Americus times-recorder., 1920-04-05
JUDGE SCORES
PARTISANSHIP
ANDPROFITEERS
Politicians Paralyzing
Country, Says Judge
Littlejohn at Preston

PRESION, April o. BeSoCVeu
partisanship," profiteers and liquor
law violators were denounced in very
strong terms here today by Judge
Littlejohn, of the Superior Court of
this circuit, in his charge here this
morning to the Webster County
Grand Jury at the opening of the
April term of Superior Court. Judge
Littlejohn spoke with great earnest
ness for more than an hour, discuss
ing many matters of general public
interest as we'll as local matters.
1--WE hear great deal these days
about unrest" said Judge Littlejohn.
"High prices of the things we have
to buy are blamed very largely for
this unrest, and they tell us that the
high prices are the result of short
age. / want to say to you that any
thing a man wants, with mighty few
exceptions, he can get if he has the
money. The people have had more
money during the last two or three
years than they ever had before, but
it looks to me like this money IS
about to give out and that condi-
tions are due for radical change.
They have to change.
Farmer Not Getting 1t.
"They say the farmer is making
big money on his cotton. 1t isn't
true. And cotton isn't really worth
40 cents, when the price of the low
er grades is taken into consideration.
But the other fellow than the farm
er is making money out of cotton. A
merchant friend of mine in Ameri-
Gus few days ago told me of
salesman for hosiery mill quoting
him a price on some hosiery. He
weighed the sample hose and calcu-
lated that the manufacturer was get
ting at the rate of $3,250 per bale
for the cotton that the farmer sold
for $500. Many other instances of
this kind can be cited.
There has got to be some power
to stop that kind of business. 1t isn't
, the price the producer of the original
product gets that is causing the trou-
ble His profits are small and he
takes all the risk. The manutac-
turer makes the profit and takes no
risk. The same things is true in the
matter of shoes. They tell US that
the increased cost of labor has raised
the price. The fact is that the in
crease in wages has been less than
any other item in shoes. If all who
have anything to do with the manu-
facture and sale of shoes dealt fair
ly we wouldn't have the prices we
have.
Nothing Being Done.
"And what is being done by TINS
government to remedy this condition?
Not a Gods thing You read about
the Investigations going on up at
Washington. But you haven't seen
any effect of the Investigations and
you won't see any.
''The real trouble-and | hate to
, say it's besotted partisanship on
the part of our men in public life.
= is time that the people began to
think for themselves. Men out of
public life can easily agree on mat
ters Of Importance without thought
of partisanship. And the same should
be true of our public men. Partisan
ship is a disease that is paralyzing
this country. We can take most
any committee in congress, composed
of three Republicans and two Demo
Gratis, on the question of black and
white they will vote three to two and
; wait for November to settle it. The
country is tied hand and foot by
: partisanship.
81 know the people are not willing
: to be controlled all the time by a
dispute over one man, whether Wood
row Wilson is great statesman or
blockhead They don't wantato sit
: by and see their business go to the
devil while the politicians try to set
tie this matter. We have a most
phenomenal state of affairs in our
own state on this very question.
"The present condition cannot con-
tinue to exist 1t is time for the
people to begin to do little thinking
for themselves"
Fix Moral Standard.
Judge itLtlejohn called upon the
grand jury for rigid enforcement of
the law. 'rYou can fix the standard
of morality and put it on high
plane or a low one" said he. eff
you are lax about the enforcement
, of the law | guarantee to you that
crime will increase. The enforce
ment of the law not only affects the
peace and welfare of your communi-
ty, but actually the value of your
lands" He declared that unless the
laws were enforced locally the fed
eral government would step in and
enforce them, which would be very
embarrassing.
r He called attention to the wave
! of crime that swept over Sumter
county last fall, with numerous muir
: ders and other offenses.
| "The stories of crimes would come
to me as I was away holding court
in other countless" he said, "and
| L ntbir,cr.