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COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE. ffKWSY LETTERS FROM OUR SPE? CIAL CORRESPONDENTS. of Interest From nil Parte of and Adjoining Counties. NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. Hall your lettere ao that they will reach thla office not later than Mon? ti) when Intended for Wednesday's paper and not later than Thursday tor Saturday's laaue. This, of course, appllea only to regular correspond In caae of ltema of unusual re value, aend In Immediately by II. telephone or telegraph. Such ?ewa atortes are acceptable up to the fcour of going to press. Wednesday's ttP?r la printed Tuesday afternoon an* Saturday'e paper Friday after REMRERT. Rembert. July 18.?Misses Sarah A. and Frances Mellette, of Jordan, spent Sunday with Misses Hattle anu Theresa Sandera. Mr. Vernon Dlnklns paid a flying visit to Mr. Wallace Sanders Sunday Mr. Hudson James, of the U. S. navy and Master Manigault James, of Darlington, are vl?dting relatives in our community. Cotton and young corn are growing ?If nicely. Bush Jackaon, one of the live boys here, haa a nice acre of prize corn. Mr. Charlea 8anders* prise acre of corn if reports be true, promises O move the record up several notches. This Intensive farming will prove to our people that It la needles to plant the world to make a crop. Already talk la abroad to reduce acreage. Let me again remind our farm r* to cultivate their cotton late this year. Have seen a lot of fine corn, heard of other, all of which proves that with sufficient fertiliser and judicious culture, a corn crop la possible among us. wet or dry. "Hagood." DARK CORNER. I>ark Corner. July 16.?We have some hot days this week, and **Old Sol" has looked down upon us with a grass-killing frown which has not been lost aa we have been up and doing. But cotton Is away behind what It Is usually at thla time of year, and corn la almost a complete failure In ?ems places. Corn, that under ordi? nary seasons would have made ten bushels to the acre, will not make two. and what we are to do, God gdotis knows, for with some of us it es the gloomiest outlook I have ever Sweet potatoea and sugar cane are doing very well, but pea-nuts. (Span? ish), and watermelons are very poor. Barly planted peas that have not sftedded their leaves are yellow and took aa If they are going to die. We stave aome fine peaches, and have had jmne nice plums and apples. Politics are kind of warming up in tmtm corner. The hull dog says he is going to fight the tiger for the magis? trate's office again this year. Have mot heard what the setter Intends to do. The old St. Bernard dog, (Judge John 1\ Ingram) and his friend. Mr. It. If. B. called on the old hound last Wedn?'?? ' iv The St. Bernard says he is in the race for magistrate, to win. But he will have to learn the tharac Hfl of the St. Bernards, ami gel and scratch up the lost voters. 10 are and have been covered up In the snows of Jenkins' and Hodge's storm* But the hound saya hurrah for the one that comes out ahead. The hound Is like the woman was when ?he saw her husband and the bear fighting?hurrah for one, well done for the other. I don't Salt throt straws whieh whips. Whlh they are running around keeping the political pot boiling, the hound is taking his rest in the shade, remembering what a fool he was two years ago. Kind reader excuse him for that mistake and he will try not to repeat It. Mr. Hen <leddlng* hu* | tine son. and Mr. John II. Ardis. a fine daugh? ter. So von v.,. (dog town) the Dark Corner Is Increasing in population. Ous rhules and Qoftot Weeks have all ksjtig sk k. but are somewhat I etier agai i. Mr. ;i;,d Mr* A. H. Weeks, with granddaughter. MtSS N'ell rblllips. of your clt\. \ letted Mr. and MM W. I, Ardls Li -1 Tne>d.i\ Mr and Mr- Loht. J. Geddings, of ??lne\\o..d, visited their son Mr. Beg Uedding- todt\ I spent . wrv pleasant tine- in your ? Itv, on Saturday the 'Jtb, with Mr. J. J. Ko|??. who gi\e in.- ? pletUV ant ride up to his house and hack down town again. Many. num. thanks fgf the same. OLD HARD TIMM F4iYPT. K.gvpt Julv IS.?We have had very nice rains this week. Srhtch were needed v?t\ mm h. OfOfJS are Im? proving, but a half ? rop can't he SX? pevted Mr. J. It. M' Lend has gone to Camden today. The Woodman picnic at Antlo.h last Saturdav was quite a success Mon M. L Smith and Mr (' W Btrchmore. of Camden, made One I pecehes. Mr. J. C. McLeod left last Wednes? day for a week's visit at Tampa. Flor? ida. Mrs. L. A. White has been quite sick, but we are glad to report her much better. Mr. L. II. White is visiting friends at Hembert. Our boys are playing good ball this season. They defeated Camden last Saturday afternoon. 2 to 0. The game was fast and exeiting throughout and our boys only won In the last inning. After the Camden game Mamille was deefated 7 to 1. Miss Nena P.ozeman. if Darlington, is visiting her sister, Mrs. J. S. Boy kin. Miss Lena Evans, of Hembert. spent last Saturday with her sister, Mrs. W. T. McLeod. Quite a number from our section are attending a picnic at Cedar Creek today. Miss Bertha Muggins has returned to her home after several weeks' stay In Camden. Mr. James Je dJns. of Hembert. spent Saturday n'ght at this place. Children's Day will be observe 1 Sunday. July 27th, at Mispah church, the public has a cordial Invitation to attend. OUR HUMMERTON LETTER. Summerton, July 18.?In the sud? den death of Mr. Mlllard D, Wells at his home in this place on Saturday morning. a large family con? nection as well as a host of friends haec suffered a loss. Mr. Wells was found at his post of duty in the gro? cery department of the Summerton Mercantile Company on Saturday morning as usual, in apparently good health and spirits, and with no warn? ing complaint was stricken at about 9 o'clock in the morning with apop? lexy, becoming immediately uncon? scious and speechless and death fol? lowing in a few hours. Mr. Wells was 54 years of age and had always enjoyed more or less perfect health. His kind and Jovial manner had made his large number of acquaintances his friends, and his absence from among us will be keenly felt. Mr. Wells while always identified wdth this community had made his resi? dent home here only within the past eight years, where he leaves a wifl one daughter. Miss May, and three sons. Frank, Ossle and Clifton Wells, to mourn his death. The funeral ser? vices were conducted at St. Paul's Methodist church a few miles from town at 11 o'clock on Sunday morn? ing and the Interment took place there, where other members of his family had been laid to rest. The pall-hearers ewre: Messrs. Gus, Ashby and Henry Kichbourg, Carlisle Rag? In. J. H. LeGrand and H. C. Carrl gan. Miss Hertha Davis in company with Mr. and Mrs. Joe E. Davis, of Davis Station, leave on Wednesday for a few weeks' stay at Wrightsville Beach. N. C. Miss Mildred James leaves on Thursday for a visit to relatives In Denmark. S. C. Misses Meli Plowden and Alleen Howie, after a short visit to relatives here have returned to their homes in Manning. THE GOOD ROAM RALLY. UM MCfcttag Here Next Tuesda> Will Be of Interest to All. The Good Roads Rally to be held in this city next Tuesday, July 2<>th will be of interest to every taxpayer and farmer in the county and even man who can arrange to attend should take advantage of the oppor tunity. Mr. winsiow, superintendent Of road construction, of the United States department of agriculture, wh Is with the party ami will make the lending address is not only a practl cal road builder but an Inspiring speaker who makes practical things Interesting, He knows road condl tens in South t'arolina prohaly bet t< r than any other man and he knows what is needed and what it will cost. He fflll toll how Sumter county can BOt are Rood roads at the minimum cost and how |o maintain them. The meeting win be held in the Couri Mouse at II a. m. Supervisor Pitts will preside and will Introduce the speakers. Speeches will i?e made by Mr. WtUOlOW, Mr. C, IV, Moorman end Mr. k. H, Beleer. PRIZES FOH < oiTo\ FARMERS. Cotton Heed on miii to Give Atvoi 117ft. The Buckeye Cotton Oil Com pen) of Augusta. Qn., has announrcd that It will Rive three prizes, |lo0, $60 and 111 to the cotton farmers from whom It buys seed, the pri/.es to lie swarded to thoae who base the beet yields of cotton per acre. Thoae who desire to compete for the prises must register on or before August ist The Buckeye will be repreeented here t'v ? seed buyer and will compete In this territory for all the seed that tie farmers have to sell, Mr. Leon Dove win represent the Buckeye in this ' Ity and further information can he obtained from him. Cotton and Substitute* Therefor. Fibre and Fabric notes that some people are figuring: out a shortage of cotton for the season of 1910?11, and thla, too, despite expectations of a 19,500,000 bale crop. It then says: "One thing is lost sight of. How much finished cotton yarn is in stock in the Siuth, in Philadelphia, New York and Boston and in northern mills? The supply of yarn does not figure in the carry-over estimates of cotton made at the close of the cot? ton year, but there is some in hand, and it is no exaggeration to say that at the close of a cotton year we have on hand in yarn the product of more than 500,000 bales of cotton, and this is a reserve against stoppage of ma? chinery and a balance against any hold-up of cotton for fancy prices. The high-price mania is subsiding very materially and cotton must come out of the clouds the same as other staples. Wool is getting down to a reasonable figure, and wthin a few weeks some more definite price basis will be fixed and business will in? crease naturally. The development of a cotton substitute made from American flax is progressing finely, and some of the many processes are sure to work out successfully. In American flax we have an unlimited supply of fiber, once a plan is devised to work it commercially. Skeptics will make capital out of the flax fib? er and the processing of it, just as they did over the cotton gin and much of our labor saving cotton mill equipment, but progress has not been checked for all that, and within a few years it is reasonable to suppose that the bright minds at work on the flax problem will accomplish some? thing commercially practical." The Scholar in Politics. The suggestion that the Democrats of New Jersey nominate Dr. Wood row Wilson as their candidate for Governor has been received with more than usual interest. As the president of Princeton, Dr. Wilson stands near the head of the country's educators. But he is more than a university president. He is an earn? est student of present-day problems and a vital force among men of af? fairs. A Democrat from principle, he has always taken a deep interest in national politics, and might easi? ly become a figure of national impor? tance. He has been active in the light for good government, and, though never a narrow partisan, has stood for Democratic ideals, Even if he should not be elected, his campaign for Governor is likely to be of value to New Jersey in educating the voters and inspiring them to demand a higher standard of public service and a higher grade of public officials. And If he should be elected Governor of thla important State, he will loom up as a possibility for the Democratic nomination for President in 1912. With Gaynor, Harmon, Marshall and Polk already in the field, the Demo? crats will not lack for Presidential timber.?Baltimore Sun. The Suite Not a Hard Taskmaster. The Southern Christian Advocate, In its last Issue, calls the State a hard taskmaster and says that the judges are worked to death. We quote this. "The State is overtasking this most important branch of the public ser? vice. * * ? We need more circuits and more Judges. It is a penny wise and pound foolish policy that for j saving a few thousand a year would run the risk of steadily undermining public confidence in the promptness and justice of our courts and of her law, and would slowly sap by over work the vital energies and efficiency of the strongest and most efficient and most important of our public of? ficials." Sev eral years ago the writer of this article, when two judges seemed to he unable for duty about half their time, suggested that all candidates for a judgeshlp be required to undergo a physical examination. That would give us s ?un1 men to start with. There i-; not B judge In the State who Is engaged on the bench thirty full weeks In the year. They have all of twenty for rest and reviewing lacs not decided on the bench. [f by mistake a man wit' some chronic disease Is disqualified " the work, he ought to resign and ge t out of tin- way, There are fifty good luwyers In ?he state perfectly willing t., take the placea of the ten judges now on tin- bench and run the risk of being worked to death. The bench Is not a hospital for dis? eased laweyrs, nor a sanitarium for Judges who break down through the violation of the laws of health.-? Spartanburg Journal. The strangest thing on record Is thai Bumter is the leading Interior cotton market in the state, handling more cotton overy year than any other town, is the centre of the best cotton growing country in the South, and still has no cotton mill. During the last few days about twelve hundred bales of cotton were purchased by one local dealer, :ind will be shipped to New York. The cotton was purchased at a very good price, above 1 cents, it was stated. AGRICTTjTL"HAL HIGH SCHOOL; WHAT AND WHY IT IS. A Discussion by Prof. W. IL Hand, nt The Rural Life Conference nt the University of Virginia. So far we have failed to give any definite meaning to the term agricul? ture when we speak of teaching it. What is the agriculture that we wish to teach? Which subjects are agri? cultural? In the first place, we need t<> differentiate clearly between ele? mentary nature study and esssential *y agricultural subjects. However, I am here concerned chiefly with agriculture in the high school. I believe that argicultural subjects have a genuine educational value. If the study of mathematical formulas and physics formulas has an educational value, why not the study if fertilizer formulas? Dut I cannot subscribe to the doctrine that a teacher can teach agriculture with? out any special training for it. We do not expect teachers to teach Ger? man without t*. knowledge of the sub? ject, nor physics without a knowledge of that subject. Why should we ex? pect a teacher to handle agriculture without some special knowledge of it? Persistence In this doctrine is going to make us m ^re dissatisfied with the results of the teachings in our schools than ever before. In response to an urgent demand for the better equipment of farmers, and for some means by which farm? ers' soons and daughters may be kept on the farm, the agricultural high school has been proposed as a pana? cea. Such would prove a delusion. It would be as wise to establish schools for the sons of physicians with the vain hope of keeping them all in doctors' shops, or to set up schools for the sons of lawyers with the hope of keeping them in laweyrs' offices. The sons and duaghters of farmers will remain on the farm whenever farming is made profitable and at? tractive. Farming will be profitable whenever sufficient business energy and sagacity are put into it. What the farmer most needs is a high de? gree of general intelligence and busi? ness training; things in which he has been too long lacking, due to the fact that business principles and wide in? telligence have not been regarded as necessary to farming. When farm? ing shall have become profitable It will then be attractive; and when the farmer by his intelligence and his training is able to cope with his com? mercial friend, his lawyer friend, and his doctor friend, he will be satisfied with his lot. When the farmer lives in as comfortable home as that of his town neighbor, has the conveniences of his town acquaintances, and is as well Informed as his town business competitors, the farm will hold him a royal and independent citizen. The farmer done not so much object to hard work. The hoe and the plough are not so dlstatsteful to him; his ob? jection to them is that they are the tools of the untrained man, the em helms of unskilled toil and ship-shod business. The farmer needs skilled hands and vocational training, to be sure, but he needs a trained mind and a cultured mind as well. To give him only a vocational training would be as great a blunder as to give him no vocational training. He needs both. To establish separate high schools to teach agriculture to farmers' boys and girls would be a grave mistake. As yet we have not sufficient money to maintain a single kind of high school. To undertake to maintain a dual system of high schools would be folly. The agricultural high school would not give the framer the broad and liberal education which he need3. The farmer himself would soon dis? cover it. In fact, I have found not a few hoys in these schools, free to confess that they realize that their education is not so broad as that of the boys in the regular academic high schools. Instead of dissipating our efforts in undertaking to maintain two kinds of half-supported high schools, let us increase the efficiency of the present type of high school, put into their courses of study such subjects as are necessary to train boys and girls for farm life on the highest Intellectual ami business plan. Let us put into these high schools the farmer's hoy and girl, the lawyer's boy etui girl, the business man's son and daughter. In the same high school will be taught the cultur subjects, the sciences, the agricultural subjects. tile commercial subjects and the manual and domestic art All these boys will sit side by shie, each taking such courses as best fit him for his work. Every girl will find what she most nee ds. Labor will be dignified in the eyes of all, the classics will be given respect by every pupil In school, and the sciences win be more serviceable to all. The In? herent fatal weakness of the sepa? rate agricultural high school Is that it propagates and fosters class no? tions and distinctions The single hihg school with courses of study for all is the only democratic high school and it is the only economic one. Peyton Moore, who has been play ing with the Sumter Collegians, Mas been signed by Columbia, and will report there next Monday. TO PROBE MEAT TRUST. Special Grand Jury Regina Work In Judge Land is' Court. Chicago. July 15.?A special Fed? eral grand jury was empaneled by Judge K. M. Landis, in the United States District Court, today to hear evidence in regard to the alleged vio? lations of the Anti-Trust law by the National Packing Company and sub sidary meat companies. The jury was cautioned by Judge Landis in his charge to allow their actions to be wholly free from the influence of the often-heard argument that law en? forcement will unsettle business. "You may safely assume," continu? ed Judge Landis, "that no legitimate enterprise needs governmental ac? quiescence in the commission of crime. You will treat the statute to which I have referred as being just as much in force as are the laws against stealing letters and counter? feiting coins." The jury was also, told to follow the trail until the "real offenders" are located. "If your investigation discloses the use of an alias, do not indict a mere alias", said the jurist, "but follow the trial whetever it may lead until you have located, identified and pointed out the real offenders.' RUBBER VALUES JUMP. Plantation Worth $150,000 Was Sold For $800,000. In reporting to this government on opportunities in Malaysia for rubber growing enterprises Consul-General James T. Dubois, at Singapore, cited as follow! an instance to show how the investing public is sometimes taken in the exploitation of the rub? ber industry there: "An estate was sold to promoters for $150,000. The syndicate got an old planter, who knew the estate, to put a flotation value on it. He named $25,000. The promoters were not satisfieed. Another expert examined and reported. His price was $35u, 000. British and American gold was pouring into the country and the get-rich-quick spirt was born. An? other expert was called in. He was told of the former valuations and that were unsatisfatcory. He valued the estate at $500,000. Just at this time rubber took a big jump in the London and New York markets, and another expert was asked to report, and he placed the flotation price at $750,000, and the syndicate, in order to have it in round numbers, made it an even $800,000 and floated it at this price. People fought for the stock, the share Issue was over-sut) scrlbed and many of them imme? diately sold at a good advance. All this was done within a few months without the slightest improvement on the property, except the natural growth of the few hundred acres of para plants which had recently been planted." Trained white supervisors on the rubber estates are In demand, the Consul-General reports, and there Is a scarcity of labor and consequent high wages. CORPORATIONS PAYING UP. Leal Than Half Million of Tax Assess? ments Unpaid. Washington, July 17.?Treasury re? turns show that to date there has been paid taxes of $2C,445,699 of the assessments originally made, aggre? gating $27,267.927 on account of the corporation tax. Of the remaining $822,000 about one-half has been abated by the commissioner of internal revenue for various reasons, or is in dispute. The expectation Is tha by the end of the month the $400,000 unpaid will be received. Already some of the collectors have been obliged to Impoee penalties for failure to pay the asse ssments by July 11, this be? ing due in some cases to ignorance on the part of the corporations as to the exact time within which the law fhould be complied with. In some quarters an impression has existed that the assessments were not pay? able until the Supreme Court of tha United States passed on the constitu? tionality of the statue. Tell It to Us. a groat many people think that if they telephone or tell a newpasper man a news Item concerning them? selves ,,r their family that he will think they are forward and trying to ^'et their names in the peper. This is altogether n mistaken Idea. News? paper m. n appreciate this little act of kindness upon your part and more so because it comes direct, it Is very little trouble to phone us antyhing you may know In the way of a news Item and resl assured we won't think you are * just trying to get your name in the paper." a newspaper is pub? lic property, and it is as much your duty as any one to keep it interest? ing.?Rock Hill Record. Brooklyn rooster Is setting on eggs, That is an offset to the suffragette movement.?New York Herald. THE SIN OF THOFANITY. \n Udf Habit Tliat Is Silly and Inex? cusable. Few sins are more inexcusable than: that of profane swearing. There is something so wanton, so useless, so brutal about its irreverence as to ex? cite wonder at its prevalence. Drunkenness and lust and gamb? ling have an explanation, though in no sense any justification, in the per? version of strong natural appetite. Theft and murder one can under? stand in view of man's love of money or his resentment of wrongs done by a fellowman. But what appetite is gratified by indulgence in profani? ty? The defense usually made that It springs from a violent temper and ia as uncontrollable as the passion that lies behind it neither justifies nor explains the offense. It does not jus? tify, because it merely alleges one sin as an excuse for a second, for a sec? ond which is worse than the first. It does not explain, for anger against man does not necessarily or natural? ly involve insolence towrard God. Why should His name be dishonored or His holy attributes be used in a light and contemptuous way, in order to emphasize our dislike of the charac? ter or conduct of men? No man would justify his conduct in striking an innocent and unoffending child. 6imply as an incidertal way of vent? ing his spleen upon some neighbor whom he disliked and was disposed to abuse. What would be the general judgment upon one wno, when angry at a man, spoke disrespectfully of a pure woman or dragged into th? heat of discussion her name in an insult? ing way? Far less excuse can be made for the common, the sadly and shamefully common sin, of feather? ing with proiane words our shafts of angry abuse. It is an insult to the purity of God. It is an act of brazen impudence that scorns and condemns and defies His sovereign majesty. Men guard with their lives the name of their wife or mother, yet drag in the dust of foul speech the name that ia above every name. And most profane speech has not even the flimsy and childish excuse of anger to justify or palliate its wick? edness. Too commonly it is indulged in jest, as a humorous way of adding I spice and flavor to the conversation. This is sinning in cold blood and with malice aforethought, instead of in the heat if passion. It is m irder in the first degree, the murder of rcv^. erence and loyal regard for G**?~The man who defamed his wife or daughter in tu outburst of anger could not be held so low and inex? cusable, basely wicked as the mast who sported in jest with the purity of their name and used them as the back ground or support of light and base jokes. And swearers who gar? nish their speech with oaths, who clothe themselves with cursing, not as a garment but rather as an orana ment, hold high rank among the fools who count it as a sport to do mischief, among the scoffers who have no fear or respect of God. The excuse commonly made for profanity is that it has become so ha? bitual that the offenders swear un? consciously. The plea is false, as is shown by the fact that profane men rarely forget themselves and swear in the presence of a lady. It is an ac? cepted rule in good society that no gentleman will use an oath before a lady. The fact that habitual swear? ers can and do remember and apply this rule shows that they can refrain if they will. And the plea also proves the aggravated character of the of? fense. No man is excused for mur - ded or theft or lying on the ground that it has been so often indulged in that it has become a second nature. Such a plea can mean only that tho more we sin the less we are guilty, that if we indulge in sin until we lose all self-control we may sin with impunity and innocence. The reverse is true. Men are responsible for their wilful mutilation of their power of self-control. They cannot spit out venom, and excuse themselves on the; ground that they had knowingly swallowed it and could not refrain They cannot cultivate an evil habit and plead the fact in extenuation of evil acts that result from the habit To all pleas and excuses and apolo? gies, there is one clear, complete, ami crushing answer: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain."?Christian Observer. One of the great English rail way s is installing a compact railway ticket printing machine. When a ticket for a certain station is required, the clerk tout in s an indicator which carries the name of the station, slips a blank into a slot, turns a handle and the completed ticket drops out. At the same time a record of the sale ia printed on a continuous strip of pa? per, together with the fare and alt Inflrmation required for bookkcep lnt>. If it is usury to lend money at more than 8 per cent per annum, how is it that the loan office shy locks multiply and flourish?