Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

LS OPPONENT HAS NOT SPOK EN OUT. eclares His Position on War and Blease Known to All, Including Iiieut. Governor. St. George, Aug. 20.?Lieut. Gov. Andrew J. Bethea, candidate for gov ernor, before an audience of about 200 Dorchester county voters here today in the court house, directed hi> guns against the position of Robert A. Cooper, one of his opponents, on the war, saying that Mr. Cooper had not spoken specifically and clearly and emphatically on the utterances oi Cole L, Blease at Pomaria and Filbert. Mr. Cooper, in replying, said that Mr. Bethea was probably the only man in South Carolina who did not know how he stood on the Blease issue; that twice the test had been made and he had stood those tests; that he had stated from many "stumps" o. the State that, had he been in con gress he would have voted foi the war resolution, and if no one else had introduced such a resolution he would have done so himself. Mr. Cooper said that, holding the senti ments that he did, no one, including Mr. Bethea, believes that he could in dorse or palliate the utterances enun ciated by Blease in his Pomaria and Filbert speches. The audience to day was enthusiastic and was impar tial in the distribution of its applause j John Madison DesChamps, the first i gubernatorial speaker, said that the Democrats of Kentucky and Iowa. | following a tour of speech making, wanted him to establish his residence in those States and promised to elect him governor. He told them, how- j ever, that he would remain a citizen j of South Carolina and the people would select him as their chief exe cutive. This they will do this year, he declared. He took his usual po sition on high taxes, promising a sub stantial increase, if elected. John T. Duncan, the second speak er, said that he has been -assured by high authorities in Washington that an investigation, based on his Flor ence affidavit, would be conducted at Camp Jackson. He attacked the "system" and his opponents. John G. Richards, the "Reform" candidate, was the third speaker, "i have tried all my life," said Mr. Rich ards, "to establish a reputation foi manhood, not for politics. He de clared that the war is no issue, for never before in the history of the world has such an unanimity of sen timent behind the government as the people of South Carolina are show ing, men, women and children. Mr. Richards made his usual speech on taxation, and free scholarship. He re iterated his charges of "extravagance" against the Manning administration, claiming that too many useless office* had been established, and promisee the abolition of the State Board oi ^Charities and Corrections and the State tax commission, if it is in his power. In discussing / scholarship question, Mr. Richards said that it there had been a mistake in appro priations, too much money has been appropriated ,for higher education in this State, at the expense of the com mon schools. Mr. Bethea, the fourth speaker, opened his speech by saying tha: Blease had made the war an issue by his Pomaria and Fulbert speeches and Richards has issued the chal lenge from every "stump" in thi State that the war is not an issue. He has snatched up the "gauntlet" and intends to discuss the matter un til the finish of the campaign. He cautioned the people to vote for loy al men only, and made his usual at tack on Richards. Mr. Bethea read the following pre pared statement: "That Mr. Richards has completely dodged the paramount and only real issue of the campaign there is nc longer room for doubt. He has sough; security in a hiding place from which there is no escape. His one time friends have tried in vain to extricate him but_Jie will not heed their call. Having consigned him with Blease to oblivion they now turn away in de spair and disgust. Peace to his po litical ashesI "That Mr. Cooper has failed to dis cover the issue, has shied away from it or has approached it a-tip-toe, in fear and trembling, is likewise true. For what is the issue? With Richards it is anything but the war. With ('ooper it is the war and its relatior to high taxes, a burdensome govern ment, etc. But what is the issue'. The real, paramount, overshadowing issue in South Carolina this year it the war and the attitude of Cole L. Blease toward it, as judged by his utterances at Pomaria. Filbert and elsewhere three and a half months after the entry of the United States into war with Germany. This is the issue; and Blease's attitude toward the war is of paramount importance at this time because of his former po litical influence and power. Let u. not dodge it. Let us face it like men of grit and steel. Let us meet it squarely and courageously as I have met it from stump to stumi> in South Carolina? "On one of the matters of supreme concern just now Mr. Cooper has not spoken at all. Here and there he has raised his voice feebly and faintly. He has referred to the question of loyalty in general terms. He 1ms not been specific, definite and positive in his declarations against disloyalty. In all the 41 counties in which we have beer, he has never raised his voice in de nunciation and repudiation of the dis loyal utterances at Pomaria and Fil bert of Col? L. Blease. Why all this reticence? Why all this silence in these crucial times? "He tells you that any man ma> know his position if he will inquire about it. My reply is, that this is the time of all times when one should no: hesitate to take a stand and declan his position. This is the time of ali times when a mar. seking office should volunteer to speak boldly am strongly, spen!: directly anl defiantlv against disloyalty whenever he find it. "Put he says he does not approve o a factional fight. I reply by asking who started the light'.' Was not th< first gun in the political campaign of I&1S fired at Pomaria July 27, 1U17? Did not Blease and his organ so de clare it? Is not the honor of our gal lant boys at stake'.' Have not Blease and Richards repeatedly raised the issue and waged a fight? Shall we lie supinely on our backs while the enemy binds us hand and foot? Sure ly Cooper does not seek the reward of victory while others battle for right. "The time has come, therefore, when Cooper must speak out. His voice must ring with unmistakable meaning. It must thunder from the mountains to the sea. He must speak loud and clear and strong against the disloyal uterances of Blease at Fil bert and Pomaria. For 41 day I have listened in vain to hear his voice. The time is brief. But three more days are left. He must now speak or for ever herafter hold his peace." Mr. Cooper, the last gubernatorial speaker, said, in reply to Mr. Bethea that this was the first time in South Carolina that his position on Blease ism had been brought into question. On two occasions he had been put to the test, and had not hesisttaed j to show his opposition to ex-Governor) {lease, and Mr. Bethea knew it. "I'll! tell you what's the matter," he stated: "Mr. Bethea is trying to push me off the platform and attempting tc make me swallow his dose." Mr. Ccpoer said that, never in his life, had he tried to gain votes by stirring up che factional issue and to gain office by vilifying' his opponents or any other man, and he would not start now, even for the governor's office. The Laurens candidate said that he had repeatedly stated from many 'stumps" of the State that, if he had been in congress, he would have voted or the war resolution, and should no >ne else have introduced it he would have done so himself. He asked the people if they thought, holding the sentiments that he did, could he in dorse the assertion that the blood o! . % ung American manhood, shed in .his war. could be on the hands ol President Wilson and the members of congress in favor of the waiy Mr. Cooper made his usual speech >n taxation, education and his loan system for State colleges and conclud ed by urging the people to vote for their country and not their friend. ind to give political preferment only o those whose election will not throw suspicion on South Carolina's parti cipation in the war and its adherence i :o President Wilson. T. J. McLouchlin. candidate for ! ailroad commissioner, said that one 3f his opponents, D. L. Smith, could j not now be considered in the race. I He alleged that Mr. Smith had stated j hat, if McLauchlin could get the in dorsement of 25 reputable citizens o; ! St. Matthews, McLauchlin's home town. Smith would withdraw from the race. He showed a paper Which he said contained the written en lorsement of nearly all the citizens of St Matthews, "more than 25 by a great deal." "So, if you stick tc your word," he continued, "your res \ ignati?n is already in and I will nay I no more attention to you." Mr. Smith 1 ;.n his reply said that he made th* 3tatement in confidence to a party o gentlemen, ar.u he was surprised that it had been repeated. \ He said he would have more to say on the matter latter. SEPARATE BOXES FOR SEN ATE. Two Vacancies Necessitate Such , Plan. Columbia, Aug. 21.?Ballots for the I long term senatorial race and bal lots for the short term senatorial race will be deposited in separate boxes at he primary next Tuesday. A meeting of the State Democratic (executive committee was held yester- j lay, when such provision was made. It was further ordered that in the jvent of a second primary for the short term candidates, the names of the candidates in this race should go on the regular State ticket and the single ticket be deposited in one box. The two box arrangement was ne cessitated by having the names of the nort term candidates printed on a separate ticket, and without a sec ond box. each voter would have had to deposit two tickets in the same box. John Gary Evans, State chairman, was absent yesterday. In that the rules of the party did not provide for a vice chairman, the rules were so modified as to create this office, and General Wilie Jones was elected unanimously to this place. The com mittee was in session but a few min utes. THE PRICE OF COTTON. A Wall Street Opinion as to What Mills Should Pay. Charles C. Cowan said: "Normally a profit of $25 a bale is considered a handsome one. Allowing for an av rrage profit of $50 per bale, the mills ould have paid an average 40c pei pound for their ? cotton during tin past two years. The South has sold the past two crops ?5?0 per bale un der that average. These 2S.00-0.O0C oaics, ?00 per bale equals about two and a-quarter billions of dollars thai the South should have had more than it received. The prices now fix ed by the government on goods al lows a spinner to pay 4lie for cotton md make $50 per bale. This being true, ?nything done now that would compel the South to sell the present ?ery short crop below its value would work an untold hardship on the South. Price fixing would undoubted ly have that baneful effect. Every threat of it has demoralized the cot ton trade% and the administration and the congressmen from the South have kept hands off through it all."?New York Journal of Commerce, Aug. 21. I-BOAT DESTROYS FISHERMEN. Playing Havoc With licet on Grand Banks?Big Trawler Seized. Atlantic Port Aug. 21.?German submarine late yesterday seized trie big fishing trawler Triumph. The crew, who reached the shore- safely, said they believed the Germans in tended to use the trawler as a raid er. It is reported thai a submarine is playing havoc with ihe fleet of fish ing vssels on the grand banks. I MEITTING AT 'B?KEH SCHOOL. I - ?Public Health Campaign Successful j ly Inaugurated in That Ncighhor hoed. The citizens of Baker school disy trict held a splendid community arid public health meeting Wednesday and organized a permanent rural health association for that district, and, at the same time, the ladies or ganized a home demonstration club. The ladies of the community served one of the most celicious olden-time picnic dinners ever cooked, which was very much enjoyed indeed. The meeting was well attended, and much interest was manifested in the pub ac health conditions of that section. The following officers of the Baker; ?School Public Health Association were elected for or.e year: President, Mr. Oscar Evans. Vice President, Mrs. H. W. Beall. Secretary, Mr. J. W. Odom. It was decided :o hold monthly meetings of the association for dis cussion of not only public health matters but also to meet with the home demonstration club, both so cieties to met the second Friday in each mon:h. Miss Alice Marlin, the assistant home demonstration agent, lectured on home economics and explained the objects of a home demonstration club in a very interesting manner. Rev. R. S. Truesdale covered the subject of the public health and pointed out eloquently and convincingly the duty the community owes itself and the nation in safeguarding the public health. He accentuated the moral phases of the subject. Mr. E. I. Reardon handled the ques tion of rural community organization and directed the organization of the j rural health association. Mr. H. W. Beall, presided and backr ed Up the speakers in a very patriot ic speech for community organiza tion. It was decided to appoint s comittee of ten men to make a san itary survey of the entire school dis trict to try to have every home, white znd colored to install modern fly prooi sanitary closets, to decrease the breeding of flies and mosquitoes, and to otherwise do whatever is necessary to place that district in a proper san itary condition. Mrs. H. W. Beall interestingly dis cussed the value of community or ganization, and described the social, moral, and physical advantages of. such systematic community . endea\> Secretary Reardon was requested' to ask the State Board of Health tc arrange for a big illustrated public health lecture and meeting at Baker school as scon as the tall term of the ?chool opens. The following officers of the horn* iemonstration club were elected: President, Mrs. Jesse McLeod; Sec retary, Miss Florence Evans. The following charter members ot the home demonstration club prorn^ ised to canvass the district to en targe the membership and to increase the interest in the home demonstra :ion and domestic science features oJ the club: Mrs. W. M. Brown, Mrs lohn McLeod, Mrs. Sam Hudson, Mrs. Henry Hudson, Mrs. Jessie McLeod. Mrs. W. N. McLeod, Mrs. J. W. Odom, Mrs. H. W. Beall, Misses East ?r Evans, Florence Evans, Mary Evans, Nannie Evans, Leah Evans. The meeting at Oswego School last Thursday was not largely attendee jut the few ladies present enjoyed the demonstration in canning and cook ing by Misses Keels and Martin, and these ladies promised to arrange foi a big public health meeting later. However the social features of the meeting were excedingly pleasant tnd a delightful lunch was served Misses Keels and Martin, and Rev. J VV\ Elkins and Secretary E. L Rear don. the two latter being public health campaign speakers who did not speak at this meeting owing t< the small number present from the ommunity, but who will address the health meeting to be held later. A misunderstanding as to the hour of the meeting caused the small at tendance, and Oswego section is not disinterested in the public health campaign, but will do good work along this line as requested by the State Council of Defense. MISSION FROM URUGUAY. Foreign Minister Brum and Distin guished Party Arrived Tuesday. Key West. Aug. 21.?Dr. Baltaslar Brum, minister for foreigr 'Tairs oi Uruguay, with a party of tu^unguishr ed officials of that country arrived here late yesterday aboard the Urugu ayn cruiser Montevideo. The part} was met here by Jordan H. Stabler, representative of Secretary of State Lansing and representatives of the army and navy. The party will leave today for Washington. S?MTER COTTON MARKET, Corrected daby at 12 o'clock Noon P. G. BOWMAN. Cotton Buyer. Good Middling 30 3-4. Strict Middling 30 1-2. Middling 30 1--?. j NEW YORK COTTON MARKET. Open High Low Close Close Yes'dys Oct. . .31.75 32.40 31.70 32.00 31.79 Dec . . 31.07 31.75 31.07 31.47 31.26 i Jan . . 31.00 31.60 31.00 31.32 31.15 Registration Notice. The County Board of Registration will be in their office at the Court House, continuously from July 1st to August SIst, excepting July 4th, fof :he purpose of registering all qualified voters of the county of Sumter, as the law requires. T. D. DUBOSB, J. M. N. WILDER, J. A. REAMRS, Supervisors of Registration. REVENUE BILL UNFINISHED. Work of Committee Remains Incom plete, v ! Washington, Aug. 20.?The house i ways and means committee alter an I all day discussion of administrative' provisions and other details of the! 38,000,000,000 revenue bill was un-l able to reach a tinal agreement on jhe details of the income and excess profits tax schedules. Chairman Kitch in conceded that it was doubtful if the bill could be reported to the house by the committee by next Monday. He' announced, however, there is no ques tion whatever of the bill raising the total $8.000,000,000 sought. Mr. Kitchin announced that Secre tary McAdoo agreed to the plan of dividing business into groups for the purpose of deduction of prewar earn- I ings, but that a maximum 12 per cent, deduction which the commit ee had proposed to give to mining and kindred hazardous enterprises was too great and that 10 per cent, ^as more equitable. The commit ee in all probability will write into the bill a division of corporations and ?ther business enterprises into two jroups for deduction purposes in the war profits tax on the basis of pre war earnings. The groups probably sv'ill be financial and transportation oncerns including all public utilities, 8 per cent, deduction and manufac uring, mining, gas and oil wells and ?ther miscellaneous business 10 per cent deduction. Chairman Kitchin made this state ment: "The committee had been discussing administrative regulations in the bill tot affecting the rates at all. We idopted a provision for a board which will draft legislative matters, the board to be composed of two nembers, one to be appointed by the peaker of the house and the other by he vice president, as the presiding tead of the senate. We have taken jo further action as to earned and mearned incomes, but have asked the ;reasury department- to work out a dan for administering this differen ial of 3 per cent, against unearned ncomes, on which the committee eached a tentative agreement the :ther day. We want the treasury to work out i plan for allocation and for deduc :ion of credits and other technical de ails of an unearned income differen tial plan. It will be a 3 per cent, dif ferential, out whether it will be, as a esult a normal income tax of 12 and 5 per cent, the former for earned nd the latter for unearned, or 0 and '.'3 .-per cent, to preserve the 10 per ce4it normal, the committee hercto ore has agreed on, I can not say. "The only main problem left is hat of excess profits and we will try o agree on that tomorrow. We may nally pass on the bill Friday, but it -j not at all certain." Replying to questions Mr. Kitchin aid that relief of the individual from ^he excess profits tax was decided * 'pon by the committee long ago and vas in the original draft of the bill. The "legislative drafting board" as greed upon today is to have a per manent body of experts to draw bills ?nd other legislative documents. Each if the two members will reecive $6, 100 a year. WATER POWER DEVELOPMENT. Debate Begins on Administration Bill Washington, Aug. 20.?Debate be Uan in the house today on the ad ministration water power bill, pro viding a leasing system for develop nent of power projects on navigable treams. "Representative Ferris of Oklahoma, chairman of the public ands committee and a member of thr "oint committe on water power, led a fight for modification of the so-call ?d "recapture clause" so as to give he federal government or any mu nicipality the right to take over slants at the expiration of license pe riods by paying the actual cost of th development. Mr. Ferris filed a mi nority report contending the provis ion now in the bill requiring pay ment of the amount of the "net ^in .?estment" by the government or a municipality would be tantamount t' \ grant in perpetuity to private in terests. Representativ Sinnott of Oregon, in a long spech urging the necessity for opening the way for water power de velopment, contended the net invest ment provision was fair. He declar ed 600,000.000 tons of coal could be caved annually by full development }f the nation's water power resources. Reprcsenttaive Sinnott said if the ^erris proposal were adopted it would be difficult to induce private capital to invest in power projects because a return on the investment would not be sufficiently attractive. Endorsed by Neighbors. To The Daily Item: The many friends, all over Sumter ?.ounty, of Mr. J. L. Gillis. are pleas id to sec that he has met their re quest to offer for the House of Rep resentatives. Mr. Gillis is not a new ?nan in public life. Though very young when he was first elected magistrate, he held this office for years and years, giving complete sat ?tfaction to all. In fact, his conduct of the office was on such a high plane that there was much regret in this section when he voluntarily re tired. Mr. (Jillis is an industrious, high-toned young man of marked ability, and his friends think that he will make a most useful member of the House of Representatives, and will be of considerable service, and an honor to Sumter county. He is the architect of his own fortune: starting with nothing, by hard work and close economy he now conducts one of the largest mercantile and farming nus inesses in Sumter county. In addition to the true worth of Mr. Gillie, it has been many years since this seetion of Sumter county has been represented in the legislature, and we feel confident that when this is called !to the attention of the voters of Sum Iter county that they will see the jus tice of our rennest for a representa tive, and give our worthy candidate. Mr. J. L. Gillis. a solid vole. YOTF1V Rembert. Aug. 20. I i HOME FOR FEEBLE-MIXDED. i State Lands Found to Be Unsuitable j so Board Acquires G20 Acres at Clinton. Columbia, Aug. 21.?The Home for the Feebleminded will be built at Clinton. This was decided yesterday, when a committee from the board of j regents of State Hospital ynd of the State Board of Charities and Correc tions met at Clinton and passed upon; a proposition which had- been made! by the citizens of Clinton. It hadj been decided previously that State! lands were not suitable to the pur- j pose, and a site near Clinton was ex- j amined with the result that it wasi accepted, and soon as possible build ing will be commenced. The site selected is at Dover, two miles east of Clinton, where the S. A. L. and C. N. and L. railway tracks cross. There ar-~ 620 acres in the tract acquired by the board, and op tions have been secured on 570 acres m-re, which will probably be bought,] t. s putting at the disposition of the I board about 1,200 acres. The 620 acres were purchased al-j most entirely through contr outionsj made by the citizens of Clinton who j had raised $ IS,000 for this purpose,; the tract of land costing slightly] more than this. The additional 570 j acres on which options are held may be purchased at between $7,000 and i ?S,000. -The lands purchased lie on the north side of the railroad. Those present at the conference were Dr. F. H. McLeod, representing the board of regents, and Dr. Geo. B. Cromer, Dr. Z. T. Cody, Dr. D. D. Wallace and L. E. Carrigah repre senting the State Board of Charities and Corrections. \ ???????? GERMANS MAX TRAWLER. Armed Fishing Boat Running Amuck on Fishing Grounds. Canada Atlantic Port. Aug. 21.? The steam trawler Triumph, fitted with t'70 guns, wireless, manned by sixteen of the crew from the German submarine which captured it near here yesterday, is raiding the fishing banks off the Nova Scotian coast. Three vessels are known to have been sunk. The crews have arrived here. HUNTING THE RAIDER. Naval Patrol Boats in Pursuit of Ger man Raider. Washington, Aug. 21.?Strong forces df swift 'naval patrol boats and destroyers are speeding today to the North Atlantic fishing bonks where a German raider is reported to be operating. The capture or the en forced destruction of the raider by its German crew is believed to be cer tain. New Residents of SUMTER The population of our city is constantly being added to by new people moving here, attracted by our excellent railway facilities, attractive homes, weii paved streets and the general air of hospitality ex tended to strangers by the citizens of the town. To these new-comers we extend a most cordial invitation to become one ?of our depositors. Our bank is one of the largest and strongest in this section of the State, having resources of nearly fourteen hun dred thousand dollars and our constant desire is to show each customer every possible courtesy and accommodation. The National Bank of Sumter, The "Old Reliable" Since 1889 J. P. BOOTH, President W. J. CROWSON, Jr., Cashier ?IoH"H"K''I'***^ 11 liffrt NATIONAL BINX BF SBUT8 filfteiHM | OF SUMTER. 1 THE LASSEST AND ?BST ANXT?&S TO PLEASE Our policy is to care for the interest of our friends, and that we do this is evidenced by the large number of old patrons that we have, and new friends we are making. If you are not a patron we want you to become one. Tfie National Bank of Soqth Carolina I C. 6. ROWLAND. President. F. E..HINNANT. Cashier. 0* ijjfeSr W^r: ; Thrift Stamps. Buy One Each _ Day! The First National Bask SUMTER, S. C. I Building Material and Feed Stuffs * * Kough and Dressed Lumber, Lime, Cement, Piaster, lS;ick, Shingles, Mouldings, Etc. All kinds of Feed for Horses, Cows, Hogs and Poultry. We solicit your patronage. Booth & McLeod, Inc. Phone* 10 & 631 ?