Newspaper Page Text
V r ol I. No. 35
NO OPTIMISM AMONG
BROWN ADHERENTS
Atlanta Politicians Do Not See Much
Hope Ahead For Little Joe and
It Is General Opinion He is
lip Against It.
Atlanta, Ga., July 7.—The renewal
of war on Hoke Smith by “Little Joe”
Crown of Marietta, has set the politi
cians tongues to wagging as they have
rot wagged in these many moons.
But in the capitol corridors and around
the hotels, as well as in the reflection
of opinion in the state press, there is
not the optimism formerly expressed
by the adherents of the Brown fac
tion.
And why? From the standpoint of an
impartial observer, Mr. Brown ap-
I ars to be handicapped by several
factors.
First, his late entrance into the race
after factional alignments had been
i .ade. Second, the fact that his form
er campaign manager, J. R. Smith,
i as had a falling out with the “veiled
prophet of Cobb”; third, because
Governor Slaton, one of the foremost
of the party to which Mr. Brown be
longs. is running his own race and
can hardly be expected to devote much
time or energy to Mr. Brown's cam
paign. Fourth, and this is the great
est of all —Hoke Smith as senator has
strengthened himself enormously by
his work in Washington.
There is indicated a wide spread
opinion that Senator Smith should re
main where he is for another term,
his first full term. It is known that
it requires a man of unusual calibre
to arise above mediocrity in the sen
ate without long service. Hoke Smith
has proved that he can lead there as
well as elsewhere. Mr. Brown has yet
to convince the people that he would
be a dominant figure, especially under
an administration with which he is
not in sympathy.
Two editorials in Georgia papers
are indicative of the general attitude
(Continued on page 4)
Z. W. Kirkland Announces
For Representative
The many friends of Mr. Z. W.
Kirkland have induced him to make
the race for Representative, and bis
formal announcement follows.
Mr. Kirkland is opposed by only one
know n in the county, being one of its
substantial farmers and business men
and it goes without saying that he will
make a strong race.
Mr. Krkland is opposed by only one
other man, offieese etaoin shrdlu wyp
present incumbent of the office and it
is expected that there will be a lively
tussel between the two for the office.
Mr. Kirkland’s announcement, which
is brief, but to the point, follows:
FOR REPRESENTATIVE
To the People of Coffee County:
At the earnest request of voters from
every section of the county, I hereby
announce my candidacy for nomina
tion for the office of Representative in
the Legislature from Coffee County,
subject to the white primary to be
held on August 19, 1914.
I respectfully solicit the support and
influence of every citizen of the coun
ty, and if elected I pledge myself to
serve the people to the very best of
my ability.
Respectfully,
Z. W. KIRKLAND.
Superintendent Floyd Quotes
the Law Concerning Schools
County School Superintendent Floyd
sets forth the laws concerning some
school matters that make interesting
reading.
His communication follows:
To the Citizens of Coffee County:
Sir.cfetlie beginning of time it has
been tjSEie, and it is probably truer
now tKfd ever before, that the train
ing qjf tne children of the public
schools has been retarded by misun
derstandings between the people as a
whole and the teachers, county and
state authorities, more than by any
thing else. Before the schools of any
section can succeed with any degree
of credit to themselves, it is absolute
ly essential that there be a thorough
understanding among the patrons,
teachers, superintendents and boards
of education. They, individually and
collectively, must come to a full real
ization of the fact that they are all
working toward the same end and with
the same honest and conscientious
purpose; namely, the training of the
minds and souls of the young people
upon whose shoulders must soon rest
the responsibilities of citizenship and
leadership. They must realize that
the interests of the children are sacred
and that from necessity they are en
titled to the sympathy and assistance
of every one who can lend such aid.
Now realizing that the advancement
of the schools of this county is depen
dent largely upon a fair understanding
among all those connected with the
school work, and since many misun
(Boffet (Jtomitj} Progress,
FIRE AT BROXTON
DOES MUCH DAMAGE
Whole Business Block Burned and
Only Partial Insurance Was
Carried By the
Merchants.
•Saturday morning at 2 o'clock, fire
broke out in the rear of E. L. Bledsoe’s
store at Broxton, and, it is claimed,
at the same time the rear of Allen’s
store. An alarm was given but before
the hose could be brought to play on
the flames, the fire had gained such
headway that nearly the entire stock
was burned.
The following business places were
entirely destroyed together with the
contents: E. L. Bledsoe, Allen, Byrd
& Co., J. B. Lott, Cliett & Roddenberry
Broxton Hotel, Atkinson’s barbershop.
The total loss is variously estimated
at from $50,000 to $65,000, and only
about $25,000 insurance was carried.
The block that burned belonged to
Mr. R. R. Perkins, of Bay St. Louis.
Miss., who arrived at Broxton Sunday.
He stated that he would not rebuild
nor invest any more money in Brox
ton.
When the fire was first discovered
it was going under good headway, and
it is alleged, the nature of the fire in
dicated that it was the work of in
cendiaries. How r ever, this is not
knowm to be a fact.
There was practically no wind blow
ing that morning and because of this,
the flames were kept in the buildings
occupied as above stated. Had there
been a heavy wind it is doubtful if
the fire could have been kept from
crossing the street into the lumber
mills of Dorminey-Price. As it was,
hard work alone saved Lewis Bros..
Rainbow’s and Kirkland's establish
ments. To aid the fire fighters, when
the flames had reached the barber
shop a fire proof wall stood in the way
and the hose was turned into the shop
and the full pressure given it, with
the result that most of the shop was
torn down breaking the force of the
flames. Too, the fire proof wall held
the conflagration back.
The heaviest loser in the fire was
Mr. Bledsoe, who, expecting an un
usually heavy fall business had be
gun to get in more than his usual
quantity of goods. He is said to be a
loser of the amount of about $7,000
above his insurance.
The blow is a heavy one to that city
and coming as it does just at the be
ginning of the season will be great-
WILL PLAY ROCHELLE HERE
Unless something unlooked for takes
place, Rochelle will send a baseball
team here to play three games, begin
ning tomorrow, Thursday.
The Terriers fresh from their hard
fought battles with th° Tifton aggre
gation, will make things as lively as
possible for the visitors.
Rooters Club Wanted
The fans of Douglas want to or
ganize a professional rooters club, in
order to get a few r geniuine “encourag
ing” words across to the home players.
Any person who desires to become a
member of the club, can do so by ap
pling to almost anyone of the present
rooters.
derstandings will likely arise on ac
count of the re-districting of the coun
ty, we deem it best at this time to
make an explanation that all may
thoroughly understand the movement
and its causes in order to avoid con
fusion on the part of some wTio might
not understand it fully.
The law of the state relative to this
matter will be found in the Georgia
Code, article 9, sections 1531 and 1532
concerning the public school system,
which is as follows:
“Be it enacted by the General As
sembly of Georgia, and it is hereby
enacted by authority of the same,
That 1 within thirty days after the pas
sage of this act, or as soon thereafter
as practicable, it shall be the duty of
the county board of education of each
county in Georgia to lay off the county
into school districts, the lines of which
shall be clearly and positively defined
by boundaries such as creeks, public
roads, land lots, district lines or coun
ty lines. The school district thus
marked out shall contain an area of
not less than sixteen square miles,
and. when practicable, shall be so
shaped as to have the school building
as near the center as possible, and no
territory shall be included whose oc
cupants reside further than three
miles from the school house without
written petition of two-thirds of the
qualified voters therein; provided that
the board of education may have the
(Continued on page 4)
(Continued on page 4)
Douglas, Georgia, Wednesday, July Bth 1914
General Manager Kirkland
Very Optimistic Over Crops
1 General Manager Kirkland, of the
Georgia and Florida was in the city
Monday night and expressed himself
as being very much elated at the crop
prospects for the coming fall.
Among other things, Mr. Kirkland
said: “I have never seen better crops
along the G. & F. at the time of year
than now. and predict the greatest
year's business in the history of the
territory our road serves.”
Asked by a Progress reporter about
the melon crop this year. Mr. Kirkland
said that the G. & F. had handled hun
dreds of cars more melons this year
than ever before in the season, and
that prices had kept up splendidly.
He said that the farmers all along tlfe
line who had planted melons this year
felt greatly encouraged and would in
crease their acreage next year.
“The G. & F.” said Mr. Kirkland,
“has exerted every effort to aid the
farmers in the territory in making the
crop and getting it marketed, and was
ready to do anything that their in
dustrial department, which is the
highest paid per mile of that of any
road in the South, could do to assist
farmers in making a profit out of this
crop as well as any other crop.”
Mr. Kirkland expressed himself as
greatly surprised at the recent de
velopments in Coffee county, stating
that he was somewhat skeptical about
the claims that had been made by the
Progress until he had personally look
ed into them. "But now” he said, “I
am more than ever convinced that Cof
fee county will forge ahead to take her
place among the best counties in the
Southern part of Georgia. There are
w r onderful possibilities ahead for the
farmers of this section" he concluded.
Mr. Kirkland was asked about the
moving of the general offices and he
stated that there was many things to
be taken into consideration in this
matter and that nothing could be done
until some other matters had been
cared for. He said that there would
be a meeting of the officers and di
rectors of the road in the near future
and that probably soon after that meet
ing something definite would be done.
Mill Gin First Bale Free
The Overstreet Gin Co. announce
that they will gin the first bale of
cotton brought to them free of charge,
and are wondering who will be the
lucky farmer.
There are several farmers in the
county who think they will be the
first, and as the crop now shows, it
is a guess as to which will get the
first bale into the gin.
At any rate, unless something un
looked for now turns up, there will
be the biggest crop from this county
this fall in its history.
CALENDAR FOR NEXT TERM OF COURT
Below is prnted a complete calen
dar of the coming term of the City
court, a list f jurors that have been
drawn to serve will be found in an
other column:
F. M. Mimros vs Hinson Tie Co., D.
F. Hinson ani H. C. Kemp.
W. K. Smith vs J. J. Nobles.
Miller Lightning Rod Co. vs John
Purvis.
Merrimac Manufacturing Co. vs G.
M. Tombelin.
J. J. and A. J. Harper and R. I.
Kirkland vs Wiley Stone.
H. F. Kemp administrator estate of
H. C. Kemp vs Enos Burkett, Jr.
Owners Supply Co. vs G. W. James.
Mizell Live Stock Co. vs T. J. Kirk
land.
H. Altman vs Nathan Korn.
Albany Drug Co. vs S. Corbitt, do
ing business in the name of City Drug
Co.
Florence W. McCarthy Co. vs Lewis
Bros.
The A. P. Brantley Co. vs Tanner
& Gillis.
Peter Blanding vs J. L. Wilcox.
The American Agri. Chem. Co. vs
Joel W ilcox.
C. C. Lumus vs L. W. Brantley and
W. B. Teston.
S. N. Suddath vs G. H. Suddath.
M. Ferst Sons & Co. vs C. A. Ward,
Jr,
American Agri. Chem. Co. vs Joel
Wilcox.
Tanner Brice Co. G. M. Stanton and
E. L. Tanner vs Henry C. Ellis.
Ashley Price Lumber Co. vs A. C.
Knight.
Georgia Fertilizer Co. vs E. J. Har
per and John C. Harper claimant.
Tanner Brice Co. vs White & Co.
Lewis an Brown S. B. Lewis and S.
J. Brown, vs Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Wil
liams.
E. F. Barnes vs J. A. Johnson.
Mrs. Addie Squires vs James Mtchell
defendant, G. R. Webb, garnishee.
H. A. Burkhart vs David Ricketson.
L. E. Parish and Mrs. L. E. Parish
vs Hart Furniture Co.
Dan W. Meeks vs Gilbert Meeks &
Co., R. G. Meeks, Leroy and E. W.
Beck. '
J. C. Gillis, for use of Mrs. T. A.
Woodruf vs Mrs. G. D. Gaskins and .1.
A. Gaskins.
J. C. Gillis for E. D. Brinson vs
Loyd Meeks and J. L. Carter.
Rex M. Callaway vs R. G. Kirkland.
Consolidated Portrait Co. vs W. M.
Fussell and Josephine Smith.
David Ricketson for use of W. &.
Courson vs Charlie Pearson, J. H. Hall
and D. H. Meeks.
E. L. Tanner vs L. E. Smith, T. C.
Allen, garnishee.
(Continued on page 4)
SEND FOR LIST
SEND OUT CARDS
Contestants Should Now Get All the
Lists They Want and Send Out
Cards and Do All the Personal
Work They Can.
The weeks go by and as each one
ends the time for the harvest is near
er. Therefore, contestants for the
S6OO Ford touring car should send to
The Progress for lists of names of
people in the county and then get busy
soliciting by personal work and by
the use of the cards The Progress has
printed to give them.
One contestant's father told us last
Saturday that he was ow sending out
for his daughter many cards and that
he had the firm belief that it was go
ing to make her a lot of votes this
fall. In fact, his daughter, though
now one of the lowest on the list is
going to give some of the other con
testants a run for the machine.
Cut it is anybody’s car up to this
time. And the contestant who gets
his or her name before the people to
the greatest extent at this time is go
ing to be the one who will have the
best chance to win.
In another four weeks we may ex
pect to see the votes pile up, and we
urge each and every one of the work
ers to not let a thing stand in their
way at this time.
K. OF I*. ELECT OFFICERS
At their regular meeting last Thurs
day night, the local lodge K. of P.
elected officers for the ensuing six
months, as follows:
W. T. Cottingham, C. C.; C. L. Rel
ihan, V. C.; L. M. White, Prei.; R. A
Wells, M. of W.;J. T. Relilian, K. of R
and S.; T. Brewer, M. of W.; M. F
Head, M. of Ex.; I. Levin, M. at A.
T. J. Davis, T. G.; P. H. O'Quinn, O
G.
Has Opened Real Estate Office
Ex-Postmaster, Mr. J. F. Overstreet,
has opened a real estate office in the
Overstreet building and will engage
in a general real estate business. He
invites you to call and see him in ref
erence in any real estate trancaction
that you contemplate making.
City Court Will Con
vene July the 20th
Postponed May Term Will Begin
on 3rd Monday With a Heavy
Docket-List of Jurors:
The postponed May term of the City
court will begin on Monday July 20,
with a heavy civil and criminal dock
et.
The following jurors have been
drawn to serve during the term:
First Week
J. L. Parker Carl Meeks
Youngie Vickers, Sr. Richard Smith
B. G. Oberry Willie Meeks
Perry Strickland H. Kirkland
J. B. Kirkland Vince Carver (boy.)
D. M. Vickers R. B. Luke
S. M. Murray N. E. Harrell
Lonie Baker Dennis Tucker
E. L. Grantham Gordon Floyd
Charlie Merritt, Dan Fussell
Miles Harrell Elisha Lott
J. L. Courson, Sr. W. T. Cliett
George Williams W. M. Smith (Doug.)
Dan Carver M. M. Seymore
D. S. Goodyear M. H. Turrentine
J. A. Gaskins W. H. Fiveash
Harrison Bagley D. L. Cannon
J. O’Steeu Richard Jones
D. Moore • Hugh Smith
Second Week
Geo. W. James W. A. Butler
J. W. Pridgen Elisha Corbitt
E. R. Cross J. M. Meeks
Gray Meeks Lewis Vickers
J. A. Hodges J. L. Sapp
T. P. Wilcox Joe McDonald
M. C. Purvis George Paulk
J. I. Hatfield W. L. Rolerson
Melvin Tanner S. J. Brown
W. M. Starling L. J. Kirkland
Leonard Fussell C. R. Tidwell
Davie Kirkland John Roberts
J. C. Frier Willie Kirkland(Broxton)
William Carver Ed. McDonald
Geo. T. Youmans G. H. Suddath
E. R. McClelland „ Thos. Byrd
D. J. Gillis ' Elam Harper
Hamp Sears O. H. Todd
J. A. Davis A. H. Kight
COFFEE COUNTY CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE IS BEING TALKED
WILL BE AN ADJUNCT OF THE STATE CHAMBER
Secretary Smith, of Georgia State Chamber of Com
merce Was in the City Friday Conferring
With Business Men Here.
That a county wide chamber of com
merce w ill likely be established in Cof
fee county during the coming fall is
the hope of some of the prominent
farmers and business men here now.
Mr. A. M. Smith, secretary of the
Georgia Chamber of Commerce was in
the city for a few hours last Frday
conferring with parties here on the
subject and told a Progress reporter
that he had met with encouragement.
The plan of the State organization is
to have a chamber of commerce estab
lished in every county and to have
these local bodies become affiliated
with the state body. In this way the
state organization can lend a great
deal of assistance to the county bodies
and where such organizations have
been established much benefit has ac
crued to the counties.
As yet there has been no definite
plans laid for the organization of
Conee County chamber, but active
work will be begun in a few days.
The object is to have a central loca
ton for the chamber, and if there is
enough membership, have branches es
tablished in several parts of the coun
ty. For instance, the Douglas cham
ber would be the headquarters for this
county, then branches might be estab
lshed at Nicholls, Willacoochee, and
any other places where there were
enough interested to make a branch
possible.
The work of the chamber would be
to aid the development of farming in
terests, securing factories and doing,
whatever might come before the or
ganization that would be for the ad
vancement of all the interests of the
county, no matter of what nature.
This would, of course, necessitate a
memberslip of representative farmers
and business men of the whole county,
and if such an organization can be per
fected it will mean that Coffee County
will go ahead by leaps and bounds as
Brooks county and other counties have
done and are doing.
If enough interest in the movement
can be aroused, a meeting will be held
at Douglas some time after the pri
mary and before the farmers get busy
with their fall w'ork, for the purpose
of perfecting the organization. At this
meeting Hon. C. J. Hayden, president
of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce,
will be on hand to address the meet
ing and aid in any way that he can do
start the movement off toward a suc
cessful goal.
Already a number of the most prom
inent men of the county have become
interested in the movement, and if any
one desires to be in close touch with
the plan, they are at liberty to write
to Mr. C. C. Thurmond or Mr. Melvin
Tanner, of this city, and the matter
will be thoroughly gone into.
This plan is not to organize for the
EFFICIENCY AND TRAINING ARE ESSENTIAL
QUALIFICATIONS OF JUDGE FOR ECONOM
ICAL AND JUDICIOUS HANDLING OF COURTS
It is well known that an inefficient
judge can cost a county many thous
ands of dollars and that the handling
of courts judiciously and economical
ly requires much training and know
ledge in and of the law.
There is no position occupied by a
servant of the people that requires
more special training than that of
judge. Other offices may be filled by
business men, farmers, or lawyers
who have had no special training for
the particular place they may seek at
the hands of the people; but in the
case of judge it is altogether a dif
ferent matter.
The nature of the duties of a judge
make it clear that he must be fitted
especially for the work in hand, and
to be fitted for the position requires
training of a nature that cannot be
obtained through schools and books
alone but by actual practice and study.
A judge has no time to take into
consideration and research a point of
law while a case is being tried. For
instance, w'hen a motion is made by
counsel for either side, the judge must
be ready with the law to decide the
point then and there. He must not be
compelled to stop the wheels of the
machinery of the court in order to
look into the point at issue, nor has
he the opportunity to get advice on
the point, and neither should he, be
cause through such maneuvers the
case would drag along indefinitely, be
come complicated and the expense of
this sort of handling of courts would
fall upon the people of the county in
which the court was sitting—and the
expense of courts are very heavy even
when handled with alacrity.
A judge can save the taxpayers o
$1 Per Annum
Praising Walker
For Cotton Bill
Atlanta, Ga., July 7.—South Geor
gian planters of Sea Island cotton are
praising the efforts of Congressman J.
Randall Walker, of Valdosta, in intro
ducing in Congress a bill to protect
the long staple cotton from imitations.
The bill provides a penalty for the
sale of any manufactured product
falsely claiming to be made of Sea Is
land of long staple cotton, and Con
gressman Walker has written to
friends that he is confident of its pas
sage. The department of agriculture
is standing firmly behind Mr. Walker
in this matter and a “pure cotton” law
is likely to take its place on the stat
utes beside the pure food laws.
“The law will be the means of sav
ing millions to the planter, the hon
est manufacturer and the consumer,”
said Mr. Walker, in commenting on
its bill. “It will be of especial value
to the planters in my home section.
My home town, Valdosta, is the largest
market in the world for Sea Island
cotton and my district produces more
of the staple than any other territory
of its size in the world.”
HAD THE WRONG NEGRO
Sylvania Felice Thought They Had
Henrj Martin, Alias Newman
Shelby Wanted Here.
A message was received by the police
department here last Saturday morn
ing from the police of Sylvania that
they had in jail there a negro that an
swered the description of Henry Mar
tin, alias Newman Shelby, wanted in
this county for the murder of his w ife
and two other negroes near Willacoo
chee last winter.
Chief Police Stevens immediately
went to Sylvania, but upon his arrival
there discovered that the negro incar
cerated was Will Martin, a twffn
brother of Henry Martin, who so close
ly resembles his brother that it was
only by the closest questioning and
serutinty that Chief Stevens was able
to make the distinction.
After satisfying himself that the ne
gro at Sylvania was not the one want
ed, Chief Stevens wenr over into South
Carolina, but was unable to get track
of the one wanted, and returned to
this city Sunday night.
purpose of boosting land or securing
factory sites, but to lay plans where
by the many interests of the whole
county may be benefited, and it goes
without saying that such an organi
zation will do much to make Coffee
county greater.
his county or circuit many thousands
of dollars by being well trained for
the position he occupies, because of
the fact that he can set in moton the
machinery of the law and keep it run
ning smoothly until the calendar is
disposed of. That is known by every
man who has ever served on the jury.
How many times have the jurcys been
held for days in the county site
through the tardiness and slowness of
the judge on the bench-—and this slow
ness is costing the county several hun
dreds of dollars a day in actual cash
for jurors' court attendants and offi
cials pay, to say nothing about the
loss the farmers are suffering because
their crops are being neglected while
they are compelled to stay in court;
or the banker who is crippled in his
business because he or one of his as
sistants must await the termination
of the court before they can get back
to their duties; or the business man
who must needs lose trade simply be
cause he is not <*n the premises to
meet his customers.
These are real things that must be
taken into consideration when the vot
ers select a judge.
It is not altogether personality that
counts, notwithstanding that our
judges should be men of the very high
est personal character and moral
standing; it is not alone a book know
ledge of the law that counts, but it
must be a man who has had actual
practice in the courts for a long per
iod and who has in other ways special
ly fitted himself for the place; it is not
alone the ability of handling cases
(Continued on page 8)