The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 12, 1902, Image 6
SIMPSON ENTERS THE FIGHT.
Asserts Claim That He Was In
Supreme Command During
Battle of Santiago.
Washington, Feb, 7.-E. S. Theall,
representing Stayton, Campbell &
Theall, counsel for Rear Admiral
Sampson, filed the following brief
with President Roosevelt protesting
against the claim set up in Admiral
Seeley's appeal that he was in su?
preme command during the battle off
Santiago :
"No argument will be submitted as
to the volunteered opinion of the pre?
siding member of the court upon the
question of command at Santiago. We
repeatedly applied for an opportunity
to present evidence upon this point to
the court, and our request was as
often refused, and we are confident
that an attempt to pronounce . an ad?
verse judgment where a hearing has
been denied is so plain a violation of
simple good faith that it has no
chance of receiving your approval.
-We were ready then and are still
ready, to produce much evidence
which was not offered before the court
on this question. We are prepared to
show that the statement that the New
York at the beginning of the battle
"was not of sight of each and every
ship of the blockading squadron but
one,'" is inaccuiate.
"We are ready to show that under
the navy regulations and the judicial
interpretations thereof Rear Admiral
Sampson was during the battle in com?
mand of every single vessel in the
American line. There is abundance of
testimony available to show that from
the beginning of the battle every
American vessel off Santiago was ic
sight of the New York. There is evi?
dence at hand, both record and parol,
to show that whenever the commander
in chief left the blockading line in
front of Santiago he hoisted the sig?
nal ''disregard movements of com?
mand-in-chief" proceeded to that
point where under '. the regulations his
immediate command of the squadron
ceased and then signalled to the next
in rank to take command : and that
on the morning of July 3d the com?
mander-in-chief had given instruc?
tions to have ready for hoisting the
signal directing Commodore Sch ley to
assume command ; and that this sig?
nal was to be hoisted when under the
regulations the appropriate moment
arrived : that that moment bad not ar?
rived, and that such signal had not
been hoisted when the enemy endeav?
ored to escape from the harbor.
"From the Oregon', too. there is
available evidence to show that when
the first shot was "fired the quarter?
master of the Oregon, using the long
glass, could, from the position of that
vessel near the centre of the line, read
the New York's battle signals then
flying.
"AH this evidence was ready to be
presented to the court of inquiry and
it is ready to be presented to you. It
was not admited before the court be?
cause it refused to go into the question
of command.
"Rear Admiral Sampson has never
objected, and does not now object, to
any inquiry to determine the question
o? command. He has, however, re?
ported that he was in command at
that battle. As commander-in-chief
be has made his recommendations
concerning the promotions. He has
been recognized by the executive and
judicial departments of the govern?
ment as being in command, and he asks
that when the accuracy of his reports
is questioned, be be at least permitted
to bear the evidence in opposition and
to permit bis brother officers to come
forward with the testimony they are
ready to give in his behalf.
"There is further an abundance of
ovidence available to establish the fact
that what the applicant now calls
'the complete and total failure of the
prearranged order of battle' was due
wholly to his own disobedience of or?
ders of the commander in chief. These
orders were to close in and hold the
enemy at the harbor's mouth. Com
modore Scbley so understood the or?
ders. He hoisted that very signal.
Yet when he saw the enemy 'approach
"that part of the line guarded by his
-own vessel, be looped. He withdrew
from the battle formation, left a hole
in the line, interfered with the Tex?
as, which would have stopped the gap,
and caused her to back, thereby giv?
ing the enemy the double oportunity
of wbicb they availed themselves-to
escape through the interval he had
made:
"We have no desire to prolong this
controversy. We only ask that before
there shall be a finding adverse to
Admiral Sampson either by the presi?
dent, the courts, or the navy depart?
ment, that he be given the opportuni?
ty which has been given to Admiral
Scbley to present such evidence as
may make both sides of the matter
clear."
The president will consider the brief
in connection with Scbley's appeal and
the navy departments' comment.
His decision in the Schley case will
not be made public until after his
return from Charleston.
laws to Control Wireless Teleg?
raphy.
One of the early steps which will
ia ve to be taken by this Government
is the establishment of restrictions j
governing communication by wireless i
telegraphy. This would be absolutely ?
necessary from the strategic stand?
point, but already the Governments
abroad are taking that feature of the
situation into consideration. Of
.course at sea in time of war wireless
telegraph messages between ships of
the same squadron will be receivable
by the ships of a foe, and secret com?
munication can only be maintained by
means of a code.
A claim made by Maroom that a cer?
tain "tuning" of bis instruments has
removed the possibility of interference
is not, say the experts, fully sustained.
It will not be possible, of course, to
regulate such appropriation of mes?
sages at sea. but it will be absolutely
necessary and entirely feasible to con?
trol the wireless telegraph operations
on land, and when the matter is nearer
complete development than at present
this Government will have to enact
legisaltion in regard to wireless tele?
graphy on land, notably along the
coast. - ( Washington telegram to the
Chicago Tribune.
HESTER'S WEEKLY STATEMENT,
Last Week Shows a Decrease
of 50,000 Bales and 90,
000 For Year Before
Last.
New Orlenas, Feb. 7.-Secretary
Hester's weekly cotton statement
issued today shows for the seven days
of February a decrease under last year
of 50,000 and a decrease under the
same period vear before last of 90.000.
For the 16? days of the season that
have elapsed the aggregate is ahead cf
the same days of last year 322,000 and
ahead of the same period year before
last of 967,000.
The amount brought into sight dur?
ing the past week has been 132,567
against 182,154 for the same seven days
last year and 222,405 year before last.
The movement since Sept. 1 shows
receipts at all United States ports to
be 5,968,806 against 5,477,755 last
year; overland across the Mississippi,
Ohio and Potomac rivers to northern
mills and Canada 754,987 against 845,.
217 last year; interior stocks in excess
of those held at the close of the com?
mercial year 440,922 against 645,802
last year and southern mill takings
879,000 against 770,851 last year.
The total movement since Sept. 1 is
8,061,717 against 7,739,625 last year
and 7,094.522 year before last. Foreign
exports for the week have been 124,476
against 113,989 last year, making the
total thus far for the season 4,658,553
against 4,056,682 last year.
The total takings of American mills,
north and south and Canada thus far
for the season have been 2,307,295
against 2,168,845 last year.
Stocks at the seaboard and the 29
leading southern interior centres have
decreased during the week 86,419 bales
against a decrease during the corres?
ponding period last season of 27,025.
Including: stocks left over at ports
and interior towns from the last crop
and the number of bales brought into
sight thus far for the new crop the
supply to date is 8,421,402 against
7,862,159 for the same period last year.
WHO BEFRIENDED SPAift ?
Berlin, February 7.-The foreign
office was informed-today that the As?
sociated Press has issued for publica?
tion the text of the replies of ali; the
European Courts except from Germany
to the request of concerted action of
the Powers sent out March 25, 1S98,
from Madrid. The Associated Press
correspondent here asked for the text
of the German answer to this request.
The foreign office said that the answer
of the German Government was made
orally by the German ambassador at
Madrid. The answer was that Ger?
many could not take the initiative and
must await the action of. the other
Powers. Subsequent events made a
further answer unnecesasry.
The foreign office called attention to
cablegrams from Washington, saying
that the British embassy there admits
making a second proposal April 14,
1898, but with . no evil intentions
against the United States. The for?
eign office added :
"We fully recognized the fact that
England had no evil intentions against
the United States. The German
Government, . far from imputing snch
intentions on the other hand, and sim?
ply upon the basis of the comments in
the ca?e, protest against London im?
puting to us intentions we never
had."
An Enthusiastic Bull.
New York, February 7.-The weekly
figures made up today disclose a posi?
tion of exceptional strength and point
to much higher prices in the immedi?
ate future.
The world's supply of American cot:
ton shows a decrease for the week of
145,-000 bales, and is now only 180,000
bales greater than two years ago, when
cotton went to ten and eleven cents
per pound and was practically unob?
tainable at the end of the season. Of
this visible supply there is in Ameri?
ca at the ports and interior towns
176,000 bales less than last year and
360,000 bales less than in the memor?
able bull year of 1900.
The quantity of cotton brought into
sight for the week is only 132,000
bales, which is the smallest on record
for the corresponding week of any
season in which the crop exceeded
9,000,000 bales.
We have consumed approximately
650.000 bales more than ended last
year, Japan alone having taken 115,
000 bales, against only 6,000 last year.
In every direction the demand seems
to be expancing and the supply de?
creasing. The average weight of bales
is six pounds less than last year,
which is equivalent to a redaction of
120.000 bales in the supply.
The cotton trade of the world seems
upon the eve of recognizing the extra?
ordinary situation and a very sharp ad?
vance in the market appears immi?
nent. It is certain to come promptly
if those who hold the small remnant
of this year's crop decline to sell ex?
cept at its fair value. It is worth, in
view of the situation today disclosed,
certainly nine cents, and will probably
command ten cents before the end of
the season. It is only through a very
sharp and immediate advance that an
absolute cotton famine in Ameiica can
I be averted.
I Theodore H. Price.
In the Czar's kitchen at St. Peters
! burg not only are the walls and ceil?
ings of black covered with valuable
ornaments, but many of the kitchen
pots and pans, which originally be?
longed to the Empress Catherine, are
of solid gold.
SEWEBAGTF?R ??ERSQN.
Anderson, February 7.-At a special
election here today on the question
of sewerage it was decided by a ma?
jority of ?06 to issue bonds for a first
class system of sewerage. About
twelve miles will be put in at a cost
of 640,000. A light vote was polled.
Georgetown's New Building.
Washington, Feb. 7. The senate
committee on public buildings and
j grounds today reported favorably thc
j following bills for oublie buildings:
! Selma, Ala., S100,000: New Orleans,
! SI.250,000: Durham, N. C., $100,000:
j Georgetown, S. C., $100,000: Mem -
j phis, Tenn., (addition; $250,000.
The Worship of Sport.
The sensation created by Rudyard
Kipling's poem, "The Islanders," not
only continues, but becomes more
pronounced.
The poet's invective has angered
both the British army and navy and
aroused the wrath of the supporters of
the government's war policy in South
Arfica. One of the many writers
whom Mr. Kipling has provoked is an
Australian poet who geos back at him
in Kipling's own style.
"The Islands" is a severe arraign?
ment of the British public, especially
the British youth, for its lack o? pa?
triotic fire, indulgence in sport and
devotion to it at a time when the gov?
ernment is calling for soldiers.
Mr. R. A. Streatfield has contri?
buted to the London Times an inter?
esting article, in which he points out
that Mr. Kipling's protest is very
like one that was made centuries ago
under similar circumstances by the
greatest of Greek dramatists. Mr.
Streatfield writes:
"Mr. Kipling ls not the first to at?
tack the worship of sport. I happened
today to light upon a passage in one
of the fragments of Euripides-the few
lines which are practically all that
remain of .his satyric play"Autoly
cus" - which anticipates rath
curiously Mr. Kipling's diatribes
against 'flannelled fools' and 'mud?
died oafs- I fancy that the passage
has never been put into English be?
fore, so I am compelled to append a
version of my own, which, however
lacking in elegance, represents, I
hope, the spirit of the original with
tolerable accuracy:
"Of all the myriad plagues that
harass Greece
'Tis sure the tribe of athletes is the
worst ?
They learn not how to make a liveli?
hood,
And would not if they could ; for how
should they,
Slaves to a gullet, panders to a paunch,
Add even a stiver to their father's
store?
Nor can they suffer poverty, nor snit
Their ways to varying fates, for
being used
To no wise habits, hardly can they
change
In adverse fortune. While their bright
youth lasts.
They wal:s admired, the darlings of
the crowd ;
But when the bitterness of age is
come,
Like worn-out garments, they are cast
aside,
And much I blame the costom of the
Greeks,
Who gat.ber from afar to see these
men,
Honoring their useless sports, which
do but serve
To whet the appetite of greedy folk.
For grant a man has wrestled weil, or
won
A foot race, deftly pitched a quoit, or
struck
A ringing blow, how has he served the
state?
Why do ye crown him? Will he quoit
in hand,
Do battle for his country, or go forth
To box with foes who come in armor
clad?
When swords are drawn, we put these
follies from us.
But wise and good men, these 'tis well
to wreath
With crowns of laurel, they who rule
the state,
Calm tumults and avert the woes of
war.
It will be generally conceded that
the Greek article is superior to the
English, but there is no insinuation
that Mr. Kipling plagarized from
Euripides, or even got the suggestion
of "The Islanders" from that mighty
master.
There is no probability that he did,
as the play from which Mr. Streat?
field, quotes is not well known even to
scholars, and Mr. Kipling probably
never read it.-Atlanta Journal.
What She Was Charged With.
About ten years ago I witnessed an
unusual occurrence in the circuit
court room at London, Ky. Judge
Robert Boyd was the presiding justice.
One morning, shortly after the court
had opened, Andrew Jackson, the fore?
man of the grand jury, appeared be?
fore the judge in charg? of a woman,
who, he stated, had refused to testify
before the grand jury.
The juds:e, with a very polite bow,
said to the woman: "Madam, it is
your duty to tell anything you may
know about any violations of the law
in this county, except, of course, such
as may have taken place in your im?
mediate family. It would be very
disagreeable to me to have to punish
you in any way, and I trust that you
will go at once and answer the ques?
tions that may be asked by the fore?
man of the grand jury."
"PH be durned if I do," she said
with a withering look of scorn.
"Mr. Clerk, enter a fine of $10
against this woman," said the court.
"Now, madam, you go and testify to
this jury at once."
"You go to h-1, you durned old
fool," the woman retorted.
"Mr. Sheriff, take her to jail,"
roared the judge. .
"Andhaint'sl already in jail for ?
selling whisky, and brought out of '
jail to testify?"' she said, and with an
inimitable tess of her head she passed
out of the court room.
Being very fond of the judge, and
quite intimate with bim, I arose and
said to him, as if I had not fully
gathered what had been going on:
"May I inquire of your honor what
the lady is charged with?"
"I don't know sir: but I think she
is charged with dynamite," replied
the court with a look of exasperation.
-Governor Bradley's Stories of Ken?
tucky Life.
It Dazzles the World.
No discovery in medicine has ever cre
? ated one quarter of thc excitement that
j has been caused by Dr King's New Dis?
covery for consumption. Its severest
tests have been on hopeless victims of
j consumption, pneumonia, hemorrhage,
pleurisy and bronchitis, thousands Of
? whom it h.-ts restored t-> perfect health,
j For coughs, colds, asthma, croup, hay
I fever, hoarseness and whooping cough it
is the quickest, surest cue in the world.
It is sold by .1 F VV DeLorrae, who guar?
antees satisfaction or refunds money.
Large bottles 50c and $1. Trial bottles
free. 1
CUBA ANO THE PHILIPPINES.
Congress StiiS Trying to Wo
Out a Policy.
Washi:?t?;on, Feb. .10. -There exi
a peculiar situation in the House
Representatives, and that Chamber ?
pears to be bent upon amply demc
strating to the country that with
republican majority and the Re
Rules it is a thoroughly impotent a
irresponsible body. Even the Pre
dent has ceased to urge his wist
upon the lower house and has conce
trated his efforts noon the Sem
where there seems to be every reas
to believe that they have proved eff<
ti ve. The recent statements of Sei
tor Platt of Connecticut, chairmian
the Committee on Relations wi
Cuba, and Senator Proctor of V<
mont, are regarded, not only as indie
tive of the attitude of the Senate
the question of Cuban reciprocit
but as a threat that if the House dc
not pursue a reasonable course t
Senate will disregard it and effect t
desired reciprocal relations by mea
of a treaty.
The excessive fear, inspired by t
attack of Representative Babcock upi
that portion of the Dingley tariff b
which serves to augment the immen
profits of the Steel' Trust, seems
have paralyzed the Ways and Mea
Committee and that body is afraid
report any measure granting recipr
city to Cuba because of Mr. Babcock
.announced intention to move t'
amendment of the bill to secure
modicum of tariff reform. While tl
Ways and Means Committee is dom
nated by the extreme protectioni
view such is not true of the enti
House and a republican member wi
would not permit me to use his nam
said yesterday: "The situation is mo
distressing to the more progressive r
j publicans. They appreciate the trui
of Senator Plait's statement that prote
j tion is likoly ' to suffer most in tl
house of its friends' and they reali:
j that, if the Democrats have the for
sight to drop their 'anti-expansioi
j theories and go before the country c
a straight tariff reform platform t b(
will make serious inroads in our rank
Our only hope is that the Demi
eratic porpensity to blunder will lei
them to'adopt 'anti-expansion' as the
slogan rather than "tariff reform."
The speaker was an astute Westei
republican who may be counted upc
to know the situation in his own se
tion, at least.
. The republicans are holding a perfei
love feast in the Senate committee 01
the Philippines over the testimony <
Judge Taft in regard to conditions i
the islands. It never seems to occt
to them that a gentleman who is drav
ing a salan- of 320,000 per annum fe
governing thed "colony" is most like
ly to see the rosy side of the situatior
Without impugning Judge Taft'
sincerity, it is reasonable to assum
that from his magnificently furnisbe
offices in Manila, and surrounded b
the members of a commssion ail hanc
?omely recompensed for their services
things may look very bright in tb
Philippines. As a matter of fact, how
ever, there are others, perhaps equall
competent to testify, many of ther
officers who have penetrated into th
strongholds of the insurrection, wc
do not regard the situation from th
same hopeful' and complacent stand
point as does Governor Taft.
The Philippine tariff bill continue
to occupy the attention of the Senat
and drastic censure of the course o
the administrration has been theusua
order of the day on the democratic
side. Senator Lodge has, however
stated that the Senate proposes t<
pass the measure regardless of th
opinion of the minority: and his posi
tion, that he and his colleagues an
not open to renson or conviction, ma;
serve to precipitate the passage of tb<
bill, in view of the large amount o
businses which the Senate still ha:
to consider.
Representative Newlands of Nevad?
bas introduced a resolution in tb<
House providing for the collection o:
three-fourths of the Dingley rates 01
Cuban sugar and tobacco in considera
tion of reciprocal concessions frorr
Cuba and concludes with an invitatio!
to Cuba to come into the Uni tee
States under a territorial form of gov
ernment and with the proviso thal
statehood will be granted when, in the
judgment of Congress, it seems ad?
visable. Mr. Newlands deems suet
a course the most expedient solution
of the Cuban problem. Speaking ol
the matter he told me that he had nc
reason for waiting until the Cubans
had formed powerful poliical organiza?
tions, the members of which woulci
expect to derive their livelihood 'from
politiics and would therefore oppose
annexation, before inviting the island
j to come into the United States.
"Under annexation," said Mr. New?
lands, "the beet sugar men believe
they would be better protected than
with a reduction of the tariff, and I
am inclined to think they are right.
The Cubans have admitted before this
committee (the Ways and Means; that
they now have employed in the pro?
duction of sugar all the labor in the
islands and they have tacitly admitted
that the extension of the industry
must come from thc importation of
cheap Chinese and other labor. If
j the island was annexed to the United
States our immigration laws would
apply, the rate of wages would be
gradually raised to the same level and
their sugar would be produced under
conditions so similar Lo our own that
the competition would be by no means
as severe. " The introduction of the
Newlands resolution caused a sensa?
tion in the House and it was every
where actively discussed. Had it come
from a republican source it seems most
likely that it would have been adopted.
Under the circumstances its future is
most problematical.
Representative Oscar W. Underwood,
of Alabama, expressed himself to
your correspondent, yesterday in no
uncertain terms upon the question of
our relations with Cuba. He said that
ho was in favor of relations as near
free trade as could be secured. "There
are immense markets in Cuba for
American products which would m<?re
than make up any possible loss which
might lie sustained by the sugar inter?
ests. Every increase in the manufac
? ture of Cuban sugar will be attende:*!
I with a demand for machinery which,
under reciprocity, the United States
j will sell. The farmers of the whole
; country will be benefitted by the in?
creased demand for boots and shoes,
and the resultant higher prices of
hides, for instance: there will be a de?
mand for American coal as the small
Caban product is so poor as to be
hardly a merchantale product. There
are a hundred demands which the
United States will supply which are
now supplied by other countries. The
very fact that, under a former recipro?
city treaty, we had a trade of $18,000,
000 per annum ought of itself to be
sufficient proof of the advisability of
controlling these markets." In reply
to a question, Mr. Underwood said
that the present trade with Cuba had
dwindled to a small fraction of the
former trade.
TEN MILLION DOLLAR
FIRE IN NEW JERSEY.
Business Portion of Patterson
Swept by Flames-Great Gale
Fanned the Furious Fire.
Paterson, N. J., Feb. 9.-A great
fire ?wept through Paterson today and
in its desolate wake are the embers
and ashes of property valued in pre?
liminary estimate at 810,0000,00. It
burned its way through the business
section of the city and claimed as its
own a majority of the finer structures
devoted to commercial, civic, educa
tioanal and religious use, as well as
scores of houses. There was small
tribute of life and injury to the con?
flagration, but hundreds were left
homeless and thousands without em?
ployment. A relief movement for the
care of those unsheltered and unpro?
vided for has been organized already
and Mayor John Henchcliffe said to?
night that Paterson'would be able to
care for her own without appealing to
the charity of other communities and
States. The great manufacturing
plants of the place are safe and the
community, temporarily dazed by the
calamity, already has commenced the
work of reorganization and restora?
tion.
The fire came at last midnight and
was checked only after a desperate
figth that lasted until late this after?
noon. Every city and town within
reach of Patterson sent firemen and
apparatus to the relief of the threaten?
ed city and it took the united efforts
of them all to win the battle. A
northerly gale gave the conflagration
its impetus and carried its burning
brands to kindle the blaze afresh at
other points. The firemen made stand
after stand before the wall of fire, but
were driven back repeatedly, and
when victory finally came to them
they were grimed and exhausted.
THE PRESIDENT ABANDONS
TRIP TO CHARLESTON.
Doctors Say That Disease May
Take a Sudden Change.
-
Washington, Feb. 8.-The following
statement was issued at the White
House at noon today :
"The condition of the president's
son is favorable. The doctors say that
the president should not go to Charles?
ton as at any time within the six days
the disease may take a sudden turn
for the worse. The president also is
asked not to go to Groton as his visit
might excite the boy who is not in im?
mediate danger."
Owing to the request of the physi?
cians tho president has abandoned his
trip to Charleston.
Washintgon, Feb. 8.-President
"Roosevelt, accompanied by Secretary
Cortelyou, left here tonight at 12.24 for
Groton, Mass., in a special car attach?
ed to the regular train over the
Pennsylvania railroad. A special
train will be in waiting in New York
to take him to Boston. Late this
evening the president determined to
disregard the request of his son's
physician and to go to his boy's bed?
side. It was stated that the president
felt his presence would be a comfort
to Mrs. Roosevelt *and that as the
critical period covers the next three
days he should be near his son. It is
also stated that the trip to Massa?
chusetts is taken on the president's
own initiative and is not due to any
alarming news which has reached him
concerning his son's condition.
It s stated that the president has
no plans for returning to Washington,
his future movements depending upon
the condition of his son.
Groton, Mass., Feb. 9.-President
Roosevelt, upon his arrival at Groton
this afternoon did not find his son,
Theodore, Jr., alarmingly ill with
pneumonia, but the boy's condition
was not sufficiently reassuring to war?
rant the president's immediate return
to the national capital.
Favorite Nearly Everywhere
Constipation means dullness, depres
sion, headache, geneally disordered health
Dewitt's Little Early Risers stimulate the
liver, open the bowels and relieve this con?
dition. Safe, speedy and thorough. They
never gripe. Favorite pills. J S Hugh
son <fc Co.
--MM?- -
Fernandina, Fla., Feb. 8.-Edward
Burton, superintendent of the Sea?
board Air Line shops here, was shot
and killed in his office this morning
by D. M. Sylvester, a machinist, who
had until a few minutes previous to
the tragedy been working for the com?
pany.
? IB ? ? ? . ? 1 -
"I have used Chamberlain's Cough Rem
edy for a number of years and have no
hesitancy in saying that it is the best rem?
edy for coughs, colds and croup I have
ever used in my family. 1 have not words
to express my confidence in this reme?
dy.--M rs J A Moore, North Star. Mich'
For sale by Dr A J China.
The President May Not
Come to Charleston.
HIS SON IS SERIOUSLY ILL
OF PNEUMONIA.
Washington, Feb. 7.-The illness of
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., has changed
very greatly the plans of the president
for his trip to Charleston to visit the
exposition there. The trip possibly
may have to be abandoned altogether,
but the present purpose is to make a
flying visit to the exposition and to re?
turn, immedatley after the most im?
portant functions in which it has been
arranged the presidential party should
participate. No ladies will accom?
pany the presidential party owing to
the absence of Mrs. Roosevelt and the
hurried nature of the modified ar?
rangements. The president, instead of
leaving here Monday night will not
start until Tuesday morning. He will
go direct to Charleston and will take
part in the exercises of Wednesday
and be present at the banquet, and
then will return to Washington, reach?
ing here some time Thursday. The
three cabinet officers who it was an?
nounced heretofore would accompany
the president, Secretary Cortelyou and
a stenographer, will comprise the
entire party as now arranged.
A Southern Publishing Project.
A meeting of Southern men is an
nonced for Charleston, S. C., Tues?
day, February ll, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the interests
of the South with reference to
publishing school text books. It is
expected that a corporation will be
organized with a large capital to em?
bark in this branch of business.
It is set out that the Southern States
have a school population of about five
millions, 75,000 teachers and 50.OOo
school buildings. The moderate esti?
mate of one dollar per pupil for books
and printed supplies gives ' an aggre?
gate pf $5,000,000 a year. It is furth?
er said that not 5 percent, of the books
in schools or private libraries bear the
imprint of a Southern publisher, or
the name of a Southern author. It is
considered a conservative estimate
that ten million dollars leave the
South every year for the product of
printing presses, it is asserted that
the South is more deficient in book
printing than in anv other industry.
To correct this it -is urged that the
South should combine in such a way
as to own one vast plant, with an outfit
not surpassed by any other in America.
Sentiment and resolutions will never
supply the deficiency. In order to be
independent it is necessary for the
South to build the plant-to have its
"own machinery, talent, funds and
editors. "
There is certainly no reason why the
South should not push the business
of publishing books as well as aim to
extend its other industries. This not
for the reason that Southern writers
cannot get fair treatment fiom North?
ern publishing houses, ns some foolish?
ly contend but on the general principle
of diversifying industries and supply?
ing all articles for which an adequate
market can be found. It is needless
to say that such an enterprise to suc?
ceed must be conducted on strict busi?
ness principles. The facilities it pro?
vides must be proportioned to the de?
mand, and it will be obliged to suc?
ceed by supplying an article as well
adapted, if not better, to the needs of
the market at a reasonable price as
can be done by any of his competit?
ors. It will have very vigorous com
petitioii to met, and it cannot over?
come it without giving better services
at the same price, or as good service
at a less price. Too much reliance
must not be placed on calling this a
distinctly Southern enterprise. There
is not much sentiment in business,
and sectionalism counts for nothing
unless there is at least eqnality in the
service. No doubt the South has
money enough and ability enough to
found a great publishing house and
to conduct it. The problem is to get
this money and this ability together
under competent management. With?
out able supervision a project of this
sort cannot be successful.
We do not want sectional text
books, but' good ones. There bas
been complaint of some of our school
histories because they have a sectional
or party bias. These may easily be
displaced by providing better ones.
But when "a Southern publishing
house is established it should work
not for the South alone, but for every?
body who is willing to give it patron?
age. A project to set up a publishing
house in the South for the benefit of
Southern writers who cannot get their
manuscripts accepted in the North
would be certain to fail, and a project
to conduct a publishing house_ to
profit by and stimulate sectionalism
would deserve to fail. If the South
makes books on a large scale it must
do it as it makes cotton cloth or
sugar-for the benefit of everybody
that wants them-and must adapt its
products to the wants of the market
as other branches of business are
obliged to do. There is no such
thing as an exclusively Northern pub?
lishing house and there is no legiti?
mate field for an exclusively Southern
publishing house.-Louisville Cou?
rier-Journal.
OIL ON ROADS.
Mr. Eldridge, assistant director of
the "Department of Good Roads In?
quiries, Washington, D. C., has made
some interesting statements in regard
to the kind of oil that will give the
best results for road sprinkling. He
says that the proper oil to use is what
is known as the residum oil, which is
usually discarded as useless. It has
considerable body to it, and when
sprinkled on the road, consolidates
with tho dust particles, forming a
crust on the surface resembling leath?
er, which is almost impervious to wa?
ter. On sandy soil this treatment will
not help matters at all. When the oil
is properly applied, the surface should
Inst for a year. Kerosene or petroleum
should never be used, according to
Mr. Eldridge, on account of their
volatile nature. In Pensacola. Fla., a
fund was made up for the purpose of
purchasing a quantity of crude oil
from the Texas oil fields, and the first
consignment of the oil, when placed
on the streets, proved such a satisfac?
tion to the people that much more
has been ordered.