Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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?|jt <uflatc|jm;tii nu ^outjiron. P^iblbrh?sl Wednesday and Saturday ?BV? ONTF.KN 1*1 tUlSlllNt; COMPANY sl'.MTEU, S. C. JTcrtus: $1.50 per uuiiiiui?In advance. Ad\o tKcmcnt*. One Square first insertion .. ..$1.0" Every subsequent insertion.&?> Contruets for three months, or longer will be made ut reduced rates. All communications which sub? serve private Interests will be charged fur as ud\ertisements. ? ituaries and tributes of respect will be cbar/ed for. The Sumter Watchman was found ?. oi 1M50 and the True Southron m X??6. The Watchman and Southron now has the combined circulation and Influence of both oi the old papers, snd is manifestly the best udvertismt. medlum in Sumter M l VI lll\ \\D sllll? si BslDY. Mi .1. C, Dunbur i ommcnts on The I .ark of an America i Merchant Ma rinr. Mr Editor: In your Issue of the uth you publish Senator McLaurln'.s speec h .delivered before the cotton spinners' association in Atlanta, Qa . in November, IDOU, as given out by the Yorkville Enquirer. With all of the apprehension find doubt with which manv South Caro? lin!.ins are p<> w ?? are compell ed to admit that in that address, we find, especially it this day .a thread ?of common sense and statesmanship standing out in bold relief. It is not m> purpose to defend McLaurln in his deeds of the past, sj I suppose he Is able vithout my w?ak assistance to take care of himself, but I do think that every man should have credit for what he is worth. The ship Ml bald) bill, if i remember right, was a re? publican measure and was lought and defeated for that reason; und u sad mistake It was ,aa time has fully demonstrated. The commercial fleet Of this country was destroyed by the Confederate cruisers, Sumtei and Ala? bama. dJrlng the war between the sections, commanded by Admit a1 Kemmes and we have depended on ships of other nations ever since to deliver our goods. The gi " : em eoun try in th ? world, producing; more than any otbei i.pie. boasting of our pro? gress In finances ami manufacture snd yet employing the other fellow's wagon at bis own prices to deliver our goods; It Is a sad commentary and a reflection on economls foresight of our gove nimmt. We have lagged In ony trade relations with foreign na? tions for the simple excuse that we have not had the means of transpor? tation to do the business that WS should have done. Trade expansion is and baa been one of oui greatest needs. Instead ol sending our pro? ducts to lapan .India, China and oth? er parts of the gggfld m l selling then, direct .we have used England, France) and Germany as middle factors, who have realized huge profits ,a great per cent of which we would have sav? ed If we only had put ourselves In s position to do it. The country today Is feeling acutely the lack of bottoms to transport her great quantities or material she is produ. ejjgj ,and undei the burden of. the greatest war the world has ever known .she is forced to labor and chafe in doinx things that she should huve been at in the past. It Is an 111 wind that blows nohod) an> good. This \ , his stirred the globe with its cruelties ami horrors, has squandered billions of money und destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives, Invasion hal 0000 rampant over helpless people and territories; suf? fering of every description has been thrust upon the innocent and democ? racy threatened by autocracy and im? perialism, but with all of Its blackness It Is doing good to this county In waking her up to the opportunities which has Ion i? been within her re tch, t>ut carelessly (snored. Expansion of trade stimulates produ? lion and the greater the production with remuner? ative market, the wealthier and great? er the country . Politics has cut quite a figure in the past among u* It has smothered and suppressed measures that would have l>eeii of much benefit to the country snould they have become factors in the economics of our country. Par? tisanship very often carries more force than statesmanship, and in min\ in? stances, our pohtn il enthusiasm side? tracks our judgment If We hail been eUPUUOd wi?h a. commercial marine when th.s war brokr upon Europe, we e.mhl ha\. accomplished so much more m aiding the allies that doubtless the central powers by now would have seen th< i utility In trying to overcome he, op ponents and would be submitting trim* of gSJgjfi wba h Ilm albes WOUbl i eel more dtsesOSSd to consider Pre nine for war m time of peace is no' il hud Idea I C, I ?I 'NBA IJ Dalsell. B C Berlin, March IsV Twenty two En teilte titplane* were hrouKht down b> i <t rmans yeslerdav on the Franco Melgbin front. arm> headquarter! an Bounced toduy. nALIAS si vrr^iw rin.i.s i.ii:s TO KEKP m:\i. issti.s lir.roHi: Tin: PEOPLE, it Hi.in Cabinet Bcyeeseotatlvc Dp? dares Hum ait' Laim /hing Diplo? matic ()lTf i>i\f. London? March 1 ?"? (Friday)"?Ro n.t o QaJlangS Stuart, a member of llM H ilitti Chamber Of DOpUttOS, am! representing the Italian ciilniict, in an address before the American Luncheon Clue to<iay. alter ascribing the Italian disaster last autumn to the ? lorman pacifist propaganda, deolarod that ths Central Powori now wart launching still mori Insidious diplo? matic offensive against the Bntonts Allies hy which they hope to baolottd tin* teal issues of Ihr war and there - b\ weaken the allied purpose and ef? I ort. "Let us kop the real issues stead i - 1; before u?." he said. "When 1 hea people talking" beautifully of a league of nations and the possibility of ref? erendum.* aiming at sslf-determlna tion. I say all t'lis is very line, but let us win the war llrst. Then we loa put all these ideals into effect. It is certain that we cannot put them In effect until wo have won. I.?a in concentrate on the work immediately before us, let us unitedly convince bimar.y that the Fntente going on with its whole Strength until 1 the aims and false ideals of the Cen? tral Powers arc entirely defeated. ' The alliance with the United States is a groat factor in the morale of Italy today. The majority of Italians, pai Initially the lOWOr classes, know AmerlOfl better even titan they know England or Prance, in the old day-:1 we used to say we admired Germany, but we loved Frame, and we some? times added that we both admired gng loved Rngland, The reeling to? ward Amrica was like the latter, onl) more so. When you ask an Italian what he thinks of the situation since RussiaI dropped out. he invariably answers: 'lint the I'nited States has come in.' "I I an Italian had OVOr been asked which he would ehOOM :is an ally, the United States under President Wilson, or Kussi.i under either the Csaj or Lcnlno, he would have voted unhesitattngly the former." The former French minister of mls? ilon abroad, Henry Franklin Bouillon ?poke of the defeotlon of Kussia from the alliance as "the greatest treason the world lias ever known." The situation at the present time. M. Franklin Bouillon believed, is the graVOH Hince the war began, ,,n<l n* deelarod there was no doubt that the Fntente is faee to face with a very long war." spif.s at WOIUC. (.ormnii Spy or Tniitor Within Anier m j it Lines nt Toni. With American Army in France, Sunduy. March 17.t?American Intel? hgence officers report evidence lead? ing to the conclusion that possibly n Qerntan spy is at work within the Amerloan llnei near Tout Rarly ibis morning an American sentry Haw the flashes oi I Signal light from a win? dow facing nt the direction of the1 Herman lines. He fired through the window iind dashed into the house. ? Kit failed to find anyone. Four hours earlier, some Important telephone wires within the American lines were found to have been cut. opkhatiox or DUTCH ships. Government officials Formulating plans for Managing shipping. Washington? March 18.?Pinns for I ho operation of the Dutch shlppins which will be Acquired by the United Bt ites and Qreut Britain, either through voluntary agreement or requisition, are going forward steadi? ly today, Holland's reply has been dispatched to London, and it is sxpect Od by officials to conclude ncgot 1 lions there today, The sslsure of ships in American waters will be delayed, however, until the reply is received h< re. The state and county campaign will a|*en within ihe next few weeks, vie Initial meeting of the oounty Domo? t'ratlv executive COmmlttOC will be held about the middle of April end from then on things political Will 1>C moving, I _ An antl?apeed eluh Is sind to i?c in presses oe .organisation In Sumter, the pUfpnas Of which is to assist in III* I snfavcemenl of the ordinance ngi Insi ? ;?*<t drtvtna bj report Inn nil Infringe mem-, mi , tW |n||( members nl iru dub asasiis, Ma) ibe eluh have im- atomberslilp that e ill siiars no on Who breaks the |;iW Heine. Friday, March IS Th? . gwtss goverameni i.snt ;> not< I to Oermanv demanding the paymen of Indemnity fos the destruction of tin grain steamer Sardinen? wbuh wd loi \ vdoed Febi sai > Ifth. CONTRACT POII DOZEN BIG snips AWARDED. Naval Ruttgct Curries te,000,oeu lor Great Drji i?<k1 ami 10-Pooi Chan . nel foam Navy Yard to sea?Dig Terminals to He Bllllfa Washington, March 14.? This was another red letter day for Charleston. Congressman Whaloy, who has been working hard and efficiently on both matters tor a long time, is informed that the quartermaster general's de? partment has deeided upon the North Charleston site for the groat storage and terminal plant to be construct? ed for the army, and that the Fuller Construction Company has been linal ly awarded the contract to build twelve "?eel ships of 9,600 tons each at Charleston for the Shipping Board. Still more interesting and important, If possible, is the fact that the naval OOmmlttee of the house has agreed to report out as a part of the forthcom? ing naval appropriation tomorrow not only the provision for a $4,000,000 dry dock of the very Urst class at the nurlest on Navy Yard, but also a $5,000,000 provision for deepening the channel to forty feel from the! Navy Yard to the sea. If all these items are retained in the bill it Will carry a total of appropriation and BU-I thorization amounting to $9,150,0001 for Charleston. The committee will make the chan? nel and the dock propositions a joint proposition, however, that is to say, without the deepening of the channel there will be no dock of the Urst di? me nslons. The contract for the construction WOrk of the Charleston terminals has been lot to Degnan & Co., of New York. In connection with the storage plant there will be a postal and re? mount station for 10,000 horses. As to the contract to the Fuller! company to build the great steel mor- j chant ships at Charleston that propo? sition involved about $20,000,000. The shipbuilding plant is to extend from the Seaboard Air Eine tracks to Rem? its's Point and the idea is that the WOrk shall be pushed with all pos-I elhle dispatch. / The same is true as to the stora*'(I and terminal proposition!. Congressman Whaloy, who, with the aid of Representative Lever, has been devoting much attention to th pushing Of this great new' project among the members of the naval; committee, where, it was feared, the vote might be adverse, said touay that! he believed that Charleston would get the dock and channel and that he fell that it would be about the hig gOl thing that ever happened for the port. A point of order may be made agamst the dock item. If so it will be necessary to obtain a special rule from the rules committee. Mr. Whaley be? lieves that this can be done. The terminal and storage plant at Charleston involves the expenditure of many millions of dollars, exactly how many it is not known positively to say. \ Gen. Qoethale told the appropria? tion! committee jot the house that the estimate was for 3,300,000 square feel Of Storage at Charleston, at a cost of $16,500,000, and admitted that the storage program In general might cost more than the totals he had lentatlvely luggosted, GIVEN IMMENSE BUM. Annual Naval Budget Recommended by House Committee Carries Mil? lions for City'! Harbor Impeove mente. Washington, March 11.? A $1,300, 000,000 appropriation for the naval service for the next liscal year but Immediately available in the navy department's discretion is provided in the annual naval budget completed today l>y the hOUSe naval committee. The bill Include! lump sum appro pi opriations to add to the naval fa olltlO! in the overseas program, con? tinues the three year program of con- ' itructlon and increases the navy per? sonnel and the number Of officers in j the marine corps. A $9,000,000 dock and channel pro led for Charleston Ii included In Ihe lull under VOte of the committee to? day. I A direct appropriation of $1^000,000 : made for dredging the channel at i 'harleaton. The bill appropriates $188)000,000 lor aviation. It authorizes .m enlair.e men! of the naval proving crounds at I Indian Rend, Md., including ? acqui? sition <>l land on the Virginia side Of the I'otomac tor enlargement ol the lest In! facilities for big 'runs, the |o lal appropriation for this purpose be in- $1,000,000, Authorisation for expenditure of $0,000,000 for dry dock and chani ol at Charleston and action by the ship pine, bo nd today to authorise, the construction of 12 9,000 ton ships at Ihe Charleston shipyards will make that port one of considerable activ? ity. Representative Whaley 01 South Carolina, who foughl i<a the < huh W YK SI C Kl TAIIV VISI TS MILI TA11V I :ST A HUSUM I NTS. Finds Our Negro Stevedore in France W ho Says H? Doos Not (ici EttOUgll Brencl. On Board Secretary Baker's Spe < i;tl Train In Franco, Thursday, March II (By th? Associated Press).?In his trip ol' inspection of American military establishments today Secretary Baker stopped frequently to talk with pri? vate soldiers. His impression and thati , of all the civilian members of the ' party, was that the men are well housed and fed and want to gel on with their work. Only one complaint was made. It came from a negro in one of the stevedore regiments sewing at an improvised shipyard. "How do you like the cooking?" the secretary asked. "Well, I gets only one piece of bread." the man replied. "Is it good bread'.'" asked Mr. Ha? ker. "Oh, it's good, DOSS, but when T asks for another piee,o I wants it." Small gangs of German prisoners were encountered. Usually they sa? luted. They gazed curiously at the secretary of war and the commander in chief. Near the harbor develop? ments which the secretary inspected is an amazing system of warehouses. When completed there will be rows of one story warehouses covering about L'.OOO acres stretching out for three and one-half miles, to a depth of a mile. Construction has been begun on a hospital which will have 20,000 beds. It will he the largest in the world. The British have the next largest one. wuh 16,000 beds. STUDENT AVIATOR k11,1,KD. Back Broken by Fall 'of Seaplane at Miami, Flo. Miami, Fla., March 18. ? Francis El? liott Langdon of Boston, a student observer at the naval aeronautical sta? tion here, died this morning as the re? sult of injuries received Saturday when a seaplane fell in the bay, breaking his back. The cotton market strong and the upward tendency* of prices shows no Indication of being checked. There are occasional declines, but every loss is regained and a higher level is teached with each advance. There is new a considerable shortage of cotton itnd the outlook for a big crop this year is not bright. The lack of labor and the scarcity of fertilizer both op crate to prevent a bumper crop, even though the weather conditions should he favorable throughout the season. Use of Dutch Ships. Washington, March 15.?The Dutch ships about to be requisition? ed by the United States and Great Britain, if the Netherlands govern? ment does not voluntarily agree to turn them over, will be used chielly for the transportation of foodstuffs. ton yard item in the naval bill, als?) announced today that the army lues decided to establish a quartermaster Storage plant on the Cooper I Liver, just above Charleston. "The dock authorized today by the naval committee," said Mr. Whaley, "will accommodate the largest ships atloat, battle cruisers, battleships or anything else in the way of naval craft. It makes Charleston a capi? tal ship navy yard." The naval bill carries an appro? priation of $1,150.000 to construct a 1,000 foot dry dock, with 1<? loot sill, at Charleston, under a limit of cost oi' doc!; fixed at $4,000,000, and au? thorizes $3,000,000 to dredge a l<> toot channel to deep water and in the basin at Charleston. The committee I made the dock proposition contin? gent upon the enactment of the chan? nel proposition so that if congress should fail to provide the necessary appropriation for deepening the chan? nel the ?lock appropriation will not I be available. The committee voted down a pro? posal for a second dock at Norfolk. There is already one large dock at Noi l oik. A $100,000,000 lump Bum would be appropriated "to enable tin- president tc secure the more economical and expeditious delivery of materials, equipment nnd munitions and to se? cure the more expeditious construc? tion Of ships." "We do not want to publish to the world," explained Chairman Padgett nf the committee, 1 how many destroy? ers ami submarine eh isers and other craft we have, ate building or expect I to build, hut we have put this lump I sum iti the bill so as to let the presi? dent USO it for such purposes as he thinks best." The bill provides for this final year's authorisation of annual plans for one buttle cruiser, three battleships, three scout cruisers, nine licet submarines, 'wo fuel ships, on transport, one de? stover tender, one ammunition ship ami oin gunboat. STUFF OFFICERS TO FRONT. EXCHANGE PLANNED BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND FRANCE. Men Oil Puty at W ar Dop ?? Ii??'?! Will Have Knowledge Gained by Bs? perlcncc. Washington, March i?>.?Maj. Gen. Peyton C. March, chief jf staff, an-, nouneed today that a p|an had l)<>cn ! approved whereby staff ofBoera on duty with the American expeditionary { forces will be systematically exchang Cd for those on duty in Washington, < ihe ultimate purpose being to have on duty here a general staff compos id entirely of officers who have been through training in the latest elements Of warfare. It is intended to have General Per-j Bhlng return to this country in de? tachments of :50, the officers who, in his opinion, have assimilated the de-, tails of modern warfare !*rom actual, association with front line operations cf the American sectors. The first increment will be from the Office re who have been longest in France. These will be replaced by an, equal number of officers trained here! in general staff work as it applies to the war department ami an inter? change of information would be estab? lished between the deportment and tho fighting forces. Presumably, qualified officers of General Pershing's staff who have been wounded or otherwise incapacl tated for active duty at the front will be assigned wherever possible to duty In Washington during their periods of recuperation, their services and ex? periences thereby being of continuous value. In this connection it was learned that, in accordance with he practice found desirable in Europe, incapaci? tated line officers will be gradually I placed in charge of all training units, replacement divisions and other mill I tary agenc es In the United States which require the supervision of trained military men. That process already has begun with the assign? ment of a number of major generals physically unlit for service in France! to divisions training in this country. Secretary Baker already has an? nounced that B similar policy of di? rect information from France would be followed In the make-uf of his new war council composed of a group of senior officers of the war department. Maj. Gen. William Crosier, chief of ordnance, is in France on 1 his errand. AMERICAN PROPERTY IN GFR MANY. Gorman Government to Proceed, Against Property of American Citi? zens. London. March IS.?Tie Spanish and Swiss ambassadors at Berlin have been directed by the Germ in foreign office to notify the American govern? ment that Germany win proceed against American property in Germa? ny In the same proportion that action is taken against German property in the United States, Router's Amster? dam correspondent reports. LISI 1 FIB Indications are that there will fall. Those who have lands they wisl tlonal opportunity to sell them. The position to satisfy their ambitions to them better to buy while they are in the hope of securing better prices and they may be unable to finance which they are unable to pay in cash able farming conditions, which we recurring periods, they may find it c From the standpoint of the BOl reason that the prospective buyers bj experience such is net always tl buyer, while the present prices may i able farming conditions lie is better er prices under unfavorable farming the object of completing the paymci I'tst possible use the profits which enabling him to make. For the past fifteen years we farm lands of Sumter,. Clarendon ai this period we have made observatiOl which enable us to make our sorvh farm buyers and sellers. The fact tl $508,000 worth of farm property is at least Bucceoded in this end. a good deal of property was list< year that owing to the amount of 01 ' buyers we were unable to Inspect In have farm lands whic h you WOttl to us now so that we can have ample t and prepare a suitable lescription a prospetcive buyer by letting t ably want will put us in a position her Of suitable places. We expect to emlon and Lee Counties, and believe ever before to handle your bUfttnes it io noli or expect to buy this year, t. R. B. I Real Est? 26 N. Main St NO OFFENSIVE SOON. GERMAN TALK Ol itlVE IN I HK Wl.s: \o\v RBGARMP \s A BLUFF. Amcriciii: Ooscrvcis Have Concluded) That las| Pm paration?? on French Front Do Not Indicate i .; r i > Offen? sive?GwiBIM Will \o( Figh; lil? ies* forced to Do s<>. Washington, March 18. -Oormany*S threat of a IIeat spiing offensive on the western front no longer impresses American military men. In the week? ly review today the war department reeorda the conclusion that the enemy In spile Of vast prep; r tions will not t;t,<e the ( ff? nsive unless forced to do so. This confirms the opinion that many oil in have expressed for weeks. he nature of the informa? tion upon which this opinion is based is not disclosed. Much of the state? ment is d voted to describing the activities of American troops now en? gaged at ire separate front, one of the sector hing close to the Swiss herder. i Privateer News Items. Private? . March 18.?The farmers in this se< I ion are well up with their work. Wheat and oats are looking fine but the oats are all of spring planting*. Corn planting is progressing nicely but no one has begun planting cotton yet that 1 have heard of, but fertilizer is being put out and preparations to plant are being rapidly made. Miss Kaie Furman of Sumter. is visiting h? r brother. Dr. R. B. Fur man. Miss Rom-. Johnson, of Sumter, spent the Week-end at Mr. J. B. Ostcen's. . , , Miss Winnie Rivers is visiting her sister. Mr;-. I .E. Mims in St. George. Messrs. H. B, Barkley, B. T. Kolb and Joy ?Colb plan to visit Camp Jackson Sunday but the rain caused them to postpone their visit. May Holliday, a very worthy negro, \ fell dead n Kolb's store at Privateer Saturday 'light about 8 o'clock. ' FRBJlGlfl RATE ON Kl'tiAR AD? VANCED. Interstate Commerce Commission Ap? proves Proposed Incrcane. Washington, March 18.?The pro? posed increases in commodity rates on sugar froi'; New Orleans to Gv. .. ... Tennessee and other points today was found justified in a tentative opinion submitted by the Intersttae Commis? sion examiner. I Geo. H. Hurst, Urdertaker and Embalwer Prompt Attentin to Day and Night Calls At J. CRAIG Old Stand. N. Main Phones Sf?, be a good business in farm lands this 1 to sell will probably have excep farmers arc making money and are in acquire their own lands. It will pay able than w lit for a period of reaction as in such Periods credit is restricted any balance of the purchase money . And even if financed under unfavor have learned by experience come in litlicuit to r ??et the deferred payments, ler the time i favorable to sell for the are in shape to buy, and as we know Is case. Fr im the standpoint of tho teem full, ander the prevailing favor? able to pay ihe prices asked than low conttlons. And having before him Us on his inn, he will put to the the high prices of farm products are have been 1 taking a careful study of 1 1 Lee Counties ami we believe that in is and come into possession of facts ? h of the highest value to prospective i:it during the past season we sold eyldence that ire have in a measure ??l with us so late in the seasc * last ir tim?> take 1 In showing pros tctivo time to properly advertise it. f you sell it will pay you to list the 1 with ime to go ?i er the property ca? ffully t?> go In on advertising list. is know In advenes what he wiU j?rob te give him (he choice of a large inum have 1 special salesmen for both ciar we will he in I better position than 1 the real estate line. If you have land ik?> it up w h SS now. 5ELSER, ite Broker. Sumter S. C.