?he Iflntttklht |JresB
and
?he iHighlanite J?nrintian
Second class mall privileges authorized at Franklin. N. C
Puoltshed every Thursday by The Franklin Press
Telephone 24
B
euuest
Whenever a man gives up something he has toved and I
labored for. a part of him dies. And what could be more
natural than for a man. at death, to bequeath what he has
found good?
Although I shall continue as editor of The Franklin Press, 1
my ownership and business ties with the paper will be broken l
August 31 As that date neared, I have found myself looking ;
about for something of value I could pass on to the news
paper, a?>d to its owners and staff members of tomorrow, and I
the tomorrows after that. r
X found what I was looking for quite by accident. It was in \
the first editorial I ever wrote for The Press, nearly 12 years (
ago.
In it, I first pointed out that a newspaper, by its very
nature, is a semi-public institution; and that the public,
therefore, was entitled to know what Its future objectives
and policies would be. Then, as the best way to Indicate those,
I stated some of my beliefs ? beliefs about people, about our ;
form of government, and ajbout the small newspaper's rela- j
tionship to those two.
As I re-read that long-forgotten introductory editorial, I 1
suddenly realized that all these years, without being con- A
scious of it, I have been putting those convictions to the test;
and that they are valid ? so valid they are the one thing I
possess of real value.
So that piece, written as a sort of Confession of Faith, now
becomes a sort of Last Will and Testament. t
Here it is: ;
> *
I believe in the character and the intelligence of
plain people. I believe that the conclusions reached
by the majority of average men and women about ;
public affairs generally are both right and sensible. 1
I believe that the expert's usefulness is confined to 1
the technical field - ? on fundamental questions of i
right and wrong, of what makes sense and what 1
doesn't, and of the fitness of men for public office,
I put my trust in the mass judgment of ordinary
folks. I believe, moreover, that, even when the
people are wrong, they are right? it is their gov
ernment, an.l they have the right to make their
own mistakes,.
* * ?
1 believe, however, that freedom ALWAYS is in
danger, arid that democracy will work otvlv so long
as the electorate is: (1) honest: (2) inde]>endent :
and (3) informed.
The only honest ballot, is that cast with a view
to the well-being of the whole nation, or state, or
county, or town, or district. If the time ever comes
when the mass of the voters go to the polls think
ing chiefly of individual or group interests, mob
rule isn't far away.
The only independent convictions expressed at
the polls are those representing conclusions reach
ed by each voter, individually. When the individual
ceases to do his own thinking, fascism is on the
way in.
And of course the only intelligent voter is the
voter who is informed. When the people do make
mistakes. I believe it is due, not to lack of char
acter or intelligence, but to lack of clear, unbiased
information.
There can be no democracy without* first of all,
the public school system, and, second, media for
the dissemination of public information.
* * *
Information about world, national, and state af
fairs is available to the public through the daily
press, the radio, and a dozen other media. But none
of these does, or can, adequatelv inform the citi
zen about what is going on in his own commun
ity ? the progress being made at his church or at
the district school, the deliberations of the board
of aldermen, the proceedings of the board of county
commissioners. For this, there is but one medium,
the county newspaper.
And because good local government is quite as
important in a democracy as good state Or national
government ? is. in fact, the very foundation of the
two latter? the county newspaper has a vital func
tion to perform. Though far narrower in its field,
its service, in mv opinion, is even more important ?
and often more salutary ? than that of the great
daily.
I believe the primary duty of a newspaper is to
serve as a mirror for the community in which it is
published. Whatever the mirror may reveal, the
people have a right to see ; be the news good or
bad. the public "can take it". If the mirror reflects
a pleasing picture, the people of the community,
encouraged, will try to make it even more pleas
ing; if it refletcs a blemish, the people, give them
ttime, will do something about it.
With every opportunity, of course, there goes a
?responsibility, and this is especially true of a news
paper. I believe its first responsibility is to publish
the local news ? fearlessly, accurately, and with
out bias. Its second is to speak out boldly, when
?he situtation demands, on any matter that affects
the public interest.
I
But J believe that most persons, most of the
time, try to do the right thing as they see it; so
The I'ress, when it criticizes, usually will damn
deas, movements, or acts ? not individuals. And,
is a rule, its- policy will be to encourage and work
'or the desirable, rather than merely condemn the
indesirable.
* * *
I believe that the hope of America lies, not in its
?hies, hut in its tow<ks. villages, and rural com
minities. It is there that' neighborliness and un
selfish devotion to the common good thrive: "it is
here that character is emphasized and the sense of
ight and wrong seems most acute: and it is there
hat the "horse sense" we call common, hut which
eally is far too Uncommon, is most often found.
And I believe that economic opportunity in the
ion-urban areas will constantly increase, in this
ige of rapid communications. I believe, too, that
He opportunity afforded bv the country ? the op
>ort unity to escape the cities' indecent crowding,
taste, and pressure ? the opportunity to LIVE as
veil as to earn a living? is destined to win the rec
?gnition it deserves, but hasn't received in the past.
* * *
I believe i,n youth. Some of it is a bit frowzy
[round the edges ? but some of vouth always has
>een. Today's youth is better than yesterday 't : and
f tomorrow's is not better than today's, the fault
vill be yours and mine.
Xo investment, no matter how good, ever yet
las paid as high dividends as the investment of
hought and time and money in the things that
ierve youth.
* * *
I believe a better community ? better churches
ind schools, better economic opportunity for all,
setter citizenship ? is far more important than a
signer community. Mere bigness is greatly over
rated in America today. Besides, as a community
becomes a better one, it is .sure to grow; but the
reverse is by no means certain.
And 1 believe that growth, if it is to be stable,
must come slowly. That is as true of an enterprise
as of a community, and it is mv hope that this
newspaper's staff can improve the paper, not over
night, but gradually : make .each issue a little bet
ter than the last..
No bequest should bind the devisee, and I would not seek
to bind those who come after me. It is my hope, though, that
they, too, will prove these things and, finding them true, will
adopt them as their own.
Weimar Jones
Letters
Appreciation
Dear Weimar,
On behalf of the Franklin Jaycees, I would like to express
our appreciation to you and your fine staff for helping us
make the annual Macon County Folk Festival the greatest
success In its histpry.
The Jaycees realize the importance of a newspaper in our
town. Your paper is an asset to Macon County.
We would like to return the many favors you have extended.
Please feel free to call on us at any time.
ROBERT W. MOORE.
President,
Franklin Jaycees.
Franklin.
An Appeal To White Friends
Editor of The Press:
To our white citizens and friends of Macon County:
Please help us to keep our people from making the same
foolish mistakes people have made in other places.
We do not want our children to go to your schools, because
we are proud of our school building. Bui we would appreciate
your help with our school. We would like our school equipped
with the necessities like your school. And of course we want
the best teachers available? teachers who are interested In
our school.
We want no confusion in our community and we want
nobody coming in here stirring up confusion and getting some
of our people who know no better to follow them. And you
can help us avoid that by helping us have a better school.
Better homes and schools build better communities.
MRS. GARFIELD McKINNEY,
I President, Chapel P. T. A.
Franklin,
Route 1. '
If You Only Knew
(Lion Magazine)
You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you
if you could know how seldom they do.
Elvis Must Go ? Or It's Buttermilk!
(Cartooge-Jay-Bird)
Elvis Presley has got to go, or else station WFSC has got
to check with local dairymen before playing "All Shook Up"
. . . Latest word is that the Parker boys' cows commence giv
ing buttermilk the instant Elvis begins to warble, or wobble,
that Is. . . .
And In The U. S. A.?
(Chilton, Wise., Times-Journal)
The New York Times had its' correspondents In the far
corners of the world check on mall deliveries and got these
ahswers:
Three or four deliveries dally are routine In cities In Japan,
Italy, England and France. In Pakistan the postman makes
five deliveries a day. In barbarous Moscow the lettercarrler
makes 28 deliveries.
The Five Horsemen Of Our Highways
&
w
f
V
01
STRICTLY
Personal
_ I By WEIMAR JONES
Probabljr because I have al
ways said,1 emphatically, that I
never would retire, some of my
triends have pretended to mis
understand that piece I had in
this space a couple of weeks
ago, about my changed status
at The Press. In It, I empha
sized that I was merely shift
ing the direction of my ener
gies a bit, not retiring. (Mat
ter of fact, I wouldn't stop
work if I could, and I certain
ly couldn't If I would!)
Anyway, I've been kidded a
lot about my "retirement".
The latest was in the bank
last week. When someone, in
apparent Innocence, said: "Well,
I hear you've retired", I pre
tended to be angry, and repli
ed: "Brother, that's a fightin'
word with me". Whereupon T.
Y. Angell put as aptly as any
body could just what the situ
ation is:
"As I understand it", he said,
"you haven't retired; you've just
moved out of the complaint de
partment."
? > ? *
I wonder sometimes about
these folks who call themselves
self-made. They seem inclined
VIEWS . . .
By BOB SLOAN
Changing times make for
changing ways. This was brought
to me rather forcefully by an an
nouncement by the Winn-Dixie
stores the other day of their
profit sharing and employee
benefit program. Time was,
when working In a grocery store
was just a job. It offered no
security and little opportunity
for advancement. Today this
grocery chain offers an em
ployee benefit program with
low cost life insurance, hospital
and accident insurance, sick pay
program, coupled with stock
purchase program and a college
scholarship program for theit
children. Programs of this typt
are becoming more typical ol
the attitude of our large busi
ness concerns toward their em
ployees. Perhaps It is enlight
ened self-interest, but call 11
what you will It Is nice for th<
recipients.
* ? ?
When the town license plate:
are sold next Spring I an
wondering If the residents o
East Franklin are going to havi
to get one along with the peo
pie of Franklin.
Ever since the construction o
the school In East Franklin
sidewalk has been desperatel
needed, but we seem to be fur
ther away from getting on
than ever.
8peaklng of sidewalks, ca
anybody think of anything tha
Is needed worse than a side
walk on Palmer street from th
Intersection with Phillips stree
at least to the intersection wit
Maple street.
Some day a school child wl
be run over In going to the Eai
Franklin school, or a pedestrla
will be killed on Palmer stree
and we will have a great surg
of sidewalk building. Let's sav
that life now.
to boast abouf their handiwork.
Some of 'em, it seems to me, i
might more appropriately apol- ]
ogize.
? * *
Now they're changing the old ,
songs ? "Swanee River", "In ,
the Ev'ning by the Moonlight", ,
"Old Black Joe", etc. ? to elimi
nate all reference to Negro slav
ery. (
How far can Americans go to
ward refusing to see anything
they don't want to see?
It would make just as good
sense to pretend there never
were any New England slave
ships, or any Southern slave
owners.
* ? ?
You have to pay for progress;
if not in money, then in com
plexity.
That was brought home to me
the other day in Sylva, where
they recently put in the dial
telephone system. I had occa
sion to telephone the Harris
Hospital, and in the drug store
where I asked to use the tele
phone, they inadvertently gave
me an old directory.
So I dialed the same old fa
miliar, easy number ? 14.
I was told that was not the
correct number now, and was
given the number to dial. And
what do you suppose It was?
Another easy two-digit number,
or even one with three digits?
Not at all!
It was "Justice 6-4-1-4-3." A
name, plus FIVE figures.
Well, I'm just a country boy
from Franklin; so I'd forgotten
half those numbers before I
even got 'em dialed.
Which brings me back to
what I said in the first place.
Progress is wonderful, but ?
"You have to pay for prog
ress; if not in money, then in
complexity" ? In this case, five
figures and a name's worth of
complexity!
Sgt. Moore
Shoots With
Army Team
Sergeant First Class Alvin J.
Moore, whose wife, Loretta, lives
on Franklin, Route 3, recently
participated in the National Rifle
and Pistol Matches at Camp
Perry, Ohio.
Sgt. Moore, regularly stationed
in Germany, fired for the All
Army pistol team in the matches.
Aug. 12-17.
He entered the Army in 1949,
received basic training at Fort
Jackson, S. C:. and arrived in
Europe in April, 1956. He was last
stationed at Fort Benning. Ga..
and is also a veteran of service
in the Far East. His parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Jess W. Moore, live in
Sylva.
STAMEY REUNION
Members of the Stamey family
here plan to attend their annual
family reunion Sunday at the
home of Jake W. Stamey in
Clarkefville, Ga.
DO YOU REMEMBER?
Looking Backward Through the Files of The Press
65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
(1892)
' Mr. Tom Price's mother came down from Rabun Monday
and will spend some time with him.
The town council and Mr. A. S. Bryson are at logger-heads
about working the street in front of Mr. Bryson's lot.
Dr. J. M. Lyle is dead. He was one of the leading citizens of
Macon County and a good man is gone. Dr. Lyle will be missed
In the church and educational interests of the county. He was
a practicing physician 38 years.
25 YEARS AGO
(1932)
' Judge Hoyle Sink, who commented Tuesday that the court
1 house smelled "like an old tobacco can", on Wednesday sent
* a prisoner to clean it up. A man given 30 days In the county
jail is to' be released, under guard, once a day to do the worlt.
In addition to the guard he will be accompanied by a bucket,
mop, and strong soap.
Assailing the North Carolina grand jury system as an
* archaic, expensive piece of unnecessary legal machinery, Su
" pcrior Court Judge Hoyle Sink recommended its abolishment
~ in his charge to the grand Jury at the August term of court
Monday. "The grand Jurors are employed to sift evidence, at
great cost, that already has been sifted. I have never known
?J of an Instance where a grand Jury was worth a hill of beans."
?t The third shipment of Red Cross flour for Macon County
!* arrived Saturday and totaled 420 barrels.
,? 10 YEARS AGO
h The tax valuation of Macon County properties of the Nan
tahala Power and Light Company has been Increased by a
U quarter of a million dollars.
it Installation of the 115 parking meters recently bought by
n the Town of Franklin was being completed Thursday and
>t Mayor T. W. Angel, Jr., announced the meters would go Into
e operation at Friday noon.
e Mrs. Nelson Lakey and three children, of Winston-Salem,
visited her mother, Mrs. Maude Mason, recently. ? Tellioo item.