Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Coalroyersy, Mr. Jeremiah Smith Makes Piaiu His Position. To the Editor of The State-. A oommuoicatioo from rae, which ap? peared io The Independent Republic oa the 14th inst., seems to have given. fefioo. James Norton very great concern. f- ia is dearly demonstrated by bis on? slaught and tirade op?n mc, occupy io g Dearly a column a od a half of vitupera doo, unfair iusiuuaiioos and insult, which appeared io The State of the " Now, Mri; Editor, the const! tu tian is :^;i* the supreme law v of the State. Mr. Norton aod I ; may dis-, agree as to the meaning of the lan* g cage thereto employed, but when the constitution is being cons traed and dis I c*s^ of ?ne State it ia certainly unworthy of the comptroller genera! of South Carolina (I will not - tty; of v-'Mr Norton ) to resort to abase ?sd insait of those who differ with tim as to the. trae meaning ...of tie fond am en > iel law of the Sute: - ? <?ooV propose being sidetracked by hie cunning ap j fceai to political prejudice and sectional I je^eusy Se says "thewidea of Mr . W Smith ?an to tax the rieh counties like Charlestoo and Richland {or the bene? fit of Horry, bot th? members from those canoti?s were too sharp for bim." So, aocordtog to Mr. Cotton, tue ooo Ifreottoa was composed of two classes, namely : imbeciles and jtri-ciksters. Mr. Editor, isn't lt right cheeky in him to charge a constitutional ooo ven? ation, compos?t of snob men as: Bryan, Barker, B Bl TiHman, George John atone, Talbert, Patton, John C. Shep jurd Tim merman, Jed g 3 Mayer and scores of others equally as: interested aud patriotic as those narced, with im? becility and trickery. He may say he meaos, no reflection on the convention, ont when he insists that' the coostitu ^pon is inoperative beoause of its coo flicting mandates it is indirectly sacing that the convention, with all of its legal talent and ail of its stsiesmen and con? gressmen, was not adequate to the task of an intelligent expression of its ideas / andi parjposes, bot he misrepresents me when he says I don't' want the comp? troller to coostrue anything bat section 6, when be keowe that io the very ar ticie to which he claims tc be ' replying to:J quoted sections 5, 6, 10, and 12. ?iffw, if I would r?oore (?il but section ??fwhy did I quote? tue others ?? Bat, .V Mt; Nerton fails to recognize the school ~ l?stern of tb? State as * Stat?: instit Utiioo, while in fact it is as clearly a d??artmant of the^State gavernmeat as the tax department, the legislative or judiciary, and, therefore, the eonstitn tina anticipates and provides for its ?apport at the expense of the State and net at the expense of the counties, as the comptroller would have as believe. - Tbeintent, parp?se ar d language of the constitution is that every dollar's ?worth of property 6hall be equally tax? ed for State and county purposes. The sill lax ss levied upon ali the property of the Sute, the poll tax opon all the citizens liable thereto. The income from the liquor, income of escheated V property,, gifts, etc., aro held hy the constitution as a State school fond, aleo the supplementary 1er upon the entire property of the Sute. All those fonds ooeatitute the . State school funds Tfc^o the constitution and law provider ' for the distribution of the same between the several counties te proportion to the enrolled population of the same? bot Mr Norton objects to ibis method be cans?, forsooth, Horry, Chesterfield, Coonee or some other noun ty might get some money from Charlestoo, Richland or tome other rich comry. Ia other words, will get more money out bf the Sute treasury than they paid in. So, he feels called upon to ignore the man? dates of the constitution to prevent im? becility and selfishness from robbing ?-? Ibo Heh counties for. the benefit of the poor and thus defeat a democratic aod constitutional method of supporting the -, moat imporUot institutions of the State {mainly education). The constitution, recognizing the great imp?rtanos of fostering education in the rural dis? tricts and poorer counties, as well as io the cities and rich eoaoties, provides for a system to accomplish that end To show the spirit and letter of the con stitution I quote the following : Seetioo 6 provides that there shall be a levy of three mills oo all taxable property to the State. Section ll says that the in? come from escheated property, gifts to the State, etc , shall be applied to the school fund. Section 6 also provides that a poll tax sball be levied on oiti between 21 and 60 (except Confederate soldiers above the age of 50 years) the proceeds of which tax sball be expended for school parpoaes Section 6 also pro? vides that the comptroller geo eral shalt levy a supplementary tax opon all the property of the State sufficient to raise the said fund to $3 per capita for the enrolled school population of the State. Seetioo 12 provides that the iooome to the State from the sale of liquors shall be applkd annuity in aid of the suppie meaury taxes provided for ie section 6, and if after said application, there should be a surplus it ?hall be devoted to pablic school purposes Now, 1 submit, that the language employed io each and every instance, where tho constitution proposes to raise the school funds* is plain and mandatory, for in each it says it sball be done, and the funds so raised sha!! be applied to tbe schools. So, if it ^mandatory that the three mill tax sba!! be levied, I sebmit, it ts also mandatory that the supplemental tax sball be also. But because section 12 allowa the comptroller general to add thc proceeds of the whiskey bu ai n es(3 to the fonds to be supple? mented, aod in case it makes the said fand amount to $3 per capita for the public schools, then ke need not make the levy, he concludes that it knocks section 6 into smithereens, leaves him withont a definite amount to be supplemented and therefore the whole supplemental business becomes im? practicable, so he failed to levy it in 1896 and also io 1897. The time for two of these supplementary levies is already past, only one remains. The schools have suffered immense loss by bis neglect er refusal to do what the constitution says he shall do, al? though be 8wore allegiance to the con? stitution before taking the office. Now, for. his information, allow one more quotation from section 6 and I am done. It says when 'the funds to be supplemented shall not yield ?3 per capita for the children enrolled in the pobiic schools for the scholastic year ending the 31st day of October in the year 1895, as it appears in the report of the State superintendent of education for said scholastic year, .the comptroller general shall for the aforesaid three next ensuing fiscal years, etc. So, he has nothing to do. with the board of control except to add any money they- may have paid in to the fund to be supplemeted, but he is to be governed by the re port of the State superintendent for 1895. I wonder what complica? tions there are in that Respectfully, Jeremiah Smith. Conway, Oct. 20. To the Editor af The State. : I have just enclosed reply to Mr Norton "e tirade upoo me as appeared in The State of 19th inst, and on looking over The State of to day. 1 find he comes at rae again with bis usual charge of falsehood, etc. He says I ask for no information at the comptroller's office. Truly I did not, when I asked for information it will not be sought at the hands of the man I believe to be derelict to his duty. He says I clandestinely circulated the report that his delinquen cey had .cost the school fond in Horry $15.000, he says he and the people of Horry regarded it as a campaign falsehood, etc Suffice it to say be only slanders himself when he chargea me with dark-lan? tern methods in politics. I have al? ways relied on the justice of my cause, ?nd advocated the man I thought best suited In Mr. Nor* tan's race I bad no scruples in sup? porting Mr. Johnson in preference to him, bot though I was invited to make, several speeches in the- cam? paign I declined, as I did no intend ; to take an active part in it, but when interrogated as to why I could not support Mr. Norton. I said un hesitatingly that i would not support him because he obstructed the eda catioc al interest of the masses of the people by refusing to do his duty as comptroller ;. that his neglect has de? frauded Horry of $15,000, which she had a constitutional right to. When he says I took an active part to defeat him he misrepresents me willfully. Why did I not send the article to The Republic before the primary, the fact that I did not bnt waited until after the election, stamps his charges as false upon their face, bot be lets the cat out of the bag My great and unpardonable sin after all is that I did not sopport bim in his race for congress. He hasn't de? nied a single one of my quotations fros* the constitution, but claims that to do its requirements is im practica ble. Now, the people most deter? mina whether or not I have a right to quote the constitution where Mr Norton, has not complied with it The question at issue with me and him is which is supreme in South Carolina-the constitution or Mr. Norton ? He will pardon me for adding just" here, that I think the proper support of the public school system, as provided in the constitu? tion of far more importance to South Carolina and Horry county in particu lar, than the .election of Mr. Norton to congress \ Now, I say the constitution does require him to make the supplement? ary levy ; if he bad done it Horry would have had $15.000 more in her school fund Including the two years, 1896 and 1897, he has not done it, and we are therefore injured to that amount. If the constitution is inconsistent and in operative, let bim show up its defects.- I fail to see that his vituperation and abuse is any defence for bim, and I announce right here that I shall notice no fur? ther correspondence of that charac? ter. Respectfully, JEREMIAH SMITH Conway, Oct. 20. T. W. Bacot, Esq., of Charleston, bas announced his candidacy for the judgeship in ?the first circuit if he is elected Judge Benet will be without a job. Mrs. Ella Williams was killed Thursday morning, near Travelers Re6t, Greenville county, by the ac cidential discbarge of a pistol which had been concealed between the bed clothes for safe keeping. The Nationl Bank of ?shveille, N. C., closed its doors yesterday and there was a run on the only remain ing bank in the city, but it managed to meet all demands. An earthquake was felt in south? west Virginia yesterday. Tile Bound Cotton Bale. According to The New Orleans Time* Democrat the cylindrical cotton bale it? not destined to work tbe revolu? tion vb ich bas been very generally predicted. lt trill be remembered that the rouod bale was exhibited at Cotton States and International exposition, and attract ed mc ch attention. At that time there was a oootest over the patent aod it was asserted that as soon as this was settled the new bale would rapidly displace the squan; bale. Those who control the manufacture of tbe round baie expected to see it u.?ed for a great part of the present crop, but for ?orne reason it does not seem to "take." A few days ago a cylindrical bale of ootton was exhibited at the office of Mr. Parker, a New Oleaos ootton fac? tor. The Times-Democrat declares that tbe verdict of those who examined the bale was'practically unanimous againut it. It says : "There were cotton factors, mer? chant)!, steamship men, oottoo men, screw sen, stevedores, and many others interested in ootton who weot io there to inspect it, and of the 500 people, at least, whom Mr. Parker says saw the cotton, not one of them in his presence gave it a favorable opinion. "The suggestion of thia styie, of cot bale taking the place of i square has, of course, created a great deal of in? terest among local oottoo people. If it ever becomes the style in this section of tbe country, as one of the cotton men said yesterday, it will ooly do away with local cotton factories, local buyers, local compress, and screwmeo, but will close op all the country compresses, ob? viate thc necessity of having country buyers-in fact, revolutionize the whole cotton business aod para^zethose branch? es indicated above. It ia'propose that the backers and promoters of the rouod bale buy their cot too direct from tbe consumer in tbe field, thus doiog away with all middle-men. Tbe cotton men here say that the system would result event? ually io the trust people aictatiog terms to the prodooer of ootton. They might give probably a better price than any one else for a year or two, but as sooo as they got control of the staple they would dicate prices to the farmer. "Mr. Vincent, of the firm of Vin? cent <& Hay ne, who was present, said that she adoption of that kiod of oot? too baiiog would throw ont of business alPtbe 200 compresses of the sooth, abd would mean a revolution-not only a revolution in a business sense-bot one in which the people of the country will rise up in arms against the dosing op of a business that now gives em? ployment to so maoy working people. "The bale is not well pressed-noth? ing like the square bale. If adopted, it would do away with the compress, the oottoo factors, screwmeor etc. "The ootton men have not mads any plans yet for a concerted action against the invader of the sooths greatest inter eats, but will do so. Tbero is plenty of time, they say, bat something must and shall be done to overt the threatened ruio i o southern planters aod tho people whose interests are identical with them.," * The adverse comments of the New Or? leans oottoo dealers will oot be taken as final If the rouc.d baie eau be used to greater advaotage tbao the rectan? gular bale, if cotton can he packed more closely io it and without injury, if it will better'protect it from fire, aod if it ia cheaper thao the preseot meth? od-nil of the points of su? periority are confidently claimed for it, the round bale will surely make its way io to very large ase. It is evident, however, that its pros? pects have received a severe blow io New Orleans -Atlanta Journal The Result of a Test Made in a Hosiery Mill-White La? bor Henceforth. Capt. Graham, who is tbe repre? sentative of those interested in the new hosiery mitt recently established at Hopkins, now to be brought to Columbia, yesterday talked interest? ingly of the removal. He said that the mill was located at Hopkins in order to utilize the negro labor which waa no abundant in that vicinity. He went on to say that they had given the negro labor a thorough test and found that it was absolutely unfitted for tbe mill. In fact .the negroes proved lazy and slow, and did not seem to ''catch on," no matter how mucn instruction was given. With a fill force he found that the mill was steadily losing money. Then be cut the force to see if by opera? ting only a portion of it, gi vir e close attention to those em ployed, the mill could not be made to earn expenses. This experiment also failed to make expenses, and a short time ago he shut the mill down alto? gether. He will now move the mill to Columbia and use only white labor. Capt. Graham has had plenty of ex? perience with labor in Columbia, be? ing manager of the Columbia Hosiery mill, and is satisfied that with white labor the new mill will pay well -State Take JOHNSON'S CHILL & FEVER TON?C. Once More Grarr?soned by Federal Troops: Charleston, 8. C., Oct 22.-Bat? tery C. First artillery. JTJ. S. A , is now quartered on Sullivan's Island. The garrison arrived here on the steamer Planter last night from St. Francis barracks at St. Augustine, Fia The rank and file number 64 men On the Planter were the families of several of the officers, which made the party number 82 in all. The P?anter left St. Augustine at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, but in consequence of the rough weather, Capt. Hubbard decided to lay over several hours at Fernandina, which delayed the arrival of the steamer here The Planter reached quaran tine station between 8 and 9 o'clock last night. Capt Hubbard decided to remain at the station until this morning, rather than bring the party up to the city and take them down to the island to-day. In accordance with Capt Hubbard's plan, the steamer left the station at 8 o'clock this morning and carried the soldiers and the party to Sullivan's Island. It was not long after the arrival of the troops at Sullivan's Island be? fore the tents began going up all over the parade ground and in an hour or two everything in camp cir? cles had been put to rights and it was a difficult matter for a visitor to the parade grounds to have told that the troops had not long been landed The families of the officers were given quarters iu several of the gov? ernment houses, which were turned into very comfortable domiciles in a , few hours after the furniture and ef? fects had been dischargad on the wharf The troops and the entire party were given a hospitable reception by the residents of the island upon their arrival. The operrtion of putting up the tents and arranging the camping quarters were an interesting sight and was witnessed by a number of people There were no drills or manoeuvres held* to-day. The rules and regula? tions of camp were somewhat lax to-day and it will probably be a day or two before things become system? atized and truly military. The need of a band will be sorely felt, but it is thought that in a month or two, when the garrison is increased, a band will be sent to the island and things enlivened considerably. Capt. H. W. Hubbell is the com? mander of the post. The officers next in command are First Lieut* F. S. Harlow and Second Lieut. John? son Hagood. . Dr. F. W. Lewis is the surgeon of the garrison. The Reply of Spain. Finally Agreed Upon hythe Cabinet Madrid, Oat. 22 -Senor Sagasta, the premier presided at tbe cab Det council to day. The draft of the proposed reply to the oote of thc TJoited State?, pre serifed through General Stewart L Woodford, tbe American minister, shortly after his arrival here, was under consideration and was unanimously ap? proved. Its full text bas not yet bec o published ' The reply explains that Lieutenant Geeeral Weyler bas been replaced for political reason*, includes a statement of the go ve rome nt'? decision to grant autonomy to Cuba and a protest against filibustering expe ditton* from the United States. The council also approved unani? mously the proposal introduced by Senor Moret, minister for the oolonies, to grant amnesty to political prisoners in ?Cuba and Porto Rico Prior to tbe meeting of tbe' council Seoor Sagasta bad a long coLference with queen regent at the palace Everbody in tbe Second Circuit knows Major L. T. Iz'ar's emineot ability as a lawyer, but he bas made a record as a farmer this year that show? be would have won equal success as ao agriculturist if be bad devoted his en? ergies to life io ehe sunshine and show? ers of tbe field. On bis tvo borse farm the cotton bas paid all expenses of fertilizers, culti? vation, gathering, <fec , and left a cash balance sufficiently large to pay taxes and supply bis family with flour, sugar, coffee, tea, spices aud abundant pin money for a twelvemonth. Io addition hogs enough are fattening to give all the sausage, spareribs, hams and bacon that his abundant table will need until the Christmas of '98 shall come. Be sides his cribs aod barns are almost bursting with corn and forage enough for work stock, farm laborers, four or five cows and the family milling for 52 weeks. And last but not least be has made an abundance of rice and sweet potatoes, and sugar oanc enough to supply his little folks candy pulling as often as oared for -Barnwell People. - -i ? ? -- Take JOHNSON'S CHILL & FEVER William R Foster. Jr . wbn abscond? ed from New York in 1888 after steal? ing $193,000 from the guaranty fund of the' Produce Exchange has been captured in France. The Coast of New Jer? sey Devastated. WORST IN MANY YEARS. Hotels Wrecked, Railway Tracks Washed Away and Many Vessels Stranded. Cape May, N. J., Oct 25 -One of the fiercest northeast gales for years has swept the Iow,er Jersey coast and upper Delaware Bay for the past twenty-four hours. Many vessels have been stranded and there is an unconfirmed report that a ship went down off shore this morning. A fleet is riding at anchor within the harbor, nuable to proceed either way, and the meadows are so inundated that railroad travel to the coast resorts is practically suspended. The tide here is abating somewhat to-night, but the wind is maintaining a velocity of thirty miles. Portions of the board walk have been swept away, as well as cottage porches and fences, and the damage is estimated at thousands of dollars LIFE SAVING STATION WRECK? ED. Washington, Oct 25.-Superin? tendent Kimble of the life saving ser? vice was informed by telegraph to? night that the crew of the life saving station at Cobb's Island had been compelled to abandon the station. The gales have submerged the isl? and, and the surf, breaking over the life earing station, washed away the cook house, oil house and boat house. GALE AT ATLANTIC CITY. Atlantic City, N. J., Oct. 25. The northeast storm, still prevailing, is probably the most severe in many years In point of high tides it bas not been equaled, it is stated, since 1844 The damage done thus far does not ?qual that of the storm of 1SS9, but if it does not abate soon it promises to exceed it. Tbe princi? pal damage accomplished has been by the wind It blew over at least three houses in course of construction, and a row of two more is threatened to? night. Mormon Troubles BEING AIRED BEFORE U. S. COMMISSIONER JEN? NINGS. Yesterday afternoon before United States Commissioner H. F Jennings, at bis office in this city, was heard a story told by witnesses which makes another interesting chapter in the history of the Mormon troubles iu Fairfield county. The complainant in the case, is W. W. Collins, a Mor? mon elder, who resides near Ridge? way. He charges Mr R. W. Hollis, a neighbor who is not a Mormon, bot who, by the way, is the super? visor of registration of the county, with opening a letter addressed to him. ? Quite a ?iumber of citizens of Fair? field county and Mormons came down to attend the hearing Some of the testimony was taken. It appears that it is the custom in the neighborhood for anyone who goes to town to get the mail for his neighbors " An old man, Mr. David Bran ham, in this instance got two letters One was for Hollis, and the other for Collins. He gave them to his little grandson to take to the wo? men. The boy gave both to Hollis Hollis, it seems, kept one and handed back the other It was Collins'e let? ter that he kept The evidence was that be tore it open and wrote on it ater "opened by mistake" and hand ed it to a friend. Out of this grew the prosecution. Hollis claims that he did not notice the direction and did not know he had the wrong letter until he opened and began to read it. Then he dis? covered his error and put the letter back in the envelope. Mr. Williams of Fairfield and John T Duncan, E9q , of this place are the attorneys engaegd in the case Mr. Williams addressed the commissioner at some leDgth yesterday afternoon, dwelling upon the Mormon persecu tiona in Fairfield. The hearing will be continued to-day -State, Oct 21. Mr. Hollis Bound Over. Yesterday morning the hearing be? fore United StateB Commissioner H F. Jennings in the oase of Supervisor of Registration R W. Hollis, charged by Mormon Elder Collins with breaking opeo a letter addressed to him was con? tinued jMr Hollis was represented by J. C P. Williams of Ridgeway and Jno. T Duncan of this city, both of whom made addresces to the court So far as the case ?an concerned all the evidence was of an ex-parte character. Mr. Hollis not being there to offer any. Mr. Hollis says that when given an opportunity he will bo able to establish bis entire innocence of any wrong? doing. A prima facie case was made Out and Commissioner Jennine* bound Mr. Hollis over to appear fer trial at the next term of the United States court io the sum of ?200. He prompt? ly gave the bond asked.-The State. THE SHERMAN LETTER. London. Oct. 26-The Times, after remarking editorially this morning that "the real danger is that America will take some step to precipitate a crisis, " says : .% "General Woodford's note, like other papers emanating from Washington, cannot be construed by the ordinary rules applicable to diplomatic corres? pondence. This is fortunate, inasmuch as it contains expressions wbicb, if they came from a European chancellerie, must be interpreted as menacing war. Bot it is unfortunate because it makes the meaning of the note ambiguous, that no clear intimation is given of thc consequence of a refusal to acquiesce io American demands. "The note is extremely diffuse and abounds in expressions of friendship and good wiil toward Spain ; bot while it apologizes for the earnest and posi? tive nature of the language used on 'the ground that it is desirable to prevent misunderstandings between two friend? ly natioos, tbat language in fact lacks the precision which is usually expected in documents of this kind. "There is tbe distinct t-tatement tbat American interests' are suffering and that an attitude of neutrality cannot be prolonged indefinitely. There is men tioo of the oorreot resolution of the two houses of congress last year, of the recent resolution of tbe senate and of the agitation ic the United States. There is an assurance that public opin? ion now demands tbe recognition of the insurgents as belligerents. Vin these circumstances, it is sug? gested that the Spanish government should consider whether it is not time to terminate the war by proposals con? sistent with its dignity and with tbe interests of Cuba. To this end the government at Washington makes ten? der of its good offices and calls upon the Spanish government within tba pre? sent month to formulate definite pro? posals by whioh that tender may be rendered effective or to give satisfactory assurances that tbe war will be brought to a speedy end. Spain appears to prefer to lose Cuba in a war she foresees will be disastrous to her father than to surrender what she regards as jost and jight. in defer? ence to menace. It is a foolish choice, but the choice of a nation. On the other hand, if Presideot McKinley and his advisers are really animated by the friendly sentiments they confess, they may fairly consent to the modest de? mand of the Sagasta cabioet for a reasonable period to settle the thory problem handed down by their pre? decessors. 4'If this demaod is refused, all Span? iards will arrive at the conclusion that the ugly rumors in circulation as to the financial influences working behind the jingo agitation are true, and that Presi? dent McKinley's plausible words are merely intended to cover a projected abuse of superior physical strength " WANT PROHIBITION. Governor Ellerbe's Ballot of the Ministers. Since Governor Ellerbe issued his circular to the preachers asking their views as to what was best to be done with tbe liquor problem, his mail bas been quite heavy with rep'i?s. Up to date be has gotten about 600. From a cursory examination of one hnodred replies a majority favor prohi? bition, while the rest think the dispen? sar v tbe best solution. Rev. James Heatherly of Greenville, writes that in tbat county it is bard to bold church meeting! on ac? count of the number of still? and clos? es by emphatically saying "I say pro? hibition " rle estimates tbe increase in drunkenness since the dispensary at 100 per cent. ?, Another one writes : ' For the Lord's sake, Governor, don't give us no high license, nor dispensary. Give us prohibition " It was a foregone conclusion when the ciroulars were issued that prohibi? tion would receive the majority, but oo doubt the governor got some valuable ideas from the views of the ministers. -Register Having consultad the ministers about- the dispensary tbe Governor should now ?et the views of the liquor meo. . These would probably offset each other and theo the way would be paved to find out what the **people:* who are the better judges, think about it -Aiken Review. A Steam Launch of Battleship Texas Destroyed. Boato i, Mass., OcV 21.-Tbe boiler of one of the steam launches of the bat? tleship Texas blew up while it was alongside of tbe battleship, and a num? ber of men, including two officers ?cd a surgeon, were injured, none fatally The explosion occurred just as the launch reached the side of the ship, having towed down the ship's boats, each full of men who were engaged in the naval parade On the launch at the time were 35 men, including Lieutenant Commander Delbanty, Lieutenant Bristol, Ensign Wadsbams and Dr. W. R. DuBose, the ship's surgeon The smokestack, the top of the boil? er and the part of the oanopy over the boiler were blown into the air, and what was left of the launch caught fire from the sheet of flames that fol? lowed the bursting of the boiler, but the fire had litt fe to burn.