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THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS Vol 46— No. 24 PLANS FORMING FOR W. S. S. DRIVE County Chairman Names Committees SALE TO BEGIN JUNE 28 (systematic campaign will f be launched to put coun ty OVER THE TOP—QUOTA IS NEARLY $300,000 Plans are novi on foot to raise Butts county's share of $284,000 of War Savings Stamps on June 28, when a state-wide drive will be laun ched. f Mr. R. P. Sasnett is county chair man and will name his committees in full in time for publication n the next issue of The Progress-Argus. Up to April 30 Butts county had raised only $5,646, or a percapita supscription of 41 cents. At that time the county ranked 77th in the state. Recently interest has become more general in this campaign. One sub scription of SI,OOO, the largest sub amount allowed to any one individual or corporation, has been received. Another for SSOO, and another for S4OO, has been reported. At that rate the county will go over the top without any trouble. The business men of the communi ty are showing a commendable and patriotic spirit of co-operation in the drive by placng a series of advertise ments. This advertising campaign, together with the other publicity that will be given through the press, will place the campaign prominently be fore all the people. Handsome litho graphed posters are also being dis played in he vaindows and other pub lic places and will form a powerful appeal for the purchase of the stamps Elaborate plans are being made to push the campaign all over Georgia. Six thousand speakers will be sent out on June 28 and during that day it is hoped to raise the State’s entire allotment. War Savings Stamps are in reach of everybody. Persons who felt they were not able to buy Liberty Bonds can certainly invest in Thrift or War Savings Stamps. It is a popular ap peal to the mases of the people, rich as well as poor, that the government has launched to raise money to carry on the war. The stamps may be obtained at any of the banks or at the post office. FUNERAL MRS. J H. HASKINS HELD ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON After an illness of several months, Mrs. Janie Duke Haskins, widow of Mr. J. H. Haskins, whose death oc curred about two years ago, passed away at the Georgia State Tuberculo sis sanitarium at Alto Thursday morning of the past week. While not unexpected, news of Mrs. Haskins’ passing caused regret among a wide circle of friends. A native of Jackson and 39 years old, Mrs. Haskins had a large circle of friends here. She was a member of the Jackson Presbyterian church and was a most excellent Christian woman. She is survived by one daughter, Miss Helen Haskins-Stevenson, of Moultrie; her father, Mr. M. L. Duke; two brothers, H. B. Duke, with the American expeditionary forces in Prance, and Fletcher Duke, of Jack son; three sisters, Mrs. C. P. Carmich ael, of Atlanta, Mrs. Frank Shelton, of Columbia, Tenn., Mrs. Annie Duke Garnett, of Atlanta. The body was brought to Jackson Friday morning and carried to the home of her father where short fu neral services were held at 3 o’clock Friday afternoon. Dr. Robert V an- Deventer conducted the services and interment was in the Jackson ceme tery. Arrangements have been made for a reduced railroad fare of approxi mately 1 cent a mile for soldiers and sailors who desire to visit their homes before going overseas. THE ECLIPSE SATURDAY VIEWED WITH INTEREST The eclipse of the sun Saturday af ternoon was viewed with much inter est here, nearly all business being sus pended for a time while smoked glass, films, etc., vrsre used to get a good view of the phenomenon. The eclipse was visible from 5:36 to 7:40, and during the middle, which was at about 6:36, lights were turned on in the stores and chickens and birds went to roost. The eclipse was total at Orlanda, Fla. Locally the eclipse was about 90 per cent of total. COUNTY RAISES BIG WHEAT CROP Yields This Season Best in Many Years LARGE ACREAGE PLANTED MANY FINE YIELDS REPORTED IN THE COUNTY—REVIVAL OF INTEREST IN GROWING IM PORTANT CEREAL CROP Not since the period immediately following the civil war has Butts county harvested such a bumper wheat crop as has just been gathered. Both the yield and the acreage plant ed to wheat forms a noteworthy fea ture of the agriculture development of the county. Wheat this season is uniformly good in all parts of the county. The dry May weather was favorable to the crop and the quality of the grain was unusually good. Threshing which has been finished in some localities, is still in progress and the grain will soon be ready for the mills. That war conditions had a good deal to do with the large acreage planted to wheat is generally conced ed. Many farmers of the county al ways grow their own wheat, and oth ers are turning to the important ce real crop as a means of providing their own fllour during the war. Middle Georgia, before the war and for a few years immediately after, was a great wheat growing section. The industry was allowed to lag for a time, but it seems there has been a genuine revival of interest in wheat growing and from now on Butts coun ty can be depended on to grow more wheat and better wheat. Many farmers have not only raised enough to supply their own needs but will have a surplus to sell their neighbors and the government. So many fine fields have been reported that it is impossible to enumerate them all. Under the ruling of the food ad ministration a farmer ca nhave any quantity of wheat ground at one time, though the consumption is still mited to six pounds per person per month. A little more effort along this line, which is a hopeful sign of better farming methods, will place Butts county independent oi t the western wheat growers and will allow the gov ernment to send an increased supply to foreign countries. GAS MASKS FOR HORSES ARE BEING SENT TO FRANCE Th 6 Gas Defense Service is now manufacturing about 5,000 horse gas masks per day. These are being sent to France, and it is expected that within a short time every horse con nected with the American Expedition ary forces will be equipped with the new masks. The Gas Defense Service has a completely equipped factory for the manufacture of the masks. In less than three weeks a building was se lected and the factory was producing masks. The introduction of riveting machinery has done away with the heavy hand sewing of the frame which supports the masks on the faces of the horses. The masks are so con structed that no metal or chimically impregnated parts can chafe the horse JACKSON, GEORGIA, JUNE 14, 1918 RAIL RATES HIT ALL CONDITIONS Common People Must Dig op Nearly Billion AFFECTS COST OF LIVING NEW ORDER BOOSTS BOTH PAS SENGER AND FREIGHT RATES —ALL CLASSES WILL FEEL THE INCREASE Effective Tuesday passenger rates on all railroads were increased from 2 % to 3 cents per mile, in accordance with an order of W. G. McAdoo, di rector general of railroads in the United States. On June 25 an in crease of 25 per cent in freight rates will become effective. This increase, it is estimated, will bring between $800,000,000 and $900,000,000 more revenue to the railroads within the next year. It represents by far the biggest rate in crease in the history of the railroads. Under the order, issued by direc tion of President Wilson through the director general o#*railroads, all in trastate lower rates effective on freight or passenger traffic are abol ished. Travelers in standard sleeping and parlor cars are required to pay 3 % cents a mile, in addition to Pullman fares, and in tourist sleeping cars 3% cents. Pullman rates remain the same, being subject to a special war tax. Special excursion, mileage, conven tion and tourists rates, with a few exceptions, are discontinued, privi leges such as stop overs and free side trips are abolished, and excess bag gage charges are increased. 8-Hour Wage Basis Important provisions of the wage increase order are: Acceptance of the basic eight-hour day for all classes of railroad em ployees. Increasing the wage of common la bor two and one-half cents an hour over the rate of December, 1917, where the wage commission recom mendations were less than that amount. Fixing a minimum wage of fifty five cents an hour for machinists, boilermakers, blacksmiths and other shop mechanics who have been re ceiving the same hourly rate. Placing negro firemen, trainmen and switchmen upon the same basis of pay as white men employed in similar positions. The new scale of wages set in the amended report is to be paid com mencing June 1, but, in addition, the men will receive back pay from Jan uary 1, 1918, in all cases where the new wage exceeds the pay they for merly received. No wages shall be lowered, however, where the read justed rates do not come up to the figure previously paid. Figures have not been prepared to show just what extent the changes made by Director McAdoo will in crease the payroll of the railroad ad ministration, but it was estimated that the amount would be in the neighborhood of $25,000,000. Negro on Same Basis as Whites As to negro employees, the conten tion of the railroads under private ownership was that the negroes were not as efficient as white labor, and therefore did not deserve as much money. The position taken by Direc tor General McAdoo was that if they were fit to any work they were en titled to equal pay. DR. McKAY PREACHED AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Rev. M. McN. McKay, of Decatur, filled the pulpit at the Jackson Pres byterian church Tuesday night at 8:30. Dr. McKay was greeted by a large congregation and his sermon greatly impressed all who heard him. CARD OF THANKS Mr. and Mrs. Hope McClure wish to thank all those who were so kind to them during the illness and death of their father, J. M. McClure. MR. J. J. PRIDGEN NEW DEPOT AGENT M. J. J. Pridgen, of Mcßae, is the new agent for the Southern Railway Company in Jackson, having succeed ed Mr. R. O. Settle vuho resigned to take a position in Forsyth with the Southern Cotton Oil Cos. Mr. Sam Johnson will be with Mr. Pridgen in the office, having recently been in the tariff bureau, and before that served as agent at a (number of places. Mr. Pridgen is said to be an experienced railroad man and citizens of Jackson •\yill unite in extending him a cordial welcome to the city. SCHOOL CENSUS SHOWS INCREASE Ten Per Gain Over Last Enumeration 4,149 TOTAL IN COUNTY CUONTY SHOWS GOOD GAIN IN NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF SCHOOL AGE—TOWNS LOSE BUT DISTRICTS GAIN Revealing an increase over 1913 of nearly ten per cent, the school cen sus just completed shows a total of 4,149, as compared with 3,809 in 1913. This is a gain of 340. The in crease of 1913 over 1908 was only 92. Thus it will be seen that the school population of Butts county is growing steadily. Every district in the county shows a gain, with the exception of Jackson son (city) and Pepperton. There are 1,743 white children of school age and 2,306 colored, making a difference in favor of the latter of 563. The enumeration by districts shovi ing white and colored, the white be ing given first and the colored second, is as follows: Buttrill 277, 360; Coody 153, 261; Dublin 106, 166; Indian Springs 169, 278; Iron Springs 157, 221; Jackson district 226, 265; Pepperton 97, 7; Jackson city 256, 178; Towaliga 168, 359; Worthville 238, 211. The increase in the school popula tion means that Butts county will probably get a considerable increase n her appropriation for the support of common schools for the ensuing five year period. It is estimated that the gain of 340 in the number of chil dren of school age will bring into the county school fund from the state nearly $1,200. That the enumerators did a thor ough job is shown by the good in crease reported. Every district was canvassed in a house to house cam paign and the result is naturally grat fying to the school officials and all others interested in education. A comparison of the census just taken with that of 1913 is given be low: 1918 1913 Buttrill 637 620 Coody 414 350 Dublin 268 236 Indian Iron Springs 378 294 Jackson district 491 483 Pepperton 104 128 * Jackson city 434 507 Towaliga .527 464 Worthville 449 .^45 Total 4,149 3,809 Bottlers of soft drinks in the Uni ted States ma save approximately 50,- tons of suga annually by using other sweetening materials, according to in vestigations by specialists of the Bu reau of Chemistry, United States De partment of Agriculture. The bureau of Chemistry is preparing to furnish bottlers with sweetening formulas that will allow the actual sugar con tent in soft drinks to be cut 50 per cent or less and at the same time will preserve the customary taste of the beverages. Starch sugar, starch sy rup, maltose syrup, and honey are the substitutes used. Jackson Argus Established 1873 { Butts County Progress Established iSS2 ' BUMPER WHEAT CROP PREDICTED Yield Will Be Close to A Billion Bnsbels conditionoT:rop 95.2 GOVERNMENT ESTIMATE PLA CES CROP AS SECOND LARG EST IN HISTORY OF NATION OTHER CEREALS ALSO GOOD Washington, June 7.—A bumper wheat crop this year, which before harvest may develop into a production of a billion bushels, was forecast to day by the Department of Agricul ture, in its June crop report giving the first indication of the size of this year’s spring wheat output. Basing its estimate on the June 1 conditions the department forecasts a total wheat production of 931,000,000 tushels, which would < !ace this year’s harvest as the second largest in the history of ‘1 t country. Exports in the government aiming for a bulior. bushel crop to help in feeding the armies and civilian populations of the allies, pointed to the development ct the record croy of 1915 to substant' ate their hopes for a crop equal to that. The acreage sown to spring wheat this year is larger by 2,000,000 acres than ever sown before. The condition of the crop on June 1 was 95.2 per cent of a normal or 1.9 per cent bet ter than the ten year average. A production of 344,000,000 bushels was forecast. That is 11,000,000 bushels more than harvested last year and only about 7,000,001) bushels less than the record spring wheat harvest of 1915. Winter wheat, growing on the sec ond largest acreage ever planted, showed a condition of three per cent belter than t'ne ten year av >rag.. with 83.8 per cent of normal. A pro duction of 587,000,000 bushels was forecast, which is 15,000,000 more than forecast from conditions exist ing May 1. The oat crop also promises to be of record proportions. On an acreage of 2.1 per cent larger than last year when the record cro bushels—was grown, June 1 condi tions warrant a forecast of 1,500,- 000,000 bushels. Only last year’s and the crop of 1915 exceeded that quantity. Rye production will be a record, the forecast being 81,000,000 bush els, which is slightly less than was forecast in May. INVEST IN W. S. S The restriction on the importation of crude rubber has been followed by restrictions on importation of four commodities possessing some of the eharacterittics of rubber, and capable under some circumstances of being used as substitutes for natural rubber. MR. JOHN M. MCCLURE PASSED AWAY MONDAY Following an illness of two years or more, Mr. John M. McClure, aged 77, a Confederate veteran and well knovm citizen, died at his home near Stark at 3 o’clock Monday morning. Paralysis was the cause of death. Mr. McClure was one of the most highly esteemed men in the county. He served in the civil war as a mem ber of Cos. I Jeff Davis Rifles, the first company to leave the county, and was a member of the local U. C. V. He is survived by his wife, who was a Miss Giles before her marriage; two sons, H. G. McClure of Butts county and Will McClure; three daughters, Mrs. W. H. Singley, Mrs. Will Smith and Mrs. J. T. Singley; one brother, Mr. Cornelius McClure. The funeral was held at Macedonia church, of which the deceased was a member, at 4 o’clock Monday after noon. Rev. W. O. Sharp officiated and interment was in the church yard Consolidated July 9,1915