MARION PROGRESS
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF McDOWELL COUNTY.
ESTABLISHED 1896.
MARION, N. C., THURSDAY, FEB. 24, 1916.
VOL. XX—NO. 26
JUSTICE ENTERS RACE
Rutherford Judge Consents to Make
Race for Congress—Sentiment
Strong for Him.
Judee Michael H. Justice, who
is holdio); Superior court here this
week, has given consent for the
use of his name as a candidate for
the democratic nomination for rep
resentative from the tenth con-
irressional district. The announce
ment was made in a letter from
Judge Justice to J. Q. Gilkey of
Marion in reply to a letter from
Mr. Gilkey in which he appealed
to the judge as a man qualified to
redeem the district for the demo
cratic party in the coming election.
The correspondence is as follows:
“Marion, N. C., Neb. 12, 1916.
“Hon. M. H. Jnstice,
“Rntherfordton, N. C.
“My dear Jndge:
“As yon know, my business is in the
commercial line and takes me all over
the tenth congressional district and I
think I am in an unusual position to
know the feelings and sentiments of
the majonty of the democrats in this
district. The vote for United States
senator at last election showed a ma
jority of more than 1200 democrats in
this district. On account of dissensions
as to congressman, we have now a re
publican congressman. I believe that
practically every democrat in the dis
trict believes that if you will become a
candidate, the younger men will be
content to defer their ambition and
that you will not have opposition in
your party.
“You can, of c^Durse, get practically
eyery vote in Rutherford county. I am
sure the same is true in McDowell and
Polk and this side of the ridge will feel
that the wessern side should in justice
to us yield to our claim for recognition,
and I also know that vast numbers of
the leading democrats in Buncombe and
other counties in the west feel that they
really need your service to make the
race against Mr. Britt. 1 recognize that
you already have a highly honorable
position and may feel content with it.
There is, however, I think a real de
mand that you make whatever sacrifice
is necessary to make the race for con
gress.
“If you agree with me that you are
in position to render unusual service to
your party and are willing to yield to
the request of great numbers of your
friends, trust you will permit me to say
that your announcement should indicate
to your friends that you really wish the
support of your friends. There are
many of your friends who may feel that
you are content to stay where you are,
and even though you should announce
that you are willing to submit to the
wishes of the party, there might be
some feeling that loyalty and fondaess
for you did not require them to really
work for you when you were indifferent
as to whether you should change your
position from judge to congressman
It is my opinion that you should state
your position to the public at an early
date.
“This letter is prompted by sincere
friendship to you and great interest in
the democratic party.
“Your friend,
(Signed) “J. Q. GILKEY.”
JUDGE justice’s ANSWER.
“Carthage, N. C., Feb. 16, 1916.
“J. Q. Gilkey, Esq., Marion, N. C.
“Dear Sir:
“I have your esteemed favor of the
12th instant, I appreciate the friendly
sentiment that prompts it. I have had
many letters and many urgent requests
to allow my name to be run for con
gress in the tenth district. I want to
take you and the voters of the district
into my confidence and to be entirely
frank.
“I am not seeking the nomination
and am in no sense a candidate for the
position, and would be glad if the party
could see the way clear to nominate
some one of the young men who are
avowed candidates.
“That is one side of the case. An
other side is this: I have been a demo
crat all my life, and have tried to serve
the p arty to the best of my ability. The
party has in return been kind to me.
“Now, if the democrats of the dis
trict think it my duty to mn for con
gress, and desire me to do so, they can
let me know by their action in the pri
mary. In the meantime, I trust that
taiy friends will not ezp^t me to make
any effort to influence the action of the
party in the primaries. The people
know what they want, and I shall leave
them entirely free to express their will
without my interference. I have con
fidence that they are fully capable of
managing their own affairs.
With sentiments of high esteem, I
am, “Your triend,
(Signed) “M. H. JUSTICE.”
It is stated by the friends of
Judge Justice that an active cam
paign will at once be inaugurated
in his behalf , that the attention of
democrats will be called to Judge
Justice's eminent fitness. It is
urged that the judge is an able
statesman and lawyer; that he has
not been identified with either of
the factions in the democratic par
ty, whose antagonisms caused the
defeat of Congressman Gudger in
1914; that his long service of 14
years as a Superior court judge and
his earnest support and approval
of President Wilson’s administra
tion together with the fact that he
is the candidate of those earnest,
intelligent democrats of tho coun
ties which lie east of the Blue
Ridge, make him the very strong
est democrat who can be nominated.
In any event, the democrats here
are jubilant over the judge’s an
nouncement, and they assert with
great confidence that Rutherford,
McDowell, Polk, Henderson and
Transylvania are already for their
candidate and that the rest of the
district will soon be equally as
strong and enthusiastic for him.
NEWS FROM THE COUNTY
Brief Mention of Some of the Hap
penings in McDowell County—
Items About Home People.
ASHFORD
Ashford, Feb. 21.—Ashford school
closed last Friday night with a splendid
entertainment. A large crowd was
present for the closing exercises.
Mrs. A. W. Gilliam of Old F(nrt is
visiting her daughter, Mrs. Sam Brown.
Miss Madge Brown spent the latter
part of last week with her mother, Mrs.
James Brown.
Misses Cozie and Ruby Carpenter and
brother Robert were visitors here last
Friday and Saturday.
Carl Brown spent Saturday at Lin-
ville Falls.
Miss Estelle Wilson, who has been
teaching here, left Saturday for Spruce
Pine where she will spend a few days
before returnins: to her home at Nebo.
Mrs. Ellen Dockery has returned home
after spending several weeks with rela
tives at Ashford.
Joe Carpenter spent Saturday and
Sunday with homefolks at Altamont.
Mrs. Laura English and niece spent
the week end with Mrs. S. H. Brown,
Clarence Wiseman of Linville Falls
spent the week-end with relatives and
friends here.
Miss Mabel Wiseman passed through
Ashford yesterday, returning home
from Nebo where she ha« been in school.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Brown, Mrs. Gil
liam and Mrs. Stamey spent Sunday
with Miss Ethel Wilson.
School Notes.
Hankins school, with Misste
Delte^Gibbs and Myrtle Brown as
teachers, closes with another week
of work. These pupils and teach
ers seem happy in their work, and
eager for anything new and help
ful.
* The school at Woodlawn, with
Miss Louise Brown as teacher, has
two more weeks of work. Miss
Brown has done much to keep up
the attendance at this school and
has been very successful in her
efforts. Woodlawn* is in great
Deed of a new school building and
the teacher and pupils say they
are gping to have it within another
year.*
The Stroud town community
knows the value of a school. When
their public school money is out
and school is out, they band to
gether and make up a subscription
school, giving to it their earnest
support. Miss Addie Elliott has
charge of tiiis work, with grades
from the first through the seventh,
and |hey are doing hard honest
work and going at it with enthu
siasm.
Court in Session.
McDowell Superior Court con
vened Monday with Judge M. H.
Justice presiding, and Solicitor
Michael Schenck prosecuting on
behalf of the State. T. W. Stacy
was made foreman of the grand
jury and Garland Williams ofiSoer
in charge. Judge Justice’s charge
to the grand jury was full of prac
tical, helpful suggestions and was
unusually interesting. The docket
is made up of the usual number of
minor cases, many of which have
been disposed of. The case against
John T. Marsh, charged with the
murder of J. R. Ray last Novem
ber, will be taken up this morning.
Bill to Clear French Broad.
Washington, Feb. 18.—Repre
sentative Britt today introduced a
bill to appropriate $250,000 for
plans in the French Broad river,
at Buck Shoals. The work is to
blast out a channel or by other
proper engineering projects to re
move constructions hitherto placed
in the river by the United States
government and to take such other
steps as may be necessary at that
point to drain the lands located be
tween Asheville and Brevard.
Mr. Britt also introduced a bill
to provide for the relief of Carrie
B. Moore, former clerk of the
United States court.
Gudger Wants to Succeed Atkinson
Washington, Feb. 18.—Senator
Overman has asked Attorney Gen
eral Gregory to appoint former
Congressman James M. Gudger,
jr., of Asheville, to the United
States court of claims to succeed
Judge Atkinson, whom it is re
ported will retire within a short
time. Judge Atkinson is eligible
to retire under the age clause. He
is past 70 years.
THOMPSON’S FORK.
Thompson’s Fork, Feb. 21.—Wesley
Janes of Irish Creek visited his brother
here last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Tate of Nebo were
visitors here Monday.
Quite a number of our folks attended
the entertainment at Harmony Grove
Friday night.
Mrs. W. M. Wilson of Sugar Hill
visited her parents here last week.
George Simmons of Harmony Grove
spent Sunday with Will Toney.
Dallas Rowe made a business trip to
Marion one day last week.
D. C, Brown and family have moved
to their farm on Thompson’s Fork.
Mr. and Mrs, Will Brown visited
relatives here Tuesday.
B. B. Morgan of Harmony Grove was
a business visitor here last week.
Garden City school closes Fri
day, February 25. There will be
medal contest by the boys and
girls, beginning at 10 a. m. and
lasting until 3:30 p. m. There will
be dinner for all and everybody is
cordially invited to attend. At
night, beginning at 7:30\ an en
tertainment will be given by the
children. An interesting program
is promised.
NEBO
Nebo, Feb. 21.—Nebo High School re
sumed work on last Wednesday. All of
the boarding students have returned.
Impetigo has about played out. The
patients are now confined to one family
and they have about recovered
Misses Iowa Sigmon and Hattie Tay
lor are at home, having finished their
school work at Harmony Grove.
Born, to Mr. and JJrs. W. A. Beach,
February 21, a daughter.
Quite a number of our young people
attended the school entertaimnent at
Harmony Grove Friday night.
J. L. Padgett has located at Yaldeoe,
where he will engage in the mercantile
business.
J. H. L. Miller Clothing Com
pany’s big clearance sale begins
Friday, affording an opportunity
to buy clothing at a great saving
Read advertisement on page 8.
Britt Asks for Fish Hatchery.
Washington, Feb. 19.-—An ef
fort is being made by Representa
tive Britt to have a fish hatching
and fish cultural station established
somewhere in the tenth district.
He introduced a bill today that
would provide $75,000 for the pur
chase of a site, construction of
buildings, preparation of ponds
and equipment at a suitable place
to be determined by the United
States commissioner of fish and
fisheries. He believes the streams
of the mountain territory stocked
with fish will add immensely to the
value of that section of state. He
has introduced bill for pension of
$25 per month to Mrs. Emma
Woodward, of Almond, and was
notified today of increase for
Thomas Green, of Old Fort, to $20
monthly.
STATENEWS OFTHEWEEK
Items Concerning Events ^f In*
terest and Importance Through
out the State.
Strong winds at Ridgecrest Fri
day night damaged two cottages
and entirely wrecked a third.
The nine district Republican con
gressional convention met at New
ton Saturday, but made no nomi
nation for congress.
Seven convicts made their escape
last Thursday night when a gans^
of 27 were being transferred from
Whitney to Old Fort township to
work on the unfinished mountain
section of the central highway.
So far, 638 Moonlight schools
have been organized and conduct
ed in 50 counties of North Caro
lina and 1,000 teachers have been
engaged in teaching 5,540 pupils,
says Mr. N. C. Newbold, the state
rural school agent, in the Washing
ton Daily News.
W. A. Hildebrand has sold his
interest in the Asheville Gazette-
News to United States Marshal
Chas. A. Webb, Postmaster Gud
ger of Asheville and others. Un
der the new management the name
of the paper is changed to The
Asheville Times. It will be Demo
cratic. Mr. Hildebrand will de
vote his attention the the Greens
boro News.
The Ashford school closed Fri
day night, February 18, with an
entertaining program given by the
pupils of the school, under the
direction of Mrs. B. H. Lewis and
Miss Estelle Wilson, the successful
teachers. Among the slections
given, the Grandmother’s Drill
and the boys guessing game, ^*Who
is Who,” gave the crowd oppor
tunity for a laugh, ^e play.
Maidens Forlorn,” was also very
good. The entire program was
entertaining, but the three num
bers above, with the school song,
deserve especial mention. If the
spirit of the song, “Ashford”, is
AS much in the hearts of the pupils
as it seemed from the whole souled
way in which they sang, then truly
Ashford school has nothing to fear
for its future.
The cultivation of a community
spirit and a true love for the
school are two of the things that
every county school teacher must
look well to in her work with the
boys and girls. It is future citi
zens that she is training, and fu
ture homes and farms that she
must keep in mind.
Ashford is a splendid commun
ity. The school is the first country
school in the county to introduce
cooking into its course. The girls
of this school gave a successful
demonstration of this work at
the State Teachers’ Assembly in
Raleigh last fall. We hope that
more work will be done later.
Farm Notes.
The new clover drills mentioned
in The Progress two weeks ago
hare disitt rtTrrHTTnrhrifUMprti
Of course it is an advantage to gei
the ground so nearly covered wfHi'
seed. ^But McDowell county farm
ers already have wheat drills and
spacinfiT being wider there are some
advantages. If clover has never
been grown on the field before iti-
oculated soil can be drilled in with
seed. Then if ground limestone,
basic slag or bone meal is added
the clover will be given a good
send off. Then, too, the wider
spacing permits putting the seed
in a deeper furrow, where the baby
plant will stand more cold and
more drought. The regular clover
drills put in seed only and of course
with such close spacing seed can
not be planted very deeply. Un
til our lands are well limed and
inoculated the drills at hand will
be the better. Even with the
wider spacing the clover will easily
cover the ground.
Notice!
The McDowell County Farmers’
Union will hold its regular meet
ing at Stroudtown school house
Saturday, March 4. The speaker
of the occasion will be Mr. J. Z
Greene, of Marshville, N. C. The
meeting will open at 10:00 o’clock.
A full attendance is desired.
B. F. CoRPENiNG, Pres.,
C. M. Pool, Sec’y.
The last Legislature, realizing
the great part lime plays in profit
able, permanent agriculture and
the need for farmers to get it as
cheaply as possible^ passed a bill
giving the commissioner of agri
culture power to buy lime quarries
and to equiD and operate lime
plants. The lime was to be sold
at cost to farmers. After thorough
investigation it seemed wise to
make the best possible contract
with private plants already in
operation. This was done and a
high grade finely ground limestone
can be had for $1.20 per ton plus
the freight, which is 65c to 75c per
ton to Doints on the Southern. The
above price is in bulk. Add 85c
per ton if wanted bagged.^ Mini
mum car is fifteen tons. Send or
ders to Commissioner of Agricul
ture. Raleigh, N. C., enclosing the
cash, or order will not be booked.
There is likely to be a rush soon,
so that if wanted any time this
spring it will be well to act
promptly.