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laxkson
J. D. Jones Publisher
(1908-1955
Doyle Jones Jr. Editor and Publisher
(1955-1975)
MRS. MARTHA G. JONES PUBLISHER
VINCENT JONES EDITOR
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Editorials
It's Time To Move On
A County Manager Plan
Regardless of which candi
dates will prevail in the races for
seats on the Butts County
Commission, it is not too early to
begin planning now for a County
Manager system of government,
which most candidates and a great
number of the voters seem to have
already endorsed.
Upon selection of the party
nominees, a meeting between the
nominees and the present Commis
sion members could prove produc
tive in exploring the pros and cons
of this issue.
If the matter can be handled by
local legislation, then a bill must be
perfected for submission at the
Could Rural Resettlement
Break the Poverty Cycle?
For years the sociologists have
wrestled with the question of
whether slums breed poverty or
poverty breeds slums.
Regardless of the causative
factors involved, we do know that
poverty exists and that it has a
grinding, crushing, iron-tight grip
on millions of our people who need,
and want, to rise above it.
In the cities of the nation, some of
which have already become
unmanageable governmental
units, the odds against a young boy
or girl rising out of the vicious,
choking circle of poverty are
frighteningly in favor of abject
failure.
If we are literal prisoners of
our environment, the question is
rather academic as to whether
heredity or environment is respon
sible for our being there.
Boys and girls in the worst
slums and ghettoes of our major
cities have no chance to break out
of the awful circumstances into
which they were born. Youth gangs
force them to comply with their
code, or else. Rip-offs, muggings,
purse-snatchings, vandalism, drug
using and pushing, these are the
requirements of their environment
and fortunate indeed is the boy or
girl who can escape it.
Meantime, the nation’s lead
ers-who always seem to feel that if
you just pay enough in ransom the
problem will disappear-pour bil-
August Offers The
Hope of Relief
For many a husband, August
hopefully means the autumn of the
growing season.
It has been a long, hot time
since mid-April when the seedtime
came and the path to the garden
has been well worn by the plodding
feet of the hoeman.
For every succulent tomato,
150 tufts of nut grass were evicted;
for every tasty bean, 25 iron weeds
next General Assembly and
support of the local Respresenta
tives and Senator enlisted to assure
its passage.
Should a referendum be
required, or preferred, then the
matter could be submitted to the
people in sufficient time to test
their feeling before passage of any
enabling legislation.
But whatever the mechanism
required, it’s high time we
determined it and started the
Drocess to make this vital change,
ere January, rolling towards us
like thunder, finds us wishful, but
wanting.
lions into this festering cauldron
and seem shocked that the problem
gets no better.
All across the nation, there are
millions of acres of land lying idle,
farrow, growing weeds. Given the
proper direction and some of the
federal funds that are now just
filling rat holes, this land could
grow boys and girls, and even their
parents, into responsible citizens
with an honest chance to become
productive members of society.
How do you get them out of the
city and out under the bright, blue
sky? How do you get them to lay
down the switch blade for the
garden hoe? Can you make a lathe
operator out of a drug pusher?
We don’t know but we believe
we do know this. You are not very
likely to make many of these
transformations under the present
environment in which many of our
major federal and state aid
programs are working.
Let’s get them back on the land.
Let’s subsidize, if necessary, the
land purchase and housing of these
city refugees until they can pay
their own way.
America’s countryside is big
enough to absorb, and solve, most
of the big city’s problems. A move
towards rural resettlement makes
sense here, and in 1976 we believe it
offers a real American solution to a
genuine American problem.
lost their strength; for every
tender squash, 15 coffee weeds
were sent back to Brazil.
It has been one, long, hard
continual fight and, if the canner
and processor complains about the
never-ending basket of produce,
then the producer himself is
equally relieved-that delicious as
it all was--it, too, must soon pass
away.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
The Last
Straw
BY
VINCENT JONES
From the comparative
safety of the editor’s chair,
removed from the strife of
the county’s political battle
ground, perhaps one should
be permitted a few observa
tions about the recent
primary election.
Congratulations are in
order for every Butts
countian who went to the
polls last Tuesday in record
number, over 4,016 in all, or
69.3 percent of the 5,794
registered voters.
Not only did a record
number of voters register
their choices that day, but
the ratio between voters and
registrants was at an all time
high.
Anytime you can get 70
percent of the people to act
on anvting, even so fund
amental and vital an issue as
exercising their ballot privi
lege. you have just cause for
everyone in the County to be
proud.
But with the record turnout
came attendant problems.
Poll holders were literally
swamped all day long by
voters who patiently waited
in line to express their
choices.
After the polls closed, the
fun really began in earnest.
Four tables of weary
tabulators worked until 3:30
Wednesday morning and still
were only about two-thirds of
the way though tabulating
returns from the lengthy
ballot.
You can't ask any more
from mere flesh and blood.
Most of the poll holders were
on duty for 21 consecutive
hours, from 6:30 a.m.
Tuesday until 3:30 a.m.
Wednesday. That length of
work day would cover almost
three for most of us.
With the County’s popula
tion growing, and vote totals
rising steadily there is only
one sensible solution to the
problem.
We must install voting
machines in the courthouse
for voters in the Jackson
precinct. The machines can
either be purchased, or
preferably leased, for the
state wide races and county
elections every four years.
Barnesville. Forsyth and
other neighboring cities our
size have them, and seem
pleased with the effortless
manner in which they record
the voting preferences of
their citizens.
The manner in which most
winners and losers have
accepted the decision of the
electorate reflects well on the
quality of candidates who
offered for election. The
public likes a graceful loser
and a humble winner.
Even Jimmy (Who) Car
ter. who seems destined to be
the next president of the
United States, lost his first
race for governor of Georgia.
Of course, it is easier for
the winners to be graceful in
victory than it is for the
losers to be noble in defeat.
All of the frustratingly long
hours, intense summer heat,
and financial, mental and
phsvical effort expended, can
leave a loser vindictive and
bitter.
Any man or woman can
win nobly. It takes a real
man or woman to lose the
same way.
Many making their first
political race should take
heart from their near
success. We learn from every
experience in life, and
oftentimes personal defeats
of whatever nature teach us
much more than personal
victories.
This couplet by Adam
Gordon perhaps best sums up
our sympathy for those who
did not make the run-off, and
for those who will not gain
the final victory:
“Life is mostly froth and
bubble,
Two things stand like
stone --
Kindness in another’s
trouble.
Courage in your own.”
Memory Lane
News of 10 Years Ago
Attendance at the annual
Van Deventer Youth Founda
tion picnic at Indian Springs
State Park was well over 400.
Riley H. Hay, of Indian
Springs Lodge No. 307, was
presented a 50 Year Masonic
Service Pin award at a
recent ceremony.
• Dr. Randolph Long, presi
dent fo the Butts County
Jaycees. announces that the
annual Industrial Day pro
gram will be held on
September 21st.
Ben M. Garland, of the
Atlanta Chamber of Com
merce, told Kiwanians Tues
day night of the fantastic
growth ahead along the 1-75
corridor between Atlanta and
Macon.
Misses Jenmter uoieman,
Mary Zane Hearn, Dorner
Carmichael. Jean Evans,
Candy Carmichael, Ellen
Phillips and Debbie Hodges
attended a house party last
week at Daytona Beach, Fla.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Ruth Respess Bush, 93:
Wiley Henry Turner, 80;
Walter Allison Williams, 78;
Robert Allen Niblett, 88;
Alvin Horace Smith, Sr.
News of 20 Years Ago
Jackson High head football
coach Henry Powers says
fall practice will begin on
Monday. August 20th.
Grady Jackson, Scott Cole
man and Billy Saunders, of
the Jackson High School
band, played in the
all-Georgia band at the
annual All-Star football
game.
C. B. and Joe Brown,
co-chairman of the Butts
County Jaycees Industrial
Day committee, announced
that Lt. Gov. Ernest Van
diver will be the main
speaker at this year’s event.
County agent B. B.
Campbell, Mrs. J. T. Mad
dox. Mrs. James Wallace and
Mrs. Joanne Oxenford ac
companied 41 4-H boys and
girls to a 5-day camp at Rock
Eagle.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. Bessie Marie Singley
Wightman, 50.
News of 30 Years Ago
The Jackson Council is
studying plans for paving
streets and sidewalks in the
City, with homeowners shar
ing in the costs. Sidewalk
paving will run 30 cents per
foot and street paving about
$1.25 to $1.50 per foot.
Ike Johnson, a tenant on
the Jolly farm near Stark,
reported the first open boll of
cotton for 1946 on August
10th.
Jackson’s two gin plants,
that of Nutt & Bond, Inc. and
Robison, Settle & Robison,
Inc., are making ready for
the new cotton season.
Jackson High Football
coach O. L. Parker says his
squad will assemble August
19 for their first practice.
Supt. F. C. Hearn has
announced faculties for the
County schools, including the
following principals: S. W.
Causey, Jackson Schools;
Miss Eloise Beauchamp,
Pepperton; Mrs. Obie Wat
kins, Indian Springs; Mrs.
Van M. Freeman, Towaliga,
and Mrs. I. M. Wilson,
Tussahaw.
Deaths during the week: J.
Oscar Cole, 70; Mrs. G. E.
Harmon, 78.
News of 40 Years Ago
B. H. Hodges has ginned
and sold the first bale of
cotton in Butts County for
1936. E. L. Smith of
THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1976
Pepperton Cotton Mills paid
13 cents a pound for the bale,
which weighed in at 450
pounds.
Judge Ogden Persons has
scored the reports of gam
bling devices in the County in
his charge to the grand jury
and. as a result, a raid was
made and seven “one-armed
bandits” were confiscated
and destroyed.
Supt. D. V. Spencer has
named the faculty for the
Jackson public schools for
the fall term. H. D. Roberts,
of Parrott, Ga., will serve as
principal, science and athlet
ic director for the 1936-37
term.
The wedding of Miss Mary
Ann Mitchell and Mr. David
Gray was an event of August
11th.
Deaths during the week:
Mrs. J. C. Lewis, 56.
News of 50 Years Ago
Roy Sims, white, and his
wife. Lucile Sims, are in jail
charged with burglarizing
the dental offices of Drs. J. B.
and L. B. Hopkins. It is
understood the pair sold the
dental gold for $109.20 in
Atlanta. Earlier, the same
couple had robbed the office
of Dr. H. T. Strickland, of
Albany, former Jackson
dentist, of some S2OO worth of
gold.
The Jackson-Indian
Springs highway is being
surveyed, preparatory to
grading and paving. Paving
the five mile stretch is
expected to set off a land
boom in the lower section of
the County.
Butts County Agent Henry
G. Wiley is leading a large
delegation of local citizens to
Athens on August 20th where
Butts County Day will be
celebrated at the State
College of Agriculture.
Friends of Mr. and Mrs.
David Settle will regret to
learn of the death of Mrs.
Settle’s father, Mr. W. T.
Newton, which occurred
suddenly at his home in
Buchanan at noon Sunday.
Allen Grocery Cos. was
advertising coffee at 30 cents
a pound and Star soap at 4
cents a bar.
Carmichael’s Georgia Gro
cery had boiling meat for 16
cents a pound and cheese for
29 cents a pound.
■KJSS
Getting away from
it all is great.
Untilyougetthebill.
And then you’re
right back at it again.
Well, maybe you’ve
got it all backwards.
The smart thing to
do is to invest steadily
in your getaway plan
before you go.
And the safest way
to do it is by joining
your Payroll Savings
Plan at work.
. stock y
m^jnenea.
200 years at the same location.
H&IKJIIFiRI
By Mrs. Cindy Brown
. .Ain’t it funny how when
your car is paid for, it always
tears up?
Ain’t it funny how unex
pected company always
shows up for supper the day
BEFORE you buy groceries?
Ain’t it funny how every
body else’s children are
always perfect?
Ain’t it funny how when the
preacher comes to visit, you
never can find the family
Bible?
Ain’t it funny how people
who can’t carry a tune in a
bucket always carry the
loudest bucket?
Ain’t it funny how cakes
never fall except on special
occasions?
Ain’t It funny how with 15
dogs in the neighborhood, it’s
always your dog who eats up
Mrs. Persnickety’s doormat?
Ain’t it funny how kids
always have to go to the
bathroom when there’s not
one around?
Ain’t it funny how you
never lost money in the Coke
box until you have only one
quarter with you?
Ain’t it funny how the car
never breaks down unless
you are driving?
Ain’t it funny how the line
is never busy until you get in
a hurry?
Ain’t it funny how ladies
• W v.
ON PAYING OUR DEBTS
I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and the
subject got around to the paying of one’s debts. Seems like
this friend was experiencing in his business what more and
more business people are experiencing: people who will not,
or cannot, pay their debts.
Let a man walk into a business with a gun and take
money by force and we call it robbery. What he did is
frowned upon by society and called a crime. But let another
man walk into the same store and buy something which he
knows he cannot-or will not-pay for and that is another
matter. We don’t haul him off to court and place him in jail.
But, in both instances, the man who owns the business
has lost money. And the result of a bad debt is the same as
those of armed robbery-money is lost. The business suffers.
Financial irresponsibility is as much a sin-U you will
pardon tne theological term-as is armed robbery. There are
a number of people who are simply irresponsible when it
comes to buying on credit. Cal! it bad judgment if you desire,
but it can also be called by another name-stealing. If you
take another’s property without paying for it, or without it
being given to you, then you have stolen what is not
yours-regardless of how you got it.
Now there are times when most of us get a little
overexpended and find ourself in a financial bind. But
responsible, thoughtful people never make a habit of it and
never do so intentionally. And they always take a responsible
attitude toward clearing up their debt.
But to buy something when there is a legitimate doubt
in your mind as to your ability to pay, that is nothing more
than an irresponsible act on your part. And to buy something
when you know you cannot pay for it, that is nothing short of
stealing. Accept it for what it is.
One never need get into a financial bind, if he will
simply refuse to spend more than he makes. Then, too, it
helps to separate our needs from our wants. Onr needs must
come first and our wants as we can afford them.
The apostle Paul had something to say about all this.
(Some find it strange that such practical, everyday things
are mentioned in the Bible.) “Pay all your debts,” says Paul,
“except the debt of love for others-never finish paying that!
The only way you can pay all your debts is to never incur
more debts that you can pay and then take debt-paying as a
part of your moral obligation.
The man to whom money is owed isn’t the only one who
loses when a debt goes unpaid.He loses the money, to be sure.
But with each debt entered into irresponsible and left unpaid,
the one who does so loses a little more of his character and
self-respect.
So the next time you get ready to purchase an item, ask
yourself this question: “Can I afford it?” If you can’t, then
don t buy it. And if you do buy it make sure you can pay for it
when it is time to do so.
Just remember that there is more than one way to steal
from another. But no matter how you do iL stealing is still
stealing.
Financial responsibility on your part can make life a
lot more pleasant than you think. So be a financially
responsible person.
And you don’t want to be a thief.
(Join Mr. Wildmon on his 10th tour of the Holy Land and
Switzerland. 11 days departing Nov. 8. For info, write him at
Box 68. Southaven, Miss. 38671)
always weigh ten pounds less
than you think?
Ain’t it funny how the
mailman never loses your
bills, but sometimes loses
your paycheck?
Ain’t it funny how you can
count on rain if you wash
your car, your clothes or
your hair?
Ain’t it funny how when
mosquitoes aren’t biting
anyone else they always take
a nip at you?
Ain’t it funny how some
folks can walk right through
poison ivy and never catch it,
while you can look at it and
break out from head to toe?
Ain’t it funny how folks
who have boys want girls and
vice versa?
Ain’t it funny how your kids
can never remember your
birthday, but can always
remember your age?
Ain’t it funny how when
you call long distance you
nearly always get put on
hold?
Ain’t it funny how the folks
who owe you money don’t get
in touch with you nearly as
fast as those you owe money
to?
Ain’t it funny how this
typewriter ribbon was worn
out and I ain’t even done?
Ain’t it funny?
‘Whatsoever
Things'
By Donald E. Wildmon