Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Southern and Northern Cotta Ik A COMPARISON OF THF LABOR EMPLOYED. How tho Southern ifcnufaoturers Man ago and Treat Thoir Help Parents Insist on Their Child reu Boing Employed. Tho special correspondent of tho I Jo-ton Journal, Mr. Coolidgo, has been visiting tho cotton mills in tho South, and his letters on the labor question, iu which ho contrasts the Northern and Southern methods, havo attracted much attention in the mill cities of New England. His letter from Spar tan burg describes child labor in tho factories, and is as follows : SPAKTANUUKO, S. C , Dec. ."JO.?A Northern man visiting a Southern mill will bo Impressed particularly with two things. First, thoei'sy way in which tho operatives go about their work and their comfortable air of familiarity with the men in charge ; second, tho extent to which children are In evidence. In a Northern mill the operatives seem to bo a part of tho machinery, to ho tnoro closely identilied with wheels and tho shafting than witli tho world outside. In a Southern mill they are individualized. They are on terms of acquaintance with tho men in charge, and they seem to tako an interest In whatever hap pens to bo going on. This was notiee ablo in tho Spartan mills, through which 1 was accompanied by Capt. Montgomery, tho President of the com pany, and h. the Clifton mills, which wcro visited in company of the Super intendent, Mr. Shea, it is no dillor ??nt in these establishments than in others throughout the South. Tho men in charge of tho mills know t >elr hands by name and they *. xehaugo re marks in a pkasantly informal and democratic way. This condition of affairs is noticeable, particularly in tho newest mills, where tho latest Improved machinery is in use. You will not see men and women bonding continuously over tho looms, afraid to let their attention Hag for an instant lest a broken thread escape them ; work is taken easily in these places ; thare is time to stroll about, to sit down occasionally, to run to the window onco in a while, for a bit of light and air, although thoso newer mills are woudcrfully light and airy e very where. In tbo Clifton mil's a good many of tho girls tending the speeders perched nonchalantly on boxes at tho end of th sides, clapping their heels as though 1 they had nothing more exacting to do in tho world. These girls earn $5 a i week, and 11 hours id this kind of labor cannot be called oppress) Ve. The great 1 consideration which is shown for tho comfort of tho employes whilo at work Is ono of the things that keep them i contented with their meagre pay and 'ong hours, and which put strikes and agitation at a discount. , i Theso people have to bo treated in a way peculiar to th "rasolves, and that is ono reason why Northern Superin tendents and Overseers havo not, as a | rule, been successful in handling them. Mr. Shea is a Northern man, with a Fall River experience, and ho has been i with tho Clifton mills for ten years. Ho succeeds because ho has adapted himself thoroughly to the conditions in which ho has been placed. Mr. Stone, the superintend.-ntcd the Spartan mills is a Now Fii-'l.inil man, who has been with Capt/plontgdtaery 1 IJyears, and he has been equally successful, but these two arqjflpeptlons. ThQjf|Mre not many like, them. It take^HE&forthern Superintendent or OvorsKpfiwo or three years usually to got accustomed to the new order of things, and mcst of them destroy tholr own usefulness long before that time and quit. As Capt. Montgomery ox presses It, "If a Superintendent comes from the North he has got to learn whatsomoof tho restof us know already ?how to got along with tho people." It would be a wasto of timo and trou ble trying to conduct aNortbern mill and a Southern mill on tho same plan with regard to tho controloof labor. The Soutbornor Is no more like his Northern competitor than if he lived under a dilTorent system of government and .-poke a different language The Southern operative Is thoroughly In digonous to tho soil. It is rare indeed for an outsider to cieop in. In the Spartan Mill thero is one Irishman who has lived In tho county over i'O years. In the Clifton Mills are a Maino man and his wlfo, who drifted in from tho North two or three years ago. These are pointed out as curiosities. There is something about tho atmos phere of these Southern mills not un like, that of tho Fairbanks scalo work* or the Howo scale works in Vermont, where men havo been identified with the establishment for a lifetime, and feel themselves as much a part of it as tho proprietors themselves. Of courso the Vormontcr Is a good many grades higher In tho sculo of intelligence and education, belonging, as he does, to a distinct class by himself, but there Is tho same tvidonco of native character, and with tho strides the Southorner has been making in the past few years thero Is no telling how long It will bo be fore ho claims a place by tbo si Jo of tho more favored Now England type. One school marm " wns pointed out to mo In the Cllfi.r>n Mills. Sho was bright! oyed, clear-cheeked, quick and decid edly pretty. She tenencs schoool back in the mountains threo months in the year, and works in the mills at Inter vals She cams 72 cents a day, and evidently relishes tho work. It is quite a common thing for those country school teachers tocomointo tho mills in this way, quite after tho manner of earlier days In Lowell. I saw somo of the girls who finished work early loavo the mill They were dreased noatly In black, and each woro a huge white sun bonnet, stiflly starched and fairly glis tening. That is tho ordinary headgear of the girls of tho mills. The cloak rooms aro white with them during working hours. Ono llttlo inoidont illustrates vory well the spirit in which the Southern operative is treated. In most Northorn mills tho windows aro made of drilled glass, admitting light but shutting off the view. When tho new Spartan Mill was building the architect proposed putttug In this kind of window, but Capt. Montgomery votoed the propcsl tlon. " You will have any amount of trouble with tho help If you don't do it," plaadud tho architeot. " Thoy will be Hook lug to tho windows all the time and sitting on tho lodges." " I don't care about that," replied Capt. Montgomery. "If the overseers I have oan't keep them from nogloct ing their work I will got now ovorsoors. but I moan to have this mill arranged so that when the holp do happen to *t,<>,il a glauoe towuril a window they can see something out doors. There is ooihlng like un oceusionul glimpse of tho sky und the trees to keep thorn eon tented." And so every w<ndow in the Spartan Mill is transparent and clear. It is the same at Clifton and Glendale, and every other Southern mill of which liquifies have been made. l'lcusant as is this atmosphere of mu tual understanding between employer und employed it is clouded by u tuavy shado*. The presence of children in tho mills is an evil which every manu facturer 1 have seen in tho South ack nowledges and deplores, aril one which it is only fair to say most of thorn are trying sincerely to eradicate over, at tho risk of greater expenditure for labor and smaller profile. Work in tho spin ning rooms winch in the North is done by women is performed in Southern mills by little boys and girls sodiminu tivo in some cases as to cause wonder how thoy manage to do tho work at all. In the spinning room of the Spartan Mill there is ouo girl of 11 or 15 who towers ubovo the other children tend ing the spindles so as to bo conspicu ous all overithe room. Capt. Montgom ery said she had grown up in the mill, and that it was not usual for ono to stay in tho spinning room until that age. Most of the other boys and girls apparently were from 10 to 12 years old. A good many of them seem ovon younger, but Cupt. Montgomery says he tries to keep tho children out of the mill till they u: ? twelve Id tho Clifton mill 1 saw ono little chap who couldn't havo been ovor 8 years old feeding shuttles as neatly and quiokly as anybody. He was just tall enough to reach them by raising his hands over ills head. This boy I was told was not employed in tho mill, but like a good many other children cumo in of his own accord to learn|the trade, or to help out an older brother or sister. In tho Gloudalo mill thero svas a little tucker who couldn't havo been more than !> years old and who was darting around with keen zest. Tho overseer said that this lad earned 30 cents a day. As a rule tho children in the spin ing rooms earn from 30 to ?0 cents a day according to their skill. Somo of them earn as much as 00 cents. The drawings both in the Spartan and the Clifton mills arc attended by boys who earn about the same rato of wages. Thero were children oven smaller in other parts of the mill, wheeling spools around in barrows and attending to various chores. "None of these children Itavo any business hero," said Capt. Montgom ery. "Thoy don't get any pay. and they come into the mill simply to help out their parents or their older broth ers or sisters. You can't keep them away. They ought to bo at school, hut thoy had rather be here." It is tho same . tory at Clifton and Glendale. Mr. Shea says tho little follows will coiuo in to help the older ones, begin feeding shuttles and starting up looms, an.) in two or three months apply to him for a set of looms and declare they can run them. On inquiry ho finds thoy have been '.earning their trade on the quite under tho tuition of other ohlldren, until they uro about as com petent as anybody. It must bo said that these children seem to enjoy thoir work and to take a prido in it. They are bright-faced, healthy appearing boys and girls, and they are as lively and happy, to all appearances, as children anywhere. I lingored behind a good many times to watch them, and in every instance, as soon as thoy taw a stranger's eye upon them they would begin to show their paces, tossing tho shuttles about in tho liveliest kind of a way, as if thoy were playing a new gamo. One of the overseers at the Glcndale mbl told me it was a good thing for tbu children to ho in tho mill. "They grow fat here," ho said. "Thoy area good deal better olT here than outsido. They like it." In spite of oyorything, though, it jars decidedly on one's feel ings to think of these infants going to work in tho big mills by artiticial light beforo sunrise and toiling thoro till an hour after sunset; for this is what the Il-houiylay means to them in Spartan burg and Charlotte. The question ot child labor, it should bo said, is a most important factor whc? it comes to deciding the question of tho relative wago of tho Northern p.'^u Southern operative, in reckoning tho wages of their help I havo noticed in every instance that tho mill mon speak of tho income whole families re ceive from tho mills, in many cases this is a comfortable amount. It is easily possible and by no means unusual for a family of five, consisting of a father, mother and three children, to earn $20 a week. The father earns soni'j IHS, tho mother $5, and each of tho children from 82.50 to $3. This same family can live, as a rule, on $0 a wook, which leaves a vory handsomo profit. In a Northorn mill tho father alono would bo tho wago oarnor, and the ox ponses of living would bo at least $11 a wook, and a difference of 10 per cent, in tho wago earner's pay would not begin to cquuli/.o conditions. So long as infants are permitted to work in tho mills, tho Southern manufacturer will havo an advantage in labor cost, which tho Northern manufacturer can hardly hope, to neutralize, and so long as chil dren aro wago earners thoir parents aro less likely to agitato for fewer | hours und more puy. This apparent economic advantage makes all tho more, creditable tho ef forts of so many Southern manufactur ers to keep tho ehllaroo out of tho mills. AtCharlottoa groat has been done in tho way of supplying educa tional facilities, and at Spartanburg, Clifton and Glondalo tho record is equally good. It Is much tho same story overywhoro, according to what Is said hero. Capt. Montgomery assir'osmo ho has "done as much as anybody In that lino," and from inquiries among tho towns people and operatives I find that ho has underestimated his own crodltablo performance, if anything. Ho has been successful especially at tho 1'aeolet Mills, where his company employs about 1,200 hands. Facolot is a country village, 13 miles from the city, with a population of porhaps 3,000. It depends almost ontlroly upon tho mills, which aro two in nurnbor. Capt. Montgomery has ostablishod a sohool thero with a principal and throe assistants, and the company is just now comploting a fine five-room school houso of brick. Two yoars ago when tho now mill was built thero and tho Sopulation of the place was nearly oubicd, it was found that the school faoilltios were too small, and tho new schoolhouso will just about meet tho p: jsent demand. These sohool dis tricts about Spartanburg are iu some Instances ten or twolvo miles square, containing three, four or five sohools. When tbo mills were first begun at I'acolet, Capt. Montgomery had a sohool district laid out, intending It for tbo ohlldren of tho mill hands, but other ehlldroa had to be inoluded. The company takes what money it can get from tho public, which Is not much, und makes up tho rest. Tho public school fund runs tho bchools for throo months in ouch year, somotlmos not more than two months. Tho mill schools or subscription schools run for ton months us a rule. Tho company has also made generous provisions for school facilities horo in Spartanhurg. Capt. Montgomery gavo tbo lo al Trus tees a lot of hind aud a cheap house, and this has been improved and en larged. It is a branch of tho graded school of the town and under tho same Principal and management. In Spar tuuburg there is a special school tax independent of tho poll tax and tho constitutional tax. Thero is no compulsory oducation here, but tho mill owners try to got the children to go to tho schools, particul arly, as Capt. Montgomery suggests, "when we have an abundance of help." What Is true of tho Spartan and l'acolet Mills is true also of Clifton and Clendale, to my personal observa tion, and Capt Montgomery says that all tho other mills of any size havo schools, although they ar perhaps not so good as thoso at Sparenburg and l'acolet. Clifton has a school for each of its three mills, and it is really a picturesque sight to look down on the rows of whito cottages, each with its school houso at the end. Mr. Convorso and Mr. Twichell, tho President aud Troasurer of the Clifton, and the Glen dale Mills, havo gono to much expense and trouble in this matter of educating tho children of tholr help. Both aro Massachusetts men who wont South before the war. Mr. Twichell toid mo that tho ratoof wages in his mills remains about tho same as it has been for a good many years, and ho could not seo that the Southern mills had agroatadvau tageoverthe Northern mills in this. ' It is true," he admitted, "wo havo allttlo advantago in point of hours, but it is only a question of timo when labor here will havo as few hours as in tho North." "Do your mill hands take any special interest in bringing this about?" "No, they do not. Of course, they realize that for operatives shorter hours means less pay, and they aro not agitating tho question. Thoy don't seem to care much about shortor hours. When 1 say that labor will have as few hours hero as in tho North l am judg ing from general observation. There has been tome agitation in tho Legis lature, and there may bo moro. When tbo bill for reducing hours was last up tho operatives petitioned tho Legisla ture not to Interfere* Thoy had learn ed that shortor hours meant less pay. "We got our holp from various places. Some of our people come from North Carolina. Then tho help go from ono mill to another, and this ox change extends all over tho State." "According to Capt. Montgomery, about ?? per cent, havo to bo weeded out for one cause and another before settling down as opperators," it was suggested. "Yes, fully f>0 per cent.," was the reply. At least f>0 per cent, get tired and go back to tho farms. Then thero are some who are not desirable help. At Clifton wo aro getting hands from tho farming country way up In North Carolina. Some families from that country prove to bo very good help, aud wo aro trving to get moro from that section. You go into another sec lion and you may got very poor opera tives. "Thero is ono point in which the Northern mills havo a great advantage over ua in tho South. Up North you can stop your mills to-morrow and start up again next week without making any serious trouble. If tho business doesn't pay, thero is always this remedy. Hero wo have to run tho i mills right along without stopping, 1 whether it pays or not. To shut up would demoralize our force altogether, tho help would scatter, and wo should havo hard work to get them together again when wanted. Then wo havo theso people on our hands. Wo havo brought them here, in many instances paying tho cost of transporting their families, and this Is an Item to bo con sidered. Wo havo some families who havo beon hero for ;i() years. But tho help, as I have said, is moro floating in character than it used to be. They are apt to tuko a notion to move "Whole families work in tho mills. This Includes tho children, You ?an't keep the children out of tho mills. Wo havo established schools, and thoy run 10 months in tho year. The pub lie school fund pays for about half tho cost, and we jupplcment it with a sub scription of our own. Tho childron go to school certain times In tho year and work cortain timet-; but thoy don't want to go to school all tho timo. Thoy Hock into tho mills of tholr own accord They mako vory good help. "We havo a better class of help now than wo had 20 or HO years ago. The very best class of farmers come in now. Thoy can mako a groat deal moro horo in tho mill:, than on the farm. "I suppose wo havo in the Giondalo Mill 400 people. Half of theso aro women; porhaps one-fourth may be childron. At the Clifton Mills we cm ploy about 2,000 hands, and about tho samo proportion holds." Theso obsorvatins of Mr. Twichell rcilect the opinions of a clearheaded, clean-cut businesss man, who has won his own way to success. Thoro aro a fow things still to be said of tho condi i t'ons at Clifton and at Spartanburg which may help to a better under standing of the state of cotton manu facturing in this region. ?Tho Grand Duko Paul, of Iijfsla, is said to bo at tho hoad of a political party that aims to recover Alaska from tho United Statos. Llttlo was cared for or ever thought of Alaska in St. Petersburg until tbo startling nows about Klondike, hurst upon the Rus sians. That an empire containing an unknown amount of gold should be sold, or, rathor, given away for $7,000.000, is said to havo mado many of the Rus sians regret their bargain. Grand Duko Paul is said to bo looking up tho records of tho deal vory thoroughly, hoping to find a flaw in tho transaction upon which to base a claim. Tho ro . port probably has some foundation, but not onough to caino auy alarm. Al tho?gh the completion of tho Siberian railroad, which will bo In 1005, will mal e Kusxla a loading L'owor un tho Pacific, tho Unit, 'il States has nothing to fear from hor In rogard to our land of the fro/.on gold. ?Tho statistical tablo In the minutes of the South Carolina Baptist Conven tion shows a total whlto momborshlp of 02,51)3; an Inoroase during tho year of 6.304 by baptism, 712 by restoration; monies raised for all purposes, $11)5.032 ? 27; total value of ohuroh propoty, 1, 0-18,057; number of churches, 806; Sun day nohools, 607 with 4,670t eaohcrs and officers, 40,338 pupils, and contrib utions amounting to $4,604.85. ?About 1,100 postofflcos throughout tho oountry were assigned to tho money order class on January 3. Tbiu makes approximately 26,000 postoffloes at which money orders may now be < ob talned or oashod. GtN,JOHNSON HA?OOD HAS PASSED AWAY "OVKK THE KIVHIl TO REST UNDER THE SHADE OF TBK TREES." A Confederate General unil Oovcrnnr of South Carolina?A Patriot In War und in l'euoo. (Jen. J )bnsoa Hugood died at hie homo in Burnwcil on tho Itn lost., in tho 69th year of hie ago. llo had been confined to his bed sinco tho week be fore Christmas, and his death was due to Brlght's disease. Ho was not in robust health for a year or more, and ho was impressed from tho incipieney of tho reoent attack with tho idea of its fatality. Ho boro tho ullliction with raro patience, and faced death with tho coolness and bravery that was char acteristic of his life. Gen. Hagood was ono of South Caro lina's most distinguished sous. Ho was born in Burn well County on Feb. 21, 182'J. His family was ono of English extraction and settled originally in Virginia, but prior to the Revolution ary war removed to this State, loca ting in tho Nluoty-Six Distriet. F.arly In the present century, Johnson Ha good, tlio grandfather for whom he waa named, removed from Charleston, where ho was a prominent lawyer, to Harnwell County and there his son, Dr. James ?. Hagood, was, previous to tho civil war, a successful planter. Dr. Hagood practiced his profession of medicine for more than f>0 years, and greatly endeured himself to the people among whom ho lived. Ho died in Jan uary, 1873. Gen. Hagood got his curly education at tho HlcbnioDd academy In Augusta, Ca., and at tho ago of Mi years ho en tered the Citadel in Charleston, grad uating In November, 1817, with tho highest honors of his class. After his graduation he studied law uuder tl.? Hon. EM m und Bellinger, a distin guished lawyer of h's day, nud was ad mitted to the bar In 1>n30. Tho nextyear Gov. John U. Moans Appointed him deputy adjutant general of militia, a portion of his duties consisting of drill ing tho militia at its various encamp ments over tho State. In December, 1851, ho was elected by tho legislature commissioner In equity for tho Barn well District, which Important legal position he held until hostilities broke out In 1861. Then he resigned to enter the Confederate army. During the decade prior to tho war he wus a'80 engaged In conducting his large plan tation. When South Carolina passed tho or dinance of secession ho was brigadier general of militia: ho was ut once mado colonel of tho First South Caro lina volunteers und took part in the bombardment of Fort Sumter under Gen. Beauregard in April. 1801. He was then transferred from the volunteer corps to the Confederate States army, retaining his rank as colonel. He was present at the battle of Bull Hun. Up turning to South Carolina he was en gaged in tho operations around Char leston and at the battle of Secession ville, Juno. 1802. Immediately after that battle ho was promoted by Presi dent Davis to tho rank of brigadier general, and served on the coast of South Carolina until May, 1804, being engaged in tho defense of Charleston during G>n. Gllmore's siege of that city, and in the defense of Fort Wag ner ami tho operations on James Island. In May, 1804, he was, with his command, withdrawn from Charleston and ordered to Petersburg, Va., where he arrived May 7th, and ut Walthall Junction, a few miles beyond, met the advance forces of Gon. B. F. Butler, consisting of live brigades. With 1,500 of his men, supported by 1,100 men of Johnson's Tennessee brigade, he re pulsed them In the open liold, many of his most gullunt Held and btulY officers being killed and wounded. This gave timo for tho concentration of troops Irom tho southwnrd for tho defense of Petersburg against Butler's advance. Bo served under Gon. Bouuregurd at Petersburg and afterwards under tho sumo general In Hoke's division ut Drury's Bluff against Butler und in the oporutions ut Bermuda Hundreds. During tho hitter period ho wus Instru mental In tho erection of n buttery ut Hewlett's House, on tho Jumes river, which, sweeping Butler's transports In tho bond of the river, cuuscd him to conceive the idcu of cutting tho famous Dutch Gap cunul to oscupe, In his fur thor udvunco up tho river, tho lire of this battory. Tho first pieces with which the buttory was mounted were two 20-pound Parrots captured by Hagood's brigade at tho battle of Drury's BiulT. After Gen. Beauregard had succeeded in bottling up Butler in tho peninsular of Bcrmudu Hundreds, Gon. Hagood's brigado with Its divis ion was ordorod to join Gen. Loo. It reached him ut Cold Harbor just prior to tho battlo of Juno, 1801, in which it was actively ongaged. At the slogo of Petersburg, which ensued, this brigade served In tho tronches at ono tlmo 07 days without relief, and in that period was reduced by casualties and diseaso from 2,.'10O men to 700 present for duty. At anothor tlmo tho next ollicor in rank to tho brigadier present for duty | was a cuptuln ; und four of tho live regiments woro communded by lieu tenants. At a lutor poriod during tho month of August in the lighting on tho Woldon roud, Gon. Hagood became tho hero of as daring and gullunt an ex ploit as is found in tho history of the war. His command had been ordorod to chargo tho onomy, and when tho lino of tholr works had been roachod somo 200 of bis men having gotton into a ro ontorlng angle whoro they woro ex posed to a sovoro cross tiro, a lino was pushed out surrounding them, and n mounted ofllcor of tho onomy galloping out of a sallyport, soi/.ed tho colors of tho 11th regimuut und called upon thorn to surrender. Sovoral ofllcors and mon propured to do so, but hud not boon carried in whon Gon. Hagood, whoso horse had boon previously shot, proceeding towards thorn, called upon his men to shoot tho ofllcor. In tho confusion thoy soomcd bowildorod and failed to do so. Tho gonoral having now como up to tho spot, demanded I tho colors, tolling tho ollleor he was froo to return to hlB troops, instead of so doing he comtnooeod to arguo about the desporato position of tho email band of Confederates. Gen. Ha good, cutting him short, demanded a diroct answer, and receiving a decislvo negative, shot him from his horso. His orderly, Stonoy, sol/.od tho falling col ors, and tho general, springing into tho saddlo of his adversary, succeeded in withdrawing his mon with as little loss as could havo beon expootod from tho terrific fire to which they wero exposed in retiring. Some years after tho war it was a pleasing inoident to Gon. Hngood that by furnishing a statoment of tho facts he was onabled to assist in procuring a pension from tho Unltod Statos gov ornment for the gallant oliloer with whom the fortunes of war had placed him in conflict and who had survived the wound lnflioted. Gen. Beau regard in forwarding the report of this affair to Gon. Leo remarked : "Such au act of gallantry as herein described and of devotion to one's Hag, reflects tho high est credit upon tho otlicor who per formed it and should bo held up to tho army as worthy of imitation under similar circumstances. Brig. Gen. Ha good is a bravo and meritorious officer who has distinguished himself already at Battery Wagner and Drury's Bluff and participated actively in tho battle of Ware, Bottom's Church, Cold Har bor and Petersburg, Juno 10 and 17, 1864, and J respectfully recommend him for promotion at tho earliest op portunlty." Shortly before Christmas, 1804, Gen. llagood was ordered to reenforce the troops in North Carolina and was on gaged in the operations around Wil mington and afterwards in Gen. 1 hike's divisiou at tho battles of Kingston and Hentonvillo. Retiring before over whelming numbers, Gor. llagood's command surrendered with Gen. John ston at Greensboro, N. C. His brigado entered tho war 4,600 strong: at its conclusion only 490 vet erans remained of that gallant hand, including himself and his stall'. At the termination of hostilities Gen. Hagood returned to active supervision of his planting intorests. Hut he was not long pormitted to de vote his ontiro timo and attention to his private alTairs. In 1871 the burden of taxation under a profligate carpet bag rulo in South Carolina having bo come well-nigh intolerable, Gen. Ha good became a dolcgato to tho State taxpayers' convention hold at Colum bia and composed of tho most intelli gent and responsible mou iu tho Stato. Tho convention was called to consider tho enormous and Increasing State debt and to ascertain if possible its actual amount and what portion of it had been legally contracted. A false state ment of tho State's liabilities was placed before them by Gov. U. K. Scott and the Stato officers, and a falso sot of hooks were produced. The history of tho work of this convention looking to tho final repudiation ed a good pro portion of tho fraudulent public deb' is familiar to many. Gen. llagood was j the chairman of the committee that made tho Investigation, being ap pointed to that position on February 20, 1871. In 187b Gen. llagood was nominated on the Democratic ticket for comptrol ler general and by his patient, prudent and courageous courso during tho ex citing campaign that followed, contrib uted largely to secure tho great moral triumph of law and order and tho down fall of the corrupt radical rule in tho old Palmetto Stato. His management as county chairmun of the campaign in Harnwell was per fect iu its organization and such as to gain tho confidence of all moderate He publicans as woll as Democrats. Tho colored voters Hocked iu largo numbers to the Democratic standard and joined tho Democratic clubs, and although hitherto there had been a Republican majority of 1,800, almost wholly colored, the county was carried by a majority of moro than 1.100 for the Democratic ticket. More? than 2,0UU mounted men in red shirts escorted Gen. Hampton through Harnwell County, camping from timo to time at various points where ho stopped to speak and tho enthusiusm of all classes was unexam pled. During tho Ellen ton riots, Gon. Ha good was placed by tbo Republican Judge Wiggins, in command of an armed posse to repn ss the disturbance. And during tho uncertain and perilous timo between thes election in November, lS7(i, and the recognition of the Hamp ton government by President Hayes, when any moment might havo precip itated a collision between tho rival par tie s,Governor Hampton called only two of tho Stato odicers to his assistance? Gen. llagood and Attorney General James Conner. Acting in entire accord with Gen. Hampton they were both an advisory council and his executive of llccrs during the existence of the dual governments. It was largely through the influence) of Governor Hagood that over a thousand of tl o negroes in tho county at the time united in tho vol untary contribution by tho citizens of tho Stato of one-tenth of the taxes they had paid tho previous year to the sup port of the Hampton government be fore it had been formally recognized by President Hayes. n May, 1877, he formally toeik possession of his edlico in tho Stato capital and at onco entered upon tho duties thoreflf. Ho applied himself to tho task o thoroughly or ganizing and systematzing his depart ment, which task he successfully ac complished. <Vt tho regular election in 1878, his admirable conduct of tho oflico was recognizid and rewa/ded by a re-elec tion and ho continued in this olliuo another two years, only to bo still moro honored by tb?| people, who, in 1880, elected him governor of tho State. His inaugural address was an able paper ; it was characteristic of tho man. Brief, practical, djggostivo, it dis carded generalitie^ and dealing with tho matter In hand/sot fortli succinctly tho present condition of tho State, marked tbo Improvements which had followed tho restoration of honest goy ornmont in 1877 aid indicated in what direction, In his tfplnion. further pro gross could bo made. Ho contrasted tho then conditions with thoso of tho period of riottius uiisrulo that preceded. In concluding his ad dross ho said : "But tho peli tie.i ( quality of all men in Soutii Carolina Is] now as fixed a foat uro of hor policy ts is tho Blue Rid?o In her geography! it can neither bo suppressed nor oladod. Tho solution of tho problem thought, tho gravf to mo that I see. I tion, justice. Lo every act of legis jcquircs tbo wisest stcounsol. It8eoms it tirmness, modora thoso characterize ktion. It is my duty as governor to taljo caro that tho laws aro faithfully exiiuted in mercy. I ro poat tho pledge undo before my elec tion?-that In tho (ischarge of this high trust I shall knor neither white man nor colored manJ hut only citizens of South Carolina laws and entitle Gov. Hageiod' these lines was i ike amenable to her to their protection." adminlstrat'on upon success. Notwith standing his exi/osscd deslro to retire at tho und of h of tho pooplo o tlvo, und It waif torm, tho disposition tho State wiiH btrong for hl? ruolecthh as tholr chlof oxoou upon his declaration that ho would i)t accept a ronomina tion that they lagan to look olsowhoro for his succet ?r. Tho pross of tho Stato, upon hh ?ot'roinorit/wlthout ex ception, gonor inly voiced tho univer sal approval h< had earned. Slnco Gov. agood's rptlromont at the close of hi/term he has takon hut little part In sitivo politics. Without further aspira on for olllco, ho took his position In thcranks an ' .imply sought to do his duty ks a clth.on to his party and hie county. Ho devoted his at tention chlefhjto his agricultural pur suits and to jho development of the local enterprise and Industrios of his county. Ho 'as instrumental in tho formation of i building and improve ment assoeiatpn, an oil and fertilizer faotory, a bare, a g aded sohool and other entorprses. Ho always took a deep interest in agriculture and edu cation. In lHfi'J ho was elected the first presi dent since the war of the South Caro lina Stato Agricultural and Mechanical Society, holding that olllco for four years, when ho declined reelection. He was also for two terms chairmun of the Stato heard of agriculture. Ho wus tho pionoor in and a strong advocate for that diversification of tho State's farming industry, to which much of its present success is duo. and his contri butions to the agricultural press, to gether with his own success in tho now departures, notably grass culture and stock farming, contributed much to that end. Ho was always a warm supporter of the common schools and tho State Uni versity. Since I87t> ho has boon chairman of tho board of visitors of the South Caro lina Military Academy. To tho welfare of this school?his alma mater?his tinio and his services havo been given without stint. Cov. Hagood, in ISO 1, married Kloiso, daughter of Judge A. P. Butler, then United States Senator, and of whom Gon. M. C. Butler is a nephew, lie bus ono son, Butler Hagood. TIIK JACKSON COTTON. A Dispassionate Review of tho Dif ferent statements Concerning the Wonderful riant. An editorial In lho News and Courier says that tho famous Jackson limbless cotton, discovered in Africa and ex ploited in Atlanta, is a truly remark able plant, in that so widely differing accounts aro given of it. After it had been credited with the quulity of pro ducing four bales to tho aero as a re gular crop, with a largo margin for spurts, and proclaimed as a perfect bo nanza for the Southern farmers, wo ro prioted a few weeks ago the judgment of two or three experts that it did not amount to anything, and was nothing new besides?a farmer in Arkansas Offering to sell tho seed of identically the sumo variety at the price of a few cents a pound to ail applicants. in these circumstances we appealed to tho Atlanta papers to investigate tho plant in cold blood, and publish tho plain troth about it, so that the cotton farmers throughout tho South could know exactly what to expect of !.t, and to regulate their plans for the future aecordsngly. The lirst response we have seen to tb's appeal is made by ' tho Atlanta Jouanal, and is of tho character of the first exciting accounts given of the newcomer. " it will bo a source of gratification," says tho Jour nal, "that the cotton is to bo planted near Atlanta again, as it was said at < one time that the entire crop of seed 1 would be sold to tho Chilian Govern ment, in which case it would have gone OUt of reueh of tho Southern planters, and they would havo been unable to ' obtain a supply ol the seed, which is 1 destined to revolutionize cotton grow ing in the South." ; Dr. Meyer, an eminent and wealthy citizen of Now Jersey, it is explained, 1 has furnl8hed the money for the pur chase of bho entire output of the seed 1 of this wonderful cotton, and his ' agents. Mr. VV. T. Forbes and Mr. T. W. Beardeley, are engaged In Atlanta making arrangements for cultivating ' another crop of it next yoar. Of tho cotton itself tho Journal re- ' affirms, withoutquulilicution that it is truly ono of the most wonderful dis coveries of tho century, as it has been conclusively proved that it outstrips 1 all other varieties ever planted in the 1 South, both in respect of yield and of I the quality of the staple. On a piece of very ordinary land it grow from J nine to eleven feet tho past seasou, ? and kept green and growing until frost, j It stood a protracted drought during the hottest part of the season, and its j rich foliage was fresh and green whet, fields of the common cotton were brown 1 and bare of leafage, It bears ruit ] from tho ground up, and thero is no 1 limit to its fruitage except frost. The ! bolls, as heretofore noted, are formed OU tho leaf stalk, In clusters of three to five, closo to tho main stalk, so that it has no limbs, and it may bo planted, on rich ground, as closo as six inches apart in tho row, without causing shedding. Its tropical naturo makes it ono of tho hardiest of field crops so far as heat and drought are concerned. A hundred hoi Is and upwards may bo counted on the stalks still standing in tho holds, and it will produce between three and four bales to tho aero. Its llbro rivals in fineness and strength tho oelobrated sea island varieties, measuring by tho most careful meas urements from one and a fourth to one and a half inches in length. The lint is as fine and as llossy as morina wool, which it resembles in texture, and a tryo in cotton knowlcdgo could tell a sumple of It from a sample of common cotton in tho dark. Tho purchasers of tho seed, it is added, have organized themselves into a company, with thoir principal olllces in Atlanta, and some very wealthy men aro connected with it. Besidos tho planting in Georgia, some of tho seod will ho planted in Alabama and west of tho Mississippi, and It is tho purpose of tho company to glvo it tie most thorough trial in tho principal cotton growing sections of the South, "so as to completely prove its claims to supremacy over Other varieties grown." All this Is interesting, of courso, and particularly so, as coming from so re sponsible a paper as tho Journal, which is familiar with cotton and cot ton growing in goncral, nnd is in a position to havo soon tho now crop in all stages of its growth, and to have handled its product. Tho Journal, moreover, knows all that has boon said by tho "exports" in depreciation of tho now plant, and its present statomcuts aro mado in view of thoir assertions and in answer to thorn. Ono particular fact men tioned by that paper appears to us to havo peculiar significance, as it is one about which thero cannot well he any dispute or doubt, and which is of itsolf conclusivo as to lho fine "quality' nnd consequent valuo of tho now cot tou. It in that tho first balo sold for ton rent > a pound in tho open inarkot a fow wocks ago. This Is nearly doublo tho prieo of othor upland cotton at tho Bamo timo, and If tho llmblefn cotton will do no moro than produce as much fihro por aero as the familiar varieties, but of doublo value, it cortainly has largo merits, and wo shall hoar a groat deal moro of it heroaftor. ?Tho Itallroad Commission of tho Stato in their roport summarizes the condition of tho railroads in South Car olina for 181?7 as follows: Earnings from all sources $7,762,600.08; total oxponses (maintenance of ways and structuro, maintenance of equipment,otc.,) $5,103,? 408 01; taxes, $326,620 45: 'total, $5,512, 989.:i?; not Income, 13,288,670.72, not lncomo por mile, (2,6f>2 miles,) $814.11; a net lncomo of 5.U2 por cent on a val uation of $15,000 per mllo of all tho roads In tho State. The railroads are prospering. THE STATISTICS OF CK1MI0 A Decrease In tlio Total Number ol Criminal Cases Brought Before the Courts in South Carolina. Attorney General Barber's report to tho General Assembly will bo issued in a few days. In his report this year ho has endeavored to give in consolidated form bhe crime statistics of the State, comparisons by counties and years for a decade being made. The year which has just ended shows that there has been a considerable falling oil in the total number of criminal cases. The only bad showing is that made in the number of homicide cases. In sum marizing tho figures given in the complete tables Mr. Barber says in his report: ''There aro throe consolidated state ments given in this report. 1st, Show ing the number and character of crim inal cases disp ta"d of during the year 1897. 2nd, Showing tbo crimes by cir cuits and counties, .'led, Showing the number of homicide and other cases disposed of in tho State during the last ten years, and tho number each year. " From tho liefet statement it will ap pear that 2,485 criminal cases were disposed of from tho 1st of January, 1807, to 1st of January, 1898. During the I I months from Nov. 1, 1805, to Jan. 1, 1807, thero wero 3,002 eases as reported last year. It will be'seen that there has been a decrease of 517 cases. But this is not the. actual de crease, as the last consolidated state ment was for 14 months instead of one year. An analysis of the statement for tho year 1SSI7 will show that there has been a decrease in tho crimes of burglary, arson, assault and battery, obtaining goods under false pretenses, forgery, bighway robbery, riot and violations ol the dispensary law, and an increase in those of larceny, mur der, rape and resisting public ollicers. "Tho per cent, of convictions in all tho cases disposed of is .'{7, and of the cases actually tried about 65. The per c nt. of convictions in homicide cases is about 27, In burglary cases 70, in larceny cases about Of;, in assault and batteries about 70, and in dispensary cases about ?0 per cent. "Of the convictions for the year 1897, l> were sentenced to death, 20 to the penitentiary for life, 110 to terms iu the penitentiary, and I17 to the jail and ohalngang. " During the year there were 20 mis trials in criminal cases, some in all the circuits. There wero 34 cases of rape disposed of, and of this number there wero 12 no bills, 10 not guilty and 12 guilty. There were 25 cases of high way robbery, of which number there wero 7 no bills, 2 not guilty ami 10 guilty. Thero wero 225 homicide cases, of which number there were .'11 no bills, 1:20 not guilty and 71 guilty. "Tho second statement shows that in Charleston county there were 5:17 criminal cases, the largest number in any county : Spartan burg is next with 112 cases, Greenville with 107, Orange burg with 106. Florence 70, Darlington, 7-1, Uuion 72. Clarendon had the smallest number?KS, while Greenwood bad 5, and Cherokee 13. Three of tho death sentences wero in Newberry county, ono in Beaufort, one in Dar lington and one in Georgetown. There were no death sentences in the 1st, 5th, 0th and 8th circuits. It appears that there were only 20 sentences in all the counties to tbo penitentiary for life, and tno largest number of these was in the 7th circuit. " It will be seen from the third state- 1 incut that it is incomplete as some of Lhe solicitors failed to make annual re ports. " Thero has been a gradual increase j )f homicide cases disposed of in the state each year since 1888. The year 1888 begun with 107 cases, ami year ! 1897 ends with 225 cases. The largest number of cases during this period was in the 1st circuit?.*il2: the next largest in the 7i.li circuit, 225, and the next in 1 the 2nd circuit 22.1, with the smallest in the Ilrd circuit, 116. During the ! year 1897, the largest number was in j Lhe 1st circuit, 44, and the smallest in Lhe 1th circuit, I I. " 1 made an effort to ascertain from 1 Lhe Bherlffs of the State the number of homicides committed in each county, 1 ind tho names aud color of the parties killing and killed, but failed to get iutlioient information to give in this report tho number of whiles and col ored killed, and the number of whites und colorod committing the homicides. The reports of tho solicitors do not llive this information. As to tho cause of this increase In bomioines in South Carolina it is very difficult to deter mine. There is no doubt that a com bination of causes produces this un fortunate condition." Tho following-is tbo statement of the crimes and tho results of the trials in the different circuits : First Circuit?M isti ials, 4; no bill and discontinued, 108; not guilty, 78: guilty, 210; grand total, 606 5 jailor line, 61; penitentiary for term, 145; penitentiary for life, il; death sen tence, 0. Second Circuit?Mistrials, 0j no bill and discontinued, 107 ; not guilty, 45 ; guilty, i?:i ; grand total, 215: jail or lino, 73; penitentiary for term, 15; penitentiary for lifo, I ; death sen tence, 1. Third Circuit?Mistrials, 4j no bill and discontinued, 17 : not guilty, 33; guilty, 91 ; grand total, 171 ; jail or line, 33; penitentiary for term, 05; penitentiary for lifo, Ii; death sen tence, 1. Fourth Oiroult?Mistrials, 1 : no bill and discontinued, 150 ; not guilty, 33; guilty, !?!); grand total, 282: jail or lino, 80; penitentiary for term, 15; penitentiary for lifo, .'I; death sen tence, 1. Fifth Circuit?Mistrials, 1 : no bill and discontinued, 58; not guilty, 5s : guilty, 119: grand total, 2:55 : jail or line, 0; penitentiary for term, 10; penitentiary for lifo. 0; death sen tence, 0. Sixth Circuit?Mistrials, 1: no bill and discontinued, 51 ; not guilty, 68 ; guilty, 03; grand total, 212; jail or (ino, I?; penitentiary for term, 85: pcnitentiury for l'fo, 2; death son toncc, 1, Seventh Circuit Mistrials, 1 ; no hill and discontinued. 132 : not guilty, 40; guilty, 132; grand total, 313; Jtt.il or line, 101 ; penitentiary for term, 21 ; penitentiary for lifo, 7 ; death sen tence. 3. Eighth Circuit - Mistrials, 2; no bill, and discontinued, 10.~> : not guilty, 70; guilty, 1*3; grand total, 318; jailor flno, DO; penitentiary for term, 55; ponltontlary for lifo, 4 ; doath sen tonco, ?. Total Mistrials, 20; no bill and discontinued, 1,058; not guilty, 434; guilty, 080; grand total 2,472; jailor lino, 117 ; ponltontlary for term, 411 ; ponltontlary for lifo, 20; death Btn tonco, 0. In itlchland county during tho year thoro wore 70 cases, 32 convictions, 18 acquittals, no mistrials, 20 casoB dis continued or thrown out by the grand jury and 1 man wont to tho peniten tiary for a term. The rest all wont to tho ohain gang', Tho table showing the character )f the crimes committed and how pun ished affords a most interesting study. There were 433 eases for the violation of the dispensary law against 021 for the preceding year. There wore 01 convictions and l"> acquittals, whilo 2!>7 cases were cither discontinued or thrown out by tho grand juries. The most common olVonses were as sault with intent to kill and aggra vated assault and battery. There were 802 cases against 701) tho preceding year: 228 convictions; '.?I acquittal! and Jsu "discontinued" or getting "no bill." tlousebreaklng and larceny of live stuck and larceny from tho Held were the next most common crimes, after murder and manslaughter. The statistics as to tho last olfenso aro very bad. Out of the 225 easjs thoro were only 7 1 convictions against 120 acquittals and 31 " no bills " and " dis continued." There were 34 cases of the crime of rape against 14 the preceding year. Twelve of these resulted in convictions, COut'nued or thrown out by the grand jury. These liguros do not include tho number of cases of rape which resulted in lyncblngs. Tho attorney general calls attention to the condition of the jails of the State in this way : " 1 have been requested by the State board of health to call the attention of the general assembly to the sanitary condition of many of the jails of tho State. Prisoners until convicted aro presumed to bo innocent, and aro im prisoned for safe keeping and not for punishment. The jails should there fore, bj made as comfortable as pos sible, and their sanitary condition should be such as not to endanger the health of prisoners. Laws should be passed securing to prisoners at least the preservation of their health whilo confined for trial." Aktkk Twenty Yeaks.?Mr. aud Mrs. .lohn Stewart, who live on a farm near Matawao, N. J., arc now on speaking terms for the first time in twenty years. Almost ever since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, by mutual agreement, have not spoken to each other. Dissensions arose la the household shortly after tho marriage twenty-one years ago over religious differences. Mrs. Stewart is a very devout person, but at the time of Ihm- marriage Ste wart was devoting his time to reading Vol taire and other skeptics and was also Inclined to Anarchistic doctrines. Ho objeoted very strenuously to his wife's habit of attending church regularly every Sunday morning. Stewart told his wife that he pre ferred to have her with him on Sun Jays, the only days that he was able to be at his house at all. Quarrels be came frequent and the agreement of not speaking to each other resulted. The couple continued to live together hut never addressed a word to tho other. When it became absolutely no oossary for a message to be transferred it was addressed to the family eat within the hearing of the husband and wife. Neighbors often tried to bring about it reconciliation between the couple, but without success. This was kept up until a few days ago when tho neigh bors noticed that the husband and wife were on speaking terms at last. No ime knows whether the husband gave up his views or whether Mrs. Stewart concluded to be less stringent in her religious beliefs, but at any rate tho ililliculty has been adjusted and tho jat's services are no longer required. The Modkkn Woman.- Quito a son nation was created recently by [lev. A. 2. Dlxon, In a Bormon delivered from lis pulpit in one ol the most popular diuretics in Brooklyn, lie startled his uearers by saying that women had leu .he three notable upostuch s of modern ?Ime?theosophy, Uhr . tian science ind spiritualism. He contends that woman is elthor an angel or the oppo dte, thoro can bj no middle course, lie most emphatically disapproved of ler admission into the ministry, and laid that si.e is physically and spiritu ally incapacitated from preaching tho word of God. That the three aposta sies of modern times were led by women. SplrltUillsiU was started by the Sisters Fox and began to rot before it began to bud. Christian sciorco, with its loading ex ponont in Miss IJddy, is another exam* pie of how lallatious and wicked may be the doctrine* suggested or taught by women. That so-called science con Lends that Iber) can be no sin, or pain ur affliction in !no world, and how un natural and in reasonable is such a belief. But 'is but another example of woman's baleful Influence. Madame Bltvatsky, In her idiotic mental wand'rings, shows how women can also lead <r prove a powerful ad junct to loadbg men into error. Un der won*an's/guidance man sinks in SOmprohonslliy low. Woman's plaeo is in the honk, though I believe, he con tinued, In WtWOU taking part in public affairs. Tin BOrmon was one in a gen eral soriofj entitled "Lights anJ. Shadows of American Life." Such a stir in ohuidh oirolcs has .seldom been witnessed.. A pension has neon granted to A\d widow of Loud Kuudson, a soldier in the late wir, the back pay of which ag gregates o er $ 1,000. The man was a native of ?orway and was married to the womai who now gels the pension, in April,1858. She has never loft Norway. Knudson emigrated to this country ' 1801, on listed January 27, lsti2, in (ompany ll, Fifteenth Regi ment Wsconsin Volunteer Infantry, and diut In tho service October 18, 1803. ?The nineteenth century will end and the twentieth century wiil begin at midTght between December 31, i 1000, an Januar*' 1, 1001. Tho yoar 1000 wll bo tho last year of the pres ent coniry. The year 1001 will bo tho first yar of tho twentieth century. The 0"r# century began with tho yoar 1, and onsequontly includes tho year 1U0 A. Too nineteenth century, ac eordinlVi includes the year 1000 A. D. ?NowVork Sun. ?Its estimated that the amount of gold tken from the earth and nut into circuVtion in tho United States In 1807 was, j round figures, 953,000.000. This Is faiholow the output of grain or of tho kse metals, but It shows a very suhsintial addition to tho monoy wcivh Of the country, lithe Alaska mins fulfil half what Is cluimod for thei those figures will bo largely ex ceeded In 1808, and may reach $70,000, 000 -Tho recent famine In India cost the government $0,000,000, about $2 000,000 of oich was In the shape of loann and dofrrcd taxes, which may bo recover ed It cost privato contributors to Oh'itablO funds nearly $0,000,000, no pa* of which Is recoverable. But OVO. this great sum of nearly $I5,0u0, 00was inclllclent to proven millions of piple from dying of starvation and it discasos caused by It.