Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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fAPfi FOUR THE. NEWBERRY SUN 1218 College Street NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA O. P. ARMFIELD Editor and PutAieher Pubtished 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 The Governor vetoed the Act which would exempt gasoline for farm ma chinery from most of the tax. He based his decision on an opinion by the Attorney General that such an exemption would be unconstitutional. I agree with the farmers; and I agree with the Governor. For once, at least, I am agreeing with everybody about everything. It surely is extraordinary to con tend that everybody has justice on bis side, even though diametrically in opposition. Well, let’s see all about it. The farmer says that there is no reason why a farm tractor and a farm engine should be classed as road machines and made liable for road taxes. The gasoline tax being a tax to build and maintain public roads, why should an airplane pay road taxes; or why should a little boat on the big Santee lakes pay a tax on its gasoline? Airplanes sel dom run down the paved public roads; boats never do, except in time of flood. I' think I’ve heard the old- time people tell of using boats in the streets of Charleston in 1893; and I’ve heard aged people tell of the mighty Santee covering all the country near St. Paul; but all that was exceptional and would not justi fy a tax on the boats. Very few men use their farm machines to drive to church or to the County seat. I’ve never seen the family tak ing a picnic in a farm engine. So, obviously, the farmer has justice in his contention that his farm machin ery does not use fuel which should be taxed for the upkeep of public roads. It would be far more equitable to put a tax on horses, mules, wagons and even shoes. But, when the Highway bonds were issued and sold they were protected by the gasoline tax; there fore if the revenue from the tax be diverted, or deliberately excused the State would be guilty of misappro priating funds or reducing the proper revenues which now are pledged to the bond-holders. Our Supreme Court had declared, in Governor Maybank’s time, that the revenue might not be legally di verted. That was when we had diversion as a great issue. Attorney General Daniel and Gov ernor Ransome Williams have “toed the mark”, notwithstanding the strength of the farmers’ contention. They deserve strong commendation for their courage. It would have been much easier, and far more agreeable, to sign the bill and let the court decide the issue. It would certainly have been better politics. But let’s be glad that the Governor has the manliness to act when he thinks he is right. We are tired of politics, politicians and pussy-foot ers. It is refreshing to have a de cision that disregards politics and votes. Shall we lose our American way of living through the indifference of Americans themselves? Someone has pointed out that the dictatorship of Hitler began on the vote of a small minority of Germans. Once in pow er, Hitler and his ruling crowd used every means of persuasion, thei: of coercion to entrench themselves in power History may be a dry subject to some, but it is our record of the past. We need not worship our ancestors, nor follow slavishly their course of action; it is equally foolish to disre gard the experiences of those who have met and mastered great prob lems. A man who knows nothing of what has been accomplished must either be a great genius who can solve all problems by his own philo sophy or struggle along in the paths of those who have already solved problems. Even great chemists and mathematicians build on the achieve ments of others; they seldom blaze new trails from the beginning. In studying history we frequently ques tion the interpretations of the facts,, but we usually accept the facts when the facts are fairly clear. Let us apply some o fthis to South Carolina. In the General Election of last November fewer than half the qualified voters actually voted. Per haps it was worse than that. If 250,000 men and women registered, that proves at the outset that at least seventy-five thousand white people did not even register. If that is true, then 75,000 white people were indifferent to their obligation as citizens as well as lacking in a patri otic urge to prove themselves as good citizens. Even the 250,000 who ac tually registered didn’t carry through, for 150,000 of them didn’t vote. In this I am assuming very innocently that all the votes were counted. Let us take stock of our South Carolina sense of civic opportunity: Counting only the white people, at least 75,000 men and women did not even register; don’t vlue the ballot sufficiently to qualify as voters; then 150,000 of those who did regis ter did not vote. They might just as well not have registered. A reg istered voter who does not vote is hardly entitled to complain about the acts of our public servants. 100,- 000 people, white and colored, did all the voting for 1,900,000 people. That is certainly govemment by minority. Why did not the 75,000 register? Why did not the 150,000 registered voters go to the polls and vote? Is it because politics is a rotten game? Is it because those who don't vote are better than those who do? If our American democracy is built on the free choice of the qualified vot ers, should not all who are eligible . take part? Wf must be practical. Or shall we : employ that word which everybody is overworking and say that we must be realistic? Well, this is one pro per occasion to be realistic, for all our civic ideas and ideals are given practical effect through political means. If we think in terms of po litical betterment without using our ballots and our political influence we are just baying at the moon and cherishing hallucinations. If a handful of men are more competent to manage all the policies and details of government let us do away with the idea of a democracy and proclaim a dictatorship or, at least, an oligarchy of six or eight superior minds or greater facility at harvesting the crop planted and cul tivated by the masses. The House and Senate overruled the Governor’s veto; so now the ques tion is: Who will test the Act in Court? If nobody challenges the Act it will be law, regardless of the previous decision of our Courts. The Courts cannot intervene unless some one raises the issue; and the issue can only be raised by some one who would be affected. As a sovereign citizen I have wondered about that. Hasn’t every citizen a really vital in terest in the Constitution and Con stitutional processes of the State? When the general assembly enacts as law a provision which contravenes the fundamental bulwark of our lib erties should not any citizen have the privilege of challenging the act? What is his interest? It is the in terest of a citizen in maintaining our popular institutions. I should like the court to allow the challenge even orally and informally. The Courts are too remote from the common citi zen. Not that I would elect Judges in Primaries; on the contrary I think we should choose judge for a trial term of six years—and then renew their commission for life. Of course that would require an amendment to the Constitution. Take care of the courts and maintain their dignity, but let them get closer to the man who appears in defense of the Con stitution. As I said, the Act to exempt farm gasoline is said to be class legisla tion. An able lawyer said that. I tis also said to be unconstitutional. The Attorney General says that. As to class legislation hf.ve not we been enacting laws that were rather flagrantly class legislation? And as to unconstitutional Acts of the Gen eral Assembly does not every session of the Legislature abound in uncon stitutional Acts? A farmer reads some provisions of the constitution which are very clear, very plain; provisions well under stood for generations, and then finds that the General Assembly collects five cents a mile every week instead of once a year. The Legislature it self voted extra money to itself year after year, though the Constitution is very clear about that. And nothing could be plainer than the prohibition against holding two offices. And so on and on; one could multiply the cases indefinitely. We have the classic illustration of the Amendment of the Constitution in 1920, ratified in 1921, but forgotten and amended again in 1935 Judg ments were given against Counties— and paid—notwithstanding the Con stitution. So, the farmer finds him self entirely unimpressed when some one invokes the constitution against him when justice is all on his side. Now see where we are. Is this a constitutional government? Well, is the Constitution a futile sort of document, of no value except when a lawyer can’t think of something else? We should set our house in order. Courts don’t exist in order to pro mote pet social and political ideas. We should separate politics from the Courts and rely on the Courts as fountains of justice between man and man; between a man and his govern ment. It has long seemed desirable to have a committee with ample funds to challenge in court every departure from the Constitution. We should arouse the public in each case so that the public may be vigilant for its own large, general interest. We should be alert for the rights of the States against encroachment by the National Government; and we should be alive to invasions of our constitu tion by the General Assembly. Our people and our Congress wish to treat the service men generously. Either the law is at fault, however, or an ex-sailor is being made to suf fer needlessly by some uniformed of ficial. I’ve met an ex-sailor several times. Here is his story: I served in the navy twenty-six mont* - and was giv en a medical discharge. They gave me 8300 which I have about exhaust ed; and they give me a month. They don’t give me full allowance for heart trouble because, they say, I had it when I joined up. Well that seems funny to me; they took me and put me through all the boot training and regular service for twenty-three months before they found out about my heart.” I asked about the $20 a week the seivice men talk about. He said: “TTiat is unemployment com pensation I cannot get that because I can not report to the Employment Commission every week as being sound and ready for work. What worries me is this: I need a job; I need it now; I’m running through my few dollars and have nothing in sight.” I ask you, fellow Americans, does n’t it strike you that something is wrong? This ex-sailor must be en titled to something; or have we been mesmerizing ourselves with pretty phrases ? And what is the Government doing about the wives of service men? A case has come to my attention. The wife of a scldier owed a balance on a range The Company held the range for full payment, having taken FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1946. •"t.WILD . LIFE SOUTH CAROLINA WITH PBO* MUNKUN JHeRMAN MeAS'CLiMsoM coujMa-aart m icouoav CRESTED FLYCATCHER Crested Flycatcher is an aristo cratic bird which spends the winter months in the warm sun of the real ly deep south. When winter arrives in S. C., Crested Flycatcher is bask ing in Central or South America. Later he joins the full tide of north ward bird-migration. About the size of catbird it has a natural tendency to stay in the tree-tops. There is rusty-brown on the wings and tail, and pure sulphur-yellow on belly. It is one of the relatively few birds with a crest or “top-knot” which is raised when excited. Arthur T. Wayne’s book, “Birds of South Carolina”, says that Crested Flycatcher arrives at Charleston the first week in April. It gets to Clem- son bout three weeks later . It does not sing a true song, but has several characteristic calls and notes. It shares the Flycatcher habit of sitting in a rather exposed position with a good view of the immediate surround ings, and will fly out to sieze passing insects in mid-air. Its bill is broader and more flattened in proportion to its length than is the case with birds which do not catch insects on the fly. Others of this same flycatcher group: kingbird phoebe, and wood pewee.- When the Crested Flycatcher ar rives in S. C. it is in full voice with loud querrulous whistles and calls. I suspect that most of the early arri vals are males. But the sexes are soon paired and begin nest-building in hollow limbs or tree-trunks, prac ticing a habit in which this bird seems to differ from all others The nest follows general procedure in that it is composed of small twigs, roots, grasses etc., but the peculiar feature is that the building materials include a goodsized piece of snake- skin. Why this should be we cannot say with certainty. Shed snakeskir. is a soft pliable nest-material, but it is hard to find in early spring. We do not know of any other bird with so fixed a habit of using snake- skin in its nest. Is it done to fright en enemies away from the nest? maybe, but we do not know other birds to use snake-skin habitually, nor do we know it to be effective as a “scarecrow.” Crested Flycatcher does not tell us why it is done. It’s just one of those things in nature which we may pon der upon, and “wonder as we wan der.” ACCEPTS POSITION WITH ELI LILLY Jesse Dickent, who operated the Newberry Drug Co. here for a num ber of years, and recently sold his business to the Smith’s Cut Rate Drug Company, has accepted a posi tion with the Eli Lilly Drug Com pany, as a pharmaceutical agent. He took up his new duties Monday of this week, with headquarters in Hickory, N. C. The friends of Mr. and Mrs. Dick er! will be glad to learn that they will continue to make their home in Newberry. LUMBER PLANT SUFFERS FIRE DAMAGE A fire of undetermined origin Sun day afternoon almost completely des troyed the large planing mill in stallation of the Newberry Lumber Company, together with a quantity of lumber. The boiler room of the plant was also destroyed. The loss will amount to several thousand dol lars and is partially covered by in surance. Although the fire was well under way when the fire department arrived on the scene they managed to confine the fire to the damage mentioned above. The damaged plant will be rebuilt as soon as pos sible, it was stated. R. L. (BOB) LEWIE DIES HOME Demonstration By ETHEL L COUNTS With the clothing horizon being darkened by increasing shortages, there’s more than ever for us to be concerned with the care we give our clothes. Here are a few hints. You can help cut garments, such as slips, keep their shape and save the fabric if you iron them, with the thread of the material. Your gloves should be laundered frequently. If they are too soiled, they need to be rubbed and you may injure the finish or roughen the sur face. Most cotton and rayon gloves usually wash well an dmany varieties of leather gloves likewise are wash able. Don’t wash the latter, however, unless they are stamped “washable’” on the label or inside the gloves, or it from a truck which was moving it for the soldier when he went into service. The soldier’s wife asked me what to do. I wrote a number of let ters even to the Judge Advocate Gen eral of the army and, finally, to the Attorney General of the United States. The soldier’s wife has not been given the range. I understand that the Government intended to keep the minds of soldiers off trou bles at home. But there you are. Some of our people imagine that the returning service men yearn for new heaven and a new earth. That sort of fanciful dreaming was done at the close of the First World War. Our men will want the same America they grow up in—the country they love, because it is the best in the world. The boys are coming back hoping that there will be jobs and opportuni ties, a home and chance to be happy in the great U. S. A. which has grown nearer and dearer to them as they’ve looked at it from afar, through the eye of fond memories, are sold as washable. Gloves which have once been dry cleaned should never be washed. This advice comes from the clothing specialists of the United States eDpartment of Agri culture. Save used fats! A renewed plea is being made to every homemaker to keep a tin container handy to the stove to make easy the saving of fats no longer usable fcr cooking. The goal for 1945 is 250 million pounds of used kitchen fats Here’s why: In spite of increased need in 1945 for fats and oils for military industrial, and essential civilian uses our na tional fats and oils supply will be smaller than in - 1944. Production of fats and oils will be a billion pounds less in 1945 than in 1944. Lard pro duction is down, cattle slaughter will be about the same as in 1944 so sup plies from this source will not be greater and we cannot expect imports of fat for some time to come. To meet all needs we must draw on sup ply sources other than domestic pro duction and imports. Kitchens repre sent the biggest remaining source— in th—em is an estimated annual 500 million pound supply of fats available for further use. Lst year 170 mil lion pounds were returned from kitchens. Such fats are used for soap, for munitions synthetic rubber, military medicines, airplane lubri cants incendiaries, high resistant paints, hydraulic fluids, pharmaceuti cals, fabrics, animal feeds insecti cides fungicides lether dressings and metal working. AT FIRST SIGN OF A c «666 Cold Preparations as directed “Bob” Lewie, well known resident, died Saturday at the age of 75. He was a native of Lexington county but had lived here for many years where he operated gasoline stations at sev eral locations. Funeral services for Mr. Lewie were held Sunday after noon from his late residence on Har per street and he was buried in Rosemont cemetery. Mr. Lewie is survived by his wife, Rebecca Boozer Lewie and one daughter, Mary Bobb, both of New berry; two sisters, Mrs. Anna Morse of N. Charleston and Mrs. Dean Smith, of Denver, Colorado. Among the active and honorary pallbearers were, Henry Fellers, Cohe Pitts, S. C. Campbell, M. O. Summer, Tom Graham, Forest Lomi- nack, R. M. Kennedy, Roy Anderson, C. T. Summer, Buddy Lipscomb, E. S. Blease, Judge Steve C. Griffith, John Peterson, George Addy, Frank Lominack, John Nance, Sims Brown Sam Johnson, P. N. Abrams, J. K. Willingham, C. White Fant, Hugh Crooks, John F. Clarkson, Dave Hayes, and Holland Sligh. KENDALL MILLS LUTHERAN PARISH J. B. Harman, pastor. Summer Memorial—10:30 a . m., church worship with sermon. 11:30 a. m., Sunday school, Mr. M. E. Shealy, supt. 6 p. m., Luther League. (Bethany—10:30 a. m„ Sunday school, Mr. E. B. Hite, supt. . 11:30 a. m., church worship with sermon. Wednesday, 4:30 p. m., Women’s Missionary Society meets with Mrs. Joe Boland. It is hoped that all members who have not already done so, will bring in their contributions for Lutheran World Action next Sunday. WANTED—HOGS—will pay $14.40 ceiling price for top hogs. Will buy anything from 100 to 300 lbs. Price according to grade. THE NEWBERRY ABATTOIR. Only top quality products get the job of lubricating the motors and machinery on our fighting Navy’s ships. So we’re proud to tell you that Sinclair lubricants are used on many Navy ships to assure smooch operation and save wear. To give your car the same, sure protection, get Sinclair lubricants from your Sinclair Dealer. To pro tect your engine, for example, he offers Sinclair Opaline Motor Oil. This famous oil stands up longer and lubricates better because it is both de-waxed and de-jellied. Use Sinclair Opaline to keep your car rolling. SAVE WEAR WITH SINCLAIR' \ S. C. Paysinger, Agent NEWBERRY, S. C. SISTER OF MAGISTRATE GRA HAM ACCIDENTALLY KILLED Mrs. Julia Cornelia Graham Bol and, aged 69, was accidentally shot by her husband Friday afternoon and died shortly afterwards. The wound was inflicted with a 22 rifle. Mrs. Boland is survived by her hus band, Judge J. D. Boland; two sons, Harold Boland and Ellis Boland of Newberry; two brothers, Lonnie Gra ham of Newberry a nd Bowman Gra ham of Pomaria. One sister, Mrs. Kate Kinard of Pomaria, also sur- 1 vives. Funeral services for Mrs. Boland were held at three o’clock Sunday af ternoon at the Epting Memorial church, Mollohon, the Rev. J. B. Harman and the Rev. J. O. Hatchett, in charge. Active pallbearers were Dave Lewis Curtis Shealy, P. B. Banks, Raymond Willingham, George Cromer and Howard Boland. STEVE C. GRIFFITH TAKES OATH OF JUDGE Steve C. Griffith, member of the House and of the law firm of Blease & Griffith, Friday morning was ad ministered the oath of office of Judge of South Carolina’s Circuit Court, in the presence of his family, his law partner, Judge E. S. Blease; and other friends. Mrs. Griffith placed the judicial robe about her husband when the oath was administered by J. B. Westbrook, State Supreme Court clerk. The law partnership of Blease & Griffith will be dissolved, it is said. LEGION OFFICERS TO MEET HERE The annual official visit of the State Officers of the American Le gion will be held at the Legion Hut on the Columbia Highway, Tuesday evening, May 15th. Dr. Hoyt Fulmer, department com mander of the South Carolina Ameri can Legion, and Jess Bullard, de-i partment adjutant, of Columbia will be guest speakers. Jake Wise, adjutant of American Legion Post 24, issued the invitation to the Legion officers to meet in Newberry. ACHING-STIFF ISORE MUSCLES I For PROMPT relief—rub on Mun- ■ terole! Massage with this wonderfi.i ■ "COUNTER-IRHITANT” actually brings 1 fresh warm blood to aching muscles -I to help break up painful local con- ■ gestion. Better than an old-fashioucJ ■ mustard plaster! In 3 strengths. LOANS ON REALESTATE AUTOMOBILES AND PERSONAL PROPERTY NEWBERRY INSURANCE AND REALTY 00. NED PURCELL, Manager TELEPHONE 197 Exchange Bank Building FOR SALE—One L. C. Smith type writer in good condition. One pair Dayton counter scales. Layton Bros. 1 Telephone 67. APARTMENT FOR RENT — No children. Call Mrs. Tom P. John son, 1237 Calhoun St. Newberry, S. C. Phone 220-J. 3tp Lines From Life “Mom deserved a really ele gant present—and I had the pockebbook shorts again. The way I feel about her, a cheap imitation of something good is out. But I solved the. problem perfectly. A bouquet of fine, fresh-cut flowers told her ex actly how. I felt about her. She loved ’em.” Pot Plants for Mother’s Day are already in. Cut Flowers coming. The Main Street Flower Shop y Mrs. W. E. Monts, Prop. Telephone 208-w Give Mother a Gift She Will ' Appreciate HER day is next Snnday yOU will find many items here ^ that will charm Mother. For instance: a nice Parse Falcon of Perfume, Toilet Water, Powder, and Perfumes in Evening In Paris, Margo, Friendship Garden, Max Factor, Coteys, Donna Lo. You are sure to find something swell for Mother at this drug store. Lominicks Drug Store