The Kemper herald., 1908-05-07
Devoted to the Industrial, Connereid and Agricultural
DevsIop.e,t Of the wondeul Rssouess Of the State.
Items sf Interest from all Quarters !: /:
FOR
GREATER
MISSISSIPPI
By H. Z. BLAKEsLEE.

Lincoln county Is one OF the severa
counties in Mississippi that works
her public roads by contract, AMI
| while the result may not be exactly
what is desired by the citizens, the
roads are undoubtedly in much bet
| ter condition than when not worked
| under the old overseer system. The
Brookhaven Leader some days since
contained the following, which IS a
testimonial to the conditions prevail
ing in Lincoln:
"True to his word, Ebert Lowell OF
Fair River, brought the champion load
of visitors to the field day exercises
yesterday, and arrived in good shape
in spite of the rainy, gloomy morn
ing. This extraordinary aggregation
consisted of an eight wheeled wagon
almost as long as fat car, fitted up
with seats and covered with cloth
and fancy bunting, decorated with
flags and drawn by six yoke Of oxen.
Even the oxen had all of their horns
tipped with brass. The wagon, which
was loaded with one hundred merry,
happy students of Fair River High
school, stopped at IL o clock in front
of the Leader Office, while photog-
rapher Layton took two pictures Of
the remarkable sight, from two view
points. The safe arrival Of the wa
gon on schedule time in town with
its big load of jolly human freight,
was incidently fine tribute to the
condition of the Brookhaven and
Monticello road"
Besides being a testimonial to the
road over which this great load of
children came, it is also splendid evil
dence of the interest taken in educa-
tional matters by the good people Of
Lincoln county. The annual field day
by the pupils of the public schools
has been held for a number Of years
and has grown in interest until it is
the one great event for Lincoln coun-
ty.
1T is estimated by those in a posi-
ton to know, that it will be worth mil
lions of dollars yearly to the people
of Mississippi to have the cattle tick
eradicated from the state. And the
work to be done to bring about this
muchly desired end is not so intricate
or expensive. While only five coun-
ties have been blocked out to begin
on, after the campaign is well under
way and more funds become avail
able, larger areas can be taken care
of at time. 1t is not at all the in
tention of the board to adopt rules or
regulations that will work serious in
convenience or hardships upon the
people, but on the other hand to get
them interested in the work and Sc.
cure their cooperation. A great deal
of work can be done in advance by
individual farmers ridding their cat
tie and pastures of the tick. The
cost of ridding with grease is very
small indeed. Full and explicit in
structions for this method can be had
by application to the secretary Of the
board, Prof. Archibald Smith, at the
Agricultural College. Remember that
the postoffce to which your letscM
to Prof. Smith should be addressed is,
Agricultural College, Miss.
The revival of water traffic on the
rivers and lakes of Mississippi is be-
ing given an impetus by freight rates
on the railroads, and it is confidently
expected that the next few years will
witness large numebr of craft
brought into commission until it will
be something akin to olden times on
the water. The latest acquisition in
the way of river traffic comes from
Marks in Quitman county, where
number of gentlemen are construct
ing small boat to ply the waters of
the Tallahatchie and Coldwater. The
boat is being constructed of light draft
and will be able to run at almost all
seasons of the year. The Pearl river
trade is looking up and interest is
growing all over the state. The gem
eral government is beng importuned
to make appropriations for improv-
ing our rivers so that they will af-
ford safe avenues of commerce. With
the expenditure Of reasonable sum,
Mississippi streams could and would
carry millions of tons of freight each
year.
The men at the head of the Farm
ers Union are guarantee that its
affairs will be conducted in safe,
sane AMI business-like manner. 1t is
an organization of God-fearing and
lawabiding people, and there is no
ground whatever for the fear express
ed by some that it will degenerate
into lawlessness akin to the night-rid-
ers Of Kentucky. 1t is the height Of |
foolshness to even suggest such.
Nh state in the ITuion IS richer in
.slrahic mineral waters than Missis-
sippi ThoNsn.G. OF valuable springs
ara to be found il iuc state, pwaiting
the asn N,t' ,alita. and erergy to
develop them and bring tie water