Newspaper Page Text
The Jackson Herald
By Holder & Williamson
County Consolidation
Discussions about county consoli
dation are being: carried on through
press and by individuals. In fact, a
campaign has been started to ac
complish this result by certain or
ganizations, especially by the Junior
Chamber of Commerce in Atlanta,
and by some educational, business
and political forces in the Sate. Let
it be conceded that those who are
thus concerned in this question sin
cerely believe it is to the welfare of
the people, and especially the tax
payers, to achieve these results.
One of the statements made is that
radical reduction of the number of
counties will save some six millions
in expenses to the tax payers. The
writer seriously doubts that the re
sults will follow abolition of a
number of counties and a consolida
tion of county governments that
these advocates claim, and that no
such amount as above stated would
be saved the tax payers.
tt t t
In the nineties when the agitation
was made to create more counties in
Georgia the writer doubted the wis
dom of such legislation, and opposed
the proposition through editorials in
this paper and speeches in the legis
lature. At that time Georgia had
one hundred and thirty 7 seven coun
ties, a greater number than any
State in the Union except Texas,
which has an area about four times
as great as that of Georgia. The
average number of counties in each
State was sixty-six. The size of
Georgia counties was under the
average. Notwithstanding these
facts, Georgia created twenty-four
new counties, increasing the number
from 137 to 161. Since then, two
counties, Milton and Compbell, have
been merged with Fulton. So that
now Georgia has 159 counties.
tt t t
Back there, while questioning the
advisability and necessity for more
new counties, and vigorously oppos
ing same, yet, now that they are cre
ated, they should not be abolished
unless two-thirds of the qualified
voters of a county cast their ballots
in favor of the proposition. Ap
pointment of a commission to merge
and consolidate counties until the
number is cut in half, or greatly re
duced, is inexpedient and unwise.
An act for wholesale merger, the
writer does not think, could be put
through the General Assembly. If,
however, the legislative body should
submit to the voters such an amend
ment to the Constitution, it is the
writer’s opinion it would be over
whelmingly defeated. Let the vot
ers in each county determine this
matter for themselves, is reasonable
and fair.
tt t t
There is a reason for not abolish
ing a county that does not exist for
establishing one. The people of a
newly created county must be taxed
to build a court house, jail, houses
for paupers, convicts, and possibly
other buildings. That is a heavy
burden on anew county, and one
great reason against forming addi
tional counties. On the other hand,
after a county has been created, the
people taxed, and public buildings
erected, it would be a big loss to
discontinue the use of these build
ings for the purpose for which they
were intended. They are not well
suited for anything else. Now, if
you wish to behold a scene that is
depreesing, just go to a town that
was once the county seat, but which
has been moved to another town,
leaving the court house and jail em
pty, because unsuited for any other
purpose, and behold in that same
town a depot located by the side of
a railroad that has been abandoned
and the track junked. They are
monuments to desolation. Few
scenes in a town are so pathetic as
abandoned court house, jail and de
pot. 'Such a situation spells Icha
bod to that municipality.
tt t t
Not only are court houses, jails
and depots ill suited to any other
purpose, but their abandonment for
the use for which they were built
depreciates the value of other pro
perty in that town, and thereby re
duces the tax values, throws people
out of employment, causing them to
go elsewhere, and reduces the mem
bership and strength of the churches
in that town. The building of paved
highways has drawn trade from lit
tle towns to cities, almost causing
them to perish. Follow this by
abolishing county seats, and Georgia
will have more dead towns than
SINGLE COPY 5c
could have life restored to them by
an Ezekiel.
tt t t
Abolishing counties will result in
no appreciable lowering of expenses
of that county. The State is now
supporting the schools by paying
salaries of teachers, hauling children
to school, and furnishing them text
books at no cost to the parents or
county. The State and Federal
Government are not only building,
but maintaining the principal thoro
ughfares of the counties. The State
cares for the general health condi
tions of a county. The Judge of
the Superior Court and Solicitor
General are paid by the State. Coun
ty officers are paid by fees, and they
are the same, whether paid in a big,
or little, county. Jurors are paid by
the county, but they would also be
paid by the tax payers of a county
under a merger or consolidation
plan.
+ t t t '
Then, people are saved some time
and expense by living near a court
house. Then again, when counties
are consolidated or merged, they
lose their representation in the
Legislature. Campbell and Milton
counties w r ere abolished and became
a part of Fulton, but today Fulton
has just the same number of Repre
sentatives as before the consoli
dation, and representatives from
these little counties were lost to
them. So to abolish these little coun
ties, reduces their power in the
Legislature and in political conven
tions. Consolidation means taking
away power and strength from
small counties.
tt t t
There may be some very small
and financially weak counties whose
voters think it to their interest to
merge with a stronger county, but
let the local voters determine this
matter at an election called especial
ly for this purpose. This not only
the fair and proper thing, but it is
good old fashioned democracy. At
their convention in Savannah, Coun
ty Commissioners went on record
against county consolidation. These
officials know the sentiment of their
people, and they know that the peo
ple will oppose a general proposition
of county merger, or reduction, that
does not take into consideration al
lowing the voters of each county to
say what they want at the ballot
box. Taking everything into con
sideration, it is for the best interest
of the State and the counties to
leave Georgia counties alone.
tt t +
Rev. W. H. Venable is dead. This
information brought sorrow to the
writer. He entertained for this well
known citizen and divine sentiments
not only of friendship, but deep
seated brotherly love. In all the
writer’s life he never knew a truer
citizen nor more honorable and up
rgiht man nor more loyal friend
than Wiley Venable. He was a total
stranger to insincerity, hypocrisy,
deceit and double dealing. He
was courteous, but frank; polite, but
courageous; considerate of all, but
as loyal to friends as the needle to
the pole. The same words could be
raid of him as the Master did of
Nathaniel, “A man without guile.”
He was a devoted husband, a kind
father, a good neighbor and a con
secrated Christian. He used the
talents he possessed as God would
have him do, and no doubt the
Master has said to him, “In as much
as ye have been faithful over a few
things, I will make you ruler over
many things.” He was an asset to
his family, community, church, coun
ty and State. May the blessings of
Heaven rest upon his loved ones who
are left to mourn his death.
DANA IS CHOSEN HEAD
OF PIEDMONT COLLEGE
Demorest, Ga.—Malcolm Dana,
Jr., is expected here around June 1
to assume his new duties as presi
dent of Piedmont College.
A director of young people’s ac
tivities in connection with camp ac
tivities in Maine, Dana succeeds Dr.
George Bellingrath, recently re
signed to accept the presidency of
•the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee school.
Ninety-one seniors will graduate
from Agnes Scott College on June 6.
Dr. E. Colwell, an Bmory University
alumnus and dean of the divinity
school of the University of Chicago,
will deliver the baccalaureate address
next Sunday at 11 a. m.
JEFFERSON, Jackson County, Georgia.
Items From Commerce
News
Lightning Play* Fraakiih Trick*
During the thunderstorm Friday
afternoon the lightning played
freakish tricks, leaving injury and
death in their wake. Striking the
aerial on top of the First National
Bank, it glanced off, visible as a ball
of fire to bystanders and bouncing
into an automobile parked near the
entrance of the Commerce Manu
facturing Company, knocking into
unconsciousness little Anna Mae
Nation, and leaving uninjured two
girls who were sitting on each side
of her in the automobile seat.
Anna Mae was apparently dead,
but was revived after a time. She
was still suffering from shock the
first of the week, and both legs bore
blue splotches as a result of the
burns.
The same afternoon lightning en
tered the barn at Will Thompson’s,
southeast of Commerce, on the C.
W. Hood farm, and killed three
mules belonging to C. W. Hood, Jr.
The burns indicated that the mules
were hit on the right side of the
head, the burn extending across and
down the face and foreleg. Only a
small place on each side of the barn
was left to show the entrance and
exit of the lightning.
tt t t
Mr. and Mr*. Jackson Entertain
Kiwanians And Wive*
Jefferson entertained the
ians and their wives at dinner at the
Woman’s Club House Friday even
ing. The affair had been planned
for the Jackson home, but on ac
count of the heavy rains it was
transferred to the club house here.
A Georgia prqducts dinner was
served. Everything served had been
raised by the host or had been
bought in Georgia. The meal was a
sumptuous one, and was served in
quantities. English peas, new Irish
potatoes, fresh from the garden of
the host, along with barbecue and
plenty of friend chicken had a place
in the splendid menu.
The long table and smaller ones
held low bowls of pink roses, with a
bowl of pink and white larkspur in
the center.
Col. George Westmoreland was
the speaker of the occasion. Other
visitors from Jefferson were Mr. and
Mrs. Joe Bilderback, and Mrs. West
moreland.
Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were ideal
hosts for the fifty guests present.
Mrs. Jackson was assisted in serving
by Mrs. Westmoreland and Mrs.
Bilderback.
tt t t
Mr. W. E. King and Mi** Griffin Are
Wed
Mr. Willie Edd King, son of the
late Mr. and Mrs. David King, was
married on May Bth in Fort Lauder
dale, Fla., to Miss Jeanette Griffin of
Miami, Fla.
Mr. King is spending several days
with his sister, Mrs. Joe Minish, and
Mr. Minish, where he is receiving
the congratulations of many friends
upon his marriage. Mr. King has
not definitely decided whether he will
continue to make his home in Flori
da or return here for residence.
Famous Surgeon Dies
, Chicago.—Dr. Charles Mayo, fa
mous surgeon who teamed with his
brother in developing the interna
tionally known medical clinic in Ro
chester, Minn., died of pneumonia
at Mercy hospital.
The 73-year-old medic, who had
saved the lives of patients from all
sections of the nation, succumbed at
4:55 p. m.
Dr. William J. Mayo, 77, who
worked with Dr. Charles in building
the renowned “Mayo Brothers” in
stitution, was at his home in Ro
chester, recovering from a recent
operation.
Dr. Charles W. Mayo announced
his father’s death was caused by
“lobar pneumonia, type No. 3, a rare
type nearly always fatal.” He re
ported the elderly doctor had been
unconscious periodically for at least
three days.
Dr. Mayo was stricken in a hotel
here eight days ago and was rushed
to the hospital. Five doctors at
tended him.
Twenty cars of peaches moved out
of Georgia Thursday night. Friday
morning there were twenty-two oth
er cars being loaded in the peach
belt, making Friday the biggest day
in the shipments of early fruit.
Death Claims Prominent
Citizen, Rev. W. H. Venable
Rev. Wiley H. Venable, aged 77,
passed away Wednesday at his home
near Brockton, following a serious
illness of almost three months, be
sides having suffered impaired health
for the past few years.
Mr. Venable was a native of
Jackson county, a son of the late
Martin and Polly Ann Minish Ven
able. Before entering the ministry
he spent his life on the farm, and
was one of the county's successful
planters.
In young manhood he was mar
ried to Miss Zora Sims, who survives
him. Also, surviving are six chil
dren, Mrs. Gordon Thompson, Ath
ens; Mrs. Emory Reeves, Greenville,
S. (J.; Mrs. Walter Rowe, Boston,
Mass.; Hoyt Venable, Birmingham;
Jack Venable, Dacula; Stype Ven
able, Jefferson: also, fifteen grand
children, and a sister, Mrs. Mattie
McDonald, Atlanta.
Funeral services were held Thurs
day afternoon at Bethany Metho
dist church, near which he grew to
manhood. Rev. W. B. Hughes,
pastor of the church, was in charge
of the funeral service. Assisting
him were Rev. A. B. Elizer, Rev. T.
H. Shackelford, Rev. John Austin,
Dr. Will Hinton, Col. John C. Turn
er. The grandsons, acting as pall
bearers, were Emory Lee Reeves,
Hoyt Venable, Jr., Rev. Gordon
Thompson, Jr., Harold Reeves, Ralph
and Linton Venable. An honorary
escort were Emory, Rache, Albert,
Bob, Jack, Ted, Mays, Grover, Fred,
Claud, Okie and Henry Venable,
Ford Mcßee, Charlie Potts, Elbert
Wood, W. J. Massey, Reuben Thur
man, Worth Wilkes, John Bruce,
Guy McDonald.
Rev. supply pastor in
the North Georgia Methodist Con
ference for forty years, filling
various charges, some of which were
New Holland, Dacula, Logansville,
Hoschton, Lafayette, Flowery
Branch. He was stationed at Da
cula two full terms of four years
each. On account of ill health he
retired from active work three
years ago and returned to his coun
try home in Jackson county. Before
becoming a regular pastor and since
retirement, his evangilistic voice was
heard in many local churches, and
he conducted may revivals.
Attesting the love and esteem in
which he was held by the people he
served as pastor, hundreds of per
sons gathered at his funeral service
to pay their respects to the man
who had so nobly served them as a
minister of the gospel.
Items From Hoschton News
Mrs. Bunyan Collins returned to
her home in Hawkinsville Sunday,
after spending a week with her
mother, Mrs. W. J. Cruce, who has
been very ill with pneumonia.
tt t t
Mrs. A. L. DeLaperriere will re
turn Friday for an extended visit
East with her brother and wife, Mr.
and Mrs. Whiting, of Detroit. She
will visit friends in Cincinnutti, To
ledo, and Canada and other points.
Mrs. DeLaperriere has traveled very
extensively in the last few years, go
ing in over thirty-four different
States. We wish her a very enjoy
able trip.
tt t t
Master Thomas Hartley, Atlanta,
reports having a grand time attend
ing the New York World’s Fair.
He is the son of Thomas A. and
Leonora Hosch Hartley, of Atlanta.
He is also the grandson of Mr. and
Mrs. T. S. Hartley, Hoschton. Thom
as earned the money for the trip by
Belling “Baker Bread.”
tt t t
This side of Jackson county is get
ting some very splendid improve
ments. Among them are Rural
Electrification, which i traversing
the county through several commu
nities. The WPA crew is building a
good road from Hoschton to Pender
grass, and the Jackson county gang
is doing a lot of top soiling on this
side of the county. All the improve
ments should be appreciated by
every one in this section of the
county.
With schools closed in many sec
tions of South Carolina and public
gatherings forbidden as a result of
the spread of infantile paralysis,
State Health Officer James A. Hayne
has called for further co-operation
of the people in the fight to curb the
disease. To date more than a hun
dred cases have been reported.
Thursday, June 1, 1939.
COUNTY AGENT’S
COLUMN
Extended Time Limit For Buying
Cotton Pool Certificate*
The time limit set by the cotton
producers’ pool for purchasing out
standing participation trust certifi
cates has been extended to Septem
ber 30, 1939, according to a notice
received from J, O. Lamkin, pool
manager in Washington, D. C.
The extension was authorized by
a recent amendment to the legisla
tion under which the certificates are
being retired. This means that any
persons in Jackson county having
Form C-5-1 certificates on hand will
have additional time in which to
tender them to the pool. Under cer
tain conditions they will be entitled
to a payment of $1 per bale for the
number of bales represented by such
certificates. The Form C-5-1 certi
ficates are brown in color, and are
the last certificates the pool issued.
Plans are now being made for final
liquidation of the pool when the
time for purchase of the outstanding
certificates expires.
Original holders of the certifi
cates and transferee holders of re
cord on or before May 1, 1937, will
get SI.OO per bale on the number of
bales represented by their brown
certificates. Holders to whom certi
ficates have been transferred since
May 1, 1937, will receive the price
which they paid for their certificates
with interest at the rate of 4 per
cent per annum from the date of
purchase, the total amount includ
ing interest not to exceed SI.OO per
bale.
In tendering a brown certificate
to the pool, the holder should make
out a form that will be supplied by
county agent and mail the certifi
cate, attached to the form, to the
Examination and Claims Section,
Cotton Producer’s Pool, Room 321,
Old Post Office Building, Washing
ton, D. C.
tt t t
Recommend* Poi*oning Cotton To
Kill Weevil*
All farmers in Jackson county are
urged to co-operate in controlling
the boll weevil by applying poison
to cotton. Farmers will find it pro
fitable to include plans for poison
ing, just as they arrange each year
to fertilize and cultivate their cot
ton. The cost of poisoning is small,
in proportion to the total value of
the crop, and in view of the average
annual loss experienced by cotton
farmers each year.
Cultural methods such as early
planting, varieties of cotton grown,
and proper fertilization and culti
vation have marked influence on the
control of the boll weevil. But
poisoning can be a great aid to farm
ers in making a successful fight on
the weevile at minimum cost.
Suggestions for the poisoning on
short-staple cotton are as follows:
The first application should be
made when the cotton has six leaves,
a second application should be made
a week later, and if needed, a third
application the following week.
If calcium arsenate dust is used
instead of pre-square mapping with
a syrup mixture, one dusting may
be made upon the appearance of the
first small squares.
The county agent’s office can
furnish farmers complete information
on approved methods of poisoning
boll weevils.
Peaky Bermuda Can Be A*et If
Kept In Farm Pasture*
Bermuda grass may be a pest in
cultivated fields, but in pastures it
makes excellent grazing.
This fact suggests a practical use
which farmers can make of Bermuda
grass roots removed from cultivated
land during cultivation of row crops
this summer.
If roots are piled up and covered
with a small amount of soil, or
otherwise kept from completely dry
ing out, they will live for a consider
able length of time. They can then
be sprigged in on galled and severe
ly eroded pasture areas when con
venient.
This can be done by plowing a
few furrows across the galled area,
dropping in the roots, and covering
with another furrow, or by scatter
ing the roots over the galled area
and disking them in. Best growth
will be obtained if a little manure
or fertilizer is applied to the areas.
In this way a type of vegetation
which is a pest in cultivated fields
can be put to a productive use in
pastures by protecting galled areas
against further erosion and provid-
Vol. 63. No. 50.
State Solons May Convene
After July 4
Atlanta. —Legislative firework*
will echo the actual explosions of
July 4 if the forecast of an informed
capitol official materializes.
This official put a red circle;
around July 5 on his callcndar and
said that, if at all, a special session
of the general assembly would be
convened then.
Governor Rivers was asked if he
had any definite time in view and
his gnawer was n reiteration that
“I’ll call the session when and if I
am convinced a majority want ts
work together on some definite
method of financing state services.’*
Asked also about reports he had
pledges that 120 of the 205 repre
sentatives would support a sales tax*,
he said it w’as news to him.
“I am getting encouraging letter*
and messages from legislators all
along,” he asserted, “but I have not
ba<l sufficient assurance yet to say
I will call a session.”
One factor entering into the July
5 predictions was the impending in
formal session of the legislature at
Brunswick June 2,3, 4, when the
chief executive will join assembly
men.
Observers said if he found by
sounding sentiment at Brunswick
that the favorable faction had grown
to a comfortable majority he would
issue within the following ten day*
a session call. The call itself must
be issued 10 days before convening
date.
Dr. S. A. Boland Die*
Dr. S. A. Boland, Loganville
physician, died Wednesday at an*
Atlanta hospital. A native of South
Carolina, Dr. Boland was widely
known in medical circles throughout
the state, having practiced at Stat
ham, Thomson, Jefferson, as well as
Loganville. He was a member of
the Georgia State Medical Associ
ation, Georgia F. & A. &1., Scottish.
Rite and the Loganville Buptb*.
church, of which he was chairman of
the board of deacons.
Surviving are bis wife; a daugh
ter, Mrs. James W. Carrol, of
Sparta; a sister, Mrs. W. W. Fouehc*
of Greenwood, S. C., and several
nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were conducted
at Loganville Baptist church. Burial:
was in a Loganville cemetery.
Stamp Honoring Crawford
W. Long
Congressman B. Frank Whelchel
has introduced a bill to authorize -
suance of a special postage stamp <
to honor the late Dr. Crawford W.
Long for service in introducing ether
for anesthetical uses.
TEACHERS ADVISED NOT TO
DISCOUNT BACK SALARIES
Georgia school teachers werw
strongly advised not to discount
their claims against the state of
Georgia for back salaries, in &
statement issued Thursday by State
School Superintendent M. D. Collin*.
Dr. Collins said that reports had
reached his office to the effect that
some teachers were contemplating
discounting their salaries as much a*
50 per cent, on offers that were be
ing made to them. Dr. Collins said*
“An extraordinary session of the
General Assembly is now near at
hand, and knowing the members of
the Legislature as I do, I have all
confidence that they as a group will
keep faith with the pledge made at
the regular session.”
COMMERCE BOY NO. 1. SENIOR
U. G. Carlan, of Commerce, has
been chosen the “outstanding sen
ior” in a student election held at the
University. Carlan, secretry-treas
urer of the senior class, is a school
of commerce student. He is a mem
ber of the Economics Society and
Blue Key and Gridiron, cmTipoa
honor organizations.
He is a lieutenant colone. in the
the university R. O. T. C. and is a
member of Scabbard and B f ade*.
national honorary military society.
ing a basis for a good pasture sod.
The Bermuda grass will spread firm
the galled spots to adjoining pasture
areas.
J. W. Jackson, County AgjL ,