Newspapers / The Monroe Journal (Monroe, … / Sept. 2, 1919, edition 1 / Page 1
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TIIE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVERYBODY READS IT 'THE UNION COUNTY PAPER EVEIx. ODY NEEDS IT HE MONROE JOURNAL PUBLISHED TWICE EACH WEEK TUESDAY AND FRIDAY VOL.25. No. 60. MONROE, N. G, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 2, 1919. $1.50 PER YEAR CASH. LATEST HAPPENINGS News Events of the Day in the State and Nation. A 1300.000 high school building has Just beeu completed in Asheville. At the close of the war the United States wes the second larsest naval flying force in the world. A dynamite cap exploded in the .land of Clarence Murdock of Lexing ton and blew off his thumb and two Angers. T. J. Fitsimmons is under arrest charted with the murder of Caldwell Houston iu the Charlotte riot. The new Pacific fleet entered San Francisco yesterday and was reviewed by Secretary Daniels from the Oregon. John Melvin of Fayetteville has been convicted of the murder of George Owens and sentenced to three years in Jail. A. C. L. shopmen of Wilmington have voted to accept President Wil son's proposition as to wage increase and to wait for more settled condi tions to talk higher wages. The CranforJ, first steel steamer ever built in North Carolina, was launched yesterday from the ways of the Carolina shipyards at Wilming ton. J. F. Tueston and Casey Jordan, two illicit liquor dealers, are being held in Nashville for the murder of Robin Cooper, the slayer of Senator Carmack. I". S. Public Hi-alth Service says that cancer is on the increase throughout the world, in spile of the fact i lint it is curable if treated early. In 1! 1 7 there were fil.452 deaths in this country due to cancer. Charlotte Is to eutr the food bus iness ami some time ditriiic the pres ent w'k two car loads of flour, two of canned ponds and one of sugar will be placed on sale in the city audito rium. "The Americans have outworn their w.hnme in France," states Rep resentative Kins; of Illinois, recently returned f'ntii a visit to Furopean batlletieUs. He carries his left wrist in a siing as a result of being hit by n sto;1 thrown by a bolshevist. Mecklenburg county commissioners have offered a reward of $2t0 for the arrest ard conviction of the murderer of Harry Montgomery, killed some time nso In the Charlotte "Myers Park. No true bill could be brought against the negro, Hunter, and he was released. General Pershing Is expected to reach New York City September 8. He sailed from Brest on the Levia than. Secretary Baker and General March will arrange all details in con nection with the welcome to be no corded America's overseas comman der. Two men were killed and sixteen were wounded In i; race riot in Knox ville Saturday nlxht. A mob at-tetnpt-d to take from the jail a m'gro accused of murdering a white woman, and the riot fallowed. All the pris oners s' aped an! JoO.t'un damage was done to the jail and Siirroundi!; ; property. "Better Times" Follow "The Til I'll in the Komi," Sensationally Sum ces tui Human Drama, ('rented Ity Voiing Dim-tor. 'Better Times" is here! It is the latest product of that young master of the screen craft, King W. Vidor, whose first picture from Brentwood studies distributed by Exhibitors Mu tual, "The Turn In the Road," made such a profound impression. Vidor has the happy faculty of se lecting human and heart-touching subjects of the unhackneyed type, and presenting them in a way that gets under the skin. "Better Times" is a dramatic com edy of real folks, people that the ma Jority of us lived among and grew up with: whose emotions we can under siand, whose troubles we can sympa thize. The author of "The Turn in the Road" has succeeded in putting into "Better Times" this simple human note that made his first effort a not able success, while Injesctlng a lot of clean, wholesale humor that keps the audience vacillating between laughter and taars. The triumph of optimism over possimism, the uplift of hope and the tonic of good-cheer, is told In a storv that moves blithely along spreading sunshine in Its wake. ZaSti Pitts, an exceedingly clever comedienne: David Butler, cast as the hero: Jack McDonald. Win. De Vaull. Hugh Fay and Lillian Leigh- ton, complete a cast much above- the ordinary. Mr. Ellis Godwin, who last De cembfr entered vpon his duties as superintendent of the county home, notified the county commissioners at their tegular session yesterday that unless they could see their way clear to increase his salary of $600 that he must decline to accept the position another year. Mr. Godwin told the commissioners that the Job had been Just a little more than he expected. The board yesterday afternoon went on a tour of Inspection of the home but postponed their decision on the matter of allowing an increase In sal ary to a later meeting. Mr. Eugene Ashcraft was present a few minutes before adjournment In an effort to Interest the board In purchasing a lot, in the rear of Mr. W. A. Henderson's home on McCauley heights on which to erect r enticn platform. No ac tion was tuken on the matter. Carolina plicos meet hfuf. WITH PHILADELPHIA AtiENTS Visiting Insurant? Agent Hold I5u Inevt Session i:i the Morning, mid Have luncheon in the Afternoon at the Jolt re. The Carolina Plico Club, compos ed of Philadelphia Life Insurance agents in North and South Carolina, held their semi-annual meeting here Monday with the state Agents, the Gordon Insurance Investment Co. Prominent insurance men from both states were in attendance. Dr. W. S. Gadd of Philadelphia, the medical di rector of the company, was here with "the boys," and was the target for much friendly criticism on account of his ever-zealous attention to the pol icies he must pass before the agents can mark a sale. The morning was devoted to a bus iness session in the offices of the state headquarters, where timely talks were made on insurance by Dr. Gadd, Mr. Gordon, Mr. Brown ' and others. A review of the history of the company's growth showed some astounding figures. . In the eleven years the Gordon Insurance & Inves' ment Company has been state agents for the Philadelphia Life, its business has grown from a small affair to one of the largest agencies in the South. The ambition of the company, as Mr. Brown expressed it, "is to write more insurance than any other agency in the South." The growth of the couipnnv is re ally plienominal. The year IMP was the best in Its history, but that rec ord lias already been exceeded in the first eight months of this year. Last month the company paid for $420, t00 worth of new business, and is ex pecting the total for the year to reach the stupendous amount of $3,000,000. Very few agencies in the South have ever equaled this figure. Il was decided at the Plico Club's January met ting to hold its first l!i2n session with the general agent which did the most business during the fol lowing six months. Mr. M. M. Piatt of Sumter. S. t, came across with the honors, and the next meeting goes to his home town. At 2 o'clock the state agents were hosts to the visiting insurance men at the Hotel Joffre. Mr. W. H. Love, one of the directors of the company, was toastmaster. After luncheon, and cigars had been passed around, May or J. C. Sikes made the address of welcome. He told the insurance men of the local pride in the achievement of the slate agents, and told a little story which Illustrated the confidence Monroe people have in Messrs. W. M. Gordon and W. B. Brown, and the prominence In which they are held. Mr. B. S. Williams of Greenwood, S. C, one of the leading general agents, made a happy response, assuring the gathering that he nnpreciated the warm welcome tendered him and his fellow-Insurance men. The most i' i portani events of his life have occup ied in this section, and he v is very glatl of the opportunity to visit Mon roe. Mr. H. R. Gay of Rosemary. N. C. declared thai he was the largest i lan in the horse physically, but when it cat.,e io Inaki.ig a speech he felt o smallest. II". too. was charmed wiii ill- wel 'oi!i inceived In Monroe, uni! was prcid of iiis connection with the Gordon iiisiu.iiice & Investment Co. Dr. Cadd urged the insurance men to piac their occupation far above tu"ve i.itM'ceiuiry considerations. II had come to look upon insurance men as philanthropists, and pictured two scents o illustrate his viewpoint. He told of one home, where death had visited, and which was, owing to the fact that no insurance man had suc cessfully Impressed upon the wage earner the necessity for taking out insurance, barren and desolate. The other home was not bare, and there was as much happiness as possible under the circumstances because an Insurance man had fulfilled his mis sion by protecting the family by the sale of an insurance policy. , Mr. J. W. Timberlake of Green- l!ie, N. C, applauded Dr. Gadd's views, and urged the agents to get together and make the remaining 4 months of the year the best in the history of the company. Following the luncheon, a group photograph was made of the visitors on the courthouse square. The guests were Dr. W. S. Gadd. the directors of the Gordon Insurance Co., Messrs. J. II. Lee, R. D. Crow, M. K. Lee, F. G. Henderson and W. B. Love, and the following agents: J. W. Timberlake, Greenville, N. ('.; R. H. Gay, Rosemary, N. C; W. H. Clinkscales, Spartanburg, S. C: B. S. Williams. Greenwood, S. C, W. E. Holbrook. Greenville, S. C; M. M. Piatt, Sumter, S. C; I. D. Elmore. Orangeburg. S. C: A. W. Mosely. Sumter, 3. I'.; M. R. Sipener, Colum bia. S. C: H. M. rimer. Lexington, N. C; A. S. Thompson. Charlotte. N., C; E. Haynes, Hamlet. N. C; C. L. i Ingold, Fayetteville, N. C; F. N. Finks. Wilmington, N. C: W. B. Wheeler, Fayetteville, N. C; F. J. Parham. Union. S. C: t W. Rawl ings, WinstoiirSalem, N. C; Frank Benton, Abbeville. S. C; and Mayor C. Sikes, VV. B. Brown, W. M. Gordon. E. S. Woods. B. C. Ashcraft. A. A. Edgeworth, John Beasley, of Monroe; and Mr. A. 3. Thompson of Charlotte. Presbyterian Church. Services on Sunday next as follows: 10:30 a. m., Sunday school; 11 a. m.. worship and sermon; 6 p. in., even ing service. The members of the church are requested to bring any ar- rearges that have occurred during the closing of the church in August. This Is urged by the Board of Dea cons. Reporter. IU II DING PERMITS SHOW IN. CREASE OF S!,immi OVER Jl'I.V IViinils Totalling Almost $."0,MM Were Issued by Fire luse tor Hill During Mouth t.f August Build ings Condemned. Building permits totalling $48,950 an increase of almost $10,000 over the month of July were Issued by Building Inspector J. Frank Hill dur ing the month of August, according to figures obtained from the records yesterday afternoon. Permits for new buildings and Im provements on old ones during the past month were as follows: Mr. R. Redfearn, improvement on dwelling on Sanford street, cost $250 Mr. R. Redfearn, remodeling house on Sanford street, cost $400. Mr. J. E. Stack, erecting warehouse on Crow avenue, cost $6,000. Crow Brothers, erecting cotton platform for shipping purposes, cost li.ooo. Mrs. O. C. Curlee. Improvements on residence on Crow avenue, cost $5000. Mrs. O. C. Curlee. remodeling on Crow avenue, cost $o00. County, and City, erecting brick school house in North Monroe, cost $.500. Miss Mattie Ogburn. repairing res idence on Houston street, cost $300. Mr. Eugene Ashcraft, erecting sev en room dwelling on Windsor avenue, cost $3,500. Co-operative Mercantile Company, erecting warehouse on East Crowell street, cost $3.00. Mr. J. C. Sikes. repairs on house on South Church street, cost $3u0. Southern lotton Oil Company, erecting building for gin plant in the eastern part of town, cost $12no. Savings, Loan and Trust Company, erecting bank building on corner of Main and Morgan streets, cost $25,- 000. Mr. W. J. Trull, repairing houses on Beard street, cost $500. Inspector Hill also announced yes terday that during August three buildings found lo be a fire menace and dangerous had been condemned. Two of these buildings are located on Franklin street opposite the Sec rest Motor Company. With the removal of these buildings will go one of the last reminders of the once renowned "Itagedy Nine." The other building condemned is the blacksmith shop on Beasley street. In the rear of the Secrest Motor Company. Mr. Hill stated lo a representative of The Journal I hat In accordance with orders from State Insurance Commissioner Young he would con tinue the work of condemning build ings found unsafe and dangerous he- cause of fire risks. Elders' and Deacons Convention nt I'nlonville September 4. 10 A. M. Devotional Exercises, 13 minutes, by Rev. B. B. Shankle. Pas tor. Organization. Address of Wel come, 10 minutes. Dr. Whitley. Re si onse, 10 minutes, Hon. F. R. Mc Nineh. Song Service. 20 minutes, Prtsbyterianisin and the Needs of the Times, 30 minutes. Rev. J. W. Orr. Song Service, 10 minutes. The Church's Need of Ministers and the Kind. CO minutes. Prof. R. N. Nesbit. song ."nice. 10 minutes. The Ciurch's Need of Elders and the Kind, 30 mnutes, Rev. A. S. John ton.D.D. Music. Recess until 2:30 P. M. AFTERNOON. Song Service. 10 minutes. Round Table on the Tithe, 30 minutes, led by Rev. G. F. Bell. The Importance of the Sunday School in Any Com munity, 20 mlinitas. Dr. R. H. Laffer ty. Discussion on Sunday School Work. Virtue of Punctuality, Hunter Marshall. Variety In Sunday School Program, W. E. Price. Importance of Teacher Preparing the Lesson. J D. Woodside. Importance of Memo rizing Scripture and Catechism, Z. V. Roberson. Impressions of the Con vention. Adjournment. 'Music will be an important feature of the Com ventlon. In charge of Mr. R. C. Free man. The Steele Creek. Sugar Creek Newells. Second Church, Sharlotv Carmel, and other choirs of the coun ty are ssked to join In making this a memorable day in the history of Presbyterianlsm In Union County I'nlonville Church is one of our new ly developed Home Mission Churches 'n Union County. Whitley Reunion. Correspondence of The Journal. On the last Thursday In August and in South Buford township, there ws held at the home of Mr. Fhilip Whitley and Mary E. Whitley their nrst family reunion. Four genera- ions were represented at the reunion and three states contributed their monnrtionnte share. Eiaht children compose the family of Mr. and Mrs. Whitlev. beside the father and moth- er. to-wlt: Mrs. H. W. Pusser. Ches terfield. S. C: Dr. A. D. X. Whitley, I'nlonville; Mrs. J. C. Baucoin, Mon roe R. F. D. 2: Philip Whitley, Jr., Monroe R. F. D.; Mrs. Kemper Helms. Monroe R. F. D. 7; Dr. Aver Whitley, Mint Hill; H. W. B. Whit ley. Raeford. and Dr. Loyd Whitley, Crawford, Ga. A bounteous dinner was served under the shade of the large trees and tnore than one hundred ate at the table, those being mainly the off spring of Mr. and Mrs. Whitley. Reverend Mr. MrLaurhlln, presby terlan pastor at Mint Hill, made a short and spicy talk. An organiza tion was perfected with which to make this an annual event. Dr. A. D. N. Whitley of Unlonville -m elec ted president and H. W. E. WMl'.?y of Raeford secretary. i thi: mi rderii; of h ami.f.t jitney dkixers 0fks.fs Footer I'ui-soiis Held For Minder l Two NeKrK, Dink Phillips ami Joe Wilson The Luter Drove t Car lUlon-ing (o jr. j, Hiuson Seeral days ago Mr. B. C. Hiuson va notified by long distance that one oi nis automobiles engaged in the irauster husiiies at Hamlet had nivs teriously disappeared, along with the un.er, joe Wilson. Mr. Hiuson ord erea that every possible effort be uwue to locate the missing driver and car. Several days later the decom posed body of the driver of the car was found in a clump of woods near namiet. evidence pointed to the fact that he had been murdered and thrown into the woods. W. Foster Parsons was arrested Friday, charged with the crime, and according to Richmond count v offi cers ne nas confessed his guilt. It is aLso charged that about two weeks ago. in complicity with a man from irgiu:a. he slew another Jitnev driv er, tnrew Ins body into nearhv woods and stole the car. Issac London had the following ac count of the affair in Saturday's Viiunone Observer: Two murders came to light todav with the alleged confession hv W. Foster Parsons, now In Richmond county jail, that he killed during the past three weeks two negro iitnev drivers from Hamlet, threw their bod ies in tli.' woods and stole the cars. His arrest, and confession todav. fol lowed a remarkably clever bit of de tective work by Chief Braswell, of Hamlet. The details resemble a Sher lock Holmes story. On August 1 Duck Phillips, a col ored jitney driver of Hamlet, was slain near Hoffman and his car stol en. The body was found decomposed four (lavs later in the woods. Com plete mystery surrounded his death and disappearance of the car. On August 2S the body of another negro was found four miles from the spot of the first negro, nothing re maining but the bones. Buzzards had eaten every vestige of flesh. Clothing Identified him as being Joe Wilson, another colored Jitney driver of Ham let. Ami hre the clever, and some may say providential, detective work came in. After the disappearance of Joe Wilson and his car on Thursday of ast wek. Chief . Braswell began searching for the lost car. On Sat urday he, with Vernon Allen, of Ham let, manager for Hiuson Bros. garage, from wheih the car was stol en, started out to visit the neighbor ing towns searching for the car. When a mile beyond Sanford late Saturday afternoon and going 20 miles an hour, they passed a Ford traveling 25 miles an hour. At a glance Mr. Allen recognized his car. Quickly turning, they sped after it to wards Sanford. Fortunately a long freight train had Just stopped over the street crossing, and this held the fleeing car up and enabled the officer o catch up. The driver of the car. Foster Parsons, told the officer that u had bought the car from a man in Durham. Upon his arrest, he chang- I his tale and said that he had con spired with Joe Wilson to steal the car and that he had given Wilson $23 for his Interest in if and that Wilson had gone to Greensboro. Parsons was then brought to Hamlet by the officer and Monday the recorder bound him to court under $750 bond charged with larceny alid stealing. In default of hall he was committed to Jail. On Thursday morning his uncles came to Rockingham and arranged the bond and Parsons was to he re leased when the sheriff receive;! this -Megratn from Chief Braswell 'ro- Durham: "Hold Parsons without b': New and strong evidence developed." He was therefore denied bail. Bras well then came to Rockingham this morning and confronted Parsons in tail with his evidence and charged him with killing Wilson. Parsons then confessed, according to the of ficers, who say that he said in sub stance that he, on July 31 came to Hamlet with a man from Virginia named James Hammock, and hired Duck Phillips to drive tlmm toward Cognac; that when near Hoffman, Hammock suddenly threw his arm around the driver, shot him through the head, dragged the body into the woods nnd the two went to Durham, wl'.eru he sold the car to E. D. Woody, for $250. He then gave Parsons 12." for his part. He stated that the job seemed so easv that lie determin ed to do It by himself. And so h" came to Hamlet on Wedndav night of last week, hired Joe Wilson tiex' dav. and when near Keyser shot him rough the hack of the had and ' thr then went on In the car to Durham. Pie killing of the first man was in Richmond county, but the last man. Wilson, was killed In Moore county. Just across the line. Parsons was married last spring. and was thought well of. No one would have suspected him of such ac tions. His friends are firm in be lieving he must be crazy to have act ed so. A remarkable part in the detective worK was mat wnn i nter urnswen went to Durham Wednesday to see if he could get some more evidence against Parsons for stealing the car. he was sitting tn a car on Main s'reet "ling his I'inch. wh0n he observed a Ford nass that had two new fenders He felt certain It wag the eo--'ler, three weeks sen fm"" r---'- "'-i'V is. l H..nt.. . -- 'nund it nt the .,i ir,if,,. He then wired M. " 'I arr,o ;v-n o'-ner. it F'mlet oithe handicap or being deaf. He went come and identify II. This Mr. to Whitevllle from Monroe. Sharpe did Thursday, whereupon it.iri uiuwni ireii r-uenn .Mc Donald to hold Parsons without bail. It seems ihat after killing Phillip, Parsons carried the car to Durham, sold it under a plausible tale to E. D. Woody, who in turn sold it to Dilliarl garage . Woody informed Braswell that Parsons had sold it to him. and connecting Parsons with the killing wag then a simple matter. Confront ed with these facts. Parsons, as stal ed above, confessed today, according to officers. SLAYER OF CARMACK FOUND DEAD XEAIl NASHVILLE Attorney Murdered Under Peculiar Circumstances No Clue t Mur derer Discovered SKMMH) Stolen. Nashville. August 30. Robin J. Cooper, a Nashville attorney, whose trial for the killing of former United States Senator Edward W. Carmack during the celebrated pistol duel be tween his father. Col. D. B. Cooner. and Carmack in 1908 attracted coun try-wide attention, has been murder ed here under mysterious circum stances. Cooper's body was taken from Richland creek today soon aftr his bloodstained automobile had been found on a bridge near his home In the fashionable Belle Meade park sec tion. The skull had been crushed, but there evidences that a violent struggle had taken place before the tatal blow was struck. A coroner's inquest late todav de veloped no clues to the murderer or muulerers, but the police are proceed ing on 1 lie theory that Cooper was lured from his home by persons de termined to rob him. This theorv Is based largely upon evidence that Cooper drew $10,nnfl from a bank a short time before he disappeared last 1 iiursday night. The authorities assume that th young lawyer was lured from his home to the secluded bridge over the creek and there done to death. The condition of his clothing indicated that he had been dragged some dis tance before he was thrown in the water. Physicians who examined the body said the small amount of water lound in the lungs was evidence that Looper was dead when dropped Into i lie creeK. The Carmack tragedy, the most notable In the history of Tennessee. grew out of the Carmack-Patterson race for governor In 1908. In which ( ol. I). B. Cooper, father of Robin J Cooper, was one of Patterson's clos est advisers. In the fatal encounter which occurred on an uptown street ot Nashville November !), 1!Hi8, the son fired the shot which ended Car- mack's life, and in the shooting was (iimseit wounded. Father and son were convicted of murder in the sec ond degree In 'lie lower court, but on the appeal of the case to the Su preme court, the verdict was reversed as to the son. the judges standing three to two. The verdict as to Col onel Cooper was sustained, three to two, but before leaving the capital the father was pardoned by governor Patterson. The case against Robin J. Cooper, when It came up again in the Davidson county criminal court was d topped. The l.le About Helk Brothers Was Told on .Many Oilier Firms. To the Editor of The Journal: I noticed the story in The Journal about the alleged profiteering of Belk Bros.' Charlotte store: "A Federal officer, so the rumor had it, went in their store, and asked the price ot a certain suit of clothes. He was told $75. Finally, after bargaining a while, he bought the suit. Then, as the story went, he proceeded to gel into action. Going to the store man- l;!"lr; he requested to he shown the l, voice of the suit he had just ptir- i .:used. At first the manager polite ly declined, but when the officer pull ed back his coat, bringing his official badge into view, he relented. The in voice (still quoting the rumor) showed that the suit had been bought from the manufacturer for $17.50." About three weeks ago I was in the smoking car on a train ir. the eastern part of the State. Everybody was talking about the high cost of things. One man. one of these "know all" kinds, said "Now let me tell you what I know to be a fact. I got this story straight, and there is no doubt about It." Whereupon he told won! for word this very story with the sole xcepiinn that I. - said it was the Va i story Clothing Company of Greens boro. Said he knew all the facts and there was not the slight ist doubt about It. Named the very figures quoted above, even down to th' ex act Plleged Cost of the suit. $17.50. God onlv knows how many times the f "e, has been told al-out dif ferent Ftnres in the United Stai-s. 1 appears that the more imiiroba'de a lie is the greater pleasur" it is for some folks to repeat it and the easier it is for others to believe It. One Who Hates Irresponsible Rumor. Mr. Keiab In Charlotte. (From the Charlotte Observer.) W. B. Keziah, editor of the Whlfe vills News Reporter, was in Charlotte Sunday on his way home from Mnr ganton, where he attended during the past week the home-coming reunion of the former students of the State School for the Deaf, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the school Mr. Keziah, who is complete!- deaf but not mute, has at- f"c:"('. state-wide attention during the several year he has been in charge of the Whitevllle paper he- raue of his success achieved despite. I Mil. (RUTIN RECEIVES WORD i:i:.i:iit. faii; prices Fuir 'iie Committee lo H? l.uided by These 'i ices A I'rolii of Per t ent ,. i, ,iMM,s ,, Krou 10 to on .i,oiie js U.jjiti. mate. County Food Administrator Lee uiiii: nas it-ce ved a communication ttoiu state l ood Adiiuiistnuor Henry tage co.ituuuus information for tue guidance of the fair price committee, appomted several days ago to guard ne puhix against profiteering. From this communication o n . ... . . "vuxu appear at the dry goods merchant who ,i r , , ""'S' ot profit exceeding IU', l'er Cnt wi" b regarded as Profiteering. From 10 to nr J, is specified as a reasonable profit for most goods sold by groceryman. ..e co unification as received by Mr. Gnftin follows: "The county fair price committee IS a legal t.oiiV. arttinintiui .i.- he machuery of the food administra tion, and actinir uuoVr th. ot the attorney general of the United Mates, for the dena it is intmitLi (o Don of profiteering, hoarding, etc., of food and clothing, and tn same by admonition and reproof as r"----i"ie, ami to report dealers who will n-jt act in harmonv with them to II: dei.artmunt r i, ,.!.. through the federal food administra tion for No: h Carolina if o , H Mil II11U1T eu and intri-i-te situation presents it self which i! serves and riuman.1 r., side help, by r.-ason of its imi.nrtnnre upon request a secret service agent will be sent ;0 ,i:ake the investiga- IIUII. "It is believed that nianv retailers of food, clothing and shoes are ex acting excessive and unreasonable margins of profit, and that a close investigation of costs and selling prices should at once be made. This is the especial task assigned to the county fair price committee. Profits should be fimtred in percentages of of cost of goods thus eliminating the whole question of the varying ex pense of doing business, such as la bor, rents, etc., Inasmuch as cost of goods has advanced with correspond ing advances in labor, relets etc. "In the matter of profits on food, the following figures are suggestions, not as fixed percentages, but they may ,e found valuable hv vou as guides, the three staple foods." meat, sugar and floor, are to be separated from other foods in considering pro fits, becaitse custom and the habit of dealers themselves have fixed the per missible reasonable margins on these products at less than half the profit which may be reasonably charged on average food products. Pre-war com petitive conditions afforded margins on these three staples of less than five per rent, to the wholesaler and not more lhan 13 percent, lo the re. taller. This is a fair and just mea sure of reasonable profit or margin above cost now. On all other food profits the same test would allow an average of lo pr cent, to the whole saler and 25 per cent, to the retailer. There is no reasonable excuse for ex ceeding these margins now. There should be no "resale within a trade,' that is. no multiplication of the agencies of distribution. Whole sale dealers should buy from manu- iacturers and producers, and not from other wholesale dealers. Re tailers should buy from wholesale dealers and not from other retailers. there should be but three agencies above the consumer, one producer cr manufacturer, one wholesale dealer and one retail dealer. Merchant who for any reason are not in position to nny wisely nnd on as good terms as their competitors, should get out or business, because they are the di rect cause of an unnecessary increase in cost to the consumer. Iu. many cases investigation will disclose the fact that a retail mer chant has paid too much for goods. as illustrated by recent experience In sugar, caused by something of a scarcity and consequent hoarding for Mgher price. In such cases he should be allowed to sell at a reasonable ad vance over the cost to him, and In vestigate the seller. This can usually be done by agents of the department in other states. "In reference to reasonable profits, or margins over cost in shoes, cloth ing and furrNhing. it is to be noted that theso M-oducts are usuallv pur chased hv the retailer dircth from the manufacturers, and only one pro fit o'- margin, that of the retailer. Il to , .i,i,,d t0 il-,. manufacturer's sellie-; 'As ? gi t 'a n d suggestion to tho cneiinitt v, I b'.- to sav that it seems fair n-(i f"st t accept the pre-war re'rn r".'i polir of retail dealers of clo'hing. i' of. j tc.. as reasonabl" and 'tt. "t seems pretty well establish,' '--t the trade undr com-t.-t!-. rr-':,Mons permitted the add i'ion of n -v-in of S3 1-3 per cent, to coBt na n f.,ir zoning price. "Hen rv ,. Paie." Mr. Frank Irby of Indian Trail, constable for Vance township, wa elected night policeman by the board of aldermen in regular session at tho city hall. Mr. Irby will enter upon his duties at once, succeeding Mr. Turner McCinneis. who resigned to accept a position with the Seaboard Airline Railway company. Mr. Irby has had previous experiences as an officer and will serve the citv well. The aldermen voted to increase th salary of Mr. E. Barrett, head of th street cleaning department, from $75
The Monroe Journal (Monroe, N.C.)
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Sept. 2, 1919, edition 1
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