Newspaper Page Text
3NOT A PROTECTIONIS" " SENATOR M'LAURIN SPEAKS CUT THE TARIFF DEBATE. Denounoes the Pcesent miJ . s on meaeure and Wll Try to Amentd it in the Interes, of his State and Sec tion. Senator McLaurin made his :ira t speech in the Senate a shor; ti in reply to the charges made ia him at home and elsewhere that he 's a Protectionist. in the coulse of -:J remarks he paid his respects to Sea tors Vest and Mills, who recently criticised him and other senators for voting for a duty on lumber. rice and cotton. He ?ad his manuscript before him, but he did not have to refer to it, as he was thoroughly equipped for the occasion. His speech was hetened to with marked attention on both sides of the chamber, and even those who differed with his conclusions admit that he made a very strong argument to show that free raw material is not one of the cardinal principles of the Democratic party. He said: Mr. President: 1 desire to call the atten tion of the Senator iu charge of this bill to Paragraph 342. and in:ire why a dt:y is imposed on jute bagging fcr coverin cotton, while in another paragraph H l ing twine is placed on the free list: If such discrimination can he defen e am certain that such defence woul1 he li: tened to with very great attention. If sneh a policy can be justitied by any rule c' na tionallegislation its advocates shouldi asten to make the disclosure. To ny mind it as sumes the form of studied and pernicious sectionalism; of a deliberate and preme-li tated attempt to punish the :otton planter of the South and tavor t.e grain crower "f the North and West. In my opinion it ad mits of no other construction. In fact. a careful examination discloses the car .arks of sectional advantage running all through the provisions of the bill, whiich should be a source of profound regret to every one inter ested in the general welfare of o ur common country. The South seeks no advantage and only asks for equal rights under all national leg islation. Sound policy, if nothing else, should secure to us these rights, since con tinued injuries to the South must. in the near future, react on the balance of the country. When I consider the evident un fairress of this measure I must confess to a feeling of alarm that the spirit of oppression yet prevails, and that the South must con tinue to subserve the greed and avarice of the North. NEW ENG.LAND ROBBEnS LrOSEn This measure will doubtless pass and be come a law. There is little hope of chang ing many, if any, of its oppressive features. Yet I desire to go on record as protesting against sectionalism, and demanding justice and equality for the industries of the South. Going further into the details of the bil! I find free binding twine for the Northern farmer and taxed cotton ties and jute bag ging for the Southern planter; protected wheat and corn for the North and, until recently, free cotton for the South. The Senate committee attempted to protect the Northern railroad tie industry and leave the Southern tie industry to fight for itself. As the bill came from the Houle there were free hides for New England and taxed boots and shoes for the balance of the country. I find Northern linseed oil protected 20 cents per gallon and Southern cotton seed oil but 4 cents per gallon. Maple sugar for Vermont and the North is protected 4 cents per pound, while the tar of Georgia and the Carolinas is put on the free list. The turpen. tine of the South is put on the free list, while the maple syrup of the North is pro tected by a duty of 4 cents per pound. Northern hay is protected $:3 per ton. while Southern oil is placed on the free list. Cot ton waste is found on the free list, while New England shoddy is protected 20) cents per pound. I might continue this list of discrimina tions to a greater length. I might take upi the list of manufactured products and show that certain grades manufactured in the South are not protected in proportion to oth er grades in similar lines manufactured at the North. I might analyze the iron, coal and other great industries and show how the Eastern monopolists have arrranged their intricate schedules to plunder the South. I might point to the outcome of the recent contest over railroad ties, rice and cotton schedules as further evidence of the section al animus of this bill. If all the tricks and schemes of the New England manufacturers and Eastern import ers could be fully exposed the people would be amazed at their extent and the cunning manipulations which fixed them in that bill. But I have already pointed out enough to sustain my contention that this bill is framed upon sectional lines, and is unjust and inju rious to the South. Even in its provisions of reciprocity with Hawaii the South bears the burden, while the North, as usual, reaps the benefit. I venture the assertion that 90 per cent of the free imports from those islands come in direct competition with Southern industries, while 90) per cent of the exports~ to those islands are Northern products OPPOSED TO A SEcTIONAL DtLL. While I disclaim most positively any at tempt to stir up sectional strife or sectional animosities, I feel a sense of deep concern over the sectional features of this measure. Without intending to criticise anyone. or in any manner assume superior knowledge, l give it as a matter of personal opinion if those who are opposing this bill had taken time to thoroughly analyze its sectionai pro visions, and fought it out on that issue as Dersistently and intelligently as they now are on other lines, the bill might have been defeated, or a full measure of jumstice and fair play secured. I believe that there are those on the other side of this chamber who would recognize these unfair conditions and vote with us to correct the wrong. Mr. President, in a speech upon this bill. while under consideration at the other end of the Capitol, I took occasion to disclose tne result of sectionalism in previous tariff legis lation, and the disclosures made at that time have so far remained uncontradicte d. 1 gave the facts and statistics concerning the differ ent sections of the country with reference to the decrease in wealth, the accumulation of wealth, and the distribution of capital :and wealth. In each and every instance the re sult favored the manufacturing and money lending States. I will quote the conclusions given at that time. Here followed an extract from Mr. McLat rim's tariff speech in the House. Mr. President, the more 1 examnined h subject the more thoroughly I was impressed with the belief that the people of the South were being plundered, and that as a rtle we were giving more attention to the propagan da of a political theory than the materitd in terests of our constituents. Ac e . .ron this belief, I demanded of the conm-set of ways and means an eaualization of the bcentt of this measune between the North and theo South. I asserted that if the policy of the mecas ure prove beneficial, the South was sel :i enough to want her proportion: if en tue contrary, the bill should be detrimental, the South was patriotic enough to stand its i-are of disaster. That any event and at all times we of the South demanded that all national legislation should distribute its burdens and benefits equally among all the sections and all the people. The novelty of such a posi tion was so great, and the spectacle so rare for a Southern Rlepresentativie to muak such demands, that I have been cali a rt tionist. wANirs iFMR 'L.A~ e... Mr. President, 1 ama not a l'rute.:tiona: have never given a votei upot:t~ principle, or uttered a warl indfneo that doctrine. I look upon thoderi-: protection as indefensibe .ind p- ::: tor in building up and in'ti-n' r and monopolies. Cer:ain nea w -i:e : N North, instead of answern :y:.. ~ n against protectton, have se ea d me a Protectionist, bcae .: i equality before the law. I a - upon the tariff plank of the Chicap.. and base my actions entirely uren ia t ings. My votes u~pon the *unrsu a' rice schedules are in stritae:Iw~ doctrines of Demnocracsy. hyaegv in defence of the rneotle vi'~ rrro et and to compel the Rletublia pat . titwant to say . l:. r who may r the welfare of :r i. lm t of m y abili ti of 1" earnely for the ma ra :r -t: thei r nople. :he la1w' on in:. c l ' s.1 , It '1.i T r:.. c" e: ofbe:::o r.. and ilhat;u ct.n breatrned discord in the Die:::Leratic party. I cn :is 1 lose resce and deree:ue all party .li=ens:o 1 .nnot permt' scil impu:ta IAs to renWai un.halln ge. 1 have sought are: sly and earnestly to inform thyself s'r :rtr. This suibjet, with a s.neere desire to " e ri and act ;ntell'igently. From all the tacts That I have been able to _ater,1' esee.1t i-ed in making the aser a: what is now known as the doctrine free raw material nas never been an estab _ei principle of Ie noenay. To prove :"cnte:t I wip4eal tuti" past re -d of the Demo'ratic party itself. I re : :e ..idea o placing raw ttateri:l fn the free lis:. whle the fnished product is e",.e by \7ut is tot and never has np... ei.. e .'f Democracy. TS e 'a i' t.ri:1, h was pra tiially n for.:e from 1",' to 1.61. did not provide era del'e t':i'e of roee raw material. I Wil n atuit t:at the rate of duty on certamn protelts was very aw, but 1 contend that the lrintcip'e of ree raw material was not reconid ':n that bill. Itn-T: r S-iLttS el E- F. I have examined quite carefully the his tory of lerislation since the war. especially the -peeches and letters of the Hon. S. J. Tilden. and find no mention of this "estab nished princiole of Democracy" until March :30. 142. (n that day the Hon. A. S. lie wit:, then a member from New York, intro duced the following resolution, upon which he made an extended speech: "Resolved. That the hill creating a tariff commision be recommitted, with instructions to the committee on ways and means to re port within thirty days. or an earlier date, if it be tracticable. a bill based upon the fol lowine instrutions:t 'First. That all raw materisis, meaning thereby all materials which have not been subected to any process of manufacture, and all waste products. meaning thereby all waste materials which are only tit to be mianufac tured, and all chemicals which are not pro iueed in this country and alcohol for use in manufacture. shall be placed upon the free list. '"Second. That so far as possible specific duties shall be substituted for ad valorem, and that in determining such specific duties the nverage dutiable value of imports during the last three years shall be taken as the s:andard of value. upon which no higher rate of duty shall be imposed than shall be necessary to compensate for the difference in the cost of labor at home and abroad ex pended in the production of such products, after making due allowance for the expenses of transportation, and that the rate of duty shall not in any case, except on luxuries, ex ceed '0 per cent of such average dutiable value." The bill under consideration at that time provided for a tariff commission. 1 have examined the debates on this measure as carefully as my time would admit, but failed to discover that this resolution attracted much attention, or was cordially endorsed by Democratic speakers. Mr. Hewitt was charged by the Republicans with selfish motives, which the facts in the case appeared to cotfrm. 1 will quote from a speech of Mr. Town send, of Uhio. upon this subject: "Andi right here, MIr. Chairman, let me emphasize what I have said by refe: ring to the resolu' tions which appear at the opening of the speech of the gentleman from New I ork, which deceare for free raw material. This would include iron ore, and in the course of his remarks he favors the free importation ot scrap iron. ie would strike alblow at out native ores, which constitute so large a part of outr mineral productions. and drive out of employment our puddlers by the free intro duction of scratp iron. The manufactutrers on the seaboard want free foreign ore, be cause they need it to mix with the ores of New Jersey, and if once they could bring it in as ballast cheaper than they could get our Lake Superior ore, the benefit, if any. would be to manufacturers on the seaboard and would not restult in a reduction of the price of iron or steel. It would give an advant age to those munfacturers at the expense of their associat es, engaged in the samte trade, further removed fronm the seaboa'rd." When in addition to the above, it is known that M1r. Ihewitt was a large manufacturer of iron, the charge of selfishness appears not altogether without foundation. I examined the dily press of New York and fottnd these resolutions mentioned as 'lHewitt's tlan," and "Hewitt's idea.'' This led me to uspect that the doctrine of free raw mate rial oririnated with MIr. IHewitt. and that his motives were somewhat selfish. These resolutions were up before the New York Chamber of Commerce on April S, and adopt' ed by the narrow majority of dd to 29. A meeting held at Chickering Hall, New York, on April 153, passed resoluttions t'av oring M1r. lewitt's proposition. The Demo cratic county committee of New York soon after endorsed the resolutions, all of which went to prove that at that time the doctrine of free raw material had not become an es ta'lished Democratic principle. It is not probable that all this trouble would have been incurred to bring out arnd endorse an old and well established Demo cratic principle. HICwtTT 5 oRtER YroT D'owN. On 3May ;, ISm,. at the close of debate on the hill, M!r. Hewitt introduced the following amendment as specific instructions for the tarifeommission: 1. Repeal of the duties on raw materials. 2. The proportionate reduction of the duties on articles manufactured from raw materials thus placed on the free list. :3. No duties to exceed 50 per cent except those on luxuries. 4. No internal revenue duty to be imposed an alcohol used in manufacturers. 5. Where practicable duties to be made se!:le by converting ad valorem into spe in duties on the basis of average market vaes. Thi aeric xt was reiected on a divis co yavt of 42 to sM. It is evi'lnt fom thi: vote that 3Ir. Hewitt's doct.ine wa-- soewha t of a stranger among Demo Te Hon. Hlandolph Tucker, o:' Virginia. imm'eite~v followed with another amend men',i which on woolens he proposed a schedue of duties. ranging from 4.' per cent. ad valoremx un. The only free raw materis sugeve My3r. Tucker were medicinal b.rt. rep'ared or otherwise. This amend ment w-- reiecte-i by at vote of t7 to 79. Iti :ieevident that so eminent a Decm .la s3r ucker had niot learned of this dltrn bein t an iL'mortant tenet et nms -Sdcm::ssiont shal report no revision oftetr' roviding for duties !n excess of' te "e'eral duties ant rates of duty imrose'd the Act of Congress arpproved M1arch 2 11, a known as the 31orrili tatri:., on nyotheflowing articles not subject to a'x unde th internal revenue laws. nanme '3:ufcurers of cotton. irn anl teel. wol he Cp jutlx atnd nalt:.:. glas a lar:5 embraced in the schedule li s. soen all metals not otnerwise r.ant all tmanuftttureS of -- -.* -n all WOOl. iir o 0 - '' e' inal, and all m'an - ey.cor 'n i h at:hat Then f.llowed a mt' by the :in. ii . ils. of T1': , w a di-in uI She ..eaber ofi: t v t rec 'n::it t' with :h- :..ila''n ing'ruii . 1. ili -:a: - tha hi. ir : i c wr' th"= wi:b were preptare . r the it ... !: t. W,iker in the tari:t.or I ': is ,: e1. Th.. t':e i '.:e"e1:i:1 : a .fri:f ec nison bet' r' ::.i ed1 t lte cor : otn wt ' a:.. --. With i1tr:I'onS ti rei ". wi:b:In ..ir:. y i . ill frn:ne 1 lu iii c.:I:p.lin . wit:. (the : lowing:T luetre I -'1 w'i fila Ic:L r i . That ni ul be it:::- i ,n a y tai v thle lw r"-t "te that w a C.ie, l he let ai moun t '' reven '. . ilh' n.i a eo i:ch rl e .1:itbrin d.fie , oorac imerative t^ n th artI .? 'aIb pace the ':' eo hee re :i- ' : all dutties. op Te mac- n reve::e. d:- .- ' e impe on laxur ie. ->. That all ine du~t oea ns amen vlorem r ,a::ed P7ua otof : in their lace eare beilta:ken t- .uad againt ra tuletnt ia\ ie. alk under Val uatin. nd wh C: t e : the l o: tin e act ual market valne. esTha: the dut:y shtild fe so ml-posef th toi operate e' ually as poa-sible throu :Bout the nion, discri ninating neither for or against any class or section. inis amendment was retorted by a vote of 152 to -7. Mr. Presiden:. this resolutin demanded the re-enactment of the Walker taril of 1t, in which the idea of the doctrine of free raw aterial cannot be fund. This resolution received the solid support of the Democratic members. if I remember torrect iv, and was no toubt considered ortha Delocricy at that date. M1ay we not fairly draw the conclu=ion that u to this date the doctrine of free raw material had not become an established principl e ocatiDemocratic party' Having located, as I believed, a date when the doc trine of free raw materials was not an "s tablished Democratic principle, I continued my investigation to find when it was. In the Democratic platform of 1,S- I tind. the first mention of free raw material in the following indirect manner: nI was A Ittitasuen 'oI'n:. "Speaking of the Blepublican party. it has subiected them to an increasing flood of manufactured goods and a hopeless compe tition with muanufacturing nations, not one of which taxes raw material." It would require a very vivid imagina tion, in my opinion, to torture this state ment into a demand for free raw materia, yet the distinguished Senator from Missou ri, Mr. Vest, declared guite recently that such was its meaning. which the distinguished Senator so emphat ically stated declared for the doctrine of free raw material, reads as follows: 'The Democratic part- of the United States, in National Convention assembled. renews the pledge ofits fidelity to the Dem ocratic faith, and reaflirms the platform adopted by its representatives in the Con vention of 1 S4, and endorses the views ex pressed by President Cleveland in his last annual message to Congress, as the correct interpretation of that platform upon the question of tariff reduction, and also an dorse the efforts of our Democratic Repre. sentatives in Congress to secure a reduction of excessive taxation.'' It would appear from the reading of this paragraph and the declaration of the dis. tinguished Senators from Missouri that the interpretation placed on the Democratic platform of 1SS4 by President Cleveland. to gether with the schedules of the Mill's bill, furnish the real authority for declaring the doctrine of free raw material a cardinal principle of Democracy. I do not remember President Cleveland's interpretation, neither do I care to know. since the time has come, thanK God, when his declaration of what Democratic princi ples are or should be do not pass current. As for the distinguished author of the Mlills bill being authority upon so important a matter, 1 assume there is at least rootm for honest differences. Not that I would retiect upon his Democracy or eminent ability, but the resolutions of 1852, when comprared with the schedules of his biil of 186S, disclose a want of continuity that is not always a dis tinguished feature for safe guidance. In 1882 the distinguished Senator is found advocating the doctrine of the Walker tari:T, in which there is not a single trace of the principle of free raw material. while in 1888S, less than six years later, he is declared the bulwark of that principle. 1 find free raw material mentioned in the platform of 1S72 as follows: "We endorse the efforts made by the Democrats of the present Congress to modify its most oppress ive features in the direction of free raw mta terials and cheaper mantufactured goods that enter into general consumption.' In the platform of 18 the idea of free raw material was eliminated altogether. MIr. President. have I not shown conclut sively that the doctrine of free raw material has never been an established principle of Democracy: Have I not shown that a single allusion matde to it in the platform of 164, a covert attempt to endorse it in 18o". a tu-aled endorsement in 18n2, and an abso lute abandonment in 15%,. is the real histo ry of this dogma~: This dobtrine came and went with Grover Cleveland. and I believe that the peopile are willing for him to keep it, or sink it in Buz zard's Blay., as he iz'y elect. wh T sAYD 'TH : soUrTH. Mr. 1'resident, since I took a position against the so-called doctrine of free raw material I have reccived hundreds of letters from the South commending my course. I will refrain from printing any- of themi. but instead will read an extract from a letter written by the present Govertnor of Texas. the Hion. C. A. Cutlberson, for the purpose of disclosing the fact tht a very widte difer enee of opinion exists on the question of free raw mnaterial between the Governor of Texas and the distinguished Senator frotm Texas. M1r. M1ills. The letter is dated Austin. Texas. July the nth, 1%:5, and is addressed to the lHon. John Brookhout, Dallas. I will print the letter and comments iby M1r. E. W. Cave as an appendix to my remarks. The conclusions which I have reached in regard to the doctrine of free raw :::ateriali are the result of careful investigation. I disclaim all thoughts of bringing discord in to the Democra~tie ;'arty and hope thi:, doe trine will follow Grover Cleveland into q1uiet ~obscurity and thus fade into winnecuons de tuetude. iHE'"'WI nL'AN DIL A MIr. Presiliet, I reaize . uite fully the diilictulties wich te urround this m-esre. I saw thetn at the beginnng: o' it construc tion and have se--n them nmulti and 'ntetn sify overt- day ice. Long~ bef-ore the bill left the ways an' means- commi'ttee tt had degenerated int a ctt over schedule:s, atndhas renai in that lot inunti the presetnt titme. This b i 'repre::et-- no:xd or partiular econoic theory. bult to the~ contrary is a 'mixtur of the-u ll wi th' t he keen .\ew Englandt manuf'turer, the iu: Trust klags ad other kin re npiit m nipulating the conpouni1 By aittempting~ to i la. -it e politi ca cbli gations in c'"''un-tio with~ 'a '''I dollr (ongress, the- lieubli party has fae upon hard line- and t'n is exrmiyi 'ctheasi earfully, i no wod- fl per- cai'. expenses ant Politi, a o;igtou ja- th pas century i' ' etremely pro.e~T ob1tain. Secrtary .'on Sherm-an in bea n i diue p:.er nt::. d'e e~r Yet it wouli -e""" so -a"~ ainlta. is concerned thtrea - i-mc cex Ier unit than wholes'alng WXhen nur- I: l : - r. ti . . . !'; i :.y , ni::: t : :, 1 v th i dire - C,1io I:i 1 IF : =in 0 i mi-i 't toa ti en t : ::..::t t t e free n: .'.fsiv :r lI' w 11:1,i- y !". r e..ti n w h e re"f i t v e 't e e::; . s T h i " i: : b rl1 i e I i s :1 1 : we "t e : \ the e ::.r d - nea i : t u i e :1 -J t 1 1 :al atinilf ic e , ne i e re. u:iu ie 'i . The . 1 '..p . .'"t' : c re inde The pani -ie : k e 'tar. a r, it; :,, p. r c n t. T h e rai i 1':: an u r'2 " a .r l :,t . w :er1 :. :e r ce.. : th e p- i ofr~ :tv rr. I rt~i: the ' .. .\i in e i~irir: which wv :ic en- r we-: tar .- i:iee 1i" :ind lso t a r 'etrr:bic I anies earle unric a i h i ie-t rf w ve h a.- Th in rov tha 11:'ni-- Cre ::n ier low iatrilf, :ap i ri. r a sn ving~ .;r 'oi : !. eve hari of o v:i:iewe} a anC when the reo pie my tin . i ei :::vne.pr CRO S OF THE COUNTRY. Co2dtions ar ported by the Ntiona 71iether iUnrean. The National Weather Bureau in its report of crop condItiols for the week endead June 2l sa':: Except over the central R->ck Moru tain region ad in California, where it was unseasonably cool. the week endingr June 21 has been generally very favorable for the growth and eriepation of crops. Portions of Misour, Arkansas. Southern Texa and F kidra. however, need rain. orn a made vigorous growth in the principal corn States during the week, all reports from the centra: valleys inuicating a marked improve ment. Ia the Dakota-s. however, the crop continues backward, with unever stand?, and in portions of the South ern States, where the early planted is neariog maturity, rain is neede&. Corn is being laid by as far north as the souihern portions of Kansas and Missouri. Cotton has made good growth dur ing the week generally thrcughou the cotton belt, the iLtorior of Fiorids and Southern Texas being the only sections in which the crop has nol made satisfactory progress. Report: indicate a marked inprovememen1 over the central portion of the cotton belt and in Northern Texas. Southward of the northern boun dary of Tennessee the bulk of the winter wheat crop has been harvested, and some thrashing has been done in North Carolina and Texas Harvest ing in Kansas is nearly completed and will begin this week in Indians, Ohio. West Virginia and Maryland. In Tennessee the finest crop for many years is now in sbock. The weathez conditions of the past week has been very favorable to this crop. In Wash ington and Oregon recent rains havE practtcally assured good crops of winter wheat in those States. In Cal fornia harvesting continues, witb light yield and grain of indufferen1 quality. Spring wheat is doing well gener ally and has made rapid growtha in North Dakota. In South Dakota, however, while the outlook for thE early sown is good, the late sown is less promising. While the reports concerning to bacco are generally favoraole, the condition of the crop in Virginia is considered belowi the average, and in Florida it is sairering for the rain. Considerable has been set in New York and conditions have been favor able fcr transplanting in New Eng. land. _______ Ttim ImmortaI Jackson. The dedication of the "Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hall," the most in~ 1eresting feature of the commence meat of the \'irginia Military Insti' tute, tock place Wednesday in the main hal of the building at Lexing ton. 'V. Toe hall was paciaed to overliowing. The exercises were opened with a prayer by the Rev. C. R Hemphill, DI.,of Louisvillec. Mr. Houston S. Letchaer, president of the board of vis Itors, then gave a brier history of the efforts to ~e funds for the construc sion of the hall, mnying that the first co ntriou n.on ss made by President Jefferson Davis, andi that a large pro portion of the contributions camne from Pennsylvania. Mr. Letcher then introduced thae first orator of the day, Dr. Hunter .agure of Richmnond, inedical director of Jackson 's corp;, who opened hiz address by relatini; that he had been recently told by em inent British generals that the great est English-spensing generals of the last huudred er"s were Marloor'ough, Weilingtcii Xsinngion anaJ Jckson. They declarccd 2tu the comoragn 01 Jackson in the vaey of \ir i.as the iirst in' w''ch thewr d nad Known no btla:mers Rv. D. J. P. Snrith of R&'icj~N3u was nxt intro duicd by Mr. Lech"er. IL diee I glwr eulogy, on Jackon. T emluin aress w-s delivered by a Se- ira':.'.Joh ,. Dan.L ei tid hi inc.ie.in by Mr. Le Cer wa tue ce.:a of a wvarm and .er rein from the~l eeassem blage ""nto Da)l' = rern .s were >f te st secaore r. He held alcit tbe ci'r..er~ Tf Jacfon the aiu.: sim hi v~rtes an h id rrs iis seekng raiimz Li coocentr.tu. of pumrpose, and. ,s genusc in a mv tiner V n-. -d aarge Mrs. A. A.Serir . wa r Trere e~ch her '\and is pr .eoa [megin, N.C., a 3: 2 o'c:oc '-m i. eeeva dur r oiei,:. ofTis u"er' de g us:m h H V_ ND R JNON AT NASH v!LLE. TENN. The-y -H.I v y.tiy E:.1ertaife d by the .loo. pre-Gneral (;dan Re-Elected Com. ru:(Ier-IL-Chit!-+2;! Meet in Atlauta Ntx: Year. The reuni of the Suervivors of the Confederatt Armits, in Nasnvilie. Tenn., last week, .::as a notable event. It i estimated that about tvrentv thous and veterans were nresenrt and partio ipated in tre festivitiesof the occasion, which cormmenc-d on Tuesdaey rnd ended on Thursday. On Tuesday th assemlagewas ca:lled to order b-, Gen'ral Gordon. and prayer was of fered by )r. Jones, the chalain. a Governdr Tay or deliv~ered an address of welcome in behalf of the State: Judge Ferris spcke for the county ard ishonp Fz raid, who represerted Mator McCarthv. spoke for the city. Capi rin J. B. O'Brien, chairman o the executive committee, made some announcements, and in behalf of the committee welcomed the visitors. Genera Gordon spoke brieily. Judge Reagan then delivered his address. The city is full to ov--rt ,wing and the sh has not ceased. Tuesday night bauds pared' d the streets, playinz itrns familiar to all vho endured the tris from 'GL to i05. He1k arers are besiegcd. speeches ar- bin madh and the city is one grand mass 1f fes tive occupants. A brilliant reception w-s given by the Ten nessee Daugh ters of the Confederscy to the old soldit rs, the s4, inons and the maids of honor at the c-aoitol at night. It ws large ly attended and was one of the charm in;; events of the reunion. On Wednesday a business meeting was held at which reports were pre sented, and General John B. Gordon delivered an address. General Gor don prefaced his remarks with an an nouncement of his intention to resign as general commanding. Tnere were cries of "No!" "No!" from all over the iall, and when qilet had been re stored, General G.,rdon prcceeded with his address. It is printod on another page. When General Gor don had concluded his address. a mo tion that General Joseph H. Wlreler be requested to nominate General Gor d-n for re election was made and car. ried. General Stephen D. Lee, who had been called to the chair, declared nominations closed, and General Gor don was unanimously re elected. The thousands of delegates present cheered and waved their hats and handker ci iefs. The committee on credentials reported 7 ubU delegates present and one thousand camps repre sented. The report of the board of trustees for the Confederate Memo rial Association was read and adopted. At the business meeting in the after noon it was voted to meet in Atlanta next year. A resolution commrdatory of the reign of Q aeen Victoria was voted d*9wn and a resolution of praise for the Q aeen's Jubilee was defeated. The principal reports were by the committee on history and the memo rial Association. The history com mitter in substance reported in favor of the plan now pursued in inviting many writers into the field of history rather than selecting one or more to write a history. The memorial re port shows that the board of trustees were making excellent progress and would be aole to report a location for the memorial building at the next re union, provided camps and bivouacs subscribed liberally. Both reports were adopted. Wednesday night in the tabernacle, thousands were de liebted with a Confederate concert, in wnich were sung and played old Con federate airs. Governor R L. Taylor and Mrs. M. M. Gardner sang a duet Iwhich cantured the audience On Thursday the parade of the vet Ierans, the closing event of the reun Iion, in which more than 10,000 veter ans took part, was the largest in the history of the organization and, one of the greatest ever seen in this city. The streets were densely crowded. The stars and stripes and the Confed erate tiags were conspicuous in the long line that reached from the pub lie square to the Tennessee Centennial exposition gates. One hundred thous and people had collected to see the pa rade. Nothing in the history of Nasa vill had equalled the outpourirng; never was there such a procession. On the faces of lookers on and some of the bent figures steppiog briskiy and proudly, could be seen the suggestion tat':never again wculd there be sucn another parade. The line started riromptly. Police on horseback clear cd the wav and from start to finis the best of order prevailed. Ali vehi cles kept elf the streets included in the line of march and the street cars stopped ranning. Tne parade was cheerfully accorded the fudl right of way. Fromn the starting point, the custom house, tercugh the cenTer ofi the city, around thepub~ie square, our B roadi street to' 'aueritUivriy Jrhere the parade broke i-anas, a dense mass of enthusiastic, cheering people Igreeted the old soldiers, their gener~als1 Iand the beautiful women who took -oart. The citizens of Nashville were I loth wejcoming and speeding theirI departig~ guests and they did it with Iwhole souled cordi~,ity, inspirirng to Gen. WV. H. Jar.eson, of Nashville, che mrsh~al, haine~xx phrocssion, his' -td c.- onsisting of dii-gih mn. Comm-and -r in Cnief Joan B. G(ordion and stalf caa ne-t, with the1 -ia~rma Lu'ars asa ecort. Gn erial '2ohn the new marnj- gener-ai of th'e Te-nness-te division, folod. IT-en cam1e t'e :r-e nisionsee d::sion precede-d :;y spoYsors, "ta~is of bnce nd ivited g-uess, eui fusv atied n --"ner- costumes. Sa.- rolina, M1isii Fiori kansas Masori, Kn *uen Mary a'd tIndian Te rriory New Yoras, :iii~nis Nor.: Carolina, Te-xas. ( - .:-ubia all hd veeasi line. In the afterontesr-sw -' : 0uoi~ on to the s" e' Is arec .ito-ss ib -cloigc sr~sso an th lie of m:atchi was nnsm ivdeor0 The ve -rans were u-a aliin J"uifrn tough a :arge2 nu o r la ea c divison wore totun rms of the da-ys of batule. Inch -t thef ator I2n by delegates, their Cred and a soeakerc 'neted forrh Cap. J B.U'Bi- pre(O~Sided. A n of ee~t. vas nieewhich p~~2aked for the ocesion, and asteneti to te re n derirg of another southern pro Confederate itgs. regimental li g2, t ettered and Corn, appeaid in the dec orations and in the parade, t qal v, pro'ir.et Mt every turrn was e ors and r;s. and in the parade ery divisior. t is the uranimcus verdict of the veterans and their visit vst friends that the reunion was the mnat successfui ret hrd. The esti mate is that at leat2t 20 ) veterans were in the city during the celebra tion. WEATfiER AMD CROPS. DIRECTOR BAUER'S WEEKLY SUM- I M.RY CF CONDITIONS. Cotton Contihnes Small, Is fieathy But Is Ilooming-Inprovemeut in Conditions Gen.rallr, ReIprted -Corn Seenm to be Doing Well-O her Crops. The following is the report of the Weather Bureau on the crop condi tions for the past week: The week averaged 5 degrees per day hotter than usual with a maxi mum temperature above 1uG at many places The highest reported was 102 on the 191.h atGillisonviile; the lowest I3 on the 14th and 16th at Florence. The mean of the State, for the week, deduced from 50 reports was ;3 and the norral is approximately 73. There were showers in some portions of the State each day in the week al t cugn. with a few exceptions, the rainfali was light, as 20 places re ported iess than one inch; 10 from one to two inches: 10 over two inches, i it 5 21 at Peck's Station ; 3.5) at Mount Clare; 3.15 at St. George; and 3 55 at Florence. The average of the measurements were 1 (11 while the nor mal is approximately 1 u. There was an abundance of sus shine, the estimated percentage of the pssible was 83, and not below normal at any place. Destructive bail f.ell in Florence, Ander.sor.. Sumter, Darlington, L-x ingion, Newberry, and Orangeourg Counties. High winds destructive to crops, especially corn, occurred on the 17th in Florence, Clarendon, Darlington, Marion, Chester and Chesterfield. There were also destructive winds in Hampton, Spartanburg, Pickens, Greenville and Beaufort. The iojury was in each case confined to compara tively small areas. The combination of steady high temperature. abundant sunshine, and generally sufficient moisture was very favorable on crops; which made rapid growth except that in places corn and cotton wilted in the mid-day sun, re viving again at night. O vei portions of Barnwell, Bamberg, Pickens. Edge field, Horry, Anderson, Aiken and Lexing ton Counties the ground is very dry and hard. Oter portions of Ber I keley. Florence, Clarendon, 0:ange burs, Horry, Chester and York Coun ties the ground is too wet to plow and grass has become a menace to small corn and to cotton. Grassy fields are also reported from Sumter, Union and Newberry Counties, otherwise fields are generally clean, and free from grass or being rapidly put into such condi tion. From Spartanburg and Fairfeld cmplaint is received of crusted soil after the heavy rains of the previous week. Lands were badly washed in Edgefield and Greenville. All these adverse conditions are more than offset by reports of improve ment in crop conditions, over the State generally, and applicable to all erops raised. Insects were less numerous and destructive than during any pre vious week of this crop season, al [though chinch bugs in York and Chester, on cora; a root louse or bee tle on cotton in Richland may be noted as exceptions. The latter insect is new to the region infested. Some of the lands flooded by theI previous heavy rains have been re planted and others abandoned. Corn is being laid by with prospects decidedly bettered although adverse re ports are numnerous. Early corn is in silk and tassles. Its color is good except in Berkeley where it is turnning y-ello w. The improvement noted does not yet promise a full crop. Cotton continues small, is healthyj and the earliest is beginning to bloo. The plant made fair growth and it condition is generally satisfactory, except where injured by excessive rains in Berkeley, Chester and York. Some rust is noted in Fairnield and Lex ing ton. Sea island cotton in splendid condition, free from parisites andJ blooming. Tobacco was injured by hail in por tiojns of Florence, Clarendon and DarI ington. Its condition has generally improved but is not uniform, and in places tobacco shovs signs of mi turing too early. Rice doing well in Colleton, but iss: plauting somew"hat inj ared by caterg:Lars. Is small in Williams Ourg. Stuall and yelio w in Lexin g 1.0. Earlv rice headmng well. Earliy peaches incliined to be small and faulty. Grapes rot.ing badly in D~arlington. Peas being sown in with corn and on stabole lands. Seed scarce over he eastern counties but plentif ai over the western. The crop is making good .rowt b. Wa:eat harvest practically nnished. F.:.i oats also harvated, with general ly good yields. Somre damaged in the shoek by rain. Spring ot e u and' are po.Threshing begun withI yil fwheat ood, of oats from poor to v ry good. Ga rdeus have kept up their abu'i ua'nt vield. of seasooable renetables. I'stres are better aan heretofore. W u erries are abundant over the e-utire Sta - Sugar cane of all vari tisdon very well. F'rom 'he national bulletin of June 14: " There has been a general im pr'9vement in the condition of cotton throughout the cotton belt, it bling rtaost marked in South Carolina and "Core, while generally bace!ward, las ~a~le goedprogrest in -.re p:inci p'Ue LOrn dttv nde th ae favorbie ;:mai;c- mreet 1y, nc'ight The opi epored fran 'ilssr, asDas nd Itarsona. and Ceay Enrougs'on Tne centras valiers.ar~ma To1 t~ aides. thrt eight in ab%-, 0o- do .tegaebyn Harriso Gee ad Char Deawso. Da'wsns sekb- elavehmo codtoto to e oui c?- al. n stAbes fro :nter. sy-d 18 yearit." ' plai onall n g thenWa: ah e cse iu un-e touhh oacut. gcon SA S OR S T IKEStJfE. .ur sth, !from ;.iin!ng In Ore Abr halfi p st J ock (.n Thur: day uiht a terrific storru burst whi sudden fury on the town of Sumter. There was a heavy downpour of ran; and tne wind blew a perfect eaie while the heavens were illuminated wi.h continuous lashes of blinding light ning. Considerable damage was done in ditferent parts of the city and there was one death fromt a boil ci ligh? ning. Tom Wiliams and George Richardson, both colored, were co2-n ing in from Mr. W. M. Grahams strawberry farm and stopped at the f house ci a colored woman until te storm should pass. Willians sat down and leaned back against the win (;ow facing with Richardson nearby. They had only been in the house a short time wnen lightning struck the house near the gable end and running down inside of the sash, knocked both cf tie men out of 1 heir seats. Richart; son was stunned v-hile Williams was instantly killed faliinz across the arm of Richardson, who did not have the strength to extricate himselU from the dead body of his companion for sever at minutes. Some clothes lying in a corner of the roori caught tire and for awhile it looked as if tue house would be burned. The alarm was given and t e hose wagon were soon on the scene but the llames were extieish ed without any trouble. George Richardson was tauea on one oftne hose wagons and carried to Dr Ar c-ie Chia, and, after being pre crtb ed for re was taker, to his ho.ne. This mo ning he is out but seems to have beei pretty badly shaken up b the shock and the narrow escane from death. An inquest was held o'cr the body of Williams this morning. Up on examination of the body by Dr. A. C. Dick it was found that there were several burns on the head and left shouid r and the side was badly burned. Dr. Dick gave it at his ooioa that death wCs instantate )us. A gre: t many shade trees weie up rooted and fences Mlown d", va, and awninzs stripped f.om poi:s. Tue damagr- was not c ,:ined io any spe - ial locality bat s:emed to be worze in s:pts in ditferent parts o~ the city. ! At the repid-ce of Mr. Henry iary, on t:e eastern side of the city. th tops of ooth chimneys were blo -n Otf and the roof en one side of the hous crushed in. Coosiderible damage was dine to furniture, etc ;by b-cste iP g -ailing. The warehous' of air C. G Rowland, near the Atlantic C)ast Lne depot, was compl~Aely denuiish and the ir dow gasses in t' e r.- t part of St. Steph-n's church Op.c) pal) were badly broken. It is iepnrt ed that there were three other deaths by lightnin g in the ecu y besides that of Tom Williams. one at Stses }uog, one in Mayesville aed a Mr. P.arse:i at Lynchburg, making four deaths in the county in one day and all ov lightning. in the Statesburz neidbornocn there was considerabla hail which damaged the crops to some Extent -State. AIKEN IN A FEARFUL STOR . Ma&y Buildings Unroofed or B'lown Down. A special dispatch to The State says Ak-n was visited on Friday after noon by one of the most terrific hail storms that has ever been experienced in that part of the State. Tne cloud came fron the west and reached the city at about 15 minutes to 5 o'clcck. The heavy wind that accompanied it was on the order of a cy clone and did iomense damage to prope-rty in the c ty. The storm prevailed about 35 minutes and duaring that time the face of the earth was covered with nails, varying from the size of a pea to that o' a hickory nut. During the storm1 great fear among the people prevailed. It was densely dark ad the fanAg ot the trees and tear ing off of the roofs of residences was fearful. Among theI damaged so far heard fro~m is Mr. John Williams' house, which is crush ed in by a chimney. The Stafford house was completely blown down.' Mr. Charles B'arckhalter had a small house unroofed, as did Mr Summerell. P'owell Bros.' store, E. H. Butsche's store, the Highland Park hotel, Mr. C. Klatte's store and dwelling, Mr. Johnson's store and d wellihg, Mr. G. K. Chafee's house, the old Henry house, Dr. C. F. Mc~ahen's stables all had part of their roofs taken cff. The damage to window glass is un known, as all windows on the west s.de of all buildings suffered from the hai!. In many places saddie boards and shingles _ were ripp ed from the roofs of wooden bailutags and the fences and shade trees are all damaged. The S::hotield school had part or a roof taken off. Much damage cgner - wise. The craps, alt that have beenI reported thus far, have been serio'uly damaged by the hail and wind. Tne oldest cit z mns of cour city claim that they never saw the like berure. Tne da g to p ropertyr canrnot be estimat ed at mnis writing, let alone the crops in the liald. It is claimed that the d amage would have been greater had not tue thicg hills and pine forests on; the west ci Aiten broken the force of the storm. Burning of a Raueslan ship. Farther details received of the burn ing of the Russian steamer Onni or Nai, early in the week, while near Skenaes, snow that sh-i had scarcely e t the landing stage when frigatial screams were heard and smoke was seen isuing from th port hot's. A! panic ensu-d on the crowderl deck and the ire sore ad r-apidly. Tne captain~ dcreiv benaved nooly. Tne sailors o the Rus~iaa s'eam- Sla:jik t, coraeously cam to~ t-u- reu and assisted the people into Lie oss~ The sne of an arti>t who rushed fr-on a irat class caoia with her cloth s in lames adcarrying her child, s:pd and feil upon the deck. Sthe w. -as cued alive, but died In terri->le ic -ny soon after she landed. Thirty p~ea rs were serio'usly burned. It ap ears that tue Dren was caved o-I osinger dr-upping~ a boult> -a~ of w.'ine at tue sen'xe mIo~nett thiat other erekssy threw d-own a match.I The sme Od '.tory. Thirte. of th color-ed persais who o': the- Icternato: a ' :ratin So Yo recendy aboard ,. Casri las een a tot'lfailure; tha.t --.i 7 hei nu'mber di-ed of stern. : at d te contract. aa miany membtI th expea.2'in are straclde -aIa nargument -n cre'rm. Thrie young ed b lightning ini e- wakn in the road to-: aercompnamson was o::v. -c e down and stu-'ned. S-- el at wear a coset. Tne steel s:s i e crsets of the other three are ho rte. 0L AbSoiutely Pure. eebr:iedI for its great leavening Strength a in. t hfulnes . Assures the food arainst ahtn an all fortns of adulteratiou common to the cheap brands. ROYAL BAETING POWDER CO., NEW YORK. IT S-iOU.D BE CONE. Dr. Stok - a' Scheme for Cutting Down Expenses. The Washington correspondent of the News and C.ourier says Represent ative Stokes, of South Carolina. pro poses to immortalize hi nself by ap ptaring in political history as a public otlicer willing to reduce his own sala ry. Mondav Dr. Stokes. who was for merly president of the Farmers' Alli ance in his State, introduced a bill to reduce the ex 2enditures of the govern ment by cutting down the salaries of all public officials and pensioners 30 oer cent. His cut begins at the Presi dent of the United States and runs down the scale to the poorest paid scrub woman in the departm ants. The bill provides that after March 4, 1898, the compensation of all Senators, members of the House, officers and employees and pensioners of the gov erament shall be readji sted to the changed value of our money standard. The President and U:ited States Judges are exempt until their success ors shall be elected. The readjust ment of salaries shall be based upon a comparative statement of the average prices in the first five years in comparison with the last five years in the preceding decennial period. The disbursing officers of tue various branches of the service shall readjust their pay rolls correspondingly, so that the pay of each officer or employee of the Gov ernment shall bear to his pay in the previous decennial period the same proportion that the average prices for the respective periods compared bear to each otner. Representative Stokes says in support of his meas ure: The bill emphasizes in a practical way the growing evils of an appreciating money standard. From 1S72 to 1895 the average price of 223 commodities in common use have decreased fully 33 1 3 per cent. During the same period the compensation of officers, employees and pensioners of the Government has steadily increased, either in salary or perquisites, or both. From 1888 to 189 the average annual expenses of the Government were $263,916,473 18. The average annual expenses from 1893 to 1896, inclusive, reached the alarming figure of $358,633,341.40, an increase in less than a decade of uin paralleled distress among the people of nearly 30 per cent. Of course all of this was not salaries and pensionr, but the greater part was. I do not think the ser vants and pensioners of the people are any better than the people they serve, and mnere ought to be some such method of maintaiag the equilibrium bet seen salaries and pensions on the one hand and prices of commodities on the other. Tne bili also illustrates in a very practical way the good Democratic doctrine of keeping the Government out of debt and relieving the burdens of the people by cutting down expenses, rather than by piling on taxes. Upon a rough estimate such a readjustment as proposed in the bil would save the Government more than sixty million dollars a year, without injustice to anyone, and without detriment to the public service. The legislative, execu tive and judicial departments of the Government are responsible in large measure of the conditions that brought and perpetuate falling_ prices, and there is a bsolute justice in the propo sitions that they should share with the people at large in Lhe consequenc es of tneir oivn action. Under present conditions they actually proat by the distress of the people. Tlred of Her Baby. The Colutnbia Statb, of Saturday, says among the pasngers on the south bound train from L aurens on T esday evening was Mary (iovan, a highly cultivated young c~lored wo man, who for the past year has been supposed to oe striving to teach the colored youth of Laurens a part at least of what had formerly been taught her at Claln, in 0:angeburg, where her home is. Sae was accom paid by a nice tan bsoy which seemed to enbarrass her-. Ace >r.iingly OI her arrival tuere sne went to the house of a coored womau namned teorgiana Daniei and amled her to ~ka caarge of toe infant until she culd reta:n later in te eventag. The vening came and went a ad the Daniel woman sa-q nothing or her, and began ogrow 0uspicious. Numerous friends were applied to, but noae of them new anything or Ltr ivhereabouats, the only one wno had sea ner being the colored waitress in tae ladies' saiting roomf at tae Ua,.ila cam saed, no had noticed ner get oF the L 4.u rens train with the baoy in nier aruis. Goriana Dantil was iu~ a state of nind at b-:iag, without her consent, c.nLerte1i into a founaling nome, and rp ared to shift tae ourden and re poniilty of tae infaat to the broad r no' lders of the coiuty. But be e sh~e cud tak atae steps necessary e waiting roomu iaitress saw Mary Cvan get on tae south Carolina ran fr. 0:ug bag aed sent a mes eneinase for (5eorgtana Daniel. 'eui .. ,y summaou&t a p:lieeman, - .g a th se a hew mnin - ae a train pulled out, they r~se th young~ woman and had aer rous ooreMagistratrate jia TIere she ackno wiedged the :ada ad that she wanted to get ud o cf ~ a doaodsadal hme. Dits :nad on ao roise to taue the child v:ta ier, snie .nen went a,'way sorrow tu't Death by B3ee4. ha n Aiert, a Niagara ccunty far 2e.lvn near Midaleport, N. Y., hti e plowieg. was attacked by a .vr fc:s, '.in also stung the 'rss causing thern to run away. lerts nlead was asooienl until scarce va sembnc o f Lis features remain . He~ ws 2 a coscious until his eat, whics. oc2Irred Wednesday. I Little Brother. ~ ry. cmes fron Bel ac iltl coaimunity nanorh of Rxck dill, neae r L ist Tuesday after Na.., the three year-old c 'aw, a ten'-nt on MI. B. e shot' and killed his in ~jnr, Bill not quite two years