North Carolina Newspapers

A Colyum Of Thoughts From Here There, Yonder Sep1 "v v r VOLUME xxr WARRENTON, N. C, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1919 Number 11 A SEMI-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE. INTEB ESTS OF WARRENTON AND WAR REN COUNTY (By W. BRODIE JONES) The drive for relief in the Near East which engages public attention Sun day and for the following week will be a success. The welfare of twenty-one orphans committed to the care of over twenty one thousand citizens will receive the aid which means life itself. The workers of the county in a move endorsed by the pulpit, a move whose appeal has touched all who have read, will find the citizens whom they ap proach willing to give that others mny live and prosper even as you and I The Great Heart of Warren is puls ing with love for those unfortunate victims of religious persecution and the ravages of war. Unselfishly its citizenship will meet this call for no bleness of soul. Beware so long as you live of judg ing people by appearances. La Fon taine. "Didn't you shudder, Rastus, as you cut down those Germans, man after man?" "Man after man? Yessuh, when that live man got after this man Ah shuddah'd three miles.'.' Home Sec tor. Nothing To Fall Back On "You must give up coffee and " "I never drink it, doctor." 'And stop smoking." "I don't smoke." "Humph! that's bad. If you havn't anything to give up, I'm afraid I can't do much for you." Boston Transcript According to Life a rather pompous looking individual was covering his auto hood with a robe. A little kid who noted with interest the entire procedure, remarked: "You can't fool me by putting that blanket on, mister. I know what kind of a car ya got." Three Players In Life's Game Life is a great card table around which there are always three players. They are War, Love and Wit. War and . Love . never play on the level. Thev are old shams, one al-1 ways having a King of Clubs up his sleeve and the other a Queen o' Hearts palmed. Wit sits between them, blowing the smoke of endless cigarettes into the air. He knows both his companions in the game are crooked, but he smiles and smiles and is never a villain Life. Suppose It Was The Warrenton Train The gob was on shore-leave and happy because he had found a girl as affectionate as he. His joy was dim med, however, for a bluecoat had for bidden spooning in the park, and his girl had tabued it in the streets. But life took a new turn when a saw a man kiss his wife farewell in front of the Pennsylvania Station, New York. He rushed his girl toward a crowd hurrying toward the Philadelphia ex press, and bade her a fond farewell. When" the crowd thinned, they joined a throng for Washington, and repeated the act. They repeated it again be fore the Chicago train. This was too much for a colored porter who had been watching. He stepped up to the gob. "Bos3" he said, "why don't you go downstairs and try the Long Island Station? Dem local trains am a-leavin' mos' all de time!" Everybody's. "JOURNEY'S END She was lonesome. The men of her town were gone; yet of all the glor ious group that had marched so biave iy away, not one had belonged espe cially to her. Not one had written her a letter; not one had even suggested that he would appreciate a scarf made hy her skilful fingers. She had made the scarf, however, and had sent it to &n unknown through the Red Croa. with it, attached firmly to the fringe, went a loving message. It was a lonesome soldier who re ceived it. Glad to have someone to thank for smethingi he wrote a grate ful note immediately Of course she answered, and their letters soon be came precious to each other. When the war was over and her sol dier boy was homeward bound, she hastened to New York to greet him. At the appointed place she waited "with eager heart. A stalwart soldier recognizing her by the emblem pre V1usly agreed upon, came rushing to ward her. He was as black as pre cious coal. But then so was she Life. DO YOU KI 1W mi IC Armenia Oldest Christian Na tion Suffering From Delib erate Religious Persecution HOOVER DECLARES MOST DESPERATE SPOT IN WORLD Warren County Citizenship Ask ed To Provide For 21 Orphans, Drive Commences In County Sunday, Runs Thru Week. Upon the threshhold of the drive for relief in the Near East it is time ly to present the following informa tion in reference to the people for whom the drive is conducted. War ren is asked to provide for twenty one of those at sixty dollars each. Do you know? That Armenia is the oldest Chris tian Nation? That centuries of cruel persecution by the Turks has not broken their spirit nor destroyed their faith? That two million Armenians are alive today because of American gen erosity ? That in Western Asia there are, un der the direction of Near East Relief, 37 hospitals, 14 rescue homes, and 168 orphanages, and that 82,291 -persons are employed in industries maintain ed by Near East Relief, formerly the Committee on Armenian and Syrian Relief? That from one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand Armenian women cannot be released from Tur kish harems until provision for their care is made by Near East Relief? That a quarter of a million home less children, many of them orphaned because their fathers and mothers re fuse to renounce the Christian faith, are dependent for life itself upon Am erican philanthropy? That the Armenian people do not ask charity, but only a chance to win baclctKeIrlhcmstrial Independence ? That William Howard Taft, Henry Morgenthau, Herbert Hoover, Charles Evans Hughes, Elihu Root, and Cleve land H. Dodge, are among the men who compose the committee of Near East Relief? That Near East Relief has been granted a charter by Cngress one of the few ever granted for service of this character? That the American Red Cross does hot operate in these fields, but has giv en over $6,000,000 to the Near East belief Committee to help in the work That the gallant little Armenian Army, fighting with backs to the wall, oeserted by the Russians, kept the Turks out of th oil fields at Baku and helped win the war? That Colonel William N. Haskell, American High Commissioner in Ar menia,' appointee of President Wilson, is director of Near East Relief in the Caucasus and receives all supplies thru this Committee? That Colonel Haskell reports thai 800,000 prsons in the Caucasus will perish from starvation before the next harvest unless American support is continued ? That thousands of little children have but a single garment to cover their nakedness and to protect them from the bitter cold of winter? That Herbert Hoover says that "in jthe Near East is the most desperate situation in the world?" That, finally, the story told in these questions i3 passed on to you, because you and you only can send the an swer ? 'RUM DRAGON" EXECUTED BY U. S. MARINES IN CHINA Pekin, China, Jan. 16 "The Dragon Rum" was officially executed here to day after a ceremony organized by United States Marines of the Ameri Legation Guard. As there was no "demon rum" available the Marines borrowed one of the dragons used by the Chinese in their parades. With the band playing a funeral dirge the dragon was solemnly march ed three times around the parade ground, ten Marines providing the mo tive power from inside the beast. The dragon was then decapitated in the approved Chinese fashion. All American reservation in China are officially "dry." The rest of the country is not, but the Marines held the celebration to mark the passing of 'the rum demon" in their homeland. nun ipnimn (1 M '111 ?r. fl ii3 lc State Tax Commission Rules That All Farm Products Are; Solvent Credits. The Questionable on which each tax payer nas return ms personal property tangible and intangible has the following explanatory note at its head : "The discrimination against person al property, tangible and intangible, has been removed by the valuation of real property at its full cash value, and the tax rates to be paid this year, on real and personal property, under this revaluation, will be but a small fraction of the rates heretofore paid, itors is that the Supervisor may see A specific exemption of $300.00 hasjthatthe parties you name bear your been provided upon the certain items former burden and, of course, if your of personal property of most general ! creditors owe anybody they will shift ownership, set out in Questions 19 to J the burden until the money is fouriu 40 in this questionaire. Cotton, to bacco, and other farm products hold temporarily for market, or in the hands of original producers, may be listed under the head of solvent cred its, and any debts owing deducted from their value, so that the State has provided every reason why the tax payer should make a full and free disclosure of all his personal proper - ty, including solvent credits of a 11 kinds, and has placed in the hands of the Supervisors adequate machinery to require that this shall be done, and to acquire the inforonation if he has reason to believe that a full disclosure has not been made. In filling out ques tionaire for real property, the citizen- ship of the State has shown that it can be relied upon to furnish honest information with respect to their prop erty when given fair assurance that they will be dealt with fairly by the State.- -The State 'gives thV S'anie'aff- surance as to personal property. You are assured that every reasonable means will be used to require full disclosures from any other tax payer who undertakes to conceal his real worth, and that your tax rates will be reduced in proportion to the total increase in tax values, so that not more than a total increase of ten per cent in revenue will be collected than was collected last year." This ruling of the State Tax Com- mission is in obedience to the lastjfcrm of a duly executed note, with a clause in section 20 of Chapter 84 of the Public Laws of 1919, to wit: "The State Tax Commission shall make ap- propriate provision on its tax blanks for carrying out the provisions of this section.'. "This section", however, applies solely to solvent credits, but the Tax Commission has attempted (and we think wisely) to cure the defects in section 19, and in every day parlance has "taken the bull by the horns" in forcing the debtor without "socalled" solvent credits into the solvent credit class. No matter how humble, nor how poor he may be in this worlds ! goods, if he has "any farm products" on hand January 1st and owes some body anything of value, he becomes automatically into the solvent credits class and can deduct what he owes from the tax value of what he pos sesses. This also (as formerly) ap plies to the "honest to goodness" sol vent credit owner as heretofore known and recognized. We congratulate the Tax Commis sion upon its grasp of the situation! A man should not pay taxes upon his debts, and the only way around tne dilemma was to grasp "both" horns and feed the man on the farm from the same spoon of privilege that the man off the farm, but owning farm products. Of course, corn in your crib for your own use and meat in the smokehouse are not held temporarily for market, but you can deduct $300 from their value, or pay on these ar ticles and deduct from the value of your household and kitchen furniture, agricultural machinery etc, etc. We wish the Commission or the Legisla ture had just simply been broad enough to have laid down the principle that a man should not pay taxes on his debts. Compel him to list at their true value in money' the real, personal and mixed property owned by him, but allow him to deduct there from his debts. "Forgive us our debts," when it comes to taxation. However, the facts to date are that you may deduct from the listed value MiiliLii 3 11 lS) .lily) ..' ..... V of your farm products any debts you may owe, provided said products are "held temporarily for market." Your market crop only is given this privi lege, not your feed or provision crop. So that in filling out your tax blank be careful to give an itemized list of your debts and the names of the par ties; to whom due. Mr. Farmer, you can't get them off unless you do. You ; cant lump them without giving names, j The "purpose of this naming your crea and thus, the "coon is treed." If you don't owe anybody and have. thett things of value (representing money) then! the Supervisor trees the coon in J youri own yard which is just. For . money, or its representative, and not debts should bear the burden of taxa- tion. Money or its representative, whether in lands, notes, bonds, or chat- ,tels should bear the burden for in its last analysis it comes down to "what is it worth" in dollars. Taxes are paid in dollars, life insurance is paid in dollar salaries are paid in dollars all things not measured by love or sentiment are measured in dollars; so that in finding the ownership of property you should find the extent of ; the ownership and the measure of that value in dollars. A large percent of J this measure of value is in the form 1 of . money's representative, notes, 'stocks and bonds and not, in actual 6wnerVhip"by him vho Ts asked by the i State to "give it in" at its "true value in money" to be thus taxed against hin. who gives it in. It is not right that the State should require the tax listo to give in his pronertv at its actual value in money and charge against that particular property a tax rate upon its "actual value in money" when that particular property does net represent "its actual value in money. Mr. "A" has in his strong box part of the "actual value," in the gvaracteed rate of income, and the power of sale, unless Mr. "A's" part of the actual value is restored to the taxed property by the payment of the note by him who lists it. A man hoi? Id not pay taxes on his debts. I ts get down to the folk who own the property, and lets put an honest and just valuation upon it, and lets make the law so plain, and the penalty for not complying so stringent that the true ownership will come into the iimc light, and thus the burden of tax fall where it justly belongs upon the wealth of the State whether it be on land, notes, stocks, bonds or chattels. Let him that hath rejoice in owner ship and bear the responsibilities of ownership. Let him that hat not, work diligently that he, too, may take his place as one who cheerfully helps to bear the burden of taxation. But let this burden fall equally upon all prop rty the seen and the unseen. What doth it profit the home owners of the State of North Carolina to arbitrarily say that their homes are worth three times as much as they have been valued at and that the rate of taxation will be reduced threefold ? Has real property been on the tax books at one third of its value? Is high priced land conducive to home ownership. It may suit men of means to have lands high and rates low, but ifor the home owners of North Caro- lina, as now constituted, we believe that a fair valuation based upon a stable value and not a war time value, and a higher rate would be decidely better than the "peak" rate now be ing assessed. For there are other forms of property than land in North Carolina forms of property represent ing th e"true valua in money" of land, and these forms of value have not had their face value changed. To i these forms (representing also "true value in money") a tax rate "greatly reduced" will mean "greatly reduced taxes. V which must be made up by taxes from home owners by greatly increasing the value of the homes. What will it profit the law makers, both Democratic and Republican (for both unanimously voted for this meas ure) to tax homes of North Carolina, and in the language of the State Tax Commission remove "the discrimina tion, against personal property tangi ble and intangible by the valuation of real property at its full cash value." It may be the way to please the folks in some parts of North Carolina but it in unfair discrimination . against home owning Tar Heels. Better a lower valuation of homes with a high er rate, than a low rate and high val uation, for this can be done sanely, wisely and satisfactorily, with justice. "Untold millions of wealth" may flow to the State, but it will not be brought about by unwisely discriminating against farm lands. North Carolina is an Agricultural State and home owning and farmers should be en couraged, but you are not doing it jation of the revaluation Act, Governor by telling him that his land is very T. W Bickett will recommend to the valuable for taxation and that (by im- j special session of the General Assem plication, at least) he has been favor - My meeting, probably, in July that ed heretofore. Josh Billings said "you can't arguy agin success," and you can't trible the farmers real property and double the value of no other form of property and then "arguy" that he. will pay no more taxes. Somebody must pay and when you thrible one class of property and let another class remain as here tofore and place the same rate on both it does not take much "horse sense" to tell who will have their taxes in creased. Gentlemen of the Legislature, these things should be remedied, not in July but in May. In the language of the Great Com moner, "Thou shalt not press upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns; thou shalt not crucify mankind (our land owners) on this cross of Gold." HOWARD F. JONES. UNCLE WALT MASON ON GRIEF Some one's viewing with alarm, everywhere I chance to stray, over looking all the charm of the genial winter day. When I leave my squal id hut, fifteen minutes after eight, I am quite a cheerful nut, and I have znyInilvfitraightv-"-Allthewor)d' looks good to me,soothing to the heart and mind, every doggone thing I see seems a winner of its kind. But be fore I walk a block I encounter some poor simp, who puts up a doleful talk from a soul that's pale and limp. He admits the skies are bright, that the sun is ging some; "but", he says, "some time tonight forty kinds of storms will come." Everywhere I chance to go, some one's viewing with alarm, handing out big chunks of woe, which will do my spirit harm. When I've walkd a half a mile, and have talk ed with seven guys, I have lost my onnnw omilo nnrl f Vi o Kvinv filTt; TYIV T. . ' , 4.u ;a eyes. It is always thus, my friend,; in the city, on the farm; every place I chance to wend, some on'es viewing with alarm. NEWS ITEMS FROM ARCOLA ,xr , . , - . , valuation Act becomes one of equih- We regret to lose from our neigh- i . ; , u i. j tot m rxr vr a zation, pure and simple, and with the borhood Mr. T. W. Northington and 1 . 1 ' - Ak , , , . T vast quantities of property now going family. Areola's loss is Littleton's 1 f , . jon the tax books that was not taxed S3S;S. R. J. Davi, is on the sick list !? a" heretofore, both of lands and f this week. We hope that she may i'nbe perSO"; PrPey, itain that many thousands of tax pay soon recover. : , ,, . . . ml . i Tin' tti i mi The party given by Miss Eula Thar- rington last Friday night was a great success. All had a nice time and we all wish to thank Messrs. John Pitch ford and William Cheek for the music rendered by them. Mr. Ralph Dillard called to see Miss j t- o.. Maude King last Sunday afternoon. Misses Lillian Hardy and Gertrude Harris spent Friday night with Miss Eula Tharrington. ' Miss Gertie King spent last Friday night with Miss Mollie Tharrington. Mr. Sam King, of Masseys' Busi ness college, Richmond, was the guest of his parents last week. Mr. Herbert Northington, of Little ton, attended the party given by Miss Eula Tharrington last Friday night and spent the night with Mr. Eugene Odom. Miss Eula Tharrington spent last Saturday night with her cousin, Miss Maude King. Last Monday was Ground Hog day. He did not see his shadow before twelve and we hope he did'nt during the afternoon. With many good wishes to the War ren Record and its many readers. SWEET PETER JONES. parke They tell me your daughter is remarkably well educated and ac complished. Lane I should say so. Why, that girl hasn't lived at home since she was five years old. Life. QjifpPf MEW TAX LOT Claims That No Increase Taxes Will Be Necessary Over 1919 Rate Except For Schools PROVISION FOR REASSESS MENT IN CERTAIN CASES Will Also Recommend To Special Session Constitutional Amend ment Reducing: Tax Limita tion. As a result of the successful opcr- I Oil ... the State take no advantage of the act's provision authorizing a ten per cent increase in revenue for the year 1920; that the act be amended to al low reassessment in certain cases be fore the actual tax levy; and that a constitutional limitation of 66 2-3 cts tax on the hundred dollars worth of property be submitted to the people along with the other amendments to be voted on in November. This program, the Governor made public in a statement to the people following reports made by the district supervisors in charge of the Revalua tion program. The statement was made after the Governor had confer red with the State Tax Commission the State Budget Commission, and the State Treasurer. The Governor's statement reads: "To the people of North Carolina: "After hearing the reports made by the district supervisors in charge of the revaluation act, and after a full conference with the State Budget Com mission, the State Tax Commission, and the State Treasurer, I find that I will be justified in giving to the people of the state the fololwing informa tion: "J jaropQe- to submit to- the Special Session of the General Assembly which is expected to meet in July the follow ing recommendations: "1. That the state take no advan tage of that part of the Revaluation Act which authorized a ten per cent increase of revenues for the year 1920, but that the General Assembly fix a rate for 1920 that will yield for all state purposes exactly the same re venue from real and personal prop erty as was collected in the year 1919. There may be one exception to this recommendation, and that is that it may be necessary to increase the funds provided by the State for the public schools to the extent of five pv , . , . Al . T- cent certainly not more than this. This increase will be only half the amount contemplated by the General Assem bly of 1919 for this specific purpose. "It will thus be seen, in the light of this recommendation, that the Ite- ers will actually pay less wxes m ! OOA , uZ ; iqiq H,jf iiiaii iticjr jjut.it a . "2. I will also recommend that there be inserted in the Revaluation Act a clause providing that in any jyear at any time before the taxes arc - ' " '7 ' ' Vnr ties, any property owner may ask for a re-assessment of his property upon filing an affidavit supported by two disinterested freeholders that his prop erty is on the tax books at a sum greater than its market value. 3. I will also recommend to the Special Session of the General Assem bly that there be embodied in the Con stitutional amendments now pending and to be voted on in November a pro vision greatly reducing the present constitutional limitation of 66 2-3 cts on the one hundred dollars worth of property. It was the purpose of the Finance Committee of the House and Senate to revise the limitation down wards. It is now apparent tnat tne re vised valuations will be large enough to permit a substantial reduction of this limitation, and will leave a rea sonable margin for the necessities of our development. Just what fifigure will be a proper limitation cannot be determined until the total values un der the new assessment are ascertain ed. "Three facts in regard to the Re valuation Act are now outstanding and no longer the subject of controversy: (Continued On Fourth Page)