The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, May 09, 1900, Image 1
?-HB SUMTER WATCHMAN, Kjtabiuhed April, issu. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thon Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TREE SOUTHRON, Established June 3 5*6
Consolidated Au?. 2,1881.
SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY. MAY 9, 1900.
New Series-Yoi. XIX. No. 41
Published Ev?ry Wednesday,
-B?
3>J\ C3r. Osteen,
SUMTER, S. C.
TERMS :
$1.50 per anauoi-in advance.
ADVKBTISSMEKT:
Ono Square first insertion.SI 00
Every subsequent insertion. br
Contracta for three montb3, or longer wil
be made at reduced rates.
All communications which subserve private
interest* will be charged foras ad versements.
Obituaries and tributes of respects will be
char?ed for.
HAMILTON'S FORCE
FACING THE BOERS
Both Sides Awaiting Arrival
of Reinforcements.
DISPOSITION OP BRITISH
Lines So Arranged as to Bring Large
Force In Contact With the Enemy.
Boers Hold Strong Positions -To thc
Relief of 3Iafeking.
LONDON, Cilay 2.-The following dis?
patch has been sent by Lord Roberts to
the war office from Bloemfontein:
"The Boers made very persistent at?
tacks aronnd Thaba N/Chu Saturday
and Sunday. But the position which
the right (Rundle's) division holds is
very strong and he had the assistance of
Gordon's and Dickson's brigades, the
cavalry under French and Smith-Dor
rien's infantry brigade and a body of
mounted infantry under Ian Hamilton.
Pole-Carew's division has returned from
Dewet's dorp."
Lord Roberts also cabled additional
casualties sustained during the fighting
of April 17 around Thaba N'Chu, con?
sisting of Lieutenant Grady and two en?
listed men killed and one officer and
three enlisted men wounded.
Neither the commander-in-chief nor
the correspondents' dispatches throw
any light upon the plans being made to
oust the Boers from Thaba 1ST Chu vi?
cinity and how long before a definite
move is made to assert British suprem?
acy is only a surmise. In the mean?
time, the Boers are remarkably aggres?
sive, and especially in view of the large
forces opposing them A special dis?
patch from Thnba X'Chu says they
made a daring attempt to cut off a Brit?
ish convoy which got into broken ground
between Thaba N'Chu and Dewet's
dorp, opening fire from the adjacent
hills. Iii the nick of time, General Bra?
bazon, with a strong force of yeomanry,
returning from Wepener, arrived on the
scene and extricatea the convoy.
The same dispatch describes "the dispo?
sition of the forces at Thaba X'Chu as
follows:
General Rundle is covering the ad?
vanced camp, facing the Boers' position
to the east, where they are strongly en?
trenched.
General Ian Hamilton and General
Smith-Dorrien occupy strong position.-;
on the road to the north.
Another dispatch says a company un?
der General Hamilton located the Boers
to the north and an artillery duel oc?
curred without, result.
There was much artillery firing with?
out much casualties. It is hardly likely
that the forces will face each other in
very large numbers until reinforcements
arrive, as both sides seem to be waiting
for troops.
Stringent measures are being adopted
to prevent the Boer guerrillas from se?
curing supplies from other centers.
At the conclusion of General Sir
George White's visit to Windsor today
Queen Victoria decorated the defender
of Ladysmith with the cross and star of
the Victorian order.
Her majesty and the soldier had a
long conference. It is learned thar the
queen was more angry than for years
over the publication of the Spion ko}!
dispatches.
A signi?cant item of importance has
been received from Cape Town. It is
asserted on good authority that General
Hunter has been sent to Kimberley to
command a strong column intended for
the relief of Mafeking. It will also in?
clude Barton's brigade, which has lately
been brought around from Natal, and a
strong contingent of horses and guns.
A' dispatch from Mafeking, dated
April 20, says:
Boers have been busy for several days
blowing np the railway southward.
There was little firing during the past
week.
Fever is rife, but otherwise the health
of the garrison is good and jil are well.
Botha Has Been Reinforced and May
Blake Stand-British Force Pass at
Cerusots After Sever? Engagement.
Positions of Troops.
LONDON, May 3.-It is difficult to un?
ravel the tangled story coming from the
neighborhood of Thaba N*Chu, but ap?
parently the forces are engaged in a
movement the object being to hem in
the Boers in that district.
While Generals French and Rundle
are holding the Boers at Thaba N 'Cha,
General Broadwood's cavalry luis been
pushed on Hontnell in the hope of inter?
cepting the federal convoys between
Ladybrand and Winberg.
As Genera! JJ >tha has been reinforced
there is every prospect <.:" sharp fighting.
The new scene ol'operations un i the
general movements of thc various col?
umns are taken to indicate thar Loro
Roberts is deploying his army prepara?
tory to begin his northern march. It
now seems likely that it is the com
mander-in-cLiaf s intention ta advance
simultaneoufet^irpni Kimberley, I>1 ?em
?ontein aj^Tlady?mith, with the view
i of preventing thc- Boers from coacentrat
i ing their forces at any given point,
j A dispatch from Bloemfontein chron?
icles the prevailing opinion am; mg the
i townspeople there thar the war is not
j likely to last more than six weeks, once
I the British advance begins, bur adds
? that the correspondent has been unable
to discover any ground for this opinion
beyond the fact that General Carrington
has arrived at the Marandellas base,
j whence a flying column will be dis
i patched in a dire-rion not made public,
j Bombardment of Creuiois.
A dispatch from Mafeking, describing
the Boer attack of April ll, says:
'-The bombardment of the Creusots
was the hottest of the fight. The shells
entered the hospital and woman's laager.
Under cover of artillery a large force,
commanded by Cronje (the younger),
including the German corps, advanced
close to Fort Abrams. The garrison
laid low until the Boer force was at
close range, when they fired a volley,
killing five, wounding many, and the
attack was repulsed. The bombard?
ment then ceased. Tim Boors, under a
Red Cross flag, later were permitted to
I recover their dead."
General Hamilton's division has been
engaged in forcing a passage north?
ward. At Houtnell the Boer front held
a line of hills commanding the sides of
the Nek. The Canadians and Gordons
attacked the hills to the left and tho
Shropshires and Masshalls horse sup?
ported by a battery also made an attack
on the enemy, who finally fled, leaving
many wounded, and the passage was
cleared.
The Boers on the mountain are now
shelling the outlying camp, necessitating
removal to a safer place.
The Br-ers have three guns on the hill
to the eastward of this place outside the
range of the British artillery. The Boer
shelling is not doing any damage. The
enemy retain their positions and the
British are not attempting to dislodge
them.
General Hamilton, after a full day's
march, secured the Thaba N'Chu-Bloem?
fontein road.
British Expelled by Kruger.
A dispatch from. Pretoria gives the
text of President Kruger's proclamation
expelling British subjects from the
Transvaal. It says:
"As numerous burghers insist on the
removal or the British and as the gov?
ernment is desirous of complying with
the wishes of the burghers and others
favorable to the republic, all Britishers
residing in the district and town of Pre?
toria and the Witwaterstrand gold fields
must leav* the state within 36 hours
from noon, April 30. Exception will be
made in the case of those obtaining
special permits."
Boers to Leave TransvaaL
PRETORIA, May 3.-Although the ma?
jority of the Boers still believe that in?
dependence of the republics will remain
after the war, hundreds of them are
taking the opposite view and are casting
about for a suitable country to which
they can emigrate. State Secretary
Reitz said today:
"If the English take those republics
and raise the union jack over them I
will take my family to America."
Many of the other prominent families
will trek to Germany and other coun?
tries.
An old Boer in the cit}* asked concern?
ing the rates of passage to America,
"You see," said he, "we are going to
light hard for our country, but if it is
taken from us we want to go somewhere
where there is a republic."
The friends of President Kruger say
that if the Transvaal loses her inde?
pendence he will spend the last years of
his life in Holland or Germany/
.Unconfirmed Report of an Important
British Victory Also Reaches London.
Roberts Threatens Boers' Center and
Left-Tr*jmsvaalers Claim Victory.
LONDON, May 4.-Lord Roberts" latest
dispatch throws no light on the object
and possibilities of the extensive opera?
tions in the neighborhood of Thaba
X'Chu. One military critic belie ves the
inference is justified that Lord Roberts*
successful at:ack at Houtnek threatens
the Boer center and ->uts tho British in a
favorable position to crush tho Boer left,
which is still facing General Rundle at
Thaba ZS"Chu or their right, which is
somewhere between Brandfort and Win
burg.
Prices became buoyant on the Stock
Exchange after a dull opening. This
was due to a variety of rumors, how?
ever, requiring confirmation, including
an important British victory in South
Africa, the death of President Kruger
and the relief of Mafeking.
The war office has received the follow
wing from Lord Roberts at Bloemfon?
tein:
"General Hamilton met with consid?
erable success and drove the enemy out
of the strong position they had taken up
at Houtnek with comparatively small
loss to ns. The Boers dispersed in sev?
eral directions, mainly to the east and
north, leaving 26 prisoners in our hands,
including one commandant and 16 other
wounded men. General Hamilton is
now in camp at Jacobsrnst.
"As the men needed rest after fight?
ing seven out of ten days, I ordered
them to the camp. Broad wood's brigade
of cavalry arrived upon the scene in
time to afford valuable assistance by
their threatening the enemy's rear.
"During the afternoon General Ian
Hamilton was joined by General Bruce
Hamilton's brigade ot infantry.
"The enemy admit having* 12 killed
and 40 wounded. Among the former
was Lieutenant Gunther, a German
I officer belonging to the Fifty-?ifth regi
I ment, and anio"'g the latter was Max
I imoff, the Russian commander of the
J foreign legion. Tho 21 out of 32 of the
I enemy's casualties occurred among the
! members of that legion. Two French
j men were hilled."
General Ian Hamilton's success at
Houtnek excites little enthusiasm, as tie
parties unanimously point on! that some?
time ago ?he policy of the Boers would
be one of slow retirement.
Colonel Baden-Powell reports from
I Mafeking, under date_ ofAnriL^Ojthat
i all wa? \?c? innre, n? a?us:
! "Thirteen native women tried to set
i away (Wring the night of April 1?. The
I enemy opened fire on them and killed
nine an?! wounded two. I wrote to
; Snymau, pointing out that he shelled
th? native Stadt, which is full of women
j and children, and that when they are
! trying to escape by day the Boers have
. captured them and flogged them and
sent them back and by night tiley shoot
: them down, pretending to mistake them
i for night attacks. Synman has not re- j
j plied. The proportion of killed and j
! wounded above speaks for itself."
j Other news from Mafeking details the !
. careful saving of the provisions and says
! there are diminished rations for 9,000
i souls in the beleaguered town.
_
I BOERS CLAIM VICTORIES.
j _ j
j PRETORIA, May 4.-An official war j
j bulletin issued here reports that on April
j 28 the federals captured nine prisoners j
. and ten horses eastward of Thaba N'Chu j
j and that on April 30 a British mounted j
! corps appeared near Brandfort. The j
federals attacked them on two .sides and j
the British retreated. Two federals
were wounded and ll prisoners were j
taken.
Another account of this affair says the I
Wakkerstrom and Enmielo companies j
had a skirmish with the Brstish near
: Brandfort. After a sharp fight ll pris
i oners were taken and 19 British were j
left dead on the field, including Captain |
Lyddy. A few federals were wounded, j
The heavy bombardment by the Brit- j
ish has been resumed at Fourteen j
? Streams.
The correspondent of Renter's Tele
gram agency in the Boer camp at Brand- !
fort wires that the British appeared 4 !
! miles east of Brandfort and General De- I
Larey ordered a charge with ?00 Boers, j
who drove them back to their entrench- j
ments.
The federals found four dead on the j
field and took 17 prisoners, mostly j
wounded, including Lieutenant Crane.
Later in the afternoon General De
Larey learned that the British had
forced their way 20 miles east of Brand- j
j fort and 7 miles north of Modder river,
j With 250 men DeLarey set out in pur
I suit of the British, who numbered 1,200.
j The forces met in the open country, a
! sharp engagement followed and "the
! British retired. As the Boers had a
! heavy day they were not pursued. The
I federals had five men wounded. An
! American has been arrested in connec?
tion with the Begbee explosion.
j BRITISH TAKE BRANDFORT
!
Roberts Has Established Headquarters j
There-Efforts to Scatter Boers Fails, j
Dewet Threatens Enemy's Flunk.
Trouble on Gold Coast.
LONDON, May 5.-Xews of the occu?
pation of Brandfort has been received
by the war office. It is generally con?
ceded the most important news received j
from Bloemfontein since the capture of J
! General Cronje and the relief of Lady- j
smith. The fact that the position is the
key to one of the main roads leading to
the Drakensberg passes which possibly
may be the means of co-operation with ?
General Buller later on, provide an ad- j
vance base of supplies, and at the same j
j time menaces the Boers now southeast j
j of Bloemfontein, is obviously the reason 1
j for the importance attached by all hands
! to the intelligence.
The Boer army which was at Brand
fort, commanded by General DeLarey, !
is presumably retiring on Wigburg, j
which will probably be the next imme- I
d?ate objective of the British. Brand- j
fort, 20 miles nearer the Transvaal capi- I
j tal, is now Lord Roberts' headquarters, j
j What particularly gratifies the British ?
j public is the evidence that the army of j
j Lord Roberts in the Orange Free Statt;
I has recovered its mobility and is again j
j capable of undertaking the general ad- |
! vance so long retarded. Ir is hardly ex
? peered the Boers will make much of a
stand south of Kroonstadr, and probably
: nor there if Lord Roberts succeeds in cap
! turing Winburg, in which case the Boers
i would be forced to move farther to the
! eastward, in which direction their mo
; bility would probably trouble them to
: reach the Bethlehem and Harrismith
! line of safety. The opposition which
! the British encountered is said to have
1 come from the Irish-American com
i maud.
The extreme right of the British army i
is at Elandslaagte and the extreme left
is under tho command of General Me?
thuen.
Lord Roberts report:- ro the war office
as follows from Bloemfontein:
" We occupied Brandfort today with?
out much opposition and without, I
hope, many casualties. The first bri?
gade of mounted infantry covered the
left flank of the Fourteenth brigade of
the Seventh division and the right flank
was supported by the Fifteenth brigade.
Pole-Carew's division advanced directly
on Brandfort. The Boer army, which
was under DeLarey, retired in a north?
easterly direction."
THE BRITISH WERE REPULSED
Boers Were Greatly Outnumbered, but
Drove Enemy Back.
BRAXDFORT, May 5.-Yesterday was a
day of fighting and skirmishes. Boer
defensive lines remain intact and the
British attempt to cut off Dewet and
scatter the Boer force, which is threat?
ening Roberts' flank and rear has been
a complete failure so far.
There was heavy firing along the
Thaba K'Chu Saunas postroad and the
British were slowly beaten back. Dewet ,
coming from the south and Groblerand
Lemmer from the north on Monday
caught British reinforcements for Thaba
N'Ghu in the apex of an angle, forcing j
their withdrawal.
Thc Boers had the better positions but
thc British were suj>erior in numbers.
Thc attack was begun on Sunday.
Under Dewet, Groebier, Lemmer and
Botha. Tin y attacked a large British col- j
nam near Thaba ?'Chu, which was try- j
ing to interceptDewet'sretirement from ?
Wepener. The battle raged all day
Sunday for several miles along the
decisive, bur thc British were apparently
retiring toward Bloenifonft in. The Boers
captured a number <?t' prisoners. The
skirmishing along thc river indicates
that L?>rd Roberts' army is advancing
northward.
Hoers Evacuate Thaba X'Chu.
THABA N'CHU, May 5.-The Boers
have evacuated Thaba N'Chu and are j
believed to he still trekking, though one j
gun has shelled the camp intermittently, j
?couts report that some of the Boers j
went toward Wepener. They believe |
that the Boers evacuated the position j
during the night, trekking northward in |
three directions. General French has :
left and General Rundle is in command j
here. It is expected that General Bra?
bant wiil effect a junction at any mo- j
mont.
Troubles on tho Gold Coast.
ACCRA, British Gold Coast Colony, j
May 5.-Frederic Michael Hodgson, gov
ernor at the Colony, is still at Kumassi, |
and his stay will probably bs prolonged
until September on accoiur! of the state
of the roads. His personal danger has
probably been minimized by diplomatic
means. The telegraphic superintendent
was wounded after repairing the line to
a point within a few miles of Kumassi
and communication is again stepped.
More raiding in various parts of tho
colony is reported.
FLORIDA EDITOR IS SHOT.
Stansell Wounds Williamson-Former
Is Shot on the Hun.
JACKSONVIELE. Fla., May 2.-An al?
tercation occurred here this morning
between Albert M. Williamson, editor
of the Florida Journal, a weekly paper
published hero, and C. W. Stansell.
councilman from ward 7, which resulted
in "both being seriously wounded.
The trouble arose from an editorial
in the last issue of The Journal, charge |
ing that Stansell claimed to have re-1
ceived $5,000 and another coucilman a !
suit of clothes, described as being all he ;
was worth, from the Plant system for ?
services in relation to the renewal of tho ;
charter of thc Bay Street railway, owned
by the Plant system.
Williamson rode up Hogan street on
his wheel and at the corner Stansell
knocked him oft' with a cane, and then
fired ' three shots au Williamson, one
penetrating the femoral artery of the
right leg. As Williamson arose Stan?
sell fled, the former firing two shots, one
entering Stansell's back on the right
side. Neither wound is neccssanlv
fatal._i
FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.
The Ware (irand Jury 3Iakes Charges
Against School Commissioner.
WAYCROSS, Ga., May 2.-The grand
jury for the April term of Ware supe?
rior court charges fraud and corruption
in the management of the public school
funds of Ware county, and demands the
resignation of Couuty School Commis?
sioner J. D. Smith.
Mr. Smith has held the position 1(1
years and has-done much to build up the
schools of the county.
It is claimed by the grand jury in
their general presentments that the
board of education and commissioner ap- j
propriated ?1,668 for the salary of the
commissioner in 1S9S and 1*99, and as
they consider -sGOO ample for the service
rendered they ask for a return of ?1,06S
into the school fund and that the com?
missioner tender his resignation.
Smith says he is ready to have his
books examined as the grand jury recom?
mended.
AN HISTORIC DOCUMENT.
Architect 's Report of Damage to South
Carolina Capitol.
COLUMBIA, S. C.. May 2.-In a copy of
the reports and resolutions of the gen?
eral assembly of the state of South Caro?
lina of thc sessions of lb'f>4 and ISoM
found in the '-rubbish room" at the cap?
itol is a report made to the general as?
sembly by Architect Niernsee showing
the damage dom; by Sherman's men,
and giving a statement of the material
on hand stored in the basement and
elsewhere.
The report, is of particular interest
just at this time, when the work of com?
pleting the unfinished capitol is about ta
be resumed.
Powers Asked to Acquiesce.
CONSTANTINOPLE, May 2.-The circu- !
lar issued by the porte relative to in- j
creasing the custom duties states that
the raising of the duties to 11 per cent is
more in the nature of a project than a
condition, it desiring the embassies to
acquiesce. The circu lar main taine that
a provincial measure is rendered neces?
sary by the exigencie-s of the financial
situation and requests the embassies to
appoint delegates to conclude new treat?
ies.
Held For Robbing the 3?alL
BRONSON, Fla., May 5.-William E.
lindsey, postmaster at Needinore, Levy
county, has been committed to jail on a
charge of embezzling the contents of a
registered letter. Lindsey was taken
before United States Commissioner Fred
Cubberley for a hearing. He pleaded
guilty to the charge aud was held for
the United States court at Tallahassee.
RAILROAD TO BE EXTENDED.
Work to Begin on the Knoxville and
Augusta June 1.
KNOXVILLE, May 3. - Arrangements
have been perfected whereby work will
begin hy June 1 on rho construction of
an extension of the Knoxville and Au?
gusta railroad into the ChiDiowee moun?
tains, near the North Carolina line,
reaching a rich timl>er bell, in which the
New England Tannery company of
Phihidelphia wiil build a $250,000 tan?
nery.
The construction of tho tannery willi
begin simultaneously with tho work on
th?- railroad extension. Knoxville and
Atlanta will ba wi:hin easy reach of the
tannery.
GUITON TELLS OF
MURDER OF OOEBEi
Says Taylor Wanted Youtse;
to Leave State.
TOLD TO GIVE HIM MOffE:
Was to Get An> Amount lie Desire
If He Would Leave-Witness Knovt
Nothing of Senator to De Made Wa
With by Conspirators.
FRANKFORT, Ky., May 4.-W. H. Cu
tou resumed his testimony. He state
that Governor Taylor authorized th
witness to give Youtsey any amount c
money desired if he would leave Kci
tucky.
At a conference in Lexington, the Sur
day before Goebel was shot, ic was d(
j cided that Representative Henry Berrj
I who had been unseated a few days bi
j fore, should go to the house of repn
I sentatives next morning and take hi
! seat and refuse to give it up.
VanMeter, his opponent, was to b
j in some way prevented from going t
j the hall that morning. Caleb Powers
? who was at the conference, telephone'
to Governor Taylor at Frankfort two o
j three times in regard to the conference
On cross examination Culton said h
did not know of any list of senators o
representatives who were to be put ou
of the way. On re-direct exannnatio]
j Culton said that Sergeant at Arms Ha
j ley signed the subpoenaes for witnesse
! for Governor Taylor to testify befoT
I the gubernatorial contest committee an?
j authorized Calton to deputize good mei
in the various counties to serve them.
Culton said he did not know wher<
Powers or Youtsey were when the sho
was iired. The last talk he had witl
Youtsey the latter said the plan to kil
Goebel had been abandoned. Cultoi
had been asked by Taylor to ascertair
what the witnesses in the contest knev
because he was a lawyer. To the prose
cation he said he had told more now 01
the stand than any person except hi
father. His testimony is ended.
Circuit Clerk Moore of Jackson counts
denied that Culton had told him any?
thing about the plan to bring on a roi
and kill Goebel and other members ol
the legislature.
FULL TICKET IS NOMINATED
Spencer Adams Named For Governoi
by North Carolina Republicans.
RALEIGH, May 4.-The white Repub
licans had made strenuous efforts tx
have their state convention the best evei
held in the state. It was an orderly anc
rapid working body.
Spencer Adams of Guilford county wai
nominated for governor with a full state
j ticket.
Following is the plank in the platform
i in regard to trusts:
"We are opposed to combinations
of capital whenever they become de?
structive of the right- of individual citi
! zens and such combinations should bs
' suppressed by adequate statures enacted
! by the legislatures of the several states
! or by congress, if the resulting evils are
I beyond the power and jurisdiction of
j the states."
The convention indorsed, without
I condition and with enthusiasm, the ad
i ministration of President McKinley, and
j instructed..!^ delegates to vote for his
I renomin^Kci. Also the delegates are
i instnicte?D vote for Senator Pritchard
j for vice rajfisident.
I THE STEEL AND IRON TRADE
j Conditions Are Less Favorable Than
Last Week.
: NEW YORK, May 4.-The situation in
j domestic iron and steel trade is generally
j a little less favorable xhan last week.
Prices are yielding under the strain of
: the recent unfavorable .developments
i *
; and a lower range of values seems to be
j assured. Reports from various trade
i centers show that reductions have been
j made in various iv .'lied products. Rails,
structural iron and sheets are notable
! exceptions. Tue reductions made have
not been large, but serve to show the
tendency now existing. Buyers are
holding off, not being inclined to make
purchases of any considerable quanti?
ties so long as they believe that by wait?
ing they may be able to do a little bet?
ter for themselves.
Fire at Coal Creek.
KNOXVILLE, May 4.-The mining town
of Coal Creek narrowly escaped a sweep?
ing conflagration early this morning.
Two large store blocks were burned to
the ground and the entire town was
threatened.
For the Fire Sufferers.
CAPE TOWN, May 4.-Within an hour
j after the opening of the Ottawa relief
fund here there were five subscriptions
of $500 each recorded. The members of
Strathoona's horse contributed liberally.
Dewey Enroute to St. Louis.
CracAGO, May 4.-Admiral Dewey, his
wife and party accompanying him, left
Chicago at 8 o'clock this morning in
their Baltimore and Ohio special train
for St. Louis.
?O FORGE AN ISSUE
N MONROE DOCTRINE
German Intrigue ?s Eeveaied
"by Denmark Minister.
TO PUSCH?SE WEST INDIES
Germar. Government Is Slaking; an Ef?
fort to Invade Western Hemisphere
by Securing Islands-Root's Speech
Based Upon These Facts.
WASHINGTON, May 2.-The speech
of Secretary of War Root at the Gran*
banquet in New York has attracted
much attention in Washington because
of its reference to the Monroe doctrino
and the secretary's apparent conviction
that it is but a question of time, and nos
a long time at that, when this country
will have to fight to sustain that doc?
trine. Secretary Root declared in so
many words that tho time is rapidly ap?
proaching in our history as a nation
when we shall have to either abandon
the Monroe doctrine or fight for it.
It is stated on good authority that Sec?
retary Root's hint at the possibility of
war to maintain the Monroe doctrine
was called forth by an intrigue concern?
ing the Danish West India islands. It
appears that H. H. Rogers of the Stand?
ard Oil company made a verbal agree?
ment -with Denmark that if he should
negotiate a Side of the islands he should
receive a commission of 10 per cent of
the purcliase price. Captain W. Von
Christmas Dirckinck-Hohenfield has also
been acting as agent of the Danish gov?
ernment. All accounts agree that Den?
mark is very anxious to get rid of her
West Indian possessions. Rogers and
Captain Christmas having quarrelled,
! and the former having doclared that it
! was in his power to defeat any negotia
' tions that did no? recognize his rights as
' agent, Captain Christmas advised Sec
[ retary Hay of a plan to exchange the
islands with Germany for territory in
Europe.
He stated that unless congress acts on
the Danish West India matter by June
1 a plan will be carried out to exchange
the islands with Germany for the whole
or a. part of North Schleswig, which,
with Holstein, was taken from Denmark
by Germany in 1SC7, and which country
it has always been the fondest hope of
all Denmark to possess.
Captain Christmas, according to the
statement, had an interview with Presi?
dent McKinley and pointed out the im?
portance of purchasing the island. As a
consequence Secretary White of the Lon?
don embassy was sent from London to
negotiate directly with Denmark.
His mission became known to Rogers,
j He insisted on his 10 per cent commis?
sion and declared that he would prevent
a sale to the United States unless he re
I ceived 8300,000. Rogers became involved
! in a quarrel with Captain Christmas.
? Thereupon Captain Christmas revealed
I to Secretary Kay thc entire story of
j German uitrigue.
It seems that Denmark is now dis
I posed to make the deal with Germany.
I It has been said by those who are close
to the Danish government that King
Christian will not allow the United
States to plead the Monroe doctrine a> a
; bar to negotiations with Germany for
the ceding of che islands to other eoun
! tries. He will maintain that ho has
; already given rite Monroe doctrine suffi
j cient consideration in that he offered a
I number of times to sell thc islands to
! thc United States and at the time the
' negotiations have all fallon through on
j account of failure of congress to ratify
j agreements of the negotiations begun.
! AUGUSTA WANTS A CAMP.
. Congressman Fleming Zs Pushing the
Claims of That City.
? WASHINGTON, May 3.-Congressman
j Fleming of the Tenth dist rict has put in
: an application in behalf of Augusta for
I one of the four great camping grounds
j which are contemplated in legislation
? now pending before congress. Thepend
! ing bill provides for camps in each of the
J four sections, north, east, south and
west where large bodies of troops can be
. gathered annually with a view of giving
j officers and men suitable experience,
i Mr. Fleming urges the claims" of Au
j gusta which, according to reports in the
war department, proved tho healthiest
of all the camps at which large bodies of
troops were gathered during the Span?
ish war.
SAMFORD MAKES A DENIAL.
States That Dispensary Was Xc-t an
Issue In Campaign.
OPELIKA, Ala., May3.-Regarding the
statement that he favored the dispen?
sary system, Colonel Samford said that
the dispensary was not an issue in the
campaign, but that his position on this
question had been clearly defined in his
speeches made during the gubernatorial
campaign, and published at the time,
and that he had not changed his views;
that he stands on the platform adopted
at Montgomery, and that in a short
time a campaign committee would be or?
ganized that will issue an address out?
lining the issues of the campaign.
The University of El Ayhar, In Cairo,
Is the oldest in the world. It his rec?
ords dating back 1,000 years.
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Makes the food more delicious and wholesome ?j
_ROYAL BAKtNQ POWDER CO., NEW YORK. j