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Published ever? Thunda? by The Franklin Pi ?
N. O. Telephone M
t JONES Editor
BOB 8. SLOAN Bualnew Ifauiw
i. W. BRADY . s New* Editor
MBS. ALUM BUSS. Society Editor and Offlcc
MRS. MARION BR Y SON
CARL p. OABE Mechanical Superintendent
RMK A. STARRETTB Shop Superintendent
DAVID R. SUTTON Commercial Printer
O. *. CRAWFORD SUraotTPer
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Octszr Macon Covwtt
Ou Yew
Mb lionth# 1-78
Three Month l 0*
Inshv Macon Cocktt
One Te*r
61* Months
Three Mrnlha !.?
Prosperous Macon
A number of inferences may be drawn from the
figures on retail trade here, published in last week's
Press.
? The people of this county spent nearly 10 million
dollars in local retail establishments in 1954, ac
cording to figures from the State Department of
Conservation and Development.
The first and mast reasonable conclusion is that,
if the people of this county have enough money to
spend an average of $616 for every man, woman,
and child in the county, Macon County is relatively
prosperous.
The total here was only slightly lower than in
Jackson County, which is larger than Macon and
which has considerably more industry, and only a
little lower than in highly industrialized Transyl
vania. That suggests that industry, no matter how
desirable, is not necessarily the one and only fount
of all economic blessings.
Finally, it seems pretty obvious that Macon
County people couldn't spend 10 million dollars
with local business establishments and have much
left to spend elsewhere. There must be relatively
little mail order and out-of-county shopping. If that
is true, there's a reason.
Generally speaking, people buy what they want
where they know it is to be found. In other words,
local business men got a lot of business because
they operate good stores, stock a variety of mer
chandise, and advertise that merchandise, so the
public knows it is available at home.
Only Way
The Utah delegation to last week's White House
Conference on Education was so opposed to federal
aid to education it refused the federal government's
allowance for the delegation's travel and other ex
pense connected with the conference. The expense
came out of state funds.
Whether federal aid does or does not make sense,
the Utah group has the right answer to federal con
trol ? and the answer applies in all areas, not just
education.
If the states and the counties want to save any
of the state and local independence that is left,
they've got to take some responsibility ; that is al
ways the price of freedom.
Southerners who shout, in one breath, for state's
rights, and in the next yell for federal aid ? for
schools, for storm damage, or for anything else ?
either are hypocrites or fools.
For a county or a state or a nation is just like
a man in this respect. And the only way a man can
be free is to stand on his own feet.
We Don't Raise 'em Here
Franklin food stores sold approximately 300
dressed turkeys at Thanksgiving.
At an average of 10 pounds per bird, that's 3,000
pounds of turkey ; and at, say, 50 cents per pound,
that's $1,500.
?
And an even livelier demand for turkeys is anti
cipated during the Christmas season.
Probably $4,500 to $5,000 worth of turkeys will
have been sold in this county by the end of the
year.
And where was this meat raised? Not here! All
of it was shipped in.
We are inclined to complain, here in Macon
County, about lack of economic opportunity. Well,
this looks like an economic opportunity for at least
one man that's being overlooked. We suspect it is
but one of hundreds.
? Letters
Seeks Data On New Echota
Editor, The Press:
The New Echota-Cherokee Foundation is engaged in a
momentous and long-needed project which has as its goal the
restoration of the former Cherokee capital of New Echota
(near present-day Calhoun, Georgia) as an historic shrine.
Recently, we learned that a wood engraving of the New
Echota council house was made probably in 1830. Our infor
mant told us about a picture he had seen which was printed
from this engraving, although he was not able to find the
picture for us at the time.
Does anyone else know about such a picture? It is extremely
important to our restoration project to obtain a full descrip
tion of this council house about which comparatively little in
formation seems to be available.
Anyone knowing the location of the council house picture or
other information about it or New Eqhota itself is asked to
communicate with us.
HENRY T. MALONE, Adviser,
New Echota-Cherokee Foundation, Inc.
33 Gilmer Street, S. E.,
Atlanta 3, Ga.
Others' Opinions
Statement Of The Year
(Sydney Harris in Charlotte Observer)
In our society, if you know the answers to a half-dozen ques
tions, you may win $64,000 but if you know the answers to
many questions, you're lucky if you get a job teaching for one
tenth that sum. How can respect for learning flourish when we
reward the knowledge that is accidental, and snub the knowl
edge that is systematic and serious?
Religious Hoe-Down
(Shelby Cleveland Times)
It appears these days that some quartet, hill-billy, and
folksy-type entertainers think they must make a real hoe
down out of religious songs in order to get them across.
They swing and sway, squeal out in falsetto, and cram every
ounce of jive possible into their singing of sacred stings. The
spiritual connotation is lost in the rhythm.
To our knowledge no minister or church has shown any con
cern about the manner in which sacred song* are being pro
faned. But we feel that It is high time that they should be
concerned.
It Could Be You
(Seville, Ohio, Chronicle)
Are you a newcomer to the community? A lot of people are.
Do you find that people here aren't quite as friendly as you
had hoped they might be, that you still feel a stranger after
months in the community?
If you do, don't blame it entirely on the town. Part of it
may be you. How many times have you attended church or
Sunday school since moving here? Will you attend PTA meet
ing^) ... if you have children in school? Do you still drive
back "home" ? meaning the community in which you used to
live? at every leisure moment when your next door neighbor
may be waiting to get acquainted with you? Where do you
shop? Local storekeepers do an amazing job of information ex
change for regular customers!
We ask newcomers the above questions to remind them that
making friends is not a one way job in a small community.
We of necessity live close to one another's private lives here.
We have no professional greeters, and we tend not to annoy
people who don't appear to want to talk to us.
Majority Rule And The Baptists
(Chapel Hill News Leader)
Is the principle of democracy and its close associate, major
ity rule, good in other than political cases?
What is called the Rocky Mount Baptist Church case is
bringing this question to the fore in an acute form.
Baptist churches are each autonomous and independent.
Their affairs are handled on a democratic basis. In North
Carolina the Baptists supported Thomas Jefferson as President
of the United States and sent him messages of approval when
other denominations either looked at him askance or openly
opposed his precepts.
In all ages democratic procedure has rested on a majority
vote. What other principle, except minority rule, is there to
abide by?
But in the Rocky Mount case the North Carolina Supreme
Court decided in favor of a minority element. It ruled this
was the "true" congregation and gave to it the church prop
erty valued at $250,000.
The majority has remained dissatisfied with this decision.
And well it might.
There is nothing sacred about a majority. History shows that
majorities have often been wrong. But the record of minorities,
particularly small and tight ones, has been even worse.
The majority principle is simply a rule designed to get ac
tion and avoid stalemates. It is a human device and not a
divine one.
Nevertheless, it enables the democratic idea to be preserved
and carried out in individual cases, however imperfectly.
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WELL, TRY THIS!
So You're Good
At Geography?
Here's a geography test that
ought to be easy, but that many
adults will find hard. (It's sur
prising how much we forget.)
Can you name the 48 states,
with their capitals?
To make it easier, the first
letters of the states and their
capitals are given below? states
at left, capitals at center.
See how quickly you can fill
them out; it shouldn't take
more than ten minutes.
A
A
A
C
c
c
D
P
0
1
I
I
I
K
K
L
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
N
N
N
N
If
N
N
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O
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A Recipe
For
Happiness
/"?O placidly amid the noise
and the haste, and remem
ber what peace there may be
In silence.
As far as possible, without
surrender, be on good terms
with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and
clearly and listen to others,
even to the dull and the igno
rant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive
persons; they are vexatious to
the spirit.
If you compare yourself with
others, you may become vain or
bitter, for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than
yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as
well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own
career, however humble; it is a
real posession in the changing
fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your busi
ness affairs for the world is
full of trickery. But let this not
blind you to what virtue there
is; many persons strive for high
ideals, and everywhere life is
full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not
feign affection. Neither be cyn
ical about love; for in the face
of all aridity and disenchant
ment, it is as perennial as the
grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the
years, gracefully surrendering
the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to
shield you in sudden misfor
tune. But do not distress your
self with dark imaginings. Many
fears are born of fatigue and
loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome disci
pline, be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the
stars; you have a right to be
here. And whether or not it is
clear to you, no doubt the uni
verse is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with
God, whatever you conceive Him
to be.
And whatever your labors and
aspirations, in the noisy con
fusion of life, keep peace In
your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery
and broken dreams, it is still a
beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be hap
py.
Anonymous.
STRICTLY
PERSONAL
my w? m Mm
Last week's annual banquet of
Macon's V. F. A. and 4-H youth
would have done credit to any
community, anywhere.
The program was well plan
ned and well executed. The
decorations ? even Including
hand cut-out cow place cards
that stood up ? were attractive
and appropriate. And the busi
ness men, being honored (or
their support of the fat stock
sale prices, and their wives rep
resented almost every economic
and social group; yet their
faces mirrored the general feel
ing of pride in the youngsters
and in this community, and a
spirit of friendliness. That
meeting re-emphasized what
has often impressed me here ?
this is a remarkably democratic
community.
* * *
As I watched and listened, I
was repeatedly reminded of how
impossible such a gathering
would have been here even 15
or 20 years ago. There was no
satisfactory place for such a
dinner meeting, for one thing.
Community or personal jealous
ies and feuds would have kept
a lot of the folks away, for an
other. And, finally, the spirit of
"we can do It" that now per
vades Macon County ? especi
ally among the young people ?
just hadn't been born.
Once again. It gave me a
thrill to be a part of such a
good place to live as this has
become ? and is becoming.
? * *
That line of thought inevit
ably provoked the question:
What caused the transforma
tion?
A lot of things, of couse ?
and a lot of people. Basically,
though, It came about because
there has been some thinking
going on here, and some vision
seeing, and a lot of plain hard
work.
And the future? All we need
is more of the same.
Newt Making
As It Looks
To A Maconite
One of the finest safety de
vises recently adopted toy the
North Carolina state highway
department is the construction
of traffic Islands In front of
large retail shopping areas. An
example of this type of work
may be found in front of the
shopping center in East tank
lln. Not only does it vastly im
prove the looks of the area,
but it forces the traffic to en
ter the highway at a given point
rather than helter skelter any
where over an area of aome
lour to five hundred yards.
Safety conscious motorists, as
well as those property owners
who have had their piupetty
Improved In this fashion, owe
the highway department a vote
of thanks.
? ? ?
Last week this newspaper
raised the question in an ed
itorial and left it unanswered,?
"Is racial discrimination worse
than any other kind? if so,
why? and how?
The answer is yes.
The reason is that racial dis
crimination often is deliberate
action or thought for or against
some one for no provoked rea
son on the part of that person.
There are many forms of dis
crimination.
If at the same time the Good
Samaritan saw the Jew lying
in the ditch, he had seen an
other person a little farther
along lying there bleeding to
death and in a worse condition
than the first Jew, and gome to
his aid, this would have been
discrimination, but not racial
discrimination. Had he failed to
go to the aid of either just be
cause they were Jews that
would have been racial discrimi
nation. Certainly any Christian
person will admit that had the
Smarltan not crossed the road
simply because he was a Jew,
that would have been wrong,
and more so than if he had
chosen between two persons
needing aid.
Other examples could be cit
ed, but it seems to me that in
most cases of racial or social
discrimination as compared
with some other types there is
the same difference that there
is between first degree murder
and manslaughter. And first
degree murder is worse because
it is deliberate and done with
malice aforethought, while man
slaughter may be an accident.
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward throarb
the fOea of The Freaa)
50 TEARS AGO THIS WEEK
The Methodist, Baptist, and
Presbyterian Churches held a
Union Thanksgiving service at
the Baptist Church last Thurs
day and a collection was taken
to be equally distributed among
the orphanages of the three de
nominations. A good congrega
tion was present.
Mr. W. L. Higdon and his
brother, Sam, are going to
establish a furniture shop and
planing mill in Franklin.
10,000 people saw the football
game between the University of
North Carolina and the Uni
versity of Virginia at Norfolk,
Va., on Thanksgiving Day.
North Carolina won by a score
of 17-0.
M TEARS AGO
The Citizens Bank and the
Bank of Franklin consolidated
last Friday and will be operat
ed under the name of The
Bank of Franklin.
Mr. and Mrs. Joalah Raby,
former citizens of Macon Coun
ty, but now of Athens, Tenn:,
are visiting relatives and
friends in and around Frank
lin.
Mr. Charlie Watson, of Day
ton, Ohio, was visiting Mr. D.
M. Rogers last week.
It TEARS AGO
The regular monthly singing
convention of Macon County
Baptists will be held at the
Highlands Baptist Church on
the afternoon of December 23,
beginning at 1 o'clock.? High
lands item.
Miss Katherine Long, who is
teaching in Kannapolis, spent
the week-end with her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Long
Miss Kathryne Neal, who is
employed in Asheville, was in
Franklin Saturday, en route to
her home at Aquone on a week
end visit with relatives and
friends.