Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SMITH WORKS VOR f? SENATOR SMITH HKCVRE8 AN AMENDMENT TO BILL. South Carolinian Pushes Provision to Meet Planter*' N>ed for Long Time Loans?Approvetl by Caucus. Washington, Dec 18.?Following the line of thought developed in hit recent speech upon the tloor of the senate on the pending currency bill, Senator Smith of South Carolina last night in the Democratic caucus In? sisted that the farmers should have a six months' note upon which federal reserve notes might be Issued. He continued the tight today and suc? ceeded in securing a majority of the Democratic senators to bac< him up In his tight in behalf of an amend? ment to the currency bill which he has prepared and which Is as follows "Provided, That notes, drafts and bills drawn or Issued for agricultural purposes having a maturity not ex? ceeding six months may be discount? ed In an amount to be limited to a percentage of the capital ot the fed? eral reserve bank to be ascertained and flxed by the federal reserve board." This amendment, which was adopt? ed by the caucus tonight, will be of? fered upon the floor of the senate to? morrow and will be incorporated In the now banking law. Senator Smith, ol course. Is very much gratified at the outcome of his labor* Tonight he said: "This amendment puts the farmers where their business Is recognised as of equal Importance la the financial system of the country with the prime commercial papers of other business, such as the notes, drafts and bills of merchants, miners and those of the socalled business world. Under the terms of this provision, farmers' notes, bills and draft* Issued for ag? ricultural purposes, are avsllable at the reserve bank for a note issue on the same footing as provided for s 90 day paper. In other words In a. case of money stringency or panic threatened, this paper can be used for deposit with the regional bank and upon It federal reserve notes may be issued for the purpose of meeting ths emergency. Thus you will see, It put the farmers' notes, bills and drafts upon exactly the same footing, an an asset upon which capital may be real tsed by the farmer, as the prlmo commercial paper of the other branches of business In the financial world, and for a period of six month*" After the caucus adjourned, Sen? ator Owen. In charge of the bill, said that In accordance with the resolution submitted last night by Senator Smith and his plea for It in the caucus that the committee has now reconsidered section 13 and will accept the amend? ment quoted above. AN HONEST PRIMARY. The Item will publish a . w a:tlc'.cv under the above captain written by * member of the legislature. They are strictly non-partisan end point out the charge* nei**asury to eliminate fraud without taking the ballot away from any South Carolina Democrat. The art lob?? are In no way inspired by any candidate tor office, and none know ol their preparation. They are designed solely to assist the mase of Democratic primary voters to clean house. mils to this end will be acted on In the .next legislature and our reader* are ot course interested' If. the subjeet ut this particular time. A Great lust Union Menaced, RvOfJ lover of pure democracy must rejolee In those features of our primary system thst give every true Democrat in South Carolina the right to vote whether he be rich or poor, learned or Illiterate. Perhaps no wkher* else in the world is there such uii versal white manhood suffrage. The problem Is to mak?* the vote pur?, hs well as free. No matter who the voter is he doee not wai.t hla vote killed hy the ballot of some repeater or outsider. What use is It for one county to be honest when some other practices wholes*!* fraud f or for you to vote once wh? n others are voting twice? l>eed<?n Hum to be (?uarded. To #eeeeS OS a remedy we must flrst find evaetly where the trouble lien. I am going \n ntt#? some in? stances. S-e It you ,\u ?, f aar???- that the fsuit hi twofold, tirst with vou and m* ami the rent sjs! the rank and Ab? who h.ive been sawUllag to i?? put to the IfOJtjbte Of Obeying even !h?- In. h** rul?-s \v?< h e .v nnd then With the** rules whieh are so pspfh r\r raneed that th* most seessslentloui ejeetsosi managers arc helpless where voters get "'it to ttefej) IrtHtan?***. ' Iber?? mav ha* l??>.-n some minor Irregularities in Ihlg eounty. hut v*. believe that ?t w gfl R f.nr slSOtlOW far us.< ounty Ii uOfceemsd," re? ported on?> county ' hairman le the m V*ntigatin*; rommltU'e a year ug?? u,. ?ddM however! i round that tn**; chit. !????? hl?| dlOSftNSlred Our r*>m milter has Rul tfn I de to locate them." Ottt night some oiu had stolen the records from the ballot boxes. A fa? miliar device of Tammany thug* In the good old days practiced right here in a farming county of South Carolina. The chairman was honet \ and sincere though, when he called this a "minor Irregularity" for every one of ua who has anything to do; with our election management s^es rules so violated on every hand that only downright bribery Is considered serious. Vote Early or Not at All. In another important county it is no uncommon thing for a voter to ' nd m going to the polls that some one has already cast a ballot In his name. Friends who had this ex? perience laughed to me about it as a part of the regular order of things, remarking, "next time we must be at the polls when they are opened." i ox? ? utlve committee called on the party authorities from that county for a report on the elction and tiie reply was "no irregularities o >nd." There, so mild a term as "irregularity" is too harsh a name for the most flagrant frauds and ev? erything goes. Why Rules Among Friends? In still another big county the lo? cal executive committee found among other "irregularities" that Men were allowed to vote whose names were not enrolled on the club irts; At one box 128 names were found after a most searching examination to be fictitious; The average of the poll lists of all the county boxes showed from 10 to 16 per cent that could not be identi? ed; At other boxes 240 names of actual persons were found apparently io havo voted from two to five times; and after making allowances for a possible proportion as proper a large number were seen to be repeaters; In s very few instances was the lub rcil certified to; Hv?d:inders were called in by man agers to assist in counting the bal lois, one oi whom did destroy or at? tempt to destroy tickets: Managers of election were net sworn and other voters took no oaths: \et t his committee in summing up spoke of these things as ''nuineroas i egularltles," but found no evldenco of fraud. Sunuaarlxod In Another Way. Managers omit to take the honesty obligating oath the party rules re? quire. Disregarding the rules thev allow mem to vote whose names are not on .or pol. lists; Thea* voters and others cast their allots without swearing an U their qu*i location; though the rules de? mand t v oath; Uncertified poll lists vlth dead neti'w rumes by the score and scores cf other men who had moved away a mi en on loose sheets of paper snd in old books years ago, were used. ?<ut mind you, the party rules re , uro each list to be certified tu by che officers of the clubs. Where Wo Are At. I The Instances might be multlpled, but sufficiently illustrates the free ind easy condition we have reached, when the moat glaring infractions of party ruleit are neld in tho highest quarters to be merely irregularities and that do not Impair the integrity of the oleci.lon. Who to lllauto'* Don't blame the manager*. AH of us are to blame. For years we ha* e shouted frcm the house tops. "It la better that ten dishonest men should vote than that one honest man bo' deprived." We have tolerated and in? sisted on these lax rules and laxer ntorcemenia until any man can vote be he resident or non-resident, over' age or uncier age, whether he ban voted before ten times or not at all. A Remedy. Does it not seem to you that tho time has come for um to replace this looso system that leaks like a sieve j at evory point by a law that will b? short definite and carry penalties? I have r o bill to present of my j own but U.ter will furthe rdescribe Legislator, the way frauds are carried out so you can see how to atop tho lanks. violktn for VOTES. IVejmtli'ul Woman Distributes FlOWOTB Among Deputies. Farls, Dec. 18?A beautiful woman, laden with \iolct.s. Styling hcrsel l*Lady Lillian Qlennworth, pa l!l< suffragettes' entered the lobby ?i the chamber ol deputies tins Afternoon and gave Mowers to those deputies willing t?? add their names t<> her "ont million signatures" petition for WO? sjtajl auftrage. "Accept these Violets," she said, thev will make you forget the vlo lencs nl my misguided sisters." Hi van (.(mn to Winter Home. Washington4, Der. i&. Secretary Bryan leaves tonight for a weeks visit hla winter home al Miami. Fia. He will atop it Agftgvtttt and Jaek senvtlle ean?nl ? 10 IMPROVE RAILWAY MISE. SEVENTY-SIX SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENTS DC III NU YEAR AND 283 KILLED AND 1,880 WOUNDED. Officiate Fail in Many Instances to Enforce Rules?Seventy-four Per; Cent of Accidents Due to Mistakes, of Employes?Automatic and Safe? ty Devices Should be Required ? Should Use Only Steel Cars?Com? mission Should Control Capitaliui-; tion of Railroads. Washington, Dec. 19.?' Condition* disclosed by its investigation of train accidents have confirmed the con? clusions stated by the Commission in its last annual report to the congress and emphasized the need of further action by the Federal government to provide greater safety for travellers and employees upon railways. "During the year ending June 3uth, 1913, a total of 76 train accidents were investigated by the commission. These accidents comprise fifty-one collisions and twenty-five derailments, an 1 caused the death of two hundred and eighty-three persons and the in? jury of one thousand eight hundred and eighty perHons. The collisions in? vestigated were responsible for two hundred and twenty-one deaths, and OAS thousand one hundred and seven? ty-four injuries, an the derailments caused sixty-two deaths and seven hundred and six Injuries. "The evidence also is that in many cases operating officers are cogni? zant of this habitual disregard of rules, and no proper steps are tak? en to correct the evil. Many operat? ing ojBtoerg seem to proceed upon the theory that their responsibility ends with the promulgation of rules, ap? parently overlooking the lact that no matter how inherently good a rule may be, It is of no force unless it is obeyed. On very many railroads there is little or no system of Inspeb tlon or supervision of th? work ol train service employees so far an per? tains to those matters which vitally ? fleet safety. Employees are not ex? amined on the operating rules except; at the time of their promotion, and only the most perfunctory efforts are made to determine their fitness to Perform the duties assigned to them. This is the severe Indictment against the railroads of the United States found by the Interstate Commerce Commission in its annua, report which was made public today. While not sparing the employees of the roads, the commission at the same time flays the officials as primarily to blame for the men's failures. About seventy-four per cent of the serious accidents investigated were due to the mistakes of employees but on this the commision comments: "The auditing and checking sys? tems used for detecting the dishonesty of employees are marvels of ingen? uity and careful attention to detail, but means of determining whether trains are operated in accordance with the requirements of safety and in conformity with the rules are al? most entirely lacking. Road fore? men are employed to supervise the work of englnemen and to instruct ' them In their duties, but such super? vision and instruction pertain main? ly to matters affecting the proper working of engines so as to econ? omise in the use ot :!uei, oil, and oth? er supplies; instruction on the rules Is either entirely neglected or made secondary to matters of economy. To end the dangerous condition ex? isting the commis8icn renews its de? mand for Federal legislation, re- I quiring explicit and uniform opcrat- j ing rules, and assurance that em-; ployess all understand them. It also urges the universal iustal- j latlon of automatic safety devices. In fourteen accidents due to failures to I obey block signals seven of the cul- j pablo englnemen were killed. "Tho I trains Involved in these lamentable; disasters," says the report, "are gen orally operated by trusted employes, of long experience. But the record i abundantly proves that even splen dd signal equipment can not prevent tho occaalonal man failures which produce fatal results." For this rea-j son, tho Commission thinks automatic! devices are necessary. It also con demni the high speed at which the, railroads require englnemen to oper? ate trains, ami the practice of trying to make up lost time. It asks that speedometers be Installed In engines, that englnemen may know when they are exceeding o safe limit of speed. QreoI emphasis m laid on the ne? cessity ot forcing the substitution of steel and steel underfratne cars foi those of wooden construction. Leg? islation! the report .states, should he enacted prohibiting the use of wooden ears In high speed through train ser? vice after a Certain date. The law should also provide, tho commission sa>h, that all new cith constructed after a certain date be made entire |y of steel or of steel undorfranm construction of approved design. The commission laments the mci that when a train disaster happens. it ean only Investigate, find ths onuses, ind make recommendations as toi ihmiih for remedying the fault v een-j ?itloni, 'relying upon the force of public opinion to bring aouut the necessary reforms." There is also particular need for an investigation of steel rails and car wheels, faults which cause many accidents. The work of the commission has Increased to such an extent that the | commissioners cun no longer take the time to hold hearings at other places than Washington. Details of the increases for the year in the va? rious departments are given. In the prosecutions under the criminal pro? visions of the Elk ins act there has been a falling off, only one verdict of guilty being secured. On this the commission comments: "The number of indictments re? turned and prosecutions concluded, as well as the aggregate amount of fines recovered, for violation of the act during the past year are less than for the previous year. The val u ' ii i and criminal laws gen? erally is to be measured by the peace, order and security of society resulting from their observance rather than by the amount of punishment for their infraction. Tested by this standard the year's showing indicates a grati ! fying tendency among carriers and shippers alike to understand and con? form to the law. Not only is it true i that the vigorous enforcement of the I Elkins and Hebpurn Acts have dls J couraged willful violations of the j rights declared by these laws, but it j has also called to the attention of well-intending railroad officials and shippers the inherent wrong involved i in practices which were but a few y.-arH ago prevalent." The report descrbes a number of [ ingenius ways in which carriers are attempting to com nue rebating. The i courts n* w show a disposition to con I strue the Elkins Act in such a way as to make rebating and the grant? ing of concessions punishable, how? ever ingenious may have been the , levice employed to defeat the pub d raten. The commission de? mands the right to examine the cor ? sp ndence files and all other docu? ments of the railroads, as well as the account books declaring that only by >uch means may all the cases of vio? lations of the act be disclosed. The commission tells of its efforts j to prevent the railroads from con? cealing their true condition by Im? proper accounting for depreciation. "During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1913, 195 employees were killed and 3,361 employees were injured while coupling and uncoupling cars. The corresponding figures for the preceding fiscal year were 192 and 3,234, respectively. Casualties caus? ed by collisions with overhead and side obstructions and falling from and getting on and off cars resulted in 721 deaths and 18,257 injuries to ?mployees. The corresponding fig? ures for last year were 704 deaths and 15,721 injuries. The commission asks that it be relieved of its present duties in con? nection with the parcel post sys? tem. It also asks that the lengths of time within which carriers and ship? pers may begin actions for charges or damages be increased and advis? es a provision in the Interstate Com? merce Act that a carrier which fails to demand payment of charges for any service in the transportation of property within the period of 90 days from the time of the delivery of the shipment be deemed guilty of giving rebate to the shipper. It asks that a new building be provided for it in Washington, that suits to enforce or set aside its orders be brought under its supervision instead of under su? pervision of the Department of Jus? tice, and that the commission bo au? thorized to make orders respecting the construction and maintenance of the physical properties of railroads engaged in Interstate commerce and rules governing their use. Other recommendations include the control of railway capitalization by the commission, a uniform classi? fication for the country, and tho changing of the penalties for viola? tions of the hours of Borvlce act. HASTEN ACTION* OX CURRENCY. BUI Will Probably bo Passed Tills Afternoon. Washington, Dec. 19.?Administra? tion leaders In the senate today are hastening action on the currency bill. It expected to pass the bill this af? ternoon. The conference committee la expected to report back by Monday. An nmendment by t!rawford per? mitting member banks to bud one third ", theli til i-- deposits on farm lands was accepted by Democrats In the final skirmishing on the currency ill ibis afternoon. FKDERAL8 M.I l> AMMUNITION. Btippl) on Hand Not BlilHcloltl to Flc alat Attack .Mexico City, Dee There is a grave ammunition shortage at the capital today. It Is said that the sup? ply is Insufficient to resist a concert? ed attack upon the city. Five hun? dred Federals deserted In the State of Morelos today and are Joining the TSapatastas. mn mm puce pun. REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NETHERLANDS SIGNS TREATY. Calls for Investigation of All Dls- i putes Between the Two Coun? tries When Matter Cannot Be Set tl< <1 by Diplomacy. Washington, Dec. 18.?Secretary Bryan and Chevalier van Rappard, the Netherlands' minister, today sign? ed a treaty providing that any 4ues tion between the two nations which can not be settled by diplomacy shall be submitted for investigation to an international commission of five mem? bers. The period of invetigation is tixed at one year, although it may be shortened. This is the first treaty between the United States and a European nation bused upon Secretary Bryan's peace plan. Similar treaties have been ne? gotiated with five Central American nations and it is planned to sign one with the Dominican Republic tomor? row. The American-Netherlands conven? tion generally embodies the principles j of Secretary Bryan's; plan to bring! to an end warfare between the na? tions of the world, but it differs in some details from similar pacts al? ready signed. There is no provision in it for nhe maintenance of the status quo as to military and naval preparations during the period of in? vestigation. Mr. Bryan today point? ed cut that he considered this feature nonessential, acceptance of the prin? ciple of Investigation being the key? note of the plan. In negotiating the treaty, Mr. Bryan made a ?dight concession to the Neth *-rlan<!.- In the matter of the appoint? ment of the fifth member of the per? manent international commission to be chosen by common agreement be tween the two governments, it being understood that this member shall not be a citizen of either country. The previous treaties do not make this limitation. The treaty, like tho others, is to run for five years and remain in force until one of the signing parties has (iven notice to terminate it. The in? ternational commission must be ap? pointed within six months after the exchange of the ratification. While none of the peace treaties has been ratified by the senate as yet, Secretary Bryan said this was due to the press of business and that he ex? pected to encounter no difficulty whon the pacts are reached by the upper house. MACKAY OPPOSES IT. Objects to Government Telephone and Telegraph Proposal. New York, Dec. 18.?Clarence H. Mackay, president of the Mackay com? pany, today said of Postmaster Gen? eral Burleson's indorsement of the principle of government ownership of telephone and telegraph lines: "The postmaster general is mis taken in his idea that phone com? panies are subject to the post road act of congress of 1866. The supreme court of the United States in the Rich? mond case (174 U. S., 761) held that they are not. In denominating the tel ??graph business as being monopolistic j in its nature, he is also mistaken. If here ever has been more continuous, keen and even bitter competition than that between the Postal and the West 'in Union I would be pleased to know when and where. "The money question, however, is the main question. Nine hundred mil? lion dollars would not be a look in. The Bell Telephone companies alone j would demand more than that. Then 'hero are the thousands of independ-1 ?nt telephone companies and farm- j er8' lines scattered all over the coun try, The entire bill, including tele? graph lines, would be about $2,000,-i 000,000, which is about two-thirds of. the national debt at the close of tho Civil war when many Intelligent men despaired of the solvency of the re? public. Nor is this the worst. Judging from English experience, that vast sum would bo entirely lost, because under government management the operating expenes year by year would exceed the income." TO IsDEMIFY FOREIGNCRS. Gen. v illa Investigating Damages In Chihuahua. Junrez, Dec. 19.?A dispatch re? ceived from Chihuahua today states that General Villa has appointed a committee to investigate the amount of damages suffered by foreign resi d( nta since the Constitutionalists ook the city and all will be Idemnt fled. lie dec lared thai the Spaniards were expelled to save their own lives. PRESIDENT SEEKING REST. Will Select Some Place on Gulf of Mexico. Washington, Dec .19.?Pass Ohri? tlan and Gulf Port, Miss., are being i Considered by the president today as a it-tit in,, place during his coming southern trip. It is practically cer? tain that he will select some Diane! ?h the Qulf ot Mexico. KEN LEY COAST LINE'S HEAD. Third Vice President Succeed** Kmer son?Wilmington to he Headquar? ters of New Chief. New York, Dec. 18.?J. R. Kenley, third vice president of the Atlantic Coast Line itailroad company, was today elected president of tie com? pany, succeeding the late T. M Emer? son. Mr. Kenley s headquarters will remain at Wilmington, N. C. OFFICER MANY YEAH 9. Now President IIa? Been Long In Service. Wilmington, N. C, Dec. : .?J. R. Kenley, who today was elected presi? dent of the Atlantic Coast Line Rail? road company, has been an officer of the road for the past 31 years, more recently as third vice president in charge of operation. He was burn near Baltimore in 1847 and became civil engineer of the Pittsburgh St onnellsville railroad, now a part of the Baltimore St Ohio, in 1868. He was one of the engineers of the. Union railroad in Baltimore in 1871 and assisted in the construction ot ?he Union tunnel entering that city, lit 1882 he had engineering duties with the Richmond and Petersburg l'i Richmond, Va., later becoming superintendent of the railroad, which i-Xtei wards became a part of the At? lantic Coast Line system. He was appointed superintendent of trans? portation in 1885, assistant general manager in 1891 and general man? ager in 1895. WILSON TO TAKE A HOLIDAY. Will Take Three Weeks' Rest on Coast of Gulf of Mexico. Washington, Dec. 18.?President Wilson will take a three weeks' vaca? tion immediately after he signs the currency bill, which is expected to be on Monday or Tuesday. Where he will go has not yet been announced, though it is said he and hid family will select a quiet spot on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico near New Or? leans. It will be the longest absence >t the president from the capital since he was inaugurated. There will be no New Year's reception at the White House as the president will be out of che city during the holidays. The president has been suffering from an attack of grip for nearly two weeks, but the announcement of his ntended vacation waa made some :me before he became DL His physl an had advised a halt in the pres? ent's labors, which have bees con? tinued without any material interrup? tion for practically a year. As preident-elect Mr. Wilson re? turned from a month's vacation in the Bermudas last December and in the ucceeding three months was und*r the double strain of his official cuUes .a governor of New Jersey and prep? aration for the presidency. Since tak ng office he has been in Washington almost constantly, being oocupud .ith the tariff, the currency ana the exican question, among other press? ing administration affairs. Inasmuch as the president intends to be away until January 12, the diplomatic reception planned for Jan? uary 6 will be postponed to the fol ? w ing week and the dates in the en ire social schedule of state dinners .nd receptions at the White House for he winter season will be revised. The president today was well n<>ugh to take a long automobile ride and en his return helped plant an , \merican elm in front of the White House. Tho president shoveled Vt#> , orously as if he enjoyed the exercise. crowd looked on. j During a recent storm the elm danted by President Hayes was de ro> ?d and its place is taken by the 'Wilson elm." MTTH NOT SEEKING MAYOR AXi No Candidate So Far Against Mayor Bryant or CouiKilmaa Yon Ohsen. Orangeburg. Dec. 18.?There la practically no change in the political situation brought about In this city by the filing of a recall petition against Mayor R, F. Bryant and Councilman Henry Von Ohsen. Sr., and the ordering, by Governor Bleane, of an election for December SO. It waa reported that Col. W. G. Smith, formerly an alderman under the old form of government, would >o a candidate against Mayor Bryant, vho has announced that he will make he race again, but Col. Smith states Bttively that he will not seek the of Ice. Councilman Von Ohsen is al?o without opposition so far in his ef? forts to retain the position to which ae was elected in September. When the election is held on De? cember 30 this city will have had two municipal contests within less than our months. One Killoil, Two Injured. Forsythe. O.a.. Dec. 19.?An auto? mobile was overturned near Smarria late toniaht and W. T. Amerson was killed and Robert Barfleld and leorgo At wood were injured. All ilv? at Maeon