Newspaper Page Text
/
ainbridge Search Light.
]MBER IS.
v BAINBRIDGE, DECATUR COUNTY, GEORGIA, FRIDAY. FEBRUUARY f, 1904.
$1.00 YEAR IN ADVANCE
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF DECATUR COUNTY AND CITY OF BAINBRIDOE.
de-
the
iu-
SOURCE OF SUPPLY.
,-ranee and Ger many,
tfe formed an alliance
ot for offensive or
ose> but to declare
5 of their cotton raa
ustries of the cotton
Southern States. At
armers furnish near-
-6tton consumed in
idia and Africa supply
11 portion. Foreign
•s claim that they are
of the speculators in
h they undoubtedly
present high price of
to be galling them
so much so that they
ing long and loud to
merits for relief in
of the relief proposed
rical but still may be
id. The soil and cli~
ica is said to be well
cotton culture but the
cotton has never been
to any extent is the
able labor. The native
not be domesticated
:onditions existing there
to work the cotton
their ancestors were
his country under the
ilavery. Other laborers
be imported into Africa
lensive and, at the same
ited to cotton raising,
on of the labor problem
ed that the Chinese
ould fill the bill, tor he
aborer and the cheapest
iw it is claimed that En-
ice and Germany have
eir willingness to extend
aid to the opening up
cotton plantations in
importing laborers from
thus creating a new
upply of raw cotton for
ries.
nothing alarming in
mation for the cotton
of the South. If sue-
ich is extremely doubt'
take years and years of
to influence our prices,
the mean time the do
nd the consumption of
ds is on the increase in
er of the globe, and the
nner will as of yore be
to come to us for his
pay the prices that the
charge are fix
ular Couple to Wed.
out announcing the
_ marriage of Miss
es Curry to Mr. Joseph
laum, both of this city;
ig to occur at the' Bap
at half pist ten o'clock
-'enteenth of February.
7 ‘ s one of the most
beautiful and attractive
omen of Bainbridge. She
*d daughter of Mrs. A. E.
an d comes of one of the
stocratic families of South
, ” r - Waum is a member
Jewelry Co., of this
1e located here about
“onths ago and is at the
a nourishing business. He
e * lc » pleasant and popular,
esses those business and
la 'ties that will make him
1 !zen to Bainbridge and
J ln life’s affairs.
,‘ dte, y after the ceremony
P‘ will leave on an extend-
„ rn ou /’ after which they
orn l ° Kaan t> r idge, their
THE POOR MAN PAYS.
Notice.
:tra ycd or s'.o'en.
One
cow, marked crop and
oenn ea u Ch ear> bran ded
On v nsht hiP- Left EK
for i, f V ’ prob5b 'y bas calf,
information leadir
•very.
. r leading to
J-C, Greene,
Eldorendo, Ga.
The report of the special com
mittee appointed by the last Grand
Jury to investigate the books of
the county offices, bring to light
some very startling facts concern'
ing the return of property for tax
ation in Decatur County.' We in
ter from Comptroller Wright’s re
port that a similar condition exists
in many counties of the state. If
there is one thing more prom nent-
!y brought out than another, it is
that the poor men of Georgi, are
bearing the burden of taxation in
very uneven proportion.
The poor man usually returns
his property at a figure not far from
its actual value while the large
land owners and the moneyed
interests are returned in many
instances at a ridicilously low fig
ure. Imagine land adjoining the
city limits of Bainbridge being
valued at $2.50 per acre! Imagine
if you please, a return of $100,000
money in the county! The state
ments of the local banks alone
show deposits and capital stock of
more than $300,000.
As the committee reports, in
the assessment of property values,
a great many obstacles are to be
encountered but it is evident that
the system needs some change
whereby a more equitable and just
plan could be engaged in raising
the revenues.
It is possible that the coming
legislature will undertake the diffi
cult task of arriving at this process.
If they do so they should receive
the immeasurable thanks of the
poor people of the state and the
honest individuals of the more
wealthy of the tax payers. The
poor man is least of all, able to
bear these burdens, and more
earnest attention should be ad
dressed by the law makers to his
relief.
Qedie Baggett Surrenders.
Gedie Baggett, who killed Clint
Williams in Cairo last October has
surrendered to the sheriff of Thom
as County. After the killing he
made good his escape and has
S’nee been at large. It was com
monly reported at the time that
he would give himself up before
court and stand his trial on the
plea of justification.
Application was at once made
to Judge Mitchel to admit the
prisoner to bail until bis trial at
the April term of the Superior
court. After the hearing bail was
granted in the sum of $6,000,
which was promptly given and he
is now out on bond. Fondren
Mitchell and R. R. Terrell will as
sist Solicitor General Thomas in
the prosecution, while Hammond
& Hammond and Rodaenberry
& Luke will represent the defen
dant. The trial is destined to be
a hard fought one and will elicit
much interest.
Both Baggett and Williams be
long to prominent families resi'
ding in Decatur county and the
tragedy is greatly deplored by • all
parties.
The Hunter Furniture Company.
A restraining order from the
United States court has been
served on the Hunter Furniture
Co., of this city and it is possible
that the firm will be thrown into
bankruptcy judging from present
indications. The order however
does not close up the business and
the concern will tor the present
continue the sale of the stock and
the collections of accounts due the
the firm
The new firm were successors
to the Hunter & Jtoggs Furniture
Co.. M. B. Baggs disposing of his
interests to Mr. T. W. Hunter of
Quitman. We understand that
negotiations are on whereby it is
hoped that the company will be
able to satisfy its creditors and
continue in business. >
THE SCHOOL BOOK COMMISSION.
Soncerning the award of the
text books introduced under the
uniformity law passed by the last
legislation so much has been writ
ten by certain newspapers and in
dividuals that it is possible that
some unjust criticism may be hea'
ped at the doors of the Book Com
mission, whom we beleive had only
the best interests of the state at
heart in the selections made.
In the first place who are rais
ing all this disturbance? Certainly
not the common, people who have
been saved tens of thousands of
dollars annually under the recent
award. The whole plot (?) of the
st tes highest officials to rob the
people, seems to have originated
somewhere rou.idabout the offices
of Or at least within “hollerin’’
distance of the representatives of
the Maynard Merrill people. So
tar as we know, there hasn’t been
an utturance from any other source.
No, a saving ot 30 per cent in
the cost of new school books is
not calculated to cause dissent a-
mong the patrons of the public
schools of Georgia; nor will the in
troduction of those recently made
famous Lee Readers—not Robt.
E, Lee however—meet with dis
taste at the thousands of pupils
who will welcome any change from
the old time-worn stories of the
readers they have been using—
then the readers are all right.
But some one raises a howl a-
bout that “sliding Exchange’’ has'
is? O! Where is that in the con
tract. Takes whole columns on
front page full display, top of col
umn, next to reading; matter to
tell the tale. The Bdbk Commit
tee, those gentlemen who at the
state’s instance without a dollars
extra pay spent weeks and months
and silent midnight hours in reach
ing a choice; the Committee who
are responsible to the common
people of Georgia for their official
conduct; step to the front of
the stage and whisper, Peace!
They answer that the "sliding ex
change” feature goes in the con
tract. The Commission doubtless
would like to know if other ques
tions are to be asked—It so they
may take a day off and repeat the
performance.
We desire to defend the Book
Commission for two reasons. The
first is that we believe they are
honest. The second reason is that
the fellows who arc now raising
the disturbance ate the same ones
who fought the uniformity text
book law to the bitter end The
whole truth is that they are sore;
■either over the passage of the bill;
or because they lost the contracts
under the bids they rendered
They are therefore found chief
among the knockers in general,
and particularly in trying to chs
suade the people from uniformity.
Executive Committee to Meet.
All members of the Democratic
Executive Committee of Decatur
county are earnestly expected to
attend an important meeting to be
held next Saturday, February 12th,
at the court house this city. A
portion of the work of the com
mittee will be to call an election
in each militia district for the se
lection of new committeemen for
such district; and to set a time
when such newly elected officers
will meet and order the primary.
Secretary Wimberley has al
ready forwarded a letter to each
member of the present committee
urging bis attendance, and we hope
that the meeting will be well at-
attended.
pate seems to have a grudge
against Chicago. The latest ru-
mured calamity in lint vicinity is
that as a result of the fluctuating
cotton marke*. the city will prob
ably go bankrupt.
TO CONSTRUCT PUNT SOON.
Major B. F. Havens, Secretary
of the Bainbridge Turpentine and
Pine Product Co., was in the city
the first of the week, after an
absence of several months in the
north where he completed the
financial arrangements for the
construction of the plant. The
major has not been well, but thinks
that he will improve with his stay-
in; the south. He informs Us that
as soon as the question of territory
is settled with the distillation plant
at Albany, Georgia, he will be
ready to sign the final papers and
begin the construction of the
p'ant. It seems that the distilla
tion plant at Albany has purchased
this territory so far as the Bilfinger
process is concerned, and they are
interposing objections to the loca
tion of the plant here unless they
are satisfactorily compensated. We
learn that negotiations are in
progress with these people and
that within the next few days the
arrangements will all be completed.
Major Havens left Wednesday
morning for Waycross and Thom-
asville. He and Mrs. Havens will
return to Bainbridge next week
and take up winter quarters at the
Wainman. It is probable that if a
satisfactory arrangement is not
reached with the Albany people
negotiations will be opened for the
purchase of some one other of
the distillation processes than the
Bilfinger one. Several of these
are in operation in South Georgia
and they are giving highly satis
factory results,
We have been assured that the
plant is a sure thing for Bainbridge
and that operations will begin at
an early date.
Leap Year Ball.
The moat flattering reports are
heard on all sides in regard to the
Leap Year Ball which was given
on Tuesday evening at the Hotel
Wainman by the Ladies Cotillion
Club of Bainbridge. Although this
was the first dance given yet, the
affair was a complete success.
Being a Leap Year Ball, the
idea conveyed by the title was car
ried out in each detail. The ladies
made the dates, acted as escorts
and made engagements for the
various dances. The thought was
unique and because ot the unusual
features the evening was rendered
very delightful. Dancing was
the popular amusement indulged
in, although cards had been pro
vided for those who were inclined.
The spacious dining parlors at the
Wainman were thronged with
graceful devotees of the Terpsich-
orean art and the beautifully
gowned women presented an en
trancing scene. The Tallahassee
orchestra as on former occasions
charmed the dancers with their
inspiring strains. Appropriate
prizes were awarded the successful
contestants st hearts.
The daincy and delicious re
freshments served during the
evening were truly the fruit of
feminine art and skill and alone
would have betokened the fact so
clearly shown in every feature,
that only feminine brains an
feminine grace could have devised
and accomplished successfully so
splendid an entertainment.
Laagley For Receiver.
F:isewhere Mr. T. L Langley an
nounces for Tax Receiver of
Decatur County, subject to the ac
tion of the approaching Democrat
ic primary which will probably be
called for the middle of Mayor the
early part of June. Mr. Langley
has been a consistent and loyal
Democrat all his life, is well known
in the county, in fact sufficiently
so as to need no further introduc
tion from us. He will make an
aggressive campaign from the first
and a competent officer if chosen.
DECATUR COUNTY REPUBLICANS MEET
Last Saturday the distinguished
members of the Republican party
in Decatur county met in the
court house. The meeting had
been called by the Honorable Gil
bert McLendon, colored, chairman
of the county committee, for the
purpose of re-electing the chair
man, selecting delegates to the
district convention which meets in
Dawson on the 13th and other
wise resoluting and harmonizing.
But harmony was conspicuous
by its absence. Black clouds were
lowering over and about and with
in the meeting. From the word
go the maddening crowd was tu
multuous, irrepressible and epi-
thetical. Every man unbottled
his 'ittle viol of wrath and let her
fly. When the end finally came
and the smoke and fumes (of par
ty spirit) had lifted and sought an
outlet through the ventilators in
the ceiling very strange to relate
no dead or wounded were found.
It was strictly a war of words and
a wordy war it was.
Two factions developed in the
meeting, one composed ot the old
line republicans, the dyed-in the -
wool kind, and the other which
wanted to get into power and con
trol patronage.
Gilbert McLendon wanted to be
chairman for another term. He
has tried the job for several year*
and liked it, and it is whispered,
that he has made it a source ofr-
great profit to himself. To defeat 1 :
his election it was charged that in
several instances he obtained mon* -
ey for his endorsement of pest
masters, particularly in the case;-
of the appointment of a postmas--.
ter at Bainbridge, where it is- said-.
be got $300 for his influence in
behalf of the successful candidate.
While none of the charges were-. ■
directly substantiated they served'
their purpose to defeat the enter
prising Gilbert. J. A. Grant, st.
negro, secured the chairmanship.
Over the chairmanship place the
hottest war was waged. Among
the epithets used while the debate
was in progress it is said that the.;
word liar was frequently used
with variations and choice trim- ■
mings. The record of the Hon
orable Starling Smith, black, also•
came up for an airing He was.
charged with mating false af£-«
davits. It was said that bv had no
rights in the party “no ^ hat
having served his country in the
penitentiary from Thomas county
he was a disqualified voter. It
was moved and carried that. he be
white-washed and transferred to
the lilly white wing of the party.
The following delegates were
named for the district convention
at Dawson: Geo. Liverman, white,
and Sol Haynes, F rank . Sutton
and Gilbert McLendon, all colored.
After endorsing Roosevelt for
president and felicitating them
selves on the grandeur of the par
ty in Decatur county and the har
mony exhibited during their delib
ations the meeting adjourned.
Burned to Death.
One of the most shocking acci-
dents that has occurred m the
county in some time was the fatal
burning of a two-years old daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Joe L. John
son who lives in the neighborhood
of Donalsonville, this county, a
few days a 'o.
I he burning occurred at 10 o'
clock in the morning of the day
the little one died at 11 o’clock
P. M.
The accident was a great shock
t0 },^Poopl* of the community
and Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have
the deepest sympathies of their
fnenda.
The Search Light is for
up-building of the people
county and here to stay.