Established 1899
JUST FREIGHT RATE MEETING
Local Organization Effected With Mr. G. H.
Geitner as President
Send Delegates to the State Meeting at Raleigh—Assembly Room
in Capitol Building Was Packed, Forty Counties Being Rep
resented—State Leaders and Delegates of One Mind as
to the Necessity of Redress in the Matter of Freight
Rate Discrimination—Selection of Officers.
The manufacturers and merchants of
Hickory had a mass meeting May 12,
jnd perfected a local organization to
' co .operate with the State organization
in an efioit to secure an adjustment of
freight rates that would put the ship
pers of North Carolina on an equal
basis with the Virginia cities At this
meeting, Mr. G. H. Geitner was elec
ted President and A. K. Jsy and J. A.
Moretz delegates to attend the meeting
of the State organization at Raleigh
May 13.
The meeting at Raleigh was a de
cided success, both in numbeis pre
sent, as a representative body, and in
the fair and conservative action taken.
The Assembly room of the State
Capitol was packed full with delegates
and spectators representatives being
present from over 40 counties in the
state—36l delegates in all It was an
impressive gathering cf business men,
many of whom had come great distan
ces to give expression to their objec
tions to the manner in which this state
had been discriminated against.
Perhaps the most impressive feature
about this gathering was the unity of
sentimert between tbe citizens and
our state leaders. Governor Craig.
Attorney General Bickett and Chair
man Travis of the Corporation Com
mission, all of whom spoke hi decided
terms that tbe time had come when
the shipping interests of the state must
be put on an equal basis with that of
other states.
Governor Craig advised this. organi
zation to go ahead with the work they
bad undertaken without regard to the
railroads; to perfect the organization
and after outlining the work to con
sistently stick to that plan without
thinking anything about what the rail
roads may or may not do in the inter
im; that he and the Corporation Com
mission would be in touch with the
railroads whenever they had anything
to offer in the way of changed rates;
that the railroads had but a few days
»ko submitted a proposition that he
did not consider worth presenting: that
whenever the railroads had a fair pro
position to make he would present it
to this organization.
The permanent organization was ef
fected oc the basis of one vote to every
legislative district. •
Fred N. Tate was elected president,
with the power of selecting other offi
cers. He appointed Mr. Carroway as
Corresponding Secretary, Mr. Ramsour
as Organizing Secretary,, and Mr. T.
J. Ryan as Traffic Rate Secretary.
The Vice Presidents of the State
Organization are: W. R. Foreman, ot
Charlotte, W. P, Gibson, of Statesviile
representing Farmers' Union, Gen.
Julian S. Can, of Durham; B. Noah
Barefoot, of Elizabeth City, and Capt.
Alf. A Thompson, of Raleigh, was
chosen Treasurer.
Upon motion, the President appoint
ed a Committee on resolutions, tc
which all resolutions introduced were
referred. Ihe Committee presented
to the organization a set of resolutions
that embodied in moderate language
all the vital principles at issue. Some
of delegates considered the Unga
te of the resolutions too moderate,
and insisted on substituting some of the
other resolutions offered. The molt
prominent of the resolutions offered as
a substitute for those returned by the
Committee weie those ofiered by form
er Judge Robert W. Winston of Ral
«»gh and Mr. Chas. Daniels of Wilson.
Jhe latter urging t .at the Attorney
neral and Corporation Commission
°°k into the matter of the law and the
ac ts as to the setting to one side or
the charter, leases and fran
chises of every railroad in the state.
However, the resolutions offered by the.
committee were finally adopted unani
mously after all other resolutions had
been withdrawn
It was decided to finance the organ
•ration on the basis of SIOO to every
l*|wUtive district iq the state,
THE HICKORY DEMOCRAT
The President requested that each
local district effect an organization at
the earliest possible moment and notify
the secretary of the state organization
of such organization with officers of
same.
The following extract from the High
Point Fnterprise shows that President
Tate is acting with hi? characteristic
vigor:
Mr. Fred N. Tate, president of the
North Carolina Just Freight Rate As
sociation,.as organized at Raleigh May
15th, has announced the following
appointments: Mr. Leoak Carroway,
of Charlotte, Corresponding Secretary;
Mr. T. J. Ryan, High Point, Traffic
Secretary; Mr. Hubert Ramsour, Fay
ette ville, Field Secretary; also an Ad
visory Board of seven, composed of the
following gentlemen: Mr. E. R. Pres
' ton, Charlotte; Col. J. L Ludlow, Win-;
ston Salem, Mr, J. C. Forester,
Greensboro; Mr. W. K. Holt, Burling
ton; Mr. J. B. Pierce, Raleigh, Mr.
W. P. Gibson, Statesviile; Mr. B. Noah
Barefoot, Elizabeth City.
It is the purpose of the President,
which is abo in line with the instruc
tions of the Raleiph meeting, to get
the entire state aroused and promptly
organized into districts, and at the
head of each district live and enthusi
astic men, who are willing to assist in
the campaign of education of all the
people for the necessity of immediate
and effective action with a view of
bringing to an end the unjust and un
bearable discriminations in freight rates
now practiced against every section of
our state.
The Raleigh meeting composed as
it was of nearly four hundred of North
Carolina's foremost farmers, merchants,
manufacturers and others, all of whom
were in hearty accord as to the neces
sity for this organization and the me
thods to be pursued in order to effect
speedy relief, should bft sufficient evi
dence that this is no child's play and
a matter which will call for and demand
the best thought and attention of all
our people at this particular time.
The president appeals to every citizen
of our state to get to work in his own
neighborhood and aopoag bis own peo
ple, and inform every;, farmer, mer
chant or other person I)iust what the
bu*den of these discriminatory freight
rates means to us. Fvery fanning im
plement, every bag of fertilizer, levery
bag of salt and every oteer commodity,
is costing our people much more
tbe same articles can be purchased, for
in adjoining states where freight rates
are figured on a fair and equitable bas-
The very day our state is plaeed on
a proper basis with Virginia in this re
spect. O'Jtside capital will be gin to
flow into North Carolina as never be
fore, farm lands must of necessity
rapidly increase in value, our mer
chants will be able to do a larger busi
ness on account of being placed in
position to compete witfc Virginia
cities, and last but not least; money
will be kept at home instead of- being
sent to other trading Centers now more
favorably situated.
Mr Tate invites suggestions and
advice from every person interested in
this fight, in order that every section
of North Carolina may be properly
looked after and that the adjustment
of freight rates which must shortly fol
low, may be satisfactory to all of our
people.
Gastonia Council Lets Contract
At an adjourned meeting of
the citv council Friday night,
the streetcommittee, Mr. Andrew
E. Moore,* chairman, was author
zed to close a contract at once
with A. H, Guion of Charlotte
for the construction of 38,000
sauare yards or about 15 miles
of concrete sidewalks, work on
which is to be commenced at
once. The sum involved is about
mm
\+ m
HICKORY, N.C., THURSDAY. MAY 22, 1913
FDD BETTER EOUCATHIIUU.
RDVDDTMES ID MOT
Cannot Something be Done to Re
duce the Illiteracy in Rural
Districts?
According to the census of
1910, Hickory, has within her
borders two thousand and seven
ty white people over ten years of
age. Of this number only twen
ty-three cannot write.
In Catawba county (outside of
Hickory,) there are fifteen thous
and one hundred and thirty-three
; white persons over ten years of
| age. Of this number one tbous
jand seven hundred and ninety
isix are illiterate, or twelve per
Icent.; in other words, nearly
every eighth person cannot write
Notice the difference: Hickory
one per cent, illiterate; in the
county twelve per cent, (statis
tics for Newton are not available,
as the census report does not
classify Newton separate from
the county.)
The towns are looking after
the illiterate by providing splen
' did schools and teachers—shall
|we let the county lag? We can-
I not build up our towns without
• the country. Is it any wonder
that our people leave the farms
for the towns?
At the educational Conference
in Richmond, a frail woman teach
er got up during the conference
and told how, in her county, they
had moonlight schools, and old
men and women came to learn to
read and write. She tokl how
they came for miles in order to
avail themselves of the opport
unity.
Cannot something be done to
reduce the rural illiteracy in Cat
awba county? As a general rule,
the illiterate man pays very little
tax, carries no life insurance, ha£
no bank account, is more often a
tenant than not. s He is agftnst
all progress. He is laboring un
der a fearful handicap. How can
he be reached? Is it too late to
teach him the rudiments of edu
cation? Would it not be worth
the effort to try? What are we
going to do about it?
W. J. SHUFORD,
Secretary Daniels Guest of Honor.
Washington, N. C., May 18—
Hon. Josephus Daniels, Sec
retary of the Navy, arrived in
the city this afternoon from
Norfolk by special invitation as
the guest of the city of Washing
ton, North Carolina, hia birth
place and former home, whose
citizens delight to honor him.
He was met at the station by a i
committee composed of Mayor
Kugler and a number of promi
nent citizens in automobiles and
escorted to the residence of Col.
W. C. Rodman, whose guest he
will be while here.—Charlotte ■
Observer.
Mass Meeting at Chamber of Commerce
Rooms Tonight
There will be a meeting of the manufacturers, merchants and shippers in gen
eral at the Hickory Chamber of Commerce Thursday, May 22, at 8:00 p. m.
Every county in the State is being organized in the Interest of an adjustment
of freight rates on a basis that will put North Carolina on an equal footing with
that of Virginia and other states. . ,
You are urged to be present at this meeting. It is a matter of vital importance
to you; in fact, it is of vital importance to every citizen of North Carolina.
Very respectfully yours,
G. H. GEITNER, President
Hickory Branch State Just Freight Rate Association.
In Social Circles
Mrs L R. Whitener entertained the
Embroidery Club May 15 th with elev
en members present. Mrs. Bost, who
was out of town, sent greetings in the
shape of' 'The Widow Bedott Papers,"
four chapters of which Mrs. Whitener
read during the work hour. Officers
'or the coming year were elected:
Resident, Mrs. L. R. Whitener: Vice
President, Mrs. George Ivey; Secre
tary, Mrs. Ernest Herman. Refresh
ments were served, and a beautiful red
rose was given to each one on leaving
the table. There will be no meeting
until September.
7 Mrs. Hooper of West Point, Miss..-
it spending some time with her lister,
Mrs, Geo, Bally.
BAPTIST IRISSIOIRR!
STOPPED DURING SPEECH
Delegates to. Southern Convention
Force Napier to Sit Down—Plan
Seminary for Negro
Preachers.
St. Louia, Mo. —When A. Y. Na
pier, Baptist missionary from
China, iir an address before the
Southern Baptist Convention
Thursday on how to make foreign
missionary work more effective,
said it was desirable that the Bap
tists join the other Protestant
sects in building up interdenomi
national mission schools, there
were cries of *No, no," and "Sit
down" from all over the audience.
Finding it impossible to contin
ue his address, he took his seat.
Special attention was given to
the subject of missionary work
among the negroes of the South
ern States and it was decided to
build and equip a theological sem
inary for the education of negro
Baptist preachers. This school
will be located in Louisville,
where the Southern Baptist Theo
logical Seminary under the prin
cipalship of Rev. Dr, E. Y. Mul
lins, is located, and Dr. Mullins
will have the supervision of the
work of the new school.
The subject of educating negro
preacher was introduced Iv Doc
tor Mullins, who read a resolution
providing for a commitee to sup
ervise the preliminaries. The res
olution was adopted unanimously.
A member of the commitee ap
pointed was G. W, McDaniel of
Richmond, Va. The convention
voted a special order of business
men to give Rev. Sutton Earl
Griggs of Memphis, Tenn., an op
portunity to speak. In his address
he said;
"God snatched the warm-heart
ed black people from darkest Af
rica and set them down among
the best regulated white race on
tbe globe today, the white people
of the Southern States, that they
might learn the true religion of
Christ and take it inti the places
where tue white man finds it im
possible to go. I believe the ne
groes of the South will be the
greatest influence yet in the evan
gelization of all Africa."
The Laymen' 8 Movement was
given a prominent place in the
discussion, most of the addresses
being in favor of lay church mem
bers paying a tithe, or 10 per cent
of their income. Henderson of
Bristol, Va., secretary of the Lay
men'e Association said the tith
ing system was the only one that
successfully would solve the ques
tion of evangelization of the
world. He outlined a plan which
was adopted, providing for Lay
men's State rallies in all Southern
States during February, March
and April of next year.
School Teachers Elected For Year
1913-14.
The following teachers have
been elected for the coming year
in the Hickory schools. For the
primary grades, Misses Ada
Schenck, Dora Atkinson, Virna
Whisenhunt, Kathryn Gwaltney,
Margaret McComb, and Margaret
Link; for the grammar grades,
Misses Mamie Sue Johnson, Mary
Campbell, Gertrude Finger, Bert
ie Foard, May Burns, and Mary
Rowe; and for the high school,
Misses Mary Mauney, Hassie Pon
der. Beatrice Cobb and Mr. Mar
vin E. Yount
Mrs. I. F. Young of Corinth, Miss.,
is visiting her daughter Mrs. J. J.
WilUtf, on \t% iv«,
FRED R. VODER FOR SUP
iraPEW OF EDMFIOti
W. J. Shuford Writes in Advocacy
for This Important Position.
Probably the most important
office in Catawba county is the
office of superintendent of Edu
cation. To the Superintendent
is entrusted (with the help of the
teachers,) the building up of the
rural schools, the advocacy of
local tax districts, the arousing of
enthusiasm among teachers, and
pupils, for better agricultural
fcnd educational conditions,
He should be a leader; a man
with vision; a man trained es
pecially for teaching, and who
has made teaching his aim and
objeit in life.
July the first, the County Board
of Education will elect a Superin
tendent for two years, and I am
writing this article in advocacy
of the candidacy of Mr. Fred R.
Yoder, for this important posi
tion.
Mr. Yoder is a young man, a
son of Colin Yoder, raised tin th«
farm, a graduate of Lenoir Col
lege, completing his education at
the State University and Univer -
sity of Tennessee Summer School.
He has made teaching his call
ing and has been successful wher
ever he has taught. His training
and mind both tend to make him
admirably fitted for the place.
He is well read and thoroughly
posted on everything pertaining
to the rural schools. His credent
ials are of the best. He is a Ca
tawba county boy who has made
good wherever tried. I commend
his candidacy to the thoughtful
consideration of every man inter
ested in the question of better
education in Catawba county.
W. J. SHUFORD.
COMMENT
REDUCE THE ILLITERACY IN
\OUR COUNTY.
We are glad to note the in
terest that is being aroused here
in the necessity of better edu
cational advantages for our rural
neighbors It will be noted in
an article published elsewhere,
that according to the census of
1910 nearly every eighth white
person in the rural district of
Catawba county is. an illiterate.
The illiteracy in Hickory is but
one per cent. The reason for
this is apparent, as the writer
of the above referred to article
sets forth -the towns supply
good schools, good teachers and
longer school terms. It is true
that our rural school districts
are adding every year to the
special school taxes that enable
them to extend their school term,
but the extra money so raised is
all taken up in the expenses ol
the extra month or two, while
not one dollar is left over to
offer as extra inducement to a
higher grade of teachers. It is
also true we cannot hope at this
time to reach thac high grade of
excellency in cur schools that
requires the employment of only
such teachers who have had the
advantage of a Teachers' Train
ing School, but we should at
least be able to secure for our
rural school teachers of larger
experience and better qualifi
cations than we do. This is one
of the most difficult tasks of a
County School Superintendent,
as the school boards of the
various districts usually depend
very greatly on his judgment in
this matter. A County Superin
tendent should be up to date in
20th century school methods,
thoroughly versed in all aspects
of pedagogy and- possessed of
that sense of discernment that
will enable him to make the few
est possible mistakes in granting
certificates to the educators of
our children. In the meantime
it. is up to the citizens of Catawba
county to see that sufficient
money is raised for school pur
poses that will lift the remun
eration of the average country
school teacher above that of a
day laborer,
Democrat and Press, Consolidated 1905
FLOYD BOWMAN ACQUITTED
Deputy Sheriff of Anson County Arrested
Young Man on Suspicion
At Preliminary Trial in Wadesboro it Was Conclusively Proven
by Reliable Witnesses That Floyd Was Not Within a Quar
ter of a Mile of the Place Where the Assault Should
Have Taken Place—Nearly Mobbed by Negroes.
It seems an easy matter to spread a
false report, but the truth travels slow
er. Such it appears to be in the case
of Mr. Floyd Bowman, an honorable
young man of our county living with
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Titus E.
Bowman, about eight miles northeast
of Hickory. In many papers the state
ment appeared recently, that the above
lad was guilty of an assault on a color
ed girl in Anson county. According to
reliable are briefly the
facts in the case:
Mr. Floyd Bowman had been at
work with the saw mill outfit of Mr.
Alphonso Killian near the town of Pee
Dee, in Anson county, since January
Ist. His parents had written him re
peatedly, requesting him to come
home and help on the farm. Floyd
had decided to leave for home and had
so written his mother. Now it so hap
pened that on the day Floyd was at
Pee Dee inquiring about train connec
tions for home, the socalled assault on
a colored girl should have taken place
one-quarter mile west of Pee Dee. On
Friday, the next day, Floyd, with his
BAND CONCERT ON THURSDAY NIGHT
Hickory People Justly Proud of the Work Done by This Splendid
Organization Under the Direction of Prof. J. E. Barb.
The people of Hickory were
justly proud of the work done by
the local band at the concert last
Thursday bight. The high class
of the selections, the interpreta
tion, the time, the orchestration,
or combination of all the parts to
a harmonious design and unity,
were splendid. Mr, Barb is to be
congratulated on the member
ship of his band, and each one is
not only to be complimented on
his music and playing, but com
mended for his willingness to un
dertake such a task, and to give
the time and talent to the pro
I PARCEL POST GROWING
Assistant Postmaster Bradford De
clares That Business Holds Up.
Assistant Postmaster W. B.
Bradford stated yesterday that
the business of the parcel post in
connection with the local office,
instead of decreasing as the Sum
mer season opened and the nov
elty wore off, had increased and
that the business, month by
month, was showing a gratify
ing growth. This appears to be
the record generally, indicating
that the parcel post is filling a
long-felt need.
In this connection, the follow
ing from yesterday'B issue of the
New York American will be of
interest.
"Officers of three of the largest
express companies in the country
told The New York American
yesterday that the parcel post
had caused a reduction of be
tween 25 and 30 per. cent, in
their small package business dur
ing the first quarter of this year.
The loss has increased as the gen
eral public became more familiar
* ith the parcel post operations.
"Incidentally this has caused
the express interests to redouble
their efforts for new business.
"J. H. Bradley, traffic manag
er and vice-president of the -
merican Express Company, said:
"The business in small pack
ages fell off about 25 per. cent,
during the first three months of
this year, the decline being an in
creasing one. We expected this,
but it left us in a peculiar situa
tion, because we .were unable to
adjust our organization to the
suddenly changed conditions.
We cannot cut down our expen
ses of operation, because we have
to give the public the same effi
cient service built up by us in 60
years. We could not, for in
* stance, reduce the number of wag
*
suit case, was about to take the train
for home when a deputy sheriff arrest
ed him on suspicion. This news quick
ly spiead among several hundred blacks
at a negro school closing, whereupon
the lad was nearly mobbed before tak
en to a place of safety.
At the preliminary trial in Wades
boro, it was conclusively proven by a
score of reliable witnesses that Floyd
was not within a quarter of a mile of
the place where the assault should have
taken place. It was also proven that
he was not trying to run away from the
town, as had been charged, but that
he was only keeping the promise writ
ten his parents about coming home.
The correspondence that passed be
tween mother an.i son played an im
portant part in the triaL
And now the query:, Should there
not be some way in which such griev
ous blunders could be avoided—mis
takes on the part of deputy sheriffs
whereby innocent parties are lodged in
ill-ventilated cell*; and parents plung
ed into great worry and trouble, and
into needless and heavy expense.
duction of good music. It is a
pleasure to know that these
young men care for these things
rather than* low and'useless pur
suits of pleasures that degrade,
instead of ennoble and uplift.
Let us hope their music and their .
characters as well shall always
be of the highest order.
We suppose the membersof the
band would say the music is im
possible without their leader, and
we agree. The city owes Mr.Barb
much for public service, but in
no account are we more indebted
than in this one of good music.
ons operating in New York City,
although there has been a falling
off in the small package busi
ness. Of course, in time we will
adjust ourselves to the new con
ditions.
"We regard the Government
as a competitor, but hope to
prove to the people that we are
still indispensable to them.'
"An official of the Adams Ex
press Company, said:
"Small package business of
this company fell off about 17
per cent last January, and by
March the shrinkage was be
tween 25 and 30 per. cent. We
expect there will be an even
greater reduction, as the public
becomes familior with the work
ings of the parcel post. Un
doubtedly a great proportion of
this shrinkage is attributable to
the fact that the mail order
houses have shifted a large part
of their business to Uncle Sam."
"An officer of another com
pany said the shrinkage in the
small parcel business correspond
ed with the American and Adams
companies."
Nominations tor 14 Postmasterships.
Washington, D. C. f May 15.
Fourteen successful applicants
for North Carolina postmaster
ships were advanced a step today
when the president sent their
names to the Senate from the
White House. The names were:
Howard C. Curtis, Southport;
W. D. Pethel, Spencer; Joseph S.
Stallings, Spring Hope; W. C.
Hall, Black Mountain; P. J. Cau
dill, St. Paul; John L. Gwaltney,
Taylorsville; Mrs. Nettie G. Row
land, West Raleigh; C. W. White
hurst, Beaufort; Lee H, Tarbo
rough, Clayton; Plato C. Rollins,
Rutherfordton, William H. Ethe
ridge, Selma; Duncan L. Web
ster, Siler City; W. H. Stearns,
Trvon; and Hector McL. Green,
Wilmington.
****** —f» "• • * i