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VOLUME XXXVII. LAURENS SOUTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY, JANUARYNUMBER 28 PR[SIDNI SP[KS Of FARM PROBLEMS Says Farmer Must be Giv en Aid OFFERS PROGRAM FOR HIS RELIEF About 825 Lenders Gather in Washing ton to Discuss Problems of Agricul ture. President Suggests Extension of Co-operative ' Bodies and More Capital. Washington, jan. 23.-Development -of a thorough code of law and busi iess procedure, with the proper ma chinery of finance, to assure the farm er as generous a supply of working -capital on as reasonable terms as is granted to other industries, was ad -Vocated here today by President Hard ing in opening the national agricul Atural conference. "An industry," the 'esident said, "more vital .than any 'er in which nearly :.. - the naUion a wealth is in vested. can be reM :.t o! on for good se *curity and certain iettoins." Declaring that in Ilhe matter of what may be called flxedi um-estment capital, 'the disadvantage of the farmers so Impressed p!ublic opinion that the fed -eral farm loan board was established to meet thp need, the president said the farmer still needed some provision for supplying -hit* with working capi tal. "Compared with other industries," 'be continued, "the wonder Is that ag Ticulture, thus deprived, of easy ac cess to both investment and acdommo "dation capital ha's prospered even so Lines on what financial support for agriculture may be organised, Mr. 'Harding said, are suggested in the -Plan of the federal farm loan board and in those rural finance societies -which have been so effective in some European countries. "The cooperative loaning associa tions of Europe have been effective Incentives to unIted action by farm ers," he cotinued, "and have led them directly into cooperation in both pro -duction and marketing, which have contributed greatly to .th3 stabiliza tion and prosperity of agriculture." The president told the conference that "concerning the grim reality of the present- crisis in agricultur e there can be no differences of opinion among informed people." "The depressions and discourage ments," ho continued "are not pecu-. liar to agriculture and I think it fair to say there could have been no avoid ance of P. great slump from war-time excesses to the hardships of readjust ments. We can have no helpful un derstanding by assuming that agricul ture suffers alone, "but we may fairly .recognize the fundamental difficul ties which accentuate the agricultural 'discouragements, and menace -the Shealthful life of-.this basic and abso lutely necessary -industry." The far'mer, the president declared, 'from the very mode of his life is.indi 'vidtflallstic and therefore "because he ibuys and sells as an individual it is his fate to buy in the nearest and sell in 'the cheepest- market." NeI contrasted with this the corpora tion which, lie said, could effect eco n~ics and acquire for itself a power ln the markets by combinations. TPhe president said there was a mis conception regarding the -financial sta 'tus of agripulture. "It can hot be too strongly urged that the farmer must jd ready to 'help biself," hie added. "This cionterence r0ii14 do mpst lasting -good if it would *nd ways to-impress the great mass' of tArners'to 'avail. themselves of the-hest wthods. By .this I mnean that, in the last analysis legieslation, can do littid tridgeo than give'*eefarmei' the chance tto organize snd--help 'himself." ,'eseident tio referre to ce~ Qptiv arktIdi 1 glnot'o grul titij i ollteniaiti for th#ku ~J ~ a'ni 4sg~tiinatiott of useful MOVIES HIT HARD BY NEiW TAX BILL Facts and Figures Furnished to Show Effect of Motion Picture License Bill Motion picture theatres ihl South Carolina will be hit hard 'by the pro posed tax -bill before the General As seinbly at Columbia levying $5 on each 1,000 feet of dilm shown, according to the following facts and data concern ing the "Fifth Estate' in this state: "The atx of $5.00 per thousand feet on motion picture films Is theoretically aimed at the distributors (exchanges) but since there are no distributors in South 'Carolina, the tax will inevitably be passed on to theatres, in the shape of increased rentals. "The total filn rental (income) of the 19 distrIbutors serving South Car olina, amounts to $383,933.68 per year and the proposed -tax would amount to $83,200.00, or 21 per cent of the dis tributor's income. ".It is the announced intention of the distributors, in case this bill becomes law, lo shift this tax on .to the thea tres .by increasing the cost of pictures 20 per cent to 25 per cent. Of the 135 motion picture theatres operating in Sou-th Carolina, 68 are in towns of 6,000 or less; 24 are mill and Y. .M. C. A. theatres; and 17 are negro theatres. During the 'past twelve months 50 theatres 'have closed theirl doors, due to financial losses, and last week 7 more ceased operations. "These 68 small theatres cannot bear the burden of increased taxation in this form, lnor can they successfully increase admission prices 25 per cent. The tax would mean that approximate ly 50, theatres must close. "The tax as proposed against the distributors cannot be equitably pro rated among the theatres becaanuse on ly 6 of the '19 distributors hold con tracts With as many as 30 to 55 thea tres. "'Three serve-26-thentres; two serve 15; two serve 10; three serve 8; and the remaining 3 exchanges serve 6, 5, and 3 theatres each. But the tax on a picture which plays in 5 theatres wilt be the same as the tax which plays in 65 theattes. This means that not on ly the small theatres served by these exchanges must close, but the 12 to 15 small distributors must stay out of South Carolina. Thus a virtual monop oly is established by law. "The tax cannot but result in poor er -pictures, since the theatre 'which used to pay $10 for a program, cannot afford to pay $10 plus 25'per cent, but must -seek cheaper pictures. The av erage film rental in South Carolina, is $8.26 to $10 per program. *e pro posed tax on original (new) prints alone, excelkinig duplicates, would amount to 20 'per cent of this cost price." DEMONSTRATOR RESIGNS Farm Demonstrator J. E. Tretathan Goes to Gloutester, Va., J. E. Trevathan, arm demonstrator for this county, has just announced that he has banded in his resignation tQ take effqct at once. He states that he' expects to move to Gloucester, Va., where he has already engaged cm *pldyment of a similar nature, The resignution of air. Trevathan comes closely upon the decision of the county delegation to provide only $500 per year for this work to -supplement the anotint furnished 'by the state and1 federal goa ernments. Mr. Trevathan had pwblicly. stated that he watild not remain in the county at a.salafry of less than $8,000 and the amount agreed upon by'the dqleg'ation would not have provided tha,t muepi. R'epresentatevo Carroll D. Nance, while in the city Monday, said that a meeting of -the delegation was held last week 'to decide as to 'how much woul4 -be alloweil in the supply bill for this worek, He said tha~t he voted for' $760, 6eniator Goodwin and Repre sentative (W111lis 'voted' for $500 per year and 'Represenitatiye Babb did not attend the nmeeting. As two out of the three votin' Wei'e in itayvoW of *the $500 provision this amoui was adopt ed4 Mr, Babb, h~ maid, agreed to this an on hn seeh after the meeting, Funern fo Child The reinnfFhoma~s Addison DallQe, the jtOroe far old child of Mr, andMrs. N A. Dallas, .of Witmington; N ., 'wer-e Wrought hoe ox but 14 ienesda~y, the fullex tal g placi ni the iaos eeetery ~t 1foolhk soth ooti'ediat tl e 'ho1n $ nt ar 'J9 . Ildntn:ori TEMPERANCE SOC STRICTER Pi Gray Court Wonien's Christian Union Writes to County Delegation Asking for Chain Gang Sentence for Boot. Leggers. Asking that the county delegation in the legislature do all it can in secur Ing a law inflicting a chain gang or penitentiary sentence without -the al terative of a flne for persons convicted of selling whiskey, members of the Women's Christian Temperance Union of Gray Court, have addressed the fol lowing letter to the delegation -in Co lumbia: Gentlemen: Feeling sure that each one of our state legislators have gone to Colum bia this session realizing the respon libility and opportunity that is his, and having resolved and determined in his mind to serve his people to the best of his ability and recognizing his arduous task and special duties at this crisis in our state history, we, a band of .temperance wprkers -in His name in our little town and communi ty, come to you, our representatives in the house and senate at this session of SUNDAY PREACHES TO GREAT CROWDS apacity of Tabernacle Not Adequate. MrS. Sunday Speaks. Spartanburg, Jan. 22.-The people f upper South Carolina, white and black, literally stormed the doors of ie tabernacle here today in which he Rev. William A. Sunday is preach Lng, and at the afternoon and night iervices it is estimated that as many Nere turned away as gained entrance. While 1,r. Sunday 'was speaking to 'men only" at the tabernacle this at ernoon, Converse college auditorium vas 'filled to overflowing -by the we men of the city, wlio heard Mrs. Sun Jay speak to them. The mornin-g ser vice of the day was for negroes and !rom the city and from the county they mine by the hundreds. During the day Vlr. Sunday has grasped the hands of nore than 1,000 persons who bave ,onie forward to pledge their lives to he cause of Christ. Tonight his text was the words of ilate: "What shall I do with Jesus?" Phis qtiestion he applied to the indi idual ' essifig it with dramatic force Ind energy throughout the hour until it one time when he called for all .-hose w-ho accepted Him to stand, the vliole audience seemed to rise. The afternoon meethig for "men on *y" found crowds encircling every en :rancc and standing throughout the iour to hear *%r. Sunday's sermon from ne text, "Let the sinners,be consumed ut of the earth and the wic'ked be no nored' from the 104th Psalm and the i5th verse. Today's sermons lacked some of the ipectacular but increased in earnest iess, revealing the -power of the 3peaker in the direct appeal to human -eings. Mir. Sunday and members of hisI party are going to 'Rock Hill tomor row, *'leaving here at 7:35 o'clock in ~he morning._ H-e expects to speak tWice in that city and return to Spar Lanl$urg tomorrow night. Tuesday 'he foes .to Greenville for a mor'ning ser non in Textile hail. The service will e resumed at the tabernacle Tuesday sternoon and continue through the eek. DOCTORS MET MONDAY r. W. T. Pace, of Gray Court, lElected President of County Medieal Society The Laurens County 'Medical Society eld its monthly mneeting Monday morning in the offices of Dr. U. E. [lughes, in this city. The meeting was largely attended and much Iiterest as displayed in the discussion df med cal topies. 'his being the annual meeting for ~he election' of offieers, the following were elected. for the ensuing year: President, .Dr.*W. T. 'Pace; VicedPres.. dent, Dr. 3. W. Davis, Clinton; Seere Lary and Treasurer, gflr. 3. W. Beason, ertiy Court; Censor, Dr. BQ. 0. Whit en, Clinton; Correspondent, Dr. T. L. V. 'Balet Clinton, Delegates to the 3outh Carolina Medical Soiety iwere ledted as follows: 'Dr. W. T.-Pace, 'Dr. difiei m. Hfughes; Alternates, Dr. B. 0. 'he neoxt reptiar rneeting will be eld.e 9f fourth,. Monday in ?ebr'u, IETY ASKS hOHIBITION LAWS the legislature, asking your kind and careful consideration of our special request and earnest plea. It is a known fact, if we had no source of information other than the daily press, bootlegging is rife in our country, and so long as a man convict ed of this offense may suffer punish ient in the form of a light fine or even a heavy one, bootlegging will continue. It is doing so. Cannot our state have a law and see to its enforcement, to administer a punishment adequate or equal to the terrible offense or the crimes resulting from this awful prac tice. Won't you do all you can to make this ruin against manhood and woman hood of our nation punishable by a sentence to serve certain lengths of time on chain gang or in the peniten tiary and not leave it to a fine or fines optional with the presiding judge? We thank you, and pray God's guid Ing hand to keep you. MRS. ALVIN CU'RRY, Pros. MISL AULIE BAB, Rec. Sec. Gray Court, S. C. LAURENS TEACHERS HOLD ME'ETING County Association Enjoys a Luncheon i@ven by Civic League. The January meeting of the Lau rens County Teachers' Association was held Saturday, the exercises opening at 11 o'clock at the court house. As suggested by the program committee, the meeting was featured by demon strations and dircussins by depart nients on the subject of "Dramatiza tion, anl aidl in teaching literature." For the high school Miss T. Craig Hunter, )of the Gray Court-Owings school, led the discussion; for the grammar grade teachers Miss. Azile Wofford, principal of the New Pros pect school, was the leader of the theme, and for the department of pri mary teachers Miss Aliene Franks, teacher of the first grade of the Lau rens city school, led the discussion on the subject of "The Value of Phonics." The teacher were the guests at a luncheon given by the Laurens Civic League, an dat the recess hour a dram atization of "The Lady of the Lake" was given by the eighth grade pupils of the Laurens city school, under the leadership of Miss Kate V. Wofford, of tho Lauremb school faculty. Prof. George Olison, of the faculty of the University of South Carolina, was the guest of the Laurens teach ers and delivered a very helpful ad dress at the meeting at the conclusion of the departmental exercises. TEXTILE WORIERS MAY LEAVE JOBS Strike Talk Follows Wage Cut Orders. Rhode Island Mills. Providence, R. I., Jan. 22.-Follow ing announcement 'by a 'majority of Rhode Island textile corporations last week of a wage reduction averaging 20 per cent., and effective for the most part tomorrow, the United Tex tile Woi'kers' council today voted to authorize a strike on a statewide scale. More than 20,000 operatives are af filiated withl tile parent textile union, and while 40,000 other operatives are unorganized, a campaign was at oned begun which has already brought sey oral ,hundred of them into the various local unions. No date was set for the strike ac tion, the council delegating to Thomas F. McMahon, its president, authority to call out .union workers iwhenever he considers the moment opportune. The strike voted followed the recent action of the Uinited Textile Workers In declaring the organisation unralter ably opposed to further wage reduc tions. Rhode Island textile plants, in an nouncing wage reductions last week, declared that Southern compietition and a 'collapse of the tire fabriQ mir ket were contributing factors -i a condition making the cut nedeteary. Bro'wndelnage Miss Mary Brown, daughter of Mdr. Albert Rkamage, who liv's betweoz -hero and Clinton, and Mr. T. Plus' grown, well known young f~armer o1 the couinty, were happily married 'lasi Thuirsday afternoo, Th.~ey are noiw tesidz at the h)ome of the groom os 1111)8 ILECEIVED FOR STREET WORI Columblia Concern Lowest Bidder foi Proposed Brick Paling on Lauren and Church Streetf& The General Road, iDrainage an Construction Company, of Columbia was the lowest bidder when proposal, were opened in City Council 'Monda: night for the proposed brick pavint on Lauren.s and Church streets. Th bid el this concern was $16,268, th< rext lowest bidder being G. C. Odiorne of Clinton. The specifications as 'drawni up foi this work and submitted to the con. tractors called for brick the entir< length and width of Laurens streel not already paved and for a twent) foot driveway of .brick in the centei of Church street from Main to Hamp. ton. The Council did not take action o the bids Monday night because of th< enforced absence of its engineer, N C. Hughes, Jr., who w 5 confined tc hlis home on account of sIckness. Mayoi Franks expects to call an extra meet ing as soon as Mr. Hughes is able tc attend, when a finaal disposition of the matter will be made. The president of the General Road Drainage and Construction company the lowest -bidders, is Mr. W. Shackel ford McCrady, who with his brother Mr. Edward McCrady, and Mr. Henry Cheves, of Charleston, lived In this city a few years ago and conducted hn engineering office here under the nane of 'lcCrady 'Brothers & Cheves. Mr. McCrady was here in person to place his bid and received a cordial greet Ing from former friends. The list of bidders and their gross bids were as follows: General 'Road, Drainage and Con struction Co., Columbia, $16,268.00. G. C. Odlorne, $16,650.00. Southern Paving & Construotior Co., $17,643.00. Slatten & Henry, $18,046.00. ATUIENDED SUNDAY MEETING Laurens Laymen's League Showi Special Courtesies at Bly Sunda) Meeting Thursday. In spite of 'the inclement weathei eighteen members of the Laurens Lay men's League -braved the rain and slip pery roads last Thursday to attend the Billy Sunday revival service in Spar tanburg. The members of the party had seats speciallyreserved for theni and were given a notable reception ,when they were called on -to stand be fore the services began. Though the meeting itself was thor oughly enjoyed by the Laurens dele gation, the trip to and from the Spar tan city had its drawbacks. Road: were very rough and hard to follow especially on the return trip. The pro, verbial difficulty of getting out o: Spartanburg without getting lost wa: experienced by several of the parties in their endeavor to find the .best road. 'back .to Laurens, some drivers won away out of their way and other tool short cuts that 'brought them to grief iPolicemen repor't that the pilgrims re. turned to Laurens at all hours of th< night, from anidnight to 7 o'clock. For the past few days local peopli have .beeni endeavoring .to secure special train to carry a Laurens crow4 to the meeting the latter part of 'thi nyeek, but last reports yesterday indi cated 'that .the attempt wvill be vain. Mr. E. P. (Minter, a member of thi -party Thursday, said that an invita tion to Rey. Sunday to visit Laurena was extended 'through his secretary Mhough no definite response was se cured, the local people are confidentl: expedbting that Mr. Sunday will accep the invitation. Davis a Wonder 'Davis, "TPhe Master Magician," whi appeared at the Opera 'House Frida: night on the Lyceum course, had a: enthuslastic reception from an audi ence 'which had 'braved the elements t1 witness his performance. 'Tho conson ams of'-opinion was that his perform a'ace was 'the best of its kind ever pu on in Laurens, the audience being al ternately amnused or mystified by 'hi 'humor and dexoterous tricks, Masons to ~partanburg ILocal Masons ar1 looking forwar with ititerest to the pecial Command ery greeting to be 'hl 4in Spartanbur eatifrday, January 28. Special -provy sion -has 'been made ibr the Masons a the Dilly Sunday tabernacle and a many Masons as can possibly arrang to be. present are expected to assembi at the Spaftanburg court house at 0bl90C1td41 4e afprno0th CONRIOfTING STORIES Of WAL[R'8 D[ATH Question of Aggressor Is In Dispute DEATH BLOW BEHIND EAR Local Ment Attendhi.,g Funeral of Frank Walker in Iliackville Hear DIfferent Stories of Encounter from That (Aiel to the 'aily Press. Frank J. Owings and Hicks F. Ow ings, father-in-law and brother-htr-law, respectively, of W, Frank Walker, who died In a Columbia hospital Saturday morning as the result of a difculty da Blackville Friday afternoon, ro turned to the city MIonday after at tending the funeral of Mr. Walker in 'llackville. The story of the killing, as brought back from Blackville by these men, conflict at various points with the versions given in interviows in the daily press. 31r. Frank Owings was in the city yesterday and talked freely of what he had heard in Columbia. According to his statements, the death of 'Mr. Walker was due to a .blow behind the ear instead of over the temple ana was evidently dealt from 'behind. Bad feeling had existed -botween Col lum and Walker, said IMr. Owings, since Walker, acting as a deputy for the sheriff of the county, had prose cuted Collum for violation of the pro hibition law. Some .time after this took place, continued Mr. Owings, Mr. Walker was asked by the sheriff to give up his badge as an officer and did so. Only the day before the killing, he said, Collui had met up owith Walker and agreed to bury their dif ferences and be friends. But Friday afternoon, Mr. Owings said he was told by prominent citizens of Black ville, when Walker was passing along the street Colluni called him in the store and as lie passed in Fanning, Collum's brother-in-law, grabbed him from the back while Collum attacked him with a bottle in front. There is a difference of opinion' ii Blackville, said Mr. Owings, as to whether the death -blow behind the ear was deliv cred with a bottle or with the knucks alleged to have been found after the fight. Mr. Walker, according to Mr. Owings, never carried knucks and his wife had never seen him With any. -'Mr. Walker, said Mr. Owings, -had been elected a member of the city council on a law and order ticket fol lowing a strenuous campaign in which the twomen took a prominent part. The first owife of the deceased was a daughter of Mr. Owings. She died a number of years ago and Mr. Walker later married in Blackville. He is sur vived by his wife and three children. .At one tine he was a member of the police force of Laurens. For con spicuous 'bravery at the time Police man McDuffle Stone 'was killed by a yeggmlan in the local freight yards, Policeman Walker was given a gold watch by citizens of the 'towvn. In a pistol duel between him and the yegg man, the yeggman was killed. 3 The following account of the Walk - er killing occured in The State Sat -W. Frank Walker, -prominent farm er and member of the city council of 'Blaekcville, died at the Baltist hospital at about 1 o'clock this morning of in juries received, according to informa tion reaching Columbia, in a fight with A. V. Collum,%lac'kville merchant, and Belton Fanning, Collum's brother-in law. Walker was said to have 'been struck with a cold drink bottle. - Mr. Walker was brought to Colum bla at- about 10 o'clock last night and was immediately carried to the hospi.. - tal where ho was operated upon in a t vain effort to save 'his lifle. - 'Details as to the dimfiulty were a meager and the cause of the fight shrouded in a maze .of conflicting stories. The affray, which ocourred just in front of Mr. Collum's store on the main- street of 'Blackyille at-about -2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, accord ing .to Sheriff C. K. Ganders of Barn -well, who was reached at 'his -home by Stelep~hone last night, was said by somne a to be the culmination of long'standing 6 differences between the two men, it was not kcnown who was the aggres.. 0Continuection Paire Three.) ,