Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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.WE NEWBERRY SUN PAGE POUR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1944 1218 College Street NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA O. F. ARMFIELD Editor and Publisher Published Every Friday In The Year Entered as second-class matter December 6, 1937, at tht postoffice at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. SPECTATOR May a city buy and operate a power plant in several counties? As a matter of law it is open to question. What is a municipality? It is a chartered community, author ized by the state to adopt measures necessary for the government of people living close together. Mat ters of water, health, police protec tion, fire protection are peculiarly the concern of a town government. Of course the opening of streets, and paving would be an essential part of the municipality’s concern. Parks and recreation centers, play grounds are necessary because of the congestion of population. Recently towns have operated lighting plants within their borders, or have made contracts" to resell power within their limits. But the jurisdiction of a municipal gov ernment is exercised within the ter ritory authorized by its charter, " It is the creature of the state and sub ject completely to state law. The question has arisen in a very interesting maner. The City Coun cil of Columbia wants to buy and op erate the South Carolina Electric & Gas Company for $39,500,000. No money would be required as a down payment, apparently, but a bond is sue would be required with the prop erty as security and without any ob ligation on the city beyond the prop erty of the power company. I am assuming the correctness of this in order to present the case in its most favorable light. The total of proper ty within Columbia as assesseed for taxation is- approximately $26,000,000. The difference between the present valuation of all property within the city and the price of this property is not necessarily important, I think, except that it looks like a small fish swallowing a whale. Letters from three 'well known and substantial citizens of Columbia have come to my attention. Mr. Fitz Hugh McMaster, Mr. Thomwell McMaster and Dr. William R. Barron are deeply concerned about this, as they are about every phase of community life. Their opinion is entitled to the greatest respect. They are speak ing as Columbians; and they are aganist the proposal. Dr. Barron thinks that the city would soon develop a poiltical pow er group. Naturally he has heard vague rumors about great power venture which was to do mighty works, but which soon sprouted the liveliest growth of political interest ever known in South Carolina, ex cepting only the State Dispensary, even if we except that. Dr. Barron is a straight-forward crusader for clean living and good government— as are the other gentlemen, also— and he is not inclined to shoot at random; he fires at will, but he knows where Will is. If I were a citizen of Columbia— that is the great Roosevelt way of escape in the Wallace case, if you remember—If I were a citizen of Columbia. I should give careful study to any objection raised by the Messrs. McMaster and Dr. William R. Barron. I am not a citizen of Ci- lumbia, but I am a citizen of South Carolina; and as a citizen of .the State, I make bold to ask for infor mation: 1. May a municipality operate a business outside of its borders ? 2. Could such an enterprise esdape any tax which a competing or like enterprise pays? Does the Columbia City. Council hope to escape the State taxes on corporations and corporate incomes, or the Kilowatt Hour tax, or any other tax? If there is any hope of escaping state taxes now paid by the South Carolina Electric & Gas Com pany, we citizens of the state have an interest to protect, for it involves more than a half million dollars in state taxes. If the Columbia City Council re gards the prospect as all peaches and cream it might profitably take to heart the Santee-Cooper. Even on the basis of a bonded debt of $24,- 500,000 the Santee-Cooper’s state ment is not one to inspire enthusiasm for such public ventures. But if we consider the $57,000,000—or more— involved, we should marvel at the readiness of the Council to assume sujh an undertaking. And, let us remember, the Santee-Cooper escapes most of the taxes paid by other pow er enterprises. I am not reflecting adversely on the gentlemen of the Council, most of whom I know very pleasantly. Nothing is suggested here about the matter of ascertaining the true, mar ket, or operating value of the prop erties; the citizens of Columbia will see about that; but I make the point that citizens of the state will chall enge this in court if the state is to lore revenue. We may differ widely on political matters, but the men and women serving us on the front are represent ing our Nation and exposed to haz- ards for all the citizenship of Ameri ca. They are indispensible to us and we are indispensible to them. They have not failed us; they have car ried the American flag and the fin est traditions of American ohivaltry to the far corners of the earth. But we must not fail them. The South ern Democratic Party calls upon the citizenship of South Carolina to sup port with the utmost liberality those who have taken arms to fight for our country, which means in a very special manner, those of us at home. We deplore the cashing of bonds by our citizens. Except in time of great personal distress, no citizen should ask the Government to redeem his bonds now. Those who have pre- ented their bond for payment have undoubtedly done so through some mistaken idea. I do not presume to impute a lack of patriotism to any of our fellow citizens, but I do very earnestly call upon our people to let the Government have the use of their money. Any other course of ac tion is equivalent to a retreat on the part of us civilians in the very face of the enemy. If this sort of thing should extend very much, we would not only handicap the Government in carrying on the war, but we would imperil our men and women who are today exposed to all the horrors which the enemy can invent. The Southern Democratic Party is the only .party which seems to have appreciated the gravity of this bond redemption campaign and it urges all other political parties to join in speaking for the mind and heart of America against anything which would add in the very least to the hazards which our men and women are exposed to. In supporting our armed services, we Americans know neither personal prejudices nor narrow political parti sanship; we are Americans above all else and we must remember that our dollars will be a small investment on our part compared with the sacrifi ces made by those in the armed ser vices of our country. May I, on behalf of the Southern Democratic Party, beg our citizens to think not in terms of dollars, but in terms of human blood and human life and in the final triumphant achievement of the American forces. I heard someone say that this is Bible week. In the hustle and bustle of the day, we ought to find time to read The Book, the Lamp unto our feet and the Light for our pathway. The Old Book is not so much history or science—though I do not dispar age it—; it is the book of life, the one book which treats of the great est question which comes to every person. We may read it for singular beau ty; but its abiding merit is not its literary charm; it is the great beacon shedding a flood light on what would otherwise be the dark and forbiding journey into the Great Beyond. Absorbed with our cotton and corn, our hogs and tobacco, our profits and dividends, we emphasize the things of today, though everything we touch and own is stamped with time, it won’t withstand the ravages of the elements; only the spirit of man lives and survives the corrosion of care and the forces of nature. Books tell of these ilttle daily interests, but The Book shows us the way and bids us —walk in safety If you vote for a Southern Demo cratic Party’s ticket will you lose your standing as a Democrat? Really this is too ridiculous, but some New Dealers are circulating the report that a vote for the Southern Demo cratic Presidential electors will op erate to disbar one from the “regu lar’’ party. The South Carolina Democratic Convention, although controlled by New Dealers, or citizens who voted for the New Deal, adopted a platform and rules for the Party The plat form is itself a severe indictment of the Roosevelt government; and the rules require that a Democrat shall “•support the nominees of the Pri mary.” South Carolina does not re quire any man to support the national ticket. All that was done away with in 1938. Today the only obligation on those who voted in the Primary is that they shall support the NOMI NEES of the Primary. Therefore, I, J. K. Breedin, a Demo crat, an active member of a Democra tic Club, and a member of a county Democratic Convention, pledged my word that I would support the nomi nees of the PRIMARY. Who are they? In my county they are the Democratic candidates for Sheriff, Clerk of Court, Supervisor, for the House of Representatives of the South Carolina General Assembly, United States Senator and Represen tative in Congress Some others who were in the Pri mary are subject to appointment by the Governor, the Primary being merely a convenient method of re commending men, such as Auditors. Magistrates, Cotton Weighers, and others. It is my obligation to my fel low Democrats to support Olin D. Johnston for United States Senator— and so on. You will find Olin D. Johnston on the Southern Democratic ticket. Noth ing was said in the Primary about Presidential Electors. Since 1938 the Democracy of South Carolina has de liberately separated the National of fices from State offices—calling on South Carolinians to support the party. Deliberately the choice of Presidential Electors was left to the wisdom and discretion of the Execu tive Committee. The Convention did not act, nor did this matter ever come up in any Primary. Therefore iny South Carolinian who voted in •he Primaries of 1944 obligated him- relf only so far as the officers who ■ an in the Primary and were declared to be nominees, or choice, of the Pri maries. Any one may, therefore, vote for whatever group of Presidential Elect ors may most appeal to his taste, re gardless of the Primary. BACK UP YOUR BOY Imireme your payroll savings to year family limit ^‘WILD LIFE SOUTH CAROLINA I with PROP FRANKLIN SHERMAN 1 HCAD-CkSMSON COLLBOe-MST OS ZOOLOOV WEASEL Weasel is a small predatory mam mal belonging to the same family with the mink and the skunks. It is next-of-kin to the mink but small er and more slender. The one which we have in South Carolina we may call Southern Weasel to distinguish from a slightly different form which ranges more to the north. Mr. Chamberlain of the Charleston Mu seum indicates that Southern Wea sel is fairly common from the “fall line’ up to and through our moun tains. but deridedly uncommon along the coast. The more northerly wea sel is often mainly white in winter, but we do not certainly know South ern Weasel to change color with the seasons. Four specimens trapped at Clemson during winter of 1925-26 were all ibrown above, tip of tail black, and vellowish-white on belly. Mr. B. P. Rogers living in the higher moun tains of northern Oconee county, tells me that weasel is plentiful there and there is an occasional white weasel, and it would be highly interesting to know whether such a white one is merely an albino, or whether it is of the more northernly subspecies, or whether our typical Southern wea sel does sometimes turn white in winter without being albino. Weasel is small, slender-bodied, lithe, head small, neck long, legs riiort bushy tail less than half the length of body; well adapted to its habit of invading holes and burrows in search of its prey It ir< lines to bite its victim at back of heai or in neck or throat, hence has reputation for “sucking the blood” but is not known actually to do that. It feeds on rats, mice, other small mammals, ground-living birds, snakes, insects and worms. In attacking animals as large as itself it is fearless, active, and if among poultry may kill far more than it needs'for food; this i gives a bad reputation yet students | incline to consider that on the whole it is more beneficial than harmful, i (many persons will disagree). Once while sitting quietly at a roadside a young rabbit hopped by me, apparently startled yet hesitant, it crossed the lane and disappeared | in tall grass, in a moment came a I weasel evidently trailing the young bunny. Once when caipping a wea sel entered my tent during a shower, happed nimbly about, then out and gone. When caught in a steeltrap it will act savagely. When a boy I oc casionally caught one in boxtraps set for rabbit. KENDALL MILLS LUTHERAN PARISH Rev. J. B. Harman, Pastor Summer Memorial: Sunday 10:30 a. m., Church Wor ship with Sermon. 11:30 a. m., Sunday School. M. E. Shealy, superintendent. 6:00 p. m., Luther Leagues. Bethany: Sunday. 10:30 a. m., Sunday School. Mr. E. B. Hite, superintend ent. 11:30 a. m.. Church with Sermon. Election of Officers. 12:30 p. m., Luther League. — • 1 '■» FOR SALE SEED WHEAT, OATS and BARLEY Prices reasonable. Phone 2302 H. O. LONG and SONS Silverstreet ,S. C. 1944 Tax Notice State and County tax books for the year 1944 will open October 16, 1944. One per cent discount will be allowed on all taxes paid by Novenv ber 15th. * J. Ray Dawkins County Treasurer =r If youVe got... a an that's American... to your future... + a you'll get i on your shoulders... as many of these as you possibly can ! War Bon 'Spi o have and to hold! SPONSORED BY Farmers l<e & Fuel Co. M System Store G. B. Summer & Sons < 1 ——