The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, January 16, 1901, Image 1
GOVERNORS MESSAGB.
Reviewing* the Conditions
in the State.
Industrial Progress and Educational
Advancement.
Gcnllouton of Ui< tJonoral Assembly:
It is gratifying to mo i<> welcome
yon as the representatives of th<' peo
ple under such favorable conditions.
Von come as the first Legislature to
assemble in South Carolina in the new
century. The Nineteenth century has
been one of marked progress and de
velopment in all the arts and sciences,
and it contains lessons which wo may
learn with profit to ourselves and which
may be of use to us in legislating for
the future. Those* who constituted
the first Legislature one hundred years
ago littlu dreamed of the advance in
all lines of industry and of the discov- i
cries and inventions which have signal-1
i/.ed the century just passed iuto his
tory. We cannot realize or even con- ,
ccive the advances that will be made
durin?; this century 'ipon winch we are 1
entering* There seems lo be almost
no limit lo the achicveinents of the
human mind. It is lor us to contnb-'
ute our part to make the world better j
and happier by our having lived in it
and to leave to our children a goodly
heritage and a name untarnished. It
is your privilege to meet and to coun
bcI with one another and to consider
and enact such laws as will be of beuc
ht not only to the prcsont, but to the
future growth and development of ?Ulis
grand old commonwealth.
The march oi material progress and
the development of the State, to which
1 had the pleasure to refer one year
ago in greeting the members id' the.
Legislature, has kept up with steady
und sine step. The business depres
sion through which the people bad
passed and which was almost unprece
dented seems to have been followed by
a revival which is touching all branches
of industry. The Increased price which
our farmers have received for their
staple crop makes large amends for the
fulling oil iu the yield. Our farmers
are learning I he importance of diversi
fied farming and in consequence are
becoming more independent.
You need no better evidence of the
progress and prosperity of the State
than that presented in the figures con
tained in the annual report of the Sec
retary of State. From this report it
will be seen that approximately fifteen
million dollars were invested the past
year in South Carolina companies-, and
while a large proportion of n is iu cot
ton mill building, yet many .smaller
manufacturing enterprises and indus
tries have been organized.
New manufactories continue to go
up and we arc no longer simply an ag
ricultural people, but are fast becom
ing as well a manufacturing Slate. We
now lead all Southern States in the
manufacture of cotton goods and arc
second only to Massachusetts in the
number of hpindles, and at tho present
rate of progress will soon lead all the
States in the Union in this important
branch of industry. It is well to keep
this fact in mind as you deliberate.
Taxable values have increased $4,
240,005 during llic past year, as will
be seen from the Comptroller General's
report, but the inc.'caso is not near as
largo as it should lie or would be if cur
system of assessment and taxation
were so revised and amended as to
have placed on the tax books all the
property of the State now escaping
taxation and if that which is assessed
were equitably assessed.
I'eaco and good order have charac
terized our people during the past year.
We have not been visited by plague or
pestilence and no resorl to mob vio
lence has marred the record or stained
the fair namo of tho State, though iu
one or two cases the strong arm of the
military had to be called into requisi
tion, but the majesty of the law was
maintained and no blood was shed, in
ono case liiere was btrong provocation
for summary justice, but with the as
sistance of the military the culprits
w ere protected , lawlessness was pic
vented, anr. through the ordinary chan
nels of the courts storn justice will be
administered and the penalty paid.
You as the chosen representatives
of the people should guard with jeal
ous eye thoir interests and welfare
which have been committed to your
keeping, remembering always the re
Bponsibflllj which rests upon you.
I'bl'tXXiAlt EDUCATION.
Not tho least gratifying evidence of
our progress is tho remarkable awaken
ing in all departments of education.
At the boginning of tho century just
closed iho civilized world knew no
such thing as a State system of educa
tion; and in many quarters, until a
comparatively recent date, the position
of those who advocated free public
education as a legitimate function of
State government wos stubbornly con
tested, the opposition in our rotate
being largely due to peculiar rncial and
social conditions. State education <s
now tho settled policy of our country,
being recognized as both a function
and a duty of the government; and it
may well bo questioned whether the
nineteenth century has made a more
important contribution to tho cause of
democracy fand civilization. Since
1870 the public expenditure for com
mou schools in tho United States hns
nearly trebled, being now $'2.(57 por
capita Ol population, or an aggregate
of *200,00O,0VO annually. It is a
principle now well recognized that tho
aafoty of the government itself re
quires that it give its citizens the op
portunity to fit themselves for an in
telligent discharge of their duties to
tho Stato.
Encouraging reports como from tho
schools and colleges of our own Stato,
indicating that thoyhavo entored upon
an era of unexampled prosperity. And
yet much remains to bo done to in*
crease the eftlcienoy of our public
I schools*. Tho ill'St essential is teachers
I of high moral character ami adequate
j professional equipment. Our teachers
, have- hotter opportunities for profes
sional training than over before, and
I they show a higher nvoragu of intolli
genco and professional lituoss; but
i thoy arc too often poorly paid lor their
i services, and the best results cannot be
: expected until the schools, instead of
j advertising for bids from teachers,
offer adequate pay and demand good
qualifications.
The complaint is made, ami not un
justly, that our school system is not
well articulated; that no provision bus
been made to till tho gap between the
common school and the college, and
that the college must therefore main
tain a preparatory department. While
it is true that very few of those who
enter the common school ever reach
the high school and fewer still the col- j
lege, yet those who desire to lit them
selves for colloge should have Uic op- !
porlunity to do so in their own schools, j
This deficiency has been met in many
of the towns and in some o.4' the coun
try districts by the erection of graded
schools; but in most of the country
schools inadequate preparatory (rain
ing is offered. /The result is that many
of tho country pupils who desire to
compete for scholarships in the State
colleges or who (lesiro to enter college
are at a manifest disadvantage, and
must cither employ some one to coach
them or must attend a prcpartory
school or graded school in town, at a
considerable outlay for board and tui
tion.
The importance of levying an addi
tional lax for the support of the country
schools cannot be too Strongly urged
upon our people. This will enable
them to employ competent teat hers for
longei terms; it will enable them to
give their children elementary nnd pre
paratory traiuing at home; and it will
tend to cheek the abnormal flow of
population from the country to the
town; it will he beneficial from ovory
point of view. While it is pos
sible for the graded schools to become
too mechanical and inelastic, the irre- 1
gularity in attendance at the country
schools renders it impossible to have
graded instruction or systematic work.
.Since the State oilers free education in
order that its people may be lilted for
the duties of citizenship, it is worthy
of consideration whothcr, within pro
per limits of term and age, it Bhould
not require attendance at the schools.
The ideal is a well articulated eystom
extending from primary grade to col
lege; at least one well equipped school
in every community, accessible to
every citizen of school age; a term of
at least eight months, ami the require*
mcnt that within reasonable limits,
the community avail itself of the ad
vantages offered by the public; a coun
ty board of education removed from
local prejudices, charged with the duly
of assigning teachers to vacant schools
and of inspecting the schools. At a
later period euch school should bo
equipped with :i circulating library and
should be prepared to give technical
training in the industrial arts. We
are far from the ideal, but our schools
arc making gratifying progress; and
the whole subject lias been much em- I
harassed by tho race problem. We
should address ourselves faithfully to
the development of the system. "The
glory of founding educational systems
cannot he outs; but the elfoit for im
provement, by building wise practice
upon sound theory, is within the reach
of each one of us.'" Whatever you
effectively do for the improvement of
our educational system will be so much
wisoly contributed to the. welfare ??f
the state und the advancement of civi
lization.
The report of the. Stale superinten
dent of education will acquaint you
fully and in detail with the condition
and needs of our schools.
This report contains it full and in
telligent diSCUSSion of tho whole sub
ject of the common schools and those
things which are necessary to make
them more eflleient. In Ihc estima
tion of ihe state superintendent one. of
the most pressing needs of the coun
try schools is better supervision of the
I work done. This is a very important
mailer and cannot be too Strongly im
pressed. Tt? secure it, however, it is
necessary to have and to spend more,
money, so that men trained for tho
work could bo employed. The salary
of county superintendents range-' from
S.'IOO to SHOO, while the town superin
tendents rOCOlvO S'.IOO and upwards
and their fields of supervision are in
comparably smaller and far less com
plex, and hence, their responsibilities
arc less. And yet unless the selection
of the county superintendents could ho
made on account of merit and regard
less of personal or political allilibtions
and not he subject to change upon the
political whi'.US of a changing public
sentiment,, '.icrcnse.. pay would not bo
a guarantee of eiflciency In tho man?
ngement Ol' tho country schools. The
manngement of our schools should he
as far removed from political influence",
as possible and men should be put in
chargo who are devoting their life to
the work. Tho oilicc of county super
intendent of education being an elec
tive office, only as the people come to
realize the importance of efficiency and
competency as essential qualifications
in tho man who tills it, can wo hope
for or expect good results. Very few
men havo tho courago to run counter
to public sentimont and nil are inoro
or less influenced by those things
which affect their own interests. Pro*
vision should be made as already sug
gested for a county board of education
selected in such way as not to bo in
lluoncod by local or political prejudice,
who would have ilie duly of inspecting
j the (schools and appointing teachers to
vacant schools. There is n<? more im
| portant subject to demand your most
caroitll and earnest attention than the
education of the children of the State.
The country common schools for
white children were kept open ou an
average during the past year for 21
I weeks and the negro schools for 1 ?
weeks. The previous year the white
schools averaged 1!? weeks and the
colored schools 14 1-2 weeks. The en
rollment hi the while schools during
tho past year was 120,289; in the
colored schools, 165,002; total 281,801.
For the previous year the enrollment
was: whiles, 123,308:negroes, 1 10,477;
total 200,875. It will he seen that wc
are making progress slowly. The I
town ochools in nearly every case run I
for 30 weeks. It does not seem to me
' that the country people should lie
satisfied with less for their children.
i The cxpondituies for white schools
during the last year were $700,640.00,
i while during the year previous they
i were s?07d,;{?">??'?.20: for the ngro schools
last yoar, 8202,178 Oil, and tho year
previous $103,401.30. This shows
some gain in the matter of expendi
tures for common school education.
Hut when we consider that tho enroll
ment is constantly Increasing, thus
calling for the employment of more
teachers, and when we consider that
our schools in>w run only 21 weoks
when the regular school term through
out the. country is considered to he at
? least StO weeks, it is borne to our minds
that we have vet to spend considerably
more raonoyon our schools if wo would
j bring them up to what our people cx
i peel and ought to expect.
I There were 3,270 white teachers and
2,21)4 negro teachers in the schools
last year against 3,000 white teachers
and 2,003 negro teachers the previous
year?a gain of 270 while tench018 and
201 negro teachers.
(JtJP.stion <>i ( li i i.i) i.amok.
Tho question of child labor iu our
cotton mills is one that has been at
tracting a great deal of attention re
cenlly, and propelly so. Conditions iu
this State have changed very much in
the last few yents. We are no longer
simply an agricultural people. With
the rapid growth in mnnufactuiing en
terprises we arc already a large manu
facturing State. The relation between
the labor that i- employed in these en
terprises and tho employer is not mere
ly oiii' of master anil servant, but there
are lights and privileges and duties,
obligations ami opportunities, on bolb
sides which should be carefully guard*
ed. There has been no conflict between
employer and laborer in Ibis Slate and
nothing should be done to disturb the
amicable relations which now exist.
(Jovcrnment^recognizes the fact that it
is the duty of the strong to ea?e for
and protect the weak, it is certainly
the right and the privilege of govern
men I to provide for tho. inspection of
any and all enterprises or corporations
deriving their life from the .Slate and
to sec that they do not impose upon
the. weak. Of course this should be
dono Willi a proper regard for the prop,
erty lights of the corporations.
There is no doubt the employment
and constant labor of children of ten
der age in our factories is injurious to
them and will result in untold injury
in tlie future. To inlet fere wi.h the
government of the family by legislation
is dangerous. Ami on the other hand
unless something is done to protect the.
lender children ol vampire, parents who
spend their time in idleness and live
off the labor of their little children who
are required to work in our mills from
year to year without the advantages of
school, the situation for the future lie
comes alarming. To force, these chil
dren out of the null and make no provis
ion for their attendance upon school,
but to allow thom to spend their time
in idleness on the streets presents al
most as alarming an aspect as to per
mit them to labor. In a great many of
our mills tin: ollicers and managers
have provided schools and teachers and
libraries and churches at the expense
of the stockholders, and some ol them
will not employ children under twelve
years of age and they require the par
ents of such children to send the chil
dren to school. This is the tendency in
all the mills iu this Slate. These, chil
dren should he protected but u is not
well that they should bo idle, and 1
doubt the wisdom of a rigid law laid
down by the Legislature prohibiting
absolutely their employinenl. 11 would
be belter rather that all children lie
tween the ages of seven and thirteen
years whose parents or guardians work
in a textile, manufactory should be re
quired to attend school during the
school term, if this can be done under
our constitution without extending
compulsory education lo the Statt;.
This would permit thom during the
vacation to relieve older sisters or
brothers and give them a little rest
and not take tho means of support
Irom the family, and at the same time,
accomplish tin: end sought -the. pro
tection and the education of the chil
dren of the mill districts. Hut bettor
to have a prohibitory law as to child
labor than that nothing should be. done
for the pi election of these children.
The mill owners themselves realize the
danger of child labor and are doing
what they can to force attendance upon
schools and to keep the children out of
the mills, and a law making attendance
upon school compulsory would have
their cooperation and accomplish the
desired results. With our present
mauufactUling interests and their con
staut increase this becomes a serious
question And deserves your most earn,
est consideration? It should ho eon
Sidoiod without prejudice or passion
and by counseling with those who are
inicrested I nm sure a wisq solution
cau be reached.
TUB STATE'S LIQUOR ItTJHlNKSS.
The dispensary has been well man
aged during the past year, as the state
ment of Ihe hoard of directors and tho
State commissioner, which will be sub
mitted to you, will allow.
The dispensary system and the man.
agement of tho liquor question liavo oc
cupied much of tho nltontion of each
Lcgislaturo since the system was in
augurated. Tho dispensary hus also
been an issuo in every campaign in the
Stale since it was passed and has been
' more strongly opposed possibly than
I any other law ?hat was ever placed on
the statute books of the State. Every
argument that could he brought to
beat against it has been presented by
BOIUC ot Hie ablest intellects of the
Mate, and yet alter a thorough canvass
of each county and presentation of the
CUS?j to tin; people the system has In en
endorsed by decided majorities on four
diffoi'OUt occasions and the ptinciple is
incorporated in our organic law.
Under the constitution the Legisla
ture may license individuals or cor
porations to sell under the rules uud
regulations governing the dispensary,
or it may prohibit the -ale and manu
facture of liquors. Both of these plans
have been thoroughly and exhaustively
argued and advocated before the peo
ple and the verdict every lime has been
decidedly in favor of the dispensary
under the management of the state.
This rolcrcnco is made to emphasize
what seems to me to be the dutv of
ovory patriotic citizen who loves his
State and believes in democratic doc
! trine and republican institutions, and
that duty is to submit t<> the voice of
the people and go to work earnestly
and conscientiously to improve and
J perfect a law which has received so
! many endorsements from those whom
: it directly concerns. The courts have
hold that under the police regulations
the fclnto 1 as a right to take '?argo of
the sale of whiskey. The. question
when reduced to its last analysis i., not
I one of principle but of expediency.
What is the b :st method of dealing
With this evil so as to secure the best
results? That is the question.
The present system, as it may he
improved from time to time, the
best solution yet devised, aud is grow
ing in public favor ; much ol the pre
judice that has existed against the law
is being removed, and many of those
who oppose the system arc in favor of
the enforcement ol the law. As pub
lice sentiment grows in its favor it will
bo easier to enforce it. The mayors
and inteiidants of the towns and cities
of the State, in response to a circular
which 1 issued dining November, slate
that the law is well enforced and that
the sentiment ol the towns is for a
strict enforcement. The exceptions
are the cities of Columbia ami Char
leston and a few counties in which the
sale of whiskey is prohibited by law.
In fact in those counties in which no
dispensaries are established it would
conduce to a bettor enforcement of law
and lhci'0 would be less illicit sale of
whiskey if dispensaries were estab
lished. In the cities named the dis
pensary cannot be rigidly enforced so
long as public sentiment upholds viola
tors of the law and grand juries fail to
lind true bills and petit juries to con
vict when eases arc made ami the evi
dence furnished. As public sentiment
grows in favor of the law in these
cities and the prejudice against it dies
away convictions for violations will be
had and it can then be more rigidly
enforced.
While it is important that the law
shall not be violated by illicit sale of |
whiskey, ii is equally important that
those charged with its administration
shall conform to Its requirements. If
Ibis were more rigidly done public, sen
inont would grow more, rapidly in
support of the system. I doubt if
there is a dispenser in the State, who
does not violate the law every day, not
with any criminal intent. The law re
quires that, liefore Belling or deliv
ering any intoxicating liquors to any
person a request must be presented to
the county dispenser, printed or writ
ten in ink, dated of the true date,
staling (but iie or she is of age, and
the residence of the signer, for whom
or whose use iL is required, the quanti
ty and kind required, antl his or her
line name; and the request shall be
signed by the applicant in his own
true name and signature, attested by
the county dispenser or his clerk, who
receives and filos the requests, lint
Hie requests shall he refused, if tho
county dispenser tiling it personally
knows the person applying is a minor,
that he is intoxicated, or that he is in
the habit of using intoxicating liquors
to an excess ; or if the applicant is not
so personally known to said county
dispenser, before filling said order or
dehvoring said liquor, he shall require
the statement of a reliable and trust
worthy pei son of good character and
habits, known personally to him, that
the applicant is not a minor, and is
not in the habit of using Intoxicating
liquors to excess." The county dis
penser lakes an obligation to the effect
that ho will and another afterwards
that he does comply strictly with this
provision and all of the other provis
ions of the law.
It has become cuslomary for county
disponsotS to sell to any one who ap
plies to purchase without being idenli
lied or without signing the application
" in his own true name and signature"
and without staling lor whom or
whose use it is required." Ample pro
Vision is nii.de, lor Ihc course to be
pursued for violations in the adminis
tration of the law. Tho county dis
pensers arc responsible to the county
boards of control and they are appoint
ed by tho Stale board of directors on
Hie recommendation and with LllO ad
vice and COUSOnt of the Senator und
Representatives from each county.
That brings the case right up lo tho
door of the members of the (Jeneral
Assembly.
This is n business matter and as
careful ami us prudent business judg
ment snould he exercised in the selec
tion of those who are charged with the
administration of the law ns a prudent
business man would exercise in the
selection of tlioso whom ho would
place in charge of litb private business.
Politics and partisanship should have
no pari in tlic selection?
I again commend to you tho advis
al)iiity of abolishing tho county boards
of control and of devolving their duties
upon the mayors or intern laut s ol '-he
towns and the county Supervisors of tho
counties in which dispensaries uro lo
cated. The towns and counties are di
rectly interested in the proper manage
ment of local dispensaries, and the
duties thus imposed would not he
onerous. I also recommend that county
dispensers he elected by the people as
other county ofliccrs uro elected, for a]
term of two years. They would then
ho responsible to tho people for a prop
er conduct of tho business placed in
thoir hands.
Number of seizures?whiskey, wlno
and brandy?1,882; number of gallons
4,037; boer and nlo seizures 807, in
bottles 2,094, in kegs 2,000; number
of couviclio08 210; cases sent up to
circuit court .'il l; amount of lines im
posed 824,500, paid $2,870, to jail or
chain-gang 141. Total cost of con
stables ?30,470 01.
From the report of the State Hoard
of Directors it will be aeon that the net j
proiit to lite school fund from the busi
ness for the past r, after expenses
are paid, is $170,012 18, and to the
towns and counties $-2!'S,l (HJ.'JS. This
report covers eleven months, as the
fiscal year has been changed so as to
close November 30.
in dealing with this qucsliou I fool
sure that you will he guided by a love
for your Slate and an earnest purpose
and a sincere desire to dv, that which
will lie for tho best interests of the
greatest number, and not bo actuated
by prejudice or partisanship.
Tili: STATE I I N I I I: N i l A I: \ .
Tho annual report of the hoard of
directors and superintendent of the
poDitcntiary shows a most gratifying
condition of affairs in this, institution.
While no money will he covered into
the .State treasury this year, yet per
manent improvements have bcou made
out of the net earnings amounting, in
round numbers, to $20,000 and thoto
is still a cash balance on hand for cur
mt expenses of about $5,000. In ad
dtion to this, the farms havo yielded
corn and provisions BUtllcient to run
(he institution until the next crop is
harvested. Tho number of convicts
icmatns practically the same as one
year ago. A modern orison, which
was very much needed, is Hearing com
pletion, within the walls of the peni
tentiary, at a cost of $14,500. In ad
dition to being a safe prison, it is built
With a view to the health and comfort
of the prisoners, and will be paid for
out of the net earnings of the penitenti
ary during the past year. At the last
session of tho Legislature provision
whs made for the erection of n re
formatory for youthful criminals. A
neat and substantial frame, structure
for this purpose has been erected on
the Lexington faun, In which will bo
kept all prisoners under 10 years of
age. While it will ho the purpose of
ibe superintendent to furnish them in
struction in morals and, if possible,
make better citizens of thom when
I bey are released, yet they will be re
quired to labor as other prisoners, but
Will be kept entirely separate from the
older and more hardened criminals. At
present there arc only fourteen prison
ers under IU years of age, and these
aiC all negroes,
A good many needed and permanent
improvements have also been made on
the State farms, and everything Iber?!
is now in good condition. There has
been some discussion in regard to tin'
advisability of the Stale owning and
operating farms. A careful and
thoughtful investigation of the subject,
1 am sure, will convince you that it
Would UOt be good business judgment
to dispose of these, farms. It requires
only 1 id convicts to opcrale the farms,
and in this way corn and provisions
and Other things necessary for the
support of the. convicts a; made at
less expense than they could be
purchased. It is argued by some that
these convicts could be worked upon
the public toads. 1 am as heartily in
favor of anything that would give us
good roads as anyone, but 1 do not see
bow tho State could undertake llns
work except through the counties. It
WOUld be a good plan it those counties
in which chaingiings are maintained
would so arrange as t<> secure enough
prisoners from the State to keep up n
good chaingang force all tin- time.
Prom the best information available,
and from those who have had ex*
perienco with chaingnngs, it is not pro
fitable, even to tin; countj', to maintain
a chaingang when the number falls
below fifteen. In most of the counties
the average is below that number.
The farming out of convicts to indivi
duals should be discontinued. If this
wcrtr done it would call in I7*> convicts
who aie now hired out lo individuals
and (hat number put on tho roads in
the various counties in the Stale where
chamgangs are maintained would in
a few years greatly improve our public
roads and at the same, time not in
terfere with tho Slate farms.
The. present system of chaingiings
in most of the counties is a very
expensive luxury, but by the counties
hiring a SUlllciont number of con
victs from tho Slate, as suggested
above, we could very soon have in
those counties a good system of public
roads, and nothing could be done that
would add more to the. comfort and
convenience and saving to the. people
vvho live in the rural districts, A
system of good roads would do very
much lo stop the How of population
from the country to the towns. The
counties could not spend the public
money more wisely, or with groatcr
benefit to the public, than by maintain
ing a good chaingang in each count)
on permanent road building, (.rood
roads would bring churches, and
schools, and towns closer to every
country home, in addition to the sav
ing which would result from the wear
and tear upon stock and vehicles, and
upon lilt; people, themselves. And this
can be done Ivy wise legislation with
out interfering in the least with tin;
management or maintenance of tho
state, farms.
'I'lll. VEXED PHOHLKM OF TAXATION.
Qovernmont has no right lo take,
more from the people, than is nbso
Iut< iy necessary for n wise and cco
iiitcnl administration of the affairs
of tho State, and it should ho so taken
that tho burden will hear evenly on all
properly. It is tho duty Of every
clti/.on to contribute his portion to the I
support of tho government in pro
portion to his nbility. This is tho
standard laid down in our constitution.
That taxation does not hear evenly
upon all property is patent to every
thoughtful person. If you can in your
wisdom devise any plan by which tho
j assessment of property for taxation!
can ho more equitably made and all tho
property of tho Stato can ho placed on
the tax books, you will have contri
buted much to lighten tho burden on
that class of properly which in its
nature cannot escape taxation.
In sorao of tho States tax inquisi
tors aio provided to discover propoity
thai is omitted from tho lax list. Thero
is no doubt that a groat doal of pro
'porty oscapoo taxation which should
I bo on Hie books and made to bear its
? portion of tlie burden, and some plan
should be devised by W'bich ibis pro?
pcrty%cnt] bo readied. Missouri has
adopt. (1 a law wbicb provides [or the
taxation ol mortgages, and the man
who owns the property has it assessed
at the value ol the property, loss the
value of the mortgage, and the owner
of the morlgUQC is required to pay tax
upon the value of bis mortgage.
Some sueli provision in our laws would
be just and equitable, for it is not
right for the owner of property to pax
taxes upon tin- full value when in
reality his ownership is only the value
of the properly less the value of the
mortgage. It would not be right to
tax the properly ill its full value and
then tax the mortgage, lor lint would
be paying taxes upon the same pro
perty twice.
This question of taxation is worthy
Of your attention, for it is one of vital
importance to all of our people.
ONLY A PRIVATE CITI2ISN
Bryan's Speech on Jackson Day.
lie Was til'? Guest of Honor.
Mr. Wm. .1. Bryan was iho gin si of
honor at the annual banquet of iho
Bryan Democratic longuo in t hicago
on the 8th insl. Several hundred
were present, und Mayor Harrison
presided.
Mr. Bryan began speaking af lor mid
night, lie said.
'?I take this opportunity to express
tin; hope that tins club and Others
which have borno my name will sub
stitute for my name Iho name ol some
Democratic saint, or a name descrip
tive of principles rather than men.
"I am now a private citizen will" "\
collont prospects of remaining such.
"The Democratic party was never in
better lighting condition than it is lo
de}', and I rejoice that 1 have many
years in which to participate in tin;
strtlgglo between human rights and tin;
Usurpnlioil (d- greed. Our party sla.ids
foi well defined Mid positive policies
and is prepared towage an aggressive
warfare against the plutocratic ten
dencies of the evils against which ?)ef
forson contended a century ngo, and
again which .lacksou fought .'!" years
later.
"Reorganization is an internal rem
edy and it cannot be applied external
ly. Tho-c who have lost their party
standing because of their desertion of
the party candidates and unfaithful
ness to Democratic doctrines, as de
fined by legit mate authority, must re
unite with the party before any atten
tion will be paid to their pretentious of
interest. Those within the party lines
have, a right to a voice in the making
of the platform and change in the or
gani/.tttl in of machinery but any de
sired chntlgQ shall be openly proposed
and fairly presented. Party Ol'gauiza
lions are framed foi party govern
ments and derive I heir just powers
from the consent of the governed.
? Tin' defeat of the party recently
suffered ought to discourage any one
who believes in Die principles set forth
in the Kansas City plat form, for if
right when written and endorsed li
nearly six millions ami tt half of voters,
t hey are i ight still.
"The Democratic party has been de
feated before, but deleat has neither
destroyed its hope nor its tenets. Tbc
defeat of 1880, camo at the eloso of an
administration entirely satisfactory to
those most anxious to reorganize the
party, and defeat in 1891, which oc
curred under a similar ndiniuisttation
Was more disastrous than any since.
"We ran face the future with the
determination to make the pnrly a
faithful exponent of the views of I hose
w ho believe in equal rights to all and
special privileges to none.
"Whether the question of money
will figure prominently in future cam
paigns will depend upon circumstances.
"What is desired is a sullieient quan
tity of money to keep pace With the de
mand for money.
??Monopolies will ultimately become
so hurtful that the Republicans will no
longer be able to defend them. A
colonial policy mu-i be repudiated by
the American people"
A Vi< l i M ol ?ANXAISM. A curi
ous thing has happened in Ohio. At
torney-General .lohn I.. Shell-, who
recently went to New York to secure
damaging evidence against the legality
ol the Standard Oil and Tobacco Trusts,
suddenly veered around to the TrUSt8'
side, of the, controversy and requested
tie- Supremo Court to dismiss the four
suits begun by his predecessor, F. S.
Monuclt. Mr. Shoots' remarkable
change of ll'OUt can onl\ be explained
by the following : Two wi cks ago he
went lo New York Oily to take depo
sitions in the Tobacco Trust ease.
Senator L'oraker, representing the To
bacco Trust, was there, lie accom
panied l-'oraker to Washington, l-'or
aker's bill creating an additional l nitod
States JudgCthip in Ohio bad pnS8cd
tin; Senate and was in the IJ.OU30. At
Washington Mr. Sheets announced his
candidacy for the nuW judpcsllip, and
the several other candidate- Withdraw.
Returning to Columbus Judge Sheets
at once arranged to have not only the
Tobacco Trust case, but all the Trusl
cases dismissed. Senator Hann i has
left 110 stone unturned to protect the
trusts.
Tho question of tho spontaneous
C0mbtl8tl00 of liny lias recently been
Investigated by one of Iho otllclals of
the weather bureau, who slates that
fermentation within moist bay may
raHfl the temperature to 374 degrees
Fahrenheit, al which temperature
clover hay will ignite. The best preven
tive to spontaneous combustion is a
rapid ami complete ventilation, by
which the oxidatio 1 anil fermenting
substances aie kept cooled down below
the point of ignition.
CASTOR IA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Aiwsys Bought
Bears the
aijjuutuxocf
BII,I, A IIP STUDIKS HAVING
lie Sees No Reason For It?West
Point Should be Abolished Un
less Hazing is Stopped.
This hazing business at West Point
perplexes inc. I've been try lug to
philosophize upon it and (hid a reason
for it, bid cannot, it it tho most
brutal and senseless thing that young
men calling themselves gentlemen were
ever guilty of. The evidence already
submitted has shocked the nation, and
it it cannot be stopped the nation is
ready nghl now to abolish the institu
tion. It is a disgrace to humanity,
lint what concerns me is to (lud a
plausible reason for it?an excuse or u
palliation. The ha/crs say that it is
to try a young man's metal, Iiis cour
age That is false, of course, for it re
quires no metal or courage lo stand
guard over a dead "at or march along
side a Untie or terrapin. The whole
course of treatment is one of devilish
cruelly and insanity. Wo are tod that
sonic of those hazers were considered
very g.1. kindhunrtod boys at home
before they wem to that lunatic asy
lum, ami hence it must lie thai associa
tion has deranged them like il iliil for
awhile at Yale anil Harvard ami other
Northern colleges.
A crowd of boys away off from borne
iuduut.CC will do what no one hoy will
wish or dare to do at home or abroad.
1 had a dog once who was faithful and
kind a good waich dog and fond of
my children. 1 owned a Hock of sheep
and he projected them, hut when other
dogs from the neighborhood i a no after
him iu the dead hour of night ami
gave the sign lie would go with them
two or three miles and help to kill a
score of sheep and he hack at Ids post
on the piazza by daylight. I would
not believe it for a long lime, but the
neighbors came and touud wool in his
teetli ami he bad to be killed. 1 tcckotl
that's what the mallei with thosegood
boy hazors. They have got wool in
their teeth and to my opinion, lin y
ought to he treated like the French
man did his dog. lie wanted to break
him ol sucking e^'gs, sii he hung him
by the bind tegs to n )i i b and let him
swing for a day or two. A neighbor
said: "Why don't you hang him by
the neck ami lot lliiU choke 10 dealt! V
?' No, sarc, he said, "me hangs boom
by de legs lo gcvc liccm lime to link
vat a tain rascal be vas." Those ha/.ei'S
ought lo be buug by their hind logs
until they had time to repent.
The catalogue of cruel and ridicu
lous tilings that those cowards inllict
upon n freshman is fearful, .'some of
them are unlii for publication. 1 say
?? cowards'" because it is a maxim that
a cruel man is a coward. If lliey
really Wished to tost a young man's
im tal or courage why don't they shut
him iu a loom ami go in one at a time
ami light him list and skull. They are
cowards, that's all. They WOUldoiit
light a Philippine hand to hand. They
will graduate cowards and smell the
battle from afar, and lot iho privates
do the lighting. They arc of the same
breed as (uncial Miles, who nut the
manacles on Jefferson Davis and tried
to lie out of n. He won Jiis spurs in
Cuba by getting on top of a hill and
crying, " Hoof, beef, beef." He re
minds me of Pat lick Henry's great
speech during ibe first revolution, iu
which he scarified a man lor crying
beef, hoof, beef, while tho patriot- were
lighting lor independence.
1 have hut little patience with the
modern West Pointer. (Jencral (mis
is a fair sample. He whipped the
Filipinos i vory day before the election.
Pay and promotion is their solo nmbl
lion. They are. a sluck up swell set
and would establish a military monarch
if they dared. 1 .sec that sonic follow
is defending General I leorgc t . Thomas
and " Hlack lack " Logan in a New
York paper. Well, 1 know all about
them. I have now in my possession a
letter written to me by Thomas in
which he denounces us all as traitors
and guilty of treason, and says that
treason embodies al) the crimes in the
decalogUC. A dozen of our Homo boys
and girls had improvised a tableau per
formance in the city hall to raise a little
money to pay lor replacing pulpits and
pews iu tin- city churches. The sncri
iegiollS vandills had gutted the churches
and used tho pews for horse troughs
and the churches for storage of corn
and oats. One of the scenes in the
tableau was a hnttlcileld aller the battle
and an old Confederate llag was lying
down on the lloor. For this the\ were
all arrested and the play broken up.
As I was then the mayor of tho poor
little war-torn town 1 wrote a respect
fill letter to Thomas asking I u their
release, and asserting that nodisresnccl
was intended, le condescended to
release them, inn scnrilicd us and all
Iho South iu contemptuous and con
leinplible language, and warned us
that a rebel (lag was the most odious
emblem of treason and must not he ux?
bibited iu public nor harbored in pri
vate. Well, the Light Guards havi.I
I he old banner yet and sllOW il when
they please,
I had not forgotten that in 18.VI two
cavalry regiments won- organized and
added to the United Stales army by
Jefferson Davis, tho secretary of war.
and that Thomas was a major m one of
thom and of the (lfty-ono commissioned
ofheers ihirty-ono wore from Iho South,
and of these there were twenty-four
who joined tin Confederacy. Among
these were Robert Ii. Leo, Albert Sid
ncj Johnston, Joe K Johnston, Ilardcc.
Van Dorn, Kirby Smith, Hood ami
Fitzhugh Lcc What a galaxy of trai
tor- was thcro. Rut L'homtia was not
among Ihcm. If thoro was any treason
In; was a tiaitor to Ins State. As lor
Logan, let tho old veterans of \'in
ccnnosle 1. Sawn recentlcttci frotnono
of them uarrntlnj?hon he tried to raise
a regiment in Kentucky to light on our
side, but could not get but three sick
ly companies and gave it Ut). Rut I
forbear. Lot me stop a while and give
my Indignation rest, if it was not
raining I would go out and dig some
or ( hop some wood. Dogon'-cm. Con
found 'em.
Hu? 1 was considering this hazing
business- this drinking tabasco and
pepper sauce and going through con
tortions until the poor victim faints or
' has convulsions. The dietlotifliy calls
it physical persecution, and George W.
Curtis, the editor of Harper s Weekly,
denounces tho wholo system ar a bru
tal and contemptible dental of fair
i
T<> produce the best results
in fruit, vegetable or grain, th<
fertilizer used iiuist contain
enough Potash. I or partic
ulars sec our pamphlets. We
SCnd them tree.
< IF.RMAN KAU \V< >KKS,
?y_J N.Is--.Ill Si., Nett V.ilk.
piny. And ycl it is allowed and wink
ed at by UlO U(lice 1*8 in clinvgo and no
doubt the investigation ol tho llooz
easo will nil blow ovor and end in
StUoko. I wonder it' our Southom
cadets johl in it. Wo have never bad
any hn/.iug in Southern colleges that I
know of. I remember when Iho soph
omores and juniors. used to play some
little nicks i>n the freshnien, but they
were not cruel or dangerous.
I rem ember when Voting What ley
camo to Athens from Tnllndegnj Ala.,
With his father's wagon and camped
out at night while on tho journey, lie
was a country l??\ and bad on a suit of
homc-ui ide jeans outside and plenty
of 'Mit inside. ? 'no i veiling after
study loons the sophs and juniors
combined to scare Iho freshmen who
were timid and green and homesick,
and so one big follow pretended to
take laughing gas or Other, and alter
sucking a while on a hiludkurchicl be
got maniacal and threw bis arms about
in a wild frenzy and distorted bis coun
tenance suddenly ho drew a big, long
butcher kulfc from his bosom and tho
knowing ones shouted, 1 Uun hoys,
run; ho a got a knife," ami tin y all run
OXCCpl Whatiey. Ho bnldlj stood Ins
ground and seized a good Bized stone,
and as the crazy boy got within a few
feet of him and was brandishing his
knife young What ley let ilv with tin
stone and knocked the breath out of
him. We thought he was dead and a
doctor was sent for in a hurry. Thai
was the last trick played on the fresh
men while I was in college. Whatiey
never put on any an- about it, but ilO
took lir-l honor all the same and be
came colonel ol a icgimctll dining the
war, and, I think, was killed ill battle.
1 wish we had some Southern What
leys at West Point.
Alter all, i is the officers of an In
stituii'ii who moid the character of
the boys und man Mill can't,
mol 1 n ho ought to resign. I was
greatly gratified to road that Prosier*
Hardy, who is at tbo bead ol t' .
culturnl and McehtMdonl college in
Mississippi, where then- uro 10U stu
dents, made a request of them some
months ago thai they would quit Bmok
Ing, ami all of thorn said "yes, wo will
-?we will do anything you ask us to
do." Ami since then not a cigar or
cigaroltc has boon sou m that, splen
did institution. Those young inen uro
gentlemen, ami we are prott'l of them.
Hi i.i. A IIP,
A MEMORIAL TO CONGRESS.
Lending Citizens oi Manila Ask
Congress for Independence.
Senator Toiler, of Colorado, created
a sensation ill the United States Son
ale, on the 11 it It insl. by presenting n
memorial from the Filipinos which de
clares that liberty oi death is tho fato
Of 8.000,000 people who will never sur
render to American arms.
Mr. Toller presented a memorial
from 2,000 "Filipinos and peaceful in
habitant-" ol Manila. The memorial
was in the form ol an appeal to the
Congress of the United States, and as
Mr. TcUer stated, was "signed per
sonally by the loading people of Manila,
lawyers, bankers and professional moil
representing the host t lomonls of that
community.1'
It paid a high tribute to tho w?lk of
Aguinahlo and bis coadjutors in their
endeavor to obtain Indepi lldcuco for
the people of the Philippine-.
Reference was made to somo of tin:
principal ovonts ol tho present revolu
tion agninsl American authority, tin:
the petition urging thai tho American
troops had failed to make i serious im
pression upon the revolutionary party.
It pointed Olli lllttl AgtliUuldO bad
declared ho might lose tho hopo of
victory, but he would not lose the hope
of dying for tho liberty and Indepen
dence of his people.
It point- out that the revolutionist
support practically all the people of the
Philippin l and declare*, though 100
revolutionists bo destroyed 1,000 will
rise Up to support the light tor indepen
dence. All ol the islands of tin
archipelago, -ays the memorial, uro
supporting the revolution and they
will not yield until the lasl drop of
Filipino blood has boon shed.
Thf Filipino nation, tin; memorial
continues bearing in miml iho history
ol America ami its humanitarian
doetlines, asks the government ol the
United States to const) 11 persecution
of ini'ii struggling lo bo 11 co struggling
against greater odd and greater
wrongs than those wh c'i inspired the
lathers of the republic,
Tim I hey ask in I he name of Wash
ington, oi Jefferson, of Lincoln, In the
name of justice and in the name of the
God eternal.
The npi onl declares that autonomy
simitar to thai enjoyed by Canada or
Australia would not be acceptable to
the Filipinos who dc no full liberty
ami independence and they urge, the
government of the United States to
give thom liberty and independence
When the rending Of Iho memorial
had been concluded Mr. Teller asked
that it bo printed as a document.
"I object," said Mr. Ilawley, of
Connecticut, "it is a treasonable de
nunciation of our government auel an
attack upon our soldiers."
A