Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / May 3, 1956, edition 1 / Page 2
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Qikt fflmttklin nnb Che Jfikcunrntt Entered at Poet Office. Franklin. N. C? as second class matter Published every Thursday by The Franklin Presa Franklin, N. C. Telephone 24 WEIMAR JONES Editor BOB S. SLOAN Advertising Manager J. P. BRADY News Editor-Photographer MRS. ALLEN SILER Society Editor Office Manager MRS. MARION BRYSON . . . . . . . . . . Proofreader CARL P. CABE . . Operatqr-Machlnlst FRANK A. STARRETTE Compositor Q. E. CRAWFORD Stereotyper CHARLES E. WHITTINQTON . , Pressman DAVID H. SUTTON .......... Commercial Printer SUBSCRIPTION RATES Outbids Macon Countt Inside Macon County Ome Year V $3.00 Six Months 1.75 Three Months .... 1.00 Two Years 5.23 Three Years .... 7.50 On? Year $2.50 Six Months ! 1.75 Three Months .... 1.00 Two Years 4.25 Three Years 6.00 Income And Progress In his recent address, in next-door Jackson Coun ty, Governor Hodges again emphasized the need to raise the per capita income of North Carolinians. Nobody, surely, can quarrel with the Governor on that. It makes sense, though, as we strive toward that desirable objective, to keep a sense of proportion. Just what is the meaning and just how important is per capita income? What is the price we must pay in order to raise it? ? and at just what point does the price become too high? How can we at tain the objective at the lowest cost, in terms of other standards? Aside from the question of the accuracy of the statistics that put North Carolina in 43rd place (and this newspaper always takes statistics with several grains of salt), there are two things in par ticular, it seems to us, we should bear in mind. The first is that one of the big factors that hold North Carolina's per capita income down is the low average wage pakl by North Carolina industry ? one of the lowest in. the nation. That fact suggests that mere industrialization ? just any kind of indus trialization?is not the answer. What we need even worse than more industry is better industry ; in dustry that pays a higher average wage. The second is the question of whether per capita income is an accurate standard for measuring prog ress. True, it shows how much money we have to spend, per person. But isn't income per worker a better over-all gauge? That question is answered in the affirmative merely by recalling the situation in the cotton mill towns a generation or two ago. The cotton mill workers of that day raised their per capita income by putting everybody in the family ? father, mother, and children ? to work in the mill. Yet we'd hardly call that progress, in terms of civilization. In a lesser degree, the same situation exists to day. For while we as a nation are constantly rais ing our per capita income, one way we are doing it is by sending more and more mothers of small children out to work, in factory or office. And as the number of working mothers has in creased, the rate of juvenile delinquency has soared. Should we make a graph, in fact, of those two things, we almost certainly would find the two curves paralleling each other as they moved up ward. except that the juvenile delinquency curve would be five to fifteen years behind the other. A 'Sour Note' From out of the symphony of satisfaction with Western North Carolina's many tourists attrac tions comes a "spur note". This "clinker" is sounded by tourists in motels, restaurants, and filling stations ? just about any place tourists stop. Some are mad, some philosophical, some char grined. All, however, have something in common to fire their emotions. All have received tickets for speeding. So they start howling that North Carolina is a "speed trap" and that the state's court system is a farce. True, the state's court system, particularly for traffic situations, could use a good overhauling. There's no justice when a speeding ticket costs one traveler $22.50 and another up to $50, depending upon where he is caught. But, any visitor with a sense of fair play can't honestly call this state a ?"speed trap". At each highway entrance into the state and at frequent intervals over its vast network of con crete and asphalt, signs (large ones, with the added convenience of reflective tape to catch the eye of night travelers) warn that radar fs employed to check vehicle speeds. Other signs constantly remind that the speed limit is 55 mph. Warning of this kind hardly suggests a "speed trap". Instead, it indicates that North Carolina is serv ing notice that its main interest is to save lives ? the lives of Tar Heels and visitors alike. In the worst man, there is some good; and the man who is most mistaken about one thing may be 100 per cent right about another. \ That truism is called to mind by a piece in The Reporter magazine. The Reporter takes a swipe at the Southern White Councils for opposing modern Negro music as well as integration. With obvious disapproval, it quotes an Alabama Citizens Council leader as saying that heavy beat Negro rock-and-roll music "appeals to the base in man, brings out animalism and vulgarity". 1 Well, doesn't it? Doesn't It? Good Soil- Good Life Services in most of the churches throughout Ma con County on Sunday, May 6, will be devoted to the theme, "Soil Stewardship." Religion, like all other phases of our life must move forward if it is to keep pace in helping man to solve the problems of this ever-changing life of ours. In our worship of God, it is of most importance that we realize the responsibilities that He has placed upon us. One of the most important of these is proper stewardship of the soil. True, dirt is seemingly everywhere and nothing is more common than dirt. But, also, dirt is perhaps the most precious of God's handiwork. For the most part, industry and business only process and market the products derived from the soil and water. For ourwn benefit, as well as the benefit of future generations, the church has an importat task in teaching the 'proper use and care of the soil and the water. In the past man has com mitted no more grievious sins than his misuse of them. Improper uses of the soil have literally stolen millions of dollars of wealth from our future heri tage. So much for the material side. Soil is much more than just dirt. It is a living organism. Like every thing it can be developed or it can be destroyed. And like all things that have life it has, and pro duces character. The kind of treatment the soil re ceives influences the kind of character we and our children's children will have. Man should follow good soil practices because it is good stewardship to God. It is encouraging that our churches will be spon soring this program to improve both the material and moral sides of life. ? Letters Why The Horsepower? Editor, The Press: Of course, I realize that at times I am thick of understand ing, but one thing puzzles me. Why in the name of all that Is holy do the auto makers keep putting more horsepower out there under that long sleek hood? There are certain facts that we do know: these pepped-up earth-bound rockets will be driven by all classes and ages of people from virtual infancy to senility. We know also that though a man may have perfect table manners, be a good provider, and possessed of all his faculties, that the minute he gets behind the wheel of his 300 horse power Sooper Dooper that he is immediately transformed into a jet jockey. He says, "man feel that power." First thing you know some body does "feel that power". Maybe several people do, and, of course, we all know the figures about those more fortunate ones who are killed immediately. We, of course, don't know about our jet jockey, if he is killed ? whether he is handed a pair of wings or a coal scoop. Of course, too, we are very hazy about the number of widows and orphans, tombstones, crutches, etc. One pertinent fact we do know, while Detroit adds horsepower, not one drop of intelligence has been added to the drivers. So, let me suggest this, and get "cussed out" from every direction. School busses have governors set at 35 and the most you can get out of one is about 45 downhill. So far as I know, no state with any speed limit allows over 60 mph. Let us, therefore, have governors set at 60 on all cars, ex cept those of policemen, doctors, and, of course ambulances. While we are in the mood for laws let's pass two more: 1. Anyone found guilty (by drunkometer test) of driving drunk, ~ ? Tor truly, the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof but the responsibility for its stewardship is vested in man " A ( Macon's pastors have been requested to pick ser mon topics next Sunday (May 5) dealing with "Soil Stewardship Sunday". Literature pertaining to the nation-wide observance has been distributed by the supervisors of the Macon County Soil Conservation District. 30 days on the road. 2. Any highway patrolman In pursuit of an offender shall not exceed 75 miles an hour, after having obtained license number of offender; why cause some inno cent person to be killed by excessive speed? Respectfully, CHARLES J. FERGUSON Franklin, N. C. Route 4 \ Franklin Not Interested? Editor, The Press: It was with interest that we read in The Press last week of the plans for the Franklin Fair to be held this year in Sep tember. The town is to be congratulated on the success of the first fair held last summer, and also on its determination to make it an annual event. We hope that this fair will be just as successful as the one of last year. It should be pointed out, however, that the proposed date is certain to exclude most of the many summer visitors to the county. This is at matter for regret, for not only does the fair interest the summer visitors, but they are also the best bear ers of public relations that the town and county has. You will remember that last year, the biggest event of the year, the Centenary, was held very early in the summer, too early to interest many of your long distance summer visitors. It may appear to some that Franklin has forgotten, or per haps is not really interested in its summer visitors. With best wishes, Sincerely yours, CECIL W. MANN Tulane University New Orleans, La. (Editor's Note: Dr. and Mrs. Mann own a summer home in Wayah Valley. He is head of the department of psy chology at Tulane.) STRICTLY PERSONAL By WEIMAR JONES Some of these days, when I'm feeling real "peart" ? feeling good enough to believe I'll never need a hospital again ? I'm going to take time out to poke a Little fun at hospitals. For, on numer ous trips to hospitals, oVer the years, I've concluded that some of their rules, customs, and at titudes really are funny ? almost as silly as those you'll' find around newspaper offices! For now, though, I'll content myself with passing on a story I heard during my latest hos pitalization: A male patient had been ad mitted and put to bed. There was a knock on his door. He called "come in"!, and a woman entered. She announced that she was the doctor assigned to his case, and had come to examine him. She did ? from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. When she was all through, the patient said: "Doctor, I'd like to ask Just one question." "Now, now! don't worry", she soothed. "You are going to be all right." "But it wasn't jny health I wanted to ask about", he ex plained. "My question is: "Why did you bother to knock?" ? ? ? I was much impressed ? and for two reasons ? when I ran across the following quotation the other day: "The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors . . . but always most in the common people. Their manners, speech, dress, friend ships ? the freshness and can dor of their physiognomy ? the picturesque looseness of their carriage . . . their deathless at tachment to freedom ? their aversion to anything indecorous or soft or mean . . . the fierce ness of their roused resentment ? their curiosity and welcome of novelty ? their self-esteem and wonderful sympathy ? their susceptibility to a slight ? the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of super iors ? the fluency of their speech ? their delight In music, the sure symptom of manly tenderness and native elegance of soul . . . their good temper and open-handedness . . Though those words were written a century ago, and by a man ? Walt Whitman ? who never had heard of Macon County, they are the best de scription i have ever seen of the people of this community today. That was the first thing that impressed me. They were written, of course, not about Maconians, but about Americans. And that brings me to the second thing: Do they (See Back Page. 1st Section) VIEWS BOB SLOAN To be sure everyone has the right to do as they please about contributing to the local Cham ber of Commerce, but it is hard for me to see how any business man who can afford to would fail to take at least one mem bership for the support of the local organization. This Is not to say that I think all the local chapter ac tions have been perfect, but certainly, by and large, through the past few years it has done a great deal to improve business here in Macon County. Whether it is run just as we think it should be or not let's all get behind it and contri bute our part. ? ? ? Here is a suggestion to all local painters, plumbers, car penters, and affiliated workmen. Before you suggest to someone that they can buy material cheaper from a mail-order or discount house in Atlanta or Asheville, remember that every dollar spent in .Macon County circulates here again and again, perhaps several times; but each time a dollar goes out of the county it is gone, gone. Let's do all that we can to keep dollars turning over here in Macon County and try to keep as many as possible confined between the Georgia line and Cowee Gap. I'd like to Increase my chances for getting hold of some of them, don't you? ? ? * Last week, I wrote a little article commending state high way patrolman H. T. Ferguson for the way in which he has performed his duties here. It has been very gratifying to find more people have complimented me on this article than any I have ever written. The gratifi cation came from the realiza tion that people here are proud to have a resolute and determ ined state highway patrolman. ? ? ? Isn't it fine that this year in (See Back Page. 1st Section) r I Do You Remember? (Looking backward through the files of The Press) 50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK A goodly number of the friends and neighbors of Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Clark gather ed at their pleasant home on the 17th ult. for the purpose of congratulating them on their 50th anniversary. This proved to be a very pleasant social occa sion. ? Highlands item. We regret to learn that wheat was injured in some sections by the frost last week. Dr. C. D. Baird has our thanks for an invitation to at tend the commencement exer cises of the Southern Dental College, Atlanta, Ga., May 1, 1906. Miss Margie Franks acted as court stenographer in the Angel murder trial last week and took and then type-wrote it. It was an arduous task but she proved equal to the task. 25 YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs. Claude Bradley, of California, are here on a visit to Mr. Bradley's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marion Bradley, at Oak Grove. Mrs. Tom Roane and Miss May McDowell, of Clayton, Ga., were here last Saturday shop ping and visiting friends. Henry D. West, formerly em ployed by the Farmers Supply .Company has leased the Farm ers Federation building on Palmer Street and gone into the retail grocery business in his own name. The name of the business will be West's Grocery Company. 10 YEARS AGO Woodrow W. Reeves, owner of Reeves Hardware Company here, has returned to Franklin after 16 months army service In the European theatre. Mr. Reeves, who served In France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany, has been a master sergeant for 16 months. He was in service a total of 27 months. Following cn the heels of weeks of lovely spring weather, Highlands was visited by a light snowstorm Friday, the huge, soft flakes falling thick and fast for a while Just before dusk. The therometer registered 28 degrees.? Highlands Item. Mr. and Mrs. John Willis Fox, of Atlanta, spent the week-end here as guests of Mr. Fox' aunt, Miss Mary Willis.
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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May 3, 1956, edition 1
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