Newspapers / The Franklin Times (Louisburg, … / April 29, 1969, edition 1 / Page 4
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The Fr" Tw#e4#f A THwrt4?y n Times Your Award Winning County Newspaper LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT Another Popularity Contest Next Tuesday, voters in Louisburg, Franklinton, Youngsville and Center ville will go to the polls to elect leaders of the respective communities for the next two years. The Mayor and Town Council are set at Franklin ton and there is no contest for the council at Centerville. Where contests exist, however, there is little hope that the voters are to get any information designed to aid ki their selections. As too often in the past, this year's races will again boil down to a popularity contest. Seven men are running for the Franklinton Board of Education. None have issued any statement at all, not even to assure the people they favof public education, which should be a primary purpose in running. Few can, however, convince the public that the Franklinton -or any other- school system is today without issues which need airing. In Louisburg two women and seven men are contesting each other for the six council seats. The only statements thus far are a rehash of the tired and worn "I'm-for-progress" bit. The voter must be asking, "Who isn't?" Surely there are issues confronting Louisburg which should be discussed by the candidates. Either they favor natural gas or they don't; either they believe the electric rates to be excessive or they don't; they are satisfied with things as they are or they are not. If they are satisfied, why not leave the incumbents alone; if they're not, why haven't the incumbents done some thing about it. More importantly, why aren't they all telling the voter? The same is true in Youngsville where eight men are running for the five council seats. If any have taken a stand on any issue, they are whis pering it to their constituents. The general public hasn't heard it. In neighboring Chapel hill, seven men are running for the town council. L^st week each took a position on 43 separate issues and said so. In Chapel Hill, the people know where each candidate stands on such things as taxes, the planning board member ship, zoning, housing, rent controls, local option sales tax, local option liquor by the drink, public disorder, sidewalk repairs, Negroes in town jobs, pay increase and a host of other items concerning the community. In Louisburg, Franklinton, Youngs ville and Centerville the voters are not so privileged. They all know the candi dates and that's all they need to know. To discuss the issues would only confuse the voter and this is the last thing the candidates wish to do. In a way, it's a shame. All the candidates are not as popular as they obviously think they are and next Tuesday night, some will learn this the hard way. It will be too late then to give the people a meaningful choice not of perse*alities, but of qualifica tions and positions on matters of great importance. Be sure to vote in Tuesday's popu larity contests. Mrs. Bucher's Brushoff The News Reporter, Whiteville, N. C. "When I asked him, "What would your wife do if she was in my posi tion?' he told me, 'If you were my - wife and I were Pete Bucher, I'd like you get yourself a nice rocking chair by a quiet lake and stop asking ques tions'." Hardly a civil answer, this, by a high officials in the U. S. State De partment to the wife of a U. S. Navy officer in prison in North Korea. But this is the kind of treatment Mrs. Bucher, wife of the commander of the Pueblo, got about a year ago when she inquired about the fate of her husband. Perhaps it was typical of things to come, for when Commander Bucher and his crew were released earlier this year and they got back home, right off the persecution began. The Navy had neglected to arm his ship adequately, no protection was provided and no help came when his ship came under enemy fire. But in an evident attempt to cover up their own sins of omission, high Navy brass prodded and intimidated the com mander for days asking why he sur rendered his ship and crew to the enemy. It looked for a while as if his persecutors would ask for a court martial, but that would 4end to ex po* Navy shortcomings even more than their victim would be embar rassed. But hang on. Instead of restoring Commander Bucher to a position of responsibility he is capable of as suming, the more likelihood is that the U. S. Navy will shut him off to some obscure place to shuffle papers for the remainder of his career. ' We think the commander should ten tne Navy to taKe it . i ne next day he would be free to take his choice of offers pf good pay, decency and security. Program (Continued from Page 1) treatment, education, and ramily ser vices. The obvious lack or adequate local resources prompted the group to con sider rorming a local council on al coholism to plan and implement pro grams over the period ot the next few years to deal with some or the prob lems related to drinking and alco holism at the local level. In prepara tion for this event, four committees encompassing education, training, counseling and hospitalization were designated by the group to begin initial planning and program develop ment. Those participating in the series or conferences included Mr. Cooper Ayscue. Mr. Edward Boone, Miss Lucy Burt. Mr. James Byrd, Mrs. Mamie Clayton, Rev. W. D. Clodtelter. Vir. William Dement, Mr. Talmadge Ed wards. Jr.. Rev; Don Harris, Mrs. Alice / Hight, Mrs. Margaret Johnson, Rev. / Norwood Jones, Mr; Thomas Jones, Mr. Ralph Knott, Mr. John Lopp, Mrs. Edith McKinne, Rev. J. P. Mangrum, Mr. M. M. Person. Rev. Jervais Phillips. Rev. Frank Pulley, Mrs. Irene Ray, Rev. Marion Rector, Mis. Irene Scott, Mrs. Anne Smith, Mr,?. M. Sykes. Mr. Earl Tharrlngton, Mr. Leon White, Mr. Arthur Williams, and Mrs. Jane York. Also taking part in the conferences were Mrs. Imogene Berry, Mrs. Norma Collins. Mr. Charles Dorman, Mrs. Juanita Morris. Mrs. Nancy Webb and Mrs. Nancy Whitehead or the Dorothea Dix Hospital Start and Mr. Hilton Hedrick or the Department of Community Psychiatry at Memorial Hospital in Chapel Hiy. The FragfejHn Times Eatabllahed 1870 - Published Tuesdays & Thursdays by ; The Franklin Jimes. Inc. Bkckett Blvd. DM OY6-3283 Loul?burg. N. C. CLINT FULLER. Managing Editor ELIZABETH JOHNSON, Business Manager Advertising Rates Upon Request NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION 1969 SUBSCRIPTION RATES In Notth Carolina: OutofSUte: One Year. 94.64; Six Months, (2.83 One Year, $5.60; Six Months, $4.00 Three Months, $2.06 ? Three Months, $3.50 Eateied as second clan mall matter and postage paid at the Post Office at Loulsburg, N. C. 27549 TMF NRVM k'E JOIINAL What? Discipline black students who use guns to take over tne campus? Think of our liberal reputations !' * Fountain Talks On Safety At Rocky Mount Washington, D. C. -Speaking at an Industrial Awards Banquet of the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce last week. Congressman L. H. Foun tain commended the award winners and other industries and business lead ers in Rocky Mount for their leader ship in the industrial safety field and the tremendous progress they have made. After a general., description of the many areas of human activity in which safety instruction and actions are nec essary and pointing out some of the progress which has been made. Con gressman Fountain noted that "one of our most inspiring gains in the whole industrial safety movement has been the remarkable reduction In occupa tional accidents. " He pointed out that: "Between 1913 and 1967,. accidental work deaths per 100,000 population were reduced 67 percent; in 1912, an es timated 18,000 to 21,000 workers' lives were lost while producing 100 billion dollars worth of gross national product; while in 1967, in a work force double in size and producing nearly eight times as much, there were only 14,200 work deaths." Congressman Fountain cautioned that he did not mean to imply "that 14,200 deaths is a statistic we can accept with callous complacency, tt is small only when compared with the shockingly negligent days of early in- / dustrial development in this country." "Industry has maintained safety programs because it has' learned that safety pays in countless wajfs," he ' said. While "some of this improvement may be traced to the enactment of Federal and state workmen'! compen sation laws and other worthwhile safe ty legislation," h^teid, "great progress has been madty in industrial accident prevention through cooperation be tween industry, government and the ? public and private organizations pro moting safety." Congressman Fountain also express ed pride in North Carolina's total progress in the industrial field and attributed much of the success to the attitude and cooperation of the North Carolina Department of Labor,, now headed by Commissioner Frank Crane. He praised the Department's approach of working "through management in the promotion of safe and healthful working conditions in the industries and service establishments in our state and ^^eking voluntary cooperation, leadership Aid programs." Congressman Fountain continued by pointing out that "North Carolina's workmen's compensation insurance rates, because of our industrial safety progress, are among the lowest in the nation." He was particularly impressed by the 1968 safety record of 29 plants in the Nash- Edgecombe area who won North Carolina Department of Labor safety awards. These plants collec tively worked 5,916,000 man-hours with only nine disabling injuries. This gives a frequency rate of 1.5 which is 92 percent better than the national average for all industry and 80 percent better than the state average." After referring to several pieces of legislation, among the many which have been introduced in the Congress in the interest of safety in a variety of areas. Congressman Fountain ex pressed his strong opposition "to any measure compilable to the Occupa tion Health am Safety bill proposed last year whic)fwould have pre-empted this safety work of state agencies. And the revised proposals providing Federal assistance vy;tfl end up like most all Federally aided programs - with Uncle Sam running the show." oppose this type of dictatorial Federal-state program," he said, "where too often state officials are never even consulted. This legislation would allow the Secretary of Labor to set standards, make inspections and levy fines for violations." He said: "Federal inspections would amount to unnecessary and further interference from the Federal Government, and an attempt to use the 'big stick' to enforce their own rules. The proposal to train the 'hard core unemployed' as Federal inspec tors is unbelievable. In addition, he emphasized, "such legislation is also a further policing mechanism of the Federal Government which would require Federal spending at a time when budget cuts are needed. We can take justifiable pride in the record of a number of trade groups and industries as well as all the state programs which expend both time and money on accident prevention with generally exemplary results." And he added at the end of his remarks, "I am sure that, as this awards ceremony symbolizes, all of you in this room will continue your efforts to maintain and improve North Carolina's industrial safety record. I commend this spirit on. your part. I hope it will extend -far beyond these walls." IMEDO JIM! 1 Tift Latc?t Vietnam Cwuahy PRIZE WINNING cartoon by Paul Conrad, Lor Angele* Timet "COME TO OF IT..." by frank count The man was standing on the corner passing out cards and shaking hands. "Yes", he said in answer to my question, "I am running for the town council. 1 hope you will vote for me." "Well." I said, looking important. (All voters are important about this time of year. Might as well enjoy it while you can, I thought). "Well," I said, "1 might. But I'd like to know about your qualifications. Whatcha plan to do if 'n you're elected?" "I been living here all my life. I was born right up there on that street. I was born here." __J| "Yes, sir, I said, "That's mighty fine. You being bora- here and all. but what's your qualifications?" "Like I said," he continued, "I was raised right here. I know the problems. I want to see our town grow. Yes, sir. I'm for progress." / "Well, I guess everybody is for progress. What else you for?", 1 asked. By this time folks were gathering. Ain't many folks ever heard nobody ask a/fcandidate questions such as what's he for or agin and whit's his qualifications. It was a curiosity to them. / "Do you live here?*\ he asked. "You sure you are a registered voter?" / "Yes, siree /bob," I answered. "I live here and I'm a registered voter although I'm sure I don't look old enough to vote." I just said that for fun. I really do look old enough to vote but { wanted to insert some humor into the conversation. Didn't nobody laugh. That shows you how serious some folks takes their politics. Laugh at it, I always say. This way you akrt apt to cry as much. "Well you asked me about my qualifications. I'd like to repeat for those who have just come up. I was born and raised here. I have spent my whole life right here. I know the problems. I'm for progress." "What about improvements?", I asked. "What about the sidewalks. You plan to patch any holes or how about street lights. You plan to buy any bulbs?" "I'd rather not comment on these important issues until 1 have had more time to study them," he answered. "Well, how about taxes?", I asked, "Do you favor raising them or cutting them or leaving them as they are?" "The financial structure of our town is such that I do not feel that I should comment on them at this time," Ije said looking at his watch. "How about open meetings? Do you think the people ought to be allowed to attend your meetings?" "I don't believe it would be proper for me to make any comment on this touchy subject at this time. After I am elected, I might have a public statement on this particular issue. You understand that I cannot in good faith comment on this matter right now." "How about the recreation program. Surely you can say something about that. Do you propose any changes or do you think it is doing alright?" "Recreation I believe is a good thing. Mostly it pertainp to the children and they don't vote. I can see no point in commenting on this matter during the election." ? ? "Yes, sir. How about salaries of the folks working for the town. How do you stand on that?" *'I, sir, stand on my record of fairness. I have always said that I was born and raised here and I understand the problems. I am for progress. I hope that answers your question." A pretty good size crowd had gathered by this time and you could tell it was getting late 'cause the candidate had edged half way across the street looking at his watch all the time. "Could I ask you just one more question before you leave?", I asked. "By all means, sir. I am always happy to tell the people where I stand on any issue. What is your question?" "I was wondering If all them other candidates are M qualified as you for the town council." "Well, it would hardly be fair to comment on that sir. I can only say that I was born and raised here. I have lived here all my life and I know the problems " "Ltt him do th? talking."
The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.)
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April 29, 1969, edition 1
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