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THE WEEKLY PILOT
Published every Friday morning
by the Pilot Printing Company.
STACY BREWER, Manager
Entered at the Postoffice at Vass,
N. C., as seeond-class mail matter
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1921
THE NEW
ROAD
Frank Page was in Vass a
few days ago looking over the
route of the Capital highway and
he was much impresed with the
possibility of the route proposed
by The Pilot a couple of weeks
ago with an underpass below the
cotton mill. The engineers will
give this project a thorough in
vestigation, and it looks now as if
it would be the winner when the
new location is made. Several
arguments have been heard con
cerning the route under the rail
road, one being that it would do
away with the grade crossing,
and would not use the streets of
the town, nor cut into the lots as
established by the street lines
now existing. It would go down
betwen the present road and the
railroad, to the west of The Pilot
office and the hotel, and keeping
on the high ground on the west
side of the litle valley that passes
the cotton mill would pass under
the grade not far below the mill.
In that way the main highway
would not run through the mill
village, nor through the east side
of the town, and all the busy
traffic of the highway would be
kept on the through road instead
of congesting the town streets,
which in the course of time will
have all they can do to handle
the local traffic. This is seen in
the experience of all towns in
this section. Aberdeen has on
its hands a serious problem of
street room for local business,
and the through traffic would be
a great relief to that town if it
could be passed on some side
street instead of through the
main street of the town. South
ern Pines is looking for relief in
this respect by having the high
way take a street a square or
two from the main street, so the
through travel can keep off the
main street, which is so full at
times that where to stop a car
is perplexing the people
Vass has this to consider aloO.
Our streets are not wide enough
to handle a big through business
such as will come in a short time
on the new road, and at the same
time care for the business of the
town, and if the through busi
ness can be held on a street that
is not lined with stores and
homes it will be better for all.
When the question of grade
crossing was first proposed The
Pilot was glad to be able to say
that such a scheme was possible,
and that it would better to
cross the railroad on a bridge
than at grade. Because the pa
per has favored the underpass
some criticism has been offered,
saying The Pilot changes its at
titude, And right here is as
good a place as any to say that it
certainly does. The Pilot is
ready to change its attitude
every day in the week if it sees
something better to change to.
When the overhead bridge was
the best plan in sight that was
far better than the grade cross
ing, and when the underpass
looked like a possibility that
seemed better than the bridge.
Now, if something still better of
fers, no matter what it may be so
it is better. The Pilot is ready to
change attitudes again.
The only thing worth while is
the best that we can get. Stand
ing by a plan because it happens
to be one looked on with favcr
yesterday is all right for the
standpatters, those unprogres
sives who want nothing that
they have not always had, but
The Pilot is ready to junk the old
and grab for the new as fast as
the new shows up something
that is an improvement on the
old.
When Mr. Page was in Vass
he said he would have the vari
ous routes thoroughly investi
gated, and that the best one of
the lot would be selected. That
is all that anybody wants, and
The Pilot has confidence enough
in Mr. Page and in the ability of
his engineers to believe that the
engineers will tell him which is
the preferable route, and that
he will decide according to their
judgment and investigation.
But whatever comes out of it all
we are going to have a much
better road than we have now,
and one of the best roads in the
South before long.
LICENSE TAX
DODGERS
The legislature has made an
effort to strengthen the license
tax on automobiles, and in that
effort the whole state should lend
a vigorous hand. The big major
ity of car owners pay their li
cense fee in square fashion. But
it appears that a small army of
dodgers pays nothing for licenses
to use the roads. That kind of
shirking is just the same as any
other kind that would put the
burden of anything on the men
who are willing to tote fair, and
that would relieve those whx> are
not fair in their methods.
The license fees are charged
by the state to build good roads
and maintain them. The man
who has a car and runs it shares
in the advantage of good roads.
To attempt to share in the bene
fit of the roads and dodge the re
sponsibility of paying for his
share is a sneaking trick in any
man. If he does not want to
pay his share of the road taxes
he should keep off of the roads
and lock up his car. If he will
not deal fairly in paying his pro
portion of taxes the state is not
fair to the men who pay if it
does not bring the slackers to the
mark. If North Carolina is go
ing to rest content at having the
fair men come forward and pay
their honest share, and is going
to let the slacker go because he
has not decency enough to pay,
then the .state is as bad as the
slacker, and is offering a pre
mium to any man who wants to
dodge his taxes.
The dodger has no claim on the
state or on those who pay. He
has no claim on the consideration
of any man who believes in fair
ness. The dodger who will see
others pay and then dodge him
self is getting from those others
the benefits they pay for, and is
hogging their money for his use.
If he will not pay from a
sense of decency he should be
made to pay from the necessity
of the compulsion of the law.
Possibly some men are unable
to pay their taxes, but in that
event it should be the business
of the law to know the fact, and
to know what is the trouble, and
to proceed through the regular
course in showing leniency. But
it is not the business of the state
or county to be bounced by any
mair who wants to throw his
share of the public burden on the
shoulders of those who are wil
ling to pay their fair share.
Moore county no doubt has its
share of dodgers, and if found
they should be brought up short,
and it is the business of every
man who has paid his license fee
to help to make every dodger pay
as well. The dead beat has no
call on the rest of the people for
leniency.
BANKS AND
SECURITY
In all the talk that is heard
about the loaning of money by
the banks little is said from the
banker’s viewpoint. But a bank
er not long ago remarked to The
Pilot that while money is easing
in the North it is not easing so
much in the South, and chiefly
because the South lacks the se
curity to give the banks for
loans. Suppose the Federal re
serve banks offer money, and the
banks can get it by assuming
responsibility for the loan. The
bank is puzzled to know what to
do with the money, for after all
a bank is not made of money. Its
resources are largely the money
the depositors put at the service
of the bank, and the bank must
all the time bear in mind that the
money it loans is the money of
the depositor.
In all the complaints about the
banks not loaning money freely
the complainers would have it
inferred that a bank has nothing
to do but go behind the counter,
dig up a handful of money and
pass it out. But the banks have
only such money as is put in
their care by the depositors, and
it is the business of the bank to
know when money is loaned out
that it will be ready for the de
positor when he calls for it.
The chief security for money
in the South is land, and if any
body will stop to think a minute
he will realize that land is not
very good security for short
term loans. A bank must have
its loans in shape that they
can be called in on short notice.
A real estate loan is one that
must go through certain court
delays, and is so slov/ in its col
lection that banks Pi-e not per
mitted to loan much money on
real estate security except under
certain restrictions. No bank
can carry a big line of loans on
land security and succeed. No
matter how certain the bank is
to get its money ultimately, that
does not figure at all. It is not
ultimately getting of the mon^y,
but it is getting the money on
the day it is due that determines
the safety of three-fourths of
the banks in the United States.
The depositor can call for his
money any time he cares to write
a check. The bank must hold it
self ready to pay that check, and
to do it must have its loans so
they are coming in all the time.
Therefore, as the banker said,
diflferent security must be avail-
able if the banks are to lend
much money. They are all loan
ed up now as far as it is safe to
go on real estate security, and
no doubt* many of the banks
would be glad to reduce loans
carried on such security. But
that can be done only gradually;
meanwhile if the people of the
South want more money from
the banks they must make the
banks safe by other than land
security. Whether that can be
done may be a question, but-the
banks are not responsible tor
the conditions. They are doing
what they can, and in many cas
es going farther than they
should to help people who call
for loans. But it is to be re
membered that the depositors
out-number the borrowers in
banking business, and the depos
itors have the first consideration,
for it is their money that is loan
ed. The bank must make good
to them and if if fails to make
good to them it is a dead one.
So it is not a question between
the bank and the borrowers but
between the depositors and the
borrowers, and the bank is sim
ply a go-between. The borrow
er has facing him the job of a
really negotiable security if he
wants money, and unless he fur
nishes that, and land is not that,
he has no complaint.
The world is growing better, but we
still have a few editors who joke
about the neckties their better-naif
gave them for X-mas.
Why is it the average girl would
rather break a leg when she falls
down on the street than have some
There wouldn’t be so much unem
ployment in this country if so many
people didn’t look upon it as a sort
of luxury.
After all, the surest way to elevate
the human race is to raise children
that can behave themselves.
And what a lot more happiness
there’d be in the world if love would
continHie to stay blind after mar
riage.
We have the word of a poor but
honest man that the worst thing about
riches is not havirig any.
No telling what Henry Ford will
propose next. Maybe he’ll offer to
lease China from Japan.
We often wonder if any of our well-
meaning friends who offer us cold
remedies ever take their own medi
cine.
Dr. J. C. MANN
Eyesight Specialist will be at
CHEARS’ JEWELRY STORE
Sanford, N ,C.
every Wednesday in each week from
10:00 A. M. to 4:00 P. M.
Glasses fitted that are easy and rest
ful to weak eyes, children and young
people given sp€scial attention. Cyoss
eyes straigthened without operation.
Consultation free.
PERSONALS AND
Miss Mamie Smith is
while at her home in NiaJ
Mr. B. F. Sanford and
ed relatives at Laurinburl
Misses Ossie Edwards |
Gschwind are home fronj
Mr. Turney Matthews
the week at home.
Mr. Carl Cashion, of Cc|
a visitor in town the first
Mr. C. L. Tyson cam^
Raleigh Sunday.
Mr. Lacy Fry, of Midvi|
in town Wednesday.
Mrs. W. M. Blue has re
Mt. Airy, where she a
funeral of her sister, Mrs.
Mr. W. H. Keith and f
Sunday at the home of ]V
A. J. Keith on Cameron
Miss Pearl Evans, who
sition in Raleigh, is spen<
at home..
Mr. John Keith came
Davidson College last \
stay with his people her<
Mrs. S. W. Lassiter, oi
is the guest of her paren
Mrs. G. S. Edwards.
Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Bo|
tie son, Henry, visited
Sunday.
Misses Jessie Brooks i
Keith and Mr. W. D. Sm
to Raeford Tuesday after
Miss Vivian Matthews
Alton Matthews are visitii
Hill.
Miss Rosa Belle Giles il
of her sister, Mrs. G. S. Ej
week.
Mr. J. R. Thomas and S(
J. Hampton, Elvey and G^
home from Raleigh for thj
holidays.
Mrs. 0. M. Spurlin an<
O. M., Jr., of Sharon, S.|
Christmas with Mrs.l
parents.
Mrs. D. A. Smith left
day for Manteo to be with
Mr. and Mrs. O. J. West^
the Christmas season.
Mr. D. C. McGill and
dinner guests at the hoi
Daniel McGill in Upper|
Christmas day.
Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Pari
M. B. Parker,* of Charl<
at the home of Mr. J. J.
first of the week.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Miss Helen Grifiin have
their home at Reidsville
to Mr. Weber’s relatives
Mr. and Mrs. T. K.
children attended the fun<
Gunter’s father, Mr. T.'
at Moncure, Monday.
Mr. T. J. Smith and
and Mrs. S. R. Smith, Ml
N. N. McLean, were
dinner given on Christmas
home of Mr. and Mrs. J.|
Mesdames T. J. Smith
Keith, Master Leon Keii
Neill Smith spent Tuesday
Wednesday with Mr. and
McNeill of Antioch.
■ Christmas greeting c
very pleasantly received b
from the following: Me
Boone, Greensboro; J. L
Winston-Salem; William
New Rochelle, N. Y.; ai
Mrs. William C. Hammerj
If you think there is no
conscience, look how mi
is the man who has his
^ the home-town paper pi
1923.