MORE LETTERS County Board Chairman Says Criticism Factless, Unjust, Petty i o inc editor: rhis is in response to the letter of Mr. "David Beecher" of Shallottc which appeared in the April 14 Beacon. I would have liked to have spoken to the gentle man personally, but having checked tax listings, public utilities and voter registration, was unable to determine whether he in fact exists. First, (John) Harvey was not dismissed or forced to retire from his position by (Wyman) Yelton. On the con trary, Mr. Harvey has been a dedicated, loyal county em ployee for many years, and his record is spotless. My personal regard for and confidence in him are so high that he was chosen to be interim county manager after (David) Clcgg's resignation. Although under the law, I am restricted in divulging most information concerning a county employee, I can say that Mr. Harvey is scheduled to return to work full time, at regular salary, on Tuesday, April 19, 1994, pur suant to a mutually satisfactory employment arrange ment that took into account his and the county's needs. This arrangement was negotiated following Mr. Harvey's wife's death, when Mr. Harvey no longer needed a leave of absence. His desire for a leave of absence was, of course, un derstandable and appropriate, and he was accommodat ed. It did, however, leave a gap in county government that was unexpected and needed to be filled by someone as competent as Mr. Harvey. Wade Home fit that de scription. He did not actively seek the position and cer tainly had no part in Mr. Harvey's decision to seek a leave of absence. Mr. "Bcechcr's" criticism of Mr. Home is both unfair and incorrect. Concerning what Mr. Clegg might have done, please be advised that it was Mr. Clegg's action which resulted in the lawsuit by Billy Ingram with the county having to pay a substantial sum of money. I would like to finish by saying that I speak with Mr. Yelton by phone almost daily for the short lengths of time his very poor condition permits. At times his breathing is so labored he must stop. He is in constant, chronic pain. He also is a dedicated, loyal county employee who acted in what he perceived to be the correct way?a way that sought to accommodate the wishes of Mr. Harvey for a leave of absence to be with his dying wife and the needs of the county for a competent planning director. Mr. "Bcechcr's" criticism of him?obviously without fact and motivated by some personal interest?while he is down, is pathetic and petty. The continuing challenges of being a public servant are always difficult, especially making decisions on many-sided issues. One of those most important chal lenges is to see that the truth is told. Responding to "Mr. David Beecher's" factless, incorrect, totally unjust and false attack on Mr. Home and Mr. Yelton, (is) a charge thai I take seriously as a commissioner, to set the record straight. Don Warren, Chairman Brunswick County Board of Commissioners A Message From Yehon To the editor: I have requested that my daughter, Stephanie Yelton, prepare a statement for me to my many friends and sup porters. While returning from western North Carolina on Sunday, April 3, my wife Kay and I were involved in an automobile accident which unfortunately resulted in the death of my wife and the other driver. I have received very severe injuries to my arms, shoulder, legs, knees, neck and ribs and was air-lifted to Duke Medical Center and remained in the intensive care until until April 10. Thanks to many prayers and excellent medical treat ment provided to me by Duke Medical Center, my con dition has improved and I am now off the critical list. No one will know how much your prayers, cards, calls and visits have meant to my family and me. As you might expect, it is difficult for the doctors to let me know when I will be released from Duke Medical Center or when my subsequent rehabilitation will permit me to return to Brunswick County as county manager. My doctors have assured me that I will be able to return io work, and with God's help and your continued prayers, this will occur within the next few months. ! am looking forward to continuing my warm associa tion with the citizens of Brunswick County and working with the many fine Brunswick County employees. Again, please accept my thanks for the many cards of sympathy, expressions of concern, and especially your prayers. W. Wyman Yelton Brunswick County Manager Column On Target To the editor: Many thanks for Susan Usher's excellent column, "Time to Strike a Balance" in The Brunswick Beacon. It hits the nail on the head, and has been distributed to all members of the Coastal Futures Commission. We hope you will continue to follow the progress of our committee. Richardson Preyer Greensboro EDITOR S NOTE: Mr. Preyer is chairman of the N.C. Coastal Futures Commission. SBTA Position Defended To the editor: This is in response to Carl Bazemore's letter to the ed itor on April 14, 1994. GUEST COLUMN Southerners Are Real Victims In Washington's War On Tobacco BY J. STEPHEN VVRAY We have marked the passing of tobacco's financial peak, in all prob ability?the last year of billion-dol lar-production each for North Carolina and Kentucky. A 10-per cent quota cut is now official, and future cuts are certainly anticipated. This product used by ancient chiefs in peace ceremonies is now at war, fighting for its survival, at least in the U.S. Its fate is probably as doomed by the great fathers in Washington as was the fate of those 17th- and 18th-century chiefs who puffed the aromatic leaves for pcace. It is under attack (now, for about 25 years) officially fired upon first by the surgeon general with warning labels, then harsher warning labels that until recently were not required on alcohol products. Next, cigarette ads were banned from TV, but not beer ads. The tobacco industry has been at tacked by all the major networks in documentaries against their product, but not against alcoholic drinks. As tobacco is banned from TV, the net works have nothing to lose. While beer continues to bring in the big bucks for TV, adverse media public ity against tobacco is almost a daily routine. Now there is an adamant "Coalition Against Tobacco" deter mined to deliver tobacco users from their right to choose the product. The coalition wants the Clinton Administration to push for a $2 per pack tax ($20 per carton!). TTiis would severely punish poor smokers and the economics of Kentucky and the Carolinas. Maybe merchants should move now! Tobacco is now cited as a pro posed source of major financing, via more taxes, for the nation's number one priority, the national health care plan. It is ironic that the government chooses a source that it is simultane ously trying to eradicate. Is that hypocrisy, stupidity or what? Why is Uncle Sam determined to put North Carolina and Kentucky in to a great depression instead of re quiring all 50 states to share the fi nancial burden of the health care plan? Tobacco must be Washington's favorite whipping boy. Its use must be the worst pursuit in the U.S. Its least-favored status is evidenced by the government's good-riddance program as more efforts go into fighting tobacco than any other product, with the possible exception of illegal drugs. It must be worse than TV violence, pornographic lit erature, salt, sugar, fat, nitrates, sodi um, preservatives, caffeine, carbon ated diinks, alcoholic drinks, X-rat ed videos, peep shows, strip joints. bungee jumping and marijuana (if you don't inhale). Yet this product is used by choice. You merchants are going to miss its power to produce money. You tax-gobbleis in government arc go ing to miss its multiplied revenues. But the victims of this war, by far, will be millions of Southerners. The Carolinas, prior to 1994, have enjoyed an annual billion-dollar plus economic boost immediately upon the sale of the raw product. Kentucky has been getting its bil lion. Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Virginias have been annual ly reaping hundreds of millions from the sale of tobacco. Now add to that the revenues, including taxes, re ceived from the finished product, and those figures will form an eco nomic mountain towering far above the raw product's revenue. This government-cursed product employs hundreds of thousands. It provides for the sale of automobiles, trucks and tractors by the tens of thousands. It pays for the construc tion of houses, packing bams, curing barns, storage facilities, warehouses, factories, etc. It necessitates the re peat purchase of auto/truck and trac tor parts, farm implements, tires, batteries, agri-chemicals, fertilizers, etc. Its trade revenues help offset the huge, staggering U.S. trade deficits. Its tax revenues, pound for pound, out-perform product, poultry, eggs, meat and milk. Many well-meaning advisors have suggested that farmers simply diversify to replace the revenue loss es from tobacco sales. What should they grow?$3 billion annually worth of more radishes, peaches, peppers, cucumbers, com, wheat, milk, eggs? Tobacco is certain to suffer with additional taxes and unfavorable regulations from the farms to the factories. Quotas are cut for 1994. Buying companies, citing uncertain ties facing tobacco's future have projected a 39-percent decrease in demand for 1994. How much will it be cut in 1995, 1996? What will the government find to tax five or ten years from now when tobacco products are drastically re duced or banned? The government's war on tobacco is persistently dri ving this industry overseas, where jobs and revenues are appreciated. Is America debt-free? Have em ployment levels reached a surplus? Have Southern farmers, merchants and tobacco workers become so fi nancially secure that they can easily weather another great depression when this industry is deported? If the government continues to try to regulate every aspect of our per sonal lives and our industries, regu lating them out of business, sending them overseas, perpetuating unem ployment, enlarging welfare rolls, how long will it be before there is a major rebellion? We are told how to sit in our cars, when and where we can clear land, dig a ditch, building on land we pay taxes on. Now we are told where we can and cannot smoke. Apparently, we will be told if and when and what we can smoke. When the government cannot get a handle on controlling crime and il legal drugs, it continues to look for whole new areas to subdue, oppress and harass, even at its own expense. Stephen Wray is a tobacco auction eer who works the North Carolina and Kentucky markets. He lives in Shallotte. SOUTHPORT-O0K ISLAND FRIENDS OF SENATOR R.C. SOLES, ]R. .Ci^a? C.Mou 3a, CftU.ul (f Free Barbecue Dinner "9lleet tile C'uml.duLo " Friday. April 11 6:00-8:00 p.m. Oaic ?)Uoo,se of mortgage from NationsBank. And maybe you can save < Tort Un 'Mint* only uu? KjuiuaI j*r.?ut4r * of .. i fili i . ?* 7 npu.*?Plftn*i?VA ytat irn.xnouUOoMfoar-d an 300 auntNjr tiusii11,a<'>i* ^mw-xw'1 m?> slUi k rj.M I. ? . . ??ft-n-dt* Nat*?tk?HwN M.-rtg**'?'of|wr?l?u? NaUMVilkn* \ut**luLn banks rnrnK'au! Kxjiul Hotninit l/ntdrn O