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Published every Thursday by the FrankHn Press
At Franklin, North Carolina
VOL. LXIII Number twenty lour
WEIMAR JONES Editor-Publisher
Entered at the Post Office, Franklin, N. C., as second class matter
Telephone No. 24
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A Civilized Discussion
I AST Friday's conference of farmers and forest
ers on the question of grazing certain forest
lands brought together two groups of men whose
views appeared flatly opposed. And to both the
subject is a serious matter; for the foresters have
a responsibility to the public, both of today and the
future, and the matter touches the farmer group
in a spot that finds all of us sensitive, our pocket
books.
Everybody appeared to be completely frank, and
neither side pulled any punches. And yet the two
hour discussion was conducted on the highest plane.
There was an atmosphere of fine courtesy, of give
and-take, and of reasonableness that marks the
civilized community.
Quite aside from the merits of the controversy,
the discussion did credit both to the foresters and
to Macon County citizenship. While it was just
about what would have been expected in a county
with Macon's traditions, nevertheless it made the
disinterested spectator proud to be a citizen of this
county.
Primary Retrospect
The pre-prima'fy election excitement is dead. The
whispers of election day are quieted ? and largely
forgotten. The results are taken for granted. In
short, the election now is far enough in the past to
make possible an unemotional appraisal.
The first thing that strikes the eye examining
the Macon County election totals is the proportion
of the registered voters voting. Ont of a (Demo
cratic registration of 5,365, a total of 2,274 citizens
voted in the Democratic , primary race for governor.
That is a little more than 42 per cent ? well under
half. '
That proportion i-s too low, much too low. By
comparison, however, it is high. In Buncombe coun
ty, for example, where they take their primary
politics seriously indeed, less than 30 per cent of
those registered voted for governor. And Bun
combe's percentage probably was well above the
nation-wide average in primary elections.
In other words, we stack up well by comparison
with some others, but we still have a long way to
go. For we, here in Macon County, will have no
cause for complacency so long as less than half of
those eligible take the trouble to participate in de
termining the kind of government they are going
to have and Who shall administer it.
The second striking thing is the way this county
went in the state races. In four out of the seven
state-wide races, the majority of Macon County
voters failed to "go with the crowd". In three
races, Macon lined up with the losers, and in a
fourth, with the runner-up. That might have just
happened in one, or even two instances. But since
it happened in the majority of the state races, it
would seem to indicate that Macon voters do their
own thinking; and then vote their convictions,
rather than merely trying to pick a winner.
Turning to the purely local contests, the result
in one race was overwhelming; in the other, some
what confusing.
The Democrats of this county knew exactly
whom they wanted for representative, and said so
with emphasis. But their decisions, when it came
to nominating a board of education, are a little per
plexing. It is difficult to understand, for example,
why Macon Democrats should have nominated two
candidates who were definitely committed to one
administrative program, and then turned right
around and nominated two others quite as definite
ly committed to a completely opposite program.
However that may be explained? and the chances
are it would puzzle Solomen himself ? there are
other factors in the board of education results that
are worth study.
Generally speaking, the issue was one of dissatis
faction with what we have in the way of schools,
on the one hand, and a desire to maintain the
status quo, on the other. And it is significant that
two candidates pledged to an all-out effort for bet
ter schopls should have so far outdistanced the
other 12 in the votes received.
Anyone who is familiar with the local situation
knows that most of the votes that were cast for
nine of the fourteen candidates were in protest
against the present school situation. And it is sig
nificant that those nine candidates should have re
ceived 57 per cent of the total votp cast for school
board members.
And most significant of all, perhaps, is the in
creasingly heavy vote for board of education mem
bers. In 1946, with five members to be nominated,
a total vote of 9,451 was cast for members of the
board of education. If each voter voted for five,
the total number voting would have been 1,890.
That year a total of 2,485 votes were cast in the
primary election race for congressman, the chief
non-local race of 1946. Thus only 76 per cent of
those voting for congressman bothered to vote for
school board members.
This year, again with five members to be nomi
nated, the total vote for board of education mem
bers was 10,531, indicating that at least 2,106 per
sons cast votes. This year in the governor's race,
the chief non-local contest, 2,274 votes were cast.
Thus 90 per cent of Macon voters balloting in this
year's ?Democratic primarv race for governor cast
votes in the race for board of education.
That shows a rapid growth in interest in our local
school situation. And any phase of democratic gov
ernment. whether it be a county school system or
the Presidency, will improve in almost direct ratio
to the interest of the citizens.
Progress may seem slow ? discouragingly slow,
when we remember that the children won't wait ;
but all the indications are that we are on our way
to better schools in Macon County.
POETRY CORNER
Conducted by
EDITH DEADERICK ERSKINE
Weaverville, N. C.
Sponsored by Ashn ille Branch, National League of Atnerican Pen Women
:i
A BROKEN LEG
As I was walking out one day
I slipped on the grass and pitifully lay
With a broken leg. I could only cry
To neighbors that casually passed me by.
Some of them said, "It is only a hen"
And others, "A rabbit caught in a pen."
Some of them thought it a catamount,
But to me my voice was clear as a fcfunt.
They finally took me to Doctor Ed
And to a cast as heavy as lead.
After doing a "stretch" with ball and chain
My legs aren't mates? the hope is vain.
?STELLA CAZIARC.
Highlands, N. C.
DESPAIR
Oh, come inspire me, kindly Muse,
And cause my deepest thoughts to rise.
I pray that fittingly I choose
My words? the garments of the wise.
If by some chance there should be fame
I'll acquiesce and sign your name.
?HOMER CASTO.
Weaverville, N. C.
? Others' Opinions ?
OUR MENTAL FLOP-HOUSES
A prominent American educator, speaking in Montreal,
Canada, asserts that 555,000,000 man-hours a day are spent
listening to soap operas, which fail to challenge even "the
mentality of a seven-year-old moron."
The educator, Dr. J. B. Nash, of New York, referred to the
United States where he says one of every seven persons goes
nightly to see pictures which are an insult to the intelligence.
Broadening his attack, the doctor insisted that the radio,
movies and pulp magazines "are the biggest mental flop
houses" in America.
Dr. Nash is on pretty solid ground in his criticism. Unfor
tunately, however, he does not go far enough and enlarge his
broadside so as to include some of the other spectacular activ
ities of Americans in the line of politics, social relations, eco
nomics, religion and, we might add, education.
?Canton Enterprise.
POLITICAL PROMISES
L.u?uig this period of elections, second primaries and the
general election coming up in November, there is a little fable
that seems to fit right into the scheme of events. Of course,
such an episode would never have happened In Haywood, yet
there Is a possibility that it could have happened.
It is a favorite story of a former senator, who used It exten
sively In his campaigning, and whether It brought him any
votes Is not known, yet he was often elected.
A thoughtful traveler in a western stagecoach heard a man
call out to the driver during a brief wait, "Don't forget that
pup you promised me."
It developed that the stage driver had a female setter who
was soon to have a litter of puppies, and everybody wanted
one. By the time the long Journey had ended the driver had
promised to give a pup to at least a hundred acquaintances.
'?How in the world can you give every one of those fellows a
pup?" the thoughtful passenger demanded.
"Wal," the old driver cackled, "it's a mighty ornery fellow
that won't promise a friend a pup!"? Waynesvllle Mountaineer.
FIFTY YEARS OF PROGRESS
It is not any news, of course, that the cost of living in terms
of national security is not merely skyrocketing but guided
missiie-ing. But It is still an interesting or maybe quaintly
amusing item which' The Memphis Commercial-Appeal has
printed in Its 50 Years Ago column' as of May IS, 1888: "Total
number of troops mustered into service for the war with
Spain yesterday reached 65,000." That was three months after
the destruction of the Maine in Havana harbor, and three
months before the termination of hostilities.
The Dictionary of American History says: "The war had cost
the United States about $250,000,000 in money and over 5,000
lives. Of the dead, however, fewer than 400 had been killed in
battle or died of wounds. The balance represented the toll of
disease. At this cost the United States had acquired a colonial
empire of 120,000 square miles and some 8,500,000 people and
had risen suddenly to a position of prominence In world af
fairs. . ..."
That was cheap enough. But as In a good many other things,
the original cost is Insignificant by the upkeep. War In those
days cost less than $100,000,000 a month. Military spendlngs
In peacetime cost more than a billion dollars a month today.
?Raleigh News and Observer.
Smo key Says:
, sw-? WResr nees affsct]
iou'iou arfwev ce! that/
CHAIR ItXjte SETTIN' IN"
Ttt EWER 8K* *X) HAUL
GROCERIES IN- THE RADIO.
CA0tf>t?T& ALL MAPt ?
LARGElV OF WO CO)
ALC CAN BE BURNED
UP BfFORE THEV J
ARE MADE.',
Boned trees increase the cost ot products j
made from wood
LEGAL ADVERTISING
ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTICE
Having qualified as adminis- |
irator of John H. Daltrn, de
ceased, late of Macon County
>J. C., this is to notify all per- 1
ons having claims against the [
estate of said deceased to ex
aibit them to the undersigned
n or before the 11 day of May,
1949, or this notice will be plead
in bar of their recovery. All
persons indebted to said estate
will please make immediate set- j
tlement.
This 11 day of May, 1948.
LON J. DALTON,
Administrator |
M13? 6tp? J17
ADMINISTRATOR'S NOTICE
Having qualified as adminis
trator of T. C. Childers, de
ceased, late of Macon County,
N. C., this is to notify all per
sons having claims against the
estate of said deceased to ex
hibit them to the undersigned
on or before the 15 day of May,
1949 or this notice will be plead
in bar of their recovery. All per
sons indebted to said estate will
please make immediate settle
ment.
This 15 day of May, 1948.
J. R. CHILDERS,
Admin istiaioi
M20 ? 6tc? J24
NORTH CAROLINA
MACON COUNTY
Under and by virtue of the
power of sale vested in the
undersigned trustee by deed of
trust executed by Charles Wig
gins and wife, Dovie E. Wiggins,
on April 10, 1946, the same be
ing recorded at the office of
the Register of Deeds for Ma
con County, North Carolina, in
Mortgage Book No. 36, Page 163,
said deed of trust having been
executed to secure certain In
debtedness therein set forth,
and default In the payment of
sai^ Indebtedness having been
made, I will on Monday, June
21, 1948, at 12 o'clock noon, at
the Courthouse door in Frank
lin, North Carolina, sell to the
highest bidder for cash the fol
lowing described land:
BEGINNING" at a black gum
near the road in the South
boundary line of Erastus Car
penter land, runs thence N.
43 W 20 poles to an old cor
ner; thence N 55 Deg. W. 34
poles to an old corner; then
N. 70 Deg. W. 36 poles to a
white oak; thence 8. 6 Deg.
W. 54 poles to an old corner
on top of the ridge; thence
S. 19 Deg. W. 20 poles to a
large Chestnut oak, an old
corner; thence 8. 80 Deg. E.
62 poles to a white oak on the
bank of the road; thence with
the meanders of said road as
follows: N. 14 W. 15 poles, N.
52 E. 25 poles to a white oak;
thence S. 11 >4 poles to a
white oak; thence N. 11 poles
to the beginning containing
25 acres.
This the 17th day of May,
1948.
R. S. JONES, Trustee
M20? 4tc ? J 10
ADMINISTRATRIX NOTICE
Having qualified as adminis
tratrix of Samuel Jasper Corn,
deceased, late of Macon Coun
ty, N. C., this is to notify all
persons having claims against
the estate of said deceased to
exhibit them to the undersigned
on or' before the 24 day of May,
1949, or this .notice will be plead
in bar of their recovery. All
persons indebted to said estate
will please make immediate set
tlement.
This 24 day of May, 1948.
LENA CORN, >
Administratrix
M27 -6tp? Jlyl
EXECUTOR'S NOTICE
Having qualified as executor
of OLLIE JACOBS BENNETT,
deceased, late of Macon Coun
ty, N. C., this is to notify all
persons having claims against
the estate of said deceased to
exhibit them to the undersign
i ed on or before the 27 day of
May, 1949, or this notice will be
| plead in bar of their recovery.
' All persons indebted to said
estate will please make imme
diate settlement.
This 27 day of Mat, 1948.
D. M. BENNETT,
fcecutor
J3 ? 6tp ? JlylO
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