Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / Jan. 28, 1937, edition 1 / Page 4
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-1 J PAGE FOUR ' THE FRANKLIN PRESS AND THE HIGHLANDS MACONJAN THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 1937 i , it- On the Qasoline Circuit by A. B. CHAPIN : xt Mxmtklixt T&xtss Published, every Thursday by The Franklin Press At Franklin, North Carolina Telephone No. 24 VOL. LI I BLACKBURN W. JOHNSON... Entered at the Post Office, Franklin, N. C, as second class matter SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year i...... $1.50 Six Months .'. ................................. .75 Eight Months .... $1.00 Single Copy .........4....... .05 Obituary notices, cards of thanks tributes of respect, by individuals, lodges, churches, organizations or societies, will be regarded as adver tising and inserted at regular classified advertising rates. Such notices will be marked "adv." in compliance with the postal regulations. This newspaper invites its readers to 'express their opinions on matters of public interest through its columns. The Press Maconian is independent in its policies and is glad to print both sides of any question. Letters to the editor should foe written legibly! on only one side of the paper and should be of reasonable length. Tli editor reserves the right to reject letters which are too long, are of small general interest or which would violate the sensibilities of our readers. When Democrats Forget Democratic Principles JERRYMANDERING is an old political trick described in Funk &: Wagnalls dictionary as "an unnatural and arbitrary redisrict ing of state or county." The word has an odd Origin, being derived from the name "Gerry" and the word "salamander," for while El bridge Gerry was Governor of Massachusetts a district was created resembling a salamander in outline. Since then the word and the practice have increased in odium. Fortunately, North Carolina has had slight acquaintance with this means of denying the principle of self-government. Occasionally, however, it bobs up even in the Old North State, as it did in the past week in the form of 'bills introduced in the legislature to divide the counties of Madison and Clay into districts for the purpose of electing county commissioners. The measures also increase the number of commissioners and carry appointments of additional members to meet the situation until the next election. Patently, the bills are in-s tended to maintain Democratic control of local government in these counties, which last Autumn elected Republican boards. The Asheville Citizen, an independent Democratic newspaper, right fully condemns such undemocratic methods as "partisan tyranny" and "shoddy politics," pointing out in connection with the Madison County bill: . .;- . , "If there is one policy which the Democratic! party has consistently professed throughout all the years and in which all true Democrats must believe, it is the right of a people to govern themselves. Whenever the Democratic party departs from that principle it stulti fies itself." The same applies to the Clay County , bill, or any other measure similarly designed. In a later editorial the Asheville paper declares: "The Citizen would like to see a victorious Democratic party created in . Madison County. But such a party cannot be erected upon in justice or despotism and by thwarting the views of the majority." To all of which this newspaper adds a hearty "Amen." It appears to us that the policy being follqwed by some Demo cratic leaders and legislators, especially in the Western counties, is weakening, not strengthening the party. Not only is over-zealous partisanship manifest in some bills before the Assembly, notably the garrymandering measures ; but some other measures introduced, a few pertaining to our own county of Macon, reflect both political and personal grudges. , Such political short-sightedness can work only damage to the Democratic party and to the people affected by this legislation. If the party as a state unit wants to keep its name above reproach it should take action to strangle any legislation, local or statewide, which is contrary, to democratic principles. The attitude of some of the 'lawmakers at Rajeigh is arousing concern among good Demo crats as well as the justified wrath of offended Republicans. Are We Proud of This Generosity llfHEN the Red Cross last Spring sent out appeals for emergency relief funds to aid the tornado-stricken , peOple of Gainesville, Ga., Macon County responded most liberally, trebling its quota of $300 in addition to sending quantities of food and clothing. Again in the past week' the people of this county have manifested a fine spirit of full-hearted sympathy and open-handed generosity in answer to the Red Cross' appeal for funds to aid the flobd victims in the Ohio and Missippi riverr valleys. , ," .... At last report the county had raised nearly $450 and the fund was still growing. The first request from national. Red Cross headquarters was for $60, but this amount alreadyhad been passed when the ap peal came. Later came another appeal, suggesting that Macon County set a quota of $300, and this amount was; over-subscribed before nightfall. People in all walks of life have contributed, some in moderate cir cumstances "straining" their pocketbooks in a realization of the im mensity of the catastrophe and the dire need of the affected people; The' splendid thing about the way the relief money has come in is that all contributions have been voluntary. There has been no solicit ing. All contributions have, come 6traight from the heart. This splendid generosity and feeling of brotherly love on the part of our people gives us more pride in this community than anything that has come to our notice. "It deserves the highest of commendation. LETTER BRICK PAINT v. STUCCO FOR COURTHOUSE JOB I have had the opportunity of reading your editorial of January 14th on the courthouse project. In writing you I wish to say that I also do not want to argue the advantages or disadvantages, in general, of brick ' paint versus stuc co. I may, however, have to argue the advantages of brick paint over Number 4 . ..EDITOR AND PUBLISHER - PRESS stucco for this particular ' project. I woujd like to point, out that an architect's job is to design, or redesign, a building for it to give the utmost in efficiency as a func tioning unit and at the same time make it as attractive as possible in the eyes of the jonlooker. For both of these reasons this building should hot be stuccoed. In the first place the building was TME NIGWT YOU SWIPED TO TAKE HER TO THE JUNIOR MKICE-. AMD YOU SKIDDED AND SMACKED A AMD .IT WAS 7 .30 A.M. AMD And CU BOY, WHAT A MESS well designed in brick. The only reason for covering it with any material is to preserve it from further deterioration. It is then my opinion that the best thing to do is to use "the material that will satisfy this need and make as little change in the appearance of the present 'building as possible and 'with the least cos.J to the taxpayer. ' For the application of either ma terial the wall surfaces will have to be carefully cleaned and pre pared. From this point on the prices are no longer comparable, the stucco if applied according to the specifications of the Portland Ce ment Association being easily three times as expensive as a recognized brand of brick and cement coating. If the project moves forward it will be .under a WPA grant. -As I understand it, the . aim of the Works Administration is to furnish as much employment as possible to the maximum number of local lab orers in that . community. Thi9 is verified by the fact that proposed projects have been turned down in which the material was too great a percentage of the amount de sired. It is also a f ac that more local .men . will receive work by painting the courthouse instead of bringing plasterers from another community. I wish to enclose data and ma terial verifying my opinion. Yours truly, RICHARD L. AECK Atlanta, 'Georgia January 26, 1937 (EDITOR'S NOTE The data re ferred to by Mr. Aeck in the last paragraph of his letter is on file in The Press-Maconian office and is open to examination by any in terested person.) ANTIQUITY v. MODERNISM Editor, Press: ' I see in your editorial in the last issue of The Press that there is a controversy about remodeling the court house. In the same issue, you tell of the incident of the man from the country thinking our capitol build ing at Raleigh was old and Jhe thought we needed a new one. Most of us know, of course, that the Capitol at Raleigh is considered by both the old and the new school of architecture as one of the most perfect buildings ' in the . United States. Also,' that age adds to its value I , I feel the same about our court house not like the man that wants a new one, but that in its small way, our court house is also an example of simple and beautiful architecture. As you come up the street facing the court house, its dignified lines, its size and style to fit ah old and DAD cultured village, appeals to anyone with an -eye for beauty. The old red, hand made, brick, mellowed by time, the elegant but simpje belfry all show splendid taste in building, that to my way, of thinking, would be just too bad to destroy. Of course, the court hous'C can not be "fixed" to suit anyone, and for years and years, it ha needed the' inside cleaned out . because of years of neglect, but the outside and the gracefully curving stairs at the entrance, Mr. Editor, I hope will not be destroyed to make our picturesque old court house look NEW. M. R. S. Woodside, L. I, PROTESTS AGAINST COURT HOUSE CHANGES Mr. Editor: v A voice of protest against any modern finish . to the outside of our court house. It and Dixie Hall are the only buildings in Franklin that have any air of Southern arch itecture. Why let Franklin, as old as it is, look like a mushroom town? If there is any money to be spent, let the tower be painted and those back stairs be cleaned, and furnish brass spitoons for the jury! A sentimental taxpayer, (Mrs.) Daisy Silcr D'Onofrio Woodside, L. I. January 19, 1937 . OPPOSES OPENING OF INDIAN MOUND Editor, Press: I have just received a letter for warded to me from Franklin, from Dr. Douglas L. Rights of Winston Salem, president of our State Archaelogical Society, informing me that steps are being taken by a Mr. Rich to open the Nequassee Mound, and that our Society has taken the matter up with, Wash ington to try to stop this. Dr. Rights writes me to try and get up public sentiment about this at home, and of course, the columns of The Franklin Press is the best way to do this. If this Mound is ver opened, , it must be done by scientific experts -and the contents placed in our own museums and not taken away! . In the little history of the coun ties of North Carolina, written 'by Professor Ohes, Jhe first sentence about our county reads, "Macon county is known for its great In dian Mound." Nequessee Mound is the best preserved ' mound in the Cherokee country, which 'embraces several states. Nobody knows how old this Indian monument is; It is far too valuable an asset to our community for the public td allow it to be tampered with. While it is privately owned, ,T be lieve it' could also be claimed as s public property as a land mark of inestimable value. Don't let anyone bother "our Indian Mound." Sincerely, Margaret R. Siler, New York City, January 21, 1937 COMPLAINS OF ROADS TAXES HAVEN'T .IMPROVED "If I should die before I wake, I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take." And , my body, too,, for it would be impossible for the .undertaker to reach me or for my neighbors to take me to the cemetery, with the roads in their present condition. Perhaps we should be thankful for the mud that has built up our re sistance to disease to such an ex tent that we don't need doctors. (Try wading mud for exercise.) Doctors couldn't reach us if we did need them. I doubt, however, if thqTntail car rier likes this business of hiring a boy to carry the mail to his pa trons on the south side, of the Cul lasaja river from , Cullasaja ' post office to Franklin. He's had this expense for a month already, and there may be countless weeks yet. I doubt, also,' if, the merchants of Franklin like for our purchasing to be done through the mail from the mail-order stores for the simple reason that we cannot go to town in a car to buy what we need. Our country merchants, though, are probably glad that w,e cannot drive to town for our groceries. . ' We people who live in neglected communities have to pay our taxes . just as the citizens of favored sections do. We must buy tags for our cars- and pay gasoline tax, too. (With roads as they arc, tags are useless, and the gasoline we, don't burn pays no tax.) Those people who depend on hauling for a liv ing are now unable to haul from Nickajack and other sections. And yet, if they want to drive a car or an empty truck throieli the" mud, . they must have a tagThis; tag costs Jhe same as it does in a community with gravel roads to every door. That is, it costs the same in dollars and cents, but-what a difference in the ease or diffi culty with which those dollars and cents were earned on good roads and bad! ' The school bus for colored chil dred cannot reach the children on Mashburn Branch on account of the neglected roads. Will some one who knoys the ropes please tell us what strings to pull in order to have our road made passable? f With charity to all, Trctnain A XT -'.'.I' x iNegiccicu citizen. Cullasaja, N. C. ...... ' January 25, 1937. ' ( .7 . -4 i 7
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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Jan. 28, 1937, edition 1
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