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PEARSONffiTRIBUNE
VOL. 4-NO. 20
SOUTH GEORGIA.
News of Our Neighbors Told
in Pointed Paragraphs
Maston E. Avera. son of W. M.
Avera of Berrien county, who is
with Gen. Pershing in France, is
reported as severely wounded.
Benj. F. Kinnon, of Millwood
who is in the army somewhere in
France, previously reported as
missing is now reported severely
wounded.
The Milltown Advocate is very
much exercised over the outlook
for the future of that little city.
The prospects does present a prob
lem calling for quick analysis and
a quicker application of the reme
dy.
Mr. and Mrs. James Mobley of
Irwin county arc the parents of
triplets three fine girls. They
were born on Friday, the 13th,
and now some people are unkind
enough to say it was an unlucky
day for Jim Mobley.
The citizens of Milltown were
determined that Hon. W. M. Paf
ford should have an office so, he
having lost out in the representa
tive race, they elected him Mayor
of the little city to succeed some
one who resigned to go to the army.
Mitchell county has as a citizen a
colored women who claims to be 97
years of age and the mother of 32
children. It is said that 47 of her
descendants have been drafted and
are now in service in the various
branches of the army. She is
entitled to the blue ribbon.
St. George, down in Charlton
county, has a broom factory. Its
products are all right —light, dur
able and strong. The factory has
complimented the Folkston Herald
with one of its brooms and the edi
tor, Mrs. Robinson, says it is the
finest and best broom on the
market.
Judge Oscar M. Smith, who was
defeated by Judge W. E. Thomas
for Judge of the superior courts of
the Southern circuit, congratulates
his opponent and wishes “for him a
successful term of fair and impar
tial administration of the laws.”
Keen dagger that; no wonder the
people turned him down.
Sheriff Frank Passmore has been
removed as a member and chair
man of the Selective Service Board
of Lowndes county by order of
President Wilson. He is charged
with having made seditions re
marks. Uncle Sam is not going to
be trifled with in the slightest;
you can make up your mind to
that fact. Secret service men
made the case.
Work at the Picric Acid plant
at Brunswick is speeding up some.
Two thousand negro soldiers have
been sent their from Camp Gordon
to assist in the work. The Tribune
leafns from persons just from
Brunswick that there came near
being serious trouble with negro
soldiers, who became aroused be
cause a truckman seriously injured
one of their number with his
machine. The commanding officer,
as soon as quiet was restored, put
the offenders in blue over alls in
stead of khaki.
The Quitman Daily Free Press
has suspended until peace is restor
ed. Hon Royal Daniel, who is at
the head of the Free Press Com
pany, will sail soon for France in
the American Red Cross work. His
noble wife, Mrs. Edna Cain Daniel,
also a member of the Free Preas
Company, will assume entire charge
of the plant and issue the Free
Press as a weekly for the duration
of the war. She is a brave little
woman and entirely competent to
the task assumed. The Tribune
wishes her all manner of success.
Fight on Fixing Cotton Price.
Ateanta, September 25. Owing
to the serious situation which has
developed in relation to govern
ment price fixing for cotton, which
is being much agitated in the north
and east, just now% the entire
membership of the Cotton States
Official Advisory Marketing Board
was called to meet in the assembly
room of the Ebbitt Hotel in Wash
ington, by President J. J. Brown,
Georgia’s commissioner of Agricul
ture, on Monday, September 23rd,
to decide as to what action shall
be taken in combatting the move
ment.
President Brown first put the
the situation by wire before the
membership of the board in all
cotton states, and found the senti
ment against price fixing so unani
mous, that the meeting was prom
ptly decided upon. All southern
senators and members of congress
have been earnestly invited and
urged to attend it.
“This is one of the most impor
tant and farreaebing gatherings
ever called from the South,” Presi
dent Brown said. “The South is
in no wise unmindful of the na
tional crisis, and yields to no sec
tion in loyalty and devotion to
country.
“But it must be recalled that
the South, in 1914 anil 1915. as a
result of much surplus cotton, and
for want of shipping facilities, was
forced to market its cotton at from
6 to 8 cents a pound.
"At that time ve were told that
the law of supply and demand
must control the cotton market;
that cotton must seek its level.
Thus, the South was very heavily
hit, and hundreds of farmers and
small bankers were forced into
bankruptcy and ruined.
"Now conditions have changed.
The surplus cotton have been ab
sorbed, and three of the smallest
crops in the history of the country,
compared to acreage, have been
produced. The so-called surplus
cotton is not surplus at all, but
held for lack of ships in which to
transport it. The world is actually
almost on the verge of a cotton
famine.
"Under the same law of supply
and demand to which we were re
ferred in 1914 and 1915, and told
to market our crops, cotton is today
worth above 40 cents per ixrnnd.
“Under these conditions it is
diffcult to understand just why the
South should be asked to make a
sacrifice at this time. If it were
necessary for us to give an entire
cottou crop to win the war, 1 be
lieve I speak for 90 per cent of our
people when I say they would
gladly lay it on the altar of their
country. “But no such necessity
exists, on the other hand, there is
every reason why the south is en
titled to the legitimate worth of
its cotton; and we feel that it
should be controlled now by the
same law of supply «nd demand
which caused us to lose so much in
1914 and 1915. It is strangely
true that price fixing agitation
only appears when demand natur
ally makes good prices.
“I have faith in the administra
tion and those in authority in
Washington, that they will give
our board a fair hearing, and I do
not believe, when all the facts are
placed before them, they will per
sist in working a hardship on the
cotton producing South.
“Cottoh is one of our nation,s
greatest assets, and when we come
to make world peace, our govern
ment will have an asset in the
American cotton crop that will
figure largely around the peace ta
ble in reshaping the commerce of
the world. We appeal to those in
authority, therefore, not to force
the farmer to sacrifice this indus
try, and compel him to curtail, as
never before, the production of this
important crop.”
PEARSON. GEORGIA, FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 27, 1918
MEMORIES OFTHE LONG AGO.
Negro Attitude During the
Reconstruction Period.
CHAPTER 111.
A young man, after reading
chapter 2, remarked to us: Colonel,
you sure made a Christian out of
that fellow', Hightower.
Hightower was a good man be
fore that incident but reared, as
be was, among skulkers and desert
ers from the Confederate army, lie
realized that the frown of true
patriots were turned upon him and
many like unfortunates, he had
grown vicious and cross-grained
with the world. He proved in
after years to have been a “Dia
mond in the rough.” He needed
the polishing he received after ho
left home and moved among people
who were reared in a different at
mosphere from himself, among
people of culture and good breed
ing.
Hightower was not in a class to
himself. Hundreds of young men,
at the close of the civil war, found
themselves hedged about with just
such environment. Wi'h the line
drawn taut against deserters and
people w ho had played the part of
traitors against the South, these
innocent young men had to pull
hard for social recognition. The
sins of the fathers were visited
with unstinted hand upon the
sons. They could not evade it,
they could not circumvent it. They
had to meet it face to face and
fight for an individualism of their
own; it was no easy task.
The engagement to meet High
tower Wednesday morning at 10
o’clock was kept. Two of the
Whitaker boys, John and George,
accompanied me to the place, and
wc were there promptly at the
hour. We waited patiently for
Hightower to put in an appearance,
but he never came.
But the morning was not devoid
of ultra happenings. The first in
cident was, while the Whitaker
boys were engaged in George
Dennis’s store, the meeting with
Mr. Patterson, the father of Misses
Virginia and Amanda. Theyoung
ladies had told him of the escapade
with Hightower and, judging from
his flippant talk, it had greatly
amused him. However, he admir
ed the way he had been handled
and gave me to understand that 1
need not fear any trouble with
Hightower. He added his invita
tion to that of Miss Virginia for
me to visit his home the next Sun
day. This information I kept
secret because I did not know it
was reliable.
When the interview with Mr.
Patterson had ended, I returned
to George Dennis’s store, where
the second incident occurred. Such
incidents were of frequent occur
rence during the reconstruction.
There was some fresh cocoanuts
in the store. One was purchased
and was being devoured, when
John Whitaker threw a piece of
the shell out the door, and acci
dentally struck a young negro man
who on the piazza.
Whitaker immediately apologiz
ed, stating it was purely an acci
dent. The apology was not satis
factory to him and he began a
"rough bouse.” Whitaker went to
an extreme in trying to avoid a
difficulty.
I saw tbe negro wanted some
thing and I decided he should
have it. I walked up and shoved
him off the piazza, about four feet
high, flat of his back.
This enraged him sure enough
and he came back at me ready for
trouble, I covered him with my
revolver and commanded him to
stop, which he did.
George Dennis then came to the
door and told the young belliger
ent he had better get out of the
village unless he wanted the K. K.
Lankford’s Secretary.
11 has been given out from Doug
las that Judge W. 0. Lankford,
who has been chosen to succeed J.
Randall Walker in congress, will
appoint D. L. Grantham, the junior
member of the Douglas law firm of
Grantham & Grantham, to be bis
private secretary when he assumes
his duties as congressman.
Mr. Grantham was reared on a
farm in Coffee county. He gradu
ated at the Georgia Normal Col
lege and Business Institute of
Douglas and for several years has
been teaching school in South
Georgia. For two years he was
principal of the high school at Ha
hira and for one year principal of
the city school at Nashville. While
teaching, lie read law and last June
was admitted to the bar. He im
mediately located at Douglas and
since that time has been junior
member of the law firm of Grant
ham & Grantham of Douglas.
Mr. Grantham assisted Judge
Lankford very materially in his
campaign and is in close touch
with the political situation in the
the Eleventh dis (v icl
County Chairmen Named.
Mrs. John M. Cox, district chair
man of the Eleventh District
-Woman’s National Liberty Loan
Committee, have the following
chairmen for the several counties
of the district:
Appling county, Mrs. J. 11. Good
man of Baxley; Bacon county, Miss
Lannie Roberts of Alina; Berrien
county, Mrs. A. C. Woodard of
Adel; Brooks county, Mrs. A. L.
Tidwell of Quitman; Camden coun
ty, Mrs. S. C. Townsend of St.
Marys; Charlton county, Miss
Lizzie Mizell of Folkston; Clinch
county, Mrs. Claud Harvey
Ilomerville; Coffee county, Mrs,
John McLean of Douglas; Echols
county, Mrs. A. G. Tomlin, Staten
ville, Glynn county, Mrs. Sallie L.
High of Brunswick; Irwin county,
Mrs. J. 11. Quinccy of Ocilla; Jeff
Davis county, Mrs. W. Reuben
Strozier, Hazlehurst; Lowndes
county, Miss Mildred Blair, Val
dosta; Pierce county, Mrs. T. B.
Wiley, Blackshear; Ware county,
Mrs. J. L. Walker, Waycross;
Wayne county, Mrs. Annie Ben
nett, Jesup.
K. to attend to him. This was
enough —he did not have to be told
to go the second time —but went
at once.
This was a sample of the spirit
displayed by the young negroes
during reconstruction times. Just
given their freedom, they were be
side themselves. They acted as if
the country and the fullness there
of were theirs and they were not
subject to any restraints whatever.
They became insolent, insulting
and exceedingly vicious. They
had no regard for anyone. They
needed to be taught a different
lesson.
Thus, the Ku Klux Klan was a
happy thought. It was composed
of men of mature judgment, un
doubted courage and conservative
temperament, and while their reign
was one of terror to evil doers,
both white and black, their punish
ments were always in proportion to
the offense with which they dealt.
Special Notice.
There is at my place an estray
sow. Yellow colored, marked up
per square and swallow fork in one
ear and swallow fork in tne other.
She has been at my place about
four months and taken the run of
the fields. The owner can get her
by paying for this notice and the
expense of feeding and keeping her
in the field.
Willie Neugent.
Subscribe for the Tribune, your
home paper —$1.00 a year.
COFFEE COUNTY
Items of News Gathered from
Various Sources.
The list of registrants show that
there are 2580 men in Coffee coun
ty between the ages of 18 and 45.
Chairman Willingham is of the
opinion that Coffee county’s pro
rata of the Fourth Liberty Loan
will be $250,000. The money is
here but there are a lot of people
who haven’t any of it.
The census report shows that
there were 2,47 G bales of cotton
ginned in Coffee county up to Sep
tember Ist, this year, as compared
with 3,599 bales ginned for the
same period last year.
A “bevy of beauts” over at the
county seat, has borrowed the
Tribune from some liberal subscri
ber, and discovered that it “plunks
the middle man from taw.” They
don’t like it a little bit. Well, the
Tribune man is sane and sober, has
a high regard for the truth and tin*
best interest of all the people, and
so long as be remains a citizen of
< 'offee county he proposes to speak
out in meeting when the best in
terest of the people demand it.
If this “bevy of beauts” will quit
sponging on the liberality of sub
scribers at Douglas they would be
better citizens. The Tribune has
no strings tied to it, the editor is
solely responsible for all unsigned
articles appearing in its columns.
If this “bevy of beauts” doesn’t
agree with its utterances they will
please come out in the open and
“pour it back in tbe jug.” The
Tribune admires manly men.
In the election last Saturday,
for and against the City Court of
Coffee county, there was a great
indifference shown. With more
than 3,000 registered voters in the
county, loss than 800 cast ballots
in this election, and a big majority
of these in the city of Douglas.
By this vote the court has been
sustained and now there are two
city courts when one would suffice'
The people must bear this burden
because 552 voters out of more
than 3,000 say by their ballots
that they dislike Representative
Stewart. Was folly ever worse
confounded? This puts a job up
to Representative Quincey when
lie goes up to Atlanta next summer.
Instead of the people settling this
matter at home, he must choose
which of the two he will abolish.
He will have to abolish one for the
county doesn’t need but one; and
he will have to choose between a
statutory and a constitutional
court. lie can’t get away from it,
and the Tribune can imagine the
Judge walking up to lick log and
abolishing the constitutional conrt
—the better of the two. This re
venge movement against Represen
tative Stewart appears to the Trib
une as foolish as “Splitting your
foot open to cure the headache,”
because he will not be punished or
affected by it in the least.
REMOVAL.^
I respectfully announce to our Customers and
Friends that our Stock of Hardware and Furni
ture have been moved from the Malone Block
to the Mancil Building next door to the Morris
Drug Company, and cordially invite all to call and
see me. Courteous treatment to all.
H. H. PARKER, Manager.
PARKER HARDWARE & FURNITURE COMPANY
Hardware, Furniture, Paints, Farm Tools Etc.
MANCIL BUILDING -0- PEARSON, GA.
SI.OO A YEAR
Ricketson Attempts Suicide
It was sad intelligence which a
telegram from Valdosta brought to
the brothers and sisters of Wesley
Ricketson, a simple recluse who
stayed in a cabin to himself near
the old home, telling of his effort
to kill himself. He was under ar
rest and in jail at Valdosta charged
with failing to register. A dis
patch from Valdosta gives this
version of the affair: Because he
had declared he would die before
registering, Wesley Ricketson, a
young white man from Coffee
county, made desperate efforts this
morning to end his life in the
Lowndes county jail, using the
jagged parts of a broken bottle.
He cut a four-inch gash in his
throat, serving his left and right
thighs almost to the bone, cut his
left wrist deeply, as well as the
calf of left leg.
“After making all these cuts
Ricketson then stuck the broken
bottle back into the wound in bis
neck and severed as much of tbe
flesh and ligaments as he possibly
could.
"His act was discovered by fel
low prisoner, who gave the alarm,
at the same time securing the bro
ken glass to prevent further harm
being done.
“Medical attention was given the
man at once and later he was or
dered removed to a hospital, where
he could have attention. It was
stated that the wounds were ex
ceedingly serious and very likely
to prove fatal.”
Ricketson is of a splendid family;
he has four brothers in the army
-one of whom, Fred gave up the
editorship of the Coffee County
Progress to enter the service of his
country.
The arresting officer was told of
his deficiency and that the family
had been seriously considering the
advisibility of sending him to the
State sanitorium. The brothers of
the young men are quiet over the
matter, keep their own counsel,
but it is very evident they are not
pleased with the treatment they
have received at the hands of the
authorities, especially when the
officer had the fact that Wesley
was of unsound mind and that
wasthereason he had not register
ed.
For Sale.
One second - hand McCormick
Mowing Machine and Rake; all in
good shape. Also one good two
horse wagon. If you want to buy
apply to L. L. Sutton.
The Tribune learns with deep
regret of the sudden death of Hon.
Walter C. liryan, of Douglas, on
Tuesday morning, caused by pneu
monia. He lias been a resident of
Douglas for about a decade and
was a most exemplary citizen. He
will be greatly missed in the relig
ious, educational, social, fraternal
and legal circles of that city. The
Tribune’s sympathy is with the
stricken family in its grief.
