North Carolina Newspapers

THE PAPER WITH THE BIG CIRCULATION-WANTED 25.000 SUBSCRIBERS IN THE NINTH AND TEN 1 H CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS The Aurora - Highlander THE SQUARE DEAL PAPER OUR FIRST DUTY IS TO THE HOME FOR PROTECTION AND PROSPERITY IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS SHELBY, N C. SATURDAY. FEBRUARY 3 VM, ' VOL. XLII NO 5. PRICE. SI uu PER YEAR IN ADVANCE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT SYSTEM FOR STATE BRENIZER BILL WOULD PROVIDE A MODERN ACCOUNTING SYSTEM UNDER THE CAPITAL DOME Interesting Review of the Doings of the General Assembly During the Past Week Many Important Bills Are Introduced .n Both Houses. Raleigh North Carolina would have Australian ballot system It a hill offered in the Senate by Senator Thomas A Jones, of Asheville. should become a la' It if a measure for which there are hosts of advocates in every quarter of the state, and Senator Jones says the bill shall have his best ser Ylce In effort for Its enactment into law The bill Is the regulation Auk tralian ballot sort, and was re ferred to the committee on elec tlons. A date for hearing will be agreed on later. An especially notable bill introduc ed was that in the Senate, by Sena tor Brenlzer to provide a change In the occuntlng systems of the state depart ments, state Institutions and in conn ties, and also to provide a special system for municipalities, where the authorities of the municipalities de cide to adopt such a system The bill would create a special board, one member named by the Senate, one by the House, and one appointed by the Governor, by March 1, the members to receive $10 a day and expenses while at work, subject to approval by the Governor. The " work would begin April 1 and be com WOUia investigate me present systems In the state departments and Institu tions, to ascertain the needs, the new syBtem to be devised being required to make complete and accurate show ing of the full effect of all transactions on state finance, a modern and com plete accounting in every respect. Also uniform accounting for the coun ties, and a system for municipalities the adoption of which would be op tional with the municipal authorities, in which event the city would pay Its pro-rata part of the cost of the system. The state departments and Institu tlons would be required to put In oper ation the new system by January 1. 1918. House bills passed final reading as follows: Abolish treasurer's office in Yancey; regulate deputy clerks in Cherokee, relating to automobile tax and applying 90 per cent to the counly in which the tax originates; repeal a road law for Marsh Township. Surry county; amend the Pender road law. The House spent a couple of hours arguing and cross firing over the sub stitute House bill to provide "absen tee voting" in this state and finally passed it without amendment by a vote of 62 to 19, in which the Republi cans voted practically to a man against the bill. Minority Leader McCary of fered an amendment to strike out the words "entitled to vote" as giving too wide discretion to one man, but the majority disapproved and the amend ment met defeat along with one by Haymore, Republican, to require that the prospective absent voter must specify the reason for his absence when he registers. Under the bill this registration can be made at any time of the year except during the twenty days prior to the flection. The Senate voted down the Pender county free range bill when it came up on a minority iavorauie input i signed only by Senator Burnett, of Pender. He made a stand for the measure on the floor, speaking stren uously in Its favor but "the cards were stacked" against him In the con viction of Senators that the free range Is a menace to the whole cottle and hog raising, Industry and that Pender is rtot an exception to this rule. Judiciary committee No. 1 gave a hearing to a bill designed to give any citizen in the state a right to appeal from a ruling of the Corporation Commission and voted more than two to one against the measure. It was denominated an effort to write Into law the dissenting opinion of Chief Justice Clark of the Supreme Court in the poted Anson case growing out of the contest over the passenger sta tion ' of the . 'yyinston-Salem South bound, the commission ruling for the location, the railroad company insist ed was necessary and the Supreme Court Holding, that the ruling of the commission was Jlnal, the party desir ing to appeal haring no more Interest in the case thaa any other citliaa. 1 re are both lo: g the h-y c.t : 1 . ' w !, II, h' 'his aesM In 'hi- ...j.t;,.n of the inn t it ut Ion ii 1 am. ndint-iits Senator Hfinze.-, i:. 'he Selld'e all. I K. p I csP 1 , Ul i ve Dtl I inn in the House pressed tleoe um ( ers u 1 1 h llut'i-e !, Unions lor a busy on the ttet bills Till ing I mi tile open joint ' omnjil tee on heal ted fui an unfavorable State Hoard of Health formula on the label li hav r cport hill for of pro 'arv meill. inn for whiih there ost strenuous hearing some w a da s a" anil then dei idcd to return : :n the House ' w it hout pretudb e " ILi pt eselitatlv Page servcj not li e on the House that he would ' lai m the light to submit a minority report in support of the measure preferring to tiring up the tight on the Moor in the argument and vote on passage Hi'pr -iiirf t n e I'.-mv Smblis who has offered a i oils I .t u t lolial lion" hill in at least three i u riven sessions past, turned in mo h a measure for tius l.i-gi-latiiie It would have dele gales to a i , ui -1 1 1 u ' n na 1 eonventlon ehM teil at t he next state elect ion anil he would bar all ussion of pro liibition from ihe i onv . lit n ui if called Representative Huberts ot Buncombe, procured the setting of Ins lull to give municipalities woman siirtrage when so voted by tin' majority of the iniali tied voters as a special order for Feb ruary r. The bill will likely have sharp opposition and its adoption la ti v no means certain lioth houses hav now duplicate hills through Senator Scales and Rep resentative Dalton for treating a board of three examiners to examine applicants for law licenses, the ex amlners to pass on the examination papers and the Supreme Court to Is sue the licenses as at present l'resi dent Brooks, of the bar association, said that he feels sure the bill will pass. No committee hearing Is yet set. Bills by Harding In the senate and Pearson In the house would increase the annual appropriation for the State Geological Survey from $10,000 to $20,000. Senator Justice put in a bill I to authorize special contracts for the payment- -of 8 per -cent' interest- but leaving 6 per cent the legal rate. Senator Oates offered a bill to appro priate $50,000 for a woman's build ing at the A. & M. College for women and girls taking special courses and taking advantage of extension work. Senator Oates introduced a bill de signed to solve the knotty problem of meeting the demand of so many counties to elect their boards of edu cation. It would have the majority party In the state aominate in all the counties in 1918 and the minority party in each county In 1920 and the minority party in the state again for each county in the next biennial elec tion These nominees would all be appointed by the Governor under the bill. In this way the people would nominate and the Governor appoint and the minority party would have representation in their counties, but the dominant factor on all boards would be Democratic as long as the slate is Democratic. Senator Oates is chairman of the committ.ee on edu cation and it is the bill that the Ad ministration will hold out for. if the bill for a state commission to ap point should fail. The senate passed the bill by Sen ator Jones, of Buncombe, to raise the age of consent from 14 to lfi years after much discussion and re jection of a number of amendments. The house spent much time discuss ing a bill by Clarke, of Pitt, to amend the law as to appeals, being a change proposed by the special commission pervisors and guards are cruel and on judicial reform, the vote being 71 to 23 against the measure Senate bills passed final reading as follows : Authorize special appropriations for Confederate veterans in Durham county. Amend the usury law of 1916 relat ing to Insurance company exemptions. Regulate the fees of the prosecuting attorneys in recorder's court in Robe-., son county A bill providing for service of sum mons in certain cases was tabled after number of counties asked to be ex empted. Investigate State Farm. The Joint committee on. penal insti tutions. Senator Turner presiding, heard a remarkable series of charges and comments on the conditions at the state farm, and arrangement of' the management of the convicts there, by Roy Traywick, of Union county, presented , through Representative Beasley of Union. It was a manu script of 35 pages and was to the gen eral effect that the convict quarters are unfit for human habitation; that the white prisoners are made to use a water pail in common with negroes, eat in the same room, and that the su that the whole atmosphere of the place hardens the convicts and Inten sifies their hatred of society, making them worse than when they were sent to the farm. The 11 THEORIES AT FAULT WHy- DEMOCRAT c R c E 18 L W A b A y A . Party Hn Dor-f r, tr Past at It It Doing Todar Prep f s Money Wasted and Bonds Forced on the Count'. Alum! '!,. ., . , :.' ll.il.; 'h I H'Uji h inn. p., 1 ., U n si, i ngl mi doing re... '!.: . :r. p.ov.r. Is ri ' i-rslng t l . K .u Its loir ."Oa pla t for ins ;.. n., ,. ii' It r i-s.' ui slide tor .i. ' "i".-iiiii.''l hi' 111 the it,,:, ..i ,- , I :,. i,i,.,i ma p... break fast !-.. ,t era tic i ru! "i s t , ke,i s rally during 1 1 , ,i, : : now to fee h. ' i :'. burdened -', ... ,,.s I Hick on Ihe h , ' i : 1 1 ' scheduled I" pn si, Coffee. !:u s a 1, : ' Perhaps, this li.-r nssuuil ng ! ha t In r ti. : made r men n Hun. assumes thai then- is need to consider the -again, it may be that t facing si crn rea lit ies iu .bill! I sy mpa . -moil. -ti- a riff li' hlv Is , Is ,,t ta' ill . : ,s In ,1 only list but Is higher duties, 'it duty :,'l, congress. ..ages have :g "t the past, I,., l.mger any sill, ;,-, I Then, the 1 leinocrats. w about which n, ,t responsible i's. are ready to talk about bur breakfast table they cured little while for gov eminent rev, -nil concede that nil their denlrig the poor man s was just talk nothing more. When a government is faced with big expenditures It must have big revenues. Democrats like spending money so well that their appropria ' tioiis have been running Into un i dreamt of figures lately. In Itself thnt ! is had enough, but when there Is a i failure to accompany big expenditures wllh adequate revenue measures the ! result to the national treasury is- pre- clsely the sntne as it would he In pri , vale business. A deficit stares you in ' the face. No Democratic congress has i ever seemed to comprehend that fact, j There Is nothing In the record of the several congresses thnt Democrats i have controlled the nnst nunrter of a century to show thnt they realize that a deficit must be met. When they 1iave found- t"ttpedH to -hftgero lawrej one. they have resorted to bond issues mther than to revenue measures. Thej, have preferred giving the governvj nient's note of band to the good old-' fashioned wny of seeing to It that enough revenue is coming In to pay the bills ns they fall due. Such a policy is much too practical for a po litical party whose traditions are root ed In theories. "Pork" Before Preparedness. The Democratic administration Is ' facing a deficit. Either more revenue I must be raised or great economies I mut be practiced. Claude Kitchen, j Democratic lender In the house of rep resentatives, advocates the reduction I I of appropriations for the army, the I navy and measures of national de- ; I fensa We thought so. Preparedness ! is beginning to assume its true posi- j tlon among Democratic policies. Its necessities are to serve the purposes of economy when Democratic simplicity has got us into financial plights. Pre paredness Is to be sacrificed on the al tar on which the holy pork is fried and from which the slices arc and the drippings caught. Times Star. distributed -Cincinnati President Wilson's Opportunity. For nearly four years the president lins had the opportunity to get behind the movement to do away with the omnibus method of appropriation -the bulwark of the "pork barrel." For nearly four years he has been in a po sition to defend the treasury against political raids, to place appropriations for public works upon a scientific mid economical basis. But he has done neither the one nor the other. President Wilson, elected for a sec ond term, should feel superior to the necessity of that political manueverlng which so seriously marred his first ad ministration. Spoke Without Warrant. It Is well to keep clearly in mind the fact that in volunteering the parcel patlon of the United States In an In - ternatlonal league to enforce peace on earth, the president spoke without warrant from the only body which can constitutionally involve us In such an arrangement the senate, with Its sole power to ratify treaties. It Is also well to remember that Mr. Wilson spoke without warrant from the party of which he Is- the leader, In the platform on which he was elected three months ago occurs this declaration: "The Monroe doctrine Is reasserted as a prlnclpnl of Demo cratic faith." New York Sun. It W "Dynamite." There Is now some room for the sus picion that the railroad strike Presi dent Wilson sent on Its way may have a return ticket. UNRESTRICTED NAVAL WARFARE G.mmany Gives warninc OF RENEWAL AND EXTENSION OF SUBMARINE BLOCKADE CRISIS CONFRONTS U. S Peace ana Means of Peace Go Glim mering With Announcement of Cen tral Powers of Proposed Naval Policy A Starvation Blockade 'A a-h gloll ' I ' I Ul. I siihrn.i till o k.e ..it .1 iMIli led -f al at ion he of w hi was ante i A lli' i i, a n f K h M W i li. e.i ,.. :,,,',.s ,.-lu , , Mlil'io-ailni Gerard :n !l'' . ' r A ' e I lep.l 1 11 l'1 II f i. and lo t h loillit H 1 1 ' 1 1 Thus begins t h .- I ' : g ! ea ed , all pa Igll of rill hi. -ss lies- , ..ti, , ed h von Hi nden hurg it w s a magnitude never ever i:il Ino .lit . It 1 1 1 lal.d bv von Tirpi'. Again the Tinted States fa, es sev i'i'iiiiit of diploinalii relations w 1 1 ti Ceriuanv. with all its eventual pon.si Idlllles I'lesldelit Wilsons repeated warnings of "a world utile " and Set te tary Lansing's "erge of war" state incuts are being recalled in ihe ( api lal with feelings of apprehension and misgivings Germany's action is the super crisis of all those that have stirred the Am erican Government in two ami a half years of world war i Talk of peace in Kurope and means ' of preserving the peace of the world ; have gone, glimmering President Wilson. Incredulous at first when the unofficial text of Ger ' many's warning was brought to him. at once called tor the official docu mailt which had just been presented to becretary tensing by the uerman refused to make a comment. Presi ,jen( Wilson began at or a careful study of the document What Will President Do? President Wilson has the task of deciding what shall be the course of the United States. Three immediate steps appear among the possibilities The United States might solemnly warn Germany against a violation of her pledges; It might be decided that the German warning is sufficient no tice of an intention to disregard those pledges and a slfficient warrant for breaking off diplomatic relations; it might be decided to await the results of the blockade and determine the course of the Tinted States as the actual operations to develop On almost every side Germany's drastic action is Interpreted as an open confession of the effectiveness of the British food blockade It is regarded as a determination to strike back in kind. German officials in the United States estimate the food supply on the British Isles will last a month Admit tedly the plan is to carry starvation to j the doors or i-ngiuuu won swoi, i,if gering strokes, as a fulfillment ot Ger many's announced determination to use every weapon and agency at her command to end the war uickly She counts on the operation of an unheard of number of submarines to deliver blows to bring England to her km" s. within 60 days. One German official here predicted the war would lie over In a month Conveyed to the world as the an swer to the refusal of the Entente Al lies to talk peace. Germany's latest warnjng says "From February 1. 1917. within barr ed zones around Great Britain. France. Italy and in the eastern Mediterran eanall sea traffic forthwith will be opposed " ENTENTE ALLIES READY TO MEET GERMAN MOVE. To Meet Such a Situation, Great Britain Has Been Assembling Fleet of "Sub. Chasers." ' New York Great Britain and her Allies are prepared to meet Ger manv's moves in her submarine cam palgn. it was authoritatively asserted jn shipping circles here. The ports of Liverpool and Bor deaux will be kept open at all nazaros. . British steamship representatives as j gerted, even If If becomes necessary to j COnvoy every merchantman which ! crosaes the Atlantic The first step to j be ipn bv the British Admiralty., j ,(), virtually controls the merchant fleets of the Allies, will be to arm ev ery ship with guns fore and aft for de fenslve purposes, it was predicted. To me t the emergency, the British Covernuient has been assembling for months, it was said, a large fleet of small, fast cruisers to be used as "sub marine chasers." FORMAL RELATIONS ARE TD BE RESUMED FbLL DIPLOMATIC Rt , BE RE EST ABl iS MEXICO HOPE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS Admm.gtration W Solve Questions Also A d Him Sttutional Gove, W.i- '." gt.,i. i . I and Con . I l.g w.t li tut -.. ,,r,,. ! 'Illli'llt i ah'.uef .11,1 s. I UP , , a'. to i,:i ig that lb r r h ion tit uu a s A ill MeX.- O Ulon Is ago w ui :! ! in a tew d.i .: Krubassa staff There has been I hassador al M.-xn- Lain ll -on w as ; killing of Madei o sumption of power iiiain- Intercourse ha Hueita handed I 1 bv i, A no' i i' a:i Am Civ -;u. e Henry ,-, ailed after the ind Hue'da's as and formal diplo not ex; ;'ed s.nce Cha'ge Nplson O'Shaughnessy his pas- put t ; April -IS 1914 upon ihe landing of American iiu i iiies at Vera Cruz S'l ce ihe rec ognition of the de facto constitution alist Government subordinate officials have been in charge of the Kmln'ssy. Ambassador Fletcher will go by steamer f om New York to Vera Cruz and from there to Queretaro or to Mexico City If by that time General Carranza has re-established his Cap ital there. He Is expected to arrive at his pout a few days after the last American soldier has ciorsed the bor- ,..,, c., I alrv. has been detailed as military at- i tache of the Embassy. Although no official notification of the intention of General Carranza has been recei.ed, it Is taken for granted that he will at once spiiiI to Washing ton an accredited Ambassador Kliseo Arn iloniliil r ow In Mexico on leave of abr.enee has been here as Ambassador designate for more than a year. It wa indicated that the sending of Ambassador Fletcher would be fol lowed by an order for the return of many consul, to their posts Con sular representatives at all Interior posts were withdrawn last summer. b; :lgians are still being forced to enter germany. Report From the Hague Says Deporta tion Continues at Lighter Rate. The Hague The deportation of Belgian workmen continues, but at a lighter rr.te than previously, accord ing to information from an unques tionable source. It is said thct the de portations from Brussels now are be ing made at the rnte of about 350 men daily. Many of these men. it is ; alleged, ire net idlers, but skilled workmen who iiav.1 been engaged for at least a part of their time in their trade in some provinces the Belgians. It is said, arc ad-opting methods of pas sive resistance ill efforts to escape deportation. This resistance takes the form of failing to appear at the ap pointed place for examination. Out of 1.700 men called in five communes near Mallnes. not more than one half presented themselves Thereupon the German military authorities ar i Tests of quality and of purpose can rested three prominent men in each , not be objected to on principle but commune, solding them as hostage tests of opportunity surely may be." until the appearaence of the ahsen- tees who in the meantime were hunt ed by squads of soldiers In Brussels many of the summoned men who fail- ed to appear now are in hiding. About one thousand Belgians called with the work of the American Relief Commission -members of provincial and ommunal committees of helpers and storehouses, mills or soup kitch ens have been deported to Germany over the strong protest of the com- ; . j ADMNg-rpjATION LEADERS HALT DEBATE ON .PEACE Washington Debate on President Wilson's world peace address enliv ened the senate for several hours be fore it was halted by concerted ac tion of administration leaders. Then Senator Cummins' motion to take up his resolution to set aside time for a general discussion of the subject was tabled by a vote of 38 to 30. Senator Martine, of New Jersey, was the only Democrat to vote with the Republi cans against the motion to table. IS BILLS TAKE SRAPE DEFENSE BUDGET TOTALING 8Uj joo 000 IS NOW GETTING ATTENTION BQ FORTIFICATION BUDGET Na.ai B. s Reaa, With Jio' K)u 0'.)0 A -my Bill Rep ted Nr.! W ttk a Total of W.ll Be Third Elo mei't on Pi og-ar 1 a A i in . nisi a: ion i " " 1 '.:, s budge! began to ' I., ::;:al -h i; e .:i t'otigtess when the Hou - pass., i 'i,, ' : ".ti, aMons bill ar !.: a ' ''al ,f in ban $.M 0ou ' ea-' ! ','ine- ami the House N.n..: i "ii:t:ii"ee , iinipleted its 191 n.i..il app: : .a' .,,:: bill with a total ,'f in i - than t ... ! OHO I he A: tin a ppl pr lat loll bill the tt.ii.l element of Hie piogram. still i.i ;:: ; House Mditatv Committee, whl'h Is expeiled In complete it next week Kstlniates for the Army reach a total of more than $3t'o. 000.000. ex elusive of numerous deficiency meas uies resulting from the border mob ili.ation and the rising cost of war mat erials The only other military legiblatio.i pending is the universal military tanning hill before a Senate sub-corn mlttee whit h will conclude Its hear 1 Ing this week, when Major Generals , Scott and Wood are to b recalled for 1 cross examination The navy bill carries a total of $351. 4.".:!. 245 as against $313,000,000 last year. It provides for the con struction of three 42.000-ton battle ships at a total cost of $28,178,592 each; one battle-cruiser at a coBt of ' $26,694,496; three scout cruisers at I $6,746,145 each; 15 destroyers at II.- 748.612 each; one destroyer tender at 28nsnnn- nnn snhmarin tender aft. submarines at $1,434,093 each. The program is that recommended by the: Department and represents one-half of the remaining portion of the three year piogram approved last year. PRESIDENT WILSON VETOES THE IMMIGRATION BILL. Literacy Test Precision Reason Assigned. Washington - -President Wilson ve toed the immigration bill passed re cently by Congress, because of its lit eracy test provision. It was the second time that. Presi dent Wilson had vetoed an immigra tion bill because of the literacy test and for the same reason similar mei.sures were given vetoes by Presi dents Taft and Cleveland. The Presidents veto message to the House, in which the bill originat ed, follows: "I very much regret to return this bill without my signature. "In most of the provisions of the bill I should be very glad to concur, but I cannot rid myself of the con viction that the literary test consti tutes a radical change in the policy of the Nation which is not justified in principle. It Is not a test of char acter, of quality, or of personal fit ness, but would operate In most cases merely as a penalty for lack of op portunity in the country from which aliens seeking admission came. The opportunities sought by the Immi grant in coming to the United States and our experiences in the past has not been that the illiterate immigrant is as such an undesirable Immigrant. BIG FIRE AT BOSTON WITH $350,000 LOS8. Bostion Engines from residential districts were called in to assist the downtown firemen in their hardest fight in many months, the Are de stroying a five story brick building at Chauncey street and Exeter Place. The loss was estimated at $350,000. of which about two-thirds fell on the oc cupants. Thomas Kelley & Co., blank et manufacturers. REPORT CONFIRMED THAT VILA OCCUPIES EL VALLE. All TRAIN Juarez. Mexico. Confirmation ot the occupation ot El Valle by Villa forces was received here from Casas Gran der. It was said the Villa troops mov ed up from Namlqulpa, where they had been awaiting the departure ol the American punitive expedition be fore occupying the town. Villa fol lowers also were reported to have been seen in the vicinity of BanU Sofia, on the Mexico Northwesters Railroad. ,