University of South Carolina Libraries
TAT: FORT MILL TIMES VOLUME jVlII FOItT MILL, THURSDAY, APRIL 29, H)(){) NO. a TWO ARE OEM) A RarfJtfefl RAN INTO A HAND CAI 14 the Darkness, Killing Mr. Janjc Carmkhael and David IjcwIs Oil I right, and Causing Injury to Thre ?, Other Persons, All of Whom Wer on the Hand Car. ? A special dispatch from Mullln to The State says Thursday nigh k about 10 o'clock news reached th< city of the awful wreck of the log ging crew employed by the Mullini (Lumber Company, Messrs. H. O. and 8. H, Schoolfleld, proprietors. Th? physicians of the town were hastllj summoned and telegrams were seni to Marion for others. The new; soon spread and many citizens hastened to the scene to render such aid aa they could. The accident happened about' twr miles northeast of Mullins and wac caused by a misunderstanding of orders. The mill keeps a crew of aboul six men in the woods and thest usually are the last of the worklnp force to leave for the night, whet they return on the hand car. Th< engine usually makes three loads pJ logs from the woods each.day, but owing to &n unavoidable delay, the third trip was after dark. The woods crew under Foreman A C. Smith waited for the engine and finally decided that as it was bc late the engineer had abandoned hi* last trip and set out for town. On the hand car were six men, Mr. Jam^s Carmicliael and Mr. A. C Smith and Davled Lewis, Walter James, Delaware Murray and Jim Spain, colored. Mr. Carmichael wasBitting on the front of the car. The road being very bad at that section and the hour lat-> the hands who were at the crank were working hard and the car was rapidly moving along. The engine, in chargv- of Gngineed Rhoades, was backing down for the woods with J 8 empty flats when it likewise was endeavoring to make up lost time. There was no light on the cartas the engine was backing. It was dark and the noise of the hand.c&f made it impossible for the men tc notice the danger nntil it was upon them. Of thp six men only one, lira Spain, escaped unhurt, and. his escape was nothing short of a miracle. Spain said that he jumped just as the cars came together, the flat, car .striking his foot. As quickly ijs possible he ran over to where*;hii comrades lay buried under the mfffage. The first one ho reached was Jaroes Carmlchael. He picked hJra ap hi his arms and saw that he wis^dead He was rushed and ntanglej fear fully. Mr. Carmichael's nocljt "arms and legs wero broken and wad other wise disfigured. He theft iitont ,te Mr. Smith, who had a broken lep and was internally injures. Dave L.ewis, colored, was crushed inter nally and had an arm brdW.wM&twia died soon after the j.iccident Walter James, colored, haifa broken leg and other injuries. ! Delaware Murray, also! colored received some painful, if hot fatal, injuries in the sido and aril. Everything possible was done tr the survivors. The Messrs. Srhodfiold per eonalv attended to their weds. Much sympathy la expressed folthese gentlemen as they seem tojregret the e accident so much. Thelmvlves have also ministered to the 1 inta of th< sufferers all day and a much affected. 1 To just what extent r. Smith If Injured is not known. Physicians have been with him contantly since the accident and have lone all Ir theli power to relieve hfi sufferings Mr. Carmlchael was buried thif afternoon at It o'clock lit Miller's cemetery. Just two weeks ago yfiterday Mr. Carmlchael was inarrledrto Miss Sadie Oliver, of Marlon, (and to th young bride the tenderesi sympathies of the community go oft. She has not lacked for attention and condolence, for liuudreds of friends have mingled their tears w?lh hers over the sad fate which be&U the noble young man to whom she had plighted her faith and love Just two weeks ago to the rtny. She returned to her former home In Marion, accompanied hv her father, Bister and brother Mr. Carmichael was a very popular young man, which was manifested by the large concourse of friends whc attended the funeral, whlcfc was perhaps the largest, assemblage evei gathered for a like occasion In this section. Bryan Will S|?eak. A Tallahassee dispatch says Speak or Farris. of the Florida House o Representatives, Monday received i communication from Wm. J. Bryai accepting the invitation tenderer him to address the Legislature. Tragedy In Virginia. A special from Gate City, Va. says: Isaac Fulk, 32 years old. wa shot and killed early Monday h Garland Compton, near Owens Chap el. The shooMr-s > > ed figli 00 NOT NEED IT TAUNTS I'HOTKCTIC Said Cotton Seed Oil Men Want* | Protection and Senator Tillnit Made Characteristic Itepl jr. s In the United States Senate c Wednesday cotton Beed oil was tl r 8ul>ject of u!i exchange or oplnlc between protectionist. Ropublieai e and tariff-for-revenue Democrat q Taunting members of the mluoikl by stating that the cotton seed c industry of the South had appeals B to him for tariff protection, Senatt Aldrich suggested to Mr. Hacun tin if the Senator Iroin (Jeorgia and oil p er Southern States should get ti - gether in favor of placing that pn j duct on the free list, as was tin- ca; I when the bill passed the Hoise i Representatives. he thought n 5 agreement to that efTect might t r reached. t This suggestion hnd been calle j forth by a statement by Mr. Hacoi . who said If the 25 per cent ? I valorem levied on Importation* o cotton seed oil din not produce ai income he thought it should go 01 the free list. Senator Simmons. of North Caro Una, protested against such action declaring that he was free to sa that he was not it favor of placlnj cotton seed oil on the free list. Stating that tht importation o cotton seed oil 1i 1008 was 20 gallons, worth $i 1. and ytaldng i revenue of $ 8.2 Mr. Aldrlrh sai( the tax on that allele was "for pro tectlon, pure aid simple." "Any pretenci," declared Mr. Till man, rising In his place and speak lug In vigorous'angauge, "that then is protection on cotton seed oi through such . duty Is a humbug Cotton seed cJ producers do uo want any proection at all." Mr. Aldrlehsaid he had been ap pealed to by such producers fron the South, aid Mr. Tillman retorte< that he "did lot represent such peo pie." Mr. Mone- joined it) a declaratlor that the Sodh did not want protec Lion on cottin seed oil. cm 13 PEI? TO noes. IncaiiKMl Si en-Mot Iior la?f' Him at Homo. r Incensei because his step-mothei had left hm at home, near Opeloua I *s. La., 11 charge of his young step brothers and sisters for the day Tom Godfrey, a 12-vear-old negr< boy. fed the youngest of his charg? 'o the logs, and later, with an axe inflicted what will probably prov< fatal wtnnds on the heads of th< other ?hlldren. Thrte children were Injured. Tin step-nether reported the triple crinu today to the parish authorities anc Pom was palced la jail at Opelousas She says she founu'the baby In tin pen with the hogs when she returnee hon^> late yesterday. Its hands am 'oe( had been eaten off, but it wai still alive. She straightway whipped Tom nni when she went for a doctor to attem 'he baby, Tom seized an axe and at arked his six-year-old step-brother inflicting several deep wounds. Hi voung step-sister interferred and h rushed her skull with the ave. Th< <irl is dying, and the other twi thildren have little chance for re covery. AM Kit KAN KILLED IN I'KRSIA. II. <\ Ilaskerville, 21 Years Old, Slali at Head of Tnnips. A telegram from Tabriz, Persh <ays a young American, H. C. Bask rville, until recently a teacher 1 he Presbyterian school at Tabriz; vas killed a few days ago outsid Tabriza while leading a sortie c Nationalists from the city. The ol ject of tlu expedition was to ope i way for the bringing in of provii mis. of which the city stands grea ly in need. It was not 6iiccessfu The situation at Tabriz is despe ite. The Christians of Tabriz ai arming themselves and will put U :i strong defence during the blood disorders that are expected to brea out auy dny. The English residen' have sent a telegram to Foreign Sei retary Grey, at London, appealing ft immediate help. 1 The Russians have taken refuf at the Russian consulate. A FIENDISH WOMAN ' Pleaded Guilty to Torturing H< ? Little Child. Under sentence of six months ir ' prisonment and a fine of $f>00, Mr Joseph Sager, wife of a physician Celina, O., a few days ago becan an Inmate of the Toledo Woi House. ( Mrs. Sager pleaded guilty to tl 1 charge of torturing her ten-year-o 1 adopted daughter. A few days ag 1 the child's teacher found many bur on the little girl's back and lef An Investigation was made and as result Mrs. Sager ^vas arrested. , The child said her foster moth s had recently used a red-hot pok 7 on her as a means of punlshmei i- Unless Mrs. Sager's fine Is paid s be compelled '.o remain in t THEY WILL MOVE >N Southern Powers Company Locates in Columbia - LEAVES CHARLOTTE )n Itwmiso of What it Const nun to lie >n Hostile legislation on the I'art of 18 , g the City (jovcrnninit?Will Mean tv Much for Tills Section of South il >d Carolina. For some/lime past there have j. been rumors afloat that there was a a- possibility amounting to a strong probability that the general ofliees of IO . . r. ? nit- Duumeru rower company would be lost to Charlotte, and the Indicate tions were that Columbia would secure them. When it was first talked , i " about the people of Charlotte derided the Idea that the institution ' would seek a new home for its headquarters. The newspapers had cartoons making sport of Columbia. 11 The Columbiu Stute says a day or two ago a prominent business man of Columbia was in Charlotte, and ' iu conversation with Mr. W. H. Twltty, cashier of the Charlotte National c Hank, was told that It was an open y secret that it had been definitely de? termined to transfer the offices to ^ Columbia. Since then It seems information has been given out from the management itself that the step had been decided upon, and that within the next eight or ten months conditions , would so shape themselves as to adI uiit of making the permanent removal to Columbia. ( There are two principal reasons given for the contemplated action of this great corporation. The first is j stated to be thui the new charter ot I the city of Charlotte empowers the board of public works to regulate public service corporations, with esj peeial reference to rates to consumers. This action, it is claimed, has the effect to interfere with the Bale of bonds, and the company felt that is rights and privileges have been so impaired as to make it expedient for Lhem to relieve themselves of their ' public utilities franchise. The s*cnnd reason assigned Is that the power at Lang's shoals on r the Catawba river about 28 miles - from Columbia is the next property - to be developed, and that therefore. . Columbia is the logical place for the i esiamisnmeni or its omces, being so > much nearer the point of opera. tions. ? This company, which is rated at ? $11,000,000, has acquired all the riparian rights along the Wateree and Catawba to within 15 or IS ? miles of Camden, and less than 3u 1 miles cross-country from Columbia. and their plants are of enormous 1 magnitude. 1 On the line of water power dei velopment indicated, the Wateree and s Catawba, there are now six valuable properties that are owned by 1 this company. On the Wateree canal 1 just above Camden there is a fall of - 4,376 square miles, giving 20,000 horsepower when developed. s At Rocky cr-ek. Great falls and ' Fishing creek are other powers bep longing to this corporation that have 3 a total fall of 173 feet. Of these the development of Great falls has recently boon completed and that of the others will follow as the demnnd for power warrants. The amount of horsepower d ? veloped at Great falls is 32,000, with i probable total when developed of 67,000 horsepower. Rock creek and ( "isiiing en cr wiii auoru id,uuu and 20.000 horsepower respectively. At Landsford, near Lancaster, anr. ^ >ther power belonging to this eommny there is a fall of 40 feet, draining an area of 3.425 square miles and affording energy of 12,000 horsepower, as yet undeveloped. At Rock Hill, on the Catawba, the j company has a in.000 horsepower . dant in operatio'n, supplying power to Rock Hill, Fort Mill, lMncvllle Charlotte. At Nlney-Nino Island, on the Rroad river, is a plant having a 51,j. foot fall, the full development of which is now under way This powor will form one of several powers )r belonging to this company which will he electrically connected hy a system of transmission lines furnishjc ing power to all the large towns In the northern central part of this State anil to a number of towns in \orth Carolina. The coming of the Southern Power Company to Columbia will mean there will soon be located there also offices of the large electrical machlnn" ery and manufacturing concerns. H which will augment the business of the city to a considerable extent. 10 The office force of the company 1 k will be a valuable acquisition to the city and to them fair Columbia exh"* tends the glad hand of^a cordial wel1(1 come. The acquisition will not only :?- he In the fact that all of the force na are high salaried people, but that Columbia society will have a wel* come addition to Its ranks. pr Get* Four Years. *r Samuel T. Stevenson, convicted of embezzling funds of the New Orht> leans Typographical Union, was toll*' day sentenced to four years In the penitentiary. TRIES ONCE MORE STARTS OX EIGHTH JOURNEY FOR HIS RACHEL. Arthur Hurke, of Mlllsberry, Mass., (iocs to Montreal to Propose to Ills "Heart's Desire." Jacob served seven years for Rachel, then seven years more. Then he got her and served still another seven years for good measure. Now comes a modern Jacob?a Missachusetts Jaenh who has cheerfully served three times seven years without getting his Rachel. Every three years for 21 years. Arthur Burke, of Miilsberry, Mass.. has journeyed to Montreal to ask the question: N "Will you marry me now?" Every time the answer has been "No." Sometimes there was a laugh accompanying the word, sometimes a sigh, sometimes she hesitated as though reluctant to refuse the devotion so liberally offered. llut in the end the answer has always been "No." Now Burke Is off on his eighth love pilgrimage. lie Is as lighthearted and confident as he was the first time. "Somehow I think this is the time," he told his intimate friends before he started. "1 think this time she'll say yes." Burke was a young man Just turned 30 when the st*:.r.ge courtship began. Now he is a middleag d man of F?l. His nair is turning gray, his step is less elastic. Who the Rachel is. Burke won't tell. He will describe her in glowing terms, but the words he uses aren't the ones which would aid a Bertillon bureau to find her. To him she Is sweet and pretty as when a sober-eyed slip of a girl In her teens, she listened to the old love story. She. too, in the lapse of time, must have rounded out to mature womanhood, but you can t make gallant, gray-haired Arthur Burke, who has loved her for years, b lieve this.' Burke canned his bri 1< groom's clothes in his grip. "There's lots of opportunities you lose liy not he- 1 iiig ready for 'em," he argued. "If 1 ehe says the word, won't give her \ iny time to change her mind. We'll hurry to the nearest church." it fore he left Mlllsberry, Burke sketched the history of his Marathon wooing. "I went tip to Montreal on business 21 years ago," he said. "There 1 met her. I fell In love at sight. ! Within a week I proposed. She turned me down, but so sweetly that I didn't feel discouraged. 1 told her I would come back again. She laughed. "Business affairs interfered with :uy plans. I wasn't able to return for three years. Then I asked her again. Attain she refused me. Right there I told her 1 would come ^ hack every three years unless she married someone else. "She laughed again. I guess she didn't believe nie, didn't realize how nturh I wanted her. She must know it. by this time. "Now I'm going hack again. This lime I think I will win. The last 'IIHt- MM' rtllltUM UMIM'IlirU. Oil*' *? more beautiful in my eyes now than ,-i.e wa?* 21 year- ngo. ! m going to tell her so. She has stayed single all th's time, 'Hint's a goo. sign." MI ST <;o TO JAIL. V Charleston Blind Tiger Ciets in Trouble. Nicholas Kantos, the alleged Charleston blind tiger, says the Columbia Record, who was ordered to appear jefore the supreme court to show cause why he should not be attached .or contempt?the attorney general laving charged him with violation of an injunction restraining hint from the further sale of liquor?and who failed to so appear, though he hud accepted at Rock Hill the service of the court's summons, was a few days ago by per curiam order sentenced to pay a line of $f>00 and serve three mouths in jail. Kantos is the second Charleston tiger to feel the heavy weight of th " court's displeasure, In connection with these liquor injunctions. James I'. Carroll Is now serving in the Charleston county jail a s ntence of six months' confinement. He was ordered to pay a fine of $f>00 and serve three months or in lieu of the fine to servo three months additional. BOY WEARS TAG. Crossing Oreun and ("outincut With Sweets Barred. A sturdy 7-year-old English lad, carrying a big basketful of eatables started from New York for Blsbee. Ariz., recently on the second and last stage of a lonesome journey from England, says a New York special to the Philadelphia Record. Pinned to the boy's coat was a big tag reading: "This boy Is going to a loving mother In Arizona. Treat him as you would have your own boy treated. Don't give him any Jam." The boy, Jimmy Holland, who came to New York Saturday on the Teutonic. Is traveling in care of the | itewaid. WILL BE PAID The Pension Board Has Completed Its Work VOUCHERS SENT OUT And Pensioners Will Soon tJet Their Money?There Ane Nine Hundred and Fifty on the ldst, the Pensions AiuoiiutliiK to 9247,702.50. Spartanburg heads as Usual. The State pension board has completed its work and the vouchers are being sent out to the various clerks of Courts for settlement In the counties. This year there are 9,504 pensioners, an increase over 1908 of 188. The total amount to be paid out tills year is $-4 7,702.50, out of an appropriation of $250,000. It will be recalled that at the last session of the Legislature there were a number of resolutions relative to artificial limbs, these being paid out of the lfmb fund, which is turned back to the pension fund when not used up. In the list of pensioners there are 151 in Class A, each receiving $96; in Class It, there are 171, each receiving $72; in No. 1 of Class C, there are 690, each receiving $48; in No. 2 of Class C, there are 4,04 4, each receiving $19.75; in Class C. No. 3, there are 719, each receiv- ' ing $48; in Class C. No. 4. there are 3,738, each receiving $19.75. Pensions by Counties. The following is a list of the num- 1 l?er and amount of the pensions in the counties. Spartanburg leading, < as usual: County. Number. Amount. Abbeville 163 $ 4.4 24.00 t Aiken 368 9,218.50 < Anderson 531 15,002.50 ? Bamberg 81 2,283.25 Barnwell 171 4,199.25 < Beaufort 50 1,015.75 1 Berkeley 13 7 3.321.50 1 Calhoun 36 896.00 Charleston .. .. 230 6.014.25 I Chester 153 4,596.50 1 Chesterfield .. . 257 6,630.75 I Clarendon 122 3,316.25 1 Colleton 359 9,564.50 ' Darlington .. .. 218 5,712.25 Dorchester .. .. 1 21 2,836.00 Kdcofielil ?'?<> *? c.a-7 on I Fairfield 128 3.543.50 1 Florence 207 4,804.25 ' Georgetown .. . 57 1,399.75 ? Greenville 559 14,314.25 1 Greenwood .. .. 131 3,676.25 ( Hampton 213 5,105.50' 1 Horry 277 5,881.75 Kershaw 1 48 3,781.75 ' Lancaster 24 8 6,381.00 ( Laurens 274 7,897.25 1 Lee 127 3.402.25 1 Lexington .... 282 7.918.25 1 Marlon 260 6.565.75 I Marlboro 151 3,723.75 ' Newberry 1 48 4,581.75 ' Oconee 272 7.339.50 Orangeburg .. . 109 4.643 50 Pickens 249 6,313.25 ' Richland 369 9,945.75 Saluda 158 4.54 4 IT Spartanburg . . . 774 20.287 75 Sumter 156 4.073.75 Union 238 6.495.50 Williamsburg ... 1 84 4,898.00 York 31 6 8.4 82.50 Cherokee 217 6,064.00 Total 9.504 $247,702.50 Pension Requirements. The requirements In order to obtain a pension are as follows: (A) If a man: 1 Ht That h(? tvn? a linna Ode Kill dirr or sailor In the service of the State or In the Confederate States in the War Hot ween the States; 2d. Either (a) that while in such service he lost, a leg or arm, of sight, or received other bodily injury whereby he has become disabled, or that he Is totally disabled by paralysis, and, neither himself nor his wife has an neither himself nor his wife has an Income exceeding one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, nor property sufficient to produce such an income; or (b) that he has reached the age of sixty years, and that neither he nor his wife is receiving an annua) Income of seventy-five dollars from any source, nor poss"ssed of property sufficient to produce such an Income. (11) If a woman: 1st. That she is the widow of a man who was a bona fide soldier or sailor in the service of the States or of the Confederate States in the War Retween the States; and o _? rr 1 i -1 1 Jtl. 1 11(11 Hilt? IlrtS* IM V? I I' Mlfll I I'-M, nr. having remarried, is again a widow. SHOOTS HERSELF. Young Woman is Spartanburg Attempts Suicide. Miss Hattie Plumbey, daughter of a prominent farmer in "the upper section of Spartanburg county, attempted suicide late yesterday afternoon by shooting. After milking the cows she entered a closet in her room and closing the door behind her placed a pistol at her left breast and fired, the ball passing near her heart and shattering her shoulder. The arm had to be amputated at the shoulder. It Is thought she will die. The only explanation she offered was Mhat she wanted to kill herself. * - - BLOW AT THE SOUTH BA(iGING AM) T1RS TAXED BY REPUBLICANS. Senators Bailey and Aldrirh Lick Horns in a Short IMmle on Tariff. The consideration of the duty on gas retors In the Senate Thursday caused nu oratorical explosion. The committee on finance had increased the rates on these articles from $3 as provided In the house bill to 30 per cent ad valorem, the new duty being; on large retorts three times the amount levied by the house bill and the present law. This course was denounced by Mr. Bailey as evidence of failure on the part of the Rcpuidlcan party to keep faith with the people in their demand for a revision of the tariff downward. Mr. Bailey rend from President Tnft's inaugural address to show that, he had favored lower duties and Mr. Aldrich responded that the pending bill proposed to fulfill that pledge absolutely. "I have heard It said," added Mr. Bailey, "that the present administration aims as one of its chief accomplishments to disrupt the solid South, and it Is endeavoring to accomplish that result by flattering the w?ak men among us in the South by conceding to them an invitation to the White House or by giving them a portion of the patronago of the country. "The president wastes his time and wastes Iris breath when he gives heed to those men who tell him that they can disrupt the South.' he said. "Theiv is in the South today, as there was before the war, a sentiment that is not Democratic. In the olden times they were Whigs and in this May they are Republicans. But some of them are asham- ( ?d of their associates down there.' Mr. Bailey said he deprecated the effort of th^ Republican party to ivin the South by appealing to selfish ntereafs. "At the same time." he 1 ri. "thi Irill is full of sectional dtscriminaions The farmer's binding twine is 1 dared on the free list, hnt In this .*ery same bill tlio nagging of the 1 'otton planter is highly protected. 1 That costs the cotton planter of the ' 3nuth yearly more than % 1.250,000. ' tnd that burden should be lifted ' from his shoulders, even If every ' 'actor.v of the cotton bagging trust 1 should be compelled to close. If you * svant to find a way to the hearts of 1 mr people of the South, do not 1 rent them unjustly." Senator McT.aurin, declaring that ' he duty on cotton ties is extortion 1 >n the cotton farmers and is not a ' arlff for revenue, announced his in- ( ention of offering an amendment to ' place cotton ties on the free list. ' Despite the contention of so-called 1 experts, said, the duty adds 50 1 *ents a hate to the cost of bagging < ind tying cotton, which he said is < i tax on the cotton farmer who re- i elves no protection on his product. i TOKNAIM) SWKMI'S OHIO. . I Death and Hutu in Wake of TerI rible Storm. Probably four deaths, scores of persons injured and hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of damage marked the path of a tornado, which passed across the northern part of Ohio at noon Wednesday. The storm consumed only five minutes In passing a given point, hut during that brief period it. was as dark as night, hail battered In windows, lightning set fire to hundreds of building*, one-fifth of an Inch of rain foil, and tho wind, which reached a velocity of sixty-six miles an hour, razed buildings and chimneys, tore off roofs, laid low many telegraph and telephone lines and demolished traffic upon the steam and electric railawys. Tn neighboring towns considerable damage was done. Ton dwellings were reported to have been blown to the ground in the southwestern part of the city. Many homes were burned, as the fire department could not attend to all of the calls. An unidentified young woman is reported to have been thrown into a pond at Wade Park by the force of the wind and drowned. Three men are reported to have been killed by falling walls in tho flats. St. Rtanisians Catholic Church was demolished. Tho loss there was upwards of $ 1 00,000. KINGS COME IIIGIf. Alfonso Kece'ves Sixteen Times as Much as Taft. A recent compylcatlon of the moneys paid to the members of the royal families of Spain, Including the King, shows that Tlis Majesty receives a salary more than sixteen times great r than that given the President of the United States. The total of $1,540,533 paid by Spain to it* royalty annually Is divided as follows: King Alfonso, $1,211,058; Queen Victoria, $77,802; Prince of the Austrlas, the twoyear-old heir to the throne, $86,547; Infants Maria Teresa, sister *>f the J King. $25,064; Tnfant Isabel, aunt, $43,273; Infant Pas. aunt. $25,964, Infanta Kulalia, aunt, $25,961, and the Queen, mothor, $43,273. NEGRO FAILS To Establish Successful Government in Liberia AFTER GIVEN START Tlic Government Founded Over In Africa by the United States for the Advancement of the Negro Falls Hopelessly Flut and Must He Taken In Charge. Shouldering one more task of the White Man's burden, the United States government will send thre? commissioners to Liberia next Saturday with the object of ascertaining by what means and in what manner the little Mark republic on the west rn:ii;? * ?-- ? - w. .n.iiv.it can no maintained In her independence and the country as a nation improved generally In the administration of its government, the development of its natural wealth and the elevation of Its citizenship. The task is assumed by this government primarily for the reason that Liberia was established and set in motion as a independent republic by the United States because of Congressional acts almost a century ago. affecting the slave trade and negro Immigration to Africa at the instance of American colonization societ ies. The commission will leave on the new scout cruise squadron made up of the Birmingham, Chester and Salem recently placed in commission and is expected to make the trip to Monrovia, the capital and sea port >f Liberia bv way of the Azore Islands. The commission Is scheduled to remain in Africa about six or eight weeks during which time thev will confer with all the Liherian government officials, foreign ropre-i. utntives and residents and inquire into any and every thing which might assist them in formulating a comprehensive report to their homo government. The present step of the American government is viewed with the utmost satisfaction by both Great Britain and France who have possessions ?n either side of Liberia, as they believe they at last see an end of the order disorders and the unsatisfaeory condition generally which have >xisted In the republic for some years last. To Great Britain especially is no appointment of the commiHsion iceeptable because it will undoubtedy relieve her of taking possible drasic action in collecting the bonded ndebtedness which a number of her dtizens have coming to them from he Llberlan government. Probably lie only world power which might find some cause for dissatisfaction in Sermany. Tills country practically controls the foreign trade of Liberia, iwns a perfect rubber monopoly and runs things commercially just about is she desires. A great deal has been written and oiid about Liberia since the passage r>f the act by Congress in the early part of March providing for the appointim nt of the commission and the appropriation of $20,000 to carry on its work a' the instance of former secretary Root, and especially has this been true of the country's natural mineral wealth and the vast and valuable agricultural opportunities. both neglected by the inhabitants primarily through sheer laziness and secondary because of the lack of capital. So rich was Liberia been said to he by those who are in a position to speak intelligently, that It Is ostimat d tho country could support a population of 2rt.000.00rt persons and .at the same time sustain a very large export trade In coffee, tobacco, cocoa, rubber, palm oil, palm kernels, passave, mahogany, canwood and other tropical products. At the present time Liberia has a population of about 1,700.000 persons of which not more than 20,000 can be truly said to be cvilized, her foreign trade hovers about $200,000 annually, but about which there is no absolute certainty and the administration of her officials about the weakest, most incapable and Irresponsible imaginable. Reports from the seventy odd white persons in the country, including a number of missionaries, confirm tlio statements pf the absolute incompetency of the courts, their corruption, the corruption of the legislative branches of the government, the eustnm Aniriaio nnft tbe chronic dread of work from rtno end of the land to the other. The schools, or rather the few institutions which bear that name are the worst, possible excuses for places of learning and the moral iders of the inhabitants seem to be sinking to a lower and lower ebb year by year until In some localities they are not far removed from those of the aborigines with whom many of the Llberlans have Inter-marrled. A comparison of Liberia with the rirltish colony of Sierra Leone and the French I very coast colony, Its neighbors, is really pathetic because of their vast superiority in every respect, even though Liberia possesses the richest territory of teh three, and is the source of humiliation to the small number of men in the republic who seem to be struggling almost against fate to hold the country together within bounds of the world powers" approval.