V DEMOCRATIC COUNTY CONVENTION SMITHFIELD THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 VOLUME 39 SMITHFIELD, N. N. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1920. Number 68. A LESSON FROM THE PAST Bits of History Giving Dates of Interesting Events Of Many Years Ago. Wednesday was the 50th anniversa ry of the battle of Sedan, which was fought September 1st, 1870. This date, together with the news of the death recently, of the former Empress Eu genie, recalls the romantic career of this beautiful woman, and the tragic downfall of her husband, Napoleon III, which occurred at the great bat tle half a century ago. rjUgeme s origin was veneu m mya tery. She was reared as the child of the Count of Montijo, whose wife was the daughter of an American citizen. But after her great beauty had made her a conspicuous figure in the social circle of the nobility, her enemies de clared that she was the daughter of the Queen of Spain, by a former Mor ganatic marriage. Envy and hatred constantly pursued her, and she was often the subject of slights and af fronts. But Napoleon seems to have loved her from first sight, and short ly after the “Coup d’Etat” had placed him on the throne of France, he made her his Empress. Our Grandmothers remember whem her name was a syn onym for beauty, grace and vain dis play. She made the court of her hus band, the most brilliant in Europe, and for a time, was the idol of France. After a while she saw that her hus band’s popularity, and her own was on the decline, and as many a wily ruler before her had done, she set about to bring on a war, as the best way to restore it, and secure the suc cession to her infant son. She there fore made herself the center of a clique, which clamored constantly for war with Germany. On the other side of the Rhine was Bismark, the most skilful diplomatist of his time. His dominant ambition was to weld the loosely confederated states of Germany, into a great em pire, with his beloved master, King William of Prussia, at its head. He too, regarded war as the best means to this end. An opportunity soon came to the two schemers. A Hohenzollern prince was a candidate for the vacant throne of Spain. Napoleon sent Count Bene detti, the French Ambassador to Prus sia, to the King, with a note stating that France objected to the candidacy of this Prince, and asking for as surances that it would be withdrawn and not renewed. The King received the Ambassador at Ems, a famous German watering place. King Wil liam acceded to the request that the candidacy be withdrawn, but declined to promise that it would never be re newed. Both request and answer were made with the punctilious politeness proper to diplomatic occasions. But Bismark had the transmission of the notes. Now we would not believe what fol lows, if Bismark had not written it himself. In his Memoirs published twenty years later, he admits that he changed the wording of both notes, so that he made it appear to the Prussians that the French Emperor had made insulting demands, and to the French that the Prussian King had been insulting in his refusal. Both sides believed that a diplomatic af front, the gravest national insult had been offered. The scheme worked. Poisoned with the war propaganda of Eugenie and her clique the proud French nation flew to arms, and an invasion of Prussia was begun with feverish haste. Prussia, “A nation hatched from a cannon-ball,” was iuny prepared. The results of this war are well within the memory of persons now living. France was not the equal of Prussia. Her army was completely routed at Sedan and the Emperor cap tured. Paris fell two months later, and the Empress fled in disguise, to spend the remainder of her life, in quiet seclusion, in England. Victori ous Prussia exacted an indemnity of one billion dollars from France, the loyal provinces of Alsace and Lor raine were annexed to Prussia against their will, and nearly two hundred thousand soldiers, on both sides, were killed in battle. The study of the past is of little avail, unless we learn therefrom, some useful lessons for the future. Sup pose that this incident had occurred between two nations, which were both members of a League of Nations, such as the one just now beginning its functions in Europe. What would have been the procedure of events? By the terms of this League, both na tions would have been bound to sub mit the question, with all facts and correspondence bearing- upon it, to the council of the League. This Council, composed of one representative from each country, would have considered every aspect of the case, and would have rendered its verdict regarding it, taking six months, if necessary. Then no matter what the verdict was, each nation would have also been bound to refrain from going to war,-until three months after the CouneiThad made its decision. It is morally certain that, amid all the disclosure of facts, the French Ambassador would have seen that he had been misquoted, the Prus sian King,—a much more honest man than his great prime minister,—would have disowned the forged dispatches, the people,—the common people,—on both sides, would have seen that they had been duped, a bloody war would have been averted, France would have saved her billion dollar indemnity, Alsace and Lorraine would have been spared 48 years of Prussian bondage and two hundred thousand young hu man lives would not have gone out on the battle field. The Census Bureau has announced that the population of Chapel Hill is 1,483; Hillsboro, 1,180; Carrboro, 1, 129. TOWNSHIP MEETING HELD Cleveland Names Women As Delegates to County Dem ocratic Convention. The following persons were elected and nominated at the Cleveland Town ship courthouse Saturday, September 4th, 11 A. M. Every Cleveland town shipper owes it to his township and county to at tend the county convention and act in behalf of Democracy. Township Executive Committee: A. M. Johnson, chairman; C. T. Young, secretary; J. E. Jones, F. M. Weeks, C. L. Sanders, W. G. Wrenn. Magistrates: J. E. Jones and W. G. Wrenn. Constable: N. T. Johnson. Road Commissioners: A. M. John son, J. L. Myatt. Township Delegates to County Con vention: J. 0. Ellington, H. E. Weeks, Seba Johnson, Mrs. E. N. Booker, C. J. Coats, Miss Emma Tomlinson, Mrs. J. O. Ellington, Miss Inez Coats, Chas. C. Williams, H. B. Brady, Miss Mina Johnson and J. L. Myatt. Every person who attends the county convention is considered a del egate. C. T. YOUNG, Secretary. The Republican County Ticket. The Republicans of Johnston coun ty held their convention here Satur day to nominate their county ticket. Mr. Ezra Parker, of Benson, was chairman of the convention, and Mr. James Raynor of Benson, and Mr. W. P. Lee, of Meadow, were secretaries. The court house was full of rep resentatives from all sections of the county who had come out to hear the Hon. E. A. Holton, the Republican nominee for Senator. We did not hear Mr. Holton, but we were told that he took up a good deal of time finding fault of Democrats and the revaluation act. The following county and legisla tive ticket tvas nominated, each man being nominated by acclamation: Sheriff, A. J. Fitzgerald, of Boon Hill township. Register of Deeds, W. E. Clifton, of Smithfield. Recorder, Ezra Parker, of Benson. Solicitor Recorder’s Court, J. Ira Lee, of Four Oaks. Coroner, John A. Coats, of Smith field. Surveyor, J. B. Penny, of Elevation. County Commissioners, Elam Tem ple, of Ingrams; J. W. Boyett, of Boon Hill; Chas. W. Beasley, of Smithfield; Q. B. Hocutt, of Wilders, and J. B. Faircloth, of Banner. House of Representatives, G. W. Boyd, of Wilson’s Mills and J. D. Ballance, of Micro. Paul Boyett, James Parrish, B. A. Coats and J. W. Jones were placed before the convention for County Commissioners, but they declined the honor and did not allow their names to go before the convention. R. I. Wallace’s name was placed in nomi nation for coroner, but Mr. Wallace would not consent and his name was withdrawn. The population of Mount Airy, the largest town in Surry county, is 4, 752; and Dobson, the county seat, 368. CONVENTION MEETS HERE Democrats Will Meet Thursday To Nominate County Ticket —Candidates for Register Thursday, September 9th, is the day that the Democratic convention of Johnston county will be held in Smith field. On that day, candidates for couRty offices will be named, and also two men for Representatives in the next General Assembly. Among those who are candidates for the various positions, we have heard of three for Register of Deeds. —Mr. W. T. Adams, of Smithfield; Mr. H. I. Ogburn, of Pleasant Grove, and Mr. T. L Hudson of Meadow. These are all fine mcs, and are well equipped to hold the position. Each has a number of friends who will work for their favorites until the con vention names a man. For Sheriff, only one man is a> avowed candidate, as far as we know. This is the present incumbent, Mr. W. J. Massey of Boon Hill township. Other avowed candidates for the dif ferent offices are: Mr. J. A. Keen of Ingrams township, who is running for County Auditor; Mr. Harry P. John son of Smithfield, who is running for Solicitor of the Recorder’s Court; Mr. Romulus Lambert of Pleasant Grove township, who is a candidate to suc ceed himself as County Surveyor. So far as we know, there are no avowed candidates for the other plac es to be filled, but we are sure that the Democrats can find plenty of good men to fill these offices. Among the most important offices to be filled, is that of County Cqpn missioners. The next Board of Coun ty Commissioners will have a big problem to tackle. The special ses sion of the General Assembly passed a bill authorizing th« County Commis sioners to build a new Court House and Jail. They will either have to issue bonds for this or borrow the money. . It is the privilege and duty of every Democrat in the county to come to Smithfield next Thursday, and use his best efforts to name a ticket that will appeal to the people, that will meet with their approval and one that will be elected next November. Hilliard-Cole. A romance originating while the groom was a student in Kansas City was culminated on August 19th, when Miss Eunice Cole of Oklahoma City, Okla., became the bride of Mr. Ezeki el Hilliard of Rocky Mount. Rev. O. G. Gilbert, pastor of the First Chris tian church, performed the ceremony in the presence of a few friends of the groom, at the home of Mr. T. C. Robbins on Nash street. After the ceremony Mr. and Mrs. Hilliard left for the western part of the state. Up on their return they will make their permanent home at the residence of Mrs. J. S. Tunstall, corner of Nash and Church streets. The groom is a son of Mrs. Eli Batten of near here and is engaged in a garage business at Rocky Mount, while the bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Cole of Anadark, Okla. Mr. Hilliard met her while he was a student at an automobile school in Kansas City some time ago, and after a correspon dence which has been continued since that time, the romance was consum mated with the arrival of the Okla homa girl in Rocky Mount August 19, and the wedding that night.—H. E. B., Wilson’s Mills, N. C. Robert L. Flowers Wounded. Robert L. Flowers of Benson was wounded at a whiskey still near Fay etteville last Saturday. He and one other man made a raid on a still where there was a white man ami several negroes. The blockaders op ened fire on the officers and one ball went through the flesh of one of Mr. Flowers’ thighs and broke a bone in the other leg. He was taken to Fay etteville and placed in a hospital. Mr. Flowers returned the attack of the blockaders but did not know the re sult for several hours after. Some parties from Fayetteville came out and found the white man shot through the stomach. He was taken to a hos pital at Fayetteville where he died Saturday afternoon. Books No ornament of a house can com pare with books; they are constant company in a room, even when you are not reading them.—Harriet Eeecher Stowe. MANY ROSES IN PORTLAND Some Measure Eight Inches In Diameter—Great Parade Of Automobiles. (By Dr. R. J. Noble) ARTICLE NO. VIII. The most if not all of this paper will be of more interest to the ladies than to the men, as I shall write about the beautiful flowers seen before we got to Portland, at, and beyond Port land. It was told me by a party, ■who had visited Oregon a year or so ago, that in the flower season the townspeople of Portland kept a pair of scissors on a hook at the front dcor that were called the guest scissors. They were kept there so as to be handy when guests came. Of course I did not doubt the lady’s word, but I was from Missouri, and had to be shown, and I was shown, too, for she did not tell half there was to be seen in the flower line, nor can I. I wish I had the ability to describe them. I can say though to begin with that the roses and Peonies were by long odds the most perfect and beautiful flowers that I ever saw. It looks hard to be lieve, but I saw any number of roses that were eight inches in diameter, the peonies being slightly smaller, seven and a half inches being the largest I saw. Now this measure ment was not guess work. I had a little one-foot rule in my pocket and I measured them. They would not go inside of my hat without touching the sides. I started to tell about the roses before we arrived at Portland, but got off on other lines. When we got over the divide into Oregon when ever our train came to a stop people would meet us with large baskets of roses telling u» to help ourselves. They all seemed glad to see us and wanted us to take some of their roses, and we took them. Everybody had roses in their compartments and seats. Our train was perfumed with roses. The rose bushes arc trained in all sort of shapes and sizes. At one place, in Portland, we stopped to ask a man who was at work among his roses about them. He said they were not fertilized at all. That the soil and climate seemed to suit roses as no other place in the world did. All one had to do was to set them out and cut them back as any old way would do. Now this man had cut his roses back until the stem, or rose tree was from two and a half to four feet high and fully one inch in diameter or more. Then the tree put out shoots from the top of this stalk and made a big brush top. The shoots were about eighteen inches long. One lady counted the shoots from one stalk. There were eighteen shoots and each shoot had a rose from four to eight inches in diameter on it. Can you imagine how this rose tree looked with a stalk over an inch in diameter about three feet high and with eigh teen shoots