University of South Carolina Libraries
HIM ?Ul THE SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. 4Be Just and Fear not-~Let all the ends Thou Aims't at be thy Country^, Thy God's and Truth's." THE! TRUE SOUTHRON, Established June, 18?S Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 6, 1907. Sew Series-Vol. XXY1. No 29 ?% l??^ra mia Son?koii Published Every Wednesday, -BY OSTEEH PUBLISHING COMPANY, S?31TEB, S, a Terms: ? 1.5 (J per ann am-In advance. Advertisements: One Square first insertion.$1.50 Every subsequent insertion...... 53 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which sub? serve private interests will be charged for as advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. CAREY-COTHRAX BILL SENT TO THE SENATE. Tlie Fight Was Made and Decided in the House Wednesday and There Was Xo Debate On the Third Reading-Hot Fight Expected in the Senate. Columbia, Jan. 31.-The Carey Cothran local option bill passed the third reading in the House today and was sent to the Senate without the op? position taking a single shoe at it-Mr. Bucker applied the clincher. The bill will be attacked in detail in. the . Senate, if it cannot be killed out? right. By a vote of 69 co 31 the house to? day passed the Kershaw bill provid? ing for a^ board of examiners to pass upon the fitness of railroad telegraph? ers. The bili is a radical one, prohib? iting any one of less than two years' experience to work as a railroad tel? egrapher in ha diing trains withouc a license from the board, which is to examine the applicants as to mental, moral and physical fitness as well as ability. Xo licensee may be under 18 years old. The house killed Mr. Kershaw's o?:her two bills, one requiring che b':ock system on all roads and the o;:her forbidding keeping a railroad telegrapher on duty more than eight hours in 24. OXLY TWO WEEKS K?MAIX AXD MUCH YET TO DO. The Dispensary'Debate Begins Amid Threats of Filibustering-Xo Ques? tion of Actual Interest to the Peo? ple as a Whole, Yet Disposed of. Columbia, Feb. 4.-There are two more weeks, but only eleven working days of the present session of. the leg? islature, unless filibustering tactics to save the State dispensary should carry the session beyond the 40-day limit where there is no pay. The cal? endars of both houses are heavy and new bills continue to be poured into the hopper on both sides of the cap? itol. The senate has not yet taken ac? tion on the dispensary, though it will likely do 'this Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. The usual legthy debates in both houses over . the State colleges, involving criticism as to the managements, finances, etc.. there being more or less rivalry be? tween the friends of each, will hard? ly be witnessed before the last week of the session; but this "spouting" will take two or three days; and there will be various other matters to dis? tract attention from the regular work. Altogether the legislature has a hard task before it to get through with the business. ^The future business that is engag? ing the most speculation and atten? tion is the senate's probable action on the dispensary. The dispensary* peo? ple are still whistling to keep up their courage, and though there has been significant conferences between dispensary leaders and dispensary of? ficials of various kinds the past few days, there are signs of weakening on the part of the dispensary generals, and those who have tears to shed over the death of the State dispensary sys? tem had better prepare to shed them now. The dispensary people are still claiming a majority of three in the senate and they are continuing to say that the C-vey-Cothran biil will be killed in that body, but one finds a striking disinclination on their part to bet that way. The air is full of rumors right now about the whiskey people having a&Teed tc put up enough cash to turn the senate, and there are indications that at least one senator has been of rred a cash bribe-which fact may be exploited in the senate in a few days. There is also a story to the effect that there is a wad of $30.000 ready to be used to stay the death blow that is now coming upon the G. M. I. in the senate. But as f? matter of fact, while there are some grafting western whis- j key houses who would like to see the 1 State dispensary as at present admin istered continue indefinitely, still the better class of whiskey dealers who get no chance to sell the State dis? pensary would welcome a change. The dispensary grafters have killed the goose that hat -^en laying the gold? en eggs, have overdone the thing, have stuck their fingers too far into the public's eye. Senator Blease has gotten some more good free advertising out of his threat to filibuster various important things to death, including presumably j tho Carey-Cothran bill. But either j he is making a big bluff in order to j I get into the limelight or he mistakes the stuff South. Carolinians are made of. v And generally speaking Mr. Blease is no fool. The friends of the bill would stick as long as he would, but as a matter of fact a rule of the senate can be changed by a majority vote, so there would be no necessity to prolong the session. One of the most striking incidents j in the fourteen years' history of the State dispensary was the action last v/eek against the present dispensary directors-J. M. Rawlinson, Joseph B. Wylie and John Black-when the SOD ate judiciary committee's resolu? tion that they be removed and prose? cuted for violation of law passed both houses without a dissenting voice. Di? rector Wylie was standing in the aisle of the house at the time the res? olution passed that body. He looked on without change of countenance. He says he has acted within the law and has nothing to fear. His attorney, Ju?ge J. 2. McDonald, of Winnsboro, who discovered for the present board that the Hub Evans board had made its purchases illegally, has secured a hearing for him before Gov. Ansel next Tuesday, when ".ie will attempt to show cu"<e uv. y he should not be removed. What steps the other two members propels to take is not known. The present legislature has so far shown itself very liberal in matters , educational. The Raysor compulsory education bill compelling twelve weeks a year has been killed in the senate, but a more comprehensive measure has been favorably reported to the house by way of a substitute for the Aull and Kershaw bills pending in that body. Tt seems certain" that the house will pass the bill in some form, but its passage by t^he senate is doubtful. The senate has passed a liberal measure providing for a system of high schools throughout the State at an initial cost of $50,000. In the final tussle over the State colleges it is likely that Clemson will come in for some hard raps. A bill is now before the house looking to the appointment of a joint committee to investigate the finances and general management of Clemson. Events of the past week have fully confirmed the prediction in the be? ginning of the session that this was the most radical legislature that has met in a decade, with a gay disposi? tion to strike the corporations, partic? ularly the railroads. The senate has passed the Toole ten hour bill by a 5 to 1 vote, after it was amended so as to defer the time it shall go into op? eration till next July, when 62 hours a week shall be the law up to July 1, 1908, when 60 hours will be the limit. There is no doubt but that the house will follow the senate's lead and make the bill a law. Both houses have acted on the lien | law, but Representative Richards, whose bill making a lien to a mer? chant void and placing the tenant in the hands of the landlord so as to better control the negroes, has not given up hope. He says that with a full senate his bill will pass that body, in spite of the fact that a few days ago the senate by a vote of 19 to 16 voted down a similar bill. The most radical railroad legisla? tion the house has so far engaged in was the action last week in passing by a large majority the Kershaw bill providing for a board of three to be appointed by the governor to examine and pass upon the qualifications of railroad telegraphers. Only those who hold license certificates from - this board may dispatch or space trains, and the board may revoke a license when it sues fit. The house also pass? ed with an overwhelming majority the bill to reduce railroad fares to 2 .1-2 cents, and it seems certain that a similar bill will pass the senate. The resolution of Mr. Carson for a com? mittee with the powers of a court to discover who is using passes has pass? ed the house by a big majority, and will likely pass the senate, which has passed thc Weston bill t<> require the railroads to file with the rairoad com? ston a list of passes is issues every six months. The hons-? without a dissenting voice passed ttl" Rin ker bill to punish railroad employes for p.'-p?iger'ce. as it did the Rucker biil to give the railroad commission an appropriation to carry ^a^^s before the interstate commerce commission where in its judgment there is injus? tice in interstate rates affecting this State, and that of Mr. Racker to specify the time in which an order of the railroad commission as to putting up a new depot shall be carried into effect. Eoth house have acted on the ques? tion of specuating in futures, being evidently inspired principally by the Duncan failure at Union, when five million dollars worth of cotton mill property was swept away. But so far the houses have not gotten together on just the sort of law it will finally adopt. The senate has passed the San? ders bill, which makes provision for cotton mill presidents and others buy? ing in a legitimate way for future de? livery, but the house* killed this and passed a copy of the Georgia law on the subject. It is thought there is nothing in the house bill to prevent cotton mill presidents hedging in a legitimate wa? Representative Nash, a good Spartanburg lawyer, and oth? ers voted for the bill. /_ The house of representatives last week, while passing a large number of local bills, and perhaps a half doz? en affecting the State generally, did only one thing attracting general at? tention: the passing of the Carey Cothran bill, the measure which strikes directly at the State dispensa? ry. The fight of the dispensary peo? ple to shift the ground of attack by supporting a prohibition bill, first introduced by Mr. Nash, and after? wards copied by Mr. D. L. Smith, is well known now. Interest in this fight has been transferred to the senate, and from now until a vote is taken the galle? ries in the upper branch of the gen? eral assembly will be crowded. Some old familiar faces have been seen in the lobbies during he dispensary de? bates. The whiskey houses appear to be much interested in the out? come. On the house calendar, however/ there are several bills that will bring forth debate worth listening to. The committee on education has reported a bill providing for compulsory edu? cation, taking from the bills intro? duced by Messrs. Aull and Kershaw several actions- and-framing a substi? tute. If the house passes this bill it will almost certainly pass the sen? ate, as the advocates have canvassed that body and think they have a safe majority there. The bill requiring marriage licenses to be issued will, as usual have a hard fight, there being majority and minority reports from the committee. The mills of South Carolina say that if the ten-hour law and bill further regulating child labor should pass there should crtainly be some provis? ions made for registration of mar? riages and births. ' A discussion of the condition of the capitol grounds will come up when the bill providing for the appointment of a commission to have entire charge of the building and grounds is reach? ed on the calendar. The bill will pass. There is a favorable report on Dr. Wyche's bill providing for a pure food inspection, the bill being mod? eled along the lines of the national law, and Dr. Sawyer of Georgetown has a bill providing for a tax on every gallon of whiskey sold in this State, the object being to give the consu? mers a pure grade of the product of the still. The money raised from this source would go to school and college funds. Much of the week will be taken up in the discussion of railroad bills, Mr. Frost of Charleston having reintro? duced his measure for the appoint? ment of a commision to investigate all of the railroads of the State, upon which he has received a favorable re? port. Columbia, Feb. 5.-Representative Dixon introduced a resolution in the house today forbidding a corporation attorney or lobbyist talking to any legislator on any bill affecting a cor? poration under penalty of $1,000. The house, without division, killed the senate resolution endorsing Sena? tor Latiiner's federal good roads scheme. Not a member chanmpion ed it. The senate considered only uncon? tested matters, but passed Efird's bill to relieve the three State treasurers on their bonds for the Zimmerman embezzlement. The bill will be fought on third reading. Columbia, Feb. 5.-The hearing be fore Gov. Ansel today on the resolu? tion recommending the removal of Dispensary Directors Black, Rawlin? son and Wylie for fraud in whiskey purchases resulted in his issuing a rule t?? require the directors to show cause next Friday morning why they should n?>t be removed. Attorney Genera] F.y<>n agreed to this. The merits of the case were not entered into. THE YELLOW PERIL. JAPANESE SITUATION PRODUCES COLD FEET IX WASHINGTON. White House Conference Convinces California Congressman That Trou? ble is Brewing-President Urges That California Take Immediate Action to Settle School Trouble There Must Be No Anti-Japanese Action at Present. Washington, Feb. 1.-The gravity of the situation between the American and Japanese governments has not been overdrawn, according to a member of the California delegation who wos present at the White House conference. He said that President Roosevelt declared that action must be taken immediately removing all causes of friction with the Japanese. The San Francisco school question must be disposed of without waiting on a court decision. The situation is more serious than is imagined by the public. War with Japan would not be anything like the war with Spain. If trouble comes it must not be the United States' fault. At the president's suggestion the congressman wired the governor of California, urging him to use his in? fluence to prevent the legislature tak? ing any action now on the anti-Jap? anese resolutions which are now pending. A Japanese Ultimatum. Washington, Feb. 1.-It is learned today that the representations to Secretary Root by Japanese Ambas? sador Aikov though couched in the most delicate phraseology, were in the nature of an ultimatum. This government has been inform? ed that Japan insists on its subjects being treated the same as those of the most favored nation in Europe. Interview With Viscount Hayshi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pub? lished in Tokio. Tokio, Feb. 2.-What purports to be an interview with Viscount Haya shi, minister of foreign affairs, was punished i today. It refers--to-the - re** ported proposal on the part of the United States that Japan and America shall agree to mutually restrict the immigration of laborers. The Viscount is made to declare that such a proposal is nonsensical. He admits, however, that the influx of Japanese in the Pacific States is rather over-abundant and says the Japanese government is voluntarily taking measures to restrict it. ANOTHER MINE HORROR. . Twenty-five or Thirty People Killed in West Virginia. Elkins, W. Va., Feb. 4.-Twenty five or 30 miners, the majority of them foreigners, are suposed to be dead as the result of a mine explo? sion today at mine No. 25 of the De vis Coal and Coke company at Thom? as, near here. Five miners, who were just entering the mine when the ex? plosion occurred, have been taken out, so it is believed all the miners al? ready in the mine have been killed. It is not known how large thc list of casualties may grow until further in? vestigation can be made. HOUSE AGREED WITH SENATE. Violation of thc Law Charged Against tiic Board of Directors to Be In? vestigated. Columbia, Feb. 2.-The house last night without discussion concurred in the senate resolution putting the re? cent alleged violations of the law by the dispensary directors before the governor f?r his consideration. When thc resolution was called for Dr. Wyche of Newberry, who is a sup? porter of the State dispensary, said he hoped it would pass. The recent disclosures, he said, showed that the law had been violated and he did not propose to stand for fraud. The question was then put on con? currence to the resolution and without a dissenting vote it passed. On account of the rush of other matter it was not sent to the senate last night, but will go to that body to? day and as soon as the signatures are affixed thereto the copy will be sent to Gov. Ansel for action. It is understood that Gov. Ansel will confer with Mr. Fraser Lyon, the attorney general, and it is quite prob? able that Mr. Lyon will recommend London, Feb. 2.-Charles Martin, of Nashville, Tenn., alias Payne Full? er Wells, who was committed for trial on January loth, on the charge of conspiring to defraud the Carlton Ho? tel, by mons of a bogus check, was convicted today and sentenced to three years penal servitude. Alum r in food causes stomach disorders-Its con? tinued use means permanent injury to health. ^Following the advice of medical scientists, England and France have passed laws prohibiting its use in bread making. ^American housewives should protect their house? holds against Alum's wrongs by always buying pure Grape Cream of Tartar Baking Powder. (j Pure Grape Cream of Tartar Powder is to be had for the asking Buy by name ANDERSON INVITED TO JOIN. Asked to Become Member of Siate Baseball League. Anderson, Jan. 31.-Anderson has been invited to join the State Baseball league, and in. all probability the in? vitation will be accepted. The invi? tation cam. in the form of a letter from Mr. W. Bultman of Sumter, who is vice president cf the league. Mr. Bultman says thac it is desired that an eight club league be formed, and that the league shall be formed of teams from Sumter, Darlington, Orangeburg, Camden, Rock Hill and the towns in the Piedmont. The invitation is gladly received here, for there are many ball fans in Anderson, and it is probable that some definite steps will be taken at once to accepc the invitation. A meeting cf representatives of towns intending to enter the South Carolina league of baseball clubs for the ensuing season has been called for February 7, in this city. A letter received by the acting president, Mr. W. Bultman, signed by W. R. Bar? ringer, states that Florence is in line and will have a delegation here for the meeting. Orangeburg and Cam? den will also be represented. Other towns are expected to bc heard from within the next few days. The out? look is good for a strong re-organi? zation of the league. Dog at Polzer, in Greenville County. Bites Man and Child and Both Perish as a Result. Greenville, Feb. 4.-About three weeks ago the little two-year-old son of Mr. Farmer, of Pclzer, was attack? ed by a mad dog. Mr. Walter G ri Hin was standing nearby and ran to the aid of the child, and, while carrying him to a place Of safety, was also bit? ten. Last night the child died, and tIiis morning Mr. Griffin breathed his last, having resulted from thc bites. The dog belonged to the father of the dead child an 1 before going mad was devoted to the child. AD3?TKAL DAVIS PRAISED. President Roosevelt Commends His Action a Kingston. Washington, eFb. 1.-In unequivo? cal terms President Roosevelt today approved Admiral Davis' action ia connection with his visit to Kingston, Jamaica, to render aid to the stricken city, and in addition requested the secretary of the navy to express to Admiral Davis his heartiest commen? dation of all that he did. The long expected report of Admi? ral Davis of the circumstances lead? ing to the withdrawal of the fleet from Kingston reached the navy de? partment today and was at once laid before the president. Inasmuch as the president already has announced that the diplomatic phase of the case is a closed incident, the report itself will not be made pubiic, but late to? day Secretary Metcalf gave out the letter of Admiral Evans, commander in-chief of the Atlantic fleet, warmly commending Admiral Davis for his conduct of a situation "which was, to say the least, somewhat embarrass? ing." The correspondence is supplement? ed by a strong letter of commendation of Admiral Davis by the prtsid?. rit and by Secretary Metcalf who adds his rpproval and commendation of Ad? miral Davis' "distinguished service to humanity." BABY BURIED ALIVE. Strange Case Reported From Spring? field. Ohio. Springfield, 0.. Feb. 4.-The grand jury returned an indictment against Matilda Bailey and Martin Meyers ?rn the charge of assault with intent tc> kill in burying alive the baby of their seventeen-year-old grand daughter. Mary Bailey. ! The baby was found buried in the back yard by authorities; it was tak? en out alive and is now in good health.