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The FrafMh Times
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Your Award Winning County Newspaper
LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
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More Pressing Concern
Franklin voters overwhelmingly de
feated the sales tax in Tuesday's elec
tion. It came as no great surprise that
the tax was voted down. The margin
was somewhat surprising, however,
since many believed the tax issue had
some merit.
The county will now face the
coming budgetary year with the
knowledge that property owners must
be called on to pay more. One in
formed source predicts a minimum of
25 cents per $100 valuation increase
will be needed, perhaps more.
Be this as it may. The voter has
spoken. The sales tax -good or bad- is
now a dead issue and concern over the
wisdom of the voter's decision at this
stage of the game is wasted.
Of far greater concern and posing a
far greater danger to the future of the
Franklin County community is the
utter lack of interest illustrated by the
citizen in Tuesday's elections. Just
over one out of five bothered to go to
the polls. Less than one-percent of the
registered voters in Franklin decided
the issue. The margin of defeat was
782 votes or .07 percent of the
registration.
When citizens desert their respon
sibilities to vote; to take a part in their
community affairs; to be a part of the
decision-making processes, the time
has come for grave concern.
We have seen in this county in
recent years small minority groups
rule. Minute percentages of our total
population have managed to have
their way, even when it meant going
against the will of the majority. A
hundred students on a college campus
of 20,000 have been known to wreck
the orderly .processes and indeed to
shut down the institution. A relatively
small percentage of people have
caused this country great embarrass
ment as they speak loud against our
involvement in Vietnam while the
overhwelming majority of Americans
wholeheartedly support our efforts
there.
There is little need to expand on
this. All of us know what small
groups, well organized can do. But the
startling fact remains. They could not;
they would not if the so-called quiet
majority paid attention to their bus
iness-that is, their business of de
ciding issues for themselves.
The sales tax issue had it carried
would not ha/e measurably changed ?
the lives of any of us here. In its
defeat, it is unlikely to cause any
earth murmurs. But, all of us should
understand-make it crystal clear
staying home on election day and
letting somebody else make our de
cisions for us can shake our very
foundation.
Make no mistake. They're not
doing it to us. We're doing it to
ourselves. And we wonder what's
wrong with the country.
Who needs three guesses?
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
tt
? ' li Ph. Ill I
Only Americans Can Defeat U.S.A.
The Wilson Daily Times
President Nixon made a somber
and low key appeal to the American
people for support of his policy on
ending the war in Vietnam. He made
no startling announcement as many
desired and hoped he would. He did
not promise anything new or set a
time table except as has been outlined
in his policy of shifting the defense of
South, Vietnam to the Vietnamese
people.
He did make the point? and with
emphasis? that the more divided we
become as a nation, the less likely the
North Vietnamese will be to negoti
ate. As he said, they will wait for one
concession after another. And here he
emphasized that anything is negoti
able except the right of the people of
South Vietnamese to decide their fu
ture.
The President told of his private
efforts to negotiate or to find an
avenue for negotiations. He reviewed
the policy he is following, which is to
shift the burden of the war to the
government and people of South Viet
nam. He spoke of the troop with
drawals but hfi. did not announce any
stepped-up plans than the already
announced withdrawals, although he
said the rate of the withdrawal time
table was more optimistic than when
made in June.
He was firm in his conviction that a
nation cannot run away or betray its
allies. So as he said the question is,
"HoW can we win America's peace?
In other words, how can we conclude
America's part in the fighting with
honor, a fighting war he inherited
from the Johnson administration.
How will the Fullbrights and their
lik ] interpret the address is yet to be
heard. There was nothing which gave
them hope for immediate peace, or
withdrawal at any cost. President
Nixon did recognize the casualties are
much smaller than when he took
office and he expects these to further
decline.
Yes, there was no answer to "End
the War Now" as some of the signs
say. There was hope held out to the
silent majority of Americans that he
present policy will bring the war to an
honorable conclusion and possibly
sooner than we know. For the Presi
dent rightly said that he would not
make public ? for the benefit of
North Vietnam ? the timetable for
withdrawal or the circumstances.
His concluding sentence should
ring in the hearts and heads of Ameri
cans as we go through the trying days
ahead. The President deserves the sup
port of the people in his policy which
is bringing the soldiers home and
shifting the burden of the war on
those who must eventually bear the
brunt of the defense of their home
land.
The President is right when he says
"Let us understand North Vietnam
cannot defeat the United States only
Americans can."
The Fra^in Times
Estsbllahed 1870 - Published Tueedayifc Thursdsys by
The Franklin Times. Inc.
Blckett Blvd. Dial OY6-3283 Loulsburg. N. C.
CLINT FULLER, Manaflnf Editor ELIZABETH JOHNSON, Business Manager
NATIONAL EDITORIAL
Advertising Rates ^ | ASSOCIATION
Upon Request
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
In North Carolina. Out of State:
On* Year, $4.84; Six Month*. $2.83 One Yew, $5.50; Six Months, $4.00
Three Months, $2.06 Three Months, $3.50
Enured u iccond dau mall matter and pottage paid at th? Po?t OfTkc at LouMnirf, N. C. 27549.
On? of Those Campus Extremists? He Studies'
Staleuide Tax Vote
oanty
PR TP YES NO
Forsyth
F'nklin
52
Ja'ace
26
26
1,877
10,855
11
Jx'ndr
14
14
1,431
1,470
866
Gaston
44
Jg'ny
7
7
296
Gates
7
nson
13
13
725
1,431
Graham
5
ishe
19
19
eu
2,119
Granvl'
19
Lvery
20
20
511
800
xGreene
12
I'fort
29
29
759
2,617
Guilford
78
lertie
11
12
326
916
Halifax
25
iladen
17
17
955
1,636
Harnett
21
S'swick
18
18
705
2,044 i Haywood
6,134 Hend'son
32
iB'nc'be
50
50
13,548
22
lurke
39
39
853
5,893
xHertford
8
^ab'rus
24
35
1,621
4,872
Hoke
13
Jldwell
18
24
1,089
3,845
Hyde
7
[Camden
3
3
370
173
Iredell
23
3'tret
24
24
699
2,655
xJackson
17
Caswell
14
14
600
1,013
Johnston
23
Catawba
32
40
2,764
6,939
xJones
8
Chatham
22
22
1,072
2,814
Lee
11
Ch'kee
17
17
697
950
xLenoir
22
iChowan
8
6
722
485
Lincoln
23
(Clay
7
7
413
205
xMacon
15
Cl'land
28
28
767
>843
xMadison
8
Col' but
26
26
1,568
l'V?
Martin
13
Craven
21
21
2,813
J, 125
McD'ell
17
xC'bland
45
45
5,287
3,153
M'burg
88
xCu'tuck
12
12
499
329
Mitchell
13
Dare
15
15
541
739
Mntg'ry
13
Dav'son
44
44
1,844
7,382
Moore
20
Davie
12
12
704
1,900
Nash
23
xDuplln
19
20
1,939
1,530
xN. Ha'vr
23
xDurham
38
38
8,651
5,706
Nthpton
17
Gdg'cbe
13
14
1,175
2,777
xOnslow
26
4,981
15,913
Orange
25
25
2,814
3,033
849
1,631
xPamlico
17
17
823
761
493
2,105
xPasq'tk
14
M
1,543
832
279
322 Pender
12
17
644
894
333
596
xPrq'ans
7
7
656
422
1,267
1,322,
Person
19
19
580
2,155
823
499
Pitt
26
26
3,134
3,749
13,303
17,847
Polk
10
10
768
1,110
1,926
3,302
R'dolph
39
39
1,870
4,789
913
3,506
xRchmnd
15
15
4,487
2,858
2,629
3,973
Robeson
31
39
1,287
2,821
2,371
3,086
Rkn'ham
30
30
1,748
5,811
1,296
662
Rowan
45
45
1,840
19,649
648
901
Ruth'frd
35
35
1,025
5,129
238
895
Sampson
24
24
2,102
2,484
539
8,372
Scotland
10
10
581
1,131
1,647
1,157
Stanly
29
29
1,433
4,732
1,474
4,146 Stokes
17
22
348
1,880
662
326
Surry
20
20
1,101
3,885
10,072
15,012
xSwain
7
7
559
249
4,401
1,248
Trns'vnia
18
18
1,438
1,925
1,035
2,818 xTyrrell
8
8
215
188
1,057
958
Union
19
24
880
1,634
856
404
iVance
18
16
1,331
2,448
928
1,222 Wake
88
68
10,514
15,972
1,553
6,376 Warren
14
14
378
1,881
3,812
29,907 Wsh'nton
7
7
360
1,328
548
966 xWayne
13
20
2,633
1,383
862
1,881 xWat'ga
18
18
2,314
2,211
1,752
2,509 Wilkes
?31
31
781
4,500
1,275
4,722 Wilson
20
20
1,346
3,624
7,371
5,206 yadkin
13
13
939
1,722
389
1.537 Yancey
U
U
721
788
2,883
1,773
52
11
44
7
5
19
12
78
25
21
32
r.
8
13
7
23
20
29
8
11
22
23
15
8
13
17
88
13
13
20
23
23
17
28
Fountain Reports On Draft
Washington, D. C. ? We all want the
Draft to be a* (air and equitable aa
possible. The beat interests of our
young men, consistent with national
security, must be looked after.
If we look back 29-yeara to those
unsettled Pre-Pearl Harbor days when
the preaent Draft system was set up,
the vast majority would say that Selec
tive Service has served our nation
reasonably well. People would agree
on this despite certain weakneeaes here
and there and the cold-blooded treat
ment some of our boys have received
in connection with deferment pro
blems. J
We are still free, though world wars
and limited wars have come and gone,
and even though we are still, unfor
tunately, engaged In a fruitless war in a
remote corner of the world. The Draft,
directly or Indirectly, has given Ameri
ca moat of It* armed might.
I know there are millions who hope
the time will come when we can
eliminate the draft, when we will be so
strong and secure well no longer need
It except in time of war or grave
national emergency. I sincerely hope
the time will soon come when peace
settles down upon the world and
mankind can devote all Ita energies to
constructive, peaceful progress.
But, moat would agree, that times
are not peaceful, that tod day's world
Is torn by revolution arid change,
complicated by confusion and frustra
tion, and that our nation's security
demands a powerful force In being
always ready to spring Into action.
All the same, I know the constant
presence of the Draft hangs heavy over
the Uvea and careers of all of our
draft-eligible young men. I've talked to
hundreds of them.
For seven long yean, our young
men are suacepttble to being drafted.
Jobs are Interfered with, college
careers are Interrupted, famillss suffer
economic hardship. It's almost a lost
period In their Uvea. It's wasted In too
many casaa. Their problem la not
"should I ssrve," but when.
Even so, most go uncomplainingly
to serve their country snd. In bet,
ssrve It well. The Selective Service
System snd the Army would not and
could not, function, If the majority
did not support them.
But there's always room for Im
provement and I'm happy to note a
change for the better. A revision In the
Draft law has passed the House of
Representatives and been sent to the
Senate for action. It probably wont
suit everybody and doesnt incor
porate all the changes I might wish for,
but it does improve things somewhat.
Hie new law will change the Draft
from an oldest-first to i youngest-first
basis, so that a man will become leas
vulnerable to the Draft as he grows
older, instead of more vulnerable.
As it Is now, a young man can be
drafted anytime during a seven-year
period. Planning his life with any
degree of certainty Is impossible. Un
der the new bill his period of uncer
tainty will be reduced to only one
year.
To insure fairneas in selection dur
ing a man's "prime" year (19), a
lottery system will be used. All dates
(birthdays) during that year will be
randomly drawn In advance. This will
establish a sequence for inducting
members of the prime age group.
For example. If August 26 was the
first date drawn, then those with
birthdays on August 26 will be the
most draft susceptible that year. If
March 4 is the last date drawn, then
those In the prime sge (roup whose
birthdays are on March 4 would he
least draft susceptible.
At the beginning of the prims year,
the young man has simply to examlna
where his birth date falls ofrthe list of
dates, and he knows his relative sus
ceptibility to the Draft during the
year.
However, local Draft boards will I
still be able to defar men for such
reasons as undue hardship or college
study. Random selection or the lottery
only establishes an order of Inducting
for thoee who are already classified
1-A. After the deferment period la
over, the man then ante? his prime
year at If he were 19.
Let us hope and pray that peaceful
tlmee are on the way and that soon
there will be no necessity for the draft,
ss we now know K. But, In the
meantime, let us not weaken ourssivss
and faD prey to the Godless forces of
the world.
"COME
TO
THINK
OF IT..."
by
frank count
"Big-Mouth" Bass is a talker like I been telling you all the
time. Where else would he have got his name? In most every
case "Big-Mouth" got the answer. He knows more 'n anybody
I know not to know nothing. But, like most folks suffering
from this same condition, he dont let that worry him none.
He aint losing no sleep over it.
"Frank", he said to me last night while he was punching the
fire. It was cold in case you didnt notice. "Frank, I been
thinking. Them folks ought hot to talk about him the way
they do. A man's got to have
something in him to gft to be
vice president. It just aint
something anybody can do. No,
sir, it takes a special talent. Do
you know that he is just one
heart-beat "
"Wait a minute, "Big
Mouth". Slow down a mite and
tell me who you're talking
about. And punch up that fire a
little more. My feet are froze".
"The vice president, Frank.
Who'd you think I was talking
about. Them fellows are saying
he ought not to have called
them people 'impudent snobs',
Frank. I say, he s the vice president and he can call them what
he wants to. He's got a important job, Frank. It ain't
everybody that stands as high as a vice president and
furthermore "
"Gimme the poker, "Big-Mouth" if you're gonna talk
instead a poke. My feet are froze. Now, I reckon I agree with
you on what you're saying, but I aint got the foggiest idea
what you're talking about. Vice presidents got rights. I know
that. And they deserve them. They have a whole lot to put up
with-being second fiddle so to speak".
"Why, Frank, some folks find fault with him calling them
hecklers effete intellectuals-whatever that tastes like. No, site,
Frank. I say a vice president got a right to speak out and say
what comes to his mind. This is a free country, Frank. Patrick
Henry seen to that and Eugene McCarthy and Teddy Kennedy
know it. I just cant understand why folks get so fired up over
a few words by the vice president. Everybody ought to be
paying more attention, Frank. The country would be better
off and furthermore "
"Pass me that stick of wood, "Big-Mouth". My feet are
froze. How about setting closer to the fire so's some of that
wind will hit it. Might make it catch up and burn. My feet are
froze. I got a lot of sympathy for the vice president,
"Big-Mouth". Why his name aint wen a household word.
After all this tome therer"* some folks who doatt knot* him.
Why you take Zeke ." >??.?>? .......
"I know what you're gonna say, Frank and you're
absolutely right. I was telling Zeke just the other night about
this and he agreed with me one hundred percent. That Zeka's
intelligent, Frank. I hate to admit it but he always shows good
sense. He aint never disagreed with me in his life. He aint
pretty but he shore is smart and furthermore " '?
"Aint you got no kerosene, "Big-Mouth". This fire sure
does need something. My feet are froze. I been saying all along
that folks ought to pay more attention to the words of the
vice preaident, "Big-Mouth". A whole lot of the time he speaks
for the president hisaelf. The president dont want to make
nobody mad so'a he lets the vice president do it. And that's
good, "Big-Mouth". A mad president aint good for the
country. I really think he's got a good man in Agnew,
"Big-Mouth".
"Agnew? Who's he, Prank. I aint never heard of him. Ha a
Yankee or something?"
"Big-Mouth", 1 declare you are the stupidest, hot natured
neighbor I ever seen. Gimme that old newspaper over then.
Got to git this fire going. My feet are froze. You been setting
there talking about him for a hour and now you say you aint
never heard of him. Your brain must be froze and the way you
build a fire, I dont doubt it."
"Frank, I aint been talking about no Agnew. I been talking
about the vice president."
"Wei, "Big-Mouth" who do you think Agnew ia-Hubert
Humphrey's uncle? He's the vice president, "Big-Mouth". He's
the vice preaident of the country. Who, if not Agnew, you
been talking about?"
"I was talking about Hank Tweed le, Frank. He's the vice
preaident and he made a talk the other night at the poker dub
and he called Juniper Jones a impudent anob and a effete
Intellectual. Juniper jumped up and wis mad aa fire-sorry
about that, Frank-but I told him It was unpatriotic to hit the
vice preaident. Old Tweed le jumped up and agreed that I was
right. I say, a vice president got a right to speak his mind,
Frank. What do you say?"
"I say I'm going home to (It warm. My feet are ftoze".