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MTEK WATCHSTA?, Established April, 1850? nutti'im '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 SODTHKON, Est^lshed jEme,\I3G6 olidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1897. New Series?Vol. XVI. Xo. ?23 Lblisiisd "Wednesday, Gr. Osteen, JS?MTER, S. C, terms : 50 per annum?in advance. advebtisbmekt: juare first insertion.$1 00 [subsequent insertion. 50 [tracts for three months, or longer will ?de at reduced rates, [communications which subserve private Bts will be charged for as advertisements, tuaries and tributes of respect will be ed for. Spain is Bankrupt. >rals See Light and Prom le Great and Instant Re forms in Cuba if Given Power. s Creelmao in Y. Journal. Adrid, Dec. 26?After having Ied with the foremost Spanish esmen of ail parties, I am satisfied Iunless the United States prompt olves the Cuban question the tish monarchy is doomed, is a long stretch of ?ombre his from Phillip the Second, who ;hed the Armada to conquer the lo Saxon race, to the paje, little I saw bowing in the palace yes |Spain is bankrupt . it is useless attempt to disguise facts. Not jly is she unprepared for war with ly firet class power, but it will be i pos sib! e for her to carry on the impaigns in Cuba and the Philip inee much longer The cash sheet of the Bank of | |pain to-day shows that not more tan $19,000 000 remain of the $64, [00,000 raised by the domestic war )an. This balance will all disappear ithin a little more than two months. Th? European banks have refused furnish money. Capitalists through )ut the world know that the wealth producing machinery of Cuba has 'been largely destroyed, and the prin cipal source of Spain's revenue is [dried up Even were peace restored to mor row, it would be impossible to se tare capital to re establish the great luban plantations while the Spanish ig remains in that island?s constant id certain incentive to armed revo on 'be situation appalls all Spaniards are not blinded^fey-pride or pas The nation's funded debt is, rhly, $1,200,000,000, and the an inter.get on this aggregates ^64,000,000, more than one the whole income of Spain lgh in recent years the annual has been greatly reduced, the '?abl is now about $91.000, rCUSTOM HOUS-ES IK PAWN". to two great colonial wars on Ids and a domestic rebellion in the near future, Spain's I in European markets is gone, h^d to understand, on any bf common sense, the haughty ifiant tone of the present gov it\ It was necessary to pawn inish custom house to the ex $12.000,000 a year to Secure boasted domestic war loan, moment Spain has in her m something like $40,000, bonds and the 19 re iliions of the domestic is all she has with which wars, waged thou ?rom her coast, with )f the civilized world so '"dollars mt was jrted to rom the fdebt in li has itstand of ac in the ted but if that 'ar pur on her Ish must thought it jsb men are jpect. Ruin fwhile the lit j tie king plays in the palare with his i Austrian mother. ! The prime minister tri?-8 to hide I the signs of financial disaster and ut ? ters defiance to all. Castelar, the i magnificent, cri-s : "We can fight like devils ano) lose like gods." but, Castelar is no longer the real repub It can. Meanwhile Sagasta. the wily lead er of the Liberal party, is plotting the overthrow of Canovas I saw Senor Moret, the late minister of foreign affairs this r orning lie is Sagasta's immediate lieutenant and spokesman, and represents all that is progressive and tolerant in Spanish politics outside of the new active Republican party, which desires the overthrow of the monarchy "If the Liberal party is put in ! power," he said, "we will at once establish the promised reforms in Cuba, regardless of the war We will grant not only political rights far beyond those incorporated in the recent law, but we will also establish practically free trade between Cuba and all other countries, with the ex ception of reasonable discrimination in favor of the mother country and slight customs duties "necessary for revenue only. "We are ready to do this, not as a concession to any one?not asfa sur render to any one?but as a duty we owe te ourselves and our countrymen in Cuba "We will'fight the insurg?nt army with our utmost power. I wish to be very clear about that ; but if our party gets in power we will establish a liberal and righteous government, reforming both political,and economic questions in Cuba and Porto Rico ? not the second day we have govern ment, but the very first day "I speak for all the leaders of my party, and I believe I also speak for my leader, Senor Sagasta. It was I who signed the bill abolishing human slavery in Cuba I believe they grow better according to the extent of their liberties, and while Cubans may not at first improve under the conditions of local self government, and may even retrograde at the be gining, Spain must give them a chance to better themselves, and they will become progressive and reliable within a generation under proper conditions "The Liberal party is not afraid that the world will suspect Spain of having yielded to force With gteat er libety in Cuba, and with a tariff that will enable Cubans to trade free ly and profitably with the United States, the Cubans will soon learn to recognize that their best friend is their mother country." How different all this is from the pitiless words which Canovas ad dressed to the American publia through The Journal last week The present government remains in power because it panders to the passions of the crowd. Only a few days ago, when it was announced that the filibuster steamer Laurada would enter the port of Valencia, and the mob threatened to attack the ship if she came, Canovas ordered the local authorities to use their utmost power to protect her The governor of the province tele graphed to Madrid that he feared he would be unable to restrain the angry crowd if the Lurada touched Val encia. The Spanish government at once appealed to the United States, and the American consul at Valencia was instructed by Secretary Olney to advise the captate of the Laurada not to enter the port. Such things as these convince Canovas that a stern and unflinching attitude will best serve his purpose The mass of the Spanish nation seem to have no idea of the whole sale and wanton massacre in Cuba, nor of the overwhelming moral and humane sentiment which has aroused the American people to the fighting point. The result is that the solemn and deliberate utterances of congrees Ee sneered at, and the shop windows e filled with unspeakably indecent ricaturee of United States sen Cleveland and Olney are Spanish heroes, and so Spain drifts on to her inevitable fate SPAIN ENRAGED, BUT IMPOTENT. Only Her Weakness Pre vents Her Prom Declaring War Against Us. JamP3 Creelmnn iu N. Y. Journal. Madrid, Dec. 27 ?Since my inter view with Prime Minister Canovas I have become convinced that nothing but the weakness of Spain prevents her from anwering the action of the United States Senate Committee by a direct threat of war. The whole kingdom is in an up roar. It is the rage of a proud but hopeless people. The newspapers] are passionately calling on Senor Canovas to appeal to Europe and defy the Americans. Last night Senor Salma on, leader of tlie Republican party and once ! President of the Republic, left Madrid to fire the Catalonian heart against the Government. I saw him while he was taking leave of his friends He told me that this was a critical moment in Spanish history. Sagasta's lieutenants are arousing the public mind to the necessity of im mediately granting local self govern ment to Cuba in order to avoid war with the United States. Every hour the excitement in creases All seem to feel that the existence of the present Spanish dy nasty is involved in supreme peril. Canovas is firm as a rock. As he said to me, he is determined not- to yield an inch to the sentiment of the civilized world until the Cubans are beaten to the earth. But while the death of Maceo has served to deceive the common mind, the Prime Minister knows that the Cubans are stronger than ever aud that Weyler's campaign is a failure There is no braver nor more pa triotic Spaniard than Canovas, but the tide is rising at home and abroad He tried to negotiate a war loan in France and failed He succeeded in raising a domestic war loan of about ?64,000,000 in gold, but within three months the money will be ex hausted, and then where can the Gov ernment look for funds ? The revolution in the Philippines is spreading ; the war in Cuba be comes more expensive every month ; a strong garrison must be kept in Spain, for the Carlists are armed to the teeth and strongly organized, and no man can say when the Span ish Pretender may change his atti tude and give the signal from Italy for a revolution. Meanwhile the hatred for Ameri cans increases and the position of the American Minister in Madrid grows more painful The guard of soldiers at his door protects him from actual violence, but it cannot save him from social ostracism. The cry for an appeal to armed Europe rises clear arid distinct above all other sounds in this mighty con flict Cuba must be crushed and the United states' humiliated So far Canovas has resisted the pressure to invite war. but it is hard to say at what moment his strong heart may fail him. ?le knows that Spain is unequal to an armed struggle with the United States, and he fears to ap proach the European powers for as sistance lest he might offend the American people and hurry his coun try into instant war. The situation is grave beyond the power of words to express. Only a few months ago Spain prepared an appeal to Europe against the United States, but was checked by the sud den and bold action of the American Minister. Although Mr. Taylor and the State Department have declined to make the facts public, the whole story has leaked out in diplomatic circles, and,to-day I am in possession of nearly all the facts. The surprising thing is thai Con gress and the American public have been kept in ignorance of an event so tremendous that but for an acci dental discovery by Minister Taylor, followed by his instant protest, the United States might have been forced 13, face a hostile coalition of European -nations, compared to which the Holy Alliance, which Monroe defied, was insignificant. I give the following facts to the American public upon authority which is beyond dispute : Last July the Spanish Court moved to its Summer quarters at San Sebas tian, accompanied by the whole diplo matic corps A few weeks before thd the Spanish Minister of Foreign Af fairs, the Duek of Tetuan, hehd^ con ferences with the six European Am bassadors. He informed them that it was the purpose of the Queen Regent to send an identical note to the six first class powers, asking them to address a note of advice and warning to the United States on the subject of American interference in Cuban af fairs Mr. Taylor knew nothing about the matter, and the Spanish Minister kept his secret well. His purpose was to carry out his plan by stealth, so that President Cleveland would have no opportunity to protest or use his influence against the proposed threat of united Europe The joint note of the powers was to be a surprise I know as a fact that the chief spirit among those who counselled the Duke of Tetuan to procure action by the European powers was the Austrian Ambassador, who, as the diplomatic representative of the Queen Regent's uncle, Francis Joseph, has been especially active in promoting a belligerent and defiant at titdde on the part of Spain toward the United States. Finally, in San Sebastian, Spain's rote to Europe was put into form and read to each of the six Ambassadors It proposed that a joint note should be addressed to President Cleveland, I advieing him not to permit any in terference with the domestic affairs of Spain, and warning the American Government of the consequences which must inevitably follow any gross breach of international law. Under the cover of advice the European nations were to make a plain threat and practically dictate the course of the United States. If I have made any error in this state ment of the note which the Duke of Tetuan read to the Ambassadors in July, it ifi a very slight inaccuracy, The facts are as I write them. President Cleveland's proclamation advising the American people not to violate the neutrality laws was a shock to the diplomatic conspirators. Two of the Ambassadors declared that the President's action had des troyed the point of the proposed European protest, and had taken away any excuse which might have existed for joint action. The Duke of Tetuan and the Austrian Ambas sador insisted, however, that Spain's appeal to her sister nations should be sent, in spite of the President's friendly proclamation One of the two reluctant Ambas sadors was won over by ?Lj argument that the Spanish Crown was in dan ger and must be upheld against the michievous meddling of the Uni ted States. At last the Spanish Government drafted the identical note in its final form and was about to send it to the 6ret class powers by special courier?, when a gentleman unconnected with the diplomatic service who had learned the facts accidentally revealed them to the American Minister. Mr Taylor wa3 astounded when he heard the de~ tails of the plot against his country. .A more timid man might have wait ed to consult Secretary Olney before anting, but Mr. Taylor saw that no time was to be lost. At any hour the Spanish protest might be sent out. While he was hesitating as to the wisest course to pursue, one of the six Ambassadors called upon him. Mr. Taylor bluntly informed the diplomat that he bad learned all the facts con cerning the proposed joint action of Europe, and was about to cable the whole matter to Washington. Mr Taylor intimated strongly his belief that the next business be would have with the Spanish Government would be to demand bis passport. The Ambassador was aghast, and begged the American Minister in the interest of Spain not to make any re port of tne matter to Washington until he could have a conference with the Duke of Tetuan. Mr. Taylor firmly declined to suppress the nfatter. The diplomat earnestly asked Mr. Taylor to withhold his cablegram to Secretary Oiney for an hour, assuring him that before the expiration of the time be would be summoned to the palace. Mr. Taylor consented to this delay, and presently he received an invitation to call upon the Duke of Tetuan. The Spanish Minister of Foreign AiTairs frankly confessed tb.3 whole matter. Mr. Taylor deolared that what Spain proposed would be even more offensive to the United States that the alliance which provoked the declaration of the Monroe doctrine, and would inevitably lead to war. He said that the American nation would never tolerate such a direct in suit from Spain ; that the issuance of such an appeal to Europe by Spain, im mediately after the President's procla mation, would be a deliberate and open imputation against the national boDor and the good faith of Mr. Cleveland. The Duke of Tetuan collapsed. He gave Mr Taylor hie word of honor that the enterprise against the United States should be at once abandoned. That is the whole of the matter. have written the facts as simply as ? know how to write them. It is now within the power of Con gress to ascertain the details of this ex traordinary conspiracy to coerce the policy of the American Government and the manner in which the peril was averted. But there is one thing I can say with absolute certainty : That is that nei ther Great Britain nor France will ever consent to such an alliance should it be again proposed, and that Austria is the oolyiiuronean power which has given any proof of a desire to aid in diotating the couree of the United States in its relations to the Cuban Republic. A Fight Against the Bishop. Montreal, Deo. 29 ?Mayor Beaugrand, editor of La Patrie, an nounces over bis signature to-day that he has taken up the challenge thrown down by the hierarchy of Quebec and that he will run for the St Louis divi den of Monfreal for the legislature, as an anti-clerical candidate. Mr Beau grand ran for this saat in 1890 and was defeated by only a few votrp. In his letter, rchich ocebpiesover iv?? columns. Mr. Boaupirand calls upon all the Liber al Catholics to rovolt against the dom ination of bishops. He describes the excommunication of the Quebec L'Elec teur as the beginning of a war to the death, and be offers his paper and all its financial and intellectual resources to aid the war. Commodore Clears. For Cuba With Arms, Am munition and Medicine. Jacksonville. Fla , Dec. 31.?The steamer Commodore, commanded by Capt Edward Murphy, formerly of the bteamship Laurada, was granted clearance papers to day by the col lector of customs and left port with a cargo of arms and ammunition for Cienfuegos Cuba. The arms were loaded openly at the railroad wharf and no attempt was made to prevent any one from seeing what was going on The cargo was shipped by H. P. Fjritot of this city and was con signed to S. Cishero8, president of the Cuban republic. Spanish Vice Consul Potouts relused to vise the clearance papers on the ground that the arms could not be shipped to a Cuban port without permission of the governor general. He filed a for mal protest with the collector against the vessel being allowed to depart. The protest was filed by the collector and the vessel was allowed to depart as clearance had been granted. The Commodore carried a crew of 28 men 20,000 cartridges. 175 rifles, 1,000 pounds of giant power and other munitions c.f war besides a quantity of medicine and stores. The Dauntless has not yet returned to load with the cargo of munitions of war, although permission has been granted her to clear for Nuevitas, Cuba, with arms and ammunition. Nothing has been heard of her since she left here Tuesday afternoon to go wrecking, as her owner says. The sudden departure of the cruispr Raleigh from Key West at 1 o'clock this morning has caused con siderable uneasiness in Cuban circles, for it is believed that she has been ordered to stop the Dauntless and Commodore and search them to as certain if they are violating the law by carrying a body of men as well as a cargo of arms If the men are found on either steamer the vessel will be seized and and brought back to this port. The Three Friends returned to port to-day and is in charge of the collector of customs Her crew came ashore immediately and disap peared None of them would talk, but it was ascertained that the story of the encounter between the boat and a Spanish cruiser is true, and that the Three Friends did return the fire of the coaster. NO damage was done to either the Spaniard or the tug To Preserve Ham and Bacon. Mr. Charles Poston, of Savage, S. C , confirms what has been said by a ladv of Sumter as to the virtues of borax for the protection of meat from the attacks of flies, etc Having no ticed, he says, Mr. Barrett's state ment of his troubles on that score he submits the following approved re cipe for the information of all con cerned : "When the meat is ready to hang up, after it has been salted, wash off in hot water and set on edge to dry. When it is about dry apply a small quantity of pulverized borax by rub bing it on with the-hand or sprinkling it from a common pepper box or through a sieve, distributing it even ly over the fleshy surface and the stem of the ham and shoulder. Smoke as long as desired, but a very lille smoking will suffice. 1 have tried this plan for two years, and ray father has empleyed it much longer. No hairy bug, skipper, worm or fly will touch meat that has the borax on it." A South Carolina correspondent of the Southern Cultivator varies the plan by using the borax in solution He directs that the meat be kept in salt six weeks ; then taken out and allowed to drip for five minutes, and adds : "Make a strong solution of borax water, dip the meat in for one minute, hang np and smoke if de sired Farmers hereabouts use this method, and are never troubled with skippers." Whether the solution should be hot or cold, and just how "strong" it shoud be, is not stated The important point, however, is that this witness confirms the testi mony of our fair Sumter correspond ent and of Mr. Poston that borax af fords an effective and unfailing pro tection to the meat from the attacks of winged and legless marauders We need not, therefore, print any further recipes on the subject ? News and Courier ! Costly Food For Hungry Flames I Big Fire m the Heart of Lau reile' Business Section This Morning. Special to the State Laurens, S C, 1 a m.. Jau. 1. 1 Just as tbe old year was being run out and the new year rung io, th alarm of fire was given and one of th handsomest blocks in Laurens now lie in ashes The fire started in the rea of the store of L. E. Burns & Co. general merchandise, fancy goods ao furniture The store next door wa vacant-, with the second floor occapie by offices. On the corner is Davis Roper's famous clothing store. Thi has caugt t several times, but has bee saved so far and may escape with -Otfl the damage done by *?ater and movin the goods On the other side of Burns store is the new BeoDella hotel, th handsomest hostelry in tbe up country It will be a hard fight to save it. L E. Burns & Co. carried about a gS.OO?. stock and ?5,000 inscrance David & Roper, ?25.000 stock an about $12,000 insurance. Tbe Trayn bam block, in which the stores are situ ated, cost ?13.000 ; iosured for $7,50 BenDella hotel, covered by insurance. Later?The hotel will be saved ao with but little damage. Cause of fir unknown. As to School Histories. There has been a good deal said an written in the newspapers recently abo school histories. Some of the histori give very partial and one-sided accou of tbe civil war, and strange to fj many of our schools will use and v> history to our children which is1 history and which treats tbe Con eracy very unfairly and from a pr diced standpoint This u wrong," the wonder is any teacher will te the children of this day that t fathers were traitors and so on. war is over and no one wants it k up. All tbe Sootbern Confederacy tbe sons and daughters of those fought in the Southern army wa that the truth be told and they be justice They do not ask more, have a right ro demand as much. Superintendent Mayf?c!c* says i tbe city schools would follow the S,. : adoption there would be bui little t ble on the- history questioo, "for teachers of the county schoolsh bound tn follow the State h(|^? a I tioo, and thus it is they have m us unobjectable set of histories " MayGeld thinks the city schools sh be forced to take the State adoption not be changing every year with advent of every new teacher, think Mr. Mayfield is ri?ht. are many considerations why tbe s text books should be used in the schools that are used in the c schools Certainly the trustee pa: ems should be sufficiently int to see that unobjectionable histori used io the city school?. While on this subject of book State adpotion and while we have Mayfield up, we would like to as* if be does not thiok the State in tions should be forced to use tbe adoption instead of a book that w even put on the State list a? permi ble? We have in mind a State iostituti the bead of which is a member of State board, and gave tbe book in ti jo a most hi>rty eodorsmeat, an whole board gave it exclusive ador and yet in this same institution tb used another text book on the subject that U not on the Slate This we think is a little queer o on the part of the State and the ber of the board and an injustice t publishers who secured the State a tien. If tho books adopted by State board are not used in the iog State institution, how con Mayfield hope to force the city s to adopt them, and what good d State adoption do? We agree with Mr Mayfield, ever, in the position be takes, o think be should put the State a in all of the State schools, as the city schools.?Xewberry Ne Herald. Bncklen's Arnica Salve. Tbe Best Salve in the world for Ca^ Sores. Ulcers, Salt Rbcum. Fever Sor Chapped ur.iic?? Chilblains, Corns Sa d Eruptions, and positively cures do pay required- It i? pui:2ntead to feet satisfaction, or money refund 25ccnrs per box. 7or -v.le by Dr. J Lot-rip MTEK WATCHSTA?, Established April, 1850? nutti'im '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 SODTHKON, Est^lshed jEme,\I3G6 olidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1897. New Series?Vol. XVI. Xo. ?23