Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE S?MTEK WATCHMAN, Established April, 1S50. "'Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at. be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established June,1266 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1896. Sew Series-Vol. XV. No 43 Published Erery Wednesday, -BY ^JXT. Gr. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. M TERMS I $1 50 per annum-in advance. ADVERTISBMEKT: Ose Square first insertion.Si 00 Every subsequent iosertion. 50 \ Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will becharged foras advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. The State Convention. It was a great garheriog of well known politicians, office-holders and ardent free silver advocates that was held in the hali of the honse of repre? sentatives yesterday. * It was the State Democratic conven? tion and the personnel of the body made those who had attended prior gatherings fancy that the convention was merely a joint assembly of the ^ Constitutional convention and the last general assembly, with a few other *'new men" thrown in for good meas? ure. There were to seen such familiar faces as those of Senator Tillman, Senator Irby, Governor Evans, L*rry Gantt, W D. Evans. C. VV\ Garris, J \ Belton Watson and scores of other leaders. Then there was Mr. Parr?te, of Darlington, whose peculiar style of; oratory was much much enjoyed by the j members of the Constitutional conven- j tion. He was up frequently duriug tbs morning session. The convention got to work promptly, but no action was taken on anything of consequence before the afternoon recess. A series of resolutions were presented, all of more tban passing interest. The reso 'lution endorsing Tillman for President was heartily cheered as was also the resolution calling on Presider^ Cleve? land to act in the Cuban matter. Enough was seen early in tbe proceed? ings to show that the convection was for "free silver, at 16 to 1, or bust" and that Cleveland's administration would come in for a lively rasping in the plat? form. Senator Irby, contrary to ex? pectations, made no speech at the out? set of the convention. He simply call? ed th?? body to order and as soon as the temporary chairman was elected, .with? drew to the floor. He later introduced his resolution, which will be found be? low. At 12.15 Senator Irby called the convention to order. After rappiog, he waited for a moment and then called for nominations for temporary chair? man. Mr. McSweeney nominated Mr. I. H. McCall?, of Abbeville, and he was elected unanimously Messrs. McSweeney, Martin and Timmerman escorted him to the chair. Air. McCalla thanked the convention for the honor conferred upon bim. He said it was time for action and not for speech-making, however, and proceed? ed to call for nominations for tempo? rary secretary. Mr. Sbu'nan nominated M. S. Scruggs, of Greenville, for temporary secretary. On motion of Cok Robert .Aldrich it was decided to have an as? sistant secretary and nominated Mr. S. W. Vance, of Laurens. On motion of Mr. Tatum, the chair? man appointed Mr Louis Appeit ser geant-at-arms for the purpose cf pro? viding Spartanburg's delegation with seats. Maj. B. B. Evans, on morion of Mr. Appeit, was elected assistant sergeant-at-arms. After some further discussion about tue roll. Mr. J. Belton Watson ncrni * sated Mr. A. H. ?Patterson, of Barn? well, for permanent president, referring to Mr. Patterson in complimentary j terms. I Messrs W D Evans, Fairey and Par ***ler were appointed a committee to noti? fy Mr. Patterson of his election. The following vice presidents were elected, there being a little stir over tbe election cf the representative of the Third district : ! First District-Geo W Williams, jr, j Charleston. I Second District-Maj W J Gooding, Hampton. j Third Distr'nt-J A Sligh, New berry. Fourth District-J J Gentry, Spar ' tanburg. Fifth District-J K Henry. Chester. Sixth District-J N Parrott: Dar? lington. Seventh District-H T Abbott, Sum tor. Messrs. S. M. Scruggs, of Green- j .ville, and S. \v. Vance, of Laurens, i i were made permanent secretaries, while , the other two temporary secretaries were sade permanent assistant secretaries. Col. Willie Jones of Richland was i elected treasurer of the convention. v Senator Tillman theo offered the foi- i iowiag resolution, which was adopted : ! Resolved, That a committee of one j from each county, selected by the j delegation thereof, be appointed to re- i 1 BM-WI I IBM Hill Bl- JBMBBBBBBnHgBB? j port a platform, and that all resolutioi j be referred to the committee witho; I debate. Senator irby moved that the rules < the houpo of representatives be adopte as the rules governing this body Th was agreed to. Mr. E6rd then offered the foliowin resolution, which was amended by M W. D. Evans so as to have the boa* appoint the committee, and then adop ed : Resolved, The a committee of on from each county be appointed by eac delegation to examine and pass o amendments to the constitution of th party, if any appear to theta nece sary. Senator Irby .'hen introduced tfc following resolution, which be asked b referred without debate : Whereas, neither white supremacy i South Carolina nor constitutional go? eminent in the United States can b maintained without the preservation c the supremacy of the Democratic party and Whereas the supremacy of th Democratic party cannot be maintaine without holding the will of the majorir as absolutely inviolable; therefore, be i Resolved by the Democratic par ty of South Carolina, in conven tion assembled. That it is th duty of the party, national as wei as State and county, to acquiesc io the will of the majority when ex pressed by its constitutional method and to abide by and support its action The other resolutions were pr?sentai and referred to the several committee.-' after being read. There was some ob jection to the reading of the resolution but the convention would not do awaj with the reading There was consider able applause following the reading o the resolution naming Tillman fo President and the Cuban resolution Mr. Blease called attention to tbs amount of work before the two com miftees and suggested 8 as the hour fo: reassembling. This was agreed to ant ! at 1 15 p. m the convention took iti j recess. j During the morning the severa ! delegations from the congressional dis j triers met and selected their delegatei to Chicago to be presented to the con veotion at the proper time. At- 8 o'clock Mr. Patterson agair called the convention to order. The committee reports were called for. Mr Cooper of the committee on ccn6titU' tion made its report, being a new con? stitution constructed upon the old con teitution. The only material change i from the old constitution's provisions ie , that presidental electors shall not be 'voted for iu the primary. Another ? section requires the election of the 1 county chairman by the county conven j tion instead of by the executive com j mittee. The other changes are merely verbal and unimportant. Those who have copies of the old constitution are i io posssssioo of the new one by making the changes indicated. The comenmittee on constitution to whom was referred the resolution in? structing the delegations to vote and act as a unit on all questions before the national convention reported the resolu? tion without recommendation. Toe committee sent back the resolu? tion io regard to the registration of voters with the suggestion that the mat? ter be sent to the State executive com? mittee. This suggestion was adopted. Senator Tillman then presented the report of the committee cn platform and resolutions. At the request of Mr. ESrd, the platform was presented first. Senator Tillman read it as follows, tak? ing peculiar pleasure in doing so, judg? ing from his manner : 1. The Democratic party of South Carolina reaffirm its aiiegiauce to the principles enunciated by Jefferson, Monroe and Jackson and followed by their successors in office and pledges itself by those princples as the creed cf our political faith. I 2. We denounce the administration i of President Cleveland a3 undemocratic and tyrannical and as a departure from those principles which are cherished by all liberty-loving Americans. The veto power has been used to thwart the will of the people as expressed by their representatives in congress. Thc ap? pointive powur has been used to subsi? dize thc press, to debauch congress and to overawe and control citizens in the j free exercise of their constitutional rights as voters. A plutocratic despo? tism is thus sought to be established on the ruins of the republic, i 3. We believe the power and usur i pations of the Federal courts as now organized to be dangerous to the re ! public. The American peopie have lost confidence in life tenure of officers in any department of government and we repeat here the warning af Jeffer? son against the tendency and effect of the constitution of the Federal judi? ciary, which be styles "an irresponsi? ble body working like gravity by aigbat and day, gaining a little to-day and a j little to-morrow and advancing its j noiseless steps like a thief over the field ! of jurisdiction until ali shall be usurped ! from the States and the government of I ail be consolidated into one." The ; sudden reversal of the decision in tho j income tax cases has never been satis- j factorily explained to the American j people and the court has lost the re- j spect and confidence of the people as a j natural result. To restore confidence in the judiciary and make the court* the bulwarks of liberty rather than 'hi apparent tools of the "sordid depotiscc of wealth." To protect the people against the brood of vampires in thc shape of monopolies, trusts and com? bines which have grown up undei vicious laws badly administered. Tc provide for the election of senators anti of all hgh government officials by the people so as to reduce the dangers o! Federal patronage in the hands of an unscrupulous President. To restori government of the people, by the peo> pie and for the people we demand th? calling of a constitutional convention tc form an organic law suitable to th< changed conditions and to the growth of the country. 4. We demand a more economical administration of our national affair: and that, taxes shall be 'levied so as tc bear equally oo all sections and all classes. Labor should be lightly bur? dened and by a graduated income tas wealth be made to pay for its protec? tion. Wff repudiate the construction placed on the financial plank of thc last Democratic natiooal convention by President Cleveland and Secretary Car? lisle as contrary to the plain meaning of Eoglish words and as being an act of bad faith, deserving of severest censure. The issue of bonds in time of peace with which to buy gold to re? deem coin obligations, payable in silver or goid, at the option of the govero ment. and thc use of tho proceeds to defray the ordinary expenses of the government, are both unlawful and usurpations of authority, deserving im? peachment. 5. A sound ju*t system of finance is the mest potent factor in a nation's prosperity aod we demand the restora? tion of the money of thc Constitution, by giving silver the same rights and privileges now given to gold. We de? mand the free and unlimited coinage of silver at a ratio of 16 to 1, regardless of the action of any and all other na? tions and that such coinage be a legal tender for all debts, public and private. Congress alone has the power to coin and issue money and President Jackson declared that this power could not be delegated to a corporation, therefore, we demand the national banking sys? tem be abolished. The absorption of wealth by a few, the consolidation of our leading railroad systems and the formation of trusts and pools, require a stricter con? trol by the Federel government of those arteries of commerce. We demand the enlargement of the powers of the interstate commerce com? mission. Mr. John S. Reynolds, of Richland, announced that he had a minority re? port. Senator Tillman rose and stated that since coming into the hall the gentle? men from Richland had come to him and told him of the minority report He requested the convention to hear the report and consider it. Mr. Rey? nolds read it as follows : The undersigned, uoable to concur in all the declarations submitted by the majority of the commut?e on platform, recommend the following changes in the report of such majority : 1. That there be added to section 1 of the "Platform and declaration of principles" the followiog words: "And we declare our purpose to abide by the action and support the nominees of the national Democratic convention to as? semble io Chicago on the 7th of Juiy, next." 2. That section o be stricken out. 3. That section 4 be amended by adding thereto the following words : "And we demand the repeal of the 10 per cent, tax on the circulation of State banks." 4. That there bc added to said plat? form and declaration the following words : "We reaffirm the principles of the national Democratic platform of 1892, respecting the reform of the tariff " John S. Reynolds. J. W. Ferguson. I cannot concur tn section 2 or in section 3. Aside from the considera? tion that it is denuciatory to an extent not justified by the facts of history, it has no place io the platform of the Democratic p;?rty cf South Carolina. I further object to the declaration in section G because I think it unneces? sary. John S. Reynolds. Un motion of Governer Evans the minority report was tabled Mr. Bacot demanded an aye and nay veto on the adoption of the ma? jority report The vote was then taken and resulted in the adoption of the report by a vote of 270 to 29. Those voting in the negative, save one, whose name could not be heard, were as follows : Messrs Ward, Do? zier, Scarborough, Sessions, Ray, Earle, Sloan, Lipscomb, Talley, Lyke, Reynolds, DesPortes, Brownfield, Williamson, Prentiss, Vincent, Levin, Barnwell, Steedman, Gadsden, Oli? ver, Wynne, Cortes. Riley, Bacot, Cosgrove and Simons. - j When the Cuban resolution carne i up Mr. McSweency moved that the convention adopt the resolution by a rising vote. The resolution was 'unanimously adopted after it had been read by ? Senator Tillman. ! Then the convention, on motion of : Mr. W. D Evans, decided to have a I certified copy of the resolution sent '?? to President Cleveland. The special committee on the Till? man Presidency resolution reported, through Co!. Aldrich, the following resolution : "We, the Democratic party of South Carolina, in convention as? sembled, view with satisfaction the patriotic course of our distinguished fellow citizen. Senator Benjamin R. Tillman, and receive with pride the manifestations of approval rof his pub? lic work by the people of the country at large .'That we present, his name to the | national Democracy as one worthy to ? be the standard beare: of the coming Presidential election, and point to his public career as a guarantee that his future labors in any and every position in which he may be placed will be marked by conservatism and designed to uplift the toiling masses of the people without doing, violence to the just rights of any class of citizens." Mr. Thomason of Spartanburg moved the adoption of the resolution by a rising vote. This was ag.ieed to, and there were precious few to I rise in opposition. On Mr. Austin's motion, the con? vention oroceeded to elect delegates to the national convention. Delgates at Large-W. ll Eller be, P. R Tillman, Gov. Evans, D. J. Bradham. First District-M R Cooper, of Colleton; Thomas Martin, of Beaufort. Second District-M B McSweeney, of Hampton; B L Cauajhmau. of Sa luda Third District-I H McCall, of Abbeville: J B Watson, of Anderson Fifth District-W F Strait, of York; T Y Williams, York. Sixth District-W D. Evans, of; Marlboro; A H Williams, of Wil- j Wamsburg. Seventh Distiict-Dr. O R Low man, of Orangeburg; Dr. H TJAbbott, of Sumter. Mr. 1 H McCalla offered the follow? ing resolution, which was adopted : Resolved, That should in his judg? ment the welfare of the- Democratic party demand it, the president of this convection be authorized to re? convene the same by giving public notice in the newspapers. Resolved, second, That this con? vention take a recess until the 1st of September, 1896, unless other? wise called to reconvene by the pres? ident, and if no such call is made by the president by the 1st day of Sep? tember, 189(j, said convention will stand adjourned sine die.-The state. mm BB- - Licensed to KUI and Care. The board began examination in the ! senate chamber Tuesday, at 10 a. m., there being present Dr. W. B, Nar? din, cf Anderson, president; Dr. W. R. Lowman, of Orangeburg, secretary pro tem ; Dr. L W. Nettles, of Clar? endon, and Dr. A. E. Williams, of Colleton. The other members. Dr W DeK. Wylie, of Chester arrived during the day and Dr. C. R. MeGraham, of Aiken, the secretary, came in on Wednesday. The largest class that ever presented themselves before the board were exam? ined. There were 40 applicants, of whom o4 passed, as follows : Drs J J Watson, C A Rush, W D Murray, J F Dick, F R Geiger, G A T Johnson, J M Strickland, ii W Rice, C B Earle, W M Potts. E II Harrison, J W Brad? ley, A D Cudd, T R McElveen, J C Fulmore, Sidney C Zsmp, E M Whaley. W M Long, A J Bu'-st, F A Smith, J F Powell, W R Doyle, J L Bolt, L T Gregory, R W Gibbes, Edward Rutledge, J J Wingard, F J Carroll, B L Allen, J A Clifton, T E Morrow, W H McClure, R D Earle and F J Carroll. Seven applicants failed. The clans was well up Dr. J. J. Watson, of Columbia, is the first honor mao.-The State. The Laurada Landed. JACKSONVILLE, May '?'2 -The steam? er Laurada entered the bar j'esterday and was met at quarantine by J. A. Huau, agent of the Cuban janta and a nu ruber of friends of Cuba The Laurada's captain reported that he had landed safely on Cuban soil nine tenths of the munitions. When about to land the last loads smoke was seen on the horizon, and fearing it to be from the funnels of a Spanish man-of-war, the steamer pulled up anchor and started north? ward. After communicating this in? formation the Laurada headed sea? ward, ostensibly for New York. The Three Friends cleared from this port to-day with anns and am? munition consigned to Key West The revenue cutter Boutwell has been ordered to see her across thc three-mile limit. Base balls, bats, masks and mitts for sale by H. G. Osteen & Co. Confession of Bankruptcy. An Amendment Offered by Senator Gorman. WASHINGTON', May 20.-The last but ons of the general appropriation bills-the one which provides for forti? fications and other works of defense, occupied the time of the seoate today and was passed before adjournment. It carries nearly ?11,000,000, about ?5,000,000 more than ic carried wheo it passed the boose. The priocipal item of increase is ?3,115,000 for gun and mortar batteries. There was little or no controversy over any of the provisions contained in the bill, but a rather im portant discussion was precipitated by an amendment offered to the bill by Mr. , Gorman. This amendment proposed to authorize the issue of ?100,000,000 of treasury certificates of indebtedness, bearing 3 per cent, interest, in order to meet the expenditures called for by the appropriation bills of the present session the aggregate of which Mr. Morgan put at ?600,000,000. The amendment was opposed by Mr. Sherman, who declared that never be? fore had such a proposition been made to meet the current expenses of the gov erment in a time of profound peace, and who argued that the proper course for the senate to pursue was to take up the tariff bill passed in the early part of the sessioo. leave off the free silver amend? ments as might be deemed W?J-C, includ? ing a tax on tea and coffee. He said that he would tear up all the appropria? tion bills rather thaQ make such a con? fession of bankrupty. Mr. Gorman argued that the defi? ciency in the treasury could not be met io any other way than that which he propesed At thc closejof the discussion, the amendment was laid on the table by a vote of 42 to 9. ----iadi? What Constitutes a Breach of Promise ? Tb.e world has laughed this long time over suits of breach of promise of mar? riage, but more amusiBg still is the case which depended not cn the breach, but the keeping of a promise not to marry. The parties to it were a rich elderly woman-a Mrs. Hundall-and the nephew whom she meant to make her heir. The young man fell in love with a charming young widow, aod would have married her had not bis aunt intervened. She did not threat, diplo? macy, or detective investigation. But she said boldly to her ycucg relative that sc long as he remained free of the widow he might count upon receiving from herself ?--500 a year. Having more of prudence than of sentiment he closed with the offer, and for several years received the promised sum. Then the aunt grew tired cf paying, or became less fearful of the widow. When she refused to go on with the allowance the nephew went to law. And he won his case ; for, although the opposing counsel, while admitting the agreement, declared it could not be enforced, as contrary to public moral? ity, the learned judge thought differ? ently. A promise to abstain wholiy from marriage, he said, neither could nor should be enforced, but this promise was to refrain from marriage with a particular person : hence ? ' r h e plaintiff was entitled to recover his whole claim, with costs, in consideration of having resigned bis natural freedom of mar? riage/' Minister Dun, the diplomatic repre? sentative of the United States in Ja? pan, is quoted in an interview had with him at San Francisco as saying that there has been unnecessary excitement about the competition of Japanese labor with the products and labor of the United States. Tbe minister says that he has received a number of ioquir- j ies about the matter, many of which re- | late to bicycles. He says that there is no such thiog as a Japanese bicycle, out that the bicycle that the people use there are all made in thc United States or in Europe, and so they will continue to be. in ber own line Janarw is going ! ahead, acd rapidly, too, particularly in j the manufacture of silk goods, and she . is making great efforts, too. in cotton ? yarns. In the latter lines. Minister Dun says, they may affect European interests but will not affect, those of the United States.-Bradstreet?. j in poing to gpt a drink stop and t'-.ink what bargains in Pianos, Organs ?ind Sewing Machines are to be had rt: the S?:mt2r Music House, in :he Masonic T?aple building. BBBMW^WWPB-BB8-WBM Attempt to Defraud. WASHINGTON, May 19.-Postmaster Geueral Wilson to-day authorized the publication of the following statement in regard to an alleged attempt to over? charge the government for the convey' I ance of the mails io certain southern 1 States : Every four years the mail transported : over the various railways in the United ' States is weighed for a period of 30 ; days, for one-fourth of the country each year. Upon the average weight obtained during tho 30 days, the com? mission of the railroad is adjusted and I remains in force for four years. The last weighing was conducted in thc j monts of March, 1896. One railread company, the Seaboard Air Line, I whose waio line extends from Ports I mouth, Va., to Atlanta, Ga., attempt' ! cd to take advantage of this opportunity j to swell the weighing of mail car j ried over th*7 ir system during the weigh I iog of the mails by very large ship I ments of public documents franked by j a United States senator and a members of congress were sent to the various i station agents of this company, iu j Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro? lina and Georgia. Thc sacks weighed from 100 to 125 pounds each. Two, three, four or even five sacks were sent to one agent. Some agents were furn? ished by railroad officials with lists of addresses in North Carolina and Vir? ginia. The division superintendent and road masters gave oral instructions to the agents under them as to pasting ? labels or writing addresses on the books I which were not previously addressed, j but thc tags of the sacks were addressed I "AU for -" (namely for a railroad agent at that point.) The bonks were then remailed and again transported over the routes of this company to be a^ain weighed. A few agents, not understanding their instructions, gave out the books for public distribution ! before the frank labels were received, j Fifteen sacks were delivered at Ports I mouth. Va , addressed in balk to the I general superintendent. That night the ; books were readdressed io the railroad I building by his secretary and a division i superintendent and remailed the follow i iog morning to various persons along ! the route. A newspaper at Elleoborot . N. C , learning of the transaction, ; published a short article headed "A Mistake," stating in substance that a i U?Ued States senator in mailing docu ; ments to his constituents had by mis? j take addressed them to station agents j along the Seaboard Air Line railway, j A division superintendent, haming of i the article, proceeded, fo the town and ! induced the editor to eat. thc item out ' of every copy of his paper,- on the ; around that it would hart the road, i The "padding'' of the mails bv this \ company was investigated by thc post. I office department and to prevent this ' practice, the department ordered the I weighing to ba continued for 30 days ! durng Aprii The railroad company ! then resorted to a new scberne, by con I tsaeiing with publishers of newspapers for a large oomber of papers to be sen I over their line daily, to addresses fur \ nished by the company. At Portsmouth, ? Va., thc general superintendent ar? ranged vito a Portsmout! paper tosend j 6.SOO copies daily for 10 days, and after that 2,400 copies daily, in bundles of 25 to each address to parties in South Carolina and Georgia on the Seaboard Air Line. At Raleigh an officiais of the railroad to arrange 1 have 5.000 copies the first week and 0,000 copies a week afterwards of a weekly paper, sent in bundies of 45 over the Seabcard Air Line railroad to stations in Georgia, South Caro?n-a and a few in North j Carolina. ? At Atlanta, the private secretary of the division superintendent arraoged i with an Atlanta paper for 2,000, enpies j daily to be sect over the Seaboard Air Line to Norfolk and Portsmouth 1,000 copies addressed to reguUr subscribers, the other thousand as sample copies. Arrangements were also made with an? other Atlanta paper -rc send 5,GOO cop? ies of the Sunday issue, weighing half a pound each, to addresses in Norfolk and Portsmouth. Korfolk and Ports mouth city directories wer:- furnished to the newspapers from which to print la? bels for mailing the papers :o parries in those cities. Several of i\.n-c parties thus addressed hal moved from those cirios or died, lind the weighing been accepted by the department, thc Sea Soar d Air Line wouhi h?vc received fer the next four years a much urger com? pensation than it waa entitled to. Somo of the newspaper publishers were indignant when they fouud that they had been made parties to such a scheme, and the publisher of one paper at Raliegh refuced to s<jad out the fourth shipment of his paper Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1896. New Series-Yol. XV. No 27