LUMBER TRUST
Congressman Smith Warns Against It
In Making Report on Snkject
A SUMMARY OF REPORT
He Says He Finds Concentration of
Control of Stuniliiii! Timlwr in
Very Few Hands and He Finds
Speculative Holding Far in Advance
of Any Fse Thereof.
Concentration of the control of
fne standing timber in ?a very few
hands, vasts speculative holdings
"tar in advance of any use thereof,"
an enormous increase in the value
of "tins diminishing natural re
source, with great profits to its owners,"
and incident ly "and equally
sinister land monopoly," and "closely
connected railroad domination"
?these are the findings reported to
President Taft, by Herbert Knox
Smith, commissioner of corporations,
in tile first instalment of his long
awaited report on the lumber industry
of tlie country.
The report was made public. . . .
when submitted to Congress by
the President. It constituted the
"first comprehensive and methodical
Investigation of the amount of and
ownership of our standing timber."
The report itself comprises .18 prited
pages, hut a summary of its contents
is contained in a letter submitted
by Mr. Smith.
"There are many great combinations
in other industries," says the
commissioner, "whose formation is
complete. In the lumber it 'ustry.
on the other hand, the bur<- u now
finds in t lie making a combination
caused fundamentally, by a
long standing public policy
"In the last forty years oneentration
has so proceeded that lf>5
holders, many interrelated, now have
practically one-half the privately
owned timber in the investigation
area, (which contains SO per cent
of the whole.) This formidable
process of concentration, in timber
and in land, involves grave future
possibilities of impregnant monopoly,
with far-reaching consequences
to sooiety, it is now difficult to an
ticipate fully or to overestimate
"The foremost facts shown ate:
First, the concentration of a dominating
control of our standing timber
in a comparatively few enormous
holdings, steadily tending towards
a central control of the lumber
Industry; secondly, vast holding
of timber land far in advance of
any use thereof; third, an enormous
increase in the value of this diminishing
natural resource, with great
profits to its owners. This value,
by the very nature of standing timber.
the holder neither created nor
substantially enhances.
"These are the underlying facts of
tremendous service to the public
welfare. They are primarily the results
of our public land policy, long
continued. The laws that represent
that policy are still largoly opera
tive. The past history and present
status of our standing timber drlvi
home upon us the imperative necessity
of revising our public policy tor
future management of all our remaining
natural resources."
Tito commissioner then traces the
interval during which timber land
passed front Government to private
ownership.
"There is now left," he continues,
"in Continental United States about
2,"200 billion board feet of private y
owned standing timber, of whh h
1.747 billion is in the 'investigation
nrea" covered in great detail by tin
bureau. This area includes ihe Pacific
Northwest, the Southern p'ne
region and the Lake States, and contains
about 80 per cent of all the
private timber of the country. In
addition, there are about 539 billion
feet in the national forests and
about 90 billion feet on other various
private lands. Thus, the total
amount of standing timber in Continental
United States is about
2,800 billion board feet.
The present annual drain upon
the supply of saw timber is about
f?0 billion feet. At this rate the
timber now standing, without allowance
for growth or decay, would last
only about 55 years.
"The present commercial value of
privately owned standing timber in
the country, not including the val le
of the land, is estimated at six bll- |
lion dollars. Ultimately, the consumer
will have to pay higher prices
for lumber, which will give this
timber a far greater value."
The commissioner declares the
holdings of the Weierhaires Timber
Company, the Southern and Northern
Pacific Companies, together, are
238 Wilton feet, or nearly 11 per
cent of all the privately owned timber
of the country.
"In the Southern pine recion,"'
said the report, in taking up the
discrlptlon of timber land, "there
nro 62 4 billion feet of privately
owned timber. Concentration in total
timber is much less than in the
PactSc Northwest. There is, however,
a high concentration in the
more valuable species, yellow pine
and cypress. Sixty-seven holders own
30 per cent of the long leaf yellow
pine, 29 per cent of all the cypress,
19 per cent of the short leaf and
PENSION FRAUDES
THE LEGISLATURE HAS 11E EN
ASKED TO TAKE ACTION.
The Veteran's Hill Will ReincMly tlie
Matter, and They Are Deeply In
terested in the Mcusurc.
Charging fraud in the pension
system of the State. Gen. C. Irvine
Walker of Charleston has made the
following statement:
"There is a very deep interest
among the Confederate veterans
here as to the linal outcome of a bill
now before the legislature, to amend
the pension laws of the State, so as
to stop the stupendous frauds which
at present exist. The movement
started in Camp Sumter and was
taken up most earnestly by Gen. B.
II. Teague, commanding the South
Carolina division veterans, and representing
the veterans of the entire
State. Gen. Teague had presented
to the senate and house a hill, which
the veterans thought would correct
or check the evil.
"The veterans have evidence of
such general fraud in the giving of
pensions to those not entitled to receive
the same, that it prevents trie
worthy veterans and widows of such
from receiving all that the State
generously awards them. The
worthy should receive $:?<"> per annum.
but the appropriation is
grabbed up by so many unworthy
that the worthy received in 1010
only $20. Little more than half!
"The veterans sent a representat
i VP to Pnlinn)?ln 1 /a 1 ?
before the legislature. Hp appeared
before (lie finance committee of the
senate and the military committee
of the house, and both committees,
after careful consideration, made
unanimously favorable reports. This
shows that these influential committees
were convinced by the veterans
showing that the great evil existed,
and were satisfied with the remedy
which the veterans suggested in
their bill.
"The veterans have laid bare the
horrible conditions existing, shown
the frauds being annually perpetrated
upon the worthy veterans and
upon the State, and if the legislature
does not act, it must answer for a
continuance of the evils to the people,
whose money is being misappropriated
and criminally wasted. The
bill provides an immediate remedy
which will check a large amount of
fraud this year and eventually purge
the rolls of the unworthy.
"The best informed veterans thin*
that there ought not to be more than
2.000 soldier pensioners, while the
(tension roll of 1910 shows 4,886!
Tho United Confederate veterans
think that they had enrolled considerably
more than half the survivors
of the Host Cause in the State. Last
year the State division had on its
rolls 2,39.". The pension roll of
4,886 soldiers is more than double
the number of comrades in United
Confederate camps! Nothing can
more clearly demonstrate the utter
absurdity?if not fraud?of the pen
slon roll!
"The veterans have exposed the
fraud and feel that It Is now up to
the legislature to remove the stigma
and save the State money. It Is sincerely
hoped that it will not adjourn
without taking the desired action."
Killed for Mistake.
Asking Mrs. Port Pond if he might
see her after the show cost Karl J.
Kobe, of Canton. O., his life In Union
City, Ind. The remark was overheat.!
by the young woman's father
and a fight followed. Pefore he
died Robe said he mistook Mrs.
Pond for some one else. The girl's
father surrendered.
After a man has passed aO he
sometimes falls in love with his wife
again.
loblolly pine, and 11 per cent of the
hardwood."
Coming to the effects of this, the
commissioner says: "Such concentration
in standing timber, if permitted
to continue and increase,
make probable a final central control
of the whole lumber industry.
A few strong interests ultimately
holding the bulk of the timber, can
set the price of timber and its products.
"Certain further farts, not exactly
measurable, increase still more
the real concentration. First, a
further interweaving of Interests,
corporate and personal, connects a
great many holdings which the bureau
has treated as separate. Second,
the very large totals of timber
so scattered in small tracts through
larger holdings that they are substantially
'blocked in' or 'controlled'
by the large holders; third, the concentration
is much larger in the valuable
species.
"The largest holders are cutting
little of this timber. They thus reservo
to themselves incalculable
protits, which are still to accrue with
further increase in value. Standing
timber is not the only question.
When the timber has been cut the
land remains. There has been created,
therefore, not only the framework
of an enormous timber monopoly.
but also an equally sinister
land discrimination, involving also
a great wealth in minerals."
SWINDLING THK NEGROES.
Bible With Angels Iloprwontinn C?lor?*d
Race Sold.
A queer story coines from Rome,
Ga., whore some smooth rascals are
gulling foolish country negroes by
selling them at outrageous prices a
Bible- in which the picture of all
, angels, the Savior and Bible characters
generally have been artfully
colored to represent the African
race. It is said these sharpers are
working in other parts of the state
also, and, unless the negroes are
placed on guard, hundreds will be
gulled.
The Bible Is said to be a cheap
one. worth about $1. The pictures
in some cases have been pasted In
anil colored to make all ih f .mtni-o
represented black. These Bibles arc
sold for $2 down and a baiance of
$8 in installments. The sharpersdeclare
that histories have been discovered
to show that the entire human
race was originally black, and
this true Bible has been quietly
printed and sold only to negroes in
order to establish the truth.
It is said many of them have been
sold to ignorant and easily duped
negroes, who seem to believe the
silly story told by the rascals who
are selling this fake Bible. No
doubt these rascals in time will
reach this section anil attempt to
swindle our negroes. When they
come they ought to be arrested and
locked up, as they are nothing but
the meanest kind of swindlers. Look
out for them.
TILLMAN I OK UMtlMLIL
Says ll?? Was Converted by the Speech
of Bailey.
An echo, from Senator aBilev's
speech in defense of Lorimer in the
1'nited States senate was sounded
Friday by Senator Tillman, when
that veteran declared that he would
not vote to unseat the lllinoisan or
to declare his sent vacant.
"A wek ago I would have called
the man a liar who said that I would
e\or vote for Lorimer," said Senator
Tillman to The Atlanta Journal correspondent.
"1 was bitter a -ainst
hint and had Intended to help expel
him from the senate, but after
hearing Bailey's speech and studying
the record more carefully, 1 have
decided that I shall not vote to unseat
him. I think it has been demonstrated
clearly that Lorimer had
nothing to do with any bribery, if
bribery existed.
"Senator Bailey's speech was a
magnificent effort, and its effect has
been tremendous. He riddled the
arguments of the men who have been
fighting I.orimer. and presented the
evidence In na light that leaves no
question in my mind as to my
course."
curing i no delivery or Bailey's
speech Senator Tillman was anions?
several senators who openly wept.
Several times he used his handkerchief
to wipe away the tears that
(lowed down his cheeks.
WHITE CITIZEN AHKKSTEI).
Sensation Sprung in the Ijnnyforil
Murder Case.
A dispatch from Branson says a
sensational feature in the Bangforo
murder case developed Wednesday
when a warrant was issued for L. B.
Tuten. a prominent citizen of that
place, charging him with the alleged
crime. On November 20. last
the body of J. B. Langford, a prominent
merchant and citizen of Branson,
war found some distance otT
the public road, between there and
his saw mill, about half a mile from
Branson. The discovery was made
bv a searching party, after his unaccounted
for absence from both his
home and mill for about 12 hours.
Foul play was indicated and, upon
the statement of a voting white woman,
that she saw the fatal blow
struck. Richie Williams, h negro,
was arrested, charged with the killing,
and hurried to the Penitentiary
to prevent threatened violence. *
Victim of Hot Supper.
At a negro dance v few nights ago.
near Tirznh, Will Burnett, a ne?ro,
was shot and killed hy Sam Fewell,
also a negro. Trouble arouse about
a woman, and Ilarnett and fleo. Webb
were fighting when Fewell tired the
fatal shot. Webb went to Yorkville
and told the officers that "There
was a dead nigger out there." They
went to the place and found him.
we can legislate. If applied, it will
be proven to be the correction rule,
the rule for all of us."
Fire at I^iuiar.
one or tne most destructuve fires
that ever visited Lamar occurred
Wednesday night when twenty buildings
were burned. The fire originated
in na barber shop, supposedly
from a defective flue, and before the
flames could Ik? cheeked several
nearby buildings caught and the fire
gained such a headway it was impossible
to do anything towards stopping
it.
(lives I p tlie Fight.
Sam Wylie, sixty-two years oi l,
committed suicide Wednesda> a' the
home of his brother in-law in the
Wellrldee section of Chbst < county J
He was unmarried. *
I
A man's table manners may de-'
pond on the layout before him.
KILLED BY REGULARS
MEXICAN SOIjDIEKS CJV1LTY OF
BRUTAL Ml'RDKR.
Four ()I<1 Men Were Shot to Dentil
unil Rebels Wante<l to Kill Soldier
Found Wounded.
ii a ict-eui ukiii near .Milium,
Mexico, between federals and the insurrectos
under General Ortega, ii>
vvhicli the former were rorced to retreat,
an Associated Press correspondent
was with the insurrectos. Thi
bodies of the four old non-com hutants
whose deaths are laid to the
federals were found in a farm house
near Mulata.
They were Eucevio de La Cruz.
Cruz Samaneijo, Decederio Garrusco
and Matias Carrasco. One of the
men was 00 years old, another was
blind and another a cripple. Alt
were white haired. Next morning
the insurrectos found these old men
with their hands tied behind their
hacks lying riddled with bullets. On"
was slashed across the face by a
sabre.
Several Americans viewed the bodies.
photos were taken and several
d ned an affidavit describing the in
cident. This sworn statement will
be sent to Washington.
A dramatic incident followed the
discovery of the four murdered men.
A government soldier had been
found lying wounded in the field,
lie had been cared for ami fed.
When the murdered men were found
several insurrectos made a rush for
the plaza in Mulata to get revenge
by killing this wounded soldier, in
the crowd was a son and a nephew
i?T ono of the aged martyrs.
Like crazy men they ran yelling
into tho plaza and dragged the soldier
into the street. Many argued
against him. hnt others maddened
by fie sight of the hntehered old
men drew their pistols and declan d
they would kill any men that tried
to stop them. At that moment Or
tego. the Insurrecto commander, rode
into the plaza and called a halt.
"My children," he said. "I have
had a home laid In ruins and a wif<
and hahies driven naked and starving
into the hills, and 1 am not
ready to kill an unarmed wounded
man."
The race faded from the eyes of
the crowd and only one, the son.
stepped forward to take the soldier's
life. Ortega drew his pistol. "It
would break my heart to have to kill
a comrade," he said, "but we shall
not be murderers."
The wounded soldier was picked
up, mumbling his praises in terror,
and removed to a shanty.
In the two days' battle the federals
lost ten to twenty men and the
pronundados lost one man killed
and one wounded. The dead man.
Hilarlo Sanchez, was shot while battering
in the door of a house with
the Scotchman, F. S. McC'ombs, to
get at a squad of soldiers.
Fatally Wounded.
Upon entering a room in Greenville
Wednesday to arrest G. W. Stoneey
pher. who had been raising a disturbance
in a drunken spree. Thomas J
Curoton, familiarly known as "Uucle
Tommy," a 70-year-old policem.au
and the oldest man in point of service
on the Greenville police force,
was shot in the head by Stonecypher
and fatallv wounded.
Line Wreck.
George Wym, a negro porter, was
instantly killed. Engineer M. Milford
and Fireman Daley Robinson
were slightly injured, and C. D. Talley,
a mail clerk, was painfully injured
when a box car crashed into
an Atlantic Toast Line accommodu
tion train Friday night at Waterford,
Ala. *
Storm in New York
One death and fifteen Injuries
frotn the snow and sleet storm which
has been raging over New York for
the past twenty-four hours. A young
woman, crossing Fifth avenue, in the
blinding storm, was killed by an automobile.
The list of injured showed
eight broken arms nnd three brok- n
legs.
Stockmen Murdered.
Advices from Superintendent of
State Police J. 1'. Donnelly and the
sheriff of Washoe county, Nevada,
state that the bodies of the four
stockmen murdered near Camp Dento
had hen recovered. All were horribly
mutlliated. They agree it was
the work of a band of Indians. *
llorsc Killed by n Itonr.
Near Aiken the other day a lioise
was attacked and killed by a boar
belonging to W. Rothrock. The hog
was in a pasture near Aiken. Will
Taylor had driven into the pasture
to look at some cattle, leaving his
horse hitched. The boar attacked
the horse, disemboweling it. *
t ut Off Her Hair.
"Have you got a piece of pie to
spare?" asked n tramp Friday niornIng
when Mrs M. C. lsrist answered
a knock at the door at Hyersville.
Ohio. She told him to step into the
kitchen. There, while her back was
turned, the tramp knocked her down
and cut off her hair.
STIMCKKN CHIXESK IIISTIUCTS.
President Asks ltelief fur Famine
Sufferers.
President Taft Issued the following
proclamation Wednesday for
funds to aid the famine sufferers in
China:
"As president of the American
Ked Cross I appeal to the people of
this country to aid the mifnrtiin.-ui.
multitudes who ure dying of starvation
because of famine in China
either by money contributions which
should bo sent to the l^cal lied
Cross treasurers or the Red Cross.
Washington, IV C., or by assisting
in raising a cargo of flour and oth r
-nitable supplies to be sent to those
people. Con-rcss lias granted tinuse
of an army transport to the
Rel Cross for this purpose. Tin
Seattle Commercial Club of Seattle.
Washington, is co-operating with
he Red Cross and will act as receiving
and forwarding agent for all
supplies. 1 trust that our peopc
will respond generously and that the
'ransportation lines will aid In tin
delivery at Seattle.
(Signed) "William IT. Taft.
IIIS 1,1 KK Cltl SIIM1) OCT.
?
I. Edgar Shumate Pies of Horrible
Injuries at I Vl/er.
Mr. .T. Edgar Shumate. night superintendent
of the Moneynick Oil
Mill, at PelJter. was horribly crushed
in the fly wheel rf the mill at 1
o'clock Wednesday morning, and at
9: flu o'clock Thursday he succumbed
to the injuries. Fire was discovered
in the engine room and young Shu
mate went down in the fly whet' pit
to throw the large driving belt oil
Hie wheel, to save it from the llano He
stepped on the fly wheel, when
the machinery was unexpectedly
started, and he was caught in the
wheel and crushed. Shumate was
removed immediately to his room .it
the Pad get Motel and medical aid
was summoned from Vnderson.
I.nve's Young Prcaui.
Sighing like a furnace,
Over ears in love.
Mind In adoration
Of his ladle's glove;
Thinks no girl was ever
Quite so sweet as she.
Tells you she's an angel,
Expects you to agree.
Moping and repining,
C.looinv and morose.
Asks the price of poison,
Thinks he'll take a dose;
Women are so tickle,
Love is all a sham.
Marriage is a failure,
Life a broken dan..
Whistling, blithe and cheerful.
Now he's bright and gay.
Dancing, laughing, singing.
All the livelong day;
Full of fun and frolic,
Caueht in fashion's whirl,
Thinks no more of poison,
Lot another girl. ?lilts.
WAILINO OX MAIIMIALL ISLES.
CTuel Decree Makes All "Heuuties
Shear Their Tresses.
A cruel decree was nrnmnlcntoii
by Chief Lnt, who succeeded Chief
Kabun, of the Marshall Islands, two
months ago. Every native woman
was ordered to shear her tresses.
There was weeping and wailing, of
course, for even in the South se.is
the women know a crown of glory
when it flufTs lightly on their shoulders.
Rut they till obeyed the order,
and when the schooner Triian left
.Taluit the dusky beauties of that
place were nil wearing their hair
dosely cropped. The order was
obeyed in all the islands. The shorn
tresses were delivered to the head
man of each village and by him
burned.
Weary of l.ife.
At Columbus, (5a., J. \V. \Veav< r.
aged ." ! years, committed suicide 1>\
shooting himself in the temple with
a pistol. He was discovered by bis
daughter lying in a pool of blood at
the family residence on East Highland
street. Ill health Is said to have
been the cause of the deed.
Stock to the Job.
Two hens were found sitting on
their eggs in the midst of the debris
after a fire had destroyed a chicken
house in Ixis Angeles. Cal. The flro
men had been pouring water into the
rums iinn were rearing down what
was left of the chicken house when
the hens were found. *
They Wore l ights.
Surrounded hy her company, in
the tights they wore at Miner's
Eighth Avenue Theatre in New York
Friday night, May Hadeley, leading
woman of the Star Show C.irls, was
married to Edwin I.. Flester. a tenor
singer with the Rose Sydell Burlesque .
Don't Make Much.
M>-n workers in Japanese cotton
mills earn on the average 23 cents a
day, the women 16 cents and the
children from 8 to 10 cents. *
The doctor who speaks but one
language may understand many
tongues.
Repentance makes restitution; remorse
is sorry, but keeps the goods.
CANT SEE JOKE I
Champ Clark Stirred Up Most Uotiprcted
Trouble.
BY JOCULAR REMARK 1
rile President Also Tnkts the Matter x
Serionslj and Thinks li \crcssiivy
t?? Issue Denial of llu* lloporunl
Octupus Ik^ipiN of the l nitetl I
States and Canada.
The semi-jocular remarks which
Champ Clark, the Democratic speaker-to-i>e.
made in the house during
the debale on. the Canadian reciprocity
to the effect tii.it he believed
the Stars and Stripes would one <1 ty
tloat over tlte entire Western hemisphere.
stirred up most unexpected I
troulde on Wednesday.
President Tuft took occasion to
write to Representative MeC:?ll. introducer
of the reciprocity hill, a
letter disclaiming and deprecating
the annexation talk, and to follow it.
up with personal remarks, even
more emphatic to his visitors. Tho
letter of President Tuft, to Mr. Mr"all
s;iv s in part:
"This agr -ement. if i.t becomes a
law. lias no political significance. No
thought of future politic al annexation
or union was in the mind of tho
negotiators on either side. Canada
Is now and will remain a political
unit.**
The president lias made it known
that he would like to have it under- J
st *od throughout the world that his
administration had no thought wliatver
of annexation when tl > resiprofit.\*
agreement was arranged fl
The news that Mr. Clark's niln?
doas had created excitement in Can-*
ada and in Knelat 1 <>. ^'oned
great surprise arid considerable H
; usemont at the cupitoi. The man
Most surprised of all was Mr. Clark
V
I ! declared Wednesd y that he I
expressed his own individual opinion
and declared that he stan ' pat on 1
liis speech. Mr. Clark's entire speech
on reciprocity was delivered In a
half-humorous, half-taunting vein. I
The house was in a sale of laughter M
most of the time.
In return for the laughs he was ^
creating at their expense, some of
the Republicans tried to turn the
tables on Mr. Clark by chiding him
with the fact that he might have
President Taft as an opponent for
tlie Democratic nomination.
This humorous exchange reflected
the spirit of the debate during the " ^
entire time. Mr. Clark was m his
feet, and no one gave serious consideration
to his remarks regardin*
the possible annexation of Canada
at some distant time.
There was a further touch of
facetiotisncss to the debate when
one of the Republicans asked Mr.
Clark if be would like to l>e tbo
first president of tbe magnificent
Union lie was creating and ho replied.
amid bursts of laughter, that
he certainly would.
Friends of the reciprocity measure
were inclined to take the view
that opponents of tie- agreement had
simply seized on what was regarded
here as an entirely personal and
harmless statement to ma' e capital
against the ratification of the agreement.
Ottawa is >nnoye?l.
A dispatch from Ottawa, Ontario,
aiiv* mere was consummate interest
:i ml so mo irritation there Wednesday
over Champ Clark's speech. In
which lie said that the reciprocity
agreement was the first step toward
annexation.
At the oncning of session of the
house. Col. Stain Hughes read a
newspaper abstract or the speech and
asked if it was a fair statement of
the \merican attitude and !f so ln H'ired
if the Canadian government
leaders were prepared to withdraw
from the reciprocity agreement.
Sir Wilfred l.aurler'K renly was
nonconimital. He said that the government
had no information on the
subject; that the Canadian government
had announced its policy and
would not change it until it had
more information.
Kll.l. TOKltKVS l.\M> llll.U
House Adopted the Minority Iteport
o nAsliley's Motion.
The Torrens land system will not
ho Investigated by a commission. Mr.
Ashley got his dander up when this
hill came from the free conference
committee with a majority and a ml
nority report. The senate adopted
the majority report that a commission
be appointed to set information
for the legislature to act upon next
year. The minority recommended
that the judiciary committee supply
tills information without cost. The
house on Mr. Ashley's motion Adopt' '
ed the minority report and thereby
killed the hill. This hill had tho
endorsement of the Farmers' I'nion,
who requested its passage. *
Indian Cotton Crop.
A Calt utta dispatch says the final
forecast of the Indian cotton . rop
for 10in-ll places the yield at seven
per cent below that of the preceding
year.