The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-02-03

HAi 0e!t oO'O us tuiciEoC iu tiIE
True Southron to " D Banding.
About the same time n. 6 Osteen
purchased an interest in the Sumter
Watchman and on August 2. 1881,
the two papers were consolidated
From 1881 until 1891 the Watchman
and Southron had a succession Of
editors, Proprietor Osteen remaining
in control. The editors were D B.
Anderson, w D 3landing, ] A
Mood, W F. Rhame, w. j. Beard.
W. Ingram and Mark Reynolds
In August, 1891, Hubert G Osteen
assumed editorial control and is still!
at his pos. The policy of the paper
has always been in accord with the
principles of the proprietor, N. G.
Osteen Strictly and uncompromis-
ingly Democratic, in Reconstruction
days the True Southron was, per
haps, the foremost exponent of
',Straightout'' Democracy in the
State and by reason Of that stand it
obtained an unusually large circula-
tion for country weekly. At one
time during the editorship of W. G..
Kennedy, the paper gave the Repub.
lican ring SO much concern that ~
agent was sent to Sumter with 81. !
in cash, which he offered to Darr q
Osteen on condition that they discon.
tinue the publication of the paper for
one year, they to retain the outfit.
The offer was rejected and the fight
continued with a bitterness that has
never been surpassed in the newspa-
per annals of this State. "Some of
Mr. Kennedys editorials u says Mr.
II G. Osteen, care unique, and l
have never seen anything at all like
them" Mr Shirley c. Hughson is
of much the same opinion as Mr..
Osteea, as regards the excoriating
qualities of Mr. Kennedy's editorials.
The paper is still conducted accord
ing to high journalistic and ethical
standards
From 1857 to 1859 or go W. J.
Francis and j. F DeLorme published
the "Sumter Dispatch "
"The Banner of Freedom" was
freak or sport in the annals of jour
nalism 1t was published-a single
issue-on April 10th or 11tb, 1865,
by Gent Edward E Potter, Us A.,
when be and his raiders had control
of Sumter 1t was printed in the
Sumter Watchman Office by soldier
printers in Potter s command After
printing the single issue of the "Ban-
ner of Freedom"-which Luis j
Emilio, the historian of Potter's
Raiders calls "a loyal edition of the
Sumter Watchman"-they threw all
the type into pi and wrecked the
old Washington Hand Press. This
old press is still capable of doing
good work.
In 1881 Immediately after the True
Southron and Watchman were con-
solidated two new papers were es-
tablished the Spirit of the Times,
by G H DeLorme, and the Sumter
Advance, by Fl. l. Darr & Parmalee
The Spirit of the Times changed
hands several times within a few
years of a not very prosperous ex-
istence and was then removed to
Manning by H L Darr, Jr.. where
it became the Mannig Times.
The Sumter Advance was publish
ed continuously by 81. L. Darr until
his death. about eight years ago He
was succeeded by 81. L. Darr, Jr.,
who published it until the latter part
of 1892, when it was sold to S. A.
Nettles, who changed the name to
Sumter Herald, and after a few
months sold out to Knight Brothers.
who now successfully conduct the
paper
In 1890 John j Dargan and Ed
win F. Miller established the Free
man, as Reform organ. Mr.. Oar
gan retired in 1895 and the pa
per is now published by Edwin F.
Miller.
On October Is, 1894. the Daily
Item was established By Hubert &.
Osteen as a four column folio 1t
was later enlarged to it's present size,
FIVE column folio.
For few months in 1894-5 the
Journal of Progress, negro weekly,
was published in Sumter, of which
the Rev. C. G. Scott was editor.
There have been fully half dozen
papers published in Bishcpville with
in the las is years. The Enter
prise," eagle" I ID County Ban.
ner' were among the unsuccessful
ventures The Mirror was the last
candidate for public favor.
Two papers have been published at
Mayesville.
Among the most prominent men