North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. XLIX Gov. Morrison With draws Request lor Prison Investigation The Governor is Responsible and Has Started Machinery for Investi gation of all Prisons and Prison Camps.!: ZZZ Resolution of State Prison Board and Letter of Governor. (By Maxwell Gorman.) Raleigh, May 15. —When Gov ernor Morrison notified Mrs. K. B. Johnson, State Commissioner of Welfare, that he withdrew his request to that department to take charge of the investigation into prison conditions in North Carolina (State Prison and camps and county chain-gangs and jails) he was actuated largely because it had become apparent to intel ligent here that the "strained relations" existing and growing were between Mrs. John son's department and the Sta'e Prison board,- and authorities of the penitentiary, had become so "embarrassing" that the investi gation should be directed differ ently—if it was desired to have a real investigation that would be able to secure co-operation* and obtain the facts,desired. So the Governor took charge, as he is determined that the in vestigation shall be thorough and unprejudiced, and the prospects of getting the truth is materially enhanced by Governor Morrison's "bold" stroke, which" the two Raleigh anti-administration daijy newspapers allege "flabbergasted" them. No other "flabbergasted" have been noticed outside of the News and Observer and Times offices. Some developments that had aggravated this condition includ ed the invitation of Mrs. Johnson to outside "experts," and even including Dudding and his ele ment of agitators to visit the State and take part in the investiga tion. These things led the State Prison Board to adopt a resolu tion last week which reads as follows: "Be it resolved by the Board of Directors that the superintendent advise the various supervisors in charge of the State Prison farms and State Prison camps that no person or persons other than the Governor of North Carolina or a grand jury in session in accord ance with the law, be allowed to confer with any prisoner or prison ers, under the jurisdiction of the State Prison authorities except in the presence ot the supervisor un der whom such prisoners may be confined; or in the presence of some employe of the State's Prison delagated by such supervisor. "That in passing this resolution this board has no dtesire to in any way retard or interfere with any survey or investigation which may now be under way or which may be made in the future. That the passing of this resolution is only for the purpose of making an effort to see that justice is done to all. "Be it further resolved, that a copy of this resolution be for warded to His Excellency,' the Governor of North Carolina, the Chairman of the Board of Public Welfare and Charities, to the Commissioner of Public Welfare, and to each supervisor in the em-1 ploy of the State's Prison." The average citizen can see after reading the abjve how fruitless would have been the efforti of Mrs. Johnson to set her outside "investigators" and "experts" (Dudding is an ex-convict and an , expert to that extent) to work. The Governor's interposition be came necessary, and lie is to be commended for action that will insure a more thorough and just THE ALAMANCE GLEANER inquiry than Mrs. Johnson could have put on. Governor's Letter to Mr*. Johnion •'My Dear Mrs. Johnson: "I desire to withdraw my re quest for nn investigation by yonr board into prison conditions in the State. I have decided that my own official responsibility about this matter is greater than lat first realized. I have, there fore, determined to assume full responsibility in the matter and to take far-reaching action with out delay. "Your board, under the law, can only make a report to me for submission to the next Genera) Assembly or for my guidance and assistance. I have decided that I do not desire a report from you for the purpose of influencing my own action, and as the Gen eral Assembly will not meet for some time, I am unwilling to wait until that time for action. "I have been giving seriops study to the whole subject, and feel that I have both the legal power and the disposition to take action in the premises. "Circumstances are such that I really think your investigation and report would embarrass me rather than aid me in the course I have firmly fixed my mind upon. "1 am thoroughly in accord with modern and progressive thought upon the subject of prison reform, and, under the law as it is now written, I am satisfied the whole system can be put in mod ern and up-to-date shape, I am going to exercise all the power I have, and I «m quite sure it is sufficient to bring this about. "Very truly yours, "CAMERON MORRISON." Attorney General Act*. Attorney General J. S. Manning on Monday wrote to the solicitors and the chairmen of the boards of county commissioners of the State, asking that they investi gate the prison conditions in their counties and districts in com pliance with the request of the Governor, who Friday took the direction of the prison investiga tion out of the hands of the State Board of Charities and Public with the statement that the board's investigation would be more* embarrassing than help ful. The action of the Governor was the principle topic of conversation about the State departments, and while everyone was willing to ad mit the action startling to a degree nobody was willing to comment for publicatipn. Mrs. Kate Bnrr Johnson, Commissioner of Public Welfare, maintained the silence with which she received the Gov ernor's ultimatum. The Board of Public Welfare will probably meet this week, fol lowing the return of W. A. Blair, chairman of the board, from New York. The Governor communi cated hiß action to the members of the board so that it was not necessary for Mrs. Johnson to notify them of the new devel opments. Governor'* Statement to the Public "The sentiment of the public upon this matter has arrested my attention, and I am ready to pro ceed vigorously to consideration of the whole question and to take action. The responsibility is upon me, and I think my power is ample-under the present law, and I have decided to withdraw my request to the Board of Charities and Public Welfare for assistance in the matter. "Since I have been Governor so many large questions have exacted my thought and effort that I pos sibly have not given the attention to reform in the penal institutions which its importance required, and I was under the impression that the legislation enacted dur ing the administration of Govern or Bickett, when the entire sub ject was up for consideration, as satisfactory to the people. "If, when I have finished what I contemplate doing about the matter, the publie is not satisfied with results, then other agencies may take the equation iu hand. "I have decided that until the next General Assembly meets, the responsibility ia ultimately mine, and I| propose to discharge my duty the best I can. I ask the public to await results before in dulging in criticism. "I am thoroughly in aoeord GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY. MAY IT. 1929 with modern and progressive thought upon the subject of pris on reform, and, under the law as it is now written, I am satisfied the whole sjstem can be put in modern and up-to-date fhape, if it is not now in snch shape. CO OPS WIN IN VIRGINIA CASE Tobacco Grown on Lands of Mem bers Must Be Delivered. Raleigh, May 10. —The Tobacco Co-operative association has won a fur reaching decision in a jury trial at Charlotte Courthouse, Va., before Judge Hundley when the association received verdict of five cents per pound liquidated dam ages, attorney's fees and court costs for tobacco grown by a non member minor sou of a member of the association. Today's victory of the tobacco co-operative in its first case before a jury is only second in importance to the recent decision of the North Carolina supreme court upholding the contract of the association in that the right of the association to market all tobacco grown upon the land of its members is upheld in the Virginia court. In holding a member of the as soi iation liable for tobocco grown by a non-member the court today strengthens the statement by as sociation officials that the associ tion expects each member to de liver every pound of tobacco grown upon his land, whether the member has tenants or share crop pers or whether he makes his own crop, iu 1923. Similar rulings in favor of other co-operative associations and re cent news of the decision of the Kentucky court in the case of Garrett Watts and from Oregon in the case of August Lentz have further strengthened the organ ized Virginia and Carolina grow ers in their contention that the co operative associations have prior claim to all tobacco growu'on the lands of members. Macon County Agent Made His Salary. When J. M. Gray, assistant di rector of extension for the State College and State Department of Agriculture, went to Macon Coun ty sometime ago to lake up the matter of having a county ageut employed in the County, he found some opposition." The farmers wanted the work but the County Commissioners couldn't see how it would pay. So badly did the farmers want a° agent, however, that nine leading meu volunteer ed to sign notes of SIOO each to help defray the expanses of the work and if at the end of the year, the agent did not show at least S9OO profit by his work, they would pay this ainouut to the county as a reimbursement for the county's part of the agent's salary. John V. Arrendale was secured as farm ageut and he went to work on Jauuary first of this year. The other day, he held a coop erarive sale of poultry. The re sults show that 2,377 chickens were sold from 194J farms. The fowls weighed 9,967 pounds and were'Skld for $2,085.67. Most of these /fowls were simply culls from the general flocks found ov r the county. The average price offer ed for them locally wis five ceuts a pound for the old roosters and 15 cents a pound for the best heus. John Arrendale secured au aver age of about 21 cents a pouud on the whole lot, and at one sale showed in actual dollars and cents that he was at least S9OO to his folks. But he is planning another sale for May 23rd when he hopes to do better because he will probably have more birds to sell. More people are now interested in cul ling out their old stuff aud saving the beet birds for use at home. Along with his other work, County Agent Arrsudale has start ed three cream routes in the coun ty. "Birds of a feather" not only flock together but they are more profitable than mixed breeus. Get rid of the mongrel fowls and use only pure breds, suggests the farm extension workers of aootber State- The samu is true in North i Carolina. Kite flying is one of the chief i sports of the adult Malays. UNITED STATES CANNOT STAND ALOOF. Pres. Harding's World Court Policy Will Not Observe Other Issues. Washington Correspondence. Washington, May latest view attributed to Presi dent Harding that isolation is no longer possible Is set forth by the Washington correspondents iu at tendance at a recent White House conference. To quote the New York Times: ' In the President's view, all the peoples of the globe were now In contact. When a man oould fly across the American continent in twenty-seven hours, whea the couutriesof tbe world were con nected by radio and cable, the President could only be convinced that the idea of a nation living in a shell and having uothiug to do with other nations and with international problems was so ridiculous as not to be thought of. Mr. Harding, it was repeated, was certain that no President would leave the White House honest conviction that the United States could remain aloof from the rest of the world." Presideut Harding said iu his New York speech that his present world court policy was in har mony with the platform declara tions of his party for a number of years, which he cited. The two statements taken to gether constii ute au indictment of the faithlessness of the party to its platform declarations. Presi dent Harding apparently holds widely different President than he did as Seuator. If the Repub leans had said in 1920 what President Harding now ».»ys concerning nouiaolation and our duty to the world instead of utter ing a lie about international co opration what a different phase the whole question of our interna tional relations would preseut. While the primary and relative ly unimportant step which Presi dent Harding has taken in the matter of iut«rnatioual cooper ation in his advocacy of the World Court evokes much discus sion, it is certain that it will not be permitted to overshadow the many outstanding issues in tbe presidential campaign. Democrats throughout theooon try will see to it that the broken platform pledges of 1920 to reduce the high cost of living and prose cute the profiteers, the Infauifus Fordney-McCumber Tariff Uw costing tbe people $-1,000,000,000 annually, the proposed Ship Sub sidy, tbe violation of tbe Civil Service Act, Newberryisin and Daughertyisin, tbe Bureau of En graving and Printing scandal, tbe restoration of foreign markets to our farmers, shall not be permitted to be obscured or lost sight of, while at the same time giving due attention to the great question of foreign relations. Wilson aid Harding On the Screen Recognition aud reprobation of popular colduess toward President Harding were voiced by Mrs. Vir ginia White Steele, of Washington in addressing the semi-annual convention of the Maryland Fed eration of Republican Women in Baltimore a few days ago. Mrs. Steele is vice-preeideut of tbe Re publican Voters' Associating of the District of Columbia, which is directly uuder the tutelage of the Republican National Com mittee. Beginning with a reproof of her fellow-Republicans for their lack of enthusiasm, Mrs. Steele declar ed that there was no proper defer ence to President Harding. When the picture of former President Wilson was thrown on tbe scresn iu Washington, she said, there was vigorous aud spontaneous ap plause. When reference was made to President Harding or to his ad ministration, Mrs. Steele sakl, it seemed to take great effort to start even weak a»l desultory handeiapping. Mrs. Steele's subject was, "The Achievements of the Republican National Administration." Her audience was not very responsive] until sfter she bad lectured the] women about Republican tndiffer-; encc to tbe President. Thereaf- I ter mention of his name was met with a mild demonstration. Record for Stfe Travel un Trains of Southern. Figures just compiled by the safety department of the Southern Railway System show that a high degree of safety for passengers was accomplished duriug the year 1922 wheu the Southern handled a total of 17,668,605 passeugers without a single fatality to any passenger as the result of an ac cident to a train or negligence on the part of the railway. A total of 177,084 passenger traius were operated during the year and the average distance traveled by each passenger was 62.17 miles. Had one passenger ridden the entire distance that these passengers were carried, he would have traveled more than 44,000 times the distance around tbe earth. Four passeugers were killed as the result of their own acts in vi olation of the safety rules estab lished for their protection. Of these, two fell from moving traius, one attempted to boafl a moving train and fell under it, aud one jumped through the wiu dow of the coach iu which he was riding. "Tbese figures," says a state ment issued by the safety depart ment of the Southern, "show that, while the Southeru has attained a remarkable degree of efficiency in protecting the passengers who ride on its trains, no refinement "of protective features oau insure the safty of persons who careless ly or deliberately violate the com mon lawa of safety aud the rules which have been established for their protection." Whitsett High School Closing Exercises. Cor. of The Olesner. The Whitsett High School closed a successful year'B work with the commencement exercises of last week. Large crowds were preseut for every exercise, and the weather was delightful for every day. Tuesday, May Ist, was given over to the recltal.ln music uuder the direction of Mrs. R. K. Daven. port. She p reseated the follow ing pupils ou her program: Pearl Perrett, Luoile Whitsett, Rebekah Lowe, Jewell Greeson, Macy John sou, Rosa Huffman, Emily Hin shaw, W. T. Whitsett, Jr. Wednesday the lower grades gave a play, and also other exer cises direoted by Miss Phoebe Henriez. The High School students on Thursday presented a play, "Home Acres," which was beard by a large gathering. Friday was given over to the graduates of this year, six in num ber, as follows: Glenu W.Wheeler, Alexander Phillippie, Jr., Pearl Perrett, Jennie Huffman,, The odore Huffman, Jewell Greeson. The graduates held a delightful class exercise, followed by tbe literary address which was de livered this year by Dr. W. T. Whitsett, who spoke on "Those who Use and Those who Lose." He showed how all live through tbe same period of days, tbe same hours of the day, yet some make such floe use of time that they become useful, noted, and dis tinguished, while others lose out in tbe race because they are not awake to improve every oppor tunity aa presented. Tbe address was filled with apt illustrations of tbe theme. Prof. H. W. Smith, the princi pal, is being congratulated for the exc-lleut year's work just closing. Protecting the Cheaters. Ohio State Joornal (Rep.). Tbe entirely disinterested, not to mention grand old Republican National Committee now makes tt plain to any reasonable man that tbe tariff has absolutely nothing to do with the price of sugar, bat still it does seem sort of fuuny to protect 'em while tbe aotuel cheating is going on. It takes 3,030 tomato plants, set three by four feet apart, to plant an acre. Do yon have yonr supply ready. Asks tbe home demonstation workers of tbe State College and Department of Agri culture. LIME PAYS WITH CLOVER. A Striking Demonstration in Use ot Lime in Alamance. In a former issue THE GLEAKER printed the substance of the arti cle below. So this is a twice told tale, but a good thing cannot be repeated too often. The results weie so apparent that the cultuial Extension Service at Raleigh makes the statement over as follows: "It would pay any farmer who is interested iu soil development and soil building to visit a dem onstration being conducted by Mr. Juliau Sellars on his farm near Me bane, where he shows the value of lime in growing clover," says W. Kerr Scott, County Agent of Alamaucecounty. Mr. Sellars planted a 15 acre field to wheat and clover last year, liming half of the area leaving the other half uiiliined. Mr. Scott states that the lime was applied with a wheat drill, going over the ground twice. About one ton was used to each acre, applied on top of the ground just before sowing the clolrer seed iu the spring of 1922. Ou a recent visit to this demon stration, Mr. Scott found thai the clover on the limed half of the field was up to a fair stand, was dark green iu color aud sh »wed a healthy growth. At this time the clover is about six iuches high. Ou the uulimed half of the field, there are a few scattered, pale yellow bunches of clover all iu a very unhealthy looking condition. This clover is only about three inches high and there are more weeds than clover in this portion of the field. Very few weeds are to be found in the limed part. Mr. Scott says that the eutire field received exactly the same treatment in every way except that half was limed and half un limed. The date of sowiug both the wheat and the clover was the same. Mr. Scot', believes this to be oue of the most valuable and strik ing demonstracions that he has seen in the county thisttpring aul that it gives a fair indication as to the need aud value of agricul tural lime, especially in the growth of legumes. Money Saved llf Use of Paint • "Of all the general neglect of implements, buildings, etc. credit ed to farmers all over the country" says E. R. Raney, Farm Eugiueer for the North Caroliua Extension Service, "there is probably no one item that would reduce this great annual loss, which KOOS into mill ions for tbe whole ountry, more than a good liberal aud judicious use of paiut. "We see every day farm homes and surrounding buildings over North Carolina that would be im proved at least 50 per cent iu general appearance by a good lib eral application of paint. This is not confined to old buildings that have never been painted or to buildings on which the paint has about all disappeared," continues Mr. Rauey, "but in many cases where homes have only recently been completed they are left uu painted. Paint shbuld always be a part of the construction program and the house not considered fin ished until it is painted. What would you think of au implement dealer or manufacturer who tried to sell you a machine iu which you could see all the rough cast ings, straps, etc., just HS they came from the foundry without paint? The very best machines even to your 1923 model automo bile would preseut a rather rough and crude appearance just as that new unpainted home does in com parison to one that is properly painted." Mr. Raney states further that paiut will not only improve the general appearauco of buildings, but by keeping a good coat on both buildiugs and machinery it will greatly lengthen tbe life of these by preventing the wood work from becoming soaked with water and rotting, and tbe metal parts from rusting. Workers of tbe State College and State Department of Agricul ture find that good purebred brood sows have larger litters, which i grow rapidly into pork, use less feed per pound and gain more in doing so. NO. 15 Farmers and Wage-workers Paying For Trust Prosperity. . Depreciation of the farmer's and wage-worker's dollars as a conse quence of the rapid rise in the cost of living is disturbing Repub lican politicians who realize that their talk about the "return of prosperity" is not very i>ersuasive so long as agriculture and labor are not shariug it. Chairman John T. Adams of the Republican National Committee is one of those of his party to whom the political effect of this shrinkage of the dollar is apparent. "There is still much te be de sired because of the discrepancy between the selling dollar and the buying dollar of the farmer," said Mr. Adams iu a formal statement-. Dr. Irviug Fisher, Professor of Economics at Yale University, calculated that the*.purchasing power of the dolhr had decreased to 59.5 cents on Api-il 1, 1923, compared with This repre sented a decline of Oj- cents in ks purchasing power since JannaTy 1, *l*23. * * The farmer and tho wage-work er are paying for the "prosperity" of the profiteers for whom the Re» publican Fordney-McC timber tar iff was enacted. All consumers' commodities have grown dearer while the average wage and the price of agricultural products has either reuiaiued stationary pr risen only slightly. It is this fact, that Chaihnan Adams slurred so adroitly when he wag singijwj his paean tO prosperity. ■ * The distinction of being tbe iirst woman to l»e awarded the coveted Du I'ont fellowship in chemistry has been won by 31iss Gilberta G. Torrey, assistant in the chemical laboratory at the college for wonun, Western Re serve University. Feeding the pig is simplified *if you have one of the new circulars issued by the Agricultural Exteu siou Service to guide you. Ask the editor of the College aud De partment of Agriculture at "Ral eigh for your copy of F. 1 SLB&CK1BB FOB TUB ULKAMBU 666 is a Prescription for Colds, Fever and LaGrippe. It's the most speedy remedy we know, preventing Pneu monia. PROFESSIONAL CARDS LOVICK H. KERNODLE, Attorney-at-Law, GRAHAM, N. C. AmoclaUd wltll John J. Henderson. Office over National Hank ot Alamance THOMAS D. COOPER, Attorney and Counsdlor-at-Law, BURLINGTON, N. C, Auociatcd with W.S. Coultfr, . Not. 7 and 8 First National BanklJldg. S. C. SPOON, Jr., M. D. (irabam, N. C. Office over Ferrell Drug Co. (lours: 2 to 3 aud 7 to y p. in., and by appotni ineul. Puoue U7* » GRAHAM HARDEN, M. D. Burlington. N. C. Office llour»: 0 to 11 a. in. unri by appointment Office Over Acme Drug Co. Telephonea: Office 11U—Kcnidence 'Hi I JOHN J. HENDERSON ' Attorney at-Law GRAHAM. N. C. Olllcc aver National Bank ol Alaoaaucc jr. s. o ooic T Attorn»y*l- Law iKAHAM, ... - N. C Olßco Patterson Building Socoud Floor. . . DR. WILLUOMUK. . . : DENTIST : s ; 111ntT»~ .... North Carolina i OFFICE IN PARIS BUILDINU