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THE COVINGION NEWS
^tticial Organ of Newton Gfififity kfaii the City of Covington
Published every Thursday by the News Publishing Company.
\V K LIGHTFOOT ................ ED1TOR-MANAGEH
Entered second class mail matter December 2, 1908, at the
as
Post Office at Covington, Ga„ under the act of March 3, 18.'J.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Year, (in advance) ................... $1.50
Six Months, (in advance) ................. $ 1.00
THURSDAY, JUNE U 1023.
THE EXODUS FROM THE GEORGIA FARMS.
There is disposition to be continually referring to the
no
exodus from Georgia farms. We would not do so tn this
instance except for the fact that the subject has been specif¬
ically brought to the fore by facts and figures given out b>
Dr. A. M. Soule. We confess that we did not realize the
true situation prior to Dr. Soule’s statement.
Since January 1, one hundred thousand persons have
left the farm in the state. Of this number the greater part
is composed of black citizens, although the number of whites
who have abandoned the farms is placed at above 18,000.
These astonishing figures and others that will be given
were compiled by county agents throughout Geoigia,
grouped at the Georgia State College of Agriculture, and
given to the public through newspaper correspondents.
in addition to the large number of individuals who
have left Georgia farms—and the most of these have even
left the state—it is found that 11,840 fawns have been aban¬
doned in Georgia since the first of last January. Placing
the low average productive value on each of these farms of
$17,i, the average for the whole United States last year, it
is seen that the loss in farm production in Georgia in less
than five months is $1,972,000.
The actual number of negroes who have left Georgia
within the five months is estimated to be 69,960, and attri¬
buting to each of these negroes the ability to make $1 a day,
the productive value of the population that has left this
state in five months would in the course of a year amount
i/o more than $25,000,000.
According to Dr. Soule, who gave out these facts, the
situation is absolutely alarming. Already, he says, Georgia
i>: forced to import 30 per cent of the farm produce that it
consumes, and with negroes leaving at the rate they are
and the departure of the whites as well from the farm, it
is a most perilous situation.
The way in which the figures aboue w r ere obtained by
the county agents in sixty counties made actual surveys
and with these as basis, the complete estimates for the en¬
tire ICO counties in the state were obtained. In the sLxty
counties it was found that 25,893 negroes had gone from
the farms and 6,871 whites, and that 4,410 farms had been
deserted. With this for a basis, it was found that for the
entire 160 counties 68,960 negroes and 18,240 whites had
lift the farms and 11,840 farms had been abandoned.
A gentleman, in The Chronicle office, the other day
told of the large graduating class in a high school in ad¬
joining county. All of the pupils were sons and daughters
of farmers. In reply to a questionnaire, but two of them
expressed a desire to stay on the farm after leaving schocd.
One of them, when asked directly why he did not want to
join his father on the farm said: “Unless my father asks
ot me the sacrifice in his interest and the interest of my
mother, L will not stay on the farm. I do not want to work
all my life on the farm, as my father has done and as my
mother has done; work so frightfully hard as they have
wotked; and when I am as old as they now are, have so lit¬
tle to show for all that work as they are able now to show.
The truth is they are not to be kept on the Southern
farms unless Southern farming becomes more profitable
than it now is. Our public men must come to a realization
ot this.—Augusta Chronicle.
-0
SAVING EUROPE
It is folly to talk seriously about saving Europe. The
United States is as powerless to save Europe from herself
as Europe is to make a Christian nation out of Turkey. It
cannot he done by any outside influence. American dollars
will never save Europe. There must be an awakening
from within, a conversion from the morbid condition brought
about by political intrigue, hatred, jealousies, greed, and a
rotten system of diplomacy that has been handed down
from generation to generation.
Europe, if cured at all, must cure herself. She must
cease applying blisters to one member, cathartics to another,
salve to another and more or Idss dope to all. She must
diagnose her case without prejudice; face the facts squarely
and honestly, lay aside the evil passions that prevent sane
united action and adopt a working basis the foundation
and the superstructure of which are humanity and justice.
Just so long as the nations of Europe foster -hates and
jealousies they will be unable to get down to a working
basis, and just so long as they cling to these ideas that have
been handed down from the days of foundation they will
he unable to arrive at any permanent solution of their
troubles. The United States cannot help them, and it would
be nothing short of folly for us to try. Nations or people
who will make no effort to help themselves deserve no help.
AVe have done our full duty by Europe, and we have al¬
ready done vastly more than our duty; for, in establishing
the fact that this nation would insist upon its rights upon
land and sea and proper respect for the American flag in
every quarter of the globe, we made sacrifices in blood and
tieaisure, the magnitude of which should convince the
world that we will ever defend our rights and our position
as an independent and self-respecting nation.
AVe have done our duty to Europe and the world. Our
conscience is clear. Europe may claim that we pulled out
and left them before the settlement of international ques¬
tions. That may lie true, but we did not retire from Europe
until long after the nations had been given ample opportu¬
nity to adjust their differences and establish their credits.
AVe left them quarreling, but not until patience and
hope were exhausted. They hate us on general principles,
although we saved them from themselves and preserved tho
map of Europe in something like its former national lines,
except that a number of unwillingly subject nations now
have their freedom and independence, and enjoy govern¬
ments of their own making.
It is now time that European nations cease their hag¬
gling and shaking of the “bloody shirt” and devote their
energies to constructive effort.
If they continue to hate and drill armies, to seize every
opportunity to take advantage of each other, commercially
or industrially, to keep alive the obsolete system of feudal¬
ism they will be a long time in making even a doubtful
peace, and their economics will continue in a state of chaos.
Europe may hate us for one thing or another. Their
hate, coming from the source it does, should make little
difference with us. We have done our bit. We have saved
them and our act seems to be very little appreciated. Now
it seems fitting that we should attend to our own affairs
aad let them work out the solution of their own problems
in their own way. Their troubles are not ours, and if we
undertake to mingle in their affairs we will have troubles
that good sense warns us to avoid.
m fovmwcu* irivi, gboigl*
IHt !)EAI>i'V MOTOR CAR
jtfi l.he' Ufllted States during the yekr 19512 the r
car kilted l§,000 people, which is more than four titties the
number who fell in the Union ranks at the battle of Gettys¬
burg. That horror plunged the country into mourning and
it- dreadful toll of human life had not been forgotten when
the great world war broke out more than fifty years later;
yet the toll of the automobile is of little consideration. No
one knows the magnitude of its horrors, and because its
victims are scattered little attention is paid to its record of
destruction.
In Chicago, during the first 90 days of the present year
the death rate in automobile accidents averaged eight peo¬
ple per day. Had these eight deaths been caused by the
knife or bullet of an assassin there would have been a ter¬
rible wave of indignation and prompt action to remove the
cause, Think of it; eight persons killed by automobiles
day in the year. Then think of the still greater num¬
ber that are injured, and practically all through the care¬
lessness of the driver and the heedlessness of the victims
themselvais.
We take every precaution to protect the health of our
yet preventable, disease takes a frightful toll from
municipality in the land. In New York, where con¬
is favorable to the ravages of disease, the automo¬
bile is responsible for eight deaths to every one that is car¬
ried away by typhoid fever.
Go where you will you will find the automobile rushing
high speed, just as though human life depended upon not
minutes but seconds. Everyone seems to be in a hurry, and
if they are driving an automobile they are surely in a hurry,
whether they want to go somewhere or not, and usually they
think they have the right of way, regardless of the rights
of pedestrians. To the autoist it is a case of speed and the
pedestrian must look out for himself.
If the drivers of automobiles would consider that the
pedestrian has rights to the streets that cannot be taken
from him, even by the driver of a shiny gas buggy, and
that the right of the pedestrian takes precedence, there
doubtless would be fewer accidents; for there are few un¬
avoidable accidents, and in nine cases and more out of ten
the fault is with the driver of the automobile.
It is better to be safe than sorry, and sorrow will not
restore life or mend a broken limb.
Secretary of War Weeks need not feel so bad because
only thirteen men were on guard to greet him when he
visited Fort Rosecrans near San Diego. Those thirteen
men were probably all that are required to keep the old
fort clean and tidy. More would be a waste of energy and
money. If this were a time of war, when enemies of the
United States were liable to attack us unawares the condi¬
tions might be different; but at the present time we have
nothing to fear from enemies outside our own lines, and
probably a half dozen men would be sufficient to man tho
old fort in its present status of uselessness. When we
need more men we can produce them, and if an enemy ship
approaches San Diego we will guarantee that the under¬
writers will have a bill of damages to pay for the loss or
damage of that venturesome craft. We need more good
common sense and less of the club-swinging, sword-rattling
bravado that slops over and causes war, when there is no
cause for war. Let the militarists have their way and this
would be a Boldier-burdened country, taxed to the limit,
and our boasted freedom would be limited. Along three
thousand miles of our northern boundary there are no forti¬
fications and few soldiers, yet Mr. Weeks deplores the fact
that there were but thirteen at San Diego fort to greet
him. Did he expect to find the place decorated and a brass
band playing, “Hail to the Chief.”
-o
The high-speed record of Judge J. D. Harvey is dis
trict court at Houston, Texas, has probably not been equall¬
ed or exceeded by any other judge in this country or in
civilized Europe. In one week, recently, he granted 212
divorces in just 245 minutes. Considering the usual delay
in court proceedings, this may be considered as a record
breaker for a half-day job.
By what course of proceedure the judge arrived at so
prompt a decision we do not know, but the wholesale break¬
ing of family ties forces the thought that the campaign for
a Federal divorce law is along the lines of both domestic
and public utility and would be a staunch prop to the mor¬
ality of this nation. Divorce laws differ in the various
states; so much so that serious complications frequently
arise, and in order to save much trouble, sorrow and the
serious consequences to progeny there should be a uniform
divorce law and a tightening of the lines to make the
breaking of that civil contract between man and woman a
more difficult matter than it (seems to be in many of the
states.
North Carolina recognizes two grounds for divorce,
while Tennessee recognizes ten; hence the facility with
which the home may be broken up in some states and the
difficulty of obtaining a separation in others.
IN THE AFTERGLOW
The following poem from a recent issue of the Christian
Index. Clip this and read it over several times;
Mother o’ mine in the afterglow
Of mothering years. I love you so;
For loving me ere life I knew.
When next your heart a new life grew.
Loving me on into fair childhood,
Wh n l so little understood
The long hard way we all must go,
Mother o' mine, I love you so.
Loving me. too. when life so sweet
Tempted my wayward childish feet
Away from the pdths of truth and right
To paths that lead to sin’s dark night;
Winning me back with loving tone
To ways that you had made your own,
By struggle and stress and pain and prayer;
By love’s own cords you held me there.
Mother o’ mine, tis mine to take
The burdensome load, the stress, the ache,
That come in motherhood’s fair yeans.
The joy, the pain, the love, the tears;
’Tis mine to give you what you gave me
Mother o’ mine, I would faithful be
To the highest note in the song you taught
My childish lips, the music fraught
With all the mother hopes and tears
That fill to the brim the mothering years.
Mother o’ mine, in the afterglow"
Of motherhood’s years, I thank you so
For gifts to me from out your heart,
At thoughts that rise my hot tears start;
God give me ways to make you know
How great is my love before you go
Away to rest from your mothering;
1 would remove life’s every sting.
And give you rest in the afterglow.
For, mother o' mine, I love you so.
DON'T KID YOTKSKLF
A eohirrtoil expression is, “I wori’f'
build now as cost of construction is
too high,"
Incomes have increased proportion¬
ately to cost of construction and the
man who does not demand every new
fangled contraption can build with his
present-day income and have a larger
margin left than would have been pos¬
sible in 1913.
Don’t blame the present building
costs entirely on to lumber and labor.
Remember that in nine cases out of ten I
your ideas of what you want have ex-;
panded with your income and you
would not be satisfied today with the
191$ bungalow.
Taxes at $100, insurance at $30, re¬
pairs and upkeep at $100 and 7 percent
interest on a $5,000 house amounts to
$580 a year.
If you pay $50 a month rent for nine
years you have $5,400 worth of rent
receipts worth nothing. If you put $50
a month into a home for five years,
even if it was necessary to cut out a
few theatre parties or clothes to make
up interest, etc., until the property
was paid for, you would have an asset
worth probably more than $5,000 at the
end of nine years and your family
would have a roof over its head which
could not be taken away from them
for failure to pay a month’s rent.
Don’t kid yourself, you can own a
home as well today as you could ten ■
years ago if you want to. It is not the !
cost of building that will prevent you, i
It is the cost of satisfying your inflat -1
ed demands for luxuries and modern
extravagances.
MILK FOR CHILDREN
Milk is an absolute necessity for
growing children. Each child should] J
have a quart of milk a day. Milk should
not be the only food for children who:
are weaned, of course. They need vege-1
tables, fruits, cereals, eggs and some!
meat. One of the reasons that milk is’
especially good for children is that it j
has vital substances (vitamines) that'
help growth. Children can get a little
of these vital substances in other foods, I
but they are sure to get enough of j
them if they drink three glasses of
milk every day. Give your boys and
girls milk and a chance to grow. Milk
also has other valuable things that
build bone, make firm flesh, and put
ftfow in the cheeks,
Milk also helps your children to keep
well. Look at children who do not get
milk, but tea and coffee instead. They j
are apt to be pale and sickly. Tea and
coffee are not foods, but drugs. They i
stimulate, but do not nourish. Children 1
are better off without stimulants. Give,
the children fresh clean milk and plen-! j
ty of it. This will help them to grow'
up strong and well. Save on other;
things if you must, but do not save on '
milk.—The Progressive Farmer.
Subsoribe for the News—$1.50 a year.
CENTRAL OF GEORGIA GIVES FACTS
ABOUT RAILWAY VALUATION
Radical politicians, whose purpose is to establish Government owner¬
ship of railways, have recently launched an attack upon the valuation o>
American railways, as fixed for rate-making purposes by the Interstate
Commerce Commission.
Patrons of the Central of Georgia Railway have a right to know the
facts, concerning the valuation upon which rates are based, and to have
the figures as to the capitalization of this railway, so they may judge for
themselves as to whether this Company is expecting to earn returns upon
over-capitalization, or as it is commonly termed “watered stock.”
Here are the facts concerning the Central of Georgia Railway and
the lines leased and operated by it. The aggregate par value of the se¬
curities outstanding as at December 31, 1922, was $75,778,826. On tha:
date we owned 298 locomotives, 9,056 freight train cars and 312 passen¬
ger train cars. This equipment alone cost as follows:
Locomotives, $ 5,770,431.02
Freight cars, 8,796,884.99
Passenger cars, 2,758,309.60
Total, $17,325,625.61
At present prices this equipment would cost more than $30,000,000
But subtracting only the smaller figure, representing actual cost, from
the capitalization outstanding leaves only $58,453,200.39 as representing
the value of our roadway with its right-of-way, ballast, ties and rails,
bridges, signals, telephone lines, and other railway property, even includ¬
ing buildings, land, roundhouses, shops, frieglit and passenger stations
and the like. The value of our terminal properties at Savannah and other
important cities runs into large figures. For example, our terminal in Sa¬
vannah, comprises 288 acres with one mile of waterfront for the hand¬
ling of domestic and foreign traffic.
The Central of Georgia operates and leases 1,964.55 miles of railroad,
but counting additional main line trackage, passing tracks and yard tracks,
we have 2,623.25 miles of track. If the $58,453,200.39 referred to above,
covered the value of tracks alone (excluding all other property used in
the service of the public) it would represent only $22,281.89 for each mile
of track. It costs approximately $25,000.00 per mile to build ordinary
hard-surfaced highways with only light grading and bridge construction
necessary, and without including the cost of acquiring the land on which
the road is constructed. Will any reasonably minded person deny that
the Central of Georgia track with its right-of-way, station buildings, bal¬
last, ties and rails, heavy bridges, signals, telephone and telegraph lines,
and other appurtenances, is worth more per mile than it costs to build a
mile of hard road and without including the cost of acquiring the land?
The Interstate Commerce Commission, after years of thorough in
A^estigation, has fixed the tentative valuation of all American railways at
$18,900,000,000. Those attacking the justice of this valuation are trying
to make it appear that it is based upon present-day replacement costs;
that it is excessive and that it imposes a burden upon those who pay freight
and passenger rates. This is erroneous and misleading. Valuation fig¬
ures are based upon cost determined as at June 30, 1914, and ignore en¬
tirely the increase of costs during the war period. It is a matter of com¬
mon knowledge that pre-war costs have practically doubled. Additions
since the valuation at 1914 figures, have been taken by the Commission
at actual cost, minus depreciation.
The present outstanding capitalization of all railways is about
$2,000,000,000 less than the present tentative valuation.
In 1922 out of every dollar spent by the carriers, 86 cents went to
pay the actual costs of the service to the public. The act of valuation can
have no conceivable effect upon these costs. Only about 14 cents remained
out of which to pay interest on indebtness, rentals of leased lines, divi¬
dends and the cost of enlargements and improvements.
The rialroads ask only that the Interstate Commerce Commission
treat them in accordance with the provisions of the constitution as inter¬
preted by the courts. To disregard these constitutional provisions, as de¬
manded by radical agitators, would involve such confiscation of private
property and investments made in good faith, as has never occurred in
American history.
Constructive criticism and suggestions are invited.
W. A. WINBURN,
President, Central of Georgia Railway Company.
Savannah, Ga., June 7, 1923.
(gauzes and
Wounds should be dressed instantly to pre¬
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may save a life to have, in your home, a sup¬
ply of our “first aid necessities.” Come, get
them TODAY.
When you want any Drugs* remember
that ours are pure and full strength. Our
drug store things are the very best, and—
We are Careful Druggists.
SUCCESSOR TO
GED. T. SMITH DRUG COMPANY