Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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! i ltJte>vH.VVv - I LOCAL HISTORY Dear Editor, South Carolinians have been aware of our State’s celebration of her three hundredth anniversary since we purchased our automobile license tags last fall. As the year comes to an end, our county will have its turn in the Tri-centennial celebration for South Carolina. No vember 8th-14th has been selected by the state of South Carolina for the Laurens County celebration. A number of people have been busying themselves preparing for this outstanding event. Among the many interested groups working for a successful celebration is the Lau rens County Historic Preservation Commission. This group of Laurens county citizens were commissioned over three years ago by the Govern or of South Carolina for the specific purpose of organizing a Laurens County Historical Society. Oto October 19, 1970, at 7:30 P. M, in Belk Auditorium there is plan ned a county-wide open meeting for ' all persons who are interested in our heritage and the preservation of monuments, old homes, and many other things of an historic value. One of the highlights of this meeting will be the historical brochure com plete with' pictures, four towns of the county, and a tour of each of the cities of Clinton and Laurens. It is our hope that all citizens in the county and friends from neigh boring counties will avail themselves of the opportunity of attending this meeting and of having a part in this hsitoric occasion of forming an His torical Society which can continue to work for the preservation of and the collection of writings and other im portant material so important to our great historic heritage of Laurens County. We feel that all South Caro lina history teachers and pupils will find this meeting educational, as well as other people in all walks of life that enjoy local history. Sincerely, Reese H. Young, Chairman, Laurens County Historical Preservation Committee Big Man on Campus in 1970-71? 2-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Oct. 16, 1970 UNITED STATES SENATOR idbirtioJU* MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS Woodruff and Spartanburg have adopted the state’s new Uniform Mu nicipal Election Law. Clinton offic ials might do well to consider adopt ing it. The law helps to take political parties out of municipal elections. Three seats on the Woodruff Town Council are to be filled on Nov. 3, the same date as the statewide general election. There will be no primary preced ing the election. Candidates will quahfy by filing petitions with at least 100 signatures of qualified voters and paying a $15 fee. Deadline for filing is Oct. 19. If more than two candidates of fer for one council seat and no one receives a majority of votes on Nov. 3, a run-off election will be held between the top two candidates on Nov. 17. Non-partisan elections appear to be most effective toward encouraging good government. A candidate’s po litical affiliation shouldn’t have much to do with a local election. However, we have seen men elected because of their party affiliation and we have seen others defeated for the same rea son. Candidates’ qualifications should be the only consideration on the local level. FULBRIGHTJHE ADVISOR Hrig. General Sidney Berry, hero of the Korean and Vietnam wars, once wrote, after a particularly bloody bat tle against Communist forces in Ko rea: “The thing that makes me bitter is the fact that people who foment ami start wars never fight the wars. They do not sweat and bleed ami suffei. Hell no.” General Berry’s comment conies to mind in view of the proposal by Sen ator William F u 1 b r i g h t, powerful Chairman of the Senate Foreign Re lations Committee, that the United States sign a treaty calling for mili tary intervention in the Arab-Israeli conflict. It must be remembered that it was Senator Fulbright who spon sored the “Gulf of Tonkin” resolution in August, 1964. committing United States troops and material in South east Asia—an act of military inter vention which has cost 45,000 lives and hundreds of thousands of wound ed. More recently, Senator Fulbright has changed his mind, claiming that he was "deceived” relative to Viet nam. In Dec., 1969, he urged that we pull out of Vietnam, saying that "we are overextended in our foreign com mitments, especially military commit ments.” In April, 1970, he opposed U.S. arms aid to Cambodia, despite that nation’s plea for equipment and declared that "it is not a matter of vital interect to the United States.” In view of his rather erratic course relative to the Gulf of Tonkin, it would be well for Senator Fulbright to further enlighten us. If his pro posals relative to the Mediterranean involve us in a war, will he advocate a policy for victory, or a no-win policy as he does in Vietnam? If the treaty he now proposes leads to war, will he later say that someone deceived him as he says he was deceived in the Gulf of Tonkin incident? In return for our military aid in the Mediterranean, will he insist that Israel accept a coalition government with their enemies, as he has for the people of South Vietnam? Five or six years from now, and after the loss of thousands of American lives, will he then say that "it is not a matter of vital interest to the Unit ed States.” Fulbright’s claim that he was wrong in 1964 doesn’t do much good for the thousands of wives and chil dren who have lost their sons in Viet nam. As General Berry wrote, peo ple who “start wars never fight the wars.” Whether or not we should become militarily involved is indeed a matter to be weighed and debated; but Sena tor Fulbright isn’t necesssarily the man we should look to for advice. MANUAL ON WOMEN For the last few thousand years or so, menfolk have been trying to fig ure out womenfolk, and there’s not much evidence to show that the men folk are any further ahead than they were in the beginning. But that they keep on trying as indicated by an Elec trician’s Manual on Women, which, according to Editor Bill Eubanks of Tallassee (Alabama) Tribune con tains the following high voltage sug- geetions: “When a woman is sulky and will not apeak: Exciter. When she gets too excited: Con troller. If she talks too long: Interrupt er. If her thoughts don’t agree with yours: Converter. If she is willing to come half way: Meter. If she wants to go farther: Con ductor. If she will go still farther: Dis- unhooks: Connector, too much: Reducer. / <j- STUDENT! h . n I't/1 '■ . r i „ d/<v (i. iv, ,, The 'Ring Road’ Dear Editor: Ring road, by-pass, or poli tical ring road are a few of the names often refered to by individuals when talking about the Clinton Planning Commis- sion and State Highway Depart ment proposal of a road around “part" of the city of Clinton. At a preliminary hearing in a meeting room in Belk Audi torium land owners and other interested persons met and discussed with State Highway spokesmen the issue of the Ring Road. A Mr. Cobb, who re presented the State Highway Department, explained this is sue and at that time presented a map of a propsed or tenative route for this so called “Ring Road", which has become a political ring road. The ques tion was asked Mr. Cobb, “If the property owners objected to this road, what would be the results?" Mr. Cobb responded by saying, and I will try to quote, “If seventy-five to eighty percent of the property owners that are affected by this road object, the highway department will not pursue this route.* Since that meeting we have had two public hearings, one at Hampton Avenue school audi torium, the other at Belk Audi torium, and no property owner, I repeat ‘ ‘NO PROPERTY OWNERS’affected wanted this route. Since this meeting, all property owners involved throught the proposed road had been dismissed from the plans of the State Highway Depart ment. Last week I saw that the State Highway department en gineers had cut another center line through my property, as well as my neighbors, defacing beautiful, basic trees and bush es. This group had been ask ed bv me and other property owners not to trespass co pri vate property without per mission. Had this group of property owners come into town and defaced trees and shrubbery, there Is no doubt in my mind that we would have been sued for such a venture. I have talked with most of the members of the Planning Commission and have not found but two that are still pushing this issue and are in favor of same. All institutions that were affected are now in the clear, as the road has been twisted and turned to satisfy their de mands. This leaves the small property owner to no one to turn to except the Clinton Planning Commission. If the Planning Commission does not act now, these property owners have no alternative but to hire a lawyer to protect what is al ready theirs—Democracy?!!! In conclusion, this is the feelings of the property own ers and many other interested individuals. We would like to see the Clinton Planning Com mission take a stand as a group and not as two or three indivi duals who are apparently ram- rodding this whole idea. The Clinton Planning Commission is a city appointed organization and has no business coming side the city limits. The Clin ton Planning Commission should help the small property owner and stop the State High way from trespassing and mak ing misleading statements to the property owners involved. The State Highway Department said that they would check on other existing route sand road beds. This was a motion made by Dr. M. A. Macdonald, Presi dent of Thornwell Orphanage. This motion was seconded and passed. I offered to show the Highway department the exist ing and extinent road beds in this area, since I had lived in this area all of my life. The Highway Department agreed to contact me, but as of this writ ing, no one has made any ef fort Sounds as if the Highway Department had made up their minds in the very beginning of this survey and for some rea son, or another, will not explore the possibility of other locations. This road is not necessary at this particular point for a number of reasons: 1. A two, or possibly four lane thorough fare, on Y.M. C. A. property will endanger young children walking, run ning or riding bicycles to and from it 2. Imagine all of the young children walking or riding bi cycles to the Clinton Elemen tary School. Crossing such a highway would be dangerous to any young boy or girt Traffic is already congested from car pools, and the ring road would only make it worse. 3. The hospital would con tinue to have noise all night, as trucks stop and go for lights at the intersections. 4. People who have built outside the city limits did so to get away from the hoise and have more privacy. Not to hear more of It! It is the hope of local pro perty owners affected by the ring road that interested and concerned citizens will voice their opinion to the Editor of the Chronicle or Mr. EdwardG. Campbell, Chairman of the Clinton Planning Commission. Sincerely, Reese H. Young Court Leniency Dear Editor: If she is wrong: Rectifier. If she is cold: Heater. If she gossips too much: Regu lator. If she fumes and sputters t<><> much: Insulator. If she becomes upset: Reverser.” Not being electricians, we’re not about to vouch for the recommenda tions, since we’ve already learned that women must be approached with cau tion. lest one gets a shock. LIBERAL? • A) Capp, famed creator and car toonist of lil Abner, told his fans at the Tenth Anniversary celebration of Young Americana for Freedom: ’Tor yean I lampooned the ’reactionaries’, the business moguls, the Generals and ‘the estabUahmcnf. It wasn’t until I lampooned the liberals that my life waa threatened.” Which seems to in dicate that either Old Faithful’s defi nition of the word “liberal” is wrong, or some pe ople calling themselves “Mbaral” aunt liberal. As a citizen of South Caro lina, I was a state’s witness in a trial of reckless homicide. The one and one-half days I sat in court in Laurens awaiting this particular case, I came to the realization that the sentencing erf law offenders re presents little deterrent to crime. The sentencing was much too light for the offenses, in my opinion. It not only re presented lack of deterrent, but offered little rehabilitation and aid to the offenders. Law enforcement attemps to control crime by bringing law breakers to the courts results, oftentimes, in the court turn ing the law breaker back on society with a light fine, or light sentence, or probation. Time and again, the criminal offense of driving under the in fluence of intoxicants, with an automobile as a potential lethal weapon, was punishable by a $300 fine and/or probation. The maximum sentence is $1000 or one year sentence. I realize that the fact that a person is brought to coort one or more times for driving under the in- flurence of alcohol does not indicate the number of times be has driven, unapprehended. In such a condition. Due to the possibility that this often leads to reckless homicide (the death of a person), and needless In juries, a stiff fine, sentencing, and revoking of license for a sufficient period of time could be a deterrent that it does not pay to drive under the influence of intoxicants. A person In Laurens County, involved in reckless homicide while driving under the Influ ence of intoxicants can receive as light a sentence as four months and two years pro bation. A mentally retarded person who is an adult with the mental capacity of a twelve year old, can act irresponsi bly by driving a stolen car, can drive under the influence of intoxicants, fail to stop for law officers, speed at 85 mph in a 35 mph zone, and drive without a license, resulting in the death of one person, seriously injuring another, and with a possibility of five deaths, resulting in a sentence of eight months and two years pro bation. Due to the lack of a proper facility for this type person, he will be placed back THE TEXTILE TRUTH As a Senator from South Carolina, my policy toward the President is that when the President is right I support him, and when he is wrong I oppose him. We have only one President and it is in the interest of both South Caro lina and the nation that we get along. Recently I was commended by the Adminis tration for my leadership in establishing an oceans pro gram. The President had given leadership and I praised him for it. We had tried for an oceans program under Presi dents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson—all to no avail. Now, under President Nixon, we have finally taken the first step toward the safe and sane development of our ocean re sources. Now for the other side of the ledger When the Presi dent said he was for freedom of choice and then reneged, I joined Senator Thurmond in criticizing Mr. Nixon. And to day I must strongly condemn the President’s political ma neuvers to hoodwink the tex tile workers of South Caro lina. As most of you know, there has recently tx'cn a newspaper wrangle alxmt the President's executive authority to take action on textiles 1 stall'd the following in an April news letter: Under Paragraph 3. section 204 of the Agriculture Act, the President can enter into an agreement with a friendly nation on woolens ,md man-made fibers and then, under the provisions of GATT, extend this agreement to a textile-exporting nation - Japan. This was just one of four courses open to the President under present law which I outlined. For two years the Administration did nothing, and Nixon spokesmen actually argued against taking such action. Candidate Nixon had made rosy pledges in 1968 ’ I will promptly take steps necessary to extend the concept of international trade agreements to all other textile articles involving wool, man made fibers and blends”—but nothing came of them CaAli- date Nixon promised. "We’re going to do something about it, and I know the men who can do it ” But when he be came President, he showed his true colors by appointing Carl Gilbert, a well-known enemy of the textile industry, as his Special Representative for Trade Negotiations. The Pres ident’s long-term friend, Don ald Kendall of Pepsi-Cola, is presently Chairman of the Emergency Committee on American Trade—a group of businessmen interested in in ternational trade profits rath er than American jobs. Kend all is Mr. Nixon’s former law client He provides much of the money going into the newspaper advertisements against American textiles. Pepsi isn’t worried about im ports -it doesn’t import water to bottle its soft drinks It w interested in expanding for eign markets. When the As sistant Secretary of Com merce, Kenneth Davis, Jr., l>ointed this out last June, he quickly found himself without a job. And when we passed a textile amendment last De cember, the White House iictually opposed its. Recently his Congressional lieutenants were busy trying to keep the Mills Trade Bill, which pro vides a long-term solution to the textile problem, from reaching a vote on the floor of the House. Election time is heix' again, and the President finds him self in hot water again. People are wondering whatever be came of all those rosy 1968 campaign promises. Mr. Nixon is looking for a way out—a way that will (1) kill the Mills Bill, which he has threatened to veto and (2) still keep him in the good graces of the southern voter. Nixon’s solution, adopt his friend Kendall’s sensitive article approach which was rejected earlier this Spring as subterfuge by the entire textile industry. Although s|K)kesmcn for the President, including Senator Thurmond, have denied that he could take executive action, the President has suddenly de cided that he can after all Last month the Administra tion inton'd into an agm'- ment with Malaysia on wool ens and man-made fibers, and now it is in a position to extend that agreement to Japan The Japanese arc, for the first time, listening. They are afraid of the Mills Bill. And to avoid the quotas con- taim'd in the Mills Bill, they might agree to reopen discus sions They might even agree to a temporary arrangement on textiles The Japanese be lieve they can have their cake and eat it too—by agreeing to a weak, temporary deal they can remove the threat of long-term textile quotas So there is the possibility that they will accept the Kendall plan and. in so doing, get home free The Japanese have much to gain So does Presi dent Nixon Such a deal would kill the Mills Bill, and it would also give the Republican polit ical leaders in the South some thing to crow about until after the election. But then we will be back in the same old mess again What the President refuses to do is to deal from strength He has never been willing to use max imum pressure on the Japa nese IT he was really inter ested in textiles, he would press for passage of the Mills Bill and then use the Mills Bill, along with his other ex ecutive authority, to force the Japanese into meaningful con cessions. Instead he chooses the partisan political route When he meets with textile leaders he excludes Democrats such as Representative Dom and myself. He ignores the one weapon Congress could give him which would bring results. And he plays grand stand politics by waiting until election eve to take action and by playing fast and loose with thousands of American textile jobs. He is taking us all for suckers. inners’ Are Popular in society, unaided or Improved in any way. I witnessed a case for house breaking and larceny. I under stand the penalty for house breaking is five years, and for larceny is ten years. Three of the persons received a three year suspended sentence, and three years probation. Two of the offenders received a more hopeful sentence for them selves, as they were committed under the Youthful Offenders Act for a 60-day observation and evaluation period with sen tencing defered until comple tion of the period. I have written this letter for the purpose of bringing this problem to the attention of the people in Laurens and South Carolina. I feel that some thing can be done regarding crime deterrent and rehabili tation, if enough citizens voice their concern. If you are con cerned about this matter, please sign this form and send it to me. NAME: ADDRESS: SEND TO: Sidney T. Ayers, Jr. 44 Peachtree SL Clinton, S. C. 29325 Dear Mr. Publisher: This protesting business Is getting outa hand. Yesterday when I went down town there were 50 people with signs, pro testing. Everywhere you go it’s the same thing. It’s be ginning to sound like a broken record. You don’t reckon the world had developed some kind of stuttering defect, do you? Yes sir, now-a-days it seems a lot more popular to be agin something than to be fer something. When I was a young- un trying to learn arithmetic I found it easier to figure zeros than it was to add the numbers. I reckon the real problem is that we’ve got too many lazy people today. You take all these kids who are protesting - most ofem never done a hard days work in their lives. All they ever done was read books and play. Pve heard tell that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, but Pm convinced that idle hands are his tods. If ve put ’em an to hoeing cotton, they’d be too tired to trot around with signs, yelling their lungs out If you don’t believe idleness Is the problem, you just think about this women’s liberation movement a little. Back when women had chores to do, they didn’t have time for brassiere burnings and such like. Now that they’ve been replaced with electric buttons and gadgets, they developed a “zero com plex*. So, order to flU up the empty spot they carry signs and holler. Maybe if they did way with electric washing machines and brought back the old send) boards it might give these folks a sense of belonging. Mr. Publisher, a wise man once said, “work keeps at ran dom three great evils - starva tion, boredom and meaness.* Fortunately starvation ain’t hit os yet, but the last two have about took us over. I expect I have said too much already, Mr. Publisher, so I better break it off right here. AD I ask is that you don’t give people my phone num ber. Just tell ’em to dial “0*. That way they’ll get the operator and she’ll do the work for ’em. Until next time just remem ber a hoe gets rid of weeds better than a sign.