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OMMOMWEALTH
! LAJMIKST CISOtTLATIOIS"
ADVERTISING MEDIUM
IS EASTERN CAUCTLLNA
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SIOIl," IS OUR MOTTO
gBsamPTion rnicm, rLoo pes year.
VOL. XX i
SCOTLAND NECK, N. C, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 1915.
NUMBER 36
Cail 1-7-''. 5t Pays 'uu
One Year Old
This Month
Just one year ago
this month 1 began
my Grocery Busi
ness, and from then
until now have made
a Specialty of Fancy
Groceries of the
Very Highest Qual
ity. By strictly adher
ing to Quality, Ser
vice and Reasonable
Prices, and by car
rying a large assort
ment of almost any
article needed in fan
cy or staple
Groceries. The
store has had a large
and steadily increas
ing patronage, this
month, thus far, the
largest of all.
The whole aim
of every person, in
any way connected
with the business, is
to give our custom
ers entire satisfac
tion. A store brim
full of Liroceries.
farmers, Merchants and Bank
ers Should Fiqhtfor 1 2c Cotton
welve Cenis
Prices
are
By Clarence Poe, Editor Progressive Farmer
1-7-4
Both Telephones
Clee Vaughan
The Pocahontas
Virginia Beach. V:i.
inree-siory cottage, verv vvitie
verandas, directly on "ean. line'
table and good service. Near 17t.h
St. Station. For terms address
Mrs. A. B. Williams.
Hancock-House Co.Jnc,
Embalmer
Roanoke Rapids, N. C.
Day or night service anywhere
W. C. Williams, Lieensed Embalmer
ing of the present cotton crop."
And President Woodrow Wilson
in a letter to Mr. Harding writes:
''It is evident from what you tell
me, that the country banks with
wf'.om the farmer and other pro-
justified the -World's HT8 7 ; f can,81 :T,,ey
1 1 1 x-v i i i tt-. . . I,um J-uui tu luui auu u nail per
Demands, by the Crop Outlook, by the Financial cent. . . . i think that w can con
Condition of the Country and bv the Opportuni- fident,v exPCt that the banks iri lhti
XT rr tit 4ii ti'it- cotton States and in the agricultural
ties Now Afforded by the Federal Reserve sys- regions generally win content them
tem" A Campaign to Save $250,000,000 to selves with a rate not more than
o j. t " une ur lwo Per cent aoove ine raie
ooutnern growers.
up to the banks to justifiy this faith
expressed by the head of the Nation.
And the crop can be warehoused.
Mr. Harding points out that even
last fall the South had facilities for
storing 11,577,465 bales, and these
fa'-ilities have been greatly increased
since then.
The next thing I probably ought to
say is
v. twelve-cent prices are Justi
fied, CONTRABAND OR NO
CONTRABAND.
Of the 8,543,000 bales of Ameri
can cotton shipped to Europe in the
fiscal year ending July 31, 1915, only
242,000 bales went ' to German
ports. Of course, there was more
that went indirectly to Germany, but
we must remember that consider
able part of Germany's normal de
mand for cotton was exported to
a IU,UUU,UUU bale crop, the lactones "'iiauy s loieign uaue auu dial
of the world would utterly drain this trade will now be supplied by
the market drv. Ipa vino- it snbient other countries. The contraband or
to such conditions as occurred a few
Interesting ILetters
From Correspondents
The Happening in and Around
Nearby Towns Sent in for
Publication in the "Old
Reliable."
J. E. Woolard
Transfer
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
Cars for hire. Cars repaired. Po
iite attention. Quick service. Tel
ephones Residence 45. Office f6.
Allen Allsbrook
House Mover
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
If you are thinking of having a
house of any kind moved see me at
once. Prices reasonable.
Ashby W. Dunn
Attorney at Law
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
Money to loan on approved secu
rity.
Dr. T. D. Kitchin
Physician and Surgeon
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
Office in Postoffice Building over
North End Drug Store. Telephones
Office 10, Residence 34.
Dr. A, D. Morgan
Physician and Surgeon
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
Office in building formerly used
hy Br. J. P. Wimberley.
Dr. It. L. Savage
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Will be in Scotland Neck on the
third Wednesday of each month at
the hotel to treat the diseases of the
Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat and fit glasses
Dr. D. F. Keel
Dentist
Scotland Neck, North Caralina
Successor Dr. A. C. I.ivermon
Office up-stairs in the Whitehead
Building. Office hours from 9 to 1
and 2 to 5 o'clock. 7 to 9 p.
m, by appointment.
Willie H. Allsbrook
Life Tniu ranee
Scotland Neck, North Carolina
Representing the Metropolitan
I beg space in your column, Mr.
E li::r, pit'sent :i subject of the
uttnu.s". impi-rUine- - a'l :u- Soufh
er i e luai.ry. Then? is no ilmiiit in
most thoughtful minds but that" the
Svj-th's io!to" i-f-ip i.- yoing lobe
wurit! 3750,000,000 t' the rm-n w'. o
o.vn it iifxt. spring, but it is worth
o .Iy .$500,000,000 u the producers
at present prices and it is V. i save
to Southern growers and To our
Southern country this extra quarter
of a billion dollars that 'he united
erit-TgH-s of press and people should
now ie directed. The fundamental
facts seem to ine to be clear:
1. Cotton, even though the new
crop of 1915 has started corning on
the market, is still selling on the
the bais of prices fixed by last year's
17,000,000-bale crop.
'2. These prices must soon be ad
justed, however, to fit the conditions
of. a 11,000,000-bale crop (or proba
bly only a 10,000,000 or 11,000,000
bale crop), and this adjusted price
ought at the very least to reach 12
cents a pound for middling.
As briefly now, as clear argument
will permit, I wish to point out and
emphasize the truth of these statements.
I. THE WORLD S DEMANDS JUSTIFY
TWELVE CENTS.
Assuming even a 12,000, 000-bale
yield of Southern cotton this year
(and it will probably be less,) this
year's world production will be
3,000,000 bales short of the world's
conservatively estimated consump
tion during the coming twi.lve
months. That is to say, the world
will consume every pound of this
year's crop and 3,000,000 bales of
the present surplus.
Secretary Hester of the New Or
leans Cotton Exchange estimates last
year's Southern production (not the
commercial crop) at 17,00o,000 baies.
The United States Government esti
mate (10.134,930 plus 791.464 Hat
ers) is 16,926,349 practically 17.-
000,000 bales. This was over 2.000,
000 bales in excess of the 1913 crop.
Now what happened with this
bumper iy,tioo,ouu-Daie crop m
spite of all the demoralized conui-
ions of trade and finance the crop
of which it was said last fan we
should not export 4.000,000 bales?
The facts are that the world used
so much of it that the total world's
visible supply of all cotton in mid
summer this year was oniv 5,435,178
bales against 3,522,276 bales a year
before. In other words, with a
17,000,000-bale Southern crop to
handle, the world's visible supply in
creased only 1,900,000 bales. What
is going to happen this year then,
with the South offering 5,000,000 or
6,000,000 bales less and the pro
duction of other countries also de
creased? And this query brings me
to another point:
II. THE WORLD S -CROP PROSPECTS
JUSTIFY TWELVE CENTS
Mr. W. P. G. Hardintr of the Fed
eral Reserve Board earl" in the sum
mer secured reports from consular
rfrkials ;H over the wt-rh! indicating
i total cut in the world's cotton
crop this year ot o.O H.'.ooj oaies.
!Vvnt und India reporting "radical
reductions in acreage." Since that
time the prospects have further de
cline. But even if we accept this early
over-estimate of the crop we see that
if last year's crop, being 5,000,000
bales bigger than this year's, yet
increased the surplus only 2,000,000
bales, then this year's crop will
leave a 3,000,000 bale deficit to
be drawn from the surplus
The facts are, however, that even
a 12,000,000 bale estimate for the
South now seems too high. This is
not simply my view, but the view
of manv exnerts. including so con-
may be as low as 10,500,000 bales.
It is. entirely within the reach of
present conditions that we shall see
12.1 cent cotton before the end of the
season."
These two authorities base their
estimates chiefly on condition re
ports fro .ri all over the South, but
might have added the further testi
mony that tile South cuts its ferti
lizer consumption this year from
4,431,000 tons to 2,636.000 tons
almost in half and the effect of
this cut will probably make itself
most evident from now on as closer
scrutiny is given the fruiting of the
crop.
The reader can easily see for him
self therefore, that if we have only
years ago when speculators carried
prices to 17 and 20 cents a pound.
And now having pointed out that
twelve-cent prices are justified be
cause the 1915 crop is certainly
3,000.000 and possibly 5,000,000
der may almost be termed infamous
if England does nothing to compen
sate us for trying to make Southern
farmers bear her burdens, but in
any case to offset the contraband
order we have (1) the greatly in
creased demand for cotton for war
From Oak City
Mrs Annie Belle Harrell and two
children of Port Norfolk spent the
week end the guests of Mrs. H. K.
Hassell.
Mr and Mrs Abner Peel of Ham
ilton were the guests of Mr J L
Hines.
Miss Helen Council of Hamilton is
spending a few days with Mrs J E
Ross.
B. L. Hines returned from Savan-1
nah, Ga., Tuesday.
Dallas Hurst of Norfolk is spend
ing a few days at his old home.
Joe Casper and wife of Kenley,
spent the week end in town.
Messrs Jim Daniels and Hubert
Jenkins spent the week end here.
Henry Daniel and wife of Wil
liamston, were the guests of H S
Everett a few days last week.
Miss Sue Outterbridge of Rober
sonville, spent the week end with
friends here.
Mrs. Mabel Strickland of Scotland
Neck is spending a few days with
her mother,. Mrs. Joe Long.
Mr Rov House and Miss McT.pnn
Mrove into the country Sunday.
J C Ross, wife and Miss Helen
Council went to Rocky Mount Tues
day morning.
J W and J L Hines 'were in Wil
liamson Tuesday.
Mrs. Irene Collins of Kinston spent
the week end with her father, John
John Etheridge, Sr.
Mrs. F M Harrell will have her
fall opening of her millinery goods
and notions Thursday the 23rd.
J C Ross and wife, Mrs Alice Har
rell and J L Hines were in Tarboro
Wednesday.
Chickens and Eggs
Wanted
Old Rubber, Brass
Other Junk
Highest Prices Paid
See me first when you
have anything to sell I
may want to buy it.
Fresh Fish Daily
E. A. ALLSBROOK ?
The Junk Man 5
CASTORIA
For Infants and Children
In Use For Over 30 Years
Always bears
the
Signature of
bales short of the world's demands, purposes, (2) the increased demand
meaning that factories and munition for American, English, and conti-
i factories will consume all the present nental factories that must supply the
yield with the greater part if not trade formerly supplied by German
all the world's visible surplus, I also mills together with the fact (3)
wish to call attention to the fact that Germany is almost sure to buy
and store up cotton right here in
America to hold until sea trade is
re-opened. Even with the contra
band order in effect, therefore,
twelve-cent prices are amply justi
fied, whereas with open seas to all
m 4.1. u i:i,i
Pvirlf f V,?c rUI-ope, colloii wouiu imeiy unug
14 or lo cents.
An able and eminent committee
on arbitration ought to be named at
once by England and America, to
make a fair and just estimate of the
damage in price per pound resulting
from the "orders in council" and
contraband order, and England
should then be required to pay this
amount per pound as a bonus to ev
ery American cotton producer this
fall.
I confidently believe that if Eng
land should change her contraband
rules so as to inflict corresponding
injury upon any strong American
manufacturing interest, some such
settlement would be required; and
Southern farmers should rise up an(
demand that the same recognition
be given an agricultural industry
as would be given a manufacturing
industrv.
The practical lesson clearly taugh
by present conditions then is
VI. FARMERS SHOULD HOLD FOR
TWELVE CENTS AND BANKERS
SHOULD HELP THEM HOLD
Of course we must be reasonable
very Don't expect bankers to lend on cot
a j- j i : 1
poor. ion no i sioieu or iiisuieu, nui ca-
Another point not to be overlook- pect them to lend the full market
ed is value. Land-owning farmers of good
IV. the new federal reserve character who have been depositors
ACT INSURES BETTER PRICES. in banks, however, will frequently
President Hirsch of the Texas be able to borrow without such re
Bankers' Association told the big strictions.
Cotton States Conference of South- The thing to do is for farmers in
ern bankers in Galveston: "For.the every neighborhood to organize,
first time in th.i history of the South, formally, or informally, for standing
gentlemen, the Southern bankers together in holding and marketing
have the financial ability to market the crop, and find out just what the
gradually this crop.- It would al- local banks will do. Last year it
most appear as if the Federal Re- was repeatedly stated by the minori
serve Act had liven drafwd for the ty of bankers who were willing to
benefit of Southern producers." Just, lend money on cotton, that few farm
becau:?,.! the reserve uci dosent give ers applied for such loans. Let not
the farmers all i he heir they need I that be said this year. We must
that
Ill. AMERICAN PROSPERITY JUSTI
FIES TWELVE CENTS.
The American Bankers' Associa
tion has just been meeting in Seat
tle, Washington, and what was the
message that the
greatest organization of financers
brought the country? He predicted,
says a press dispatch, that "an al
most unbelievable prosperity is
rushing on the nation", or to quote
his exact words:
"When bank reserves, which are
greater now than they have ever
been in the history of the country,
are distributed, the. nation will
enjoy almost unbelievable prosper
ity. The volume of money on hand
is so great that it. cannot find a
natural outlet. The movement of
the tremendous crops, with the at
tendant financial activity, will still
further increase the bank reserves."
And manufacturers are no less op
timistic than bankers. The Factory
Magazine of Chicago recently took a
poll ot 103 Eastern and Middle
Western manufacturers as to the
prospects ror business m the tall.
Forty, or practically one-fourth of
the total number, declared condi
tions "exceptional," 23 "fine", or
"above normal", 60 "good," 18
"fair" and "fairly good", only seven
"dull and poor", and only one
"much below normal and
guest at Mrs. Joe Long's
Messrs. Sam and Whalen Casper
and Ed Johnson, spent Monday in
in Williamston.
Dr. Edgar Long, wife and little
daughter spent Sunday in Edgecombe.
Mr. Greg House and son of Speed
were the guests of Mrs B M Wors-
ey during the week end.
Mr and Mrs David House of
Greenville were the guests of Mrs
Mary House recently.
Dr Harrell and his mother, Mrs.
John Taylor of Tarboro, were in
town Monday.
Spring Hill Items.
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. DeBrule spent !
the week end in Oak City.
Mr. Ray Pope has returned from
Petersburg and City Point.
Mr. Syon of Weldon spent Sunday
in Spring Hill.
Mr. Richard Lewis of Dawson was
in Spring Hill last Wednesday.
Mr. and Mrs. E. C. DeBrule and
Mr. J. R. Edmondson, went to Scot-
Miss Ada Lee Long of Bethel is a land Neck Friday night
iocsn't take the
u I. ike i he plac,
juife insurance C
; just because it
place, nor profess
of the much-neeo-d rural credits
legislation is no rtibun for denying
or minimizing the i- ieat advantages
it does offer.
The Federal iv-5crve system does
enable the banks in th - South where
money is needed, to dr.iw upon the
great reserves in ot r-rr sections for
servative and competent an authority making loans on the i-otton crop; or
oo the Mow Yorlr Journal of Com- as Mr. W. P. G. Hard in u of the Fed-
merce which has iust declared thatl eral Reserve Board officially says:
nf not nnnditinns "thpl ' Eanks have now jvm pi- Tacuiues
which they have i
enjoyed for rediscount u
in view
yield seeems likely to be nearer 10,
000,000 than 12.000,000 bales." And
now comes the Wall Street Journal
itself quoting William S. Hallibur
ton, of Daniel O'Dell & Co., as say
ing: ''The current season's crop
! before
ihe notes
taken against such !- .ns. and it is
for them more than f ; noy other
agency to determine Mio policy of
the South in regard to the market
keeD the cron from being rushed
to market at present prices, ana
that means that farmers must avail
themselves of all the co-operation af
forded by banks for many owners
must have advances in order to meet
pressing obligations. And let every
farmer remember this: It hurts
prices just as much for your neigh
bor's crop to be rushed to market as
for your own crop to be. Conse
quently we should have neighbor
hood action everywhere, with the
stronger farmers and plantation
owners joining to help the weaker
ones to hold, grade, warehouse and
sell together.
Only by the most thoroughgoing
rn-oneration of all forces can we
a billion dollars or hard-earned
wealth that will otherwise go into
the hands of speculator and foreign
interests. Nor must we fail to realize
that the worst and most dangerous
bear" of all, the man we have most
to dread right now, is not the Wall
Street speculator devil who has been
so often cursed and denounced, but
the "bear" farmer right here in the
South who is willing to prove traitor
to the cause by offering to give away
the crop at present prices or the
"bear" merchant or "bear" banker
who forces him to sell. Yesterday
morning's report of the New York
Cotton Exchange, for example, an
nounced that prices would have gone
higher the day before but for the
fact that
"Some of the reports received from
Georgia and Alabama predicted that
farmers would sell freely at eight
cents."
And again in the earlier reports
of the New York Cotton Exchange
just two days ago we also read that
prices would have gone higher but
"there was more Southern selling."
FOUR FINAL SUGGESTIONS.
Let me conclude this argument for
twelve-cent prices with four specific
suggestions:
1. Let press and people spread
the news that the crop is really
short certainly 3.000,000 and pos
siblv 5.000.000 bales short of the
world's needs.
1. Hold for twelve cents without
borrowing, if you can. But re
member "It is comitting . business
suicide to retuse to borrow it you
can thereby hold your crop.
3. Not only should cotton bring '
twelve cents but cottonseed prices
should break all l'ecords. Our ex
port trade in cottonseed oil has
jumped over sixty per cent in one
year from 192,000,000 to 318,
000,000 pounds. And if good prices
were paid for seed of a 17,000,000
crop, what sort of prices should we
not demand for seed from a crop
of only 10,000,000 or 12,000,000
bales?
4. With $500,000,000 for her new
cotton crop, the South will barely
"pay out". With $750,000,000 the
whole section will have a jubilant
and abounding prosperity. Bank'
ers, merchants, and all classes, there
fore, should join our farmers in the
fight for twelye cent prices now and
for a State warehouse system in ev
ery State to help insure fair prices
Miss selma Twisdale spent the
week end in Scotland Neck with her
aunt, Mrs. Bowers.
Mr. J. A. Anthony of Charleston,
S. C, was here Sunday night.
Mr. ioiiy ivimban ot n.ntieid. is
spending a tew days with Mr. T. H
Twisdale.
Mr. R. C. Josey and Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Josey, motored to Mr. T. H
Twisdale'slast Thursday afternoon
Mr. Robt. Kimball and children,
and Mr. Howard Twisdale of Enfield
spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. T
H. Twiscale.
Miss Clara Pope of near Scotland
Neck, is spending a few days with
her grand-mother, Mrs. Clara Pope.
The nice rain that went through
the community Sunday was a great
help to the crops.
New Ice House
AT
Womack's Grist Mill
Wo have equipped a
s t )me f o r J C K a n d 1 1 a ve
received our first 'ship
ment. Ice will be delivered
i'rom wagon any hour
and anywhere in town.
Prompt attention giv
en to every order for Ice
and your patronage will
be highly appreciated.
Full supply ot Ice will
be kept through the en
tire year summer and
winter.
Call 1-5-4.
wormcivs ice house
S. H. ALEXANDER, Mgr.
i
J
Hamilton Items.
save to South the full quarter of in future years.
r ii i .a i i ttt:ii:
rjauaru attenaeu court in vviiuams
ton Monday.
Airs, yvnnu i-ooie settle, miss
Mildred Coble and Mrs. Bob Hooker
of Rocky Mount spent Monday
with Mrs. H. S. Johnson.
J. Waldo Crimes, of Baltimore, is
visiting relatives here.
Miss Carlotta Nicholson, of Wash
ington, and Mr. Washburn, of New j
York, spent the week-end with Mrs.
D. E. Taylor.
Mrs. Mamie Hyman, of Newport
News, is the guest of her neice Mrs.
J. B. Slade Jr.
D. T. Matthews spent Saturday in
Norfolk.
Miss Fannie Matthew's has return
ed from Macon.
Henry Hardison, of Tarboro, was
in town Friday night.
B. B. Sherrod, Iowa Dimons, W. S.
Rhodes and F. L. Gladstone went to
Williamston Monday.
Miss Helen Council spent the week
end in Oak City with relatives.
J. C. Ross and Children, of Oak
City, were in town Sunday.
Mrs. Herbert Salisbury has return
ed to her home in Augusta Georgia.
Mrs. T. B. Slade arrived Friday
from a visit to Charlotte and Macon.
Douglas Edgerton, of Macon is
visiting his aunt Mrs. T. B. Slade.
Mrs. Harper Peel and Mrs. Jesse
Averett spent Sunday in Oak City.
J. A. Kitchen and family spent
Wednesday here.
Little Miss Blossom Taylor enter
tained a few of her friends on Sat
urday afternoon from 3:30 to 5:30
in honor of her third birthday.
Delicious refreshments were served.
Among those present were Evelyn
and Hallie Pender Lawrence, Mary
Waldo, Martha and Carl Salsbury,
Mary Williams and Carathine
Everett.
Miss Fannie Gladstone has return
ed from a visit to Tarboro.
Mrs. G. A. Gladstone and daugh
ter went to Norfolk Wednesday.
Mrs. B. B. Sherrod, Mrs. J. P.
Boyd, Mrs. Herbert Salsbury and
Mrs. M. I. Fleming went to Tarboro
Wednesday.
J. P. Bovle. J. B. Anthony and
(Continued on Page Three)
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Wood's Special
Grass and Clover
Seed Mixtures
sown early In the tall yield
full crops of hay o graz
ing the following year.
There is no question but
what our Special Grass ad
Clover Mixtures yield much
better crops of hay, and the
meadows or pastures will
keep in good, productive
condition very much longer
than where only two or
three varieties of grass or
clover are sown.
Our Descriptive Fall Catalog
gives full information in regard to
these mixtures and all other Grass
and Clover Seeds, Seed Wheat,
Oats, Rye, Barley, etc. for Fall
sowing. Catalog mailed free on
request. Write for it and prices
on any seeds you require.
T. W. WOOD6 SONS,
SEEDSMEN, - Richmond, Va.