Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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TIM TO ATTRACT CAPITAL. CUPT. Mewl ASTER AND COL. WAT BOM ARB OOOPKHATING. ?UM? lx??inoe) Commissioner and Htm** Oaaaaaiaaloaer of .tgrii-ultiirc, Oomsnorou mnA Immigration Seek? ing to Indue* Big Insurance Com panic* 9a stake Investments In Bout* GereJtna. Columhca, Dec. IT.?Por some time Capt. P. H. If elf aster, Insurance com? missioner of the great State of South Carolina, has been endeavoring to in? duce the Insurance companies, which draw hundreds of thousands of dollars from tMsr mate every year In pre? miums, ta Invest some of their sur? plus In this Stats. Recent correspon? dence sisojg this line has led the com? missioner of insurance to enlist the eooperaftas of the commissioner of agriculture, commerce and Immigra? tion, Cat K. J. Watson, and the fol? lowing onrreepondance between the two cosaessseioners, whose offices are g few feet apart actons the more or leas, isapaeaag rotunda of the capltol explains ISH? whole matter: December 7, 1901. (The Hos. gJL J. Wstsoa. Commissioner of Agrjcptture, Colembls. 8. C. My Dear Sir:?Prom time to time. 1 have attempted to direct the atten? tion of the managers of the Insurance companies doing business In South Carolina ta the advisability of making Investments la this State. I also took the matter np with Mr. Robert Lynn Cox, wise Is now the executive head of the Association of Life Iusuranoe Presidents, having succoeeded the late Hon. drover Cleveland. In persuance of this correspondence, Mr. Cox had Major J. f. Brlnkernoff. the actuary of the Association of Life Insurance Presidents, to visit me and discuss the matter, ra the course of the discus? sion Mr. Brlnkernoff Informed me that a number of Insurance companies were now turning their attention to Investing In real estate mortgagee, but the private opinion was that the West offered better oportualtlea for auch In? vestments, since It was supposed to be the fro wing section, and real estate values there were likely to rise rather than j fall; that South Carolina being an old Stats, It was supposed that it had to a considerable extent reached its normal ?t?te of development. ? 1 assure* Major Brlnkernoff that ' -nothing oeutd be further from the true facta, aao f ventured the sssurance > that except possibly In the, Klondike, aewly discovered oil regions and such othei section*, where there had beon vn esn** fa** nhenomensl development, ths. i?<* ee.tion of the r >untr> w?. s* owing gf rater Improvement In con illWas er a more isyul rise In real estate values than South Carolina. In support ef this I gate as the reasons ?he reoeat development of tobacco planting, track raising and.the like, I also caHat kda attention to the phe? nomena raped dawetapnaent ot cotton manufacturing la this State in the last twenty year* Through your Kindness, 1 i resent mi him with a copy of your escei'wnt Hand Book of South Caro? lina. Major Brlnkernoff expressed himself as much impressed, and as having learned facta that were en? tirely new to him. I bei eve that It would be; a most profitable investment to South Caro? lina If you would, send to the executive officer of each Insurance company do? ing business In this Stats, a copy of your Hand Book, wnd write him a succinct statement of the facts con? tained therein. I trusf that this scheme will commend Itself to you, and I am enclosing herewith a list of the presidents of the life, accident and surety companies doing business In this State. Very truly. P. H. McMASTER, Insurance Commissioner. To the above Col. Watson respond? ed, as follows: December 19. 1908. The Hon. F. II. Mo Master, Insurance t ommlseloner, Columbia. S. C, Dear Sir:?I am In hearty sympathy with both the spirit and the contents of your letter of December 7. address? ed to me. which I find upon my desk on returning to the city. It has afforded me great plessure to write each of the gentlemen whose addreeses you have given, and also to furnish them with a copy of our Hand Book of the resources of the State, di? recting their attention to the partic? ular feature In which they will be In? terested. Agaia thanking you for the sugges? tion made and for this service that I know you have rendered to the State an<1 Its prosperity, believe mo, very truly yours, B. J. WATSON. Commissioner. Following Is ths letter sent to 99 executive officials of large companies: December 19. 1908 My Dear Sir ?The Hon. F. 11. Mo Matter. State Ineurance Comml*ton?>r of South Carolina, hss called to my at teatton the lack of Information In re? gard to this State's material prosperi? ty tfiat seems to exist smong the exe? cutive officers of the Insurance com paniee doing buelness In this country I ! and he haa requested that I aend to you for your information a copy of our 1908 Hand Book of the resources of this State, together with a publica? tion dealing with the values of lands. Both of these publications are being mailed to you under separate cover, and even a hasty examination of the various statistical tables relating to agriculture, manufacturing and ev? erything that pertains to Industrial progress, I am aure will give you a good idea of the South Carolina of to? day. I truat that the intlmae knowl? edge that you can thus obtain of South Carolina conditions will show you that this portion of the South at least is a rapidly developing section and one worthy of the attention of those seeking investments. Very truly yours. The President's Insulting Message. An unusual Incident marked the first week of the present session of congress. In his message President Roosevelt criticised an amendment in? corporated lest year in the measure providing for the secret service which stipulated that there ahould be no detail from the secret service and no transfer therefrom. He went on to eay that the chief argument in favor of the provision was that the con? gressmen did not themselves wish to be investigated by secret service men, and after expressing the belief that the government should be given means to prosecute criminals If found In the legislative branch, suggested that if that were not considered desirable "a special exception could be made in the law prohibiting the use of the Be? eret service force in investigating members of the congress." These ex? pressions at once attracted the notice of members of congress, and as a re? sult the house of representatives on Friday adopted without a dissenting vote a resolution for the appointment of a special committee to consider the parts of the president's message in which the expressions above referred to occur.?Bradstreet. The banking power of the United States in 1808 exceeded that of the whole world in 1890, according to fig? ures presented by Comptroller of the Currency Murray in his annual report The figures fur the earlier date are based upon Mulhall's estimates, which put the banking power of the world at $18.985.000.000, of which the UnltedV States was credited with $5,160,000, 090. 8ince that time the banking power of the United states, as repre? sented by capital, surplus and other profits, deposits and circulation of na tlonal and other reporting banka to? gether with estimated amounts of funds of thlh kind in non-reporting hanks has increased to $17,842,705, 874 or more than that for al] coun? tries in 1890. The Increase for the United States waa 842.58 per cent. The banking power of foreign coun? tries has In the same time Increased to 828.107,800,000. a gain of 159.41 per csnt. At present the aggregate banking power of the world is etitl- j mated at $46.760,300.000, distributed as follows, using round numbers for the United States, namely: United States.$17,842.700.000 British Empire. 11,157.000.000 Continental Europe .. 5,472,800,000) Cen. Jr South America. 851,700,000 Other foreign banka. . 1.828.800,000 Foreign savinga banks. 9,297,700.000 Total.945,750,300.000 It appears that bank resources in the United States have more than doubled alnce 1900. In that year the bank resources of the country aggre? gated 99.148,017,917; on June 30 of this year the resources of all report? ing banks amounted to $19,583,398. an Increase of 114 per cent^?Brad street's. . While oata are a good egg pro? ducing ?food, better results can be secured by alternating with bian. Rolled oats soaked In sweet milk la a good ration to commence feed? ing young chickens. Scald out the drinking vessels once a week. Filth Is easily carried to the system through drinking water. Clean dry earth is pne of the best absorbants for the poultry house Scatter It liberally over the floor. Sprinkle the nests with a solution of diluted corbollc acid. It will aid materially in fteeplngytlown lice. Boiling milk that is fed to the fowln will Increase Its value and les? sen the risks of Its producing disease. A Fast Flying Bird. The most wonderful bird flight noted Is the migratory achievement of the Virginian Plover, which leaves itn haunts In North America and taking a course down the Atlantic, reaches the coast of Brazil in one unbroken Might of 16 hours, cover? ing a distance of 3.000 miles at the rate of four miles a minute, gome years ago some of th-*,. birds were stranded In Orangeburg by a storm, and several people who saw them noted their awlft flight as tiny re? sumed thoh Journey. B. J. WATSON. Commissioner. Poultry Notes. CASTRO'S DOWNFALL VENEZUELA DICTATOR PRAC TICALLY AN EXILE. Plot to Assassinate Acting President Frustrated?Gen. Gomez, the In? tended Victim, Single-Handed and Alone, Arrests the Chief Conspira? tors, and Thus Breaks the Back of the Plot?Castro Himself is Accus? ed of Instigating the Conspiracy. Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Dec. 21. ?(Via WUlemstad, Curacao, Dec. 22. )?The end of the rule in Venezula of Ciprano Castro has come. The die* tator, who has governed the Republic with a rod of Iron ever since he took forcible possession of the Yellow House In Caracas in 1899, is now openly charged with conspiracy to compass the assassination of a man he left at the head of the Republic when he sailed away on November 28 from La Ouaira. nominally to secure skilled medical aid In Berlin for a malady of long standing, and is today thoroughly discredited. The Bank of Venezuela has cabled Its correspondents In Berlin and Paris cancelling the unlimited letter of cred? it given to President Castro when he left Venezuela for Europe, and no one In Caracas believes he will ever dare return to the capital. The Castro cabinet has been forced to resign and a new and progressive ministry has been appointed by Juan Vicente Gomez, the acting president. At a conference held in Caracas yes? terday between Acting President Go? mez and Baron Von ZeckendorflF, the German minister In charge of the in? terests of Holland since the departure of the Dutch minister, M. De Reus last summer. It was agreed to suspend the operation of the decree Issued by Castro prohibiting the transhipment at WUlemstad of goods destined for Venezuela. Pending the signing of a treaty be? tween Holland and a duly empowered Venezuelan commissioner the Dutch war ships that have been patrolling the Venezuelan coast for nearly three weeks, will be withdrawn. A prominent lawyer has filed an accusation in the High Federal Court, charging President Castro with com? plicity In the attempted assassination and proposing his impeachment. There was a meeting Friday night of the plotters In the residence In Caracas of Garbiras Guzman, who was secre? tary general In the last Castro cabinet, and who was placed In charge of Pres? ident Castro's personal business In Venezuela when the president left for Germany. The conspirators .decided upon a coup de'etat. They determined to assassinate Acting President Go? mez. Jose De Jesus Paul, the foreign ministers; George Leop?ldo Baptists, and the other prominent men; seise the administration of the country and with, the army terrorise and overawe the population, i Torres-Cardenas,, who was at one time minister of the interior under President Castro, and later his per? sons 1 secretary, was the active leader of the conspiracy. He was entrusted with the carrying out of the plot. He had as lieutenants the commanders of three battalions. ? In spite of the precautions taken an Intimation of what was on foot reach? ed the ears of Acting President Go? mez. As soon as he satisfied himself of Uie truth of the reports he took im? mediate steps to frustrate the attempt. Early Saturday morning he went alone on foot to the barracks in Cara? cas, where a mutinous regiment, un? der the command of President Cas? tro's brother, was quartered. He en? tered the building and placed the brother of the president under arrest. The nerve of Gomez made it possible for ' him to carry out this dangerous manoeuvre successfully. He then went to the Yellow House, the executive mansion, where he had a brief inter? view with Torres-Cardenas. The chief o fthe conspirators denied the exist? ence of any plot. Gomes would not be deceived by such assurance. Ha seised Torres-Cardenas by the should? ers, and shaking him roughky said: "I have discovered your plot to as? sassinate me. You are my prisoner.' Torres-Cardeas tried to use his re? volver on the acting president, but Gomez was too quick for him. He pinioned the man's arms and called the guard. Torres-C/irdenas was seiz? ed and disarmed and hurried away to Jail. These two arrests, made single handed by Gomez, broke the back of the plot. Gomez's friends came for ward quickly to his supoprt. Ordtrs were at once issued and carried out rapidly for the arrest of Garbiras Guz? man, Lopez Haralt, minister of the in? terior in the cabinet, that was forced to resign December 17; Senor Ber mudez, director of the National Tele? graph System; Commander Casanova, Commander Angulo. and other adher? ents of Castro suspected of complicity. As soon as the news of the sensational occurrence became known throughout the city an immense crowd gathered in the plaza Ilollvar and gave unmis? takable evidence of its satisfaction at the turn affairs had taken. A Th?- sins we wink at today are the ones we wed tomorrow. PROHIBITION IT ONCE. RED HOT DEMAND FOR QUICK ACTION. Rev. J. L. Harley Insists Upon Forc? ing Prohibition Upon the Entire State Regardless of the Wishes of the Counties That Hare Not Voted Out the Dispeusaiies. To the Editor of The Item: As was to be expected, when the prohibitionists of South Carolina met and declared for State-wide prohibi? tion, we began to hear criticisms pro an con froni every direction. Some of our so-called prohibitionists, says the "Florence Times," have actually taken a trip to Savannah, Georgia to learn that prohibition is a farce. w.? do not know who these gentlemen are, but if the editor of the "Florence times'' will kindly publish their names, the citizens of South Carolina would be better able to Judge of the worth of their statements. The cry is raised on every hand, that if we have State-wide prohibition conditions will be worse in Charleston than they are now. We are peremptorily told that the law cannot be enforced in the lower counties, and that we must wait until the people are educated up to a higher standard of citizenship and morality. It is the purpose of this paper to bring some things to the at? tention of the people of our State. First, of all, I wish to ask, can condi? tions be any e'orse in Charleston than they are? With 14 dispensaries run? ning full blast from sun to sun?more than 300 licensed blind-tigers selling liquor day and night?hundreds of other blind-tigers selling without any license at all, and the people of Char? leston ordering one hundred thousand dollars worth of liquor a year. I aak again, can conditions be any worse? After all, without any intention of re? flecting upon the good people of Char? leston, what is Charleston, that the whole State should be called upon to bow to her will In an Important mat? ter like this? Charleston represents about four per cent, of the population of South Carolina, and every one knows that more than one-half of her population Is made up of the colored race. If Charleston does not wish to enforce the law, let her do as she is now doing. It cannot be any worse. But, in heavens name, do not ask the whole State to wait on Charleston. Again, some of our people seem to fear that we will force prohibition upon communities before they are ready, and thereby bring reproach up? on our cause. Thanks for consider? ation. Here let us call attention to the following facts. We have now 21 counties In this State without the le? galized sale of Intoxicating liquors. In these 21 counties live a large ma? jority of the population of the entire State. This majority Is made up prin? cipally of white people. In other words, a safe estimate would be, that there-fourths of the white people In the State now live In prohibition ter? ritory. We are Democrats, and we claim that the white people are in authority?that we can rule?must rule, and will^rule. And yet, this large majorjity of the whole State?this larger majority of the white people of the State, are being told by a small minority of white people, "Wait for us atid the negroes of the lower coun? ties until we get ready for prohibi? tion." And the plea they make is. that they are afraid of worse condi? tions. Worse conditions indeed! With blind-tigers plying their trade, espe? cially In dispensary counties, all over the. lower part of the State, buying liquor from the dispensaries for that purpose, and in some instances mu? nicipal authorities making no attempt whatever to enforce the law, I raise the question, can the good people of the lower part o fthe State, and a large majority of the white people of the State wait any longer for an Improvement in conditions? We be? lieve It Is the duty of every good citi? zen to throw the weight of his In? fluence against such conditions, and thereby help to change them as speed? ily as possible. Our prohibition con ventloi| did not adopt my plan in try? ing to get State-wide prohibition. I wanted a prohibition bill passed with a proviso that it be submitted to the people in a State election for their confirmation. But If our legislature at the next session shall pass a pro? hibition law for the whole State, and will provide for assistants to the attor I ney general, making financial pro? vision for the enforcement of such a law. I believe wo shall succeed in South Carolina as well as they are succeeding In other States. That liq? uor will be shipped into our State goes without saying, but let us add another to the fast growing list of States whose cry must be heard, and for relief at the capital of this great nation. l>et the weak-kneed back boneless officials who whine and fawn at the feet of their constituency, g??t out of the way and give place to men. I*ct every true man Join In this fight for reform and better government, and let us leave a heritage to our children that will cheer us in our old age. rejoice and comfort us when we come to the end of the way, and of which our descendants will be proud when we are gone. J. L. HARLEY, State Supt. Spartanburg, S. C, Dec. 22, 1908. DISCUSSED SEMINOLE DEAL. Insurance Commissioners McMaster And Young Confer and Issue State? ment. Columbia, Dec. 22.?After a careful and all day consideration of the Seml nole Securities Company, Southern Life Insurance Company embroglio Commissioner Young, of North Caro? lina, and Commissioner McMaster de? termined to issue the following state ment, which is significant as it follow* the action of Judge Watts at Cheraw in postponing the receivership pro? ceedings: "Neither commissioner has lurisdic tlon over the Seminole Securities Com? pany, Commissioner Young because it was never licensed to do business in his State, Commissioner McMaster because his powers are limited to in? surance companies. But so far as the interests of the stockholders of the Seminole Securities Company?, ore In? volved in the Southern Life Insurance Company, and generally so far as the commissioners can see, they will be best served by the ockholders get? ting together and reorganising, estab? lishing a satisfactory and economical management with power to determine whether it shall seek to control and manage the Southern Life, or whether it shall dispose of its interest In the Southern Life and organize a casulty company as first proposed, or other? wise dispose of its assets. "The commissioners believe that the officials of the Southern Life are dis? posed to act liberally and fairly to? wards the stockholders of the Semi? nole Securities Company, and each commissioner will lend his aid to that effect." The commissioners both express the decided opinion that the policy hold? ers of the Southern Life are fully and amply protected, and as a matter of fact the company is in greater funds than before. Regardless of this, how? ever, Commissioner Young, has in his possession over $100,000 of funds of the Southern Life, which deposit rep? resents the reserves on its policies. With this company in the hands of the proper management, both commission? ers believe that it may prove a valu? able property. Agreement of action among the stockholders of the Seminole Securi? ties Company would not prevent in? dividual action against any parties, whom they felt had damaged them. A Farm Self-Sustaining. We have often written and urged through our paper for farmers to make their farms self-sustaining. We had a belief that it could be done and now we know that it can be done easier than to plant all cotton and have the smoke house and barn In the west. One of our well to do and most pro? gressive farmers, we hear, planted a two horse farm this year, 25 acres in cotton, 27 In corn and 20 in oats. He has gathered from the 62 acre farm, 35 bales of cotton, 1,000 bushels of corn, but his oats were rather a fail? ure, he made only 50 bushels per acre, but gathered a large quantity of pea vine hay off of 15 acres and the other five acres made him about 20 bushels of corn to the acre. In addition to this he has a nice herd of Jerseys and a fine lot of hogs. From th hogs he has already sold $150 worth of pork and from - the cattle pens he makes compost manure enough that with 500 pounds of fertilizers to the acre he made those 35 bales of cotton on 25 acres. Besides he made 400 bush? els of potatoes and 285 gallons of syrup. If this is not making a farm self-sustaining, we would like to have something better. Mr. T. J. Bell Is the farmer we have reference to and he did not give us this to brag, but we got It over a grape vine telegraph. The above from the Leader and Vindicator, of Blshopville, Is most gratifying. Mr. Bell is a loyal Union member was examplifies the teach? ings of the Union in his every day life. He was a delegate to the State convention about a year ago.?Farm? ers Union Sun. For that Dull Feeling After Eating. ?I have used Chamberlain's Stom? ach and Liver Tablets for some time, and can testify that they have cone me more good than any tablets 1 lave ever used. My trouble was a heavy dull feeling after eating.?David Free? man, Kempt Nova Scotia. These tab? lets strengthen the stomach and im? prove the digestion. They also regu? late the live- and bowels. They are far suoerlor to pills but cost no more. Get a free sample at all Druggists and see what a splendid medicine it is. John King, alias John B. Stllwell alls Pennsylvania Swipes, who was re? leased from the Federal prison in At? lanta Monday, after having completed a five years sentence, was immediate? ly arrestod and will be taken to Latta, S. Cm to answer the charge of rotbery at that place. The Southern Power Company has seoured options on 40,000 scree of land on the Wateree river. MORE SEMINOLE ElPUIillfll - INSURANCE COMMIPSIOVERS OP THE CAROLIN AS TO CONFER. Letter Received from the Actuary ou Whose Report tike Lh?l v Said to Have Been llAM-d?He Claims that He Stated that Sooth' m Late Stock Wab Worth $ir?0 Per $1*0 Share j "On ?k Showing Made,-* beat that He Did Not Delieve the showing. Columbia, Dec. 21.?"Seminole" is still the topic of talk In financial and official circles, and bits of information and alleged Information are dished out every now and then. ! Insurance Commissioner Young, of North Carolina, haa informed Insur? ance Commissioner McMaster of South Carolina, that he will be in Colum? bia tomorrow to talk over the matter of the deal with the Southern Life In? surance Company, which is a North Carolina concern. Mr. Young express ed the opinion in a letter to the South Carolina commissioner that the South? ern Life is probably not financially in? jured by the transaction, since ft seems to have come into a sum of mone through the deal, but he does no think it will help this oompany to mixed up In such matters. As to the actual value of the stock purchases for |108 per $50 share there is some additional information. It was stated that this trade was made " on the report of Mr. H. W. Buttolph, .< of Indianapolis, an Independent ac? tuary, that the book value of the stock was $150 per $100 share. This seems to be erroneous, since Commissioner McMaster has received a letter from Mr. Buttolph in reply to a letter from* the commissioner inquiring as to Mr. ^ Buttolph's alleged report on the value of the Southern Life stock, which re? port was made to representatives of the Seminole Company. Mr. But? tolph states that he did make such report to Mr. W. A. Clark on what ^ "purported to be a correct exhibit of J the financial standing of this com-* pany, and in which he drew certain conclusion regarding the value of the stock." Mr. Buttolph naya that after going over carefully tie papers, he gave it as his opinion that "the oondu tion of the company was not as favH orable as the financial statements ren? dered by Mr. Lacy would make it ap? pear." Mr. Buttolph continues: "Af? ter stating very positively that I did not believe the report shewed the true condition of the company, I aald that if it did the book value of the sV 2 would seem to be about $117 per 111 of par value, and if the condition* were just as shown by Mr. Lacy $160 per $100 would be not an unreason? able price to be paid the company for such an additional issue as would give , the control to the purchaser." Mr Buttolph declares that he never said the book value of this stock was $160, or that its actual value was $150, ex? cept under conditions which "I dis? tinctly stated I had every reason to believe did not exist." Mr. Buttolph goes on to say that he | only recently learned that the par I value of the stock Is $50 per share, and not $100, and he states very em? phatically, and repeats the assertion, that his report was based on a $100 per share par value. According to the statements hereto- - fore made by the officials of the com? panies involved, ?the Seminole com? pany paid $216 per $100 share, or $108 per $50 share, for this stock, and the Southern Life rec?ived $140 per $100 share, in round numbers. The transaction was said to be based on the report of Actuary Buttolph, which Mr. Buttolph now declares justified a payment of $150 per $100 share only for a controlling interest, if the con? dition of the life insurance company was what it was represented to be, which he did not believe to be the ? case. Beware of Frequent Colds. ?A succession of colds or a protract? ed cold la almost certain to end in chronic catarrh, from which few per? sons ever wholly recover. Give every cold the attention it deserves and you may avoid this disagreeable disease. How can you cure a cold? Why not try Chamberlain's Cough Remedy? It is highly recommended. Mrs. M. White, of Butler, Tenn.. says: "Several years ago I was bothered with my throat and lungs. Someone told me of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy. I began using it and it relieved me at once. Now my throat and lungs are sound and well." For aale by all Drug? gists. Gen. Zimmerman Davis of Charles? ton has succeeded Gen. T. W. Car wlle as commander of the Confederate veterans of South Carolina. If You Are Over Fifty Read Tula ?If you suffer from constitpation and liver trouble Foley's Orlno will curs you permanently by stimulating the digestive organs so they will act naturally. Foley's Orlno Laxative doca not gripe, la pleasant to take and you do not have to take laxatives contin? ually after taklag Orlno. Why con? tinue to be the alave of pilla and tab? lets? W. W. Sibert. Two ginneries and two stores in Laurens County were destroyed by fire within the past few days. The Swedish South Africa line may operate a steamship line from Char? leston.