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VOL. 8. ABBEVILLE. S. C., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 80, 1886. ' NO. 9 Tho Ueneral Assembly. Columbia, November 23 The General Assembly was organized to-day without any revolutionary developments. In the House the Popemovemcnt somehow did not seem to materialize, I)r. Pope receiving only II out of tho 118 votes cast for Speaker. All tho old officers were re-elected, including Speaker Simons, C Sloan, Sergeant-at-Arms Brown anu Reading Clerk R. M. Anderson. To tho last three was no opposition. No bills were introduced in the House. Tho Senate unanimously re-eiectea Gen. Izlar president pro tempore. There was a sharp contest for the clerkship. Of the four candidates Messrs. Gaillard of Fairfield, Schumpert of Newberry, Evans of Marion and Martin of Anderson, the two last named dropped out, and on the nineteenth ballot ex-Sentor Henry A. Gaillard was elected over ex-llepreBentative Schumpert, receiving 20 votes to the latter's 13. Sergant-at-Arms Marshall and Reading Clerk Goodwyn were unanimously reelected, and nearly all the other officers of the last Senate were reappointed by tho Lieutenant-Governor-elect. Tho most important Senate conmittecs retain the chairmen which they had in the last Leginlature, and as far as can be judgod the committees are so arranged that there is no likelihood of a preponderance of extreme views in any of them. The Senate so far appears to be conservatively inclined. Dr. Mauldir, the Governor-elect. occuDiud a position on the President's platform at the side of President pro tempore Izlar. Tho small space in the chamber left for spectators was crowded during the session. SENATE. The following were introduced: By Senator Smythe, bill to amend Section 2,037 of the Geneml Statutes relating to certain rights and liabilities of husband and wife. By Senator McMaster, bill to amend tho various* Acts in relation to the Columbia Canal. (This bill appropriates $12,000 out of the surplu* income of the Penitentiary for the prosecution of the work, and provides that if it be necessary in order to carry it on the board shall draw out of the State treasury dollars, to bo refunded out of the net income of the institution.) HOUSE. Mr. M. P. Ansel, of Greenville, obtained the floor and announced that the pleasant duty had been deputed to himt of placing the namo of Hon. James Simons in nomination. Mr. Ansel delivered quito an eluquent speech. Mr. Speaker Simons, he said, was well known to the people of the entire State. a n/^ii?1 *%a 0% n?r1in ?n nnfnrinn llu UBU liu c^uai uo a, ^(s? ii??tiiv4< m?i i?iif he 6aid, and no superior in industry, punctuality and ability. Mr. Irby, of Laurens, nominated Dr. Sampson Pope, of Newberry, who he said, was entitled to the highest confederation of the people of the State, for the reason that in the last House he had been foremost in the ranks of the strict economists. No further nominations being made, a ballot was held with the follewing result: Simons, 107; Pope. 11. Those who voted for Dr. Pope are Messrs. Win. Austell and E. L. Archer, nf Snaxtunhiirir: .Tool Hoard, of Oconee; L. S- Bingham, D. F. Miles and Jas. Norton, of Marion; C. F. Boozer nnd I). B. Purifoy, of Edgeflcld; J. L M. Irby, of Laurcr.H; J. L. Iveitt and K. P Chalmers, of Newberry. When the result of the election was announced Mr. Irby, of Laurens, who nominated Dr. Pope, moved that the election be inade unanimous, and, the motion having been adopted, a committee, consiwting of Messrs. Ans'fl, Maher and Wilson, was appointed to escort the Speaker to his chair. Wkdnebdat, November 24. bknatb. A drizzly and disagreeable morning for the second day of the session, but notwithstanding tho weather Ih^re seems to be no abatement in outside interest in legislative proceedings, and the small apace in rear of the Senators' desks, as well as the narrow passage way between the desks, wore crowded by on-lookers when the Register reporter entered upon his duties yesterday. . The Senate was callod to order promptly at 12 ro., Mr. Izlnr in tho chair. The roll was called and & quorum announced as present. Mr. Austin, Sen* v:,... x. A ator-elect from Greenville, appeared a the bar of the Senate and the oath wa administered to him. Mr. Buist movci to dispense with the reading of th journal, but Mr. Smythe objected on th ground that it was an important part o the legislation to read the journal of pro coedings, and the common practice o 'dispensing with it entirely was a pro visional one. Mr. Smytlie's objectioi was sustained oy the following vote? 3rcas 14, nays 19. On the caII for bills, memorials, &c. the following were introduced : By Mr. Crews?To increase the phos phate royalty. By Mr. Black?To charter the town o Yorkville. By Mr. Smythe?To amend the statut* relating to the public health. By Mr. Patterson?In relation to forfeited lands. Also, concurrent resolu tion relating to the report of the 10 pei centum tax on circulation of State banks Mr. Smythe, from the Committee or the Judiciary, reported back a bill t< amend Section 18 of ihe Code of Pro cedure relating to the time for holding the courts of the First Circuit, and re commended its passage. At 12.30 the Governor's Private Secre tary presented a message from His Ex cellency, the reading of which suspende( all further business for one hour and i quarter. During the performance of this raonot onous duty by the Reading Clerk, th< Senators diligently occupied themselvei in reading the various reports and th< documents lying upon their desks, appar ently reserving for more mature tfonsid eration the recommendations and Bug gestions of the Governor's message. On motion of Mr. Murray, the Gov ernor's message was made the specia order for 12.30 Friday. The President2?'o tempore announcet the following appointments: As'sistam Clerk, A. L. Evans; Mail Cnrrior, J. L McDavid; Porter to Clerk, Adam Green Laborers, 1). Campbell, W. W. Lagos burg. Mung.o White; Assistant Door keeper, George Friday. Mr. A. L. Evans was sworn in as As sistant Clerk of the Senate. A message from the House was re ceived inviting the Senate to meet witl them at 1 p. in., Friday, to count th? vote for Governor and Lieutenant Gov ornor. At 2 p. m. the Senate adjourned unti 12 in. Friday. HOUSE OF BEPRRSENTATIVER. The reading of Governor Sheppard'i message, which taxed the elocutionary powers 01 Heading UlerK Anderson anc held the absorbed attention of the inem bers and visitors for the space of nearly an hour and a half, was the most note worthy occurrence in the House yestor day. After the reading of the journal, th< calling of the roll and other pruliutinari matters had been attended to. Speake Simons stated that, although he ha( already taken the oath in common witl the members of the Charleston delega tion, yet, in order that there should hi V.? 1A :- A\ iiv uiisuino, uc nuuiu U^UUI, III lUtt |>rUH cncc of the House, subscribe to thi prescribed oath. Then, with solemnity and dignity, did the Speaker swear him self in. Mr. J. Frost Walkor, of Richland, an< Colonel Lovett Miller, of Georgetown who were not present when their col leagues were sworn in, approached th< bar of the House and took the pre scribed oath, and then signed the roll. The subjoined concurrent resolution: were received from the Senate and con curred in by the House: That the Clerks of the Senate and th< House of Representatives have piinte< by tho State printer fifty additiona copies of the journal and calendar o the House of Representatives for th< u*e of the Senate, and one hundred an< fifty additional copies of the journal an< calendar of the Senate for the use of th< House of Represenatives : Provided \ Tho amount to be paid to the Stat printer for such work shall not exceei fifty per centum of the amount nov paid him for printing the regular num ber of such journals and calendars. That no measures relating to privat interest shall -be introduced into tb General Assembly, except in strict con formity to the provisions of an act en titled "an act to prescribe and regulat the introduction in the General Asscm bly of measures relating to private in terest, and tho conduct of the sntne ii the progress thereof," approved Decern ,t ber 26, 1885; and the conduct of such s measures in their progress through the 1 General Assembly shall be regulated by e the terms and requirements of the said e net. f The Speaker announced the following - appointments: Assistant Clerk, B. Clevef land Sloan; Bill Blerk, F. B. Gary; In voice Clerk, C. B. Northrop; Doorkoepi ers, W. B. Gasque, Charles Franks and - Christopher Haynesworth; Pages, John Latta, James P. Ware, Robby Cathcart , and H. M. Talley.; Laborers, Count Cross, J. P. Harrison, B. T. SutclifTe and - Douglass Adams; Mail Carrier, N. 0. Pyles; Keeper of Speaker's Room, R. f W. Butler. Col. John P. Thomns moved that a j committee of three be appointed to arrange for the opening of the daily dc liberations of the House with prayer. - Adopted. And the Spuaker appointed r Messrs. Thomas, Seegers and Walker of . the Richland delegation to officiate in 1 this evangelical capacity, j Mr. Brawley, of Charleston, introduced - a resolution, which was adopted, that a 5 message be sent to the Senate inviting - that body to attend in the Representative chamber next Friday, at 1 o'clock, at - which hour the vote for Governor and - Lieutenant Governor will be opened and I published. i Many petitions, memorials, presentments of grand juries, etc., were referred - to the proper committees. a The following measures were intros duced: s By Mr. Aldrich?Bill to amend Sec tion 2629 of (he General Statutes, re lating to the drawing of grand jurors; - also, bill to amend Section 80 of the General Statutes, relating to the qualifi cation of electors; also, bill to amend 1 Section 618 of the general Statutes, rotating to the repair of highways. i By Mr. Brawley?Bill to amend an act t entitled "an act to repeal an ordinance i. to prevent the orection of wooden build; ings and to provide greater security _ nirnintit firp>! nnrl nlun rnrtnin tuirti/mo nf -o ? r"1 "u,,a " - the acts ol the General Assembly refer* ring to the erection of wooden buildings - in the city of Charleston;" also, bill to incorporate the Ashlej' Phosphate Coui pany; also, bill to amend the charter of 1 the Holy Communion Church Institute 3 of Charleston; also, bill to amend the - General Statutes, Title S, of the "Public Health" Chapter, Section 948, in relation 1 to quarantine. By Mr. Boyle?Bill to charter the Sutninerville and St. John's Railroad Company. 8 By Mr. Burke?Bill to amerd the 7 charter of the Savings Bank of Charles* ton; also, bill to incorporate the Commercial Savings Bank; also, bill to incorf porate the Berkely County Railroad and Lumber Company; also, bill to provide for the issue of a deficiency bond or stock to Octavius A. White. ? B? Mr. Cappleinann?Bill to amend f the charter of the Eutaw Railroad Comc nanv. * By Mr. Dantzlcr?Bill to amend the x charter of the Orangeburg and Lewie" dale Railroad Company. 3 By Mr. Haskell?Bill providing for " the calling a constitutional convention. 5 Ry Mr. Hyde?Bill to amend the f charter of the Charleston Base Ball Club; " also, bill to amend section 2037 of the General Statutes, rolating to certain I rights and labilities of husband and wife , also, bill to amend the charter of the - Mount Pleasant and Seaview Railroad s Company; also, bill to renew the charter - of the Stono Phosphate Company; also bill to provide for the formation of s certain corporations under the General - Statutes; also, bill to amend section 7 of an act to require foreign cooperative asc sessment companies to comply with the I insurance laws of the State; also, bill to 1 change the law relating to Trial Jusf tices. e By Mr. McKissick?Bill to repeal the ] law allowing the Lieutenant Governor j an annual salary of oue thousand dole lars; also l>il* to reduce the salary of the r% Chief Justice to threo thousand five c hundred dollars, and the annual salaries 3 of the Associate Justies each and of the v Circuit Judges each to threo thousand . dollars; also, bill to make seven per cent per annum the legal rate of interest upon Q any contract arising in this State for the e hiring, lending or uso of money or other . commodity. Air> r>:i i a _ _i it ?y mr. u uriuu?diii iu cuaner me e Ycmasseo and "VValterboro Railroad - Company. Iiy Mr. Raysor?Bill to repeal an act n to amend section 23G8 of the General Statutes relative to the enforcement of agricultural liens: also, hill to amend an s act to amend section 18 of tlie Code of c Procedure, in reference to the time of f holding Circuit Courts in tho First 1 Circuit. \ At 2.10 the House adjourned to moot 1 at 11 o'clock next Friday.?Columbia 1 Register. c t ' Cotton Planting. lRichlnnd in Augusta Chronicle.] Columbia, S. C., Nov. 22.?[Special.] ?Capt. Paul F. Hammond, of Beech Island, Aiken county, has contributed a most interesting and valuablo article to the annual report of tho Commissioners ot Agriculture of this State, regarding the cost of producing cotton in South Carolina. Capt. Hammond says that 4 cents a pound seems a very low figure at which to place the actual cost of making cotton, and yet while it costs many planters 8 cents, some 10 cents, and not a very few even 12 cents, the fact stands as a fact within his own knowledge, that it has been made for less than four cents, and he claims that it can be demonstrated by figures that on finer land, with judicious and economical methods, industriously pursued, it can be made, and should be in-ide, at four cefita,. three cents and even less than three cents per pound. "Even that." Capt. Hammond continues, "selling his crop at an average of seven and a half cents net, there is no great incomc left to the producer on thirty, fifty or even a hundred bales of cotton. Ho then submits a detailed estimate of the cost of making cotton per acre, showing the net cash expense to be about Jfc7. If the nroduct was 540nnnnH< r of seed cotton, or 180 pounds of lint, the ( cost would be 3 88 cents per pound; c where it was 200 pounds lent 3y* cents, 3 and where it was 250 pounds,"2.4-5 cents 1 a pound. J Capt. Hammond continues: ''The I planter who makes cotton at a cost of * three cents and sells it for eight cents, 1 ought not certainly to complain of the * per centagM of profit upon expenses Ho, 1 too, as a rule, the per cent, of profit, on 1 the total investment in land, mules, ma- c chinery, implements, etc., will be found r one which business men are accustomed x to regard as large, Property is so ex- r trcmely low that- a planter making an t average crop of 100 bales will not need i to have invested more then $12,000 to c $13,000?$10,000 in land and buildings, I and $3,000 in stock, supplies, machinery a etc. d "If then, he be a good planter, on a moderately fair land for none is really f good land which will not bring 300 3 pounds of lint cotton, when manured he 1 will make from $20 to $25 a bale and his f income will be from $2,000 to $2,500?a < very fair return from his capital "What" s than, he asks is the matter? Why is there 1 so much complaint? Are not cotton plan- ] ters fast sinking into a condition of ] almost hopeless poverty? I might answer he says "that the whole world is grow- ^ ing poorer. The business depression < everywhere is marvellous, unprecedented, and agriculture among the worst sufferers, as ^sho always is. The great Northwest can not stand wheat at 80 cents. Three-fourths of the farms are mortgaged to their full value, and their nominal owners and tenants can only endure their miserable lives because they were reared in the poverty of the. Old World. For some years it has been known that in every county in England . scores of rich farms aro lying tenantleas . and unworked; and now we have the < statement on good authority that-rent on ( the average, is not more than I5s. an acre, of this 10t>; is required to pay in- , terest on the investment in buildings , which the landlord has made, leaving * the more pittance of 5s. ($1 15) to repre. t sent the rental of land which inakos ( froin20to50 bushels of wheat. Why. ( in the cotton growing section of the < South, where it is healthy for a white $ fainiley to live, land rents for froui | two dollars to ten dollars per ' acre." Capt. Hamtnand then discussed tho different modes of living in the North and West and in the South, and think* that one of the causes of poverty in the South is extravagant livine, but the real oause is debt and an outrageous rate of interest. "If," says he, "the manufacturers want cheap cotton they must give us cheap money. 4*But there can be no interest without debt, and the South is deeply in debt. 1 Neithor for this is her agriculture or her i ulanters so much to blame. What unn- < I pic or what business, cxcopt on tbo bear 1i ' *4 ide of Wall street, ever prospered oi :ould prosper with a market falling fall ailing, falling, through twenty years' it the close of the war cotton wns eorth fort3r cents, and it fell, little bj it tie, steadliy for twenty years, until i las come down to eight cents and th< uivwn |M.niifia um uipoverirnea. it u hat time cotton had been eight con*; he difficulties to be encuntored wouli 'or a time have been terrific; but if i md then risen steadily, year by year hrough twenty years until the pric< eached forty cents. the Southeri ilanters would have been rich?rich rosp^: jus and as happy as money coult nai;r> them. In 1843 cotton was si: ents; negroes sold for $250 and tin danters were poor. By 18G0 cottoi old for 12 cents per pound and negroe or #1,000, and therein lay the secret o ho great wealth of the cotton planters t was not the money they made; tin (ercentage upon capital invested ii ;reater now. It was not money savo( >ut of incomes which were larger thai hey could spend. By no means. I vns by the gradual, and in the verj reat increase in the value of thei nvestments?about the only way tnci n numbers every pet rich honestly.' Capt. Hammond then 6ays: "Whil< have contended that the profits of cot on planting are one sense large, ant hat agriculture is a more lucrativ< jusine.ss at the South than either in th< STorthor West, or in Great Britain, I an erv far from saying that the planter cai ;row rich, or even hold his own, a >resent prices. He may grow cottoi or 3 cents and sell it for 8 cents, thui oalizing over 100 per cent, on the cos >f making, and not far from 20 perce.nt >n the value of his entire investment 'et oven $25 a bale is too small a proti sither to make him rich or the countn rosperous. Let us take the case of j >lanter who makes 100 bales and set \ hat becomes of his income. Cottoi ' annot now be grown in large quantities >y one man, for the all-sufficient reasoi hat few men havo'lTTe ability to managi he large amount of labor and numcrou >ther operations required. What o:u nan can see after is usually in the line o vhat he can produce profitable. I shal tot exceed the truth when I say tha he planter with $15,000 invested includ ng land and all the appurtences thereto iwes $5000 and pays $500 interest on it le will need advances of $1,500, at ai ivorage of six months, to make his cro] md the interest on that is $75. He wil lso need $1,500 to live upon, supposing i amily of five, the usual number. Fivi rears ago his family expenses woul( lave been $3,000. That must be go 'rom his factor, or, worse, by keepinj >pen accounts with merchants. Thi Ldds $75 and taxes $100 more Thus w lave: [nterest on debts $ 50 $75) [nterest on advances.. V 15 .75) . raxes 10 Sxpense of living 1,50 Overseer or beaaroan 25 $2,50 I have put in overseeer or foremai because such a character really exist >n nine places out of ten where as muc! :otton as one hundred bales is mad< md I did not estimate in the cost of cot ton, because he need not be, and ough not to be, where the proprietor is abl to attend to his business. Although I have made this estiruAt n a way very favorable to the plantoi it will be seen that there is nothing lei jut <Jf an income of $2,500, and a profi yf $25 a bale. Who will give us any remedies? Wh will pay our debts? or lend us mono; it 5 per cent., instead of ton? or teacl economy any faster than necessity? W ire all looking for better things whei rado revives; but when will that be Dur revival will never come until w :an get a profit of $40 a balo, instead o ^25 out of cotton. I have montionei ;hree great evils under which wo laboi fhey are incontrovertible But mos :ortainly I have not mentioned tho great jst of all, and that is we make too much ;otton. So long as we mako a millioi jales more than the world wants at 11 :ents, we will get 10 cents for none. \V ivo by cotton; it is our life blood. Th< joutrol of the market is to us or the ver greatest value; financially worth every .hing olso besides. Hut how reduce th ;rop? By a combination of cotton grow 3TH? That is impossible. Providenc kas protected us in some measure. Capt. Hammond thinks (here is bu one roruedy for the trouble, and this h thinks no politician living will dar r propose, and those that are dead would - tremble in their graves at the thought. ? It is concurrent legislation among tho i larger cotton States. South Carolina, r Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiat na, Arkansas and Texas, limiting tho i planting of cotton so as to bring the crop t within 4,500.000 bales for three years 5 at least. He admits that legislation of 1 this character in England has boon t disastrous, almost without an exoeption, , but three years trial hore, attended with 3 little or no risk would demonstrate its i wisdom. , In conclusion, Captain Hammond 1 shows that if the Mason Cotton Hnrt vester is a succoss tho great West will <i flood the markets of the world with cot1 ton, which cost to make less than one3 half cent per pound or $2 40 a bale and f says: This is no chimera or picture of tho 2 fancy, but its day may be so near that 3 men now old will live to see it. Then 1 poor old South Carolina, robbed of the i uroflts of her rice culture by Louisiana, t and of her Sea Island cotton by Florida f and other States along with her, may r have written over tho ruins of their once Krillinnf ? ** * ** . njoifius 01 agriculture, tlnis. ' I have barely touched on the most i important points contained in this re markably interesting article of Capt. 1 Hammond's. It is without doubt an able 2 and thoughtful production filled with 3 original ideas and entertaining! v written. i It will more than repay careful perusal i by any one interested in agriculturo or t in the development of our agricultural i interests. It gains additional value from s the fact that its author i? one of the most t advanced thinkers in the South, and a , successful planter. Richland. [ Geo. T. Jackson to bo Pardoned. f Atlanta, November 18.?Tho citi1 zenn of Augusta have petitioned Gov. 3 Gordon for the pardon of George T. 1 Jackson, the defaulter, and it is almost 5 certain that the pardon will be gran*1 ed. is 1 n.. - t t ?t - - ucuijji; *. oacKson wai convicted one s year ago for embezzlement. He had for 2 thirty years stood at the head of the t business, social and religions circles of ' Augusta. A large family had grown up around him, and by intermarriage had " widely oxtended the connections. His ? ownership of the Daily Constitutional ist of Augusta had also given him a wide 1 influence in politics. When the million? dollar Enterprise cotton factory was pro1 jected Jackson threw his wealth and in1 fluenco into it and was rewarded with B the Presidency. So great was the con* fidence reposed in him that his directors t never overlooked his books. At first the 5 mill did not pay, but Jackson, having 9 unbounded confidence in its future, 8 drew thousand of dollars from his private purso and kept the mill going. All 0 this he did without note or mortgage. 0 At length the mill becamo one of ihe o best paying institutions in the South, 0 and praise of Jackson was upon the lips 0 of every stockholder. lie then became 0 interested in the Magrudor gold mine, n sinking all his ready money in it. As ho s had used his private means to keep the ^ cotton factory running in itp days of ad} versity, ho thought it but fair that the mill should tide him over his difficulty t intending to replace the money quietly. e Suspicion was aroused, an investigation was instituted and the startling discovt, cry was made that the books had been . falsified and that Jackson was in dofault t for not less than $250,000. Ho was cont victed of defalcation aggregating $117,000, and sent to the Old Town penal o camp for seven years. Y When the legislative investigating h committee visited the camp the members 0 learned that Jackson was absent fishing. r> Leaving the camp they met an elegantly ? dressed gentleman, fishing rod in hand, e who proved to bo Jackson. He pref sented none of the appearance of a con1 vict save in the almost invisible stripes ' in his vulvct vest, which he wore to com* t ply with the legal requirement?. As tho - committee walked away he dismissed them with a gracious bow. The ques? tion of securing his pardon has been 3 surrounded by difficulties. Governor e McDaniel would not listen to it, neither e would Governor Gordon, in all probay bility, had not the Hon. J. O. - joined in a personal appeal for mercy, e Black has been making a reputation as - an Arcadian statesman, and as such Was e bitterly antagonizing Gordon. His appeal for JacKson's pardon puts him unt der obligations to Gordon, and leaves e | him in the gamo boat with ordinary e I politicians.