Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

rabliaheU Weilend?) and Saturday. ?BY? OSTEEN PUBLISHING C9MPANY 8UMTBR. ? C. fl.lt par annum?In adraac?. AdTcrtloemesita: OtM Square Aral Insertion.11.90 ?very subsequent lns?r?:>a.M Can tracts for three mo atlas, ?r !?U?r will b" made at redueetl rat??. ?11 communlcatlona which eub ?erve privat? Interests will be charged foe as advertisements. Oettuartee and tributes af reeweet will be charged for. The Sumter Watchman was foe ad aO la 1910 and the True Southron In lift- The Watchman and Southron ?aw has th? combined etrcamtton and baloanoo cf both of the old papers, an* U manlfaetly the bast advertising ?.odium Id Sumter. I ' F?-???m THE FIN DAMEN TALS. Th? essential value and features* of the commission form of government are. roughly, as fellows: First Complete centralization of all power and responsibility '.n a small council or commission. The commission Is thus directly charged with and responsible for the entire administration of the city's affairs. 8econd. The members of the com? mission must bo elected at large and not by wards, and therefore represent the city as a whole, not by subdivis? ions Third. The members of the com? mission must be the only elective officers of the city, and must have the power of appointing all subordinate administrative officiate. Fourth. The commission must have the power of removing subordi? nate administrative officials at will. Fifth. The commission should be subject to the Initiative, the referen? dum, and the recall, so that If the Commission falls to pass the laws the people want, such lawa can be passed by the Initiative petition; and so that af the commission propose to pass any law the people do not want, they II have the right of veto by refer lum; and so that, If a commissioner ?vee to be Inefficient or corrupt, his ceasor may be nominated and he y be recalled by a special or gen oi ?I election. oho ? * " l *o further simplify the questions'1 olved In the adoption of the com? mon government It Is sufficient to that the commission plan is de? fied to Insure efficiency and eco y In the admlnstratlon of the busl a affairs of a municipal corpor ?n. It Is a business system as tpsrvd with u political system by whleh the responsibility is fixed upon % aaaalt number of men and there is ?light upportunlty for shifting or eecapissr the blame for neglect of duty. Inefficiency or extravagance. The auhosdtsjate administrative officers are aeieoted for their ability to do the work they are selected to perfcrm, and when they fail to make good they are discharged, for the commissioners know thas they are accountable to the people who elected them, for the in efQciencg of th?ir appointees. I> people of Sautter wish to live a modern huslnc.-s system a trial or are they wining to drift atOsUI m they have In th.- past? The cominls ston plan la modem ol .j>t d t., grtSi ent day conditions and Is isas apt Ma of kmpro\(Mnt>ni ami modification as the need arises or | > > m I i t tons change The old plan l- cmnU? rsom? W< Ightod with outgrown tr option*, and llttts better adapted to th. n> ? ?I? of the time than the on< . popular system of town go\ ? rno . nt hy mass meeting. a i amTi|,rti i sepoeattoa is prima-iiy a business organisation and should be administered a- ? l-usiio a< ? ..ru? ing to Hu ntoMt e trie lent and scottoml* cat system that experience has. pros. n to ' ? pted t ? th. f i miini clpal corporation. It Koo*?<\elt should he elected l'rcsid? nt the ? h ?n? . - ? ?. that he would do his utmost to anm \ both t'ui'l und M'm'" This \%"iil<l ii. > . Sltute Ibe Increase of . ..th the army and na\> and ? ?it f->r \,.c-ti\ greater appropriations Greater appfO|Mr I tum* \a.-nid demand a large! Income to be ol.talned l-\ higher taxes. Tloia fore, there < ould be no revision of tariff downward, and the trusts would be pio'.ctejd and given I longer lease of life at the ? \|" ii ?? of the people. A larger army and a greater naV] Would no in millions more annually to the shipbuilding trust. ItN Steel trust the embalmed bee I batons and all that horde of ?p#g i || hUSfesltl that wax prosperous on tho country's mls fort men. It is easy to understand why the men *h.ntnd big btaaV nfM are backina Roosevelt as tholf one he?t h. I ? ? a This m an cr.i of dir? ? t trade, so Itooaevelt and his friend* ad\o< it.> cutting out the middleman in poll ti? i The lloasarvell slogan Down with the political boss" means that the political middleman i- an econ? omic lOtM and must be abolished, when "practical" business men. like Harrlman or l'erkins. and 1 pr.o ti t!' statesmen, like RooeOVS t, tak?- charge of governmental affairs It Is cheap? er, and in ue profitable to the men higher up to do business direc t, an? ting out the political boss V/hO has to have a percentage id' profit on every transaction, thereby Increasing the cost of doing business, decreasing the profit! of the practical business men and hampering the activities and curtailing the power of the practical statesmen. I/ooklng Abend In South Carolina. News and Courier. We unite agree with the Sumter Item that it is not enough simply to expose the uutitness of Governor Hleuse for high public office and to ef fec t his defeat for re-election, but it seems to us that It ought to be ap? parent to e\ery one that no man In his senses would resign an office of the highest dignity and importance to enter such a contest for another as that upon which Judge Ira B. Jones is embarked unless he had dreamed dreams and seen visions of the high puhlh servi e which he could rend? er his people as their Chief Execu? tive. The Item Is right nevertheless in thinking that the public demands that the next administration be one of the strongest and most progressUe the State has ever enjoyed, and If It is not the public will have only itself to blame. No State administration can possibly measure up to public expec? tations until we have at Columbia a Chief Executive of character and ability and an unselfish ambition to further the progress und prosperity of the State working In harmony with a General Assembly composed of men of the same type. The success of the next adminis? tration is largely dependent upon the makeup of the next General Assem? bly. Those who have the State's wel? fare at heart, and there are many such, and who realise, as does the Item, our sore need of advanced con? structive legislation, cannot interest themselves to better advantage at this Juneture than by doing what they can to assure the sending to Colum? bia from their respective counties of legislator** in whom they can take a Just pride. Commission Form of Government. A peaceful revolution! Cities by the score sweeping awn *' boards of aldermen, mayor and a host of minor officials and setting np new municipal governments on a brand-new plan! The whole nation looks on with amazed enthusiasm at towns that not only get good government, but ke^p It. election after election! Practical? ly every remaining American city has Its group of men who are enthusias? tically organizing some endeavor to secure the commission form of gOVa eminent for their town. What the "Commission Form" Is. The spread of this movement was begun entirely by accident. Gahes ton. Texas, after the great flood of 1900 was practically wiped out. So much progressUe and constructive work was demanded of city govern? ment thai the old system of a board Ol ?IderSUSS and the usual siting of In? dependent eteetlve officers broke down. A group of business men pe tltloaed the state government to sus? pend the local government ami re* pla< e it temporarily with a commis? sion of five men. This was done, ami the arhole etty was put under the control of five men, three of whom a/ere appointees of the governor Thi< was where tin- term "commis? sion" originated, nnd the name, for a ml ot i better description, has stuck t.. t ever sine,-, although the ho.ird Is n<> longer ? 'commission" In the true sense oi tin- word at all. This commission in Qalveaton war ible to make decisions and get Ihlngl leeompllahed In half the time that it to,.k the old board of aldermen to get a resolution referred to a com ml t ii-e. Tin- eon.mission planned and built a sea wall to protect the city against furtiu-r Hoods, rained the gl'outld b-Vel ot g laiK* part Of tie |i?wn< got the 'its government run? ning again at one-third less unnual coat, mad* n number of important Improvementi and at Ihe same lime redttCed Ho- debt and the i.ix rat. . After ' rears, during which Ihe po? lltlclag wore finding precious little |u do, the commission was made en? tirely elective by popular vote, much to ihe dlsnna) of many good persons ill the |OWn, Who feared lh.it Ihe po 1111? i ins w on st> h officials tad restore e Inefficient > u nd boas ml ire, bow, \ , r, proved grout people pro? ? ? eded In eh ? commission md hat < o? oitat $\ cry '? ? I Ion Sinei deal h there have b?eti a ages in tin personn?>j of the commission since the ? eglnning. Galvesion s claim that n was the best governed city in the United statei ma?a Houston Jealous, und al? ter a few years this city petitioned tor a si nllai government and was Klanted it. I ?alias. Denlson, Austin .?nd almost all the principal neigh? boring cities in Texas have since men followed suit. A few years alter Galveston tirst began to attract attention some civic workers in Pea Meines began to study the ?ubj< ct ol popular government iu fundamental fashion. They devised what bai since become known as the "Des Moines plan.'' which is simply the commission form of government, with certain Interesting additions, known as the initiative, referendum. recall and non-partisan primary. By tiie terms ol the initiative provision i petition may be presented to the commission signed by a certain num? ber of people demanding the passage of a certain ordinance, and if th* commission sees tit to retus? the re? quest the matter must he settled by popular vote. By the referendum provision ordinance! can he held up by a protest signed by a certain num? ber of cltisena and must then he rescinded by the commission or ap? proved i > popular vote. By the terms Of the recall provision, the presenta? tion of a petition containing a certain number of signatures may force any member of tha commission to submit the Question of his continunancs In ottice to a new election Immediatelv. The non-partisan primary is simply an alsminatlng election. All candir dates are nominated by petition (no party labels), and the leading ten re? main on the ballot for the final elec? tion. The publicity attendant on the in? stallation of the new government in Des Moines gave the movement new stimulus throughout the country, and it began to be known as the latest and most up-to-date thing in city governmert. Many towns adopted it from a mOfC desire to be abreast of the times and to show the world that they were progressive and enterpris? ing. In some cases the plan met with vigorous opposition, sometimes with a complete lack of Interest, while In some cities it carried by an over- j whelming vote. Colorado Springs and other cities made a few alter? ations in the Dei Moines plan, such a^ having the members of the commis? sion elected for terms urranged to expire In rotation, and forbidding party nominations. Grand Junction, Colorado, added the preferential bal? lot, whereby the voter indicates on the ballot his lirst, second and third choice. The preferential ballot makes a primary election needless and thus saves expense. An exact definition of the commis? sion plan of government is thus seen to be impossible. The only feature wherein all these ''commission" gov? ernments coincide is the unification of all the powers of the city, both legislative and executive. In a single small board. TIIK c LI: M> o n At; it let' LTD it A L COLLEGE Kiirollmeiil Over BOO ? Value ol l>roi>erty Over a Million ami r. Quarter?Ninety-four Teachers and Ofliocrs. Degree Course*: Agriculture. Agriculture and Chemistry. Agriculture and Ani? mal Industry. Chemistry. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering. Textile Bnglheerlng, Architectural 1 Engineering. Short Courses*: One year course In Agriculture. Two year course In Textiles Pour weeka Winter Courae In Cotton Grad? ing. I'our weeks Winter fours,, for I 'a l iners. Coot, t'ost per session of nine monthi Including fill fees, heat, light. Water. board, laundry and the neccasary Uniforms |l-i;i.r?0, Tuition $ lo.cn ad? ditional. sciloi.Aiisini' AND i:\Ticwri: EXAMINATION'S, The College maintains I'.T foul year Agricultural and Textile Be hoi arahlpa ami 51 one-year Agricultural scholarships, Value of scholarships $iuo p.i session and free tuition. (Students who have attended Clemson College or any other col? lege or university, are not eligible for tin scholarships unless there are no other eligible apple ants, t scholarship ami Entrance ICxantl lUttlons will he held at the County Court House on .fui> tilth, u \. M, No\i blcealon opens si I'l l Mm It It, |g|2, A'nte AT ONCE t.. W. M. Itlggs, President. Clemson College, s. c? for I'titnlog, scholarship blanks, etc, If yon delay, you miij he crowded out. Oni id flu enterprising gardeners of the town reports havlnn ripe toma? toes jn hi- garden sufficient for fhe heeds of hla family. GONZALES AND JOHNSON*. Editor of Tlie State Take* Notice of I n lair Personal Fling. The following communication by rapt. William 13. Gonzales appeared In the News and Herald of Winnsboro last Tuesday in answer to a statement issued in that paper i y w. J. John? son, member of the senate from Fair field county: Editor The News and Herald. Borne time ago you published a card from W. J. Johnson. senator from Fairtield county, in which he as Serted that The State had refused to print an article wherein he proved its editor "a liar." You published it for him. Mr. Editor, you were imposed upon. W. J, Johnson did send a card to The state to which publicity was not given, because The state Is under no obligation to open its col? umns to articles containing offensive personalities, or hordering on black? guardism. But no right was denied him. as the one point Johnson made calling for correction by The State was given conspicuous correction on the editorial page. In the card you printed. W. J. Johnson refers to me as "the sniffing Cuban.' His purpose Is to prejudice the Ignorant and to create resent? ment against the position Of The State toward public questions affecting South Carolina, by implying that the paper is owned and edited by "for? eigners." And by so doing he know? ingly, maliciously, grossly and absurd? ly falsified, as others of his stripe I have disseminated falsehood wit i similar Intent for months and years. I have never before made reference to lineage; it is rarely done with good taste. 1 neither lean upon nor ad? mire those who go for support or shelter to family trees. No favors have been aaked by us of South Cac? ti Una on accolunt Of family history, tt.tlltary service, or otherwise. None Will be. But since falsehood has been told by the senator from Ealrfield county, it is the right of the people of that county to know the truth. While Cuba has contributed men to the world whose names would hon? or the roll of patriots of any coun? try. I am a South Carolinian; a South Carolinian by right of 250 years residence of my people; bound to Its Soil and to the loftiest senti? ments of the State by their honor? able par* In every epoch of colonial and State history, including the sign? ing of the Declaration of Independ? ence. Lands coming to them as grants from the lords proprietors are theirs today. My great-grand? father, WHiam Elliott, whose name was given to me, was. according to O'Donnell's standard work, "History of Cotton." the grower of the "first successful crop of cotton in South Carolina" in 1790. A hundred years previous to 1790 that cotton grower's great-grandfather was planting in South Carolina, and a little later was "a member of the colonial assem? bly." Fifty-Odd years ago when my fath? er, then long a cltlsen Of the United States, land owner and slave holder in South Carolina, and carrying scars Of battle In tht. glorious cause of lib? erty, volunteered for South Caro? lina's war against the United States, there was no cry of "Cuban!" When he. with others of the staff, was pub? licly thanked by General Heauregard for service ;it the reduction <>f Fort Bumter, none cried "Cuban!" When he was chief of arttlllery for South Carolina. Georgia, and Florida, and built forts and personally j^ot cannon to mount In them to protect our long coast line from the enemy's menac? ing fleet, the only cry i find recorded In the press of that day in regai t to him was one of thankfulness that the energy and skill of A. J, Oonsales were standing between the people of the interior and the would-be invad? ers, win n he. a half century ago, was. I>\ appointment. the personal representative of the governor of South Carolina In military affairs on the roast of this state, it was not as a "Cuban." When ap J, Gonzales surrendered at Greensboro??three weeks after i Appomattox?as colonel of artillery. I Confederate States army, chief of artillery of Hardee's corps, and a< t Ing chief of artillery of Joseph \\. Johnson's army, and began that weary march through desolation to? ward the staik chimney* where his home had boon on the coast of South Carolina before Sherman's raiders up. plnd the torch and hit gaunt want to occup) th* cottntr> behind them, I do no believe Mr, ICdltor, there was one Sonthei m r of th.it period so despicable as to yelp "Cuban" at the Confederate soldier who freely of? fered his life to the southern cause und uncomplainingly lost In that cause ;ill that h man of honor may lese Mrs, vat \ Klf/putrlck oi I Urmlng ham, \ln., is \i-;iinu hei daughter, Mrs. O. II l-'olley. W illi ,in K, ??,??11/ lb s. i *o| urn Ida May -J7. 1912, "TIDE is Nu\v WITH TAFT. Senator E. 1). Smith Think- Pro-i? dem Sure of Nomination. Washington, June Z.? St a itor E. I?. Smith was a \ is t? r at tile White House today, and a- he WJi leaving he was asked if he did not elleve the President would be re-nominated by the Republican party, in reply, he said: "Yes, it's all over. It's going to he ja sad day f<?r the Roosevelt people, i The victory of the President in Ohio will have a lag influi nee with cer? tain Southern delegates, arho have been under suspcion of turning t<? Roosevelt. They are going to turn the way the tide is running, and the title is now with Taft." Senator Overman, "f North Caro? lina, who was with Senator Smith at tin- time, agreed that Mr. Taft would he renominated. The situation in Virginia Is giving the managers a great deal of concern just now. There is no doubt that a number of Instructed Taft delegates in Virginia are Straining at their cables. The Roosevelt victory in South l>;. kota is aiso significant of defeat of another Lorimer Senator for renorai nation. Senator Gamble's term ends March o next. AS TO IIi:\I.Tll ORDINANCE Board of Health Officer, Police Force All Working for a ( leaner City. An article in today's issue of this paper in regard to arrests made for violation of the health ordinance of the city, for not boxing or barrel? ing trash from stores, was headed, "Health Officer Makts Haid," Mr. Reardon requests the statement made that the eight arrests in this raid were made by Policeman T. P. Ward. Chief of Police J. K. Bradford, and hU entire police force are co-oper? ating with and backing up the health officer in enforcing the sanitary laws. The campaign against mosqultos be? ing conducted by the health and po? lice departments means that the careless habit of business establish? ments leaving barrels, buckets, tin cans and other water holding re? ceptacles around so that mosquitoes will breed therein will result in pros? ecution for violation of the sanitary laws. A great deal of time of the health officer, amounting to many dollars monthly. Is taken up by that offi having to ride to different porti of the city requesting citizens at tl residences to properly box or ba) garbage and other refuse, or not put It out after 10 o'clock In the morning. As a matter of information it might be stated that the accumulation of waste paper, boxes, excelsior, or any other combustible material back of business establishments Is a violation of a statute of this State. The stat? ute charges the chief of police and the sheriff, and their assistants with the enforcement of this law. Indict? ment in the Circuit court f r viola? tion of this law can be brought in ad? dition to prosecutions for violation of the city ordinances. It does look as though residents of Sumter have had sudleient notice from the officers and through the newspapers for many years to Inform everybody of the requirements of the garbage, trash, and other sanitary laws. The insurance commissioner of South Carolina, the city Council, and the Board of Health are after the pope,, force, and the health offU er to enforce laws. There is no fairness in blaming these officers for doing their duty. Bet everybody fall in line and help to make Sumter a model, sanitary. tlyless and mosqultoleSS city. Swat the flies and mosquitoes, not the officers. Uel|? tin- latter. BLACK RIVER I N ION MEETING. Will He Held at Pincwood. June 28 30?Program of Exercises. Pine wood, June 4.?The Black River Union will meet at Pinewood on June us to 30th ,and subjects of Interest to the Baptist of the st ue will i>e brought up for discussion. The program for the occasion Is as follows : l'ridnv s I?.- m? Sermon by .1. X. Booth. Saturday 9.30 a .in. Topics for dis? cussion. Tin- Sunday School the Gar? den of the Church, M. J. Kyser; The Work of the Church in Developing Its Young Members, M. W. Rankin, Saturday, 1 l' M. Sermon bj C Brown; I p. m. Sermon by .1. N". Tolar: H p. m., Sermon by .1. T. Going. Sunday. II a. m. Sermon by II. K. Williams. Collection for State Mis? sions. Sunday, s p. m., Sermon by Wm, 11 iij nsw orth. Magistrate Wells reports having done a line business in fines during tb.- month of May, More than $17'' was i iken in by him in tines paid by \ t Ioim count) ? rlmlnals. A Tribute to suiutVr bcliool*. Florence Times. The reports from Bumter say that twenty-live of the members of the finishing class in the hi^h schools in that < ity are going to COllOgO to get more and better education. That is a tine record tor the Sumtef schools and f<?r the parents and the youni people themselves. We did Bot have that many young f<dk to get through in the Florence sehools and of the number that did g? t through a very surprising number think that they are educated all that they want . to be and th y are allowed to think 1 so too. We want to see the time come in Florence when the ehildren are not allowed to feel that they are educated Until something more is done for them than setting ther tin- way to gel an education. Announcements of candidates will he printed in this column until the close of the campaign for No , eurds accepted on credit For Sheriff. Capt, K. S. Carson to hereby ar nounced as a candidate for Sheriff i the ensuing election, having before discharged the duties of that office with promptness and efficiency, we take pleasure In recommending him for said office, subject to the rules of the Democratic primary. MANY VOTERS. I hereby offer myself ae a candidate for the office of Sheriff of Sumter County, subject to the rules of the Democratic party. J. K. BRADFORD. I hereby announce myself a can? didate for the office of Sheriff of Sumter County, subject to the rales governing Democratic primaries W. H. SEALE. Capt. Geo. C. Warren Is n*reby announced as a candidate for the of? fice of Sheriff of Sumter county, sub? ject to the rules of the Democratic primary. VOTBRS. For Coroner. I hereaby announce that I am a candidate for the office of Coroner of Sumte Con I ?-. subji , to tv. -t *iion 1 W. OWEN F >r Howe of /Vp^ i-*o->Uv**i I X am a candidate for re-electien to j the House of Representatives subject to the rules of the Democratic Pri? mary. R, B. B ELSER. I hereby announce myself a candi? date for the House of Representatives from Sumter County, pledging myself to abide by the result of the demo? cratic Primary. R. D. EPPS. Dr. F. M. Dwight is hereby unani? mously nominated, as a candidate for the House of Repreeentatives, subject to the rules governing the Primary. We bespeak for him the suffrage of his fellow countrymen. The Wedgefleld Democratic Club. Foe SaperrLsor. 1 hereby announce myself a candi? date for the office of Supervisor of Sumter County, subject to the rules of the Democratic Primary. L. E. WHITE. I hereby announce myself a can? didate for re-election to the office of Supervisor of Sumter County, subject to the rules of the Democratic pri? mary. P. M. PITTS. For Clerk of Court. 1 hereby announce myself a candi? date for re-election to the office of Clerk of Court for Sumter County, subject to the rules of the Demo? cratic party. U I. PARROTT. The name o* H. L. 9t presented as a candidate Court for Sumter County Ing Democratic primary j _ 1 hereby announce myself a candi? date for Clerk of Court of Sumter county, subject to the action of the Democratic primary. JOHN R sl'MTRR For Solicitor. 1 announee myself a candidate for the office of Solicitor for the Th rd Judicial Ctrcu t. subject to the rules of the Democratic Primary 'PHOS. H. TATCM. \ hereby announce mys?lf a enn didate for re-election to th? office of Solicitor of the Third Judicial Clrt I subject to the rules of the Democratic Primary. PHILIP H. STOLL.