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Published Wednesday and Saturday _ ?BY? OHTKluN PVBLIH1I1XG COMPANY Sl MTKIl, 8. C. Terms: ? 1.00 per annum?Id advance. Advertisements. One Square flrst Insertion .. ..$1.00 Kvsry subctequent Insertion.If Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which sub? serve private interests will be charged for as advertisements. obituaries and tributes of respect Will bo charged for. The Bumtsr Watchman was found ail In IsftO and the True Southron In IMtf. The Watchman and Southron now has the combined circulation and Influence of both of the old papers, and Is manifestly the best advertising niedhim^t^ The seasons thus far have been fa? vorable to rice and the crop on the Urge acreage planted In Sumter coun? ty Is In a flourishing condition. It Is reported that the outlook for a heavy and profitable yield Is excellent, and that those who are planting rice this year for the first time as an experi? ment are much encouraged by the prospect. e e e Interest In the trip of the Sumter County Boll Weevil Commission to the ?eevtl Infested districts of Georgia end Alabama, about the middle of August. Is growing and it Is now he lleved that not less than 50 represent? ative farmers and several business men will compose the party. It will be worth much more than the cost of the trip to each and every man in the pcrty. since flrst hand knowledge will be gained of the destruction of the cotton growing Industry following the advent of the boll weevil and also o' the methods followed to combat the weevil. There are many farmers who still regard the boll weevil as more or leas of a myth, others who do not begin to realise the damage that the weevil does to a farming country that depends upon cotton, and the major? ity have no knowledge of practical methods of farming successfully and profitably under boll weevil conditions This Information will be sought end obtained by tlrt.se who make the trip with the Svmter County Boll Weevil Commissi?, nd the larger the num? ber of farmers in the party the more widely disseminated will be this in? formation among the farmers of Sum? ter county. The trip la Important as a preliminary to the campaign that is being planned to save this count* from the disaster and loss that have followed the appearance of the wee? vil in unprepared sections. The farm era who u.ase the trip and then apply the lessons they learn will be the flrst line of defense against the boll weevil and their precept and example wir save millions of dollars to the col ha live farming Interests of Sumter and adjoining counties. see The treatment that negroes are re? ceiving In Rast St. Louis. III., Is brutal, abominable and without reasonable excuse. The situation in that cltv where repeated attacks are made on the negroes by blood-thirsty mobs Is worse than anything that ever hap? pened in the South, and the negro loviag South-haters In all sections of the North and West should make haste to do something about It. They have been advising the South for 50 years bow to treat the nes.ro and they are not living up to their preachments, now that they have the negroes close at hand, where It would be easy to treat them as friends nnd brothers. nee If Congress had given President Wilson authority to do whatever is necessary for the defense and safety of the country and then adjourned months ago. the country would toda> be safer and conditions would be bet ter thsn they sre. It is time for con gress to quit killing time, It is time to quit playing politics, It is time for 11 to do something and then quickly ad? journ. War Is a serious and terribly dangerous affulr and not n matter for office seeking politicians to Juggle with. War is the bUHiness of trained soldiers and since we are nt war the conduct of the campaign from start ito finish should be committed to the care of the men the country has trained for that purpose. Congress? men are fairly good men as a ride, and useful In their place, but they arc dangerous nuisances when they under? take to interfere with the management of a mllltarv campaign. We favor delegating ull necessary powers to the president and u war council and the adjournment of congress for not less than one yea**, unless sooner called together, so that those of that body who Imagine that they possess mili? tary abilities may Join the army, see The effort is being made to have It appear that the State Press Asso? ciation went on record an opposed *o prohibition. State and National. Tills is not a fact. The Association, by a majority vote, refused to adopt a BO lltlcal resolution, propsed by the Antl Saloon league, a political organisa? tion, on the ground that Htttte PrSS Association is a non political organise tion and that by rule and precedent It In debarred from considering 01 taking action upon political issues. |i is iruo that the attempt was made i put the Anti-Saloon League resolution through tit* a war measure, and hm it not been fathered by the Anti-Sa? loon League, there is little doubt but that the Press Assoeiaion would have endorsed prohibition us a war mens ure. The Association was decidedly opposed to being made use of by the Anti-Saloon League, but we are satl.s lled that a large majority of the mem? bers present were not oposed to pro? hibition. ? ? * The Kaiser's offer to give tho Iron Cross after the war to German pris? oners of war who can prove that they did not surrender voluntarily is proof that Germans have been surrendering to escape from the horrors of the Hlndcnburg trench fighting, and is also both an offer of a premium to the soldiers to tight on and a threat of punishment for those who do sur? render. If a German prisoner of war cannot prove that he did not sur? render voluntarily he will be a self confessed deserter and coward, and If he falls into tho hands of the Kais? er and his apostles of frightfultmss af ter the war his fate will be a terrible one. ? ? t The offer of Mr. Henry J. Harby to donate a site and endow an anti-tu? berculosis camp with an Income of $10,000 a year, on tho sole condition that *he county of Sumter erect the necessary buildings, would be Jumped at by almost any other county In the State, and the rejection of the bene? faction by the County Board of Com? missioners would be the cause of sur? prise, bordering on amasement, were it not for the fact that the action of the Hoard in rejecting the offer of tho State Hoard of Health to put on a health surve<v of the county, provided the county pay $2.000?one third of cost of the survey?is fresh in mind A discussion of the matter would he without profit, since it is not probable that the County Commissioners would recede from their position, their minds being apparently firmly fixed against any expenditure of public funds for the improvement of health conditions We, therefore, will not undertake to ?how how necessary and valuable to the entire population of the county the anti-tuberculosis camp woubl' prove Itself to he. We shall simply go on record as deeply regretting that Sumter county is denied the benefits of a sadly needed humane institution endowed with an Income of $10,00?) , through the far-seeing philanthropy of t ne at our own citizens. We I mat that other public spirited citizens of Sumter will unite and provide tho funds to erect the necessary buildings, no that Mr. Harby'a offer may be ac? cented for the people of th? comity, even though their official representa? tives have rejected the offer in the name of the county. MAY ST ILL fin MOP OH. Ilut Only One Quart a Month, as Medicine, Too. Columbia, July 2.?"Issue liquor permits as heretofore, federal law makes no change." The above tele? gram was sent today by Claud N. Sapp, assistant Attorney General, to j J. E. Stewmnn, Judge of probate, of I^ancaster county, with reference to the effect of the Heed prohibition amendment In this State. Mr. Sapp explained today that the provisions of the quart-a-month act. under which in this State that amount of alcoholic liquor per month may be ordered for medicinal or sac? ramental purposes, were unchanged by the federal law, which went Into effect on July 1. The only effect of tho law Is to make violation of the law a federal as well as Strite offense. The Initial penalty inflicted in the fedora! court Is $1,000 line. It Is thou cht that the existence of a federal statute with its relatively se? vere penalty will make prospective npplicnnts for llouor permits be very sure that they are suffering from a bona fide and recognizable Illness. AM Kit ICANN IN IWHIS. IVtachmcnt of Army in Trench Cap? ital for Celebration. Paris. July I.-?The American sol? diers who are here for tho Fourth of July celebration were wildly cheered as they marched through the streets ?hop girls kissed them. And the sr phan children knelt as the Hag pass ed. Their soldierly bearing impress ed all observers. Paris Street* Blocked. Pari?. Wednesday ( Delayed )--The crowds that greeted the American soldiers In the Fourth of July cele? bration were ho dense that the au? thorities had difficulty In keepln enough open space for them t< inarch. Flowers were .trewn In tin path of the soldiers The olhcial em of the celebration was elaborate am impi es-Jivs. BRANCH OFFICE LEGAL. PROBATE JUDGE MAY ACT BY PROXY. Attorney Reneral (?voh Opinion as to Issuance of Permits to Order Wills key. Columbia, July 5.?The probate Judge for Riehland county has the tight to open a branch office for the issuance of affidavits and certificates to secure Whiskey under the quart a month law, according to an opinion rendered by Thomas H. Peeples, at? torney general. That such an office had been opened was brought to the attention of Qov. Manning by T. J. Smyrl, chief of State constables. Gov. Manning referred the letter of Chief Constable Smyrl to the attorney gen? eral and asked for an opinion as to the legality of the act. Mr. Smyrl asked the following ques? tions: "I will appreciate it very much if you would advise me if the liquor law passed by the last general assembly, is being complied with in regard to < the affidavit and certificate which has to be issued to parties before they can obtain whiskey from a transpor- ' tation company. "The Judge of probate of Richland county has opened an office at 101 5 Gervais street and has a Mr. Owens in charge of same; and Mr. Owens is? sues certificates to parties who apply for same, and applies the seal of the probate judge to these certificates, but It is not done In the presence of the judge. "Parties In other sections of the county claim that if this is legal, that each town in the county should bo given an office and seal to accommo? date the people, without having then: to travel several miles to the judge of probate's oftlce to obtain these cer? tificates." The attorney general's opinion to the governor follows: % iu< "I am in receipt of your letter o the 30th ult., In which you ask: *' '1. Whether or not a probat Judge may appoint a doputy to Issue permits for the importation of intoxi? cating liquors under the terms of the quart a month act. " ' 2. Whether tho issuance of such perm'ts at another place than' the of? fice of the probate judge In tnS court house is legal. " 'If so, may not the probate - judge appoint deputies to issue-perm its at different points In the county.' ' In replv thereto I beg to advls^ that the power given the probat1 Judge to issue such permits under the terms of the quart a month act is i ministerial rather than judicial. Hen? derson vs. McMaster, 104 S. X2i. 26$. 273. This has been held in other States as to the issuance of marriage certificates, In which ense the pro? bate Judge is to issue them upon pre? sentation of certain affidavits similar to those on which the permits in ques? tion are to be issued. Cotton VS Rutlcdge, 33 Ala. 110; Wood vs. Farnell, 50 Ala. 548; 2G Cya. 853 and 854, and other cases there cited. "A judicial officer, such as the pro hate judge, may he required by law to perform ministerial acts and they do not become judicial because per? formed by him. Throop, Public Offi? cers, Sec. 539. "At common law public officers may appoint deputies for discharge Of ministerial duties. 29 Cyc. 1395; Throop, Public Olflcers, Sec. 070; Small vs. Field. 102 Mo. 119. "I am, therefore, of tho opinion that the probate judge may appoint ll deputy to issue permits under the terms of the quart a month law, and authorize such deputy to issue them In the name of the probate judge and under his official seal. "The probate Judge is not restricted to the court house building as the place for transacting official busings'* and may, under circumstances re quiring, act elsewhere In the countv In Rlehland county it was found tha* the room given the probate Judge in the court house was too small to per? mit attention to both Judicial and or? dinary business of the office and also j to the issuing of permits. For that reason, an additional office in the citv of Columbia is used for the latte purpose, where a deputy is placoi in charge. "The furnishing of sufficient office room to the probate judge at the county seat Is the duty of the 'county commissioners, but they are not re quired to furnish such office at other points, and as the statute requires the probate judge to keep his office open at the county scat, it prevents his giving his personal attention and su? pervision to an office elsewhere- this is a reason why offices could not be placed In other towns. "Cor these reasons, the opening of the special office in Columbia at which permits are issued by tho probat.' Judge, through his deputy, dries not require him to open an oftlce else I where in the county." COUNTY BOARD MEETING. SHERIFF BRADFORD FILES BILL FOR LARGE SUM. Claims That County owos Him Jji2,:;72.. 05 for Feeding Jail Prisoners, Boned or Commissioners Having Changed system or Dieting?Board Decline* Offer of Mr. H. J. Harby to Give Site and $10,000 a Year for Tuber? culosis Camp on Condition That tile County Ercot Building*. On Tuesday. July 3, the County Hoard of Commissioners held thell regular monthly meeting in tho of? fice of the supervisor. All the com? missioners wore present with the ex? ception of Mr. H. J. McLaurin, Jr. Mr. S. K. Nash appeared before the Board and on behalf of his client Sheriff J. K. Bradford, asked tho pay? ment of a claim of $1,371.91, which amount he claimed was due for the feeding of the inmates of the jail from February, 1910 to April, 1917. In Feb? ruary, the board had decided to change tho method of feeding thos' who are confined in the jail, doing away with the 30 cents per diem al? lowance to the sheriff and feeding the prisoners at tho actual cost instead The sheriff, however, still claims his par diem allowance for each prisoner and presented his claim, which war refused by tho board. Mr. II. P. Moses was present and asked for tho insurance on the new White motor truck which has been bought by the county. An application was received from J. W. Player .asking for a pension Action on this matter was postponed until an investigation could be made. The estimate for repairing the Rad? ical road and tho Plowdon Mill road, as furnished by Mr. MoBellan, was $1,379.00. Tho board declined to en? ter into the arrangement at present Application was received from B. C. Chandler for the position of cot ton weigher at Mayosville. E. O. In? gram applied for tho position of cot ton weigher in Sumter. He had the rndoisement of the City Council. Ac? tion on those two applications was postponed until the next meeting, it having been found that both the ap? plicants- were related to members o! the board while the law requires tha no relative of any member of thv Board be appointed. It was the opinion of Mr. L. P. Jen nlngs that the operation of a slot chewing gum machine out at Pocalln by Mr. M. H. Beck was Illegal. Smith Woodard, an invalid negro, was allowed $3 a month by the Board in lieu of his being sent to the poor house. A letter was road from H. J. Harby which stated that he contem? plated tho establishment of a tubercu? lar hospital in this county and asked the Board if thoy would erect the buildings and make all sanitary ar? rangements, provided he furnished th< site for the buildings and endowed the hospital with an annual income of $10,000. The matter was discussed for some length. Finally, upon mo? tion of Mr. Minis, it was decided to decline the offer for tho reason that there was no fund available for such purpose and for the further reason that t**o Board fools sure that charity patients of Sumter county can be eared for at some camp already estab? lished at less expense than would bo Incurred by the erection and main? tenance of such a camp for this coun ty. Tho board expressed their regro*. that they could not accept the goner ous offer of Mr. Harby. After tho Board had ordered the payment of several elaims and ap? proved the minutes of tho last meet ing, thoy adjourned. UUMTER (XrPT??N MMtM^f P. C. BOWMAN, Cotton Buyer. (Corrected daily at 12 o'clock Noon. Good Middling 23 1-2. Strict Middling 23 3-S. Middling 23 1-4. Strict LOW Middling 23. Low Middling 22 5-8. NEW YORK COTTON MARKET. Yes'dys open High V<aei Oes* Close July . . 2!.!?0 25.03 2 1.77 25.00 25.3S Oct . . 24.50 24.<m 24.20 24.53 21/.KS Pec . . 24.25 24.79 24.23 24.07 25.73 New York spots 25.4 5. TROUBLE IN ARIZONA. Mi ike. at Globe Requires Presence of Troops. Phoenix, Aiiz.. July 5.?A telephone message from the county attorney at Globe said the mine strike situation there is beyond control. United States troops from Douglas wore ordered there on recommendation of the gov? ernment representative. Farm Loan Applications. Washington. July 5.?Up to July 1st, South Carolinians had applied for $495,000 first mortgage loans to the Farm Loan Associations ( bartered by the Federal Loan Board. II AK KR i:si AliUslH.s t i.xsOK ship. Secretary of War Say> He Raa Au? thority to Safeguard the Army. Washington. .July 5.?Secretary of War Baker sahl the censorship ar? rangements over messages dealing with American troops in Prance wer? temporary and will he supplemented by a method which will not delay their delivery. He aiade no effort to tind legal authority for his action, saving that the secretary of war is empowered to take any steps neces? sary to protect American soldiers. He promised that an adequate force Working twenty-four hours a day would he provided to read all dis? patches which are diverted to Wash? ington first. Brigadier General Mc intyre Will finally pass on all ques? tionable statements. I Sod LVosu Sowing. lied CrOM R'Orkm wdto arc willing to help with the eewin gwhich can bs done at home pleas* call ut headquar? ters. St X. Main street, Dixie Elec? trical Co., at once as work must b - In Immediately. Anyone wanting to know anything regarding the tied Cross may call at same address. \ Geo. H. Hurst, Undertaker and Ernbalmer. Prompt Attention to Day and Night Ca'**. At ? '. CR A ic Old Stand. H. Main. I Business as Usual The participation of America in Iba great world-war requires increased diligence fro:n patrntic business men. The wheels of industry and com? merce must continue to revolve. There must be no break, no hesi? tation. Business must go ahead. This institution urges all its friends and patrons to increased effort at this time. It believes that cool, level-headed judgment will carry our conutry to success. The slo? gan which it commends to all is BUSINESS AS USUAL. The National Bank of Sumter. Banking By Mail A pleasing feature of this bank is the rapid growth of its out-of town business. Every mail brings us deposits from dis? tant customers. We give particular attention to this class of business. YOUR ACCOUNT IS INVITED L r The National Bank 01 South Carolina NOT TOO LARGE NOR TOO SMALL This Bank is not TOO BIG, nor TOO LI TTLE It is BIO ENOUGH to give confidence and assurance to its customer*. It is SMALL ENOUGH to give careful attention to YOUR ?(Tains. YOUR little account will not be neglected. And no matter how LARGE your account, we can take care of it. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK I United States, County and City Depository The Oldest Banking Institution in the County KiHttiHHiiinnniittsm Eveiything in the Building Line All Kinds of Feed BOOTH & McLEOD. Inc. KVERY HUNG AT ONK PLACE Phones 10 ? 631 ,:.u!u;Tn?;;u.;ni;;nmnnttnim?mmmwmi;w?t:mmni