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About Wilkinson County news. (Irwinton, Ga.) 1922-2008 | View Entire Issue (July 25, 1925)
f The Wilkinson County News IRWINTON, GEORGIA. ■ ! B. HUBBARD Editor and Publisher. K Official Organ Wilkinson County. Ts T. A. Gibbs, Representative for The News, at Gor 5Hn, Georgia. ML. Dean, Authorized Solicitor and Collector of Sub iwiptions, Irwinton, Ga. filtered at the Post Office at Irwinton, Ga., under the ®t of Congress of March 3rd., 1879, as second class Siil matter. Wbscription: One Dollar per Year Payable in Advance THE SCOPES TRIAL dK The reading public has been interested for the past ■e weeks with the accounts given of the-trial of Scopes ygDayton, Tenn. w It seems to us that the leading cousel for the de nase endeavored to turn a court of justice, which the As created for the purpose of regulating the rights of Rian beings, into a tribunal to try the power of God ■mighty and have man to decide whether God had the Swer of creating man in His own image or not. V This Scopes trial has demonstrated the fact tha ane classes of our people are defying not only the maj- Sty of the law of man, but they are defying the powei the most high God. We rather think that the Scopes trial has resulted more harm to the Christian religion than it has to e cause of the scientists. We are frank to say we have never given the ques hi of the origin of man any serious thought, accepting e Bible as the conclusive authority on the subject, un the Scopes trial was given some publicity. Since read j all the newspaper reports about this trial and the |esticn of evolution, we have often suffered our mind dwell in a channel of reasoning out of the unreasonable intention of the scientists with reference to the origin 1 mankind. J I We assume that there are many people who will dow their minds to dwell on the subject and wili accept Se theory of the scientists, and by so doing they wili Lally be convinced that the scientists are right t nd that ten is the descendant of a lower order of animals, with it a soul and accountable to no greater authority for fe doings on earth, and that when he dies his career is an end; that there will be no punishment in the manner ■escribed by the Holy Writ. i Therefore, we believe that more harm has resulted om'the trial than if the defendant had never been tried. THE LEGISLATURE One-half of the 60 days prescribed by the constitu jn for hold : ng the bi-ennial session of the legislature is been consumed by the. members, and what have they me’ NOTHING! At the rate the present session is going, it is obvious tat the record made by the recent past sessions will be ipiicated by this legislature. We have noticed that several local bills have been jissed by the legislature, providing for tax-exemption of idustries, and then Speaker Neil introduced a bill of a eneral nature coving the question as a state-wide mat jr, thereby making of no use all the local bills. Yet 30 days of the present legislature were consumed i passing local bills, and then this bill was introduced, assed, and approved by the governor, declaring all of lose local bills useless. Yes, useless! Taxpayers, what do you think of your servants? Have they proved to be competent as they told you ley were? Have they served you honestly? They told you that their opponents were incompe mt to represent you because they could not draw up a ill, and yet they have drawn up several bills, introduced tern, and then one member of the legislature, the speak s', draws up a bill that covers the same subject matter lat all of the local bills covered and thereby obviates le passage of bills drawn by your incompetent servants. The legislature has also consumed a great deal of aluabie time in discussing the building of a bridge :ross the state railroad so that people can cross without adangering their lives. This is certainly a very im ortant question; a very technical, complicated, scien fic one, one that needs a very careful consideration by sperts Co properly inform the memfcrs how to vote. We wonder what will happen next! The subject that needs the careful and conscientious insideration, study and final action is the reorganiza on of the state highway department, so the people of the sate may get good roads. But this is a matter that ill directly beneft the people, and for that reason it ill not be given any attention. THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT i One-half of the time prescribed by law for the pres cient session of the legislature has been consumed, and [pot a single bill has been introduced that will give the Lweople of the state relief from the operation of the state Biighway department. Every member of the legislature will say that under Bthe present law the expense of operating the state high jway department is «o great it takes the major part of ithe taxes raised for building roads to pay this expense, jand consequently none is left to build and maintain high ways; and yet, not a single one of the legislators have the time, the energy and the desire to make the necessary fight to abolish the present nefarious system and to create one in its stead that will build highways in the state of Georgia that will be a credit to the state. It is our observation that the ambitious aspirants to the legislature invariably have some of th? greatest plans to bring about reforms and to give ths people re lief from the weakness of our laws which enable those in authority to practice graft in the management of the pub lic funds. That is before they are elected. But the mo ment they are placed in office all of these great plans fade away; and when the time arrives for them to attend the sessions they have absolutely failed to make those grave questions a study and prepare bills for carrying into effect in the form of a law those great plans which they entcrtaincJ before iheir election. Be it remembered, legislators, that each and every one of you have solemnly pledged to your constituents if they would'vote for you that you would give them re lief by securing the passage of a law carrying into es- sect these solemn promises. Be it also remembered that you have not given them this relief.. Be it also remembered, that two years hence the people will call upon you for a report of your steward ship, and you will be asked the question why you have not fulfilled your promises. It is obvious that the present legislature does not intend to change the method of operating the state high way department, and that two more years will be con sumed by those who are now in authority spending the many millions of dollars of money raised for the purpose of building and maintaining highways throughout the state, when, as a matter of fact, this money will be spent as it has been heretofore, apd certain sections of the state, —among which will be Wilkinson county—will b discriminated against, as has always been the case when the time came for pro-rating the road funds.’ We know that it is unpopular to say that Wilkinson county has not a single first class state highway within its borders, large county though it may be, and influen tial though its citizens may have been. There is no rub bing out the undisputable fact that not one first class state highway traverses its surface. We know that it is just a little unpopular to say one word in justification of the rights of our citizens, and that they are just as much entitled to good roads as the peo ple cf other counties in the state, but notwithstanding the unpopularity of the question, we say that it is time, we say that it is your right and your duty to call upon your representatives to demand your rights; and if the fault lies in the law under which the state highway de partment operates, then demand of your representatives a change in the law. We have h..d a state highway department since 1916—nine years ago this state highway department wa; created—and although Georgia has had a state” highway department for this length of time there are only three miles of completed state-aid roads in the whole county of Wilkinson! This three miles of completed state-aid highway runs from Irwinton to Mclntyre, and the county gang built it. What is the reason that this county has been discrim inated against in the building of state highiyiys? There are counties just about one-half the size of this county that have received during this period of time ten times as much aid and ten times as many miles of highways as Wilkinson has. It has been said that the fault lies in the law, and if this be true, that there is a law on the statute books of the state that will authorize the state highway board in such gross discrimination, then we say that this law should be changed, and it is the duty of the representative of this county to make this change. THE NEW COUNTY We have been reading some of the expressions im puted to several of the representatives of the counties which the proposed new county of Hughes will affect, and the expressions are a little humerous to The News. We have read that each of these representatives bors, have said that there are already too many counties in the legislature. This expression is humerous to us because they hive given this as their only reason for opposing the creation of the new county. It is humerous to us that the representatives whom the people have elected to represent them in the legis lature should be opposed to the passage of a law just be cause some members of that body have expressed their opinion that there Is no chance for the bill. It has also been said that these representatives have said that the reason why the bill will fail to pass is jut because some of the members, and also some ex-mem bers, have said that there are already too man ycounties in the state and that no more new ones should be created. In other words, the reason why these members are opposed to the creation of the new county is just simply because seme members ami some “used to be members” have said that there should not be any more new coun ties created. It seems that the rights of the -people, who are ii favor of the creation of this new coun£y, are not to be considered by those able representatives. It seems to The News that if the author of this bill wishes to respect the wishes of his constituents in introducing the bill and worn ng f ok- its passage, that certainly the representatives of the other counties which are not affected by its creation ' should not be opposed to its passage. It has always been the policy of this paper to respect the rights of the peo ple in all matters, and while we would deplore the loss of , the able citizenship and the rich territory of that part of ‘the county that would be included in the proposed new THE WILKINSON COUNTY NEWS, JULY 25, 1925 We went for a day’s trip to Tus kegee not long since—that large school, part trade and part intellec tual—that has as its aim the fitting of the negro into his proper scheme. We saw the shops where the color ed young men and women were taught plumbing, shoe making, a 1 ! phases of automobile manufacture and repairs, photography and dress making. We observed them at their work, and we saw the finished products hanging Hong the walls. Then there was the agricultural de partment; long stalls of cows, most of them thoroughbreds, in the pink of condition, and so clean and scientifiic that one could almost have swept down the aisles with a train on her gown. Perhaps the spirit shown to the cow could best be summed up in the printed placard hung conspicu ously about, something to the effect that the cow is a lady and no one would think of kicking a lady! Then the chickens strutting proudly about, sure <if their pure bioou, and respon sive to their good care.. And out be yond the barns and chicken houses, acres of gardens and crops. We peeked into the classrooms where the colored people were being taught to go out and teach in the col ored schoolhouses all over the south land. The whole place seemed alive with busy-ness to us, that rather slow, nythmical deliberateness that is characteristic of our colored people, to be sure, but busy-ness just the same. We were told that the demand for mese trained people always exceeded :he supply. The institution is begin nng iv u .rued as an asset to southern civilization. We could notrhelp but wonder what might happen if in some of our rural schools there was some definite en deavor to teach the children proper agriculture, for, of course, most of these negroes must remain with us or we shall perish agriculturally. What if, along with their reading and arithmetic, they were taught the fu tility of so much cotton (Tuskegee raises almost no cotton) and the de sirability of truck or chickens, phases of farming to which they seem admir ably suited. „jme counties are placing negro demonstrators and agents in the field. But we are of the opinion that the work should start earlier. It would cost more than our present arrange ment, to be sure, but it might lessen the burden that our agricultural de scendents might have to carry. We do not know—but the whole matter gave us pause. At the dinner table with us that day we spent at Tuskegee were a Y.M.C.A. worker in Constantinople— studying conditions and methods—a settlement worker from Scotland, a college professor and his wife, who teach in one of our largest universi ties in the north, two men from the U. S. department of agriculture, sent there'to direct some work organized for the furtherance of corn clubs among the people back home, a very wealthy business man from Minneap olis, interested in the whole project. Quite a cosmopolitan group, but not one of them but saw in the whole in stitution a wonderful scheme for bet ter harmony between the negro and his environment. DANVILLE NEWS Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Wright spent last week-end with Mr. and Mrs. W P. Green. Miss Agnes Griffin of Jefferson vile was the attractive guest of Miss Emmie Carroll last week-end. Mrs. R. E. Carroll and two sons, Herbert 'and Hembree, left last Sun day morning to spend several weeks with her daughter, Mrs. Minnie Mims, of Plains, Ga. Robert Laqib spent last week-end in Danville. Miss Lois Johnson spent last Sat urday with Misses Emmie Carroll and Agnes Griffin. Mrs. T. L. Everett and little daugh ter, Reauvette, are spending several days with homefolks. The Methodist revival began last Monday night with Revs. Pippin and 3ishop conducting the services. Services are being held at 11:00 o’clock in the morning and at 8:45 p.m. Misses Frances Johnston, Louise and Bernice Bryan spent last Sunday with Miss Maye Lamb. ' H. H. Maxwell left last Sunday to take up his’ work again at Sylvester, after having spent several days with county, we say that if those good people want the new <ounty and are willing to bear the burden consequent to its creation and maintenance then their wishes should not be disregarded as the whim of some weaklings whe a*e incapable of expressing a choice or exercising an election. We believe that the rights of the people affected by any public question to be superior to the judgment of a ciass of people not so affected, and until the members of the legislature express some better reason than that al ready expressed, we say that their rights as free citizens The NOTION COLUMN By O. Haskins, Herself. Leaky Roofs; I Liquui^sbestosHooftn^ B OMfCMrcSSgH’^l Lasts tan years! Makes old roofs good as new-anx kind! Easily Applied. Used by largest concerns past 35 years. Informa tion on request or send $8 forjeial 5 gallon can; sent prepaid-fully guaranteed EXCELSIOR PRODUCTS CO. 85 FOURTH AVE.N.Y.CITY and taxpayers should be given careful and courteous con sideration; and that if the demands of those people for the creation of a new county are well founded, then it is the duty of the representatives to pass such law as will give them relief. We do not know why the people of those sections of the several counties want a new county, but we assume that they have some just cause of complaint; and if this assumption be true, then the grounds of complain should be either removed or they should be given a new county as they desire. ! friends and relatives. i Henry Lamb is home for a few jdays, during the illness of his sister, I Lucile. Rev. J. M. Hancock and family, -ev. Clary of Graymont and Miss Georgia Defore of Prospect spent | last Thursday with Mrs. H. M. Stev ns. of Danville. Mrs. W. R. Herndon, Misses Annie and Mary Hatcher left last Saturday for Vidalia. Alton Maxwell spent the week-end at Danville. Miss EHen Linder has returned home after visiting for several days. Mrs. H. C. Sadler and daughter, Lydia, are visiting homefolks. Mr. and Mrs. I. G. Phillips visited Mrs. Green Sunday afternoon. Roy Dennard and H. H. Maxwell were Macon visitors last Wednesday. I imllli 1 J IM Millions of Dollars SqKL For Your Pleasure W ] Satisfaction is yours when you fjT /V Yxl wrap your fingers around a cold Y/x/ W bottle and tip it to your lips. A /J (J Lio] hi, J That satisfaction costs mil- m I lions. Jr' tlq y Those millions were spent by Uxl ■/> /xY Bottlers throughout the United A/x JY States to comply with the rigid ||xVr code established by the Amer- J Xj Ox Y'' ican* Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages to insure purity and [W YYY wholesomeness. I / i U xJ° ’ They are millions well spent. YrO I [q ° We, as members of the asso- OQo Yzx ciation are, doing everything Q W IO । possible to live up to the code. Y_ Y [ - YYr -- f -Drink A Bottle- AYm Jr /Hi\ A A S ' / m Sil! O ** W x/ / mall Hl™ । ||||h n H|| ■ The MILLEDGEVILLE COCA COLA. I l|| BOTTLING COMPANY I | Milledgeville, Ga. I i|S. w A w American Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages 22 NEW DRY GOODS STORE FOR GORDON We want to announce to our friends and patrons that we have purchased the store of Ed. C. Ryles and will operate under the name of CASH DRY GOODS CO. I Carrying high class lines of Dry Goods, Clothing, Shoes, Hats, and Gents’ Furnishings. —at lowest prices. We solicit your patronage and will endeavor to give you satisfactory service at all times. You are cordially invited to call and get our prices before buying. Bryant Asbell—Thos. J. Finney Proprietors CASH DRY GOODS CO. Thos. J. Finney, Mgr. Mr. Edwards of North Carolina visited friends in Danville last week. H. L. D. Hughes, E. D. Maxwell, Tom Porter, W. F. Linder were At lauta visitors last Monday. Danville B.Y.P.U. program for Sunday will be as follows: Subject: Missionary; Preparing for Service. Purpose of the B.Y.P.U.—Emory Linder A Review to Refresh Memory.— Mrs. G. P. Bugg. Special Music.—Lucile Williams. Baptists Believe in Being Trained— Mildred Maxwell. What Our Missionary Boards-'De mand—Ruby Hall. What Our Colleges Contribute— John Lamb. Song. Give Self for Any Service—Roy Dennard.
