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C||t dvlatibuiau mi *out|jron. PublUheil WedMffdu) nod Saturday. ? BT ? OSTEEII PUBLISHING COMPANY 8UMTER. S. C. Term*: tl.is per i'.num?in advance. Advertbsnmcute: Oae Square first insertion.$1.00 sTve.y subsequent insertion.10 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communication* which sub *cr?<t private Interests will be charged fas* as advsrtlsementa Obituaries and tributes of respect will he eharged for. The ?umter Watchman was found as! la 1110 and the True Southron in 1900 The Watchman and Southron aow has the combined circulation and talus are cf both of the old papers, aad is snaatfeatly the best advertising saadium in guenter. RAILROAD RIGHTS OF WAY. The representatives of the special railroad committee of the Chamber of Commerce, who are securing the rights oi way for the Seaboard Air Line, in accordance with the agree? ment with Mr. Honsel, by which the citiaens of Sumter obligated them? selves to provide the right* of way and terminals free of cost to the railroad have made some progress with (he work, and quite a number en' those through whose lands the road will pass have Indicated their willingness to donate the right? of way. Others, however, are dems ad hag compensation for the land to be conveyed for the rights of way and. In addition, payment for the inciden? tal damages that the construction of Use railroad through their property may causa. It is not though' tiat there w II ? m\ i nsu; nmunt>? oh? >l? staclcs encountered In obtaining the nquircd rights of way, for. wherever the l-iiid wners refuse to donate the right of way or demand an unreason? able or exorbitant price for their hind, recourse can always be had to eond <mnation proceedings and a Jury ef disinterested cltUens will fix the vidu. h< Und and the amount to be pa'd for tho rlgnt of a iv Tr> ?om?- i iSSS there msv ? < <om?. d.ftl etttty H arriving at a fair and equi tab|? i ?? for the rlsjht of w*.? but In th" :n C r >f I?, .?. in r should be none. As a starting point for arriving at the actual value of any tra?t of land that the railroad will cross, the valu? ation placed upon It by the owner whan hs> returned It for taxation la un? doubtedly thoroughly conservative and worthy of serious consideration when * Jury ef condemnation comes V> Ox the amount that should be paid the land owner. It Is. of course, well known by nil and Is admitted as an established fart that no one returns property for taxation at its market value, but there Is a sort of under? standing that a great deal of proper? ty Is listed on the tax booku at one third its actual market value. If this be true, and. for the ealke of the srgui N nt It will be assumed to bsj a fast, it WTUId lie fair und Just?even Wh* r .) to adopt he tax returns as a Saab? ? f . aiuath i for all rights of wsy and multipf it by three to ar? rive at the a<*tu I market value. No land oun-r. who declines |0 donate the r ghl of wai in consideration of the -?nhancerrvent . f the remainder of gdu real estate by the building of the new railroad, should question the falrneftfi of the compensation for the land actually us ?d by the railroad as a ri*M of way when he receives pay? ment on the basis of three times the v rg it ion he placed upon It per see h n miking hlv returns to ths eountv auditor. It Is to be hoped thai a large ma? jor't. f 'he land owners will donate the i ;hi? of nay. for no one can gnhsapy ?b"t the country the road tra\rr*^s will be nr> materially benelKted. lor in exceptional eases the manner In which the road will sut ? ertaln (arms will cause Incon gggggfS ? and damage greater th in the lsj> vents that will be iSttt sd from the P iMroad by thst parti? ular html owner and It is not unr- . ?..nabb- for hhi v om it ion for his land Tho bgjgsl SO ..ihoitio, KOggi above?using the tax returns as a starting point?seems to itjattl SS fair and lu^t to all u ? ? n. ,| as any lh it - i\n adopted, and If it I* to eeosarv to i.?ort to ? oeb innatlon proceedings to reach an adjustment ?f the divergent l<>ss of the value of the r!s;ht? of way. It Is clear that the valuation recorded on the t ix books should reo?lve serious consideration and should ha\e due weight with the Jurv In arriving at a \erdbt and In making award In the land owner. If it - ohm the State |ll,!ot for a picture and a plaster of parts model ef the proposed renovated St its Mouse, the -whole Job will be an ex pen*l\e proposition?far too expensive to he undertaken at this time. Wo go not question the correctssgsl of the Statement that the State M mis,, stand in need of renovation and enlarge? ment, nor do we doubt that it could be vastly improved by the expenditure of a million or r.tore on it. but in view of the financial condition of the State and the present rate of taxation we are most decidedly opposed to the undertaking. Only a few years ago more than two hundred thousand dol? lars were expended on the State Hou??>. and this ought to suffice for the present. Furthermore, we do not approve of the manner in which this contract for plans has been fastened on the State by the committee on State House and grounds, Inasmuch as it appears to us that the said com mlttee stretched its authority in the promises to a considerable extent. In an undertaking of this magnitude it seems to us that it would have been wise to have extended an invitation to architects generally to submit pre? liminary sketches and estimates of the proposed improvements on the State House and then select the best plans i>ubmitted. The whole thing looks like snap judgment at heavy cost to the State?In any event, not less than $13.550. whether the addi? tion!! are built or not. if the contract with Messrs. Todd A Benson is a loga, and binding obligation of the State. A milion dollars expended on the public highways would benefit the State more than the same amount Hpent on the State House, and would, also, be more sensible. RACK TRACK GAMBLING, The charge made by the opponents of the Charleston race track that it Is one end of a big. nation-wide pool room Rambling scheme has been de? nied by the race track people and by them blttely denounced as S slander. Yet in the race rac* track section of the Sunday News of Charleston the following bit of crooked pool room gambling news is given prominence: The following story tells of how the first past the post" gentleman work ed thi? game on the pool rooms in New York on the victory of Elizabeth Harwood In a rare run at Palmetto Park last week: "PjoI room keepers in Manhattan, I Harlem were hit hard when Klixabeth Har hftn race at Charleston, this particular race was 20, when It really was ? 13. Agents backed the mare hvav lly when the opening odds were post ed. In many instances obtaining 2 to 1 for their money?double the odds quoted at the race track. "The rooms In the down-town dis? trict were fairly well Hooded with money. Hig commissions are execut ed dally In that territory, and the plan to put the deal through worked like a charm. Owners of these establish? ments handled all the money offered, which amounted to a sum that ex? ceeded any conimlsdon taken in years. "Thos,- doing business on the tele phom received bets of huge propor? tionr. Th se were accepted, as usual, the t; kers figuring on laying off the bulk of the money with the big opera? tors. To their dismay they found no outlet for any part of the play. So well hud the scheme be >H planned thdt every channel uats choked with KT/tbeth Harwood money, ?This bft the defeat of Elisabeth HarWOOd M the Ohl! avenue of es e be, in the Interval of the tew mo? ment- before post tune. I, If, all busi? ngs was suspended in marly every room of importance In Greater New York. The piny was practically all i deied on the one hors.-. ? The scattering play OD tbe 'COO tenders' was ie light that it would not pay the pool room keepers' car fare to their homes. "Information regarding the ma? noeuvre lo weaken the bank roll* of the backen of rooms eras kept as so? or t us ,m\ of the mysteries of the Hlack- Hand gang. Seldom in the hist or] of pool room looting save the nperntori observed the rules thai spelled hu< cess in their hue. As one playoff said: ' The follows Involved in the deal must have sworn secrecy on ,t itack of l.lbles.' in the rooms erh?re cash is han? dled j,nd winnings, pa d ths conclu? sion ot cm ii race settlement bad been msds on the Elisabeth Harwood svenl ,i half hour before discovery was oi de regarding, ib.- true quotation on the mare s chance to win, which was ;? to in. This led to an Investigation, the result of which showed that the money was bet SOVSffel minutes after the actual running of the race. "Betting- via the telephone on Bllaa hath Harwood that was placed *noui post time It a matter that eoflsjgrne those Interested. Tbe settlement *>f this form of p|,iv promises to be ban* died with kid gloves when collections^ ar ? demanded. ' .\o further proof is needed of toe harge that the Palmetto race track Is a part?a necessary part of the pool room gambling business that Is operated in all the large and many Of the smaller towns of the country. As a (ambl$ng game, as a demoralizing and vicious Influence the race truck in Charleston is as had or w??rse than the bucket shops that the legislature outlawed a few yean ago. The sen? ate should stand shoulder to shoul? der with the house In viewing tho an ti race trac k hill as a moral issue and vote to kill the race track gam? bling game before it becomes en? trenched in the State. FARMERS' UNION NEWS Prneileal Thought* for Practical Farmers*. (Conducted by E. W. Dabbs, Pres? ident S. C. Farmers Union.) Resolutions Adopted. At the meeting of th? Sumter Coun? ty Farmers' Union on Friday. Feb? ruary L'nd. the following resolutions were unanimously adopted and or? dered spread upon the minutes: cur honorable President E. w. Pabbe, having tendered his resigna? tion as president of Bumter County Farmers' Union, it is hereby resolved: 1st. That it is with great sorrow that we, the members of Bumter County Farmers1 Union, are asked to accept his resignation and we wish to express our great respect and love for Brother Dabbs, and that it is only that he may devot.? his time to the work in a wider field as president of the State Union that we accept his resignation as president of Sumter County Union. Resolved lnd< That these resol'i? ?mois he printed in the County pa? pers. n. w. Beat!, Committee. It having been the sad misfortune of President E. \V. Dabbs to lose, by death, one of his little sons recently. It is hereby resolved that we. the members of Sumter County Farmers' Union, extend to him and his family our heartfelt sympathy in this sad bores roment, n. W, Beeil-. Committee, ReaorVSd: That this union extend to Uro. s. N. Welch our sincere and heartfelt sympathy in the shocking acoid *nt that caused the death of his eldest son. before his very eyes, a few dayi ago. Our hearts go out to him and his good wife, in this terrible dis? pensation of Providence, and we com? mand them to their God and ours, Who alone is able t<? soothe their wounded hearts with the precious promisee of His word, and the Holy Spirit In their hearts and lives. Resolved: That a copy of these l solutions be sent to our brother, published in the Union columns of our paper, and Inscribed In our min? utes. Adopted bj a rising vote. K. w. 1>AI ins. (Committee. J. F. WILLIAMS. President. Hugh Witherspoon, Secretary. COV.Vn TEACHERS T<> MEET. Meeting to lake Place at Noon Satur? day at Hampton School Building. There will be a meeting of the Sumter County Teachers' Association Saturday at noon Ul the Hampton school building. An interesting pro? gram ha--- been outline?! and it is hoped thai all of the teachers In the county will come out to the meeting. tmong the speak irs for the meet? ing win be Miss Leiht Russell, 1U p. rvlsor of rural schools in York " ity, MISS Kussel hiis had much expcrlem e In educational work in ru? ral districts and will make an inter? esting address along theae lines. Sunt, of Education Cecil Zelgler of Alken county, will also be present to make an inter,.-ting address on edu cstlonal work, The Field Pay program will be an? nounced and everything connected with the evnti of Field Day arranged for. it will be remembered that last \. f Field Paj was a wonderful suc e.->is and plans are being matured earls lo m ike the Field Day this year even more of a ?uccess than last \ ea r .mi teachers In the county are es? pe< lall) invited to come, as are the trustees of the schools In the county snd all other persons interested in educational work In ihe county. HEARST BUYS HEORfSIAX. \?w York Publisher Mela FOothold in Atlanta. y Atlanta, On.. Feb. .*?. The Atlanta (^e,.rgian, an iftetiiooii paper of At lavita, announced this afternoon that tiiS paper bad been purchased by William Randolph Hearai from Fred I, * Beeley, e ho six* years ago. LEGISLATURE MAKES TIME. SHAPING MATTERS TO ADJOURN WITHOUT USUAL HUSH. Lawmakers ESndeuvorliig to Avoid situation Produced t>> Blease'n Wholesale Use of Veto Power Clove Of laist Session ? Import.o:l Hill* Likely to ho in Governor's Hands in Time for Final Action Before Adjournment, on February 17. Columbia, Fob, 4.?The General Assembly will continue In boss! in for two week.;, when it will adjourn. The work of the session is particu? larly well in hand, and If it. really he came necessary an adjournment cou'd bo had prior to the 17th. which is ihe fortieth day of the session. The ap? propriation bill is In hand, and could, according to the custom of previous years, be passed and ready for rati? fication by the end of the week, but it is evident that the purpose is to al? low latitude for emergencies, and. of course. In this particular instance the emergency is the veto power of the Governor. Last year, it will be remembered, a great many of the members went home prior to the approval of the appropriation bill with many items eliminated as a result of the veto power, It is perhaps fifteen or twenty years Since my good friend. A. II. Williams wrote a story about the General As? sembly that was then in session, and he denominated it as a " June bug Legislature." This was intended to mean that the Legislature was al? lowed at that time to fly at pleasure, but that there wa.s a "string" tied to the lefi hind leg from "down-stairs, ' and whenever the "June bug" Hew too high, or got out of bounds, the "string" from "down-stairs" was pulled and the "June bug" had to stop its Might. That was a very apt description of the General Assembly In those days, but whatever is least apt to be tied with the "string" from "down-stairs" would be best appli? cable to the present General Assem? bly. Of course, everyone who knows anything about legislation under? stand! that "down-stairs" is intended to mean the Governor's office, and the "up-stairs" is In no degree re? sponsible in this year of our Lord to the "down-Stairs." This condition of affairs and the generous use of the veto power has made the General Assembly cautious In one respect, and expeditious in another. By way of illustration: At the last session of the General Assembly a commission form of government bill WAS passed, as applied to the City of Charleston, Governor Blease vetoed the bill and argued that it was not a correct form of government. The Hause has passed a bill incorporating verbatim the Act that has been ve? toed with certain additions as to reg? istration and operation. There is a clause in the Constitu? tion which reads as follows: "If a bill or joint resolution shall not be returned by the Governor within three davs after it shall have been presented '.<? him. Sundays ixcepted. it shall have the same force and ef f ci ss i'" he hi d signed it. unless the General Assembly, by adjournment, pr ivent its return. In which case it Shall have euch force ami effect un? less returned within two days after the nexl meeting.' It is to meet this emergency that the General As esmbly is giving itself two weeks. in other words, such bills as the refunding measure, the commission form of government bill, and varloui Othei matt >rs, Will 1? > in the hands of the Governor, according to the pres? ent programme, three days prior t" the adjournment, if they are nol ve toed within these three days. they will become the law of the state, any? way, and If they are vetoed, they musi be returned, as the provision of i the. Constitution contemplates, In time for them to be acted upon orlor t.. final adjournment by thin Clenerol Assembly, This is Indicative of the ?entlment In the House and Senate: thai la 'h<t the important matters should be d' j osed of ilnally and conclusively hj the present membership as they Invite responsibility, it is the correct w iv in which to legislate, and as a matter of fact the host thing that could happen for the State would he nol to consider n single, solitary sec? ond reading bill ten days prior to final adjournment, and devote that time to th.inslderation of confer? ence reports and the adjudication of difference* between the two houses. The race course bill has none over t.. the Sonate. It want over exactly as it was framed bj the friends of the measure. \o int irference or amend? ment was permitted on the part ol anyone nol entlrelj frlendls to th? legislation. A* Mr. Vander Hoist ex? pressed It, "II WOB ;? moral issue, or lit leust it was made ?o," and he real sled that Ihere was absolutely BO possibility of defeating or amend inn the hill as long as the members Pom ei\ ed lhai II was a moral Issue, I Jk i >4ia I ! I POWDER I 6 AbsoiuteBy Pure ml ||L Economizes Butter, Flour, W 7 Eggs: makes t&e food more , flu ? J appetizing and wholesome W ||! The oalv talcing Powder made ffi Vojf Irom ZIoyal Grspe Cream ol Tartar iff JM V.-J> The House has acted upon a groat number of local measures, and a matter of particular significance in connection with these measures is the tendency towards bond issues for permanent Improvements, such as the dev< lopment of municipal enter? prises, the building of public struc? tures, or the improvement of county roads. There are, in the same con? nection, two larger issues presented for consideration; one looking to a vote by the people In the next general election on a proposed bond issue of a million dollars for the completion and development of the new property of the State Hospital for the Insane, and a I tcond bond issue to be sul - I mitted to the people of a million dol? lars for the extension and improve? ment of the State House. Perhaps the most important mat? ter to be acted upon during the pres proposition which had its inception in the Pee*Dee section. It is a some? what noteworthy feature of this con? templated and important scheme that it has never yet been reported tip- I on by the judiciary committee of either the House or Senate as to how far it involves limitations of the Con Btltntlon. The bill in the House was referred to the committee on ways and means, very probably because of I Section 17. Which provides: "The sum of $5,000 is hereby appropriated for the contingent expenses of said board, and the sum of $250,000 to carry out the purposes of this Act is hereby appropriated." The Senate has passed th.- bill and the outlook Is that it will be passed by the House in very much the same way. ' ?f course, the direct appropriation of a quarter ' of a million dollars for the starting of the undertaking will have to be met in the appropriation hill. Under the bill providing for the re* demption of tho nearly six million dollars 4 1-2 per cent Brown consol bonds, the tax exemption clause as applied to banks is eliminated. Of course, if the statt- is unable to "float' a I per cent bond wlthoul the tax exemption clause, at par. the pres? ent "brown' bonds are to continue In force, except what are redeemed, lot another twenty y >ars after It 13. Phe bonds are known as 20-40-year bonds with the privilege of redemption a' the end of the 80-year period. Thos ? in authority figure that they can "float" a I p i eenl gold bend w?h ease in 1 91 3. Tlie chances are that there will be no Hquor legislation at this session unless it be tin- adoption of a gener? al bill permitting elections in tin va? rious counties. The disposition is to keep the dispensary ami prohibition issues out of the primary. The bills thai were pending provided for dis? pensary elections on the day sot for the general primary. This it is thoughl ma\ cloud the primary issues and Involve complications and it ap penrs to be generally understood that If counties want to hold elections to gel back their dispensaries they must do BO on the day sot tor the general election. Others contend that the (?unities that voted themselves "dry" had better wall the full four-year period and tboti bold their elections. One of tin- very best statutes likely t<> result from the present session Is what is known as the school medical Inspection bill. The two houses have passed such measures and the only question now is how the two branches will agree on the minor differences The central Ides of medical examina? tion of school children has been maintained." A. K. In News and < '.airier. News Note? from IMsgah. Pisgah, Feb. 5. The old saying that a cold winter will follow a hot summer has been amply verified, if am one wants colder weather than what we now have they are hot blooded sure. the State warehouse hogs to kill. It ti cotton everywhere - to th<- . spens ? of other things more Useful and needful to the people. Very little progress so far is made toward ? er?.p. It is no* yet known how the staple crops will run. Some Who ha v.' sot signed pledges to re? duce cotton acreage will cut from 25 t?? 4a per Cant. There ??>??? "<??? fttc*V known: There will b plented and lass guano I don't think the riS4 materially affect the ?. We are hard up for BOtueiitMig in eat. in the Vegetable line. All the potatoes have rotted. There ar.- no gardens, owing to dry weather. No eggs. The hens are on the worst strike I have ever seen. N?. on - g?. ts eggs, some? thing unknown here at this time of th?. year. We have, although, a plenty to eal <>f the diy kind, meat bread, and coffet und "Issues." Some have milk aiui butter. That is jooit the hill of fare. White peas. a*, pa'a tahle, are as scare as a I'nited States bond. a go? d lesson was learned last year about the folly of all cotton and 1 think more attention th?- raising of thinj buys. Belton Ifelfaans g en at Rombort Satur If in a bad !ix. A negro boy got killed on Mr. T. 1?. McLeod's place not long since. He was leaning on his gun when a small boy lingered at the trigger and it wa nt off and killed him. I hear <d no trouble Shout honest men getting all the money needed to run their business. The Farmers' Bank and Trust Company, The Bank of Sumter and O'Ponnell and Com? pany do the lion's share of the busi? ness here. As merchants, th Harllec Company at Ram bo done well. Mr. Harllee has n p ?ri.'to'e and tine taste in th ling of tine goods, and the si r< supplied a long-felt want. Miss Mat tie Jenkins has a position with the firm. \iiaa Cuttino who teaches the New Hope ehhool was si Plsgnh chnreh yesterda>% \ hot supper, with oysters, will be gh a at tin- residence of Mr-. I>. G. Brown near New Hope church, on next Friday evening, the '.'th. for the benefit of Sew Hope church. The public Is cordla..y Invited t?> be pres ent and enjoy the feast of good things. H, VI.. Gets Rights of Way at Bsalsofri 111*. Last Friday a court of condem? nation was presided "Ver by Judfr* of Probate Jno. If. Smith in the court house. It was the ease of the S. A. L. Railway against Mr. J. H. Kilon for right ?>f way through his property here In town. The jury before whom it was tried were: .Ta<. B. IfeCutchen, Sr.. foreman. If. U Williams. H. Oatltl . H. R. strai ge, f. H Hearon, Bdwtn Wil? son, 11. W. Kembert. W. T. Welch. W. A. Stuckey. U. r. Weldon. J. K. Kirkley. W. P. Baskin. Mr. Thoe. H. Tatum represented the railroad ami Ifesars. II L. Smith oi Camden and J. B. McFauohlln of Columbia the defence. Testimony was taken and after argument by counsel, the jury returned a verdict of 13,104 as damages t?< defendant. Condemnation proceedings were held yeeterdey on the IfcColl place near Mr. f. h. Hesron to get right ?.f way for B. A. L. railroad. The jury we understand estimated the land actually taken for right of way at $94 per SCre. BtshOpVttls Vindi? cator. February I? The ground hog certainly saw his shadow Frida) so the people of Sum? ter may SSpCCl six weeks of cold weather. l-H)it SALE?A choice lot of Georgia rr?-.?.?-r? &?>i\tor c?>ed ??:its. lie. Phone