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?TORY OF POIXSETTA. Ullful Khmer Brought to America by Joel It Polnsett. Joel R. Poinset, frequently men tloned in the article which follows, spent considerable time In - Ore**hvllle. The Polneett Spring, on the old Green vIlls-Hendersonvllle road was marked us a memorial to him. The Polnsett club was named In his honor. It was he who ?eelgncd the old Record build? ing, of Greenville. The closing years of his life were epent at 8ta ehurg. Sumter county, and there he died and was burled in the burying irround of the Church of the Holy Cross. Polnsettia. crimson flower of war, comm to us at the tide of Yule, to deck the house and set its ?low of good fellowship upon the hearth. It came to us from Mexico, long a land of strlfs. but its name Is fr?on that of an American statesman and warrior, and In the sharp, short strug? gle at Vera Cms It was reehristencd In the blood of a kinsman of Joel Roberta Polnsett, George Polnsett, of the United State, marines. The army under General Fu iston after Its long L occupation follawl g the Tampico in? cident returns to the United States. The earth Is still filled with war and the rumors of war, and fleets and ar mtee battle bj land and sea. The anrieh of shrapnel has taken the place of the Christmas carol and the , anew reals upon field and wold where only the dead -emaln. It la fitting fiat now the polnsettia Ufte Its starred flower and reveals its tropical oeduty In the bleak lauds in the north. It gruwa>In garden and In greenhouse throughout the United State? and at this season its petals are Imitated In paper to serve as dec? orations at Christmas. Tha legends ell that centuries ago the blood red flower wus borne by those who .vent as human sacri? fices to the alt* r* of the Astecs. And ytt as one gorn back o\er the ages there cornea to the mind the visions of the Druids in the fortsts of Eng? land gathering the mistlet and the holly with sick I 'S of gold to ?dorn the results to heat . m? deities at which their fellowmen were victims of inys tle rites. And may It not be that the red flower of war. the polnsettia. may find Its way Into the symbolism of a gentler age? This is a world of change and the seed of strife may bring forth fruits of peace. Flowm Once Was Carried by Victims of As tec Sacrifice. Ho* strangely the ways of the sage and the warrloi were blended in the personality of Joel Roberts Polnsett. who gave so much to the service of hie country and yet of whom his coun? try remembers comparatively so lit? tle? The Itilllng of hla kinsman, a young marine. In the attack on Vera Crus recalled for a time that tho name of Polnsett has figured in American annalM generations ago. but eooa the sugges Ion passed away and there are few ev-sn now who could off? hand recall the part which the dlsttn gnftehad publicist played In the de? velopment of our national ideals. Joel Roberts Poinset was an American of the highest type. who. In spite of many obstacles. ser\ed his country with an ardor which came to unswerving devotion to the cause of liberty. Hla descent was from the valiant defender* of Rochelle, the Huguenots, la hla blood was the brevet y of that earn* French race which today is fighting to drive the invader from its ?oil. He was born In 177? in Charles? ton. II. C. and after an eventful life *e came to the end of his days In the ?Mate of his nativity. Southern in his itympethl??. he came at an early age la contact with the more practical life ? ?f the north, for he received his edu? ction la Tlmoth> Dwlght'a school at Greenfield, Conn. Mr. Polnsett af? terwards studied at the universities in Kngland His inclination from the f ret, although he vvji frail in bidy vae toward the profession of arms. Eugene Hrimit. the distlngulMhed ? riter who recently brought to this country the greetings of the French academy, spoke only Igat month of ty? rants, great and small, and Aral he placed !n the Category the well mean Ing parent who fores his children Into occupations for v\hi? h they are unsulted because forsooth the father haa made up his mind that the son must be merchant or law > er or phy ateuwi. Just aa the Idea occurs to the mind of paternal authority. And ho of one of the great m. Iltary elm-ruins of the w ?rld If matters had worked out dtfferentl>' In another ape the blood red Mow?t might have adorned a coat of arms and been tho emblem of a race of warriors It came to pass then that Joel Ko belts Polnsett de voted hlmnelf to the law until his health gave way and he was sent on ? Mir of the world by his father, lb K> traveled extensively in Europe and Asuv visiting main lands and pt < p|< who were not then In the beaten racks of travel. It was In these years ?f pilgrim ige he obtained tb.it wlh knowledge of men and affair* so us fill to hlrr In later year*. Ills lin? guistic uccompllahmsnte?for h learned to apwuk numerous luuguaae and dialects with fluency?mude him welcome not only In the courts of Bu rope bu in the remote parts of Asia. He been me the friend and adviser of Tartars, he mingled with |hoCcOOmOkl of the Hon. he was received in the> courts of Cipungo und Cathay. An unottlcial ambassador, he brought to many u land Ute kn )W.edge of the l'nited W\$ es and W|| received as a typical American citi/.en. Ol account of his wide learning and varied ac? complishments he been me a welcome -Must at the Russian court In Petro? grad, and there is to be found In his reminiscences a deligtv ful account of a dinner at which he was the guest of feted him I commission in the army In which he was contemplating mak? ing changes of organization and per? sonnel. The turn of affairs at home and the illness of hi* father com P< I his return to the l'nited States. After the estate of tfcd elder Poln sett hn< been settled he applied to President Madison for military em- j ployment and was about to become i quartermaster general of the army j when the secretary of war Interfered. I .Mr. I'olnsett was Mini intrusted with the delicate diplomatic mission of finding out what wan the state or the South Amerlcun republics, which a century ago were engaged in their struggle for .independence against the might of Spain. Although he was there as so ambassador. Mr. Polns. tc was none th?3 less obliged tc? be a man of action. He wan in Chill when the Spanish representatives In Peru be? lieving that hostilities had broken out between the l'nited States and Spain seised se eral merchant vessels of this country. A force then marched into Chilian ISSjIb-IJ and at. Talcahuano captured several other American craft. Here sjsgg the opportunity for the born solc'ier who hitherto had been prevented by whims of destiny from following his natural bent. The new republic if Chill placed under the command of Polnsett I large force of men who attacked the Spaniards, and recaptured all the vessels. He was In Valparaiso in 1814 to.vard the close of the War of 1812 between the Unit? ed States and Great Britain, when the American man of war Essex came to that region after a remark? able career as a commerce destroyer In th? Pacific to be destroyed by the superior strength of the Phoebe and the Cherub. Mr. Polnsett wished to return home but he was regarded as a dangerous character by the British. They refused to permit him to be sent back on the Essex, Jr., on which some American officers were being returned to New York on parole. He therefore made the adventurous crossing of the Andes and landed in this country too late to offer his ser? vices for war. peace having been declared. Civic affairs engaged his attention for many years to como. He was elected to the United States house of representatives from his native South Carolina, and became interested in public highways and other extensive schemes for internal Improve? ment. Mr. Polnsett went in 1S22 on an im? portant special mission to Mexico dur? ing the ru!e of Iturblde and afterward wont thtjrs as the minister from the United State?. During one of the revolutionary outbreaks which for so many year* have been u fcuture of the life of the republic to the south, cer? tain prominent Mexican families took refuge In his house. He placed on the front of the building an American flag and. standing on the balcony, de fled the mob to harm Mm or the building, which was then under the protection of the flag, officials AcvilmsI lllm of Introducing Freemasonry. He became involved In i controver? sy with certain of the authorities in .Mexico who accused him of introduc? ing Freemasonry into the country. As a matter of fac,t. he had been asked by certain Freemasons in Mexico to send to the Grand I xulge in the State of New York for charters for their lodges and this he did. Ol his re? turn to the l'nited States Mr. Coin sett wrote a vigorous pamphlet in de? fense of his action. An intens?' federalist in his sympa t lies, he gave loyal adherence to the national government when bis own South Carolina uas the hotbed of nul? lification notation, lie became the leader of the Union party there. It is said that he secretly developed a powerful military urgani/.. tloi widt h vNas ready on short notice to defend tl e cai.se if the I'nnm (Jcneral Jaeksoa, then president of the United States, gave him authority to k< t urns mill ammunition from the gov? ernment arsenal ami the tradition is that he even bad a commission of oaloool in the regular armj. The following administration sae him secretnr) ?>f war of the United st it. s. His Influence In that office asides to tins day, Mi Polnsot I brought .ib.?ut a radical reorganise ti? n of artillery arm of t ie service ..ml lm \ ? especial attention In Ihe de? reiopment of Held better!**', His ree? ommendatlorj to congress In IMS that all Mates of tin run ii bavi ihelf mi? litia reorganised under federal super* vision wan far in advance of bis time, The Km pet Of of Russia of There arc mans things' hi the Nation? ai guard organisation of the present day, however, which wan largely due to the reeommcndalone of Mr. Point sett, His last public office hud been tilled when he dossil hla portfolio of war. The rest of his lifo, winch was given sq much to action and still more to grggt schemes which were always on i the VSrge of action, was spent in stu dlous retiremen at Btateeburg where hi died on Sep.ember 1J, 1151, Ho took interest still In public affairs and v as one of the most earnest oppo? nents of the wa ' with Mexico. His garden in the South nave him much pleasure and there it was thai he cultivated the beautiful red (lower he brought prom Mexico and to which! his fellow botanists gave the name of 1 jPolntsettia pulcherrlma.The popular? ity of this Rower for decorations of j tills season of the year has been steadily growing and at the present time there are few who think of its Mexican origin, and regard it as a plant, indigenous to this country. To the scholar, the antiquarian and the scientist the name of Polnsett J means much, for he was one of the j founders of the National Museum at 'Washington and gave to it a most val? uable collection. His discourse on the j "Promotion of Science," delivered on the first anniversary of the opening, in 1S41, is a document which is quot? led to this day. Mr. Poinsett was also the founder of the academy of line arts at Charleston, which existed for I i several years. There are in existence ; many of his unpublished papers be 1 sides his "Notes on Mexico," which have an important bearing on our national life. Columbia University, of New York city, conferred upon him the degree of doctor of laws. And from the career of the publicist and the statesman we go to the all too short one of a grand-nephew George I Poinsett, of the United States marines, over whose body at the Brooklyn Navy Yard only a few months ago the president ol the United States spoke words of eulogy, Thus it is 'that tine American traditions, intelli? gent zeal in the performance of duty and devotion to the cause of the coun? try are all expressed in the petals of poinsettia blood red flower of cour? age.?John YV. Harrington in New York Herald. UHU ES AID TO COTTON GROWERS Representative Henry Proposed lioan? From Reserve Hank*. Washington, Jan. 11.?Represen? tative Robert U Henry of Texas, act? ing u ion the suggestion that the new federal reserve banking system can be utilized to help relieve the dis? tressed business conditions in the South, today wrote a letter to the federal reserve board, urging it to au? thorize the reserve banks at Atlanta and Dallas to accept cotton ware? house reecipts for rediscount at the rate of 4 per cert, and for a period of six months frith the privilege of renewing for another six months. Mr. Henry points out that the pur? chasing power and debt-paying ability of the South are hampered and almost paralyzed at this time by the low price and slow moveme it of cotton. "As a war measure In this crisis brought on the S >uth by the shock? ing conditions in BUTOpe," asks Mr. Henry, "has not the federal reserve board the power to make a definition authorizing the discount of farmers* notes, so as to make available feder? al reserve notes to be loaned to the banks on cotton In accordance with the terms of 1 per cent, interest and for six months pe ioda? "If you can kind your way clear to pursue this course and make federal reserve notes available In thii way to the producer! of cotton on the terms outlined by mo, you will make it easy for the cotton farmer to pay his debts, t > ilnanOC hla needs during the year 141S and to feed and supply his fam? ily's wants during the year HUG. He can by this means pay his obligations incurred for last year, satisfy his mer? chants ami make arrangements for supplies during the present crop year ' COUNTY ELECTION INVALID. Greenwood Hoard Declares Against Met ormick. Greenwood, Jan. 12.? The Green? wood COUnty board of canvassers de? cided unanimously late this afternoon that the Met'ormick county election of I December 29 w us Illegal, The decision todl y was based on the grounds thai voters living in Troy, Callison, Bradley and Klrksey town? ships, territory Included In ihe new county, were refused the 1 iciit of suf? frage, and thai their votes would have Changed the result I nd they been per milted to rote, The board also held lhal six Illegal votes were east. Twelve affidavits were made on I Hit || Sides of t he e aitost. Attorneys ;'"i ihe new count) will lake an appeal to ihe State board *>( ca n\ nsscrs, I ?0? ha 11. Ala., Jan, 12, -1 la If of t he business portion of he town of Cut tonwood was burned bist night, BAD YEAR VOR JOHN BARLEY? CORN, story of llio Bloodless Revolution Which Mus Boen Uotllg on in The United Staler. Washington, Jun. l-.--Twenty years ago, sixteen million persons w ere liv- j ing in "dry" territory in the l'nited States. State-wide prohibition was in effect In three states. Elsewhere it was regarded as a doubtful experi? ment, Nation-wide prohibition was unthought Of then. Today, 75 per cent of the square miles of area of the United States is "dry." More than forty-nine million persons are living In "diy" territory. State-wide prohibition has been estab? lished In fourteen of our forty-eight States, Elsewhere the people of many towns, townships and counties have decided to dispense wit it the traffic in alcoholic beverages, under local op? tion. The movement for nation-wide prohibition has attained such strength that it is recognized ns one of the greatest issues before the country. For the first time-in history the question has been voted on in congress, a ma? jority of members of the house going on record in favor of the now-famous Hobeon resolution, for an amendment to the federal constitution prohibiting (the manufacture, importation and sale of all intoxicating beverages. Such, in brief, is the story, of the bloodless revolution which has been going on in the l'nited States?the wonderful change in public opinion which will eventually make the entire j country dry. It Is not the result of any increased moral wave. The power which is working for the total aboli? tion of the alcohol traffic does not rest in the hands of dreamers, fanatics or cranks. The foes of alcohol who are delivering the most effective blows are no long-haired, goggle-eyed reformers , such as used to be pictured In the I comic sheets. The men and women I who make the nation are back of this ! movement?big employers, manufac? turers] mechanical men, farmers, storekeepers, railroad men?all think? ing men and women In every walk of life, who know that the drinking of intoxicants destroys energy, shortens life and is a burden upon American citizenship, filling poorhouses, prisons, hospitals and insane asylums. There is no prejudice about it. There are good men who use intoxicants. The tight is not against them but against the interests which make it possible for them to get the poison and which exploit them, taking advantage of hu? man nature and capitalizing unnatural appetite. Brewers and Distillers Quit. Stock in brewery and distillery com? panies can hardly be given away since the national house of representaives took its vote on the prohibition resolu? tion. Some of the most prominent con? cerns arc going out of business, having seen the handwriting on the wall. Things have changed In congress. For a long time the liquor interests did not feel that it was necessary to maintain lobbyists in Washington. No attention was paid to the lirst resolu? tion for nation-wide prohibition .when i j it was introduced some years ago. While efforts were made from time to time to compel interests on the part of the law-makers, the resolutions al? ways went back to the pigeonhole. But the nation-wide movement steadily gained force until there was no escap? ing it The majority which was ob? tained in the house test last week, 197 to 189 votes, exceeded even the expec? tations of the anti-saloon forces, though as a two-thirds vote was neces? sary for passage, it will not be possi? ble to submit the question to tin States this year. It will come up again at the next session and within a few years the amendment to the constitu? tion is certain to be adopted by the States. Delay cannot help the selfish interests concerned, for every year in? creases the popular opposition to the t raffia The majority of the people of this country have banished the saloons from their neighborhoods. Saloons are now concentrated In the cities, and In the toughest parts of the big cities. The breweries and distilleries have more barrooms in New York city than there are In thirty-six ol the states, ami more In Chicago than In all the territory south of Mason and Dixon's line. Tin? congressmen who voted against the Hobson resolution were from the large cities, where the rich brewers and distillers have their "United Societies" ami hold the bal? ance of political power. .lames R, Mann, the Republican l< ader of the house, says he is personally opposed to the liquor traffic, but would not vote for the resolution in its present form. (He is from a big eitj and be "duck? ed.") Democratic Leader Cnderwood I championed the opposition to the res? olution. He bad received the full support of the brewers and distillers In his race for the senate, DIsastroiiN Year for Trutlk*. There Pas never been ;i year as dis? astrous |o thi- liquor ti'iiflic as was IUI I, the world o\m r. Complete prohi? bition was adopted by live States ? Arlxonn, Colorado, Oregon, Washing? ton and v irginia. The newly-elected legislatures of n number of the other tutes are Mdry." Prohibition under ocal option laws has been steadily 'rowing and Ihe sentiment of the peo? ple as expressed at the election la a rood Indication of what will happen when the question of national prohi? bition is finally submitted. In Ken? tucky, one of the greatest whiskey producing states of the Union, loof the i 20 counties now prohibit the sale j of liquor. Nearly all the big industries of the country are working for prohibition. \ The industrial insurance movement has been a big factor. The cost sys tem which all large corporations use has shown that workm n who drink handicap themselves as well as their employers. Health authorities, city and State, are taking an active part in the campaign. Recently the North Carolina board of health passed a res- I olution condemning the use of all in? toxicants on the ground that alcohol is Inimical to the public health. The Order of Railroad Employes at its an? nual convention at Reading, Pa., the other day passed a resolution, favor? ing all legislation, State or national, which has a tendency to prohibit the manufacture or sale of intoxicat? ing liquors. The most sweeping attack the liquor business has had came from Russia, where at one stroke the manufacture and sale of vodka and other alcoholic i drinks w as suppressed, w ith results that have been astonishing. Not only has mobilization of the Russian army been more complete, but conditions of life and health and business through? out Russia have improved immediate? ly. Franco has suppressed the absin? the traffic and is considering whether it would not be a wise thing to do the same with other alcoholic drinks. Last spring the German Kaiser de? clared that his people ought to give up the use of intoxicants and said he would head the movement by giving it up himself. The destructive prop? erties of alcoholic drinks have been brought to the attention of all British soldiers by means of posters signed by the nation's foremost medical men and military authorities. The \ctlon which all the governments have tak? en to keep intoxicants from their men. because of the war. may result in a great world movement to pro? hibit the manufacture, importation, sale and offering of alcoholic bever? ages among the people of all civ ilized countries. In peace and war, John Barleycorn has fallen out of favor. Wherever the problem of waste and loss of life is seriously considered, the trarfic in alcoholic drinks is doomed. Common sense is bound to win in the end. ACREAGE REDUCTION. Columbia, Jan. 14.?The repeal of the cotton acreage reduction act, passed by the extraordinary session of the general assembly in October, is provided in two bills introduced in the house yesterday. The authors of the repeal measures are Mr. Moore of Abbeville and Mr. Dixon of Faiiiield. The cotton acreage reduction act penalizes the planting in cotton this spring of more than two-thirds of the total acreage devoted to all crops by any individual, including grain crops sown last fall. BLIZZARD IN EAST. New York, Jan. 13.?A sleet storm and high winds are sweeping the North Atlantic coast today. Two lives are reported lost in the vicinity of New York. The sea is lashed to fury and shipping is being damaged. Boston, Jan. 13.?Shipping Is crip? pled by a sleet ?ale and land traffic Is impeded by heavy snow today. The Fall River steamer Plymouth put in New London today account of heavy storm. A number of small craft have been driven ashore. News Froni Manning. ' Manning Times. j The Clarendon legislative delega? tion met with the commissioners last Wednesday for the purpose of, get? ting information regarding the finan? cial condition of the county, and found the affairs in such shape that it will not be necessary to increase the tax levy. * * e Notwithstanding the efforts of the j lug warehousemen the tobacco ^r >\ - i ers of Clarendon do not desire legis? lation which will force them to place their tobacco on the market in grad? ed form. The\ believe, and with good reason, the agitation is solel) in the interest of the large warehouses, and If a law is enacted to forte grading it will have a tendency to drive out the competition from the smaller markets. sie He S Tbc merchants arc beginning to feel the effects of the movement In cotton, trade Is picking up, and they believe ; t he worst is o\ er, Atlanta, Jan. i :. sitting before an open grate intent upon a school lesson, little Miss Blanche Merman, aged 8, c.nielli lire, in her home on South Pryor street lost night, she ran screaming into Ihe street with hi r clothing nbbr/c. she died .it two o'clock this morning. EIGHTY'PLEAD GUILTY. i light Plead Not Guilty ami j?; Enter Demurrers to Corruption C harges in Terra 1 laute Case. Indianapolis, Jan. 12.?Eighty of the 124 men arrested recently on fed? eral indictments charging conspiracy to corrupt the election of November ;> last in Terre Haute, Ind.. pleaded guilty in federal court here today. Eight pleaded not guilty and demur? rers were tiled for the remaining 26, including Mayor Donn M. lloberts, Circuit Judge Uli Redman, City Judge Thomas Smith, Sheriff Dennis Shea and other Terre Haute olheials, Argu? ment on the demurrers was set for January 10. Eight of the SO who plead guilty were employes or former employes of the Terre Haute city administration and included J. Edward Holler, within the last week deposed as chief of po? lice, and John F. Nugent, fo mer night chief of police. The others were bartenders, alleged gamblers and persons without an occupation. All the defendants were allowed to return to their homes. Those who admitted their guilt did so without being promised immunity. They are expected to testify for the government in the cases to be tried. News From the Peninsula. Feinheit, Jan. 13,?One who docs not love nature must be all out of joint. Out in the country is the place, to commence with it. There are mem? ories one treasures and always turns to with a degree of satisfaction not? withstanding those memories may be tinged with sadness. Springtime is j the great season with us, and when I say us, 1 include the cricket, grass hopper, bee, the insect; world, the birds and flowers. It is a great time that is drawing near when the "gee, haw" man's voice will till the air far and near, when we will get busy and forget our troubles through the en? gagement of present care. And these rainy days one can do little else than scrawl wretched lines like these, while he sprawls before a blazing hearth. I have written two letters to dear friends far away in the hope a line may come from them. We have to put up with much in this world, and we count ourselves happy that we can do so well. Only a line, but that line brings heart in touch with heart and friend with friend. Tha< is why these news items count so. I know a fond mother. She used to be a pupil of mine, a favorite, who steals time from busy household cares to write a line to the Watchman. No doubt many a time she with oth? ers, has been tempted to quit, saying, "Of what use is it all?" little ween? ing that out yonder and far away loving hearts and eager eyes are look? ing for a word, a line through the paper. Sometimes that word, that line brings sadness and hearts are full of sorrow. And so life is made up of light and shadow. All the way up this is true. Your scribe mourned one full A'eek with a blue bird, who had lost his mate, crying his grief out in "Where's my little beauty?" How we would have been pleased to restore her, but through cruel late she was past recall. Whence the idea of a card of appre? ciation to your correspondents? A good idea, that pleased them. Everybody likes to be appreciated. My father never praised any one, but one day he told me I had done more work than he expected. I have never forgotten that day. All of our people who were at home for the holidays visiting friends have returned to their several fields, etc. Mr. and Mrs. McClellan of Mc Clellanvtlte, after a pleasant stay with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Spencer, have returned. Mr. Sam Shiver got back from Winnsboro and has gone to St. Steph? ens. On Wednesday after Christmas Messrs. Elijah and lienj. Saunders, with Mr. Silas Jolly went deer hunt? ing down on the river and had splen? did luck, killing four deer with live shots. There is a lot of sickness among the colored fraternity in the way of g rip, pneumonia, etc. Mrs. J. 11. Corbett is sick with grip, it is sincerely hoped that she will be up again soon. Your correpsondent reports that the "Col" hiving missed several big dinners, is fairly well. "Hagood." Examinations for Stenographers. The secretary of the F/fth civil ser? vice district announces examinations tor the position of stenographer and typewriter in the principal cities of the district on the third Tuesday of February, May, August and November. Those who pass the examination have exceptionable opportunities of ap? pointment. Application blank, form 1371, and pamphlet of instructions, form 1424, may be obtained at ans time by writing fo the secretary, Fifth Civil Service District, Atlanta, o?*.