A REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE UPBUILDING OF AMERICAN HOMES AND AMERICAN INDUSTRIES.
VOL. I.
BURLINGTON. N. C, MACH 17, 1909.
NO. 44
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Keffular Correspondent.
Washington March 12. Th
fact that Senator Aldrich, chairman
of the finance committee and who
will have charge of -the tariff bill in
the Senate, has booked passage for
Europe for the middle of June next
is considered most significant and as
indicative tha: all unnecessary delay
In the enactment of a new tariff law
is to be avoid by the Republican
leaders. Senator Scott of West
Virginia has proposed a plan which
may be adopted and which will, in
his estimation, dispose of the tariff
iu the most expeditious maqner.
His idea is to have a resolution
offered in the Senate, as soon as it' J
convenes on Monday, making a
declaration on the tariff question as
a basis for any number of speeches
and thus bringing the measure upi
for discussion in the Senate at the
same time that it b under considera
tion in the House.
The members of the ways and
means committee are having a hard
time of it in their efforts to frame
up a bill that will meet all require
ments. They are in receipt of large
numbers of protests against the tax
on sugar, a very lively agitation has
been started to increase the proposed
duty on lumber from $1, to $1.50,
and they are obliged to choose be
tween an increase of the tax on beer
or of placing a dnty on coffee.
Members of both houses of Con
gress are urging the reimpositiou of
some of the Spanish-American war
taxes, such as the 2 cent stamp on
checks, telegrams, etc., as the only
means Dy wnicn me aaamonai re
venue can be raised necessary to
make the annual expenditure This
question has received some serious
attention on the Senate side, and
while there is no purpose to rc-sn-act
all of the stamp taxes, the claim
is made that some of them could be
imposed again without burdening
the ordinary consumer and without
injuring those lines of business en
gaged in by the great mass of the
people. The revenue on stamps
alone during the three full years
during which the war taxes were in
operation, averaged about $41,000,
000 annually, and that on legacies
in 1901 aggregated $5,211,899.
The interstate commerce commis
sion has just announced a decision to
the effect that it is unlawful for
railroads so to adjust their rate
schedules as to force commodities
into a particular city or port. The
case was that of the chamber of
commerce of Milwaukee against the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacifio
and the Chicago, Milwaukee and
St. Paul railroads, in which the
commission held that . the joint
through rate on corn, rye and oats
from the west and northwest to
Milwaukee ought not to exceed
such rate to Chicago.
Again the subject of the restora
tion of marines aboard ships of war
has come up for discussion at the
Navy Department Secretary Meyer
says it is his intention to observe
the letter and the spirit of the law,
which becomes onerative on Julv
1st, and under which the appropria
tions for the navy are to be with
held unless the marines are given
sea duty. Already steps have been
taKen looking to the distribution of
tae marines nmnno- thft various
ship and the Secretary explains
luat in referring the question to the
Attorney General, to determine its
constitutionality, his only desire was
to avoid any possible difficulty in
tlje Comptroller's office.
The Secretary of the Navy has
given directions for a radical change
battle practice of warships,
this new order provides that the
conditjons unter which the practice
,s held shall h similar tr thnsoliWp-
lv to obtain in time of war, so far
18 possible, and to that end the
slllP, in future, are required to
toauoeuver in rough water in the
1)pd and to fire at a moving targat.
uue t the first acts of Secretary
'CkU'lSon tYia now Sowofarv rf
"ilr will be the selection of the
to.ihtirv court of inauirv. orovided
tor !)V tin- Foraker act, for the in-
'igation of the cases of the en
.I
i negroes, of ..Companies
ITEMS OF INTEREST
FORM HON COLLEGE.
The Christian Ophanage here
has recently received two valuable
donations from friends. The firsj
came from Mrs. E. J. Brickhouse,
Norfolk, Va., and was a cash do
nation for current expenses of
$1,500. The second an interest in
the estate of the late Mr. Mulhol
land, of Durham, N. C. This estate
it is estimated will net the Orphan
age about $3,000- These legecies
and bequests testify the respect
shown the Orphanage though a
young institution. The farm is in
excellent shape, buildings and out
houses have been built and equip
ped. The farm has also been stock
ed, and the main building plentiful
ly supplied with orphan children,
coming from all parts of .the State
and Virginia. l
The State Christian Endeavor
Society will hold its annual conven
tion this years the 24-5 of April in
the city of Winston-Salem, N. C.
This will be a record breaking con
vention for Christian Endeavor in
this state,., because the founder of
the society, the Rev. Francis E.
Clark, of Boston, will be present.
Tnterest in atheletics increases as
the season of competition with put
side institutions draws near. The
uew coach, Mr. Hofl&nan, has taken
hold of the team with the grasp of
a master and trained it to the high
est point of efficiency. We will
have two star twirlers, Messrs.
Abernathy and Brandon. Both
men have had extensive experience
in the box and it is expected they
will put up a stiff article when they
go up against the baseball artists of
Qthpreolleges.
Preparations also being made for
the North Carolina track meet,
which takes place in Greensboro in
the month of April. Elon men are
confident that they will win at least
some events at that contest.
The Easter examinations are near
ly here consequently the student
body is very busy preparing for
them. This marks a departure in
the policy of the institution. Here
tofore only two examinations have
been given one in Decsmber arid
one in June, but beginning with
this year three examinations will be
held in December, March and June.
It will be recalled that the leading
institutions of the country have
adopted this method and have found
it very satisfactory.
Prof. Robertson to Deliver Two
Addresses.
Prof. J. B. Robertson goes to
Greensboro tomorrow to address
the Guilford county Sunday School
Convention, which meets in the
West Market St. church on Friday,
on the subject: "Economy in Reli
gion." Mr. Robertson made this
address in the Guilford convention
last fall and the members of the
committee on program was so favor
ably impressed with this address
that they have invited Mr. Robert
son to make the same address the
second time. Next week Mr.
Robertson goes to Durham to ad
dress the Durham county Sunday
School Convention on the subject:
"The . Next Great Step in Our
State's Progress for Freedom."
B, C, and D of the 25th infantry,
discharged without honor by. Presi
dent Roosevelt on account of the
disturbance at Brownsville, Texas,
in August, 1906. President Taft
has already called for and received
from the War Department a list of
retired army officers above the rank
of lieutenant colonel deemed eligible
for service on the court, and there
is every indication that it will be
organized without much delay. As
President Taft desires that each
case shall be decided on its' merits,
he will select for membership on
the court officers who are free from
suspicion of bias in their judgment
of the negro soldier. The court;
must complete its work, under the
law. within one year from the date
of appointment, and as there are
about 150 men - affected, it has
plenty of work ahead of it.
SOME FACTS ABOUT
BATTLE OF ALAMANCE
Within eight. miles of the grow
ing and prosperous little city of
Burlington lies the battle ground of
Alamance. Nature has done much
for this lovely spot and .the luxur
iance of the growing crops, the
grandure of the stately oaks over
shadowing the small battle monu
ment and the blue hills to the South,
all combined make a scene of natur
al beauty and loveliness not surpass
ed in the Piedmont section of North
Carolina. How strange it is that
this spot, enriched by the blood of
A merican heroes, the first ever
shed on American soil in defense of
those principles for which the colon
ies afterwards engaged in bloody
warfare with the mother country
is so little known and s lightly re
garded in history. Bunker Hill and
Lexington are known and revered
in every country and in every clime
where liberty is loved and cherished,
but Alamance, the spot upon which
was written in patriotic blood the
first declaration of American inde
pendence, is hardly known beyond
the confines of the Old North State.
Many historians claim that the Ala
mance Regulators were rebels against
constituted authority. So they were
and so were the signers of the Meck
lenburg declaration and of that
more famous document of July 4th,
1776. Yet these men are almost
deified in history, while the North
Carolinans who gave up their lives
on the field of Alamance are regard
ed as vicious disturbers of the peace
who received no more than their
just dues, and whose very names, to
a great extent, are preserved only
in the criminal records of the pro
vince of North Carolina. The re
cords of the courts in Hillsboro give
a very clear insight into the motives
that prompted the organization of
the Regulators and same principles,
which made possible the Battle of
Alamance, afterwards, made possi
ble, as well as imperative, the war
of the Revolution. The battle of
Alamance was lost by the Ameri
cans, so far as immediate results
were concerned, but it produced an
agitation that resulted at last in the
formation of great American Re
public, now the first power in the
world. Had it not been for this be
ginning, it is probable that the
United States to-day would bte only
British Dependencies and the name
of Washington would, perhaps, be
remembered only as a Virginia sur
veyor or possibly as an Aide De
Camp of General Braddock in the
Indian warfare of that period.
In view of the wonderful results
attributable to the influence of this
battle upon the minds of the men
of that period of our national his
tory and the great achievements
that followed in the wake of that per
ilous agitation, the Govei nment could
do itself no greater honor than to
acquire this historic battle ground
and establish, for the benefit of the
present and future generations, a
great National Park in commemora
tion of the gallant deeds performed
in behalf of that liberty and indep
endence which we now cherish with
such jealous cafe. This ought to be
done it could be done if the mat
ter could be presented before the
proper authorities in its true light.
It is gratifying to see that an as
sociation has been formed with this
end in view. This is a step in the
right direction and the movement
should meet with every possible en
couragement from our people Let
every one who is in a position to
give even the slightest information
in regard to this battle communicate
with the officers of the Battle ground
association and put them in posses
sionof all the facts bearing upon this
great historic event, that it is possi
ble to collect, to the end that a
complete and perfect account of this
glorious period may be prepared and
preserved for our posterity. When
all the facts are known and it is
seen to what extent this battle in
fluenced our ancestors in their op
position to the oppressions of the
British Government, 'the patriotic
public sentiment of the .Nation .willj
Change, the Date.
Baltimore American. . -
Agitation to change the date of
the inauguration day had been
thought of as stereotyped by many
persons who are now convinced that
this is an issue of prime importance.
The character of the weather for
the inauguration of Mr. Taft could
not have been worse. A blizzard
of wet snow, a deluge of slush, a
pitiless drive of chilling, penetrat
ing wind weather fit for the breed
ing of all kinds of diseases is not
the weather for the inauguration of
the President of the United States.
At least one president contracted
pnepmonia under conditions less dis
tressing than those of yesterday and
died as an eftect of the exposure.
Mr. Taft wisely delivered his inau
gural under cover.
While the argument for a change
of the inaugural date to September
or May, in behalf of the individual
who is center of the occasion is
strong, the reasons are by no means
exhausted. Thousands of persons
yesterday were made wet and miser
able, scores may have received the
seeds of diseases that will lead to a
fatal end, certainly hundreds con
tracted colds. In addition to the
physical ills resulting from an inau
guration such as that of yesteraday,
feeen disappointment was experienc
ed because of the marring of the
program. The railroads were block
ed and train loads of persons remain
ed on the tracks all night before and
many who came across the continent
did not get to the city in time for
such display as the weather permit
ted. Those in Washington were
subjected to every conceivable incon
venience, the state of the weather
made viewing the procession from
stands perilous, and they were large
ly deserted. No one could be in a
good temper with the soaking snow
under foot and more snow falling.
A hint of wisdom may be gather
ed with regard to the change of the
inaugural date, by the action of the
two Methdist conferences of this
locality; the Methodist Episcopal
and the Methodist Protestant both
changed their conference dates t
April from March, preferring the
possibilities of April showers to the
almost certain March blizzards.
Early fall or late spring would be
ideal for the magnificent occasion
that attracts many thousands to the
capital city, and that should be a
function un marred by such weather
as March affords. It is therefore
to be hoped that general condemna
tion of Mareh inaugurals as a result
of this experience, will lead to a
speedy change of the date, even if
thereby the time for the meeting of
Congress has also to be changed.
Elkin Man A Suicide.
Winston-Salem, N. C, March
16. W. E. Paul, for twenty years
agent for the Southern Railway at
Elkin, and one of the town's lead
ing citizens, after kissing his wife
and five children good bye, telling
them he believed he would go to
his work, walked into his barn at
9 o'clock this morning and shot
himself through the head "with a
pistol, dying five hours later.
Ill health produced by over-work
is given as the cause of the tragedy.
A "flare-back" is good a name
for an inauguration blizzard as any
other in a community that confines
itself to discreet language.
Pittburg has a man who leads a
triple life. We suppose this will
now become quite a fad among cer
tain members of themillionaire set.
A South Dakota man advocates
a constitutional amendment provid
ing for three Presidents of the Uni
ted States to hold office at one and
the same time. This fellow appre
ciates the t fact that the Roosevelt
pace is going to be hard to follow.
demand of Congress in a voice that
will be heard throughout the can
fines of our country, the establish
ment df the Alamance National
Park and the erection of enduring
monuments therein to the memory
of Herman Husbands and his gal
lant followers.
ROOSEVELT SAYS HE
WON'T BE A "HAS BEEN"
Declares he will Continue to Fight
for Right and the People.
Washington. March 5. On Feb
ruary 3, 1 909, I had an interview
with Theodore Roosevelt, then pres
ident of the United States. Cus
tom prevents the President from
submitting to an interview, so Mr.
Roosevelt stipulated that this should
not be published until he should
have retired from office. At the
President's suggestion the interview
was reduced to .written questions,
answers to which he himself wrote.
The questions and answers are as
follows:
Q. What, Mr. President, is your
idea as to the functions or duties of
an ex-President ?
A. Those of any good citizen.
His duties remain what they have
alwaysHbeen to do his share of
work for the common good in what
ever position he may happen to find
himself. But he has the great add
ed responsibility of the obligation
due from him to the country, be
cause the country has signally hon
ored him, and so long ab he lives
he should never lose sight of this
obligation.
Q. Then you do not propose to
become a "sage" ?
A. Certainly not, if by that term
i-s meant a "has been." I step back
into the ranks, but I' do not quit
the army, and I shall certainly con
tinue to fight for what I. deem to be
right and continue according to my
abilities, to work for what I deem
the good of our people.
Q. Do you relinquish office with
any sense of relief?
A. No. I leave an office which I
1 ave thoroughly enjoyed. I doubt
if any President has ever more
thoroughly enjoyed the presidency.
It seems to me that any man ought
to enjoy to the full the opportunity
to do a great work which is pre
eminently well worth doing. If I
had felt that I could conscientiously
try for another term I would cer
tainly have tried for it. But I wish
also to say that no President ever
left the office with a lighter heart
than I shal' bear whea I leave or
looked f .rward to the future with
more eager interest and anticipation
than I feel I do not sympathize
with the man who either is, or
makes believe to be, glad to lay
down a great office, and still less do
I sympathize with a man who, hav
ing been given tha extraordinary
and crowning chance of holding
such a great office, feels doleful and
cast down because the time ef the
great work has come to an end, as,
of course, it sooner or " later must
come to an end. I am profoundly
grateful to the people' of the United
States for what they have done for
me in putting me into the presiden
cy. According to the . measure of
my abilities, I have served them
faithfully during the last seven and
a half years. I shall never for a
moment forget what H I owe them,
and in private life I shall continue
to try to pay the . debt. They, of
course, gave me the greatest chance
that any American can ever have. I
appreciate this to the full. I have
enjoyed my work to the full and
now I shall con ti hue in private life
both to work and enjoy myself.
Q. Have you any parting words
for the people?
A. No. So far as my words may
have any value they have been said
already and their value must lie in
the fact that in so far as lay in me
I have made my deeds correspond
with them. And still if I had any
advice to give I would sav to any
one, don't be cynical; don't leave
your duty to the other fellow; and,
always do the duty nearest at hand.
Have plenty of common sense, but
have high ideals also. First of all
earn your own livelihood and sup
port your wife and children and, if
you are the right sort of a man I
earnestly hope you have a wif6 and
children; but don't forget that in ad
dition to doing your duty to your
family and yourself you have to do
your duty to yourcountry. There
are many problem for the govern-
DEATH OF MR. AND
MRS, MR; IRELAND.
Twice since our last issue has
death entered a home in this city
and removed therefrom the father
and mother. Last Thursday mVht
at her home near the graded school 1
Mrs. Julia Franklin, wife of Jhn
R. Ireland, passed away quite sud
denly from an attack of heart trou
ble. Mrs. Ireland was, apparently,
in her Usual health and her death
was a shock to her many friends.
Mr. Ireland was in a Sanitorium in
Pitt county undergoing treatment
for cancer from which, he had suf
fered for years and it was thought
that he was getting along nicely
when the announcement of the death
of his companion reached him it
seemed that his strong nerve, with
which he had battled against the
grim monister, death, which had
been at his very heels for several
years, deserted him. Monday night
he pased away.
' Mrs. Ireland was born in Frank
lin county, Ky., in 1844 and was
married to Mr. Ireland in 1872.
The funeral was conducted Sundav
afternoon and the remains were
buried in Pine Hill cemetery. Mr.
Ireland was one of the cities best
citizens. He was a member of the
city school board, which position he .
had held tor eight consecutive years.
He was a brave confederate soldier,
being Regimental Adiustant of the
Thirteenth North Carolina trooDS
of the A. P. Hill division. The
funeral of Mr. Ireland was conduct
ed from the home yesterday after
noon at three o'clock and the re
mains entered in Pine Hill cemetery
beside his wife, who had, so recently
preceeded him. Two sons, John A.
Ireland, of this city, and St. Clair
Ireland, of Muncie, Ind , and two
daughters, Miss Etta Ireland, of
this city, and Mrs. Herndon, of
High Point, survive. The Dispatch
joins the many friends in extending
consolence to the bereaved children.
Clipping Railroad Income.
Baltimore Star.
Representative Madden, of Illi
nois, speaking in Congress Satur
day, called the Hepburn rate law a
"forest of leg;slative words." That
looks likely. In trying to find a
trail through the law, doubtless
seeking the light, Mr. Madden has
lost his ideas in the woods.
He would save shippers, little and
heavy, money in lower freight rates
by drawing a dead line upon rail
road income. Four per cent. net
he thinks, a satsfying return upon a
railroad owner's investment. He
would allow the roads to draw from
freight patrons a gross income
that would pay running express and
maintenance, and leave 4 per cent,
to compensate them for the risk of
their money, but to them he would
say: "Beyond that you shall not go.
All now paid the roads above the
limit, he thinks, would thereafter
remain in the pockets of shippers
and their customer, we should nev
er more pay heavy tribute to an
"extortionate railroad monoply,"
and shoud revel in prosperous hap
piness. 1 ,
Mr. Madden does or should grasp
the truth that a dead line at an in
come less than the returnfrom a
hundred other undertakings is also
111
a dead line upon railroad enterprise.
That business novelty may impress
Mr. Madden, but he has little com
pany in the wilderness.
An aged Illinois banker has mar
ried his laundress. He probably
wanted to establish his undisputed
right to kick when his shirts came
home button less.
The government's "conscience
fund" originated in 1811. It is
not thought, however, that all the
people with guilty consciences have
been enrolled as vet.
ment to solve, but the most impor
tant problems before us must be sol
ved by the people themselves by
each man or woman doing his her
full duty wherever and whenever the
need, big or little, may arise.