Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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? I ISP IJV %VJl4 wwM IIIJH 41 W liv &IP ip 141' iii % JP i F / / / f TH a suaxTEK WATCHMAN, Established April, 1S50. "EG J vist and Fear not-Let ci]] tho Encl.? thou Aims': at. be thy Country's, thy G-od's and Truth's." ?3i? T;?US SOUTM?GN, Established June, 1266 Consolidated Aug. 2.1881. SUMTER, g. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1898. Sew Aeries-Yoi. XV. 2??37 Published Every "Wednesday, -BY KT. Gr. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : ?1 50 per annum-in advance. ^ ADVERTISEMENT: One Square first insertion.SI 00 Every subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged foras advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. Punctuation and Capitals. A Paper Read Before the Press Association. From The News and Courier. The following is the address which was delivered before the recent meet? ing of the State Press Association by Mr. H. G. Osteeu on "Uniformity in Punctuation and Capitalization UNIFORMITY IN PUNCTUATION AND CAPI? TALIZATION. Strange as it may seem newspaper men have ideals, and they vainly de? sire to attain them as do ordinary mortals In their hours of leisure, rare though they be, newspaper men sometimes sit and dream of unattain? able things that would render the work a-day life of the editor and re? porter more pleasant, more dignified, perhaps more exact in its limitations, and, perchance, more respected and venerated. Some dream of a code cf journalistic ethics so exact and-all in? clusive that no contingency could possibly arise that would be unpro? vided for in that ideal ethical code. When journalistic brethren had ex? hausted reason and argument in a controversy without avail, there would be r.o resort to personalities they would quietly and with digni? fied deliberation turn to the code, and, referring to the section applicable to the case, proceed to close the contro? versy. Everything would be calm, serene and ethical ; the idyllic edi? torial dreamer would wear a smile, perfume his paste and tie his edito? rial effusions with bows of baby blue ribbon before transmitting them to the printer Such ^ one dream. All know the reality. Of a parity with the dream of the ethical code is the desire for uniform? ity in capitalization and punctuation in newspapers While it is a consum- ? mation most devoutly to be desired, yet there is not the slightest possibil? ity of it ever being attained this side of the millennium. Therefore the subject must, perforce, be handled delicately and with that reverential care that is the due portion of an ideal emanating from the fertile im? agination of the executive commit? tee The writer car?-appreciate the circumstances under which the sub? ject was selected and assigned to him. The committee had journeyed to Charleston, where they were met and welcomed by the genial and hospitable brethren of the cit}'. They forgot the limitations and the impossibilities of newspaper work while under the inspiriting influence of their pleasant surroundings and agreeable companions, aird straightway began to dream dreams and imagine vain things. The vain? est of their imaginings was this sub? ject. Perhaps it was intended as a bit of gentle pleasantry, perhaps as a bit of good natured satire against the non-uniformity that prevails.fJWho can tell what they meant? Can they tell themselves ? The basis for thc assertion that uniformity in capitalization and punctuation is. an impossibility is the well known diversity of opinion in relation to the proper utilization of the punctuation points and the ever changing style of capitlization. No two writers have the iaentical habits of expression, nor doiany two have the identical concepton of the value and use of the several points; and so long as minds differ there will be no uniformity in these minute of com? position. There can and should be, however, a nearer approach to uni? formity. There would be no prouder distincter to be desired than that of being the originator ot a system, scheme, or method that would bring about this reform in style. Yet while there are so many standards of style the hopelessness of accomplish ing the reform is apparently com? plete. These tsandards are fixed in various ways andfor divers reasons. There isa literary standard o? punctu? ation and capitalization that is ad? hered to more or less consistently by the makers of books and high class j magazines and reviews with lite-1 rary pretensions. The t term I .'makers of books'7 is employed advisedly, for, as a rule, the writer of a book or of a magazine Maa.'^Kii'fc'^ny. 'rti'franni?'??r-.-.Ji.1-1,1? article lias but a subsidiary part i fixing its style of punctuation an capitalization. The author may ind cate his meaning by placing th necessary points and he may capital ize with some degree of precisiot: but the regularity and uniformity c both is more often than otherwise th handiwork of the copy editor an proof reader of 'the printing sho where the author's copy is "put int type. Each shop has a standard c. its own that is almost certain to hav some.dissimilarity to the standards c other shops. The general principle may be laid down, however, that th standard of both punctuation am capitalization is much higher, mor precise, more uniform and mor nearly correct in. bookwork and ii the higher class of magazines and re views than is to be found elsewhere More care is exercised and more tim and attention are available to be de voted to these particulars that con tribute io the general excellence an< elegance of the finished product ii the establishments where typograph ical work of this high character ii produced, and a higher order of in telligence on the part of' the write and editor and greater skill on thi part of the craftsman are brough into play. The tendency in thes< printing shops is to adhere to cios< punctuation, placing a point wher ever one may be used correctly, leav ?og noshing to be supplied by UK reader ; so with capitals, whereve the use ot a capital letter will add tc the force or explicitness of the arti cle. there it is placed The oext lower srandard would b( the lesser magazine*, the transient pe? riodicals and the beaks of the day. writ tec in haste, carelessly edited aoc printed in a rush for immediate circa lat ion There is some effort to preserve z standard of punctuation aud capitaliza? tion and an attempt; in the direction o uniformity, but much is sacrificed tc the necessities of haste. Theo come the newspapers. And here is to be found ?ess uniformity and more widely divergent standards o! punctuation and capitalization than found elsewhere in the entire range of literature. One paper may adhere to the most rigid and precise standard with inflexible uniformity, while others have no uniformity from day to day. The tendency in newspapers is. how? ever, undoubtedly toward wide puctua tion and the disuse of capital letters, ex? cept when absolutely essential ; and where to abandon them would be fly? ing in the face of accepted usage and insulting public opiuion on the subject. Everything is made to give way to the urgent baste required in getting out a paper on time to catch the first mails. A comma is never put where the read? er's comaion sense and supposed knowl? edge can supply it. A period is often omitted after initials, and where com? mas have been omitted in a lengthy sentence a comma is made to do service for a semi colon. Haste is the watch? word of the modern newspaper office, and if a fraction of time can bc saved by using a lower case letter where a capital has been the custom, io goes the lower case letter, save where the use of the latter would possibly be regarded as an evidence of ignorance. The daily newspaper is approaching uniformity, but it is a uniformity not at all desir? able, fjr it is the dead,blank uniformity that prevailed prior to the day of Ma nutius, the Venetian printer,who intro? duced the system of punctuation that has been generally used for the last four or five centuries. There is a happy mean, a uniformity, that is based upon time-honored usage, the necessity for puctuation points and capitals to assist the reader in obtaining a clear, forcible and accurate conception of the prioted language. What the ap? propriate gesture, the modulated voice, the expressive countenance are to the spoken language the points of punctua? tion and capital letters are to the written and printed language. The excessive employment of either is offensive to good taste and confusing to the intelli? gence, but the entire abandonment of eithar or both bas nothing to recouir mend it. As it is impossible to ob? tain uniformity, so is it impossible to prescribe uniform tud universal rules for the application of the principles of punctuation. Punctuation demands for its successful application a quick apprehension, good judg? ment, a cultivaed taste aud an extensive and varied acquaintance with, the standard literature of the language. Until all writers and all proof readers are endowed with these necessary ouaii fications and the additional om; of being accurate and painstaking at ni? times there will be no uniformity. - mum - .???. ni The wrong figure-"Charley,," said young Mrs. Tooker, "didn't you tell me that Lord Dunraven was racing on the square?" "Certainly, dear," "Well, he's not." "What do you mean?77 "I moan that w'i'h al! your pretense ! cf superior knowledge, you caa bo mis- ! taken ag easily as auybody. I have j booked at the diagram of the course in the newspapers. They are not racing ! on the square at ali. They are racing I OD thc triangle." '? 1 Carolina at Chicago. County Commissioners Dis? cuss the Outiook. From the State. The convention of the county com? missioners for the Chicago-Southern States exposition was held yesterday afternoou afc 5 o'olock in the senate chariiber of the State house. Governor Evans, after calling the meeting to order, said that its object, as they all well knew, was to devise means to have South Carolina repre? sented at Chicago. In getting up an exhibit for Atlanta, great trouble was had in getting the delegates from the several counties to attend the meetings, but he was glad to say such was not the case with this. It would be best to have the getting up of an exhibit in the hands of an ex? perienced man, such as Mr. Roche. The Atlanta exhibit was on hand and would serve as a nucleus for the one at Chicago. The meeting was to decide on some plain to raise the ?10,000 needed for the purpose. The assessmeot plan had been proposed, but it was left to the meeting to decide on such a plan as it thought best. The secretary, Mr. Aull, of New? berry, called the roll of the county commissioners and the following were found to be present : Abbeville. A J Sproles; Aiken, H J Ray ; Anderson, R S Lig?n ; Barn? well, J F Folk : Beaufort, W H Lock? wood ; Berkeley, J B Morrison : Charleston. G H Tucker; Chester, R A Love: Colletoo, B H Padgett; Dar? lington, W E James; Edgefield, G B L-ike ; Fairfield, J E Coan; George towo, W D Morgan ; Greenville, A H Dean ; Horry, B R King ; Kershaw, C J Shannon ; Lancaster, LeRoy Springs; Marion, E H Gasque ; Marl? boro, T B Gibson ; Newberry, E H Aull; Ocooe<\ Z W Jordan; Orange burg, B H Moss : Pickens, J E Boggs; Richland, W McB Sloan; Sumter, R I Manning; Union. J A Fant: Wil? liamsburg, F B Grier ; York,' W B Moore. Chesterfield, Floreoce, Hampton. Laurens, Lexington, Spartanburg and Saluda were not represented iu the meeting. Commissioner Roche., after the roll call,?took the floor and stated that after the meeting in Spartanburg, he had looked thr :'o the comptroller gene? ral's office A d gotten thc last assess? ment of all the counties in the State, which he had here, and from which he apportioned tbe ?10,000 among the counties according to the amount of taxable property io each. He would like the secretary to read it, so that every one present could see what sum his county bad been assessed. Mr. Boggs, of Pickens. to get the matter before the meeting in a proper manner, made a motion that Mr. Roche's assessment be adopted. It would not of course be binding on each county to raise the amount assessed, but each wouid simply do its best to get such sum. Mr. Moore, of York, said that some of the cou'ties did not have as much interest in the exposition as others, and by this assessment plan all would not be equally treated. Some of the counties with the largest assessments would not have so large manufacturing interests as others, and he thought the .counties having such interests shouid do a greater part toward getting up the exhibit for Chicago. Mr. Sproles said if $405 was what Abbeville was to raise, he would do his best to ge' it, and though there would be difficulty in getting it, yet he would go before the different town councils and ask for appropriations and try in other ways. Mr. Moore asked if there could not be a plan devised by which the factor? ies could be assessed so much, accord? ing to the number of spindles or looms. He i.hat that all the money would have to come from the towns or factories, or it would not come at all. Mr. Boggs said that the commission? ers must first go to the individuals and ask for contributions. In his county he was going to appoint soliciting agents at each precinct and he would vet 50 cents from each of them, any? way, and as there would be a good number of them, the amount thus raided would be considerable. Mr. Dean stated that in his opinion, the plau proposed by Mr. Roche was | thc most equitable. L*t the money be I raised, even if hot suppers had to be j oliven as a last resort. Greenville would come up with her share and he j moved to vote on Mr. Roche's plan. Mr Tucker, of Charleston, arose and ? said he thought Charleston's stock bad been watere. He submitted a pian, j whereby each county should be assessed [ according to population and wealth ? Bv this pian thc assessment of Charles? ton would bo reduced from ?1,215 ?>> $750. Changes wouid bc made in ail thc counties by ibid pl::*), the amount ; being rais?.d in some and decreased in others. This '?7a0, a moral obligation tn raise the amount under Mr. Roche's ; plan and he did not want to leave let- ! rir:? th-; members thins that Cbarlestor. could raise ?1,200. What right ?ic this meeting bave to assess factories banks or anyone elsa ? Some factories i:; this State did not cart- anything aboui the exposition. They didn't want new factories built and have competition As for the Atlanta exposition. Charles? ton had given ?1.800. but he did nol th?nIr there was any hope of getting the ?1.200 assessed. Mr. Ligon, of Anderson, regretted to hear Mr. Tucker speak as he did. It did look to him as if ?10,000 spent now would do more good than any other investment. The assess? ment of Anderson, compared tc Charleston's was large, and it was time for more patriotism to be .shown. He urged that the motion be passed and all get to work with, a will. Mr. Tucker would not make a speech on Charleston's record, but he would say that her past record spoke for itself and could not be impugned. Mr. Ray. of Aiken, said he had come here to get enthusiasm and not the blues. Aiken's amount was twice what her people had expected, but still they were going to try to raise it. Finally, the assessments of the dif? ferent counties were read and re? marks made thereon by the represen? tative of each county. They are as follows : Abbeville, ?405. "It could pro? bably be raised/' said the commis? sioner. Aiken, ?3-1-9. "Yes ; they Would try it " Anderson, $348. "Yes " Barnwell, ?373 "Three hundred and twenty-five dollars would be raised, and maybe the whole amount " Beaufort, ?211. "The county was in debt and hud a large negro? popu lation, but efforts would be made t get ?100 at least." Berkeley, $302. "No wealth ex? cept land and negroes, yet it would do its best." Charleston, $1,215. "Of this $750 could be raised." Chester, ?223. "Chester would give this amount " Chesterfield, ?91 No remarks were made as the county was not represented. Clarendon, ?157 "it would be given." Colleton, $251. "The amount would be given." Darlington, $221. "Yes ; we will give that." Edge?eid and Saluda, $365. "That will be raised " Fairfield, ?211. "Not much en? couragement from the people, but as much as possible will'be raised." Florence, ?215 There was no ono to answer for her. Georgetown, $119. "Not less than $150 would be raised," said the com? missioner. Greenville, $-470. "It would be given." Horry, ?96. "At least ?100 would be given '' Kershaw, $150. "It could be given." Lancaster5 ?131. "She would give it." Laurens, $239. No one from there to answer. Lexington, $198 There was no commissioner from this county, so the' chairman appointed Mr. VV. P. Roof. Marion. $249 ; Marlboro, ?149 ; Newberry, $298 ; Oconee, ?155 ; Orangeburg, 8410 ; Pickens, ?125 ; Richland, $443 ; would all be ready witli the cash, so their commissioners stated Spartanburg. ?643. Mr. Twichell, the commissioner was absent. Sumter, $377 ; and Union, ?195 Both would try and get their amounts. Williamsburg, ?155. "Afraid it could not be raised " York, $365. Could be counted on " . After the reading of the assess? ment of the counties and expression of opinions, Mr. Manning wished to hear from Mr. Roche as to what his views and aims were. Mr Roche said the display to bo made at Chicago depended on how much money there was at the dis? posal of the commissioner. Manu- j factories would be urged to make in- J divida! exhibits, and if they did so | the money required would not be ? quite so much. Work should be ! started at once, as the exposition I opened by the middle of August : j and fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., should be gathered and put through j some process of preserving. Seven Stales have gone into this j show, and it will be a general South- j ern States exposition. All the re sources of th': State would be shown, ' am! this was an opportunity to work for South Carolina The matter ni' advertising by indi viduals came up, and so did the; question as to ??ow much would be! charged per line in the proposed hand books. This was refwtred to the j committee cn finance. A full discussion was had us to tho best way to raise the amounts tn each county Ali were generally in favor of subscription I isis. Mr. Morgan, of Georgetown, moved that all the commissioners raise their funds by the -0th instant and send them to Mr W. A. Clarke, the treasurer of the exposition funds. This was agreed to. Mr. Folk introduced a resolution thanking the railroads for furnishing free transportation to this meeting It passed. Governor Evans made a few clos? ing remarks. He said the factories had shown great lukewarmness in aiding in the Atlanta exhibit. He had to make personal appeals to them, and even then he met with poor success. This was a Southern States exposition, and it would be the means of carrying manufactured products to a new market. This should remove the fear of new fac? tories coming in and competing, for they never came from the west, it be? ing au agricultural region. Ile spoke of the advantages of immigrants coming into this State from the west, and urged Charleston to do her best for the exposition. Twelve hundred dollars could be raised there without trouble. Mr. Koche was instructed to send out to the county commissioners a circular stating whaf; had been done at this meeting, giving the scope of the work and thc assessment of the counties. The circular is to be printed in the county papers. The finance committee was author? ized to give the commissioner a suit? able salary for his work. The meeting then adjourned. Mr. Roche left for Atlanta last night to attend a meeting of thc ad? visory committee, composed of mem? bers irom seven States taking part in the exposition. --an?-.?-cw - Civil Service Extended. WASHINGTON, May 6.-The Presi? dent, by his signature, to-day extended the provisions of the civil service law to 30,000 government employes, in? creasing the uumber of positions on the classified list from 55,736 to 85,135, j and with a few minor exceptions, j between the extremes of officials whose confirmation by the senate is constitu? tionally requisite, dowu to mere labor? ers and workmeo. Governmental ap? pointments are withdrawn as far a? pos? sible from political influence and pro? tected in their tenure of office by the 1 merit system. The President's signa? ture at; ll o'clock this morning, cancel? ling all former orders issued, and substituting the new rules, was im? mediately filed in the state department and went into effect at once, thus fore : stalling any possible action throughout the country by appointing officials or transferring employes or in any way evading the rules before beiog formally notified of them. From the moment j of its signature, the new order made j all government officials directly respon? sible to the commission for appoint? ments and changes.. To-day's revision of the rules divides ; the executive civil service into five I branches, as follows : The depart- j mental service, the custom house ser- j vice, the postoffice service, the govern- ! ment printing service and the ioternal revenue service. In the departmental service are classified ali officers and employes (except laborers and persons who have j been nominated for confirmation j in the several executive departments, toe com- j missions, the District of Columbia, the j railway mail service, Indian service, j pension agencies steamboat in.-pection j service, marine hospital service, mints ? and assay offices, revenue cutter ser- j vice, sub-treasuries and el ?incer de- ! partments, and the forces employed by ? the custodians of pubiic buildings. The j only exception made io the treasury de- j partaient is in favor of those in the life saving service. In the custom house ? service are classified ail officers and j employes in any customs districts whose employes number as many as five. In the postoffice service are classified all j officers and employes in any free j delivery postoffice Io the internal j revenue service are classified all officers and emplove? in every reveuue district, ? except of course, as io the ol her cases, - mere laborers. I The number of classified places ex? empted from examination has been re- j duced from 2,099 to 775, which are j maiuly positions of cashiers in the j customs, post-?! and interna: revenue j services. Indians employed in miner j capacities in the indian service are j necessarily put in the exempted list. Almost all of thc posits ms in Washing ten which have lier-, tofore been ex-| hons to Washington rr ?? i c !: will Le ex? cepted from examination nader the nev? rules will oe private secretaries or con? fidential clerks, not exceeding two, to the President, and to the head of each of the eight executive departments. Cecil Rhodes Resigns LONDON, May 6.-The Globe pub? lishes a dispatch denying the assertions made by the Standard that Mr. Cecil Rhodes bas wired Mr. Chamberlain, coiooial secretary, that he places him? self in Mr. Chamberlain's hands unre? servedly; that he offers to resign his membership in the privy council, and to retire from the directorship of the British South African company,and that he agrees to return to Eaglahd at once if Mr. Chamberlain advises him to do so. The facts are, The Globe says, that the board of directors of the British South Africa company already hold the resignation of Cecil Rhodes and Alfred Belt, but have not as yet decided whether or not they will accept them. The matter is now being considered by the board. Repulsed Repeatedly. Spanish Reports False-the Cubans Routed Them. Habana, May 6 -Derails cf the Cacarajara fight have bee;; received and show that the Cubans won s great vic? tory and were not defeated, as the Span? ish official report stated. Masec was not present. The insurgents numbered 2,000 under Delgado and Socarras, and occupied a strong fortified position. Their position was attacked by Span? iards under General Inclan. who were I repulsed repeatedly Finally, the in ; surgeots charged and drove the Span ; iards, the latter retreating to Bahia Honda, and being continually barrasscd. The Spanish loss was about 200 killed ; and nearly 300 wounded The in.-ur ! gent loss was slight, owing to the pro ; tection of bills. Gen Bemal has been recalled, and it is said will be court martialed for failing to arrive in time ; to aid Gen. Inclan. i The fire at Punta Brava was very I destructive. The entire town was burn i ed. The glare was seen in Habana and caused great excitement. Two : forts surrendered to the insurgents. The Spanish commander has been ar? rested by Weyler's orders and it is said wi'i be court martial led and shot. THE RAINY SEASON BEGUN. Habana, May 'j -An attack bas been made by the insurgents upon fhe town of Esperanza, near Oienfuegos, and 14 houses have been bumed. The Spanish garrison made a brave defense, driving off the rebels and preventing the entire destruction cf the town. Co!. Pareja, with a detachment of troops, pursued the rebels to tb? zone of Cienfuegos The insurgents lost 19 men killed and one of their number was taken prisoner. The Spaniards lost only one man killed. The rainy season has set in and heavy showers ate reported from all parts of the island. REV. MR. DIAZ IN ATLANTA Atlanta, May 6.-Dr. Alberto Diaz, tt e Baptist missionary who was recent? ly released from Habana prison, preach? ed here to-night. Ile told of the airo cities perpetrated by the Spanish troops and declared that thc patriots will ??.-ver give up until they have secured the island's independence. He goes to the great Baptist convention at Chatta? nooga, Tenn., to morrow. mto ? ?a. The village pastor-Johnny, you tell me you have been to Sunday-school? Johnny-yes, sir. The village pastor-But. Johnny, your hair is wet. Johnny-Yes. sir: it's a Baptist Sun? day-school. "I left a letter on my tablot when I went out. Where is if?" Valet-I hope'you won't mind, sir. I thought it would do nicely for my sweetheart, so ? posted it to her. lour Christian name is the sa::!" a- minc. "What's the matter with that horse?" said the animal's owner at the racetrack? "He's fast asleep," replied the stable boy. "Weil, leave him that way. It's the only time he ever is fast, " _ - mumm - All kinda of Sewing Machine Needles a Sumter Music House. Highest cf ali in Leavening Power.- Latest U. S. Gov': Report