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ESTABLISHED IN 181 r$MEf I* .NOW DOING ITS REGULAR ROUtfNC BUSINESS OF THE THE WORK OF BOTH HOUSES GOvfceBtr Stftdinfl Many W essages to EfW^RatHouse.?Bills That Have . B?if Raseed and Also Many New | One* Given. I ; ?mM??*? * C?lumbia.-rBy a ?pecial message, Governor Blease transmitted to the General Assembly copies of the re port <*f JBiease SlHle UlB|WUMiJ j I eoniBltatoa, consisting originally of Mean*. Jataes Stackhouse. chairman; <ra. v?M #iy. secretary; J. V. Walfl** Fre<{ H. Dominlck and Thos. F. Brantley. Mr. E. M. Thomson was later wsads secretary, vice Mr. Kelly, ^H The report covers 61 printed pages. A; iiOber of matters In connection H with fh? old state dispensary and r IMP llBilre. of more recent date, art reported upon. TPe committee held its first meet | lag. Howard B. Carlisle, of Spartanburp'. ^00 elected chairman of the in,veefi8oting committee, and J. J. Evans HI | of fUrlbcifc, secretary. The meeting H j" of fho committee was simply for the purpooc of organization. No action " w&4 tikea other than the election cf 1 <.? ?? i I '}f' The Senate. The senate closed the calendar of E a large number of uncontested matters, held a long debate on the depSrftEhyft1* of agriculture, killing the bi^l which proposed to abolish the department; listened to an address by Judge Alton B. Farker, of New York; Sa*d heard a long message from the governor relative to the controversy wjlth certain Northern papers on the kprftlng of Columbia. The principal feature up was the disunion of the amendment to the constitution providing for biennial erosions of the legislature, which was ^astponed. Another bill of importance WM the bill regulating marriage licenses end their issuance, which *as killed after some discussions. A message was received from the governor stating that the report of his dispensary winding-up committee ' was compiled and attached to hitmessage. The .instruction of new bills was the first order of business in the senate. * A .message was received from the governor, informing the senata that the report of the dispensary windingup commission had bc.?n compiled with end was attached. Both were received as information. The report of Ithe commission was printed in book form and distributed on the desks of the members. Pebale was postponed after third reading bills on Senator Weston's bill to authorize the county board of com""^Bissloners for each county to appropriate finds for public health work. Senator Carlisle's bill to regulate certain Investment companies caused * considerable discussion. Senator Weston's local bill for the incorporation of the town of Eastover was passed and sent to the bouae. The adjourned debate bill providing for additional pensions in the Confedrate home was killed. It was stated that some of the senators debated under a misapprehension; they thought that veterans when they entered the home forfeited ttje right to their pensions. Upon investigation this was found to be incorrect. The bill of the agrciulture commission to provide a uniform standard of weights and measures for the 6tate was passed and sent to the house. New Senate Bills. ~ *. Mr. Sullivan?To amend section 2119 of the code of laws of South Carolina relating to school trustees. Mr. Spivey?To authorize the Conway Coast nnd Western railroad company to sell and transfer all of its rights, properties and franchises to I mprovcm?tu? rwr r aoot uy vi A committee of the Southern Railway Company was at Orangeburg to confer with the railroad committee of the Orangeburg city council in the matter of improvements at the local passenger depot. It has been the effort of city council for some time to get the Southern railway to place umbrella sheds at the local depot, which have not been placed. Other needed improvements have been made, but the umbrella sheds and cemented walk improvements have not been placed. Annual Address of Judge Parker. The annual address to the members of the South Carolina Bar Association was delivered in the hall of the house of representatives by Judge Alton B. Parker, former chief justice of the court of appeals of New York, and on? time candidate for the presidency of the United States on the Democratic ticket. Following the address the annual banquet of the association was held when a number of t toasts were responded to. Several addresses were delivered at the session if the Bar association. Anderson Wants The Veterans. The matter of extending an invitation to the Confederate Veterans to < hold their annual reunion in Anderson < is now being agitated. It has been 1 several years since the veterans were 1 entertained iu reunion in Anderson, t The three chapters of the Daughters ' of the Confederacy have called a i union meeting at which time some- I thing definite in the matter will be < determined upon. Should the chap- I ters decide to a6k the old veterans 1 to come'to Anderson this invitation t will be reinforced. . j t . tm I ' ' k 1 THE u". the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. Mr. Montgomery?To declare void and legal, an election authorizing ihe issuing of bonds in school district No. 36, Marion county. Mr. Montgomery?To declare calid and legal an election authorizing the issuing of bonds in high school district No. 1, Marion county. Mr. Weston?To authorize and empower Columbia Railway. Gas and Electric Company to construct and maintain a dam in and across the Congaree river and Columbia canal Mr. Clifton?To exempt the property of the Tourney hospital of the city of Sumter from taxation. Mr. Wharton?To provide for the building of a line of railway from East Spartanburg to Cedar Springs Institute for the deaf, dumb and blind, and to make an appropriation therefor. The House of Representatives. The governor's message, relating to various historical matters, transmitted to the General Assembly, will not be printed in the house journal, at least until a report is made by the committee on education. The following third reading bills were passed and sent to the senate: Mr. McQueen?T<a amend an act entitled "An act to regulate the manufacture, sale and delivery of commercial fertilizers and to provide penalties and punishment for violation of this act," approved the 3rd of March, 1909, to raise the standard of cottonseed meal. Mr. McKeown ? To provide for weighers of cotton seed. After considerable argument and debate the house killed a Joint resolution offering to provide for the compesnsation of James Henry Rice, Jr.. acting chief game warden, for the fls *--- ?-t if. dIaa cai year i?iu, oy pajmj; iui. $$1,950. During the discussion some of the members argued that this amount had been paid Mr. Rice by the Audubon Society, collected by membership subscriptions taken throughout the state, and the sentiment of the house seemed not in favor of again taxing the people to this extent. By a vote of 62 to 43 a motion to strike out the resolving words of the resolution was carried. The house adopted the report of the judlcliry committee in regard to leaving the appointment of special judges in the hands of the supreme court instead of giving the governor the power to do so. The report was on message No. 17 in which the gov ernor reviews his controversy with the supreme court on the special judge question and asked the house to take action. The report of the judiciary committee. adopted by the house, de Clares that the law in the matter has been clearly defined by the supreme court and thai "the present status should be maintained." The house passed a concurrent ressolution to hold the election of three trustees for the citadel. Mr. W. L. Daniel's bill providing for the enlargement of the work of Clemson college, passed its third reading and went to the senate. The bill was amended to provide that the proposed work might be done by any department of the college. The bill to validate the issue of $28,000 worth of bonds by the town of Kingstree, passed Its third reading and was ordered enrolled. The bill to establish Jasper county passed its third reading and was ordered enrolled. The house refused to assume the responsibility of doing anything to remedy the existing confusion in the school laws of South Carolina for at least csother year. The bill to revise ana aeciare me scnooi law was indefinitely postponed. It represented two years of work on^the part of the committee appointed to draw it. New House Bills. Mr. Turnbull?To amend section 5 of an act entitled "An act to provide for a chief game warden," approved February 25, 1910, by striking out said section and inserting another section in lieu thereof. Chesterfield delegation ? A joint resolution to validate and approve the purchase of a certain lot by the supervisor of Chesterfield and authorize payment for the same. Mr. Davis?To establish a civil and criminal court in the county of Barnewll, to be known as "The civil and criminal court of Barnwell," to aenne me powers ana jurisuiction or the same, and to provide for the conduct of the business theerof. Will Join Aiken in Good Roads Plan. A petition was being circulated in GafTney asking Cherokee's delegation in the General Assembly to prepare ; and have passed a bill similar to the one from Aiken county, which takes the construction and maintenance of public highways out of politics and invests it in the hands of a speial road commission. The petition was numerously signed and it is estimated by those who are pushing it that they will easily be able to secure at least 600 names. This petition is carrying out the wish of a great many people. Talks To Commercial Organization. A. W. McKeand. secretary of the Charleston chamber of commerce, .-.poke to the Spartanburg commercial organization. Hampered by the lack of time. Mr. McKeand quickly got down to facts and made a rousing talk 1 advocating city boosting and advising against making misrepresentation for one's town. He told of his work in Oklahoma City before he went to Charleston and methods adopted there. He reviewed the tre- ! mendous progress that Charleston has recently made. Amateur Operators Interfere. Wireless operators aboard the Clyde Line steamers assert that their j efforts to get into communication with , land stations are greatly hampered by interference on the part of amateur operators. Mr. L. F. Sherwood, wireless operator on the Comanche, ind Mr. J. B. Harrietts, operator od the Iroquis, stated that th tnrieepl | ence on the part of amateurs was getting to be such a nuisance that it would probably become necessary for the government to look into the matter and take some action. LEO FO A SPLENDIO SYSTEM [ COMMISSION FORM OF GOVERNMENT HAS SOME EFFECTIVE RESULTS. THE PEOPLE HAVt, A VOICE ! i A. McP. Hamby, Secretary of Colum- 1 bia Chamber of Commerce Extolled i i Present Government as Democratic and Effective in Theory and Practice ( i Columbia.?"The people feel that they are more effective politically and the commission form of government the best asset of their town," said A. McP. Hamby, secretary-treasurer of the Columbia chamber of commerce, in discussing the beneficial results of Columbia's present form of government. Mr. Hamby praised the magnificent showing that has been made during I the past year, of which the departmental reports give concrete examples of constructive work. He as- i serted that the commission form is the most democratic of all systems of municipal government. The peo- < pie, said he, have a compelling, assertive voice in the administration of their government. "As the chamber of commerce was , in a great measure instrumental in bringing about the commission form of government for Columbia," said Mr. Hamby, "it may not be amiss for me to call attention to a few of the basic principles of such a government which I have gathered from observation and research among the opinions of others who have made the - ' - w? U 19 MAS suDjeci a Biuuj. ivij uujci;i in, 11 |iudsible, to add to the force of the magnificent showing recently made by the annual reports of the several heads of departments of our city gov ernment, which constitute concrete examples of what has actually been done. "The peop'e who live under It," continued he, "with comparatively few exceptions, are generally more content and the general public bene- ( fits, without bonded indebtedness, arc , such that would have never been received, judging from past records." , i Have Gotten A Pardon For Davis. Charleston.?While in Columbia , Alderman John F. O'Rourke obtained of Governor Blease a pardon for Clarence Davis, of Charleston, who was serving a five-year sentence for forgery. Davis was sent up at the age of 17, and has served three years. 1 The family of the young man interceded with Mr. O'Rourke to appeal to the governor in behalf of the boy, ' and being acquainted with the case ' and believing the ?."i8oner had suf- ' fered punishment sufficient, Mr. O'Rourke consented to take the mat 1 ter up. < South Carolina New Enterprises, 1 Columbia.?New enterprises recorded were: Commissioned: Fergu son & Elliott, Inc., Lancaster; general merchandise business; capital stock $5,000. Petitioners: Geo. F. Ferguson and . S. Elliott. Chartered: The Owen Grocery Company, Dillon, 8. C. Capital stock $5,000. W. W. Owen, president; J. W. Smith, secretary and treasurer. Domesticated: South Carolina Power Company, with headquarters at Jersey City, N. J Corn Growers Soon To Meet. Lexington.?The Lexington County Com Growers' Association will wage a strong campaign for the growing ol more and better corn in Lexington county during 1912 than has ever been raised before. The association | will hold its firs-; meeting of the ^ v??r in thp rnnrt hnnsn on Januarv 31, at which time several prizes will be offered the contestants who enter the corn clubs. Chrged With Arson and Murder. Columbia.?Edward Drayton, colored, was committed for arson and also charged with murder growing out of the burning of Tompowsky's store on Calhoun street. The fellow is charged with the fire and responsibility for the death of Gadsden, the negro who was so badly burned in the fire that he died later from his injuries. Train Ditched By Broken Rail Seneca.?A mixed train on the ! Blue Ridge Railway was ditched sev eral days ago by a broken rail about two miles east of Seneca. Four freight cars and the passenger 8 coaches, two in number, carried on 1 the rear were derailed, the track be j ing literally destroyed for about twc i Y hundred yards. No one was injured ' but the passengers were considerabl> ^ jarred. It is thought that a heavilj P loaded Clinchfield coal car broke the i ' light rail. The passenger service ovet v the line was completely tied up. ^ Jones Makes First Formal Statement ' Columbia.?The first formal state- ! 1 ment by former Chief Justice Ira B 1 Jones bearing on his candidacy tor ' governor was issued here. It deals 1 1 with the matter of the appointment of special judges and the conflict be * tween Governor Blease and the Su- ; preme Court, and the former Chief a Justice replies in emphatic and posi- 1 tive terms to the strictures and as persions which Governor Blease a sought to cast upon him and upon the v Supreme Court. The conduct of Mr. ( c Blease is characterized as "lawless," i Are Charged With House Burning. 1 Orangeburg.?Two boys of Holly Rill, Ransom Moorer and Barnwell ' Gross, have been arrested on the serious charge of liouseburning. These two boys, one 11 years and the other 1 10 years of age, were students of the 1 Holly Hill school, and it is charged, J growing tired of school, burned the ' large two-story frame school build- o ing. The burning of the Holly Hill B school house was a great los3 to the n community, but it was thought the fire " was accidental, and arrangements t were being perfected for rbuilding. t RT RT MILL, S. C? THUR FROM THE PALMETTO ImF A Column of News That Has Been Collected and Condensed With Care by the Editor. Charleston.?Instructions were received from the United States engineer's department by Maj. G. P. Howell, in charge of the Charleston district, to prepare at once estimates for a 20-foot channel up the Ashley river as far as the wharf of the Standard plant of the Virginia-CarolinaChemical Company. Beaufort?Charles Anderson, a Swede by birth, and for 27 years in charge of the Parrys Island light house, near Port Royal, died a few days ago. His body was brought up to Beaufort by his assistant. Paul Wright, and interred in the Ever Green cemetery of this city. Mr. Anderson had been in ill health for about nine months. Anderson.?Chief of Police A. N. Fortune has returned from Danlelsville, Gu., where he went for G. T. Stanley, a young white man wanted here for assault and battery with Intent to kill and resisting arrest. It is alleged that Stanley assaulted Police Officer Blackstone when Mr. BlackBtone attempted to arrest him in th's city on the night of December 31. Rock Hill.?The chamber of commerce has sent a formal protest to each member of the York delegation against the passage of the bill, introduced by Mr. McDow. to allow York county to vote on a $75,000 bond issue for a new court house. The resolution speak? of the proposed issue as an "ill advised, unnecessary and reokless expenditure, at an inopportune time." Charleston.?"It is untrue as it is audacious," said Dr. J. Mercier Green, city health officer and secretary of the board of health, in reference to the statement made by Mr. Clarence Ho6kins, in charge of the dairy department of the National Corn Exposition, to the effect that some of the milk delivered in Charleston is a menace to the health of the city. Conway.?There has been much trouble in me uypsy camp on me outskirts of the city for the past several days, which has resulted in the binding over to court of general sessions by Magistrate W. H. Chestnut a number of the Gypsy tribe, the most prominent being Steve and Gregory John, on the charge of grand larceny. Bond in the sum of $.1,000 was asked by the court, and this has been arranged. Newberry?Newberry county boasts a teacher who hns taught thirty-nine full terras in the public schools of that county and is now entering upon her fortieth term. In Mrs. Jane A. Long, Newberry county has a faithful and devoted servant. She was born and reared in Newberry and has spent her life there in teaching in the public schools. Thirty-ninp years of teaching is an unusual record for i woman. Anderson.?Samuel N. Hyde, the roung white man who killed his wife md her father last July and who was sentenced to hang on October 20, bu/ irbich sentence was stayed pending onnan 1 ir\ iKn Cnhrnmo Pniirt PY. ?n appeal iu mo uu|/iviiiv w?<> m ? ? pressed himself as being a little disappointed because the clerk or the supdeme Court failed to send the remit:itur in his case before the January :erm of criminal court adjourned. Florence.?The Hon. David R. Coker >f Hartsville visited Florence for the purpose of addressing the farmmers ind others interested on "the advantages which will come to the farmers f they put rational methods into growing cotton," and he wa3 greeted )y a large and most representative tudience of the very people that he wished to talk to, the farmers and hose interested in the subject above nentioned. Columbia.?Following (the hearing )n the Charleston commission form )f government before the judiciary committee this afternoon .Mayor Grace ind Mr. W. B. Wilbur had a renewal )f their wordy differences in the lob>y of the state house which created lomething of a stir among the specators. The maycr informed Mr. Wil)ur that if he was in Charleston he vould slap his face and bystanders cept the two apart. Spartanburg. ? The Spartanburg bounty Medical Society, at its annual neeting elected the following officers: 'resident, Dr. A. D. Cudd; vice-presilent, Dr. W. H. Chapman secretary, )r. Rosa Gantt: delegate tj state aslociation. Dr. W. W. Boyd; sencor, )r. X. It. Norman. Charleston.?Jockey Albert Burton ias killed at Palmetto track, through he falling of his horse. McAndrews. The horse stepped into a bole in the oft track in trying to avoid a stunting horse in front, and the jockey vas thrown to the track, striking on lis head, fracturing his sull. Saluda.?There was a meeting held n the court house in this town on Tuedny at 10:30 o'clock a. m., for he purpose of thoroughly organizing lie Boys' corn club work of the couny for the present year. Columbia.?The annual report of )r. M. W. Twitehell, state geologist, ias been forwarded to the governor nd in now in printed form. It is in hree parts, the first being the adminstrative report, outlining the work ccomplished thus far. the manner of forking and the various branches overed by the office and the probems which are yet to be faced. Walhalia.?One more landmark is assing away. The old building that tas been standing on the corner of Jain and College streets is being torn own and hauled away. ; Newberry.?A good deal of cotton is been brought to town within the ist three days, since the roads have en improved by dragging. Between 0 and 250 bales were sold here on .e day on the basis of ten cents for od middling. Six bales cf good t'ddling brought 10 1-3. The use of it? King split-log drag for the past hree days in this county has improvd the roads wonderfully MIU SDAY, FE3RUARY 1, 1912. I MONEY FOR PUBLIC BUILDINGS * OR WARSHIPS AT THIS SESSION DF CONGRESS-REACH DECIS- t PN AFTER HOT DEBATE. ( ECONOMY THE WATCHWORD | The Saving From This Action Will tmount to $40,000,000?The Battleship Matter Was Forced By Mem- ' Oers Who Were Piqued by Defeat. t . I Washington.?There will be no appropriations for battleships or public buildings at this session of Congress. This was the decision of the Democrats of the House after a spirited caucus. Elimination of a battleship ap- , propriation was a surprise, the caucus t having been called for the purpose of . considering a $16,000,000 public building bill recommended by the commit- , tee on public buildings and grounds, ' Representative Bennett of Alabama ( offered an amendment to a resolution ( to dispense with the public buildings ^ bill that no battleship appropriation ( be reported to the House. Representative Hobson of Alabama headed a bitter attack cn the amendment but it was passed, 98 to 68. The saving resulted from this action of the caucus is estimated by the Democratic leaders to aggregate about $40,000,000?$24,000,000 to be required for two modern battleships, and $li,000,000 for public buildings. 1 In the case of public buildings, how- ! ever, there may be some appropriation for emergencies. I The issue was precipitated by Rep- I resentative Fitzgerald of New York, J chairman of the appropriations com- ' mittee, wno introduced a resolution ' that the state of the government 1 finances did not now justify a public < building bill. Mr. Fitzgerald said i that it would be impossible for the government architect to begin work on any new plan fbr two years and , It would be three years before any , new constructing work could be on | the way. , The caucus was by no means har- j jnonious, many members from the , country districts pleading the necessity of such a bill to safeguard the , welfare of the party. > \ LaFollette is Race to Stay. Washington.?Progressive Republicans who are supplying Senator Robert M. LaFoilette's candidacy for the nomination for President met to canvass the situation. The result was a statement issued by Col. Waiter L. Houser, Senator LaFoilette's manager, declaring that the Senator was in the race for the nomination to the end. It was declared also that he would make a nation-wide campaign in advancing his candidacy and hir principles. Other Indictments Are Filed. Los Angeles. Cal.?Just before Lecompte Davis, associate of Clarence S. Darrow in the defense of the McVnmnrns was railed hefnrp the COlin ty grand jury, Joseph Ford, assistant district attorney, said indictments would be filed ii. the supreme court. These indictments, he said, resulted from grand jury investigation of the allegations of jury bribery that had been carried on in the trial of Jamer B. McNarnara. Money Trust is a Live Issue. Washington.?The proposed con- I gressional investigation of the domin- J ation of the financial interests of the j United States by a so-called "money trust," has developed into a live issue in the House Demoerary, threatening to mar the harmonious progress of the ! party since its elevation to control of that branch of Congress. A Vessel And Its Crew Lost. Hull.?It is practically certain that ; the British steamer Genoa, of the Wilson line, foundered during the re- J cent storm with her crew of 24. I Wreckage from the vessel has been picked up on the coast of Berwick- | shire. Scotlaud. The vessel left Blytb '< on January 15 tor Rega. Big Appropriation Bills Reported Washington.?The army appropriation bill carrying $88,534,000 and the j agricutlural approj iation bill with a I total of $15,836,910 were reported to the house. The pension appropriation bill also will be reported and probably will have the right of way. It carries about $150,000,000. The army bills show a reduction of $9,- i 500,000 from the appropriations of last year. The agricutlural bill is $1,063,- [ 000 below last year's appropriation. . The chief cut is in the forest fir* emergency fund. Woltor Pays The Death Penalty Ossining, X. V.?.Albert Wolter was j put to death in the electric chair at Sing Sing prison for the murder of 15-year-old Ruth Wheeler nearly two years ago. The girl came to Welter's flat in New York and he was convicted of having killed her after she had been mistreated Wolter left a statement with Warden Kennedy denying that he committed the crime. The execution was without feature and Wolter was declared dead after one contact of 1,950 volts. Party Rescued From Ice Floes Wickliffe, Ky. ? The thirteen or more persons for whose safety fears were expressed when they were caught in ice that choked the Mississippi river landed here and were returned to Bird's Point, Mo. The party uad reached Bird's Point, Mo., by trait and engaged a boatman to ferr.' them tcross the river to Cairo. They were .taught on ice floes and it was feared they had lost their lives. The t-auy reauied a river point two miles below here and were rescued. . Tl YEWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA 'Jews That Hat Been Gotten I* om Many Towns and Counties Fro.n Over the State. Newberry. ? A meeting was he'd lere for organizing the Boys' Corn :!ub, which is composed of boys beween the ages erf 10 and 18. Westminster.?In the municipal 'lection held here Dr. Walker was sleeted mayor. The aldermen elected are: J. H. Stoneeypher, H. B. Gil- , jert, S. A. Dillard, I). G. Sheldon, W. 3 Pritcbard, M S. Stribling. Orangeburg.?The banks of Orange>urg have declared dividends and started out on another year with iright prospects. The Bank of Oringeburg has a capital of $100,000, lurpius $90,000 and has issued a stock lividend of $50,000, the bank having ieen originally capitalized at $50,000 Greenwood.?M. F. Sanders, a jromlnent businea man of this place: :omraitted suicide by shooting him ielf in the right temple with a 38-cal- ( bre pistol. That the act was preneditated is evidenced by the fact hat he left a note to J. B. Haltiwan ' jer. instructing where to find his body 1 J Charleston.?Engineer Joseph G j Meyer of the towboat Protector has re- , urned to Charleston from Detroit vhere he attended the convention ol he National Association of Marine Engineers, making a successful fight , :o bring the next meeting of this as lociation to Charleston next January Orangeburg Isham F. Ritter, fa ] her of Tillman Ritter, deceased, hai | Sled sail against the Atlantic Coast ' Line railroad, through his attorneys j Ftaysor & Summers, for the death ol lis son, in amount $2,995. Young Rit j :er waa killed while crossing th* i railroad in a wagon in front ot ar ipproaching engine on March 15, 1910 i Camden.?Chief of Police Benjamir ' blaile has sent in his resignation tc I take effect on the 1st of February Mr. Haile has been chief of polict 1 since he was 22 years of age, hav ng served seventeen years. He is t ' fearless officer and his word is law ' especially among negroes. His abilitj 1 is a detective is well known here. ' l Ohorlaofnn it Ml P mPPtinjT Of Citl council, Aldermah Finckney brough ( up the matter of the general com plaint against the recent alleged in adequate water service and the higl price of lighting, and after some dis . sussion a special committee was ap . pointed to give immediate attentior , to a municipal light and water com pany Orangeburg.?John D. Hungerplllei of this city has been arrested on s warrant charging him with burninj the house of Frank Champy in th? : lower Fork section of Orangebun i county. Hungerpiller denies the ac i cusation. lie has been released up on a $200 bond to appear before Judgi Charles P. Branson of the magistral court for a preliminary hearing. H< has employed counsel. Lancaster.?Lancaster is graduall: recovering from the effects of the re cent icy grip in which she was, fo several days, held snowbound ant tight. Fallen telegraph and telephor.? poles and wires are rapidly being pu back into commission. The splendit phone service, although for a shor titne almost completely paralyzed, i all rieht again and telephone com municatlon is as good as ever Laurens.?Owing to the recent in clement weather, work on the cour house has not made much progres: this month. At the time the contrac was awarded it was understood tha the building should be completed b; January, but delays of one kind am | another have made this part of th? ! contract impracticable. With favor able weather conditions, however, th work can be prosecuted rapidly am ; completed in a few weeks at the oui side. Clinton. ? Oreat excitement wa aroused here by the discovery of ; j murdered man on the N'. & L. rail road track on the eastern edge o town. Paul J. Moore, p well known ne gro merchant was the murdered mai and he had apparently been killec 't with an axe Whether he was placei on the track to create the impressiot that he was killed by a train can no be stated positively. Mis watch wa gone and his pockets were empty The coroner's jury adjourned withou a verdict. Columbia. ? The So ith Carotin; Mood Roads Association held a rnos successful meeting here in the Rich land county court house, with dele AVAOV onttntv in t h o c f a t < ! Kairn iiuni c.t.j vWu...^ - being present, there being over llftj , in the hull when President Hyatt call ed the convention to order. Rock Hill.?Laurens, Edgefield ant ! Marion counties have swung into lint under the banner of the "Rock Hit Plan" with financial arrangement* completed are properly placed to pu' j canvassers in the field at once, ac cording to reports received by Mr Anderson. Columbia.?The first brick on th* first building to be erected at State Park was laid by E. H. Aull, secre ! tary of the asylum commission. Th? building will be rushed to completion at an early date and will accommo date 150 negro patients Newberry.?The County Teachers Association was well attended. In addition to the teachers, a number ol school trustees were present. Mis* Lelia Russell of WJnthrop college made an inatruetive and inspiring talk on school improvement, with ref erence to better school houses anc -nore attractive grounds. Saluda.?The jury in the action condemning certain lands of G. P Trotter in this town for right of way for the railroad after short deliberation allowed a verdict of $75. Trotter it is said, sought to obtain damage? in the sum of about $1,800. Columbia.?Governor Blease has received the resignation of Darlington H. Spain, as Master of Darlington county, he having resigned to accep' the judgeship, to which he was re cently elected. He takes the place on the circuit bench made vacant b> the elevation cf Judge R. C. Watt? ro the supreme bench. IMES I filWraT ARE CONDEMNED - ? ? THE SECRETARY OF WAR HAS ORDERED ABANDONMENT OF SIXTEEN FORTS. OTHERS ARE SLATED TO GO They Are Not Located Properly to Promote Efficiency Nor Do They Fit Propsed Reorganization. ? The Names of Those to be Dicontinued. Washington. ? Sec etary of Wax Stimson, acting upon an exhaustive report from the general staff, has decided that no less than sixteen and probably eighteen existing army posts should at once be abandoned "in order to put an end to the extravaganco ind infliriency resulting from im proper distribution of the mobile army. The posts condemned are: Apache, Ariz.; Boise barracks. Idaho; Brady, .Mich.; Clark, Tex.; George Wright, Washington; Jas N. V., Lincoln, N. LL, Logan Roots, Ark.; Mcintosh, Tex.; MacKenzie, Wyo.; Madison barracks. New York; Meade, 5. D.; Niagara, N. Y.; Ontario, N. Y.; Wayne. Mich.; Whipple barrackB, \riz.; William Henry Harrison, Mont.; V'ellowstone, Wyo. Of Fort Auache it Is said a possibility of Indian trouble near this post still exists and that Fort Jay might be retained as headquarters of the Eastern division and as the site of the Eastern military prison. There is another formidable list ol posts, which, while not recommended for immediate aDanaonmeni, are ucdared not to be located with a view securing economy of administration ind supply, or a full measure of military effectiveness. Consequently J their garrisons will not be increased ind ultimately will be withdrawn to such concentration centers as Con- , jjreea may authorize. These posts are Ethan Allen, Vt.; I'lattsburg barracks, \\ Y.; Robinson. Neb.; .Missoula, Mont.; Logan, Colo.; Douglass, Utah, md D. A. Russell, Wyo. The latter post is shown to have cost to date 54,925,486. Will Try to Save the Chestnuts. Philadelphia.? Because of the spread of the chestnut tree blight. Governor Tener has called a convention of the states at Harrlsburg on February 20, to consider the fungus disease which already has caused millions of dollars worth of damage to chestnut timber. The Pennsylvania chestnu* t~?o hll-^t commission which is fighting th? scorge announces that the convention has been called in order that the other states not yet touched by the blight. but in its line 01 auvjjuvc, iua; u*? aroused to action. Purposeful Labor Good For Child. Louisville. Ka.?Purposeful labor in connection with their schooling was urged for children relieved of grinding labor before the final session of the eighth annual conference of the National Child Labor committee by P. P. Claxton. United States commissioner of education. For the mill towns of the South he outlined a plan whereby the children of the factory employees should contribute to the support of the family by gardening. School teachers should be competent to instruct in agriculture and animal husbandry. Will Bury Pauper Dead Cheaply. Waco, Tex.?Competition among local undertakers to secure the contract for burying the pauper dead in McLennan county resulted in the acceptance of a bid from a local firm to inter indigents at one-half cent each. It is figured the successful bidder will lose J8.49 1-2 on each pauper buried. Four Persons Burned to Death. Butler, Pa.?Four persons were burned to death or suffocated and five others are in a serious condition as a result of a fire at the home of Curtis Hale at Claj*jnla, a mining town 10 miles from here. Fighting Resumed in Tripoli. Tripoli.?The Turkish forces resumed their movement against Ghirgarish. about 12 miles from Tripoli, which has been the scene recently of numerous engagements between the Turks and Italians and at the same time another force of 3,001) Turks and Arabs delivered a determined attack on Ainzara. The fierce Italian artillery flro, however, compelled the assaulting forces to fall back towards the south and southwest. The Italian casualties numbered two killed and eight wounded. Home Rule Discussed in England. London. I'Ister is now the political storm center of the I'nlted Kingdom. Home rule has been discussed in Kigland and Scotland by Nationalists and Unionists, but no great enthusiasm has been aroused pither for or against it. In Ireland, outside of Ulster, the people are firmly convinced they are to have home rule, l.'lsterites, however. are up to their eyes in fight. Several big demostrations have been held in various parts of Ulster to protest against any change in the form of government of the country. The Armistic Has Expired. Peking.?The Peking government is trying to secure an extension of the armistice but Wu Ting Fang, the republican Minister of Justice at Shanghai, has telegraphed threatening to renew hostilities unless abdication la accomplished. Three thousand more of Yuan Shi Kai's troops have arrived at Peking, bringing the total up to 7,000 men. Tieh Fiang, the former Tartar general of Nanking, who has been strongly opposed to Premier Yuan, has fled from Peking and is expected to have gone to T'on Tsin. ? $1.25 PER YEAR ENDORSE COMMISSION PLAN City Council Accepts Recommendations?Modified Form of City Government. Sumter.?Council unanimously endorsed the commission form of government for Sumter and passed a resolution to this effect, which was recorded in the minutes of their meeting. The present council Is, with the exception of one or two members, serving their first terms as city officials and they have found that everything has not come easy to them in the management of the city's affairs. The present members of council when elected went in on a progressive ticket and since they have been in office have always shown themselves to have the progressive spirit, although handicapped at times by lack of funds. The endorsement of the commise'on form of government for Sumter, as provided in the resolution recently drawn up by the city government committee of the chamber of commerce and submitted to the Sumter delegation to be enacted into law at the present session of the General Assembly, comes as an expected measure. A peculiar circumstance connected with the present municipal board of aldermen and mayor is that most of them have quite enough of their jobs and the majority of the members have stated emphatically that they would not again run for office. The commission form of government desired in 3umter, according to the plans outlined in the resolution of the chamber of commerce committee having charge of this work, is a modified form of the Des Moines and Staunton forms combined. South Carolina New Enterprises. A charter has been granted by the I secretary of state to the Carolina Dis| tributing Company, of Spartanburg, with a capital stock of $1,000 to do a general commission business. The 1 officers are: J. k. fair, presiaeiu huu treasure; C. C. Wyche, vice-presi'Jent and secretary, A charter was issued to the McLaurin Drug Company of Dillon with a capital of $2,000 to do a general drug business. The officers are: J. H. McLaurin, president and treasurer; F. McC. Curtis, vice-president, and F. C. Carmichael, secretary. A commission has been granted to the Roscoe-KIintworth Company of Florence, with a capital of $3,000 to do a general mercantile business. The petitioners are: W. 0. Roscoe, J. J. Klintworth and J. J. Wade. A commission has been issued to the Curtis-Powell Company of Georgetown, with a capital of $5,000 to do a general produce and commission business The petitioners are: J. M. Powell and Capers G. Barr. The secretary of state has issued a commission to the Columbia Dry Cleaning Company of Columbia, with a capital stock of $20,000. Commission. dJUU.!", Hi^?W^Work. At a rousing meeting of cltlz&Mw^ from all parts of Alkpn county, resolutions drawn up by a committee appointed at a meeting of the Aiken County Good Roads Association were adopted and the general assembly will be asked to enact a bill to apply to Aiken county which will take the matter of the building and main tenance of public highways out of politics by vesting in a commission the powers held now by the county commissioners in this respect. This it is generally regarded, is the first definite step Aiken county haB taken toward the ultimate Issuance of bonds for road building and upkeep Drainage Is The Greatest Need. The belief that Charleston should strain every sinew and muscle to fur ther the drainage and reclamation of the v hundreds of thousands of waste acres at her very doors, is increasing rapidly among the business men of the city. According to statements made by several- representative merchants in various lines of endeavor m Charleston, the chamber of commerce committees experience no difficulty in raising the $100,000 capital stock of the Coastal I,and Development Company, which is to take over and prepare for settlement some 6,000 acres of fertile lands. , Cherokee Will Furnish Full Share. The movement for obtaining funds for the Knapp memorial In Cherokee county has started in dead earnest oil nroaent indications are that | Cherokee will furnish her full share. The work in this county is in the hands of Mr. Frank McCluney, who is connected with the United States farm demons' ration work. Mr. Mci Cluney has appointed a committee consisting of Ed H. DeCamp, S. F. Parrott, J. A. Carroll. R. M. Wllkins and C. M. Smith to assist in the raising of the funds. Blowing Stumps With Dynamite. A number of farmers from the vicinity of Columbia vlsted the Gonzales farm to view the DuPont Powder Company's demonstration of blowing stumps, digging ditches and subsoiling with dynamite. In blowing the stumps the demonstrators placed the dynamite sticks in holes bored underneath the stump and set off by an * l '? a/iiiIi.a,| f wr\ m fii-a electric uauery. n ic^uncu num ????; to eight one-half pounds sticks to blow out a large atump, or from 50 to 75 cents per atump for dynamite depending on the size of the stump. Probate Judge* Form Crganization. The Association of the Judges of Probate of South Carolina was organized at Columbia with a membership of 25. The sessions of the association were held in the Y. M. C. A. building. John K. Snelling of Barnwell was elected president and G. Duncan Bellinger of Columbia, secretary. Judge Johnson of Union was elected vice-president. The pnrpose of the organization is to standardize the practice in the probate courts. Tbey will work to put the fees of the office on a more equitable basis. ii