Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-04-20
Straps and fatts.


ception rendered him in Washington.
When the committee waited on him TO
receive his final decision, he started his
speech of declinalion in a characteris'
tic manner. Look here, boys" he
said, in a matter of fact tone, 81 have
not done a thing that either one OF
YOU, or any American citizen would
not have done, and l don't see why
there should be any fuss made about
it. Now, I don't want you to think
I'm ungrateful, for l am not; but |
have studied over the matter and feel
satisfied that it would be better not to
have the reception. do not for an
instant want anybody to think that |
wish to put myself forward, aud l
must decline your most kind offer"
Only single incident at the ses'
sion of the house last Friday was
worthy of public notice. Mr.. Bailey,
the Democratic leader, arose to a ques,
ton of privilege, to reply to news
paper criticism charging him with re-
sponsibility for the disorderly scene in
the house on Wednesday. He ar
raigned the speaker in severe terms,
alleging that it was the speakers un-
fair and unjust treatment of himself
which had precipitated the trouble.
The speaker, from the chair, listened
to Mr.. Bailey's structures, and when he
concluded declined to discuss the ques'
ton, declaring that what he had done
had been done in the presence of the
house and 1000 spectators, and upon
the Judgment of these witnesses ne
was willing to rest the justification OF
his action.
- The Spaniards are evidently in
deadly earnest. A Madrid correspon'
dent of the London Daily Telegraph,
says: "The greatest enthusiasm Is
manifested everywhere among the peo'
pie, who are subscribing even more
substantially than they can afford, to
the funds for the national defence. l
am acquainted with families who in
tend to deprive themselves of one meal
day in order to give their mite 10
the government. Many officials on
small salaries have resolved to offer
one days pay, and even two, to the
government. Boys under age are ask.
ing permission to serve in the army,
their parents having already consented
Some popular bull-fghters, whose
performances are worth hundreds OF
thousands of francs yearly, have re-
solved to abandon their vocation and
to shoulder rifles in defence of the
fatherlaud."
"A Washington dispatch of Satur'
day to the Associated Press, says: Hon,
Theodore Roosevelt will probably re-
sign his office as assistant secretary OF
the navy in case of hostilities with
Spain, to accept commission for ac'
tive service in the army. Nothing
definite has yet been decided upon as
to what assignment he would accept,
but it is believed that he would pre-
fer to serve with the New York state
troops. From the beginning of the
present difficulties with Spain Mr..
Roosevelt has been prominent among
those who believe that war is the only
solution of the problem, and since the
disaster to the Maine his advice to the
president and the members Of the
cabinet has uniformly been for imme'
diate action against the Spanlards
with the full power of the army and
navy. He has never doubted that the
Spaniards were responsible for the
wreck of the Maine and believes that
act fully justities an immediate declar'
alton of war.
- The Massachusetts house of rep
resentatives, after long debate, re-
jected by large majority measure
to prevent women and minor opera
tives in cotton mills from working
overtime without pay, when their work
had been interrupted by stoppage Of
the machinery due to accident. The
bill had been favorably passed upon q
few weeks ago. The debate brought
out the strongest sort of opposition
from the cotton manufacturers of Fall
River, New Bedford, Taunton, Lowell
Lawrence and other places. Colonel
Albert Clarke, of Wellesley, secretary
of the Home Market club, said that
"not a Massachusetts cotton mill had
paid dividend for year." He pre-
sented written argument against the
bill, signed by men representing many
millions of dollars. On the side of the
operatives it was said that the trouble
comes from the enormous salaries O.
from $4,000 to 10000 which are paic
by the mills to their treasurers anc
agents. The labor element in the
house was solid for the bill.
- The Hampton Roads squadron
which sailed for the open sea las
Wednesday, returned on Friday tt
Fortress Monroe. 1t developed thai
the squadron had really gone out fol
the purpose announced by the navy
department-to practice. The mer
were drilled in the signal code, ano
also in calls to quarters and battle
calls, etc. Friday morning was giver
over to practice at the guns, all the
ships putting out targets at 500 yards
The gunners on the Brooklyn cut the
flag from the top of their target within
20 minutes; remarkable work when il
is considered that the target was but
Is inches square and the flagstaff but
3 inches wide. Commodore Schley
expressed himself as well pleased with
the work of the captains of the vessels
under his charge. The manoeuvres o.
the boats and the work of the crews
at the guns were both highly pleasing