County Votes Big "No" On Local Sales Tax
Less than one-fouith the registered
voters in Franklin County went to the
polls Tuesday, but those that did
soundly defeated the Local Option
Sales Tax issue. Failing to pin ap
proval in a single one of the county's
eleven precincts, the measure died by a
vote of 1631 against with only 849
voting for it.
TTie margin of defeat ranged from
85 percent of these voting in Pearces
and 82 percent of the voters in Gold
Mine to 53 percent in Louisburg where
the issue came closest to winning.
An extremely light turnout was
recorded as had been predicted. Out of
the county's 11,163 registered voters
only 2,480 voted in Tuesday's elec
tions.
Twenty-five counties approved the
tax in North Carolina with Durham
the only county In this area to do so.
Speculation by one informed
source said Tuesday night that the
defeat of the sales tax could result in
an increase in property taxes at next
/ / ^ / / / / >
?? / * / <T / / / / / /
^ / J- / # c? cF f J sf ToUls
For 50 13 4 2 78 142 32 37 23 67 19 346 849
Against 159 7& 92 125 351 60 81 111 131 50 396 1631
Voting 209 88 134 203 493 92 118 134 198 69 742 2480
Reg. 1006 364 764 795 2199 540 676 630 932 313 2944 11,163
Sen. Ervin Introduces
Freedom Of Choice Bill
Washington, D. C. - Senator Sam J.
Ervin, Jr., (D-NC), introduced today a
very broad civil rights bill dealing with
all aspects of the school desegregation
controversy. "The bill is necessary,"
said Senator Ervin, "to prevent our
children from being herded around
like cattle or shifted about like pawns
in a chess ganje."
The Ervin bill would grant to par
ents of all races the freedom to choose
the public schools their children at
tend, and would deprive federal judges
and HEW of the power to deny to any
child of any race the freedom to
attend the public school chosen by his
parents. Specifically, the heart of the
bill defines "freedom of choice" as:
A system for the assignment of
students to public schools *** In
which the schools are open to students
of all races and in which the students
are granted the freedom to attend
public schools and classes chosen by
the respective parents from among the
public schools and classes available for
the instruction of students of their,
ages and educational standings.
The bill then prevents any federal
agency or any federal court, by with
drawing its jurisdiction, from requiring
any school board:
1. To make any change in the racial
composition of any school using a
freedom of choice plan in conformity
with the Act.
2. To transport any students from
one place to another in order to effect
a change in the racial composition of a
student body.
3. "To deny to any student the right
of attending any school or class chosen
by the parent in conformity with the
"freedom of choice" system as defined
in this Act.
4. To close any school and transfer
any students from the closed school to
any other school for the purpose of
altering the racial composition of the
student body at any public school.
5. To transfer any member of any
faculty from the public school in
which the member of the faculty
contracts to serve to some other public
school for the purpose of altering the
racial composition of the faculty at
any public school.
In his speech to the Senate when he
introduced the bill. Senator Ervin said
that, "it is as clear as the noonday sun
in a cloudless sky that the most
effective way to achieve a system of
determining admission to the public
schools on a non-racial basis, is to
open the public schools to children of
all races, and allow them or their
parents to choose the school they
attend."
Senator Ervin indicated that valid
freedom of choice plans were in per
fect accord with the equal protection
clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
which merely forbids states to treat
differently persons similarly situated.
The Senator accused HEW officials
and federal judges of actually violating
the equal protection clauae when they
nullify freedom of choice plans and
declare that school boards must take
race into consideration in assigning
faculty members and pupils to the
Commissioners
Hold Quiet
Session
The Board of County Commis
sioners had a rather routine meeting
here Monday., Report* from the
various county agencies were received
and approved and little River Fuel
Co. was awarded the contracts for No.
1 and No. 2 fuel oO for the county.
The firm was apparent low bidder at
18.00 and 12.69 cents per gallon.
O. W. Woodlief of Henderson was
approved a* county electrical inspector
for schools in accordance with a re
quest from the Board of Education
that an inspector be named. 9tate
Road 1219 was the object of a road
petition approved by the Board and C.
A. Patterson of Hayesville Township
appeared before the Board requesting
that he be made constable of Hayes
vflle. The Board took the request
under advisement.
public schools.
After discussing the Fourteenth
Amendment and the famous Brown
decision, Senator Ervin pointed out
numerous laws of Congress that have
been violated by HEW officials and
federal judges. From the 1964 Civil
Rights Act down to the Act making
appropriations for HEW during 1969,
Congress has repeatedly expressed its
objections to the "bussing of students,
the abolishment of any school, or the
attendence of the students at a parti
cular school in order to overcome
racial imbalance." "Yet," said Senator
Ervin, "this is precisely what federal
judges and HEW officials do when
they assume authority to nullify free
dom of choise plans, deny school
children the liberty to attend their
neighborhood school, and compel
them to attend schools other than
those chosen by them or their par
ents."
Senator Ervin accused HEW bureau
crats of engaging 'In the unspeakable
act of denying food to hungry children
to impose their self-manufactured no
. tlons on the school boards and the
general public." "In so doing," the
Senator continued, "they not only
punish the innocent children for things
for which they are not remotely res
ponsible, but they thwart the primary
purpose Congress had in mind in au
thorizing federal financial aaistanc* to
public schools, i.e., the promotion of
the education and welfare of dis
advantaged children."
In his speech. Senator Ervin dealt
with a variety of desegregation cases
including the recent Supreme Court
case of Green v. New Kent County.
About he landmark Green case, Sena
tor Ervin had this to say: "Its facta are
plain; its verbiage is ambigious and
merky ; it lays down no understandable
and workable rule." Senator Ervin also
criticized many judicial decisions from
the 5th Circuit where he said "the
courts are dominated by judicial ac
tivists of highly immoderate at
titudes."
Senator Ervin warned that federal
judges and HEW officials "lack the
competence to operate schools. The
validity of this observation is made
manifest by the arbitrary guidelines of
HEW, which exalt the integration of
the bodies of school children above
the enlightement of their minds; and
the decisions of judicial activists which
mommick educational processes al
most as badly as they mangle the
Constitution."
In conclusion. Senator Ervin said,
"My bill merits the support of every
Senator and Representative who be
lieves that it is either unconstitutional
or unwise for federal judges and
bureaucrats to herd children around
like cattle or shift them about like
pawns in a chess game."
District
Governor
/Visits Lions
Herb Bradshsw, Lions District Gov
ernor form Durham, <u the guest
speaker at the Louisburg Lions Club
last Tuesday evening. He made a plea
for more dedicated Lion ism.
Lion Bradshaw was particularly
concerned about the recruitment of
new members, especially young
people. To inspire young people to
join Uonism, each club riiould plan at
least one youth activity during the
year, he said.
However, the old members must be
retained and not forgotten. He added
the dub with the lowest percentage of
loss will receive a stuffed lloa. The
contest ends next Aprl 30.
Lion Roger Mitchell requested that
members search their cloaets for old
clothes and carry them to. him as he
plans to travel soon to Boys Home in
Lake Waocamaw. The young men
there will either wear these clothes or
place them on sale in their store.
Visitors were Tex TMotson from
Williamsburg, Nathan dole from Louis
burg, and James Frazier, Hugh Has
Una, and Deputy District Governor
James Waugh from Oxford.
22% Of Voters Decide
budget time by * minimum of 25 cents
per $100 valuation. The Board of
Oounty Commissioners is known to
have supported the tax in the hope
that the revenue derived from the
source would allow a reduction in ad
valorem or property taxes next year
The loss of the sales tax revenue leaves
the Board no place to go but back to
the property owner, one observer said
A number of county leaders ex
pressed concern over the light voter
turnout, which ranged from a high of
25 percent of the registration at Louis
burg to a low of 17 percent in Harris,
Hayesville and Sandy Creek precincts.
Some placed the blame for the
defeat on anti-tax feelings here-or tax
payer's revolt, as it has been termed
across the state. Others report that the
tax issue was never adequately ex
plained to the public. One observer
pointed out that a number of people
had indicated to him that they be
lieved the county would get back only
one-half of what it collected. Hiis was
in error, of course, and the participat
ing counties will receive half of their
collections plus their share-ba&d on
population-from a pool of the second
half from all counties involved.
Louisburg led the voter turnout
with 742 of the 2944 registered voters.
Cypress Creek with 69 and Pearces
with 88 had the fewest number voting,
both being the smallest precincts in
the county.
Countywide only 22. 2-' percent of
the registered voters cast a ballot in
Tuesday's elections. Observers noted
that there appeared to have been no
block vote against the measure by the
NAACP as had been expected since
the state organization was opposed to
the tax. Some observers expressed the
opinion that the 351-142 defeat in
Frankiinton reflected opposition by
the state labor organization*. Others
discounted this theory.
Under the law petting up the elec
tion. Franklin and other counties not
approving the tax Tuesday may call
for another election on the matter in
1970.
APPROVED SALES TAX
DEFEATED SALES TAX
The Franklin Times
I I
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday Serving All Of Franklin County
Telephone Gy6-3283 Ten Cents Louisburg, N. C., Thursday, November 6, 1969 (Twelve Pages Today) 100th Year-Number 76
Business Section Hit
By Early Morning Fire
Damage in excess of $50,000 was suffered in an early morning fire
here which threatened much of the downtown business section before
firemen managed to bring the blaze under control shortly before
daylight.
At least three businesses were destroyed when fire gutted the old
ABC building on Louisburg's South Main Street and Bull Run Alley.
Two pool rooms and a grill serving primarily Negro customers were
completely destroyed and none of the contents were saved.
"Die blaze, discovered aroimtt 2 A.M. by fireman "Gerald Eury,
disrupted telephone service in a wide area of the community and
knocked out all emergency radio communications from the fire house
central station and the rescue building on Bickett Blvd. Firemen and
Rescue members were dispatched to Franklinton, Epsom. Justice and
Centerville to obtain help from the rural fire departments.
Eury said he was awakened by the alarm system for Gay Products
and Dean Farms. The alarm was triggered when fire burned telephone
cables. Thinking the fire was in these out-of-town locations, Eury set
off the alarm, which for the most part failed to function due to the
damaged telephone wires. He reports that when he opened the huge
overhead doors at the station house, billows of smoke told him the fire
was much closer.
Only a monumental effort on the part of the firemen saved the fire
house itself. Hie station is located adjacent to the destroyed building
and all mevabte rijtripment was taken out of the building as a
precautionary measure when the blaze was treatening. Furniture and
fixtures were also removed from some offices along Court Street. The
rear of these buildings are separated from the destroyed building by
Bull Run Alley, an extremely narrow street.
Howard Pitts, a Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Co. official
reported from Henderson this morning that fire damaged a 300-pair
Board Of Education Holds Regular Meeting
The Board of Education heard Mr.
BID Ferrell of Naah Technical Institute
explain an adult education program
leading to a high ichool diploma in its
regular monthly meeting here Monday
night. Following Ferrell 'a presentation,
the Board authorized Supt. Warren
Smith to enter Into an agreement with
the 'Nash County agency and to set up
such a program here. The location of
the daises la to be determined after it
Is known where most of the adult
students will be.
Jerry Cook*, * Raleigh architect,
alio appeared before the Board in a get
acquainted meeting and explained
some of the services of his firm in
school building. B. J. Hayes, former
teacher at the old Perry's School, was
appointed Home School Visitor, an
ESEA position and participation In the
Loulsburg Christmas Parade was
authorized for each school in the
system with each individual school
deciding an ry or not to participate.
The poi lllty of establishing a
night dan to acquaint parents with
the new math was discussed and the
Board Indicated that If enough Interest
la shown, such a class will be started.
A special meeting was set for No
vember 13 when the Board is to map
out long range plans and posaibiy
allocate the remaining bond money to
certain projects in the county system.
Updating the varioua science depart
menta seems to have an inside track on
use of the funds.
I
cable knocking out service to 350 local
subscribers. He said the damaged cable
carries 606 wires or 303 pain. He
estimated company losses at between
$500 and $1,000. Pitta also reported
that service personnel were dispatched
to the scene this morning around 2:30
A.M.. a few minutes after the fire was
discovered and that service between
Henderson and Louisburg and Louis
burg and Centerville had been halted.
By 9 A.M. this morning long distance
service had been restored. Pitts said
and much of the service' to areas along
South Main Street, the River Road and
the Franklinton highway were restored
by noon. He stated that he expected
all services to be restored by 3 P.M.
today. Two telephone company cables
withstood the intense heat, he report
ed.
Louisburg Fire Chief R. G. Person.
Jr. and Mayor V. A. Peoples had
nothing but the highest praise for
efforts by firemen last night. Many
observers said It was nothing short of a
miracle that far more extensive losses
were avoided. Firemen saved a plastics
manufacturing firm on the South side
of the burned building and a city
block of office buildings on the north
side along with the fire house, located
on the south end of the building.
Local restaurants set up coffee and
* donut stations as firemen fought the
blaze in extremely cold weather. Pe
rson and Peoples expressed their ap
preciation to these people for their
thoughtfulness. The Louisburg Rescue
Service was on the scene ready to offer
assistance and members were seen
helping In the business of hooking up
hose and moving it around.
Ironically, the ame building
known as the Howell building back
then-was hit by fire on November 8\
I960. Three days short of 19 yean
ago, the blaze was discovered at 6:30
A.M. and firemen then saved the all
surrounding buildings, including the
fire station. Damage in the 1950 fire
was estimated at $25,000 to $30,000.
The building belonged to W. O. Lan
caster and the Charles Green Estate.
W. 0. Lancaster, Jr. said this morning
he could not put a price on the loaa
but that it was only partially covered
by insurance
Origin of the fire was undetermined
but It Is believed to have started in the
grill fronting South Main Street. Fin
men who arrived on the scene early
said the section was in a biaae whan
they got there.
It Is the most damaging fire to hit
the downtown area since Ford's
South side Warehouse burned In Jan
uary, 1964.