F'DtTORIA
D OPINIOm
PAGE
"Wc cannot know where \
we are going if we do not
know where we have been.
by Bruca Barton
I '
An Incredulous reaction to
State Superintendent Crmlg
Ph Blip's footisb foray Into
of David ParneB, and am
Sometimes the political
season brings out the worst in
a man, but 1 have never seen
or heard of anything in my life
as foolish as State School
Superintendent Craig Phill
ips' recent foray into Robeson
County in support of David
ParneB, who is in the fight of
his life in attempting to wrest
the state senator's seat from
incumbent Sam R. Noble.
Craig Phillips, the State
Superintendent of Public In
struction, showed up at a
r political ptily for David Par-..
neU on June fi in UmWrtnn
and publicly ctM. Vtbe chilr
dreotof North Carolina need
the strong arm of David
Parnell in the state senate; I
need him." I almost fainted
when I heard of his com
ments. .
Robeson County. thanks to
politicians like David Parnell,
has five school systems and
some of the lowest competen- '
? cy scores in North Caroiina.
Robeson County also receives
little expertise or funding
from the county or the state.
So much for that.
The reason Craig Phillips
came to Robeson County, as I
see it, was to support Parnell
because Sam R. Noble at
tempted to stop the funding
for the eight regional educa
tional centers that seemingly
are the apple of Phillips' eye.
It worked. ParneB and others
saved the centers, in spite of
the fact that the North
Carolina Association of Edu
' cators think they are wasteful
and not needed too.
I don't mind Phillips or
anyone else supporting Par
nell. or any one else they want
1 to, I just don't want them to
think I am a country rube to
be used and manipulated at
will. 1 will vote for whomever I
want to, in spite of the
foolishness of Craig Phillips
and Raz Autry, the superin
tendent of the Hoke County
Schools, who also showed up
to sing ParaeU's praises,
possibly for the same reason.
1 say this as forcefully as 1
am able to say it: support him
for any reason you want to,
Mr. Phillips, but do not come
to the county I live in and talk
to me about how much
education needs David Par
nell or any other county
politician. That is stretching
my credulity a little bit more
?ttms be
stretched.n;r,r>iRM nj
Remember the . Parfton
School situation a few years
ago when Parnell attempted
by a legislative sleight of hand
to take Parkton out of the
county system and put it in St.
Pauls?
Besides, as 1 understand it,
David Parnefl's children at
tend Robeson Pay School in
Red Springs- a private school.
Please! Craig Phillips, cut out
the nonsense. Our citizens
will vote for the person they
want to vote for in the state
senate race, in spite of your
foolish assertions to the con
trary.
Mr. Phillips, you educate
the children, as you were
elected to do; we'll elect our
own politicians, as we are
charged to do. And we don't
need any help from you in
making up our minds.
A NOTE: In all my years in
the newspaper business,
Phillips' intrusion into our
election process is the worst
example of politics I have ever
seen. I hate to be so blunt but,
in this instance, Phillips de
serves our disdain and mis
trust.
Uncovers Old
Warrants Against
Sheriff, Deputy
< To the Ed I Ion
Open Latter to Al Citizens
? of (bo Stale of lehsasni
During the last few days it
has come to my attention
through the newspaper the
problems and troubles at the
Sheriff's Department.
As we read in the news
papers we see that the crime
rate in Robeson County has
increased, that one of Stone's
own Deputies smoked mari
juana while on duty, and an
elderly man was assaulted by
a man who is now a deputy for
Sheriff Hubert Stone.
I can expect nothing differ
ent from this as I am able to
remember beck when Hubert
Stone himself was a police
man. He. one evening stop
ped a vehicle with a Black
lady driving near Mr. Miller's
place. Upon making his ad
rqnoes known she tried to
speed away while Policeman
Stone opened flee.
A warrant wae issued #JOW
and'there is a record on file hi
the Clerk of Court's Office of
,r
Robeson County.
Upon hearing this Hubert
Stone fled the state. He went
to Georgia and Florida, and
stayed two years. By the time
he returned the warrant had
eaphed and was no longer any
good.
The Crime Against the
Black Lady Was Never
Brought to Justice.
Recently many people read
in The Robesonian about all
the problems in Hubert
Stone's Department. We wit
nessed an affidavit signed by
seven deputies in the Robe
sonian. The affidavit stated
that a deputy sheriff had
smoked marijuana while on
duty. Later we read an article
in the Robesonian where
Deputy Harold Bell said that
he was the deputy that was
mentioned in the affidavit.
On November 14, 1979 a
watrraat for arrest' for assault
was served on Deputy Harold
BeVby Chief Leroy Freeman.
This is public information and
is on file in the Robeson
*>:?*'w\? -J**-"Hr
County Clerk's Office.
We end by questioning tit
fact should the oath of office
for Hubert Stone's deputies
be changed so as to include ail
these unusual activities which
take place in the Sheriff's |
Department.
A.T. McVlckast
lasdaud, WC
Is your kitchen short on
drawer space? Maka "bou
quets" of frequently used
utensils like serving spoons
and spatulas in fart or
jugs on the counter tap.
<? ,
I 1
The first playing cants
ware Chinese sheet dice,
believed to have originated
in the 10th Century AJ>?
made to reproduce the
notation of dice on paper.
PRIMARY ELECTION
SETFORJUNE 29
I
A NEWS ANALYSIS
This has been an interest
ing political season, disturbed
end shortened by the justice
department's mandate
that the general assembly
redistrict itself to assure
representation by all races in
North Carolina. The mandate,
and the general assembly's
reluctant compliance, caused
the traditional May primary
date to be set back to June
29. In the meantime, little
i politicking was done until the
date was set, causing the
political season to be a
relatively brief one.
The Sheriffs Knee has
garnered most of the local
attention in Robeson County
with incumbent Sheriff Hu
bert Stone coming under
sustained fire by four challen
gers, McDuffie Cummings,
the Indian town manager for
the town of Pembroke; Luther
Sanderson, and Jesse Britt,
former deputies; and C.A.
Brown, Jr., a bondsman.
Sheriff Stone has been
called on the carpet by his
challengers who charge him
with the increase in crime,
including a number of homi
cides which have not been
seeming to "be the ffiost
serious challenger. Long time
Robeson County politicos give
Cummings a good chance,
especially because of the race
factor. Sheriff Stone and
Sanderson, Britt and Brown
are white. Additionally,
Sanderson and Britt are draw
ing a lot of the traditional
conservative white vote from
Stone.The race looks like it
might be too dose to call.
It is possible that Stone will
be bumped off in the primary
with the likelihood of a run off
being a race between Cum
mings and either Sanderson
or Britt.
Indians and Blacks seem to
hold the key to victory in this
race. It will be interesting,
indeed, to see what happens.
The Senate Race is an old
fashioned shoot out between
incumbent Sam R. Noble and
David Parnell. Animosity is
real in this race with a
considerable amount of it
seeming to come from the
close relationship between
Glenn Maynor, the mayor pro
tern for Lumberton and Noble.
Maynor toppled the late
Hilton Oxendine for Lumber
ton City Councilman from the
predominately Indian Precinct
1 in 1975. Wounds have never
-?
healed from this race. Maynor
has received the political ire
of John Willie Oxendiqe and
others for this seeming, to
them anyway, affront. Oxen
dine, a long time political
operative from Saddletree, is
siding with Parnell in this
race. Maynor. and most of the
Indian and Black camp, seems
to be siding with Noble.
There's more to it than the
fact that Maynor beat Oxen
dine, of coarse, but that is the
starting point of the animosity
that seems to be a part of the
senate's race between Noble
and Parnell, as far as the
Indian camp is concerned.
We give Noble the edge in
this race although many poli
tical operatives think it might
be too close to call.
Parnell seems to have the
white conservative vote in
hand while Noble is culling
his support from liberal
whites and Indians
Blacks.
The senate seat is compris
ed of Scotland and Robeson
Counties. Who ever wins
Robeson County will be the
senator.
Parnell, who is the senior
representative, is giving up
his seat to challenge Noble
years to 'come in Robe?n
County. Instead of the sheflff
being the dominant political
figure, the state senator is the
most powerful office in these
parts. Whoever wins will hold
the political clout locally for
the next two years.
The Indians have already
won in a sense in this spirited
contest between two white
conservatives. Both were joc
keying in the just completed
session of the general assem
bly to make sure the Indians
were rewarded from the pork
barrel allocations which com
es with a seat in the General
Assembly. Both Parnell and
Noble were instrumental in
make sure "Strike at t(>e
Wind" received $38,000.
They even put their heads
together and made sure
$100,000 was set aside to be
used for Indian students in
the university system, the
only bone of contention being
who would allocate the mon
ey, the Indian Commission or
the UNC Board of Governors.
"How sweet it is," noted a
local Indian observer.
Rep. Charlie Rose is being
challenged by Tom Gibson, a
very conservative fellow in the
7th Congressional District.
Rose, probably the best Con
gressman this district has
ever sent to Congress, is
expected to win this race
easily.
Public Hearing set .
Monday night Re
Lumberton Schools Bill
The controversial Lumber
ton schools road show moves
back to Robeson County
Monday night to Lumberlon
High School where a public
hearing will be held in order
to finalize the transfer of the
Clyburn Pines-Country Gub
areas back into the County
Schools juristiction from
which they were unlawfully
taken more than a decade
ago.
The meeting will be at 7
p.m. and will be held in. the
auditorium at Lumberton
Senior High School. The
public h encouraged to at
tend.
r ?
The fig it eontidorod
one of th? MrliMt trw
fruitt to bo cultivatod.
x D3VI3:
Our Most Bastfc. ^
Freedom is
THE RIGHT TO CHcUtU
By Lew Barton
If we were in Ruuu. we
would not be allowed to
chooae our leaders. Somebody
else would make dial
choice for us, and we could
like it or lump it. But even if
we didu't like th*1 choice
someone else made for us, we
woufttA'l have the right to any
so, not publicly, aayfway.
In this country, however,
each individual has a precious
little piece of decision called
the vote. And somewhat like a
person's viginity, he or she _
can bestow it upon whomever
he or she will. Having done
that, this person can even go
so far as to say it's nobody
else's Imbiu who got it.
To my way of thinking, a
person's vote is just about as
personal and sacred as one's
virginity. Anyone who cons
you out of it is a seducer. And
anyone who takes it by
intimidation, coersion or
threat is a rapist, however
cleverly it is done.
That's how strongly I feel
about that precious little
something called the vote. I
feel strongly about it because
I have reason to.
I still remember being
"forbidden" to write any
more about the Indians by a
county official who didn't
have sense enough to know he
had no such power to forbid
any such thing. He remained
my enemy until his death
because I refused to vote for
him. But the way I figured it,
the lack of his good will was
no great loss. The only thing
he knew how to do was obey
his political boss.
It wasn't the old legally
screwed-up system that put
Herman Dial in the county
seat. He was put there, not
because of the old system but
in spite of it. He was put there
by die people. And that's one
of the reasons why I stand by
him. I don't believe in throw
ing the baby out with the bath
water. And I don't believe in
? burning down the ban m
order to destroy the rate. He's
stood the test of time. He
hasn't pressured anybody
snd he's still there.
I answer to no one but to
God, my conscience and my
common sense for the way I
vote. And my common sense
tells me it would be necessary
for a rookie commissioner to
begin as such and work his
way up toward any real
influence whereas we already
have a seasoned veteran who
< has long been trusted with the
chairmanship. 1 can't see the
good sense of throwing all
that away and beginning all
over again at the bottom.
There is no substitute for
experience.
1 know we have good raw
material. And the opportunity
to develop that younger talent
will come. But so long as s
batter hits homeruns and has
an impressive record for hits,
why throw him out of the
game?
In this country, the law of
the land guarantees you the
right of a scant ballot. When
you go inside that booth, you
can vote for anyone you want
to. And the only way anyone
will realy know who you voted
for is if you choose to teD him.
It's against die law to inter
fere with anyone's right to
secrecy.
I've declared my choice
openly. But I did that by
choice. You don't even have
to tell anyone who you're
going to vote for, not unless
you want to.
Be assured that your rights
of free choice are so impor
tant, U.S. Marshalls are
available for their protection,
if need be. And Federal courts
are ready to prosecute viola
tions. I would advise anyone
to report any threats connect
ed with your vote. Like your
virginity once did, your vote
belongs to you and nobody
else.
m W??
^Against
4
Veer
Term
Dear Editor
It is an outrage!
A four year term for
members of the General As
sembly is self-serving and will
not benefit the citizens of this
state. Our electoral system
was designed for the protec
tion and safeguard of our
citizens not for the conveni
ence of the candidates.
Senator Sam Ervin, Jr.
recently stated: "I believe
that a four year term would
destroy the ability of the
people to rule and would
substitute the rule of politici
ans. A four year term would
be a great mistake and I
would urge all North Carolini
ans to vote AGAINST Amend
ment 1."
The State Democratic Party
and the State Republican
Party are officially on record
against Amendment 1 and are
urging voters of this state to
vote against four year terms
for member of the strongest
General Assembly in the
nation.
In the only state in the
nation without veto power for
the Governor and in the only
state in the nation without a
provision for recall for mem
bers of the General Assembly,
it is absolutely essential that
we keep the General Assem
bly on a short lease and that
leash is our present two year
term.
Our primary check against
bad legislation and legislative
excesses are the voters of this
great state being allowed to
utilize their right to vote every
two years at die ballot box. I
would urge all of the voters of
this state to vote AGAINST a
four year term.
Vote AGAINST Amend
ment 1 on Tuesday, June
29th.
Sincerely,
TMUGUumic
Chairman Keep the Two Year
t-' ;
?! i
Deputy
has
served
time in
jail
says
Reader
To the Editor:
An Open Letter for the
Citizens of Robeson County:
Recently I read in the
newspaper an article that
stated the crime rate in
Robeson County has increas
ed in the last four years. With
this in mind, the thought
came to me that you have to
have your own house in order
before you can hope to correct
any particular problem. I am
speaking directly to and about
Sheriff Hubert Stone.
Right now he has employed
as a deputy sheriff an indivi
dual who has served time in
Stone's own county jail. Now
you tell me how Hubert Stone
can expect to decrease the
crime rate in Robeson County
when his own house or
department is not in order?
You ask me how I know these
facts? Well, I am the 68 year
old victim whose rights were
violated in 1979 by this now 30
year old deputy sheriff, Don
ald Phillips who served time
in the Robeson County jail. I
am the reason, certainly not
by my own choosing, that his
now deputy sheriff had to be
put behind bars.
i urge the public to take
notice of this letter and search
thier hearts and come to their
own conclusions.
Horace H. Rosier
>'r~- - ?
"IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE"
ELECT
Lairy T. Brooks
YOUR
COUNTY
COMMISSIONER
Maxton-Pembroke
Smiths
? Experience in Government
e Extensive Business Experience
e Masters Degree In Administration
e Concerned Parent: The Only
Candidate With
Children (4) In The Local Schools
LARRY T. BROOKS AMD FAMLY
DJZAKTH, BKVY, ULA ANNK, AVOtY A LARRY, ?
* San*. *qultabl* r*li*f for our long-sulfertng taxpayirt. Th* Rob**on tax rat* I* an
overly high 0.S2 whil* th* state a**rag* is only 0.70 p*r hundord dollar valuation.
* Aggressive r*cruitm*nt of quality, high-paying industry. Th* Rob*son un*mploym*nt
rat* has long h**n th* high*st in th* t*n-county Cap* F*ar Region.
f* Ensuring that our district g*ts its fair shar* of county moni*s. W*st*rn Roh**on has
gon* lacking whil* outsid* int*r*sts have received special tr*atm*nt.
* Equal funding for our district's r*scu* squads and volunteer fir* departments.
* Op*n. responsive. effective government. Honest answers to straight-forward questions.
Fair treatment for all citlsens. Th* same rules should apply to veryon*. Ho favorites.
* Th* highest priority for public education. Over the last 18 years local support for public
education has decreased from 60 percent to only 32 percent of our county budgetary
outlay and is still dropping though the state average is well over 60 percent. We can
no longer afford th* 'luxury** of five separate and unnecessary local school systems.
Vots for and Elect LARRY T. BROOKS, County Commissioner
PAID PDA BY SUPPOBTERi Of LAB BY T. 1 BOOKS BROOKS FOR COUWTY COMMBSlOllER
ft