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\ki if H16H RATES. RAIIJtOADN lONTKND THAT IN? CREASE IS ABSOLUTELY NKllXsAHV t eee> Are Mouuting Vp Despite Ever* Effort to Limit Them, ami thw Bn saner In on the Wrong Hide? Better Time* Are Hoped For. Washington. April I?.?"A serious V condition confronts ths railways of America. They are going backward In receipts, without being able ma? terially to reduce their expenses. Un toss railroad business should improve la the next three or four months, one of two things alraoat certainly wlli c occur: Cither there will be a reduc ) tkm of ths wages of railway employes or an Increase In the freight rates of the lines." This opinion was expressed by sn Important member of the Interstate commerce commission. He had gone .over carefully with the leading flnan Mgeare of American railways the whole prob lam and his opinion *>as the only conclusion at which they possibly could arrive. It la hoped?and by many It la ex? pected?that the business conditions j . of (he railroads will Improve before ^tiext autumn; but the situation now , la pretty serious. The president of an Important system of railroads said to- I day j "Despite all we can do our expenses are keeping up. Ws have practically j stopped all new construction work. ! I and we have reduced our .operating asperates to the lowest posslbls limit; , but notwithstanding these facts, our ? not revenues are far less than they j were in the corresponding months of last tear or ths year before. We can | not fairly compare the revenues of Pthw year and laat year with those of five years ago. for Instance, because then our operating expanses were not ( no heavy as they now are. In the last Ove years, wages have Increased Im unaaly; supplies of all kinds are . greater In coaj; and our equipment Is aVwnorrnously more expensive. On our tinea, for Instance?and thsy are sub? stantially typical?we are making lit? tle more than our operating expenses. Wo hare littst for Interest on our bonds and nothing for dividends to stockholders. I hope and believe that p*ne> attention will Improve, but If the Improvement done not come noon we shall he face to face with a most aortoeo problem. It may resolve Into m quest Ion either of reducing wages ?r of . Increasing freight raten. Pe? eeeeity, I do not want to take either ^ enure*; but this may be a great move to aeve from general collapse the greatest single lad net ry In the world of Industry, the aggregate value of which la approximately $15.000.000. eet. besides which the United 8tates ' Corporation Is dwarfed Into Insignlfl t eeavoa." ?The problems suggested In this statement, are under most serious con? sideration by railway officials Jhrough . out the country. Thus far. the offi? cials of organised labor have de? clined to consider any proposition . looking to a scaling down of wages. ? even temporarily, and the likelihood Is that If such a proposition were put Into effect gnerally. It would r saw It In a tremendoua labor dis? turbance. Ae railway men regard the matter. ij therefore, the only means by which ' they can make both ends meet Is to Increase their freight rates. Passen v per rates probably will not be affect? ed. If a general Increase of freight charges ahould be determined upon, the Interstate commerce co mm las ion probably would institute an Inveatlga t Hoe Into the subject, having the au? thority to do so under the law. Even? tually, therefore. It would be decided whether euch an increase was war? ranted. In any event, the Interests of the people wpuld be amply pro? tected. -1 GEORGIA HAH IT BAD. Vote of Randolph County Wager? ed on a Ball On me Hohe Smith teem. Cmthbert. Qa.. April St.?As the re feu It of a baseball game played here * yesterday this county (Ksndolph) will go to Oov. Hoke Smith by default In the June primary. The leading sup? porters of Joe Brown are bound pat to make a fight to carry the county j Before the game waa called It was k Uncovered that every fan on one team was for Smith, while the mem? bers of the other team were fo? Brown. The leading supporters of Smith end Brown then practically wagered the county'a vote on the game, the I Smith men agreeing If the Brown ' team won to support Brown and the Brown men. If the Smith team w.<n. to support Sr h. The Smith team won IS to Browns supporter* say they will abide by the result. t A woman wouldn't care t ? be rich I she could lave all the clothes and "toels she wanted. L Electric signs are responsible for PAPER TRUST FIGHT. ? ( - WILLIAMS' NKW MOVE IX WOOD PULP MATTKIL Issue 1* Placed Squarely Before tlie Republicans?Clever Speech by the , Minority Leader. Washington, April 29.?John Sharp Williams today gave the Republican majority in the house an opportunity either to permit or refuse to permit I vote on the Stevens bill to place wood pulp on the free list. In the 1 i course of a cleverly humorous* and ( satrlcal speech he unrolled un^ held up to view the following petition to ' Speaker Cannon, bearing the signa- ' tures of 164 of the 166 Democratic members: "We, the undersigned, representa? tives In congress, request, each for I himself, and each, for each of the < I others, that you recognise one of us, , or If you prefer, some other represen? tative, to move to discharge the com? mittee on ways and means from fur- { ther consideration of and to suspend the rules and pass the Stevens bill 1 or any other bill having the effect to put wood pulp and print paper on the free list." Mr. Williams said that the two Democratic members whose names a ere not appended to that petition ' sere out of town, but efforts were be ins made to reach them by wire; when their signatures were added only 80 Republican names would be reeded to swell the strength of the petition to the proportion of a ma? jority request, which Mr. Williams ?aid with good natured sarcasm he felt sure the speaker would heed. After saying that only SO Republi? cans were necessary to make up the required number to paaa the bill, Mr. j Williame declared that la ahould be caay to get hem because almost 30 Republicans had Introduced free pa? per bills, and, he aald, "I know that every one of you who Introduced a ' bill meant what you said." Quoting the lines from the old hymn: 'While the lamp holds out to burn, The vilest sinner may return," Mr. Williams proceeded: "If you have been in any manner hulldoaed. why think for a second; think of what a abort Ige we live here, and how necessary It is that we should be doing thlnga while we are living, during thla brief day of our time. I express a hope that at least :i0 of you may algn a petition. If you do not Ilka that petition because my name la on it and the names of Champ Clark and DeArmond and Un? derwood and John Wesley Oalnea, and all these vile publicans and sin? ners on thta side, get up one of your own. We can add the two together. If SO of you algn, the speaker cannot refuae, because you, together with us, will then constitute a majority of j the house of representatives. Early In the aesslon, when the rules were being adopted, the speaker was ask? ed if a majority* of the house made a requeat to the speaker, whether that request would be heeded and his re? ply, as I remember It, was, 'A ma? jority of the house of representatives will always be heeded by the speaker.' So, If you have SO names to our 166, It will constitute a majority of the t house. I (know that the eminently good natured man who presides over this house, who is so tolerant of op? position, so patient whenever there is a stumbling block athwart his path? way, will bow In his most elegant man? ner, with the gesticulation that is pe? culiar to him. and say, 'Gentlemen, a majority of the representatives of the American people have a right to have their way and I will recognize some? body/ " A table had been placed on the floor In front of the stenographer's bench and on It the petition was spread, with Ink bottles and pens, while the minority leader, simulating the voice and manner of a revivalist exhorted the Republicans to rise and go forward and sign up. pleading for "thirty." "Are there not 30 who will come forward?" he concluded, amid hand clapping and laughter. SCOTT TO VISIT SUMTER. Kansas CongrcMsnian Will Aecom- I pany Mr. Is'ver and Secretary Wil? son. \ - Washington, April 30.?Congress? man Charles S. Scott, of Kansas, chairman of the house committee on agriculture and a close friend of Rep? resentative Lever, today promised the lateer that he would accept his Invi? tation to go to Sumter on May 7 with Mr. Lever and Secretary Wilson, of the department of agriculture. The presence In Sumter of three men like Secretary Wilson and Representatives I. ver and Scott, all enthusiasts on the possibilities of the South in agri? cultural matters. will undoubtedly serve to draw one of the largest crowds of people to Sumter that per? haps has ever gone there before at one time. Mr. Scott will address the people on the subject of agriculture generally and the great opportunities opening to the people of the United Mil. NORMS contimks on tili?: witness stand. It I? Brought Out That the Alleged Sixty Million Dollar.* In the Price of Paper He lutes to All Paper Con? sumed, Not News Print Pai>er Alone. Washington, April 30.?A mass of data bearing on what is charged to be a combination of paper makers to raise prices and restrict production was furnished today by John Xorris, representing the American Newspaper Publishers' Association, to the -select committee of the house, which Is | conducting an investigation into the subject of the price of news print pa? per in the United States. Gen. Felix Agnus, of the Baltimore American, who was also on the stand today, testified regarding the various contracts with paper manufacturers, and also said that on January 1 last he was forced by the International Paper Company to pay $12 a ton more for paper than he did last year. He related a conversation he had had today with a representative of the International Company, in which, he said, If the tariff on print paper was removed he would be given a reduced rate. He read a letter from the Berlin Company saying that company had plenty, and more than plenty, of pa? per to meet the demand for 1908, ??but," the communication continued, "due consideration, however, of the circumstances attending our negotia? tions of two years ago lead us to de? cline to'even consider a contract with the American newspapers." He ap? plied to the Vernon Mills, and was told the supplv was all being spoken for. That m..i had been soliciting his business from time to time, he said, but "all of a sudden It stopped." He was satisfied from this, he declared, that the paper makers had combined. At the close of the day's session Chairman Mann stated that apparent? ly some of the publishers were not so anxious to attend the hearing as they originally appearedMo be, but said that he would force their presence and secure their testimony. Mr. Mann today put Into the rec? ord letters received by him from the International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers, and Dr. North, of the census bureau, and also telegrams from David S. Cowles, president of the American Paper and Pulp Association, asking the oppor? tunity to be heard. Both Mr. North and Mr. Cowles stated that they de? sire to deny certain statements made by the Publishers' Association. "Do you claim as a matter of fact,' Mr. Mann asked Mr. Xorris, "that the statement In Mr. Redder's letter of March 4, 1908, to President Roose? velt, in which he said there was practically a combination to put an additional burden of $60,000.000 per annum upon the printing and publish? ing Interests is true?" ? "Yes, sir," the witness responded, and answering a further question said that the news print paper represented the great bulk of the paper made. "You don't figure the blotting pa? per or wrapping paper as printing and publishing paper, do you " asked Mr. Mann. The witness said that he did so regard them. "How about wall paper?" Mr. Norrls replied that it was in? tended to include all consumers in the advance, and he put the question to Mr. Mann if he thought it material whether the $60,000,000 increase planned was confined to the printing or publishing business, or confined to paper consumers. "I think it Is extremely material," Mr. Mann replied as to whether this $60.000,000 burden is one thing or everything In the United States. Mr. Norrls said that If it related to paper makers who are in combina? tion, "and who are In combination In such ways that the taking of their machines off one kind of paper and putting htem on another affects the whole business." It was a factor to be considered. Mr. Mann remarked that the wit? ness had been directed to cover the subject of paper, whereas all that has been said was confined ao the printing and publishing interests, "and there? by absolutely you misled myself." "We do not claim," said Mr. Nor? rls, "that the increase is confined to the printing and publishing business, but that it applies to a co aputatlon of the burdens which all the paper combinations aim to impose upon all paper consumers." A WOfnan seldom nags her hus? band unless he is {'. t kind of a hus? band. ??or a burn or scald apply Cham? berlain's Salve. It will allay the pain almost Instantly and quickly heal the injured parts. For sale by all druggists. Winter Isn't doing a great deal of that lap-lingering business this year. THE PRICE OF PAPER. MORE TESTIMONY AGAINST THE PAPER TRUST. Well Known Chicago Publisher Says That He Has Been Forced to Pay 100,000 More u Year For Paper?He Advoctcs Removal of Tariff on Pa? per and Pulp. Washington, May 1.?Testifying to? day before the house select comittee on wood pulp and paper investigation, Medill McCormick, publisher of the Chicago Tribune, explained his several paper contracts of the last 10 years and said that although he had a five year contract, with one year yet to run, with the International Paper Company, the price had been gradual? ly Increased from $1.85 per 100 to $2.20. He said although his purchases amounted to 14,000 or 15,000 tons a year, no one had approached him re? garding his paper supply for next year. I Under a rigid cross-examination, Mr. McCormick testified that shortly before making his last contract with the International Company he had bought paper from a Watertown, N. Y., mill. Subsequently through a traveling representative, the Water town Company asked to be relieved of its contract and on the same day within an hour an agent of the In? ternational Company appeared in his office and asked for the contract. The committee entered into an Informal discussion as to the probable effect on the public of Its report. In the opinion of Mr. Stafford, the recommendations of the committee would be followed by the house. Continuing his testimony, Mr. Mc? Cormick declared that the passage of the Stevens bill, removing the duty tin wood pulp and print paper would effect the relief sought. Mr. McCor? mick said the Increased price of paper meant an additional outlay by film of $100,000 a year. He added that if the committee would look Into the condition of some of the smaller pub? lishers they would find that in many Instances men who, after years of hard work had built up a good living, had lost that living. In the opinion of Mr. McCormick the emergency!of the case fully Justi? fied Immediate action by Congress without going Into a general revision of the tariff. Further evidence was submitted by John Nords, representaalve of the American Newspaper Publishers' As? sociation, in support of the claim that there is a combination or agreement In restraint of trade among the groups of paper makers. "You claim," Chairman Mann said, "that the advance Is In part caused by an artificial comblnaaion, that there Is an artificial price, that it is fostered by the tariff, and you think we ought to recommend a removal of the tariff, but suppose It should appear that the enhancement In price Is caused by normal conditions, by the actual increase In cost of material or labor, and not by reason of a com? bination, do you think that we ought to recommend a removal of the tar? iff?" Mr. Xorrls answered that that was such an Impossible hypothesis that he could not give an answer that would clearly state his mind. He said the publishers would substantially rest their whole position upon the fact that there not only was a combination but that the prices which were being charged were absolutely without Justi? fication. The statements of the manu? facturers, he said, as to the cost of production were absolutely untrue. Mr, Xorrls said In answer to a ques? tion that the full measure of relief desired by the publishers could be ob? tained without removal of the tar? iff. Mr. Xorrls also gave testimony showing the existence of a box board pool which, he said, collapsed April 1 of the present year, when prices were $8 to $10 a ton. Since then, he said, there had been extremely lively com? petition In that line. The witness elaborated his former statements refuting the claim of the paper makers that the Increased price of paper was due to higher wages for labor and furnished evi? dence showing that paper workers are paid less per week than the fol? lowers of any single occupation re? porting to the Xew York, bureau of la? bor. The hearing will be continued to? morrow. Don't cough your head off when you can g?^t a guaranteed remedy in Bees Laxative cough Byrup. it Is especial? ly recommended for children as it's pleasant to take. Is a gentle laxative thus expelling the phlegm from the system. For coughs. colds, croup, whooping cough, hoarseness and all bronchial trouble. Guaranteed. Sohl by Blbert's Drug Store. The man who thinks he can fool 'i woman is an easy mark for her, 30 days* trial $1 is the offer on Plneules. Relieves backache, weak back, lame back. rheumatic pains. Rest on sale for kidneys, bladder and blood. Good for young and old. Sat? isfaction guaranteed or money re PASTURE GRASS TESTS. DEPARTMENT OF. AGRICULTURE TO MAKE INVESTIGATION. Valuable Work to Re Done By Mr. S. M. Pierson in Conjunction with Ex? port From Department?Experi? ments Undertaken at Request of Secretary Reardon. The following- correspondence, which is fully self-explanatory, shows that an important series of tests are to be made on a practical scale for the purpose of determining what va? rieties of grasses are best adapted for growing in this section as winter pas? turage. A winter pasture grass is greatly neeuca in the South and es? pecially In this section. If it is pos? sible to secure a permanent pasture for winter grazing the live stock in? dustry in this State will receive aB impetus that will cause it to attain large proportions within the next few years. The letters received by Secretary Reardon are as follows: Washington, D. C, April 24, 1908. Mr. E. I. Reardon, Secretary, Sumter, Chamber of Commerce, Sumter, My Dear Sir: Your communication of recent date, addressed to the hon? orable secretary, regarding pasture grasses has been referred to this office. I called upon our forage crop expert, Prof. Piper, for a memorandum as to what could be done to assist Mr. Pier son and inclose his reply herewith, which is self-explanatory- I have asked Prof. Piper to take the matter In charge and give It his personal at? tention. Very truly yours, B. V. Elly, Chief of Bureau. Washington. D. C, April 21, 1908. Dr. B. T. Galloway, Chief, Bureau of Plant Industry. Dear Dr. Galloway: Referring to the attached letter from Mr. E. L Reardon, addressed to the Honodable Secretary of Agriculture, I will say that we will be glad to conduct some tests with the pasture grasses and mixtures with Mr. Samuel M. Pierson, of Sumter, S. C, and will be pleased to take the matter up with him direct. I note from Mr. Reardon's letter that a grass furnishing winter pasure is very desirable, and I am of the opin? ion that rescue grass would be well worth testing for this purpose. Res? cue grass, of course, is an annual grass, but if properly handled it par? takes of the nature of a perennial, in? asmuch as it reseeds Itself readily. There are also other grasses which, when used in mixtures, would, I be? lieve, give satisfaction, and we would be glad to arrange for the testing of these on a practicable scale. I regret that I can give Mr. Pierson very little Information concerning the growing of Texas bluegrass, as this has not as yet established Itself as a cultivated grass in the South. The seed is at present difficult to obtain and very unsatisfactory to handle, and I do not believe that Mr. Pierson will be Justified In going to any expense at present to establish a field of this grass. Our experience with seeding indicates that fall seeding will give better results than spring seeding In most sections of the South, and I would suggest that Mr. Pierson defer the matter of conducting any tests until some time next fall. Yours very truly, C. V. Piper, Agrostologist. Washington, D. C, April 28, 1908. Mr. E. L Reardon, Sumter, S. C. Dear Sir: Your communication of the 16th instant, to the Honorable Sec? retary of Agriculture has been refer? red to this office for personal attention. We prepared a memorandum some time ago for the reply to your letter, which I presume you have received before this. I will say that we will be glad Indeed to have you test the grasses and mixtures Indicated in our leter, but believe that It is rather late now In the season to begin work. Or ex? perience Indicates that fall seeding gives better results than spring seed? ing In many sections of the South, and I would suggest, therefore, that you defer making any tests until next fall. We will be glad to have you write us, giving your opinion regarding this matter, and giving us some idea as to the extent to which you would like to conduct experiments. You'll j'dmit its wonderful merits, else It couldn't keep the reputation for thirty years of America's most re? liable and surest tonic and blood rem? edy?Holllster's Rocky Mountain Tea 36c , 'OS or tablets. Sibert ? Drug Store. Mrs. Catherine Helnts, of Cincin? nati, Is now engaged In lor third suit for damages against Dr. Frank Caldwell for alleged injuries resulting from bites of a dog In 1896. At the first trial the jury gave her $100. and at the second $3.000. She claims $5, S. C. Very truly yours, R. A. Oakley, Assistant Agrostologist. EXPLOSION ON CRUISER. MATsrsHIMO GOBS DOWX WITH. MAXV OF CHEW. . Out of a Total Complement of UWI About 140 Men Are Saved?Num? ber of Cadets Perish. Tokyo, Ap/il 30.?Admiral Yoshl masu. commander of the training squadron, reports that an explosion, occurred in the stern magazine of the cruiser Matsushimo early this morn? ing while anchoring at Makang. The* Matsushimo immediately sank until only her bridge was visible. Boats lowered from the cruiser Hashadite and Itsumushina continued rescue work until 9 a. m., resulting in the saving of the lives of 141 men, includ? ing some officers. The majority ofT the officers were not saved. At the* time of the explosion, the admiral re? ports, the cadets on board numbered. 58 out of a total complement of 300. The sons of Baron Chlndia, vince min? ister of the foreign office, and of Prince Oyama, held marshal, are among the cadets who It Is feared are lost, also Capts Hamme, Yoshmorl and Yasbiro. The cause of the explosion is un? known. -1 A GIGANTIC COMBINE. I Conferences Have Been Under Way foe* Two Bays Between Lumbermen^ Controlling All of Yellow Pino Land in the South. Approximately 5.000.000 Acres. St. Louis, April 30.?Lumbermen, representing companies comprising in their holdings about 5,000,000 acres or practically all of the yellow pine timber of the South, have been hold? ing an executive conference, for the) past two days and it is understood tho purpose of the meeting is to form a holding corporation or merger not only to conserve the timber supply but also to maintain equitable prices on yel? low pine products. It is stated that the proposed or? ganization will be capitalized foe $300,000,000 and because of the heavy corporate fees and other restriction* in Missouri the concern will probably* be incorporated in Delaware or Xew Jersey. The holdings of the various com? panies represeting 100 plants will ho vested in the corporation and tho stockholders of each will simply ex? change their stock share for share of/ stock in the holding compnay. Ran; Opportunity. A philanthropic man heard the other day of a family dewn in tho "Xeck" who were In extreme financial stress. He took a trip around to tho. poor, miserably furnished home and found the occupants were having a hard struggle to get enough to eat. He gave three $5 bills to the gaunt* half-starved mother and told her to spend.it as she thought best. A few days later he returned to sea how the family was getting' along. All the members in sight looked poorly fed. "Did you buy some groceries witla that $15," he asked. "Well, no," the mother replied with some hesitation. "You see, it was the first time we had had so much money all at once, and It looked like such a good chance, that we each went up and had a dozen cabinet photographs taken."?Philadelphia Ledger. The Honest Janitor. A janitor In a neighboring school threw up his Job the other day. When, asked what was the trouble, he said: "I'm honest and won't stand being slurred. If I find a pencil or a hand? kerchief 'bout the school I hang It up. Every little while the teacher or some one that Is too cowardly to face me gives me a slur." "It what way?" asked the officer. "Why, a little while ago I saw written on hte board, 'find the com? mon multiple.' I looked for it fronx cellar to garret, and I wouldn't know the thing if I met it on the street. What made me quit my Job? Last night In big writin' on the black? board U said, 'find the greatest com? mon divisor.' Well, I sayti to myself, both them darn things are lost now. and I'll be blamed for sweepin* 'era* so I'll quit."?Ex. ( t.or?m! by a Steer. Oaffney. May 1.?Mr. W. A. Mc Par land, who is farming near Gaf ney on the plantation of Mr. J. R. Tolleson, while preparing some land, for planting yesterday, was very bad? ly gored by a steer which he wae plowing. The wound Is on the BftdSj and is a very ugly one. The injure.! man. though suffering much pain, from his w und, Is doing reasonably well. ri he butcher should be careful hifJI h? steaks his reputation. Do your duty and let the other fel