The Barnwell people. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1884-1925, June 12, 1913, Image 3

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DMS 610 CROWD ErH£~ Y0UN0 HAN DROWNS 1 on Iho nut day h*. (th»> TRIAL Of HUGO LONG FOR ICR- HER OF P. N. GUNTER WHAT THE S FATE SHOWS The \\ ife of the Accused and the \v. ife nnd (/hildren of the I)ecease<l Are Present at the Trial, Which Excites Great Interest Among the People. The Hon. Hugh Long, legislator from Aiken County, and erstwhile country newspaper editor with a permit to practice law, is on trial at Aiken, charged with the murder of Mr. Pickens N. Gunter, president of the Bank of Wagener, farmer and well known Aiken County citizen, the homicide occurring during a personal encounter in the town of Wagener between the defendant and the de ceased on about the 8th day of last September. The case was called the first thing Tuesday morning when the Court of General Sessions began its second day’s session. Some time was con sumed in drawing the jury, every man presented being placed on his voir dire, and both the prosecution and the defence excusing, or object ing to, quite a number, but finally the necessary twelve men were em panelled with .las H. League, of North Augusta, foreman. Twenty extra veniremen had been drawn Monday from the ‘'seven-mile box” to meet any difficulty that might have arisen Tuesday morning in their se lection When the jury was com plete the panel had not been quite exhausted When It became bruited abroad that the trial of the famous I/ong case had begun Individuals began to flock Into the Court House, and soon every seat and available space had been taken Interested spectator* were Mrs Ixing and her sister while the wife, children and more distant relatives of the dead man sat about One of the dead man's daughters, a pretty little miss, apparently about fourteen years of age. wept silently during the exhibition to the jury of the clothing worn by Gunter at the time he reo l\ed the Injuries thst brought death on October 1 Judge Krneet Cary Is [residing Messrs Croft k Croft snd C K Saw yer are counsel for the defence while Sol’ll tor Hob' I. Gunter !• twin* a* slated by his law partner 'he Mon Herbert F Gyles, mat or of Aiken and the Meserw Menderwnn Cr*t |» years or more during whch t.me wltno-s stated. Cere had sprung up oetween 'h*-m a mutual warm regard With slight varlu'ii ns and con'radlc tlons as to minor dotai',* the p-ose cution from I'* witnes'*< « pr* sents the follow,tig opitom.rod \<:->;on of the 'ragedr l ong w.is vt.it, llrg t n »• Mdevalk w rb a tie a i,t>api-r In his b.inl Gun t<r rof''tit; to'*nr,[ ) i : m J i-' fore the latter reached him Long it is claim'd, half turne! aid dropp'd his paper toward his pocket Gunter col lared him. spun him around and knocked him out into the street, fall ing on fop of and astraddle the pros trate man, pinioning his arms In some manner Long managed to f^ee himself, possess himself of bis re volver and fired, which.first shot. It is alleged, inflicted no serious wound. It seems then that almost simul taneously with the first discharge, Hayes Gunter, a cousin of the de ceased, and indicted with Long as an accessory, rushed from his store near by, Tan* up To Pickens Gunter’s back and, throwing his arm about Gunter's neck, began to choke him and drag him away from Long, the latter fir ing the fatal shot after Gunter was clear from him and while Gunter, it is claimed, was absolutely helpless. Clearly, and It has been so admit ted to this correspondent by one of the attorneys for the prosecution, the prosecution endeavors to establish the fact that when the fatal shot was fired Long was free of Gunter, while the latter was helpless in the grasp of one of his kinsmen, under which con ditions, they contend, there was no warrant for the last and fatal bullet. Two witnesses have stated that the deceased a few hours after he was wounded gave essentially this story: Gunter said that he was coming down the street and saw Long; that as he approached Long the latter dropped the paper toward his pocket, turned toward him with an indescrib able contortion of the facial muscles and muttered some Imprecation that he did not catch. Gunter did not know what I>ong was going to do; might have intended to shoot so far aa he knew, and from that point the general thread of the story la parallel with that of eye-witneasea. One wltx nees, E. B. Jackson, affirmed that he U- n-ssi found a revolver In Mr Oun- t**r s private drawer at the bank. <>n the rroes-examlnatton the de fence unsuccessfully tried to have witnesses testify thst Gunter went to •everal campaign meetings last emn- mer and was very active In his oppo sition to the candidacy of Long for the House of Representatives, but with one exception they denied abso lutely any knowledge of Gunter’s po litical likes and dislikes. One ‘wit ness, however, did have a faint recol lection of Gunter having gone to a Campaign meeting a short distance away from Wagener. The prosecu tion seems to have a tendency to ob ject to the admission of testimony that may savor of the political. One of the State’s most interesting witnesses was Benjie Baldwin, who, under the Long administration—for Long was mayor of Wagener at the time of the homicide—was chief of police. He followed Long to the house of one Mr. Gardner, next door to his (Long’s) own home, to find Long bar ricaded at the head of a narrow stair way and armed with a Winchester rifle and a .38 calibre revolver. Wit ness said he stood at the foot of the stairway and Long at his end, and they discussed the case. Baldwin said that he asked Long what was the trouble with him and Gunter, when the latter told him: “ ‘Pick’ got me before I knew it, and I Just pressed my gun* against him and shot him off The witness continued that under the orders of the district magistrate he stayod guard with Long, to pro tect him from the mob outside the house, until the sheriff and his posse arrived on the scene On cross-examination the witness admitted the presence of men. i he was uncertain that they were armed i around the house; and after a httle persuasion on the part o| counsel he even admitted that he heard quite i number of shot* fired d urine the nitcht Counsel then had him te*?;r> that he made no effort to arrest the parties, nor did he ev»r prefer snv chance* atcainst any of them He did claim, though, that he made an un successful attempt to And out »ho amaahed up and fired Into the print Ing office of Ixtng (’ K l.ybrand tent.fled that he heard I-ong tell a friend, who was accompanying h:m h 'tjie ”1 intended all along to kill the an)wav ‘ This sta'ement created * little ripple of surprise and counsel for the pr«»seciition had the witness repeat !; Is statement M G ‘ichual slrr. t'ef tha' be lav outside the x ar ! ‘ha' Ut' ! with hla a le 5 w a:' It g t .> »e. he aa 1 ' <• I an 1 gun loadr 5 w a that I»ng • a« n >l h 1 rn were n u :i. be « i •) *e| for defence on - r.AII. ? 11 ''ndrrsnn. of h** !**t named fl'TU * an’ ■ 1 to k ° * . ' w |» r: ** • *« * d I d tl t hsx i nr ron 1 ii<t**.| the exsmtnsti < 1 n o' See x e * a I r ’l '.* 1 - U • t • * . g » : t h w 11 n * for i’ r [>ro*er U ' 1 on Th. Get »r* of ’*ke I.x • r. m 4 ■ n "g to S****’ < <1 to s t Journ defi ! x hr x n d w a » a ’• ** r • of ni’*-' v Thursdav even!nr and t ti •• r*- 1 .*>n r » and It 1 ' k •) • * - G.* ' he X* 111 l.e • i. rt*-(1 ** w*r\ possible effor four’ . t h : m M t G r > • j- : r * ' e earn b) both St*'.- an I de '.•nre to * X r th- psl-t la*t »utnn • - \ F • 11 n ea* c**<> to the j u r v ! efore that t ’ m e aald he did not rerr. e m ’>er to hax r T! flrat » it lu- • • »** F It Jack **-en any such rur t eon » io 1* r**ti ter of the bank of At f. 4'. Tue* Ibt r f'ern >o n the w h 1' h ' ti** ii* <*••*'* 1 » a* p-e*Id** 1 1 • he prosecution rested Without h ax nr 1' hs v! t.r b»***n *s*o< <x te-d in t ti a t r apac would appear m adr a fr'? s' ronr Hr xi rifh Mr Gunt< t for •hr pa*r t b fee ease aralnet (he defendant Wed- PtOIMENT AIKEN LAVYtR LOS ES LIFE AT ISLAND. VENT TO CATCH CKABS Cut Off on Reef by Rising Title Xbt Knowing Safe Retreat, Steps in I>eep Water.—(Vies Mistaken for Calls to His I>og. The Charleston Post says Charles Ashley, a prominent young lawyer of Aiken, who was spending a few days at Sullivafi’s Island with his mother, at statirfb 28, was drowned Wednes day afternoon off station 29, when, cut off by the rising tide while on a reef extending out from the beach, he attempted to return to the shore by the shortest route, and stepping into deep water, he perished, his cries for help being mistaken for xialls to his ktle dog who had accompanied him n a crabbing expedition. Mr. Ashley left his boarding house f about one o’clock Wednesday af- Frnoon, taking with him a crabbing net and basket, planning to catch a mess of crabs for supper. His p*d dog went along with him. Friends in cottages along the beach watched his progress toward Breach Inlet, and saw him go out, the tide being low. along a reef that is notably treacher ous. He waved his hands to uatche-s from time to time and was apparent’)' enjoying the novel excurHun Meanwhile tide had < ome :n shu' ling from sight parts of the sand reef, and when Mr Ash ley discovered that he was being cut off, he turned shore ward I'ri familiar with the safe course to take he tried to wade hack across Intervening waters, and sud denlv found himself over his head Fnable to swim and being phvalralH • e*k Mr Ashley called f,,r help h!» vo.re reaching children plavlng on the tie*' h but the) misunderstood his call* thinking he was command 'ng his dog to follow him perhaps The unfort una'e young 1 a w > e d I * pea red from sight and hla bat r ba» art been found sl'hough d!ttg« nt Pllgent wearrh was made tv organu <d parties who wer.' as far aa the Isle of Pams th nking perhaps thst NEEDED REFORMS PORMKR OAT A XI* I’Rt.KD BY JOHN J. M’MAHW. VERY OUEtR CASE f ATBEI’S SHUT CALLS TH MB ORE WES ' n g e»t r, g . >u' new lay morning the defen e will offer testimony In support of Its plea of self defence One of the most Inferes’lng inch den's of Tuesday aftertuvon's session was the spectacle of witness and a' tornevs stretched out on the floor of the t’ourt room with Long s revolver r«-#nacling the tragedy. T Wap's < III>1K < »\ KIMsF.I.K. Confesses a Murder for Which Anoth er Was to Ihe. ”1 alone am guilty of the crime for which Fred Nye is under sentence of death. I fired the fatal shot and planned to rob ’Miller Nye knew nothing about it,” declared David Everitt, in a written confession to District Attorney Strouss. Frederick'Nye is under sentence of death for the killing of Henry E. Mil ler, at Sunbury, Pa., last year. Mil ler was found dead In his pool room with a bullet hole In his neck. The corpse had been robbed of —Nye and Everitt were arrested and at their trials each blamed the other. Nye was sentenced to be hanged, and Everitt received a sentence of manslaughter for the crime. The case was taken to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania which declined to in terfere, and an appeal is now pending before the pardon board. In his confession, Everitt said that he could not sleep at night “because it worries me so to think that anoth er boy is to dies for a crime I alone committed”. *i»* had • i • #».G h •• » ■ ’ r r • grasp snl ha! r.,ntinu*^l V • < mj • ■ n g a <- r ■ P r a ^ * I n *-• H • 1>>g •! a |1 »• It* wav t«> t.^r th'.rr »*»* v ar.'l la'rr • * r <-■*{, r.r> ; t.a.S n • err '■ U'.d «n 'he b«-w ■ h There U deep f m . •■ ,[ -<1'' a ge kr>"«r. a V \ k r n ’ -e • a! • • a • Irvei ?» and ’n • eel*. •- • here Ur AahUv aud hla wltSuWml mother were a* a * ■ n r V-» Xth'e, t iver. .me « ’ 1. grief |G ««• an . nlv ♦of; b » ’ rvhe r rne*.*i.g !e*'\ *.,tne time ag " Go*r. fa'al burn* Mr \»h 'er ha 1 xl.l'ed ‘‘ull'v'kn . J.lan 1 be 'ore enjotlng a large , r. r o' ? r ' r -. d • wfco adm red Mm f * h « gen a 1% P<•w " :"n an d r harming mat. ne- F or the ; aat )ear or two the rre' • he-e Mr k * h 1 e ▼ met hi* dea'h ha« been *on» 1 rred dar.gero jt by t hoar using !' Mr baas flah'ng The «h.'f Ing sand* ‘n ? b i* sec (ton have 'hang the char*/ter of the t>e,arh. and now a long reef run* off from the shore th*' la covered bv water w h#n '*• ' h'Vh although anv one famll ar w th 1 1;e |«\ of the land can make !'« wav '.ok »a '•■' v to the store M C'l' 'VV . f.g 'he f o’.;r-*e of t h - 'eef , ire ■Ullv However Mr Aahlev did n t ';tk.- this fact it.'ii ai miin' and n.xd" the nur'ake o' coining straight In from where lo* wan stationed when fie found himself cut off hy the rising waters He was not a good swimmer, knd when he ^ank over his head h" must have been practically helpless He was several hundred yards from his cottage when the accident happen ed. hut in sight from the shore, his movements being followed through opera glasses. Mr Ashley was in his early thirties, and unmarried. I>eep sympathy is extended to his bereaved mother. , V m ■ »n 1 n the o * f p«-'wna' Grasshoppers in Kansas. In a bulletin issued the Kansas Agricultural College has warned the farmers of Kansas that the grasshop pers are likely to cause serious dam age in tW State this year. The open winter left 90 per cent, of the grasshopper eggs uninjured; the bul letin stated the pests already are at work In some parts of the State. Brother Booker says: “We did not know before that there waa a mint bed at the White House but then ve are not so awfully familiar with the Whits House aurroandlngs any way.” RATS WERE THE THIEVES. Built Nest Costing $50 Worth of Postage Stamps. A Yorkers Dispatch to the New York Herald says the baffling mys tery of who stole $50 worth of post age stamps from the Yorks post of fice three years ago has been solved after postal inspectors and detectives had given up their efforts to find the thieves and clerks had to make gogod to Uncle Sam the missing stamps. Workmen on an addition to the office found a quantity of the stamps chew ed to bits and made into mice nests under the floor. The fragments will be sent to Washington and the gov ernment asked to reimburse the clerks. When the Democracy was defeated In 1 908 the Atlanta Constitution ad vised that the Democrats of the South Join the Republican party as it was In power for all time. This sen timent was endorsed by a few other papers in the South, but as the people were true. It fell flat and the South ern Democracy remained true to prin ciple. Some of these papers are now trying to run the Administration.. Ijegul Safeguarding of Primary and Protection of Ballot Principle One to he <’onsldered. All other political reforms wait on the legal safeguarding of the primary election. Th? protection of the bal lot is th£| foundation of free govern ment. A fraud, or an error, knocks somebody out of his vote. Using a club roll containing names of absen tees or dead men, affords opportun ity for false voting and “repeating”, sometimes pursued by professionals hired for the purpose. Dishonest or careless preparation of the club rolls ma>f*9\«Jranchise voters by errors of initials or spelling or hy entire omis sion of names. There is no safety in depending on messages to see .that your name is put on the roll. The only certain method is to go person ally. Allowing votes to be cast by minors and non-residents may change the result. As long as the rules’ per mit these practices, there is no as surances of the will of the majority -—the rule of the people. Democra cy is turned into a farce. People learn little except by exper- iencf. The man who before an evil is upon the country perceived thej tendencies that will bring it, and! urges a changes from the prevailing Kvttem while yet there is time, can arouse no following. Noah foresaw the flood hut could prevail on no- lH»d> to join his family in being sav ed Most people see hnly the Imme diate preterit and are deaf to the appeals of the pioneer reformer Hence most of the sufferings of man kind, most of the horrors of h storv affording ample lessons if we would but apply them Thomas Jefferson advocated grad uallv freeing the negro.* and trans- poning them to Africa The race problem was then generally unsee able arid unbelievable In their en jovn.ent of the negro a* * slave the pc<>- !•• could not *«•»• ttie misfortune f thus excluding the development ■ f a sturdy laboring white popul* •Ion nor could thev foresee the :n- e» Is'>le fins! emancipation with It* attendant train of danger* including the menace of social equality and u! tlma'e ania gams'.on V't«r the pr.mary l*»t August •hr-r w a* a geurf*: reslliatlon of the prevaen e 1 rr eg u 1 * r, t: eg n mr g »n! of >pp..n unit r-# fer frsdd ■he p-ohaMlitj that there ha 1 been serious 'r*ud* Whether or no* ’he'r » * 1 b«-«-n er. ugh fraud* to tsngr ’he ’ e* ,t <ir whether frail* ■ n • c «■.«, y. V ! '-ec n ' ff*e- Sv fra ud* Di*> be mere'v * matter >pIr. 1, n or h!a• Wh• th jrf .Sr rerg .la- •.,* a r J Gaud* had j '-eef, no fe hut! rr US thsfi In p*e I ' J* primar* r.es 'tor.* of whether j •• c w e - e « ; , n gfe r! .sely r-ttl I M** ! ' -e c a i *e of ' h e g-es'er Inte'est | Is Ikewlse a m*' G r not bevond coft ' fox er s v Hut eft* n It !* that the unusual Interest throughout the | ''a'e c,r. en'-a'ej s'fentlon upon ' * h e '»x tx of our pr’marx rule* and method* sr.d t’e need of reforming the"" Nexer be 'ore h»J the weak r.sa o' the voting •xstetn. the *b sen. e of safeguards been So brought home to the ;.e*>p;e They now saw 'he danger of repeated” t^llots with padded roll* duplicate enroll- ment and no restriction of the xoter •o fits loca l') Suldenlx waking to ■' e».. t‘ ng.* 'h. v rnsv fiax*. magnl- J In th.dr minds th.- extent of the :tctun! i ra< '!< *• of the frauds which wr-.. so p.issitd,. U ri l.-r the rules Y.-t tfie same situation had been previously apparent In spots in the State |n heated and close contests ov. r an Important county office and in warm races for township commis sioner or for magistrate. How often lias a magistrate been elected by vot ers from ah adjoining district ^ The candidates and their supporters have been frequently alert and active to place on the club roll the names of friendly neighbors across the line. The rub s of the party have not for bidden it. Similarly, many a voter has his name habitually on two or three or four club rotts and can take his option as to the one at which he will vote—he may be dishonest enough to vote at all these boxes or his nam# may be used by others who “repeat” in voting. These are plain frauds, hut are facilitated by the rules permitting the duplication of names on the rolls. These things have stirred neigh borhoods and counties, but the re ports had made no impression on (he mass of our citizenship because the evil seeme 1 too remote. Last sum mer the whole State became aroused. Even those on the winning side ad mitted the appearance of evil and the necessity of avoiding 1 it in future. A reform of the primary seemed at last in sight—the good that comes out of evil, nature’s compensation in the long run. But by the time the legis lature met the keenness of public in terest had worn off. The bills for the remedial legislation were post poned to the next session upon the argument that there would still Be ample time before the next general primary election, and that it would be well to give the matter longer consideration. And so tbs reform was sidetracked, whlje Interest far ther cools. This is the standard pat ent for defeating reforms—patting WAS TALK OF THE TOWN Two Brothers Named Freedman at Now Brunswick, N. J M IIawe Exact ly the Same Dream, Neither One Telling the Other, and Shortly After One of Them Died. The death dreams of Joseph H. Freedman and Max Freedman, broth ers, of New Brunswick, N. J., follow ed by the passing away of Max, were discussed with awe in that city by many people for days. Ten days ago Joseph dreamed viv idly that the spirit of his dead father appeared and begged him to Join him in the grave. This dream nelth- he, his wife nor any other member of the family told to Max, who was dan gerously ill of a kidney disease. But his wife told Joseph’s wife of a dream the sick man had had and Mrs. Joseph Freedman was startled nearly into hysterics, for in every de tail It was the same ghastly dream that had come to her husband a week before. Not merely did each man dream ot the spirit of his dead father calling him. but the words spoken hy th. spirit were the same on both ooca sions Joseph Freedman Is a produce wholesaler at 131 Burnet street, New Brunswick, a man not given to super stition Max was equally practical One morning about ten , days ago loseph came to the breakfast table looking so pale his wife asked If he were 111 He told her he was still feeling the effects of a dream A gray gauzy apparition had appeared to Mm had s'retrhed out entreating hands and had aald '■<’<>me with me. Joe Tome and we ll lie down together up there un der the grass where we can sleep and not know or rare wha« the strlv in g men sre doing In the world learn with me the wonderful things that have rorne to me since I have passed to where knowledge really Is ’ Freedman said he told the appart tl<>n that he did not want to die aa It would be cruel for him to do so and le*xe hi* wife and rhIMren anpro te«-»ed When that plea waa made the ghost vanished Max Freedman became very 111 s few days later and Joaeph and hU » fe sent to Mai • home in Cedar • tree* To the ron*ternatlon of Mrs Joseph. Mra Mai began warping >U»iaaUg and aa..J It !• hope lews Mai la going to d'*- Thst ran only be the meaning f the dream he had tao nights ago He saw hi* father a gboat snd th* old man urged him to )otn him In the grate CREATED A SEHSATW MITFRAGETTE TKIffiD TO OOI* i p a Htaw. l/otxhy Hhtxwld he Ili The New Yark World aaya every member of the t'nited Htate# Senate should know that an Investigation of the lobby Is always In order In truth, the attitude of a legislative U>dy properly actuated toward thoae who would swerve It from Its most conspicuous pledges ought at all time* to be one of Inquiry, if not of suspicion and hostility The lobby now active at Washing ton represents interests which for many years have exerted an undue Influence u|»on government These Interest* have grown rich, powerful and Insolent upon their aMUty to tax the people They have shackled our Industry. They have corrupted our polltl'i They have filled the land with (lass prejudices. They have given to monopoly and graft the dig nify of an economic theory It was these conscienceless inter ests that were voted down last Nov ember. If they appear now by agent and attorney in the National Senate it is not because they have any mis givings as to the nature of the verdict that was rendered against them, but because in that body the force of their popular condemnation Is ex pressed in the feeblest terms. The majority against them there is small. On that weak spot in the people’s de fenses they naturally concentrate their efforts. The lobby which to-day assails the Senate is looking first of all for weak men, but It will be content, no doubt, if it can find corrupt men. All that it asks Is that by unscrupul ous and'narrow bargaining and coz ening, three or for Democratic Sena tors shall nullity the will of the American people. Its purpose is treacherous and treasonable. Can there be any doubt that, given an op- porunity, its methods of persuasion will be equally desperate? A great conspiracy against repre sentative governpjqnt is under way at the capital. It contemplates the betrayal of a Nation. It is not poli tics. It is not business, It is crime. Every Senator whose vote Is depend- en upon to consummate this perfidy knows It is crime. It is crime that never again should go unpunished. Why not Investigate? - - Was Drsfored Some Dtsteoco oo4 Woo Seriously Hurt hy Her Foolish Act. At Epsom. England, Thursday * race for the Derby, the "blue ribbon” of the British turf, was one of tho’ most sensational on record. It ws$ made memorable .by g daring mili tant suffragette outrage, in which *- woman was terribly injured while trying to stop King George’s horse, Anmer, when he was running at fuM speed around Tattenham corner; hy the disqualification for bumping of Craganour, the favorite, after he had finished first; and by the award of the race with its stake of $32,500 to Aboyeur, a 100 to 1 shot. King George, Quefen Mary and a large assembly of royalty were wil- nesees of these exciting incidents. While interest in the classic waa at its most tense point, just as the fifteen horses were turning Tatten ham corner into the stretch, s woman rushed out of the dense crowd and plunged In front of Anmer and anoth er horse, Agadir. Apparently she hoped to interfere with the progreee of the race by seizing Anmer’s rein* and placing not only herself in dan ger hut also the two Jockeys. The horses were at the end o' the string or the consequences might have been more serious. Agmdtr, ridden by Jockey Earl, passed in safety and unhurt, but the wonuui managed to cilng to Anmer’s reias and brought down both horse aad rider. Jones, the king’s Jockey, received Injuries necessitating hla removal la an ambulance while the woman wae thrown under Anmer’s hoofs aed kicked. She was taken uncoasrloee to a hospital, suffering severs is Ju ries to her head Suffragette papers sre said to base been found In her poeeeeefon aad a suffragette (leg waa bosad roead bee body Her name was given se ffi Davison Jones, tbs Jockey, asffered from • rut In the heed hot hla lajsrles wise were not aertoaa thorn to sleep. John J. Columbia. May tl. WILL DO NIXH GOOD. Waul*, >. wTm A ronfereare for Aootb Carol lag eU by tk* <\>eforesee lor Metfatfcg IS the Hostk. r*coolly held la Kkfe rn on d baa been adxaaeed aad psume ted by th* leadlag ('arollataa* aad e4- ecsturs interested la the welfare prosperity of the Slate waa first presented to the pehMc hf Frof W K Tate, aad H bad hearty »drome In farthering lfee pleas a letter baa feeea addressed te a ber of psrwoee believed te he e<] la the general good of lbs monweelth. inviting them te t'olumbln aed step oet a the ronfereaces This letter Is slgaed fey Prof Tate F W Dobbs, president of the Slat* Farmers Utloa. K J t'ornmlaeloaer of Agrtcnltsro. Gontales and Dr Wllltam B W< president of tfe* dint* Med leal nation aad la in part, aa follows Th* coming summer eeeasa eg dally appropriate for the salted fort The movement meat lutely free from polities, and mael have as its aim the advaaceaaeat of the welfare of the people of the State rsthT than the furtberaace of per sonal ambitious and political aaptr^ (ions of any Individual This Is. In a measure, an off-year in politics Matters relating to the public welfare may be freely frankly dircuesed, and public will not be obscured by their elation with the personality of naea who are seeking office. We may now give every man an opportunity to state his grievances and may discern the needs and remedies with minds. It has been suggested that tba State conference should either bg preceded or followed by county con ferences and by public discussion la the press of the State. Such a pro gram requires careful planning in or der to prevent dissapation of effort. It is our opinion that we should se lect for discussion one fundamental topic from each domain or interest or a few subject of most vital concern to all and that we should not attempt to cover the,entire field. In order to prepare this program this committee has invited many rep resentative men and women who have the welfare of the State at heart to meet with its members to discuss and formulate the program. The prelim inary meeting will be held at the F. M. C. Auditorium, Columbia, at 12 o’clock on Tuesday, June 10, and it Is desired that the meeting will be fully attended. The movement to in augurate such a conference or confer ences as proposed is in every way de sirable and commendable. The Times and Democrat that the bill introduced in the States Senate to raise the salarlsg g| the rural mall carriers will seog be come a law. They are ag important lot of officials, nnd are mtithi U better pay than they are