?)C Smitljficlii JleMft.
VOL? SM1THFIELD, N. C? FRIDAY, JULY 29. 10,0 Number^
$1.00 per Year Education Good Roads Good Health Progress 5 cents per Copy
salary system should come.
Here is Something to Put Up to
Your Candidate for the Next Legis
lature?Fee System For County
Officers is Draining Public Funds of ;
Millions That Salary System Would ;
Save for Building Roads and Other \
Improvements.
I believe that I can tell the far
mers how to get good roads without ,
it costing them one penny, either in ,
taxes or in contributions.
The only trouble is that the advo
cates of my plan will have to face
the opposition of the various county
officials throughout the entire South,
?our county court clerks, registers,
masters of chancery, etc.
These men are practically all on
"fees." Only in rare instances is
one on a stipulated salary. If put
upon a salary basis they would not
want the office, as the fees are many
times what their services are worth.
$93 for a Day's Work.
The writer was recenly at a "good
roads rally" in west Tennessee. Late
in the evening he Joined a prominent
county official and went with him to
his office. The Courthouse doors
were wide open and we walked into
his office to chat awhile. Lying on
Tiis desk was a bundle of documents
and he picked them up and began to
count. A smile of satisfaction over
spread his face and he turned and
said. "Pretty fat for one day's work."
I asked him what they were and he !
said, "Mortgages." I asked tow J
many there were and what he re
ceived as a fee on each one. He re
plied. "Only $1 each, and there are
93 of them." I then asked him what
sort of mortgages they were and he
replkd that they were mostly on
farms and live stock, given by farm
ers to a big country merchant on
"advances" for the coming crop.
$4,000 a Year While a ueputy l/io
The Work.
All he had to do to record these
mortgages, was to copy them in a
book made and printed at the ex
pense of the county. He did not
.even have to copy these documents,
for in this big register there were
blank forms in the exact words of
the mortgages themselves, with
blank spaces, and all he had to do
was to "fill in" these spaces.
"Do you mean to say," I asked,
"that you get $93 for simply record
ing those mortgages, and if so. for
heaven's sake, what does this office
pay you in a year's time?"
"Why, certainly I get a dollar
each," he replied. "Things have
been rather dull this year and I
won't make more than $4000. The
farmers seem to have more money
upon which to operate their farms
than heretofore."
I was astounded. Here was a lit
tle county, not important in the af
fairs of the State, that was paying its
County Register $4,000 per year in
a "dull" year.
I kr.ow this man to be actively
engaged in farming and real estate,
to say nothing of being interested in
other industries. He paid a deputy
a good salary to conduct the affairs
of this office and he himself scarcely
ever entered it?except to sign a
bunch of documents after they ac
cumulated. It is safe to say he did
not spend six hours a week attend
ing to the duties of his office. This
official pays his deputy possibly $100
per month, and even the deputy is
idle most of the time. He does not
do half the work in a day that some
Pour, delicate little shop girl does be
hmd a drygoods counter in some city,
nor does he begin to do in a week
what some farm-wife does in a day.
?<:u,uw a Year for a County Clerk.
I use this case simply as an Illus
tration of hundreds of such cases In
the South. I have been told that
the County Court Clerk of Shelby
County, Tennessee, makes fully
$20,000 a year, after paying several
deputies good salaries to do the work
?while he stays at home in winter
and goes fishing in the summer. I
have been told that the Master of
Chancery there (a mere boy appoint
ed by his father, who is Chancelor
and only makes $2,500 himself)
makes $15,000 a year net to him;
'hat the County Register makes fully
$20,000. These men, I know, are
rarely ever in their offices. Where
?re they?
Shelby is the biggest county In
Tennessee, but all the others pay the
same in proportion to their county
officials. The denser the population,
the more the offices pay.
It Is safe to say that the county
officials of Tennessee alone are paid
?nough every year to build a high
way from Memphis (in the extreme
*Mt) to Knoxville (In the extreme
??st).
A saving of this enormous waste
would thread the entire State with
Rood roads and enhance the value of
yery foot of farm land in Tennessee.
Farmers who are now shut off from
'he world and burdened with taxes
Ik ......
(for things they do not get) could
(ace their homes on highways and
send their children to school. It
would save their live stock and
equipment and do more towards
making farm life attractive than any
one thing.
Why Such Hard Scramble for Office?
If all I say is not true, why is it
that the county elections always wax
so hot? Why is it that a man in
office can afford to spend thousands
of dollars to be elected again?when
before he was an office-holder he had
nothing at all?
More interest, as a rule, is taken
in the county elections than is taken
in the election of a Governor of a
State.
The only claim the candidates have
is their individual popularity among
their followers. They have no "plat
form,"' except that "I have lived
here all my life and earnestly solicit
your vote." They can make no prom
ises for they have no authority. Their
work is mapped out by law and they
are simply "fillers of blank forms."
And In what I am writing I use
Tennessee only as an illustration.
What is true of Tennessee is doubt
less true of every state in the South.
Salary System is the Remedy.
What is the answer to it all? Put
these men on a decent salary basis.
When this is done, these "pie hunt
ers'' will not want the offices, and
men who are really worthy and
would give the work their own time
and attention will be office-seekers
in their stead. The "pie hunters"
will go to work and learn what it
really is to earn a dollar.
In saying what I have, I simply
want to sow a seed In the minds of
the farmers that I hope will take
root and grow fast.
.agnate 11 in your coiiuiiuiuiy.
take it up at your institute and
Union meetings, and then when some
fellow sticks up his head and says:
"Boys, I want to go to the Legisla
ture," make him produce. Don't let
him tell you about the "finger prints
on the corn-pones," and how he used
to plow with an old "bull-tongue,"
and crack a few jokes to suit the oc
casion. "Make him produce."
If you will do this you can get
good roads without its costing you a
penny. It will reduce your taxes, en
hance the value of your lands, save
your live stock, make farm life worth
living, and put school books under
the arms and lunch baskets in the
hands of your boys and your girls,
and your neighbors' boys and your
neighbors' girls, and Dixie will sing
a song of deliverance.
It's going to take a long time to
r.ccomplish this. These fellows and
their machines will control Legisla
tures awhile?but keep up the fight
and you'll win.?.J A. M., Shelby Co.,
Tenn., in The Progressive Farmer.
FOUR OAKS NOTES.
Four Oaks, July 27.?Mrs. J. N.
Halifax and little son, John, Jr., from
Spartanburg, S. C., recently made a
visit to her sister, Mrs. B. B. Ad
ams.
Mrs. B. F. Vinson and son, of
Macon, Ga., spent several days in
the home of her brother, Mr. B. B.
Adams. Her many friends -will be
glad to meet her again.
Look out for the date of the Old
Maids' Convention, which is to be
played here by local talent as soon
as Mr. D. H. Sanders has his new
Town Hall completed.
Several of the boys from Smithfield
Wf re here Friday night installing a
Junior Order Council at this place.
The Masonic picnic passed off quiet
ly there being only two arrests made.
They promptly gave bond for their
appearance before Mayor C. D. Stroup
Friday.
A public meeting of the Woman's
Foreign Missionary Soicety was giv
? n in the Methodist church last
Sunday night. Among the most
prominent features of the program
were: A reading from Miss Annie
Adams and the Plea of the Nations
given by Misses Pearl and Irene Ba
ko". Pearl Keen, Gladys Adams, An
nie Ford, Golda Creech, Annie Belle
Langdon, Annie and Florence Ad
ams. Mrs. T. H. Sutton deserves
much credit for the arrangement of
the very interesting programme and
splendid manner in which it was car
ried out. ?
Mesrs. Chas. I. Pierce and R. B.
Strickland made a business trip to
Kenly Tuesday afternoon.
There was a meeting of the stock
holders of Four Oaks Banking Co.
(prospective) Tuesday afternoon to
appoint a committee of arrangements
to apply for charter, etc.
Messrs. \v. E. and W. M. Bar
bour made a business trip to Smith
fiHd Saturday.
. Mr. O. A. Private, operator here,
has been transferred to Contentnea
for a few days. Mr. Pat - Barefoot
takes his place. Mrs. Privetfe and
children are visiting in Black Creek.
Mr. Lonnle Keen has aoccptM a
position with the Massenpsll Hard
ware Company.
A GOOD WOMAN PASSES.
Death, the Reaper, Claims Mrs. J.
J. Dupree At Dunn.
When the announcement was made
last Wednesday night that Mrs. J.
J. Dupree had passed from time to
eternity, many hearts in our town
were made sad, for they realized
that our town had lost a most val
uable and splendid woman, and the
passing of her spirit into the Eter
nal Beyond meant a personal loss to
nearly every one of the town. She
was a true and devoted wife, a loy
al and sincere friend, a good and
excellent neighbor, and in all these
offices she exhibited those delightful
virtues of kindness and gentleness
and sympathy and consideration,
which made her ministry so lovable
and so tender. Her life was gem
med with good deeds, and many have
called her blessed, for her life shed
a beam of sunlight in the path wher
ever she chanced to go.
Mrs. Dupree was a member of the
Methodist church, and was a faith
ful, and consecrated Christiau. Be
fore marriage she was Miss Fannie
Howard Toler, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Nathan B. Toler, of Johnston
County, residing near Bentonsville.
She was born April 2nd, 1872, mar-,
ried to Mr. J. J. Dupree September
18th, 1895, tc which union four chil
dren were born, two sons and two
daughters, all of whom preceded the
mother to the Glory Land. She leav
es a father and mother who still re
side in Johnston, two sisters, Mrs.
J. I. Massey, of Princeton, N. C.,
Mrs. D, G, Rhodes, of Mount Olive,
N. C. and one brother, Mr. S. S. To
ler. ui xvocKy mount.
The funeral service was conducted
at the residence Thursday evening
at five o'clock by her pastor, Rev. F.
A. Bishop in the presence of a large
number of sorrowing relatives and
friends. The remains were laid to
rest in Greenwood cemetery in a
beautifully arranged burial vault. The
folral contribution was beautiful and
spoke in silent language the great
esteem and love of her many
friends.?Dunn Guide, July 28. *
Red Spiders in Cotton.
Red Spiders are giving trouble in
cotton in several parts of the coun
ty. Mr. Gaston Fitzgerald has about
an acre which they have gone over.
Mr. C. H. Blackman found them in
his cotton and has burned all the
stalks on which he found them.
KENLY NOTES.
Kenly, July 27.?Miss Flossiei Rack
ley, of Goldsboro, and Miss Lucile
Edwards, of Seaboard, N. C., are vis
iting Misses Leone and Lillian Ed
gerton.
Mi^s Annie Yelverton, of Norfolk.
Va., who has been visiting relatives
and friends here has returned to
Fremont.
Mesrs. H. F. Edgerton and R. H.
Alford made a flying trip to Sel
ma Tuesday.
The Woman's Home Mission So
ciety of the M. E. Church gave an
ice cream supper on Mr. J. W. Par
don's lawn Monday evening, the
proceeds amounting to $13.
Mr. J. B. Steele was In our town
Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mr. Will Wilklns sprained his ank
le a few days ago, but we are glad
to see him out again.
Miss Katie Woodall, of Smithfield.
is visiting Mr. and and Mrs. E. O.
Aycoek.
Mis? Cora Adams, of Linden, is
visiting relatives and friends here.
Prof. N*. C. Wiker, of Elon Col
lege, was in our town Tuesday and
Wednesday, the guest of Prof. S. G.
Rollings.
Messrs. W. A. Edgerton and L. H.
Allrert were in our town Tuesday.
Mrs. H. P. Edgerton and children,
Mrs. J. R. Sauls and Mr. and Mrs.
Snipes left Tuesday for Henderson
ville, N. C.. to spend a few weeks.
Mrs. R. II. Alford and children left
Tuesday for Montreat, N. C., where
they will spend several weeks.
Miss Janie Bell returned to her
home in Dunn Monday night, after
having spent a few days with Miss
Nina Darden.
The following spent Sunday with
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barnes; Dr. and
Mrs. Dickinson, of Wilson, Mr. Al
bert DickldJon, of Fremont, and Mrs.
Will Yelveiton, of Norfolk, Va.
Miss Bessie Holland is visiting Mr.
and Mrs. A. B. Holland.
Mr. Jarvls Edgerton has returned
from a few days stay In Richmond.
Mr. Charlie Pierce was In our town
Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Hughes and
childrcu are visiting relatives and
friends here.
The Freewill Baptists of the east
ern part of Cape Fear Conference
wil' hold a union meeting at Yel
vington's Grove church near Smith
field Friday night, Saturday and Sun
day, July 29th, 30th and 31st.
CONFESSES AWFUU MURDER.
Rag-Picker Killed Five Children,
Whose Father Was Convicted.
Tours, France, July 25.?A rag
picker named Joseph to-day confess
ed to the assassination on April 16,
1901, of five children of a farmer
named Briere. in the vicinity of Char
tres. The father of the children
was found guilty of the murders, and
sentenced to life imprisonment. He
died in prison.
The trial of Briere attracted the
attention of the whole of France.
Four of his daughters, aged, respect
ively, fourteen, eleven, five and four,
and his son, seven years of age, were
found in bed one morning stabbed
and beaten to death. The former
was arrested, and charged by the
police with the crime. According
to a theory advanced by the police
to prove a motive for the crime,
Briere, who owned a small farm near
Corancez, wishes to marry a woman
of considerable wealth. Circumstan
tial evidence led to the conviction
that the farmer, considering his
family an encumbrance murdered
his five children In order to carry
out his wishes. " -
Briere stoutly maintained his In
nocence throughout the trial, and de
clared that two tramps entered the
house during his abscnce S.nd killed
the children. He added that he re
turned wnile tne murderers were rob
bing the house, and that they attack
ed him, and left him for dead. Dur
ing the trial the judge got down from
the bench and gave loud expression
tc his opinion Pf the guilt pf the
prisoner, while the spectators cried,
"Kill him!" "kill him!" A specific
incident Of the trial occurred when
Briere's surviving daughter, who,
the police declared, only escaped the
fate of the other children by not re
sponding to Briere's invitation to go
to see him, went on the witness
stand, sobbingly protested that her
father was innocent, and begged the
?t>urt to restore him to her.
SELMA NEWS OF THE WEEK.
Personal Items of Interest and Po
litical Notes Reported By Our
Regular Correspondent.
Selma, July 27.?Misses Isabell
Mosely, of Kinston, is visiting her
sister, Mrs. J. B. Person. Misses
Eva and Ada Royal, of Wilson, are
also on a visit to Mrs. Person.
Misses Pearl and Lucille Harris, of
Clayton, are on a visit to their
aunt, Mrs. W. B. Driver.
Miss Patty Walser, of Lexington,
N. C., who has been on a visit to
Miss Lizzie Winston, left for More
head City Tuesday.
Mr. Avera Winston and Miss Liz
zie Winston are visiting friends in
Clayton.
Mr. W. A. Green has returned
from Washington, D. C., where he
has been on a visit to his mother.
Dr. and Mrs. Robert P. Noble are
visiting Mrs. Noble's grand mother,
Mrs. Newland, in Lenoir, N. C.
Miss Lula Tisdale, of Burilngton, is
on a visit to Mrs. Mamie Candler.
Mrs. G. A. Tuck is visiting her
daughter, Mrs. R. A. Ashworth, in
Norfolk, Va.
Mrs. L. D. Debnam is visiting Mrs.
R. A. Ashworth at Portsmouth, Va.
Miss Norma Page, of Morrisville, N.
C., is visiting her brother, L. D.
Debnam, Esq.
Mrs. Ward, of Wilson, Is on a vis
it to her sons, Messrs. N. E. and
Walter Ward.
Mr. W. G. Smith has opened a ba
kery on Anderson Street and will be
| pleased to furnish bread to the huu
iBry.
Mr. W. A. Green and his automo
bile doctor were called to Kenly to
see the sick automobile of Mr. Sauls
Wednesday.
Last week's Herald had the names
of two of our citizens mentioned for
the office of sheriff?Messrs. Robert
Millard Nowell and Clarence W.
Richardson.
Sheriff Nowell has made us an
excellent officer and our people
would be pelased to see him contin
ued In office.
Mr. Richardson is in the hands of
his friends. He has made no effort
to secure the nomination; but, if the
people of Johnston think he is the
man for the position, we know him
well enough to know he will not re
fuse the nomination and his many
friends here will appreciate it.
The name of Mr. Albert M. Noble,
of Smithfield, is mentioned as a
candidate for the office of Clerk of
the Superior Court. Mr. Noble Is
a son of Dr. R. J. Noble, of Selma,
was educated at Turlington Institute
and the University ot North Caroli
na. He obtained license to practice
law In 1907 and settled In Smithfield
to practice his profession. He is a
high toned honorable Christian
gentleman who has many friends,
and no enemies. His many
friends 'iere would b? more than [
pleased should be win the nomina
tion. .
Polities, or rather the candidacy of
aspirants for the several county of
fices, is now getting a little warm.
Not that there is any hard feelings
being made; but, rather the desire
on the part of the friends of the
several candidates to win. Some
are for the old office holders?say
they have made good officers and
ought to be kept In. Others say that
rotation in office is Democracy, that
the office does not belong to any
man, that four years, or two terms
is long enough, that two terms was
long enough for Jesse Morgan, Jim
Oliver, Allen Smith, Jim Stephen
son and Walter Edgerton for Regis
ter of Deeds, and for Tom Hood,
John Futrell and Alex Wiggs for
treasurer. Two terms long enough
for James H. Abell and L. R. Wad
dell and why should we keep men In
office for life or good behavior. Our
Clerk of the Court has been in of
fice for twenty years. A great many
people cannot remember ever seeing
another clerk In the office. Ho has
made a good clerk, but, can we not
get another? Are we to give the
offtce to one man for life? If 60,
why have a vote every four years?
Our people want rotation in office
because It is Democracy and the
good old county of Johnston Is Dem
ocratic and will remain so,
I [
New Candidate On New Platform.
Mr. Editor:
I am anxious for an office of some
kind; don't care much what kind,
but I want an office, and I shall soon
become an annual or perennial can
didate, and I think it prudent to brief
ly state my platform.
I am in favor of two terms for
all county officers; the first term
to be twenty years, with the right
to a consecutive term of twenty
years. Should an officer serve the
full time of both the first and sec
ond terms, I think that he should
never be allowed to hold another of
fice during his natural life.
I am in favor of all superior court
judges and probate judges being ap
pointed for the term of their natural
lives and no longer, I am also in
favor of all officers serving on the
European plan with the right how
ever to name their salaries or fees.
I always thought that good officers
should be allowed to say what their
charges should be for their services.
I am opposed to resolutions. I am
in favor of making it a misdemeanor
for a County Convention to pass any
resolutions that would in any way
interfere with the fees or salaries
of any county officer. I am in fa
vor of repealing all laws contrary to
my sentiment.
I am in favor of a strict enforce
ment of the prohibition law. I think
that church members, officers of
the law, lawyers, doctors and far
mers should not be interfered with
especially church members in good
standing. I am in favor of a state
church on the order of the church
of England with a few provisos. All
towns of less than fifteen hundred
inhabitants shall only be allowed one
church for the whites and everybody
compelled to attend said church at
least once a year.
I am in favor of good roads for
automobiles only.
I am In in favor of all honorary of
ficers such as county commissioners
and Justices of the peace paying a
privilege tax. I think that the com
missioners should pay a' privilege tax
of two dollars for each day they
serve as such. I think that justices
of the peace should pay twenty five
dollars per annum, and not required
to have any qualifications whatever
for their office and be entitled to
all fines and costs originating and
tried in their respective courts.
I am In favor that nigh beer sa
loons should be required to sell good
beer Instead of "nigh."
I am opposed ' to common dogs
and believe when a mad dog is seen
the owner should be looked up and
shot.
I believe the town of Smithfield
should be required to allow the sher
iff and treasurer'to reside there.
I believe that all agitators for ro
tation In office should be tried and
if found guilty should be punished
by death.
I think that lawyers, doctors, den
tists, and automobile owners should
pay an annual license tax of one
lundred dollars to go to the road
fund.
I am in favor of making the peo
ple the servants of the officers ra
ther than the officers the servants of
the people.
Now, Mr. Editor, If I cannot be
elected upon th's platform I do not
care for an office at all.
Respectfully,
OFFICE SEEKER.
To repel one's cross Is to make
It heavier.?Amtel.
OUR IMMENSE EXPORT TRADE.
Cotton Comes First With a Total
Value of Four Hundred and Fifty
Million Dollars. Copper, Illuminating
Oil and Wheat Follow in Order
Named.
Washington, July 25.?Cotton, cop
per, illuminating oil, wheat?these ar?
tides in the order named formed
the most important articles exported
from the United States during the
fiscal year just closed. The value of
the cotton exported was $430,000,000
of the copper $83,500,000; of the il
luminating oil $62,500,000 and of the
wheat $47,000,000.
Other articles of export ranked in
value as follows: Flour, lard, tobac
co, lumber, upper leather, corn,
bituminous coal and lubricating oil.
In nearly all of the articles of na
tural production there was a marked
decline In the exports of 1910 as
compared with previous years, while
in certain manufactures the figures
for the year are larger than for any
previous year and the total for all
manufactures probably Will exceed
that of any earlier year. The bureau
of statistics, which has given out
these figures, has not yet completed
the tptai value of the manufactures
exported. " ?? .? 3 * t ' * * < ^\~
The falling off is most marked (n
corn, Wheat, flour and meats, wheat
falling from $161,000,000 in 1892, the
high year to $47,000,000 in 1910;
corn from $85,000,000 in 1900 to $25,
'00,000 in 1910; flour from $73,000,
000 in 1893 to $46,500,000 In 1910;
lard from $60,000,000 In 1906 to
$43,000,000 in 1910; bacon from
S46 000.000 in 1893 to $18,500.00(1 in
1910; fresh beef from $32,000,000 in
1901 to $7,750,000 in 1910 and cattle
from $42,000,000 in 1904 to $12,000,
uOO last year. ? ? ,
BENSON NEWS.
Benson, July 27.?Miss Maude Hall
returned from Fayettevllle Sunday
after spending several days there
with realtlves.
Prof. Ira T. Turlington, of Smith
field. visited his mother who lives
near town last Monday.
Rev. W. G. Hall, of Rocky Mount,
is spending some time here with his
brothers this week.
Messrs. E. L. and J. L. Hall went
down to Fayetteville Wednesday af
ternoon to see their mother.
Mr. Jos. Martin, of Yadkinville, and
Dr. J. F. Martin, of Advance, are
visiting their brother, Dr. W. T.
Martin, this week.
Rev. T. B. Justice, the pastor,
preached at the Baptist church Sun
day morning and night. The morn
ing service was on the subject "Is
the Young Man Safe," and was es
pecially uplifting.
Mr. P. F. Putnam who lives on
the farm of J. P. Canaday near town,
has the finest peach crop your cor
respondent has ever seen. The or
chard covers about one and one half
acres and from it Mr. Putnam has
fold about $f>0.00 worth of peaches
and canned about 300 gallons, and
the trees are still covered with lus
cious fruit. Mr. Putnam is a bro
ther of Rev. D. F. Putnam and is a
splendid farmer.
On last Saturday afternoon Al
vester Capps, a son of Mack Capps,
was drowned at Parrish's pond,
about one and a half miles from
town. It seems that Capps had
been at work distributing guano and
went down to the pond to bathe and
got in where the water was too deep
for him, could not swim and was
drowned. Ho leaves a widow and
several children. He was burled
Sunday afternoon at the family bury
ing ground.
THE WICKED HARVEST WHEAT.
Georgetown. Ky., July 22.?A novel
method to save the wheat crop of
Scott county was resorted to to-day,
when a number of farmers appeared
before the county Judge and paid the
fines of ten prisoners in the Jail in
order to get help to hravest the
crop.
In several instances the fine ran
as high as $30. All the prisoners
went willingly.
Mrs. Coats Entertains.
Four Oaks, July 27.?Mrs. Starling
W. Coats entertained on Monday ev
ening in honor of her guest. Miss
Nnrra Carter, of Baltimore, Md.
At the appointed hour quite a
shower of young people gathered and
wi re delightfully entertained. The
reception hall and dining room were
tastily decorated with copious ferns
and hydrangea.
Mrs. Elizabeth Carter, also of
Baltimore, also assisted Mrs. Coats
in dispensing the honors of the ev
ening. On Saturday Miss Carter and
her mother will depart for Ocean
View to spend a fortnight.