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WEIMAR JONES
BOB 8 8LOAN
J P BRADY
ROLFS NEILL
AIRS ALLEN 8 HER
MRS. STANLEY E. PENLAND
CARL P. CABB
FRANK A. STARRETTE
O E CRAWFORD
CHARLES E. WHITTINOTON
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DECEMBER 13, 1956
Filibuster Vs. Nobility
With a weather eye on the 1958 elections, half a
dozen self-styled liberal Democratic senators have
drafted a legislative program for the next Congress.
With an eye especially on the Negro vote, they
have put civil rights legislation high on their list
of proposed laws. And with an eye on past experi
ence, they have put at the top of their list of moves
a plan to so change the rules of the Senate as to
make a filibuster impossible.
The word "filibuster" has come to have an evil
odor; it also has come to be associated with an
other word, "Southern". Maybe the unpleasant con
notation is deserved, but the suggestion that use of
the filibuster to defeat pending legislation is a tac
tic employed only by senators from the South is
in error. The filibuster is not new, and in its long
history it has been used by senators from every sec
tion of the country.
However badly it may have been abused, there
is this to be said for unlimited senate debate :
It is better for an occasional piece of good legis
lation to be talked to death than for bad legislation
to be enacted because debate Ls too severely limited.
And this: While it is the function of representa
tive government to provide majority rule, along
with that goes the responsibility to make sure the
rights of minorities are fully protected ? nothing
can be more tyrannical than a majority. Maybe the
filibuster isn't the best way to protect minorities,
but it is one way.
What is chiefly wrong with the program of this
group of senators, though, is not that they propose
to outlaw the filibuster, but why they propose it.
They do not attack the practice because it is wrong
in itself, but because it stands in the way of their
pet legislation. Furthermore, to say that their mo
tives in seeking the enactment of civil rights legis
lation are less than noble is gross understatement.
Problem Still With Us
No doubt recalling the unheeded recommenda
tions of the past, the grand jury of the December
term of Superior Court neatly avoided repetition
by observing:
"The grand jury will not try to enumerate the
things lacking or in need of repair in the court
house."
The truth is, the grand jury probably didn't have
enough paper or the time to list all the shortcom
ings of the old structure, now 74 years old.
And, if the jury had listed them, it apparently
would have been wasted effort, because, for more
than fifty years, grand juries here have conscien
tiously publicized their findings ? and, save for
some minor items, nothing has been done to im
prove the courthouse.
This particular jury warns very wisely of the j
danger of fire. Should the courthouse and its mass
of records burn some day, the chaos to follow
would be almost endless.
Will its recohunendation for a fireproof vault be
ignored like those of previous grand juries?
Does This Make Sense?
In Boston, the 20-year old murderer of two chil
dren has had his death sentence commuted to life
imprisonment. The reason: He is insane. He "lack
ed the ability to tell right from wrong", say the
pyschiatrists.
What would have happened had he possessed
the ability? He would have been executed.
In other words, if a criminal can tell right from
wrong, and therefore there is hope for him, we ex
ecute him. If he can't, ant} therefore is hopeless, we
save his life.
The courts would explain, of course, that they
have the duty to punish crime, and that it would be
wrong to punish a man Who had no moral sense.
But haven't the courts an even higher duty ? to re
habilitate? And if that be true, does it make sense
to destroy what possibly could be rehabilitated and
save what can't?
1 ? I
'Jane' Writes A Letter
Most letters to Santa Claus are like many pray
ers : "Please give me, give me, give me . .
Well, a letter to Santa that found its way into
The Press' post-office box strikes a different note.
It comes from down on Burningtown, and is signed
by a little girl we shall call "Jane".
For herself, Jane makes just one request: "I
would like a doll". Toys? candy? oranges? Maybe
Jane wants these, too, but just didn't have room
to mention them in her little letter. Because nearly
all the letter is devoted to others:
"Please don't forget my two cousins who live
near me. They aire both girls. And their mother
and daddy are disabled."
We join Jane in hoping Santa won't forget the
little cousins. But it is Jane's doll we are thinking
most about.
For if this little girl, whose chief thought is of
others, doesn't get her doll ? well, then surely there
just isn't any Santa Claus! Because Jane's letter
shows she has learned, in her short life, what many
of us adults never learn ? what Christmas really
means.
? Letters
'Mercy On Us All'
Editor, The Press:
Recently I was fortunate enough to listen to a speech by a
person who Is doing something very few of us really know
anything about: fighting for freedom. The person was a
Hungarian college student who, several weeks ago, was com
manding a 5,000-man army of his native Hungarians against
invading Russian armoured divisions. As this Short, dark
headed student spoke, there were tears in the eyes of many
of the capacity crowd as they realized all that this young
man had done for the cause of freedom in his own country,
which in a very real sense is also our cause.
But some might say: "We have fought for freedom, too;
our boys bled and died fighting Communists in Korea." I will
certainly agree with that, and yet, I wonder if the fact that
we have done so once, twice or three times means we have
discharged our responsibility to God, ourselves or the rest of
the world.
I do not believe that we have created our own advantages
and prosperity Which we so richly enjoy in our country; nor
do I believe that what we have Is ours to do with as we
please. Rather, I would say that what we have has been given
to us in order that we might, In turn, give to others, and that
we have a duty and a responsibility to see that others do not
suffer or die needlessly while we "count our blessings."
As we have this responsibility, so I believe that we stand
under God's judgment as to whether or not we carry it out
to the best of our ability. This is why, as I sat in Carroll Hall
listening to a person who had carried out his responsibility
to his people, I could only pray, over and over again, "God
have mercy on us all."
HOLLAND McSWAIN, JR.
Chapel Hill, N. C.
Others' Opinions
(Opinions expressed In this space ire not necessarily those
_ of The Press. Editorials selected for reprinting here. In fsct. ,
are chosen with a view to presenting a variety of viewpoints.
They ere, that Is, Just what the caption says ? OTHEWT
Opinions.)
Reason Why
(Elberton, Ga., Star)
The average girl needs more beauty than brains, because
the average boy can see better than h? can think.
Misrepresentative Government
(Greensboro Daily News)
The Inherent unfairness of forcing Democratic appointees
upon Republican counties In North Carolina is emphasized
again by the latest imposition upon Watauga County.
With the exception of the register of deeds, all other Watau
ga officers, including the county board of commissioners, went
Republican last month. The majority sentiment of the people
of the county ? or at least of those citizens interested enough
to go to the polls ? was reflected. County affairs will be largely
run by the hoard of commissioners, in whom the power to tax
is invested.
Yet, in the face of this party victory, a Democratic tax
supervisor, who will necessarily have to work under and in
close co-operation with the commissioners, has been foisted
upon the county from Raleigh. Commissioner of Revenue
Eugene Shaw Is not to be blamed directly for the appoint
ment; it was in accord with a special act passed by the Cen
tral Assembly of 1929. It Is the same sort of unfairness and
unrepresentative rule Imposed upon the minority party which
has managed to win out In various counties at different times.
A Democratic Legislature talces authorities to which county
boards are entitled out of their hands and transfers them to
state majority party control at Raleigh. Watauga, which Is
not alone In its complaint, has experienced this mistreatment
and unfairness before, as for instance when a Democratic
county board of education was named at Raleigh and the
schools suffered as a result of partisan entanglement with
the Republican apunty commissioners who after all had been
elected by and were accountable to the people of the affected
subdivision.
Such indefensible practice, perpetrated through special leg
islative or omnibus bills, is on a par with the gerrymandering
to which North Carolina's minority party has long been sub
jected and which we had hoped might be corrected In reap
portionment and redisricting of the state. That hope, frank
ly, has never been bright and Is dimmed by recommendation
that this reapportionment and redisricting assignment be
turned over a commission on which there is no O.O.P. rep
resentation.
Sometime, somehow, North Carolina's innate sense of fair-'
ness should assert Itself and condemn a purblind and dis
criminating partisanship.
James W. Sells
Mountain Preacher
In The Progressive Farmer
"Until rural people express
God In their own way, God
doesn't belong to thejn," says
the saintly minister of the
mountains, the Rev. A. Rufus
Morgan of Macon County, N. C.
Through the years he has had
the concern of the mountains
and their people in his heart.
His concern for the Cherokee
Indians continues the friendship
of his ancestors with them. His
home place was named "Nonah,"
Cherokee for "evergreen," which
symbolizes this man who has
devoted his life to his people.
For many years rector of ur
ban parishes in North and
South Carolina, Mr. Morgan re
turned in 1940 to minister to
13 small churches in six west
ern mountain counties. They
grew under his leadership. Oth
er parishes were established.
Now he supervises St. John's;
St. Agnes in the county seat
town of Franklin; and St. Cy
prian's, a Negro parish in Frank
lin. He oversees St. Francis in
the Cherokee Indian Territory.
He aroused Interest in relig
ious art among workers of the
Craftsmen's Guild. His church
started a parish craft school
where Miss Sally Kesler teaches
carving, weaving, and the art
of silk screen stencils to the
women of the county. Miss Kes
ler's prayers of St. Francis and
pictures of trees, flowers, plants,
and buildings of Nonah are
gems of beauty.
Mr. Morgan feels that people
other than Roman Catholics
should be able to have personal
patron saints. He chooses St.
Francis as his own. He has a
large clay statue of St. Francis,
a project by one of his friends
for a master's degree in art. He
also has a small clay St. Fran
cis by Amanda Crowe, famous
Cherokee artist.
Mr. Morgan is president of
the Council of the Southern
Mountains, an organization of
those who work with 8 million
people of the Southern High
lands.
Tall, lean, and spare, his mus
cular frame shows the effects
of many miles of tramping
along his beloved mountain
trails. The mountains are etch
ed into the lives of their peo
ple. When I asked Mr. Morgan
why he left a city parish to be
come minister of a flock scat
tered over six counties, he re
plied, "My heart was here. The
mountains are Inbred and you
cannot escape them."
It was Saturday afternoon
when I left him. The next
morning at 7:30 he would ad
minister the Sacrament of Holy
Communion to a congregation
at St. John's. At 11 he would
hold services at St. Agnes, in
the afternoon at St. Cyprian's,
and the evening vespers back
at St. John's ? a full day's
work for a young man of 71.
As I left, he apologized for his
haste. He had to drive into
Georgia to counsel with a
couple who needed to consult
with their minister before their
wedding.
STRICTLY
PERSONAL
By WEIMAR JONES
I find, myself more and more
Impressed as I note how kind
so many people are. That Is
especially true of people here;
and while It Is in evidence the
year around, of course it shows
up particularly at this season.
We at The Press have been
struck by something that has
been happening recently, some
thing that, as far as I can re
call, never happened before.
Repeatedly, in recent days,
we have received subscription
renewals through the mail, with
the check or money order in
closed in a Christmas card. And
more than one of the cards has
borne a written message.
What experience could be
more delightful! If we'd all take
the time to so humanize busi
ness, how much more cheerful
a world we'd have.
? ? ?
I'm getting sick of the over
worked practice of saying of
almost every situation, "but we
must be realistic". For usually,
what is meant by that phrase
is: "We must find an excuse
for dodging the issue of right
and wrong".
? ? ?
The great changes that have
taken place in people's attitudes
and manners are interestingly
illustrated by a story told by a
95-year old woman, writing in
the Raleigh News and Observer.
It illustrates, too, how it is pos
sible for anyone, despite the
march of the years, to retain
a youth-keeping and saving
sense of humor.
Mrs. Lucy Phillips Russell, of
Rockingham, in an article tell
ing about the reopening of the
University of North Carolina In
1875, following Reconstruction,
recites this amusing incident:
"Of course, the boys quickly
organized baseball teams. Alas!
what good did that do June
Spencer, Loula Hendon, myself
and possible guests? We were
not allowed to even look over
the wall at such games because,
forsooth, some of the players
took off their coats and vests,
and some in the heat of the
afternoon, played in their und
erwear. God forbid that a young
lady's eyes should look upon
such indecency. So now when I
meet a youth clad In shorts and
sandals escorting a young lady
almost as lightly clothed, I
laugh and say to myself: 'Ah
ha! I see more of you than I
ever did of your grandpa."'
* ? *
So you don't think we here in
the mountains of Macon County
are better off than most of the
folks elsewhere? Well, just con
sider this: Most of us here get
along fairly well with compar
atively little money. But If we
owe somebody away from here
an account, just listen to them
cry "poor mouth"!
? ? ?
In her three years' traveling
over Western North Carolina as
P. T. A. district director, Mrs.
Jones had many interesting and
some amusing experiences.
The funniest story she brought
back home with her, though?
in fact, one of the funniest I
know ? was about a quite natur
al mistake made by a speaker.
With a perfectly straight face,
he contributed this bit of start
ling Information to the volumes
that have been written about
Martin Luther:
"And for the rest of his life,
.Martin Luther lived on a Diet
of Worms."
Gov. Luther Hodges and the
state's Tax Study Commission are
proposing that the next General
Assembly make drastic changes in
our tax structure.
The purpose of the proposed
changes would be to make the tax
structure of North Caroling more
inviting to Industry with the hope
that more industry will be induc
ed to locate within the state.
By various means, the recom
mendations of the committee
would reduce the Income taxes
of corporations by 14 per cent,
according to James S. Currle,
director of the State Depart
ment of Tax Research.
In the report released by the
commission, It said It hoped
these proposed changes, which
would reduce the revenues seven
million dollars a year, "would
eliminate those Inequities which
produce a very definite nega
tive reaction when individuals
or corporations are considering
location In, or expansion in.
North Carolina."
The loss of revenue, which
the state will incur, is to be
made up in two ways. First, by
rewriting the sales tax law, so
that many items, which have
in the past been exempt by law
or administrative order, will be
covered by the sales tax. Sec
ond, by the bringing in of more
industry, the wealth of the
state will be increased so as to
produce more revenue, even If
the tax Is derived from con
sumer spending.
In regard to future financial
needs of the state, the commis
sion expressed the idea that an
increase in the sales tax should
be regarded as the main source
of revenue.
In brief, it seems to me, the
commission is suggesting that
we change our theory on tax
ation. In the past we have tax
ed profits and property. In the
future, it is hoped that by the
adoption of a more lenient at
titude toward the taxation of
these sources that we can in
crease Industrial growth and
create more jobs and larger
payrolls.
In short, corporations will be
allowed more profits for less
taxes, and, in theory, at least,
this additional profit will be
? Continued on Page 3
VIEWS
f
BOB SLOAN
Do You
Remembe**?
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
SO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
There is a broader smile than
usual on the face of Jas. Hoi
brooks. It is two girls, we under
stand. ? Cowee item.
The school here closed the first
of December and the closing ex
ercises were enjoyed by all. All
the box supper boxes were sold
and then a cake was sold to be
given to the prettiest girl pres
ent, this to be decided by the
votes of the gentlemen. Miss Ella
Long received the greatest num
ber of votes. ? Scaly item.
Mr. W. H. Shancks has another
kiln of 60,000 bricks ready to burn
which he will fire next week if
the weather will admit.
25 YEARS AGO
Little Winona Payne is resting
well, thank you. despite the fact
that a grain of corn lodged in
her right lung Thursday morning.
She is the daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Tom Payne, of Rainbow
Springs.
Joseph Ashear, chief of the
Franklin Fire Department for the
past 14 years ? since the day of
the hand pump apparatus.? re
Mgned Monday due to the press
ure of business affairs. The Job
pays $50 a year.
Dear Santa: Please bring me
an umbrella. It has been raining
here and I need one. I also want
some galoshes: the ones I have,
have a hole in them. I'll also want
lots of nuts, oranges, and candy.
I am a little girl 10 years old to
day. My name Is Mary Jo Setser.
10 YEARS AGO
The Franklin Panthers finished
the season with four wins, two
ties, and four defeats, Coach Will
iam Crawford reported. Their last
game was Thanksgiving Day When
they beat Clirkesville, 48 to 0.
Jack D. Cabe is one of 41 men
to receive commissions in the
State Highway Patrol after com
pleting a course at the University
of North Carolina. He is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Cabe and
is married to Mrs. Joann Bryson
Cabe.
The people of the Ellijay Com
munity have decided to build a
new church. Anyone wishing to
help is asked to send his contri
bution to Ruby Young.