i'
a
$1X3 a Year, la Advance.
-FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
agie Cerr,
J
mi
VOL. XXV.
PURCHASE OF SHIPS
PROPOSED III BILL
BY A VOTE OF 46 TO 29 SENATE
PUTS SHIP SUBSIDY BILL
FORWARD. '
SENATOR FLETCHER FAVORS
Says That United States Should Buy
Ships For Commercial Impend
ence Some Objects.
Washington. Government purchase
of ships as proposed in the Adminis
tration biil to create a shipping board,
finance a $10,000,000 shipping corpor
ation and expend not to exceed $30,
000,000 for the purchase chartering of
ocean carriers, because, the foremost
issue before Congress.
By a vote of 46 to 29 the Senate
made the ship purchase bill the un
finished business, to be supplanted
only by appropriation bills. This ac
tion, on motion of Senator Fletcher,
acting chairman of the Commerce Com
mittee, precipitated a showing on the
part of opposition Senators which
gave certain indication that there were
breakers ahead for the proposed leg
islation. Charging that an effort was
being made to rush the billwith un
due haste, Republican members,
among them Senator Gallinger; Lodge
and Root, served notice that the meas
ure would be fought to the last ditch.
Minority members of the Com-'
merce Committee, filed a report writ
ten by Senator Burton and endorsed
by Senators Nelson, Perkins, Smith
of Michiganand Oliver, asserting that
the plan proposed would not relieve
shipping conditions enough to do any
good. It pointed also" to dangers of
of Michigan and Oliver, asserting that
declaring that "every craft set afloat
by the . Government would add one
more, risk of our being drawn into the
present war."
Senator Fletcher, who has charge
of the bill and who recently conferred
with President Wilson concerning it,
urged the measure in a lengthy speech
after Republican Senators had issued
their pronounciamento of opposition.
He declared the war "has produced a
"ship famine" and that the interests
of all people in the-United States de
manded that the Government take im
mediate action to supply ships to car
ry American products demanded in
the markets of Europe and South
America. He instanced the fact that
cotton sold at 19 cents a pound in
Germany when it was bringing seven
cents ia the United States. Germany
would consume 500,000,000 pounds of
cotton if she could get it, he said,
and the South had 15 time's that
amount to sell.
$75,000 FIRE AT CHARLOTTE.
Ben Vonde Company and Nearby
Stores Completely Wrecked.
Charlotte. Fire that started in the
big dyeing and cleaning establish
ment of the Ben Vonde Company, No.
18 West Fifth Street, early in the
night wrecked the E. Reid Russell
Block of stores there, extending fro'm
No. 18 to No. 26 West Fifth street,
and entailing what is said to be a to
tal loss on every person, firm and cor
poration occupying quarters in the
block, namely the Ben Vonde Com
pany, Overcash & Propst contractors;
Tomlinson Furnishing and Decorating
Company; Frank P. Drane, assayer
and chemist, and J. S. De Vonde,
chemist. The loss was estimated to
be in the neighborhood of $75,000, with
insurance probably covering one-half
of the damage. The building was own
ed by Dr. E. Reid Russell, of Asheville,
who wrhen informed of the disaster,
stated that although his block was
only partially covered that he expect
ed to rebuild as soon as possible. The
Moss to each and every tenant was
as nearly complete as a loss rculd fee
irc- turning out hetween the
heavy brick walls that confined it on
either side. On the west were the
elegant Lucas apartments and the
baautiful Clayton Hotel, only recently
opened to the public, while on the
east were the fine stores of the Ezzell
Myrs Company, dealers in paints, oils
end glass and Hackney Brothers.
plumbers
Wanted Her Egg "Shut."
Little Laura's mother was opening
an-egg for her. The child, looking at
the whole eggs in the dish, remon
strated: "Oh, mamma, I dofl't want
that kind. I "want a shut egg, if you
please!"
Arbitration.'
First Director "Gentlemen, the
question is, Shall we arbitrate?" Sec
ond Director "Never! Why, if we
submitted this dispute to arbitration,
we might have to concede something."
Life
MISS GENEVIEVE CLARK
-
r ' i - i' '
6peaker Champ Clark and Mrs. Clark
have announced the engagement of
their daughter, Miss Genevieve, to
James M. Thompson, editor of The
New Orleans Item. The . wedding
will take place in the spring or, early
summer at the Clark home in Bowl
ing Green, Mo.
BRITISH BATTLESHIP SUNK
ENGLAND MOURNS LOSS OF LIVES
OF CREW MORE THAN SHIP,
WHICH WAS 15 YARS OLD.
Part of Crew Picked Up and Brouhgt
Ashore. Statement in Theatre
of War.
London.. The destruction of the
British battleship Formidable in the
British Channel by a mine or a sub
marine boat, although one of those
events Englishmen now realize must
be expected so long as the British
Navy Is compelled to keep the seas,
has caused widespread grief.
This is due not so much to the 103s
of the ship, which was 15 years old
and cost about $5,000,000, as it is for
the men about 600 in nnmber who
went down with her. So, far as known
only 141 of the Formidable's crew of
750 were rescued. The British ad
miralty has not given the locality
where the disaster occurred and de
clares it is unable to say whether the
ship struck a mine or was torpedoed
but as the British fleet again has been
active in shelling German positions on
the Belgian coast and ' as German
submarines have been more and more
using Zeebrugge as a base, the incli
nation here is to believe that a sub
marine again has been successful.
Fighting in Flanders and Northern
France has been confined largely to
artillery engagements, except, Be
thune, where the Germans claim they
have taken a Britsh trench. They ad
mit, however, the loss of St. Georges,
near the Belgian coast, which the Ber
lin official report says it was decided
pot to attempt to retake owing to
high water.
In the Argonne region where the
battle has been almost continuous for
weeks past, the Germans have made
fl little progress as an offset to which,
however, the French declare they
have continued their advance in Upper
Alsace.
Newspaper's View of Note.
London. The Saturday Review de
scribes President Wilson's note pro
testing against the British attitude to
ward American shipping as "a docu
ment from a candid friend who just
because he is a fiiend, can say things
which between strangers would be re
garded as having too rough an edge."
The Review does not think it should
be Impossible for two governments
who have no wish to find causes for
taking the offensive, to reconcile their
points of view. The position of a bel
ligerent with respect to command of
the sea, savs this paper is different
even when neutral governments are
friends. But this position is deter
mined absolutely by the fact that Eng
land has that command of the sea
and "cannot surrender her right to use
it fpr defeat of the enemy by any
law."
tVorks In Orders President Qutierrez.
Washington. General Villa, in a
telegram dated in Mexico City to his
agency here, denied he has question
ed the amnesty, proclamations of Gen
eral Gutierrez. "I obey and respect
the orders of President Guitierrez,"
Villa telegraphed. "I am his subordi
nate." Further details of fighting be
tween troops of General Carranza and
Villa near Tampico were received in
official, dispatches to the Carranza
agency. "General Gonzales adminis
tered a decisive defeat to the Villais
tas at Rodriguez.
PLYMOUTH, N. C., FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1915.
EMIGRATION BILL
PASSES III SENATE
MANY AMENDMENTS ARE MADE
WHICH HOUSE WILL PROBAB
ACCEPT. "
SENATE VOTE WAS 50 TO 7
Enough Friends of Measure to Pass
Over Expected Veto of President.
Belgians Get Exceptions.
Washington. The immigration . bill,
containing the restrictive literary test
for admission of aliens, passed the
Senate 50 to 7. The overwhelming'
majority was recorded despite indica
tions that President Wilson would
veto the measure,' as did former Pres
ident Taft, if It should come' td him
with the educational test included. "
The veto indicated that the '.fcill
could be repassed by more than the
required two-thirds majority should
the President reject the measure.
Senators who voted aaginst the bill
were: "
Brandegee, McCuniber, Martin e,
O'Gorman, Ransdell, Reed and Walsh.
. .The bHl passed the House last Feb
ruary ,241 to 126. Although the Sen
ate amended the House bill in sev
eral particulars, the literacy test was'
unaltered, save for an additional ex
emption to Belgian subjests, adopted
after prolonged debate.
Among Senate amendments which
House leaders "have said probably
would be accepted is one to exclude
from the United States all persons
of the African Tace or of negro blood.
Another strengthens the phraseology
of the prohibition of polygamists:
Closing hours of the debate were
devoted to an amendment by Senator
Lodge to exempt Belgian farmers
from the literacy test and from pro
visions which prohibit American from
soliciting or inducing immigration.
Already American organizations are
endeavoring to induce Belgians to set
tle in this country. The amendment,
as finally adopted, 34 to 22, reads:
"That the provisions of this act
relating to the illiteracy test or in
duced, or assisted immigration shall
not apply to agricultural immigrants
from Belgium who come to the United
States during the course of the pres
ent European war or within, one year
after its termination owing to circum
stances or conditions arising through
the war, if it is shown to the satis
faction of the Commissioner General
of Immigration that the said Belgian
immigrants come with the intention of
engaging in agriculture in the United
States and to become American cit
izens." ;
MUST EDUCATE FILIPINOS.
Taft Says Not Ready for Self-Government
by Thirty Years.
Washington. Former President
WiUiam Taft told the senate commit
tee working on the administration
bill for enlarging Philippine independ
ence, that the Flipinos in his opinion
would be unfitted for self-government
for the next 30 years probably for
the half century. Democratic party
promises of independence, he declar
ed, had resulted in unrest to which he
attributed,' in a measure, the recent
revolutionary disturbances.
Neither President McKinley, Presi
dent Roosevelt, nor himself, he said,
had contemplated turning the Philip
pine government over to the natives
before they were educated for self
government. He quote from Presi
dent Wilson's writing that "self-government
is not a mere form of insti
tution, but a form of character."
"We cannot present the Filipino
people with n, character," said the
former president. "It must be ac
quired. You cannot make over a peo
ple in one generation. The time that
will be necessary to train the Filipino
peoplefor self-government is the time
that will be necessary to make them
an English-speaking people. If you
give these people independence now
or by 1920 either a Diaz would arise
in the Philippines or they would get
into a condition that caused the fall
of Diaz in Mexico."
Struck by Mine or Torpedoes.
Brixham, Devon, England. Surviv
ors here of the British battleship For
midable say the warship was struck.
by a mine or torpedo abaft the maga
zine. The explosion was terrioc( but
the magazine was not reached. Had
that also blown up, the ship would
have foundered without there being j
time to save anybody, they said. As
the water rushed in, the men on the j
Formidable hurried to the deck and j
some got away in small boats. Capt. j
Loxley and his signal men did net
leave the bridge. '
VICE ADMIRAL STURDEE
.:.v.:.y.::-:o;o:-.'. . y .y.-.y.::-.--.-.jr
Vice Admiral Sir Frederick Charles
Dovetoh Sturdee, K. C. B., who com
mands the British fleet that destroy
ed the .Geman cruisers Gneisnau,
Scharnhrst; Leipsig and Nurnberg
off the Faulkland islands.
FARM PRODUCTS GREATER
TOTAL VALUE WAS ALMOST TEN
BILLION DOLLARS SAYS THE
ESTIMATE.
Secretary Houston of Agriculture De
' partment Announces Figures on
Stock and Farm Produce. .. ,
" Washington. The American farm
products during 1914 eclipsed all rec
ords for value with a total of almost
10 billion dollars. Secretary Houston
announced thatthe value of all farm
orops, farm animal products and farm
animals sold and, slaughtered aggre
gated $9,872,936,000. That was $83,
000,000 more than the total for 1913,
the record year. It was more than
double the value of all farm products
in'lS95. .
Crops this year were valued. at $6,
064,480,000 and farm animal products
at $3,838,456,000. The value of crop3
was slightly less than in .1913, on ac
count of the reduced value of cotton.
The corn and wheat crops, however,
were the most valuable ever produced.
They brought the year's crop value
total to only $S8,279,000 less than the
total for last year, despite the loss
of more than $300,000,000 in the value
of cotton.
' "The estimated value of the ani
mal products of the farm in 1914,"
said the Agricultural Outlook, "is dis
tinctly higher than in 1913, which was
itself a record year in the value of this
class of products. This is due to
general, but slight increases in pro
duction, except for sheep and swine
and in . prices, more especially to a
small increase in the average farm
price of eggs, and to a more consid
erable increase in the farm price of
cattle and calves sold and slaughter
ed. "It must be borne in mind that the
accounts of these estimates do not
stand for wealth produced, not for
cash received nor for profit, nor for
income in any sense. Each product
is valued, as in the census, when It
reached commercial form, and the
grand aggregate of all items is from
a relative rather than from an ab
solute point of view."
Sales of crops last year were esti
mated at $2,928,000,000; sales of live
stock $2,919,000,000 a total of $3,S47,
000,000. " The estimated value of total sales :
the farm was $892 and sales per capita ,
of rural population (excluding towns)
?139.
The value of the principal farm
crops this year was: .
Corn $1,702,599,000; wheat $S78,
680,000; hay, $779.96S,000; cotton
$519,616,000; oats $499,431,000; pota
toes $198,609,000; barley $103,903,000;
tobacco $101,411,000; sweet potatoes
$41,294,000 , rye $37,018,000; sugar
beets $27,950,000; rice $21,849,000;
flaxseed $19,540,000, and buckwheat
$12,892,000. .
In the production of these 14 prin
cipal crops, the aggregate was about
10 per cent larger than in 1913 and 6
per cent smaller than in 1912 which
year stands as one of the greatest ag
gregate production in the United
States.
Died of Pneumonia.
Philadelphia. N. Parker Shortridse
oldest director of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Compnay ?md prominently
identified with numerous financial
concens, died at his home in Winne
wood from pneumonia. He was 85
years old.
FLOODS HAVE KEPT
TROOPS FROM Fl
HEAVIEST RAINS IN YEARS HAVE
' CONVERTED TRENCHES IN
TO RIVERS.
FRENCH GAIN NEAR R0YE
Turks Invade Russian Border. Con
stantinople Claims Successes
At Ardahan.
London. The extremely rainy win
ter, the worst Europe has experienced
in years, has caused floods in the riv
er valleys of the Continent which
have prevented any operations on a
large scale on the western battle
front and seriously interfered with
those in the past. There have been
heavy artillery engagements, from the
sea to the Swiss border and occasion
al attacks by the infantry of the op
posing armies, which were not re
pulsed, have added a few yards to the
territory in the possession of the at
tacking force, but have always proved
costly adventures.
The French have gained a little
ground between -Albert and Roye, just
north of the point where the line turns
eastward, and east of Rheims and
southwest oFVerdun, where attempts
to make untenable the German posi
tions at St. Mihiel, on the Meuse are
proceeding slowly. They also have
made some advances in Alsace but
have suffered a repulse to the north
west of St. Menehould.
In the East the Germans have cap
tured the important Russian position
at Borjimow, but elsewhere have been
unable to make headway. The Rus
sians as defenders of well fortified
positions are aided by muddy roads,
which hinder the German movements.
The Austrians claim to have checked
! the Russian advance near Gorllce, on
the South Galician railway, but appa
rently the battle there has not yet
been concluded.
The Russians have taken the Aus
trian positions near Zukok Pass which
should open another entrance for
them through . the Carpathians ' into
Hungary, while the Austrian retreat
in Bukowina is described by the Rus
sians as a riot.
The Turks have crossed the Russian
border in the Caucasus and according
to Constantinople, have defeated the
Russian garrison -, at Ardahan. They
are, however, displaying anxiety for
their remaining possessions in Europe
by feverishly fortifying the whole
coast line. What they fear is not dis
closed, for it is considered hardly pos
sible for the Allies to land a sufficient
force to prove a menace to them. It
is possible they anticipate an Invasion
from another source.
BUSINESS CONDITIONS GOOD.
Character of Commerce of the United
State is Optomistic.
Washington. Business conditons
are described as generally re-assuring
by the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States in a report made pub
lic. The report adds however, that
the war has had a wide-spread and
depressing effect on industry.
"Economy naturally prevails among
all classes,", says the report, "though
remarks have been noted that thi3
does not extend to automobiles. Fu
ture delivery goods purchases are
smaller and collections uniformly
poor, but lately a maiked change has
been noted in a lessening of difficulty
in obtaining bank loans and in an eas
ing of Interest rates. Conditions in
the South, while slowly improving,
still present a serious problem."
Crops in general, the report adds,
have been good, but the cattle in
dustry confronts serious handicaps in
difficulty in obtaining loans on cattle
and the foot and mouth disease quar
antine. The sheep and wool industry
is excellent but general mining con
ditions are poor.
Germany to Exhibit.
San Francisco. Despite the war
two large blocks of space in the Pal
ace of Liberal Arts have just been
awarded Germany by the Panama Pa
r.Kn Tntornatinnal ExDosition. The
! nature of the exhibit is not known.
Prayers for Allies' Success.
London. Large congregations who
crowded London churches for the ob
servance of Intercession day offered
special prayers for the Allied arms
and in remembrance of those who
have fallen. Four services were held
at St. Paul's Cathedral. The first at
S a. m. was conducted by the 'Rt.. Rev.
Arthur Ingram, Bishop of London.
The great cathedral was thronged
throughout the day. Westminster Ab
bey also had a large attendance. The
r-ermon there was by Archdeacon Wil
terforce- ...
NO. 28.
HEAD OFMETHODIST
ORPHANAGE IS DEAD
REV. DR. JOHN NELSON COLE
OF RALEIGH PASSES AWAY
AFTER LONG ILLNESS.
Funeral held at Durham
Noted Preacher and Leader Among
North Carolina Methodists Ans-
4
wers the Final Summons.
Charlotte. Rev. Dr. John Nelson
Cple, superintendent of the Methodist
orphanage in Raleigh and one of the
state's best beloved and most useful
citizens, passed away at a hospital in
Charlotte where he had been under
treatment since the latter, part of
November. For the past two years
Dr. Cole's health had not been good.
Last spring be suffered an attack and
came to Charlotte for medical atten
tion, remaining here about two weeks.
His system responded well to the
treatment and he was soon able to re
turn to his arduous duties. On Thanks
giving day however he suffered a re
currence of his trouble and from this
attack he never recovered. He came
to Charlotte again for treatment but
his strength was too far gone for him
to rally successfully. His condition
rapidly grew wone and it was soon
seen that there was no hope. The
end came just as the day was break
ing and was very easy sleep and a
forgetting.
, The funeral took place in Durham
at Trinity Methodist church. Dr. Cole
was pastor - of this church for four
years and it was his wish that his
funeral be held there.
Dr. Cole was born in Franklinton,
February 10, 1852 and was therefore
62 years of age at the time of hl3
death. After attending the schools
of his native place, he entered Randolph-Macon
College from which he
was graduated. Shortly thereafter he
entered the ministry being ordained
within the bounds cf the North Caro
lina Conference where he remained
until the day of his death.
Early in his young manhood, Dr.
Cole was wedded to Miss Elizabeth
Marshall Jones of Mecklenburg coun
ty, Va., to whom wrere born six chil
dren, namely, Miss Mary Cole of Ral
eigh, Mrs. Plato, Durham of Atlanta,
Ga.; Mr. John Nelson Cole, Jr., of New
York City; Miss Marshall Cole Miss
Alice Cole, and Mr. Henry P. Cole of
Raleigh. .'. .
Mitchell Monument Destroyed.
Asheville Unknown parties dyna
mited and entirely destroyed the mon
ument to Prof. Elisha Mitchell, erect
ed on the top of Mount Mitchell, ac
cording to advices reaching Asheville.
The monument, which was composed
of a mixture of bronz and lead, was
reduced to a shapless ruin. Foreignors
employed by a lumber company are
said to have had trouble with one of
the foremen recently and to have be
lieved the monument the property of
the company destroyed it. No arrests
have been made.
Professor Mitchell, a Yale professor,
but at the time connected with the
faculty of the University tof North
Carolina, proved that Mount Mitchell,
6,711 feet high, is the highest point
east of the Mississippi.
Twenty-six years ago alumni of
North Carolina had the monument
erected on the top of the peak to mark
the last resting place of Professor
Mitchell.
The monument will be replaced.
Walks About With Broken Neck.
Greensboro Aubra Alvin Casper, 11-
years old, died recently of a broken
eck. after having walked about all
day without knowing anything seri
ous was wrong with him. The boy a
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Casper, and
davmate were riding a gentle horse
and were in front of the home of Rev,
Melton Clark, when young Casper
and his playmate fell from the ani
mal. He suffered a slight facture of
th
e skull but refused to be carried
ome, walked around awhile and then
ent home. In the afternoon, complain
ig, he went to bed and began to grow
orse, dying in the night. ,
Will Not Enter Politics.
Asheville. Answering the sugges
tion carried in many newspapers that
Secretary William Jennings Bryan
purchase a summer home site at this
city with a view to eventually wear
ing the toga as the representative of
this state, the cabinet member declar
ed that he has no idea of entering
North Carolina politics- He declared
that he is still a resident of Lincoln,
Neb., and that he will continue to
make that city his home. Asheville
property was bought, he said, simply
as a good location for a summer home.