The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, December 30, 1911, Image 1
(Etye u)atcl,maii and Southron.
It*. (R MTril WATCHMAN. Established April. ISfto Be Jam and rXtr not?I#t all the ends Thon Ahnst at be thy Country'*. Thy God's and Truth's." THE TRCE SOCTHKON. Established June. MM
Consolidated Au*. 3,1881. SUMTER. S C, SATURDAY. DECEMBER 30. 1911. Vol. XXXIII. No. 36.
muvmxw A Setting Male <\ii*\ralj*.1om?r
Wation.
?Hmm Gov. Blnvw Han Otfeml
ft*** to A. D. Hudson?MtM*li
?Soney for I >t*u4 button.
For wMki there have been persis?
tent rumors regarding changes con?
templated In th* Statt department of
ajriic uUiir* The** reports have
caused muri? comment throughout
the State becausv of the great Interest
the public takes In the work that has
b j?n accomplished by th* departm >?
Of agrlcultur ? under Omn.U-uoiler
Wateon.
Some thlnst are known; about
other* there ta conjecture and aome
Inference*.
The following seema to be the slt
Ira fW. WlllUma. United States
farm demonstration agent for South
Carolina has b**n transferred from
this State to Oeorwta, supposedly he
?an** of jppoettton by the governor,
i B. f W*tson is to be displaced
whea hla term expire* la March. His
peace. offer*d to one or two other* be.
for*. I* now off?red to A. D. Hudson
of New berry.
Ol all the department* of the State
government ther* ks mo*'* p*tro*age
attached to the ohV* of the depert
m*nt of agriculture than any other.
The State department of agriculture
la constituted as follows and recelv
the following appropriations:
Direct appropriation about $tt.
^ About '$10.000 la recehed from Ine
food stuffs stamp*. Tht* work em
pfoyt ahou? ten men. Including in
? .Sportor* and chemlsta J
The legislator* appropriates $10,
for the United State* farm dem
Work and an additional
of $-'5.000 la received
national d*pertf>?ent of agii
Sute aid Is included in
latioa.
featv
int
m if *? State
i /n.street contact
people tn the Stkte than
das* df representative* of
it* government, k
There to alap- an appropriation of
$1.0*4 far cert breeding wnA. which
ti expended Hader the direct *up?r4j
*1*X*n of the commission*** of arrl
culture and two other members of a
comrnbwtoa provided by the act.
Darin* the fast several weeks
Commissioner Witson has bean vary
actlv* in fct* work to help the farm?
ers of the State and t%* South to de?
vise some pbvn or medbs whereby the
situation with refcreate to low priced
cotton might be relieved. Early in
the fall lw attended a meeting: of the
cotton g' ~mw* and business men in
u Montgomery.
Akt., and was elected
fV*>pa^.. of the Southern Cotton core
grea*. Tr>?* election to this position
devolved upon him the leadership in
the fight f.-r a higher price for rot?
te?. Later, aetlng as the ?gen? for
the farmers of the State and South.
It* attended a tonfaraace in New
York, when a lo*n of $60,000.000
w*a proffered on th* cotton crop in
ttn? assttb. by a syndicate of New
' jrk baakers The proposition met
with sosn* advers* crlth Ism at the
tlm* and has never been worked out.
Several weeks ago <'?mrnUsloner
Wstsor, as president of the Southern
rot. * tv.nptses, and not aa the com
mission** of agriculture of South
Oarorlna. lasued a call for the presi?
dent* of th* Farmern' unlona and the
praaentatlve* of the governors, tak
g part in the N*w Orleans cotton
?rent*, constituting the executive
committee to meet in New Orleans on
December 1S to dtsccea plan* for a
reduction of the cotton acreage.
It was the Intention af Commis
oner Wateon to attend tb* meeting
th * committee J ist befov* Com
gptiilsntf Wateon waa to depart from
?oe State p letter. It Is reported, waa
tent Men by the governor Informing
ilm that fhe position of nommlaion.
*r of atjrlculur*. mmm^rr? snd In?
dustries sfopld be declared vacant
should he f Commissioner Wateon >
I artend \t%e TS* governor
' further stated In the letter ihet sr.
WiiS'i ninat ask permission t<- \? ? ?
the ntate In the future ..r leave with?
out hts position.
To get taeic to the tangle In con
nectfteB with the farm l onstyntlon
work this much i*em? certain:
Tito *?ext State farm demonstration
ssent most b* soceptghje to C. L
cttappt. governor of s-outb Carolina
?f th* netf farm dpai< nsrration ngent
n't ?'^eeptahle to th-- governor <>f
s-uth t'aroMna. then the governor
Will US*) hi* veto power *n?1 cut off
RUSSIA TIKES MONGOLIA
VAHT COUNTRY WILL SKFARATi:
FROM CHINA.
Rcfolt Will Allow Csar's Government
to Annex This Territory. ?* Well
M Turkestan.
j Peking. Dec. 28, 2:26 a. m.?Mon?
golia, which almost equals China
proper in site, will be proclaimed in?
dependent tomorrow, simultaneously |
with the cutting off from China of
the vast dependency of Turkestan, !
Both will pass under Russian influ?
ent e. and will practically become
j Russian protectorates. Russia at any ,
? time will be able to annex them.
A grand kahn will be named as
monarch of Mongolia. The construc?
tion of the trans- Mongolian railway.
, for which Russia has long sought
Permission, will new be a matter of
time. Europe thereby coming nearer
to Peking by three or four days.
Russian Influence will flank the
! Japan, so sphere In Manchuria peril?
ously, and a Japanese alliance for
the sake of preserving Japanese In
j terests may sooner or later be ex?
pected. Russian officers and officials,
j if not the Musslan government prop
' er. have Influenced this action In
Mongolia.
T: -? split log drag w.'is again in use
Wednesday and Thursday and seem?
ed to be doing good work towards
getting the streets back Into good
condition.
1 the State aid appropriation of $10,
000.
' Let It be remembered here that the
national government gives $25.000 to
asslxt in the work. This means that
i the State farm demonstration agent,
who has charge of the expenditure of
$*&5.oon, must b? acceptable to the
governor of South Carolina.
Why the antagonism of the gov?
ernor against Ira W. Williams? j
It Is a long story and started nearly
house, ?A,. Which Lowndes J.
Brooming ^ chairman, flnlnned con>
side-ration 9 the appropriation .bill in
a remarkably short time. Included
[among the Various Item? was the .one
'giving $5.0^0 to the South Carolina
Com Bra* i^rs' association, for corn
j brooding wort In this State and for
J tjne com exposition. When the meas
I ure came before the committee for
final consideration, A. D. Hudsor.
with others associated with the expo?
sition, was out of the State. Member*
j of th* ways, .and means committee
worn averse in their opinion to the
appropriation, contending that no ma?
terial results had been obtained. Iru
W. Williams, being an expert agricul ?
tnitnt, was called in >>y m. mbcra oi!
the committee end us an official of
the federal department of ugricul
turu, was asked to give his opinion an
to the rns%?t^secured from the corn
uxposltlon and the Corn Breeders'
association. H? gave his opinion, the
? :;act nature 4*' which is not known.
Following this conference the com?
mittee cut out the appropriation for
corn breeding work. Just before the
Inal adoption and when the measure
was before tie finance committee of
the senate, an approplration of $3.00?
was inserted. |
During the latter part of the last
session of tho legislature It wan
rumored that Mr Williams would be
removed from South Carolina, and It
was reported that Dr. Knapp was
about to take this action on represen?
tations made jy him by Qov. Bleare.
The governor, it was said, refused to
consent to the appropriation of
$10,000 for th* farm demonstration
work unles*. this was done. Later
however, Mr. Blease withdrew his ob
Jection and consented to the retain
ment of Mr. Williams here. It Is |
known that, meantime. Ira W. Wil?
liam*, together with several friends,
explained to the governor that he had
not mixed in politics and that he had
never wared a campaign against the
rnor. The appropr u.ion of $10
000 fy>r the demonstration work went
through and nothing more was hep.rd
? >" 'it th* removal of Williams UDtll
i f- w wo.ks ago.
I' is said that Li I- Baker of P.tsh
? !? Ule, a dl*lrl"t agtnt of th<- work.
Is spoken of for the position of Mate
agent.
The State agent Is appointed by 1 ?r. '
Bi 'if"r.i Knapp on the rooointnendft
tion of the conmilssloner of agrlcul
Inrs The State agent hr?? the ap?
pointment of 4'> or |6 uibordlnate
workeis throughout Bonth roltn
I? as explanation of th. interest
of tn? irov.trnor In an ?ttctb n ) ir of
"u' (h ? fepnttnfoni qrbei .r t to
?ult him.?The State.
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS. |
I
NO ACTION ON A. C. L. RAILROAD
M ATTER?SOUTHERN WANTS
LOWER LICENSE.
Mr. (ilonn Rosiens Iis Cliairnian of
Fire Committee ami Mr. Cuttino
Appointed In His Place; U. D. C.
Protest Against Action of Council;
W. J. McKngcn Elected Policeman; !
P. D. Knight Appointed Supervisor j
of Registration for Next Municipal >
Election.
City Council met Tuesday nicht in
its regular semi-monthly session with
all of the members present except Al?
dermen J. P. Booth, J. F. Glenn, E.
H. Rhame and R. K. Wilder. The
session was not a long one, but sev?
eral Important matters were discuss?
ed.
Mr. Mark Reynolds presented a
petition from the Southern Railway
Company asking for a reduction of
license for the year 1912, by allow
It to remain at $100. as it was In
1911, Instead of raising It to $150.
The matter was discussed for some
time, but action was deferred to a
Inter meeting of council.
Mr. Jennings stated that he had
granted an extension to January 3rd
to the A. C. L. Railroad Company
for that corporation to consider the
demands mnde by the city in refer?
ence to Mary, Mulberry and Owens
streets on their promise to leave mat?
ters In their present state until that
time. This action was approved by
Council.
The mayor then stated that one of
the members of the United Daughters 1
of the Confederacy had protested
ngainst the order of Council forbid?
ding bicyclists to ride across the
Graded School green, as the land was
owned by them and Council had no
Jurisdiction over the property and Its
action was therefore discourteous. Mr ?
Jennings stated that he had informed
the lady that no discourtesy was in?
tended the ladle3 of the IT. D. C,
when council had passed the ordi?
nance, but that Council had believed
QsnHPHeT VevenfT 'Injtfty.'to the
pupils of tile schools*
Mr. Jennings next stated that AU?
derma n J. F. Glenn had asked to be ,
relieved of the chairmanship of the.:
Piro Department Committee on ac?
count of ill health which would pre?
sent his active service for the pres?
ent. Mr. Cuttino was accordingly ap?
pointed as chairma/i of the commit?
tee in place of Mr. Glenn.
It was next announced by the May?
or that he had appointed Mr. F. D.
Knight as supervisor of registration
for the next municipal election, the ap?
pointment to take effect January
10th, or ninety days before the elec?
tion.
The next matter brought tro'wns
the election of a policeman to toke
the place of Policeman O. J. Wil?
liams, resigned. Applications from
the following persons were rend: J.
M. lAwrence. Geo. D. Hatchell. W. J.
McKagen, D. J. Ross, and W. B.
Phillips. Council went Into election
and Mr. W. J. McKagen elected,
Mr. Wright voting for Mr. Geo. D.
TTatchell. who is now acting as special
policeman.
Following a number of claims were
read and ordered paid upon approval
by the proper commltttees.
Mr. Wright made a motion that Mr.
Hurst instruct Mr. Abe Ryttenberg,
the lessee of the Academy of Music,
to furnish cuspidors for the place.
A copy of the extended lease of
buildings t<J Mr. J. W. McKiever w is
presented by the city clerk. The lease
was read and Mr. McKeiver asked
that certain changes be made
in It in order that he might be In?
sured against the great cost of re?
pairs and In case of accident or mis?
fortune. These changes were in ef?
fect that the lessee should have one
year's use of the building after sus?
pension of manufacturing, and that
the lease should not explro Imme?
diately nf'er the suspension of man?
ufacturing: thnt the lessee have pig
months to rebuild In case of the de?
struction of the buildings, the work
of rebuilding to be commenced within
two months nfter the destruction;
that the city Hhould have the right
to purchase any additions which
were made to the buildings, the plica
to bg agreed upon by the loaftftf and
the p.-see, r.r 111 f.'ISe theV SOfUd IK't
Mill to P.. decided upon by three ar?
bitrators, one to bo appointed I y the
lessor, one by the lessee and the third
by the two Already appointed'
Mr. Pranoll ftftotaO, of Atlanta. is
sponding some lime with relatives In
the city, iMs many friends in Bumtor
are glnd to wee thai he bus fully re
covered from tlM Injuries received
in a football gerne v. veral week** ago.
AFFAIRS IN CHINA.
Kl: VOLUTION ARIES DUM AN I)
FORM ATION OF REPUBLIC.
Premier's Decision to Submit to
MiiiK-hws Proposal for Meeting
Causes Some Satisfaction.
Shanghai, China, Dec. 26.?As no
reply has yet been received by Tang
I
Shao Yito his dispatch to Premier
Yuan Shi Kai. pointing out that the J
acceptance of the idea of a republic
is the only means of securing a peace?
ful solution of China's troubles, the
revolutionaries are demanding vigor?
ously the immediate election of a
president of the republic and asking
i
that the government of China be pro?
ceeded with, without any further no?
tice being taken of Peking.
The conference yesterday between
Dr. Sun Yat San, the proposed presD i
dent, and Wu Ting Fang, the chief of
the revolutionary delegates at the
peace conference, resulted in com- j
plete agreement between the two
loaders and the revolutionaries now
are showing a more united front than
ever. Nanking is regarded by them
as the most suitable place for the
new republic's capital.
Among the revolutionary troops
concentrated near Pu Kow, to the
number of nearly 15,000, there is
great agitation about the breach of
the armtlstice by the imperial troops.
The revolutionaries profess them?
selves ready to advance against the
imperial army reported to be march?
ing from the north under the com?
mand of Chang Hsun.
Premier Yuan Shi Kai's decision to
submit the* proposal for the meeting
of a special national assembly, to de?
cide upon the future form of govern?
ment of China, to the consideration
of the Manchus, on becoming known
here, caused considerable satisfaction
According to the revolutionary
leaders now in Shanghai, Premier
Yuan Shi Kai's consent is tantamount
to the admission that he himself fa?
vors a republic.
It is understood that Tang Shao Yi,
whoia representing Premier Yuan Shi
K.:7fcrW h** *XrW& \&<W*#VfV*t
jrevolutiojiary leader* at the peace
Conference that T&^ah Shi Kai person?
ally was in favor of a republic. Tang
Shao Yt now admits that Yuan Shi
Kal is in full agreement with the
revolutionary plan and is only seeking
to secure assurance* regarding the fu?
ture treatment of the imperial clan
and the Manchu people, and also to
avoid an outbreak In Peking when
the final announcement Is made.
When Tang Shao YI had fully real?
ized the true situation in the South,
he telegraphed to Premier Yuan Shi
Kai, suggesting that an edict be is?
sued leaving the decision as to the
form of government to the people of
China through a national convention.
Tho leaders of both parties here
say that the convention will be a
purely formal affair. There can in
their 6pir.ion be no question regarding
the result of such a convention, whicn
they assert can be called together
within 30 days.
- The present situation, It is said* by
the revolutionary leaders, was fully
anticipated. Every detail of the plan
is already complete for the organiza?
tion of a provisional government and
the eventual establishment of a stable
administration.
? '?.?,- ? ? - ? ?
TWO HELD FOK ROBBERY.
Suspected of Holding Up Train at
ILirdoville, Two Men Are In St.
Matthews Jail.
i
St. Matthews, Dec. 27.?Chief
Dowie the police department and
Deputy Sheriff Hill have two men in
charge whom they have good reason
to believe are the men who held up
and robbed the train at Hardeville
some time ago. The men, while pass?
ing through t<>\vn on Sunday, were
taken in charge by these officers and
placed in jail.
The government was notified, and
Inspector I*.arrows from Savannah is
here today looking into the matter.
After a most rigid examination of the
suspects, Mr. Burrows had them
photographed and will have them
held until further Investigation. He
?ays they tit the descriptions of the
robbers very well, The suspect* give
their names as lohn P. Lynch from
Massachusetts and ,Clyde Carter from
Virginia.
Sumter's streets are perhaps IS
the wortsi condition that they have
been in for a number of years. Th i
traffic during the continued bad
weather has simple torn th< m to
pieces, but at the sann- time the
town people can congratulate them?
selves tb.tt tho streets tue not as
bad as the roads throughout th i
w hole of the cou ntry.
SPIRITUALIST OBTAIN KI) STORY
OF BEATTIE MURDER.
Medium Wrote Correct Account of
Tragedy to Governor Mann Long
Before the Confession?Claimed to
Have Got Story from the Other
World?Bcattie Sat on Bend of
His Murdered Wife?Can the Dead
Communicate with the Living?
That a spiritualist wrote to Gov?
ernor Mann, of Virginia, a full and
minute account of the Beattie mur?
der, which was later entirely cor?
roborated by Beattie's confession, be?
came known in this city during Gov?
ernor Mann's visit. The Governor
himself, while at a loss to explain
the mystery, admitted that the spir?
itualist had been correct in every de?
tail of her description of the murde
He averred, however, that her com?
munication had not influenced him in
the least in his decision not to pardon
Beattie.
In the days after the trial, Gover?
nor Mann received an average of
from fifty to seventy-five letters a
day, many of which declared that the
evidence was insufficient to convict,
while others maintained that Paul
Beattie was the guilty party. One
letter in particular caught the Gov?
ernor's attention. A spiritualist wrote
to say that she had at first been
convinced that Paul Beattie was the
murderer! As she had the power to
convert with the dead, however, in
order to satisfy her curiosity, she had
summoned a friend from the other
world and had asked her to call on
the murdered Mn>. Beattie and get
from her a full description of the
affair. Thi3 her obliging fri?nd had
very willingly done. Iff*. Beattie
and her husband, it seemed, had been
talking about Beulah Binford. The
conversation was resumed in the
autorrfobile. Beattie stopped the ma?
chine and took her ,into the road.
Thero> he shot her, which accounted
for the pool of blood In the turnpike.
He then had placed her body aero
er nWd^HVeWlrivftl||: ck.;
%i the time this letter was received
the prosecution was unable to explain
the pool of blood In the turnpike, ex?
cept on the theory that he had drag
Ted his wife from the1 car. and was
unable to offer any acceptable theory
as to the big spot of blood on the
?seat of Beattie's trousers. Other de?
tails at that time clouded in mystery
were also fully stated in this remark?
able spiritualist's letter.
Governor Mann, of course, let the
matter drop from his mind until
Beattie's complete confession was
brought to his attention. He was then
astounded to note the accuracy of the
letter when compared with the con?
fession. The two dove-tailed exactly.
It is possible that the spiritualist
merely guessed what had happened.
If so, she ought to be in the weather
department, or she could easily make
a living estimating the sixe of the
crops or the status of the future mar?
ket. It is noted that she did not
claim to have* talked or communicated
with Mrs. Beattie herself, but sent a
friend to interview her. Governor
Mann himself is one of the mo3t prac?
tical of men. He is too engrossed in
the present to be worrying about
spiritualism, but he does not deny the
fries as they have been presented
here. On the eon4*- ,*. he substan?
tiates tho-whole so There have
been rumors of late tuU Detective
Burns depends for bi3J^Rteass almost
entirely on his abiiit -lmuni
cate with the dead. Hc^'Saw'ti^ de$
nied or affirmed this. if. Jneed, it hw^
boen brought to his attention. The
Beattie case is almost the first In
which a spiritualist has given ad?
vance information that later proved
to be accurate. Did she guess or did
she know??News and Courier.
Mit. JOHN M. MILLER DEAD.
Prominent Citizen of Lynchburg l>le*
After Long Illness.
Lynchburg, Dec 27.?After a long
and trying Illness, sir. John M. Mil?
ler, one of the oldest and mos*
prominent citizens of this place.
breathed bis last this morning, He
bore his affliction with patience and
fortitude seldom equalled, and will be
sadp missed by bis many friends.
He ts survived by three sons, Lyles,
Phillip and ThOS. H. v M. r, and two
daughters, Mrs. Lyles and Miss Mil?
ler.
The deceased wan stxty?elghl years
old and lervejfl through the late was
Between the States. The bereaved
family hgvg the heartfelt sympathy
of this section. The burial serviced
Will be h?'M at the Presbyterian
rtivJTh si ll o'clock tomorrow.
ABANDONS COTTON SCHEME.
COL. THOMPSON WHITES OF COT?
TON IX)AN PLAN.
TTiinks That if Farmers Will Study
His Proposal They Can Deriv?
Benefit for Next Year.
Columbia, Dec. 27.?Col. Robert C
I
Thompson, promoter of the plan to
lend Southern cotton growers $2 5 per
hale on this year's crop, the rest to
be paid when the farmer wishes to
sell his product, has w'tten to tb;
editor of The State a Sin *j?
he says that, owir
of his scheme, ? ^ 4ei
pres3 it furt'
still has v ? .tat
come t i. the pi
tha* C not a spe
r ^. .ds to be one.
V <? plan, if adopt
?uld save the South
year by reversing the pi
ing and sending the futurj
just at the time when
wish to dispose of their sj
Col. Thompson's letter
To the Editor of The State:
Some one has sent me
your paper of December 16
ing the editorial "Turn on the
It is so broad-minded and fair
can not help writing you. I hav
to much trouble and some expenl
put my plan before the Southern
pie. It is not speculative and it
no connection with speculation,
situation is this:
The South has had an abnorftj
large crop. Unless there be an**
normally large consumption a surf
must be carried over which will >om^i
cloud upon prices all nexi year, am;
perhaps the year after, unless an un?
usually small crop permits the surplus
to- be absorbed during 1912. Mani?
festly, therefore, it is for. the Interest
of the South to secure aijfabnormally
large consumption. This can only be
done by selling the cotton to the spin?
ners at a low price. But the farmer
naturally says: "Where do I come In?
It is all very well to give the spinners
a low price, but what do I get foy it
The'nnWI wnirV' 4Bf*l>y mr am^fmv
family?"
For some years it has been the
habit of the spinners to buy cotton on
"Call." That is. on an agreement at a ,
price to be fixed some time in the ftv
ture. The merchants who sell this
cotton protect themselves by buying
actual cotton In the South and selling
contracts against it on the exchanges. \
These operations always tend to put
down the price of cotton at the begin?
ning of the season. Later in the year
and after the farmer has sold his cot
j ton, the spinner begins fixing his price*
and as he does the merchant sells hls^
actual cotton and buys back tn"e*^t
ton he has sold. This tends to put up
the price of cotton, and the operation,
as a whole, enables the merchant to
get bis cotton cheap and sell it dear.
We propose to reverse this operation,
for the benefit of the farmer, by buy
;!u? cotton on "call" from him and
buying contracts on the exchange
When the farmer fixes his price we
Fell these contracts. Clearly there is
a' sohlt- 'y no speculation on our part,
nor does nir plan have ar.y relation
or connection with speculation, it is
a clean business, assuring us a small
profit ai d giving the farmer the op?
portunity of carrying his cott< n ln%>
next year at small < xpense, and if
aerenue is reduced and a ' tsoMjJtte
crop produced there is a certainty of
getting very much higher prices than
now prevailing.
m It was, of course, to the intcr? t of
*Jaanv selfish persons to misrepresent
BCk. p'an. and apparently rhey havf
imjS&^-'be farmer to believe that the
plan was not In his interest. I have
therefore praetj>*Vy abandoned the
idea of going any further with It this
year: but if thv farmers will thlna
over and sfmVy t|je plan they will se?
th..* in it l|es th> power of materially
("luce they <!?>
they will find
all the coflon merchants ready lo
take it up. Upon you. and men like
you, must rest the duty of edncsting
ihc South, If it will adopt this moth
od of marketing their ;rops and
handle them property it will be worth
$50.000,000 a y >ar to he South.
.May l add one word about myself. '
am not a speculator, never have been
la speculator and ne\or intend t > ho
I one. I say this i^eam*- I believe I
have been mlsr. present.! in 'he
South, and I e..te gnfflciet tly for the
good opinion of ?y fellow citizens to
wish to c< rrecf such a misunderstand
In^
Robert M. Thompson,
1?07 Twenty-third Street, Washing?
ton l H ceitii . i 81.
that in it lies th# powe
benefiting fh?i Selves,
clde to mflps use of it
Mr. Tom Brand, of ^UgUfi
visiting relatives in the otty