of : McDowell county.
7- V -
ESTABLISHED 1896.
MARION, N. THURSDAYrJULY 24, 1919
VOL. XXIII NO. 47
A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE B.lmRE:OF,THE
TO THE AVERAGE CITIZEN
Governor Bickett Addresses Per
sonal Appeal to Taxpayers .
of the State.
Governor Bickett has addressed the
following letter .to "Mr. Average"it
izen '"with the request that the news
papers of the State give it the widest
publicity:
My Dear Mr- Average Citizen:
V An intimate acquaintance with you,
-extending over a number of years,
leads me to write you this intensely
personal letter. - I know that yon love
the truth, that you despise injustice,
that you are a robust champion of the
square deal. The -possession by -you
of the cardinal virtues makes North
Carolina a truly great State.
The most- vital power of the State
is the power to tax,and you believe
that this vital power should be exer
cised with a full knowledge of the
truth. You believe that from this
full knowledge of the truth there will
flow , perfect equality in -.taxation. -For-
the iirst time in the history of
- the' State you, Mr. Average Citizen,
Tiavc it , in your power to write the
full truth and perfect equality in the
tax books of the State. : You have
never been called upon to do this -before.-
But now the General -Assembly
lias enacted a law that places the
matter entirely in your hands. -The
new tas? law - is written on correct
principles. - The machinery for its
enforcement is adequate and appro
priate. "The law is so written that it
will be easy for the citizens to do right
, and hard for him to do wrong. But
on you, Mr. Average citizen-, rests
the responsibility .of - doterminihg
whetheror, not the-' wise and . just
. purpose, of -the; law shall be carried
Now, Mr. Average Citizenou will
receive a questionaire and will be
ftMoA Ttrtfsn tr swear ' before God and
to all your fellow citizens what is the
... - . . . . . . A
lair marKet -value oi your - property.
"When you come -to take this solemn
oth it will be helpful to you to put
to your own conscience this question:
"If - IdftHirot '-own -thisr pxoperly, jtrert
wanted to buy -it, what would I Jbe jus
tified In" paying for it"? and again:
U I wanted to sell this property, not
at a fnrreA sale, bnt- in the wav. and
. on the terms - that property of this
"class is generally sold in- this 'com
- munity, what do I - really believe I
could get for - itt!' The answer to
, these questions will point 'with rea
sonable accuracy to tne lair. marKet
value of your property. This fair
market value you must write down
in your questionnaire, else you - will,
cease to be Mr. Average Citizens
and become Mr. Undesirable Citizen. '
When you, Mr. Average Citizen, tell
the truth about your property, it will
; do no good for your neighbor, Mr.' Un
desirable Citizen,; to. tell a, lie about
his property, because when the books
snow iruiy wnai.xne property m o.ur.
AVKragB Vji i-Lai as wui but who ;t
dece will clearly and: Conclusively
show what the property of Mr. TJnde-.
sirable Citizen is worth. . The .local
and district assessors, when they come
to fix the value of nronerty. will be
governed by the sworn testimony of
Mr. Average Citizen: . . r
"And when you, Mr. Average Citizen
tell the unvarnished truth about your
property, that truth will wipe;out ev
ry discrimnation arid every iriequal
izea series of falsehoods. -When
all the property in the State
shall be placed on the books at its
fair market value, many benefits- will
accrue ta you, Mr. Average. Citizen.
1. You will have the great satis
faction -of knowing -that the record
written by all the people of the: State
is. a" true-record and not a libel on the
commonwealth. This knowledge will
wonderfully streenghten the moral fi
ber., of our. people. : . , ' ' . ;
2. You will - know that every "dis
crimination, in taxation , is. wiped out,
and that every citizen is carrying his
fair part of the burden. V
3. Asthe values go up. the Tate of
taxation will go down, and hereafter
North. Carolina will be known far and
wide as a wealthy state with a - low
rate of taxation instead of a poor
State with a high rate of taxation, t
4. The General Assembly has made
a pledge not to collect, under the pro
posed true valuation of property, re
venues greater than ten per cent in
ebess of the revenues collected under
the present false values.; - This means
that the total revenues collected by
the State shall not be .greater than
ten per cent in excess of the. total
revenues collected . under the present
law. This most emphatically does 'hot
mean that no particular citizen .will
bave to pay taxes in excess of ten per
cent of the amount he has heretofore
paid. A particular citizen may - pay
Ipsa taxes-than he has 'ever paid be
fore. He may pay double jwhat he
has heretofore .paid. This depends
on whether or not he has heretofore
paid his fair share of the - taxes ac
cording to his true word. If he has
paid more than his fair share the in
crease as to him will be less than ten
per cent; if he lhas paid less than his
fair share, the increase as to him will
be more than ten per cent. -
I You, Mr. -Average Citizen, will at
once perceive -xne essennai justice m
thus equalizing the public burden." I
call, on you to lend your vigorous sup
port, firsts by example, and then by
precept, to this, attempt by the Gener
al Assembly, to build up a taxation
system in- North Carolina grounded
on perfect truth ,and perfect justice.
By so doing you will help to practic
ally demonstrate, that it is profitable
in money and in morals to a people as
well as-to an individual to-tell the
truth and shame the -devil. . ..
Sincerely yours, .
-V. T. W. BICKETT.
s -
Heavy Rains Damage Grain Crops.
Asbeville, Julj 20. Heavy rains
during the past week have. caused
additional damage to the already
badly damaged crops of . western
North Carolina; and with the late
frost that killed so many apple
blossoms, the mountain section has
suffered heavily fron the elements.
thjs spring and summer. In many
sections of Buncombe, notably in
the' Weaverville section, small
streams went out of their "banks;
farruSjjwhich for the first time were
visited by freshets were badly
m -----
washed, some of them to such an
extent that the entire ; crops were
ruined, and it .was nothing f or
farmers to lose as much as $5,000
from loss of soiL and croosrFcr
the past week the rainfall has been
heavy almost daily, and. yeiterday
nd. today the continual rains have
ke pt the.small streams up. ; . -: -.
Reports received here from Old
orklfii!
a ndS wannanoa : .how th uch ; un
easiness over the prospect for, land-,
slides. : One or two' small ; ones
were reported jesterday - and jasi
night, but they did not-do more
than to cause the. trains to be late.
State Aid for Co mm u n ify Fai rs
-r Notes of Interest to Farmers. ,
:The State will give id to four
community fairs in this county.
WouId.be glad to have applications
from at least that many communi
ties and urge theV co-operation of
the schools. I will come and help
tororganixe ihem. -'j-V':'-.-"-
.Farmers now know the value of
lime to land, especially for all leg
umes. 1 will make u"p a car. at any
and all points,' where enough-farm-ers
are : interested. "The price is
$2;70 per ton delivered. . v- 7
; Lime, clover and better stock
will be the aim of many; itshould
be the purpose of every good &rm
er: -' ''-.. ' UJ': - : -y "
::AU interested in ture blood
Guernsey cattle, any age, see me.
Will-undertake to make delivery
about September; r :S' v "
. J; ill. Thurman, County vAgent;
j' SSjOOO'Cars Registered;
' The department of state has reg
istered oyer 83,000 cars during the
past six weeks. This number is an
increase of about 3,000 automobil
es oyer the number registered on
Juse 1, and applications continue
to come to the office of the license
clerk at the rate of from 100 to 400
every day. The tax clerk esti
mates that there will be welL on
toward 100,000 automobiles regis
teredin the state between now and
the new license year. .This will
represent a 25 per cent increase,
but the experience of other years
and especially during the war pe
riod I indicates that thisestimate is
not too high. - v .; ;
" ?' x ' "- . - ; - v v " -J. .."
- Services at St. John's next Sun
day at 11 a. m. and 8:30 p. m.
County Schools Open. '
" : A number of the county schools
opened oq Monday, the 21st.
From reports coming- to the t office
of the county superintendent the
schools, are opening, with, unpre
cedented interest and attendance;
One school reported 95 per cent of
the children in the district on hand
for the first day. -
. It is. expected that the - new Jaw
requiring the attendance of children
upon the schools will, have a great
influence in keeping the children
in school. Children between the
ages of 8 and 14 years are required
to attend the school in their; respec
tive districts for theen tire term.
The minimum term is six, months,
and the- term inj special lax d is ;
tricts will be from 7 to 9 months.
The law is very rigid and parents
and guardians are liable to fine or
imprisonment for failure . to keep
their children in school. AV copy
of the act iainll is published in this"
issue of the paper. , ; '' ;v r :
The folio wingl schools opened,
on last Monday r- r Toms ; Creek,
Han kins, Buck: Creek'," .Graphite
ville, Stone Mountain, Glen Moun
tain, Bethlehem, Piney vRidge,
Mount Mitchell", Wopdlawni Suirar
Hill, Morgans, Fairview,: ; Laurel
Hill, Sandy . Flat,. Pinnacle and
Tates. A number of other schools
Will open on next Monday x while
some will begin: about the first of
September. r V - ; - .7"
-fleal tstateTransfers. .
R. S. Toney and wife to T. E.
Stone,27 acres,$300. . 7 - . 7
11. FX Roperto J, G. TPyalt,
acres, $612 50. - - .
W. J. Souther to Mrs S; J.
Parker,' 50 acresr, $300. r -..Walter
Davidson to J ames ; V Da
vidson, land adjoining Henry Rog
ers iind Fannie Ly tie, ;$25.' '
: . X. A Rabu rn to J . -T, Davis;
88; rods, $70. ; 7 - 'fr -1
T. TV Davis toE G Gof orthV
88 rods; $1000, I ;g';:f :X
"Fallen Moffitt to'. Anthony ;Mof
fitt, 100 acres, $100;r;'.-:; -"';:'v.--James
M. Casey to, Adelaide G;
Hadley, undivided interest. Cross
Mountain land, $i and-other con
sideration: MmBz
J., M. Norton to A. A. Jamison ,
140 creW $2000. : - ; '
UMattie C Perry to J. H. .Tate,
lot' on Baldwin avenue, $10;'
"Ji H, Tate to W. O. - Bryson,
land in Tate addition to East Ma
rion; $100. r
T. Wv Wilson to J; H. Beaman,
land adjQining A.' F. Mode and
S. 7Morgan$300 f5;5
B G. Gettys to J. Robert Davis,
land on Clinchfield avenues $10. . -
John Yancey to iJ. H. Tatev
A. H; Giles and JWless lot
pn Main street, Marion, $1000 and
other cosideratioti,'
Junior Onder Re-organ izedE
The Clinchfield Couiwii ? Junior
Order American Mechanics t has
been re-organized w i th .thirty
members. The following officers
were elected at a recent meetihg:
H. G Noland, councillor i G. M.
Reynolds, vice-councillor; R. L.
Morris, chaplain ; F. r HrLuslr juq-
ior past councillor; Dewey Roland,
conductor; Thomas Early, warden;
Dr. James Reyqolds, recording sec
retary ; C. M. Jolly financial sec-
Lretary ; W. J. ; Lusk, v treasurer;
F. H. Lusk'R. L. Morris and
Charles Roland, trustees. j '
Road po nun ission S ells Bonds.
The .County "High wayCommis
sion met last Monday for the pur
pose of seliing"$50,000.00 issue of
county bonds to aid in the construe
tion.of roads " A number of bids
were submitted, the highest being
par, accrued i nterest and a ore
mi um of ; $2,325 00, which was
made by Seasongood - and iMay er,
of Cincinnati,. Ohio. This is con
sidered a good price with the pres
ent money,eonditions. t The high
way commission hopes to have the
moneyon haticL in a short time.-
. Th e engineer is going forward
with the survey for proposed roads.
As soon as the surveys have been
completed; it is expected the tiom
mission wilt begin the actual con
struction of roads.
:-A great deal of interest is being
taken all overV the county Jn the
question of roads. The time has
come wlien roads a re essential.
The people are demanding them
and evidencihglheirwillingness to
-pay for them bv issueing bonds for
road purposes. ,
vlce Plant : for Marion.
: 'Xe'oDr; A; Neali' a native - of 4 Ma
Hon but ; f or ir number r of years
connected with, the'Vir'ginia Iron,
Coal and Coke Company of JVest
.Virginia, has resigned his position
with this company, to return to his
home town to engage - in : business
for himself.-; He has already secur
eZPan"4 optton on " '-the r ISnapman
p ro peryii ea rfthe Southern station,
on which he expects to erect at an
early" date a modern ice plant. It
is also his intention to run n con
nection "with the ice plant s a coal
and. wood yard.
Marion is certainly in need of an
ice plant, since the ice sold hera
has to be shipped from other-points.
A great deal of the time dealers are
not able to secure it and 'house
keepers and others are compelled
Ato get. along without it. The news
ithat we are to have a plant of our
own; within a ''.short time will
doubtless be received, with much
interest among the citizens of Ma-
roD..-"-j'-:ry-:-':: . 7 . C ' "'.
Dr. A. W; : D u 1 al Recoyerfng After
$ erious' Operatio n ' J 00;
Dr, Alfred Dalajf ii9n6ir;
who underwentseriousloperatio
for appendicitis Sunday afternoon,
the 13th, at a hospital in Lincoln
ton, is re ported to be getting along
nicel Vi For. several days he was i n
a critical condition; .' He was taken
sick rather suddently '.Saturday
afternoon and Sunday morning his
symptoms began to get worse and
he was hurried to a hosoital and the
operation" was .performed . as soon
as possible after arrival at the hos-.
Dr. Dula is a brother- of Mrs.
WV M. Groodson and MrsWK Hi
Hawkins of this4)lace. He is well
knQn in McDowell county and his
friends here will be glad to learn
his- condition is i favorable llforxa
speedy recbvery;::::
- Three djuar ters of ; a million dol
lars paid oit in War - Risk - Insur
ance by tha.Government Bureau a
J Washington indicates the Tastrpro-
portions of. this feature of protec
tion the government provided, for
the men' who went into the-World
War service. Indeed, $79,999,000
will ba paid annually" for over
twenty years. ; , -
STATE NEWS OF THE WEEK
Items Concerning Events of ln
terest and Importance Through- ;
: r out the Stated v
The late Mrs. Sadie Williamson,
of Raleigh, left $10,000 to the
Thompson Orphanage, of Char
lotte. " -v ; . .-" ? :
; The progressive town of Bostic
voted $6,000vworth of bonds Sat
urday to erect a new brick school
building; The bonds will be issued
immediately- by the - county com
missioner?. - -
Damageamounting probably to
hundreds of thousands of dollars
has"been wrought by flood watera
upon crops in": the valleys of the
Yadkin and : Catawba rivers and
smaller streamsih the Piedmont
section of the Carolinas, according
to reports received at Charlotte.
Sheriff J. 12. C. Bell, of Vance
county, who resigned recently -and
disappeared, , has - been located in
theKeely Institute at Greensboro.'
His accounts'are alleged to be short
$45,000 biit the 5?hnrtftffft" will Ha
paid and there will doubtless bono
prosecution. ; . " " ;
have named women for the post of
county welfare worker a job for
which women experienced - in that
work are peculiarly fltted. Ro
wan has named Mrs. Mary O.
Linton. i -
w" The State reunion of Confederate
veterans will be held at Rocky
Mouot August 5?. -A irailroad rate
of two cents per mile will begraut
ed but veterans must provide them
selves with identification cards to
obtain the rate; Similar cards
must be" obtained by Confederate
Daughters and Sons .who attend
the reunion. """.' "
4 The pastors - of the different
fihurhft5 of Tjpnnir havA nntlhpm.'
selves on record as being opposed
to the modern dances and in a sign
ed statement Have asked the young
ents; to exert their influence to dis
cou rage and discontinue the prac--tice"
of dancing, warning J them of
tne extreme aanger or me moaern
dance. . ,
Biff Griffith-Plav Announced. :
Hearts of the World, D. W.
Griffith's greatest achievment, will
be seen at theGrand ' Theatre here
Sept. 8 9. This announcement ia
one of the most important.: of the
season, since Mr. Griffith's former
triumphs, "The Birth of a Nation"
and "Intolerance" have established
him as America's foremost drama
tic genius. Special music will; ac
company;; the production, which
requiresTiearly three hours in the
unfolding of the story.-. .
riiarnages.
: The following persons were unit
ed in the bbnds of matrimony dur
ing the ; week, Rev. J. C. " S tory
officiating: On.July 16th, D. J.
Reynolds of Marion and Miss Nola
Luciie; Baker of South Carolina.
JulyvJL9th, Hubert Brooks of Ma
rion and Miss Tempa Gouge of
Bakersville. . July 21st, J. S. Po
test of Marion and Miss Daisy
Hill of Nealsville. .
Gen. Pershing attended the vic
tory celebration in Xondon last
week" and: received 571 th much
enthusiasm. " . .