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$1X3 a Year, la Advance.
"FOR GOD, FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH."
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VOL. XXV.
PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1915.
NO. 35.
filR. TAFT FQRSEES
CRISIS IN AFFAIRS
GRAVE DANGER TO THE UNITED
STATES IN NEW ISSUES OF
EUROPEAN SITUATION.
IHIUST STAND BY PRESIDENT
Fully Sustains President Wilson In the
i Course He Hae Taken in Interna
tional Situations.
Morristown, N. J. The United
States is threatened by a serious in
vasion of its rights as a neutral by the
warring factions of Europe and in pro
jecting its commerce with those Na
tions is face to face with a crisis, in
the opinion of former President Wil
liam Howard Taft.
In the solution of that crisis should
it arise, no jingo spirit must be allow
ed to prevail, Mr. Taft advised; neith
er pride nor momentary passion
should influence judgment.
"And when the President shall act,"
Mr. Taft declared, "we must stand by
him to the end. In this determina
tion we ma y be sure that all will join,
no matter what their European origin.
All will forget their differences In self
sacrificing loyalty to our common flag
and our common country."
I Mr. Taft's reference to the situa
tion confronting the United States was
made at the conclusion of an address
before the Washington Association of
New Jersey. Quoting a reservation in
tne treaty or Algeciras, proclaimed In
1907, and entered into by the United
States and 11 European Nations, Mr.
Taft said:
"Our Interest in the present war,
under th& conditions that exist, should
be limited as set forth in this reserva
tion, to wit.
"To preserving and increasing the
commerce of the United States with
the belligerents; to the protection as
to life, liberty and properity of our
citizens residing or traveling in their
countries, and to the aiding by our
friendly offices and efforts in bringing
those countries to peace.'
"Our efforts for peace," he continu
ed, "have been made as complete as
possible.
"In preserving the commerce of the
United States with the belligerents,
liowever, we are face to face with a
crisis. The planting of mines in the
open sea and the use of submarines
to send neutral vessels to the bottom
without inquiry as to their neutrality
when found in a so-called war zone
of the open sea, are all of them a
variation from the rules of interna
tional law governing the action of bel
ligerents towards neutral trade.
"Wrhen their violation results in the
destruction of the lives of American
citizens or of American property, a
grave issue will arise as to what the
duty of this Government is. The re
sponsibility of the President and Con
gress in meeting the critical issue thus
presented in maintaining our Nation
al rights and our National honor n
the one hand, with due regard to the
awful consequences to our 90,000,000
of people of engaging in this horrible
world war, on the other, will be very
. great. It involves on their part a
judgment in its consequences that we
should earnestly pray that the neces
sity for it may be averted.
"If, however, the occasion arises
we can be confident that those in
authority will be actuated by the high
est patriotic motives and by the deep
est concern for our National welfare.
We must not allow our pride or mo
mentary passion to influence our judg
ment. We must exercise the delibera
tion that the fateful consequences in
tthe loss of our best blood and enor
mous waste of treasure would neces
sarily impose upon us. We must al
low no jingo spirit to prevail. We
must abide the judgment of those in
whom we have entrusted the author
ity and when the President shall act,
we must stand by him to the end."
" 'The great rule of conduct for us
in regard to foreign Nations is in ex
tending our commercial relations, to
have with them as little political con
nection as possible. So far as we
have already formed engagements, let
them be fulfilled with perfect good
faith. Here let us stop."
Both Houses of Congress Busy.
Washington. Appropriations for na
tional defense occupied the attention
of both houses of congress. The sen
ate discussed until late at night the
army appropropriation bill carrying
approximately $103,000,000, while the
house debated the fortifications bill.
While progress was being made on
both these measures, the senate com
mittee on naval affairs practically
completed consideration of the naval
appropriations measure and the sen
ate paused for four minutes to pass
the pension bill carrying $164,000,000
AMERICAN STEAMER
EVELYN BLOWN IIP
CARRYING COTTON FOR BREMEN
SHE STRIKES MINE IN THE
NORTH SEA.
WAS NOT IN NEW WAR ZONE
First Government Insured Vessel
Lost. Sensation Results From the
News at Washington.
Bremen. The Amercian steamer
Evelyn which sailed from New York
January 29 with a cotton cargo for
Bremen was sunk by a mine off Bork
um Island in the North Sea.
The vessel's captain, and 27 of her
crew were saved.
The nationality of the mine which
destroyed the Evelyn has not been
established.
The Evelyn is the first American
vessel to meet with disaster as a re
sult of a sea warfare of the Euro
pean nations. She does not sink with
in the war zone included In the Ger
man admiralty's decree. Borkum Isl
and lies directly off the German coast
it the mouth of the Ems River and is
German territory.
Martime records give the comple
ment of the Evelyn at 25 men so that
it is probable that all on board the
vessel was rescued.
The Evelyn was a single screw,
steel steamship and was commanded
by Captain Smith. She belonged to
Harriss, Irby & Vose of New York.
She was 252 feet long and 1,185 tons
net. She was built in Southampton
England in 1883.
Washington. The United States
government was advised officially of
the destruction of the first American
vessel on the high seas since the out
break of the European war.
After a conference with President
Wilson, Secretary Bryan cabled Am
bassador Page, at London and Ambas
sador Gerard at Berlin to make an
exhaustive inquiry as to the facts,
and, if the crew was landed In either
of their respective jurisdictions, to
furnish every care and convenience
to Captain Smith and his men.
Although the extent of the sea
zones of war proclaimed by Germany
was never defined exactly, the Bor
kum Islands are considered far dis
tant from the danger areas of sub
marines. The waters of the vlclnly
are mined for defensive purposee and
Germany always has piloted incoming
ships through.
FIVE BRITISH VESSELS SUNK.
Big Raid by German Cruiser Off Coast
of South Africa.
London The British steamers High
land Brae, Hemisphere and Potaro and
the sailing ships Sumatra and Wilfred
have been sunk in the Atlantic pre
sumably by the German cruiser Karls
ruhe. Crews and passengers were
landed at Buenos Aires by the Ger
man steamer Holger.
The sinking of these five vessels
and in addition, the British steamer
Viscount Humphreys was reported
from Buenos Aires February 18. The
Buenos Aires dispatch, however, said
that the German . auxiliary cruiser
Kronprinz Wilhelm and not the Karls
ruhe,, sank them. This version prob
ably is correct, as It was given by
men on Toard the Holger.
Twilight Sleep Operation.
Raleigh, N. C. The condition of
Speaker Emmet R. Wooten, of the
House of Representatives, injured in
an automobile accident recently con
tinued to grow worse. Late in the day
an operation was performed on a rup
tured kidney. His physicians stated
he was resting better, though his con;
dition 'is considered very grave. The
surgeons used the "twjlighjt sleep" in
the operation. ' ,
John Barclay Moon Dead.
Richmond, Va. John Barclay Moon,
chairman of the Virginia Debt Com
mission, for 20 years counsel for the
University of Virginia, and widely
known as an attorney, died suddenly
at his home in Albemarle county.
Canal Tolls Reduced 20 Per Cent.
Panama Under instructions of Sec
retary Garrison changes are being
prepared In the regulations for com
putation of Panama Canal tolls which,
it is estimated, will decrease revenues
from the classes of freight affected
aproximately 20 per cent. It was dis
covered that the fixing of tolls under
the Panama Canal rules at $1.20 a ton
was illegal, the rate being greater
than that sanctioned by law. This
arose from the differences between a
ton as defined by the Canal rules and
, registered United States ton.
FAIR
(Copyright.)
DOES NOT FEAR HUNGER
NAVAL WAR ZONE METHODS ARE
NECESSARY FOR NATIONAL
PRESERVATION.
If United States Will Furnish Them
and Refuse Allies Then All Will
Be Well.
Berlin, via London. Germany's re
ply to the protest of the United States
against designation of a naval war
zone about the British Isles Is couch
ed in the most friendly terms, but
firmly maintains the position of Ger
many as already announced.
The note, which has been trans
mitted to Washington through the
American Embassy, explains that Ger
many's action was made necessary by
Great Britain's policy of attempting
to cut off the food supply of the Ger
man civil population by a method
never recognized in international law.
England's course In ordering mer
chantmen to fly neutral flags, equip
ping them with artillery and ordering
them to destroy submarines, Germany
contends, renders nugatory the right
of search and gives Germany the
right to attack English shipping.
The reply closes with the expres
sion of hope that the United States
may prevail upon Great Britain "to
return to the principles of internation
al law recognized prior to the out
break of the war" and in particular
obtain observance of the Declaration
of London. If this were done, the
note explains, Germany would recog
nize in this, says the reply an invalu
able service toward a more humane
conduct of the war and would act in
accordance with the new situation
thus created.
FLEE BEFORE GERMANS.
Populous Towns in Eastern War Zone
Emptied of People.
Petrograd, via London. The Ger
man advance from East Prussia upon
the towns of Kovno and Grodno ap
pears designed to cut the railroad
communications to Warsaw, rather
than to an effort to take the Russian
fortified positions in that territory.
Along the line from Plock to Nie
men, about 200 miles in length, there
has been intermittent fighting. From
all the towns in this district, the
most populous of the empire, the civil
population is fleeing, thronging the
highways and railroads.
The German advance guards are
reported to have proceedd from Au
gustowo towards the railroad be
tween Grodno and Bialystok and to
have reached within 12 miles of the
former place, where they are said to
have been checked by the Russians.
The Germans also are reported to
be attempting to break through be
tween Kovno and Grodno, taking ad
vantage of the frozen Augustowo
marshes and Niemen River, and fac
ing the possibility of an early thaw
which might leave them at the mercy
of the Russians.
The line to the north of Warsaw
of Blonck, Nowo-Gorgiewsk and Se
rock, is well defended.
In the south between the German
column advancing towards Mesola-i,
borchborch and the force moving on
Wyshkow, there are virtually no
troops of either side. Around Mes
olaborch the Russians are reported
to be successfully holding their posi
tions and at several points to have
Frank James is Dead.
Excelsior Springs, Mo. Frank
James, of the notorious James gang,
died on his farm near here. James,
who was 74 years old, had been in ill
health several months and was strick
en with apoplexy.
OPENS
GREAT CONVENTION OVER
LAYMEN'S MISSIONARY CONVEN
TION ENDS GREAT THREE
DAYS' BIENNIAL SESSION.
Near Four Thousand Delegates Make
Charlotte Meeting Greatest
In History of Sessions.
Charlotte. Closing its three days'
biennial session in this city, the Lay
men's Missionary Convention of the
Southern Presbyterian Church East
of the Mississippi left the matter of
date and place of next meeting with
the executive committee. Features
of the final session were addresses by
Rev. Dr. Egbert W. Smtih, executive
secretary of foreign missions, Nash
ville, on "That Which Is Committed
to Us"; W. E. Doughty, educational
secretary laymen's movement. New
York, Intercession, the Highest Form
of Service"; J. Campbell White, gen
eral secretary of the laymen's move
ment, New York, "Leaving Your Mark
on the World."
The chief thing remarked upon by
delegates and officials has been the
size of the convention, which, al
though the Southern Presbyterian
church has been divided Into West and
East of the Mississippi sections, has
been attended by over 3,500 delegates,
making it double the size of any pre
vious convention.
The afternoon session was given
over to a conference on stewardship
and an address by George Innes of
Philadelphia on "How Can a Man
Best Send His Money on Ahead," this
being a discussion of the practical
side of financing the work of evengell
zatlon. J. Campbell White led the
stewardship discussions.
The feature of the morning session
was the address on "Efficiency by
George C. Shane of Philadelphia, in
which the speaker contrasted the
practical methods of business with
those of church work, giving as an
instance a Philadelphia financier who
in a few minutes bought five boats
for $287,000 and borrowed $300,000
with which to pay for them, but had
a Bible class of fifty students that he
could not increase by a single mem
ber. SHIP BILL STRIKES SNAG.
Progressives And Seven Democratic
Insurgents Bolt.
Washington Administration demo
crats got another setback in their
fight for President Wilson's ship bill
when they suddenly learned that the
bill as it passed the house will not
command the support of Senators Ken
yon, Norris or LaFollette. progressive
republicans on whom they counted,
nor the support of any of the seven
democrat insurgents.
The plan to move to concur with
the house amendments was wrecked
by the discovery that tlye leaders
could not muster enough votes. Ad
ministeration leaders made no attempt
to conceal their embarrassment, and
planned to send the bill to conference
with the hope of putting on some
amendments to command support.
Talaat Bey Expresses Himself.
Constantinople, via London "Turk
ey declared war without being urged
by Germany or impelled by any other
influences save those of the empire,'
said Talaat Bey today in a staement
to the Associated Press.
Cotton Exports Increase.
Washington Cotton exports were
beyond normal proportions during Jan
uary. The quantity was more than
300,000 bales greater than last jvar,
according to the monthly report of
the census bureau.
GENUS TORPEDO
FRENCH STEAMER
ONE BOAT STRUCK MINE IN
ENGLISH CHANNEL AND AN
OTHER WAS TORPEDOED.
ACTIVE IN NEW WAR ZONE
President Wilson and Cabinet Discuss
Dangers to American Vessels
Caused by New War Zone.
Washington. President Wilson and
his cabinet discussed at length dan
gers to American vessels and com
merce growing out of the reiterated
determination of the German govern
ment to wage a submarnie and mine
warfare on enemy's vessels and dis
claiming responsibility for what ma
happened to neutral vessels venturing
into the new sea war zones.
Struck By Mine.
Dover. The Norwegian tank steam
ship Belridge, which sailed from New
Orleans January 28 and Newport
News February 5 for Amsterdam
struck a mine off Dover. She was
beached near here.
It was first reported she was onl
slightly damaged by the explosion, but
later it was learned there had been
fear of her going down. Her fore
peak and her forehold are filled with
water and her forelock is awash.
The pilot on board and 18 men of
her crew have been landed.
French Steamer Torpedoed.
Dieppe, France, via Paris. A Ger
man submarine torpedoed without
warning the French steamer Dinorah
from Havre for Dunkirk, at a point 16
miles off Dieppe.
The Dinorah did not sing but was
towed into Dieppe. No mention is
made of the loss of any of her crew.
A plate on the port side of the
steamer below the warterline was
stoved in by the torpedo. She man
aged to keep afloat by hard pumping,
word of the occurrence, was taken into
Dieppe by fishing boats and assistance
for the Dinorah was promptly sent
out. Her cargo will be discharged
here.
The presence of a German submaine
off Cape Ailly was reported four days
! aen. Thft dnilv stam traffic Rprvice
between Dieppe and England has been
suspended.
WILSON OPENS EXPOSITION.
President Touched Button and Set
Monster Event in Motion.
San Francisco. An electric spark of
enormous potential, jumping across
the continent, opened the Panama-Pacific
International Exposition at noon,
Pacific coast time. In the white house
at Washington, President Wilson
pressed a button and the serials of the
great government radio station at Ar
lington in response sent a vibration to
a commercial station on San Francisco
bay. From there the message was
relayed by wire to a receiving instru
ment on the exposition grounds.
As soon as the signal was received,
the wheels began to turn, and the
fountains to play; the gates swung
open, and a procession of citizens,
with the mayor at their head, marched
into the grounds.
.At the same time, President Charles
C. Moore of the exposition, informed
President Wilson over a telephone
line that the wireless flash had been
received and the exposition had open
ed. In return President Wilson sent
his greetings and good wishes. Brief
ceremonies of dedication and accept
ance followed.
Argentine May Warn Ships to Leave.
Buenos Ayres. The Argentine Gov
ernment is considering warning the
German steamer Holger and the aux
iliary cruiser Ardonna to leave this
port withiu 24 hours or be disarmed
and interned, it was announced. The
Holger arrived here with crews of
several merchant ships sunk by the
German cruiser Kronprinz Wilhelm.
Medal for Sir John French.
Paris. The Government decided to
confer the military medal on Field
Marshal Sir John French commander-in-chief
of British forces in the field.
rfo Mail Lost.
Washington. Although Unites
States mail is going directly or indi
rectly to every country in the world,
so far not on bag has been lost
through the activities of European
war fleets. In fact, postoffice depart
ment officials said, no American mail
has gore down with a merchantman
destroyed by a warship within the
past hundred years. Postmaster Gen
eral Burle.-on said he expected no in
terference with mail service to result
from Germany's sea war zone proclamation.
t" tHwt....wt......
WEATHER FORECAST.
Movements Due and Their Lo
cal Effects For the Cotton
State, Feb. 28 to March
7, 1915.
Carothers Observatory Forecast
Sunday, February 28. The
week will open with a Cool
Wave in the Eastern Belt as
previously forecast and with
warmer weather prevailing in
Western Belt.
Monday, March 1; Tuesday,
March 2; Wednesday, March 3.
Cool Wave is due to overspread
the South Monday and Tuesday,
it is believed without precipita
tion, and it will bring 10 de
grees cooler weather, with light
frost in Eastern Belt nearly to
the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts.
Thursday, March 4, to Sun
day, March 7. Rain setting in
in Western Belt Thursday will
overspread the South Friday
and Saturday in advance of the
cool wave. This movement will
cover the South Saturday and
Sunday, with moderately cooler
weather, minima ranging around
50 degrees, with clearing.
CAPE LOOKOUT CONTRACT LET
Harbor of Refuge Largest Govern
ment Project Ever Undertaken in
State.
Wilmington. Maj. H. W. Stickle,
United States Engineer in charge of
the Wilmington district, has announc
ed that to D. L. Taylor & Co., of Me
dina, N. Y., have been awarded the
contract for building the first section
of the biggest government project
ever attempted in North Carolina, the
same being the breakwater which ia
to form the harbor of refuge at Cape
Lookout. There is $1,260,000 now
available for this work, and it Is mu
tually agreed between Taylor & Co.
and the government that the firm will
be awarded the contract for the entire
project, as the appropriations are
made by the government, the whole
amounting to $3,170,000.
The contractor must begin the work
within six months. It is probable that
he will begin within three months.
The agreement makes it mandatory
that at least 27,000 tons of rock be
placed each month. Using this as a
basis it is estimated that the woTk
will be finished that part of it in
cluded in the present contract within
two years from the time the work ia
begun. The contractor, it is under
stood, expects to place the rock at the
rate of 50,000 tons monthly, which,
would bring the time of completion to
6llghtly more than one year from the
beginning -of the work.
The rock will be obtained from a
quarry near Havre de Grace, Md., and
water transportation will be had
direct from the quarry to the scene of
operations. The inland waterway will
be used to great advantage. Thirty
barges, towed by six tugi, will be used
by the contractor in transporting the
material.
Concord Lady Wins Prize.
Concord, It will be interesting to
North Carolina women of fashion to
know that a Southern woman. Miss
Nannie Alexander of Concord, has
been awarded the second prize and
also a certificate of award in a New
York contest for original design in
ribbon trimmed hats, this being a nat
ional contest of American designing'
in order that America may soon rival
European markets in this art.
The value of North Carolina hogs
has increased $3,463,000 during thq
last five years.
.
MARKET REPORTS.
Cotton, Cotton Seed and Meal Prices
in the Markets of North Carolina
For the Past Week.
As reported to the Division of Mar
kets, North Carolina Agricultural Ex
periment Station and Department oC
Agriculture, Raleigh.
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North Eastern North Carolina
Farmville ... Sc 42-43' 30.00
Jacksonville.. 7c 40c 28.00 1P0O
Kelford Ta-8 c 33-40c 30.00 2000
Moyock 7 -7ic 45c
Vaneeboro 7-S c 40c 31.00 2000
'Washington. .8 -Sc 30-35c 30.00
South Eastern North Carolina
Ifavettevtfle ...5?i-SJi 40-4.rc 30.00 2000
Kinston 1 -8 c 4.i-4Sc 32.00 2000
Maxton 74-7 35-4."c 30.00 2000
North Central North Carolina
Battleboro 7c 42-45c 32.00 2000
Kenly 8 -SHc 42-43c 28.00 1800
L.ouisburg. . . . 40c
Raleigh SH-8 5-16 42-45c 30.00 2000
Rijrsrsbee ....S -S'ic 3.rc -30.00 2000
Sootl'd Neck 43-45c 30.00 2000
Smithfield. . . . Sc 40-4.r.c 30.00
Wilson 7c 45c 30.00 2000
South Central North Carolina
Charlotte 7Vi-8 c 39c 29.00 2000
Cleveland 35-42c 28.00 2000
Kings Mtn...8 -SHc 39-42c 28.00 2000
Monroe 8 -Se 40-45c 30.00 2000
Mooresville... &c 35-40c 29.00 1800
Newton 8e 40-4!e 30.00 1900
Norwood . 8c 40C 30.00 1500
Shelby 4.74-8 c 39c 30.00 2000
Statesville 71-?14c SS-4ie 31.00 1810.