VOLUME 39
SMITH FIELD, N. C. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1920.
Number 16.
COMPROMISE BILL IS
PASSED BY HOUSE
Cummins-Esch Compromise Measure
Got Through Saturday by a Vote of
M9 to 150. Four North Carolina
Members Voted for the Measure
While Six Voted Against It.
The compromise Esch-Cummins
railroad bill was approved late Satur
day by the house, which adopted the
conference report after four hours de
bate, says a Washington dispatch.
The house adopted the conference
report by a vote of 249 to 150—a clean
margin of 99 votes.
Adoption of the conference report
came after the house had defeated,
228 to 171, a motion to recommit.
Chairman Escji, of the interstate com
merce committee, in charge of the
fight on the floor, then called for the
previous question and there was a
buzz in the chamber as th£ voting
began.
There never was any doubt as to
the outcome, leaders said, although
the effect of pressure from labor lead
ers against adoption of the bill was
variously interpreted.
Representative Kitchin, democrat,
of North Carolina, in the closing ar
gument against the bill, declared that
labor leaders had caused at least a
dozen members who were opposed to
it to rally to its support.
During the debate, in which more
than a score of representatives took
part, Chairman Esch declared that
the railroads would be handed back to
their owners on March 1, regardless
of whether Congress enacted legisla
tion meanwhile, he warned the house
that defeat of the bill at this stage
would put half the railroads of the
country in the hands of receivers in
three months.
Representative Pou, democrat, of
North Carolina, painted a more
gloomy picture by declaring that the
country would see the greatest finan
cial disaster in years if it gave up the
roads without enactment of laws
which would give them the right to
earn a fair return.
Representative Kitchin said his op
position was not in “compliance to
the demands of Mr. Gompers.” He at
tacked the “insidious propoganda”
which he said railway interests had
conducted and declared the question
of government ownership was not in
volved.
“Whether this report is adopted or
rejected,” he said, “we have it from
Mr. Esch that the roads will go back
to their owners on March 1.”
Representative Crisp, democrat, of
Georgia, said the bill contained noth
ing unfair to labor but that labor
would oppose any legislation return
ing the carriers to private operation.
In opposing the bill, Representative
Denison, republican, Illinois, said his
attitude was not an indorsement of
government ownership or the Plumb
plan but his qbjection was to the fin
ancial provisions.
Mr. Denison opposed fixing a rate
of return on rail investments for two
years, declaring it was “paternalism
pure and simple.” He declared the
provision against reduction of wage
rates during the next six months “was
a step toward socialism.” He also
contended the division of excess earn
ings was unconstitutional.”
Messrs. Pou, Godwin, Small and
Hoey voted for the measure while
Kitchin, Brinson, Stedman, Robinson,
I'oughton'and Weaver voted against
it.
German Minister Appears in Paris.
Paris, Feb. 20.—For the first time
since the resumption of diplomatic re
lations between France and Germany
Dr. Wilhelm Mayer, the German
charge d’affaires, was present today at
a reception to the diplomatic corps at
the Elysee palace.
Baron Keishiro Matsui, the Japa
nese ambassador, speaking on behalf
of the diplomatic corps, expressed its
ardent wish for the greatness of
France. President Deschanel, in re
ply, asserted that the government,
parliament and people of France
would lend all their aid in the effort
to re-establish peace, bring back an
era of tranquility and respect for
treaties.
President Deschanel has received
telegrams from the heads of nearly
all the governments, felicitating him
on his assumption of the presidency.
REAR ADMIRAL PEARY
DEAD AT WASHINGTON
Discoverer of the North Pole Suc
cumbs After Illness Lasting Several
Months—Daniels Pays a Tribute.
Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary, re
tired, discoverer of the north pole,
died at his home in Washington Fri
day, says an Associated Press dis
patch, after a two years’ illness of
pernicious anemia.
It had been known to the explorer’s
family for weeks, but kept from the
public, that his life was despaired of,
but no one thought the end so near
and his sudden death was unexpected.
Tribute to the achievements of Ad
miral Peary was paid by Secretary
Daniels in the following message of
sympathy to Mrs. Peary:
“Voicing the sentiments of the
whole navy, I desire to express deep
sympathy in your bereavement. If
any earthly comfort can help you in
this hour it must be the assurance
that the whole country sorrows with
you and that all over the world there
will be profound l-egret at the death of
your distinguished husband. He had
the honor to accomplish the realization
of a great ambition and to receive the
plaudits of all nations. His great
achievement brought particular dis
tinction to the American navy of
which he was an honored and dis
tinguished officer.”
Gift of 880,000 for Wilmington Church
Wilmington, Feb. 20.—Announce
ment was made today that Mrs. James
Kenan Wise has made a gift of 880,
000 to the Church of the Covenant, a
Presbyterian church of this city. The
funds will be used for the construction
of a Sunday school annex, the second
floor of which will be used for club
rooms for boys and girls.
Another feature of the new building
made possible by the gift of Mrs. Wise
will be the installation of a modern
gymnasium in the basement of the
building and facilities for motion pic
tures of an educational nature.
Mother of President Attended Salem.
Winston-Salem, Feb. 20.—G. T.
Gaines, of Knoxville, Tenn., is here
visiting his two daughters, who are
students at Salem College. Mr. Gaines
stated that the great grandmother of
the daughters was educated here more
than one hundred years ago, that the
wife of President Polk, undoubtedly
the greatest woman Tennessee ever
produced, was a student at Salem Col
lege, entering that institution in 1818.
She came across the mountains
from Tennessee on horseback to begin
her studies here. Mr. Gaines is an
ardent advocate of Herbert Hoover
for President.
TWO COUNTIES ARE TO
HAVE NAVIGABLE CANAL
New Hanover and Brunswick Will
Connect Cape Fear and Brunswick
River.
Wilmington, Feb., 22.—At a meet
ing of a committee representing the
boards of county commissioners of
New Hanover and Brunswick counties
here Saturday it was tentatively
agreed that a canal will be construct
ed along the causeway leading to the
Cape Fear ferry on the Brunswick
side of the river. The canal will con
nect the Cape Fear and Brunswick
rivers and will be navigable by boats
of small draft. WT. S. Fallis, state
highway engineer, attended the meet
ing and went on record in favor of
this proposition.
The causeway will be constructed
by two counties with state and federal
aid. Construction work will start
within the next 60 days, it is believed,
as Mr. Fallis stated that plans will
be in such shape as to be offered bid
ders within 30 days. The ferry boat
which will be used here is being con
structed by a Morehead City ship
building firm and will be launched
during the next few days.—Greens
boro News.
Child Badly Burned.
Stantonsburg, Feb. 20.—Doris, the
small daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. S.
Speight of Walstonburg, caught fire
while playing around an open fire at
her home and was badly burned. She
would have been burned to death only
for the brave efforts of her 16-year
old sister who wrapped her in blank
ets and smothered out the flames.
MAN AND HIS WIFE
DIE ON THE SAME DAY
Mr. John Lee I>ied at Three in the
Morning and His Wife Before Three
In the Afternoon of Influenza-Pneu
monia.
Mr. A. R. Lee, who lives in Ingrains
township, near the Hockaday mill,
was in town yesterday and told us
of the serious situation in his neigh
borhood caused by influenza.
One of his neighbors, Mr. John
Lee, died early last Friday morning,
of influenza-pneumonia. Before three
o’clock in the afternoon his wife had
succumbed to the same disease. They
were buried the next day in the Jim
Lee graveyard. They leave three
small children, the oldest of which is
about six years old. These four chil
dren are all sick with influenza with
no one in the home to wait on them.
Mr. A. R. Lee and Mr. Addison Lee,
who was also here yesterday, say the
situation in their section is very seri
ous. Mr. Pharoah Blackman’s family
of eight, and some relatives who are
at the same home, altogether about
fourteen in all, are all sick except two.
There are other families where nearly
every one is sick with none to wait on
them. Mr. Lee reports that Mr. John
Lee had eleven nice fattening hogs
that went without feed for a week
before Mr. Lee died. In another fami
ly there was no one able to look after
the stock and the mule went without
food and water for two days. The
condition in that neighborhood is very
serious and some help is very badly
needed. People get sick and go for
two or three days without any atten
tion^ because no one happens to pass
their way.
Child Burned to Death.
Fayetteville, Feb. 20.—Eugene Ak
ers, tw«-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
Wilsie Akers, was severely burned
when his clothing caught fire from
matches with which he was playing,
and died yesterday morning. Mrs.
Akers left the child and his small sis
ter in a bed room of the home in Robe
son street. She heard the child's
screams and found his clothing ablaze
when she rushed to his aid. Burnt
matches were found on the floor of the
room.—News and Observer.
Old Man Died Suddenly.
On Friday night, February 13th.
Mr. Gaston Langley died suddenly
when he was nearly through shaving
himself. He was supposed to be in
good health and after supper decided
to take a shave. He fell back in his
chair and died without ever speaking
again. He was buried at the Dunn
graveyard about three miles south of
Four Oaks. He had recently moved
to one of Mr. W. B. Johnson’s farms
about four miles from Smithfield. He
lived last year in Wilson’s Mills town
ship. He was seventy years old.
Pitt County Memorial Hospital.
A campaign to get subscriptions^ for
stock for the Pitt County Memorial
Hospital will be put on March 7. The
prevalence of influenza and attend
ant. cases of pneumonia have made
the need of a hospital felt.
Mr: John Sanders of Dunn Dead.
Mr. John Sanders, a native of John
ston county, died at his home in Dunn
Saturday, February 14. Mr. Sanders
was a deaf mute but that did not keep
him from numbering his friends by
those who knew him. He was about
48 years old.
School Building Burned Down.
Mr. Haywood Barbour, of Elevation
township, was here last Saturday and
told us of the destruction by fire of
Spilona school house on last Monday,
February 16th. The fire started from
a defective flue in the smaller room of
the building. It occurred at the noon
hour and was a great surprise. It
broke up the school for the present.
The desks from the large room were
saved. It is said that another build
ing will be erected at the same place.
The Spilona school is a two teacher
school.
Has New Housing Corporation.
Rocky Mount is to have a new hous
ing corporation. Stock to the amount
of $140,000 has already been sold.
TO SPEND A MILLION
ON CAMP BRAGG
Senate Hill Orders Sale of Camps Tay
lor. Eustis and Gordon and Exten
sions at Camp Bragg.
The hill to authorize sale of three
large army camps and to provide for
fulfilment of war-time contracts for
purchase and equipment of numerous
other military posts was finally agreed
to in conference Friday, and the con
ference draft was agreed to by the
senate. The house is expected to act
within a few days, says a Washington
dispatch.
In its final form the measure di
rects the sale of Camp Taylor, Ky.,
not later than June 30, 1921, and of
Camp Gordon, Ga., and Camp Eustis,
Va., subsequent to that date. Among
the projects for completion of which
appropriations are made are:
Real estate and construction at
Camp Benning, Ga., $835,000, and real
estate, roads and building at Camp
Bragg, N. C., $1,173,000.
Red Cross Still Busy.
Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 23.—During the
year 1919 the American Red Cross
helped 179,007 service men and their
families in the southern division, com
prising the states of North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and
Florida, according to a report made
by division headquarters today.
The cases included only those under
the jurisdiction of Red Cross Home
Service, and did not include Red Cross
work at canteens, camps and other
military centers. The majority of
cases were those of service men who
needed help.
This service was of varied kinds—
all the way from finding a lost soldier
in France for his family in the states,
to helping men to get their Liberty
bonds and allotments; and from look
ing out for the folks at home while the
boy was in uniform, to getting in
touch with the boy when he came back
and aiding him to take hospital treat
ment or vocational educational train
ing of the government.
Pershing Ashamed of Illiteracy.
Chattanooga, Feb. 19.—General
John J. Pershing, here for an inspec
tion of Fort Oglethorpe, declared at
a luncheon given «in his honor today
that he was ashamed at the revela
tions of illiteracy shown by tests of
m«n called in the selective service
and emphasized the duty of Ameri
cans to support education and bring
the benefits of good schools to every
family. General Pershing said the
record showed that fully 25 per cent
of the men drawn in the draft were
illiterate, a fact, he said, which should
cause every American shame.—Char
lotte Observer.
Child Pawed to Death by Horse.
News comes that a horse belonging
to Mr. Joseph Capps on the farm of
Mr. W. L. Lassiter broke out of a lot
on Friday, February 1 f5th, and finding
a little girl two years old, a daughter
of Mr. Leonard Ferrell, knocked her
over and pounded her to death. It is
said that when this horse is loose from
harness he seems to want to be in mis
chief. The little girl lived only about
four minutes after the horse left her.
Her little body was buried in the
graveyard at St. Mary’s Grove Free
Will Baptist church.
To Lay off Cemetery at I’isgah.
Rev. R. L. Gay asks us to state that
on Saturday, March 6th, the members
of Pisgah church and the people of
the neighborhood are requested to
meet at the church to help lay off the
cemetery. It is desired that a syste
matic arrangement may be had and
that some one be appointed a keeper
to look after the cemetery and say
where graves should be made.
Washington “Dollar a Year Man.”
“Dollar a year” men were numerous
in the days during the recent war.
They were too patriotic to accept pay
for war work yet the laws compelled
them to receive a salary. But how
many know who was the first dollar
a year man? None other than the
Father of our Country—George Wash
ington. He was the first to serve the
nation through stormy war times and
refuse pay for it.
/
OPENING GUN OF CAMPAIGN
FIRED BY THE REPUBLICANS
Elihu Root Outlines The Platform on
Which the Party Should Go to the
Polls.
The following extracts from a com
munication to Friday’s Wilmington
Star gives Elihu Root’s idea of what
the government should be. His re
marks were delivered at an unofficial
Republican State convention in New
York City. The account says:
"The opening gun of the republican
national campaign was fired here to
night in a keynote speech by Elihu
Root at the unofficial republican state
convention, in which he outlined the
platform upon which he believed the
republican should go to the polls next
November.
"Mr. Root brought the assembled
delegates to their feet cheering time
and again in his denunciation of the
democratic administration, especially
in his references to what he termed
the autocratic conduct of President
Wilson.
"The principal proposals put for
ward by Mr. Root were:
“Decentralization of the President’s
executive power, ratification of the
peace treaty with Senate amendments,
reform of the league of nations cove
nant by a Congress of nations at the
call of a ‘republican president imme
diately after March 4, 1921,’ limita
tion of the right to strike, taxation re
visions and universal military train
ing.
“ ‘More important than all,’ Mr.
Root said, ‘is the necessity that we
shall restore our republican form of
government, with the liberty of the
individual citizen preserved by limita
tions upon official power and put an
end to the dictatorship which we creat
ed in order to carry on the war. By
a series of statutes unprecedented in
scope and liberality, with singleness
of purpose and patriotic devotion
worthy of all praise, the American
people conferred upon the president
powers broader and more autocratic
than were possessed by any sovereign
in the civilized world.
" ‘Peace has come in fact, if not
technically, but the war powers of the
executive still continue. They should
be brought to an end. It is not a
simple thing, for new conditions have
been created which should be dealt
with at the same time by statutes
adapted to the conditions of peace and
subject to the limitations of power of
our constitutional system.
“ ‘There is a double, immediate pur
pose to be served. One, to restore the
habit of freedom. It is dangerous for
a people to acquire the habit of bow
ing to power without limits. They
soon become subservient and then
character essential to freedom degen
erates. The other is to stop a multi
tude of interference, ill-judged, al
though well meant, with the natural
course of business, through which
alone natural laws can operate to re->
store normal conditions.’ ”
BURKE COUNTY SELLS BONDS.
Money Will Be LIsed For New County
Home and Road Work—$107,000
Sold at Far.
Burke county sold bonds Wednesday
to the value of $107,000, the biggest
that has been made in one time in
county for the purpose of building
roads. The Hanchett Bond company,
of Chicago, were the purchasers, their
bid being par with accrued interest,
The amount was divided as follows:
$40,000 for a county home arid gener
al road work in the county; $67,000
for township roads. This is divided
as follows: Lower Fork, $17,000;
Quaker Meadows, $20,000; Upper
Creek, $20,000; Jonas Ridge, $10,000.
Another County Home.
Another North Carolina county is
to have a beautiful and modern coun
ty 'some, Stanly county having let the
contract for a $75,000 county home.
Cabarrus county recently completed a
new home for the poor, crippled and
the needy, and it has been an untold
blessing to the entire community, as
well as a thing of extreme beauty.—
Concord Times.
Press Association to Waynesville.
Charlotte, Feb. 20.—Waynesville, N.
C., was selected tentatively as the next
summer convention city of the North
Carolina Press Association at a meet
ing here today of the executive com
mittee.
— *
HOUSE COMMITTEE
IS FOR TRAINING
Slender Majority Votes to Report
Favorably on the Principal Involved
—Final Vote Was 11 to 9.
Washington, Feb. 20.—Universal
military training as part of the fu
ture military policy of the United
States was approved in principal to
day by the house military committee,
which decided by a margin of two
votes that the army reorganization
bill should make provisions for such
a plan, effective July 1, 1922.
The close committee vote of 11 to 9
coming as a three-hour debate in ex
ecutive session, was regarded as in
dicative of the bitter fight, to be made
in the house later when the reorgani
zation measure gets the right of way.
Opponents of universal training, de
spite today's defeat, confidently pre
dicted they would win out when the
proposal reaches the house. The sen
ate also must vote on the universal
training question as its reorganiza
tion bill, now pending, includes such
a provision.
Opponents of universal training
during debate in the committee de
clared reporting of the proposal was
useless because of the Democratic
caucus having, gone on record against
it and with many Republicans, in
cluding Floor Leader Mondell, openly
against the scheme. Opinion as to
the country’s reception of the plan va
ried with the sentiment of its sup
porters and opponents.
Lee II. Yarborough Dead.
News was received in Raleigh yes
terday of the death of Lee Hapwood
Yarborough, of Clayton. Mr. Yar
borough was about 65 years old, and
was well known to many of the older
citizens of Raleigh, he being a native
of the vicinity. He was an alumnus
of Trinity College, having been a stu
dent in that institution when it was
located in Randolph county. In early
life he was engaged in agricultural
pursuits. Later he removed to Clay
ton and engaged in merchandizing, al
so being interested in several industri
al enterprises. A few years ago he
was appointed postmaster of Clayton,
but had held that position only a
short while when he was prostrated
by a severe stroke of paralysis, which
totally disabled him for the remainder
of his life. Throughout this over
whelming affliction, with health and
prospects wrecked, he was patient and
uncomplaining, thankful for the min
istrations of his devoted wife and
many warm friends in Clayton. He
left no children.
Mr. Yarborough was a son of the
late Edward Yarborough, Jr., an of
ficer in the War with Mexico, and a
grandson of Colonel Edward Yarbor
ough, a famous hotelist of his day,
who founded the Yarborough Home
in this city. Colonel Yrarborough’s
father was Captain Edward Yarbor
ough, of Salisbury, ,an officer of the
Continental Army, who was one of
the organizers of the Order of the
Cincinnati in 1783. Lee H. Yarbor
ough was his hereditary representa
tive in that organization. Maternally,
Mr. Yarborough was a grandson of
I)r. John Lee Haywood, a physician in
the early days of Raleigh.
The funeral services will be con
ducted from Mr. Yarborough’s late
residence in Clayton this afternoon
at 3 o’clock.—News and Observer, 20.
Bonds of the First Three Issues.
First, second and third Liberty
Bonds may now be converted into
4 1-4 per cent bonds. Those desiring
to have their bonds converted may
have it done by turning them in to the
First National Bank. See their ad
elsewhere in this issue.
Rural Carrier Examination.
The United States Civil Service
Commission has announced an exam
ination for the County of Johnston,
North Carolina, to be held at Selma,
North Carolina, on March 12, 1920, to
fill frhe position of rural carrier at
Selma, North Carolina, and vacancies
that may occur on rural routes from
other post offices in the above-men
tioned county. The examination will
be open only to citizens who are ac
tually domiciled in-the territory of a
post office in the county and who meet
the other requirements set forth in
Form No. 1977.