NO BONDS FOB FARM
.LIFE SCHOOL.
COWAN'S OPINION.
In the event the election for Farm
Life School carries a question seems
to have arisen as to whether bonds
upon the county wiil be issued inj
consequence of the election. I have
had inquiries from various sections
asking my cpinion ypon this point.
I take this method of answering.
My answer is, that no bonds will be
issued and if an attempt were made
to issue bonds' none could be mark
eted all for the following reason:
First. The order calling and au
thorizing the election expressly says
"No bonds will b: issued" the peo
ple vote under this oHer for an
election the authority granted in
the event the election carries can
never rise higher than the termsrf
the call.
Second. Under the call for the
election- tte amount tat can be
levied is restricted to 6c. on the
$100 valuation rod 18c on the poll.
If the election carries, no greater
amount than this can ever be lev
ied, and by the last paragraph of
the order of the election this is re
stricted by interpretation to the
$2,500, the part of the maintain
ance to be raised by the county.
Third, o bonds could ever be
marketed for the reason that no
purchase of bonds until the legality
of the same has nrst oeen passea
upon by the most reputable bond
ing attorneys in the United States.
No reputable bond Attorneys would
ever pass bonds when the authori
ty upon which the same is based
especially says "No bonds will be
issned." Moreover, bond attorneys
are rigidly exacting and would not
be likely to recommend tne pur
chase of bonds whee no provision
is made for the payment of interest
or the final liquidation of the same.
Fourth. The State Superintend
ant of Public Instruction, the Coun
ty Superintendantof Pubic Instruc
tion, the County Board: of Educa
tion the County Commissionera and
Speakers in advocacy of the Farm
Life School have all said that no
bonds will be issued in Jackson
County for this School. We haye
reached that honorable standard in
the administration of public affairs
when such solemn declarations can
be relied upon. By every standard of
morals and manhood such repre
sentations become a part of the im
perative law of public action
and guidance.
The county already has substantial
ly those things which are required
to be provided under -the statutes
by a bond issue. The few things
which the cSunty . does not have,
can, by good; managemnt, good jud
ement and co-operation of the
friends of the school, be supplied at
very small expense without re
sorting to a bond issue ,even though
it were authorized, but for the rea
sons aforesaid, a bond issue is not
authorized. '
Respectfully,
Coleman C, Cowan.
AY APR. 6TH,
BBNI1ENT DAY
Let everybody interested come to
Sylva April 6th. at 1 o'clock, plans
will be discussed for a Confederate
MON
monument
The Benefits Of a Farm 1
-Life Sch6dl to Farmers
In a few more days the citizens of
our county are to "decide whether
there shall be a Farm-life School
established at Webster, or not. This
is a school for the benefit of the
farmer and those of his children who
s$ek to prepare themselves" for life
and work on the farm. Fully nine
tenths of our citizens are farmers,
and it is for them to say whether
they will establish an institution in
our jmidst which will be in intimate
touch with the agricultural condit
ions all over our county and be a
center from which agricultural
knowledge and methods of .' farm
practice may be effectually dissem-4
. j , . , 1
inataH' ry iiihnfKnn li.r ..Till t4-V.
iuuivu, ui WUCIUC1 tlicy Will, WllU'
out the school continue the same
old and ineffectual practice of an
occupation which to many means a
life of drudgery and meager susten
ance. Every citizen should seek to
understand what the establishment
of such a school will mean and then
decide for himself whether we need
such a school, or not.
Now, in studying this proposition,
we have viewed it from every side
and must say that from every view
point we are heartily in favor of
taking every step necessary to es
tablish and maintain such a school
in our county. While there are many
reasons why we wish to see a Farm
life School established in Jackson
County, we shall try to present but
one of these, and that one is possibly
one of the very strongest. We favor
it largelybeeause)f the direct berie
fit it will be to the farmer himself.
A great many of our farmers are
ready to ask the question, "How is
a Farm-life School located at Web
ster to be a direct benefit to me?"
Let us see.
By reading section thirteen of the
act providing for the establishment
and maintenance of County Farm
life Schools, we shall- find that in
addition to the regular agricultural,
domestic, and high school courses
given to the farmer's boys and girls,
that this faculty is also required to
conduct agricultural farm-life exten
sion and demonstration work in the
county in connection with the State
Department of Agriculture, the
North Carolina College of Agricul
ture and Mechanic Aarts, and the
United States Department of Agri
culture; to hold township and dis
trict meetings in various parts of
the county from time to time for
the farmers and the farmers wives;
to assist the county superintendent
o ! pu blic instruction in stimulating,
directing, and supervising practical
farm-life work in the various public
schools of the county. They shall
also provide short courses of study
in farm-life subjects to which, the
farmer and his wife are admitted;
and further, they must hold at least
one-meeting each yee r for farmers
and farmers wives for instruction
and demonstration.
Now, it is from this extension and
demonstration work done by the
County Farm-life School that the
termer, is to derive the greatest
benefit. We have a county that is
rich in possibilities agriculturally.
Our soil is rich, with few exceptions,
and the climate is usually favorable;
but still we have relatively low pr.
duction with all of our farm crops.
Why is this? Our study a d obser
vation convince us that the real
reason is that we as farmers do not
understand the diverse conditions
under which we labor and have
little knowledge of the great under
lying fundamental principles m-
3IJ.VA, JN. U, iArKlL. 3, 1914
vol ved in theproduci ioa of plants
and animals. Our conditions are
peculiar to our own county and the
knowledge of oonditions pertaining
in other sectiosafaS their methods
of farm practicS do' riot exactly ap
ply to ns. We njfliwell equipped
institution in our own county to take
hold of the life and conditions as
they actually exist with us, and to
grapple with the practical every
day tasks and problems of the farm
er and, if possible, find practical and
profitable ways of doing everything.
Will" such a school as is proposed
do this? We believe it will. It has
done so for other sections and we
see no reason why it should not do
so for us. About ten years ago a
- 0 , , . , ,
Farm-life School which proved to be
yxj v tjs
uuuty m vvisuuutsiu estaDiisnea a
a success, and the .farmers of the
eounty were gradually drawn under
its influence, andby following the
progressive ideas taught and demon
strated by the school in all lines of
agricultural work they have become
loyal supporters of the institution.
Farmers were uplifted and made to
feel the transforming power of the
school in their homes and on their
farms, and as a result there are over
twenty-five such schools in Wiscon
sin to-day. These schools have been
Worth millions of dollars to the state.
There nas not onljr been an increase
in production of farm crops, but
also in the quality of the crops pro
duced. They are rapidly pushing
Wisconsin to the front as
an agri-
cultural state; and yet she . .is be-
hind North Carolina in natural agri-:
cultural resources
Just think
with which we are confronted and
upon which we need ? competent
help and guidance every day. Look
at our soil, most of which was once
fertile but now poor and depleted
because of bad usage. It must be
reclaimed if we are to produce pro
fitable crops again. This is a great
problem, and some of us are trying
to solve it, but many times we meet
with apparent failure. We lack suf
ficient knowledge and possibly use
improper methods,- and therefore
need to be told and shown how to
do our work effectually and economi
cally. There is something wrong
with bur farni crops. Low yields,
even on our best land and with favor
able seasons, are too common. We
need to learn more of the adaptation
and needs of plants, methods of seed
ing and cultivation, seed selection
and proper fertilization. We live in
a region that is as well adapted to
the growing of apples as any you
will find, and yet, not one-half
enough apples are grown to supply
the home demand. We need to have
the principles of proper orchard
management demonstrated to us.
Again, what is the condition of
our livestock our horses, cattle,
sheep, swjne, and poultry? There are
probably not a dozen pure-bred
animals in any township of the
county. We are breeders of. scrubs,
and also use scrub methods of care
and feeding. We need horses of greatr
er weight for drawing; the Jheavier
machines and tools required for tlie
most economical farm work. We
need cows that will produce a great
quantity of mild and butter. Very
few of our cows would be retained
in the herd of an up-to-date dairy
man, and yet what a fine field for
the production of milk and cream
for shipment to eastern and south
ern markets where good prices may
be had. Most of our cattle are sold
for beef, and still, very few of our
animals ever sell for more than half
the price that a prime beef steer
brings. We keep our hogs until they
aretwo or three years old before we
can secure a carcass of desirable
size, while progressive farmers of
other sections kill hogs weighing
two and three hundred pounds at
ten to twelve months of age. We
prefer to raise worthless dogs in
stead of sheep. Our chickens- of
every conceivable combination are
forced to rustle for their living, and
the income from them is no more
than a fifth of what we could real
ize. Before we shall ever realize the
possibilities of livestock on our
farms, we must learn much in re
gard to the principles of breeding,
selection, testing, feeding, handling,
housing, and marketing the various
types and breeds of farm animals.
Each year we are throwing away
hundreds of dollars in buying and
handling commercial fertilizers, just
because we do riot know the reeds
of our plants and are ignorant of
the composition, purpose, and best
methods of using these chemical
manures. Our farms are sometim s
poorly drained, or systems of under
drains must' often be torn out at
great excense because of mistakes
made in laying them out or in cover
ing. Our houses, . barns, and out
buildings are many times poorly
planned for the service they are to
render. Mistakes are made in buying
and using engines, machinery,
implemenrs, and tools. Much may
be shown us in all of these lines of
farm practice.
We need to have a complete
nroduce articles 01 value on our
farms at a profit tne whole may be
turned to locs by improper methods
of handling and selling. We need
much instruction and practical
demonstration in regard to properly
constructed roads and the direct
influence they bear upon the pro
blems of easy transportation and
quick communication, both of which
are of vital concern to the farmer.
Our purpose in reciting these
facts and condition has been to call
attention to the "thousand and one"
problems confronting us and to show
our need of help. There has not been
a problem mentioned but that will
be worked upon and help given by
the Farm-life School. It will take up
the conditions found in our county,
and by wise and judicious investi
gation, direction, demonstration, and
instruction help to correct these con
ditions and bring about a new era
in farm life and farm work. Every
section of the county will be gone
into and its peculiar conditions and
problems studied by expetiment and
their solution demonstrated. Every
forward movement along agricul
tural lines will be given greater
impetus, and or 9 zation and co
operation among the farmers Will
be effected. With a Farm-life School
in Jackson to act as a generator lof
modern ideas of scientific agricul
ture and a disseminator of practical
knowledge of and enthusiasm for
agricultural work, it is no idle dream
to see our county become great
agriculturally and take its place well
up to .the front in North Carolina.
Do we wish to see our soil reclaim
ed and made rich and responsive;
to see our various crops adapted to
our conditions and greatly increas
ed in productivity; to see the apple
grown on a commercial scale; to see
pure-bred livestock of every kind
that is well bred, specially adapted
to its purpose, well fed, and well
cared for in every way; to see a
more intelligent and economicaruse
' - nrnnnoo artioloo nf vol no An mil 1 - i
$1.00 THE YEAR IN ADVANCE
of commercial fertilizers; to see
better constructed, more convenient,
more beautiful, and more comfort
able farm buildings; to see more
economic po ver, better machinery,
and more serviceable tools; to see
better methods of marketing' farm
products and of buying farm sup
plies; to see better roads for rapid
travel and easy transportation; and,
above all else, to see a citizenship
of happy, intelligent, enthusiastic,
progressive, and prosperous farmers?
If so, then let us join hands and
stand shoulder to shoulder in our
efforts to establish The Jackson
County Farm-life School, an insti
tution whose powers and resources
may hopefully be expected to work
up to and perfect these conditions
in our county. '
Frank H. Brown.
JACKSON CO;
JOY KILLED.
On the 13th day of March, in
Douglas, Wyo., Zeb Bumgarner was
shot and instantly killed by Mrs.
Thos. A. Lamb. The causes of the
tragedy are practically unknown.
Bumgarner was bonKand reared
in Jackson'county. He went west
about seven years, ago and has since
been employed by the stock raisers
Of V"y;n.iag.
He came' from one of Jackson
county's most promipent families.
He was the grand son of the late
Col. Alley, who Was- prominently
Waynesville. His parent Mr. and
Mrs. A. C. Bumgarner. still reside in
Cashiers. It is understood that Mr
Alley will go to Wyoming in the
near future to take an active part
in tne prosecution of the guitly par
ties. It is hoped that he may have
the greatest success and that justice
may be measured out to her.
Young Bumgarner was an up
right and honorable youth during
his stay here. He . was loved and.
admired by all who knew him and
his life leaves the same sweet re
cord among his newly made friends
of the west.
He has been ever thoughtful of
his aged parents. He has donated
his entire earnings to their comfort
and support.
The deceased leaves five brothers
and two sisters in this county to
mourn thier loss, and one brother
who was with him in the west, and
s siill there working on the case
against his murderer.
The deceased was a member of
he W. 0. W. and in good standing
His remains were brought to ' Cashr
ers, N. C, and laid to rest in th
Zachary cemetery, where the last
and final tribute of respect was
paid by the members of Cashiers
W. O. W. camp.
The relatives of the deceased
may rest assured that they have
the undivided sympathy of their
friends in this, their greatest be
reavement. Death of Mrs. C. M. Buchanan, of
East Fork, Savannah. She passed
quietly away March 23, 1914, after
a lingering illness for a number v of
years, in all her suffering she bore
it patiently. She spokeoften of be
ing ready to depart and be with
Christ The funeral services were
conducted at the Baptist church by
Rev. A. W. Davis. Her remains were
laid to rest in the East Fork ceme
tery in the presence of a large con
course of sorrowinglfriends.