The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 25, 1899, Image 1

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Tum SUMTKK 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." THB TEUB SOUTHJRON. Established june. is* & SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25,1899. Sew Series-Yoi. XVIII. So. 26 Psblisi d Srsry ISTeiaesday, -BT j JKT., C3r. Osteer SUMTER, S. C. - TERMS : 01.50 per ano o m-in advance, r DTISTISKIIKT: Ono Square first insertion.........$! Every sabseqnent insertion...... Con tracts for three months, or longer i be made at reduced rates. AU communications which subserve prit interests witt be charged for as advertiemei Obituaries and tributes cf respects will charged for. " WAITING-(Hf THE. UNITED STATE! Tile Spanish Cortes to be Coi voked as Soon as Treaty ls Signed. Madrid, Jan. lt.-The premi< Senor Sagasta, in an interview tl - evening declared tbat be only awa ed the United States senate's ratifie tion of the peace treaty to convoi the cortea It appears tbat npon the occasii of a recent visit of the premier the palace, after his recovery fro the sickness which confined him his bed for some time, the qneen r gent whose tact in constitution matters is well known, drew atlee tion to the clause in the poa treaty providing that, while should be signed by President M Kinley and ratified by the Unite states senate, on the Spanish side should only be signed by the quee regent, leaving ont its ratification I the cortes Her majesty thereupc informed the premier that it was h< real pleasure that the treaty shou be ratified by the cortes, as she w not justified in signing it ' atone, ar g thereby incurring the consequence cf its effects upon public feeling At the cabinet council today Sec Poigcerver, minister of finance, e: pressed a desre to resign bis por folio bat he ultimately yielded to tl persuasions of Senor Sagasta. tb premier, who represented tb necessity of the ministry appearin intact before the cortes Ko date has yet been fixed for th meeting of the cortes, bot it wi probably come together two day after the ratification of the treaty b the Untited States senate. This is th coarse advocated by Dake Almodc p var de Rio, minister for foreign a fairs, on U d ground that the sen at "may yet introduce modifications h to the treaty in th articles deaiin with the Philippines " The foreign minister emphaticali; denied that Great Britain bad sent note to Spain regarding the intei rf pre tat ion of the treaty of Utrecht au Gibraltar. President -Appoints Philippine Commission Gratifying News as to tbe Sit ntion in tbe Archipelago. Washington, Jan. 17.-The ses sion of the cabinet to day oeenpie about an hour and a hali Advicei were received from Manila that th< situation on the islands is very quiet The dispatch was to tbe war depart ment and proved the most gratifying offisial news from that quarter re ceived since tbe state of affairs in tbe archipelago recently assumed a seri cos phase. It announced that the people woe bad mored ont of the city of Manila, owing to alarming but unfounded reports, were returning to theil homes At Iloilo affairs are progressing satisfactorily and a gratifying fact reported in the cablegram was that the officers aboard our ships and the individual insurgents were fraterniz ing freely on shore and that there was no sign of trouble. President McKinley annonnced daring the session that he bad fioally parsed on the personnel of the com mission to visit and report on the Philippine Islands as follows : Messrs. Schorman, Dewey, Oti&, Denby and Worcester. Their selection already had become known and official an nouocement shortly will follow. A Brooklyn high school girl recently tad certain words to define or use illus tratively. These are the ones she defined : "Compute, to discuss ; com passion, io great auger ; humility, anxiety ; majestic, real ; instigate, to inquire ; malicious, good ; barter, one who repeat8.,, The word "doubtless" sbe preferred to use IQ a sentence ; "It is doubtless whether she will pass in the examination or cot." Ooe would judge there was a little doubtless ness about the result cf this pupil's examinations. Row Over Samoa. Rival Kings Fight Over the Throne. Chance of Trouble Between Ger many, and the United States Re sulting. Auckland, N. Z.v Jan. 28.-Samoan advices just received here say that Chief Justice Chambers on December 31 declared M a li etea Tan os to have been elected king, in succession of the late King Malietoa. The chief justice aiso announced that Tamasese bas been elected vioe king. Chief Mataafa was disqualified. The consuls of the United States and Great Britain and captains of the war ship Falke and the British warship Porpoise met the German oocsol, who refused to recognize Malietoa Tan us, and declined to cooperate io the dis persal of the Samoans, who thereupon assembled in large cumbers at Molinuu, armed themselves and surrounded the municipality. Malietoa Tacus and Tamasese mustered about 2,000 men, weil armed, but supplied with defective ammunition. The British and Amer ican consuls endeavored to avert hos tilities, but they commenced on Jan uary 1. Malietoa Tan us and Tamas ese fought'bravely, but 500 of their followers wero captured Theo, dis heartened and outnumbered, the two chiefs sought refuge on tbe British warships and their followers sought protection under the guns of the Por poise. M s taa fa's loss was 61 men killed and wounded, and Malietoa Tanus lost 12 men killed and wounded. The foreign residents were placed under the protection of a detachment of men belonging to the British ship, and Chief Justice Chambers and his family went on board of her. The follows of Mataafa looted and burned Apia, destroyed the plantations and pillaged considerably io the conn The consuls later decided to recog nize Mataafa and his ohiefe as a provisional government, pending the receipt of instructions from the powers. Afterwards Dr. Rafael and the Ger man consul closed the supreme court, declaring that the power was vested in them. The British and American consuls then appealed to the captain of the British warship Porpoise, who land ed a force of blue jackets, and Chief Justice Chambers, uoder their guad, took his seat. The British and Amer ican flags were hoisted over Chambers, bouse and the court house. , Mataafa held aloof from these devel opments. Tne provisional government wrote to Sturdee on tbe 12th that they would seise Malietoa and take Tamasese off the Porpoise by force if necessary, de prive them of their titles and desert them. Chambers is residing on the Porpoise. The British and American consuls have protested against any in fringement of the Berlin treaty. British residents have taken refage in their consulate, and tho Ameriaan res idents have taken refuge in the mission An American warship is urgently needed here. SITUATION ONS F LL OF GRAVITY. Washington, Jan. 18 -The situa tion in the Samoan islands is realized here to be full of gravity. For some time past there bas been an exchange of correspondence between the three governments party to the treaty of Berlin respecting tbe choice of a successor to the late King Malietoa. and some friction developed owing to the strict adberenoe of the United States government to tbe terms of tbe treaty. The statements in the dispatch from Samoa are not regarded here as conclusive, for the reason that they are in oonflic: with the provisions of the treaty If, as reported, Raffael, the presi dent of the municipal council at Apia, and the German consul, Rose, have j seized, tbe supreme court and pro nounced themselves practically diotators and it ia said here that they have violated tbe treaty absolutely. The functions of the president of the municipal council are dearly defined by the treaty and the last advices received were to tbe effect that President Rafael bad been granted leave of absence and intended to visit New Zealand. It was also understood that bis successor had been selected and it was thought; was on bis way to hts post. The chief justice uoder the treaty is made the 1 oourt of last resort under any oiroom- 1 stances, and moreover the treaty in 1 terms provides distinctly that ic ease ' any dispute between the natives them selves or between the foreigners io ' Samoa that dispute shall be referred to ! tbe chief justice and bis decision shall ( be final. The treaty expresses the idea that this provision is to guard against hostile octbreaks. Therefore, < it is scarcely believed be e that be < president of the oouncil would thus f deliberately violate the plain treaty 1 provision. I It was known here that the Britieh j 1 and American consul officers at Apia have been acting in accord io the pres ent involved political situatioo there, and although the interests of the United States may not be compared with those of Germany, yet their rights under the treaty are equal, und, it may be stated, they will be maintained. The report that the three consuls have joined in a provisional recognition of Mataafa could not be recoDoiled with the open disagreement with the terms of the treaty as to the choice of a king that snob action wonld involve, tte power of settling disputes of this character being as already stated, solely lodged in thc hands of the obief justice, who is by the way, io this case, an American. The last advices to the government here were to the effect that the chief justice bad this particular dispute under consideration it having been regularly referred to him io accordance with the terms of the treaty. Thia decision in all probability would be regarded as binding by the government of the United States. PROTESTS MADE BY THE HABANA PRESS. Charge Lack of Uniformity in Oar Government. Habana, Jan. 18.-El Diario de la Marina, La Lucha, El Fats and La Discussion, as well as other papers less influential, indulge in editorial criticism of the United States mili tary administration, asserting that it tends to anarchy They declare that each provincial governor and each garrison commander is a military dictator, acting independently of the governor-general, and exercising ad miaistrative, legislative, judicial and even ecclesiastic fonction . As a result of this system, as thone papers regard it, there is no uniformity of action in details and no general code of administration for the various localities. On the attention of Governor-Gen eral Brooke being called to day to an editorial along these line in La Lucha, he replied that the criticism was unfounded, as it wee quite untrue that there was no uniformity of action. "Exactly the reverse is the fact," said the governor-general "The same general policy is observed by the military administration in all parts of the island." louagaration Day. Governor Ellerbe Formally Takes the Oath. Columbia. S. C., Jan. 18.-To-day Governor Eilerbe and other state officers were duly inaugurated. The gallaries were crowded with ladies and visitors generally. Among the ladies were representatives of the female colleges, many Columbians and others. Every available seat around the railing was occupied, and Htaodiog room was the order. A number of army officers were noted in the throng. At 12 10 the senate filed into tho hall of the house, and a few Moments later Sergeant-at-Arms Stanwell an nounced the governor-elect and lieuten ant governor-elect and staff. The assemblage approached, Govern or Ellerbe and Senator Mower leading. Then came the lienteuant governor and Representative Magill ; Judge Ernest Gary and Senator Brown ; retiring Secretary Tompkins and Mr. Cooper ; retiring Attorney General Barber and Mr. G. Duncan Bellinger ; retiring Adjutant General Watts and Colonel Floyd ; retiring Superintendent of Education Mayfield and Mr. J. J. MoMahan. The rest of the state officers holding over followed. Senator Scargoroogh, of Horry pre sided and oalled upon Rev. K. W. Richardson to open the exercises with prayer. This he did io a very eloquent manner. After the prayer Governor Ellerbe stepped forward and the oath was administered to him by Judge Ern est Gary. At the conclusion of the inaugural there was considerable applause amongst legislators. Lieutenant Governor McSweeney then took the oath, but made only a short address, saying that be most heartily thanked the people for their re newed confidence ic him and promised . to carry out bis accustomed fairness in she conduct of the business of the sen ate. He then announced the joint ses sion dissolved. The State officers-elect simply have ( o take an oath of office before some , notary public. This they all did and , entered immediately upon their duties, j Jefferson City, Mo., Jan. 17 -Fran- i sis Marion Cockrell was to-day re-elect- \ sd to his fifth term in the United States c senate by the legislature, the two [ souses voting separately To-morrow \ ;he election will be ratified by both t looses io joint session. 1 ] Col Neal's Address to Fellow-Citizens. HE REVIEWS HIS COURSE IN SOUTH CAROLINA ( POLITICS. To the People of Sooth Carolina : For six years I have been soper intendent of the South Carolina pen itentiary. The condition of the in stitution speaks for itself, and I chai lenge any criticism or investigation. Had I had been content, to attend strictly to my official duties, my man agement of the institution has been such that I could have held the position of superintendent, without opposition, as long as I cared to re main in public life. Fortunately, or unfortunately, however, I have had aspirations and hopes beyond the mere routine of official life. I have been inspired by an ambition to be of practical benefit to the people of my State, and I have never enter tained for a moment the thought that being a public officer debarred me from the privilege exercised by every citizen of attempting to influence for good the affairs of my State, In fact, I have felt, as a public servant, that it was my duty to do all in my power to better the condition of public afiairs. I have firmly and consistently, without regard to the effect on my individual fortunes, sup ported the best men for office and the policies that I believed would best conserve the public interest. There is such a greed for office in South Carolina that it makes cowards of most of those hold ing or seeking office. I have earn estly striven not to allow this blight to wither my manhood or patriotism If South Carolina needs anything, she needs men who are not afraid or who are not prevented by selfish interests from following the dictates of conscience and duty. In the very beginning I felt the need of reform, and was an original "Farmers' Move ment" man. I supported Tillman in 1890, and almost without solicitation on-my part was elected superinted ent of the South Carolina penitentiary in 1892 I had lived on my farm and knew but little of publia men or publ-c affairs. I had great confidence in the ultimate good purpose of the Reform Movement In 1893 the dispensary system was inaugurated in South Carolina It was a new and untried experiment I had a great deal of confidence in Tillman, and gave him my cordial support in his endeavor to make the law a success As long as Tillman was in the gov ernor's office his natural force and popularity with the people enabled him to keep the machinery running, though with a great friction. I fore saw during Tillman's last term that when smaller and weaker men under took to wield the autocratic power necessary to secure the enforcement of the dispensary law, it meant dis aster. The dispensary as originally enacted was incant to fit the stern and autocratic attributes of tbe first farmer governor, but such harsh ad ministration of the law creating such a radical change in the habits of the people could not long be continued, among a liberty-loving people accus tomed to govern themselves When it came to be enforced by an "apist, imitator and weakling," trouble be gan. In 1894 I was invited ro go to Wash ington to attend a conference. I was present in IrbVs committee room wheo it was determined to make John Gary Evans governor of Sooth Caro lina There was ooiv one man who raised bis voice against it io protest. I was a witness to the scene when he withdrew in anger from the conference. 1 eame home from Washington convine ed that it was impolitic and wrong for a oauens in Washington to select a governor for the people of South Car olina, and when the infam os Colletoo plan was proposed, by which the Conser vatives cf the State were disfranchised and pot upon the same basis as the ne gro, determined that if I never held another pabiio office, I wonld oppose snob a piece of political villiany. At that time Governor Ellerbe was not the selection 1 would have made to ron for governor, bat circumstances were such as to bring bim into the field as the logical opponent of John Gary Evans. I supported Ellerbe, and the history of that campaign is too well known to need recapitulation. It is very unpleasant for a man to be forced to differ with the leaders of bis own party or faction, and after the election of John Gary Evans I gave his ad ministration loyal support, aod hoped to see it a success His puerile and arbitrary administration was odious to :he people of Sooth Carolina, and every 5bre in my nature revolted at the hougbt of baviog such a governor of ny State. When tbs senatorial bee )egan to buzz io bis bonnet it was a lulcel sound to my ear. for I saw in )is selfish desire to supplant tbe man vho had made bim governor the oppor uoity to rid the State of an incubus. ! thoogbt that the election of Ellerbe j would prove a benediction and blessing j to the people of Sooth Carolina, and that the capacity of John Gary Evans for harm would be far less :n the senate of the United States than in the gov ernor's chair. My chief desire then was the election of Governor Eilerbe, and I subordinated everything else to that end. He was elected governor by almost a uoaimoos vote of the people. The failure of bis administration to rerlize the reasonable hopes of his friends is too prioful for me to discuss. I believe that Governor Eilerbe is con stitutionally honest, and that he bas faithfully tried to meet the requirements of a situation beyond his power, and possibly beyond tn at of any man. I am now and always will be bis friend and I do not propose to say one word in this letter is exculpation of myself whioh will add to the difficulties now surrounding him. I have en deavored tc cooperate with the men in South Carolioa whose object was to reunite our people The liquor question is "the old man of the mountain'7 in the politics of this State. 1 have done all I could looking to a jost and correct settlement of the liquor problem. As things LOW go in this State nothing but evil can come of it. My object has been to eliminate the liquor question from State politics. It is a local matter which should be left with the people of the various counties. It is manifestly impossible1 to enforce the same liquor law in Charles ton and Columbia that you can in prohibition Marlboro and Anderson. I believe that the question should be submitted to the people of each county to say whether they want the dispen sary, high license with constitutional restrictions, or prohibition. It is a local question and tbe people of one community or county, in my judgment, have no right to force the people of another county or community to accept sumptuary laws repugnant to loeal sentiment, traditions and character of the people. I have felt this very keenly and I have not a doubt in the world that this will be the final solution of the liquor question in South Carolina. None other is in aceord with the prin ciples of Democracy. A question is never settled until it is settled righi. You may for a time by force of circum stances, as bas been the case with the dispensary law in this State, deny local self government, and an opportunity for free expression of public opinion, sooner or later, however, a free people will assert their rights at the ballot box, and woe unto him who stands io the way. The advocacy of looal option is no new idea with me. Last May in the Anderson coooty convention that stalwart ohampion of popular rights, Hon. Joshua W Ashley, introdaoed a resolution instructing the delegates to the State convention to use their influ ence to secure the submission of the question of high license, prohibition or dispensary to a popular vote. I amended the resolution and assisted io securing its passage by the county con vention. In the State convection, however, tbe people were bound hand and foot and denied the fundamental right of deoiding this important matter for themselves at the ballot box. The Anderson county convention instructed the local committee to have the question submitted to our people io the primary with tbe result that Anderson county went overwhelmingly for prohibition. How can a Democrat oppose a submis sion of these questions to a popular vote or refuse to abide the will of a majority of his fellow citizens ? I realize that my contest does not depend upon my official record, but upon the issues hereinbefore indicated. A con test is being waged against me because I have dared to think for myself and would not bend the knee to the diotates of self-coo8tituted bosses I am proud of the fact that I have stood in the way of some who sought to prostitute the public service to private ends. I am being opposed because of the principles that have advocated and by the men wbose aims I have helped to thwart It is a vain hope through me to compass the defeat of these princi ples. No stronger argument is needed than the attempt now being made and tbe methods pursued to defeat me to de monstrate the growth of a dangerous political power wielded by the dispensa ry. No man has touched it no matter how pure his character or bow innocent he has been of ali wrong, that lue not had pitch left upon his bands. It is ap palling the frequency with which gov ernors and other high officials have been charged with corruption and bribery in connection with this institution. Whether snch charges be trae or false their effect is the same, and lowers the whole moral tone of our State. I am ready and willing to be sacrific ed io an attempt to better conditions in ibis State. I have an abiding faith in tbe people of South Carolina. I aat coa scions of rectitude of purpose, I be lieve in tbe justice of God aod if the miserable attempt to compass my defeat through unholy means succeeds, I shall appeal to the manhood and patriotism of the people for vindication in the next popular election. W. A. Neal. Eagan to be Court-Martiaied. Washington, Jan. 17.-The Presi dent to-day announced to the cabinet,, shortly after it assembled for its regalar Tuesday session, that he had decided tc order a court-martial to try Commissary General Eagan for the abusive and violent language he bad used respecting Major Gen. Miles while on the wit ness-stand before the war investigating commission last Thursday. Ever since the sensational event the President has been carefully deliberating over the matter, and has had frequent consulta tions with army officers and others regarding the steps that should be taken, for he was oonvinoed at the outset that the question for considera tion was what action should be taken, and not whether any d^ciplinaryr measures at all should be had. A determination to take some aotion was vigorously expressed at the last cabinet, meeting, but the President reserved final decisions. ^ To-day, jost before the cabinet session, he held a conference with the Secretary of War and Adjt. Gen. Corbin. It was not long in dura tion, bot the action to follow Geo. Eagan 's utterances was decided, and when the cabinet met the President announced that he had reached his decision in the matter. He said he had determined that there was only ene course to adopt, and that was to order a court-martial to be convened at once to try Geo. Eagan. DISGRACE THE GREY. Washington, Jan. 16.-Senator Butler presented to-day io the senate a petition from 55 ex-Confederates of' Muscagee county. Ga., asking him not to abandon his bill for pensioning cx> Coufederate soldiers. They say that they are citizens of the United States and while they participated oo the Confederate side of the war between the States this war was cot a rebellion. They refer to President McKinley's recent expressions favorable to the care of the Southern dead as the expression of a "true patriot7' and condado r ..We therefore hope yoa will press yoar bill and that congress will pass the same, and by so doing show the world that we are a reunited people. We desire this not as mendicants for a pension, but in response to the grand aod patriotic sentiments of our presi dent, aod as voicing the sentiments of every true patriot who loves bis coun try and respects the valor of the dead Confederate soldiers." Just at present there appears to be some question as to the scope of the peace proposals with which the Kassian government surprised tbe world early last fail. According to cabled advice from St. Petersburg the Czar bas not proposed a disarmament, bnt soaks to stop the continual increase of arma ments. The Czar wishes, it is said, to prevent the great expenditure which follows the invention of some Dew wea pon of war, the adoption of which by one nation forces all the others to follow sait. A memorandum upon the subject is, it appears, now being prepared, which, airer careful revision, will be made the basis of dipiooatic action. This statement of the matter will prove a dis appointment in some quarters, though it will occasion no surprise to practical statesmen. I', may be of interest, while touching upon Russian affairs, to notice that no need seems to be left by tbe Minister of Finance for another ioan. The ordinary revenue, it appears, shows a surplus over the expenditures, while a deficit noted io the* budget for 1899 on the side of extraordinary expendi tures is fully covered by the treasury reserve fund. The most notable fea ture in the budget, by the way, is an appropriation of 39,000,000 rubles for railway construction, a large expendi ture, showing that Kosssia is taking ex traordinary steps to perfect the means cf communication throughout the empire.. -Bradstreet's. BUCKLEN'S ARNICA SALVS.V The best Salve in the world for "-Cats - Braises, Sores, Ulcer?, Salt Rheum, Fere Sore Tetter, Chapped Hands,Chilblains; Cors and all Skin Eruptions and positively cures Piles or no pay required. It is guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction, or money relunded, v price 25 oents per box; For sale by Dr. J. E* r*. D. Lorme. B*MN6 POWDER URE cfous and wholesome ?R CO., NEW YORK.