The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 20, 1907, Image 4
C|? ?ttjjHtaB arar Sa^m
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1907.
The Sumter Watckman was founded ia
1850 and the True Southron in 1866. The
Watchman and Southron now has the com?
bined circulation and influence of both of
the old papers, and is manifestly the best
advertising medium in Sumter.
IMPORTANT NOTICE.
Subscribers are requested to ex?
amine the Icbel on their papers,
which show the date to which the
subscription has been paid. Those
-who find that they are in arrears are
requested to call and settle or remit
?at the earliest convenient date. The
amount that each subscriber owes is
small, but in the aggregate the
amount due us for subscription is
.r^ue Irrge-??r*d we n^ed the money.
- Senator Blease made a big hurrah
over his fight to save the State dis?
pensary, but it is not so certain that
?iis efforts did not aid rather than
. obstruct the plans of those who were
working to abolish it.
m m m
While the anti-dispensary folks
axe rejoicing over the death of the
State dispensary they should not for?
get the 'birth of two or three dozen
county dispensaries which will afford
greater opportunities for graft, com?
paratively, than did the State dispen?
sary.
. . .
The "vested interests" are too
strong in, the legislature for any bill
?oking to the repeal of the lien law
to get through. If the matter is ever
referred ta the people, as provided in
"'ie Richard's resolution, the lien law
-rill be knocked % out by an over?
whelming majority.
* * .
The City of Charleston and the
State of South Carolina will co-ope?
rate in the investigation of the rail?
road discrimnation against Charles
? on. This is a good move, but since
Lhe discrimination is already proven
> eyond the shadow of a doubt, the
commission should devote its time
nd talent to discovering a remedy for
:he intolerable conditions that have
Torkeci to the injury of Charles?
ton and South Carolina.
? ? .
The trouble with Sumter just at
'present seems to be not a dearth of
opportunities for growth and devel?
opment, but a lack of men with
money and public spirir, as well as
progressive ideas. There are no end
of opportunities, some of them so
? aient and easily to be ?een at. to be
.btrusive, but as thsre is more or
I ?SS risk connected with all commer
. lal and manufacturing enterprises.
Sumter's public spirited citizens are
cautious about investing their money,
preferring more conservative risks,
^jch as real estate mortgages. But
as soon as any enterprise becomes an
assured success tnere is a rush of
] ublic spirited citizens to get in and
share in the dividends. There are
opportunities here in prodigal abun?
dance, hut unfortunately, at this
stage, we have not the men with j
money to finance them.
THE TELEPHONE SITUATION.
The telephone situation is up to the
City Council and something should be
done. The officers of the Sumter Tel?
ephone Company frankly confess
their inability to furnish the service
that the public demands, except at an
increased rate, and state that unless
the council grants permission to in?
crease .the rates no improvement in
existing conditions can be expected.
There are a number of people who
have been wanting telephones for
month?, but the company has not
supplied them and the officers say
that they cannot do so.
There are two courses open to City
Council; either grant permission to j
increase thc rates as requested by the
company, or tai-.e legal steps to com?
pel the company io comply with the j
terms of the frar.chi.se under which j
it operates. It is a serious problem
that confronts council and one that
cannot be decided off-hand: but it is
a problem, nevertheless, that should
be solved as speedily as possible. The
town is growing rapidly and the nec?
essity for efficient and comprehensive
telephone service reaching to all sec?
tions of the city is more urgent than
ever before and will grow more urg?
ent all the time. The people have a
right to expect and demand of the
Sumter Telephone Company that they
jbe served, for when the corporation
accepted the franchise it assumed the
obligation to furnish telephone ser?
vice at specified rates to each and
every citizen who should apply for it.
On the other hand the officers of the
Sumter Telephone Company set up j
the claim that they are unable to
discharge this obligation. If they
cannot, they cannot, and that would
appear to be an end of the matter, so
fas as the Sumter Telephone Com?
pany is concerned. This confession
would seem to put the Sumter Tele?
phone Company at the mer- y of thc
City Council, and it is fo: that body
to say what disposition shall be made
o:! the franchise and property of the
company. There is no disposition in
the community, so far as can bo
learned, to deal harshly with the
Sumter Telephone Company, no de- ,
sire to enforce the exact letter of the j
i
law, but the conditions now existing j
i cannot, in common justice to the
public, be permitted to continue in?
definitely.
T?irty-two Millions;.
The daily papers announce that Mr.
John D. Rockefeller has given the
general education board of New York
thirty-two millions dollars. He had
previously given that board eleven
millions, thus making forty-three
millons in all. The gift is intended
to asist in the work of the board
throughout the country, and is de?
signed to help educational institu?
tions. The announcement was made
to the board in a communication from
Mr. John D. Rockekefeller, Jr., and
Is made In abjut fifteen lines. One
third of "thc amount is to be added to
the permanent endowment of the
board, and two-thirds to be applied to
such specific objects within the cor?
porate purposes of the board as Mr.
Rockefeller, or his son, may from
time to time direct.
This is the largest sum ever given at
one time to the cause of education, or
any other object, so far as we know.
TVe are glad that this large gift comes
from a Baptist, who is most highly
esteemed as a devoted Christian by
those who know him best, and who
have known him for many years from
his youth up. Many newspaper par
agrahers have frequently made flings
at the Rockefellers in connection with
their church work, Sunday school
work, and Bible classes, but it is
doubtful if these same paragraphers
are ever seen in a Sunday school, or
even'in church. It ill becomes them
to make sport of a man's church life
and religious activities. That is one
thing that should be sacredly let
alone, no matter how poor or hum?
ble or rich may be the subject of
such cheap wit and ridicule.-Baptist
Courier.
Millions of money, like charity,
cover a multitude of sins. Likewise
it is well to make friends unto your?
self of the mammon of unrighteous?
ness.
TAX COLLECTIONS.
The Total Amount Paid is Much
Greater Than Last Year, Owing to
Increased Valuation.
In no way, perhaps, is the gratify
ing and remarkable increase in the
wealth of Sumter county more forci?
bly illustrated than by the following
comparative statement of the increas?
ed valuation of taxable property,
while the table of taxes paid monthly
as compared with the previous year
shows that the county is in good
financial condition, despite the cry
of hard times.
The assessed valuation of taxable
property of Sumter county for 1905
was $5,421,340, as compared . with
$6,750,244 for 1906, shows an in?
crease of $1,328,904 for the past 12
months ending with the fiscal year.
For the city of Sumter in 1905 the
amount was $1,060,020, as compared
with $1,425,150, an increase of $365,
130.
Tax Collection for 1905.
The following is a table of taxes as
paid to the county treasurer monthly
for the fiscal year of 1905:
Oct. 15 to Nov. 15.$ 5,730
Nov. 15 to Dec. 15. 22,264
Dec. 15 to Jan. 15. 33.S30
Jan. 15 to Feb. 15. 7,064
Total. $6S,SS8
For 1906.
Oct. 15 to Nov. 15. $ 4,155
Nov. 15 tc Dec. 15. 12,757
Dec. 15 to Jan. 15. 52,305
Jan. 15 to Feb. 15. S,S57
Total.$7S.074
These figures show that the taxes
collected b y the county treasurer for
1906 up to date are compara?
tively . much larger percentage than
the collection for any previous year in
the history of the county. It is also
shown from a rough estimate that
the executions for this year will not
exceed, if. indeed, they are as numer?
ous, as in any previous year.
City of Slimier.
The following is the list of taxes
for the fiscal year of 1906 paid into
the city up to date showing the dif?
ferent levies:
Real estate (10 mills).. ..$13,494.14
Personal property. 8,744.26
City bonds, interest and
sinking fund. 2,785.23
School tax. 4,432.95
.School bonds. 3.340.7S
Total. J.$32,806.56
The books of the city treasurer
show that up io date 90 1-3 per cvn:.
of taxes for the past year have been
collected, as compared with only S3
per cent, up to the same date for
1905.
Young married people and old ones
too.
That have no children to laugh
and coo,
Find their troubles will "Little ones"
be,
If they take Rocky Mountain Tea.
-Chira's Drug Store.
C?TY COUNCIL MEETING.
Sumter Telephone Company Explains
Why the Service Can Not be Ex?
tended-Other Matters.
City Council held a regular meeting
Wednesday night at S o'clock.
Miayor W. B. Boyle-Alderman, H.
D. Barnett, P. P. Finn, R. F. Hayns?
worth, H. C. Haynsworth, E. H.
Rhame and R. L. Wright were pres?
ent.
Absent-Aldermen J. H. Chandler
and R. K. Wilder.
Minutes of January 23rd were read
and apporved.
At request of the committee to
which complaints against the Sumter
Telephone Co. had been referred, Mr.
L C. Strauss, attorney for the com?
pany, was present to explain the sit?
uation. He stated that the company
is not able to make extensions
and suppy telephones foi new sub?
scribers, having expended all of their
capital and earnings for that purpose
already and cannot keep up with thc?
growth of the city. If Council will
permit an increase of rates as sub?
scribers had agreed, the company will
continue to extend its service as fast
as possible. But the best they can
do under present circumstances is to
take care of what they have. The
matter was discussed and the commit?
tee was continued .
Mr. R. D. Epps, attorney for J. L.
Archer, requested that Council return
to his client $200, license paid by him
as Money Lender on Personal Prop?
erty. He cited the restrictions of
law upon the power of Council to tax,
the requirements as to reasonable?
ness and equality. The question was
referred to Alderman H. C. Hayns?
worth and the Clerk.
Applications were received from
Messrs. H. G. McKagen and R. E.
Baker for positions on the police
force, and filed for consideration in
case of a vacancy.
Report of the commissioners of
public works for January was read
and received as information.
An ordinance forbidding screens to
billiard and pool rooms, and to pre?
vent minors from frequenting such
places was read, adopted and oredred
published.
The ordinance to prevent raffling
was laid on the table on motion of
Mr. Finn, Aldermen H. C. Hayns?
worth and Rhame noting "nay."
Mr. Barnett, for the*finance com?
mittee, reported that the clerk and
treasurer's report for January had
been examined and found correct.
Mr. Finn, for the committee of
public works, reported work pro?
gressing on S. Sumter street.
Mr. H. C. Haynsworth, of the spe?
cial committee on Turkey Creek ca?
nal, stated that his committee had not
yet been able to get a hearing before
the County Board of Commissioners,
but thought the matter would be
reached at the next meeting of the
board. The committee was contin?
ued.
Mr. R. F. Haynsworth, for the po?
lice and sanitary committee, report?
ed that a case of smallpox had oc?
cured at Mrs. M. E. Brown's boarding
house, in consequence cf which her
boarders had been forced to leave,
and suggested that the city should
allow Mrs. Brown some remuneration
for her care of the patient, as the
city had no hospital to which he can
be sent. The committee was author?
ized to act according to their judg?
ment.
Mr. Finn, of the Opera House com?
mittee, reported that the purchase of
some furniture and installation of
lights will be necessary for the coun?
cil chamber on second floor of the
building before council can occupy it.
The committee was requested to as?
certain and report the necessary cost
involved.
The committee of public works was
requested to consult with the commis?
sioners of public works with a view
to cultivation of a crop of oats for
the city mules around the water sta?
tion.
Tlie following claims were referred
to the finance committee:
T. B. Jenkins, $14; Carolina Hard?
ware Company, 60 cents; Von Ohsen
& Shirar, $2.30; Epperson Feed and
Coal Company, $59.25: Sumter Ma?
chinery Company, $9.12; Durant
Hardware Company, $12.03; E. L.
Vogel, $1.75; Booth Live Stock Com?
pany, $4.50.
Council then adjourned.
DR. SMITH'S LECTURE.
Ile Was Greeted by a Largo and Ap?
preciative Audience.
Dr. Henry Louis Smith, president
of Davidson college, delivered a lec?
ture in the Opera House Monday
night, taking for his subject "Some
of thc Dreams of Modern Inventors."
The eminent speaker and distinguish?
ed lecturer, with the graceful ease of
a cultured orator, handled his subject
in a masterful, entertaining an in?
structive manner.
Dr. Smith is well known in Sumter,
having lectured here on previous oc?
casions. He was, therefore, greeted
by a large and appreciative audience,
who were treated to a genuine liter?
ary feast.
i WATSON'S COURSE QUESTIONED.
House of Representatives Calls for
Information About Methods Used
in Getting Immigrants that Came
Over on the Wittekind.
Washington, Feb. 16.-On motion
of Mr. Gardner, of Massachusetts, the
house today passed a resolution re?
questing the secretary of commerce
and labor to send to the house any
information relative to the intro?
duction of foreign laborers into- South
Carolina by Labor Commissioner
Watson, and the opinion of the solici?
tor of the department whether said
laborers were lawfully admitted.
Mr. Gardner stated that 414 people
had been admitted for labor in the
factories in South Carolina, largely
from Belgium and it was desired to
know whether the alien contract law
had been violated.
Mr. Finley, of South Carolina, in
defending the course of the labor
commissioner, said that Mr. Watson
had acted in entire good faith; that
the State needed desirable immigrants
and had sought to obtain them in
an honest manner.
Mr. Underwood, of Alabama, criti?
cised the action of the president in
interfering in the matter of the im?
migration bill.
ANOTHER BIG BANK.
New York Financiers are Planning
Another Great National Bank.
New York, Feb. 16.-A new na?
tional bank is to be opened here
shortly with a large capital, accord?
ing to a weil authenticated Wall street
report today. Shubert, the inde?
pendent theatrical manager, Geo. B.
Cox, former Republican boss of Cin
cinnat, and Joseph Rhinoch, of Ken?
tucky, last two being closely identified
with first named in many theatrical
enterprises, are mentioned as the
backers of the new institution. Ac?
cording to the report William Clark,
the Montana multi-millionaire, who
retires from the senate March 4 th,
will be asked to become president of
the concern.
100,000 JAPS IN HONOLULU.
Crowding White Men out of Busi?
ness Says Customs Officer.
"Japanese are arriving in Honolulu
in double the number they were a
few months ago," said Edwin Far
I mer, boarding' officer of the United
States customs service, yesterday,
who is stationed at that port. Mr.
Farmer is at the Raleigh Hotel. "In
November 3,200 Japanese arrived at
Honolulu, and in the succeeding
months the number I judge has b_en
just about as large," continued Mr.
Farmer. "More than half of them
remain in Hawaii; the others go on
to California. The most of the Japan?
ese who have reached Honolulu in
the last few months are soldiers who
served in thc Russian war. They stiil
wear the uniforms of that conflict.
Among all the Japs I have seen-and
I have seen ali that have arrived and
have examined their trunks, I have
found one who brought a firearm with
him. Some have their swords, but if
they brought along firearms they have
been successful in concealing them,
j "There is a much larger number of
Japanese coming to Hawaii and the
United States than ever before.
Whether it has any significance or not
I. do not know. Tn the last year a
number of steamers operated by Jap?
anese companies have come directly
from Japan, carrying only Japanese.
They do not proceed to California, but
turn around and go back to Japan,
after unloading their passengers at
Honolulu. In 1900 there were 60,000
Japanese on thc island of Hawaii.
That number has been so largely in
creased that they are now crowding
out many of the white people, who j
are engage? in business there. I do
not know how many are there now,
but I presume in the neighborhood of
100,000. They are not only seriously
injuring the business industeries of
the whites, but They are hurting the
laboring class. If they could be kept
on the plantations they would not be
so seriously ? ?ected to. but when the
find ou: tr. y can make more
ninney in th- s, they go there and
engage it- bu.- :; s pursuits that com?
pete with the w : ires and natives.
"In Honolulu foi many years there
were three drug stores conducted by
white men. Now there are probably a
dozen drug stores, and a big majority
of them are run by Japanese. It was
not so long ago that the larger portion
of the Japanese who put into Hawaii
on tho Pacific steamers kept on to
San Francisco, but in th^ last few
months I believe more have gone a
shore at Honolulu than went to Cali?
lo raia.' '-Wash i ngton Post.
NEW YORK SHAKEN.
New York, Feb. 14.-Manhattan,
Brooklyn and Jersey City were se?
verely shaken this morning by an ex?
plosion at Bayonne, N. J. The first
idea was that it was an earthquake
shock and a panic followed along the
river fronts. It is reported that the
shock was caused by the explosion of
one of the big Standard .Oil tanks. A
number of people are reported in?
jured.
T. ROOSEVELT, ART CRETIC.
?le l?as Ordered New Design Made
for Gold Coins.
Washington, Feb. 19.-President
Roosevelt has directed a New York
artist to prepare a ne.vr design for
the gold coins of the United States.
He thinks those now in use are inar?
tistic.
The following- board of contral has
J been elected for Charleston county:
Arthur Lynam, president of the Min?
ers' and Merchants' Bank, elected by
the Charleston delegation to the gen?
eral assembly. B. H. Rutledge, elect?
ed by the mayor of Charleston and
the intendent of Mount Pleasant.
John Marshall, elected by the county
board of education.
IRON WORKS
For Everything in the
MACHINERY LINE.
PLUMBING, STEAM-FITTING AND :-:
ALL KINDS OF MILL AND ENGINE
REPAIRING AND MILL SUPPLIES.
FOUNDRY WORK A SPECIALTY
-CASTINGS ALL SIZES AND PATERNS.
Manufacturer of the Famous SKINNER Portable Steel
Cages for Chain Gangs.
ar Skinner.
PHONE 141.
SUMTER. S. C.
We have so little to say about this branch of
our business that some people might get the
impression that we are neglecting it, but a
glance through this department any day in the
week will convince any person of its activity,
in fact things are constantly
On a Rush There.
The secret of this is probably due to the char?
acter of our goods and prices, both of which
must be right or we could not do the business.
We buy practically everything in this line from
first hands and in car lots.
fllLLBOURNE FLOUR.
We have never found or heard of a brand that
gives more universal satisfaction than this. Of
course we carry cheaper grades to meet a pop?
ular demand, but if you want the best get
MILLBOURNE.
100 Bags of Coffee.
This is probably the largest shipment of cof?
fee ever received by a retail house in this sec?
tion of the State. In fact we doubt if our whole?
sale friends would tackle a larger lot than this
at a purchase. We thought it was cheap and
that is why we bought so much, as it is our cus?
tom to buy goods freely when we think the
price is right, regardless of quantity.
The Cost of flaking a Crop.
We hear a great deal about the expense of
farming in comparison with some years back.
This certainly does not apply to general groce?
ries, for with the exception of bacon and lard,
which at present are pretty dear, other goods
are as cheap today as they were when cotton
sold at six to seven cents per pound. We have,
particular reference to coffee, sugar, flour,
meal, grits, corn, molasses and many other
items that we might mention. Labor and live
stock are the most expensive items that farm?
ers have to contend with. We have a few of
the latter.
RELICS OF 1906
that we are anxious to dispose of and at
BARGAIN DAY PRICES.
THE BUSY HOUSEWIFE
appreciates the worth of our
? LK LUNCH BISCUIT.
ALWAYS
READY.
USE ONCE
AND YOU NEED AGAIN ASK YOUR DEALER
OR WRITE
CHARLESTON BISCUIT WORKS,
Charleston, S. C.
Jan. 23, 1907-3m