Advartbcn Will Fnd Oar Col on* • Latchkey to Ow Sixteen Hundred Martin County Home* VOLUME XXXXIV—NUMBER 3 TENTATIVE PLAN FOR CLOSING OF LOCAL SCHOOLS ♦ ' Hon. J. C. B. Ehringhaus Will Deliver Commence ment Address May 8 • Tentative plans, in part, for the closing (regular, not forced) of the lo cal schools were announced yesterday by Principal Wm. R. Watson, who re ferred to the scheduled exercises as the best so far planned at any previous closing of the Williamston Schools. The first of the series of exercises will held Friday evening of next week when a library play will be staged. Schools, activties for the 1930-31 term will be brought to an end May 8 when tk* graduation exercises will be held in the new school building. Announcements, in detail, will be given from time to time, Mr. Watson •aid, in connection with the following event*; March 20—Library Play. March 27—Grammar Grade Operet ta April 17—'Senior Play .. —- April 24 —Seventh Grade Exercises. May I—Music Recital May 3—Sermon to High School Graduating Class May B—High School Graduation. The Hon. J. C. B. Ehringhaus, of Elisabeth City, yesterday accepted the invitation to address the seniors graduating night, May 8. A date for the, junior-senior ban quet has not been determined at this time and no preacher has been selected to deliver the commencement sermon. Mr. Wathon stated however, that a local man would be chosen, r, - • LEGGE PREDICTS 5 CENT COTTON • ■ Statement Will Also Apply To Tobacco Prices This Fall —■ » Referring to the failure of growers to cut acreage, Alexander Legge, re cently resigned chairman of the Fed eral Farm Board, said the cotton far mer "is still trying to put the price down to five cents," and the wheat farmer will "quit growing wheat when it gets down to 25 cents." The former farm board chairman, whose position is now filled by James C. Stone, one-time tobacco member of the board, did not mention the various other crops, but his statement was ac cepted as applying to tobacco. When it comes to acreage reduc tion, he said, farmers are too willing i "to let George do it" Asked if he saw any immediate pos sibility for five cents cotton, Legge said "there is no question but if they raise as much this year as they have been, the price will be lower than any -* thing they have seen yet." He believed, however, there would be some reduction in cotton acreage this year, but "not as much as it ought to be." Regarding wheat, while reduction this year will be small, the chairman atill saw the possibility the acreage would be cut 20 per cent within two years. • SCHOOL MEN TO HOLD MEET HERE • Schoolmasters Club Plan a Discussion of School Legislation • ■ The Martin County schoolmasters will hold their sixth' meeting of the 1930-31 term in the high school build ing here Thursday evening, it was an nounced by Professor W. R. Wataon, president of the club, yesterday after noon. Two topica, a county field day and achool legislation, will be discussed, Mr. Watson stated in hia announce ment, and a goodly number of the male teachers are expected to attend and take part. A county field day was suggested by Professor R. I. Leake, of the Robersonville Schools at the| county .teachers' meeting held here last Saturday afternoon when it was referred to the Schoolmasters' club for consideration. The "discussion, having to do with school legislation, is ad vanced in an effort to acquaint the various school heads with all new mea sures passed or proposed in the North Carolina General Assembly. The teachers will be served dinner in the high school lunch room by the - ladies of the Methodist Chnrch Aid society, according to present plans. > Kiwaniens To Hold Meet - Here Tomorrow Mt Noon ■ ' m The local Kiwanit club will hold its regular luncheon in the Woman's club hall tomorrow at noon. The president is req nesting all members who can possible to do so to attend. THE ENTERPRISE 4,000 Merchants School Revenu WOULD PREFER PRESENT TAX BE CONTINUED • Action Not a Test Vote on Sales Tax, But Shows Strength in House FAVOR NO'SALES TAX ♦ Prominent Merchants Declare Day Sale* Tax Bill Would Com pletely Destroy Them Four thousand merchants marched down on Raleigh yesterday to register complaints, some against the Hinsdale or so-called luxury tax, and some against the Day tax bill or tax on gross sales, and some against any form of sales tax whatever. The result was.a marked blow directed at the Mac Lean School Bill, and gives rise to an impending danger for the landowners throughout the State. Fol lowing what is said to have been a state of pandemonium or near chaos, the assembly money-raisers dissolved joint session without a vote on the sales tax. The action of the committee last night was not a test vote on sales tax, but it does indicate that the House is stronger for a sales tax than the Senate is. In short, it looks as if the line of defense set up by farmers and landowners earlier in the session was attacked by politicians backed by more than 3,000 merchants in a last battle of the season. That a counter charge would be made by- the land owners was in evidence today when telegrams and petitions were for warded to the members of the General Assembly resenting the activities re corded in the capital yesterday. ' The public hearing was featured by the refusal of all those appearing before the committee to expressing any preference as between the pend ing sales tax bills and statements by several of the spokesmen that the General Assembly had gone too far in pledging itself to support the six months school term without ad valo rem taxes. When the hearing was granted last week there was a strong intimation that if faced with a showdown be tween the Day Bill carrying a gen eral sales tax and the Hinsdale bill carrying a so-called luxury tax, the merchant would overwhelmingly fa vor the latter. However, if there was any auch in tention it was abandoned before the hearing yesterday. Several members of the committee were insistent in their efforts to ob tain an expression and Representa tive White, of Robeson, after stat ing that he was opposed in principle to any form of a sales tax, three times asked the question: "If this committee should find that it is absolutely necessary to impose some sort of a sales tax, which sort would you prefer?" "The best answer to that question is that if this committee and the House and Senate are to adopt a sales tax we want it to be of their own choice and we want them to bear the odium and want none of it shifted to the shoulders of the merchants of North Carolina," declared Eugene Newsome, of Durham, who directed the hearing for the merchants. "That is like asking a man to choose between seven deadly forms of disease' had been Mr. Newsome's earlier reply to the same question, the position be ing the same one assumed by Willard L. Dowell, secretary of the North Car olina Merchants Association at an earlier hearing. "It is like asking a man how he wants to be killed," interjected Sena tor H. P. Grier, of Iredell. Yesterday's hearing, however, was directed entirely at the Day general sales tax (biO, whicjh »h prominent merchants from all over the State who spoke declared would utterly de stroy them, by presenting a tax which they could neither absorb or pass on to the consumer. Shortly after beginning of the hear ing, further questions of the commit tee were reserved by request until the conclusion of the formal presentation. Most of these dealt with the un successful effort to secure an expres-| sion of preference but some of them related to other matters, particularly the "graduated rates in the Day bill, which levies a tax of one-half per cent on sales under SIO,OOO with seven brackets, the being 3 per cent on all sales over $500,000. 'Which could more easily pass on the tax, the small independent store or the chain store?" inquired Repre sentative Newman. 11 "Undoubtedly the chain store could because they have unlimited re sources from other states and would absorb the tax, advertise to the world that they wire doing it and ran the small independent put of business. (Continued on page four) I Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, March 10, 1931 Benefit Supper for the Needy Friday Night The Charity Committee of the Woman'* Club will aerve a Chicken salad supper at the Club room Friday evening, March 13. from 6 to 8:30. All the proceed* will go to help the needy ca*«* in the community. You are invited and urged to attend. CHARGED WITH ATTACKING CAT ♦ i Paul Bozeman Breaks Glass Partition And Knocks Cat Off Of A Box Charged with attacking a house cat Paul Bozemai. young white man of near here, was carrief before Justice of the Peace J. L. Hassell last week. He was required to pay the damage connected to the assault and justify the court for its trouble. A few days ago, Bozeman, partially if not totally intoxicated, wandered in to C. O. Moore's store on Washington Street here. A large house cat, peace fully sleeping on a box just on the other sid of a glass partition, attracted Bozeman's attention. The man cursed and dared the cat to meow or growl, and as the pet contiuned to sleep, he became worried and with, pugilistic force thrust his fist through the glass partition. The cat, landed on its feet several paces away. Bozeman arrest ed and carried before Justice Hassell to answer in the case charging him with asaultiug a cat. CLuiT MEETING AT JAMESVILLE ■ ♦ Agent Explains Curb Mar ket and Urges Support Of Club Members The Home Demonstration £lub of Jamesville held its regular monthly meeting in the club room oil Friday March 6at 2:30 p. m. In the absence of the President, Mrs. Lessie Holliday Vice President presided. Thirteen members and two visitors were in at tendance. The club decided to assume the responsibility of supplying milk and fruit for a sick child in the com munity. After the regular business meeting at which time Mrs. Bettie Hassell was appointed News Reporter,"Miss Sleep er took charge stressing the need of hot bed* and cold frames for starting early vegetables. Names of quick growing vegetables and those of new favor in the state were suggested to the members. She explained the mana gement of the curb market that is to be opened in Willlamston soon and urged every club member to support the market. She also gave her plan for Better Homes week. Her special work for the afternoon was remodelling and Restyling old garments. After adjournment the Club was de-j lightfully served a salad course with coffee by Mrs. J. E. Sniithwick.—Club Reporter. RED CROSS AIDS TWO MILLIONS ♦ I Contribution* to $10,000,000 Relief Fund Totals $9,704,654,00 Washington, March 7. The full disaster measure of last summer's 1 drought was calculated today by the Red Cross. Approximately 2,000,000 persona in 850 counties of 22 states were being fed or otherwise aided by the Red Cross on the last day of February— a month-end summary believed by of ficials to represent "peak load." In the shortest, leanest month of all, February, 460,240 families were being fed, as against 255,737 families the month before. The national relief scene was etched in terms of families aided, with the explanation that four and one-half persons were considered { the average per family. By states, aid was given as follow*: Alabama, 22,752 families; Arkansas, 161,114 families; Georgia, 1,122 fam ilies; Illinois, 4,785 families; Indiana, 2,356 families; Kansas, 26" families; Kentucky 40,903; Louisiana, 51,251; Maryland, 567; Mississippi, 31,389; Missouri, 22,626; Montana, 569; North Carolina 2,120; North Dakota, 280; Ohio, 8045; Oklahoma, 52,616; Penn sylvania, 549; Tennessee, 16,467; Texas, 26,519; Virginia, 9,175; Wml Virginia, SOO9. Contribution* to the $10,000,000 drought relief fund totalled $9,704- «54. SCOUTS HOLD A HONOR COURT ♦ i. Twenty-eight Boys Attend Meeting Held Here Friday Evening *>• BY L. L. HALLMAN, Secy. 1 Sincerely hoping that every father and mother that sees this article will read same, as we are not asking for any thing but we do offer you infor mation that you should he eager to get. The organization of Boy Scouts is an International Institution that stands for the greatest things that life holds for man. Is Your Boy a Scout Why? Scouting offers the boy more than be can get any place that I know of away from his parents. Just consider for a moment the oath that the boy j takes before being admitted to become I a scout any you will see that he is compelled to gain some benefit from the organization that he is joining. The Oath.—On my Honor— 1. 1 will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and obey the scout laws. 2. To help other people at all times. 3. To keep my self physically strong mentally awake and morally straight. If your boy is a Scout help him to be a better one, if he is not get him in. -> The advancement at present in the troop of your town is great indeed, within the next few months you will have some boys that will have reach- j ed the highest rank possible in scout-' ing, why not let one of these boys be yours. The last Court of Honor held in the Court House presided oveT by the chairman of the Court Scouter Z. T., Piephoff. There were also present L. j L. Hallman Secy. Wheeler Martin Scout Master, William Manning an-| other H. 1). Harrison Couii-, cillor for Firemanship Merit Badge. There were twenty eight scouts pres- J cut, We also had in attendance a great { number of visitors, of which we were very proud. The following young men were j presented to the court for advance-1 ment, in a very impressive ceremony, j There were three young men dubbed i scouts by becoming Tenderfoot Scouts, they were Howard Cone, Thad Har rison and Exum Ward. For the Rank of Second Clata— Harry Taylor. For higher advancement, being merit badge work the following were present ed for the various awards in the dif ferent subjects. Civics Merit badge—W. F. Clark, jno. H. Gurganus, Ben Hopkins, Wheeler Martin Jr. Wood L. Hallman. First Aid*—J. S. Rhodes, Jno. H. Gurganus, Leslie Fowden Jr., Lawrence Lindsley. Handicraft—J. D. Rhodes Jr., Les lie Fowden Jr., Jno. H. Gurganus, Horace Ray, L. L. Hallman. Firemenship—H. D. Harrison, Jr., William F. Clark, O. S. Anderson Jr., M. J. Ben Hopkins, L. G. Lindsley, Jack Manning, Horace Ray, Donnie Harrison, Jno. H. Gurganus, Reginald Simpson, Leslie Fowden Jr., L. L. Hallman. Cycling—J. Ben. Hopkins, H. D. Harrison Jr., Donnie Hardison, Horace Ray, O. S. Anderson Jr., Wheeler Martin Jr., L. L. Hallman. Personal Health—J. S. Rhodes Jr., Reginald Simpson. Basketry—L. L. Hallman. Pioneering—L. L Hallman. Automobiling—L. L. Hallman. The court was closed by the chair man and the meeting was turned over , to the scout master, after which there ( were numerous games played, both entertaining and educational. Fertilizer Man Voices His Opinions on Conditions Mr. S, Y. Priddy, associated with the C. W. Priddy Fertilizer Company, of Norfolk, was a business visitor in j our town yesterday. Mr. Priddy, is of the opinion that high prices for farm products have departed and will remain so, far quite awhile unless something unforseen come to light. Mr. Priddy, says condi tions are not so bad in his territory where farmers have been operating on a conservative basis, and he believes conditions will adjust themselves where the farmers will follow a con servative course of crop variety. , • |( ANSWER BOX I —————————' Q. When was the first agricul tural fair held In lfjutin county? A. About 1(54. Q. Where was the first agricul tural fair bald in lCgftin county? A. In Hamilton. Q. What waa the mimw pro party valuation in Martin county? A. 115,887,039.00. Q. What una the estimated pro perty fluartnn in Martin county? A. $25,000,000.00. Q. What to Martin, county*■ bonded debt? A, $928,000.00. Government Seed Available to Martin Farmers Eleven Convicts Cremated In Duplin County Prison JS> U Forty-one Save Lives When Camp Burned Early Saturday Morning Eleven Negro convicts were burn ed to death at two o'clock last Satur day morning when the Duplin County stockade was destroyed by fire, An in vestigation, conducted by State au thorities held no one responsible for the tragedy, but efforts to have the old State Prison replaced by a modern one were redoubled as a result of the Duplin tragedy. The fire, starting in the kitchen of the camp, was discovered by two guards, . but before they could give the alarm and release all the 52 pris oners, stiffing smoke pushed tlieni back. Eleven trapped in a back cell, were left to perish. The flames never reached the 11 men, but the heat from the burping structure around them scarred thein- bodies, making identifi cation impossible. ~ Starting from what is believed to have been a defective wire, the flames advanced so rapidly that when dis covery was made, it was too late. The officers ran into the center entrance of the blazing building and released the first 16 men in the cell blocks. These screaming and howling, maddened by terror, fought wildly in a stampede for the door. Owen Hasley, Jr., guard who re leased them, was thrice knocked down in the rush and received painful head injuries. Hut when the guards sought to un fetter the men in. the second cell block they found fiery death and preceded them. Crowded into :t -single cell of the block containing f ve barred sections, the negroes had died, impotent to struggle against the red hot iron bars which both imprisoned and tortured them. As a result of the Duplin tragedy, near Kenansville, pressure from a number of quarters was being -brought to bear on members of the general as sembly to secure, passage of a bill now before the body to re-appropriate $400,000 in order that a fire proof cen tral prison may he erected at Carey prison farm. Though all prisoners killed at Kenansville were county charges, the state department of public 'welfare and state's prison immediately dispatched investigators to the scene. Close on the heels of the news of the fire Mr. Pou gave every member of the general assembly a communica tion warning them that "if proper and safe buildings are not authorized, then members of tlnyfrueral assembly and those who oppose the bill must ac cept the responsibility in the event of a fire and the loss of human lives." Dan C. Boney, commissioner of in surance, said the Duplin fire should "forcefully call to the attention of our present general assembly" conditions existing at the central prison and the hospitals for the insane at Raleigh and Morganton. Mr. Boney said "just such occurreces tan happen any day" at any of the institutions. "Th.e conscience of Hjie state is shocked beyond measure at the ca tastrophe in the Duplin prison fire which tortured to death 11 helpless convicts early this mroning," Governor said in a statement tonight. "I 'am inexpressably distressed at the occurrence,. whicJi, while not ex pected, could |bave happened in so many places in North Carolina. I shudder to think of what the out come would be if a similar fire should occur at the state's prison. "If anyone needs to be convinced of the duty that the state owes it self as well as the individuals on whom it lays its hand of restraint, the mute ly eloquent charred bodies of these 11 unfortunate wretches I think fur nishes it. "I hope to see the administration recommendation for tihe relocation and rebuilding of the state's prison in suitable units, and according to prac-, tical modern standards, go through in j time to prevent a truly distressful oc-i currence happening again in North Carolina. I wish it might have been done in time to have prevented this." Pneumonia Deaths More Numerous In the County Although- the disease Ti far from the epidemic stage, pneumonia has result ed in a number of deaths in several sections of the county during the past few weeks according to reports com ing from the various, practicing physi cians. The percent of pneumonia deaths is said to be larger than usual, and practically all the cases developed from influenza, it is believed. Clothing Specialist To Hold Meet Here Miss Willie Hunter, State Clothing Specialist of the Ex tension Division at Raleigh will be in the County Wednesday for an all day meeting in die Home Agent's office beginning at 10.30. Thia is the first meeting to be open to women interested in the subject "Children's Clothing." Miss Hunter has asked that the women bring old garments from which chldiren clothes can be made. ..: i : DOINGS IN THE LEGISLATURE Introduce Bills Providing Further Delay In Real Estate Valuation —>— m Countless bills, humorous ones and minor one* along with a few worthy ones are being enacted into law by the present legislature, such good luck so far for the revenue bill that would create funds for operating the six months schools. The Senate yesterday passed the ad ministration bill to reappropriate $400,- 000 to state's prison to provide for the erection of a modern, fire-proof central prison. l ighting to postpone a revaluation of real pro|>erty in N. C. until 1933, members of both-houses of the general assembly yesterday introduced bills continuing the effect of the Neal law until January 1 two years hence. Early in its session the assembly passed the bill of Representative Neal of McDowell postponing the revalua •tion until March 25, though it was sup posed to have started January 1, a week before the legislature met. Due to evtraodinary times existing, with land values at unusually low fig ures, Governor Gardner urged the as sembly in -his biennial message to pos pone the work until 1933. The new bills are by Neal of Mc ' Dowel I in the house and Pritcfiett, ' Campbell, Hendren and others in the ' senate. ' Coming before the Senate as a sub stitute with, committee amendments designed to allay opposition by reduc ing its cost, the State-wide automo i bile drivers license bill became in-j 1 volved in a running debate yesterday and emerged, after its third reading, ias a mere gesture toward greater | highway safety. Under the bill as amended, mem bers of the highway patrol, sherifft, ' police officers and other constituted authorities in the name of the state may issue licenses to drivers of auto mobiles after January 1, 1932, but | may charge nothing for this service. I It has been agreed that no new bills would be introduced in the two branches of the legislature after to- I morrow. Probably no record has been I established, but apparently there have already been sufficient bills introduced. U. S. SURVEY OF SCHOOL FOLKS Lengthy Questionnaire Is Sent To Each Teacher In the United States In an effort to make a survey of the demand for and education of tea chers "throughout the United States, the Department of Interior, Wa>>hing ton, Washington, is sending ,nut to every teacher in the country a ques tionnaire propounding numerous ques tions. The blanks are , being mailed from the superintendent's office in the county this week, and the teachers will have something to really amuse them over the week-end. The questionnaire is complete in every detail. 1n addressing the questionnaire to the teachers, the department says, The present unemployment of many ' experienced and trained teachers led the Seventy-first Congress, at the re quest of professional organizations, to provide for a nation-wide survey of the demand for and education of teachers, supervisors, administrators and other specialists in' the public school systems of the Unite'd States. You may have answered similar questions for local studies. However, to secure data com parable between States, all teachers and other professional employees are ask ed to reply to the same set of ques tions. This study is solely for the im provement of American education. Watch the Label On Your Paper Ai It Carries the Date When Yoor Subscription Expires ESTABLISHED 1898 INCLUDE COUNTY IN CHANGE MADE A FEW DAYS AGO $189,000 Has Already Been Lent To North Caro lina Farmers $5,000 LENTLAST YEAR * County Agent T. B. Brandon Will Handle Seed-Feed Loans In This County ♦ 1 hat Martin County farmers will be eligible, after all to share Jn the United States $25.000,(XX). seed and feed loan fund was announced last when several additional counties in this immediate part of the State |Were included in the ,ltst of drought sufferers. Late in January, a list of the State and counties eligible for participation in the loan fund, was announced, but Martin county was not included. The requests for loans con tinued, and at a last minute this coun ty was included.' ' The allotment available to farmers in this county is not known, but it is be lieved that all those who are eligible will have an opportunity to share in the fund. The rules for securing the loans are not known at this time, but it is understood that similar methods in effect last year will continue again this year. Farmers losing their crops on account of dry weather and finding it impossible to finance themselves this year can borrow from the fund, giving a lieu on his anticipated crop as se curity? It is also understood that no loans will be made ytiless the bor rower agrees to plant ample feed and food'crops during the coming season. County Agent T. B. Brandon will handle the loans in this county, it was announced. Those eligible to partici pate ill the fund should see liiin at once. It is specifically stated, how ever, that iio loans will he made to finance other than farming activities, anil money secured from the fund can not be used to pay taxes or other debt ß of a similar nature. Last year, approximately $5,000 was lent to about a dozen farmers in this county, it is understood. According to reports coming from those sharing in the $8,000,000 loan fund last year, the benefit was marked. One of the far mers coming in for a loan remarked that he accomplished as much with the S.IOO cash lent him as he had been doing with around S7OO worth of cre dit. Practically ,all the 1930 loans have been paid off. .. Approximately $189,000 has been loaned io North Carolina farmers un der the drought relief appropriation, 'Dean I. O. Schaub, of N. C. State Col lege, says he has learned from Wash ington. " Approximately 900 loans have been made in the state, he said. 1 "We have had one of our district agents, O. F. McCrary, in Washington for the past two weeks assisting in ar ranging these loans," Schaub said. "He returned to Raleigh this week and will be replaced by John W. Goodman, district agent in the south western part of the state." Mr. Schaub said a large number of the applicants for loans from farmers in Stokes and Surry counties, where the drought was most severe last sum mer. He said the demand for application blanks in Stokes county was so great two weeks ago that the local commit tee and county farm apent could not keep supplied. • Tar Heel Farmers Plan Banquet in Jamesville The members of the Young Tar Heel Farmers' : club of the Jamesville High School, will hold a Father-Son ban quet in the school there Friday eve ning of this week from 8 to 11 p. m., it was announced yesterday. Each year, the young farmers of that section get together with their fathers for a'general discussion having td do, more or less, with farming. The stu-' dents in the agricultural class of the Jamesville School are doing a mark ed work, according to reports, and the Fattier-Son*banquet is looked forward to with much interest. False Fire Alarm Received By Volunteers Here Today The local fire company was called out at 12:30 this afternoon when a fire was reported near the old convict camps at the foot of the river hill. The truck went down the hill, and when the firemen could learn nothing about the report there, they returnM. The alarm was turned in by FsnMfe Respass, local colored man. No definite details have b«p de termined at this time, but an investiga tion will be made* it is understood

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