ft s ' -
a
THB gazette-news has
tHb associated,' PRESS
SERVICE. IT IS IN EVERT
.: RESPECT , COMPLETE!, ' ::
u
VOLUME XIX. NO. 274.
L
ONWARD MOVEMENTSyF
ARMIES LQSE HEADWAY
IK OF
I! ALLJFROrJTS
'Allies Making Only Minor
Gains; Von Hindenburg Not
Very Active; Austrians
Were Checked.
BELATED COLD MAY
ASSIST THE GERMANS
't.. j i T1 1 TT T.
.Aiivaueio m t wauu xiave seen
Greatly Impeded by Mild
Weather Freezing :
Has Begun.
London, Dec. 28. On the
east and west battle fronts in
Europe the onward movements
of the armies seem to have lost
something of their headwav,
On the west the allies' off en
siv'e movement gives evidence
of a lack of vigor as compared
with the operations of last
reek, while General Von Hin
denburg the, German com
mander in the eas seems to
Live come to .a standstill in his
campaign along the' River Vis
tula, and the Austrian advance
in the Galician Carpathians is
apparently checked.
The French during the last
throe days of fihgting have
made minor advances, judging
from oflicial reports from Paris
but not ata the same rate as
during the two weeks previous.
The heavy fogs along the coast
have evidentyl caused the
slackening of efforts. With the
exception of the capture of cer
tain Anglo-Indian trenches
along the Lys last week, most
of which appear to have been
retaken, the German effort to
push lac ktlie allies has appar
ently been generally abortive.
Aorth of the Vistula, in Rus-i
sian Poland, the Germans
ajrain reinforced, have retaken1
Mlawa, but south of the river
they have come to "a standstill
on their old ground. In South
Polund, where the German
rijrht wing joins the Austrian
Mt, there is fierce fighting
liich has resulted in slight
pins for the Austro-Gennans,
Judging from reports from Ber
'in and Vienna. In the Cali
ban Carpathians the Austrians
have been compelled to give
flwind, this being admitted in
& statement from Vienna, and
Petrograd claims that the Rus
sians have pushed the Aus
trians back into the mountains
and that thousands of prison
ers bavH been taken by the
Rusxinns.
Coll Weather at ImmU
rHrograd, Dec. 28. Delated cold
thir In Poland Is expected to pre
''pHate the definite result of the
'"man Polish campaign. which has
' prrrtiraity at a atardstlll. The
'Mhor conditions are paramount In
" r''1on, slur the whole German
'""Mlon Is predicated on the freezing
n soft, marshy ground, which has
jn Impeding the transportation of
nlr heavy guns and the digging of
around generally free In
rtnn ty September 1. Thwart-
" T tha mild weather, there Jifj
" a lull in tha activities arouni
id
A ft v. ..i . .
fI" o cross the river Hzura, the
"' ! river u..i. T. .v..
""Mima they h.
' o th aouth
- r. H W all IIIV
lava shifted tholr at-
South lt th rtvF
VIGOR
the ground la
fclr"h. The AustrUnaotlvitT
(Continued on ! I)
not
In
CORPORATIONS
BUREAU CLOSES
Is Soon to Be Absorbed by the
Federal Trade Commis
sion Only Recent
ly Created.
HAS SURVEYED WHOLE
INDUSTRIAL FIELD
Davies' Last Report Contains
Comprehensive Review of
How Commission
Will Work.
Washington, Dec. 28. Commis
sioner Joseph E. Davies made to
Secretary Redfield today the last re
port or the bureau of corporations.
At the close of eleven years work, it
soon is to be absorbed by the new
federal trade commission which will
carry forward its activities and de
velop new fields according to the
act of congress which created it.
Commissioner Davies reports that
before the -bureau Is absorbed by the
new federal commission, it plans to
complete additional and final reports
on tobacco, farm machinery associa
tions, taxation of corporations, oil,
trust laws and conflicts of corpora
tion laws and leave 1 ts force as free
as possible for the new work of the
trade commission.
During the last few months, " the
report says, the , bureau has been
maklng.av.gwwrsA- - comprehensive!
survey of the whole Industrial field
with the view of having immediately
available for the trade commission,
the general facts of the processes of
manufacture organization and domi
nant financial control of any line of
industry.
The report this year contains a
very comprehensive review of the law
under which the trade commission
will work. The new body, it explains.
win have, not only those functions of
investigation and publicity which the
bureau of corporations exercises, but
also other functions of publicity In
vestigation and recommendation and
powers which are quasi-Judicial,
which distinguish It in a marked
manner from the bureau of corpora
tions. It will have much broader dis
cretion and will act, when requested
to do so by the courts, as master In
chancerj' In the preparation of trust
decrees.
In view of the impending merger
of the bureau of corporations with
the trade commission. Commissioner
Devles makes no recommendations as
to policies or plans for the future,
and In addition to a lengthy review
of the functions of the tra commis
sion, his report is confined to a re
view of the year's work In his bureau
which has been previously disclosed
from time to time In partial reports
upon Investigations at various stages.
s
IT
Italian Cruiser to Help North
Carolina if More Trou
ble Occurs.
noma, Italy, Dec. 28. The Italian
cruiser Calabria, now at Beirut, Syria,
has been Instructed to assist the Amer
ican cruiser North Carolina If neces
sity arises as the result of further
demonstrations against the departure
of Europeans from Turkish territory.
The cruiser Tennessee, the fuel ship
Vulcan and the gunboat Pcorplon of
tha American navy, which also are
looking after American Interests In the
eastern Mediterranean, are ready to
steam to any place where they are
needed, according to report received
here. .
According to a dispatch from Ath
ena tha North Carolina recently thrt.
ened to use her guns as the result of
an Incident at Tripoli. Syria. The
cruiser, conveying the American
steamer Virginia, entered Tripoli har
bor and the commander requested h
Turkish authorities to permit the Brit
ish and French consuls to depart wl.h
their nationals resident In the city.
Tha request waa refused bo naval a,!
French resldanta boarded lha Virginia.
They were attacked by a mob who
wounded tha captain and first officer
Tha North Carolina threaienod to flie
and tha mob fled. Tha Virginia and
tha North Carolina left for Dadea
gatch. I tor tha cruiser proceeded to
Smyrna
IS
READY
FOR
WITH
TURKS
ASHEVILLE, N. C,
HUSK)
AGAINST BRIGGS
W
Washington Advised That the
Raleigh Postoffice Scandal
Instigated by News
and Observer.
BRITTON AND BAILEY
ARCH CONSPIRATORS
Charges Against Postmaster
Not Published, But His Re-
-
moval Now Seems to
Have Been Deferred.
Gazette-News Bureau
Wyatt Building
Washington, Dec. 28.
Unconfirmed rumors reached
Washington Saturday to the, effect
that the charges preferred aeainst
Willis G. Briggs, postmaster at Ral
eigh, were instigated by the News
and Observer and Collector of Inter
nal Revenue J. William Bailey. E. E.
Britton, editor of the Raleigh publi
cation, wants to be postmaster at
Raleigh, Mr. Bailey wants to be the
political leader in the eastern end of
the state.
The postoffice department contin
ues to refuse to make public the
charges which were preferred against
Mr. Briggs and upon which th post
master general stated last week he
would remove the Raleigh man from
office at once. .
-It Is learned, however, from a.-'r'e-
liable source, that one of the main
charges against Mr. Brigg9 Is that he
did not weigh the mails in Raleigh
in accordance with the wishes of the
Raleigh News and Observer. The
first edition of that publication 'goes
to press some time after midnight.
Reasonable people do not understand
why Mr. Briggs as postmaster should
call at the News and Observer of
fice every night after midnight and
personally "overlook' the weighing
of the papers that go from thai of
fice. "Overlook the weighing of malls"
Is a special charge against Brilggs.
Taking everything Into considera
tion, the Raleigh News and Observer's
editor's ambition, and the further
ambition of the man who at one time
was the political mouthpiece of for
mer Governor Russell, It Is thought
that those opposing Postmaster Bnggs
will have to support their charges by
affidavits before the department will
take any action toward removing
Briggs.
One thing Is certain, if Briggs ts
removed It will not be at the request
of Representative Edwnrd W. Pou.
Mr. Pou has always held Mr. Briggs
In high regard. He is not going to
play little politics now by request
ing the removal of a man whom ev
erybody In Wake county, with the
exception of a few politicians, con
cede has done the "Impossible" by
making a good postmaster although
allied with the republican party.
A few days ago Briggs waa to be
removed at once. Now, It seems,
those who filed forty-five pages of
"charges" against him have been
suddenly seized with cold feet. Post
master General P.urleson and his
chief "pie dispenser," Dnn Roper,
seem to have been stricken with a
like malady.
In the meantime Willie Briggs Is
drawing 13,400 a year as postmaster
at Raleigh and Is asking no questions.
Neither Is he submitting to newspa
per Interviews.
Word wns received here today that
Chairman Llnney has called a meet
ing of the republican state commit
tee to meet In Raleigh Tuesday, Jan
uary 12, for the purpose of perfect
ing plans for the presidential cam
paign in 1910. A business man whose
ability and Integrity cannot be ques
tioned will be brought out as a re
publican candidate for governor. It Is
said.
GAMBRIDGE CUT HOME
flUli; RI II DEAD
Aged Men and Women, Trap
ped in Building, Suffer
From Exposure.
Cambridge, Mass., Dec. St. Four
Inmates of the city homa wera burn
ed to death and another waa probab
ly fatally burned by a flra which
trapped the sleeping Inmatea early
today. Many others of tha 13S people
In tha homa, mostly at'd man and
woman, surrerea severely irom
fright and exposure.
MONDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 23, 1914
FREBCRiy'I'COMMIi ON
WANT ALSACE"
Troops Along Right of Battle
Line Show Great Eagerness
in Fight Combats in
Snow Storms.
SOLDIERS ON BOTH
SIDES ARE GIVEN SKIS
Recently French Company on
Skis Swept Through For
est, Cut Off andtap
tured Germans'.
-aris, Dec. Z8. French aviators
have bombarded the aviation hang
ers, a railroad station and barracks
at Metz in retaliation for the bomb
attack on Nancy , by a German Zep
pelin, according to the official com
munication issued In Paris yesterday
arternoon. The communication also
states that the Germans have re-oc
cupled the city of Mlawa, in Russian
.Poland.
In Belgium and moBt of northern
France intermittent cannonading and
sngnt gains are reported together
with the repulse, of German attacks
at various points.
The report says In part:
"A dirigible dropped a dozen bombs
on Nancy in the center of the city
and without military reason. Our av
iators in return bombarded aviation
hangers, one of the -railroad stations
at Meta where movement of trains
were noted and the barracks of St.
Privat at Metz. )
"In Russia, the Germans who re
sumed their march upon Mlawa have
re-oceupjed that city, The situation
in Poland remains without notable
change." ' : '
ast, night's statement says: '
"After having a Inst night directed
a "very - sharp - artillery, ahd Infrfhtry
fire against our troops stationedh at
La Bolsselle and In the adjacem?
trenches, the enemy . delivered two
consecutive attacks without success.
"We hold strongly the trenches
captured near Puisalelne. On the
heights of the Meuse we have consol
idated our occupation of the ground
taken near the trench of Garonne.
"St. Die has been bombarded vio
lently from 9.30 o'clock in the morn
ing to noon."
10
BUTTLE TO IGUA PITA
Washington, Dee. 28. Secretary
Bryan received word unofficially last
night that the Mexican factions l ad
agreed to the plan proposed by Gen
eral Scott, United States chief of it.(ff,
to prevent further tiring Into American
territory along the border.
Enrique C. Llorente, Washln'itin
agent of the jGutlerrez government of
which General Maytorena at Naco Is n
supporter, was advised that the latter
had accepted General Scott's plan. It
provides that General Hill of the Car
ranza force abandon Naco and be per
mitted to go unmolested to Agua Prl
eta, already held by a portion of hln
troops. General Maytorena, who hns
withdrawn his forces would agree not
to occupy Naco, which would become
neutral.
As Maytorena already holds No
gales, a port of entry, he Is said to
believe the arrangement was neither
to his advantage or detriment. From
1 1 mi viewpoint, tne continued pons,
islon of Naco was said to be of l'ttlo
lvalue because the Maytorena forces
besieging It prevented further trans
position of supplies southward
Fighting at Agua Preta or at No-
gnlrs would not be close enough to
the American towns to produce the 'well of the Ohio plan and offers It
same situation as had existed for I for consldemtlon, that plun providing
seversl months at Naco, where stray! for a rate bp the tax commission af
bullets constantly foil on Amerlcin UT- tne assessment has been mudo
sol).
The state department had no ad-
vances from Mexico City, but Mr. LJo-
rente said Villa had wired him that
harmony prevailed between Guflerr
and all hla chiefs. Llorente thought
the statement Issued by Outlerrex's
secretary charging Villa with dlsob
dlenoe wns due to a misunderstanding
which could have had no serious rt
suits. .(
NO ITU NEWS OF
Washington, Dec. tt. No further
replies have been received to the In
quiry concerning the reported Insur
rectionary disturbances In the Phil
ippines by tha war department since
the cablegrams of yesterday. The
trouble will be regarded as of minor
Importance unleae there are later developments.
KG REPORTS
iMany 'Radical Changes Are
Urged to Improve Taxa
tion System Present
Methods Inefficient.
WOULD REDUCE RATE
BUT ON FULL VALUE
Publicity of Assessments, Sales
Value Appraisements and
Equalizing Boards Are
Recommendations.
Raleigh, Dec. 28. The corpora
tion commission has made its recom
mendations to Governor Craig and
the general assembly in a document
of 18 pages embodying full value as
sessments, reduced tax rates, public
ity of assessments, sales value ap
praisements, "separation of land from
improvements," county assessors,
deputy assessors, local and state
boards of equalization, and a change
in tne time of listing.
Each of these recommendations is
amplified and explained in para
graphs which indicate radical changes
from the present system which has
not yielded the revenue that the
state needs. Early In its address to
the governor, the commission records
itself against the suggestion that the
people are satisfied with their pres
ent system. It declines to accept the
vote on the tax amendment as re
flecting the willingness of the state
to make no changes. The commission
thinks the vote was an indorsement
of the principle of taxation but far
far satisfied with existing assess
ments and listing of property in the
state.
It finds much dissatisfaction with
unequal assessments and the failure
to list. It notes the variant "valuations
In the several counties of the state
and finds that the small property
owner pays a much higher propor
tionate tax that the large property
owner. Solvent credits and intangible
property are missing from the list
altogether. To the rectifying of these
I conditions the commission addresses
itself in its report to the governor.
It tells a very interesting story of
the growth of values In the state de
spite the tendency to dodge. Its esti
mate upon hall the values Is $808,--000,000,
which Is $25,000,000 more
than the state has claimed before.
The commission under general as
sembly order has begun some Inher
itance tax suits. The first test case
is yet undecided. From one estate it
has raised $16,000. But for the
doubtful wording ft a statute, it be
lieves many hundred thousands would
have been raised thus. In automobile
liOnses, corporation franchises, ex
press company'frunchisos, inheritance
taxes, railroad, telephone, and tele
graph privilege tuxes, licenses under
H and C schedule and In the Insur
ance tux receipts, a gain or $430,638
Is recorded.
The first recommendation Is the
valuation of all property at its money
worth as required by the constitution.
The commission thinks this would
euulize the burden and heighten the
pride of every Individual who would
wish his property to be recorded at
Its actual worth. States that have
adopted this plan have reduced their
rate, the commission says, from one
to ten cents, and other taxes not for
state purposes, twelve and one half
cents. The commission believes North
Carolina's tate of 27 and 2-3 could be
reduced to ID cents.
The commission goes luminously
Into reduction of rates. It cnlls this
the "first and absolutely eKsentlal re
quirement." It makes something of
the fact that the legislature has been
fixing the rate before tha property
wus usscMsed, thereby creating i. high
rate that could not be changed dur-
I lng Its operating period.
It thinks
und that rate not to produce a great
or revenue than the preceding yeHr
: Plus six per cent. "We prefer
the
the
Ohio method and recommend It,
commission says.
It goes lengthllp Into publicity of
assessments and believes this would
make for equalization In all the
townships where the aaaeasora would
be acquainted with almost all Indiv
idual 'property. The report from this
feature goes much Into the detail of
working out the machinery of such
an act. It would change listing time
to February but would not begin un
til February 11.
. Washington. Deo. XI. Tha t
Carranza agency here hat made at
public message from the Car- tt
ranna representative at Galvea- at
ton ewylng that semi-official re- at
porta, not, confirmed, say that at
Villa ts evacuating Mexico Clt. .
and that F.ulallo Outlrrrei has K
resigned provisional president t
of Mexico. t
at
STATE MAY BUY
The Geological Survey Recom
mends Purchase of Tracts
for a State Forest Re
serve in N. C.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS
TO BE ASKED TO ACT
Also Recommended in Annual
Report That Appropriation
Be Made for Protection
of the Forests.
The annual report of the North Car
olina Geological survey will be sub
mitted this week to Governor Locke
Craig by State Geologist Joseph Hyde
MT.
MITCHELL URGES REFORMS
Pratt, and, aside from an outline oflof the resolutions recently passed by
the important work of the survey dur
ing the past year, certain recommen
dations are made that will be of vast
interest throughout the state. One of
these recommendations, according to a
statement given a representative of
The Gazette-News by Dr. Pratt, is that
the state of North Carolina set aside
an annual appropriation for the pur
chase of forest areas as a reserve.
If this recommendation is acted
upon favorably It will doubtless affect
western North Carolina more directly
than any other section of the state
No special area Is specified In the re
port, but it was gathered from the in
terview with Dr. Pratt that the officials
of the survey are especially anxious to
have the state purchase the area on!munl1tles whlh wish to remain white.
the summit and the slopes of Mount
Mitchell.
It is believed that such action will
be taken by the state, since Governor
Craig has already stated that he will
ask the next general assembly to pur
chase approximately 500 acres on the
summit of Mt. Mitchell In order that
this vast watershed may be conserved,
and the destructive lumbering opera
tions now In progress there be stopped.
The report of the state survey along
general lines will doubtless bear much
weight in having the assembly act
favorably on this matter.
Another fact that makes Dr. Pratt
feel sanguine over the prospects of
having this recommendation adopted
Is that Grandfather mountain is now
really the possession of the state as a j
reserve, but is being held in trust. He
believes that this trust will continue
until the state takes some action to
establish a forest reserve, and at the
same time establish a system for its
upkeep. With the acquisition of
Grandfather mountain and Mt. Mltch-
ell, the state would have a really fine
neucieus arouna wnicn w ouua up a zed primary. It is believed that the
forest reserve In this section. legislature will not be urged to take ui
Another Important recommendation segregation this time until public sen
In this report relative to the forests of ; timent gets more behind the move
the state Is that an appropriation be . There is a great deal of opposition to'
made to protect the forests against I it and In the state administration It la
fires. If an appropriation worth while !on nf thA lenat utort t..kiio
Is made, the state authorities will re
ceive a similar amount from the Fed
eral government for fire protection,
this beir.s made possible by a provision
of the Weeks law. A strong argument
for ucli an appropriation Is made In
the report, and Dr. Pratt believes that to prepare for a fierce buttle against
the recommendation will receive fav- ! the "interests." It Is being urged pas
orable consideration when the general : slonately by Poe In his rPogresslve
assembly meets next aprlng. j Farmer and the charge Is being miule
Endorsement is given In this annual j that white merchants and time traders
report to the establishment of a state are opposed to segregation because the
highway commission for North Caro- ; black man Is more Improvident, a bet
llna. for which a fight has been In iter slave to the credit system and more
progress now for several years. Dr. easily taken In by the plea that tha
Pratt has been one of the prime I time merchants Is the "poor man's
movers in tne ngnt, ana sum a com
mission has been endorsed by a num
ber of the leading organizations and
Individuals of the state. Among the
leading endorsers Is the North Caro
lina Good Koads nasoclatlon, the mem
bers of which believe that a great for
ward step would be taken for Imprav
lng the public hghwaya of the state
If such a commission were establlihej
to superintend tha expenditure of road
funds and the methods used In road
building.
Altogether, the report of this year
of the survey Is one of the most Im
portant submitted to the governor In
many years; and It Is believed that
almost all the recommendations madoben)r trained for state tresaurer: S. H.
therein will rail for the close consid
eration of the next aaaalon of the gen
eral assembly.
TO
Paris, Deo. 18.- An official state
ment Issued In Pari this afternoon la
as follows:
"In Belgium we have continued our
advance. To the w.M f Lombart
syde, we have actually reached tha
font of the aan (I dunes on which the
enemy had established their forces for
, reactance. At a point near Tpres, we
.lost a section of trenches near llolle-
beke."
PRICE FIVE CENTS
FARMERS Mil
Legislature Asked to Consider
Ten Very Specific Things
in Resolution Passed
at Convention.
REPEAL OF CROP LIEN
LAW RECOMMENDED'
Greater Economy, Salary In-;
stead of Fee, State-Wida
Primary, Land Segregau ;
tion Among the Ten, ' -i
(By W. T. Boat.)
Raleigh, Dec. 28. Every member
of the incoming General nssemhlr hoa
either received or will receive a copy
me state i-armers' union convention'
in Greenville, a paper advocating ten.
very specific things which the legisla
ture is asked to consider. ....
, President H. Q. Alexander has Issued
these suggestions with a letter con
gratulating the members upon their
opportunity to serve the state, partic-
ularly to "the farming Interests " Dp. .
Alexander thinks the fact that the '
union in its convention enthusiastically
advocated these measures should
count for something.
The convention wants the crop lien
law repealed, greater economy In gov
ernment, the salary Instead of the fen
system, the abolishment of the conntv
I treasurer's office, land segregation be-
tneen tne races so that white rnm-
may limit land sales to their own race,
iur a state-wice primary act for Il
offices accompanied hv n otrnno.
1 rup.t Practlce act, a modern law gov-
erning co-operative enterprises, lighter
taxation of labor compensated for' by
heavier taxation of Inheritance and
unearned Incomes, extending the anti
Jug territory,, raising the compulsory
attendance age to fourteen, an appro
priation that will give the farmers the
full benefit of the Smith-Lever, funds
and the listing of the source of am
monia on all fertilizer sacks.
Segregation Unlikely Now. i
Much as the union, particularly that
part of it close to Dr. Clarence Poe.
Is committed to land segregation, it is
hardly probable that this feature will
be pushed at the coming session.. Tha
mass meeting in which Drs. Alexander,
Poe and other popular leaders partici
pated last spring was about as far
from segregation as it could get, like
wise pretty distant from anything else
that these gentlemen advocated. ,It
was long on the pass attorney though
gnort on the pass editor and the legal-
But the crop lien law will be. pushed. ,
The union calls this law slavery. It '
thinks the best way to get segregation I
la to get the repeal of the crop lien j
"body of death," for that's. what It!
calls the law. It calls upon the craft i
; friend " This Is the big thing that the
i time merchants Is the "poor man's
friend." This Is the big thing that lha
j union is after. It hns caused pr,ss
I toting attorneys to drop them, several
Imen In the legislature now hav'mr
dropped their card to remove all ca ise
! for offense.
The demand for more economlosl
, buying on the nart of state Instltutl.na
w II tnke legs and travel. The cllmlna-1
tlon of the large legislative expanse i
entailed by parceling of small Jobs,
will be asked, and a better system f t
accounting everywhere. The union bos
its eye on tha legislature.
Itumor has It that Dr. Alexander la
Ilobbs of Clinton, for commissioner of
agriculture; and J. A. I tartness, of Ire.
dell, for secretary of state. J. A
Hartnesa of Iredell, though not farmer
to hurt, Is agreeable to leadera of tha
union becauaa of his Influence. No
body can prove that. But It Isn't
doubted that the platform of the anion
will make some men now In offle
huatla to retain their position,
Oovamor Craig left yesterday fVr
Aahevllle to spend several days In tha
zero climate before returning to Ral
eigh to have tha legislature on his
hands.
Governor Craig will have his aea
aage ready this week. He has b,n
asked to read It to tha general aaaem.
bly but haa not said whether he YI
do or not ,
Mrs. Henry B. Stevens will give a
dance at her home on Montford ave-
nue on Monday evening for her n i-h-ew,
Mr. "Millard of Atlanta.
1