The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-26
State Council of National Defense Discusses Way to
 Stop Exodus
MARKETING PROBLEM OF CORN CROP SOLVED
Teachers of State Will Enter Contest for S20,000 Prize-Railroad As sessments Raised by Commis-
 sion-Camp at Jackson
Bv T. E. FRANTZ

treatment of the negro were discussed at length at the recent meeting of he state council of national defense, result ing in the adoption by unanimous vote of resolutions declaring the negro must be given a fair chance if his services are to be retained on southern farms. The sentiment of the men comprising the council was that the negro could not be blamed for leaving the state for the north if it be true that the pay of day labor In that part of the country is two or three times what 1t Is here The pay for day labor here Is 75 cents to $1.5O per day, and 1t Is said s2.50 to s4 is what is paid in the north and west. Farmers were urged to pay better stipends and treat their laborers better, else the time will come when labor will be hard to get sure enough.
 TO MARKET CORN CROP
 The marketing of the great cotton crop in Mississippi this fall is a problem with which the federal and state authorities have been wrestling for sometime, but which seems no nearer solution. A great many elevators and warehouses have been or will be erected at business centers over the state. These will take care of what is called the distressed corn"-that under deed in trust and which must be sold to satisfy creditors. Barns and corn cribs everywhere are be- ing enlarged to take care of the surplus on the farm so far as possible until selling time comes, or 1t Is fed to cattle and hogs. But, another good way of talk ing care of the hundred million bushels of corn the state is expected to make this year, Is to sell on the cooperative plan, just as is being done now with cat tie and hogs-several farmers coming in with a few head so as to make a car load and save freight charges. It is pro- posed that certain days of the month or week be specified as ''corn shipping days,'' and on these days farmers of the territory will bring from 10 to 100 bushels to load the car. This method was used in getting the spring crop of Irish pota- toes to market, and will be tried this winter on sweet potatoes, corn, hay. etc.
 LET NO SERUM CONTRACT
 At this weeks meeting of the state live stock sanitary board, 1t was deter mined not to renew contracts for hog cholera serum for another year. This Is for the reason that the manufacturers of the serum propose to establish depots for the sale of serum at important centers in the state and it will not be necessary for farmers to send to the A. and M. college every time they have sick hog. During the past two years the state has sold 2.500.000 cubic centimeters of this serum, treating thousands of hogs. It takes about 40 centimeters for a 100- pound hog. The cost of the medicine Is $1.10 for 100 centimeters, so that the cost of dose is about 50 cents. The farm CTS have become adopts in the use of the serum and no longer have to send for a veterinarian to administer 1t.
 PRIZE FOR TEACHERS
 Prof. w. F. Bond. state superintendent of education, has named nine of the fore- most teachers of the state as the Mis- sissippi team in striving for the S20,000 prize offered by some unknown benefac- tor to the state that will write the best thesis on Character Education" Every state in the union has similar team. or will have and the contest will be full of interest for teachers everywhere. School teachers as 8 rule are the poorest paid of any class of citizens, and should the nine selected to represent the state win the $20,O00, their friends will rejoice with them.
 RAILROAD ASSESSMENTS
 The Mississippi railroad commission help a special session this week for the purpose of fixing the valuations for as- sessments of the railroads and other pub lie service corporations. The values thus fixed are tentative, but the chances are they will stand, as the commission is fully in accord with the state tax commission in it's efforts to procure 100 per cent as sessment all over the state, from the cor porations as well as individuals. This has been done in many counties, and the valuation of the property of the state is going to be increased by hundreds of millions. The railroad assessments were