The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, January 01, 1920, Image 1
mf' \' t
W
! J uUjr Hamburg ifrralb
? j 1 ??~
I $2.00 Per Year in Advance - BAMBERG, S. 0., THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 1920. Established in 1891
. -^========================================================================================^
r PRACTICE ECONOMY
THROUGHOUT STATE
(
DETAILED STATEMENT ON BOLL
WEEVIL IS PREPARED.
I J
\
Build Up Bank Accounts.
rr ^
Kfnch Damage Expected Next Year if
Season is Wet, According
to Experts.
/
______ *
Columbia, Dec. 21.?The practice
of the severest economy, to build up
,=? a bank account, and the installation
-* _ > l j,
or a sysiem 01 aiversmea agriculture,
with livestock raising as the funda.
mental, are the surest means of meetin?
the boll weevil menace which
threatens the whole State, according
to a detailed statement on the cotton
pest prepared by W. W. Long, director
of extension, Clemson College, for
? Governor Cooper, and released by the
latter today for publication.
Dr; A. F. Conradi, entomologist,
Clem$on vCoilege, in a statement inserted
by Prof. Long, says if the cotton
season of 1920 is wet that serious
damage from the boll weevil may be
expected in the counties in the territory
below a line drawn from a point
on the Savannah river a few miles
> below Augusta, Ga., to Mt. Pleasant
on the coast, namely: Beaufort, Jasper,
HamDton. Colleton. Dorchester, j
Orangeburg, Bamberg, Aiken, Barnwell
and Allendale. However, if the
winter has low temperatures, he said,
and the growing season is dry, then
no very serious damage is to be ex
pected in these counties. If the winter
is mild and followed by a wet
growing season, he continued, then
serious damage may be expected in
the lowlands of Berkeley, Williamsburg,
Georgetown and Horry counties,
and furthermore damage may be
expected in spots in low lands as far
v north as the latitutde of Columbia.
In Coastal Counties.
"In the coastal counties lying below
a line from the southern part of
Aiken county to Conway, in Horry
county, claims Prof. Conradi, "cotton
production ii, rapidly becoming a
gamble and as already stated, serious,
damage will occur in 1920 if the season
is wet; and it is of the greatest
importance that the farms become
h self-supporting and self-sustaining
immediately.*
Prof. Long's statement follows:
"This article is to discuss and emphasize
the great devastation and
hardships the people have passed
-through in States infested by the boll
weevil in past years and the means
they used to regain their present prosperity.
Unless we prepare we have
every reason to believe we will suffer
a similar experience. It is admitted
that in some sections the farm
era have recovered and business is on
a sound foundation; therefore we
shall d'scuss this problem from four
standpoints. The effect of the boll
weevil on the agricultural interest in
the States where it has existed for
several years; second, effect of weevil
on other industries, such as banking
and oil mill ;nterests; third, how
best to prepare to meet th's menace;
and four*h, the counties in this State
in which we may expect the greatest
damage next year.
Cotton Prodnction,
"In the matter of cotton production
in Texas in 1900 there were planted
several million acres, producing 3,400,000
bales. In 1914 the acreage
had increased to 11,000,000 acres,
and the crop to 4,500,000 bales. It
must be understood that the increased
acreage in cotton in Texas has
been in that part of the State known
as the prairie section, which is very
hot and has very little rainfall. In
Lou's'ana where the acreage remained
practically the same during the
fourteen year period, the production
fell from one-half a bale per acre
to something like one-third of a bale
per acre. From these figures it will
be seen that when th^ boll weevil
was at its worst in these States there
was a disastrous reduction ip cotton
productron and they emphasize the
aDsoiute necessity ior our peopie to
begin at once to> change their agriculture.
"In 1906 there were 2,076 operating
ginneries in Louisiana; in 1915
there were 1,086; in 1906 there
were 25 oil mills in operat'on; in
1916 there were 14; in Mississippi
In 1906 there were 3,780 ginneries
in operation; in 1916 there were 2,204.
. In the same State there were
84 oil mills in operat'on before the
advent of the weevil and in 1916
+ Vl oro trora r>Tl 1V ^4 Tt OUTI ho fiPPTI
*v VAJLV/A ^ TT V/A v ^ ^ V I
from these figures just what these
- v^i *
*$.: ' '.? '
. c .
? v-. - ? fi-sv* , .
ARREST OF NEGRO
CAUSES TROUBLE
????? \
MARION SHERIFF AND FUGITIVE
SHOOT EACH OTHER.
Occurs at Sellers.
Prisoner Not Expected To Recover.
Officer Resting Easy Last
Night.
Marion, Dec. 26.?Sheriff Rowell,
of Marion county, is in a hospital at
Florence from four pistol wounds
and Mayo Carmichael, a negro, is believed
to be fatally injured, as a result
of trouble which occurred yes
teraay at senars wnen tne omcer
went to arrest the negro.
On the night before Christmas
Chief of Police Bass, of Sellers, went
to a negro entertainment to arrest
some negroes on charges not stated.
The Carmichael negro fired on the
policeman five times but did not hit
him.
A warrant was taken out for Carmichael
and on Christmas day Sheriff
Rowell w.'th several deputies went to
arrest Carmichael. The negro was
found in a house and the sheriff weni
in and called upon him to surrender.
At the time the sheriff went in the
house the negro had his hands in his
pockets, and upon the sheriff speaking
to him the negro pulled a pistol
out of his pocket and commenced fir
ing on him, four of his shots taking
effect. The sheriff pulled his pistol
I and shot the negro once. The negro
ran out of the house into the woods,
but was afterwards captured and taken
to the jail in Marion, where he is
now in a serious condition. It is not
expected that he will recover.
Sherill Rowell was brought to Marion
and then taken to the hospital
in Florence. The physic'ans there
report that he has an even chance
for recovery. j
industries suffered and the consequent
loss not only to the owners
but to the people of the 'entire State.
Land values naturally declined heavily.
From the present prices paid in
South Carolina for some of our lands
it seems that a number of our farmers
have ent'rely lost sight of the
presence of the boll weevil or stin
of/i in tho T^rwnhtinsr Thnmas class.
Bank deposits in many instances
were decdeased as much as 50 per
cent. Credit at banks was greatly
curtailed and credit from a merchant
was given only in rare instances.
Up to Date Information.
"I am including a telegram anu
letter just received from the commissioners
of agriculture of Alabama and
Georgia which give information up to
date:
"Montgomery, Ala., Dec. 15, 1919.
W. W. Long, D're"tor of Extension,
Clemson College, S. C.
1914?four mill'on acres of cotton,
1,751,000 bales; 1915, three and
one-th'rd mill'on acres, 1,021,000
bales; 1916?three and one-quarter
m'lli'on acres, 533,000 bales; 1917?
two million acres, 518,000 bales;
1918?two and half million acres,
800,000 bales; 1919?three million
acres, 715,000 bales. Prices of cotton
for 1914, boll weev'l and flood
damage for 1915-1916 caused reaction
in land values 1914-1916. Banking
interests were advisedly affected
dur'ng this period; however, Alabama
through demonstration work
was fairly well prepared for the coming
of the boll weevil by diversified
crops and live stock. Land values
'ncreased fifty per cent, in last two
years over prices prevail"*ng in 1914
before coming of boll weevil and
war.
(Signed) M. C. ALLGOOD,
uommissioner.
"The following statement is made
in a letter from J. J. Brown, the Commissioner
of Agriculture of the State
of Georgia, under date of December
16, 1919:
" 'There are seven or eight very
important factors which must be considered
in addit'on. First was the
war; second, increase in foodstuffs
made through patriotic campaigns;
third, inability to get suitable fertilizer;
fourth, labor shortage; fifth,
disastrous season; sixth, inrreased
profit from other market crops, such
as peanuts, sweet potatoes, tobacco,
hogs, sugar cane, etc. To give you
an idea of the weather as affecting
the crop out turn, at least 150,009
bales were cut off by the summer
ra'ns of this year.
Weevil in Georgia.
" 'The advent of the boll weevil in
Georgia was largely coincident with
the breaking out- of the war ;n Europe.
War conditions were responsible
for a cut of some arcs,
crop in 1915. The actual value of
tbe damage during that season, as
reported by the United States bureau i
i
TAXES TO IX
AS Pi
Columbia, Dec. 27.?As long as the
State fails to provide sources of revenue
other than taxable property, then
the people must expect increased taxation,
because of the continual vaulting
of prices, says Rut. L. Osborne,
Comptroller General, in his annual
report to the General Assembly. The
Comptroller General calls attention
to the lack of inheritance, income or
franchise tax laws on the statute
books of South Carolina.
Mr. Osborne likewise takes the position
that all departments should
fVio'r pnllpotions over to the
State Treasurer and have them chec*
out under regular appropriations on
warrant of the Comptroller General.
Some departments, notably the State
Department of Agriculture, Commerce-and
Industries, are not required
to do that.
In his report, Mr. Osborne says:
With Little Friction.
"The appropriation act has beon
handled during the year with but little
friction, the State departments,*
as a whole, cooperating with this
office in every way. The wording and
phrasing of this act was unusually
clear, there being but few legal questions
to arise from same.
"The county officials of the several 1
counties have without exception as-|
sisted the office whenever called \
upon. Their cooperation and their j
willingness to comply with the statutes
is most commendable and has
not only been beneficial in conduct- ;
ing the affa'rs of this office, but has
also been a benefit to their respective i
counties and the State. In some few
instances it became my unpleasant ;
duty to make unfavorable reports Oi i
these county officials to their grand <
juries. However, their< errors and
failures to comply with the laws have ;
been due in most instances to errors i
of the head rather than of the heart, i
Especial and personal attention has i
been given counties during the past <
year and I am pleased to report very j
noticeable improvement in this de- ]
partment. i
Bookkeeping System. '
"The general system of bookkeeping 3
employed by the State and counties 3
of South Carolina will, I believe, com- ]
pare favorably with that used in any ]
State. The budget act, passed at the 1
iast session, is a progressive step and <
should be of great assistance in ;
stamping out any existing irregu- i
laritipa Simti nn art fr?r thp pnnnt pa i
would be even more benefical and it 1
is my understanding that the Gover- nor
expects to request the proper legislation
for the same.
"I do not believe it good policy to
make exceptions to the general system
used regarding the receipts and
expend tures of State funds. At presof
crop estimates, was the loss of
about 26 pounds per acre in the
southwestern section, meaning the
loss of approximately 25,000 bales.
The next season the boll weevil extended
his damage across our southern
border and increased the damage
in the south-west to about 50
pounds per acre. The loss due to reduction
in acreage and in yield was
about 100,000 bales during that sea-!
son. In 1917 the weevil extended |
his scope with the result in loss of
production of about 130,000 to 140,000#bales.
It was not until the season
of 1918, however, th^t enough
territory was under severe infestation
to very greatly affect the State
average. Th's year he cut the yield j
iti + Visaii + orn eontin-n f rr>m 90 f n 9 r\ I .
1UL OV/UbUVA U OVV/tiVyU 11 VUA W V t V w V j
per cent, and was becoming active ,
well up the State. During the season ]
of 1919 the damage from the weevil t
was terrific, running from 280,000 s
to 300,000 bales. The State has 3
most decidedly not recovered from ^
the weevil, although acreage reac- T
tion has set in and the farmers in the (
southern section have learned to ^
make cotton in spite of him and are j
gradually increasing their yield. 1
" 'Georgia land values have been c
increasing steadily for many years, c
The boll weevil was merely able to t
stop the increase temporarily in the c
worst infested se tions. The effect on j i
labor in the southwest, aggravated \
by war and other conditions, was i
very serious, leading to migration of 1
thousands of workers. In the rest t
of the State ::t has not been very bad. I t
The only th'ng which has enabled us a
to stand up under the onslaughts of-j e
the weevil was the exceedingly high | t
price of cotton, coupled w'th the ex- s
ceptional values and other markets d
for farm produce.' c
"These faits should emphasise the
i4
'CREASE
RICES VAULT
ent a few departments of the State
government authorized by law to collect
certain fees, licenses, etc., arc
allowed to use such receipts, or a
part thereof, to assist in defraying
the expenses of the department. This
method is very undesirable; all receipts
should be paid into the State
treasury and disbursed on the Comptroller
General's warrant, according
to appropriations.- In other words, I
do not think any expenditure should
ho untlinriTD/l nnloea nlnnod in tho
UO UUbUVA i?VU *** ^?V
appropriation act. By adopting this
method, all revenues and disbursements
would be handled regular!*
and the departments would necessarily
be forced to request from the General
Assembly each year the 'entire
appropriations required for their upkeep.
As above stated, our general
system is good, therefore we should
avoid exceptions.
More Centralized.
"The State government should be
more centralized. We have entirely
too many departments, boards, or
commlss'ons, in a number of which
the activities are necessary,, but
should be under the control of one
office. The present system has a tendency
to create friction and extrava
gance.
"The appropriation act for 1919
totals approximately four million dollars.
Of this amount less than four
hundred thousand dollars, or 10 per
cent., was estimated as being the
revenue for the State from sources
other than the general or property
tax. It was necessary, therefore, to
to make the State tax levy nine mills.
Even though the taxable property of
the State shows a material increase it
did not warrant a reduction of the :
19-18 levy, due to the increased appropriations,
but, on the other hand,
an increase of three-fourths of one
nill was necessary. During these days
of high prices, when the costs of all 1
commodities have increased about 80
per cent, and the State has fa'led to 1
make provisions for new revenues,
increased taxes should be expected,
rhe State, like any business, must
necessarily spend more money or else
%o backward. There is but one so- 1
[uticn to the high property tax prob- ]
lem, and that is, increase the revenue 1
from other sources to take care of the <
3xped!tures which are automatically <
ncreased with progress. While the 1
State levy for 1919 is nine mills, we .
must take into consideration the fact <
;hat the basis of assessment is only ]
12 per cent. <
"The South Carolina statutes con- <
,a!n no income, inheritance, or fran- 1
2hise tax laws. It should not be nec- 3
jssary to depend upon the property 1
tax for 90 per cent, of our total revenue."
y
importance of.,our people beginning (
it once to practice the most severe <
jconomy. The question is how best i
;o prepare to meet this menace. We 3
jan only hope to do those things that J
the wise men in those unfortunate 3
sections have done, ami they have 1
jeen po'nted out time and and again 3
3y a great number of our citizens 1
vho have visited those sections of 3
. 1 4. J "U A i /v 4
lit? uuu.uirj' iiuu uy oiaie <mu yiivciie; <
igencies, but it is well to reiterate
;he methods they pursued. The first
:hing that I would suggest is that j
jvery man increase his bank account \
is rapidly as possible and treat it as i
i sacred fund, buying only those ]
hings absolutely necessary on the ,
!arm and in the household, for after
ill a good fat bank account to start ^
vith and freedom from,any incum- (
3erance is the best preparation for (
he boll weevil. The watchword
hould be economy! Economy in this
rear of plenty! A man in debt with
he boll weevil to contend with has (
rery little chance of holding his own. c
)ur farm practice must consist of a *
[iversified agriculture, livestock play- ^
ng a great part. In order to have t
ivestock we must have pastures; in
>rder to have pastures we must fence
>ur farms. Let me emphasize that it
akes years to make a good pasture
>ut of poor land. Therefore, we
nust be willing to utilize acres of our ^
-ery best land for this purpose. This c
s an item of expense that necessar ly c
las to be met. The dairy cow and ?
he hog as a state-wide proposition (
told out the greatest hope. Experts s
it Clemson are ready and willing to
c
jive detailed information in tne | ;
>uilding of pastures, the growth of
ill kinds of forage crops and the c
>uilding of silos. There are certain s
:oast counties in which the growing
(Continued on page 4, column 2.)
'
' V* . *
DEATH TOLL FROM
DRINK REACHES 78
OTHERS SUFFERING FROM PARALYSIS.
Officers On Trail.
Hotel' Proprietor Confesses To Buying
Fifty Gallons of the
Concoction.
New York. Dec. 27.?Seventy
eight persons have died during the
past forty-eight hours and scores of
others are suffering from paralysis
and blindness, due to drinking wood
alcohol "whiskey" according to reports
received tonight from seven
eastern cities, and Chicago.
Highest in New England.
The toll of poisonous liquor is the
highest in New England, where sixty
deaths are recorded. Two women at
Chicopee Falls, Mass., and one at
Springfield, Mass., are included in
this list.
In connection with the New England
deaths and six reported in New
York city, police, internal revenue officers
and agents of the Department
of Justice, are seeking Adolph Paraneli
importer and commiss'on mer- .
chant of this city, who they assert
sold twelve barrels of poisonous li
quor. me poi.ce cnarge mat me
"whiskey"' was concocted in Para- <
neli's store in Becker street. \
Many Deaths Reported. i
In Chicopee, Mass., thirty-four men
and two women died, in Springfield
three men and one woman; Holyoke,
six men and in Garfield, Mass., one t
man. In Hartford, Conn., thirteen i
persons died of the poison. \ , <
Chicago reported eight deaths from <
the drinking of poisonous beverages. <
14 Die at Cleveland. ]
Two deaths were announced at :
Newark, N. J., by the police.
At Pittsburg two deaths are report- <
ed. ]
Three deaths at Cleveland, Ohio, j
this week brought the total there to ]
fourteen for the month.
Hotel Man Confesses. (
Chicopee, Mass., Dec. 27.?Dis- ]
trict Attorney Ely, of Westfield, who 1
has been investigating the deaths of I <
more than forty-five persons in the I
Connecticut valley as the result of ]
Ir.'nking wood alcohol contained in i
whiskey, announced tonight that t
A.lex Perry, proprietor of the Ameri- j
can House in Chicopee Falls had con- ]
fessed to buying fifty gallons of the c
concoction in Hartford, all except five
of which were sold. The district attorney
also stated that five other gal- t
Ions of the liquor had been traced to \
the Polski Hotel, in Holyoke. i
Charged With Manslaughter. (
According to the district attorney, ]
vho bad refused to grant Dan 01 ??v,- ]
000 to Perry earlier in the day on the \
jharge of manslaughter, Perry stated 3
that he bought the liquor through j
3am Darling, of Hartford, an express- ,
man, who is under arrest in that city |
in connection with the deaths. Perry
told the d'strict attorney he had no ]
idea the liquor was poisonous. Fol- }
towing the confession the district at- j
torney allowed Perry to be released i
3n bail. j
Death Toll Reaches Forty-six. ]
The list of dead was increased to
forty-six in the Connecticut valley
tonight with the death of another 1
Ohicopee man, Maurice Murphy, in .
Mercy Hospital, Springfield. The 3
leaths are now divided as follows: j
Chicopee, thirty-three men and two j
vomen; Springfield, three men and ?
>ne woman; Holyoke, six men; ^
Greenfield, one man. ?
(
Three Die at Memphis.
Memphis, Tenn., Dec. 27.?Board
)f health records show three persons
died in Memphis of wood alcohol
)oisoning during the present month.
MI of the deaths occurred prior to
he Christmas holdidays.
Crnsade Against Liquid.
Mineola, N. Y., Dec. 27.?Walter
5. Reynolds, director of the War
2amp Community Service for Nassau
md Queen count'es, announced tolav
that he had begun a crusade
igafnst persons who are sell'ng hard
;!der and "imitation" whiskey to
;oldiers stationed at the aviation
lelds around Camp Mills. In some |
:ases, it was alleged, wood alcohol 1
r \ been sold. Officials of Nassau *
:ounty are coporating, Mr. Reynolds *
iaid. '
r
Four Physicians Arrested. T
Pittsburg, Pa., Dec. 27.?Four
EUROPE IS AFTER
17,000,000 BALES \
.
, ,
ACCORDING TO STATEMENT BY
BY THE COTTON ASSOCIATION.
'i4
Demands Are Enormous.
..J
i '
Experts Make Close Study of Exchange
Situation Existing
at Present.
J;
Columbia, Dec. 27.?"A painstaktaking
investigat'on by the American "I
Cotton Association through the most
reliable sources in Europe, for the
purpose of securing all possible in- :>^
formation on the exchange situation
and the European demand for raw J
cotton, conveys the absolute certainty
of a world demand for 17,000,000
bales of American cotton," says a 1
fftfltpmorif icouoil tn/^oTT Ktt t ov.t
iuaubu buuaj UJ o. O avf
towe Wannamake, president of the
American Cotton Association.
"From whence can this cotton
come?" asks Mr. Wannamaker.
"Enormous contracts, some at far
lower prices, both for long and short
staple cotton, must be filled. Cotton
is dirt cheap today at $1 per pound, j
basis middling."
Confirm Statements.
"The best experts in the country >'>;
have confirmed our statements that
the world is facing a shortage in raw
cotton, and that manufactured prodlcts
from cotton are enormously oversold.
Europe will export more cotton
than any previous year since the War
Between the States. 4
"In our investigation we consulted
;he best experts in Europe and America.
We also consulted with the larg- { \
est dealers throughout Europe. Our
statement that the supply of raw
cotton has been far oversold at far
lower prices has been confirmed.
Many of the mills of America and ? ^
Europe have sold enormous amounts
of manufactured goods at fabulous
prices. Europe is alarmed over the ^
absolute certainty of a shortage of - ;
raw cotton. -j. .
"Direct offers have been made from ; "
a, combination of the largest Europe ..
2an dealers for the largest amount of '
raw cotton ever sold at one time or
the largest amount ever sold in sev2ral
consecutive deals, the price offered
being far above -prevailing 3
prices, in desperation and to secure
raw cotton an offer was made to pay
to the producer the amount now being
deducted for exchange by Europe,
it being realized that exchange
:onditions will finally become norma*. '
Says Hold Staple.
"With the information in hand, on
supply and demand wordwide, and
the price of the manufactured prodict,
I unhesitatingly urge the pro
iucers to hold their cotton. Europe
ias already exported 1,000,000 more
bales this year than last. In addition
:o this an enormoud amount of cotton
aow in America has been sold already.
We are facing the absolute
certainty of cotton selling on the -J*
- - -
)asis aof fair price.
"An investigation of the New York .
Exchange by a committee of spinlers,
has been arranged for the purpose
of trying to arrange Southern
warehouses for delivery. However, it
s too late to lock the door after the
lorse is stolen. .?
Nine-Tenths of Clothing.
"Nine-tenths of the clothing of the
world is made from cotton, there is
i world shortage and the demand for
nanufactured goods at unheard of
prices, is the greatest on recortf. For
ligher prices for cotton is an absolute
certainty, you have the choice
;o sacrifice your cotton at prevail ng ^
>rlces, permitting others the privilege
)f reaping what they have not sown,
)r of hold'ng your cotton for just Mi
md fair price. If you have an ounce
)r sense you win aaopi me iaiier
;ourse.
"Pay no attention to the misleadng
statements being issued by peo)le
who have sold something they do
lot own, that they cannot secure and
vhich does not exist, the cotton you
lave and which they greatly desire
or the purpose of releasing them
rom the:r predicament." . ^ J|*ygS
'ittsburg Physicians and a druggist Wj
vere arrested here today by a deputy
Jnited States Marshal and held in
! 1,5 00 bail each on a charge of havng
violated the war-time prohibit
aw. The physicians were charJ^HHBH
o. bills of complaint with
y and unlawfully prescribing
ey" for a spec'al agent of tl^Hj^Bj|^B
artment of Justice. The
ras charged with having
(Continued on
ANH