The Monroe Journal
VOL.19. No. 47. n-i&rK r.iia this week. MONROE, N. C, TUESDAY. DECEMBER 23, 1913. ' nmt tiox.' ONE DOLLAR A YEAR.
THE JUIlKniMi OK COTTOX.
J
V
(iLvernmiBt Invest igatitin Shows the
Variatkn if Vtn in Different
Tuwns and Hi.w Hie Seller Suf
fer. Statesville Landmark.
For years the farmers have com
plained and the complaint has been
just in most cases of the prlca of
cotton cn many of the lecul mar
kets. The variation in prices is no
ticeable and In most cases unwar
ranted. Sometimes the variation
amounts to a cert a pound or more
on the same grede of cotton on the
same day; some lines the buyers in
small towns pay far mere for cotton
than buyers in larger markets.
Vhi!o explanations have been of
fered the only explanation U that
on most markets the buyers have an
"understanding" and take care cf
themselvs. The result Is going to
be a different system of marketing.
The Orflce of Markets cf National
Department of Agriculture has beeti
Investigating and the investigation
will be continued. The first Inves-
tigaticn was made in Oklahoma and
a bulletin Issued by the department
gives the results. Following are ex
tracts: "There is not a single Important
Btrp or process In the entire cotton
handling and marketing scheme
which owes I s origin tc a special
consideration of the producer's Inter
ests. The studies as to the condi
tions of marketing cot ten began in
October, 1912. They have covered
103 cotton market towns of Okla
homa, involved, the sampling of over
3,200 bales of cotton with records
cf date, place of sale and price paid
to the grower. They also involved
careful grading and stapling of these
samples, and a close comparison be
tween the prices paid to the grower
and the actual differences la grade.
As a result of these studies the In
vestigators find that practically ev
ery feature of the handling and
marketing system is retained, be
cause of the insls'cnce cf seme one
' of the n inn (reus middlemen and car
riers who have at best only a tem
porary interest In cotton. Even" the
spinners' desire for a better bale
kept under shelter until It Is ship
ped to the mill and with a covering
which would keep the c ;tton clean
nnd dry, is systematically Ixnored.
These conditions apply to many oth
er cotton markets In the South.
Partly as a result cf the findings,
the Office of Markets Is now con
ducing investigations in 80 typical
local marketing points throughout
the cottcn belt."
"Accurate knowbdge of cotton
grading Is of little value to the pro
("uerr in marketing his Individual
crop under present conditions. The
prices paid to farmers both for
seed and lint cotton are too largely
based cn averages. .This works
great Injustice to the producers of
the. best grades. The greatest losses
to the farmers under the present
system of marketing appear to lie
In. their failure to sscure the pre
mium for their grades which these
bales finally bring."
The following comparisons are
made to show the way the farmer
gets it in the neck:
"To bring out the general relation
between the price of middling cotton
in different local markets In' Okla
homa as compared with the Galves
tcn (Galves'cn, Texas, being the
part on which Oklahoma prices are
based) closing prices of the preced
ing day, four middling bales were
selected at different times In 15
towns, their range of local price no
ted, and difference from the Gal
veston price determined.'
"It was found, that the ran,ge In
price paid la a local market for dif
ferent bales of middling cotton va
ried from 75 ceats In Duncan to
$6 a bale in Erlck, where the same
day $52 and $58 were paid for a
bale of this same grade.
' "The difference between local av
erage middling prices ard the Gal
veston price varied from 69 cents
In Ryan to 15.20 in Marietta. There
seems to be no regularity iin varia
tion between bcal prices and the
Galveston prices. In Norman at dif
ferent times the differences from
the Galveston price was G cents,
$2.19, and $3.10.
"The Jnve.-itlga'icn showed that In
the case of strict middling cotton
In the an mi local market the dlffer
enca in price for bales cf this grade
would vary from $2 to $7.25.
"In the case r.f, low middling cot
ton In seven market, the price va
riation on the same day was from
$2.20 to $12.50 a bale. In the' case
of strict low m'ddllng cotton the
variation ran from $2.60 to $3 per
halo
Summlig up thii feature of the
Investigation It may be stated that
the fluctuations In prices paid for
any grid of c.tton from day to day
or'durlns any one day. exceed great
ly thcao Justified by any change in
the buyers' limits cr in spot trans
actions In the great citton markka."
Th'a investigation will be extend
ed to North Carolina and other
Sou'hern States.
A dhpa'eh from Newcastle. Col
says that 3$ men were killed in Vul
can mine cf the Rocky Mountain
Fuel Company Tuesday by an explo
sion of coal dust. Two miners were
rescued after the underground work
ings had caught fire. AU the vic
tims were married, and all but six
or eight were Americans.
E'win Mooney. J. A. Lee and oth
ers shooting partridges In Person
county. Lea's run prematurely die
charged, Mooney killed Instantly.
A Ceikrtd Man's Thanksgiving Fi r
His 8kin.
Ono year "The Congregailenallst"
asktd a number of men for what
blessing they were most thankful.
Among all the answers this from
William Pickens, of Talladega. Ala..
. 'egro. sioe.d out alec.?, lie was
ikful for being black:
"1 cannot answer In two hundred
words; I could n t a-swer la two
thousand words. And yt 1 might
Indicate the answer la a single word:
) am thankful that I am one cf
the lowly. That being one cf the
lowly I have the grae'eus oppor uni j
of interested struggle If I would rUJ
even a little way. That I was not
born cn the top of tho hill, but
must climb. That I hive at least
a chance to learn the whole way of
life, In that the whele way Is be
fore me. I thank God that 1 can
!iae an cn'lghteued, sympathy far
the lowly, and a faith In the friends
of the lowly. That my own exper
ience of the goodness cf the " nun
who are up. farb'ds me to say or
ihir.k that all mm are selfish and
sordid. Nay, mere, that I am learn
In."; to look at the werst deeds of
my fallow man as sid m stakes rath
er than monstrous msannesi at:d
that in consequence I hate no man.
1'ity is more reasonable than hate.
"I thank Heaven that 1 have
l-een born Into a great country,
where there are great rivers to
cross and great mountains to c'.iinu
great fights to fight and great
problems to solve.
. "White reader, 1 am glad that
I am black and that you are white
and that you and I must live in
the same c-.untry, with the same
laws, the same language, and the
same religion. " In that rare mix
ture cf sinrsess and difference,
of unity and varl.ty. ycu ard I have
the iw.at enviable opportunity rf all
history to help the providence of
tied la establishing the fact cf the
brr.therhcod cf lmn. It Is better
that you are white and 1 am black.
The measure of our difference Is
the measure of opportunity. If brth
were white or both black 'if ye
Hove them which love you' then
our opportunity for reaching toward
God would not be better than that
of a thousand mon.o-ehrcmic civlll
Hzations cf the dead Past. With nil
our heart thnnk God that ycu nnd
I have the peculiar privilege to Jus
tify the ways of God to man!"
The Indian Trail HetUrnunt Club.
On last Friday afternoon quLte a
number of the ladles cf Indian Trail.
also school girls, ard a few of th
men of the place, met with the
teachers and the County Superin
tendent and organized a Betterment
Club, the purpose of which Is to pro
mine the beterment of the school
by locking after the school buUding
from the standpoint of neatness,
equipment, cleanliness, etc., and also
to keep the Immediate surroundings
neat and sanitary.
I was glad to sea tha Interest and
eni.husiasm of the people generally,
in the Bchool, and the enthusiasm of
the ladles kn the anticipation of the
betterment work.
Mrs. Jamca Crowell was elected
president of the organization, Mrs. J.
W. Railings vlee-presldent, and Mrs.
J. P. Boyd secretary and treasurer.
The North Carolina Day exercises
that afternoon by the school chlldrei
wore very creditable.
The IndUn Trail people had a
hard, fight to establish a good school,
but they have been victorious over
all opposii'-l'.n, end now have one of
the best schools in the county. They
have a fine corp cf teachers, Mr. B.
C. Parker, principal. Misses Bright
Richardson and Mabel Re.blnson are
ass'staiits. One hundred and fifty
three pupils have been enrolled, to
date. ,
It Is my purpcee to organize as
many betterment clubs as possible
within the next two cr three months,
and 1 ask the earnest c" ope rat km ot
all teachers and parent in this im
portant line of school work.
R. N. NISBET, Co. Supt.
Hew Mr. Howie Fooled the Lltiuor
House.
Waxhaw Enterprise.
A cltlzan of this communl'y who
ocassionally orders a Utile high life
from Z. F. Long & Co., was at Rich
mond sefme time ago and decided
to call on the people who had been
supplying him with the holy water.
He entered the place of business and
on Introducing himself was surprised
to find that the head officer knew
him and also a large number of pec
plo In and around Waxhaw. He
asked several questions about vari
ous people in town and cut on the
routes. After a while he said "well
I guess I klllce one old fellow who
lives on route No. 4 from Waxhaw.
His name was J. W. Howie. For
several years he had been ordering
his whiskey from us and hU orders
cxine so regularly that we frequent
ly had It ready to ahlp before his
crder came. But all of a sudden
same two years ago hla orders stop
ped and I feel sure that he was call
ed away to the happy hunting
lands."
However that was one time when
Z. F. Long was fooled. About the
time those orders stepped Mr. How
ls, s-metlmcs called "Monkey John."
was havlirg a revelation. He saw
som things, things that didn't look
good to him either, and notwith
standing the fact that he was near
ly dead he decided to quit drink
ing liquor. And since that day he
has not swallowed a drop of the
stuff. He is now enJoiiig good
health. He Is greatly amused over
the tact that the house at Richmond
thinks it got him.
FEDERAL OFFICERS EXECllED.
Olfiitrs of Tenth lUtlallou Were
IM.-.llrg M Ikwrt tv ItetH'lx.
Hermossllln, Senora, Mexico, Dec.
21. The commissioned, cfflcers and
many sergants and corporals of the
Te'h Batuiicn cf the Federal gar
rison at Guaymas y?stcrday were ex
ecuted at sunrise in that city, ac
aerdlng to word brought here to
night. Officers and men cf the
Tenth were disarmed several days
ajc by Genral Ojeda, Federal cum-man-'ant,
when he discovered they
wer? plotting to desert to the in
surgents. Aeeompjuil.d by three of
the Federal officers who surren
dered to the Insurgents at May
tcrnca. General Obregon, field com
mmeler cf the Insurgents In west
ern Mexico, last night returned her?
to asslet tn P.eatlns tho scattered
groups of Federal soldiers who had
d sertet' frcm the Guaymas garri
son. G.'neral Ojeda and his rr-main-lg
trcr.ns are In Guaymas, but in
surgent sentries reporcd that one
cf the Federal gunboats had dis
appeared. Thii was taken as an in
duction that at least a part of the
Federal garrison had departed fur
.M:zatlin.
It was announced last night that
th3 services cf neither officers neir
privates of the dssr'lig FJertls
.vtuld be accepted Jn the Constifu
tlenal'st Army. This Is In line with
the p-.ltry of Gsneral Carranza that
servi.o would ba accepted from only
those- Federal Army men who had
taken the first opportunity to join
the revolutionists.
Major B. Figueroa and other Fed
eral officers who surrendered at
Maytnrena have been g'ven the'r
freedom and their trofcps will ba dl
armed and set free, since they vol
untarily came ever to the sL:le of
tha Insurgents. They' will not b?
allowed tu become Cons'ltu'lon.illst
soldiers.
Tile' Eiiii tie ni tV.ut Ceino to Life at
Christines.
Geo. A. Gcrd.an in the December At
lantic. Something happens at Chrls'mas
that, If only for a day or two, docs
the whole world good. What that
something la remains for many a
mystery. A number of persons who
feel the renewing impulse are like
Faust when the notes cf the Easier
srng arrest his suicidal Intent; th?y
take and enjoy the moment's deliv
erance and continue to1 regard the
bocn bm nothing more than mythol
ogy made potent through human as
sociations. Others aro moved
through superstitious fenrs; they Ap
proach the great season with con
science crowded wfh uncomfortable
memories; Marley's ghost is after
them, but,' like Scrooge, their new
heart Is only for Chrlstmns week.
Another group simply falls in with
an anelpnt custom and are surprised
and indefrl pleased when, the dry
bonce cf their unbelieving minds
come tcge'her, take cn flesh and be
gin to live. A vast multitude meet
tha great day with buoyant expecta
Irn, take with thanks Its new hap
piness, return to their work In this
exalted mood, and ask no questions
about cause and effect, A few phil
osophize on the phenomenon, nnd
they are willing to stake their lives
on the substaniital truth ot tneir in-
on the
iight.
RcIm In Seize Pre perty cf Wealthy
Me x leans.
A. dispatch fr .m Juarez, Mexico,
says that all the property of Louis
Terrazas, Sr., Enrique Creel and
Joaquin Creel. Including banks.
mines, vast areas of lands, thousands
of head of cattle, homes and per
sonal effects, were ordered confisca
ted to the rebels In an official de
cree Issued by Gen. Francisco Vil
la, rebel commander.
Terrains, now a refugee in he
Unliled States, Is cn-? of the richest
mvi la Mexico. Hla holding of
about two-thirds of the State of
Chihuahua are said to place him
am-ng the most extensive landhold
srs of the world. The combined es
tate of Terrazas and the Creel
brothers, his nephews. Is valued at
many millions of dollars. Enrique
Creel was formerly ambassador from
Mexico to the United States.
The decrer accuses the Creels and
'he Terrazas family of "withhold
ing taxation and of fomenting th
treachery of Orozco and Hue.rta,"
and stn.tr s that the property shall
be given to the widows and orphans
caused by bbodshed am'onx the Mex
icans. All contracts made with the
Creels and Terrazas since February
18, 1913. are declared void.
Complain made to the Dcpart
mnt rf jnatlcA At Wpshlngtcn that
a peanut trust was fixing the prices
of peanu's in eastern North Caro
lina, aid repressing tn.3 pnes ot
sours?, resulted in an Investigation.
A?-u,'s of the d-partmenit report
eht ihrv ara una hi a to discover the
"xU'erce of a trust but that the
prlci of peflnu's S'-med to bo fixed
by th9 world's supply.
The New York c-.mml'teo cn. the
prevertlon cf blindness sounds an
alBrm by the report that more than
half of ht9 cases of eye weikneess
among men cf that city may be trac
ed to barber shops. It is alleged
that bay rum and other face lotions
used In some shops contain, wood
alchohol and that the Inhalation of
the fumes or drops of the liquid In
the eye causes serious, trouble.
Secretary of State W. J. Bryan
expects tp spend the Christmas holi
days at Asheville.
PKJ (HIW AND PROGRESS.
The CiMiiing of the Pij; Club Means
Pr .grifji lu Muny Ways.
Greensboro Nems.
The a.viouiu-einenji that boys pig
clubs, modeled after the boys' corn
clubs, will soon be established all
ovtr the South has ben received
with a sitisfactlon eminently justi
fied by the facis. One of the things
that has figured most pivmlnenlty
ji retarding the growth of this sec
tlcn hji beea the fact that innum
crabls tons of Western meat have
b.-en hauitd In every year to fd
oar people. There is not the slight
en Justification for this sort of
th.'rts. A State with the soil and
climate cf North Carolina ought to
e .osirier it e dls.r.ae3 to Import food
stuffs cf any dr5cri;):lon except such
thlcs as cannot be grown in the
State a small part cf cur daily ra
tion. Ono thin that has contributed In
no small measure to the state cf af
fairs tlut prevails a'.' present has
be.n the extraordinary complexion
:f our Intrastate freight rates.
Our m Tenants hae actually found
it neccssrsry to haul stuff frcm eth
er States that they could have
bought f ir cheaper in North Caro
lina; but the prohibitive freight
rates compelled them to seek ether
markets. And, cn t'.u other hand,,
while there was no available uiar
kat in which he could easily and
prrfl;abiy dispose cf his surplus
thero was n; inducement for the
farmer to raise more than enough
to cover his own private needs.
Unless complications are raised
that will prevent the enforcement of
tha law, the Intra-State freight rate
bill passed by the last session cf
the legislature should remedy this
to a great extent. No more will a
Greeasbero merchant, for example,
find it cheaper to buy meat In Chi
cago than in Wilkes county; and
the Wilkes county farmer will find
it easy to dispose of all he can raise
in tho markets of the east.
Ntverthekfs, the habit cf a gen
eratl ,n cannot be broken in a day,
nor la a year, unless some particular
and sustained effort 13 made. Hence
the value of the pig clubs. We have
net the sllghtett dcubt that it will
bo with them as with the corn clubs.
The attenti.n of the f niters will be
called to the profitable nature of
th9 bu-Uncss by the success of their
sons, and therein will lie the real
benefit to the State. And with the
State department of agriculture
standing ready to second thesa ef
forts, the amount of meat raised In
North Carolina will increase with
a art ling speed.
More pigs raised In the State
means le3s North Carolina money
going to foreign markets; better
price for the farmer, the middle
nun and the ultimate consumer; nnd
a great addition to the total wealth
of North Carolina. The pig clubs
arc a sign of progress In the State;
may their tribe increase.
Mr. Glass and Miss Cuthbertsein
Mm-ricel.
Correspondence of The Journal.
Friends of M.'ss Julia Elizabeth
Cuthbertson and .Mr. Shelly Carl
Glass were surprised to -learn
that the couple were quietly mar
ried In Charlotte nt 3:30 o'clock
Thursdny at tho bride's cous
in's, Rev. Dr. E, K. Mcl.ariy, pas
tor of Tryon Street Methodist
Church, the ceremony being beauti
fully and Impressively performed by
Rev. Mr. McLarty. There were no
attendants and 'the only guests were
members of the two families repre
sented In the betrothal.
The bride wore a stylish tailored
suit of dark blue Esponge cloth
with hat to match. She wore a cor
sago bunch cf Parma violets and
Ulles of the valley Ins'ead of car
rying a boquct.
Immediately after the ceremony
the happy couple left for Washing
ton, where they will spend their
honeymoon.
The brldo is the pretty and ac
ccmpltshed daughter cf Mrs. A lie:
Lauretta Cuthbertson cf Waxhaw,
and a young lady of great personal
attractions and rare eiualLtles and
her connections are among the old.
est and most prominent families of
thii part of tho State. The groom
Is a ycung man of sterling worth
and ranks among the most promis
ing and rising young men of Ral
e'gh. He Is connected with the
Simmons Hardware Company, headquarters-at
Ralelfth.
Immediately after the marriage
cards os follows were Itsued:
Mrs. Allc Cu'hbertson announ
ces th marriage cf her daughter.
Julli Elizabeth, to Mr. Shelly Carl
Glass, on Thursday, tha elshtejnth
of December, nineteen hundred and
thirteen, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Accompanying card: At home
after January th first, Wright'
Hotel. Raleigh, North Carolina.
( nle.n Meet nig at Indian Trail.
Union County Farmers' Union will
meyrt st Indian Trail next Saturday,
Dec. 27th. after arrival of west
bound train, at twelve o'clock. Del-r-Tilvm
will ha ontortained bv Indian
Trail Local Union. Officers will be
elected for ensuing year. A spec
ial feature cf the meeting will be
a general discussion cf the good of
the Local Union.
J. Z. GREEN, President,
it ha, hn stated hv Dr. Lewalel
of the Mlnletry of the lutetior, who
was the German commissioner ai
th. He IjmiU KineMttlane that Ger
many will not take part In the Pana
ma Pacific Exposition.
Death -f Mrs S. G. Houston.
Mrs. Susan G. Houston died at
her homj in Monroe last Wednesday
afternoon after an illness of many
months. She was a little over sixty-
six years of age, and her death marks
thi passing of all but one of the im
mci'Ute family of the late Major D.
A. Covington, me of the pioneer set
tlers of Monroe and for many years
one of the most influential citizens
-f the county. Major Covington
came to this county from Anson, be
ing a member of the large family cf
that name of Anson and Richmond
counties. He ar.d his family were a
large force in the social, religious
and political life of this scutien. All
his children are now dead except Mrs.
Martha Lockhart, who was a twin
sister of .Mrs. Houston. Other chil
dren were Mrs. Dr. Itickett, Mrs.
Leslie Houston, Hon. D. A. Coving
ton, and the lute James U. Coving
ton. .Mrs. Houston was married Imme
diately after the uar to the lato Mr.
Hugh W. Houston, who dieei some
years apo. She was one of the pio
neer se'hcol teachers In Monroe and
vicinity, and m.my p.ople now living
here learned their le'tets at her kitee.
As a school teacher she knew noth
ing of modern meihoels. because she
retired from the work before our
teachers had learned them, but she
exercised a patie nce and a tenderness
with her students that spared her
self no labor or hardship and made
her "work a marked success in its
day.
She was the mother of T:ur chil
dren, one of whom died in tender
ye.:rs, and tha three others after
they had become grown and when
the'r less became a series cf deep
tragedies to the mother whose very
existence was wrapped up in them.
The first to dls was her eleleat.who
was the wife of Mr. R. L. Brewer of
Wake Forest, who succombed to ty
phoid fever, leaving two small chil
dren. Her mother's heart enfolded
these chlldren-nd she became as
near as passible their mother. Then,
In a few years, the same dlssase
took her son, who was devoted o
her, a:id for whose death there was
no compensation In life for her. Fi
nally, her youngest daughter, who
was tho wife of Mr. R. E. Blakeney,
became helpless through a malignant
at tuck of rheumatism, and after
six yeais of the most Intense puffcr
lng, died, leaving several children.
Again, though well In years and not
herself strong, she said: "These
children have lost their mother, 1
will take her place." And all her
after years were devoted to " the
trust. That which makes the quiet,
self-saorifking life of this noble wo
man, as well as those cf similar
ones that the world often hears nt-
1 1 1 i t nntn nnH nit lfvau than
heroic', is the fact that she never
for cno moment lost faith, that she
met the problems of her life with
a much bravery, with as much for
t'tude. as any sold or who ever mrrch-
ed with banners and music certain cf
the applause of mankind, that in
following the path which duty seem
ed to lay out for her she went for
ward without a doubt, without a
moment's thought of turning aside.
To say fiat she was a Christian
vculd be as usMcfs as to eay that
It is day when the sun Is hanging
undlmnied overhead.
These words are written by one
who knew her for many years, who
knew that she was true and faith
ful to her Heals, who knows that
she might have said with Paul, "1
have fought a good fight, I have
kept the faith," though her modesty
and unselfishness would have for
bidden her to do so.
The remains were burled Thurs
day in thp city cemetery which was
once a part of her father's farm. Ser
vices were held at the home by Hev.
Mr. Craig, pastor cf the church of
which she was a member since ear
ly girlhood.
Appetite Still Geeiel Itut Arm Weak.
Corresponelence of The Journal.
Corn shucklngs are now over and
t am aorrv thnt T rnulrl nnt trn tO
all that 1 was asked to. While I
was rendy at all times anei was gma
to hear a neighbor say "Come over
nd help ms shuck corn," for then
I was sure of a good square meal
nil la rt fun Anil 1 n-fla a irnod
hand, too, a shucking, Blowing away
the shucks and corn, and dancing
iii-nnlr or anv other thlnz that
came along, and was truly glad to
bo there. But alas, uiu raenor nine
tork me aside and said, "Now, Jerre
you can't stand what you used to,"
and rheumatic pains snlel, "If you
go 1 will mane you pay tor 11. urn
I hreded rot and started In fer the
fun imiial. I went to the first
one and shuokeel with all my might.
. . . u
since then my arm nns ceem iruuu
ll.ng mo more or less. So, my dear
i-Ji'hlK.-o and bin full; a if vnil want
iTiif Pncta Jrr to come to VOUT
oiitd tor workings, you must tell hfm
that you do not expect him to 00
anything but eat and talk, and. I will
guarantee to be a good hand at
that. A good crop has been made
In this section of the country and
the people are Jubilant end happy.
The health of the people generally
s good and we are all thankful, and
hope everybody will have a merry
Christmas. J. C. L.
Dielillne (ieltiiiK Better.
Bladen Journal.
Good reports are coming In from
mnnv school and a marked im
provement noted In discipline. The
majority of the teacners are guvw
th "Musn't whin mv little boy"
parents to understand that they
are doing the teaching.
LATE NEWS KKIKl l.V TOIJ).
Unsettled weather is promised by
the weather bureau for this week.
No cold wave U expa'ted but fall
ing weather generally.
Walker Taylor cf Wilmington has
W. n cnosra 10 succeed b. r. Krtin
ag collector of the port cf Wilming
ton. Keith Is a populiut. or was.
There has been a good dnl of
talk about General Julian S. Carr
running for Governor, and anion;
those who have endorsed him is
Judge Walter Clark.
President Wilscn wvs expected to
leave Washington tcelay for a three
weeks rest at Pass Christain, Miss.
He will take a complete rest and
will see few ptM"sous.
General Villa, the Cons'itiitional-
!;t commander cf the Chihuahua
section of Mexie-o, has issued an
order that any one who loots or
molests property w:ll be execu'ed.
Governor Craig returned to his
office Saiure'ay after a three weeks
stay In Hot Springs, where' he wtnt
to be treated for rheumatism and
was much benefitted.,
Ex-Prrsidont Taft, who weighed
341 pounds when he Ul't the White
House last March, has been dieting
under the direction of a physician
and has succeeded in IayLng off
nearly seventy peir.us cf fat.
Secretary Bryan, who was in
Asheville to spend fart cf the holi
days, says that the p;issj'ge of the
currency bill by so large a majori
ty tn the Senate, Is a great victory
for President Wilson. Mr. Bryan
has gone cn to Florida.
PresMc-it W'ilHnn h:m illreptofl the.
secretary cf the Navy and the sec-
rrlflrv rf war 1 1 a il ni In !f buvam
reprimands to the officii of the
army and navy who took part in
me satire or tne adniiiiisiratLeuia
Dollcv In the Philininrs at a dinner
li Washington week before last.
Ray D. Gold, an American who
owned a ranch In Mexico, but whkh
hag been confiscated by the rebels.
Is In Jail at Greenll, S. C and is
wanted by the Mexicans fe.r killing
three soldiers when they surround
ed his ranch. It is not known
whether be will bo sent buck to
Mexico or not,
Luis Terrazas, Jr. son of lite maa
who has fled froni Mexico, leaving
hla property to be confiscated by
the Constltuticnalltits, Is held a
prisoner by General Villa. It is
sild that a ransom or $250,000 has
been offered for his release. The
elder Terrazas owneel, millions of
acres of land, embracing nearly a
whole Stat, but he will never own
it again, as It will be divided up.
Anticipating the efforts of the
Wilson administration to break up
trusts, the American Telephone and
Telegraph Company, known as t.h
telephone trust, has notified the
department of Justics that It will
voluntarily dissolve the alliance of
the companies whieii compos it
and restore competiticn. The Bell
telephone and Western Union are
members. Other crmbinatlons are
expected to do the same.
Capt. W. H. Sondley, captain of
the prism guard in the South Car
olina penitentiary has issued a
sweeping denunciation of Governor
Blease, in which he says the gover
nor has ruined the discipline cf the
prison by granting pardons ar.d pa
roles, and that the prisoners nre
thinking only of breaking some rule,
getting punished for it, and there-,
by securing release by Governor
Blease. The Captain's statement Is
a little too rank on Its face.
Five Hundreel Lives Lust in Vol
canic Emptli.ns,
Sidney, N. S. W., Dec. 21. In
coming ataamers bring terrible de
tails, of the recent Volcanic erup
tions on the Island of Ambrlm, In
the new Hebrides group,, in wlih-h
500 natives lost their lives. Wit
nesses of the disturbance describe
It as having been so sudden and
violent that they expected to se
the whole western side of the tit
land disappear.
With a terrific roar, which was
followed with a rapid succession of
artlllery-IIke detcnatiens, all th
craters of the volcano entered late
full activity, spouting flames and
lava, and throwing out huge bould
ers.
Great streams of lava soon were
rushing down the aloprs. cutting off
the villagers from escape. In one
Instance, two torrents cf the molten
mass joined and msde an Island of
one entire scctle.n of a village. Here
50 or 60 persons perished.
The scenes at night were awe-ln-splring.
Flames shot Into the air
to a height of 1.000 feet,, illumi
nating the whole area cf destruc
tion. The ocean seemed to boll, as
huge, superheated mases of stone
fell Into the sea and streams of
lava poured Into the bay. Dust
from the craters gradually formed
a black cloud which blotted out the
stars.
The bay, after the eruption, was
filled with dead fish and large num
bers of dead turtles. The water 1a
the river was hot.
The Bri'lsh Hospital buildings
were wiped out, but previous to
their destruction the dotors pluck
lly removed all the patients to . a
launch and escaped with them.