Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE BUMTEB WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be fuel And Fear uot?Dot an the emde Consolidated Aug. 2,1861. SUMTER, S. 0., ettlliroii. Ain't at be thy Country'e, Thy Ood'. u< TratkU" THE TRUE SOUTHRON, ?mW0m* hll, I SM> DAY, JANUARY 27, 1917. VoLXLin. No. 47. WILSON ULI SURS BRITAIN.! IM GMBH LOOK FOR SECRET MEANING IN STATE? MENT. Ar? Not Prepared to Accept It ou H? Jrmce Value?RmmImi Press Com snsnta t>voembly ?n Plan*. London. Jan. J3.?President Wil? son's address to the United States senate has furnished the British gov? ernment and public with a surprise as electrifying as his mediatory note te the belligerent* With the excep? tion of the Manchester Guardian and The Dally News, which sro the only papers in Great Britain that can be elsasitted as pacificatory, the press gives the president's utterances an unfriendly reception and engages In much speculation over the meanings which It is considered may be con? cealed behind certain passages. Public men Interview begin with courteous tributes to the president's food intentions and end by supporting Great Britain's measures. While the government can not make any direct reply to a communication from the i sssohlsnt to the United States senate there is certain to be discussion in parliament The usages of the house of lords give even greater latitude for addresssb en any topic any mem bar wishes to discuss than the Ameri? can senate, while the house of com? mons furnishes an equally good op? portunity for the advancement o' per? sonal, views. It is already foreshadowed by mem? bers of the commons that a discussion will bo Insisted upon when parliament reassembles snd speeches from mem? bers of the present and the late cabi? net sro expected. Possible action by the American congress on committing the nation to membership in an International longa? Is awaited with greatest in? terest. Both David Lloyd George in lif* historic maiden speech as prime oslalotor and Viscount Grey, while IsMlCt ?Hat otssnhership In aech a )'OsPn without obligations to force Its dec roe by grins would be useless. The effect of President Wilson's policy on the status of the Monroe doctrine is discussed with equal in? terest. Several Sirltsh publicists, notably L J. Maxse, editor of The Na? tional Review, suggested recently that Great Britain is entitled to a weighty voles In any International movement In the American hemi? sphere because of the growing Im? portance of Canada as one of' the foremost nations of that hemisphere. The voice of the "silent masses" upon the war was heard In the tabor party conference st Manchester to? day when it Indorsed ths action of ths Labor members of parliament who entered the wtr cabinet by a vote of tnere than six to one. Most of the small substratum of sentiment favor? ing a conciliatory policy toward the> central empires Is to be found in Le? ber unionists snd a small group of Intellectuals. Ths Central News says that un? doubtedly the manifesto has developed a situstlon of extreme delicacy. It sdds: "Whether or not it was ex? pected by the allied diplomats In Lon? don It came as a bombshell to those outside the official circle and no . amount of President Wilson's 'plain Rngllah* will convince the renk ;ind file of the members of pnrllatn<nt or the man In the streets that It has 00 direct hearing; on ti e immediate taott of the war. "It Is not doing the president an In? justice to say that whatever may have been the lofty motives of hia speech, the average British member of parlia? ment and his constituents regard It OS sn ill timed Interference In matter? which can only concern the United States when the time comes for a not? Dement of the basis of International peace. The extreme opinion which to fairness must be stated is that the president Is selling the allied causo to Oermany. The calmer view urges, a dignified protest to the president to keep out of the ring till the grgftl round is over." INDORSED IX RUSSIA. Petrograd. Jun. 23 (via London).? Although Russian public opinion knsj net had time to digest fully President Wilson's speech In the senate, the first impression Is decidedly favornt le. The first paragraph of the gfje* It, comparing the general replies of the central powers with the definite an? awer of the entente to the prosident a first note, waa received with pftrtl ' ular satisfaction. Such expreasion of opinion aa have bean voiced thus fa* Indlcate ths tone of the rsmslnder of the note will be Indorsed In Russia, while decision to reserved la regard to TO REMEDY EXCHANGE EVILS.; E. D. SMITH CALLS COTTON CON? FERENCE. Southern Members of Congress to Consider Menus of Meeting Com? plaints. Washington. Jan. 22.?Senator E. D. Smith of South Carolina today called a conference of Southern mem? bers of congress, owing to complaints that have come from farmers, bank? ers and merchants and business or? ganizations of the South that the cot? ton exchange of New York is soiling and buying contracts below what cot tno can bo bought for in the spot market of the South and that the effect is to demoralize the entire tra(V and make legitimate hedging impos? sible. The result is disastrous to any lcgitimate trading with the exchanger, and equally so upon the export an.-' domestic cotton business, it is claimed. Senators B. D. Smith of South Car? olina and Hoke Smith of Georgia and Representative Heflln of Ala? bama today agreed at the confer? ence to take up the matter with e view of determining what steps to take to correct this evil. An investigation of the actual transactions of the exchange by the department of Justice or some com? petent body authorized and desig? nated by congress has been suggested. Just what steps will be taken have not been determined but the evil will bo corrected, so Senator Smith de? clared tonight. CONDENSED WAR NEWS. Bulgarians Driven Back in Dobrudja, ??Battle in Riga Region?Trench Raids In France. New York, Jan. 24.?Bulgarians are apparently unable to hold the ground north of the southern estuary of the Danube, north of Tultcha. Dobrudja, which Berlin announced yesterday they had oocuided. % <fo*y their withdrawal to their former po? sitions. Extreme cold weather Is hamper? ing operations in the Moldavian mountains.. Only skirmishes and ar? tillery engagements are reported. Fighting has been renewed in Riga region on the Russian front. Berlin reports claim that the fighting thus far has favored the Germans. Raiding activities continued on the Franco-Belgian front. Paris record? ed successful raids near Chilly, south of the Sommo and patrol operations in the Woevre district. Berlin reports that six entente aero? planes were shot down yesterday. Paris reported three German aero? planes brought down on the French front. Washington, Jan. 24.?The consti? tutional assembly hns approved an ar? ticle providing for an eight-hour day and seven hours night work. Chil? dren under 10 and women are pro? hibited from working between 10 at night and 6 in the morning. Children under 16 and over 12 cannot be em? ployed more' than six hours daily, equal wages are provided for men and women under equal conditions. some of the concrete points men? tioned. All the morning papers print the full text of the speech but the only press comment comes from the Novoe Vremya, which reserves a final opin? ion until later. This newspaper says: "At the beginning President Wilson saw no difference between our alms and those of our enemies but now he does, and one must fairly admit that he makes a proper deduction. The general principle which he considers aeoesnary for the United States co . holdes exactly with tho foundation for peace as outlined in our reply to his first note. "He declares a final peace in Ko rope must fcc such as to forever avoid a repetition of tho present catas? trophe. That is precisely the aim for which we are bearing the heavy bur? den of the war." The newspaper contends that tho declaration regarding poace is in ac? cordance with the Ideas of fairness and freedom which lie at the basis of the life of the American people, that it expresses the point of view of tho allies also, but that it is not tho point of view of tho central powers. It concludes: "A firm pence and International Justice?these are the aims for which we are shedding our blood. Ger- j muny's aim is German domination and the humiliation before her of all , the weak peoples. The difference In I these aims now has become quite clear to the head of the American re? public." I PERSHING FORGES Ml OUTLYING STATIONS fifONG DRAWN IN PREPARA1 TO WITHDRAWAL. Officials of War Department Admit That Punitive Expedition Win Soon | be Thing of Past?Carranza aid His Antagonists Will Contest fuel Pos? session of Territory Evaeuat? by American Troops. Washington, Jan. 23.-~Tre4j?oye ments preliminary to withdrawal of the American expedition frOmjgMex ico are being carried out ajtthjflfcuth orn extremity of the Amerflnfi line under war department ordern w& as soon as they are complete tbO^maln body of the expedition will ? start north. For the first time officials admitted today that the withdrawal of oSlpost> from El Valle and other points about Colonla Dublan had more thiin a! local significance and was being j car? ried out on orders from Washington. They made no announcement as to the probable time when the. general northern movement would beging and would not even admit that withdraw? al of Pershlng's troops after\ ten months in Mexico was at hand. Since the effort to effect an agreement with Gen. Carranza ended in failure, the administration has indicated that its next step would be made known through action rather than Iv an? nouncement. Officials are much Interested* but apparently little concerned, vover growing evidences that a determined struggle for possession of the terri? tory evacuated by Pershing may be ; IIa progress soon between Cartanxa troops and revolutionists, f, Today's official dispatches said that Villa and Zapata, the two moat con? spicuous revolutionary leaders, had allied themselves for o$Wp?lone against the de facto armies 8,000 men had been concentre* the North: since officials here have indicated that such problems as are developing abou t Chi? huahua not only would be left to the first chief for settlement but that he would be held responsible iby the United States government for their settlement in such a way as to ?protect foreign interests. Meantime raising of the embargo on arms to Mexico and the dispatch of Ambassador Fletcher In Mexico City remain in abeyance. There were indications today that the prospect of sending the ambassador to his post had been made more indefinite by the two developments construed In some quarters as a renewal of practices of the Carranza government against which the United States repeatedly has protested. Officials are surprised and perplexed over the drastic meas? ures taken by the first chief against two banks whose metallic reserve re? cently was seized and by what some contend is a revival of persecution Of the Roman Catholic clergy. Information reaching the British embassy today from an official of the Rink of London and Mexico and the National Bank of Mexico was that the bullion and specie taken from the banks was a forced loan only in the sense that it was forced. From tin Bank of London and Mexico the amount taken was valued at 4,000, 000 pesos. The National Bank's quota was 5,000,000 pesos. Remaining in tho vaults of the first are 10,000,000 pesos and the institution's offlco fear that this may also be removed. Agents of the defacto government are in possession of the building and tho keys to the vaults. The problem presented by the seizure has been called to the atten? tion of the state department again by representatives of stockholders who are for the most part British and French. If representations are made by the American state department they probably will be based on the assumption that tho interests of American stockholders may be in? jured. The fate of the two priests ar rested in Mexico charged with con spiracy remained unknown her? to? day. The state department already has made earnest representations in their behalf. Both at the state de? partment and at the White House 1 cores of telegrams nnd letters were received today appealing to the American government to exercise every power to prevent their convic? tion and execution. Cardinal Gib? bons was among those who sent such appeals. FORMAL ORDER SOON. El Paso, Jan. 23.?Army officers including those arriving from Colum? bus tonight, predicted a formal or OPPOSED TO ENFORCED PEACE ?BRYAN DISSENTS FROM WILSON PROPOSAL. Spirit of Brotherhood in Speech Meets Commoner's Appeal While Method Lacks It, Madison, Wis., Jan. 23.?"The pres? ident's message is a wonderfully elo? quent appeal to the nations at war,*' William J. Bryan said today. "In so far as it suggests terms of agreement, it is entirely sound and reflects what I believe to be an almost unanimous sentiment. But I dissent entirely from the proposition that this na? tion should join a movement to effect peace in Europe. If I know the sentiment of the American people, it is inconceivable that they should be willing to put the American army anrl navy at the command of an interna? tional council, which would necessari? ly be controlled by European nations and allow that council to decide for us when we would go to war. "I have more faith in our people to help them by example than I have In our country to help them by in? dorsing the European plan of relying upon force and terrorism. "In the president's appeal to them, he presents the philosophy of broth? erhood and cooperation and this is inconsistent with the proposition that it be backed up by a larger display of force. In other words, the president has sown wheat and tares together. I hope that the senate will approve of the wheat and reject the tares." ADDRESS STANDS ALONE. Senator Cumniings Says President Wilson's Peace Address Most Im? portant Ever Made by a President. Washington, Jan. 24.?President Wilson's suggestions In his "pcaeo address" were the most important ever made by a chief executive of the United States," declared Senator fl^jj^ opening the debate op ?essad* dtsnnsstsn of-the speech. Right or wrong, he declared, the senate owed It to the country to set aside ample time for a full discussion of the issues involved. STUCKEY WILL STICK. Lee Man Positive lie Will Run for Governor. Columbia, Jan. 24.?W. A. Stuckey of Bishopville will be a candidate for governor in 1918. The announcement by others of his faction for governor will not interfere with his plans, he says. He is a well known and suc? cessful farmer and a graduate of th* University of South Carolina. Mr. Stuckey has been in Columbia several days conferring with his friends from various sertions of the State. MISSISSIPPI LAUNCHER. Big Battleship Christened at Newport News Today. Newport News, Jan. 25.?The bat? tleship Mississippi was launched hero this morning. More than fifteen thousand people saw the launching. Secretary Daniels was present. Miss Camillo McBeath, of Meridian, Miss., christened the vessel. She used champagne. der from the war department within the next 4 8 hours for the withdrawal of the troops from Mexico. They said Gen. Pcrshing's main column should be under way to the border before the end of the present week. All sick soldiers in the field hos? pital at Colonia Dublan and in the smaller hospitals along the line of communication were sent to the bor? der today. Four hundred motor trucks are plying between the bor? der and headquarters and have brought ordnance stores, supplies and equipment which are being stored in large tents at Columbus. Government agonts claim to have information that Villa has warned his men In western Chihuahua not to snipe upon the American troops for tear of delaying the withdrawal. Villa troops were reported yesterday at Ja nos, 50 miles northwest of Colonia Dublan. A train of Carranza troops left Juarez today to garrison El Valle. The first American outpost troops reported to have arrived at Colonia Dublan late today. Before leaving El Valle, they dynamited all the adobe houses which they had built as shelters. Truck drivers arriving here re? ported that 5,000 natives and for? eigners in the zone occupied by the punitive expedition were preparing to march to the border behind the troops. All fear Villa will occupy the country as soon as it is evacu? ated by Gen. Pershlng's troops. NEW PROJECT FOR RIV ? AU? THORIZED BY CONGE 5 ? - g House Allows $50,000 to Prei ji For? mation of Sand liars Below - urn bia and to Check Bank's Cs ~. Columbia, Jan. 24.?"C ree item just favorably acted on, >n gressman Lever last night telegraphed to H. S. Kealhofer, acting secretary of the Columbia Chamber of Com? merce. The item in the rivers and harbors bill to which this mes? sage refers comprises $o 0,000 for con? tinuation of navigation improvement work in the Congaree river, plus $50, 000 for beginning work on a new project, the revetment of the river banks at Gill and Congaree creeks below Columbia. Mr. Kealhofer had been energetic and insistent in his efilort to obtain authority and funds for the bank pro? tection work, and he was jubilant last night over the inclusion of $50,000 for that purpose in the bill as it passed the bouse. His chief task lay in con? vincing others that a chance existeJ of obtaining anything, since the revet? ment was regarded as a new project and doubt was expressed as to wheth? er the committee or the president would sanction any new projects. Congressman Lever at Mr. Kealhof er's insistence took up the case vig? orously, using data furnished him by the Columbia secretary, and some days ago was able to say that Chair? man Sparkman of the river and har? bors committee had consented to the inclusion of the revetment item. Caving of the banks at the mouths of Gill and Congaree creeks has caus? ed the formation of sand bars which have been the principal obstruction to navigation during the last two or three years. The army engineers early in 1914 recommended an appropria? tion of $100,000 for the revetment of these banks with stone. Experience has demonstrated that until the for? mation of sawd bats-in this stretch ?'shall'be stopped no chance exists of maintaining the year round naviga? tion which other work on the river is intended to make prs.ct^icaJaJe-' '-""*' Mr. Kealhofer said la:*t night that the conceding of $50,000 meant the committing of congress to the revet? ment project and practically assured the appropriation in other years of such funds as might be required to carry the project Into effect. HOt; FUSS IN MANNING. Strong Objection to Ordinance Keep? ing Swine Out of Town. Manning, Jan. 23.?An ordinance forbidding the keeping of hogs with? in the corporate limits of the town of Manning, recently adopted at the instance of the local board of health, is just now attracting strong oppo? sition from many citizens of the town. Numerously signed petitions have re? cently beer presented to the council asking for the repeal of the ordi? nance or for such amendments as will permit the keeping of hogs, under proper restrictions. The council re ; ferrcd these petitions to r.he board of I health for consideration and further I recommendations, and will set an i early date for a special hearing of I the petitioners. Yesterday the board of health had j a meeting and nfter deliberation de? cided to stand by their original reeom I mendation and asked to have a hear ? ing by the council when ?:he question comes up for formal consideration, 1 and they further asked that Dr. Jas. A. Hayne, of the State board of health, be given a hearing at that time, and to this end the local board will send a request to Dr. Hayne to come down and join the local board in defending its position. There is no indication now when the matter will come up for consideration, but there is no doubt that there will be v igor? ous contention both for t.nd against the ordinance. ????????? DONALD FOR SHIP BOARD. ! _ i I - I Washington, Jan. 23.?The nomi i nation of John A. Donali of New York as member of the new federal 1 shipping board was confirmed today by the senate. When the nomina? tions of the other four members1 were confirmed last week that of Mr. Donald was held up by apposition of Progressive Republicans and some Democrats. The opposition was based on the employment of Chinese crows on ships under British registry operated by a company formerly headed by Mr. Donald. Organization of the board, delayed pending action by the senate, will be effected in the near future. BETHLEHEM CUTS MELON. PROSPEROUS WAR BRIDE GIVES PARTY TO FRIENDS. Increase in Cash to 10 Per Cent. Quar torly and Stock Division of 200 Per Cent. 1 New York, Jan. 23.?One of the largest "melons'* ever divided by an industrial corporation was announced today when the directors of the Beth? lehem Steel corporation increased the common stock dividend from 7 1-2 per cent, to 10 per cent, quarterly; recommended a 200 per cent, com? mon stock dividend or bonus, and also offered the common stockholders the right to subscribe to $16,000,000 new stock at par on the basis of share for share of present holdings. This action was made possible by proposed increase of the common stock from $15,000,000 to $60,000, 000. The plan regarding the new stock is to be submitted to share? holders at a special meting Febru? ary 14. Inasmuch as Charles M. Schwab, chairman of the corporation, and his friends are believed to con? trol the present stock issue, it ie virtually assured that the proposi? tion as a whole will be approved. Voting power will be withheld from the new stock. One reason for this decision, and perhaps the most im? portant, it was explained, is that Mr. Schwab promised the British govern? ment from which he had received orders running into hundreds of mil? lions of dollars, that he would njt relinquish control of the corporation while the war lasts. The usual annual dividend of 7 per cent, on the preferred etock, pay able in four quarterly Installments, also was declared. Earnings of the Bethlehem Steel corporation for the year 1916 amounted to $61,717,329. Deducting interest chargee of $2, 772,575 and charging off $14,350,785 to depreciation and depletion, the aggregate net addition to the surplus I * 143,598.96*. making a total w plus on December 31, 1916 of 370,798. ' ^gWmVet&lfirtenSitLt the beginning of the present year amounted to ap? proximately $193,500,000, exceeding those of a year ago by about $18,000, 000. It was announced that it was mainly because of the corporation's greatly increased volume of business that it was deemed necessary to ap? propriate increased amounts to con? struction and working capital and en? gage in a general policy of financial expansion. Completion of the proposed issue of $46,000,000 new stock, it was ex? plained, will increase assets by $15, 000,000 cash and will increase the outstanding common stock issue by four shares to one. COTTON GINNING REPORT. Total Shows Increase Over Last Year to January 16. Washington, Jan. 23.?Cotton gin? ned prior to January 16 amounted to 11,117,118 running bales, exclusive of I ; linters, including 181-,00 4 round bales ! and 115,463 balos of sea island, the census bureau today announced: To January 16 last year ginning ag? gregated 10.751.990 bales, including 106,968 round bales and 90,671 bales of sea island. That was 97.1 per cent, of the entire crop. Ginnings by Slates follows: Alabama ., 543,98T Arkansas . 1,069,207 California . 31,725 Florida. 50,626 Georgia . 1,825,62t Louisiana. 437,232 Mississippi. 780,862 Missouri . 57,041 North Carolina. 659,411 Oklahoma . 810,410 South Carolina. 936,700 Tennessee . 362,773 Texas . 3,543,298 Virginia ., 26,603 All other States. 11,559 SHRINE CLUB OFFICERS. I* oi Abe Ryttenberg Chosen President Sumter Organization. At i meeting last night of th% Sumter Shrine Club officers' were elected for the ensuing year, ns fol? low*: President, Abe Ryttenberg; vice president, J. W. Jackson; secre? tary and treasurer, A. E. Tisdale; executive committee, Oeo. D. Levy, chairman: Geo. G. Tweed, W. U Me Cutchen, E. Carson and IT. N. For* roster. The executive committee is now making arrangements for the trip of the patrol and other members of the Shrine club to Spartanburg in May and to Minneapolis in June.