FORTY-FOURTH YEAR
12 PAGES TODAY
SM1THFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY. JANUARY 6, 1
12 PAGES TODAY
NUMBED 2
^Delegations From Different Sec
*s tions of County Plead For
>’’ * Farm and Home Work.
/» -
COMMISSIONERS ACT TODAY
The County Board of Commission
ers spent the most of yesterday con
sidering pro and con the Home and
Farm Demonstration Work in the
County. The Board convened about
ten o’clock and at eleven delegations
from all over the county appeared be
fore the Commissioners to ask that
the work be retained or to voice a
protest against it. In deference to the
ladies, the Home Demonstration work j
was considered first. Mrs. Estelle
Smith, District Home Demonstra
ion Agent, started things off by
j presenting in forcible language the
merits of Home Demonstration work.
Mrs. Smith has been in the work for
ten years and she spoke from person
1 experience. She made a strong
lea for the work to be retained in
iJohnston County along with the fif
y-three other counties that have it.
/Her statements were backed up by
| pesonal testimony from about ten sec
7 tions of Johnston County. Mrs. D. J.
Wellons, who was the first Home
Agent in Johnston County, spoke in
r-half of the work, and she was fol
owed by Mrs. Mashburn, of Benton
ille township; Mrs. T. W. Ives, of the
jlhnson School Club; Mrs Grey Eas
0Jn, of Clayton; Mrs, Edgar Woodall,
of) Pomona; Mrs. Marshall Lassiter,
cft Elevation; and Mrs. W. M. San
s, of Smithfield. Mrs. Herring, of
cer
ggima, read a leter from Miss Sallie
H
ring, her daughter, who recent
won ^ut in a State-wide demonstra
tion contest, and was awarded a trip
to Chicago. Miss Herring presented
splendid argument for the retention
of the work. Two gentlemen cham
pions of the Home work, Mr. John
Barnes, of Creech’s School, and Mr.
J. R. Atkinson, of Micro township,
voiced their sentiments in regard to
Home Demonstration work which car
ried conviction to those who heard
them. Various phases of the work
was commented upon showing how
it has broadened from simple can
ning clubs to everything that per
tains to a well-conducted home. When
these advocates of Home Demonstra
tion work had finished, the chairman
of the County Board of Commission
ers called for the opposition to pre
sent its views. A silence pervaded
the Commissioners Room so that a
pinfall could be heard. Then Mr. r. li.
Brooks in moving that the work be
retained unanimously, made a tell
ing speech commending the work. A
striking fact in connectoin with Home
Bemonstraton work was the general
satisfaction over the work of the
present agent, quite a number ask
ing that not only the work but that
Miss Gax-rison be retained.
The Board of Commissioners then
turned their attention to the Farm
Demonstration work. Mr. E. W. Gai
ther, District Farm Agent, was the
first speaker in favor of keeping it
in Johnston County. He presented
figures showing that the amount ex
pended by the county for this work
is very small and not to be considered
when the good that it does is known.
Fie was followed by Mr. Charles F.
Kirby, of Selma, who told what Farm
Demonstration had meant to him.
‘ Farm papers are all right, and I take
them and read them,” said Mr. Kirby,
“but it takes a Demonstrator to put
one to doing things.” He spoke of
reading about permanent farm pas
tures in a farm journal, but it was
ret until a County Farm Agent
showed him how, that he planted ten
acres i npermanent pasture. He had
read about vaccination for cholera,
saving hogs from dying, but he had
to lose a thousand dollars worth of
hogs before he got help from the
Farm Demonstrator in vaccinating
for this disease. “The needs of this
age,” he said, “are better schools,
better roads, and better agriculture,
and the farm agent is one very ef
fective means of improving agricul
tural methods and conditions.”
(Continued on page C)
Millions To Workers
(?Sr£~
WILIJAM M. RITTER,
lumber king, of Ohio and West Vir
ginia, has just given between $2,000,
000 and $8,000,000 to employees, rela
tive . and close friends. Ninety-four
employees have been with him more
than 20 years.
Dr. White Relates
Curious Experience
A letter recently received from Dr.
John E. White by his cousin, Mr.
Hunter Ellington, has such a strange
and interesting paragraph that we
give it to our readers. It is as fol
lows :
“Lately I have been on a cam
paigning tour in eastern S. C.—
Charleston, Lake City, and Florence.
You speak of some Smithfield people
hearing me over the radio from Flo
rence. I had a curious two hours in
that city, Wednesday evening, De
cember 19th. I came up from Lake
City about 6:30 p. m. I found the
hotel crowded, and was unable to get
a room. I was at the desk trying to
reach some friends on the phone,
when two pistol shots rang out up
stairs. A woman screamed, and I heard
strange sounds in the hall above.
Then a man’s body came hurtling
down the stairway head foremost,
and struck on the landing, stunned.
I was almost alone in the lobby. I
went to him and found a hot pistol
lying by his body. He was bleeding
like a hog from a wound in the head
and was unconscious. The woman
whose scream I heard had disappeared
but at the head of the stairs in the
hall a man lay on his face dying,
shot through the heart and lungs.
It was bloody business, and I got my
hands and coat bloody helping to
move the body to a stretcher. It is
curious how rattled most men got—
for I found myself the captain of a
group that assembled, telling them
what to do—forgetting that I was a
stranger and “a minister’s son.”
A half hour from then I was at the
Baptist church witnessing a wedding
—beautiful women, music, candles;
life and love and sweetness. In an
other half hour I was in the big tab
ernacle where the George Stephens re
vival was in progress. Three thou
sand people were present. In a few
minutes the singer, Harry Clarke, and
others knew I was present in the
audience, and came to me saying
that Stephens was suddenly ill and
had been taken to his room, and that
I must save the situation and preach.
Fool for bodnless that I am, I went
to it. The Lord singularly honored
his word and the people said it was
the greatest meeting of the six weeks.
Seventy-five came forward, includ
ing two fallen women of the street
and a leading citizen. That was the
sermon heard over the radio. In two
hours, from 7 to 9, I had boxed the
compass.
I am continually remembering my
happy visit to Smithfield and in
your home. Josephus Danels wrote me
another letter the other day in which
he said nice things of what some
' Smithfield citizen had told him about
my preachng in Smithfield.”
“THE FLAPPER GRANDMOTHER”
A three act musical comedy enti
tled “The Flapper Grandmother” is
being rehearsed by local talent and
will be presented at the high school
auditorium next Tuesday evening. The
play, which is being given under the
auspices of the Woman’s Club, is full
of laughs and thrills and promises a
delightful evening for those who at
tend. Peppy music and attractive cos
tumes will add to the presentation.
Several choruses will feature the pro
gram.
MEADOW DiSTRiCI
GARRIESELECTION
Delegation Will Visit Schools of
County Before Selecting
Plan for Buikiing.
A $35,000 BOND ISSUE
After three attempts that failed,
Meadow Consolidated School Dis
trict No. 2 carried its ,-chool election
on December 23rd by a .good major
ity. The two districts which had con
solidated with Meadow were Glenwood
and Sandy Grove. The vote in De
cember was on a $35,000 bond issue
and there were 231 votes cast for the
bond issue and 42 against.
It has not been yet determined
what type of building will be erect
ed at Meadow but sometime this
tveek a party of patrons and friends
of the school will make a tour of the
county, visiting each type of school
that has been erected. It is proba
ble that some school buildings in ad
joining counties will also be visited.
The patrons are desirous of budding
the best school possible with the
the proceeds of the bond issue. The
contract will be let as soon as plans
can be decided upon, and if the work
is rushed it is hoped that the new
building may be used next November.
The school at Meadow now employs
seven teachers and there is need for
another teacher but there is not room.
Only seven grades are taught this
year. Last year there were sixty-five
in high school, and four completed the
eleventh grade. Upon the completion
of the new building high school work
will be resumed.
The decision to build a school at
Meadow leaves only one other sec
tion of the county without high
school facilities. Pleasant Grove needs
a new building.
Class 1921 Has Reunion
On Tuesday evening, December 30th
the class of 1921 of the Smithfield
High School enjoyed a reunion dinner
party, eight members out of ten be
ing present on this occasion. The
dinner which was served in five
courses, was given at the May-San
Tea Room, and Mr. Benton Wharton,
president of the class of 1921, was
master of ceremonies. Features of the
evening were the reading of the oast
Will and Testament and the Class
Prophecy. A significant fact in re
gard to this class is that six out of
the ten members will graduate from
college this spring, while two are Ju
niors. Those present at the reunion
were: Misses Margaret Lee Austin,
Jean Abell, Lucile Cotter, Margaret
LeMay; Messrs. Kenneth Coats, Ed
gar Watson, Marvin Woodall, and
Benton Wharton. Members of the
class not present are: Miss Frances
Burton Crewes, of Oxford, and Mrs.
John Wfhite Ives.
Double Marriage
Mr. Lester Langston, of Dunn, and
Miss Alice Britt, of Bentonville town
ship, surprised their friends on Mon
day, December 29th, by going to Ben
nettsville, South Carolina, where they
were married. Mr. Langston is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Uriah Langston,
of Bentonville township, while the
bride is the young daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Cub Britt, also of Benton
ville township.
At the same time Mr. 'Willie Flow
ers and Miss Pauline Best were mar
ried. The bridegroom, aged 18, is
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Flow
ers, of this city, and the bride, aged
1G, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
John Best, of Wayne County.
PASTOR ACCEPTS WORK
AT PISGAH AND SHILOH
Rev. S. S. McGregor, of Davis, has
accepted the pastorate at Pisgah
Baptist church and at Shiloh. The
new pastor will preach twice each
I month on the first and third Sun
day at Pisgah. On se«ond Sunday he
■ will preach at Shiloh. Work for the
fourth Sundavy is still to be supplied.
He preached his first sermon at Pis
gah last Sunday, having arrived on
the field the previous Wednesday.
Oa, in Scotland, is said to be the
town with the shorten t name. —Dear
(born Independent.
1
MOVER PREDICTS
VERY GOOD YEAR
—
Finds Big Assurance of World
Peace and Economic
Stability.
RUSSIA, CHINA SORE SPOTS
Washington. Jan- 3.—In a sur
vey of the economic prospects for
1925. Secretary Hoover today stated
there were to be found more assur
ance of economic stability for the
future and more promise of peace
than at any time for many years.
Forces at home and abroad, he said,
showed progress toward prosperity.
He discussed domestic and foreign
economics and financial situations.
In the United States the recovery of
agriculture was among the outstand
ing developments of 1924. This had
been accomplished by expansion in
other ire 'stries along some lines
without undue inflation or serious
speculative activities. Wages had re
mained stable around 100 per cent,
above pre-war figures, while -living
costs were about 72 per cent, above
pre-war time, labor thus enjoying
the highest wage in its history.
At the end of 1924 industrial pro
duction was at practically the same
level as a year ago, and the railroads
had recovered to a point where they
were equal to any burden which
might be thrown on them.
As to foreign commerce, the Unit
ed States was in a strongly entrench
ed position and was the only one of
the large combatant nations that
had recovered its foreign trade to
a point considerably above the ore
war level.
The sore spot, in Mr. Hoover’s
opinion, are Russia, which has failed
to make satisfactory progress away
from Bolshevism, and China, which
has been disturbed by civil war. A
part of Europe, he thinks, is dan
gerously over-armed. A steady im
provement on the Continent is fore
cast with the successful operation of
the Dawes Flan.
Preent Tobacco. Disease
By Beginning In Time
Oxford, Jan. 3.—Tobacco growers
in Eastern Carolina will soon be get
ting their plant beds ready. The cost
of producing an acre of tobacco is
too great not to look after certain
important details when planting the
seed.
“The first thing to be considered is
good seed,” says H. A. McGhee, ex
tension specialist in tobacco growing
for State College. “If we do not get
good plants our chance for success is
slim. The variety has more to do
with this success than many growers
believe. One tobacco is fine for rich
soils while others will grow best on
thin soils. Every effort should be
made to get the variety that does
best in a given locality.
“Control leaf disease by planting
disease-free seed and do n*t intro
duce disease into the bed. Make the
bed away from danger from diseased
soil. Weds along ditch banks carry
diseases and all weedy locations should
be avoided. Burning as ordinarily
done will not entirely destroy the
harmful germs.
Plant only the right kind ot seed
and have them clean and free from
disease germs. The hull of the tobac
co seed is so hard and smooth that it
is possible to treat the seed to make
them absolutely clean. The expense
is slight. Angular leafspot, wildfire
and other leaf diseases are very de
structive to the quality and quantity
of the leaf. Mosaic is a disease little
known by tobacco farmers, yet it
causes eonsiderabe damage. This
mosaic is generally called ‘Waterloon’
and is thought to be caused by wet
weather. This is a great error. It
simply dees net show up unless the
season is unfavorable. If mosaic is
present the tobacco will not produce
as it should.”
Mr. McGee urges farmers this year
to take up with the county agents the
matter of treating the tobacco seed
and planting in disease-free beds.
Kiwanis Club To Hold
Special Business Meet
There will be a special business
meeting of the Kiwanis Club in
the Woman’s Club Room tonight
at 7:30. The meeting is called for
the proposal of names and classi
fication of prospective new mem
bers for the coming year. It is
earnestly desired by the new Pres
ident of the Club that all active
members be present. .The regular
semimonthly meeting will be held
Thursday of this week at 6:30
p. m.
Yardmaster Edens
Drops Dead at Selma
Selma, Jan. 4.- The death of Mr.
Edens came as a treat shock to Sel
ma people this afternoon when the
news passed from lip to lip that Mr.
Jim Edens had di< d of appoplcxy at
5:30 o’clock.
He was in his usual good health
and --pints today and had taken a
friend out for a drive. Just as they
reared the Selma Cotton Mills he
made a peculiar noise, and fell for
ward on his steering wheel. Dr. Geo
D. Vick was summoned at once and
was soon on the spot but found life
extinct.
Mr. Edens held a very responsible
position with the Southern Railway
Company as General Agent and
Yardmaster for Selma, and had held
this position continuously for the
Past 2G years. He was 55 years old
The body will he taken to Red
Springs hi-s old home for interment.
Suriviving are his widow and two
children.
Interesting Contest
At Wedding Reception
An interesting contest that pro
voked much laughter was a feature
of the reception given by Mr. and
Mrs. D. J. Thurston for Mr. and Mrs.
Clyde E. Mizzelle upon the occasion
of their marriage in Clayton Christ
mas evening. Each guest was asked
to name an adjective and these were
to be used in a write-up of the wed
ding. The following is the result of
contest, the adjectives being print
ed in black type:
At six ociocK on the ludicrous
evening of Christmas Day there was
ridiculously solemnized an .exhilerat
ing wedding in the scrumptous Clay
ton Baptist church. The church was
tackily decorated..in white and green
in a cross-eyed manner. The spooky
scene was made more hideous by the
magnanimous glow of many candles.
The blooming Bridal Chorus from Lo
hengrin was crazily sung by ten young
girls dressed in palpitating white
dresses. A chubby solo was brassily
rendered by Mrs. Warren MeCullers.
The wedding march was knottily
played in a most ugly manner by
Miss Louise Young. The dainty ush
ers preceded the modest bridal party
to the altar. All the men in the par
awful in dress suits. Mes
dames Bunn, Barbee and Steger were
ramsideously gowned in pink-cheeked
creations. Miss Thurston, the super
The tuneless bride, Miss Jessie Thurs
sthious sister of the bride, was unre
lenting in a charming ombre zoreen.
ton, entered on the arm of her un
bearable father and was given to the
groom, the beautiful Mr. Clyde Miz
in an unpardonable creation of white
beaded chiffon over satin. Margaret
Bunn, a very elegant little girl, bore
the ring on a horrible white satin
pillow. A wonderful ceremony was
performed by Rev. C. A. Jenkins, in
a most handsome manner, after which
the entire cute bridal party went to
Mrs. Thurston’s to a cranky recep
tion.
BILLION DOLLARS IS PAID
ON UNITED STATES DEBT
Washington, Jan. 3.—The treasury
has shaved almost a billion dollars off
the vast public debt in the past twelve
months, and by so doing has cut the
obligations of the United States more
than one-fifth since they reached their
peak of $26,596,068,047 in August,
>019. The government started the
'pew year with a public debt of $29,
^7 8,6632,700.
BUSY TIME AHEAD
III STATECAPITAL
“Advance Guard” of General
Asssembly On Scene; Prep
arations About Complete.
WILL CONVENE WEDN’SDAY
(By M. L. Shipman)
Raleigh, Jan. 5.—With state depart
ment heads whipping their recommen
dations for additional legislation in
to shape and the arrival of the ad
vance guard” of the approaching ses
sion of the General Assembly, the
capital city is looking forward to a
busy time this winter.
The capitol building has been com
pletely renovated since the regular
j session of the General Assembly in
11923 and the work of setting in order
the legislative halls, committee rooms
and other working quarters for the
i solons and their little army of em
ployees is well advanced, so that the
preparations will be more nearly com
plete in every detail than in a long,
long time, when the representatives
I of the “dear pee-pul” assemble on
Wednesday of this week for a sixiy
day sojounr in the state capital.
The new electric lighting equip
ment, the ventilating system and other
improvements for the comfort and
convenience of the members are all
practically completed and the finish
; ing touches in cleaning and dusting
are under way. In a word, the capito!
is dressed for the occasion as it has
never been before in the memory of
the present generation .“It is a
thing of beauty and a joy forever.”
The sub-station postoffice that the
Raleigh postmaster has provided for
the accommodation of the legislature
the past several sessions will be set
up again in the west ring corridor be
tween the two legislative haJJs., and
will be adequately msnned«<?uring
session for the convenience of the
members. In the language of former
Senator Basset, of Nash, this has
i come to be an “Urgent necessity.”
The legislature will lose little time
in getting started. The ejection of
Representatve Edgar W. Pharr, of
Mecklenburg, to the speakership
| seems to be a foregone conclusion
and he will doubtless announce the
House committees immediately after
taking the chair. The Lieutenant
Governor, who is President of the
Senate, has stated that he will be
ready with his confmittees on the
very first clay of the session. Frank
13. Haekett, of Wilkes, and Alex Las
; siter, of Bertie, will be continued as
principal clerks of the Senate and
House respectively, no opposition hav
ing developed to either of them.
The State Constitution provides
that the General Assembly shall con
! vene in biennial session on Wednes
day after the first Monday in Janu
ary, which this year falls on the 7th
day of the month.
On Tuesday following it is incum
bent upon a committee, composed of
1 senators and representatives, to can
vass the vote cast for Governor and
i other state officers at the last gen
eral election and declare the result
| in a joint session of the two branches
of the Assembly. Tuesday, the 13th,
will witness this canvass, and the in
auguration of the new Governor is
likely to occur on the day following.
The inaugural ceremonies of Gov
ernor-elect A. W. McLean will be
directed by a committee of the House
and Senate and local organizations.
The Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
has selected the following committee
to co-operate with the legislative
General Albert L. Cox, chairman;
former Judge J. Crawford Biggs; Dr
Ev C. Brocks, president of State Col
lege; Mrs. Josephus Daniels; Paul B.
Hulfish; Frank H. Jeter, and Robt
F. Philips.
The usual coustom on such occa
sions will be followed. Mr. McLean
will be met by these committees at
the inaugural and escorted to the
Governor’s Mansion, where he will bt
received by the outgoing executive.,
who will accompany him to the city
auditorium in which the inaugural
ceremonies are to be held, including
I the installaton of the newly elects
\
(Continued on page 6)