Newspaper Page Text
THE BANNER, FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 17, 1911.
THE ATHENS BANNER
H. J. ROWE,
Editor and Proprietor.
THE ATHENS DAILY BANNER ie
delivered by carriert in the city, or
mailed, pottage free, to any addrett
at the following ratet: $5.00 per year;
$2.50 for six months; $1.25 for three
months, or 10 cents a week.
The colonel at last has broken the
silence. He is again preaching his
new nationalism. The Colonel doe.
not propose to he shunted aside bj
the political leaders. He Is still full
of fight and will be beard from on the
great Issues of the day.
the
Uncle Joe Cannon is against
Taft program relative to Canadian re
ciprocity. The president and the
speaker have locked horns on a num
ber of propositions lately. The presi
dent is trimming his sails to suit the
prevailing wind, and the speaker is
standing by the old ship regardless
of the wind.
The orchards of the state are in
danger on account of the recent warm
wave that caused the trees to bloom
much earlier than usual. Jn some sec*
tlons of the state the fruit growers
are keeping fires In their orchards all
the while In the hope that the trees
may be protected against any cold
■nap that may come.
President Taft tells the republicans
that unless they pass the reciprocity
agreement with Canada they may pre
pare themselves to see the last ves
tige of the protective tarlfr swept
from tile statute hooks. The presi
dent is right alout the last vesitge of
protective tariff being swept from the
statute hooks That will he done
whether the Canadian agreement
passes through or not. It is not de
pendent upon the agreement at all,
for the people have made up their
minds to give tariff the final knock
out blow at the earliest opportunity.
They have been robbed by this law
long enough and at iast they have
enough senae to se it.
. 0
It has been shown by actual experi
ment that shells from a htgh-power
service gun can pierce the armor of
the latest and best battleships at a
distance of four and a half miles. This
demonstration was made Saturday
when the projectiles hurled from the
guns of the monitor Tallahassee at
at a target on the ram Katahdln pierc
ed the armor plate at each shot. This
armor plate was of the same kind
used In the construction of battle
ships. The battleships, then, are not
so great fighters after all If the armor
can be pierced by the shells that are
thrown at them. The inventore will
have to get busy now to Invent a pro
cess for the manufacture of armor
that will defy the hlgh-power abella.
0 :
The farmers of the state arc In
drad earnest about the educational
train. They came to see It and to hear
the lectures In spite of the rains that
fell last week In every part of the
state. When a man Is Interested la
such a movement to the extent that
he la wWIng to drive or walk through
the rsla for miles to take part la It,
then it is quite certain that he means
business and that he Is going to get
good results from the Interest he
manifests. The farmers havo been
delighted beyond measure with the
train and with the lectures that have
been delivered. Much more good
being accomplished than waa dream
ed of by erea the most enthusiastic
adoveate of tbla plan of education,
■TTTTTVW ♦ ♦♦'♦♦♦♦♦
♦ SENATOR TERRELL'S
♦ CONDITION SETS
♦ POLITICIANS FIGURING.
♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦'♦♦♦♦*
Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 13.—Senator Jos
eph M. Terrell's recent attack with
Its possible serious consequence, haB
resulted In some new figuring among
the political gossips with regard to
the senatorial situation.
Juat the extent to which Senator
Terrell's attack which seems to be
paralytic or apoplectic in Ua nature,
will affect him la, of course, unknown
at present; but It Is quite a common
opinion that the result of It will be
either one of two very decided things
which was put In this way by a polltl
clan known all over the state:
“The result will he either to eliini
Date Senator Terrell from the race
entirely, or to strengthen him mater-
tally In the contest.”
He went on to elaborate this view
by asying that If the senator’s condi
tion la a permanent or partially per
manent one, that la It It continues for
several months to come, the effect of
it will be to eliminate him from the
race, because, barred from taking an
active part in the struggle, there
would be little use fn letting
name go before the legislature.
On the other hand, he took that
view if Senator Terrell rallies well
from his attack and regains bis
health In time to get Into the fray
with sufficient force to bold his
strength together, the result will be
a material gain for him especially
from the wavering ones such ns sym
pathy or other considerations might
easily turn over.
Aa yet no definite or positive news
as to the senator’s condition has
come from Washington, though the
reports are in a general way that his
condition If Improving end that be
will bs brought soon to Atlanta to
eoeapersta.
SOUTHERN DEMOCRATS ON THEIR GUARD.
The proposition made by Senator Sutherland to amend the bill now be
fore the senate to submit a constitutional amendment providing for a direc vote
for United States senators is full of danger to the states, and the Southern
idemocrats above all others should be on their guard in respect to the situa
tion that now confronts them. They should not yield one inch to the de
mands of those who would place the regulation of the senatorial elections ab
solutely in the hands of the national congress.
We believe the democratic senators are on their guard and that they will
not fall into this trap that has been set for them. The election of United
States santors by a direct vote of the people seems to be the demand of the
people all over the country end it is not a bad thing at nil, but It would prove
to be a serious menace should the control of the senatorial elections pass in
to the hands of congress.
The senate has always stood as representative of the states in their sov
ereign capacity. The senators have been chosen by the legislatures of the
state and the people of the states have fixed such laws as they saw fit to gov
ern the election of their senators. AH this would be changed should the
.Sutherland amendment become a law.
The pri^e is too big to be paid for the securing of the amendment
elect the sen tors by direct vote of the people. The people of the South can
well afford to let the law stand as it now is rather than submit to such a
change In the fundamental law of the land.
There is no doubt as to the motive behind this amendment. It is a grasp,
ing after the power to so arrange the laws as to cause trouble in the South
where the negro at present is no factor in elections. This was made clear
fcnough in the speech of Senator Root, of New York, in which he bitterly
assailed the South for her disfranchisement laws and other wrongs that he
charged against our people. Senator Bacon, of Georgia, asked him the direct
question as tc whether or not the power to control the senatorial elections
would be taken away from the states by the Sutherland amendment and Sen
ator Root replied that It would.
The people of the South, through the primary system, have for years real
ly chosen their senators and this system can he carried on as In days past
without a constitutional amendment. It would be better to carry on the old
plan rather than submit to any change that wonld place the control of the
senatorial elections In the hands of the national congress.
A DIABOLICAL PLOT, IF TRUE.
Some man, name unknown, wrote a letter to Governor-elect Hoke Smith,
telling him that he knew of two men, names also not given, who hail disclosed
to him a plot to bring thousands of live boll weevils Into the state of Georgia,
scatter them throughout the entire slate and thus cut off the yield of cotton
In this part of the country and accordingly hull the cotton market In which
they were Interested.
This man not only wrote to Mr. Smith but he actually came to Atlanta to
see him and 'hen and there told him all he knew about this nefarious plot
Mr. Smith was Impressed with the appearance of the man and believes his
story. The man would not tell him nothing, however, without exacting a
promise tha*. he would not divulge Ills name.
The story as told by this man may or may not be true. If It Is simply
hoax, then the govcrnor-eleet has been made the victim of a practical Joke
and the newspapers have had something to publish thnt will be read around
the state and throughout the state. If the man told the truth, It Is posslbe
tnat the publicity given the scheme will deter the two men from carrying out
their plans. Eut If they should bring their live boll weevils Into Georgia and
begin scattering them around, they would no doubt be apprehended and then
/—well It Is not very.difficult to tell what would occur, even though It might
not be within the strict letter of the law.
It might be well for all strangers In the state of Georgia Just now to be
ware how they carry auspicious looking boxeB around with them, especially
If the boxes should happen to have a few bugs In them. They might have to
exchange their boxes for a goodly sample of hemp.
It Is hard to believe that men can get so low ns to even propose n scheme
like this, but It Is possible that there are such men In the world. Whether the
story bo true or not, Its publication will serve to put the farmers on their
guard and they will be watching for men with boxes and bugs more assidu
ously than for rain In a dry season.
CARDINAL QIBBONS ON DIVORCL EVIL.
There can be no successful denial of the fact that the divorce question in
this country is of paramount importance. Within the past few decades the
growth of the divorce evil has been of such proportions as to challenge the
earnest attention of all the churches and to claim a considerable portion
the time of many state legislatures.
not represent the better feeling of their own race and who do not hesitate to
I step across a barrier that has been raised and that is not to be broken down.
OEORQIA GETS A NEW CONGRESSMAN.
1 The house of representatives has declared In favor of Increasing the
membership from 391 to 433 and under the provisions of the bill that has pass
The laxity of the laws relative to the reparation of man and wife, the | ed |(]e bouse , hat numberof representatives will be elected by tbe states of th a
granting of divorces on the most trival pretexts, the sundering of families for American union after March 3, 1913. That Is, the number will be Increased to
practically no reasons have brought a train of evils, the effects of which are 433 _ if tbe senrte concurs in the measure that has passed the house.
MRS. RIDDLE’S INCONSISTENCY.
Out la Colorado there are three women members of the legislature. A
bill waa up before the Colorado legislature fixing the labor hours nt eight
hours per day, Mr*. Riddle, one of the women members of tbe legislature,
mado a speech on the bill and it was a speech of much ability, too.
Presumably Mrs. Riddle Is an advocate of woman suffrage, and at least
believes In women bolding political office, for her presence In the legislature
means that much. Here are a few of tbe things she said In her speech;
“In the cities women work such long hours for such small pay that em
ployers bJre them Instead of men. This results In tbe women doing tbe work
while the men alt at home and wear out the seats of their pants. And while
the woman Ie working and coming home each evening to n stuffy flat, she Is
not going to raise a family. Tbe condition Is wrong. The men should go to
work and the women stay at home. The nation needs families and home
makers and housewives. Pass this bill and make the men go to work.”
The logic of Mra. Riddle Is unanswerable, but It doeB not account for her
being a member of the Colorado legislature. She ought to be at heme raising
a family and looking after the home affairs and Mr. Riddle ought to be In the
legislature. A woman of her sense and determination ought to be able to
make him vote right and still not neglect her family duties.
being felt all over the country.
Cardinal Gibbons, In a sermon a fen - days since, said:
"If Christianity is the highest type of civilization—and who can
deny it?—then is it not true that we are retrograding Instead of ad
vancing on certain lines?
“There is a social scourge more blighting and more destructive
of family I'fe than Mormonlsm. It is the fearfully increasing number
of divorce mills throughout ths United States. These mills, like the
mills of the Gods, are slowly but surely grinding to powder the domes
tic altars of the nation. Husbands and wives are separated on the
. most flimsy pretexts. And as if the different states of the Union
were not sufficiently accommodating In this respect, one state has
the unenviable distinction of granting a bill of divorce for the mere
asking of If on the sole condition of a brief sojourn within her bor
ders.
"A lady, prominent In society life, once said to me In Newport:
'I do not recognize any law, human or divine, that can deprive a hits-
, band or wife of the right to separate and to enter fresh espousals
when they do not live In harmony together.'
“ 'You speak,’ I replied, 'of your rights, your privileges. But you
have not a word to say of your duties and obligations.'
“Ah, try brethren, If men and women had due consideration for
their duties and responsibilities, their rights would take care of them
selves. There can he no rights where there are no corresponding ob
ligations. There are no rights against the law of God.”
♦
NO REDUCTION OF SOUTHERN REPRESENTATION.
It la quite apparent that th republicans have finally accepted the South
ern action In regard to the negro vote and are determined not to agitate that
question again. A few days since a proposition was made In the republican
congressional caucus that a measure to reduce Southern representation In
congress on account of the disfranchisement of the negro be pressed to pas
sage in congtess. This resolution was overwhelmingly defeated In the re
publican caueur and that means it will rest until in some other congressional
caucus It may he taken up and again sent to Its defeat.
The republicans who are simply looking after an Increase in power for
their party know that th »re Is no chance to reverse the policy of the South
and that. If any hope exists In this part of the country for an Increased re
publican vote, that Increase must come through the white vote that may be
led Into republicanism.
Toe Indications are that the senate will agree to the bill as It passed the
I house, the number of members of that body being a question that more
I closely touches the house Itself than the senate.
Under the provisions of this bill, a number of slates will get an increase
I in congressional representation, and among these Is Georgia. This state will
have one additional congressman, and It will devolve on the legislature next
(June to redlstrlct the state so as to provide for the twelfth district.
An attempt to cut down the representation of the South in congress on ae.
I count of the regro disfranchisement laws was overwhelmingly defeated and
| among those who voted against this proposition was Representative Cruinpack-
I er, of Indiana, who In the past has introduced several bills calling for such a
I reduction in Southern representation. He has seen the futility and the non
sense of such s movement and has sense enough to act right about It. When
| he voted the democrats gave him hearty cheers.
The Increase la the numbers of congressmen Is not to bring about any
I results. As Champ Clark pointed out, the work of the house will continue to
be done In the main by committees and the Increased membership will not In
| any way clog the wheels of business in the house.
► — - f
THE POSTAL INVESTIGATION.
The Investigation Inaugurated by tbe postofoce department for alleged
violations of the postal laws, In which the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta
Constitution were made the targets, Is of more than ordinary Importance.
The charges against the Constitution were not of such a nature to hear the
test of a case In the courts, and the grand Jury probing the case after hearing
from many witnesses found no bill and declared that paper to be free from
any Irregularities or violation of the postal laws. But the rigid examination
made of witnesses In the case of the Atlanta Journal attracted much atten
tion, due largely to the fact that few people understood the charge and the
fact the paper had been held up to the limelight with a cast of suspicion on It
Indicating that some awful crime had been committed. Neither the Journal
or Constitution needs any defense, for these papers are too well-established
for any of the officers to resort to shady methods for the sake of a few dol
lars. Granting that these newspapers did mall out more than the postal laws
gave them a right to mall, It is no reason to suppose that these officers were
guilty of any wrong doings. Tbe amount Involved was only a few hundred
dollars, and It Is a disappointment that cases should have been made against
these reputablt Journals, alleging that they were In any measure robbing tbe
government. 1 be Banner congratulates both the Journal and the Constitu
tion on the honest and upright manner In which they have conducted their
business, which has been vindicated by the experts from the postofflee depart-
The republicans who are really Interested in the welfare of the country
and In the triumph of correct principles of government, know that It Is best I mentj an ’ d wh;( . b bas pnablcd both papers l0 build plants which are a credit
for the South to be gorernod absolutely by tbe white race, best for the ne- | , 0 anj - <-[.y | n the country. Their success la due to good business manage-
ment and giving to the people of this country newspaper* just a little ahead
of the times.
♦-
gro, best for the Southern white man and best for the entire country.
It is pretty certain that we are not to be bothered again with this ques
tion of Southern representation in congress being reduced on account of the
negro.
THE INIQUITY OF THE SHIP SUBSIDY.
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
The announcement In the Banner Sunday of the proposed charitable or-
_ , . .. . I ganlzatlon brought forth many expressions of endorsement. It Is believed by
The money spent by the United States government as u ship subsidy Is |. . , , . ,, .... . , ,
. I those Interested In the work that permanent organization can be perfected
spent under the plea that it Is for the purpose of building up the American
WILL POSTAL SAVINOS BANKS SUCCEED?
The reports of tbe first month of operation on the part of the forty-eight
newly-established postal savings banks In this country are In the hands of the
United States department nnd Postmaster General Hitchcock Is delighted
with the showing. lAltbough a month Is but a short time in which to Judge of
the working of a great system, still tbe Postmaster Genera) is highly elated
and sees nothing but success for the system when It has been firmly estab
lished all over the country. He says that he would establish five hundred
more banks of this kind in the United States at once If he bad enough money
available to start them off In proper manner, lie has asked that congress pro
vide a million dollars with which to extend the system to as many places as
possible in tbe United Ststes without delay.
The postmaster general states that tbe deposits at these new banks dur
ing the first month of their existence reached the sum of sixty thousand dol
lars and that that was a gratifying showing in view of the fact that the banks
are In small towns and cities, none of the greater centers of population hav
ing been yet provided with a postal savings bank. At this rate their deposits
for a year would amount to nearly three-quarters of a million dollars. Com
paring this showing with that made by the English postal savings banka In
1908, the best year known by those institutions, the postmaster general finds
that the United States banks have made the best showing.
It should be remembered, however, that the new banks are a novelty In a
than they will average hereafter, also that deposits for these hanks do
settle the vexatious questions th?t will without doubt arise In their manage-
ment. The postal savings bank, in this country Is yet in Its experimental
stage in spite of the enthusiasm of the postmaster gAeral. These banks may
tun out to be good institutions and again the nation may regret their estab
lishment Time alone will demonstrate whether the republicans were right in
favoring them or the'demorrats right In opposing them.
merchant marine. As a matter of fact It Is simply a bounty given by the
government to the shlp-bulIdlng trust and about the only thing It builds up
Is the wealth cf the ship builders.
The Florida Times-Unlon correctly states the ship subsidy steal as fol-1
lows:
“Since the money to pay for Carrying the malls must come out
of the pockets of the American people, contracts should he let to the
lowest bidder. When they are let only to vessels built in the United
States they are not really mall contracts In purpose,, but subsidies
voted out of the pockets of the American people and Into the pock
ets of the American ship builders. American capital Is largely in
vested in ships engaged in the foreign trade, but since no ship not
built In the United States can fly the Amrican flag, American ship
owners fly the flags of other nations over their vessels because an
American-built vessel costs from BO to 100 per cent more than one
Just like It built abroad. American-owned vessels built abroad can
not get contracts for carrying the malls. No vessel can get the ben
efit of a mall contract unless it has paid tribute to the ship building
combination. The question of ownership Is not considered. An
American-owned vessel built abroad cannot get the contract. A for-
elgn-owned vessel built In the United States can; so It Is a pretense
to say that a ship subsidy is Intended to build up the American mer
chant marine. It is Intended to protect the American ship builders
In extortion. When the people are robbed It Is well for them to
know who gets the loot."
' ATHENS, CONVENTION CITY.
Athens has become known far and -rear as the convention city of the
south. There are quite a number of conventions to meet here this year and
In order to keep our title we must work for more conventions for next year.
If tb» conventions meeting In other cities this year are properly gone after
we can land them for Athens. The grand lodge of the Knights of Pythias
will meet in Atlanta this spring. It is up to Athens to secure their next meet
ing In 1912 for this city. It Is known that this organization has desired
meet In Athers In tbe past and with the invitation extended it is believed that
the grand lodge can be secured for this city. This is one of the largest gath
ering of the secret orders, being next in size to the Odd Fellows, and If Ath
ens can entertain with ease as large a gathering as the Odd Fellows of Geor
gia, certainly ene caq entertain any convention which meets In the state.
flth the Athena spirit behind our efforts many of the conventions can be
secured this year, and nothing should be left undone to secure every conven
tion possible.
THE RACE QUESTION IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL,
Washington has for a long time been regarded as one place In the United I bond ’“?• in maklDg lts road * tbe bea( •» that »*«*« •
States where the negro could do pretty much as he pleased. But it has now I Now what Birmingham and Jefferson county are doing may teem to be a
turned out that there Is a race feeling there as well as ln other places In the blg ,hln F- and lndeed.it is, but there are scores of counties much more able, ac-
country. In fact there Is a feeling over the country, north and as well as south, I cordln * their taxable property from which the money has to come with
that recognizes the social differences between the races and those In both I * r ' dcb to effect these Improvements.
races with sense enough to reason abont things, know that there Is such a I There are several of the counties of Georgia, | n which no large cities are
feeling and such a difference that call for the separation of the races when. J located, that are spending from fifty to three hundred thousand dollars on
ever the social question la raised.
with several hundred subscribing members. The amount to be asked of each
member will not be large, but by every citizen charitably Inclined becoming a
member, the organization can start off with several hundred members and
with several hundred dollars In the treasury.
The Jacksonville Times-Unlon has the following editorial on the associat
ed charities In thnt city which will be of Interest to our people;
“The work of the Associated Charities during the past year ha*
been of the highest value to Jacksonville at well as to the unfortun
ate Individuals who have been assisted. The organization In this city
Is only one year old and yet already It can be said that ns a power for
good It Is second to none.
"The showing made by the reports of the officers reflects Infinite
credit on them nnd their assistants to whom they modestly give
praise for much that ha3 been done, and It furnishes to the people of
Jacksonville a reason for a pride that vaunteth not Itself but warms
the heart and quickens the blood and strengthens th* nerves for gen
erous work.
“F.very function of this organization Is a necessary one. A care
ful Investigation of claims, with the possibility of refining assistance la
as necessary as the rendering of assistance where It should be given.
No community devotes unlimited means to charity and since the
means of relief are limited the unworthy should not have what be- ’
longs to others. We do not mean and we do not think that tbe As
sociated Charities organization acts on the presumption that only
men and women of the best character should be helped. But we do
think that duplications should not be permitted, frauds should be ex
posed, those who can work should work, and ln general only those ’
should be cared for by the public who cannot secure what they need
from others on whom they have claims. •
“The organization does as much good In helping to compel men
to meet their responsibilities who are able to do so as In giving tbe
aid that It so freely gives when the circumstances are such as to de
mand It. i
“We would show a lack of appreciation If we failed to express
our commendation of the work of the Woman’s Club which has done ,
os much to help establish this organization and of the devoted men
and women who are giving their lives to this noble work. Public ’
sympathy should help them while the work Is being done aa well aa
applaud them when It is finished and they rest."
♦ '■
A MILLION DOLLARS FOR GOOD ROADS.
Jefferson county, Alabama. In which is located the city of Birmingham, la
'going to vote on the Issuance of one million dollars of road Improvement
bonds. There Is little doubt as to the outcome of the election and that prog
ressive -Alabama county will no doubt soon be spending the money from the
I their country roads. Clarke county has in the paat seven or eight years spent
A few days since a negro man snatched the purse of a white woman In more than onc hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars on her roads,
the national capital and was arrested for the act. Justice Wright in sen-1
fencing the de'endant look this position: “From the viewpoint of the white Ufa of road bonds is .Imply an example of the feeling that has taken potsea-
way and that on account of the novelty the deposlts.may have been larger women In the national capital it It not to be tolerated that a colored man “'on of the people as to the necessity for building good roads. This feeling la
not ahould dare put hit hand* on one o ftbem. It la only by a consistent imposition I not confined by any mean* to the larger cities, but la spread Out all over tha
of the maximum penalty tha't the atreeta of Washington may be safe for wo- state and the South.
men to walk after nightfall. I shall Impose the aentenee to every such case
that eomea to my attention.”
The people are learning that money thus Invested yields tremendous In
comes. Tbe good results begin to flow as toon aa tha roada are Improved.
The position taken by the Washington Judge does not mean that every ne- More financial prosperity comes to the community with good roads and a more
gro la dangercus to society. It does not mean that a majority of the negro I prosperous ant more contented people live In those section* where the roada
race are such. It simply means that In Washington there are many who do I are good. *