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■> r F-Sxijy , THE CHRONICLE j StriTcs To Be a Clean Newa- • paper. Complete, Newaj, • and Reliable. • •••••••••••••••••••••« Sthr Olltnlnn OHjnmtrlr I If Ton Don't Read ! THE CHRONICLE i Too Don’t Get i The Newa. VOLUME XXXI CLINTON, S. C., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1931 S NUMBER 52 SOLONS START- GIU^SOON Important Bills Before Le^risla- ture Next Year. Convenes Sec ond Tuesday In January. Columbia, Dec. 29. — More leifisla- tive activity was crowded into the year 1931 in South Carolina than into any of recent yeirs, and issues bit terly debated in the State House were among the most vital since Recon struction days. The year saw the longest regular session of the general assembly in modern times—117 days.^and the first extraordinary session since 1914 when Cole L. B'ease was governor. Reduction of state expenses and economy was the theme over which legislators battled during the regular session which began in January and continued until almost summer. At the opening the state’s highest office passed from John G. Richards to n)ra C. Blackwood. But the long, tense and colorful when Governor Blackwood frorn New Orleans announced in Scptohil>er that he would call a special sess’on to en act a total prohibtiion cotton planting bill for 19.32. This was done in a nine- day session. Practically all major bills confront ing the two sessions will be fought Happenings In S. C. Get 1931 Headlines Death of Speaker LouRworth At Aiken, Drowning At George town Among Leaders. Coiimbia, Dec. 28. — Those “big new's” events that cause new’spapor editors t6|dust off,their blackets type and order, ’pfesses run at full speed broke thick and fa.st in South Caro lina in 1931. At least four stories originating writhin the state during the year were of national interest w'hile others were of prime importance regionally and within the state. The eyes of the world were focused on Aiken when Nicholas Longw’orth, speaker of the national hou«e of rep resentatives, died there .April 9. The ilrowTiing of 23 persons at Georgeitown when a bus loaded with picnickers craslied through an open drawbridge into the Sampit river was one of the major catastrophes of the year. the penitentiary death hoa.^ at Co lumbia for the slaying of B. W. Hen drix, I/exirgton county storekeeper, attracted wide attention. It was one of th? largest extvutions on record. When George Ja< kson ran amok in Aiken county and slew six of his rela tives, new.spaiK*rs through the nation heralded it in bol<i type. Jackson was over again at the next session, eon vening two weeks from today. These I'ater convicted of murder and is un include the cotton prohibition bill I b'V sentence to die January If), of the extra session, the hydro-elec-1 Of prime interest to the state and trie tax passed last spring and the ‘South was the special session of the race horse bill, approved by the house but continued in the senate until the 1932 session. 'Other important meas ures wer*. carried over until 1932. The general appropriation bill was the rope over which the regular ses sion did much of its tugging and pull ing. The session was prolonged when the house for the first time in history killed a free conference reijort on the appropriation bill. The bill finally passed was a compromise measure, ower than that of 1930 through sal ary and appropriation slashes, but not as low as some economy advocates wished. Leaders claimed that for the first time in years the budget had been balanced The fight over the tax on hydro electric power generated or sold in the state was bitter and long. Four times general assembly which banned cotton planting in this state. The “no-cotton” plan was adopted after it had been passed by Ixiuisiana but will not be come effective unless agreed to by three-fourths of the other cotton pro ducing states. The regular session of the general assembly was the longest on record, 117 days. One of the major accom plishments of this body was passage of a tax on hydro-electric power. I>eath, during the year, claimed an unusually large numfber of outstand ing citizens, including; Dr. Davison McDowell Douglas, president of the University n’t South Carolina; Lieut. Gov. Thomas B. But ler; Col. Iveroy Springs, Lancaster textile magnate; former Governor Richard I. Manning; former Governttr John (’. Sheppard; Robert S. .Small, the house killed the measure, but late | President of the South Carolina Na- in the session reversed its step andj^’^"®* i agreed with the senate. A bill pro viding an increased tax on insurance premiums also was approved. The legislature voted $260 extra pay for each member, an action which drew widespread public interest. The matter was carried later to the su preme court, which upheld the law makers’ right to vote themselves "ex- rowsmith, Florence county ligislative leader, killed in an automobile wreck which also cest the life of O. Hoyt Mc.Millan, Conway attorney; Gen. Washington A. Clark of Columbia, Confederate vet<Tan and banker; (\ W. and J. L. <’oker, brothers, mem bers of the prorr'inent Hartsville fam ily; John T. kodiley, Rock Hill cotton broker and finaVicier; Dr. W. B. Bur- Smith Setting Tongues Awag Democrats In Congress Divided On Views As To Likely Course of Former Governor. Washington, Dec. 28.—Congression al Democrats are divided in their views on whether Alfred E. Smith, the 1928 standard bearer, is prepar ing to seek renomination. New York newspaper stories specu lating on this subject preliminary to the national Democratic gathering next month have served to bring th • question into discussion here. Those proposing Governor Franklin I). Roosevelt of New York for the IVmocrntic nomination are keeping quiet on the possibility of Smith en tering the contest, but there is a dis tinct division among them as to whether this will come about. All are very confident of Roosevelt’s pros pects. But certain it is, that the way has bt*en opened for Smith to hold the The bill to legalile. horse-racinit Idepart- with pari-mptuel bettin* waa approv- »*■*"• un.vera.ty; and a ed b/the houae and when before the "“"’'j'' “f »«'<■'; Pronnnent peraona aenate niet a atorm of oppoaition from 'noludmK aeveral member, of the church and civic leader.. The aenate st^ le^ialature. continued it until next year. Bill, to haa f.Kured .n new. stone? in this state for the last sev eral years, agaiit grabbed the head- provide biennial sessions and classi fication of intangible property for taxation were continued. Balloting over the election of an associate justice of the supreme court,. , . xu i e xtr .. te aucceed the late Chief J„,tice|y'f but th-alYinit of « (.. Watt, waa unuaually prolon|re<l. j K/'u--.rf Crosa H.II .and the .hooting Judg. M. L. Bonham of Anderaon, fi- <>f G<-dd,nga of Pme- nally waa. elected. Aaaociate Justice «"'«d, wore among the cases attract- lines in .May when he was tried a sec ond time for the murder of his wife. Acts of violence were frequent dur- Value Of State’s Crops Decreases Figures for 1932 Given By Agri culture Department Statisti cian. Total Is $71,214,000. Columbia, Dec. 22.—The total esti mated value of all crops in South ('•’rolina in 1931 is placed at $71,214.- 000 by Frank O. Black, agricultural statistician. United States department of agriculture. This value i.s a decrease of $47,44x3,- 000 or 40 per cent from the valuation of $118,6.57,000 for 1930, and $69,530,- 000, or 49.4 per cent, btdow the value of $140,744,000 for 1929, Mr. Black said. The estimated cotton crop of 1,015,- 000 bale.s for 1931 i.s valued at $30,- 4.50,000, compare<l with $49,550,000 for 1930 and $68,060,000 for 192t>. Mr. Black, in his report, said the decline in crop values waa due to much lower prices of farm products, for the total quantity pro(luce<i in 1931 was about 4.5 per cent above production in 1930 and about 17 per cent above that of 1929. The trend in total acreage, the re port continued, “has been downward Urges Change In Schools System State Superintendent Hope Sees Need of Reorganization of Ru ral and Village Bducation. Columbia, Disc. 26. — Fundamental renrgnnizat’on of rural and small vil lage education to remedy some of the “marked inequalities’* of the “district” system is urged by James H. Hope, state superintendent of education, in his annual report to the general as sembly, made public today. Mr, Hope. In his report, also took up the questions of economy in school expenditur(*8 and state aid to schools. As to expenditures, he said that in 1931 the people jof the state w})ent for automobiles, gasoline and luxuries more than $110,(K>0,()0(), or ten times as much as the $14,000,000 oxpepdcHl for public education. “Place the emphasis where it be longs and solve the problem in favor of the child,” he added. He qyoted figures that in 1890 .South Carolina appropriated 82.7 per cent of all public school costs, the highest in the South Atlantic, but that in 1931 the state appropriated speakers at the .latkson day hanijuet on January 8, the 'night before the Deniocratic national committee meets. The other banquet speakers an nounced by ('hairman Raskoh of the committee are presidential nomiiKM-s of ixK’ent years, James M, ('ox and John W. Davis. It is the conviction of Roosevelt’s advocates on Capitol Hill — an<l there SIHMIIS to 1m' h considerable group of them—-that the New York governor i.s far in fronit for the nomination and can not 1k‘ hea<ied, oven by Smith. ' There is no doubt in the minds, also, of Roosevelt’s friends ♦hat he and Raskoh have reached a definite part ing of the ways. But many believe this .split does not extend to Smith and Roosevelt. They have suggesUxi that Smith is trying to steer a course between these two prominenit Democrats and kt'cp himself alway.s in position to be titu lar leader of the party. Whether this position would be invoked to seek the nomination is uncertain. Also, it is understood by some high in the party councils that Mr. Spiith intends to attend the next Ikmiocratic convention as a delegate and take the floor in a fight for an anti-prohibition plank Should Smith pursue this course and be<’ome a delegate, it is believed unlikely he would leave himself in the pre.siuential race. DANIELS TALKS OF NEH RACE Former Secretary of Navy Says Democratic Candidate Must Be Liberal and Progressive. New York, Dec. 29.~A 1932 presi dential candidate, who embodies lib eral and progressive views and hail “no vestige of .standpatism or p'nk Republicanism,” was urged upon o Democratic party today by Jose a Daniels. “For,” said the secretary of » navy in the Wilson adniinistra “the situation next year /will be unlike that of 1912. Now, as then people are going to elect a fires’ who embodies liberal land progre i views.” “If, in 1912, the Democrats d nominateil what is caMc-d a conserva tive—a misnomer for a reactionary— Roosevelt would have won. Rut the Demo<’rats picked Wilson, a great progressive, and they won. oeen (meneo lor rimitn lo noui me * 7, , , , of the party. He will Ih‘ nm* of 44wee Patter.’ or who acquu-wes in ‘stand- . ■ 1 1 A tADfmnv ' /’5in win in IM* XiYr /»!in patism,’ can win in Nor can we win with u ‘pink Roiiub'ican,’ w’aich is another name for reactionary Dem ocrat. “The iM'ople are on the.nuirch: they see conditions are bad;’they demand a change. The party in power, by al lowing 6,()<)0,(M)0 men tn go without j(d)s, has, in the woril-' (>f the Scrifi- ture.s, U'en weighed an 1 found woint- ing. “Tlie Republicans next y^uir will have no more of a chance than did that great and good man. Taf!, in 1912. It seems that the only (jue.stioii left for the Democrats to decide i.-i the identity of their candidate.” And there Mr. Daniebs stopped. He was unwilling, at the moment, to ven ture a prediction as to who would he nominatecl, but— “The Democratic party is fortunate in having available candidates who meet the specifications and who in- carnato progressive principles. Par ticularly, we have Franklin 1). Roose velt, of New York, and Newton I). Baker, of Ohio.” Mr. Daniels, always dry, himself, mentioned prohibition; “The country is .so eager to find its way out of economic distress that the fieople won’t be interested in prohi bition. People are thinking about bread and the man who talks about booze—whether more or less booze! — does-not get an audie nce. “There is no doubt in my mind that when the DemcKTatic national com mittee meets next month to select a time and place for a convention it will I .IPPIIRPII' select- a time and place. It will not 'assume to dictate platforms or poli- jcies, prerogatives that are reserved Gity council at a recent session, or-1 for the delegates in convention usseni- Council Lowers City in cash crops and upward on food and 1 only 23.8 per cent of the total school feed crops. “iXeclines of 11 per cent in cotton and 15 per cent in tobacco were about offset by increased acreages of prac tically all other crops.” The 15 per cent reduction in tobac co acreage, with a lower yield per acre, resulted in a crop about 29 per costs for public education. He con tinued; “Whether the state should assume a larger percentage of public school costs is a (luestion for consi leiation, nevertheless the fact remains that the local units upon which the burden is now place<l are so une(|ual in their Blease became chief justice. State Senator G. B. Greene of Anderson, was elected to the circuit bench sue ceeding Judge Bonham. Important state bills became laws, . including one increasing the “teacher load” by reducing the number of Rf'^^tor, ing the greatest "Atatewide attention, j 1929, the report said. Carlos A Rector, former .sheriff of I 'Tbe 1931 estimate of 70,070,000 Greenville county and well-known tojpoumls was valued at $6,466,000, South Carolina newspaper readers, ' ' cent below 1930 and 20 per cent below i ability to finance schools that the BCihool system of this and oth^r st.-xtes is shot through with inequalities.” “What is n(*e<led,’ he said, “it, a fun- figured in two important stories dur- with J. Harmon Moore, which compared with 98,600,000 ' da mental reorganization and redirec- pounds and $11,832,000 value in 1930, jtion of rural and small village ixluca- 87,081,000 pounds and $13,498,(8)0 ini tion. The county .seems the natural fiend a reduction of 15 per cent in all city licenses for 1932 over the past year. The city ordinance imposing a li- cons<* tax on all business and profes sions for the coming year, appears in tmlay’s paper. All licen.ses must be paid on or before the 15th of Janu ary, with a penalty of 10 per cent added after that date. C. F. FLEMING GOES WITH PALMETTO BANK Laurens, De<‘. 24.--Charles h'. Flem ing, prominent young business man of the city and formerly connected with the Feoples-Enterfirise bunk, i.s to join the forces of the I’almetto brnk bled.” This was his only reft rence to the reported plans of John .1. Ra.-fkob, national Democratic chairman, to ask definite action on a prohibition plank or referendum when the committee' meets. Desc-ribing President Hoover as a man whom “the jn't^jile resjtect ami like,” Mr. Daniels nonetfieless sharji- ly criticizetl the president for what he called delaying positi\e action tu relieve economic conditioiis. Sale Of Highway Bonds Called Off on January l.st, it ha.s In-en announced , Bhicltwood .Makes An- 192'J. ♦ - Kxr pffpeHno- a ^as convicted of being an ac<es9ory| The corn crop this year was esti- teachers by about the fact of manslaughter in con-1 mated at 12,994,(>'i0 bushels, as com- by Hs wn Wil-/par..d with 22.200,000 bu.hel» in 1930 «ppr.,xi.nat*ly $200,000 by its spon appealed his | and 10,131,000 bushels in 192i). wn uiViiph pnacted 10-yefr sentence to the supreme court,' “However,” .said the report, “(he snl^ial session would make it a where his conviction was upheld. A price per bushel is reported as le.ss at the special session would make It a re-heanng is now I than half that of last year and the pending. [total value of $10,117,000 is 49 per unit for the organization.” misdemeanor to plant any cotton in 1932, including the “Long plan.” It is inciua.ng cne ^ ^ ^ he cent below the value of the two pre- net effective unless 75 per cent of the wa uui, aux,'vimitt kfatoB A»na/»t Bimilar i ^•'1* arrested in connection with the vious years, cotton growing a -au^ i robbery of the Farmers’ bank of “It was a good year for small legislation. Since the _ • ! Travelers Rest. This case resulted in grains and per acre yields were about the best ever produced in the state, with total production well above re cent years.” Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Adair of Atlan ta, Ga., spent Christinas with the for- incr'% mother, Mrs. Corrie Adair. pital to Richland county and the re sumption, after three years court liti gation, of street car service in the state capital. m imii iiiwi # A &P. Store states have failed to follow South • . • $ Carolina and the bill probably will be ® mistrial. i ' • r»pe.le<i at the coming M.»ion or die '‘o™’ automatically becaueTof Ite provleo. ‘'"ot to Columb.a were the award- Attache on n«eep.pers. which al- '"K Stntee veteran, hoe- most unanimously had opposed the “Long plan” favored by Governor Blackwood, constituted most of the debate in the two houses. 'The bill was passed by generous margins in both houses. An attempt to pass a bill reducing acreage by two-thirds, which was then the so-called “Texas plan,” failed when the bouse refused to approve a senate amendment for the state to borrow up to $15,000,000 to advance to fanners on their cotton. The bill probably will be brought up at the 1932 session. The special session also passed a bill providing an investigation of the cottonseed industry. City Schools Open Monday The Clinton public schools will re^ ^ [open next Monday morning after a LfOCfttlOn'^wo weeks period of Christmas holi- jdays. All of the teachers will return Quiet Christmas Observed Here by President R. B. Terry. Mr. Flem ing is to hold the post of as.sistani easihier. Miss Martha Weir Davis wasi also recently added to the clerical forces of the bank. No other changes in the bank force.s are cont<‘mpIated, it was said by Mr. Terry. nouncement After Series of (’onference.s. Ghristma.s was observed, in Clinton in the usual quiet manner. The city rested Christmas day with the mills, stores, offices, banks, post office, etc., all closed. The banks took both Friday and Saturday in the observance. The spirit of Christmas was in evi dence everywhere with many on the streets carrying gifts to loved ones and friends, receiving in turn other appreciations of love and friendship. Many spent the day hunting and en joying (Jhristmas visiting • The loc»l Great Atlantic'& Pacific Tea Company's store will move today from its present location on West Main street into the building on Mus- grove street just viurated by B. L. King. Mr. Stiller, who has been man ager of the A. & P. store sin^e it opened here several years ago, states that the “moving job” will be com pleted tonight and everything in reaifinesa for business in their new location on Friday morning. to the city in time for the opening and regular classroom work will be resumed without delay. Presbyterian college will also be gin its new term next Monday morn ing. Tho 'Thornwell orphanage schools re-opened yesterday. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Moore of York, and Mr. and Mrs. T. 0. McKeown and children of (Cornwell, spent Christmas with Hr. and Mrs. T. J. Blalock. Several Changes With New Year B. L. King, well known local mer chant, has moved from his former lo cation on Musgrove street into the store room on North Broad street for merly occupied by Blakely Bros., and is now stationed in his new home where he will be glad to serve his cus tomers. Pet B. Adair’s Furniture store is occupying the room adjoining King’s, while the building vacated across the street has been rented by Coleman’s Electric Shop. The Successful Merchant Of 1932 Will be the merchant who buya his merchandiae well, givea courteoua aervice, dia- playa hia aiock well and runs a ayatematic advertis ing campaign. Competition ia keen and if you want tir keep on selling 'em you have got to keep on telling ’em. The advertising department of THE CHRONICLE will welcome the opportunity to diacuaa you^^publicity cam paign for thia year. The advertiairg ctdumna of this newspaper offer you a mire way of increasing your aalea and making new friends for your store. The Chronicle “The Paper Everybody Reads” Columbia, Doc. 22, C;ivontnr I. C. Blackwood announced I;ito toihiv that becau.so of “bond marl-i t cimditi >n<” the proposed saU* t'miorr.AV of $10,- 000,000 in .South ('ar<ilina highway bonds or notes had boon called off. After conferences with bankers, highway and other officials lasting practically throughout the day. the governor issued the following state ment; “The latest reports on bond market conditions convince me that bids will j not be rcA-eived proposing rates that I the stab* could afford to accept, and ' we have therefore come to the con- , elusion to call off the sale advertised I for tomorrow. At a later date another jbond sale will be advertised.” The proposed sale was announced ! Dec. 6 from New York, where the ! governor and Ben M. Sawyer, chief ■ highway commissioner, had gone to study the bond market. The adver tisement for bids specified bonds or i short-term notes. Governor Blackwood said his brief statement covered the situation and he did not feel it necessary to elabor- j ate on it. The decision to postpone the bond sale, he explained, was reached after a thorough survey of bond mar ket conditions. H. D. Rantin has returned after spending several days in Knoxville, Tenn., ,with his daughter and son-in law, Mr. and ’Mrs. N. P. Dow. ■ 1 \