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LIQUOR TRAFFIC Up For Debate In the United States Senate. TILLMAN STARTED IT. The Question of Control is Discuss ed and Resolutions Are Offiered, senator Tilnan Also Introduc'ei Measures to Prevent the Illegal Combination of Railroads.-Till man Offers Bill. In the United States Senate or Wednesday resolutions were intro duced by Senator Tillmian asking the interstate commerce commission tc report whether any corporation en gaged in interstate commerce is the owner of the stock of any other cor poration transporting passenger and freight, and calling upon the inter state commerce commission to define the authority of the federal govern ment and of the States in respect tc the control of the liquor traffi through the operation of the inter state commerce law. These resolu tions provoked considerable debate and were finally referred to senatE committees, though one of them wa. transformed into a bill. Senator Culberson spoke on hi. resolution calling on the committe on finance to investigate and repor upon the causes of the present finan cial stringency and to recommen< measure., for the prevention of it recurrence. The resolution was re ferr-d to the committee on finance. The sonate adjourned at 4 o'clocl until Saturday. The house was no in session. The report that the Canadian Pa cific railroad has succeeded in acquir ing a majority of the stock of som American railroads having come t the attention of Senator Tillman, b introduced the following resolution ' That the interstate commerc commission is directed to inform th senate whether any corporation er gaged in interstate commerce are th owners of any of the capitol stock o other corporations which are trans Dorting p'assengers and freights; an -if so, the committee is directed t transmit a statement showing th extent and details of such ownershi so far as the facts now appear in th office of the commission and to stat in what cases the corporations, whos stock so owned, have been compet tors for traffic with the corporatior owning their stock." Senator Aldrich objected to th: resoluticn on the ground that it cal, ed for a great deal of informatio: from the interstate commerce corr mission which would consume muc time, and he thought it should fire go to the committee on interstat commerce in order that thz t corr mittee might ascertain how muc work would be involved in it. Senator Tillman remarked that th senator from Rhode Island seemne be suspicious. "I am always more or less suspic ious of a resolution coming from tla senator from South Carolina," reto: ted Mr. Aldrich. "Because he wants to get facts? asked Mr. Tillman. "No," replied Mr. Aldrich, "be cause he may want to get facts fiti ing into a perconceived idea of wha should be done." Mr. Aldrich insisted upon his ol jection and consideration of the re: olution was postponed, which actio has the effect of deferring it unt after the holidays. Senator Tillman also introduce the following resolution on the liqi uor traffic: "That the committee on interstat commerce be instructed to conside and report by bill or otherwise wha legislation is desirable or necessary t enable the States, in the exercise o their, police powers, to control th commerce of liquors and all alcoho] ie beverages within their borders, s as to aid the cause of temperanc and to prevent the encouragemen by the United States government o illicit dealin~g in the same." Explaining his purpose in the m~at ter Mr. Tidman said it was to pre vent, if possible, the circumventio: of the laws in the interest of prohib ition which are being generally en acted in the Southern States. "Con gress attempted. in enacting the Wi] son law, to protect the people in th, enforcement of their State laws. bu the courts have shaded and shade< down .the protection until there i -pr-acticaily nothing left of it, ana nthe, committee to ascertan ~wnether it is not practicable to giv< relief. The decisions of the court have been on the ground that th< law interferers with interstate comn merce and it is on this account tha I have asked to have the investiga tions made by the interstate corn merce commission" Mr. Tillman holds the express comn panies responsible for the evasion 0: the State laws. Hie says they ar; flooding the local option part o: South Carolina and other local optior Southern States with whiskey whiet is sent in from other States "C. 0 D." ihe supreme court of the Uni ted States has held that such traffic can not be interfered with becaus< of its interstate character. When Mr. Tillman attempted t< secure the adoption of the resolutior he aroused a long discussion. Mr. Aldrich suggested that th< measure shoutld go to the committeE on judie~ary. Mr-. Tillman consente< to the change. but insisted that any commit tee taking ch arge of it shouk :Cist be instructed to takLe the ques tenf up. "Does the senator from Suth Car olina," asked Mr. Kean. "want t. :e stnwu States what laws they should pass * . tect themselves from the liouor '? 2vir Ti1: nxplained that his res olution sing~ buught to define thec point at which the police power of the State begins. As governor of South Carolina he dealt with this ouaestion. He wanted some commit tee to determine how far congress can go in limiting, as a police power, the control over interstate traffic in intoxicating beverages. Senat r Clark of Wyoming, chair man of the committee on the judici ary, preferred having the resolution laid over until it could be worded in a way to allow the committee to re port on it intelligently. A gc.~'rai di-eussion concerning the powers of Stiates and the federal government was then precipitated. Mr. Aldrich said the question had iary in five or six congresses. The supreme court of the United States, Mr. Aldrich said, held that the liquor traffic was a question of commerce and not of police power. Senator Culberson suggested that. a report of a committee of congress cannot add to or take from the pow er of a State or of the federal go C ernent. The constitution, he said, provides that congress shall regulate interstate commerce and no act of -a i legislature of any State could add to: or take from that power. If it be 1 interstate commerce the State alone could regulate it. "The States", he said. "will de termine for themselves how far they may go and the federal congress will determine for itself how far the national government will go." While all would submit to the ac tion of the supreme court of the United States, he declared that even such a decision would not add to or take away from the powers delega ted by the constitution. Senator Bailey said the Wilson act was specifically and avowedly for the purpose of permitting the States to regulate this question of the liquor traffic, I"This was," he said, one of those hasty pieces of legislation dashed off in a delirium and such laws are gen erally found to be wanting." He would have the sovereign Do lice powers of the States restored in this matter so that there would be no question as to their control upon. the arrival of a consignment. Taat he considered the essential necessity. Mr. Bailey said as the law had had been interpreted by the supreme coart of the United States, the pack age did not enter a State until it2 delivery to the consignee, where upon Mr, Tillman declared that if he should send for a glass of water the water might be in the senate before itreached him. Mr. Knox considered it unfortu nate that the decision of the su preme court of the United States t had maintained that the "arrival" of the goods should mean their de livery to the consignee. "I don't believe," he said, "that a it is necessary to deal with this mat ter by a resolution. You are per fectly certain in a short time to have bills presented which will raise e that exact question, when the whole e subject will necessarily receiye at tention. Prohibition he added, "is a increasing and will continue to in f crease." - After further discussion in which I Senators Bacon, McCumber, Knox > and Tillman participated, Mr. Knox suggested that the whole difficulty > could be reached through a bill. e "Draw one"suggestsd Mr. Tillman e whereupon Mr. Knox prepared an e amendment to the Wilson bill pro viding that the control of the State s should begini as soon as the package is "within the borders of s a state and before or after delivery -to the consignee' a Mr. Tillman then withdrew his resolution and offered the bill, which was reerred to the committee on t judiciary. e I The bill as presented reads; I- "That all fermented, distilled or ,other intoxicating liquors or Lquids transported into any State -or terra e tory or remaining therein for use, d consumption, sale or storage there in upon arrival within the borders of -the State and before or after deliv e erv to the consignee in such State ar -territory by subject to the operation and effect of the laws of such State ' or territory enacted in the exercise of its police powers to the sarme - exteut and in the same man - ner as though such liquids or t liquors had been produced in such State or territory and shall not be -exempt therefrom by reason of be ing introduced therein in original 1 packages or otherwise." ii Senator Gore of Oklahoma intro duced a bill providing for the elec d tion of United States senators byi - popular vote. Farm Labor Scarce. rG. A. Mclnory, of Wellsford, tKansas, expresses the opinion that 0farmers in his section would have to fgo out of business but for the mod -ern farm machinery. "Why," he > declares. "you can't hire a man to work on a farm out in that part of the State short of $2.50 to $3.00 a day." This condition forces far - mers to use every kind of machinery - that is made for sowing and reaping. They have steam plows and lots of them. These machines do the work of many men and teams and ini that -wav farmers are enabled to plow their wheat land and get it in shape for seeding. If theyv had to wait till they could hire men to plow in fthe old way they could not raise enough wheat for home consump tion. The interesting feature of this is its refutation of an old theory that the coming of machinery would lower or throw out hand labor. It seems, hiowever, the more machmn ery the higher priced becomes the individual laborer and the greater difficulty of securing his services. Farmers have been comn plaining for years that it is almiost jimpossible to get sufficient hetp. IWe wish every onie of our readers. delinquents and al! those old stand bys who pay up regularly a merry Christmas. IT is pointed out that tha present congress is more nearly whiskerless than any other in years. And yet a number of the old populistic ideas are immensely popular with it just Tomi Wasn, wh nlun.Led last wek widn the I':e '.t. says h'e listens .vell'' that ih "ku~~vs much but is willing to lear n more." Wat so sntae:'ndide fer tar Ananias Cub. Acco:o:G to) the New York p. prs. another miser has ded"i squalor." leaving behind him SI,54. The Spartauburg Journal says "dur ino times like these a man runs the' riE of being classed as a miser if he; oards more than 30 cents." Found D)ead. Wni. Stucky, a well known planter' near West Point. Ga.. was found dead with ?is throa: cut last -week. His body i'. on a ile of cotton seed in a storehouse on the Ed Book.er: plan at ion. which Mr. Stucky had: rea en ly leased. . inecstigation is b~ig conducted to discover' whether stucky died as a result ot murderous WANT TO SELL BOOZE In the Old Way insas seU-gn: Dispensaries. Petition Going Up l'rom Charletou to the General AN-embly to That Eilect. The following petition to the Gen eral Assembly is being circulated in Charleston for signatures. "lo the Honorable, the Senators and Representatives, the General As sembly of the State of South Carolina in regular session for the year 1908. "The humble petition of the un signed respectfully shows: "That the dispensary system for the sale of liquors in the county of Charleston in said State in which your petitioners reside is not desired by a large majority of the voters and residents of said county as your pe titioners verily believe. "That the same is not suited to the needs, circumstances and conditions of the people mostly affected thereby: "That for these reasons the said system is not supported by public sentiment, ciflkcult to enforce and, not calculated to demand observance or respect. '3"That your petitioners bumbly pray that such legislation may be enacted as shall restore the license system to this community whih was of force at the time of the original enactment of the State dispensary law in the year eighteen hundred and ninety-two, with the modifica tions required by the State constitu tion of 1895; and your petitioners feel assured that thereby will be se curtd, not only all the benefits that couild possibly be expected from the I dispensary system now of force but the same would operate also for the well being and upbuilding of our people." At recent conferences in which a goodly number of our people partic 1 ipated, the undersigned were ap pointed a committee to look after the matter of giving the people an opportunity to sign the petition and to present the same to the General Assembly through the proper chan nels. Firmly believing that a large ma jority of the people of Charleston will be in sympathy with this movement, we aoproach the perforrmance of our duty with confidence. Our confidence is -trong because in principle our people are at heart opposed to the dispensary liquor sys tem. In their opposition thereto they have had ready and intelligent pub lic support from the Charleston news papers for the past fifteen years. It is further strengthened because we can refer to a law abidng and law respecting condition which ob tained here for m-ny, many years before the first establishment of the State dispensary a condition to which we verily believe the people of Char leston long to be r :stored, and which can afford as rm.:h revenue as that contemplated by the dispensary sys tern. This cond dence is further strength ened by the favor according the "home rule" doctrine in the last State election. And finally our confidence in the people of the State is strong that they will look into our true condi tion, see what is suited to our needs and circumstances, and favor our ap peal, though our Senator and Rore sentatives to the Senators and Rep resentatives of our sister counties, for relief' and for the enactment of a law that will give us peace, quiet, good order and hiappiness. All who desire to sign the memo rial will find a copy with anyone of the undersicned. John D Capplemann, 46-48 Broad street. 0. G. W. Marjenhoff, 153 Church street. LC.A. Roessler, 166-168 Meeting Ashley C. Tobias. 171-173 East Bay. George Lunz. King and Grove streets. W. F. Jordan, 199 East Bay. H. 0. Stroheeke~r, 287 King street. -A. W. Wieters, at Consumers' Ice Company. Wolfe street. H. B. Shroder, 147 East Bay. Julius D. Koster, 161-165 East:say Frank Burbidge, 24 Broad ste't. "Empty Stockings." Unless some steps are taken to prevent it, there wvill be some empty little stockings in this city on Christ mas morning. All the little ones should be made happy on that morn ing of all mornings. We have some poor children in1 our city whose folks are not able to give them anything, and unless stockings are filled by those who are able to do so, they wil go lacking. If a proper effort is miadel we believe that our people wvill re spond, and all the little needy chil dren will be made happy by a visit from Santa Claus. We commend to all the spirit of the following little poem written by Ellen Manley and entitled the "Empty Stocking:" Oh! mothers in homes that are hap Dy, Where Christmas comes laden with cheer, Where the children are dreaming al ready Of the merriest day in the year. A you gather your children around you And tell them "the story of old." Remember the homes that are dreary! Remember the hearts that are cold! And, thanking the love that has dow ered you With all that is dearest and best, Give freely. that from our abundance& Some bare little life may be bles! Oh! go where the stockings hang empty. Where Cihristmas is naught but a name. And give-fori the love of the Christ child; "Twas to seek such as these that He came! At Tokio Thu~rsv y isconutt Hay-. ashi, in an inlterview -> :-: thAuo ciated Press said: "Japaui will hearti ly welcome the Amnerican flect of I battleships to the Pacific and 1to the ports oft this counftry. if it h~;e deie LWOKS WELL FOR B1YAU ;plit in litfpublictan Party Will H.elp 1 Flect Him. I an interview Corigressman Qn:p clark says: "It certainly looks as though Mr. Dryan would get the Demnocratic aomination and furthermore he will be elected if the Republican leaders io not stop quarreling among them selves. The Republican party has ot been so split for many years. "President Roosevolt's third term rlecision certainly means that he can never again be a candidate fol: the presidency if there is anything in the anguage. and with the Repuhijcans split imo factions. the one headed t Taft and the other headcd by 'nee Joe' Cannon, Foraker, Hughes Kn-ox and others, there seems to be every chance of vetory for the Den :rratts." Regarding the moveme'nt of the navy. Congressman Clark said: "Sending the fleet to t e Pacific a right. If I believed .int r.o for ign nation objected to its going the.re. I would not favor the risk and r-xpense of a long trip, but because I do believe that certain nations do object. I am in favor of sending it ,o the Pacific waters and keeping it IAre as log as we see fit. Cotton Crop Scarce. The government bureau of statis ties has been up to its old tricks again. According to its report pub lished last week, the crop for this year is estimated at 11,678,000 bales, in consequencv of which the market took a sensational drop of nearly fifty points, yet only a few hours previous to this report of the bureau of statistic, which, it should be remembered, is only the guesswork of rore or less competent-or in compent--experts. the census bu reau reported that the number of bales ginned up to Decermber 1st had been only 8,338,854: bales. These were no guesswork figures, but actual facts. In commenting on this palpable effort of the gov ernment bureau to falsify the size of this year's cotton crop the Augus ta Herald says: "To the corresponding date for last year the ginners reports show ed a total of 10,027,86S bales ginned, when the total crop for the season was 13,656,841 bales; and for the preceeding year the figures were 1689,663 and 10,123,686 respective ly. The cotton season was back ward last year, it will be remember ed, causing lighter ginning in the early part of the season, and more late picking and ginning. Then al so it must be remembered that this year we had the earliest frosts on record. which cut short the late crop and hurried the picking and ginning of that which matured. These con siderations are convincing proof that the guesswork figures of the bureau of statist . vershoot the mark, and thie census ~ireau's figures of the actual number of bales ginned indicate that the crop will be below the government's estimate "Even assuming that the govern ment estimate was correct, and the crop this year will be 11,300,000 bales this would still be a short crop in view of the market die mands. The crop last year was about this size and it followed [the great bumper crop of over 13500,000 bales, which left a lar ger surplus to carry over than usual. Yet this 11,300,000 bale crop of last year proved so far short that cotton climbed to unprecedented figures before the new crop came in. If the crop this year should prove as large as the bureau of statistics estimates, with the same demand, and other conditions being un changed, there would be a dearth of cotton next summer which would run the price up at least as high as it was last summer. But the government estimate is too high, as will later appear. In addition to that there is increased demand; for many new mills have been built during the year which a~l consume cotton. The farmer so sit uated as to be able to hold. cotton, and who is holding it, has nothing to do but to sit steady in the boat. ie will be master of the situation atfter a whit" B1u3 ing on! Margin. It seems to be the opinion of those uiy conversant with the recent all street panic that lawvs w'ill have to be enacted to prohibit what t known as buying ont margin. In mnany ways baying on margin is the snore dangerous part of the Wall 'reet game. because it carries greater risks. It is the risk incurred' that forces interest rates up and makes money scarce, to the detri men gf legitimate business, The ,man who buys on margin imply bhts on the market. If stocks o up hei makes a profit, but if they o down h'e loses, and has to make ;ood his Ihsse- In making good his osses he a' generally has to borrow rnoney andl, while he may give se aurity for ;it, he is only one of thou tands who may be for'ed to "zover" :heir losse's, which. whcc conisider-' tbe. restlt in financial st'ingenev [he man wvho buys on mrargin is a ambler pure and simuple, f.nd there seems to iie no reason why gamibling n stocks t4hould not he p~rUo1.ibi ust as p-laying the races or any rame now under legal ban. Wle tchose whou advocate passing law ordhibiting buying on rnar'g eaze t~oa state legiiaton would be. -t w"hout hope that in the endv rgres will gi-:e arrtonf to the rat er just as it has ~o oteries awl t of that kieri. With brah er~tgin culd be stamfped cur, anld tiit cod be, mnuch would .e .:one 1 o free the country of :iaeb perious - annrehnion as were Uhde2rg0ne MINE VICTIMS MANY. rerrible Facts Gathered By Gov ernment aIvestigator. Nearly Three Times As Many Kiled in United States Last Year as in Most European Countries. The coal mines of the United States are killing three times as many men per 1,000 employed as those of most European countries. In the last seventeen years 22,840 men have given up their lives in the mines of this country. As many violent deaths have occurred in the mines during the last six years as daring the preceding eleven years. The number of fatal accidents each year is now double that of the: year 1895 These terrible fact- have been. ,leaned by Government experts act ing under orders from Secretary Garfield of the interior department. The conciasions of the experts are found in a bulletiri i.,ued to-day on "Coal Mine Accidents; Their Cause: and Preventions." The statement in the bulletin that an increase in the number and in the seriousness of mine ex plosions may be expected to con tinue has already proven fate ful, for since the words were writ ten the country has been startled with the news of three mine explo sions costing nearly 500 lives. The first explosion occurred in Pennsly7 vania in the early part of December and cost 52 lives Then follcw.d the Monongah mine disaster in West Virginia with a loss of nearly fo ur hundred lives, and the explosion it Alabama the other day with 61 lives lost. Josepe H. Holmes, chief of the technologic branch, in summing up the situation, says: "The figures in this report indi cate that during the year 1906 near. ly 7,000 men were killed or injurec in coal mines of this couniry, anc that the number of these accident, caused directly or indirectly by min( explosions has been steadily increas. ing. It is also indicated that thi increase in part is due to the lack o: proper and enforcable mine regula tions; in part to the lack of reliablh information concerning the explo sives used injnir-ing and the condi: tions under which they can be usec safely in the presence of the gas anc dust encountered in the mines; anc m part to-the fact that in the devel opment of coal mining not only the number of miners are increasin but many mines from which coal i; being taken are either deeper o: farther from the entrance wher< good ventilation is more difficult an< the dangerous accumulations of ex plosive gas more frequent. "The increase both in the numbe: and seriousness of mine explosion during the past few years may bi expected to continue unless, throug] investigations such 'as have provei effective in other coal producin countries, information can be ob taned and published concerning tha explosives used, the conditions ur der which they may be used safely and the general conditions whici make for health and safety. Saecl information may serve as an hAjltli gent basis both for executive enact ment and for agreements amoni pesons associated with mining op erations." The bulletin shows that in a Europeatn coal producing countrie the output of coal has increasec gratly during the past ten years 0mt the number of deaths per 1.00 minnrs, instead of increasing as it his country, has undergone a mark edi decrease, This decrease ha heen due the bulletin says, to th< effect of mnining legislation on thos countries for the safeguarding an< .rtection of the lives of the work men, and has been made possible b: Government action in establishing stations for the study of problem: relative to safety in mining. A PECULLAR STORY Of an Accident Which Befell a La< in Georgia. The Savannah Morning News say: one of the most remarkable act horrible accidents on or off recorc happened a day or two ago at Tay lr's creek to the 12-year-old son o; Mr. Frank Sheppard, The boy was grinding cane and ir some way was caught by the level back of his head and his face was pressed against the frame of thi mil. Both eyeballs were completeb taken out and lay on his cheeks anc several teeth in the middle of both jas were crushed the force fh'o back and front of his head being so great. A large mule was hitched to the mill and the resistance was such when the skull became wedged' be tween the lever and frame that the animal was brought to a standstill. Some one jumped to back the mule in order to free the boy's head when the animal took fright and made a second lunge forward, gripping the boy's head. As soon as the lever was pushed back the boy dropped to the ground as though dead. Hie was picked up ahd placed on his back by his fathe?r and 'mother who had no idea but what he was dead. Some thought. ful person began pouring water on his face and he was soon seen to grasp for breath. The water wa ket up for a few minutes and his breathing gradually becamne normal and in an hour or two his face be gan swelling the flattened conditio~n of his head to change and his e s returned to their sockets. Dr. Layton made an examinati >n shortly after the iiijuries; were don:e and found that the external cran: ll surface was perfectly normal, sho v ing that the parts had adjust d themnisdes in a very short whie al ter wards. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shez pard say that the skull was crudedd Bat and was not half its natural site at. the time he was hurt. The mental state seems norn-al nd the lad .ays he feels all right in 'ery way except a hlttle soreness in Eac a.nd shoulders. AN exchange says one of the faidiy safe things~ to do in this .:ountry no say app -mo be to~ ill someb ):. mt hocw about the stings of con: :ience anri th~e next worldi. WaHiu leaningr against a telegra:,h io M i\VWihiin. I~s. a Luan was wrestd1 for impe.ronating a police nan. recently. Appearances were ELECTRICITY HEATS HOTEL First Use of It that Way in This Countr . The Earle Hotel, of Grand Rapids, Mich., is the first hotel in this coun try to be heated by electricity. says the Eleerre News Bulletin. The first installation was October 17, 1907. when 27 rooms were equipped with luminous electrie radiators. The other rooms in the hotel, including the offices. parlors, cafe and barber shop, will he electrically heated with the same type of radiators as soon as possible. With electric heat only Sthose rooms occupied need be heated and the warr.th from the luminous radiators is instaneous. Latimer to Aid in Campaign. Announcement has just been made that Senator Latimer will be a mem ber of the Democratic campaign Con gressional committee, on the part of the Senate, for the 1908 campaign. Tie cther members are Senators Tal laferro, of Florida; Clay. of Georgia; Stone of Missorri; Newlands. of Ne vvada; Owen of Okiohoma; Taylor of Tennessee; Culberson of Texas, and Martin of Virginia. Soldier Commits Suicide. George L. Patterson, a private ir Company I, Twenty-third Infantry U. S. A., stationed at Fort Ontario committed suicide in the guardhous' Thursday, where he had been confin ed upon a charge of having been ab sent without leave. He swallowe poison. Patterson enlisted at th( Jamestown exposition and is said t< have had a home in Chicago. Murder and Suicide. A special from Marion, Va., say William Moody, living about thre miles from Ma'rioa, last week sho and instantly kilied his wife an then committed suicide. No caus has been assigned. The couple ha been married only a few months. Killed by Train. Miss Mary Earley, a trained nurs at the Dixmont hospital for the in sane, was killed by an express trau at Dlxmont Station, Pa. The bod was badly mangled. Her home wa at Morganton, N. C. Indian Cotton Short. A Calcutta dispatch says the yiel of the Indian cotton crop this year i estimated officially at 40 per cent be low that of last year. I SENATOR Tillman bombarded th citadel of finance in the Senate Mor day to the dismay of the Republi cans. who want to avoid an invest gation of the late financial transac tions of the Secretary of the Treaz ury in Wall Street. They are t-ryin I to choke off Senator Tillman's rest lution as they wish the credit of a investigation into the system of ba financiering and Senator Tillman wi s take the wind out of their sales wit the polical campaign on the eve c openig and campaign thunder wort i its weight in gold. A THE Augusta Herald has foun the source of our financial troubl< It says "all the summer our tourist carried our money over ~to Europe and now it annears that all the wei ter returning immigrants wil kee up this game. No wonder that w ourselves reduced to the nece: -sity of using clearing house certif cates." STHE pistol "toter" should be Pt jouE of business in South Carolina b some means or other. The grea trouble is our judges and magistratE deal too gent.ly with this class of lav breakers. SSome Christmas Thoughts. Christmas is again with us, an with it our thoughts naturally tur back to the Christmas of a year ag< Since then into many homes in or county the death angel has crosse the threshold and taken away som loved one. It may have been the fatl er on whose strong arm all leaned r it may have been the mother, wit her patient self-sacrifice, loving mir istrations anid many acts of lovin kindness that only a mother think~ ~of, or it may have been a son C daughter, who in the first flush c young womanhood or young mar hood, was looking forward to a lon: life of happiness and pleasure as onf the young can, or it may have bee some sweet little boy or girl, wh 'will no more jonus on (~,Cria morning as we gather in the accus .1tomed place to see what Santa Clau has brought us, or it may have bee: some sweet little rose bud, who ha been transplanted in the bright worl< above. How appropriate at this tim is that beautiful little poem of Eu gene Field as he viewed the toys o his little boy who laid them by an< crossed with the boatman pale to thi other shore. Here is the poem: ~The lite toy dog is covered witi dust, But sturdy and staunch it stands; And the little toy soldier is red witi rust, A nd his musket nmoulds in his hands Tme was when the little toy dog wa: new, IAnd the soldier was passing fair And that was the time when our littl Boy Blue Kissed them and put them there." "Ay, faithful to Little Boy Blue the3 stand, E~ch in the same old place; A waiting the touch of a little hand, IThe smile of a little face. And they wonder, as waiting the lone years through. In the dust of that little chair, What has become of Little . Boy Blue ince he kissed them and put them there." When we think of the absent lov ed ones who are gone to that 'mys ttrios bourne from re'hose shores no taeler returnethl" our hearts are all crshed, 'and we wonder in ar lnness and unbelief if we shall eer ee them againl. Yes, we shall. s the noet says "the stars go down to rie on some fairer shore." And so w~t *our beloved dead. They have g -ne from our vie .v, but they are all happy in an unknown world, and sor or later we will jomf them in a fairer and brighter land. From a EXPLOSION IN SICILY. Palernio Shaken, People Terrorized And Many Killed. A Palermo. Sicily. a terrible ex plosion occurred Thursday afternoon in the military powder magazine. where a large quanUty of dynamite was stored, and was followed by a number of lesser explosions, the whole town being badly .shapen and the people thrown into a panic. Almost immediately flames shot high in the air and spread to the ruins of houses that had fallen, add ing greatly to the people's terror. It is estimated that about twenty-five persons were killed and a hundred others injured. Troops were order ed out to aid the firemen in clearing away the wreck and succoring the wounded. Several houses that stood above? the magazine partially collapsed and their destruction was completed by fire. One of these was an emigrant's lodging house, and a number of emi grants were killed. The explosion did conisiderabl damage through out the city. SCHOOL BOY SHOOTS FARMER Fist Fight Near Belton Ends in 3 Shooting. Mr. J. M. Cox, Jr.. a farmer and a member of the Anderson grand jury was shot by T. N. Strickland. a school boy of 18 years, near Belton Thursday. Particulars are meager, but the information is that Cox met Strickland -in the road, and that he told Strickland that he understood that he (Strickland) had been using improper language at the Shady Grove school. Strickland told CoN to get out of his wagon if he wanted satisfaction, whereupon Cox got oul and they began fighting. Strickland was overpowered and was given a se, vere whipping by Cox. After they had regained their feel Strickland drew his pistol and fired twice at Cox, one bullet taking effect in his stomach. Cox is not badly in jured, but Strickland has not re 'overed from the whippIng adminis tered to him by Cox. cAN'T ACCEPT GIFT. Congress Asked to Let an Officer Re ceive Sword. Elihu Root, Secretary of State, ha sent a communication to Congres, asking authority for Capt. Wm. S Guignard, of Columbia, to receiv4 a sword, which the Sultan of Tur key desires to present to him. - Several years ago Capt. Guignar( - was in Turkey and so took the fanci of the Sultan that his Highness then with said he wanted to presentchin with a sword as a token of his es 1teem. Capt. Guignard was delightet with the honor, but unfortunatel: I thera is a law which forbids arm: ,and navy officers from receiving de f corations of this kind It was, therefore, necessary fo the Secretary of State to ask permis sion of Congress for Capt. Guignar< to receive the sword. It will doubt -less be highly prized by 4.et' Guig nard when he 1.-, Snaily allowed to re ceiv-e i:. -COMB SAVED BLER. Man's Attempt to Kill His Wife ib - ' Thwarted. IThe fact that she wore a hai tcomb heavily mounted with silve ~probably saved the life of Mrs. Jose phine Denny, of No. 319 Cainde: -street, Newark, recently. Her hus baud, Edward E. Denny, tired a re volver at her, but the bullet struec the comb, glanced off and buried it self in the wall. Believing that hi aim had been true when he saw th woman stagged and heard he scream. Denny fled from the hous and escaped. The police have bee: iunable to locate him. Unfortunate Tragedy. At Pittsburg, Pa., William A ~Schwartz. aged 29, a policeman. Fri iday night shot and killed his mother -Mrs. Rachel Schwartz. aged 61 year old,. and was so crazed by the acci dent that he made several attempt to end his own life, but was refraine< rby relatives. Schwartz and his moth e lived at Almond Alley, and while -the policeman was cleaning his re vover it was accidentally discharge< and the bullet penetrated his moth ers head. Some Aged Booze. The Augusta Herald says it is re orted that at Stattenville, near Val. d sta, last week, some workmen whl making excapations for the ,Garbut:t lumb er mili. unearthed fivt ugs of whiskey which, it is said w ere 1buried there 37 years ago. Mr Grbutt. being an ardent prohibi tionist and church member, poured~ the aged and smelling fluid out upor the ground. extract: 'You think of the dead on Christma eve, Wherever the dead are sleeping, And we from a land where we may not grieve, Look tenderly down on your weep - jn~ You think us far, we are very near, From you and the earth though parted; We sing tonight to console and cheer The hearts of the broken-hearte). The earth watches over th-Hfetess elay Of each of its countless sleepers, And the~ sleepless spirits that passed away Watch over all earth's weeeers. We shall meet again in a brighter land, Where farewell is never spoken; We shall cla'sp each other, hand in hand, And the clasp shall not be broken We shall meet again in a bright calm clime, Where we'll never know a sadness, And our lives shall be filled like a Christmas chime, With rapture and with gladness. The snow shall pass from our graves away, And you from the earth, remnem -ber; And the flowers from a bright, eter nal May Shll follow *.::Y iecember. When you thin if us think not of* t he tomb Wh're vou laia i down in sorrow; B t o a'oft, a.. beyond earth's, A. ,-- ri. th geat tomorrow. Republicanf Elem'. ee The Speer i -. Next causes the Leaders-g Anxious Moinents. A Washington dispatch to the York Glo:e says the spectre of Ocratic s uccess next-year is loc Up to trouble the republican le They are lying awake nights be of it, Co .aselling about it and t to figure .at ways and means t vent it. Danger that the republicans be defeatd in the 1908 campaig one of T Ie themes widely dis last we, k among the members repubic.-a national committee The evic:-ces of the resurrect William Jennings Bryan were much c-n-ideration in the inn( eles of he committeemen an House a d Senate republican I, rwith whwn they advised. To bX things of - his sort'were not fol talked. They were whisper private and informaly,. when t three or a half dozen were gat about the dinner table or wer ing heart to-heart confidence the high halls, the rickeys, an long black cigars. Various reasons were given f appreher sion felt in the repu. canp over the situation. They- - ed back, as a rule, ,to the - bi' depression that came-about th: It was the general -feeg-thi-r tendency of the haltin businest the count ry has expe'ienced, e there is a gradual recovery, a, now thought by many there w would be to hurt the republicc - ty and turn votes to the deimit: It was generally felt that it-w more be possible to keep the lican party from suffering for has happenejl in the money'r d in tne business world thar possible for the Cleveland ar tration to ward off the blame ed un. n it for the 1893 panie. But %he financial situation the only reason that was-talk he pesi mistic feeling that wa voice. F'rom various states e. ly from those in the West ther much va-k that Bryan has been edly growing in favor amon that are most earnest in supp: Rooseve-t, and that there wer voters aiready declaring their tion to vote for Bryan if they not get Roosevelt or amanz was known would carry out h eies. It appears from what wa afloat last week that* thesert cans usually classed as rada, progressives are in many casesz. the views that the thing for#:. do is to go to Bryan if they cans do not name a zntr, enough to suit them. On the other hand, the is-: er way of looking at the sife - This is the view imputed to 1c -forces in the financial world.. ard 01. is mentio rieethisjre Considered from.Miis sdri'dp election~ of Brya~-it beig< a for granted the democratswmi.. inate him--Jrould be deemned -~ servative financial and busii$': terests allied with the .repre tcarty to be preferable to thi r tion af a radical repubii thoyis that Bryan may be r and may get the House, bif* - - publicans will still have cz i the sernate, and a small and-ci . poration of conservative sena~ . constitute a holding company Swhole 'ody of Senate rept . In other words, conservatisr s still be difficulty in the sadd$e SSenat- so as to prevent eyedi. iocratic President and a aem House from ena~ctin-( any im legisla ion. It is true some of the Sen pub'ic-.ns are saying thatth for Rooseveltismn, and that no -wheth r republicans or der attempt to carry out Rooseve cies, tney wil vote for themi . ,are say ing the-y would uphe' hands --f Brya"' as -quicklvia iwould those of R-oseveltif Bri in with Rooseveh ponicies.: When it comes to the test, ever, it is seldom that reptil IHouse or Senate become ar~dr - anmeasure origira t rg from a cratic source, and idr. Bryarn' in the long run, probably have ly chiefly on his democratic j jto get ogislation. At least the way the men regard it #M ~talking of voting for Biyari than a ra lical republican. ANOTHER ANANIAS CLM Gaines "Brands the Writet o: "I brand tipe writer of tha liar an'd the statement as.:@bst false," said Representathe 'Wesley Gaines of Tennessee, fl~oor of the House Thursda-,y the reading of a statement app - in a local newspaper that h made rush in the committ e propriations to recommienhaE ciency ::ppropr-iation of $5(0,0 seeds for free distribution. to cover that amount had fus offered by Mr. Tawney anc Gaines had the floor. He~ re a round of ap~plause after hurli opprobihm. I(<-pe They Will. The Democrats are hopi: largv ely increase their number ii VH'j-we anfSenate ~as the resi te~ next eletion, and it -is prc that in the near futur-e those hers wh -rihave been chosen fro: Senate wil mnot and outline a -i e campa.~ign. In the Hious. Demnocrats are to choose- a chaib early in January- 'when the pr-' inary :Jork of the next campaigi begin.