The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-02-08
THE WATCRMAN AND soUTHRoN, FEBRUARY 8, 1905.

ennial sessions, For quadrennial ses-
sions, would be an improvement.
Its. maudlin sentimentality that
halts at the legal execution of a
woman who has been proven guilty,
beyond the shadow of a doubt, of a
cruel aud deliberate murder. If the
people of Pennsylvania revolt at the
idea of hanging Kate Edwards, who
conspiretl with her mulatto paramour
,to murder her husband, what crime
would they deem deserving of the
death penalty.
If coca cola is detrimental to the
public health, why not turn it's sale
over to the dispensarys The State
would thereby exercise its police
power and also reap a substantial
profit b5 catering to the perverted
appetities of the dope fends. Thas's
the theory Of the dispensary system.
The New Orleans Cotton Growers
CONVENTION was primarily busi-
ness meeting of business men, but
there was q decided mixture OF poll
tics in it, Judging from the promi-
nence given quite number of the
leading professional politicians of the
South-To Ton, Watson. Richmond Pear
son Hobson, Gov. Vardaman, John
Il McLaurin and others, by way of
example.
The Farmers Alliance had its origin
in the fight inaugurated by the farm
ers against the cotton bagging trust
and its political power was developed
from the business organization by the
astute Office seekers who seized the
opportunity to further their personal
political ambitions. It would not be
human nature for some of the Office
seekers not to try to turn the trick
again with the cotton growers associa-
tion as the instruments,
1t is rumored that an effort will be
made to induce the promoters Of the
Sumter & Northern Railroad to build
the road to HartsYille, instead of
directly from Bishopville to. McBee
on the Seaboard Air Line. To do SO
would netessitate q considerable de-
tour, but the advantages that would
accrue from having Hartsville as a
feeder for the business Of the road
would prol,ably more than compensate
for the deviation from an air line.
An air lire from Sumter via Harts-
vile to the junction with. the Sea-
board would leave Bishopville some
niles to the northwest of the road, and
the loss IN business by not having
BishopyiIle on the line would certain
ly bs dully as great as the business
gained by building to Hartsyine. We
have no idea the promoters of the
Scmter & Northern would consider
giving BiahopyilIe the go-by for the
sake of building to Hartsville, mas
much as one of the chief objects of the
proposed road is to secure a direct
route to Bishopville. Only an insur-
mountable obstacle could operate to
divert the road from Bishopville, and
so far as can be ascertained none now
exist, unless the property owners be-
tween Scape Ger Swamp and Bishop
.si1le and the citizens of that town
should refuse to grant the necessary
right Of way. The town of Bishop
vile and the property owners could
easily raise an insurmountable OBJ
stacle by demanding prohibitive prices
for the rights of way and terminals;
but we can not believe that SO short
sighted a policy will receive serious
consideration. Should Bishoville,
however, make it unreasonably ex-
pensive for the road to enter that
town, and should Hartsville offer sub
stantial inducements for it to go
there. it is not difficult to forsee what
the result would be.
Hon. T. B. Fraser has had some
complimentary things said about him
recently. We wonder if those people
in the legislature are just finding out
" hat manner Of man he is Sumter
has long held him at his true worth,
conservative, patriotic and incorrup-
tibIe. Mr.. Fraser is the peer Of any
man in any legislature from auy
county in any State, in respect to