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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)