Happy Halloween

Outstanding Farmers at Watauga-Avery Fair, 1914

“The Watauga-Avery Fair” by L.D. Lowe, from the Wagauga Democrat, Boone, N.C., October 15, 1914

The two leading features of the Fair held at Elk Park during past week were the procession of the public school children of Avery County and the agricultural and horticultural exhibits from the counties of Watauga and Avery.

Mr. Frank A. Edmonson, Superintendent of Public Schools, has requested the teachers of the public schools to attend the Fair on Friday, the third day, and have on the grounds as many of the school children as possible. By 1:30 o’clock on Friday morning the little army of 1,080 strong had assembled at the High School building, and being headed by the Bluff City Brass Band, each school being accompanied by their respective teachers, each school bearing the banner with the name of the school, the number of children of each district and the number enrolled; they entered into the procession and took up the line of march. The boys in this procession would remind one of the march of the Allies against the German forces, while the girls might remind us of the marching of the Suffragettes to demand recognition from the government.

The farmers of Watauga placed on exhibition a fine display of corn, apples, pears, peaches, quinces, and other fruits, as well as fine horses and cattle, all in fine shape and condition. Mrs. W.E. Shipley, Messrs. D.F. Mast, J.M. Shull and others from Watauga making the finest showing.

The leading farmers of Avery made a fine display of their products from the fields, gardens and orchards, but my friend Mr. J.L. Hartley of Linville far exceeded the others in the number of varieties produced in his garden and on his mountain farm; all kinds of farm products adapted to this section, a great variety of choice fruits, including full-grown, well-developed ripe strawberries and almost all kinds of garden vegetables particular to this mountain section. Mr. Hartley, of course, was awarded the prize for the greatest variety and much of it was of excellent quality. Mr. Hartley says he has a hog that he intents making weigh 1,000 net at killing time; and when he slaughters this immense hog we will have 12 men present to see him weighed so they may verify his statement.

If all the farmers throughout this mountain section would do half of what Mr. Hartley is doing, we would never hear hard times mentioned and there could be no necessity for it; we would all have the greatest abundance and plenty to spare.

KKK Threatens J.R. Harrison, Member of Fayetteville Board of Aldermen, 1922

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, October 19, 1922

J.R. Harrison, member of the Fayetteville Board of Aldermen, received a notice a few days ago purporting to be from the Klu Klux Klan giving him until October 23^rd to get out of that town, under penalty of being killed. Harrison says he’ll not leave.

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Service of the New York, Wilmington and Fayetteville Steamboat company’s Cape Fear river line was inaugurated October 13^th with the arrival of the first boat at Fayetteville. This marks the beginning of freight and passenger service on the canalized Cape Fear. The promoters evidently have no fear of a Friday the 13^th starting date for boat service on the Cape Fear.

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The Atlantic Coast Line railway is issuing $13 million in bonds with which extensive improvements are to be made. With the completion of the double tracking now under contract (by May 1, 1923), 60 per cent of the main line from Richmond to Jacksonville will be double tract. The new equipment to be bought now will include 45 locomotives of the most improved type; 50 passenger coaches, and 3,800 freight cars.

'Town and Country News' from Watauga County, N.C., Oct. 22, 1914

“Town and Country News” from the Watauga Democrat, Boone, N.C., October 22, 1914

Register.

See that your friend is registered.

The weather is rather cool, and smacks much of approaching winter.

For sale: Fine Berkshire pigs. See Noah Winkler, four miles west of Boone.

Attorneys E.S. Coffey, F.A. Linney and W.R. Lovill are attending Avery county court this week.

Finally, brethren, unless you register on or before next Saturday, you cannot vote in the coming election.

Fruit-gathering is practically over, and what to do with the vast yield is a question with many of our people.

Messrs Cook & Carlton, the new merchants of Boone, have a nice ad in this issue. Be sure and look it up.

Miss Jennie Coffey of Boone and Mr. and Mrs. D.F. Mast of Valle Crucis are off for the State Fair at Raleigh this week.

Mrs. R.C. Rivers is rather indisposed this week, and Mr. M.P. Critcher is attending to her duties in the post office.

The campaign in the county from all reports seems to be progressing nicely, no bitterness appearing on the hustings.

Miss Salina Wheeling, a middle-aged maiden lady, died of fever at her home in Elk township on Tuesday morning after an illness of several weeks.

Mr. L.W. McGuire sends in another “big apple” weighing 23 ounces, for which he has our thanks. If you can beat the L.D. Lowrance 28-ounce specimen, let us know at once.

Dr. Robert K. Bingham of Boone left for Statesville Monday morning taking with him Mr. P.G. Carroll, one of his patients, who will undergo an operation for appendicitis in Dr. Long’s Sanitorium.

“Little Jim” Rivers, en route to school last Monday morning, had a wreck with his wheel and as a result sustained some rather painful cuts and bruises, but fortunately no bones were broken. He is up and going, but will be forced to remain out of school for a few days.

Right on the crest of the Rich Mountain Mr. A.W. Miller planted this year one quart of seed corn on ¼ of an acre of land, and as a result of his labors he shucked and measured therefrom 28 ¼ bushels of corn. This is a wonderful yield for any land, much less that at such great altitude.

The paint brush is still getting in its work of beauty in East Boone. The pretty residence of Mr. John Lewis has been given its finishing touches and the residence of Dr. Bingham is now undergoing the great change that a good painter can make on a good building with a three-coat job.

Friend Job W. Blair of Vilas passed through town yesterday en route to Caldwell with “Big Ben,” the prize winning black stallion at a number of county fairs, and owned by Mr. Walter Hayes. Mr. Blair is negotiating a trade with a joint stock company in Caldwell for the sale of “Ben,” and if they get him they will own the best horse of his kind that Watauga can furnish.

It is indeed pleasing to see the improvement that is steadily going on in the Middle Fork section between Boone and Blowing Rock; new and pretty cottages are springing up in every direction, and right near their pretty, new Baptist church there is now as a pretty public school building as can be found in the county. It is a good section, and the property owners there are thoroughly convinced of the fact.

Our quondam friend Reubin Green of Blowing Rock, after an absence of nearly 15 years in the State of Washington, is at the home of his father, Mr. B.J. Greene in his native town, where he will remain a few weeks. He was in to see us Monday and we were glad to learn that he is making good in Washington. He is located at Farmington, where he has been living ever since he has been in the West. We hope his stay among former friends in Watauga may be most pleasant.

Local News from Pee Dee, Oct. 5, 1922

Pee Dee News from the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, October 5, 1922

Pee Dee No. 2 Items

The McLendon prayer league met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Horne Saturday night and the teacher, Mr. J.W. Jenkins, was presented a nice Bible as a token of love and friendship by the members.

Sorry to say that Mr. H.C. Wallace has been on the sick list this week; hope he will soon recover.

Miss Daisy Jenkins entertained a number of her friends at a birthday supper Saturday night.

Rev. J.D. Hardy has purchased a Ford roadster.

We are glad to welcome to our village Mr. Locke Capel and family.

Mrs. Mary Russell was a pleasant visitor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Watt at Midway Saturday night.

Miss Mamie Thomas is visiting Mrs. W.T. Ussery of Lexington.

Mr. and Mrs. Furman Cross and Miss Ileen Honeycutt of Chesterfield are spending a few days with Miss Ethel Miles.

Mr. Fred Pressley spent Sunday afternoon at the home of Mr. Samuel Snead.

Miss Myrtle Baldwin and Mr. Jesse Morse drove over to Ellerbe Sunday afternoon.

                                --Smiles

Pee Dee No. 1 Items

Mr. Fred Baucom and Miss Belle Rush were married Tuesday.

Little Louise Greene, child of Mr. A.L. Greene, was hurt by the jitney from Troy Friday evening.

Miss Gertie Hart is now clerking at Rosa’s 5-1-25 Cent store.

Mr. Octavius Webb was in our section Thursday on business.

Miss Emma Norton returned from Charlotte Wednesday night.

We are glad to note that Miss Ruth McIntosh’s foot is improving nicely.

There was a rally day program at the Presbyterian church Sunday night, presented by the children. We all enjoyed Mr. Hardy’s address.

Mr. J.E. Jarmon is now working at Long’s Furniture store.

We are sorry to note that Mr. L.L. Boone is sick with malaria fever.

                                --Karo

S.S. Richardson Recalls Hard Times and 5-Cent Cotton, 1914

“When Times Were Hard,” from the Monroe Journal, October 1914

“It is true,” said Mr. S.S. Richardson, “that we had 5 cent cotton a few years ago, but a pound of cotton would then buy a pound of meat, and everything else was cheap in proportion. But now a pound of cotton will not buy much of anything, in fact, it would take two pounds to buy one pound of meat. But the hardest times we have ever seen were during the war. I was eight years old when the war broke out, and for four years we did without things in such a way that would be a lesson in these times of extravagance. We made our own hats, clothes, shoes, and everything else we had. In fact, we had to make the lasts on which the shoes were made. We tanned hides in troughs made from large pine trees, and we even made buttons out of the leather. My father went to Virginia with a four-horse wagon to get salt for the neighborhood. And as for sugar and coffee, we simply did without. But we did have plenty to eat. In this section, we made all the food crops that we needed.

Will We Become Saloonless Nation? 1914

"Prohibition Lightning,” from the Biblical Recorder, October, 1914

Are we soon to have a saloonless nation? Many devout people believe that within a decade the liquor traffic will be legally banished from the soil of our fair land. That many of the signs of the times point back to this desirable consummation is unmistakably manifest to every discerning individual. For example, in a recent address at Chautauga, N.Y., Miss Anna A. Gordon, Vice-president of the National Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, expressed the opinion that the prospect is good because in recent years John Barleycorn has been several times struck by national prohibition lightning. Among other things, she said: “The abolishment of the sale of liquor in the restaurants of our national capitol building, in the soldiers’ homes, and in the army canteen; the so-called “white-ribbon regime” at the White House; the passage of the Webb-Kenyon bill for the protection of prohibition territory; the fearless action of Secretary Daniels in banishing strong drink from the navy; the order of Secretary of War Garrison closing 35 saloons on the United States side of the Panama Canal zone—all these electric bolts must have somewhat prepared John Barleycorn for the fearful storm soon to break, when national prohibition lightning will strike down every distillery, every brewery, and every dramshop in our great nation.

Baby Infects Foster Parents' Household with Syphilis, 1922

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, October 19, 1922

Raleigh, Oct. 10—Syphilis does not halt for kind hearts. Infection from this loathsome disease may reasonably be expected as one of the possible results of adoption of children through irregular channels, however well-intentioned the prospective foster-parents may be. This is the opinion of officials of the State Board of Public Welfare who recently have had called to their attention a case in point which occurred in one of the eastern counties, when both foster-mother and wet-nurse contracted syphilis from an infected baby which had been adopted from a deserted and probably immoral mother without authoritative permission.

In all probability such a tragedy would have been avoided, Public Welfare officials say, if legal methods of adoption had been followed. The State law says in regard to this that no child shall be removed from its mother under six months after birth without permission from the clerk of the court and the county health officer. In this case, the law was disregarded. When it was about a month old, the baby developed symptoms of syphilis. By this time, without permission of either the clerk of the court or the county health officer, the child was already in its foster home where it was a source of contagion to the innocent and well-meaning persons. Had the foster parents applied to the proper authorities for permission to adopt this baby, the case would probably have been put into the hands of the county superintendent of public welfare, the logical person to handle it.

The story of what happened instead is sad enough. A man and his wife, both persons of excellent character and standing in their community, had been for a long time very anxious to adopt a baby girls. They were informed by a physician that a young woman patient of his, whose husband had deserted her, was expecting to be confined. Whereupon the man had a lawyer draw up papers of formal surrender of the child, if a girl, which the young woman signed. The doctor had advertised the fact that, because she had been deserted and unable to work, the mother would have to give her child away as soon after birth as possible. But he failed to advertise any suspicions of syphilitic infection which he may have entertained.

Twenty-four hours after its birth, the baby which was, in all appearances, a fine child, had been received into her new home, to the delight of her foster parents who planned to give her every advantage. About a month later, the baby developed symptoms of syphilis. Definite diagnosis came too late to forestall infection of both foster mother and wet-nurse, the former being infected with the disease in a most virulent form.

Naturally, the foster parents no longer wished to keep in their home the child who, though innocently, had brought such foul contamination there. So the baby was resigned to the care of the county superintendent of public welfare—but too late to do anything more than try to find another and probably less fortunate home for the child, after cure has been pronounced. Because of such a history, the placing of this baby will be difficult.

Social News From Watauga County, Oct. 15, 1914

“Town and Country News,” from the Wagauga Democrat, Boone, N.C., October 15, 1914

Mr. L.S. Gross brought to this office yesterday morning a turnip weighing 5 pounds. Next.

James H. Taylor, Esq., has returned from a visit of several weeks to his son Adolphus in Wilkes county

A little less than three weeks until the election, and every citizen should see to it that his name is properly placed on the registration books.

Mr. Watts of Shull’s Mills, who recently sold his mercantile business there, has resigned as postmaster at that place. His successor has not been appointed.

Miss Day, daughter of Mr. Thomas L. Day of Blowing Rock, has taken a position in the office of Chairman F.L. Linney as stenographer and type writer for the remainder of the campaign.

E.J. Norris asks us to announce that the next county singing, Eastern division, will be held at the court house in Boone on next Saturday. He is anxious that as many as possible can attend.

Mr. Abe Edmisten has been appointed substitute R.F.D. carrier but of Boone on Route 1, and has filled his bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the same. A good selection, to say the least.

Mrs. W.C. Coffey is off for a visit of some weeks to friends and relatives East of the ridge. She will visit at Elkin, Greensboro, and other towns and cities in North Carolina before she returns.

Mrs. Elizabeth Penn Seay, after spending the summer with her mother, Mrs. W.C. Coffey in Boone, left last Thursday for her home in Lynchburg, Va., much to the regret of her many friends in this section.

It is with sadness that we chronicle the death of Mrs. Ed Shell of Hickory, which occurred at her home some days ago. She was the daughter of ex-County Treasurer W.N. Thomas of Tracy, this county; a most estimable lady, and her demise will bring sadness to the hearts of hosts of friends in Watauga.

Quite a number of Wataugans attended the Mountain City Fair last week; took some of the products of this highly favored and most productive county and, as is always the case, many blue ribbons were won by Wataugans. Mr. Charles Lewis of Vilas R.F.D. held the best exhibit of wheat, while his neighbor Mr. Don J. Horton carried off the ribbon for best buckwheat on exhibit; as did Miss Maude Mast on several pieces of her handiwork, paintings, etc. We have not seen the published list yet, but it is safe to predict that Watauga won many other prizes. She is naturally a prize-winning county, you know.

Labor in North Carolina Is Committed to Winning the War, 1918

“North Carolina Labor and the War,” from the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, Thursday, Oct. 24, 1918.

Our state is steadily progressing along all lines of industrial endeavor and the people some time ago set themselves to the task of keeping abreast of the times. Capital and labor in North Carolina are on distinctively friendly terms and labor disturbances are rare occurrences in our commonwealth. There is a hopeful tendency towards even more favorable conditions for the wage-earner as the demand for his services increase with the great industrial awakening now existent.

Employers realize that “the laborer is worthy of his hire” and voluntary advances in the wage scale have been frequent occurrences in North Carolina the past year. This has not been confined to any particular class of workers. It applies to factory, farm—to every trade and profession. Wages were never higher in this State than they are today, nor has the demand for labor ever been greater. Skilled workers of every trade have enlisted with those who are engaged in perfecting government plans for the successful prosecution of the war and their absence is felt in every industry and business activity. But labor has determined to do its best in helping win the war and the average North Carolina worker feels deeply the obligation laid upon him in this great crisis. While necessity requires, the home field must be neglected, for what will home profit us if we do not win the war? So far, no industry in the State has apparently been seriously impaired for lack of labor, although the scarcity of efficient help is being keenly felt in some sections.

The wage-earners, with all other patriotic North Carolinians, are assisting, to the utmost extent of their ability, in the prosecution of the part the United States has taken in the world struggle for democracy. They realize that victory for civilization upon the battlefields of France can be won only by the full exertion of the man-power of the entire country; that full mobilization of that power means not only the placing of a sufficient number of soldiers in Europe, but the unstinted exertion of every able-bodied person in the United States in some field of adequate and useful employment; that the war must be fought by the nation at home as well as by the soldiers upon the field of conquest. Therefore, a large percentage of the toilers of this state have this year been devoting their energies to the execution of co-operative plans, with the Government, in endeavoring to secure the maximum effort on the part of all the people in producing record crop yields and utilizing every resource in making our full man-power effective both at home and in government war activities everywhere. There is no room for the labor slacker in North Carolina. “Work or fight” is the slogan which has been and is still being used with telling effect from one end of the state to the other. Barring a few trifling experiences with professional exploiters of labor, the State has found little difficulty in adjusting the labor situation to new and changed conditions.

Through all the exciting scenes and activities of the past year our people have been able to maintain existing laws and standards relative to the employment of women and children reasonably well. They have tried to avoid the experience England had in the early part of the war, when the health and efficiency of her female workers became seriously impaired through long and continued hours of labor, because more workers were not available. Vigorous action has been taken to enlist the co-operation of every citizen of earning capacity and efforts in this direction have been worth while. Labor is loyal in North Carolina.

 

Senator Overman Tells Country to “Sit Steady and Don’t Rock the Boat” During Hard Times, 1914

Sit Steady in Hard Times, Recommends Senator Overman, from The Watauga Democrat, Boone, N.C.,  Oct. 8, 1914

Senator Overman has given the best advice we have yet seen to those of us who are apprehensive about the financial situation and that is “sit steady and don’t rock the boat.” Those who see trouble and distress ahead are rocking the boat. Calamity howling is the most contagious thing in the world. Our leading financiers in a time like this are unusually pessimistic. They have more reason to be perhaps than others, for they have more at stake; but the more they complain and the louder they prophesy evil, the harder they have made their own path. A sunny temper and a hopeful smile are worth more than silver and gold when the financial clouds hang low. To sit steady now requires a good deal of fortitude, but everything depends on it. It is folly to rock the boat. Let the waves do that. Besides, no man knows what the outcome of all our trouble will be. The war may end as suddenly as it began. It is too bloody and brutal to last very long. When peace is made, business will pick up, confidence will be restored and good times will break upon us like the breaking of the day.

Cotton will not be a profitable crop this year. It cannot be [because buyers in Europe are at war and are not buying], but the likelihood that it will bring at least 8 cents. Creditors must be patient. They cannot afford to rock the boat either. We do not need a moratorium. A law enacted for the purpose of dodging a debt or even to defer the payment of it would demoralize our society and work untold injury. It will be a thousand fold better if our people will agree to be patient with each other and try and adjust themselves to the peculiar financial conditions that surround us. Frenzy never solved any sort of a problem, financial or otherwise. It is a bad time to get rattled and lose reason. Now is the time for poise and sanity and clear, honest thinking. And never forget that the darkest hour is just before the dawn.

Republicans Making Quiet, Systematic Campaign to Register All Who Will Vote Republican, 1918

“Mr. Morehead’s Tirade,” an editorial from the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, Noah M. Hollowell, publisher, Thursday, Oct. 24, 1918.

The news comes from Ashe county that John Motley Morehead, Republican candidate for United States Senator, bitterly attacked the Democrats in a speech at Jefferson, recently for having failed to keep the country out of war and belittled their record in the conduct of it. He went on to say that the “Democratic orators” and “adjourned politics” because they were afraid to face these charges and called upon the people to sustain the indictments he had made. Mr. Morehead need not take any consolation to himself on that score. A 10-year-old school boy knows that the administration kept the country out of war as long as was possible and entered only when the situation could no longer be controlled without resort to arms. For more than two years, President Wilson did all mortal man could to honorably keep our peace-loving nation out of the war. However, it is needless to recite the causes which led our county into this war. The time for debate has long since passed. Grave and solemn we are marching forward in majestic unity to meet the foe and this is enough for any true American patriot to know.

Mr. Morehead is either intentionally withholding from his Republican brethren information touching the matchless achievements of the administration in the perfection of war plans in the past 18 months, or he is too ignorant for the leadership of that party he essays to represent. He ought to stop and consider that the war will be either won or lost while Mr. Wilson is President. If he wants Germany to win this war, the kind of lingo accredited to him at Jefferson may aid in bringing about a spirit of dissention which will help the Kaiser along. The election of Mr. Morehead, in the face of his recent declarations would be a spoke in the wheel of German autocracy. F.M. Simmons, whom he seeks to displace is considered the country over as the strong right arm of President Wilson in the senate branch of the American government. Of course this is not going to happen. The people of North Carolina have no notion of retiring Senator Simmons at the zenith of a brilliant career, especially when by so doing their action would be considered a refusal to sustain the president in the efforts he is making to secure the fruits of war.

The country is facing a formidable foe and the unstinted support of every patriot is needed to make victory sure, liberty a reality and bring a lasting peace to a bleeding world. It is little less than treason for any class of men to speak lightly of those in authority during this hour of peril. Every intelligent citizen of the country who possesses even the semblance of fairness cannot get away from the fact that the administration has made wonderful progress in its war activities since war was declared and only the ignorant or the simple will dare to speak of it in a disparaging way. Patriots never resort to that kind of trickery. When the Democrats consented to eschew politics and conduct a campaign of patriotic endeavor in honor of the boys who are making the supreme sacrifice to safeguard American liberty, they had a right to expect fair play on the part of their political opponents. It was their intention to proceed in a friendly, courteous manner instead of resorting to mud slinging at home while the boys “over there” are giving their lives for the safety of home and country.

The people of North Carolina and the country over are in a heroic mood. They are trusting the administration to win this war, which it entered with full justification, and will voice their approval of the President’s course with an avalanche of ballots on the 5^th day of November

Register At Once

The registration period for the election on November 5^th is rapidly passing. If your name is not on the registration books already see that it is placed there before sunset on next Saturday, October 26. If you fail to do this it means that you will be deprived of voting in the most important election held in the country since the United States was engaged in war with Spain 20 years ago.

Only a little while ago President Wilson journeyed all the way from Washington to his former home in New Jersey to exercise the privilege of voting in a primary. Surely the average citizen of the country can afford to qualify himself for a general election in which the safety of his government is so deeply involved. Only those who are equipped for service will be able to measure up to expectations on that momentous occasion which we all hope is to add further emphasis to the President’s ringing declaration that autocracy must perish from the earth.

The duty to register and vote is laid upon every voter this year. There can be no honorable exemption. The registration books have been open for three weeks and those who have only a very short time in which to place themselves in a position to stand up and be counted for Wilson and a lasting peace. This matter of registration is extremely important and should not be neglected a single day. The Republicans have been making a quiet and systematic campaign all over the state in their efforts to secure a full registration of those whom they believe will vote the Republican ticket. If a considerable number of Democrats should fail to register and vote, as many of them did two years ago, they may wake up on November sixth to find that a congressman and some of the close counties have “gone glimmering.” Let us be up and doing, at a time when licks will count.

Cold, Fresh Air Helps Prevent Colds, Pneumonia and Tuberculosis, Says N.C. State Health Board, 1914

“Health in Fresh Air,” from the Charlotte Observer, October, 1914

The North Carolina State Board of Health is sending out some suggestions against the coming winter that people will do well to heed. The board is directing the attention of the people to the necessity of fresh air in the home as the best precaution against colds, pneumonia and tuberculosis. The suggestion comes at the opportune time, for with the approach of fall there is a general resort to the closing of windows and shutting of doors. It is true, as the board contends, that “a closed house day and night is an open door to all winter diseases.” It was only in recent years that the benefits of fresh air in the home came into public appreciation and the sleeping porch sprang into popularity, not only in the towns but in the country. With the advance of the fresh air propaganda the barker and the hawker are disappearing from the land.

Property Being Sold for Back Taxes, Meat Camp and Cove Creek Townships, Watauga County, N.C., 1921

“Notice of Tax Sale” in the October 27, 1921 issue of the Watauga Democrat

For the purpose of satisfying the taxes for the years of 1919 and 1920, I will on Monday the 7^th day of November 1921 at 1 o’clock p.m. at the court house door of Watauga County sell to the highest bidder for cash to satisfy said taxes the following real estate:

Meat Camp Township, 1920

D.T. Bumgarner, 25 acres, $6.35

W.M. Green, 51 acres, $8.92

J.C. Hodges, 97 acres, $10.50

M.W. Kay, mineral land, $52

Jasper Ragan, 27 acres for 1919, $5.85

F. Tatum heirs, 100 acres, $70

W.L. Woodring heirs, 75 acres, 1919, $6.69

R.B. Wilson, 75 acres, $2.62

W.L. Woodring heirs, 75 acres, $10.99

Shawneehaw Township, 1920

Charlie Matney, 7 acres, $6.74

F.L. Ward, 1 acre, $4.83

Cove Creek Township, 1920

F.C. Ward, 195 acres, $164.85

H.C. Reese, 62 acres, $44.80

Charlie Proffit, 160 acres, $105.19

Joseph A. Morphew, 14 acres, $105.19

Boone Township, 1920

B.F. Brannock, one lot, $1.17

C.J. Cowles heirs, 75 acres, $5.85

T. Leonard Cook, 38 acres, $44.19

Coffey & Hamby, one lot, $1.04

Fred B. Hartley, 1 lot, $62

J.B. Horton, 60 acres, $53.58

W.L. Haynes, 40 acres, $13.60

Mrs. Naomi Horton, heirs, 1 lot, $6.72

Mrs. Lizzie Maitba (Maltba?), 60 acres, $20.12

Thos. Moretz, 22 acres, $3.90

Lee Osborne, 50 acres, $135.35

Tobitha Oxentine, 75 acres, $10.29

Lindsay Patterson, 381 acres, $78

Donnie Richardson, 1 acre, 78 (cents or dollars?)

W.T. Storie, 60 acres, $21.10

George Spaulding, 1 lot, $9.93

J.S., G.C. & J.L. Winkler, 20 acres, $1.26

Miles Winebarger, 2 acres, $2.80

Bob Shearer, 2 lots, $4.19

Boone Township, 1919 taxes

Mrs. Emma Calloway, 1 acre, 93 (cents or dollars?)

J.S. Horton heirs, 4 lots, $3.04

Miller & Davis, 1 lot, 76 (?)

M.P. & N.E. Moretz, 1 lot, 66

L.M. Moretz, 2 acres, $7.79

Lillie Presnell heirs, 13 acres, $3.40

A.D. Reynolds, 5 acres, 85

J.J.T. Reece, 1 acre, 76

Ed Sherwood, 10 acres, $1.36

Watauga Township, taxes for 1920

M.F. Coffey, 33acres, $11.13

John Miller, one lot, $2.50

This the 5^th day of October 1921, J.E. YOUNG, Sheriff

George Massey of Horse Shoe, N.C., Lost His Barn and Contents to Fire, 1918

“George Massey Loses Barn in Big Fire” from the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, Thursday, Oct. 24, 1918.

George Massey of Horse Shoe lost his barn and contents last Thursday afternoon. In addition to the barn, considerable feed stuffs, machinery and other farm equipment were lost, the value being conservatively estimated at $2,000.

The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion.

Girls Tomato Club Display at State Fair, 1911

How the U.S. Paid for War in 1918

“Henderson Fell Short on Bonds” from the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, Thursday, Oct. 24, 1918.

Henderson county, in keeping with many other counties, failed to raise its Liberty Bond quota this time, although the $6 billion were raised in the United States by some counties oversubscribing.

Henderson county’s part was $360,000. It raised $305,000 and this was accomplished only by hard work on the part of the committees.

One of the Four Men Who Robbed J.D. Covington's Ellerby Store Has Been Captured, 1922

“Man Hunt” from the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, October 19, 1922

On Thursday night of last week the store or commissary of J.D. Covington near Ellerby was entered and a quantity of goods hauled away. It is understood that two Smith boys and a man named John Ward were recognized. At any rate a warrant has been sent to Robeson county for the arrest of Watt Smith, and he was placed under $500 bond for his appearance at Rockingham for trial October 20^th. The other two Smith boys, Eugene and Clay, and John Ward were not located.

Tuesday morning word came to Sheriff McDonald that the men were near Long’s store, on the Montgomery county line. Officers went there and finally traced the car to a point in Beaver Dam near Naked creek; the men were located, and upon their refusal to halt were fired upon. They had partially dismantled their car in the woods. The officers brought it to town.

Tuesday night the Sheriff received a message saying that the men had held up Dr. Caddell near Hoffman and had tried to get his car. This, however, later proved to be a mistake. The Sheriff Wednesday morning secured bloodhounds from Raeford, but the dogs could not strike a trail. And so up to today (Thursday) neither of the three had been caught. As to whether they are guilty as charged remains to be seen.

Watauga Democrat Urges Readers to Join Watauga County Good Roads Association, 1914

“Join the Watauga County Good Roads Association,” an editorial from The Watauga Democrat, Boone, N.C., R.C. Rivers proprietor, published Thursday, Oct. 8, 1914

The Good Roads Committee of the Conference of the People of Watauga County met for the first time Monday in the court house. Ten of the 13 townships were represented. The road situation in the county was discussed informally and it was generally agreed that a change in methods, in organization, and in spirit, is needed.

A letter from Dr. Joseph Hyde Pratt was read. This letter, while not addressed to this committee, told of a Good Roads meeting at Bristol, Oct. 6-9, and mentioned as among the roads in which the promoters of the meeting are interested, one by way of Zionville and Boone to Jefferson, also the one from Boone to Rogers’ Mill. As these roads in which our people are much interested, the committees at once decided that we must be represented at the Bristol meeting, Mr. C.D. Taylor was elected a delegate.

It was further decided to appoint a sub-committee to draw a bill providing a better method of building and keeping up the roads of the country. This new road bill is to be submitted to a meeting of the full committee on the first Monday in December. The bill, if approved, is then to be submitted through our representative to the legislature. In case a general road law for the whole State is passed, then this sub-committee becomes a committee before the county commissioners.

The committee is as follows: C.D. Taylor, I.G. Green, John H. Mast, B.B. Doughterty, J.T. Hendrix, with the President and Secretary of the Conference of the People of Watauga County. The Secretary of the Conference was instructed to secure for the use of the committee information as to the best systems of roads for counties of small wealth.

Finally it was decided that the members of the Legislative Committee consisting of two members from each township shall organize good roads associations in their townships. These are to constitute one organization known as the Watauga County good Roads Association. An initiation fee of 25 cents and a monthly fee of 5 cents will be charged. In order that the citizens of the various townships may know to whom to go to help start this association that is to revolutionize conditions in Watauga—for this is our faith—the committeemen for the different townships are again given: Bald Mountain, Z.T. Watson and W.N. Howell; Beaver Dam, John Sherrill and L.C. Wilson; Blowing Rock, W.W. Stringfellow and G.M. Sudderth; Blue Ridge, Thos. L. Day and J. C. Miller; Boone, H. Neil Blare and G.H. Hayes; Cove Creek, J. [can’t read] and L. Greer; Elk, W. B. Rogers and D.M. Wheeler; Laurel Creek, S.R. Phillips and J.C. Mast; Meat Camp, M.H. Norris and Harrison Baker; North Fork, W.N. Thomas and Jas. M. South; Shawneehaw, Lee Carrender and Dallas Edmisten; Stony Fork, J.T. Hendrix and Albert Watson; Watauga, C.D. Taylor and S.E. Gragg.

Some one may ask why fees are charged. A little money is necessary for expenses. A concrete example of the need of a little money in the treasury was presented when it was decided to send a delegate to Bristol. Mr. Taylor gives his time. It was felt by everyone that his expenses should be paid. There was no money. One man offered to pay his railroad fare. The other members of the committee chipped in their quarters to pay his other expenses. There will be some expense for stationery, stamps, etc. No officer or anyone else gets one cent in salary or fees. The Watauga Banks is the treasurer.

'Over the Land of the Long Leaf Pine' in Time of War and Sickness, 1918

“Over the Land of the Long Leaf Pine” from the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, Thursday, Oct. 24, 1918.

Short Notes of Interest to Carolinians

Charlotte—Rev. A. Huntington Hatwood, pastor of the Grace A.M.E. Zion church, has preached a farewell sermon to his congregation, prior to his being inducted into the country’s service as a chaplain in the army. He will report at Camp Taylor Training school for chaplains, Louisville, Ky.

Wilmington—Friends in this section of the state were deeply grieved to learn of the death of J. Victor Grainger Jr., which occurred in Atlanta. Mr. Grainger left home some weeks ago to enter the officers’ training school at Camp Gorton, to prepare himself for overseas duty.

Wilmington—Owing to the epidemic of Spanish influenza in the State, Major General James I Metts, commander of the North Carolina division of Confederate veterans, has called off the convention which was to have been held at Raleigh on October 23.

Durham—For the second successive year, Durham has swept the field in the national dairy products show held annually in Columbus, Ohio.

Saluda—John Pace, mayor of Saluda, died here of pneumonia resulting from a recent attack of influenza. Mr. Pace was serving his second term as mayor.

Raleigh—William Y. Bickett, son of the governor, left for Camp Gordon, Ga., where he will enter the central officers’ training camp, having recently received his appointment thereto.

Charlotte—Marvin L. Ritch, a former football star of North Carolina University and a member of the Charlotte bar, closed a contract with the University to organize and coach its football team this season.

Salisbury—Salisbury is again to have a winter zoo, the animals being furnished by the Sparks shows who will spend the winter here as they have done for several years with the exception of last winter.

Kinston—Cotton, knitting, silk and tobacco mills have suspended to remain closed until October 21, by order of the health department. Hundreds were thrown out of employment. Other hundreds are ill from Spanish influenza.

Lumberton—Robeson has been transferred to zone one, which changes the price of cottonseed from $72 to $69 a ton to $70 and $67. Robeson farmers are not well pleased with the change.

Gastonia—A forward step has been taken by the Modena Betterment Association in the establishment of a day nursery for the benefit of the patrons of the east school who live in the Modena section. Miss Ada Potts has been employed to have charge of the nursery.

Winston-Salem—City health authorities decided to continue all closing orders heretofore issued until further notice. This means that there will be no church services or any other public gatherings at least during the coming week. The public schools are also included in the order.

Raleigh—Charter was issued from the office of the secretary of state for the incorporation of the Holland Realty Company of Kenilworth, with $75,000 authorized capital and $3,500 subscribed. The incorporators are Edward Holland, M.V. Moore and D.L. Meriwether.

Spencer—Dewey Weant, aged 21 and well known in Spencer, fell a victim to influenza, his death occurring in Richmond after a few days of severe illness. He registered for army service last month and was expecting a call.

Salisbury—Col. T.H. Vanderford of the revenue service ordered 10 cases of whiskey to be sent from government warehouses to Salisbury, but only 10 quarts were available and this was distributed.

Rocky Mount—S.P. Hewitt, an employee of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad who died at his home here, is bringing the death total in the city up to 16.

Trinity College [Duke University]—162 cases of influenza have been discharged by the college physicians as fully recovered and at present only 20 are being treated, of which two have developed pneumonia, one being seriously ill. The authorities of the college feel justified in their belief that the epidemic is about spent.

Winston-Salem—Private James F. Smith of Camp Jackson is being held by the authorities here on the charge of taking over $60 from a Rockingham farmers who brought produce to market here, but he claimed that he won his money in camp playing “craps.”

Cherokee Show Their Skills and Agricultural Achievements at Indian Fair, 1936

“Cherokee Indian Fair” by Ida Briggs Henderson, from the October, 1936, issue of the Carolina Co-operator.

When October paints the countryside with variegated hues of autumn, and the proverbial “horn of plenty” is brimming over with the garnered harvests of farmers, there comes the thought of Fairs where are proudly exhibited the result of summer labor. Then cattle and fowl are in right condition to be shown the admiring public, also the contributed share of housewives taken from the store of jars and crocks on pantry shelves and from the piles of hooked rugs and other hand work done through long summer days.

Of all the fairs staged in the Carolinas, none are more intensely interesting, more unique, than the one sponsored by the Cherokee Indians each October for nearly 20 years. It is a revelation to attend one of these affairs.

About 40 miles west of Asheville are the Great Smoky Mountains which have to be seen to be fully appreciated, for there is about them a primitive wildness that sets them apart from the other ranges that cross that section of plateau and hills so aptly termed “The Land of the Sky.” The last stand of the Redman in the hills of North Carolina is within the Qualla boundary, touching in an irregular circle that of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. There could be no more beautiful setting for the homes of these first Americans; people who have preserved their own blood and customs intact.

Here in the little settlement of Cherokee has been held the Indian Fair which begins the first part of each October to last for one week. This fair has gained such wide-spread renown that people flock there from every quarter of the country. Access to fair is to be had by turning off from State Highway just east of Bryson City into a sand-clay road that hugs the hills as it wanders along the winding course of the Ocona Lufta River. Five or six miles back in the mighty hills the road comes to the stone walls inclosing the Government School plant in whose grounds and buildings is held the fair.

A natural basin forms a stage for the fair grounds, on which a small midway with miniature ferris wheel and merry-go-rounds introduce an incongruous note into the atmosphere of primitive wildness. And there is provoked a smile to see queer, tiny, rickety wagons with dejected looking horses parked along enormous cars, many bearing these foreign license tags. The banks of the Ocona Lufta hugging the edge of the grounds are brilliant with autumn foliage that reflects in the clear waters of the stream; back of this, rounded hills are jumbled into lovely contours glowing with crimson and gold that contrasts vividly with the dark green of spruce and balsam pines.

There is a general misconception of the Indians as a non-agricultural race; so, with this in imind, it is amazing to see the variety, completeness, and perfection of their agricultural displays which goes to prove Carrier’s writing of many years ago asserting that: “No people in the world ever made greater strides in plant breeding than did the American Indians. Their tillage was entirely different from the methods used in Europe, where field crops grown were mainly broadcast. Whereas practically every crop the Indians grew required intertillage. Indians who engaged in agricultural pursuits had a marked influence on the development of agriculture in America; but their greatest single contribution to mankind was the gift of maize.”

Unlike wheat, rice, or other food products, maize never grows wild; it can’t grow free, because of the heavy kernels tight on the cob and encased in thick shucks, no wind can scatter the seed broadcast. Indians carefully planted and tended the maize, or Indian Corn, which had been the Redman’s most important agricultural product. The Indians had made such progress in the culture of maize that, when the white man reached America, there were strains suitable to every climate and soil. There was the flinty corn of New England, the dent corn of the middle west, and the prolific corn of the south. There were corns which would mature in less than 90 days, and which grew but four or five feet in the far north, and other corn in the south which attained a height of 12 feet. There was corn for bread making, popping, corn for parching, and sweet corn for roasting ears. The Indians even learned to grow corn in the desert country.

From the Indian comes ash-cake, the hoe-cake, succotash, and hominy. Indian foods and dishes made with corn are much the same as we use today. Maize, squash, peas, and beans were often put in the same hole, and the Colonist followed the Indian method of planting, but when they neglected the weeding they were ridiculed by the squaws as being idle.

Harriott who visited this country in 1586, wrote the following: “The Indians put four grains in a hill with care that they touch not one another. And when the maize is at the height of a finger or more they plant in each heap three or four Turkish beans which then grow up against the maize which serves as props, for the maize grows on stalks similar to sugar cane.”

Tobacco was quite generally grown in both Americas, nearly all Indian tribes using it. It was the only cultivated plant over which the men would labor, the other crops being worked by the squaws. Harriott thus described tobacco: “There is an herb which is sowed apart by itself and is called uppowoc. In the West Indies it hath several names, according to several places and countries where it growth and is used. The leaves thereof being dried and brought to powder, they take the fumes or smoke thereof by sucking it through pipes made of clay.”

Sweet potatoes were another contribution of Indian agriculture, and were known by their Indian name of batatas and padadas. These edible roots became popular with the Spanish and Portuguese, who took them to Europe, Asia, and Africa, where their culture spread rapidly. These three main crops . . . maize, tobacco, and the sweet potato, were eventually worth more to Europe and the world in general than all the gold the Spaniards looted from Mexico and the South and Central Americas. But they were only a few of this wealth of the new vegetables given t the old world by the Redman of the vast new world.

In spite of the age-old cultivation of corn by the Indians, general agriculture is comparatively recent among them, which makes their achievement in such lines especially noticeable, and peculiarly so when one sees the majority of their fields as if set on stilts up on the rocky hillsides at acute angles. Their homes are nestled in the coves and valleys of the Smokies, and around the little log cabins are pens in which hogs are fattened, droves of chickens and other fowl wandering over the entire premises and, always, a cow. Sometimes the cattle graze so high up on a hillside it seems only a chamois could gain a foothold there. Close by the cabins are vegetable gardens, potato patches, and off to one side a jumble of log houses for barns and stables. Some fields lie along the water courses but many of them run up the steep hills and crown rounded tops with waving grain and tobacco. Altogether the Cherokees practice the live-at-home slogan and make good livings from so doing.

Among the four general exhibits of the Fair there are shown scores of different grains, fruits, and vegetables…all varieties sometimes shown as the product of a single farm. There are home-cured hams . . . hams cured over a slow hickory fire from shoats fattened on acorns, than which there is no better meat . . . every species of domestic fowl, honey, syrup, dairy products, which include home-fashioned cheese, and a wonderful display of home-canned fruits and berries and vegetables.

It would be difficult to mention a fruit or vegetable grown in the mountain section which the Indian housewives have not canned, preserved or pickled and jellied in some manner. Their variety of dried fruits and vegetables is remarkable . . . apples cut into long strips, dried and tied in bundles; dried sweet potatoes and de-hydrated beans, spinach, etc. And all exhibits compare favorably, or even excel, such showings in other fairs.

It is really marvelous to see how these Indian women and girls have mastered the culinary arts within a comparatively few short years, when one considers the primitive, outdoor methods used by mothers. The cakes, pies, and variety of breads shown at the Cherokee Fair are masterpieces of their time. Practically all the housewives have adopted our method of preparing food, though some of the original native dishes are still popular. A favorite one is made from ground beans and chestnuts mixed with corn meal and either boiled or baked.

Equally creditable is the handiwork, particularly that done by the girl students of the government school. There is exhibited crochet, knitting, embroidery on linens and wearing apparel; old fashioned hand-pieced quilts, and artistic hooked rugs. Naturally, there is shown the typical Indian bead work such as strings of beads, amulets, belts, handbags, and moccasins. Also, hand-woven grass baskets. The men and boys exhibit cleverly executed carvings, many pieces being objects of art, in various designs. The Indian pottery is unique and lovely with designs as only the Indian can execute on the pieces.

All exhibits are Indian grown or made, as only Cherokees are permitted to compete in any exhibit shown at the Cherokee Fair, though the exhibits are admired by thousands of white people who annually go to this attractive affair staged in the mighty mountains of Western North Carolina.

J.S. Coleman Refutes Attack Against Congressman Zebulon Weaver, 1918

What were political advertisements like in 1918? They appeared in newspapers and they looked like news articles, but these articles were labeled as “Advertisement.” The following article, labeled “Advertisement,” appeared in the French Broad Hustler, Hendersonville, Thursday, Oct. 24, 1918.

False Charges

In a printed circular letter signed by B. Jackson, Chairman of Mr. Britt’s campaign committee, an attempt is being made to create the impression that Congressman Zebulon Weaver voted against a bill to increase our soldiers’ pay. Such charges or intimations are false and should be condemned by all honest men. Mr. Jackson is either grossly ignorant of Mr. Weaver’s record on this subject, or he has intentionally misrepresented it.

The True Facts

War was declared against Germany by our Government April 6, 1917. Congress at once began to raise and equip our army. The Selective Service Act for this purpose was introduced. Until this time our soldiers were receiving only $15 per month. An amendment to this bill was offered, increasing their pay to $30. Mr. Weaver voted for this increase, page 1549 of the Permanent Congressional Record. The whole bill that is, the Selective Service Act, containing the amendment to increase our soldiers’ pay to $30 was then voted upon, and upon an Aye or Nay vote, Congressman Weaver again voted for the $30 increase of soldiers’ pay. See Permanent Congressional Record May 16, 1917, page 2396. Thus the record shows that Congressman Weaver voted twice, and at every opportunity offered for increasing our soldiers’ pay to $30. The bill being now completed in the House it went over to the Senate for passage there.

The Senate amended the whole bill in many particulars and sent it back to the House for agreement upon these amendments. Congressman Weaver voted to disagree to these amendments adopted in the Senate. The House, having refused to accept the amendments added in the Senate, made it necessary to refer the bill to a conference committee of both houses on which committee were both Democrats and Republicans, Hon. Julius Kahn being the ranking Republican on the part of the House of Representatives. It is the duty of a conference committee to adjust and reconcile differences between the House and Senate so that the bill may finally pass and become law. Unless these differences are so settled the whole Bill fails to become a law. The conference committee on this Selective Service Act finally after much deliberation, agreed upon the bill and reported it to both houses. Under this report and existing law, the private soldier called into foreign service would have received $25 per month plus 20 per cent additional, or $30 per month. A motion was made by Mr. Goode of Iowa to re-commit the bill to the conference committee, and Mr. Weaver is now being criticized for voting NOT to re-commit. This Mr. Goode is one of the bitterest Republicans in Congress and has repeatedly criticized the President.

It is a matter of supreme importance that the conference report should be promptly adopted. We had been at war a month and a half and this bill to raise and equip our army had not yet passed. Every hour of delay was fraught with danger to our country. To recommit the bill merely meant to send it back to conference for further consideration. In regard to this very conference report for which Mr. Weaver voted, the President himself asked the patriotic members to adopt it, having written the following letter to Congressman Dent, Chairman of the House Committee on Military Affairs, Congressional Record, p. 2215.

President Wilson’s Letter

The White House, Washington, May 11, 1917

Hon. S. Hubert Dent Jr., House of Representatives

My Dear Mr. Dent:

Now that the Army Bill has been successfully brought out of Conference, I want to express to you my sincere appreciation of the service you and your colleagues have rendered in helping to bring the bill to a final consideration free from any feature that would embarrass the system of draft upon which it is based. I trust that the Conference report may be very promptly adopted. Every hour counts in these critical times, and delay might have very serious consequences.
                                Sincerely yours, Woodrow Wilson

Hon. Julius Kahn, the ranking Republican member of the House Committee on Military affairs voted as Mr. Weaver voted. He made a speech against Mr. Goode’s motion to re-commit. See Permanent Congressional Record, May 16, 1917, pages 2395 and 2396. Mr. Kahn, in opposing said motion, said:

“What are the facts about this matter? The bill of the soldier under this bill will be $25 a month on his first enlistment. If he has subsequent enlistments, he gets additional pay. If he is a private of the first class he gets $3 a month extra. For expert marksmanship he gets $5 additional. So that the private of the First Class who has a number of enlistments under this bill will get about $37 a month and over, and 20 per cent additional if they get foreign service. The American who gets $25 a month under this bill when he goes into the foreign service will get an increase of 20 per cent, or $30 a month, and that is all the gentleman of Iowa (Mr. Goode) is contending for. The moment our private soldier puts his foot on the deck of a ship to go across the Atlantic, under the bill proposed by the conferees his pay will jump to $30 a month.

“I submit to the House this proposition: when a bill goes to Conference it is necessary for the Conferees to give and take. The House Conferees could not get everything that we wanted in the bill. We have to yield some things to the Senate. They wanted some things in the Legislation just as earnestly as we did. This is a conference report, agreed to after mature deliberation, after lengthy discussion on the part of the Conferees of the two Houses, and I submit that under the circumstances the House should stand by the Conferees. This bill has remained unacted upon for a long time. The country is growing impatient. Let us enact this into a law. I feel confident that the pay of the soldier, as proposed in this bill, will be satisfactory to the American people and the American soldier.”

Do you believe President Wilson was opposed to an increase of the pay of the American soldier? He asked to have this conference report promptly adopted. Mr. Weaver voted for its adoption as requested by the President—and is condemned for his vote by Mr. Britt.

Do you believe that Mr. Kahn, the Republican leader, wished to discriminate against the soldier? He states the facts.

Whom will you believe, President Woodrow Wilson and Hon. Julius Kahn, or will you believe Brownlow Jackson, Mr. Britt’s campaign manager, who seeks to deceive the voters of this district into casting their ballots for Mr. Britt? No honest man who knows Zebulon Weaver will for an instant be deceived by any such false and unfair methods. Zeb Weaver has stood at all times for every measure providing increased pay for our soldier boys, and for those measures for the protection and support of their folks at home and safe-guarding their health and protecting them while at the front.

He voted for the bill to provide Soldiers’ Insurance, under which our Government is today carrying $31 billion of insurance on the lives of our boys in the army.

One of his first votes cast in Congress was to raise the soldiers’ pay from $15, where it had remained under all Republican Administrations.

What Did Britt Do for the Soldier?

Mr. Britt was in Congress two years. During part of this time our boys were fighting on the Mexican Border at $15 per month. He made no effort to increase their pay. The Spanish American War was fought under all Republican Administrations which did nothing to increase the soldiers’ pay.

Mr. Weaver has been consistently on all legislation the soldiers’ friend. In the present election he offered to Mr. B. Jackson to permit every soldier to vote unchallenged, regardless of the payment of poll tax. To Mr. Weaver the uniform of an American soldier was as good as a $2.00 poll tax receipt. This proposition was refused by Mr. Brownlow Jackson, manager for Mr. Britt, who has now become so anxious about the welfare of the soldier. Let no soldier, or soldier’s father or friend be deceived by the cunning, trickery and deception contained in Mr. B. Jackson’s letter.

                                --J.S. Coleman, Chairman for Zebulon Weaver

Vote Democrat to Keep Negroes in Their Place, 1920

“Democrat or Republican…..A Bid for the Voter by a Reference to the Record. History Often Repeats Itself. The Future Can be Judged by the Past. Some History of Reconstruction Days and the Days of the ‘Nineties. Facts and Food for Thought in This Article. Read It Every Word---and then Make Up Your Minds to Vote the Straight Democratic Ticket Next Tuesday”, from the October 29, 1920, issue of the Rockingham Post-Dispatch.

Presumably, and it is a reasonably safe presumption, the new voter will cast his or her ballot for that political party which, in his or her opinion, will render to the State the greatest political service. The test of political service is the welfare of the people. In deciding whether a government conducted by Democratic or Republican officials would be more conducive to the welfare of the people there is no test to apply so sure as the searching of the records and ascertaining which party has proven in the past that it was most fit to conduct our Government. There is no way of judging the future so sure as by the past.

Reconstruction

The Republican party was in power in this State immediately after the Civil War, in the days of Reconstruction, with that result is known to fame and infamy. It burdened the State with debt, disgraced it with scandal, and degraded it with negro rule. The history of this era is a story of unbridled lawlessness, of reckless extravagance, of oppressive taxation, of fraudulent indebtedness, of educational repression, of industrial stagnation, of arson, murder, bankruptcy, and black chaos.

This is a period in our history of such dreadful memories that the very thought of it, even at this distant time, makes the heart sick.

The night of reconstruction was long and dark, and for a while it looked like the day of redemption would never come.
But it did come.

In 1876 the mighty Vance, with the foresight of a prophet, the courage of a crusader, and the eloquence of inspiration, aroused the drowsy spirit of Anglo-Saxon dominance, and, bearing aloft the banner of Democracy, drove the money changers from the temple our fathers had erected here and consecrated to the principle of “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Then, in the providence of God, for a long stretch of years under the fostering wing of Democracy there was peace and law and order, protection in the rights of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness. Hope took the place of despair; opportunity unleashed energy, ambition, and thrift; and there were growth, development, and achievement along all lines.

It was a period of construction, of rebuilding, of brave men with steady nerve and strong arm and dauntless purpose clearing away the debris and wreckage of war and reconstruction and laying anew the foundations of a mighty future, fraught with potentialities of greatness, power, and wealth beyond the dreams of the boldest optimism of that day and generation.

But in the melting pot of political ambition and selfishness there was brewing another dark day for the dear old State we love so well.

Republican Administration in the 90’s

In 18994, lulled to repose by a false sense of security, in the clash of ambition and self-seeking, we forget our ever-present menace; forget what we had suffered under Republicanism during the reconstruction; forget the blessings we had enjoyed under Democracy during the years that followed our political redemption, and in an evil hour dissention raised its awful head in our midst, and the men who had saved the State in 1876 were divided into opposing camps, and the Republican party, with an aid of the Populists, was restored to power in North Carolina, and again the orgy of corruption and extravagance, lawlessness and crime against the State, society, and civilization which had characterized the former ascendancy of that party in the State with tragic settings and direful consequences was re-enacted.

This latter period was marked by just the same characteristics and abuses that market Reconstruction days and, what is just as important, this period brought forward the same leaders that are dictating Republican policies today. We can hope for no better Republican administration today than we had 25 years ago. Exactly what that administration was is best told in the words of an impartial historian, recording events as they actually occurred in North Carolina. Dr. J.G. DeRoulhac Hamilton, Professor of History in the University of North Carolina, in his “History of North Carolina” describes Republican administration in the 90’s as follows:

“In the East the negroes were filling many offices. The position of justice of the peace, as in Reconstruction, had to content most of them. Craven had 27; Columbus, 5; Hertford, 6; Pasquotank, 3;  Perquimans, 6; Jones 3; Caswell, 7; Wayne, 6; Nash, 3; Edgecombe, 31; Richmond, 10; Bertie, 16; Halifax, 29; and Granville, 17. In all there were over 300 in the State. The school committees likewise suffered. Craven had 13 members; Hertford, 10; Montgomery, 4; Richmond, 23; Columbus, 17; Chowan, 8; Pasquotank, 5; Perquimans, 10; Jones, 12; Hyde, 8; and Beaufort, Caswell, and Edgecombe, 1 in every township. In many of the counties were negro members of the county boards of education, county commissioners, deputy sheriffs, and constables. In New Hanover and Craven the registers of deeds and their deputies were negroes. There were about 25 negro postmasters in the East and numerous revenue officials. The towns in the East were even worse off. In Greenville where the negroes were in the minority, under the charter of 1895, four of the six aldermen were negroes and the town was dominated by them. Government as a result was extravagant and corrupt. New Bern had of negro officials five policemen, three aldermen, the city engineer, and the city attorney. The condition of Wilmington was pitiable. White people owned 97 per cent of the property and paid that proportion of the taxes. The mayor, a white man, owned no property and paid very small taxes. Negroes were most of the time in a majority on the police force, four negroes were on the board of aldermen, 40 were magistrates, and they filled every position in the health department. The collector of the port, also, was a negro. There was no security left for person or property. Burglary, robbery, and murder were offenses of increasing frequency and negro juries made conviction practically impossible. Along with violence and misgovernment went extravagance and corruption. As a result of these conditions business was stagnant, depression was general, and the community which should have been prosperous was retrograding.

“No one could contend that negro government was efficient in any sense or that the presence of the negro tended to good government. On the contrary it was in every sense evil. Slovenly incapacity was bad enough, but the multiplication of crimes of violence, particularly of those against white women, was unbearable. The prominence of the negro bred in the race a sense of importance which expressed itself in an assertiveness which Southern white people have ever found difficult to bear and which early took a violent form. In the towns gangs of negroes frequently forced white people into the streets. Affrays were common and assaults numerous. In the city courts, dominated as they were by negroes or those dependent upon them, there was no redress. Self-restraint was of course a quality well-night unknown to a large proportion of the race; and so encouraged by white schemers who climbed to place and power upon their backs, and backed by a remnant of the old carpet=baggers or their descendants, the negroes set about making the same condition of affairs which had largely contributed to make Reconstruction unbearable, and ultimately had led to its overthrow almost a generation before, at the same time putting upon the Republican party a stigma which it had never been able to remove. For the presence of the negro in government in North Carolina no principle was responsible; it was a matter of politics alone. Republicans, at least native ones, had no illusions about the negro nor any belief that his participation in politics was a matter of principle. The sole reason for putting the negro into office was the desire and necessity of holding and controlling the solid vote of the race. And as always, this meant the debauching of the community.

“Of course of negro domination, except in certain of the eastern counties and towns having a black majority, there was in one sense none at all. There never was a time in North Carolina, and never will be, when a white population, outnumbering the negroes two to one, could be dominated by them. It nevertheless remained a fact that while the negroes in a solid body voted the Republican ticket and formed a clear majority of that party they would in a sense control it, making it irresponsible, easily swayed by the necessity of holding the negro vote, and hence unfit to rule. It was also true that Republican control in the State meant negro control in the East with all that is therein implied—sometimes violence, injustice, dishonesty; always ineffiency, incompetence, and partisanship, accompanied by a deadly blight upon all progress. Herein lay the justification of the chosen issue.”

The Republican Prospect Today

The Republican party today offers to the voters it desires to win no real hope of improvement. The party is still dominated by the same leaders and the same overpowering and consuming desire for power and control as were infamous in the 90’s. Again we find the party ready to bargain for the solid negro vote, fully recognizing the debauchery of the party and government that must accompany the solid and prejudiced colored support. Is not a party which will attempt to secure this solid negro vote already debauched and unfit to receive the trust of the new and honest voter who desires actually to benefit the people of the State as a whole? Are you willing to vote for a repetition of the days of Reconstruction and the 90’s?

That the Republican party is making a strong and shrewd bid for solid negro support on the grounds of color alone cannot be doubted. Let one who doubts read the affidavit of a number of prominent Republicans concerning a statement made by one C.R. Pugh, a trusted and powerful leader of North Carolina Republicans, a man who has appeared upon the Republican State ticket and who at one time was slated as vice chairman of the Republican State Committee. This affidavit appeared in the Elizabeth City Independent on Marcy 14, 1920. The affidavit follows:

“The undersigned residents and citizens of North Carolina says, each for himself:

“That he is a Republican and was present at the Republican convention held in and for Pasquotank County, in the court house in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, at 3 o’clock p.m., February 21, 1920. That after the regular business of the convention, consisting of the appointment of delegates to the Congressional convention and State convention was duly disposed of, among others, C.R. Pugh was called upon to make a speech.

“That in the course of his speech Mr. Pugh said that he was what Woodrow Wilson called a ‘forward looking’ man, and that while a retrospect of the Republican party had been given, which historical recitation was quite interesting, he proposed to give something of the future prospects of the Republican party and said in that connection, to quote:

“’If the present plans of the Republican organization in North Carolina are carried out at Greensboro on March 3, 1920, the time when we hold our State convention, we will have a splendid opportunity to carry the State. I have gone over our plans thoroughly with Mr. Will H. Hayes, chairman of the National Committee, and we have a thorough understanding. There are two things which I wish to call attention to as prophetic of Republican success this time. First, there is a vast multitude of textile workers in North Carolina which we must organize. On February 6^th last I was in conference with Will H. Hays and suggested to him the desirability of organizing these textile workers. Instantly he agreed with me that it was a fine thing to do, took me in his automobile and in less than five minutes we were in the office of a man who owns a chain of cotton mills in North Carolina, and when Mr. Hays explained the purpose of his visit this man (whose name I will not call), turned to his desk, wrote Mr. Hays a check for $50,000, gave him the names of the superintendents of his mills in North Carolina and told him to use the money in organizing the textile workers, and to get busy.’

“That immediately following the declaration about the organization of the textile workers in North Carolina, Mr. Pugh proceeded with his second plan of organization in carrying North Carolina as follows:

“’In my conference with Mr. Hays I told him that there were forty odd thousand negro voters in this State, that only about 6,000 negroes voted in the past Presidential election, and men, I know this is thin ice, but I am going to be frank; we are all here together; it is our purpose in the coming campaign to quietly and secretly organize this forty odd thousand negroes so that at the last moment, if necessary, we can throw them into the ballot box and carry the State.’

“And further these deponents sayeth not.

I.M. MEEKINS

M.G. SEDGWICK

L.N. THOMAS

J.W. JOHNSON

A.L. CRESSON

J.S. SEELEY SR.

W.H. KEATON

LT. CHAS. MEEKINS

“Sworn to and subscribed before me this 27t day of February, 1920, H.G. KRAMER, Notary Public. My commission expires Dec. 26, 1920.”

How accurate was this disgraceful prediction of February, 1920, is clearly seen by the subsequent official action of the Republican party. The Republican national committee in passing upon the credentials of delegates to the Republican national convention in June, 1920, carefully considered the question and decided to seat negro delegates in its convention and so made a strong bid for the solid negro vote. This action was described in a news item as follows:

“Chicago, June3—Besides settling the delegation contests from Florida by splitting the decision, the Republican National Committee today took what many members construed to be one of the most important actions of years respecting the party’s vote in Southern States. Aroused by the number of delegate contests in which evidence was brought that district conventions had been held in places where negroes were excluded by custom or practice, the committee, by unanimous resolution, gave notice that conventions for the selection of delegates in 1924 must be held in places where race was no barrier to participation.”

Further action regarding negro delegates was described in an Associated Press item, Chicago, June 4, as follows:

“The spectacular decision of the day was the hard fought and long delayed contest from Georgia where the delegates headed by Henry Lincoln Johnson, an Atlanta negro, who, it was testified before the Senate committee investigating campaign expenditures, received $9,000 for the Lowden campaign fund, were resisting the attacks of a set of contesting delegates admittedly organized by Frank H. Hitchcock and counted for the candidacy of General Wood.

“Johnson and his small army of negro cohorts were waiting in the ante-rooms for the decision and when the news of the decision favorable to him reached them scenes which are familiar to any one who had attended an old-fashioned Southern camp meeting were re-enacted. The shouts and screams of the Johnson party resounded throughout the coliseum. Admiring negroes danced about their leader in a wild delirium and raised such a din that the committee in the next room had difficulty in proceeding to the consideration of the district contests.”

Finally and notably the said Henry Lincoln Johnson, colored, of Atlanta, Ga., was made Republican national committeeman from Georgia, and is now welcomed and received in the innermost councils of the Republican party.

But how does Senator and Republican candidate Harding stand on the question of soliciting the solid negro vote? He is strong for it and is hand in glove with the leaders of color. See the following news item from the Chicago convention, appearing Sunday, June 13:

“Negro Delegates Pleased With Harding’s Attitude"

“Chicago, June 12.—During the recess negro delegates, representing all negro votes with the exception of three, called on Senator Harding, piloted by Charles A. Cotrill of Ohio. Cotrill said they had obtained a satisfactory statement from the Senator as to his attitude on questions affecting the negro population and would throw 55 votes to his support during the afternoon.”

Also it happens that Harding has expressed himself definitely on just this point and has made a personal bid for solid negro support. In his speech of acceptance of the Republican nomination for President, made on July 22, 1920, more than a month after his nomination and after careful thought and complete instruction by his superior officers in the party machine, candidate Harding said, “I believe the negro citizens of American should be guaranteed the enjoyment of their rights; that they have earned the full measure of citizenship bestowed; that their sacrifices in blood on the battlefield of the Republic has entitled them to all the freedom and liberty, all the sympathy and aid that the American spirit of fairness and justness demands.”

With what success these bids for the negro vote have met is best shown also by recent news item appearing in the Charlotte Observer, Sept. 11, as follows:

“Delegations of Negroes Meet at Front Porch

“Harding Promises Federal Government Will Not Fail Them—Praises Their Loyalty

“Camp Meeting Spirit Rules Day’s Celebration; ‘Amens’ and ‘Hallelujahs’ Heard

“Marion, Ohio, Sept. 10—Five delegations of negro Republicans, representing various organizations of the race in the North and South, gathered at Senator Harding’s front porch today and pledged him their support in several hours of characteristic demonstrations and oratory.

“In response the Republican nominee made two speeches praising the loyalty and attainments of the Nation’s negro citizenry and promising that the Federal Government ‘will not fail the American negro.’ He asked that they make service to country the every day standard of their citizenship, and declared his abhorrence to the use of ‘brutal and unlawful violence’ against this black race or any other class.

“In several private conferences Senator Harding also heard the grievances of various negro leaders and assured them he would make a careful study of the situation. Lynching and segregation of negro federal employees were two of the things for whose suppression the visitors made a particular plea.

“Amens and Hallelujahs”

“Conventions of negro Baptists in session at Columbus and in Indianapolis sent the largest delegation and a camp meeting spirit ruled the day’s celebration. The first group came up singing ‘Harding will shine tonight,’ in parody of a revival hymn and ‘amens’ and ‘hallelujahs’ floated heavenward with ‘Oh boy’ and ‘you tell ‘em,’ as the succession of orators poured out their professions of loyalty to the party of Lincoln and Grant.

“Henry Lincoln Johnson, Republican national committeeman for Georgia, headed the group from the national Baptist convention at Columbus, which arrived during the morning and was the first to be addressed by the nominee.

“The afternoon speech was to representatives of the National Baptist Convention, incorporated, which is meeting in Indianapolis, the National Rights League, the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church.

“Besides Johnson, those who made speeches included the presidents of both of the conventions: William H. Lewis of Boston, a former assistant attorney general; Charles Cottrill of Toledo, former collector of internal revenue at Honolulu; Mrs. Thomas W. Fleming of Cleveland, head of the Colored Woman’s Bureau of the Republican National Committee, and Hallie Q. Brown, president of the National Federation of Colored Woman’s Clubs.

“A prayer opened the afternoon meeting which had lasted for nearly two hours before Senator Harding was reached on the program of speakers. Other speeches followed his, and then visitors flocked up the front steps of the Harding residence and kept the candidate busy for a half hour shaking hands.

“Two hundred thousand votes from negro women were promised the Senator by the women speakers, one of whom praised his stand for party government and said the women of her race would claim representation in government in proportion to their number.”

In the face of this evidence are you as an intelligent and honest voter of the south and of the State of North Carolina going to give your support to the candidates of the Republican party? It has been said that the negro question is dead. This question cannot die as long as the negro is present in our land, and his and our mutual relations must be worked out justly and sanely. As a political question it must be dominant with us so long as one political party appeals to the prejudice of the negro and makes a bid for his solid vote with the express or implied promises of favors and offices in return. The National Republican party has done this, and again its hands are soiled.

What will the men and women votes of Richmond county have to say of the Republican party next Tuesday? There should be but one answer—a straight Democratic vote. This article contains facts and food for thought. Read it again and pass it along to a doubtful neighbor. Be sure to vote next Tuesday—and vote early.

And on the following Thursday, the headlines of the Rockingham Post-Dispatch gave the election results:

Democrats Sweep County and State

Republican Elect President and Congress

Landslide to Democratic Party in Richmond County and in North Carolina in Election Tuesday, and Overwhelming Victory for Republicans in Nation. Democratic State Ticket Elected by Over 75,000—the Largest on Record—and Democratic County Ticket Wins by Enormous Majority of 2,356. Democrats Make Bigger Per Cent of Gain Over the 1916 Presidential Vote Than the Republicans. The County is Saved.

In the race for president, Richmond County residents cast 3,341 votes for James M. Cox, Democrat, and 1,134 votes for W.G. Harding, Republican.

In the race for governor, Richmond County residents cast 3,219 votes for C. Morrison, and 1,134 for John Parker.