The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 20, 1904, Image 7
? FI6HT F08 i TRAIN.
Fear Brave Hen Drive Off a Band
of Robbers That Held Up a Sea?
board Air Line Train in
Florida.
McClenny, Fla., Jan. lo*.-Passenger
Train No. 76, east bound, on the Sea?
board Air Line, was held np one mile
sastof Sanderson at 7.45 o'clock to?
night by four white men. The door of
the baggage car was blown open with
dynamite, the robbers mistaking this
car for the express car.
The engine was stopped by a volley
of shots fired into the cab. The fire?
man and engineer were taken off the
-engine and escorted to the second class
coach, .and the robbers ran the train
?head about half a mile, when they
Mew open the baggage car. The
train conductor went forwrd, but was
i driven back to the coaches. Conductor
IL S: Peck, who was deadheading
over the line, called for firearms and
volunteers. N. H. Harrison, claim
agent of the road B. B. McCaa,
travelling auditor, and J. C. William?
son, traveling freight agent, responded
and the four went forward, opened fire
and drove the 'robbers off. Conductor
Peck took the throttle and ran the
train four miles down the road. The
robbers got no booty and made no at?
tempt to rob the passengers, but there
?as great excitement in the passenger
coaches while the firing was going on.
The sheriffs of Duval and Baker coun?
ties are cn the trail of the robbers
with bloodhounds.
HEATH Of JAMES L BLAIR.
A Prominent Citizen of Sf. Louis
Oles in Florida Under a Cloud.
East is, Fia., Jan. 16.- James L.
Blair, of St Lons, Mo., died here this
morning. ? Mr. Blair came here about
: five weeks ago in search of health
and it was thought that he was im?
proving in health until last week,
when ide condition changed alarming?
ly for the worse and the physicians
advised that his wife should be tele?
graphed for, end she and her son,
Percy Blair, arrived this morning a
short time before his death.?
Mr. Blair, just before coming to
Sustis, held the position of general
counsel for the St- Louis Exposition,
and Mrs. Blair that of president of the
board of lady managers, which posi?
tions were resigned owing to certain
charges of official misconduct of the
deceased, of which the St Louis pa?
pers were full at the time. Mr. Blair
had sustained a severe injury to his
ankle before he came here and this,
with his mental condition, is believed
to have, hastened his death. The
casue of death in the physician's certi?
ficate is cerebral congestion. The body
was em ba ?med today and will be ship
4>ed to St Louis by this evening's
?rain, accompanied by Mrs. Blair and
her son.
?imi .> ?--<i i.i -
The Ohio River Frozen.
Cincinnati, Ohio, Jan. 17.-Dis?
patches from Ohio river points tonight
t indicate new ice forming while the
gorges between Evansville and Louis
ville were already firm and also those
between Madison and Cincinnati. The
same conditions exist for seventy miles
above Cincinnati where the gorges are
almost continuons, and at some places
icebergs thirty and forty feet high
exist Navigation on the Ohio and its
tributaries has been suspended for
almost six weeks and many river towns
without railroads, that depend on the
boats for mail, groceries, fuel and
almost everything, are suffering great
inconvenience. There is only a' sup?
ply of coal available at Cincinnati for
two Weeks and colder feather pre?
vails tonight. While there have been
colder winters, the Ohio river was never
frozen over for so long s period before.
This is due to the low stage of the
.water.
Epigrams for Advertisers.
One step won't take you very far,
You've got to keep on walking ;
One word won't tell folks what yon
are,
Ton*ve got to keep on talking.
One inch won't make you very tall,
You've got to keep on growing;
One little AD won't do it all,
You've gos to keep 'em going.
-Judicious Advertising.
Boulder, Colo., Jan. 17.-The mother
of Capt Bichmond P. Hobson died
today, at the home of Shirley Davis,
after a long illness. Her son was with
her when shs died and will leave with
the remains tomorrow for Greensboro,
Ala., where they will be interred.
Mrs. Hobson came' to Boulder last
-summer for her health. She was 70
years of age.
Caracas, Jan. 14.-Guise ppe Gara?
baldi, a grandson of the Italian pa?
triot was discovered among the revo?
lutionists who were captured last
August at Cuidad Bolivar. When
President Castro learned of the fact,
and after Garibaldi had been recogniz?
ed by officiais of the Italian legation,
"he ordered his immediate release.
Cape Haitien, Jan. 17.-The govern?
ment troops which disembarked re?
cently at Sosua were ordered yesterday
to march on Puerto Plata. A brisk
-attack, supported by the guns of a
Dominican war vessel, began in the
evening. This morning operations
were resumed and the government
troops entered Puerto Plata causing
the flight of Gen. Descbamps, who
took refnge in the United States con?
sulate. The United States cruiser
Hartford has arrived.
Letter to Sheriff Scarborough.
Dear Sir: Pay more for Devoe ; he
glad to. It is fuli-measure and honest.
Paint is a watch-dog. How would
you like a watch-do? that wouldn't
watch from two to five o'clock in the
morning? That's short-measure.
How would you like a watch-dog
that had a way of wagging his tail at
a burglar? That's false paint. The
burglar is rain and snow.
Go by the name: Devoe lead-and
zinc.
Yours truly
F W Devoe & Co
41 . New York i
P. S.-L. B. Durant cells our paint.
HEW YORK IN THE
PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST.
Platt-Odell Fight Threatens Re?
publican Success in the Em?
pire State.
New York, most important of '1 doubt?
ful States", will be a party and fac?
tional storm centre in the coming
Presidential campaign. Democracy
has a new stimulas in the rise of
Charles F. Murphy, the Tammany
leader, by force of sensational ability
to handle the mosfc complex political
machinery. David B. Hill is over?
shadowed. The party will fight a Re?
publican organization torn by a strug?
gle between an old man with an cd
machine behind him, and a young
man with the vigor and skill to con?
struct a machine of his own. The
factional fight for leadership has a
national interest at this time.
Senator Thomas C. Platt is past
seventy. Winn he sits through a long
dinner his body droops witfi physical
weariness, and he becomes childishly
petulant Benjamin B. Odel, Jr., Gov?
ernor since 1900, is fifty. He was
Chairman of the Republican State
Committee before Platt pat him for?
ward as a candidate for Governor to
succeed Theodore Roosevelt, who, it
was believed, had been sidetracked po?
litically by Platt when fae was made
his party's candidate for Vice-Presi?
dent-Collier's Weekly.
Richland's Example.
While the sugestione are being made
as to how to raise more money, it
would be well to look to Richland
county. In less than a year the new
county auditor, Mr. W. Hampton
Gibbes has, by attending to his busi?
ness and enforcing the laws already on
the books, added more than a million
of dollars' worth of property to the
tax-books. Think of adding more than
a million dollars* worth of taxable
property in a single county, and the
lawmakers have some idea of the possi?
bilities of leaving well enough alone
and getting men like Mr. Gibbes, to
enforce the present laws. If the
whole State had such tax officers as
David H. Wise, A. W: Jones, W. H.
Prio?eau and W. H. Gibbs, there
would be no need for tax commissions
in my opinion.
That is where the great trouble
r-aJly is. The office of county auditor
ought to be taken out of primaries,
and in that way out of politics.
County auditors ought not to be afraid
of losing votes by imposing income
taxation or getting property up to its
full value and as long as the position
is in politics there will be trouble.
Of course, the General Assembly
has nothing to do with taking the
office out of the primaries : that is a
matter for the Democratic Convention,
but the Legislature can provide for a
system of * ci-il service in the auditor's
office, and force the position out of
the primaries. An office of this kind
ought to be taken out of the range of
sentiment altogether.-News and
Courier.
Mills Run Short Time.
Charlotte, N. C., Jan. IS.-Eight
large cotton mills at Concord, N. C.,
operating 88,000 spindles and 3,300
looms will, beginning this week, run
only four days a weak. This action'is
taken on account of the scarcity of
cotton and the low price of manu?
factured goods. Two thousand hands
are affected.
Fall River, Mass., Jun. 15.-The
sales in the print cloth market will
reach a total of about 150,000 pieces
for tbe week, mostly odd goods. Today
M. C. D. Borden, of New York, came
into the markeet and bid 3 11-16 cents
for regulars, which is an advance of
1-16 of a ceent over last week's figures.
It is learned that not only a moderate
amount was secured at this pricee, as
manufacturers consider this a low
basis in view of the firmness of the
cotton market and are holding out for
m cents.
Richmond, Va., Jan. 16.-A state
of the late Rev. John Jasper, the
famous'colored preacher of "Sun Do
Move" fame, is to be unveiled Sunday
next in the church of which Jasper
was pastor. The exercises in connec?
tion with the unveiling are to last
nine days and an admission fee is to be
charged to help defray the cost of the
statue.
Pensacola, Fla., Jan. 16.-The suit
of Judge W. A. Millike i, of New
York, against Martin H. Sullivan, of
this city, for $100,000, claimed as com?
mission for the sale of a large body of
land to Russel A. Alger and others,
was settled today, Sullivan deposited
a check for $55,000, subject to the order'
of the United States Court. The sale
was made several years ago, and since
that time several jugments have been
rendered in favor of Judge Milliken, the
most recent one by the Supreme Court
of the United States about two weeks
ago. The result is a compromise.
Colorado Springs, Colo., Jan. 17,
Coi John H. Bacon, who was mayor
of Colorado Springs in 1880 and promi?
nent as a business man, committed
suicide today by shooting because of
his illness. He left a note saying that
he baa suffered so much pain from
rheumatism and insomnia that it more
than offset the pleasures of this world.
Col. Bacon was 75 years old.
Republicans in Washington are com?
menting on an utterance attributed to
Justice John M. Harlan, of the su?
preme court, during a lecture on
"Constitutional Law" before the class
at the Columbian university law
school. He is quoted as follows: "Let
us hope that this great instrument,
which has served so well, will sveather
the storms which the ambitions of cer?
tain men are creating in an effort to
make this country a world power.':
Justice Harlan, who is a Republican,
was discussing enthusiastically the
perfect guarantee of liberty under the
constitution. He is not given to sensa?
tionalism, and is regarded as ex?
tremely conservative. His friends are
quoted as saying that he must have
ielt grave fears for the continuance of
the gnarante*\s of the constitution to
say what he is reported to have said.
A bill should be passed preventing
South Carolina divorces in Georgia.
We are opposed to being the elf ar ng
iiouse for Palmetto State quarrelling
couples. It makes Augusta as od o ;s
as Chicago.-Augusta Chronicle.
RUSSIA ?ND JAPAN.
No later?a? Change in the Situa?
tion.
Each Day There is Less Hope of
a Settlement Without an Appeal
to Arms.
Japanese Determined to Fight Rather
Than Yield.
London, Jan 1 8.-In what it claims
as an authoritative statement the Daily
Graphic this morning announces that
the negotiations have arrived at a
stage leaving two points upon which
neither Russia nor Japan is inclined
to yield, and as to which no means of
a compromise have yet been found.
Both these points concern Manchuria
and their acceptance would not in the
slightest modify the legal status quo,
or change the administrative situation
in Manchuria, but Japan insists "that
they be embodied in a treaty between
Japan and Russia," while Russia, as
a matter of amour proper, "refuses
to accept such dictation at the hands
of Jar>an Mnch, however, is still
hoped from the czar's influence."
The statement adds: "Of course any
attempt of Russia to increase very
largely her naval fores in the far east
by moving fier Black Sea or Baltic
fleets would make war a question of
only a few hours. "
This statement seems to be borne
out by the Associated Press dispatch
from Tokio yesterday that Japan had
received Russia's communication say?
ing that Russia would respect the
rights and privileges already acquired
in Manchuria under the existing
treaties with China, except in the case
of the establishment of foreign settle?
ments, which show that negotiations
are coninuing on the question of Man?
churia
At the Japanese legation last night
it was said that no fresh news had
been received and that the situation
remained uncbaned.
The Daily Mail's Tokio correspond?
ent says that M. Pavloff, the Russian
minister at Seoul, has notified the
Corean government that Coreas troops
have crossed the Chinese boundary re?
peatedly and committed excesses
against the inhabitants. ?ussian
custom officials on the extreme north?
eastern border report similar ocurren
ces and assert that the Coreaus are
burning villages and killing people.
Minister Pavloff warned the authori?
ties that such proceedings will neces?
sitate severe measures.
The correspondent says that riots
have broken out at Chyung Cbyongdo,
in the province of Piyongan, Corea.
The Daily Mail's Seoul correspond?
ent cabling yesterday makes no men?
tion of these disturbances, but accord?
ing tc The Daily Telegraph's Tokio
correspondent the Seoul correspondent
of Tte Jiji Shimpo learns that a gen?
eral ri?ing is imminent at Phong Yang,
and that Corean soldiers are co-opera?
ting with the rebels. Phong Yang was
the scene of the rising which led to
the war between Japan and China.
The Daily Mail's Seoul correspond?
ent says that an armored train with
quickfiring guns from the ships is
ready at Chemulpo to rush men to
Seoul at a moment's notice. The cor?
respondent says that the Japanese
have secured control of the Corean
court and that the emperor has wired
Pekin and Tokio advising a triple
offensive and defensive alliarce and
promising not to leave Seoul.
According to the correspondent,
McLeavy Brown, supervisor ot Corean
customs, secured possession of Corean
field guns on the pretense that they
needed repairs and locked them in the
customs house.
The Daily Mail's Port .Arthur corres?
pondent, estimates that the total num?
ber of Russian troops now in Man?
churia is 200,000, half of whom are
guarding the railway. The corres?
pondent says: "China's firm stand
siuce the reoccupation of Mukden has
complicated the Russian arrangements
in Manchuria for defense and doubled
the difficulties of guarding the long line
of communication between the bounda?
ries and the coast line. L
"The council of war is sitting daily.
The port of Newchwang and ports
on the Yalu river are icebound."
FROM THE JAPANESE CAPITAL.
Tokio, Jan. 6.-Japan does not anti?
cipate Russia's rejoinderfor at least one
wee? In the meantime the natiop
is prepared and grimly reconciled to
war. Political and other distinctions
have disappeared and the country is
patriotically united. The government
is receiving many offers of contribu?
tions ia the event of war, amounting
to many millions of yen. The Japanese
people would welcome an honorable
peace, but are resolved to fight before
receding from their position in orien?
tal affairs. They fear the aggression
of Russia and believe if it is not stop?
ped now it never will be stopped.
They are confident that their demands
are fair and moderate and that their
diplomacy which has been patient, has
gone to a reasonable limit. They expect
the world's sympathy in the struggle
and have a splendid confidence in their
army and navy. In the event of re?
verses or a national disaster, it is
thought that England and the United
States would intervene to preserve a
balance of power in eastern Asia.
There is no fear of an invasion of Ja?
pan, a country which probably is the
most strongly defended in the world.
The growth of British and American
sentiment is remarked. Numerous
displays of tbe two nations are made
and popular songs reciting the glories
of the "Lion" and Uncle Sam" are
rung.
The chracters of "Uncle Sam" and
" Jonny Bull" are also seen at public
dances. The activity of the United
States in opening the ports of Muk?
den and Antung is keenly watched and
in some quarter^ it is hoped that this
may aid in solving the problem insur?
ing peace. The censorship prohibits
the publication of military movements.
At present the movements are merely
preliminary and aimed to insure an
immediate dispatch of an immense
land and sea force if it should become
necessary.
St. Petersburg, Jan. 1?.-The Asso?
ciated Press correspondent, on high
authority, is abie to give me follow?
ing as the present status of the neg<
iiations between Russia and Japan:
"Ru?isia recognizes Japan's predomi
nence iii Corea, and Japan recognizes
Russians special position in Mtxjcbu
ria. There are two main questions
still at issue-the Russian demand for
a neutral zone on the Corean side of
the Yalu river, which Japan met with
a proposal for a similar neutral strip
on the Manchurian side. Japan also
asks for certain guarantees covering
Manchuria, which Russia, thus far,
bas declined to grant. It is pointed
out, however, that the assurances
given a few days ago Dy Russia, re?
garding open ports in Manchuria and
respect for treaty rights, is a conces?
sion on this point. "
That the two countries are not so
far,apart may be fairly inferred from
tbe following statement, made bv Mr.
Ku ri no, the Japanese minister, to the
Associated Press correspondent :
"War now would only be aisastrous
to both countries. Owing to the geo?
graphical situation, an armed conflict
would result in a great drain of men
and treasure of both Japan and Russia,
without being decisive. Besides, I be?
lieve it would not be worth while to
go to war on the questions still in dis?
pute.''
OUR MARINE GUARD AT SEOUL.
Washington, Jan. 18.-Minister Al?
len, at Seoul, Corea, has made a re?
quest of the State department that the
legation guard be increased. The re?
quest has been referred 'to the navy
department, which is considering
means of sending more marines from
Caviteto Chemulpo. It will require
about a week to reinforce the present
guard.
JAPANESE QUIT MANCHURIA.
Port Arthur, Jan. 18.-The Japanese
banks are rapidly closing up tbeir ac?
counts in Manchuria, and are stopping
business. Japan is seeking for agents
in Manchuria and Corea to supply the
Government with information of the
Russian movements, in view of the
hurried departure of the Japanese resi?
dents.
The Russian occupation of Sin-Min
Tun, thirty miles west of Mukden, is
now reported to be an accomplished
fact.
Very Important.
"Speaker Cannon, of the House of
Representatives, has given Congress?
man Lever an assignment as a member
of the committee -on agri?
culture. While this il the only
appointment Mr. Lever received, it
is upon an important committee and
places him where he can be of benefit
to the great majority of his constitu?
ents. And there is no donbt that be
will use every opportunity that offers
in the interest, not only of the farm?
ers, but those of every other occupa?
tion."-Sumter Herald.
We take the above from the Sumter
Herald. The District should con?
gratulate itself upoq the faut that
Congressman Lever has been assigned
to a committee of so much importance
to its agriculturral interests, and to
the industrial development of the
State and South. This committee
takes rank with the most important of
the House committees, and there is
always an earnest contest for assign?
ments on it, especially between mem?
bers from the South, representing
agricultural districts. Through the
recommendations of this committee tc
the House, the Department of Agri?
culture, which is doing so much for
the education of the farmers and the
development of the farming interests
of the country, receives its power.
It is particularly gratifying to have
southern members on this committee,
for they well understand the peculiar
needs and possibilities of the south?
ern farmers; and we feel sure Con?
gressman Lever will devote his best
efforts to bringing to tbe attention of
the committee and Congress the vast
agricultural resources, both of his dis?
trict and tho entire State.
It was upon this* same committee
that the late and lamented Dr. Stokes
served with so much- benefit to his
people during his congressional career,
and it is very pleasing to the friends
of joung Lever to know that the
leadership of the House regards bis
ability so favorably as to place him
in the same seat at the committee table
which his distinguished predecessor
occupied -and this after so brief a ser?
vice in the House.
Representative Williams, the present
Democratic leader on the Boor of the
House, left this committee only this
year when he was elevated to the
minority leadership. That our Repre?
sentative should be selected for this
place is a high compliment, both to
the District and to him. and the
Dispatch wishes to extend its heartiest
congratultions to our young Congress?
man, and to wish him a career on the
committee, brilliant for himself, and
beneficial to his State and District.
Lexington Dispatch.
The Force of Habit.
Representative Foster, of Vermont
has a fund of stories about the days
when the Green Mountain State was
a prohibition stronghold. A few years
ago there was an old farmer who lived
a few miles out of Bennington, who
was perfectly well, so far as his family
could see, but who insisted he should
have a doctor.
The doctor came and examined the
old man thoroughly. Then he said. I
"There is nothing the matter with
you physically that I can find, but as
yon are getting old it might not be a
bad idea for 3*ou to' take a tonic of
some kind regularly. Suppose you
drink a little good whiskey each day."
"Doctor," the farmer replied, "I
couldn't do that, L have a son who
lives with me and I wouldn't have
bim see me taking whiskey for an?
other farm ns big as mine/'
"Well," said the doctor, "he need?
n't know it. Suppose yon take a drink
when you shave yourself each morn?
ing."
The farmer agreed. A week later
the son came in hot haste io the doc?
tor's office. "I want you to come out
and see father," he said.
"What's, the matter?" asked the
doctor. " Is he sick?"
"No, I don't think lie's sick." the
son replied, "but be's losing his mind.
He shaves himself half a dozen times
a day. "
Genoa, Jar. 17. -A hulk laden with
700 bales of cotton which had just
been discharged from an Ainernan
steamer Arimatea, from Savan -ah.
caught fire yesterday and sunk. Part
of the cotton was burned and re?
mainder is drifting about owing to the
strong wind.
PANAMA TREAT?
REPORTED FAVORABLE
Two Democrats Vote Against lt
in Committee-Three Amend?
ments Adopted.
Washington, Jan. 18.-The senate
committee on foreign relations today
directed Senator Cn Hom to report the
Panama treaty, with three amend?
ments. The Republican members
voted for the treaty, but only two
Democrats, Morgan and Money, ware
present. The former voted against the
treaty and Mr. Money stated that he
had not yet had time to consider it,
as it was the first meeting of the com?
mittee he had been able to attend.
The three amendments related to sani?
tation, limitation of cities and con?
trol of harbors. The United States
by the amendment relating to sanita?
tion is granted more direct power in all
sanitary regulations. The amendment
concerning the limitation of the cities
more speci6cally defines what are the
: limits of Panama and Colon in relation
to the canal zone. The harbor amend?
ment give the United States control
of the harbors for the purposes of im?
provements.
Today when the committee met the
absentees were Senators Fo raker,
Bacon, Clark (Mont), Clark (Wyo.),
and McCreary. All the amendments
were subject to final action though one
or two had been tentatively agreed to.
After they had been incorporated in
the treaty today, Senator Morgan mov?
ed to strike out article 22 of the
treaty, which provides for the com?
pletion of negotiations with the new
Panama Canal company for their rights
and concessions on the istbmps.
Senator Lodge insisted that this was
not a pending amendment under the
resolution adopted Saturday and it
was ruled out of order. An amend?
ment had been prepared by Senators
Bacon and Foraker relating to appeals
to United States courts in certain
cases arising in the canal zone. This
was voted down. Senator Morgan
protested against this action, saying
that the amendment should not be
acted upon in the absence of the
senators who had offered it. Protest
also was made by the majority against
the cutting off of opportunity to vote
on the amendment striking out article
22.
Majority members of the committe
say that for two we^s the treaty has
been nnder discussion and they felt
that ample time had been given to its
consideration.
FIRE IN FLORENCE.
Partial Destruction of a Large
Tobacco Ware House.
Florence, Jan. 18.-The large new
brick stemmery and ?ry plant of the
Euterprise Tobacco Company, operat?
ed by the Charles A. Gregory Tobacco
Company, came very near being de?
stroyed by fire at 4 o'clock this morn?
ing; as it is, the plant is badly dam?
aged and it will cost several thousand
dollars to repair it. The fire was dis?
covered in what is known as the dry
room and had made considerable head?
way bet?re being detected. The sub
stantial manner "in which the build?
ings were erected and the precautions
used for subduing the flames in case
of fire, and the excellent system of
water-works, together with the hard
work of the fire department, under the
direction of Chief Wilkins, reduced
the loss to a very great extent of sav?
ing the property from complete de?
struction.
The entire plant is owned by the
Enterprise Company and is valued at
822,000. The insurance carried on the
plant is $10,50>). The loss on the plant
will be about ?5,COO. The stock of leaf
"obacco was owned by the Charles
A. Gregory Tobacco Company and was
valued at 16,000. The loss and dam?
age from fire, smoke and water will
amant to ?3,500.
To Regulate Telephone Lines.
Columbia, Jan. 14.-One of the im?
portant bills is that of Mr. Morgan, of
Greenville. He proposes to give the
railroad commissioners jurisdiction
over all telephone lines in this State as
follows :
Section L That on and after the
approval of this Act by the Governor
the railroad commissioners shall have
and shall assume the same jurisdic?
tion and power over and concerning all
telephone lines and persons, firms and
corporations operating telephone lines
as they now have over and concerning
railroad, telegraph and express com?
panies ; and they shall especially have
te right and power to regulate rates
to be charged by the telephone linea,
and to require reasonable connections
to be made and maintained with other
telephone lines and to prescribe a pro?
per division of rates between connect?
ing lines, and to require all telephone
lines to arrange reasonable connections
with themselves by individuals, firms,
or corporations desiring to connect
with them, and to regulate the charges
therefor.
Section 2. That the persons, firms
or corporations owning or operating
telephone lines in this State shall
bear their propotion of the expens?s of
the railroad commissioners, including
salaries, and the salary of their clerk
or secretary, along with the several
corporations mentioned in Section 2,
066 and Section 2,221 of the Civil
Code (Vol. 1, Code of Laws of 1902)
and to that end the Comptroller Gen?
eral and the fiscal officer maned in
said section shall place all such tele?
phone lines in the same category as to
the pay of the said commissioners as
the said other corporations, and shall
assess and collect their pro rata of the
said other corporations; and all du?
ties, and requirements and penalties
which the law provides against the
said other corporations, with regard
to said salaries and expenses, and with !
regard to observing the orders and
rulings of the said commissioners shall
devolve upon and be incurred also by
every person, iirm or corporation own?
ing or operating any telephone line in
tb is State.
Mew Mern, N. C., .lan. 18.-Seven j
people, all colored, were killed instant- i
ly today by the explosion of a boiler in |
a saw mill'owned by S. E. Sullivan in
James City, near here. The mill was i
demolished and all the machinery ;
practicaly destroyed.
BRYAN INSISTS CN
KANSAS GITT PLATFORM.
Free Silver Leader Delivers Sig?
nificant Address at Complimen?
tary Banquet.
Lincoln, Neb.., Jan. 18.-A formal
welcome to Wm. J. Bryan on his re?
turn from EoTope, taking the form cf
a "dollar dinner," was held tonight
and was attended by nearly 700 Demo?
crats. The dinner was intended as a
testimonial of regard and sympathy
with Mr. Bryan's political policies
and to mark his entry into active
participation in the pr?-convention
campaign. Mr. Bryan spoke to "The
Moral Issue." His speech was Heart?
ily applauded.
Mr. Bryan said :
"Instead of talking cf concessions
and compromises, it is time for honest
and aggressive action. We are con?
fronted with a condition that may weli
alarm the thoughtful and patriotic.
We find corruption everywhere. Votera
are bought at so much a head, repre?
sentatives in our city governments are
profiting by their positions and even
federal officers are selling influence.
What is the cause? The commercial
j spirit that puts a price on everything'
I and resolves every question into 'will
it pay?' This commercialism has given
popularity to that theory of govern?
ment which permits the "granting of
privileges to a favored few and defends
! the theory by an attempt to show that
I the money thus given directly finds its
way indirectly back into the pockets
I of the people If a party makes c?r
tain classes rich by law will it not
naturally tarn to these classes for con?
tributions during the campaign? If
congress votes mi liions of dollars
annually to tariff barons, money
magnates and monopolists, is it not
natural that aldermen should traffic
in the small legislation of a city conn
i eil, and if officials, high and low, use
the government as if it were private
asset, is it surprising that many in?
dividuals who are without official posi?
tion yield to the temptation to sell
1 the only political influence they haver
namely, the ballot? What is the
remedy? There is only one remedy,
an appeal to the moral sense of the
country, an awakening of public con?
science.
"And how can this appeal be mader
Not by showing a greater desire for
the spoils of office than for reforms,
but by turning a deaf ear to the con?
temptible cry of anything to win and
by announcing an honest and straight?
forward position on every public ques?
tion.
"Shall we accept imperialism as ar.
accomplishd fact in order tc appease
those who are willing to endorse 'gor
j ernment without the consent of the
i governed?' There can be no thought
i of such a surrender,, for who would
j trust us to deal with other question*
i if we prove false to the fundamenta'
j principls of self-government?
"Shall we change our position on
the trust question in order to secure
the support* of the trust magnates*/'
Not for a moment can we think of it.
We want the trust magnates against
us, not for us. t
"Shall we abandon our advocacy of
bimetallism in order to conciliate
those who defeated the party in other
campaigns? Never. Some phase of
the money question is always before
congress, and no one can predict when
the coinage phase of the money ques?
tion will again become acute. Nc
reform of any kind would be possible
with the money changers in control
of tbe party.
"Shall we change our position oa
the tariff question in order to win
over Democrats who are enjoying the
benefits of protection? It is absurd to
suggest it, for the same vicious prin?
ciple runs through all of the abuses
from which the people suffer.
"The Kansas City platform is sonnet
on every plank, and the first act of the
next Democratic convention shcnld
be to reaffirm it in its entirety and it?
next act should be the adoption of new
planks in harmony with ic and cover?
ing such new questions as demand
consideration."
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
Official Call Issued for the Gath?
ering at St. Louis on July 8th.
Washington Jan. 18.-The follow?
ing official call was issued today for
the assemblage of the* Democratic
national convention at St. Louis, July
6th next:
Washington, D. C., Jan. 18, 1904.
The Democratic national committee,,
having met in Washington on tne 12th
day of January, 1904, has appointed
Wednesday, the 6th day of July, 19CP
as the time and chosen St. Louis. Mo.f
as the place for holding the Demo?
cratic national convention.
Each State is entitled to representa?
tion therein equal to double the num?
ber of its senators and representative*
in the congress of the United Staten
and each Territory, Alaska, Indian
Territory and the District of Colum?
bia shall have si? delegates.
All Democratic citizens in the Unit -
ed States who can unite with ns in
thc effort for a pure and economical
constitutional government are cordially
invited to join us in sending delegate*
-co the convention.
(Signed) James K. Jone?.
Chairman.
C. A. Walsh, Secretary.
Chairman Jones has announced tba
personnel of the committee on arrange?
ments for the convention and has called
a meeting of that committee for Feb.
2nd next at 10 o'clock a. m., at the
Southern hotel, St. Louis, Mo.
The membership of the committee
is as follows :
James K. Jones, chairman ex-officio ;
Wm. J. Stone, vice chairman ex-officio
J. M. Gu ff ey. Pennsylvania: D. J.
Campan, Michigan: N. E. Mack, New
York: J. G. Johnson Kansas; John R.
McLean, Ohio: J. M. Head. Tennes^c-t- :
John E. Osborne, Wyoming.
( ape Haytien, Jan. IT.-Five per?
sans, connected v?th the conspiracy
head ti hy Gen. Monplaisir, to start a
revoir against Gen. Nord, were con?
demned to death by a military tri?
bunal, and were executed today in the
presence of a vast crowd. Several
foreigners who took parr in the con?
spiracy will probably bo deported.