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e LEADER-ENTERPRISE Published Every Tuesday and Fridey by THE LEADER PUBLISHING COMPANY WM Managing Editor EARL BRASWEEL, .- o. .« ceciiovsnaliiioiivvee o oisesnsaroceartsece ....City l:il—to: :)_:‘QE DOLLAR AND FIFTY CENTS PER YEAR s S e e S TR e ;——m;;::;;\—:;;:t:m Fitzgerald, as Second-Class Mail Matter, under Act of Congress of March 18, 1879. e Official Organ of Ben Hill County and City of Fitzgerald __—__:“—;—__————__fi—_—___._—-”—:‘———————_““‘_—_—:—-———: Rates for Display Advertising tarnished on Application. Local Readers 10 cents the line for each insertion. No ad taken ‘ol less than 25 cents. e i Our Leader subscribers have been rendered a statement of their subscription account, and we wish to urge upon you the importance of a prompt settlement, We must make a report to the Post Office Department of our subscription list and unless you pay promptly will have to discontinue your paper. If you are short of ready cash come in and fix it the next best way. We don’t see why Uncle Sam takes such a paternal interest in a newspaper’s business, but he insists that we get paid for our papers if we use the Post Office. | Le e e gl e e L S R AI e e Kindergartens Wanted For Public Schools. Georgia Educators are deeply interested in the passage of th permissive Kindergarten bill which was presented at this session of the legislature by Representative J. B. McCarty of Chatham county and which will have the hearty support of Chatham’s other Represent atives, the Hon. Randolph Anderson aud the Hon. A. A, Lawrence. The clubwomen of the entire State are behind the movement, giving it strong endorsemeut. The bill would have the effect not only of permitting puklic school boards to intrcduce Kindergarten as an organic part of their system but of legalizing those public school Kindergartens already establish ed in several (Georgia cities. Athens comparatively recently took over into its public school system the free Kindergartens started by the Women’s Clubs, the value of the work as a foundation for education and as essential to the varied needs of the little child having been clearly demonstrated. So convinced have the Athens educational au thorities become of the value of the Kindergarten that the University of Georgia Summer School lsst summer introduced a Kindergarten Department under the supervision of Miss Hoitense M. Orcutt, Su pervisor of the Kate Baldwin Free Kindergarten Association of Savannah, and is contipuing 1t this season with Miss Carol P. Op penheimer acd Miss Nora Edmonston, both of the Kate Baldwin As sociation, as directors, under Miss Orcutt. Columbus has had public school Kindergartens for a number of vears, and Augusta has a Kin dergarten in every public school in the city, Supt. Lawton B, Evaps being a firm believer io Kindergarten as an economic and indispensa ble factor in elementary education. (Georgia’s constitution, antedating as it does educational knowl edge of the Kindergarten, does not allow for punlic education before the age of six, as it does not allow for High School Education manual and vocational training, languages, and other branches that have been incorporated in its educational system of latter years and legal ized by special legislation. The new Kindergarten bill will obviate this difficulty, and will at least make it possible for enlightened boards of education in the Siate to take account of those formative and im portant years in child development, from 4 to 6, recognizing society’s responsibility to give to its little citizens at that time opportunities tor the fullest growth in body, mipd and spirit, and making, through proper directivn, the energies and interests of that period of life serve the whole cause of education. Stop, Look, Listen, Think and Say No. Four words have played great parts with plans on three occasions. The first notable quartette was that political utterance: Rum, Ro manism and Rebellion.” Then along came that eruption of Vanderbilt when he uttered his fa ‘mous declaration, “The public be damned.” But the man who made a fortune was the one who coined the ex pression you see at every danger point on the railroads: “Stop, Look and Listen.” Today the demand of the age is for additional warning to the trav eler along the highway of life. There are danger pcints hidden and curves indiscernable that may plunge you into the aßyss of moral or financial ruin. Stop, look, listen, think and say no. Just adopt this as a motto you will have ample opportunity to thank yourself for the action before you are many moons older. There are countless schemes being promulgated to get you entrapped and take from you something that is worth while. Remember the motto. There are fakirs parading in every community. Generally they are travelers with a slick tongue and oily ways, but don’t get inveigled in their ways. Just think of the sentence above. if you will turn them away it will be a glad day with you. Think about the reason why they are not doing just the things they want you to do and the answer should be convincing enough. ; These pilferers of your wealth, ‘health and happicess are nothingi more or less than respectabie thieves, made so by custom. Do not respect a thief, no mhtter in what guise. Say no every time. They will come to you with éetty stock propositions with life insurance propaganda not sanctioned by standard old-time companies. They will come in the guise of the benefactar, of presenting something for the benefit of humanity, from some lecture course, on up or down the line. It may benefit hu manity, but you will .have to pay the price. Sometimes these lecture organizers and other promoters entangle you by getting two or thres other prominent men to go in with you, sometimes they send a business woman along and again a talented man who sells his intellect and often BRL ST TPR RS 8 R ¢ B BBE B Ews e i 2 £ o el i) TAR T T CR OSSN T ROPR Py his principle for dollars. 'Do not be deceived. -~~~ 1 Inquire about things, think about them. But. above all say no. If ‘ you want something for your town get up some local enterprise do not feed and clothe some 3ang of boodlers who care nothing for you or the town after the sum of dollars they bind you to pay is gathered. This comes straight from the shoulder; it is advice of the right kind. There is nobody in your home town to lose in this case—certainly not yourself; if you follow the course mapped out. If you want to donate something in the way of large sums give it to your church, your school or something else. Do not provide for somebody whom you have never seen, some travelers who will never pass your way but once. Whatever you do, remember the injunction: Stop, look, listen, think and say no—and say it forcibly and unmistakably. Agitation, Education and Action. | ‘ Individually our different commercial enterprices are pushing ahead. Merchants, bankers and manufactures are content with the percentage business increase for the current quarter. Considering the limited ter ritory in which they are swapping dollars, it is surprising how well these institutions are doing. Their contentment is verging on stagnation and this self-satisfying situation is lulling our “lead ing lights” into an hypnotic condition. Local public improvements have been contributing largely to the maintanance of our business aver age which will reach the limit with the cessation of these operations. To keep abreast of competition we must enlarge our retail trading territory. Our retail establishments as a whole, in all lines, are equal to any in larger cities. Mercantile stocks are large enough to supply five times the trad ing population that we boast. It is imperative that we reach out for new territory from which to draw new buyers. Within a radius of forty miles 30,000 consumers of merchandise could be attracted to our city by a campaign of publicity. Our knowledgde of the gentlemen and their methods conducting business in Fitzgerald warrants us te believ> that if we can bring these people here once they will become permanent custo mers of our merchants. The prize is big enough to try for. What we need is co-operation. A pull together will convince the most skeptical that Fitzgerald is all we-claim it a d that our merchants are able to com compete with the largest in the State. Let the women practice law? Why of course—the profes:ion needs them to raise the average in integrity, morality and reputation, Bogus Investment Schemes. The legislative commission which was appointed last summer to draft and present to the general assembly a bill, or perhaps, several bills remedying the defects of our present insurance laws is engaged in a work of extraordinary importance to public interests. Insurance leaders declare that in some particulars the existing statute fails to protect either the legitimate company or the individual investor and that it really opens wide the way for financial piracy. Just what these defects are need not now.be pointed out, for that is the purpose of the commission itself, but every observant business man is aware ttat the state’s laws in this respect should be thoroughly overhauled ana readjusted t 6 practical conditions. A writer in the June number of Best’s Insurance News declares that citizens of Geor gia and-of adjacent states have been induced during the last few years to part with hundreds of thousands of dollars for neatly engraved pieces of paper called *‘certificates.” He shows that under the pre sent regulation, or rather lack of regulation, mushroom exploiters may issue such certificates with no restriction whatsoever as to the disposition of the proceeds from the sale of the paper. This is but one of many laxities that should be corrected. The commission it 1s understood, has already determined to recom mend the establishment of a state insurance department, separate from that of the comptroller general’s and provided with a force of men sufficient to make its work thoroughgoing. The insurance commis sioner would be empowered to examine companies including fraternal organizations and for cause, to revoke their licenses, The creation of this department would of itself be a stride in the right direction. 1t is to be hoped that whatever law or laws of this character may be enacted they will take cognizance of the general field or bogus in vestment propositions. Government authorities have calcrlated that in the United States last year one hundred and seventy million doliars was lost in get-rich-quick schemes. There is reason to believe that of this amount at least seven million was wheedled from Georgia, The swashing buccaneer of the gay old hardy days is gone but his descendants =re still thriving and they are far subtler rogues than any Captain Kidd who ever flew the skull and bones, They adroitly keep just within the established law, indeed they have developed axz art of thievery so refined that a number of states are enacting special laws for the public’s protection, Such a statute was recently put into effect in Kansas, The comptroller general was authorized to examine scrupulously all concerns applying fer a license and to refuse those he considered unstable or lacking in good faith. The result was that within a single year only fifty out of six hundred and fifty stock and bond companies applying for licenses werc granted them. The fifty who were authorized to do business entered the field unhampered by dishonest competitors and unclouded by suspicion, The fact is such laws are demanded not only in behalf of the general public, but also in the interest of legitimate concerns. How unfair 1s this to honest business! The representative insurance com: ‘panies of Georgia ar d the representative investment companies are entitled to the state’s protection against those motley adventurers of finance whose sole purpose is to make away with booty. ‘ As matters now are 1n Georgia, an alleged company, no matter how imrginary its capital or security may be, can secure a license to operate simply!by filing application with the comptroller general and obéerving a few loose requirements. As a consequence the state has become easy prey to business picaroons. ‘‘These bogus concerns,” says a member of the Atlanta Chamber who has investigated the Gist of Governor Brown’s Message to The Legislature Pl R Lol LA ; Draws attention to the hitherto unprecedented condition of the treas ury and urges that ways and means to yeplenish state coffers and restrain expenditures be devised at once. Advocates creation of office of state auditor, better banking laws, , laws to protect the investor and stockholder in insurance organization and more stringent restrictions as to qualifications necessary to practice medicine in Georgia. For third time urges legislature to remove some of the drastic and burdonsome restrictions against suffrage in Georgia imposed by the present registration law. [Estimates that 100,000 white men are barred from voting and that in Fulton county alone only;two out of five are allowed 4 to vote this year. Asks that assistant pure food inspector be provided for and that gas oline be also inspected, same to be under direction of department of ag riculture. Tax of half cent gallon on gasoline would yield state $40,000 a year. Also urges state geological survey and deplores smallness of ap- ‘ propriation for soil analysis. : : Stresses importance of generous support of state University and urges that ag far as finances will allow, it be furnished with money sufficient to procure everything needed. As to agricultural schools, recommenas that each member of trustee board of state university be exofficio member of board of agricultural school in his : district, and that appropriations to each school be adjusted so to pro rate by ,q;tendance increase or decrease, Urges that Tech be given $25,000 extra, §5,000 for maintenance fund and $50,000 for heating plant. Also recommends $5,000 extra a year for G. N.and L C. ; R Give all supply contfacts to lowest bidder. Have trustees of Staie sanitarium appointed for four years, but have renewals every two years | by having one-half of board renewed once every two years, Office of state commissioner of public highways should be established with engineering department to look after good roads interests and con victs should be forced to work certain percentage of time on main roads from one county site to another, thus preserving and building up the state roads. Urges that legislature co-operate with railroad commission in efforts to have principal roads in Georgia double-tracked. In this con nection again urges that some provision be made to provide for double tracking of W. and A. Urges that number of members of railroad commission be reduced to three and that office of attorney to commission be abolished and this work handled by the attorney-general. s Urges amendment to new gameé law so that commissioner will be elected by the people. Stresses importance of sufficient appropriation as will manufacture enough hog cholera serum to check disease. Asks that state make provision to pay expenses of its governor to annual confer ence of governors. : Discuses legal procedure in criminal cases at length and urges that pardon secretary be provided for, to prepare data on all applications for pardons as too much of governor’s time is taken up with them now# Urges legislature to enact such laws as will do away as much as possible with the mass of technicalities in criminal trial and procedure which do so much to clog the wheels of justice and delay the just course of the law. Declares that the last gubernatorial election was a mandate from the people that any further amendment or change in the prohibition law should be approved by them at the ballot box before being made. Pres ent law by use of words cannot be made stronger, task of making it more effective being purely and simply a matter of local enforcement. Fight is Taken Up on Cotton Caterpillars. , Atlanta, Ga,, June 27th.—Two small medicine bottles containing live army worms and cotton cater pillars at their deadly work on pieces of corn stalks, grassand cotton plants, claimed the atten tion for nearly two hours Wednes aay of a group representing bapk ers, seed crushers, fertilizers and wholesale grocers, in the commit tee room of the Chamoer of Com merce, State Entomologist Worsham was present at the conference, which was for the expiess purpose of stopping the army worm in its ravages and to arrive 4t means whereby the cotton caterpillar may be checked in its progress eastward, It is now on its way from Texas, and should it resch here by July or August would destroy fully 50 per.cent of the cotton crop in Georgia, declares Mr. Worsham. : Through the co-operation of the interests present at the meeting it is hoped to warn the farmers by mailing to them 100,000 circular letters telling how to kill the worm now present and further offer a means to check the progress of the caterpillar. The state entomologist said it wonld be a comparatively easy matter to stop the latter pest if course, ‘‘seldom invest the money they get for the sale of securities and they never intend to mature the stocks and bonds they sell. In fact they can continue the payment of interest only so long as they %sell new securities. They run smoothly enough for a while and then-¥ suddenly disappear from the state leaving the innocent investor in the lurch.” i . 5 A law to prevent such practices is sorely needed in Georgia. It is to be hoped that the bill. or bills, the legislative commission pre- % sents will cover all these problems and will be promptly enacted by the general assembly.—Atlanta Journal, : the farmers will take the precau- 4 tions sent them seriously and en ter the fight to a man. Mr. Worsham said that the army » worm has already done serious damage to corn, grain grasses and in some instunces cotton in Geor gia, The cotton caterpillar, he says, 1s a general thing mistaken for the army worm by the average o layman, but it is a different insect and as a rule attacks only cotton. “The remedy is simple and in expensive,” said the entomologist. *“The most satisfactory -remedy g paris green, or arsenate of lead, though the latter is preferable. One application of either poison is sufficient for an entire season. * First M. E. Church Services next Sunday will be as follows: Sabbath School at 9:30 a. m. Morning preaching at 10:45 a. m Epworth League at 6:45. Night preaching at 7:45. ¢ At both preachlng servites the pulpit will be filled by Rev. John L Wells, of St. George, Ga. There wikid be special music—orchestra at night. The general public, especially strangers, will find a cordial welcome at every service. E. J. Hammonp, Pastor. Miss Jewel Gibbens from Nash ville, will arrive tomorrow as the guest of Clara Brett.