The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-11-25
] FERTILIZER CASES
Will Not be Stayed BY Clemson
Trustees as Asked: 4 s'l y: n; /. !,
FAVOR MORE MODERATE LAWS.
Bnt Cannot Agree to Thsow
Out the Gases Which Have y. IS
Been Made a e mis-
Certain Parttca, & x :. q

The State says the board Of trus-
tees OF Clemson college held an inpor.
tant meeting at Wrights' hotel Tue s.
day OF last week and was ID, session
more than five hours. Last sum mer
the board Instructed Mr.. n. M. Stack
house, clerk OF the fertilizer depart
ment, to institute legal proceedings
against some Of the fertilizer com.
panies doing business in South Caro-.
lima, for violation of the statute law
as to the guarantee of fertilizers
Many goods had been found d sHcient
under the terms of law. Several in /
dictmentS had been entered against
some Of the fertilizer companies and
other indictments are TO be entered
as fast as practicable.
The representatives sof-the several
companies whose agents are under In.
dtctments asked to be allowed to ap.
pear before the board to explain and
defend their good faith and dealings
with the people,. -Eequests we're made
that pending prosecutions be mol
pressed. But the board, after care
fully considering the fertilizer law.
did not feel authoriz- d to Go this, ncr
was 1T willing to stop the Issuing of
the warrants against those interested
who on the face Of evidences. have
been charged with selling deficient
fertilizers.
After thoroughly canvassing the en-
tire situation 1t was decided that the
present fertilizer law offered loopholes
OF escape, or appears to do SO, and In
many instances the fraudulent intent
does lot appear, but the board feels feels
that 1T must press straight on In the
course decided upon, and begin the
prosecution Of all deliI quents.
1t was determined, however, that
committee should consider the ques
tion of submitting the matter of the
fertilizer law to the general assembly
at Its next session for amendment,
and in the meantime it is the purpose
OF the board to continue the prosecu-
tions rather than to press them until
after the legislature meets and ad-
1ourns. The board will not change
Its policy unless the legislature shall
change the law, and 1t will press all
Of the indictments next spring and
Will hold the outstanding indictments
on the dockets and not Insist upon q
trial pending the action of the general
assembly In further constituting the
present statute.
In conversation a member of the
csard represented th&t 1issi sl6i ( 7tS..is t.s!
indictments were cases largely on
technical grounds, but the board fears
that If 1t failed to carry out the strict
letter OF the law 1t would make itself
liable to cenSure. 1t has been sug-
ReSted that the law will be amended
by the legislature, 50 as to make the
matter perfectly plain.
Another important matter was the
authorization of additional inspectors
to gather samples. Additional chem
lists were also suggested to keep the
analysis OF the samples OF the fertili-
zers up with the work of the inspec.
tors, so that the farmers can get what
they pay for.
The board appreciates that In Sc me
OF the pending cases, perhaps, there
has been technical guilt without in
tent; but in view Of the statute law
the board feels that 1t cannot consent
to drop any OF the prosecutions. 1t
must follow the chart of the statute
law whether that be reasonable or not
in every detail.
There we're representatives Of nine
fertilizer manufacturers present who
urged .the propriety of dropping the
suits and pressing such as involved
bona tide infractiors of thelaw with
FRAUDULENT intent. Tue members Of the
board present were: r. w. Simpson OF
Pcndleton, president; j. f.. Wanna
maker OF ST. Matthews; Jesse II.
Harding OF Chester; j. E. Tindal Of
Summerton; w. l.. Donaldson of
Greenvillc; ]. e. Bradley OF Abbcvile;
G. Duncan Bellingi r OF Columbia; l.
a. Sease OF Newbe.ry; r H. Bowen
OF Pickens, and Augustine 7. Smythe
OF Pendleton. Col. Nj. b. Harding of
the chemistry department., DIR. p. II.
e. Sloan, secretary and treasurer OF
the college, and Mr. Fl. NJ. Stack.
house, secretary Of the fertilizer board,
were also present.
Accidentally Killed.
A sad and fatal ac.ident occurred