PAGE FOUl
THE FRANKLIN PRESS, FRANKLIN, M. C. "-T
17
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25.
The Franklin Preca
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
S. A. HARRIS . . v Editor
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THE AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
J
THE FRANKLIN PRESS PLATFORM
Extension of the sewer lines.
Beautify the school grounds.
Two hundred summer cottages.
A sewage disposal plant.
More official activity in the sale of sur
plus power.
The construction of business blocks.'
Plant trees along the State highways of
the county..
Make a white way of Main street.
- An excellent.school library
Courteous treatment for visitors.
Improvement of county roads connecting
with State highways.
A fish ladder at the municipal dam.
Co-operation, vim, push, work-every thing
for the good of Franklin and Macon county.
New( court house and jail combined.
How About It?
Judging from the Aquonc locals breakfast
must bea sad affair on the Nantahala.
No, that's not thunder you hear merely poli
tical rumblings..
, ,
Only a few weeks now until, the bees begin
from Scroll, Kyle and Shookville. Communities
like jhese located at quite a distance from the
markets and reached only by bad roads
would naturally be expected to 'take little or
no interest in 4-H club work. Yet these com
munities stand near the top in the number of
members. However, when we find boys living
in one of these communities walking to school
in Franklin, a distance of 12 miles, with the
thermometer standing at several degrees below
zero, we are not surprised that their neighbor
ing boys and girls join the 4-H club.
'
The Press is delighted to announce that
hereafter news from the Maxwell School will
be published from time to time. Recently the
school has taken on new life and our correv
spondent at the school will keep the public
informed of what, is taking place at this or
phanage. This school is doing excellent work
in training the minds and hands of its students.
As a general rule the citizens of the county
have taken little interest in Maxwell School.
We believe that this lack of interest is due
principally to lack of information concerning
the work there. : The Press will do its part
in placing the work of this school before the
public in its proper light with thcv result, wc
hope, of making the citizens of Macon county
acquainted with this valuable asset to the county-
club of Macon county. No subscription for
less than a year will be received at the special
rate.
The Press is making this concession at the
request of the county agent and as its con
tribution to the success of the 4-H club of
Macon county.
Strawberries rvs Corn
THE CANNERY will be prepared to buy
all the strawberries ; that arc grown in
the-county at $1.50 per crate of 24 quarts.
ThcsoiI itthiscounty7iis-slated, wilLgrow
2(X) crates to the acre and more under favor
able' conditions. Thus the grower can realize
$300. per acre less expenses.,,.. We arc told
that the work growing strawberries is no more
than that required to grow corn. Official
statistics give the average number of bushels
of corn per acre in Macon county as fifteen."
But, for "the sake of argument, say that the
average is forty bushels to the acre and that
the average price is $1.00 per bushel. These
figures would indicate a balance in favor of
strawberries of $260.00 an acre. Worth think
ing about at least. . The Cannery . will furnish
crates and baskets free of eharge.
An Important Meeting
NEXT Monday,' January . 30, is the day
specified for the meeting at the court
house to give the tax payers an opportunity
to approve or protest the building, of a county
jail. In the absence of sufficient opposition
the commissioners, as we understand the mat
ter, will have no choice ' other than to pro
ceed with the construction. There is a great
deal of talk going the rounds, that a jail can
be built for $20,000 or $25,000. The tax
payers must realize that the laws of the state
require certain specifications in a jail. The
cost of a new jail to meet state requirements
will certainly bcnot less than the $70,000 pro
posed as a bond issue, for the purpose prob
ably considerably more. If .the. tax. payers -of
the county want this additional tax to "pay,
all they have to do is to stay at home on
Monday of next wrcek and later make their
settlements with the tax collector. It's up to
the tax payers. Understand that the com
missioners must build a jail or subject them
selves to - indictment. HoweverV if the tax
.payers refuse to sanction a jail, then no jury
in the county vouId convict the commissioners
for failure to build one. .
Others' Comments
DOWN WITH THE OLD JAIL AND UP
WITH THE NEW
WELL, I wonder. What do' you think?
The old ' jail is legally condemned. It '
must and needs to be' destroyed. That's that.
Do we want or need a .new,' and when, and
how? I have. my ideas and here they are
We do not need a jail. The majority of of
fenders who go to jail are petty cases a quart
or so of liquor, or a minor quarrel. They are
entitled to a prompt hearing. Judge Carpen
ter or Judge Rickman gives them one. He
Those who .recently "canned", the cannery
will be canning at the. cannery during" the com
ing canning season..
..
Don't fail to read the two farm pages this
week. The county agent is giving the farmers
something to think about. ;
,
Get set for the resumption of cannery ope
rations in the spring. Those who have taken
occasion to deride the local cannery have a
surprise in store for themselves.
A carload of Guernsey heifers reached
Franklin last week It seems to be a matter
of only a few years until the capacity of the
llocal creamery will have to be enlarged.
,
Baby chicks are beginning to arrive by mail.
The owners will receive about 45 cents per
pound when these chicks are ready for the
market. Those who wait for the old hen
"to set" will get around 20 or 25 cents per
pound for her progeny.
Some counties with' five or ten times the
population of Macon are boasting that they
have nearly 300 members in their 4-H club.
Macon has 317 members and is still going
strongly. We look for 400 members before
March J st.
The .Press has failed to remove from its
subscription list . the names of those whose
Subscriptions expired in January. Such names
will be removed, after this "week. May we
suggest that you, look at the label on your
paper to see if your name is among the number
to be removed ?
-
Our country correspondents are requested to
send in the news. Some have written nothing
in six months. If this keeps up we will be
compelled to get others to send community
happenings to The Press. Letters should,
reach 4hisofficenreipj,eTjievLnoo
of each week. Be sure to include items of
the farms and what the farmers are doing.
A majority of the citizens of the county ap
pear to be opposed to a bond issue for building
a jail and court house combined. Now, ac
cording to reports, petitions are in , circulation
in opposition to building a jail. These pcti-
1 tions should circulate freely. It appears to us
a waste on money to build a jail at the present
time. Within a few years the citizens of the
county will no doubt approve the building of
a irail anI rnnrt limiSf rnmhinpH anrl thiic
t . JUM ...IV. vvVI. . ' ' .w.vav. . w -J
save the county almost the cost .of a jail.
In the mean time, of course, the county will be
put to the expense of keeping its prisoners in
the jail of another county. However, this will
save the tax payers money in the long run.
Read the names of the 40-H club members
on the farm pages. This is an imposing list
and one that is destined to make agricultural
history in Macon county. Particular attention
, is invited to the large number of members
TVJR1NG the years from"" 192015 I9Ttise
JL number of horses in the United States
decreased about 25 per, cent. At the same
time, the number of tractors in use increased
almost-100 per cent. The new regime on the
farm had begun in earnest.
The obvious, duties of the tractor, road
building, plowing and "like hard work, were
quickly appreciated. Its variety of new uses
seem endless. It has become an integraV part
of logging camps, it carries supplies across
difficult country, it digs irrigation ditches,
and moves houses. The back-breaking task
of transplanting celery has been made easy;
and recently it has been used to help in the
extermination of grasshoppers.
One of the most efficient instruments of
war has become the tool-of -all-work of peace.
Our greart mechanical age could be proud had
it produced only the tractor.
Community Boosting
BEGINNING with, this issue The Press will
publish each month a full page Advertise
ment boosting the town and the county.
Twenty-five firms representing practically all
lines of business in the town have signed this
advertisement and are paying for its publica
tion. These men believe in Franklin and the
county and are advertising this fact. . They are
evidencing a public spirit not usually found
in a town of this size. By utilizing the
columns of the local paper to express their
profound confidence in the present and future
of this community they are taking one of the
most practical ways to obtain the best results.
Since the signers of these advertisements are do
ing their, part to boost the county and the
town it is nothing but right that the public
should show them consideration in a business
way.
To the 4-H Club Members
WITH A membership of 317 in its 4-H
club Macon county now has one of
the largest clubFlrT he state. The Press con-
rituTates theybuth of The rounty -on -the
enthusiasm they are showing .J it., the Imanxjtci
tivities of this club. The entire county is
deeply interested in the success of its members.
But in order to be successful each member
should keep in touch with what is going on
in the county along agricultural lines. Each
v.eck The Press is devoting two pages in the
interest of farming and no club member should
fail to read the messages of the county' agent
on these pages in every issue of this paper.
We realize that many of the boys .and girls
have no money with which , to, subscribe to
The Press, but as an inducement for them' to
read the information from the office of the
.county agent each week,' we are making a
special rate of one dollar per year to club
members only. This offer holds only until
March 1st of this year. Those who subscribe
after, that will have to pay the regular rate
of $1.50. Any subscription received ?,at the
special rate must carry wilh it the statement;
that the subscriber is, a member of the, 4-H
rrwh2S"$T;uw)""io"",a"ppear at" tJie"iexrT:errn
.of court. This cash is deposited to the credit
of the county until the trial, it is declared
forfeited and the county has the money and
no expensive trial on hand. Next comes
Sheriff Ingram with a' real bootlegger, too
big for Judge Carpenter. As the law he works
under is a Federal law, not Macon county
or North Carolina law, the prisoner is a Feder
al prisoner. Our sheriff sends word to the
nearest Federal enforcement officer to .come
and get the prisoner, and do what he well
pleases with him. That prisoner does not
belong in a Macon 'county jail, so no. jail is
needed. . But now a real criminal appears in
Macon county a Hickman, or a killing bank
bandit. Our officers catch him red handed
What to do with him or them ? No jail to
hold them until tried in court. We' give them
"Mexican Justice" right then and there. The
sheriff decides that his bird is a "bad one."
He tells-him so, and suggests quietly that he
should "beat it" down the road. , The killer
starts off and is promptly shot dead for at
tempting to escape. If he will not attempt
to escape, he is shot for resisting an officer.
The law has been upheld, justice done, no
jail and no expense to the county. If Ingram
will not keep his job that way there are other
men who will. When court meets there arc
no criminal cases to try no expense to county
and we are the most law abiduig county in
the state. Let's try it! The only losers are
one or two "criminal lawyers who need the
same medicine and our frinedsthe "Sons of.
Rest" who want the entertainment of trial
at court. Do we need a jail for them? Well,
I wonder. What do you think?
Yours truly, GEORGE the FURST (not
related to George the Third, or Kaiser Bill).
Letters
DITOR Press : Please allow me space in
JLi your valued columns " to give a hearty
"AmenMtowhat-J'MrrA.- Subscriber' had- to
say in regard to the people's problems in
Macon county, especially the fanning tlass,
and I will include big farmers, too.
If we ever solve our problems satisfactorily
we must learn to speak out, and I don't know
of a better way than through the columns of
The Press.
Our most serious problems are, as I see
them, schools,' roads, a fair election law, and
taxes, all of about equal' importance because
they are so linked together that in reality it
is one big county problem. ,
As to schools we have been traveling in
the right direction in certain accessible locali
ties, and in inaccessible places I am afraid
not. Picture for yOuhelf a child from a large
family starting in school at six. If it is active
and alert finishes; the grammar grades at
twelve. The parents art unable to send the
child away from home to one of the three
high schools of the. county and besides he is
too young to put among strangers, nskn.g
the chance of undesirable habits with no
parental restraint. The law says you must
go to school and the order at the same time
forbids the local teacher, though a college
graduate and with ample time in a small
school, or a two or three-teacher school, of
mvincr ' incfnirtinn tr ltim bevond the seventh.
grade. ' I have been told this condition exists,
or if not at present are likely to soon.
Then comes roads.' I have lived in this
county eleven years and since I came there
has not been a permanent improvement on the;
road , I travel from home to the county seat,
except for about one-fourth the way which is
a.'' -1it-.-.1- .. i-.r.n Vwtc fnlrl
concrete, aunuugn my jiacs --'yr
what they were, when . I came and I wcjufd
be glad to sell for my investment plus 6
per cent interest. And the increase, they say,
largely for roads.
As to the election law, well it is unspeakably
disgraceful or disgraced so we will not discuss,
that at all.
As to taxes, I will say that forty per :ent
of the farmers of the county, and I believe
more, do something other than farming to
raise their tax money.
J hear numbers of farmers say they would
be glad to lease their farms for a number
of years for their upkeep and taxes. .1
Now what do vou business men think of
that for an investment. But we have the
farms on our hands and are unafcle to turn
Inosp: .
Do you know that one-tenth .the value , of
your farm is mortgaged to these bondholders
and other creditors?
Do you know that the interest on our indebtr
edness amounts to thirty-seven thousand dol
lars plus annually? . '
. Do you know that the interest on the cost
of building a combined courthouse and' jail
for five years will build a jail? And most
all of us have agreed that the present court
house will serve us several years to come.
Eleven years ago our county was debt free..
Today in debt-three-fourths of a million dol
lars. Who feels we have received our money's
worth? Another eleven of radical progressivc
ism at the same rate and we had better trua
our farms over to the sheriff and leave -the
county. '
Let's hear from someone in defense of all
"tweniy dffdthpu'san o, -
books, etc, that are already in the discard. .
It is net good to look at one side too long
so we close. :
Respectfully, 1
JOHN C. FERGUSON. .
Everett, Washington. .
Major S. A. Harris, , ,
Editor of The Franklin Press, '.
Franklin, N. C.
Dear' Sir : .
Being a recipient of your paper came across
your comments in regard to the poultry and
dairy business of the outh and am in hearty
accord with your views, as I believe that , in
your community each party if sufficiently ih"
terested to turn their talents to the study and
application of these programs can make a com
fortable return on their investment.
Am mailing to you under separate cover one.
issue of our local paper carrying an article
on what has been done : wjth the poultry in
dustry in our county, which shows that the
same is on the increase very rapidly; and
which is also reflected in the article" Vegarding
the bank deposits for the City of Everett. '
Would say that there are also twelve otlier
banks in this county which are not included
in these, statistics.
When the writer came to this country i
1886 this county was practically virgin and
had but a few cow paths running through
the timber and after the land became logged
that which was suitable was truned into agri
culture land with the principle industry being
poultry and dairy, but they also raise quite
a few. sheep and some hogs.
Altho the writer is no longer a resident of
Macon county, he. retains his interest in the
I m
weitare ot those good people and is sending-
this ; article to assist you in presenting the
facts before our mutual friends.
Would say that the article referring to the
poultry business does not represent the full
production as Ijt covers only those affiliated
Aviththeassociation1 and believe that if the'
entire industry , was covered that these figures -
would be increased by about thirty per cent.
yours" veryx truly,
V
H. O. SILER.
"Ralcighl N. C.. . January 20, 1928. "
Major S. A. Harrii, Editor, '
The Press, f
Franklin, N. C.
Dear "Major Harris:'. ?
I am pleased to learn through Mr. C. N.
Mease, Deputy Game and Fish Commissioner,
that you have agreed to serve on the committer ;
with reference to gaAie Yefuge being known" '
as Wayah Bald ' Stat Game Refuge on the
Nantahala Mountains iii Macon county. ". '
This department is ,much interested as you
know in making a sbecess of this project
I will, be glad therefore to have any sup-
gestions and advice from you at any time.
With best wishes,'
Very truly; yours,
- WADE l PIIILLirS, Director.