Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MARO KETHK. C-OMM1TTKE APPOINTED TO IM? PfltOVB CONDITIONS AT Mm Turn Down Proposition Turkey Creek Dmlnago fforvey Refujietl-?Trector Offer Ttoeir Wares. ?1 1 ? ? An Interesting and lengthy meet teg of the County Board of Com was held yesterday with all est the) member* present. This i kt tne eeeord meeting that the new boor* ha* hold. Too minutes of meetings on March ttk and Itth were read and approv? ed. Mr. U I. Strauss, representing the Watte Manufacturing Company Invit? es) the members of the board to Rich mend or Greenville to witness demon etraiiono of the White road true k, of? fering to pay the expenses of the hoard members if they would go. The ooejd of Rural Policeman H. 8. Bork In woo approved. A committee consisting of Messrs. J. J. Britten, H. J McLaurin and B. M. Oliver was appointed, with power to net. to Investigate conditions at the eeeety Jntt and to make such im In ventilation and light? ing no tacy deemed necessary. Mr. B. I. Heard On and a delegation appeared and urged the ap ot ft.000 for a sanitary eervey of Sumter county. The to make the nppro B. 1>. Mitehell, matron of the pent! d that a Merger be given her to provide gare for the inmateo of the BOO stated that the pres ras insufficient by reu oosi of tko inorooood coot of foodstuffs, OPst ft woo Impossible to meet expenses em the present basis. The hoard de Otdsd tu increase the allowance from H to 40 cento a day each for adults St to 10 cents a diuy tor About a year ago the board rod need tko boots for food and car* for Inmateo of the almshouse from et cents per capita to 80 cents for adults and SO cents for children, re After a recess for dinner, the board again met, when Messrs. R. O. Pwrdy. C. ?. fftubbs and J. H. Clifton appeared to urge that the county do something to Improve the drainage In the vicinity of Turkey Creek. It was stated that this work would Improve the health in this section and bo of mock public benefit. The board was assured that the city of Sumter and prepe*ty owner* interested would pay their proportionate share of the cost of cook work. The board decided that tt would be impossible to go Into woric at Use present time because of the in? creased expenses of the county and toe limited funds. Mrs. If. M. Solomons and Miss An? tonio Gibson reported .a tubercular patient without means who waa kept In care of tko Civic League and re? quested the board to make an appro? priation to care for this patient. They also requested that the board erect an open air shed for the accommodation and treatment of consumptive pa? tients. The board voted to appro? priate lit a month for the tubercu? lar patl -nt and agreed to give $30 to? wards the erection of the shed for care of white plague sufferers. Representatives of the Internation? al Harvester Company and of the J. I. Cone T. M. Company came before the board to endeavor to ir* rest thorn In the various tractors put out by their companies, but no action wax taken. A request was received from the su? pervisor of Lee county for the payment of that portion of the bond? ed indebtedness which constitutes a lien on the part of Lee county which was transferred from Lee to Sumter county three yearn as;o. This matter was discussed and the payment wa destined upon lecal advice being riv? en that it was a debt to the bond holders of which Sumter county coubJ. not be relieved. The request was for II. ISO. which is due. It hi alleged, by reason of the addition of a portion o< Lee to gumter county. The corn mtsalonera will pay to Lee county tha portion of the interest on tho bond which Lee county >ays for Sumte county. Mrs. W. J. Trunson was grant ed an approprlavion of $(.00. as I dependent on the county. The following letter was authorise', by the board to he written to Mr. E. 1. Reardon In answer to the appeal of the delegation headed by him for s sanitary eurvey of Sumter county: Mr. E. f. neardon, Secretary Cham? ber of Commerce. Sumter. 8; C. Dear Sir The County Hoard of Commissioners, after mature dellber oration, have declined to make an ap? propriation for the proposed health survey, at this time. In order that their refusal may he thoroughly understood by the people of gumter county in Its proper light, ngst gnaVetteBn^nBnMl **. m%S COLUMBIA FOB jjg PLACE. WOOD'S AII>E IMPRESSED WITH CITY'S ADVANTAGES. General Comments on Good Showing Made by Representative* of Caroli? na CapUtal. Washington, April 4.?Senator Till man today made public the following letter which he has just received from Gen. Leonard Wood regard in;: Columbia as the site of the army can? tonment: ??Your letter of March 20 to the secretary of war forwarded here to me was unfortunately sidetracked into the wrong channel, hence the delay In answering. "Tho data as to Columbia, S. C, has been most admirably worked up and presented by a committee of citi? zens of that city, aided by an officer of the National Guard on leave of ab? sence. The site Impressed Maj. Kil bourne of my staff very favorably when he inspected It, and Columbia will receive full and careful consid? eration In the final determination of the matter." DONT WAIT. Make Plana for Building SUo Now. Clemaon College, 1 April 4.?Our dairy experts are always busy, and will be especially ao in July, August and September. If you want their help in building a silo, write to the I Dairy Division at Clemson College, at once, asking fo^ plans and speciruc? tions and advice relative to their con? struction. Any farmer can construct a ailo with the labor on his farm. Don't wait! Do it now! aent the following reasons for their decision. I The supervisor and commissioners are executive officers merely, and have no authority to divert county funds to other purposes than thosj for which they are appropriated by the legislature. Unforeseen calamity\ or sudden emergency might necessi? tate the expenditure of money for ah unexpected purpose, and in excess of Income; but no other consideration should Induce the board to exceed ex? pressed authority. No emergency of this kind appears to exist at thla tlmo, in connection with a health survey, and it is plain that the supervisor and commission? ers should not spend money for such a purpose until they are authorized to do ao, and funds are provided there Tor by legislative enactment. The finances of the county do not warrant unusual expenditures now. Every dollar of Income for the cur? rent year will he needed for the speci? fic purposes for which our taxes were levied. In fact the greater part of the Income has been expended, and within approximately sixty days, the county must borrow money for Used expenses, in anticipation of tax col? lections next fall. On April lat. there waa a balance of $16,500 In the ordi? nary fund; but this has been reduced to $18,600 by warrants drawn today. For several years the Income has been insufficient, and loans have Increased from year to yervt\ This is necessitat? ed by statutory increase of salaries, creation of new offices and unpre? cedented advance In the cost of pro? visions, supplies and labor. If times were normal, and the need urgent, the Board might make appro? priation for such a purpose; the value of which they do not Ignore, lint, times are not normal, and the Imme? diate future la uncertain. Apparent? ly the country Is on the eve of a great I war, and there will be a much greater disturbance of conditions than we have yet experienced, or can foresee. Prices of all things which the county must buy, have advanced and con? tinue to advance steadily. No one can tell what the outcome will be. That alone is reason enough for con? servative action, and postponement of new enterprises. Again, Dr. Riser, the admitted ex? pert, who advised the board on a former occasion, said "that there would be little, if any benefit from the survey, unless it was followed by the appointment of a competent health officer, whose entire time should be giver advising and en? forcing sanitary regulations." T*i appears to be the practical par of the whole matter; and yet it is rot within the province of the board to establish a health department; but they must await legislative action. Tho matter of public health Is im? portant, and the board Is fully aware of that fact; but they have no low. making powers whatsoever. While the commissioners were in session today, they received tho t< I? towing telegram from one of the pu? ral committees, which was expected to come and urge this survey: "Com? mittee can't come. Think survey un? wise now. Finances distressing here." That nieaaage speaks volumes, and serves to emphasir.e the correctness of the position which the board has trk en. Very truly yours, C. M. Hurst, Clerk. By Order of the Board. COMMITTEE Of gfElt. THE RESOURCES OF ENTIRE COUNTRY BEING MOBILIZED. Tli? Campaign to Increase Production of Food Crops in Sumtcr County Is Part of Nation-wide Movement to Fortify the Country Against Food Shortage. The formation of a committee of safety for this county, in other words a central committee through which all matters shall pass, is but in keep? ing with what is going on in other sections of the nation. In manufac? turing districts. and In the large centres of population this takes large? ly the shape of guarding plants and public works; In an agricultural cen? tre the chief work will be the growing of food stuffs and the conservation of supplies. The work that is starting in other places is shown by the at? tached letter and telegram from the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce: President Clearing House, Sumter, S. C. Dear Sir: The directors of the At? lanta Chamber of Commerce, acting upon information received from Washington and from commercial bodies throughout the United States, have appointed a committee of Public Safety which will use the machinery of this chamber to co-operate with the government in ways most helpful dur? ing the present crisis. The committee of Public Safety has called a conference of commercial bodies of the Southeastern States to meet represntatlves of the fcov jrnment on Thursday morning at 11 o'clock. April 6th, In the Assembly Hall of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, corner Auburn Avenue and Pryor street. The committee earnestly re? quests that you send representatives o' your organization. We are advised that the most urgent work will be to Increase the food crops of the South and to en? courage enlistment In the regular ar? my and the National Guard. The question of arranging for the protection of water works bridges and other public property or any plants manufacturing supplies for the government will require careful attention. We suggest that in selecting dele? gates you designate those most capa? ble of handling such problems, say one for each subject. , In your appointment be sure to select men of unquestioned and undi? vided loyalty and of known business ability. We trust you will be represented and will thank you to inform us by return mall giving the names and occupations of the gentlemen who will represent you. Yours very truly, Meli R. Wilkinson, Chairman. J. K. Orr, A. M. Schoen, E. P. McBurney, J. M. B. Boxey, P. S. Ark wright, Forrest Adalr, Tull C. Waters, H. Y. McCord. Atlanta, Ga., April 2, 1?J17. President Chamber of Commerce, Sumter, S. C. Acting upon suggestion of United States secretary of agriculture that the best thing to aid government is to make the South self-sustaining, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce has called for April Gth, Southeastern food conference of farmers, bankers and commercial bodies, governors and commissioners of agriculture to or? ganize widespread campaign to in? crease food crops. You are cordially invited to send delegates. Please wire acceptance. Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. It was In keeping with these invi? tations that Messrs. Phelps and Dabbs will attend the meeting in At? lanta tomorrow and will report back to the meeting of the Committee of Safety Saturday. When this com? mittee meets composed of men from every section of the county a fair idea will be gained of the food sup? ply ana the food acreage of Sumter county, and also of about how much that acreage can be increased. All encouragement for the planting of food crops will be1 given and It is sale to say that seed will be furnished where those in need of it are unable to purchase. The growing at home Of food supplies is the very best pro? tection ugainst the ever mounting cost of living. No time has been lost in following up the meeting yesterday, and the fol? lowing letter was mailed to the mem? bers of , committee of Safety yes? terday a.tcrnoon: Dear Sir: Pursuant to a call is? sued by the Chamber of Commerce on March 27th for th? purpose o* form? ing a Sumtcr County Committee of Public Safety, a number of citizens of tho county met today, and organ? ized said committee. You have been selected as a mem? ber of thi: committee and you ere hereby notified that a meeting of this committee will be held ai the Ch]&m ber of Commerce hall On Hatunlav. April 7th, at 11 o'clock, fior the pui poso of organizing said committee by um ?TIH8 DAY." GOV. MANNING CALLS ON SOUTH CAROLINIANS TO FURNISH QUOTA OF MEN. Twenty-one is Number Which Sumter County Should Furnish out of Eight Hundred for Stute for Nation's ?'First Line of Defense." The following p.-oclamation has been issued by Gov. Manning: Whereas, a state of war exists ami the president has called for the in? crease of 38,500 men to nil the emer? gency complement of the navy, of which South Carolina's quota is 800. Now, therefore, I, Richard I. Man? ning, governor of South Carolina, do hereby designate Wednesday, April 11, 1917, as "Naval Recruiting- Day" in South Carolina an.I I cull upon the citizens of tho Ftv.e to help in secur? ing the require J number of enlist? ments as an earnest of your patrio? tism and loyalty. This is a call from the president of the United States for men to fill the first line of defense. It is the call of your country for the defense of your country, and for our safety and hon? or. The call is urgent. Men are needed now. I urge you as citizens of South Carolina to do your part. Will you as loyal ?itizens and pa? triots respond? The qualifications for enlistment are: Age 17 to 30 years; good teeth; good hearing; good eye-sight. Adults must weigh, stripped, at least 128 pounds and be 64 inches in height. Minors must weigh at the minimum 110 pounds at 17 years, and be 62 inches In height; 115 pounds at IS yearti, 120 pounds at 19 years. 125 pounds at 20 years, the minimum height in each instance being 64 i Inches. Application for enlistment should be made to the postmaster at each county seat, who is requested to ad dresn all inquiries to this office. In invite attention to the pay, ad? vancement, food and chances to learn a trade in the navy. The following number of recruits are expocted to enlist from the coun? ties named: Abbeville, 19; Aikcn, 2:5; Anderson, 32; Bamberg, 11; Barn well 19; Beaufort, 117; Berkeley, 13; Calhoun, 10; Charleston, ^r?; Chero? kee, 15; Chester, 10; Cheste- field, 15; C'arendon, 18; Colleton, 19; Darling to , 20; Dillon, 13; Dorchester. 11; Edgefield, 16; Fairfleld, 16; Florence, 20; Georgetown, 13; Greenville, 86; Greenwood, 19; Hampton, 9; Jasper, 6; Horry, 15; Kershaw, 15; Lancas? ter, 15; Laurens, 23; Lee, 14; Lexing? ton, 18; Marion, 12; Marlbo *o, 17; MeCormick, 4; Newberry. 19; Oconee, 15; Orangeburg, 30; Pickens, 11; Richland, 29; Saluda, 12; Spaitan bunr, 43; Sumter, 21; Union, 17; Wil iamsburg, 21; York, 26. Richard I. Manning. Governor. GERMANY WILL DISREGARD UNITED STATES. Will Not Make Declaration of War. Rut Will Continue Submarine War? fare as Before. Berlin, April 3 (via London, April 4).?The press report of President Wiluon's, "state of war" message reached Berlin at 10 o'clock this morning. It is declared here that there would be no change in the Ger? man attitude even if congress adopted President Wilson's view. Germany will not declare war nor take any st<?;> to wage war against the United .Stat? s The submarine war will be contin? ued as It has been conducted sine? February 1, but this, declare the ofil? rials, is not directed more against the United States than any other neutral It also is declared that there will be no change in the treatment of Ameri? can citizens in Germany who now have the same freedom as all oth^r neutrals, but Germany expects that the United States will continue the same treatment of Germans in that country. PEACE ADVOCATES UNPOPULAR. Emergency Peace Headquarters in Washington Raided. Washington, April 3.?Guardsmen of the Third District of Columbia iu fai try, backed by citizens, covered the front of the headquarters of the Emergency Peace Federation with a eoi.t of yellow paint, while another pa *ty of citizens destroyed the paci? fist literature and banners inside. the election of the chairman and su< b other officers as may be deemed ad vlsable, and for the purpose of de? fining the scope of the work to b< accomplished. The purpose of this committee l*? l? aid and assist the government o id thi? people ??f Bumter count) in tin present crisis, you are urged to < In attendance without full. The 1 t of tho committee in attached hereto. Respectfully yours, Neill O'Donnell, Chairman. Hi A. Moses, Secretary. COUNTRY PREPARING FOR WAR! UNITED STATES IS GATHERING I RESOURCES TO DELIVER FORCEFUL BLOW. Plans are Being Rushed, so That Ac? tion. May Speedily Follow Declara? tion of War Against Germany? Campaign Will be Aggressive One? All Departments Being Made Ready Washington, April 3.?War plans, military, economic and financial, for aggressive hostilities against Germany were rushed forward today by the ad? ministration branch of the govern? ment and only await action by con? gress on a war resolution to be put into execution. Enactment of the resolution not later than Thursday was confidently forecast at the capitol after a delay of 24 hours had been caused in the senate by Senator La Follette's ob? jection to immediate consideration. Debate will begin in both houses to? morrow with action before adjourn? ment probable. Sentiment in favor of the resolution is almost unanimous end the only question is how much time shall be devoted to speech m?k? ln*;. President Wilson and his cabinet went over the war plans at a two hour session and previously the na? tional defense council with its civil? ian advisory committee and several Subsidiary organizations developed policies and details of momentous consequence to the nation. Already the navy has taken steps to insure cooperation between the] American fleet and those of the en-! tente allies, to become effective upon the formal entry of the United States into the war. The most important plans under preparation by the ad? ministration include: Enlistment by selective conscription of young men for national army. In ? addition to the regular establishment and National Guard, in increments of 500,000 until enough have been train? ed to make certain the defeat of Ger? many; Organization of the nation's com? mercial interests for economical and effective distribution of commodities among the civilian population; Rapid provision of adequate means of combating the submarine menace; The raising of a von- large sum of money, as much as possible to be obtained by taxation and the definite amount of the first budget not to be fixed until the exact needs of the army and i vy and of the entente allies are ascertained; Purchase of supplies and equip? ment of all kinds for the army under a provision of law which allows the secretary of war to fix a "reasonable price." Division of the young men of the country into service classes, those needed more in industries than in the army and navy to receive insignia showing they are performing duty equivalent to fighting. Most of these plans will require the authorization of congress but from opinions expressed at the capitol it 's believed that once the war resolutio n is adopted further legislation to em? power the executive branch to go full speed ahead will follow quickly. The council of national defense, composed of Secretaries Baker, Lane, I Daniels, Wilson, Houston and Redlield, following a conference with its ad visory commission, decided to rain*' soon a commercial economy board to organize the commercial interests of the nation fo. ective distribution of all necessary commodit.es among the people generally. I The council, all of whose members later attended the cabinet meetings, decided to confer every day this werk with the possible exception of tomor? row. Tentative ways in which the great sums of money needed by the govern? ment may be raised are in course of preparation and were gone over thor? oughly In the cabinet meeting. The revenue making power, however, lies entirely with congress and the execu? tives can only advise. In line with the president's sugges? tion to congress in ids address that the present generation bear as much of the financial burden as possible, the ways of providing money under con? sideration today included Increasing the excess profits tax. lowering the minimum for exemptions and Increa? ing the super tux under the Incoeie tax law, Increasing the internal reve? nues taxes on some articles and plac? ing stamp taxes on some articles not now Included. The general Idea is to place taxation most heavily on those i est able to pay. It is realized, however, that some of the necessary funds will have to be raised by bond Issues in the form of popular subscription loans, it was es? timated b) one cabinet member that |10(000,000 in small interest loans can be raised quickly in the United States. opposition lias developed to the guaranteeing of foreign bond issues but it appeared probable that the United States having raised money In this country, would purchase tho rYOULD CAUSE NEGRO TO REVOLT GERMAX AGENTS CAUGHT TRY? ING T(> INCITE NEGROES ABAINST WHITES. Claimed That Attempts of German Government Agents to Cause Trou? ble Have Met With Little Sympa? thy Among Colored Citizens, Who Stand Fast by United States. Birmingham, Ala., April 4.?Re? ports t lat agents of the imperial Ger? man government are using Elm Grove, a negro settlement near Greensboro, N. C, as headquarters for a campaign to incite Southern ne? groes against the government of the United States today were confirmed by local federal agents. The alleged activities, according to the officials here, have extended to the tobacco and cotton belts of Georgia, Alabama, and Carolinas and parts of Florida. These efforts, however, have met with little sympathy among the ne? groes, who have pledged themselves in large numbers to support the pres? ident and rende" whatever service they could to the nation in case of war. The alleged work of Germans in the South is believed by the federal agents to be closely adied to the re? cent exodus from the cotton belt to Northern industrial centres of large bodies of negro laborers. Rumors have reached here that farmers in some agricultural districts have formed Ku Klux Klans to meet possible uprisings or disaffection but these have not been confirmed by federal authorites here. Government agents declared today thr information reaching them led to the belief that in the event war with Germany is declared, efforts will be made by German agents to induce ne? groes to migrate to Mexico with a .iew to crippling industries in the South which depend on negro labor. At the United States marshal's of? fice in Jacksonv'ille, Fla., today it was admitted that a elose watch is being maintained by federal officers for pos? sible efforts of German agents to in? cite the negroes. Reports reaching there, it was said, indicate that such efforts have met with no success. FIND SOME EVIDENCE. Federal Authorities in New Orleans Discover Signs of Plot. New Orleans, April 4.?Federal authorities here admitted today that :hey have discovered evidence in the ast few weeks indicating the ex stence of an organized German move? ment to incite negroes in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi against tho United States government. It was stated several Germans have been ar? rested recently in Mississippi suspect? ed of such activity. Among the promises alleged to have been made t6 the negroes, ac? cording to federal agents, were com? plete franchise freedom and political ?ind social equality, if the negroes pledged themselves to aid Germany in the event of war with the United States. The names of persons arrest? ed in connection with the investiga? tions and the localities were withheld. AMERICA STUDIES SUBMARINES. Closely Guarded Secrets Expected to Come Into Possession of United States Navy. Washington, April 3.?All the close? ly guarded secrets of submarine catch? ing developed by the entente navies are expected to come into possession of the American navy now that the United States is re?.dy to enter the war. As the capacity of German navy yards?now that a standard of con? struction h~" developed?is said to be two submarines a v ?ek, the suppres? sion of the campaign would seem to depend only on development of effi? ciency in submarine catching. Ameri? can officials take for granted that Germany will not wait for aggressive \ction by the United States but will seek to terrorize America by sending ?ubmarines to bombard coast towns and raid shipping on this side of the Atlantic. PEACE TALK REVIVED. Itcrlla Newspaper Says New Peace Conference Will be Proposed With? out Opjsntfcni of lighting. Berlin, April 3.?The proposal of Count von Czernin, Austrian foreign minister, that a peace conference be I eld without requiring the cessation of hostilities, apparently represents the attitude of all the central govern? ments. A conference of all four coun trtea will be held at Berlin shortly to approve the proposal, and the Lokal Anzeiger says the conference will stress the point that the central pow? ers are ready to fight on If the propos? al is net accepted. bonds of one or more of the enten allies at low rates of interest and I that way furnish them with amnlo cash with which to further their own war plans.