Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Thomas Tackled. The Cotton Plant Opens a Few Bolls at Him. The row in tbe State railroad com mission about the fertilizer rate ques tion is growing very ioterestiog aod the general public is enjoying the fun. The majority of tbe commission, it is understood, will reply to Mr. Thomas io a few days. Below is given the reply of the editor of Tbe Cottoo Plant, which will appear in the next issue of that paper : "We publish elsewhere io ttiis paper another of Commissioner ileory R. Thomas' effusions upon the fertilizer rate question. As the public mind is already made up upon the question, and Mr. Thomas alone apparently needs light upon it, we hope that we will be excused for addressing the following remarks personally to the minority member of our S> ate board of railroad commissioner?. You doubtless remember, Mr. Thom as, writing this paper several weeks ago requesting us to enlighten the people upon the fertilizer reduction sod enclo sing a printed pamphlet containing your views in the matter, which we carefully studied but unfortunately could not see the matter io tbe light in which you viewed it. Well, Mr. Thomas, we can assure you that it was the only request or sug gestion we' received from aoy member of tbe com mission to discuss previous to the appearance of tbe editorials which you very unjustly accuse the other members upon the board with ycu, aod your secretary, of writing or inspiring. While Col. Duncan is one of the committee of five appointed by the Alliance to manage The Cottoo Plant, be is likewise innocent of their suggestion or authorship. It is unne cessary for us to state that Col. Duncan has neglected do doty to contribute edi torials to this paper, for, with the ex ception of bis statements about the cot ton tie fight, he has not penned a lice for it the present year. We believe, Mr. Thomas, that you felt meao after you had penned that sentence in which you so accuse him, knowing it as you | do to be absolutely without excuse .or foundations. At least we will give you cr iit for such a sentiment. Now, Mr. Thomas, don't you think that you owe the other members of tbe body of ?hieb you ate a member an apology? Don't you tbiok that you .owe tbe public a frank atfmissioo that YOU have misrepsented things to them. We deny that this paper, or Messrs. Wilbore, Evans or Duncan, or tbe State Alliance of South Carolina, which requested this reduction, are "wild " As far as this paper is con cerned, you know that we have en deavored to discues tbe question on its merits, while you have been imputing dishonorable motives to your associates. An examination of our paper will show you that we have scrupulously refrained from making any suggestion as to YOUR motives Dir. Thomas, and we have thereby left unsaid a great deal that we might say. We likewise deny that we have misrepresented you io the slightest particular, either maliciously or otherwise, and we invite you to a free uee of our columns to show wherein we have done so We bave not one scin tilla of malice agaiost you, as you know, but ra her of sympathy for ooe who thinks 'he farmers of South Caro lina so gullible as to be taken in by the chaff you have been giving them. You are holding up Mr. Thomas, as a big bugaboo, your willingness to re duce tbe freight on cottoo To be downright honest with you the people do not expect you to willingly submit to any redootiog made in their interest but if they are io dead earnest about this cotton reduction, if is not too late yet. We have no doubt but that if you would present tbe matter to them with half the eoergy which ycu bave shown in this fertilizer bu'ioess, tin other members would meet you half way. However, we would soggest to you that a great deal, in faot most, of the cotton is shipped out of South Caro lina, aod that, like tbe reduction in the freight on watermelons, which our I growers want, but can-not get because of men like you on the interstate com merce commission, it is a question which you oanoot control. Bot there is a good volume of cotton shipped to local poiots, nevertheless, aod we hope you will take tbe matter up aod push it. We assure you that we will not contend that the poor, downtrodden railroads will lose money and pull up aod leave tbe State if you get it into operation You can rest assured, Mr. Thomas, that you are not regarded as a "wild" reformer, now In fact, you have fallen behind most everybody io this State, except the News and Courier and a few railroad lawyers in your con servatism and your regard for the rights of vested eapital. Not a single news paper in the State, with the exception noted above, has endorsed your posi tion that we have seen. Tbe national organ of the fertilizer industry poked fun at you and declared tbe new rate just and equitable. You have not per mitted the "attrition of minds" of which you so solemnly to.'d us, to get in its work upon you. To the people who long plead for this reduction, and to the State Alliance, which unani mously asked it, you haughtily told them that you would say: "NO SUB- j SERVANT, MEE-TO." It is not the province nor the wish of this paper to set itself up as the judge of the po litical honesty of any man. We but repeat a general opinion over the State when we tell you that the record you have made, especially to this fertilizer business, has uot been satisfactory to Reformers, even of the most conserva tive type We are naturally good na tured, if you will excuse a personal reference, and it is uopleasant to re mind a mao of a fact which is not com plimentary. It is in view of your declartion that you are still an Alliance man that we say this to you. As a gentle corrective of aoy tendency to de clare that the official orgao of the organ ization of which you are a member is "persecuting" you, we will remind you that you brought the matter to our at tention, requested our opinioo, that you alone are responsible for this agitation, and that both the justice of the reduu tion which you are fighting, and the unanimous endorsement of the highest body of the Alliance in this State, prompts us to lay the faots before the people. Remember, too, Mr. Thomas that we are dealing in faots. and have avoid ed expression of aoy opinion as to your motives in making this fight in behalf of the railroads. It it> pleasing to us to note that this last article of yours is lacking in its frantic defeose of the railroads, with which your former efforts have abound ed. It is encouraging to see that we have led you to bring the heinous charge of "gobbling" against your friend, the Southern railroad. Maybe, yet, the light will break before your clouded vision and you will some day again realize that the men who pur chase fertilizers have some rights as well as the corporations which haul them, that there are "superintendents'' of thousands of farms iu South Carolina who consider themselves fortunate if they can keep the wolf from the door, and who would regard rhe salary of Superintendent Tripp, whiob you quote, as a princely income Now, Mr. Thomas, as to your argu ments : You iotroduce two "imagina ry,J bills for fertilizers in this latest ar ticle, from which you attempt to show that the Columbia fertilizer dealers have, 6?oce the reduction in the freight tariff went into effect, increased the price of their goods just the amount of the reduction of freight, and consequent ly tbey, aod not the farmer, profits by the reduction. We must remind yon that all" your arguments are based upon imaginary facts, and that better evidence than what you term an "IM AGINARY^ acoouot is necessary to established the fact you set up Con sequently, we must dispute your asser tion, and insist upon having evidence. We know that farmers all over upper Carolina profited by the reduction made last year, and we believe that they will profit again this and each succeeding season. No one has yet asserted, that we have heard of, that a ton of 'ertili- ! zer could uot be purchased in Colum bia for the same prie?, taking the markets into consideration, as before the reduction, and. consequently the purchaser, as any one c*o readily see. saves just the amount of the freight to the point to which he wishes to send it, and not one ceot Ie>s While you are so busily engaged try ing over the downtrodden railroads, aod begging for more dividends for their operators, it is straoge that you sbooid lose sight of the f?ct that your pleas bave mostly?in fact entirely? been directed towards increasing the freight NORTH OF COLUMBIA, where the hauling is mostly done by the Southern railroad, while the South Carolina and Coast Line, whhb bring the fertilizers from Charleston to Co lamb?a, would suffer. You want little difference made io the charges for haul iog from Charleston through Columbia, to points in the Piedmont section, from shipments made from Colombia. There is no justice or argument in contending that Charleston should be enabled to deliver fertilizers to Lexington county in competition with Columbia, and get as much for their product at the factory doors as the market which is much nearer the purchaser, especially when the Columbia manufacturer is compell ed to haul the raw rock, etc., from Charleston to the mill, paying one freight charge before he can maka op a pound of fertilizer. While we would not do anything to prejudice the Charleston fertilizer busi oese it must aod will be forced to stand oo its owo bottom, without beiog given an unjust and unnatural advan- j tage over otber ponte io freight charges. Mr. Thomas to the contrary ootwith- ! standing. Realiziog that it is impossible to serve two masters, Mr. Thomas is serv ing the railroads. Mr. Thomas has twisted everything j erouod He even did not. quote the Charleston agreement as it was, but distorted it to make'an argument, to sus tain a flimsy case Wc refer him to records. Mr. Thomas, in virtuous indignation. ? holds up bis hands in holy horror at the idea of bis fellow commissioner I "trading" with the railroad?, to get them to work the fertilier rate There ? is oo record in the proceedings of the commission a resolution which HE in troduced to reduce the rate on fertilizers ! and recoup tbc roads by increasing the freight on merchandise What do our merchants think of this ? What do the people think of aman who criticises others for doing that which he openly offered to do. The agreements which the commis sioners signed io Charleston iu order to get the railroads to put their fertilizer rate io cperatioD was signed upon tbe advice of Atiorney General Barber, who told them that it contained noth ing but what they were already sworn to do?to iocrease the rate of freight. WHERE THEY CONSCIENTIOUS LY BELIEVED IT SHOULD BE INCREASED The truth is, the rail roads saw there is no justice in their claim for more freight and dropped the matter like a hot, iron. Commissioner Thomas says he is will ing to reduce the freighf. on cotton He made this statement at a recent meeting of the boaid and to his con sternation Commissioner Wilborn wrote a resolution ordering the reduction* signed it, and. handing it to Mr Thomas, told him to fill out a blank left for the amount of the reduction and sign his name to it. As Thomas was only bluffing he has not signed the reso lution yet and the freight on cotton has cot been reduced Commissioner Thomas is infected with tbe same disease which carried Samps Pope into tbe Republican party ?a hankering after a protective tariff (in the interest of the Charleston fer tilizer dealers), a longing for tbe ioter ference of Federal judges in our State affairs aod a fear that tbe poor farmer will "impose" upon our mooted men He would even bave bad a Federal judge set at defiance our State ail road commission aod overturn its lawfully rendered decrees to help his friend, tbe Southern railway. Ho has almoet reached tbe point where be believes most of us down here in South Carolina are "anarchist?," anyhow. - - ?^? ^ e?? Salem's Proliest Unayailing. Camden, Nuv 24 ?Uoless the let;is lature chooses to iuterfere Bishopville will not be a county seat for at least four years At Camden to-day the board of elee tion commissioners for Kersbaw county met to tabulate tbe result of tbe recent eleotion upon tbe question of the forma tion of Salem county The board con eiste of Mes-rs. W F Russell, J. Jones and C W. McCaekill A con test was made before tbe board as to the legality aod regularity of the eleo ti00 in this county. Tbe contestants, who favor the new county, were repre sented by Mr. H. C. Patton of Colum bia. Three boxes were contested, and tbe grounds of contest were in some in stances that tbe manager* of election were not sworn, in some that tbe regis tration books were not used to furnish tbe list of electors, and some that no evidence was required that tbe voter bad paid his poll tax Tbe board over ruled ail of these objectioos, holding that the elections for new counties are held undt-r a special act, aod that these limitations as to suffrage do not apply. The contestants' counsel then asked the board go into tbe boxes and reject all iilegai ballots?such as were scratch ed or defaced io any way, or for any reason did not comply witb tbe require ments of tbe law. The board declined to do this, claiming that tbey had no authority to do anything* more tbao tabulate the vote. So the effort to secure a oew election in this county has failed; and as the re soil of the vote as declared is agaiost tbe formation of Saiem county, Sslem will not be former! thio year. The only appeal from the decision of tbe county board is directly to the legis lature, which body may decide that the election is void But even in that case the legislature could not order a oew election, as under the law only tbe gov nor can order au eleotion on this sub ject, it is probab'e that the legislature will be appealed to. Messrs J. T. Hay and C L Wick ler were the counsel for those opposing the oontest. P. C Withers. - > Bradstreet's Report. New York, Nov. 27 ?Bradstreet's to-morrow will say: Last week's disao poiotmeot at the lack of demand in gen eral lines continues, tbe intervention of a holiday having made trade quieter and the volume sma 1er. At some points of dntributioo tiaere is no change in the situation Mild and unseason able weather prevent*; a more active distribution of clothing aud heavy goods and the volume moving is small er Where business has been more active, it is due to filling in orders and to tbe demand for holiday goods Con fidence in the revival of a demand which has no* yet appeared, was respon sible for the starting up of some mills and factories, which are dissatisfied with their prospects The most en couraging reports are of an improved toueoftrad3 and a favorable outlook for 1897 Tbe larger number of changes in prioes of staples were downward th?-? we>k, petroleum, turpentine, hides, ap ? pies, cotton and wheat flour being low- | er in addition to pries of metals. Ut?- | changed quotations are reported for wool, print cloths, leather, pork, sugar, ?nd coffee, while the leading cereals, wheat, corn and oats, respond with ad vances, as do prices for lead, lard and tin. Reaction in the demand which ap peared immediately after the election, together wi!h th? intervention of the Thanksgiving holiday accoonts for the sharp reduction in total hank clearings throughout the country, the total lor which is $940,000,OOU this week, near ; !v *24 per cent smaller than law; week, but 7.5 per cent larger than in the corresponding werk <?> year :igo. There were *2!>:> failures throughout ? the United States this week, 13 fewer j than last week, and 7 more than in the j week one year ago. J Blizzard in the Northwest St. Paul Minn, November 27 ? The storm which has been raging throughout the N'"thwest for the past forty-eight hours is the greatest that has visited this sponon since the biiz zird of January 12. 1888 in which one hundred and >even lives were lost. No lives are reported lost in this storm, but. there is a complete blockade of traffic in Northern Minne sota, North Dakota aod portions of BOU'h Dakota. Trains into St. Paul from the West are from five to ten hours late or abandoned altogether It is four degrees below zero here to-night with a terrific north wind blowing. At Morehead, Minn, the blizzard h-?s lasted twenty-four hourp, and there is no prospect of abatement. Traffic in the streets and a'l business i< suspended Nearly all passenger and freight trains are snowed in, but the Northern Pacific managed to%move one passenger train to night A north-bound on the Great Northern reaohed Morehead an hour late this morning. It stalled in the big drift right at the dopot and had to be dug out. It took four powerful engines to take the four passenger coach es across the river to Fargo. The trains are unprovided with snow ploughs, which render the engines al most helpless. The eoow in some places is five feet deep. Gafton, D., reports the worst storm that ever visised that section and it is driving the blinding snow at a ter rific rate across ibe prairies. It began Wednesday evening The Great Northern noutbrbouod train, due here at 6 30 last night, is now at St Thom as, fourteen miles north of Grafton One of the engines reached here this afteruooo, coming down for coal. The north-bound Nirth^m Paoific train got as far as Pembina last night aod the south-bound to- Meckiook. A train load of cattle is reported stock in a drift near Church's Ferry, and T? zen to death , Ar?yle. Minn, reports drifts in the streets there as high as the buildings alongside Mail and irrighi trains are tied up. The storm shows no signs of abating. The mercury at Fergus Falls, Minn, is at zero and business is suspended. ???Ma?9> - - ^mgmt - Writine paper in pound package*, plain and ruled, price aod quality not duplicated elsewhere H. G. "steen & Co. Is essential to health. Every nooli and corner of the system ?3 reached b the blood, and on its quality the condition of every organ de pends. Good blood means strong nerves, good digestion, robust health. Impure blood means scrofula, dyspepsia, rheuma tism, catarrh or other diseases. The surest way to have good blood is to take Hood's Sarsaparilla. This medicine purifies, vi talizes, and enriches the blood, and sends the elements of health and strength to every nerve, organ and tissue. It creates a good appetite, gives refreshing sleep and cures that tired feeling. Remem ber, Hoo Sarsaparilla Is the best?in fact the One True Blood Purifier. -, -, pv-ii cure Liver Ills; easy to a S PlllS take, easy to operate. 2?* Manhood Restored DR. E. C. WEST'S NERVE AND BRAIN TREATMENT THE ORIGINAL, ALL OTHERS IMITATIONS, Is sold under positivo Written i5?iJ?ranf ee. by authorized agents only, to euro Weak Memory, Di2zinf-it?. Wakefulness, Fits, Hysteria, Quick oess. Night Losses. Evil Dreams, Lack of Conti nence. Nervousness. Lassitude, all Drains, Yputh - nl Errors, or Eccessivo Ufe of Tobacco, Upium, < Liquor, which l^ads to Misery. Consumption, insanity and Death. At store or by mail, ?1 a box; six for ?5: with written jraarantee to cure or rcf?iin<l money. Sample pack age, containing fiv3 days' treatment, with full instructions, 2? cents. On?, sample only sold to each person. At i-toro or by mail. ??r!*cd Labei Special Extra Strength For Impotency, Loss ot Power, Lo?t Manhood, Sterility or Barrenness.^, ,S1 a box; six for ?">. with? : written ?ruar&u?eejSjj to cure in 30 days. At store''/" S&POREor by mail. J. F. W. DrLORME, Sumter, S. C. question Write an? .. : , snides or anything about thobc aru< , ;n our line?lun.l-er, slim . ^C 1 * nla, woodwork fo. gles. ornamenta^ .lairsand porches andai li cXtcrior and interior nnisn. irti A LUMBER CO.. AVKlL- ' ASUSTA. G A 1 M Hood's Restore full, regular action of the bowels, do not irri tate or inflame, but leave all the delicate digestive or ganism in perfect condition. Try them. 25 cents. Prepared only by U. L Hood & Co., Lowelf, Mass. Pills STAJSTON HOUSE. D. J. JONES, Poprietor. Rates $2.00 Per Day. SPECIAL TERMS TO FAMILIES. Two S?lnutes "STaik From Central Depot. ? Chattanooga, Tenn. July 29. SUITER RESTAURANT. MEALS TO OEDER AT ALL HOURS OYSTERS AND GAME IN SEASON. Special attention to Lunches for Ladies. Prices Moderate. Your patronage solicited. Liberty Street near Watchman and Southron Office. Oct. 2. The Suinter Music House. main street, next to cross well's grocery. Pianos, Organs and Sewing Machines of the best grade sold cheap for cash or on easy terms Old ones taken in exchange for new ones. CLEANING AND REPAIRING DONE PROMPTLY. We also keep NEEDLES, OILS, And parts of every Sewiog? Machine We have some rare bargains in Pianos, Organs and Sewing Machines. M. B. RANDLE, Jan 8. Manager. TAX NOTICE. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the County Treasurer's books for the months of November and December, 1895, and the fiscal j ear 1896 will he open for the collection of said taxes from the 15?fj day of October, 1896, to the 31st day of December, 1896, inclusive, Ht bis office in the County The total tax rate is 10 4 5 mills, appor tioned as follows : For State purposes, 4? mills. For ordinary county tax 33-10 mills. For school tax 3 mills. There is also the followiue additional special pchool taxes levind in the school dis tricts named : Pens District No. 16, 2 mills. 20,4 ?? Swimm :tig Bisbopville M ay esville Surater Midd'e'oo Ml. 0?o Providenc ie, 2 1,2 -, 2 -,2 -, li All mai- ritizens between the ages of 21 and 60 yewrs, except those incapable of earn ing a support or otherwiseexerupted, are lia ble to a poll inx of one dollar. The Treasurer would respectfully urge prompt ?> merit, inasmuch as there is no pos sibility of nu ixieti?Onn. Those waiting unti] the last wili be liable to serious delay and incoveDi-ri'-e, as there is alwa\8 a rush to ward the end. H L. SCARBOROUGH. Treasurer vSuuoter County. The Largest and Most Complete Geo. S." Hacker & Son, -MANUFACTURERS OF DOORS, SASH, BLINDS, Moulding & Building Material. rffice and Wmerooms. King, opposite Can non Street, CHARLESTON, S. C, ^39"" Purchase cur make, which we gu?rante superior to >??.^ sold South, and thereby .-:?^ e money. Window and Fancy Glass a Specialty October 1c- o Beauty Hath Charms and all the charms which beau ty likes best to don are shown in our grand display of fash ionable jewelry for this season. Jewels like these would en hance the charms of the most fascinating belle, and surely no fair one would despise such brilliant aids to her beauty. Like personal loveliness, they conquer admiration on sight ; they score new victories at ev ery inspection. Those who look over our stock do not willingly stop with examina tion. Beauty may now be made ea .iiy irresistible by a few judicious purchases from our display of up to date jew elry. L. W. FOLSOM, Jeweler and Optician, SIGN OF THE BIG WATCH, Oct 16 Public Sale. Estate of F. W. Crosswell, Dec'd. BY ORDER OF THE COURT OF PRO? bute for Suinter Count}, I will sell at tne farm ?f said decensed, ruar Bradford's Second Mill, the following ferson?! propeity belonging to said intestate's estate, on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15. 1896: !o-wit: Two mules. One horse One buggy. One 2-horse weg->o Corn, fodder ?nd cotton seed. A few bead-of hogs in good order. Plantation utensils, 4c, &c. Terms of Sale?Casb. W. CROSS WELL. Nov. 25, 2t Ad r inistrator. ORDER FRUIT --FROM THE SOUTHERN FRUIT CO, Charleston, S. C. And get best value for the money. Orders carefully and prompt ly filled. W. H. MIXSON, Manager. Sept, 30. Soap! Soap! AN ELEGANT LINE OF ?Toilet Soaps? Fine Extracts aod everything for a Ladies' Toilet. *-Try our 5c. and 10c. Soaps. Fine Cigars ! Favorite Brands ! Ask for Tokios, Humboldt's aod Exports. None better. DRUGS ! Fresh. Drugs Every Week. Prescriptions Carefully Com pounded Day and Right. J. S. HDGHSOlf &?0., DRUGGISTS O NA G-H A BLOCK SUMTER, S. O. _ guaranteed in writing. Stu dents complete in half the time at half the expense required elsewhere. Ten to thirty placed monthly. Actual Business Depart ment equipped with genuine commercial r.ar.k und office fixture**, superior to the ?quipments ut any other college in Amenta. Purely practical instruction and daily ?ri'! in real bank und (alce tracsacnon Penmanship h-r tl.f only graduate pen-artisi in Gt-orpin. Tbe only Southern College fulij. >:l>r<nst with the spirit ot progress and leaching Electric Shorthand, tbe lightning system of the cec tury. The only college which it is cheacer t<; ?ttt>i:?i than to remain idle. Premiums Four Expositions. Enrollment 700 per rear. Adiiress at once GEORGIA BUSI NESS COLLEGE, .Vacon Ga, Nov. t>.?o