The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-25
Messenger Bureau,
Raleigh, y. c., Aug. 20,

Today Secretary L. 3. Parker OF the
Farmers Alliance II j. W. Denmark
of the Progressive Farmer left for
Rocky Moun TO be present at the
convention of tobacco groyers which
will be held there tomorrow and from
which such great things are expected
in the fight against the tobacco trust.
A paper here states that the trust is
arranging to go itself into the culture
of tobacco. 1t seems very certain that
a big fight is on between the trust
and the farmers, and that the victory
for the latter depends upon their pow
er to secure unity, and their ability to
hold their tobacco; that is their free
dom from debt or other obligations.
The comment of the cotton growers
is that the present damp and cool
weather is bad on that crop, causing
it to go to weed. Shedding is also
feared. The dampness has continued
for several days, at a time when sun
shine n hot nights are necessary.
Unless there is a late autumn, there
will be a short crop. These are the
comments Of observant farmers.
Governor Aycock left last night for
Whiteville, Columbus county, to meet
his brother William, whose home is in
Florida, but who is now in this state
on a visit.
The Raleigh and Cape Fear railway
having completed its line to the Cape
Fear river at Ellington has given an
order for the building of a station n
cotton shed al that point. It is doing
a good business in that section.
United states Marshal Dockery, in
the course Of a conversation today
about illicit distilleries made the re-
mark that united effort Of the federal
and state authorities, that is -oper
alton, would, he fully believed, stamp
out these curses of the country. Il
is evident from the news coming in
now from various sections of the state,
that the people are becoming ouS
against the illicit distilleries, which at
one time they co~untenanced. The
statement was made q couple OF
months ago by a member Of the legis-
lature that the state authorities would
not cooperate with the federal ones
in any work against the distillers, but
surely he was in error in making such
a statement, the best opinion being
that such cooperation is 2 necessity
to effect the desired results.
The corporation commission will GER
tify to the state auditor the assess
ment of such corporation as the Bell
Telephone Company, the Postal Tele-
graph Company, etc, as soon as the
complete returns of these are received,
and these will make the assessments
of the corporations under the jurisdic-
ton of the commission complete. The
state auditor is having a great deal Of
trouble in getting the returns from all
the corporations which have to report
to him, and a great deal CT CORE
spondence is made necessary by the
slowneSS in reporting.
Chief Justice Walter Clark left to-
day for Hot Springs, Va, to deliver
the annual address before the Virginia
state bar association. Crawford Biggs
ESQ of Durham, the secretary OF the
North Carolina Bar Association &C
companies Judge Clark on the trip.
H. B. Register, and his son label,
convicted of a double murder in Co
lumbus county, were placed in the
penitentiary a little after midnight last
night, the Jail at Whiteville not being
considered safe. The men were very
quiet on the trip here and after their
arrival. H. B. Register is GA years old,
and has a long white beard.
A successful manufacturer, who IS
interested in a large number of cotton
mills in the state, was in the office
Of the state superintendent Of public
instruction a few days 6 and request
ed Superintendent Joyner to recon-
mend a suitable person to superintend
the graded school recently established
in his town. He said his factory In
terest would pay about eighty per cent
of the taxes for the supper OF the
school, but experience had taught him
that it is cheaper to educate the chill
dren into usefulness than to pay their
fines in the police courts. He said,
cas- a business proposition it costs less
to provide schools than to employ ex-
ira police and pay h court fines
In one district in Randolph county
where an election for schools was
pending, the opposition approached one
honest old tenant who worked night
and day to keep body and soul togeth-
er and asked him if he intended TO
vote for the tax, asking him at the
time how could he afford to pay an
extra tax when he could barely sup
port his family. His reply was that
he certainly intended to vote for the
schools: "for,' said he, 'ff such ar
opportunity had been given me when
I was a boy I would not now be do
ing the work of a negro, and my fam
lily would be better off,"
been completed in Lincoln county. Su-
perintendent Heather has shown much
wisdom in arranging his rallies by
townships and especially in organizing
the school officers and in preparing the
way for the speakers. Immense crowds
gathered at all the appointments ex-
cept in one place where there was a
misunderstanding as to the date; and
in each of the five districts, before TIM
meeting closed, the people came to-
gether and signed a petition asking
for an election. When the matter was
presented to them they were ead1ly
convinced that it is the duty Of the
community to provide for the educa-
ton of all the children in he COM
munity.
Professor John E. Ray. who has just
returned to Raleigh after a two weeks
educational campaign, says he has new
ct seen the people so easily aroused
on any other question as that of the
duty of the community to provide for
the education of all the children in the
community.
This enthusiasm is not confined TO
any section of the state. The following
-.