Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I 1AIENUSE COMMISSION. WtOPOeifcD LAW AS DRAFTED BY JOHN L. McLAVKJN. INmpahI After Loo'.slana Pinn of Stae* Validation, R4II Is Roughly ? Dvmflrd to Create Hinte Warehouse OasssntssAon for the Handling of CedM*n In South Carolina ? Pro indune of the Proposed Law. To the Kdttor of The News end Courier The following correspond? ence It self-explanatory, and I am giving h to the public on account of les importance so as to enable the see sabs is of the Legislature to study the subject at their leleure, to the end that the bill may be amended and perfected eo as to combine the beet wtedon of the Oeneral Assem? bly of Souta Carolina. Tours truly. Don McQueen. Dunbar. S. C. Frosfk John L. McLaarln. Bennetts He. 8. C. Dec. 12, 1911. Dear Dos: In response to, your re? quest to draft a bill embodying the ( principle of "State Validation" as practiced In Louisiana, I enclose one rather crduely put together, but with She polish shlch only legislation con? sideration can give, it will afford a ' working basis. Conditions here diffor from Louisiana. First. We have a much l>etter in? terior warehouse system w'aich should not be sacrificed but used Second. New Orleans is one hun i dred and twenty-two mil? up the rtver with deep water ard easy ac? cess} to the very heart of the cotton belt. Third. The system In Louisiana Is the evolution from city to State con? trol after several years' trial by the former. In complying with your request I besur these differences In mind and also the fact that you are to act with? out an amendment to the Constitu? tion. Curtailment of acreage si all ' Herat certainly to the extent of each farm raising its own supplies, but af- 1 tar all Is said and done. Ood made this a cotton country and a cotton country It will remain to the end. Suppose we cot acreage and next year dump tan or twelve million hales on the market before November tt\ conditions win not be widely dif? ferent from what they are now so far ae aotueJ results are concerned. The present crop ist an average pries of rwehm cents per pound is not fa aacees jrf the needs of the world, la the fan of list with a crop of thirteen million, six hundred thous? and bales, cotton fell to nine cents a pound, and In Jury and August It went an high as sixteen cents a pound; with experiences like this doee It not be? hoove us to exercise our bruins and nee onr money to prevent similar rsddsT Cotton to made on credit and the bulk has to be sold be'^e Novem? ber II. because there Is no ,d equate machinery for finance and storage. 'It to an unequal contest bstween Ig? norance end numbers on one aide and organised wealth and expert finan? cial stratsery on the other. Why should wo not Invoke the powers of the State Government? Those are new and strange times, and however reluctant we may ? to employ the functions or govern? ment outside of the traditional line * to which we are accustomed. In self defence much Is justifiable and everything excusable. Tours truly. John L. McLaurln. To the Hon Don McQueen. Doa ?ir. a C. Proposed Bill. AN ACT TO CREATE AND OPER? ATE A STATE WAREllot > ; SYSTEM FOR STORING COT Be It enacted by the General assembly of the State of South Car? olina, that there shall be elected forthwith by the Oeneral AssemMv. three commissioners, who shall con? stitute a board, to be hereafter known at the State warehouse commission. The term of office shall be for two. four and six years, the members of the board deciding by lot the reaped* tire terms of each. I. The chairman of the board thus created shall be designated by the Oeneral Assembly at the time of the election provided for in Sec? tion 1 of this Act g. it shall be the duty of the State warehouse commission, to pro? vide a warehouse at the most ellglMe site In the State, capable of storing not lees thsn one hundred and fifty thousand bales of cotton, mil the com mission Is hereby given power and authority, to employ clerks, ar? chitects end engineers and adopt roles snd regulations n-.t - "ntrary to provisions her'.'n *?<t forth, whl b In their Jud*oi?n\ sre necessary in net th? Inten? ?im?! purpose of ihn V ' 4. The manner of the fltste warehouse shall he appointed by the board of eommi^i' to i ^ who shall fit the compensation of nvu h aa*r and the ss.d gsanager nhall be subject ?o removal by th? board nf S)Ssjimlsston' r? whenever In Hi Judgment the public Interest demands It. S. The board of commissioners ?hall appoint an expert cotton grad? er, whose compensation shall be fixed by Jtaj board and the said cot? ton grader shall be subject to re? moval by the board of commission? ers whenever In Ihelr Judgment the public Interest demands It. t. Ths State warehouse commis? sion are empowered to acquire such property aa they may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, such property may be acquired by leaae, purchase or condemnation proceedings as In other cases where private property Is taken for pub? lic use. 7. All lint cotton properly baled ?hall be received for storage at the State warehouse, and the charges for same shall be fixed by the State ware? house commission. Each bale of cotton shall be weighed, graded and numbered so as to be according to the standard grades adopted by the United States Government. ] The person depositing the cotton shall be given a receipt from the State of South Carolina signed by the manager of the State warehouse, which receipt shall give th? weight, grade and number of each bale. The receipt to be transferable only by written assignment and the cotton which it represents deliverable only upon the production of the receipt, which Is to be marked "cancelled" when the cotton is taken from the warehouse. 8. The State warehouse commis? sion la empowered to Issue bonds payable thirty years from date and such bonds are hereby created a Hen on all of the real estate acquired un? der this Act by the State warehouse commission. The said bonds not being in any sense a debt or obligation of the State of South Carolina, but a speci? fic lien on auch warehouse property. I. In fixing the charge for hand? ling and storing cotton the commis? sion shall In addition to a sinking fund aa provided for In Section 8, also provide a sinking fund for the retirement of the amount advanced by the State, in flf y years. 10. The charges on cotton shall also after the system herein provided for has been In operation for two years, cover all current operating ex? penses. It being the intention of this Act to make the system self-sustain? ing. II. The warehouse commission ?hall have the power to acquire by leaae any standard built cotton ware? house In the several counties of the State und operate them in all respects under the provisions of this Act a.i applied to the State warehouse. It. The manager, graded or other officers at any warehouae operated by the State shall execute such bond for the faithful performance of their duties aa may be required by the State warehouse commission. 11. Any person off dring cotton for aale In the open market can have his cotton weighed and graded at any warehouse operated by the Slatai and shall receive a certificate setting forth, the number, weight and grade of eacr. bale. The fee for such ser? vices not to exceed the sum of 25 cents for each bale so weighed and graded. 14. The chairman of the board shall in addition to the duties herein provided be charged with the work looking to the promotion of agricul? ture, manufacturing and all matters tending to the Industrial develop? ment of the Stata He shall have one clork at a salary of 14 nr?n per an? num for the work not connected with his duties on the board of commis? sioners. 15. The compensation of the chairman shall be $2.100 per annum and the compensation of tbo other members of the board shall be $6 per day of each days attendance and 10 cents per mile for each mile actual? ly travelled. IS. The State board shall make sn annual report of the operation) of the warehouse system to the Gen? eral Assembly. 17. The sum rf $5,000 Is hereby appropriated for the contingent ex? penses of said board, and the sum of $250.000, to carry out the purpose of this Act. If so much he necessary. Is hereby appropriated out Of any money In the State treasury' not oth? erwise appropriated. 1*. AW Act? and parts of Acts Inconsistent with this Act, be and the same are hereby repealed. Mr. W. If. Seale has accepted a j"> sition with Uii NorUiwaattni Railroad Company of SouUi Carolina, and .%iii bo with them from now on. Mr. [Seale la one of the nnnounr? d 8 m didates for tb? coming; political I I jaon. hw htdng in the race for sheriff against tb< r.t ln< umbetl Mr. Ceo. If. Ifiir*?t was ?>nga?.d In moving fron? his present stand in I he Jennings baUdtai 10 bis MW stund in th* old Qpats Pttrnltnra Company i iiii.iing. if,, wUJ continue his an? dorlaklng establishment and Wit] op- n up a line of furnlutr.? .it bis new stand. LABOR LEADERS ARRESTED. LOS ANGELES GRAND JURY AC? CUSES THREE IN DYNAMITE CASE. Others May he Taken into Custody on Charge of Transporting Dyn? amite, It is Said. Los Angeles, Cal., Dec. 30.?Charg? ed with conspiracy in transporting dynamite in violation of the federal interstate commerce laws, three lav? >r leaders, Olaf A. Tveitmoe, secretary of the State Building Trades coun? cil; J. E. Munsey, leader of the Salt Lake union of structural Iron work? ers, and Anton Johannesen, organiser of the State Building Trades coun? cil, were indicted today by the fed? eral grand Jury in connection with the alleged nation-wide dynamiting conspiracy. Their arrest followed. For some time they have been here M wl'nesses in the government dyn? amite inquiry. They were arrested in the witness room in the federal building a few minutes after the in? dictments were filed in Judge Well bofn's court. The true bills, under which the men were arrested, were but a part of a packet containing an unknown number of indictments. Deputy mar? shals were sent out immediately, and it wa* salt', other arrests were im? minent, both here and in San Fran? cisco. BRITAIN QUICK TO ACT. Sends Troops into Persia, Following Attack on Consul. Bushire, Persia, Dec. 31.?The British Government has lost no time in sending troops to Persia. It was the expressed intention of the Gov? ernment to Increase the number of Indian troops employed in Southern Persia to protect the British consul? ates and the trade routes. Quick action, however, was considered nec? essary by the recent attack, near Kazeroon, by Kashgati tribesmen, on the British consul, W. A. Stuart, while beln . escorted to his post at Shiras, by a detachment of Indian sowars. The British cruiser Fox ar? rived here last evening and landed 169 men of the Indian Carnatlc in? fantry, against possible contingen? cies. Further details have been received of the attack on Consul Smart. The consul's escort was engaged twice. On the first occasion they drove oft the natives, who were cleared from the hills, with the loss of only one killed and one wounded on the Brit? ish side. On the second occasion the sowars had to fight a rear guard ac? tion for eight miles. They saved the convoy, including a large amount of specie. In this encounter the British lost five men killed and ten wound? ed. Consul Smart himself was injur? ed, but only slightly. MEMORY ALMOST A BLANK. Peculiar Plight of Man Found in Marshes Near Savannah. Savannah, Jan. 1.?Unable to re? member the greater portion of his past life, his mind being totally blank as to the cause of his predi? cament, Peter Orenovlc, a Slav, who was found wandering on the salt marshes ten miles from Savannah Sunday night, says he came to Sa? vannah from Abbeville, S. C. to take a berth on a ship, but is unable to account for his presence In the marshes. The man Is apparently intelligent. Of his past life he remembers prac tlcaly nothing. He has a vague recol? lection, he says, of having been in a hospital at Abbeville, but cannot ac? count for how he left It or why he Intended to board a ship In Savannah. The name of the vessel he Intended to sail on has also escaped him. The man will be cared for until his case can be investigated. SECOND MEETING TO BE HELD. Decision of Preachers Will be Acted on at a Ijatcr Meeting. A second mass meeting of the men and boys will he held two weeks hertee Sunday, January 14th, at which the matter referred to the various pastors of the city at the mass meeting Sun? day night will be taken up and a de? cision will be made as to whether Sumter will take up the work in the Men and Religion Forward Move? ment and what part of It, If any, will be taken up. The meeting will be held In the Prebyterlan church at ? quarter to nine o'clock, and at that time the pastors of the churches, us the lead en in the religious life of the city, will announce lbs conclusion which they bad come to In rsgard to the work, Marriage License Ren i <i <>t.iy one ooupls celebrated the New fear by getting a n> irrlage li. Monday. The license was Issued to Thomas DuRani nn.i Llli M Daniel, colored* RFIFW OF 1011 COTTON MARK FT Famine Fueled?Outlok for Supply and Demand in 1912. (By Theodore H. Price.) The history of cc?tton is valuable chiefly a3 it may be a guide tor the future. The year 1911 ha3 marked the end of a cotton 'amlne, and an era .Jof comparatively high pri^ea, and the year 1912 seems likely to find the world supplied with suffi? cient cotton to meet its require? ments for the balance of tbe so-called cotton year, whleb ends August 30, 1912. It is probable, In fact, that this year's crop is large enough to sup? ply the demand up to October 31, 1912, or two months after the time at which next year's crop shall be available. Thi3 Is all that can be expected from the widely advertised surplus of this years cotton pro? duction, and when the fact is stated in this way there would seem to be but little justification for any expec? tation of lower prices. In no other important industry that I know of is a surplus the equivalent of two month's consumption after two years of famine regarded as a sufficient justification for panic prices and sales below the cost of produc? tion. The Southern producers of cotton seem to have come to this conclusion largely as a resr.lt of the Convention of the Governors of the cotton States held in New Orleans in October, and the thanks of the entire Southern community, both business men and farmers ,are due to the Fort Worth Record and its editor, Mr. Clarence Ousley, for their enterprise in calling and organizing this Convention at the opportune moment. Tts presentation of the facts of supply and consump? tion no doubt prevented a panicky decline in the market, and resulted in a deliberate and forehanded treat? ment of the situation that has en? abled the Southern cotton producer to obtain at least cost for that por? tion of this year's cotton crop which has already been sold. It has at the same time Induced anticipator)' buying on the part of consumers, which, in some cases, covers their prospective requirements for three and four years ahead. The weight of whatever surplus is attrib? uted to this year's American cotton production has thus been distributed over a long period of time, and the prospect now seems to be that with a reasonable reduction In acreage next year, and an average production, cotton will again rule somewhere be? tween 11 and 12 cents a pound. The supply of iron, copper and coal i in America Is practically Inexhaustl- I ble, but the producers of these com? modities are enabled to reap a fair profit upon the enterprise and capital j employed in their piuductlon through a legitimate control of the supply. The year 1912 promises to mark a 1 new era in the cotton trade, distin? guished chiefly by the application of the same sane principles to cotton production. it used to be assumed that the South could produce nothing but cotton; that It had to produce i cotton to live, and that It had to sell It when produced at whatever price ' was obtainable, whether this price , showed a profit or a loss, and that than it was compelled to go on and j produce aonther crop to be sold at 0 possible loss, and so ad infinitum. j but times have changed. The great economical marvel of the present century If the great ex- I panslon in the world's demand for cotton goods. The demand is now so great that a surplus of a million bales Is far smaller in its relation to the total requirements than was the case fifteen years ago. Moreover, the South is richer and better educated in 1 the principles of economic law. It has learned how to do other things than grow cotton, and Its agricultural versatility enables it from year to year so to change the objective of its enterprise that when cotton ceases to be profitable another crop will be grown. For these reasons, and because it is easily demonstrable, that It costs a t least 9 cents a pound to produce mid? dling cotton, and just as much to produce low grade middling cotton, that only sells for f> cents a pound, when middling cotton sells for I cents a pound, I think it entirely reasonable to assume the probabil? ity of higher prices for the year 1912. i congratulate iiu* South upon the advance that It has made in tli" ap? plication of economic knowledge to an economic problem. The whole world will be better oft for it. A plethora of cotton at ? Ktrem iy low prices In one year affords an injur? ious stimulus to conaumptlon^ A de? ficiency and extremely high prices in another year result in an equally in? jurious stimulus to production! Tbe most thoughtful students of economics are gradually coming to the conclusion that monopolies are essential to the complex civilisation of todayi but thai it Is necessary thai such monopolies should be wisely and reasonably regulated. if the South, though the diffusion of c o nomtc Intelligence, can wisely . and reasonably reg Hale the monopoly of cotton production that It enjoys, so that we shall have Lellher extremeiy high prices, nor yet unprofitable low prices, it will have provided an ob? ject lesson which will prove most useful, and in the long run it will. In so doing, be9t '-onsult its own self interests. ( ASK OF EX-CADET SUNDERS. President Refuses to Sanction Re appointment?Lever Will Figlit. Washington, Jan. 1.?With refer- . ence to his reappointment of W. H. Saunders, of Sumter County, S. C, as a cadet in the United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis, after Saun dori had been dismissed on the ground of "moral unfitne3s and in? aptitude for the naval service," Rep presentativo A. F. Lever baa received I the following letter from Rear Ad- j miral R. E. Nicholson, acting Secre- i tary of the Navy: "Dear Sir: In compliance with the direction of the President, I have the honor to inform you that the Presi? dent feels that the conduct of Mr. Wm. H. Saunders. formerly a mid? shipman at the Naval Academy, was not such a3 entitles him to re-enter that institution. I regret to state, therefore, that it is not possible to oblige you In the way of authorizing his reappointment, in view of the fact that he was rejected morally when he presented himself at the Academy for examination. Faithfully yours, "R. F. Nicholson, "Acting Secretary." After receiving this official infor- J mation that the President, to whom appeal had been made from Secre? tary Meyer's refusal to set a pre? cedent (as he put it) by directing the qualification of young Saunders in j spite of the disapproval of the su- : perintendent of the Naval Academy, Representative Lever gave the follow? ing statement to The News and Cou? riers correspondent: "The only charge against young Saunders is that at Gibraltar he be? came intoxicated. For this offence, which is ordinarily punishable by from fifty to one hundred demerits, he is dismissed. "I thought the action of the naval authorities unwarranted and unjust, J and promptly reappointed Saunders ' to the vacancy created by his dismls- j sal. His nomination papers received the approval of the navy depart? ment and of the medbal board of the Naval Academy, but when they reach id the superintendent of the Naval Academy that official disapproved them on the ground of the moral unfitnes3 of the candidate. "The records of the department , show that young Saunders has never been reported or found guilty of in? toxication but this one time at Gib raltar, and I do not believe that the future of any young man should be destroyed because of one indiscretion of such a character. "This case was taken to the Presi? dent by Senator Smith for me, and we argued that the offence for which Saunders was dismissed was not of a | kind that goes to show moral character or standing of a person. I have never , known before that one offence of in- j toxication constituted immorality. The action of the superintendent in re? fusing to admit this canddate upon such grounds, to my mnd, is high? handed and outrageous, and if the superintendent of the Naval Acad? emy ha9 the power to set up his ideal of morality as against the gen? eral ideal, he has thereby destroyed my right, and the right of every Representative and Senator, to name our appointees to the Naval Acad? emy, as provided by the law. "T shall introduce a bill directing either the reinstatement of young Saunders in his present class, or that the superintendent of the Naval Academy shall permit his entrance into the Academy. I do not propose to have one of my constituents, a boy of high moral character as far as T have been able to ascertain, to be? come the victim of any petty tryanny which may exist at the Naval Acad? emy, and at the hands of some of? ficial in temporary authority. It is my intention, to fight this case to the bitter end, that justice may be done this boy." The present case is said to he the first of its kind in the history of the navy department, anil it is Important, aside from Its bearing on young Saunders himself. because of the precedent it set"! ".0bes one way or the other. A number of the young folks of the < ity went over to nlayesvillo Monday to attend the New "N't ar ?lance given at that place thai night. Madame Newberry, who haa been connected with Mrs. i. Atkinson*! millinery establishment for ths l^st year, h:is given up her work here and returned to her home at Wllkesbarre, Madame Newberry has muh many frlendi during her sia> in Sum? ter who are sorry to see her leev* and wish her prosperity In her new h"in?>. COUNTY BOARD MEETING. IVnsionH Granted to Several Fx-Con? foderate Veterans ? For Metter Roads. The County Board of Commission? ers met in their regular monthly ses? sion Tuesday and conducted only a small amount of business. The meet? ing was adjourned shortly after 1 o'clock until Thursday, when the board held its regular annual meeting for the year 1912. The matters attended to by the board during Ita session Tuesday were: J. C. Compton was refused an Ex Confederate pension. Action on Mr. Compton's petition for a pension was deferred at the last meeting of the board and acted on Tuesday after fuller information had been obtain? ed. J. P. Windham, who had presented a petition at the last meeting of the board for an Ex-Confederate pension, was granted a pension. A pension was also granted to S. Windham. A petition from citizens of Wedge field requesting that the Camden Charleston road from Sta.teburg To Cow Branch be put In better condi? tion was reecived and the clerk was instructed to inform the citizens who had presented the petition that all of the roads in the county were in bad condition after the recent rains and that the supervisor was putting them in condition as fast as he could. He would in due course of time come to the road mentioned when he would put it into good condition again. A petition from citizens of Wedge field requestng that the county com? missioners recommend that the legis? lative delegation from Sumter Coun? ty take steps to raise the salary of the constable of Mlddleton and State burg townships to $250 per annum was referred to the legislative dele? gation without recommendation. KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS CELE? BRATE. Annual Installation of Officers Is Fol? lowed by a tBig Supper. The Knights of Pythias celebrated the New Year Monday with fitting ceremonies when the new officers of the year 1912 were Installed and a big supper was served in the Armory Hall for the hundred or more of Knights present for the occasion. The officers had been elected at a former meeting of the lodge and as usual were installed at the first meet? ing In the New Year. The installa? tion ceremonies were conducted by Mr. C. H. Wilson, Deputy Grand Chancellor, assisted by Messrs. J. H. ? Scarborough, G. A. Chancellor; S. H. Edmunds, acting grand chancellor, acting prelate; and H. L.. Scarborough as master of arms. The pledges of tbe new officers and charges from the grand chancellor were given and received in a solemn and impressive manner. The new officers installed Monday night were: I Chancellor commander, D. W. Cut tlno, vice chancellor, Jas. C. Bryan; prelate, C. C. Beck; master of works, F. W. Joaey; master of arms, Geo. C. Warren; inner guard. W. M. Wolf; outer guard, L.. B. H. Darr; master of finance, J. G. R. Wilder; master of exchequer, B. Wahti; keep? er of records and seals, R. S. Church? ill. R. D. Epp9 was appointed past chancellor by the district gram < n cellor and it was announced M he had been appointed trustee f iSJ years. The installation reromor i r, the n?w officers took the1** | <1 the chancellor command, short address stating that be r honor which had been CO* f ' on him and appreciated it 1 that f.ll of the brothers of give him their sur ,. rt ?*? - \ coming year. By tb!s than one hundred members ? ? lodge were present to receive ' w pass word for the year 191? The lodge was then closed all of the members marched ovr tn tbe Armory Hall wher they wer | a bountiful supper by the if Aid Society of the First M^ list church. This supper was mn m joyed by the Knights and the Mes were given a vote c f thanks f ?ie excellent repast Which they b d pre? pared for the occasion. Sumter Cotillion Club. Sumter has always been l<n<>v\n as a dancing town and tbe fame of *'e Holiday K\e Clttb dames has bev'n spread all ever the state by the young gentleman and ladles who have attended the dances ,i\en by the club. It has been found, howavOV, that one dance club was aot suffi? cient for the society people of Sum? ter and accordingly a second club, known as tbe Sumter Cotillion Clttb, has lately been organised by ton i of the young men of the city. Tbe officers elected at the orgnnls atlon of th<"? club were Presld at Dr. B. R. Wilson: treaaur r, R. D Graham; secretary, <^ h. Policy; ss> ecutlvs committee. Q. B. Hayna worth, II. c. Parrott r Tt p. On bam.