The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-12-30

The reports sent the New York
Journal from Spain by james Creel-
man, the noted correspondent, indi-
cate that the war in COba must in-
evitably come to an end within the
next few months. as Spain is bank
rupt aud has no means OF raising
funds for the further prosecution Of
the war.
The continued and increasing depres.
sion of trade in oil lines, the numerous
business failures aud the closing of
banks. believed to be as sound as dol
lar, gives the lie to the Republican
promises of business revival and unpre-
cedeuted prosperity to follow as
sequence to McKinley's election. The
cry of Bryan or bust has been followed
by that Of KcKinley and bust. We
look for worse things to follow. for
cop.raction of the currency, as the
natural and inevitable result of the
maintenance Of the gold standard.
means contraction of the business,
and all save those who are fortified to
Withstand the squeeze will be crushed.
The great capitalists will grow richer
by the requirement Of property at de-
preoa,ed values. while the poor and
moderately we'll of will lose what they
have been enabled to accumulate by
years Of industry.
Mr.. n. G. Patton one of Rich.
lands representatives in the House of
Representatives will introduce bill
at the approaching session of the
General Assembly providing for re-
districting the state. He proposes
that the congressional districts shall
follow natural geographical lines and
that the irregular shaped districts
shall be abolished. Counties will
not be divided between two or more
districts and counties lying within
fhe same section of the state will! be
Incorporated into the same district.
Mr.. Patton's bill is an excellent one
and it should be enacted without
serious opposition. It has every
thing to commend it to the favorable
consideration of the law pakers Of
the state, and nothing of weight can
be urged against it.
The Venezuelan controversy has
been finally settled, and the United
States has no further connection with
the matter. The treaty will be sign
ed by the representatives of England
and Venezuela and diplomactic re
lations between the two countries
will be resumed. This very satisfac
tory solution of controversy that at
one time threatened to precipitate an
unequal struggle between England
and Venezuela, is due in the largest
measure to the emphatic and decided
stand taken by President Cleveland,
and if for no other reason. be is en-
titled to place in the list Of great
Americans who boldly asserted the
rights of all Americans to fair treat
ment at the hands of European gov
ernments. But for Cleveland 3 ia.
nous Venezuelan message England
would have persisted in bullying
Venezuela without regard to right or
justice
We do not approve of the dispensary
coustabularly at all and will be glad.to
see it eliminated by the next session Of
toe Legislature, but we think i. is evl'
dent to s.y uDprejudiced reader of the
newspapers of the State that the con
stables have often received harsh and
unjas. ceDsure for killing lsv breakers
whom they have attempted to arrest
We know as veil as any one that the
cens..bles have committed numerous
unproyoked and inexcusable outrages
and a good many bloody murders are
Justly charged to their account, bu1
every man who met his death at the
hands of dispeusary coostables vas no.
murdered. 1t is the duty of the con
Ilx - .,fo.oa tho law and arrea