VOLUME 39
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, MARCH 16, 1920.
Number 22
LAND values
ARE AIRPLAN1NG
Average Value Per Acre of Plow
Lands in North Carolina Is $64 Says
Frank Parker—Large Farms in the
Tobacco Territory Have Sold as
High As $500 Per Acre—Corn Sup
plies on Farms Low.
* Raleigh, N. C., March 13.—We have
heard of fictitious land values, but
Frank Parker, Director of the Crop
reporting service, states that in the
tobacco territory, large farms are
known to sell for over $500 per acre.
In fact, near a small village in Wake
county, forty acres of cut over land,
not having a cleared acre or building
on it, sold for this figure. The aver
age value per acre of plow lands in
North Carolina is reported to be $64
for good cultivated lands $89, and for
poor plow lands $44 an acre. The av
erage value of all farm lands includ
ing improvements thereon is estimat
ed at $75 while those without such im
provements are valued at $55 an acre.
The Crop Reporting Service is expect
ing soon to issue a detailed report of
land values by counties as well as
other valuable information for the
benefit of farmers and business men.
Referring to the high cost of liv
ing, some critics blame the farmer.
According to the official estimates
showing the stocks of corn, wheat, and
oats now on farms and of the per
cent shipped out of counties where
grown, the North Carolina Coopera
tive Crop Reporting Service extends
some interesting light on the subject.
Yet even with this evidence of plenti
«fulness of grain crops on farms, we
doubt if there will be much change in
the trend of movement of restless
farmers from the country to the town.
On March 1, as reported by over
400 reputable farmers froni over the
state, forty-five per cent of last year’s
corn crop still remained on the farms
where produced. This is equivalent
to 24,795,000 bushels which is seven
millions short of the amount a year
ago, and five millions short of two
years ago. Four per cent of the last
year’s crop is expected to be shipped
out of counties where grown. Eighty
five per cent of the fifty-five million
bushel crop was of merchantable qual
ity. The reported value was $2.01
per bushel compared with $1.73 a
year ago.
For the entire United States, 37
per cent of the crop is still on the
farms compared with 34.2 per cent a
year ago and 41 per cent two years
ago. Eighty-seven per cent of the
crop was of merchantable quality, and
about sixteen per cent will be shipped
out of the counties where grown.
The twenty per cent of the North
Carolina wheat crop remaining on
farms at the present time, which is
equivalent to 1,445,000 bushels,
amounts to the same as the twenty
three per cent of the last year’s crop.
Three per cent of the crop is shipped
out of the county where grown. The
average value per bushel is reported
to be $2.64 compared with $2.34 a
year ago.
For the United States, almost eigh
teen per ,cent or 165,539,000 bushels
of the wheat crop remains on farms.
Although the same percentage was on
farms last year, the present holdings
amount to thirty-seven million bush
els more than a year ago. This
amount is almost thirty-five per cent
more than the amount on farms a
year ago. About sixty per cent of
the crop is shipped out of the county
where grown and the average selling
price is $2.27 per bushel.
ASKS FOR BIG CONTRIBUTION.
In Men and Millions Movement Church
Seeks $80 From Each One of Its
Members.
The men and millions forward
movement of the Southern Christian
convention is asking of the member
ship of this denomination the largest
percapita contribution in its recently
inaugurated campaign that any religi
ous denomination in the south has
asked in any of the many campaigns
for benevolences that have been and
are now in progress. The goal of the
“men and millions forward movement”
is $80 from every man, woman and
child in the Southern Christian con
vention in a five year program, and,
judging from the interest and enthu
siasm which characterize this cam
paign, there is good reason to believe
this goal will be reached and passed,
with a creditable margin.—Mamie
Bays.
DEPUTY ELLINGTON’S WORK.
He Has Been in Smithfield For the
Past Several Days Assisting the
Folks With Income Tax Returns—
Delinquents Should Send Their Re
turns to Hon. J. W. Bailey at Once.
Deputy Collector W. E. Ellington,
of Collector Bailey’s office, who has
been in Smithfield for the past sever
al days assisting and giving instruc
tion in regard to the listing of the
income taxes has completed his work.
He was very busy yesterday and Sat
urdey. The time for filing the in
come tax reports expired last night at
12 o’clock.
If there are those who have failed
to file their returns they should fill
out their reports at once and mail
them to Collector J. W. Bailey, at
Raleigh. Those who have not yet
filed their returns are now regarded
in the delinquent list and it is very
important that they should attend to
the matter at once.
Deputy Ellington says the people
generally have shown a good atti
tude about the matter. He has found
that the people are willing to do the
right thing and have been a great
deal more prompt than they were last
year.
A BASEBALL SPELLING PLAN.
Pennsylvania Teacher Uses School
Room as “Diamond” and Conducts
Spelling in Unique Manner.
A correspondent at Kane, Pa., tell
ing the Philadelphia Public Ledger of
a unique spelling plan which a teach
er in that town has put into opera
tion. _
“With the school room as a “dia
mond,” the corners used for bases and
the teacher on the “mound”, the local
public schools here have adopted the
“baseball system” of spelling. The
pupils, as players, when called “to
bat,” advance- to the corner of the
room designated as the “plate” and
the teacher pronounces three words.
If all are correctly spelled the “play
er” moves to first base, having made
a “hit,” each succeeding player who
makes a “hit” advances him a base
until he is scored. Each batter, on
making a “safe hit,” goes to first base
and the runs scored count for the side
the players represent.
“When the player fails to spell a
word correctly he is declared “out”
and goes to the “players’ bench.” The
rules of the national game are adher
ed to as strictly as possible, there be
ing three out to a side and nine in
nings to a game.
“The teachers say it is the best
method of teaching spelling they have
ever known.”
Wants Michigan Delegates Instructed
New York, March 12.—William G.
McAdoo telegraphed Coleman C.
Vaughan, secretary of state for Mich
igan today that he would immediate
ly release delegates from any obli
gation to support him if the Demo
cratic electors in the Michigan prima
ries endorse him for president.
“My conviction is so strong,” he
said, “that all 'delegates to the next
democratic national convention should
go uninstructed that I have been seiz
ing every opportunity to further that
result.”
TRUSTEES CAN’T AGREE
ON STRIKE AT CLEMSON
Clemson College, S. C., March 14.—
After an almost continuous session
which began Saturday afternoon, the
board of trustees of Clemson college,
at 6 o’clock this evening, had reached
no decision in their investigation of
the rebellion last Wednesday of soph
omore and freshmen classmen, which
resulted in approximately 450 cadets
leaving the college.
A number of witnesses have been
examined by the trustees and a peti
tion from junior and senior classmen
has been considered. This calls • for
the reinstatement of all under class
men without punishment and also for
certain reforms in the cadet govern
ment.
Eleven of the 12 members of the
board are in attendance.
A Missouri Tornado.
Eleven persons were killed and a
number injured in a tornado which
struck Melva, Mo., Thursday. Three
men were killed at Nevado, Mo. The
wind partly destroyed a bank building
there and blew out windows in the
court house.
HOUSE COMMITTEE
DIVIDED ON BONUS
Chairman of Ways and Means Group
Strongly Favors Compensation for
Ex-Soldiers, While Other Members
Express Opposition.
Washington, March 13.—The House
ways and ^neans committee will decide
what action should be taken on pro
posals for compensating vetrans of
the world war in executive sessions
beginning on Monday, it was announc
ed this afternoon by Joseph W. Ford
ney, of Michigan, chairman of the
committee.
Final action will not be taken until
after March 22, when the House com
mittee will receive the recommenda
tions of a meeting of the executive
committee of the American Legion in
Washihgton on that day. Franklin.
D’Olier, of Philadelphia, is expected
to be the outstanding figure in the
meeting of the veterans’ organization.
While Mr. Fordney is strongly in
favor of some sort of compensation
for the war veterans, there are other
members of the committee who believe
the government does not owe the ex
soldiers this form of obligation. The
majority of the committee were today
unwilling to commit theijis^ves on
what action would be taken.
At the final hearing this morning
Jerome A. Ditchy, Cleveland, sug
gested that a company fcapitalized at
$2,000,000,000 be organized to operate
the merchant fleet and that the ex
service men be made the stockholders,
with guaranteed dividends on all
stocks of 6 per cent.
Representative Isaac R. Sherwood,
Ohio, and James G. Strong, Kansas,
urged that legislation beneficial to ex
soldiers be enacted. Mr. Sherwood
proposed a reduction in the expendi
tures for the army and navy and in
creases in taxes to raise the necessary
money, while Mr. Strong proposed a
stamp tax.—Philadelphia Ledger.
RAISE EXPRESS RATES
TO YIELD 35 MILLION
American Express Company Asks I.
C. C. To Permit Increases 10 to 75
Per Cent—Need it for Equipment.
Washington, March 13.—Increased
express charges, ranging from 10 to
75 per cent, and estimated to yield
$15,000,000,000 additional revenue an
nually, were asked by the American
Railway Express company, in a peti
tion filed today with the Interstate
Commerce commission.
Increased cost of conducting its
business as well as the urgent need
for more complete facilities and equip
ment was given by the company as
grounds for asking additional reve
nue. Expenditures of “many mil
lions of dollars” was necessary, the
petition said, and additional funds
cquld not be obtained under the pres
ent rates.
The company estimated its deficit
for 1919 at $22,036,000 and for the
last six months of 1918 at $15,723,000.
A deficit “even greater than for the
corresponding period of 1919” was de
clared probabie for January and Feb
ruary of this year.
While explaining that previous in
creases added approximately $12,000,
000 to the annual revenue, the com
pany said this money was given im
mediately to employes in the shape
of increased wages. Granting of ex
tra wages for overtime on the basis
of an eight-hour day was said to have
resulted in a monthly outlay of $1,
022,000 as compared to less than $50,
000 before the eight-hour day and ov
ertime pay were gives.—Associated
Press.
Emigration is Exceeding Immigration
New York, March 12.—Prohibition
is causing so many foreign bom to
leave the United States that emigra
tion is exceeding immigration, ac
cording to Congressman Isaac Segel,
a member of the house immigration
committee.
Ellis Island records today showed
that immigration since January 1 to
talled 53,000 while 61,000 persons left
the country. Most of the latter have
gone back to Poland and Czecho-Slo
vakia to stay.
From the signing of the armistice
until January 1 immigration and em
igration were about equal, approxi
mating 275,000.
Passenger automobiles or trucks, or
both, are made in 32 states in this
country.
BRYAN WILL CONSIDER
RACE IF PARTY CALLS
Nebraskan Says He Does Not Desire
Nomination, But ‘Owes It to Pro
gressive Democracy’ to Fight Re
actionaries and the Saloon.
Lincoln, Neb., March 13.—Should
William J. Bryan’s nomination for
the presidency be “demanded under
certain conditions, he would feel it
his duty to consider it,” he said in a
statement issued here tonight. He
does not desire -that nomination, but
feels he owes it to progressive Dem
ocracy to go to the party’s national
convention “to help in opposing reac
tionaries and friends of the saloon,”
according to the statement.
Mr. Bryan’s statement took the
form of a personal answer to requests
that he enter .the presidential race.
He said he “recognized it to be the
duty of the citizen to respond to calls
of his country in peace or war.”
“If the situation became such that
my nomination was actually demand
ed, as in time of war a soldier’s life
is demanded on the battlefield, I would
feel I should consider it,”' he said.
“I hope that no such situation will
arise and I do not now see any prob
ability that such a situation will
arise.”
Mr. Bryan said the demands of pub
lic life thirty yfars had deprived him
of the companionship of his family
and that he now desired “to look for
ward to a few years of uninterrupted
happiness at home,” where he could
devote his time to literary work. He
added that he had not lost interest in
public questions, but preferred to aid
young men to “carry on the people’s
cause.”
“We have great issues before us,”
he said, “and mighty work for those
who are willing to put the welfare
of the public above their own ease and
comfort and risk all in tl}e_protection
of the common people from the as
saults of privilege. Besides not de
siring the nomination, I think it is my
duty to the progressive Democrats of
the nation to go as a delegate to the
national convention, if Nebraska Dem
ocrats desire it, and aid them in op
posing the reactionaries and friends
of the saloon.
“That is my position and I conclude
with a heart overflowing with grati
tude for the loyalty and confidence
which my friends have manifested.”
Military Men in Rhineland Meet.
Washington, March 14.—Cables
from London and Paris reporting the
uprising in Germany reached the state
department today, but the only direct
word from that country merely con
firmed press reports of the arrival at
Dresden, of President Ebert and some
of his associates in the old Berlin gov
ernment.
The department did not make pub
lic the Dresden message in text or the
reports from the British and French
capitals, which were said only to con
tain summaries of the press reports
published in those cities.
The fact that a council of the mili
tary commanders on the Rhine had
been called, coupled with the report
from Paris that Marshal Fosh had
gone to attend the meeting was re
garded as significant. Any steps con
templated by the allies and involving
the use of troops, it was thought,
would find their origin at this con
ference.
What part American troops might
play in the situation appeared highly
doubtful. It was pointed out that
the American forces in Germany arc
on an entirely different footing from
the French or British, as the United
States technically is still at war with
Germany. Armistice conditions gov
ern the American forces while the al
lied commanders are under the terms
of the treaty of Versailles. —Associ
ated Press.
Big Blaze in Winston-Salem.
The Winston-Salem Kress store to
gether with two other stores, two
cafes, and a barber shop were damag
ed by fire to the extent of $160,000
early Thursday morning. The Kress
building and stock were completely
destroyed, the other places of business
suffering heavy damages. The fire
originated in the basement of the
Kress building.
The socialist party will hold its
first presidential nominating conven
tion since 1912 in New York city May
8.
GERMAN GOVERNMENT TOPPLES
Wolfgang Kapp Brings About Blood
less Revolution in the German Cap
ital and President Ebert and His
Cabinet Move to Dresden.
The Associated Press brings to the
Sunday papers an account of a blood
less revolution in Berlin and tells of
the overthrow of the Ebert Govern
ment. Says the dispatch from Berlin
Saturday:
Germany today is in the throes of
a counter-revolutionary movement
which was successful this forenoon in
turning the Ebert government out of
Berlin and jotting up a new adminis
tration in the capital.
President Ebert and his cabinet,
offering no armed resistance to the
revolutionary troops which invaded
Berlin from the suburbs, have gone
to Dresden and established the seat
of their government in that city.
The new government which has
been provisionally proclaimed here
with Dr. Wolfgang Kapp as chancel
lor, has declared the national assem
bly dissolved and announced that new
elections will be held.
The old government through its ma
jority socialist members, including
President Ebert, has issued a procla
mation calling for a general strike
as the only means of saving Germany
from the return of William II.
Reports from outside Berlin declare
the counter-revolutionary movement
has-affected the troops in large num
bers throughout the country, the new
security guards as well as the old
army forces.
The Kapp government, in a state
ment to the press, declared itself
neither reactionary nor monarchistic.
The events that led up to these de
velopments were dramatic and rapid
in sequence.
The late government leaders quit
Berlin at an early hour and later
were reported at Dresden, where the
seat of the old government has been
established.
^The revolution has been bloodless.
BIG FIRE IN WENDELL MONDAY
Spinning Mills and One Hundred Bales
Of Cotton and a Residence Were
Burned.
Wendell, March 15.—The Wendell
Spinning Mill, one hundred bales of
cotton and one residence were de
stroyed by fire this morning, entailing
a loss of $100,000. The fire is believ
ed to have originated in the boiler
room in the shavings and quickly
spread to all parts of the plant.
Funeral of Mr. Leach.
The funeral of Mr. C. B. Leach will
occur tomorrow afternoon at the res
idence at 3:30 and will be conducted
by his pastor, Rev. C. F. Harrell, of
the Methodist church, of which he had
been a devoted member for 25 years.
Mr. Leach came to Wilson in 1895
and since that time has been in the to
bacco business. For twenty years he
was supervisor of sales and held this
position up to last year when he re
tired.
He was born in Johnston county,
June 13, 1849 and was 71 years old.
He leaves a wife, five sons and one
daughter.—Wilson Times, 13th.
Newberry Trial Gets in Mix-Up.
Grand Rapids, Mich., March 12.—
The situation in the Newberry elec
tions conspiracy trial resulting from
the collapse on the witness stand to
day of Paul King, campaign manager
for Truman H. Newberry in 1918, was
in a mix-up tonight. Frank C. Dailey,
assistant attorney general, said he
would not decide until tomorrow what
course to pursue.
King came to the stand today still
feeling the effects of his nervous at
tack of last Tuesday. After five min
utes testimony his voice sank to a
whisper, he grasped the edge of the
witness table. James O. Murfin, chief
counsel for the defense, hurried to his
side. King was taken from the room
and court was formally adjourned un
til tomorrow.
If the government counsel decides
to waive cross-examination <sf King
rebuttal will be offered tomorrow and
attorneys tonight said the case should
end late next week.
Submarine Runs Aground.
Four men were lost when the Unit
ed States submarine H-l went aground
at the entrance to Magdalena Bay,
Lower California.
FOES OF TREATY ARE
AGAIN IN THE SADDLE
Compromise Is Apparently Farther
Away Than Ever.—Article X Fight
Ends.—Hope of Ratification Not
Entirely Dead Among Some Ad va
cates of Compromise.
Washington, March 13.—With the
irreconcilable foes of the peace treaty
again in the saddle and with compro
mise apparently farther away than,
ever, the senate agreed by unanimous *
consent today to bring swiftly to a
conclusion its fight over decisive ques
tion of Article X.
Under the agreement reached after
the warmest advocates of compromise
had decided nothing could be gained
by delay, a final vote on all proposed
reservations to Article X will be tak
en before adjournment Monday night
and speeches during the day’s session
will be held within a 15-minute limi
tation.
Tonight hope of ratification was;
not entirely dead among some of
those who have worked for compro
mise, though they conceded that the
cards had run against them and that
only a last minute reversal of form
could save the treaty from another
deadlock which would throw it into
the political campaign. The. leaders,
thought the ratification vote probably
would come by theuniddle of the week
The irreconcilables, who alone of
the senate elements had kept their
forces intact during the general con
fusion of the past two days, gained
control of the situation when they in
duced Senator Lodge, of Massachus
etts, the repiiblican leader, to accept,
a change they proposed in his sub
stitute reservation to Article X. The
move ended the bittei’ attack of the
irreconcilables on the substitute and
thus reunited the republican member
ship, but it also drove away demo
cratic support of the compromise pro
posal and befuddled the efforts of
democratic compromise advocates to
make definite pledges of any aid at
all .from that side of the chamber.
FAMINE MENACES FIUME—
NO FOOD IN THREE WEEKS
D’Annunzio May Attack Croatia to
Get Supplies—Red Outbreak Is
Feared.
Fiume, March 13.—Famine seems
to be near in this city. No food has
been brought in during the last three
weeks. Italian naval units convey all
merchant vessels from Ancona and
Venice so that further seizures by D*
Annunizan forces are impossible. As
a consequence there is much suffering
among the poor and food prices are
enormous.
There is no coal in the city and
horses have been driven out to graze
on the hills nearby, there being no
feed for them here. There have been
rumors that Cap. D’Annunzio’s forces
will attack Croatia in an effort to ob
tain supplies.
Fears have been expressed that a
bolshevik outbreak is imminent and
soldiers have participated in disorders
which resulted in the death of one
man.
Deportations of persons who have
lived less than 10 years in Fiume con
tinues and it is expected they will be
completed soon. Those leaving are
for the most part Hungarians and
Croatians some establishments have
been forced to close because their en
tire staffs have been ordered to leave.
Texas Town Burns.
Sunday afternoon a fire started in
the town of Grandview, near Fort
Worth, Texas, which wiped out the
residential and business sections of
the place. More than 1,500 persons
were made homeless and $2,000,000
worth of property was destroyed. The
water supply of the town gave out,
and no dynamite could be secured.
The wind was blowing with such ve
locity that a farm house three miles
away caught from a burning brand
and was destroyed.
Two Millions of Gasoline Burned.
The steamer Olockson with 2,000,
000 gallons of gasoline, was on five
off Cape Mala, on the northern sate
of the Gulf of Panama Saturday. The
crew was taken off by the cruiser Ta
coma.
The first taxies appeared in New
! .York city in 1898, and steam was usedl
j as motive power.