Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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i / -. -. irt'.v- P ' fi »pw. i. 1 ..• .' “tit.i*Ov..-. »*• •• 4, , ..t^ i *: i; • /•. ^ ... ' . ; .,. r McCORMICK MESSENGER, McCORMICK, SOUTH CXllOLlNA TKir^ay, March 21, 194d ?j i r IcCORHICK MESSENGER l ———— S , rnbllshed Every Thursday ; Established Jana S, IMS |b EDMOND J. McCRACKEN, Editor and Owner ntered at the Post Office at Mc Cormick, 8. Cm as mail matter of the second class. i SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One Year $1.00 Six Months .75 Three Months.50 TRUE LIBERALISM Ins. The Outs want in and the Ins want to hang on to the patron age- mid spoils of office. Each side tries to convince the voters that the nation is on the path to de struction unless its candidates are elected. Once in a long time there is a really vital issue on which the people must decide; such as the Slavery issue upon which the election of 1860 was decided and the states went to war against each other. I have seen no such vital crises in my lifetime. In every National political cam paign the Outs have an advantage over the Ins. They control the political machinery and have hun dreds of thousands of supporters , among grateful office-holders who There is a good old word wnich' would lose thelr Jobs i( the has lately come to have a new turned ou| . the Ins It tates a meaning in the minds of many, powerful arousing of the public especially of politicians. Indeed, mind to turn out the Ins at any the words “Liberal" and “Liberal- u especially if they have been ism" have taken on so many dif- firml entrenched in power for a ferent meanings, depending upon lo who uses them, that it is almost necessary to ask a man for his PURITY dream particular definition of “Liberal-1 one of my first newspaper as- ism” before entering into a po- signments as a very young cub re- litical discussion. 'porter in Washington was to inter- Otherwise, one is likely to find view a number of Senators about that he and the other fellow are the efforts of a young man named talking about two different things. Theodore Roosevelt to purify poli- We get the term liberal in a tics, through the Civil Service • poUtical sense from England, Commission, to which he had just where it has long meant a politi- been appointed, cal philosophy which not only, senator John J. Ingalls of recognizes the rights of minorities Kansas used a phrase which I but tolerates the expression of quoted in my paper, The Fhiladel- their points of view. It is not, as phia Press, and which has become many seem to think, the opposite a widely-quoted political aphorism, of “Conservative.” J “Purity in politics,” he said, “is an Lately in America the term lib- iridescent dream.” eral is coming to be used as mean ing the minorities themselves and their common antipathy to any philosophy which respects the Congress has recently tried to make that dream a reality by passing the Hatch Bill, prohibiting ,any holder of a Federal job from rights and principles of any group taking any part whatever in a that disagrees with them. The political campaign or contributing word is becoming practically to p art y funds, synonymous with “radical.” j My judgment, based upon more Thus every Communist speaks | than fifty years of close observa- of himself as a “Liberal” and tion of the ways and wiles of poli- scoms any expression of such true liberalism as would recognize that those who do not agree with him still have a right to hold and ex press their opinions. That sort of “Liberalism” usually undertakes to challenge the honesty of any one who holds a different point of view. Our present Presidential cam paign is likely to create a great deal of confusion in the public mind by the loose use of the word “Liberal,” as applied to parties and their candidates. To be a member of a minority group is not in itself Liberalism. To denounce every other group and attempt to deny them equal rights with all others is the essence of what might be called “Hliberalism.” It is wise to beware of any man, party or clique which undertakes to deny to any minority, whether racial, religious or economic, the equal rights guaranteed to every American citizen by the Constitu tion. TODAY and FRANK PARKER I STOCKBRID6E QUESTION disaster Governor Saunders stood on a platform in the middle of our New England village square and point ed his finger directly at me as he demanded: “What’s this country coming to?” That was in the Fall of 1876, when Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes were contesting for the Presidency. I didn’t know the answer then, and I don’t know it now, though I have been looking for it these sixty-four years. The idea that there was anything wrong in this best of all possible worlds came to me, I remember, as a rather sur prising shock. If Governor Saunders thought we were head ing for ruin things must be very bad indeed. I have been listening on the radio and reading in the papers the speeches of a number of men who want to be President, most of them asking the same old ques tion, with the implication that if they or their party are not put in charge of affairs, this country is heading for a very bad end. After a good many years of listening to similar alarms, I am becoming skeptical, in my old age, of all the heralds of disaster, of any party. STRUGGLE patronage Boiled down to its lowest terms, every Presidential campaign re- tics and politicians, leads me to the belief that such a law will be as impossible to enforce as was the Prohibition law. The men who hold those jobs are too anxious to keep them, to pay any attention to a law which would prevent them from fighting for' them. WELFARE panaceas All of the candidates whose speeches I have heard or read, and all the rest who may pop up, base their appeal for votes upon high patriotic grounds. None of them seek anything but the public welfare. Each of them is sure that he and his party can run the Government best. I would not accuse any of these gentlemen for a moment of in sincerity or hypocrisy. I concede that each of them honestly be lieves that he can do a better job of government than can any of his opponents. They all profess the same objective, which is the general welfare of the whole peo ple, and they disagree only as to how that can be brought about. In my years as a political ob server and commentator I have seen almost every proposed remedy for the ills of humanity tried and found wanting. I am forced to the conclusion that there is no politi cal panacea for the woes and dif ficulties of life. No form of law or system of administration can ever make everybody happy and prosperous. That is up to each of us as an individual. HONESTY popularity Since every party and faction professes the same ideals of pro moting the common good, by what test can the ordinary voter decide between parties and their candi dates? As I see it, the problem is one of leadership. And the ques tion there is, what does the nation need most in its leader? I think there is one quality of character which is more vital to the future of the nation than any other. That is common honesty; rock-ribbed, unquestionable hon esty. Our greatest leaders whose memories live in public respect had that character of sincere honesty and personal integrity a- bove all else. Men believed them and were willing to trust them Is This Another Calvary? :/ A It P. A Unusual Photo Records Vacuum Top Action \) jAut.'Ar of 4€ Hoiv to Win Friends and Influence People*” DON’T FEAR OLD AGE In my files, I have a letter .from my friend Jean Bordeaux, in Los Angeles, a letter so full of inspiration that I’m going to quote from it: “Look at the list of people who have accomplished splendid things in their old age. Ponder this list “Cato learned Greek at 80. Sophocles wrote the immortal ‘Oedipus Rex’ at 81. “Goethe completed ‘Faust,’ the crpwning achievement of his life, at 80. “Anatole France, the great author, said he got tired of read ing translations of famous Latin books, so he began the study of Latin at 73. “Verdi, the famous Italian composer, wrote ‘Ave Maria* when he was 85. “William E. Gladstone was Prime Minister of England when he was 84. “Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote his famous poem (‘Crossing the Bar’) in his 83rd year.” Let me tell you the inspiring story of the artist who gave us “The Last Judgment”—one of the most famous paintings in the world. This man was also an architect, and he wanted to help rebuild St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. And when he was 71, he achieved the ambition of his life: he was then appointed chief architect for the rebuilding of St. Peter’s. Remember he was 71. Most men think of retiring at that age; but Michelangelo thought of it as the time to attempt the biggest thing in his life. Day after day, and year after year he worked, driven bv a consuming desire to finish it before death came. His health failed; he had gout and gallstones, hut he would not let pain stop him. His hands became so gout-ridden that he could hardly hold a chisel, hut he kept on working. Finally he could not. walk to his work, so he was straddled on a horse which was led through the street to where he could oversee the building of the dome. His doctors begged him not to continue, hut he said, “I must finish it.” Finally, one day on the scaffold the grand old man asked the workmen to help him down. When a physician arrived, he had a raging fever. The next morning, he asked to he put on his horse, and tried to rise, but the doctor was firm. Then he asked to he moved to the window where he could see the dome. He grew weaker during the day. The next day he died— lacking hut twelve days of being 90 years old! And there was the Dome of St. Peter’s to show for it—one of the most ma jestic sights in the world. We should all grow as we get older, keep active, keep doing things, get new interests. They help to prevent mental old age, at least. For you are really old when you think and talk W o nf ■ • m v • V. ■ '' <y . .v'-x-X - *'* • % m ip # ■ •< ' P* ■ ;•> 8 A Typical of the backstage work which must be carried on continually to make sure that automotive innovations are “right” before they are introduced to the public, is this cold-weather test to which the vacuum top mechanism of the new Chevrolet cabriolet was subjected, not once but countless times, during the development period. To r»wrd Ov* toct photographically, a light bulb was placed *• w >wt». - -’m* of iao ':«brM*t uul another the end of the forward supporting frame, as shown in the inset. At a signal, the camera shutter was opened, the car’s engine was started, and Claude Conklin, of tha Chevrolet staff at the General Motors Proving Ground, pulled the dash control which causes the motor vacuum to open the top. The lights then traced the smooth curves as the top was opening. As it reached the lowered position, taohligbu die camera illuminated the whole scene. solves itself into a struggle for power between the Outs and the'of what you have done, not of what you are going to do. with the destines of the nation be cause their honesty was so clearly apparent. No man is big enough, wise enough, skillful enough to run a nation of 130,000,000 persons single-handed. There are many men wise enough to take counsel,! the stair-way, through my room able to distinguish between sound and disappear into the darkness advice and unwise counsel, and out-side. honest enough to take the course The 0 f my experience, I had which will best serve the nation, gone far into the mountains and regardless of whether it is the U p the mountain near the Devil’s popular course at the moment or court House. Not a sign of domes- ‘haunted’”! was often heard in the neighborhood The story was that the old man would return in ghost form, make j a noise in the rear room up stairs, i pass through the other rooms to the front, out into the hall, down not. Freaks Of The Imagination A GHOST STORY tic life could be seen or heard. It was late when a dark cloud came j over my head and a heavy down- ! pour of rain and when the pony and I started for home. After much difficulty down the pre- j cipitious points and dangerous gorges, we finally reached „ home about nine o’clock. It was “pitch dark” and the rain was falling in torrents. No one was there and there was a deathly stillness. What a back ground for a ghost! As I had an appointment to LET US HELP YOU LOOK YOUR BEST! Clean, neatly pressed clothes are indicative of a neat, orderly personality. Far from being expensive, youll find that it actually pays to be immaculate in your ap pearance. We are experts in this type of work—we know just how to treat even the most delicate frocks in your wardrobe, so that they will come back to you looking like new. Free pickup and delivery service, of course! Did you ever see a ghost? Likely not. But you have heard ghost stories. Some of them you re member from early life. Maybe you do not believe in them but ^ ^ i ... , . preach at a near-by church the, everyone en.ioys hearing a ghost , , , „ ' . ' . . - next day and further preparation, m story, so here is one out of the j ’ . . , . , was needed, soon as possible slip pages of my experience in which ^ , , T ,/ tT, T per was finished and I went to my at first I thought I would surely ^ . . . , room for study and meditation. While completely absorbed in my j study and all was still except the lightning, thunder and rain, sud- Greenwood Dry Cleaiiing Co. “Dependable Cleaners” J. C. Dalton, Mgr. see a ghost. It all happened in Transylvania County, western N. C., where I was doing mission work for the Bap- , , . , . . .. . . . . . denly a disturbing noise was heard tist State Convention, which took . / A . * , . , „ . *. w in the rear, upstairs room. It be- me from home to home and from . . , .. , , . . . . j * gan true to story and continued church to church. Headquarters & , ... . was established in an old, colonial .. .. . .. . . , ruptly it ceased in the room just home that had been used in the , ..4.4. overhead. It was so realistic that stage-coach days as an inn. It had been owned and run by a I honestly must confess that the i wealthy man who kept under the ol< ^ man with grey hair and long, influence of intoxicating drinks flowing beard was expected every and who frequently entertained minute to greet me. But to my parties of revelry. One night in ioy and disappointment he never such a brawl the old man was appeared. murdered and after that, at in-1 It was discovered next morning tervals, his spirit would return to that some large rats had been haunt the place. “That house is playing with a small piece of BABY CHICKS Official Georgia U. S. ap proved pollorum tested chicks. AH breeds hatching each Monday And Thursday. GEORGIA CAROLINA HATCHERY 10?5 Broad St., Augusta, Ga. timber,—and that was my ghost. That was removed and, so far as I know, the ghost never-more appeared. G. P. Lanier.