North Carolina Newspapers

V VOLUME 39 SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1920. ^ _ Number 12. STATE BOARD OF HEALTH ASKS AID Supply of Nurses Is Practically «x hausted—Appeal for Volunteers— Number of Cases Influenza Being Reported daily is Averaging Around 2,000—Total of 16,000 Cases. Raleigh, Feb. 8—Approximately 16,000 cases of influenza have been re ported to the office of the state board of health for the entire state since the present outbreak began two weeks ago. Reports of pneumonia cases have been unusually few and deaths from influenza or pneumonia even fewer. Reports for the past few days have been averaging about 2,000 cases dai ly. Reports for Saturday and Sunday maintained this average but continued to indicate that cases are for the most part mild in character and not accom panied by pneumonia. With the continuing development of new cases daily a number of com munities of the state jfire reaching the point where they are without eith er medical or nursing service. Others are badly handicapped because of in adequate service. To supply these pressing needs the state boavd of health is making every ecort to se cure volunteer physicians and nurses from communities not seriously af fected for duty in those places where an emergency exists. To obtain nurses especially it is ab solutely necessary that all those on private duty be released in so far as is possible. Evidence before the board of health shows thaHn some instances nurses are being held by families and physicians or individual cases in in stances where they might be spared without danger to the patient, the nurses in these instances being unable to respond to emergency calls even after having volunteered for duty. It should be considered a disgrace, Dr. W. S. Rankin, state health officer, declared today, for any family or any physician to hold for private duty a nurse merely because the patient is able to pay for such service and there by gain additional care and comfort which might be acceptably rendered by some other person. Except where an imperative necsssity exists all pri vate duty nurses in the state should be released for the relief of communi ties where the spread of influenza threatens again to take heavy tol^of life unless medical and nursing ser vice can be supplied.—Greensboro News. BRYAN EXPECTS DRY PLANK IN THE PARTY PLATFORM Miami, Fla., Feb. 7.—In answer to the question put to him today by The World correspondent, “Do you expect to put a Dry plank in the Democratic platform?” William J. Bryan replied: I do not care to answer the question in the form in which it is put. I do expect that the delegates to the Dem ocratic Convention will put a Dry plank in the Democratic platform. There is no more reason to take the side of lawlessness on the liquor question than on horse stealing, ar son, murder or any other crime. The ✓Constitution is in effect and also the law enforcing it. The champions of the saloon are at liberty to join the lawless forces of society if they -prefer such associates, but they ought not to expect the Dem ocratic Party to consider their wishes or to descend to their level. It has more important business than tun ing the country over to the liquor traf fic. The 1918 Death Rate. The death rate in the United States for 1918 was the highest on record according to the census bureau’s an nual mortality statistics, which show 1,471,367 deaths for the year, repre senting rate of 18 per 1,000 popula tion, in death registration area of 30 States and 27 cities, with a total es timated population of 81,868,104. Of the total deaths 477,467, or over 32 per cent, were due to influenza and pneumonia, 380,006 having occurred in the last four months of the year when an epidemic of these diseases prevail ed. The rate for influenza and pneu monia was 588.2 per 100,000. Influen za caused 244,681 deaths and pneumo nia 232,786, showing rates of 289.9 and 284.3 per 100,000, respectively, the highest rates which ever have ap peared for these causes. The rate in 1917 for influenza was 17.2 and for pneumonia 149.8. The other princi pal causes of death were organic dis eases of the heart, tuberculosis, acute, nephritis, Bright’s disease and cancer, which together were responsible for 391,391 deaths, or nearly 27 per cent of the total during the year.—States ville Landmark. Make yourself necessary to the world and the world will give you bread.—E merson. MR. SAM J. KIRBY NEW FARM DEMONSTRATOR A Native Johnstonian Succeeds Mr. A. M. Johnson As County Agent for Johnston The County Commissioners are to be congratulated in being able to se cure Mr. Sam J. Kirby as a worthy successor to Mr. A. M. Johnson, who as Farm Demonstration Agent, did such a splendid work in Johnston county. Mr. Kirby comes as no strang er to a strange people, as he is a na tive Johnstonian, having been born and reared a few miles #from Selma. He is a son of Mr. Charles F. Kirby and got his early training on his fath er’s farm. He was educated in the county schools of his home communi ty and the Selnta Graded School from which he entered the State A. and E. College at West Raleigh in the fall of 1908, graduating with the degree yof B. S. in Agriculture in 1912. Upon graduating from the State A. and E. College he was awarded a resebrch fellowship in Agronomy in the University of Missouri where he pursued graduate work in agriculture in 1912-13. After leaving the Mis souri University he returned to his native State and took up the teaching of Agriculture in the Farm Life Schools. He was engaged in this work for. five years and met with marked success. He was later called to the State A. and E. College to accept the position of Extension Specialist in Agronomy. For the past two years he has been serving in this later posi tion, working with a large number of the County Agents in the most pro gressive counties of North Carolina. This work has brought Mr. Kirby in constant touch with the experimental work being conducted on the branch station and test farms of the State. All this experience has eminently fit ted him for the work of his new posi tion as Farm Demonstration Agent for his native county, one of the best farming counties in the State. Clayton Has Lost a Good Citizen. In the death of Mr. Ransom Penny Clayton and Johnston county lost one of our best men. He was one of the oldest men of the county. His death occurred Thursday February 5th and the burial took place last Saturday at Clayton. Rev. A. E. Moore, pastor of Clayton Baptist church, preached the funeral. Before he moved to Clayton a few years ago he was a large and successful farmer. He was a man who encouraged end helped out every good enterprise. For many years he had been a member of Shiloh Baptist church and had never failed to help when his help was needed. He raised a large family. His death was not unexpected since he had been in feeble health for a year or more. He was born in 1843 on January 22, and in 1864 married Henrietta Adams. To this union ten children were born: Mrs. Salter Marks Southern Pines; Mrs. Oscar Smith, Clayton; Mrs. S. H. Averitt, Garner; Mrs. Ike Pipkin, Murfreesboro; Mr. Z. C. Penny, Nashville; Mrs. Sam Buft'aloe, Gamer; Mrs. E. B. Owen, Raleigh; Mrs. T. R. Rand, Raleigh; Dr. H. R. Penny, Rockwood, Tenm; Mrs. G. H. Johnson, Enfield. Boy Crushed by a Truck. Last Friday afternoon Walter Lee, an eight year old boy of Mr. W. H. Lee who lives on Mr. W. D. Avera’s farm near Smithfield, was killed in front of the court house in Smithfield by a truck. The boy was on his way from school. He stepped toward the middle of the street from between some cars which were standing near the sidewalk and fell to the pavement The truck driver did not see him in time to stop and the truck ran over him. Both legs and an arm were bad ly broken and his body crushed. He was carried to Dr. Wharton’s office where he died in a few moments. The interment was made in the city cemetery Saturday afternoon, the fun eral service being conducted by Rev. J. J. Murray. National Banks in Carolina Growing. Washington, Feb. 5.—John Skelton Williams, comptroller of the currency, points out the phenomenal growth of national banks in North Carolina in a letter which he addressed to the sen ators and representatives of that state in which he says: “In the period from September 1899, to November, 1919, the resources of the national banks of North Caro lina have advanced from $13,656,321 to $185,059,000, an increase of $171, 402,679, or 1,255 per cent. There has been no failure of any national bank in North. Carolina in the past three years. On November 17, 1919, the number of depositors’ accounts in national banks in North Carolina was 256,061.” FLU ON INCREASE IN JOHNSTON COUNTY During the Past Four Days Seven Hundred Cases Have Been Reported To the County Health Officer—Thir ty-two Cases In andLAround Smith field Reported Monday. The influenza appears to be gaining ground in Johnston county. Since last Thursday 700 cases have been report ed by the physicians of the county to Dr. Thel Hooks, County Health Officer. By days the cases reported are as fol lows: Friday, 103 cases. Saturday, 199 cases. Sunday, 273 cases. Monday, 125 cases. * It will be seen that there were not nearly so many new cases reported Monday as for the previous two days. One physician in reporting Sunday stated that he was making report for the past three or.four days, and this ran the number for Sunday to a high figure. , The Smithfield doctors reported 32 cases in their practice Monday. This does not mean that all of these are by any means in Smitfield. However, there are several cases in town though none have been serious'so far. Dr. Hooks reports that no cases of pneumonia have been reported within the past four days. The influenza cases have all been light and the peo ple generally are out in three or four days. It is well for the people to be pre pared to take care of an emergency should it^rise. While the cases have been reasonably light there is no tell ing when they may become more seri ous. It might be well for the Red Cross to be in readiness to assist in the town and community should the situation become serious. Bentonville Killing Lots of Pork. Mr. Seth W. Lassiter, of Benton ville township, was in town Friday and reported that he helped his negh bor, Mr. Ike R. Langston, kill hogs on Thursday. Six fine porkers were killed which netted 1858 pounds. The heaviest one weighed 348 pounds. Mr. Langston killed a pig a few weeks ago which weighed more than seven hun dred pounds. Mr. Lassiter says that the people of his township have killed lots* of pork this winter, probably more than ever before in one seaSon. Not only have the Bentonville people killed enough pork for their own needs but will have several thousand pounds for market. The people of that town ship are thrifty folks and live at home and board at the same place. Ten Million Dollar Fire in Havana. Havana, Feb. 6.—Fire destroyed the principal buildings of the Ameri can Agricultural and Chemical Com pany and their contents at Regia, near here, today with a loss estimated at more than $10,000,000. The flames are said to have origi nated on board the American/ wooden freighter Brookland, laden with nit rate, which was moored at the Regia docks in Havana harbor. The Brook land is a total loss. 'Numerous ex plosions during the fire spread panic among the inhabitants of the village of Regia. Several firemen are re ported to have been injured. Fire apparatus from this city was sent to Regia on board harbor ferry boats. To Submit Modified Reservations. The modified Lodge reservations agreed on tentatively by the recently abandoned bi-partisan committee, most likely will be the basis on which consideration of the peace treaty will be resumed next week in the Senate, says a Friday’s Washington dispatch. Republican leaders after a series of conferences with their party col leagues Friday decided to take the in itiative on the Senate floor in suggest ing adoption o^ the bi-partisan com - mittee’s modifications of the Lodge reservations. Although it is expected under the decision that the original Republican reservations will be at tached to the treaty when it is referr ed ft) the Foreign Relations commit tee it is understood Senator Lodge, of Massachusetts, the Republican leader, will present the modified draft as a substitute after the committee has re ported. Definite decision as to whether the Democrats would accept the reserva tions with these modifications will not be reached, it was said today, Until to morrow’s conference of Democratic friends of the treaty, and perhaps not then. The general opinion prevailed, however, that the changes worked out in the unofficial committee negotia tions would prove satisfactory to a majority of Democratic Senators. “The art of pleasing is the art of rising in the world.” NATION’S 1919 CROPS SHOW GREAT VALUE Farm Production Increased, With* Southern States Making Greatest Strides, Especially in Growing Of Grain—Texas Is Individual Leader. According to statistics compiled by the Manufacturers’ Record, there was a decrease last year in the combined output of corn, wheat and oats of 236,000,000 bushels in the country out side of the southern states, while in the South thesee grains showed an the South these grains showed an bushels. The aggregate value of all southern crops ip 1919 was $7,022,000,000, as compared with $8,768,000,000 for the rest of the country, the South’s pro ducts being 44 per cent of the entire crop values. The total cotton value, seed included, was only a little more than $2,300,000,000, leaving nearly $5,000,000,000 as the value of the South’s diversified crops. The South’s livestock production is estimated at about $3,000,000,000, making a total for all farm products of $10,000,000, 000. These figures give some indication of, the advance in diversified farming in the South. The value of the South’s crops in 1919, the increase being largely made up by the gain in its grain output was nearly $1,166,000, 000 more than in 1918, while in the country the gain was $529,800,000. The South’s increase in crop values was 19 per cent, for the rest of the country 6 per cent. If it had not been for this increase it is probable there would have been much higher prices for food of all kinds. The decrease in the United States winter wheat acreage for this year of 25 per cent, or 12,000,000 acres, and a similar percentage of decrease in rye acreage, show the great decline of grain-producing regions of the West in acreage given to winter crops. Unless this decrease is offset by an increase in grain in the South this spring, there is strong possibility next winter f-iT a shortage in grain produc tion which would seriously affect live stock supply and bring about food prices higher than now prevail. In the total value of farm crops* last year Texas leads the country with $1,076,000,000, while next is Iowa, with $861,000,000, and Illinois with $813,000,000. The extent of diversity of farming in Texas is shown in the fact that grain production of the state was nearly 400,000,000 bushels. South Carolina’s crop production last year exceeded in value by $45,000,000 the total of Carolina’s, and the value of North Carolina’s crops exceeded by $208,000,000 the value of California’s. The three Pacific coast states, Wash ington, Oregon and California, had aggregate values for crops last year of $810,000,000, which was $266,000, 000 less than the crop values of Texas. —Baltimore dispatch. REVISED CASUALTY LIST U. S. No Further Additions or Corrections By War Department Anticipated. Washington, Feb. 6.—Completion of the record of casualties of the Ameri can Expeditionary Force in the World War was announced today by Adju tant General Harris with the issuance of a final revised list of the “Old Casualties” since the review of the American Expeditionary Force records practically has been completed, it was said no further additions or correc tions were anticipated. The total casualties to date follows: Killed in action, including at sea, 34,844. Died of wounds, 13,960. Died of disease, 23,738. Died from accident and other caus es, 5,102. Wounded in action (over 85 per cent returning to duty), 215,423. Missing in action (not including prisoners released and returned), 3. Total of, 293,070. Willie Answered. A doctor who was superintendent of the Sunday-school in a small village asked one of the boys this question: “Willie, will you tell me what we must do in order to get to heaven?” Said Willie, “We must die.” “Very true,-” replied the doctor, “but tell me what we must do before we die.” “We must get sick,” said Willie, “and send for you.”—Newark Speed Up. Gaston county’s 85th cotton mill was chartered Friday when certificate of incorporation was granted by the Secretary of State to the Stowe Spin ning Company, of Belmont, with an authorized capitalization of $1,800,000 of which $100,000 is paid in by E. P. Stowe, R. L. Stowe, W. B. Pruett and R. F. Cox, of Belmont. 1>TATE and general NEWS TOLD IN BRIEF Paragraphs of Interest Gleaned And Culled From the Daily And Weekly Papers. The }lu situation in Lenoir has pre sented a serious question before the town commissioners and the school board. It has been decided to sus pend the school for one week to al low the present flareup time to run its cohrse. 1 Fifty passengers were injured, scores of others badly shaken up, four passenger coaches plunged down an embankment, and four others were de railed when Seaboard Air Line No. 3, from New York to Jacksonville, was wrecked on the Seaboard about 19 miles south of Savannah at 9:30 o’ clock Saturday morning. L. L. Jenkins, a former citizen of Charlotte, whose parents lived at Gastonia, and a millionaire banker of Asheville, was Saturday afternoon se lected as a candidate for Congress and “recommended” to the June primary by the republicans of the Tenth North Carolina congressional district, in a meeting held at Hendersonville. In the last five months the total public debt has shown a decrease of about $930,000,000 and the floating debt about $730,000,000, Secretary Houston announced Thursday in com parative statements of the public debt on August 31, 1919, when the debt reached its peak, and on last January 31. The decreases were due princi pally to salvage and taxes. Wholesale drygoods concerns in the south did a greater business during the last year than ever before, ac cording to the annual report of Nor man H. Johnson, of Richmond, Va., secretary of the Southern Wholesale Dryyoods association. The report shows that the total business done by the association’s members amounted to more than one billion dollars. , Although there is no influenza in Red Springs the committee having charge of the arrangements for the meeting of the Fayetteville presbytery scheduled to be held there February 12 after consultation with the mode rator, Rev. J. J, Murray, have decided to postpone the conference. A quo rum of members residing in Red Springs will meet and adjourn. Fatalities attributed to poisoning due to the eating of preserved ripe olives, served at a luncheon at Mem phis, Tenn., last Tuesday, was in creased to six Sunday with the death of Currie Ivy, 10-year-old son of Usell K. Ivy, who was among those who died Saturday. Mrs. Ivy, the on ly one of the luncheon party now alive, was reported in a critical con dition tonight. American typewriters are well rep resented in the Spanish market, the imports from this country being equal to about two-thirds of the total of this commodity. Before the war Ger many controlled a large part of this trade, although the German machines were much inferior In quality. There are Spanish machines on the market, but they have met with little success. Spain imports about 1000 typewriters a month. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company has announced that begin ning March 15th the minimum wage for male employees would be $6 a day and for women workers $4 a day. This plan will apply to those who have been continuously employed six months or more. It affects between 25,000 and 30,000 workers. In addi tion to establishing * minimum wage the company also announced increases of five to fifteen per cent of hourly rates and piece'work effective Febru ary 15th. The educational system of America is threatened by a shortage of teach ers due to inadequate compensation offered those who enter the teaching field, Dean James E. Russell, of the Teachers’ college of Columbia univer sity, declared in New York Saturday in an address given at a dinner in the interests of the various colleges now soliciting financial aid. He said there are more than 130,000 vacancies in the schoolrooms of the country and that 300,000 teachers in America are paid less than $450 a year. Dr. W. S. Rankin, state health offi cer of North Carolina, has been ap pointed as a member of a subcom mittee to fight malaria in the south this year, being named by Surgeon General Blue, of the public health service. Complete elimination of the malaria problem in the southern states and eradication of the mosqui to, the pest which causes it, is only a matter of time, it is believed in Washington, with steps that have al ready been taken and others project ed by prominent members of Con gress, high federal government of ficials, state and local health officers in the south, and the development or ganizations of that region which are working along the lines of a program that includes betterment of health conditions and sanitation. COTTON SPECULATORS CAUSE LOW MARKET Demoralized Conditions Due to Pre Arranged Efforts?—Wanna maker Scores Gamblers and Manipulators, Urging Planters to Hold Staple. Columbia, S. C., Feb. 7.—In a state ment issued here today J. Scottowe Wjywamaker, president of the Ameri can Cotton Association, charges that, a combine has been formed by certain European and American gamblers, manipulators and speculators, to beat down the prices of cotton and to af fect the direct sale of low grade cot ton and to affect the direct sale of off grade cotton. He declared that re ports received by the association from Europe and from this country show the absolute certainty that the de mand far exceeds the supply. “Investigation made throughout Europe and America,” said Mr. Wan namaker, “by representatives stand ing at the cotton industry, brings to light beyond the shadow of doubt the fact that we are facing the most bullish situation that has ever exist ed in cotton in the last 60 years. There is every indication that com bines of manipulators and manufac turers in England and America, who were caught short on the cotton mar ket, have been formed for the pur pose of beating down prices and pri marily for the specific purpose of de feating the direct sale of low grade cotton by the American Cotton Asso ciation, realizing that the success of this sale means the certainty of far higher prices, which would, in turn, cause them fabulous losses.” Mr. Wannamaker made public a re port from a representative of the American Cotton Association in Eng land which says in part: “Following a complete research thioughout Europe, we are convinced that the English manufacturer is reaping huge profits. He is selling his manufactured product practically without competition. A tremendous production of the manufacturers of Europe are unable to secure the raw product and the field is entirely open to the English spinners. Interviews and investigations bring to light the fact that Europe will import the larg est amount of American cotton ever imported at any similar period with in the last 60 years.” Mr. Wannamaker quotes an Amer ican expert as saying: “The absurdity of the threat of English exporters to ship cotton back to this country is farcial. There is one thing that the salvation of Eu ropean countries depends absolutely on production. The spinning industry is the most important of all in the re habitation of the future of Great Brit ain and Europe.” Mr. Wannamaker says that the views of the two experts prove be yond a shadow of doubt that there will be a demand for every bale of cotton in existence; that present conditions of the market are the result of a con certed pre-arranged combine on the part of the gamblers, manipulators and certain manufacturers in a des perate effort to beat down the prices before the floodgates are open and the law of supply and demand is per mitted to sweep the deck, at which time it is fully realized that raw cot ton will vanish like snow before the July sun. Mr. Wannamaker urges farmers to hold their spot cotton. “We are pre pared,” he says, “to put every bale of cotton shipped back to this country from Europe by this combine.”— Charlotte Observer. LANE’S RESIGNATION ACCEPTED BY WILSON Washington, Feb. 7—President Wil son today accepted, effective March 1, the resignation of Franklin K. Lane for nearly seven years secretary of the interior department. The necessi ty that after 21 years of public life he must “now think of other duties” was the reason assigned by Mr. Lane for his withdrawal from the cabinet and in reply Mr. Wilson wrote his hope that your future career will be as full of honorable success as your past.” Mr. Lane's resignation was sub mitted last Thursday, his letter shows, but it had been known for many weeks that he intended this action as soon as President Wilson could spare him from the cabinet circle. In discussion today of his probable successor the name of Alexander T. Vogelsang, also of California, was mentioned. Death Near Smithfield. On Saturday morning February 7th Noah Durham, a son of Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Durham, who live on the John A. Johnson farm near Smithfield, died of pneumonia. He was six years old. He was buried Sunday afternoon at hte family graveyard at his grand father’s, Mr. Ransom Durham, in In grams township.