Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MAAS SENT HIM LETTER i Ooaatltntionallst General Charges Huerta With Having; Brought on and Invited a Foreign Difficulty in an Effort to Force Rebels to Ally Themselves With Him. r *.’ -i ■ ' . ■' r The answer of Gen. Francisco Villa to a request from Federal Gen. Maas in command of the Saltillo garrison, that Villa join the Federate In aveng ing the American occupation of Vera Crus was delivered to the Federal messengers Monday. Gen. Villa refused absolutely to ally himself or his men with the Fed erate and declared that the Huertls- tas had provoked foreign Intervention for their own ends. Proposals from Gen. Velasco to go over to the rebels because of alleged ill-treatment by the Federal govern ment were laid before Gen. Villa Monday. Villa expressed himself as inclined to receive "so good a fight er”. It Is his custom to reject offers from Federal officers to serve under the rebel standard. Gen., Obregon, commander of the division of the northwest of the rebel army; Gen. Pablo Gonzales, comman der of the northeast division; Gen. Panfllo Natora, commanding the cen tral division; Gen. Caballero, c6m- mandlng the besieging force at Tam pico, and others have refused pro posals that they unite with the Fed eral troops to repel an American In vasion. Gen. Maas* letter to Villa announc ed that In addition to occupying Vera Crus the port of Sallna Crus had been seised by the United States forces, April 23. The leter to Gen. Francisco Villa was as follows M I have received Instructions to notify the revolutionary chiefs that American Intervention in Mexico is an accomplished fact. The United States has committed a grave offense against Mexico by disembarking troops In Vera Crus, April SI, and by taking similar action at Ballna Crus, two day later. This act alone con stitutes the Intention of war, and tfcls is the supreme moment to call on the patriotism of all Mexicans to present a united front and forget ear dlfferencee In the Intense love of a county of which we are posseqped We can consider the enemy only as a foreigner, who In the most unjust and Ignoble manner has stepped upon the holy soil of our fatherland *Tt Is well known that the North Americans, following the hypocritical and undignified conduct which they have used In all^asee of Intervention have declared that they will not fight against the revolutionists, but only against the government; hut It la clearly to be seen that this conduct is for no other purpose than to keep us divided and make easier their conquests. As Mexican patriots we should not permit foreign nations to mix in our Internal affairs. upon ^our brothers to rally to the common cause for the defense of the national Integrity. You could not more nobly yield your present position than for the purpose of rallying to the cause of the whole of Mexico, that we may all march together against the in vading Yankee*, I have such faith In your patriotism that I do not doubt that the forces of your com mand will rally to fight the Invasion of the Americans. I reiterate to you assurances of my distinguished con sideration.” Gen. Villa's answer follows: “In answer to your letter of April 28, In which, in accordance with your Instructions, you Invite me to march with you against the foreign Invaders of our country, I would say that I understand your actions fully and also the present diabolical machina tions. I know that as an accomplice you took part In the infidelity and treason of February, 1913 (Madero’s death). This Is perfectly well under stood, and you should know that we can not pardon It, and alio know that It will be the cause of your ruin. "I therefore give you this answer only because your official request and my answer are historic*! documents, and I owe to posterity an explanation of my conduct. “I know that the Cientiflcos, by various processes, have up to this time sought to bring about North American Intervention in Mexico. It Is known without doubt that the com ing of the Americans was desired and provoked by you. The manner In which you have excited Internal trou bles and then called on all Mexicans to help fight the external troubles is dear to all the world. “Gen. Huerta and you did not show much wisdom when you were convert ed Into Instruments of the Cientiflcos about _ _ of Plao flaares and some other Uberal Democrats, because you did aot real ise that the Meed of the heroes who started the Democratic movement In Ai dvil war which a for- Oae Hundred Members of Fore Troops Offer Wilson Their Services In Present Mexican Trouble. l' Gen. Bennett H. Young of Louis ville, Ky., late Thursday was re-elect ed oommander-in-chlef of the United Confederate Veterans at the annual reunion at Jacksonvlle. Richmond, Va., was chosen for the 1915 reunion. Gen. Young defeated Gen. Felix Rob ertson of Texas. After the election of a commander-in-chief adjournment was taken, when officers of the Army of Tennessee and the Army of Vir ginia and other divisional organiza tions could be elected. Gen. Young received approximately 1,100 votes and Gen. Robertson 800. Texas cast Us entire 343 votes for Robertson. Seymour Stuart of fit. Louis, Mo., Thursday was elected commander-ln- chlef of the United Sons of Confed erate Veterans, succeeding W. W. Old Jr. of Norfolk, Va. A lively de bate was precipitated at the meeting of the Sons of Veterans by the intro duction of a resolution calling upon congress to pension Confederate vet erans. The resolution was Introduc ed by Judge N. H. Harrison of Roa noke, Va., judge advocate general, department of Virginia, Sons of Vet erans. Scarcely had the resolution been seconded when W. W. Old Jr., com- mander-ln-chlef of the organization, left his official chair In order to make a speech detyouheing the resolution. “I am willing to take my coat off and work for funds with which to supply our Confederate soldiers," he declared, "and until we are no longer able to do so we should not ask the government to help them.” The speaker was heartily cheered as he asserted that he had consulted hundreds of Virginia /reterans and had found none who was In favor of beseeching aid from the government. Delegates from Georgia, Florida and South Carolina voted disapproval. Speeches against It were only check ed by tho adoption of a motion to enter into the election of officers In five minutes. Before that time had elapsed the resolution was tabled by an overwhelming vote One hundred survivors of Gen. Forrest’s famous cavalry Thursday offered their services to President Wilson In the event of war with Mex ico. The following resolution was adopted; “We read with Indignation of re peated insults offered to American citlsens by Mexicans, and Inbued with the patriotism derived as a heritage from our ancestors we hereby tender his excellency, the president of the United States, If called up, a com pany 'of 100 men to be selected from our corps. “We assure him that they will be able to fully fulfill their duties and bear the hardships that will be re quired of regular soldiers. We here by guarantee to be among the first to plant the American flag on the bat tlements of Mexico City, or any other fortress within her bounds." sign war to save yourselves from the disaster coming from the civil con flict. You show even less wisdom when you pile up mountains of machinations and lies which will crumble about your ears “You have sought to make this union between yourselves and the Constitutionalists who are under arms, and w*th ‘he pretext of a for eign war you seek to r >rm many Mex leans whose sympathies are not with you, but whose patriotism you expect to exploit, without reflecting that you are about to arm a people who in jus tice would chastise your crimes. These same people, when they dis cover you are an assassnl of Democ racy, you seek to win over by start . Jng a war against a foreign nation to serve your personal Interests and those of your party. “It will soon be proven that the Satanic declarations which you trait ors to the fatherland have made In stating that we have formed, a union with the North Americans Is a stu pid asseratlon which will cost you your existence and bring to your fam ilies an eternal shame. “The Constitutionalists have the desire to do all possible compatible with the national dignity to avoid a foreign war. but If we are not able to avoid It we will face two enemies, the powerful stranger and the jle- praved compatriots. Decides Not to Impeach. After conferring o all of Monday night eight members of the Colorado legislature opposed to Gov. Ammons Tuesday decided not to Institute Im peachment proceedings against him. -M . ... . . “ Millionaire Shot By Son. Gen. Hiram Duyyea, millionaire starch manufacturer of Brooklyn, was shot and killed Tuesday In his Bala Spoils Veteran A heavy rain at Jacksonville Fri day at noon made It probable that the anneal parade of the veterans would he called off. Many have left McMAHAN URGES DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO GUARD PRIMARY. MOST PROTECT BALLOT Should Prescribe for Voters In Its Primary Elections the Legal Quail flcatlons of Suffrage, as Required in Municipal Primaries In Commis sion Government Cities, Our statutory regulation of the pri mary Is directed chiefly against frauds by the managers of the elec tions and against bribery by candl dates and voters. Its general provi sions against fraudulent and corrupt violation of the rules of the party hardly touch the officers who make up false lists of persons who are to be allowed to vote 1& the primary. How prove that there was fraudulent or corrupt Intent and hot mere error of fact? Here Is the fatal weakness of ouF present system. Registration and Tax Receipts. The best guarantee of honesty in the preparation of the lists of voters for the primary is to require that those who are to vote In the primary shall prove their qualification to vote In the general election—show county registration certificates and tax re ceipts. These are established meth ods of identification that can not often fall. Fraudulent' “registration”, more over, can never be as easy as fraud ulent enrollment upon a club list. The one is conducted by an official board of three for the entire county, with conspicuous responsibility and publicity, and strict Statutory crim inal liability. The other la conduct ed In casual Informal manner by a score or a hundred different Individ uals acting each by himself for one club, often'in a remote And secluded part of the county, not under oath and with little prospect of being caught up with aa to hla dellnquen cles. Almost any frauds, even If dis covered, can pass aa errors of Igno rance under such circumstances. Incompetent or Dishonest Club Officer Tighten up the rules as we may— prescribe a beautiful system of cen sus taking and card Indexing; never- thsleaa, who can fully check up the work or guarantee that partialities have not been shown? In ths numer ous dispersed localities of one epunty ths enrolling officers will be of differ ent degrees of Intelligence and truth fulness and power of resistance to temptations to cheat The rules will not be observed with approximately equal fldslity. There can be no sys tematic watching, aa there can be at the county registration and as there generally is at the ballot box. Thera la llttla need for any safe guards in simple rural communities, where everybody knows everybody. But careful registering even there should be cheerfully submitted to, notwithstanding any Inconvenience, for the sake of the benefits to be de rived by the protection the system will afford these rural votes against being nullified by fraudulent votes eleswhere. , m Publicity Prevents Frauds. The dangers of frauds are in con gested centres, where no one can know everybody, and the officer may be Imposen upon by fraudulent appli cants for enrollment, or many him self be a party to fraudulent enroll ing, and yet detection will be diffi cult, and proof of corrupt motive and consequent punishment almost Im possible. If frauds are to be prevented or made rare, the light to publicity must shine not only at the ballot box but on every prospective voter for at least 30 days before he votes. No voter should pass without scrutiny—with out giving an account of himself— where he is from and how long he has been there. No such effective machinery for thla scrutiny can he provided as legal registration and tax paying. The necesatty for listing those who shall have the right to vote and keep ing a record of those who do vote, is everywhere conceded; and yet stren uous objection Is raised to the legal listing—the constitutional "registra tion”! Why? Because It Is strictly under the protection of law and means what it says’? • Safeguards Always Inconvenient. It la true that legal registration may sometimes appear annoying in its red tape and that in exceptional cases it may work hardships. But all safeguards are inconvenient—the quarantine regulations, the pure food inspections, the dog licenses. This Is the day of regulation In the Interest of the public—to guarantee the gen uine article. We should be content with nothing less In the electorate. Those that suffer by It are suffering for their country’s good. The denial of the vote under the lefigth of reeMen«lniny teefiPpnfely artificial in the cnee of a desirable voter. But he should as a patriot be glad of the role whisk thus debars him when be reflects that for every man of his type so deprived of ths ballot mors thaa oA# fraudulent sots, will be pre- There Is thus no real merit In mak ing a “bogaboo” of legal registration. It is ths one thing needful. ‘ Pledgee of ‘05 Fulfilled. Nor Is there merit is the conten tion that It may reanlt in the dis franchisement of a laris number who should vote, and that it might appear to be a claaa discrimination, harsh, unjust and embittering. The constitutional convention of 18 years ago gave full warning that young men becoming of age after two years thqrefrom must learn to read and writs or depend on acquir ing $300 worth of property to entitle them to vote. It was never suggest ed that any pledge, Implied or oth erwise, was being made to the rising generation that they might remain illiterate with Impunity and neverthe less be accorded the rlgiht to vote In the party primary regardless of the constitutional requirements.' On the other hand increased school funds were provided and additional facili ties offered to Insure to every white boy the chance to learn to read and write in order that he might vote. One promise was made and fully redeemed. Every white voter of the ’60s and of the '70s, and Incidentally every white voter up to the year 189$, was registered as a permanent voter, and his name recorded on the “roll of honor" In the office of the secretary Jl>f state. He Is assured of his balloi for the remainder of his life. But what good is the ballot to these old heroes or to the electorate gen erally If when they divide on ques tions and seek to ascertain the ma jority, to which all will bow, there Is such a lack of system that frauds are encouraged and the suffrage made a farce? Commission Government Primaries. The alleged hardships of registra tion are largely fictions of the imag ination conjured up by ardent cham pions of the people .too often think ing far more of their votes than'of their welfare. Is it forgotten that these strict re quirements now prevail in the muni cipal primary elections In Columbia and other commission government cities and towns? Has there been any violent revulsion of feeling from this trial? Are not Ita asurances of fair play more than compensation for ita inconveniencee or even disfranchlse- menta? As to the tax reeelpta, all taxes have to he paid, sooner or later, and with penalties if undnly delayed. The requirement of the tax receipt is not for the purpose of compelling a voter to pay hla taxes, but is an addi tional and specially efficacious means of identification. The people should by their pro nounced action put a quietus upon such flimsy arguments. John J. McMahan. Columbia, May 4. CUT OFF RIGHT HANDS. Of Eleven Yaqul Indians by the Seris Tribe. Col. Francisco Garcia, Just-before his resignation as Federal governor of Sonora, headed an expedition to Tib urn Island, in the Gulf of Cali fornia, consisting of 135 men of the eleventh battalion and twenty men of the Twentieth battalion, clashed with a number of Seri Indians, and maay of the- Indians were^ killed. Few of the Slrie had firearms,'the ma jority attacking the soldiers with ar rows and rocks. The Indians were surrounded and made prisoners and Gov. Garica talked with them. - No information was obtained con cerning the facts of Ferguson and I. Drake, the two American prospec tors who left Guamas for Tiburn Is land some time ago. The Seris de nied they were cannibals. They con fessed to harboring a number of rebel Yaqul Indians who had escaped from Sonora, and Gov. Garcia demanded that the Yaquis ,be turned over to his forces. The Indians refused to a&ede to this demand, but agreed to present the right hand of every Yaqna rebel on the island to the governor of Son ora. A party of Seris was according ly allowed to go into the interior of the Island, and the following day they returned with eleven bloody right hands, taken from as many Yaquis, mounted on sticks. The In dians were then released. TWO AMERICANS KILLED. Reports From Mexico Also Announce Death of Englishman. Developments In the Mexcan situa tion went steadily forward Thursday, although the White Houae wedding somewhat eclipsed other events in of ficial Washington circles. The chief reports from Mexico an nounced the killing to two British subjects and one American at Guad alajara and continued heavy fighting at Maxatlan on the Pacific coast, where tl\e rebel ■qeroplane dropped a bomb which killed four persons and Injured eight in the streets of the besieged city. n An explosion of dynamite In a magazine owned by the Panama gov ernment Tuesday resulted la the death of eight mm and the Injury The explosion was felt <tbe city of Panama but no 4e*e the eaaaL _ HUERTA FACES FINAL CHANGE JX BATTLE WITH REBELS. HIS BOWNFALL IMMINENT Dispatches From Vera Cruz Say That Forces of Dictator Will Make Last Stand Two Hundred Miles North of ... ' ;r 'v ji ' . .; ■ . ‘ Capital—Funston Reports Serious Condition at Vera Cruz. A dispatch from Vera Cruz Wed nesday says that the power of Presi dent Huerta is steadily waning. The Constitutionalists have been reinforc ed and are attacking Tampico with renewed vigor. Another army of the rebels Is marching on Satillo, while a third is closing in on San Luis Potosl. In the midst of this state of mlltary activeness on the part of the rebels there Is marked evidence of a fight within the government itself. All signs point to serious factional strife In the very heart of the Huerta cabinet, which, if not quickly stop ped, will bring the tottering reign of Huerta to an end. The best inform ed seem to’.believe that it is only a question of a few weeks before the tottering government will fall. One of the chief sources of worry In connection with the approaching crisis Is the Mexican affairs is the anarchy that It is feared will reign over all portions of southern Mexico, which, for so long as has been the bulwark of the provisional president. There Is no way of telling exactly when complete anarchy will prevail in those sections. It is expected that the Huerta forces will gather for a last stand at the capital of Mexico, .T&e trqqpu ' the dictator are expected to make their last stand at Queretaro, a rail road town about one hundred and sixty-seven miles from the City of Mexico. Villa la expected to have an army of twenty-five thousand men. It Is reported that many of the fed eral! are deserting aa the rebel army advances. Gen. Funston reported to the war department at Washington Wednes day that the Mexican federals were concentrating their forces about twenty miles west of Vera Crus. They have trained their artillery pieces on the pumping station, before which they have several times appeared and demanded surrender. The Mexi can troops are guarding the railway tracks closely, evidently anticipating a forward march by the Americans. Gen. Funston later reported the department that he had advanced hla outposts one mile beyond the pump ing etation near Vera Crus. The gen eral further reported that he had thrown up breastworks with sand bags and had taken every precaution to protect the waterworks, on which the very occupation of the city de pend!. He said he was expecting the reinforcements from Galveston by the first of next week. The Inter-oceanic railroad has been torn np for a con siderable distance by the Mexicans, who seem determined to do every thing possible to prevent a march toward the capital by the Americana. WILE HE ABDICATE? Rumors From Mexico City Say Huer ta May Resign Office. Advices received at Vera Cruz Tuesday from Mexico City say that Joaquin Casasus will be chosen for eign minister. Gossip at the Mexican capital again reports that Huerta has consented to abdicate under the pres sure of the foreign diplomatists. Cas- asus is said to have had no fbrmer political partisanships and could take the presidency with agreement of Constitutolnalists and Federalsr The Mexican constitution provides that the president must have been foreign minister previous to his election. There are some who profess to see In the rumors a sign that Casasus Is be ing made foreign minister In order to be eligible for the presidency. He has been'in Germany for some .time, bus la now oh his way hone. « A STARTS SECOND TRIAL. Faces death of eU of thlriuen. all over\tbo Police Lieut. Becker Again Court on Murder Charge. The second trial for the prosecu tion of former Police Lieut. Charles Becker began Wednesday In New York. Becker has already been tried on Ihe charge of murdering Herman Rosenthal and the jury could not agree. The defence opened Its case by a vigorous attack upon District Attorney Whitman, and moved that he be judged in contempt of court for making public statements preju dicial to the defendant. Over three hundred talismen were called in an effort to secure ^a jury. Mexicans Fight Battle. A dispatch from Los Angelos, Fla., Wednesday cays that ~ the Mexican Federal* and Constitutionalists fought a battle at Maxatlan Tuesday, la which a Federal strayed.The Americans aboard steamer la the’harbor M- -» : CLDfKSCALES SAYS STOP CHARLESTON RACES. _ * ' - ' ‘ • Candidate Says Charleston Is a Para I of This State and Most Obey Qie s v . Laws or be Wiped Off tbs Map.. In an Interview recently Prof. John G; Clinkscales, a candidate for governor, declared himself as greatly pleased with the action of the Spar tanburg county Democratic conven tion Monday. Mr. Clinkscales waa sent as a delegate by his club to the convention. “What ilo you think of the action of the convention touching the pri mary, Professor?” waa asked. “Fine, very fine," was the quick reply. "We send to Colombia a dele gation composed of strong, intellec tual, honest, representative men. They go uninstructed as to the pri mary and I’m sure every man will vote for such rules and regulations) as will Insure an honest election." “What, In your Judgment, should! the State convention do to safeguard the primary?" "Excuse me, please; 1 would not presume to dictate to the convention) just what that body should do, but that something will be done and the proper thing, I have no doubt. Thing* will certainly be fixed so that only true-blue Democrats can vote, each, man but once, and Republicans and Bull Moosers not at all. A self-re specting Republican or Bull Moos* would not ask It, of course," "What do you think would be the- .result if the convention should fall to take action?" 1 “If the convention takes-bo action to safeguard the primary, and if in the August primary we have eorrup- tloa, in my judgment, it will be th» nil pnaiiyugf uiiw'TtfNWtfrciftf^ llna. Good people will tolerate som* things a long time, but corruption in elections they wll not stand for.” “Do yon object to my publishing that statement, professor?” “Why, certainly not; I am for an honest election or no election. Sev eral months ago I wrote Mr. Mc Mahan, of Columbia, Just where ! stood in reply to several questions h* sent me. He said he had asked th* other candidates the same question* and proposed to publish their replies. He never did, however." “You talk so freely and so plainly of the necessity to safeguard the pri mary I am led to ask what, If elected governor, you. would do with th* Charleston situation?” “What do yon have reference t* particularly, the reputed condition of general lawlessness?” “Yes, the race track gambling and the bold defiance of the dispensary law; as you say, general lawless ness." “Well, I have said more than one* that If I were governor I would b* the governor of all. the people. Char leston la In South Carolina, her citi zens are South Carolinians, and many of them numbered among the purest and best people of.the State. If I were governor of South Carolina I wonld change conditions In Charles ton or exhaust the reeorcee of th* State in the effort. There is no rea- ^ * ,ujr unto herself*. The better element of that city do not expect special privileges and the other element should not have them. Blindtiger domination of the city of Charleston is a stench in the nostrils of decent Carolinians, her own good citizen* as well. Surely there Is in South Carolina enough brain, enough money, and enough courage to teach the City by the Sea that she must obey the laws as do other cities or b* wiped off the map.” “Professor, are you not afraid thl* plain talk will hurt you In the elec tion?” " 7 ♦ — 1—— “Young man, you do not know me. I may never be governor of South - Carolina, bnt of one thing I’m sure— I shall stand acquitted at the bar of my own conscience. I would not glv* a bauble for an office that I had to get by even winking at corruption la any shape or form. I’d have a con tempt for myself.’’ TO START NEW SYSTEM. Committee Takes Charge of the New . Banking System. The organization committee of th* new currency system announced In Washington Wednesday that five banks in each reserve district be des ignated before May 9, to execute their “certificate of organization” for dis trict approved by currency act. Representative of-banks designat ed are urged to meet promptly in re serve city so certificate may be filled with comptroller without delay. When this is done, the committee states that ,^11 subscribing hanks will be treated aa "member hanks” and the election of electors and the nom ination of directors will be proceed ed wRS.— .. —mmim Mnihwialraer Kills Herself. Mr*. John Perkins, wife of a mil lionaire hanker of- Greenwich, Conn., shot and killed henelf Wednesday while man tally unbalanced troak •