Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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?rtlMUfCOBrlRITIOIS R IL McCOWN PREPARES HIS AN NX7 AJL REPORT. r> of Stale DIacumm*m Several Questions of Importance ? Fe?*? Amount to Over $35.000. Columbia, Jan. 2.?"Person* should not bo permitted to hawk and peddle fake and wildcat securities of swind? ling concerns and thereby prey upon the credulous and Igno/ant. citizen." This statement Is made by R. M. Mc Cown. secretary of State. In his an? nual report in recommending the su? pervision of certain corporations, sell? ing stocks and bonds, by the State Insurance department or the State bank examiner. In hta annual repoi't Mr. afcCown abows that ISl.tOe.ll has been re? ceived by hie office as charter fees during the year. He recommends the re of a law for a uniform ana central registration of motor vehicles. "In my report for l?0t," says Mr. McCown. "the following paragraph appears: "The grant of corporation la to bestow the character and prop? erties of Individuality on a collective and changing body of men. recognis? ing them as a separate legal entity in contradistinction to Joint proprietors or partnerships. Corporate powers are not natural rights, they are privi? leges conferred, and the only Justi? fication for the grant Is one of gen? eral welfare. A corporation Is said to be a creature without a conscience, and a creature without a conscience will dkiregard the rights of his fel The State can not afford to tte i. creature without making It tenable to Just and adequate laws holding It responsible and to a strict accountability for Its sets and do? tage, which can be done only by le? gal regulation and supervision The right ol' supervision end restriction inheres n them, and is Just as broad ae the Interest that may be affected. Corporate securities and stocks and bonds 01' corporations constitute a 'arye per cent of the collateral for the transaction of business, and the Investor needs the protection which oomee from supervision and publicity. In recognition of this fact, your hon? orable body at Its last session passed two acta, one to prevent the fraudu? lent use of credit by corporations, and the Hher requiring sworn state? ments to be sent out annually to all Stockholders. These acts are com? mendable and to some event meet the requirement, but I know of no reason wl y the Jurisdiction of the In? surance commissioner should not ex? tend to Investigate companies. Cor ?orate existence is almost as old ss etnitsed I'overnment. and It* right to exiet tco well established and rec esrnlsed to be disputed. It Is the life and energy of enterprise and business, and I would not have It dwarfed by hostile legislation?such would be commercial sulride?but no abuse should be permitted and every phase of supervision or legal enactment which tends to prevent abuse should be considered. This 1? the duty of the sovereignty, which has the eole right to create the corporation, and euch policy would be a fostetlng power for healthy growth. I reiterate and emphasise the statement that I know es* no good and valid reaaon why ?very corporation or company organis? ed In this State or elsewhere selling or negotiating stock?, bonds or other securities, except government. State, inly. municipal. township and fl bonds, should not be placed un the Jurisdiction of the Insurance commissioner or of State bank ex? aminer. Huer, companies should be required so file with said office be? fore engaging In business, und an? nually or seml-annually thereafter, ?worn statements In detail, as pre err I lied by him. showing its financial rendition, assets, liabilities, descrip? tion of property owned, plan of op ?ration and form of contract used They should also file a copy of their charter nnd by-lews and furnish auch other Information regarding Its ! affa'rs as said office may require, and ?btahn a license or permit before do? ing any business. ' Persons should not be permitted to hawk and peddle fake and wild rat securities of swindling concerns and thereby prey upon the credulous and Ignorant clttsen. Widows with Insurance money to Invest and the unwary end untrained In business af? fairs need protection from the*e slick agents and stock-peddling pirates. When our ciMaene are thus victimised they might a* well pocket their loss ?r grin and endure it. an the only r? - skr ess they have Is a civil suit to re rover or criminal action for obtain Ing money under false pretense, but the scheme Is always so IngcnloiMh framed up as to resWstf BOavtetloa etoubtful and recovery Impossible, nnd the rtsOjai ens so s selbst natu nr. r be has lost his gsOSjagr, Vr>-\ ?-nt|oo. In my opinion. Is the only remedy, Sm< h companies enn not successively com duct their business beyond th? bor? ders of the gtnie. for sues fraud would Involve ihe use of the ans 11 and prosecution and conrtrtrNa^^. 11<1 follow It Is easier for tbe tTf?aW^ and Intelligent officer of the law % draw the line between the good and the bad than it 1? for the unwary tn veator, especially the helpless co? upon which such ngents prey. "Some provision should be furth r made to amerce foreign Corporation? doing business In this Stnte which do not comply with the provisions of law. There are many such corporations, and it Is almost Impossible to learn when they come Into the State for the transaction of business unless, of its own accord, it complies with the law. I have located and required a few of these companies to file the necessary papers. 1 also found that many of these companies did not file the re? quired annual statement and I ad? dressed to each the following letter " 'As a foreign corporation doing business in this State, under the pro? visions of chapter 44, code of ls02, you are required to file In this of? fice on or before the 31st day of Jan? uary of each year an annual state? ment as set forth In section 1781. For filing this statement section 1888 pro? vides a fee of $5. Compliance with this provision la imperative, subject to fine and forfeiture of right to do business. For your convenience 1 am Inclosing blank.' "As a result of this letter, more thaw 100 additional statements have teen filed over any previous year, netting over $600. "It might be unusual for an officer on a moderate salary with a limited office force and the work constantly increasing to go outside of his of? ficial duties to discover and assume extra burdens, but I am constrained to recommend the passage of a law for the uniform and central registra? tion of motor vehicles. The present law provides for registration by counties, but when there Is a trans? fer of ownership from the purchaser to other parties of the machine, it Is driven beyond tho borders of the State the law is of little value for the purpose of identification. I receive frequent letters from owners and of? ficers to be notified in the event cars bod are offered for registration uch registration not being re? quired in this office I can render no assistance. Every machine before the same is permitted to be operated in this State should be registered under the name and address of the owner with a brief description of the vehicle. Including the name of the maker or manufacturer, factory number, motor power, style, from whom purchased and date of purchase, and such mn shlne should hear a metal tag or seal with the words 'Registered, S. C. No. ??-* as due evidence of such regis? tration. The owner should be re? quired to conspicuously display upon the front and rear of every such mo tor vehicle a number corresponding with the number of registration In Arabic numerals not less than four Inches In height and each stroke no less than one,-half inch width with the letters ft C. The flr.ures and let? ters to be white on black ground or black on white ground. "Such law should also regulate the equipment and speed and provids such penalties, rules and regulatlor? as will protect the public and pro hlblt reckless and careless driving. T>ealers should be required to report to the registrar at the end of each month all motor vehicles sold, whlcb report should contain such Informs tlon as such officer may require a would enable him to see that all m \ chines have been properly register*-.i within the tltne prescribed. Buch rSSJ tstratlon or licence fee should b provided as would meet and flsfr all expense thereby Incurred IU V\\v\V <>v MMN ST UK FT. Horse Belonging fM * i l?.inre, Hnck mnn. Sm-sb i Hack. Wednesday r n u n? I o'clock there was a tm r n Nor h Main street wb?rh erea'ed s?me excitement for the p ? Ehst section o town and oil ' o saw the run? away. The horse ???? ?nging to Ed. Prince. I negro frlg? tene<j at something end ran off from in front of the barber shop next to Knight's Book store He ran up " 'ho sidewalk on the op poslte side of the street in front Of Booth-ITarby Live Stock Company where the hup-y came In contact with a telephone pels and the two front wheels and s^ -fts were demolished The hor*e was then caught and un? hitched. l*?*orV and l>oa<-oim' Keating, A meeting of the Baptist pastors and deacons In the Santee Assoels tion. composed of Baptist churches in stmiier sad Clarendon counties was held in the First Baptist chun h last week on Friday night. K?\. 11. It. Williams 04 Manning. pre;ieh. d on Saturday morning; ther* was an open f.?rum. tr.M- la hII, and the topic di anssesl was Pnstorla] Evangelism. \d drcs?e?. more op less informal, were made I y i half dosen vlsPlng min? isters, to the edification of Sil Who SMfl present. On Sumbiv m??r 'nir. I>r. Ifownl L Jones, of Cbar'.sto'i. dellwrrd R most itrfklng snc! heipfui sermon on 'The Tempi*' In tVte Heart " The ne\t meeting will be held In % snnlnsj, I?' March. NEW SKYSCRAPER 1MSCVSSE1). Report?-, of What May Re Done. But Plans Not Olren Oat t<> the Public Yet. The people of the city are dally discussing the proposed newest sky? scraper for Sumter, that which it is reported that the Bank of Sumter is to have erected on the corner now occupied by the D. J. Chandler Cloth? ing Company. While reports of the change to be made and the number of storie3 to be added to the buildine are plentiful, facts are few and hard to get. It has been stated by directors of the bank that a high building would be erected on the front part of the present building, and it is known that plans for the changes and additions to be made are being drawn up by the architects. It is not known how many stories wil be added or exactly what changes will be made, except that the building will be equipped out as a banking institution with the la? test appliances and in the most mod? ern and up-to-date styles. The reports have it that the front parts of the building will be convert? ed into a four story structure and that there is a probability of the change being made In the near future. Mr. R. I. Manning, the president of the Bank of Sumter, stated Thursday that there was no information to be given out yet awhile as to what was to be done. What is "Commission" Government? The particular plan of organization adopted in Des Moines is not the uni? versal type. When the charters are analyzed it is found that they vary somewhat widely in detail. The basic structure of all, however, is this: A body of five men (three in smaller cities, seven in Omaha) on each of Whom is devolved tho supervision over a department of the city's ac? tivities. Thus in Galveaton, there are four departments (the mayor in Gal veston Is not specifically assigned to one), designated, (1) Finance and Revenue, (2) Streets and Public Property, (3) Water and Sewerage, (4) Police and Fire. The five men sit as a body in a deliberative capa? city. All of the commissioners are elected by a vote of the whole city. Normally and logically they are the only elective officers, but a few char? ters provide for a separately elecved fiscal officer on the theory that th* audit of the commission's account." should be conducted by an officer who is not one of their servants. Under the Alabama law this seperate audit is conducted by a State exam? iner. The Des Moines charter added to the structure what were at the time unknown and untried ?'devices'* of the Initiathe. Referendum, and Re call, measures designed to mnk^ doubly sure that the people would control. This instrument also includ? ed civil services and corrupt practice." provisions and a scheme of non-par? tisan elections. These features, how? ever, were all taken from older forme; and they constitute no essen? tial part of the commission move? ment. Inasmuch as one or all of them are absent from nearly every law ex? cept the Iowa statute. The Initiative and Referendum have rarely been used, and of the Recall the most ?trlkin?? instances of its use lie out? side IhO commission-governed cities The only commissioners ever removed were those of Tacoma, Wash., and during September. 1911, the mayor <ind one other commissioner In Witchita, Kan. , The OalVSSton plan was hswn in the rough. Wide application has shown that certain adjustment- must bs made in localities to make the in? strument thoroughly responsive to the will of the people. Here is a rather fine question in social psychology: How to arrange the popular selec? tion of the elective body is such a way that every member of it shall re OOlVS such adequate scrutiny as to se? cure his full responsibility to the vot? ers of the city. In Witchita the mayor was separately designated on the bal? lot. I. e.. voted for as mayor, although under the Kansas law he is no more Important than any of his confer.--. Bui tbs people thought he was more important, with the result that the interest in the Witchita elections has boon centered on the mayor, at the expense of th?? other commissioners, To remedy this defect) a radical step has been taken In New Jersey and Nebraska; a commission of live If elected by the people and from their own number ths commissioners select a mayor. Thus every candidate for commissioner '-beted jh. potentially, tbs bead ol tbs city government, end, presumably, receives a corresponding share of attention at the hands of tho electors.?From "The Short Bai? lot in American Cities," by H. s. on* bertaon, in the American H view of Review?-? fi>r January, "V Ths spill log drag was again put in operation thi-i morning rnueg- lo Ibe gratification of those who have to irav< i the streets, FARMERS' UNION NEWS' Practica] Thought* for Practical Farmer-. (Conducted by E. \v. Dabbs, Pres? ident B. C. Farmers Union.) Some Random Thoughts. The clipping! from the columns of a church paper so aptly describe conditions in the farming world th t I wish our readers would make a note of them. Not satisfied with the machinery we have (The Farmers* Union) first one and then another come3 along and proposes more ma? chinery. To my way of thinking more would be accomplished by strengthening, and improving the machine we have than by organiz? ing so many temporary machines to be thrown aside as soon as the im? mediate task is finished. ? ? ? The Clinkscales plan is spoken of by Mr. Anderson and some newspa? pers as the Farmers' Union plan. It is no more the Farmers' Union plan than Mr. Andersons' plan is the Far? mers' Union plan. Both invoked the aid of the Farmers' Union, and used and will use the Farmers' Union to the fullest extent, but neither offered any real aid to the Farmers' Union. It seems so easy to the outsider that when I was approached about "get? ting in behind" the Rock Hill plan. I at once suggested Mr. Anderson as the proper man for State superintend? ent. By long distance phone I learn? ed that he would be acceptab'e to the Governor and commissioner, who with the President of the State Far? mers' Union, were asked by the New Orleans convention to put the plar. in operation. see I trust Mr. Anderson will accep'. He will then find that it is a much easier matter to canvass two town? ships at his own expense than to pro? vide the machinery and the power money) to run a whole State. I wish him complete success and will give him all the aid in my power and trust he will have more sympathy for those of us the "old guard," who have been working along in our plodding ways for six months. a ' ? ? The money that will be spent to or? ganize and put through the Rock Hill plan ($200.00 in each county in the cottcn belt) would organize the Far? mers' Union in a manner that would be of permanent good. This plan will be only temporary, and the ex? citement while It lasts will be against [ the growth of the Union. Men will 3ay "I contributed to or I .-igned the Root Hill plan," "I am as good a Unloi man as you or anybody." No? body says "politics" to or about the workers of a temporary plan, a makeshift; but those who would see something of lasting good accom? plished In a permanent ogganization of Farmers are looked at askance and the question is often asked "What office Is he seeking?" see Well, such is human nature! It has always been so, and will be so to the end of time, and possibly it is a waste of paper and time to write about it. E. W. T). Presbyterian of The South. The fact seems to be lost sight of amongst many that it requires a con? siderable amount of power to run the machinery alone. The wheels and pulleys cannot ntOVS of themselves. It is no wonder that it is beginning to dawn on many minds that the re? sult of the multiplication of machin? ery are in inverse ratio to the amount of that machinery. Says The Advance. "It is getting down to the marrow of Congrega? tional bones that we are not suffering from want of men to rush around the country to tell other men what to do. but that what we need is to get right up against the work and to do it." Write "Presbyterian" In the place of "Congregational." and we will en? dorse and appropriate your words Dr. Adams. The advisers are march ing around here, too, and we have barely enough power to run the ma? chinery. None is let* to do the work A careful observer will not the fact that in connection with practically nil the movements, campaigns, con? ventions, conferences, and the like, of the present day method It is ghoul tile same crowd, the same individuals the regular "old ptuard" th it com pose the bulk of the meetings and of tlie ma' rial worked upon. They are faithful ami earnest and wish to help on every enterprise! and they go a, 1 go and give ami give and submit themselves, the same old crowd, to the new reforms and "teama" and "group workers" and such like to be stimulated ami educated over ami over again. If It were lot for them most of the enterprises of the kind named >uld f >n through. Ilosi of the gatherings are held In the same communities which have everything of this type that comes along. The truth is, the support for this kind of work, its expense fund, can he had only in certain places, with the re? sult that these place.? and people ere simply overworked. Dcaln. Mrs. Rebecca If. Mikell died a 5:30 o'clock Thursday afternoon at ] her home on East Hampton avenue after a long illness, aged 7 4 year.-. She was a daughter of the late Chi f Justice Franklin J. Moses, and was horn in this city November 10, 1837. Married to Dr. Thomas P. Mikell, of Edisto Island November 22, 1855, she made her home on Edisto Is? land until the unsettled conditions of the seacoast during the war neces? sitated the removal of the family to this city, where she has ever since resided. Left a widow many years ago with the responsibility of rearing and educating a large family on her shoulders, Mrs, Mikel devoted her life to this duty. She is sur? vived by five children, three sens and two daughters: Mr. Frank II. Mikel, of Atlanta. Ga., Prof. W. E. Mikel. of the Law Department of the University of Pennsylvania, Rev. H. J. Mikell. D. D. of Nashville, Tenn.; Miss Janie M. Mikell and Mrs. F. M. Spann of this city. Mrs. Mikel was for many years ar invalid and mingled little in society, but never lost interest in current events and the best literature, and her home was a centre of culture and re? finement. She was a woman of un? usual torce character and those who came within her sphere of In? fluence were impressed by her mental force and sterling worth. Her whole life was an exemplification of the womanly virtues, and In her home life the mutual devotion between mother and children was beautiful? ly illustrated. Bha has gone to her final rest after a long life of useful? ness, In which there was both sor? row and happiness. Her children rise up and call her blessed, and her friends, of whom there are many, realize with sincere sorrow that a good woman and a true friend has been taken from them. hTe funeral services were held at 3:30 o'clock 'this afternoon at the Church of the Holy Comforter, of which she was a communicant. DANCE MUCH ENJOYED. Twenty Couples Attend First of Dan? ce** Given by Sumter Cotillon Club. The dance given in the Armory Hall Wednesday by Sumter Cotillon Club was most enjoyable in every way. There were about twenty cou? ples present to enjoy the first dance given by the club. The music was furnished by the Sumter Orchestra, assisted by musicians from Orange burg and Georgetown. Refreshments were served during the course of the evening, which added much to the enjoyment of the occasion for those present. Among the out-of-town guests present tor the dance were: ICftst Ina Singleton, Washington. D. C.J IflM Hallie Carrison. Camden; Miss Em? ma Campbell, Asheville; Miss Wake field Madison, Abbeville; Miss Mc Swain, Timmonsville; R. M. Cooper, Jr., Wisacky; W. A. Alston. Hagood: B. C. Trippett, Boykin. RESULT OF ONE LYNCHING. Thirty Convictions Followed Hanging of "Dry" Detective. Columbus. O.. Jan. 1.?As a result of one lynching, eleven men are serv? ing sentences in the Ohio penitentiary and thirty in all were convicted, ac? cording to a report of former Assis? tant Attorney General W. H. Miller, who had charge of the case, submit? ted today. After the hanging of Carl Ether ington. a "dry" detective, ac Newark. Governor Harmon took the matter in charge and appointed Mr. Miller to do the work. Of the thirty convic? tions one is for second degree mur? der, thirteen for manslaughter, seven for riot and nine for assault and bat? tery. One of those indicted is at large. In his report Mr. Miller take< occasion to scathingly arraign delays of the law as exhibited in prosecuting most cases. Mr. Ifll.ei declares that ps % result ?>f the prosecution! and convinctiom of the Newark lynchers all records have been broken and that an impotua has been given to the prosecution ? other similar cases throughout (be country. Uncle Pennywlse Says: If makes a wife purty tore to write for money and get nothing back but a bard hick poker story Preach, but Don't Practice. In their admiration for the golden rule some people allow distance to ?end enchantment to the view. A Resourceful Woman. Our idea of a resourceful woman i? one who can stand h<Y family skeleton in a corner Ol the ?*!'?' >r and make < HAMBKR OF COMMERCE NOTES. Looking Ahead. The New Year is her?. It is well for the citizens of Sumter to make just a few New Year resolutions and determin- collectively and individual? ly that the year 1912 shall not have passed without each one shall have done something that shall have made for civic bettermen:. It is not the big things that count so much as the little improvements which each citi? zen can do with little or no cost to himself and which in the aggregate mean a great deal for improvement. The city government has been doing splendidly with street improvement and the road drag hiiu certainly done wonders on tho sand-clay streets. The Civic League should be congratu? lated for the new waste cans on the rtreets. It is now possible for the po? lice to enforce the ordinance as to the throwing of waste on the streets. It might be suggested that a few signs on Main street calling attention to the ordinance and tho penalty for I throwing waste on the streets, might be an aid in this direction. Liberty street is still in a very bad condition and something should be done at once by the officers in charge. I _ While the city is working for im? provement, would it not be well for the individual citizen to aid in the work by doing a little cleaning up on his own property? Many Chambers om Commerce in the country, co-oper? ating with the city government, have inaugurated cleaning up days and the result has been that back and front yards^have been thoroughly polished and back fences painted or white? washed. The merchants, too, are guilty in this respect. From the ('hamber of Commerce window, for Instance, one can see nothing but waste paper and piles of filth which certainly add little to the health of the community to say nothing of at? tractiveness. One of the chief at? tractions in Sumter are the trees and yet they are being sadly neglected and many are dying for lack of proper treatment. The citizens of Sumter should be congratulated on the results achieved in 1911 and if they will do as well in 1912, they certainly will deserve a lot of praise. With the improved bank facilities, improved business streets, new store fronts, churches end Y. M. C. A. and re-organlzed Chamber of Commerce, they are now about ready to Invite new business interprises to the city. The foundation has been well laid and there are only a few es? sentials that are needed. One of these is the ro-organizatlon of the city government into the commission form and a new hotel. With these Im? provements will come many things that will aid the material welfare and bush ess of the city. Without the hotel we are unable to properly en? tertain our guests or to invite conven? tions to Sumter. With the commis? sion form of government wilt come Improvement In city administrat'on. There are many Industries that Sumter could support and which are sure to pay handsome dividends to 13ay nothing of the increased business In r-very line. A shoe factory Is one one of these. A canning factory Is another. Others that might be men? tioned are wood working plants, such as factories rm king furni -ire i?es and boxes, woodwarc buckets. wa? gons, also making cheap clothI^~ -us penders, overalls, trousers, to- i and awnings, wood pulp, rontreewp*, sV-ts. handkerchiefs, soap, starch et*? harness and many oth~- 'iM >s that might be meni'oned. Every effort Should ?>???! ?> build up the ?utTOUndln** f-<r try and trucking an 1 d r a should be encouraged. Tn lines each citizen can do ' They are not coming ell i if the effort is ' proper!" ?* the citizens of Sumter v the results obtained fr i I *i years of endeavor will sbov ing results. Remember too, rflfH I first few are the most dtfcuM t?-? '> tain. In obtaining those first f#W our business men must strain ov<??> resource. The fertilizer men :tay that the far? mer buys nothing at so si il a pro? fit to th<; man who handle it as the fertilizers that he buys hi f fe >s? fertilizers do not do m than V for themselves, what is the use the farmer using them? He |ue' * that much work for the fertilizer factories without charging them for it. There are other and better ways of building up the lands that he has He might raise cattle, which is | f.u better way. when he is assured of a market for his rattle, and he might do Other things, but we cannot agree that the use of anything that does no more than pay for Itself can be or profit to tho farmer.?Florence Times Among the cars sold recently by automobile dealers in this city was a biir six-cylinder, seven passenger IV ritt touring car, Which was dcliv er< -1 by the Shaw Motor Com pan] Mr. Llyod of fJsargctown. See D. C. Shaw Co'S ad in sue.