Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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KIUES LOMLJOJK FUt KeTYVOTsl Op'ktUS MK&r'lNG oV OOLOHJED ( ITI1KNS 18 LOY? ALTY TO STARS AND Mm of Negro Race in *4r*oissss in ? Resolutions tehlesealnm He. U?#U Tshu *e*roe* Have Listened '-Loyalty to the ?tart and stripes. Mr tag, aar country's Oaf was the *mmu0m of loo saaoo meeting hold last night( ha the Uncoln school building, whom about three hundred negroes their loyalty to the United add expressed themselves as fUp and wilting to go and fight, tsfcte the death, If need he. when they eMte ea/IOd upon. Resolutions were Isnod oohdSmnlng all reports of ne e disloyalty and terming such re Wh? SO Slanders on the negro ?nest ^ sseetlng was well attended by Ws)' and womsn. who were most Oast* in their expression of pa? ss, as shown by the applause was given the various speakers number of the most promt 'of the negro race in the city Ken one affirmed in em that now, as always, were and would continue Ir country. Although the were limited to five minutes, that a large number of them a number of splendid were made. Coming as a to the meeting Was the Intro, and passage of the resolution ifnf the reports that there negreea , fee sseetlng, as already stated, feed weji attended and was a mas s&pttt e-fgression of the feelings of fk% r^eo towards their country. As| fpo audience was gathering In the togre sujUtoriUm of the Uncoln school building, music was furnished ?s ft* Vletrola owned by the school. . T. Andrews presided At the meet? Cm the rostrum were seated a of the more prominent color The meeting was opened \?6t America by the aud standing. A United Stats flog woe brought to the rostrum end ffjrSn a conspicuous place, as appro prteta for the patriotic rally. Ths lOf. I. p. Doris led In prayer. drman. in opening the meet ' that those present had Os loyal subjects of the Unit, i to express their feelings of He stated that It wss a se cbarge which had been mads agOlaet thefb, and as a race, ho felt tbift th?o should resent the Impnta tie* Of theh- disloyalty. They were sMeed lb a peculiar position. They ssid boots tb sain or loos from th< any ass also In the United 0 referred to the fight Id Carrtsal m which negro . .J lost therlr lives, saying taSt they would be just as loyal and Se ready to fight. If needed. He urgod h? hearers t# 1? extremely heedful of #UsM they,said as an* wrong word or bellen might be misconstrued as dis? loyalty and esst o reflection on the meo. Loyalty was a duty he said. Th# audleace than Joined In singing the Star SpenaTed banner and the sseetlng was opened by the chairman rilling on Dr. C. W. filmte as the first speaker Dr. Bfrnle quoted Scott's patrlotie Unsen "Breathes tbsrs ths msn with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said: This is my own. my native land?" v-ftls was the keynote of the meet? ing, he stated, end the rumors of ne? gro disloyalty were only in the minds of a few narrow-minded persons, who oppoeed the negro, and themselves bad aroused suspicion, snd who would ?ew, no doubt, reject him In his of. for of loyalty. It was the only coun try the negroes knew snd 60S,Set men could be secured from the negro race for the United States army, If they wore wanted. The It er. J. I. Stark, president of sforris college, wss called on next. He sold that he could see no reason to question the negro's loyalty. Judging the present and future by the past, there wss no reason to doubt It. Tht negroes had played an Important pArt In every war In which this coun? try bad been engaged, and they were new ready to respond to the call to go to the front and achieve victory for America. At this point the meeting was thrown open to any one, who wished to speak, the time being limited to five minutes, ft. H. Richardson of Wedgsfleld responded to the call and made a ringing, practical address. This wss a crisis such as the World had never seen before, he said. Rsperts from the department of agriculture had Investigated conditions In ths Month, he said, and reported that If lbs went stopped Its shipments of dour, corn and meet to the South, within elx weeks this seefion would realise a famine. He therefore urged -1 the growing of food crops by thevi>eo' s4e of thh? seotkm ?< "Whatever your opinion of the pres? ident, up to now," he said, "there Is only one thing to do now, to follow hie lead and that of congrees, for war has already been declared, and as loyal American citIsens we can do nothing else." He created a laugh by saying that the war was already to It here, for If twenty and twenty-two cent butt meat was not war, he did hot know what It was. Give the ne? gro what the flag promised, he said, and they would fight Germany or any other country. The call was for men from 18 to 45, he said. If needed the negroes would respond from 15 to 75. He told the young negroea who were leaving for the North that this was the place for them. They could work here as well as anywhere else. He said he had been In 42 States and done oil kinds of work, but this was the beat place for the negroes. He said the negroes were ready to volunteer, If the country needed them. **We want to show by our words and- acts that we are loyal to our government," the Rev. I. D. Davis said. In urging the negroes to show their loyalty In everything In the pres? ent crisis. Dr. C. C. Jacobe said that there was no question of. the negro's loyalty. I Prudence, If nothing else, would dic? tate loyalty. There was no treason among the negroea, he' said. The laws had not always been administer? ed equally, he said, but It was not the fault Of the flag, which had always been true to them. He urged that all aets and thoughts be loyal to the flag. 9. J. McDonald pointed out that ne? groes paid taxes on $1,000,000,000 property and had pretty homes and valuable farms to fight for. the flog was the only one they had ever known and It was their duty to de? fend It. "A people with a vision and lofty Ideals will not down," said the Rev. J. W. fffoultrle, In responding to a call from the audience for him to speak. The Idea of the meeting was America, where all men, according to the constitution, were created equal and had Inalienable rights as Ameri? can cltlaens. He said the negroes must fight for America. They were not a bitter people who would revenge themaelvee for the wrongs they had suffered, but they could and would go anywhere, at any time on less than any other soldiers required. He believed that the negroea would get along better after the war because they gave their blood for the cause of America. M. J. Frederick, Esq., said that the Imputation that negroes were dis? loyal was an Insult upon them by their enemies. He referred to the fact that now there Were two monuments erected to negroes for loyalty and he said that after this war there would he more of them. The Rev. A. J. Andrews said the black man had always been loyal to the flag and waa willing now to stand shoulder to shoulder in Its defense. The negroea knew no other flag than "Old Glory." All he wanted was a man's chance and he would give his loot drop of blood to defend It from Its enemies. Dr. C. W. Maxwell said the Starr and Stripes was the flag that had given them their liberty and, although the negro had not always been justly treated, thla was no time to pay off old scores. He said that as the wo? men In England at the beginning of the war had stopped their mlllta.pt fight for the ballot, so the negroes would forget all internal troubles for the time and rally around the flag. The negro was not the only race that had been mistreated. Other races In Europe had been trodden upon be? fore the war, which had come as a blessing to them, for It had freed them from shackles. So would the loyal negro reap blessings from the war. > "Talk of treason among the negroes was Idle talk." Dr. Foster of the Pres? byterian church stated. The negroes had always been true to the Stars and Stripes and would never swerve from Its defense. He said that this country was the best place for the negro, and no matter what others did, he was going to remain here In the rtouth. M. A. Walters spoke of the worth of a negro, saying Gov. Manning had offered $50 for the conviction of a la? bor agent taking one from the State, while u Lexington county man was suing for $3,000 for euch negro taken from his saw mill. He said If they were worth $3.000 to a saw mill man, he knew that they were worth $10, 000 each to the United States govern? ment. The Rev. E. W. Williams referred to the fact thut the negro wui brought to thl* country ugalnst his will, but being here would stay and bo loyal, notwithstanding conditions unfavora? ble to himself. He uregd the young negroes to respond promptly when called on, and when they went, he told them to fight like -. The Rev. Pendergruss. presiding el? der of the A. M. E. church, said that as a part and parcel of the rutted States the negro had as much right to ligM, ?fs he* hud to celebrate the Fourth of July; The negro's loyalty-1 wus well known. He was more loyal (hun any other ruce on the face of the earth. He had shown in Cuba and Mexico that he would tight aiu1 die for his flag. The Rev. Benbow was surprised that anyone doubted the negro's loyalty. He said that the government did not need the negro's services in the army now, but it did need his ser? vices in the field to work and grow food crops for the army and for them? selves. He urged that the people raise their own necessities, and then to take hold of the industries of the country so as to keep them in suc? cessful operation. He, urged the wo? men to practice rigid economy in their households, as by so doing they would help to ward off famine later on. The Rev. J. T. Lomax referred to what the negroes had done in this country in peace and war. He said he felt that he was as much a citi? zen of these United States and that the American flag was his flag, as any white man ever did. He hoped that every person in his audience felt that way. He wanted all to Indorse what President Wilson had done and to act according to his advice, and when called on to offer their services for their country. At this point a motion was made by E. A. Walters that a resolution be drawn up, expressing the sentiment of the meeting and a committee was ap? pointed to draw up this resolution, The resolution upon being presented was adopted, as follows: Resolutions affirming loyalty and pledging the support of the negroes of Sumter county, South Carolina, to the United States government: Whereas, by the unwarranted, in? human, and uncivilzed methods of warfare waged by Germany, not only against the nations with whom it is at war, but also against neutrale, the United States government has been forced to enter the world war in or? der to defend the lives of Its citizens from ruthless slaughter and the de? struction of their property upon the high seas, and to maintain its honor and self respect before the nations of the world. And Whereas, it has been slander? ously asserted that German agents have "conspired" and "plotted" with the negroes of the South to injure the govsrnment and weaken its efforts to wage a successful triumphant war against its foreign foes; Be it Resolved, That we, the negroes of Sumter county, South Carolina, do hereby declare our firm an* unfal? tering allegiance to the g iment of the United States and our unshaken loyalty and unswerving fealty to its cause. Resolved, That just as the negro has given, willingly and cheerfully, his services and life that the nation might live, in every national struggle, from the Boston Massacre to Carrlzal, we also stund ready to respond, with our lives if need be, when the call is sounded. (Signed W. T. Andrews, Chairman, I. D. Davis, E. A Walters, J W. Moultrle, Chas. A. Lawson, M. J. Frederick, R H. Richardson, C W. Maxwell, M. D, C W. Birnie, M. D, Committee on Resolutions. Before adjourning two visiting i , preachers were called on for talks Rev. M. M. Mouzon of Charleston commended the Sumter negroes for their patriotic expression. He be? lieved that all were inspired by the meeting and that the young men were ready to enlist and would repeat the valuable services the negro troops had renderd In Cuba and Mexico. The Rev. Dr. W. M. Hanna of Char? leston said the imputation of disloy? alty was a stupendous joke perpetrate ed upon the negroes by their enemies. He believed that the expression of their patriotism given by tho negroes of sumter county was the sentiment of the negroes everywhere in the South. The chairman in closing the meet? ing stated that he was much gratified at the expression which had come from those at the meeting, and he believed that it was universal among the negroes. He sal the* if there were any disloyal negroes in Sum? ter they were not presnt, or were si? lent, and he thought that they would continue silent, REPORT OX SUBMARINE. Washington. April 18.?The peris? cope of the submarine, running sub? merged, was sighted by the deck of? ficer quartermaster and the deqk watch of the destroyer Smith yester? day Just before the wake of the tor? pedo was seen crossing the destroyer's bow, aeeording to the report of tke cdramander of the 8mith to the navy department. Navy officials said this report confirms the presence of s Ger? man submarine in American waters. FARMERS JOINING e. Or' C. iMl -?? J. j ? ? ? Sever*) Progrcstdic Business Men or Rural Community Have Conmn< d Themselves wltll Commercial Or? ganisation. Seven progressive farmers and country merchants of Sumter county have enlisted as members of the Sumfet Chamber of Commerce, the one organization of this county and city which works for all of the peo? ple, city, country, town and hamlet. Messrs. E. W. Dabbs, of Goodwill: C. M. Emanuel, of Borden, C. J. Jackson, of Horatio; D. V. Keels and E. E. Rembert, of Rembert; J. H. Myers of Providence Township, and P. B. Harvin, of Privateer are the public spirited farmers and country merchants who have joined forces with the commercial organization of the county seat to help make the flight for preparedness in tho "Grow Food or Go Hungry" whirlwind cam? paign of the Sumter Chamber of Com? merce, and for the up-building of the greater Qamecoel county of Sumter in every phase of progressiveness, embracing patriotism, educational, in? dustrial, agricultural, commercial, and social activities. The directors of the Chamber re? cently decided to make a special rule allowing all farmers and country mer? chants of Sumter county, and also all employees of this city and county, who receive less than $100 a month wages, to become members at a minimum scale of five dollars a year membership, they, however, being al? lowed the privilege of paying more, if they care to do so. But a member paying five dollars per annum is just as big a man in the chamber as an of those who pay one hundred dol? lars a year, the bigness of ths member depending entirely upon how public spirited he is and how big he makes himself by his deeds for his city, county, and country. The Sum? ter Chamber of Commerce is what the directors and officers are aiming at, and this organization spends the' big? gest part of its funds and time work? ing to develop the natural resources of this county, the agricultural back? ground of Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties from which counties Sumter city largely derives Its support. Farmers, country merchants, and employees of other counties than Sumter will be welcomed as members on the same basis should they desire to join forces with their Sumter coun? ty fellow citizens. . BULLION GERMANS KILLED. 1 Official Casualty Lists Show Great To? tal Loss. London, April 16.?German casual? ties, as reported in the German offi? cial casualty lists during the month of March, show that 64,803 men were killed; died of wounds or sickness, were wounded, were made prisoner or are missing, according to a statement made public here tonight. The tab? ulated statement follows: Killed or died of wounds, 10.HG3; died of sick? ness. 2,679; prisoners or missing, 6,247; wounded. 35,014. The statement says that the fore? going casualties, added to those re? ported previously, bring the total given In the German official lists since the beginning of the war to 4,180, 966, as follows: Killed or died of wounds, 960,760; died of sickness, 63,920; prisoners or missing. 513,859; wounded, 2,649,428. Mr. Wesley Bradford Dead. From The Daily Item, April 17. James Wesley Bradford, Sr., a well known and highly esteemed citizen of Sumter, died tode about noon, after an illness of nine days. Pneumonia brought on by rheumatism with oth? er troubles was the cause Of death. Mr. BradforC was seventy years of age and was ? native of Sumter. He was a good citizen and highly thought of by all who knew him. He is survived by five sons and four daughters, Mrs. R. M. Lewis, Mrs. S. E. Ringham, R. D. Bradford, Mrs. W. W. Scarborough. Elliott; J. W. Brad? ford, Jr., Mrs Arthur Fisher, Sum merton; Pitts, Edward and A. Lou Bradford. The funeral services will be held from the late residence, tomorrow, Wednesday, afternoon at 5 o'clock and the Interment will be at the Sumter cemetery. Real Estate Transfers. Perry Moses. Jr., to J. M. Harby, his Interest In lot on Main street; also his interest In lease on Consolidated Mer? cantile Company, $5 and other con? siderations. Lucy Q. and D. R. McCsllum, to J. F. Nunnery, lot on Church street, $900. Hsrhy & Company, Inc., to A. C, Phelps. lot on Wright street, $250. T. C. Oothron to Oleta E. Oliver, et gl. 3 acres in town of Oswego, $100. R. B. Belser to Mrs. Andrena Mo? ses, tract on Brewlngton road, $2.? 250. >| -1-1 |"Who meets the bills need for fesr 1o\ meet collectors." TWO PAROLED BY GOVERNOR. ?-m Si|v ?Juule? McCord of Abbeville and Slieppard Burgess of Clarendon, Ne? groes, Beneficarles. Columbia, April 17.?Gov. Man? ning yesterday granted two paroles during good behavior, both to negroes. James McCord wa? convicted in Ab? beville county in February. 1908, of assault with intont to ravish a ne? gro woman. The prosecutrix has made an affidavit, dated in February of this year, "that she feels that James McCord is being unjustly pun? ished and that he should be released," and that he did not assault her with? out her consent. Nine of the jurors petitioned for pardon and state now that they believe the defendant should never have been convicted. McCord was serving a 15 year term. The other parole was granted to Sheppard Burgess, who was convicted in June, 1916, of larceny of livestock and sentenced to one year's imprison? ment and a fine of $5. The Clarendon delegation, coming from the county in which Burgess was convicted, pe? titioned for a parole on the ground that his wife has recently died, leav? ing eight children, six of whom are helpless. Judge Wilson and Solicitor Stbll also recommended clemency. NEWS AND VIEWS OP PISGAII. J. E. DnPre Describes Conditions as He Found Them at the Chain Gang. Pisgah, April 16.- No public movement In late years is more im? portant than the one now being made to induce the people to make all the grain they can this year, tor It Is going to be needed. Every effort should I e mode to make everything for man and beast and to raise all the hogs pos? sible. Owing to the high cost of pro? visions and the scarcity of them, many people will suffer before we can raise things to eat. The crop prospect Is good and the fruit crop promises to be abundant. Corn planting is over and cotton seed Is now going into the ground. The acreage of cotton will not exceed that of last year. The health of our section is very good. Misses Lula and Corin Baker and brother Lern went to Camden Satur? day, Miss Nell G?lls of St. Joseph's Academy spent the week-end with her parents. A heavy fall of rain fell here Friday evening. North of here it was a Hood. The ground has been too wet to plant cotton, but if we have good weather this week the crop will all be planted. Very little fertilizers have been used and a large per cent, of that will go tb the grain crops. The gardens are beigg set out with home raised plants. The Columbia public road from Lee county to Kershaw county has been worked to the satisfatcion of all, for It is a good job. Mr. White said If elected he would work it, and he has made good his promise. I visited the chain gang and will tell the pub? lic what I saw of its work, treat? ment and management. The stock are hovered under a canvas to protect them from bad weather. They are well treated, have plenty to eat and fresh water at will during the night. The gear is also protected from weather. The prisoners have plenty to eat. Three warm meals each day of good wholesome food. There Is nothing wasted. Some pigs est up the scrr.ps. The sleeping apartments and ?he sanitary arrangements ?ire as perfect as it is possible to make rhem. The discipline Is firm, Dut kind. The convicts obey the orders promptly and seem to be contented. Tl'oy werk well and n*vc time to ea* and rest at midday. Mr. John Holland has charge of the gang. He thorough? ly understands his business in all its details. Knows how to have work done and no idleness. He has fixed a num? ber of roads about here in two weeks, He is a pleasant man and was born and raised near here. He is assisted in his work by Messrs. Baker and Nunnamaker, who are strictly atten? tive to their duties. They are pleas? ant men and are kind to the convicts, but, firm In their treatment of them. From observation I think if the county would run a farm and work on it the weakly convicts and women who go to Jail, a large quan? tity of corn, potatoes, peas and vege? tables could be raised to supply the convicts, making it cheaper than to buy them, so the camp could be run on a more economical basis. SPANISH SHIP SI NK. Was Torpedoed Without Warning? Fifteen Lives Lost. Madrid, April IS?The Spanish steamship Tom la reported to have been torpedoed and sunk with? out warning. Eighteen lives were lost. It ts expected the news of this oc? currence will still further inflame public feeling in Spain. WIM Reep ton Well lifeJ-fjaiM KS When yon ?,? i a terrif k fick heeded*. MUd er her? ?nffctorrytfhor ??er trouble, ? does or two of phssaaUy sod effectively. I ?m ?Ick als mcatb ? Urt yMr t*4 Um Doctor v44 to co to riuri?j*. i got imm ssftesst L>??r R*iuUu.r ia Florid* ?rd it did a? nod. I brecht four boxM feojM tttwillMl ?BfMUMecraktdaN bottW. _ . (SifMdl R J. ??wlasd Seid by *T1 druprgiiU?26? ? b?i . OrMftt M*di?la? Co., Cfefcttanoug*. 7mm. FREE GARDEN SEED. Fraternal Orders May Follow Exam? ple Set by Knights of Pythias? Free Plants. It is reported that an effort is to be rc.ade by some of the leading fra? ternal organization members to in? duce every fraternal order in Sumter to appropriate funds to assist in pur? chasing seed for free distibution fol? lowing the lead of Gamecock Lodge, No. 17, Knights of Pythias. This would be a very commend? able act on the part of each of the fraternal organisations. No time should be lost, however, if the seed are to be purchased for those too poor to buy what seed they need. Applications for seed are coming in to the Chamber of Commerce as fast and in fact faster than the secre? tary can find seed to supply the de? mand. The next week is important time for planting garden seed. The Chamber of Commerce desires to again direct public attention to the 60,000 cabbage and 25."00 sweet potato plants placed at the disposal of the Committee of Public Safety by the Enterprise Company of Sumter for free distribution among poor, but worthy people. All of these free plants are not yet distributed and ap? plications must be made either through township committeemen rec? ommendations or to the Sumter Chamber of Commerce as is the case in securing free garden seed. ELEVEN RECRUITS SECURED. Sumter Company Still Badly in Need of More Men. The Sumter Light Infantry yester? day secured eleven recruits to Its ranks. It was recruiting day for the company, but the number of recruits desired and expected did not turn up. Capt. Isadore Schayer of the National Guard of South Carolina, who was here as examining officer, returned to Columbia yesterday afternoon, as there were no mere men coming in to be examined. There were a number turned down on examination, not per? mitted to enlist. This showing is very disheartening to the officers of the company and Is an indication that the draft measures advised and desired by President WH son and Secretary Baker will have to be passed in order to secure the num? ber of men desired for the National Guard and regular army. Great War Lecturer Coming. Mr. 8. Wright, the Redpath rep? resentative in our city. Just received word that the Redpath manageveltit have been very fortunate in securing one of the greatest war lecturers that it was possible to secure, in the per? son of Mr. Robert Bowman, of the American Ambulance Corps who has recently returned from the front with the French troops. Mr. Bowman served eighteen months with the French troops at Verdun and in the first line trenches on the western front. Mr. Bowman was presented with the highest decor? ations of honor which can be con? ferred by the French governcent. It was conferred personally by Presi? dent Poincare of France. In the pres? ence of 10,000 people in Paris. This great talk by Mr. Bowman on his actual experiences in the great war will be well worth the price of a season ticket. Mr. Bowman comes on the sixth night of the big Chautauuua program, which opens In our city on Thursday, in the place of Miss Jeanette Rankin. If you have not secured your tick? et do so at once at the Y. M. C. A., as the price of tickets advances to $:;.00 alter Wednesday. Do it now. Marriage License Record. A license to marry has been issued to J. A. M. Carrawsy, Olanta, and Miss Maggie Plummer, Latnar, Li? censes to coloied couples were: James Cox, Rembert, and Lula Archer, Ha* good; W. M. Small, Rembert. and Mary J. McQuiller, Providence; Jas. Watts, Wedgetleld, and Hattle Shaw. Sumter; Julian Robertson, DaUell and Ijouise Johnson, Sumter; Charlie Mack and Julia Rose, Mayesville.