The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, September 13, 1905, Image 4
i|e (LWd?cu?uin at? u?tuou
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13,1905.
The Sumter Watchman was founded in
1850 and the True Southron in 1866. The
Watchman and Soutiiron now has the com?
bined circulation and influence of both of
the old papers, and is manifestly the best
advertising medium in Sumter.
The outlook is for the best busi?
ness this fall that Sumter has had
in many years.
. . * .
The sewerage question is not dead
and the men who want to be mayor
Hex?, year will hate to be well posted
on the subject and not afraid to de?
belare their views.
ft * *
. It seems to an outsider that the
whiskey houses could have devised
a more convenient voucher for the
?se of dispensers than empty packing
cases. They were the rnqst cumber?
some drafts on record, but so long
as they brought the money promptly
the dispensers were satisfied.
. . .
If all the testimony taken is printed
.tn the report of the investigating
committee to the legislature it will
make a bulky volume and the law?
makers will have to work over time
to read it ?lL
. * ?
And after all graft found a lodge?
ment in the Sumter dispensary. We
were led to believe that the investi?
gating committee had been unable to
discover anything radically wrong in
the management of the local dispen?
sary; and we actually had faith and
nerve to congratulate Sumter that it
possessed a well managed and graft
proo* rum shop. But it is evident that
Dispenser Windham was tarred with
the same stick as the other dispensers
and utilized his opportunities to aug?
ment his salary by trafficking in emp?
ty whiskey cases and beer bottles. We
stake back all that we said a few days
ago and admit that Sumter dispen?
sary affairs are neither better nor
worse than in other counties. The
dispensary under the existing man?
agement seems to be first and last a
system of. graft on the side for the
men who run it. The profit on the
side seems to extend from the high?
est to the lowest, and when the local
dispensers have received a rake off
amounting to a few hundred dollars
a year, the big men have had their
thousands. It is a system of pickings
from t op to bottom and there is yet
to be found the man who has not re?
ceived his share. This being the case,
about the only way to purge the sys?
tem of graft is to make a clean sweep
of all who are now responsible for tho
.management of the State or local dis?
pensaries and change the entire sys?
tem of purchasing liquors. The foun?
dation of the present system of graft
Hes in the purchase and the sale of
special brands of liquors in the dis?
pensaries, and until the sale of case
goods in discontinued the whiskey
houses will continue to devise schemes
to make it profitable to the dispens?
ers to push their special brands. The
discontinuance of the sale of special
brandsN. would cut off the most profit?
able graft of the local dispensers, but
the purification of the State dispen?
sary, where the rake off on purchases
amount to thousands, if report be
true, is a far more difficult matter.
The Christensen-Lyons sub-commit?
tee, on county dispensaries have per?
formed the duty assigned them fear?
lessly, thoroughly and justly . They
were directed to obtain the facts ano.
facts they have succeeded in obtain?
ing are so complete and convincing
that no one can doubt the existence of
mismanagement in each and every
county dispensary in the State. The
cose is compl?te and if the legislature
does not take steps to remedy the
conditions that have been growing
steadily worse for several years, it
will oe because the law-makers wil?
fully and knowingly disregard a plain
duty. Messrs Christensen and Lyon
have performed a disagreeable duty
with ability and painstaking care and
they merit the thanks of the people
?of the State. If the exposure of the
State dispensai y shall be as thorough
the investigating committee will have
performed a monumental work.
The announcement of Schwartz
Bros. that they will hereafter close
their store at 6 o'clock p. m., everj
day in the year, Saturdays excepted,
is the most welcome news the mer?
cantile employes of this city have re?
ceived since the summer early clos?
ing agreement was inaugurated about
eighteen years ago. The proposition
that all stores close at 6 p. m.. Sat?
urdays excepted, from May 1st to .Sep?
tember 1st was revolutionary and at
first no one would take time to con?
sider it seriously yet it appealed to
public sentiment and common sense
alike and the custom was ?oon adopt?
ed and for nearly two decades the
stores of Sumter have closed at 6 p. m.
during the summer months to the sat"
isi'action and benefit of all concern?
ed. Sumter was the pioneer in the
summer early closing movement in
South Carolina towns, but gradually
Other towns have fallen into line and
now in quite a number of towns the
stores close at 6 p. m. during the
summer. The movement inaugurated
by Schwartz Bros. is fully as revolu?
tionary as the summer closing was
once considered, but it is just as rea?
sonable and appeals to the common
sense of those who will consider it
a business proposition. We trust and
believe that other progressive mer?
chants will promptly fall into line and
make the 6 o'clock closing unanimous.
A clerk does a full day's work between
7 or 8 o'clock a. m. and 6 p. m., and
there is no good reason why the stores
should remain open until all hours of
the night, keeping the employes on
duty for twelve or fourteen hours.
? k ?
There is just so much business u
be transacted and it can be done be?
tween 7 and 8 p. m. and 6 p. m. as
well as between 6 a. mm. and 10 p. m.
. . .
The Schwartz plan is a good plan
and we heartily endorse it.
. . .
The State dispensary officials must
have burned all the letters that would
show of evidence of graft, for no such
letters have been produced. The Co?
lumbia gang, are evidently smarter as
well as bigger, graters, than the little
box and bottle traffickers.
. . ?
If the farmers expect to make the
demand of the Cotton Growers's As?
sociation that the buyers pay a mini?
mum of ll cents for cotton effective
they must hold at least 75 per cent of
their crop until December 1st and 50
per cent, until January 1st. By that
time the world will be hungry for cot?
ton and willing to pay the price the
producers fix. Th?s is where the cot?
ton warehouses come in.
I na?
Nearly all the testimony touching
on corruption in the management of
the State dispensary relates to Wil?
liams, Miles, Douthet and other men
who have been out several years and
are now without power or influence
in the graft machine. Where are tho
witnesses to tell what Evans, Boykin
and Towill have been doing in the
past year or two. Ancient history is
an interesting and instructive study,
but a history of our own times is th?
literature the people appreciate most.
A two volume history of the reign oi
Hub Evans would be the most popu?
lar story of the year.
. . .
It was to be regretted that Mayor
Rhett, of Charleston, found it incon?
venient to attend the session of the
investigating committee in this city.
He may have been able to throw some
light on the situation in the blind
tiger metropolis, whereby we could
form an opinion of the conditions that
would result if the effort is made to
substitute prohibition for the dispen?
sary throughout the State.
. .".
The Cotton Growers' Association
acted wisely in not fixing the mint
mum price of cotton at an excessiva
figure. Eleven cents, under present
conditions is a fair price and the spin?
ners can afford to pay it and still
make money with cotton goods at.
present prices. If the mill men and
cotton growers will get together and
cut out the Theodore Prices and sim?
ilar cotton future gamblers they can
regulate the price of cotton to their
mutual advantage.
? . .
The young men are giving liberally
toward the Presbyterian College fund.
The men of moderate, means in Sum?
ter can always be counted on to show
public spirit. The will deny them?
selves to contribute to any movement
that promises to benefit the town. It
is this spirit that has made Sumter
and will continue to keep it in the
forefront of South Carolina towns.
. * .
There is now substantial ground for
hope that the movement to secure the
location of the Presbyterian college
in this city will be crowned with suc?
cess. The people of Sumter are begin?
ning to put their heart into the wor*.
and if they became fully aroused and
determined to secure the college the
college will come to Sumter. Men of
all faiths, callings and professions
have united in the effort to bring the
college to Sumter and this unanimity
of thought and purpose should ac?
complish the task of. raising the few
thousand dollars that are needed to
complete the fund required. It is
not questioned that it would be to the
best interests of both Sumter and the
college for it to be located here, and
if every citizen of the town will do his
part success is assured. The benefits
to be derived from the college havv. !
i
been fully presented heretofore, and j
it is needless to reiterate them here, j
In our opinion the property owners 1
and business men of Sumter could
make no better investment than to
subscribe to the college fund. Leaving
all other considerations aside the col?
lege will pay as a financial investment
and it will be a perpetual advertise?
ment of the very best sort 'for the city.
The college will grow in size and in?
fluence each year and before many
have passed it will rank with the lead?
ing educational institutions of the
South for the Presbyterians of South
Carolina have determined to make it
the peer of any. Sumter can and
must raise the few thousands more
that are needed.
It would pay yc-u to see W. H. Gra?
ham's horses. They are good. 9 13-4t
HESTER'S COTTON REPORT.
The Yield for 1904-5 Given as 13..565,
885 Bales, an Increase of 3,551,
511 Over That of 1903-1.
New Orleans, La., September 8.
Secretary Hester's report was issued
in full today. He puts the cotton crop
for 1904-5 at 13,565,SS5 bales, an in?
crease of 3,554,511 over that of
1903-4.
He says that compared with last
year, in round figures, Texas, includ?
ing Indian Territory, has increased
708,000 bales. The group known as
other Gulf States, consisting of Louis?
iana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennes?
see, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah ana
Kansas has increased 1,106,000 and
the group of Atlantic States, Alabama?
Georgia, Florida, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Kentucky and Virgin?
ia, has gained 1,741,000.
He puts the average commercial
value of this crop at $46.31 per bale,
against $61.68 last year and the total
value of the crop at $628,195,359,
against $617,501,548 last year and
$480,770,282 the year before.
Referring to values he gives de?
tails of prices, showing that taking
the cotton belt as a whole, the high?
est figure for middlng was ll 3-16
cents per pound at the opening of the
season in September and the lowest
6 1-2 cents on the 29th of December,
but says that the crop as a whole av?
eraged strict middling, and that the
average value per pound was S 98-100
cents compared with. 12 15-100 last
year.
In reference to weight he puts the
average per bale at 51? 5S-10?
pounds, showing a gain over last year
of 7 89-100. This crop, he says, is the
heaviest in weight per bale of any re?
corded, the best previous weight hav?
ing been 513.96 in 1S98-99, the year
of the largest previously reported
crop.
Mr. Hester remarks that while each
and every crop has had its distinctive
features, the story of none is fraught
with circumstances more peculiar and
interesting than the one just market?
ed. It is not to be wondered that when
in last December the agricultural de?
partment put forth an estimate point?
ing to more than twelve and a quar?
ter million bales, a feeling akin t&
panic was felt in every section of the
cotton growing States.
Mr. Hester recites the manner in
which this monster crop has been
handled; but it has practically all
been marketed, avoiding a crash
which seemed at first inevitable and
will remain a lasting monument to the
conservatism and ocoperative power
of the Southern people. In this great
economic struggle all elements joined
in the victory.
Mr. Hester makes the actual
growth for the season 13,800,000, and
says that the recent report of the
census bureau of cotton ginned does
not cover the entire growth; that all
of the year's growth has not been gin?
ned, full returns therefore have not
been made. Mr. Hester pays a high
tribute to the census bureau methods,
saying that it affords a mass of inval?
uable information to the cotton world
superior to any that has ever been
put forth, and that he is quite certain
from his own private investigation
and consultation with Director North
that in another season the bureau will
be able to give almost an exact show?
ing of the actual growth.
He puts the spindles in the south at
9,205,949 against 8,615,369 last year.
The net gain in the humber of South?
ern mills over last year has been 15,
making the total now 777. Of these
709 have been in operation during the
year, 38 are idle and 30 are in course
of erection, 15 old and out of date
concerns which ceased business, hav?
ing been crossed off the list.
In reference to the general cotton
manufacturing industry in the United
States, Mr. Hester says that Ameri?
can mills, north and south, have had
the most active season" on record, but
while the totals show an excess in the
number of bales of American cotton
consumed by domestic factories of
495,000 over last season, bringing the
aggregate to an amount never before
reached, it is at least 350,000 bales
less than it would have been with fa?
vorable labor conditions. In the
south the growth of spindles contin?
ues on a large scale, those in active
mills having increased' S23.193 and
there are new mills in course Of con?
struction and additions being made to
old conditions embracing 520,000
spindles.
Mr. Hester makes the consumption
of American cotton by northern mills ?
(In round fi;tares) 2.200,000 bales, j
which together with 2,164,000 bales j
by .Southern mills make un aggregate j
for the United States of 4.364,000,
against 1,950,000 for the north last
year and 1.919,000 for the south, a to?
tal of 3.S69.000, showing an increase
for this year of 495,000.
Mr. Hester puts the world's con?
sumption of American cotton at 11,
SS3.000 bales against 10,193,000 last
year and 10,876.000 the year before
an increase over last year of 1,690,000
and over the year before of 1.007.000.
He makes the total visible supply ot
American cotton in the world at the
close of August 2.750..000 bales
against 1,031,000 last year, an increase
of 1,726,000 over last year.
A BRUTAL MURDER.
Blease Shot Coleman in tile Back as
He Ran for His Life.
Columbia, September 9.-There is
no railroad or 'phone connection with
Saluda and details of the Coleman
Blese killing are unobtainable. A
long distance message from Johnston
says the inquest is in progress and
feeling runs high.
The fatal difficult}- began with a
quarrel between the senator and his
brither-in-law in Trayham's store.
Blease reached for his revolver, but
by-standers held him and told Cole?
man to run. Coleman ran, but as he
was fleeing Blease disengaged himself !
by a powerful effort and shot Cole?
man four times as the latter ran.
The Blease side has engaged practi?
cally the entire bar of Saluda, while
the Coleman's are contracting with
members of the Newberry bar.
Columbia, September 9.-Ex-Con?
stable J. B. Coleman, who was shot
at Saluda yesterday by his brother
in-law, Senator Eugene Blease, died
today.
AN ATROCIOUS CRIME.
Highly Respected Young Woman
Criminally Assaulted Near
Johnston.
Johnston, Sept. 7.-Jim Padgett, a
mulatto, was arrested this morning
by Chief cf Police Derrick as tbe
former was attempting te leave the
city on the early train. Padgett is
charged with an assault on a yoong
white girl who lives Dear here The
assault occurred on last Monday and
Padgett has been in biding siDoe.
After the arrest he was immediately
carried to Edgefielcl and it is reported
will be carried to Columbia tonight.
The crime is a very atrocious one.
The young girl belougs tb a highly
respected family. Expressions of
lynching are freely indulged iu, and
and Padgett woold suffer violence if
opportunity offered. It is said he
mar1? a similar attempt on another
vic i ii a few years ago.
A bracing tonic. Cures all stomach
troubles. Makep red blood, bone and
muscle. A wonderful remedy for
making sick people well. Hollister's
Rocky Mountain Tea. 35 cents, Tea
or Tablets. China's Drug Store.
Master's Sale.
By virtue of a Decree of the Court
of Common Pleas for Sumter County,
in the State of South Carolina, in the
case of George G. Mayes against Lau?
ra McLeod, Harvey McLeod and Mar?
garet Montgomery, I will sell to the
highest bidder, at public auction, at
the Court House m the city of Sum?
ter, in the county of Sumter, in the
State of South Cs-rolina, on saleday
in October, 1905, being the second
day of said month, during the usual
hours of sale, the following describ?
ed real estate,, to wit:
All that lot or parcel of land situ?
ate in the town of Mayesville, in the
county and State aforesaid, fronting
on Sumter street in said town, meas?
uring in front on said street sixty-six
and two-thirds feet, and running back
southeasterly the same width for two
hundred and nine feet, and is bound?
ed on the northwest by Sumter street,
on the northeast and southeast by
lands of J. E. Atkins, and on the
southwest by lands of Geo. P. Ran?
dolph; the said lot measuring about
one acre, a little more or less.
Terms of sale, cash. Purchaser to
pay for all necessary, papers.
H. FRANK WILSON,
Master for Sumter County.
Sept 6-4t
Master's Sale.
By virtue of a Decree of the Court
of Common Pleas for Sumter Coun?
ty, in the State of South Carolina, in
the case of Catherine M. Werber
against W. O. Cain, in his own right
and as guardian, Marion Moise,
William M. Cain, S. R. Cain, Carrie
E. George, Helen E. Ramsey, Thomas
J. Jackson, B. J. Jackson and J. B.
Harvin, I will selJ,4:o the highest bid?
der, at public auction, at the Court
House in the city of Sumter, in the
county of Sumter, in the State of
South Carolina, on saleday in Octo?
ber, 19?5, being the second day of
said month, during the usual hom s
of sale, the following described real
estate, to wit:
All that tract of iaiid situate in the
County of Sumter, State aforesaid,
containing one hundred and thirty
three acres, bounded on north by
lanes of H. D. Cam ?outh by lands
of John J. Rowland and Isaac Bal?
lard, east by estate of II. B. Cain,
known as the Mill tract, and west by
land of A. J. China.
Second: Ail that tract of land sit?
uate in said county and State, con?
taining one hundred and seventy-five
acres, bounded north by lands of J.
S. Richardson, south by land of J.
R. Cain, east by land of F. M. Mel
!ett and by the estate of R. M. Cain,
and west by land of J. T. Jackson.
Terms of salt. cash. Purchaser to
pay for all necessary papers.
H. FRANK WILSON,
Master for Sumter County.
Sept6-4t ' .
The Season for harvesting the Fleecy Staple is now at hand,
and our warehouses are full to overflowing with the necessaries
for that purpose. V\ e have actually in stock or due to arrive
in a few days
500 Boxes Tobacco.
200 Boxes Starch.
200 Boxes Crackers.
200 Boxes Soap.
200 Bags Rice.
100 Cases Baking Powder.
100 Cases Canned Meats.
300 Cases Tomatoes.
100 Boxes Candy.
200 Boxes Cheese.
300 Bags Grits.
300 Bags Meal.
100 Barrels Sugar.
5Q Bags Coffee,
50 Cases Lye..
50 Cases Soda.
25000 lbs Bacon.
5000 lbs? Lard
500 Barrels Flour.
These and many other items too numerous to mention are what
is needed for the commissarv, and there is no house in this
rn/ ?
section of the State can sell them any cheaper than we can, as
we buy direct from packers, manufacturers and importers, in
such quantities, as to insure us the closest price at which they
can be obtained.
FLOUR CHEAPER.
There has been a sharp decline in the flour market since our
last announcement which of course we follow, and judgiDg from
the enormous wheat crop, we may expect to eat much cheaper
bread than we did last year.
?
O'Donnell & Company
A NEW ENTERPRISE.
Sumter Machinery Company
(INCORPORATED)
SUMTER, 5. C.
W. B. BURNS, Pres.
T. H. SIDDALL,
Treas. & Gen. Mgr.
DIRECTORS:
W. B. Burns, C. G. Rowland, T. H. Sidda'l, Charles Dewry,
Richard I Manning, Neill O'Donnell, Geo. D. Shore.
First Class New Equipment for all
Kinds Machinery Repairs. Iron and
Brass Castings, Grate Bars and
Building Irons a Specialty.
Agents for Winship, Pratt, Smith, Munger and
Eagle Cotton Gins, Ginning Machinery and
Presses. Steam Engines and Boilers in Stock.
TGive us a call and vou will be convinced that our prices are
right. Shops situated on W. C. & A. R. R, east of passenger
depot-one block South of East Liberty Street.
R, B. BELSER.
BEL
R. D. EPPS.|The
Carolina
Sanitarium
L. G. Corbett, M. D.
Attorneys and Counsellors at Law.
Phone 309. SUMTER. S. C. Harby Bldg.
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A Bnay Medioine for Buay People.
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A specific for Constipation. Indigestion. Live
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and Backache. It's Rocky Mountain Tea in tab
let form. 35 cents a box. Genuine made by
HOLLISTER DRVO COMPANY, Madison, Wis.
GOLDEN NUGGETS FOR SALLOW PEOPLE
Solely for the Treatment of
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and Nervous Troubles
Detailed information upon application.
405 Perry Ave. Greenville, S. C.
Wanted-To print 100,000 envelopes
for business men. We buy direct from
tho manufacturers and are equipped
with modern machinery and new type
to turn cut the oest work. Quality and
prices. Osteen Publishing Company.