The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, June 18, 1902, Image 1
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