The Fr3
K??'V
n Times
??"?m AH Of PrMklM Cw>t|
Your Award Winning County Newspaper
Thursday, April 3, 1969
LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
What W ill Replace It?
There has been a great deal of
discussion in recent days about a bill
in the Legislature to abolish capital
punishment. Proponents of the bill
say that legal execution is inhuman
and should be done away with. Op
ponents say that the death penalty is
seldom carried out, but is nevertheless
a deterent to major crimes.
We subscribe to the theory that
rules, regulations and laws are things
to be obeyed, not violated. When such
proves unworkable or when it is found
that such has been passed in error, the
rules, regulations or law should be
changed.
In keeping with this theory, we
believe that the General Assembly
should address itself not to the aboli
tion of capital punishment, but to
amending existing laws to make it
more effective. Sponsors of the bill
say that rich people are never put to
death and imply that the death pen
alty is only carried out against the
poor. This is perhaps true to some
extent in all things in our judicial
system as well as other segments of
our society. The rich usually have a
way of getting what they want and
the poor have to take . what they can
get.
However, there are precautions al
ready established to safeguard against
this to a major degree. Court ap
pointed attorneys and avenues of ap
peal are always available to all, regard
less of their social or financial stand
ing.
While it is true that very few
incidences of execution have taken
place in recent years, the death pen
alty still acts as some deterent to
those who fief y the law. It may not be
perfect. Few things are. But it should
not be abolished until something with
the same deterring power is estab
lished. We don't believe there is any
other alternative.
There may be some, punishment
appropriate for such a crime as that
committed against that little 13-year
old school girl in Wallace but we
doubt it. In New York- and it could
happen here- ^twenty one members of
the Black Panthers were arrested yes
terday charged with planning to blow
up sev^al department stores at peak
shopping hours. The criminals also
planned to blow up a police station
and a commutor train. Had they
succeeded and killed and maimed
thousands, would the death penalty
have' been sufficient? It would have
come much closer to causing second
thoughts among others so inclined
than a pat on the wrist and a com
mutable- and perhaps pardonable
sentence.
We have too long been willing to
take the easy way. We have listened to
the do-gooders until it is ho longer
safe to go out of oifr homes at night.
Our children are not safe coming from
and going to school and in many parts
of the country housewives are afraid
to go to the comer grocery.
We have pampered criminals; hand
cuffed the police and taken some sort
of moralistic pride in having a broad
ened outlook. Coddling criminals has
become the "in" thing. We have
joined the smart set who want to
change the world, but aren't willing to
work at reasonable and responsible
changes.
We have become swept up in a tide
of irrationality. Intellectuals have re
placed common sense with theory.
Projectiohs have replaced the old
adage that history "always repeats it
self. It is no different in crime.
Somewhere in this land, there are
others planning to blow something or
somebody to kingdom come. Some
where there is another little 13-year
old girl unknowingly awaiting a fate
similar to the one suffered by the
grandchild of a county native. Faced
with the certainty -not maybe or not
at all -of death, there remains the
possibility that these and other trage
dies will not take"place.
The death penalty should be kept
and strengthened. Otherwise let the
members of the General Assembly and
other do-gooders take a trip to Wal
lace and tell those bereaved parents
what they think should replace it.
HEW Is Hard To Please
i Henderson, 1N.C.) Daily Dispatch
Exactly what the Vance County
Board of Education could order in the
way of desegregation that would
please the bureaucrats of the Depart
ment of Health, Education and Wel
fare is not clear. Every plan that has
been worked out and sent to Washing
ton has missed the mark so far as
HEW is concerned. The attitude as
sumed and refusals which regularly
result add emphasis to the feeling that
the primary interest is integration
pure and simple, with actual educa
tion of students of vastly lesser con
cern. A spokesman for HEW as much
as said that here some time ago.
Every one is interested "in the best
training possible for young people of
both races, and the school board has
tried to devise a program acceptable
to local school patrons as well as the
autocrats in the national capital. To
say that it is a difficult, if not impos
sible, objective is an under statement
It has all along been our under
standing that the Civil Rights Act
......i
permitted the freedom of choice pro
cedure. President Nixon as a candidate
last fall said he favored that interpre
tation. But he has reversed himself
since taking office and chooses to go
along with HEW, which only en
courages that agency in its hard-boiled
attitude.
Not many of us can offer much
comfort or hope to the school board
in endeavoring to placate the people
in Washington. The board's hope is to
preserve as much as possible of the
best of the schools rather than meekly
submitting to government officials
wrecking the schools by exercise of
the authority they claim. Schools
across the land can be better operated
by local boards for the benefit of the
students than by high-handed
theorists in the capital. They have
done an acceptable job in he past and
there is no reason to suppose they
would not continue to do so if given
the chance and if dictators would
keep hands off.
The Fra^kjin Times
Established 1870- Published Tuesdays & Thursdays by
The Franklin Times. Inc.
Bickett Blvd Dial GY0-3283 Louisburg. N. C.
CLINT FULLER. Managing Editor EUZABjfrH JOHNSON, Business Manager
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
Advertising Rates
Upon Request
ASSOCIATION
1969
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
In North Carolina: Out of State:
On* Year. $4.64 ; Six Months, $2.83 On* Yaar, $6.60; Six Months, $4.00
Three Months, $2.06 Three Months, $3.60
Entered at second dau mall matter and postage paid at the Post OfTlcc _?i Loubbuig. N. C. 27349
'Prcsiih-iit \ixon >uys uc \Jnntlil handle imii/mK
disorders ittirsell't's uitliout fedi'ral assistance . .
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
More Pressing
Issues
To the Editor:
Tom Innian sent me a clip
ping of two recent editorials
from your paper. Leo Jenkins
and me, etc.
I know it is hard to fill up
a weekly edit column every _
week. I used to toil in that
vineyard myself. And I am
sure you feel very keenly
about John C. Calhoun, the
Confederate flag, and that
sort of thing.
But. my god. man, there
are much more pressing
issues, as only you can know
much better than I. Admit
tedly, I sit up here in an
atmosphere far removed from
what passes for reality in
Franklin County. ^
Far from allowing you to
be reckless, however, that
gives you a much greater re
sponsibility. Sure, I may be
an "overzealous advocate of a
cause." but what I say
doesn't really mo\e many
people on the scene. What
you say does that every day
and week.
Of course, I suppose you
are going to reply that all is
well in Franklin County, that
if onty overzealous some
thing-or-other would stay
away, all problems would dis
appear *
But if you say that to me.
then I'll have to disagree. 1
may be removed from the
scene, but I was born, grew
up. and return frequently. 1
know that all is not well, all
the problems arent over
with. And I feel sure that a
man with the trust and in
fluence enjoyed by a weekly
newspaper editor ought to
have something more im
portant than to fill up a
column -one of the 104 he
has in a year-with such irrele
vant stuff, even if it does have
the commendable attribute of
fitting the hole.
Best wishes.
Roy Parker Jr.
Washington Correspondent
The News and Observer
1253 National Press Build
ing
Washington. I). C. 20004
h One Campus
To The Editor :
Your Editorial of March
11th. "Foolishness Long
Enough," was sent to me and
1 wish to thank you for the
complimentary remarks and
implications you made con
cerning Free Will Baptist
Bible College.
* We do believe that we have
as wholesome a situation on
our campus as you would
find anywhere in America.
One encouraging thing is that
there is a host of young
people in this country who
prefer a climate of decency in
which to receive their educa
tion when given a choice.
.'-Thank you for your nice
comments.
Yours truly,
L. C. Johnson,
President
Free Will Baptist
Bible College
Nashville, Tennes
see
Old Memories
To The Editor:
I look forward each week
to receiving my copies of
THE FRANKLIN TIMES.
In a recent Issue I enjoyed
very much your article. The
Monumen.t^ "Heroism Is
Never Lost." I was born only
a block from The Monument,
and I was filled with nostalgia
when 1 read your most inte
resting article. I remember
Dr. Malone, for part of my
family was related' to his
family. I also remember, as a
very small boy in Mapleville.
that great minister, the Rev.
George M. Duke.
Thank you for bringing
back old memories.
Sincerely,
W. E. Uzzell,
President
Royal Crown
Cola Co.,
Columbus, Georgia
Report From Raleigh
By Rep. John T. Church
Raleigh ? Give a young
man or woman a purpose and
they will find their way.
I believe there is a great
deal of truth in this saying
and this is the basic reason
that I, along with several
other legislators, are support
ing a measure to establish and
support youth councils across
North Carolina.
The title of the bill states
its purpose: "to provide the
>1. ?f
North
Carolina
an oppor
tunity to
develop
leadership
skills and
become
responsi
ble citi
zens."
In this
day and
time of
u n c e r
tainty and conruslon ana
often misguidance among our
young people I believe It is
the responsibility of all our
citizens to try to give more
direction and encouragement.
The youth councils bill would
promote participation by
young people in programs af
fecting civic and governmen
tal affairs. Thus far it has
received very favorable res
ponse
The measure itself would
set out a declaration of pur
pose and create, by law, a
Youth Advtaory Board, a
State Youth Council and
CHURCH
Local Councils.
This organizational system
would function in both pub
lic and nonpublic high
schools and would involve
young people of the ages of
16 through 18 and certain
younger groups.
The idea ls the teaching of
citizenship asU development
of leadership skills.
It does not require appro
priation of any tax money
nor special appropriations
from the state. The bill is to
give official state recognition
and backing to a program of
this sort which I feel is need
ed and would be very bene
ficial in future years.
The legislature is making
substantial progress in many
Essa 9 Orbits
Cape Kennedy. Fla - Essa
9, the last in the present
group of storm -hunting
weather satellites, has success
fully orbited. The spacecraft
carried two cloud-seeing
camera systems for a daily
view of weather around near
ly the entire earth.
U.S. Wounded
Saigon. South Vietnam ?
The number of , American
wounded thus far in the Viet
nam war has risen to more
than 2f)0,790. This figure is
only 4.000 less than the total
wounded in World War I The
first seven weeks of 1969
showed U. S. casualties num
bered 1.218 killed and ft.486
wounded.
directions. We h^ve a great
many bills in committee at
the present time and ajl arp
receiving careful study and
analysis. I do not see any
advantage in undue haste in
acting on various bills 'of
statewide importance and I
think the public realizes and
recognizes the importance of
giving everyone an oppor
tunity to be heard.
I do favor certain bills now
up for floor action which
would allow county commis
sioners to fix local salary
scales -those of members of
the board of commissioners,
the chairmaii, sheriff and reg
ister of deeds in the several
counties. It has been the duty
: of members of the legislature
to do this in past sessions,
and perhaps will be during
this session. I have been pre
paring legislation affecting
salaries of certain officials for
Vance County. In 1967, it
was our duty to fix salaries
for certain court official but
this has been removed by the
uniform district courts act of
1967
I' feel that local officials,
elected by the people, can
and should .assume this re
sponsibility and that they will
do so responsibly.
Among the committees,
the joint Appropriations and
Finance committees are the
most active. These groups are
equally divided among mem
bers of the legislature and
meet almost dally. During
this session the procedure is
ii
li
fc'COME
y to
f THINK
OF IT..."
by
frank count
Dear Readers.
This is Frank's "Little ole Woman." You been reeding
about me in that column of his in that there county paper.
I not to thinking that it was high time I had my say to you*
ill w hose been reeding his column.
He's alius talking about how I don't let him walk in my
L'leen house. He sa\s that I hollar at him when he trys to get in
his own House, but I lets the cleaning man cum in and I acts
reel nice to everybody else. Them fellers acshully looks at me
and talks reel nice words to me. Frank he jest shuffles and
waddles in heading strait to his papper and his cumfort chair
and his "Cra/\ Box" (T.V.V. He never wants to know nothin
but, when, his vittles is going to be ready.
That talking part don't bother me much cause he jest
knows them ball games and politics. He don't know nothin
interesting to a woman. He's forgot all them purty words he
used when he wuz trying to git me to becum his "help meet".
I don't care if he rits colums and watches ball games and
poleetics and watches mini-skirts, but when he laffed about
legislatures put tin a prke on females he got my dander up.
He thanks I can't read much, but what he don't know is
I ? mS
I II. II I ?llll III UIll VII
them night schools foF
a refresher course, so I
cud reed his writin.
Now I know what he
said about that price on
females. I got me a
plan.
I'm going over there
to Kally and meet with
them Legislature Wives
in that Queen Klizabeth
Cabinet. Pm a gonna
gel them to work on
their husbans to get this
worth y of females
worked up. Then when
Frank gits his pay for
me, I'm gonna Use the
old CS T Y II P Plan
(Cioing Through Your
Husband's Pockets
Plan). I'm going to writ
Minny Peal for the
latest in fashions; buy
me some new clothes
and start gitting out in
the world.
I heer that travel
eddicates one. so I figur
that I will git enough
money to take a fur
piece. By the time I git
thru with that Frank
('guilt he'll have some
thing else to think
about.
I might even git to
that new Figure and
Health Center I hear is
coming to town.
I'd better go git the
t hitter lins re**dy.
The Little Ole Woman
1*1 siime folks ijet near a typewriter and right off . . they
think they're Frank Count (iive 'em a pencil and they think
they're a writer. '1
I ain't quite sure the little woman wrote this. Soon's I got
it. I went to the bank and borrowed all i rould . . (jive it to
her and I airi't seen her since. There just ain't no Idling how
good it made me feel when she or her facimile wrote that she
wanted to start "gillintj" out in the world. I'm for that alright
I noticed she wrote that travel educates one. I always heard
it broadened one. And if there is anything my little woman
don't need . . . it's broadening. If you know what I mean.
But now that she's said she is gilting out. in the world I
reckon the world ought to be warned. It may not be prepared
for the chock. Since I am a true-blue citizen and believe in
being fair I am putting her picture in this coltfmn today
Several folks have been asking me to do this, but I was afraid
the sight might give the children some kind of newros-sises.
Actually, it ain't a real picture of her. But you knowed
that, didn't you. It's a drawing of her. It don't look much like
her. It was done when she was young. She sure did love to stir
that wash pot back in them days. Folks dont stir wash pots
much anymore. Thinks sure do change. I used to love to sit on
the door steps and watch her stir that pot> She was a sight to
behold. But. time has look its toll. She ain't as young as she
used to be and as you can see by the likeness shown here, she
ain't quite as pretty neither.
But if you see her now that she's gitting out. don't shoot.
Just send her home. It's near bout supptr time.
(P.S. And if you-don't think ole Frank knows who wrote
that letter, just wait until I get around to it. You're gonna be
sorrree.)
to break these big "money"
committees into smaller
groups or subcommittees to
study tax and appropriations
proposals more closely. It is
the general feeling that this
method will lead to more
efficiency and also a closer
look at actually what is being
done with our tax dollars.
A proposal hat beltn made
to give the General Amembly
its own budget overseer with
out relying upon the Budget
Bureau in the Department of
Administration. This presents
interesting possibilities. I do
not know whether it is neces
sary but I feel that a closer
look at state spending would
be a very good idea. Our state
budget has reached a record
high and ad fee that if there is
waste and "fat" in it, it
should be cut out.
H>ere are too many press
ing problems and needs by
the state of North Carolina to
be wasting money anywhere
in our record high budget