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The Oldest North Car
olina Newspaper West
of Buncombe County.
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT!1
VOL. LVNO. 1 '
FRANKLIN. N. C THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1940
tlSO PER YEAR
ft
1 "
V
GREAT ADDRESS
BY PRESIDENT
' Chief Executive Delivers
Annual Message
To Congress
Yesterday at 2 o'clock p. m.
-President Roosevelt rnade his an
nual address to the joint session
of Congress on "the state of the
Union". Cheers, enthusiastic and
prolonged,, mingled with applause,
greeted , his entrance into the
chamber.
Beginning with "I wish for each
and everyone of you a very happy
New Year", Franklin Delano
Roosevelt spoke "with characteristic!
simplicity and directness. I he tol
lowing are parts of his: address as
heard over the radio
"It is natural to approach the
state of the nation from the stand
point of foreign affairs. This does
not mean the overlooking of do
mestic problems, social and eco
nomic, some of which are the same
that have resulted in dictatorships
arid the philosophy of force in
European countries." ...
' "With 'far-sighted vision, the
framers of our country's govern
ment built upon the prinqiples of
common defense, general welfare
and domestic tranquility. After a
century and a half, we still believe
in them, especially in the general
- welfare and domestic tranquil
ity." t . . '
"Whether we like it or not, we
necessarily feel the shock of war
on another-continent. Thefdomes
; tic affairs of 130 million people are
deeply affected by the peoples of
other nations. We are obliged to
recognise this principle in home af
fairs. If in any unit of our na
tion low standards are allowed to
continue, the standards: of all are
pulled down. The United States
,vbf America, as a unit in the world
community of nations, cannot build
a world of isolation wifjjput being
affected by conditions in every
other part of the world."
The President deferred to the
declaration that never again would
we send our. youth to fight on the
ontinent of Europe as being a po
sition that all can understand, but
tliat nobody has yet asked us to
(io this.
"But, he continued, "There is
a vast difference, between keep
ing out of war and pretending this
var is none of our business,""
"The future world " will be a
shabby and a dangerous place for
even Americans if force is to rule
parts of the world."
Referring to the nation's think
ing at this time; he said that our
thinking cannot be controlled by
partisanship, that there can be no
such group as a "peace party" or
"peace bloc", because that belongs
to every man, woman and child in
the natiion.
"The facts stand out and the
world acknowledges them. First,
never before has: the United States
of America done so much to estab
lish and maintain a policy of the
Good Neighbor. Second, almost
anywhere in the world today, the
United States has been and will
be a' potent factor in seeking and
establishing peace.
"Un recent years this nation has
a clean record of goodwill in re
lations with other countries."
The President spoke of the dis
astrous effect upon our nation and
the lives of our children, and for
world civilization if the future of
small nations is threatened con
stantly by having their freedom
snatched from them. He urged that
we look ahead and picture the kind
of world our children will have to
live in if obliged to worship a
(jod decreed by military force, or
not allowed to worship any God
at alL
Here followed declaration of
the necessity of removal of trade
harriers if there is to be a peace
ful world, not dominated by mili
tary force that results in the en
slavement of peoples for the build
ing of empires.
"We still believe that govern
ment predicated on a certain free
dom cannot succeed unless other
governments recognise such free
dom. If other nations, on this hem
isphere can hold inch relations
with each other without losing their
nationality, the tame can happen
on the other hemisphere."
Speaking of agriculture in rela
tion to world conditions, there was
the assurance that it is practicable
to work out a mutual assistance
plan for world distribution of sur
plus commodities produced by both
agriculture and id.- ..facture, for
the benefit of the v, jzld't markets.
The blind economic selfishness that
has obtained in- former years was
likened to a destructive mine field
that has blocked tr 'e and broken
CCohUbuW a tax Fw)
Funeral Held
Friday For Mrs. Samuel
Hall At Cowee
FuncVal services for Mrs. Fan
nic Lee Meadows Hall, 60, were
held last Friday afternoon at 2:30
o'clock at the Cowee Baptist
church. The Rev. R. F. Maybcrry,
pastor, officiated, assisted by the
Kev. Kobert U Jt'oindexter, a
Methodist minister of the . lotla
community. (Interment was in the
church cemetery.
Mrs. Hall died at her home about
four miles north of Franklin
Thursday morning about 9:30
o'clock from a stroke of apoplexy.
She was a member of the lotla
Methodist church.
Mrs. Hall, the daughter of the
late Daniel J. and Nancy Elmore
Meadows, was born in thc Oak
Grove community of. Macon coun
ty. In 1910 she was married to R.
Samuel Hall.
The pallbearers were Rex Mea
dows, Butler; Justice, Joe Meadows,
James Watts, Robert Beitnett, and
Leonal Meadows.
Mrs. Hall is , survived by her
husband; one son, Pierce Meadows,
of Chapel Hill; two sisters, Mrs.
J. B. Justice, of Franklin Route
4, and Mrs. James M. Morrison,
of Winston-Salem; three brothers.
Emms Meadows, of Etna; Seth
Meadows, of Cle Elum, Wash., and
C. A- Meadows, of Franklin Route
3, and two grapdchildreen.
50TH WEDDING
DATE OBSERVED
.TV
Mr. And Mrs, Wm. D.
Reece Keep Open
House Dec 31
Mrand Mrs William D. Reece,
of Frankjin. fite 1, who were
married on December 31, ; 1889, by
the Rev. D. C Smith, a Metho
dist minister of this county, cele
brated their golden wedding anni
versary on Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Reece, both na
tives of Macon county, have lived
but three . years of their lives out
of the county. .They spent three
years in Blairsville, Ga. In 1892
they moved to : the home where
they now live. . '
Active In Church Work
Mr. Reece's life work is farm
ing. . Mrs. Reece has enjoyed mak
ing a Koine -tor her .husband and
the 11 childrenVho were born to
them. They both efcuojn good health,
which thev rlaim iGrftee. -o hard
work and regular sleep andl:etrS
They are both members of the
Mt. Zion Methodist church and
have always taken an active part
in church work and community
improvements.
Mr. and Mrs. Reece were enter
tained at dinner at the home " of
their son, Frank Reece, and family
in Franklin on Sunday, ilmmedia
tely following the mid-day meal,
they returned to their home where
they held open house. A number
of their friends called .to offer
congratulations and good wishes
for many more happy years.
Mrs. Reece is the former Miss
Rebecca Roxanna Potts, daughter
of the late Mr. and Mrs. D. W.
Potts. She will celebrate her 72nd
birthday anniversary next March
18. Mr. Reece is the son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. Q. F. Reece.
On February 22 he will celebrate
his 72nd birthday anniversary.
mine oi tne II children are li
ing. They are: Frank Reece, ol
Franklin; Wade 'A. Reece, of An
drews; George Reece. of Franklin:
Grady Reece, of Jowa; Sam Reece,
ot canton; Mrs. Fred W. Wal
droop, of Atlanta. Ga.; Mrs. Horn
er Greene, of Franklin Route 1;
Mrs. red Arnold, of Franklin, and
Mrs. Ralph Bradley, of Franklin
Route 1. There are 28 grandchil
dren and one great-grandchild.
Postoffice Receipts
Show Gain In 1939
The Franklin postoffice receipts
showed a heavy gain in 1939 over
1938, it. is reported by Postmaster
T. W. Porter. .
The office has been showing a
substantial gain each year for sev
eral years and 1939 was the best
of alL Gains were' also ' made, ac
cording to published reports, by
practically ail postolhces through
out the ration.
Dand Prtx&5 Utxt
Wctbesdsy Night
It is announced that the mem
bers of the Franklin band will meet
for practice at the agricultural
building next Wednesday night,
January 10.
All members are expected to attend.
Married for
V
V
Mr. and Mrs. William D. Reece, of Franklin Route 1, Who Observed
Their Golden Wedding Anniversary Last Sunday, December 31
Finns Defeat Reds On AH
Fronts; Shoot Down Planes
The hard fighting Finns con
tinue to drive the Russians back
on all fronts and, while Finnish
towns and cities are suffering from
constant aerial bombardment, few
casualties are reported and many
Russian bombers are being shot
down by the Swedish anti-aircraft
guns which the Finns are
using. Also ; heavy snowstorms
which limited visibility are said to
have forced several Russian planes
down in Finnish territory.
All land fighting so far has
shown that the Russian troops are
entirely outclassed by the Finnish
soldiers in fighting ability ' and
rapidity of movement, and every
battle so far has resulted in vic
tory for the Finns, in spite of the
fact that they are outnumbered
200 to 1.
It . is reported that 10,600 train
ed Swedish troops have been re
leased from servicein their own
army and have volunteered to
fight for Finland. They will serve
under their own officers. France
and England are diverting planes,
war material and medical supplies
to Finland, and the United States
government has authorized the sale
of bombers and pursuit' planes
made for our own forces and
their immediate delivery to Fin
nish . authorities. In addition the
Finns are said to have captured
enough equipment for an entire
brigade when they wiped out the
163rd Russian division. ' . ,
A French news agency reported
Tuesday that uprisings had occur
red in several important Russian
industries, followed by many ar
rests of both workers and soldiers,
feats in Finland, and that a nui
er of high army officers will go
on trial m connection 5 with ': the
failure of the campaign.
lit is rumored that Germany will
send aid to Russia, ' but this is
discounted by military experts wtJo
reason that Germany's man power
will all be needed for the western
front in the spring. '
The Finnish high, command be
As The World Turns
A Brief Survey of Current Events In State, Nation
and Abroad.
MAXWELL1 ANNOUNCES
FOR GOVERNOR
Allen J. Maxwell, state revenue
commissioner, 4 formally announced
his candidacy for governor in the
Monday papers this week. He
stated that he would take leave of
absence without pay . during the
campaign. Maxwell was a candi
date in the race which elected J.
C B1. Ehringhaus. In a 3,500 word
statement he outlined a platform
for what he termed a "balanced
program of progress for North
Carolina."
CLARENCE POE CHOOSES
NOT TO RUN
The large personal following of
Dr. ' Clarence Poe, editor of the
Progressive Farmer, regrets that
he has announced that he wHl not
be a candidate for governor. '
.
NEW YEAR PROMISING r
FOR SOUTH
Promises' of more favorable
freight rat as for the South, block
ing of unfavorable labor legisla
tion, a majority of ' top-ranking
rj'cttee chairmanships in Con
gress anj""""0 ke regional ad-
vantages)
PSJaCttfc!
COLD
For
the ter'
lse a more pros-
Dixie.
e Sunday
freez-
and
"g inf
Ttt
Fifty Years
t
lieves that they will be able to
turn back all Red attacks during
the winter and that before spring
weather begins at least 50,000 train
ed and well equipped volunteers
from neighboring nations will, be
ready to join in the fighting.
. Russia has lost prestige with all
nations except Germany by the
invasion of Finland, and the Red
army is considered a joke by
many military experts. It is
thought by many that the Finnish
fiasco may mean the beginning of.
the end for the communist regime
in Russia. ' '
GERMANS THREATEN
WHOLESALE AIR RAIDS
The German press and promi
nent Nazi speakers have begun
again their threats to destroy
Great . Britain by massed attack
from the air, and it is thought
that Hitler may attempt to carry
out this design before spring. The
British and French blockade is
becoming more effective each day.
and it is only a matter of weeks
until the Nazi government will be
faced with the choice between one
last desperate; , gamble,, with,;f all
forces or being overthrown by an
enraged population who have en
dured to the limit. '
TREATY WITH JAPAN
EXPIRES JANUARY 2
The commercial treaty between
the United States and Japan . ex
pires. on January 26, and the Japa
nese are making desperate efforts
to secure concessions in the mat
ter of tariffs from our state de
partment The continuation of the
war in China and the very exis
tence of . the Japanese people de-
pemisjargely upon trade with the
United Stsifes. We-bty- practically
all of the Japanese silk and "fhey
are dependent upon this country
for scrap iron, cotton and other
raw materials. The state depart
ment has given no indication as
to the policy this government will
pursue after the expiration of the
treaty. .
temperatures in Franklin for five
yeans; it was reported, the ther
mometer dropping to three de
grees above.
DEATH TOLL OVER
NEW YEAR
As the old year went out 280
more deaths by violence were re
ported over the nation. Of these
North Carolina's number was eight
.
ROSE BOWL VICTORY
FOR SOUTHERN CALIF.
The famed rose bowl football
game between the University of
Tennessee and the Southern Cali
fornia teams- in Pasadena on New
Year's Day resulted in a score of
14 to 0 in favor of the California
team. ' .
;.-'
PARK TO BE DEDICATED
IN SPRING
The Great Smoky Mountains Na
tional park probably will be dedi
cated by President Roosevelt early
m the apiiug, lUft. Weaver, (D,
N. C), said Tuesday on his re
turn , here from Asheville. 15,630
people visited the Smokies in De
cember. ...
m mm t mm, . mm,mmmM i
un w runr
STARTS HOME
The , U.; S. freighter, Gty of
Flint, was. expected to leave Wed
nesday on the dangerous voyage
homey from .Bergen, Norway. The
(Cntmud Paf Fur)
Oil Men
To Meet At Dillsboro On
Tuesday, January 9
Oil men of Macon and several
nearby counties will hear Tj Clar
ence Stone, long-standing champion
of spending highway taxes for
haghways only and present chair
man of the roads committee 1 of
the North Carolina house of rep-
sentatives, in an address before the
district meeting of the North Caro
lina petroleum industries commit
tee at Dillsboro, Tuesday, Janu
ary 9. .
Mr. Stone has represented Rock
ingham county in the state house
of representatives for three ses
sions of the Legislature and each
time has been a leader in the fight
to require that all special automo
tive taxes .be spent for roads.
The Dillsboro meeting, which
will be held in the Jarrett Springs
hotel, includes the counties of
Macon, . Jackson, Transylvania,
Haywood, 'Swain, , Clay, . Graham,
and Cherokee. In addition to oil
company agents, distributors and
service station operators, 'members
of allied organizations interested
in highway transportation will at
tend and participate in the pro
gram. A 10:30 a. m. meeting for the
purpose of general discussion of
problems of taxation, diversion of
highway funds and other legisla
tive matters affecting highway
users, will be followed by a lunch
eon at which Representative Stone
will speak.:
The Dillsboro meeting is the
first of a series of 10 district
meetings which will be held
throughout the State during Jan
uary and February by the North
Carolina Petroleum Industries
Committee.
O. Y. Kirkpatrick, of Charlotte,
is chairman, and S. Gilmer- Sparg
er, of Raleigh, is secretary of the
North Carolina Petroleum Indus
tries Committee which is composed
of thousands of oil men and serv
ice station operators from every
county in the state.
n
START ON JAN. 9
Property Must Be Listed
Before February .1 To
Escape Penalty
Listing of property for 1940 taxes
will begin in Macon county on
January 9 and continue through
the 31st. t
The tax act of 1939 requires that
all property owners shall return
to the list takers for taxation for
the year 1940 all real and personal
property owned on the first day
of January, and provides that, all
who fail to ltokeWtcrn will be
subject to penalty as prOTidtdYby
law. .
AU male persons between the
ages of 21 and 50 years are re
quired to list their polls during
the same period.
Each farm owner is required to
prepare a list of the acreage of
each crop grown, including tenths
of acres of truck. The list should
show the total acres cultivated by
the owner, also the acres cultivated
by all tenants on each separately
recognized farm, the acres in im
proved pasture, woodland, idle and
other lands. He shall be prepared
to report, the numbers of bearing
fruit trees, the numbers of live
stock of breeding age, number of
hogs sold or slaughtered during
past 12 months and tons of ferti
lizers to be used during this crop
year. This information is kept Con
fidential and has no relation to
taxes. Its purpose is for agricul
tural education, economic analysis
and safer guidance of county
agents and farmers generally.
The schedules of all list takers
in the county will be found on an
other page of this issue.
Prizes Awarded By
Bryant Furniture Co.
The home , furnishing - campaign
of the Bryant Furniture company
closed Saturday, December 30, and
the following prizes were award
ed: Firs living room suite John
O. Harrison, Franklin.
Second, bed, room suite Haze
Rogers, Dillard, Ga, Route 1.
Third, spring Mrs. C A. Selser,
Franklin.
Fourth, mattress Mrs. Joe Webb,
Highlands.
Fifth, chaise lounge Ddon Rog
ers, Buck Creek. .
Sixthy rocker Mrs. J. R. Frank
lin, Route 4. ; , ;
. Seventh, lamp Lawrence Justice,
Tellico.
Eighth, end table Mrs. Clyde
Uirk, rnkiin.
TAX LISTING TO
PROGRESS LIADE
BY TOWN IN 1939
Street, v Sidewalk Water
And Sewer Program
Carried Out
For the town of Franklin, the
year 1939 has been one of civic
improvements and material prog
ress. An extensive program of
street and sidewalk paving, and,
water and sewer extension has
been carried out throuch the MV.
000 bond issue voted earlv in the
year, together with liberal grants
irom W FA funds.
Sewer lines have been comnleted
on -West Main street section, Bid-
well street, West Boulevard, At
lanta highway, Oak street, lotla
street section, and Harrison ave
nue totaling about 12,000 feet. A
sewage treatment plant has been :
completed, exceot 230 feet of sewer
pipe from main sewer line to the
tank, which takes all sewage nut
of creek and river except from a
few families.
Six inch water mains hav hem
laid on Oak street. Bidwell anH
Lyle street, West Main street.
Porter street, Wayah street and
Forest avenue and 'Palmer street,
the 4-inch " line on Wayah and
Palmer street having been replaced
with 6-inch mains. Four-inch pipe
connectintr Church street main
with 8-inch main on Harrison ave
nue and a 4-inch main were in
stalled on First street in Ft
Franklin, making a total of 11.
400 feet of 6-inch water line and
2,400 feet of 4-inch line installed.
fifteen improved Columbian fire
hydrants have been installed on
the 0-inch mains and two on the
4-inch mains. Two-inch salvage
pipe was placed on Hillcrest drive,
Atlanta highway and West Main
street. A new water tank nf
000 gallon capacity ha been erect-
eu, making a total storage for the
town of 300,000 galloit,. The total
cost of all the water and sewer
improvements to the town was $19.
769.84. Street And Sulfwalk Impwwniu
In the street and sidewaHc im
provements the following streets
were graded, curbed and guttered
and crushed stone placed on ythem
for surfacing: Riverview, Oak,
I -"s! 'va JKXrtlll IIU
Porter streetsTTiverview and Oak
n cci. were completer wim as
phalt surfacing and nart
street was completed. New side.
walks were put down on Bidwell
and West Main streets and on
lotla street to the intersecting f
Oak street, also a short section was
put down on Riverview street
some curb and cutter has Keen
poured on Phillips street next to
ruoiic Square but is not vet mm.
pleted. The total cost to the town
of all street and sidewalk work
including trccks, rock crusher, con-'
Crete mixer, air eomnrecser an1
ji;rk hammer and other equipment,
amoDuted to $10,887.27.
Fund. AiMurad To Fmuh Work
The townhas on hand $4,650 aL.
the money froajthborficfT
complete the streets that '
finished. A WPA project haL
approved by the Kovernmenfi
complete the streets and side
walks. The board of aldermen are
planning to finish this work in
the spring.
Building permits have been is
sued during the year totalling $98.-
000. The largest structure is the
new theater building built by W.
U iiurreU on the lot adioimnir the
Burrell Motor company's building,
at an approximate cost of $40,000.
Other buildings include the store
buUdingoi C L PendergraasL new
Esso Filling Station on Palmer
street, and residences of W. C
lickgraf, H. H. Plemmons and
Paul Carpenter on Oak street;
Dr. Frank M. Killian on Wayah
street: Charles Bradlev on Bid-
well street; W...T. Tippett on Har
rison avenue; Phu McGollum on
the Atlanta highway; Alex Stew
art on Rogers Hill: Robert Norton
on West Main street A number
of permits were issued for repairs
A . V
uiu auuiuons.. -. w-
T
Commissioners F.!lr
Handle Routine Matter
The board of commissioners of '
Macon county met Monday in reg
ular monthly session and disposed
of a number, of -routine matters,
approving ( accounts, adjusting tax
claims, etc . " .
R. .S Jones was confirmed as
attorney for the handling of tax
foreclosures for Mis Elizabeth
Slagle, delinquent tax officer, and
Auditor Birmingham was employe
to audit the books of county of
ficers for this year.
No other business was -the
board far conifers'.
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