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the enterprise
VOL. 45. NO. 26
3EA R IN MIN T/> Many People Read THE ENTERPRISE Who Do Not See Any Other Newton Gounty Paper !
IRSTBAPTIST church
CORNERSTONE IS LAID
imple But Impressive Ceremony Marked
Event Monday Afternoon.
'he laying of the corner stone of
new First Baptist church was a
jnificant event occurring last Mon
y Appropriate afternoon. ceremonies attendant
a this auspicious occasion were held
11 5 o clock and were presided over
Rev. E R. Pendleton the church’s
tor. appointed hour large
kt the and friends a of num- the
r [ of the members
rch assembled at the Floyd-st. en
[ nce of the edifice to witness the
Lessive L exercises. Brittain, who had served
r j m.
church as pastor thirty-two years
b had accepted an invitation to be
U en t and preside on this very in¬
festing occasion. Shortly before the
sir for the ceremonies to begin a
egrara was received which read
sly: disappointed, and
‘Too sick, sorry,
lered to the mountains. Love to
”
Hiis was signed by Dr. Brittain
■ s read by Mr. Pendleton.
'■Growing old in God’s service finds
expression in the life of
Brittain who is now fully 70
‘^Brs ^Kderly old, referred and to this at Mr. the Pendleton opening
■ Bn the exercises.
opening Mr. Pendleton said he
Hd Hd never seen a corner stone laid
was not familiar with the exer
es attending such occasions. To
audience, however, he met the
crgency nobly, conducting the cer
onies in a most impressive man
r.
mong other things Mr. Pendleton
Id:
‘The purpose of the building of
i new church has not been a nar
iv one. It is not needed for the
went congregation,” he explained,
ut it is intended for the town
UILD GOOD ROADS ON
■ I I IOROUGU B{j SI iNi LBB
substantial Citizen and Business Man
lines a Good, Sensible Plan.
pitor By W. C. CLARK,
Enterprise: —
(Make it the Business of Good Roads
F it is the business of each individ-
1 of the towns, cities and county to
[ye bsion good of the roads, people and from the the state, ex
over
py are in favor of good roads,
[at d cheapest being true, plan what to is the them? best
that secure
would the stockholders of a
fenufacturing plant or a railroad do,
at had been paid into its business
r many years, money and labor,
ith little or no returns of profit to
i stockholders; done the work that had
fen faracter was of such a temporary
it was necessary every
>ar or two, to do the same work
f er. thereby loosing or wasting
nney and labor. After this trying
iperience it was seen .that by the
le of more money to build a sub
antial plant or road bed, the main
nanee of the plant would be nom
ai, and the profits would be doub
a or more, would the stockholders
tsitate to vote the authority to the
rectors to raise the funds neces
P ond to make these improvements by
issue? No, they would be too
ixtous to receive the liberal divi
° n their investment. Why not
V hood sarae rule to the Business
j Roads? Who
dders are the stock
of Newton county? Her citi
ns - Have they received satis-
The Lowest Market Prices
Are always to be had of us in Bed Room,
Parlor, Dining Room, Kitchen and Office
Furniture. fJLawn Swings, Porch goods, i
Matting, Rugs, Art squares, cook stoves,
Refrigerators, Ice Chests, Ice Cream
freezers, Fireless cookers
Everything that g oes to make your Home o place of comfort.
Our Undertaking department !s the best in
city having the only Licensed Embalmer.
Everitts Furniture Store.
COVINGTON, GEORGIA
large,the county, the future and great
er Coving* on.”
“It represents a great denomination
and we belive that its principles were
good in the past, are good now and
will be good in the future.”
Pointing to the building Mr. Pendle
ton said: “Such a building belongs
to the whole community and en
hances every dollars’ worth of prop
ei'ty in the whole county and town.
It belongs to the people because it
is democratic and next to the court
house it is the freest institution of
all.”
The building when completed and
furnished, Mr. Pendleton said, that
with everything possible in sight,
would have an indebedness of about
$3,000 hanging over it still,
but he cheerfully expressed the
strong belief that the town which
would receive such a large and ma
terial benefit from it, would stand
behind It and would not for a mo
ment rest till the last dollar of the
indebtedness had been liquidated.
In closing Mr. Pendleton lapsing
into a reflective mood said:
“As I came from the depot(where
j he fleeted had gone and imagined to meet Dr. what Brittain( I
it
be when some future generation
might look around and find the pres
ent pastor then the ‘common old
man.’ ”
Following this he offered a
fervent prayer which closed the ex
ercises of this most auspicious
casion.
Deposited in the tablet among
things were: A copy of the
of the church, the Baptist Bulletin
containing a history of the church,
the telegram from Dr. Brittain, and
minutes of the Stone
tion when Dr. Brittain was mou<:
tor.
factory returns from the labor
money expended on their
If the maojrity of the citizens
good roads, why not look at it as
any other business proposition
would be' undertaken for the profits
it would yield its stockholders?
the county hasn’t the money to do
the work in the substantial manner
required, its stockholders own prop¬
erty wherewith to back the invest¬
ment The county
are the directors. Vote them the
authority to raise the money by is¬
suing bonds, and place the Business
of Good Roads on a dividend paying
basis. Build roads and bridges that
will be a credit to the county.and
it will be a stimulus to every enter¬
prise and individual in the county.
This work should be mid out by a
competent civil engineer in sections
and done to a large extent by the
citizens of the county. If Newton
county does not make these needed
improvements now,the time will
when she will be forced to make
to keep her trade. Don’t wait to
be forced to do such work.
Newton county cannot afford
let her sister counties lead her in
this Business of Good Roads,
the lead and stay there, and reap
the benefits of business,
and progress.
W. C. Clark.
COVINGTON, GA., FRIDAY JULY 23 1909.
STARTLING FACTS ARE SHOWN
By an Extract from State School Commission¬
er Pound’s Annual Report.
State School Commissioner Jere M. Pound has given out the finest
and most stirring report on education the people of Georgia have read in
many years. 'His presentation of facts concerning illiteracy in Georgia
is striking and appalling.
Commissioner Pound’s report will have a mighty influence on the com¬
pulsory education bill now before the legislature, It looks as if the
time had come when the state must compel attendance at school if we
are to wipe OUT the black spot of illiteracy in Georgia.
Mr. Pound is doing the state a magnificent service.
The following is taken from his report:
“As to illiteracy in Georgia, our census demonstrates that eleven
and five tenths per cent of children over ten years of age can not
read, which means that there are still 83,380 illiterates in the state, of
whom about 20,000 are white children, and for the neglect of whom
there is no adequate excuse. This is simply appalling, when we con¬
sider that we have been working on the problem of public education for
white children one hundred and twenty-six years and have maintained
our common school system in its present form for more than forty years.
To be sure, the systematic lack of system in educational affairs requir¬
ed by the intense individualism of our people, is chargeable with much
of the inefficiency of our schools and the lack of results attained by
them; and a wise reorganization of them and a more adequate super¬
vision are much desired.
But even then there will remain a small portion of our people to
whom education makes no appeal.
Since the last previous census in 1903, the total of illiteracy has been
reduced only one and six-tenths per cent. At that rate, we shall wait
fifty years yet and expend more than $100,000,000 before we shall ban¬
ish illiteracy entirely, and be rid of its curse. I know the conservatism
of our people and their natural aversion to governmental interference
with the home and its affairs, and I have been slow to come to any con¬
clusion that the state should add its authority to parental control over
children.
But to temporize longer with the sodden ignorance or stupid indif¬
ference of a few whites, who, wanting in a sense of parental responsibility
still deny their children the most natural and rudimentary rights, is un*
pardonable folly. In this illiterate residium is where society most eas
; ily and most often breaks down and government fails. It will cost far
more in money and in tears to punish the steady flow of criminals that
j issue from it than to educate the whole mass.
1 But to educate it is vastly safer, juster, more humane. If we may
tax the ninet y or nintety-five per cent, of our people and distrain and
: sell their property for public education, why, by a parity of reason
| tions ing,may we not compel the untaught few who defy society and its conven
’ t0 avail themBelves of tb * opportunities which this taxation pro
cures for them and their children?
Enforced school attendance is a complement to taxation for educa¬
tional purposes and a supplement to Child Labor Laws. We have long
since admitted the^orinciple
Why shrink from a mild and beneficent application of it? The schools
have done what they could; and, in spite of them, ignorance, as is its
nature, still propagates and perpetuates itself.
It would seem, therefore, high time for the state to assert its au¬
thority and lodge with school officials, to be used in their discretion,
some reasonable power to regulate school attendance and to rescue neg¬
lected children from enforced ignorance and consequent depravity, giving
them, notwithstanding their parents, a chance in life.”
TO ASK ORDINARY TO CALL AN ELECTION
To the Honorable Ordinary of New¬
ton County, Georgia:
“Whereas Newton County has been
receiving its pro rata of School
Funds arising from the net hire
of convicts until tjie new law went
into effect this year, and
“Whereas it has become necessary
to cut the school term by reason of
our no longer receiving said funds,
we the undersigned citizens and qual¬
ified voters of Newton County, re¬
siding outside the limits of the City
of Covington, realizing the absolute
necessity of supplementing the pub¬
lic funds received from the State, in
order to maintain better schools with
a longer term, hereby petition you to
order, as early as the provisions of
the law will permit, a county election
for local tax for public schools."
Petition forms bearing the above
caption have been distributed through
out the county. In answer to inquir
ies from this office, we are receiving
reports from the counties which
have already voted local tax, and are
now operating their schools under
the local tax system.
An interesting communication from
Hon. F. L. Florence, County School
| Commissioner of Morgan county will
i appear in the next issue of the En
I terprise. We have received the fol -1
j lowing letter from Hon. J. W. Bivins, j
j County School Commissioner °f j
i Crisp county: I
Cordele, Ga., July 16, 1909. |
! Hon. A. H. Foster. C. S. C.,
Covington, Ga. !
My Dear ^ Sir:— !
, Crisp county has taxation outside
the city of Cordele, the city hav- (
ing had a local system for several
I vears. The county tax rate for school
! purposes is only two dollars on the i
! thousand, of property values. Year
before last we operated seven tax dis
tricts successfully, without a kick
trom anybody.
This year we operated the county
system for the first time. The peo
j pie are not only pleased but delight-'
ed. We were able to get better teach
! ers and paid them without a day’s de
lay at increased salaries. The term
the balance Under the seven months
j Under the six months term the coun¬
ty paid about 75 per cent of the |
salaries and the people scrapped up
the balance. Under the seven month !
tax term, 2 1-2 months before and
4 1-2 after Christmas, the countv
paid all.
There are 1405 white children in
Crisp county, outside of Cordele, and
ninety per cent enrolled under the
county tax system. This represents
an increase of about thirtv per cent
over the year before, and the average
attendance was practically the same.
It has helped us to finish putting pat¬
ent desks in every school, and in ac¬
cumulating school property.
Despite the fact that the convict
money has been taken away, which
means a good deal to Crisp, as it
does to other counties, our term will
remain the same and our tax rate
will remain at two mills. We propose
in addition, to allow any community
as much as two additional months for
thq coming year, provided the people
will pay one-half the expense for the
two months, or any part thereof.
j CO uld n ot detail all the advan
tages of sdy>plementing the State mon
e y with tax money, in one short ar
tic i e , or a i ong one without probably
growing tiresome. I have been clerk
an( } treasurer of the city board for
many years and I knew what taxation
would do for the country schools, but
j didn’t think it would work quite so
well and without a single kicker,
School conditions and property val
ues will have to rule the rate your
county should assess. I do not mean
to be rude, but I think that any
man who opposes the system stands
in his own light, whether he is direct
ly interested by having children to
educate or not; if he has no childrei
it is a narrow view for him to plant]
his opposition upon. ,
Yours sincerely, j
J. W. Bivens,
C. S. C. Crisp Countyj
We would call especial attention to j
f n e fact that Crisp county has had i
a i 0 e~l system tax only one year,
aa d yet the results are:
Term increased to seven months; i
Thirty per cent increase in the en
ro llmcnt, !
An ^ avergqe attendance practical I
| y the same.
Patent desks in every school, ;
And all necessary school accessor- ;
ies suoplied. j
This average shows that school can
be run successfully for 7 months.
The people of Crisp county—not
withstanding the loss of the convict
funds—]by voting a tax of 20 cents
the $100 have better schools than
SUBSCRIPTION $1.00 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE.
GEORGIA INCAPABLE
OF SELF GOVERNMENT ?
A Strong Presentation of Georgia’s Present
Tax System by One Who Knows.
Editor Enterprise: —
The Georgia legislature seems to
be at sea, as to the enactment of a
just and efficient tax bill.
The money question is up to ’em;
its a great big question, and they do
not know exactly what to do.
By resolution, the legislature has
thorized the governor to borrow
000 “to meet casual deficiencies in
the treasury;” the Atlanta Journal
liad it $2,000,000,but that was a huge
mistake, or rather, “a typographical
error.”
How is this sum—$200,000, with
its accruing interest, ever to be paid?
Without a great increase of revenue
coming into the treasury of the state,
from higher taxes or some other
source, it can’t be paid while the
world stands.
The state,under the constitution and
existing laws,cannot raise the present
rate of taxation. The limit has been
reached—not another notch higher
can it be raised. And if the state
could raise the rate, and took steps
to do. so, the cry of “heavy taxes”
—already a huge burden, bending and
breaking the back bones of the poor
taxpayers—would come up from
section, county and corner of
state,*like a mighty roll of thunder,
in wailing protest against it, a cry
that would scare the Georgia legisla
tor out of his equanimity.
A timely bill is introduced in the
legislature, to increase the salary
of some faithful but heavily over
worked officer, whose salary bears
proportion to the work done by
in the interest of the state; or to
appropriate greatly needed money for
some laudable and worthy purpose
or object; and immediately some
member jumps up with the cry
“that’s more money out of the pock
ets of the poor taxpayer,” and votes
against the bill, the bill is defeat¬
ed and some important interest suf¬
fers.
Who can count the number of bills,
that OUGHT, beyond all question,
have become laws, but have been
defeated by this tiresome, sickening,
everlasting cry?
Georgia is no pauper state; but is
an empire state. Indeed, Georgia is
an empire in herself: an empire in
the extent of her territory; in her
boundless wealth; In her limitless
resources; In the purity, nobility and
beauty of her daughters; in the cul
ture, chivalry and manhood of her
sons. There should be no necessity
whatever for the governor of Georgia
to borrow $200,000, or any other sum.
Equalize the tax laws—make every
dollar of taxable property in the state
bear its legitimate and proportionable
share of taxation; and the treasury
of Georgia would be full to overflow-
A REPORT ON
TEMPERANCE.
Adopted at the Oxford District
Conference at Social Circle
July Sixteenth
With gratitude to God for that,
whereunto we have attained in Geor¬
gia and in the south in driving back
the powers of darkness in the shape
of the strong drink evil, we would re¬
gird ourselves for renewed conflict
with this wily and vigilant foe of
God and man.
The price of our future liberty is
a never ceasing antagonism and un¬
remitting toil against the whiskey
The church of God will
not be guiltless before Him if we
lose our victory over our strong drink.
foe by relaxation future of effort weal. and in- j I
difference to her
We rejoice at the success of the
Anti-Saloon League as a factor in I
Georgia drink. in securing We commend the victory the work, over J
strong I
of the League and will co-operate
with it in maintaining our freedom
from the thralldom of the liquor pow
er.
The near-beer business seems to be
a Trojan horse or Pandora’s Box from
which emanate many evils and some
possibilities that may weaken the
ever before, and as Mr. Bivins ex
presses it: “The people are not on*
ly pleased but DELIGHTED. . . . I
knew what taxation would do for
the country schools, but I didn’t
it would work so well, and without
a single kick.”
The above practical report is more
convincing than all theorizing.
Newton county, for close on to a cen
tury ranking as one of the most pro
gressive and intelligent counties in
the state, fai 1 to provide for her chil -1
cilities dren.at least as enjoyed good educational by the county: fa-j
as are
of Crisp—a county yet in its swad
dling clothes?
A. H. Foster, C. S. C.
Mrs. Foster, of Haralson, is spend¬
ing some time in the city the guest ]
Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Foster.
ing: there would be money to meet
all “casual deficiencies,” and all other
deficiencies, leaving money in the
treasury—“barrels of money,” ’ mon¬
ey to burn.”
To say that we cannot do this, is
to say that we are not capable of
self-government; is to say that we
are ^ for se ^'S°'’ernment,an<l
, ought to have a guardian,or a king.
I I asked a clear,level headed,sensible
| man much this morning,a man who has had
to do with the tax laws of the
state and the collection of taxes,this
question:
i “If a citizen of the county has $5,
i 000 in actual cash, and returns it for
taxation at a valuation of only $2,500
is he guilty of perjury?” v
His answer was:
I “Certainly he is.”
I then asked him this question:
“If another citizen of the county
owns a lot of land, which, if put upon,
the market today and sold,would sell
for $5,000 cash, and returns the lot
of land for taxation, at a valuation of
only $2,500, or even less, as is some¬
times done,would he be guilty of per¬
jury?”
His answer was:
“He certainly would be.”
There are hundreds of acres of
land in every county in the state,that
you cannot today buy for $30 per
acre cash, returned for taxation at a
valuation of only five, six or seven
dollars per acre—only one fourth of,
or less, the actual value of the land.
Same thing is true of live stock,horses,
mules and cattle .household furai
jewelry, and the properties and
{tablishments. holdings of many manufacturing es
In r - ! numbers.there
j are in V : ■ L ’ in; i IgU
j acres of land. Suppose every one of
I these acres were reiuriied for taxation
at its actual <: h value—at what it
would i i y, for cash if nut
on the market—what?
Who can estimate the amount of
money that would flow into Georgia's
treasury? Money to meet fully th«a
needs of every conceivable interest
the state, with money left over—
| money to spare,
j You would have no more of heavy
j taxes. The rate of taxation would
so decrease, that taxes would cease
absolutely to be a burden. No in¬
terest of the state of any kind what
ever would suffer for the want of
a dollar. Georgia would be an em
plre indeed—an empire in everything
that makes a people prosperous and
powerful. And V> say that this can
not be done; is to say that the mem
bers of the Georgia legislature are ut
terly incompetent, that every one of
them is today in the wrong pew, and
a gross reflection upon theintelligence
and statesmanship of all of Georgia’s
sons,
Citizen-
cause of prohibition in our state.
We would urge upon our membership
an uncompromising hostility to this
near-beer evil and the complete sup¬
pression of it wherever practicable
It is the work of the church of
God to elevate humanity by proper
teaching as to the dignity of the body
the culture of the mind and the val¬
ue of the soul. By removing the
temptation to drink, these great ends
are greatly promoted. Alcohol has
been found by actual experiment to
be a foe to the body and the mind.
And all know that its use endangers
the salvation of the soul.
The presence of two diverse races
in the south calls for the enforce¬
ment of prohibition as a protection
to both races, We cannot live in
harmony with strong drink let loose
in our midst as a fomenter of strife
between the races.
We pledge our earnest efforts for
the maintainenee of prohibition in
Georgia, and our co-operation with
other states to the end that the na
tion may banish this greatest of mod
ern evils.
W. O. Butler,
J. H. Almand,
J. K. Marbut,
E. L. Almand,
S. T. Reid,
F. S. Johnson,
C. D. Ramsey,
A. C. Belcher,
Newton county.
R. H. Bonr.wr,
Putnam county.
Austin Chapel Rally.
The first, annual Sunday school
rally of Austin Chapel Sunday school
will be Saturday July 31.
Come and bring your Sunday school
and take the banner. Everybody m
vited to come and bring a well fill
ed basket.
The program has not been complet
ed ypt.
Fine Strain Rhode Island Red cock¬
els for sale; are beauties.
Hiram P. Barnes,
Covington, La.
Messrs. Julian Mason and Charlie
Watkins, of Decatur, are guests this
week of relatives in the city.
Get our samples and pries on aU
kinds of fine printing.