The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, June 07, 1911, Image 1
fHt. M7MTKH WATCHMAN. Establ
Consolidated AxihX. 2,1
LYON ANSWERS CHARGES.
_,
Tin vrroKM v (.unkkai, m \m >
UK. Ml'lF.lt REPLY.
!!?? \*k* That supreme Court Ihs id
Kight of l '> >.?111 to Name an Attor?
ney. I
Columbia. June S.?J. Fr?ser L.yon,
attorney general, answering the gen- '
.era! charges of the new dispensary
rommlslon yesterduy in a letter
mailed to the secretary of the com?
mission, called attention to some of
tht serious mistakes and misstate
menta that have been msde by the
?embers of the commission. The at?
torney general shows In his lotter that
the commission charges him with not
performing certain duties that should
be left to the commission. The let?
ter of the attorney general is clear cut
and dignified.
Several days ago the commission
sent a letter to the attorney general
In which It was charged that he was
part Isen to T. R. Felder of Atlanta,
and that he could not be depended on
to act with fairness in the work of
the commission. The commission em?
ployed the firm of HoLman St Holman
of Charleston ss attorneys for the
eesjimlsslon. and $600 was paid. The
firm was named without the consent
of the attorney general, which. It is
claimed, is in violation of the law.
The letter of the attorney general
f dlows:
State Dispensary Commission. Colum?
bia, a C.
Oentlemen: Your letter Informing
me that you have employed an attor?
ney for the oegsjsjgslea without my
approval Is at hand.
it Is not necessry at this time, and
can serve no useful purple, to point
out all your erroneous rtatements in
regard to my position and attitude to?
ward your commission.
Whenever you have called upon nit,
snd y >u have done so several times, 1
bsve freely given such information as
I possessed, and stood ready to ad?
vise you upon any question of law
upon which you might desire advice.
Ort *w\ern1 occasion I have person?
ally offered you my official services,
Indeed I have gone so far as to state
that It would give me very great
pleasure to assist you to investigate
and pro??*? any matter In eonnootl ?n
with the late State dispensary.
Why vou should think the fact that
I approved the employment of Hon.
T. B. Fleder by your predecessors in
office should disqualify me for per?
forming my official duties, or shouM
be a sufficient reason fee you to dis?
regard the law as to employing eoun
sol Is difficult t? p?r,<i\.-. especially
ss you hsve lndl< tied your willingness
to employ Messrs Abney and Steven?
son, wh > were the Immediate asso?
ciates ol and employed by Mr. Felder.
Wh? ther It was wise or not to employ
.Mr. Felder can scarcely affect the
question of the wisdom or unwisdom
of employing Mr. II dm an it this
time, for even n small fee.
In th connection I will say. how?
ever, that the State dispensary, -
garded from a strictly mercantile
standpoint. was insolvent when abol?
ished. Hut m <t iTuely through tb.>
effort? of Mr. Felder and his ass.,
rates the Institution was enalded to
pay It-* ib > fs and turn about $400,
000 Into the St ite treasury. In addi?
tion to this it was largely through the
efforts of Mr l \ hb r tint . \id. re .
was o* t ?ined sufficient to show be?
yond a r. .? -< n nie doubt the criminal
acts >f a number of persons In con?
nect Ion with the former gtnte dienen?
sary. If an association which has
accomplished these things i> offen-Ive
to you then It would appear that >ou
are not in f i\ ? r ?f eesompllshing the
object for whleh I have striven dur?
ing the past i ? years. Mr. Felder'*
compensation was contingent upon
the amount of monev ho saved and
recovered for the Mate, and he un?
dertook to hear, and did heart nil ex?
pense incident to his efforts in ob?
taining evidence, whib? v mi. as 1 un?
derstand, h ive paid Mr. Holman $T,00,
snd this, as 1 presume, without hi
having secured the return of any
srnft no.nev to the IffeaiUffg? I ?rath?
er from your letter that Mr. H !m m
is employed solely to give roe e< nneel,
and th;?4 service hat been for some
time past rendered with nit expense
to the State.
fgeetdes this, yon have aol attempt
ed to stat" any f?n t to nie whb h
would show the necessity of employ?
ing an attorn* of why some one, or
nil. of tho three ntt .rneys on your
commission nffi not in a position tc?
determine sieh ?iiie^tnois us may
segne heroes you.
As to Uif ease against Dff, Murray,
I will sag that If I hol been called
upon I would hare advised you that
I you had no authority to examine into
th- i" count'*, :o fs, or ibdiu'S of your
lehod April. 1850.
?lie JllSt ?I
881.
LARGE AREA IN COTTON.
(iOVKHNMIATS ITH ST CROP RE*
i ram is issvKi>.
Condition on Muy 25 Reported us 87.8
us Com | tared to Ten-year Average
of 80.9 IVr Cent.
Washington, June 2.?The area
planted in cotton this year In the
Cnlted States as estimated by the
crop-reporting; hoard of the depart?
ment of agriculture in the first crop
report of the season Is about 104.7 per
cent of the area planted last year,
and 35,000,000 acres, including that
already planted and expected to be
planted. This Is an increase of 4.7
per cent or 1.586.000 increase as com?
pared with 33.418,000 acres, the re?
vised estimate of last year's planted
areas.
The condition of the growing crop
on May 25 was 87.8 per cent of a
normal condition, as compared with
80.2 per cent that day last year, and
80.9 the ten-year average on that
date.
Details by area planted in 1911, per
cent of 1910 area and condition on
May 25 follow:
Per Condi
State. Acre3 Cent. tlon.
Virginia. . . 37.000 109 93
North Carolina 1.537 000 105 83
South Carolina 2,537,000 103 SO
Georgia. . . . 5,119,000 103 92
Florida. . . . 284.000 106 95
Alabama.. . . 3,813,000 105 11
Mississippi. . . 3.4 54,000 101 86
Louisiana. . . 1.118,000 104 91
T Ml. 10,^6S,000 105 88
Arkansas. . . 2.446,000 103 S7
Tennessee. . . 882,000 105 S3
BteBMIUI 1 . . . 115,000 112 86
Oklahoma .. . 1.121,000 111 87
California. . . 12,000 123 08
predecessors, and that you have no
authority to deprive them of the
vouchers they took for paying out
Ins funds in their hands, and further
that you had no power to demand of
I >r. Murray that he turn over such
vouchers to you, nor to adjudge him
In contempt for refusing so to do.
My views upon these points have
boon sustained by the supreme court
in so far as the court h'.3 announced
its decision. I did not, therefore, feel
Justified in urging the court to sus?
tain your position in this case. How?
ever, I stand ready to assist you in
sustaining any position you may take
Which Is authorized by the low under
which your commission exists. and
powers, but I would not feel justi?
fied to undertake the performance
of an act not in accordance With law.
Replying to your statement as to
mv attitude in the Klchland Distillery
? ompany case. T beg to say that It Is
my wish to recover for the State
such overcharges ax may have been
made by thll company on goods sold
the dispensary, and notwithstanding
the fact that rotf aro wh'dly Incorrect
In your unsupported assertion that it
I is my duty to he in possession of all
j fgetl surrounding this ease. or in
J connection with the State dispensary.
I this fluty being specifically imposed
'upon >? m by the act of 1910, page
I TO, gee tlon i. whhh Is as follows:
'The State dispensary eommission
Is hereby authorized and empowered,
In addition to the powers heretofore
conferred upon it, to pass uon, fix
and determine any and all elaims of
ti e State against any and all persons,
I rans or COrporOtlonJ heretofore do?
ing business with the state dispensary,
and to fully Investigate transactions
by any and all persons, firms or c >? -
poratlons with the State dispensary,
and make settlement of all elaims In
I favor of the State against any such
I persons, firms or corporations, and
[collect and receipt for the same."
i Section provides "Kor the purpose
I of carrying oul the provlslona of this
, act, the State dispensary commission
hull have all the powers and privi?
leges conferred upon it by any and
all previous acta and amendments
thereto."
Nevertheless, I am willing to do ev?
I erythlng I can t? recover auch mon
? v-i as many be duo the State, anil to
this end. I offer to undertake tin
[ task upon the condition thai I be
allowed to employ any attorn- ? of
attorneys, person, >>r persona to aid
in the work, wh.. will, in mv judg?
ment best aen e the Interest i f the
state in a certalnlng the facta and In
continuing the litigation already com?
menced. The terms upon which per?
sona or aft .j... \v- are to !"? emploved
to he subject to your* approval. I be
?b \ e if you will agree to some au< ?>
arrange men! a< tbi . tb it th< re la a
g.I prostjH ? t t ? reeov< r a conild
erable sum of money for ihe Si ite.
I am also ln< lined to thins thai many
facts showing fraud in dl?p< nsary of
fair.s will come out in tie course Of
such litigation end lnv*? tlgntlsn, if
id Fear not~~Let ail tiie ends Thou Ainu
SUMTER, S. CL WEDNI
WILSON PRAISES WORK.
INDORSE decision as TO RAW
wool SCHEDULE.
En Route to Trenton, Former Prinoe
ton President Stops in Washington
For Conference.
Washington. June 4.?After a day
of political oinferences Gov. Wood
r..\v Wilson of New Jersey left Wash?
ington tonight to resume his gub?
ernatorial duties at Trenton, follow?
ing a tour of the West and South. His
visitors were from all sections of the
country, including senators, represen?
tatives and private citizens. Senators
Martine of New Jersey and Gore of
Oklahoma were among the first call?
ers on the prospective presidential
candidate.
All the conferences were open. To
the members of the house particu
larly GOV, Wilson expressed repeated
congratulations. He said the vigor
with which the house liad taken hold
of Its work had inspired the country
with renewed confidence in the Demo
cratic party. The action of the cau
cus of Democratic representatives in
voting for a reduction of the tariff on
wool only to 20 per cent ad valorem
received his hearty commendation,
despite the fact that William J.
liryan had warned the Democrats
against any other course than tak
lug all the duty off.
What the governor had to say in
regard to the Democratic caucus was
summarise d into these words:
'The resolution passed by the cau?
cus is a frank statement and jus
titles itself by showing that the
Democratic party is trying to do the
best that is possible and practicable
in the circumstances. 1 mean that
when we are revising a system, such
as the tariff as a whole, we can make
compensations of revenue along the
whole line. But in revising it sched
tile by schedule we can not mak
these compensations, excepting the
individual schedules. That is one of
the penalties.of the step-by-step pro
cess
"it does not seem to me that there
is any abandonment of principle in
the action taken. It looks to me as
though the Democratic principle j had
been reasserted. <Of course, I am in
free raw wool, but every Democratic
platform has declared for gradual
reduction."
He reiterated his belief In the pro?
gressive movement as inaugurated In
the West. The reforms adopted there,
he declared, had proved very satis
factbry. Along this line he spoke of
the progressive Republicana
1 do not see any difference be?
tween tin* Democrats and what we
call progressive Republicans," he said,
"except possibly the tariff."
He reiterated his approval of the
Canadian reciprocity agreement.
"Will it h. ip the Republican] or
the Democrats In 1912?" he was
asked.
"Whh h party it will help is entirely
8 matter of indifference," was the re?
sponse, "The party thai thinks of
Itself and not of the country is go?
ng down iti defeat."
Mi*- Rosa CltcyiK?*8 Name Omitted
_ I
in the list of the names of tin.se j
Of the class Of t!?ll who received
- t ite diplomas one name was emitted)
Miss Rosa Isabelle Cheyne,
In The Magistrate'"' Court.
Cornel] Williams was fined $!."> in
the Magistrate's court on Monday
for nssuli upon another negro at the
passenger station Sunday afternoon.
you permit me to undertake it as
suggested, Notwtthsandlng the er?
ror you have fallen Into when you
suggest that it is my duty to be In
possession of the facts of this case,
i ;iin unwilling to enter up ?n the
undertaking personally and Individu?
ally, provided you co-operate with
me In the munner above suggested,
or In sonn- other feasible manner to
be suggested by you. As to your
right t ? employ counsel without my
consent, I make the following propo.'
?ii It the facts of the case be sub?
mitted to the supreme court in a
proper manner and your commissi in
und l. us attorney general, ask for n
ruling thereon. This may, no doubt
1 ?? done without delay, if the court
^h.ill then heir the case^and decide
tli it no duty rests upon in" in this re?
spect, I shall n d forth, r undertake
to Influence the matter ,and will
m
be ph ised to be V ii . . .1 ? f fui I hi r
responsibility In reference in the mat?
ters j ,u hs\ o in hfl tid.
Yours very truly,
J, Fra or Lyon,
Attorney General
8't at be thy Country's, Thy God's hi
3SDAY, JUNE 7, 1911.
NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL
STATEMENT OF FACTS BY CHAIR?
MAN OP BOARD.
The City Schools Have Grown and
Prospered and .the Great Work
Achieved Prove Their Usefulness,
But Needs Have Increased More
Rapidly Than Income and The
Citizens of Sumter Are Now Called
Upon to Vote a Small Additional
Tax.
The following statement of facts re?
lative to the growth and present and
immediate future needs of the city
schools was made by Mr. It. I. Man?
ning, chairman of the City School
Board at the commencement exercises
Thursday night:
As Chairman of your Board of Ed?
ucation, I have been deputed to bring
certain matters to your attention. T
do not apologize for this interrup?
tion to the evening's programme, as
It is a matter which concerns the
school's future growth and useful?
ness.
I know that you are interested in
this institution, which is yours, and
of your making. We feel it proper to
present certain facts for your in?
formation, so that you can vote intelli?
gently on a matter that will be pre?
sented to you.
The growth of the school has been
steady. When the present superin?
tendent took charge, there was one
school building, which cost twelve
thousand dollars. There were 2S2
pupils ami 7 teachers. Today you
have three buildings, which cost in
the aggregate over $54,000; (a plant
over four and a half times as large
as in 1895.) Today you have an en?
rollment of 800, and twenty-two
teachers.
The pay roll in 189 5 was $520 a
month, the pay roll now is over $2,
000 a month. The special levy In
1895 was 2 mills; the special levy now
Is four mills, besi0.es two mills for
Interest and sinking fund for the
bonds. Out of the amount raised on
this two mills, thirteen thousand dol?
lars of bonds have been retired, and
there is now over four thousand dol?
lars in hank, to retire that amount of
bonds.
Tonight and last night, you have
had an opportunity to witness some
>f the results of the year's work.
You know the large number of pu?
pils who are being educated. Tlrs
number is increasing year by yea**,
and of course, the cost of maintain
Ing the school is increasing. Th !
items of repairs, heating, ventilation,
etc. In the three buildings cost more
than three times as much as it used
to he.
our revenue is n ?t Increasing, and
the voting out of the Dispensary has
reduced the revenue somewhere be?
tween twelve and fifteen hundred dol?
lar*.
The results In this school testify
to the excellence of its administra?
tion, and l do not believe that netter
financial management can be found
anywhere Still, we are now Just
making ends meet. Because of the
growth and development of the
schools, we need more money.
There are two immediate needs:
First. a supervising principal for
primary grades, who v. ill have charge
of the writing and music |n> these
ten classes. Second, a supervisor of
hawing and manual training for all
Of these schools.
s ?tue of you witnessed the recent
exhibit at the Hampton school, in art
and manual work, Tnat work was
surely most creditable to teacher and
pupi'.s. It was a revelation of un
looked for excellence In h lately de?
veloped bold. In the opinion of your
superintendent and the Board, this
WOrk should be e\teUded.
Will we now rest on our oars, be
satisfied with what we are ?bang, or,
are you going to tell us t > go ahead.
Improve the school, meet the de?
mands of the titties and give our girls
md boys the opportunity for acquir?
ing an education and training and
[?quip them for life work?
\ >w, what is it we want you to do
W'e want you to authorize an ad
litiona] l< vy of one mill. To get it.
k\ e have to have n petition signed by
me third of the freeholders of this
llstrlet. This Includes men and wo?
men. Kvcryone wh ? owns property
ind pays laxes. And it must be sign?
?d by one-third of the qualified elec?
tors of the district.
\ ft er c t ting t his petition t \# ned,
majority votes for the \o\ y of < no
nili it w ill u;\ e us the money \\ :
ned and WO can then go a b. ? u
svlth needed Improvements and em
>i i\ t tie additional teacht t - we r<
require.
So that ?tomorrow morning, we will
out!)
id Truth's.
THE TRUJ
Opportunity tc
Candidates Enthui
000 Vot
Offer is Most Liberal <
didate Should ]
Advanta'
?The offer of 25,000 extra voU
each club of five yearly subscript! is
to the Item or 10 yearly subscriptions j
to the Watchman and Southron has
aroused increased interest among the
hustling contestants. This offer ap?
peals to all; those who have been
in from the beginning and those who
have just started. It is the oppor?
tunity to put your name among the
leaders, thereby .showing your
friends that you are in the con?
test and In to win. There is an old
and true saying that "To those who
are determined it but remains to
act," and this is essentially true as
regards the contest. Determination
and constant, earnest, unremittent
effort are the watchwords of success.
Before entering on the strenuous
days of your campaign, which are
fast approaching, you must remem- j
ber that notwitstanding however hope?
less the outlook may be for you, the
contest will not be won or lost until
the very last ballot is counted. Your
enthusiasm will become so contagious
that each of your friends will be
striving as hard as yourself to se?
cure a prize for you Drop the las?
situde and start out now with that
determination and energy behind*lt
which will carry you on to proud and
happy victory. The Item-Watchman
and Southron have no choice as to
who will wdn the prizes. Every con?
testant will get a square deal and
a fair count. The ladies who have a
I true conception and an appreciation
a
of the magnitude of the ofYe;* the
Item-Watchman and Southron are
I making are the ones who will make
' an effort to win?and who will win.
Those who sit around listlessly and
'tell you, "<>h. T wouldn't care for it."
are the ones who never get anywhere,
send out representatives, and ask
that everyone who owns property and
pays taxes, men ami women, and
every qualified elector t?> whom he
presents the petition will sign it. and
that every qualified elector will vote
in the election for the levy.
1 do not believe you will refuse to j
I aid in this matter. One mill en the j
dollar means ten cents on the bun
id red. One dollar on the thousand.
Xot a large Increase. But. even if it
Were a large increase, would it not
I pay? As a business or ?Position, it
pays. There is no better adverttse
meni for the town th in the excellence
of its schools. It draws hither new
people, who will be deserving citizens,
seeking education for their < bildren.
When you educate the citizen, you
nuke them better nun ami more use?
ful, and every cltisen Is benefited di?
rectly or Indirectly. We cannot take
i backward step. We must g ? for?
ward. As improv? mcnts are required
for efficient work, we musl make
them.
1 can say what- neither Mr. I'd
munds nor the Other members of the
Hoard say, for my length of service
has been so gin rt that l could not lay
claim for any of the credit f r the
position which our schools occupy In
enlightened educational circles in
this Stute. But tor the embarrass?
ment it might bring Mr. Edmunds
and the other members of the Hoard.
I could give you the testimony of
such men as State Superintendent
id* Education Swearcngen, of Prof.
Snyder, of Wofford Collei e, I >r.
Mitchell, of Carolina, of Mr. J, .1.
McMahan, former Superintendeni of
Educnti >n, and others to show how
they regard the work of Mr. Edmunds,
backed up and supported by his
Hoard. That testimony pots 'he
Sumter schools in a class by them?
selves.
The \\ ork thai has I ??< n done, and
is beins done, will have a lasting cf
a i'. ? dcVOtlUR t
sen iols. In i!
Slxtj of these
f over four and )
nd fifteen U \ y
elghl mills,
i*.l has jnsi
r the school two
t hem.
Edu
hi wab h\\ ord of tin
i SOCTHKON. Establish M June, IUI
Vol. XXXII. No. 31.
i Get in Lead
siastic Over 25,
:e Offer
One jf Everv Can
He ? >wto Take
ovx It,
?V ?
or who are never any one in their
communities.
Still they will tell you they do not
understand why Miss So-and-So is
30 popular. It is simply because Miss
So-and-So's friends recognize that
spirit of energy and ambition that
makes her the admired of her cir?
cle.
Do Not Hold Back Subscriptions.
Candidates who have subscriptions
in view, but who have been holding
back waiting developments, should
do their best during "Opportunity
time." Do not hold back your sub?
scriptions, but bring them in as soon
as secured. On each subscription
the regular number of vote3 will be
issued and if you turn in five yearly
subscriptions to the Item or ten yearly
subscriptions to the Watchman and
Southron during the week, you will
be given an extra ballot good tor
25,000 votes. There Is no limit to the
number of bonus ballots. Each can?
didate will be given one for every
club they turn In. Xow is the time
for every reader of the Item or
Watchman ami Southron to pay their
subscription and vote for some friend
in the contest. It is also time for
each and every candidate to get busy
and take advantage of this offer. Any
kind of a combination of yearly sub?
scriptions will make a club. Two
years subscription will count as
two one year's subscription in
making up a club. A five year sub?
scription will count ? <* - club. In
fact all subscriptions for more than
one year will coilnt in this offer. Can?
didates are not limited to one club.
If there is any point in this offer you
do not clearly understand call us up
and we will he pleased to explain
same.
day. Rut let us not he satisfied with
what we are doing. We are yet far
from attaining the standard we
should acquire. But our efforts and
determination are to upl ulld and up?
lift our standards. Let us not only
keep up with this great educational
movement, but let us lead in it.
As a property owner, as a citizen,
and ; s a parent, I believe than mon?
ey cannot he better spent than on
education. 1 am willing to spend
my money for it, for my children and
for the children of others. A com?
munity cannot bo better than the In?
dividuals which compose it. There?
fore, educate the individual, and you
e lucate ad uplift the community.
We are your representative< lect
ed by you to carry on this work.
The judgment of the Board, coi list?
ing of nr. Mood. Mr. O'Donnell, Mr.
Harby, Mayor Jennings ami myself,
with Mr. C. M. Hurst as secretary and
Mr. Edmunds ns superintendent, ad?
vise the levy of "lie mill, in addition
to tlm present levy- We have laid
the case before you. We leave it
with you confident that you will en
d >rs 1 our judgment.
FF,tjl>ER < 5' MXENCS1 - BLf tSE.
Atlanta. June 2,?Attorney Thom?
as B. Felder, of Atlanta. t<>day Issued
an ipen letter to Cole. I.. Bleasc. ; "
emor of South Carolins practicadlly
challenging him ton personal encoun*
ter or to :? libel suit, if the Governjr
is so inclined. He -tat'? that If .he
charges he (?''.'der? makes are true,
then Blease Is n< t *it to be Governor
f even a "nit ? t" colony. Felder
states (hat i?' his charges are untrue,
then they are it' elous, and offers if
Governor Blease will bring suit, to
giv< bond for tin: mount he asks for
bis personal exp nses ind for his at*
torn* y*s fe? s, whi ?i I ? v ill pay pro
tat abundant opportunity
forded to i, dress your
Ifisa Dorothy Rrown >l Philadel?
phia, is visiting tb. Whitcheed's nsj
S. Church ?treet.