Newspaper Page Text
THE LAGRANGE REPORTER...
FRIDAY MORNING. SEPT. 11, 1914.
BRITISH BATTLESHIP CLEARED FOR ACTION
Photo by Amoilcun t'r ... AMOclatlon.
Slaton Defeated at
a Terrific Cost
Atlantu, Sept. 10.—Now thut the
smoke of the Macon convention in
clearing away Winer and more con
servative Georgians are believing that
the victory of Hardwick and the de
feat of Slaton wan accomplished at a
terrific cost—the cost of a party dis
rupted, of a Democracy split asunder,
of a people so hoodwinked by a set of
itoliticiang that their individual hal-
fotes wore rendered worthless. It will
lie mnny u day before the memory of
that Macon steam roller is wiped out.
Governor Slaton, the choice oi a
great plurality of the people, asked
only for a “fair deal." There is hard
ly a delegate, be he never so partisan,
who will assert Hint he got it. His
opponents Insisted from the first that
"Slaton hasn’t got a chance. We’ve
got him whip-sawed, double-crossed,
out-played."
The governor has returned to the
eupitol, unbowed by defeut, as hearty
in his handshake, as clear and fearless
of eye us ever. He took the fortunes
of war as they came. 11c is going
ahead and serve out his term ns gov
ernor.
Hut John M. Slaton is a young man,
and there ure muny years and many
races still to run in Georgiu. There
are expression of opinion in the state
press und among the people that tho
real voice of the voters was never
heard ut Macon and thut Slaton,
though losing the place to which he
aspired, has guined in the afTection
of the public, That he will "come
back" before mnny yoars pass is look
ed upon as being as certain as death
and taxes.
And speuking of tuxes, it is inter
esting to observe that the Mucon pint-
form indorsed honrtily the Slaton tax
equalization lnw.
Officials to Study
National Highways
GeorgiaJMovies at
San Francisco
Atlanta, Sept. 10.—“I>on’t forget
to see the Gieorgia movies when you
go to the San Francisco exposition,"
is what Georgia folk are writing their
friends in other states. “It will be
the next best thing to coming down
South and seeing the real thing,"
For Georgia is to have a great
“Movie Show” of her own at the
Panama-Pacific exposition. Under
the direction of the Georgiu commis
sion, Clyde Bennett und his field
staff arc taking thousands of motion
pictures of Georgia industries cities
und othor scenes, which will be shown
on a screen in tho splendid Georgia
state building every dny of tho ex
position, for more than nine months.
Tho movies probably' will be the
greatest advertisement Georgia has
ever hud, for thousands upon thous
ands of visitors will see the “Free
Movies” at San Francisco and guin an
idea of the beauties and the industries
of the Empire State of tho South.
Southern Insurance
Companies'Success
Ajtlantu, Sept. 10.—Five hundred
million of life insurance by Southern
companies in ten years! That is the
record of the past decade as shown in
the current issue of The Eastern Un
derwriter the great standurd insur
ance journal, by I.loyd Damron, of
Rome, director of ugents for the
Cherokee Life insurance company.
Mr. Damron shotos how ten yeurs
ago Southern life insurance wus in
its infancy, and then takes up its
gradual growth.
"This enormous business has grown
steadily from its beginning, a few
small offices in .Rome und a few
clerks und ugents. Now Southern in
surance is standard. There are fifty-
three old line life companies in the
... u ... , . South, with combined usselu of uixty-
fl £ l 7‘ r t h live million dollars. The growth has
--- »V.=:
.Irt.u5d.i-til. uir.i-Uun o, th„ p,S»
1 \ i !i„t u , ,.ea,»,»n.Ma.G u \ panien will have outstanding five
o«,“ ‘ryEi—*«»•»-»<> «»»«■ ■»
roads and the public hculth service!
for the study of convict cainpa, con-'. | j | • i
vict lubor and highway construction, Wl liafPI J H3rN^3nfl
and the excellent results obtained ini ' MMal 1 1 1 ,al 1 a ' ,U
Georgia has attracted the attention of
the government departments. There
is a growing tendency in other states I
to follow Georgia’s load in putting the) .... „ , . ,,
convicts on the highwuyH. I Atlanta, Sept. 10.—William J. Har-
The purpose of the government's , ' ,8 > director of the federal census,
study is to determine the conditions ,s 'P Georgia to superintend the in-
and methods hy which the most satis- sHillation ol the new bureau of vital
factory results are ohtuined and the statistics authorized by the last legis-
lines along which improvements, may hiture. As a Georgiun he takes an
Vital Statistics
County Unit System
not Used in Macon
ept.
paper man who attend and reported
the great Macon convention last weik
slipped up on one point. Every man
sent his paper a story that the plat-
farm as adopted indorsed the coun
ty unit rule. It was not until two
days afterward that the error was
discovered.
The men who framed up the plat
form included a clause adopting the
county unit system und commending
it, but the committee had a wrungle
over this point und the clause was
stricken out.
But nobody thought to mukc a
change in the numerous copies of the
platform resolution given out to the
reporters, and not a soul paid the
slightest attention to the reading or
the platform, not even the delegates
who voted for its passage. They
might have been voting themselves
into jail, so great was the confusion.
And not until a member of the plat
form committee returned to Atlanta
and rend the papers was the mistake
discovered.
Celebrate 59th
Anniversary
Atlanta, Sept. 10.—It isn’t often, in
this day of short life and early di
vorce, that a couple celebrates the
fifty-ninth wedding anniversary. But
that celebrution has just taken place
at the home of Captain and Mrs.
George W. Terry, in Tampa, Fla.
The item is of • interest to Geor
gians, us Cuptnin Terry’s father was
one of the pioneer citizens of Atlanta
and u member of an old time city
council. They were mnrried in A
luntu in 1855 and lived here until a
few years ago.
Many children, grand children and
great grand children were present ut
the celebration of the anniversary.
Both Captain und Mrs. Terry are well
and hearty and give promise of many
u year together.
Concerning the
Cotton Problem
best be inaugurated.
Fun for the Children.
r A peculiar event which took place
at Florence, Italy, was an annual mar
ble scramble, held through the gener
osity of a local manufacturer. Many
children gathered and "scrambled" for
first a pailful of marbles, then $6.1 In
change, candy (for girls only) and
finally ten dozen baseballs (for boys
only). The scramble was followed by
the annual baby show.
especial interest in this work, which
comes under the direction of his de
partment of the government.
Mr. Harris brings with him a gov
ernment attache who will travel over
tho state to get the new system pro
perly started. The statistics of
births, deaths, etc., will be maintain
ed under the direction of the state
board of health, and will be exactly
like those of other states that cor
rect comparisons may be made in the
future.
SUBSCRIBE FOR THE REPORTER
KAISER AND SECOND SON
Photo copyright, lilt, by Amot-tosa Preau Assuiiailou.
Prince Kitel Frederick to iton % the left
The situation of the cotton-growing
industry in view of the war presents
two distinct problems—distinct, but
related. One is the problem of get
ting enough money into the hands
of the grower to harvest his crop; the
other is the problem of maintaining
cotton prices, in view of the disorgan
ization of the cotton manufactures of
England, Germany and France, wi o
together take from us more than
$400,000,000 worth of the staple an
nually.
A cotton harvest cunnot be gathered
without a very large expenditure in
cosh. There ure four items of ex
pense which must be met as incurred;
the farmer must pay his pickers, pay
the ginning, and pay cash for the bag
ging that envelops his bales, and the
steel ties that hold them together. The
expense of picking varies from $8 to
$16 per bale of 500 pounds; the total
cash outlay nmy reach $20 a bale.
The farmer may Lave a running ac
count at the store and give notes for
the value of the mules necessary to
cultivate his land and even for the
rent of the land itself; but the ex
pense of picking. ginning, bagging
and ties must lie met when incurred.
These items create the need which
is usually loosely referred to as that
of “money to move cotton"—that is,
to move it from the field to the rail
way platform or river landing. This
need our banks and business men are
accustomed to meet every year, and
every year the financing has been done
more efficiently.
Twenty-five years ago banks in the
cotton region were few; “factors”—
cotton buyers—from the great cotton
centers lent money to the farmers to
finance the harvest. Much money was
lost through the factor’s imperfect
knowledge of conditions in regions
remote from his observation; these
losses finally fell, of course, not upon
the factor, but upon the honest and
capable farmer, who had to pay an
excess price for financial accommoda
tion to make good the losses of the
lender by the incompetent and the
dishonest. About twenty years ago
the south began to organize country
hanks and the financing of the cotton
crop to be taken over by them. Now
the loans at harvest time are made.,
not by the factor in SL Louis, Mem
phis, Shreveport or New Orleans, but
by the country bankor who has the
farmer’s account and knows all about
his circumstances. These banks, with
the support of the great financial in
stitutions of St. Louis and the other
large centers, are fully able to finance
the crop now coming to maturity if
only the bankers can see their way to
avoid loss through the depreciation
of the price of cotton on account of
the reduced demand abroad.
Two things stand out clearly in this
connection. The first is that there is
sure to be a certain reduction in cot
ton prices, for the simple reason that
there is no possible way in which the
prices of anything can be wholly
maintained while consumption is re
duced and production remains the
same. The second capital fact is that
the value of cotton is so substantial,
since its liability to depreciation
through storage is so small ana the
world’s need of it is so constant that
if arrangements are made for hold
ing for a time the excess of the crop
over the immediate demand the situa
tion will right itself without any con
siderable depreciation of price or any
serious embarrassment to the cotton
grower.
Europe last year took just a trifle
less than 67 per cent of our cotton—
8,200,000 bales out of 14,400,000. The
United States and Canada consumed
6,100,000. Expectn calculate that our
mills may be counted upon to consume
one-thira more than last year; this
would dispose of 2,060,000 hales more
and bring down the amount still to
be disposed of to a little over 4,000,-
000 bales if the crop should be as
large as last year. There is no rea
son to anticipate anything like a total
cessation of demand from any con
siderable European customer except
Germany, who cannot get cotton with
out her ships running the gauntlet of
the English and French coasts. Eng
land, France and Italy will without
doubt go on spinning and weaving,
the first two in somewhat reduced
quantities. These three countries
ought to absorb more than half what
they took last year, which would bring
their demand to perhaps 2,000,000
bales. This would leave about 2,000,-
000 bales yet to be taken care of. If
sacrificed, this cotton would, of course,
demoralize the market and unsettle
business conditions throughout the
entire cotton-producing area, but this
is precisely what is not going to occur.
If money is available at a low rate to
carry 2,000,000 bales over until after
the close of the war, the whole diffi
culty will settle itself.
When the war is over the world's
stocks of cotton goods will be 'oiver
in proportion to demand thnn they
have been at any time since the close
of the civil war. Cotton goods are n
necessity—not a luxury—and war
time is n time of greatly increased
consumption of them. Coilon, there
fore, is one thing for wlia.il the de
mand, Bs soon t.s peace ; s restored,
will be heavy and immediate. If the
growers of the 2,000,000 bales ex
cess product we have been considering
can get $25 a hale advanced on a
product that last year—statistics are
available up to November 1—did not
go below $58.50, the c()tton-growing
states will pass through the experi
ence without damage.
To advance $25 a bale on 2,000,000
bales will require only $60,000,000,
which seems a task bf but moderate
dimensions for the financiers of a
nation of 100,000,000, in order to
preserve from temporary demoraliza
tion an industry that last year yielded
a product worth, at the year’s lowest
price, $843,920,064. There is nothing
in the cotton situation which warrants
talk of resorting to “valorization" or
other wild scheme of government in
terference in private business. It can
be met by the resources of American
finance if dealt with in the spirit of n
wise conservatism. The Republic does
not doubt that the financiers who have
so co-operated with the cotton raisers
of the south as to bring the industry
to its present substantial prosperity
will prove equal to the problem of car"
ing for a 2,000,000-bale excess over
the immediate demand.
Barnes Furniture Co.
Best Goods-
■Lowest Prices
Easiest Terms
11.00 Saved in $5.00.
LaGrange, Ga.
Before Buying That Auto
mobile consider the good
points of the
STUDEBAKER
Four cylinder five passenger $1050
Six cylinder seven passenger 1575
F. 0. B. DETROIT.
Will Exchange
new or used Studebaker cars for
live stock or yonr second hand car.
REUBEN KYLE
Agent Troup County Roanoke, Ala.
SUBSCRIBE FOR THE REPORTER
STOP AT THE OLD RELIABLE.
Kimball House
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Most Central and Convenient Location in the City.
EUROPEAN PLAN.
Our Restaurant is one of
' The Best in The South.
150 ROOMS:
Hot and Cold
Running Water
$1.00 PER DAT.
ROOMS: Connecting Baths $1.50, Private Baths $2y00 and up.
Club Breakfast 30c to $L00. Midday Luncheon only 50 cents.
A La Carte Service Unsurpassed in the South.
/ ED. L. BROWN, Manager
U NDER the provisions of the new FEDERAL RESERVE ACT yonr
money is SAFER THAN EVER in this bank. The government
stands guardian. Periodical examinations by government experts
are made for the benefit of depositors. A large torn in absolute reserve
against its liabilities is kept with the government. In addition, there is
the PERSONAL INTEGRITY of the ofioers and directors bask of **««.
institution.
NEW ACCOUNTS WELCOMED.
The LaGrange National Bank
A Designated Depository of the United States, State of.Georgia, Troop C ounty sad the Chv
of LaGrange. 7
FULLER E. CALLAWAY, President
a V. TRUITT, First Vice-President F. M. LONGLEY, Second Vice-President
H. D. GLANTON, Cashier. ROBERT HUTCHINSON, AssStanTSiier.