COMMITTEE AGAINST JARV1S.
Joint Bcd?t's Unfavorably Report
New County Measure by a Vote of
IS to 7. Sampson, Johnston, Cum
berland and Harnett Register Oppo
sition to Grantham Bill While Spe
cial Train Brings Proponents From
Dunn and Duke.
(News and Observer, 17.)
The bill to allow the voters in the
territory affected to hold an election
on the question of establishing the
county of Jarvis was yesterday re
ported unfavorably by the joint com
mittee of the General Assembly on
counties, cities and towns. Perhaps
the largest delegations that .iave at
tended any hearing upon a legisla
tive matter during the present ses
sion came here yesterday to register
their opposition or favor to the bill.
An hour before the committee was
scheduled to meet tl e gallery was
packed and jammed, md soon after 12
o'clock the delegation that came up on
a special train from Dunn and Duke
had filed into the Capitol and crowded
the rotunda and galleries of the House
and Senate. Sampson, Johnston, Cum
berland and Harnett had delegations
here to oppose the bill, while delega
tions from Duke and Dunn and Samp
son County were here to ask for the
election. Smithfield doubtless sent up
the largest individual delegation, in
cluding, perhaps, the fairest delega
tion of the opposite sex that has
graccd the gallery of the House dur
ing this session. And they didn't fail
to express their sentiment when the
opposition scored a point.
But the Jarvis delegation, promin
ent with ribbon badges of white, came
here to fight for the bill and fight
they did. Never were speakers more
vociferously applauded or more
warmly cheered than were the Jarvis
proponents who appeared before the
committee. At times innocent bystand
ers could imagine without difficulty a
sensational ninth inning rally, after
two were "out," by the encourage
ment offered the speakers. Cries of
"Now you got em!" "Got to it, Nat
and "That's the old stuff" were heard
frequently during the argument be
fore the joint body that held the fate
of the new county in their hands.
Mr. Pou Draws Blood.
Mr. James H. Pou, for the opposi
tion, drew first blood when he declared
that "the advocates of the new coun
ty have mutilated three counties in
the proposed bill and are swinging the
butcher's knife over Cumberland." It
was then that the Smithfield delega
tion made themselves prominently
known.
The argument on the merits of the
bill began with Representative Gran
tham's speech, he "who started all
this row," when the Representative
formally introduced the bill to the
committee that would take away
parts of Sampson, Johnston and Har
nett and make Dunn the capital of the
county that would bear the name of
the lamented ex-Governor of North
Carolina.
Following Mr. Grantham, Ernest
F. Young, called "the father of Dunn",
began the argument for the new coun
ty. His pleas was that the county
seat of Harnett, Lillington, was now
20 miles away from Dunn by the
nearest highway of sand and mud,
"mostly mud," and 53 miles by rail
road. Distances to the county seats
of government from the proposed sec
tions of Sampson that would be dis
membered by a creation of the new
county, were longer and equally dis
advantageous to travelers. He ex
plained that Dvfnn and Duke, with
their rich back ground, were thickly
populated and that 75 per cent of the
criminal litigation of Harnett Coun
ty originated in the proposed detach
ed sections of Harnett; that the advo
cates of Mr. Grantham's bill did not
ask for the establishment of the new
county but only that the question be
submitted to the voters residing in
the territory that would be affected.
Of the political aspect, he said that
Harnett was Republican to start with
and would be Republican if the new
county were created ? although he, as
"a born Democrat and would be when
he died" hoped to redeem Jarvis. The
new county would make Johnston
safely Democratic and give Sampson
a fighting chance, he said.
Hon. Charles Ross, of Lillington,
who led the poposition, paid a beau
tiful tribute to the character and in
tegrity of Representative Grantham.
"We appreciate well that this is not
a local measure and know that Geo.
Grantham is not bound by the con
ventions that govern local matters,
he said. Ha praised Mr. Young: for
his valiant service to the Democratic
party but rapped down hard on "the
lobby that the proponents of the new
county have maintained at a heavy
cost." He "referred to this as the third
effort of the Dunn people to create a
county and detailed the respective to
tal taxable property in Harnett and in
the would-be detached sections. "Har
nett is an even county in area, taxa
ble property and population, with the
other 99 counties of North Carolina
and the State does not need any ad
dition. The number is even and it
should so remain."
E. M. Stringfield, of Fayetteville,
a^d Clerk of the Court, Will Walker,
of Cumberland, next spoke in opposi
tion to the bill, as also did Senator
John A. Oates, of Fayetteville, who
said that "Cumberland doesn't want
75 per cent of the criminals of Har
nett County segregated to themselves,
but does want to lend them a pro
tecting wing."
Mr. Pou followed Mr. Oates with a
speech that continually drew the
cheers from the antis. Mr. Pou stated
that there were 709 voters in the
townships that would be taken away
from Johnston, and of this numbA
472 had protested against the dis
memberment proceedings. "There are
14 or 15 blind tigers in these town
ships who want to get in a new coun
ty because they can begin business
with a new slate," he said.
Mr. N. A. Townsend, for the pro
ponents, clearly presented the polit
ical complexion of the new move and
it was he who received the encour
agement that told the earnestness of
the big delegations in the House.
Judge F. H. Brooks, of Smithfield,
spoke against the bill. Nathan Bare
foot, of Sampson, spoke for it and
said "that he had been coming to Ral
eigh every time the proposition came
up and expected to come until they
got Jarvis County. I have read my
Bible from Genesis to Revelations
and not one time have I seen any
decree that limits the number of
counties in North Carolina to 100."
Mr. J. R. Bajjgett, of Lillington,
followed for the opposition and intro
duced Col. Dan Hugh McLean, " the
silver tongued orator of the Cape
Fear and the war horse of her Dem
ocracy." Colonel McLean closed for
the opposition and J. C. Clifford clos
ed for the proponents.
FOOD. CONDITIONS IN GERMANY.
Situation May Not fiecome Worst
Hut There is Little Hope of
Relief This Year.
The food situation in Germany may
not grow worse, but it scarcely can
become better. This is the outstand
ing feature of Germany's great prob
lem.
The German people as yet are 1iot
starving and they still have provis
ions in adequate quantities to sup
port life, while in the case of further
decreases in available supplies there
is still the institution of compulsory
"soup kitchens," the most economical
method of making all foodstuffs go
as far as possible to stand between
Germany and any forced termination
to the wr.r through an absolute lack
of food. Life for the civilian popula
tion of Germany on the present scan
ty allowance of food, however, is far
from pleasant, though the German
newspapers are fond of referring to
conditions this winter and last winter
as exceptional. They also say that the
short rations are due largely to bad
harvests and like to intimate that
normal crops of grain and potatoes in
the coming summer may end the
principal food difficulties.
GUARDSMEN TO SOON RETURN.
Funston Directed to Immediately De
mobilize Remaining State Troops
on the Border.
Washington, Feb. 17. ? Orders were
issued by the War Department today
directing General Funston to begin
the immediate demobilization of all
the guard units remaining in border
camps and it is expected that the
last troop train will be on its way
north by March 7th.
General Funston will have on the
border nearly 50,00# regular troops
disposed along the line from Browns
ville to Yuma, Ariz., on plans worked
out by the ganeral staff.
Secretary Baker emphasized that
the withdrawal of the state troops is
in no way connected with the crisis
with Germany, but carries out a pol
icy determined on long ago.
SATURDAY IN LEGISLATURE. I
Two Fish Bills In Legislature May
Bring Sharp Fight. Senate Beady
to l'ass llou.se Bill Declared to
Endanger the Freedom of the Press.
Raleigh, N. C., Feb. 17.? Impor
tant tish bills came into both the
House and SenaU* today. Senator Mc
Nider introduced a tish bill to
strengthen the State I" ish Commis
sion and adjust the law to meet con
ditions that have developed through
the experience of the commission the
past two years. It cuts the tax on the
smaller fishermen and permits family
catches free of any tax and adjusts
the administration for probable sav
ing of $1,500 in the expense of the
administrative department.
Representative Grant, of Onslow,
introduced a fish bill that proposes to
change the basis of appointment of
commissioners, requiring the Governor
to appoint those recommended by
legislators representing the counties
with fishery interests and only men
actually interested in fisheries. It
readjusts the taxes on the nets, re
ducing the tax somewhat on the
larger nets from the present scale.
These bills foreshadow a short,
sharp fight that will mark the clos
ing days of the Legislature over the
fisheries question, representatives of
fishing counties having been unable to
get together.
Representative Doughton, chairman
of the Finance committee, introduc
ed two notable bills today to require
ice plants, street railway and electric
plants to pay privilege taxes.
Despite the most spirited insistance
of Senators Jones, Linn, McCoin,
Joyce, Person and numerous others
of the best speakers, that it was a
dangerous step in the direction of
muzzling the press, as one of the un
failing bulwarks of liberty and free
speech, that body today voted 21 to
18 for the House bill to prohibit the
publication of the names of women
who become victims of criminal as
sault. All were favorable to the ob
ject sought, but the fear was that the
passage of such a bill would be an
entering wedge of other legislation
that would lead to dangerous curtail
ment of free speech. When offered for
final reading there was persistent ob
jection that forced the measure over to
Monday before it can be passed and
ordered enrolled for ratification.
Bills Passed Senate.
Bills passed the Senate as follows:
$100,000 school bond election for Ra
leigh; Special tax for Aulander school
district; Authorize county commis
sioners to pay expenses of Confeder
ate veterans to reunion.
Senator Holderness introduced a
joint resolution to piovide for the in
debtedness of the State's Prison. It
directs the prison directors to pay
the State Treasurer $56,300 repre
sented in earning of the convicts in
railroad stocks.
The House went into committee of
the whole on the revenue bill and com
pleted its consideration sufficient to
adopt it for second reading, which
was given when the committee arose
and reported the progress made. The
final reading will be given probably
Monday and the measure sent to tho
Senate.
The House passed the following
bills on final reading:
Increase efficiency in the care of
tuberculosis patients; Extend the
jurisdiction of the Corporation Com
mission as to the right of eminent
domain; Better protection of the peo
ple on the public highways of Jones
and Craven counties; Prohibit ob
structions on the roads of the State.
The House adjourned to 2:30 o'clock
Monday. ? W. J. Martin, in Wilming
ton Star.
The Greensboro Record charges
that the editor of The Landmark
"got up out of a sictc bed" and went
to Raleigh to prevent Dr. Archibald
Johason having a bill passed to sub
stitute mules for bloodhounds in
chasing criminals. The Landmark
editor is glad that he isn't charged
with going to Raleigh to help save
the two-quarts-a-month law. He
didn't hear of Dr. Johnson's bill, but
the doctor was on the ground and it
may be he had such a measure up his
sleeve. It is now up to Col. Fair
brother to go to Raleigh and submit a
few remarks to fhe legislators on the
merits of the proposition. ? States
ville Landmark.
A total of 2,780 vessels passed
through the Panama Canal up to
January 1.
RAILROADS OFFER RESOURCES.
Fairfax Harrison is Named Chairman
of Special Committee of National
Defense to Help In Event of War.
The railroads of the United States
Friday informed President Wilson
that the resources of their organiza
tion are at the disposal of the govern
ment in the event of war.
Officials of 18 roads were appointed
a special committee of National de
fense, President Fairfax Harrison, of
the Southern Railway, being chair
man. He was the chairman of the
committee formed by the railroads
last fall to expedite the transportation
of troops to the border, which will be
supplemented by the committee nam
ed today.
W. W. Atterbury, vice-president of
the Pennsylvania Railroad, sent the
telegram to President Wilson notify
ing him of the action of the railways.
The committee was named at a
meeting of the American Railway As
sociation's executive committee and
will act under the direction of Presi
dent Wilson's National Council for
defense. Daniel O. Willard, president
of the Baltimore and Ohio and a cit
izen member of the council in charge
of transportation and communication,
will act in an advisory capacity both
for the new committee and for the
council in the railroads' preparedness
measures.
AN APPEAL TO LOVE FOR STATE
Will Tar Heels Let S500 Stand in the
Way of N. C. Float in
Inaugural Parade?
Washington, Feb. 16. ? A great ef
fort is being made to have a North
Carolina float in the inaugural pa
rade.
The following appeal has beep made
to patriotic Tar Heels for funds and
support:
"The Woman's Division of the In
augural Parade has perfected plans
for a number of States to be repre
sented in the parade by appropriate
historical floats. About twenty-five
States, as we are creditably informed,
are maturing plans for participation.
"Surely North Carolina with such
an eventful history and with such a
record of loyalty to our President will
wish to be represented in this pageant
of the States.
"A number of North Carolina wom
en have organized for this laudable
purpose and have decided to appeal
to the men and women of the State for
aid. It appears that maybe as much
as $500 will be required to defray the
necesMiry expense of a creditable rep
resentation. Commercial organizations
and public spirited individuals are
urged to contribute.
"The inaugural occurs in less than
three weeks. Many details and much
preparation are involved and final de
cision must await response to this ap
peal.
"Remittances may be made to Mrs.
John H. Small, the Cairo, or to Mrs.
Edward W. Pou, the Shoreham,
Washington, D. C." ? H. E. C. Bryant^
in News and Observer.
PASSAGE OF POSTOFFICE BILL.
Gets Through Senate and Carries
Drastic Prohibition Provisions.
Washington, Feb. 16.j ? With its ad
ded drastic prohibition legislative
provisions, the annual postofficc ap
propriation bill carrying $332,000,000
was passed by the senate today after
a week of vigorous debate. It was
sent back to the house, which will
ask for a conference on the amend
ments.
The senate wrote into the bill a
provision making it a criminal of
fense to ship liquor into States which
prohibit its manufacture and sale,
thus nulifying the statutes of certain
prohibition States permitting the im
portation of limited quantities of liq
uor for personal consumption.
Another provision would bar from
the mails letters, postal cards, cir
culars, newspapers and other publi
cations containing liquor advertis
ing in States having laws against
such advertising; violation to be pun
ishable by a fine not to exceed $1,000
or imprisonment not to exceed six
months for the first offense or more
than one year for th? second offense.
Determined efforts made by tho
postofficc committee to increase sec
ond class mail rates and establish 1
cent postage on drop letters were
made and bitterly contested and the
proposals P dally were thrown out o*
a point of order.
EASTERN CAROLINA CIRCUIT. (
The Representatives of County Fair (
Associations Meet and Plan
a Schedule.
A dispatch from Goldscboro dated
February 1(5, and published in Sat
urday's Greensboro News, gives some
news of interest to Johnston County:
"The organization of the Eastern
Carolina Circuit of fairs was effected j
in this city today, by representative [
officials of the several fair associa- (
tions of eastern North Carolina ? j
Goldsboro, Kinston, New Bern, Smith- ]
field, Rocky Monnt, Tarboro and Clin- ]
ton had officials at the meeting and ,
the Eastern Carolina Circuit of fairs \
was organized, with the following as ]
its officers: President, C. A. Johnson,
of Tarboro; first vice-president, G. A.
Home, of Rocky Mount; second vice
president, Graves J. Smith, of Golds- (
boro; secretary and treasurer, Dr. W.
C. Knox, of Kinston. The date for
holding the fairs of the towns repre
sented were fixed as follows: Rocky
Mount, October 2-5; Goldsboro, Oc
tober 9-12; New Bern, October 1(5-19;
Kinston, October 23-2(5; Tarboro, Oc
tober 30 to November 2; Smithfield,
November 6-9; Clinton, November
18-16." ?
FOUR OAKS NEWS NOTES.
Four Oaks, Feb. 19. ? Mr. D. C.
Lassiter, W. U. Tel. Inspector, spent
Sunday here with friends.
Mr. L. C. Barbour left Saturday
for Scotland Neck to accept a posi
tion with a large mercantile company
of that place.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Lee left last
week for Shelbyville, Indiana, where
they will make theic home, Mr. Lee
having quite a responsible position
with an Interurban Railway com
pany there.
Mr. K. L. Barbour celebrated his
08th birthday Thursday, surrounded
by his children and grandchildren,
who were all present except a daugh
ter, Mrs. O. E. Matthews and son, of
Dillon, S. C.
Attorneys J. B. Acjams and C. C.
Lee attended Recorder's Court Tues
day.
Mr. Vick Cole has returned from
Buie's Creek Academy and will be
associated with his father, Mr. John
T. Cole, in business here.
Mrs. Ed. S. Coats, of Fellowship,
was the guest of her daughter, Mrs.
I. M. Massengill, last week.
Mr. Chas. A. Creech was in Rocky
Mount last week in the interest of
the Equitable.
The Principal of Four Oaks Graded
School, Mrs. Lucas, accompanied by
her assistant teachers, attended the
Teachers Meeting in Selma and re
port Selma's welcome a real one and
are looking forward to the day when
Four Oaks has a school building su;h
as Selma township's.
Among those^ who went to Raleigh
last week we note the following: W.
R. Keen, G. K. Massengill, Dalton
Lee and W. E. Barbour.
We hear that Prof. Lappham, of
Wilson, will speak for us again next
"Sunday. We feel grateful for another
opportunity to hear such a man talk.
Mrs. O. E. Matthews and son, Ed
win, Jr., of Dillon, S. C?., are spending
a few days at the home of Mr. K. L.
Barbour.
Mr. Jno. S. Stroup is laying the
foundation for a nice cottage in North
Four Oaks.
Mr. W. H. (Bud) Lee is working re
lief agent at Sharpsburg for a few
days.
Mr. S. W. Brown visited his moth
er in Oxford last week.
Mrs. R. B. Strickland has returned
from a visit to Dunn.
The chicken and egg market in
Four Oaks has reached skyward for
prices quite a bit earlier than usual.
Eggs 35 cents and hens 15 to 18 ?
Some prices for February.
Speaking of eggs, Mr. Jas. A.
Creech asks us to announce that he
went Micro's record one better dur
ing the month of January. He shipped
52 cases ? 1560 dozen, almost 4 times
as many as Micro, the average price
being 36 cents.
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Tucker wish
to express their thanks to their many
friends who were bo kind to them dur
ing the recent illness and death of
their boy.
The play "All On Account of Polly,"
given by Miss Hinton and school pu
pils, Friday evening, was the beat
ever seen in our school. A full ac
count will appear later.
Messrs. Chester Cole, Barham
Creech, Hunter Strickland, and John
King, "of Buie's Creek Academy, spent
GENERAL FRED FUXSTON DEAD.
Collapsed In Hotel Just After Finish
ing Dinner. Was 51 Years of Age.
For Past Year His Strenuous Task
Kept Him on Duty Much of the
Time 20 Hours Per Day. Just Com
pleted Arrangements for Return of
Last of the Guardsmen.
San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 19. ? Ma
or General Frederick Funston, com
nander of the southern department
>f the United States Army since Feb
?uary, 1915, died suddenly at a hotel
lere tonight a few minutes after he
lad finished dinner. He collapsed
while seated in the lobby of the hotel
:alking with friends, and playing with
little Inez Silverberg, of Des Moines,
Iowa, a guest with her parents at
the hotel when he fell unconscious.
Death was almost instantaneous.
General Funston was 51 years old.
Ever since March, 1916, when he
was placed in command of all Unit
ed States forces on the Mexican bor
der, General Funston had worked at
an unusual pace, ^t critical times in
border developments he frequently re
mained on duty 20 hours of the 24.
The handling of regulars disposed of
at various stations on the border, the
Pershing expedition and, of late, re
arrangement of regular troops while
providing for the return of National
Guardsmen have entailed an enormous
amount of detail work, probably ex
ceeding that which fell to any com
manding general of the United States
Army since the Civil War. Only to
day General Funston completed or
ders for the return of the last of the
guardsmen. Because of the amount
of work which has fallen to him,
General Funston's only recreation or
relaxation for nearly a year has been
an occasional dinner party with a
few friends.
Only recently General Funston re
turned from an inspection trip which
took him as far as Nogales, Ariz.
That, with one trip to Brownsville,
Texas, and a brief visit to Austin,
Texas, last year, were the only occas
ions when he has been absent from
his desk since the border trouble de
veloped. ? News and Observer.
Miss Florence Telfair Dead.
Following a short illness from
pneumonia, Miss Florence Telfair
died early yesterday morning at Rex
Hospital where she was taken last
Saturday.
She was the daughter of the late
Dr. Alexander Telfair, of Smithfiefd,
and had been a resident of Raleigh for
the past twenty years. She was a
musical instructor for a long time
and was well known in this city. Sha
is survived by a number of nieces and
nephews, Mrs. Everard Baker, Miss
Inez Horton, Mr. Archie and Telfair
Horton, of this city, and Mrs. L. N.
Zealy, of Columbia, S. C. ? News and
Observer, 17th.
COMMISSION MAY SOLVE
PRINT PAPER QUESTION
Washington, Feb. 16. ? News print
paper manufacturers facing criminal
prosecution in United States courts
for alleged combination in restraint
of trade proposed to the federal trade
commission today that it fix a rea
sonably price for the output of the
principal plants of the United States
and Canada. The commission an
nounced tonight that it had the pro
posal under consideration and would
reply immediately. It is generally be
lieved the answer will be an accept
ance.
The action of the manufacturers
gives a signal victory to American
newspaper publishers, who in the face
of advancing paper prices have seen
sothing ahead but ruin for many of
their number. If the proposal is ac
cepted, officials say, it will mark an
expansion of the functions of the gov
ernment which in arbitrating th# dif
ferences between the two industries
opens up a wide field of possibilities
for the future. Although nothing has
been said concerning the continuance
of grand Jury proceedings in New
York, it is well understood the manu
fatcurers' move was predicted on the
assumption that there would be no
criminal prosecutions.
Sunday here with their parents.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Wilber re
turned to their home in Richmond,
Va., after a brief stay with their pa
rents, Mr. and Mrs. T. E. Davis.
Miss Maxory Godwin, of I>unn, was
the guest of Miss Flort*>c? Adams
this week.