Newspaper Page Text
PAGE SIX
THE AMERICUS TIMES-RECORDER
ESTABLISHED 1879.•
Published by"" THE TIMESRECORDf Ji CO Ln<M |'
President; Lovelace Eve, Secretary; W. S. Kirkpatrick, Treasurer. ,
WM. S. KIRKPATRICK. Editor; LOVELACK EVE, Burin— Maaagar. I
Published everyafternoon, cneept Saturday; every Sunday mem
tng, and as weekly (every Thursday.)
OFFICIAL ORGAN FOR:—City of Americus Sumter County, Raß
road Commission of Georgia for Third Congressional District, U. 8. Court,
Southern District of Georgia. ——-
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Daily and Sunday, by mail, per year j
n advance; by carrier, 15c per week, 65c per month, S . 80 per year.
Weekly edition $1.50 per year in advance. ,
Entered as second-class matter at the poctofflee at Americus, Geor
gia, according to the Act of Congress. I
National Advertising Representatives:
FROST. LANDIS & KOHN
Brunswick Bldg. Peoples Gas Bldg. Candler Bldg.
New York Chicago Atlanta
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS. The Associated Press io exclus
ively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches credited
to it or not otherwise credited in this paper, and also the local newa pub
lished herein. All rights of republication of special dispatches herein con
tained are also reserved. i|
LIQUOR AND THE PLATFORM
The Democratic National convention, after applauding Bryan
loud and long for what many considered the greatest oratorical ef
fort of his life, gave Col. William Jennings the greatest drubbing of
his life inside the party Friday evening when it voted down by 6 to I,
his proposed plank in the party platform declaring for bone-dry en
forcement oT the prohibition laws. By an equally decisive majority,
however, the convention also voted down the ‘wet’' plank proposed
by the opponents of Mr. Bryan.
It was a great moment —or afternoon—for the party, and it
probably will strike the great bulk of citizens that the convention did
the sensible thing in adopting the platform as built by the committee
and containing no mention of the liquor issue.
For the liquor issue has been settled. Prohibition is demanded
by the federal constitution and it will require a two-thirds vote of
the people to change it. Drastic enforcement'laws are on the statute
books of the nation, and just as we may assume that the laws to
punish murder, arson and other high crimes will be enforced without
a declaration in the party platform, we may assume that the men
charged with the administration of the law will enforce the acts
meant to deal with violators of the anti-liquor amendment without
making the matter a party issue. ,
Prohibition is a reality, so far as the laws are concerned, and
time will make it a fact. It will be a fact when succeeding generations
grow up without the knowledge of the saloon and without the desire
or temptation to take strong drink.
EQUALS
"Why is the Fourth of July?" • *
To induce us to read the Declaration.
And to attempt to understand it.
It would be illuminating to know how many Americans read and
do understand it.
Ask the next ten citizens you meet to quote the gist of it.
Ask yourself.
Not to embarrass you, here tis:
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident,
that all Men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inal
ienable rights,
that among these are Life Liberty and the Pursuit of Happi
ness.
that to secure these rights Governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from the Consent of
the governed,
that whenever any Form of Government becomes destruc
tive to these Ends, it is he right of the people o alte’’ or
abolish it," etc.
Now, begin at the beginning and ask your ten citizens whether
they endorse the statements or not.
If five out of ten do not deny the first clause, you’re lucky in
your acquaintances.
‘All men created equal' Haw! Haw!
"Abraham Lincoln and Uncle Tom!
"Leonardo da Vinci and Reuben Boob!
"Me and John Smith. Equals? Wow!"
Yet Jefferson neither says nor intimates that a blind man equals
an astronomer in eye-sight.
that a one-armed cripple equals Dempsey in the ring,
that an illiterate can write plays like Shakespeare.
What he does say is that they have equal title to ‘certain unalien
able right."
Because Dempsey has the physical prowess to take the Life of
the one-armed man does not entitle him to do so.
Because Lincoln is President, he may not deprive Uncle 1 om
of his Liberty.
Because John D. has a billion he may not interfere with the
pauper’s pursuit of happiness.
Any government which gives one the privilege of interfering
with these Rights ought to be "altered," or "abolished."
There you have it.
Old Stuff?
Sure
But if you think it doesn't need to be said consult your ten cit
izens.
FIGHT FOR THEM
Take time, right now, neighbor, to get these Fourth o July facts
straight and vivid.
It’s your day, dedicated to YOUR liberties. Fight for those lib
erties—your personal, individual liberties any day, any minute, at
the drop of the hat—when anybody, high or low, steps on them.
That goes whether you are a new American, with your second
papers just issued, or the great-grandson of a Pilgrim who kicked the
first moss off Plymouth Rock.
Your "inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happi
ness,” was flung defiantly in the Teutonic face of an autocratic old
profiteer just 1 44 years ago today. Brave men flung it. Brave men
are needed today. There are other autocratic profiteers now, more
cunning and more tricky than frumpy, frowsy George the Third.
Watch them and swat them.
But that wonderful Declaration, wasn't enough. So the fathers
wrote another piece, to make it plain and solid—the Constitution.
They said, "We, the PEOPLE * * *in order to * * secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and es
tablish this Constitution. •
The ink was not dry on it before lawyers began to quibble and
superior people began to walk all over the rights of common folks. So
to make it dead sure, the l athers quickly adopted amendments. They
wrote it bold and straight that our government must never abridge
free speech, free press, free assembly; that no policeman or deputy
sheriff should ever search your home or drag you from it without due
process of law; that no judge, proud or petty, should ever sentence
you to prison without a fair, public trial.
The Fathers won THEIR liberty by fighting for it, against big
odds. You will have to fight, also, to keep YOUR liberties. Eternal
vigilance is the price. And it’s worth it!
IN 1776
THE I)Ay TWS
// Straight thinking IF--1
// AW talking ABOUNDED, 'a 3
I AND Tttfc PLATVORtn L __
M OE THOtAAS h I -S
XAM.S TRUE: TO ITS PROMISE,)j M '
a, amd its plahk-s vvvrt
V. AS Sou HD a/s TNty j
SOUND&b. / . 'V'MI
\ ttJMUHD VAKCE COOKE / yZ/* ' JI/ T
t-sc —I o ’
CT BuiupTM
that how. ! \
) ToHt'W *■ 17
/ oy- '
/ //DEPENDENCE-
r/_ L-i < / _
Wjdiiiii J* ■ 1 I JL r 1
IF LIBERTY BELL COULD TALK WHAT
A STORY SHE COULD TELL
As It Is the Interviewer Must Depend Quite a Bit Upon His Imagination.
BY JAMES HENLE
.PHILADELPHIA, July 3.—1 have
just had an exclusive interview with
the Liberty Bell. It has been some
time since she talked for publication.
The last previous occasion was in
1935 at the funeral of Chief Justice
John Marshall. Today only the
eventful Independence Day persuad
ed her to break her long silence.
Like many good women, however,
the Bell has talked enough in her
time and has suffered for it, as any
photograph of her shows.
“It must be trying to be on exhibi
tion all the time,” I ventured.
‘Every day is a month of Sundays,
and besides this is Philadelphia,” the
Bell explained. “The minutes go
by slowly you can count them like
flivvers on a country road. They us
ed to have me in a case but so many
people from Painted Post and Kan
kakee wanted tol be able to say they
had touched me, that the attendants
were kept busy opening and closing
the door of my cage. Now anybody
can touch me. The other day a
rather good-looking young person
from Wyoming kissed me. That
wasn’t half bad.”
“Let’s get back to the country’s
welfare,” 1 said hurriedly. “Do you
think our public men are as big as
those you remember?”
“Their heads are bigger,” replied
the Bell. ,
“Don’t kid me,” I protested.
“Well, if you must know, the
boys who are running the country to
day aren’t a bad lot. They are good
enough in their way, but they aren’t
satisfied with just being themselves.
They always want you to think they
are someone else—Washington or
Lincoln or someone like that.”
“But don’t you think we are mak
ing progress, very rapidly these
days?” I insisted. “Look at the air
plane and Babe Ruth. Think how
handy his bat would have come in
during the Revolutionary War.”
“Somehow or other we managed
to get along without him,” said the
Bell modestly. “Im sure I don’t
know how we did.” .
,“You weren’t as up-to-date,” I re
joined. “You didn’t have any mo
vies or anything.”
"We go. along without them and
without p’ess agents, too,” asserted
the Bell. “In my time—l mean
when I was young—-a public official
went about his work and if he did
anything good, the people found it
out in due time and remembered it.
Some of the men in office /today
waste most of their energy in tell
ing what they are going to do. They
are all tired out by the time they
get down to work.”
“I don’t follow you there,” I said.
“A good guy needs a good press
agent. Look at Mitchell Palmer.
Where wou’G he be without his?”
“Where, indeed?’ asked the Bell.
“Besides, didn’t I hear something
about the way the Department of
Justice treated aliens?”
“Shucks,’ ’I said. “They weren’t
even citizens.”
“Would you mind looking at my
inscription?” said the Bell.
I walked about the Bell and read:
“Proclaim Liberty throughout all the
Land unto all the inhabitants
thereof.—Lev. xxv. 10.”
“Doesn’t say anything about citi
zens there, does it?” demanded the
Bell.
“Well, you’ve got to admit there,
are some big men toda’ - and right
here in Philadelphia, too,” I return
ed. “What about Penrose?”
“Don’t make me laugh,” said the
Bell, “my lip’s cracked.”
THE AMERICUS TIMES-RECORDER.
® r HbWO
Kill'
M 1 MW
i I Wi
i
■
Lberty Bell as she looks today.
lI7HAT times for boys when South
" and North we had the real old
fashioned Fourth, our apex of de
sire; before the city fathers rose and,
turning on a legal hose, quenched
all our ardent fire! Some ever-pres
ent happenings there were, some fa
tal little things, but what could you
expect? Gunpowder when combin
ed with boys has other potencies than
noise and something might be wreck
ed. So little Rufus Wilberforce
would have his eyes blown out, of
course, or lose his dexter ear, 1 and
forty lads about the state could be
referred to as “the late” what time
the night drew near. Now came the
-J - . \ «2jSa l^- r _- lirnr _A£.Ll^
. AMERICUS UNDERTAKING CO.
Funeral Directors and Embalmers.
Nat LeMaster, Manas r
Day Phones 88 and 231. Night 661 and 161
PROMPT SERVICE TAXI CO.
Office at Bee Hive Store
Phone 417
Your Patronage Solicited
vTMILE AWHILE
LEE HINGSTOK
crowning evening thrill, the fire
works set off on the hill; well, you
know how things are: Somebody 1
played the earnest dunce, the whole
darned pile went off at once—then
calls for “Gates Ajar.” Today •we
may not care to go to see the local
statesman throw a fit upon the stage,
as he the “Declaration” reads and
sweat rolls down his nose in beads
to splash upon the page; yet when
he’s done, he’s done for good, there
is no sobbing neighborhood, no un
dertakers’ hearse, so lets’ attend and
cheer and’ shout to hear the good
old words ring out, for, sure, it
might be worse.
C. P. DAVIS
Dental Surgeon
Orthodontina, Pyorrhoea
Res. Phone 316. Office Phone 818
IDEALS SAGGING
BY DR. JAMES I. VANCE
Founder of Inter-Church World Movement and Chairman Federal
Council of Churches of America
Is America coming to this? Have
our national ideals sagged? Are we
less altruistic than
’ &■£''' i»9K
we were during
the war? Is our in
terest more cir
cumscribed? Is
our Concern more
self-centered?
What is to be
said of the business
life of America to
day? There is
plenty of business
but will our busi
n e s s methods
stand a close scrut
iny? We are suf
fering from high'
prices, and prices
are high not al
ways because supplies are short.
It is a race for profits, and men
are not overscrupulous as to how
profits are made, provided they are
made fast and big. Speculation in
sugar has become a scandal. It re
quires more heroism than many a
shopkeeper can muster to be satis
fied with 30 per cent profit when the
public will submit to 60.
What is to be said of our social
life? There is a laxity that shocks
the old-fashioned notions of pro
priety. Dress has reached an ex
treme which makes decency close its
eyes. There is a suggestiveness
L. G. COUNCIL, President T. E. BOLTON, Asst. Cashier
C. M. COUNCIL, V.- P.& Cashier. JOE M. BRYAN, Asst. Cashier
(Incorporated)
THE Planters Bank 0F Americus
Resources Over $1,500,000.00
are ec l u 'PP to render
you ever y banking service
Strict adherence to sound
' jfWmS banking principles, and a de-
'i served reputation foe con-
' - v servatism and strength, has
-? won tor us the confidence
°t the public to an unusSal
it degree. Ourbank invites
y ° Ur aCCOOnt on its recor d*
PROMPT, CONSERVATIVE, ACCOMMODATING
No Account Too Large; None Too Small
*7 COMMERCIAL -
CITY BANK
Ml Organised Augu t 3rd, 1908.
I en ** e,Tor *° transact with
»I 1 I intelligence and dispatch the baai-
JB “•»» •“trusted to us by our «w«-
. tomers, and always to co-operate
ammnMn with them in the up-building of
r • t r-. n t-'n u- their business, and to safeguard
Commercial City Bank Building their financial interest.
CRAWFORD WHEATLEY, President
SAMUEL HARRISON, Cashier
DATE OF CHARTER, Oct. 13, 1891.
Our officers appreciate your patronage and want
your connection with this Bank to be of distinct benefit
to you, as well as a pleasant relationship. We hope you
will feel free to make full use of our facilities in all de
partments.
WE INVITE YOUR ACCOUNT.
Bank of Commerce
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.
J. W. Sheffield. Lee Hudson, C. R. Crisp
Frank Sheffield Cashier John Sheffield
MONEY si°| o
MONEY LOANED
paying part or all of principle at any interest period, stopping in
terest on amounts aid. We always have best rates and easiest
terms and give quickest service. Save money by seeing or writing ns.
G. R. ELLIS or G. C. WEBB.
AMERICUS, GEORGIA.
TURNER ELECTRIC COMPANY
ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES AND CONTRACTORS.
Phone 124. Windsor Ave. Night Phono *OB
(Service Is Our Motto.)
Estimates cheerfully furnished on all classes of work. We carry a com
plete line of Fixtures, Lamps, Fans, Boudoir Lamps, Irons, Sewing Ma
chine Motors and Heating Elements of all kinds. See our display.
SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 4, 1920
about the exposure of the human
body which causes one to wonder
who set the fashions. Vice flaunts
itself in the face of virtue.
Refinement is retired to make
place for appearance, and amuse
ments are so highly seasoned that
even the palate of a roue might be
excused for going on a strike. The
question seems to be, not what will
help people live decently, but how
far we can go in crowding back the
sanctities of life without falling over
the edge? . •
What shall be said of politics?
There is not much to be proud of.
What high-minded patriotic Ameri
can can survey the past six months
in Congress with pride? It will not
go down in history as a period con
spicuous for unselfish and broad
minded statesmanship.
The soldiers won the war, and the
politicians have list it. While our
armies were in the field, we were a
public service nation, but since the
signning of the armistice, America
has been absorbed with America for
the Americans, Has a nation no du
ties?
It is time a halt were called, and
we think of the flag. It is the flag of
I a nation that has never needed a sec
-1 ond summons to come to the relief
of the down-trodden and oppressed.
Same on any nation that mock's a
God who says: “I will have mercy!”