VOLUME
THE
NUMBER
Is a Paper Devoted to the Upbuilding of the Sandhill Territory of North Carolina
Address all communications to
the pilot printing company, vass, n. c.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18,1924
SUBSCRIPTION $2.00
nOORE DEMOCRATIC
COUNTY CONVENTION
Curious Influence Exerted by the
Primary Election on Machine
Work of American Politics
(Bion H. Butler)
Last Saturday with Edwin Mc-
Keithan I went to Carthage to attend
the de I'ocratic county convention, the
two ui us, by being” there as much
2s throuirh any other influence, repre-
sentin.ii our voting districts at Aber-
(jeen. From other districts of the
count\ came other representatives,
and a rtain routine business was
taken up in a routine way, the princi
pal work being to select a list of del
egates to the state convention atr
Raleijrh this week, the consideration
of reports and registration of names of
members of the executive committee
appointed by the various districts, and
such other duties as tend to hold to
gether the organization of the party
in the county. It was an interesting
o-atherin.LT, and an illuminating epi-
sode in the daily story of American
life and American democratic govern
ment to that queer form of govern
ment we are passing through in our
effort to establish the primary elec
tion system, which seems to be the
climax of democratic rule.
I compared this convention with
some of the old time conventions I
have attended in the past. For in
stance the democratic convention in
Nashville, Tennessee, almost forty
years ago, at which Bob Taylor was
nominated when he ran against his
brother, Alfred, who was the republi
can candidate, and his father, who
w’as the candidate of the prohibition
ists. To get away from the story for
a minute, that Nashville convention
was an interesting one, not only be
cause of the intense enthusiasm that
governed it, and the quaint delegates
from the mountains who came down
in their jeans and long hair, and with
their odd habits and customs, but
also because at a meeting just before
the convention Robert and Alfred held
a joint discussion in the theatre at
Nashville, and I was of a party th&t
attended it. Two printers of us,
friends from boyhood until death
broke into the comradeship a few
years ago, lived at a boarding house
in which the daughter of the house
hold attracted our attention. My
friend asked her to go with him to
the debate. She agreed. Then I ask
ed her to go with me and she said she
had already arranged to go with my
friend. I told her that was all right
and she could go with both of us, and
after some argument that was the
way we arranged. I bought her a red
bouquet for Bob Taylor’s edification,
and my friend bought a white one to
indicate their preference for Alf.
She sat between us in the theatre and
wore both of them. She was a nice
^irl. I have not seen her for nearly
forty years. My friend and I left
soon after Bob Taylor was elected.
I thought of that convention Satur-
at Carthage. Also of a republi
can convention in Harrisburg, Penn
sylvania, which I attended as a news
paper w'» iter, in which Quay stole the
delegations from his rivals and had
bimself chosen chairman, and by that
”^ethod tightened his grip on republi
can politics in Pennsylvania and the
Nation. Pennsylvania has not yet re
covered from that convention.
The Carthage meeting was rather
but it had some of the attrib
utes of i funeral. All the old-time
Interest-ng wire-pulling was missing,
or there are no longer many wires to
Py i- T thought of Mr. Bailey and his
latribe? against the machine as I sat
watching the efforts of the real
patriots of the county trying to hold
opethor their organization that we
^i^ht have in Moore county some ma-
c inery for caring for the fall elec-
and it occurred to me what a
P| iful misconception we have if we
^ ow ourselves to be frightened by
® marhine. On the contrary, the
^avest danger that I can see in our
^ i^cal progress is that we allow the
^chino to die—not to be licked, mind
Page for the Legislature
Page, of Aberdeen, authorizes the Pilot to announce that he is a candidate
^^^islature from Moore county, and that he will be on the firing line from today
until the votes are counted at the finish.
Mr. Page will be no new hand at the state’s work, as he has already had several
yea^ expmence in the legislature, where he was an active figure throughout his period
I omce. He IS known to be one of the most versatile, courageous, and thoroughly sincere
men m the state.
It is believed by some of the closest observers of local politics that the decisive an
nouncement of Mr. Page will give him a clear field, as his fitness for the office is so gen-
jecognized that it is not thought anybody will contest the race with him. Mr. Page
started luesday to set his ducks in the proper row. It should be needless to say that
he has the hearty approval of the Pilot.
you—for the gravest danger is that
it may die of inertia. And in that
case it occurred to me to wonder what
would follow. The machine is so near
death that I was impressed with the
thought that if we could have some
good, aggressive leader who would
devote his time to rejuvenating the
machine it would be the best thing
that could happen to Moore county,
to North Carolina and to the United
States, for it was evident there at
Carthage Saturday that were it not
for the limited number who gathered
there to take care of the coming cam
paign, that election in this county
might see the day where it would go
by default.
The primary election system is
probably in the line of progress, but
it is sadly and dangerously defective
in many respects. It was apparent
there at Carthage that much inter
est in county organization has been
(Continued on page 8)
COUNTY SCHOOL FIELD DAY
AT CARTHAGE
The following is a list of contests
to take place at the County School
Field Day, Friday, April 18th:
Literary A. M.
1. Writing (Palmer or Zaner Meth-
ed.) Palmer Drills 21, 22, and 23.
2. Recitation—High School (seven
minute limit).
3. Declamation—High School (sev
en minute limit).
4. Story Telling—Grammer Grade
(seven minute limit).
5. Story Telling—High School
(seven minute limit).
6. Oral Spelling—Grammer Grade
(seven minute limit).
7. Oral Spelling—High School
(seven minute limit).
Athletic, P. M.
1. Physical Culture — Grammar
Grade. Physical Culture—High School
Boys. Physical Culture—High School
Girls).
2. Running—Boys up to fourteen—
100 yards. Running—Boys over four
teen—100 yards.
3. Running—Girls, any age, 50
yards.
4. Pole Vault.
5. Ball Throw—Girls.
6. Pole Vault—Boys.
7. Shot Put—Boy—12 No. Shot.
8. Shot Put—Girl—eight No. Shot
(Pre-adolescent).
9. Running High Jump—Boy.
10. Running High Jump—Girl.
11. Standing High Jump—Boy.
12. Standing High Jump—Girl.
13. Running Broad Jump Boy.
14. Running Broad Jump—Girl.
15. Standing Broad Jump—Boy.
16. Standing Broad Jump—Girl.
17. Relay Race 220 yards—Four
girls. , _
18. Relay Race 440 yards—Four
^oys. ^ , 1 ij
19. Tennis Tournament—Doubles for
20. Tennis Tournament—Doubles for
boys. - j
21. Quoits (Horseshoes)—Girls and
boys. . „ 1. X
Prizes will be given in all contests.
A special prize-North Carolina Flag
—to the school winning the most
^'’Note- A school to bo eligible to
special prize must have as ^eat a
percentage of contestants in literary
as in athletic events. . 4. 4.
Each school allowed one contestant
in each event.
CHARLES J. JONES
JUSTIFIES BAILEY
Thinks His Friend is Logical
Man for Governor of North
Carolina
I appreciate your courtesy in allow
ing space for the article regarding Mr.
Bailey. I am not now coming back so
much in the nature of a reply as to
make a few further explanations and
observations, then, so far as I see now,
I will not ask your indulgence fur
ther.
I am glad to see the editor does
not place himself exactly as opposing
Mr. Bailey. He seems to take ex
ception to some things said and done
by Bailey. Of course it would be im
possible to please everybody or that
all would like one man of his meth
ods or politics. There are two sides
to every great and small question, and
it is well that there is, but I do not
like to be misunderstood or to see a
friend misunderstood, and I believe
that this is at the bottom of much of
our troubles now.
So far as Bailey’s tilts with the
newspaper correspondents are con
cerned, I do not believe myself that
folks care for this. They want is
sues and principles discussed and not
personalities. So far as I have
known these have been provoked and
carried to such an extent that while
one’s friends may understand thefe
might be those who would not, and
there are times when a man must give
some kind of explanations. It is a
well known fact that some of the
leading papers and newspaper corre
spondents in the state had a pick at
Bailey for some time, and at last he
simply wanted to let the folks know
that these or some of them were on
the pay roll of the administration and
that this accounts for their attitude
concerning his candidacy. They had
a right to oppose him, but Bailey al
so had a right to let the folks know
the facts in the matter.
Now as to freight rates. I am not
capable of discussing a matter of this
kind, or even taxes from a technical
standpoint, as I know very little, ex
cept that taxes are high and that
there has been a great deal of com
plaint as to freight rates being the
same. I know this from having to
pay a great deal of it when I was
in the hosiery mill business and now
in the berry business. How to rem
edy it I know not, and as I say I
am not capable of discussing it, but
there are those like Bailey who are,
and I have confidence enough in him
to believe that he knows what he is
talking about and is in a position to
suggest possible remedies. It is a
significant fact that as he states the
Southern Railroad clears over two
million a month and that the Coast
line is making more than twenty per
cent net profits on its capital, it would
seem that the state could have them
reduce their rates without any hard
ships in wages or dividends. It is a
well known fact that we have too
many millionaires and too few w«U
to do and prosperous farmers, what
ever you say as to the other callings
in life.
As to taxes, his position is that we
are taking too much taxes from the
land, and that we ought to look to
other sources for a large part that
land is now paying. The small farm
ers are not prosperous. Some took
serious and bitter exception to Bailey
because the Roxboro Courier printed
McLean’s war finance record, but they
seem to have been and are now silent
when certain matters are being circu
lated through an advertising medium
signed by Mull and Oliver attacking
Bailey’s personal character. It would
seem to Bailey’s friends that those
who denounced the former course
should now condemn the latter. The
Oliver letter was printed in the News
and Observer and at least a dozen
other papers, and the Mull letter has
been circulated all over the state. If
Bailey has attacked the personal char
acter of McLean I have not seen it.
Bailey has been a consistent con
tender against extravagance in both
public and private life. A few years
ago he wrote for the papers a notable
article against the craze in buying
cars and spending money freely for
those things usually classed as luxu
ries, calling attention to the issuing
of long term bonds and in many cases
making no provisions for a payment
of them, but issuing new bonds at
expiration of the terms. There are
among us those who do not like to
hear about this, but it is today a well
known fact that people are spending
money for cars by the wholesale who
need new roofs on their houses and
other improvements, and going in debt
for them, and in many cases refusing
to pay just and honest debts. It is a
fact as I believe many will agree that
this is not an index to true prosperity,
and that when a nation begins to de
cay it is when they get to living the
soft and easy life that many in this
nation are doing today—that our
(Continued on page 8)
LOOKS LIKE A WATER
PLANT FOR VASS
On Monday R. W. Beadle and J. B.
Warren, of Brockwayville, Pa., met
with several of the Vass people and
discussed the prospects of a water
plant for Vass and Lakeview. Mr.
Beadle and Mr. Warren plan to build
a plant if conditions will justify and
if public sentiment will be favorable,
and will supply the water to the vil
lage and to the people at a fixed an
nual rate or on such terms as can be
agreed. This met the approval of the
people who talked with the Pennsyl
vania men, and they left for home on
Tuesday with the assurance that
samples of water would be furnished
at once, and that details of the survey
recently made would be forwarded as
soon as the figures are in hand from
the Atlanta engineers.
Mr. Beadle had already talked over
the matter with Tom Kelly at South
ern Pines, who spoke with much en
couragement as to the likelihood that
Lakeview would also be glad to have
water supplied on the conditions pro
posed for Vass. Mr. Beadle said one
plant could take care of the two vil
lages. If the information given him
looks attractive ijb is certain that he
will be back this way before long to
go over the situation in detail, pro
vided the sentiment of the community
is in favor of a water system.
Samples of water were sent to Mr.
Warren for annalysis on Tuesday, and
this phase of the inquiry will be taken
care of at once, as Mr. Warren is the
head of a chemical laboratory at Du-
Bois, Pa., and will have the samples
tested out as soon as they arrive.
SANDHILL POWER
COMPANY PLANTS
Entire Property Looked Over by
Representative of the Pilot .to
See What is Doing
Last week the Pilot put in two
days looking over the plants of the
Sandhill Power Company, covering
the entire layout from the dam at
Chandler’s, around by Carbonton and
the steam plant at the Carolina coal
mines at Coal Glen, down through the
Little River section, and winding up
at Thaggard’s. This action was taken
to see what is doing and what has
been done, for no extensive statement
of the property has ever been given
the people who are interested in the
service.
The company has been an evolution,
for it was never designed at the be
ginning to be what it Has become and
what it is destined to expand into yet
in the future. Mr. McQueen began to
develop electricity to supply Pine-
hurst. Mr. Chandler had already built
his small plants to provide for South
ern Pines. But the towns had a fash
ion of outgrowing the facilities pro
vided, and no matter how fast the
men extended their plants the demand
kept still ahead. The Lobelia dam
was followed by the lower dam on the
river, and when finally the Chandler
interests passed into McQueen’s
hands, it was found necessary to build
the Carbonton dam. But Pinehurst
and Southern Pines grew, as well as
the rest of the towns, and-Knollwood
came along and more power was es
sential. The steam plant at Lakeview
tried to help out, but it was too little
before it could be fairly installed.
Then came the 1,800 horse-power
steam plant at the mines, and as this
is written the company has sufficient
water power to care for all its custom
ers, and the steam plant is in reserve.
Today the Sandhill Power Company
can care for all its business. Today
John McQueen can draw a long
breath for the first time since he com
menced to monkey with electric power.
How long this will last is another
story, for demands for more power
come every time a new house is built
in the territory served, and new houses
are many. The new cotton mill at
Hemp has already sent in the call for
relief and others are filing requisi
tions for power, and presently it will
probably be necessary to double the
capacity of the steam plant and to
build another dam. But that is for
tomorrow, although tomorrow is com
ing as sure as Christmas is.
At Chandler’s, where the investiga
tion started, is a good dam of a
coup’e of hundred horse power,
equipped with good machinery, which
is the case at every operation. It was
plain to see that what John McQueen
installs is the right kind. Three or
four miles below is the Thaggard’s
plant, somewhat bigger than that at
the Chandler dam, and of the same
type of modern equipment, all the ma
chinery at every point being Westing-
house or General Electric, the stand
ard types of their kind. Down the
river below Vass are the plants at
Lobelia and the lower dam, capable be
tween them of affording around 1,500
horse-power, and both in excellent
condition. Over at Carbonton is the
biggest water power, the last dam
built,-and one that can take care of
ten or twelve hundred horse-power. A
few miles down the river is the steam
plant at the mines. This is rated at
1,800 horse-power, and is modem in
all its features, with steam turbine en
gines, condensing plant, a stack 150
feet high, and three of the biggest
boilers in this section.
All these plants are tied in together^
with a good system of lines, and all
the necessary transformers to handle
the 5,000 or more horse-power that
can be generated. The lines run to the
score of villages and settlements that
are served, and practically all the
points are also connected with a tele
phone system which gives instanta
neous communication with everything
on the property. Besides the plants
(Continued on page 8)