Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Hill PREVENTION, By V .1. Ilovvvaid. I'i ? ?1111? iti IV? Prevention Association. T(. the President and Gentlemen, Members of the South Carolina State Firemen's Association! It Won ?I I ?) well .as a matter of in trod n ti. n. t-. say that while Presi? dent of the South car >iina Prevention Antnetntlon, I am aunt Ipeelal Agent of a flrv IgejnmntH company. A Spe? cial Agent Is the Imim diate represent? ative In tlu- licld employed by an in- i suranc- ?.ompuny to act for the com pany in the selection and appoint? ment of agents, the Inspection of bus? iness, the adjustment of losses and such other business which can not be transacted intelligently by the Home Office without advices from the Bold, I make this explanation in orv'er to avoid any accusation of sailing ander false colors. I will make no state? ment that I do not earnestly and sin? cerely believe to be true and which can not be proven to the satisfaction of any unprejudiced rr? n who is suffi? ciently Interested to Investigate Without atempting to express In words the idea of the average citizen regarding insurance companies, I wish to say that Are Insurance is the basis and foundation of commerc'al credit, as business lr <l >ne today. No mer? chant could secure the shipment of merchandise without the protection afforded bin by a sufficient amount of Insurance; no bank could afford to loan more than the value of the land on any building or property, and when we consider these facts, it is 1 surprising to witness the arbitrary and unreasonable Acts of our legis? lature* and to bear the criticisms which sre passed on this Important department of our commercial sys? tem by the average citizen, who, how? ever well-informed on other subjects, seems to lack the moat rudimentary knowledge of how or why the Insur- [ ance business Is conducted. There are. approximately. 12S Insurance companies doing business in the State of South Carolina, with about TD of these companies members of the or? ganisation vs . ich makes the rates on property. It la absolutely necessary that Insurance companies should be prepared at all times to make good | the liabilities which they assume. The conflagration at San Francisco put a number of companies out of business, absolutely "b oke." There was not a single Board company forced to sus? pend buslnesn on account of the loss at San Francisco. This conflagration was the supr^mj test of the solvency of the companies transacting business In the state of California, and was the best possible evidence of the advan? tages to be derived from the legiti? mate observance of adequate rates; whereas the lumber of companies in this State and throughout the country who are not members of any rating organization will always be ready to accept busin??!? at what they consider a sufficient rate, and thus prevent any abnormal cht rge being made effect? ive by any organization whatever. The i ?-mpanles. almost without ex < eption. rn nntala a staff of Inspectors throughout the territory In which they operate. These inspectors are fur? nished with menvoranda from the Home < ?ffice of such business as is w rit? ten by the local agents In the various to*arn* throughout this and other State*. These men make a personal Inspection of such property and rec ommem? . i lain Improvements. The lasy or Indifferent local agent or the economical and short-sighted proper? ty owner thinks that the improvement 1s trfllng ami unnecessary, ami the property owner will change his ousi nss* to another agent, or the agent will put his business with another company, thus avoiding making any cr . feWith the volume of business done by the rn ijorlty of the companies, these luesjeetore can not make very' lre<pient visit* and It I* an +a*y matter, when the assured Of an agent is determined not to make an improvement for a defect to remain Indefinite^ t'rubr such clycunv ?tames, it t?e, a me ae*eeaaery to devise ?ome method which would protect tbs companies from this system. The method b-\i<' d ii?. the South Carolina Fire Prevention AaSOCiatton. The a< - tffej membership of this A ?BUetutlOB consist* of the trained Inapeetors of th*? firs insurance cosnnaniee, They gSjiaf at one town In each month, and make, as m irlv n possible, a thor? ough Irnpe.n .n Of e-.erv building >n tbst town. The written reports of ttig; lusssectloni masts mpi nrranged in regular order, with adVrence to the Insurance maps of the town, and are printed and Mailed to the < ?m gSjnisn, Every member of the Asso? ciation is. therefor*, advt . ?1 of the Serious defects In the community. You can readily sec how this, by patting nil (ompinie-i on BJOtlee. will avoid the excbntikro of business fr on one compnti.' in another. Another very rre.it aiiantags of mu h Inaneellons Is the fact tb it they not only OOVef tb?? business |1 it you or I are directly int? t ested in. toit they ihn* Uta de? f. . t.s .if the bultdlngs which sapeSM tb. pr p?rtv we hav. Insured. Our gfjjaaatnfi ?pnjt gsnrtleulai attention to the up-keop and care and ord? r of the premises. untidiness. tra?h or ?Shea left; t ri und.r Stoves; security of m& Vi pipes; construction and ar? rangement ? ; Rues; i rangement of heating p.auu; kite invit.od and ar? rangement "f the lighting of prem nd the quantity and storage of eombuetlblei?In facti everything and anything that, by Ite presence or by u> sbsencs, contributes to the (ire a ltd of that particular ri-k. We meet with remafckai conditions Men, property owners and tenants, prmn v.:th no Intention of doing v.... t ere ask. Th< only Idee of the average citizen ll to argue the ques? tion of rate?, which does not enter Into our Inspections in any sense whatever. What we need In these Inspections Is the power to enforce our recommendations. It ks unrea? sonable to expect improvements to be mad* in the one day which we can give to such inspections, and we need I method of re-inspection, whereby report can be made of corrections which have been done in accordance with tie recommendations made in the previous inspection. Our towns adopt building codes and sanitary laW3 and police regulations, and then immediately forget to enforce any of them. The fact that such ordinances are made law does not prevent the careless smoker front starting a fire which may burn up the savings of yean of some deserving citizen, and the destruction of tax-paying proper? ty. Did it eVCf strike you that every person in every community is vitally interested In all of the property in that community? No ownership can exist that does not form a part of tin- community interest. When tire destroys property, it destroys taxable values and the fact that it is partly or entirely covered by insurance does not till the gap made by that tire. Money to rebuild must come from some source, and the time necessary to rebuild is a loss to some person. When you think it over, you will realize that you have a vital personal interest in the construction, occu? pancy, < are and order of every piece of property In your town and in your State. I I could show you by statistics the I heavy loss ratio on almost every clssa I of property which you might name, and I can furnish you with figures on j the cotton mill business and you would not believe the truth ns evidenced by I these figures. The average cotton mill pays II 1-LV. for $100 for one year, And this is profitable business , for the in -ai ra nee companies because of the ebnenCe and prevention of lires. I The greatest precautions must go with a commodity like cotton?in? flammable, easy to damage; and yet the result proves what systematic work and ready assistance on the part of owners may accomplish. I have heard it stated by a very competent mill man that no established mill can afford to burn. Full insurance does not restore trade which has been in? terrupted by a fire. He went on to Say that at one time cotton mill rates were about 3.f>0 per cent, and that SapQftS had taught them how to pre? vent fires and voluntarily reduced rates to a commensurate basis. In his opin? ion, any well-established mill could better afford to pay 1,14 per cent for prevention than to pay 12 l-2c. for in? demnity. And he was right; no busi? ness can afford a tire and no commu? nity can afford a lire. The lire de? partmonto in each town should make regular inspections; they should be backed by the police; no politics should be slowed to Interfere and ev? ery property owner should be forced to make reasonable correction of de? fects, or the town should make these corrections and the sheriff collect the costs. This plan violates our idea of freedom and personal liberty, but. to my mind, there-is a higher obligation. Which Is. the liberty of a community to protect itself from the careless neos or Indifference of any Individual in/en. Q ve him the option of mak? ing Imprmementa ami if he does not avail himself of the opportunity that i? "afforded, the municipality should p1 iteet other citizens from the dam? age t(. l.o expected from his lack of I Interest and failure to protect his property from fire. Every fire department in South Carolins should join with us in secur? ing prompt correction of the defect* shown in the reports gotten out by the South Carolins Mrs Prevention Association, if your state Organisa? tion will consider the plan s/hereb) We . an furnish you copies of nur tab? ulated re|H?rts, we shall be very glad to mail a copy of this report In the l ife Chief tri euch town which a*e in Hpect, nid he can have his man make re-Inspect ons and can advise the Becretar) at Columblfl when Improve* mentS ha \ been mad". Let us dispense with statistics and examine flues, and alleyways and cel? lars, and endeavor to leave no place wiure a (ir?- can start, by nccldent or from rarclessnesi We can not con? trol Area that Mart by design, hul whon tint- Is no ipimreni reason for 'be origin of a fire, it gill i.ome too dangerous for the Incendiary. Empty boxes catch and hold papers ami oth? er Inflamm ible material; they o?> ^tru^t ?>ie entrance to premises and Interfere with the effectiveness of your h<??o stream*. Have them re i iovedi in particular have them re? moved from youi cellars. There was a day when light wells protected by glass wen- need (1 In cellars, and 1 will admit they were preferable to ' candles, kerosene lamps and matches, that would Otherwise be necessary 1 when anyone entered the cellar, but j wim will contend that any such ar? rangement is necessary now, with electiicity In every town. Grated eel-1 lar doors on sidewalks arc a relic of the past and present fire trap wherev? er |oc tted. They catch trash, cigar and cigarette stumps and matches, and afford an Inlet for the air needed to sustain a fire, ('over such cellar doori with sheet metal; or, better still, close up the doors and stop the use of the cellars .which are not need? ed in the average town in this terri? tory. Another and final point to which I will call your attention is, this: Very frequently the newspaper reporter will call upon tho members of the Fife Department for an estimate of a loss. Always make these estimates as reasonable as your knowledge and experience justifies. In the adjust? ment of losses, the honest man is pre? pared to submit the best evidence in his possession as to the actual loss sustaim 1. A dishonest claimant is always ready to take advantage of an exaggerated report which has been printed in the newspapers and which must Influence the ideas of the com? munity. A reasonable estimate by the firemen who handle tho fire and who base their estimate upon obser? vation and knowledge gained before and at the time of tho fire would de? ter dishonest and exaggerated claims on the part of such persons. An ad- | iustor is instructed to obtain the truth and make a just settlement. The amount involved does not affect his income or his standing with the com? pany and we must not lose sight of the fact that an insurance company is merely u disbursing officer and that they pay in one community what they collect in another. When one man is paid more than his honest loss, the general public makes up the differ? ence in higher rates. Contribute what you can to the just and honest settlement of losses in your commu? nity. I thank you for this opportunity to address your Association and trust that my remarks may lead you to a better understanding of the object w hich the South Can .Tina Tire Pre? vention Association ha* in view. We will avail ourselves of any assistance which you may be able to lend for the reduction of the fire waste. We are all working with the same object in view and can accomplish more by working together. AUTO HITS LITTLE BOY. Lad Badly, but not Fatally, Hurt on ftpurtunburg Street, Spartanburg, July 2'.*.?While at? tempting to cross Bast Main street afternoon, the 7-year-old son of O. F. Crown was struck by a large auto? mobile driven by Prank Fielder, The young boy Wai Seriously hurt about the body and wounds on his leg bled profusely, No blame Is attached to the driver of the car. While the boy is seriously hurt, his wounds will not prove fatal. In The Police Court. The following cases were heard by the Recorder Monday morning: K, ft. Wilson, exceeding speed limit In automobile $10 or 20 days. Harold K. Bull, riding bicyc le on forbidden sidewalk. |2 or i days, Henry Leonard ai.d Maultie Pack, riiiing bicycles on forbidden side? walks, M Or I days. Miii.r Brown, riding bicycle on forbidden sidewalk without a light at night, 12 or I days. Tom Nelson, drunkenness, $1" or ?jm days, SMITH AT SEA GIRT TODAY. mouth Carolina Henaior to Call on Deuioeratic Nominee. W . ihlngt ?n, Jlllj -"??. -Senator B, l>. Smith, of South Carolina, has an engagement to see Governor Wood row Wilson at Sen Girt. New Jersey, tomorrow, and ">\iii discuss with him the possibility of making some refer? ence in bis s|.h accepting the Presidential nomination to thai plank oi ihe Democrat!*. piatfrotn which declares for legislation to suppress -? milling In farm products, I be Influence Of ( lollies. II,?"Did you ever observe what a difference clothes mule on one's m IK N'ow. when i mi in my rid? ing logs I'n ?!i horse' when I have oi my bti noss null my mind's full of buslm when 1 gel Into my evening dr< my mind takes a pure? ly i irl 11 turn." sic -"And 1 suppose that when you take bath your mind's . n. Ut? tel Idank "" Bti ty stories. NEEDED? A BETTER SCHOOL SYSTEM?NO. 1. _ ! Bj Prof. \V. if. Hand, Inspector j Mate IIiuli School*. The first step toward an i qultable, satisfactory, ami patriotic solution <>? the problem of the distribution of the .",-iniii constitutional tax seems tu he to make at least a part of that lax a State tax. Two of the three mills might be distributed in the counties where the tax is collected, as is now done, while the other one mill would he distributed as a State tax >n the basis of enrollment, whatever enroll? ment may he defined to be. There seemi to be no more justice, equity, or common sense in disbursing the 3 mill tax by counties than there would be to disburse it by districts in the counties, according to the amount each district paid, The question naturally arises why not make the entire 3-mill tax a State tax to be distributed on the basis of enrollment throughout the State. The very serious objection would arise: 1. A 3?mill school tax levied on one part of the State for the sup? port of schools in another part would be regarded as unjust as the present system in view of the importance of the 8-mlll tax in relation to the total school revenue. Were every district in the State levying a local tax of even 2 mills, the whole aspect of the mat? ter would be changed, and the ob jeetion just mentioned would not be v. lid. 2. Such a use of the 3-mill tax would stifle the most healthful and promising feature of school sup? port? local taxation, whic? intensi? fies local interest in the schools. Whatever else is done, nothing should be done to discourage the spirt of lo? cal taxation Which has taken posses? sion of most of our people. It has in it the spirt of devotion and sacrifice which promises so much to education. From certain quarters has come the offer to abolish the 3-mill tax or to reduce it. I cannot believe that there will ever come together a legislature so short-sighted and lacking in civic spirt and insight as to do either. To do either would be the death of the rural schools. The lawmaker ready to take such a backward step needs rest?at home. There is little doubt that in some counties the school revenue might be materially increased, if a full reg? istry of polls and dogs were made. Even if the school fund were not ma? terially increased by such registra- 1 tlon, some good would follow. A poll tax dodger is not a good citizen, and an untaxed yellow cur is a dead ex? pense to the community. It might be well to make some Investigation <>f these two items. Far above everything else is necqV ed an equitable and honest return as to the valuation of property. So long as property is brazenly returned at ten and fifteen per cent of its sale value, so long shall we have inade? quate revenue, unevenly distributed tax burdens, ami dishonest tax re? turns. We claim to have a fifty or sixty per cent basis for tax returns. Let us see how that basis is regarded. In November. 11)1 a. a certain man in Hamberg county bought a tract of land for $19,200; in February follow? ing he returned that tract for taxa? tion at $1,920, or just one-tenth of its valuation as he agreed to in pur? chasing it During the same year a man bought a small tract in the out? skirts of the town of Anderson at $100 an acre; When he made his re? turn in February following he valued it at $100. He was told that $10 was enough. This kind of thine; is almost universal throughout the State. Hi every county, year after year, are thousands of acres of land, houses, horses ami other kinds of property returned for taxation at less than 20 per cent Of real value. It is use? less to set up the fallacious cry that only the Invisible property of the State is either not taxed or tax? d at only a fraction of its value. All kinds of property are returned and taxed on this dishonest l?asis. The Stati' is not only permitting it. but it is actually compelling people to make dishonest returns, i wish to inquire very seriously what manner of citizenship Is to come from such practice, and who is really to blame for it '.' This is a question of morals and it not to be passed over lightly. What is either the consistency or the common sens,, in thundering against corporations for hiding their capital from taxation when the state is train? ing Individuals to misrepresentation by giving fictitious values to their property? The stock arguments of? fered bj self-styled statesmen against tax reform in this matter are un? worthy of the logt? of a high school boy, For a lucid, clear-cut, and brief refutation of th.se childish argu? ments, the render Is Invited to read pages 1 and I 7. Hart 1 I. of the Re poi i of < 'ompl roller < lencral Jones for 1911. If fa Irlj cuts the legs from under the i i\ dodger and the cheap polil loin n. Another moans wherobj money might be saved, or at least put to bet ler service, would be to discontinue many of tin little schools thai have ibsoiutely no logical reason to exist. What economy is there Is running a little school of eight ??r ten pupils ! within tine.- miles of anothei school? Last year Abbeville county had one school of seven pupils costing $150. in Chester county one school of five pupils cost $2S5. In Greenwood coun? ty a school of six pupils cost S'!24. In Williamsburg county a school of two pupils cost $280. in Barnwell coun? ty a school of four pupils cost $155. Twenty-six pupils in six schools cost $1,531.00, or an average of $61.31 per P'li.ii, while the average for the State was hut $ 12.02 for whites. This question will he somewhat fully dis? cussed under the head "f school or? ganization. Next in importance to a just and equitable distribution of the harden of a school tax comes that of an equit? able apportionement of the fund. This is one of the most perplexing of all school problems. The ten-day enrollment of our present school law Is unjust in principle. There is neith? er justice nor reason in apportioning as much school tax to the child who attends school hut ten days as to the lone who attends 160 days. The school funds belong to the child in 'the school, not to the one at home. The child must go to school in order jto get the benefit of what is set apart for his schooling. In practice the ten-day enrollemnt is vicious. On its very f^ce is an implied invitation to the child to drop out of school af? ter the legal enrollment has been se? cured, and as a matter of fact in a few places where the schools are crowd? ed the children are not encouraged to Attend through the session. Be? sides, it is a well known fact to at least some of us that many of the white schools paid their rolls, and that some trustees practically instruct their negro teachers to pad their rolls. Both these assertions are rath? er hard, but they are not made at random. With even the strictest vig? ilance and honesty it is impossible to keep from enrolling a considerable number of pupils in two or three dif? ferent schools during the same year, since so many pupils move from dis? trict to district month after month. Enrollment should be so defined as to encourage as-full attendance as possible, and so long as possible. If our enrollment period were chang? ed from ten days to forty days, or were the aggregate days of attendance of all the pupils for the school term made the basis of apportionment, all three of these desired end? would be served, and either plan W< uld be an improvement on w hat we have. < >ne can hardly hope for either plan to be? come popular. Our daddies did not run their schools on that plan, and the cross-roads politician is ready to point out the iniquitous injustice of it to his constituents. The rural graded school bill (The Nicholson bill) was drawn SO as to give encouragement in the shape cd' State? aid to rural schools on four con? ditions, each a forward step?a con? solidation Of little weak schools, an increased tax levy, an increased teach? ing force, and a lengthened school term. Before that bin became a law it was emasculate 1 of one of its best features, that of attendance. The bill provided that a two-teacher school should have an enrollment of (Jit pupils and an average attendance of 40 pupils. The act as passed cat down the enrollment to 50 and the at tenance to 30. The bill provided that the sehend of three or more teachers should enroll '.?0 pupils and should have an average attendance cd" 60. The act as passed cut the enrollment to 7." and the attendance t<? 40. These Changes defeat one cd' the most important purposes of the act?to get the children into the schools and to keep them there. The- idea of employing three teachers t*> teach 10 pupils does not appeal to the think? ing man as pregnant with wisdom; it look.-; more- like- a raid on the treas? ury. Here Is an Instance of a mea? sure of State-wide importance' being prostituted to tit the immediate needs Iof a school district in perhaps a half dozen counties. The problem of school finances alone offers immense opportunities to capable ami patriotic men in public life. The situation challenges the b.'.-i thought and the- ripest judgment of our lawmakers. Here is a golden opportunity for some man or set of men te> Tender to the State a se V vice second to nothing in statecraft. Candidates for membership in the general assembly, what definite, feas? ible, sound ami comprehensive plans have you to offer to those whom you wish to represent? Gentlemen, i' you have anything worthy te. offer, you ma) expeel -e ine opposition but you may expect the intelligent sup? port of discerning men. The next article will deal with school organization. The ItoH Democratic President? Darlington News and Press, Wilson is already astounding the big political me n of the country with his knowledge of leadership. He Is going to be the h< <t president Co Democrats ha\e> ever elected, and will rank with Wnshln#rton nnd Jeffer? son, VISITORS AT BROGDOX. Farm Work Xot as Heavy as it Was?Houaekeepera I aiming Fruit. Brogdon, July Ji*.?Urs. C. E. Jonei of Newberry Is visiting her daughter. Mrs. J. Clinton Brogdon. Misses, Mabel Froctor. of Charleston and Beulab Register of Georgia, ar? rived yesterday morning to spend some time with the family of Mr. J. I. Brogdon. Misses Lecsle and Fstelie Jones are entertaining quite a number of their frlende this week. Mr. Lee Jones of Columbia is at home for a week's stay. Miss Johnny Bteadhsm of Dawson, Ga., has been the guest ol Miss Ella Lawrence for several weeks past. Mr. William Brogdon is in Annis ton, Ala., this week, having gone there as a member of the Sumter Light Infantry. Rev. Mr. Booth preaches at Gra? ham Baptist church ever} Sabbath morning to large and appreciative audiences. Mr. and Mrs. Booth have been joined recently by their two sons from Tennessee. The high temperature of the past week has been very severe on horses and mules and three or four deaths have been a dirct result of the heat. The busy season with farmers is about over, the crops being laid aside to await the resul * Picnics, parties and \isiting seem o be the order of the day with the young peo? ple, while house keepers are taking advantage of the quantity of fruit and vegetables and are busily engag? ed in canning and preserving. Mrs. J. A. Blackwell? who has canned be? tween two and three hundred quarts of fruit has taken the prize. It is readily conceded that the honors are hers. The residence of Mr. Allard Brog? don, which has been under course of construction for several months past Is now completed. This commo? dious residence with its numerous verandas and tall trees hovering above with their flowing branches, and little streams wending from an an artesian well nearby present to the passersby a scene most pleasant and restful. BECKER CHARGED WITH MUR? DER. Police Lieutenant Held in K??seilthai Killing Case. New York, July 29.?Sensational developments in the investigation of the murder of Herman Rosenthal, the gambler, came with a rush tonight, when Police Lieut. Charles Becker, ac c used by Rosenthal as his partner in a gambling game, was arrested ac? cused of participation in the killing and forced to plead at once to a cnarge of murder in the first degree. Beck? er was arraigned before Judge Mul* queen, who had convened the Court of General Sessions at night for the purpose, and pleaded not guilty. He was remanded to the Tombs. The arrest of Becker came as a se? quel to the summoning together of the grand jury late today, a conference between District Attorney Whitman and Harry Vallon, ' Hridgie' Webber and Jack Rose, three of the men un* der arrest in connection with the case, and their attorneys, and the appear? ance of several other witnesses before the grand jury. Becker was arrested on a charge of extortion at the Bath gate avenue police station in the Bronx, where he has been on duty. At the time no inkling of the more serious charge to be placed against him was given. Meanwhile, the grand jury, which was then in session, had voted the murder indictment. The po? lice lieutenant, who had been suspend? ed by Commissioner Waldo after his arrest, was hurried before Judge Mul? sinen and through his attorney en? tere?! the plea of not guilty. Moving to Sumter. Camden Chronicle. Mr. a. YV. Smith, who has been conducting n garage .automobile and general repair Shop is preparing to move his enure outfit to Sumter. where he will engage in the same Ine of business. Messrs Dickson, Beard and Scuy ler who have been with him in the past will accompany him. The Sumter Yard? Florence Times. The Atlantic Coast Line Is putting in water mains and otherwise equip? ping the new fr< bt yard it Sum? ter. and for the p irpose Mr. C. Jj. Johnson of this cit> has been going over to the Harne Cock city each da> for a while superintending the work. The new yard In Sumter Is to be ? big thing for the business of that im portanl junction. Then were n number of people, good citizens, too, nil of them, who were lamenting the fad that they could not V< te In the election be? cause thej had not registered, slor si: Don't forget ; i register next tlm?.