Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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It Ulli CIM ?omm caroli\a growers ?CERT IN CAPITAL CITY. organisation l? Formed. ? Protest Against Prodtrertng by Manufac? turer*; to Work for Just Seed Frioe. Columbia, May 14.?At a meeting of cotton producers from every sec? tion of South Carolina, held in the houeV of representatives here thh afternoon, it was decided to organise ths South Carolina Cotton Informa tion and Marketing Association, and resolutions were adopted placing th? minimum price of the staple at 3' cents a pound, protesting against price setting contemplated by somt members of congress, appointing I committee to meet with the national food administration to see that th< grower gets Justice In the marketing of cotton seed snd protesting a?ains the manufacturers of cloth profl ting st the expense of the eottor grower and the consumer. The meeting was called by ?T? O Smith. State warehouse commissioner who was elected Its chairman. T. I'. Taackston, deputy commissioner, wa> elected secretary. It was decided that the proposed new farmers' organtsa tion would be State-wide ir Its scop< and would have coun'y and com munlty branches. The principles of the organization Adopted at the meeting, provide fo the equitable marketing of cotton am the maintenance st the State ware house of a sales manager who wll keep track of all the cotton of th< members of the association and win will closely study the market, botl domestic and foreign, and keep th< organisation and its personnel thor oughly posted as to tin* fluctuation, of the market, and all problems ap pertaining thereto. Two sets of resolutions, prepare* by a committee consisting of Dr. Wad Stsckhouse, A. C. Summers, R. m CaOfSr, J. Frank Williams. W. A Stuckey snd K. W. Dabbs, were adopt ed by the convention. The first resolution provides for t? committee of three cotton growers It meet with the national food adminis tration. the conference to be held a some central point, to discuss tin prloo of cotton seed. The resolutlor suggests that like committees be ap pointed from the other cotton-grow ing States, and the secretary, Mr Thackston. was instructed to commu nicate with the various Southern commtsioners of agriculture and ad vise them of the action taken by th? South Carolina farmers. Capt. Smith appointed Dr. Wad< Stackhoune. of Dillon; E. W. Dabbs of Mayenvllle, and A. C. Summers, o Columbia, commissioner of agricul lure, commerce and industries, as tie committee. The farmers present con tiihuted $371 to defray the expense of the committee, which whs instruct ed to spend as much as $1,000 for le g^al advice. If so much be necessary the members of the new associatioi to make up the amount expended n the future. The ether resolution provides tha' "we call upon the growers and hold ers of spot cotton to refuse to sei 0 Ott 00) at less than 35 cents pe pound, ss long as manufactured good 0(0 being sold on a basis of 35 cent and above (with or without war pro to the manufacturers) and to sei no further contracts at any price.' The resolution further demands thu "no price-fixing conference be heb that does not Include intelligent ac tual cotton (rowers from all cottoi States with eo.uaI voice in the final de termination of this <|uestion so vita to the very life of the cotton growlm industry." Another resolution golnf on reoon against prlcs-flxing of cotton wa adopted. However, a proviso was In serted demanding a minimum pile Of H cents a pound, should the prlc? be fixed. M^sjor John I> Frost, of Columbia . i Produced a resolution which wa? ? oopted. calling on the municipal nu county authorities to strictly enforc? the laws ngnlnst vagranc\. h. n I the labor shortage. It was deoi le? thal a committee would provide th? oy-laws of the proponed new cottoi growers' organization, which wouh b? adopted at a BSjaaoOjSjonf mooting: Cspt Smith will name this commit fee within the next few isjyi command comfomti: ARMY, lien. Fershlng Will ( omiimtul liritlsl and French us Well u* Americans Washington. Msy 1$.?Division* the wettern front win-re AnsOflomfi units sre brigaded with the Fr?if? I snd British forces will he under Ahmt IcWn commanders whenever the American troops pit dominate Tbl? plan, which means that Men Fershing maty Soon he placed In command of firilUft and French units cm well ai of his own Americans, Is regarded as especlsllv desirable, and Is expected ?phllv IricrSgeM the site of Amer -ftcmn fercev on the fighting hue HIGHER RAILROAD BATES. IXC'RKAKE OF I HEIGHT AND PA?SRNGKH8. More Money N?NkHl?Cost of Oper? ation nnd other Consideration* Prompt Government to Make Change. Washington, May 13.?Estimates made today by railroad administration officials indicate that an increase of at leaat 25 per cent, in freight and prKBcnger rates will be necessary this year to meet the higher costs of fuel, wages, equipment and other operating oxpenses, now set at between $6^)0,? 000,00 and $750,000,000 more than hist year. Recommendation that rates be rais? ed by approximately this percentage has been made to Director General V.cAdoo by his advisors. He is ex? pected to act within the next six weeks and to put increases into effect. Ship? pers will be permitted to appeal to the Interstate commerce commission under the railroad's act and final de "ifclon will be with the president. Such an increase as Is proposed would be the biggest in the history of American railways, as the percentage s larger than any ever sought by the ailways under private management, uul would apply alike to the entire ?ountry. Both class and commodity ?ichedule* would be affected. Hate experts of the interstate com nerce commission and railroad ad nlnlstratlon now are at work on new schedules. Any increase to b? order? ed will be arranged in a manner to preserve rato relationships between L'ommunltlet. so that Industries and commercial interests will be subject o same degree of rate competition as it present. Passenger fares would be raised juder the plan suggested to about three cents a mile. The proposed Increases, it is esti uated. would yield about $900,000, >U0?$700,000,000 in freight and 1100,000,000 in passenger revenues. Thin would leave a margin above the estimated Increase in operating ex :>< uses eventually, but since the new ??etes would not go Into effect until till year la half over their yield would fall several hundred million lollars short of meeting the estimat? ed deficit this year. II is roughly estimated by railroad idmlnlstratlon officials that the roadH his year will spend between $300. 100,000 and $350,000,000 more for wi.ges than last year; between $120, )u0,000 and $150,000,000 more for oal; and between $180,000,000 and 12^0,000,000 more for cars, locomo ives, ralltj and other supplies and 'quipment. The estimate of Increased wages h >ased on the probability that the di? rector general will approve a genera! scheme of higher pay for workmen n accordance with the railroad wage ommistuon's recommendations which alls for an addition of $3OO,O00,0o<i o the $2,000,000,000 pay roll of las! . ea-. Although the question of the exact jrlces the railroads are to pay for coal jnder government operation has not >een settled, officials in charge of pur ?hases are said to have decided that t would be necessary to pay at least 5 5 cents more a ton than under con racts now existing. Kailroad coal 'onsumptions amount to ubout 175, ?00.00S tons a year. The cost of extensions and better nents can be determined at this time >nly in most general terms, but ortl ials point out that the financial bur len of these will be felt In six months, tnd must eventually be met in higher rates. An extensive scheme of economies 'o be effected by new practices pos ilble under government management s being developed slowly but It is ?aid the economies will not begin to diow big in reports of expenses for ilmost another year. Fly that time, it s planned to reduce rates if it ifc found possible to do so. Mr. MeAdoo repeatedy has express ?d the opinion that the railroads un ler government operation should be ?til supporting. Eor this reason he s reported as prepared to raise rates Once prieH "f ? \er\ other kind of ser ?11 and materials have tone up. II is contended that to raise pas lenger rates to three cents a mile -v111 not reduce travel to any great ?Stent, and the dlrtOtOf general is ippoaad to taking any drastic steps 0 curtail higher traffic. Ralhroad reports for the first three nonthl this year show that although ape rating revenues wert I per cent, neater than last year, operating ex? panses wt rr -T, per cent, greater, and net revenue from operations was onlv NM half of last year's. The director ventral Is empowered is fOpCl ' illative of the president, to put m w ratal IntO effect without eon uiltlng the Interstate commerce com mission or he may apply to the com? mission for authority to change sched? ules If hi wishes Mis advisers in the 1 kllroad administration, however, are insistent that speedy action he taken ? INVESTIGATION BEGINS TODAY IN XKW STORK. Many Rumors Heard?One Million i Mauser Kiiies ami Much Ammuni? tion Said to Have Been Hidden. New York, May 13.?An investiga? tion of alleged holdings for German account in the. United States of 1,000, 000 Mauser ritles, machine guns and ammunition will begin here tomorrow by Morton E Lewis, attorney general of the State of New York, it was an? nounced today. About 00 witnesses who are supposed to have knowledge of the existence of the munitions will be examined. The investigation is being undertak? en at the request of the army intelli? gence bureau. Reports current for the last two years that the German* have stored large military supplies in the United States will be run to earth, at.cording to Deputy Attorney General Becker. The inquiry, he says, will seek to establish whethei they have any foundation In fact oi are "mere will-o'-the-wisp rumors." All persons who the attorney gen? eral's oflloi or army intelligence of? fices know or believe to have assisted in spreading the reports will be asked for the sources of their information Mr. Booker said some reports had credited Germans with having 1,000,? 000,000 rounds of ammunition stor ed for 1,000.000 Mausers. Befort the United States entered the war Capt. Hans Tauscher, who is the hus? band of Mine, Gadski. the opera sing er, and who was acquitted of con? spiracy to blow up the Weiland Ca. nal, and later received a safe COndUCl to Germany, was reported to be ac? tively engaged in purchasing muni? tions and storing them. In February, 1916, he appeared ai the New York district attorney's offic* and asked that search be made for .' broker who he claimed had agreed tc deliver 1,000,000 cartridges in Febru ary, 1916, and was paid $10,375, on* quarter of the price, but vanish?c without delivering the goods. In No vember, 19IB, there were publish*?*' reports that more than $500,000 worti of munitions had been stored in a Nev, York loft und were being watched b> federal detectives who had been in structed to prevent their removal Captain Tauscher was credited wit I having purchased them in Bridgeport Philadelphia and elsewhere. CHURCH MEETING AT AI KEN. I piscopa! Diocesan Council in Sos slon. Alken, May l-t.?The annual Epis copal dioceason council opened ii Aiken this morning at St. Thaddeu: 1 Episcopal church. The session open ed with the celebration of the hob communion which was beautiful ant 1 impressive. The Rev. John Ridout rector of St. Thaddcus, gave a fev 1 words of welcome. The first discus sion which came up was Christian ed ucation by the Rev. Walter Mitchell D. 1)., of Porter Military Academy Charleston, and the Rev. Homer Star ' of Charleston, on "Christian Nurtun Series in Sunday Schools." There are more than 100 delegate! In attendance.. Bishop VV. A. Quarry of Charlestoi is present. A talk by the Rev. E. A Penlck, from Camp Jackson, or "Army Work of a Chaplain" was ai interesting part of the morning pro gram. Bishop Quarry gave his annual ad dress in the afternoon. An informa reception from B.I0 to 6.30 o'clocl was held in the Sunday school room The Rev. William E. Cox of Rich mond spoke at the evening session o 1 the forward movement. A meeting o the trustees and directors of tHe coun Oil was held Monday night, whicl ' Gov. Riehard I. Manning attended. Washington. May 1 B,?The casual tv list contained one hundred am twenty names. Killed in action, 3 died of wounds, :t; died of accident, 1; died of dlaaaae, B; died of othei causes, 7; wounded severely, 6; wounded slightly, f?6; missing in ac? tion, .I'.*. Ottawa, May i v -The statement that it bad been decided not to us? American forces in Prance until they had become a Complete, powerful and self-supporting army was incorrect, '?lue tO an error- in transmission." according to b statement from the British government received by the ?Canadian government. to furnish the railroads new revenues, and it is considered probable he will adopt the former course Most railroad administration of flclals are anxious for the new rubs to be put Into effect in June. To ascertain exactly what improve rnenti and extension railroads are mul ing the director general today or? dered companies to report what pro? jects are under way or planned, and whether adequate funds are available for the work. COUNT MINOTTO ARRESTED. j SWIFT'S SON-IN-LAW TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. - i Man <>t' Tangled Nationalities Under Arrest at Chicago- Was Pro-Ger* man Once. Chicago, May 13.?Count James Minotto, son-in-law Of Louis F. Swift, the packer, was taken into ousto<l\ here late this afternoon by Deputy United states marshals on a presi? dential warrant ordering his intern? ment. A habeas corpus action was imme? diately instituted in behalf of the count and he was taken before Fed? eral Judge Carpenter and released on $50,000 bond. Hearing of arguments on the habeas corpus proceeding was set for May 20. Washington. May 1"..--Attorney General Oregon authorized the issu? ance of a presidential warrant for and the internment of Count James Minotto under the president's procla? mation relating to German alien ene? mies. Action was ' taken by the attorney general after long consideration of the case which was referred to him altar the department of labor had rs fused to order the deportation of th" count. In the meantime the count has been at liberty on bail. Count Minotto, a son-in-law of Louis Swift, the Chicago packer, is a man of such tangled nationalities that he comes near to being a man with? out a country. His father was an Italian of avowed pro-German sym? pathies, and his mother was a noted German actress. He was born in Ber? lin and educated in the banking busi neas in Germany. When the war broke out he was employed in a German bank in Lon ? don. He came to the United States and took out first naturalization pa ? pers here, but never completed the naturalization process. At first he 1 was openly pro-German but when I Italy entered the war, he offered t< return to his father's land as an I tab I ian reservist, and was refused foi physical reasons. I>ater he off ereil an ambulance service to the Italiai ' government, but this gift also was re? fused. Then he sought a commission in the United States but his Germar I citizenship prevented. He offered hi? . service to the bureau naval intelli gence to become a United States se cret agent but officials suspected bin of had faith and did not accept him He was assoeitaed with society peoph ? In England, the United States an<~ Argentina. He was a visitor at tht German embassies in London ant i Washington, was a friend of Count ? Luxburg, the now notorious Germai ? charge at Buenos Aires, and also o' f M. Caillaux former French premier I recently arrested on a charge of trea . son, and with Mine. Caillaux whei they were in South America. Secretary McAdoo was entertainer1 ? by Count Minotto when the seeretar> visited Beunos Aires two years ago , The count at that time represented ; New York bank in Argentina, bu I previously while acting as agent fo. another New York f>ank had been re ? called because it was feared Iiis pro Gorman sympathies would commi i the hank to improper policies. The bureau of naval intelligent i whose request that Minotto he deport i ed was refused by the department o labor on the ground that Minotto ha< neither broken any United State; law nor threatened to do so, cited a I facts supporting: .its suspicion that ; the count was a German agent, tha' . he maintained a mysterious private ? office at his Long Island home, am employed a private secretary althoug) his salary as representative of tin New York bank was comparative] small. Minotto's friends explained that his wife was wealthy, and tha consequently he was not forced t< live on his business income. The department of labor referred the case to the department Of justice declaring that if Minotto was as dan gerous as the bureau of naval intelli gence maintained, he might be in terned. FARM LOAN BANK. First Year's Business Slums Nearly Nlnety-tWO Millions in Loans. Washington, May 14.?About one ninth of the farm loan business of United States was dune by the federa farm loan system during the firs' year of Its QCtlve operation just clos? ing. The report shows that 40,4r?i loans, totalling nearly ninety-two mil lions have been closed. NEW YORK TRAIN WRECK. l our killed and Number Injured on New York Central, New Yoik. May 14. Two passeng ers and two trainmen were killed and eight or ten Other passengers wer? injured when the Buffalo Special oi> the New York Central was derailed lust night at Rchedeck Landing, i' was announced today. LOYAL MEN NEEDED. \V\K TILL VICTORY" CAN hi DATES MUST WIN. Democrats and Republicans May .loin to Keep Questionable Characters out. Washington, May 13.?American voters are called upon to elect only loyal and "war till victory" men to congress next November in an appeal presented to congress today by a dele? gation representing the League for National Unity. The two great po? litical partiea are asked to join forces in doubtful districts to insure the choice of congressmen who will he unswerving in their support of th? government in the conduct of the war. In the party which received the I delegation were Representative Fer? ris of Oklahoma and Representative Woods of Iowa, chairmen, respective? ly, of the Democratic and Republlcai congressional committee; Repressn tative Kltchin of North Carolina Democratic floor leader in the house and Representative Oillftt of Massa chuaetts, acting Republican leader, The appeal says in part: "The nation must be able to coun upon both parties nominating men a the forthcoming congressional pri maries who are whole hearted am Unequivocal supporters of the wa aims of our government and its pur pose to prosecute the war to a sue ceaaful termination. In the interest of the nation we asl for more; if in any district it is likel; that an anti-war candidate he sue ceaaful it is the imperative duty o the two leading parties to effect ; coalition against the non-Americai or anti-American candidates in orde to make certain his defeat. If in an congressional or senatorial electio: there proves to be danger of electio of disloyal candidates it will becom the duty of Americans, regardless c party affiliations, to defeat such can didates and to set loyalty to the na tion above personal loyalty to th party. "Let no party nominate or elect t congress any candidate on a socalle peace platform. The American nn tion under the leadership of the pre; ident of the United State?, eommane or in chief of the army and navy, for peace; but a righteous peace an ?minting peace can not he secure until America and the allied powei shall have achieved victory over th irmies and governments of the cer tral powers, or their peoples, havin repudiated those who have bee TUilty of the crime of willingly initial ing and carrying on the war, shal in the interest of a just peace, hav recognized their right to control thei >wn industry." In a personal letter to Represents tive Woods. Elihu Root, one of th ugners of the appeal, wrote: "I do not believe that there is single congressional district whic has not a staunch loyal majority bu I understand that there are probabl from 20 to 30 districts in which ther ire enough pro-German and pacifist md extreme Socialists votes to mak t possible for a disloyal candidate t >e returned by a plurality if the loyi vote is divided pretty evenly betwee he Republican and Democratic can lidates. Such men would do infinit harm to our country in congress; thei election would bring aid and comfot *o the enemy, would dishearten a1 loyal citizens, and would be discred (table to both political parties. "Of course parties must continue heir organization must be maintain ?d and neither one ought to make th tatrtotlam of the other a means o draining an advantage for the fu ure, but if in any district there is th ? ?;ist chance that a disloyal man ma be sent to congress, then there i >nly one issue In this district?that i he issue of loyalty. "The practical and patriotic course teems plainly to be for our two com nittees to agree upon what district vvould be the least doubtful in a hree cornered light and In such dis riots where the Republicans seem t< have the best prospect for votes urgi the Democrats to get behind a loya Republican candidate and in district: whore the Democrats seem to hav< the best prospects for votes urg? the Republicans to get behind a loya Democratic candidate. "As you know, my dear congress man, I have been a Republican all m> life. For more than .r>0 years I hav< beer? voting to send Republicans t( congress but i have an idea after thn war parties are to be judged by tin dncerlty and great hcartedness with which they give themselves to their country now and use all their power of association and organiaation tc enable America to win the victory, l im proud Of the splendid and unsel? fish loyalty which our party has shown in its support of the Demo untie administration through which ahme the war could be waged. Here is another- opportunity, another test. Let us challenge the Democratic party to vie with us in the breadth of pa criotism with which the test is met." SHIPPING BOARD PROGRAM BE? GINNING TO SHOW HESULTS. One Hundred Fifty-nine Vessels, To? taling 1,108,021 Tons Have IJeeii Completed Since Board Took Charge of Ship Building. _* \ Washington. May 14.?Eight steel ships, totalling forty-eight thousand, one hundred and fifty tons, were com? pleted In the seven days ended May 11th. Fourteen vessels were launched with a total tonnage of fifty-seven thousand, one hundred, of which sev? en are steel. The first million tons of ships completed under direction of the shipping hoard have thus been finished, the total to May 11th being one hundred and fifty-nine vessels of one million, one hundred and eight thousand, six hundred twenty-one tuns. Most of the ships delivered were requisitioned on the ways or in contract form when the United States entered the war. WHEAT SUBSTITUTE PRICES. Food Administrator Charge?. That Healers Are Demanding Exhorbi tant Prices. < y f B n r y n n e >f Columbia, May 13.?At present prices of corn, barley and oats, mil? lers are or shouvld be offering meals and flours from these grains at prices considerably below wheat flour, says the Food Administration. A telegram. signed by Herbert Hoover, federal food administrator was given out by William Elliott, food administrator for South Carolina, today, in addition to the above, the statement continued: "Corn meal should be selling f i SB the mill door at not over twenty-five per cent, less than wheat flour and oatmeal even less ratio, while com! flour or barley flour should be selling at not more than ten to fifteen per cent below wheat flour. "There is, therefore, absolutely no justification for present price levels In these wheat substitutes." County food administrators in South Carolina are being instructed to look carefully into the prices charged for corn meal in different parts of the State. These prices will be reduced to proper levels, based upon a certain percentage of profit as prescribed by the federal food admin? istration at Washington. Prices charged for wheat substi? tutes last winter, due to the shortage in railway transportation, have now become, according to the statement of the Food Administration, in many eases, extortion. At this critical time?until the gext wheat harvest?when it is so vitally necessary that wheat substitutes are used that every possible pound of wheat flour be saved for suffering Eu? rope, the Food Administration state? ment says: "The time has now come when re? adjustment of prices of these grains (wheat substitutes) should take place." The wholesale maximum margins have been fixed at not over ten per cent. In bulk, and retailers cannot take more than sixteen to twenty per cent, on the sale price for handling these products. o d i s I is d d rs ie i g n t l. e ir I e a h it y e ALLIED AIRMEN BUSY. Boatbs Dropped on Ostend and Zee* bruggc. London, May 13.?The admiralty announces that during the period May C-lii, inclusive, air force con? tingents wot king from Dunkirk car? ried out successful bombing opera? tions against the Ostend dock and sea? plane base, the Zeebrugge mole and lock gates, and enemy shipping in the vicinity. "Several direct hits were obtained on the sheds on Zeebrugge mole, and a large shed at the seaplane base was completely burned up," the statement continues. "In the course of the of? fensive patrols six enemy m.ichin??s were destroyed and two others were driven down out of control. One of ours is missing." BRITISH LOSS (iltEAT. Casualties l.nst Week Were Heaviest of War. London. May 14.?The total Brit? ish casualties reported for the week ending today were 4 1,612. Complete records are unavailable, but it is probable that the casualties reported last week were the heaviest British losses of any week of tha war. NAVAL HEROES COMMENDED. Secretary of Nav> Reports Four Men tor Bravery. Washington, May l(.?Four enlist? ed men Of the navy who were com mended today hy Secretary Daniels for bravery included Miliard Irans Staton of Jacksonville, Fla., who res? cued a shipmate in a rough sea.