Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PAGE TWO THE NEWBERRY SUN THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1956 1213 ColWre Street NEWBERRY, S. C. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY O. F. Armfield, Jr., Owner Entered as second-class matter December 6, 1937 at the Postoffice at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $2.00 per year in ad vance; six months, $1.25. COMMENTS ON MEN AND THINGS By SPECTATOR Ever been to Saluda Dam? I attended the dirt moving job, the beginning of the mammoth new plant of The South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. Mr. B. M. Edwards, the banker, w'ho is the senior director of the power Com pany, was scheduled to throw the first shovel of dirt and then to deliver the address of dedication. Now that was what I expected to see and hear. Mr. McMeekin, however, is a forward-looking man and even marches a wee bit ahead of the front rank, so he planned for the first shovel of dirt to be an operation of a bulldozer, not a hand shovel. Well, now, could Mr. Edwards, a banker, .manipulate a bull dozer? Now that was a question. So Mr. McMeekin himself grasped the levers and moved forwiard a bit; but soon we espied Mr. Edwards climbing up, with eagerness, keenly desirous to try his hand. The crowd of spectators, while fully appreciating the admirable qualities of both gentlemen, was a bit nervous about them as bulldozer engineers and operators stood poised for immediate flight. Mr. Edwards, as a railroad man, would probably be happy at the throttle of the Seaboard’s newest and mightiest group of diesels, shaved about ten feet of hard red clay and then reported for the fine dinner served before the address. I need not give all the details of the new plant, but I should like to quote a part of Mr. Edwards’ speech. As I listened to Mr. Edwards’ splendid tribute to Mr. McMeek in I was very proud to claim both as my friends. It was a singularly felicitous and auspicious occasion and there before me spoke the greatest banker of the State eulogizing the greatest industrialist of the State—the two biggest businessmen of South Carolina, each heading a business of about two hundred million dollars, both farm boys who have made their way in the world and are not only great leaders and great managers, but gracious gentlemen, full of the milk of human kindness. Let me quote Mr. Edwards: <r When I first became a director, it was a much smaller company and organization than it is today. As time pro gressed I saw the outline and plans of further expansion as laid out and proposed by the management—the present man who is President, along with his supervisory staff and the able and outstanding Financial Vice President, Joe Cos tello—it was t very hard for me to see it. I had some tloubt and concern as to whether or not we would have the de mand for the additional power and facilities, but, having every confidence in ‘Slick’ McMeekin, his associates, and Joe Costello, I went along. And how right they have prov en to be, and how thankful all of us can be—in fact, the state and the entire country—that never at any time in the past has there been any shortage of power or other electri cal services and facilities in this area. In the meantime, all of these added and additional facilities and services have been needed and necessary, and all of us owe a great debt of gratitude to ‘Slick’ McMeekin and his associates for what they have done to provide all of these things "which have so much promoted and made possible the development of our State during the past fifteen or twenty years. They certainly had the courage, judgment, wisdom and exper ience to gaze far into the future and make the prediction as to what would come and to do the right and proper thing, at the right and proper time. It is a great comfort to me, and I consider it a great honor to take part in these proceedings here today, which to some degree recognize the character, the integrity, the ability and resourcefulness of our fellow citizen, Silas C. McMeekin. He is a rather timid fellow when it comes to the question of accepting credit for anything he has done, always anxious to see the other fellow come first; but if there was ever an occasion or a situation where a man was entitled to receive the honor that we are bestow ing here today on Silas C. McMeekin, then this is it. The South Carolina Electdic and Gas Company has a man at its top position who is an extremely able leader. He is a native of South Carolina, having been born in Fairfied County. rf’He is a graduate of Clemson College which re cently recognized his vast contributions to our State by conferring upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of En gineering. He loves his state and his company and he works and fights constantly for the welfare and progress of both. It has been during his tenure as the head of the South Carolina Electric and Gas Company’s system that all the astounding progress which I cited a few moments ago has been made. This Company is no different from your business or other businesses; the cost of doing business and providing facilities and services has increased tremendously. But, notwithstanding, the price and cost of electric current to you has shown practically no increase and, as a matter of fact, in many instances is actually lower. In my opinion, this s very close to a miracle of performance, that the Company has been able to do this. And another thing, while they were accomplishing all this, they are paying taxes to the Federal Government, MEMORIAL DAY Q—Can yon give me the main changes in the social seenrity measure which was recently passed by the House? A—This bill, H.R. 7225 has, of this writing, not been reported out of the Senate Finance Committee. As it passed the House, the principal changes made in Social Security regulations: Lowers the retirement age for women from 65 to 62 years; brings disability benefits to about 250,000 workers not now covered, ranging from $30 to $108.50 per month; and raises the social security tax on employees and em ployers from to 2 to 2% per cent, and on self-employed from 3 to 3 and three-quarters per cent; fixes the age for disability payments to start at age 50. Q—Can you teU me how much of the Federal budget goes for national debt Interest? A—The budget for fiscal year 1957 sets up about 11% of the total for payment of interest on the national debt. Q—At what point does corporate income tax jump from 39 to 52 per cent? A—Corporations pay 52% on all incomes over $25,000. Q—Are veterans who serve in peace time entitled to VA hoephaUsatlonf A—No. The Veterans Administration has ruled that peacetime veterans are not eligible ter hospitalisation except (1) ter disability incurred in line of duty, or (2) If they are receiving VA condensation ter a service-connected or service-aggravated disability. Q—I note there Is a Mil ter preeervatlen ef Key deer. What Is a Key — • V the state and sub-divisions thereof at the rate of approxi mately $20,000 per day; and they are in competition with other concerns who pay little, if any, taxes or revenues either to the state or the federal government. One of the great problems of this country today is that there are too many ‘free riders’ on the ‘tax wagon’. This simply means, in plain, common, hard sense, that any of these fellows who ‘ride free’ are doing it at your expense, my expense, and the expense of private business and indus try throughout the nation. In other words, we not only pay our taxes, but we have to pay theirs, as well. ‘ There are some who argue that the public is benefiting from those operations. Some are in the electric business, some n the banking business, some in the mercantile busi ness ; in fact, these tax-free boys are now engaged in al most every kind, class and nature of business in the coun try, and they are in competition with private business and it isn’t right. They should be put on the tax books and re quired to pay their just share of the tax burden. Even if a few people are receiving some benefits, either directly or indirectly, from the operations of these ‘free-riders’, it doesn’t spread out and apply to the people as a whole. If it did, then none of us would pay any taxes, and where would we get the money to run the government? This na tion of ours is struggling today under a tremendous load of debt, and that debt is held by the businesses and individ uals in America. The interest and carrying charges have to be paid, and these ‘free boys’ should be paying part of that debt; instead, we are not only paying taxes on the money that the federal government has invested in these socialized and/or free-riding businesses and enterprises. It is happening to you just as much as it is to the other busi nesses and to me, and it is going to continue until you and the other citizens of America rise np in protest and do something about it.” I cannot recall at the moment all the old friends I saw that day. When I saw Bill Workman he was full of barbe cued chicken and progressing steadily. During the day I spent some time with our State Auditor, Jim Smith, and Claude McMllan, Chief Highway Commissioner, as well as genial, smiling Jimmie Porter. By the way, Mr. McMillan and his very able associates are serving our State hand somely. At the table I found myself between Mr. Oyer, the haind- some treasurer of “the Company” and “Dusty” Rhodes, well known Comptroller General of the State. I had just passed the time with State Treasurer Jeff Bates, who is always a courtly gentleman. Across from me at the table wias friend Sidney Duncan, than whom he is which—as I told Sidney. At the end of the table sat a youthful looking man. Lo and behold he was my old friend Sam King, Exe cutive Secretary of the State Sinking Fund Commission, and chief custodian of all State buildings. I don’t knotv what sort of beauty treatment Sam has had. I recall a wave of genial greeting from friend Boyle of the Public Service group. I had quite a day; I went to the lake with Dr. B. M. Ed wards and I came back to Columbia with my friend Mr. John A. Campbell, President of the big South Carolina Na tional Bank; and Mr. Edwards, Mr. Campbell and I were given a “lift’ up the hill by our friend Mr. Eugene W. Aus tin, Executive Vice President of The Citizens and Southern Bank. As you see, I was in the atmosphere of big money all day, but couldn’t “realize” on it, as they say. Look over the group: Mr. Edwards, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Austin—all big bankers; Mr. Oyer, a treasurer of multi million dollar enterprises; Mr. Bates, Mr. Rhodes and Mr. King, holding great public trusts; only Sidney and I sit ting on the sidelines of big finance, although Sdney is a big lowyer and growing every day. I “r^n nto” Dan Hen derson of the Governor’s office several times—quite an af fable, upstanding man. brain bidi 1. A lexicographer Is concerned wfth (a) words: (b) grams; <c) distances. 2. Opprobrious means (a) aware of opportunity: (b) in op position; (c) abusive. ' ' ^ 2. A prolocutor is (a) a jailkeeper; (b) judge; (o) spokesman. ANSWERS L «*•*•** •» ’•▲imqv *8 **P-**M 1 \ A—A Key doer Is a miniature deer which has almost hoooeno extinct' end is found only in a small section of the Florida Keys. HJL 19222 would set up a Notional Key Deer Refuge which would protest the tiny deer ta a natural habitat in the Florida Keys. Q—Who fsintskir uniform end eqnipment ter the National Onaadf A—They ere provided by the Federal Government to enlisted men free. Officers are entitled to buy uniforms from the Federal Government at cost CIOSS ik. kfeot from other editor* From the Whiteside Sentinel, Morrison, TUtnote? As is generally known, the farm population has been declining while the size of the average farm has -been in creasing. The agricultural econo mists seem virtually unanimous in believing that this trend will con tinue, with fewer farmers and bigger farms. The reason for it of course, is the technological revolution that has resulted from mechanization, electrification, and other gigantic forward steps that farming has taken in a comparatively short period of time. Some people, however, fear that all this progress involves a seri ous danger—a danger that the family farm may be on the way out and that the future lies in huge, corporation-type enterprises. The weight of evidence is against that view. Modern terming tech niques should and de strengthen temtiy term. Mechanised equip- ment, starting with the tractor and going al the way down the long list le an sxsnyte. It makes it poeelble ter the p—operator to handle a larger acreage and to produce same with lees coot and physical effort Not every termer, ebvtonsly, can individually buy all the ms rhinos and attachments that are desired. But group# of termers, acting cooperatively. can do that—and the cost to each is moderate indeed in the light of results. This country has room aplenty for big farmers and small farmers —just as it has room for big and small business. • • • From the Dearborn Independent Dearborn, Michigan: Suppose an employer said to his employees, ,4 I want you to work overtime, but I’ll pay you only half the regular rate.” Or a company said to its salesmen, “Make more sales —but on all sales over your quota, you’ll get a lower rate of commis sion.” . Doesn’t make sense, does it? But the high and discriminatory progressive rates of the income tax do just that in effect—put a penalty on a man’s ambition, hard week gad success as he strives up the ladder. The progressive rates of the surtaxes iucrease with particular severity over the middle income range. At H.009 ef tavahte in come, the earner begins pay ing 28c of each siftltciaCl dollar to the governeneut. At |«,M0 ho gets socked with M%; at $18,009 he gets a real tiwek when the government begtae te take half of all hie additional earnings end It goes eo up from them te the top tax rate of M%. T LAST STAND AT FORT CULVER fty Lyle Pace }RT Culver had been buQt long before tee Civil Wer. Now a 1975 It was worn, bottle-scarred and in need ef a aaajor repair job. But there wasn’t time. There was never any time when the Apaches were around, and now they num bered in the thousands, bent on revenge and massacre. Captain Paul Byer stood now on the rampart of the iort, watch ing below him the meagre rein forcements General Potter had sent him just yesterday. He walked down the narrow steps and to the drill sergeant, who smartly saluted his cap tain, and then at a nod dismissed the men. “Come to my office. Sergeant,” Byer said. “I’ve got a job for you.” Sergeant Mills was a big man, bigger even than the captain. He’d been a soldier longer, too, and he had in common with the rest of the enlisted men the won der of the worth of this yet im proved commander of the Fort. Captain Byer had only arrived a week ago to take over for a com mander who had doubted the ac curacy of Apache long rifles. He followed his captain into the small office and stood at attention while Byer took a chair. “Relax, Sergeant,” Byer said. <‘Sit down.” “Yes, sir.” Sergeant Mills took it as an or der. He would not allow himself the opportunity to become friends with the captain. He just did not believe in it. “Sergeant, you know our posi tion?” “Yes, sir.” “Do you think i + ’s hopeless?” “I don’t know, sir. I’d rather not say, sir.” “All right. Sergeant. I know you don’t like me. I don’t think any officers. I’m right?” ’ d not answer. Finally he j lieutenant Biddle might know our position better, sir.” Byer jumped to his feet. “No body knows it any better than you; MBIef I wen* your etfvto*. I'm ashfag ter II. BAMte Aeean’t knew Me eebre teem hie spurs. Z*m ask ing you te help me, Sorgeeat. If you wffl.” “Yes, sir. m do say best, sir ” But Byer could feel the coldness ha the sergeant’s voice, knew that Mills considered him e recruit, like the others. “Thanks,** the captain said. “Now here’s what I want. I want the location of the rendevouz of the Apache. I have an idea that if we know that we’ve got a. chance.” Mills got to his feet and saluted "smartly. *TU leave at once, sir.” He pivoted and left the room. Through the open door Captain Byer watched him walk toward the compound. Suddenly some thing flew through the air and Mills dropped to the ground. Byer was out of his office in seconds, kneeling next to the sergeant, easing the arrow out of his shoul der. Around him pandemonium broke loose. The screams of the Apache war-cry mingled with the curses of the recruits. He dragged Mills to the shelter of the stable porch. Then, six- shooter in one hand and his sabre in the other, he went to work with his men. An hour later he watched, with what remained of his small fight ing force, the Apache horde fleeing out of the Fort and over the hills. Sergeant Mills was propped up on one arm when Captain Byer returned to the porch. “Feeling better Sergeant?” Byer asked. “Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir.” “For what?” “Well, sir, it’s just that—well, I didn’t know you could fight like that—” Captain Paul Byer grinned. “You know something. Sergeant? I didn’t know it, either.” “What’s that, sir?” Byer wiped at a cut on his chin. “Let's just say I had a critical audience. Sergeant. Somebody who’d take a lot of convincing.” B EHIND-the-scenes dissatisfac tion with the development and growth of the Atomic Power Industry in the United States has boiled over onto the floor of the United States Senate. With passage of the Atomic En ergy Act of 1954 opening up the peaceful uses of atomic energy to private business and ending the government monoply, private in dustry and particularly the Elec tric Power Industry, expressed great satisfaction and only urged that the government “give them the ball” so they could run with their new-found freedom to ex pand in this new atomic era. All has. not been a bed of roses, how ever. Expressed dissatisfaction with the regulations of the Atomic Energy Commission, with the secrecy which has and continues to surround much of. the govern ment’s experimentation In atomic energy has rankled In the private business collective mind. The great American system of private enterprise fouhd many road blocks in the path of early adaptation of convention systems of electric production to the atomic or nuclear production. Many of these road blocks were in private industry itself. 1—Suitable metals lor with standing the heat and corrosion peculiar to fissioning of uranium remains a road block. Metals such as zirconium, beryllium, thorium and boral are in short supply and high in cost. Metallurgy has not kept pace with the atomic age. 2—There is a tremendous short age in manpower, that is men trained in atomic energy tech niques and the physical sciences. 8—The insurance industry has been unable to come up with sufficient insurance to cover third party liability in case of a thou- sand-to-one gamble on a catas trophe. 4— Management has found cor poration stockholders unwilling to risk large investment on construc tion of nuclear reactors which are not yet competitive with conven tional fuels such as coal, gas and oil, and hence not yet profitable. 5— Although gome fifteen applica tions for reactor construction have been filed with the atomic energy commission, the first more than a year ago, no license has yet been issued for a power reactor, and only two for research reactors. As a matter of fact this is not wholly the fault of the Atomic Energy Commission, for the applicants for power reactors are not yet ready to go ahead, have not furnished the Commission with all the data called for by the rules end regula tions, some demand subsidies, some ask for other speeial concessions. During the hearings on the state, growth and development of the Atomic Energy Industry as re quired by the law, the Joint Com* mittee on Atomic Energy was faced with these further demands from private industry: 1— That Government provide indemnity for looses on public liability which might be incurred in any reactor accident; 2— That Companies who join Ik a holding company or pool re sources to build a nuclear reactot be exempted from the provision! of the Utility Holding Company Act; 2—That money spent in exper imentation, which runs into mil lions of dollars, be declared de ductible for income tax purposes. CROSSWORD PUZZLE ruiixui m* *** ACBOSS 1 Earthy deposit WUd ha S W1 IS Rodent* 41 4S It cute fee* hair (pi.) 43 Kiln 44 Japanese •talesman 45 Wager 4? —Dame 49 Compass point 80 Set of pro fessed opinions SB Heartes orsana 84 Swan 90 To captare ! whale S Kind of nails S Rowing Im plement T Goddess of Infatuation • Soak Slumbered Dried grape Assists 9 10 11 12 13 Woody plant Body of water (pi.) 21 Consume 23 Fertile spot* on desert 29 Landed 20 28 •rty ■itle *ins vessel National monument ta Phoenix. Arizona Cant Frankfurter text t. 00 401 S3 Take* tt easy 0S Item ef »rty 9t America I | Answer te Pass!* N*. *S4 tLd This An' That BUI Spivey, termer University of Kentaoky ster. Is now s recreation director at Kext- tncky Dam State Park. Spivey spent four years touring the United States, Asia and Europe with a professional basketball squad • • • One of the greatest British bare knuckle fighters was Peter Cor coran, a 6-foot 7-Inch Irish Cham pion. In 1771 be stopped Bill Darts with a single punch. He held the championship for six years, during which time he fought more than 29- men, stopping moat of them with the first solid blow ... Bobby Jones, the greatest amateur golfer of all time, won his first title In Mil, at the age of nine, annexing the Junior Championship cap of the Atlanta Athletic Club. He FAVORITE WINS . . .Jockey Dave Rrb rode Needles to vic tory In richest Kentucky Derby, coming teem 15th place in stretch te beat Fables by 94 scored golfdom’s only Slam” In 1999, at 29, eeiteoted $122,459. before retiring ta 1999.