The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-05-13

IL President Taft and the cooler
heads OF congress do not sit tight on
the lid this country will be involved
In a war with Mexico within thirty
days. The situation is extremely crit
ical and there appears to be powerful
interests In favor of an invasion OF
Mexico. The army officers will nat
urally heartily approve Of a war, for
II Is only by war that they may win
fame and rapid promotion, but neith-
er the regular army officers nor the
contractors who furnish supplies
should be allowed to influence con-
gress TO commit the country to a
policy of aggression that would cost
this country hundreds of millions OF
dollars and thousands OF lives. 1t
seems to us that the United States
might be able to insist upon the cre-
alton Of neutral zone FIVE or ten
miles wide along the Mexican border,
into which neither the federal nor the
evolutionary troops Of Mexico should
enter This would prevent the repe-
tition of incidents such as have re-
GENTLY occurred at El Paso. Texas and
Douglas. Ariz., where American Cit
zens on American soil were killed
In their homes by stray bullets from
the guns of the warning Mexican
forces on the border.
The efforts of County Superintend-
ent OF Education Haynsworth to or
ganize the Sumter County Association
or School Trustees merits and should
--~e've the hearty support and CO.
operation OF the school trustees OF
she county The creates; defect and
weakness OF the public schools is.
and has always been, the .lck 81 sys-
tenn ana coordination In their man
agement, and this can be remedied
only by closer and more thorough
supervision OF the schools by the
County superintendents and the active
and intelligent cooperation IF the
trustees working together and with
the County Superintendent to make
the schools under their direction do
better and more thorough work In ac-
eordance with a we'll thought out plan.
The public schools should not be in
dependent organizations but co-ordi-
mating units Of n harmonious whole.
superintendent Haynsworth's plan to
organize the trustees has this object
I'm view and II the trustees give him
the support he has a right to expect
and that the Importance OF the issue
at stake demands. the resulting i'm
provement I'm the schools will amply
reward the trustees for the additional
service they will he called upon TO
perform as a matter Of public duty.
The unsanitaTy conditions i'm the
State Penitentiary-the place is a
verits bls Iest house and incubator Of
consumption according 10 the report
of the state Board of Health-de-
mand that immediate and vigorous
measures be taken 10 remedy the
evils exposed and condemned in thi-
report. The directors of the reih-
tentiary should not wait until the
legislature meets To authorize the be-
ginning Of the reconstruction of the
institution that humane consdera-
tions ii, .pand and there should be a
house cleaning and u change i'm meth
OdS along the lines recommended Jy
the State Board OF Health. The
profits from the State Farms thar
are annually turned into the State
Treasury would in "a few years pro-
vide ample funds 90 erect new
state Prison. built on sanitary ami
hygicnic lines; and il this is neces-
sary 20 save the prisoners from in
lection and slow and painful death
from consumption. the old and dis
ease permeatcd prison buildings
should Dee razed 90 the ground and
new buildings erected In their places
u IS 20 hc hoped that the mistake
make In ordering the Main street
bond election. nccessitating the hole.
ing OF second election 20 render the
bond issue valid. viii not be the
cause. or excuse for q still further
delay In beginning work on tho paw
Ing Nothing need he said concern
Ing the urgent need for the rehabili-
tation Of the street. II Il there to Lo
seen and nothing that could he sid
or written could equal the facts mn