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atth m nn TBS SIJMTJCR WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1897. THZ TR CE SOUTHRON, Established Jane, 1366 Sew Series-Yoi. XVI. So. ? Cfit W&a?tfam mb Bm?)m Published Erery Wednesday, KT, C3-. Osteen, SUMTER, 8. C. TER3?S : $1.50 per an nam-in advance. ADVERTISE MEST: r One Square first insertiou..................$1 00 S very subsequent insertion.........r. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer will % be made at red need rates. AH commcnications which subserve private interests will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. The Police Maddie. Seven Aldermen Block the Removal of the System. j ? The Charleston metropolitan police matter is still tied ap The un expected action of some of the alderman of that city on Monday in refusing to sign the agreement which Governor EUerbe reqoired is the only canse. From all that oan be learned when Mayor Smyth was in ; the city last Saturday to see Governor Ellerbe, the governor gave him an agreement fdr the aldermen to sign, pledging themselves to ose their influence in enforceing the dispensary law -and promising if thej did sign it that he would at once remove the metropol? itan police A secret meeting of the council r?as held Monday"'a nd all except seven aldermen signed the agree? ment. Governor Sllerbe was notified of the fact yesterday morning and immediately afterwards telegraphed to Mayor Smpth that the police board of commissioners -consisting of himself, the secretary of state atd the comptroller general-would not issue an order of removal until all the alderman has signed the agreement. 3o reply has been received from Mayor Smyth and the matter seems to remain in this position. The agreement signed by a ma? jority of the alderman was received by the goveoor yesterday, though no minority report has been received by him. The agreement reads : Whereas, the State board of offi? cers authorized by law to appoint polcie commissioners have consented to discontinue the government of the city *of Charleston in the manner pro? vided by an act entitled "An act to provide for the appointment of a board of police cotnmssioners, and for toe the reorganization of the police and to provide salaries for the same, io cities and incorporated towns, when deemed necessary and ad visa able for the better enforcement of law in cities and towns/7 approved Dec. 24,1894, upon the express condition tba$ the city council will faithfully and efficiently to the best of their ability execute all the laws of the State of South Carolina and especial? ly the dispensary law and that the mayor and aldermen will individually and offiia?ly pledge themselves so to ?do. Now we, the mayor and aldermen of the city of Oharlestn, indviduaily hereby promise and pledge out selves to the said board to do everything we can officially to execute the dis pensary law and to enact all ordi? nances necessary for this purpose, and to rigidly enforce such ordiances, as well as to execute all other laws of the State of South Carolina . J Adger Smyth, mayor; Geo W. Williams, Jr, G P. Costello, R G. Rhett. Zimmerman Davis, Thos: Rod dely. R. M. Masters, C S Gadsden, P. Broderick. A. F. C. Cramer W. . E Holmes, J. Fred Liiienthal, W. F. Strong. J. M. Pearlstine (opposed to dispensary). H Buck, Jos. F. Kracke, C. A. Roessler. Accompanying this was a letter from Mr. George W. Williams, Jr., saying that he did not think it neces sary to sign the above as his oath of office for alderman covered the some ground, but he did- so as the gov? ernor desired it. Mr. Kracke and Mr. Roessler said the same The aldermen who refused to sign the pledge are : Messrs. Schmidt. Percival. Beckman, McCarrell, Mat thies and Pregnall. The reaeons they gave for declining'to sign the pledge to enforce the law are as expressed in the following paper, which they signed : "We, tha undersigned members of city couHcil, desire to enter a protest against any change, for the following reasons : "We are of the opinion that under the present suspices, with the com? munity at large so opposed to the provisions of the dispensary law, that the only practicable way to en? force the law is a police operated as it is now constituted. "Both municipal and State mana? gement have been restored to to sup? press the illicit sale of liquor in this city since the passage of the dis* ensary law. and a comparison of the work performed u?uer each system j demonstrates the otter impossibility for us to conscientiusly take the position that this law can be enforced wider municipal management, and we therefore desire to be placed upon record ns refusing to sanction a coarse that would stultify us before the public at large 7 Mr. W- Gibbs Whaley and W J. Motte of Charleston were up to see the governor about the matter yester? day and to arge that the system be retained The governor remained firm in bis determination as expressed in his telegram of yesterday to the mayor of Charleston. This covers the metropolitan police situation up to date so far as this end of the line is concerned -The State, March 10 GEN. LEE DISGUSTE? WITH THE BUSINESS Investigation Into Dr. Ruiz's Murder is to Be a Farce*. ? . Habana, March ll, via Key West, Fia , March . ll.-Monday night a band of weil known Cuban patriots entered the strongly fortified town of Bejucal, In Habana province, sacking all the stores of the place and burn? ing 15 houses. Details are lacking. It is also reported that another party of rebels, commanded by Castillo, captured the town of Qoivican and burnt several houses of the place. j The brutal murder of Dr. Ruiz, which raised such a just cry of indig? nation in the United States, is still occupying the attention of Consul Lee Persons in close contact with the consul general say that he is greatly worried over the affair. As already reported, Spain has ordered a fresh and thorough investigation of the facts which led to Ruiz's death Bat Consul Lee is quoted as saying that be does not clearly see how the investigation can be properly carried oat. He naturally cannot understand how an impartial trial can be held since no witness will testify against Major Fondeviela or the warden of the jail. They reasonably fear for their lives, which certainly would be endangered if they should honestly tell the troth of what has occurred. Besides, uo Cuban lawyer would be willing to take up the case as none would haye the courage to confront any of the miscreants and charge them with the dastardly deed. Con? sequently the point remains that no matter how willing Spain may be to have a clear investigation and an im? partial trial, and despite the promises and inducements she may make to the witnesses, they will never testify or give evidence that will throw light on the case In view of these facts, it is understood that General Lee will not take part in the proceedings, as he has been requested by the Spanish authorities not to appoint any lawyer, as required by th? Span? ish laws, to represent him in the case Personal friends of General Lee af? firm that as soon as he shall have set? tled all the pending matters he has on hand and got them in proper shape, he will resign bis post and re? tire to the United States Ile appa? rently feels tired of the Spanish "business'' and disgusted at seeing that ail his efforts in behalf of the rights of the American citizens on the island have been in vain so far. A letter received from Santiago de Cuba, dated the 4th instant, refers to an incident which shows the utter lack of consideration the Spanish au? thorities have for the foreign powers. By order of the chief of police, the house of Mr. Robert Mason, English pro consul, and acting Chinese consul, was thoroughly searched, but nothing found of a compromising nature. Mr. Mason . was not present during the search and as soon as he heard of the outrage, he at once re? ported the fact to the British consul general, Mr Frederick Ramsden, who immediately called *bn the civil government and ample apologies were given on the spot Peace at Any Cost. Chicago. March ll -Crittenden Marricott, the Record's correspondent io Havana, declares General Weyler has received positive orders from Mad? rid to end thc Cuban war at once, even by goiog io the extent of selling the island to the insurgents, if need be, to accomplish that object. General Wey ler therefore set out for Villa Clara to find General Gomez and to undertake negotiations. Weyier himself bas said tba war will end within three weeks General Weler's orders are, it is claim? ed to seeure peace at any terms, and be is instructed to offer Gomez bribes, au? tonomy or the island itself. Fear as to President McKinley's position is given as a leading cause for the Spanish change of policy. Madrid, March ll -It bas beeo de? cided by the Government tosend 15, 000 additional troops to Philippines. Phosphate Royalty. The Companies Tell What They Want. The pbospbat companies have ad? dressed tbe following to tbe Phosphate Board in refereoce to the proposed r?? daction ?D the royalty. As the matter i* one io which the whole State is inter? ested their letter is reproduced : Charleston, S. C., March 6. 1897. To the HOD. W H. Ellerbe, Chairman, and the Members of the Board of Phosphate Commissioners. Gentlemen : We notice with pleasure that the Legislature bas passed an Act giving to tbe Board of Phosphate Com? missioners full power and authority in the matter of phosphate royalty, with full power to increase or diminish as ihey deem proper We write to invite the members of the Board to come dowo to Beaufort as early as possible and inspect the mines io person They oan theo see the situ? ation on tbe ground and may perhaps get information which wili eoabte them to act with more knowledge in the premises. We venture to ask that ibis visit be paid as soon as possible be? cause the condition of the trade con? tinues as bad, or even worse, than it was wheo we had tbe pleasure of see? ing you aod immediate action if any relist whatsoever is to be extended. In this connection we desire also to say that we were notified that af'-er our meeting with the B>ard, the Board de- i cided, if they bad the power, to afford j us relief by reducing the royalty to 25 cents a ton. such redaction to last until tbe 1st cf January, 1898, not to apply to phosphate rock on hand, bat such rock to be sold first at fifty cents a ton bitore the compaoy having it would be entitled to any reduction, and that tbe increase in royalty should commence at $3 instead of $3 50. ? We beg leave to submit the following views in reference to ubis action on the part of the Board : As to the r?duction, of course that is what we asked. As to the limit, of course the Board can limit it as they please. We would venture to suggest that tbe Board would make the reduc? tion subject to modification whenever the Board sees fit to do so, rather thao to fix a cast iron date at which time it may be that the rate will have to be continued at the reduced figure. As to the $3 limit, we would say that this matter is one io which we think tbe companies have been put down to a pretty low figure, but we will make no objection to that. The only seri?os matter is the te quirement that the rock on band by the companies must be sold first at fifty cents a ton before such campany is en? titled to the benefit of the redaction. This strikes us as nullifying practically the benefit of the reduction we asked. Roughly speaking, the Coosaw Com p^ay has on hand about 30,000 tons; the Formers' Mining Company about 14.000 and the B2aufort Company about 5,000 toos. La?t year in twelve months the Coosaw Compaoy sold only 37,000 tons. With the reduction lim? ited to the first of January, 1898, only, this would require the Coosaw Com? pany in ten months to sell 30,000 tons of rock at fifty, cents a too ; io other words they would daring the whole period of reductioo be selling at the old rate aod get no benefit of the 25 cents reduction at all. So with the Farmers' Compaoy ; they would get no benefit of the redaction ?o til they bad sold 14,000 tons, which would take them one-third or one-half tho period, while the Beaufort Com? pany would have to sell 5,000 tons, which would also oarry them a long space into the current year. Another objection is that it would make a discrimination between the companies, inasmuch as the Beaufort Company would get on the 25 cents basis as soon as it bad sold 5,000 ; the Farmers' Compaoy when it had sold 14,000; the Coosaw not until it hid sold 30,000 toos. Therefore, we would have the Beaufort selliog rock at 25 cents against the Farmers' at 50 cents as soon as the Beaufort sold 5,000 tons, and the Coosaw would be selliog at 50 cents against both the Farmers'and the Beaufort at 25 cents as soon as the Farmers' sold 14,000. This would be a severe discrimio on ar d would, we thick, tend to make tho companies suffering by it unwilling to go on. They could not be expected to continue business when the companies alongside of them were selling rock at half the royalty they had to pay. We understand that the Board feel that inasmuch as the Farmers' and the Beaufort Companies have sold down more of their stocks with tbe royalty at 50 cents, than the Coosaw did, that it is only right to protect the Farmers' and the Beaufort Companies by requiring the Coosaw to sell its rock on band at 50 cents. We desire to say that whilst the Farmers' aod Beaufort Companies appreciate any consideration shown them by the Board, still if there be any advantage to the Coosaw Company in this, the others waive it, and do not ask the Board to give them any such protection or to show them any such favor. In fact it is in the interest of all the compaoies and of the State that all of them be allowed to sell as quickly as I possible all the rock OD band. It is to the ioterest of the State aod the com? panies that the Coopaw and the Farmers and the Beaufort. Companies should be turned loose to sell in the market all the rock that they have oo hand, so as to retain if possible as much of the trade as they cao reach. They must be in a position to fill as many orders as possible It would be a disadvan? tage to the other companies as well as to tbe State, if the Coosaw Company were forced to hold back its 30.000 tons and sell it at 50 cents. It would naturally make them much slower in sale, and keep tbe rock mach longer off the market. We ventare to suggest these reasons to the Board in order that that tbey may carefully consider tbe matter and be prepared to discuss it with us as soon as they make their visit, and with this end in view webend a copy of this let ter to eaoh member of the Board. Again urging respectively the necessity for aa carly visit and prompt action, we are, yours very truly. The Coosaw Co.. J. E. Adger, Pres; FarineT' Mining Co , C. C. Piockney, Pres ; The Beaufort Phosphate Co., Jacob Paulson, Pres. mmn mm Dispensary Insurance. The following circular has been issued to County Dispensers: At a recent meeting of the Board it was ordered that hereafter all County Dispensers will be required to place the insurance on the goods in their respective Dispensaries with some local agent representing a thoroughly reliable insurance com? pany, the amount of policy which you carry to be determined by the State Board of Control aod the poli? cies to be forwarded to the State Board of Control for safe keeping. Your present insurance will expire on the -, at which time you must take out insurance on your stock to the amount of $-, for one year, with a local agent representing some reputable company and pay the premium and forward the policy to this office. Wilie Jones,' Chairman S W. Scruggs, Clerk. A Small Crop. The advisability of curtailing the leaf tobacco crop this year appears to be almost generally recognized. Our recent editorial, advising that the planters do not undertake a larger acreage than they can give the best possible attention, is being repro? duced with endorsement in a number of county newspapers in this State and South Carolina. We are much pleased to see this advice receiving Bach wide circulation. We are likewise glad of news from various parts of the tobacco territory that growers, appreciating the situa? tion, have definitely made up their minds not to overdo the thing the approaching season In the old "bright belt*' of North Carolina the acreage promises to be very much re? duced ; it will, from all accounts as suredly be smaller in the eastern sec? tion of the State, and it is pretty cer? tain that the South Carolinians have learned the lesson that it is folly to attempt too much. The need of this year of grace. 1897, ie a smaller and better crop of tobacco than we have had for the past several years.-Southern Tobac? co Journal. The Bermuda Watched. Jacksonville, Fla., March 10.-A dispatch to the Citizen from Fernan? dina says that the steamer Bermuda, Captain Murphy, arrived there to day from Bermuda. Captain Murphy said that he came for orders. The Bermuda on her arrival was searched by an officer of the revenue cutter Colfax, but nothing of a filibustering nature was found. The Colfax has been at Fernandina for two weeks awaiting the arrival of the Bermuda, and will probably stay until the Ber? muda leaves Captain Murphy said that he had been lying to off Fenian dina for five days repairing her en gines, which were a little out of order Nothing appears at Fernan? dina to indicate that a filibustering trip is proposed The Spanish Con? sul was on hand to meet the Bermu? da, and he has a force of men busy keeping their eyes on her. The day has brought forth no further filibustering developments at Pensacola, Carrabelle or Apela chicola. The people of Talla? hassee were much surprised to have a party of twenty strange Cubans, none of whom speak Eng? lish, arrive there this morning with no apparent object in view It is supposed that they are members of the expedition that, it is rumored, would have cleared from Apalachi? cola the other day if the appearance on the scene of a man-ofwar had uot nipped the project in the bud. A Talk With Tillman. His Views of Judge Simonton and McKinley. Tte Charlotte News of Wednesday has the following interview with Sena tor Tillman : "Senator B. R. Tillman, late of Sooth Carolina, bat who oow bolds a 6eat down in the ?Dired States senate, passed throogb Charlotte this morning en route to Clerosoo College to attend the annaal meeting of the board of trustees of that college. As the vesti? bule pulled np in the Southern's yard this morning Senator Tillman stepped brisk? ly off, and to a News reporter said : 'I am on my way to Clemsoo College to atteod the meeting of the board of trustees We always have this meet? ing soon after the legislature adjourns to make apportionments and to attend to the usual college work that comes ap.' " 'What is the news in Washington, senator V asked a News reporter. " 'Well those fellows have it their way this time. Washington has been and is now filled with pie banters, and some of them are going home with a mighty mean taste in their mouths.7 This was attended with one of those peculiar winks of the eye that the sena? tor used during the famous Tillman and Butler senatorial campaign. The very wink that Editor Gonzales, of the Columbia State, bas noticed so ofieo. 'Well, I tell you, 'Mac' is a dandy. He is cot going to let Hanna do much with bim. He is one of these men that thinks as well as plans for himself, and all this overriding that you hear of is all stuff. You may put it io your hat, McKinley is goi?g to be-Presi? dent.' " 'Your legislature bas adjourned, has it aot V When told by the report? er that they still lioger in Raleigh, the South Carolinian smiled one of his sar? castic smiles. 'I see yon all are io a h-of a muddle down here about railroad matters, well you may ex? pect Judge Simonton to give the South? ern anything they want, for they own bim body and soul.' ''About ibis time the conduotor yell? ed 'all aboard V and tbe interview 'was cut short. "Senator Tillman will be away from Washington several days. He will go dowo to his old home io Edgefield be? fore returning to the capital. NEWS OF THE THREE C'S. Tbe O. R. & C. to be Built to Spartanburg. Spartanburg "U have a new line of railroad within a very 6hort time. It will be a competing line and will bid heavily for Eastern business. - For a year or more we have had surveying corp3 in the field making preliminary surveys in the direction of Gaffney from Blacksbnrg Three lines have been run and the route de? cided upou. The permanent line has been run and the rails have been bought. Gen. W. W. Russell, the railroad contractor, of Russell & Fretwe!!, has just returned from Gaffney, where he went to meet President Samuel Hunt of the Ohio River and Charleston Railroad, formerly the Three C's. While Mr. Hunt was called to Cincinnati on account of the floods injuring his property there, and Mr. Russel did not close the trade for the grading, he ascertained that suffi? cient progress has been made in ne? gotiations to make the building of the road an absolute certainty, and within the next few weeks the grad ing will commence. This road will be built from Blacksburg to Gaffney, with a view to touching Clinton and on to this city. The Clifton Manufacturing Com? pany is giving the project substantial encouragement. They are anxious to get a competing line and have all the while promised to give fair treat? ment to the first line that would break the monopoly. The road, if built before the com? pletion of the electric line, will prac? tically kill that enterprise and Mr. Tenny will lose the cost of grading from this city to Glendale The fac? tory people have been waiting and hoping for results from the electric line and now they are looking else? where for relief. The Ohio River and Charleston Railroad works with both the Sea? board Air Line and the Atlantic Coast Line and its affairs are said to be in excellent shape -Spartanburg Herald. Kx-Secretary John G. Carlisle has been employed as special attorney for the Southern Railway in the fight for the cootrol of the North Carolina rail? road. He appeared before Judge Si monton yesterday at Greensboro to secure an iojunctioo to prevent the annulment of the Southern's lease. Memphis is Menaced. Mississippi May Cut a New Chanel for Itself. Menphis, Tenn., March ll.-The Mississippi River registers 24 2 feet to? night and the rise has become more rapid since yesterday. The danger line is 33 feet, and it is thought that the water above will ruo the river to 36 or 36 1-2 feet, which will, so experi? enced river meo say, overflow Arkan? sas as far as Crowley's Ridge, forty miles from Memphis. The most serious fea? ture ef the present size of the river is the possibility of it cutting out a new bed for itself through Crittenden Coun? ty, Ark., and leaving Memphis high and dry, or at least leaving ber on a shallow lake. Should this happen the $3,000.000 bridge wbieb stands across the Mississippi will end at the new Eastern bank of the river. About five miles above Memphis tbe Neely plantation is partly overflowed because of a break in the levee. The current through the plantation is very strong and rivermen say that unless the heavy timber along Four Mile Bayou breaks the current, so that it cannot eat out a new bed for the river, that the Mississippi will change its course and run through Four Mile Bayou, com? ing into the maiD river again about eight or ten miles below and leaving a long narrow island between Memphis and the river. The high waters have already reached a very critical stage. The ferry steamer Bryan now makes daily trips to Marron, Ark., which ordi? narily is three miles inland. All along the route to Marron submerged houses can be seen and some stock has been drowned There has been a rise of seven-tentbs of a foot since yesterday morning, the height at (bis point now being 42-3 feet, which i? 4.7 feet above the danger line. At Vicksburg the water stands at 38.4 feet, a rise of fivetentb of afoot within the past twenty four hours. Trbe danger line at this point is 41 feet. mm t i mm i Republicans to Organize Committees. Washington, March ll.-The Re? publican senate steering committee met this afternoon for the purpose of coming to some conclusion if possi? ble on the questions pertaining to the organization of the committees More than two hours were consumed in the discussion, but ro plan was agreed upon. The informal talk disclosed the fact that the situation had been cautious? ly discussed with leading Democrats by individual members of the corn mitte, from which the positive con? viction was reached that there would be formed no effectual combination that could take the organization of the committees from the Republicans It is the impression that immediately after the extra session convenes the committee vacancies will be filled in accordance with the existing order of things and that this will be accom? plished without material opposition. There is Nothing So Good. There is nothing just as good as Dr. King's New Discovery for Consumption, Coughs and Colds, so demand it and do not permit the daaler to sell you some substitute He will not claim there is any ching better, bat in or der to make more profit he may claim some? thing eise to be jost as good. You want Dr King's New Ditcoveey because you know it to be safe aod reliable, ami guaranteed to do good or money refunded. For Coughs, Colds Consumption and for all affections of Throat' Cnest and Luogs. there is ?io:hiog so good as Dr. King's New Discovery. Trial bottle free at Dr. J F. W. Deform-; 8 Drug ?tore, Regular >ize 50 cents and I 3 Backlm's Arnica Sa'Te. The Best Salve in tbe v. rid for Cute, Bruises Sores. Ulcers, Salt Rheum. Fevor Sores, Tetter Chapped ..? >.> Chilblains. Corns and all S? o Eruptions, and positivo;- riras Piles or no pay required It ic guaranteed to give per? fect satisfaction, or mcney refunded, "rice 23 cents per box. For ?o;? by Dr. J. F. V?* De Lorm*. POWDER Absolutely. Pure. Celebrated for its great leavening strength aod healthfulness. Assures the food agnios' alum and all forms of adulterAtioo co? moo to the cheaD brande. Royal Baking Powder Co., New York.