The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, June 18, 1896, Image 1
TrHE PEOPLE'SF JORA.
VOL. 6"-NO. 22 -KY JUNE i, AORE
VOL. 6.---N0. 22 ~~~PICKENS, S. C., T HURSDAY, U 8 -OEDLA ER
Till@n's Bond Deal.
AL.EGED HISTORY Of THE SOUTH CARO
LINA REFUNDING.
SPECII"IC CHARG'S AGA INST
SENATOR TILILM AN, GOVEItNOIl
EVANS AND STATE' TRIEASUlE1l
BATES.
BAr1moE, June 3.-Senator Till
man of South Carolina has been very
free with his criticisms of the national
administration for its manner of con
ducting bond operations, and in the
recklessnrss of his rhetorical frenzy
has not hesitated to imputo improper
motives to the President and Secro
tary Carlisle. In view of these facts a
little history of one of his own bond
deals is I'structive' and interesting.
A bout $5,250,00 I of South Carolina
6 per Cent, bonds fell duo July 1, 1893.
Tillman was Governer of the State
then-. John Gary vhaius, the Senator's
closest political ajnl personal friend,
and said to be sh.tecd as his colleague
In the Sonate, was administration lead
er in the Legislature, and Dr. Bates
was State Treasurer.
The Legislature, at its session in
1891, adopted a refunding bill, sug
gested by Governor Tillman. This
provided for an issuo of $6,000,000 4 por I
cent. bonds to fund the outstanding (
per cents.. and Treasurer Bates and
the Governor was appointed Commis
sioners to manage the matter in behalf
of the State.
The acts of Messrs. Tillman, Bates
and Evans are outlined in the evidence
In a suit developed In this city for the
division of the commissions involved I
in the transaction, the brokers and
the syndicate which took the bonds I
having quarreled. The action was
brought here because the funds in- I
volved were held by a Baltimore trust <
company.
The evidence shows that one of the
first steps taken by the Commissioners I
was to give a monopoly of the entire I
transaction to a Mr. Rhind, a broker I
of Augista, Ga., whose name does not <
even appear in the commercial reports.
Mr. Rhind testified that early in 1892 1
he was approached by Mr. Evans, now I
Governor, anld asked to place the 1
South Carolina 4 per cents. He ob- <
tained the exclusive option on the on- i
tire transaction from Governor Till- a
man lato in May, the contract being I
that he was to receive a commission of i
5 per cent on the $6,000,000 -a iatter a
of $300,000.
Mr. Ihind failed to make the trade.
however, and in October surrendered
his option. Then Governor Tillinan I
and Treasurer Bates took a turn at it. <
They visited New York and roamed
through Wall street. On returning I
home, they declared that a 4 per cent. i
South Carolina bond would not sell a
even at 95, attributing the State's poor (
credit to the course of Charleston I
bankers and other political opponents I
of the 'State administration. t
Mr. J.Rhind igain was called in to
take the job in November, 1892. He
managed to interest a New York I
broker in it, after having exhausted c
all his own efforts and influence. And
here the curious fact may be noted c
that Mr. Rhind testified that he at I
first did not approach this broker on I
the subject, although making head
quarters in his ollice, regarding him r
as too small an operator to undertake I
so big a trade. Yet this broker is I
rated high in the reports. while Mr. t
Rhind, who controlled the option, and
was trying to use it, is not rated at all. ii
With the assistance of the New t
York man a syndicate was formed, v
headed by the late P. 0. French of the i
Manhatton Trust Company, which t
agreedi to take $5,250,000 of 44 per'
cent. South Carolina bonds on a nomni- '
nal basis of par fiat. This ar'rango
ment fell through when Mr. French
dlied.
4 Trho New York brokor then enlisted l
the aid of a Rich mond broker, and the
two again went tc work, the Legisla- I
ture having met in the meantime and
startedl its machinery to pa~ss a nlOW re-t
funding bill, which, it now appears,
by the evidence or the persons inter-<
ested, was suggested by the brokers,
through Rhind, to Tillmnan and Evans.
Mr. Evans was not only the administra
tion representative and leader in the
Legislature, but he was at the same
p time the attorney of Rhind, having
been engaged1 in that cap~acity, accord
ing to his own swor% statement, when<
Rhind was appointed fiscal agent.
It is, therefore, established by tin-1
doubted and unchallenged testimony <
that Governor Tillman not only lotkout
the job of selling the bonds of his own
State exchusively to one man months:
before the time of sale, but p)ormitted l
brokers in Wall streit, and elsewhere
to dictate legislation to his Legislature
and allowed a pmaid attorney of the pur'
chasing parties to construct and steeri
, through the Legislature the Act under
which the bonds were to be issued.
The Act pro'0idedl for $5,250 000 44
prcent. bonds, to run twentyv and1
forty years. These bonds were' to be
dated and issued July 1, 1893, but they
wore to begin, to bear interest from
January 1, 1893. In other words, a bo
nuis of six months' Interest, or 21
por1 cent., amounting to $1 18,000, waLs
ogoered to whoever would take the
bonds and pay dollar for dollar for
th em.
The syndicate organized by the New
York anfl Richmond brokers agreed to
i take the bonds at par and to acelpt
three-fourths of I per cent. of the
bonus, amounting to $39,000, making
the net cost of the bonds to its mem
bers about 99 1-4. The remaining i 1-2
por1 cent., or $'78,000. ostensibly went to
Mr. Rhind, tihe man who had been
chosen b~y Mr. Evans, the administr-a
tion leader in the Leg islature ; the man
who had employed Mr. Evans and
Major W. T. Gary, Mr. Evan's uinco
as his attorneyc, and who had the opi
tion on the entire bend issue before It
had been provided for by the Legisla
ture.
It does not appear that Mr. Rhind
took any netive part In the organiza
tion of the syndiceate. It is In evidence
that ho beorrowed $500) from the Now
York broker, with which to meet his
travolhtg expenses. There Is nothing
in the testimony tom show wVlhatsorIvices
Major Gary, who Is a (citiz/enh of Geor
'- gIa, performed, but the sworn state
ments show that be was paid $1,000.
Govornne Evans, who was sunn~Osnd by
people in South Carolina to be acting
in the Interest of the State, testifies
that he canu North in Mr. Rhind's
behalf, and, after the squabble over the
divibion of the commission arose, urged
an tho members of the syndicate the
propriety and justice of allowing Mr.
Rhind to receive his share, then tied
up in the Baltimore Trust Company
by litigation. The expense account of
the syndicate shows that Governor
Evans was paid $100 attorney's fee, and
that Troasurer Bates was paid by the
syndicate $2,330.88 for " services."
Mr. Rihind testilled that he had not
yet, so far as his part of it was con
eerncd, paid Governor Evan's fee or
learned what it would be. It appears on
the record that at least two of the threc
state ollicials actively ongaged in the
oogotation of the bonds were employed
md paid by the purchasers.
The impression given to the persons
most actively engaged in behalf of the
syndicate at the time is clearly set
rorth in the testimony. Certain mem
bers of the syndicate expressed curi
)sity and interest, natural, perhaps, in
the circumstances. They inquired
v hy it was that of $118,000 bonus of
rored by the State to purchasers of the
b..nds. only $39,390 was available for
Aho actual purchasers who were to fur
ish the money, while $78,700 was to
ro to Mr. Rhind, who was furnishing
10 money and apparently taking no
totivo part in the dicker. The Itich
nond broker told them he understood
iresumably from Mr. Rhind-that the
>ulk of that sum was to " be divided
inong Parties in South Carolina who
iad political influence." The New
fork broker, who was in close associa
ion with Mr. Rhind, and whose oppor
aunities for knowledge were'bestof all,
eplied that they ' would better not
nvestigato that ; that it Was to go to
)eople who would better not be known."
It roaCs that way in the testimony as
aken.
When Mr. Rhind was on the stand,
ic was not pressed regarding his use
>f his part of the bonus, and offered
1o explanation.
It is not in evilence in this case, but
t is a fact capable of easy and direct
>roof, that Mr. Ihind, while holding
,he option on the bond issue and en
icavoring to induce the formation of a
myndicate to take it, stated that he
vould not got more than enough from
t to pay for his time and expenses. It
s also true that members of the syndi
sato who were willing to deal directly
vith the State and take the bonds for
commission of three-fourths of one
>cr cent. were ollicially informed that
10 propositions could be considered
inless they were sent through Mr.
thind-that not even an offer of par
ict without any commission, would be
:onsidered, although at that very timo
dr. Rhind was demanding a 2 1-4 per
:cnt. commission.
When the time came for division of
he bonus of $78,000, the New York
nan took $20,000 and the Richmond
nan $5,000, for special services and
ixpenses. Mr. Rhind got $48,500, and
miajor Gary $1,000. A peculiar and
>crhaps significant circumstance is
hat Mi. Rhind took his $48.000 not In
>ne draft on the Baltimore Trust Com
)any, but in three separate drafts, all
)ayable the same day-one for $25,000,
>ne for $9,000, and one for $14,500.
To sum up, according to the sworn
wvidence on record :
I M r. Rhind, who has no special pr om
nonce or standing in business cir
les, and who was not a citizen or
esident of South Carolina, was ap
>roahhed by the present Governor,
,vans, then the recognized adminis
ration leader in the Legislature.
le was given by Govgrnor Tillman
.nd Treasurer Bates an exclusive op
ion to place $6,000,000 4 por cents at
commission of 5 per cent. fourteen
nonths before the time for the bonds
o be issued.
Ile failed to e ffect tis, and Governor
illnan declared that, after a personal
isit to New York, he became con
inced that a 4 per cent. bond could not
>e pliaced. Tile Governor again gave
mn exclusive 'op~tion to Rhind to place
4 1-2 per cent. loan. The syndicate
ormned to take tis fell to pieces. For
he third time Mr. Rhind was given
he exclusive option.
T1he men who composed the syndi
~atae got $39,000, or three-quarters of 1
icr cent. The monm wvho orgaaized the
yndicato got from lthind $25,000, or
ess than one-half of I per cent. Mr.
lhind realized $19,000, or nearly I per
:ent., on the option given hlim long in
dvance of the time for placing the
oan. So far as that part of it is con
~erned, it appears to have been a free
rift froem the State of South Carolina
o a chosen citizen of Georgia, who
3mployed the) present Governor Evans
mnd his uncle as his attorneys.
The $2,000 and odd paid Trreasurer
Bates b)y the syndicate is said here to
layo been for serv ices in removing the
noney sent by the syndicate from
Jharleston to Columbia.
Covernor Tillman demanded that
:,he syndicate pay for its bionds in cur
[Eene(y in Columbia. That was in June,
1893, about the time of the panic, and
.t was rep~reseinted to him thlat the cur
'ency could not be obtained, except in
silver, which would load six freight
aars. lHe rolplied withl the declaration
that thle six cars should be delivered to
him at the State line, and that he
would order out the troop~s to escort it
to Columbia.
"' By -," ho exclaimed to the
banker who was negotiating with him,
"3you can't scare ine by threatening to
pay in silver." 1But he was finally
p~acified1 and induced to accept exchangc
:m Charleston.
It is possible that the continued em
ploymont of Mr. ithind and the rce
nowals of tile exclusive opition to him
were the results of the confidence he
inspired in his ability, and that his
forty-nine-thousand-dollar comm issiors
is his exclusively, not to he shared
with any body. It is also possible thai
the duties of Mr. Evans, now Gover
nor, as attorney for Mr. Rhind did not
interfere with or aiTet his actions and
course in thle Legislature, and that he
could and did sepiarate his private in
terests an'd his public dutIes entirely.
It is further possi ble that State Treas
urer Bates earned the $2,000 paid him
by the syndicate fairly and fully. In
the language of Mare Antony, they are
"all honorable men."
It is not possible, however, for Till
alan and Is followers, in view of this
tmransaction, with any consistency t(J
continue to accuse tile i'rcsident and
Secretary Carlisle of mismanagement,
nounco with horror thd idea of attor
noys or membors of trusts, corpora
tions, and syndicates sitting in -
gress.-New York Times.
AN EXPLANATION FROM DR. BATES.
HE ADMITS TAKING A FEE FOR
81RVICES.
Tihe Baltimore Syndlicate E'mployed
Him After the Contract. Was Maeo
-lie Claims that His Tties as
Statc Treasurer Did Not. Conflict.
Last week it was promised by Gov
ernor Evans that astatement in regard
to the bond deal would be made by
himsolf and State Treasurer Bates on
the 10th inst. The Governor was away
on official business, and when Dr.
Bates wts asked about the statement
by the newspaper reportors, he gave
the following statement for publica.
tion, which refers alone to his own
connection with the matter, and ac
counts for the sum of $2,031.25 paid to
him for special work by the syndicate.
His defense is as follows :
" Yes, it is true that I received from
the syndicate the sum of $2,031.25.
This was for acting as their represent
ative in making settlementsiwitlh their
subscribers, collecting and renitting
their premiums and attending to their
expense account for instalments.
There were subscribers in Charleston
for two million of the now issue which
the syndicate had contracted to dcliv
er in Charleston. These were to be
paid for mostly in Browin consols, but
the holders of tie consols naturally
would requiro the syndicate to deliver
to them the new issue of bonds before
they would part with the possession of
their consolb. Two courses were
therefore open to the syndicate. One
was to pay the State Treasurer $2,000
in cash, receive the now bonds and
then exchange them with the Charles
ton subscribers: the other way was to
secure some representative here in
Columbia whom the Charleston sub
scribing bondholders were willing to
entrust with their bonds and exchange
them for bonds of the new issues. I
suggested to the syndicate the employ
mneot of a Columbia banker as their
representative, but they prfcered
that I should do the work, and at the
urgent request of the Baltimore Trust
and Guarantee Company, through the
agent of the syndicate on or about the
21st of March, 1893, 1 consented to act
for them as tie bondholde rs in Charles
ton and elsewhere were willing to
place their bonds in my hands for
exchange.
"The public will anderstand that
there is a vast difference between:
First, my accepting money as a consid
eration for making a contract for the
sale of State bonds, and second, by my
accepting compensation tendered by
the syndicate for extra services as
their ex-representative long after the
contract had been made. The first
would have been offered, of course,
and accepted prior to the contract and
would have deserved severe criticism ;
the second was tendered long after
the contract had been made and was
for extra services that I could not
have been expected or required to
render as State Treasurer.
The work necessitated the keeping
of a special, diflicult and extensive ac
count and involved much responsibility
and trouble. A good portion of the
amount received went to pay for extra
and special clerical work. I am sure a
reasonable public will agree that the
work I did was unofficial, and did not
conflict with my duties as State Treas
urer nor will I be expected to render
responsible and valuable services for a
syndicate of wealthy capitalists with
out some reasona ble cornpensation ;
especially as the compensation was not
paid by the State. Outside of the
$2,031.25 I (lid not receive one cent
from the syndlicatte or any one else on
account of my connection with the re
funding of the bonds.
"(Signed) W. T.~ C. BATvvms,
State Trecasurer."
After Dr. Bates had given to the
)pess the above statement Iho received
the following letter from the president
of thne Blaltimnore Trust and Guarantee
Company, the formcr maynr of Balti
more, which hec also gave for publica
tion:
" BAnurIMoua, Mn)., June 9. 189(1.
"'lHon. W. TI. C. Bates, State Treas
urer, Columbia, S. C.:
"lDear Sir-I understand thnat somne
qnestion has arisen as to the propriety
of your having accepted compensation
from the syndlicate which purchased
South Carolina bonds in 1S93, and we
think it no more thae fair to state that
undler tbe rigorous terms imposed by
~'our then Governor, tine Hon. I3. Ri.
.'illman, it would have been exceed
ingly dillcult for a syndicete to have
carried out tine terms of purchase with
out the constant presence in CJolumbia
of some competent and trustworthny
person charged with the dulty~ of per
forming the various acts of necessary
clerical labor which were incessantly
reqjuired. it was not convenk(nt for
this company as tine agent of thne syn
dicate, to haye such a represcentative
continually on the spot and youn were
asked to so act and thne compensation
paid you was only fair and said pay
ment came fromn the nyndicate alone
and in no wvise even remotely affeced
the interests of your Stato nor thne in
terests of the most insignificant of
your tax-payers. Thne paymenit for
your service wams madoe upon thne voli
tion and by the sanction of the comn
mittee of the syndicate. it was cn
tirely pr~oper and the engagem(ent of
y ou in such cap~acity really proved to
be a safeguard to your people, because
in the execution of the clerical duties
which the syndlicate required you in
valuably manifested an unalterable
zeal for tine protection of tine interests
of your State, and in thme execise of
this quality we think you often im
posed upon the syndicate conditiomns
which would have been quite unmnec
essary in the conduct of any matters
pertaining to. private business. The
conditions, however, were accepted in
a cordial spirit, because we thought
we recognized in you an oflicer whose
crowning ambition ap~peared to be
directed only in the channel of exer
cising every scruple of prudence in
the conservation of the duties involved
y his oflicial capacity.
Yours respectfully,
ROIRTF1 C. D AVrSn 1Pr.sident.
THE SOLID SOUTH IS BROKEN,
[LItIE SILVElR AGITATION Ali
JIEGED TO III' TilE CAUS.
The Itace lile aErailcated antd New
Adjustmets Formned by Class Feel
ing--The tesult. Likely to be a
Itepublican South.
A. 11. Williams in tie New York 'Triune.
After an existence of nearly twenty
years the "Solid South" has disap
peared from political conditions and
calculations, and become only a mom
ory. The indications are that it will
never be restored, but i f there is a solid
South again it will probably be a solid
Republican South. These statements
are not based on the llpublican victo
rios two years ago in Kentucky, North
Carolina, Maryland and other South
ern States. Tne year 189-1 was a tidal
wave year, and an otY" year, and local
and temporary causes might have
brought manV of its astonishing politi
cal results. klhe solid South was not
broken when Miahone carried Virginia
and if there were not other and deeper
reasons that are found in the returns
of the last election, the destruction of
the most formidable, the most danger
ous and remarkable and the most ap
parently impregnable combination of
Ancrican political history might be
yet regarded as only a remote possi
bility.
TEI' 13REAK COMES SUDDENLY.
As it is, however, every observant
man who studies conditions in this part
of the Union intelligently and careful
ly must know that the break is a fact.
It has come strangely and suddenly.
The causes are old, but the effects al e
new and unexpected. Five years ago
nobody would have predicted or imag
ined that it would be brought about as
it has been. There have been no real
party lines in the South since the war.
The lines have been drawn between
the races. A white man was a Demo
crat, a negi o was a Republican, with
the exceptions on both sides unimpor
tant. It seems that that division, wide
as the difference between black and
white, founded deeply in inherited, in
born prejudices and instincts, could
never be lost, forgotteu or ignored.
The political position of the negro and
the Republican at the South appeared
to be hopeless. The contidence of the
white man in his own power of cohe
sion, and the consequent continuance
of his absolute supremacy, seemed to
be built on a certainty.
Yet the negro has been wise without
suspecting it, and the Democratic party
in the South has committed suicide
without knowing it, has elaborately
and deliberately and with much pains
andringenuity dismembered and stab
bed and poisoned itself, with the delu
sive idea that its strength was being
made invincible and its rule etcrnal.
Events are bringing a beautiful illus
tration of the operations of the laws.
In morals and in politics paradoxes
yield symmetricai and satisfactory re
sults, wrong-doing develops punish ment
for the wrong-doer and compensation
for the wronged. The negro has found
his salvation in obliteration, for the
more his vote was chopped down, the
more complete his disappearance, the
fiercer the quarrels, the wider the
divisions among the whites became.
As danger from without lessened the
discord within increased.
THE RACE LINE RUICED OUT.
The whites themselves destroyed the
race line by crushing the negro out of
politics, and the negro aided in the
work by permitting chimself to be
crushed. The Democratic leaders
smashed their own and favorite spook
-"nigger rule"-with which they so
long terr-ified the "unterrified Democ
racy" and held its ranks unbr-oken. So
the r-ace line was rubbed out, and im
mediately an older, stronger, deeper
line has been drawn-'between the
whites themselves this time. It is the
line of class, of caste, of social and
bus iness diTorences. Th~e great fr-ee
silver- movement in the South is only
the form, the name, of it. ''Te subt
stance of it, the reality of it, is In the
jealousies, the antagonisms, of class.
I have studied the conditions in sev
eral Southern States very carefully
durling the last few weeks. My opplor
tunities have been ample, and my con
clusions are deliberate. 1 have heard
men and women of all shades of opinion
talk in varied surroundings and elir
cumstances. Half the men who ar-c
shouting for frece silver do niot know
what it means and do not care. They
shout for it because It is the shout of
their class, the battle cry of the p)oor
and obscure moving to watr agauinst the
rich men and the "aristocr-acy," the
pitchfork with which the fat-tior may
ptred and disfigure and1 punishl the tme
chant, lawyer and bankot- and all allil
lated and associated interests an(> indll
vi duals.
OltOW'TIT OF~ CLASS FEELTN(G.
The class feeling has long been latent
in the South, but it has been smothered
by many condItions, and thet-o has been
nobody to dlevelop) it. Men who rose
from the ranks of ''the commyon poo0
ple0" by power of intellect and entergy
werec so few and scatte-ed that they
wetrc qutckly and easily absorbed by
thouir new surroundings, and the feroc
ity of tiny tesentmenits they might hold(
against the "uplper classes" was soon
melted to genial conservatism. lBut it
is dilTforont now. Class hatred has be
come a ptassion, its bitterness mado
more intense by long repression, its
ex pressionI and development lumxuries
becaiuse they are new exp~erienes.
T he South Is prtosporous. Nobody is
sullet-ing, and cornparatively few at-u in
deblt. Take tian for tman, the propor
tion of independence and prosperity Is
greaiter amiong the farmers than In the
towns atnd cities. Trho demand for- free
silver coinage in this section is not the
t-ebult of a deliberate desir-e to repudi
ate dlebts, nlor Is there apparent any
general helief that It will make any
body rich or improve the condition of
the coutntry. The average 16i to I man
will tell you he Is for it bectause he
longs .'or '"r-lief," butt he cannot or
will niot say what kind of i-chef it is
or fronm what be hopes to he ''relieved."
il .* Fluit SI l~Vlli MAN'S MO-PIVyE.
if youi will stutdy im carefully you.
wvill limd that the~ cause of his sweetest
satisfactioin, the t-esul t to wicih he
looks tost joyously, ftrom the adoption
of his schecuho is the pulling of some
body down, the humblingz of aome hned
which he considers to be hold undul,
olfensively and Injuriously high. Irc
iay have little hope-little real long,
ing, even-to got from between thc
plough handles himself, or to recuc
his fain liv from tho, ho and the fiold,
but he thitiks he would enjoy seeing
some men he knows dismounted fi-omi
high horses, forced from what ho re
gards as easy and luxurious enjoy meot
and required to share with him the
heat of .July suns and the backaches
acquired by picking out burtbleboe cot
ton-a Variety of the plant so named
becaubO of the traditional sarcasm that
the insect referred to can comfortably
sit on the ground and suck substance
from the top blooms-during October
and November. He thinks he would
enjoy it, but probably he wouldn't, for
he is generally a good follow at heart
without real malice.
But he has his prejudlees. Physical
perspiration and sunburn are the only
badges of a toiler he Is willing to ac
cept its genuine-the only symbols of
industry really blown in the bottle.
White hands and laundered linen are
to him tokens and evidences of opprcs
sionI aid tyranny, whether they are
worn by a clerk working fourteen hours
a tjay for $35 a moI nth ot a corporation
president, Who woos sudden deathi and
cultivates insomnia for $15,000 a year.
Aganst untanned complexions aud
bleached shirt fronts lie has declared
war, and against them he Is marching
under the banner of the free and un
limited coinage of silver at the ratio of
16 to 1. le Is being carefully drilled
and urgently incited by politicians and
local leaders, who probably realize as
faintly as h what they mean and what
they are doing.
COMING OUT P1'' CHAOS.
Among them they are tearing the
Democratic party in the South into
splinters, and bursting and rending the
solid South. With the "black rule"
spook cast away, with fidelity to the
Democratic organization no more a re
quirement for respectability, with all
political ties rent, all political tradi
tions forsaken, there Is chaos and doubt.
Yet results are beginning to take shape
amid the confusion, lines are being
drawn and ranks formed. The Demo
cratic party hardly exists in the South
to-day. It is merely a name, a shell.
Unless there is some wonderful change
or reaction in the next four months
the whole thing will crumble in No
vmiher.
In South and North Carolina, Geor
gia, Alabama and Virginia, nearly
every white man will tell you that he
is a. Democrat, but those who say they
will vote the Democratic national tick
ct are few ant t'>e number of them is
diminishing. The free silver men are
vociferous. They vociferate that they
will not vote for the Democratic nomi
nees unless they are uncompromising
free silver men on an uncompromising
free silver platform. The sound money
men are quieter, but in all the towns
and cities I have been in, in the Statem
nameitd, every solid money mian-an
ninc-tunths of the urban voters are thal
way -aid if a free silver man wort
nominated at Chicago he would vot<
the Relpublican ticket if he voted. It
the country many of the leading farm
ers, substantial and prominent men
who have made money and have in
vested or loaned it, say the sar.o.
I. am satified that the sound monc3
men could have developed mort
strength in the paIrt'y )'i maries ant
conventions than they showed, bul
thousands of them carefully refrained
fron taking any part in those exhila
rating exercises because they did not
intend to bind themselves to support
the Chicago ticket.
THE NEGRO'S POWER.
And there Is where the negro comes
in. In eight Southern States-includ
ing six cotton States-ho can give
victoiry to the solid money men by cast
ing his vote with them. ie holds the
balance of power between the two ole
mnonts of the whites, split far and wide
asundeor.
Whatever the Itepulblican par-ty is
the negro is. As a rr le, he knows
nothing of currency or larif, and cares
less. HIe is liepubl icanm, a:- soldly so~
as lie was in 1570. The D~ieocats have
maiide no etfoit to conciliate or convert
him. Their skill and energies have
becen devoted to humIliate andI sub~vert
him. The l)emocratic newspapers
have fallen into the habit of repiorting
as foot notes to their local election rem
turns that '"the negroes took no inter
est,'" or "'many colored men votedt the
straight D~emocratic ticket," bu t that
is merely a politely conventional forum
of words to explain abrnormnal Demo
eratic majorities andI to pol1ishm and
stmooth rough and rocky applearancos.
The truth is a negro wh is 1 not eager
to put himsel f to any trouble and ex
pense and loss of ti me thiat may lhe
necessary that may enable him to vote
a lRopubhlican ticket, is as infrequent as
a white crow. All over South Carol inia
negroes are traveling front lifteen to
thirty iles, and puzzling over the rig.
eirs of the new registration law that
they may he readly to vote in Novem
her. I hear of cases of negroes from
40 to 00 years 01(1 who have deli berately
gone to wor Ik to try to lear-n to read the
constitution andI are toiling patientliy
over that task every nighl. A gleam
of hope that they will be allowed to
vote andl that tihir votes will be0 count
ed will lead every negro voter to the
poll s as a lIIght in a Milssisi pi swamp~
at night, gathers hugs, and every oune
of them will carr-y a ltepublicean ballot
eONSOIADA'I'ON UNDiER PRiESS5jltE.
T1he white andI the black arec boing
forced together under the pro'esurmt
which hears against, them both, by th(
aggression of a common enemy. Th(
free silver people in the South are (10
ing their best, to constiruct a coinbina
tion of tremendous strength agains
themselves. T he "'aristocr-acy, " t hii
conservative and business elemenlt, fli<
bleached skins and laundered shir
fronts, and the workers for fixed wage:
of all grades, will vote the Itcpulicari
ticket, b)ecaulse It will represent aunt
money, which they believe their inter
With thmis force of respectability, ci
social and commotrcial Influ ence and]
Intelligence behintd It the negro vote
will be cast andl coutntedl. 1'3cetioni
tricks on negroes are safe and easy
whIle all white men0 arc ont the otheri
81(10 working together and playintg inuto
each other's hahtndl to time v'ery endt of
the game. Bitt the prospet oIf pro.,
cucions in the Uniited States Coutrts,
where juries may favor fair electIons.
muen of defined character and position,
is not encouraging to managors ex
pecte( to do "line work" or to "the '
boys" who, in more favorable circum
stances, might do some shooting and
shouting on the outside.
Tihe combination Is being forced and
formed and1 hardened In vorly part of t
the South evgry day-the combination f
of white business men and wago work- s
ers with the negro vote. And that (
combination means In the course of a 0
little time, a South as solidly Repub- 1
lican as it has been Democratic.
New York, June 2, 1896. C
---..* - - C
W1010KLY CRtOP BULaLaMTN. b)
A Markeh ati General Improve- st
miet In tho Contlition ol'the Grow
iig Crops. itl
This bulletin covers the weather and W
crop conditions for the week onding n
Saturday, J une i, anid in its prepar- r
tion were used reports frtin one or more c
correspondents inl eaucl County of the ti
State. f,
Tho pnst week was the second one
for tihe current crop season that had b
a mean temperaturo below thet( nor- l
mal, the deficiency having averaged t
one degreo per day, and it averaged t
live degrees por day lower than dur- a
ing the pieceding week, duo to lower h
dy and niglit temperatures, but more a
particularly the former cloudy Weather :;
having kept the maxima generally 0
below 90 and on tho:d below 80.
The average of 37 mean teIII)ra- o
ture reports was 7-1 degrees, ranging 1
from 70 at Greenvillo and Trial to 77
at sover different stations. The nor- 0
mial for the week is 71;. 11
The max imui tomiporature for the 1
week was 101 on the 1s at Gillison
Ville, and the minimum was i58 on the
2d and 5th at Looper's and Greenwood,
respectively. L
'heore were light scattered showers 1
Oil Sunday andol Monday, and on Tiues- U
(ay a general rain bet in that con- a
tinued throughout Wednesday, ending C
with showers oin Thursday. The rain LI
was well (listributod and in places ex- o
cessive. It elfectually relieved the p3
drought over the entire State. In a 0
number of counties lanls were badlly il
washedl, and locally , small areas of Ii
bottom lands wero Ilooded. Tho fol- ti
loVinig Ilies reporIted excessive rains:
ilatesburg .1.10; Greenwood 3.42; St. il
Georgo (two reports) 5.113 and 6.00 ; il
IElloree -4.20 ; Beau fort 3.1.5 ; 'overtv
lill 4.25 ; Trial 3.41 ; twelve othe I
places reported amounts between two S
anud threte incies ; twenty-lvo places a
amounts between one and two inlies
and two less than one inch. Tlhe
aver-age of 47 reports is 2.18, and the
normil for thieweek is 1. 12, the Iast
week having been the first one (uring a
this crop season that had an excess of t
rainfall.
Damaging hail fell In I-Idgeticld and
luexington. The prevailing winds
were northeasterly during the rainy
period.
There was only about half the usual
amount of sunshino for the week, the
percentage of possible sunshiuo ranged
from 18 to 70, and averaged about :36
per Cent. There was mnost cloudiness
over lPlorenco and )arlington, and
least in the western counties.
As growiig Crops stoo(d in ieed of
rain during previous wooks, it follows
that with the copious showers there
was a marked and gn'oral Im prove
ment In theoir condition during the
iist woek. The rains, however, in
torfered with tire wheat and oats
harvest, inuch of which was out and I
shocked, and it is thought may be I
damaged. The rains also interfered IL
with plowing, but little having heen 1)
done. Most fields were well cultivated 11
and clean, but grass is springing itup t
ripidly and(] the prosent need is for e
sunshine and dry weather for killing a
Ear'ly cor-n is in silks and tassels, l(
and is being ''laid by " In excellent a
condition generally. .lunoi corn is g
being planlted and is comning up to good c
.standls. Th'le eor'n cr'op looks ver'y
I tromtisinzg.
Gomplainit .of lice oni cotton is vcery w
gener-al, and i n places the plant seetms h<
to have beeni injureod. Cotton is "limnb- (I
ing " wvell, and in Motme pilaces is ini h
bloom with squiar'es fotrminzg freely.
Somne r'epot-ts inid icalto a sapply totndli- La
Lioni and( a teondency to grtow too tnuch t
to weed. On the whole, the lant is q~
it gocod cond itLion butt needs so nsh inc. y
Grass threcatens somne fields. Sea- '5
Islandl cotton in poor- coni 'Jition. d
I 'eas are being (xtensi vely sown on i
stubblle .landls amnd with cor'n. Thliis c
wvork beinig conosldderabily int ad vane of dI
the usual Lime for- doinzg it.t
Tlobacco is replor'ted snuiit andti sicky 13
in iFlorenco, and the best re por'ts on
its coniditioni indiicateo that it is doing ft
only "' fair'ly well."''
Ileice is still being sown a~nd the C
cr'ops Is gr'ow ing well gener-allJy, ex.- g
(clpt ulanttd, int which a mar-ked im.i ol
prmovemnent, is cx pected en account of
the rains. I
irish lpotatoes on the coast w ore not -
imate-rial ly hltdped by the r'ainms, but
elsewhere secom to have starteod a new
gr'owth.
Melons have miade excellent ad
vance, as also has( canoe, both of which
ar'o very promising.
I 'caches, plums11 and applles continue
to drop freely, and the outlook is fot'
a small fritit crop of rathzer poor'
quatility.. Blackber'ries and biuckle
berr'ies ttilproved and( continuIo pileti.
Sweet potautoe~s slips extLensi vely
set out under very favorable condi
Gardnns have stated gr-owinog again,
and the supply of vegetables htas
miateri ally i ncreasedl amd the quality.
has iunprlioved .
I 'astmures w hich have beoen poor impr
to th is time ar'e gro~wing well and am'oy
begi nmiing to alfor'd excellonti grazing. *
Th le cr'op outlook is at lthis Lime very
onicourmagi ng, being r'ep)orted1 the bes5t i
for' miainy yearis by a numiibemr of cot'
resp~ondenits, particuilarly3 in thme nIorth
eatstm'rn counties. (
. - .--W. BAU* ietr
-The Stateo of Kansas lays claim to p
the smallest man In existence. Ils f
namto is Willia lanI'i per and lhe residles '
in Sunmmner' counity in that state. Uoe h
is twenty-two yeamrdjold, mneasum'es less e
thani Lthr'oo feet, high and weighs only t
fortyeght pounds. Mentally lie is a
qu ite as soutnd as oi'dlinai-y me.n of hiis mj
age. ile I ives with hiis widowedl mmotherm I
and1( avoIds the public as mnuch as 1pos
sile.
COTTON SEIZWD AND BOLD.
wolvo Million Dollars in the Na
tional Treasury Belonging to Pri
Vate Citizens.
Twelve million dollars are in the
reasury awaiting the claims of right
I owners-mon whose cotton was
L)ized after the war. The prosecution
f these claims is barred by a statute
f limitations specially passed, and one
f the measures that was prepared but
ot pressed at the )r('sent session of
ongress was a bill for the repeal of
tio limitation act. Threo Now York
irs, one said to be the largest cotton
roker in the world, are back of the
'hoe01, and will press it at the next
nssion of Congress.
After the close of actual hostilities
1865 cotton was seized throughout
to South and sold. Socretary Chase
as doubtful of the right of the govern
ont to do this, and the st me doubt
mkled in the mind of William E.
handler, at that time acting scorc
ry of the treasury'and now a Senator
'on New Haipshire. The doubt was
> strong in lr. Chandler's mind that
o would not use the piroceeds of the
de, but organ;zed a division in the
'easury departimont which ho called
tV " i)ivision of Abandoned Property
nd Lands," which is still in existence.
o then turned all of the proceeds of
-izod property consisting of about
>,000 bales of cotton, great quantities
. tobacco, sugar and rico, together
ith some turpentine, tar and rosins,
ver to Willian L. Noorr, chief of the
ew division.
in 1874 Gaziaway 13. Lamnar, a high
flicial in the New York Bank of Con
icree, a Georgian by birth and a con
dssion merchant, r'etainied the lato
'oerrail Benjamin F". Butler and ex
ttorney-General George 1-. Williams
s his counsel in a suit against the
Inited States to recover $600,000, the
roceeds of the sale of cotton taken by
nited States troops. When Lamar
-eutrod his verdict of $600,000, Robort
Schenck, of Ohio, late Minister to
10 Court of St. James, was chairman
the committee oi ways and means.
cieving that a raid would be made
I the treasury by holders of claims, he
troduced a bill creating a statute of
mitationls, thus barring the prosecu
on of this class of cliiis.
I i th is way the ioney has remained
I the treatsu'ry. It has beln invested
the United States bonde, and now
Ioulnts to 'thse eniormious sum of
2,00)0,000. Outside of four or live
muthern Senators, it is doubtful if
ly one knows the true situation.
The legislation which the Now York
ndliinto waits passed is yery simple.
, consists of a live line resolution re
ualing the statuto of limitations
gainst. theso clainis, and allowing
:1om to be sent to the United States
ourt of claims for adjudication.
TIlE FAMOUS DARK 1)AY.
day 11), 1780, Was a Notable Day Ii
New inglaud.
The fokloiing account of a great
nyster'y Irr New 1ingland will prove
n1toresting :
Old letters of that time mako men
ion of straigolatmfosphoric conditions
IverMlI days before thd dark day. The
un was clouded and the air close, with
)eculiar' vapors floating abovo the
arth. The sun and moon roso and set
n a dull and uncertain light, ar.d many
rI'edicted Volcanlic oruptions.
The records of that time say that on
'ridiay morning, Alay 11)9, the air was
envier than at any time previous,
nd abott t nino o'clock shoots of vapor
egan rising from springs and low
mIds, formin ig clouds that rose abovo
to hills. Cloud after cloud rose and
flied away to westward, and still the
Ii grew dlensor anld gray dar'kness in
'ased. Tile higher the sun rose the
so ligiit seemed to reach theoearth,
rid hoforo noon theo darkness was sI)
rent that pleople wereOobliged to light
indles in their houses.
Cihur'ches and moeting-houses were
pened, and ministers arn 1 deaconis went
itih lihted lanterns to conldluct rolig
mla services. Aliso ini many places,
eli hborhiood prayer metin~tfgs were
old.
i t mullst 1)e remnembored that our1 coun
*y at this time, 1780, was passing
lr'ough gr'eat per'il. Those of you ac
iainted with American htistory will
.1m1(imbler thait the Re'volutionary
arwas in pirogress, anid those un
eided ill opinion regarding separa
On of tihe roloniesli from the British
ovorrinlmnt beli1 eed that tlie teorrible
arkneiss was a comnmunicationt from
1o i.ord, a waRrninrg that sep~aration
tiul not talko p)laco.
Cate fecing Ain pastures jumped
Iuices Lto get home. ieowls roosted
uinking thalt night was upIon them.
ildlren1 went Lt) school, but ran home
r'Opinig their way in the stra~ngo
tarkness.
Nelthert science nor superstition has
cadl the mystery. Herschel says:
''iTh dlark (day inI Northern Armer'ica
/1as 1)n1 of the remiairkable p~honomoena
>f natu1re that will ever he roead with
nier'bt, but whlichi phlilosoph~y is at a
oss to explini."
But all passed0( away ; for never (lid
hie 8un Rsh91inc more brigh tly tihan on
het miornli ng of MAly 20. Th e hi rds
ang ;allriature rejoiced. Cattle re
u11rnedl to tile paistlres, men~f to their
abor01s, and m nany were' the thibanksgiv
ngs Olfe'reId that the Lord in his good
tess had spar'ed the peop1)o.
A ST1OUNDING A D)VERIIS.-One even
rig a gentiertan came home with a
idget oIf news. Anr atcquaintance had
miled in butsiness. Hoe spoke of the
tecJidet as "d(eliciously 8sad."' He had
iddeni uip-town in a car with a noted
,It,, whorm ho dlescribedl as "' horr'ibly
ntertainirig," and to clap the climax,
e spoke of thte butter which had been
at, beforo hirm at, a country hotel as
dlivinely r'ancid."
The young people star'ed, and the
(dest dalughter said. "' Why, papa, I
1ou11(, think you were out, of your
" Not in the least, my dear," he said,
ieasantly. "i'm merely trying to
>llow the fashion. I worked out
livinely rancid' with a good deal of
1hor., i t, seems to me rather motre
trective than 'aw fully sweet.' I mean
>keep upl with the rest of you here
f t'r. A nd now," lhe continued, "let
to he0l1) you toia picce of this exquisite
/ tough booef."
Adverbs, he says, are not so fashion
ble a they wnee in hiamr.ly.