Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Cjjt ft&aUbman nub jSoutbton * WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1909. The Sumter Watchman was found? ed In 1110 and the True Southron In lift. The Watchman and Southron ?ow a a* the combined circulation and Influence of both of the old papers, and Is manifestly the best advertising gnedlum In Sumter. COTTON Q RAD KS S TANDARD12KD Department of Agriculture Completes Important Work. Washington. August 1.?In the act ?of congress making appropriations for the department of agriculture for the year ending June 30. 1909. the secre? tary of agriculture was authorised "to establish a standard for the different grade* of cotton, calling to his assist? ance for that purpose expert cotton classifiers, by fixing a standard of middling cotton and, using the same as a basis, establishing a standard of ?nine different grades to be designated enlddlln* fair, strict good middling, strict middling, middling, strict low middling, low middling, strict good ?ordinal v. and good ordinary. The secretary of agriculture was further authorised "to prepare In practical form the standard of said grades and furnish the same upon request to any person, the cost thereof to be paid, when delivered, by the person request? ing the same, and certified under the signature of the s..Id secretary and the seal of his department." Carrying out the provisions of this Act. the secretary of agriculture con? vened In the city of Washington In February. 190ft. a committee of cot son exeprts Including, besides the de? partment experts, representatives of the different interests of the trade. ? Committee consisted of Mr. Joseph A. 'Array, of John if. Parker A Co., New ?Orleans, <La.. Mr. James Akers, of In snan. Akers A Inman. Atlanta, Ga.; Mr. F. M. Crump, of F. M. Crump A *Co. Memphis. Tenn.; Mr. C P Baker. -ef the ?Lawrence Manufacturing Com? pany. Boston. Mass; Mr. Lewis W. Partner, of the Olympia Mills, Green? ville; Mr John Martin. Paris. Texas; Mgr. Nstbanlel Thayer, of Barry, Thayer A Co.. Boston, Mass.; Mr. O. W. Neville, of Weld A Neville. New fork City; Mr. Charlee A. Vedder. of John D. Rogers A Co., Oalveston. Tex ; sod Dr. N. A. Cobb and Mr. R. L Bennett, of the department of agri? culture The committee was assisted try the following expert cotton classl Asra Br. W. P. Kar bot. of the classi? fication committee, New York Cotton Bschange. Mr. Jules Msserat, ehair snaa of ths classification committee. New Orleans Cotton Exchange, and Mr. J. R. Taylor, with the firm of Wolf A Co.. Dallas, Texas. The department furnished the com? mit'** every facility for Its work, hi v Ing on head types of cotton fro.it lbs diYerent exchanges and market* and materials for making up the grades as provided by law. The com? mittee after due deliberation submit? ted a unanimous report, which the secretary has approved, fixing the grades and making certain recom? mendations In connection therewith. In v+-r of the fact that contracts sre made tor cotton In advance of the ensuing cotton season, the committee recommended that the grades agreed upon by the committee be not pro? mulgated for general use In trade transactions prior to September 1. 1110. In order, however, for the cot? ton trade to become fully acquainted With the grades, the department of aigrlcult jre will In a r.h >rt time place sets In the hands of a limited number of itl ins, organisations, ex? change* and agricultural colleges-for Inspection These sets will enable the cotton producers, cotton merchants, and spinners to become familiar with them. Till*. Fl UK SATT" 11 DAY. Mr. .1 W M< Kelter Sustains Slight is ?hs. An alarm from Box 37 was rung In Saturday ihont 2 o'clock. When the Ihre AVigAltgsegd arried they found the engln" hou*,- of the Sumter Door. Sash A Blind Factory ablaze. The flames were soon checked and with very lit*!? damage done, exe pt to the angle ? house which was a total loss. It eon d not be ascertained the exact amount of the lo.tM, hut I?? something lese th in $100 dollars Slight dnmage was done to the engine, which was tally seeetad with insurance. The ori? gin oi ihe fire Is not known but It Is sapp.? I to hi e originated In the dast room. Theie was no Insurance on the burned building. A negro Ice-cream festival In July esems to be as dangerous as a hot sapper in cotton-picking tlm n Judg? ing from reports from Tlndal's. At a meeting of men representing the various denominations, at the Y. M. C. A In OeHtmbig Thursday, a committee was appointed to consider sanding a formal Invitation to the Maii's Missionary convention to hold eae of Its meetings In Columbia this I Farmers' Union News ?AND Practical Thoughts for Practical Farmers (Conducted by E. W. Dnbbs, President Farmers' Union of Sumter County.) The Watchman and Southron having decided to double its service by semi-weekly publication, would improve that service by special features. The nrst to be inaugurated is this Department for the Farmers' Union and Practical Farmers which I have been requested to conduct. It will be my aim to give the Union news and official calls of the Union. To that end officers, and members of the Union are requested to use these columns. Also to publish such clippings from the agricultural papers and Govern? ment Bulletins as I think will be of practical benefit to our readers. Ori? ginal articles by any of our readers telling of their successes or failures will be appreciated and published. Trusting this Department will be of mutual benefit to all concerned, THE EDITOR. All communications for tl la Department should be sent to E. W. Dabbs. Mayesville, S. C. Some Random Thoughts. In my selections from other papers, I do not always agree with the views of'the writers, but reproduce them because they contain food for thought In every article some ideas are sure to be advanced that are not in accord with the pre-conceived notions of some reader, but that is no reason why valuable Information is not contained in the article, nor why it may not stimulate study. There are some inspiring ideas in the two selections for this Issue. It is the time when these matters should be studied and discussed, and the school programme mapped out for the next term. Children are educated as much by environment as by text books?nay are educated more by environment and associations than by any train ins; of the text books?hence the necessity of better and more attrac? tive school houses, better homes* bet? ter roads. While many great men came out of log school houses. It was In spite of and not because of, the log school house. I believe that where there la the least culture In the homes of the people there, especially, should the school house be made most attrac? tive. If a school term should have to be omitted to build a comfortable house, better by far do so, than have children and teacher half sheltered In a building not fit for a stable. These remarks may not seem ap? propriate to the farmers' columns of a paper, but if there Is anything farm? ers need more than another it is ED? UCATION, and the Union needs to lay more etress upon education than any other feature of its work. If It would bring about diversification and co-operation. There will never be a financing of the cotton crop, by farm era and foe farmers, until the rank and nie pf as are better eduoated. There may be some improvement In our condition by etandard warehouses and bond and trust companies for cheaper money, but so long ae they are organised and owned by outsiders it will be a case of financing the cot? ton by speculators and for specula tore. We as a Union can not finance the cotton crop from the top downward, but we can finance it from the ground upward. We can do as we have plan? ned to do Ifi Sumter County and as the farmers of Lancaster County have done. And whore we have shown our ability to finance our own farms, to successfully conduct a small co-oper? ative business, then we can undertake these larger things, for then we will have the trained men to manage ,them. and larger enterprises will be the natural growth. Some people seem to think the Far? mers' Union can be a Standard Oil Company or a U. S. Steel Corporation In a day Just by passing resolutions to that effect. They forget that these Immense businesses are the slow urowth of a generation of continuous effort by as smart men as the world ever saw. I was truly glad to see in the meet In?? of the State Union last week that this idea of growth is gaining strength and there is less disposition to finance and control cotton by long rage reso? lutions. When we have got down tO i s irir business basis we will hear le?s about farmers sticking. They will stick all tight when there Is some? thing business-like to stick to, but will never stick to impossible resolu? tions. Mi W. D. way. Watermelons are always wa? termelons, but the varieties will mix, of course. But watevinelons will not mix with cucumbers or gourds, nor with mu8kmelons, or cantaloupes mix with cucumbers or squashes, but all the squashes and gourds will mix readily. I think that R. A., who made that absurd hopothetical proposition in re? gard to stock, has something to think about, and If he Is a farmer, some ideas that may help him to better no? tions in regard to cattle feeding and manure making. |If Mr. French can make hay for $4.48 per ton in a sec? tion where it is worth three times as much, and can feed it and get the market price of the hay through the feeding, he has certainly got a good profit from the feeding, and has the manure thrown in. It has certainly been shown that the growing of cot? ton with fertilizers year after year has not made tbe farmers rich, and a change to more feeding of stock cer? tainly will not make them poorer than they are. The Southern lands have been reduced In fertility mainly be? cause our farmers have ignored - the fundamental idea in the cultivation, of the soil, the maintenance of the humus, the new land conditions, through the growing of forage and the feeding of stock; and there will be no permanent improvement In Southern agriculture until all our farmers fully realize that stock feed ig In some form is the very founda? tion of such improvement, and that the restoration of the humus wasted In constant clean culture with com? mercial fertilizers is the most Impor? tant matter on the Southern lands to? day. Talk about gambling In futures, the worst gambling that has been done In the South is the annual gambling on the chances of a crop from the use of a little low-grade complete fertilizer, and as la all oth? er gambling, the gamester has been the loser, and should reform and stop gambling and get down to legitimate business methods.?Professor Mas sey In Progressive Farmer. Nop s and Comments. iu a reply to ? correspondent In a recent Issue I am made to say "the seed that made the bitter squashes may have been crossed with cucum bers or melons." I certainly did not mean to pay anything of the sort, for squashes will not cross with melons or cucumbers, and It would hardly make them bitter If they should What 1 said, or meant to say. was that they might have been crossed with gourds, There is a great deal of misunderstanding In regard to these eucurbitaeeous plants, and some think that they will mix In a general Better Schoos* as a Business Propo? rtion. Now we all know that good sohool h oases, good equipment and good teachers cost money, and that If we have good schools we must pay for them. The money thus spent would, In almost every case, be a good in? vestment If it never brought back one cent In actual cash returns to the taxpayer, because it helps to develop real manhood and womanhood?the two most valuable things In this world; but all this aside, let us look at the matter from a purely business standpoint and see if a good school will add enough to the material wel? fare of a community to make the money spent for it a profitable invest? ment. It Is impossible in such a case to give acutal figures showing Just what return the school makes to the com? munity, because no one can tell In dollars and cents Just how much more the boy or girl, the man or wo? man, Is worth with his or her school training than he or she would be worth without It. Put this Is not necessary. There are other ways of getting at the matter. Taking a general survey of tbe World, or of our own bind, it is indis? putable that the countries or sections where there are good schools are far in advance, financially as well as oth? erwise, of those whleb have poor schools or no schools at all. There is a still surer test: Let every reader takt his own neighborhood and give it a roomy, convenient and attractive school house and good teachers for five years, and what will be the result? Is there one who does not believe there will be at the end of that time finer houses, bigger barns, better stock, more productive farms, and a more prosperous i.pie In that nelghb >r hood? Then, on the other hand, lei the school be allowed to k<> steadily down for tbe same time-let the buildings be neglected, the grounds allowed to mow up in weeds and bushes, the furniture left to go to pieces, and the commissioners en? couraged to employ the cheapest teacher available?and what will the I result be? Does anyone believe that the people of his neighborhood will have much progress? It is a plain business proposition. The difference between the cost of a good school and a poor one is really a small matter to any individual; but the difference between the effects of the two schbols on the life of the community may be the difference be? tween progress and stagnation. A good school, then, is a source of profit to the people who invest in it. It is the best advertisement a com? munity can have, adding to the value of every acre of land and always at? tracting to it the better class of citi? zens. It Increases the earning capa? city of every boy and girl who attends and opens their eyes to opportunities which they never would have seen without it. It educates, too, in a de? gree, proportionate to his own will? ingness to learn, every adult within its sphere of influence, and by this education enables him to do better and more profitable work. Td> pay taxes cheerfully for school purposes; to take an interest in the teachers se? cured and in the work they do; to aid in obtaining better buildings and equipment, longer terms and more practical courses of study; to help keep up the attendance and the in? terest; to assist the children with their studies?to work for better schools, in short, is a public service, but it is also a hgihly profitable way of investing time, thought and. money. ?Progressive Farmer. CONDITION OF COTTON VERY LOW. Journal of Commerce's ltepact Gives Percentage of 73.1. >~?w York, August 1.?Tim Journal of mmerce, in its montftfy cotton report tomorrow, will say: The con? dition of the cotton crop,, according to 1,655 replies of special correspond? ents, of an average date of July 24, was 73.1 against 76.8 last month, or a decline of 3.7 points. Comparison with previous years makes the present percentage condi? tion the lowest in the series o' reports compiled by this Journal, which In 11)08 showed 83.6 per cent, 75.5 In 1907, and 81.7 in 190?. In 1.905 the condition wee 75.4; 1904 it was 84.4; In 1903 it was 76.7; In 1901 it was 79.?. and In 1901. It was 76.3. The table of condition- presented shows a decline In all States, except Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri, where so Improvement took piece. Conspicuous deterioration occurred In Texas, condition declining 9.8 points. Continued drought and high temperatures were responsible for this loss, the damage by boll weevil being reduced to a minimum. The large amount of grass which infested the fields during June, owing to exeesstve moisture In nearly all States except Texas end Oklahoma, was not thor? oughly disposed of during July, prhv pleslly beeause of continued heavy rains in widely scattered areas. Even where weather conditions allowed of clearing, the crop was considerably Injured by working. Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and Mlssurl fared better, where drier weather enabled farmers to mske more favorable progress in cultiva? tion; but etands have been almost uni? versally Injured and the plant ts small end only fairly fruited. Many correspondents, however, report the plant strong, and with favorable weather may make a fair crop. A late froet will be necessary, a? the crop is etlll two to three weeks late; in Texas, however, it appears to be on time. Boll weevils threatened serious damage in Texas, Louisiana and Ark? ansas, but dry, hot weather largely destroyed them, except In Louisiana where they punctured squares in large numbers. Other insect damage throughout the State has been prac? tically nil. The D. J. Chandler Clothing Co., trunk and suit case advertisement will undoubtedly be of interest to those who are in need of these requisites for traveling in comfort. A suit against the City of Columbia for $44,277.33 has been filed in the United States Circuit Court by the Georgia Engineering Company, through their attorneys. Messrs. Thomas <fc Thomas and I). W. Robin? son, growing out of an alleged con? tract made for the paving of Main street. Columbia, which contract the plaintiff claims was violated, causing a loss. The first regiment of State military, in camp at Greenville, engaged in a ?ham battle on Paris Mountain. Mr. Samuel Welchel, who is oper? ating a gold mine on a snutll scale on lands belonging to the Gaffney Land and Improvement Company, this week took out a nugget of gold which is worth $43. Mr. Welchel has taken a number of valuable nuggets from this mine. Arrangements will soon be made to operate the mine on a large scale, as the owners feel sure that it will pay to put In machinery gnd a large force of hands. THE TARIFF BILL SUBMITTED law, but provision is made for a countervailing- duty In case it becomes necessary to protect this county PAYNE PRESENTS REPORT OF against Canada's inhibitions upon th? THE CONFERENCE COMMIT TEE. exportation of w.'iods to the United States. Hides of cattle comes i free an The Majority Leader Presents an Ex- | there is a corresponding reduction on hnustive Analysis of the Bill in I leather and leather goods. The house Which He Seeks to Show That the Hates on the Necessaries of Life Have Been Decreased?Abstract of The Conference Ke|>ort. 1 Washington, July 30.?When Ma? jority Leader Payne, head of. the house conferees on the tariff bill which bears his name, rose in the house of representatives today to pre? sent the report of the conference committee of the two houses on the liill, the measure had been in confer? ence for just three weeks. Proceeding on the theory that the bill marks a general downward ten? dency from tbe present rates of duty, Mr. Payne presented, but did not read, an exhaustive analysis of its provisions. This statement, he said, had been prepared personally by him? self, and he asked to have it printed as an offlciaT document. There was objection, however, from the Demo? cratic side, and the printing was pre? vented for the time. In this state? ment Mr. Payne undertook to show that there had been a marked de? crease in the rates on the; necessaries of life, while admitting that there had been an increase on some of the lux? uries. Probably the most marked reduc? tions throughout any schedule in the bill as a result of the action of the two houses and of the conference committees are found in the metal schedule.. Beginning with a decrease in the rate of iron ore to 40 to 1!? cents per ton, there is a general re? duction throughout that portion of the bill, pig Iron going down from $4 to $2.50 per ton, and scrap iron from $4 to $1. The reduction on many of the Items in this schedule amounts to about 50 per cent, and this reduction includes steel rat!*. Thcr?? Is an increase on structu!*1 steel ready: for use and also rates are practically retained on sole ? it her, leather for uppers, boots and shoes and harness, but the free hide provision is based on the condition^ that on and after October 1, 1909, sole leather from the hides that are to he admitted free will pay e duty of 5 per cent; grain, buff and split leather, 7 -12 per cent; boots and shoes, the upper leather of which is made from such hides, 10 per cent; and harness and saddlery, 20 per cent. This sched-, ule of rates will result in a reduction^ of 15 per cent on boots and shoes, 20 per cent on harness and saddlery, II per cent on sole leather, and 12 1-2 per cent on leather for uppers, if made off the hides that are put on the free list by the provision. Binding twine is retained on thej free list. Cotton ties are made dutiable at three-tenths of a cent per pound an3 cotton bagging at six-tenths of a cent per square yard. On quebracho, the tanning extract, for a stifr duty on which Senator Daniel made such a strenuous fight, the house rates of one-half anc. three fourths of a cent per pound are re? tained, which is almost all that the Virginia senator asked. Campaign for Education.. Today at Spartanburg and Darling? ton a speaking campaign for educa? tion will tegin, to continue for five weeks. There has been muxr^ pre? liminary work and there will be many speakers, including teachers, preach? ers, Journalists, doctors, bankers,^ manufacturers, and merchants. Oc? casionally, perhaps, a politician may be heard. This energetic canvass of South Carolina in the interest of education is noteworthy. It marks a distinct advancement It is the practical method of reachir.?r the people and" pressing upDn them the great need of the hour, the need of the hour in order that the State's future may be worthy. To keep pace with the on-rush, our a slight increase on rasors, nippers and pliers, and on such new metals as tungsten. Rough lumber goes down from 92 to $1.25 per thousand feet, with a cor? responding reduction in the differen? tial on dressed lumber. The entire cotton schedule wae re? constructed and the phraseology greatly changed In the hope of pre? venting reductions through decisions by the courts such as have character? ised the administration of the Dingier law during latter years. In many in? stances the rates intended to be im? posed by the Dlngley law were cat by these decisions, the reductions in some instances being from 60 per cent to 8 per cent advalorem. It is estimated that the rates fixed by the bill ere abent 8 per cent higher upon an av? erage then those collected on cottons last year. The rates on cotton hosiery are genesally increased. In the much contested matter of the rate on gloves the high protec? tionists fail to score. Sugar and tobacco duties remain substantially as they are under the Dingley law. There is a uniform Increase oa spirits, w4nee and liquors of 16 per cent. ' j There Is sn increase In lemons, figs,! almonds and plneapplles. Common window glass of the lower sizes. In which the Imports are heavy. * is given a reduction, and where changes were made in the chemical lD8 Kind TOU H3Y8 AridjfS HOUgM schedule there was a general de- , Hfl&rs tho crease, except upon such articles as fancy soaps and perfumes, which 8lgaature of were incrensed. p?b^^??? The publishers win their fight for NOTICE?All persons are forbidden lower wood pulp and print paper, the tQ hnnU flre.hunt or trespass in any late on the ordinary new print paper j manner whatsoever on my land sit being fixed at $3.75 per ton, instead j uate(J ,n shiloh xownsnlp, Sumter of $6 as under the Dingley law, and County. Rebecca Poole. 8-2-lt on the higher grade of print paper at' ?-? Mechanically FOR SALE?Seed rye and oats, will people ir.ust have more general edu? cation and better instruction. The' percentage of illiterates must be greatly reduced. The illiterate is a factor In our social scheme as useless, ae impotent, ae is an unarmed sol? dier In battle. And hie personal con? dition is mor? deplorable, for the sol? dier may eareh lmself by running sway, while there le no eecape for the illiterate frra the yoke. Those men and women who are en* gaged in this patriotic movement for the educational uplift of the people will have their reward in the fruits of their lsbor. We ask them all to re? member that no educational system Is effective unless ths pupils are in the schools, and that no schools, however excellent, have ?ver of their own in? herent strength drawn nearly all the children into them. Ik every coun? try on earth and in every State ia this union where schools are properly utilised, a compulsory attendance law te in force. To hope for different re? sults In South Carolina to to hops blindly, without reason.?The State. CASTOR IA For Infants and Children. $3.75, instead of $8. ground wood pulp Is to come in free of duty instead of paying 1-12 of a cent a pound as under the Dingley have seed wheat, barley etc., later. Booth-Harby Livestock Co., 8-2 8t. Thirtieth Annual Mountain Excursion Via SOUTHERN RAILWAY AUGUST 18th. 1909. Very low round t ip rate* to the principal resorts in North Car? olina, South Carolina. Tennessee, Washington, D. C. and Norfolk, Va including Ashevllle, Brevard, Plat Rock, Hendersonvtlle, Hot springs, Lenotr, Lincolnton, Marion. Selude, Shelby, Tryon and Wayncsville, X. C, also Abbeville, Anderson. Glenn Springs. Greenville Laurena Spartanburg, Walhalla and White stone LlthlS Springs. S. C, have been authorized. Tickets will be on sale for all trains on August 18th, 190*, from Barnwell, Camden, Ches? ter, Denmark, Summervllle, St. George. Branehville, Orsngeburgi St. Matthews and Sumter. S. C. Tickets will be good returning on any regular train up to und Including September Und. 1909. Children between flvs end six years of age. half fare For detailed information, tickets, etc., apply to Southern Rail? way tlckel agents or address. j. L. MEEK, Asst. Gen. Pee, Agt. Atlanta, Ua. L. D. Ll'SK. Div. Pass. Agent. Charleston. S. C.