Newspaper Page Text
VOLUME XXV.
“NO-MONKEY ’ BILL
IS APPROVED I
Atlanta, 6a., July 30.—By a vote
of 13 to 0 the House committee on
education Thursday favorably report
ed the bill by Representative Pope, of
Walker county, known as the “evo
lution” bill. This measure would
withdraw all state funds from any
school or other institution at. which
the Darwin theory, or any other
thought involving the idea that man
is descended from an ape is taught.
The bill is a copy of the Kentucky
law, which it is said, was drawn by
William Jennings Bryan.
Representative Pope, speaking in
behalf of the bill, styled the theory
of evolution as “this rotten, damn
able stuff.” He told how he had
been startled to hear his own daugh
ters come home from a public high
school in Georgia and tell of hearing
the evolution theory explained there.
“I’m not excited about this ques
tion,” asserted the representative.
"“I’m not a preacher nor the son of a
preacher, but I think it is an outrag
eous shame that good Methodists,
Baptists, Presbyterians, etc., in our
State should be taxed to support in
stitutions where this rotten theory is
taught.”
Representative McCrory of Schley,
supporting the bill said if he was
descended from a monkey he was
ashamed of it, but did not think that
he was descended from a monkey.
He said he believed God created men
and monkeys entirely separate and he
didn’t believe they had ever mixed,
and hoped they never would.”
Representative Stanford, of
Lowndes, said he favored the bill for
the sake of “coming generations.”
Representative Cdvington said,
"“the only thing wrong with these two
Chicago youths, Loeb and Leopold, is
that they went to schools and col
leges where they were taught pagan
philosophy. If these ailenists told
the truth, they’ll tell that too.”
Representative Covington then said
that he did not believe that a wagon
load of mud could be “left in the
road and by its own inherent evolu
tionary powers” become something
“all dressed up and running for the
legislature.”
Representative Hayman, of Wash
ington, opposed the bill on the ground
that it violated the spirit of the Con
stitution which said that religious
teaching should not be given the pub
lic schools, but said he approved its
purpose.
A number of other committeemen
expressed similar sentiments —The
Macon Telegraph.
Plan Large Gathering
Of Farmers On
August 7th.
The advent of the boll weevil has
provtin conclusively to every prac
tical farmer that cotton can be grown
successfully year in and year out
only where the farmer reduces his
acreage to where he can handle it
and so be able to strike when the
time is ripe for striking. The prob
lem that presents itself immediately
is how to produce the same crops
on five acres as we formerly made
on ten or more acres. The answer,
of course, is rich soil. How to get
our soils in a high state of cultiva
tion within a comparatively short
time will be discussed by experts
from the College of Agriculture and
other agencies when the Georgia Rail
road holds its pasture demonstration
on August 7th. The meeting will be
gin promptly at 10 o’clock and will be
staged on the farm of Mrs. I. E.
Farmer. Every farmer in McDuffie
and surrounding counties is invited
to attend. Several hundred invita
tions w'ill be sent out and we are ex
pecting at least 1000 people. Come
and help make this one great day.
G. C. DANIEL.
LAST BASEBALL GAME OF
SEASON.
Thomson and Warrenton played a
game of baseball in Warrenton Tues
day, the score being 14 to 4 in favor
of Thomson. This was the last game
of the season for Thomson, most of
the boys being engaged in other ac
tivities.
The baseball fans of Thomson have
enjoyed the games during the sea
son. Thomson in nearly instance
showed up in fine form and the games
were interesting to a degree not
usually manifested in amateur games.
We hope Thomson will have as good
a team next year.
THOMSON, McDUFFIE COUNTY, GA., FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 1924.
-ir^m-imminn i in >■ i—rum 1 imr ' —" mm n—i win ■miw—mm—■——■■ini
JAMP MEETING AT
WHITE0AK
Camp Meeting started at Whiteoak
camp ground Tuesday, and is being
well attended. Most of the tents are
occupied by owners those renting
hem.
Those attending ha- e the pleasure
of hearing such ir.o.i as Dr. Pierce,
Dr. Frazer, Dr. Quillian, of Augusta;
Dr. Reese, of the South Georgia Con
ference, and Dr. Harmon, of the
South Caiolina Conference, all of
whom are on the list of preachers
to be hoard during the meeting.
Sunday will be the big day of the
meeting, when people from all the
surrounding country will flock to the
camp ground. Special services will
be held and special music and singing
are a part of the program.
As usual special preparations will
be made for entertaining the large
number of visitors Sunday.
The Thomson Methodist church
will have no services Sunday, as an
nounced last Sunday night.
Legislators Find No
Way Around Tax
Equalization.
Atlanta, Ga., July 31.—That Geor
gia lawmakers have found it difficult,
if not impossible, to run the state
without a tax equalization law, is
again evidenced by the recent action
of the state senate in turning down
a measure to repeal it. It was the
usual annual result— efforts to repeal
the law being made practically at
every session of the legislature.
Senator Stovall, though advocat
ing the lepcal, said:
“The Tax Equalization Law was
sponsored by that able and excellent
Georgian, Former Governor Slaton,
whose purpose, while governor was
to equalize the tax burdens.”
Lawmakers who opposed the re
peal took the position, long advocated
by Governor Slaton, that any and all
taxes must be equalized whether they
be on land or incomes.
“Every man in the same situation
must bear the same burden and pro
vision must be made for equal imposi
tion of the taxes,” was a remark of
Governor Slaton that has been fre
quently quoted by advocates of the
tax equalization law.
In a large portion of the states of
the Union, including North Carolina,
to wffiich reference is frequently made
by lawmakers here, the property of
the farmer is assessed.
The equalization law as advocated
by Governor Slaton provided for
local self-government, and if the law
is not properly administered in each
county, as he pointed out, it is because
the tax equalizers cf that county,
chosen by the citizens St that county,
are not performing their duties. The
great complaint is that the equaliz
ers are not severe enough, and it is
the desire of many to make the law
more stringent, it was pointed out
here.
“If all the citizens were taught
that they had to pay more taxes every
time more appropriations were grant
ed, they would check up more strictly
on their representatives against ex
travagant appropriations,” said Gov
ernor Slaton today in commenting on
the action of the senate in upholding
the tax equalization law.
SHIPPING FINE ELBERTAS.
The past week has been a busy one
with the peach growers of McDuffie
county. The principal shippers are
John T. West & Son and Mobley &
Johnson.
Shipments now are of the Elberta
variety, and some of the finest fruit
grown in the county was included in
the lot. Half dozen or more ca^s
were loaded by the above gi\.«ve,...
FIRST BOLL OPEN COTTON.
The first boll of open cotton re
ported to The Progress comes from
the field of Mr. Wyman Lowe, of
the Marshall section. The boys of
McDuffie are doing some fine work
this year apd are going to show
their forbearers a thing or two at
gathering time.
SHIPPING MELONS.
Many cars of the famous Tom
Watson melon were loaded on cars
in this county during the past week.
Several hundred acres of this vari
ety were raised for shipment and
the melons are very fine.
The Progress regrets to learn of
the serious illness of Mr. T. J. Con
nell. -
The DIGEST
F NDS FARMERS IN GOOD
SHAPE.
Governor Robert A. Cooper, of the
Federal Farm Loan Bureau, has made
an analysis of the operations of the
Board since it was created in 1917.
It will be remembered that there was
a period of fifteen months during
which no loans were made by the
Board, pending a court decision as to
the constitutionality of the act of
Congress establishing this method of
Government financing. Governor
Cooper has “gone over the books,”
aiid he finds a condition that indi
cates that the farmers of the country
are in good shape.
Farm Loans.—The number of loans
made through the Federal Farm Loan
Act total 373,721, amounting to $1,-
415,000,000.
Interest Delinquincies.—Less than
two per cent of the interest on all
farm loans was found to be delinquent
at the Farm Loan Board. Governor
Cooper says there have been com
paratively no delinquincies outside of
a restricted area, in which there has
been not one, but many, crop fail
ures. These delinquincies, he says,
have been decreasing during the, past
few weeks.
The Farm Slump.—The Farm Loan
Board locates the greatest distress
among the farmers as having been in
North Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho,
Oregon and Washington. Grass
hoppers, droughts, and genei’al un
favorable conditions, gave the farm
ers of these regions a “run for their
money,” and the “run" was so hard
that they had difficulty in meeting
their interest payments with their
bankers. But in practically every
region that has suffered there has
been a remarkable improvement due
to the fact that there are “good
crops” this year. And in the farm
ing country “good crops” and “good
times” are synonymous.
THE WHEAT CROP.
The United States Department of
Agriculture/has issued an estimate
that there is a reduction of 13 per
cent in the World wheat crop. Can
ada, which is always being pointed
to as likely to put a crimp into the
situation in the United States, will
drop off about 33 per cent this year.
There is a big falling off in the
prairie provinces .
East of the Rockies.—Latest esti
mates received in Washington indi
cate that there will be about 10,000,-
000 bushels more spring wheat in the
four large producing States east of
the Rocky Mountains than there was
last year.
“Stock on Hand.”—In the United
States, while exports were 75,000,000
bushels less than the previous year
the stocks on the farms at the close
of the crop year July 1, were only
.30,696,000 bushels, compared with
35,894,000 bushels on July 1, 1923.
Capper Predicts High Grain Prices.
—Senator Capper states that the
Government report makes the wheat
crop forty-seven million bushels
greater than earlier estimates, but
even at that, he says, the crop is still
short forty-six million bushels with
a world shortage estimated as high
as five hundred million bushels.
Grain prices all along the line will be
high for the next year, comments Mr.
Capper.
SOAKING THE FARMER WITH
TAXES.
A statement issued by Dr. L. C.
Gray, Director of the United States
Bureau of Agricultural Economics,
indicates that the man who invented
the phrase, “have a heart” didn’t see ,
the tax collector when he was making
his rounds. By the processes of fix
ing income taxes, real estate taxes,
and other kinds of taxes, the element
of horse sense frequently fails to
register. Dr. Gray proves this con
clusively in an Analysis that covei-s
sections of twenty-six states.' Dur
ing the period of agricultural depres
sion he found that the taxes were
not lightened to help the farmer bear
his load.
High Tax Rates.—The Agricultural
Department Survey shows that dur
ing the farm depression, that in
Chester County, Pennsylvania, the
farmer paid more than 65 per cent
of his net income to the tax collector.
In Deleware County, New York, the
tax collector took more than 30 per
cent. Dane County, Wisconsin, in
which the State Capitol is located,
paid more thann 39 per cent. In
Lenawee County, Michigan, the rate
was 38 per cent. These were the
high spots but the study reveals 22
per cent in Ohio; 15 per cent in In
diana; 18 per cent in Illinois; 11 per
cent in Nebraska; 23 per cent in Kan
sas; 24 per cent in Colorado. Ac- ,
cording to Dr. Gray the indications
are that farm real estate “bore
heavier taxes than most urban real
estate in the counties covered by the
study.” The theory of the Depart
ment Director is that “farm lands
apparently paid taxes on an element
of anticipated future income, while
the urban land did not.” Evidently
the “anticipated future income” fail
ed to materialize. But they didn’t
help.
TAX INVESTIGATION BY SEN
ATE COMMITTEE.
The Senate committee appointed
under the Couzens resolution to in
vestigate the Bureau of Internal Rev-
I enue has compiled all its arrange
ments for a thorough investigation
that will lead into the whole matter
of tax evasions. The probe of the
committee is to be preceded by a
searching inquiry and detailed study
by special investigators employed by
the committee. The committee will
be called into session a little later
to examine and pass upon the work
of the investigators, and in certain
instances where the circumstances
warrant, to call witnesses and take
testimony. According to best ad
vices it is not the purpose of the com
mittee to conduct a sensational in
vestigation, despite newspaper re
ports tb the contrary, but instead to
do truly constructive work along lines
which will disclose the absolute facts
and the real truth as to what classes
of individuals and corporations are
evading the federal income tax, what
methods are pursued in these evas
ions, and what legislation is needed
to correct the evils.
Superficial.—There is a feeling on
the part of the Senate Committee
that the statistics supplied to the
Senate Committee on Finance by the
Treasury Department last winter and
spring are superficial, and that they
were prepared in altogether too much
haste, and perhaps with somewhat
too much prejudice, to be quite help
ful to the Senate in framing legisla
tion. The Committee feels that this
criticism applies particularly to the
Treasury statistics and relates,
among other things, to tax-exempt
securities and the corporation income
tax.
Would Change Plan Of
Electing Judges.
Atlanta, Ga., July 31.—The Geor
gia legislature has before it a meas
ure to amend the state constitution
so as to abolish the plan of electing
judges by direct vote of the people,
and to have them appointed by the*
governor upon recommendation of
the supreme court, subject to con
firmation by the state senate.
This, it is asserted, is a wise
change, although there are not a few
active Americans, among them Rob
ert M. LaFollette, candidate for pres
ident, who would like to see the judi
ciary made more responsive to the
popular vote. Mr. LaFollette, indeed,
would go so far as to give congress
power to v^to supreme court docis-:
ions, thus making the judicial branch ,
of the government subservient to the
legislative.
In South Carolina, Judges are
elected indirectly through the legis
lature, and this system, it is claimed,
seems to serve quite well, though, it
is claimed* it might possibly be bet
ter to pj-ovide some appointment sys
tem that would insure careful selec
tive judgment on the part of several
sets of elective officers.
There is good reason, it is claimed
here, for removing the selection of
the judiciary from the immediate and
hasty decision of the popular ballot.
A judge, it is pointed out, should be
chosen only after a very deliberate
and thorough examination into his
ability, character and legal knowl
edge. The judiciary, it is asserted,
is set up as the chief means of pre
serving for the people the funda
mental rights embodies in the con
stitutions.
And just as it is provided that the
constitution shall not be changed ex
cept through a process that makes
necessary very deliberate thought
and consideration, so it is proper,
lany Georgia lawmakers c'n’ni. thai
he judiciar - ' be chosen with great
care.
GA. FREIGHT PROBE
IS ASKED
The Georgia House and Senate
asked the State’s representatives L
Congress, through joint resolution
adopted Thursday, to lay before the
Interstate Commerce Commission the
“frightful condition” of freight ratet
which, according to the resolutions,
are so high as regards commodities
produced in Georgia as to stifle pro
duction.
The resolutions asserted that
freight rates upon food products par
ticularly are so high in Georgia that
the producer receives practically
nothing after transportation is paid.
Diversified farming, the resolutions
asserted, is being greatly injured by
the alleged condition.
The Senate adopted the resolu
tions, which originated in the House
with the provision that they be for
warded immediately to Georgia sen
ators and congressmen.—The Atlan
ta Georgian.
Gathering And Curing
Watermelon Seed.
It is a great sight to visit the
watermelon fields where the seed are
being taken from the melon and cured
for market. Thousands of melons
piled high along the edge of the fields
await the crews with the outfits for
gathering seed.
Mr. W. A. Watson is the principal
seed man in McDuffie county. For
years he has promoted the sale of
seed from the famous Tom Watson
melon and has built up and improved
the melon until now it is the favorite
for shipping. It has the combined
qualities of being an excellent ship
ping melon and is also delicious in
flavor. The old “Kolb Gem” once
held superiority as a shipping melon
on account of its tough rind, but was
lacking in flavor and has been sup
plemented by the Tom Watson.
The sale of seed in McDuffie county
has been increasing from year to
year on account of the growing pop
ularity of the Tom Watson melon.
Last year Mr. Watson gathered 15,-
000 pounds of seed and was unable
to fill all the oi’ders coming to him.
This year Mr. Watson has 375
acres in melons from which he will
gather seed alone, not attempting to
ship any of the melons. He expects
to get 20,000 pounds of seed or mor§
from this acreage.
The work of gathering seed start
ed Tuesday morning, and for the
next six or eight weeks crews of
workmen will be busy at the various
fields ripping open large, luscious
melons and raking out the meat con
taining the seed into barrels, where
it will remain for several hours.
The meat will shortly disintegrate,
become a liquid formation and rise
to the top, when it is removed and
the seed strained out. Then the seed
are placed on tables to dry out. They
must be thoroughly dried in orde.
to get good, hard, firm seed, after
which they are placed in sacks and
ready for market.
The pure variety of Tom Watson
melon, such as Mr. Watson procures,
retails for $1.00 per pound, and each
season heretofore orders have poured
in that far exceeded the supply.
Every year Mr. Watson increases the
supply, which has grown from a few
hundred pounds to 20,000 pounds, the
amount of his crop this year.
The seed are shipped to all parts
of the melon producing territory, ant
are found to be the most successfu’
wherever grown.
Sour Cream Sales Be
gun Friday.
Quite a number of farmers brough'
in sour cream Friday and started the
ball to rolling for a future market ir
Thomson. Indications during the
morning were that forty to fifty gal
lons would be sold in this the firs:
sale, with prospects of increasing
from week to week.
As has been stated before, 100 gal
lons per week will insure the success
of the market here, and with the in
terest shown in the first sale it seems
quite probable that 100 or more gal
lons can be counted on. The sale -
are to be held on Tuesdays and Fri
days of each week.
NOTICE.
Campmeeting at Fountain will em
brace the third Sunday in August, the
17th inst. The public tent will hi
ihe:c in the same way it has hereto-
'f.vo been.
2t J. H. KENDRICK.
NUMBER 32.
NOTE? FROM THE
COUNTY AGENT
CROP CONDITIONS.
Todays government report and
local opinion are represented In the.
following article:
Corn.—“The outlook for corn crop
this season, is very poor, in fact, un
precedented since 1903. The low con
dition is due to an unusually cold
May followed by a wet June, causing
the crop to be late over the whole at
the corn belt. It is estimated that
with average weather conditions th*
average yield per acre will be abottt
23.8 bushels per acre and that the
total yield of corn in the U. S. A. will
be 5-6 of last years crop.”
It is the consensus of opinion in
McDuffie county that we have the
best corn crop in several yea r*,
Young corn however, needs more rain
before it can be depended on. A
large part of old corn is in the medi
um hard grain stage and probably
made. We can expect corn and^itt
fact all grains to be light this winter
and spring. It is expected that much
of our corn will be held for a good
market which is sure to come.
Hogs.—The corn belt unloaded
hogs last winter and this spring.Th*
number of brood sows have been
greatly reduced, which means that
with a poor yield of corn the West
will continue to dump hogs on the
market with the results that both
corn and hogs will mount the scale
in late' winter. Dr. Trumbo, Assist
ant State Veternarian, was in Thom
son Wednesday and reports that he
finds a good demand all over the
State for feeder hogs. The faimer
who has lot3 of corn and a good lot
of feeders should find little trouble
in disposing of them at a good price
this fall.
Cotton.—Georgia’s prospect iot
cotton is the best in several previous
years. Few weevils are present in
North Georgia and fewer present in
South Georgia than at same period
last year. Twice as much poison i*
being used in the state and MOV0
thoroughly than last season. Geor
gia seems to have a better crop at
present than any other Southern
State. Texas is suffering from hot
winds, lice, worms, fleas, grasshop
pers, high wages, high feed price*
and a retarded crop. Reports from
farmers over McDuffie county vary,
some farmers claim the weevil i*
eating them up while others seem to
suffer more from dry weather which
is parching up large weedy, watery,
cotton. Little cotton is suffering
least. The weevil* is more abundant
now than 10 day3 ago and increasing,
Practically no poison is being used
in the county, however, a couple of
applications now four days apart
would save a lot of cotton and money
for this county. In closing Mri
Reader, we want you present at the
pasture demonstration on August
7th at 10 o’clock on the farm of Mr*,
l. E. Farmer.
Atlanta Federal Re
serve Bank Will Ac
cept Warehouse 1
Receipts.
Atlanta, Ga., July 31.—Action ot
the St. Louis Federal Reserve bank
in declining to accept any cotton
warehouse receipts for collateral
other than receipts of United State*
licensed warehouses will not change
the policy of the Federal Reserve
Bank of Atlanta, according to an
nouncements just ::made here by of
ficials of the bank.
The Federal Reserve Bank of At*
lanta covering the sixth fedoral re
serve .district composed of the states
of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Ten
nessee, Mississippi and Louisiana,
will continue to accept all cotton
warehouse receipts as collateral
“which appear safe.” The bank of
ficials stated that this is a matter in
which each Federal Reserve Bank
acts as it deems wise and that for
the present, at least, .there was no
intention of a change of policy of the
sixth reserve bank here with respect
to cotton warehouse receipts.
Much progress has been made, ac
cording to cotton men, in the licens
ing of public warehouses under the
warehouse act because of the atti
tude of growers’ cooperative associ
ations and bankers toward receipts
issued under the law. The Federal
Reserve Bank here, while continuing
to accept all safe warehouse receipts,
has been working in cooperation with
officials here in charge of the admin*
istration of the act.
