University of South Carolina Libraries
VOL XVII. ' ?' LAUKENS, S. 0,, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1902. N0 45 IT WAS A QUIET AND ORDERLY MEETING AT DONNALDS. Opening of the Campaign in the State. . TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE IN ATTENDANCE. The Caiididutes Were NumeroiiH and the Issue** Were Few. The political meeting at Donnald's on Saturday was attended by a large crowd, probably two thousand persons, and by nearly every caudidato for State, Congressional and Senatorial offices. The regular State catnpaigu did not open until Tuesday, tbe opeu iug meetings of which were held at Columbia and Sumter, and the moot ing at Donnald's was a prelude, a kiud of dress parade, so to speak, which bad been arranged for tho convenience of tbe people m tho corners of Abbe ville, Anderson, Greenville, Laurens and Greenwood counties. 11 was at tended by a larger crowd probably thau will attend any meeting this sum mer, and for that reason was a most important one. AH of the cuadidates for Govoruor, four of the candidates for iho Uuited States Senate, all the Congresional candidates in tbe .'trd district, and a great many of iho candidates for the minor State offices wero on band. The crowd was a good natured ono, and tho day passed off pleasantly and harmoni ously. A barbecue was given by pri vate persons and a very creditable col ored brass band from Jjaurena County furnished music for the nwisltu; The principal interest seem d t * be con. tred in the speeches of the candidates for Governor. Col. Talbert was the first speaker. He declared that this gathering re minded him of some of the old Alli ance caiup-tneetings. He declared that a candidate for any efllce, panic larly that of Governor, ought to Ural examine himself and see if he has the manhood to (ill the place. Ho stated his opposition to the use of money in elections. He declared that he is a candidate on his record and on his meritp, and is opposed to political con spiracies and the use of monoy in elections. It will he a sad day when wealth will be an embargo on those who as epire to oflice. II.; deplored the fact that the campaigns are becoming so expensive, for this will eventuate in injury to the poor man. He opposed the trusts. We need statutory laws which will put a resiralut ou the com binations of capital. He wants to see factories built. While capital should be given protection, we don't want a new political school to be brought in with capital. There should be uo con. diets between the corporations and the people, between labor and capital. It is impossible for a small amount of capital to compass large enterprises, but there should be restrictions on the combinations of capital. The betterment of our public roads is no longer a local matter, but a na tional question. The government is making inquiry into the methods of building roads. The towns and the country should be divided in nothing, and in building better public roads they should be particularly united. It would require some taxation, but one dollar spent would mean ten dollars in return in bentlits. He next touched upon the question of education. He is in favor of all of the schools and colleges. He would not lake one brick out of a single col lege and would rejoice if there were more. But he wants to see a better public school system. This system should be so reformed and built up that a good Etglish education can be f;iven every white child. He would ike to seo the common school made the high\i ay leading up from tho poor man's door to the highest offices in the land. There are two races and one . must dominate the other. The ballot and the spelling book must be taken away from the negro. Let the negro go to the fields where he belongs; let him pay his teachers qs he does his preachers, and let the white man's taxes go to educating the white man's children. Col. Talbert was listened to very attentively. He told some jokes, bat not as many as usual as his time was short. Cnpt. Heyward was Introduced as a " prominent planter of Colltton Coun ty." He commented on the presence of so many ladies. They should hike an interest iu the affairs of the com monwealth. The housewifo dues more to control the destinies of a nation than does the platform of any party. Some might inquire why does he aspire to the office of Governor ? lie said there were a variety of reasons which he might give, but like tho little negro who gave his reason for being a Republican, be is in tho race because he wants the oflice. He is running on his own merits. If he can't get it on his merits he would like to see the office given to a bettor man. He would not attack or refer un kindly to any of bis competitors. He wanted to see South Carolina prosper agriculturally, commercially and indus trially. The past year baa been the hardest the farmers have had to deal With, and all prosperity depends on the success of the farmer. Appropriation of public money should be done moat carefully and judiciously uuder such circumstances. The dispensary law has been the/ issue for years, but it has been settled. He did not know whether or not the dispensary would be an issue, but he favored the law as tho best solution of the liquor problem, and should it be his good fortune to be elected Governor he would seek to do his duly and to enforce the law. The main question confronting the people now is education. A republic like oars mutt look for its welfare to I the enlightenment of its people. The school house is today the best factory for producing true citizenship. It is mandatory upon the General Assembly to provide for the common schools, while It is left to the law makers' dis cretion what to do with the colleges. He favors the State colleges, but the conditions there seem satisfactory now and the conditions in the common schools are not satisfactory. He wants to see the people thoroughly aroused on the subject of the common schools. Sie spoke in Opposition to the trusts. Wo all favor capital, but wo waut to see capital come amoug us and be used iu a legitimate way. Should he be elected Governor of South Carolina he would do his utmost to see the illegitimate combinations of capital proporly handled, aud ho would confer with tho Legislature on that subject in order that the best interests of the State might bo conserved. Tho next Bpeakor was Dr. W. H. Timmerman, who said that like the lean dog he is good for a long race. Dr. Timmel man said ho had not' ex pected to make a speech, as ho thought the time would be taken up by the can didates for the Senate, all long-winded fellows. He is not a stranger iu South Caroliua. Ho challongeB the closest scrutiny into hia private life and publie career. He would make the campaign dealing in a moat kindly way with his opponents. lie thought that taxation would not soon be lowered. He haa beou leliably informed that there is very little money in the coffers iu the State treasury, and tho Governor and Treasurer will be ob liged to borrow money with which to conduct the expenses of tho govern, inent. Tho interest, on tho public debt must be paid promptly in otder to maintain the credit of tho State. For that reason he would advise economy in legislation. The policy of the Stato is settled on the <inest ion of education. The col leges deserve and will receive the sup port which has been given them. The rural districts are in need of good roads. Ho views with alarm the exodus of tho peoplo from the farms, and believes that good roads and good schools would help to reclaim the white citizenship for the country dis tricts. He called attention to tho danger of negroes haviug the controlling influ ence in politics on account of our reg istration laws. The white children I ought to get nu education, or as much as thoy can. For it is possible that with a division among tho whiles the negroes might be used as the balance of power. lie slated (hat he wants the office of Governor for one term and ono term only. Ho claimed an experience which nono of his competitors had enjoyed, in both branches of the General Assembly, as State trctisurer, member of the sink ing fund commission, etc. He concluded by sayiug with deep feeling that he Iovcb his native State and would be rejoiced to bo its chiof executive. Tho several candidates for G over nor will receive a flattering vote here, al though the favorite sceme to be Mr. M. F. Ansel, the formor solicitor of this circuit. Ho spoke with much vigor and was in tho home of old friends. Mr. Ansel said he was no stranger here. These people had looked into his face many times, even wheu thoy did not want to. He thanked the people of this judicial circuit for the honors they had in tbe pant bestowed upon him. Tho office of Governor has its duties and its responsibilities as well as its honors. He declared that he had not boen fortunate enough to got all of the edu cation he wanted, and he is an advocate of tducatiou, education of the hearts and of the hands. A great tidal wave of education is passing over this coun try, and wo must get in the swim or get loft. The old field school has left its influences upon tbe country, and these influences could be enlarged if more time and more interest should be given the common schools today. He would in the campaign appeal for the education of tho children to make bet ter citizens. He said that ho is in the race to the finish notwithstanding the fact that it had been rumored tbat he had withdrawn. Good n>a<h is a hobby with him, and he advocated good roads for the State. We have railroads and street cars, but we want something for the people at large. He said that he had often won dered what would be the value of the wagons and vehicles ruined by running over rocks and roots and-ruts. Thero are a great many convicts in this country, why not use them to make good roads? Build 0 little bit at a time and eventually all of the highways will be macadamized. If this kind of work had been begun 40 years ago we would have had good roads now. After con cluding his speech, Mr. Ansel went out among his friends and showed tho other candidates a few things in the art of hand shaking. Jt had been reported that Col. J. H. Till iimn would bo on the defensive, but he started out by twitting his oppon ents for not discussing the dispensary law. Dr. Timmerraan replied that it is not | an issue and everybody knows where ho stands ; Col. Talbert dcrh.??-?<! him. self in favor ot the law and said his timo for speaking had been limited, and Mr. Heyward stated he had al ways favored the law. Mr. Ansel stated that he is in favor of the law properly enforced. Mr. Tillman then took another tack and said that Talbert is asking for oflice on the ground that he has been in oflice for twenty-two years: Dr. Tinnum man has had one for twelve years, Mr. Ansel for ten or twelve years, and Capl. I toy ward had never bad one, but wants this one mighty bad. He discussed the antiquity of some of Col. Talbert's jokes. The rest of his 'time was devoted to the charges made against him by the editor of The State, who, he said, was so biased that he attacked the whole Methodist conference and stigmatized the Hev. E. O. Watson with having told a falsehood because there had been some talk of moving a college from Columbia. It could then be under stood how the editor of The Slate could attack him (Til I man) in an article of three and oue-half columns, supple mented by an editorial, merely because his name is Tillman. Col. Tillman evidently forgot that his father, the late Col. George D. Till man. never had a more loyal or de. a voted a friend than this saino Editor Gonzales. This part of his speech was adroit and artful and was a must skillful play, but it did not deceivo anybody. lie did not answer, or at tempt to answer Editor Gonzales's specific charges about tho Fryo and Henderson telegrams and, as Buch, his speech was a distiuct disappointment to Ins friends, and he hai somo pre sent. He charged the editor of The State with having deliberately suppressed a part of tho Senate journal in publish ing tho exposure. That part of tho Senate journal to which ho referred wan a question of personul privilege on Feb. 14, after the question had boen passed upon by the committeo on rules. He then read this statement from the journal, which had nothing whatever to do with Editor Gonzulos's charge that Tillman had inserted a falsehood in that statement and had uttered from his chair as presiding ollicer of tho Senate an untruth in regard to the Fryo and Hendersou telegrams; "This mau Gonzales is actuated by spite and malice,'* he exclaimed dramatically, "lie. is a modorn Ishmaelite, whose hand is against overy man and every man's hand is against him." Tillmnn thou took up tho Jenkins sword incident, and said in substance: " Jenkins is a gallant young South Caroliniau. 1 th-night his splendid services desorved recognition at tho hands of the people of this State, and L raised a fund to preaeut him with a sword, and had invitod the President to deliver it. 1 was not as familiar then as I am now with Roosevelt's public uttorauccs, but I say now that if 1 had known that ho had branded Jefferson Davis as an nrch traitor and had compared him to Benedlot Arnold, that invitation uovor would bavo been extoudoit. Hut 1 did not know it. Well, aftor that in vital ion had been issued you know what happened. An important incident occurred in the Senate and, as a result of it, Roosevelt withdrew an iuvitalion ho had extend ed to Senator Tillman to an official din ner at the Whito House. That was an iusult to a South Carolina Senator, to tho State of South Carolina, to my own blood, and I have no apologies to offer for what 1 did. I would have withdrawu that invitation to deliver the sword if Roosevelt had boon a King. I have no apology to offer to anybody for having withdrawn the in vitation to Roosevelt to deliver the Jenkins sword." Heretofore Col. Tillman has always claimed that ho withdrew the invita tion to President lloosovclt, " at the request of suuBcribors to the Jenkins fund," but on this occasion he assumed full responsibility fur hia action, and ditl not say anything about any " sub scribers " or any one elso haviug asked him to take the step. Tillmau's ref erence to the sword incident was not altogether unfavorably received, but the other parts of his speech were dis appointing aud damaging, aud, on the whole, ho made an unfavorable im pression. He had a number of friends iu the crowd and thoy were ready to make a demonstration in his favor, but hia speech waa so lamo and fulilo that they could not do so. THK SENATORIAL OANI>ll>ATK8. Mr. Latimer was tho drat of the can didates for the Senate. His Orst speech, an Alliance apeech, had been made in Donnalds he said. He had been sent to Congress to rcproocnt the principles advocated by tho Alli ance men, and he is now aspiring for higher honors on his record in Con gress. He said that ho had no attack to make upon any one, hut he had heard that there wero candidates who would assail him. In regard to national poli tics, ho declared his opposition to the ship subsidy. Ho thought the marine laws of this country ought to be aiueuded, but he stigmatized the ship subsidy as a steal. In reference to the free dcHveiy, he cited the results of his efforts to the end that no Congressional district in tho South has more free delivery car riers. He denied that he had been partial to Anderson County. When he, went to CongrosB he got but il,000 packages of seed, and now through his own efforts ho is getting 14,000 pack ages for his district, or 100,000 addi tional for tho wholo State. Ho had al so gotten more agricultural bulletins for his constituents. His record in Congress had not been that of a con stitutional lawyer on tho floor, but that of a business man. He said that men went into tho primary in 1802 under solemn oath to abide tho results of the primary, aud after he had been elected they had gone to Washington and had called him a Populist and had kept him from nominating postmasters, etc. Some of the number left the State and arc just now slipping back. He spoke vigor ously and had friends in tho crowd. Col. Elliott thanked thoso present for the invitation to him. Ho said it was a healthy sign to see the people taking an interest in public mattors, as their presence provod. Light vot ing and indifference produced rings. Tho voters in this State are the only onos who vote directly on tho candi dates for Senator. The Constitution requires that the election should be by the Legislature, but under party gov ernmont. the primary nomination meant the election. This was as it should be, and Col. Elliott said he had always favored tho election of Senators directly by the people. Ho had voted for It in the House where it was al. most unanimously favored. It would be impossible, he said, at a meeting like this, to discuss public is. sues now ponding. That was for the I campaign, and tho platform of the party especially framed in the State oonventlon with a view to this elec tion ; all the candidates were pledged to sustain it, and thero could, there, fore, be no difference between them. 1 For himself, Col. Elliott said, he en. dorsed each and every plank in It. He thought it proper he should tell something of himself and he then re viewed his war record, his services on Oov. Pickens' staff, in the attack on Sumtor, in the battle of Manassas, campaign on the Peninsula, Seven Days' light, Second Manassas, Sharps, burg, and in Vleksburg as adjutant Igeneral to Oen. Stephen D. Lee, and in battle of Baker's Creek, Harrisburg, 28lh July, and JoneBboro, Franklin, Nashville, Kin: ton and llonlonville, besides many other of the Biualler lights. When ho had entered Congross iu 188(5, the district haviug been repre sented by negroes, there was a total neglect of the interests of tho people. His (list work was to inako a personal examinal ion of tho uuvigablo rivors, with a viow to huvo them improved by tho government. Hivor aud harbor improvements arc of groat benefit to farmers, as it enables thorn to get thoir produco to market quickly and cheaply, as river trauspoitatiou is cheaper lhau railroad. Wiuyah bay was soou opeued up, and the benefit was fell over half tho State. Tho improve* meut has extended higher aud higher, aud the good work is being felt eveiy where. If ho was sent to the Senate he would dovote especial attention to -ivor improvements, of which he had i lie a special study aud to which he hud given years of work, anil give his best effortB towards doing for tho Slate what ho had been doing for his dis. trict. The forost reserve bill in the Houso of Representatives he had supported because ho thought it would bo of vital benefit to tho people in preventing freshets, regulating rainfall and pre vent the cutting aud washing away of land. Much of the most valuable land in the State was not planted because tho freshets rendered it impossible, and the freshets had increased to an a'ai ining extent since the mountain forests had been cut away. Ho said this was the most important measure aud should be strougly taken up. Mr. J. J. Hemphill, tho noxt spcak or, said he liked a prumising man ?of some kind. But tho candidalos who had preceded him had promisod every thing and had claimed to have ac complished all the reBt, and it left him nothing to do. Ho devoted himself to the topic of expansion. Tho Demo crats aro expansionists, but the He publicans go too far iu that direction. Tho Democrats bcliove iu expansion of commerce and mauufactuics. He told a nurabir of bright jokes to illustrate Yankee ingenuity and inven tive genius and declared that all they want the Philippines for is to make money out of them. Is it to Christianize these people that Gen. Jacob Smith is sending to their death all males ovor ten years of age in ono of the pro vinces? We have couutry enough uow; we have far uioro land than wo can comfortably tako care of, and yet they want us to murder people 111 order that we may get their territory. The roason why German and other nations must expand is because the population there is so douse. They have 4u0 persons to tho square mile while we havo but 21. In regard to tho ship subsidy he ex pressed himself very unequivocally. He denounced this system of giviug money to Tom Jones and prefacing the bill with a " whereas tho farmers are poor," etc. Where does it benefit the farmer ? How are wo going 10 remedy these matters? By a more general turning out of the voters on election day. He has always been a membor of tho pre cinct club at Chester, he attends his precinct meetings and attends the meet ings of the convention when ho is sent there. The people ought to take the time to go to the polls, (io to the polls and vote, for tho man you think best litted to represent you. Mr. Hemphill made a decided impression. A splendid oratorical exhibition was the speech of Col. Gco. Johnstone, of Nowbeiry, who had been saved to the last in order to hold the crowd. He told how tho government had bought I roni the effoto kingdom of Spain the Philippine, islands, 7,000 of whose peo ple, worship our (Jod. They say wo aro trying to Christianize them. Can a corpse, be Christianized ? Herod gave orders for all under two years of age to be killed, and (ion. Jacob Smith issued orders for all over ton years to be killed. With biting sarcasm Col. Johnstouo denounced this kind of method for spreading Christianity. Ho denounced the proposed ship subsidy as an effort to direct attention from the proposed Isthmian canal. He de dared that if a ship subsidy is granted it will not help a single south Atlantic port, while the Isthmian canal would build up nil ports from New Orleans to Norfolk. He deplored tho fact that tho trend of affairs is toward a monarchy nnd away from a government of the people, as shown by Roosevelt's inauguration as compared with Jefferson's Demo cratic procedure. He painted a glowing picture of the progress of the" South in the past twonty-ilve years and called this tho future seat of power iu the Uuited States. He closed amid choors and thus closed a peaceful and pleasant meeting. An Old Monky ORDRR.?Tho postoffico department is in a quandary as to what to do with a money order which has heuu presented by Ropro sontativo Landis. Tho ordor was made in April, 1820, by Asa Baker, at Mooresville, Ind., and made paya ble to Robert Mai tin. Tho amount is f 15. Receutly an heir of Martin pre sented the order to Postmastor Charlos Smith, of WestOeld, Ind., for collec tion. The postoflice at Moorosviilo is no longer in existence, which accounts for tho order being presonted at West field, the nearest office Postmaster Smith did not know what to do with the order, and had it sent to Repro sentalive Landis. When he present ed it to tho posloffioo officials thoy were very much surprised. Thoy said they did not know the monoy or dor system was inaugurated at such an early dale. The order appears to be genuine and tho officials have taken it up for consideration and will try to! find some way to pay tho claim. CASTOR IA For Infants and Children. The Kind You Have Always Bought THE APPALACHIAN RESERVE. SliN &.TOK DEPKW'S SPEECH. The Preaervatlou of Our Foreata Huh Jteen Too Long Neglect ed. The Senate bill for tho purchase of a natioual forest lescrvo in the South ern Appalachian mountains, to be known as the (<Nntional Appalachian Forest Itcsorve," which had been heartily commended lo the considera tion of Congross, was uuJor considera tion in the Senate when Mr. Chauncey M. Depew, of New York, a member of tho committee in charge of the bill, mado a strong and argumentative speech in behalf of the plan. lie said that tho results of an investigation by the committee were so convincing and satisfactory that legislation seemed to be imperative, and then he continued as follows: Nature has heon so prodigal in hor gifts of forests to the United ?States that tho important question of their preser vation has been neglected too lo ? Tho attacks of the settlers upon woods for clearings and a homo have been indiscriminate and waslbful in tho extreme. The sottlers aro not to blame, nor are the lumbermen. The destruction which has been going on with such frightfully increasing rapid ity during the last lifty years is due to a lack of that government supervision in tho interest of tho whole poople which can only come from education aud experience. The lumberman wishes to reali/.o at once upon his pur chase, aud as a rule vast fortuues aro made iu deforesting the land. Rail roads are ruu into the woods, all the appliances of modem inventions and machinery are at work, and this mag niilcenl inheritance is being squander ed with a rapidity winch is full of peril for the future. Intelligent couservatiou of tho for ests of the country is the bighorn evi dence of its civilization. Tho climate, the soil, the productive capacity of the farm, the equability of the rainfall and the bcneliccnt How of the stroam3 are all dependent upon the science of forestry. We have wisely sot apart already in the West 41 naliotal re serves?about 40,000,000 acres. One of them is already paying expenses and yielding a slight revenue The exocriouce of the older coun tries of the world is of great value in Ibis investigation. Forestry has been practiced in Uermany for hundreds of years. Except for this wise and thoughtful caro by tho government, the fatherland would be wholly unable to sustain its crowded population. Twenty-six per cent, of the laud of that country is in forests, of which the government owns two-thirds. Wo have left ia our country only '20 per cent, of our territory iu woods. Ger many has special schools of forestry for the education of her youth iu this science. The you in; forester is taught all that books and lectures cau give, and then is placed in a course of from three to seven years in the practical application of hin work and personal study upon the ground. In that way ho becomes better fitted for his career. The goverment not only cares for its own forests, but it briugs under its su pervision, laws, and rules those of pri vate owners. In France 17 per cent, of the coun try is in tho forest, of which the gov ernment owns ono-ninth. Tho ruin caused by floods and by the drying up of streams from deforesting tho moun tain sides led one of the ablest states men of Franco, Colbert, during the reign of Louis XIV, to prepare and put in force a code of forest laws. Under this code, as perfected, all the forests in France, whether owned by the government, by commuues, or by individuals, aro under the direct su pervision and control of tho depart ment of agriculture. Tho same is truo in Italy, iu Switz erland, and in Austria. European governments aro going still further in the lino of forest preservation. Tho Italian government found that their vallloy farms were heing destroyed by the Hoods which in the rainy season poured down from their deforested mountain slopes. They came to the conclusion that it would he true econo. my for Italy to reforest these h.lls. They have arranged for the expendi ture of $12,000,000, and this reforests only 500,000 acres. Fiance, feeling the same disastrous effects upon her agriculture and from the same cause, expended $12,000,000 in tho roforest iug of H0O,U00 acres, and has made ar rangements for the expenditure of $28,000,000 more to compleio her plan. It costs for this reforesting $24 an aero in Italy and $50 an acre in '.?Vance. Notwithstanding this largo expenditure, it will he a harf century hoforo tho full benelit of the reforest ing can be felt. It will he many gen erations before the soil in tho wouds will have acquired that quality of ab Sorption ana rotontion of the wator whichmakcs It both a reservoir and a protection for tho farms below. Tho proposition before us is not to reforest at $24 an acre, as in Italy, or at $50 an acre, as in France, but at an exponso of about $2 an acre to preserve the forests which have been forming for over a thousand years iu trees and soil. Scientific forestry in Germany, Franco, and Italy gathers an annual crop from tho trees which have reach ed tho point whore they aro commer cially valuable aud can be cut, not only without injury to, but, on the con tra y, for the benefit of the whole for est, of from $1 to $5 an aore por yoar net. after paying all the expenses of their care. There are many villages in Ger many which pay all their taxes from tho revenue derived annually from for ests which they own, while other com munities which sold or deforested their o< nunon lands have poor lands and are pauperized by their burdens. Switzerland presents for our moun tain regions a remarkable illustration of the necessity as well as of the bene fit of forest culture. The Swiss dis covered centuries ago that with the de foresting of their steep mountain sides after every rainfall the soil was wash ed down into tho valleys and ran off in the streams and that their country was likely to become a desert. Thoy were the pioneers in this industry of industries. Aseaily as the beginning of 1300 they had a complete system of forest preservation and control. In tho six hundred years of which thoy have bad the records they have brought their system to such perfection that the Swiss forests not only are the salva tion of Swiss agriculture, both ou the hillsides and in the valleys, but thoy yiold net to tho govornmout $8 per acre a year. It is a form of roveuue which is not subject to accideuts, but can be realized upon with absolute cer tainty under all circumstauces. For ests under such conditions are a per petual and increasing mine of wealth to the government on the one hand and to the whole people on the other in their influence upon farms and har vests and upon industries. While 46,000,000 acres of land have been rescued to tho West, there lias been nothing done in the Fast. Tho country had a superb property, unique in every way, unequalled for richness and rarity and for the value of its product, in tho redwood forests of the Pacific slope. Through carelessness simply Congress yielded to tho Bhrewd representations of the speculator, who under that homestead plea, which is properly so attractive to the American, secured tho enactment of laws by which any settler couiu secure 160 acres iu these forests of priceless value Then came tho harvest of tho lumber men. Fach of their employees staked out 1 t.i) acres. The Bailors upou (he vessels that carried off their lumber woro induced to make claims for their l <iti acres each, and tho land was then transferred to the lumbor companies, until, for a mero song, this magnifi cent inheritance of the people fell in to the hands of different corporations who aro mercilessly destroying the timber. Negligence of this kind on the part of Congress becomes almost a crime. Those wonderful woods should havo becu preserved, not for speculators and bogus settlers, but for tho whole peo ple of the country. Ttioy would, under scientific forest management, havo been for all time to come not only self-supporting and rcvenuo produciug, they would have been more?they would have been tho source of supplies of wood for all purposes for the inhab itants of tho Pacific coast. They would have been additions to tho rural Bccnery, which iu every State aud country, when attractive, helps culture aud civilization. They would have been the home of game, whero sports men could have found health and pleasure. Hut, instead, the land will become an arid waste, the streams will dry up, and the country will lose not only one of its best possessions, but there will be indicted incalculable damage upon a vast region which otherwiso would have remained always full of happy homes and cultivated farms. The Appalachian forost reserve as proposed in the pending measure is about 150 miles in lengt hand of varying breadth. It is from 400 to 000 feet above the sea. It runs through the States of Virginia, Virginia, North Wcat and South Carolina, (ioorgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. The slopes of these mountains are very steep, varying from '20 at the lowost to 40. The waters which flow from tho perpetual streams, fed by the perpetual springs, run on the one side to the Atlantic and 011 the other to the Gulf of Mexico. The streams from this mountain forest are the tributaries of these important rivers: The James, tho lloanoke, the Oatawba, the Savannah, the New ( K a..awha), the Tennessee, the French Broad, the Coosa, the Yadkin, the Chattahoocheo, the Broad, the Hi was see, the Nolichucky, the i'igeou, the Tuckascegee, the Watauga, and the Holsten. The region affected by these streams is from 100 to 150 miles in width on the Atlantic side, and more than that on the other, it comprises part of the richost agricultural country in the United States. The timber iu this forest is all hard wood, and is the largest body of hard wood on the North American continent. It is a museum of forest growth, embracing, on ac count ot its location, the woods which can be grown in temperate, semitropi cal, and tropical countries. There are 1.T7 varieties, making this forest one of the most interesting in the world. The deep soil has been forming for a thous and years or moro, and in its interlac ing of treo roots and humus, of grass and leaves, there has been created an unormotiB spongo for tho absorption, retention, and distribution of the rain fall. The raiufall in this region is greater than in any other part of the United States except the North Pacific coast. It ranges from 00 to 100 inches a year. The downpour at ono timo durine tho past year was 30 inches. Whero the furcate aro intact tho walor finds its way through Una thick and porpus soil, goes into tho crevicoB of tho rocka and into the gulchcaa nnd forma springs and rivulots. Naturo, alwnya beneflcont in hor operation, so arranges thia vast collodion of tho rainy season that dur ing tho rest of tho year it llows out naturally and equably through the rivulots into the stroams and through the streams into the rivers, and wators and fertilizes half a dozen States. The results of an attack upon this fortress, created by nature for tho protection and onrichment of the peo ple, is moro disastrous than tho sweep of an invading army of savages over a thickly populated and fortilo country. Thoy kill, they carry off captives, they burn and they destroy, but after the war the survivors return to their homes and iu a few years every vest<ge of the ruin has disappeared. In its place Here are again cities, villages, and happv people. But the lumberman selects a tract of hard-wpod foreBts upon the Appalachian mountains. Tne trees, young and old, big and little, surrender to the ax and the saw. Then the soil is sold to the farmer, who finds abun dant harvests in its primeval richness. For about three years he gathers a re lunneratlve atid satisfactory harvest, but ho sees, as the enormous rainfall descends, his faini gradually dlsappoar. At the end of three years he can no longer plant crops, but for two years more, if lucky, he may bcahlc to graze hiB stock. At the cud of live years the rains and tloods have washed clean the mountain sides, have left nothing but the bare rocks, have reduced his farm to a desert, and created a ruin which can never be repaired. But this is not all. That farm has gone down with tho torrents, which have been formed by the cutting off of the protecting woods, into the streams below. It has cauued them to spread over the farms of the valleys and plateaus. It has tuined these peace ful waters into roaring Hoods, which have plowed deep and destructive gullies through fertile iields and across grassy plains. One frebhet iu tho Catawba fiver last spring, occasioned wholly by the deforesting of tho moun tains, swopt awaya million ami a hafl dollars' worth of farms, buildings, and slock. Tho damage done by tho freshet of hmt year alone, in the largo territory fed by the streams and rivera which came from those mountains, was estimated at over $18,000,(100. This destruction can not be repealed many years without turning into a desert tho fairest portion of our coun try. This process of destruction ia constantly enlarging because of en croachments upon the foreala on ae count of the growing scarcity of bard wood. Tho lumbermen ere ruuuing light railways so as to reach the here to!* >rc inaccessible depths. Tho giants of tho mountains, which are four or live hundred years of age, and many of them 7 feet in diameter and from 140 to lot) feet high, are falling in in creasing numbers every month beforo the pitiless and ruthless invasion of the ax and the saw. In ten years the destruction will be complelo, the forests will be practically gone, the protecting soil will have been washed olf the hill sides, and the newspapers will bo tilled each year with talcs of disaster to populations, to farms, to villages, and to manufacturing enterprises, occasion ed by unusual and extraordinary rains and tho ton cuts which have been formed by them and llowed down through the valleys. It has been estimated that there is in these mountain streams 1,000,000 horsepower which can be caHily utiliz ed. This means a saving of $30,000, OUO a year in coal alone, which would otherwise have to be usod for tho gen eration of that amount of power for manufacturing purposes. But ft means more. This 1,000,000 horsepower that those streams, which llow equably all the year round because of the nature of the sponge winch forms the reser voir that supplies them, would create an incalculable amount of electrical powor. With the successful demon strations which have boon made in California and Niagara Falls of the distance to which this energy can be transmitted, tho value of these streams, kept in their original condition, to the future of these States can not be estimated. There are in these c n 11. turns all tho elements necessary for transportation, for light and heat, for manufactures and mining, iu a very large section of the Uuited States. Tho proposition iu the bill is to au thorize the Secretary of Agriculture, at an expense not exceeding $10,000, 000, to purchase 4,000,000 acres of these forests. They are held no v in large tracts of from 1,000 to 5,000 acres. They are being rapidly bought up by lumber companies at from 1f l ?50 to i'2 an acre. The owners, a - I am informed, would much prefer selling to the government than to individuals or corporations. Tho reason is obvious. It is estimated by the Department of Agriculture that within live years tho forests would be self-sustaining, and after that a source of increasing revenue for all tim i to come. It is impossible for the States to underlako this work. New York, in order to protect the Hudson and Mohawk, has been purchasing a large domain th ough the Adirondack forests which she proposes adding to every year. Tin? is possible because tho whole territory is within the limits of the Stale of New York. But in the Appa lachian rogion one State can not buy tho forest sources of the streams be cause they are in another State. The Stale which has tho forests can not be expected to go to the expense of pro tecting them in order to preserve the streams and agriculture and industries of adjoining commonwealths. The government docs much in many ways to create wealth for the people. lOvory rivir and harbor bill carries with it millions of dollars to create wealth by dredging harbors, rivers, and streams. Tho irrigation proposi tions which are always before us and some of which have passed the Senate arc also for the creation of wealth by making fertile the lands which have always lain arid. Hero, however, is a proposition not for the creation ol wealth, for its preservation. This is a scheme not for many local improve ments like tho ?70,000,000 public buildings bill or tbo $70,000,000 river and harbor (till, ot the innumerable olhcr bills which wc pitas for localities, but it is a public und bonliccnl measure to keep for future generations in many Stales and ovor a large area the produc tive energies which nature has stored for tho comfort, the living, and Ihe happiness of large populations, and for the woalth of the whole country. 11 differs from all other schemes of governmental aid in another way. The advantages derived by the government from the improvement Of rivers and harbors is incidental and indirect. The same is true of irrigation, of public expenditures of every kind; but in this broad and beneficent scheme the gov ernment piotecU its people by cuter iug upon a business impossible for States or individuals, and which no machinery but that of tho government can carry on, and which tho experience d other countries has demonstrated .vill prove a sourco of porpetual re venue. We have been happy possessors of ?uri> extensive forest territories that wo have not yot, like other nations, felt the poverty of wood. There has not been brought homo to us how de pendent we are upon it for all pur poses in our domestic, home, and busi ness lifo. It would be little short of a national calamity if we should feel Acutely the loss of our wood. Thai his will occur, and wood become so high as to make it a luxury, is certain If this forest denudation goes on. Vre m the cottage of tho poor man nud tho homo and outbuildings of tho fnrmur to tho highly polished woods whoso artistic grainiug ornaments the paluces of the rich, this wise provision of na ture is our necessity. Wo can only keep these hard woods, which ovcry year are becoming scarcer nud moro costly, witliin reasonable reach of the demands of the people by the govern ment entering upon this process of scientilic forestry. lustead of this 15U uilL's of hard-wood forests being de stroyed, as they will bo in ten years unless measures are taken for their preservation, they would under this scheme last forever, and yield annual ly a harvest lor the uses of tho people. A few corporations or individuals may accumulate in a short time large for tunes by edforesting, fortuues which will disappear in a generation or two, but wise ownership, preservation, and administration by the government will give employment, proporty, industries, and homes to multitudes for all time. To sum up briefly, then, this is a work which only can be done by the government of tho United States, it should he done by the government be cause it interests mauy States and iu e lurgo way the people of the whole country. It preserves the hard-wood forests and their product for future gcucration8. It keeps upon the hills and momiiaiu sides the woods whose influence upon < Innate. : mi, and rain tall is most beneficial to a vast terri tory. It prevents mountaiu torrents, which will in time, as the destruction of the forests goes on, turn a large ag ricultural region into a desert. It con serves for manufacturing purposes that enormous water power which will be utilized for a multitude of industries which will givo employment to thous ands and add enormously to the wealth of the country. Instead of being au expense and a drain- -and it would hi* the best expense which tho govern menl could make if that was necessary ?it will bo ono of those benelicep improvements which will shod blof ings everywhere, and at the same tii he sell-sustaining and a sourco of ov lasting revenue to tho government. THE PRESIDENT BUNCOED. Ho in DiRguatctl With Political Experimente i?> This State. The Washington correspondent of The State writes as follows : President Roosevelt is very sore over the failure of his experiment to build up a Republican party in South Caro lina by umii" Senator MoLauriu, and tho indications are that in the distribu tion of Federal ollices in the Palmetto Slate in the future there will bo a new deal. The President in talkiug with Republican Senators has manifested irrilatiou over the trouble he has bad iu tilling the South Carolina ollices, and has expressed iu no uncertain lerms his disappointment over both Senator McLauriuand Mr. .lohn G. Capers who has been acting as Republican referee tor the Stale upon the endorsement of MuLaur.n, When the nomination of Mr. Harris lo be postmaster at Charleston was withdrawn, one of the. leading Repub licans of the Senate called upon the President and asked why this step had been taken. Prosldont Roosevelt ex plained the ditllcultiea surrounding the case of Mr. Harris because of the dis closures of his non-residence and then ho wont on to recite some of the troubles which he had met in endeav oring to fill the South Carolina olliccH, and did not inlnco words in telling why bo was disappointed in the situation in that Slate. He recalled that Hie most satisfac tory appointment be has made?thai of Mr. Cunningham to be marshal? was made in the lace of the strong efforts of Senator McLauriu and Mr. Capers, who were doing all they could to secure the reappointmeut of Marshal Melton, lie held these two gentlemen responsible also for the troubles over the nomination of Mr. Kocster as col lector of internal revenue and Mr. Richardsou as poslmaster at Green? villo. In pretty plain language he ex pressed his opinion that the combina tion of McLaurin and Capers is a failure in political leadership and lutl timated Ins purpose of looking else where for endorsements to .South Car olina ollices iu the future. Some intimation of the President's feelings in this respect has reached Senator Mcl-auriu and the result is that he is extremely nervous over his own fate. He believes he has a prom ise from the President of tho court of claims judgeship, which ho has been so earnestly seeking, but ho roali/.es 11Kit nothing is certain in politics until ithappens. Ho is afraid that the elVort.'' of Republican politicians to prevent I he President gi^uig so go.ul an ollice > what they call a " dead one" r t cause tho man in the Wliito House " ovorlook htoi. Thon, too, ho is appointed over the failure of his f ri< to secure for him tlio cndorsemeu Democratic Senators. He started by claiming that he had letters from .. number of leading Senatort?, but inves tigation of theso claims proves that they have no substantial basis. The list which his friends gpvo out con tained seven or oight names, but so far us cun bo ascertained not one of these Democratic Senators have sent to the White House the desired lettors of endorsement. This fact and the fuithor fact tha there would surely be a light over hi confirmation have combined to mako Senator McLaurin anything but happy. Mow his friends, who sometime ago were claiming that his appointment would go in immediately alter the voto upon the 1'hilippino bill, are hoping that it will go in as a'recuss appoint ment immediately after tho adjourn ment of Congress, but thoy are not at all certain that this hope will be realized. Charles S. Ondordonk, of Lamy, N. M., owns the largest goat ranch in tho world. He has as high as 20,000 goati on his '28,000 aero ranch at oue time. OABTOItlA.. Bwrt th? _^ 1 to Kind You Haw Always Bottgftt SJgimtv