The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, September 06, 1899, Image 1
Consolidated AU?. 2,1881.
New Series-Yoi. XIX. No. 6
Publishftd Swr? "BTedaes Lay,
-BY
]> . C3r. Osteen,
SUMTER, S. C.
T8RXS :
$1,50 per su ca m-io advance.
A. D V t B T I 8 K K E fi T :
CE ? Square first insertion..$1 00
JSvery subsequent insertion... 50
Contracts for .bree months, or longer wil
be made at reduced rates.
All comiaauie&tioas which subserve private
interests will be charged for as adrertiements.
Obituaries and tributes of respects will be
chai ged for.
NIGHTMARE
OF THE NATION.
The Fearful Barden of the
Pension Boll. i
From H16 to Joly 1, 1899, the
commencement; of the present fiscal
year, the United States^ government
bas paid in pensions to. soldiers and
sailors of past wars and to their de
pendents tbs enormous som of $2,
523,428,212 91.
And yet the obligations of the
government are bot little more than
half fulfilled. According to c mci al ;
computation $2,011,964,746 94 is
yet to be paid to the survivors of
past wars and their dependents, foot
ing up a grand total of $4,543,000,
000, or more than twice the a m cu ct
of money in existence in the entire
country.
This does not include the pension
payments that will result from the
Spanish American war of last year
It would seem from the above
showing that the proverbial saying
that " Republics are ungrateful" can
nave no application to this republic,
especially in relation to its pension
system. More money is paid annu
ally by the United States government
io pensions than by any other half
dozen governments in the world.
This ls the more strange when you
stop to consider that under a mon
archical form of government rewards
may be conferred by the crown.
Emperor William, of Germany, can
promote a subaltern to a regiment for
a slight service ; Qaeen Victoria cac
present a crown jewel to a successful
courtier ; Nicholas il, Czar of all the
Eussias, can give a province to a
favorite captain ; but in the republic
of the United States Uncle Sam has
no such prerogatives. Indeed, bis
authority is so restricted and limited
that he cannot confer a single dollar
of the people's money upon an indi
vidual, no matter how meritorious his
claim may be, without authority from
congress.
Such is the difference between a
monarchical and republican form of
government, and yet the United
States is moro liberal in the distriba
tion of its bounties to its defenders
than any nation in the world.
In strange contrast is the pension
system of the United States with
those of the leading European na
tions. When you stop and consider
the enormous standing armies of
Great Britain, Germany, France end
Kassia, and compare their annual
pension payments with those of. the
United States, the situation becomes
the more remarkable.
The average peace strength of the
imperial army of Germany is 479,229
men, exclusive of volunteer officers,
surgeons, paymasters and other non
combatants. Last year the pension
payments of Germany, which are the
largest of any Earopean country,
were as follows : Prussia. 44,900,900
marks ; Saxony, 3,363,000 marks ;
Wortenberg, 2,368,000 marks; Ba
varia, 6,462,000 marks, making a
total of 57.093,900 marks, or $15.
599,348 20.
Germany's appropriation for naval
pensions last year was only 13,692
marks, or $3,159.
The pension system of Fraace^is
very different from that in vogue in
ibis country. Ail employes of the
government receive pensions, which
are paid from a fond derived from
deductions made from the annual
salaries of the employes The same
principles apply to the army, where
a 5 per cent d duction is made from
the salary of the army officers for the
benefit of the retired Hst.
Direct appropriations are made by
the British government for the pay
ment of pensions for its soldiers and
tailors, bot the amount is so insignifi
cant that no comparison can be made
with the pension appropriations of
this country. The estimated pay
ments for the fiscal year 1899 are as
follows : Retired half pay officers,
etc., 1,567,800 ; pensions for offi
eera who have received wounds etc ,
1,335,600 ; for the superannuated,
etc , 177,300 ; making a total of
3,080,700 ; or, in -round numbers,
$15.403,500.
The estimated appropriations for
the support of the British army, whicl
cambers 163,560 men of al) rank, ii
time of peace, for this year, including
the pensions, is more than $50,000,
000 less than the pension paymenti
of the United States for last year
the amount being 10,220,500, o;
$96,102,500 in round numbers.
The pension system of this coun
try, which has grown to such enor
mons proportions, commenced it
1776, when the Continental Congresi
resolved that all officers who shoulc
continue in the service until the enc
of the war should receive half pay foi
seven years after peace was estab
lished. In 1780 the provisions o
this law were extended to the widowi
and orphans of those who died in th<
service. The half pay for sevei
years was extended to half-pay foi
life, 8nd subsequently commuted tc
full pay for five years Pension*
were granted under this law amount
ing to $50,100 per annum, and in
creased until 1791, until they reach
ed the then enormous sum of $175,
813 88 Between 1806 and 1818
principle was established by whicl:
! all persons, whether officers or pri
vates, who had been disabled in thc
! course of military service should bc
I provided for at the public expense
From 1791 to 180V there was a grad
nal decrease until the pension expen
ditures amounted to only $70,500
Under various legislative enactments
the pension roll increased untii ir
1816, when it amounted to $286,
055 72, the highest figure thus fai
reached On March 1, 1817, Con
gress authorized the issuance of addi
tiona! pensions, and in 1818, the
! pension payments amounted to $426
I 480.
In 1818, thirty-five years after the
close of the Revolution, a furtaei
extension occurred, by which pen
j sions were granted to ail the survi
vors of the war, who for any reasoc
stood in need of pecuniary assistance
Under the provisions of this law the
pension payments reached the mil
lion dollar mark for the first time ic
the history of the government,
amounting in 1819 to $2,416,829 04
In the following year, 1820, they rose
to $3,218 494 70. At this the gener
al public became alarmed, the num
ber of applications under the formel
act being about 8,000. In response
to the general clamor, on May 1,
1820, Congress passed what was
known as the "Alarm Act," which
required all pensioners on the rolle
to furnish a schedule of the amount
of property then in their possession.
Many of the pensioners wbose sched
ules showed that they possessed too
much property were dropped from
the rolls Pensioners were dropped
who owned property to the extent oi
150. Under the operations of this
law the payments dropped from $3,
218,404 in 1820, to $244,778 97 in
the following year. This legislation
proved equally unpopular, and OE
March 15, 1822, Congress passed s
law giving pensions to the commu
tation pensioners, and to the widows
and orphans As a result of this Acl
the pension payments again rose tc
nearly $2,000,000, but gradually de
creased until 1828,when they amount
ed to only $850,573 57.
On July 7, 1832, forty nine yea
after the ciose of the war, a general
law was enacted pensioning all sur*
vivors who served not less than sis
months in the Revolutionary war.
Under the operations of this Act the
payments reached a new level
amounting in 1833 to $4,598.851 44
Oa -July 4, 1836, fifty-three years
after the termination of the war, an
j act was passed granting pensions for
j five years to Revolutionary war widows ;
S providing they were married to the
} soldier or sailor before the close of his
last service, and that his service was
not less than six months. Even under
i this aod subsequent enactments, bow
j ever, the pensions payments decreased
I until 1862. wben they amounted to
i mly $852.170 47.
I It is a singular fact that nearly all
j pension enactments became a law sf er
j he o'icse of the war for which they
! were intended. The first law granting
; pensions fer service in the war of 1812
! wa3 passed February 14, 1871. fifty-six
j years after the ciose of the war. This
; act required sixty days' service, and
: widows were cot eotitled to pensions
i unless they were married to the soldier
j or sailor prior to the treaty of peace,
j Later, on March 9, 1878, sixty-three
j years subsequent to tba termination of
! the war, an act was passed reducing
the period of service in the case of
widows.
The first aot granting pensions to toe
survivors of the war with Mexioo was
passed June 29, 1887, thirty-nine years
after the close of tho war No provi
sion was made for the survivors of the
Black Hawk, Creek, Cherokee and
Florida war with the Seminole India is,
which occurred from 180*2 to 1842,
until July 27, 1892, fifty years after
the period ioeluded in the war.
The first general pension law was
enacted July 14, 1862, in wbiob it was
provided that any officer, soldier, sailer
or marine disabled by reason of wounds
or diseases contracted in the service of
the United States and in the linc of
duty, might be pensioned for such
disability daring its continuance. It
was also provided that, io case of his
death from causes originating as above
set forth, his widow or his ohildren
under 16 years of age might receive
pensions. Subsequent laws enacted
down to and including 1890 further
extended the system so as to include
all soldiers and sailors who had been
honorably discharged, who were suffer
iog from wounds received or disease
contracted as a result of their service,
and made provisions for widows and
orphans.
In 1860 there were only 8,636 names
on the pension rolls, receiving $1,102,
926.15 annually. In 1865 the pension
roils had been increased until they
carried'85;986 pensioners, who drew io
that year 16,525,153. Io 1870 there
were 189,686 pensioners who drew io
that year 27,780,811. In 1875
234,821 pensioners, who drew $29,
683,116. In 1880 there was a further
increase in the number of pensioners to
250,802, who received that year from
the government $57,240,540. In 1885
345,125 pensioners drew $65,693,706
in 1890 537,944 pensioners drew
$106,493,890.
The pension roils for the fiscal year
ending June 20 last will show nearly
1,000,000 pensioners and an annual
expenditure of $147,000,000.
Ic is an interesting, fact to note that
from 1791 to 1876,period of eighty
six years, the total peosioo payments
amounted to only $339,376,536.29, or
$43,000,000 less than the annual
petfsion appropriations for the past three
years. From 1876 to June 30, 1899,
ioclusive, the payments have amounted
to $2,125,090,'676 62.
Webster Ballinger.
Florida Whitecaps Give Bond
Tampa, Fia., Aug. 30.-George E.
Durham, Bart Smith, John Webb,
Gary Smith, Horace Tupper, Harry
Horse and Madison Barber, who were
arrested Saturday night on warrants
ohargiog them with whitecappicg
Postmaster Cram, of Peck, Fla., were
today released on bond ranging from
$1,000 to $3,000.
A preliminary hearing will be held
at Peck next Monday. Postmaster
Cram, who was so badly beaten, is
improving and will be oat of bed in a
day or two. Warrants were sworn out
for 16 peopie charged with participating
in the whipping, but only seven have
been apprehended.
Cat His Jugular Vein.
Rock Hill, Aug 31.-A serious
cutting affair occurred at the Man
chester mill yesterday, the partici
pants being Mr. Bob Jones, a boss
weaver, and Howe, a spinner. It
seems that Jones came to Howe,
where he was at work,and ordered bim
to do something or other, and upon
Howe refusing Jones strack him
Howe immediately went at his man
with a knife, slashing him in the
throat and inflicting a terrible look
ing and exceedingly dangerous
wound Jones had the presence of
mind to grab up a big bank of yarn
and wrap it tight around his throat,
and well he did, for his jugular vein
was cat through and had he not used
the compress be would have died be
fore help could arrive A physician
was gotten in a few moments and he
tied ap the ends of the severed vein.
Jones is very seriously wounded, but
the chances now with him are. for re
covery. Howe was arrested and
carried before Magistrate Beckman.
He was released upon bond.
The Recent Rains in Texas.
To the Editor of the News and
Courier : Having seen so much writ
ten about the cotton crop, and so
much wild speculation as to the re
suit of the recent rains in Texas and
their benencial effect upon the crop
of that State, and having had a prac
tical experience of ten years in grow
ing the plant, I will venture to say a
few words cn this subject.
As to the effect of the recent rains
on the cotton crop ; every intelligent
planter is aware of the fact that
when cotton ceases to grow from
lack of moisture at least ten days
will elapse, after the rain comes, be
fore the plant will commence to grow.
After this new growth commences it
will be one month before the bloom
appears, after which two months will
elapse before the opening of the fully
matured boll
From these facts it will be seen
that it takes over three mouths for
the cotton to mature after the falling
of seasonable rains. Now, how can
any reasonable man say that the
recent rains in Texas will affect the
yield of the cotton now ? lt ia per
fectly absurd. As as a rule the cot
ton market is influenced to a great
extent by the estimates contained in
letters written by men who have no
experimental knowledge of the nature
and growth of the cotton plant.
J E Barnett.
Mayesville, Aug 29, 1899.
Georgia Negro Rioters.
Pour Troops of Cavalry to
Relieve Infantry at Darien.
Darien, Ga., Aug. 29.-Four troops
of cavalry have been ordered to relieve
the infantry on duty here since last
Thor8day. The cavalry will be ander
command of Col. Lawton of the First
Georgia Regiment, and wiil remain as
long as it is deemed necessary to keep
troops for the preservation cf order.
The tog Crescent City has sailed for
Savannah with a gnard of 25 soldiers
to bring here the 28 rioters ooofined in
the jail at that place. There ors 18
rioters in jail here. The trials will
begin tomorrow morning before a
special term of the superior court
The third Delegal was arrested today
without trouble.
The address issued by the negro
leaders of McIntosh County to their
race is having excellent effect. It is an
able paper and signed by six preachers,
the postmaster, the chairman of the
Republican party, the collector of the
port and one editor, all colored. It
says io part :
"With the unfortunate causes that
led to the present condition of affairs,
we have nothiBg whatever to do. They
are matters for the superior court, and
by that tribunal they will be adjudi
cated. We are concerned only in
restoring peace and in doing so as
quickly as possible without the shedding
of another drop of blood.
"Avoid all fear and excitement on
account of the presence of soldiers
They are here for the protection of the
lives of men and womeu of both races,
equally, and to see to it that the law is
upheld and obeyed.
"Avoid every act that has even the
appearance of lawlessness. Do not
carry any firearms. Be very careful to
observe the law with regard to the
carrying of concealed weapons. Speak
temperately about current affairs.
"Let every woman abstain from all
words that may incite to rashness or
ujay be abusive. Let them stay at
home. And by all means let every mao
see to it that no colored woman shall
show her face at the coori house or on
the streets adjacent thereto, during the
coming session of the court.
"Wa most ooderstand that the courts
are instituted for the settlement of all
questions of right and wrong. The
good of the entire people is paramount
to the interests of any individual. The
courts must be sustained and their offi
cers, at all hazzards, most be respected
aod obeyed ; law must be upheld/
Nothing Wrong With His
Accounts.
Wilmington, M. C, Aug. 29 -
Business went on very quietly at the
banking house of the Wilmington
Savings and Trust company today.
The individual deposits exceed the
withdrawals, roany of those who
called for their balan as yesterday
returned the money today and couf
deoce is now fully restored.
The following telegram to Mr J.
W. Norwood, president of the Sav
ings bank, was received tonight from
Harry Walters, vice president of the
bank and president of the Atlantic
Coast Line system.
Newport, R I , Aug. 29
Wire me at the Cloister, Newport,
if you wish me to send money. I
will supply whatever may be requir
ed IL Walters.
The combination numbers being
known only to the absent cashier,
machinists opened one of the safes
today and access was thus gained to
the cash bos and the books.
The cash balance of $807 referred
to in these dispatches last night was
found intact It was also discovered
that Cashier Sloan had taken only the
baiance of salary due him and 100
for which he left his note with ampi?
collateral attached thereto.
The Unvarnished Truth.
The Columbia Record says : "The
enforcement of the dispensary law in
Charleston is a rough and knotty
problem. It ought to be enforced
there, but how is it to be ? Ile who
answers that question is a modern
Solomon." One of the reasons why
the dispensary law is not enforced in
Charleston is discreditable to the pub
lie sentiment in that city, for the fact
bas been alleged and admitted from
the beginning that Charleston was to
be recognized as an exception to the
general rule. Pubiic opinion there
has been encouraged from the outset
to accept the theory that the dispen
sary law was incompatible with
Charleston's traditions, interests and
surroundings, and hence the viola
tions of tbe law are looked upon as
more virtuous than its enforcement
ThiV. is the plain, naked, unvarnished
truth about the matter -Greenville
Mountaineer.
Yokohama, Sept. 1 -Six hundred
lives have been lest by the flooding of
a copper mine at Bistbi, island of
SkU^su. p
Mr. Murat Halstead
Was Almost Mobbed.
Lectured to an Audience of
Red Hot Anti-Imperialists.
Cincinnati. Ang. 31 -Editor Mu
rat Elalstead lectured tonight by
invitation before the Economic club
The audience was miscellaneous in
addition to the members of the club,
which is largely anti-imperialistic.
Mr. Halstead;s subject was the Phil
ippines. After the lecture according
to the rules of the club, Mr. Halstead
was plied with questions. One of
the questioners with decided sympa
thy for Aguinaldo after his question
had been answered, added the re
mark : ' I hope Otis will be kept in
and will keep on blundering till he
and the whole army are driven into
the eea or captured "
Mr. Halstead said : "A man with
those sentiments is a traitor to his
country.'7
Several men jumped up and re
marked : "Two thirds of this audi
ence think that way."
Mr. Halstead replied : "Whoever
thinks that way is a traitor."
Then there was a rush down the
hail with raised fists toward Mr.
Halstead, but a great number of men
stepped in between Mr. Halstead and
those who were rushing at him.
There was a great noise and uproar,
which disclosed the fact that ihs
audience was composed of men on
both sides of that question.
Mr. Halstead was quietly led out
of the church by a side door and
taken home No blows Were struck,
but chairs and seats were upset -and
there were loud threats and great
uproariousness
- i i mm
Capt. Chanoine's Path Mark
ed by Wholesale Slaughter.
Paris, Sept 1.-The Matin today
publishes details of the investigation
into the conduct of Capt. Voulet and
Capt. Chanoine, charged with bar
barous cruelties to the natives in the
French Soudan, which led to the
sending of an expedition, under
Lieut. Col. Klobb, after them. Ac
cording to the paper, the two officers
mentioned, who were in command of
a column of- troops, began their work
of barbarity by beheading a native
who had declared he did not know a
road about which he was being ques
tioned. Subsequently it is declared
Voulet captured 80 natives of whom
he ki'* d 20 of the wemen and chil
drpq hot a soldier fot>-wasting am
ii. on and burned a village of 10,
OOO inhabitants.
Chanoine, it is added, shot two of
bis men without trial for not pursu
ing a native, and, having lest six men
in an engagement, rushed a village
and captured 20 of the inhabitants,
of which number he kiiled 10, plac
ing their heads on pickets. It is
futber charged that Chanoine allowed
bis men to mutilate the bodies of the
natives who were killed by cutting
off their heads
Darien, Ga.,Ang. 31.-Thirty-seven
true bills were returned by the grand
jury against the negro rioters. In 22
cases no bills were found and the pris
oners were released. The rioters will
be tried io blocks of five, and the tris,'
will begin tomorrow. The Deleg is
will be tried for murder next Tuesday.
Austin, Tex , Aag. 31 -State
Health Officer Blunt tonight, upon
receipt of the information that there
were two cases of yellow fever at Key
West, declared a rigid State quarantine
against that place and notified ai! Texas
coast points to plaoo tn quarantine any
ships cocuiog from Key West. The
quarantine will be rigidly observed
until ali danger is passed.
Chattanooga, Tenn., Sept. 1.-The
Southern railway daring the dull season
cf 1S96 made a cut of ten - r cent, in
wages of ali employes cn the system.
Some months ago the wages of shopmen
were restored, while the engineers also
secured a slight inores.se. It is learn
ed that President Spencer has decided
to restore the 10 per cent, cut and that
aoncuncemer.t to this effect will be
made about Sept. 10. In Chattanooga
and immediate vicinity at least 500
men are affected. Supt. Chas A.
Wicker8bam of the Alabama Great
Southern, which is operated by the
Southern railway, will probably be put
in charge of Atlantic division of the
main line.
BSOMJfEiyl
Makes the food more de
ROYAL GAK NG POW
FILIPINOS WILL
NOT SURRENDER,
Frederick Punston's View of
the Situation.
Manila, Sept. 1, 8.10 a. m.-Of the
troops about to, return to the United
States the Kansas meo will leave OQ
bord the transport Tartar, the Wash
ington regiment on board the Pennsyl
vania and the Nevada cavalry on the
Ohio All three departures will occur
within the next week. Eight hundred
men of the Kansas regiment will return
aad 200 will remain at Manila, 150 of
them re-eoiisting. Three officers and
30 men of the Kansas were Killed and
19 officers and men died from disease
during the smallpox epidemic, while
122 members of the regiment were
wounded.
Of the Washingtons, 875 men are
embarking, while eight officers and 206
men will stay, most of those remaining
re-enlisting in the new regiments being
formed here. One of the officers of the
regiment was killed, one was wounded
and one died from disease. Twenty
four of the men were killed, 128 were
wounded and nine died. f
Gen. Frederick Fuoston and Mrs.
Funston are with the general's regi
ment. Gen. Fuoston has undergone an
operation necessitated by an injury re
sulting from a fal; from his horse while
serving in the Cuban army with Gen.
Gomez.
. thc course of an interview Gen.
jjuusioD remarked that he would not
mind staying in Luzon. He dislikes
war but inasmuch as there is fighting
be would like to remain and aid in
bringing it to a close. Speaking of the
future be said : "The only solution of
the problem will be through whippiog
the insurgents. I do not think they
will surrender. When we begin active
operations against them on a large
scale io the autumn we will scatter
them into small bands, and I think
when the soldiers comprising these
bands see that they are persistently
pursued they will throw away or hide
their arms and return to the pursuits of
peace A ^ear heneo small bodies of
armed men fill be able to go anywhere
in Luzon. Tte island has always been
infested with bandits, and was never
safe fer Europeans to travel in. Prob
ably after the end of the fighting the
highwaymen will be moro numerous,
I because the members of Aguinaldo's
army, who have lived for years with
guss in their hands, have acquired a
taste for bush life and would rather
continue as highwaymen than return tc
work.
"Cavalry is needed here The coun
try, when dry, is superb for cavalry
operation?. The insurgents have none.
Ooe of their Btrong points is their abil
ity to retreat rapidly. Cavalry would
overtake and hopelessly scatter and
punish them, and could subsist largely
on the country. Wheo cavalry U once
here it should be given a chance to go
ahead and not be kept in towns for
guard duty. Our greatest successes
have been gained when the regimental
commanders have been allowed to
follow up the advantages gained in
battle. Small bodies of Americans,
separatiog freely asd oommaoded by
officers of dash and energy conid easily
break up the enemy. The capture of
Aguinaldo by cavalry would be a less
difficult proposition than the capture of
the Apache chiefs io Arizona "
- -
Cali, see and bay, embossed or floral Crepe
Paper. H. G Osteea & Co.
- - i $ 9 -<???
BREAD.
It lakes one barrel of flour to pro
vide bread f r one person for a year.
We bave two hundred under our care
in the Thornweli Orphanage and will
need 200 barrels during the ensuing
12 months.
Can you not secure for us at least
one of these ? If you cannot give
it yourself, are there not neighbors
of yours who wiil join in with you
aud so send a barrel to the orphans ?
We will cheerfully pay the freight.
Who could refuse a gift of bread
to the fatherless children ?
We are net asking you to do it all.
Although none of our orphans are
Clinton born, our little town headed
the flour supply with 18 barrels last
year, and will do it again this year
Send gifts of money to Rev. Dr.
Jacobs, but 6end gifts of prevision
supply to
Thornweli Orphanage,
Clinton, S. C.
j BAKING
POWDER
rtyRE
lidous and wholesome
OER CO., NEW YORK.