The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, December 30, 1896, Image 2
Commissioner Thomas
Gives His Brother Commis?
sioners Another Rap.
HE SAYS THEY ASE UNJUST.
Mr. H R Thomas is out in anoth?
er card, iu which he insists that his
brother Commissioners are unjust to
him. He says :
The Railroad Commission has been
so unjust to me that I feel constrain?
ed to reply to their last shot. Com?
missioner Evans published in State
paper December 5th, 1896, some im?
portant official statements in regard
to the earnings of the Manchester
and Augusta Railroad. I denied his
statements as untrue. I published a
trae copy from the record and made
affidavit thereto Commissioners
Evans and Wilborn and Secretary
Duncan denounced every charge made
by me as absolutely, untrue, and said
"it would take more than the affida?
vit of any one man to convince the
public that these charges are true "
I publish below our two statements
and Secretary Duncan's statement.
Commissioner Evans statement :
Gross earnings from ope?
rating, 1895, $ 84,319 16
Less expense of operat?
ing, 109,445 08
Deficit, 25,125 92
Gross earnings from ope?
ration, 1896, M. & A.
Ry., 183,008 89
Less operating expenses, 160,023 ll
Income, 22,985 78
Income from other
sources, ' 29,197 58
T'"al income, 49,138 36
Commissioner Thomas' statement
of Manchester and Augusta Rail?
road :
Miles operated in 1895, 143. miles ;
operated in 1896, 167 42 miles.
Year 1895, total income, $84,463.
41 ; expenses and taxes, $110,567 -
78; deficit, $26,104 37 ; interest,
$48,200 ; year 1896, total income,
$209,206 47 ; expenses and taxes.
$171,431.26 ; income, $37,775 21 ;
interest, $62,175.
1 certify that the above statement
of Commissioner Thomas as to Man
chester and Augusta Railroad is a
true copy from the records and is
correct
D. P. DUNCAN,
Secretary.
I cannot understand how these
gentlemen can denounce statements
untrue and then are forced to certify
that their own statements are faise.
Commissioners Evans and Wilborn
will be forced to report the figures I
gave to the Legislature as the true
records of the Manchester and Au
gusta Ra:lroad. These are the gentle?
men who are abusing and raisrep
resenting me in the Cotton Plant be?
cause I refused to join them in mak?
ing unjust rates contrary to the laws
of the ?tate.
The editor of the Cotton Plant
publishes two letters to prove that the
farmers got the fertilizer reduction.
Dr. Roberson says : "Previous to
such reduction this company had
made contracts based on the old
freight lates In all such cases we
deducted the 30 cents per ton from the
contract price "
I refer to the Commission's trade
with the railroad, where it will be
seen that this was one of the con?
ditions of the trade I ara sure Dr
Robertson wili not deny that he after?
wards sold al? of his goods at the
Charleston price with the Charleston
freight and added as Columbia had 75
cents per ton advantage ??vt*r Charles?
ton he made just that mu;-!: extra.
This accounts for the Doctor's ?reat
interest ii; the farmer This if?ttt>r
proves nothing and ought not tf. fool
anybody The other letter from
Secretary Tew, Columbia Phospate
Compauy, says :
"In regard to shipments to points j
80 miles from Colombia the new rate
operates to our disadvantage as
against competing points
The President of the Columbia
Phosphate Company makes a different
statement from his secretary and the
Charleston mill men. testify tnat Co
iumbia enjoys an advantage in all the
Piedmont territory Mr Clark,
president of the Columbia mills, sub?
mitted tables which show that at
Greenville, 142 miles, there is 28
cents against Columbia Mr. Smith,
of the Charleston Freight Bureau,
submitted tables which Bhow that at
Greenville via Spartanburg, 125
miles, there is 14 cents in favor of
Columbia The law says goods must
be shipped by the shortest route S<>
Mr. Smith's figures are correct and
Mr Clark's are erroneous
The editor of the Cotton Plant says :
"It is not at all an unusual pro
ceeding to detect Mr. Thomas in the
act of wilfully and maliciously per?
verting the truth It is a habit and
a very bad one into which he has
fallen."
Does any gentleman approve of this
gratutioas personal insult to a public
officer who believes be is doing bis duty
io refusing to be made a party to the
making of unjust rates? I chose to dis?
cuss the fertilizer rates, which concerns
the people, before the public, believing
that publicity is the people's best guar?
antee to fair rates and faithful public
service. Why should it offend the
Commission for me to discuss the rate
before the public? Why should they
set tbe editor of the Coiton Plant to
bounding nie? Why should it offend
the Commission for me to quote our offi?
cial public record? These records belong
to the people and are the only meant* by
which the people can fairly judge tbe
faithfulness and ioyalty of tbeir public
servants.
Editor Gantt says: "Commissioner
Evans plasters the back of this mao
who waots to tax as for tbe railroads "
Neither Commissioner Evans nor Gantt
ever quoted any records to show whore
Thomas ever once entered into any
trade with the railroad or ever once
committed himself to any fertilizer
dealer, and ? .defy ?hem to do if.
My last speech forced the Commission
to obey the law on the Seabord Air
Line;and to reduce the rate from $3.60
to S3 30. The S. A. Line bas beeo
working the illegal rate of ?3 60 for
ooe season and the people along that
line have complained to the Commis?
sion and have been turned away with?
out satisfaction. We had complaiot
from the following gentlemen: Sim?
mons Bros , Cress Hill, S. C.: R Z
Wright, Clinton, S. C.: E. C. Briggs,
Lynn, S C ; Clinkscales, Kay & Co.,
Mt. Carmel, S. C.; L?B. Jeter, Santue,
S. C., W. C. Razer, Cross Hill, S. C.
The rates fixed by the Commission
whether just or notare law and should
be enforced. The people on the S. A.
Line haye been imposed on because that
road bas been allowed to collect $3.60
all through the $3 30 territory for one
whole season after the reduction of the
rate.
In Commissioner Evans's Congres?
sional District territory the Atlantic
Coast Line records prove that he mad?
a blanket rate where none existed be?
fore and the records of our office show
that no such rate as be fixed could pos?
sibly be figured by any role ever adopt?
ed io this Commission, to which he
made me a party withorjt my knowl?
edge or consent. My speech forced
the Commission to comply with the law
which Commissioner Evans claims to
have bad passed and which he allowed
to remaio a dead letter on the statute
book and allowed the Atlantic Coast
Line to work the ?2.50 rate in that
territory for a whole season when tbe
law fixed the rate as between $2 20
and $2.30. Th i* proves that the edi?
tor of the Cotton Plant knows some
thing "of willful aDd malicious perver
sioD8 cf truth/7
I am interested in the Cotton Plant
and want to see its pages devoted to
the farm and not to boosting poi in
ciaos. The Commission degraded the
Cotton Plaut from its high plane of
"equal rights to all and special privi?
leges to none" when it seat our secre?
tary to write ao editorial commending
themselves for the fertilizer reduction
and Mr. Gantt is degrading it when be
as its editor condescends to personal
abuse and converts what ought to be
the farmers' paper into the mouihpiece
of a set of politicians. I am an Alli?
ance man and a stockholder in tbe Cot?
ton Plant. I therefore deem it DO im?
pertinence to inquire of Editor Gantt
to hold op his band and tell us how
much money has bee? contributed by
Messrs Evans, Wilborn and Duncao
this year to the Cotton Plant The
people can see ibat all 'he "Simon
pure" farmers are our of it, and they
ought to know if they are subscribing
to a farm journal or to a sheet for
boostiog politicians.
H. R. THOMAS.
THIS YEAR'S TAXES.
Over Two Millions Will be
Collected.
Chief Clerk. Durham, of the Comp?
troller General's effie e. gave out a state?
ment yesterday of ?he taxable propon?
in the State and the taxes tiow being
collected for 1896, which is of more
than passing interest ?; taxpayers.
The total value of taxable property is
sbowo to be ?170,750,474 while the
faxes now being collected oo ibis
amount, eounty, school and State, is
$2.159,064.48. Tue statement isas
foliows :
Totti F.cres of land, 18,073,970
Total vnloe of real estate. $100,976,705.00
Total value of personal prop?
erty, 45.838,607.00
Total" value of railroads, . 23,940,162 00
Total value cf ail 'taxable
property, $170,755 474 00
The taxes levied on this amount uf
property is as follows :
State tax 4? a ill levy, $768,423.15
Ordinary county tax, f>61,919 76
Special county tax, 171,102 25
Special road tax, 35.53S 06
Local county tux, 25.505.76
Total county taxe>, 794,066 24
Constitutional 3 mill educational
tax, $512,283 42
Local and special school tax. 8i 290.67
Assessed polls, 1P8.824 00
Total school lund, State, county
and special, $755,398 C9
The aggregate of all taxes. State,
county and school, ?2,159,065.48.
Columbia State, Dec. 24.
Old People.
Old people who icquire medicine to regulate
the howe's and kidneys will find the true
remedy in Electric Bitters. This medicine
does not stimulate aod ointains no whiskey
nor other intoxicant, but acts as a tonic and
alterative. It acts mildly on the stomach and
bowels, adding strength and giving tone to the
organs, thereby aiding Nature in the perfor?
mance of the functions. Electric Bitters is an
excellent appetizer and aid? digestion. Old
people find it just exactly what they need.
Price fifty cents and one dollar per bot?e at
J. F. W. DeLorme's Drug Store. 5
President and Congress.
George Washington and
James Madison An?
swer Olney.
To the Editor of The Sun :
Sit -George Washington wrote to
Edmund Pendleton in 1793 : "I only
wish whilst 1 am a servant of the
public to know ihe will of my mas?
ters, that I may govern myself ac?
cordingly. You do me no more than
justice when you suppose that from
motives of respect to the legislature
(and I ought to add from my inter?
pretation of the Constitution) I give
ray signature to many bills with
which my judgment is at variance
* * * I never had such conti
dence in my own faculty of judging
as to be ever tenacious of the opin?
ions I have imbibed in doubtful
cases.7'
Our present President is evidently
much more tenacious of his opinions
than our first was. The refusal of
Mr. Cleveland to carry out the wishes
of the people in reference to Cuba
imposes upon congress the impera
tive duty of passing promptly a con
current resolution recognizing Cuban
rights, which, under the Constitu
tioi), he must either approve or veto.
If he vetoes it the two houses can
then pass it over his head, and it be?
comes a law, which he must enforce
or violate his oath of office.
The right of congress and not the
executive to determine our relations
with foreign nations is a fundamental
principle of the Democratic patty
which has been recognized ever since
its existence. More than a hundred
years ago Alexander Ham'ilton and
Jamee Madison, the respective cham?
pions of the Federal and Republican
or Democratic parties, joined issue
on that principle in the case of "The
Neutrality Proclamation." That
proclamation was issued in view of
the war then raging between France
and England, and was only intended
to warn citizens of the United States
against any violation of international
law ; but iu it the President inver
tently declared that it was the dispo?
sition of the United ?tates to observe
friendly and impartial conduct toward
both the belligerent powers Now,
by the treaty of alliance mad? dur?
ing the Revolutiouary war, the
Uuited Slates had bound themselves
to guarantee to France the possession
of her West India islands in case of
a war with Great Britain. The pro
clamation was evidently in conflict j
with this treaty. Madison held that
the President had exceeded his
powers. He wrote to Jefferson :
"The proclamation was a most un?
fortunate error. * * * It seems
to violate the form and spirit of the
Constitution by making the executive
magistrate the organ of the disposi?
tion, the duty and the interest of the
nation, in relation to war and peace,
subjects appropriated to other depart?
ments of the government."
Hamilton, on the othe hand, al?
ways thy advocate of the executive
power, undertook not only to defend
but to interpret the proclamation in
a series of newspaper articles signed
"Pacificas/' in which he argued with
great integrity that it was the iunc
lion of the executive and not of the
legislature '"to make and to interpret
treaties," "to pronounce the existing
condition of the nation with regard
to foreign powers" and "to admonish
the citizens of their obligations and
duties in consequence '' While ad
nutting that the constitution vested
in congress the power to declare war.
he insisted that it was the duty of
the executive to preserve peace until
war wjis declared ; "and,"' he ar
gued, "in fulfilling this ilu?y it must
necessarily possess a light of judg
ing what is the nature of the obliga j
tiotis which the treaties of the coun?
try impose on the government." He
admitted also that the exercise of the j
executive judgment "might in cer- j
tai ii cases affect the exercise of the
power of the legislature to declare
war/' bat he sought to reconcile the
inconsistency by asserting that, "the
legislature is stili free to perform its
duties according to its own sense of
them ; though the executive, in the
exercise of its constitutional powers,
may establish an antecedent state of
things which ought to weigh in the
legislative decisions *'
Thomas Jefferson, who, as secre?
tary ol State, hud certified (as he
afterwards declared without due ex
amination) the proclamation was
greatly disturbed by Hamilton's ar
tides He enelosed copies of them to
Madiso:., and wrote : ' Nobody as
swers him, and his doctrine will,
therefore be taken for confessed
For God's sake, my dear sir, take up
your pen, select the most striking
heresies, and cut him to pieces in the
face of the public. There is nobody '
else who can and will enter th. " <e
with him."
Madison felt the delicacy of at?
tacking a proclamation issued by
George Washington, but he de?
termined to answer "Pacificus," and
refute his interpretation of it Hamil- !
ton had built up on the proclamation ?
a superstructure of executive usurpa- I
tion, and it was this that Madison j
set himself to demolish, in a series
of letters signed "Helvidius." He
showed that Hamilton had found his !
theory of executive power not in the |
letter or spirit of our constitution,
bot in that of Great Britain, in which
all sovereignty resided in the King.
Ile asked how the legislature could i
bc free to exercise its constitutional
power of declaring war while it was
hampered by the previous exercise
; of the executive judgment on the
; same subject Ile said :
"If the legislature and executive
have both a light to judge of the
obligations to make war or not, it
must sometime happen that they will j
judge differently The executive!
may proceed to consider the question j
to day, may determine that the United
Stales are not bound to take pnrt in a
war, and in the exercise of its func?
tions proclaim that determination to j
ail the world To morrow the legis- j
lature may follow in the considera- ?
tion of the same subject, m*y de- j
termine that the obligations impose j
war OH the United Sfates, and in the |
exercise of its functions enter into a ?
constitutional declaration expressly j
contradicting the constitutional pro- !
claroation.''
Discussing the right of the exeou
live to determine the recognition of
foreign governments, which had been
claimed by Hamilton under the ciause
of lite Ccnstitnlion authorizing the
President io receive ambassadors,
Madison said :
Are his credentials from the exist?
ing and acting government of his
country? Are they properly anther)
ticated ? These questions belong of
necessity to the executive, but they
involve no cognizance of the question
whether those exercising the govern
ment have the right along with the
possession * * * It is not deniep
that there may be cases in which a
respect to the general principles of
liberty, the essential rights of the
people, or the overruling sentiments
of humanity might require a govern?
ment, whether new or old. to be
treated as an illegitimate despotism
Such are in fact discussed and admit?
ted by trie most approved authorities
But they are great and extraordinary
cases, by no means submitted to so
limited an organ of the national will
as the executive of the United States,
and certainly not to be brought by
any torture of words within the right
to receive ambassadors "
It is just such an extraordinary
case as Madison here describes that
confronts us in the Cuban question.
"The general principles of liberty,"
"the essential rights of the people,"
and "the overruling sent 'men ts of
humanity," all require that we should
treat the Spanish government of
Cuba as ' an illegitimate despotism "
In fact, it is high time for this coun?
try to assume that all "despotism"
on the American hemisphere is "ille?
gitimate." But it is for the legisla?
ture, as the organ of the national
will, to declare this, and the func?
tion of the executive is to communi
cate to foreign powers what the leg?
islature bas declared.
Ail the letters written by Madison
over the signature of "fJelvidius''
were submitted to Mr Jefferson, and
approved by him before publication,
so that we have the authority of his
great name in support of Madison's
position
The contest between the cham?
pions of executive power and the
friends of the constitutional rights of
congress, thus begun in the early
days of the Consiitution, has been
transmitted through the century It
was one of the great issues that
made Thomas Jefferson President,
and it was the principle that the peo?
ple through their repr?sentatives in
congress and not the executive,
should dictate thc policy of the gov?
ernment, both foreign and domestic,
that gave its name to the Democratic
party
No Democratic President from the
time of Jefferson to the present at?
tempted to dictate the foreign policy
of this country in opposition to the
direct will of i he legislature.
J. S. T.
Washington, Dec. 22.
Gov. Evans yesterday received a
numerously signed petitition from the !
river phosphate rock miners, asking
that he recommend to the Legislature
to make a reduction of the royalty j
from 50 cents a ton, as at present, to j
25 cents The miners also make a
proposition to divide with the State
all they get over and above $3 50 per
ton The Governor took the whole
subject under advisement -Register,
Dec 24
- m mt fl -
Gold and Stiver Papers for sale by H. G.
Oswen & Co
Of severest trial and test prove
in regard to Hood's Sarsaparilla
st, Createst Merit
Secured by a peculiar Combina?
tion, Proportion and Process
unknown to others - which
natur:) ll y und actually produces
9
Shown by thousands of honest,
voluntary testimonials-which
naturally and tually produce
Greatest Sales
According to the statements of
druggists all over the country.
In these three points Hood's
Sarsaparilla is peculiar to itself.
Sarsaparilla j
Is the bes*- It is the One True Blood Purifier, j
u j ? i ? are the only pills to take :
MOOG S FlllS with Hood's Sarsaparilla. I
maw
J. Ryttenbe
STRICTLY H
Finest in Finish.
Best in quality of material and wo
mansiiip.
Style unequaled.
Tool Steel Bearings.
Seamless Steel Tubing;.
Perfect in every detail.
We are "GUNNING" for you.
Elgin Sewing
EU
?&J2 i
STANTON
HOUSE.
D. J. JOKES, Poprietor.
Rates $2.00 Per Day.
SPECIAL TEEMS TO FAMILIES.
Two Minutes 'Walk Pron Central
Depot.
Chattanooga, Tenn.
Jim 2d.
THE SOUTHERN FRUIT CO,
CHARLESTON, S. C.
And get best value for the
money.
Orders carefully and prompt?
ly filled
W. H. MIXSOX,
Manager.
Sept . 30.
,N ELR?AXT IA'S a OF
-Toilet Soaps
Fine Extracts ovi everything for a
Ladies* Toilet.
-Try our
5c. and 10c. Soaps.
Fine Cigars !
Favorite Brands ! A?-k for Tokios,
Hum bold t's *aod Exports.
Nooe better.
DRUGS !
Fresh Drugs Every
Week.
Prescriptions Carefully Com?
pounded Day and Night.
J
?i
DRUGGISTS
MONAGHAN BLOCK
SUMTER, S. a
Douglas
h
OAT?
?Zx HI TSE TZORID.
A ?5.00 SHOE FOR $3.00.
isn, ?t:rafc?e and perfert-?????ng, qual?t?e;
ccessary to make a finished shoe. Ti?
Li?ac?rr?ng allows a smaller profit to dealer-,
oe sold ai S3.C0,
?it
ugias $3.50, S4.00 and $5.00 Shoes are the
ons ot sk&ed ~/crkmen, from tie best
al possible io put frito shoes sold at these
>.
bc '^Belmont" and "Pointed
"cc-." (siiov-zn ::i cc::s) will be
?hc^?e.-.cerG this sea-cr:, int any
c'flher styfe desired may be
obtained from our agents.
T7o use only the heit Calf. Russia Calif
(all colors), French l'aient Calf, French
Enamel, \ ici Kid, ero., graded to corre?
spond -with prices of the shoes.
If dealer cannot supply you, writ?
W. L. DOUGLAS, Brockton, Mass.
CATALOGUE 1\EE2.
>rg & Sons,
UGH GRADE.
The Best is the Cheapest.
There is none better
than the.
GUNNING
Send for Catalogue.
MuGMll? & 5?GUGI6 GO.
>
SIN, ILLINOIS.
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-1
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,
SlGif OF THE Bro WATCH,
Oct. 16.
D. M. YOUNG.
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
Prompt attention to all inkiness ?-otrust?d
lo Office ort Cour; Koose square, in.
Blandir? cilice.
TAX NOTICE.
?\TOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT
|\ the County Treasurer's" books for the
months of November and December, 1895.
and the fiscal jear 1896 will he open for the
collection of said taxes from the lotti day of
October, 1896, to the 31st day of December.
3 896, inclusive, at h is office in the County
The total tax rate is 10 4 5 mills, appor?
tioned as follows :
For State purposes, 4h mills
For ordinary county tax 3 3-10 mills.
For school tai 3 mills.
There is also the following additional
specml school taxe3 levind in the school dis?
tricts named :
Swimming Pens District No. 16, 2 mills.
Bisbopville " ,; 20, 4 "
Mavesville " " 18, 2 "
Sumter " 14 1,2 "
Middleton " " -, 2 "
Mt. Clio " " -2 ?
Providence " " -, U u
All mal? citizens between the ages of 21
and 60 ye^rs, except those incapable of earn?
ing a support, or otherwise exempted, are lia?
ble to a pel! tax of one dollar.
The Treasurer would respectfully urge
prompt payment, inaMDUCh as there is no pos?
sibility cl an extension. Those wailing untij
the Inst will be liable to serious delay and
incovenience, as there is always a rush to?
ward the end.
H. L. SCARBOROUGH.
? Treasurer Sumter County.
Money to Lend J|
ON IMPROVED Farming Lands at 7 J
cent, interest per annum Apply tuB
LEE & MOISE. Attorneys,
Nov. ll-3m. Sumter, S.C. J