The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-02-05
EDITORIAL NOTES.

aud the day of Adjournment is rot yet
in sight. A long session seems to be
Inevitable, with the consequent heavy
expense to the taxpayers.
Charleston is moving along quietly
under the metropolitan police system,
upjustly aod unreasouably forced on the
city by Gov. Evans. We are glad that
there has been nc rash aod ill-cousider-
ed outbreak of righteous indignation
that would lead to blood shed and riot.
Gov. Evans. has exceeded his power and
overs,epped the bounds of justice, and
deceucy as well, 10 order to retain a
political friend 10 Office, but this does
not serve as sufficient grounds for
forcible resistance to the operation OF
the metropolitan police law. We trust
there will be no violence aud no riot 10
Charleston, and in time the justice-lov-
ing and honest citizenship of the State
will see bow Aagrantly the liberties of
the city and Of the people of Charleston
have been violated and the law, framed
for the purpose Of oppression, will be
wiped from the statute books.
The Senate bill to require Insurance
companies to pay the face of policies IN
case of loss by FIRE will increase the
rates Of insurance in this State. 1t is
next to impossible to fix the true value
of:proper,y when policy is issued, aud
if the bill becomes a law premium
will be placed on fraud. Persons de-
string to defraud the insurance compa-
nies will be encouraged in placing
false valuation on their property and
then burning it. AS meaos of self
protection the companies will increase
the rates and the honest men will be
taxed to uphold the rasca's in their dis
honesty. When it is known that all
losses by Ere are to be adjusted by ap-
prai cement after the fire, those who
would otherwise place fictitious value
on their property will be deferred from
doing so; for they realize that the
chan .es Of selling out to the insurance
companies at big price is by no
means certainty. When everything
is considered, we are confirmed in the
opinion that the proposed insurance law
is good law to kill before it is eo-
acted.
The number of cotton mills pro-
iected in South Carolina indicate that
this State will maintain the Grst place
in the South 10 cotton manufacturing.
Mills will be built in all parts of the
State, from Beaufort to the mountains,
during the year. Cotton mauufactur-
ing is the most promising industry that
Southern capitalists can invest 10, and
it will continue to be as long as the
mills can obtain their supply of cotton
near at hand aud do not have heavy
freight charges to pay. Sumter pro-
duces sufficient cotton to supply several
large mills aud it is ao inviting field
for investment, for the mills Gao obtain
their supply Of cotton at the lowest
price and will consequently have a
larger margin Of profit to be distributed
in dividends TO the stockholders.
There is DO argument in asserting
that factory will not prove profitable
10 Sumter. If the factory has the
proper equipment of the latest and most
improved machinery for making the
class Of goods that is in demand by the
trade, if it is managed according to
business principles BY man who
understands the mill business thorough
". if it is run on cash basis it can
not fail of success for it has been
demonstrated by hundreds Of mills 10
the South that money can be made and
fair dividends paid by Southern mills
when goods sell at prices :hat mean a
net loss on every yard made and sold
by Northern mills. 10 opea competl-
ton the Southern mills have every ad-
vantage over their Northern rivals and
can afford to undersell them 10 every