North Carolina Newspapers

Wm ENTERPRISE IS REAP BY * OVER MM MARTIN COUNTY EftMMES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ U OVER 3.00« MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WERK VOLUME LI—NUMBER 86 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, October 2ft, 1948 ESTABLISHED 1899 Judge J. C. Smith Has Twelve Cases * lit County’s Court RrYftniH' Raised At Session Monday Smallest In Many Months -O- - - White the number of cases reached no record low, revenue raised at the last Monday session of the Martin County Recorder’s Coyrt hit the lowest point in many months. The combined fines amounting to $60 reflected finan cial conditions in the days back in the middle of a Hoover depres sion. Little activity has been re ported on the crime front in this county for about two weeks. Judge J. Calvin Smith called a # dozne cases and cleared the dock et before noon. A double-barreled bastardy proceeding featured the docket during the day, the prosecuting witness appearing in court with two little tots and an expert wit ness in Dr. Bray of Plymouth to support the contentions. Charged with bastardy, Lindley Earl Spruill pleaded not guilty. At the conclusion of the state's evi dence, the defense made a motion for a verdit of not guilty and the motion was allowed. It was point ed out that the motion was grant ed on a technicality, the state having failed to ask damages and show that the defendant had re fused support. During the course of the trial, the prosecuting wit ness told the court that she met the defendant in a Plymouth church on New Year's Eve of 1946. It was also brought out by the state that the defendant had ar ranged for the services of Dr. Bray to preside at the blessed I event. The defendant maintain ed that he was not guilty that he merely felt sorry for the girl and arranged the doctor’s service be cause she was poor. In a second case brought by the prosecuting witness, Johnson Bateman pleaded guilty of bas tardy and the action was continu fd under prayer for judgment un til the first Monday in December, 1949, upon the payment of the (Continued on page eight) Martin Farmers Ordering Lime I Martin County farmers are tak ing advantage of the attractive lifnc offer made possible under The soil conservation program, T. B. Slade of the Triple A, announc-1 ed this week. Orders have been placed for 503 tons of lime to be j delivered to farms and spread in the fields. Other orders call for thirteen tons to be delivered to the farm, the farmers agreeing to spread it in the fields themselves, i The cost of the lime spread in the fields is only $2.70 per ton, but it cart be delivered to the farm for only $1.70 per ton. No quota limit has been assign ed this county, but there will be a limit to the handling capacity, I and attention will be given orders as they are received. Farmers whoj are interested in the attractive of fer ire asked to contact the office of the county agent without delay. It could be a long time before such an attractive offer is made again. | BOOSTED Vi. --J The fund for starving little children in war stricken coun tries was boosted by $99.75 yesterday when Attorney Z. | Heedy Rose got out and made a one-man solicitation in the business district of Roberson ville, the report showing the pica received a hearty re sponse. To date the fund has received $1,115.32, or a little less than half the $2,509 quota. ^obersonville had previ ously raised and reported lll.1l, an amount solicited by the Woman’s Club there. It isn’t too late to contribute to the fund. Those wishing to contribute to others who can't help themselves are ask ed to forward their donations to Mrs. N. C. Green, treasur er, Williams ton. Peanut Festival Parade Figure Mixing a bit of patriotism with peanuts. Master Michael Harri son, son of Mr. and Mrs, John Dennis Harrison, was one of the little folks who helped make the Peanut Festival Baby Parade a great success here on October 15. His is the first in a series of festival pictures to appear during the course of the next few weeks. | VOTING HOURS | vJ The polls for the general election next Tuesday will open at 6:3(1 o’clock a. m. and close at 6:30 o’clock p. m. With possibly one or two ex ceptions, the polls will he lo cated at the usual voting places. Robersonville pre cinct voters will find the polls open there in the ti. and S. Motor Company showroom instead of in the old motor company building next to the post office. The polls for Williamston No. 1 precinct will be in the courthouse and for No. 2 pre cinct in the City Hall. Voting Population In United States Estimates issued by the Census Bureau show that on election day, next Tuesday, about 95,000.01)0 men and women will be of voting age in the United States. How mnay of these can or will vote the bureau did not predict. It did say that about 2,000,000 will be dis qualified for voting because of lack of American citizenship, while a great many others will be ineligible because of non-registra tion, failure to pay poll taxes, lack of residence qualifications, be cause of illness or imprisonment, or because of residence in the District of Columbia, whose citi ; zens are not given the franchise. A large percentage of those eligi ble to vote do not take the trou i ble to cast their ballot. In 1944. the bureau said, 56.4 percent of ' the voting age civilian population | voted, the number of ballots cast being 47,976,263. In 1940 the per centage was 59.5. or a total of 49, 820,312 votes. Raise Over $500 For Colored Band Starting a drive a few days ago, canvassers hau up until yes terday raised $527.05 of an $1,800 quota for the colored high school band here. Starting from scratch last year under the direction of D E. Ow ens, the band, now under the di rection of Professor Clark, is mak ing splendid progress, but uni forms along with several costly instruments are needed ,it was ex plained. School and community leaders are lending a liberal hand and they’ll greatly appreciate any sup port from any source. Dopesters Figure It All Out, Maybe The political dopesters have had a Uxw.iiguring just how the presidential election is coming out next Tuesday. All of the big-time prognosticators are predicting a victory Jor the Republicans, some even going so far as to predict what Mr. Dewey will do and won’t do when he takes over next January 20. There’s one defect in the pre dictions, however. Few if any of the dopesters see eye to eye on every state. While one might miss his guess in one state, an other might hit it right, and there's enough variation in the guesses to prove the whole bunch off base. One dopester gives the Demo crats Rhode Island, North Caro lina, Georgia, Tennessee, Ken tucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Okla» homa and Texas. The same guy gives Thurmond for the Dixie crats South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Lousiana. And then he lists Virginia, West Vir ginia, New Mexico, Montana, Ari zona and Nevada in the doubtful column, leaving the rest for Dew ei. It looks good on the map for Dewey, but if Dewey loses New York and Iowa - just two states— he will have failed to get a ma jority. So, after all, Dewey isn’t as strong as the Republican-bent dopesters make him out to be, and it’ll be well to wait until some counting is done late next Tues day. -o---„ Totvn It oar d To Hold Meal Monday ISiglil —■—• Williamston’s town commis sioners will meet in regular ses sion at 8:00 o'clock next Monday evening to handle routine mat ters. ! ELECTION PAHTY ' v.-J Asked to cover the election returns in this county for the press associations and several of the state papers, The En terprise force plans to hold an election party next Tuesday night. A special plea is being directed to the poll holders in the county’s thirteen pre cincts, cordially urging them to repeat the splendid aid rendered in the last summer primaries. If straight tickets are voted, and it is believed most voters will not desert, the count should start coming in at or soon after 7:00 o’clock. Propose Increase In Tax Limitation For General Fund I Voters To Decide Question In General Flection To Be Held November 2 By ALBERT COATS, Director, Institute of Government Next Tuesday, the people of North Carolina will vote: For or against increasing the amount of total Stale and county tax which may be levied on prop erty, by changing the limitation on said tax from fifteen cents on the $100 valuation to twenty-five cents on the $100 valuation. Present Limitation Article V, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution provides: "The total of the State and Coun ty tax on property shall not ex npi>H fifteen cents on the 11100 value of property, except when ’ the county property tax is levied for a special purpose and with the special approval of the General Assembly, which may be done by speeial or general act: Provided, this limitation sltt.il not apply to taxes levied for fthe maintenance of the public schools of the State for the term required by article nine, section three, of the Con stitution: Provided, further, the State tax shall not exceed five cents on the $100 value of prop erty.” The proposed amendment would lift this constitutional limitation j from 15 to 25 cents on the $100 value of property. It would not lift the tax;, it would simply au thorize county authorities to lift it—if, as, and when county needs require it for general operating purposes. The Constitution authorizes the county authorities to exceed the 15-cent property tax limitation! for special purposes. And this! explains the difference between! the present 15-cent limitation on taxes levied for general county [ purposes and present county tax rates ranging from 55 cents in one i of the richer counties to $2.20 in I one of the poorer counties, repre senting general and special pur poses combined. This 15-cent lim itation for general purposes ap peared to give the counties plenty of operating leeway when it was imposed in 1920, coupled with the special purpose exceptions which had been in force since 1868. If the fifteen cent limitation on piOperty taxes for general oper ating purposes was fixed and sta tic, the special purpose loophole with equal constitutional recogni tion was flexible and dynamic, and could be expanded to cover expanding county needs. "It was inserted in the Constitution of 1868,” said the Supreme Court of North Carolina, "For the purpose of providing for an emergency that could not be reasonably anti cipated, and as a safeguard against increasing taxation hasti ly and without due consideration. When the sum raised by the ordi nary rate is not enough to pay the current expenses, the only re lief is to apply to the Legislature for authority to exceed the limit. And has been the course pur sued ever since the Constitution of 1868 was adopted whenever the current receipts of a county have not been sufficient to pay its cur rent expenses.” This flexibility began to fade as the legislative practice of permit ting special taxes for special pur poses yielded to the Court's auth ority to say what a speciai pur pose is. “If the General Assembly can authorize the levy of a tax in excess of the Constitutional limi tation for the ordinary expenses of a* county,” said the Court, "Ar ticle V, Section 1, which was in tended to protect the people against excessive taxation, would be a ‘dead letter’ and of no ef fect.” Accordingly the Court, on taxpayers’ protests, has pro nounced against the practice of absorbing "floating indebtedness,” incurred in ordinary operating ex penses of the county, as a special purpose for which taxes may be levied in excess of the fifteen cent limitation; against the,prac tice of budgeting the maintenance of jails and the care of prisoners, county commissioners' pay, ex pense, and board, county court house and grounds, and county (Continued on page seven) Fifty - Eight Candidates Face V oters Of Martin County In * General Election On Tuesday Five Ballots Will Be Placed Before Voters In County No Opposition Anticipated To Township amt (anili ty Office Nominees Martin County voters will help decide or decide the fate of fit'ty eight candidates and four propos ed changes in the state Constitu tion in the general election next Tuesday. Five ballot.; will be placed before the voters in three precincts and four in the othei ten precincts. It all sounds a bit confusing but the task is very simple and in most cases is noth ing more than a routine matter. The Presidential ballot, carry ing the names of the nominees of four parties—Harry S. Truman and Alben W. Barkley for the Democrats, Thomas E. Dewey and Earl Warren for the Republicans, Henry A. Wallace and Glen H. Taylor for the Progressives, and J, Strom Thurmond and Fielding Wright for the States’ Rights or Dixiecrats—is certain to be the main election attraction. The State ballot lists contests between nominees for the United States Senate, National House of Representatives and State offic ers. The Republicans are contest ing for only thirteen of the nine teen jobs while the Progressives have only five nominees on the State ballot. The State ballot line-up fol lows: For United States Senate: Short term, J Melville Broughton; long or regular term, J. Melville Broughton, (4); John A. Wilkin son, (11), and William T. Brown, (Progressive). For governor: W. Kerr Scott, (D); George M. Pritchard, (R); and Mary Price, (Progressive). Miss Price is the first woman in North Carolina to be offered as a nominee for governor of the State by any party. For lieutenant governor: H. P. Taylor, (D); Kyle Hays, (R); and Kenneth Harris, (Progressive). For secretary of state: Thud Eure, (D); and James S. Dockery, (R). For state auditor: short term, Henry L. Bridges, (D); long or re gular term, Henry L. Bridges, (D); and M. V. Hickman, (R). For state treasurer: Brandon P. Hodges, (D); Ben L. Spence, (R). For attorney general: Harry McMullan, (D); Herbert F. Sea well, Jr., (R); C. O. Pearson, (Pro gressive). For superintendent of public in struction: Clyde A. Erwin, (D); Buford T. Henderson, (R). For commissioner of agricul ture: short term, D. S. Coltrane, (D); long or regular term, L. Y Ballentine, (D); Watt H. Gragg, (R); and John W. Stubbs, (Pro gressive). For commissioner of insurance: Wm. P. Hodges, (D), and Deems II. Clifton, (R). For commissioner of labor; For rest 11. Shuford, (D); M. K. liar rill, (R). For associate justice of supreme court: Sam J. Ervin, Jr., (D); and Robt H McNeill, (II). For judge superior court, 1st district: Chester H. Morris, (D). For judge superior court, 13th district: F. Donald Phillips, (D). For judge superior court, 20th district: Dan K. Moore, (D). For congressman, 1st district: Herbert C. Bonner, (D); and Zeno Ratcliff, (R). The county ballot is free of all contamination, the names of only democratic nominees, appearing on it, as follows: For state senator' John C. Rod man and Sam M. Campen. For state representative: A. Corey. For register of deeds: J. Sam Gctsinger. For treasurer: R, 11. Smith. For judge of recorder’s court: Chas H. Manning. (Continued on page eight} V. FI IN AL SALE Williamston's Tobacco Mar ket held its final sale of the season yesterday. marking the close of one of the short est and most successful seas ons in the history of the mar ket. Sales have dwindled so rapidly for the past two weeks that there was hardly enough activity to give the market an operating atmos phere during the period. Only 12,220 pounds were sold yes terday, pushing the total for the season to 9,185,020 pounds. The cash income was $4,449,356.50, an average of $48.44 per hundred pounds. Compared with last year, the market handled 3,020,191 fewer pounds, but the income was smaller by only $577, 605.87. In other words, the market sold 12,205,114 pounds last year for $5,026,962.37, an average of $41.19. When pro duction costs arc considered along with other factors, the farmer actually made more from the small crop this year than he did last, it is general ly conceded. Hurt In River Fill Accident John Gould Williams, 40-year old driver of a meat truck for Clyde E. Moore of Windsor, was badly but believed not seriously hurt, when the vehicle he was driven went out of control and turned over on the river fill near here late lust Monday night. Wil liams was removed to the hospital here for treatment. Driving toward Windsor, Wil liams lost control of the truck on the curve near Conine Creek. The vehicle crashed into the left guard rail of the fill, skidded down the rail 39 yards and turned over three times, landing in the swamp. Damage to the truck was esti mated at $1,500 by Patrolman J. T. Rowe who made the investiga tion. Officers Destroy Two Liquor Stills Finding little activity on the il licit liquor front during most of the current month, AHC Officer J. H. Roebuck and Deputy Roy Peel went into action lust Friday and wrecked two distilleries before nightfall. The first plant, equipped with a 50-gallon capacity copper kettle, i cooler and doubler, three fer menters of 600 gallon capacity and 400 gallons of beer, was wrecked in Heai Grass Township that morning. Accompanied by Pitt County officers, the two raiders moved into the Stingy Point section of Robersonville Township that aft ernoon and wrecked a crude plant, equipped with a 50-gallon capacity oil drum still and a small i fermenter. Four stills have been wrecked in the county so far this month. SCOUT FlINIJ 'v--- > A council - wide finance campaign of the Hast Carolina Council, Boy Scouts of Am erica, will begin next Tues day to raise $45,84fi in the twenty counties comprising the council. Martin County has a quota of $1,4450, and business men will take the canvass into YYilliamsfon, Hamilton, Hassell, Oak City, Robcrsonville, Jamesville and Bear Grass. Messrs. Garland Woolard and K. P. Lindsley are on the district committee handling the fund drive, it was an nounced. Predicting Large Vote In General Election Tuesday Mxpecl 1,000 In County Ami Over Fifty Million In tin* [Nation A large but no record vote is predicted in the general election in this county nest Tuesday, na tional observers guessing that the vote ir. the nation will go over fifty million to set a new record. Providing the weather is favor able, it is expected that approxi mately 4,000 votes will be east in this county, and it is believed that after all is said and done the vote will be almost unanimous for the Democrats. The vote is expected to fall about 700 below the record of 4,734 established back in 1944 when Wendell Wilkie ran against Franklin Roosevelt, but will ap proximate the 4,341 count record ed four years ago when Dewey j ran against Roosevelt. The 1944 vote is listed by pre cincts in this eountv: Prceiuct Jamcsville Williams Griffins Bear Grass Williamston 1 Williamston 2 Cross Roads RoOersonville Gold Point Poplar Point Hassell Hamilton Goose Nest K'velt Dewey T’t'l 420 183 373 288 516 687 322 661 116 198 109 215 312 26 1 2 10 15 31 36 1 454 184 375 298 531 718 323 697 117 198 110 216 320 4408 133 4541 A review of the presidential vote m this county for the past six terms follows: 1924, Davis, 1,999 and Coolulge, 216; 1928, Smith 2,818 and Hoov er, 411; 1932, Roosevelt, 2,781 and Hoover, 94; 1936, Roosevelt, 4,477 and Landon, 111; 1940, Roosevelt. 4,628 and Wilkie, 106; 1944, Roosevelt, 4,408 and Dewey, 133; 1948, The largest vote recorded in the nation was just under fifty mil lion. Most observers are fairly confident the total will go well over that figure next Tuesday, and some are predicting it will push on toward sixty million. There are approximately 6.000 names on the registration book* in this county, and it is reasonable to believe that two out of every three persons whose names are on the books will take time out to handle the important and solemn duty. Wants No Cotton Before Election Reports sent out by Republican- j bent prognosticators and predict ing a Dewey landslide is not help ing farm prices Farmers in the grain belt are said to be taking a ! beating even after they were pro mised price support by the Re publican fiOth Congress which made no provision to store the gram. A Martin County farmer this week went to sell two bales of cotton and was offered 27 cents. The buyer said he did not want it at that price, that he planned to j have no cotton on hand if and when Dewey wins the election; I next Tuesday. -11— !\'u Change In Holiday Schedule tor Schools Contrary to rumors heard this week ,the holiday schedule for Martin County schools will be maintained except possibly for Bear Grass. Forced to suspend I classes two days this week while a larger boiler was installed to handle the enlarged building there, the school will hardly en-; joy a two-day holiday for Thanks- i giving along with the other i ' schools, it was learned. j Justices Of Peace Hear Eight Cases In Past Few Days ■ YostM-iitiii# WitiwsH Fined For (lonleiiipt of Court By Jiislirr Johnson Proceedings in the courts of Justices John L. Hassell ana R. T. Johnson reflect little activity on the crime front in the community during the past few days. Eight cases were handled by the two judges this week. All of them charged minor infractions of the law and attracted very little at tention when heard in the city hall. Procuring a warrant against Ben Frank Little, charging him with assaulting her, Alice Mae Hinton failed to appear and pro secute the case. Justice Johnson dismissed the charges against Lit tle and held the witness in con tempt of court. She was fined $5 and required to pay $5.(15 costs. Charged with failing to stop at a road intersection, Norman Lee Wilson, Mrs. Henry Oakley and Joseph Noah Godard, colored, were each required to pay $5.85 costs. In the case charging George Williams, Jr., with assaulting Odell Hart, Justice Johnson sus pended judgment and required the defendant and the prosecuting witness to pay one-half of the $5.85 costs each. Charged with the improper use of a spot light, J. H. Price was fined $5 and taxed with $5.85 costs. Judge Hassell handled two cas es, one of which was sent to the higher courts. Drunk and disorderly, Cora Mc Neal was fined $5 and taxed with $8.50 costs. Charged with the theft of an overcoat suit case and shirts from William Jenkins, Wannamaker James was bound over to the county court for trial. The goods were valued at $50 and James was required to furnish bond in the sum of $100 for his appearance in the county court. Announce Winners In Baby Contests Misplaced during the hustle bustle, the complete list of win ners in the peanut festival baby parade week before last has been recovered. The winners, not previously announced, follow, ac cording to the judges who came here from other towns to handle difficult the task: Cutest children over three years of age: 1st, Willie Jane White; second, Ella Martin Gaylord; un der three years of age: Judy Gurganus and Marie Wood; boys under three years of age: Ronald White, Jr. and George Mahler, Jr. Most original costume for boys: Michael Harrison; for girls, Judy Riley. The following children, accord ing the judges' records, were eli gible for prizes: Small babies, for being cute and well behaved, Roger Wayne Forbes, Julia Askew, James Dur wood Vann, Jr., Billy Griffin, Phillip Wane Coltrain. Other winners include, Sammy Hardison, Brenda Kay Roberson, Ann Haishp, Brenda Ayers, Craig Ripley, Helen Ann Harris and Bill Sessoms, Jr. PROBLEM Postponed for eight years, a revaluation of property for taxation will be one of the main problems to be discuss ed and handled bv the Marlin County Commissioners when they mr.et in regular session here next Monday morning. No action was taken on or dering a revaluation in 1945 on account of war conditions and uncertainties. There is still uncertainty, but most counties are making arrange ments for a revaluation of all real properties next year. Other than drawing a jury for the December court and handling routine duties, there is little other business sched uled for consideration at the meeting. It will be the last regular meeting for the old board.