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LET’S BOOST
JACKSON AND
BUTTS COUNTY
VOL. 49—NO. 6
FLANS MADE FOR
THE POTATO HOUSE
GENERAL MANAGER WILL GET
BUSY AT ONCE AND HAVE
CONTRACTS SIGNED. WILL
PUSH BUILDING OPERATIONS
A meeting of the directors of the
Butts County Products Company
was held Monday afternoon, and a
number of matters of importance
were considered, including plans to
proceed with the siging of contracts
and the purchase of a site and the
erection of a building. While prices
have been obtained on a number of
sites no deal was closed and the
building committee was instructed
to coptinue its negotiations until a
suitable site was secured.
By-laws for the company were
adopted. The annual meetings of
the company will be held on the
first Tuesday in July, at 2 o’clock
p. m.
Eight hundred and fifty-seven
shares of stock have been sold. The
subscription list will be kept open
for a few days longer, in order to
distribute the stock as widely as
possible. Any person desiring to
take stock should see Mr. S. S.
Copeland, general manager of the
company, at once.
Application for charter has been
made and the company will be ready
to function about the first of March.
It is expected that Judge Searcy will
sign the charter while holding court
here the last of February.
General Manager S. S. Copeland
of the potato company is now ob
taining prices on the building mate
rial and will secure estimates on
the building. He will have the con
tracts printed within the next few
days, and will also be ready to re
port on the price of potato slips.
Mr. Copeland will probably make a
trip to some of the leading potato
producing sections of the state and
thoroughly acquaint himself with all
the details of construction and man
agement of these plants.
All who desire to grow potatoes
for commercial purposes should see
Mr. Copeland and get a contract
and sign same. Preference will be
given to stockholders. It is thought
enough contracts will soon be signed
to fill the ten thousand bushel plant,
and the directors are now seriously
considering the enlargement of the
plant to take care of twenty or
thirty thousand bushels of potatoes
this season.
While no price for potatoes was
definitely agreed upon, yet the com
pany will follow the prevailing mar
ket and it is likely that a price of
about 60 cents per bushel will be
[paid for sweet potatoes of the grade
|A No. 1, United States standard.
Potatoes will be bough from those
fwho have contracts, in quantities
[from 25 bushels to 1,000 bushels to
each individual, cured and sold in
car load lots. In this way the stock
holders will share in all the profits
of the business.
The success of the potato curing
house in Jackson is now, assured. It
'only remains for the people to show
theis co-operation and grow potatoes
on a lai-ge scale and thus help in the
general plan of crop diversification.
COUNTRY ON SOUNDER
BASIS SAYS WILLIAMS
COMPTROLLER OF CURRENCY
MAKES LAST REPORT TO CON
GRESS. MANY PRICES ON
PRE-WAR LEVEL IS CLAIM
Washington.—“ The country is
■now in many respects on a sounder
basis economicaly than it has been
for years,” Comptroller of the Cur
rency John Skelton Williams inform
ed congerss Monday in what he de
scribed as his “seventh and last an
nual report.”
j Deflation, obviously inevitable a
l„ear ago, has come,” he said, "and
the prices of many basic commodi
ties and raw materials have returned
to pre-war levels or below.
“It now remains for the middle
man,” he dec'.ared, “to adjust his
profits to the new prices before the
ultimate consumer will receive the
benefits of the reduced cost of liv
ing.
“Labor,” Williams said, “must
soon determine whether shutdown
and idleness is preferred to a lower
wage schedule which will take into
consideration lower living charges.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS
BURNS PROVE FATAL
TO 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL
WAS PLAYING WITH DOLL IN
FRONT OF FIRE WHEN HER
CLOTHING CAUGHT. WAS
ALONE IN HOUSE AT TIME
While playing with her doll in
front of the fire Thursday morning,
February 3, little seven-year-old
Sallie Frances Parnell, of Fincher
ville, received burns that proved fa
tal Friday morning. The child was
alone in the house at the time and
when a ccal dropped out of the
grate her clothing was ignited when
she attempted to sweep the fire
back. Her clothing was practically
burned off before help arrived and
she sustained injuries that proved
fatal the following day.
Surviving the little girl are her
mother, Mrs. Obe Parnell, and one
brother, who have the condolences
of many friends in the unfortunate
tragedy.
The funeral was held Saturday
morning at Worthville, Rev. Richard
Fincher conducting the services, and
interment was in the church yard.
HIGHER TELEPHONE
RATES PERMITTED
AVERAGE INCREASE IS 18.3 PER
CENT OR $900,000 A YEAR.
BETTER SERVICE PROMISED
BY COMPANY
Atlanta, Ga.—A decision granting
an average increase of 18.3 per cent
in the exchange telephone rates of
the Southern Bell Telephone Com
pany was announced on Saturday
by the railroad commission of Geor
gia, thus bringing to a close one of
the most important rate cases ever
passed upon by that body, and a
case in which every user of a South
ern Bell telephone in the state was
interested.
The company asked for a sched
ule of rates which would have given
it an increase of 18.11 per cent in
gross revenue, amounting- approxi
mately to $934,919 per annum,
based upon the previousyear’s busi
ness. The average increase of 18.3
per cent, as granted by the com
mission, will yield an estimated in
crease of $900,000 per annum in
gross revenue.
It is stated that the company will
expend a considerable sum in exten
sions and'improvements, and better
service is promised.
C. Murphy Candler, chairman of
the railroad commisison, and John
T. Boifeuillet dissented from the
decision as rendered by the other
three commisisoners. Their reason
for dissenting, as stated in their dis
senting opinions, was that the in
crease favored by the other commis
sioners w.as too large.
No increase was granted on far
mer's lines, although such an in
crease was asked by the company.
No increase of long distance rates
was asked by the company and none
was granted by the commission.
Jackson is included in group three
of the new classification and the
following rates will apply:
Business —straight line, $3.90;
two-party line, $3.30; four-party
line, $2.70; extension, $1.50.
Residence —Straight line, $2.40;
two-party line, $2.10; four-party
line, $1.80; extension, $1.25.
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23A
JACKSON, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1921
AGREE TO REDUCE
COTTON ONE-THIRD
THAT IS MAXIMUM ACREAGE
SET FOR FARMERS OF THE
COUNTY THIS YEAR. STRESS
GROWING FOOD CROPS
In the interest of a reduced cotton
acreage for the farmers of Butts
county this srear,5 r ear, a meeting of far
mers, business men and bankers was
held in the court house Saturday
morning. After considerable discus
sion it was finally voted to plant
not over one-third of the acreage in
cotton. On a basis of twenty acres
to the plow* it was voted to plant
not over 7 acres to each plow. That
is the maximum. Any farmer is at
liberty to plant as little cotton as
he sees proper, but not over 7 acres
to the plow, when 20 acres are cul
tivated.
It was stressed at this meeting
that the first duty of Butts county
farmers this year was to raise plenty
of food crops. After that is done, it
was pointed out that there was little
danger of raising too much cotton.
Those speaking for increased food
crops were Messrs. J. H. Carmichael,
R. P. Sasnett, Judge H. ,M. Fletcher
and Mr. R. G. Strickland. Mr.
Strickland said the proper rotation
of crops was absolutely necessary
and he urged plenty of wheat, oats,
corn, hay, sorghum, potatoes, meat
and lard. He said that Butts county
has some of the most fertile land he
has ever seen, but that much of it
has been worn out through the
constant planting of cotton.
A motion was adopted urging
every landlord and tenant in Butts
county to produce his own supplies
and live at home this year.
The fertilizer situation was dis
cussed but no definite agreement
was reached. One of the dealers
present said the prices varied but a
dollar or so • from that of the past
year. It was brought out in the dis
cussion that the materials could be
bought and mixed several dollars
cheaper than the mixed goods could
be purchased.
The petition from Butts county
farmers and business men, directed
to Hon. J. J. Brown, asking that no
cotton at all be planted this year
but that spot cotton or contracts be
purchased instead, was read but no
action was taken, pending the decis
ion of Mr. Brown.
The next meeting will he held on
Thursday, February 10, at 10
o’clock in the court house, in pur
suance of the proclamation issued
by Governor Dorsey for state-wide
meetings on that date.
The committees recently appoint
ed to secure pledges for a reduced
acreage in’ cotton, will be expected
to make a report at Thursday’s
meeting.
On account of the rain and dis
agreeable weather Saturday, the
attendance at the meeting was
smaller than had been expected.
POLICE COURT HELD
BUSY SESSION MONDAY
SEVERAL DEFENDANTS FACED
THE CHARGE OF LOITERING.
POLICE ON WARPATH FOR
THOSE REFUSING TO WORK
Several defendants were brought
before Mayor Fletcher in police
court Monday morning, a majority
of the charges being for loitering.
The police of Jackson are on the
war path for those who refuse to
work and from now on they state
they well make it hot for the fel
lows who neither toil nor spin.
While no fines were assessed for
loitering, sharp warning was given
by Mayor Fletcher that on a second
charge he would give the defendants
the limit. Some were able to prove
they were sick, still others that they
had jobs, while some of the cases
were held open for further investi
gation.
It was brought out at the trial
of some of the defendants that they
were not working because they
were members of the “union” and
refused to work for the prices of
fered.
Pig Gordon, negress, was fined
S3O or 30 days on a charge of fight
t ing.
Marceilus King, negro.wasfincd
$2.50 or ten days for running an
automobile after dark without a
I light.
LIGHTNING KILLS ONE
WHEN MILL IS STRUCK
BOLT AT GRIFFIN SHATTERED
SMOKESTACK, DOING CON
SIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE
MILL. MANY INJURED
!‘i.
Griffon, Ga.—Lightning struck the
smokestack of the biggest mill in
Griffin Saturday, during the storm,
injured one man, Glen Whittle, so
badly that he died later in the day,
buried eleven workmen under such
a pile df debris that they had to be
dug out, and damaged the mill it
self to an estimated amount of $lO,-
000. There was but one flash of
lightning during the storm, but this
one struck the mill and hurled mis
sies high into the arr. The eleven
men, dug from under the wreckage,
are being well cared for and it is
believed that none of them will die.
The mill which employs almost a
thousand people, vwll be forced to
close for several days on account of
repairs, but will reopen as soon as
possible.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
HOLDS ELECTION
NEW EQUIPMENT WILL BE
ASKED OF CITY COUNCIL.
MEMBERSHIP FOR THIS YEAR
NOW BEING MADE UP
A meeting of the Jackson Fire'
Department was held Friday night,
at which time officers were elected
and other business matters transact
ed. The officers* chosen are:
W. E. Merck, president; C. T.
Thornton, chief; W. F. Lavender,
first assistant chief; C. L. Thurston,
second assistant chief; J. D. Jones,
secretary and treasurer.
Several new members were elect
ed and the membership for the pres
nt year will be made up by a com
mittee consisting of Chief C. T.
Thornton, Howard O’Neal and Jace
Maddox. It wns made clear at Fri
day night’s meeting that any one
who has been a member of the fire
department for no other reason than
to escape paying street tax, will find
the sledding rough this year. What
is wanted is honest to goodness fire
fighters who will attend all meetings
and answer the roll at every fire.
A committee consisting of C. T.
Thornton, P. C. Long and L. B.
Thompson was appointed to go be
fore the city council and ask for
rubber coats, boots and hats for the
department.
The monthly meetings will be
held on the first Tuesday night in
each month, at 7 o’clock; central
time.
Dr. J. A. Jarrell, whose house on
North Oak street was recently saved
by the fire department, donated ten
dollars to the department for the
faithful and zealous work done on
that occasion.
Members of the fire department
enjoyed a chicken supper at Mad
dox’s shop on Second street Tuesday
night, the occasion proving an in
teresting and enjoyable one for all
present.
URGES CONGRESS TO TAX
TEN MILLION BACHELORS
Says a Levy on Unattached Males
Would Net Treasury $20,000,000
Mrs. Sears Taylor member of the
Washington rent commission, through
appointment by president Wilson,
has proposed that congress levy a
tax on bachelors. Pointing out that
the United Sates nov; has approxi
mately 10,000,000 bachelors or more
than any country in the world, Mrs.
Taylor estimates that such a tax
woud yield at least $20,000,000 a
year..
The tax would range from $1 to
$5 a year for each unattached male,
according to age. Bachelors from 20
to 24 years old would pay $1 a year,
and the scale would increase until
bachelors more than 65 year-- old
would pay a tax of $5.
“Great Britain and France have
experimented with bachelors tax,”
said Mrs. Taylor, “so it is not a to
tally new proposition. It would put
a premium on good citizenship,
which means assuming family obli
gations.
Nov. that the telephone company
got the increase in rates it asked
for, may be it i3 not too much to
hope that “Central” will not be busy
so much of the time.
WOULD BUY COTTON RATHER
THAN GROW IT AT LOW PRICE
PETITION DIRECTED TO J. J. BROWN AND HIS SUPPORT RE
QUESTED IN GETTING ALL SOUTHERN STATES TO ADOPT
THAT PLAN. BELIEVE IT IS CHEAPER TO BUY COTTON AT
PRESENT PRICES THAN TRY TO GROW SAME
Citizens of Butts county, includ
ing farmers and business men, are
sponsors for a movement to have
the farmers of Georgia buy cotton
at the prevailing prices instead of
trying to grow cotton under boll
weevil conditions and at the dis
tressing prices now prevailing. A
largely signed petition has been for
warded to Hon. J. J. Brown, Com
missioner of Agriculture, with the
request that he take this matter up
and have it discussed at the various
county meetings to be held on Feb
ruary 10, in pursuance of the proc
lamation issued by Governor Dorsey.
The resolution carried the pledge
that the farmers of Georgia plant
no cotton at all this season, and pool
their resources and purchase cotton,
either spots or futures, on the esti
mated production of each farmer.
It is further provided that a pur
chasing committee be appointed by
the Commissioner of Agriculture,
and that the cotton be purchased not
later than March 15. It is also sug
gested that the other cotton growing
states join Georgia in this move
ment. Such action, it is pointed out,
would have a stimulating effect on
the cotton market and also greatly
increase the produuction of food
and feed crops.
The resolution, which will no
doubt arouse considerable interest
throughout Georgia and the. entire
cotton belt, is as follows:
Jackson, Ga., Feb. 4, 1921.
Hon. J. J. Brown,
Commissioner of Agriculture,
Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Sir:
The undersigned committee of
citizens of Butts county desire to
submit the following resolutions to
the farmers, merchants and business
men of Georgia, who are to meet
in the various counties of the state
on the 10th of the month in response
to a cpll from Governor Dorsey.
These resolutions are offered v.'th
the best interest of the Southern
cotton grower at heart, and with
the knowledge that the prosperity
of the Southern farmers has a
mighty influence upon the prosperity
of the nation.
Whereas, the markets of the
world are at this time congested with
a surplus of cotton, the principal
product of the Southern planter,
thus reducing the price to about
one-half the actual cost of produc
tion; and
Whereas, the present large over
plus of cotton is due to the co-ope-
CAN’T ESCAPE THE
ECONOMIC LAWS
If the business men, bankers and
all that large army of short-sighted
people who have conspired to re
duce the prices of form products
wish to see the results of what they
helped in a measure to bring about
let them consider the acreage plant
ed in fall wheat, compared with the
acreage sov. and in the fall of 1919
and 1918:
Acres
Sowed the fall of 1920, 40,903,000
Sowed the fall of 1919, 42,081,000
Sowed the fall of 1918, 50,489,000
That is the farmer’s answer to
the reduction of prices below cost
of production. The corn farmer will
give the same answer in 1921, as
will also the cotton fa-mer. If he
cannot get a fail- price for his pro
ducts, he lessens production, just
as all other producers are forced, to
do under the economic laws which
cannot be escaped.—The Progressive
Farmer.
MOONSHINERS PAY
U. S. COURT $72,900
Approximately $72,900 was paid
into the United States court for the
Southern District in prohibition
cu-es during the year 1920 accord
ing to figures compiled by Clerk L.
M- Erwin. A total of SBI,OOO was
paid in from all sources in fines and
judgments v.hich is an increase of
$30,000 over 1919. Ninety percent
of the money collected was paid in
by moonshiners according to the re
cords of the court.
HAKE 1921 A YEAR
OF HOG AND
HOMINY
$2.00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
ration of the farmers in yielding to
influences brought to bear in the
spring of 1920, when it was appar
ent that the world would suffer for
lack of clothing unless 15,000,000
bales were made by the South; and
Whereas, this calamity has been
averted with a great over-production
of cotton, but at a great financial
sacrifice to the producers; and
Whereas, there is an urgent neces
sity for the reduction of acreage to
be planted in the present year, and
with a realization that worth while
results can only be accomplished
through the mutual co-operation of
those affected; and
Whereas, there is at this time a
large amount of cotton being forced
on the market, when there is no de
mand or market for sqme, thus caus
ing the owners to sustain a loss that
is ruinous; and
Whereas, it is evident that cotton
can now be purchased for an
amount less than it will cost to pro
duce.
Be it resolved, That we, the cot
ton planters of Georgia, pledge our
selves to plant no cotton during the
year 1921, and instead of operating
'our cotton plantations at a sure fi
nancial loss, we agree to pool the
funds which would be required to
operate our cotton farms and to pur
chase with the same, either spots or
contracts for fall delivery, to the
extent of the number of bales of
cotton we are accustomed to make.
Be it further resolved, That a
purchasing committee be appointed
by the Commissioner of Agriculture
of the State of Georgia, to be char
ged with the responsibility of re
ceiving these pledges and funds, and
who shall be authorized to make
these purchases or execute these
contracts either on the New York
or New Orleans cotton exchange, in
behalf of the signers of the pledge,
not later than March 15, when in
the estimation of the committee ap
pointed, a sufficient number of
planters sign and co-operate to make
this movement effective.
Be it resolved further, That a
plan of this kind be suggested to the
farmers in all other Southern cot
ton growing states and that they be
requested to join us in this effort to
relieve a stagnant commerce.
Be it further resolved, That we
pledge ourselves to encourage the
planting and cultivation of all kinds
of food products necessary to the
sustenance of life.
HARDING WILL OUST
200,000 DEMOCRATS
“TO THE VICTORS BELONG THE
SPOILS” POLICY WILL BE
CARRIED OUT BY THE NEW
PRESIDENT AFTER MARCH 4
Washington.—More than 200,000
jobholders on Uncle Sam’s payroll
will lose their jobs March 4, or soon
thereafter.
Republicans insist they don’t care
anything about spoils. They say
about 450,000 jobs now in the clas
sified service—the “spoils” jobs—
will remain unchanged. But all the.
jobs that require any independent
thinking or that pay attractive sal
aries—well, yes; they want them,
and they mean to have them.
Henry Cabot Lodge, Republican,
leader in the senate, explains it thus:
“The new administration is enti
tled to have assistants of its own
selection and who are in sympathy
with it.”
Asa result of Lodge’s guardian
ship, some 19,000 nominations sent
to the senate by President Wilson
remain unconfirmed. Of these ap
proximately 15,000 are appoint
ments in the army, navy and marine
corps; 3,500 are of postmasters and
the remainder in the diplomatic,
consular, public health and other
services.
Between 0,000 and 7,000 of the
army, navy and marine appoint
ments probably will be confirmed
before March 4. But confirmation
wall cover only original appoint
ments, necessary to retain men in
the service, and will not effect the
officer hoping for promotion or pre
ferment. j _ .