rtintv First, Sec
Jj^gS and all the
ferCH IT GROW!.
?
An Independent Weekly
Published in an inde
pendent part of these
United States.
bie
28 PAGES
\XX No. 18
POLK COUNTY? The Gateway of Western North Carolina
FIVE CENTS PER COPY
Tryon, N. C., December 11, 1924
$1.50 a Year
fjgStorieS About
f, en Affairs
f,n Aarcn 771 ? J ones ^
i \ >l fcIS A. GARFIELD
ulont uf Hiram College^ a
S rrir; i:| ,amc to' him one day
^ . i have plenty of money
10 go through
l0ir" hurry. He, does -not
?t Z-lnd lour tediolis years t0
- Can you arrange it
i1"5 '1'". 'AVai(l all but the high
^at v,.1 answered Mr. Gar.
! c;in 'arrange it, but let me
; vou !? i aUic11 ??d makes a
/' lie takes two hundred
u; v lien be makes a
* 'V ukes two months."
easy chairs neath
soothing glow,
IfiOOP intentions are the
all build when our better
are in control.
Ae'eiul in jui all-things-in-tune
, sett It tl in our
reaiiins lamps
, a g'tory ju>t linjshed with a just,
^.wanted it-to.come.out ending
Ve t>ur eyes and build them?
, dream structures. On founda
selected from our most sincere
ntions we build our "Edifices
tireat massive arches of
jtierly love supported by columns
he-serv e^_best-whq^jrofits_best ,
i?zi- i
rforKlt^iP^-'bat-mortgag"?^
a? rooms- elegantly furnished
I il.soao.churgh-neict-Sun,day_
Kcstts, From our throne,' the
uy chair, we admire the finished
picture with an, its-mine air#
ftch ami go to bed. Next morn
our eggs and paper we scold
aaid and rush officeward. Our
k;.'; of ideals in the (^ust# crumbled
ii fo&otton.
into halls of Ill-wait-awhlle.
con
sul ITS BETTER TO dr^am and
r?e than never dream at all.
told that we could only cultivate
control our dreamy, better
fcking. ea>y chair selves as we do
voices, farms ^and business,
fe'd soon be overly willing to take
.affirmative side of the debate "Is
world growing better?"
FLOWERS ARE USUALLY plant.
r in front yards. But in our alley^
?te each day a group of strolling
ti: ..ians plant their in,strtments.
Se:, into the heat of our work_a
jay occupations comes the notes of
ifcic? givin^ expression to romance
tana, tradsedv and comedy. Low
ad high, ,-ach sounded tone describ
ee expression ()f children's faces,
4e rrandeur of rose_tinted sunsets^
if solitude of olrl age, the ministry
friendship, mother love and the
sen: of flowers. At first the notes
tto-p inquiringly itfto the soul, hesL
Kingly, questionly ? will . they be
wlcome, Then as their presence
is assured /they charge forward cap_
luring the best there is in us. Out
greed, ? jealousy^ discontent; in
rotes greater desires to achieve,1
for %. goo,] that achievement can
It more music could only come
tao more alleys of life.
the OTHER DAY I met a porcu.
jice dressed up like a man. PorcuJ
lines have a way o? being very un
Piea-ant^ they carry poisoned darts
tabling all over themselves. You
nevir intend to molest them
Ea.v just be passing an<Jj happen to
toish into them and ouch! you con.
fane the rest of .the day nursing a
?ft caused by contact with them. |
THE PORCUPINE I met was a big
fellow i brushed into him coming
out of an office building. I was in a
| knrry, had talked, too long to a
Wend because, chatting with jhim
13 ' ^ sitting on a beach basking in
sun when the water is cold. Yes
bumped into the proenpine ? did
? 1 intend to, of course. And Imme.
diatel-v I was sorry although he was
a being just like myself and
?^?s to nie that human beings
ould be able to meet intimately
^'dentally without poisoning each
er- But he swore and asked me
h>' 1 didn't watch where' I was go
g' Changing from a human into
p lupine is a slow process;
eop,e are not born bristling with
omlloned dan, which are fed by ven
from rj,0 inside. Bristles with
bri i ?n ' are developed.
?* V,<L'T- growing yesterday,
the (1ay before. i
-
ga!' th(' ft'- of District Attorney
on ? ' ! Xcw York. are founded
SrowTh conditions, and the
sky" ljl"'k('t shops ' and ''blue
dep I'romotion? are about to get un
jtes*ay? 11(1 believes that the
the -J? Market boom is a fer*
?tyaln tbe operation of nn
operators. To prevent
i5J! -Iwnic of' these eriU, he
h* v '' ' bHls for presentation at
?tQr ; ;;sl'on of New York Letf?
,r 1 wii minimize tlw dan
National Park Plans
For North Carolina
Pushed by Simmons
No Section East of the Rockies
can Compare with "Land of the
Sky" in Natural iBeauty.
Washington, D. c? Dec 10. Sen.
ators and Representatives in Con
gress from North Carolina are tak.
ing a great interest in the proposal
to establish in that State a new Na.
tional Park^ probably in the Blowing
Rockand Linville Falls section of
, the Blue -Ridge Mountains. But
they believe that every organized
activity in the State should get to
work, and that every individual of
forward-looking mind should do all
that can be done at once? and Quick
ly, to see to it that the new Na
tional Park is established in North
Carolina ^and not some other State,
The r^ent visit to Washington
of the committee created by the
legislature has had a gooci effect in
Waslyngton and is apparently bear,
ing fruit, to judge from remarks be.
nig made. But Virginia, Tennessee
and other states are actively orga
nizing their campaigns to obtain the
National Park for their states, apd
Senators and Representatives of
, North - CarolinJa believe that the
whole population of the State should
get behind the efforts of hg commit
ter appointed by the legislature, and
that North Carolinians^ irrespective
of section or community^ should lend'
their heartiest support to the com
mittee, and 1 other wise interest
themselves^ in accordance with
whatever opportunity they have or
can create^ to see tlna^ ? the Park is
created in North Carolina.
The announcement madfe by Sen
ator Simmons of North Carolina a
few days ago, to the effect that
North Carolina should have the park
because the state is alrejady equip
ped with a magnificant concrete
highway system, because , there is
is no other section of the country
qast of the Rockies wMch ?tt own
pare in natural scenic grandeur with
that of North Carolina, and because
of accessibility, has created interest
among Senators and, Representa
tives, and a number of them are in
quiring as to the prospect suggested
by Senator Simmons that he will aid
in organizing a large group of Sen
ators and Representatives to visit
the State; to view the proposed sites
for the park.
Preliminary drafting of the report
of the committee, headed by Con
gressman H W. Temple, of Penn
sylvania, to recommend, to the Sec
retary of the Interior a suitable site
has begun, and it is certain at this
writing that the claims of North
Carolina are to be very carefully
considered and fully reported on.
o
Grantland Rice Visits
Land of The Sky
Grantland Rice after resting at
the Biltmore Forest Country Clug,
at Asheville, from his high pressure
football writing of the Past month,
has returned to New York. He was
accompanied by Frank Crowning,
shield, editor of Vanity Fair, A, A#
Boyden^ former managing editor of
the American Magazine, Mrs. May
J Wilson Preston, nationally known
illlustrator, who is ~ now working on |
a series of illustrations for the Sat
urday Evening Post, and Mrs. E\ce.
While here he showed his aptitude
for a number of sports, golf and
hunting proving to be as much his
meat as football. '
In New York
! "Whatcher gwine tuh do when
yuh get back to North Carolina,
Mose ? "
) 'Tse gwine tuh walk right in
' tuh de Battry Park Hotel, order
me ah regular Chrismus dinner
rear back and enjoy de singin\"
"Nigger you'se sho gwine tuh
hear de singin' an' it'll be a
Heavenly Choir, too f " I
Careless Management j
Causes Counties Trouble
Says Greensboro Editor
'? '? V
? v
Official Business Loosely Conducted Owing to Lax Super
vision oi Commissioners It is Asserted
(Clark's Commeqtt in Greensboro
Daily News)
Suit has been filed in a county in
this state for the recovery of tax
funds to the amount of about $14,000
alleged to be due by a former sheriff.
The sheriff is dead and the suit has
been filed against his estate and his
bondsmen*. Some of the bondsmen
are dead and their administrators
are made parties to the suit. It is
distinctly stated that there is no
charge against the integrity of the
deceased sheriff nor against the
county commissioners with whom he
made setllement which was Suppos
ed to be final. The explanation is
that "mutual misakes" were made.
In other words, the sheriff presum
ably paid the county what he thought
was due, or what the commissioners
demanded. A recent audit of the
county's affairs it is said, discloses
the error.
This is probably a fair sample of
county government as administered
in the average North Carolina coun
ty. The commissioners occupy the
same relation to the affairs of a
county as he board of directors to a
corporation. They levy the taxes
assess the shareholders in the cor
poration their proportionate part of
the funds necessary to carry on the
business of the corporation. It Is
their business to see that the money
assessed against the stockholders is
collected and accounted for Un
approve and pass on disbursements.
In other words the county board of
directors (the commissioners) is re
sponsible for the receipts and dis
bursements of the corporation ? the
management of the financial affairs
of the county. The position is a
highly responsible one. more impor.
tnat to the county's welfare than any
Other office. But it is usually filled
indifferently; that is little attention
is given to the business qualifications
of the commissioners. If good bus
ness men accept the office the dis
Shop Early I
Mai! Early
Help the Postal Clerks In Thair
Their Effort to Spend Christmas
at Home
Last year, through the generous
cooperation of he tpress. the movies!
I
and othek* advertising mediums^
Christmas mailers were induced to
dispatch their Yuletide presents
earlier in the month than ever be
fore in the history of the institution
of gift exchanging in the holiday
season.
As a result, the spectacle of the
last minute rush of former years
with its attendant heartbreaking la
bor on the Part of wearied and nerve;
worn store clerks and postal clerks
and Postal employees, was avoided.
This year Postmaster General New
and First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral John H. Bartlett have determin
ed to make an even better record
and to banish for all ime the suffer
ing undergone In past years by those'
engage^ in the sale or transporta
tion of gifts. They hope" to make
"Shop Early" and "Mail Early" a
habit with the American people. '
Mailing early does not mean De
cember 1 or before but If everyone
could get their holiday tokens in the
mail between Dececber 10 asd De_
rember 20j the post offlle could ask
no more.
Particular attention this year "will
be paid t0 greeting cards. Despite
the success last year it was noted
that the last minute mail consisted
largely of cards. Possibly many of
them were return greetings to
friends, heard from on ft previous
mail, but overlooked on the original
Christmas list. Unlike parcels and
letters containing money orders,
cardSj of course, cannot well be
miarked^ "Do Not Open Until Christ
mas." Therefore, it is possible that
the many maillers hold them until
the last to insure delivery on Christ
mas Day,
? 1
- --5* ?* ? v i > ? ??Ui.-.v&fta
position is to treat the position in
differently. They can't spare the
time from their private affairs that
is really necessary to get an insight
of the county's business. Time and
study would be reauired for that.
Like most boards of directors the
commissioners follow the line of
least resistance. They pass on what
is brought before thejn, as best they
can} but more than, often without ex
act knowledge of the business they
have been set to guard and for which
they have accepted responsibility. r
Evidently the commissioners of
the county in which suit 3ias been
brought against the estate of the
dead sheriff didn't knov what they
were doing when they made settle
ment. Both sides are acquitted of
any intentional wrong *doing. But
it was the business of the commis
sioners to know. As a " result of
their ignorance and negligence the
dead officer's estate, his bondsmen,
must defend a suit: and if there is
judgement againts the defendants,
somebody will have to dfg up quite a
sum o f money.
But that county isn't ?n exception.
That is the common custom as to the
management of county affairs. Per.
sons who observe the management
in the average county can see that;
and some who have made a careful
examination of the conduct of coun
ty business in this state have found
such negligence the ?, rule rath^.
than, the exception. It ig not un
common for shortages to develop
that are as much of a surprise to the
commissioners as * any body. In
some counties sheriffs have been
found many thousands in arrears in
settlements> some of them business
men of high standing^ thought they
had made full settlement and got all
that was due. How many times
such cases have passed without dis
covery and the taxpayers suffer the
loss of thousands, nobody knows;
and nobody will know so long as the
Believing that the energies of Pos.
employees should not he sapped, to
the last degree for any avoidable
reason^ and^ intent upon securing for
them the same Christmas privileges
enjoyed by others, Postmaster Gen
eral New asks the hearty co-opera,
tion of he public. The last_minute
or zero hour has been moved up so
that all employees may eat their
Christmas dinners at home# Rural
carriers will deliver no mail at all on
Christmas Day and clerks and car
riers in the city offices will stop
promptly at noon.
-If 711
I THE BOLL WEEVIL, HAS I
HIS UTTLE FAULTS
? BUT HE DOESN'T 1
WEAR A. SHEET AND J
.OPERATE AT NIGHT. .
j 1 '
it;
f COPYRIGHT I9gg PUS AUTOCASTER SERV.fll
present system of handling ccfunty
business is continued. It is got so
much corruption ? although that fea.
ture is by no means absent ? as it is
incompetence and downright neglL
gence. And the basis for all the
mismanagement is politics.
V ....
Tbe county officers are regarded
as a political asset to the dominant
party in the county; and the main
consideration, generally speaking, m
the administration of county affairs
is politics rather than business. For
that reason every effort to place the
affairs of a county on a strictly bus.
iness basis meets the combined and
strenuous opposition of the local pol
iticians; and as the legislators are
usually a part of the local political
machine it is easy to see that they
are not g-M^to e*ert themselves to
do anything* o,jut it.
Lots of people who pose as rail
road prsidents when they go visiting
in other towns are really nothing
more than section hands when they
are at bome^ observes Jim Rioo^
Married men wrote all the Wed*
ding marches. That's what makes]
'em sound flo slow /and sad.
Now that women can vote they
don't want to ? Let's pasrf a law com.
pelling them to smoke.
Christmas is Coming
I strutted my stuff through N6vember
And ruffled it over the yard,
I'm fat and I'm prime and 1,'m flruessing
Haw I'll look on a menu card,
For Christmas is coming.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ?
>. i ?
Park-Beft Company's
Spartaaburg Store Link
In Gigantic Chain
? ?>
Trcwdoii PirdusM Power of
36 Stan Oum Makes PossMe
MintoCousmerSafiag
The success of Parks-Be Ik Co. j I*
due to tw0 primary elements la the
organization and^ conduct of those
modern stores^ the fact they are
conducted along the most modern
lines of organisation and collective
buying and then th? service in the
retail stores is of the highest ori^er.
This makes a tour of this store
necessary to every shopper within a
radius of many miles.
The idea of collective buying ana
the conduct of a number of stores
conducting one large central buy.
ing establishment where, the opt
put of mills Is taken over is a crea.
tlon of the hour and the fact that it
has met with such success proves that
It has taken its place in latter day
merchandising. This gives the ad
vantage to a buyer who understands
style, materials and prices as he
makes them a continual study and
comes in contact with world trade.
Thus the stock of this store is not
purchased by a casual buyer who goe*
to the fashion and market centers oc.
casionly while making purchases.
This business like method gives this
store the advantage of offering its
goods at prices that cut out the mid.
dleman and are a great saving to ,the
people. Quality and style are not
sacrificed to price as the buy.
er sees that all stock comes to a
standard. He Is an excellent judge
of stock by his continual contact with
everything in the line.
The services at Parks-Belk Co. is
the very best. The sales people are
all specialists in their departments,
thus being able to offer valuable sug
gestions as well as answer all queB.
tions with that knowledge of experi
ence that relieves the purchaser of
all doubt and uncertainty. They are
very courteous and iyo matter what
the else of the purchase you will find
it entirely satisfactory. - I
The Pariu^elk Co. is distinctly
a department store and all the Stock
is systematically arranged in depart,
ments for the convenience of the cus.
tomers , Every facility for its prop,
er display has been provided and
thus shopping Is made easy.
The policy of Parks-Belk Co. has
always been the retailing of good
quality merchandise at one price to
all. N0 matter whether you call in
person, over .the phone or have their
personal shopper send you my mall
what you want you will always find
it is satisfactory to do business with
them as they always make all goods
satisfactory^ ....
The manager of each store of the
Parks-Belk Cos. has an interest in
the store and is a resident of the
town' in which the store is located
and takes an Interest in the affairs
of the city in which he lives. . The
great service this store renderes the
people makes 4t of great economic
value to the community and thus
they are rendering the public the
highest type of mercantile service.
o
Four Black Oxen Pulled
The Covered Wagon Thru
Bagdad Driven by a Sheik
A Moving Moving Picture Tale of
Terrific 1Mb aaJDariag Situa
tions by a Moving Kctare Fan
* $?
Here's a very moving-picture story
When "The Thief of Bagdad" broke
"The Ten Commandments" by steaL
ing a "White Rose " from "The En.
chanted Cottage." "Three Women"
telephoned the "Arm of the' Law"
and "Outlaw" was "Cornered."
These "Meddling Women" whose
mouths were "Open All Night" for
"Gossip1' also told "Dorothy Vernon
of Haddon Hall," that "The Sheik"
took "The White Sister" for a ride
In "The Covered Wagon" which was
dmwn by four "Black Oxen,"
When "The Riders of the Night"
returned they reported that "The
Madonna of The Streets" was engag
ed by "Potash and Perimuter" In
"Hollywood* to tell the "Secrets" of
"The Forbidden City." Hearing of
this "Slander," the "Hunchback of
Notre Dame" feared that snch a
"Turmoil'' would injure the "Reputa.
tlon" of "The Sea Hawk," whose
"Bad Habits" of acquiring "Danger,
ous Money" were "Common KjpowL
edge." ? The Idol whose "Feet of
Clay" had been hidden from all
"Men'' harkenfed to "The Voice from
the Minaret" and with a hasty
scrawl to his friend, "Monsieur
Beaucaire," he retired to his "Golden
Bed" there to dream of "Roatta" his
"Argentine Lore^ ; j
> -
The Pulse of y
Todsys Business
Charles Schwab sees prosperity
ahead. He says that badness in
general will experience greater pros
perity dnrins the months just ahead
than iq any previous years. He ts
of the opinion that, "If you hare
capital to inrest in industry, do not
hesitate |We are assured of a safe
and >ane government, and tike fu
ture of this country, offers greater
opportunities than at any other per.
iod. Endowed as it is with Incom
parable recources, this country is go.
ing to be the workshop of the woifd/
Speaking of his own industry, he
believes that "Steel production this
year will reach 40,000,000 tons com
pared with 1.000.000 when the busi
ness was, started.
The National Industrial Confer,
ence Board declares that state and
local taxes are assuming dangerous
proportions. From 1912 to 1923 to.
tal net indebtedness of state and lo.
cal governments in the ' United
States increased 128 per cent.' In
the first ten months of 1924 there
wa& an increase of 1510,960,000 in
their long-term bonds compared with
the same period of 1928, and* plans
for djbw financing, which received
popular approval at recent election,
call for additional issues of 9500*000,.
000. Net indebtedness of state and
local governments now exceed the
tremendous figure of 110,500,000,000,
compared with 18,697,000,000 in 1922
and only$3, 822, 000.000 in 1912.
? ? ? ? 1
People are pairing larger initial
installments on the automobiles
they now buy than they did a few
years ago, according to recent com
pilation by. the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce. The aver,
age outstanding note on automobile
time sales is now $252. In 1920 the
average note outstanding was 8277.
In 1921 it wa* 8299 and in 19p2 $278.
One explanation of this yearly da.
Crease is, no doubt, the .fact that
more people each year Sh turning
in their old cars as part payment on
the new one. This old car constitu.
tea part of the original payment and
less cash or smaller deferred pay
ments are required .
American claims for war damages
amounting to more than $250,000,000
have been admitted by the allies.
The United 8tates will, therefore
be entitled to collect this sum in ad
dition to the $800,000,000 cost of oc
cupation in Germany. Of course,
being entitled to collect and actually
collecting are two distinct proposi
tions. Most nations that are debt,
ors to this country because of our
assistance during their war needs
prould like to forget the obligation.
France, however, just recently
made a gesture at French settlement
of some of her obligations to the
Un|ted States; Finance Commis
sioner Clementel admitted in diebate
in the Senate t&at they had agreed
payment of American claims for war
damages wonld be settled ont of pro.
ceeds of the Dawes scheme of re par.
ationa. If payments are received
tn this manner, America will hare
again evidenced the shrewdness for
which its business men are noted by
lending a creditor sufficient assis
tance to help him get on his feet so
he can meet- his obligations. By
attempting to force collections with,
out first lending this aid. collection
might have been impossible.
President, Warren 8. Stone, of
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engl,
neert, says: We are going into the
greatest stock boom that the world
has ever known,. There will be 80
or 40 big foreign loans made id the
next year or year and a halt They
are dressing np old stocks and bonds
in new clothes an^ selling them to
the public. This Is going to go on
until they hare got all the gold,
drained out of the country and got
most of the suckers' money, and
then we are going to hare another
period of depression."
? o - ?