The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, October 09, 1907, Image 1
HOC SIMTKIl WATCHMAN, Estublli
Consolidated An?. 2.1881.
C|k o?littbman a:ii> &Dutbron.
Published Every Wednesday,
?BY?
ylSTEEN PUBLISHING COMPANY,
SUMTE*. X a
ll.lt per annum?in advance.
Om Sonar* Ant Insertion.JliO
?vary aubseeosnt Insertion.50
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will bo charged for.
SMALL MANUFACTORIES.
upon the** I I Tl IIK PltOliPEUI- ;
nr or hvmtkh is lall fin n I
An Argument In Favor of En.<ourag
ln? ami fUtendmg a Helping lluiul
to the small Establishment* That
Wo 1Um? and Encouraging v.ther*
to Lonne In the City?A Word
,About IJccnee Taxes.
Bdltor Dally Ihm:
Upon reading In the Item tonight
about the license ordinance the fol?
lowing thought came to me. how out
of line the action of council seems to
be with the desires of* the people as
ax pressed by the Chamber of Com?
merce In Rs meetings and efforts to do
something to build the prosperity of
the city upon a more substantial basis
than exists at present, so that the
town would continue to grow and
grow tJfttil 8umter wpuld become
what all hsr loyal cltlxens would like
to S4H>?the leading city in the State.
8uinter haa always and Is now, with
the exception of the few manufactur?
ing industries, entirely dependent for
other markets will grow In ability and
atse. and unless the population of the
farming section Increases far more
rapidly In the future than It has In
the past, the proportion of tie peo
rMJfeaafMy to that of the country
rer than tt Is now. and that
means that there will be mor? people
to live upon the profits In supplying
the farmers' wants.
Sumte* has made a good showing
in the 1 wrease of population, and
this Increase haa bean properly cred?
ited to ier fine public schools, but
this increase has been made la large
part of it at th.- expms.. of th?
country, in that it take* from the
farms the Intelligence and muscle
that Is ncoded upon them; which
means that even If they mm own
their farn s their enterprise and
thrift are lost as producers and tie y
become consumers?-not consumers
for the merchant to supply, but those
with whom he will have to divide the
business of the farmer, as they either
start I t busine** or else get jobs from
the merchant.
Its Mfe upon the profit^ \*ld?d from
supplying th*e wants of the farmers
of the surioundtng country, as the
main beneft from the marketing of
the farmern' products here. I? deriv?
ed from hU pui chasing the i;cods to
supply his 'rants here. Now, the ter?
ritory whle'i Hurnter Is supplying has
not been Increased In any way. but.
In fact, ha- been dlmlnl-med by the
opening up of new markets to divide
the trade vlth her. The cutting off
of part of the county has taken a
considerable trade away from her and
the growing towns and villa* s along
the rallroala are taking still more
and that this loss has not been feH
very heavily. I think. Is due to the
Increased prosperity of the farmers,
whoso wants and desire* for better
things have kept pace with their suc?
cess, snd also to the enterprise and
wetchfulne* of our merchants in
making thtlr atorea not only the
equal but the superior of ihose In
neighboring towns In variety, quality
and price, ao that they have been
able to get some of the trade from
adjoining counties. Hut th?-se mer?
chants and the Chamber of Com?
merce have the foresight to see that
this will not always be so, as the
The wealth of our county Is not
whst It consumes, but In 'vhat It
produces. Consumption Is a lo** an 1
production a profit, so that every MM
that ceases to be a producer and be?
comes a consumer. Instead of being a
profit la a loss to the country. Th'
hu-dnese tuen lot i in and -u' "f the
Chamber of Commerce, recognizing
th?se facts and no. wishing t-- ??? *.?r
lnftVd ?Ith the present and let the fu?
ture take care of itself, have turmd
their attention M th. mmwii boot thing
and have discussed how ? . >i1n P.
ry one recognises that this Is
msnuf?cturlng and alao th. benefits
derived from It by .-very Indi?
vidual In th.- county, tie faj'Mlfl in
the the rountry s well as the man In
the citv. Th?' only difference of nplu
lon has been hoar to get lt. S in
4i0d April, 1850, 'Be Just ai
SUM
think WO should have one hundred
thousand dollar plants with the
whole country for a market, and oth?
ers would bo satisfied with a start
with $1,000, 15.000 or $10,000
plants, so long as we got a start, feel?
ing that there Is Just so many more
chances of our getting .hem and that
If properly managed they would grow
Into $100,000 plants long before we
are ever likely to get one started at
$100,000. Some think that the only
plant of any benefit to the city Is one
that sells Its products away from
home, while others think that any
plant that produces what we need
and which we now send of for Is
equally aw good, If not better for us.
I, myself, am of the last opinion for
s? veral reasons.
To begin with we are not familiar
with manufacturing and the handling
of large enterprises and the failure
or non-success of ono. should we be
fortunate in getting it started, would
be hurtful and prevent the starting of
any others, as we all know from ex?
perience by referring to onr lone or?
phan, the cotton mill. If you ask the
first man you meet on the street why
Sumter, which Is the largest inland
cotton market in the State, has not
one large cotton mill at least, if not
more, he will say that the ^ present
mill has killed all desire for that kind
of enterprise on the part of the citl
xens of Sumter owing to the losses
they sustained, not only once, hut the
second time after It failed and It was
reorganized; and he will tell you fur?
ther, that It not only killed all inter?
est in cotton factories, but also in all
rther kind of factories, anu it was
only when* af;er long years cf patl* in
effort on the part of Mr. C. T. Mason,
who alone proved that telephones
could be successfully built in Sumter.
that tho monled men of Sumter
scrambled over each other to get its
stock, and they only did it then when
differences with his partner whom he
had taken In and who wished to re?
move the plant a/vay from Sumter,
revealed to them the soundness of the
Investment. Do you auppose for an
Instant that had Mr. Mason at the
time he took in a partner and made
a stock eompany of the old telephone
plant, offered stock to the citizens of
Sumter he would hive had his offer
accepted? I think not. Why? Be?
cause of their experiences with the
cotton mill. Now the manager of
the cotton mill was Just as desirous of
making a success as Mr. Mason was.
aCt J put in, as I understand, a large
amount of money and the failure was
not due to any act on his part, except
that he was not familiar with the
business, nor was any ono of the di?
rectors and before any of them got
the necessary experience to handle
and direct It with the proper intelli?
gence It had failed and was reorgan?
ized and practically failed again.
Now. the facts of the c.K'on mill
falling I am not staling from my own
knowledge, ax I was not here at the
time, but I have heard It so often
from so many that I have no doubt of
Its truth, but the facts about its kill?
ing the desire to ln\ est In otjaer man?
ufacturing I know, because I have
been here and have heard parties
when approached to start something
In the way of a factory reply. No,
that they had enough with their ex?
perience In the cotton mill. Now, on
the other hand, Mr. Mason ploddi d
along in a quiet way by himself untl
he mastered each and every detal.
both In construction and cost and
an error of Judgment occurred It was
discovered bofore the loss was great,
as he was not making any one thing
In quantities, before it was tried, nor
had he a large pay roll, for the mis
making of any piece or part to add to
the cost of the material wasted by
such error and the result was that
when the citizens of Sumter put in
their money he gave them that which
their money could not purchase?a
thorough experience and knowledge
of what he was to manufacture, and
klsjQ that which was equally as Im?
portant, a ready made reputation for
their product and a market for the
same. Now the experience of the tel?
ephone factory Is a good argument for
the starting of any enterprise on a
small scale and let it grow with its
success r.nd also It Is a good argument
for the starting of factories with the
whoh- country for a market, unless
we consider the Mason telephones were
among the first, If not the first, to be
put upon the market after the patent
rights of the Bell people had expired
and In OOS* petition with others that
wore offered by ether manufacturers,
?olely for the profit that was In them,
ha won out by the excellency of nil
product, as a telephone that will not
talk: cannot be sold .'it an> price. Now
name, if you can. any one thins that
Bumtef ?an manufacture and oltei ??
the 'ountry ;t large ander similar
II*tens, i cannot. Anything tint
i oai think of th ?t wconid make I ?
!??? sobi throughout the country we
would have to compete against other
nil Fear not-~Let oll the ends Thou Ali
LT ER. S. C . WEDNE
manufacturers who have had long
years of expartc' 1 along with per?
fect organization, both in making and
selling their producta, as wall as an
established reputation; and you know
from experience how hard It Is to in?
troduce anything made by a new con?
cern against that of an established
concern. It means not only that you
have t-e sell at a lower price, but also
that your product must be equally as
griod or better, and equally as Im?
portant to be considered, is the lower
freight rate they will have against
you, so that aside from having to
learn to handle these big enterprises
oursefve*, we will also have the task
of educating the railroads up to the
point where they will appreciate the
increase 1 traffic manufactures origi?
nate and give us rates so that wo can
^meet competition half way on an
equal footing instead of con.petition
being able as at present to meet us
almost at our nearest market upon
equal or better rates than we can ob?
tain.
I have heard It said that we could
hire the necessary men of ability
from abroad to manage these enter?
prises for us. I'll admit that we can
hire the men to manago them all
right, but can we hire, or I should
say employ them and be sure that we
are getting what we want. Men who
will successfully manage them? I
think not for how often have you
heard parties remark, "That man
came with the very best recommenda?
tions, but I find that while he is a
good, steady man, he is not able to
fill the bill, and I wish I knew where
I could get one." If that is true In
filling a mere clerical position, what
must be said of the difficulties In
filling the position of manager of a
largo enterprise, who will have the
entire responsibility df making It a
success, as the directors, owing to
their lack of experience in the mat?
ter, would be unable to advise him
how to make a cut here and a change
there to get the lowest cost of pro?
duction, while they would be the very
best kind to discover if the enterprise
was losing money, but utterly incom?
petent to suggest a remedy.
N'ow If we start small enterprises
of one thousand dollars, five thousand
dollors or ten thounsand dollors cap?
ital, as little as Is necessary, to sup?
ply what we consume at home and
for which we have'to send elsewhere,
we would have many advantages.
First, we would save the freight, and.
second, If the enterprise was not a
success financially the loss would not
be so great and most likely if some
were not able to pay dividends direct
on the stock, they would pay indirect
dividends by keeping the money we
now send off. circulating at home and
giving employment to those who
would need groceries, clothing,
houses, etc. While on the other
hand, If they are successful more cap?
ital could be added as experience is
gained and It can then reach out to
supply the wants of nearby towns and
keep on expanding until it meets a
Competition that it cannot overcome;
and If these small enterprises are
given the same care and attention by
our DUatnoai men that they would de?
vote to a large enterprise the growth
would be strong, healthy and rapid,
while If neglected and left to strug?
gle along without their advice and
assistance they would most likely dry
up and die. One fault Bumter has,
In common with the rest of the mid?
dle and lower part of the State, la a
des're to do something about which
they know nothing on a big scale and
anything that Is started on a small
scale Is too insignificant to merit their
attention and help. I would rather
see $r>0,000 Invested In various small
healthy enterprises than to have dou?
ble the amount Invested in one large
concrn even If It be successful, as the
Indirect returns would be greater
froim the smaller ones than from the
larger ones, as aside from being less
seriously affected by dull times we
would get a better class of citizens to
whom more money would be paid,
which would mean more money spent
for the necessities and luxuries as well
as a demand for more and bet or
homes. If we look at the few factories
we have we will find I might say that
every one has been started by Indi?
viduals and with one exception these
Individuals had little or no means,
but by patient effort and continuous
struggling they have gradually grown
stronger and I hope will continue to
grow until they not only acquire the
good Will of those abroad but also
the good will of those at home.
This Is true not only of our home
factories, hut the same can be said of
nearly every enterprise in tin- whole
country, except those of latter da?
Organisation nnd even these 1m\
sprung from them, as In nearly every
case they were originated by men who
got ihelr training In the factory that
grew from the Individual enterprise
of ont man. If you doub! this ital -
no-nt. lend i >r a catalogue of any
is't at he thy Country's, Thy God'a im
SDAY. OCTOBER 9
huge manufacturing concern you
wish and nine time* out of ten, you
will find on its first page the picture
of the original starter of that concern
followed up with a history of IU
growth Illustrated by pictures show?
ing what they are pleased to call
their first home, followed by pictures
of the new homes that were built and
which the success of the modest ef?
fort of some individual had attained.
At tfie Jamestown exposition, I was
particularly struck with the exhibit
of the Studebaker wagon and carriage
factory. There was the picture of the
place of the original start of Mr.
Studebaker and that reminded me of
the old blacksmith shop of Stephen
Bradford just beyond Shot Pouch on
the road to Providence, except- that
the odds were greatly in favor of th<
latter. This was followed up by the
various homes that its growth re?
quired down to the mammoth estab?
lishment of today, and it is a safe bet
to make that Mr. Studebaker's early
efforts were as little appreciated by
his neighbors then as perhaps are
those of some Mr. Studebaker who
mny be struggling along in our midst
utterly unknown to us, and who I
hope will be as successful in his ef?
forts in overcoming the difficulties
that beset his progress as the Western
man was. I have wandered a long
way apparently from the subject of
licenses and my only excuse for it Is
that perhaps the thoughts expressed
above may have the effect of creating
a better feeling not only in the City
Council, but among the substantial
business men to aprpeciatc individual
efforts even if on a small scale and
if they cannot help, that they will at
least not hurt it. This the business
men can do by at least speaking of
these efforts kindly as whether the ef?
forts are successful or not they get
the benefit of the wages paid out
while It lasts and sometimes a very
small thing will either make or kill
an honest effort.
Council can do the same by refrain?
ing from placing additional burdens
in the way of exorbitant licenses upon
these efforts and adding to the num
'erons burdens under which they are
now struggling.
In looking over the changes in the
licenses, I note that council has plac?
ed a tax of $25 on door, sash and
bling factories. This seems to be tak?
ing the hack track upon the course
heretofore taken by council and the
desire of our people to encourage
manufacturies.
We have two such factories in our
midst. When they were started they
felt so Insignificant that they wore
ashamed to ask council for the usual
five year exemption from taxes and
licensee. A little later when one of
them felt that it was growing and had
somewhat overcome its modesty, it
asked councii to grant it exemption
from taxes, council took the position
that as it had not asked for exemp?
tion before starting they could not
grant It. It may be claimed that these
factories are not much good to the
town, as they sell their products In
the town. This to me is a wron^ view
to take because it is not true thru
they sell all their products in the
town, but ship a great deal more than
would be supposed to adjoining towns
in competition with Augusta. Colum?
bia, Charleston, Cheraw and Harts
ville In which place* are located
plants far stronger financially than
our local ones are and if it were not
for this out of town trade the local
trade woultl not keep them going.
But suppose it to he true that they
only sell their products in town, is it
not a fact that wages paid to make
the goods are paid in Sumter and
spent in Sumter, and does not this
benefit Sumter in saving that much
at lenst to the town out of the thou?
sands of dollars that before they were
established was sent out to other
places and that Is not all that is sav?
ed to the people of Sumter. They are
also saved the freight that they for?
merly paid on the goods bought and
this goes to the consumer and not to
the factories as the competition be?
tween them is sharp and the local
consumer gets his good- delivered at
his building at the same price he
would pay for it f. o. b. at any place
where there Is a factory and some?
times cheaper. If these benefits are
of any Advantage to the town, why
hurt the enterprises that are the
cause of them because as tiny grow
stronger they will confer more bene?
fits on the town, far more than they
get themselves.
I also noticed that they have plac?
ed r license on the newspapers, and
H seems to me that if there lv any?
thing in n town that should by unani?
mous consent I.xempl from :ii! lax
en tint can legally be taken off them,
that thi"Lr is the newspapers, whose
only excuse for being permitted to
eXIai .'t all s< m* i" he tint we wish to
use them without posl to u,; to boom
..in- lown, our business, nur i >cln| :>f
falre, etc.. in fact anything that is for
d Truth's."
THE TKU
1907. Sew S<
the benefit of any one else except the
owner's and it is also very useful to us
In venting our anger upon it for ev?
erything that goes wrong, both pub
lie and private, because it did not pre?
vent it. If the newspapers were only
to receive half pay at advertising rates
for all the work they have done for
others in which the papers have no
interest whatever except the general
welfare, they could very readily pay
double the license asked of them a.nd
?? vL a nice income besides, but it i^
only human to think little of what is
given us without any effort or c? st to j
us, just as the reverse is ture, that
the more we pay for a thing, the
more we prize it without any consid?
eration for it real worth or intrinsic
value, and as newspapers and small
individual enterprises come to our
town without any effort or cost to the
people, I suppose they have to take
whatever Is given them like all un?
invited guests and be thankful that
they are not kicked out. Citizen.
Sumter, S. C, Oct. 4, 1907.
STANDARD OIL INQUIRY.
Inquisitor Kellogg Hrings Out More
Startling Testimony to Show Guilt
Of the Groat Oil Octopus.
New York, Oct. 9.?In the Stand?
ard Oil case today, Clarence G. Fay,
assistant' controller of the Standard
Oil Company of New Jersey, was
questioned regarding the profits o/
the organization. It was shown that
over half a billion dollars in dividends
have been paid by the Standard dur?
ing various phases in its existence.
Chief Inquisitor Kellogg brought
out the fact that the total assets of
the Galena Signal Oil Company, a lu?
bricating branch of the Standard, are
over eleven millions. Its "good will"
is listed at over seven and a half mil
lins, which enabled the Standard to
get the African field from the New
York Lubricating Company, and, also
many railroad contracts at advanced
figures.
ASHEVILLE GOES DRY.
Prohibitionists Carry Liquor Election
. There.
Ashevllle, N. C, Oct. 8.?After a
brief but strenuous campaign the
Prohibitionists carried the liquor elec?
tion in this city today by a majority
of 849.
A material factor in the result was
the presence at the polls of women
and children, who sang and prayed
and served lunches. Asheville will
be dry after January 1 n xt?News
and Courier.
RUSSIAN CONVICTS REVOLT.
St. Pet< rsburg, Oct. 7.?A gang of
convicts en route to Bolosk revolted
today and In the fight following, the
guards killed twenty-tWO prisoners.
Eleven convicts escaped and six
guards were injured.
ROOSEVELT'S OUTING.
Rain Kept Teddy indoors Yesterday
Hut He Was Ready Early Today for
His Hunt.
Stamboul. La., Oct. 9.?President
Roosevelt was ready to take the train
early today. Rain kept him from
hunting yesterday until it had ceased
The president is enjoying his outing
Immensely. Venison and trout form
the principal features of his menu
and the keen air has given him an ex?
cellent appetite. Several reports of
bears in the vicinity have been re?
ceived.
LEARN TO EAT.
Few People In Sumtcr Kcnlly Know
How. t
?Slow eating will solve one-half the
problem of ill health. Those who suf?
fer already with indigestion and weak
stomach can with care and the use of
Mionu stomach tablets restore their
digestion to a healtny condition, so
that they can eat what they want at
any time without fear of distress or
suffering.
After a few days' use of Mi-o-na
stomach tablets, the headache, dizzy
feeling, drowsiness, bad taste in the
mouth, coated tongue, nervousness,
sleeplessness, distress after eating?
all these symptoms of a weak stom?
ach?will disappear, and perfect di?
gestion and a good skin will show
that the vital machlnelry is once more
running smoothly.
Take B little Mi-o-na tablet be?
fore each meal so that it will stimu?
late the digestive Juices and give
strength to the stomach, and then it
Will take care of the f.1 that is eat?
en, without Indigestion and the un?
pleasant full feeling with which so
many suffer after moals.
J. r. w i>? Lnrme has so n uch
confidence In the power of Ml-o-na to
cure indigestion and all stomach Ills
thai he give- a guarantee with every
B0-cent box to refund the money if
the remedy falls to give satisfaction.
10-9A I 1? W
inn
i: SOKTHItON, Established Juno, ISM
jries? Vol. XXVII. Noll
FATAL WRECK SUNDAY.
COAST FTNTs LIMITED RT'XS IN?
TO AX OPEN SWITCH.
-M
Engineer BOM?;y. of Florence, Killed!
?Fireman Seriously Injured?Ac?
cident Occurred at S?>utli Rocky
Mount, X. C Early Sunday Morn?
ing.
Florence, Oc. 4.?Train No. 82, the
northbound West Indian Limited
mail over *the Atlantic Coast Line?
which left here at 9.20 o'clock last
night for Richmond, was badly
wrecked as it was passing into the
yards at South Rocky Mount, X. C,
at 2.15 this morning. Engineer
George J. Boney, of this place, was
killed, and his flremaja, General Bur?
nett, colored, also of Florence, was
seriously injured.
As the train was passing through
the freight yards at South Rocky
Mount, pulling up to the union sta?
tion, the monster locomotive of the
fast mail entered an* open switch and
went head-on into a switch engine
that was standing on the siding just
at what is known as the "clear post."
The locon/otive e?f the .paisenger
train, when t struck the switches, be?
came derailed and turned broadside
on the ground, catching Engineer
Boney and "als fireman and crushing?
Boney's life out and seriously injur?
ing Burnett, the fireman.
It Is staned by the officials at
Florence that beyond these two no
one was seriously injured. The mail
clerks, baggage master and a number
of passengers aboard the train were
badly shake: up.
Capt. Herbert McGhee, of Peters?
burg, was la charge of the wrecked
train. Th blame for the accident, It
is thought, will be placed on the
switcher, who should have seen,
that the switch was closed after en?
tering the switch and before No. 82
was due at South Rocky Mount.
Engineer Boney is a brother of
Mr. E. Boney, the freight agent of
the Coast Line at Florence. He is
about 40 years old, and was one of
the safest and best engineers on the
system. He was on the run in tner
place of Engineer J. J. Jennings, who
has been off from duty on account of
sickness. The body of Engineer Bo?
ney will be carried to Wallace, N. C*
his old home, for burial tomorrow.
As soon as the train could be detached
it was dispatched North.?News and
Courier.
REPORT OX COTTON CROP.
-
Xcw Orleans Times Democrat Says
Crop Has Deteriorated.
New Orleans, Oct. 7.?The Times
Democrat says today:
The Times-Democrat herewith pre?
sents the reports of its correspondents
on the progress of the cotton crop
during the month of September:
The consesus of opinion is to the
following effect:
The accounts vary greatly .accord?
ing to the section . from which they
come, but taking the belt as a whole. ?
there has been a moderate deteriora?
tion.
Picking has made good headway
as a whole, but farmers are more In?
clined to hold wherever they have no
pressing debts to pay.
There is much complaint of shed?
ding and prematnr?- op nlng of bolls..
The next report, which will he th*
last, will be printed in the issue t?f
Monday, December 2. when the usual
quantitive estimate of yield will be
given.
FARMER MAKE* REPLY.
As to Lynchbiirg Correspondence
Statement Concerning the Sidling ot
Cotton by the Farmer*.
Editor Watchman and Southron:
I notice in last week's Watchman;
and Southron an article by your
Lynchbung correspondent, in which
he ssyi "The farmers are utterly dis?
regarding the earnest appeals to hole*
for 13 and 15 cent*. By this action.
11 to 12 cents is altogether satisfac?
tory."
Your correspondent is altogether
mistaken in drawing that conclusfcm.
They are selling not because they
think they are getting a fair price,
hut bcause they have had the prfCfr
dictated to thru so long that they catr
ii"t he made to si e that they can con?
trol the price themselves, and so the]
rush thlr cotton to market befOief
Wall street pushes it down lower
great many farmers, however,
holding their cotton and will get
much better prlc< - a little later.
One o; the Partners
Ifaj esville, Oct. 1107
Great Britain owns more land o?
North AmtHca than the ITttttNl
States.