The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, January 18, 1922, Image 1
VOLUME XXXVII LAURENS, SOUTH CAROLINA. WEIDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1922 NIlF 27
G[NRAL ASS[MBLY
G[ITING UND[R WAY
Little of Moment Done Dur
Ing First Week
TAX BURDEN
TO BE SHIFTED
General Assembly has Two Ideas in
Vlew, Says Adverliser's Special Cor.
respondent, to Adjourn Early and
Lift Tax BIurden From Tangible
Property.
Columbia, Jan. 15, (Special to The
AdvertIer).-A review of the first
week of the General Assembly demon
strates that the members have two
kleas in view:
Vist, 1 expedite the session; and,
-Second,to provide some remedy to
life the burden of taxation off tanigible
property.
. Of course very little of moment was
done last week. The members. wore.
feeling tihe pulse of opinion in an ef
fort to get a ,true perspective on the
relative problems cohfronting them.
They do know that some taxation re
loif must -be vouchsafed the people.
All Informative ageneies have advised
them of this need; and they are in the
-mood to heed this advice.
New sources of revenue suggested
are: an income tax, an inheritance tax,
a gasoline -tax, oil tax, a luxuries tax,
an occuptional tax, hydro-electric pow
or tax aud an increase 'in the corpora
tion l'icense taxes now enforced.
Do"i the Joint Legislaitive Committee
on Economy and Consolidation and
Governor Cooper, -in his annual mes
sage, have advocated some of these
taxes, the only divergence b:ing the
committee did not stress the occupa
tional tax.
The session, is too young 'to guage
what w-lli be the outcome of the ses
sion, except to ascertain that at least
three of 'the' 'ei-6p6se'd new revenue
Abills-incomjie,' 'inhi'itance and ol
will have oiqpo)sition.' 'Th'ei- appears
li(t adverse' critlis'ni of the other
pro poied reiiu6 inoasie's.
When tho Joint Legislative Commit
(eo made its report. published in the
newspapers of last Sunday, there was
n storm of protest' from various de
partmenfs, instititions *and agencies
affected.' Tiis, of course was natural,
as "many toes had been stepped up
on," but the clash of contending views
*has somewhat subsided; the members
aro showing a disposition to take the
commitce's recommendations at their
faco value.
The comi'nittee has prepared a large
iuiu'bor of MbIls radically changlig the
form of Statc govornmtent,'and there
is much opposition to th'm. But 'they
will be given' thorough thought before
- there is' a final* disposition of them.
While the prevalling opinion among
members i. that iaractically all of them
except the pittrely.i'evenuo measures
-will 'be rejetted, 'get this sentiment
* s in a-pitirely nebulousi stageO and may'
crysta ide 'lhto an ' advocacy of ' them.
There is no doubt that t'he members
*of 'both houses are thoroughly con
vinced of -the' probity; patriotism and
unselfish motives' of the six members
of the committee, as 'was demonstrated
Friday when the House refused to ac.
cept the Owens r'esolu-tion discharging
*the committee; 'iUnt they are not recon
*ciled, .by any moans to many of their
recontmendations.' - -
Tre~r 'hag been much criticism of
the. actioft of the 'committee going 'to
illinoia to' employ the experts of Grif
fenlha~in and Associates, Inc., of Chii
cago, to probe' into the various gov
ernmental agencies. However, the
memmibers of the conumittee .wore agreed
-that gome unbiased agency should do
the ijivestigating and-make- an-unpar
tiS~n: repor-t; They -employed this
company. on that theory ahd -for the
reason that it was 'highly recommend
eod..Mhether 'or 110t-the experts em
pi d' folilliled 'the' expectations of
the cmniittee, 'no one but the -commit
'11e i'eport' of 'the Dudget -Gommi-ttee
has bden- 'prepared and 'was received
from the printer yesterday, to be 'laid
on .the desks of 'the members Monday
night when the Senate meets at 8 and
the House at 8dt5o'cledkc, gtecm
mends appropriations atgfeg~ting $6,.
466,240.15 whicoh is $800,895.17 tinder
the money provided for State petivitjes
'aat yes 'ibe f0(eMeh 'tdt ed '$$,.
14 ager' do t don 18O0lU *t
opinfon that the General~ Aqsoptibly
TO USE BRICK
ON LAURENS ST.
lCty Conel Deeldes to Use Vitrified
Brick itather Than (Aravel on Lau
rens Street.
After hearing estimates on various
kinds of surfacing material for jau
rcns "treet, now undergoing repairs by
the city street forces, City Council, at
its sitting Monday night, decided to
surface this street from Caroline
street, at the Chero-Cola bottling plant,
to the intersection of Church street.
in front of the home of Mr. L. E.
Burns, with vitrified brick.
MI. Hughes estimated that the cost
of surfacing this street witi Augusta
gravel, no'w' that it has already been
graded, would be in the neighborhood
of $2,600, 'while the cost of usinv vitri
fled brick would bhe about $1,600. Tak
ing in consideration the wearing qual
ities and costs o' repair, the Council
decided that it would be more econom-,
ical to use the 'brick.
Mr. Hughes was Instructed to secure
bids on the brick work for this street
to be submitted at 'the next meeting
of counoil Monday night. At the same
time, he was instructed to fix the speci
fications so that the portion of Church
street from We.it Main to 'Hampton
street, at the bottom of the hill, might
also 'be paved with a twenty-foot road.
way at the same time. H-owever, Coun
cil will await an estimat of the total
cost of the work and the amount of
funds to be available for such work
out of the recent .bond issue before
making a definite decision as to this
-part of Church street. Should the de
cision be reached to pave this street
with brick to a twenty-foot width, the
area abetween the brick and (he curb
ing wfll bn surfaced with gravel. The
remainder of the street, as far as the
river bridge. is to be surfaced with
gravel as decided upon at a former
meetinr; of the Council.
Work of gradingz and scraping Lan
rent street is finished and work of
grading-Church street has already be
gun, ditching also being done for sewer
and water linea.
MR. AVI:D E. BARNETT
Did Iast Wednesdny Morning and
Lid to Re.t Thursday Aternoon .
Mr. David E. larnett, one of the
city's mt highly esteemed citizens,
died at his home on East Main street
last Wednesday morning about 7
o'clock. 'Mr. Ilarnett had been in de
clining health for several months, hav
ing undergone treatment at the hands
o' specialists in Charleston in the fall
of the year. Ile returned to -his home
in December and 'while at times slow
ing signs of improvement, his condi
tion grew worse until the end came.
The- funeral services were held
Thursday afternoon, being conducted
by his pastor, Rev. Samuel H. Temple
man, assisted by other ministers of the
city. Interment took place in the fain
Ily plot of the Laurens cemetery.
Mr. Barnett was in his sixty-sixth
ycar, most of his manhood having been
spent in this city. He wa sa native of
.the Cross Keys section of Union
county and hived for a while at Chapin
and Cherawv. In ear'ly life lhe mai'riedl
Miss Elizabeth Alverson, of Union
county and she, with four daughter's
and one son survive him, as follows:
Mrs. J. E. Kennedy, of Williston; Mr's.
J..V. Miqrray,-of Charleston; Mi's. Clara
Davis, of Williamsburg, Va.; Miss Ger
trude Barnett, of this city, andl Capt.
D. Eugene Blarnett, Jefferson 'Barracks,
Myo.
The deeased was an active and eon
sciention's member of the Baptist
church -and a highly regarded citizen.
His death removes a'man of high ideals
and noblo -thoughts.
Winthrop Daughters to Keet
The regular meeting of..Winthrop
college alumni will be- held Satut-day
afternoon at 3:30 o'clock 'with Mrs. H.
W. Ganque. All former, Winthrop stu
<dents are invitexd to attend.
should adjourn within itsi statutory
limitation -of forty day's an'd matny of
the menibers are -womJking -to'evard3that
end, pairticularly the Ways and Mdeane
Committees of the House and the Fin
puce Comtnittee of the Senate. 'Jthere
ha.. been much critiim during (past
years .of the lenigthy sessions o ,the
ledilatur6, arid ant undoubted 4ffort
Atl.1 be. made -this year to adjouzgi on
tirni, if it is humanely possible.' ow
et k, .there are those -who peuasnisti
o ~riedtet '9# the soloni wlgjrp
ni~I-iasioh,-a they edid last fear
COMMITTEE REPORT
Special Committf-e from Busi
ive Report of CiL/ Finane
Issue for R-tirement of Fb
Water Exnention.
Mr. W.11. McCuen, speaking for tho
special committee of five appolited by
the Laurens Bus-iness League at a re
cent meeting to make an Investigation j
'J o the Business League of the City of
Your committee appointed to niakce
of the City of Laurens, the source of i
of the said income and the assessed val
Laurens, subject to taxation and to see
the tax payers an additional bond lssu(
'City of Laurens, .beg to nakq the follov
We find that the assessed valuation
The report for the year ending Dec
disburscinents as per schedule submitte
Disbursements for all purposes.
Jn this is included interest on .bonds
Net expense for the year .... .... ..
The estimated income of the city, based
for all purposes and special -tax 'a
will bc .... .... .... .... .... ,.
This figure does not Include police fin
pen, opera house, rents or dog tax, v
Showing a total estimated income of ..
The indebtedness of the city at pre
Notes outstandinig .... ..... .... ....
Due Laurens Cotton Mills (cash)
Due open accounts .... .... .... ....
Itlue sinking fund and accrued interest
Estinated balance due sewerage and ro
Making a total the town will owe wile
We will have a credit when bonds are 8
Special levy for sinking fund in. 1921
Thu town will thein owe notes and open I
We recomlend -that the City of Lau
(.00.00 adnitional bonds to pay the above
a balance in the treasury of $57,209.59, t
All tayes to be collected for the t
placed to the credit and to be used by
year, oil a cash basis, and any surplus, I
and $10,000.00 to sinking fund, be used 4i
wvater sulply which would add to tho $
In consideration of the above figure
-et for 1922, based on 1921, would be:
l10r interest and sinking fund on bond
mills'.........................
Salary of :,olice .... .... .... .... ...
Salary 6f mayor -and clerk .... .... ...
Fire Departinent .... .... .... .... ...
,leailtli Department ................
S'treet labor .... .... .... .... ......
Street material .... .... .... .... ....
Deficit in water and light, 192-1 .... ...
Tle income based on 21 mills levy for al
all special tjxes and license would
Leaving a net above all expenses of ....
It will be seen that Laurens, on thit
(luco the levy from 25 to 21 mills, woul
ments added to 1.110 city, as follows:
Sewer .... ................
Street .... .... .... .... ....
Water .... .... .... .........
You will see the thlen bonded 'Indebt
'Present outstanding bonds ..
Adv. for sale Jan. 3, 1922 .
Recommended in this report.
The intercat calculated on above is
jrovildes for a 3 per cent sin'king fund,
,the depleted isinking fund of $20,772.34.
-It. will appear fronm the above statet
the interest and providing a sinking fun
indebtedness, should the above recomn'
21 mills upon t-he assessed valuation o1
Laurens, there will be an annual savin
result of a 25 mill levy heretofore made
l~n conllusion your committee has
upon the assurance that a committee o
ly by the City Council and the Laurens
power to disburse, the proceeds of .the a
and contracts. as in the judgment of sal
the 'boat -interest of the cityr.
Janiuary 2, 1922.
.dn motion of ;Mr, R. R. Nickels, the
report of the eofnmitteo was adopted
in full. On motion of 'Mr. W.'L. Gray1
the president was authorized to ap- I
Ifti of Wednesijay 0160
TheW dsdy club will meet this
atronat 3:80 o'olook with Mrs. J.
A. Gipson
ON CITY FINAN[8
ness League Gives Exhaust-'
es and Recommends Bond
Dating Indebtedness and for
)f city finances with a view of recoim
nending a bond issue for waterworks
mproveient, made the following re
)ort to the League at its regular meet
ng last night:
lLaurons:
all Investigationi of the indebtedness
lcone and the annual disbuiseionts
uation of the property of the City of,
if it was practical to recolmlnld to
to improve the water systei of the
ring report:
>f the City of Laurens is $2,168,000.00.
ember 5th, 1921, shows the followfing
d to the city:
- ... . .... .... .... ....$42,677.00
.. ..... .... .... .... .... . 3,520.00
.. .... .... .... .... ....$39,157.09
I on a taxatlon of 2-1 mills
nd license and street tax,
.. .... ..................
!s, fireman's fund, |butcher
thich last year amounted to 7,310.09
.. ......... .... .... ....$62,556.00
sent is as follows:
......... ....$324367.79
.... .... .... 5318.58
.... .... .... 11,322.79
.... .... .... 20,772.3-1 $119,790.4)1
ad, for bonds authorized 28,000.1
work is completed .... 147.790.41
old of .... .. $55,000.00
tax ...... .... 10,000.00 65,000.00
$82,790.11
recounts .... ..........$82,790.41
rens authorize the issuance of $140,
past indebtedness which. would leave
o inprove the water plant.
axaible year 1922, less $10,000.00, be
iho city for Its oporation during thaft
r any, after paying 1unnliing expenlsc.s
k the extension and -betterment of the
57,209.59.
S your conimittoe finds that the )u(1
issues of $266,500.00, II
........ ............$ 2.1,000.00
. ..... ... . ... .... .... 10 .00
. .... .... .... .... .... 2, 51.00
... .... .... .... .... .. 1,000.00
. .... .... .... .... .... 8,325.00
..................... .. 2,500.00
.$ 55,359.00
. 1,100.00
$ 59,159.00
I purposes and inciuding
be .... .... .... .... 62,556.00
.... ................$ 3,097.00
-basis 'would bo on a cash basis, re
d have $115,000 permanent, Improve
................$ 20,000.00
... ... ... ... 5,000.00
... ... ... ... 60,000.00
$115,000.00
3dnecss of the city wvill be:
.... .... .... ....$ 71,500.00
... ... ... ... 55,000.00
....... .... ....140,000.00
$266,500.00
at the rate of a 6 per cent bond and
and replaces the amount nowv due to
sent .that after making provisions for
d for liquidation of! the entire bonded
endation abe accepted with a levy of
the taxable property of thle City of
Sof $8,672.00 in comimarison 'with the
upon the same valuation,
nade the foregoing recommendations
three .be appointed or :namedl joint-I
Susiness League who shall have full
aid bond issue under such donditions
d commission would be -wise and fair
~W. H. 'DAL1, Chairman,
W. H. MeCUltiiN,
W. t. GRAY,
W. G. 'IANCASTERiU,
N*. C. HPUGHES.
point a committee of .flye to confer, withl
ity council with a view of putting the
4commendations of the committee in
orco.. -
Mr. L. H. (Roper, who has 'been quite
sick at The home of 'his son, Mr. C, H.
iper, for several itedke, is 'able to
ao out again.
MARION ELECTED
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE
Chester Senaiori Chosenl to 1ill Va.
Caney Ol Bench 11Iade by Denth of
Jud ge Onge,
Columbia, Jan. 12.-Ulraking a dead
lock that dates back to a year ago and
that has been undoubtedly the strong
est and longest the General Assembly
of South C"arolina has ever seen, John
Hlarin marlon, Senator fron Chester
county, this afternoon was elected As
sociate Justice of the Supreme Court
over General -illedge L. Bonhai, of
Anderson, by a vote of 83 to 72.
Tho sueces('sfll1 ballot inl the joint
Session between the I louse and the
Senate was the eighth of the day, and
the forty-sevenlith, when last. years 39
ballots are included. At first today, it
aippeared that tie body was confront
0d with another hopeless deadlock, but
is C predicted in The News of yester
lay, Hion ham's forces gein ed much in
creased strength and similar but even
greater gains by friends working for
Marion served to bring the matter to a
hlead.
The fIrst move that gave hope of an
early election caiu after the second
4allot had been taken early in the af
ternoon, when Senator Baker, of Flor
ance announced on behalf of friends
,f Circuit Judge S. W. G. Shipp that, in
>rder to aid ill bringing about an early
'Icetion, they would sacrifico Judge
hiipp and withdraw his name, not
wvitlstandin-g the fact. that they thought
him the man for the place. Marlon
in(d Bonham both benefitted greatly
by this move, leavinig Carter- a slowly
:lropping vote. After the seventh hal
lot, Senator Black of Ilanberg, with
Irew Ilhe name of Carter and then
aeio the ballot, that told the story. Un
.11 the last Blonham's chances appeared
,ood and all were slow to predliet tIle
esult, for on the next to the last bal
ot Ionhnam polled G62 votes, and Ma
qon (1. The final ballot camie about
I o'clock in tile afternoon.
The result, of each ballot, was as
Ollows:
First: Marion, 42; Bonham, 45;
2artler, 50; Shipp, 2.1.
Second: Marion, .12; Bonhain, 47;
arter, 17; Shipp, 24.
Thlird: Marion, 53; lBonlham, 51;
'arter, 55.
Fuithl: \ilarion, -16; Bonham, 49;
ar;or, .5:: Co;per', 1; losterT, I.
Fiftl: .lari'.-oni C3; Inllilal, .19; Car
or, ,(; "'ooper, 1; Foster', I.
Sixt I: .\larion, G2; .onhia,, 41 ;
'arter, -18; Cooper, I ; Foster, 1.
Seventi: M\arlon, 64; Bonhai,
2; Carter, 29.
Eighlthi: Mlarion, 8;1); B3onhamn, 72.
Whell the election result was an-i
mounced, Fenator Proctor A. Bonham,
If Greenville county, son of Gen
'ral 'onham, thanked tihe friends who
roted for ills father in a speech before
lie joint assemhly, and on behalf of
lis father an( for himsolf extende(
o the nyewly ciosen associate justice
visles for all th1e success .possible ill
iis new duties. He was warmly ap
)lauded.
R'TEETS ('iFAdRED OF VEND ERS
Dity 'onell Passes Ordinance Forbid
dinig the Use of Streets or Sidewalks
for Purposes of Trade.
At a special mleetin~g of Cl-ty Council,
ld last week, an ordinance was
passedi forbiddIng thle uIse of thle streets
of the city for purposes of trade. The
>rdinance Was pased uponl thle com
plaInt of local merchlants, whlo plointed
Dut that the streets and sidewalks of
thle city were sup~portedl by local taxa
Lion and( 'were supp~osed to be used for
purposesC (If -traic only, and that it
was nlot fair for thle city to supply
choice pllaces of business to outside
plarties free of rent.
As a result of tile ordinance, ven
ders of, fruits, vegetables and other
imall articles who have been selling
from wagons on tile streets have left
the city.
T~wo Big Turnips
The Garden E~ditor of The Adver
tiser has again been remInded of
what this country can grow in the
way of such vegetables as are often
brought In from as far away as Can
ada. Last Thursday ho came into
his omlee to find two wnholIpping bigi
turnips which had been ldft for him,
by Col. W. C. Mitchell, of 'Mountville,
They were of the ruta baga varietyt
and each one was bigenough for a
family much larger than the Garden
'1Dditor has to suppo'rt. Tfhey were
'put into the hopper at hIs boarding
house, however, and did yeoman duty
to a lare gathering,
R8NIGS POST
Briand Resigrs Post as
French Premier
RESIGNATION IS
GREAT SURPRISE
Elmuiuent Siatesnm had Made Powver
fll Speech After tet urn from Cannes
and Seemed to have Woin Over Op
pionctits i hen lie Illrnmatt1t1tically Ie
signs Pos..
P1arK Jan. 12.--Aristide liriand to
day resigned from the premiership.
and Raymond Poincare, former presi
dent of the republic, will likely suc
Ceed him.
M. Briand's resignation eame with
dramatie suddenness in the chamber
of (4:mties, for the premier, return
ing this morning from his conferences
Iwith the British prime minister at,
Cannes, had brought the oppoing
meni-ers of his cabinet into accord
with his policies, and, -by a powerful
speech in l.he chamber bad apparently
w'On over the great majority to his
side. Ills blunt eloquence evoked a
tremendous ovation, and 'when he
albruptly declared his intention of
withdrawing from the government.
the members of the chamber seemed
over whelmeld.
Although the retirement of Premier
Briand was unexeleCted, it was appar
ent from the very beginning that he
felt keen resentment -against the many
obstacles placed in his way in the
important negotiations in which ho
has been engaged. lie had the ai
pearance of a man aged and physical
ly fatigued throughout his entire
speech.
Notwitfhstanding this, however, sel
dom has M. Briand risen to the high
-pitch of eloqIuence attained today
when in a voice tremblIng with Ill
suppressed emotioi, and facing his
collean-ues on the minist.erial benches,
he said: "A statesman has no right
to go to his post of battlo if he has
not the certainty that he shall not re
ceive bullets from behind. lie can
face the bullets of the enemy, but le
must ut re-eive any from his own
country."
.1. riHand clelo 'eie tM l
leran.id imi(A(te'ly afler I'laving th
cialiter. Ile remainled with ile rs
dent for only a few minutes then he
informed Ithe press reprosentatives:
"My resignation is absoluitely linal.
I could not continue to govern under
match conditions. Of course, I shall
not return to Cannes, but I hope my
r'esigiatlol will not cause eaneellation
of the Geneva conference."
With M. Briand went his entire cab
inet and after conferring with the pres
iden tsi of the senate and chambe' Al.
Millerand called upon M. Poincar-e to
Form a new ministry. M. P1oincare ten
tatively ngreed to this, but asked for
a few hours in which to consult hIs
friends. lie promised to give a flnat
answver tomorrow.
M. -Peret, presiden-t of the chamber,
before proceedIng to Elysee palace,
said to the Associated Press corre
sepondtetit and others: "France is fac
ing a situation which is as gloomy as
the darkest days of the 'war. When
the Germans were at Chateau Thier'ry,
M. oinare(then presidenlt of the re
public) overlooklnf former personal
differences between himself and M.
Clemenceau, enlled in the muan whom
the counitry dlemandedl. Todlay, if, as
is freely said, there are differences of
opinionl between the president of the
repiublic andi M. Poincare, our presi..
(lent is a big enough man to forget
them."
Riene Viviani, former premier, who
was one of the French delegation at
the Washington conference, said, "Un
tder present circumstatnes the life of
a statesman in France is impossible.
I fully alprove M. Biriand's attitumde,
.but we shall do our best to help his
successor In the wvoirk of restoring
France. 'The coun-try wvill not find us
in the way with 'petty personal quar
rels."
As ia the custom, %f Milicrand has
askedi the memi~ber's of the cabinet to
continue to conduct The butsiness of
theIr pdeartments until athe now' min
istry 1s formed.
.Mr. Eivans Smith, of Union, is- spend-.
inig several days 'in the city with hisa
father, Mr. John M. Smitlh, who. baa
beent ,qite sick at his home onl Lau
rana strmet