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WEIMAR JONES
Editorial Page Editor
I
THURSDAY, SEPT. 15. I960
GOOD NKVVS. BUT
A Queston Of Morality
So the federal government at last is going to
fulfill its contractual obligation to build the Bry
son City-Fontana road through the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park 1
Well, under the circumstances, that is not sur
prising. For Swain County, in its struggle with
the National Park Service, held some trump cards.
The first was a four-way signed contract. The sec
ond was the fact that the other three signers had
fulfilled their parts of the agreement. The third
was the influence of the Governor of the State.
But suppose we had had a governor who was
not interested. Suppose we had had senators and
representatives in Congress who were not inter
ested. Does anybody believe the first two cards
would have taken* any tricks? Does anybody be
lieve, that is, that the legal and moral obligations
of the federal government would have counted for
anything? Does anybody believe that, without the
influence of someone in high place, Swain County
ever would have gotten the promised road?
The evidence suggests it would not ; because,
for 17 years, its pleas have fallen on deaf ears in
Washington.
It is good news that the road, at long last, is to
be built. But in this case, the construction of, a
road is not the chief issue.
The chief issue is the simple one of morality in
government ? and surely the very basis of all
morality is the sacredness of the pledged word.
What sort of government have we in this coun
try when our public servants in Washington have
to be forced to keep promises? ? and remember,
this is only one in a long series of promises the
National Park Service has sought to break !
Somebody in authority in Washington is totally
lacking in any moral sense. Somebody in Wash
ington ought to be driven from office.
We respectfully suggest it is the- function of the
Congress of the t'nited States to find out who that
somebody is ? -or, perhaps, who those somebodies
are.
May Not Be Too Late
When the preliminary I'M) census figures for
Franklin and Macon County were announced some
time ago, this newspaper expressed surprise, a sur
prise that seemed to he general.
In view of all the building that had taken place
here in the last 10 vears, of all the traffic, and of
the increase in business, it seemed incredible that
I Franklin had added onlv 16.X to its population since
1950. It was even harder to believe that the county
(including the town) actualh had lost 1,327 per
sons. I ?
With the possibili-t> of error in mind, We sug
gested public officials here might be able to get
the census bureau to re-check the figures. Nobody,
apparently, thought such a re-check could be ob
tained, or that it would change the result.
Well, the census bureau does make errors, and
it does correct them. The Goldsboro News-Argus
reports that city, l'ir>t reported as having a 1960
population of 2S.7XN, now .is credited by the census
bureau -with 31,111? a difference of 2,323.
It easily might be that a re-check here would
show a proportionate' difference. And it's possible
it's not too late to get such a re check made.
1912 And 1960
Back in 191,2, when Woodrow Wilson was run
ning for his first term, as President, an opponent,
Theodore Roosevelt, was shot by a would-be as
sasin. Though it later developed that the wound
was slight, Mr. Wilson promptly announced he
was canceling all speeches and political appear
ances until his opponent could be back on the
hustings.
t t '
When Vice President Nixon recently was hos
pitalized by a knee injury, his opponent, Senator
Kennedy, sent telegraphic good wishes for a speedy
recovery ? but went right ahead with his campaign.
We hasten to say that, had the situation been
reversed, and had it been Kennedy who was hos
pitalized. we hardly think Mr. N'ixon would have
been restrained by .any .high-minded sense of good
sportsmanship. No doubt he. too, would have
made political hay while his opponent's campaign
was stalled by illness. We are not, that is, suggest
ing that Kenned)- did something Nixon would not
have done.
What we are suggesting is the striking contrast
between 1912 and 1960.
Is the difference merely one of- the times?
Or is it a difference in the calibre of the men
running for President then and those running now?
Better Quality, Too
With school under way again, it's a good time
to try to appraise our educational progress in Ma
con County. ?
We've come a long way, in the past 15 years, in
physical facilities; we've invested well over a mil
lion dollars of Macon County tax funds ? in addi
tion to what was available from the state ? in new
plant.
There still is no band at the Franklin school,
something we'd like to see; and one of this com
munity's most pressing needs ? an adequate audi
torium ? is still unmet.
In education, though, the physical facilities, the
buildings where the children go to school, are
secondary, almost incidental. What counts is what
goes on inside the buildings.
That is something that defies exact measure
ment. Most parents will agree, though, we believe,
that there's been marked progress there. Despite a
continued over-emphasis on such things as athle
tics ? all good in their proper place ? there is evi
dence of a better attitude, on the part of the pub
lic, the parents, and the children ; scholarship, it
appears to us, is given greater emphasis, and the
standards of scholarship are going up.
That steins front the insistence of Supt. H. Bucck
and his principals and teachers that first things
must conie first ; that the pleasant but non-essen
tial activities of the school must give precedence
to the unchanging fundamentals. There seems a
clearer recognition that the thorough mastery of
such things as "readin', writin' and 'rithnietic" still
is primary in public school education.
We Salute . . .
When a group of white and colored friends
gathered Sunday evening at Kay's Chapel to hon
or "Aunt N'an" Kay, who observed her l(X)th
birthdav September 7, it came as a complete sur
prise to her. (She had thought she was being escort
ed lo the church to see the newly painted walls
of tin- interior.)
Net. al the conclusion ot the "testimonies" to.
her, this woman, who was born in the davs of
slavery, arose, stood erect, and made, a little speech
of appreciation that was a model of simple sin
cerity, humility, and dignity.
It is not merely the length of her life that, makes .
"Aunt Nan" 'revered and loved in this conmuin
ity, hut it > quality. Whether in her work (as a
laundress, in her younger days, she felt every tin
jest pleat of a baby's "dress must be ironed to per
fection), in her ' personal conduct, or in her kindly
relations with others, she has held quietly, but
stubborn!) , to the highest standards she .knew. As
Jeter Love, Sunday evening's master of ceremon
ies, expressed it, "It mav take another hundred
years to produce one like her".
. 1 .
It is a privilege this .week to salute this woman
who is both a remarkable member of the Negri)
race and a person who.se life has had a beneficent
influence on white and black. '
Is There A 'Mrs. Devil'?
iGoldsboro News-Argu.s>
A downpour while the sun was shining reminds Weiniar
Jones of that old saying:
"When it rains while the sun is shining the devil Is beating
his wife." We had the same saying in Sweet Union, quite a
way from Weimar's beautiful mountainous Franklin.
What is the meaning of this saying? Actually, is Uie Devil
married? How did such a folk observation get started?
What does your folklore dictionary say on this? What did
your grandfather say?
We pride ourselves on being a forward-looking people. We
foresee a time In which life will be happier, healthier, richer,
and more productive. We all hope that the world in Which
our children will live out their lives will be a better one than
ours.
At the same time, it Is the part of wisdom to look back?
if only to recall aome of the words that were said long ago
by men who helped make this nation. Tor Instance, there is
Forgotten Wisdom?
(Stanly News and Press)
this: "I plac- economy among the first and most Important
virtues, and the public debt as the greatest of dangers to be
feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our
rulers load us with perpetual debt.
"Wc must make our choice between economy and liberty.
01 profusion and servitude, if we run Into such debts, we
must te taxed In our meat and drlnic, in our necessities and
in our comforts, in our labors and in our amusements.
It w? can prevent the government from wasting the labors .
of t'vc people under the pretense of caring for them, they
will be happy."
That, was said by Thomas Jefferson, whose contribution to
the American system of government was, perhaps, greater
than that of any other single man. The language is archaic,
but the principle is crystal clear. We have gone a grimly long
distanc" in violating his doctrine. The question is whether we
shall have the resolution, the strength, and the wisdom to
change our national way before it is too late.
Investigate Him!
(North Vernon. Ind., Suni
The guy who ought to be investigated Is the disc jockey who
played rock 'n' roll records not for payola but because he liked
them.
The Strength Of Our Nation
(Governor Luther H. Hodges I
The strength of our nation Is dependent upon the com
bined strength of its various regions. We will not have max
imum strength and stability without maximum understand
ing and cooperation between all regions and states. This
strength is absolutely essential if we are to survive as a free
nation and if we are to maintain our leadership in the fam
ily of nations.
The Southern point of view, In my mind, means the con
tinued presence of a desirable and responsible independence
and freedom ? the kind of Independence and freedom that
make for growth In either an Individual, a community, a state
or a nation. The Southern point of view ifieans the preserva
tion of the initiative and personality of the Individual, of the
local governmental unit and of the state. It carries with it a
reverence for our forefathers and for the principles which
inspired them. It includes, of course, a deep and abiding
sense of patriotism for the United States of America.
In the South we have too often given the nation and the
world an image which does not reflect truthfully this point
of view. We may have been too careless or too proud to seek
the understanding of others, and to tell the facts about our
history, our traditions and our problems.
We must always keep before us the great promise of Amer
ica, which is the promise of freedom under responsible and
democratic government ? and I mean freedom for all citizens
irrespective of race, religion or creed. While our day-to-day
progress townrd more perfect realization of these ideals may
seem to 1 alter, and while all of us at one time or the other
despair of doing great works, the spirit of America must al
ways remain alive in our hearts.
DO YOU REMEMBER?
Looking Backward Through the Files ot The Pre*
65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
<1895) ,
1 w
Soap, six cakes for 10 cents, at Wright's. ? Adv.
Our colored population gave Will Cunningham and bride
a lively serenade Thursday night.
If you owe anything- for The Press, come in and pay it.
We take gold, silver, or greenbacks at their face value.
Mr. W. R. Briggs, of Chattanooga, Tenn., is now engaged
in mica mining on Burningtown.
A party from Highlands came down Sunday and Monday
went on to Hayesville on a pleasure tour. The party is com
posed of Mr. S. P. Ravenel and sister and Chas. Wright, of
Highlands, and two Misses Jones of New Orleans, and Miss
Porcher of Charleston, S. C., and Frank F. Kane of Phila
delphia.
35 TEARS AGO
(1925)
The progressive citizens of Iotla valley are building an
electric light line from the mica mine at Iotla .bridge up the
valley as far as the home of Mr. W. T. Fouts.
Good progress is being made on the Bryson City road.
Within a few days, the macadam in Macon County will con
nect with that In swain. On the Dillsboro road, the Wilson
Construction Company is now concreting the road from the
foot of Cowee 'Mountain toward Franklin.
15 YEARS AGO
(1945)
Miss Jessie Amanda Ramsey, daughter of Mrs. Robert
Ramsey and the late Mr. Ramsey, of Tellico, becajne the bride
of Warrant Officer Carlton Curtis Chesnut, of Troup, Texas,
recently In New Orleans. I
5 YEARS AGO
(1955) v
A $500 scholarship to N. C. State College has been awarded
to Jerry Sutton, outstanding young Future Farmer of America.
STRICTLY
PERSONAL
By WEIMAR JONES
"How does It feel to be an
author?"
Many people, with a kindly note
of congratulation in their voices,
have asked me that question in
the nearly six weeks sine? that
small book cl mine. "My Affair
With A Weekly", came out.
Well, of course I'm not an
"author". Just as ore swallow
does not make a summer, one
book does not make an author.
When I've had half a dozen more
books acceptetd for publication,
maybe I can qualify.
"But how does it feel ta have
a book published ? a first book?"
To my own surprise. I discovered
it makes no difference at all, in
many ways. The morning of the
day "My Affair With A Weekly"
went cn sale, here and elsewhere,
I got up just as usual; my break
fast bacon and eggs tasted about
the way they had other mornings;
and when I looked in the mirror,
to comb my hair, I saw the same
fellow staring back at me I'd been
seeing there every day all these
years ? no aura there, certainly!
Most disillusioning of all, as I
went about my everyday duties,
I found that writing ? any kind
of writing ? still was the same
hard work it usually is for most
of us.
Don't misunderstand me: there
have been satisfactions.
Having a first book published is
a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I
guess I was like a bey with his
first long pants ? back, that is.
in the days before little boys wore
long pants; back when putting on
long pants was one of life's mile
stones.
The publication date was post
poned two or three times, and in
each case I literally counted the
days . . . Just as I had when I'd
been promised that first pair ot
long pants.
Then there was a sense of re
lief; what welcome relief it would
prove I did not realize until it
came. When at last the book final
ly was published, there was relief
on several counts.
First of all. during the period
of nearly a year from the time the
publisher accepted the manuscript
until the day the book went on
sale, I never really expected it
to come out. It was just too in
credible that anybody would gam
ble his money ? I certainly
wouldn't have gambled any of
mine! ? on the cost of publishing
a book I had written. Something.
I was sure, would go wrong.
Imagine, then, my relief, my feel
ing of delighted unbelief ? like
a child on Christmas morning ?
when the finished book actually
appeared !
There was relief, too. that the
questioning and uncertainty were
over. Should this chapter be tak^n
out and another put in its place?
Should this paragraph be re
written ? for the twentieth time?
Should this sentence be re-revis
ed? Had I overlooked checking the
spelling of any doubtful word, the
grammar cf any phrase? Had Mrs.
Jones i how she survived all the
questions I put to her during that
interminable year I don't know!>
had she and I better re-read the
proof one more titae?
All that was over. Now nothing
else could be done about those
details ? details I'd worked on
until I felt I never, never wanted.
to see this book again.
Finally, there was an end to the
agonizing self-doubt that must
torment every man or woman who
tries to write anything ? the
doubt that assails him every day.
every waking hour. Is this worth
working on? Will anybody ever
bother to read it? If they should,
will they find it as poor as I'm
afraid It is?
The relief was so real 1 felt I
could reach out and touch it with
my hand.
The greatest satisfaction of all,
though, has come not from within,
but from without.
I've often said: "You have to
have trouble to find out how many
friends ycu have, how much
thoughtfulness and kindliness and
generosity there is In the world.
Well, I've discovered that isn't
true. You find that out, too, when
?ome small success comes your
way.
In this case, that discover)'
started with the publisher. Since
he was taking the financial risk,
he easily might have announced
flatly: "This is the way the book
is going to be." He didn't. Mr.
Blair and every member of the
John F. Blair publishing house
staff were the soul of considera
tion. I was consulted on each de
tail; my suggestions were wel
comed, and when they weren't
accepted. I was given valid reasons
why. Furthermore, manuscript
criticisms and suggestions that
came from Mr. Blair and his
editor saved me many a fumble.
And since the book came out,
I literally have been overwhelmed
by the generosity of people ?
people ranging from my relatives
and friends here at home to per
sons, in distant states, I've never
met. (For days now, I've devoted
almost my entire time to ac
knowledging kind words. In re
views and especially In congratu
latory letters.)
Many of us have a streak of
jealousy In our make-up; we are
inclined to discount the other fel
low's small achievement ? per
haps as a sort of self-justification
of our own failure to achieve
what we know in our hearts we
could have. Too. surface appear
ances indicate that all of us are
too absorbed in our own affairs
to take the time to say an en
couraging or congratulatory wori
to the other fellow.
No doubt there are many people
like that. But I am convinced
now that the overwhelming ma- *
jority are the other kind ? those
generous folks who are selfless
enough to delight in another's
success, and thoughtful and kind
ly enough to take time out to say
so. And it takes a far bigger per
son to do that, it seems to me.
than merely to be sorry and
sympathetic when sameone is in
trouble.
So if you plan to wiite a book,
I'd say there are a lot of diffi
culties and doubts and hazards
ahead of you. But if you feel you
must, and if you are fortunate
enough to find a publisher, you'll
be well rewarded.
That is likely to be true, whether
the book sells a million copies or
only a dozen or so. For the
chances are, you'll learn, all over
again, how many kind people
there are in the world ? how
many, to use an expression once
common here in the mountains,
there are who are "free-hearted".
SHKKT'S TOO NARROW
Civil War' Wins Word War
SMITHFIELD HERALD
Was it the "Civil War" or the
"War Between The States"?
That question has popped up
again on the eve of the 100th anni
versary of the cutbreak of the
. . . er, that war that was fought
between the military forces of the
Union under General Grant and
the military forces of the Con.
federacy under General Lee.
The South ? the United Daugh
ters of the Confederacy, in par
ticular ? has preferred to call
TOO MANY BOYS
Can't Keep Em All On The Farm
FARM KH RMAL Magazine
Suppose none of the boys ever
left the farms! Have you ever
visited one of Europe's countries
where the land has been divided,
feneration after generation? In
extreme cases you would see a
"farm" with little strips, an acre
here, a half acre there, maybe
widely separated. Under govern
ments which discouraged new op
portunities, where a peasant's sons
were expected to become peasants;
to slice up the property was the
only solution.
Prom the time I was knee high
to ? chipmunk, f have heard cob
plaints about young people leaving
the land, and still hear the same
words. One regrets to see an out
standing youth leave. Yet, what if
he cculdn't? Shouldn't we be ulad
to live in a nation where a young
ster Is free to choose his future,
and to make the most of his abili
ties? Not every bright boy will
make a to - d farmer. He may do
far better for himself, and for the
country, as a good professional or
business man.
'True, some who do have the
talent and desire to be fanners
decide to do something else be
cause they lack capital. However,
we seldom hear of good farms
that fall to find good farmers.
The land produces more new
1-ovs than new (arms. With ef
ficiency demanding larger acre
rises, some of the boys will in
evil ably go out to become the en
gineers. scientists and educators
tfcnt the nation needs.
The boy who is not going to stay
on the land can capitalize on his
1:? i in background. Industry Is
loking, for him. especially if he
does well In college. For Instance,
the demand for trained agricul
tural engineers rises every year.
Even now the supply Is short. Only
about 350 agricultural engineers
will get degrees in 1M2, as com
pared with 420 In 1949. The de
mand la active for farm boys who
graduate in Industrial and com
mercial fields.
the conflict of 1861-65 the "War
Between The States." though
Southern kids who went to school
a generation 01 so ago studied, in
Southern schools, the "Civil War."
i Yankees, of course, wrote the
textbooks.)
The official designation used by
the Union Government was the
"War of Rebellion." but that didn't
exactly catch on even in the
North. "Civil War" has persisted,
winning the battle of usage. When
we went to the Columbia En
cyclopedia to see what it had to
say on the subject, we turned to
?rv? ---4 1 -.1 ? ?
vac v o auu luunu wnai wc wcic
searching for under the heading
"Civil War.'.
But let it be said that the UDC
and its allies had a point. Even
the Columbia Encyclopedia, pub
lished by the Columbia University
Press in Yankeeiand, acknowledges
it. Read what It says: "Actually
this name (Civil War I is some
what misleading, for the war was
not a class struggle, but a sec
tional combat having its roots in
such complex political, economic,
social, and psychological elements
that historians still do not agree
as to its basic causes."
O. K.. the name Civil War Is
not exact, but It sticks. And 10
Southerners now are ready to con
cede. These are the 10 men who
serve as chairmen of Civil War Cen
tennial Commissions In as many
Southern states. The UDC may be
right, but these men are not about
to call themselves chairmen of
War Between The States Centen
nial Commissions. Their letter
stationery Isn't wide enaufh.