CO. DEMOCRATIC
CONVENTION MET
Appoint Delegates to State
Convention; Nominate
Co. Officers Aug. 31
The Johnston County Democratic
Convention was held here last Satur
!
day. It was called to order at 2:30
o’clock by Mr. George R. Pou and
Mr. S. T. Honeycutt was made chair
man of the convention. Messrs F.
H. Brooks, W. L. Fuller, C. F. Kirby,
Paul Grady and Thad Hinton, were
appointed a committee to nominate
delegates to the state convention,
which meets in Raleigh, Thursday,
April 20. While the committee was
out at their work of choosing dele
gates, speeches were made by Messrs
W. M. Sanders and A. M. Johnson.
On motion of G. R. Pou, all democrats
in good standing from Johnston shall
be allowed a ^oice in the convention
at Raleigh. On a motion of Mr. F.
H. Brooks the convention unanimous
ly endorsed the work of Hon. E. W.
Pou in Congress.
Mr. James A. Wellons made a mo
tion which was carried to endorse the
state democratic administration.
On motion of Mr. Charles A.
Creech, Thursday, August 31, was
recommended as a day for holding the
county convention for the nomination
of couty officers.
The report of the committee to
nominate delegates was received and
adopted. The following is the list of
delegates and alternates:
Wilson’s Mills
Delegates: C. M. Wilson, B. A.
Turnage, Mrs. P. H. Massey; Alter
nates: D. O. Uzzle, C. B. Parrish,
Mrs B. A. Turnage
Clayton
Delegates: W. A. Barnes, E. R.
Gulley, H. Johnson, C. W. Horne,
IVIrs. B. A. Hocutt, Mrs. J. J.
--^Young; Alternates: Dr. B. A. Ho
cutt, L. F. Austin, Vic Austin, D L.
Jones.
Cleveland
Delegates: C< L. Sanders, A. M.
Johnson, Seba Johnson, Mrs. John
Elllington; Alternates: Jno. O. El
lington, C. T. Youi.g, D. M. Wood,
Mrs. E. N. Booker.
Pleasant Grove
Delegates: E. S. Coats, Claude
Stephenson, Mrs. E. S. Coats; Alter
nates: Rom Lambert, B. I. Stephen
son, Mrs. Claude Stephenson.
Elevation
Delegates: R. U. Barbour, J. S.
Johnson, Mrs. Delma Hardy; Alter
nates: Delma Hardee, D. D. Medlin,
Mrs. M. C. Carr.
Banner
Delegates: C. C. Canaday, W. Troy
Lee, J. Willis Creech, Mrs. J. R. Bar
bour, Mrs J. F. Lee; Alternates: J.
F. Lee, Preston Woodall, J. M. Whit
tenton, Mrs. W. T. Martin, Mrs. H.
H. Utley.
Meadow
Delegates: Walter Blackman, J.
Mang Wood, T. L. Hudson, Mrs. J.
Mang Wood; Alternates: D. J. Wood,
J. J. Rose, Ellington Tart, Mrs. Wal
ter Blackman.
Bentonsville
Delegates: LaFayette Langston, E.
T. Westbrook, Mrs. Leon Westbrook;
Alternates: Leon Westbrook, Cub
Britt, Mrs. Geo. E. Weeks.
Ingrams
Delegates: W. R. Keen, W. H.
Smith, Mrs. B. B. Adams, Mrs. J. B.
Creech; Alternates Adkin Wood, W.
W. Stewart, Mrs. J. W. Sanders, Mrs.
William Adams.
Boon Hill
Delegates: W. P. Sugg, Rufus
Creech, J. Walter Baker, Mrs. J. R.
Ledbetter, Mrs. R. S. Stevens; Al
ternates: A. F. Holt, Geo F. Wood
ard, W. T. Hinton, Mrs. E. A. Holt,
Mrs. W. J. Massey.
Pine Level
Delegates: Wiley L Creech, Hen
ry Crumpler, Mrs. D. B. Oliver; Al
ternates: N. C. Massengill, T. R.
Fulghum, Mrs. Floyd Price.
Beulah
Delegates: J. W. Darden, Dr. G. S.
Coleman, W. T. Bailey, Miss Janie
McNeil, Mrs. C ,F. Darden; Alter
nates: R. T. Fulghum, Dr. J. C.
Grady, Wiggs Flowers, Mrs. C. L.
Lawrence, Miss Emma Mathews.
Micro
Delegates: J. D. Creech, C. A.
Fitzgerald, Mrs. C. A. Fitzgerald;
Alternates: Dr. M. Hinnant, John W.
Mozingo, Sr., Miss Sadie Bagley.
SELMA CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE HOLDS BANQUET
Business Men Have Celebration Over
Completion of School; J. H.
Pou Speaks.
SELMA, April 14.—Coincident with
•the announcement that the Corpora
tion Commission had issued an order
for the Southern Railway and the
Atlantic Coast Line to build a new
union station at Selma, something
the people of the town had been
fighting for since 1917, the Chamber
of Commerce was planning to put
on a program, filled with interesting
features, for last night. The occa
sion was a kind of get-together
meeting for the town, and took place
in the auditorium of the new school
building, it being desired to give the
people here an opportunity to
get a look-in and see what a magni
ficent home has been provided for
the Selma schools, the building be
ing now nearly completed.
The meeting was well attended, the
people of the town turning out in
representative numbers, while many
invited guests were present. At nine
o’clock all gathered around the fes
tive board, two long tables being
fiilled. Here the ladies were as usu
al indispensable and they were
charming in the adept manner in
which they presided. Undoubtedly
every man was a suffragette and
would have voted the ticket unani
mously had the balloting taken place
right then. The supper was abund
ant and comprised a tempting menu.
While the guests were seated at
the tables a number of very happy
speeches were made, C. P. Harper act
ing as toastmaster. There were
speeches by Mr. Jamieson, secretary
of the Raleigh chamber of com
merce, Rev. A. A. Butler, pastor of
the Baptist here, who has recently
moved to Selma from Hertford, May
or L. G. Stevens, of Smtthfield,
and A. M. Noble also of Smithfield.
J-ames -H-. Boii^o/ Raieigh,,wa,s_the
principal speaker of the evening and
spoke at greater length than the pre
ceding speakers. Being a native of
Johnston county and familiar with
past and present conditions here,
Mr. Pou touched upon vital local
matters and gave wholesome advice
for the upbuilding of the community.
He was thoroughly optimistic and
referred to the many opportunities
here for expansion and development
if taken advantage of and utilized.
His speech was replete with practical
and wholesome advice and pleased
his audience.
This was the first annual get-to
gether meeting the Chamber of Com
merce has held, the organization be
ing young, but there was evident
a line spirit of fellowship and co
operation, and substantial good is
e' oected .to follow.—News and Ob
server.
Fire at Farmer’s Home.
Saturday night, April 15, Mr. W.
H. Cole, who lives in the southern
part of Ingrams township lost by fire
a shed and some lumber and a lot
of feed stuff. The origin of the fire
is unknown. Mr. Cole in trying to
check the fire got his face and hands
badly burned.
Between 600 and 700 invalid sol
diers are on the way from Germany
to the government hospital at Fox
Hills, Staten Island.
Oneals
Delegates: P. B. Chamblee, Heflin
Brown, Mrs. P. B. Chamblee; Alter
nates: W. H. Godwin, Newsome Nar
ron, Mrs. W. H. Brown.
* Wilders
Delegates: W. M. Nowell, J. W.
Barnes, Miss Pearl Barijes; Alter
nates: W. T. Hinton, R. E. Barham,
Mrs. Atlas Batton.
Selma
Delegates: Geo. F. Brietz, N. E.
Ward, Dr. George D. Vick, C. F.
Kirby, Miss Margaret Etheredge,
Mrs. J. B. Person; Alternates: R. L.
Ray, Jesse Daughtery, Frank Barnes,
F. B. Whitley, Mrs. R. J. Noble, Mrs.
W. H. Call
Smithfield
Delegates:
J. W. Stephenson, R. A. Sanders,
C. T. Hill, D. B. Hamilton, Mrs. H.
L. Skinner, Mrs. T. J. Lassiter, Mrs.
F. H. Brooks; Alternates: W. L.
Fuller, Oscar Stephenson, W. M. San
ders, R. D. Johnson, Miss Sarah
Sanders, Miss Mildred Young, Mis3
lone Abell.
SECOND COTTON
VARIETY TEST
State Extension Service Co
Operates With J. H. B.
Tomlinson in Test
The Division of Agronomy of the
State Extension Service will conduct
a second cotton variety test in the
county this year in cooperation with
Mr. J. H. B. Tomlinson of near
Smithfield. A test was run here last
year, but owing to th e unsual drought
prevailing during the latter part of
the year, many of the farmers who
saw the test think the differences
in the yields for the several varieties
used were net as marked as they
would be under normal conditions.
Then, too, there are a number of out
standing good local varieties of cot
ton in the county which were not
grown in this test and which we would
like very much to include in our num
ber of varieties this year.
We have already secured a small
quatity of seed, approximately one
half peck, of a number of good local
varieties and the county agent is
very anxious to secure a similar
amount of seed of any good variety
that farmers wish to have grown in
this test. In sending or bringing seed
of the variety to be used in the test,
give us the name of it and the man
by whom it was, originated or grown.
All seed to be included in this test
must be sent in during the week as
the cotton will be planted next Mon
day.
The purpose of conducting a vari
ety test is to give the farmers of the
county a chance to see what variety
or varieties will really give the great
est return under our conditions. The
prevailing soil type throughout the
county is so nearly uniform that a
variety of cotton might easily be se
lected which would give uniformally
good results in every part of the en
tire county. Until we can settle on i
a~sTngle variety'antT^^p-rtr-ififpro^
ed, free from mixture which occurs
in the field and in the common gin,
we will not be able to obtain the best
prices for our cotton crop. A good
many of our varieties already are
lacking in uniformity and prolificacy
as a- result of crossing and inter
crossing. Wherever a county or ev
en a community has adopted a com
mon variety, and set about improv
ing that, they have increased the yield
and improved the quality to a point
where it commands a splendid prem
ium. Johnston county is one
of the very best cotton counties in
the state and it is time for us to
come to the point in progressive
farming where cotton is not necess
arily recognized as cotton. We have
some of the very best varieties of
cotton started in this county that are
to be found in the cotton belt and the
only way to distinguish the merits of
these varieties one over another is to
grow them side by side under uni
form conditions. We solicit the
hearty co-operation of every progres
sive cotton farmer in this county in
this variety improvement work.
Samples of seed may be sent by
parcel post to the county agent,
Smithfield.
CONDOR GRABS BABY IN ALBS
Giant. Bird, Shot, Falls So Slowly
Child Is Only Slightly Hurt.
GENEVA, Switzerland—Seizure of
a Swiss peasant’s baby by a huge
bird identified as a condor is chron
icled by the Oberlander Volks Zei
tung. The mother, while weeding
her garden on the slopes of the high
Hasliberg mountains, left the child
sitting on a blanket on the gras3.
Her husband, seeing the condor
swoop down and lift the infant into
the air, ran for his army rifle and
shot the bird which fell so slowly that
the youngster was only/slightly hurt.
The condor had a wing spread of
17 feet 5 inches and a beak 16 1-2
inches in length. That it is a true
condor, which is a native of the South
American Andes, is vouched for, ac
cording to the newspaper, by Prof.
Ochsenmaul, University of Berne
ornithologist. It will be stuffed and
placed in the Berne museum.
Meeting Postponed.
The revival meeting which was to
have started at Smithfield Baptist
Church has been postponed one week
on account of the illness of a child of
Evangelist J. L. Jenkins.
STATE SCHOOL
FIGURES COMPILED
Twenty Years See Big Prop
erty Increase; Still 94 Log
School Houses
RALEIGH, April 17—The State of
North Carolina will spend this year
for educational purposes the sum of
$3,267,200, not including any money
raised by the counties of the State
i'<>r school purposes nor any bond
money. This sum of $3,267,000, as
well as a further sum of $345,000
which is appropriated to such institu
tions as the Caswell Training School,
the Stonewall Jackson Training
School and others not 100 per cent
i lueational in their nature, making
a grand total of $3,612,200, comes
from the general state fund secured
through state levies upon incomes,
corporations, railroad, etc.
Practically every other state in the
Union levies a state-wide ad valorem
tax for schools, and there are very
few states where the state rate is less
than 75c, on the $100 worth of proper
ty; and this is in addition to the lo
cal county taxes which run the total
assessment for school purposes up
to $1.25 to $1.50 per $100 valuation.
State Help 37 Counties.
Included in the total of $3,612,200
is not only the cost of administra
tion for the State Department of Ed
ucation and all appropriations for
teacher training, extension work, the
medical examination of children and
the support of all State institutions,
but also $832,250 which goes to sup
plement the county funds of 37 coun
ties of the State in order to assure a
six-months term for every school in
every county. This is known as the
Equalization Fund.
Each County before participating
in the Equalization Fund is required,
under an act of the recent Legislature
to levy a county tax of not less than
39c. If the tax thus levied, isjmt_
suMcienf~to~pt<iSitte-—8 SttC^months
term for eacji school, then the defi
ciency is made up by the State
Board of Education.
It is interesting in this connection
to note that, according to figures se
cured from the Commissioner of Rev
enue, there are seven counties in the
State whose levy for school purposes
is 30cts. or under. There are 24
counties who levy 39cts or less. Nine
counties have a rate of 60cts or more
and 27 counties have a rate of 50ets
or more. The county having the high
est rate is Camden with a levy of 80
cts. New Hanover has a levy of 65
1-2 cents and Caswell 65cts. The
seven counties having a rate of 30
cents or under are, Alleghany, Ashe,
Cabarrus, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Wa
tauga, and Yadkin.
A Record of Progress
The record of the development of
the educational system of North Car
olina during recent years is one in
which the State may well take pride.
Here are some figures calculated to
make the average Tarheel sit up and
take notice:
The value of all school property in
1900 was $1,097,564. In 1920 it was
24,057,838, of which $11,977,272 was
represented by rural school property.
The average value of the school
houses of North Carolina in 1900 was
$158. The average value today is
$3,009.
In 1900 there were 1190 log school
houses. Only 94 of these are left.
The number of school houses built
from 1902 to 1920 was 6,805.
The average length of the white
school term in 1900 was 73.3 days.
The average white school term in
1920 was 135.9 days. The average
length of the oclored school term has
increased from 65 days to 127.4 days.
The average monthly salary paid
to white teachers in 1900 was $26.18
for men and $23.41 for women. The
average monthly salary today is $69.
55. The average monthly salary for
colored teachers has been advanced
from approximately $20.50 to $46.85.
There were in 1920, 12,970 white
teachers as compared with 6,000 in
1900. There were 1992 local tax dis
tricts in 1920 as compared with only
18 in 1900.
There were no rural high schools,
and no standard high schools in the
towns of the State in 1900. There
are today 412 rural high schools and
111 standard high schools in the State.
There are 4,686 rural libraries and
2,125 supplemental libraries in the
State at present.
The total expenditure for all pur
MR. W. H. AUSTIN BACK
FROM OKLAHOMA CITY
Reports Enthusiasm For Cooperative
Marketing of Cotton Through
out the South
Mr. W. H. Austin, the president of
the North Carolina Cotton Growers
Co-operative Marketing System, re
turned Sunday morning from a trip
to Oklahoma City where he had been
in conference with the heads of other
Organizations perfecting -the plans
for the sale of the next crop. He
reports great enthusiasm on the part
of the cotton growers throughout
the South and says that the infor
mation from all sources is to the ef
fect that a great majority of this
year’s crop will be disposed of
through this marketing system.
Mr. Austin has devoted considera
ble time to this proposition and has,
at his own expense, made a full and
thorough investigation of all the facts
and possibilities of the same. He is
not receiving any compensation for
his time, work or expenses, but is
contributing all in the firm belief
that the results will be so beneficial
to the cotton growers of the State
that he will feel amply repaid for
his time and trobule. He is a large
farmer himself and expects to raise
at least one thousand bales of cotton
this year. He informs us that he,
confidently, expects to sell this for
at least $25 per bale more than he
could have otherwise obtained.
The small farmer, who is a mem
ber of the Organization will benefit in
the same proportion, and the small
farmers in the Organization are to
be congratulated that they have at
the head of the system a man with
the ability and patriotism that Mr.
Austin possesses.
Prayer Meeting at M. E. Church
The mid week prayer meeting will
be held Wednesday evening at 7:30
jp-dfick. Give time and attention to
this means bf^fai*‘-Ttfhcri3ubjt1(‘t'fcr~
pi’ayer: For that which is lacking in
your faith. Welcome for all.
poses for rural schools in 1900 was
$887,710.98. The total expenditure in
the rural schools of the State in 1920
was $7,973,640.86, of which amount
$5,717,705.59 was paid to teachers
and superintendents, as compared
with $770,615.69 in 1900.
A total of $2,645,515.10 was in
vested in new’ school houses and sites
for rural schools in 1920 as compar
ed with $40,711.54 inveted in 1900.
A total of $935,144.20 was raised
by local taxation for rural schools in
1920, as against $5000 raised in the
same way in 1900.
The State appropriation for schools
in 1920 was only $100,000. The
State appropriation for schools in
1920 was $3,432,063.16.
In 1000 only $55,000 was appropri
ated for permanent improvements
and maintenance of State Educational
Institutions. In 1920 $3,287,200 was
appropriated for these purposes.
A comparison of figures for 1921
and 1922 would show still further
progress, but these figures are not
available yet.
Rapid Progress Hemg Made
Notwithstanding the remarkable
progress which has been made by
North Carolina along educational
lines during recent years, Superinten
dent of Public Instruction E. C.
Brooks and other educational leaders
in North Carolina realize that the
State is still far behind a vast ma
jority of its sister states in the edu
cational opportunities which it is of
fering to its youth. Greater prog
ress is being made at the present time
however, than at any time in the pre
vious history of the State, and this
progress is being made, in so far as
State Institutions, the administration
of the State Department of Educa
tion and all other activities except
the operation of city and county
schools, through revenue derived from
industry and commerce in the State.
An ad valorem tax on real proper
ty in North Carolina sufficient to pro
vide the funds necessary to carry on
the present program would be consid
ered prohibit by a large propor
tion of the tax payers of the State if
recent agitation regarding taxes may
be considered at all representative of
the sentiment in North Carolina with
regard to taxation. In most other
states, however, larger sums than
North Carolina is spending on her ed
ucational system are being raided in
this manner.
FIRE DESTROYS
CENTER BRICK
Entire Loss Incurred Around
$70,000; Some Insurance
On the Building
Early Saturday morning just be
fore five o'clock, the fire alarm siren
sounded, and it was found that the
Center Brick tobacco warehouse was
on tire. The entire building seemed
to be in a blaze when the alarm was
turned in. Both th^ white and col
ored fire companies were soon on the
scene, and while it was impossible
to save the warehouse, they did val
iant work in preventing spread of
the flames.
A high wind was blowing and the
redrying plant of the T. S. Ragsdale
Co., almost adjoining the warehouse,
was in’imminent danger. A dwell
ing on the north side of the building
caught several times, but was prompt
ly put out. Sparks blew to consid
erable distance and only watchful
ness on the part of residents in the
territory northeast of the burning
structure saved other buildings from
catching fire.
The warehouse, which was a total
loss was valued at $fi0,000, with
about $20,000 insurance. It belong
ed to the estate of the late George
T. Poole. Several cars, a hearse, a
cement mixer and nine bales of cot
ton stored in the building were among
the things destroyed. One automo
bile was the property of Mr. T. S.
Ragsdale and one belonged to the
Geo. T. Poole estate. The cement
mixer belonged to the T. S. Ragsdale
Co., the 'hearse to Cotter-Underwood
Co., a truck to Sanders Motor Co.,
and the cotton to Mr. W. H. Lassiter.
The entire loss including building
and contents was estimated at $70,
000.
It is not known how the fire origi
nated..__
A considerable crowcT gathered trr
watch the fire. This was the first call
of any consequence which the newly
organized fire companies have had
to answer. They w'orked swiftly and
effectively, keeping the situation in
hand, and taking every precaution
against the crumbling of the walls af
ter the fire had been extinguished.
During the day dynamite was used
to raze the dangerous portions of
the walls left standing.
An Automobile Accident.
Friday evening about 7:30 o’clock
an automobile accident occurred on
the road near the Claude Sanders
place about seven miles from town
which resulted in the painful in'ury
of Miss Bessie Faulkner. She and
her brother Mr. Alton Faulkner had
started to spend the evening at the
home of their brother, Mr. Buren
Faulkner and were driving a big Jor
dan car. Their lights were dim and
they were on a wagon loaded with
lumber before they cr aid stop. Sev
eral pieces of the lumber shot
through the windshield, completely
shattering it, and struck Miss Faulk
ner in the neck. Mr. Faulkner re
ceived only a slight cut on the fore
head, and the two negroes on the load
of lumber received ony slight injuries.
Miss Faulkner was removed to the
home of a colored man across the
road and medical assistance summon
ed. In a very short time Dr. Thel
Hooks and two nurses from the hos
pital were on the scene. They took
Miss Faulkner to her home and ren
dered first aid until Dr. Tyner, who
is a surgeon, could arrive to assist.
It was found that several small ar
teries were severed which were
promptly tied. The accident was a
narrow escape from death but the
friends of Miss Faulkner will be glad
to know that she is now getting
along nicely.
Tomato Seed For Tests.
Miss Minnie Lee Garrison, County
Home Demonstration,
eeived from the State Home Demon
stration Agent, tomato seed for dis
tributon to women who will turn in
records of same. It s desired to find
■ out whether the tomatoes are subject
to blight. The> were sent o the %
state office from Washington Miss
Garrison wishes all club meP'-her« 'j
who want some of the seed to apply
to her at your earliest convenience.
The supply is limited.