Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / Oct. 29, 1959, edition 1 / Page 2
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?it jftanMin and Higljlan&H JRarmttatt WEIMAR .TOXES, Editorial J'age Editor The editor controls and takes full responsibility for this page. He has no control over or responsibility for what appears elsewhere in the paper. TOO HICH A I 'RICK? Straight Talk Some-straight talk was handed the N. C. League of Municipalities at its convention in Asheville the other day. Discussing the rapid industrialization of North Carolina, Richard (iraves, executive vice-president of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corpor ation, remarked : This will strengthen the economy an A raise the stan dard ot living. But it also will bring an awM^ lot of trouble. What used to be agricultural areas in CalJ'orn'sl are now solid masses of urban growth. It did wonderful things for the economy, but destroyed much of the beauty. ' It resulted in less desirable living conditions and in a tremendous increase in costs of services to the local gov ernment and to the taxpayers. As former executive director of the League of California Cities, for some 20 years, Mr. Graves knows whereof he speaks, when he tells what hap pened in that state. And Robert F. Kennedy, chief counsel for the Senate committee that exposed labor racketeering in this country, told the municipal officials: North Carolina will face, within five to ten years, the same (labor rackets) problems which other areas have met. It's all going to come into your area with industrial growth. The flat .predictions of the speakers that these problems arc inevitable is characteristic of much of the thinking of today. v * It didn't seem to occur to them, as it doesn't seem to occur to a lot of North Carolinians, that there is an alternative. Isn't it just possible it might be smart to slow down on industrialization? Isn't there a lot of evi dence, in addition to the comments of these two authorities, that a slow, gradual, selective indus trialization might prove both more beneficial and cheaper in the end? No Longer David Mr. Heinz Rollman, who last week switched from the Democratic to the Republican party, .probably felt he had abundant cause for so doing. ?There was the fact he was defeated for the Dem ocratic nomination for Congress in last v ear's primary election? a defeat he flatly attributes to the handicap of 26,000 "controlled" votes. There was the tact that, despite' the great political strength he showed in that --campaign, he was pass ed over ? indeed, , probably wasn't even seriously considered ? when the 12th district Democratic ex executive committee met to pick a nominee, after Rep. George A. Shuford resigned. There was the fact that, though Mr. Rollman is a native .of Europe, an industrialist vwith plants in many parts of the world, and a business man who undoubtedly has valuable .contacts in Kurope, he was passed over when a gijoup of business men were selected for an industry hunt in Kurope. There was the fact, in short, that the name "Rollman" has been ana thema to most of the Democratic leaders. The point, though, is riot whether Mr. Rollman had cause to leave the Democratic party; that, after all, was his business. The point is: Has he improved his chances of being elected to Congress next year? We doubt it. It is true, Mr. Rollman surprised everybody last year. This time he may succeed in pulling tbe rabbit all the way out of the hat. There are several reasons, though, for doubting he has improved his chances. I'erhaps the best one is this: His appeal to the voters, last time, was as a man who was not a politician. He sought votes not through the Democratic political organisation, but over its head. And he got more than 18,000! This time, though, he didn't make his announce ment until he had conferred with Republican lead ers ? and .sorpe of them have publicly welcomed him. The inference is, he's convinced be can't win without organization party support; and since he can't get the backing of the Democratic "bosses", he's sought the backing of the Republican "bosses". He no longer, in short, appears as a gallant little David challenging the mighty Goliath. LETTERS An Outsider's View Editor, The Press: The proposal to transfer power distribution (unctions from the Nantahala Power and Light Company to the Duke Power Company Is of extreme concern to my wife and me. You may be interested in an outsider's comment on this matter.. I read the list of questions and answers presented In The Press last week and was much impressed with the evasive ness of Mr McOuire and others of the Duke Power Company in giving their answers to a number of specific questions. They are experts at using a volume of words which say noth ing. The main interest of both the private consumer and the commercial consumer Is whether the proposed change will re sult in Increased rates and that question is left completely unanswered. Some eighteen months ago we purchased a piece of prop erty near Franklin and expect to build a retirement home there in the near future. We became Interested in the Franklin area as a place for retirement because it offered a high standard of living for a relatively low cost, which Is a point for major consideration by anyone seeking a spot for retirement. One of the items which enters into the make-up of that low living cost Is the current rate for electricity. That becomes an Important Item if electricity is used for heating and cooking purposes. We all know that there will be no reduction in costs to the user excepting in a minority of cases and the best that can be hoped for is to hold present rates without increases. Officials of either of the two companies have given no as surance that increases will not occur as a result of the change. The answers given by the Duke Power Company as published In The Press list week give no definite information, and the public is as much In the dark now as before. Franklin Is evidently desirous of attracting both outside individuals and outside commercial interests and you may be sure that local electricity rates will enter into a jdecislon made in either case. t Unless a definite assurance Is given that the proposed trans fer will not result In an increase in rates, it should be vig orously opposed. If that assurance is not given, the publicity on the transfer will without question be to the detriment of Franklin. M. H. DAVIS Beltsville, Md. Owe All (Northwest Colorado Press) If the cost of living keeps going up, all that I am or ever hope to be, I owe. What They Learn First (Northwest Colorado Press) The first thing kids learn in the first gratie is how to whisper without moving their lips. DO YOU REMEMBER? Looking Backward Through the Flies ot The Press 65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1894) Mr. Dock Barnard returned home a few days ago from Colorado, where he has been for several months. Slon Early, of Dillsboro, passed through town Monday on his way home from Toccoa, Ga. He was traveling on a bicycle. The county (political) canvass opened at Mill Shoal Mon day, all the candidates armed with saddle-bags full of tickets. Lyle Bros, will take pleasure in serving you at the Drug Store. ? Adv. 35 YEARS AGO , (1924) Macon County has 4,458 children In school under 114 white teachers and five colored. We will give the election returns by radio. Also other events. Come and visit with us, and listen. You are welcome and will enjoy it. Franklin Pharmacy. ? Adv. 15 YEARS AGO (1944) Macon County's $7,000 quota in the United War Fund has been raised, John M. Archer, Jr., chairman, announced this week. S/Sgt. Lewie R. Holland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Luther Holland, of Cullasaja, is stationed somewhere in France. 5 YEARS AGO (1954) R. E. McKelvey, of Franklin, is the new president of the North Carolina Independent Telephone Association. A stone marking the graves of about 50 slaves has been erected in the Rush Cemetery by the Otto community. RUSSELL M. SPEAR Do American People Really Want To Know? In MADISON MESSENGER One of the most alarming de velopments in recent years is the changing attitude of the American people toward news. Our democratic process is built on the proposition that govern ment is the business and the property of the common man. It is further predicated on the right of the common man to know what his government Is doing. If the democratic form of government Is to survive, It must do so on the basis of keeping the common man informed on every phase of its far-flung activities. This is understood; yet, almost daily we hear: "The press should be curbed" ... or, "We're playing hell letting the press tell the world about our missile (allures, etc.. etc." It is sufficiently alarming that door after door In Washington has been closed to the press In recent years for ^'reasons of secur ity." or, more often, for no sound reason at all. When the people themselves clamor for silence, our democratic form of government has reached a sad pass indeed. There are imperfect reporters and imperfect newspapers, just as there are Imperfect lawyers, doc tors. theologians: but the Ameri can press, as a whole, stacks up as honest and responsible. It has done a terrific job of keeping the American public accurately In formed about its government, in spite of the Increasing news bar riers Aid down by the govern ment. But when the press has to face a public that is either afraid to know the truth or doesn't want to know the truth, where in blazes are we? The greatest clamor from the public has been directed at the press for telling the truth about our missile failure. So what! The press is telling no secrets out of school. International espionage Is way ahead of any news service in the world. But espionage is a secret Information medium. It keeps governments in formed about each other's secrets but It doesn't tell the . people a thing. The American people, living in a self-governing community, are entitled to know how their com munity is doing, be it good or ill. The American people cannot think or vote sensibly in the ab sence of true Information. As partners in a community enter prise. every American citizen has the right to know what his govern ment Is doing, or is not doing. Once this right to know is taken away from the people of America, by government, by the people, or by the press Itself ? our citizens, and their assigns, have taken the first step toward communist mer ry-go-round. FOR A HUNDRED YEARS ? Only Pile Of Stones Marked Macon s Grave What Sort Of Man Wa? One Whose Name This County Bears? (EDITOR'S NOTE; All of as who live here know this Is Ma con County. Most of as know the county was named for Na thaniel Macon. A few of us know when and where he lived and what he did to become famous. But how many of us have any Idea what sort of person he was? Bifnall Jones, editor of The Warren Record, Warrenton, fives some clues to the charac ter and personality of this re- ' markable American, In the ar ticle below, reprinted from The Ralelrh Times. Macon, Incidentally, lived lone enough to know he had been honored by havinc a county riven his name. This county was created and named "Macon" in 1828, nine years before his death.) By BIGNALL JONES "They have other sorts of tombs as where an Indian Is slain, to that very place they make a heap of stones ? or sticks where stones are not to be found ? r to this memorial every Indian that passes by adds a stone to augment the heap, in respect to the deceased hero." .... "This day we met with several heaps of stones, being the monuments of seven Indians that were slain by the Sinnagers or Troquois. Our Indian guide added a stone to each heap." ? Lawson's History of North Caro lina, pages 18 and 41. There is a marker there now that marks the lonely grave of Warren County's most illustrious citizen, telling the date of his birth and death and recounting some of the things that made him illustrious. But for more than a hundred years the grave of Nathanel Ma con and that of his wife and child were marked only by grow ing piles of stones, tossed there by infrequent visitors who had heard of his re<fuest that no marker be placed at his grave, but that those who might pass by would toss a stone upon his grave. There is nothing in Nathaniel Macon's will in the vault of the courthouse in Warrenton to indi cate that Mr. Macon cared one way or another about his grave or its marking, or, for that mat ter, about his .funeral. A notation in this faded document suggests to his executor, Weldon Edwards, that he might provide grog for those who attended his funeral, but Mr. Macon added that the executor could do it or not, just as he thought best. Instruction or no instruction in a will, the rumor has persisted that Mr. Macon requested in his old age that his grave be marked only by stones tossed upon it by those who passed by. The will shows there was sufficient money for a tombstone, but there was ?o tombstone for a hundred years until a much later generation decided that Mr. Macon's grave had been neglected too long, but during those hundred years there was a growing pile of stones that is now nearly as high as the not too modest monument. WAS IT MODESTY? That Mr. Macon was an ec centric man is readily admitted. One wonders if the stones, a part of his eccentricity, was due to it, to modesty and simplicity, or possibly just the opposite. Did Mr. Macon fancy himself as a warrior in the service of his people, or had life really taught him that all is vanity? "Do not go to the needless ex pense of marking my grave ?ith a monument; let anyone who cares toss a rock upon my grave." This has the mark of the simple man who has been taught the vanity of life, but is unwilling to shut his friends out of simple remembrance. Perhaps so. That may have been its meaning to ?many of Mr. Macon's younger friends, and certainly it has been the meaning to the thousands of persons who have visited his grave in the intervening years since the word spread through Warren County that Mr. Macon was dead. Indians were here in Mr. Ma con's time and they had for gen FRIENDS WERE SAID to have been asked to put .a rock on Nathaniel Macon's grave when they visitea it. This pile of stones ? over the graves of Macon, his wife, and their child ? grew for more than a century. The marker is recent. The man whose name MSfcon County bears is buried at lonely Luck .Springs, 'in Warren County. NO MANSION, THIS ? Here's the restored home of Nathaniel Macon, once visited by the great aind near-great of North Carolina and Virginia. With just one room and a loft, where did guests sleep? - ? erations marked the graves of their warriors with stones, and in passing years Indian braves added to the heap that marked the resting place of a fallen war rior. It could be that Mr. Macon was not quite serious in his re quest and that it was just one of those things bandied about after the passage of the cup thai cheers. But his remarks were taken seriously. If anyone doubts this, let him look at the rocks that mark the grave of Mr. Ma con. That Mr. Macon was an able man there can be little dcubt. That he was a politician and play ed up to the public may be sur mised. But that he was unduly modest or simple is not likely. On the contrary, there is much to make one believe that he was somewhat autocratic, had faith in his own judgment and was very determined. STORY OF SHEEP There was the matter of the sheep, which showed Mr. Macfcn to be a very determined man if not always a wise man. There are two versions of this story handed down from father to son. One was that Mr. Macon, upon leaving home for a long journey, told his overseer to keep his flock of sheep in a certain pasture and not to move them under any cir cumstances until his return. A drought occurred, the sheep were not moved to a fresh pasture and as a consequence they starved to death. When Mr. Macon returned and learned of what happened, he commended the man for obeying his orders, and told him that he would rather have lost his sheep than to have his overseer disobey him. The second version is that Mr. Macon's son-in-law told the over seer to move the sheep, and the overseer replied that to do so would cost him his job". Then the son-ir.-!aw, Mr. Eaton, said that he would take full responsibility for shifting the sheep. The overseer said that just the same it would cost him his job. It did, for Mr. Macon returned to find his sheep alive, but moved, and promptly discharged the overseer for dis obeying his orders. The legend, as legends have a habit of being, was probably em bellished, but such a legend could only have grown about a recog nized trait of character. OFF BEATEN PATH It is not hard to reach the home site of Mr. Macon, thanks to the late Governor Kerr Scott's rural road program. But it is off the beaten path and one reaching there first sees the piles of stones over Mr. Macon's grave and those of his wife and child: and one sees a restored crib, a small cabin and smokehouse, also restored. There is a caretaker's home nearby, but the graves, the crib, the cabin, and the smokehouse are all that remains to remind one that here was the home of a Revolutionary soldier, a Congressman. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, United States Senator, inheritor of the mantle of Wiley Jones, and as inheritor, lor some years political boss ol North Carolina. All good histories will tell about the speakership, and the senator ship, and the honors he won in the halls of Congress, if little 01 nothing is said about his influ ence in the politics of the state But a man must have had tre mendous political power to g^at off the political honors of the state for his friends from one small county. Admitting thai Warren citizens were good, that they were able, it is hard to be lieve that they were all that good How can one explain the fact thai Warren County had at one ant the same time the district's Con gresman. the Governor of th< State, and both United State; Senators? How can one explaii it except by realizing Mr. Macon's power? 1 ONLY ONE ROOM The restored cabin is small. I has pne room with a large fire place in one end, an attic. reache< by a narrow stair or ladder, tuji with a full basement beneath. "ft smokehouse was well built, but i not overly large. It may be tha there were guest houses in th grove/ but the weight of evidenc was that Mr. Macon did not er tertain on a lavish scale in hi rather inaccessible plantation home. But to this cabin must hav< come the great and the near-grea of the county and state and fron nearby Virginia. One wonders jus what were the sleeping arrange! ments? Did Mr. Macon and hi wife go up into the loft of th ? Continued on back pag First Section > ? BIOGRAPHICAL FACTS ? Nathaniel Macon Born In Warren County, N. C., Dec. 17, 1758. Died there June 29, 1837. Educated at College of New Jersey (now Princeton). Studied law, 1777-1780. Served as a common soldier In the Contin ental Army, 1780-1782, refusing any pay or military distinc tion. Member U. S. House of Representatives,. 1791-1815 Speaker of the House, 1801-1807. U. S. Senator, 1815 till his resignation In 1828. President of the convention called in 1835 to revise N. C. Constitution. Opposed adoption of U. S. Constitution on grounds it gava too much power to federal government. Bitter critic of Alieif and Sedition laws.
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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Oct. 29, 1959, edition 1
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