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GOVERNOR COOPER'S i ANNUAL MESSAGE i n RECOMMENDS APPROPRIATIONS ? OF NEARLY SIX AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS. 5 v PROPOSED REVENUE GRANGES I a r< Message Dealt Almost Entirely With Proposed New Revenue Measures ^ and Budget Recommendations. ? G Taxation, the word that stays con- t tinually on the tongues of the people of South Carolina, was the keynote of e Governor Cooper's annual message to c the general assembly delivered to the g joint assembly in the hall of the house of representatives. Some change in the tax system is <. imperative and the change must come at this session if a backward step is to be warded off, the chief executive r said, in recommending new sources of E revenue. "Any tax system which is not based on the principal of ability to pay is f fundamentally wrong," the governor declared. Some paragraphs from the governor's message give an insight to the need for additional tax measures. r New revenue measures proposed by t the governor are: An income tax, an j inheritance tax, a gasoline and petro- f leum products tax, an occupation and j privilege license tax. a luxuries tax. c In addition he favors proposed amend- f ments to the constitution to give the v state a just tax system. ; In his message the governor gives his recommendations for state appro- j priations for this year. These recom- ^ mendations have been taken from the ,3 budget and the figures show that the ,3 governor recommends a total appro- s priation for 1922 of $6,466,240.15. This g la a aiiirht decrease from the amount P appropriated by the 1921 legislature. ?J iln 1921 the general assembly appro- e priated $6,767,135.32 for all state pur- ^ poses. Last year the governor recommend- r ed that the legislature appropriate $7.- g 111.6S8.86 and this year his recom- j mendations show a reduction of $645,- ^ 448.71. As compared with the appro- f priation bill last year his 1922 recommendations are $3010,895.17 below ^ what was appropriated, including the t extra $200,000 for the citadel. t The message dealt almost entirely t with the ptoposed new revenue meas- a ures and the budget recommenda- { tions. The governor took up every , phase of the proposed new bills and ? of his recommendations as to appro- ^ priations. "I wish again to urge the passage of y the proposed amendment to our state e constitution," the governor said, t which is necessary before you may u properly classify property for the pur- j pose of taxation. This matter is so thoroughly discussed in the report submitted one year ago on revenue * "* -4-1 lU-4 4 io Mn*vanoc?QrV ana ihxsuud, mai n 10 uuuvwwwm*^ to add anything further here. "I have recommended the passag^ v of these measures in order to raise 1 sufficient revenue to support the state 1 government and to provide for Its c different institutions and activities. 1 "It has occurred to me that some c explanation of the budget recommen- r dations for 1922 is appropriate in con- a nection with the subject of revenue 5 and taxation. The following summary of the budget recommendations for e the present year gives a concise and, e I think, intelligent statement of the c purposes of expenditure. 11 "1. For expenses of legislative de- a partment, $105,372. 0 "2. For expenses of judicial depart- a ment, including the circuit courts, a $157,698.66. v "3. For educational purposes, in- (' eluding $1,668,740 for administration 0 and aid for public schools, $961,951.67 for the five state colleges and $134,942.04 for the School for the Deaf and r Blind and the John de La Howe In- * dustrial school, $2,765,633.71. ' "4. For the six charitable and correctional institutions and for the sup port of the blind children and the 1 Catawba Indians. $1,067,128.36. "5. For Confederate pensions, in- ^ eluding the infirmary and aid for the d Highway Body Holds Meeting. At the regular meeting of the state * highway commission applications for a federal aid for road building projects u were received and acted upon and v routine business transacted. Dorchester county made application for federal aid in the sum of $5,000 ^ for the building of the Charleston- t Columbia road between Prettyman's Mill and the Charleston county line. r The application was granted. This j approval makes a total of $18,000 of f, federal aid. $1TOOO already having been given for this road. ?, Named by Speaker. (j Speaker Atkinson of the house of t representatives announced the follow- j, ing committee appointments: John s O. CJreer. of (Ireer. committee on ag- i a liculture. education and commerce 0 and manufacturing; Eugene S. Itlease. t of Newberry. judiciary committee; J. e R Rritton. of Slimier, committee on j r. agriculture, education and banking : ? and insurance, and Dr. S. T. D. Lau- j, caster, of Pauline, committee on f rules. Th? appointments were to fill va- j, ?inn<.U hv chances. Plan to Fight Boll Weevil. ] ? Government experts who have successfully fought the boll weevil in s every infested southern state, and f, prominent southern agricultural work- f, ers. have planned a South Carolina ti campaign beginning at Aiken. The <> object is to tell South Carolinians how a to fight the boll weevil with success, j Instances will be cited of how farm- o ers In South Carolina and Georgia put c up a successful fight last season. The o success attending the work of govern- o ment boll weevil experts will be re- a counted. b eterans' reunion, $640,429.50. "6. For agricultural work, ncluding ubllc service under Cleinson college, 11 regulation and inspection by the epartment of agriculture and exense3, cotton warehousing, grading nd inspecting by the warehouse comlissioner's office, $403,317.35. "7. For public health, including exenses of tubercular sanatoriums, 19S.919.40. "8. For interest on bonded debt, 247,299.12. "9. For road construction and superision by the state highway departlent, $133,785.75. "10. For aid in defraying expenses f county governments, including salries of auditors and treasurers, and or county auditing work, $158,933.34. "11. For expenses of election to be eld in 1922, $41,325. "12. For maintaining the National luard, including the 23 unite, $34,210. "13. For public printing, including he 1922 code, $70,000. "14 For the administration of the xecutive departments, boards and^ ommissions, including about 30 oranizations, $442,282.34. "Grand total. $6,466,240.15." Senate Has Many New Bills. Introduction of a joint concurrent esolution to restrict the 1922 approbations for all state purposes to 3.892.6S2, a bill to abolish the state ax commission and one to provide for wo months emergency appropriations or this year as well as to restrict expenditures by the state agencies until he 1922 appropriation bill is passed. The resolution to restrict the appropriations was offered by Mr. Wells of Sdgefield and was held over, no acion being taken. In the resolution t is set forth that in 1919 the appropriations were $3,892,682 and that in 921 the amount was $6,534,000 and lenator Wells claims there is no need or such an Increase. His resolution i'ould give the same appropriation or 1922 as for 1919. Senator Wightman introduced the till to abolish the tax commission. Jnder the terms of this measure the luties of the tax commission would [evolve upon a state board of tax asessors headed by the comptroller ;eneral and seven members to be appointed by the governor, who would mid office coterminal with the govtrnor. One member from each congressional district is provided for. Senator Goodwin introduced a joint esolution postponing the payment of tate and county taxes until April 1, 922, with a penalty of one per cent, rhe resolution was referred to the inance committee. A concurrent resolution by Senator fo'^ig to allow a bill to be introduced o change the status of the trustees of he Charleston high school so,the trusees and the high school can receive ind hold property, real and personal, > II 11*1 Ilia die 0)/UUdUlO VI U UI1I VV rovide for the retirement on two* hirds salary of judges when they each the age of 70. provided they lave a record of ten years' service. The bill also carries provisions for he retiring on a like salary schedule f any judges becoming physically incapacitated to perform their duties The measure was referred to the juliciary committee. A bill to confer upon all women, rho have attained the age of 21 years, 11 the rights and privileges conferred ipon male citizens and to make all fomen subject to all the duties that re possessed by male citizens was lso among the number of statewide icasures introduced. M. R. Cooper, he author of the bill, holding that it orrects errors made in a similar aeasure passed last year. The women, n Mr. Cooper's measure, are to be exmpted from the payment of both muieipal and county commutation road axes. Other measures of interest introuced include a bill to allow cousins o inherit under certain conditions, a till to prevent the use and sale of teel traps in the state and a bill to How th<j graduates of the law school f Furman university to he licensed o practice law in tlie state without xamination h"fore the state board of xaminers. This privilege is now ranted only to the graduates of tho :t\v school of the University of South 'arolina. a state institution. Governor Cooper returned a mim- I ip.* of duplicate acts from last sesion that he had vetv lemand Tax Reduction. The South Carolina legislature tarted the second half of its seventyourth session with challenges for reormation of the state's antiquated ax system, headed bv J. B. Atkinson, f Spartanburg, speaker of the house, nd Lieutenant Governor Wilson O, [arvey, president of the senate, hoth f whom delivered opening addresses ailing for relief from the tax burden f the state by creating new sources f revenue and relieving real estate nd personal property of the heavy nrden it is now bearing. jk - b 1 IS* I 11 jpil n any amount, ana granting tu mo rustees the power to condemn propsrty for school purposes was passed vithout opposition by the senate. A concurrent resolution from the louse fixing the time for meetings very day and providing for sessions hrough Friday as well as other regtlatory clauses was held up upon obection of Senator Wightman. J Jills Introduced ir House. Among the measures of state-wide mportance introduced in the house vas a bill, of which M. C. Foster is he author, to regulate the maximum irices to be charged by telephone ompanies in the state. Under the irovisions of the bill the maximum harge for a one-party business teleihone line will be $5 amonth, and for one-party residence telephone line 3 a month. The maximum charge for iuplex lines will be fixed at $4 for ach business telephone and $2.50 for ach residence telephone. The bill arries a penalty of $50 for each vioation or attempted violation, the penIty to be "recovered in any court f competent jurisdiction in the state t the instance and on behalf of the ggrieved party or parties.' The bill ias referred to the house judiciary ommittee. which will hold a hearing in the measure at its meeting. Julius S. Mclnnes and Ashton H. rim ? Kill tn 1?Ambassador .Tusserand speai from the East End of London goini count Lascelies. 3?Arthur Griflith Pepper of Philadelphia, appointee NEWS REVIEW OF ~ CURRENTEVENTS Briand Resigns, His Arrangements With Lloyd George Being Opposed. CANNES PROGRAM IS UPSET Polncare Invited to Form New French Ministry?May Fight German Moratorium?Senate, By Close Vote, Seats Newberry of Michigan, With a Rebuke. By EDWARD W. PICKARD FRA/NCE spilled the beans last week. Brland and his cabinet are out. Polncare Is forming a new ministry with himself as its head. All the doings of the meeting of the supreme council at Cannes aie nullified, at least for the present. Plans for the economic and financial conference may have to be revised. The Germans probably will he called on by the French to make the reparations payments when they are due or suffer the penalty. Lloyd George at Cannes had ngreed that Great Britain wbuld make a treaty guaranteeing France against attack by Germany, provided, however, that the French "ministry of marine and the British admiralty should reach a complete agreement, on submarines and other naval craft, and provided also that the French and British governments should make their foreign policies conform, especially In the near east. He required, too, that France co-operate in restoring world economics and finances and agree to deal with Soviet Russlu. These conditions all meant yielding by France to British policies and at once a storm of opposition arose in Paris. Briand hurried to that city and nfter telling the cabinet all about what he had done and engaging In a heated controversy with President Mlllerand, went before the chamber of deputies and presented the entire program, telling its members they could take it or leave it. Then lie bluntly announced the resignation of the ministry without waiting for a vote. Polncare. the main point of whose policy is "Germany must pay," was invited to form a new cabinet and got busy at once. It was understood that Count Lasteyrle would be minister of finance. He recently investigated conditions In Germany Hnd believes the Germans can pay the reparations without a moratorium provided their budget is properly balanced and sufficient taxes are imposed to bring their taxation totals up to the level of those paid in France. In all the European capitals and In Washington there was something akin to consternation when the news from Paris was received. The conference at Cannes automatically eume to an end. The American government, which had not derided whether or not to accept , the Invitation to take part In the Genoa conference, halted consideration of the question until there are further developments. The German cabinet saw the chance for a moratorium fading and was correspondingly despondent. The English were reticent hut plainly Indignant and relations between them and flie French, severely ( strained for several years, were not , improved. ! epHK allied supreme council decided I < 1 that an ecotuMnic conference to deal with the restoration of Europe should be held In (lenoa in March, and that both (Jennany and Ilussia should be invited to send representatives. No sooner did this news reach ; Moscow than the soviet government i hastened to accept the invitation that I had not been formally extended. ; Foreign Minister Tchitcherin wired the i council that the central executive com- i niiitoe would proceed to select the ] delegates and would gl\e them the ] most extended powers. of course j i there was no doubt that (Jennany would ' 1 accept the bivltntion of the council, and the Japanese delegates to the i FOOD PRICES COMING DOWN Figures Given Out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Are Gratifying to the Consumer. Washington.?Retail prices in 10 principal cities in the 1'nifed States i decreased 12 to IS per cent in the 12 months ending December lfi last, the 1 bureau of labor statistics of the I?epartnient of Labor announced. The i bureau's figures show tlint prices prevailing last month In 13 of the cities Jlng at unveiling of Jeanne d'Arc monum ? to Buckingham palace with gifts for F , elected head of the Irish provisional g 1 senator to succeed the lute Boles F Washington conference announced thut Japan also would be represented. Already steps have been taken to I start the rehabilitation of Europe. The 1 economic committee of the supreme 1 council has decided upon an International corporation with a capital of i ?2.000.000 (about $8,000,000) with Its < seat in London and with a board of i directors nominated by affiliated com- 1 panics In each Interested country. These countries, Including the United States,- will organize corporations for promotion only, with a combined capital equivalent to ?20,000,000 (about $80,000,000). These corporations will serve as mediums for credit transactions and to facilitate the activities of private enterprises In all countries where the business field now Is obstructed by . lack of credits and disorganized finances. This plan presupposes the organization of aftillated companies in Germany as well as In the United States. E*INAL formulation of the naval " limitation agreement In the Washington conference was delayed by several matters. One was a difference of opinion as to the methods of scrapping the 68 capital ships that are to be given up by the United States, Great Britain and Japan. Six optional methods are prescribed, and Mr. Balfour objected to the proposition of Mr. Hughes that the bulk of the retired ships be destroyed absolutely. The British were not willing to say yet what tonnage of the eliminated vessels they would convert to peace time uses. No doubt was felt that this dispute could be adJusted amicably. Another cause of delay was Baron Kato's desire to get further Instructions from Tokyo concerning the agreement to maintain the status quo of I'aciflc ocean naval bases and fortifications. The question was as to what Japanese lslunds should be excluded as comprising "Japan proper." Negotiations regarding Shantung were resumed last week by the Japanese and Chinese delegates and it was predicted an agreement would be reached before long. Consequently the delegates of all nations in the conference began drawing up a ninepower treaty dealing with far eastern affairs and especially with Chinese questions. It Is believed this will delay the adjournment of the conference until the end of the month. DAIL E1REANN having accepted the Irish pence treaty, the pnrliu merit ui suuiiioru nemuu mat ouiuiday completed the action by formally ratifying the pact, and the Irish Free State la In' process of being constituted. Earaon de Valera resigned on Monday as president of the Irish republic and his re-election was c moved. The motion was lost. 58 to 00, and for a few moments De Valera 5 appeared as a really great man, declaring he would loyally accept the 1 decision, would do all he could to ( avoid embarrassing the new govern- c ment, and would even help It when f that was possible without sacrificing " his principles. Later the Sinn Fein Irreconcilable women persuaded him 1 to modify this generous position, and ' the chances of unity In the ranks faded f away. { ?ext day after a message of con- ( gratulation to Ireland from the pope f had been read, It was moved that Arthur Griffith be elected president | of the Dail and a hot debate ensued. Finally I>e Valera and his supporters * walked out of the hall and the 05 ' remaining delegates unanimously elect- f ed Griffith. The new president at 1 once announced that his cabinet would 1 be as follows: Minister of finance. ' Michael Collins; Foreign minister, 1 George Gavan Duffy; Home minister, ' Eamon J. Duggan; Local government, s William Cosgrove; Economic affairs, I Hr.vaii o'lliggins; Defense. Itichard Mnlcaliey. Those, then, are the men j who will constitute the provisional ! srnveninont of the island to which the | t conduct of atTairs will lie turned over ! t l?y the Hrltish authorities as rapidly j is possible. The lathers returned in ! f the afternoon and I)e Valera slated, v lliough lie considered Crillitli's position v linpossilile, lie would do untiling to | liatniier him so long as lie did not I p appear to lie subverting the repuhlie. S l-aler I >e Valera tnhi a correspondent s that lie would ret use to recognize i v iny government hut the Irish repuhlie t from which 1013 statistics were avail- I ( :ihie had increased since that year j ! front 33 to f'O per cent. ! I Jhiring the month from November ,r| 1.1. 1P21, 12 of the cities reported tie- ^ creases In ft tod prices, two reported ' increases and the two others, \lan- | * chester, X. 11., and Minneapolis. Minn., reported a decline of 13 per cent for I the year. r Mobile, Ala., and Savannah, flu., had I the highest percentage of decrease in 2 prices for the 12 months period, each i it reporting an 18 per cent decline. | v ent in Washington. 2?Children 'rineess Mary and her flnnce, Vls;overnment. 4?George 1 .Wharton 'enrose. oven if It was set up fry vote of the people of Ireland, because he was satisfied that such a vote would not be free, but would be taken under coercion of a threat of war. Alreudy the British have removed the barbed wire and sandbags with which Dublin Castle was protected and they are transferring the records to London. Amnesty was agreed upon by the two governments and all Irish prisoners, Including those condemned to death, have been set free. In a word, the English are evacuating Ireland as rapidly as they can, and they seem mighty glad to get out. HP HUMAN IT. Newberry Is rightfully United States senator from Michigan, but he spent too much money In winning the place. Such Is the decision of the senate, reached by a vote of 46 to 41. The Democrats were solidly against Newberry and nine Republicans voted with them to oust him. But the day was saved for him by the addition of a clause to the resolution seating him, criticising the acknowl pdged expenditure of $195,000 in his behalf and condemning the lavish use if money In political campaigns. This brought into line a number of Republicans who had been wavering. Senator La Foliette of Wisconsin intimated that he would reopen the case at some future date. Mr. Newberry appeared to speak In his own defense, breaking the dlence that he had maintained for the three years since his election. He read a carefully prepared address, :he substnnce of which was that when the Michigan primary and election ivere held he wafe absent from the date performing his duties as a leutenant commander In the navy; Ihat he had no personal knowledge of :he expenditure of monev by his 'rlends In his behalf, and that he was istonished and grieved when Inter he earned that about $195,000 had been spent In securing his nomination and ?lection. He closed thus: "As Clod Is my witness, I am not to his day and hour conscious of having lone, In connection with either the primary campaign or the general elec:lon In 1918, a single act that was or s In any way unlawful, dishonorable. >r corrupt, and this I say to the lennte without reservation or qualification." ? SENATOR PENROSE'S seat has I 1 UIU.1 !?.. ?' uitii mini w) uic ui 3eorge Wharton Pepper of Philadelphia, and this selection by Governor Iprottl lius met with general approval. Sir. Pepper, who Is a lawyer of disinctlon, lias been prominent in the ouncils of the Republican party, but ias not before held public office. He vlll be a candidate for election for the omplete term In November. In accordance with the rule of tenlorlty, Senator McCumber of North Dakota has been made chairman of he senate finance committee to succeed Penrose, and the vacancy on the wnmlttee was filled by the selection >f Senator Frellnghuysen of New Fersey. That committee Is still workng on the tariff measure, especially he American valuation feature. A lelegatlon of southerners appeared >efore the committee to tell It that southern business men had tteeome convinced that prosperity was posilble only under a high tariff. CHAIRMAN FORDXEY of Ihe ^ house ways and means committee innounced the administration's plan or a soldiers' hontis. It provides for he payment of cash bonuses from the nterest on the $11,000,000,000 allied leht to the United States as soon ns t. or part of It, Is refunded Into long erin obligations. If the interest is lot sulficlent, the proceeds of the ale of part of the securities to the mhllc will he used for the purpose. 3XK of the most important court decisions ever won by labor was hat rendered by Justice Wagner of he New York supreme court, enjoining the garment manufacturers rout combining to enforce a -Ill-hour reek and a piece work system. This r:ts the lirst lime a labor union has | i yoked legal action to restrain einilo.vers from breaking a contract, oiits for several million dollars, repre- j eniiiig wttges |n<i by the garment j corkers who have been on strike for wo months, will be begun at once. ? )ther declines were: Indianapolis and halt I.akc City. 17 per cent: Detroit, .ottisville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis ind Washington, 1f? per cent: Omaha. per cent; Bridgeport. Pallas and 'hlladclphia. 14: Manchester, 1.1, and few York, l'J per cent. Decreases during the month ending "lecetnher 15 were listed by the Intent! as follows: Indianapolis and Salt .nke City, .1 per cent: Washington, : i?er cent: Bridgeport. Louisville, [oldie, Omaha, Philadelphia and Saannah, 1 per cent. IMPORTANT NEWS THE WW OVER IMPORTANT HAPPENINGS OF THIS AND OTHER NATIONS FOR SEVEN DAYS GIVEN THE NEWS THE SOUTH What Is Taking Place In The 8outh< land Will Be Found In Brief Paragraphs Foreign? Terribly mangled by the premature explosion of dynamite Olaf Peterson, a farmer of Ramnaes, dragged himself 400 yards and drowned himself to end his agony. While Lieutenant J. M. Robb was piloting a military machine across the English channel, the machine fell onto its tail. Lieutenant Robb was rescued by a boatman. The kings' proclamation of amnesty, announcement or rne departure ut me auxiliaries and the resolution of the Sinn Fein executive council to summon an extraordinary convention soon, to decide upon the future of the organization and its policy, after Eamon De Valera had predicted a split in the organization, were the chief developments in the Irish Situation. President Millerand recently accepted the resignation of Premier Briand and his entire cabinet and indicated he would not ask anyone to form a new ministry. Minister of War Barthou and former President Poincare were mentioned prominently in parliamentary lobbies as likely candidates for the task of forming a! new government. Marquis Okuma, former premier of Japan, died recently at Tokio. He was field marshal in the Russo-Japanese war. The Irish dail eireann defeated de Valera for the presidency of the Irish Republic. It is now thought that the next step of the eireann will be to aid in making a stable government for the "Free State." The volcano Ometepe, on the Island of Ometepe, eight miles from the western shore of Lake Nicaragua, is in active eruption. Many thousands of coca plants have been destroyed, large areas of grazing lands are covered with ashes, and many cattle are dead. The supreme council at Cannes recently examined the situation created by the departure of the French delegation and ruled that decisions on which a complete agreement had been reached become operative, especially that regarding the Genoa conference, for which Premier Bonomi, of Italy, was charged to issue invitations. Thomas S. Ryan, a newspaperman, at Paris, has been arrested charged with attempting to muraer nis wne, formerly Miss Audrey Crelghton, of California, by forcing her to swbllow becbloride of mercury tablets on a threat he otherwise would kill himself. The Irish politcal prisoners in London, England jails ? Brixton, were released recently under the amnesty proclamation issued by King George recently. Instructions were sent to the provisional jails for similar releases. The British government has given its assurance to Indian' officials, at Calcutta, India, that "conscientious objectors" who sought to evade war service will not be allowed to compete at future examinations for Indian civil service positions. Washington? The Frendh government has approached Henry Ford by cable asking if he would consider the purchase of battleships. In announcing the request here Mr. Ford said he had replied than unless he could buy the entire French navy he would not be interested in job lots. No answer had been received, he said. Senator Truman H. Newberry, Michigan, given his seat in the senate by a vote of 46 to 41, declared he would not resign. Reports have been current that the senator would retire if vindicated by the senate of charges of personal knowledge of excessive use of money in his campaign against Henry Ford. The most encouraging feature of the business situation at the opening of the new year is that a positive foundation has apparently been established upon which to build banking and business development during 1922, the federal reserve board declared in its monthly bulletin for January. The resignation of Aristide Briand as premier of France was received with almost bombshell effect in arms conference circles, the action being considered likely to hav/e great effect ?? nlnAA/le ruO/.Ra/l mo ohnit4 ui1 ucvisiuiia <ujc?u; jcjuucu wi uwuui, to be reached. Organization of a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan in the nation's capital has been started with the initiation of three members at a ceremony in Rock Creek Park, attended by all the formulae of the order. Direct negotiations between the Chinese and Japanese delegations on the Shantung railroad question, resumed at t he suggestion of Secretary Hughes, have resulted in an agreement on one of the collateral issues, namely the withdrawal of Japanese troops from tire railroad and from the leasehold of Wei-Kai-Wei. The most encouraging feature of the J business situation, at the opening of the new year is that a positive founda- j tion has apparently been established upon which to build banking and business detelopment during 1922, the federal reserve board declared in its monthly bulletin for January. Provisions of the Snell-McCormick forestry bill were indorsed by Elbert H. Baker, who appeared at a hearing before thp house agriculture commit- I tee as a representative of the Ameri-1 can Newspaper Publishers' associa- j lion. - j President Millerand, bf France, hM directed M. Sarraut, head of the French delegation, to continue in that capacity until the end of the Washington conference. Instructions to < this effect were received recently in a cablegram from M. Briand, retiring French premier, who continues under French procedure to exercise the functions of his office until his successor takes up his duties. , Secretary of Agriculture Wallace is considering a tentative draft of rules and regulations for administration of ? the federal highway act, under which $75,000,000 is maid available for Construction of federal aid roads. Senator Truman H. Newberry will retain his place in the United States senate. This was determined, when the senate, by a vote of 41 to 46, dismissed the contest of Henry Ford, and declared that Newberry was duly elected and is entitled to his seat. Henry Ford, who is in Washington for a conference with Secretary of War Weeks on the Muscle Shoals nitrate project, announced a reduction in the price of Ford automobiles. Nearly a dozen witnesses all from Virginia, broke about even in numbers in testifying for and against Heirome L. Opie, of Staunton, Va., before the senate committee investigating charges that American soldiers nau ueen uangeu wuauui hum >" France. George Wharton Pepper took the oath recently as United States senator from Pennsylvania, succeeding the late Senator Boles Penrose. Sales of scores of tracts owned by the war department and the consolidation of a number of army activities are recommended by a house subcommittee which, after months of investigation into the advisability on disposing of war department property made public its report recently. Domestic? ' J The state recently had left four peremptory challenges and the defense ten for use in continuing selections of a jury in superior court opened in the second trial of Roscoe C. ("Fatty") Arbuckle, charged with manslaughter, growing out of the death at San Francisco, Cal., of Miss Virginia Rappe, motion picture actress. When court adjourned recently eleven Jurors had been passed temporarily and only eleven persons remained in the original cmpanelment. The leaking transport Crooke, with 900 men of the army of occupation aboard, is in no danger, will reach New York soon,1 it was said at the transport service office recently. The first snow of the season fell in The lower house of the legislature, at Jackson, Miss., passer the Sherard bill, providing for a compulsory course of moral training in the public schools, based op the Mosaic ten commandments. Dallas county deupties arrested Frank Powell, a negro, recently in connection with the killing of Anderson Mixon, another negro. Powell is in jail at Selma, Ala. A merger has been completed at Cincinnati, Ohio, ef the HagenbeckWallace, Sells-Floto, Howe's \ Great London and John Robinson circus or^ ganixations, it was announced at Peru, Indiana, recently. Han Proiiplorn wan nrcnrriori fflo ~ * convention oft the American Bar association by the executive committee of that organization in session at Tampa, Fla. A. L. Rowe, for more than half a century identified with Memphis newspapers as a writer and publisher, died at his home at Memphis, Tenn. The modern girl la not quite as much of a "flapper'' in the south as she is in other sections of the country, Dr. Valeria H. Parker, ow Washington stated recently. Mrs. Emily Grayy, 91 years old, has left her home in the Bee Tree section, Asheville, S. C., and is on the way to Texas, where she expects to grow up with the country. C. M. Hovey, assistant manager of the Nashville Industria' corporation, recently purchased the Tennessee Central railroad at the upset price of a million and a half dollars. Ford Estes, finding his wife in company with another man on the streets of Hot Springs, Ark., shot her. She may die. The man with her was wounded, and a bystander shot.in ths leg. The Southern Kansas "rump" miners' strike has been called off in an order issued by Alexander Howat, who has asked the men to return to work. George Wharton Pepper of Philai^olnMo Vino hnon gnnnfnlpd TTnltpd States senator from Pennsylvania, to succeed Boibce Penrose, deceased. Ralph Culver Bennett, doctor of civil laws, doctor of laws, bachelor of art and president of the Metropolitan College of Law, at Dover, Del.,.qualified as a full-fledged absent-minded professor when he was arraigned in Washington Height police court on a charge of assault. Lottie Pickford, motion picture actress, sister of Mary Pickford, became the bride of Alan Forest at Los Angeles a few days since. Roger D. Eastlake, acquitted on a charge of murdering his wife, at Colonial Beach, Va., will be used as a star witness against Miss Sarah E. i Knox, who stands indicted for the crime, when she comes up fcr trial. The Dow-Jones news agency announces a cut in the price of Hupmobile cars ranging from $215 to $265 each. Ripe cherries, cotton blooms and morning glory blossoms reported out of season last month, can't hold a candle to the record of nice size watermelons that turned ripe on a farm In Greenville county, S- C. i If Henry Ford obtains possessions et the .Muscle Sboais project in Ale* bama he will take immediate steps make that part of the South one of tlTVj largest industrial centers of the cotjn- \ try, the Associated Press learned r?cently. J. G. Callahan, fireman, was killed; S. B. Caldwell, brakeman, and Louis K. Perry, enginees were badly injured nud scalded when the engine, tender and three coal cars of a freight train on the Chesapeake and Ohio Northern plunged down an embankment at Sciotsville, Ohio. j , : JH