Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The General Assembly. a/ Colombia, February 26 -The House bas gotten to a stage ? where it has nothing important to do and has removed all restrictions to debate and is discussing measures gg that can hardly pass. L he session has been spun Out for five days, in? plosive of Sunday, as the intention wa s to have adjourned on Saturday morning, all for the purpose of giv? ing* time for the passage of the in? come tax bill by the Senate. The extra coast of keeping the Assembly here is about $1,000 a day, and it is very doubtful if the bill raises that much money, as it is likely to spend a couple of years in the Courts, even if it passes the Senate, which is very doubtful, in view of the limited time Had the bill been introduced early in the session the House, in al- like hood, would not now be here The dispensary bill, the appropriation and supply the general incoproration Act; the magistrate jurisdiction meas? ure, and all other bills of general aud imperative importance have been pas? sed by the House, including the re? cent income and insurance bills, and if there is anything imperative to keep the General Assembly here at a considerable cost it has not been an? nounced, and to-day was spent in discussing a bill that might as weil have been disposed of in an hour Free latitude was allowed in the dis? cussion The bill under discussion was to declare void all contracts or agreements where usurious rates of interest are charged. The bill was passed, but the impression is that in ' i&s present shape it will be no more effective than the present statute upon the books. The principal of the deals forfeited nuder the bill is to go to the county school fand. There was quite a lively tilt over a bill which sought to have the State librarian ejected by the General As? sembly. The statement was made that the bill was regarded asa re? flection on the Governor by the out side world, and on this recommitted, which is equivalent to its death for the session. All intention of reflect? ing on the Governor was disclaimed. The graduated license bill, was continued until next session. It will hang on the Calendar as a menace to the washerwomen, blacksmiths and the like who do business in this Stete. The income tax and insurance bills were given their third readings to day without protest, which wonld have been useless. Most of the morning session of the senate was taken up in debating the house bill to regulate and protect the fishing interests of the Mate.. Mr Walker of Georgetown and Mr. Pet tigrew, of Florence, did most of the talking, so that be .tween these two -gentlemen it was well on toward 1 o'clock before any real business was transacted The fi3h bill was, however, killed by a very decided majority. The appropriation bill which' bad been sidetracked aud left waiting an hour past the time when it should have been taken up as a special or? der, was amended in several particu? lars. Mr. Archer offered an amend ment for an appropriation of $4,000 for the purpose of potting in an eiec trie light plant for the deaf, dumb 'and blind institute at Cedar Springs, and also for a laundry for the same institution. Messrs. Moses, May? field and Archer called attention to the danger of fire from lamps being upset by the blind children. The amendment was adopted without dissent. The committee on free conference reported that it was unable to agree on the house bill to provide for the stopping of trains at certain stations. The report was adopted and the bili died. The committee on privileges and elections submitted an unfavorable report ou the bill for the formation of Dillon county, and on motion of Mr Mower the report was adopted. An unfavorable report on a joint resolution requiring the comptroller general to levy a supplementary tax for public school purposes was adopted. \ ~ \ Colombia, March 1.-The House to? day looked very much as it does on the last day of a Legislative session, al? though this id the third day before ad jooromeot. The House has finished every item oo its Calendar, and has done so earlier than vas absolutely necessary, io view of the agreement to j adjourn on Wednesday. Every bill ! and resolution has been disposed of in I some way. This morning the House j found that it only bad a dozeo numbers to dispose of, and to do this and rc- ! ceive the committee reports did not take op half of the usual morning ses- j sion, two recesses beiog taken during J the morning. Qiite a number of im-1 portant measures wore disposed of i Aooog tbe number was a Senate bil j looking to the keeping of actions io the State Courts and to keep them out of tbe Federal Courts as much as possible. ! Strange to say the bill did not on its soeond or third reading excite aDy de? bate. The House agreed to the report of the committee of conference on the appropriation bill, aud if the Senate does the same thing th: majority of items in contention will have been ad? judicated. The House passed, after a little dis? cussion, a bili by which it is proposed to restrict distilleries io the State. Qaite a Dumber of members have already gone home, and the ball look ed somewhat lonesome daring the day The Senate began the first dav of the hst week of the session of 1897 by re fnsiog to ooncur io a resolution, which came from thc House to appoint three members to investigate the penal insti? tutions. On motion of Mr. Mower a bill to amend the free school law so as to pro? vide for the traosfer of pupils from one school district to another, making it obligatory opon the latter to receive said pupils regardless of the crowded condi? tion of houses or other obstacles, was called up, and Mr. Mower's mction to strike out the enacting words was agreed to. The House amendment to the Senate bill allowing the phosphate commission to fix royalties, striking out the proviso that the commission could cot interfere with existing cootracts, was coocurred io by the Senate. Mr. Moses called up the supply biiil for the purpose of offering an amend? ment to reduce the State levy from 5 to 4^- mills, which be asked to have made the special order for 8 o'clock to-night. This was agreed to. The administrative dispensary bill was met with a motioo of Mr. Buist This was tabled oo motioo of Mr McCalla, and the bill passed to its third reading, with notice of general amend? ments. Tbe bill putting ao additional graduated liceose OD insurance com? panies was the special order of the night session and when it was called op Mr Douglass moved that it be con? tinued until next session The direct vote on continuance was taken without debase and resulted in refusal to con? tinue. Mr. Buist, when the vote was an? nounced, moved to strike out the enact? ion words. He 6aid from the vote he did not expect it to prevail. He boped, however, it would. If it was desired to keep outside capital from coaiiog iDto and developing the State this bill wculd secure that object. Mr. McCalla said for the past six years it had been charged that the gov? ernment was standiog on the border of the State with a drawn sword to keep capital out. but if any bad been kept away be did not know of it. Mr Ragsdale said when he was seen taking op the cudgels for a corporation it might be known that he thought it was bearing its just burdeos These companies were payiog their proportion of the taxes, aod for that reason he thought the bill should oot pass. Mr. Mayfield said he would support the bill because be thought, it ao equi? table measure. The aye aod nay vote on Mr Boist's motioo to strike out the eoactiog words resulted : Yeas-9. Nays-19. The bill theo passed.. Mr Henderson moved to continue until next session the income tax bill, and submitted bis reasons for so doing. The vote to continue stood 14 to 14 and the lieutenant governor cast the deciding vote against continuance. When the refusal to continue the bill was aunouuced, Mr Buist moved to strike out the enacting words of the bill aud said : "Never before the Reform party took control of affairs in 1890 did I bear of an ad ministration measure That party secured control by satisfying the public mind that there had been ex travagance in the State administra? tion. But since 1890 there has been no reduction in taxes There have been additional demands, the pen sions and Clemson college, both of which are proper and right." He did not object to them, but the trou ble was that the State had under? taken too much Hereafter be would exercise no more liberality, because he believed it was being done at the people's expense. The levy had been increased since 1890 and the resources of the little State of South Carolina would not admit of it The day was coming when the people would have a word to say on that question. This measure was brought up within 48 hours of the close of the session, when the people were unprepared for it ; a measure which was injurious to the interest of the State. In 1860 the people who started a great revolution did not have half the oppression and the cause of irritation imposed upon them as the people of South Carolina were now suffering under. They were allowed to eat and allowed to wear clothes and that was about ali The insurance bill had been passed and now the proposition was to put more burden upon the people. Mr. Archer charged Mr. Buist, his faction and his section with support? ing extravagance, and said then there was hope when he made eco- j nomical speeches. He said that the proposition to lower the State levy was a scheme to create a deficit. Mr. Moses resented this hotly, saying ] that he was legislating as a senator, j Mr Archer, continuing, 6aid that he hoped|the bill wouid pass The vote on Mr Buist's motion to strike out the enacting words cf the bill was taken and resulted in its failure Mr. Henderson offered an amend ment that $2,500 instead of $1,200 be made the minimum income on which the income tax should be levied. The amendment was lost. Mr. C. H. Mathis, of Blackville, proposes to plant SOO acres of water? melons this year. He's ODe of thc | most successful watermelon growers io tbe State. i Lee and the Administration. Not Supported ia His Effort to Protect American Citizens. New York Sun. The underlings of the administra? tion are suggesting by hints and shrugs, if not openly retailing, the falsehood that Gen. Lee is impetuous and imprudent, a veritable Hotspur in temperament, and has allowed his sympathies for the Cuban insurgents to lead him beyond the limits of his duty and authority. In auother breath they attribute his action to per? sonal and political motives, having for their aim another term as govern? or of Virginia The intimations are thrown out with an assiduity and an air of au thority which show that the purvey? ors of such slime have got the cue of calumny from higher sources, and are expected to use it for all it is worth to cover the craven betrayal of American rights and manhood by their superiors. No charge, under all the circumstances, could be more cowardly, treacherous, and false The consul general is a Hotspur only in his courage and patriotism. He is by no means "sudden and quicfc in a quarrel," but exceedingly amiable and conservative in disposi tion and temper. Even under condi? tions most likely to betray the char? acteristic attributed to Gen. Lee, he has never been provoked to anything approaching rashness either in words or deeds. He has been properly secretive in regard to the differences he has had with the Slate depart? ment, but doubtless it bas been im? possible for him to conceal entirely his disapprovals of the unmanly and un-American policy which the admin? istration has pursued, in spite of the indisputable facts he has furnished, showing the bitter hostility of the Spaniards to to all American citizen* within their power, and their re? morseless persecution. He has re mained in his office only with the hope that he could prove serviceable to his oppressed countrymen, and that the administration would sooner or later accept and act upon the facts he had conscientiously gathered and laid before it. In the latter expectation he has been greviously disappointed He had probably found at last a fatal error in his original assumption that the President and Secretary Olney wished the necessary evidence of the violation of our treaty rights on which to base a demand upon Spain for a discontinuance of the outrages, a full redress of the grievances of the victims, and the maintenance of the honor of this nation ?fis only blun? ders have consisted in the entertain? ment of this assumption and his re? luctance to relinquish il. No intelligent person who has closely observed the systematic course pursued can believe that the administration, at any time within the pa6t few months at least, intend? ed to assert the rights of our flag or protect the persons and property of our citifens on the island. Gen Lee wa? sent to Cuba merely to play the lackey and carry out a cowardly and dishonorable policy, with the hope that his high character would secure for such a policy the respect which it could not have acquired from a man less distinguished for integrity of purpose and manly courage. Cleve? land was as much mistaken in his selection of aa agent for such a pur? pose as the agent was mistaken in Cleveland. It seems that the Presi? dent did not wish to know the full facts, and the best evidence that he did not wish the country to know them is furnished by the strenuous efforts made to conceal them a'ter they had been collected and reported to the 6tate department. All ihe information the foreign committee of either house have been able to secure has been wrung from reluctant hands. There has been no free conference between either com raittee and the While House, as would have* been the case had there been an h?hest desire on the part of the administration to uphold the dig? nity and reflect the wishes of the na? tion. Not even a warship has been permitted to approach the island, though at- no time during the 10 years' war did Hayes or Grant fail to have at least one American man-of war anchored in Habana harbor. The refusal of such support tended, of itself, to discredit the authority aud impair the usefulness of the consul general. It offered and invitation to the torture and murder of American citizens It not only gave encour? agement to the haughty disdain of Spain whenever our grievances were presented for ledress, but also tended to incite the derison and contempt of all foreign powers. If Gen. Lee has an ambition to again become governoa of Virginia, it ia an honorable ambition : but only the coterie of" Cleveland's clerks will attribute his zea! for the protection of American rights in Cuba tu such a motive. The accusation is well worthy of tho chis:, <>! persons from whom he demand such base service, and the eager readiness with which tlwy render it is not surprising. "What," says Pope, "must be the priest where the monkey is a god'' What mus: be the slave wheie Cleve laud is master? _ Washington, March 1-The cor- j respondence of the department of i state with Consul General Lee at Ha bana in the case of Charles Scott, an American citizen, which was laid be fore th1, senate to night, confirms the published story that Gen Lee threat? ened to resign unless the department supported his demand that Scott be released from solitary confinement The correspondence is much like half of a conversation by telephone, only the telegrams sent to the deprat ment by Gen. Lee being transmitted; the department's end of the inter change being omitted Feb 9, Gen Lee wired the state department: 'Charles Scott, an American, arrested at Regla this morning Charges not yet known " The next is dated Feb 20. and says : "Scott ha? been in jail in Ha bana without communication for 264 hours. The dispatch continues: "Cannot stand another Ruiz murder and have demanded his release. How many war vessels at Key West or within reach, aod will they be ordered here at once if necessary to sustain demand ?" Feb. 23, he again telegraphs Sec retary Olney, evidently replying to inquiries and in language that can scarcely be misunderstood : "Situa tion simple. Experience at Guana bacoa made ii; my duty to demand before too late that another American who had been incommunicado 264 hours be released from said incom-. municado and I did so in courteous terms If you support it and Scott is so released, the trouble will ter? minate. If you do not, I must de part Ail others arrested with Scott have been put in communication Why should only American in lot not be ? He has bee.i incommunicado now 338 hours." The correspondence closes with a telegram of the same date, in which Gen. Lee informed the state depart ment that his demand has been com? plied with and that Scott had been released from incommunicado after 14 days' solitary confinement in a damp cell 5 by 11 feet, with water on the floor "He was not allowed a chair or anything to sleep on," the telegram concludes, "and discharges of the body were removed only once in five days Scott says he went 12 hours without, water and once two days Scott was charged with having Cuban postage 6tamps in his house. Was an employe of an American gas com? pany.'' In regard to the arrest of F. J. Caseanas. an American citizen, Gen Lee, on Feb. 17, in a dispatch an? nouncing his arrest, denounced it as a great outrage and said there . were similar cases at Sagua and elsewhere on the island. The department six days later ordered Lee to report upon the whole facts, and on Feb. 24, he replied that Caaeanas insisted that his treaty right should be respected. The prisioner has resided at Sagua since his resignation lhere in 18T2 The other dispatches show the num? ber of his registration entry, number of passport, etc., and concludes with a disDatch dated Feb. 27, leaving the latter undisposed of Send Lee Back to Cuba ! If it is true, as now seems probable, that Consul General Lee has resigned his post in Havana rather than con tinue as a party to the administra? tion's infamous betrayal of American citizens confined in Cuban prisons, there is one act by which the incom? ing administration may command the instant, eager and unqualified support of the whole people Let President McKiley re appoint Gen Lee to the Havana consulate, and support him in that position with all the authority that may be neces? sary to give full force and effect in behalf of American citizens, Ameri? can rights and American interests The time has come for a change in our whole policy in dealing with the Spanish power in Cuba Mr. Cleve? land's truckling to interests of Spain, heartless indifference to the outages on American citizens and his deafness to the voice of public sentiment in this country have become unbearable His conduct is a reproach to himself and a reflection upon the American reputation for courage and fair play Gen Lee is naturally disgusted with this wretched policy. Ile is unwilling to aid Mr Cleveland's policy of treachery and betrayal any further, and proposes to resign, if, indeed, he has not already resigned, rather than remain in the service of an administration which is too supine or too cowardly to protect the lives of its own citizens against Spanish butchers. But Gen. Lee is just the man for President McKinley to keep in Ha vana He is fearless, ab!f?, honest ? and patriotic, and by this time he i fully knows the Spanish character If he comes home, let us send him back to Cuba, accompanied, if need bf by a fleet of gunboats to support his demand for tlx.* protection of every American citizen upon ?he island - , N. V. Mail and Express San?'uil!y is Safo. He and Family TIave Arrived at Key West. Key West. Feb. 'is.-(?cn Julio SanguiHy and family arrived on thc Mascott last night. Gen. SanguiUy goes through en route to New York. Last night's steamer also brought to this city another victim of Spanish brutality. Mrs Eva Adan Rodri? guez, who together with Conception Agramonte de Sanchez, Gabriela de Varona, Maria Aguilar and Agua M Silva, all of the finest families oi: the island of Cuba, were arrested on Jan. 10, last, and thrown into a dirty, damp Spanish prisi?n, among a lot of low, abandoned women, without the slightest charge having been pre ferred against them. Here they were kept for 20 days in a state of "in? communicado," when they were marched through the streets with a number of criminals, some of whom they were in chains, surrounded by an armed guard, to tte depot and placed on a train to Nuevitas, and from there to Habana by steamer. On the train they, were confined in a car filled with men and not allowed any conveniences. Their condition was a little better on the steamer, as there they were al lowed to pay for a few comforts. They arrived at Habana Feb. 4, last. Her case was called to the attention of Consul Lee, who immediately com? municated with the acting captain general, Marquis Ahumada, and de? manded her release On arriving at Habana she was taken to the public jail and then to the house of refuge, a place set aside for fallen women This place was packed with women afflicted with loathsome diseases and stocked with lice Even the officials advised Mrs Rodriguez to be careful and not came in contact with these poor wretches She was detained in this den of hor? rors for 32 hours, when she was re leased on condition that she would not remain in Habana. Immediately on her release she sent for her two little daughters, who had been left at Puprto Principe, and on their arrival at Habana, Mrs Rodriguez requested 'Consul Lee to secure her a passport out of the country. She is profuse in her thanks to Consul Lee for the prominent interest in her behalf lier husband, Gen. Rodriguez, for? merly commanded the insurgent forces around Cienfuegos, but is now in command of Habana province in place of Gen Aguirre, the depart? ment general, deceased The in? surgents are in fine condition, she says, and in good spirits. They are about to concentrate their forces in and around Habana The report of cane grinding on different estates is absolutely false. An attempt was made to grind on the Calvo estate last week, but the insurgents burned them out Washington, Feb. 27 -At the Brit? ish embassy at noon to-day, the Spanish draft of the Auglo Venezuelan treaty was signed by Sir Julian Paunceifore and Senor Andrade and that document is finally ready for submission to the Venesuelan congress, conforming to the constitutional provision of being in the language of that country. Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 27.-Otis A. Smith's friends paid the amount of his shortage to the Georgia Security and Banking company to day and he was released from jail. He went direct to the union station aod took a train for New Orleans. He bad changed his clothes. Smith said that he was going west Berne: March 1.- The left wing of the great monastery of St. Bernard has been demolished by an avalanche. Fortunately, no lives were lost, nor j was any ooe seriously injured, but the mooka occupying the monastery were in serious danger for some time before their safety was assured. When the great masses of snow and ice descended upon the building the occupants took j refuge in the part- of the building which remained intact and from there were able to dig a tunnel under the snow, through which they crawled. Most of them were severely frost bitten. Washington, Feb 27.-The Vice President, whose term of office expires next Thursday, was this evening pre? sented with a magnificent silver service | at his apartments iu the Normandie. The parchment testimonial accompany? ing the service was sigoed by every senator. The presentation speech was made by Senator Hoar of Massachu- ; setts, followed by Mr. Gorman of Maryland. Senator Blackburn of Kentucky, representing the State in which the Vice President was born, made a ?short speech, as did Senator Cullom, representing the State from which the Vice President comes Mr. Stevenson replied briefly, and was deep'y moved by the beautiful tri bute of his associates of the past four ' years Green Castle, Ky., Feb. 27 -The ! Kev. J. A. Lee of Covington, Ky., confidential Ir.end of Jackson and j Wulling, the c onvictcd murderers of j Pearl Bryan, arrived here this morn- j i og with a full confession from Walling, ! which he wi.-h^d to present to the Hry- ; an family and have mein petition Gov- ; ernor Bradley to commute Wallingat? j sentence to li:** imprisonment When lu1 w is half way to the Bryan home? stead lie vva-; met DY Fred Bryan, who told hi:ii he would have to discontinue hi* mis.->ioi.?. -is the Bryan family Wi'iild not con.- id r th:1 confesi?n; Mr. L . gave up Iiis m1.-M M and returne?: Cincinnati this a??ernoon Stimulate tin- stomach. grrrtt tn p P rouse thc liver, curr bilious- M~/f ? I ? ness, headache, dizziness, ^F^^ B fl jg sour stomach, constipation, T ? ? ? etc. Price 2.') cents. Sold by all <lni^'ist$. The only rills to take with Hood's Sarsaparilla. THEY D? NOT" SIT. Some Birds That Hatch Their Egg^ by Queer Devices. It is well known that the Australian megapod is a bini that is accustomed to sit on its eggs. Ia certain parts of Aus? tralia are found numerous mounds cf considerable size and height which the first explorers took to be burial grounds. These were trade by the Megapcdius tumulus, which uses them for hatching its eggs. They have sometimes consid? erable dimensions. A nest that is 14 feet high and 55 feet in circumference may be regarded as large. Each megapod bulds its own nest with material which it gathers from all sides, and these are exactly what the gardener uses in the month o?' ?Larch to make his forcing beds-namely, leaves and decomposing vegetable matter, which', by their fermentation, give off an appreciable amount of heat. lu the forcing beds this heat hastens the sprout? ing of the seeds. In the ne?? it suffices for the development and hatching of the young birds, and the mother can go where she likes and occupy herself as she wishes without being troubled by the duties of sitting. In the small island of Ninafou, in the Pacific, another bird has a some? what similar habit, in so far as it also abandons its eggs, but in place of ob? taining tho necessary heat from fer? mentation it gets it from warm sand. The leipoa, or native pheasant of Aus? tralia', acts like the megapod and watch? es the temperature of its mound very closely, covering and uncovering the eggs several times a day to cool them or heat them as becomes necessary. Aft? er hatching, the young bird remains in the mound several hours. It leaves on thc second day, but returns for the night, and not until the third day is it able to leave for good the paternal abode. -Revue Scientifique. An Embarrassing Gift. Lord Leighton's house is to be pre? sented to thc nation, which in turn is to maintain it in its present condition as an artistic monument of its late own? er. It is ungracious to discuss such mat? ters too closely, and every one will rec? ognize the good intentions of the ladies who make the generous gift, but some day it will be necessary seriously tc dis? cuss this business, now so much in fash? ion, of keeping up the houses that are associated with the memory of our great men. One day it is Carlyle, another it is Turner, and so on. There is a little "boom," a few of the faithful pour in on the opening day and examine the hat stand, and the walking stick, and the dining room ta? ble, and then they go away and straight? way forget all aboutit. For a year or so stray Americans and provincials keep np a show of interest, and then the thing becomes a mere white elephant, of in? terest or of use to nobody. Lord Leigh? ton's house is out beyond Holland Park, and, as it is not to be either a school, a museum or a home, who is likely after the first few weeks to take the trouble to go three or four miles to visit it? St. James Gazette. Breaking Things. Robert-We had quit? an experience at Stoders last evening. Richard-Yes? Robert-Yes. We were sitting there like so many mumchauces, when Sto? ders daugbUr suddenly broke into song. Richard-So? And what did the rest of you do? Robert-Oh, the rest of us broke away as soon as possible.-Boston Transcript. The present king of Servia, Alexander I, was elevated to the throne in the place of his disreputable father in 1SS9. fie was born in 1876 and is now a stur? dy youth, who, it is said, gives promise of being quite as disreputable as ex King Milan ever was. Tho Granting of Patents. In the case of a person who believes himself to be the original inventor of an article or device on which he desires a patent the right will not be refused, even if the same article or device has been known or patented in somo foreign country-that is, provided the invention had not been described in any printed publication. In 1SG9 occurred the "great fire" at Seattle, in Washington, in which prop? erty to the value of $20,000,000 was destroyed. The Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians, Syrians, Phoenicians and Carthaginians began the year in the autumn. H ONEST "WO RK. It needs to be proclaimed from every house top and practiced by every parent and teacher that amid all of our needs the one supreme one is better work. Young man, if you have an ambition and treed a world to conquer, begin heroically on yourself and make yourself fit for some? thing. Do some one thing well. Do it well, whether you are under the eye of' a master or not. Doit well if ic is never seen. Do ir well if you get nothing for it. Put conscience into every stroke, whether thc work be small or great. All work is gro.tr that is greatly done. ROBS C0XF?XE3IEXT OF ITS PAIX, HORROR AXI> DANCER, flakes CHSLD-BSRTH Easy.! Endorso?! and reco m mended by physi? cians, midwives an?! < hose who lia ve used it. Beware of substitutes and imitations. Sont bv express or mail, on rorcipt of price. St.?H) por lioitlc. Boots -TO MOTHERS" ;?;:I?1?H1 fie?*, containing voluntary testimoni?is. BRADFIELD REGULATOR CO., Atlanta, Ga. SOLD BY ALL DRUGGISTS.