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Editorial Views
*****
Candidates face hard role
A number of candidates seeking
statewide offices are coming up with
many ideas and suggestions for
legislative programs. Some might
hsve merit and others sound good as
votes are sought.
We have been surprised in a
number of instances where the
candidate now making drastic
legislative proposals once served in
the General Assembly, and did not
take the opportunity then to in
troduce such legislation. Of course,
once elected to a statewide office, be
would not be eligible to introduce
legislation but would have to work
through another party.
Perhaps some changes are needed,
but the sudden rush of ideas when
they once had an opportunity to
present their ideas to the lawmakers
makes us wonder.
New industry seeking plan
Natural and Economic Resources
set up pilot projects to test the
strategies devised by the Phase One
report.
Ina recent talk to the Rotary Club
in Holshouser's hometown of Boone,
Secretary Little effectively endorsed
continuation of the approach in the
Phase One economic growth study
ramrodded by Harrington.
To raise per capita income, Little
said, the state must recruit higher
paying industry at a faster pace...
"The answers are right here in this
industrial development strategy that
has been devised and is rapidly
becoming the Bible of economic
development in state government,"
Little said.
Given a definition of high-pay
industry (target industries include
glass, machinery, stone and clay
goods, electronics, rubber, and
plastics) officials have set goals for
such to be recruited by 1990 to obtain
the goal of per capita income in this
state 10 percent above the
.Southeastern average by 1900.
Little said passage of the industrial
revenue bond package works toward
meeting that goal.
Next, he said pilot programs in
eight localities are "aimed at helping
them better organize their local
economic development efforts. We
believe the concepts that evolve in
this program can be used by almost
every community in this state."
Little promised that within 60 days,
jj&ath Carolina will begin to
Radically change" industry
Bruiting methods,
gf ot content to wait on prospects to
jjBse questions, Little said state
Salesmen" trained with intimate
nowledge of specific industries will
?gin calling on the identified in
jptrtes wanted in this state.
Blankly, we do not have the for
Bla, but let us hasten to say that one
needed in North Carolina, and that
What kind of economic and in
dustrial growth, how much of it, and
where? Critical questions for North
Carolina's future. State officials are
promising some answers soon.
After a couple of years of debate in
state government, a model is
beginning to emerge which pretty
well outlines where we go from here.
George W. Little, recently in
stalled as secretary of the Depart
ment of Natural and Economic
Resources, has obviously picked up
the ball from former secretary,
James E. Harrington.
Nearly two years ago, a committee
of state officials and research people
at Research Triangle Institute
produced the first phase of that
strategy.
Phase two was seen as developing
shortly, but did not. It got bogged
down in inter-office debates and
bickering between state planners in
the Department of Administration,
and Harrington's people.
In simplest terms, the two op
posing positions came down to this:
?Harrington believed in joint
state-local action to identify
resources and needs and go out and
find prospects.
?others believed only "coereivdV
state action (taxation, roadbuilding,
land use mefchaoisms) could shape
l development.
i Further complicating the picture
1 was a study by a University of North
Carolina researcher ? com
missioned by the Department of
Administration for possible use in
Phase Two ? which suggested
deliberate state action to further
unionism in North Carolina; ob
viously a course not likely to be
followed.
In the final analysis, Gov. James
E. Holshouser ? after months of
internal policy debate ? decided to
sit (m the Economic Development
Strategy.
[ft. Governor duties Fewer
Objection has been raised, by a
(Jlitical opponent, to the lieutenant
(grernor's campaigning for the
uvernorship while drawing a salary
im the state. This has not created
ipeh of a stir, as the public is ac
ustomed to office-holders drawing
sy while reelection or making a bid
m-higher office.
If the lieutenant governor seems a
it more vulnerable to this criticism
ban most office-holding candidates,
It is partly because the limited duties
If his office leave right much time for
lampaigntng. Now that the
legislature has relieved him of ap
pointive powers in the Senate, the
authority to go along with his $90,000
mmf j ana icwcr cnucsi QvCioionh
So make. In practice, the next
lieutenant governor should have
even more time for politicking.
The governor, elected statewide,
has no veto power and cannot suc
ceed himself in office. The lieutenant
governor, elected statewide, has
been deprived of much of his in
fluence in die Senate. Thus, the
importance of the statewide popular
vote has been downgraded in relation
to district votes for members of die
legislature. A lieutenant governor,
exercising votes for members of the
legislature. A lieutenant governor,
exercising less authority while in
that office, could be less well
prepared to take over the gover
norship in an emergency. He could
become a sort of functionary crown
prince, at a princely salary. The
Robesonian (Lumberton)
?Number of reforms needed
SThe cnM j v just 2 1, because In
psychiatric
and reports for its guidance, and
Some reforms are needed in the
state's paroles system, but reforms
are also needed in our prisons and,
indeed, our entire criminal Justice
system. It is not working, but
up with any work
more imperative that the best minds
available be assigned to the task -
wt mean
SAIL OH, OH SHIP OF STATS
egg?
t*"? W/L? SHE HAVE TO PASS
r THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL?
/JJoCCjUtL^i
People could help more
An experimental camp for
troubled children has folded
amidst money troubles and
administratve bickering, but
the leaders believe the stage
has been set for future suc
cesses.
Some public attention has
been drawn to the failure of the
enterprise, both through
cancellation of funding by the
North Carolina Department of
Human Resources and by
charges of the property owner
that his buildings were left in a
shambles.
"But we demonstrated that'
such an alternative meted;
can produce successes; and
proved that when individual
Citizens care enough to ge?
involved, there can be better'
ways to deal with children with .
socii 1 adjustment problems,'#
with drug-related problems, at,
considerable less expense and
with more chance for success
than in standard state
programs," the Rev. Clifton
Daniel says.
NEW BOARD
Father Daniel is rector of St.
Thomas Episcopal Church in
Ahoskie, and was one of the
organizers of a board of
directors which operated
Camp Dolphin at Ocean Isle
Beach. The board of church
people, state employees, and
others from communities
across the eastern part of the
state began operating the
camp in February.
It was leased from Richard
W. Jennings of Greensboro for
some $50,000, and operated on
a grant of about $$00,000 from
the N. C. Drug Commission
through the state's Mental
Health Division of the
Department of Human
Resources, specifically the
Southeastern Area Mental
Health Board in Wilmington.
But Daniel and the new
directors, including Father
Jess Gaither representing the
eastern diocese of the
Episcopal Church out of
Greenville, obviously took
over at a bad time
The camp, in two previous
years, had become a victim of
bureaucratic wrangling and
improper administration.
State auditors disallowed
around $47,000 in previous
expenditures and the new
operators recognized they
"faced too many problems and
decided to close it down,"
Daniel said.
"We took it over only this
year and we administered it
well, but it was closed because
of what had gone on before,"
Gaithersaid.
"It was axed before we could
get into proving success," he
added. But there were suc
cesses: an average of 20 to 25
youngsters spent some three to
six months at the camp
working with a staff of 12 in
v?uch activities as learning
{Mftomotive repairs, wood
, working, basic education
Pleading to high school
. equivalency, water sports and
< general camp experiences.
' TO COPE
"the object was to teach
these troubled children to cope
* in a community ^which was
dose, supportive, and caring.
One became accountable for
his own actions and agreed to
live by certain standards as
part of his commitment.
"Each came voluntarily,
although many were referred
by the courts. Primarily, it
was designed to provide
alternatives; to keep them out
of contact with the Jails, and
training schools," Father
Daniel said.
In the short period of
operation, the non-recidivism
rate ran 25 percent; usual
guidelines label non
recidivism of 15 percent in
such approaches successful,
the operators said.
Time was too short to claim
true success, however, except
for that which both Daniel and
Gaither consider the major
point: that caring individuals
can take on the responsibility
for themselves to help those
needing it, without demanding
more bureaucratic responses
from government.
"The real potential is to
realise that this is what this
country is all about. Gover
nment is me. People can take
on the responsibility for
themselves and do a better Job
at leas cost," Daniel said.
Editor's Quote Book
He knew no fear ex
cept the fear of doing
wrong.
Robert G. Ingereoll
"What I see as exciting is the
fact that I felt myself
becoming responsible for
other people... the Job doesn't
have to be done by a
bureaucracy, by the state,"
Daniel feels.
And the other exciting
aspect, Father Gaither added,
is that "the church is in
volved... plowing new ground
and offering something of
value to the people and to the
state."
Letters to the editor
-W
Service Bureau will not con
tinue alter June SO. The need
tar a volunteer program in
Madimrr County has been
this particular program not
First, Madison County
represents a definite challenge
to volunteerism as defined in
this program. Mountainous
roads, several phone systems
and a scattered population
make it difficult to operate a
county-wide volunteer service,
with only one staff member
and a limited budget.
Next, a grant from ACTION
would be needed to continue
the bureau. This would mean
that the steering committee
would have to become in
corporated or find an in
corporated agency to sponsor
it. The county has indicated its
willingness to be that sponsor.
Even so,, there would be a
tremendous amount of red
tape and administrative
responsibility required.
Finally, the steering com
mittee members feel that they
will not have the time
necessary to administer, fund,
and operate an independently
functioning agency.
Again, the need for a
volunteer program in Madison
County has been established. I
regret the Volunteer Service
Bureau's closing; you have
helped greatly in making it a
success. I urge you to contiue
to devote a few hours a week to
aid individuals and-or a cause.
I'm assured that you will in
dependently carry on, for the
spirit of helping others does not
need a centralized structure to
work through. This is the spirit
that helped to build America!
MADELYN R. BETTS
(MRS. ANSON K.)
Director, Volunteer Service
Bureau of Madison County
~ m a
In reference to your article
of J*?MonactoaldrDpixM,i
swratleus^ fur tb> coo
This problem is one that k
difficult to solve largeh
because of s lock of dedsivi
action on the port of loader
ship, and the tendency of si
called "educational leaders'
to stand around parroting thi
same words, phrases, am
solutions that they have heart
from the next ngghrw
"educator" around the corner
Young people today are not
eo easily fooled or impressed.
They know who their real
friends in the "adult world"
are. They also know when they
are being used by those
seeking to hold on to political
power . They know that it takes
more than carpeted buildings
and expensive hardware to
provide quality education.
Administrators are not
responsive to the students.
Officials who were elected to
represent the people, meet to
set policy which Is supposed to
enhance the opportunities of
the students. Instead, they
take one look around, see some
carpetbagger with a briefcase
and a degree, and lo and
behold, their eyes glaze over
and they are struck absolutely
dumb, allowing him and his
egghead friends to take over
the entire system.
The answers may not be
simple or easy, but they are
there. The first step is for our
leadership to listen to those
who are in touch with the
people, and who have a
genuine interest in the
students themselves.
EDMOND PAYNE
Problem of being last
iiWVUjr UAOB IU UC till.
North Carolina, in March,
had an average hourly wage in
manufacturing Joba at $6.70
compared with $6.07 for the
nation.
That makes this state dead
bottom among the 50 in the
nation; and 37 percent lower
than the national average.
It is certain from the tone of
gubernatorial candidates
struggling to get a grip on the
problem and some solutions,
and from the gnashing of teeth
by other politicians and state
economic development ex
perts that 1877 will be a year of
concern and change in the field
of economic development.
George Little, Secretary of
the Department of Natural and
Economic Resources, has
already signaled his intentions
to make some major changes,
even while on the last legs of
the four years of the ad
ministration of Rep. Gov.
James E. Holshouser who will
leave office next January.
TWO CONCERNS
There are at bottom two
primary reasons for the
widespread concern over
industrial growth for the state:
?TO the politician it means
not only helping the people of
the state by bringing tbem
income, but it means in
creasing state revenues
without going upon tax rates;
?TO the wage earner it
means increased income,
either at a new Job paying
more, or at the same Job with
higher pay because of the
competition created by the
new Jobs.
When North Carolina's chief
industry hunter, Bob Leak,
quit his Job recently to take a
similar post in South Carolina,
public attention focused on
what has been going on, and
what needs to be done in the
future.
Little, as well as some of the
candidates for governor, took
another look at the Phase One
Economic Development
Strategy report prepared by
the Research Triangle
Institute under the guidance of
iw uici nauuai aiiu i^uuuuuv
Resources Secretary James E.
Harrington.
That effort first produced in
September, 1974, was put on
the back burner after a major
policy dispute within ttic
Holshouser administration.
But it will not stay there.
The meat of that study bai
now been passed to major
legislative leaders in ?
memorandum on economic
development prepared bj
Economist Lloyd O'CarroB of
the General Assembly Fisca
Research staff.
I Eyes Examined |
Glasses Fitted I
] DR. LOCKARD D
FRIDAYS
S A.M. to 12 Noon
U ROBERTS
I BUILDING N
y MARSHALL, M>C.
The News-Record
NON?PARTISAN IN POLITICS
JAMES L STORY, Editor
Published Weekly
By Madison County Publishing Co . fac
BOX 3S7
MARSHALL. N.C 28753
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