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6/He LEADER-ENTER PRISE
Pubiished Every Tuesday and Friday by
THE LEADER PUBLISHING COMPANY
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ISIDOR. GELDERS, .. ... - cueiiessesierssisiieseesininasssse . Maneging Editor
EARL BRASWELL, ... .cococcotuvatrs tunous o oo 1o soranes sinnachonecs ....City Editer
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Entered at the Postoffice at Fitzgerald, as Second-Class Mail Matter, under Act of
Congress of March 18, 1879.
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Official Organ of Ben Hill County and City of Fitzgerald
B oottt iit L ARI vtk R TP
Rates for Display Advertising tuinished on Application.
Local Readers 10 cents the line for each insertion. No ad taken for
less than 25 cents.
Some of the papers continue to ‘‘run’’ Hooper Alexander or
some other exponent of the ultra-dry faction asa possible candi
date for governor,
1t would be svicidal for any one of them to attempt to make
the race at the coming Primary. Hon. John M. Slaton has the
field entirely pre-emptied—the few scattering votes that might
fall to an opponent would hardly make a respectable showing in
any one county. .
Beautify the city. Make it the pride of the citizen—the Mecca of
the homeseekers from the surrounding country. We have hundreds of
prosperous landowners in this section, with children to send to school,
who could be induced to move to the city. Our school facilities are the
best, our people hospitable, our health conditions perfect and property
reasonable. Every civic improvement will add to the encouragement of
homeseekers.
Georgia’'s Opportunity.
The Western and Atlantic (the State Road) is said to he worth $l2-
000,000. The bonded indebtedness of the State is sB,ooo,ooo—a net
asset of $4,000.000 to the State of Georgia. Add the value of the eleven
Agricultural Colleges, the State University, the State's property at Mill
edgeville, and the various other state properties, and it is doubtful if
there is a State in the Union that can show as fine a balance sheet as can
Georgia.
Extend the State Road to the Sea, and it will produce enough rev
enue in rentals to pay the interest on the bonds and a sufficient net
amount to pay the entire school tax for Georgia.” The statesman who
will make the extension of the State Road his sole issue in a campaign
for Governor and see to it that in every county and senatorial district
in Georgia, members run on the same issue, will receive the endorsement
of the office, backed by a legislature to carry out his platform plédge.
If owned by a corporation the Western and Atlantic would bebonded
for enough millions to build it to the seaboard, and its earnings would
pay the interest and make millions for its owners. -The State of Georgia
can do the same.
Senator Bacon In The Senate
Long service in public office alone is but poor ground upon which
to ask for re-clection, but when the service has been marked with un
usual ability and devotion to duty it is one of the strongest claims
that a candidate can present. When an efficient officer has given 17
years of hard work to any particular pousition it is but natural that he
should be emnently better qualified to attend to the duties of thei
office than & new man could possibly hope to be. This is especially
true in the case of our national lawmakers, for in congress the pres
tige of a member greatly depends upon his length of service, When
a new senator or representative is elected he is assigned as near as
possible to the committees for which he'is best quaiified, He begins
his committee service at the foot of the committee and a 5 the mem
bers ahead of him drop out he is moved up. It isa Well recognized
fact that practically all of the important work in congress is done in
the committees, consequently the committee standing of a senator or
representative greatly mfeasures bis power in the body of which be is
a member, : .
For the past 17 years Hon. Augustus O. Bacon has represented
Georgia in the upper branch of congress. No senator, Democrat or
Republican, has been more coascientious in the performance of his
duty than has Senator Bacon. Whenever the senate is in session you
will tind the senior senator from Georgia in his seat, guarding the
best interests of his state, His votes and speeches are in strict accord
with Democratic principles.
His long service and btilliant intellect have given him a great
prominence in the senate, He is now the ranking Democrat on the
committée on rules, foreign relations, and the judiciary, three of the
most important committees in the senate. Should the senate be plac
ed in the hands of the Democrats next fall, Senator Bacon would un
doubtedly be one of its foremost members, and his commanding posi
tion would give Georgia a great influence in the framing of national
legislation. An example of the high standard in which Senator Bacon
1s beld oy his colleagues was given a few months ago when he receiv
ed the largest number of votes for president pro tempore of the senate,
he being the unanimous choice of the Democrats of that body. He is
occupying this exalted cffice at the present time. His defeat for re
election wou!d be a little less than a catastrophe for Georgia.
Now that we are on the verge of a Democratic victory it would be a
-serious mistake for the people of Georgia to retire such an able states.
man as Senator Bacon and replace him with a new man, untried, who
must serve many years to attain to the position now held by our pres
ent senatr.— South Georgia Progress.
THE LEADER-ENTERPRISE FRIDAY, JULY Zo, 1912
So-Called “Local” Newspapers-And Especial
ly Country Weeklies-Constitute the Great
est Force for Good in America.
Unfortunately the Usefulness and Power of the Local Press are
not Appreciated. And Advertisers fail to take Advantage of
the Great Distributing Power of the Press of small cities, towns
and villages. This fact is called especially to the attention of
Automobile Manufactures now holding their great annual New
York Show.
The Hearst newspapers have more than once called the attention
of business men and of citizens in general to the important work that
1s déne by the editors of the smaller newspapers and to the great value
of those newspapers As Advertising Mediums.
It would be impossible to keep this Government going, impossible
at least to keep Representative and democratic government alive in
this country, if 1t were not for the thousinds of newspaper editors
scattered throughout the land —every one of them a watcher and an
observer, a vigilant policeman in politics and public affairs,
Vheiever two railroads cross in the United States and there is a
town or village, there is—fortunately for the country—A LOCAL
EDITOR. :
The editor watches the two railroads, he watches the affairs of
his township, county, State and nation. _
He talks daity or weekly to his fellow citizens concerning affairs
that most vitally interest them. He is for them an eye that does not
sleep, 8 man alert and devoted to those that are his constituents,
1f the railroad crossing kills'too many, if the railr.ads combine
to charge too much or serve too poorly, if the Judge, Governor or
Mayor seems more of a railroad official than a people’s official, the
editor is there to tell about it.
Big metropolitan newspapers with circulations running into many
hundreds of thousands daily have a peculiar power of their own.
But if vou took all the metropolitan newspapers of the United
States and weighed them in the balance against the press of the smal
cities and towns ip America, it would be asdhough you weighed a
city office t uilding against Pike’s Peak—andstht Jocal press would be
Pike’s Peak. T
The local editor speaks to his readers'@§®ne friend speaks to
another, . :
They know him by sight. They know his record. They know
the hard figcht that he has made and is making. They know for how
small a reward he renders efficient, unselfish service. And a word
from him means more than columns from some anonymous and un
known ‘‘editor of the big city,”
The politicians of this country know well the power of the local
editor. Thev respect it and fear it—and it is a good thing for the
country that they do.
A man writing fearlessly in some Congressman’s or some Senator’s
home town can do more to keep that public official “‘straight’ than
all the metropolitan newspapers put together. |
Public men know the power of the local editor and of the locall
newspaper. It is & pity that the business men of the country are ig-i
norant of that power, 5
The man who has something reallv worth while to advertise
could, if he would use the local newspapers intelligently, multiply his
sales by ten, make himself known to millions that do not now know
him and put himself at the head of his line of competition.
1f the automobile manafactures who attract attention just at this
moment would put their advertising intelligently in the local news
papers, paying a good, fair rate and offering good value, they could
very sool change the output of automobiles in Ameriea from 140,0003
in one year, which was the rccord of 1910, to 500,000 cr 1,000,000 in
one year—and this is no exaggeration, |
The smallest of the country newspapers has among its readers
one or five or ten or a bundred men that could be made to buy a car
now and will buy one sooner or later. Some intelligent autcmobile
}manufacturer with the right kind of product will realize this and sell
tens of thousands of cars through the local newspapers before his
competitors know what has happened.
The average of prosperity and of wealth among the readers of a
country newspaper is far greater than among the readers of a me
tropelitan daily, and in proportion to the cost of advertising, intelli
gent publicity through the country newspapers gives by far the best
results. . :
What we have said about automobile advertising refers to ad
vertising in other lines, The dwellers in the cities, readers of the me
tropolitan dailies, have before their eyes the temptations and attrac
tions of the great stores which cannot be reached by the reader of the
country newspaper. If our business men realized their opportunisies
they would fight for parcels post, and they would make of every
country newspaper an active distributing agency, doubling and treb
ling the country’s prosperity and industrial activity.
_ This we have said before, and we shall say it again. Inasmuch as
there are no' Hearst newspapers in the country, inasmuch as our
newspapers are published exclusively in the great cities of the coun
try, we shall at least be credited with unselfishness in making a fight
for local editors that deserve the thanks and appreciation axd finan
cial encouragement of every good citizen.
Very few realize what it means when a man undertakes the pub
lication of a daily or a weekly newspaper in a small place.
The editor risks everything, poverty, bankruptey, indifference of
tle public, and at best his reward can be very small.
‘ It is said that Mr., Bryan is going to oppose tke election to the
Presidency of Governor Wilson, of New Jersey, because the latter
bafore he started out toward the White House asked Mr. Carnegie,
of the Steel Traust, to give him a life pension. . :
‘ Maoy of us, of course, would feel happier if we could begin our
'work with a life pension that would free us from all care ever atter-
ward. Tne country editor especially would be made comfortable and
tree from worry for himself and for his family if there were some
Steel Trust or Oil Trust billionaire ready to offer a pension to those
beginning hard work.
Put the country editor goes to work With no Pension and no
Guaranty. He asks no pension, no cash in advance, only fair play
and a chance to work,
| To the man who has started his own small paper and is fighting
his way up hill with a little type and a small press, paying the high
est price for everthing and getting the lowest price for his advertising
and his hard work, there seems something very comical in the sight
of a man like Governor Wilson giving up a position as university
president that paid him nearly $lO,OOO a year, taking a large salary
as Governor of New Jerscy, publicly bidding for the United States
Presidency with its $75,000 salary, and at!the same time asking Mr,
Carnegie, of the Steel Trust, to put him on his pension list and make
it easy and safe for him to be honest ever after,
The country editor is the man who ought to have a pension tor
the wor z that he does, if any man ought to have it. He is also the
man, as it happens, who would not take a pension from the Steel
Trust, or from the railroad that runs through his town, or from any
other agency of public exploitation.
That is whv we have in tae past and do to-day and shall in the
future try to impress on our readers and on big advertisers the fact
that they shouid do their share toward supporting the local Press of
this country. There would be and could be no philanthrepy about it,
simply wise self-interest should make every citizen buy his local paper
and make the advertiser contribute according to his means to the
support of the local press.
The citizen that buys his local paper gets his money back many
times over in protection of his interests. And the man who adver
tises widely and wisely in the local press gets his money back many
times over in cash returns.
The people should not be niggardly in support of those that do
good work. Business men and the public generally should be espe
cially broad-minded and liberal in their support of the local newspa
pers that represent and tensify public opinion throughout the country.
—New York World.
First M, E. Church
Services next Sabbath as follows
Sabbath School at 9:30 a, m.
Morning preaching at 10:45.
Sermon ““The Holy Spirit in
the Early Church.” Epworth
League at 7:00 p. m. Night
preaching at 7:45. Sermon ‘‘The
Vicarious Sacrifice.”
There will be good music at all
services, special music at preach
ing services, orchestra at night.
The general public, especially
strangers, will find a cordial wel
come at every service., Gentle
men welcome without their coats.
~ E. J. Hammond, Pastor.
Cenrtal Christian
Church.
Minister, Lewis C. Hammond
July 28.
Bible School .9:30 a. m.
Communion and sermon 10:45
a, m. Subject for sermon, ‘“The
Cnristian in the Church.”
People’s Popular Service 7:45,
Guod musical program, The
pastor will give a short talk on a
Big Sukject. Everybody welcome,
Homer's Odyssey. |
This splendid $200,000 film pro
duction will be given at the Grandf
Opera House next Thursday after
noon and night. The story of Ho
mer’s Odyssey is reputed to be the
most wonderful achievement of mo
tion pictures. This story of the Tro
jan war has been read by millions
of people, and wherever the pictures
are shown, clamor to see them. It
is said to be more awe-inspiring than
Danta's “Inferno,” which film was
‘made by the same company in Italy.
! T )at a large crowd will witness the
picture next Thursday is assured,
land in order that all may see it, two
performances will be given. one at
3 o'clock in the afternoon and the
other at night. Admission for the
matinee 10c to all; for the night
performance, 10c for children and
15¢ for adults. Be sure you let the
school children see it. It is of a very
educational nature.
Matinee at the Grand , ™"
_—-——— August Ist.
The grandest film ‘ever produced. 1,000 men and
women in action. T!ne Trojan war as portrayed in
Homer’s Odyssey---which every school child will want
to see. Beautiful, Gorgeous, Historical.
Price Matinee 10c to all. Open 3p. m.
- Thursday August Ist.
New Third District Com
mittee to Plan Primary
‘Cordele, Ga., July 24.—0 n sugges
tion of Chairman O. H. Eikins, of
Fitzgerald, that Cordele is the most
convenient meeting place in the new
Third congression 1 district, the dis
trict Democratic executive commit
tee will be cunvened at Suwanee
hotel in Cordcle at 3 ¢'clock Friday
afternoon, July 26, according to an
nouncement made here by Dr. A. L.
McArthur, secretary of the ccmmit
tee.
Rules for the nomination of a con
gressman from the district will be
adopted at this meeting, and judg
ing from the many dissenting ex
pressions heard, there will be con
siderable discussion over the adop
tion of the county unit or popular
vote plan for nomination.
Thew new Third district embraces
the fifteen counties of Crisp, Lee,
Ben Hill, Macon, Schly, Webster,
Stewart, Taylor, Dooly, Sumter, Tur
ner, Terrell, Randolph, Clay and
Quitman.
The announced candidates for con
gress from’ this district are Judge
Charles F. Crisp, of Americus; John
R. Mercer, of Dawson, and Emmett
R. Shaw, of Fort Gaines.
Cotton Bolls Are
Begining To Open
H. M. Warren and E. M.
Whitehead bring in first
Specimens.
Mr. H. M. Warren brought to
this office this morning the first
open pods of cotton we have seen
this year, havigg plucked them
from one of his patches at his
plantation several miles from the
city. Mr. E. M. Whitehead, we
also understand, was displaying
an open boll from his farm this
morning. Needless to sayit all
looks good, and the more of it we
see, the more we want to see.
The wages of arbitration should
be paid as peace work.