^YleivA - journal
02/io?itta
PRESS
SSOCIATION
Published Evcty Thursday at Raeford, N.C. 28376
I 19 W. El wood Avenue
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PAUL DICKSON PubliAer-Editor
SAM C. MORRIS General Manager
KAY PIOTRZKOWSKI Associate Editor
MRS. PAUL DICKSON Society Editor
JAMA CHESSER Reporter
Sccond Class Postage at RaiTord. N. C.
THURSDAY, JUNt 13, 1974
As We See It..
By Kay Piotrzkowski
Politics, campaigns, primaries and runoffs are, at best, a confusing
conglomeration of statistics based on voters' whims and fancies. But
when a runoff primary upsets a first primary which upset two
incumbents-you end up with a mountain of knots which fifty Boy
Scouts couldn't untie in twice that number of years.
Usually compounding the confusion are journalists who become
instant political analysts and pretend to untie the knots and tell, in
their all knowing wisdom, who voted for whom and why. Explaining
election results to the voters just seems to be a quagmire we writers
must jump into-more often than not we sink in our own analysis. But
since 1 am at heart a bullheaded Irishman, I'm jumping into the
quagmire anyhow.
Throughout a study of election results we have to keep in mind that
it is most unusual for a runoff to change results of a first primary. We
must also remember a runoff almost always draws considerably fewer
voters than the first go-around. The 1972 Hoke County runoff drew
500 fewer voters than the primary and the 1970 runoff drew 900 fewer
voters than the first primary. But this year the runoff nudged close to
the primary voter strength with only about 217 fewer voters June 4
than May 7.
It appears switching voters rather than vote switching caused last
week's upset. A check of voting records in a few precincts reveals many
people who voted in the May 7 primary did not vote in the runoff.
These same records also indicate a number of residents voting in the
runoff who did not vote in the first primary.
Incumbent John Balfour picked up more than 570 additional votes
in the runoff than he garnered in the first primary. This put him out in
front and guaranteed him a spot on the November ballot. A concerted
runoff campaign paid off for Balfour. One of the best examples of this
is the Stonewall voting record. In May Balfour carried the precinct with
84 votes. He picked up 51 votes in June for a total count of 135.
Unofficial figures indicate 51 people who voted in that precinct in May
did not vote in the runoff but 38 other people who did not vote in May
voted in June.
In Antioch Balfour picked up 34 votes with 27 June-only voters
compared with 76 May-only voters. In Raeford 2 he picked up 84 votes
with 54 June-only voters and 48 May-only. We suspect a similar pattern
would be found in a check of most other precincts.
Another factor in the runoff outcome was the practice of "one
shotting" where a resident voted for only one rather than two
candidates in the commissioners race. This is a practice that makes
some sense in a first primary where a majority vote is needed to avoid a
runoff but makes little sense, to us, in a second primary where a
plurality is all that is needed to win. People who one shot in a runoff
are, in effect, throwing away a vote. Every person who one-shotted the
runoff should ask, "who would have been my second choice?" Casting
two votes might have changed the outcome of the runoff. May-only
voters also could have had tremendous impact on the outcome had they
again cast there votes in the runoff.
At any rate the election is over. We congratulate the winners. But
most of all we congratulate the voters who got up off their apathy and
voted June 4 to make the turnout heavier than predicted and we
chastise those who voted only in May. We are most grateful to all who
voted in both primaries and we deplore the lack of concern shown by
all residents who did not bother to vote at all.
Browsing in the files
of The News-Journal
25 years ago
Thursday, June 9, 1949
The graduating exorcises at Hoke
High school took place Friday evening.
June 3. at 8 o'clock, at which time 46
seniors received their diplomas.
Hoke County voted about four to
three for the state road bond proposal
in last Saturday's election and almost
two to one in favor of the school bonds
L.E. Mclaughlin. Jr., young colored
firmer of Que whiffle Tp?(nship,
brought a chick with no eyei and no
pbee for aiy to The MtwvJournal
office this week.
Fm.lboh.kMky:
Thote per tons who ire more than
' -
average in intelligence do not make so
many mistakes as the average man, but
when he does make a mistake it is a big
one. President Truman's idea of a
minimum wage, for instance.
Fifty 4-H campers members, four
leaders and the Hoke County Farm and
Home Agents returned from Millstone
4-H Camp Tuesday.
v The American Legion Baseball team
will play Fort Bragg at the Armory Park
here tomorrow night at 8:00 o'clock.
Mrs. Neill McFadycn, president of the
local Parent-Teachers Association,
announced this week that the PTA
summer recreation program would begin
next Monday and thai all chldrcn are
invited to attend.
'I get better mileage, that's all*
vP,
The Christian Sc?ence Mon.tof
The Midnight Oil
by Jama Chesser
A lather is the guy most likely to buy
the family a color TV and end up holed
up in the back room with the fuzzy
black and white set watching the game
of the week while the rest of the
household views Disney World in
glorious color.
That may seem harsh treatment for a
fellow who has gone to the trouble of
redecorating the living room in the team
colors of the Detroit Lions, but in a
democratic society, the kids plus mom.
who is usually washing dishes anyway,
outvote the pigskin pappa.
However, there is hope for the future,
at least for the coming weekend. Once a
year, a day called father's Day rolls
around and all over the United States,
dads are caught up in the festivities.
They are served breakfast in bed before
they want to wake up. They are
presented cigars, shave crcam. cologne,
garden shears, and slippers. Then they
receive complaints bccause they smoke
the cigars, use the shave crcam and
cologne only when they leave the house
to go out with the boys, use the garden
shears when the neighbor's wife is
sunbathing in the next yard, and wear
the slippers until they wear out.
Fathers will flock to color TVs this
weekend as families give in to fathers'
whims and fancies of what real
Puppy Creek
Philosopher
Dear editor:
While it has always seemed to me
they were taking up time that could
have been used for something more
interesting, the television network
newscasters every evening always give a
report on the day's stock market, how
many shares were exchanged and how
many points the average share rose or
fell. To me this is about as interesting as
a nationwide weather report on what
the average temperature was for all 50
states at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
However the other day something
new crept in. Walter Cronkite reported
that when a major bank in New York
reduced its prime interest rate from
11.75% to 11.60% the stock market
gained 19 points.
Wliat this proves is that nobody
listens to the networks' stock market
report, because if they did somebody
would figure out that if a drop in the
interest rate of fifteen-one-hundrcdths
of a cent can send the stock market up
19 points, think what dropping the
interest rate a nickel would do.
If everybody in the country bought
some stock a day before the interest
rate came down, everybody would yvind
up rich, could pay off his bills and go
back in debt at a much lower interest
rate.
But times are too out of joint for
something as simple as this. Why I read
just the other day that a candidate had
been indicted before an election. I never
heard of that before. I thought you
always waited till a man was in office
and then indicted him. Then if he pleads
guilty you give him a probated sentence
so he can be free to write a book.
Say. I hope President Nixon is taking
some experts along with him when he
visits Russia so they can study
capitalism. I understand the Russians,
during the oil boycott which they
secretly promoted, sold their oil right
and left at double the usual price and
made enough profit to pay for the
wheat they bought from us a year
earlier at about half price with money
they borrowed from us.
Yours faithfully,
J. A.
entertainment is. Some dads will even
be lucky enough to sec the kids off to
the movies, send the wife out to the
shopping center and have the house all
to themselves.
And what will ihe lucky Dad see on
(he tube in celebration of his day?
Probably ladies' golf, women's tennis, a
spccial on women jockeys and race car
drivers, and the premier of a scries
about a liberated female financier.
Happy Father's Day.
Letter To
The Editor
To The Editor.
1 would like in . this way to
congratulate the people of Hoke for re -
clccting John Balfour and Ralph
Barnliart to the board of county
commissioners in the June runoff.
This in no way means to infer that
the losers arc not good people, but in
this day of distruct of governmental
officials in high places, it is good to
know that it was the choice of the
people to return to Hoke County
government these two fine men whose
honesty, integrity and conccrn for their
fcllowmcn have been tested, tried and
not found wanting over a period of
years.
Balfour and Mr. Bamhart with social
services in Hoke and they, with the
other commissioners, made it possible
for the burdens of Ihe poor to be
lessened there during my tenure. But
they were not only interested in the
underprivileged, iheir concern, as Mr.
Balfour stated, was for all the people in
the county and it was my privilege to
see their deep concern demonstrated
over and over again.
So again I congratulate the people of
Hoke for sending these men back into
your government. They will not let you
down.
Mabel McDonald
St. Pauls. N.C.
Senator Sam Ervin Says
WASHINGTON ?- The Senate has
rejected two amendments to the
military procurement authorizations bill
which would have forced substantial
cutbacks in the number of U.S. troops
stationed overseas. I voted against the
amendments, and to sustain the bill as
reported by the Senate Armed Services
Committee on which 1 serve.
Congress and the Armed Services
Committee have given this matter a
great deal ot attention, and I think there
has been considerable progress in
reducing the numbers of military
personnel. This is necessary because the
cost of keeping each serviceman in our
armed forces is expensive. It is well to
point out that our first line fighting
forces are down to a low level
considering our commitments around
the world. They compose 13V4 divisions.
Altogether now the United States has
524,000 personnel overseas, out of a
total force of 2.152,000. While there are
large numbers, we have almost 231,000
men less overseas today than wc did in
1964. In that year, the Vietnam buildup
had not yet occurred, and we had
755,000 men overseas.
I realize that there is a great deal of
sentiment to bring our overseas troops
home. I would be pleased to support a
reduction in troop strength and
armament if conditions were such that
these actions could be wisely taken. The
Senate Armed Services Committee
looked into our oversea* troop
CLIFF BLUE...
People & Issues
WHEELS OF DEMOCRACY ... The
wheel of Democracy insofar as the
Democratic Party in North Carolina is
concerned will start rolling again on
June 18 when the precinct meetings are
held all over the state at 8 pjn.
Most times the precinct meetings are
poorly attended with only a dozen,
more or less, in attendance. Once in
every several years some pertinent issue
or personality is involved, maybe a
hundred or more will attend.
Precinct meetings could have a
tremendous influence on government,
county, state and national. Two years
ago the George McGovern people
started their drive for the nomination
for the South Dakota man for president
at the precinct level and won the
nomination while the more responsible
leaders, figuratively speaking, napped,
only to wake up too late. Precinct
meetings is the place where grass roots
sentiment CAN be made effective.
Precinct meetings arc sometimes
referred to as a "sleeping giant." seldom
aroused.
The first business of the precinct
meeting is the election of the five
officers of the precinct committee:
Chairman, First vice chairman: Second
vice chariman; Third vice chairman;
Sccrctary-treasurcr. The second order of
business is the election of five other
persons to serve on the precinct
committee. These five along with the
five officers compose the precinct
committee.
The third order of business is the
election of delegates to represent the
precinct at the County conventions on
Saturday, June 29 at 2 pjn. Each
precinct has one vote at the county
convention for every 50 votes or major
fraction thereof that was cast for the
Democratic nominee lor governor in the
1972 general election. It is necessary to
elect one delegate for each vote and
precincts may elect as many as three
delegates for each vote.
Alternates may also be elected, but
no specific number of alternatives is
required.
The Precinct Chairman and First Vice
Chairman represent the precinct on the
county executive committee. The
Just One Thing After Another
By Carl Goerch
Back in 1666 an effort was made in
North Carolina to attract female
settlers. A circular was issued declaring:
"If any Maid or single woman have a
desire to go over, they will think
themselves in the Golden Age when men
paid a Dowry for their wives; for if they
be but Civil and under SO years of Age,
some honest Man or other will purchase
them for their wives."
We may think that all the talk of the
past several years about the constitution
of the United States being endangered,
or run over, or wrecked, or battered, is
all new. but it is not. It seems to go
back several generations. 1 do not
remember just when Edward Everett
and Rufus Choate were living, but it was
before my dad and yours. And I came
upon a story about them the other day
that has a distinctly modern flavor.
Everett protested to Choate: "My
dear friend, if you are not more self ?
considerate you will ruin your
constitution!"
Chaote replied: "Oh, the
Constitution was destroyed long ago. I
am now living on the By-Laws."
Here's something we never thought of
commitments in great detail this year. It
gave much attention to our NATO
forces. The Committee concluded that
four positive steps should be taken. I do
not think that we should go any further
than the Committee's recommendations'
at this time.
The Committee agreed with the
sponsors of the troop reduction
amendments that the United States has
borne a very heavy burden in our
overseas defense efforts, and that a way
must be found to improve this situation.
It took these positive actions to achieve
this goal:
First, the committee recommended a
reduction of military personnel by
49,000 and civil personnel y 44,000
including a reduction of 11,000 military
personnel in overseas headquarters and
non-combat units around the world.
This action was aimed at reducing
un needed overhead costs and
unnecessary support units.
Second, the committee recommended
a mandatory 20 percent reduction in
Army noncombat personnel in Europe
over the next two years. This afhounts
to 23,000 troops, and is calculated to
strengthen the ratio of combat troops in
relation to noncombat forces.
Third, the committee recommended a
ceiling on tactical nuclear weaptirtl in
Europe. This action was taken to
prevent an increase in our tactical
nuclear weapons in that area and
See SEN SAM. Page IS
J
county executive committee runs the
party following the county convention.
Precinct delegates to the county
convention elect, (I) the officers of the
county executive committee, (2)
delegates to the 1974 State and
Congressional conventions, and (3) the
county representatives on the State
Democratic Executive Committee. The
election of those delegates is probably
the most important function of the
precinct meeting. A person doc? not
have to be present to be elected an
officer, committee member, delegate or
alternative.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ... A
scramble is on within the Democratic
Party for the nomination for Attorney
General by the State Democratic
Exeuctive Committee to succeed Roberta
Morgan who lias been nominated for the '
U.S. Senate.
This being the case, chances are that
many may be seeking a seat on thcStatc
Democratic Executive Committee. With
Gov. Holshouser expected to name
State Court of Appeals Judge James
Carson to fill the vacancy when Morgan
resigns in September, it goes without
saying that the GOP Executive
Committee will name Carson as its
candidate.
Rufus Edmisten of Boone, an aide to
the U.S. Senate Watergate Committee
and to Sen Sam. J. Ervin. Jr., State Rep.
Kitchin Josey of Scotland Neck.
Superior Court Judge Charles Kivett of
Greensboro and State Rep. Herbert
Hyde of Asheville, and probably others,
arc actively seeking the Democratic
nomination for Attorney General.
THF. COURTS ... We feel that the
greatest thrust the American people
could have towards decreasing the crime
wave would be to make every effort to
sec that we have strong, able and
cmicntly fair judges and solicitors to ^
preside over our courts from the District
Courts up to and through the Supreme *
Court. "Plea bargaining" seems to have
become almost an everyday practice in
our criminal courts which we think may
be doing much to destroy or long
established jury system of justicc, and
protection for the law-abiding people.
until a few days ago:
Ask a cigarette smoker how many
cigarettes he smoke; during the day, and
he'll come across with the answer
immediately - one packagc, or two
packages, or a packagc and a half a day.
Ask a cigar smoker how many cigars
he smokes in a day, and he doesn't have
to guess; he knows exactly how many,
even though he may lie to you about it.
But ask a pipe smoker how many 1
pipes - full of tobacco he smokes in su
day, and he can't tell you to save his life
because he hasn't the slightest idea.
Mr. Herman Andrews married Mr.
Herman Andrews' sister.
Mr. Herman Andrews lives in Mount
Olive.
Mr. Herman Andrews lives in Winston
? Salem.
Mr. Herman Andrews is no blood
relative of Mr. Herman Andrews.
Fred Neal of Charlotte, sent the
following in to us. It sounds faintly
familiar to us and maybe you've heard
or seen it before. However, we'll run it
anyway.
"A woman married four times. The
first time she married a banker, the
second time an actor, the third time a
preacher, and the fourth lime an
undertaker. Why did she marry them in
that order?
'The answer is:
"One for the money.
Two for the show,
Three to make ready and
Four to go."
And speaking of getting married, 1
reckon you've heard the story about the
young married couple who had a spat
and she left him and went home to her
mother, who lived in a town about
twenty miles away.
That night the husband called up his
wife, "I feel so blue that I believe I'll
take poison," said he.
"And I believe 111 take poison, too,"
said she.
Whereupon the operator broke in
with the remark: "That'll be 25 cents
extra, please."
"Why?" inquired the couple in
unison.
"Poison to poison call," explained
the operator.
Rural Fires
Call
875-4242
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