quarry quiver shouted a warning to the men. The men misinterpreted the called and failed to moved out of zne of danger until it was too late. With a thundercus roar the mountain of rog fell, pinning the men fast. Te r scuers found six men huddled in one place, four sta.nding and two lying down. Three were -ilive and one died before he could be gotten out. Five physicians were summoned who gave the jujured first aid on the scene and then had them hurried In wagons to the Allentown hospital. The dead were laid on boards and carried to the stock house. Eight bodies were re covered before dark, at which time two more were exposed to view and two others buried deep in -the pit. The latter's bodies may not be reached until Thursday. Most of the men killed or Injured are single. Others had families In the old country. A number of women from the foreign colony ran to the quarry when the news of the accident reached them and their moaning and anguish were pitiable. Fell to Their Death. Five people were killed in the Alps mountains on Thursday by falling. T wo tolirists from Meran, while hunt ig for edelweiss, were killed. Wbile climbing the Hoefats group a Bavar lan lawyer fell and was killezl. Four students from Dresden ascenolng che Heiergoel, fell downu a precipice. One was killed and the others were probably fatally injured. Another youth of sixteen was killed on Mount Mythenstock. He fell nine hundred feet and his body was reduced to pulp. W ants to Debate. Mr. C. P. Sims, an attorney of Sprtanburg, has challenged Senator Tillman to a joint debate on the dis pensary. Mr. Sims has recently been prominently before the public as attorney for certain of the Spar tanburg dispensary ciii als during the recent investigation. It Is said that he will oppose Senator Tillman for the SRatorship. HE 1 IES HI'. (Continued from firt page.) "About forms of law, let fools contest, That, law which is best administered is besL." And cur not ag m-aing on the dis pensary question aud the liquor ques tion comes from the fundamental dif ference of opinion as to how it is bt st to police the lquor tratfic. The Pro hibitionists declare it is sinful to drink in moderation, wine or whiskey, while a large majority of us cannot see any foundation in morals or re ligion for any such contention. Every Sbody reccgnizes the evil of drunken ness, and how to minimize or to pre vent it is the whole question. You say prohibit the sale. I say sell by bonded cffloers, under stringent regu lations, in the daytime only, and have the law enforced. The profit which is an Incident and not a purpose in this sale, to go where it is most need ed; that is, into the school fund of the State. It would make no dIfr ence if it went into the fund of the general treasury, and the school fund incrEa-ed f rum cti'er sourcas. But that is a subterfuge. No one drinks any more or patrcnizes the dispensary because the profits go to the school fund. I cannot see any harm or sin in obtaining revenue from a traffic that is irrepressib:e. The United States Supreme Court protects each citizen in the right to import for his own use, and no law of the State can prevent it. The poorer and more ig norant classes, who cannot thus cb tain liquor, have been. and alwa-s will be supplied thrmugh scma- local agency, no matter what the law against selling liquor may be. THE EXAMPLE OF KANSAS. You quote Governor Hoch, of Kan sas, but v!u do no discuss or explain the official statistics in regard to drink:ng and the payment of the United States internal revenue lionse by retail dealers in that State. There are no saloons in South Carolina for the young to see any more than there are in Kansas. God forbid they sbculd ever return. Some of your co laborers in this fight against the dis pensary system, your allies and coun ,ellors, are the editors of papers which have always fcught the dispensary and are now scheming to get high licenses after prohibition has failed, as it will fail. There Is not a civilized Government in Christendom as far as I know that does not derive a revenue from the sale of liquor and prohibition was an unknown thing until about sixty years ago. The United States Government received last year from this source upwards of S170,000,000. I think there are only three States at this time that cling to prohibition. Iowa and Vermont had It some years ago, but they have abandoned it for local option, with the right to vote in saloons if wanted, and that is what is hoped for here by your chief sponsors of the press. One word more and 1 am through. Let us see about ycur historical paral lel about the great leader who was commanded to go down against the Amalekites. The Hebriws of old, true to their instincts of thrift slew the abominable tribe, but saved the best of the sheep and oxen, as Saul claimed for sacrifice, and you go on to state as an historical fact that "the Government of a State was command ed by the moral sense of the people expresseci at the ballot box to go down and dstroy the liquor traffc. And when called to account It makes the pitiful plea that while It has not de. stroyed the traffi It has managed it so as to get money for the taxpayers.' Your parallel is not a parallel at all. rEOFLE DID NOT ORDER FROBIBITION. The people of South Carolina have never instructed its Government to prohibit the sale of liquor. In the separate box provided by the Demo. cratic executive committee in the Democratic primary of 1892, the vote stood, as I recollect, 35,000 for prohi bition, 25,000 against it, while 32,0C0 did not vote on It at all. (1 quote from memory.) That election was a side show and you have no right tc magnify its significance. This is a government of majorities and no majority of the people has ever gven any such order, while when the question has been passed on since di rectly and positively a half dozen times, the people said that the dis pensary law was a better and more sane solution. Isn't it about time to stop alluding to that election. The dispensary system does not rest for its support upon the money that it brings in. It rests on the claim of its de fenders backed by experience of our people and statistics, as affording more protection against the vice of drunkenness than any other system, prohibition or license either. If It has done this in spite of mal administration and mismanagement, what would it not do If such men as Dr. Cromer and his friends would give to the enforcement of the law their great moral support.? We do not ask endorsement, but in a Government where a majority rules we have had a right to expect co-ope ration and assistance, and we have not had it yet. "Render unto Gaesar the things that are Caesar's," was the command of the Master Himself. When the stanute has been practically annulled by the board or directors, when the restrictive features have been allowed to drop into issue, have the Prohibitionists lent their assist ance by standing up boldly for the law? Had they done so we would not be now where we are. JEFFERSON'S AUTHORITY. You have been kind enough, my dear sir, to remind me of Jefferson's epitaph. You declare the pecple do not need advice, but they need an op portunity to vote. Allow me to re mind you that one of Jefferson's max ims which was the very embodiment of civil liberty and true Democracy was "teach the people and trust the people." You want the people to vote now while they are angered and bewilder ed. I want them to vote "sanely" after they have heard the facts and argments, and I want all or them to vote who have an interest In this matter. Under the Brice Act this is not allowed. APPEALS TO RIS r.F~oR1D. You mentioned Winthrop and Clem son as among the things by which I wud be remembered. You left off some others that I presume to add, not from a sense of egotism, but simp ly to keep the record straight. (L.) The emancipation in 1890 of the people from dry rot, caused by only one party and the demonstra tion that we could have the most free nd open discussion of political ques tions without danger, followed by the inuguration of the State Democratic primary system. (2 ) The Constitutional Convention d its work, largely the result of my ntiring and earnest efforts, and my work in that convention in behalf of ommon scools, and the diafran chisement for the time being of the negro majority le:zally. (3.) Lst, the inauguration of the sale of Pqlor by bended cilicers under the dispensary system. I will not say that your visfon is clouded by fanati cism, but if it be true that he who makes two blades of grass to grow where only one grew before is a public benefactor, then is it not equally true that he who conceived a scheme by which drunktnness was reduced, tem perance encouraged and decency arid good order increased, and withal made the demon whiskey contribute to the education of the ignorant masses, need be ashamed of his work? B. R TILLANT. Trenton, S C., Aug. 14, 19v5 DAD AT THE THROTTLE. Train Sped Past Signsle After the E ngineer Was Killed. William F. Stsnt, of Harrison, N. J., the fireman of the fast Flying Virginian, the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad through express to St. Louis, which left Jersey City at 5:52 o'clcck last evening, saved the lives of his passengers by taking charge of the locomotive after the engineer, Dan Mahoney, had been killed in the cab. When Stoot grasped the throttle and slackened the speed the train had al ready passed at least two danger signals. The train made Trenton on sched. ule time last night, but pulled out of that city with a smcklng journal. Mahoney was afraid of that journal and kept a watch on it as he sped alor.g. To do so he had to lean out of tue cab while he kept ont hand on the throttle. Oace he bent too far forward out of his cab window to get a glimpse cf the defective journal and his head was struck by a signal post. Death was probably instantaneous. Tne locomoative gathered steam and picked up speed. It was of the big hogback type, and it is, therefore impossible for the lireman to see the engineer. To Fireman Stoot the train seemed to have attained the velocity of a cannon ball. He had hardly a momenL's lull in his work of shoveling on coal. As he stopped to mop the perspiration from his brow, a lucky glance through the other side of the cab revealed a red light. "Dan" he yelled, but there was no answer. Another instant a second red light was passed. It was plain that something was wrong and that he and the passengers behind him, as things then stood, were riding to al most certain death. "For God's sake, why don't ycu glow her up?" he again called to the engineer. "We have passed two red bugs. Check her, Dan, for God's sake." In the lan guage of railroad men "red bug" means a danger signal. Every moment the engine bounded faster until the telegraph poles seem ed to Stoot like lead pencils. After his second warning cry he did not wait for an answer, but began to clamber over into the engineer's side to investigate. He found Mahoney dead. His lifeless hand was still on the throttle and his head, wet with blood, rested on the edge of the win do'. Stoot slowed down the engine. Then he took the train on to West Philadelphia, after putting another man at his own end of the boiler. Nlot a passengar nor the conductor knew of the peril of the train. Ma honey - lived in Brooklyn, and the body was sent there. He was 40 years old. About a year ago his wife was killed in a trolley accident in Newark. BRAIN LEAKS. Bright ayingrs of Will M. Manpin in the Commoner. It is very easy to make excuses for those we love. The older a man is the farther he could jump when a boy. It does not take much courage to be a hero in the limelight. Today's happiness depends upon the scarcity of yesterday's regrets. Did you ever have as grood a time on your vacation as you anticipated. It Is better to be known as a good man than to be known as a good fellow. Some men think they are popular merely because people impose on them. Perhaps they call them "captains of finance" because some of them are so rank. In the ra'ee for wealth the men who are distanced often reap the greatest benefits. Soime churches that talk about revivals would better talk about re surrections. The pccketbook nerve of some men is much more sensitive than their domestic nerve. We have never head of a business man going to a pool hall in search of an offce boy. This would be a dreary world indeed if there were no rainbows to chase oc casionally. Salvation is to be had for the asking, but it costs work and money and sac rifice to retain It. Death Valley. A. dispatch from Bullfrog, Nev., says Tim Ryan, who is supposed to have been from Los Angeles, has been found dead near the salt wells In Death Valley. Ryan makes the thirty-fifth known victim to die in that locality this summer. R;an had been In De.ath Valley for five years and it Is supposed that he drank from salt springs which are charged with ars'enic. Prospectors arriving here report finding in the desest many skeletons known to he those men who died this summer. Runting aer Son. The Columbia Record says a letter has been received at the governor's ofce from Mrs. Julia Bloden, of Charleston in which she states that. her boy, Willie, about twelve years of age, left her home about five months ago and has not been seen since. She fears that he was killed near Colum bia in a wreck and begs that an in vesigaton be made. The only way In which this can be done is through the press and the letter is accordingly1 made public. Charges Against Collector. Commisioner Greene, of the civil service commission, today said that an agent of the commission will be ~ sent to Newport News, Va., to Inves tigate the charges filed by Congress- i man Maynard and W. E. Barret ~ againt Capt. Stewart, collector of the t port there. Stewart is accused of a playing politics by promnting Repub- a icans in his offie and reducing Dem- ~ ocrats ON THE RIGHT LIN, south Caro'ina Industrial and Com mercial A ssociation Org .niz d. By the Boards or Trade of South Car olina in Colamnbia on Last Wednesday. The South Carolina I idustrial and ommercial association was organizd in Columbia on Thu-sday, the mciz bership beirg composed of progressive young men representing the boards of trade and such business orga'z stions in the cities of the State. The follow ing account of the meeting we clip from the Columbia State : Tne call for this meEting was issued by Mr. John Wood of R ck Hill, sec retary of the Cjmmerclal club of that city. Mr. Wood was brought to South Carolina about two years ago by the business men of R ck Hill who want ed a live, energetic and intelligent man to have charge of their commer cial club and advertiiing bureau. Mr. Wood has proved to be the very man the people of R ck Hill warated, and ever since the creation of the State bureau of immigra.tion, commerce and agriculture he has given Col. Wa'son very cordial support. The formation of a State assozia tion of boErls of trade was proposed by Mr. Wood scme time ago and re ceived the hearty endorsement of the bureau of imm!gratlon. In response to the call the meeting was organized Thursday with delegates from a szore of organizations, the followirg being enrolled: Anderson Chamber of Commerce A. S. Farmer, L. A. Ratcliff e, W. E. Sebyt, C. F. J.jnes. Anderson Real Estate and Inves ment Company-J. C Cummings. Bennettsville Board of Trade--R L Freeman. Charleston Commercial Club-L. M. Pinckney. J. H. C. Wulbern. Chester, the Commercial and Mann facturees' Club-R. B. Cald well. Conway Board of Trade-D. A. Spi vey. Columbia Chamber of Commerce E. B. Clarke, T. H. Gibbes, A. E Gor.zales, J J. Saibels, Hal D:ck, L. B Dczier, J. D. Nunnamaker, C. M. Galloway. State Bureau of Immigration-E. J. Watson. Georgetown Board of Trade Holmes B. Springs. Greenville Board of Trade-A. G. Gown, P. T. Havne. Marion Business Ltague-L. M. Gas que, H. Stackhouse. Orangeburg Business Men's League -Wm. L Glaze. Rock Hill Commercial Club-John Wood, J. Edgar Poag. Sumter Chamber of Commerce-J. M. Knight. Yorkville Commercial Club-I. H. Norris, J. P. White, W. R. Carroll. Southern Railway-T. B. Thacks ston. Seaboard Air Line R.lroad-Henry Curtis. - Clyde Steamship Company-A. E. Caetjans. Ral estate-J. T. Harris, Spartan burg. Real Estate-N. W. Brooker, Co lumbia. The purposes of the organizstion were outlined In the follo sing manner in the constitution which was adopt ed: "'The object of this body shall be to exploit the rescurces and advan tages of South Carolina, to'th local and State, upon the broadest, mnost approved and mcst eff.ctive lines; the upuilding of Its industrisl and com mercial interests; the in:uction of new pople to aid us in the vast work of development a waiting our activity for acrmplishment, and the giving of our. closest attention to those things tending to the advaressent of South Caroina to that posIiion among her sister States which is hers by reason of her climate, her soil and her geo graphical location." The meeting was ca.lled to order yes terday by Commissioner Watson. AD address of welcome to the city was de livered by Mayor T. H. Gibbs and an address expressing the Interest of the Chamber of Commerce of Columnb, was delivered by the first vice presi dent, Mr. J. J. Seibels, in the absene of the president, Mr. W. A. Clark. A temporary organization was made by the selection of Mr. E. B. Clark as chairman and Mr. R. L. Freeman as secretary. Mr. John Wood was then nvted to state the objects of the meeting, which he did In a very earn est manner. T be roll of the convention having been perfected, Mr. Wood was elected permanent chairman and Mr. E. B. Clark secretary. Commissioner Watson and Mr. T. B. Tnackston, assistant industrial agent of the Southern railway, were called upon to address the convention. Mr. Wood t'ien read the prepared "declaration of principles," which was adopted unanimously. Tne committee or by-laws consisting of Mr. Wood, Mr. Clark, Mr. Pinck nty, Mr. Gasque and Mr. C-aid well, was auohor:ze d to report at the after noon ses-sion. In the afternoon the convention was addressed by Mr. J. Elgar Poag, Mr. T. B. Tbackston, Mr. I. H. Nor ris and Mr. Higgings. Mr. Thackston announced that the Southern railway, in conjar etionl with its connections In the west, will of fer homeseekers' rates on the 1Th of October, good for 15 days, at 80 per ent. of one fare for the round trip. The people in South Carolina who ave relatives or friends in the north west and want to get them to locate tn South Carolina may advise their friends of these rates. The committee on nominations made its report and this being adopted he following were elected officers of he association for next year: President, W. D). Morgan of George yown. Vice preslden'ts, P. T. Hayne of reenvlle; W. L. Glaza of Orange urg; J. M. Knight of Sumter. Secretary and treasurer, John Wood, of Rock J.Ell. Executive boardi: Fred G. Brown of Lnderson; W. B. Moore of Yorkville; 5. M. Gasque of Marion, L. M. Pinck iy of Charleston; John J. Seibels of Jolumbia. On motion of Mr. W. L Glaze it as decided to racede from business intil the afternoon of October 23rd, vonday of fair week, and according o the by-laws the annual meeting vill be held in OC.luznbla every fair eek. It was decided to urge all or anizations in the State to send rep esentatives to the meeting fair week. Resolutions of thanks to the Chain er of Commerce of Columbia and to 01i. B J. Watson were adopted and be session ended. The members then oarded the car In front of the State ouse and after a ride through the usiness and manufacturing and resi ene pnrts of the city were taken to I Ridgewood club where a llght lunch was servpd. The fxscutiva comit'ee met ani the secretary was author z'd to get out such feserip'ive matter as might be dee -ned advisable to bq distributed by the railroads through ut the north west. The executive comm'ttee is also talking of gettir g cut a magazine. 2 COTTON PRICES Too High to 'it Inglish Spinners and They Kick, Eight Cents Per Pound Thev Regard as a Fair Price for Our Ctittof and Don't Want to Pay MIere. R -presenting not only Great Brit ain, but all Europe, the International Federa'ion of Master Cotton Spinners and Manufacturers Associations have declared war against high prices for American cotton. That Is the mean ing of the agreement resc.ed at the emergency meeting of the association, held r.cently, at which it was decided to "strongly urge every catton spinner in Europe and America to refrain from buying American cotton during the next three m:nths,. except for immed late wants." It is recognized in Lin. don as the most imp.>rtant step ever taken by the representatives of the great cotton industry to prevent any artificial irdation of the price of the raw mtterialsuch as caused widespread suffring and lss when the great Sull) corner was established. While the statement which was given out for j.ublication at the conclusiron of the meeting was cabled to America, an in terview with W. C. Macara, president of the association, who prsided at the gathering, throws an iILminating UgLt on the objects aimed at and the means by wnicu iu is sougut to attain them. "I am particularly anxious," said Mr. Macara, "that it should be under stood In America that this is in no sense a movement hostile to the Amer c.m cotton growing industry. The de. cision we have reached has been forc ed upon us by the necessity of taking some step to counteract the pernicious effect on the trade brought about by the recent enormous ennancement of the price of the raw material due to the action of speculative rings. We are united and we are in deadly earn est. Although the meeting was sum moned by telegraph it was attended by representatives of the association from all over Europe. The Master Cotton Spinners' Association in England, of which I am the president, alone btands for thirty-two million spindles. We deliberated on the matter for over six hours before we formulated our agree ment. 'We hold that there is nothing more Important for this great, world-wide cotton industry than to rid it of the curse of gambling in Its raw material. Every penny per pounid that is added to the cost of the raw material by this process represents an advance of many millions of pounds sterling in the cost of the world's supply. Last year the cotton crop was raised by this means I speak of average prices-from four pence a pcund, which would have been a fair price, to seven-pence a pound. In American money that means a rise in price from eight cents to fourteen cents a pound. I have calculated that it resulted in taking out of the indus try 100,000,000 pounds, roughly speaking $500,000,000. "In the main the gamblers alone have profited by it, and manufactur ers, operatives and consumers have suffered by it. The repetition of this sort of thing will demoralize the whole industry, infitet incalculable loss and s.ufiering and- involve thous ands In ruin. Now, that we perceive he same speculative gangs at work again, and have already succeded in greatly Increasing the price of. raw material we are determined to exer cise every means In Our power to put a stop to their methods. We confi dently anticipate that public senti ment in America will support us. American cotton manufacturers have the same interest in getting the raw material at a fair price that we have. And so have the consumers. Of course the question is a mors vital one in E:ogland than to any other con tinental nation engaged In the Indus try because It Is a vastly bigger one here. "While American cotton, roughly speaking, represents three qVarters of the world's supply, an irtifical en hancement of its price 1s followed by a similar increase in the price of the material from other sources. The price at which American cotton is held controls the market price for the rest of the world. It Is for that rea son that we have decided not to pu chase American cotton for the next three months. "But will the manufactures be able to get along without pur. chasing American cotton for the next 1 three montbs?" I asked. "That matter was thoroughly gone into at our meeting," replied Mr. Macara. "We are, in excallent shape 1 to make the fight. Last year's crov was exceptionally good and it has been estimated that there will be at least 2,000,000 bales ava.ilable surplas3 to the new crop. Reports made by members as to the conditions prevail ing in the countries represented show ed that the Edropean cottou Industri es have on hand ample supplies to c cover their engagements for the next , three or fo.ur months. With possbly a few exc-: pdons, cotton spinners do i not need to enter the cotton markets 1 before the new cotton crop arrives at the end of October. What we pro- c pose to do, therefore, is simply to keep out of it and let the cotton t speculators deal as best they can d with the situation they have created. r If s ;me of them come to grief wea shall shed no tears. It Isn't going c to be our funeral this time. "Msleading figores as to the extent of the new crop have been circulated I in the interests of the speculators. When accurate figures come in we shall consider the situation and take whatever steps may be necessary to c meet it, should the supply prove less 3, than the demand. We are deter. :ined that speculators shall not con- si trol the market. As for the Ameri can cotton growers we have none but y the best feeling for them. We wish a them to get a fair price for their raw A material and are willing to pay it fi Even if the most sanguine expecta a tions of those engaged In the move ent for supplying British spindles E with cotton grown within the British empire are realized, It must be long years before we are independent of the American supply." E bi Two negroes were killed by Inhaling tl ~arbnc acid gas while cleaning out to n old well at Wadesboro, N. C., on si At the Turn of the Road. 'bere the r.wugh ro-drurnis,:ndthe valley sweet Smiles bright w:,h its ba'lm and bloom, fe'll for;,et he hornthathavepiercedthefeet And tho nights with -htr grief and gloom. Td the sky %vil smile.and the sttra will be:im, And we'll lay us down in the light to draam, ;e shall lay us down in the bloom and light With a prayer and a ttear fur re t. j iired childr n who creep t night To the peace of a mother's breast, Lmd for all the grief of the stormy past Restshall bo swe-ter at last -at last! ;weeter because of the weary way And the lonesome night and lo g, Vhile the darkness drifts to the perfect day With its splendor of light-a- d song rhe light that shall bless and kiss us and love us And sprinkle the roses of heavea a-ove us! WSATHKR AND CROPS. Pienty of R ain, Much of It Was Badly Needed Too. In his weather and crcp report See jon Director Bauer says that the mean temperature for the week end ing Monday, Aug. 14th, was slightly ,bove normal, over the eastern half ind slightly belOw over the western. The extremes were a maximum of 103 iegrees at Blackville on the 8th, and & minimum of 64 degrees at Green ville on the 9:h. Tnere wasless than the usual amount of sunshine. High winds, damaging to corn and cotton, - prevailed during the middle of the week in the western countiCs. Bit scm lands were floed along the up per portions of the Salada, Broad, Wateree and Great Pee Dee rivers and their tributaries, and considerable corn destroyed. - The long drought was broken ovar the entire state. The rainfall was hevkst in the central counties where it amounted, in places, to over six inches, and was less in Beaufort and Getrgetown counties, where it was guzeraiy less rozamn half an inch. There was rain nus,:ly every day and tae gz,uaa is now thorcaghly satur ated. The rain was needed and in places :was very beneficial, 'but In others it caused deterioration in crops, especially cotton, and interferred with farm work, especially haying and pulling fodder. Nearly allcrops have been laid by, and further cultivation is now impracticable. With very few ex:ptions, the re ports on cotton Indicate rapid deteri oration due -to excessive shedding, rust and the plants turning yellow. These conditions prevail over practi cally the entire state, bat are most marked on sandy lands. In many places growth has stoppad, while in a few plants are making new growth. Bolls are opening rapidly in the scuthl central couaties and considerable has been picked. The excessive heat of the 5th, 60, -7th and 8th was very damaging on cotton. There is a general imbrovement in the condition of Lhe late corn due to the ample moisture which came op portunely. Tobacco curing is nearly finished. Peas, sweet potatoes and all varieties of cane are doing well. The frcqaent rains interferred with preparations for fall truck ceops. Rice made fine pr.gress. Pastures im proved rapidly and again afford fine grazing. Turnips were sown exten sively. Late fruits, especially apples and.peacnes, are rotting badly. D0 YO3U IR NAVE BLUWS it So R.,ad This Sad Story and It Mlay Cure You. When you begin to think you have a. hard time In lif When you lmsgine your sorrows are greater than other people's When you are grou.,hy beause your plans do not pan out Just then is a good time to comn-. pare your condition with that of some who have a harder time than y'n, more sorrows than you, less prosperity than you. Should you happen to be in the sort of mood described read a touching passage in the life history of a poor Milwaukee woman. Esad It anyway -ithis from "the short and sImple annuals of the poor" Mrs. Mary Wiadig, widow, lost her only child, a little girL. She had no money to give the czilld a decent se pulcher. She went to the poor ccm missioner. ' And this is the sequel: Mrs Weidig staggered up the path in the cemetery which led to the plot of ground where her haaband was rure d, bearing the little coffin which held the body of her little one. She took a spade she had put there the cay before and began to dig. Poor woman she was digging the grave of her only child-the last sweet tie that held her to earth. And as she worked she sobbed and 3rled. She called on the dead maa ander the ground to help her bear aer sorrow till she culd come to him. A man wno passed through the smetery heard the crying and went o stop where the frail woman bent ,o her awful task. 'She explained why she was digging he grave herself. She had no money ;o- pay the sexton. "They would lave buried her for me for nothing If [had let them put her grave over here in the potter's field. But she vas such a little child, so little, and omnetimes when I was obliged to leave ter alone she was afraid of the dark.. :wanted her to lie by her father's ide so she would not be afraid. I old the poor commissioner how I elt and he gave me this coffin. The roman who lives next door Is coming ut next Sunday to plant some ines." And the agonized mother talked one alf wild with her srief and scarcely nlowng what she said, calling ten erly the name now of husband, now f child. The man had a heart. He hurried a the sexton and gaye him money to Ig the child's grave and money to ud the little mound and plant some imple flawers. And the woman tied, but this time the tears were eet instead of bitter. This story Is not from the pages of alzac. Neither Is it a fancy sketch. . It is printed In a reliable newspa er which gives full particuars con 3rning the woman's home and his >ry. There are thou~ands of stories as Ld as hers! Compare your disappointments and 'cuoles and sorrows and heart aches th those of this miserable one. re you not ashamed of your fault ading and bitterness an;i hatred of nditions? You have not passed through - ades.-Atlanta Journal. Only Six Escaped. A telegram from Batavia, Dutch mst Indies, repo-rtes an ugly out eak of Achinesie rebels who attacked te Dutch post at Rambong, killing ro officers and twenty-two men. Only rmen of the post succedded In es ing and these were wonded.