Newspapers / The Franklin Times (Louisburg, … / Aug. 5, 1969, edition 1 / Page 4
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The Fr Pwfcl>?fc*4 l??f? T?*t4<y A Thwr?4?f n Times Mf M O I Frw*l-? C?mtf Your Award Winning County Newspaper LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT Little Hope There is little hope that the House passed HEW appropriation bill which calls for freedom of choice in the schools of the nation, will get by the U. S. Senate. For the last two years, the House has approved bills to allow some common sense in the business of school desegregation. Each time the Senate liberals have killed it. The latest action by the House members have to run every two years ? -which the Senate is likely to kill these members have six-year terms also prohibits busing of students and .? closing of schools. In short, the House action is designed to return to local boards of education some authority in operating the schools. As opening day breathes hard on the neck of the boards, parents and students and as more and more school t districts are tied up in the bounds of confusion action by the Congress to ease some of this pain would be welcomed. Here in Franklin County, with opening day less than four weeks aweys, school officials, faced with a long-delayed court hearing, have no idea of what might be required of them this session. Many locals take a what else-can- they -do- to us attitude, but school officials are faced with compliance with whatever order might be forthcoming even if it comes, as it did last year, a few days before the opening bell rings. There has to be a better way to educate our children. The trouble lies in that people far removed from the scene are dictating the methods under which local schools will operate. 4 This lack of understanding of local problems is leading to a steady drain of top-level students being lost to private schools and with their loss comes the loss of much needed public support of the local schools. Several hundred white students were lost to the public schools in Franklin County last year. There may be more this fall. PTA's which are usually active and heavy contributors to worthwhile school programs were practically non existant last year. Booster organiza tion, which usually support athletic programs in the various schools were equally inactive. Individual parents, the backbone of any successful school operation, lost their usual interest. Most whose children attended the public schools only waited patiently for the year to end. Americans have never liked to be forced to do things they otherwise would not do voluntarily. So long as the government attempts to force parents to send their children to schools they do not want their children to attend, integregation is not going to work. The House of Representatives has reflected this fact. The Senate would be wise to do the same. WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING The News Reporter, Whiteville, N. C The 1969 General Assembly played smack into the hands of this state's big cities when senators and repre sentatives gave each of our 100 coun ties the privilege of voting on an additional one-cent sales tax some of which would go to the state for collecting the tax. The experience of Mecklenburg county (population of about 300,000) shows clearly that metropolitan cen ters stand to benefit most from the privilege and all of them will likely go for the extra penny on sales. In its first year Mecklenburg county took in some $6 million from the additional penny and, if the true facts could be ascertained, it would be found that upwards of half of the total tomes from out of -county shop pers. But would small counties go for the extra tax? Would they benefit from it even if a portion of the collection of bigger counties be distributed among small counties that vote in the addi tion? It is not logical thinking to assume that sparsely-populated coun ties would vote favorably on the proposal. If the General Assembly really wanted to do something in the way of additional money for hard-run coun ties, why did not the GA go down the line on a state-wide extra penny sales tax? To put it plainly, the member ship apparently did not have the " intestinal fortitude to do what it should have done. They did nothing but pass the buck on to the little people who are not going to be gullible and vote a tax that would run business out of a county in faror of nearby counties that do not have the extra penny tax on sales. Evidently our 50 senators and 120 representatives felt it was reasonable politics to add two cents to the gasoline tax and put two cents on ?aCh package of cigarettes because Governor Bob Scott asked for the additions. But they refused to put in a sensible sales tax addition. Instead they came forth with an ill seasoned pot of goulash tnat is distasteful to so many small counties and, in contrast, just what the big populous counties welcome with open arms. Will towns a.xf cities benefit from tne gasoline and tobacco tax? Not an lota except from the Powell Bill pit tance which will be increased slightly from the extra two cents on gasoline. Mr. Scott and legislators, it appears, were not concerned with the plight of counties and municipalities. They said as much as let them fend for them selves and the devil take the hindmost. The people who made the study on highways and recommended the extra two cents on gas won't be hurt by the tax increase. They can afford the hike. But not for the masses, the people who are defenseless and must take it or leave it. But 1970 is coming and these defenseless working people will have their day at the polls and rightly they should. Not in a long time have the people of this state observed such a spineless slate of legislators as represented by the recent exhibition in Raleigh. In the first instance they were so many hirelings\doing the bidding of a money-consciou* governor and, in the second, showecK themselves to be something less than what was ex pected by those who sent them to Raleigh. Whether the senator or representa tive did or did not vote for the local option deal, everyone of them was a party to the buck passing act, for we have no particular record of any on the negative side standing up to be heard. If we must have additional taxes, then let the money come from a state-wide extra penny sales tax. All agree it is the fairest of all for all pay according to one's purchases. From here it looks as if the 170 legislators were men become children and all heeling to a governor who said one thing in his campaign and then, in office, turned his coat The Frapjcjin Times Established 18?0 - Published Tuesday! & Thursdays by The Franklin Times. Inc. Bickett Blvd. Dial UY6-3283 Louisburf. N. C. CLINT FULLER. Managing Editor Advertising Rates Upon Request ELIZABETH JOHNSON. Business Manager NATIONAL EDITORIAL ?W^ ASSOCIATION 1969 f- " - SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Y?w. $4.64; Six Months. $2.83 Three Months, $2.06 uut or Mate: One Yetr, $5.60; Six Months, $4.00 Three Month*, $3.50 r.ntcred m wcond dm m?il m.llcr ,nd pping paid >1 the 0(lk< It Loimbuij, N. C. J7J49 'I'm Glad Abrams It Optimistic ? I Ain't* More Than Bargained For Viewpoint by Jesse Helms Sooner or later -and it had better \>e sooner than later -some wise soul is going to get around to pondering what will happen when the majority gets sufficiently tired of being pushed aroiyid by the minority, and decides to start pushing back. There are symptoms of it already, and it is by no means limited to racial matters. The "taxpayers' revolt" is not yet a full-fledged revolt-just a preface to the real thing which may be just around the corner. But it's an example worth noting. And It's a reaction to inflation, which most citizens do not really understand in technical terms-but which they nonetheless resent. One day the ma jority-white and black -will fully realize that they have been robbed, literally, by a mi nority-a minority that managed to seize control of the political am( economic pro _ IMWjttry.iiMtfj ,1 One trouble wuh the majority is that it doesn't really real ye that if is the majority. And. again, this is the work of the min ority-a minority which has gained control of the mass media, the major newspapers, the television and radio networks, the national magazines, the college and university forums. As a result, the majority has been brainwashed into an assumption that it is the minority, and that there's no point in protesting. A) Capp, the prominent cartoonist, is emerging-by one of those strange ironies of life-as one of the more sensible intellectuals of our time. Mr. Capp continues to create the daily escapades of L1I Abner, but he has gained nationwide attention as a concerned observer of the American scene. A few A Riot to Know: There is a number to call in Washington, D. C. for anything you might want to know. Recently, a reporter found that there is a phone number to call for informa tion concerning current disorders around the nation. The newsman published the Penatgon number and within 24 hours it was dialed 1,500 times. The number has been changed. Friendly Nations?: In his June, 1969 report to his constituents, Vir ginia Senator Harry Byrd noted that the first three months of 1969, "28 ships flying the flags of free world nations carried cargo to North Viet nam. Twenty of the ships were British." And they want us to "Buy British". weeks back, Mr. Capp was called to testify before a Senate committee in Washington about an eleven-month tour he had just completed of the college and university campuses of the nation. Indirectly, he touched on this majority versus-mi nority business. The minority, he told the Senators, was in control on campus after campus during his tour-but the ma jority was beginning to bristle. The majority, he warned, is rapidly moving to the point where it will be itching for a fight. The ? majority, said Al Capp, is fed up to here with the campus riots, violence and crud eness. As Mr. Capp said to the Senators, he is not, himself, really afraid "of what the campus rioters and those on their faculties who encourage them, can do to us." What ha is afraid of, he said, it "what all the re?t of us may be goaded into doing. . ." That's the day when the country will see a real explosion and, as Al Capp made clear, the minority will be in for some real trouble. The patience of the majority, after all, does have a breaking point. The point is that America does have some principles that deserve to survive, and these are principles which the majority respects and believes in. Hie majority will not forever sit silent in the face of governmental de mands. imposed by a minority, that some citizens work to support other citizens who refuse to work. The majority will not forever yield to the tidal wave of pornography and obscenity which the minority insists has "redeeming social value". The majority will not continue to coun tenance, forever, the destruction of their schools, the lowering of educational stand ards. the destruction of community rights. The majority will not forever permit a minority to defile the flag, disgrace the country, and undermine the nation's ability to defend itself. There is a stopping point, the stomach-turning point, the point at which human nature will take over. The majority, as Al Capp indicated In hi* testi mony in Washington, will be goaded only so far. The leftwingers~who call themselves "lib erals" and "progressives"--have managed to operate in a protected atmosphere of arti ficial devices cleverly designed to keep the majority under control and in harness. But time is running out. The majority is fed up to here with being pushed around. There are signs all around that the majority is ready to start pushing back. The self-styled revolu tionaries of our time had better pay the situation some heed. Otherwise, they may get more revolution than they bargained for. LUKI 3 i I COME TO THINK J OF IT..." by frank count You ain't never heard such a noise as was coming from George's chicken coop the other night. Now George and Myrtie-they live next door-don't usually make no noise unless they're having one of their fights. And when this happens, them chickens is quiet as mice. They ain't never cut up over nothing like they was cutting up the other night. Being a nosey neighbor 1 strolled over to see what it was all THE HIGH ?SHERIFF about. "Myrtle", I said, "I just happen to be in the neigh borhood and thought I'd drop by to see how you and George is doing. By the way, what's all that noise coming from your chicken coop?" "Oh, Frank", she said, "I'm glad you coma. George is out there killing chick ena." "Expecting company, huh?", I asked. "Naw, Frank. It ain't that. George seldom kills a chicken unless his mama is coming to visit. This is worse, Frank. He says them chickens been stealing and he's gonna teach them a lesson. He's out there killing them fast as he can Frank." Well I aint one to ignore a woman's tears, so I strolled out toward the chicken coop. I didnt want to excite George so I just played like I didnt see nothing unusual. "George, old pal," 1 said, "Aint this a nice night for a stroll in the chicken coop. By the way, George, what you doing inside the coop? Myrtle mad at you again--this was a joke. I tried to cheer him up ever chance I get--." "Frank, you can help me. I'm teaching these theiving chickens a lesson. They been stealing. I'm fixing it so's they can't sin no more. I could see his point alright. A chicken whose head is laying on one side of the yard and his other stuff is laying on the other side, aint likely to sin no more. I could see that, alright. I thought as how I better handle this like a diplomat whatever that is. "George," I said, "What them chickens done that makes you so all powered mad with them?" ' "They stole some air conditioners," he said. Now I ask you, ain't that the most ridiculous thing you ever heard. tell of? Chickens stealing air conditioners. ' 1 * " ? "George, I said, you done shot your lid. Chickens can't steal air conditioners. It's agin the law. And besides, I don't believe them little chickens could haul one of the things off, if they had enough sense to unhook one." "Frank, I done checked it out. Chickens got a whole courthouse full of air conditioners. A high official said the chickens got them. And while he aint exactly accused my chickens of getting them, I know mine will steal worms and corn and I figure anybody who'd steal worms, would steal anything. So I'm gonna wipe them out." "But George, maybe you ought to investigate. After all, chickens is innocent until they're proved guilty. You cant go around jerking off their hea& just because you got suspicions." "That'* just It, Frank. 1 done investigated. I went to the High Sheriff. 'Sheriff, I said, where 'd ill the air conditioners go? He just smiled like he knowed something and said: The chickens got them. I went to the Clerk of Court and I said: Mr. Clerk, where'd all them air conditioners go? He said, you seen the Sheriff? I said yes. He said: The chickens got them. "Then"*! went to the Register of Deeds and the Magistrate and the custodian and the Accountant; Men, I asked, Where'd all them air conditioners git to. They all smiled like the Sheriff and they all said: The chickens got them. I went to the fire house and the man there said: Hie chickens got them. I Ml you Frank I done investigated." "Did any of them see the chickens take the air conditioners, George?" 1 asked. "I don't think so, Frank. But I believe we got overwhelming evidence. All them outstanding men said it was the chickens And if you cant believe what your elected officials tell you, Frank, who can you believe?" "Did you ask any County Commissioners, George. Sometimes they know what is going on. One of them might ? seen them chickens get them air conditioners." "Naw, Frank. I dldnt want to bother them fellows. They been so busy meeting lately, I just hate to add to their troubles. It alnt easy meeting all the time, Frank. They're making their sacrifice for all of us Frank. They are serving me and you, Frank. I dldnt want to bother them with little thlnp." Well I wont getting nowhere wtth George. But to save them chickens lives- hoping they'd talk before It was too late and tell what they knowed, I made the only suggestion I could think of. "George, I said, "Why dont you take them chickens down to the Sheriff snd get them locked up. That way, maybe one of them will talk." He must s took the suggestion. Last time I seen him he was headed for the courthouse with his chicken coop. Attar all, chickens sre Innocent until they sre proved guilty. Alnt they? Tun# up
The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.)
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Aug. 5, 1969, edition 1
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