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Questions And Answers About City Hall Petition "Th' trick Is to survive tK Paris peace talks.. Several questions have cropped up aa city officials and interested citizens have circulated petitions which call for a referendum on issuance of ap proximately $260,000 in bonds to fi nance construction of a new city hall for Clinton. We will attempt to answer some of them here. Q—Who may sign the petitions? A — Any owner (freeholder) of property in the city limits may sign. If a husband and wife have joint own ership of a piece of property, both must sign and their signatures will be counted separately. If the husband owns one piece of property and the wife owns another, both may sign. Q—Don’t non-property owners get to have their say in this matter? A—The petition may be signed only by property owners but the peti tion is simply requesting that a ref erendum (vote) be held. In the ref erendum, all registered voters in the city limits may cast their ballots, re gardless of whether they own proper ty. q—How many petition signatures are needed? r A—There are 2,215 owners of property in the city limits of Clinton. In order to hold the referendum, the petition must be signed by a majority of the property owners. That means that at least 1,108 property owners must sign the petition. However, city officials are shooting for many more signatures than just the minimum. Q—Isn’t updating the city’s elec trical system more important than building a city hall? A—These are two entirely sep arate projects. Work has already be gun on updating the electrical system. Almost $100,000 worth of equipment has already arrived for this project. It is to be completed by late spring. For the past several years. City Council has been setting aside money for the proposed city hall. The build ing fund now totals almost $250,000, about half of what will be needed to build the city hall. The city has been setting aside for this purpose its share of revenue from the Clinton-Newberry Natural Gas Authority. Q — Won’t building the city hall mean a tax increase? A—City officials say it will not mean a tax increase. They plan to ear-mark Gas Authority revenues for the next four or five years to pay off the general obligation bonds needed to finance the project. Q—Won’t the new city hall use all of the Gas Authority revenue, leaving nothing for other projects which are needed? A—City officials say that, based on past Gas Authority revenue, there will be at least $30,000 to $40,000 left over each year for other needed proj ects. In addition, the city will have its normal tax revenue from local, state and federal sources to finance operation of the city. GRATIFYING AWARD Our congratulations to R. Michael (Mike) Turner of Clinton on being presented The Silver Beaver Award last week. The award is the highest an adult leader can receive in Scout work There are 4,000 adult Scout leaders in the eight-county Blue Ridge Council but only six Silver Beaver Awards were presented. Turner has spent many hours and has expended much effort in behalf of Boy Scout work and it is gratifying to see him receive recognition for his efforts on behalf of the boys and young men in our community. Through Scout work, Turner and other adult leaders are making an in vestment in the future welfare of this community and this nation. It is an investment in time, energy and inter est but it is a solid investment. Turner and the others who were honored donated their services to Scouting without thought of personal reward or recognition but it is good to see the spotlight of public attention shining on such individuals. The Odd % HOW ABOUT US? It was thirty years ago this year that Uncle Sam very confidently set a price tag on our kids. Uncle said $600, and since 1939 that has been the figure established by the Internal Revenue Code. That is what the gov ernment allows us for each dependent child, as a deduction on our income tax. Now there appears in the press a report that welfare recipients are campaigning for a minimum annual handout of at least $4,400. That, the dole-takers say, is the rock bottom in come which would insure their dignity and relief from harassment. Might that be a proper new deduc tion for a man and wife filing a joint federal income tax return ? There are across this land several million man and wife taxpayers who were not yet born in 1939. Yet they are feeding, clothing and educating children under that ridiculous and an tiquated $600 deduction per depend ent. When Uncle Sam looked at the problem of establishing dependency “allowances” within programs more modern than the income tax he chose to be infinitely more generous. We are allowed $50 a month deduc tion for each of our kids. But the Aid to Dependent Children program subscribes upwards of $800 a year for the upkeep of an illegitimate child. Still, come April 15, the man from Uncle will insist that the $600 deduc tion is the law of the land. And if you suggest that the cost of food, shoes, doctor bills, church and school activi ties have risen somewhat since 1939, you’ll prompt a condescending smile. Congressmen gratefully accepted an 88 percent increase in salary over the last five years. We poor taxpayers haven’t had an increase in the stand ard deduction in 30 years. How about us? Focusing On Photography BY BABSON’S REPORTS INC. WELLESLEY HILLS, MASS.- Taking pictures is not only a plea surable hobby -- it’s also a big and still growing business. In the period 1961 through 1966 the pho tography industry in this country grew at an average annual rate of about 15% -- or twice the annual rate of the Gross National Pro duct. In 1967 the value of photo graphic merchandise shipments advanced to about $3 billion, and last year it was even higher. BRIGHT FUTURE Aided by more leisure time, the increase in the teenage popu lation, higher disposable income, new product developments, the emphasis on color, more exten sive traveling by the public, and wider use of photography in edu cation, business, and the sciences, the photographic indus try could sustain a growth rate of 10% to 15% per annum during the coming decade. Amateur pho tography, which consumes nearly 40% of photo merchandise pro duces in the U.S., is booming. More expensive color photogra phy has been expanding at an ex tremely rapid pace. Nearly 75% of all amateur still pictures are now in color. The rapid increase in picture taking over the past decade has come about largely because of simplified instant loading camer as, instant print cameras, an af fluent consuming public, and the dynamic “youth” market. The overseas sector has also been an area of strong growth, and in the future may outstrip the domestic advance. MANY PARTICIPANTS The three dominant companies in this industry are Eastman Ko dak, Polaroid, and Bell 4 Howell. But there are other large firms that have an important stake in photography. For example, about 10% of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing’s sales come from photographic products. GAF Corp. derives nearly 25% of its sales from photo products. Berkey Photo fast-growing film producer, distributor, and pro cessor, had sales last year of over $125 million, while Techni color’s 1968 revenues ex ceeded $116 million. There are also numerous smaller companies with impor tant interests in some area of the industry. A few such are Ehren- reich Photo-Optical, Perfect Film 4 Chemical, Pako Corp., Fox Stanley, Viewlex, Argus, AIC Photo, Fotochrome, DeJur- Armsco, and Interphoto. LOOKING AT THE LEADERS Eastman KODAK is far and away the Industry’s leader. About 80% of its 1968 sales of over $2.6 billion came from photogra phic equipment and supplies, which Included the Instamatic still and Super 8 movie camera lines, film projectors, and color processing services. Kodak also produces synthetic textile fibers, chemicals, and plastics. This company has one of the finest growth records of any in dustrial firm, reflecting astute management, aggressive poli cies, well-accepted product line, and new product developments. Kodak’s future growth should be augmented by its overseas busi ness. Hence the Babson’sReports staff feels that Eastman Kodak may be purchased for growth. POLAROID has compiled a tre mendously impressive growth record largely because of its fre quent introduction of new pro ducts. Research and development have been the company’s strong points. Polaroid plans to intro duce an entirely new product line of cameras, including a low-cost color model which will be priced under $30. Aided by the new line, plus its probable entry into other fields such as slides and copiers at some later date, Polaroid’s growth prospects remain good. WE DIG THIS IDEA! 2-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., March 18, 1969 SENATOR STROM THURMOND REPORTS TO THE PEOPLE THE PRESIDENTS TRIP Polaroid traditionally sells at a high multiple of earnings and is very volatile, but is a good long term holding. BELL 4 HOWELL’S common stock is now priced well below its former high due largely to a temporary flattening in the com pany’s earnings. In the future, Babson’s Reports expects a re covery in earnings as B4H be nefits from some of its late de velopments. These include a new method of adding sound to home motion pictures; a new fully in stamatic focusing system for home movie cameras; a new elec tro-static copier; several new cassette audio tape recorders; and a new color television camera. Bell 4 Howell may be bought for appreciation. President Nixon has given a report to the Nation on his European trip. His accomplish ments on this trip were both immediate and far-ranging. While no one could expect spe cific agreements to come from such intensive meetings with the heads of state in Europe, the re sults were more than psychologi cal. The President has succeeded in getting American diplomacy back on its traditional course with European allies. Despite our world-wide re sponsibilities, our heritage and our tradition stem from Europe, the seat of Western Civilization. It is fashionable in some quar ters to attack the West as vi cious exploiters of the rest of the world. Yet no other civilization has produced so much progress for mankind, both in raising the standard of living for all people, in developing advanced technol ogy for everyone’s benefit, and in organizing society with hu manitarian and moral concern. The West at times has fallen from its own standards, but no other civilization has placed its standards so high. IMPORTANCE OF EUROPE The President’s trip was a reassertion of the primary im portance of Europe in our inter national outlook. In recent years, our relations with Europe were in a state of decay. The -French were openly anti-American; the Germans had doubts about our continued interest in the West ern alliance; the British de manded a slavish adherence to their own foreign policy goals. President Nixon’s trip has re sulted in a fresh start in all these countries. The European nations have been fearful that the United States and the Soviet Union might make their own deal with out considering the needs and situation of the members of the Western alliance. They have been afraid that the two super powers were more interested in reaching an accommodation be tween themselves thsn in pro tecting the security of Western Europe. However, President Nixon is taking a realistic view of Soviet intentions. He clearly recognizes the Soviet policy of sttempting to weaken us through indirect confrontation. The President said: NIXON’S VIEW “On the one hand, in Vietnam they're heating up the war. They furnish 80 percent, 85 percent of the sophisticated military equipment for the North Viet namese forces. Without that as sistance, North Vietnam would not have the capability to wage the major war they are against the United States. In the Mid east, without what the Soviet Union has done in rearming Is rael’s neighbors, there would be no crisis there that would re quire our concern.”* With these words. President Nixon clearly recognizes that the Soviets are actively engaged in stirring up trouble through out the world. At the same time, he also recognizes that the So viets prefer to keep these crises seething, without actually boil ing over into direct confronta tion. Thia is the policy which the Soviets call “peaceful coexist ence.” U. S. officials have seldom analyzed this policy so candidly. Such frankness was undoubt edly reassuring to our European allies. The Germans, for ex ample, are continually faced with the threats and pressures of Soviet “peaceful coexistence.” General deGaulle also has long expressed impatience with Amer ican illusions about Soviet inten tions. The British are withdraw ing from their global mission and worried about whether U. S. policies will interfere with Euro pean union. These frank, face to face meetings pave the way for con structive discussions about mu tual concerns. In the short run, the Presi dent’s trip established a personal relationship with the heads of state. It was a fence mending trip in an area where the fences were badly run down. In the long run, the President reassured the Europeans that Europe’s inter ests were second only to those of the United States itself in our plans. Thus reassured, the Western alliance can now take up the question of a realistic policy to wards the Soviet Union. r* 1 nr- f r , *r (Not or jpriitCMf At pov#miMntt \ Civil Disobedience SEE AMERICA THIS SUMMER One part of our balance-of-payments problem is the result of Americans spending more than twice as much in other countries as foreign visitors spend in our country. What is being done about it? The government has joined its efforts with those of travel-related private industries to promote travel to and within the United States. This program is described in a 40-page booklet issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which details the eco nomics of tourism in attractively illustrated pages. All Americans are urged to welcome visitors from other countries. Tourist attractions of the United States are widely advertised by the petroleum industry, which is promoting a series of historical and scenic tours throughout the length and breadth of the country— offering a “living history” of the nation. The entire travel and transportation industry is publicizing the desirability of American travel, but the added touch of personal invitation to those abroad, and the development of local programs can stimulate an even greater volume of visitors. Where responsible people in many nations are seeking a better understanding, person-to-person re lationships can be of material help. Are you going to extend an invitation this sum mer? BY RICHARD GANTT Attorney Presbyterian College Civil disobedience involves a deliberate and punishable breach of law. Some of its advocates say conscience prevents them from obeying the law. Socrates said that strong be lief could cause a conscientious disobedience of state law, but he also believed that legal sanctions must be accepted. A Quaker travels to Hanoi to deliver medicine to a civil dis obedient. He is non violent and has submitted to the penalities of law. He has not rioted nor interferred with another’s rights. By his example of willing to re ceive the penality he hopes to gain support for his cause. He processes his case through the usual civil channels. If there were no courts to pro vide justice, rebellion would be necessary. However, we have a capable court system in the U- nited States. Failure to solve all complaints through legal channels is asking for tyranny. When obedience to the law ends, governments and societies fall. Some contend the present sys tem of dispute settling is in sufficient. Furthermore, they say tills lack justifies disobedience— a quicker, easier, route than pe tition and debate. Through this attitude, violence ean readily grow—a return to the quick draw. History has proven that civil in surgency creates more injustices than it solves. Many are impatient and want speedier solutioos. Speed in- thus injuring the rights of many. The end does not justify the means; this form of dissent threatens the rule of law. When groups plan any action which will prevent others from pursuing their normal routines, it is not dissent, but denial of rights of others. Continued disobedience undermines our democratic pro cesses. With every unlawfhl set committed and declared s protec tion guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, these rights deteriorate. Thus our protection Is destroyed. A true civil disobedient breaks the law but not the peace. He is mindful of the rights of others. A group should have the right to demonstrate but not to riot, to be heard, but not to force their opinions. Somewhere in the middle is right but where is the middle? Only the courts have the authority to determine this under our system. Any other method is merely minuse of power. Davidson Street Resolution Opposes Pari-Mutuel Betting Members of Davidson Street Baptist Church recently adopted a resolution opposing pari mutuel betting in South Carolina. The resolution says, in part, “We denounce and deplore such a proposal by Senator William Brockington and others in the state legislature which would permit legalized gambling in South Carolina.* The resolution also says, “It is our conviction that gambling, like liquor, in association with crime, broken homes and lives, and the breakdown of morals which it causes, costs our state far more than it ever gets in re venue from it.* The resolution says, “We strongly urge the people to re quest in writing that our gover nor and our state representatives in the House and Senate defeat any proposal to legalize betting.’ On Feb. 19, the House of Re presentatives voted 63-50 against extablishing a committee to study pari-mutuel betting. However, the proposal was placed on the calendar again alter Rep. Thomas Hartnett (D-Char lest on) intro duced a motion to reconsider. The Laurens County House re presentatives voted against the measure. Ten tons of stainless steel i used in a huge reproducing n chine which mahei painting* much like the originals that m; artists can’t tell the copies fr their original works.