The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-02-03

teeing that the cost Of a building
erected In accordance with his plans
and specifications will not exceed a
certain sum. but he cannot approx
mately estimate what an idea will cost
by the time II Is transformed into a
building. City council has an idea
that three-story combination fire de-
partment. administration and prison
building should be erected on East
Liberty street.-the future alone will
reveal what II will cost.
Mr. Taft's inslstance that DIR. Crum
be confirmed as Collector Of the port
Of Charleston before March 4th indi-
Gates a shifty disposition and affords
good ground for questioning the sin
cerity OF the sentiments enunciated In
his Atlanta 'possum supper speech.
He knows as well as anyone that DR..
Crum IL not acceptable to the people
OF Charleston and II ne really meant
what he said In Atlanta he would well
come an opportunity to undo the
wrong that Roosevelt did Charleston.
We hope Senator Tillman will succeed
In holding up the confirmation in
definitely In order that the Crum mat
ter may be put squarely up to Presi-
dent Taft and the sincerity of his pro-
fession put to the test.
The long fight for the repeal of tho
lien law appears to be nearing a sue
cessful termination. There are pow
erful and influential interests antag-
onistic to the repeal. however. and 1t
Is not safe to rejoice over the victory
until the bill has safely run the gaunt-
let Of the governors signature. The
lien law Is not without its merits and
In Years past has been Of benefit to
the farming interests, but It Is a Ques-
tion whether or not the sum total of
benefits have not been infinitesimal as
compared with the injury that has re-
suited from the operation of the law.
A few years will be required for
things to become thoroughly adjust
Cd to the new conditions. but the con-
census Of opinion Ia that the ultimate
effects will be beneficial to the farm
Ing interests.
II the volunteer fire department
should be disbanded as one of the re-
suits Of the consolidation of the city
prison with the fire department head
quarters the city would have to face
the problem Of establishing and main
taining a paid department. There
could be no hesitation or delay about
L either. for the property owners of
the city could not afford to be without
some sort of protection against fire
even for day. What would be the
annual cost OF paid fire department +:
Those who have given the matter
some thought say that the cost would
not be less than $4,000 to $4,000 IA
year. and these figures are conserva-
tive and 1t would require the strictest
economy to maintain a very modest
paid fire department on an efficient
basis for this amount of money. Is
the city ready for a paid fire depart
ment? 10 the city able to bear the
expense Of paid fire department at
this time. Would there be a sufficient
saving In consequence of the reduc-
tion In insurance rates to counter-bal-
ance the additional taxation? The in
surance men could probably answer
this question--we have no informa-
tion on the subject
President Roosevelt should fly to
the rescue of his friends Cromwell.
Lodge. Charles Taft and the rest of
that hlgh-browed bunch OF grafters
and begin suit for libel, slander and
lese majestic against Congressman
Rainey. That gentleman said hard
er and more damaging things about
the Panama grafters than did the
New York World. and he asserted his
ability to prove his charges. Per-
haps Mr.. Roosevelt will ignore Mr..
Rainey's speech in the House and
enter suit against the Congressional
Record for printing and circulating
the damaging indictment of the Presi-
dents cronies.