SOUTH HAS MADE BIG STRIDES.
Past Year Broutfht Almost Unbelieve
able Changes in Agriculture and
Business. More Than Enough Corn.
" Optimism Beyond Expression "
Reigns in Some Sections Which a
Year Ago Were Looking Ahead
Only With Pessimism.
A review of business conditions (
throughout the country made public ,
Monday by the committee of statisti
cal exports of the United States
chamber of commercc says: "The
transformation within a twelve-month
of certain sections of the South in
agricultural and business seems al- 1
most unbelieveable," and announces !
that with the exception of Texas and j
Oklahoma, southern states have raised
more than enough corn for their own
needs and are in position to ship it.
"Throughout the country," the re
view says, "the extraordinary and ab
normal demands made upon everyone,
from farm boy to corporation head,
have left the nation steady and with
heavy reserves coming up for the new
year."
The buying power of the nation is
greater and more widespread than
ever before and apparently the gen
eral volume of business seems assured
at something like its present status
during the coming winter months, the
review adds.
Taking up the changed conditions
in the south, the review points to con
ditions caused in certain sections a
year ago by boll weevil, excessive
rains and the fact that negroes, the
staple agricultural laborers, were
leaving by thousands for the east.
The reports from those sections aro
"optimistic beyend expression."
The enlarged ac reage of corn, which
has been of excellent grade except in
Texas and Oklahoma, the report says,
has provided sufficient to ship and
there is an "abundance of other feed
for livestock, so that stockrrising is
becoming more an:l more a necessity
and important adjunct of farming in
the territory south of the Mason and
Dixon line."
Regarding diversification of crops
in the south, the review stat"s, "the
production of peanuts from Virginia
along the Atlantic coast into south
ern Georgia and across into Okla
homa and Texas is becoming a matter
of great import, the product running
into many millions of dollars."
Cotton, it points out, is now being
raised in a moderate way as far south
as Tampa Bay.
Rice and sugar cane crops were not
as large as in some past years, the
review says, but brought higher
prices. An unprecedented drought in
Texas hurt cattle raising, and has not
been entirely relieved, but it has
served to give impetus to efforts to
raise goats and sheep.
Kail Control in the Right Hands.
With unerring judgment and bold
decision President Wilson has sent
the United States forward toward
earlier victory by unifying control of
all the railroads under the strong
hand of William G. McAdoo. It is
the most important and far-reaching
action taken by the President since
the creation of the national army. It
means that the national army is to be
made effective by the prompt and
adequate use of the national re
sources.
The bravery and skill of the army
and navy would be of little avail with
out the aid and support of the nation's
resources. In assuming governmen
tal control of the railroads the Presi
dent executes literally the mandate
of Congress in the declaration of war,
directing him to employ all the re
sources of the country in prosecuting
the war to a successful termination.
Without centralization of control
over the railroads the nation's re
sources would be unavailable. One of
the most important of these resources,
coal, has already become unavailable
in many parts of the country. The
situation had reached a point where
necessity compelled a change if the
war was to be continued.
The President's statement accom
panying his proclamation ought to
have an instant beneficial effect upon
the spirit of the country and upon the
personnel of industry and finance. In
one sentence Mr. Wilson thrusts aside
all doubt as to the stability of rail
road securities by stating that the
government will be as scrupulous in
protecting them as the railroad direc
tors could be; and he outlines what he
will recommend to Congress in this
connection. With repairs and equip
ment maintained, and with net ope
rating income fixed on an equality
with the average net operating in
come for the three years ending last
June, the railroads of the country will
be in far better fortune than if they
had remained under private control.
At the same time, the nation will have
the benefit of consolidation of trans
portation, which insures a speeding up
of ship construction, munitions ship
ments, troop transportation, and gen
eral freight distribution, including
coal and food. This freeing of the
channels of transportation means,
therefore, not only increased effici
ency in the war-making energies of
the nation, but also an improved do
mestic condition, incluling a c heck
upon high prices, if not an actual re
duction.
No one except William G. McAdoo
could have been safely chosen to un
dertake the stupendous work of di
recting the railroads of the United
States. The financial questions in
volved are closely related to the
finances of the government, and thus
fall in a field wherein Mr. McAdoo
is easily first among his countrymen.
His skill and constructive force are
unique in the history of the Treasury
? at any rate, since Hamilton's time.
American industry and finances will
accept with perfect confidence the
announcement that he is to supervise
the finances of the railroads.
As for the practical problem of
railroad direction, Mr. McAdoo is for
tified by the experience gained be
fore his service as Secretary of the
rTeasury, and by the broader experi
ence obtained while sitting at the
cabinet table considering national
problems. He will be aided, also, by
the railroad executives and managers,
as well by the operating personnel
in all branches. An immediate sim
plification of railroad operation may
be looked for, together with prompt
relief from congestion and inadequate
service.
It is gratifying to know that the
railroad employes welcome the presi
dent's action and will gladly do their
share toward winning the war by
serving in their respective places
under Government direction. They
are soldiers of victory when they keep
the railroads in good order and push
trains through on time.
Every Arrteriean has reason to be
elated at the action which means so
much for the speedy winning of the
war. ? Washington Post.
BROGDEN SCHOOL NOTES.
Brogden School opened Monday for
the spring term. Owing to the bad
weather the attendance is not so pood.
Everybody in this community seems
to have had a good Christmi3 in
spite of the disagreeable weather.
Mrs. Lizzie Edgcrton, of Kenly,
spent the holidays with her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Mozingo.
Miss Irene Creech, of Goldsboro,
spent a few days last week with her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Creech.
Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Gardner, of
Hopewell, Va., spent the holidays with
Mr. and Mrs. B. E. Gardner.
Miss Lelia Creech, who is attending
Pineland School at Salemburg, spent
the holidays with her parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. R. Creech.
Mr. Leslie Whitley, of Camp Pike,
Kansas, is home visiting friends and
relatives for a few days. He brings
many interesting stories of camp life.
Miss Rachel Creech has returned
home after spending a week with her
Grandmother, Mrs. G. L. Jones, in
Smithfield.
Mr. Paul Gardner, who is in service
in the Navy spent a few days at home
during the holidays.
Miss Pauline Gardner has returned
to Buies Creek after spending the
holidays at home.
Miss Beatrice Gardner, who is in
school at Goldsboro, is visiting her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jonas Gardner.
Mrs. R. H. Howell has returned
after spending a week with her
daughter, Mrs. S. A. Godwin, in
Selma.
Mr. Junius T. Creech has returned
to Buies Creek after spending the
holidays at home.
Mr. Robert Whitley, of Camp Jack
son, spent a few days with home folks
last week.
Miss Alice McGee has returned
after spending the holidays at her
home in Mt. Olive.
Mr. and Mrs. John E. Creech, who
have been at Carthage for the past
year, are moving back to this com
munity. We are glad to welcome
them back.
Mr. Joe Royall will move soon to
his new home near Wilson's Mills.
We regret very much to see him
leave.
The Christmas tree at Tee's Chapel
was a decided success.
The Christmas tree at Stevens'
Chapel was a very enjoyable occasion
in spite of the very disagreerble
weather. ? Sally.
There is no use for a man to kick
against high prices. High prices
haven't started yet in some lines.
Better make up your mind to take
what comes, and then there will not
be so much danger of heart failure
when you look over your grocery
bilL ? Everything.
God's commandments do for us
what rails do for train; they may
keep us from going where we please;
but they assure our safety. ? Kings'
Treasuries.
Life would be less complicated for
us and frequent embarrassments
would be saved if we were the only
ones to suffer for our little neglects.
? Boyland.
ABOUT FERTILIZER TRICES.
No Hope of Any Reduction for This
Coming Spring's Supply. Part of
WiKdom to Buy Fertilizers and Get
Them on the Farm Ready for Use.
It now seems almost certain that
the war will not end before fertilizers
must bo u*ed on next year's crops.
If the unexpected happens and the
war ends by January or February, it
is possible, or even probable, that the
prices of commercial fertilizers might
go down some for they are now un- ,
usually high as everything else. It
must be stated, however, that with
the exception of potash, fertilizer ma
terials have not advanced more in
price thtn many other materials,
which the farmers buy. Before the
war nitrogen generally cost around
20 cents a pound and in mixed ferti
lizers around 25 cents a pound. In
ready-mixed fertilizers it now costs
around 40 cents a pound, or when sup
plied by cottonseed meal about 36 to
37 cents a pound, which is about a 60
per cent increase. The white paper
upon which this is printed has in
creased in price about the same per
cent.
Before the war, phcsphoric acid
cost above 4 cents a pound in acid
phosphate and around 5 cents in
ready-mxed fertilizers. It now costs
< iV-i cents to 7 cents in acid phosphate,
or an increase of a pound 50 per cent,
which is a much smaller increase
than the increase in hogs, wheat, cot
ton and corn.
Of course, the price cf potash has
gone out of bounds, but this product,
being largely controlled by Germany,
is not subject to normal war condi
tions, as are the other fertilizer ma
terials. We understand that there is
considerable potash available for fer
tilizers, but that it will cost around
40 cents a pound in mixed fertilizers
as against 5 or 6 cents before the war.
According to the Geological Survey,
Mineral Resources 1916, the amount
of actual potash (K20) produced in
this country during 1010 was 9,720
tons, while the amount imported dur
ing the year 1913, the year before the
war began, was 267,970 tons. It is
probable that the potash produced
during 1917 will be fully double what
was produced in 1916. If we estimate
that 20,000 tons have been produced
during 1917, that is only one ton to
thirteen produced before the war.
Under such conditions the price of
potash is bound to be high, aspecially
as the supply in this country at the
time shipments from Germany were
stopped has practically all been used
up by this time.
We can see no prospect or lower
prices unless the war ends quickly.
However, the materials having al
ready been largely bought and on
hand for next year's use, even if the
war ended at once, prices of mixed
commercial fertilizers for the spring
of 1918 could not be very much re
duced.
In short, we think the question of
the needed supplies of nitrate and
potash is a much more important
problem than any probable decrease
in prices for fertilizers next year.
It, therefore, seems to us that it is
the part of wisdom for any man who
has the money and facilities for pro
perly housing or storing his fertiliz
ers to lay in his supplies as early as
possible. The problem of transporta
tion is becoming greater as our war
activities increase, and it may be
come more acute at any time. At the
time fertilizers are usually bought
in the spring the roads are generally
at their worst and the hauling of the
fertilizers from the station or town
to the farm is done at the greatest
cost to the farmer. In fact, all con
siderations favor the early purchase
and hauling of the fertilizers to be
used next spring.
The United States Department of
Agriculture was given an appropria
tion by Congress for aiding in fur
nishing the needed supplies of nitro
gen, but it seems to us that any re
sults from the use of this fund is
more likely to be in the direction of
securing the needed supplies for in
creasing production, rather than to
ward materially lowering prices. ?
Progressive Farmer.
A Captain of the Commissary.
The county agents constitute Amer
ican agriculture's first line of de
fense. They are men in the first line
trenches, zealously guarding the far
mer's interests and bringing to his
attention all that is of immediate
practical value in our scientific teach
ing, and fortifying this with results
from the experience of the most suc
cessful, hard-headed, practical farm
ers of each county.
At a time like the present when the
Nation is engaged in a great war
wherein food production is of vital
military importance, the value of the
county agent to the Government can
hardly be over-emphasized.
Since the United States bceame a
belligerent, the county agent has done
valiant war service. In counties hav
ing agents, it was possible during the
past summer to secure truly wonder
ful results, in quickly and adequately
meeting a difficult labor situation; in
locating1 available seed stocks; in ar- |
ranging for farm credits for the pur
chase of machinery and fertilizers;
in supplying tractor power, and in
other forms of effective leadership,
all contributing to a great increase
in the production of spring wheat,
oats, corn, potatoes and other food
crops; and, finally, in assisting in
facilitating marketing.
Some of the most important battles
of this war will be won during 1918
in the furrows and fields of America.
The county agents will be the cap
tains of the soldiers of the commis
sary who will make these victories
possible. ? Carl Shurz Vrooman, As
sistant Secretary United States De
partment of Agriculture.
Condition of Winter Wheat Poor.
According to an estimate issued on
Wednesday by the Department of Ag
riculture, the condition of the new
winter wheat crop on December 1 was
only 79.3 per cent of normal, the low
est on record for the period and com
paring with a ten-year average on
the same date ever reported, the low
condition makes the indicated yield
disappointing, though December fore
casts are of little value. In a state
ment interpreting this week's report,
the Department says:
" The acreage planted to winter
wheat is estimated to be 42,170,000
acres, an increase of 4 per cent over
the area planted a year ago. In the
campaign to produce a billion bushels
of wheat next year to help feed our
Allies, an acreage of 47,337,000 of
winter wheat was advocated. Failure
to reach this amount was not due ap
parently to the intention of farmers,
but to the adverse conditions, un
favorable weather, late harvest of
other crops and shortage of farm
help, preventing the putting out of
the full acrage desired.
"The fall was exceedingly dry in
many important sections, particularly
in the Southwest ? Kansas, Oklahoma
and Tex >s, also in the far Northwest
? Idaho and Washington. Although
the increase is less than hoped, the
acreage is the largest ever planted.
"The condition of the plant on De
cember 1, which was 79.3 per cent of
normal compares with a ten-year
average condition on same date of
89.3. The lowest condition ever re
ported in previous years on Decem
ber 1 was 81.4, in 1895.
"A quantitative iorecust is nui usu
ally made from the December con
dition reports, because great changes
can occur between now and harvest,
for better or worse. But it may be
observed that in the past ten years
the yield per acre on the planted
acreage was 14.4 bushels. On this
basis a condition of 79.3 would fore
cast a yield of about 12.8 bushels,
which on 42,170,000 acres, would pro- 1
duce about 540,000,000 bushels. It
may be assumed that the outturn of
the crop will be above or below this
figure, according as conditions here
after are better or worse than aver
age conditions. In 1917 the crop was
about 418,000,000 bushels, in 1916 it
was 481,000,000, and the average of
the preceding five years was 543,000,
000 bushels." ? Dun's Review.
GREEN'S AUGUST FLOWER
Has been used for all ailments that
are caused by a disordered stomach
and inactive liver, such as sick head
ache, constipation, sour stomach,
nervous indigestion, fermentation of
food, palpitation of the heart caused
by gases in the stomach. August
Flower is a gentle laxative, regulates
digestion both in stomach and intes
tines, cleans and sweetens the stom
ach and alimentary canal, stimulates
the liver to secrete the bile and im
purities from the blood. 25 and 75
cent bottles. Sold by Creech Drug
Co. ? Adv.
Your
Copy
REMEMBER
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at Your Service
for that newspaper
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effective typograph
ical display is ne
cessary to get best
results. With your
knowledge of your
business and our
knowledge of tho
printing art we cao
co-operate to mu*
tual advantage. J0
BOOKS
Look over the list of Books below, and
come and get your selection before they
are picked over. We have lots of good
books not in this list to select from.
SOME LATE NOVELS.
Wildfire, by Zane Gray.
Red Pepper's Patients, by Grace Richmond.
Heart of the Sunset, by Rex Reach.
When a Man's a Man, by Harold Rell Wright.
Salt of the Earth, by Mrs. Alfred Sidgwick.
Polly and the Princess, by Emma C. Dowd.
The preacher of Cedar Mountain, by E. S. Thomp
son.
In Happy V alley, by John Fox, Jr.
The White Ladies of Worcester, by Florence Rar
clay.
Anne's House of Dreams, by Eleanor H. Porter.
Rab: A Sub Deb, by Mary Roberts Rineheatr.
The Hanks of Colne, by Eden Philpotts.
Changing Winds, by St. John G. Ervine.
The Three Rlack Pennvs, by Joseph Hergeshei
mer.
HOOKS OF POETRY.
Robert Burns' Complete Poems, $1.00.
Mrs. Browning's Poems, 75c.
Shakespeare's Works in one volume, $1.75.
William Cullen Bryant's Poems, $1.50.
Keats' Poems, Padded Edition, $1.25.
Mrs. Browning's Poems, Padded Edition, $1.25.
Robert Browning, Limp Leather, $1.75.
Robert Burns, Limp Leather, $1.75.
SUNDAY SCHOOL HELPS.
Peloubets' Select Notes for 1918, $1.25.
Arnold's Practical Commentary, 1918, 60c.
Tarbell's Teacher's Guide, 1918, $1.25.
Torrey's Gist of the Lesson, 25c.
A large number of Books for Children from
4 to 12 years of age, titles too numerous to men
tion.
HOOKS AT SIXTY CENTS EACH.
We have in stock a choice lot of novels which
we are selling at 60 cents each ; by mail, 65 cents.
Here are some of them:
By Harold Bell Wright.
The Shepherd of the Hills.
Their Yesterdays.
The Winning of Barbara Worth.
The Eyes of the World.
The Calling of Dan Matthews.
By Thomas Dixon.
The Traitor.
The Clansman.
The Leopard's Spots.
The Sins of the Father.
The One Woman.
By Gene Stratton Porter.
A Girl of the Limberlost.
Freckles.
The Harvester.
Laddie.
At the Foot of the Rainbow.
By Winston Churchill.
Richard Carvel.
A Far Country.
By Well Known Writers.
The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come.
Prudence of the Parsonage.
Red Pepper Burns.
Dear Enemy.
Empty Pockets.
The Heart of the Hills.
The Southerner.
The Valley of the Moon.
White Fang.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
Eben Holden.
The Right of Way.
David Harum.
Told by Uncle Remus.
Overland Red.
My Strange Life.
Heart Throbs.
More Heart Throbs.
The Way of the Strong.
The Four Million.
And Many Others.
Herald Book
Store
SMITHFIELD, North Carolina