Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

m 1* r»tV- it * r fr The Weekly Ledger. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People it Subserves. VOL. II. no. as. GAFFNEY CITY, S. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 36, 1895. $1.00 A YEAR. A FORECAST OF iTS WORK. WHAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION MAY DO. Some of Its Members May be Very Good Men to Enforce the Laws But are Wholly Unfit to Make Them. [Correspondence of Thk Lkdgkk."! Columbia, S. C., Sept., 25L—So far as real work fjy the convention proper was concerned the first two weeks amounted absolutely nothing. Ail that was done was adopting rules for tho government of the body, read ing resolutions and ordinances by their titles, referring (hem to com mittees, naming a new county But ler and changing the name to Saluda, passing a vote of confidence in Presi dent Evans, and censuring the State newspaper for an editorial JJutterancc. For a fact that is what the “leading” statesmen of South Carolina have been doing for two weeks ending Sept 21st. The standing committees have been hard at work, however, and the results of their woik has been pre sented now for the consideration of the convention, and the real work of that body is just now -commencing. The commit tees have all done their work exceedingly well. They have considered carefully every proposi tion referred to them, and picking out the good and leaving t he had they have digested the whole and present concise and complete sections of tho proposed constitution to tho conven tion. But because the committees have so acted is no reason to suppose that the convention will adopt in toto the report of anyone of them. There are just‘as aide men not on commit tees us are on them, and each mem ber has his own idea as to what South Carolina needs, and it is not going too far to say that when tho convention gets through witlfthe re port of any committee the commit-, teemeu will hardly be able to recog nize their-work. The events of the past two weeks have shown one thuig'most clearly, and that fk that however much sense some men hauLkliyy aref not at all fitted for work in a deliberative \* body. This is notably the case with Senator Tillman. Possibly he may bo sincere in all t hat he does, but his fierce, dogmatic, and often un charitable spirit wholly unfits him for considering a matter of great in terest to him with that philosophic It that a framer of an organic law Mild possess. It might do well R>ugh in framing a declaration of "Wkr, hut it has no place in a conven tion whose purpose above all- others is to make a document most con ducive to peace and the happiness of • -the people of a commonwealth. He )s not tho only man in the convention of this character, but it would huyo been well for us all il all such had been left at home. They might be very good men to administer the laws but ‘they are wholly unfit to make them. As indicated above there is no tell ing now what the convention will do in any particular matter, but judging from the~eonamittee reports and from expressions of opinions by tho mem bers a few of the probable acts can be foretold. The common schools ore to be well cared for. It is a mat ter of doubt whether a constitutional •two mill tax or a three mill tax will “be levied annually for their support, but in either case the poll taxes are to bo added to the fund. The proba- * bilities are thfft two school funds will tie provided for; one for the whites, ftnd one for the blacks and each race will be reouired to support Its own schools. What a plight this will leave the negroes in can bo judged from the estimates made of last year’s school fund. Tho common school Xpnd last year amounted to about $524,000. Of this tho negroes are supposed to have paid only $86,- 000. The school enrollment showed .120,000 negro children in attendance upon the public schools, and about 106,000 white children. It is not probable that tho Conven tion will interfere with any of the higheaeducational institutions, and probably an attempt will bo made to have each one of them named in tho constitution. The required county urea will pro bably he cut down to between 100 and 500 square miles, and each new coun ty will be required to have about 12,000,000, property valuation, and u jopulation equal to one 124th of tho mlation of tho State. Lll municipal corporations will bo plassificd and chartered under gen eral laws. They will ho allowed to own and operate water works, and lighting plant’s, and he permitted to lei water and lights to private per sons. But tho probabilities are that neither the State, nor any municipal ity or county will ho allowed to lend Its credit or to aid financially any corporation, such as railroads, or SQch like corporations. It wall hr permitted, however, for tho State to grant rights of way over Htato lands to railroads, ami municipalities will Dpi A1 he permitted to exempt from taxa tion for terms of live years manufac turing enterprises of a eapitaljstock of more than $10,000. The legislature will be somewhat restricted in the matter of special legislation, and general laws will have to be passed governing the in corporation of towns and cities, char tering corporations, and many such like matters which annually take up much of the time of the legislature. The terms of the legislators will pro bably be made four years, and an ef fort will be made for biennial -ses sions, but annual sessions will proba bly avail. The dispensary law will be made constitutional, but will not be embo died in tho Constitution. Woman’s suffrage will hardly go farther than to be permitted in mu nicipal elections on the matter of bonding the municipality for partic ular purposes, when women paying taxes on $5100 worth of property will be permitted to vote. The right of dower in lands aliened by the husband during the covefture will be abolished, but it will still re main in lands seized and possessed at tho time of the death of the hus band. The Governor's term of office may be lengthened to four years, hut ho will not be given any more power. He will probably be permitted to veto parts of a bill without vetoing the whole. The responsibility of granting pardons will bo transferred to a Board of pardons, consisting of the Governor, The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and possibly one other state officer. Property to the value of $800 of widows will probably be exempted from taxation, and an effort will be made to exempt $200 worth of prop erty, exclusive of wearing apparel, belonging to single men will be ex empt from attachment for debts. The introduction of armed men, either as detectives or as United States troops, except from the de mand of the Governor will he posi tively prohibited. Religion is to be absolutely divorced from the State, and no state, county or municipal aid to schools under sectarian guidance or control will be permitted. The divorce law will be left for the legislature to handle. An animal capitation tax will be permitted. The homestead exemption will pro bably remain as it is, though an ef fort will be made to have the amount made smaller. In either case, it is probable that tho homestead will not bo permitted to be sold or mortgaged. The matters written of above are the most prominent that have been talked of much. Tho arrangement of the judicial' system might be added to them, but no definite plan for the whole system has yet been brought to light, and the committee has taken no action in the matter yet. The conventian will probably be in session for four weeks longer, as'each committee report is to ho considered carefully, and possibly one or two days may be taken up in discussing only a clause in any one of tho re ports. But the convention see ink determined to go to work now, and to make good use of its time. F. H. McMastku. Howell’s Ferry Personal. [Correspondence of Tiik Lkduiok. | Howell’s Feukv, IS. 0., Sept., 28.-*- Mr. and Mrs. Tommie Estes are im proving. Mr. and Mrs. .1. T. Bingham, of Sharon, S. C., are visiting their sick daughter, Mrs. Sallie Estes. Mrs. John Estes made some line molasses for J. I’. Mosely last week. The other day a man rode up with a subscription paper f»r a now county and said, “Squire, how is your pulse on tho maCtor?” Tho squire told him his pulse was beating strongly in in favor of it. H. B. McDaniel picked over a field of cotton Saturday morning and he says he could have gotten several open bolls in the afternoon. G. M. Hill cannot run the mill reij- ulurly on account of low water. The flat at this place can run to only about the middle of the river on account of the sand and low water. Mr. Wilkerson finished blasting out tho river Saturday. Tho township Sunday school con vention met at Asbury yesterday. T. T. Mitchell is having chills. R. A. Foster was made glad over tho arrival of a big hoy at his house week before last. Sambo. - •- Thompson Ticklcts. [Oorretfpondenco of The Ledger. | Thom chon Mill, Sept., 21.—Wil liam Fowler has a very sick child. Wo hope how soon it may recover. Miss Mollie Kirby Is hotter. A. F. Kendrick ginned two hales of cotton last week Sept. Isth. the first this season. W. ('. Kirby, accompanied by his two sons, Willie and Walter, visited your city last week. S. W. Foster, our medicine man, is over in ^ ork selling tho native herbs. O. II. II. Clary and hoii Draton, wore in this community not long since. Your correspondent visited your town last week. Funny Fhanu. A CHAMPION OF GOLD BUGS. PRESIDENT CLEVELAND RE GARDS HIMSELF AS SUCH. Attorney General Harmon Bows Grace fully—Will Not Recognize the Cubans—The Fish Com mission. [Correspondence of Tin: Ledger.] Washington, 1). C., Sept., 23.— President Cleveland’s position in tho coming national campaign is the sub ject oftenest discussed by those who are interested in politics. Everybody has a theory as to just what that po sition is, but, strange to say, nobody pretends to speak by‘the authority of Mr. Cleveland himself. A gentle man whose personal and political as sociation with Mr. Cleveland is of the closest nature spoke very interest ingly on this subject, but under cir cumstances which prevents the use of his name, which would add much weight to his words. He said : “Few presidents have allowed their inten tions to he misrepresented to the ex tent that Mr. Clevelands’ are being misrepresented today. Xobody knows this any better than he does. He isn’t scheming for another nomina tion from his party, although lie would probably accept it if he thought it necessary to carry out the idea which governs the most of his official acts. That idea is to prevent the sil ver men controlling the next demo cratic national convention. Mr. Cleveland could with five words put an end to the mention of his name in connection with another nomination, but he has an idea that his name will aid the anti-silver men to control the convention and for that reason does not speak them. Whether those words will be spoke when a sufficient number of delegates have been elected to make it certain whether the con vention will he silver or anti-silver, or whether by that time Mr. Cleve land will have decided that his name must go before the convention any way, is at this time a matter of doubt, and will doubtless ho determined largely by circumstaces, but what ever Mr. Cleveland does you mayl5e sure that it will be a part of his gen eral plan to keep silver down. He is thoroughly saturated with the idea that the gold men of the world regard him as their special champion, as lie also regards himself.” Attorney General Harmon bows gracefully to the mighty power which the law gives the Comptroller of the Treasury, by informing the Secretary of Agriculture, who had asked an offi cial opinion of tho Department of Justice concerning his right to make certain expenditures, that ho had ap plied to the wrong shop; that in all matters concerning the expending of public money the Dockery reorgani zation law had made the Comptroll er’s opinion more powerful than that of the Attorney General of the United States. Tho energy and success with which government officials are running down Cuban filibuster throws a very sub stantial doubt upon tho periodically reiterated rumor that the administra tion is preparing tj recognize the Cu bans. In this world it is nearly al ways “like master like man.” If tho administration did not want those filibusters headed off or captured it would not take the minor officials long to be attacked with filibuster blindness. There are hints that an attempt is going to be made when Congress meets to make partisan po litical capital out of America sympa thy for the Cuban revolutionists. Tho uncompromising 16 to 1 or nothing silver men think that it would have been better for Senator Vest, of Missouri, to have left out a portion of tho statement lie published over his signature as a denial of the report that he hail followed Senator Mills and changed his opinion on the silver question, although tho statement was entirely consistent with the Senator’s Congressional record. The part that was objectionable to the silver men was where he said that if he couldn’t get free coinage at 16 to 1 he would be willing to vote for any other ratio that could secure a majority in Con gress. However, as Mr. Vest stated, ho has already voted in Congress for ratios all tho way from 16 to 1 to 20 to 1. Tho movement to transfer the U. S. Fish Commission, now an indepen dent bureau, to the Department of Agriculture has grown so rapidly that tho prediction is now mrde that it will go through Congress with a whirl. The Fish Commission is about tho last bno of a half dozen independent bureaus that for some years defied all Congressional attempts to attach them to some of tho executive depart ments of the government, through the shrewd manipulation of patron age and appropriations by the men win were at their heads. It isn’t creditable to Congressmen, but it is none the less true, that the appoint ment of sons or other relatives to high salaried positions secured the votes and influence of those who had earned the popular titles of “watch dogs of the Treasury.” They watched and did not fail to growl at other ap propriations that had week spots, but when it came to an appropriation that was to be shared by their rela tives they kept quiet and voted for it. -* —- —• MR. PICKER TALKS RELIGION. He’ll Get on at the Station of “Bap tism Wit i the Holy Ghost.” [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Draytonvi! le, S. C., Sept. 23.— Buster, you ’cad tho 13th chapter of St.John, biuinnin’ at the 4th verse an’ then turn iver to 1. Timothy an’ read the loth 'erse of the 5th chap ter, over lhai vhero it says: “Well reported of fr/i good works, if she have brought ip children, if she have lodged strung; 's, if she have ‘washed tho saints’ f< t,”' <fcc., an’ I think you can draw n’ idea about that thar foot-washin’ business. I guess this is the “Holy Writ” that Col. Strain was about to efer you to, anyhow, read the 14th - erse of the 13th chap ter of St. John over twice and you will see what ‘ye also aught to” do. Read an' profit—do the way you think is right rn’ be honest in your endeavor liste.i to no man hut take the Bible for your guide and you’ll he set across the river of Jordan on that same ole fiat that’s bin carryin’ ’em acrost eversince Christ comedown here an’ hilt It. • Some say you must wash one anoth er’s feet er you can’t git thar, some say you must be immerst er you can’t git. t har, some say you must eat bread and drink wine er you can’t git thar, some say you must be sprinkled or you can’t git thar, some say you must keep Saturday (tho 7th er Sab bath day) holy er you can’t git thar, while Uncle Sam say you must keep Sunday (the 1st day of the week) holy whether you think it is right er wrong. Now, to tell the truth, I’m not In tho race jist now but when I do git in it I’m not goin’ to stop at many of these* Jutions. I’ll git on board at—at Baptism—“with fire and with the Holy Ghost”—an’ 1 believe, with the fire to give me light an’ keep me warm an’ the Holy Ghost to guide me, I can find that ole ferry an’ git acrost safe. I think that is the baptism that’ll save. I have heard Baptist preachers say that the right definition for tho word “bap tize” was “to plunge in.” Now, you see, there’s not many people scared to plunge in a pooLof water, but, my! my! when it comes to plungin’ in fire an’ the Holy Ghost they’re not there. That’s why so many have sitch a hard time in crossin’ Jordan; they can’t find the ferry. Uve heard preachers picture it off as how you have to strike the “chilly waters” of Jordan and then begs ’em to be bap tized “with water”—sorter like ho wanted ’em to git use to it in tho pool. If you’re baptized with the “fire and Holy Ghost” its like I said, you can cross Jordon on the ferry like a white man, if you do happen to git “sprinkled” you’re not half so liable to go under. I don’t care how use you git to the water you’re liable to sink sometime. Not changin’ the subject, but, did you see how Col. Strain jumpt on mo last week? Ho—ho puts mo in the mind of an ole busy-body woman I’ve run across in days that are by an’ gone. This ole woman, you couhl tell her the straight, true story of an incident an’ she thought she was so smart that she could find where you omitted or kept back a part of it and that she couhl un fathom tho whole bisness, an’ when she thought she hadiUdown jist right she would go an’ tell it her way to all who would listen to her. Now, upon my word, they didn't put mo in the calaboose at Blacksburg that time. Did you see how bad Col. Strain wanted you to believe it that way? And then he goes on jdown an’ wrangles and jangles—jist like a wo man. I've bin studyin’ tho queer make-up of women for a long time, an'—I tell you what's a lack—you can alus take ’em buck’ards. When one says she loves you she’s only tryin’ to git you in a hobble; if she says she hates you, an’ pouts a little that’s tho one that’ll stick to you. If they say you're pretty they’re only makin’ fun ov you. If they say you’re ugly they’re dead stuok on your beauty. Now, I’ve learned to take Col. Strain that way. Honestly, I believe he’s stuck on mo. I believe his heart runs out for the Collier boy as no other patriot’s heart in the South could. I believe he hates these unservicable, proud, hauty fashions as bad as I do, but he’s sorter like a woman, you have lo take him hack’ards. Ho knows •I’m a good judge of human nutre for I have give him some spicumcns hero lately. Flaw Picker. -• •• —- A Horse Show Story. Mrs. Burton Harrison has written a now novelette, dealing in tho main with the “fashionables” of New York at tho horse show, which Tho Ladies’ Homo Journal is about to begin. Mr. W. T. Smodly has illus trated the story. . *:. * • • /• • THE BOYS MAY YET RUE IT. THE NORTH PACOLET SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION. Col. Strain Talks of the Weather, a Model Man and a Model Far- ‘ mer and Other Things • of Interest. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] Etta Jane, S. C., Sept. 24.—The weather still continues dry and sul try, and quite a number of cases of sickness are reported along Thickety and Gilkys’ creeks—mostly chills and fever—with some typhoid fever. But few houses can be found in which some one is not complaining more or less. Dr. Douglas has all he can do. He is riding night and day looking after his patients. Cotton is opening very fast. If the dry weather continues it will all be opened by the first of October, or very shortly afterwards. The crop is unusually short, anyway. I had the pleasure of spending last Saturday night with Mr. N. G. Lit- john and family, of Asbury. We often speak of “model men,” “model farmers,” etc. without fully knowing what we are talking about. I think .Mr. Littlejohn is a fair sample of what a model man and farmer is. His home and farm are the proof I have. For instance: Last year he had an acre planted in turnips, from which after supplying his family and stock he sold $44.00 worth of turnips and also gathered 39 bushels of oats off the same land. He has about one and a half acres planted in tur nips this year. He has some fine milch cows from which (after sup plying his family with all they need) he realizes for sale, about 25 pounds of butter per week, on an average. His poultry yard, hog pen, etc., speak for themselves. His library is filled with the best of books. His home is presided over by a wife who fills it with sunshine and happiness and who is an ornament to society and a pillar in the church to which she belongs. In fact his home is such as princes, nobles, presidents and kings might covet. I believe I might say without fear of successful contradiction that Heaven never has and never will bestow a greater earthly blessing on Bro. Newton Lit tlejohn than it did when it gave him the heart and hand of such a noblejwife under the sacred seal of matrimony. I attended the North Pacolet Sun day School Convention at Asbury Chapel yesterday. It, as usual, sus tained its reputation as a working body. On account of .sickness and other unavoidable causes, many were kept away, but the house was full, nevertheless. Tho programme was carried out, literally, Rev. J. VV. Harris preached the sermon from tho text, “Fear God and keep his commandments: for that is the whole duty of man,” Eccl. 12: 13. The speeches though mostly of an impromptu kind, wore all well* re ceived. The music was good, and everything was characteristic of the good people of that community. The ladies who are always ready to help and encourage the work were on hand with an abundant supply of victuals for all, and everybody seemed to en joy themselves. Several of the choir came over from New Hope and took part in tho singing. Prof. A. G. Da vis was among them as leader. Judge J. M. Greer offered suitable resolu tions which were unanimously adopted thanking tho good people of Asbury for their kindness and hos pitality and also to the choirs for tho excellent music they furnished on the occasion. Prof, McArthur conducted tho les son exercise—giving his method of teaching. He said, however, that ho was not a Sunday School teacher, in tho proper sense of the word, but a superintendent. Tho following schools reported: Abingdon Greek, 36 scholars; As bury, 40 scholars; Corinth, 47 scholars; El Bethel, 134 scholars: Flint HU1, No. 2, 61 scholars; Got- semane, 44 scholars; Mesopotamia, 4f scholars; Salem, 50 scholars; Wil son’s Chapel, 53 scholars—Total, 509. Corinth was selected as tho next place of meeting, and December 22d, as the time. In my travels I was glad to moot quite a number of friands who had some kind words for The Ledger. Most of them wore ladies, and that, of courso, makes the compliment worth more to tho editor, manager and more especially to tho corres pondents and readers. I have not gathered any news of special interest for our readers this week. Mr. and Mrs Ore arc both sick. J. T. Browns family have chills and fever. 1 am glad to see The Ledger hav ing such a choice corps [of juvenile correspondents. A first class news paper is an educator—not only for the reader but for the writer, as well. I learn from a “seemingly” relia ble source that a set of “devilish” boys attended a protracted meeting at a neighboring church to have their fun at the expense of the min ister. When the minister proposed to stop the meeting they would go up “to be prayed for.” He would then agree to go on for another day. They would drop off until he an nounced his intention of closing the •meeting then they would go up again and so kept the poor man laboring fer several days in this way. They are claimed to be members of good families but they didn’t show it in their conduct on that occasion. Boys who could afford to do such an act as that needn’t feel above doing any thing that is low down and hishonest. j. l. s. UNCLE JAKE ON WOMANKIND. He is Agitated as to Whether or no They Should Wear !Bloomers. [Correspondence of The Ledger.] ' Lawn, S. C., Sept., 24.—Uncle Jacob is a bachelor you know, and therefore has never hacT a Mrs. Ja cob to help him in his “ups and downs”—in his downs by concentra ting tho forces of flying pieces of stove wood, fire shovels and other portable missiles on his cranium—in his ups by lifting him, when down, on shoe leather. But notwithstand ing this lack of experience he loves the good women too and desires to add a word of 'praise to what Mr. Picker has already said. Of course nobody likes these rattle-box, alarm clock kind of women who always have their alarm wound up an^ can at any instant touch a secret spring and begin their racket. We can’t praise the good ones too highly.' We can’t love them too dearly. We can’t treat them too kindly for we don’t know how good and useful they are until we try to keep house without them. Pants are serviceable longer in a home where there is a good, industrious woman, and if buttons burst off where these good ladies' stay they soon “bust” back. Besides there is still almost an innumerable host of other little things she does so handily. But are these the only things that make her good. That depends as to whether you are going to allow her other places in which to work. Brother Picker says she is good and amiable as long as she stays in her place. But that’s the very point that puz zles Uncle Jake. Where is her place? Some say the ballot-box is one of her places, others say it is not. Some say that she should be allowed to stand at the bar and interpret our law for us, others say she should not. Some say she may practice medicine, others say she shall not, Some say she may preach, others declare it is unscriptural for her to do so.* But the question which seems to be agi tating us most of all is whether or not she shall bloomers and ride bi cycles. Our greatest* men, D. D’s. and M. D’s. have been thinking and writing on this subject. They differ. Some say she may wear bloomers and ride bicycles, others say she ought not to do so. Guess* Mr. Picker has been think ing about these things too, for you know ’tis said, “The minds of all groat men run together.” Well at any rate Uncle Jake was just thinking that if tho men could do their turns about tho house and on the farm and then vote, interpret law, practice medicine, ride bicycles, etc., etc., that the women could do their home turns and attend to these other matters too. We believe they would make better voters than some of our men, perhaps as good if hot better lawyers and doctors than some we already have. We are not pre pared to say whether or not it would be healthful for them to ride bicy cles, but we think it will be a pleas ure for them to put on bloomers, for its so much like putting on pants, you know. Then again the bloomers have one advantage over the pillow slip sleeves, for the largo part of them is so located that it will not hide the preacher from Flaw Picker when he goes to church. Well, no matter what we great (?) men think, say or write in regard to these questions, it begins to look as if our now constitution was going to give these good women, or part of them at least, the right of suffrage. The race question may not be finally and definitely settled for some time to come, but if all our colored friends were as industrious as Ual. Tate, wo think, it would bo tempo rarily settled.* Cal. is a good farmer, has u good crop this year. He has a good team of mules and so when he is not in his farm he is hauling. He has two big fattening hogs in the pen now. Lot others of the same race who arc loafing and beating around follow Cal’s, example, ana then us far us they are concerned tho race question will bo settled. We see tho Herald and some other papers are still sore as regards our proposed new county. And it looks, as if they, especially tho Herald, will remain so for they keep picking off tho old scabs. Uncle Jake.