Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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HOUSE WITH WILSON REPEAL Of FREE TOLLS WINS BY TOTE Of 247 TO 161 CLARK SPEAKS FINELY Speaker Leads Opposition But Shows Admirable Good Feeling-Wilson's Personal Appeal, Backed by the Force of Rdason, Sweeps Through House of Representatives. The natiqpal House of Representa tives Tuesday night, after one of the most spectacular legislative struggles in the history of the nation. voted to repeal the provision of the Panama canal act exempting American ves sels from the payment of tolls. The vote on the repeal bill was 247 to 161, a majority of 86 votes in sup Dort of the personal plea of Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States. This verdict on the issue which has absorbed congress for many weeks came at the close of a stirring day, 'made memorable in the annals of the House by a party division which found Speaker Champ Clark, Majority Leader Underwood and other Demo cratic chieftains lined up In open op position with the president on an issue which the latter has declared essential to the conduct of the na tion's foreign policy. Tuesday's result was the first strug gle within the party since Democracy took control of the government a year ago. On the final vote 220 Democrats in the House stood by the president, giving him in "ungrudging measure" what he had asked "for the honor of the nation" in its foreign relations. Twenty-five Republicans and two Progressives also voted to sustain the president. Fifty-two Democrats followed Speaker Clark , an4 Leader Undyerwood to defeat. Nothing, it seemed, could stem the tide of administration success. Speaker Clark, for nearly 22 years a member of the House, made the speech of his life to forestall what he termed "unquestionable degradation" of the nation.. In this he failed, but he did smooth over the party breach with kindly words for his adversaries, praise for President Wilson. and an unqualified denial of any vaulting am bition on his own behalf. When he had closed the debate for the opposi tion to the repeal the speaker was triumphant in defeat, for the entire legislative assemblage, in which were many senators, rose en masse to cheer him. The scene In the House chamber when Speaker Clark yielded the gavel to Representative Underwood, the majority leader, to defend his course in the great controversy probably was unrivalled in the history of Ameri can legislation. *Never before within thie recollection of the oldest member * had the galleries been so packed with interested spectators. Outside the bal leries the corridors were jammed with disappointed hundreds. On the floor nerly every member was in his seat Even the Senate had adjourn ed and scores of senators occupied seats on the floor. It was a rare political stage set ting that this throng witnessed. Standing before them while Demo cratis and Republican members cheer ed him to the echo was the sturdy, big framed, silver haired speaker with resolution beaming on his coun tenance, his thin lips clenched tIght ly, his face pale and stern. Behind him, pounding for order, 'was Mdr. Underwood. There they were await ing the climax of the long debate, these two leaders of the Democratic party, heading the first revolt in the party ranks since Democracy put Woodrow Wilson in the White House. Even House Democrats who for the flrst time had turned their backs on their Immediate leaders and stood resolutely by the president through out the fight were impressed at the -scene. The Interest was tense as Speaker Clark began to speak, and his first utterance, breathing a spirit of har mony as against discord and assuring the country that the president and b'e personally were at peace, seemed to spread over the assemblage, particu larly the Democratic side of the House a feeling of relief. "There is no personal Issue be tween the president and myself." said the speaker and his voice was drowned in a chorus of Democratic shouts while Republicans and Pro gressives a'nplauded. At the outset the speaker read his address, but soon he got into his old time oratorical swing and was ham mering home with sweeping gestures his deliberately delivered words. When he praised the patriotic mo tives of President Wilson, again was he interrupted by applause. Upon his emphatic declaration that with those who charged him with attempt ing to disrupt the party "the wish was father to the thought" not a member on the floor but applauded him. "Does any man In this House believe the Democratic leaders are working to split Democracy?" the speaker fairly howled as he leaned toward the Democratic side and looked into the faces of his col leagues. "No! No!" was the thundierous re ply from every part of the chamuber. "Let him courag;eous~y stand up here and now," continued the speak er, "that we may see his cast of countenance." But no man stood up and the House cheered again. Throughout the speech thl'ere was not a dull moment. Repeatedly he was cheered and the echoes of the plaudits rang through the rover terat Ing halls of the capital in frequent waves.] The speaker talked calmly when he1 referred to the Baltimore convention and recalled how he had led in the1 presIdential nomination for 29 bal-1 lots and when he told his colleagues: he was mindful of the fact that his< course In this crisis might mean the end of his public e-ro-or, there was not evidence ->f regret or of alarm in his voice or domeanor.t There were many thinre wo'rm.hEr said, than bei2ng de-r-ated for congress I or for the speake-rahip. Whr-n hed clared he was nojt a can'!!date for the presidency and could ho happy wIth- t out It, he Interrupted himself with a chuckl that brougrht more applause. ji ANOTHER TRAIN ROBBED LONE BANDIT BOARDS SEABOARD CAR AT COLUMBIA. As the Train Left the Union Station Masked Man Holds Up Express Messenger and Rifles Safe. For the third time in two years a "lone bandit" made his appearance in Columbia Saturday night. Entering, pistol in hand, the express car of the northbound Cuba-Florida special, just after It left the Seaboard station at 6:45 o'clock, an unknown white man covered Express Messenger Free man, compellesi him to open a small safe, secured a small package of let ters and reports, valued at $100, and when the train slowed down at the Sidney Park yards, just three blocks from the station, he jumped off and disappeared. The fast train, which Is No. 2 of the Seaboard Air Line railway be tween Jacksonville and New York, proceeded on to the Elmwood cross ing. There Conductor KenneL in structed J. M. Gill, the crossing watchman, to telephone the Columbia police station and the agent at thc passenger station. The train then proceeded on its way. The lone ban dit was described by Messenger Free man as being about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches tall and weighing I 60 pounds. He wore a small cap, dark clothes with vest and was apparently 25 or 30 years old. Two years ago a lone bandit en tered the mail car of ana Atlantic Coast Line passenger train, between Roqsster and Columbia. A small package of registered mail was se cured. March 5 of this year an un known white man hel up and robbed a Southern railway train from Char leston at practically the same point and at practically the same hour. No arrests haxe eved been made in eith er case. .Presumably the robber Saturday night boarded the Seaboard train at the Columbia station when it arrived in Columbia at 6:45 o'clock from Jacksonville. The train was running 15 minutes late. Before the train had cleared the yards the robber walked into the express car by the rear door. Messenger Freeman was engaged with his work. The robber was masked. He issued a sharp com mand for Freeman to throw up his hands. The messenger complied with the order. The robber next ordered that the small safe in the car be opened. This order was obeyed. The robber, holding the messenger undei cover, went through the contents of the safe. He took only one package. The train had proceeded about three bdiocks and had slowed down for the yards. Backing to the rear door, the robber disappeared. HOMICIDE NEAR MARION. Croatan Indian Charged With Kill ing His Bi-other. Crickett Calder, a Croatan, living about six miles north of Ma'rion, is charged with having killed his broth er, Willis Calder, in a drunken brawl Friday night. It is said a spade han dle was the weapon used. From re ports, it seems that the two men were travelling along the country road near Moody's Mill, and after a few words Crickett struck Willis with the spade handle, crushing the skull of the latter, who lived until morn ing. Crickett Calder is said to have attempted to escape, going to the town of Latta with the seeming in tention of there taking a train on the ~Atlantic Coast Line. He was quickly arrested by the authorities on the re 4tiest of the sheriff of Marion county. BABY USES PIG'S EYE. Remarkable Operation Has Been Per formed at Baltimore. What is believed to be the first operation of its kind in the country was performed Tuesday at a Balti more, Md., hospital when the corner of a pig's eye was grafted on the sightless eye of a three-months-old boy. It was said that previous opera tion in which rabbit's eyes had been used were unsuccessful, but that ex periments with pig's eyes had led scientists to believe that they were more adaptable. Two cases are said to be on record where the grafting of human corneas gave sight to totally blind eyes. Nearly Tickled to Death. "Tickled to death" came near be ing literally true for Miss Ivy Martin. a pretty IS-year-old girl of Ports mouth, Ohio, Saturday, when she be came ill as a result of too much laughing, and for a time was thought to be dying. Shoots Praying Man. Because "a stronge compelling oice" whispered in his ear: "Per 'orm a blood sacrifice and purify the meeting," E. M. Metcalf, of Los Ange les, Cal., shot Gustav Victor Hugo at the latter was leading in prayer Sat rday. The speaker said he had no harsh words to speak of any colleagues who .ad criticised him, but he referred to some of them-Representative Henry f Texas, who led the fight for the loture rule on the repeal bill: Rep resentative Shirley and Representa tire Hardwick, who had aided in that ight. The House was moved to up oar of laughter when the speaker aid, referring to Mr. Hlardwick: "So far as the gentleman from 3eoria is concerned. I say: 'Shoo' ly, don't bodder me; Shoo! Fly, o't bodder me.' " It was several moments after this umorous disposition of the case of his party adversaries before the ~pea-er could resume because the en re House s. back and roared oared again with laughter. Even ~ir. Hardwick laughed, and those who ~ae expecting to listen to a politi al diatribe laughed and cheered with he others. The House listened attentively to e speaker's argument against the on repeal. his assertion that he be eved the president was mistaken. his . ~r~uent that the Canadian Pacifie' ailrond andI the Tehautepec Na lonal railway would profit by the re cal.-and his appeal against yielding LEADS ALL STATES SOUTH CAROLINA LEADS OTHERS IN VALUES PER ACRE COVERS TWELVE CROPS Government -Figures Show That While Six Others Are Nominally Ahead of This State, Their Small Average Makes South Carolina Actually the Peer of Thera All. "Very often we hear it stated that if we could only get the value of oar agricultural products per aere up to what it is in the States of the Middle West, South Carolina would be the greatest State in the Union," remark ed Commissioner Watson recently. "The truth of the matter is that South Carolina has a greater value per acre for the 12 leading crop). corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, buck wheat, potatoes, hay, flaxseed, cotton, rice and tobacco, representing more than 90 per cent. of the total area of all crops-than any State In the Mid dle West, than any other State in the South and than any other State in the Union, with the exception of Neva da, Arizona, Massachusetts, Rhoae Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, the only six States which exceed the dis tinguished little pioneer. In volume of agriculture none of these six States could be called an agricultural State, as agricultural States go to-day, and that being true, when we consider the volume of production measured in millions of dollars, the farm of 1913, for value per acre of crops, belongs to South Carolina. "Of course, nobody had dreamed, perhaps, that this would happen, and I hardly believed it myself to-day, when I got from Washington these average values per acre of the 12 crops combined In each of the State. of the Union. South Carolina's value per acre is $25.18, Georgia's Is only $20.80, North Carolina's is very close up to the Palmetto State with $24.84. Virginia's is $23.69, and then they tumble. The so-called great agricui tural producing section of the Middle West runs like this: "Ohio, $19.29; Indiana, $17.28; Illinois, $14.87; Iowa, $1.01; Mis souri, $12.29; Michigan, $16.83; Wisconsin, $19.41; Minnesota, $14.26; North Dakota, $8.15; South Dakota, $9.48; Nebraska, $10.85; Kansas, $7; Tennessee, $18.01. "In the rest of the South not men tioned above it runs this way: "Alabama, $20; Mississippi. $19.62; Louisiana, $19.05; Texas, $18.52; Oklahoma, $10.06; Arkansas, $1S.56. "In the Far West, with the excep tions I have noted, New Mexico and Nevada, the highest figures are $20 and $20.25 in California. Up in the East the figures are: "Maine, $23.72; -New Hampshire, $20.44; Vermont, $20.78; Massachu setts, $32.34; Connecticut, $37.63; New York, $19.33; New Jersey, $29.02; Pennsylvania, $21.34; Dela ware, $18.47. "The average for the entire United States is $16.31, which Is just exactly 1 cent more than It was In 1909. "It ought to be pretty convincing also to the people who come down and look around the South and say that If the conditions here were 'like they are at home what a paradise it would be', to know that the average value per acre of these 12 crops in the South Atlantic States is $22.54. which is higher than in any other section of the United States. In the North Atlantic States it Is $21.08, in the East North Central States it is $1 7.07, In the West North Central States it is $11.52, in the South Cen tral States it is $17.45, and in the far Western States it is $19.59. The increases since 1909 show that the South Atlantic States out strip the entire country. In both the East and West North Central States there has been a steady decline, and this is true of the North Atlantic States. In other words, these offi cIal federal figures that have just been issued show beyond all question of doubt that while we have only as yet begun to scratch the surface of our opportunities here in the South Atlantic States, agriculturally, these States are to-day the leaders in agri ultural production when measured by the only true yard stick, which is the actual value of the crops produc ed on each acre of land cultivated and planted. "They bring to the eyes of the world what Is ever more important to us people here in South Carolina. and that is the fact that South Caro lina, volume of agricultural produc tion considered, Is indeed the leading State in the American Union to-day n agricultural endeavor. It demon strates to the outsde world that the methods we have been employing In the last decade in South Carolina to increase average production per acre of the 12 leading crops of the coun try has brought her to the forefront nd that she is actually in advance at this time of any of her sister States y perhaps several years. "It occurs to me that we, as a people, ought to thank the federal government for collating and publish ing to the world these official figures, for they are sufficient answer to the an from Iowa. the man from Illi iois, and the man from Michigan, who comes down on a trip to look the situation over and because things happen not to be done exactly in the ay he is doing them, begins to dis ourse at length about the great pro uc'tive power of his country and to scorn the conditions that his eyes rest upon around him.I "I meet such every day, and here after, for this year at least, I shall eep these federal official figures with me all the time, and when I strike such a man, quietly hand them to him to study and then in a brotherly manner advise him to come and make his home in what, ten years ago, when conditions were pitiable, I was bold enough to proclaim to the out side world was-as it Is now-"The Garden Country of America'."* Spanked Girl Tries to Suicide. Heartbroken because her father had given her a spanking because she tayed out late Sunday night, Helen smith, 1 5 years old, attempted sul Ide at Philadelphia, Pa., by turning NATURE WILL SOLVE IT E CENSUS STATISTICIAN TALKS PR ABOUT RACE PROBLEM. Census Shows That the Negro Race is As< Loosing Ground Steadily in the Southern States. Solution of the negro problem through the difference in natural in- En crease of the white and black races bee in the United States is foreseen by Asi Walter F. Wilcox, special agent of tio: the United States census bureau and wh chief statistician of the twelfth cen- sus sus. He points out in a report, Pro copies of which have just beer made de public, that the negroes are steadily his losing ground throughout the South, He both by immigration of whites and cri1 by their own declining birth rate. Ing They are losing ground still more rap- be idly in the North and there is thus ele reason to believe that nature will Fif solve the race problem in her usual ] way, by the survival of the fittest. no "That the whiLe race is slowly dis- bol placing the negroes in the 'United cal States is now well known," Mr. Will- the cox writes. "The more rapid Increase wb of the whites Is due not only to the qui influx of hundreds of thousands of Tr( white immigrants, but also to the fact to that in the registration area of 1910 tha -an area Including three-fifths of the It negroes, and so a fair index of condi- thc tions in the country at large-the or negro death rate exceeded the white iss by about two-thirds." Furthermore, "during the years ter since 1880 . . . the excess in the Isl proportion of negro children over Co white children In the country has Gr likewise been failing. The present dif) difference in fecundity between the ed races is little more than one-fourth wh of that in 1880, and at the present sec rates of change it will have disap- "I peared entirely before the next cen- oul sus is taken." the The decline Is largely due to negro the emmigration to the cities, the writer the is only about two-third that of city tra whites, but the fecundity of country negroes Is much above that of coun- hit try whites". The negroes' loss of to ground is further hastened by their ele tendency to migrate North, where its the fecundity of all races is lower ral than It Is in the South. lan "The evidence then," Mr. Willcox, chi concludes, "points to a differential the natural increase as an Important fac tor, a factor, in my opinion, at least op as important as immigration in de- sit1 termining the present and future rel- Tu ative proportions of the two main see races of this country." Ire urt NOTES AND CHECKS. lea Asi bil: Affected by Negotiable Instruments the Law Recently Passed. Pro Tuesday, the negotiable instru- the ments law, a piece of uniform legisla- Jai tion, became operative in South Caro- Tr lina. The law was passed by the gen- er oral assembly March 4 and is identi- tut cally the same in several paragraphs Mr as similar laws in other states. While mo the provisions are of chief concern to inc bankers, the publc is also interested ed. in the charges. Copies of the law have been received in Charleston and bankers have been making themselves fami .ar with the provisions, and the following article is clipped from The News and Courier: According to the negotiable instru ments law, unless a check is present- J ed for payment a reasonable tIme gui after its issue the drawer is relieved Ha of liability to the extent of the loss rei occasioned by tardiness. This is con- in sidered very important. It Is said blo that some people have a habit of for holding checks, drawn in their favor, En for a considerable period and that the this practice is very bothersome. wa When checks are held back the mat- Illa ter of adjusting balances at the bank all is at times of some concern. The pro- we: visions of the law do not, of course, wh apply to notes, drafts and checks -rid drawn before its passage. we Under the new law the "three days of grace" convenience has been abol- ] ished and negotia,ble instruments be come due and payable on the date specified. "A note payable at a bank," said a banker, "Is equivalent to an order to the bank to make payment for the account of the maker. South ~ Carolina has been the only State in dot the unIon where a bank has had to yes consider the signature of a check as con transferring to the payee the amount tiai stipulated in the check. A bank was Sat witnout authority to withhold pay- ThE mnt even In cases where the makers Ity reuested such action. Under the he new law 'a check of itself does not for operate as an assignment of any part son of the funds to the credit of the / drawer with the bank and the bank is not liable to the holder unless and T nntil it accepts or certifies the check.' Fra [ quote this part verbatim. clin "It is believed that the negotiable do~ instruments law, such as the one late- locI y enacted by the general assembly of wh outh Carolina. will before long be dopted by all the states in the union. t is a piece of uniform legislation E hat is sorely wanted, and will oper- coul te to the benefit and protection of Car anks and individuals. In this State intr he new law applies to transactions got ade on and after Tuesday next, not ly v o transactions that have already been ade." Attention has been directed to the S; ollowing provisions: has Paragraph 85--Every negotiable Fla. nstrument is payable at the time whii fixed therein, without grace. When ay of maturity falls upon Sunday or t holiday the instrument Is payable ~ mn the next succeeding business day. was nstruments falling due on Saturday an re to be presented for payment on :he next succeeding business day. ex opt that instruments payable on do and may, at the option of the hold-C r he presented for payment before burj 2 o'clock noon on Saturday, whenThu hat entire day is not a holiday. Paragraph 87-Where the instru ent (either a note or an acceptance) I Smade payable at a bank, it is day ~quivalent to an order to the bank to won ay the same for the account of the - rincipal debtor thereon. aval Paragraph 11 1-A waiver of pro- and est, whether In the case o? a foreign bill ill of exchange or other negotiable sami strument, is deemed to be a waiver Pi t only of a formal protest, but also does f prcsentment and notice of dishon- of al ir. of t! Paragraph 127-A bill of Itself banl Loes not operate as an assignment of less he fund. in the ands of the drawee the< NGLAND FACES CRIS3 EMIER ASQUITH RESIGNS T TAKE CHARGE OF ARMY. iulth Will Take Charge of the W. )ffice in Order to Deal With Irii rrouble. kfter all the many solutions of tl glish government crisis, which h, n proposed and discussed Premi luith announced Monday a sol a to the House of Commoi ich none of the prophets h, pected or even expected. T] mIer himself will assume the bu of the War Office In addition other and almost crushing dutie will resign from the House at th :cal stage, when the second rea of the home rule bill Is about taken up and will appear for r etion to his constituents In ta e, Scotland, within a few days. Ur. Asquith apparently consult one except the King before 1 d decision. His colleagues in t] >inet seemed to be as surprised other members of the Hou en he revealed his plans. Mr. A th is already First Lord of tl asury which office he will contini hold. The political seers gath t Mr. Asquith Is In fighting moo looks at the present moment ugh he proposes to make the r anization of the army a fighti ie. rhe establishment of a federal sy i of government for the Briti: is was suggested to the House nmons Tuesday by Sir Edwa y as a solution of the home ru culty. The suggestion was recei with great attention by the Hous Ich was engaged In debate on t1 ond reading of the home rule bi believe," said Sir Edward, "that - present difficulty is not solved 1 introduction of a federal syste country will go under throul sheer Inability of Parliament nsact its business." 51r Edward Grey put forward t that the government was rea go to the country for a gener etion if Parliament would ens bills abolishing the system of pl voting, giving home rule to Ir d and dis-establishing the Wel! rch. Meanwhile the question coercion of Ulster can not arft fter a week of sensational dev( nents in connection with the Ulst iation, the House of Commo: esday started the debate on t ond reading of the home rule f land bill. It is expected the mea will occupy the House for st three days. The absence of 1 uith, who was in charge of t] l, was bitterly complained of 1 Unionists. t is reported from Dublin th mier Asquith is to be opposed by-election for East Fife 1 nes Larkin, who, as head of t Lnsport Workers' Union. was lea of the strike in Dublin last a an. In connection with the strik ,Larkin was sentenced to sevt nths' Imprisonment In October fi iting to riot, but was later relea BOY FIGHTS POLICE. teen-Year-Old Lad Stands Off Squad! of Officers. L 15-year-old boy, barricaded In 1 shop, held off a squad of Ter: ute, Ind., police with a continuo1 olver fire Tuesday until wound< many places, and his cloth< d-soaked he staggered from h tress and surrendered. The lad. est McWilliams-was foundj gun ship and when his surrendt idemanded he replied with a fu de. In the battle that followi the window panes in the stol -e shattered and an automobil lh the boy had taken refuge, w: lled with bullets from the officer tpons. CELEASED) FROM SENTENCE. ;ro n Arkansas Electrocuted Aft< Gaining His Release!. iter receiving an executive pa: ,which released him from a 11! r sentence, Fred Pelton, negri fned in the Alaba state penite: y at Little Rock, was electrocute urday for the killing of a negres re was a question as to the lega of electrocuting Pelton until aft4 had served his 115-year sentent another crome and for that ret the pardon was granted. Proposed to Girl in Jail. Fahie hundreds were watchin nk Register of Savannah, Ga ted a tree in front of a jail wir and proposed to Miss Zetta Mel .No charge is against the gir is being held for her parents. Offleer Shot by Negro. eputy Sheriff Curtis of Elizabet aty, Va., Sunday allowed Joh er, a ncgro booze seller, to g his house for clothes. The negr his gun and fired, probably fatal rounding Curtis.. Went in Box Car to Sleep. lvatore Iabrattol. five years old been carried from Pensacola ,In an unknown box car, int h he went to sleep Monday. Oil Lamp Explodes. rs. W. M. Bridges of Greenvilli painfully burned Saturday whe: 4 lamp exploded in her home. Attorney is Dibarred. arles P. Sims of the Spartan bar was indefinitely suspende: rsday by the supreme court. Loses Life in a Fire. a fire at Bethlehecm, Pa., Tuo one man and thirty-three horset burned to death. lable for tho payment thereof the drawee is noct lable on thi unless aad until he accepts th( sragraph 1(i9--A check of itsell not operate as an assignment 1y part of the funds to the credit e drawer with the bank. and the :is not liable to the holder, un and until it accepts or certifies FIiHT I3 COMINU 0 SMITH AND BLEASE FORCfS WAN CONTROL Of CONVENTION h$TRAINNi [VERY NERY ie Ld Forces Behind the Governor Are Mal er ing Desperate Efforts to Captu u- C is the County Conventions-Smith id 1e Friends Are Making Every Effo to Retain Control. to s. Preparations for the meeting is the Democratic clubs throughout t] d- State three weeks from Saturde to night are being made by both frien e- and opponents of the present gove st nor of South Carolina, who Is a ca: didate for the United States Sena ?d to which the incumbent, Senator : Is D. Smith, will stand for re-electio ie Under the constitution and rules as the party the clubs will meet on Api se 25 to elect delegates to the coun .s- convention which meets May 4. ie The State convention meets in C ie lumbia on May 20, the first primai er election will be held on August 2 d. and the second primary on Septemb as S. Realizing that control of the clu e- carries with it control of the coun 1g convention and through them don nation of the State convention ar s- the State executive committee alo 3h with the election machinery both tl of Smith and Blease forces are on tl rd qui vive for the club meetings. le With both sides alert it is expec v- ed that attendance at every ch ie, meeting throughout the State w: Ie break all records this year. The 19 11. State convention was overwhelming If against Gov. Blease, his friends co by trolling only about six out of the m county conventions. This year tl 3'h1 Blease faction is straining eve: to nerve to gain control of the Sta convention and the executive commi a tce and word was sent out long al ly to turn out and get control bf t] al club meetings. ct The Smith people are quietly d u- termined to retain control of tl e- election machinery and capture tl ;h State convention. The result is ft of possible to forecast with any degri e. of accuracy. Former Gov. John Ga: 1- Evans of Spartanburg is the prese: er State . chairman of the Democrat as executive committee and Mr. Christ e Benet of Columbia Is secretary. Eat r county convention elects a member .s- the State executive committee ai at the committee elects the State chal r. man. Mr. Benet's name has bet ie brought forward for State chairm2 )y and it is believed that he wou make an acceptable chairman to E at factions in the Democratic party. I in has not been sounded on the propo by tion by his friends who want t] ie party to secure his services. d- While some minor amendments u- the rules governing regulations of tU :e, primary may be advocated before tU m convention, it is not believed that ax or radical restrictions will be adopte s- A plan to prevent enrollment of voter at but one club and providir for the filing of certified lists of tU club rolls some 10 or 15 days wil the clerk of court in every county b fore the first primary will likely 1 aurged on the convention. There practically no likelihood of any su( step as the restriction of the primaa a to registered voters will be adopte re One big fight before the conventic awill possibly be the move to aboli! athe county to county canvass of cal a didates. The suggestion to abolis is this plan is being warmly seconde 7throughout the State and there al nindications that the move may 1 ar successful. There is a growing id4 s that this biennial tour is workix dmore harm than good and that re would bo better fo~ everybodyi e have it discontinued. If the plan1 Sabolish the county to county canva: s is pushed it will stand good chan< of .being successful. The idea isi let each candidate run his own can paign and speak when and wherevi he pleases and not speak at all if 13 rdoesn't want to is growing throug) out the State. Wounded Wife and Killed Self. WVill Massey. a white man emplo: ed at a lumber plant at Tuscaloos: Ala., Wednesday shot his wife thre Stimes, inflicting fatal injuries, an then killed himself. * Iad an Eye Shot Out. S-During a general row among som -negroes at church near Reno, Laurer county, one negro had his eyes shc out at the hands of another Sunda: FIreman Fatally Burned. A. C. Page, captain of the Tro: Ala. fire department was burned t Sdeath .Mond-ny when he entered building in a search for a child.. Shot by an Unknown Man. Jesse Armstrong of Akron, Ohic hwas killed Monday by an unknow: man whom he tried to arrest fo stealing a ride o nthe railway. _ Charged With Serious Crime. * An unknown negro from Wahs township in Marion county was jalle< Saturday mn r*is; on the charge c criminal assault upon a girl Auto Accident Injures Two. Dr. Floyd Rogers and his wife o Anderson were seriously injured Sat urday when their auto turned ove: three times near that city. Shoots and Kills Te-wn Marshal. Lawrence Newbern. town marsha of Broxton. Ga.. was shot and killet a fewv days ago by Charles Graham who made his escape. Fell Off Building. W. R.Coxan aed carpenter, of olbais in a serious e-ndition at a result of a fall from a building or which he was working. Uniknown Men Drown. Two unidentified men were drown od when a bride over the Moha. I River. Sehenectady, N. Y., was swept away Friday. Lexin::ton to be WVet. The election in Lexington in favor of the county dispensary sytem was declared legal Friday by the supreme FIGHT STiLL GOING ON REPORTS FROM MEXICO TELL OF UNCERTAIN RESULT. Border Town is Under Impression That Something Has Happened To wards the South. A dispatch from Juarez, Mexico, - Tuesday says that city was thrown into a state of high excitement late Ic Tuesday when it was reported that 's Torreon had fallen, but the report failed of verification or denial. Re rt bel officials telegraphed to Gomez Palacio asking Gen. Villa if the news was true. The operator there replied )f he was under orders to transmit no ie messages of any kind. Gen. Car Ly ranza said he regretted that he could is not confirm the report, and other of r- ficials ~aad the same reply. a- The first report was that Marion te Letcher, United States consul at Chi E. huahua, had transmitted to W. J. a. Bryan, secretary of state, a report )f from George Carothers, vice consul, -il who has been at the front with Villa, ty that Torreon was captured at 1:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon. On the - heels of this some rebel officers tele ry phoned to the offices of the Mexico & 5, Northwestern railroad at Juarez that Br the capitulation of the federals was s officially announced. ty The rumors spread rapidly and in i- a few moments the streets leading to d the telegraph office were jammed. At k- the international bridge there was a 1e stream of interested persons pouring ie from El Paso, and orders were is sued that all be searched for wea t- pons. The saloons which were al Lb lowed to reopen Monday night were ill again closed. L2 That something was wrong with ly the news began to be suspected when a- rebel officials were observed among 14 the seekers for confirmation. Singly ie and in groups they returned from ry Gen. Carranza's office, shaking their te heads and went to the telegraph of t- fice. Here too verification was lack o Ing and finally Frederico Gonzales ie Garza telegraphed directly to Gen. Villa, only to be informed by the e- operator that his message could not ie be handled. ie The whole incident left the impres a- sion that something of importance e vas taking place in the south, and it ry was hoped that official announcement t of victory merely was being delayed ic for some purpose known only to Vil ie la. :h A telegram from Villa to Gen. Car )f ranza, given out Tuesday afternoon, Ld felicitated Carranza on his welcome r- to Juarez and said that Villa hoped n to announce the surrender of Tor Ln reon in a few hours. Another tele id gram purporting to come from Villa 11 said he was meeting with desperate le resistance In attempting to take the 4- general barracks, the last position ie held by the federals, and was about to dynamite buildings in the neigh to borhood so he could use his artillery. ie WANTS LEGISLATOR. M*~emer From Barnwell County Gave Out Worthless Checks. b A warrant for Norman C. Creech, e- member of the lower House from >e Barnwell county, alleging that he had is issued a worthless check in the su-n ih of $9.50, was received in Columbia - Saturday by John C. McCain, sheriff c. of Richland county from J. F. Win n gate, magistrate at Rock Hill. The h warrant was issued at the instance of . L. C. McFadden, a member of the h firm of Diel & Moore at Rock Hill, to d whom Mr. Creech had given the -e check. >e The check was drawn on the Pal a matto National bank of Columbia, g dated February 14, and was returned it on account of insufficient founds. :o Sheriff McCain has returned the war o rant, as Mr. Creech's whereabouts is are unknown to him, and as on Fri e 'day he sent to Barnwell a warrant on o a charge by Mrs. Lillian IL Kaminer, - proprietress of the City hotel, that r Mr. Creech had left the city owning e her a board bill of $83. *Thief Dies at Home Town. Reappearing in Newalla, Okla., Thursday for the first time in three ryears, 3. A. Patterson robbed a bank L, of $6,100. He escaped Into the thick e timber, where he was killed by the d posse.* Boy Scared to Death. The sudden honking of a flock of e geese Saturday frightened Frank 1 s Chunk, ten years old, of Racine, Wis..1 it into convulsions. The boy, who had r.a weak heart, died shortly after-1 wards. ,, Boy Falls on Pocket Knife. 1 o Floyd Hill, aged 9 years, while oni a his way to attend school at Burlison, 1 Tenn., Friday fell with an open knife < in his hand. The blade entered hisi body between the robs. a Burned to Death. r Mrs. W. H. Smith, wife of a Cas tana, Iowa, farmer, died Wednesday from burns. She was giving her haby a bath near the stove when her e apron caught fire.,* SNegro Stabs Colored Woman. Lella Smalls of Florence, a negress, was stabbed Saturday by Fred Mel ton, another negro. She was rushed to the hospital in a dying condition. Mail Carrier Drowned. Colvin Pierce, a rural mail carrier of Mansfield, La., Is missing and is believed to have been drowned while attempting to ford a swollen stream. Killed Da~ughter for Burglar. Mistaking her thirteen-year-old ~ daughter for a burglar, Mrs. Joseph a Wilson of Boaz, Ky., fired at her with fatal result Saturday. Wife Shoots 'ter Husband. ~ John W. Edwards. of Asheville, N. a C., was shot and probably fatally e wounded Sunday by his wife. e Two Firemen Killed. p When fire destroyed the Frankis Hotel, of Souix City. Ia., Wednesday j T two firemen were killed. Three Killed in Feud. Three men are dead and a womjan' Is dying as a result of a feud c- -- SMITH BILL PASSES SENATE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPT COTTON TRADING BILL MEANS MUH TO FARMERS Upper House Passes Measure Press ed for Years by South Carolina Senator-Bill Has Strict Rules for Handling Futures Transactions Smith Greatly Pleased. After the Senate Friday had pass ed a bill to regulate cotton futures trading, Senator Kenyon, who with others had misunderstood an amend ment to legalize pooling operations, moved for a reconsideration and pav ed the way for reopen!ng the fight on the measure Satnrday. The amendment would annul the supreme court decision in the Patten case that pooling, with an agreement not to sell on an exchange violates the Sher man law. After striking out the amendment legaliz!ng pooling, the Senate Satur day repassed the bill regulating trad ing in cotton futures. Reconsidera tion of the bill was brought about by the stand of Senator Kenyon, who stated Friday night after the meas ure was passed, that he did not un derstand it included the pooling amendment. Mr. Kenyon was an as sistant Federal attorney in charge of the prosecution against.James A. Pat ten and his associates in their cotton transactions of 1910. After Senator Kenyon called up his motion for reconsideration of the bill Friday he offered to withdraw It up on the assurance of Senator Smith of South Carolina that the pooling amendment would be eliminated in the House. Senator Borah, however, contended that the Senate should strike out the amendment, and Mr. Smith, declaring the pooling clause was not pertinent to the body of the bill, asked for reconsideration and moved to strike out the objectionable features. This done, . the altered measure was passed by unanimous consent. The bill as passed would provide that no person connected with an ex change shall send through the malls matter proanoting enforcement of a future delivery contract unless the exchange requires all such transao tions to comply with certain condi tions, among them that contracts must provide for delivery within de partment of agriculture standards. The pooling amendment, introduc ed .by Senator Hoke StLAth of Georgia, was advocated by him to prevent such prosecutions as that of PAtten and associates, Indicted by the federal government on charge of pooling cot ton in 1910, with the purpose of with holding it from the market until they had reaped profits of some $10,000, 000. Senator Smith declared these men should have been regarded as beefactors, not as criminals. The passage of the bill ends a fight led by Senator Smith of South Caro lina for legislation against practice on cotton exchanges denounced as injurious to the cotton industry. Sen ators Smith of Georgia and Ransdell of Louisiana also introduced bills. The three senators Friday, after a two-day debate, reached an .agree ment on a compromise measure ond was passed without roll call. Among the conditions the measure would require exchanges to impose on futures transactionse Is on providing that if the cotton sold s of the mid dling basic grades and the delivery is of other grades, then the commer ial difference in .value between the grade delivered and this grade sold must be paid. At present the New York cotton exchange has in force a fxed difference in value of the grades. An attempt was made to require the delivery of the grade specified in the contract, but Senator Ransdell de nounced this amendment as unduly restricting speculation and unjust to the New Orleans cotton exchange. The bill provides that no one shall use mall or telegraph lines to send ut cotton exchange quotations, un ess the exchange adopts the specd ed contracts. The sending of such matter through the mails Is made a misdemeanor punishable by fine not o exceed $3,000 or by one year's Im 3risonment. Senator Smith gave out the follow ng statement: "Of course, to say :at I am gratified at the action of :he Senate In passing my bill, for v'hich I have been fighting to regu ate the cotton exchanges of the coun ry,' would be but mildly to express ny feelings In the matter. Ever since introduced the measure. I have felt hat there was no question which neant more for the welfare of the otton producers of the country than his which in its terms sought to egulate a practice which had grown ~pon the exchanges during the last 0 years and which has caused oses to the cotton producers of mil ions of dollars. "Certain amendments have beea idded to the bill by others interested the welfare of the cotton produ" *rs. In my judgment, this bill i raught with more good to the cotton armers than any measure that has een passed for their benefit In the istry of agricultural legislation. believe that this bill, in conjunction eith my grading tests. will give to he farmers of the South a square eal in the sale of their cotton. I nl that the promises made my peo le have heen fulfilled. I have used very leritimnte method to bring bout that which occurred to-day in e Senate. "We. who grow cotton-for I am cotton farmer myself-know the wf'ml burdens we have to carry, and ae disastrons conditions under which -e have to sell our product. It was >r the relief of this condition tha* I thored and T as a small farmer felt utely as all of the great army of tton producers felt these disastrous edi~tions and it was for this reaso.h lt I have riven so much time and ins in endeavoring to relieve the nditions under which we labored. rmains now for the House to act, hieh I hope and believe it will do. give the relief to the farmers hich they have so long demanded." It stIll remains to be seen whether