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Cfet ?tottjjnum anb ^outfit on. PeJMsehed Wednesday and eaturrtey. OvTUQf PUBUUOLfQ COMPANY. iumtir, m c Temas: Bar annum?la advaac?. t Dm Pqaaae trat inaartlon.ILO'j Kfiesj eobeoqesat Inaartlon.. .. .10 Ooatracts for three months. 01 tager vtn ha msoa at reduced rates. AB eoeamunleetlone which tuu ?er*e ertvete tataraata will ba charged ?at aa adver Ueexnea a. Obituaries and tribute* of raapeel ?*U be charged far. The lam tar Watuhmaa was found? ed re lilt and the Tree Southron In t It. Taw Watchman and Southron eaw has the eomblned circulation and ?adeeaea ef both of the old papers tad te saealfentry the beet advertising eeedfeai la Sumter. A STARCH FACTORY. Dr. W. W. Long, Director of the Extension Department of Clemson College will meet the business men of Sumter Monday afternoon, at the Chamber of Commerce, to lay before taem the facts relative to the move? ment that he has started to establish rt.iroh factories in South Carolina. Dr. Long and his associates at Clem? son College have made a thorough in veatlgatlon of the practicability, of manufacturing a first class article of starch from sweet potatoes and he will be In a position to talk facts and not theories. He Is undoubtedly able te demonstrate that starch can be manufactured at a profit?provided an adequate supply of potatoes can be guaranteed at a reasonable price. The whole thing hangs upon the question of a eupply raw material, and this Is Up to the farmers of the country adja cent to the location of the starch fac? tory. It might be possible to raise all the capital needed to establish V fac* tory, but unleee a certain supply of raw material la aaeured, no capitalist will put his money in It. A starch factor) in Sumter or In any other South Caro Una town depends upon the fanner* and until their co-operation is assur? ed the movement that Dr. Long ?' promoting cannot gain any momen? ta*. The movement to establish starch faotertee la the South to vee sweet po tatoee te not the first effort in this di? rection. Ae far back as January U9r considerable interest?was- aroused i this matter In Sumter and nn effort wee then made to interest the farm ere In growing potatoes to supplv proposed factory. After considerable talk nothing- was accomplished, th_ failure being due largely, If not en? tirely, to the fact that a supply of po? tatoes could not be guaranteed. At that time Mr. B. Bcmmers visited Sumter and discussed the matter with a number of business men and for a time there were high hopes that a factory would bo established. The failure of twenty-odd years ago, when cotton was selling for about six cents, should not be taken as an omen of failure now, and the effort should be made to co-operate with Dr. Long in putting this new enterprise on Its feet. Twenty years ago there was no farm extension organization and the State did not have Dr. Long and his corps of energetic assistants of the Farm Demonstration work to enlist the aid of the farmers and direct their work in new channels. We have now the very thing that was lacking then, and this may mean the differ? ence between failure and success. In addition we have the certain coming of the boll weevil, as another factor in compelling the farmers to seek some other crop than cotton as a money producer. In 1896 cotton was at its lowest price, and soon began to go up. which induced farmers to plant more cotton each year instead of driving them to other crops. We lelieve that Dr. Long knows what he Is doing and that if he can obtain the proper I backing in Sumter, or elsewhere that he will succeed In establishing a starch I manufacturing Industry in this State. Just as a matter of history the sub? joined article Is reproduced from The Watchman and Southron of January SOth, 1895. It gives in brief form the facts relative to the Inception of the effort then made to establish n starch factory in Sumter and to in? duce the farmers to plant potatoes as a money crop to take the place of cotton, which at the time was selling for less than the cost of production. (From The Watchman end South? ron January SO, 1805.) "A few weeks ago we published an Inquiry from a party of Northern capitalists, who desire to establish starch factories in the South, in ret ?rence to the possibility of securing I supply of potatoes and other starch producing material in this section, should they locate a factory here. If myone has replied to this inquiry we have not been Informed of the fact, and since then the proposition has been at a standstill, simply because our people have taken so little inter? est in a matter that is of real import? ance to this section. Yesterday tho following lette ? ' which bring! the matter to a point, l was ?~ccived: "New York, Jan. 22. 18U3. "Editor Watchman and Southron: "Today I got a paper of your edi? tion dated Xovomber 15, 1S94, con? taining an article on Cassava, which I must say interests me very much. Already from my former travels in Brazil, and now still more, since in company with several others, we in? tend to go in for the manufacture cf starch in the South, from sweet po? tatoes and Irish, and since I have seen your article I would be willing to add Cassava to it, provided, the farmers would grow enough of it for our factory or factories, and that they would supply it at such prices as we might bo able to pay. This latter would, of course, greatly depend upon tho starch content of the Cassava. I am not sure if a letter would reach Mr. Spann, as I do not know his post office address, I therefore send these lines to you in expectation that you will forward this to him. If he will send me by express, freight paid, an average sample of what he has grown, say ten to twenty pounds, I will un? dertake to make the analysis of same free of charge. If he agrees to this let him address the box to my chemical laboratory. "B. Remmers." "500 Green Avenue, Brooklyn, N. Y. "Is there any water power in your city or neighborhood suitable for a factory? Do you think, if we located one of our intended factories in your place, that peoplo would take a cer? tain amount of stock and what privil? eges might we expect from the city? Hoping soon to hoar from you and al? ways pleased to answer any question that you may have in this matter, I remain, "Yours respectfully, / "B. Remmers." "The question is thus put directly to tho business men of the city and the farmers of the * 'cinity. Do v>c want a starch factory in Sumter? Wil the business men of the city take stock In it? Will the city allow such a factory privileges Will the farm? ers grow sweet and Irish potatoes am! cassava in sufficient quantities to sub ' ply the factory? If wo Avant th, factory an effort must be made, fcS 1; will not come to Sumter whether Vc make an effort or not. There are hun? dreds of towns Just as well located a> Sumter and there is no particular ret son why a factory should be locajev here." In the west starch factories paj fifteen cents per bushel of slxty-SiN pounds for Irish potatoes, and twentj -ents pt bushel of sixty-six pound for sweet potatoes, giving one cent I bushel for each per cent, of starcl found In the material. Can sweet po? tatoes be produced In large quantities and sold for twenty cents per bush? el? "We are informed that sweet po? tatoes can be grown at that price a profit to the farmer. We have been told time and again that 200 to 400 bushels of potatoes can be produced per acre, and at twenty cents pet bushel potatoes will be a long way ahead of cotton as a money crop. Here Ii the opportunity. What shall ?vre do with it?" THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT LAW. The legislature seems to bo inclin? ed to dodge the issue raised by Gov. Manning's recommendation in his an? nual message, that an Australian bal? lot law be enacted. The attitui? of the present legislature in respect to this matter does not shock us as greatly it would, were not for the fact that in dodging the issue ard sidetracking the Australian ballot law the legislature is following precedent. When Gov. Manning was a member of the. legislature twenty-four years ago he made an earnest effort to se? cure the enactment of an Australian ballot law and the legislature dodg? ed the issue every time the bill was brought up. The following editorial comment on the Australian ballot law is applicable to the present situation, almost without the change of a word, although it was written twenty-one years ago: (From The Daily Item, Feb. 10, 189G.) "The new election law and Mr. Manning's Australian ballot law will be taken up this week for discussion by both houses of the G<" rieral Assem? bly. The adoption of the election law in a more or less modified form is a foregone conclusion, but the enact? ment of the ballot lawr proposed by Mr. Manning is not assured by any means, notwithstanding that it is one of the best and most necessary re? forms that ha:; ever been proposed in this State. We cannot understand why this bill has been sidetracked in the General Assembly for three suc? cessive years, and is, at the present time, in a fair way to be sidetracked again. There is no reason for this action, and we are necessarily forced to conclude that there is moro or less prejudice against the Australian sys? tem, which is as near a perfect meth? od for conducting elections as the honest ingenuity of intelligent men has been able to devise. In Australia where the system originated ? it has proven eminently satisfactory, inn: much as it has preserved t:ie secrecy of the ballot, prevented to n large ex? tent the exertion of undue inlluence over voters by professional politicians, and has almost eliminated fraud at the ballot box. In the majority of the States of the Union, v.here the I Australian system has been adopted j and has been in effective operation1 for several years it has been as satis? factory to the honest citizens, who desire purity at the ballot box and j honesty in elections, as it had been proven to be in Australia. The sys? tem, when honestly and intelligently enforced, secures orderly elections and render well-nigh impossible the long list of evtle that have for years disgraced our elections and rendere.l them offensive to honest and respect? able people. Of course those persons who profit by fraud and corruption in elections desire a more pliant system, a system that is subject to easier ma? nipulation and renders detection of their criminality more difficult, and they have opposed the system from first to last and are still fighting it. It is a matter of history that the pro? fessional politicians in other States made the most strenuous efforts to prevent the enactment of election laws embodying the Australian ballot system, and that .subsequent to its adoption they have redoubled their efforts to secure a repeal of the law. Failing in these efforts to rid them? selves of the wholesome and purify? ing influences that the system threw around elections they have taxed their brains to evolve schemes that would defeat or evade the system and to bring it into disrepute. Notwith? standing these efforts, the Australian ballot system has grown in popularity with the honest voter, and today it is firmly planted in the favor of this class of people in every State where it has been tried, and there is no prospect of its abandonment in any State. Such being the intrinsic merits of the system and such being the beni ficent effects in practical operation we :annot give up hope that the General Assembly of South Carolina will incorporate the Australian ballot system in the election law of the State. Mr. Manning has prepared a law that is peculiarly adapted to the conditions existing in this State and would be the means of purifying the ?elections and eliminating fraud. It will have the effect of an educational qualification of the ballot and will bear equally upon all men, whatever be their race or political creed; and were it a new and untried scheme, I without the many years of successful operation 10 recommend it, the mem? bers of the legislature, should h**ve no hesitation in adopting it, for its very merits, patent to any one will read the bill with ordinary care, recommend it so powerfully that scarcely anything: Is left to he said in its favor. COURT CONVENER ON 12TH. Judge R. W. Meinmingor to Preside? Grand Jnrora and Petit Jurors Se? lected. Sessions court convenes for the spring term in Sumter county on Feb? ruary 12th, Judge R. W. Memminger of Charleston presiding. Saturday twelve jure " were drawn to fill out the panel on the grand jury for 1917 and the usual venire for the petit jury was drawn. The men who will serve as grand jurors for 1917 are: Holdovers: J. A. Middleton, J. F. Jenkins, W. Leslie P.runson, J. Ai Lewis, D. M. Dick, C. W. Hicks. Now men drawn: B. At. Hall. E. W, Hurst, R. H. Green, R. J. Kolb, J. C. Hood, W. H. Rcville, J. M. Harwick. F. L. Brunson, E Strickland, Joel Benl ow, J. X. Kill and A. P. Hinson The petit jurors for the first we k of court are: J. C. Cooper, E. L. New? man, L. L. Dv.Bose, William Burrows, M. R. Rivera, J. O. Parwick, W. J. O'Neill, J. J. Morrisey, James Oi Bryan, Win. F. Shaw, Perry Krasnolf, M. E. Truluck, J. D. Heriot, E. G. Keels, W. E. I^awrence, R. T. Tisdaie, R. A. Dennis, Pen Clements, M. Mc j Clam, E. A. Terry, E. J. Wachncr, E, , F. Miller. D. J. Auld, D. R. McCalltim, R. M. James, T. W. Hawkins, W. X. Bradford, J. A. Schwerin, Jr., J. ??. Mnurer, A. A. Team, W. J. Rivers, F. T. Mclnvail, H. R. McLeod. B. T. ' Kolb, J. M. Wertz, A. S. Brown. FREE SAMPLE?Large paper-shell pecans. Land-owners, write for sample nuts and prices of trees to-r day. Southern Nut Tree Nurseries, Thomasville, Ga. Undertaker iM Eikilnr. Prssipt Attention to De? er Night Csll?, ? 11.0. Crslf 0M Stand. N. Vsts Phones 57{hr?oi ANNOUNCEMENT. Our Annual White Dry Goods Sale Begins Tomorrow, 30th Come and see. Our Goods speak for Themselves. liest Percales. IS l?lc Good Percales . 10c Dress Gingham. 11c Apron Check. 7c liest Apron Check. 9c Clmnihray . 10c Best Bleach 15c, for. 1 Oe? lde nieach.' ... ?? Pnjama Checks, Short Length, 12 l-2c for . tfl Foil Pieces P ujuma Check, best Quality at . 12c l-IngHsh liong Cloth, all prices. IHc Quality Nainsook for. 2* l-2c Quulity Nutnsook for.. 23c Quulity Nainsook for. M.-in > White Madras for Shirting, 30 In. Wide, for. M\ In. Poplin, white und colors, for Llncne 12 l-2c Quulity, for . . 1.1neues 15c Quulity, for. 35c White Linen at . 1.li lTc lie ltd lac tto PC 12c 29c 32 in. Col. Madras Shifting nt . . 21c Uest Quality Galutca, at. 13c White Plaid Wu ist lug. 11c Special Prices on Towels und Spreads. Sheets 63\00, lie quality for . . 73c Sheets, 81x90, $1.00 quulity for 92c Sheets, 90x90, $1.25 quality for 95c 9-1 Sheeting 35c quality for_ 28c Pillow Cases 42x30, 25c quality for 19 Pillow Cases, 45x70, 30c quality for 22 Damask, 60c for . 47 Damask, 25c for. 21c Damask, 40c for. 33c Damusk, $1.00 for. 89c Duiuask, $1.75 for . 1.29 $2..">0 Corduroy Skills for.$1.18 Whfttfl Skirts . 98c All the new weaver in plaid and stripe . .Cotton Skirting. Novelty Walstlng at 22c, 29c and 13c 10 in. White Voile at .... 17 and 21c 27 in Poplin ut . 19c Dotted Swiss at . 22c Holly Wood Voile at 9c Novelty Colored Voiles, 3? in. at from 21 to 47c. 36 in Pompudoure Stripe Voile at 19c 40 in. Organdy, 30c quulity for 21c 40 in. Organdy, 35c quulity for 27c 40 in. Organdy, 50c quality for S9c 30c riuxon for. 23c 35c Klaxon for 29c Kent on Tissue Voile ut. ISc 36 in dap. Crepe, 30c for . . Shadow Stripe Voile at 9c Canton Silk Strii>e Voile . 21c Winner Volle. 18 Japanese Nainsook, SOc quality for 22 (38 in. wide.) Dimity Check 27 in. White Pique 1 le 29c 27 in White Pique. 19c India Linen Dawn, 12 l-2c for. . 9c India Linen Lawn, 18c for- 13c Renfrew Devonshire cloth at 25c for. 21c Cannon cloth . MCSLIN UNDERWEAR Gonna?17c, 73, 92, 93. 88, 98, $1.33, $2.18. Skirts? 17c, 73, 98. $1.23, $2.18. Pant:-23c. IS, 17c. Corset Covers?23c, 13c. Chemise . 8!><' SHAW 6 McCOLLUM MERCANTILE COMPANY.