Weekly constitution corner By Charles W. Uwry D. Phil. (Oxaa.) D.D. % The dog days o f the Constitution Convention came not in August, but in the last third of June and the first third of July-for twenty odd days. Ttlis was the period of sharp contro versy and deep discouragement. At base was a seemingly irrecon cilable conflict of interest and convic tions. The delegates of the smaller States, though not unanimously, were lined up against those of the larger States, expecially Virginia and Pennsylvania. The nub and focus of controversy was the Legislative power and how it should be consti tuted. At stake was the republican principle, which today could be indifferently, the democratic >le. Were the people the true source of sovereignty? Should the majority rule? What about the inter est of property, the role of wealth? Then there was the brutal fact that the United States of America then existing was a confederation of equal ^oyereign States. Was this a reality I that could be overturned and forgot lten? ? ' Jonathan Day of New Jersey was > ' sure that this could never happen. As ! late as July 14 he declared "the ; smaller States can never give up ? their equality." f And there was the smouldering is i sue of slavery. There were in the Con ' vention slave-owners from the South ' em States. There were also delegates |who did not believe in the "peculiar ^institution," including George Mason of Virginia, though he owned many , slaves. How were the slaves who were certainly inhabitants and pro ducers to be counted when it came to reckoning population and proportion ality of representation? This issue raised temperatures among the dele gates ad occasioned sharp ex changes. It was eventually settled by the three-fifths formula first agreed to in a motion by James Wilson of Pennsylvania, secondedby Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Caro lina, on June 11. But motions passed at one point were far from settling issues or stopping debate. There was great freedom in this Convention. That is why it is so interesting, and at times sensational, even spectacular, in ideas and views expressed. An arresting example is one of the most influential delegates, Gouver nour Morris of Pennsylvania. This was a learned and very brilliant man, perhaps a trifle erratic. He was sure wealth was important, property fundamental. He could say that "Property was the main object of Society." But this did not prevent his saying that he had come to the Convention "to form a compact for the good of America. He was ready to do so with all the States." (This was on July 12). A week earlier he had waxed eloquent in a prophetic vein: He came here, he avowed, "as a Rep resentative of America; he flattered himself he came here in some degree as a Representative of the whole hu man race; for the whole human race will be affected by the proceedings of this Convention." Cost of food discussed American farmers have always ) been proud of the fact that they are producing the world's best food bar gain. Now that a major television network news report recently chal lenged that, it bears further exami nation. The news report made the claim that Americans spend more on food than almost any other nation. Mea suring only the total outlay of money spent for food, that's true enough, but I, other factors must be considered. : Our society is the world's most af fluent. Americans demand food that tsLreadily available and easily pre pared. Most of the cost of food is in ttahsportation, consumer conve nience pre-preparation and the atten dant cost of labor. Like all well-fed nations, we can af ford to address the question of food 'safety and quality. We have done this quite well, but not without adding % cost. What we pay for is basically the freedom from worrying about our food supply. In many nations, the quest for nourishment consumes nearly all of the waking hours of its people. When analyzing all the demands Americans make on their food sup ply, there is only one fair way to de termine the true cost of food and that is percentage of disposable income spent for food. By that yardstick, there is no contest. Taking an aver age of only 16 percent of after-tax in come, American food is still the world's best food bargain. Peanut market increases . PEANUT MARKETING UPDATE fty: Jack Ward, Area Farm Manage ment Agent As you are now aware all peanut buyers in our area are offering pre miums amounting to 110 percent of t support grade for quota peanuts and " 104 percent of support for additio nal Recent marketing information indicates that premiums are even be Jng paid for runner type peanuts ( 105 percent) and Spanish type peanuts <}03 percent) in Texas. Late last >eek, As tor Nut Company, a man ufacturer in Boykins, Virginia, tem porarily offered 120 percent for quota peanuts to specific buying stations. ato their peanuts a little longer for another increase in price. The N.C. Peanut Growers Association, Inc. fuggests that farmers move their production to market as long as fair prices are being paid. The October 8, 1987 Crop Report projects that the to tal US production to be marketed will be slightly less than the 1966 crop ^ marketings The Virginia-North Car ' ojina crop is projected to be 14 per cent below 1966 levels. This means two weak years back to back with a quality reduction also into play for this year. This is a marketing call that you have to make on your own. You do however have a new and up to the date marketing information source in the form of APMS, Inc., owned and operated by Curtis Hatcher decided to install a WATS line so that you as a producer could get information originating from the producers point of view. This pro gram has just been implemented out of his personal funds and he is seek ing support from concerned people or organizations. Your North Carolina Peanut Growers Association has fur nished Mr. Hatcher $200 for his en deavors. You as a producer are in vited and urged to call APMS, Inc. at (800-346-1066) to get an up to date re port on marketing conditions throughout the nation. A note of thanks to Gene Sullivan, N. C. State University Extension Service, Fleet Sugg, N. C. Peanut Growers Associa tion, Inc., and Eddie Marks, PGCMA, for their courteous and in formative responses to my requests for information about the marketing situation with peanuts. Pictured above is the art work which was used to decorate the lunchroom at Central School during "National School Lunchroom Week". The masks were done by Mrs. Light foot's room, pastel pictures were done by Mrs. Barclift's room and Mrs. Hoggard's class, the flag was done by Mrs. Modlin's room, the tie die fabric was done by art classes at the middle school, and the totem pole is a project which the fifth grade will be doing soon. Pure bred duroc sale set The North Carolina Duroc Breed ers fall show and sale will be held on Tuesday, October 27th at the 4-H Livestock Arena in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The show will be in the afternoon and the sale at 7:00 p.m. Bred gilts, open gilts and boars will be offered for sale by Duroc Breeders from throughout North Carolina. According to Jack Parker, Senior Extension Area Swine Specialist, this will be an opportunity for pork pro ducers from throughout eastern North Carolina to buy top quality breeding animals to go into their herds. WGAI to change format Mrs. Deborah Lamb, General Man ager of WGAI Radio Station in Eliza beth City, announced October 19 that WGAI has joined hundreds of other radio stations nationwide in affiliat ing with Satellite Music Network. "Pure Gold is complete live pro gramming, with a full staff of excit ing personalities playing "current" oldies music," Mrs. Lamb said. "We'll be playing Chuck Berry and the Beatles, Elvis Presley and Elton John. It's Ricky Nelson and Connie Francis and the Everly Broth ers. ..the Beach Boys, the Lovin Spoonful and the Association... Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Pure gold is live oldies radio. As part of our Satellite Music Network affilia tion, we will also be carrying Satel lite News Network national news in addition to local news, which will give us immediate live coverage of national events as they happen." Mrs. Lamb stressed Satellite Mu sic Network is simply a live pro gramming resource, and that WGAI will continue to serve the Albemarle Area as a local radio station. "This will give us the time and resources to strengthen our commitment to local news and information." she noted. "And we feel that the exciting, high quality music-and-personality pro gramming of Satellite Music Net work will attract a much larger audi ence for our many valued local advertisers. We're also looking for ward to being able to concentrate on creating and producing more and better radio commercials for local businesses." Satellite Music Network's Pure Gold programming is created, re searched and actually aired by some of the most exciting and interesting oldies music programmers and per sonalities in the business." Mrs. Lamb concluded. ANNOUNCING North Carolina DUROC BREEDERS Association "We're glad to have them as part of our WGAI staff, and we're looking forward to great success as a Satel lite music Network affiliate here in Elizabeth City." The albatross has the greatest wing spread of any bird ? 11 feet from tip to tip. School's celebrate national lunchroom week Students at Perquimans County Central School celebrated "National School Poods Week" last week. The students at Central School en joyed foods with an international flair from around the world, through out the week including American cui sine on Tuesday , African on Wednes day, Greek food on Thursday, and Scandanavian food on Friday. The menu included such things as hamburgers, congo chicken with pea nut sauce, and gyro sandwiches. All of the special items on the menu were prepared by the cafeteria staff, and throughout the week Mrs. Brenda HollowelTs art classes deco rated the cafeteria to carry out the theme of the day. ECU to host open house Greenville? East Carolina Univer sity will observe "Open House '87" on Oct. 31 with programs and tours of the campus for prospective students, their families and the public. Sponsored by the Office of Under graduate Admissions, information sessions will be conducted at the Mendenhall Student Center from 9 a.m. until noon on admissions, stu dent orientation, financial aid and student life at ECU. Sessions are to begin at the start of each hour. Academic information sessions will be conducted from 10 a.m. until noon. Prospective students will have the opportunity to meet faculty mem bers to discuss various academic programs and vocational options. Campus tours will be conducted by the ECU Ambassadors, the universi ty's student representatives. RE-ELECT W.D. (Bill) Cox ?xpwtenc* MAYOR Town Government OF HERTFORD Hertlor? November 3, 1987 ? Your Vote and Support are needed and Appreciated - PAID FOR By W.D. 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