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PLOT TO SPREAD BALL
Laid Bare By Governon-Elect
Hoke Smith.
WROTE HIM AND MADE PERSONAL VISIT
Original Pair, It Seems, Has 100,-
000 Insects They Aim to Intro
duce Into This State and South
•Carolina—Olficlals Will Seek
to Prevent.
Atlanta.—An alleged plot to in
oculate the cotton fields of Georgia
and South Carolina with 100,000 of
the dread boll weevil has been dis
covered and made public by Gov
ernor-elect Hoke Smith.
Information of this caibe to Mr.
Smith, according to a statement he
gave out Saturday, in a letter from
a man in New Orleans,., who later
went to Atlanta and had a personal
interview with Mr. Smith, corrob
orating the facts contained in the
communication.
According to the st@ry given out
by Mr. Smith, he received this
startling letter on February 1. He
at once communicated" with Com
missioner of Agriculture Hudson
and State Entomologist Worsham.
In'accordance” with the suggestion
contained in the letter of the New
Orleans man, Mr. Smith inserted a
want ad in the New York .Jerald
on February 5. .On February 10
the •Jvjswv Orleans-•mail .^veut. 'to-Wto-
ianta and conferred with Mr. Smith,
rcitofating' the statements in his let
ter. My. Smith says he cannot di
vulge the name of his informant,
but hag^; every confidence in his in
tegrity. Here is the original letter
disclosing the plot:
“Hon. Hoke Smith, Governor-
elect of Georgia.
“Dear Sir: In writing this
letter I'do so because I feel it my
duty and I know you well enough
by reputation to know you will
appreciate/it fully. I will be as
brief as possible and get right to
the point.
“There are two men, one from
Texas, and I am not just sure
where the other is from at this
writing, but I should say Chicago
from his talk, who are going to
distribute boll weevils in every cot
ton-raising county in Georgia and
South Carolina in the next ninety
days. They claim to have 100,
•O00 live insects now, and they
showed me a box containing (I
should say) 5,000 of them.
“Their object, in discussing it
with me, was to get me to help them
distribute the .weevil and share in
vthe profits—that is, I was to buy
' 1,00(0 bales of October cotton
think from the talk that one man
has already gone to Augusta with
several thousand in small boxes.
“How I happened to be able to
•write you this information came
about in this way: I met one of
the men wliom I have known for
several years and we had two
three drinks together and the con
versation drifted to cotton. lex-
pressed a belief that cotton would
decline 100 points or more. Finally
he said if I would give him my word
as a man he would tell me some
thing out of which I could make a
^fortune. I promised him and this
was the scheme he disclosed to me
He gave me a mass of Setails, etc.
that are for the present worthless
The second man seemed afraid to
trust me, or anyone elsfe, in this
case the man whom I knew assured
him I was all O. K, hence the
confidence. I felt it was my duty
to do something, so I thought I
would write you and let you advis®
the officers and farmers to bo on tjie
lookout for suspicious people. I am.
a business man here and do not
want any notoriety, so I must make
this an anonymous letter. Am leav
ing for New York tonight. If you
are interested-, insert a pcrsbnal in
the New York Herald and sigh it
‘Georgia’ in next Sunday’s (Febru
ary 5) paper. I am willing to come
and see you and do anything you
think best. I promised upon my
honor I would not disclose anv
names, but I might help you anu
your officers intercept the insects
and arrest the men with them.
“New Orleans, January 31.”
After Mr. Smith had consulted
with Hudson and Worsham the
personal was inserted in the New
York Herald and the writer of the
letter conferred with the governor-
elect Friday. It is said he corrob
orated the facts he had written, bu l
would not divulge the names of the
two men implicated.
Just what plan will be agreed on
to apprehend the two men and pre
vent the scattering of the weevil has
nit been divulged. Some believe
that the whole thing is a fake of
some sort, but just tvhat the game is
does not appear.
Mr. Smith and others, however,
take the matter seriously and warn
farmers to be on their guard. The
planting of the boll weevil in Geor
gia vAuld .j'.ym (t.i n: i m 1 Liens' dol-
Much Interest Being Shown
In The Progress’ Contest
Many Names Being Nominated By Their Friends in the
Various Districts. Others Will Probably Enter in
the Next Few Days.
To the Farmers of Grady
JCounty Thursday.
Great interest is beirg shown in The Progress’ Great Popularity
Voting Contest. The first week brought in quite a few nominations,
many of same starting out with the determination of winning one of the
valuable prizes offered by this paper. Now fellow citizens, it is up to
you to help these ladies win theit prizes by subscribing or renewing
your subscription to this paper or giving them such advertising that they
might solicit. Prepare for a call for they are going to call on every
person in The Progress’ territory.
Ladies if your name doesn’t appear among these nominated, and
■you wish to nnter this contest, fill out the nomination coupon published
elsewhere in this issue and send same in to this office at once and ge
an early start with the others, for its going to be I he lady that gets the
lead at the start that makes the others hustle to catch her. Nomina
tions continu to come in and will likely be 2 or 3 .weeks before all the
nominations are in. So don’t wait. Send in your name or the name
of some friend that you would like to see win one of these grand prizes.
DO IT NOW.
Below is published a list of nominations up to date, which shows
there is considerable interest being shown among the citizens who would
like to see their favorite win.
The names of the ladies that appear below have
their credit:
COWS, HORSES, ETC
Large Urowd Met Train Here-
Doubled Las! Year’s Crowd-
Improved Farm Machinery.
The “College on Wheels” vis- +
lafeirf damage to cotton grinder's.
Entomologist Is Worried Over
Boll Weevil Report.
E. Lee Worsham, sliate entomol
ogist, is considerably worried over
the report that unknown parties
have planned to distribute the boll
weevil over Georgin and the Caro-
linas.
* ‘Of course I know nothing of the
eport except that contained in the
statement issued by Governor-elect
Hoke Smith and in which he stated
information has come to him that
unknown parties have planned to
introduce the boll weevil into this
state surreptitiously,” said Mr.
Worsham.
“It is possible that such a thing
Sb contemplated by persons who de
sire to reduce the supply of cotton
and thus run up the pi ice and it
could be done very easily with dis
astrous results. A few handfuls of
weevils dropped from"a train would
soon over-run the state with the
pest.
‘Under ordinary conditions the
boll weevil is not due to reach Geor
gia until probably the latter part of
next year, but should it reach Geor
gia before that time and when we
are not prepared to fight it success
fully, the damage would be incal
culable,”
Mr. Worsham recalled the fact
that-about six years ago the boll
weevil suddenly appeared upon the
farm at the Mississippi experiment
station and that government experts
reached the conclusion that the pest
had been introduced there by some
person or persons desiring to dam
age the cotton crop.
Miss Sallie Belle Cooper
" Nelle Denton
“ Addie Lou Powell \-
“ Lucile Stringer
“ Mary Bell
“ Ora Brunson
“ Clyde Griper
“ Annie Lee Dekle
“ Viola Blitch
“ Lela More
“ Maggie Rehberg «. ;•
Rc«jcft;(lle Morrison ^
Mrs. J. W. Jones
1,000 votes to
Cairo, Ga.
Miss Maggie Pearl Lee
~ elle
Estelle Herring
Carrie Autry
Callie Vickers
Mattie Butler
Winiford Harp er
Bertha Powell
- ty/higham
Spring Hill
Pine Level
Woodland
Pelham
J. L. Smith, of Eldorendo, Deca
tur county, is said to have a can
ning industry at his place that is
paying handsomely. This is a bit
of news that 1 will be of considerable
encouragement to a large number
of people who have been somewhat
shy on the canning business.
A VERY DELIGHTFUL OCCASION EPWCRTH
LEAGUE SOCIAL AT MB POWELL’S
The Epworth League exists for the
training and the develop ement of
the young people of the church in
in all things that will fit and pre
pare them for futur e usefulness in
the Kingdom of Christ. It recog
nizes not only the spiritual and in
tellectual sides of young life, but it
also seeks to provide for the social
nature as well, It believes in cul
tivating our relations as individuals
one with another; it believes in the
mingling of the Sexes in the social
side of life and in the orginazation
of the League, this side of our lives
has been recognized in providing a
social department, with a vice pres
ident in charge. Miss Addie Lou
Powell fills this office for the pres
ent year, having charge of the social
activities of the young people. No
more competent person and no one
more interested in that which makes
for the social welfare, the clean,
pure enjoyment of the young life of
our community,, could have charge
>f this very important part of the
League work.
It was a “Valentine Social” and
-so the invitations were written on
paper cut in the shape of hearts
and this old idea of Valentine Day
was also used very successfully to
;be interest and the mirth of the
guests. The home was attractively
lecorated with the League colors,
festoons of crape paper hanging
from cornor to cornor, all gracefully
’gather on the electric light chan-
Hicrs. The guests, nearly fifty in
number, filled the double parlors
The hostess, assisted bv her mother
and Mrs. George Wight, was un
tiring in her efforts at interesting
her fiionds and the tide of social
enjoyment was not allowed to ebb,
till it reached its full in the use of
that old game, borrowed from our
ancesters back in old England, in
■which each young man chose his
‘ ‘valentine. It was innocent, amus
ing and novel. All present voted
Miss Addie Lou Powell not only
charming, but also a very sucessful
hostess.
Just before the happy guest turned
reluctant feet homeward, tl.e double
doors between the parlors and the
dining room were thrown open and
they were invited to partake
soirie elegant and abundant refresh
ments. The social was a delightful
succes in every way and the you ng
people hope that the rule of the
League, “a monthly social,” will
NTERESTING EXHIBITS
WERE SHOWN
be carried out henceforth.
One of the Young People.
Carrying Coals to Newcastle.
From Cotton and Cotton Oil News.
Importing cotton into this country
would seem to be like carrying coa
to Newcastle.
However, last year the United
States imported two million dollars’
worth of cotton. Oyer two-thirds
of this came from Egvpt.
The Egyptian Cotton is used in
those manufactures wh ere a fine
grade of cotton is required.
Cotton-gro Ayers of this ocuntry
might do well to impro ve the staple
and to experiment with sea island
and Egyptian cotton along the coast
country with a view to growing long
staple cotton to meet the increasing
demand for such cotton.
ited Cairo Thursday at noon.
A large number of farmers
from every section of Grady was
here to see and hear.
The train, on its arriyal, was
greeted by the Cairo Concert
Band.
Much interest was displayed
by the citizens in the various lec
tures and exhibits.
The school children were per
mitted to visit the cars and in
spect the exhibits.
The exhibits on the second edu
cational train are tastefully ar
ranged, and present in graphic
form data of interest on every ,
phase of agricultural practice in’
the state of Georgia. The car oi
live stock was very attractive. •
Some splendid specimen^ of'
horses, cattle, sheep,’ swine’ and
poultry are carried on the car.
They were exhibited on a flat’car,
and this enabled all to-se^ them
to advantage. The car • of farm
machinery proved interesting ot
.many . ’ There was a gas ggine
which drives a motor, showing
liuvv ligin: for the farm may be.
provided; various grinding mills
and a gin such as farmers might
use to delint their choice selected
seed, and prevent them being
contaminated by pressing through
a public gin. a manure spreader,
deep tiling plow, and various
other implements the use of
which means better preparation ,
of the land and larger and more
profitable crops.
In the baggage cars many of
the exhibits shown were behind
glass and presented a very at
tractive sight. Everything had
been labled with the utmost
care, and one taking time enough
to pass through the car gathered
much valuable information with/
out the aid of a guide, though
some fourteen experts accompany
the train for the sole purpose of
giving information to visitors.
The boys’ corn club exhibits,
showing methods of germinating
and testing seed, interested
many. The soil analyses shown
were certninly as important as
anything could be to the farmers
of the state. The exhibit of cot
ton grades prove instructive to
all who studied them for a few
minutes. The model farm show
ing how the land should be divided
to enable the practice of an eco
nomic rotation is one of the most
instructive features of the train.
The workin dairy furnished many
valuable lessons. Artifical cot
ton plants and charts had been
prepared to illustrate the effect
of a deficiency in certain elements,
such as potash on plant growth.
A section of plants just as they
grow in the field forms a feature
of the cotton exhibit and illus
trates a yield of about two and
a half bales to the acre. This is
one of. the selected \ strain-5 of
cotton produced on the farm
w'-ich is resistant to anthracno je,
a disease which causes millions
of dollars loss in Georgia. In
addition there were exhibits of
spray machinery and spray ma
terial for controlling injurious
insects and plant diseases.
The State Department of Ento
mology has a very attractive dis
play. Valuable ds.ta waspresented
relative to fertilizers and ferti-
Continued on last page.
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