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COTTON TRUST SUGGESTED. 0 Alleged Advantages of a Combination of Cotton Mills, With the View of Eliminating the Cotton Speculators. It was an almost pathetic feature of the Washington conference of cotton growers and spinners that so little could be done toward eliminating the "speculator in cotton futures. On many of the other objects for which W the conference was called, r. : prog? ress seems to have been made. As one definite result a virtual gentle? man's agreement exists between grow? er and spinner to work for better bald? ing and the matter of government crop ^ reports was so thoroughly -discussed ms that definite effects are bound to fol Bp low the discussion. But when it r came to speculation, the delegates virtually acknowledged their power? lessness, for their positive work in? cluded little more than a strong res . elution of condemnation. From that, of course, the only tan gible effect is that it places grower ^? and manufacturer both squarely on record as believing that speculation is disastrous t?feoth parties and/is, there? fore, a common evil against which every individual is pledged to work. ^. Some of us have hardly expected, in i?L^iew of the general interest in specu |B lation there is among planters and Hr business men alike, that so broad a condemnation would arouse so little discussion as to the right of the indi? vidual to hedge his future dealings. There was one speaker at the con ference, however, who actually hinted m at what may be the final solution of vf the whole cotton' supply problem-a cotton trust. It has for many years . been a boast at the meetings" of the various cotton manufacturers that th. rs is the- only great American V industry not as yet in any portion, con T trolled by a trust. President MacColl, for one, gave voice to this*only the other day It is true that there are several chains of mills managed from one headquarters, like those of Robert Knight, or the fe* Goddards or the big commission l^??fcpusesy'and that there are corpora? tions which have a mill at the North. The recent consolidation at Manches? ter, N. H., which brought under one corporate control mills worth over half a million spindles with some 12, 000 employees, created an organiza - 1 as powerful as the trust which f r ny lines of business now have. But for an out and out combine, one which has an authoritive voice or large power in the whole indstry, the cotton business has none, and the on? ly serious attempt ever made to form rone, that at Fall River in 1899, ended without success. , There is room for honest doubt, just the same, whether'the result of this absolute independence has been all that is claimed for it. I Perhaps it has resulted in cheap WL er cotton for the final consumer than m would have come from a combined industry. That is always claimed for . unrestrained competition and is its one conspicuous merit. But not even the beneficiaries of competition will in? sist that its effects ought *o include a failure on the part of the mills to Fearn dividends or even to result in meagre earnings. Yet that is ex? actly what the agent of the Cocheco Mills, Charles H. Fish, than whom few stand higher in the cotton in? dustry, told the cotton planters at this same conference was happening: ^ "We know very well that in our cot? ton mills in the North comparatively few of them are making a legitimate profit. Many of them are paying dividends which came partially, if not entirely, from a surplus which have come to them perhaps from a rise in values or good business of many years ago." Obviously the cause of this condi? tion, or at least a partial cause, is the competition between the mills. The elimination of this by combina? tion would go far toward making the industry properly profitable. Nevertheless, one may well suspect that another cause, the speculative character which the whole industry has acquired as a result of the work of the operator in cotton futures, is fully as responsible as any-other fac? tor for the state of the industry. To quote Mr. Fish again: "I think what the manufacturers, both South and North, need more than anything else is a stable erice for cotton." That such stability is possible until there exists in the in? dustry a dominant influence, which can regulate prices of cotton and of goods and* most essential of all, can regulato the production and distribu? tion of cotton from year to year, is doubtful. Certainly when a ccmbina> tion comes in the cotton industry, and it is a fair guess, reasoning from the experience of most other indus? tries that its ultimate coming is cer? tain, its managers will never be wil? ling to be at the absolute mercy of the New York cotton ring. Just how an equality in cotton crops will bc brought fbout is not absolutely clear. Whatever are the sins of the Standard Oil Company, and they are many enough, its ex? perience can furnish much l-~ht on this problem, for it has only suc? ceeded in regulating th3 supply of oil going on the various markets, spreading by a mammoth system of j storage the surplus of fat years smoothly over those which are lean in production, but it seems elso to have succeeded in alternately en? couraging or. discouraging produc? tion itself by making prices for crude j oil attractive or the reverse, thus in a measure accomodating the amount of oil offered to the world to the amount the world needs. In many ways cotton is susceptible to just the same methods for equalizing, supply. A long step ' in the right direction will probably have been taken when the South is more plentifully sup? plied with ware houses, that the market may never need be forced. Perhaps the industry is not ready for any more combination that that yet. Eut if a- regular trust were to come, there are many intelligent people who believe that its effect on the indus? try, by the limitation of speculation and the calming of markets, would be altogether beneficial.-American Wool and Cotton Reporter. Palled on. the Public. It is somewhat notable and remark? able that the session of the dispensary investigating committee which closed Thursday attracted less public notice and attention than any of the pre? ceding sessions, although the testi? mony adduced would seem to be of a far more sensational character. There was talk of beaver hats full of $1,000 bills and whiskey drummers and members of the board of dispensary directors going about with rolls of greenbacks as big as loaves of bread. There was the most, direct and significant evidence of open brib? ery and corruption, so bold that those engaged in it bragged about it to mere strangers. Tell-tale letters were produced which can only signi? fy that official administrtion was di? rectly contrelled by the payment of cash cnsiderations and that the trans? actions v. ;n a large scale. ~ Tet t t\. is less public interest in all this -ian there was a year ago in testimony that sub-dispesers had writ? ten letters to liquor dealers asking ?or free samples and that they had sold empty cases worth-a nickel for 25 cents apiece, much less interest in the payment of bribe" amounting to $8^000 to $15,000 t members of the state board than there were was to a beer dispenser paying $200 for his, election by a county board. The Charleston News and Courier and the Columbia State are calling for a leader to'lead the people away from the dispensary. "Where in the name of God!" shouts the Charleston paper, is a leader? Bul; no leader appears. There is no anti-dispensary candidate fou governor, other than a prohibition candidate who is not taken seriously. Three of the five an? nounced cadidates for governor stand for the continuance of the State dis? pensary. The voting out of dispensa? ries under the Brice law ceased sev? eral months ago and the movement seems to be slow about reviving. The impression is spreading that the dis? pensary instead of growing weaker is growing stronger. Whv is this so? Some say that the public conscience has become dulled, that corruption is so common and so widespread that nobody cares much abo at it any more. Why doesn't a "leader" arise to ride into power and reform things on the wave of indigna? tion which such revelations ought to be expected to arouse? The questions are unanswered and no leader arises to take advantage of this particular issue. None of the, candidates for State office who conducts his canvass on the basis of, practical politics dares to fight the dispensary. The people are tired of revelations. They are tired of hearing about brib? ery and corruption. They are surfeit? ed witn stories of grafters. The thing is too common to be interesting. They want something new. So the investi? gating committee being powerless to hold public attention longer is going to adjourn and quit. The people know and have known for years that the dispensary is rotten and corrupt and they know it will continue so, if run as at present, because the temp? tation is too great tu be resisted by the men who are willing to accept of? fice in it. Yet the people seem to be well enough content with the dispensary. The storm of frenzy of last summer has blown over. The committee pull? ed off its first revelations a year too soon and the newspapers and the pub? lic expended too much energy in de? nouncing the petty grafting of the sub-dispensers and beer dispensers to have much interest left in the hatfuls of greebacks and the rolls of $1,000 bills.-Spartanburg Journal. Following the Flag. ?When our soldiers went to Cuba and to the Philippines, health was the most important consideration. Willis T. Morgan, retired commissary ser? geant U. S. A., of Rural Route 1, Con? cord, N. H., says: "I was two years in Cuba and two years In the Philippines, and being subject to colds, I took Dr. King's New Discovery for consump? tion, which kept me in perfect health. And now, in New Hampshire, we find it the best medicine In the world for coughs, colds, bronchial troubles and all lung diseases. Guaranteed at Si- j ?bert's Drug Store. Price 50c. and $1. Trial bottle free. THE CONTRACT LET. ' Tile County Court Hm; se to Be Built by Mr. Moise DeLeon, cf Atlanta, For $69,900.00-One ci the Most ! Elegant Court Houses in the South -A Brief Description. _ j From the Daily Item, June 21. The contract for the construction of Sumter's magnificent Court House, which was designed by Messrs. Ed? wards and Waiter, architects, cf Co? lumbia, has been let for $69,900.00. The County Board of Commission? ers met on the 19th and received seven bids from various parts of the country. The bidders were: George Ittner, of Atlanta; Moise DeLeon, cf Atlanta; H. C. Morrison, Contracting fe Supply Co., of Atlanta; The Central Carolina Construction Company, of Greensboro, N. C.; The King Lumber Co., of Charlottesville, Va.; Geo. W. Waring, of Columbia, M. T. Lewman fe Co., of Louisville, Ky. When the bids were first received and examined by the Board, k was' found that the amounts were in excess of the money ir hand for Court House purposes. The bidders were then required to re ?guie, reducing their bids by elimina? tion of certain items and substitution of others. These ideas were sug? gested by tht architect, Mr. Edwards, and 'upon "the receipt of the revised figures on the 20th instant, the same having been brought within ... the amount that the commissioners felt justified in expending for the Court House the contract was awarded to Mr. Moise DeLeon, of Atlanta, he be? ing the lowest and a thoroughly responsible bidder, at <he sum cf $69, 900.00. y Mr. DeLeon is a contractor ' of great ability, and has been a success? ful bidder for some of the largest contracts ever let in the South. Our High School building was constructed by him, and he built the Court House at Darlington, which work . was emi? nently satisfactory to the' architects and the people of Darlington, The classic style of architecture will be followed in the construction of (Jur Court House: it will be a massive and elegant building, and. a splendid idea of its appearance may be had from the painting on display in one of the display windows of the D. J. Chandler Clothing Co. The building will measure 126 by 96 feet, and will have an elevation of 46 feet. The basement will be of stone, and the building proper of the highest class buff pressed brick. The trimmings will be of stone and the cornice of copper. All the porticos, halls and corridors will have tiled floors and will be finished in oak. The new Court room will be one of the handsomest in the country. All of the effects will be colonial. The wood work will be in mahogany, and the furnishings in the bar and throughout the room will be of the best type manufactured in this coun? try. The record room, one of the most important rooms of the Court House, will be the handsomest and most completely equipped record room that can be found, anywhere. All of the offices are spacious, am? ple and elegant, and the building should easily accommodate all the necessities^ of growing Sumter for the next century. *A hacking cough is most annoying. One Minute Cough Cure draws the in? flammation out of the throat, chest an \ lungs. Sold by all druggists. Put your advertisement In The Daily Item if you want results. Will. Cure Consumption. A. A. Herren, Finch, Ark.,.writes: "Fo? ley's Honey and Tar is the best prepa? ration for coughs, colds and lung trou? ble. I know that it has cured con? sumption in the first stages." You never heard of any one using Foley's Honey and Tar and not being satisfied. Durant's Pharmacy. A Thousand Dollars' Worth of Good. *"I have been afflicted with kidney and bladder trouble for years, passing graver or stones with excruciating pain," says A. H. Thuraes, a well known coal operator of Buffalo, O. "I got no relief from medicine until I be? gan taking Foley's Kidney Cure, then the result was surprising. A few doses started the brick-dust-like substance and now I have no pain across my kid? neys and I feel like a new man. It has done me $1,000 worth ut good." Fo? ley's Kidney Cure will cure every form of kidney or bladder disease. Durant's Pharmacy ?There is no need worrying along in discomfort because of a disordered di? gestion. Get a bottle of Kodol for dyspepsia, and see what it will do for you. Kodol not only digests what you eat, but is a corrective of the greatest efficiency. Kodol relieves indigestion, dyspepsia, palpitation of the heart, flatulence and sour stomach. Kodol will make your stomach young and healthy again. You will worry just in the proportion that your stomach worries you. Worry means the loss cf ability to dc your best. Worry is tc be avoided at all times. Kodol will take the worry cut of your stomach. Sold b; a-1 druggists. The Delineator for July. The midsummer fashiors wich Q wealth of Illustrations in color and in ' black-?and-white are attractively ! portrayed in The Delineator for July, i Helen Berkeley-Loya tells how the summer girl will be frocked and fur leiowed, and the dress of Paris is dis? cussed bv M. Edouard.La Fontaine, one of tnc best-known critics in Paris. In the literary sec-iion the most no? table, feature is the opening chapters of -The Chauffeur and the Chape rm." a nc-w story ->y C. X. and A. M. V'i'.iiamion. authors of "The light? ning Conductor."' \he story, which which deals with a group of inter? esting people cruising in a motor boat over the quaint waterways of Hol? land, promises to be the brightest and cleverest novel that these re? nowned vvriters have yet produced. Mrs. Mary Hinman Abel contributes a chapter on "Flies and Food" in The Delineator's campaign for safe fojus. and Clara E. Laughlin opens a series of "Stories of Painters' Lives," with "Millet-the Peasant Painter." Bur? ton E. Stevenson has the second p'art of the tale "The Rose of Sharon." and there is a short story entitled "The Baby.* by Zr na Gale. "Tho President of Quex," Helen M. Wins? low's entertaining club story, is con? cluded. For the children, there arc Stories and Pastimes, among them the first of the series of "'Tales of the Mountain Giants," and a clean scory by Edmund Vance Cook, "Down the King's Chimney." For the house? wife there are many articles of time-, ly interest, including Novelties for Summer Feasts, Strawberry Favorites and New Vegetables Cleverly Served. Chicago, 111., June 22.-Richard Ivens was hanged at 11:40 this a. m. for +he murder of Mrs. Franklin C. Hollister, [ a society church woman. The victim was walking from the florists to her horne* when overtaken and dragged into his father's carpen? ter shop, where he tortured and as? saulted her and finally tied a piece of wire around her throat and twisted the ends with^a pair of plyers until death ensued. The Very Best Remedy for Bowel Trouble. ?Mr. F. M. Borroughs, an old and well known resideat of Bluff ton, Ind., says: "I regard Chamberlain's Colic, Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy, as'the" very best remedy for bowel troubie. I I make this statement after having used j th? remedy in my family for several j years. I am never without it." This remedy is almost sure to be needed be? fore the summer is over. Why not buy it now and be prepared for such an emergency? Sold by all druggists In Sumter. Every Claim is Backed bj Lo? cal Testimony. If the reader wants stronger proof than the following statement and experience of a resident of Sumter, what can it be ? Geo. Ingram, farmer, well-known in Sum? ter, says: "I believe y<^i have a most valua? ble medicine for backache, for I never had anything do me so much good as Doan's Kid? ney Pills which I procured at Dr. A. J. China's Drug Store. My back has caused me a lot of suffering: I did not know that it was my kid? neys but thought I had malaria all through my bones tor they ached so. The aching ex? tended all up and down my back citar mto my shoulders and hown my legs. I do not think I had a spot about me where the pain did not strike and every once in a while I had a dull gnawing kind of a pain across the small of m3' back and then again sharp shoot? ing pains all over. I used numerous rem? edies and make-shifts but found nothing to do me any good. The kidney secretions be? came dark and strong and looked like liver when left to stand and get cold. They were too frequent in action and disturbed my rest, nights. The first night after I used Doan's Kidney Pills Ltold my wife ? felt bet? ter. I thought it might be imagination un? til after using the pills a couple of days when I knew the pains were lessened and the se? cretions from the kidneys soon ceased to an? noy me as they formerly did. I have not had a return of the aching and pain since I used. Doan's Kidney Pills." For sale by all dealers. Price 50 cents Foster-.Milburn Co.. Bulfalo.N. Y.. sole agents for the United States Remember the name-Doan's-and take no other. 27 DR?ND" Laxative Frail Syrup Pleasant to take The new laxative. Does not gripe or nauseate. Cures stomach and liver J troubles and chronic con- j stipation by restoring the j natural action of the stom? ach, liver and bowels. Refuse eubetltutee. Prloe Soo. DURANT'S PHARMACY. R. B. BELSER. R. D. EPPS. Ult HTS, Attorneys and Counsellors a' law Phone 309. SUMTER. S. C. Harby Bldg.1 rnT?m^lMMIMMIIIIJtl|lllllllllllllllltll|ll|l|l?IIIIIIIIMIHIIIIIHIIMIi>i G 9 oo DROPS ?V^ec?ablcPrcparationfor As? similating tbeToodandRegula ting th? Stomachs andJBowels of INKAKTS /CHILDREN rromotesl?^cstioaCheerful ness and Best.Cofltains neither Opium Morphine norHm?ial. JJOT NARCOTIC. AOJBC rf Old I YSAMUELEuuttB Pumpkin SecJ MxJennm * AautSfd * famSztd --fJarm ? perfect Remedy for Constip? tion, Sour S [omach,Diarrhoea, Worms jConyulsionsJcvcrish oess and Loss OF S LEER Tac Simile Signature of NEW YORK. At b "rnoj n t h^> old J jj Do sEsj-33 CEN T S EXACT COPTTDFVRAPPEB. ligaaaea_' * ?ta For Infants and Children? The Kind You Have Always Bought Bears the In Ose For Over Thirty Years CASTORIA . THC CENTAUR COM PA MY. NEW TOR? CITY. JUST RECEIVED Another Car Load of HORSES AND MULES. Booth Live Stock Co. W. A. BOWMAN, Pres. ABE .RYTTENBERG, V. Pres P. G. BOWMAN, Sec. & Treas. The Sumter Banking & Mercantile Company, Sumter. 3. C. ???M^^Capital Stock $50,000?* ? m mm Wholesale Grocers, Fertiliz ersand Farmers' Supplies. Sole agents for the celebrated brand of Wil? cox & Gibbs Fertilizers. We are prepared to quote the very closest cash or time prices on ail lines of Groceries, Fertilizers and Farmers' Supplies, And invite your investigation before making your arrangements for another year. Cometo see us. We will save you money, and give you a hearty, courteous welcome. Sumter Banking I Mercantile Company, Masonic Building, 2d door from the Postoffice* Sumter, S. C. WHISKEY I 3IORPHIJ?E j CIGARETTE I ALL DR?C AND TOBACCO HABIT. i HABIT. j HABIT j HABITS. Cured by Keeley Institute of S. C. 1329 Ladj St., (or P.O. Box 75) Columbia, S. C. Confidential correspondence solicited