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WEDNESDAY, SEPT. ?4, 1904. The Sitmier Watchman was founded in lS?O a^d the Tr\ie Southron iii 1S6C. The Watchman and Sjuttir&n now has the com? bined circulation r,nd influence of both of the old p&peis, and is'manifestly the best advertising medium in Sumter, The Manning Times says that the publication of Senator Tillman's views favoring immigration has chang 'ed the opinions of many cruce seek? ers. Doubtless so. ?President Roosevelt has been kept ^muzzled at Oyster Bay for so long that he eagerly seized the opportunity afforded by the letter of acceptance to unburden himself. Henry "Watterson says thar, Theo? dore Roosevelt is the whole issue with the Republican party, and from the drift of his remarks it is gathered that the issue 23 a sorry affair in 'his opin? ion-the sorriest in his political expe? dience-of fifty years. The Republicans claim that' their victory in Vermont forshadows a sweeping triumph in November, but a made-to-order triumph in a dyed in e wool .republican State, does not necessarily mean that the . balance of the country will fall over itself, to votel-for Roosevelt GB::. Kuroptakin i?eat all his sol? a's to Muk?enj the r?ports stating that he arrived Monday* He is a bet? ter long distance runner than he is/a ter, and if-he could induce the Japs to agree to settle the war by a foot race, he might defeat Gen. Kuro ki in the'first* heat. The explanation cf the Bishopville Vindicator of the re'fus&l cf Lee unty to pay the amount <iue to Sum county is^one of those explanations 53 not explained. The lawyers engaged in the case do not state the' facts precisely ?s the Vindicator 5s. them out, and therein lies A the difficult, v. Ige Parker hit the .Republicans in wind and water when he drew comparison between Republican ex avagance and corruption in the ad istration of the government and mocratic economy, honesty and ilency, Facts cannot be brushed away aside by a big stick and soft The silence cf President Roosevelt .since the Chicago Con vee tien has been as profound as that" of Judge Parker tr to the Democratic gathering in St. Louis. Judge Parker's discreet? ness is constitutional, while President ;Hooseveit;s silence is-the result of titi! application of a double reinforced mizzle applied by the Republican managers who fear his mouth more thfu.the Philistines eic S deadly weapon. We har? not ascertained in what section of Sumter County Immigra - t?as Commissioner Watson lias located ?th? three Boers who have come to make their .hemes with us, but wher -ever they are they will be made wel? come^ and their future success and prosperity wi il depend upon their ability to adapt themselves to the con? ditions that prevail here. They will have^iD open field anc the be;t wishes o? ?fi their neighbors. There is r.c use in tiy ins 'tc knock the Game Cock Fall Festival-it is sure to bc a success. There may be a half dozen men in town who do net like 2 big crowd and u lively time, 'frat tee balance of.Suknti?r people are heart aird soul for the festival during Thanksgiving week, arc there is no way-to keep thom from makins it a gc. We arc going to have roe most at? tractive affair cf the, kind ever held m South Carolina, and we will have Ile bisgeht crowd ever in Snnittr. The attractions that will be provided will be the kind the pecple want and tv erv thing v. ill be free. There will bs no half way ireasares and ali coiners! will be trusted as horcred cuests. Sumter v. iii be tue Mecca cf South ; Carolina ca Thanksgiving Day. The meat strike in Chicago has end? ed, the "butchers and meat cutters "hav? ing admitted their entire defeat. If anyone bas bien bece?tted by the strike in the remotest degree we fail to find mention bf it in any cf the re? ports sent out from Chicago, hut on the contrary it appears that ail per? sons directly interested have suffered heavy financial loss, while the pub? lic has been held up to the extent of thousands of dollars by the increase in price of meat. The net result of the strikft has been to strengthen the hands of the meat trust aud weaken the power and influence of unionism. Of the real merits of the strike little of a concrete and definite nature has been published, and while there has been much said about the grievances of the striking butchers, the specific grounds of complaint have escaped our notice if they have been made public. It has been admitted that a large pro? portion of the strikers had no griev? ance and quit work through sympathy with the butchers, hoping to so crip? ple the packing houses that they would be forced to concede the demands of butchers. They have paid doubly I for their sympathy, and many a ] and woman who held a job that ] satisfactory wages will now be w out employment and with the wii coming on. The union has deck the strike pff and will give no furl relief to the unemployed and de tute. Their condition vvili cali sympathy, and if the packers do prove magnanimous and reinstate strikers, there will be great desti tjon and suffering among their fon employees before the winter is over President Roosevelt's letter of ceptance of the Republican nomi tion for the Presidency was m; public today. It would fill not 1 than fifteen columns of this pap It is, taken as a whole, a one-sic and partisan presentation of the issi that he conceives to be those that v, influence the people in ?h? preside iai contest. That is aJl. There nothing new, nothing statesmanlii and nothing remarkable about A thousand words don't fill a bush and the many thousand in Preside Roosevelt's letter would rattle arou in a gill measure. Tba Russians claim that a greatv tory was achieved at Port Arth when they blew up seven hundred Ja with a concealed electric mine. Tl is war of the Sherman sort, plus mc ern improvements. Quite a large number of regis?rati< certificates were issued last week the- Supervisors of ^registration, b there are still hundreds of democra who vote in every primary who ha not qualified to vote in the gener election. There is one more opportu ity to register remaining before tl genere! election, and every unregi tered -Democrat should apply for certificate on the first Monday in Oct .ber. Gen. Joe Wheeler attended ti Manassas manoenvers an cf at tl same time came the announcemei tl. at the SoufchCarolina militia was pu suing the tactics of his famous brij ade of buttermilk rangers who wei regarded as the foragers, par ex.ee leuce, cf the late war, and wer feared by non-combatants, whethe frieuthor foe. The time to talk against thc Cami val was at th6 meeting on Tuesda nigbf of last week. When objection were called for ? there was a grea silence in the meeting, and who the vote was taken there was not voice raised in dissent. Why wer the few anti-Carnival men dumb the and so garrulous since? BUSINESS AKNOUKCEMENT. The Daily Item was established Oe tober loth, 2394, without previou consultation with the business mei of this city and not single ouy wai asked to risk a dollar of his mono: in a venture that was an experiment; and a hazardous experiment at best, froma financial* point of view'., W< believed then that Sumter bad a lu ture, that the town possessed certair natural advantg?s that would cause il to develop into a commercial and man? ufacturing center, that the popula tio:i would increase rapidly and thal in a short time we would have a city that could and would support a daily paper. We put cur faith to tbeMest, but the growth of the city lagged longer than we anticipated and we had to admit, with sorrow, time and again in the course cf the past ter. years, that Sumter was not quite ready for a* daily paper when the Item was established .and had failed to support it. For the greater part of the ten \ears the annual income of the Daily Item,alone, has been insufficient to pay the actual running expenses, although for several months each year tho cash receipts exceedei the expenses. How? ever, the lean months exceeded the fat mourns in number, and but fer the staying and supporting power of thc established business of the Watchman and Southron, Sumter would have been without a daily paper years ago, un? less some of cur public spirited-citi? zens had seen fit to go down in their pockets and put up for the difference between the exjjenses and the income of a daily operated as an indepen ? dent enterprise. The Item managed to exist' through the lean years as best j it could, aud whenever the income has exceeded the expenses, which have bee:: kept down to the lowest possible margin, the surplus, and considerable money from outside sources also, have been invested in increasing the equip? ment and improving the paper. Every business man wi ii agree that there is no encouragement tu continue investing money' in a proposition that is not entirely self-supporting, and. for that reason, we have played a wait - ing game and have not sunk all the money we conld rake and scrape together, preferring to hold in reserve some resources to be called upon when the outlook was such as to warrant a larger investment. For the past year or eighteen months the outlook has gradully grown more ?encouraging and we have gradually improved our equipment and at the same time have developed our plans to materially im? prove the paper in every department. The telegraphic news service which we started in January last, and the im? proved service put on five weeks ago are cases in point. We have planned still further improvements,-find, to carry them into effect, have decided to consolidate tbe business of the Daily Item and the Watchman and Southron in a stock company. The preliminary plans have been perfected and the pro .postu company will be organized with? in the next ten da vs or two weeks, or just as soon as tho necessary for? malities can be complied with. Our first intention was to make the company a close corporation, with no stockholders save these heretofore con? nected with the business, but as sev? eral of tiie best patrons and friends the paper has had throughout its te"n years struggle for existence have ex? pressed a desire to secure some of the stock, we have decided to offer a por? tion cf the stock to tho public. We intend to'give the people-of Sumter the best afternoon daily paper that we can get out, and the watchman and Southron will be made the biggest and best weekly paper in the State. The job department will be equipped with all necessary machinery that we do not now possess, and this depart? ment will be under the management of an experienced job printer who knows the business in all its details and whose whole time and attention will be given to this department. In pur? suance of our plans we have purchas? ed, for immediate delivery, the latest model Linotype news and book type? setting machine and a full supply of ad? vertising type and other material. We shall have the best equipped printing establishment in eastern South Caro? lina and one of the best in the Statue. We shall be prepared to handle all classes of commercial work and to ex? ecute all orders, of whatever size, promptly and in the best style kntnvn to the printer's art. That we believe it will pay is guaranteed by the faith we show in the enterprise ourselves by our determination to take the en? tire stock ourselves, if it is . necessary to do so. The affairs of the Fall Festival are just now in an unfortunately nebulous condition. A majority of the finance committee appointed by Chairman S. C. Eaker are of the opinion that tbe business men, while willing to contri? bute, are somewhat lukewarm and are wanting in the enthusiasm necessary to make the undertaking a success. On the ether band Mr. E. I. Rear? don, Secretary cf the committee be? lieves that the money needed can be raised and that the enthusiasm will develop as the festival week draws near. The views cf the committee and of Mr. Reardon rae stated elsewhere today. We are still of the opinion that the festival- would be a magnifi? cent advertisement for Sumter, and that we could hot spend three or four thousand dollars tp better advantage. We believe that the crowd we would bring to the city would increase trade and thar, the mediants would be benet fitted more than the festival would cos tbem. We still believe that the festi? val should be held. It will te a great mistake to neglect this opportunity to advertise the city aud to bring a big crowd of people here for three or four days and provide amusements fer them of such a character that they would retain a -pleasant and favorable - m reinembiance ot* the enterprise. nro gressiveness and hospitality of the Game Cock City. It is, however, up to tbe business men to say what they will do about it. A committee of six or eight men cannot make a festival a success unless the whole community* cooperates with might and main as well as with money. We recollect that the beginning of the Carnival cf 1S9-1 was fraught with discouragements and failure stared the committee of ar? rangement in the face for several weeks. Yet the committee raised the mouey ano when the-plans began to de? velop and the active work began there was ertbnsiasm to spare. Thc Car? nival week was a week of enthusiasm and the result was to the lasting bene? fit, of Sumt?r, for the town has grown and prospered ever since. We are still convinced thar we should have the festival and if the people will give the-money, it can be made such a suc? cess that even the most lukewarm will be glad, when it is over, that it was held. STATUS OF FALL FESTIVAL AFFAIRS. The Finance Committee Has Decided That Owing io a Lack of Enthusiasm It Will Be Difficult to Make it a Success. In pursurance of the plan agreed upon by the central fall festival com? mittee a preliminary canvass cf the business houses for subscriptions lo the festival fund was undertaken yes? terday afternoon. A few of the lead? ing firms were called upon and while a majority of thos?- interviewed agreed to subscribe liberally-more liberal!y, in fact, than the committee had an? ticipated in their previous estimate -.-till tl ie committee received the impression that the business men, while consenting to contribute at rhe urgent solicitation of the committee, are not wholiy and enthusiastically in laver of having the festival, and would contribute only because they feel it to be a duty they owe the city. Sonn of the merchants interviewed promised to contribute, but would not say. oil-hand, iiow much. Others, who subscribed, frankly stated their indifference to the festival proposi? tion. The-majority of the canvassing com? mittee arrived at the conclusion that it would probablv lie possible, by hard work, raise the necessary funds, ! but as more than the mere money is needed to make an undertaking cf this characterla sucevsss, it would be wise to abandon the festiva! plan. Thc members of th?- committee did not j conceive it to be their duty to resolve j the committee into a p( ripateticdebat ; ins society J?kth.e : urpos < f discuss mk ing the pasi, present and futui Sumter with every man they a: for a subscription, nor did they sire to assume the entire respons: itv for the success of the festival, less assured cf tte hearty co-opera of the business men who .should be ones to evince' the j^reatesr inte: inasmuch as they would be the i to receive whatever of direct immediate benefit there should be rived from attracting a large crow the city for three or four days. The finance committee therefore cided not to continue the canvass funds and to drop the festival position without further efforts keep it going, in the face of a rai luke-warm public sentiment. If, however, the committee can shown that the people of Sumter, business men, especially, wish to a the festival through to a succ?s issue and make it a bigger affair t that of 1894. they will arrrange have -one or more members comp the canvass aud obtain the sentirr of the people at large. > MR. REARDONS OPINION. The Secretary of the Committee Difl x With His Associates. Editor Item : As one of the nority of the central carnival comn tee, selected by a mass meeting four hundred citizens, with insti tions to report back to the citizens a second mass meeting, I desire to myself right with the people, and alsc give, as secretary of the carnival cc mittee, the exact status of the p gress ot' the financial part of the aff? which so suddenly terminated on count of a "lack of enthusiasm,"< the ,part> of about six or seven br ness men; but which in reality was my opinion an error on the part o minority of the committee. Not individual refused a cash subscr tion. Three business firms gave SiOO ea< 8300. One business firm gave $75. One business firm gave $30. One gave 825. and conscientious, really did not hi time to look after the business cf ra ing money. I am quite certain tl the 83,500 can be raised. The miuGr cf the committee after coming out o place where a^ firm subscribed pl\ suddenly concluded that there was r enough enthusiasm among the bu ness men : but the business firms a ethers called on subscribed ban somely. This minority of the comm tee. without consulting the rest of t committee., decided, without anthe ity, in ray opinion, to cali off the cr nival. This central committee w to report to a second mass meeting citizens next Tuesday night. I do n think-the cash subscriptions indicat lack of enthusiasm, but on the co trary I am certain that if canvass!; 'was continued the S3.500 and mo could Le raised. Nearly every groce store, dry goods house, and all o? t other business men, professional mc and hundreds of citizens at large : mai ned to be called on for subscri tions. To be candid, while the ce tra! committee did fine work while lasted, 'I think some of them get di couraged, and some of them thong! it would require too much of the time Iso raise the money. But as ti committee has dissolved itself, ti carnival is without a head. So tm unless the chairman will call a mee ins of his committee and see who willing to go on or appoint some othi members of the committee, the ca nival will fall right now-but not f< lack of funds, in my opinion. Tl committee assessed enough people i raise almost the amount among tl business firms, and some profession; firms, and they realized more tba the assessments among those called oi If any three citizens will continue tl soliciting the amount can be raisec beyond doubt. I think the mass mee' ing called for next Tuesday nigl should be held, and a recrejanizatio effected, unless some of the preser committee decide to continue the wort I do not mean to/question the good ir tentions of those of the committee wh threw up their hands so quickly, brj ? honestly differ with them. I dom like to'see the carnival knocked in th All but one of the above agreed t give $25 more, and one $50 more, i needed. The following voluntarily gav without being visited, the amounts a set down : One citizen, $25. Two small merchants, gave $10 each $20. One physician gave $10. One industrial enterprise. $25. One firm called on guaranteed ?lOO if needed. :.. On firm agreed to subscribe, bu was uncertain about- $50 or $75. Three firms called on were good fo at leasts $50, but wanted to consul their uartners as to amount. One firm called on guaranteed $40 and possibly $50. Three members of the committee, one leading attorney, one bnsines man and one sale-stable man were goof for, .beyond doubt, altogether $75, anc possibly WOO. So that out oF twenty citizens callee on or voluntarily subscribing we raised, or were asured of at least 8S65) anc possibly more if needed. Outside ol the above not a hotel', industrial en? terprise, attorney, physician, clerk, bookkeeper, boarding houses, rail? road, mechanic ur laborer was cali? ea on by the committee. The minor? ity of the committee were not out can? vassing over om- and a half hours. While several business firms did not think tiie carnival week would in? crease their individual trade that week, still they subscribed-three ot ; them $l(io each, one $75 and one or twe ? thinking the same gave $5, fach. I While I admit that s<mio of the busi i ness linns wer?- not as enthusiastic as j they ought to be, on account of doubt ! of increased trade, still they pu: down ? their subscriptions for more than the committee assessed them. Thecommit j tee worked bard for the short time it j was our. and met with fine financial I success, but as a matter of fact some j of the committee were greatly incoii I veuienced by bein? on the finance ?committee: some did not attend the j mc-tings, and. in fact, the personnel ; of the committee, while influential bead because of a mistaken idea. We have given ir cul to the world that ? Sumter is going to have the biggest i fall festival ever held in the Stute, : and 1 do no think it was necessary to j call it off because a few business men ; did not think their trade would be in? creased during carnival week. Vi. I. Reardon. ? Is full of promise for Sumter merchants, The I indications ara that . - Our Farming Friends upon whom we are so largely dependent, will make a good ?crop of cotton, arid if anything like the present prices are I maintained, they can look forward to A Happy Christmas. Already they have harvested good grain crops, and we can? not conceive of any greater happiness than to feel that they are not dependent upon the west for their bread, and the sur? plus from their cotton crop can be used in improving their homes, which mean3 Happiness to Their Families. it is useless to say that we have made ususual preparations for the season's business, and with a continuance of the pa? tronage heretofore so liberally bestowed upon* us, which we so? licit most earnestly, there will be no disappointment on"'our part. Enlarge and Improve Has always been our policy, and a glance through our stores and warehouses is a convincing proof that they are stocked as neVer before, and probably as no other mercantile house has ever been stocked in Sumter. We are frequently asked, why do you buy such a large stock,, and our reply is that in buying quantities ' We Save Money for Our Patrons And another reason is we have the friends t.o buy them. There is no town in the State in which there is a better class of merchants or more active competition than in Sumter, and wiri Ie, this house is credited with doing The Largest Business It is only by the strictest- care in buying, and the closest mar? gin cf profit-in selling, that we can maintain our supremacy. It matters not what baits or inducements our competitors may oiler we will take -are of our friends, let the cost be what it may. . t The present state of the weather does not justify us in en? tering into a detailed description' of our Winter fabrics, but this will be taken up later. ' LL & COMPANY. The WelsH Neck High School Has just closed a prosperous session, enroll? ing 194 bearding students. Its catalogues are now ready for distribution. Send us your address and we will take pleasure in mailing one to you You will enjo\' look? ing over it. . ! J. W. GAINES, Prin., Hurtsville, S. C. Jone 1".-;in> Je De Craig Furniture Co. Funerai Directors =-^=AND-^-= Licensed Embalmers, No. 202 North Main Street. With a full and complete stock of supplies, larger than ever before, we are better prepar? ed to render prompt and satisfactory service. Calls attended promptly Day Phone, 14 - Xte&t Phone, 201. M.-iv:.'.') Sra REAL ESTATE. If you are in the market tor a home or a good investment, it will pay you to see us before buying. If you have any property that you don't want let us sell it tor you ; and we'd like to insure your house or gin for you. WHITE & MCCALLUM, Real Estate and Insurance Agents, PHONE KO. 143. SUMTER, S. C. OFFICE NO. 18 S. MAIN ST. Meli ? -ly