Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

nnrSCTEXBR WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. kBe Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TBUE SOUTHRON, Established Jone. 13*6 SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8.1899. Sew Series-Vol. XVIII. No. 2S h MkW^hm Sadfrnra. it - 2nb3is&0& Bray ^eda&sclay, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : 1.50 per annum-ia advance. . AsrisTiiiHiif: >imo Square first insertion...............o.$l 00 .Very sniweqxient insertion - 50 Contracts for three montba, or longer wi! made at reduced rates. AU commonications which subserve private iateresta will be charged for as adver dements. Obituaries as tribute of respects will be charged for. * One Haodred Thousand leo The Bili to Increase t ie Army Passed by tbe House, Washington Jan 31.-The bill te re" organize and increase the standing army to abooVlOO.OOO mea, bat gi og the President authority to rodaee the size of infantry companies and cavalry troops to sixty men each, thus fixing a mia imam of boat 50,000 enlisted mee. passed the Boase to-day by a Tote of 16Stol25. This was the resalt of a wees of hard ac often picturesque 5ghttng cn the floor, daring the pro gress of which the opposition compelled those ta charge of the meas ore to gi?e this discretionary authority to the Presi dent^ sad to make other modifications, ataosg which were a reduction cf 331 f ia the aamber of staff officers. In eon sequence of these modifications the Be publican apposition practically vanish ed, and oe the final vote but six Repub licans voted against the bill. A Big Camp at Augusta. i - Augusta, Gs , Jaa. 31 -It is almost certain that the 7,000 scldters now here will be added to by nearly 20.000 men ia a very short while. Indications are tba-'the war department will con centrate ail troops of the new 2d army corps at one camp, and as Camp MacKenzie, near Augusta, is 850 feet above the city, and perfectly dry. as the headquarters of Geo. E.B.B. Yoting, commander of corps, aie located there, and as Angus ta is near to Charleston and Savannah, thia is the place. Informatica from Greenville, S. C., to- ay ils to the elect that the order issued there tends to substantiate the rumor that Augusta will get 6,000 troops aow at Greeaville ; farther, there is Informatioo from Macon that troops there are coming here. Officers m'- are now here from Athens looking to tb movement of troops from that point. It is known that Government will keep a aamber of troops in reserve in the Sooth io case they ar needed in Coba. It is said ia Washington city that Augusta will be the point at which diese troops will be eoaeeauated. Geo. Young is BOW ia Washington, having gone there to sit oa Gea. Hagan's trial. The fact that he remains after the case has been concluded seems to show that be has important business with the war department. Lawless Negro Troops. Little Bock, Ark., Jan. 31.-A special to the Gazette from Texark ana, Ark., eays : "There passed through Texarkana to day eight train loads of negro soldiers. 1,200 in number, composing the 10th United States cavalry, en route to San An tonio. When they arrived here sev eral of them were intoxicated. A number of the colored soldiers kicked ia a door and entered a resort and started to ran the place at the point cf loaded tifies. Constable James Rochelle was notified, and, rushing to tba plac ?, he saw them coming rom the boose, where they bad broken op toe farm* tn re A chase for the cars resol ted, and jost as they redacbe them Rochelle captured the leader of the gang As soon aa be did so a band red rifles were levelled at bim and every negro loaded bis gon Every car window held a negro with a cocked rifle, and the negro escaped into the car. The news spread and every officer in Texarkana and hundreds of citizens flocked around the soldiers, who seemed anxious for trouble. County Attorney Horace Vaughan placed himself in communication with the Governor and as a resolt the trains were held here for seven hours The negroes now are kept in a car with an armed guard on the outside. The train was surrounded by irate Texarkanians, who were supplied dynamite to send the negroes to destruction. The soldiers heard of thia and coally agreed to hand over the guilty ones upoc identification, bot, as ibis was impossible, no arrests werejnade. DISCUSSING THE TREATY. Davis Was Willing for it; on the Sullivan Evolution. Washington, Feb. I-For a, few minutes in the senate this afternoon it seemed likely that a vote might be take!; on one or more of the r solu lions relating to expansion that are pending before that body. An un usually large attendance of Republi can senators was present, all of whom having been notified to be on hood in the event of a critical vote o n the pending question.. Mr. Bacon of Georgia called up his resolutions aud Mr Chandler of New Hampshir withdrew his mo tion to refer them to the committee on foreign relations Mir. Sullivan of Mississippi entered a motion to substitute bis resolution for those of Mr. Bacon as follows : "That the ratification of the pend iog treaty of peace with 'Spain shall in so wise determine the policy to be pursued by the United States in regard to the Philippines, nor shall it commit this government to a colo nial policy ; nor is it intended to I embarrass the establishment of a stable, independent government by the people of those islands whenever conditions,make such, a proceeding, hopeful of success ano desirable re sults." Mr. Davis, chairman of the foreign relations committee, announced that he was willing that a vote should be taken immediately. As it was evi dent however, that a vote on the resolution snd amendments could not be taken before 2 o'clock-the hour fixed by unanimous consent for the senate to go into executive session Mr. Bacon asked for unanimous con sent that a vote be taken at 12.30 to-morrcw. To this request Mr. Carter of Minnesota objected, and the whole question was left suspended in the air During the mornings session Mr. Rawlins of Utah addressed the senate upon the Yest anti expansion reso lution. Senator Rawlins said s "The at mosphere jest now seems to be clouded with perplexing problems Everyone, I presume, is imbued with the wish; while adhering to justice, to do the best he can for his country I have not heretofore been opposed to expansion: This nation has been one of growth-in population from 3,QOO,000 to ?5, 0,000-in territory from the shores of the Atlantic across the continent and out into the swell ing waters of the Pacific Millions of the homes of our sturdy and patriotic people and magnificent States have been the fruits of our expansion. Territorial expansion, with commensurate extension of constitutional freedom, is twice blest ; it blesseth them who give and them who receive. No man can set an artificial barrier to the inevitable progress of the American people. When our fathers christened the republic they gave it the name which the? doubtless deemed sufficient to mr cover all the exigencies of its future career. It was io b: the United States of America we could stretch out to the north and to the south un til we encompassed the two conti nents and all the islands of the Carri bean sea and still we might appropri ately bear tbe name our fathers gave us Shall we now change that name, and, if so, what shall the new name be and what shall it symbolize ? Shall it be the United States of America and the Kingdom of the Philippines ? Or shall it be the Empire of America and Asia ? Already there are spec tral visions of this in the political sky" "What do we want the Philippine islands for ?" continued Mr. Rawlins "Do we want them to furnish homes for our people ? No. Do we want them to furnish an outlet for our sur plus labor? Do we want them to add a wholesome element to our popula tion, that our sons may Sad wives and our daughters husbands ? The blighting curse of the Almighty would rest upon such miscegenation. Do we want them in order to prac tice upon their inhabitants the same arts of philanthropy which, applied to the aboriginal inhabitants of this con ti oent have led to their extermina tion ? Humanity says, no. Do we want them in order to send hither swarms of oSce-"holdere, carpet bag gers, to riot among them like slimy worms eating out their substance ? Ab ! There's the rub. But for this perplexing problem this doubt would not to-day be seriously confronting the American people No there is no conceivable good which they can bring us Their retention bodes nothing but evil '*We cannot afford to go even half way down to the Asiatic level in order to proportionately uplift their civilization. We have enacted laws which stand like a cherubim with flaming sword at the gateways of the republic to drive back the hordes of of the dark and degenerate races of the east lest they might enter into infect and degrade us." Prior to Mr. Rswiine'speech Mr. Lindsay of Kentucky, offered the following resolution : "That the acquisition by the United States through conquest, treaty or otherwise, of territory not adjacent to and geographically part of the continent of North America, carries with it no constitutional or moral obligation to admit said territory or any portion thereof into tao Federal union as a state or states. "That it is against the policy, tra ditions and interests of the American people to admit states erected out of such non American territories or portions thereof, into our union of American States at any time or under any conditions. "That the United States accept from Spain the cession of the Philip pine islands with the hope that the people of those islands may demon strate their capacity to establish and maintain a stable government capa ble of enforcing law and order at home, and of discharging the inter national obligations resting on sepa rate and independent States, and with no expectation of desire or perma nently holding these islands as colo* nies or subject provinces, or of com pelling their people against their consent to submit to the authority of the United States after they shall demonstrate their capacity for self -government, as herein defined, the government of the United States to be judge of such capacity77 At Mr Lindsay's request the reso lution was left on the table subject to call. Citizenship of the Filipinos. Washington, Feb. 2.-The executive session of the senate to-day was merely a oootinuation of the legal argnment wbioh started with Senator Spoon er's speech in the open senate. It grew out of the question of Senator Jillman concerning the status of the Filipinos wit h reference to citizenship io case the ces i on of the Philippine islands should be accepted. Senator Hoar made a set argument, quoting liberally from authorities in support of the contention that they j would become citizens and be entitled to all the rights and privileges as s ooh under the constitution. This view was antagonised by Senators Platt of Connec ticut, Teller and Nelson. Senator Nelson referred to the acquisition of territory from Fraooe and Spain during the history of the county, and read from many legal opinions to show that the Indians in such territory were not citizens. Mr. Platt made the point that citizens of territories were not full-fledged citizens and Mr. Teller contended that .'.bey were not until they were made such by congressional enactment Senator Davis, in charge of the treaty, expressed the opioion after the adjourn ment of the senate to-night, that a vote would be secured to-morrow on the resolutions pending in the senate, declaratory of the country's future attitude toward the Filipinos in the case of the ratification of the treaty. The first Vote will be on the Bacon resolu tions, which will probably be voted down. A vote wi ii then be taken upon a resolution more acceptable to the majority, probably that offered by Mr Sullivan, wbioh it ie expected will be adopted. ' Senator Daniel will speak on the treaty in open session to-morrow and Seuator Morgan io executive session. COAST LINE"SH0PS. Io business circles yesterday a rumor became prevalent to the effect that the Atlantic Coast Line had decided oo a movement which would seriously affect our commercial interest-the removal of its shops from this city to Rocky Mount and Florence, S C. A Messen ger representative was sent to head* quarters to ascertain the truthfulness, if any, of the rumor, and he learoed that the reports was false, but tba?; it, oe doubt, obtained its origin from tbe fast that the Coast Lioe intends in fu ture to divide the work of their shops io to two classes-machine aod oar de partments. The entire work of the ferner wiU be located io South Rooky Mount and the latter in Wilmington. The objeot of this is to concentrate tbe work, which will facilitate matters aod make the business of the oar department more extensive. The oar shops now io Florence are to be transferred to this city, and the machine shops here re moved to South Rocky Mount. Tbe transfer is at present gradually being made, but will not finally be concluded before the ezpiratioo of two of three months. The taking away of our machine shops and the substitution of more car shops will not make any per ceptible change ic the force DOW em ployed by the Hoe in thia oity.-Wil miagton Messenger Feb 1. Go to H. G Osteen Co. for pretty Paper j Dolls, ladies, miBoes and babies. C BAN ARMY TO DISBAND. GEN. GOMEZ ACCEPTS THE OVERTURES OF* THE PRESIDENT. Will Aid in Getting Cabans to Return to the Pursuits of Peace. Remedios, Province of Santa Clara Feb. 1, via Habana, Feb. 2.-Gen Maximo Gomez, tbe commander-in chief of tbe Caban army, placed him self squarely in position to-day as an active ally of the United States gov ernment in the work of reconstruc tion of Cuba: As a result of the conference which Robert P Porter, the special commissioner of President McKinley, has had with Gen Gomez, the latter cabled to President McKinley this afternoon assuring him of his coope ration in disbanding the Cuban army and in distributing among the Cuban soldiers the $3,000,000 appropriated for the purpose of enabling them to return to their bornes Gen Gomez also telegraphed to Maj Gen Brooke saying he would accept the latter's invitation to go to Habana The snccess of Mr Porters mis sion greatly simplifies the returning of military Cubsns to the pursuits of peace. In view of Gen Gomez's supposed prior attitude of hostility toward the United States, Mr. Porter came here clothed with absolute authority and the tender of $3,000,000 was practi cally a verbal ultimatum Had it not been accepted no more ultima tums would have been made. Mr. Porter made plain the purpose of the government and was gratified at the ready response of Gen. Gomez. The conference took place at the house here occupied by the Cuban general as hie headquarters since coming to town When Mr. Porter arrived here last week he was accompanied by Senor Gonzalo de Quesada, the special com missioner of the Cuban junta at Washington : Capt. Campbell, of Gen. Brooke's staff ; Lieut Hanna, of Gen. Wood's staff, and a corres pondent of the Associated Pre 8. The Coban commander was cordial in greeting Mr. Porter, and opened the interview by referring to the change for the better which had taken place ic Cuba since be was last here ic September. He also laid stress on the fact that some people were asking where was Cuba's promised liberty. "The answer to this," said Mr Porter, is that Cuba now has com mercial and industrial liberty and that President McKinley bas directed me in framing the Cuban tariff to make no discrimination in favor of the United States in the manner that Spain favored herself. Cuba is free to-day to buy in the cheapest market People are returning to the pursuits of peace and our military govern ment will give way to the civil gov ernment as fast as possible " Mr. Porter also said that the pur pose of the American government is to lay a firm foundation of stable government for Coba, to give the Cubans all the liberties they bad fought for, and that Gen Gomez mast remember that and more still For instance, there are 25,000 or 30,000 Spanish soldiers at Cienfuegos who have not left Cuba, that we bad only been a month on the island, and that President McKinley needed and was entitled to the cooperation of all interested in the welfare and future of Cuba and that he needed the co operation of Gomez above all others The first problem, Mr. Porter then pointed out, was the disbandment of the Coban army aod the return of the Cuban soldiers to work. This was the specific mission which had brought Mr. Porter to Remedios and in which President McKinley expect ed Gen Gomez's aid. The Coban commander replied that he was willing to give the aid required, but asked how be could do so. To this Mr. Porter replied that President McKinley would be glad to have him go to Habana and co operate with Gen. Brooke in disband icg the Cubans and in paying over the $3,000,000 appropriated for that purpose. Gen. Gomez said the amount was too small, but that was not his fault, and he would make it go as far as possible, while likening it to the miracle of the loaves and fishes. "No man in history," said Mr. Porter, "bas done so much with so small resources as you huve done. Hence your cooperation with Gen. Brooke will bring good results v Gen. Gomez especially requested that the money, for which Mr. Por ter had orders in his pocket, should be paid over to Gen. Brooke and not to himself, as he did not want the personal resposibility of keeping it. The Cuban general then assured Capt. Campbell cf his good feeling toward Gen. Brooke, and the formal compact was presented to Gomez by Mr. Porter and was assented to by Geu Gomez In brief the compact is as fellows : First. The Coban officers in each province shall assist the American officers in distributing the funds. Second. That these officers shall at once meet at some convenient point and devise how, when and where the payments are to be made and arrange any other details. Third, That the sum paid to each mao shall not be regarded as part payment of salary or wages due for service rendered, but to facilitate the disbandment of toe army, as a relief of suffering and as an aid in getting the people to work. Fourth. The Cubans shall surren der the arms to the Cuban assembly or to ita representatives. Fifth The committee on distribu tion shall use its best endeavors to distribute it among the population, so that all may secure work. Sixth. That the $3,000,000 shall be placed subject to the order of Gen Brooke and that action in the matter shali be immediate. Gen. Gomez was tendered a public reception this evening and Mr. Por ter was among those present. Cuban Generals Don't Agree With Gen. Gomez. Habana, Feb. 3 -Among the Ca-, ban leaders who have given expres sion to their views on the subject, it is asserted that Gen, Gomez was not authorized to agree to the disband* ment of the army without consulting the Cuban assembly and obtaining its permission When the report arrived that Gen. Gomez had accepted Mr Porter's proposition on behalf of the presi dent, many doubted it, refusing to believe that he would act in this fashion. A prominent Coban said to day : "If the news is true, the Cuban as sembly will have grounds for pro ceeding against Gen. Gomez The idea of $3,000,000 as a gift from the United States to the Coban soldiers is repugnant and wounds the pride of the Cabans." A number of interviews obtained to day with prominent Cuban gene rals go to show the feeling in the higher military circles. Gen. Mayia Rodriguez, commander of the Cuban forces in the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Habana, Mantaozas and Santa Clara, and second ir. command in the Cuban army, said : 4<I cannot think that Gen. Gomez would take this resolution regard ing a matter of such transcendent importance as the payment and dis bandment of the Cuban army without consulting the Cuban generals Al though I still believe that the United States will fulfill its promise to give Cuba ber liberty. I think the Cuban army should continue to aid in pre serving order in the island until this promise has been fulfilled. and until certain important matters have been clearly decided, such as, for instance, who is to pay the cost of the nume rous unnecessary American army of occupation-Cuba or the United States. Gen. Gomez does not hold the power to disband the army with out the authorization of the Cuban assembly and until after consultation with the generals." - ? ? - - Washington, Feb. 2 -Representa tive Gaines, of Tennessee, to day introduced a bill to repeal the law which prevente an ex-Confederate soldier from sitting on a Federal grand or petty jury. This is the last relic of the laws discriminating against ex Confederates. It slipped ioto the revision of the law of 1862, althoogh it] had been repealed,'and works now considerable hardship in the sooth. Washington, Feb. 2.-Great interest was expressed to-day through the war department in the reiterated newspaper report that severe action was meditated by the department and the administra tion in the case of Gen. Miles, who has bees quoted io numerous recent inter views as condemning the quality cf meat furnished the army by contractors daring the war and maintaining that he had evidence io reserve which would substantiate his charges that chemicals were used in preserving the contract beef. It may be definitely stated that no official action bas been taken looking to a coortmartia", a court of inquiry or to the sending of Gen. Miles to the command of \ department. Makes the food more del ROY At 8AKIK3 PCWt STATE'S BIG CLAIM SHOULD BE SETTLED. Representative Evans Inter ested in the Matter. THE JbEGISLATUSE WILL AC^ SOON. The legislature will bave forcibly brought to its attention the advisa bility of poshing the State's Revolu tionary ciaira against tbe Federal government as an offset to tbe claims of the United States against Sooth Carolina. Representative N. 6. Evans of Edgef eld introduced a concurrent resolution providing that the ways and means committee of the house and the finance committee of the senate should appoint a joint sub committee to investigate the matter and report upon the best steps to be taken to secure the payment of the claim. This resolution passed both houses, ano under it a joint commit tee was appointed consisting of Sen ators Graydon, Williams and Glenn and Representatives Weston, Wycfae and McDow, who . are now about ready to submit their report and suggest the necessary measure which should be provided for to go about the collection of the claim. Mr. Evans believes that the claim can be established without a doubt, and he has collected much data upon the subject, some of which was con tained in the editorial in the State of the 31st. Similar claims against the Federal government were held by other States notably Alabama and Mississippi, which were paid. Both the senators from this State are mak ing efforts to have South Carolina^ claim settled, and they write that if the matter is put into the bands of a responsible party to look up the data the State can be saved a good, deal of money Gov Hampton, in 1878, undertook to make au agreement as governor with three parties, two in Washington and one in Columbia, who were to represent the State. The Washington parties died, and no definite results came of this attempt, but the claim was found during their investigation It is known that the State owes the Federal government $125,000, the amount of che bonds issued in 1855 to bni'd the present state house, and the interest to date, represented I by the coupons, is $123,750, making j a total of $248,750. There is no * j doubt, says Mr. Evans, of the vaiid I ity of this debt, but under the act j of 1880 the bonds of 1855 and all .bonds issued pri r to Jan. 1, 1866, j with coupons, were made exchange ble cr 6 per cent, consolidated bonds with interest from Jan 1, 1880. The J real claim since the bonds were or dered funded in console at a reduc tion of 50 per cent, would amount % to $124,375, bot the United States would doubtless resist the settlement on this basis. The money which the United States put into these bonds was the investment of the Indian trust fund. South Carolina's original Revolu tionary claim against the United States was $550.000. and if interest be allowed it will now amount to about $2,000,000, so that a settle ment satisfactory and advantageous to South Carolina seems reasonable to hope for, and would include the amount recently expended by Gov. j Ellerbe equipping the soldiers i from thib ~< 3te It is Mr. Evans' opinion that should it be found impossible to dis cover the report of James A Black, the special agent, the work be did in arriving at his concisions should be followed up so that the facts may be attained and advantage taken of them. The White is king of Sewiog Machines* If yon hare cotton seed to sell, call on me I will pay yon the highest market place. W. B. Bojle. Albany, N. Y , Feb. 3 -Under the rules, the court of appeals to day handed down an c der directing the warden of Sing Sing prison to elec trocute Mrs. McCatha Place some time during the week, beginning February 12. Mrs. Place killed her step daughter at their home in Brooklyn. The governor was peti tioned by sympathetic women to commute the sentence to imprison ment for life. He bas taken the case under advisement. g BAKING I94 POWDER HfKE licious and wholesome cs co., HEW vorm._