VOLUME
THE
PILOT
NUMBER
Is a Paper Devoted to the Upbuilding of the Sandhill Territory of North Carolina
Address all communications to
the pilot printing company. VASS, N. C.
FRIDAY, MAY 16,1924
SUBSCRIPTION $2.00
IS BAILEY THE
FARNERS’FRIEND
His Record Discussed by Mr. G.
K. Grantham, Member of
Legislature of 1919
When did Mr. Bailey become the
friend of the farmer?
The views of a candidate for public
office are subject to analysis to ascer
tain if he offers a safe leadership to
follow. Mr. Bailey talks a great deal
ubout taxes. This is not a new sub
ject with Mr. Bailey. He has discuss
ed taxes many times and often, and
there is no position that he has at any
time taken on any phase of the tax
question that is not directly in conflict
with the position that he has taken on
the same question at other times. Un
til he became a candidate for Govern
or, all of these positions were hostile
to the farmer and small land owner.
Mr. Bailey’s first serious effort to
reform the tax system of the State
was in his sponsoring the proposed
taxation amendment to the Constitu
tion, which was voted on in 1914.
This provided for “segregation,” on
the theory that the State would take
all the advalorem and otherwise taxes
on all the property of railroads and
all other corporations for State reve
nue, and leave to the counties, cities
and school districts only the property
of individuals to tax for all local pur
poses. This amendment, though fa
vored by Mr. Bailey, was largely de
feated by the people, and mainly for
the reason that they did not want the
counties to be deprived of all taxes on
railroad and other corporation prop
erty. Mr. Bailey is now complaining,
though the counties have all the ad
valorem taxes on railroad and other
corporate property.
In December 1923, just a short time
before he announced his candidacy for
Governor, he proposed in public ad
dresses that the farm land should be
taxed on the basis of its earning pow
er, and that unimproved land should
go tax free. Under this scheme, a
rich man who held unused farm land
or city property for speculative pur
poses only would pay no tax on his
land, while upon the other hand, if
a small farmer, by diligent effort and
hard work, made his little farm highly
productive, he would be compelled to
pay a very high tax. In other words,
farmers who were diligent, thrifty and
enconomical, would pay all the land
tax, and the speculator would pay no
tax even though he should own thou
sands of acres of unused farm lands
and thousands of dollars worth of un
improved city property. This propos
al was so outrageous that, on Decem
ber 17, 1923, Mr. Bailey “changed his
mind,” and practically “took it all
back.”
In the Legislature of 1919, there
were fifty-five farmers. These men
felt that farmers should have genuine
relief from the burden of taxes, and
that land and personal property should
be exempt from taxation for all State
purposes. The question arose as to
how this vast sum of money could be
raised so as to relieve land and per
sonal property. It appeared that
there were many rich men in the State
who were earning large incomes. It
also appeared that there were hun
dreds of rich and powerful corpora
tions earning tremendous sums of
money each year. The I.egislature
thought that more of the burden of
taxation should be placed upon those
who were able to pay and not upon
the farmer and small home owner. It
was therefore proposed that a consti
tutional amendment be submitted to
the people permitting the levying of a
tax upon the incomes of these cor
porations and rich capitalists.
Who appeared as the only champion
the capitalists and corporations?
Mr. Josiah W. Bailey, now candidate
for Governor. Do not take my word
ior it. Read the News and Observer
of February 11th, 1919, read the
Greensboro Daily News of the same
^ate. Read the record in the Char
lotte Observer. Read the record in
ihe Raleigh Times of February 11th,
1919, where the exact words of Mr.
Bailey are recorded. Listen to Mr.
Bailey’s own words on that occasion,
as follows:
“If you want some revenue right
badly, assess the lands of North Car-
u ^l^irty-three million acres of
them, at their market value, as is
your constitutional duty,” he (Bailey)
thundered, turning to Maxwell, “and
you will get some revenue, all that
you need. Why don’t you do it? Is
It easier to make corporations shell
out once more ? Why, in North Caro
lina, hogs are valued at less than I
pay for a ham,” he shouted, “goats,
sheep, jacks, lady jacks, etc., are very
low down.”
Victor S. Bryant, of Durham, was
a member of that Legislature. He has
gone to his reward, but in him the
farmer and the small home owner had
a mighty friend and special privilege
a mighty foe. He was in favor of the
income tax amendment and took part
in the debate with Mr. Bailey. Bailey
turned upon him with the remarkable
declaration that “dogs in Durham are
taxed higher than mules.” Now,
listen to Bryant’s withering reply to
Baily, as follows: “Anything short of
this income tax will bring anarchy.
Your plan of running down the man
with the cow and letting the man with
the income go is not fair.” Read the
record for yourself in the News and
Observer of February 11th, 1919.
So you have the famous “Hog and
Ham” and “Dog and Mule” speech of
Mr. Bailey. Was he the friend of the
Farmer and small home owner when
he was so strongly advocating that
nearly four million dollars of addition
al revenue ought to be laid upon land,
hogs, goats, jacks, sheep and mules?
If so, then I shall be compelled to
say: From such destructive friend
ship, “Good Lord, deliver us.”
Then Mr. Bailey was the bold cham
pion of the capitalist. Then, his chief
fear was that the corporations would
be compelled to “shell out once more.”
Then, he was in favor of making the
farmer and small home owner “shell
out.” Yes, “shell out” four million dol
lars from land and goats and hogs
and mules.
(Continued on page 8)
PATRIARCH DIES AT
JACKSON SPRINGS
Daniel Clark Called at the Ad
vanced Age of Ninety-three
Years
Niven Daniel Josephus Clark died
at the home of his son, J. P. Clark,
here Wednesday morning. May 4th, at
2 o’clock, at an advanced age follow
ing an attack of pneumonia. He was
born November 26, 1830, in Mont
gomery county, moving to Moore
county with his family in 1835 where
he has since made his home. He was
the last of a large family of chil
dren and the only one to reach ninety-
three, the age his father died. He
was a man of temperate habits, never
drinking to excess, and stopped the
use of tobacco many years ago. in
1870 he had an attack of typhoid fe
ver which was the only time he w’as
confined to his home with sickness un
til recently.
He was the oldest man in the com
munity and one of the oldest in the
campaign he was interested in. He
knew Wilton McLean, holding some
office in church, as trustee of the The
ological Seminary at Richmond, and
as a business man. He knew Bailey
because he was a reader of the “Old
Reliable,” and watched the legislature.
Mr. Clark had been an elder in the
Presbyterian church for years. Fun
eral services were conducted on Wed
nesday afternoon at 4 o’clock, from
the church by his pastor, Rev. R. G.
Matheson, assisted by Rev. W. L. Wil
son, of Hemp, a former pastor. In
terment was made in the cemetery be
side that of his wife who preceded
him to his grave several years. He
was faithful to his church and at
tended regularly up until about three
months ago. Since then he had been
out but once. That was on Easter
Sunday when Mac Clark, of States
ville, preached. Rev. Clark grew up
in this community, and was an old
student. Communion services were
held.
He leaves one daughter. Miss Janie
Clark and two sons, M. A., and J. P.
Clark; one daughter, Mrs. W. L. Holi
day, died several years ago. Two
of the three grand-daughters are stu
dents at the North Carolina College
for Women, one graduating this year.
Both girls came home for the funeral.
ELISE SCHOOL
CONNENCENENT
Will be Held May 18-29—Other
News from the Hemp
Section
NEGOTIATIONS FOR SALE OF
SANDHILL POWER COMPANY
TOBACCO CO-OPS
HAKE GOOD REPORT
Good Prices and Friendly Rela
tion With Manufacturers
are Announced
The co-operative tobacco farmers
held a meeting in the Vass warehouse
Saturday at which they heard some
substantial reports from John R. Mc
Queen, the director from this district,
and the members in session were able
to go home well satisfied with the con
ditions that have been attained by
the organization. At the meeting
were also George R. Ross, head of the
state bureau of markets, and T. D.
McLean, of the cotton association, and
both of these men addressed the as
sociation on co-operation and market
ing. Both men are thoroughly post
ed on the situation, and they told
some things that cleared the skies to
a considerable extent.
Mr. McQueen’s talk was largely in
the nature of a report of the work of
the management of the tobacco as
sociation. He told his hearers that
not only had prices been good, but
that closer relations are being estab
lished with the manufacturers. At
the beginning of the association’s
work some doubt was felt as to the
willingness of the manufacturers to
encourage the association. But dur
ing the past winter tobacco has been
sold to all of the big buyers, and with
one exception the contact between as
sociation and buyers is becoming de
cidedly encouraging. The association
has introduced into the tobacco trade
one feature that is of wide reaching
influence, and that is the job of grad
ing the leaf and establishing the
grades. Heretofore every buyer on
the open market was his own judge of
grading, and little of the tobacco was
intelligently graded at all, and every
sale was a guess sale. But in the
co-operative association the first
thing that is done is to grade the to
bacco, and when it is offered for sale
the buyer of the big factory and the
seller for the association can confi-
(Continued on page 8)
N. D. J. CLARK,
county. He was one of the oldest
alumni of the University of North
Carolina, graduating from that insti
tution in 1858 at the age of twenty-
eight, with second honors. He left
one class mate, but there is a ques
tion in the community whether it was
Major Bingham, of Asheville, or Ma
jor Chas. M. Stedman, of Greensboro,
who represents the fifth district in
Congress, and the only Confederate
Veteran in Congress.
After graduation he taught school
for a long period except during the
Civil War, when he was captain of
militia under Zeb Vance. His school
here was a success. When a young
man he left here for college he rank
ed high. Leading business and pro
fessional men who were his pupils
have died at an advanced age. His
training bore fruit. Among those
who went to school to him were the
late John Blue of the Aberdeen and
Rockfish railroad. Rev. Dougald Mon
roe who died at his home near Red
Springs a few days ago was one of
three brothers of Dr. J. P. Monroe, of
Charlotte, who attended his school and
later became Presbyterian ministers.
The three brothers have all died.
Among the associated survivors are
Rev. J. M. Clark, of Statesville, evan
gelist for Concord Presbytery, Rev.
W. H. Lawhon, chairman of Moore
County Board of Education, now act
ive in his eighties, Arran W. E. Capel,
of Troy. Many looking for greater
opportunities went away to seek their
fortunes.
Mr. Clark was a great help to a
grandson in high school this winter in
explaining problems. He readily and
quickly gave help. He had never been
known to sit down in a spelling match,
even in later years. His memory was
remarkable. He was an authority on
the history of this section.
He was a strong democrat, taking
great interest in politics. In his
younger days he was an old time
whig. Up until about three months
ago he went daily for his mail, and
sometimes would be seen walking
along the road reading. He was in
terested in the Teapot Dome Scandal
and tried to keep up with it in his de
clining health. The gubernatorial
Rumors have been afloat to the ef
fect that the Sandhill Power Company
has been sold. This is not correct.
Negotiations have been in progress
and it is possible the sale may take
place in the near future, but before a
deal is closed certain things will have
to be arranged. A definite statement
will not be possible before next week,
if then. The Carolina Power and
Light Company, of Raleigh, through
their New York office, is carrying on
the negotiations.
BIRDS PLENTIFUL
ARODNDSANDHLLS
Varieties from North and South
Meet Here at Common
Boundary Line
At the meeting of the Kiwanis Club
at Southern Pines, Dr. Achorn of
Pinebluff, talked to the gathering on
birds of the Sandhills. He told the
members that here is a point of un
usual interest to bird lovers, as many
of the migratory birds of the North
make the Sandhills the limit of their
southern journey while they meet
here the birds from the South which
come this far northward and then re
turn southward again in the spring.
Northern robins comes to the Sand
hills in the fall as the southern rob
in is preparing to wind up his sum
mer here and move back toward the
milder climate. Many birds from ev
erywhere are here at one period or
other of the year, and no other sec
tion of the country has as many dis
tinct varieties of birds as the North
Carolina Sandhills.
Dr. Achorn is an enthusiastic hunt
er of birds, but not with a gun. He
uses a glass and a camera. He has
built up a bird society at Pinebluff,
and that society is one of the assets
of the Sandhills. Many persons from
distant points come to Moore coun
ty to study the broad range of birds
found here, and it would be surpris
ing to know how many strangers who
have been attracted by the birds, have
become interested enough to buy
homes and stay during the winter,
year after year. Dr. Achom says
that while the men come to play golf
many of the women come here to
study the birds, and the colony of
bird lovers has grown until it is a
big factor in the winter population.
Many eminent persons are among the
colony of bird friends which has its
center at Pinebluff.
Dr. Achorn recommends a bird
refuge in this section where migratory
varieties may be safe from shooting
so that the bird population may be
given a chance to survive. Gradually
the encroachments of civilization are
(Continued on page 8)
The Elise high school commence
ment will be held May 18-20. The
opening exercises will be on Sunday
morning when the commencement
sermon will be preached at 11 o’clock
by Rev. F. M. Bain, of Lillington. Mr.
Bain is a graduate of Elise high
school, and we are always glad to wel
come back our own boys who are do
ing such splendid work in advancing
the Kingdom of God. Mr. Bain will
address the Christian Endeavor So
ciety at 7:30 p. m.
On Monday night at 8 o’clock the
Recitation and Declamation contest
will be held.
Program
Farfelleta, Pauline Smith and Swan-
nie Reynolds; declamation, The Flag
We Follow, Charles McRae; recita
tion, The Dying Boy, Pearl Helm;
March de Concert, Aureade Frye;
recitation, An Old Sweetheart of
Mine, Eugenia Bain; declamation,
Abraham Lincoln, Giles Lytle; Sing,
Robin, Sing, Gladys Brown and Helen
Frye; declamation. The Southern Sol
dier after the War, Odell Butler; reci
tation, Sister and I, Aline Trogden;
Autumn Days, Virginia Brown and
Etta McFadyen; recitation, The Cor
rection of Bennie, Swannie Reynolds;
declamation. The Modem Cain, De
Witt Helm; In the Merry Month of
May, Spring Dance, Good Bye, by pri
mary class and Louvine Kennedy;
Floating Song, Swannie Rejmolds.
The senior class exercises will be
held on Tuesday, May 20, at 11 a. m.
The program follows:
Salutatory, Richard Spainhour; His
tory, Pauline Smith; Statistics, Colli
er Bridgers; Poem, Grace Auman;
Piano Duet, The Soldiers’ March, Pau
line Smith and Swannie Reynolds;
Grumbler, Charles McRae; Imperson
ator, Leta Ritter; Will, Jeanette Hip-
son; Prophecy, Mayme Lewis; Trophy
Oration, David Stucky; Valedictory,
not decided; Class Song.
The following is the program of the
Graduating Exercises, Tuesday, May
20th, 1:30 p. m.:
Invocation. Faust Waltz, Aureade
Frye and Louvine Kennedy; Presenta
tion of Medals and Awards, Rev. W.
L. Wilson; Literary Address, Rev. W.
E. Hill, Fayetteville; Presentation of
Diplomas.
On Tuesday, May 20th, 8 p. m., a
play, “The Thread of Destiny, in three
acts, will be given. Scene, Virginia;
time, the Civil War.
The senior class of the Elise high
school are as follows:—H. Collier
Bridges, Dan A. Currie, Samuel H.
Currie, Occia Carrie, Etta Currie, An
nie H. Davis, Mary Duke, John Evans,
Jeanette Hinson, Mayme Lewis, Giles
Lytle, Swannie Reynolds, Leta Rit
ter, Richard Spainhour, Pauline Smith,
David Stucky, Bonnie Teal, Lela Teal,
Charles McRae.
Elise Presbyterian church was open
ed on Easter Sunday. Rev. C. E.
Clark, of Carthage, preached a splen
did sermon at the morning service;
appropriate music was rendered by
the choir, and Mr. W. G. Carter, on
behalf of the Building Committee,
presented the church to the congrega
tion and Rev. W. L. Wilson received it
from him. The church cost $5,000 ex
clusive of the five-comer lot present
ed by the trustees of Elise high
school, and the furniture. It is a
handsome brick building with base
ment Sunday school rooms. The eve
ning service was conducted by Rev.
J. C. Cummings, pastor of Tabemacle
M. E. Church, who delivered a fine
address.
Mrs. R. W. Orr, of Statesville, a
daughter of Dr. Daniel McGilvary, for
many years a missionary to Siam, vis
ited Rev. W. L. Wilson whose father.
Dr. Jonathan Wilson, was Dr. McGil-
vary’s associate in the mission work
in Siam for 54 years. Mrs. Orr and
Mr. Wilson were both bom in Siam
and enjoyed comparing childhood
memories.
(Continued on page 8)