Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SUMTER IS LOYAL IM SIN FSH MKN WIM, Olli V FT Fl. OK DER IN IJ-TTTFJt AND IN HI1UIT. tersely Utcndod Meeting Votes Unanimous.)/ for Resolution Pledg? ing M? n h.Mits I*rofc*?iotml M?m fUMl Hank* to Obcsr\e Morula)* Dur? ing lYrtod l*remrttHxl by Fuel Or? der ev? ? Holiday?Ml Stores mid Other* Save (.nnrrv Stores, \\ ill be CVHrtl ?II Day While tirovci \ S-turee Will be inn-n for the Hair of Food Stuff* Only I'ntll Noon. The adjourned meeting of business men. c* led to consider the plan o action to be followed In respect to the fUM order, was held In the Chamber ->f Commerce Friday night at o'clock. The rooms were crowded to capacity and standing room was at a premium. The people of Sumter art Interested and the sentiment of th* meeting was Intensely and enthuslas ttCAlly patriotic. They are determln ed to loyally support the govern? ment and to render to It a whole? hearted support whene ,*er called up? on and In whatsoever manner tin ice is asked This meeting show re this and the community Is unite.! in sentiment and in purpose. iMstr'- t Fuel Administrator I. C. Htruuss presided. Before calling foi the report of the committee of ten whose duty It ?11 to interview the business men of the city and secure their cooperation ?n a plan of action as to observing Monday for ten con '?"utlve weeks as a holiday under th terms of th? fuel order. Mr. .Straus* staled that oil mills having been exempted from the provisions of th order, as food producers the South? ern Cotton Oil Company s local i . would resume operations Situ: morning. A itjlegram was read stating that the Wltherspoon Bros. Coffin plant could not be exempted. Mr. Strauss read a telegram I r mi the, itAte Fuel Administrator instruct? ing him that he had authority* to di? vert end slese for use any coal ar? riving In 8umter within the next flvi days, if said coal be consigned to i rm corporations or individuals in Sum let. county. Coal so diverted an Ufleed will be disposed of as the local feel administrator may direct forUh? public interest and for the relief ot families* In need of fuel. )fr. Strauss also stated for the in? formation of those present that a' g meeting of the officials of the Hum tff banks In the afternoon. It had been decided, with only one dissenting vote, that the banks should remain open Saturday although a legal holi? day, and would close, instead, on Monday. January 21st and on everv Succeeding Monday 'or ten weeks This action was decided upon so as to be In line with the other business establishments of the city, although the banks are specifically exempted from the provisions of the fuel crder The single bank i efusing to close or Mondays was the Commercial I'm', end Trust Company. g|f. C. E. Hurst, chairman of the oommlttee of ten was then called up on for a report. Ho stated that th? committee had made a thorough cm xaes of the entire city, all the out i>ing districts having been covered, ss well se the central business sec? tion and the wholesale district. The committee had called on 104 firms o 'ndhriduals. only six known business men not being seen. O' the numbei seen all save nine had signed an igreetm nt to close on Monday during the period specified In the fuel order and to observe the day as a holiday ae prescribed In the order, grocery stores and markets for the sale of food remaining open until l-' O'cfoc'.i noon. The firms, corporations and |g dtvtduals not signing the ngrecmont were: Phi Hps and Ce Planters' Mule Co.. Cherry Company. Commercial Bank and Trust Cu If W Watles. F. I? Stewart Oeo I) Shore. Jr . A. R. Merrlmon. M W. Seabrook. There was a brief discussion of th'? agreement to observe Monday as a holiday for ten weeks and a general IdgVtcxeoi of iratifleaUon that the business and profeeatoggd men of Sumter had evidenced then bc.iit. t the government and had pledged their support and cooperation by a vote so nearly unanimous an to pfoee teyond question that n is the will of t?ie community that the fuel order be Obeyed In letter and in p|f I, On motion of Mr A <" l'heip* i resolution wa? adopted that the bill rees men of the city signing tin agreement pledge themselvo* to ahoi? by the conditions of the agreem. n\ disregarding the attdude of the few who refused to sign It. and that ther ? /hall be no business or trading in Kumter on teg oeUOOCUtiVO M'?nd;ivs. beginning Monday. January 21st. save i?nd escepting the gjTOgOjff stores and "?eat markets, which will be open un III || o'clock, noon. The vote for MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN. TBM PI Et QRDKR WD TIIE EF. rvrv j\ mnm (H)\sii>. l.KKH. Committee \ppointed to Secure Con? cert of Action \mnn? Merchant-? Coal l*rices Discussed. The meeting called by Chairman 11. H. BOSSM of the City Fuel Adminiy tr.ition Hoard to meet at the Chamber of Commerce rooms at 8 o'clock 1'hursday night was representative of the business interests of Sumter, there being between seventy-five and a hundred men present, practically every business and calling having one 01 more representatives. When th? inoot.ng was called to order by Chair? man Be Str, Mr. I. C. Strauss, Fuel \ lic-nisi : if - lor Seventh District stated the object of the meeting t 1 o to consider tho fuel order issued by National Administrator GarfleJd and to determine how it would affect the manufacturing and business interests I the city; and, also to reach an un? lit rstanding as to a course of actio:? to he followed by tho merchants In icspect to the suspension of busims on ten consecutive Mondays. He re? viewed ihe conditions that made the fuel order reoessary, saying that it was a certainty that only the most l ti ret t necessity had influenced tho National Foal Administrator to issue the order, and that it was the pa? triotic ?.uty of every citizen to obey the order and cooperate in every way possible in carrying out tho wishes of th?? g ?vernment. He had the utmost confidence that tho people of Sumter. SflthOUl exception, had no other in? tention that to obey the order cheer fnlhj und loyairr, whan ?hey were in rmed precisely what the govern* menl exported of them. \.'< eo aside rable dlsousslon, in v.hifh a number of business men par tic. Rted, a resolution was adopted to ihe effect that it was the purpose of IhS people of Sumter to loyally and whole-heartedly obey the order as Interpreted by the National Fuel Ad? ministrator; and that, to insure th. in Itod ml concerted co-operation of all the business men and others af? fected by the order, a committee of ten should be appointed to call on all of the merchants arnd other business men, that the committee should ox plain the fuel order and that the ef? fort tie made to obtain a unanimous agreement as to whether or not the storey and business houses should ob? serve the next ten Mondays as a holi? day. The object of the proposed agreement as to closing on Monday was to have uniform action, so that there should not be some stores keeping open and attempting to do husines; without beat, while Other! wore closed. Following this discussion of fuel situation in Sumter, the prices charg? ed for fuel and the outlook for fu? ture supplies received consideration. During the discussion of coal prices. Mr. Ceo. F. Kpperson stated that he had been charging $10.00 per ton in either ton or half ton lots, and that at this price he was practically swap? ping dollars, owing to tho higher cos t of coal, the greatly increased cost of doing business and the high wages he had to pay for labor. He was usked the cost of the coal at the mine. He stated that he was paying |8.SI pei ton and $2.40 per ton freight. It was stated that the understand? ing that the fuel administration had fixed a basis price for coal at retail should be. cost, plus the normal pro? fit in previous years and thirty per cent, of the normal profit, addition? al. It was stated that tho ,normal profit in former years had been $J per ton, and that the local fuel ad? ministration had fixed the retail price at cost plus $2.f'?0 (normal profits plus 16 p- r cent, additional). If this rulo had been adhered to in Rumter the retail price would he ai fo'lows; Cost at mine, $3.25, plus froh'ht. $2.10. plus war tax, 7c, plus the resolution was unanimous and the a>is were given with a force and vim that left no doubt of the sincerity ot all who voted?and apparently every man in the room voted. The question of the sale of gai >. line was raised. After some dlSUUS? slon on motion of Dr. B, S. Booth it was degldod that gasoline should Of sold only on order of the Chief o: Police or a fuel administrator?T. 0 Strauss. K. B, Heiser or C, I* CUttln 1 |g effect the Sunday nils as t?? the sjtls oi gnsohne is to be enforced on lbs Monday holidays, it wns requested thai the mer? chants display signs in their stores and th it SUCh person use every avail? able me ns to dim emulate the news as widep. RJ possible throughout the county that Monday, January 21, and I h Succeeding Monday, for ten Peek v will be a holiday in this city and no business Will be transacted. There was not. a dissenting nor ? discordant voice in Ihe meeting. Our people . i. .lions!, realizing that th" country i< it war and have pledged their loyalty ind their support LABOR 18 LOYAL. j WILL MAINTAIN STAND DESPITE sl ITI KlNt. AND SACRIFICE. sr.Miiici Gompers BprgJci for Labor? Hovel Captains of Industry Will Heed GarnohTs Appeal to Pny Washlngfoiw Jaib 17.?Samuel Qomperi, president Of the American Federation Of Labor, in a Statement I tonight declared that the workers ot the nation will he tho greatest tr | fareri from the fuel restriction order, but that they will "maintain their loy- I al stand despite suffering and sacri eee wh'ch they may be called on to; ; bear." Mr. Qomperi expressed doubt that | a tive day suspension of industry was I the best way to meet the situation j and suggested that a "wiser and more j practical course" would have been to! place all industries of the country up? on an eisht hour basis work day, at . least during the war. Mr. Qomperi said that everything' ' must be done to sec that the workers arc. not made to suffer unnecessarily and he expressed the hope that the employers would heed Mr. Garfleld'a uppcal to comply with the order with? out "shitting the burden lo labor." 'The shutting down of all indus Mio* for live continuous days is only warranted it' based upon immediate srgency, and I hive some doubt if five continuous days is the best meas ure." said Mr. <<ompers. "It certain ly seems a very radical measure t meet the problcns of transportation I am in receipt of a large number of telegraphic protests from workers in B< veral parts of the country declarine I that the elf eel of the order will throw their tuen out of employment; thn duo to tho high cost of living they have been unable to lay anything aside, and that their suffering during their period will be very great. "In addition to this, I am strongly of the opinion that to place the in i dustrie* of the country and as a war . measure would have been a much Wiser and more practical course that, the 'creation of legal holidays, which will mean holidays from Saturday af? ternoon until Tuesday morning. "The workers will be the greates sufferers from this order. Others have been or will be able to hoar needs and supplies. "I have just received a letter from the executive secretary of Dr. Qarfleldi ' the head of the United States fuel ad? ministration, in which he says: " 'In connection with the order clos? ing down industry for live days and subsequent Mondays I am issuing an appeal to Industrial concerned, ask? ing them not to allow labor to sui'fe: bj reason of the shut down, that this || a war measure which i conlidently SXPect industiy will execute withoui ylifting the burden to labor.' ! "1 prayerfully hope our captains of Industry and business men will show their patriotism by heeding Dr. Gar? field'l appeal. It would be most un wise did they not heed it." APPEAL TO SOUTH. McAooo Calls on South to Help Win the War by Feeding Itself. Washington, Jan. IS.?The South should help win the war by raising all 04 us own food stuff and eliminating the unnecessary transportation of food from either section of the conn try, said Director General MeAdoo In an appeal tonight to the people of the Bouthi particularly to the farmers ? Without reducing the cotton produc j ;ion tho farmers ought to produce I more milk, butter, eggs, poultry, fruit land vegetables, he suggested. normal profit, $2, plus war profit, COc ?a total of $S.:iL', to which tho deal? er should add LIT. cents per half-ton when sold in half-ton kns. Mr. Epperson said that it was out Ol the .question to sell coal at such a price and make any profit at all. that there was always a shortage Amounting on one occasion recently to l ight tons on a car, that he could nol I do business on that small margin ami t would rather tro out of business than undertake to do it, that unless h< I could make a reasonable probt he did not care to do business at all. Mr. E. n Mosei stated that he woi Interested In a coal business In (,i ugeburg and that while the coal tha ? they handled c ?I them, delivered In lOrangel urg, more than coal was cost Ing Mr. Epperson, delivered In sum Iter, his tirm had been required to sell it at JV..0 per Ion and they bad |< sold it. regardless ot the fact thai th< martin of profit was very close. Coal prices were discussed genera] ly for a few minutes, but the Diet? ing took no action on the matter. A committee of ten, with Mr. C, R. Hunt chairman, was appointed to call on the business houses for the purpose of carrying out the terms of the resolution. The meeting then ad Journed i<> meel at s o'clock Ifridaj night t?> receive the repori of the committee, Nu ?lDOLE GROUNDS. COi PER OF LAUREN8 TALKS Ol 1 SSV ES. Schools Must on?Program for Education to Be Outlined and Kepi Before People in Campaign. Columbia, Jan. 18.?"There is m middle ground for an American citi ;a n it: this war; he is- either for Ol againet the government," is the em phatic way In which Robert A. Coopei Ot Laurene, candidate for governor described yesterday the attitude o. every citizen toward the govern ment in this war when discussing po liiical conditions in South Carolina. Mr. Cooper, Who is spending a fev. days in Columbia, said that South Car? olina should not, even during th period of the vir, submerge th cause of oducation, OS it is para mount above all other issues. Mr Cooper at this time did not discuss tin political phases of any other prob lem confronting the State, merely say ing that these problems would be de veloped during the course of the po litlcfi] campaign next summer. Wht n ashed if he had any views t give to the people of. South Carolin; Mr. Cooper said that he had no es. j pecial statement to make at this ti:;; "The one paramount issue not only i. South Carolina hut in America unti the end of the war is the undeviatin lirectlon of our energies, our r> sources and our man power to tl successful termination of the w i Fvcn in a political campaign, w should keep this matter prominentl; before our people to the end that w may have a more thorough under ndlng of the issues involved, an while we are 'maning the world s-af for democracy,' we must make d mocracy safe for the world." Mi-. Cooper said that he QOnsldere it unnecessary for him to make - tatement as to his attitude in th; war. but he reiterated his position o undivided and unswerving support <? 'he government in the prosecution o the war. lie said that it was th first duty of every patriotic citizen t lend his- entire energies to the go\ eminent that victory to America? j arms may be the conclusion of th momentous conflict in which Amern and her allies arc now engaged. I Mr. Cooper was emphatic in hi. condenmation of those sinister force i which are making for the undermin i ling of the American people's conti l?nce in the government and are en j lleUVOrlng to foster premature peac [ideas, which, he said, is an InsidlOU species- of Corman propaganda, which j should be condemned by tho Ameri I can people as an effort to bolste I kaiserism. "In my opinion," said Mr. Coopei "there is no middle ground for w, American citizen in this war; he i , either for or against the government If he is against the government, h Is just as truly stabbing our bo in the back, who are now on th battle line in France, as- if he wer. ehind the lines, weapon in hand j thghting for the kaiser whom he rep I resents. Every such un-America. j person should receive the severe con I dem nation of every patriotic citizen I l and either should be placed in an in ternment camp or sent to Germans where he belongs." Mr. Cooper raid that he would en ? leavor, during the political campaig. to urge upon the people the adoption Of an educational program, whic would enlarge the Held of operation and usefulness of all of tho Stato' institutions of learning. "We can not afford while using al of our energies for a military vie tory," continued Mr. Cooper, "to over look the inevitable situation whic will confront us when the war shall end and readjustment begins." C RISIS IN ROUMANIA. Bolshertkl Send Two Hour Vltlmatun to Military Authorities. Petrograd, Jan. IS.?A dangerou stage has arisen in the relations be tween Roumania and the Bolsheviki A two hours' ultimatum has beet sent to the Roumanian military au ihorities by the revolutionary com mittee of the ninth Russian army de mandlng free passage for Russiai troops through Jassy, the tempor?r: < apitai of Roumania. HOY'S \ ECK BROKEN. Charleston Lad hilled by Calling Win (low Sash. Charleston, Jan. IT.?.lames A. Mo wick, Jr., nine year old son of Mi? ami Mrs. .lame;; A. Howiek, residing at 14 Bogard Street, was killed yes- | terday when a gash fell upon the hack -t his neck while he was in the act of crawling through the window t< open a door so that his- brother might gel into the house, Which was locked New York, .Ian. 18.?William R. j Willcox announced tonlghl that he1 had resigned the chairmanship of th i i llepubllcan National Committee to I in ept service on one of the federal war boards ' TURKISH eRUlSER SUNK. ? I i t ism GUNS BEND TO BOTTOM FORMER GERMAN BRESLA1 . Fate of Famous Vessels, Long Oner* atlng in Black Sea, Decided In Dar? danelles Fight. London, Jan. 20.?In a naval action etween British and Turkish forces at he entrance to the Dardanelles, the Turkish cruiser Midulluah, formerly the German Breslau, was sunk and ihc Sultan Selhn, formerly the Ger? man Gocl)en, was beached. This an? nouncement was made by the admiral? ty tonight. Tho official statement says: "The Goeben and Breslau?Turkish names Sultan Selim and Midulluah? vlth destroyers were in action With British forces at the enranc?? to ? Dardanelles this (Sunday) morn ng. The Breslau was s-unk. The Goe . en escaped but has been beached, evi lently badly damaged, at Nagara Point in the narrows of the straits. "The Goeben is being attacked by aaavl aircraft. "Our losses reported are the moni tor Raglan and a small monitor, the M-2S." The German cruisers Breslau and loeben wore in the Mediterranean at he outbreak of the war and tied into he Dardanelles, seeking safety from he British and French warships, ince then th< ir activities In the Dar I incites at the Black Sea entrance to ho Bosphorus and in the Black Sea long the Turkish Asiatic, Russian md Roumanian coasts have brought hem fame for intrepidity second not ven to the German sea wolves, like I o Dresden, Seeadler and the Karls? ruhe. N'FAV LIBERTY LOAN. Treasury Certificates of Indebtedness Announced Which May !>e Receiv? ed in Payment. Washington, Jan. 17.?As the first Inancial step in preparation for the i rd Liberty loan, Secretary McAdoc tonight announced a new issue ot * 100,000,000 treasury certificates ol idebtednesSi bearing 4 per cent, rom January 22 and payable April .2. Subscriptions will be received by deral banks at par and accrued in? terest until January 29 and paymenl oust be made by that date. The cer ificates will be received in payment if third Liberty loans. This ar angement indicates that the first ayment on the third Liberty loan ill be on about April 22, and if the me plan of installment payments if alntained for the third as for the iccond loan the bond selling cam ami will be in March. 'or the first time since tho United Lates started its- big war financing movement, subscriptions will be re? ived simultaneously for two current ;sues of certificates, sir.co an issue if so-called tax certificates is still ? pen. The intere:-! rate is the samej IS on other recent issues. BONHAJf RESOLUTION KILLED, Effort to Restore Puts on Clincher? Transferred Pardoning Power to Board? Columbia, Jan. is.?An unsuccessf? ul effort was made In the house ? sterday morning to restore to the ilender the Bonham resolution, re oung the governor of the pardon lower, which resolution was killed y adopting tho unfavorable report om the judiciary committee. Mr. X>ng of Greenville moved to have ne resolution restored to the calen lar explaining that the members had ccepted the report without realising ho full purport of the measure. Ob ection was Immediately entered from several source-, and Mr. Hughes of ?conee argued that the power should ?main with the chief executive. It ras better to be lodged there, even hough it were abused by an ooea donal governor, than to place this tower in a pardon board. SPECIFIC FUEL EXEMPTIONS. \ Few Industries Engaged on UrgCUl Government Work Not Shut Down. Washington, Jan. 17.?Specific ex mptlon from the provisions of tin uel restriction order was given by the uel administration tonn ht to certain shipyards engaged on government work, a few plants turning out pro? ducts needed immediately by the Limy Or navy and to the parts of ertain munitions plants making toiler tubing for ships. Plants- that are making woolen irmy and navy uniforms and cloth i8ed In their manufacture, and con cms engaged In fining contracts foi tent and other equtppage made ol heavy duck woe exempted from the ve da) closing period In ? special or ler issued tonight by the fuel admin ?trator. Plants packing beans, canning milk and roasting and packing cof fee under army and navy contracts .,ls.i were exempted by the erder. SAILORS DISSOLVE ASSEMBLY. FAILURE TO APPROVE PEACE PLANS CAUSES ACTION. Purpose Sot Known?intention of Rolshcvikl to Take 1 ?.tivme Meas? ures. Kept in Dark?Japan's Friend? ship. Petrograd, Jan. l'o (Bj the Associat ed Prem.)?The constituent assembly has been dissolved. The decree of dis solution was issued last night by the council of national commissioners and adopted early this nv rning by the central executive committee of the workmen's and soldiers* deputies. Petrograd, Saturday. Jan. 19.?The constituent assembly has been dis? solved by the Bolshevik! authorities, it s officially! announced today. Sailor guards closed the assembly at 4 o'clock this morning and a decree of dissolu? tion will he issued during the day, the official statement says. ? The text reads: "When the constit? uent assembly voted against the decla? ration made bj the president of the (entral executive committee after an hour's deliberation the Bolsheviki left the hall and were followed by the So? cial Revolutionists Of be left on the ? ssembty showing itv i nwilligness to approve the manner .n which the pence pourparlers were being conduct? ed. At 4 o'clock th 3 morning the ( onstituent assembly was dissolved by sailors. Today a decree dissolving the I ssemhly will be publ died." The first hint the newspaper men received that extreme measures were contemplated was at 6 o'clock this morning when they were informed that the Tauride palace, where the assembly began Its sssstoM yeste rday, would be closed to ths members of the assembly to the icwspaper men and to every one elsje today. Meanwhile the All-Russian Railway Men's Congress has p ssed by a vote of 273 to 61 a resolution supporting the constituent assembly and calling upon the people's commissioners to agree with the majority with a view to the formation of a government re? sponsible to the assembly. From Moscow it |i reported many ! persons were wounded and others killed as the result of the Red Guard tiring on demonstrator s there in favor 1 of the constituent asf.^mbly. The Japanese emb ssy here in an J official statement made denial of the I r( ports that Japanese forces had been j landed at Vladivostok. "Japan i3 a sincere friend of Rus? sia." says the embassy statement, "and does not envertain the least intention of interfering in the internal affairs of the Russian peopk." Regarding the peace negotiations at Brest-Lltovsk, Count ? zernin, the Aus j tro-Hungarian foreign minister, is quoted here in an interview as declar? ing that if peace did not resulr from the negotiations it would not be be? cause of "any Intentions of ours in regard to conquests." "I am not going b: ck upon what I have already stated to be the dual monarchy's peace program," said Count Czernin. We want nothing from Russia, neither cessions of ter? ritory nor war indemnities. We only desire to see friendly, neighborly re? lations established on safe principles ?relations which will both be lasting and based upon1 mutual confidence." I j RAILROAD OFFICIALS RESPON? SIBLE. Railway Congestion Laid at Door of j Officials Who Sous!iit to Give Public an Object Lesson Cleveland, Jan. If,?The railway congestion is laid ai the door of the railway oiHoials themselves, by W. IQ. Lee, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen today. The in | difference of railroad operating heads, coupled with an apparent de? sire to teach the public by an object lesson of the need for increased rails, had keen noticed by seasoned rail I read employees tor many months, I Lee said. AISTRIANS WIPED OCT. j _ Italians Slaughter Attacking De? tachments on Piuse River. ! Only one spot on the military map is showing any aetiv ty out of the or? dinary for midwinter, and that is the right Hank of the Italian river front, on ths lower reaches of the Piave. Here the Austrians made a furious tl to drive into ;he Italian lines, 1 near Cape Sile, ami to wedge their way further towards Venice. The Italians met the enemy with heavy and devastating artillery fire, and wiped out with machine guns and rifles the few detachments that suc ceeded In getting across No Man's Land to the defensive barricades. a B. Langtry was elected in a special election In hi in Richland county Friday to fill an unexpired term in ths House i f Representatives. There are tive other candidates and which Will win the other vacant seat Will not be known until complete re? turns are tabulated.