Page 2A-THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Thursday, January 24, 1991
| Opinions | u
| Cartoonitorial | | Your Right To Say It | | y
. JIM
HEFFNER
®
Columnist
-There are several of us who write editorials for
& newspaper from time to time. ~~ ten a
2 Recently, I wrote an editorial about the new farm
subsidy bill and a letter poured in from all over. The
: letter was from Stephan G. Gibson, Agricultural
“© Extension Agent for Cleveland County, to the Editor,
Gary Stewart.
Mr. Gibson points out that my statement that $260
billion was spent during the decade of the 80's for farm
subsidies was incorrect. He sent a government docu-
ment that shows $182.9 billion was the correct figure
for nine years during that decade, and he is correct al-
though I don't know what happened to the tenth year.
I have no excuse for making that error. I was using
\ several documents as background material and one of
~ them, a report by James Bovard, a policy analyst for
the Cato Institute of Washington, D.C. does use $260
billion. Mr. Bovard may be including administration
costs or some other hidden costs I don't know about,
but anyway, I apologize for making the error, if in fact
it is an error. en
Mr. Gibson also takes exception to a further state-
ment I made that food prices would be lower without
* the subsidy program. He says that's speculation. Well,
that information came from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, the same government agency: he uses to
back up his argument. A 1989 USDA report conclud-
ed: "Without government support consumer (food)
. prices would fall by about 12%."
# "It is a well known fact," says Mr. Gibson, "that U.s.
citizens spend much less of their total income on food
as compared to people in other countries." Perhaps so,
but I submit that food is significantly cheaper in
Australia, according to James Bovard, who has au-
thored a book on the subject of farm subsidies.
Australia, as far as I know, doesn't use subsidies.
Mr. Gibson goes on to say that it is true that the av-
erage U.S. farmer has a million or more in assets, but
that doesn't make him a millionaire, He points out that
these assets include investments to maintain the farm-
ing operation. I would point out that most of Donald
Trump's billions are tied up in investments, but that
doesn't make him and less a billionaire.
Mr. Gibson closes by saying the material he sent us
might be used to undo the damage the editorial did.
Come on now, what damage?
The main thrust of the editorial was to show that
farm subsidies, in our opinion, are improper and that
the land that lies fallow should be used to raise crops.
Another point I tired to make is that some of the land
big farmers are being paid to idle might not even be
suitable for farming.
I should say here that the principle focus of the
piece was the huge farms in the Midwest and ‘West. I
don't believe we have any mega-farms in Cleveland
County, although I could be wrong. I had no intention
2 of{ pointing an accusing finger at localfarmers. That
~¢ Should have been fairly ohvious, +“ f; ai, 1
: ccording to "
Réserve Bank of St. Louis (Dec. 1985), family farms
comprise only about one-third of the nation's 2.2 mil-
) lion farms,
I'm sorry, Mr. Gibson, but you haven't convinced me
that the farm program is good for the country. Here are
a few reasons why:
-The April 1986 Editorial Research report, a publi-
cation of the Congressional Quarterly, states the gov-
ernment paid dairy farmers (in 1986) $11.60 for every
100 pounds of milk not sold on the open market.
-The USDA, on March 28, 1986, accepted bids from
13,988 dairy farmers to have 952,000 of their milk
cows slaughtered over and 18-month period. The gov-
ernment agreed to buy 400,000 pounds of the meat in
an attempt to keep it off market.
i -In 1988, the government required farmers to leave
27.5% of their wheat land unplanted. A total of
29,300,000 acres were left idle that year.
-In 1989, the USDA required -cotton-farmers-to:
leave 25% of their land idle in order to qualify for sub-
sidies.
In conclusion, I will stick by the editorial. I simply
believe it is better for all concerned if farmers are al-
lowed to use all their resources, It seems to me they'd
make more money, The idea that consumer prices
wouldn't come down just doesn't wash.
Here's a final thought to ponder, We all get up in
arms when we hear how OPEC keeps oil prices so
high by cutting production and withholding their prod-
ucts from the market,
Aren't we talking about a similar strategy?
Established 1889
Published Thursday at East King Street at Canterbury Road,
Kings Mountain, North Carolina 28086,
USPS 931-040, by Republic Newspapers, Inc.-
2nd Class postage paid in Kings Mountain
Darel AUSHN.......0 i nina sin Publisher
CalY OWI. Editor
Elizabelhy Stewart... .....civ arian News Editor
Shirley Austin............cccvuverennen. Advertising Representative
Nancy Miller............couuvnnirenns Advertising Representative
JOH Bag. i iii ccnnirtersaorin Production Manager
Leah Wray... i nities Graphic Designer
Frances Black... cnt Layout and Designer
Sarah: Griffinic....n.. con 8 Business Manager
Denieco Talbamt..................icciiivivens Circulation Manager
Vitor TrIVBI i finn ni Pressroom Manager
MIKE BIalOBK....... iii onstaniinibanesans Assistant Pressman
Ei DDY BITES... dil tires ii itis oh retires Inserter
NRC Ot re imine ens rior iar Inserter
Subscription Rates
F 1 Year
INCOUNEY. ii icieninen $14.50 $7.25
Out-Of-County.....smmmmmsmmmees $15.55 $7.80
Student Rates (9 Mos.)......... $11.00
(All prices include 5 percent sales tax.)
REPUBLIC NEWSPAPERS, INC.
Postmaster: Send Address Changes To:
Kings Mountain Herald: P.O. Box 769
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
Back issues, one month or older, when available, are 70¢ per copy.
this
Review, a publication of the federal
LOOK AX THOSE POOR GUYS
IN THE STANDS; THEIR TEAM'S
LOSING, THEY RE FREEZING
THEIR TALLS OFF AND THEY
CAN'T EVEN HAVE ABEER!
Co)
S [euolp3 Wd ‘06610
ES
4
\
NN
S82IAI0
_—
z
77
[ 2
2
Y, 74
HH
’ BA ns
rs “tn, wo,
at
SAANNANANANANRRRRRS
~
2 “AH rit reese
mmm
a
Zs .
_
7 ANB
_ 7
op
ney ol
Tv
This. that, and the other
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - A couple of
weeks ago we started a new feature called "You Want
To Know." It runs each Thursday on the front page and
our purpose in beginning it was to invite readers to ask
questions about the school system, city government, or
anything else that would be of interest to readers.
The column has been more popular than we ever
imagined. We appreciate those who have written in
questions and we'll try our best to get all of them an-
swered, but we can see now that some questions may
take some time. So, if your question doesn't appear in
this week's paper, it doesn't mean we've trashed it. We
probably just haven't gotten around to getting it an-
swered.
However, we want to.point out that we do not intend
to get answers for people who are trying to use this
service as a means of embarrassing anyone, or trying
to stir up a controversy. And, we don't intend to get an-
swers to questions if, in our opinion, the person re-
questing it could get it himself but does not want his
identity known. We will not accept anonymous phone
calls or letters. If we're going to spend our time to get
questions answered, we're going to know who we're
doing it for. eal any
So, if you have a legitimate question and don't know
how to go about getting an answer, feel free to wr
the Editor, P.O. Box 769, Kings ‘Mountain N.
28086. We'll try our best to help you. f
ABOUT TRANSFERS - There are a lot of rumors
going around that the school board has granted trans-
fers for vice chairman Priscilla Mauney's children to
remain at North School.
If the first phase of the redistricting map is adopted,
Mrs. Mauney's residence will be in the East attendance
zone. However, the school board has not adopted any
new attendance zones yet and the board has not grant-
ed any transfers because of possible reassignment.
The two transfers granted at the most recent board
meeting were out-of-district transfers, one involving a
local high school student who is transferring to Shelby
and the other a child who lives in York, S.C., and who
is moving to Kings Mountain but wants to finish this
year in York.
CLARIFICATION - School board member Ronnie
-at-North-is~for a small area of North
Piedmont from the Linwood Road light to McAbee's
Store. It is not for the entire length of Piedmont
Avenue,
Hawkins' rationale for the request is that students
living on North Piedmont between Linwood and
McAbee's can step across the street and be on North
School property. His request does not include students
in the First and Second Street areas.
THOSE COOKIES WERE GOOD! - I was stand-
ing out near the mail box recently when the mail man
came pulling up. He handed the mail out the window
and said, "Tell your wife I really appreciated those
Sidewalk Survey
3
_ Hawkins’ proposal to leave students living on.Nogth
{
2
1.
GARY
STEWART
@
- Editor
cookies she made me at Christmas."
So, when my wife got home from work that after-
noon, I told her. :
"What cookies?" she asked. "I didn't make cookies
for the mail man."
It seems Karen Roper, one of my wife's friends at
McGill Clinic, had made some cookies for us and had
told our friend and neighbor, Kim Birskovich, to leave
them in our mail box on her way home. “
Thanks, Karen. It's the thought that counts!
A MOTHER'S PRAYER - Sometimes the best
way to deal with emotion is to write it down, A Kings
Megntain mother, who, woryies shout her son in
Operition Desert Stbrm expressed these thoughts:
"My son: I BR, & samara
"While I sit here watching the news, I wipe tears
away and look at your picture. I love you so much and
I am so worried that now I can't send this letter,
"On bended knee I pray to our Great Lord in
Heaven to keep you safe. We love you so very much, I
cannot imagine life without you.
"Lord, please bring my son home to me, safe in
body and mind. Amen."
HOW TO RECOGNIZE RECESSION - Dwight
Frady, our cohort at the Belmont Banner, recently
wrote about the recession,
A lot of folks are counting their pennies, he said,
and he's figured out how we can tell if we're in a reces-
sion.
For instance, he said the economy is bad when:
--The next rainbow you see is in black and white,
--When you drop a dime and chase it.for a-blogk;
“--gee-it-roll-down-a storm drain; and you take the storm
drain off and dive in.
--When you start wearing more hand-me-down
clothes. This is particularly bad for a young boy who
has three older sisters who wear a lot of dresses.
--When your ex-wife calls and tells you she has to
“have more money so she can dress up nice for her cur-
rent boyfriend or sugar daddy.
--When your husband, who's toting a suitcase, tells
you he'll be "right back" from a trip to the convenience
store to buy a pack of cigarettes.
--When Monique, the phone confessions girl, whis-
pers to you in one of those TV commercials that she's
now dishing out her innermost secrets and desires at
"half price." :
taking over small countries until he was the ruler of
- the world. I have been watching TV since about 7 p.m.
Letters to President
(ED. NOTE -Cindi Wood's sixth grade classes at
KM Middle School have been following the situa-
tion in the Middle East since school began in
August. After the outbreak of war last week, they
wrote letters to President Bush expressing their
feelings about the Persian Gulf War. Here are some
of the letters).
Dear President Bush, 4 |
I am a 6th grader at Kings Mountain Middle School. -.
At first I thought you made the wrong decision, and I }
was very upset. But Wednesday, January 16, I saw an- |
other side of you. I was shocked how you really felt a
about all of this. I know you've tried to make peace. I i
must say, "job well done!" BR
Tamra Webber RQ
Dear President Bush,
I think you did the right thing when you took us into
war. I don't think Saddam Hussein would have ever &
given up. Our class has been talking about the fact that |
you are probably under a lot of pressure. We are with
you all the way and I feel like you will make the right
decisions. :
Bethany Jimison
Dear President Bush,
I think you could have done better at trying to keep
us out of war. You know, talking things out is always
better than killing each other.
Johnny Surratt Jr.
Dear President Bush,
I agree with your decision about the war. The only
way we could get Hussein to leave was to give him a
deadline. But he didn't leave so now we are having
war. I feel bad about all of the men and women that
may get killed. I really hope the war will be over soon.
I think we will get Hussein with the air war. wa
Wendy Blanton
Dear President Bush,
I want to tell you that I think you have had a lot of
pressure on you these last days. I agree with you be-
cause there was no other way Hussein would have
thought that we mean business. Maybe he will know
now. 4
Misty Walker
Dear President Bush,
I am glad that you decided to go to war. You had to a
do it. I think it was a good decision because Saddam 1
was not going to leave. You made the best decision
and I know you probably had a lot of thought and con-
cern about the situation. I think it must have been hard
on you. Thanks for making the best decision.
Robert Ormand
Dear President Bush,
I am glad you decided to go to war with Iraq be-
cause if we did not, Saddam Hussein would keep’on |
when I first heard they had just started dropping
bombs over Bagdad. I hope it is over real soon. ;
Rhea Herndon
Dear President Bush, i
I am glad you are a caring president. I support you = |
all the way on your decision. I am thinking about you
and all of the troops in Saudi Arabia. I know we can
win this war. I just wish all of this would have never
happened. Please know that I am behind the U.S. all
the way to the very end. |B
Crystal Galloway P \
i
Dear President Bush, \
You made the right decision when you declared war. NY
If you had not made that decision, he would have tak- gp
en over another country five years later probably. I just
want. you. to know. that you have a "thumbs up" from
a
me. I hope we win this war against them to make
peace in the world. May God be with you,
Demetrick Berry
Today's Bible Verse
"He shall judge between the nations,
And shall rebuke many people; i
They shall beat their swords i
into plowshares, A
And their spears into pruning hooks; d
Nation shall not life up sword against 4
nation, i
Neither shall they learn war anymore." 1
g --Isaiah 2:4 &
i
>
ew,
ETE
How do you feel about War in the Gulf?
2
a
ROBBIE WILSON ROBBIE CANSLER
KMHS Student Council (12TH GRADER)
President This Is really scripture
| support President Bush fulfilled itself. God may
100 percent. be letting this happen
to get us together for
His rapture.
TATIANA BERRY
(8TH GRADER)
| think it's a good idea
to finally start It. Now
they can get it over
with and come home.
ROBERT CURRY JR.
(7TH GRADER)
| really don't have close
relatives there but I'm
sorry our soldiers are
there. | wish Saddam
would come to his
senses.
STACIE WOMACK ETHEL BUMGARDNER L
(9TH GRADER) KMHS ASSISTANT b
| don't think It's called PRINCIPAL i
| support our troops 100
percent. My daughter-
In-laws brother, Frankie
Carter, Is serving In
Saudi Arabla.
for because | don't
think you should risk
lives for war.