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The Jackson Herald
By Holder & Williamson
Christmas Gone, Work Here
■Christmas is over, and we are at
work again. The writer had a long
vacation. The week before Christ
mas this column was filled with a
message from Rev. A. B. Elizer. It
wtfe a sublime and glorious message.
Then Christmas week there was no
isdpe of this paper, and therefore
no[ work to do for this column or
any other part of paper. Rest from
has an opposite effect fi oni
abstinence from food The longer
one does not partake of food the
more anxious he is to eat; while the
linger one rests from labor, the less
tie desire to return to work. Too
much rest or vacation is not good
fjor any one. So we are glad vaca
tion is over, and that we can return
to work before it becomes repulsive.
■ One grandson, John Holder Mob
ley, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
M. L. Mobley, of LaGrange, spent
Christmas Eve with us. 1 hat night
the youngster and writer hung up
their stockings (socks) right near
the fire place, so Santa Claus could
not fail to see them when he made
his annual visit, making entrance
and exit through the chimney. Next
morning those stockings were filled
to[ the top with Santa Claus gifts.
A handkerchief, pair of cotton
gl|ves used in handling coal and
ot|er fuel in making fires, oranges,
bahanas, candy, etc., filled these
po£al coverings to the very limit.
It looked just like this receptacle
filled with Santa Claus gifts when
hfjlvisited the children in other days
parental home. It was hard
to tell whether the writer or grand
son: got the greatest thrill out of
unloading those stockings.
Many beautiful Christmas cards,
with expressions of sweet sentiment
of friendship and amity, came to
the writer and wife. Inexpressible
pllasure is derived from opening and
rAding these Christmas remem
brances. Every card received is
deeply and sincerely appreciated, and
lie senders are held in grateful re
jttembrance for these tokens of good
Will. Some wefe personal messages,
one of which was from Walter R.
ill Donald, Chairman of the Public
Service Commission of Georgia. He
is blind, but in spite of this physical
handicap he has had great success
as a lawyer, a legislator and public
service commissioner. When fired
from office of public service com
missioner by a ruthless governor for
no reason except politics, he sub
mitted his case and cause to the
people, who put him back into office
by an overwhelmingly majority.
tt t t
The writer served with him in the
House, where he learned the ability
and worth of the blind statesman.
In addition to other noble qualities
of mind and heart, he has grati
tude. Here his greetings are ex
pressed in his own lauguage:
I “Dear Brother John: Once more
lithe measured turn of life’s cycle
■brings us to its re-occurring close
Hind the Glad Christmas Season
■warmed, cheered and filled with the
■very joy of living by the thoughts
land fond recollections of our friends
land loved ones; and with memories
of you comes the sincere wish that
the Yuletide Season may hold for
you and yours boundless joy, good
cheer and happiness unsurpassed.
And may you know the peace and
satisfaction of work well done as
you view in retrospection the reced
ing stream of this closing span,
formed of the myriad drops of every
day deeds, which has spent its force
through the wheel of human pur
pose and endeavor. And may all the
days of the New Year abound in
health, happiness and life’s richest
blessings and be filled with the
fruition of your every high and
noble purpose.”
tt t t
Mrs. Christine Park Hankinson
gave expressions to her Christmas
well wishes in verse. Mrs. Hankinson
is a brilliant Georgia lady, whose
home is McDonough, and*the wife of
R. H. Hankinson, than whom no one
-•ever had a more loyal friend:
AN OLD-FASHIONED “MERRY
CHRISTMAS”
Old-fashioned wonder fills the Christ
mas day.
Old-fashioned music vibrates near
i and far.
pPld-fashioned beauty shines down
Jfc.i every; way
SINGLE COPY 5c
Wherever gracious, kindly people
are.
Old-fashioned majesty pervades the
sky.
A special starlight wraps the world
in white;
And dear old-fashioned doorways
amplify
The anthem of “Good-will” this holy
night.
Old-fashioned loved ones gather at
the hearth;
And constant friends, wherever they
abide,
Cend testaments of friendship round
the earth
In sign and sentence. So, though
worlds divide,
I send to you, in keeping with the
day,
•My “Merry Christmas” this old
fashioned way.
tt t t
Colonel and Mrs. Thomas J.
Shackelford of Athens certainly had
one of the most unique Christmas
cards ever sent out from any home.
It is a photograph of their pretty,
friendly and precocious little daugh
ter, taken in the front yard of their
home, with shrubbery, trees and
flowers, and home in the, back
ground. Seated near the little
daughter, whose smiles index her
cherry disposition, is a friendly lit
tle canine companion, who seems to
understand that he is being photo
graphed, also, and what it is all
about. Colonel and Mrs. Shackel
ford should and do feel proud of
their offspring and only child.
Here is a card from Dr. M. D.
Collins, State Superintendent of
Schools, for which we are grateful:
“By These Presents Be It Known:
that John N. Holder is entitled to
the degree of Doctor of Loyalty, by
virtue of: Having diligently worked
to promote Education; Having been
exemplary in conduct; Having been
co-operative and courageous; Having
faithfully discharged all other obli
gations to the public schools. And
is further entitled to all the Joys and
Blessings appertaining to this Christ
mas Season, in the year of our Lord
One Thousand Nine Hundred Thirty
seven.”
This is the only time a degree was
ever conferred on the writer. No
degree could give him greater joy
than the one of loyalty. The writer
hopes he has merited this degree with
his life and conduct.
Judge Emmett Williams of Mon
roe is one of Georgia’s leading men.
The writer served with him in the
House. Also, the writer and Char
les M. Booth, the father-in-law of
Judge Williams, were colleagues in
the General Assembly. The latter
has passed to his reward, but both
the above named always advocated
the things good for their native
State. Here is the card of Christ
mas greetings of Judge Williams:
“Christmas Time is here again,
and we are taking stock for the be
ginning of a New Year. This is not
only a time of giving and receiving,
but it is a time to recall pleasures
and happiness we have had in our
contact with you during the past.
At this Holiday Season I like to for
get business and think of my friends,
for they are what make life worth
living, and we like to feel that spirit
of friendship underlying our mutual
relations. Our sincerest and warm
est greetings are extended to you, as
our friend, and wishing for you a
most joyful Christmastide and a
Prosperous and Happy New Year, I
am, With highest personal regards
and best wishes.”
The card was certainly original of
Mr and Mrs. L. B. Robeson, with
photo of Wilbur F. Haygood, Dr. H.
W. Cox, Bishop W. A. Candler, Mr.
L. B. Robeson and Dr. M. L. Brit
tain standing in the gateway to
Emory University, with monument
on either side of gate to Bishop A.
G. Haygood and Dr. I. S. Hopkins,
former presidents of Emory, erected
by Mr. Robeson, who is a scholar
and an unselfish citizen and an
alumnus of Emory. Billy Sutlive, of
the Savannah Press, never fails to
send out a Christmas card, giving
greetings in his most characteristic
manner. This year it showed Billy
and Santa Claus in a bout, but these
words are printed under the picture
of Billy and Santa in the encounter:
“Not a charity bout, but just Christ
mas fun;
“Of course Bill Biffem wouldn’t biff
JEFFERSON, Jackson County, Georgia.
Gas Tax Receipts Jump
$1,809,436, Set Two Recrds
Georgia gasoline tax collections in
1937 jumped $1,809,436 over 1-936
to set two new records, Comptroller
General William B. Harrison has an
nounced.
Total received by the state from
motor fuel taxes in 1936 was $17,-
493,683, and this reached $19,303,-
120 during the past year.
The gain was the largest ever re
corded since the state began levying
the gas tax, and the total tax col
lected was the greatest sum ever
received under the six-cent levy, at
taches of Harrison’s office said.
Increased collections of the six
cent state tax meant that counties,
the schools and the state fared bet
ter financially from Georgia’s larg
est single source of revenue, it was
said.
One-sixth of the fund went to the
counties on a basis of highway mile
age and during the past year was
distributed quarterly. Under anew
law just passed by the general as-
sembly and approved by the Gover
nor, the gas tax will be distributed
to the counties monthly, aiding ma
terially in financing the county
governments, it was declared.
Governor Rivers, in signing the
new law, pointed out that gas taxes
given to the counties monthly will
eliminate much short time financing
and will save counties interest.
Kerosene Tax Drops
Comptroller Harrison said kero
sene tax collections dropped this
year from the 1936 figures. A total
of $233,134 was received in 1937 as
compared with $234,169 last year, a
drop of approximately $1,035.
Dr. and Mi-s. H. R. Howell return
ed Sunday from a ten days visit to
the former home of Dr. Howell in
Rockingham, N. C.
“A kind old gentleman like Santa
Claus.”
tt t t
These two below are prized more
than language can express. A earn
from Rev. and Mrs. J. S. Hartsfield,
of Eastman, with these personal
words to writer and wife from Mrs.
Hartsfield give unalloyed pleasure:
“Dear Friends: “I want to thank
you for the beautiful article, ‘Good
Neighbors,’ which appeared in last
week’s Jackson Herald. We always
enjoy The Herald, and wish for you
and the entire force a very merry
Christmas.”
tt t t
Also, these sentiments in poetry
from Guy V. Roberts of Cordele.
The writer hopes and prays he may
have been some little encouragement
to some, and an inspiration to this
son of Jackson county. These are
beautiful words from a noble young
man, and arc deeply imbedded in our
heart:
If I should die tonight,
Here’s a message just for you,
And since God is called to witness,
You may know that it is true;
And too, alnd I want to leave behind
Only truth and honor bright,
And fidelity of purpose,
If I should die tonight.
You’ve meant a lot to me,
Though I’ve never told you so,
But somehow tonight I wish
That you, too, might know!
Too oft we keep our flow’rs
Till friends have said goodnight,
But these are yours forever,
If I should die tonight!
We plan so many times
To pass kind words around,
But e’er we know, ’tis evening,
And the night is coming down!
You’ve been an inspiration to me,
In the dark you’ve shown me light,
And here’s a sweet “God bless you!”
If I should die tonight!
In the beginning of the New Year,
the entire Herald force extend greet
ings to all subscribers, advertisers,
patrons and friends, and wish for
each joy, peace, happiness and
abundant success. With malice to
wards none, and good will towards
all, this first issue of 1938 goes to
press. It is the purpose and determi
nation to give the readers the best
paper this year that has ever come
from The Herald establishment. “Ye
shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free.” These sub
lime and hallowed words will con
tinue to be the guiding motto of our
labor and efforts in giving our read
ers a first-class weekly newspaper.
How To Secure Tax
Exemption Under Geor
gia Homestead Act
What procedure must a home
owner follow in order to take ad
vantage of Georgia’s new homestead
tax exemption law?
The following questions and an
swers cover the principal provisions
of the act passed recently by the
General Assembly' and signed by
Governoi Rivers:
Q. What does the law exempt?
A. It exempts owner-occupied
residences from taxation for state,
county and school purposes up to an
assessed valuation of $2,000.
Q. Must the owner apply for the
exemption?
A. Yes, before April 1 of each
year. Failure to make application
will cause him to lose his exemption
rights.
Q. With whom is the application
filed?
A. With county tax receivers, tax
commissioners or municipal authori
ties, who will furnish application
forms supplied them by the comp
troller general.
Abs>ut The App^catien
Q. What must be stated in the ap
plication?
A. Ownership and complete de
scription of the property, when and
from whom acquired, kind of title
held, amount of liens and to whom
due. The owner must take oath
that the statements are true.
Q. Is there a fee for filing the ap
plication?
A. Yes, 50 cents for the first one,
but no charge for subsequent appli
cations on the same piece of pro
perty unless it is sold to anew own
er.
Q. What does the county official
receiving the application do with it?
A. He determines its eligibility,
makes a recommendation and then
turns it over to the County Board
of Tax Assessors for final decision.
Q. Does the owner have a right
of appeal if his application is dis
approved.
Yes. He may take it to the
County Board of Tax Appeals or the
Superior Court within ten days af
ter receiving notice of the disapprov
al.
Taxes Must Be Paid
Q. If taxes become due on the
property while an appeal is pending,
must they be paid?
A. Yes, into a registry designated
by the eourt. Failure to pay them
automatically nullifies the appeal.
Q. Will there be any change in
the usual methods of assessment for
property under this act?
A. The act provides that property
shall be “valued and assessed sub
stantially as heretofore.”
Q. Is property exempted from
special county taxes for interest on
or retirement of bonded indebted
ness?
A. No.
Q. Does the act prevent munici
palities from levying taxes for in
dependent school systems?
A. No.
Q. What does the term ‘home
stead’ mean?
A. An owner-occupied residence
and the land immediately surround
ing it.
One Home Exempted
Q. If an applicant owns two or
more dwellings, may he seek ex
emption on all of them?
A. No, on only one.
Q. If a home is destroyed by fire,
flood, storm or unavoidable acci
dent, what is the status of the pro
perty?
A. It still is regarded as a home
stead for one year.
Q. What does the term ‘appli
cant’ cover?
A. Married persons living with
husband or wife; unmarried persons
maintaining a permanent home for
one or more dependents; widows or
widowers with one or more children
and maintaining a home occupied by
them; divorced husbands or wives
having legal custody of children and
maintaining a home for them; un
married persons maintaining a per
manent home owned and occupied by
themselves.
Q. What is the penalty for making
fradulent application?
A. A SI,OOO fine or twelve months
on the chain gang, and double the
tax that ordinarily would have been
due.
Mrs. W. C. Roberts and Miss Cul
lie Roberts are now occupying the
Pittman residence, at the corner of
Martin and Institute streets.
Thursday, January 6, 1938.
EMERGENCY FUND
TO MEET DEFICIT
Atlanta.—State departments will
have a reserve fund of approximate
ly $2,500,000 to meet current ex
penses when tax income is insuffici
ent to pay appropriations made by
the general assembly, as result of
the treasury stabilization fund act,
recently signed by Governor Rivers.
The measure, a major part of Riv
ers’ administration program, levies
a 10 per cent “tithe” on all incoming
state revenue with the exception of
one cent gasoline tax allocated to
county roads, and another one cent
of the same tax which is earmarked
for the school equalization fund.
Statistics compiled by the state
treasury department for the year
1936 show a total of $30,696,777.54
was taken in from 46 different
sources. Deducting one-sixth of the
gasoline tax as the amount set aside
for county roads and schools, the
1936 income would have been sub
ject to a “tithe” on $24,864,640.14
. . . or a total stabilization fund for
that year of $2,486,564.
Describing operation of the new
act, which goes into effect January
1, State Auditor Tom Wisdom said
the fund would enable any state de
partment to draw any amount neces
sary to meet its current obligations
up to the limits of its appropriation.
Hence, he said, should the state find
itself SIO,OOO short of being able to
pay its school teachers, the threaten
ed deficit would be made up by
drawing upon the stabilization fund.
Amounts thus drawn, Wisdom em
phasized, would not be paid back to
the fund, since new revenue in the
form of additional “tithes” would
replenish it. Wisdom drew atten
tion to the difference between the
stabilization and an emergency fund,
saying the former limits the depart
ments to their appropriations, while
the governor might draw upon an
emergency fund to provide an
amount in excess of the original sum
budgeted.
The fund is administered by the
governor. A clause provides tor ex
empting all state highway funds
from the “tithe” in event federal aid
would be jeopardized.
Chief sources of revenue upon
which the “tithe” would be levied in
clude the cigar and cigarette tax,
insurance premium tax, kerosene
tax, beer tax, poll tax, state ad va
lorem taxes, professions tax, public
service corporations tax, rents on
state property and numerous minor
taxes.
The New Pension List
The First week of the new year
brought to 1,135 widows of Confed
erate veterans their first S3O pen
sion chocks provided for by anew
Georgia law extending the privileges
to those to the veterans prior to
January 1, 1920. Before passage of
this act by the special session of the
legislature December 21, only
widows who married Confederate
veterans up to 1881 were entitled to
the monthly S3O. Director L. T.
Gillen of the Confederate pension
department announced Saturday
checks for the additional pensioners
in the hands of county ordinaries by
January 4 for distribution January
5.
Mr. Gillen’s figures reveal an esti
mated annual pay roll of $1,041,480
for veterans and widows following
enactment of enabling legislation
under anew amendment to the State
Constitution.
The figures show 206 veterans on
the rolls as of December 31, 1937,
together with 1,38 G widows married
prior to 1881. The new act added
widows married prior to 1920.
The veterans and widows in the
old classification will receive their
checks Monday.
Veterans receive $6,180 a month,
widows married prior to 1881 re
ceive $40,080, and newly added wid
ows $34,050 a month.
PWA HELPS STATE $6,209,850
IN YEAR
A total of $6,209,850 was spent
by the Public Works Administration
on 54 completed projects in Georgia
during 1937, H. T. Cole, regional
PWA director, reported.
Under the new program, which
began officially on November 30, an
estimated $3,350,000 will be spent
on 51 additional projects, 48 of
which are now under construction.
Cost of the 48 on which work al
ready has started totals $3,200,000.
Vol. 62. No. 23.
RIVERS PRAISES
INTANGIBLE TAX;
SIGNS MEASURE
Governor Rivers signed the new
intangible tax bill Saturday and is
sued a statement declaring that the
measure is an invitation to business,
industry and capital everywhere to
come to Georgia.
The chief executive said that the
bill is in the nature of a Christmas
card inviting Georgia capitalists who
have left the state to hurry back,
and also an expression of good will
and encouragement to the Georgians
who have kept their investments in
the state, despite the hazards of con
fiscatory taxation.
Governor Rivers urged all Geor
gians to comply with the provisions
of the act by returning their in
tangibles for taxation and thus avail
themselves of the forgiveness clause
which exempts them from liability
for seven years back taxes.
The bill does not seek to classify
all classes of intangible property,,
but levies a reduced rate of tax
ation upon money, stocks, bonds,
notes secured by real estate mort
gages and notes and obligations in
sured by the Federal Housing Ad
ministration. Stocks in Georgia
corporations are exempt from the
intangible tax when the corporation,
has paid all ©f its ad valorem taxee.
Heretofore intangibles have been
taxed at the same rate as visible
property, or 5 mills, for state pur
poses.
FARMERS WARNED TO LIVE AT
HOME AS COSTS RISE \
Athens, Ga. Miss Willie Vie
Dowdy, home improvement special
ist for the Georgia Extension Ser
vice, took a look at farm prospects
for 1938, and declared “the farm
family that stays out of the red will
be the one that lives at home.”
Miss Dowdy said prices of ready
made clothing, fuel, lighting mater
ials, furniture and equipment proba
bly would rise this year.
She said she expected a slight de
crease in food prices, although meat
would be higher than most other
foods. She said the price of cloth
probably would remain steady.
“At present prices',” said Miss
Dowdy, “it would take SIOO per per
son next year to buy the food neces
sary to promote growth and main
tain health, if no food is grown for
home use.”
JACKSON DAY CELEBRATION
Next Saturday, January 8, the j
Democratic party will celebrate, over
the nation, Jackson Day. There will!
be meetings, banquets and other
gatherings all over the land, when
members of the party of Jackson
will renew their faith in the ancient,
tenets of democracy ami will reaf
firm their loyalty to their party.
Democrats of Georgia will gather
at a banquet in Atlanta, at which,,
through a national radio hook-up,,
they will hear an address by Presi
dent Roosevelt, delivered at the cele
bration which will be going on, at
the same time, in Washington. lit
addition to the words of the Presi
dent, the Atlanta gathering will hear
a speech from a man of national
prominence.
It is at these Jackson Day pro
grams that the Democratic party re
fills its treasury. It is the one day
of the year when loyal Democrats
are asked to contribute for the main
tenance of the party organization.
It is the one chance they have to
demonstrate, in money, their grat
itude for all the party has done for
them and their faith in its future
program.
GEORGIA ALLOTTED
FUND OF $4,980,108
FOR HIGHWAY WORK
Georgia has been allotted a total
of $4,980,108 for highway and grade
crossing projects for the fiscal year
of 1939, Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace announced in Washington.
The amount allocated to Georgia
is the largest sum given any state
in this region. It is a part of a.
total of $195,000,000 allotted to the
states and territories by the federal
government.
Of Georgia’s total, $3,154,850 is
to be spent on principal highways*
$630,970 is for secondary roads, and
$1,194,288 is marked for eliminatieifc..
of grade crossings.