Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Proposed Cotton Corporation ? it Will Be a EBusiness Organiza tion And Will Help Farmers St. Matthews, April 14.?That the '-'"^?'organization of a foreign exporting -"a corporation with a capital stock of * 51OO.000.000 along- the line proposed at t?e big cotton meeting at Memphis f last week will bring to the South* a complete change in business methods. % is; the opinion of J. Skottowe Wan namaker, chairman of the central 1 committee of the South Carolina Cot ton Association, who has just re : turned from the Memphis meeting. Speaking today of the new corpor ation, Mr. Wannamaker said: "It will place the . farmer in touch with the markets of the entiret word; it will bring competition into the market; it will break up and absolutely destroy a concentration of the buying power in the hands of a few, which has largely resulted in one buyer for cotton in each place, who has bought at his own price; it will furnish finan cial-relief to the farmer, it being the function of this -corporation to export cotton, to furnish buyers and sellers for cotton, to have agencies in all of the -cotton buying countries of the . world; to put the seller in touch with the buyer; to furnish financial aid: to cooperate with and assist other ex . porters. "This corporation will largely ful fill the place in the exporting world and to as-large degree in the banking world, to the South, that the Federal Reserve Bany now furnishes to the ' nation: Investment, in the stock ol V.this corporation will be taken in cash or-Liberty Loan bonds, and I feel convinced that while it is. not the ob ject to form this corporation for the : purpose of earning large dividends to ? the stockholders, at the same time -the stock will certainly prove a safe, sound business investment, will bring direct cash returns and will bring . tremendous indirect returns to the investor and the entire South. The capital stock will remain in the hands of those who are vitally inter ested in all that concerns the best in terests of the cotton producers. "Committees are now actively at work making a special study of plans . and details. The corporation will be organized with all possible speed. Stock will be sold through the banks and /various other agencies." Chairman Wannamaker declared that reports at the Memphis meeting indicated that the South was thor 'onghiy organized in the acreage i e .dnction movement. "As a result of not only close personal inspection and investigation throughout a* number of the leading cotton States," he says, "but as a result.'of additional person al interviews with /representatives from every section of each of the cot ton growing States. I find that the campaign for reduction of cotton acreage and the holding of cotton for. remunerative prices is succeeding splendidly throughout the belt. The cotton aAycgsc for 1919 will certainly sh?-g^lhe l>iggest reduction in the i?g^30 years. People are thorough l|Paroused to^the situation and in ^lanv sections they are cutting cotton ^even beyond 33 ? 1-3 per cent. The campaign among the farmers in some sections to discontinue, after this . year, all orders to the West for grain, hay arid other food crops is making headway." "I find," says Mr. Wannamake..-, /'that preparation is at least Jive weeks backward practically through out the cotton belt.. Labof conditions are extremely acute and people from boll weevil sections say that on ac count of the mild winter the weevil will be extremely destructive this, year. A record kept of returning sol diers reveals the fact that only. 5 per cent of the white soldiers are return ing to the farms and only, a small ,- proportion of the negroes are satis fied with rural conditions. "The reduction in the use of com mercial fertilizer on cotton, I find by a personal investigation throughout the part of the belt using fertilizer will be truly tremendous, at least 5<? per cent." Mr. Wannamaker urges the farm ers to hold to their cotton. He de clares that any man who sells his cotton at prevailing prices is should ering upon'himself a tremendous loss. "There is not," he says, **a better in vestment in the country today than to buy off grade cotton at the pres sent prices. Cotton is selling today far below the price it will bring when the world realizes tin- true conditions in cotton belt and the ac tual reduction in acreage. The acre age reduction movement is partly re sponsible for the recent advances and when the crop is planted and it i.s seen that the acreage has really been . -reduced. I expect to see the market soar." A Warning To Taxpayers Charleston. April 15?Mr. U. B. Kammett, deputy collector of internal revenue, said yesterday that there ap peared to b ? some misunderstanding of the federal special taxes which are payable at once and that he desired to warn those who are liable so that they may escape a penalty. He said that work automobiles and /buses, persons in the business of operating or renting passenger auto mobiles or 'buses, for hire or trans porting are required to pay at the rate of $10 a year for each machine ..holding not less than two and not inore than seven and $20 for <>ach ma chine holdng more than seven. The tax from January 1, to June :;o, is $5 and $10 respectively The tax on all jewelry sales, in cluding clocks, watches, etc., went into effect April 1. returns t<> be made monthly, based on gross sales. The rate is 5 per cent. Manufacturers of soft drinks. in bottles or other containers, ar<? liable j to tax of 10 per cent. Th-- law went into effect Feb. 25 .and returns arej to be made monthly on gross sales.! Sales for February may be included in ; the report for March. The victory Liberty Loan must be.' a "triumph of peace." Law Without Teeth Federal Officials Say There is No j Authority for Enforcing Prohibition Law Washington. April 15.?Legal ad j risers of the government agencies in j tcrested in liquor regulations ex^! amined statutes and executive orders! J today without finding- specific legal authority by which the internal rev-! ! enue bureau might enforce- war time j prohibition after July 1. President Wilson under the Over- j man act giving him power to transfer' j functions from one department to [another, might delegate the authority! j to the revenue bureau, some lawyers declared. However, this still would leave the bureau without adequate funds to pay the costs of maintaining a large federal police force unless there is some legislation at early spe cial session of congress. Suggestions received today did not change materially the air of uncer tainty over the question of how pro hibition is to be enforced after 3uly 1 as caused by Internal Revenue Com missioner Roper's announcement that his bureau had not the authority nor the funds to carry out the enforce ment measures properly. ' Many tele grams received at the commissioner's office today reflected keen interest by individuals and organizations through out the country in the status of war time prohibition. Mr. Roper added nothing to his statement in reply to these queries, it was said. Legal advisers of other agencies to day discovered that an executive or der of the president dated September -J, 11)17, issued under authority of the Overman act. delegated to the revenue bureau, and the customs di vision, the enforcement of the provis ion of the food conservation act of A*ugust 10, 19 3 7, which prohibited the use of food materials in production of whiskey and paved the way for restriction of beer brewing. The amendment to the agricultur al appropriaton act of November 21, 1918 by which war time prohibition effective July 1, was established, did not become law until long after that executive order was issued, and con sequently the order would not apply to the prohibition measure. The act of November 21. 131$, pro vided "that after June 30, 3 919, nnt? the conclusion of the present war and thereafter until the termination of demobilization, the date of which shall be determined and proclaimed by the president of the T'nited States ... it shall be unlawful to sell for beverage purposes any distilled spir its, ..." The act also specifies that in this time "no beer, wines or other intoxicating malt or vinous li quor shall be sold for beverage pur poses except for export." The distinction between this act and other war time liquor restrictions as pointed out today by officials is that it relates to the sale of liquor whereas the others related to manu facture. Consequently it was explain ed that the revenue bureau will not have power to take action against il licit sale, but will retain its present powers to prevent illegal production of liquors. League of Cities Organized Four States Represented in Combination Atlanta, April 14.?A $3 0.000,000 "league of cities" was organized here today by representative business men from four Southeastern States. Geor gia, Florida. South Carolina and North Carolina. The purpose of the league, it was stated, will be to forward the inter ests of this territory by the opportun ity offered through the reorganization of shipping lines to South America and the development of trade with South American republics. Today's meeting was the second step in tin plans of Southeastern business of the South Atlantic Maritime Corporation by representatives of the ports of Wilmington. N. C. Charleston. S. C.. Savannah and Brunswick. Ga.. and Jacksonville. Fla. Through the maritime corporation, the ports are working to obtain ships from the gov ernment to carry cargoes from the Southeast to South American mar kets. Readjustment of freight rates to make possible rail shipments to these ports, also is sought by this or ganization. Matthew Hale of IJoston. origina tor of the scheme, addressing today's meeting explained that much already had been accomplished, but the en tire Southeast should be organized; he declared, for 'n'ever again wiW the j Southeast be offered such'an oppor tunity as it now has." The government is now willing and ready to cooperate Mr. Hah- said.; adding that the railroad rates are in a process of revision and "'will be fixed within two months. [f the ?Southeast acts immediately i! can se j cure what is due it.'" The govern ment has ships to allot, but. he de J.dared they will [1>e assigned within 'three months. , "This is the time to change export j ; connections from :\'<-w York to South-) ! eastern ports."' said .Mr. Hale. "be-1 I cause busin- ss in foreign eountries; now is disorganized, and this is the j moment for the Southeast to make ! j busines connections there." i The East River Tunel i _ New Subway to Brooklyn Has Been Completed New York. April 15.?The new Clark ' Street tunnel under the Rast River, j connecting with Brooklyn, opened to-; j day. The construction of this tun nel, which cost seven millions, be-J ! ga n in 1914. There was no lagging by the Amer ican soldier in any of the drives in! France that effected victory, and there, should he no lagging by the people at home in the Victory Liberty loan drive that is to effect pnynn-nt fori, v^tory. _i \ Railroads in Trouble Having Hard Time Making Ends Meet. Material is Costly and Labor Wants High Wages Columbia, April 1">.?Short Inn* railroads in South Carolina which have been lighting the wolf from the door for many months and who now find the wolf coming in the back way and down the chimney, are not particularly optimistic in their ex pressions as regards the future, ac cording to advices reaching the rail road commissioners. For years short line roads have been hard put to it to make ends meet and during the past few months their financial dif ficulties have increased like a crop of wild onions. The steadily increasing cost of ma terials, the high prices of labor, tin loss of passenger fares through the use of the automobile and the com petition of the trunk lines have of fered a 'combination which has brought at least some of the short lines to about the "last dust o'mcal in the bin." The attitude of the railroad com mission has .been to throw out a life line whenever possible. The short lines accommodate many people, and if they were all to be junked, their loss would be keenly felt. Whenever legally possible, the commission has practically permitted the short lines to raise rates until the people "howl ed." knowing that unless some re lief was afforded the short lines would have to go into the hands of a receiver^ But even with every as sistance that the commission could give, the roads have had no little dif ficulty in making1 expenses, and [hopes of profits have about ceased to j enliven their existence. The Branchville & Bowman road. [ which is 11 mih-s long, has applied ' for a dissolution of its charter. It [will be required to file the necessary I papers before final action will b? taken. The Alcolu to Olanta road. 29 miles long, wants to get better rates on express. Unless some- relief can be secured it may be forced to go out of business. * The Greenville & Western road I from Greenville to River Falls in I Greenville county is already in tin hands of a receiver. It is about 17 miles long. Some years ago the Carolina & Western in Hampton county, running from Fechtig. about eight miles ?' in the country, went out of existence. The Isle of Palms road, while elec trically operated, is also in difficul ties. It claims that it can not op erate and live on a three cent basis. The Chester & Lancaster road, 2S miles long was put to heavy expense a few years ajro for the erection of a steel bridge over the Cat?wba River. Some six months ago the Seaboard Air Line took over the Bcnnettsvillc ?StCheraw road running to Kollock. It is about 43 miles long and is now being operated as a subsidiary line o1 the Seaboard as a government con trolled road. The road from Lumber ton, X. C, to Marion. 41 miles long: the road from Cheraw to Crobuck, 36 miles long, and the road from McBee to Jefferson, IS miles long, are all being operated as government con trolled lines. The road from Orangeburg to North, 17 miles long, is in the hands of a receiver. The road running be tween Bamberg* and Ehrhardt, now operates two instead of four trains. Other short lines are struggling along as best they can. constantly I meeting difficulties on account of jhigh priced labor and materials. One item that has affected the short lines and promises to affect trunk lines as well is the growing popularity of the automobile. The "heap car, in which a man can carry his whole family from place to place without being- compelled to meet the schedules of a train, is becoming more and more common and is stead ily reducing the number of fares col lected. When roads are "improved passenger fares will be still further reduced, and trucks may . also play their part in carrying freight over short hauls. j Bolsheviks Dupe Pubiic Men Are Railroaded Into Army By Stratagem London. .Mandl 22 (Correspondent of The Associated Press,?An instance of the deception tie- Bolshevik govern ment is forced to practice in order to secure reinforcements for its army :s contained in information just received"; in London. A proclamation was issued at Petr<- j grad ordering a trial mobilization of: the "First Town Section" for two days) to test its state of preparedness. It was; stated that the men of reserve would! be permitted to return to their work ' after two days. When reservists as- j sembled they wer?; t<dd that as Petro grad was unsuitable for manoeuveri purposes they would be taken ;i short; distance out of town. Cnsuspectinglv 'j tin- men climbed into box ears whos: ] doors were then locked, and the men' were sent as reinforcements to tin*; Western front. There they remain I although the Bolshevik officers naive. | ly complain that these reinforcements' have not been of much fighting value.! Desertions from the Bolshevik ranks, and disobedience to orders ara re-' ported on tin- increase in North Itussia! .-ilso a lack of t:rain ing among ? flicers and men and deficiency of arms and! material. In the Ural district i\ ts are reported n-> have occurred ov, ng, to the diffcrom-e of pay between troops :;t the from and those remaini n be hind the lines. Anti-Bolshevik sentiment is sud to j be so pronounced among some of the! regiments garrisoning Petrograd that the authorities are afraid to take iction against disaffected units or to send them to th,- front. j Centime patriotism is patriotism <f: ?e.iee as well as patriotism of war. j \ true partiot will do his 11> Mt during In- Victory Liberty Loan campaign.1 To Lift Cable Censorship United States Hopes Other Na tions Will Do Same Paris. April 12 (By the Associat ion Press)?The United States has in j formed the associated governments [that American cable censorship on I Communications to Central and South j America, and also to the Orient, with: j the exception of Vladivostok, will be | abolished April IS. This announce-! j men! cuts the gordian knot of trade j j restrictions through censorship and. j i ends the apparently interminable dis '? cussion regarding the future of the [censorship, in which the American! J government has been steadily press ing its associates for joint action in lifting or modifying the system based on war requirements. The American representatives in announcing this determination ex j pressed hope that the associated gov ernments would find it possible to fol j low suit, but made it clear that the United Slates is determined to put an end to this restriction of trade, so fat as it is concerned, without further delay. It has already abolished cen sorship on communications to the en tente cotmtries, leaving only a cen sorship on dispatches to European neutrals. It is proposed that this be exercised only once. American cables bem< censored at the point of de parture and allowed to pass without further delay to their destination. The censorship on mail will con tinue to be exercised as at present. The associated governments consider this necessary to prevent Germany from dissipating securities and other assets for reparations through neu ^ tral countries. Cotton Used in March Total of 433,720 Bales, Says Cen sus Report Washington, April 15.?Consump tion of eotton during March amount ed to 133.720 bales of lint and 10,358 of I inters, the census bureau today I announced. j Consumption during March last ; year was 571.112 bales of lint and I 109.267 of linters. , Cotton on hand March f in con? I suming establishments was 1,462.567 -bales of lint and - of linters, com j pared with 1,720.436 of lint and 14 5. 7G6 of linters a year ago. and in public storage and at compresses 277, 37S bales of lint and 4,318.028 of lint ers, compared with 3,250,951 of lint and 255,541 of linters a year ago. Cotton spindles active during March numbered 32,-642,378, compar ed with 33,799,976 in March last yea r. j Exports amounted to 504.238 bales, including 1.271 bales of lint, com pared with 311,681 bales, including I 12.687 hales of linters in March last I year. j Statistics for cotton growing States were as follows: i Cotton eonsumed during March,. 24S.510 bales, as compared with 312. 264 bales during March last year, v On hand March 31 in consuming establishments, 671,724 bales, as compared with 1.064.414 last year; in public storage and at .compresses, 3, 997,279, as compared with 2,951, 333 a year ago. Cotton spindles active duing March. 14.293..1S8. as compared with 14/310, 643 last year. Cotton Experts Wanted Government Has Places for Com petent Classifiers . j Washington, April 10.?The Unit ;d States department of agriculture is in need of good specialists as cotton classifiers and is willing to pay sala ries from $2.4 00 to $3,600 a year if they can be secured. Today announcement was made that, open competitive examinations fo fill these positions would be held at an early date. Competitors will not be required to report for examination at any partic ular place but will be rated on the 'following subject- which will have the relative weights indicated, educa tion, experience, fitness. SO points: i thesis or discussion (to be filed with j application) 20 points. j Applicants must have had at least six years experience in cotton classing I and stapling. ? At least two years of the requir ; ed experience must have been had i within the four years immediately I preceding the examination. The applicant must submit a state ; meht not less than 1.000 words not! I more than 3.000 upon some phase of I the cotton business with which he is frtmiiiar. The following subjects are I suggested for the use of the appli cant but any other subject dealing with the cotton question will be sat isfactory: (1) Method of conducting a cotton export business; (2) Method <>f conducting a cotton business for domestic account: (3) Method of conducting a branch office in the oot-j ion business; (1) Method of conduct ing an arbitration on samples sub mitted: (5) The different methods of! procedure in conducting- a. staple bus-j in ess as compared with a short cot ton business. Applicants must be between twen-j ty-five and fifty-tive years of age, j must submit unmounted photograph; taken within Hi" last two years, and! file papers before April 2'.?. Further; information may be secured by writ ing the Washington correspondent of j the Evening Post. Room 202 Hibbs! Building, Washington, P. C. \< A Minstrel in Germany. j, .Mrs. Dora E. Dennis has received;! the following postcard from her son. j' Wm. X. Smith: !] Germany. March 21. '? Dearest Mother: A in with the K.j* of C. Minstrel sh<>w. We are enter-!, la-ining the soldiers in Germany now. j? I am well and wish you a happy East- M 'r- . H Write soon to your boy. 4 W in. X. Smith. Bugler. |j No. ."274 !. care Entertaining De- .j ?ot, K. of <_'. fclq., Paris, France. i Budget Clerk Named Governor Appoints Ben M. Saw yer Secretary Columbia. April 17.?Governor R j A. Cooper yesterday appointed Ben. j AI. Sawyer of .Johnston to be budget | clerk under the act creating the I budgret system at the last session of! the general assembly: Mr. Sawyer was only recently mus- j jtered out of the service, he having! j volunteered soon after the United ! j States entered the war against Ger- \ many. He attended the second ofti- j cers' training camp at Fort Oglc thorpe, Ga? where he . was commis sioned with the rank of second lieu tenant, and assigned to Camp Gordon, j Later he was promoted to the rank of j first lieutenant and was sent to Camp ' Taylor as an instructor in the field I artillery central officers' training school. While stationed there eight ! months, Mr. Sawyer served also as a i staff officer in the capacity of adju tant. Since he was mustered out. Mr. and Mrs. Sawyer and their lit ; tie child have been with their fam j ilies, at Johnston and Rowesville. They will make their home in Colum bia in the immediate future, as Mr. Sawyer will enter upon his duties at once. Mr. Sawyer is an alumnus of the University of South Carolina, receiv ing his A. I>. degree in 1914" and his M. A. degree in 1915. For three years from 1914 to 1917, he was principal of the Heathwood high school in the suburbs of Columbia. By the provisions of the budget measure the governor is required to place with the two houses of the general assembly within live days af ! tor the opening his recommendations j as to appropriations for all depart j mcnts of the State government, to f gether with expenditures and reve j nues of the different departments the last two preceding years and the current assets and liabilities. It is further provided that the gov ernor shall during tin- month of No vember hold hearings with tie- heads of responsible representatives of all departments, officers, commission oi ! institution to determine the appro priations necessary tin- following year j The chairman of the finance commit tee of the senate and Die chairman of the ways ami means committee oj j the house arc to sit with the govern or during these hearings, but it is not i required that these two committee chairmen shall join the governor ir the recommendations of the budget but are to be "based on his (th< ; governor's! own conclusions anc judgment." ; Tt is further provided that the ways and means committee of the house, and the finance committee oi the senate shall sit in joint .session ot I the general assembly. Chairmen ol I the two committees are to receive I $7.50 daily and actual traveling ex penses while the hearings are being held in No v em be r. The State tax commission is re quired to furnish all information which may he desired at the hear ings, and the tax commission is re quired to attend the hearings before the house and senate committees handling the appropriation measures. On or before the first day of each November the comptroller general shall furnish to the governor the fol lowing statements, classified and itemized in strict accordance with th** budget classification adopted by the governor. ? (1) A'statement showing the bal ance standing to the credit of the several appropriation for each department, bureau, division, office, board, commission, institution or oth er agency or undertaking of the Siate at the end of the last preceding appropriation year. (2) A statement showing the monthly expenditures and revenues from each appropriation account and the total monthly expenditures and revenues from all the appropriation accounts, including special and all other appropriations, in the 12 months of the last preceding appropriation year. (3) A statement showing the an nual expenditures in each appropria tion account and the revenues from all sources. including" expenditures and revenues from, special ..and all other appropriations, for each of the last two appropriation years with a separate column showing: the in crease or decrease for each item. (4.) An itemized and complete financial balance sheet for the. State al the close of the last preceding fiscal ypar.ending September 30. (5) Such other statements as the jjovcmor sh:ill r?*<fluest. Within five days* after the begin ning of each regul?r session of the general assembly, tihe govenor shall submit to the presiding officers of each house printed copies of a bud get, based on his o*ivn . conclusions and judgment, containing a complete and itemized plan of till proposed ex penditures for each State depart* ment, bureau, division, officer, board, commission. 'institution or other agency or undertaking, classified by function, character and .object, and of estimated revenues and borrowings for each year, beginning -with the first day of January therafter. Oppo site each item of the promoted expen ditures the budget shall ashow in sep J arate parallel columns, amount ap [ preprinted for the last preceding ap? ; propriation years and tltfe increase or [decrease. The'governor shall accom I pany with the budget: ! (1> A statement of the revenue and expenditures for each of the two j appropriation years next preceding, j classified and itemized in accordance I with the official budget classifications ] adopted by the governor, i (2) A statement of the ctirrent as sets, liabilities, reserves and surplus ? or deficit of the State. j (3) A statement Of the debts and j funds of the State. (4) A statement showing the gov ! ernor's itemized estimates of the 'state treasury, as of the beginning and ? end of each year. i (5) An itemized and complete bal jance sheet for the State at the close j of the last preceding fiscal year, end i ing September 1. j (6) A general survey of the State's jfmanrial and natural resources, with [a review of .the general economic, in dustrial and commercial condition of th" commonwealth. ? i ._ . Swiss Are Cautious i _ jWill Hold Referendum on League j Of Nations ! XSenevat April 17.?The Swiss goy ? ernnient has issued an official note j saying that owing to the extreme im ! portance of the c matter the Swiss j people will be called to decide by ref jerendum whether the Swiss confeder a' "or shall join the league of nations. . j Thousands of men who entered the I fight perfect physically are now crip , j pies for life. These men will be i taught a method of earning their liv j ing by the government. They- must ' begin all over again. The govern I ment merely asks you to lend your money at a fair rate of interest to help pay the expense. Will you hes ritate to subscribe liberally to the I Victory Liberty loan? -\_? a Paris, April 16.?The newspaper Gaulois says the final agreement. 6h the frontiers between Jugo-Slavia and Italy will be incorporated in the preliminary peace treaty with Ger j many. ?. ! London, April 16.?Prompt meas | ures were taken by the Indian author ! ities to deal with disturbances--\:it Bombay and other points recently, resulting in, the restoration of order everywhere, says a Bombay dispatch, (filed Sunday. London, April 16.?Replying to a question from John Clines, the labor leader, whether approaches for peace had been received from the Russian government, Premier Lloyd George said: "We have had no -approaches of any sort or kind. None have been put before the conference." London. April 16.?The vote of New Zealand soldiers has wiped out the majority for prohibition rolled up in that commonwealth April 11th, according to a Christ Church dis patch. ' - ' XEILL O'DONXELI/, President ?1^ VP**!*?** (). Ji. YATES, Cashier A VALUABLE ASSET . There is probably no greater asset to a yOurig man, than his acquaint ance and friendship with a dependable financial institution and as there is no more opportune time than the present so many of "Our Boys" are return to culivate hat acquaintance, when ing from "Over There", after having driven the Hun to his knees, thereby saving the world and winning honors which they will carry with them to the grave. It means much to a young man to have a checking account on a bank like this. If you have not thought about it, come in and talk it over with us. Capital and Surplus $250,090.00 The First National Bank SUMTER, S. C. The National Bank oi South Carolina of Sumter Capital. $200,000.00 Surplus and Profits . 207.000.00 The amount or surplus set aside for the protection of DeiH>sitors estab lishes this institution, as he strongest band in this section of this State. rOUR ACCOUNT INVITED C.C.ROWLAND, President F E. HiNNANT, Cashier. TTTtTVTTTTYtWtTTTV