Newspaper Page Text
w . - 3?ik ? T EDGEFIELD, S. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1910 NO. 26.
VOL. 75. ' '^SSF; I _? . _!- "
RED HILL MEETING.
? . - *
Eourthv County Campaign Meet
ingot Red Hill Saturday.
Large Attendance. Good
Order.
As^fcoru pared with the Edgefield
county campaign meetings of ade
eade and more ago, the meetings of
1910 are almost funereal in charac
ter. They are so orderly and quiet
as to become quite monotonous at
times. Although respectful and at
tentive to a commendable degree,tbe
voters listen to the speeches with a
nonchalant, listless air, as if to say,
"We are taking very little interest
in politics this year and have al
ready made up our minds who to
vote for."
The speakers may do their best,
their level best, and not a hand-cl ap
punctuates, their eloquence. The
niore\ the perspiration beads their
brow, the more they stamp their
feet in emphasizing a point, the
more they beat the air with their
gesticulations and the higher their
flights of oratory, the less inclined
are the voters to respond with hearty
cheers and hurrahs, as in former
years. To our mind this seeming
indifference indicates a wholesome
condition. The masses of the peo
pie are more intelligent and are do
ing their own thinking upon the
questions of the day. While they
are willing to hear the views of
others, they do their own thinking
and arrive at their own conclu
sions.
Well, as to the Red Hill meeting,
it was very much like the. Z st meet
ing at Long Branch. A goodly
number of representative citizens
I attended, and the deportment was
perfect. Had they gathered to par
. ticipate in a religious service in thc
beautiful church near the speakers'
stand the order could ?have been no
better. Two years ago some whis\
key was in evidence, but _be.jt.said
the credit of the men of Red Hill
^jjg^fewas . tainted. wlfch amis
Saturday. .
meeting was opened with pray
y Rev. J. T. Littlejohn, after
which the veteran chairman, Mr. J.
H. Busey> who presided with ease
and grace, presented the. speakers,
beginning with the aspirants for the
office of coroner. Office by office
the candidates Vere called. Some
.came forward-.and made appropriate
remarks, but most of the candidates
for the minor offices arose from their
seat in the audience and simply ask
ed to* be excised. As the entire
forenoon was given to candidate?
for minor offices, the aspirants for
legislative honors did not clear their
decks for action till after dinner.
One hour and a half was spent
in eating hash and in very pleasant
social intercourse. The men of the
community served an excellent-bar
becue dinner in order to raise funds
to erect a fence around the Red Hill
cemetery. The meats were prepar
ed in first-class style by Mr. Erve
Holmes, the foremost chef of the
west-side. During the day the la
dies of Red Hill church refreshed
the crowd- with their delicious ice
cream, making about .?20 net for
their missionary treasurj-. The price,
. a* well as the unexcelled quality,
greatly pleased thfe people, being
only five cents per saucer.
Early in the afternoon the "la
dies, gentlemen and fel?owcitbens"
ye-assembled under the spreading
Awfaite oak to hear the the three or
.atats of the day, the first presented
?being the Hon. S. McG. Simkins.
.He began with discussion of educa
tion, stating that the last session'bf
tile legislative il id more for the free
schools than any legislature
since the days of reconstruction.
He declared that our free schools
are only in. their infancy, * While
much is heard of the splendid pub
1 lie schools of Massachusetts and
oilier northern states, their system
ihas been in Vogue over 100 years.
Our /ree school system dates back
?only ?ahpnt 30 years. No system of
education can be perfected in a
year.
Every ? act that the legislature
passed wirb tbeyiewof aiding weak
schools was founded upon the idea
that the individual or community
jsfcould first help himself or them
jselvas. "God helps the honest
jhajad* that help themselves/' We
can ?Ot have ideal conditions but
by the jregislature and the people
srork?hg together, conditions can be
improved wonderfully. Mr. Sim
kins referred to the fact that often
?progress in a school is interrupted
by local differences of patrons or
?trastees. In 1909 the legislature
appropriated #20.y0O0 to aid weak
schools and it proved to be so help
ful in prolonging school terms that
the last legislature increased the
amount .to $60,000. The people
are awaking to the fact that if
our state is to prosper, along all
Jines the boys and girls must be ed
ucated. In order to take the sup
port of the public schools from the
caprices of the l?gislature the con
stitutional convention of 1895 pro
vided for a levy of three mills on
all property for the vsupp*ort of the
schools. Mr. Simkins emphasized
the importance of talcing advantage
of the appropriation for the estab
lishment of high schools, venturing
the prediction that it will not be
long before a high school is estab
lished at Red Hill. Mr. Simkins
stated that an effort was made to
kill alic high school bili but he, as
sisted by other members, secured its
passage. He said on many occa
sions he fought for the rights pf the
people and if they return him to the
legislature he will continue to stand
up"for their rights.
He stated briefly that he favored
bi-.enniai sessions, four-year terms
foi- county officers. Favors Clem
son college but believes that some
of the privilege tax should be di
verted to the common schools. He
favors good roads and says banks
and railroads should be made to
pay a portion of tax for road im
provement. A bill providing a half
mill levy was passed. Expressed
himself as being a local optimist.
In conclusion Mr. Simkins'offered
to answer any question concerning
his record of service that any one
desired to ask. \
Hon. M. P. Wells.
At the outset Mr. Wells thanked
the people for past favors, stating
that he had come- to Red Hill to
give an account of his stewardship.
He first took up the state colleges
and the support that is given them
as compared with that given the
common schools. Mr. Wells says
the state has about $5,000,000 in
vested in college property which in
vested at 6 per cent interest, would
bring an income of $300,000. Add
to this the $500,000 that is required
to support these schools, and then
it will be steen that the annual cost
to the state of thif$,000 students is
$800,000, or about $400 to each stu
l^e^^^i^^l^^^^e^^^^^^^^^ I
great a discrimination exists. Ap
propriations to the state institutions
have become too extravagant. Wof
ford, Erskine, an^ Fnrman Univer
sity live and do good work without
one dollar of appropriation.
Mr. Wells next explained how he
has saved the state $00,000 dollars a
year in interest by providing for
refunding the state debt of $6,000,
00C at-3-2 instead of 4-2 per cent,the
rate now being paid. The Comp
troller General approved the bill
most heartily. He then took up
the discussion of the cotton tare bill
which will save the farmers of
South Carolina $1,800,000 annually.
The bill has stood the test of the i
state courts and has been carried to
the United States supreme ppurt by :
the mills and exporters. The Far
mers Union of South Carolina ap^ ;
proved of the cotton tare bill when
he introduced it and sent- one of i
their representatives to Columbia i
to work for its passage. Mr. Wells
also referred to the bill providing
for public cotton weigher, the pas
sage of which he secured. 1
. Tlic speaker next took up the
question of good roads. It is im
possible to have better roads with
out more funds, and Mr. Wells fa
vors the raising of more funds by a I
levy upon all property. Heretofore
the farmers only have beep paying
commutation tax. He would not <
abolish the commutation tax but ;
would make a small reduction
if levy is added, so as not to make !
the burden fall doubly heavy on the
country people. He introduced, a
bill providing for a half mill levy ?
upon all property for road purposes.
Mr. Wells does not believe any one
class should build the roads but
that ail classed should bear tbe tax' -i
burden equally. The small increase
of the levy will not be felt by the
tax payeri:. It will force the fel
low who has pojt been paying any
tax to pay his share.
Mr. Jerome H, Courtney.
The last speaker of the day was .
Mr. Jerome H. Courtney, wno be- :
gan by saying he lias no record ex- '
cept that of a quiet, peaceful citi- 1
zen. He has spent his time close at
home, and for that reason he is 1
somewhat of a stranger, but . said
he: "I know you will not hold that ?
against me."
Mr. Courtney said, "Education is
a question we face every day, and
especially is it a question with the
country people. The towns have
dense population and more proper
ty, consequently they can handle
the situation. We have only land
in the country, and our schools are
not making the progress that the
town schools are making." Mr.
Courtney saki he is not fighting
Clemson but wants to see the com
mon schools receive justice a's well
as Clemson. He said $87 out of
(Continued on page 4)
w . - 3?ik ? T EDGEFIELD, S. C., WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1910 NO. 26.
VOL. 75. ' '^SSF; I _? . _!- "
OUR TEXAS LETTER.
''Uncle" te Writes Another In
ter esting' Letter From the
.v Lone Star State. Crop
??' Conditions.
? ' :??'? .. . v
Well, another week has passed
by and I am still well, and I do be
lieve that I ariji fattening. My son is
daily gaining- strength and I be
lieve now that}; he will get'up from
this spell. ,
Since writing a week ago, I have
taken a trip about twenty-five miles
west of here but iit the same coun
ty. In my other letter to you I told
of the land'here. When I started
from here I had my eyes operand
kept them open. I had not gone far
before I noticed a decided change
in the land^ The .first looked very
much like the lands in Rehoboth
section. Post oak growth and the
water tasted like the water from
the spring at Rehoboth, but this
land did not extend more than three
or four miles, and is cultivated al
most entirely, by "negroes. After
passing over/ that section the conn
try gradually begins to get higher
and as I looked ahead I could see
what appeared to be/ a hill country
and after traveling t about tenor
eleven miles I reacher! aplace called
Horn Hill. Here I could sit in the
buggy and see for miles north,
south and west, a vast tableland.
This section is called^ the black
land and black it is, but not as level
is it looks from that hill. But there,
kvere really no hills "Imt-somo land
i little rolling and sir they just run
iheir ro,W8 up those inclines to
ceep it they saj'. from washing
iway but the soil is several feet deep,
for in some places where the road
led had worn ofe:'washed out for
ive and six feet;$he .soil showed
'rom top to bottom. You just can't
)uy a-farm in., that .Section 'for less
m'an sixty or/'se veil ty .. live.; dollars
injacre.1.Those who live'there say
hat in a~ short while it cannot be
)ought for one bunded dollars an
tere. The farmers use no commor
:ial fertilizers at aH there and make
rom thirty to fifty and even sixty
mshels of corn to the acre. And, ti
strange to say, a bale to two acres F
s considered a fair crop. In travel- tl
ng over the roads I notice some d
rood work on the roads. si
I haven't seen in Edgefield conn- ci
y in ten years as many colts as I ir
aw op my trip of twenty three rr.
niles. They were good colts, both si
nule and horse colts. Tis a rare rc
bing for one who owns a mare not ci
0 raise colts and as I write I can a
hink pf quite a number in Edge? hS
leid county who own a good maro
mt raise no colts. The mules and
iOrses are large and in good
ondition. The milch cows as a rule
re good ones, very few scrubs of
ny kind.
Have seen but one hog and that
ooked like a razor back. She had on
1 block like q. dog; chain around
1er neck and a big block attached
0 the other end.
Any hay? yes, sir, and most of
; sorghum, sown as thick as oats or
'heat. Some millet; why, sir, the
armers here say tis cheaper to raise
hy than to pull fodder.
Let me tell you of one farm I
aw which contained I suppose one
.undred acres. First, about ten
cres were in corny next, about the
ame in peas (now ripe); about forty
r fifty/in cotton; the balance, I
uppose twenty five or thirty acres,
1 peas after oats. I never saw such
pea field as those planted and
nltiyated after oats. About hip
ligh and alnost black, being so
Teon. Hay presses every where,
nd my, my, such piles of hay! lt
lade me thin* of Dr. Prescott's
ats, the piles were so thick in the
elds.
But at this time tis very dry and
he boll worm is beginning to put
n its appearance, but the farmers
ay if it stays dry they cannot do
inch harm. There are some boll
weevils but tis too hot und dry for
liemto do much damage.Any water
es, sir, I have seen them hauling
rater for the stock to drink but
fiat is not common yet. However,
f this drought holds it will have to
e done by stoclunyners in .* good
lany sections. In the black lands
bey patch the pain wator in winter
or drihkifK water and whenever in
ains in slimmer tis run into cisterns
>y tin troighs. lt drinks very well
mt not 1 iice our ridgefield spring
nd well vat er. \
Take lt all the. way through,
believe snyone who has a home in
he old stites if they will take care
?f it and fertilize as they ought and
otate their crops, can do about as
ve.l as here. Though I must admit
|iat if I lad come to this section
if Texas when a young man or even
yhen forty years old I would have
?orne herp to live, for lice these
(Continued on page 8)
tl
ri"
te
ai
si
B
di
w
ta
S.
d?
di
lu
fe
sc
al
gi
st
o]
fi
el
st
v<
n<
ol
Cl
tl
di
tl
in
tl
n;
T
ti
ir
ai
fe
al
tli
ol
cc
sn
hi
P<
Pl
st
ir
P
a1
a<
st
1!
$?
O
tl
ir
CORN PALACE.
Corn Carnival to be Held in
Connection With Georgia
Carolina Fair This
Fall.
Henry P. Moore, writing in the
Augusta Herald, has the following
Lo say concerning the corn carnival
which will be held in connection
with the Georgia-Carolina fair:
'This is' a year of surpassing
fruitfulness in the South in all things
?ave cotton.
'There is too much rain for cot
ton and the grass is growing so lux
.iriant that it chokes the weed and
robs it of the substance which the
farmer has placed in the earth for
its nourishment. To plow, in sea
ions like th's, would do the crops
10 good, besides ruining the soil,
md consequently all the fertilizing
luantities of the soil intended for
die cotton are taken up by the grass
md weeds, and the prospects for an
iverage yield are at this time quite
floomv.
"But while this is true of the cot
on crop, as a generous compensa
ion for tue los? sustained in the
lecre?sed production of the fleecy
tapie, we are blessed with the most
)ounteous and record-breaking yield
>f fruits, vegetables, food and for
ige products that the good Dame
Mature baa ever put forth from her
torehouse, The railroads can not
iiruish cars enough to haul the
>eaoh crop. It is estimated that
xeorgia's contribution alone will
equire 5,000 cars to market the
rop, notwithstanding the fact that
hey are now being rushed out of
he State at the rate of 150 cars per
lay. Many train loads are rotting^
.n the side tracks and in the paok
ng houses^ to say ' nothing of the | ]
mmeuse quantities of splendid fruiA
;oingio-w'aste in the.great oom
lerohjl orchards.. At Fort Valley,
he newspapers report, there was a
rain load of peaches, paoked and
eady for shipment, lost through
ick of adequate shipping arrange
ants.
"Near Americus, immense quan
tics have been dumped into the
'lint river, and a small station in
ie fruit, belt, 80,000 crates, were
estroyed. These instances, which
low the enormous volume of the
rop, might doubtless be multiplied
?d?finitely. It is hard to glut the
lai'ket with Georgia peaches. The
im arising from the prodigious
lovement of peaohes will probably
(iial if it does not exoeed $5,000,000
nd which will be brought into this
tato,
Hay and Forage Crops.
''This is. a year that emphasizes
ie benefits to be derived from irri
x?on and illustrates the use of wa
ir as a fertilizer. Take, for ex
nple, hay and. the forage crops
ich as peas, alfalfa, Johnson grass
ermud?; and siich other as are in
igenoua to thia soil or that grow
011 under these skies. The spon
.neons and exuberant soil of the
outh^under the influences of abun
mt warmth and moisture, pro
pices in the shortest time the most
uiuriant growth- of grasses and
?rage plants. I, myself, have
len with my own eyes in the rich
luvial bottoms of the Oconee, a
rowth of Bermuda apd. lepedesa
riata so rank the heaviest make
f Buckeye pr Clia.rn.p4on, mowers
tiled to cut it without stopping to
ear tho cutter -bar every few
cps, v
.'in tho beautiful meadow of Do
3r, Oakalona, Maysword, Fonte
oy and other plantations this was
f frequent occurrence.
"Such years as this four of live
ittings should be taken from
lese meadows a season. The main
ifficulty to be experienced is to get
ie hay cured and housed when the
itervals of fair weather between
ie rains are so short. The ton
ige from these*lands is enormous,
here is scarcely a farm in this see
on where a few acres eould not be
rigated economically and easily,
ul which would not if properly
rtilized and cultivated, produce
1 the hay needed, thereby saving
ic money paid out in the purohase
: Western hay, together with the
?st of freight and hauling. If a
nail hillside streamlet was not at
ind to furnish the water supply,
;rhaps an artesian we}l might be
.otitably employed.
"Here is a comparison demon
rating ibo benefits accruing from
rigation. Sugar cane glands in
uerto Rico in an unirrigated state
/erage in price about $200 an
ire, and produce about ten tons of
igar to the acre. But such lands
ive been irrigated command about
500 an acre and produoe five tons
f sugar to the aoro., This -hows
ie enhancement value of proper
.rigation. Last year about $18,
00,000 worth of sugar was export
1 from Peurto Rico. This year
her exports of sugar will reach
about ?25,000,000.
A Corn Carnival.
"But the plentiful harvests be
ing garnered in this section does
not stop here. - Not only the fruits
of the earth and the grasses and
forage crops are being brought
forth by the copious and refreshing
showers, but corn, s\*eet, whole
some and nutritious, is being made
in the greatest abundance the South
has ever known. A man by the
name of Williamson, a native of
South Carolina, for whom the Wil
liamson process of raising corn is
named, is the best friend of the
farmer and the greatest of public
benefactors. He has made two ears
of corn grow where only one ear
grew before, and he has taught the
South that she could grow corn with
greater profit than any other sec
tion of the globe. AH hail the
name of Williamson!
"A glorious sight it is, a fine
field of corn in silk and tassel, with
plumes waving, pennants streaming
and stalks erect, and in perfect
alignment, like files of grenadiers
on dress parade.
"By the Williamson system the
maximum yield of corn was raised
from 25 or 80 bushels to 100 or
more per acre. Thus it becomes
possible to raise on a comparatively
Bmall area, say five or six acres, by
this intensive plan, corn enough +o
do an entire plantation for the year.
Corn being a water loving plant,
irrigation would greatly increase
the yield.
Lastyear Georgia produced 52,
598,000 bushels of corn a.nd South
Carolina 33,337,000. With the in
3reased aoreage and increased yield
per acre, ?wing to the favorable
reason this year, it is expected that
?be orop in these two States will
argely exceed these figures.
, "Judson Harmon, a prominent
presidential possibititf and candi
date foi* the Democratic nomina
tion for that office, hari been, invited
to deliver-an address at the open
ing this fall of the Georgia-Carol^
ia Fair Association. He comes
'rom Ohio, a corn produoing State,
t would be interesting to hear him
iddress an audience composed of
armers of twoStates so largely &iv
\t\ over to the cultivation of corn,
mt whioh are also prominent
itnong their Southern sisterh ood as
lorn producers,"
Resolutions Upon Col. Bacon's
Death.
[The following Resolutions were
Unanimously Adopted by the
South Carolina Press Association
at Glenn Springs, S. C., Tuesday,
June 14, 1910 :
Among the members of this As
ooiation, since its beginning, "many
nen of uncommon talents and att
ainments have been enrolled, but
our committee risks little in say
?g that none has contributed so
auch to the sprightliness and so
ial charm of its meetings as the
;ite James T. Bacon. If. not the
greatest gift that man maiy have,
tumor is perhaps the rarest, and
,'hen the humor is of a rarely sweet
nd gentle quality, it is treasure
rove unfailing to all who share its
iossessor's companionship. Mr.
Jacon was a delightful gentleman
nd we intend the word "delight
ul" to carry its fulltst meaning.
Ie was a cultivated man in the
road sense; a musician of an invia
le skill; widely and liberally edu
ated in the purest literature of
lore than one language, and a wri
it of merit distinctly above1 the
tandara usually required by the
est journals. If he gained no
ade reputation, it was because he?
bose to spend his life among the
eighbors and friends of the village
nd county in which he was born
nd where he grew up, devoting his
rilliant powers to helping them
nd smoothing the path for those
rhose feet were weary. In
large community his unique abili
es would have won such recogni
on as most men crave, but his de
berate choioe was to spend and be
lent for those who seemed to need
im most. As a soldier and a eitl
en in days of stress or in quiet
ime, modestly, but ever bravely
nd faithfully, he did his duty,
'herefore, be it
B,esolved, 1st. That the death of
ames T. Bacon brings to the mem
ers of the South Carolina Press
association a sense of personal sor
)w and loss.
2nd. That they testify to his loy
Ity to and self-sacrificing zeal for
igh ideals of journalism, and to
ie fidelity with which he served his
eople and his country.
3. That copies of these resolu
ions be sent to his family and the
ewspapers of his county, and shat
hey be recorded in the minutes'of4
his Association.
e;
tl
y
Ci
o
a:
L
tl
n
al
u
F
rc
cl
st
bi
si
hi
bi
ai
w
th
ai
in
If
fr
d<
A
fa
sc
ar
PC
ta
er
re
si:
fo
re
ha
th
G.
lai
to
wi
al
ai<
ci<
gc
fo
ch
tie
ca
on
co
w,<
wi
an
im
iii:
sh<
tic
tio
ov
we
of
w
tri
sig
ha
im
pei
v?
roi
thc
tai
clo
i
frc
of
coi
cia
lar
go
of
ha?
fui
f <
thc
thc
a i
sui
dil
yo
tw
ro
n^HVMHlES HRH
GOOD ROADS APPEAL.
rimely Paper in Advocacy of
Better Roads. Saluda and
Aiken Claying Their
Roads. \
It is with a great deal ,of pleasure
hat I note the signs -of awakening
n Edgefield county in regard to the
uiserable condition of our roads,
['he articles recently written by Mr.
iooding and Mr. Parker are tirae
y and to the point, and I am sorry
hat more of our prominent men
lave not had something to say upon
he subject. I feel sure that every v
ntelligent man and woman in the s
ounty realizes the importance of
he question, and that silence is due
olely to the fact that they are
raiting for some one else to take
he intiative. v
Good roads are a matter of inter
3t to all. . The city man needs
bern for pleasure and business,
'he merchants, doctors and law
ers are interested in good roads be
muse they exert a profound influence
ver their business. The railroads
re much interested in thi* subject; .
f the wagon roads that lead to
ie depots are good, it may not
?ally increase their business. But
hove all the farmers are dependent
pon the condition of the roads,
br the lack of good roads the far
ler suffers more than any other
ass of peo pl- and bad roads con
itute one of the greatest draw
icks to rural life. This is well
?own by the fact that localities .
iving a system of good roads are,
?coming richer, more" prosperous,
id more thickly settled each year,
bile those which do not possess
tese advantages of transportation
e either at standstill or are becom
g poorer and more thinly settled.
, these conditions continue
uitful farms may . be aban
med and rich lalnd go to: waster
s a result of bad WoadB, life on the
rm is often isolated and barren of
cial enjoyments and pleasures
id in some communities country
iople suffer siich great disavan
gee that ambition is checked, en
gy weakened and- industry paral
:ed. Like good streets, good roads
nder habitation along them de
rable. They economize time and
ree in transportation of produce;
duce wear and tear on horses*
irness and vehicles, and enhance
e market value of our real estate.
Dod roads raise the value of farm
[ids and farm products and tend
beautify the county through
aioh they pass. They facilitate re
delivery of the mails and are an
I to education, religion and so
sty. They increase facilities for
ring to church, for visiting and
r social intercourse and would so
ange farm life in many communi
!8 as to make it entirely different,
using many objections to living
a faiftn to disappear. Farmers
uld then keep in touch with the
>rld and have greater sympathy
th the age in which they live.
Charles Sumner once said road?
d school-masters are the two most
portant agents in advancing civ
sation. In this connection, fit
auld be mentioned that the rela
in of the public roads to educa
n is one which has been largely
erlooked. It is more or less a
II known fact that we have in all
our states a number of illiterates,
hile there are a number of con
bntory causes to illiteracy, it is
;nificant to note that those states
ving the highest percentage of
proved roads, have the lowest
rcentage of illiterates, and vf^e
rsa. It is probable that bad
ids are partly * cause and partly
; effect of ignorance, but it cer
nly appears that the two are
sely related.
Since Sabjda county has been cut
im Edgefield she is gettiijffmost
her sand roads clayed. Aiken '
mty has about 3,000 miles of
yed roads.
E. M. Padgett.
Trenton, S. C.
Standing by the entrance of a
ge estate in the suburbs of Glass
w are two huge dogs carved out
granite.
An Englishman going by in a
3k, thought he would have some
i with his Scotch driver.
'Ho w^ often, Jabk, do they feed
?se two big dogs?"
'Whenever they bark, sir," wa?
; straightfaced reply.
The Summer Girl.
'How'd you like tobe engaged to
nillionaire?"
"I was engaged to one all last
aimer, and he seldom spent a
ne. I want to be engaged to. a
ung man who is down here for
o weeks with about $300 in his
ll."-Washington Herald.
