The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, March 13, 1901, Image 1
THE BATESBURG ADVOCATE? I
VOL 1. BATESBURG, 8. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCIT 13, 1901. NO 9 H 1
r- *
HELD IN SLAVERY.
Result otih? Investigation of the
Anderson Chand Jiry.
A PLAIN RECITAL OF FACTS
Direct Charges Preferred Agdnst
Those Guilty of False
Imprisonment and
of Barbarity.
Tho special committee of the Anderson
County Grand Jury appointed by
Jadgo Benet to investigate certain
obarges against largo land owners in
that oounty made its report last Tburs
day to the oourt.
The committee &ys that in the caso
of Magistrate J. J. Gilmer we find that
for some timo past he has been in the
habit of issuing warrants and causing
arrosts and frequently committing accused
persons to jeil without ever entering
the oase upon his docket. This is
especially truo where the casos have
been oompromiBcd after the arrests
were made. Wo find that from Sept
16, 1899, to Jan. 12, 1901, ho made
payment to the oounty treat urcr of a
number of fines and items of costs collected
by him, but that during that time
he oolleoted through the sheriff's office
alone $34 80, which properly belongs
to the oounty and failed to pay them
over to the ocunty treasurer as required
by law. He also collected $18 80, whioh
he failed to turn over.
Wo find that Feb. 19,1901, after this
investigation was begun, tho said .1 J.
Gilmer paid to tho county treasurer tho
sum of $53.20 to cover these amounts.
While wo have not boen permitted, for
tho laok of timo, to make a full inves
titration of all tho modularities of this
offioe, wo aro oonvincod ho has been
guilty of the grosecst irregularities,
and we would suggest that a complete
investigation of his books and accounts
should bo had and that he should bo
presented for misappropriation of the
funds so colleoted by him.
THE KATE OK tWI.I, HULL
Regarding tho arrest of tho Negro
Will Hull, whioh you wcro directed by
the oourt to investigate, we find that
a warrant was issued by Magistrate
Gilmer for the arrest of this Negro
upon an affidavit of A. T. Newell,
charging him for a violation of labor
ooniraot, and that W. 8 Newell, a
brother of tho prosecutor, was depu
tizsd by tho Magistrate to servo said
warrant; that the constable ho depu
tized requested the deputy sheriff, ,J.
A. Dillingham, to go along with him
and assist in making the raid arrest
and representing that Eaid Ilull would
probably create trouble when arrcHted
^^^^^^UU^^hat-^ho_ag8istatn'iO of tho deput}'
The arrest was made on Friday night
and the Negro was brought to Anderson
on tho same night. The deputy sheriff
suggested that the prisoner be taken to
jail, but tho Negro said that ho would
prefer to go on with W. S. Nowcll, and
that Mr. Newell informed tho deputy
that tho magistrate had instruetcd him
that he should carry tho prisoner on
homo with him.
Subsequently tho magistrate was informed
by the prosecutor that the oaso
had been compromised and that the
Negro had agreed to stay with him and
work out his contract. Tho rest of tho
faots wore brought out in open court.
Wo exonerate the deputy sheriff from
all blamo in tho matter.
Tho prinoiial work of this conimitteo
has been the investigation of tho
stockades of the county and the abuses
of laborers under tyrannous contracts
that has grown out of the fanning out
of convicts and the working of free
laborers with them. Wo have taken
the testimony of more than 50 persons
?that of tho landlords, their ovcpscers
and guards, together witli a large
number of laborers and a few other
oitizens. In these investigation wc
have been treated with every courtesy
and genorally wo have found no dispo
sition to obstruct our work upon tho
part of those whoso farms and stockades
wo visited.
A most careful inquiry failed to roveal
that any general abuso of tho laboring
class exists in this county, so
that our work soon narrowed down to
thoso places whore stockades cxisttd
and free laborers wcro employed. We
visited the farms of J. llclton Watson,
A. T. Nowell, P. B. Allen, J. K Miller,
Elias MeGce, W. Q Hammond and J
8. Fowler.
1 IlEiDTi i< AWti r,U<\ I r. I '?
We were unable to find any abu-es
attho farm of .J. B. Watfon. lie has a
stockade and works free laborers also,
but wo found no evidence that free la
borcra wero put in tho rtockalcs and
worked in lino with tho convicts, or
lubjeotcd to any illegal restraint or
abuso. '
Tho 8ID10 thing waa true at tho farm
' of 1' B. Allen. Wo found that he had
takon two contraota in which the la
borers agreed to work under gis ard and
bo looked up at night, but hia own cv
idoree and that of all tho laborers eo
far as wo could ascertain, was that
' f those provisions had never been enforced.
I A. T. Newell works State convicts
and has a Btockado, but ho has worked
no froo laborers along with tho conl
victs recently, wlion ho has taken two
contraots of that sort. One of these
was tho oaso of tho unfortunate Negro
Will Hull, who was killed by W. S
Nowoll a few works ago and whose
P UADO ID IViOllCU I XJ UUXJW
B " KK EE LABORl"
I J. II. Miller formerly worked conI*
viots, but thoy wcro taken away by the
B Htato, and hn now employs only "fee'
labor, if indeed wo may ubo tbo word
j?& v freo to doscribo thoflo laborers wIk
have signed bis contracts and r-ubj rotcd
themsolvo* to the conditions existing
on his farm. Ho has a stookadc whicl
was originally built for his Stato oon
|H viots and his oontraots provide (hat tlu
jB "freo" laborors will work under guart
JB and will allow thomsclvcn looked up ai
night.
Our first investigations at this plaoi
B were met by a statement from the nc
BE groos that, thov were tatiafied witl
jS their treatmont, but their manner indi
|i';; oated coercion and subsequently w
B made further investigations whioh oon
vinood us that J. 11. Miller, and hi
overseer, J. A. Kmerson, had beer
rajM guilty of whipping nogroos, lookini
thorn op at night, working them ondtr
guard and patting shackles upon them.
Among these unfortunates were John
Harrison, Will Wright, Warren Sloan
and Liego Jones. Wo found several of
Mr Miller's contracts loft blank as to
tho time of soivioe and amount to be
paid, though tho oontraots woro duly
signed and witnessed.
In tho oaso of Warren Sloan, ho
seemed to havo beon arrested by J. 11
Mdlcr and another man, whoso namo wo
ooald not ascertain, noar Contra), in
P okcusoouuty. There is testimony that
no wurrant-was exhibited, if any e*i-ted,
but bo was handcuffed and taken to Miller's
otookado and kept there until this
investigation began. Sinco our first
visit to this stoohaio ho was turned
loose and allowed to go homo. In our
iildffompnt (ho atid -T It ?--l
j ? ,MV ?? . * a* a liipi i?UU
J A. Emerson should bo presented by
tho grand jury for tho cifanacB abovo
mentioned, ?nu wo so icoommtnd.
kuab mcork s plan.
Id many rcspcots the most mm*''.ablo
otso coming under our coti' . is
that of Elias Mcgoe, who has no\ _r om
ployed State convict?, but who built a
stockado and prepared to troat his la
borers as convicts. IIis contraots pro
vide that the laborers shall bo worked
under guard and looked up at night and
there war abundant cvidenoo to Bhow
that bo ht.d locked up in the stockade,
worked under guard and whipppod his
laborers Among those who suffered a
rart or all of these abuseso were Wesloy
Norman, Handy ldtrle, Vance Smith,
(Jeorgo Tilly, John Clinkscalcs, Clar
onoo (jMilliard, Evins Wood, Louis
Alexander, Morris Jordan. Some of
these negroes had been arrested and
signed contracts after being put under
arrest. .John Ciink cilcs was accused
by Elias McQcc of stealing cora, was
brought to Anderson handoutf id and
after he had sigaed a contract, but
without any trial, turned over to W.
Hammond, who carried him to the latter's
stockade. Wo think the grand
jury should make presentment against
Elias McGoe, and we so rcooinmeud.
W. Hammond runs a largo farm
in this county and employs a considerable
numoer both of Slate convicts and
"free" laborers, llis contracts provide
that the "freo" laborers shall bo worked'
under g*.ard acd locked up at night,
and they suffer th;s illegal imprisonment
and more, for the tvidenoe shows
that a cum'-or of these unfortunates
have been worked under u *rd and gun,
have been locked up at night and on
Sundays and have b.on shackKd and
whipped. Among those who suffered
these thiegs at the hands of Mr. Ham
mond and Lis overseers, Win. liailey,
James Martin ard Hay, are the
following: Ishatn Abcrcromoio, l'ick
Uogers, James Ciintion, .John llowey,
Tom l'arks, Charley Johnson and John
Cltnkseilcs. Several of those wcro in
jail at tho time of our examination,
fbcv lud been indicted last fall for
gambling, bad been takon out of j ail on
bond by Mr Hammond and kept at his
farm without trial until the inveBtigaback
to the sheri^^^^C^^^r"^^ ,-7lT
The negro, ca<?o |
was ca led to tho granu
jury by tho pro-iding judge, was ro 1
leased almost immediately thereafter.
Ho was taken forcibly and without trial
under one of tho labor oontraots abovo
referred to and confined in the stookado
worked with tho eonviots and suffered
the other abu?cs above mentioned un
til this investigation was begun. Wo
learn that perhaps a score of other la
borers held under similar contracts
have left this farm during tho j ast few
weeks. Geo of them, Pink Rogers,
states that he was given a whipping of
50 iashes by Wm. Bailey at the stookado.
Wo think that tho facts disclosed do
matd that W. id- Hammond, .James
Martin, Wm. Bailey and Day
should be presented by the grand jury
for tho violation of law abovo mentioned
and wo so rcoomm^nd.
.J. 8. Fowler, who first used tho contract
providing for free laborers to bo
treated as convicts, worked under
guard, locked up, etc , employs a considerable
number of oouviqts and also
of the bo called "free" laborers. He
has two stockades, ono of which is under
the supervision of James Cook and
which was formerly managed by Willis
McGce. The other is under tho charge
of Levi Thomas. At these farms the
convicts and "freo" laborers have been
worked togothcr under a guard who
carries a gun, they have been looked
up at night and somo of them whipped.
There was no evidence of any of them
having bom sha:k!cd. Somo of them
had been accused of tiivial offenses
and wore put uodcr contract to work
out debts or to repay money advanced
for them. James Evans, Baylis Artor,
A'odzo Lark, Frank Bowlan. John Bell,
Robert Brown, Foster Butler, Dan Hill,
Wil is llarpor, Joe Whitfield, Jim
Rice, John Gilliam, Turner Walker,
Andrew Dobbs, Dock Frecley and
Drayton Wheeler are somo of tho noirrnpQ
tolirt Iiaua Kenn ounRnnd in M p
r,VVJ " "v wvuuuuu 1U 4'* I
Fowler's btoakado.
Willis McGeo, .James Jook, Lovi
Thomas, Gcorgo Thomas and Miko
Hobbies should liavo presentments
mado against thorn by tho grand jury
for whipping difTcront ones of these no
groes. Willis McGee was ospeoialy
oiuol. It was testified that he had
given tho norgo Hsylis Arlcr 100 lashes
on one occasion and that ho whipped
Koboit Hrown most severely and
cruelly and on ono oooasion shot tivo
times at l>rayton Wheeler, ono of the
bullets passing through Wheeler's hat.
1 Tho testimony goos to show that
1 George Thomas shot at Dock Krecley
and that ho was alc.0 ready at tho whip
pings.
Andrew Djbba was found to bo suffering
from rheumatism which ho says
was brought on by beiog oompollod to
stand almost waist deep in mud a-d
| water in cold weather ditching. He
was arrested by A. M Bailey, who has
' been acting as a sort of oonstablo for
> J. S. Kowlor but was nevor tried. .J. A.
' Uioe is a negro of rather weak mind
5 who was captured somewhere in Gcor\
_ A -U- i 'iL i : 1
K.in auu uiiuritru wiiu naviug cbu?pc<i
from J. 8. Fowler's stockade in this
J county. Upon being brought hero it
' was found that ho was not the man he
1 wai suspcotcd of being but novortholoss
after being kept for sovcral days
9 in the stock*de he entered into ono of
tho labor contracts and lias boon in tho
1 stockade for several months, though
unwillingly thoro. A number of "freo"
c laborers have left Mr. Fowler's farm
* since those investigations were first
8 begun but somo unwilling onos wore
0 still in tho stockades when wo visited
8 them.
(
Wo found no cvidonoo to oonncot
Mr. Fowler in any way with tho whip
pings of thcso laborers, but ho was a
parly to theso ootraots whioh providod
for tho illegal imprisonment and working
under guard of tho laborers and is
responsible for thoso provisions beiog
ouforood and that prcsontment shouli
bo irado against him thorefor.
Wo submit herewith tho memoranda
of testimony which wo have takon
whioh will 6how to tho court and solio
itor moro fully tho faots whioh wo have
reported and will enable them to get
tho names of tho witnessos to provo
suoh faels. It is propor that wo Bhould
add that muoh of the abuso has already
-- " -' - -
ww u w l tw wv& i?i o rcauiv ui iu1h in*
vesiigation and that some of (ho parties
havo been to ua with tho assurance
that they would immediately oorreot
th' -evils existing on thoir farms to
i- .tich wo havo oallcd attention.
Owing to tho widespread influence
and (if ot that follows any public dis
cussion of tho quoation of farm labor
in this State and tho result that many
follow a presentment such as wo pro
poso it iB proper that we should in clos.
ing this icport enter into a br'cf discussion
of tho influences that have
brought about 4ho ovila reported and
make suggestions as to tho romodies
therefor. Wo havo hoard rumors that
this investigation has already created
a widet pread interest and that tho conditions
have-been discussed with some
feeling bu< wo have as far as possible
avoided reading anything published or
said in this respect in order that we
might pursuo our investigations without
any influence or bias from any quarter.
Tho question of farm labor in this
State is a very difficult one and the
present laws regulating tho sarno aro
insufficient.
Tho negroes whom wo f<t>nd confined
in tho stockado woro composed
largely of a clasj of shiftless debtors
who arc subject tc indictment for potty
offenso, and who could not bo snoooss
fully worked undor ordinary oontraots.
They arc men who havo no property,
and mon who evade their dcbis udIcsb
compelled to pay them. Against them
tho process of a civil coutt is worth
less; that of tho criminal eourt under
existing laws is inadequate. Somothing
should bo done by the legislature
to grade the punishment of this olass
according to tho offcnco. But the worst
ircuble has not been in the defect of 1
the provisions of tho law so much as 1
its enforcement. It has come to bo a
icttlcd policy in this county that in '
lictmcct for violation cf contract and
'or disposing of property under lien '
ihould bo compromised, and not tried. (
Wo are oonvinoed that this is wrong in
principle and dangerous in praotice.
Whatever injustice may bo dono an J
ndividual by disposing of proporty on
vhich he has lien, or by tho violation ]
>f a contract by ono of his employes, 1
tnr) irkftfurar f^?
* VJt iWIWU Ull^Ut UU IU
ho effect of penal statutes to irducn
payment of debts or fulfillment of eon- 1
racte that nevtrhas bron the true in- 1
rhoy arc cnaoteo^^^?rovon^p7uTic
wrong, and when a prosecution lias
oneo been instituted and the powisr of
tho criminal court invoked, the question
of private rooompenee shouid disappear,
and the public interest alone
should bo considered. While this way
result in occasional hardships, it is tho
only safe polioy. Abuses will otherwise
grow up until the oriminal aourts
are degraded into machines for private
gain, and often for extortion and oppression.
In our judgment it should bo
a crime to compromise any oaso aftor
indictment found with a view of private
gain.
Nor can wo condemn too sovorely
that other fruitful source?in fact, the
origin of the abuses herein reported?
tho loasing out of conviots to work on
private farms. Evils already detailed
aro too eloquent to necessitate a discussion
to prove this. Such a system
Hhould not bo tolerated after its results
have been cxpised as in this oounty.
Wo have heard it intimated that our
investigations and oxposuros would
disturb the labor conditions to suoh an
extent as to create trouble in this
Stato. We do not boliove that it is
truo, but if it wore wo would not hosi
tate to dcolaro tho evils wo fine and to
demand that they should bo ab>li-hod.
Tho duty of this body is plain: Wo
must stop tho violations of law that
now exist, and if others begin on tho
part of tho laborers themselves, then
wo will unito with tho law abiding
citizens of tho county in punishing and
terminating theso evils.
Tho result of our investigations show
that tho system of working them in
stockades does not exist in this crunty
further than wo have reported, l\obably
not as many as twenty men, eithor
as prmoipal or agent, either directly
ar indirectly, havo been engaged io
this abuse. On tho other hand, the
numbers of laborers and lienors who
have violated tho law will doublo that
number many times.
Wo thcroforo reiterato that tho influence
of this grind jury, and wo do
not hesitate to tay of the court also,
will not bo oxtendod to enable any man
to avoid a just contraot, and that wo
havo found that most of the labor contracts
of tho county aro legal and just
If violat'ons of just contraota begin as a
result of tho investigation wo havo
made, we euggest that warrants be
sworn out and prompt punishment
given. Wo have not undertaken to assume
tho responsibility of prosecuting
tho laborers who 1 avo violated their
eootraots, bcoausothe position and influence
of the landlord makes them
fully ablo to do that without assistanoo
from us. This speoial report his been
brought about bcouuse of the opprcs
sion and abuso of men who woro too
poor, too friendless, too ignorant and
often too degraded to act for thornselves,
but who aro nevertheless en
titled to tho full proteotion of the law,
and who because of their weakness
have a peculiar olaim to our prctcotion.
All tuKtrtK id rranftrtt fill u c-nii
milled.
Drunk at the Throttle.
Tho Moscow correspondent of tho
London l>ail.v Mail says: ''During (ho
recent heavy snowstorms f)0 noon were
sent to oloar tho snow out of a railway
cutting near Wolovo, on tho HiasanUral
lino. They wore just leaving tho
cutting when tho train canio down
at full speed ana ormhod about MO men
into shapolosa masses, their clothing
clinging to tho axlos and stopping the
train. Inquiry shows that tho ongino
driver and all the guards were drunk."
A TRUE INDICTMENT
Of the Unied States in Her Deal*
ing With Cub*.
"LIAR3 AND HYPOCR.TES '
Is What France and Spain Tiuthfufly
Say We Are. Our
Country Disgraced Before
Nations
Tho dealing of tho United SlateB
..'si. n-L. _ !_f *
wnu V/Ulib is iniamoua. 11 you aon t
think bo read what wo print below from
tho Columbia State:
Tho Latin raccB aro accustomed to
sneer at tho hypocrisy of tho AngloFaxon.
Frenchman, Spaniard and lUl
ian regard cant as a chartotcristio of
Bitish and Amerioan expression, and
they marvel much at tho curious bent
of mind which oauso* tho men of theBO
nations to oloak all their evil purposes
with the pretonoc of high and holy motives.
Kven moro do tney marvel at
thia hecau o tho oloak is threadbare
from ovcrmuoh use and utterly fails to
conceal that which it attompta to oovor.
The solomuity of this moral pretcnco is
mado even moro absurd by its utter
fatuity. Doea tho Anglo Saxon buo
coed in fooling himsolf? askt the Latin;
how oan he? And as ho cm
neither doludo himsolf nor tho rcRt of
mankind by tho assumption of holiaesa
in h:fl worst works, what is the use of
it all?
Tho Latin is right. In this respect
the Anglo Saxon ia his inferior, for ho
not only aina as freely as any other in
dividual of the human family but he
aids to that sin tho further vioo of hypocrisy?and
all to no iffoot except the
creation of a universal diagust. The
Latin docs not trouble himself to bo
hj paorit'c .1. IIo takes a pleasure
rather in being frauk about the mo
lives for his wickednesses. If he
wishos to conquer another ho admits
that ho does so for tho sake of glory;
if ho wishes to seize upon tho property
of another ho acknowledges that he is
actuated by tho desiro for loot; if ho
wishes to appropriate tho rights of
mother ho proclaims that ho docs it
for tho sake of power. lie is above tho
contemptible meanness of alleging that
he indulges these appetites simply for
the good of tho victim.
When the United States went to war
with Spain in ordorto "liborato" Cuba,
3paniarda and Frenohmon, relying
up>n their generalization of tho AngloSaxon
character, insisted that the
pledge contained in tho Teller resolu
Lion would bo violated and that a way
would bo found to hold tho Cubans in
lubj-ction to the oonquerors. Timo has
nr^o^thaUtho^^?to^i^ht^|i^jj^^ |
States, pledged in this matter,is a"rI
little regarded as it was when the Uaitod
States administration in the spring
of 1S61 pledged iteelf not 10 disturb the
status quo regarding Fort Sumter and
telegraphed south, "Faith as to Sumter
fully kopt," when an expedition wan
actually in making to vio'ate the
agroomont. Spanish official papers
whioh wo road in the interior of Cuba
beforo tho close of the war, appraling
to the Cubans to make common cause
with Spain for tho roason that they
would bo betrayed by tho Waited
States and placed under alion control,
wore prophotio in their warning. The
Cubans refused to believe this, and
wo could not imagine such bad faith
in view of the professions with whioh
tho war had been entered upon; but
tho event proved that they were right.
For a concentrated exhibit of AngloSaxon
hypocrisy in its most loathsome
form wo commend to the public the in
augural address of Presidont McKinlcy
delivered recently. Nothing in D.ekens
is more illustrative of that oon
tcinptiblo vioo than this deliverance of
tho chiof magistrato of tho United
States on his assumption of the powers
of government for a second torm. The
whole addrosB is permeated with eant
and falso protcnoo. It gives one tho
oroeps to read it. Tho president iB
"glad to ho advised by tho recont aot
of oongross of tho policy wh?oh tho
lcgiHlativo branch of tho govornmont
deems essential to tho best intorosts of
Cuba and tho United Statos"?a policy
whioh the prosideut himself formulated
an 1 forced through oongross by in?ans
which can bo obaracteiiz )d only as
bribery. The same nausoous pr.tonoo
of oboying the mandato of congress is
made in regard to tho Philippines?
when congress in this matter, as in
tho Cuban matter, aotei only upon tho
c* f\ t\ lit nml inH iiitnnna nf in onartn and an.
duction proceeding from the executive.
The address fitly concludes with tho
assertion that "tho government's representatives,
oivil and military, are doing
faithful and noble work in thoir
mission of KM ANCI PATION and merit
the approval and support of their couotrymcn."
Faugh I
Wo oonoludo wrth an editorial from
th) Chicago Timos-Herald, whoso odi
tor. Mr. Kohlsaat, is a personal friond
of I'rcsidoDt McKinlcy and a Republican.
Lot tho administration bo judged
by an honest friond!
Bat yesterday the word of this republic
might, like that of Caesar's,
havo stood against tho world. Today
who so weak or simple in all tho oourts
of ua'i >ns as to do it reverence?
Tho Times-Herald has a word of
comment to offer upon tho Cuban
amendment to tho army bill as an orig
tnal propou ion. It may contain the
wisest provisions that oou'd bo devised
for establishing peioo and g'ving a
stable government to tho island
W'haL wo insist upon is that the United
Siates was not free to adopt any
suoh conditions and hang them abiu
tho nce\ of Cuba. It was pledged to
strike tho Spanish foitcrs from an oppressed
and shamefully abused people,
with a Bo'cmn disavowal of any pur
|oso of substituting American rule,
however beneficent, in its plaoo We
wish Tho Times Herald had tho
spaoo to roproduco ono tit'e of the
fervent uttoranoos that acoooipanied
tho adoption of the now notorious rosolutiono
of April 20, 1899. Thoy fill
pages and pages of the Congressional
Kooord, and in the light of tho action
of tho sonato this week they ring falsct
than the kiss of Judas.
How tho senators hoped and prayed
that tho starved and soourged poop1!
of Cuba would not bo betiujod with
tbo promiso of frocdom only to bo
taught to look with suspioion and hatred
upon tho Stars and Stripes an they
had looked on tho hated yellow flag of
Spain 1 "
Tho air of both houses of ojng'oss
was surcharged with eleotrio oloquonco
that contrasted American honor with
Spanish perfidy.
Such a oool heads 1 senator as Knutc
Nelson of Minuo60ta declared that
there wero "better and stronger
grounds for our roeognizing the Cuban
republir than there was for reucgaix
in* tho Uaitod Sates by France in
1778. To ignoro Gom? z and tho Cuban
republic,"taid he, "teems to mo to be
odd, ioy hearllotsccts, unworthy a
great na'ion and a great people."
Intervention and independence for
Cuba wrrj on tbo lipa and in the votes
of a maj >tity of tho senate, and almott
I A tin t.iimnno Kamca ? 4'? - * 1 1
| ? in/UlO VjUl U? I II O Jlglll
I of April 18, 1898, when tho fauiou: reso1
lutiom went bsc'i ?nd forth bctwocn
tho two houses until they ?ame to a
final agreement which let slip the ar
mica of tho Uuitea States for the
(iutt o:patioD of tho llopublio of Cuba
from the thrall of Spaio.
Snator Stewart regarded "tho ro
cognition of tho iodepondenoo of Cuba
as a c "Edition precedent to any inter
f rcnoo wha over." Ho roj udia'od all
suggestion of "hostilo constraint on
pa'r.ots who havo struggled as tho
Cuban patriots havj."
It was "with much hesitation and
iiiuoh sadness" Senator liawley diseased
the declaration of the independence
of Cuba which ho opposed.
Our own Senator Culloin denounced
Sjain as a robber nation, and appealed
to every "lover of freed y-n and humanity
tho world over" to fu.ther tho
sactel causo of Cuban indupondenoo.
In concluding his speech on the question
April 15, 1898, this what Sona
tor Teller said in repudiating the idea
of a war of agurandizemoat:
' Mr. P.esideat, I want tho senate,
bofore wo conclude this debate, to fay
to tho world in tho mod cotpha'io
manner that wo do not in'ord in any
waj or manner to derive benefit from
this inteivjat on. Spain is too weak
and too poor to pay indemnity. 1 want
tho Ecnato to eay that we do not intend
to tako that nland; that whatever
wo may do as to some other islands
as to this island, the great bone of con
tontion, wo do not intend to tako it
from the legally constituted authori
tics of tho island as njw established
"At the proper time, if no one else
does so, I propjso to offer pome amend
meit to the joint resolution that shall
make it olear to t) o world that it shall
not be said by any European govern
ment whon wo go out to make bittlo
for tho liberty and freedom of Cuban
patriots that wo are doing itfjr the
purpose of aggrandizement for ourselves
or increasing of our territorial
holdings."
S.nd Mr. Teller was as good as his
fi ft! lV?g* nAn.?l?a/l?nf? H .a?.nA-w?1 ^
oers curiously spell opinion. That he
is gentil that doth gentle dedis still
holds gooc in the high court of common
sonso. We speak of men "behaving
liko gentlemen," but tho phraeo i9 unhappy.
A man cannot behavo liko a
gentleman unless ho is one?for alfco
tation or insincerity is itself bad manners.
"Nothing can constitute got d
breeding that has not good nature for
its foundation," says Hulwer.
Thackeray's definitionof a gentleman
is ono to which thousands of tuen rocas
uro up who never saw the insido of a
college or even a high school and have
no distinction either of birthor wealth.
"To bo a gentleman," says tho author
of Vanity Fair, "is to bo hottest," to bo
gentle, to bo generous, to be brave, to
be wiso, and, possessing all those qualities,
to oxerciso them in tho most gracofnl
mitwnr.i nnnni>r " Tho irmt lelrn
tint Huxley | utfl it a litilo difTeroot and
makes a just distinction when he says:
"Thoughtfulness for others, generosity,
modesty, and self respect arc ihu qualities
which make a real gentleman or
lady, as distinguished from the veneered
artielu which commonly goes by that
name."
Judged by thoso high standards it is
quite probab'o that there are as many
rea' gentlemen among tho gunners as
among tho commissioned officers ol
Unolo Sam's navy. ? Now York World.
Five Killed.
Kivo men were killed and two others
soriously injured in a mino accident at
i the Kcglcside zinc mino in Centre Valley,
Mo. The live men killed were oonfined
in the drift and tho others wero in
tho main shaft. Karly this morning two
shots had been fired, but tho whole
chargo failed to cxplodo. This aftornoob
i a whole box of powdor was sent intc
the mine. Oao of tho men acoidontall]
discharged an unexplodod shot and tin
I box of powder was sot off, rosultirig ii
> torriblo destruction.
TAX MACHINERY. J
t
b
The Changes In the Law as to o
o
M king Returns s
ti
THE ACTS RECENTLY PASSED c
C
a
What is New Provided as to the ?
V
R'quirennnts forlnjU'arce si
. I.
C rrpanies Walking in ol
'r P
I ?- vwuuiuuiujt uinaYUTii Ul I
to^an BUzjraiiil^o^CaDa
in j^HpRoof Spanish shackles.
^^h%t vot.o ho and his associates
haye str'pped tho intervention of tho
United Siatoa on behalf of Cuba of the
last vostieo of disintorostodnoss and
have written hypocrisy and shameless
p?rfidy like a blister aoross the hitherto
fair and untarnished brow of American
honor.
WHAT II A GENTLEMAN'
Gunner Morgan Has Proven Himself to
be Entitled to That Honor.
What is a gentleman? 1 ho question
hi\s been variously answered. Admiral
Sampson's view is tbat it rt quires certain
specific r.d van tares of early cduca
t:on and training to make a gentlemin.
J f that is so, then gcntlcmanlincss is
an acquired art, not a natural gift.
This is not a great advance on the old
English social doc.rini that gentlemen
re born, not made. But in this dem
ooratio age and c >untry neither high
birth nor liberal education is essential
to the making of a true gentleman.
When Gunner Morgan, in spito of the
unfavorable endorsement of his letter
to Admiral Sampson, cillci on the latter
and exploded his regrot tbat the
correspondence should havo been so
published as to annoy the admiral, he
went so far tosLov himself a gentleman
in the true sense of tho term. It was
a gcntlo deed, justifying Steele's ob
servation in tao Tatlor that l4tho appellation
of gentleman is nevor to bo
affixed to a man's oircumstanccs, but
to his behavior in them." Old Chau
mo 01
The followirg is the text of tho act w
passed at the recent session of tho gen- fi
cral asecmbly in regard to tho making <i
of returns of property for taxation, a U1
measure which is of oonoeiD to the pco p,(
plo of tho cnt're S ate: #1
An act to amend scotion 4 of an act
entitled "An act to further provide for
the return of property for taxation," [j
approved the 2nd day of M?roh, A. 1)., l,
1897, so as to make township assets :rs, aJ
equalizers as well as assessors of prop ]0
erty.
8coti n 1. Bo it CDaeted by tho gen
cral assembly of tho State of South a?
Carolina, that section 4 of an act en 1'
titled "An act to further provido for f?
tho return and assessment of property ti
for taxation, approved the 2nd day of Si
March, A. D., 1897, bo amended by h1
striking out in line 20 the words "but ca
not" and inserting in lieu thereof the ^
word "or," and by inserting on lino 40
between tho words "greater"' and U
"them" tho words "by one hundred dol
lars or more," aod that said section bo *r
further amended by inserting tho fol- "
lowing words between the words 80
"them" and "said" in lino 27 of the kt
section, to wit: "tut they shail Dot ra
duei tho aggrcgato value of real and to
personal property below the aggregate &
value thereof as returned to the county 8*
auditor," so that caid section 4, when an
so au.ci.ded shall read as follows: co
Section 4 Tho township board of of
commissioners and special Loud of as- ho
scssors shall meet annually on the first to
Tuesday in March, or as bood there- 00
after as practicable, at some convenient St
place for tho purpose of performing 'o
tho duties devolved upon them. It co
shall ho their duty to carefully eon a '
t-ider the returns and lists laid before ha
them by tho county auditor aid if P*
necessary to compare the same, with th
the tax return and duplicate of the 00
previous year or years. They shall de
diligently seek foi and discover all ab
property, both real and personal, in flh
their respective tax districts not pre- tr<
vitusly returned by the owner cr oo
a (cuius mcrooi or not listed for taxa- wt
lion by the county auditor, and there- j>'
upon ii 6hail be their duty to list the 84
sauio for t txation in tho name of the
owner or poison to whom it is taxable, ih
^ diatnot, er
entering upor^n^^^^P|fe aod lists
furnished thorn. And mo'shall have
tho right in performing their duties
(horcunder to increase or to lower the te
valuation of any property real or per wi
sonal as fixed by the county auditor, or in
as returned by any person; and it shall di
not bo deemed material whether the ro- gi
turns so increased was intentionally or ec
unintentionally false, or whether the b<
property whoso valuo is so raised was <J
intentionally or unintentionally ro m
turned at less than its fair cash valuo ai
by the county auditor, and upon the le
lists made out by them, the valuation d:
fixed by them "but they shall not reduce gi
the aggregate valuo of real and pir- h
sonal property below the aggregate si
value thereof as returned to tho county t<
auditor," said returns and li t?, with a
said valuation, to be by them laid be- u
fore tho county auditor on or beforo. h
the 3rd Tuesday cf March of eaoh year v
i xccpt that for tho township of Kioretcs if
in the county of Florenoc for tho year d
18H7, tho sauio to bo laid beforo the ti
county auditor on or beforo the 31st of a
March. Provided, however, that real d
estate shall bo valued and assessed by
said boards only in those years when
real estate is by law required to bo te
turned, except that raiu hoards may in
any year value aud assess any real es- 8
tato and improvements thc.eoD which r
they may ascortaia or diseover had not 11
previously been retured or assessed v
tor taxation. Whenever tho valuation ^
and assessments of any property is c
fixed by said boards, at a sum greater 1
t>y ooe hundred dollars more than tho 1
amount returned by tho owners or his 1
agents, or whenever any" property is c
valued and assessed to taxation -which 1
has not been previously returned, it '
shall be the duty of the county auditor
on or fccforo tfco fourth Monday in y
March of tho yoar in which tho valu (
tion and assessment .is tuadOj to give 1
to the QWDer or agent of such property 1
written notice thereof, which notioe may I
bo served upon such owner or his agent
personally, or by mailing (ho same to.
suoh person or hiB agent' at bis last
known plaoo of rcsideuoc, and suoh
owner or his agint, if he objects to su ih
valuation and assissmcot, shall havo i
the right to appeal to tho oounty board
of commissioners sitting as tho oounty i
board tf equalization, which appeal
shall bo heard by said county board.
The aooount of tho county auditor for
tho necessary stationery and postago,
to enable him to'give the notice heroin
required, shall be a val-.d olaiin against
tho county, and ulrali bo -paid as other
oounty claims aro paid. Nothing in this
act oontained shall be construed as iir-?
teif .ring wiih the duty of the oounty of
addir g 50 per oent. to tbe value of per
sonal properly as. a penalty, as pro-,
viued in sections 279, 295 and 297, of
the lleviBtd Statutes ot nor with
tho du irs of tho county auditor as pre
sorib'cd in section 290 of the Kcvistd
Statutes of-1893 .
"Sec. 2 -That all acts Aud parts of
acts inconsistent with this.act tyo, and
the same aro hereby repealed." '
INsnRAXr?..cOM,l'Al(lKp ' *' * '
And hero is (he ad amending tho
law in regard to ipsurance companies,
throwing further protection around (ho
policy holders:
An aot to amond an act chtitlcd "An
i act to amend sections I and 2 of an act
i entitled 4An act to requiro any insuri
anco company or association to bo p03?
sestiod of one handred thousand dollars
f surplus or capital, or in lieu thcroof to
q have ono hundred thousand dollars on
a deposit with soma State for the benefit
of all polioy holders, or in lieu thereof
o deposit with the treasurer of tb
Itate valid State securities aggregate
ou thousand dollars, said securities
0 subject to any judgment against sa
ompaoies, and said judgment shi
perato as a loan on such seouritie
nd providing a penalty for the viol
ion of the provisions of this act.' "
Section 1. He it ooaclcd by the re
ral assembly of tho State of Sou1
larolina, that seotion 1 of said aot i
monded, be further amended by ad
lg to section 1 tho following provis
'rovided, howevor, that all five intu
oo oomp-iuics incorporated under tl
tws of this State, with a capital sto<
f $25,000 or moro shall not bo cot
1 lie d to deposit certain valid seouritii
r bond as above required; providei
ud company shall prooure and fi
ith the comptroller general a cert
oate of tho county auditors in eoui
cs where stockholders reside; ihit ll
ajority of the stockholders iu tl
ipital of said corporation are fre>
ciders, and rceido wihin tho Stat
re worth the amount of their stoc
ibsoribcd to tho capital of said oo
oration over all their debts and liabil
cs, and exclusive of property cxem|
<? law from r locution; so that whe
nended said scotion will read as fo
war
Sic. 1 Bo it ooaoted by tho genen
isembly of tho State of South Cart
na, that it shall bo unlawful hereafu
tr any insuratos company or assooii
on to transact any business in thi
a'o unless posrosBed of at least on
mdrcd thousand dollars or surplus c
vpital, or in lieu thereof, shall file wit
10 comptroller general the ccrtifioat
tho official of somo State of th
nited States, under his hand and offi
al seal, that h.e holds on deposits or i
ust, for tho benefit of all policy hold
s or members of such oompany or at
cia'ion, securities worth at least on
lodrcd thousand dollars, or in th
isenoo of suoh capital or deposit, tho
deposit with the S.ate Treasurer c
>uth Carolina, valid tocurities aggrc
,tiog $10,000, or a bond for sal
count made by a solvent serurit
mpany, said treasurer to be the judg
the vaiidity of such securities am
mds, whio> bond shall be oonditione
pay any judgment entered up in an.
urt of competent jurisdiction in tbi
ato, upon a policy of insuranco issue*
any oit'ten of this Stato by aoysuo!
mpany, and said judgment shall bi
lien*upon such securities: Provided
iwcv?r, that all fire insuranoe com
Dies incorpc r ited under tho laws o
is State, with a oapital stock of $25,
0 or more, shall not bo oumpcllcd t<
posit said valid securities on bond ai
ovo required, provided said oompan]
all procure and filo with the oomp
illor general tho certificates of th<
unty auditors anuually in oouatiei
lere stockholders reside, that the ma
rity of tho stockholders in oapital o
id stockholders aro frco holders ant
side within the State, and aro wortl
d amount of their subscription to the
The secretary of state asks that at
ntion bo called tho fact that a lai
as passed by tho iegislaturo prevent
g any officer from discharging th<
ities of his position until ho hai
ven bond and had been commission
I. College trustees, members of Seat
lards, constables, etc , are oonsiderc
ficers under tho law, so are othe
embers of boards of various ohai
iters who aro provided for by th
gi-laturo. They get but little pe
icrn or mileage, but thoy cannot lc
ally assume duty of aot until the
avc been duly commissioned by th
icro'.ary of stato, Thoy do not hav
) pay any for this commission; it is
ioro matter of form. A great man
tembers of various kinds of boarc
avo neglected to carry out the pre
isions of tho law, and their attcntie
i called to the fact. The new aot ii
ccd makes it unlawful to fail to hi
he oaths and get a oommission bofoi
ttcmpting to discharge tho duties ii
cited.? The State.
Decided Decrease.
Tho clerk of tho State board of pe
ionssta cd Tuesday that the approvi
oils ot pensioners had teen sent in 1
nest of tho county boards. It is not
rorlhy that these rolls show a deoid<
lecreaso in tho number of pensioners
lomparcd with last year's list. This
irobibly duo to tho operation of tl
irovisions of the new act now of for
browing greater safeguards around tl
li.-bursemoni of the pension appropri
ion. l).-spite tho iaot that many
ho jouniios havo sont in their lisl
ho lists will havo to be returned for \
rision, owing to defects. This
lourao, will of necessity delay t
meeting of .tho State board, and oo
icquenlly checks will likely reaoh t
pensioners later than usual?T
State.
Forest Fires.
Tho winddof tbo put few days hi
boon p.oductive of very serious a
extensi vj forest fires in various p
lion of this and Lexington count
and ruuoh loss of property has result*
News of tho tiros in this oounty reac
ed Columbia Wodnday. They havobe
very destructive in tho turpentino a
saw mill sections near Killian's on t
line of tho Southern rialway and a
upon tho lino of the Seaboard towai
Ca'mdt'n. After hard fighting the ci
zona managed to check the onward ri
of the tunics, tut not bofore mi
valuable timber had bc.cn lost. Over
Lexington oonsidorabto damage of I
oljaraotcr has also bom done Kors
cral nights the glare of foroitfiresl
been visible from high points in t
oity. . .
In a Bad Way.
- Minnesota has a novel y in Ucllra
cjuoiy, which is bankrupt Sad ir
condition bordering on acardhy.
court decision which allows logg
companies to avoid tho payment
hack taxes has caused tho trouble. '
oounty has no money and no fualfoi
offices, aud merchant# have long si
refused to aocopt warrants. The oon
judge and jurors have gone out on sti
and most of tho offices have been olo
by thoir ocoupnnts. Tho sheriff, t
has been oaring for his prisoners at
own expense, threatens to tarn tl
loose so that ho can hunt for a job I
will support his family. The legi
turois being supplicated for aid.
5 WHAT IT COSTS. '1
!ll Congress Expended Neatly a ~ $
a' Billion and Half Dollars. 3
'???- > ''v'-vjB
tq IMPERSALIBM COMES HIOH. J
*8 I
o: Congressman Livingston Says '
10 That the Half That is Coiled
tumplated Has Not Bean
jj* Put In Operation.
'? Representative Cannon, chairman of
the house committee on appropriation*,
and Representative Livingston,' the
1C senior Democratic member of the com10
mittee, have prepared statements of the
appropriations of tho 56th oongress.
Both placo the total appropriations
for tho ooDgress at $1,440,062,515. plaoT.~
ing these for the first session at $710,- \
1 150,862 and for the seoond a $729,911,- \
683. Mr. Uannoa publishes a table
,D showing tho expenditures of the previous
congreisat $1,568,212,637 and
Mr. LVmgston makes a comparison
11 with the 54th congress whioh appropri
j ated $1,044,580,273.
;r In his statement Mr. Cannon says:
i "Of the total appropriations made at
is this session, at least $30,000,000 will
e not, in the light of past experienoe, be
>r expended. This considerable margin
h between actusl expenditures and approe
priations made by congress indicates
0 a sum total of expenditures during the wr^.
i- fiscal year 1902 of not exoeeding $699,a
911,683 07 This sum includes $53,000,1
000 on account of tbe sinking fund re!
quirem'eots for tho fiscal year 1902,
0 whioh, of course, under the terms of
e the law, will be met only to tush extent
n as surplus revenues in tho treasury
>f may permit. After meeting the full:
est ordinary requirements of the public
d service under ttie appropriations whioh
y havo been made, there will surely ree
main sufficient revenue for 1902 to moot
d not less than $30,000,000 of the required
ments of tho sinking fund.
y "Tho most marked inorease indioated
s in the appropriations for ordinary ex- /
1 penses of tho government made for the 1
i two years 1901 and 1902 at tho two sos- 1
? '? '
a u.v/uD ui vu 19 ?uu$[OFa over inose 01 ine J
, two procoding years 1899 and 1900, provided
for by tho 55.h congress, is for
f the postal servico. Tho neoessity of
- these increased appropriations to meet
j largo business demands is referred to
3 as a cause for congratulation. The ap- ^
1 propriations have been reduaed $128,150,091
by this congress Tinder those
3 provided for by its predecessor and
s this has rendered possible a reduotion
of taxes in the sum of $11,000,000.
f "With a oontinuanaa^d the wise ad1
ministration enjoyed ^Pwhe country, ^ $
i there is^cvery reason t?^^cinate a
war.
"The bTTh congress is dhe firstco^^^J H
3 gress appropriating, 'iorthe support of ^
j the government since the oloso of the
eo-called Spanish American war. The
0 difference between the appropriations
d made by the 5<>:h congress and those
made by tho 54 th congrc aro $295,..
482,272.
c During the session just olosed the der
minds of tho people, through their
representatives, for the construction of
y the Nicaragua canal, have gone un0
heeded, and those for new public build,c
ings have boon persistently denied.
a The river and harbor bill has been
.. permitted to fail. Tho payment of just
[3 claims of honest people against the - _
, government has not been provided for.
|Q "The most casual examination of the ^Hj
g tahlo makes comment practioally un
L6 ^ ^ *** ***J 1WA V
ro eaoh of the. two years prior to tho 9
a. Spanish- American war oost a little
over $23 000,000, and but little more
than $40,000,000 for the two years covered
by the 54th congress, while for the
two years sinoe that war?1901 and 1902
n- ->~it cost. $115,000,000, or $230,000,000
sd for tho two years, exclusive of the de>y
fioienoies that have been provided tor
e- in large sums out of appropriations
ad made for expsnses of tho Spanish war
as during the 55,h congress,
is The navy eost for tho two years
tie 1897 and 1898, $03 302,000, while for
00 tho years 1901 and 1902 the appropriate
tions rcaohel nearly $144,000,000.
ia- For the payment of pensions the apof
propriations Bhow an ioGnfaflo o2*^ttri?.
ts, $8,000,000 for tho two yearn. - . ~ ? - ?...
re "Id a word, this table shows that tho ~ ?
of price to the people of the policy of this
he administration that has boon thiust
in- upon them by the Republican party is,
ho in round numbers, $400,000,000 within
he a period of two years, and tho half that
ia contemplated has not yet been put
in operation."
Wapjon Train Ambushed.
n(j A wagon train and a detachment of
or. the signal corps, together with six Maoabcbo
scouts were attaokcd by tho insurgcnta
about midway between the
jh! towns of Silang and Damasmarinas, in
,en Cavito provinco P. I. Three Amerind
cans were killed and two of tho Maoabcbo
scouts woro woundod, while one
1 min ia miaalncr Knranu anrl on a
rj8 mule wero killed Capt. Mair, with detj
tachmonts of infantry and cavalry from
lsh Sileng, arrivod at the scene of the surprise
too lato (o intorocpt tho enemy's
Jn retreat. _____
his Chinese Cruelty.
cv The empress of Tndia, arriving from r
?*9 China, brings an aocount of the harbarous
murder of Uapt Watts Jones. It is
said tbat he was received with apparent
friendliness in the yamen of Shan Si
and was in the aotof receiving his passnm
port when his hands were struck off.
i a lie was then taken outside the yamen.
A slioed in several piceoa^nd_his diced
ing out cft\ ,UU companion, a RomafT~-?
of Cfttioito bishop, was put to a lingering .
rho death, his tortures bemr indicted so
rits gradually that it was four days before
noo death rolioved him.
riko . Convicts Mutinied,
ifci A dispatoh from Florence to a news
sho egenoy says a serious mutiny of oonhis
viots has occurred at Santa Ceterina i
if in prison, resulting in the military being A
that called out and 10 of the oonvieta jg|
sl?- wounded.
is attributed to poor food