?1 it $\tnnklin |mj
attft
Cite JKarxmrnti
Second class mall privileges authorized at Franklin, N. C.
Puollshed every Thursday by The Franklin Press
Telephone 24
WEIMAR JONES
BOB 8 8LOAN . .
J P BRADY ...
ROLFE NEILL
ICRS ALLEN 8ILER
MRS. STANLEY E. PENLAND
CARL P CABE
PRANK A STARRETTE
O B CRAWFORD
CHARLES E. WHITTINOTON
DAVID H. 8UTTON .
Editor
Advertising Manager
News Editor-Photographer
Reporter
Society Editor Office Manager
Proofreader
Operator-Machinist
Compositor
Stereotype*
Pressman
Commercial Printer
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
Outs id* Macon Coumtt
One Year $3.00
Six Months .
Three Months
Two Years
Three Years
1.75
1 00
5.25
7.50
IN8IDK Macon Oountt
One Year
?2 50
Six Months 1-75
Three Months 100
Two Years 4-25
Three Years 6.00
A Fine Start
The progress reported by the Western Carolina
Telephone Company in making telephone service
available to rural families here is encouraging.
The total number of telephones in use in rural
Macon has grown by 91, an increase of 25 per
cent, during the past year. Even more significant,
in a two-year period, telephone lines have been
built into five communities that before had no
phone service whatever.
For this progress, the Western Carolina concern
deserves the commendation of the public. And aside
from the fact it is deserved, such commendation
undoubtedly will spur the telephone company to
continued and greater efforts.
Much remains to be done; officials of the West
ern Carolina Telephone Company probably would
be the first to say ,so.
Two comparisons suggest just how much:
First, the total of 457 rural phones in this coun
ty represents only about 17 per cent of the ap
proximately 2,600 rural families.
Even more important* there still are many com
munities in which there isn't a single phone. Im
agine Franklin or Highlands without a phone, then
add the fact that in the country neighbors are not
close and many of the roads are unpaved, and it
becomes apparent how badly a rural community
is handicapped when it has no telephone.
To the telephone company, we offer our own
liearty congratulations. And more power to it as it
speeds the program of taking the telephone to the
people of rural Macon.
Two Little, Too Late
In Hungary, following the ruthless supression of
the Hungarians' bold and stubborn revolt, there is
great suffering. Thousands are cold, homeless, hun
gry
The great heart of America goes out to these
people. Both our government and individual Amer
icans seek to relieve the misery.
This is as it should be. But all our sympathy
cannot stifle' two nagging questions:
Wouldn't it have been better to help these peo
ple win their revolt for freedom, and thus a chance
for a decent life, than to sit on our hands then,
and now rush in to help them stay alive in an ex
istence that is hardly worth living? Indeed, had we
any right to refuse them help then ? arms, and pos
sibly troops, parachuted into Hungary ? in view of
the fact that our Voice of America encouraged the
revolt?
Sincc we did encourage it, obviously we must do
whatever we can to relieve the suffering that has
followed. Rut that raises the second question, a
cynically cold-blooded question : How long can we
continue to spend our substance repairing the phys
ical and human damage for which the Communists
are responsible without so weakening our own
economy as to assure the Russians' ultimate vic
tory in the life-an 1-death struggle that the cold
war is?
Speeding, on our one-way streets, is just about
as dangerous as it was when traffic went both
-ways. The chief difference is it's easier now. That
fact calLs for (a) more self-control, on the part of
?motorists; (b) more legal' control, by town auth
orities.
Good Taste, Too
That was a fine parade last Thursday opening
the Christmas season here. Its quality would have
done credit to any community, anywhere.
As is so often true of such events in Macon
County, the entries reflected the originality and the
ingenuity of the people here.. And the parade itself
was made possible by something that is increas
ingly in evidence in Macon County, enthusiastic
cooperation of town and country, business and
civic organizations.
To every one who participated, as well as to the
sponsors, congratulations are in order.
They are in order, too, on another count : Unlike
business men in many other places, the Franklin
merchants had the sense and the good taste to
postpone the formal opening of the Christmas
shopping seeason until after Thanksgiving.
Oil And Friendship
If and when Britain and France take definite
steps toward pulling their troops out of Egypt,
the U. S. State Department last week indicated,
we'll permit emergency oil supplies to start flowing
to Europe.
It has taken this country years, at a cost of bil
lions of dollars and world-wide hate, to learn you
can't buy friendship.
Is it going to take us equally long, at an equally
high price, to learn the reverse ? that we can't lead
the world by resorting to blackmail?
Our Own Medicine
Every year we spend thousands of dollars trying
to attract people to Franklin. But, as was pointed
out in this space last week, there's almost nothing
here to tell a visitor when he's reached Franklin. A
visitor who sets out to come here easily might drive
right through Franklin and to the next town with
out knowing he'd passed his destination.
As one way to remedy that situation, we sug
gested that business houses here put "Franklin,
N. C." under their firm names, on signs or win
dows.
When last week's paper came out, we read that
editorial suggestion. Then, apprehensively, we
stepped out on Palmer Street and had a look at
the front of The Press office. And what did we
see? You guessed it: The sign said "The Franklin
Press" period !
Well, we've taken our own medicine. The sign
now' reads
The Franklin Press
Franklin, N. C.
Who'll be next?
It's a smart man who knows the ropes of his business so
well he is never tied down.
"Guess who's calling?" seems like a mighty good excuse for
hanging up the phone.
It's Your AMERICA
WINNING THE VOTE
LsONG after the CONSTITUTION BECAME
^ LAW, ONLY PROPERTY C7WNEW6 COULP
ik VOTE. CANIEL WEG5TER ARtfUEDTHAT
fgL * VfOLtNC W AND KCVOLimON'
8plt WOULD RESULT IP TH06C WHO HAP
IBl M7 r*OP*TV WERE ALLOWeO
TovoTe.
tJmB **HT op AwMEWCAN V\OMEN TO
vcrrc cams onlv after veare op
AGITATION ANP PETITION. INCLUPIKkS
A DRAMATIC PROTEST ACTION PUIBNO
WORLD WAR X WHEN 6UFPRA&ETTES
CHAINED "THEMaELVE? TO THE 6ATE9
OF THE. WHITE H0U6E.
jksu 1 1 i uiUim
STRICTLY
PERSONAL
By WHMAR JONES
In one Important phase of
North Carolina's state govern
ment, we have two disgraceful
situations.
The state constitution says
flatly that, after each census,
the General Assemdly "shall"
make changes In the distri
bution of its members. It says
that 20 of the 120 seats in
the lower house "shall" be re
apportioned among the larger
counties, according to popula
tion. More Importantly, it says
the state senatorial districts
"shall" be re-drawn so that
each of the 50 senators shall
represent approximately the
same number of people.
The first disgrace is the re
peated failure of legislators,
who take an oath to support
the constitution, to obey this
plain mandate of that constitu
tion.
The second disgrace results
from the first. Because the
General Assembly has refused,
ever since the 1950 census, to
do its duty in this matter, we
have the spectacle of a senate
? which the constitution says
shall be based on population
alone ? having one-fourth of Its
members elected by districts
containing only one-tenth of
the state's population.
In other words, the men who
make our laws themselves re
fuse to obey a basic law. And
what we call "representative
government" doesn't come with
in a mile of being representa
tive.
It was against that back
ground that the 1955 Oeneral
Assembly authorized appoint
ment of a commission to study
the problem and make recom
mendations. Seven of the nine
members of that commission
made a majority report; an
eighth member declined to sign
that report; "the ninth filed a
dissenting, minority report.
Since that minority report sum
marizes the recommendations
of the majority, as well as pre
senting the dissent, and since
it was filed by a local man, it
appears elsewhere on this page.
? Letters
Blights Franklin
Editor, The Press:
We have recently returned from Franklin ? our favorite
vacation spot. We noted with Interest the many fine improve
ments you have made in your community. We also enjoyed
the beautiful drive on the new Highway 23-441 from Dillsboro.
Why should all this be spoiled by the blight of the wrecked
car graveyard as one enters Franklin It Is a most ugly and
depressing sight. Knowing Franklin's civic pride, cannot some
thing be done about It?
CLIFFORD & ISOBEL SWETT
Algonquin, 111.
Local Man Suggests
Give Both Little And Big Counties Fair Share Of Votes
A Legisilative Proposal
mmruRS nute: une or
the nine members of a com
mission appointed several
months ago to study the
whole problem of legislative
representation in North Caro
lina, Weimar Jones, of Frank
lin, filed a dissenting report.
That report (which contains
a summary of the recommen
dations of the commission
majority) appears below. Both
reports were addressed to
Governor Hodges, who made
them public last week.)
The earnestness and sincerity
of other members of the Com
mission on Legislative Repre
sentation have won my unqual
lified respect.
I find myself in such dis
agreement with their conclu
sions, however, that I cannot,
in conscience, sign the major
ity report.
Failure to do so imposes on
me two obligations: First, to
say why; and, second, to offer
something I consider better.
Both my objections to the
proposals of the majority and
the recommendations In this
minority report are based on
the following assumptions:
That this commission's sole
duty is to come up with the
fairest, most workable plan it
can devise; what action is tak
en on our recommendations Is
the responsibility of the Legis
lature and the people ? not ours.
That while it may be true
that "half a loaf is better
than none", on so fundamen
tal a matter as fair and hon
est representation there is no
good reason why the people
should be offered less than
a whole loaf.
That repeated failure of the
General Assembly to perform a
duty is not, in Itself, sufficient
reason to change the state con
stitution. The people's remedy
for unfaithful servants is the
ballot.
That while a change in the
constitutional method of legis
lative representation may be de
sirable, the constitution should
be amended only if the change
gives promise of substantial Im
provement In the method itself.
That the present constitution,
since it was adopted nearly a
century ago under Reconstruc
tion conditions, well may be
subject to Improvement; fur
ther, that there Is nothing
either sacred or magic about
the figures 50 and 130 ? the
membership of the senate and
house as fixed by the constitu
tion.
That such basic law as the
constitution should deal with
general principles only, leaving
the details to the General As
sembly; and that any constitu
tional provision should be so
simple and clear as to be easily
understandable to the average
citizen.
That any system of legisla
tive representation, to be fair,
must take account of two fac
tors; First, population; second,
protection of the rights of mi
norities, including the smaller
counties and the less populous
sections of the state.
The majority report would:
(a) Give the more populous
counties ten additional mem
bers of the house; (b) place
two restrictions on the present
allotment of senate seats on a
basis of population only; and
(c) provide for reapportionment
and redlstrlctlng by a commis
sion, made up of five state of
ficials.
The proposal has four major
weaknesses:
1. It is cumbersome, not sim
ple. In the house, seats are now
allotted under a formula so in
volved as to approach obscur
itp:
. . the ratio of representa
tion (after each county has
been given one member) shall
be ascertained by dividing the
amount of the population of the
state, exclusive of that compre
hended within those counties
which do not severally contain
the one hundred and twentieth
part of the population of the
State, by the number of Repre
sentatives, less the number as
signed to such oounties . .
Instead of clarifying this com
plicated provision, the majority
report would add new complex
ities in the senate, writing in
provisos limiting the present
population-only basis for seats
in that chamber.
2. The constitution plainly
says the General Assembly
"shall" reapportion house seats
and redlstrict for the senate
after each decennial census.
Failure of the General Assem
bly to obey that mandate is in
defensible. Why, then, have leg
islators, sworn to uphold the
constitution, repeatedly violated
that oath? It seems reasonable
to assume it may have been be
cause of fear, on the part of
legislators from the smaller
? Continued on Pare 3
VIEWS
i
By
BOB 8 LOAN
Congratulations to Hall Calla
han and the Franklin Jaycees for
a fine Christmas parade. The Jay
cees sponsored the program, and
Hall sparked It. Oftentimes, we do
not stop to think of the prodding
and pushing that ftiust be behind
a movement of this kind. Someone
has to do a lot of sweating and
worrying to get the job done, and
Hall carried the burden this time.
However, as Mr. Callahan said,
upon being congratulated upon
the fine Job he had done, "What
made It possible was the fine
cooperation we received from
everyone."
Atiother group of unsung heros
for the occasion are the merchants
of Franklin. They gave generously
to finance the parade and the
Christmas opening celebration. I
suggest that we remember this
before we pick up a mall order
catalogue or drive over to Ashe
ville to buy our Christmas pres
ents. .
Three business firms that have
recently Improved their stores are
the Twins' Shop, Pranks TV and
Electric Service, and Downs and
Dowdle. All are to be congrat
ulated for this evidence of faith
in Franklin and Macon County's
future.
* ? ?
The Ford "Thunderbird" and
the Chevrolet "Corvette" have re
cently been on display in the
showrooms of their respective
local dealers. Sport cars of the
270 horsepower "Corvette" class
and 285 horsepower "Thunder
bird" class are not often shown
in towns of this size. This is just
another example of how progress
ive our merchants are, and how
they go" all out to give their
customers the same advantages
and services that they get in
larger towns.
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward through
the flies of The Preaa)
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Monday was County Commis
sion day. The newly elected
board took hold o f the county's
affairs as new commissioners
were sworn in. The administra
tion as it now stands is as fol
lows: R. M. Ledford, clerk; D.
W. Blaine, register; H. D. Dean,
sheriff; J. W. Ammons, survey
or; R. F. Henry, coroner; and
E. H. Franks, W. R. Cloer, and
J. W. Cochran, commissioners.
One thing that will be badly
needed here next spring and
summer will be Increased hotel
accommodations. Without them.
Franklin will miss much cash
business.
Quite a number of our people
attended Thanksgiving services
at our church, though perhaps
more stayed away without once
thinking they owe any gratitude
to Providence for the many
blessings which have come to
them during the past year. ?
Burning town item.
25 YEARS AGO
The Highlands High School
was visited Wednesday by state
officials, accompanied by M. D.
Billings, county superintendent,
for the purpose of determining
what It would take tor accredl
ation of the school.
Closing of the Maxwell Farm
Home, eight miles west of
Franklin on Highway Number
28, by the Ashevllle Presbytery,
will only be a temporary mea
sure and any reports the prop
erty will be sold are false.
Mrs. John Wright eptertalned
the Sewing Club recently and
the talk was about old patch
work quilts. Mrs. Wright showed
an especially beautiful one,
"The Rising Sun," which she
made for a wedding gift.
10 YEARS AGO
Otto McClure, of the Prentiss
Community, is recovering at
Angel Clinic from burns he re
ceived while vainly attempting
to save his livestock when his
barn burned last Thursday. He
said the loss will be between
$2,500 and $3,000.
FIRE EXTINGUISHED
A trash fire was extinguished
by the Franklin Volunteer Fire
Department about 2:40 p. m. Wed
nesday of last week (Nov. 28) at
the Ross Lunsford home on Bid
well Street.