Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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■ . ' - NEGRO OUT TO BAR GAMBLING WILSON ILEUSES TO IEAI IMPRUBINT SPtAKEI HEARINGS OX COTTOX FUTURES LAW TS SOON TO START. SYSTEMJUILINEII SCOPE OF OPERATION OF THE NEW RESERVE BANKS. COMMITTEE DISMISSED Department of Ajcrtculturr Frame .. Regulations to j Prevent Illegal Traffic In Fleecy Staple. TO OPEN NEXT WEEK Regulations for administration of the new* law to eliminate so-called Federal Reserve Board Issues Circa- Negro Becomes Personal Against gambling features from cotton fu- , „ .. # „ tures eontracts will be considered at—lar Explaining Working of Neiv Wish of President—He Talks About Votes and Wilson Informed Him That it Mattered little How He Voted—President Incensed. Offended by the tone and manner of thoir chairman, W.'M. Trotter, of Boston. President Wilson Thursday ended an interview with a delegation of negroes'who called at the White House to protest against race segre gation In government departments, with a warning that If the negroes wanted to see him again they would have to get another spokesinaji. The president said, he had not been ad dressed in such fashion since he en tered the White House. T— A fifteen-minute interview had been arranged for the callers and the president received them in his office with only his stenographer present. The delegation complained formally that Postmaster General Burleson, Secretary McAdoo and Comptroller William^, of the treasury, were en forcing segregation^ of white and ne gro employes in their offices. Mr. Wilson listened to the state ment and then replied at length, ex plaining that he had Investigated this matter himself ahd had been assured i that no discrimination had been prac ticed against the negroes and that segregation had oeen inaugurated to avoid friction between the races, not to injure the negro. He added that ;f he was deeply Interested «in the ne gro race and admired it for the pro- giess it had made. At this point Trotter and others of the delegation took issue with the president. They declared the negro people did not seek charity or assist ance, but held that they had equal rights with the white and that these rights should be respected. There had been no friction, they insisted, before the segregation was started. Mr. Wilson waited for the protest to end. Then he told the delegation that he could not discuss the matter further. He closed with the quiet, but emphatic statement that Trotter had lost control of his temper and that be (the president) could not be talked to in such a manner. When the negroes left they said their talk bad been "thoroughly dis appointing," and that they would hold a mass meeting in Washington next Sunday to protest further against segregation. Trotter said in his address that his committee did not come “as wards looking for charity, but as full-fledg ed American citizens, vouchsafed equality of citizenship by the federal constitution. “Two years ago," said Trotter, "you were thought to be a second Abraham Lincoln " the president tried to interrupt, asking that per sonalities be left out of the discus sion. Trotter continued to speak, and the president finally told him if the organiatlon he represented wish ed to approach him again it must choose another spokesman, adding that he had enjoyed listening to the other members of.the committee, but that Tronter's tone was offensive. The president told Trotter that he was an American citizen as fully as any one else, but that he (Trotter) was the only American citizen who ever had come into the W’hite House and addressed the president in such a tone and with such a background of passion. Here Trotter denied that > he had any passion, but the president told him he had spoiled the cause for ; which he had come, and said he cx pected those who are professed Chris tians to come to him in a Christian spirit. The negro spokesman continued to argue that he was merely trying to show how the negro people felt, and asserted that he and others were now being branded as traitors to their race because they advised the negro people "to support the ticket.” The mention of votes caused Mr. Wilson to say politics must be left out, because it was a form of black mail. He said he would resent it as quickly from one set of men os from another, and that his auditors eould vote as they pleased, it matter little to him, so long as he was sure he was doing the right thing at the right time. The president spoke frankly, say ing that if the negro people had made a mistake in voting for him they ought to correct it, but that he would insist that politics should not be brought into the question because it was not a political problem. With some emotion he declared he was not seeking office, and that a man who sought the office of the presidency was & fool for his pains. He spoke of the intolerable burden of the office and'of things which he had to do wl)ch were more than the human spirit could carry. Emphasizing that he did not care In the least for the political-consid erations involved^. Mr. Wilson urged that he wanted his auditors to Under stand that it was a human problem and not a political problem. While the American people wanted to sup port the 1 advancement of the negro, the president was sure that, as prac tical men, everybody knew that there ■was a point, at which friction is apt to occur. The questiofi must be stripped of sentiment and viewed in its facts, because the fsets get the hearings beginning at Washington this week before Secretary Houston and treasury officials. Representa tives of all branches of the cotton producing and marketing industry will be heard. The statute goes into effect February 18, 1915. By prescribing a federal tax of 2 cents a pound on all cotton- sold tor future delivery, except under cod- tracts conforming to regulations of the department of agriculture, the law is expected to prevent specula tion and manipulation Of prices on cotton exchanges. Tentative regula tions already have been framed and submitted to those interested, who row will be given an opportunity to criticise them. Federal officials are anxious to have the entire machinery for ad ministration of the law arranged well in advance of the effective date, so that the trade may become familiar with the new fonditions. Prom alga tions of standards for cotton to he accepted as legal , ‘’delivery” will form the basis for the principal dis cussion daring the hearings A tentative set of a standards ^ire- pared by the burean of markets will he exhibited for information of cot ton traders and for suggestions. The department’s regulations, as testativel^v framed, provide that fu tures sales, in order to be exempt from txation, must show. The names and addresses of buyer and seller The number of bales sold, or the quantity, in pounds. The date of delivery That delivery is to be made ac cording to the '‘United States stand ard grades” to be promulgated by the secretary of agriculture. That low grades of cotton or very short staple can not be delivered in settlement of the contract. That the seller shall give the buyer five days before delivery a memo randum setting forth the grades and specifically describing each .bale of cotton. The regulations provide that the tax of 2 cents a pound, prescribed for contracts not conforming with these stipulations, shall be paid by the purchaser of a stamp to be affix ed to contract of sale. Under the act no tax is imposed on spot transactions but the price of cot ton for future delivery must be fixed by the price in spot markets to be designated by the secretary of agri culture. The designation oA these markets probably will be decided up on after the hearings The law also provides that dis putes ;.s to delivery of cotton shall be decided by the secretary of agricul ture. For this purpose the regula tions provide machinery for exami nation of cotton delivered in disput ed cases, collection of evidence and filing of complaints System—Commercial Paper is De fined—Broad Definition Given But Depends Largely Upon Act Itself. NEGROES’ NARROW ESCAPE. Dead Man Left Note Saying Three Negroes Had Killed Him. With a bottle of poison beside him the Rev. Jesse Plunkett, who lived between Windsor and White Pond, in Aiken county, was found late Tues day afternoon in a dying condition in his field. He died a few minutes afterwards without regaining con sciousness. A note found on his person, writ ten in pencil, stated that three ne groes with whom he had had trouble last week forced him to d(ink the poison, but every physical fact points to suicide. * The three negroes were at work a short distance from where Mr. Plun kett was found, and there were only his own tracks in the sand leading to the stump against which he rested He had no pencil in his pocket, and it is evident thet the note had been written before ♦he poison was drunk NEGRO LYNCHED. Ml rfa itvfc Floridans Gain Access to Jail and Make Short Work of Negro. following two days of intense ex citement at St. Petersburg, Fla., mob Thursday night took John Evans, a negro, from the city prison and hung him to a nearbly telephone pole Evans was supected of having shot and killed Edward F. Sherman, of Camden, N. J., and then to have as saulted Mrs. Sherman. He had an accomplice, who* also assailed Mrs Sherman and who is still being sought. The mob gained access to the city prison by removing some.brick in the rear wall after the leaders of invest! gating losses had gone home, con tent to have Evans brought before itnr Sherman tor identification. of intrinsic qualities, because all had human souls and were equal in that respect, but that for the present it was a question of economic policy whether the negro race could do .the same things that the white race could do with'equal efficiency. He said he thought the negroes were proving that they could, and that every one wished to help them so that they would not be so depend —Ii - time aheie- -eeudiMe— . »< The scope of operations of 12 fed eral reserve banks to be opened for business next Monday was defined tor the first few months of their exist ence in a circular Issued Wednesday by the federal reserve board. ‘For the present the banks will not exer else all the functions given, them by congress. The board, concurring with bank directors and governors, indorsed this plan: Acceptance of deposits of reserve from member banks. Discount of bills of exchange and commercial papers. Acceptance of deposits of checks drawn by member banks on any re serve bank or member bank in a re serve or central reserve city within their federal reserve district. Other powers may be callcf into play as the establishnient of safe and efficient organization permits. In its circular the board gave the long expected definition of commer cial paper, which is to be the basis for the new- federal reserve currency, and the means through which the na tion s circulating medium is expected to meet the expansion and contrac tions of trade and industry. •> The rate of discount was not an nounced and probably will not be un til Monday. It will be uniform in all banks. The definition of commercial paper is broerd and relies to a large degree upon the language of the currency act. The board declined at the pres ent time- to discuss the question ot double and single name commercial paper. It did make it clear, however, that it had a preference for the two name sort, and left no room for banks to doubt that it expected care ful inquiry into one name paper, pre sented for rediscount. The circular discussed the condi tions that have arisen here through war and gave some insight into the economic changes which might be ex pected to result. "It should be borne in mind,” it said, "that although our exports are showing a gratifying increase there is still a large cosh balance due to Eu ropean countries for which gold may be demanded, and that a large quant ity of American securities hold abroad may be returned to the Unit ed States, while on the other hand more than $300,000,000 of emer gency currency must be gradually re tired. “No one can estimate the duration of the war or predict what its effect will be on financial or commercial conditions, when peace shall be re stored. Our own industrial develop ment should be greatly facilitated by foreign capital. "It is probable that at the end of the war interest rates in Europe will be higher than they have in the past and great investment returns will be yielded. The tremendous destruction of property and waste of capital will not only check the flow of Europe's savings to the United States but may dispose foreign investors to return the securities they now hold. “Lower money rates in this coun try would be likely to accentuate this tendency, while, on the other hand, higher interest rates and large invest ment returns on our side would check it. "The function of the federal re serve banks is, therefore, of a two fold character. They should extend credit facilities, particularly where the abnormal conditions now prevail ing have created emergencies de manding prompt accommodations and on the other hand they must protect the gold holdings of this country in order that such holdings may remain adequate to meet demands that may be made upon them. “While credit facilities should be liberally extended in some parts of the country. It would appear advis able to proceed with caution in dis tricts not in need of immediate relief and to await the effect of the release of reserves and of the changes which the credit mechanism of the country is able to experience before estab lishing a definite discount policy. "While the most acute stage of the recent financial emergency appears to have passed, the conditions in other countries make it necessary that the United States should, to the utmost degree of efficiency, organize And make available its own resources in order that it may .provide for its own needs and replace the facilities sud denly destroyed by the closing of so many of the accustomed channels of credit and trade.” In defining commercial paper, the board announced these basic princi ples: . ’ That no bill shall be admitted to rediscount by a reserve bank, the pro ceeds of which have been or are to be applied to a permanent investment. Maturities of discounted bills should be well distributed so that a reserve bank should be in a position to liquidate one-third<of all Us invest ments within 30* days. Bills presented for rediscount should be “essentially self-liquidat ing,” which, the board explains. demand notiea and protest; that each paper be issued or drawn for agrl- cultural, Industrial or commercial purpoaea or tha proceeds of which have been so used; that if la the form of acceptances, mast be based on transactions involving the Importa tion or exporntion ot goods, and have a maturity ot not longer than three months. Acceptances must he in dorsed by a member bank and thO: total amount offered- by any member bank shall not exceed one-halt of its paid up capital and surplus, rhe ag gregate of paper bearing the indorse ment of any one person, corporation or firm, rediscounted tor any one bank, shall not at any time exceed 10 per cent, of unimpaired capital aid surplus, this not to apply to bills of exchange drawn against actually ex isting values. Paper drawn for trade in stocks and securities will not be acceptable, nor will such paper drawn for “mere investments.” and the board inter prets this phraseology of the law to exclude paper, the proceeds of which may be used in investments in land, plant, machinery, permanent im provements or transactions of similar nature. The purchase, of commodl ties for merely speculative purposes would constitute a "mere invest ment” in the eyes of the board and will be excluded. The board also announced thaT for the present it had fixed 25 per’cent, of bank's capital as the limit up to which it may rediscount paper “for agricultural purposes or based on live stock" having not more than six months maturity. This limit may be increased in agricultural districts in time of need. The board announced 'it hoped to establish a central credit bureau, in which the financial records of big borrowing corporations and individ uals wiH be kept. ’ Until January 15 next a written statement of an officer of a bank ap plying for the rediscount of any bill that is to be used for the purpose designated will be sufficient. After that no paper will be rediscounted unless it is eligible under the board's regulations and the seller has given a statement to the member bank. This statement Is to be signed un der otfth and must show the charac ter of business, the balance-sheet, the profit and loss accounts, permanent and fixed investments, slow and quick assets; capital, long term and short term loans. It will show also the maximum aggregate up to which the borrowing concern expects to sell short paper. The signature of member bank on such paper will be considered binding and a guarantee that the borrower's statement com plies with the law. IECISI0N IT HM onus liini mult ir- rmn Hina lues 4 MAKE SOME ADVANCE Dixmude Occupied by Invaders < Tuesday—Freeh Mames Hurled at Allied Line Near Yprae la Effort to Gala Coast—Decisive Moment is Said to be at Hand. WAR DECLARED. Factions of Villa and Carranza Are Ready to Regin Fighting War has teen declared between the Carranza and Villa elements of the Constitutlopallst army, according to advices recened at Juarez Wednes day night from officials of the con clave of chieftains at Agues Callen- tes. A preliminary battle has occur red at Leon, between Agues Calientes and Queretaro, it was reported. Gen. Pablo Gonzales, the Carranza commander, has moved his forces from Queretaro north to Sllao to meet the Villa advance. Gen. Mauel Chao, a Villa chieftain, departed Wednesday from Aguas Calientes with a strong force. RAIDED MEXICO CITY. desired it or not The president said he thought his - colleagues In the government depart ments were not trying to put tha ne gro at » disadvantage, bat simply to make arrangements which would pre vent friction. He added that the question involved was not a question labor would he bettered. The entire matter, however, should be treated with a recognition of its difficulties. Mr. Wilson said he was anxious to do what was just and asked for more memoranda from tha committee as to of segregation about which they complained -V: * a. • . _ some distinct step in the prod active or distributive process and be of such character that it is reasonably sure they can be collected at maturtty, .• In addition, the board requires that such paper be indorsed by the member hear offering It for red Is- coant; that the ^ ... >V . . • " \ I*arty of Vaqui Indians Ride Through Busy Streets of Capitol. A dash by a party of Yaqui Indians and soldiers in two automobiles through the principal downtown streets of the Mexican capital Wed nesday discharging their firearms caused the circulation of a report that the national palace was being attacked by Villa and Zapata fol lowers. The business section was thrown into a panic. A few shops were hur riedly closed and the streets were de serted. Officers were sent out by the war office to round up the disturbers The police finally arrested them but not until business throughout the city was nearly paralyzed. MGHT-KIDER8 BUSY. Fanners of Arkansas Warned Not to Sell Cotton Below 10c. Fearing actions by night-riders who are becoming bolder in the southern portion of Miller county farmers from the vicinity of Fouke Ark., are bringing* cptton to Texar kana, Ark., to store in warehouses They report posting of many warn ings not to sell cotton under ten cents, on the penalty of having cot ton and even homes burned. Officers have called the attention of farmers to the Arkansas law against "night riders,” which provides for pupish ment of from one to seven years in the penitentiary. END IN 1017. London Paper Says Peace Will Con- etude About That Time. \ The London Daily Mall gives prom inence to a statement' by a dlstln gulshed French officer whose name it can not divulge, but who it declafee is in a position to make such an estl mate, that the Germans will not be dtiven back over the Rhine until Feb ruary 1916, and that peace will not be concluded before 1917. Candidate's Simple Confession. Charles Robinson, defeated candi- tor Boxdftia. Mrr'fyp^yi UriO-t*. port: "I received nothing, promised London says the wave of optimism which has been sweeping England for the past week, was checked Thurs day by news of the German occupa tion of Dixmude and the renewed in dication of the peril from German submarines by the fate of the tor pedo gunboat Niger which Wednes day morning was destroyed by a tor pedo launched from a submarine of the enemy. This occurred within sight of the English shore in the nar row part of the channel, where sev eral hundred ships lay at anchor. The Importance ot the fall ot Dix mude is difficult to estimate with an exact knowledge ot how the opposing forces are disposed in this locality, but the town is on the direct road to Dunkirk, and if the German forces can debouch from it, the Allies prob ably will be compelled to fall back to new positions in their efforts to block the way to the coast. Behind Dixmude is the direct road to Dunkirk, one of the French ports on which the Germans have set their hearts, and if they can break through here the Allies will have to fall back to new positions. The invaders have concentrated their forces at this poiqt and their success in taking Dixmude, where they claim to have captured Prisoners and positions west of I^angemarck, where, according to tha Merlin report, z,000 prisoners fell in their hands. London says that the Germans, as soon as they found they could not capture Warsaw, threw many of their troops to the west. At other points along the battle front in France the French official communication claims some success for the Allies, but the German headquarters staff declares all attacks have been repulsed. lAtndon reports a critical stage In the battle in West Flanders has been reached, and the next few days. If not hours, sbould produce something de cisive. The Germans, with all the forces at their command, have continued to at tack the British and French, who hold the line between Dixmude and Tpres, bat except for the capture of Dixmude, which occurred Tuesday, and some little progress around Ypres, they have not made any mate rial advance. Daria reports: To the north we have held on all our positions. The enemy has sought to debouch from Dixmude by a night attack, but has been repulsed. "We have resumed the offensive against the enemy s^ho had crossed the River Yser, except at one place, where he still occupies from 200 to 300 metres on the left band. "In the centre we have gained some ground in the region of Tracy le-Val, to the northeast of the forest of L’Aigue. “In the Argonne region the Ger man attacks have been very serious but have amounted to nothing.’* Berlin reports: ‘'The enemy ad vanced from Nieuport as far as Lorn- baertzyde, but was driven across the Yser. The eastern bank of the Yser as far as the sea is now clear ot the enemy. “Our attack across the Yser canal to South Dixmude is progressing. “In the region east of Ypres we have advanced farther and captured seven hundred French soldiers, four cannon and four machine guns. “The enemy's attack in the forest of Argonne were repuled. ^London reports: “The Germans continue to destroy bridges and rail ways in Belgium, but with what ob ject remains a secret. It is thought, however, that they are making pre parations to '-inter in that country, and they are taking every step to pre vent their plans frdm becoming known to their enemies. Paris reports that the Germans have been given an emphatic denial ot the reports that they were in re treat by carrying Dixmude, on the Yser, 12 miles north of Ypres, and on the road to Dunkirk, which the Germans are striving to attain. French bluejackets at Dixmude had held the town against them In the face of fierce attacks for the past week, but were finally compelled to give way. The Allies’ attempts to drive the Germans out again have thus far failed. East and south of Ypres, the Ger mans seem to have, found fresh masses of troops to hurl into the murderous fray, tmt the Allies seem to be holding their own. The coun try here is undulating, well wooded and covered with a multitude of farms which are surrounded by large elms. The villages are few and snftal!, and most of the population is centered on these farms which are .distant from each other, at .the most from two to three hundred yards. These Innumerable and solidly built brick houses with their walled court yards and sometimes with deep ditches make excellent bases for small detachments and piny anr portant straggle tanns in rhuydlrarJina- nj towns of Comlnee, Werrick ' and nothing, expended nothing, got noth ing.” - 1.200 Indicted. Over 1. 60 men have bean indicted at Lexington. K/„ charged- with bey- tU »«d eelUng votes two years ago Captain of Heat ■eager grrinaiily Charged with murder on the high seas, George Batchelor Perkins, a Boston architect, lay in bed In the detention ward of a Chaiientos pltal Thursday night, seemingly un aware that, as a result of shots he fired on board the Clyde line etenss- shlp Mohawk Wednesday night, F. W. Hinman, business manager Florida Timea-t nion. of Jaek&oavtyte, was deed, and Capt. A. D. Ingram and a passenger. B. H. Wright, were suf fering from pistol shot wounds in the abdomen and thigh respectively. The shooting took place on board the Mohawk Wednesday night short ly after 8:15 o'clock. Capt. Ingram with Mr. Hinman and Mrs. Hinman, and Mr. Wright, were sitting in the lower deck saloon, conversing with each other, when Perkins approached the group, dressed in pajamas and a raincoat. '*#2 After l£e interchange of n few 4 words between Capt. Ingram and Per kins, the latter, replying to a sugges tion of the captain's that he should retire to his state room and get more clothing, drew a 32-calibre revolver from his coat pocket and began fir ing at the group. The first shot struck Capt. Ingram in the abdomen, Mr. Hinman receiv ed the second, also in the abdomen; Mr. WTlght was shot in the thigh, as he turned to leave the saloon, and Perkins then fired once again at the Jacksonville newspaper man, the bal let entering the latter's side. The fifth and last cartridge in the cham ber of the revolved he fired at Capt Ingram, as the latter was falling to the floor, but it missed its mark. Turning the empty revolver apoa himself, Perkins pulled the trigger. The weapon snapped, and the two stewards of the vessel rushed upon the man and seised him. Mrs. Hinman occupied a seat be tween her husband and Mr. Wright when the Boston man entered and be gan firing. That she was not struck by one of the bullets from his pistol is believed to have been due to Mr. Hinman rising from his seat as soon as the first shot hit him, thereby af fording s protection for his wife. Perkins, it Is thought, was soffer- ing from the effects of some drug. A box of tablets, marked tablets, was found In his _ and, according to bis state room i the Boston man used as many of the tablets as five in three hoars He is said to have had a brother killed dar ing the recent fighting la Belgium, and this is believed tp have prayed upon his mind, inducing the drag habit. While his actions on the vessel ,<1Q1 after leaving New York had not boas considered ont of the ordinary, km questions of Capt. Ingram preceding the shooting were of an unusual na ture. According to tho wounded cap tain, and to others who witnessed tho affair, Perkins approached Capt. In gram with the question: “What do you know shout my aisterT” To thta Capt. Ingram told Perkins to go to his room and put on more clothing. “There are better mea than yen dicing every day in Europe,” were the words of the Boston man as ho began shooting. Following tho affair he was taken to his state room and put in irona Ho fell into n heavy sleep, or stupor, and did not nVnkaa until after the Mohawk reached Char leston at 1:30 o’clock Thursday. Perkins, according to the bent in formation obtainable is an architect and designer, of Boston, with promi nent connections. Ho has recently returned from Belgium, It is stated. When arrested Thursday his per sonal effects included more than |976 in cash. Perkins was graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technolo gy as an architect and gained wealth and fame as an interior decorator and designer. Hia work is to he found in many places throughout'tho country. He had travelled much in recent years, having gone around the t world twice. He had planned to spend this winter In the West Indies and In South America. He is 43 years old and unmarried. ‘Sv It was said by officers of* the Mo hawk that Perkips had acted strange ly during Wednesday afternoon. They' said that be had approached several of them with remarks that apparent ly had no connection with anything concerning himself or any of them, and which were Incomprehensible to them. Several of .the passengers cor roborated this account of Perkins* movements. } , ^ ‘ .-.w -v • The two stewards from the Mo hawk stated that after Perkins had turned his empty revolver on himself, and It failed to shoot, they seised him and overpowered him. They carried him to his state room, they told the commissioner, and he fell into his berth, apparently ini a stupor. Shortly after that the irons were placed on him. Perkins cried out that they could beat his brains out if they wanted to do K; according to tho stewards, when they threw him to the floor, bat that there were others on the ship that he would Ifce tp “gat^” ^ Mr. Hinman was prominent in- the newspaper world. Besides having been business manager of the Flor ida Timee-Union for several years, he was president of the Southern News paper Publishers’ association. Mrs. Hinman waa cared for, and i Btachments and piny an im- slated in every possible ws part in the long battle'. Tho -day afternoon by friends of is taking place among the My. On board <be Mohaw Minen. ' Whispers of Peace. Rumors have been heard that Ger many has made attempts to make peace with Russia. There is no eon- ’ * * r - - - —- * she said, the women rendered every help that Was j power. \