The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, December 24, 1920, Image 1
Abbeville Press and Banner
Established 1844. $2.00 the Year. Tri-Weekly. Abbeville, S. C. Friday, Dec. 24, 1920 Single Copies, Five Cents. 77th Year
NO LOSS OF LIFE REPORTED j
IN LATTER COUNTY BUT I
TOWN IS ALMOST CUT OFF
FROM COMMUNICATION WITH
OUTSIDE ?CHILDREN HURT
AT SNELUNG
Barnwell, Dec. 23.?A cyclone
that struck the little town of Snell
ing, five miles west of Barnwell
Wednesday afternoon about 4 o'
clock completely destroyed the resi
dence of W. C. Birt, killed his wife
and seriously injured his three chil
dren. A funeral party from Barn
well, on its way to Seven Pines
church, near Snelling, was caught
in the path of the storm and the
tops of several automobiles in ine
procession were torn off. An over
coat, fur and hat were blown off of
one woman as she sat in her car.
Large pine trees were snapped off
as though they were pipestems.
Members of the funeral pa^ty say
the roar of the approaching cycione
eould be heard for some time before
they felt the full force of the wind,
and that the noise was like that of
a heavy freight train in rapid mo
* tion. It will probably be a day or
two before the full amount of dam
age is known.
Laurens, Dec. 23.?Laurens was
swept by a cyclone this afternoon
and a number of unroofed buildings
broken windows and blown down
chimneys were left in its wake. As
" far as can be ascertained tonight,
no one was injured when chimneys
crashed through roofs or by broken
glass or other debris.
Telegaph, telephone and electric
light poles and wires were blown
down in all parts of the city, and
tonight Laureifs y is without com
munication with the outside world
with the exception of long distance
telephone lines.
The storm broke between 3 and 4
/o'clock and for ten or 15 minutes
" ??
the wind Diew wren i. ex-nut iui?.
The large frame structure housing
the glass.works of the city was
wrecked. The roofs were blown
from two stores in the city and the
chimneys were blown down into a
number of homes. At the home of
Mrs. A. H. Sanders the chimney |
crashed through the roof apd ceil-1
ing into the rooms of the lower |
floor. A chimney was also blown i
down into the home of Dr. R. R.
Walker at Watts Mill, this likewise
crashing through the roof. For
tunately no members of the two
1-ouseholds were in the rooms into
which the debris fell. A store build
ing was also wrecked at Watts Mill
and a number of residences also un
roofed and more or less damaged.
The roof was also blown from a
residence at the Laurens Mill,
It could not <be iearnea aere wj-i
night if damage had been done be-1
yond the city. The storm came in
from the southwest and as it had
been raining practically all day, few
people were in the streets when the
timbers and glass were hurling
through the air.
Eufaula, Ala., Dec. 22.?A torna
do passed ten miles north of Eu
>. faula at 1 o'clock this morning, up
looting trees and demolishing a
number of houses but no reports of
loss of life have been received, al
though ttelephone wires are down
and telegraph service is being con
ducted under difficulties, making
receipt of details slow.
WANTS THE HOME PAPER
Mrs. I. G. Savage, formerly of Cal
houn Falls, but now residing at Mill
port, Ala., was one of the first of our
December subscribers to renew her
* *1' Cll?^ +V*of cVl D
fSUDSCnpuon. one vyiuco knau ouv
cannot do without the home paper,
- and that the Press and Banner, like
wine, improves with age. Mrs. Savage
is soon to visit her mother, Mrs.
Pheiffer, at' Calhoun Falls.
May Not Finish
Nitrate Plant
Ten Million Dollars Needed to Com
I plete?House Members May Yet
i Seek to Restore Measure
Despite Action.
| Washington, Dec. 23.?The sub
j committee of the appropriations com
mittee of the house this afternoon re
jected the petition of the board of
I engineers that $10,000,000 be appro
priated for* the completion of the
I $100,000,000 project at Muscie snoais
in northern Alabama. Last night
the subcommittee tentatively agreed
to recommend the appropriation, but
during the day Republican leaders
interfered with the result that the
tentative agreement was hurled into
the discard.- Unless the house acts
favorably despite the action of the
subcommittee, it is feared that the
nitrate bill in charge of Senator
Smith of South Carolina, under the
provisions of which the Muscle
shoals plants would'be operated for
the production of fertilizer, will be
seriously jeopardized.
The fertilizer trust has entered
actively on the warpath against the
nitrate bill with the plea that its en
actment would destroy its business.
Senator and representative from all
states were inundated today by tele
grams from constituents 'engaged in
retailing fertilizer, urging that they
vote against the bill. The tide was
especially strong from Georgia and
South Carolina, the four senators
from which states are committed in j
favor of the bill.
n:_i a.*, n.t.vitlv
Senator Dial, of South Carolihaj
promptly answered his telegrams ji
with the explanation that while he,
objected as a rule to the government*! i
engaging in any business, the Muscle 11
shoals proposition meant such per-|]
nr^nent benefits to the argicultural ]
classes of the country that he felt j
impelled to support necessary legis- 1
iation in its favor. I:
The Republicans, in desiring that 1
the stupendous construction be stop- (
ped before completion and after a 1
sum as great as $90,000,000 has been
spent, entertain the idea that the 1
government should dispose of the <
plants to private corporations. In
asmuch, however, as consumers :
woull not profit from fertilizer sold j'
by privaffe corporations, farmers op- j;
' ? ? mv _ ! i
pose the KepuDlican suggestion, jlub
plight of the project is indicated by '
absentees being recalled to Washing
ton prior to the conclusion of the ;
holiday period.
At Muscle shoals on the Tennessee '
river the government, during the
war, undertook to construct plants. 1
for the filtration of atmospheric ni- 1
trogen to form the basis of explo
sives and thus make this country in- '
dependent, in the event of another
war, of the Chilean nitrate beds. It
was a part of the general scheme to 1
construct a dam across the shoals 1
capable of generating more water
power than can be generated at any r
other point wholly within the United
States. That which put the necessary 1
legislation through congress was the
knowledge that in time of peace '
these plants would be capable of pro
ducing .the highest grade of fertilizer
which could be obtained by farmers
nf Mnrl roocflnoVllP ohflTVPA. |i
7 * v" o "? ^
The plants are constructed. The
dam is nearing completion. The cost '
has approximated $100,000,000. And |
now the Republicans would abandon
the project because its completion
will entail additional expenditure of
money.
MINISTER KILLED
BY AUTOMOBILE
Winston Salem, N. C., Dec. 23.?
Rev. John R. Herndon, pastor of
Waughtown Presbyterian church, a
suburb of this city, was instantly
killed by an automobile this morn
ing. Two negroes in the car which
struck the pastor never halted. They
escaped, but officers are searching
for them. Mr. Herndon leaves a
wife nad two children.
PENSION BILL
THAN FOF
Washington, Dec. 23.?Carrying
$14,000,000 less than was appropri
ated for this year, the annual pen
sion bill was reported out today by
the House appropriations committee.
The total in the bill is $265,500,000.
House leaders have agreed to con
sider the measure tomorrow with the
expectation that it will be passed be
fore adjournment tomorrow evening^
for the Christmas recess.
Thei)ill was drafted by a sub
c'ommittee, headed by Representative
Cannon, of Illinois. The estimated
pension disbursements in the bill a9
given by the committee, follow:
Civil war $251,612,192; war of
1812, $21,145; Mexican war, $840
439; Indian wars, $2,168,195; Span
ish-American war $5,844,3bu; wona
USUAL CUSTOM 10 ;
BE CARRIED OUT
AT INAUGURATION
President Wilson Plans To Accom
pany President-Elect Harding
From White House To Capi
tal On March 4.
Washington," Dec. 2'.?President
Wilson plans to accompany Presi
dent elect Harding from the White
House for luncheon as is the usual
-J 1- ? ?. ? ?V?? /*/
CUSlOm Wlltixi a I itrw umci. cjicuuuavc
is inaugurated.
Joseph P. Tumulty, secretary to |
the President, said today that Mr. j
Wilson had outlined to him yester-;
day his plans with regard to inau
guration day. And as is the custom,
Mr. Harding will call at the White:
House just before noon and will be
received by the retiring executive,
rhey then, under present plans, will
ride down Pennsylvania avenue to
the capitol, where the President
elect will take the oath if office and
deliver his inaugural address.
The new and retiring President
will lead the usual parade up the
avenue to the White House where
Mr. Wilson will entertain Mr. Hard
i
ing at luncheon. Immediately after
ward, President Wilson will retire
to his new home on S street to take'
up life as a private citizen after [
eight years in the White t House.
The continued steady improvement
in the President's health, according
to Secretary Tumulty will make the
contemplated visit of the President
with President-elect Harding to the
capitol possible even in the event of
the most intemperate weather.
Mr. Tumulty said oday ha when j
he visited the President yesterday i
he found him in better spirits tnan
at any time since he was taken ill
more than a^year ago. The Presi
dent and his secretary discussed a
variety of topics bnt Mr. Tumulty
said the executive did not bring up
the subject of the treaty of Ver
sailles and did not indicate in anyj
way what disposition he was prepar-i
ed to make of it.
The President said in the course
of the talk that he was not greatly
interested in the writing of memoirs
for an autobiography as it was a
form of literature which had never
greatly appealed to him. It has been
generally understood that when Mr. |
Wilson retires from office he will
take up the preparation of a history
of the world war.
28 BELOW AT MONTANA
t
Washington, Dec. 23.?Frost is
probable tonight as far south as the
interior of Central Florida, the
weather bureau announced today,
and freezing temperatures may pre
vail to the Mississippi and Alabama
coast. Considerable low temperature
east of the Mississippi river follow
ing a drop to decidedly below nor
mal throughout the west where at
Havre, Montana, a temperature of
28 below zero was registered this
morning. ?
V
. IS LESS
I PAST YEAR
war 36,734; regular establishment
$4,476,215.
During the year the number of
pensions decreased 32,237 and the
sub-committee said this accounted
for the cout of $14,000,000 as com
pared with this year's total.
The sub-committee estimated that
in addition to the $265,500,000 car
ried in the pension bill, the govern
ment during the next fiscal year
would expend an additional $309,
985,490 in war ^risk compensation,
maintenance of soldiers homes, med
ical and hospital treatment. for war
veterans and vocational training. It
also estimated that by. the end of the
coming fiscal year the government
will have paid out $5,830,815,7.17.
04 in pensions since jl919.
secrfy houston
mm a two
billion deficiency
Two B.llion and One Hundred Mil
lion This Year and One Billion
and a Half Next Year Says
The Treasurer
Washington, Dec. 23.?Gross defic
iency in national fiscal transactions of
$2,100,000,000 this fiscal and $1,500
000,000 for the next fiscal year was
iorecast today Dy secretary xiousiun
.n testimony before the Senate Fin
ance Committee which is considering
the soldier bonus bill. The secretary
said federal finances were in such
ihape that'new sources of revenue
must be found and no new burdens
added to the treasury.
Considered a^de from the public
debt, Mr. Houston said, the ordinary
receipt for this year should exceed
ord.nary expenditures by about $800
000,000 and next year excess should
be $556,000,000. These sums, how
ever, are inadequate to take care of
the interest on the public debt, which
.s about $2,200,000,000 annually Mr.
Houston said, as well as the interest
on the current floating debt and the
total laid aside annually for retiring
cne publ.c debt.
"We will start the year of 1922-23
with a deficit of $1,500,000,000, said
Jfr. Houston. "We face, in addition,
the fact that many sources of reven
i - -i?_? ?:n 4-~
ue are declining su we win .nave iu
look around for new sources to tap
without placing greater burdens on
;he treasury."
Asked as to what sources of rev
enue were declining, the secretary
said principally the excess profits tax
but that the productivity of higher
groups of income taxes also was fall
ing off. He cited internal revenue fig
ures showing a steady decline in tax
payments by those receiving the lar
ger incojnes of the country.
Mr. Houston warned, incidentally
against "tampering with the sinking
fund." He declared the present ar
rangement for retiring the great war
debt was "sound and workable," and
should be allowed to continue in
force.
THIS MULE PROVED TO
BE A POOR MILCH COW
Raleigh, itf. C., Dec. 23.?A thief
had been sneaking into the bam at
night and stealing milk from a cow
owned by a Johnson county farmer.
The planter determined to put an end
to the culprit's depredations. A few
days ago the cow was transferred
from her regular stall and a young
mule was substituted. One night la
ter, the farmer was aroused by a ter
rific racket in the vicinity of the sta
ble. He grabbed his shot-gun and ran
to the barnyard, but the thief had es
caped', leaving a battered milk pail
a small stool and a hat in the mule's
stall. The visits of the intruder have
ceased.
Pageant Was
Big Success
Small Crowd Present on Account Of
Bad Weather?Young Ladies
Will Repeat Pageant Next
Tuesday Evening
The pageant given by the Young
Woman's Auxiliary in the Baptist
church Wednesday evening was most
impressively rendered, and was great
ly enjoyed by the audience present.
Because of the inclemency of the
weather, the number present was not
as large as might have been, the
church being not more-than half filled
with people. Numerous requests have
f?nmo fhnt tVio nrA?pnt-.flt.inn h<? rp.
peated, and the young women have
consented to repeat the pageant on
Tuesday evening. The service will be
gin at seven o'clock.
The pageant was a presentation of
"The Holy Night," and twenty-five
or thirty young women took .part. The
music was furnished by Miss Ruth
Howie at the pipe organ, and a select
choir. Joseph, Mary, the shepherds,
the wise men, angel figures, and rep
resentatives of the . nations of the
earth were represented by young
women of the auxiliary. The costumes
were brilliant, and the parts were
specially well rendered. The whole
was a striking visualization of ' the
scene in the manger when the shep
herds came, and the visit of the wise
[ men, and the final triumph of the
Christ among all peoples of the earth.
The church should be filled next
Tuesday evening at seven o'clock
when the pageant begins.
I
STOLE MONEY DISPLACED
IN WINDOW OF A BANK
Scranton, Pa., Dec. 23.?New cur
rency displayed on two illuminated
Christmas trees in windows of the
First National Bank at the most
prominent business corner of the
city attracted thieves just before
day break today. They hurled stones
through the windows and gathered
up the bills indifferent to burglar
alarm loudly clanging over their
heads. Police hurried to the scene
and picked up the men with their
pockets bulging with the new bank
notes. One was Tommy Cawley the
other refused ta write his name.
Both are deaf mutes.
ITALIAN TROOPS ESTABLISH
CLOSE BLOCKADE OF FIUME
London, Dec. 23.?Italian govern
ment troops commanded by General
al Caviglia and Admiral Millo have
established a close blockade of
Fiume by lnd and sea, and it seem
ed possible today that fighting
might be represented at any time.
Not only has the city of Fiume
been isolated from the outside
world, but the Islands of Arbe, San
MaTcoa and Veglia.
Conditions of recognized gravity
have arisen since Captain Gabriele
said today that fighting w might be
expected at any time. Not only has
Rappallo. In answer to an ultimate
I aoTif. he General Caviflrlia, he
nas declared he will fight against
enforcement of the treaty until his
demands aTe met.
GOOD ATTRACTIONS
AT OPERA HOUSE
( THE COMING WEEK
Manager Verchot, of the local
theatre, has booked two of the best
road attractions touring this -section
to present performances at Abbe
ville during next week. The first
show, "Dardenella", which is to ap
pear on Monday, comes highly re
commended by managers all over
the circuit and the theatre-goers of
our town may expect an evening of
fine entertainment. "The Trail of
;he Lonsesome Pine," which is to
appear here Thursday evening neeas
no comment as this great play has
been having quite a successful run1
for a number of years.
L. 0. Beauford was in town today
on business.
HOUSE VOTES FOR FORDNEY
MEASURE BY BIG MAJORITY
POLITICAL SWEPT ASIDE ON
FINAL VOTE, 41 DEMOCRATS
COMBINE WITH 154 REPUBLI
CANS IN PASSAGE. "
Washington, Dec. 23.?Over the
protests of a defiant minority, the
house tonight adopted the Fordney
emergency tariff bill by a vote of
196 to 86. The vote was taken at
8:45 o'clock after eight hours of de
bate.
Political Knes were swept aside on
the final vote, 41 Democrats and one
DtiAklKi+lAwipf 1 ATM nrliV. 1 K. A
X A V/illLf iHV/lilO V CUUiUlliillg VTiWIl 1C?
Republicans in supporting the meas
ure while 14 'Republicans linecf up.
with 72 Democrats against the bill.
It was evident tonight before 'the
vote was taken that supporters . of
the measure designed to protect
some 20 odd farm products for a ten
months period had the situation well
in hand. But Representative llenry
T. Rainey, Democrat, Illinois, lead
ing the opposition, opened a bitter
attack which increased in intensity,
as the debate wore on.
Paragraph-by paragraph, . he as
sailed the measure while the Repub
licans with loud roars of "noes" sent
his. proposed amendments down to
defeat. A few Republicans supported
him in his attack but a score of his
own party turned from their tradi
tional stand against a high tar.lf to
join the majority. /
Opposition speakers charged that
the measure would send the cost of
living higher and branded it as class
legislation. Defenders of the bill on
the other hand said it would save
the agricultural industry.
v n
ci j Iiaoiuj vrawu*
Cha'.rman Fordney of the ways and
means committee which reported the
measure in opening debate declared
the measure was not scientific and
admitted it was hastily drawn, but
asserted that it was the best that
could be had at this time.
Representative Gardner, Tex&s
speaking in support of this bill, said
he felt it was the only way in which
congress could extend the relief so
urgently needed by the farmers.
ReDresentative Madden. Republi
can,, Illinois, however, assailed his
colleagues for "opposing the way to
a renewal of prohibitive living
costs." Pointing his finger at the
majorty leader's desk, he said:
"You men will make two lamb
chops cost $1.30 again and you will
make our suits^ of clothes cost 100
J per cent more."
Representative Garrett of Tennes
j see said he saw "in this bill a de
j termined effort to divide the Demo
! cratic party, to make members of
! that party turn their bkck9 on every
principle of taxation for which the
party has stood in its whole his
tory."
"I can not believe the Republican
leaders seriously hope to get this bill
passed." he added. "I am convinced
it is a fine piece of political strategy.
In his attempts at amendment Mr.
Rainey sought to show that the bill
in the most part carried higher rates
than the Payne-Aldrich tariff. He
also warned of retaliatory tariffs and
embargoes by other nations.
In this cdnnection an amendment
by Representative Olney, Democrat,
Massachusetts, to admit wool in
transit' from Australia and South
America at the time of passage of
the measure at prevailing rates of
Juty was voted down.
Blow to Manufacturing
Representative Walsh, Republican,
Massachusetts, in opposing the rate
jf seven cents a pound on cotton
manufactures, said the cotton indus
try of New England were at a stand
till now, and predicted that an ad
litional duty would result in further
unemployment through the abandon
nent of plans to reopen mills.
Mr. and Mrs. James Gibeirt, of
Spartanburg, are visiting Mr. A. E.
Gibert.
t