The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, January 20, 1917, Image 6
ms im FOB ASYLUM
GOVERNOR WANTS $50,000 PRO?
VIDED FOR STATE HOSPITAL
AT ONCE.
I?If Has Appropriated In 1916,
bot no Money Given? 'Is Necessary
to Pay Bills/' Says Executive
House Declines to Aak McLaurin to
Reconskkr His Resignation by 70 to
St Vote.
Columbia. Jan. 16.?Oov. Manning
eent a message to the general aasem
ly last night, which was read in the
house, asking that Immediate steps be
taken to provide $60,000 with which
the board of regents of the State
Hospital for Insane can pay bills for
work authorised by the last assembly,
but for which there was no money
whan the bills came due.
The 1919 legislature appropriated
9199.999, of Which 9100,000 was direct
appropriation and $50,000 authorised,
if the board of regents should find it
advisable or riecessary to undertake
thin additional work.
Quoting from the annual report, the
governor In his message said: "Hav?
ing in mind the pressing needs of the
Institution, the board made a careful
study of the situation after the legis?
lature adjourned and decided It would
not only be the economical plan but
that It waa accessary to spend $150,
999 on permanent improvements for
1919 In order to make the institution
mors efficient and comfortable for
Inmates, and ahm in order to make
available certain Improvements which
had been begun in 1915 as a part of
the complete plan of improvements."
The legislature had previously com?
mitted Itself tf the plan of spending
4909,000 for permanent Improvements
dating a period of tour years, In in?
stallments of $160,000 a year. The
board waa surprised and embarrassed
When it found that the $60,000 was
not available because that $700,000
had been borrowed already for State
purposes of 1919.
Tne board of regents was well
witaln Its rights when It contracted
bille for labor and material up to the
limit of the $50,000," eald the gov?
ernor's message.
Tne house of representatives over?
whelmingly tabled a motion last nig ut
asking* John U McLaurin to recon?
sider nie resignation as State ware?
house commissioner, 70 to II.
kWhen the joint resolution calling
tw> i mm miiinu ea iwinM-^mBy^i
filled by the general assembly came
before the house. Representative O. K.
Mauldln of Greenville offered the
McLaurin amendment He epoke at
length of Mr. McLaurln's work and
of his fitness to carry on the work.
Representative N. O. Evans of Edge
field said the Stats warehouse sys?
tem "was conceived In politics, born
In politics and will die In politics."
Re said that the annual report showed
that it cost the State $15,000 to store
15,000 bales. He moved to table the
motion.
Representative Harvey Kelly of An?
derson offered a resolution which
would Instruct the judiciary commit?
tee of the house to investigate a re
pert that Scotch whiskey waa served
from weter pitchers at a recent ban?
quet et a Cotembla hotel. Ten mem?
bers objected to Immediate consider?
ation and it went over.
Tne house was in eeselon exactly
one hour, meeting at 9 o'clock and
adjourning at 9 o'clock to meet again
at 11 o'clock thia morning.
Twenty-two members of the house
ware absent last night.
Speaker Hoyt has appointed Rep?
resentative W. R. Bradford of York
as a member of the joint printing
committee.
The house laet night accepted an
Invitation from the South Carolina
Sheriffs' Association to attend its ses?
sions In council clumber here today.
The house last night passed the
Anderson delegation's bill ratifying a
constitutional amendment which em?
powers the olty of Anderson to in?
crease its bonded Indebtedness.
In spite of the disagreeable weath?
er there was a fair gallery for the
first night session of the house of
representatives and the spectators had
Just gotten settled for an evening of
It, when the motion to adjourn broke
up the party.
MiiimiimiimiiimiiinMiiiimmiiMHUg
McLaerin's Resignation Ac- B
cop ted. H
ISpecial to The Dally Rem.
Columbia, Jan. 16.?The sen?
ate today accepted the reslgna
on of John L. McLaurin as
State Warehouse Commissioner.
l;iHHIIMMIIIUmil?nil??lll?IBWW?n
El Paao, Jan. 15.?Villa has writ?
ten to President Wilson asking for a
statement of his attitude townrd the
proposed Vllllsta provisional govern?
ment In Northern Mexico. Villa as?
sumes that Gen. Perxhlng will Hoon
te withdrawn, and asks to be nl
lowed to proceed against the Car
runxtstas unhindered by the United
State*.
TO RETAIN PRESENT YARDS.
SPECIAL. BOARD ADVISES KEEP.
ING OP ALL NAVAIi STATIONS
NOW EXISTING.
Report Includes Improving of Char?
leston Navy Yard to Large Extent
?Want More Bases Established for
Submarines,
Washington, Jan. 17.?Retention of
an existing navy yards, establish?
ment of submarine bases on the At?
lantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts and
a thorough aeronautic survey of the
coast of the United States and its
possessions, were recommended to
congress today in a preliminary re?
port by a special commission of
naval officers appointed by President
Wilson.
The commission consisted of Rear
Admiral J. M. Helm. Chief Construc?
tor W. U Capps, Civil Engineer H. H.
Rouasseau, Capt. G. W. McElroy and
Com. C. L. Hussey. It spent several
months making inspections along the
coasts and announced today that more
investigations will be necessary be?
fore complete reports can be mado on
many questions.
On the abolition of navy yards the
report recommends: "That it is un?
necessary, undesirable and inadvis?
able to abolish at this time any ex?
isting navy yard or naval station
within the continental limits of the
United States."
The commission said the develop?
ment of the New Orleans navy yard
to a first rate naval base "is to be
considered as remote" owing to its
distance from the mouth of the Mis?
sissippi river and strategic reasons, but
that yard should be retained up to the
capacity of ita floating dry dock.
The commission was without f?f
ficient engineering data to make a
satisfactory report regarding further
development of the navy yard at
Charleston. S. C, so it could handle
the largest ships of the navy, but an?
nounced that immediate steps should
be taken to improve the yard so as
to permit full utilisation of its present
dock and repair facilities.
The report said it was inadvisable
at this time td consider the possible
development of the Pensucola na
station except its utilization as a sup?
ply base and as a base for submarines
and destroyers.
In arriving at its conclusion, tho
commission am "Full rnnalrtiimtiftfu
r w iffe present and prospective size of
our navy, its requirements not only in
peace, but during the far more exact?
ing conditons of war should bring
convincing evidence that the abolish?
ment at this time of an existing na i y
yard or naval station within the con?
tinental limits of the United State; is
without Justification."
The report explains that this should
not be taken to mean that there ml . nt
not be transfer of work from one yard
to another or changes in methods of
handling work at certain plants. It
declares that the present equipment
of many yards is adequate in dry dock?
ing facilities, berthing space, storage
facilities, machinery and other details.
"It is not only unequal for the re?
quirements of the fleet," says the re?
port, "but will be seriously Inadequate
for Its proper maintenance when ihe
fleet is completed to its present au?
thorized strength."
Not all the yards "are ideally lo?
cated" to moet strategic and other re
quirements, but the commission con?
cludes that such considerations mu*t
"have little force" in view of actual
conditions and the actual requirements
of the present and prospective fleet.
The report says in answer to the
statement that a greater concentra?
tion of yards would be economical thai
"the question of economy as deter?
mined by concentration of naval im?
pair establishments must yield ab. ?
lutely to the far more serious necessi?
ties of the fleet as undue concenti ?
tlon of such naval repair establl.? h
ments might very easily involve in
time of war military disaster."
These facts and the fact that there
Is a large investment in existing
yards, the use to which they could bo
put for fleet repair purposes and t?>r
taking care of merchant ships tl it
would bo taken over In case of war
"leaves tho commission with no
doubt in its mind" as to the adv* -
bllity of their retention. Its recom?
mendation includes the present ; 1
"the near future."
The commission says it is unable
at this time to determine locations
for aviation bases but recommends
tn addition to the eomprehensIvo
coast survey an investigation by i
board to be appointed by the sect -
tary of the navy of climatic, air,
dustrial and other conditions win
such bases may be located. It s.'
there is no particular reason
haste In connection with their esti
llshment for In case of nec? ss: /
there would be no great difficulty n
finding suitable bases quickly.
There Is a divergence of opinion 'n
naval circles, the commission report.*,
over the location of submarine bas s
and there is llttlo prbabillty at pr<
ent that naval authorities will ag> 4
on tho subject. Generally the co
mission advocates bases on the i\,
LEGISLATIVE ACTION.
LAWMAKERS ACTIVE IN KILL?
ING SOME BILLS ANI> INTRO?
DUCING OTHERS.
Idles Tax Penalty Bill Killed?Richey
Not Allowed to Withdraw His Pro?
hibition Bill?Would Protdbit Hunt?
ing Reserves?Favor Nitrate Plant
in State?Williams Would Change
Present Liquor Law?Rill to Take
Pardoning Power out of Hands of
Governor.
Columbia, Jan. 18.?The house of
representatives today killed the Liles
bill which changed the delinquent tax
penalty from a graduated scale to
one that would impose one per cent.
December 31 and four per cent. Jan?
uary 31. The bill invoked spirited
dobate, the pending motion being
that of Representative Moore to" strike
out the enacting words. The debate
waa adjourned from Tuesday until af?
ter third reading bills today. The
vote which killed the bill was 68 to
50.
Representative Richey, author of
the "air tight" prohibition bill sought
this morning to have the bill with?
drawn from the committee on police j
regulations and references dispensed
with. Represntatlve Daniel of Sa-!
luda moved to table Mr. Richey'a mo
tlin and it was tabled.
The centre of interest today attach?
ed to the election whicn began In the
general assembly at noon. / \
The house adjourned at 2?15
o'clock this afternoon to meet again
tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
Legislative delegations from Colle
ton, Hampton, Beaufort and Jasper
counties are considering o. bill, de?
signed to prohibit the maintenance of
large hunting preserves. A. bill is be?
ing discussed which will place a pro?
hibitive license on non-resident hunt?
ers. Several conferences have been
held with the attorney general. The
hunting clubs in the four counties own
about 250,000 acres of land.
Representative L. B. Harrison of
Spartanburg will introduce jn ihe
house a bill to take the pardoning
power out of the hands of the gov?
ernor. Under tho proposed nleasure
the chief executive would grant full
pardons only on recommendation of a
majority of the pardoning board;
could grant paroles for not more
than three months without a majority
? rWmr\nnjfttion. f~" the pardoning
ooard, Out could still exercise, his
right in reprieves, commutations, etc.
Representative Harrison will also
intoduce a companion bill which
would make the members of the
board of pardons elective by the gen?
eral assembly instead of appointive by
the governor.
With the Senate.
Senator Harrelson of Marlon in?
troduced a bill yesterday, looking *.o
regulation of hours In all manufact -
fag and Industrial plants in theStn: ?;.
By provisions of the bill, 10 hours is
the maximum number In which work?
men may be employed for a day's
labor. Saw mills, lumber plants, pa?
per factories, and cereal establish?
ments are Included. Penalty for vio?
lation is $100 or 30 days imprison?
ment for each offense.
The senate yesterday morning pav,=i
ed tho concurrent resolution from the
house, commending the good work
that is now in progress to bring a unit
of the federal nitrate fixation plants
to Columbia. The resolution also
urges that the State delegation in
congress be memorialized to coope?
rate in procuring the establishment.
Noon tomorrow has been designat?
ed as the hour In the senate to debate
the bill introduced by Senator Bon
ham of Greenville, which would re?
move the disqualification to testify In
tho courts from persons con?ia?ed of
\ crime.
A bill was Introduced by Senator
Willeme of Aiken yesterday, provid?
ing that the present prohibition law
admitting shipments of one gallon of
whiskey to each individual a month
be retained, but modified so as to
allow substitute shipments of five
dozen pints of beer. Another bill,
looking to modification of the liquor
laws, wiU be introduced by Senator
DuRant of Clarendon county, which
will reduce the quantity of whisk ey
I to one quart a month.
A bill has been introduced in de
senate, providing for the erection oi a
new $25,000 county jail in Laurens
county.
Cotton ginned from tho crop of
1^16 to January 1, 1917, 25,293 bales,
compared With 30,953 bales from crop
of 1915 prior to January 1, 191C.
At a meeting this morning of the
city school hoard Mr. W. Pel y
Smith was elected by the board ;o
succeed Mr. J. H. Chandler, filling o;tt
his unexplred term.
lantlc, Gnlf and Pacific coasts but
suggests no places.
Inspection of the Pacific coast
With a view to deciding whether an?
other yard should be located there
has not been completed and the repoi t
says recommendations will be ma lo
later.
GERMANY WRITING NOTES.
XEW GERMAN SEMI-OFFICIAL
REPLY ISSUED.
Takes up Many Phases of Internation?
al Relations in Series of Rhetorical
Queries.
London, Jan. 16.?A semi-official
reply has been issued in Berlin in re?
gard to the British authoritative view
made public here on Saturday regard?
ing the latest German and Austrian
notes. This reply, as quoted in an
Amsterdam dispatch to Reuters, say*
that the charges made in England re?
garding German responsibility for
starting tho war are not new but are
repetitions of statements long ago
contradicted. Tho reply then proceeds
to ask a series of questions in re?
spect to the diplomatic action of the
powers prior to the outbreak of the
war.
It is asserted among other things
that Germany could not have done
otherwise than order mobilization as
Russia's suggestion of a reference to
The Hague tribunal came on the very
day that her mobilization against
Austria-Hungary was begun. The re?
ply calls attention to the concentra?
tion camps of South Africa, the de?
bates in the Russian duma on the
subject of the treatment of foreign
nationalities in Russia, the treatment
of Jews in Russia and Mohammedans
in the Caucasus, the entente attitude
toward Greece and the treatment of
German prisoners of war in Russia.
Another question asked in the re?
ply is: "Is not the submarine war
merely a reprisal against the British
policy of starvation?"
CONGRATULATE MR. AND MRS.
WALKER.
Superintendent of Cedar Springs
School for Dumb, Deaf and Blind
and His Wife to Celebrate Fiftieth
Wedding Anniversary.
Columbia, Jan. 16.?Superintendent
and Mrs. N. F. Walker of the South
Carolina school for deaf, dumb and
blind at Cedar Springs will celebrate
their golden wedding anniversary
January 21. Yesterday, on motion of
Representative T. C. Duncan of Un?
ion, the house passed a resolution
cdngralidating them. Wishing them
many more years of happy domestic
life and many more years of valued
service at the institution where they
have^seTved Bb'ioTTg, so euTeiemfyHiia
so faithfully. The resolution pass?
ed unanimously.
TO FIGHT "YELLOW CHILLS."
Dr. II. R. Caller Goes to Collet on
County to Investigate Malarial Con?
ditions.
Columbia, Jan. 16/?H. R. Carter,
M. D., assistant surgeon general ??!
the United States public health, head
of the malarial Investigation bureau,
hao gone to Colleton county to study
the malarial conditions in Braxton
township. He spent several lays in
Columbia as the guest of L. A. Riser,
M. D., assistant to the State health
officer. t
The State board of health Will send
a commission to Braxton township to
study the "yellow chill" outbreak.
Dr. Carter recently returned from
Panama where he has been doing
some work for tho public health Ser?
vice.
AMMUNITION GROWING SCARCE.
London Chronicle Says Germans nvc
Threatened with Shortage.
London, Jan. 17.?The Chronicle
says today that the German allies art
threatened with an ammunition short?
age. There are not enough railroad
cars to convey a sufficient supply of
, eoko to the blast furnaces.
M'COWN IS CHIEF CLERK.
W. B. Dove, Secretary of State, Makes
Appointments for His Office.
Columbia, Jan. 17.?William Bank?
Dove, Secretary of State, has an?
nounced the following appointments
for his office:
R. M. McCown, chief clerk; G. R.
Little, recording clerk; Miss Gertrude
Walker, stenographer; J. C. Johnson,
day State house watchman.
Mr. McCown has served for several
terms as secretary of State, Mr.
Dove being chief clerk. The salary
Is $1,800 a year.
New Electric Railway Will be Built
Spartanburg, Jan. 10.?The rou e
of the Atlanta-Anderson electric rail?
way has been decided upon and a
corps of engineers lias established a
permanent camp at Robert's church
in Anderson county for the pur pone
of doing tho survey work. This ek -
tdic road when built will connect with
the Piedmont & Northern Electne
railway at Anderson, thus giving
Spartanburg a now route to Atlan i
and other Georgia points. J. I*
Murphy, promoter of the railway,
has staled thai the road will i
iliredly be built, and that the engi?
neers aro already at work. Ti
road will cross the Savannah river
at a point near Drown'd ferry.
MEXICAN CONFERENCE ENDS.
JOINT C OMMISSION FAILING TO
EFFECT ADJUSTMENT Dis
BOLVED.
Carranza's Refusal to Sign Atlanta
City Protocol Renders Useless Fur?
ther Meetings of Commission?
Mexican Represent*itivos Hoi>eful of
Carrying Tlicir Point.
New York, Jan. 15.?The Mexican -
American joint eoi nmisLion, which
failed to effect an adjustment of the
questions at issue between Mexico
and the United States after a series
of conferences that began Tour
months ago, was formaly dissolved
late today.
Secretary Lane and the other mem?
bers of the American commission,
Dr. J. R. Motte and Judge George
Gray, told the Mexicans that they
had recommended to President Wil?
son the dispatch to Mexico of Am?
bassador Fletcher ami the withdrawal
of the American tioops from Chi?
huahua.
The Americans impressed upon the
Mexicans that with the dissolution of
the commission the Mexican prohlem
reverted to President Wilson. They
were careful not t:> leave in the
minds of the Mexicans the conviction
that President Wilson would accept
the recommendation that an accred?
ited diplomat be ser t to Mexico and
that Gen. Perstiing's force be with?
drawn but the intimation that he
would do so was conveyed.
In spite of the Americans' care,
however, the Me>leans had little
doubt tonight that full diplomatic re?
lations between the two governmentB
would soon be re-established and that
unless unexpected complications
arise American troops will be remov?
ed from Mexican territory within a
few days.
Lut3 Cabrera, chairman of the
Mexican commission, and Ignacio
Bonillas and Alberto J. Pani, the
other members, sa.d they expected to
lea^'o within a week or ten days for
Mexico. Mr. Cabrera and Mr. Bonil?
las will resume their places as mem?
bers of Gen. Carranza's cabinet and
Mr. Pani as director general of the
government railways. Notwithstand?
ing the dissolution of the 'commission
they expressed themselves as pleased
with the result, pointing out that
with the withdrawal of the Ameri?
can troops the main object of Car
ranza ih sending them here would
be accomplished.
The last session o:f the joint com?
mission continued "hroughout the
latter half of the day. The Ameri?
can commissioners explained to the
Mexican representatives that they re?
garded further discussion by them of
international questions as impracti?
cal. Twice Gen. Carranza had re?
fused to ratify the protocol signed at
Atlantic City, in which conditions for
the withdrawal of troops had been
made and that refusal the Americans
construed as indicative of what
might he expected if the conferences
were continued. They were told of
the visit of the Americans to Presi?
dent Wilson and of tho president's
sanction of their recommendation
that the commission be dissolved.
It was pointed out to thou that
the maintenance of an ambassador
in Mexico would re/novc caut-e lor
the existence of a commission since
all international questions pending
or any that might arise might then
be handled through diplomatic chan?
nels. It was explained to them that
with the dissolution of the commis?
sion the president wculd be free to
act independently in the problem pro?
moted by the presence in Mexico of
an American military force.
The Mexicans expressed regret that
the conference had been brought to
an end but they too admitted that
continued discussions appeared useless
and no effort to have them prolonged
was made.
No direct reference was made in
the final session to what the attitude
of the United States would be in
the event the American troops are
withdrawn and new raids arc made
across the border by Mexicans, but
neither was there any modification
made in the warning of Secretary
Lane which accompanied the prot?
ocol to Mexico that this government
reserved the right to unlimited and
unrestricted pursuit of bandits.
It was intimated to the Mexicans
when Gen. Pershing's troops are tak?
en out of Mexico it would be when
it appeared evident that bandits were
not menacing the northern border of
Chihuahua, the essential condition In!
the protocol Carranza refused to rati
fjr.
The Amcrlcen commissioners de?
clared they did not regard the work
of the commission as a failure since
a clearer understanding of conditions
affecting both governments had been
reached. Sccretarv Lai e said their
work would be of especial advantage
to the ambassador, who, it is assumed,
will be sent, since for him it would
serve as a ground for any negotiations
be might have to conduct.
The creation <>f an international
court of claims for the adjudication of I
property losses incurred since the |
BOND ISSUE IS CERTAIN.
CHAIRMAN OP WAYS AND MEAN'S
MAKES STATEMENT ON THE
REVENUE SITUATION.
Bonds Will he Issued to Cover Border
Expenditures, Danisli Island Pur
cliasc, A run ?f Plant, Alaskan Kail
road Const ruction, Etc.
Washington, Jan. IS.?Chairman
Kitehin, of the house ways and means
committee, after several hours' con?
ference today with Secretary McAdoo
over the revenue situation announced
that the ways and means committee,
the secretary of the treasury and the
administration will he perfect har?
mony on a revenue hill.
The committee Democrats will meet
tomorrow to form a policy for the
first time and will meet practically
daily until the revenue measure is
complete With a view of passage by
tho house by January ::0 at the latest.
Mr. Kitehin said a bond issue was
certain, that there would be no tax
on tea, coffee or other foodstuffs and
there won hi be no lowering of the
exemption under the income tax.
"The committee majority members
will be called together to consider
several alternative propositions," said
Mr. Kit^bin. "Wo will pass the bill
in the house the last of next week or
the first part of the following week,
but what it will tax I cannot say
yet.
"There is, however, certain to be an
authorization for a bond issue to
take care of the Mexican border ex
penditu es. These border expenses, it
is estimated, will reach $102,000,000
by next June. The bond issue v*jlj^
also take care of the purchase of th?e
Danish possessions in the West Indies
to cost $25,000,000; the armor plant
project to cost $11,000,000, and tho
Alaska railway to cost $11,800,000."
Some Democrats on the committee
are known to be considering increas?
ing internal revenue rate from 5 to 8
per cent on capital stock. This would
be calculated to raise approximately
$200,000,000 a year. Revision of the
inheritance tax by increasing the rates
is also under consideration and there
has been talk of issuing treasury cer?
tificates of indebtedness to run from
one to three months at 3 per cent in?
terest, to take care of the treasury
until the end of the fiscal year.
POSTOFFICE APPROPRIATION
BILL.
As Parsed House it Calls for $330,
000.000?To Be Raised by Special
Taxes and Bond Issue.
Washington, Jan. 16.?The house
passed the postoffice appropriation
bill of three hundred and thirty mil?
lion dollars. The house ways and
means committee today agree on spe?
cial taxes to raise two hundred and
thirty-six million dollars and bonds is?
sued for two hundred and nineteen
million to pay government bills. An
inheritance tax and an eight per cent,
on partnership profit*- above eight per
cent, is contemplated.
GERMAN EFFORTS CLOSED.
All Further Peace Terms Must Come
From United States.
Washington, Jan. 16.?Germany re?
gards direct peace negotiations with
their enemies as a "closed incident,"
was stated today by an official Ger?
man. Any move towards peace now
must come from President Wilson.
Feeling abroad confidently expects
further evorts for peace from Wash?
ington.
SUBMARINE EXPECTED TODAY.
New German Merchantman Due Now
and Deutschland Next Week.
New York, Jan. 16.?A German
merchant submarine is due to arrivo
at New London this afternoon or to?
morrow. The Deutschland is report?
ed to have left Bremen on January
8th, and is expected to reach New
London next week.
Chicago, Jan. 16.?Former Chief
of Polieo Healey and seven others
were indicted today by the grand
jury, charged with conspiracy. The
indictments are the result of the in?
vestigation of bribery, graft and Cor?
ruption charges mode against the
Chicago police force.
revolution against Portirio Diaz, the
protection of life and property of
foreigners and the means for better?
ing conditions along the border, es?
pecially in preventing the fostering on
the American side of revolutionary
movements, were subjects discussed
today. They were talked over not
with the idea of entering into any
agreement but for a clearer under?
standing of the opinions of the men
?>n both commissions in order that a
report on them might bo made to their
respective governments.
Secretary Lane left tonight for
Washington where it is expected be
will make to tho president a report
of the last meeting of the commission*