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DEVOTED TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY
Volume 10.
SPARTA, NORTH CAROLINA,THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1935.
10 PAGES
Number 32.
CONGRESSMEN TIRED
Undoubtedly many Congressmen
are anxious to get away from
Washington, where the heat both
ers them, and aire willing, if nec
essary, to have a special session
of Congress in the fall to take
care of the tax program. The
House Bhowed strong sentiment to
this end last week, even if the
vote was overwhelmingly against
adjournment. The matter rests
with the Progressives in the Sen
ate, who have an agreement with
Senator Harrison providing for
an opportunity to vote on the new
tax levies before the session ends.
PRESIDENT’S ATTITUDE
It is said that the President is
not against the plan, even if the
tax program is put off until next
January but he wants a definite
understanding to this effect. In
fact, reports are- clear that the
Chief Executive is a bit anxious
to get rid of the idea he is a
task-master holding Congressmen
on the job- He also dislikes very
much the “must” list appellation
that is currently used in the
press. Some say he is ready to
accept whatever the two houses
do on the holding company bill,
the Social Security proposals, the
TV A and AAA amendments.
UP TO PROGRESSIVES
In the Senate, however, one
finds a group of Progressives, led
by Senators Norris and LaFollettel
who insist upon action on the tax
bill. When this group served no
tice some weeks ago that they
would tie-in the new tax levies
with the bill extending the “nuis
ance” taxes, which had to be
passed immediately to avoid a
lapse, the Democratic leaders
promised that ,a vote would be
ullowed won the new taxes before
adjournment if the nuisance bill
was not disturbed. Senator Har
rison, who made the agreement,
has the reputation of keeping his
word and is, for this very reason,
one of the best “horse traders”
in the senate.
LEGAL ENTANGLEMENTS
Legal entanglements are en
countered by the administration in
many areas since the Courts have
shown an increasing tendency to
strictly construe the powers of
the Federal government. Ffedpral
Housing projects have been,, tied
up in some areas* the processing
taxes are steadily being enjoined
and conpetent opinion holds that
the AAA and TV A amendments
are unconstitutional. The Presi
dent, in asking the House to pass
the Guffey coal bill, regardless of
doubts as to its constitutionality,
charted the course of the adminis
tration. It will pass laws and let
the courts throw them out if it
is necessary.
Much criticism has been direct
ed toward this attitude, some go
ing so far as to say that it is a
violation of the oath of office, in
volving the pledge to uphold the
constitution. The argument is
that Congressmen should vote
against any measure that is doubt
ful and that the President should
veto it, rather than put the Court
in the position of thwarting the
popular will. This was the posi
tion taken by President Taft, in
1913, in vetoing the Webb-Kenyon
act However, it also illustrates
the danger of trying to assume
the Court’s function. When Mir.
Taft vetoed the measure in vigor
ous language Congress passed it
over his veto, and the Supreme
f!nnrt sustained it.
LIBERTY LEAGUE ACTIVE
It is becoming more and more
evident that the American Lib
erty .League, ostensibly organised
„«a_-a non-partisan affair, is lead
ing the attack on the present ad
ministration, and taking the place
of a well-rounded opposition,
which is almost absent from the
political arena. The league has
an abundance of money, being
backed by many wealthy sponsors,
keeps a smart research bureau,
sends out speakers and demands
radio time far the exposition of
. its views. In short, the league
-will soon be generally recognised
as one of the President’s most
1 dangerous antagonists.
FORESEE NEW COLLAPSE
Adversaries of the President in-,
sist that failure will result from
his efforts and that when the col
lapse combs the, condition of the
nation will be worse than aver.
They declare that his relief ex
penditures and farm policy are
' but stops to the mass, which must
be halted if the nation is not to
become bankrupt. Moreover, they
insist that many people are con
vinced, more than ever, that it
will be necessary to go back to
the old method to secure normal
business conditions. They point
to Democrats who are displeased
with the New Deal and clta them
as evidence that the party will
on page S)
Coinage Of Less
Than Pennies Is
Strongly Fought
Fair Tax Association
^ Executive Secretary Is
Emphatic In Opposition In
Letter To Rep. Doughton
WOULD STAMP GOODS
Proposed Issuance, Of
Less Than 1-Cent Pieces
Would Be For Benefit Of
States Having Sales Tax
Statesville, July 23. — The
North Carolina Pair Tax Associ
ation has voiced strong opposition
to coinage of money in denomi
nation of less than one cent for
tho convenience of states levying
the sales lax on the grounds that
it would aid those who seek to
shift the burden of taxes upon
the masses.
J. Paul Leonard, executive sec
retary of the fair tax group, to
day made public a letter he .had
forwarded to Robert L. Dough
ton, chairman of the House Ways
and Means committee, protesting
adoption of the suggestion.
“As much as I would like to
see the "buying public in these
states have any advantage of sav
ings that the use of tokens or
mills might give them, I believe
that when the danger involved is
considered from the standpoint
of ultimate results, the public at
large will agree that issuance
of the proposed new coins should
be resisted,” Mr. Leonard wrote.
As an alternative, Mr. Leonard
said:
“If those states which have
stooped to the disgrace of levy
ing sales taxes want to give the
buying public the benefits of
amounts less than one cent; a
system of stamping merchandise
that will meet federal require
ments can undoubtedly be worked
out.”
Mr. Leonard’s letter follows:
“Dear Mr. Doughton:
“Nothing should be- done to en
courage perpetuation of the sales
tax in states where this sinful
method of extracting revenue
from the masses has already been
adopted, neither should Congress
do anything that will encourage
other states to adopt such an un
fair policy of taxation; or to en
courage the federal government
to resort ttf the .retail sales tax.
I sincerely hope, therefore, that
you and your colleagues in Con
gress will yuse your influence
against any movement to have
our national legislative body
authorize the coinage of one-mill
pieces to accommodate sales tax
states.
“According to an Associated
Press dispatch published in North
Carolina papers, treasury officials
have under consideration a plan
for the coinage of money in de
nominations less than one cent,
to meet the demands of states
levying sales taxes, which cannot
issue tokens because of federal
statutes to the contrary. As
(continued on back page)
Introducing - - -
The Story Of
The Constitution
Starting in this issue of THE
TIMES, readers who are in
terested in the' affairs of gov
ernment and in the details and
underlying principles of the
foundation of all government
and laws in the United States,
will have an opportunity to
read from time to time salient
facts about the national consti
tution in “The Story Of The
Constitution,” to be published
serially in this newspaper.
Right now, with the consti
, tution having been in the
headlines of the nation’s news
papers for the past several
, weeks, in connection with the
%iRA supreme court decision
and other decisions of the high
court as to the constitutionality
of various laws enacted by
Congress, is a good time for
the average citizen to familiar
ize himself or herself with the
provisions of this famous old
document, the bedrock of our
national governmental system.
Turn now to page 8’ and
read the first installment of
this educational and interesting
series of articles.
Revenue Officers
Active This Week
In Alleghany Co.
U. S. Revenue officers, who
have been active in Alleghany
county this week, have destroyed
a number of “stills,” confiscated
an automobile and other property
and arrested two men.
One of the largest “stills” ever
found in the county was de
stroyed Tuesday by Investigators
Roup, Fortnw and Jones. The
plant, which was located near
Rich Hill school, had a capacity
of 100 gallons. In addition to
destroying the “still,” 1,500 gal
lons of beer were poured out and
1,200 pounds of meal was con
fiscated for sale by the revenue
department.
Deputy Marshall Jones arrested
Romas Billings and a Mr. Bum
gamer Tuesday and, finding that
Billings’ car contained equipment
for the manufacture of lique,r,
seized it also.
On the same day Sheriff . Walter
M. Irwin destroyed a “still” in
the Bull Head section.
Another Judge
Rules Against
Process Levy
Alabama Judge Is
In Concurrence With
Boston Court. Calls Tax
‘Clearly Unconstitutional’
Birmingham, Ala., July 23.—
Federal Judge Charles B. Kenna
mer ruled late Thursday that col
lection of processing taxes by the
agricultural adjustment adminis
tration is unconstitutional.
The judge said he would en
join Harwell G. Davis, collector
of internal revenue, from collect
ing processing taxes from six com
pleting; Alahamafiipis.
Judge Kennamer indicated earl
ier in the day that his ruling
would concur with that of a Bos
ton circuit court, which held AAA
unconstitutional.
District Attorney J. C. Smith,
representing AAA, had argued
that the ruling of the Boston
court was not unanimous, and
furthermore not binding upon the
present case, whereupon Judge
Kennamer replied:
“I’d like to remark that the
Boston case is nevertheless per
suasive.”
Kennamer was presiding in the
absence of, and at the request of,
Federal Judge W. I. Grubb, who
had declared the Tennessee Val
ley Authority act unconstitutional.
“The act is clearly unconsti
tutional, as it is not a revenue
producing measure and because it
is purely an attempt to regulate
crops and production,” the judge
said.
He explained that his decision
was not yet formal, and that a
formal decision of tbe court would
bp issued tomorrow when he en
joins collection of processing
taxes.
Firms which filed the suits in
clude Alabama Mills, Inc„ and
Alabama Packing Company, of
Birmingham; Profile Cotton Mills,
of Florence, and Anniston Cot
ton Manufacturing Company, and
the Adelaide Cotton Mills of An
niston.
In opening the plaintiff’s case,
Chief Counsel John B. Hill read
from New York newspapers an
account of the Boston decision.
He stressed that the Eastern
court held collection of the lev
ies, revenues from which go to
pay benefits to farmers co-operat
ing with the AAA crop control
program, constitutes "an unlaw
ful invasion of state’s rights.'’
The suits were similar to scores
of others filed in scattered sec
tions of the nation by packing
firms and cotton manufacturers.
ELK CREEK CEMETERY TO
BE CLEANED FRL, AUG. 2
It is planned to clean. Elk
Creek cemetery on Friday morn
ing, August 2, and all persons
who sou interested in the care
and upkeep of this cemetery are
requested to assist in the work.
Those who go are also asked
to take with them necessary tools,
such as scythes, pitch forks and
rakes. „
HOPKINS PROMISES TO RID
RELIEF OF “LOAFERS’’
Washington, July 23.—Relief
Administrator Hopkins tonight
promised to purge relief soils
throughout the country of all
4
Early Start On
Smoky Park Is
Seen In Capital
Ickes To Hold Up link
Of Road From Va. Line to
Roaring Gap Until Rights
Of-Way Are Delivered
Washington, July 22.—Follow
ing a long conference with Sec
retary Jokes today, Representa
tives BoUghton and Weaver ex
pressed themselves as highly
gratified and entirely satisfied
over prospects for an early start
on the Great Smoky Mountain
hfetional Parkway.
However, Secretary Ickes main
tained that he would have to fol
; low the advice of his legal de
partment and hold up the 12
mile link from the Virginia line
to Roaring Gap, which, was ad
vertised for letting last month,
until the rights of way are de
in ered to him by the state of
>Torth Carolina. The state has
taken steps to condemn that por
tion of the .right of way which
could not be purchased but no
information is available here as
to when titles will be delivered.
The secretary agreed to hasten
construction on that portion of
the parkway through federal for
est lines already owned by the
government.
The-refusal of the Cherokee
tribal council to agree to the pro
posed route through the Cherokee
Indian reservation may. result in
a rerouting of that portion of
the parkway.
Washington, July 22.—Almost
a million dollars for the physical
improvement of Great Smoky
Mountains National Park in North
Carolina alone, and for Guilford
Court House National Memorial
Park, is included in a request
for an allotment of $2,585,820
today, sent to the works pro
gram by the National Park Ser
vice.
Under the proposed allotment,
the Smoky Park probably would
benefit more than any other park
in the nation in actual cash spent.
Newest of the large national re
creational areas, this move is
interpreted as a declaration of
intention on the part of the Na
tional Park Service to put Great
Smoky Mountains National Park
on a par, so far as development
goes, with the older and longer
established park areas.
North Carolina’s share of the
requested sum is listed at $1,018,
000, with the remainder to be
divided among 58 other areas in
27 other states. The only other
area in North Carolina to benefit
under the allotment, according to
plans, is Kill Devil Hill monu
ment, to which it is proposed to
add land valued at $130,000.
Ernest L. Bailey
In Race For Gov.
Of West Virginia
Bluefield, W. Va., July 23.—
The fact that State Road Com
missioner Ernest L. Bailey parted
from the state administration Fri
day in Charleston, after being
asked to resign by Governor
Kump, is believed by politicians
in this end of the state to have
been precipitated by Bailey’s pro
jected candidacy for the gover
norship. However, there had been
intimations among, political writ
ers at the state house that re
lations were becoming strained
between Commissioner Bailey and
Governor Kump, although there
was no inkling of the imminence
of such a serious break.
Mr. Bailey is » native of Ma
toaka, Mercer county, in which
Bluefield is situated, and is wide
ly connected in this county.
STATE RECEIVES BIDS FOR
CASTOR OIL, EPSOM SALTS
Raleigh, July 23.—Bids were
received today by the state of
North Carolina for 2,000 gallons
of castor oil and 6,000 pounds of
epsom salts, which, it is said, will
stock the state’s medicine chest
for its charges in the various in
stitutions within its territory.
WORK ON GALAX FEDERAL
BUILDING SHOWS PROGRESS.
Foundation work on the new
Federal building in Galax has
been completed and the brick
walls have been started, as has
the main steel framework for the
building.
-
Tax Bill Takes
Middle Course
In Congress
Republicans Vainly
Continue To Insist
That Legislators End
Session And Go Home
Washington, July 23—The
president’s tax bill began defi
nitely to take a middle-of-the-road
course today amid new Republi
can insistence that Congress .ad
journ without voting any wealth
levies.
Behind locked doors, and with
the Republicans excluded, House
ways and means committee Demo
crats agireed that the new inheri
tance taxes should bear less heav
ily on widows, sons, daughters,
adopted children, grandchildren,
brothers, sisters and parents than
on others.
They decided, in fact, that the
close-of-kin enumerated should be
alowed to inherit $50,000 with
out paying any tax. But they
agreed that the exemption to
others should be only $10,000.
Then they accepted a rate sched
ule estimated to raise $100,000,
000 on inheritances annually.
At almost the same moment
that agreement was being reach
ed, Senator Hastings (R., Del.),
introduced a resolution for a final
adjournment of the session on
August 10. He let the resolution
lie on the vice-president’s tabjfe
for action later.
Hastings issued no public state
ment about his resolution, but he
was one of the Republican lead
ers who frequently had advocated
that Congress adjourn now and
reconvene in November or next
January to pass the tax bill.
There was no indication that
Democratic leaders would agree
with him. On the contrary, new
deal chiefs predicted fwely, if
privately, that when his adjourn
ment resolution was called up it
would be defeated. ,
Price Announces
As Candidate For
Va. Governorship
Richmond, July 23.—Lieuten
ant Governor James H. Erice yes
terday announced his candidacy
for governor of Virginia subject
to the f!)37 Democratic primary.
In making his announcement,
Mr. Price made no statement of
platform policies but promised to
make known his views on public
problems “at the proper time.”
Political observers professed to
see a keen political fight in pros
pect with Price aligned against
the state Democratic organiza
tion’s candidate. Congressman
Thomas G. Burch, of Martinsville,
has been mentioned in well in
formed quarters as the possible
organization choice but he has
not announced.
MAYOR IS FINED FOR
USING CITY GASOLINE
Wilmington, July 23.—Mayor
Walter H. Blair today was fined
$100 for using city gasoline in
his private automobile.
The fine was imposed after
Judge J. Paul Frizzelle had taken
tne case under advisement when
healing of evidence was completed
yesterday. The mayor admitted
the use of the gasoline, but as
serted that the city council had
authorized it.
THOUSANDS OF PERSONS
TAKEN FRpM RELIEF ROLLS
Pierre, S. D.. July 22.—Nine
teen thousand heads of families
were' removed from South Dakota
relief rolls tonight in a drastic
move to force them to seek em
ployment in the harvest fields.
Spurred by farmers^ complaints
that dole recipients had declined
to go to work gathering grain,
officials ordered a suspension of
all state and federal relief until
the shortage of farm labor is
fully supplied.
FILLING STATIONS GIVEN
EXTRA TIME TO PAY TAX
Raleigh, July 28.—-Payment of
the Hew state chain filling station
tax may be made until August IB
without penalty, A. J. Maxwell,
jrejtfiBue commissioner, announced
today- . , . .
The new levy was voted by the
last legislature and was to have
gone into effect June 1, with pen
alty for non-payment of the tax
to begin July 1.
-ffifririSi Xfi&
Announces New
Salary Schedule
For N. C. Employees
Raleigh, July 23.—New salary
schedules for all state employees,
representing an aggregate 20 per
cent increase in the cost of per
sonal services to the state, were
announced yesterday by Prank
Dunlap, assistant director of the
budget.
The increase was voted by the
1935 legislature and appropri
ations were provided to take care
of the additional cost.
The rates became effective July
1 and will be evidenced in pay
checks issued July 25.
The new schedule does not
mean a blanket 20 per cent raise
for every state employee, Dunlap
pointed out.
“Some employees will get prac
tically no raise at all and some
will get above 20 per cent,” he
said. “Most of the increases
though will be approximately 20
per cent.”
Double-Deck Load
Of Lambs Shipped
From Alleghany
County Agent Black
Requests Tobacco Growers
To Mark Ballots Not Later
Than Sat., July 27
Another double-deck of Al
leghany county lambs was shipped
to the Eastern Livestock Co
operative Marketing association
last week. The “red circle”
lambs ware sold for $8.95. The
farmers, according to R. E.
Black, farm agent, should be
well pleased with this price, in
view of the fact that the same
grade of lambs sold for $8.75
earlier in the week. Mr. Shelburn,
Christiansburg, Va., did the
grading.
The Alleghany pooled lambs
ware weighed last week, and
lambs weighing more than 18,000
pounds were sold through the
pool for 29 cents per pound.
Farmers should not keep sheep
which- produce black or gray
wool, according to Mr. Black, as
this type of wool has to go as
“reject” wool, which is not worth
as much as the white fleeces. Mir.
Black advises every farmer who
has black or partly black sheep
to either market or slaughter
them before another shearing
season and replace them with
good white ewes.
All tobacco farmers of Al
leghany have been mailed a
ballot for the referendum on
production adjustment control. It
is requested by Mr. Black that
every tobacco grower in the
county. mark his ballot and re
turn to the county agent's office
in Sparta not later than Saturday,
July 27.
Long Expresses
“Shame’' Over
Vote For AAA
Washington, July 23.—Casting
his vote for the AAA amendments
tonight, Senator Long, Democrat,
of Louisiana, invoked a parlia
mentary inquiry to proclaim his
“shame.”
As the clerk oalled his name,
the “Kingftsh” addressed Vice
President Garner, asking:
“In ■ voting aye, may I state
in the record that I feel asham
ed?"
Garner retorted:
“The senator knows he may not
interrupt a vote to make a speech
and t think he also knows he may
hot utilise a parliamentary ques
tion to effect his purpose. Such
remarks are subject to a motion
to expunge.”
With a grin, Long voted aye
and sat down.
SPARTA PERSONS SPEND
WEEK-END AT WHITE TOP
A group from Sparta spent
tfee week-end camping at White
Top mountain. The party was
composed of Mr. and Mrs. R. E.
Black, Dr. and Mrs. C. A.
Thompson, Mr. and Mr. Bill
Chester, Mr. and Mrs. T. K.
Burgiss, Miss Lottie Teague, Mist
Betty Fowler, Miss Grady Sue
Spicer, Miss Mildred Holbrook,
Miss Eva Greene, Ben Reeves,
George Reeves, Wayne Spicer
Jimmy Doughton and Ralpl
Cheek.
-\r-A-iat it, '"KfiftWfr ii'ini (Mifrlir1*
AAA Bill Passed
By Senate After
Lengthy Debate
Program For Increasing
Farm Prices Is Broadened
And Bolstered. Changes
Are Made In Measure
FINAL VOTE IS 64-15
Passage Of Legislation
Clears Way For Senate
Consideration Of Omnibus
Banking Bill Soon
Washington, July 23.—Ending
half-month of argument, the sen
ate today passed the AAA amend
ment bill, much cut and patched,
but broadening and bolstering the
administration program for in
creasing farm prices..
As a last-minute gesture, the
senate accepted.a sweeping amend
ment requiring senate approval
of higheiv salaried employes “un
der this or any other act of con
gress.”
The vote for final passage of
the bill was 64 to 15. It came
after the senate had waded
through a tangle of last minute
amendments, throwing many aside
but adopting some.
The bill had two main pur
poses—to arm the secretary of
agriculture with ne,w weapons to
push farm prices up to a parity
with prices of other commodities,
either by the processing tax
method or through marketing and
crop control agreements; and,
secondly, to prepare for the time
when the supreme court will pass
on the validity of the AAA pro-'
gram.
In anticipation of that date,
and in an effort to prevent an
upset, the amendment bill validat
ed all processing taxes heretofore
imposed and ratified them-at their
present levels.
"hfe section validating the rates
of the processing taxes hereto
fore applied by the secretary of
agriculture was aimed at meet
ing arguments that they had been
fixed under an unconstitutional
delegation of authority.
Thev amendment read that “the
taxes imposed under this title as
determined, prescribed, proclaimed
and made effective by the procla
mation ... of the secretary of
agriculture or of the president
'. . . are hereby legalized and
ratified and confirmed as fully
to all intents and purposes as if
each such tax had been made
effective and the rate thereof fix
ed specifically by prior act of
congress.”
As a second bulwark, the bill
legalized all benefit contracts un
der which farmers have been paid
about $700,000,000.
Third, the bill outlawed all
suits against the government for
recovery of processing taxes paid
•in the past unless the processor
proves he has not shouldered them
off upon the consumer or pro
ducer.
Passage of the AAA bill
cleared the way for senate con
sideration of the omnibus bank
bill. That measure was given
first place on tomorrow’s calen
dar. The farm bill, already pass
ed by the house, must go back
to that branch for consideration
of senate changes. A senate
house conference probably will
be necessary.
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