Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I , ' REPUBLICANS PROTEST. "WHAT TI?K STATE COMMITTEE SAYS OF THE CONVENTION. It Will l>? Restated by "All Legitimate Means"?An Address to the l*eople of the Stute--Somc Ucsoluttous Adopted. At a meeting of the Republican executive committee, hold in Columbia ontho 2nd iust., the following address and resolutions woro adopted nnu ordored published at the discretion of tho chairman, Cupt. Li. D. Melton: To the People of South Carolina : It has been well said that no question cau be regarded as definitely settled until it has been settled aright, tliat is, on the basis of right nnd justice. If this saying is true, certainly tho sufl'rago question cannot be regarded as definitely settled by tho recent enactment of our so-called Constitutional convention, for no fair-minded man cau pretend that this enactment is basod either on right or justice. On tho contrary, it is the very essenco of injustice and wrong, being nothing less than an attempt to perpetuate cheating and fraud in elections by enacting it into the fundamental luw of the State, as was fully admitted iu the discussion by its author arul chief advocate, B. It. Tillman. Thin, iudeod, wur the openly avowed purpose for calling the convention, and that purpose, it can hardly be denied, has boon faithfully carried out, aud that too in cloar and palpablo violation of the Constitution aud laws of the United States. In announcing our purpose as Republicans to resist tho enforcement of this nefarious enactment in every proper aud legitimate way, a brief retrospect of our very auomalous political situation hero in South Carolina may not be amiss. A little over a year ago a tierco and bitter contest was forced upon tho people of the Stale by the dominant Tillman faction. That contest was not simply for governor aud other State officers and a legislature for another torm. but what wus of vustly more importance, it was to decide as to the call of a Constitutional convention. Aguim t such convention were, of course, ull Republicans, chiefly negroes, the very purpose of its call bciug their permanent disfranchisement. Besides these nearly ull tho "Conservative-Democrats"?so-called?and a largo portion of tho "Reformors," or "Tillmauites," oven were opposed to it as inopportune, unnecessary aud dungerous under the circumstances. But the Republicans uad, wo may say, no organization at all, und a vast majority of them were already disfranchised by existing registration and election laws. Nor were tho Conservatives at all organized for action, or united as to the proper course to pursue, thomorh. <'Uor__rtUii proven, iuu\ ntul a large majority of the white vote, as well us . the negroes, on their side. The Tillxnauites, on the contrary, followed blindly the dictates of a bold and determined luadi-r, had possession of the entire machinery of elections, and had no scruples whatever about using it for tho accomplishment of their purposes ? for ''counting in" friends and "counting out" opponents. But, notwithstanding all these advantages, they were altle to count for the head of their ticket for governor only 3!),507 votes out of a white voting population of over 102,000, and an entire voting population, including negroes, of over 235,000. That is to say, the head of their ticket, on their own count, received less thun-two-Afths of the white vote of tho State, and only about onesixtli of the entire vote. The vote in favor of calling tho convention was still less by several thousands, being only 31,102. But, of course, Evans was "counted in" as governor, and the i convention was "counted in" as carried. And this is the "majority rule" ? -? of which the Tillinauites never tire of prating. As stated above, the Republicans had no organization worthy of tho name. The mere shadow of such an organiza lion hud long since fallen into "iuno- j cuoiih desuetude," and wan never beard of except just prior to Presidential nominations, when it would venture to make a feeble display with a view to controlling Federal patronage in ease i of a national Republican adininistnrtion. Hut it never had a word of protest against the grossest outrages on the rights of Republican citizenship pc pet rated by the Democratic State governments. Hence, it was that our notorious ami scandalously fraudulent registration and election laws have not been long since tested in and set aside by the Federal courts. Sueli beiug our disorganized situation, wo eonld not, of course, do anything as a party to kinder the culmination of the Tillmanite plans at the elections a year ago. Borne, of us did what we could through the press and on the stump as individuals to encourage the Conservatives, or anti-Tillman Democrats, to organize and make the light, especially against the convention, pledging them, as far as we could, Republican support. But after sundry ellorts they failed to combine, and thus left the Tillmanites a clear road to complete success, except in a very few comities. The result of the election as given above shows liow easily the Conservatives could have whipped out uotoii' * the convention, but also the culm Minan State ticket, ha l they only iinized and made a determined li?;h Some of Ihe Republicans seeing the nsolute necessity of a live and ehr getic organization of their party issued a call soon u I) #V % # . ^ after tbe election for a Republican convention to meet in Columbia. That convention mot last February. Nearly oil the counties in the Stuto were represented, and made such a showing that oven that very hostile paper, tho Charleston News and Courier, in a shriek of alarm, characterized itas the first live ltepublicen convention held in South Carolina siueo the downfall of It adieu I ism in 1870. At Hint convention, among other things, we adopted a platform in full accord with that of the national Republican party?011 all national issues of tho day?the turitV, sound money, civil service reform,eto These principles we insist are iu no way hostile or detrimental to the best interests of tho South, and we deny that the Republican party is in any sense a sectional party any more than is tho Democratic party. But on local affairs we woro broadly liberal. While insisting on a Constitution that would make no discrimination against auy class of citizens, that it.should not bo put in force until ratified by a popular vote, and that it should provide against fraud iu elections by the' participation of the leading political parties iu their niaungomeut. Wo declared our readiners to I eo operate with nnd under the leadership of the conservative Democrats, if they would organize and take the lead. We hoped in this way to encourage them to come out boldly and assume leadership. This secuied the only moans uudcr tho circumstances of i preventing the convention from falling ' completely under tho control of tho Tillman faction. Hut tho Conservatives ngniu dilly-dallied, were divided in counsel aud finally did nothing. Tho result wan tho Tillmauites were in full control and wo have cheating and fraud engrafted in tho fundamental law of our Statu. Besides, it is to bo put in opeiation without ratification by a popular vote and tho minority ia to he | allowed no part in tho management of i elections. The questiouwo are now called upon } as Republicans to decide upon it as to | whether we shall tamely submit to this , gross outrage aud injustice, and, as wo j believe, clear and palpable violation of the Couststutiou of tho United States, ' or shall we resist it by every means in our power. Ou this question, the following rcslutious, unanimously adopted, express our views uud decision us to tho Htnto Republican executive committee, as to what should bo our course in tho emergency forced upon us. For tho executive committee. L. D. Melton, Chair man. C. F. Holmes, Secretary. Resolved, first, That ou national issues wo reaffirm our adhercucoto tho national Republican party as expressed ill OUT lllatform in fftiivnnli.m I' cl*. C, the Inst past, that is to say: Wo are ill favor of moderate and reasonable protection for American labor and American capital against tbo cheaper labor ami cheaper cupital of other countries. We are in favor of sound, full value money, whether of gold, silver or paper currency, for all classes and conidtions of people, for the bread winner is well as for tlio capitalist; for the poor laborer in his paiuco0. " (j'ft/Kln 'iavor ol a government service based on merit and character and capacity, iustead of on tho corrupt and debasing Democratic Jackson system of "to the victor bo long the spoils." Resolved, second, That on Stato issues we decline to accept as tinal and definito tho Constitution?so-calledjust completed by the Constitutional convention?so-called?here in Columbia, and this for the following reasons: We regard it as fraudulout in its origin, in that it was fraudulently "counted in" with ouly 31,402 votes ont of a voting population in tho State of over 233,000 according to the United States census of 181)0; fraudulent in character, in that it proposes to perpetuate in the fuudumeutul law of the Stato tho system of cheating and fraud and discrimination against certain classes in elections; and fraudulent in its finale in that it proposes to put this so-called Constitution in operation as tho fundamental law ot the mate without first, submitting it to a popular voto for ratification. This latter alone, as lias been well said bv high authority, "in contrary to the spirit of American institutions and hostile to the true theory of republican government." W e therefore propose t(? re- i rist in every proper and legitimate way this so-cailed Constitution, and to use our utmost efforts before congress and before the Federal courts, as well as before returning sense of justice and fair dealing of our people, to have it declared null and void. We do not propose, however, to carry on ihis struggle for light and justice along any narrower factional lines; on the contrary, we cordially invite and invoke the co-operation and hearty participation of all patriotic and justiceloving citizens of onr State, without regard to party or faction. It is a struggle forced upon us against our will by the dominant, arbitrary and despotic Tillman faction, and no choice in left us but resistance or cowardly RiihinisKion to wrong and the grossest kind of injustice. lb-solved, third. That immediate organization of all friends of our course in imperatively demanded to effectively meet the condition confronting us, and in order that organization may be systematic and thorough, a set of rules have been adopted and printed; copies can be li d upon application to these headquarters. "Weekly Cutton Statistics. The Liverpool weekly cotton statistics are as follows: Total siles of the week 77.000 hales, American trade takings, inMieladinK forwarder from ship's side, 70. 01)0; actual riinrt !t.<00; total irt11?< rt lOs.OOO. A 'ner lean iW.OOO; total stock ti7-l .000, America a k:VJ,0()0; totil alloat 1K7.000, Aineri. an IM).000; specubtors to,>k 2.S00; exporters took 2,100. - ' 'T ' $ i HORNETS DO GOOD I)II. TALMAOK'8 SUNDAY TUEMK No Mho Is Free From Petty Annoy nces. p ? | i Tr.'tr- ''T'ne tiOr>i thy God will sand the hornet. '?Deuteronomy vil.. '20. I it seems us If the inseetile world were determined to extirpate the human race. it bombards the graiuflelds nnd the orc'oiir Is and tho vineyards. The Colorado beetle, the Nebraska grasshopper, the New Jersey locust, the universal potato bug seem to carry on the work which was bogun ages ago when the insects buzzed out of Noah's ark as the ark whs opened. | In niv text, the hornet flies out on its mission. It is a species of wasp, swift in its , motion and violent in its sting." Its touch is torture to man or beast. We have all seou the cattle run hallowing under the cut oi its lancet. In boyhood we used to stand cnuciously looking at the globular uest hung 'rotn the tree branch, and while we were looking at the wonderful covering we were struck with something that sent us shrieking away. The hornet goes in swarms. It has captains over hundreds, aul twenty of them alighting on ono man will produce . death. ! The Persians attempted to conquer a Christian city, but the elephants aud the beasts upon which Persians rode were assaulted by the hornet, so that the whole urmy wai broken up and the besieged oitv was rescued. This burning and noxiouy Inject stung out the Hlttites and the Cnnauaitos from their country. What gleaming a word and chariot of war could not accomplish was done by the puncture of un insect. The Lord sent the hornot. My friends, when we arc assaulted by great behemoths of troub'c we become chivalric, aud we assault them. Wo get on the high mettled steed of our courage, and wo make n cavalry charge at them, and if God be with us wo come out stronger and bettor than when we went in. But, ala?! for those insoctilo nnuoyance ot life, these foes too small to shoot, these things without any avoirdupois weight, the gnats, and the midges, and the Hies, and the wasps, and the hornets: In other words, it is the sma'l stinging unnoyauces of our life which drive us out and use us up. In the best conditioned life, for some grand nud glorious purpose. God has sent the hornet. I remark, in the llrst place, that these small stinging annoyances may come in the shape oi nervous organization. People who are prostrated under typhoid fevers or with broken bones get plenty of sympathy, but who pities anybody that is nervous? * The doctors say. and the family say, and everybody says. "'Oh, she's only a little nervous, that's ail!" The sound of a heavy foot, the harsh clearing o." a throat, a discord in music, a want of uar.nouy between the shawl and the glove on the same person, a curt answer, a passing slight, the wind from the east, any cue of 10,000 annoyances opens .ho door for the hornet. Tho fact is that the vast majority of the people in this country are overworked, and their nerves are the Mrst to give out. A great multitude are un- i .i.....i ?1_ ? i ? iit. inn .ill.nil Ul lie,) UUU, WHO. WIIIMi !l? WHS told bv his physician that if hn did not stop working whim he was in such poor physical health ho would die. respon led, Doctor. whothor I livo or die, tho w leel must keep koii>k round." These sensitive persons of whom 1 speak have a blooding sensitive- , uess. The flies love to light on anything i raw, aud those people are like tho Canaanites spoken of in tiro text or in the context? they have a very thin covering and are vulnerable at all points. "And the Lord sent tho hornet.'* Attain, the small insect annoyancos may come to us in tho shape of friends and acquaintances who are alwuyssaying disagreeahle things. Thero are some people you cannot bo with for an hour bat you "feel cheered and comforted. Then there are other people you cannot be with for five i minutes before you feel miserable. They do not mean to disturb you, but they sting you I to the bone. They gather up all the vara < which the gossips spin, und retail l*" j/ttwrr "i (fiiilier uji ?M Auuui'-visn ufr.mnoss, aoout i your nomo, about your church, an i they i make your ear the funnel into which they pour it. They laugh heartily when tllBV tell < you, us though it were a good joke, and you | laugh, too?outside. Theso people are brought to our attention i in the Bible, in the book of Ruth. Naomi went fortli beautiful and with the finest of worldly prospects, and into auother land; but, after awhile, she came back widowed and sick and poor. What did her friends do when she came to the city? They all went out, aud, instead of giving her common < sense oousoatlou, what did they do? Read the book of Ruth aud llnd out. They threw up their ban is nnd said, "Is this Naomi?*' as much as to say, "How awful bad you do look!" When I emored tho ministry, I looked very palo for years, and every year, for four or flvo years, a hundred times a year, I was asked if I hud not tho consumption, and, passing through the room I would sometimes eoar people siglt nud say, "A-ah, not long for this world!" I resolved in those times that I never, in any conversation, ."?i> iiii^iiiitiK urpicnaiii^t aim uy mn i help of Go?l I hiivo Kept the resolution. | Those people of whom I speak reap and ' bind in the groat harvest flolti of disoourage- I moat. Hwno day you greet them with a nilarious ''good morning," and they come buzzing at you with some depressing information. "The Lord sent the hornet." A lien 1 sea so many people in the world who like to say disagreeable things and write disagreeable things, i come almost in ;ay weaker moments to believe what a man said to tue in Philadelphia one .Monday morning. I went to get the horse at the livery stable, and the hostler, a pain man. said to me, ".Mr. Taint a go, I saw that you pr. ached to the young men yestor lay." (said, "Yes." lie said, "No use. no use: ! man's a lailiire." The small insect annoyances of life sometimes route in the shape of local physical I irouble, which noes not amount to a positive prostration, but which bothers you when vot: want to feet th" best. Perhaps it | is a sick headache which has been the plague of your life, and you appoint some oo u-lon of mirth or sociability or us"fu lio.-s, i an i weep tiie clock si rikes t lie hour you caanot make your npoeamnoo. Perhaps the , trouble is bet we m the car and the torohcad, ! >ii the shape of n neuralgic t tvinge. Nootdy | can see it or sympathize with it, but just at I the time when you want your iiitcih'ct | clearest, and your oisposition brightest, you j feci a sharp, keen, disconcerting thrust. The Lord sent the iioruct." Perhaps these small insect annoyances will come in the shape of a domestic irritation. The parior and the kitchen do not always harmonize. To got good service and to keep a is one of the greatest questions of the country. Sometimes it may he the arrogance ami ineonslderateness of employes, but whatever be the fnet we all admit there arc these insect annoyances winging their way out front the culinary department. If the grace i.f God he not in the heart ol the nousekeeper, she cannot maintain Iter equilibrium. The men come home at night and j near the story of these annoyances, and say, i "(Mi : ln>*4t* liiiiitit I r.tnlili'g nrtt v??rv lift 11 . things!" They arc small, small as wasps, j lait limy stilly. Martha's norves were all 1111striuur when slit' ruslie 1 in asking (hirist to J .-.col"! .Mary, ami there arc tens of thousands ] of woman wiio arc dyim?, stitnsf to death l>y j llicsa pestiferous domestic annoyances. | ' he I,or. sent the hornet " 'ii"se ismall insect Mistnrhanees may also conie in the shape of htisiness irritations. ! There ar - men here who went through 1W | and the 24th of September, INfili, without . losing I heir n'anee, who are every any tin- I aorsed hy litii*. iiiinoyunc's?a elerk's ill | iiiiianers, or .? olot of in* on a bill of lading, , or ti;e ravngnn *e oi u partner wli > ovtrdrnws his a conn., or t.ie underselling a on < nesv riv.t'. or the whispering of store t nil deuces in the street, or theinakiugof ime little bid debt wbioh was against your [ judgment. just to please somebody else. 1 It in not the panics that kill the merohants. Ponies come only onco In ten or twenty years. It la the constant din of those everyday annoyances which is vending ho many or our best merohAnta Into nervous dyspepsia and paralysis and the grave. When our National commerce fell flat on its face, these .nen stood up and felt almost defiant, hut their life i.s going away now under the swarm of these pestiferous annoyances. 1 "The Lord sent the hornet." I have untlced in thB history of some that their annoyaucea are multiplying and that , they have a hundred where they used to have ten. The naturalist tells us that a wasp sometimes has a family of 20,000 wasps, and It doesseem as If every annoyance of your life brooded a million. By the help of God I want to show you the other side. The | hornet is of no use? Oh. yos! The natural- I ists tell us they are very important in the world's economy; they kill ppl 'ers. and they j clear the atmosphere, and I rcallv believe God sends the annovauces of our life upon | us to kill the spiders of the soul and to clear i th? atmosphere of our skies. , These auuoyances are sent on us, T think, to wake us up from our lethargy. There is uothing that makes a man so lively as a nosi ^ or ' yellow jackets," and I think that these J annoyances are intended to persuade us of , the fact that th?s is not a world for us to i stop in. If wo had a bed of everything that : was attractive and soft and easy, what would , wo want of heaven? Wo think that the ho'low tree scuds the hornot. or we may thinkthat the devil sends tho hornet. I want to * correct vou. opluion. "The Lord sent the ' hornet." 1 Then Ithiat these annoyances corn** on us tn i-iiirun; out patience. In the gymnasium ? you fln<t upright, parallel bars?upright J bars, with holes over each other for pogs to bo put in. Then tho gymnast takes a peg in each hand, and ho begins to climb ono inch at a time. or two inches, an I getting his strength cultured reaches after awhile tho coiling. And it soems to mo that these annoyances in life are a moral gymnasium, each wortimont a peg with which wo aro to clinib higher and higher in Christian attainment. We all love to see patience, but It cauuot bo cultured in fan weather. Tatienee ^ is a child of tho storm. If you had every- 'J thine: desirable, and there was nothing more j to get, what woulil you want with patience? The only time to culture It Is when you are lied about aud sick aud half dead. t "Oh," you say, "if I only had the oircum- t stances of some woll-to-do man I would bo patient, too." You might as well suv, "If it were not for this water, I would swim," or, 1 'I could shoot this gun if it were not for tho t charge." When you stand hhin deep in an- j noynnoes is the time for you to swim out toward the great heudlauds of Christian at- 11 tainmunt, so as to know Christ and tho 1 power of His resurrection and to have fel- r lowship with His Bufferings. You know that a large fortune muv he spent in small change, and a vast amount of moral character may go away in small depletions. It is the little troubles of life that c are having inoro effect upon you than groat r ones. A swirm of locusts will kill a grain- r Held sooner than the incursion of three or four cattle. You say, "Since I lost my child, since I lost my or inerty. I have bean a dif- l ferent man." lint you do not recognise the p architecture of little annoyances that are ^ howing. digging, cutting, shaping, splitting and inlorjoining your moral qualities. Hats a may sink a ship. One lucii'or match may n send destruction through a block of store- ? houses. Catherine de'Medicis got her death ? from smelling a poisonous rose. Columbus, bv stopping and asking for a piece ot bread tl and a drink of water at a Franciscan con- 1 vent, was led to the discovory of a new i, world. And there is no intimate connection ^ between trifles and immensities, Inst we en 1 nothings aud everything?. e Now, be curoful to let none of thoso an- ] noy.inees go through your soul uuarrnigned. Compel them to administer to your spiritual ** wealth. The scratoh of a sixponuy nail ii sometimes produces lockjaw, au.t the clip of J a most inlluitesmul annovauce ruay damage you forever. Do not lot auy annoyance or perplexity come across your "soul without its ? making you butter. w Our Government does not think it bellt- t< tling to put a tax on small articles. Tho in- _ Mite11 imfl would have you. O Christiau j J man. put a high tariff on every annoyance find vexation that comes through your soul. This might uot amount to much in single tti jases, but in the aggregate it would be a r< great reveuuo of spiritual strength and satis- Q faction. A bee can suck honey even out of a nettle, aud if you havo the grace of God in n your heart you can get sweetness out of that T which would otuerwise irritate and annoy. tl A returned missionary told me that a com- *: pany of adventurers rowing up the Gauges were stung to death bv files that infest that P region at cerlnin seasons. I have seen the earth strowa with tho carcasses of m-n slam by insect anuoyauces. The only way to get prepared for the great troubles of life Is to n conquer these small troubles. What would bi you say of a soldier who refused to load his 8 gun or to go into the conflict becauso it was only a skirmish, saying: "I am nor going to "expend my ammunition on a skirmish, r Wait until there cotnos a general engage- j ment, and thru you will see how courageous , I ani and what battling I will do." The general would say to such a man, "If you t: are not faithful in a skirmish, you would bo c nothing in a general engagement." Aud I B have to toll you, O Christian men, if you cannot apply the principles of Christ's re- 8 ligion on a small scale, you will never be able to apply them ou a large scale. ( If I had my way with you, I would have you possess all possible worldly prosperity. I ? would have you each one a garden?a river t Mowing through it, geraniums and shrubs on n tho sides and the grass and Mowers as beau- j tiful us though the rainbow had fallen. I would have you a house, a splendid man- * sion. aud the tied should ne covered with up- r holstary dipped in tho setting suu. I would ^ havo every nail in your house set with statues and statuettes, and then i would havo the I * fnil r (lUMl'Iitrk i?f tllrt Iflnhit t\/n i r? ill 111! Hw.S- 1 / luxuries on your table, ami you should have forks of silver ami knives of uold, inlaid with diamonds and amethysts. Then you should each one of you have the finest hors.'s and your pick of the <M|tii|>ut;os of the world. Then [ would have you live 150 years, ami you should not have a pain or ache until the last breath. "Not each one of us?" you say. Yes. F.aeii one of you. "S'ot to your en mies?" Y-s. The only dilYeren t would ma's" With tliem would he that 1 -.could put a littioe\tra itilt on their walls an I a littl" exirti e:v.brohlery on tlieir slippers. 15ur, you say, ' Why does not God ifivo us all these thnuts?"' Ah, t h'think myself, tie is wis . it Would mane fools ami sir. trfards of us it wo ha t our way. No matt puts his ??: picture in the portico or vestibule of hi4- ' house. God meant this world to he only the vestibule of heaven?that (treat itallery of the universe toward winch we arc aspirin?. Wo must not have it too stoo t in this world, or we would want no heaven. Polyoarp was con lemiietl to be burned to death. 'J'tie stake was planted. 11" was fastftiiH i to it- Thn vtltioinl r.?n???l hi in, tin* 'ires kindled, but history tolls us ttint the flames bent outward like the cnav.ts 1 of <i shi|> iu a stout breeze, so that tho llmnos, ( instead of destroying IVdycarp. were only n 1 w;ill Dotwonn hitn an I his enemies. They f Im.l actually to destroy him with the poniard, l'lio llames would not touch him. 1 Well, my hearer, I want you to uudorstatid that oy God's grncn tho Ham"s of trial, instead of consuming your soul, nre only go- i iinj :o no a wall of defense and a canopy of ' blessinv. Go i is going to fulllli to you the j blessing and the promise, as He did to 1'olyearp, ' W.ien thou walkesl through the lire, < thou shatt not be burned.Now you do not t understand. You shall know hereafter. in , heaven you will bless God even for the hor- , net. J tine of tlic 1st'! Pensioner* !>ie*. Mrs. Koliraim ll'-rriek, wh?se husband was a sol tier in tile War of tH|vf. die I at her home, in the townof Milan.Dutchess (;,.untv, 1 N. Y. She was ninety years of aire, and was one of the first pensioners of the War of 1112. : RAILROADS OF THE STATE. ANNUAL RKPOKTOF TilK STATE RAILROAD COMMISSION. rbolr MIIciiri', General Klimcinl Condition ami so Forth Very Compact ly Stated lu a Readable Report. Tho following extract from tlio annual report of the South Carolina railroad commission will bo read with interest l>y tho people of this and jther States: Tho total mileage in tho State on tho 1st of November, 18115, was 2,621.M miles. Passenger earnings $2,393,674.24 freight oarniugs 4.585,082.77 iHhevillo nod Spartanburg Railroad, lie Spartanburg, Union and Columbia tailroad uud tlio Atlauta and Char;tte Air Ijiuu Railroad under lease, [curly all of these roada arc in firstlass operating condition, but many of 10 passenger depots of tbiaaystem arc nulcquato to tbe needs of the travellg public; otherwise tbo service reuered ia equal to the beat in the South. Tbe Blue Ridge Railroad is now perated by II. C. Beattie, an receiver, ho also baa charge of the Carolina, .noxvillo aud Western Carolina Rail *jAvrfivuw AVMitvtwj ao xu UI udgo A. C. Haakell, us receiver. The Cheater aud Lenoir and Cheraw ud Cheater railroads are narrow guage aada and aro therefore reatricted luiuly to local buainesa, having no icana of transfer excopt by hand, 'heir physical condition ia good, the reatlea and bridges are in safe condiion uud acceptable service ia given the cople. The Seaboard Air Line has continued :> improve its coudition until it neod o longer be termod a new road; its ervice is now equal to the best in the ouutry. The Florida Central and Teninaular ailroad operatoa ita South Round iviaion in this State between Colum>ia aud Savannah. The roadbed, treslea, bridges and depots are in good ondition. This road ia doing a large hare of the Florida business and is iviug satisfactory service to the people. The physical condition of the South Carolina and Georgia railroad is first lass and the people are well served, ill culverts, trestles, bridges and depots ire in good repair. There have been no OOO n....DU?iuii mil in tlim 1 i ? ho past year. The stations havo been epaired and whitewashed or repainted tud arc neat and clean. All the agents )i: this lino have heeu neatly uniformel and flower gardens uro established it all depots. This line is the first in he State t?> make the stations and its ippointinents attractive to the travelog public. At Charleston this road las extended its track down to tire vharves, has dredged out the docks iud can now acconunodate vessels of >5 feet draught at low water. Conlecting with steamships is a vast im>rovement over the connection with lrays, as heretofore, and will be of in alculable benefit to the company in lundling its through business, as well is a benefit to the city of Charleston. L'ho company has added 250 new box ars to its equipment, fitted with autonatic couplers and air brakes, and is veil prepared to give the people every accommodation for handling their rcights. The Ohio River and Charleston rail ottd is worked at great disadvantage >n account of the compctiou it meets. It is 107 miles long and is crossed by itrong competing lines at five different mints about 20 miles nnart. There ire six miles of trestles and bridges, arying in height from 'JO to 90 feet. I'ho trestles and the f'"?>ots along the ino are in poor eonuiu?-_. Every ?eut. of money earned l>y the road ibove fixed charge* is expended on repairs. The wap.es of all the employes, from superintendent down, are low. The superintendent deserves especial mention for his eondnet of the road. We hear no complaints as to the service he is giving the people. When Keeciver Chamberlain operated it, the road fell behind paying its operating axpenscH $15,000 per annum for sever ' ?v* I1VIU 1UI,:)W.^9 Lncomo frooi other sources 539,244.82 CThis iucludos ?308,185.12 mi* -cii<in?:<jiis utoomo ot oeorgta, Jarolina ami Northern Ilailiray.) $7,625,557.08 rotal expense, maintenance of way and structure, maintenance of equipment, conducting transportation, gon?ral expenses and taxmt 6,326,159.62 Not iacomo $1,299,398.06 Not income per milo $ 451.59 A net income of 4 1-3 per cent, una ablation of 810,000 per mile of road. I'liis shows n decrease of $112,229.4^1 letweea 1894 and 1895. The increase in new mileage during he year haa been tho completion of he Glenn Springs Bail road, 14.05 uiloH, nine miles of which wrh built in 894, but not reported in its mileage able for that year; the Latta Branch, hroe mileR; the Elloroe Branch, 0.50 uilea, built by the Atlantic CoastXiinc tail t oad, making the totul new mileage eported for the year '24.15 miles. OBNEltAXi CONDITION OF ROADS. There have been some material hnuges in the conditions of the raiload syatema in the State since the lust eport of the railroad commission. The Southern Bail way has completed ts re-organization. This corporation Wus the Charlotte, Columbia and Lugusta llailroud and the Columbia ud Greenville Itailroed. which they iow call the Southern Railway in South 'arolimi. They are operating tho al years. The present management has paid operating expenses and deserves our congratulations. The Charleston and Bavannah railway has been improving its terminals in Charleotou and its oflicient superintendent is keeping its service up to its usual lirst-chiss standard. This road operates the Oreen l'ond, Walterboro and branch villa railway. The Port Royal aud Augusta railway is still in tiio hands of Receiver * Averill, who has managed it with his y-" usual ability, and notwithstanding khpr strong competition of tho Savannah rivor, he has bcon able to improve tho physical condition of tho road and gradually increase its revenue. Receiver Cleveland still has charge of the Port lloyal and Western Carolina railroad and the recont inspection of this property shows inoro substan nm improvement in iuo way oi tilling up treaties, putting in stool viaducts, building new depots, etc., thnn obtains elsewhere in this State. All tho money made by this road is put on the physical betterment of tho property; not ouo cent has boon paid out in interest. The property is advertised for sale by the courts; if it is left in the hands of its present management a few yeurs lougor tho owners will have a desirable property for snlo and tho Stuto will havo another first class rnil- * road for tho benefit of the people. The Atlantio Coast Line hus purchased during tho yonr the Charleston, Sumter and Northern railroad. Ita mileage lias been divided amongst its system as follows: Tho Cheraw and Darlington railroad opcrntiug that portion of tho road from Darlington northward, and tho MunclieBter and Augusta operating from Darlington southward. The absorption of this rnilroad by a competing road with tho changes of management, lias brought 6ome friction and inconvenience to tho public by changes of schedules nud connections, but tho assuraneo hnH been made that the system can romlcr a better and cheaper service than can be rendered by two s3-wteins occupying % tho same territory, and the commission will insist on tbo Atlantic Const Line giving the public aloug'tho lino of tho old Charleston, Sumter and Northern railroad as efficient service as tlioy have enjoyed heretofore. All the roads that go to make up the Atlantic Coast Lunesystem in thisState are in Hue condition and the entire servico is ono of the beet in tlie conutry. Considerublo work has been done by this system to their terminal facilities in the city of Charleston; 300 feet have been added to their already large depot, making it ono of tho most commodious in the South. The short roads in the State, like the Rranchville and Bowman Railroad, Carolina Midland Railway, Georgetown and Western Railroad, Hampton and Branekvillo Railroad, are in fair operating condition. During the year there have beou various complaints to the commission as to interstate rates; among these the most important one being the com / AmmiDui An nrn r\f AttiniAn 4l??%4 1'VUiUiiomv/u ui v v/i tuv \/i'i u<v/u t-jrav these rates aro too high. Rocoutly Mr. Haviland Stevenson, a representative of the interstate commission, visited the South Carolina commission for the purpose of discussing these matters and the papers filed with the board from the complainants were turned over to Mr. Stevenson to be laid before the interstate commerce commission. This commission has every assurance that the matter will bo fully investigated and some material reduction made in tho rates on watermelons. ItKVIKW Off' TRADE. i Kradstreet Mays There Is a Smaller Christmas Trade. Bradstreet says: With the exception of mild weather at citios in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Minnesota, ooldor weather has stimulated sales of seasonable merchandise at nearly all points, but only by contrast with pracodlng weeks. Wholesale trade is dull, merchants preferring to reduce stocks at the ond of the year to make ready for annual Inventories. In rotuli lines thore bus boon a marked increase in demund. Irregularity is shown in nicrcontllocollootions, general trade throughout the country being relatively most satisfactory in thccontral Mississippi valley. The course of prices ol staples continues downward. Lumber remains steady and without particular activity. Iron and steel continue with what appours to be the rogui.._ .......bj.. .1....?....,.. '? iiwuow-. 'P1 ^aly advance in quotations recorded anions the morn important staples are for petroleum, coffee and cotton. In industrial linos woolen manufacturers report fair orders for dry goods, hut at low prices. There are 313 business failures reported throughout the United S utes this week, compared with 31.5 Inst week, 283 in the like week one year ago, 337 two years ago. as contrasted with ti'.W in the second week of lieceinher, 18112, Among more conspicuous trade features are the disappointing Christmas trade at several citiea, smaller volume of business, except in Christmas goods, at Chicago, inc-eiisc in distribution of heavier textiles, / shoes and ruhlior goods at St. I.ouis and continued depression in certain lines at Kansas City. Omaha anil Minueupolis because of n ild weather. Among Southern cities, the single instance of improvement is reported from l!itmiiigham, although most distributing centres expect an increased demand after January 1st. Cotton receipts arc unusually small at almost all Southern points, except at New Orleans, where they are liberal. Qnlvcoton reports the Christinas trade smaller than one year ago. The Cotton Crop. A (totIon crop <'()iial to 67.3 per cent, of last year's, or 6,375,000 bales of GOO pounds, is in i <1 icnictl in (lie iinal returns from county unit State correspondents. The Department of Auriciitliire'fl more complete reports, based on the commercial movement, will be issued in IK the lirstof them probably in February. Mean Inrm price 7.50 cents, a tain of 65 pet cent. o:i last year's tlifiires. 4.6 and of 0 per cent, mi Ketunis from cor-esj'oiul ids, almost imiformiy unfavorable as to ?|iisintitv, the weather having proved mm eral'.v ill - i t tons in the S <ot b, caused an unusually earl) marketin*,' throughout the cotto area, v,"th an aimost total saeritlccof top <-r.'| . I,nit, howi ver, is generally clean, so ib.it the(puibty is exceptionally hijjli. Many i.'l irts show crops completely gathered aueft marketed.