North Carolina Newspapers

VOLUME 39 •* jWI SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1920 Number 70. THURSDAY’S CONVENTION Verdict in Raleigh is That Democratic Candidate Made Telling Speech Women Pleased. The Herald feels that it owes its readers an apology for the meager and unsatisfactory account of the County Convention last Thursday, as well as for the hurried comment on the speech of Mr. Morrison. * The only reporter whom this paper had on the grounds, was the lament ed Mr. Lassiter. His notes extended, of course, only over a part of the pro ceedings and in the excitement caused by his sudden illness, they were not brought to the office. So we were en tirely without information concern ing the events of the day one hour before time to go to press. Two friends of The Herald knowing the situation, came to our assistance, and dictated from memory, the few notes from which our stenographer was able to furnish the short account which appeared in Friday’s paper. We are fortunate in being able to give our readers a more detailed descrip tion of this very important gathering in today’s Herald. We also reproduce below in part, a criticism of Mr. Morrison’s speech and its effect which appeared in Sat urday’s News and Observer. Raleigh’s political contingent, aug mented yesterday by mild mannered politicians here to attend the meeting of the Trustees of the University, was agog with discussion pro and con on the Smithfield speech of Cameron Morrison, the democratic nominee for governor of the state. That it met the approval of leading citizens was reflected in the views of men of many shades of opinion. It did not please the Republicans, to be sure, for it largely dealt with an ex position of the fallacy of the cam paign John J. Parker, Mr. Morrison’s Republican opponent, is making. What is more important, it did please a great many of the ladies. It pleased the newly enfranchised voters enough to justify the prediction that the hesitant ones of yesterday are champions of Democracy today. Most of the new voters are thor oughly in record with the Morrison statement that the women of North Carolina need no invitation to come into the Democratic party. Few there are who have expressed any purpose to align themselves with the Republican party in North Carolina. Even among the strongest oppon ents the Democratic candidate had in his two heated primary contests was an expressed feeling yesterday that the Smithfield speech was an able de liverance. For it to have taken the turn of an assault on the “shame less” campaign the Republicans are waging this early in North Carolina, was generally regarded as timely and telling. On the campaign for his party, there is no man in North Car olina superior to the Democratic can didate and, while speaking against the elements—the elements including a tiresome night ride from Wilming ton—he eloquently maintained his reputation as the premier stump speaker ot Carolina. Meet Parker! Chairman Warren does not believe it would be practical. He doesn’t believe in joint debates anyhow but if the party would turn Mr. Morrison loose the betting part of the Smlthfield audience would wager their tobacco crops that Park er would hoist the white bag before the rejoinder. Mr. Morrison’s reply to the Smith field inquiry about the women paying poll tax has been liberally construed to mean that he is opposed to the imposition of a poll tax on the new ^ voters unless it is necessary under the terms of the constitution. Some of his friends yesterday, after talking ^ this phase of the matter over with^ him, went so far as to predict that; he will recommend that no poll tax be placed on women in his first ad dress to the General Assembly. Morrison supporters here yesterday approached as to the probable num ber of women votes against him in the election, were inclined to believe that the opposition to him among the Democratic women of the State would be negligible. “Are they going to vote against him because he was opposed to suf frage?” one of them asked in re sponse to a question. “Do you sup pose that the anti suffragists, who were in a majority propose to vote against the Democratic candidates who were favorable to suffrage? Such procedure would be out of all reason. Some of the leading suffragists of the city—questioned yesterday as to WARNING NOT HEEDED Warehousemen and Farmers of East ern North Carolina Hold A Meeting in Wilson. At a meeting held at Wilson, North Carolina, by the Tobacco Association of the United States at which was present representatives from the va rious markets of eastern North Caro lina including dealers, warehousemen and farmers, the following resolutions were adopted. First. That under the circumstan ces of the unprecedented large crop of tobacco being grown in 1919 and sold at the highest average ever known and that every incentive was thus given to increase the tobacco produc tion and as these prices were unduly high considering the size of the crop and the circumstances of the central European countries which take con siderable quantity of bright tobacco being debarred by the great depreci ation of the rate of exchange, every thing costing them five or six times as much as compared with the Amer ican dollar and the further condition that there has been a sufficient stock of tobacco accumulated for all practi cal purposes that everything points to much lower prices even if no more tobacco is produced than in 1919. Second. Under the prevailing con dition of high labor, fertilizer and ev erything that contributes to the mak ing of bright tobacco it has been deemed wise and appropriate to put these facts before the producers of bright tobacco with the expressed opinion of the leading tobacco men that the production of any larger quantity than was made last year would be frought with the danger of very much lower prices possibly less than the cost of production. Third. Therefore the farmers are urged not to plant any crop that will produce more than was made last year, taking in consideration that the crop last year was considerably cur tailed by excessive rains. If 470,000, 000 lbs. produced in 1919 created a surplus sufficient for the price of to bacco at the end of the season to be reduced without the last year’s rains the surplus would have been 125,000 000 lbs. more. The Government estimated 15 per cent increase for 1920 for North Carolina which with an average yield would bring the crop up considerably over 600,000,000 pounds with the possible deplorable result as to the values and therefore there is every apparent reason that the crop should be materially reduced as compared with last year in order that no more pounds of tobacco shall be produced. Fourth. Be it further resolved that these resolutions be sent to every leading bright tobacco market in Vir ginia, North and South Carolina and steps be taken to promulgate and get before the farmers as far as possible the action. (Signed) L. M. CARRINGTON, Pres. Tobacco Asso. of the U. S. The Smithfield Fire Deartment Has any one stopped to think about the present fire fighting equipment of Smithfield? We have all the hose necessary but have no means of getting it to a fire except some good Samaritan comes along with his fine automobile and lets anybody hang on and try and pull the old worn out reel from the back of his car. Today we have one reel in fairly good condition while the other one has a smashed wheel. Efforts are be ing made to remodel this reel but should we have a fire, what would be come of our property? There is no organized company, nor paid man to look after the little we have and as you know1 the hose are here and there. Citizens, let’s get together and try and devise some means of getting an adequate fire fighting apparatus and fire company for Smithfield. A CITIZEN. reports that they expected to vote for Parker—not only denied emphatically that any number of the new voters would vote for Parker but declared that Morrison would be the benefici ary of the new vote. Through Democratic committees in every township and precinct in the State, the women are to be enrolled for voting in the coming elections. Chairman Thomas D. Warren is now engaged in planning a series of town ship meetings for bringing to the at tention of the women the importance of registering when the books open. Democratic speakers in every county will be pressed into service within the next week or ten days. AN IMPORTANT DECISION Attorney General’s Decision Allows Board of County Commissioners To Levy Additional Tax Attorney General Manning has ren dered a decision allowing the Board of County Commissioners to levy ad ditional tax, if the 10 per cent in crease set by the revaluation act is not sufficient to run the schools six months. Writing to the State Tax Commission, the Attorney General says: “You ask the opinion of this office upon the following statement of facts: In_county the board of educa tion has made out a budget under the six months’ school law, in which is stated the amount of money necessary to raise in that county to run the schools for the constitutional term of six months. A 10 per cent, increase upon the amount of money levied and raised by the county in 1919 will not meet the sum which the board of edu cation has found necessary to run the schools of the county for the full term of six months in 1920. Has the board of county commissioners autho rity to exceed the 10 per cent, limit of the revaluation? “In our opinion it has, if the addi tional levy is necessary to run the schools for the six months’ term. The constitution itself imposes this duty upon the board of county commission ers, and even if the legislature had attempted to prohibit the additional levy, which it has not done, the con stitution itself would control.” FROM CAPITAL OF BEULAH Items of Interest to Residents of Kenly—Ix*eal, Personal And Otherwise. Kenly, Sept. 8.—Mr. Swink of China Grove is the guest of Mr. Dobbin Bai ley. Mrs. Mary B. Swink of Raleigh is visiting her sister, Mrs. P. D. Grady. Miss Frances Hales left yesterday for Rowland where she will teach this season. Mrs. H. M. Grizzard returned last Thursday from Wilson where she un derwent an operation at the Moore Herring Hospital. Mr. J. M. Standi left yesteday for Wilson where he will be operated on at the Moore-Herring Hospital. Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Woodard left Monday for Morehead City to attend the wedding of Mrs. Woodard’s sister. Miss Jessie Leeason of Norfolk, Va., is spending a few days with her moth er this week. Several of our townsmen attended the tobacco sales in Wilson yesterday and leport very unsatisfactory prices for the golden weed. Dr. and Mrs. R. A. Turlington re turned Monday night after an extend ed trip to Fayetteville and White Lake. Miss Lucile Holden left today for Louisburg where she will enter the Louisburg Female College. Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Bowman have returned after an extended trip to Wadesboro. The Missionary Baptist Sunday school gave a picnic at Holt’s Lake Thursday. Mrs. J. M. Oneal of Selma spent the week end with Mrs. P. II. Etheridge. Three Iredell Men to Die. The Governor has declined to inter fere <in the case of Edwards, white, who must die in the electric chair on Friday of next week for the killing of Jim Royle in a Statesville pool room just before Christmas. Ralph and Sinclair Connor, two negroe brothers, must die the following Mon day. The Governor has made an ex haustive study of all these cases and declines to interfere. The Governor declared, “Every human impulse im pels, and almost drives me to save the lives of each of these men, but after an agonizing study of all three cases, I cannot find in the record any grounds that would justify me in set ting aside the verdict of the juries and the judgment of the courts.” Mr. Dixon to Speak Wednesday. Mr. W. R. Dixon of Wilson, will ad dress the farmers of Johnston county in the court house Wednesday morn ing at 11 o’clock. Mr. Dixon is rep resenting the Southern Farmers As sociation, in an effort to have the Johnston County Tobacco' Farmers Association, affiliate with the South ern Farmers Association. Every man who is interested in getting a high1 price for his tobacco should come and hear Mr. Dixon. PRINCETON — BOON HILL Great Demand for Dwellings—Good Meeting at Smith’s Chapel Closed Local and Personal Items. (Crowded out last issue.) Princeton, Sept. 8—Miss Bessie Tart and Talton Tart and Miss Plum er Gurley have gone to Falcon to visit friends. Miss Mary Massey and Harvey Wellons have joined the Boon Hill delegation at Buies Creek. Miss Ellen Eldridge of Smithfield is spending several days in town visit ing Mrs. G. T. Whitley. After spending several weeks here with relatives, Mr. W. C. Huddleston left Sunday for Atlanta, Ga., his home. The Wood Gin Co. are building foundations for a one hundred horse power oil engine which they will use instead of the electric motor they have been using for the past two years. Rev. J. R. Everett left here this week for Wake Forest College. He has been spending the summer vaca tion here and serving three or four churches. He will preach at the Bap tist church on the 3rd Sunday as usu al. The condition of Mr. J. W. Perry is very serious and his death is momen tarily expected. Mr. and Mrs. Will Wright from Rocky Mount were in town last Sun day. Mr. Wright is a contractor and a very fine workman himself. The town has never had such a de mand for new, three, four and five room houses. Some enterprising citi zen could sell or rent a dozen new houses before they could be complet ed. Many new families want to come to Princeton to get their children in the graded school, but there isn’t a house that can be bought or rented. There are about five families now in town who must move on account of the house being sold to new parties, and these families have no house in yiew that they can get. Rev. W. G. Farrar closed a meeting at Smith’s Chapel last Friday night which was an unusual one for good at tendance and a serious interest in the services. As a result of this meeting several new names will be added to the church. The pastor is highly pleased at the success of this meet ing, and can not express his apprecia tion of the presence of those good la dies who contributed so largely to the success of the services. There were fifteen or twenty professions. The fact that the State Board of Health privy inspector has instructed residents of this town to dig pits five feet deep under their closets, is caus ing much comment by the citizens. Even the most careless citizen con demns the idea of having such a cess pool of filth on the premises. In this section such a pit would stand full of water all the year. Our wells are full to the top of the ground some sea sons of the year. Such a plan would be worse than no arrangement at all. Such a construction of the privy law for a town is absurd and renders the privy law a farce. ST. MARY’S GROVE ITEMS. Rev. D. C. Johnson filled his regu lar appointment Saturday with a large attendance. Mr. Montie Johnson and Miss An nie Traylor from near Goldsboro spent the week end with Misses Lillie and Kittie Jones. Miss I/)uise Barbour left Monday for Goldsboro. Mrs. O. A. Barbour and sister, Miss Lillie Canaday of Benson are spend ing a few days with Mr. Barbour’s father. Mr. B. G. Davidson of Nacooche, Ga., spent the week end with Miss Pauline Jones. Mrs. Paul Barbour and sister, Miss Maytle Johnson, spent the week end in Selma with Mrs. John Talton. Misses Lillie and Kittie Jones de lightfully entertained a few of their friends Saturday night in honor of their company, Mr. Montie Johnson and Miss Annie Traylor. Miss Martha Stephenson spent the week end in Four Oaks with her brother, Mr. Floyd Stephenson. Several of the people from around here attended the republican conven tion Saturday in Smithfield. Mr. Mayton Byrd made a business trip to Raleigh Monday. Mr. Almon Pierce left Monday for Richmond, Va. Mr. William Creech of Four Oaks spent a few hours in this section Sun day with friends. Sept. 7. JEFF. HOLD PROTEST MEETING Johnston County Tobacco Farmers Association Urges Members to Cut Acreage 50 Per Cent. (This communication was given us to be printed in Friday’s issue. We held is back for a few hours, in order to have a slight correction made, but reserved space in the paper for it. During the confusion which resulted when the head of the paper was stricken down, the space which had been kept for this article, was filled with something of much less general interest. Because of the sad reason for the omission, we know our read ers will pardon us for delaying this important announcement.—Ed.) Another enthusiastic meeting of the tobacco farmers and business men of the county was held in the court house Wednesday at noon. A resolu tion was passed requesting all mem bers, or those who may become mem bers of the Johnston County Tobacco Farmers Association to cut their acreage at least 50 per cent for the year 1921. Each person present was requested to constitute himself a com mittee of one to consult with his neighbors in an effort to get them to join the organization and abide by the rules laid down. After the close of the meeting the following farmers agreed to cut their acreage as follows: Name 1920 1921 W. A. Baker_ 4 2 W. J. Baker_ 5 0 L. P. Peeding _ 6 4 J. E. Lee_ 8 4 B. E. Godwin _33 15 E. D. Adams_20 8 W. J. Alford_ 2 0 Clifton Lamb_ 5 3 J. W. Braswell_ 7 4 Geo. Ross Pou_ 5 0 S. A. Wellons _10 6 G. P. Braswell_ 4 2 E. Moore_ 5 2 D. A. Thompson_10 5 J. M. Mozingo_ 6 4 Henry Wallace _ 5 1 J. D. Allen _ 3 2 J. V. Baker_ 3 2 M. C. Strickland _ 5 0 R. P. Tiner_ 6 0 W. S. Tiner_ 5 3 Joe Tiner _ 5 3 J. G. Baker_ 4 2% W. J. Benson_ 5 2 G. W. Wood _ 4 2 I). U. Thompson_ 214 214 Charlie Game _ 5 5 A. V. Hinton _ 2 2 J. P. Smith_23 12 W. H. Moore _ 3 0 W. R. Hill _30 18 J. B. Eatman_ 4 4 L. R. Batten_15 0 Will Turnage _ 4 0 J. O. Stephenson _ 8 4 E. S. Lann_ 40 20 E. A. Eatman_ 3 2 Geo. Hinton _ 40 20 Mellie Johnson _ 216 2 C. E. Creech_14 4 David Alford ___4 0 C. A. Stephenson_10 4 Israel Stephenson _ 4 4 James Montgomery _ 4% 4 J. A. Kennedy_12 6 H. E. Mitchener_11 6 There are probably numerous oth er farmers in the county who would like to affiliate with the organization and pledge their support. Now is the time for the farmers to stand solidly together. Any one wishing to become a member of the association can do so by addressing a card to Geo. Ross Pou, Smith-field, N. C., and stating thereon the number of acres of tobac co planted in 1920, and the number of acres that will be planted in 1921. One of the best addresses delivered on the subject was made by Mr. J. W. Stephenson. Mr. Stephenson is one of the largest tobacco farmers in the county and is also well posted on farming and financial conditions. The following named farmers con stitute the Executive Committee of the Johnston County Tobacco Farm ers Association: Ed. F. Boyett, Smithfield; J. W. Short, Selma; B. A. Turnage, Wil son’s Mills, R. F. I).; D. B. Oliver, Pine Level; J. T. Edgerton, Kenly; Cullen Creech, Selma, R. F. D.; J. W. Barnes, Clayton, R. F. D.; C. W. Horne, Clayton; F. M. Weeks, Clay ton, R. F. D.; Claude Stephenson, Angier; Henry T. Smith, Smithfield, R. F. D.; Shephard Penny, Benson, R. F. D.; W. A. Powell, Bentonville, R. F. D.; Walter Blackman, Bentonville, R. F. D.; Andrew Fitzgerald, Prince ton, R. F. D.; Walter Batten, Micro, R. F. D.; Elijah Strickland, Four Oaks. ED. F. BOYETT, ANDREW FITZGERALD, THE TOBACCO SITUATION Prices Obtained on Oepning of East' ern Carolina Market Very Unsatisfactory. The prices obtained on the opening" sales of the Eastern North Carolina tobacco markets last Tuesday were' disappointing in the extreme. Thr farmers were expecting prices to be slightly lower than they were on the opening sale last year, but the sellar were not prepared for the awful slump which characterized $ie open ings on many of the markets. The farmers forced the sales to close on the Greenville, Ayden and Farmville markets on account of the extremely low prices. Much of the* weed was taken off the floors and tak en back home. At Greenville about 700,000 pounds was on the floors. At Wilson, the biggest market in the East, about 1,000,000 pounds was on the floors of the six warehounee.. As the sale progressed it seemed that the bottom dropped and at noon , the growers held a mass meeting and adopted resolutions calling on the to bacco farmers of the state to keep their tobacco at home until prices im-r proved. The same feeling of dissatisfactioK among the sellers prevailed at Rocky Mount, Kinston and Goldsboro and at all other markets. On an average, the prices ranged around 40 to 60 per cent of the averages of last season. At some places many tags were turn ed, while at others not so many. Yet general dissatisfaction prevailed at all markets. While there is a feeling among many that the prices will im prove as soon as the buyers get their full instructions and the rush tones; down a little, still little hope is en tertained of any desirable gains over the opening. On the Smithfield market Wednes day there was a better tone to the market and prices showed a 20 per cent increase over the opening day, the average increase being about five: cents a pound. CLAYTON NEWS. Clayton, Sept. 11.—Miss Barbara.' Gulley will return today from a weeks visit to friends at Youngsville. Miss Alta Debnam left Wednesday morning for Greensboro to enter G_ C. W. for her second year’s work. Dr. and Mrs. H. E. Austin wiE leave Sunday for their home at Con necticutt after spending several weeks here with Mr. and Mrs. L. P, Austin and Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Ellis. Mrs. Charles G. Gulley, Mrs. M. G» Gulley, Mrs. E. R. Gulley and Mrs J. W. Massey went to Wake Forest Wednesday to see Mrs. N. Y. Gulley who is very ill. Mrs. Clifford Hamilton has return ed from a visit to her parents at Gro ver. Mrs. Jesse Holmes from Bensoa visited relatives here during the week. Mr. Laurie Poole has gone to Oak Ridge to enter school. Mrs. Miller White and daughter have gone to Darlington, S. C., to join. Mr. White in their new home. Mr. and Mrs. D. J. Thurston are spending the week at New York and Niagara Falls. Mr. Warren McCullers who holds a. position in Raleigh was here with his parents for a few days this week. Radcliffe Chautauqua opened here Friday September 10 at 3:30 with a. good audience. The interesting fea ture Friday afternoon and night was the American quartette which delight ed the people. A great number of tickets have been sold and we feel that it will never be regretted as the programs are well worth the price. A number of men from here attend ed the County Convention at Smith field Thursday of this week. Misses Doris Jeffreys and Genie Thomas left this week for Meredith College. Miss Thomas graduated there in the spring and will be a member of the faculty this year. Messrs Bill Ellis, Bennette Poole, Lee Thomas, Herman Duncan and Sax Barnes have re-entered school at. Wake Forest. The ball games at Raleigh haw been pretty well attended by the bag** of our town this week. Mrs. A. J. Farmer is visiting rel atives in Virginia. E. F. STRICKLAND, WALTER BATTEN, FRANK WEEKS, Central ComrmtswR. J. H. B. TOMLINSON, Pres. Chm. of County Ex. Core.