Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Pip tPatcfynura ana SoutljroiT. . ... . ------ _-^ ^- % nm SUMTER WATCHMAN, K t bii*hed 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." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jone, 1366 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE ?. 1899 New Series-Yoi. XVIII. No. 45 "O o ) - Published Every Wednesday, -BY SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : $1.50 perron a ca-io advance. DVKSTI8KMBST: Ono Square orst insertion.............$1 00 Erecy sabs^uent insertion....... 50 * ContOkcts for tbree months, or longer wil subserve private iitAeJejy l wffit De charged for&8 ad vertiemen ts. jl'^^^^^'^^" f rC8peCt8 wil be The Fi^aoWar and How it Bega , Aguinaldo Always - Insolent. W ashington, Mav 31 -The eeere tary of war today q&ade public the report of Gen Otis, transmitting the reports of bis subordinate officers on the operations around Manila ap to April 6. Geo Otis begins with this state ment : "These military operations are fairly well represented in the re ports sod I have little to add thereto, bot desire particularly to call at ten tention to the . rise and development of conditions and circumstances which resulted finally in war. This I deem to be essential in order to correct the somewhat prevailing im pression that the government of the United States is responsible through deceit *or wrongful action for the present existing hostilities/' To thia end he gives a short sum mary of the Philippines insurrection against Spain, laying stress on the fact that a small band of natives of Luzon, lenders of the rebellion of '96 against Spain, were induced for a monetary consideration to leave the island. These .men returned to the vicinity of Manila slier the destruc tion of the Spanish fleet, they being as Gen. Otis says, *'encourage -with ont authority to attempt the Organiza lion of what they were pleased to denominate an independent govern ment for the Philippine people." Independence Gen Otis says, was proclaimed s by Aguinaldo in August ' and early as Joly he had warned the United States authorities against the landing of its military forces on Phil ippine soil without first obtainiog his consent, because, aa be expressed it, "the Philippine people might consider the occupation of Philippine territory by. North American troops a violation of their rights Gen. Otis says : "When tbe United States forces landed from their trans ports near and to the south of Manila for the parp se of attacking the city the fiction that tjiey were acting as allies of the insurgente and in fur therance of Philippine indefeoce sp pears to have been conveyed by io sargents leaders v Gen. Otis describes Aguinaldo's efforts to strengthen his lines in prepa ration for hostilities with the United Stetes dartog this time and explains the growth of the insurgent indepen dent movement. Describing briefly the high teosioo that existed at the time. Gen. Otis includes io explanation of bis course some highly important eorrespoodence that passed between himself and Aguinaldo. Early io January Gen. Otis was ssked hy conservative Filipinos to appoint s committee of army officers to meet an insurgent committee by which peaee might be maiotaioed. Gen. Otis refused to recognize an ' ineorgeot government hut was willing to oegotiate with Aguinaldo or a commission ap pointed hy him. The report sets out io full tbe eorreepocdence on this subject which passed between Gea. Otis and Aguinal do. The latter named a commissios consisti g of three of his leaders to confer with Geo. Otis, with a view to aa amicable understanding but express ed surprise that Otis would not receive the comwscaionere as official representa tives of the curgen c govern mest. Io hie reply Geo. Otis explsioed that he was acting merely as the agent of the Doited States go vern meo t As saeh hs had no authority to recognize the Filipino government and oould not receive, officially, represestatives of that government. He expressed earn est hope that the commissioners named by him aod by Aguioaldo would be able through conf rence to dispel the misunderstanding which existed. He was ooder strict orders from the president, be said to avoid a conflict if possible, but he admonished Aguinaldo that tbs Amerioao troops were aware of the Filipinos efforts to precipitate hostilities. He pointed out that a definite poliey with referenoe to the Philippines would have to be declared hy congress aod for the actioo of congress be hoped Againaldo would wait. Gen. Oils says the negotiations were barren of practical resalta The insur gent members desired absolute inde pendency but were unauthorized to present aoy statement they could main tain. In the* latter part of January the insurgents became aggressive, interfering with the American troops, and finally led Gen. Otis to address another latter to Aguinaldo calling attention to the arrest of Filipinos of some American soldiers and a news paper correspondent and requesting an explanation. Gen. Otis' letter added : "I am doiog everything possible to preserve the peace and avoid? all fric tion until tue Philippine people can be made folly aequaiBted with the sentiment and intentions of the American govern meat, wa a 1 am confident thfat they wilt appreciate the* endeavors of "the United States aod will again look upon that country as their friend and protector. I also fully believe that the prseent unrest is the resuh of machio a tion of evil-disposed persons.'7 To (his letter Aguinaldo sent a sar castic reply, but ordered the release of the prisoners. Geo. Otis next tells how the Ameri can soldiers were openly insulted and how the insurgents had continually labored to strengthen their lines, threatening to drive the Americans out of the island, and bow finally on the night of Feb. 4 the demonstration was made, which resulted in the killing of a Filipino by an American sentry and the firing on the Americans by the insurgent troops. Gen. Otis continues as follows : "Toe insurgent army had thus suc ceeded in drawing the firs of a small outpost, which they had evidently la bored with all their ingenuity to ac complish io order to justify in some way their premeditated attack. It is not believed that the chief insurgeot leaders wished to open hostilities at this time as they were not completely prepared to assume the initiative. They desired two or three days more to perfect their arrangements, but the seal of their army brought on the crisis which anticipated their action. ' They could not hare delayed long, $h owe ver, for it was their object to force an issue before American troops then en route could arrive at Manila. "The movement of troops during the protracted engagement which fol lowed and their success at every point are described in the accompanying re ports bf tbe commanding geoerals of division I cannot speak too highly of the efficiency displayed by the troops under tba most trying ordeals, and where all organizations engaged con ducted ibemselves so courageously it wc.uld be difficult to undertake special mention-. "During the night of Feb. 4 and the following day the insurgents of the city ware greatly agitated, fearing for their personal safety. A portion to the number of abcut 8,000, had been en rolled in a secret society for the pur pose of attacking our troops within tbe city and performing incendiary work while the insurgents pressed us from without. This purpose was well knowo and an attack upon our forces both io frons and rear was anticipated. So admirably, however, bad Gen. Hughes, the provost marsha) general, disposed of 3,000 troops of bis command that the rising was suppressed wherever attempted." Io conclusion, Gen. Otis explains in detail his movomeot on Caloocan and says that it was attended with the accus tomed success of American arms Ten Thousand Volunteers is Likely the Number. Washington Jone 1.-Replying to tbe inquiries of the secretary of war, Gen Otis telegraphs "that be is still of the opinion that 30,000 troops will be necessary for the effective control of the Philippines " Secretary Alger took Gen. Otis' cable to the president, and after a conference with bim stated that the text of the dispatch would not be made public "It reaffirms Gen. Otis7 estimate made sometime ago," said tbe secretary, of bis ability to cope with the situation. As I stated yesterday, the regulars now no the way or under orders to go to the Philippines will give Gen Otis abont 24,000 or 25,000 men after the withdrawal of the volunteers." "Where will the additional 5,000 or 6,000 men for whom Gen Otis asks come from ?" the secretary was asked. ^ "That bas not been definite^ determined ss yet," he replied. "We may be able to take tbe addi tional troops asked for from-the regu lars now located in thiif country, Cuba and Puerto Rico, or it may be found advisable to muster in volun teers " "In case it is decided to call for volunteers, will the call only be for the 5,000 or 6,000 men necessary to bring Gea Otis' total up to 30,000 ? ' "If volunteerc are called for," re plied the secretary, "the call will probably be for 10,000 men." -mm -_ Paper novels, new paper oovels at H. G Osteea & Go's. NO PEACE IN THE PHILIPPINE! THE INSURGENTS HAV AGAIN BECOME AG GRESSIVE. Manila, May 28, 8 p m -The a proach of the wet season finds t insurrection seemingly taking a nc lease on life. All along the Americ lines the rebels are showing mo aggressive activity, in their guerril style, than at any time since the f of M al aloe. They keep the United States troo in the trenches, sleeping in thc clothes and constantly on the ale against dashes apon oar outposts ai they make life warm for the Amei can garrisons in the towns. The bands pf Gen. Lana and Ge Maecardo, which retreated towal Tarlac when they feared they won be caught between Gen. M ac Art hi and Gen. Lawton, have returned force to their' old trenches aroui San Fernando where there are dai collisions. Opposite our lines on the soul protecting Manila, all the way arouc San Pedro Macati, the Filipinos hat three rows of trenches most of tl distance Reports from prisoners indical that the insurgents construe tt peace negotiations to mean that it Americans have had enough of figh iug The Filipinos are also encou aged by the belief that the Amen'car are prepairing for an interval of inac tivity daring the wet seasoo This period is sore to be followe by mach suffering Thousands ( acree that were under cultivation lat year have not been plowed this yea and the government will probably b obliged to feed thousands, jost as fed the Cabans. Friendly natives amigos," continue to pour into th American lines by land and rive routes, coming from the territory c insurrection into the country wber the passage of the two armies ha left DO food, and practically throw in themselves apon the charity of thei conquerors. Such able bodied me as are not in the Filipino ranks hav been kept by the insurgent leaders t dig trenches, and old men, wome and children form the mass of th refugees These are- doing som plowing, bat they will be confronte) with hanger before they can realiz any subsistence from their crops. The United States army has organ ize a system of distributing rioe a Malolos and some of the emalle towns where Filipinos stores wer captured, but the latter will soon b exhausted. The United States transport Morgai Cily, which arrived here from Sai Francisco with 600 recrcits for tb various regiments sailed today for Iloii with tue troops As it was impossible to take to Spaii the remains of the Spanish Gen. Mon tero who was fatally woo a oed to reoent engagement with the Filipino! in the iaiaod of Mindanao aod who die< while beiog broaght here from Zim boango on the transport Loon XIII, i was decided that the interment shouh take place in Manila^ Tbe fu era were held today, hundreds of Spaoisi soldiers and civilians attending tb cortege to the grave with wreaths anc fl ag 8. The Saoish papers declare that Mon tero was a victim of tbe Spanish gov ernmeDt'e neglect. Insurgents Occupy Zamboan ga-Otis Woud Enlist Mac cabebes. Manila, May 27, 10.15 a m.-Th( Spanish steamer Leon XIII landed th 23d regiment of United States regu lars on the island of Jolo, and tool i on board the Spanish garrison, thc i Americans paying the Spaniards the i usual honors The steamer then proceeded tc Zamboanga, island of Mindanao, and the troops there embarked ou the i Leon XIII, the Puerto Rico, the i Uranie and Des Hermanos, the three i last named Teasels sailing for Spain The insurgents agreed not to mo lest the Spaniards daring the evacua tion The Leon XIII entered Manila harbor last evening with flags flying at half mast in honor of Geo. Monte ro, who died on the passage from Zamboanga to Manila from wounds received in a recent engagement^witb I the Filipinos in Mindanao, and with the garrison, officers and their famil ies on board The insurgents, it is reported, were in possession of Zamboanga when the Spaniards left, and it will be neces sary for the Americans to recapture that place. Japan Preparing for War. Victoria, Jnoe 1.-A Pekin corres pondent writes that Japan ie making war preparations as quietly as abe did four years ago, and is takiog measures for strengthening ber ooaet defences, feeling that war with Russia in the near future is unavoidable. PROGRESS OF CLAIMS. Volunteer Soldiers Certain of Getting Some Extra Money. Mr. W. Boyd Evans has received a letter from Judge C. P. Townsend which is of special interest to those having claims against the govern mern yet unadjusted as well as to volunteer soldiers of this State. Following is an extract from a letter dated at Bennetts ville and directed to Mr Era ns : "I ieturned from Washington last night. When I called on the auditor of the war department I fouod him examining the claims of South Caro lina. He informs me that all are audited except four claims, one of them being of the Coast Line and the others for only small amounts I have written the parties and informed them that niese they sign the papers and send them and thus perfect the vouchers their claims wili be disal lowed. "I asked the auditor to wait three or four days before he sent the check to Gov. Eilerbe. I think you will receive the checks in the course of ten days "I exhibite'd to him the submitted copy of the act you sent me and he said this was all right, and $1 50 per day would be allowed by the gov ernment He further informed me that when there was no special form, and none would be required for making out claims of officers and men, the rolls must show the names, number of days served between the entry into the service and the muster in, the amount due each with receipt from each man "??Re further said there must be the certif cate of some military officer as to correctness of the rolls and also attached to each a copy i ; the act such as you sent me. I think the form of roll adopted by Capt. Carson, judging from the duplicate of it you sent to me, will do. The auditor said it must appear that the men actually vornnteered-that is, that they went to Columbia for, this purpose. "This, I think, embraces all the information I received. If there is anything more you would like me to loek into, I will promptly do so. s&t "Sincerely, "C. P. Townsend." . ? Captains of "companies should go to work at once on the basis of this letter and get up the rolls The men will get $1.50 per day, except officers, who will get the regular army pay. It is certain that both the accepted and rejected men will be paid for the time between enroll ment for the service and the muster in or rejection from the United States army. But a receipt for each indi vidual man must be bad, and the sooner the captains forward the rolls the sooner will the men be paid An army officer, probably Capt. Fnller, will be detailed to assist in getting up correct rolls. An effort will be made to secure a months extra pay for the First regi ment But there is some doubt about it being obtained, as the regiment was mustered out before the law allowing extra pay was passed. Columbia Record, May 31. RETRIAL OP DREYFUS. Paris, June 1.-Ma tre Mornard, counsel for Mme. Dreyfus, coo cloded bia argumeot before the court of cassation today oo the application for a revision of the Dreyfus case. It was largely rethreading of straw alretdy thoroughly threshed out by Mm. Ballot de Beaupre and Manau. He warmly eulogized the report of M. Ballot de Beaupre and applauded the conclusions arrived at by M. Manau. Counsel for Mme. Dreyfus oonoluded with protest ing against the idea that even for the sake of the honor of the army might should dominate over right. He said tbs army itself was thirsty for honor and justice to be rendered and be pointed out that the army could not be dishonored by (he acknowledgment that a judicial error bad been com mitted. The decision of the court is expected on Saturday. .mum * i mum Penitentiary Quarantined. The general anxiety over the out break of meningitis at the State penitentiary continues Yesterday another new case developed, the victim being a colored convict. This makes a total of seven cases and four deaths. It is doubtful if two of those now ill will recover. Every thing possible is being done for the sufferers aud to prevent the disease from spreading Yesterday one of the guards resigned his position and left the institution rather than run the risk necessarily encountered. The city board of health has quarantined the institution io order to prevent the disease getting into the city and for once the quarantine task proves to be an easy one.-The State, Juue 2 CONDITION OF CROPS IN SOUTHERN STATES Has Bsen Too Cool and Sev eral States Still Suffering From Drought. Washington, May 30 -The week ly crop bulletin of the weather bureau issued today is in part as follows : "The week ending May 29, 1899, has been muck too cool in the Mid dle and South Atlantic States, but elsewhere east of the Rocky moun tains the temperature conditions have been very favorable. The previously reported droughty conditions in the Gulf States have been largely relieved by rains which have beeu heavy in localities, while in some sections drought continues, especially in southern and eastern Texas, and southern Louisiana. Rains would now prove of much benefit in the Ohio valley and Middle Atlantic States/wbile portions of Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Arkan sas have suffered from excessive rains. "From the lower Missouri and cen tral Mississippi valleys eastward to the Middle Atlantic coast the week has not been favorable to corn which is generaily reported as backward and making slow growth. Io Kansas the crop is in fine condition and it is decidedly improved in the east Gulf States while in portions of the Ceu tra! Gulf States and southern Texas it is suffering for rain. The early planted is maturing in Texas. "The general condition of winter wheat in the States of the Ohio, cen tral Mississippi and lower Missouri valleys is probably less favorable than in the previous week, consider able damage by mst and insects being reported. Harvesting is in progress in some of the Sorthern States, with better yield in Texas, in some localities, than was expected. "Oat harvesting is in progress in tbe Sonthern States with generally light yeiids The crop is making slow growth in the Middle Atlantic States and upper Ohio valley, and has suffered from two much rain in Missouri. "The condition of cotton has im proved over the eastern portion of the cotton belt, except in tbe Carolinas, where the weather bas been cool The crop has made slow growth and is suffering from rain in portions of Louisiana and Mississippi, while too much rain has injured the stand in Arkansas "In Texas cotton is growing rapid ly and the corn crop is. well cultivated, except in some locali ties of the northern portion, where the fields are foul. "The week has been unfavorable for transplanting tobacco owing to the absence of rain. Much ground is prepared, however, and with a favor able season the work wili make rapid progress/1 Plan to Break Wall Street. Ao oid one-gallus farmer of Rich land couoty, S C , so Mr. Pattoo, of Columbia, tells rae, has an original idea about our cotton growers breaking Wall street, and all getting rich io one year. He proposes tnat next pri g every acre of farming laod io the Sou:h be planted ia ootton. Then let the farmers mortgage their property, go into Wal! street aod buy cotton futures at the low figures the big crop prospect will warrant. Wheo tbey have bought these futures, let the farm er go to work and plow op every bill of cotton on his place and all hands rest for the balance of the year. This would be a most excellent idea if we farmers dealt with honest and sol veo t men ; but the result would be that (hose Wall street gamblers would declare themselves bankrupt and secrete their money, aod theo boy up the laods of us bankrupt southern farmers at their owe price.-Columbia Record. Disaster in Japan. Victoria, B. C., M*y 31.-The teamer Kinship Manu brings news from tbe Orient of a large fire at Yamagat , Japan. Six hundred houses and eieren shrines and temples were destroyed. A number of lives were lost. Thirty houses were burned in tbe Abobisa fire at Kobe, ApriK 30. Ooo man perished. Makes the food more de ROYAL BAKING POW THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. Dr. Evaus Replies to Certain Adverse Criticisms. The appearance of several cases of smallpox in Newberry, which was noted yesterday, together with a statement that the State board of health had been tardy in attending to them, recalls a complaint on similar lines made by the Savannah Morn ing News. Dr. Evans, of Florence, is the chief officer of the board and he bas always been most prompt and ener getic in stamping ont the disease wherever it has been reported in the State. If there bas really been any delay in attending to the Newberry cases, it may be certain that there was some sufficient reason for it. As to the complaint of the Geor gians, they eeem to have no cause whatever. Dr. Evans bas had some thing to say about this in an inter view in tbe Florence Tiaaes. He said that the health authorities of Savannah had been making many complaints about the spread of the epidemic in this State and had gone so far as to report the matter to the national authorities, that they claim ed that the smallpox bad been carried into Savannah from ibis State and that the authorities on this side of the river had done nothing to prevent the spread of the disease. He had re plied to the surgeon general and con vinced Lim that the Savannah men were altogether wrong, and. reported the work being done by the State board of health. Recently he had received a very discourteous letter. Now, as a matter of fact, said thc. doctor, in nearly if not quite every ) one of the instances of the breaking ont of the pestilence, the infecting case came to South Carolina from Georgia, and that if any further proof of this claim, was wanted he could easily produce it, Dr. Bacot's letter, an extract from which is pub lished in this article, will show the origin of the latest infection beyond a doubt, and those from Edge field and Barnwell are unquestionably from the same country. \ Georgia, be eaid, had no state board of health and the authorities of that state could not possibly say where the smallpox existed ic Geor gia They have done nothing to .eradicate the disease from the state and the efforts of local boards of health in the different towns and cities were clearly unable to attack the task of handling.the disease and preventing us spread. Thus it is clear that the boot is on the other leg and that instead of South Carolina being & menace to Georgia, Georgia is tbe worst kind of a menace to the health of South Car olina That instead of the Georgia authorities making a kick against our board, we have every reason to kick against them, bot that tbe character* , istic of the two people were shown in this matter as in every case where a comparison is to be made (these are not the doctor's words) We are willing to do what we could to help ous friends ou the otber side of the river and to treat them with a decent courtesy in a very different way from the treatment they accorded us, which would, even if their charges were correct, have been discour teous Refering to the cases of smallpox in the state since the report of the board)was made last year, Dr Evans said : Since the publication of that re port last winter there have been cases reported from Maye6ville ;350, now clear cf the faintest trace ; from Packsville, 250 cases, now free, or nearly so ; from Conway, 20 cases,, now free from plague; from Barnwell, a number of cases cow well in band and taken care of by the local physi cians ; lately he has received notice of the apparance of the plague in Newberry of five cases, at Blufftou* five and Hilton Head five. The board has taken charge of these cases at once and will stop the spread if no. more infection comes over the river Columbia Record Jane 2 London, Jone 2 -The Rome cor respondent of the Da i ly I mail says ~ Lieut. Col. Panizzardi (military at* tache of the Italian embassy ic Paris when Dreyfus was condemned) informs me that the Italian embassy slways knew that Esterhazy wrote the bordereau " j BAKING POWDER HJRE licious and wholesome DEft CO., MEW YORK._^^^^^^