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Haxfesßu Trogtxss-^rgus J. D. Jones Publisher (1908-1955 Doyle Jones Jr. Editor and Publisher (1955-1975) MRS MARTHA G. JONES PUBLISHER VINCENT JONES EDITOR Published every Thursday at 129 South Mulberry Street, Jackson, Georgia 30233 by The Progress-Argus Printing Cos., Inc. Second Class Postage paid at Jackson, Georgia 30233. Address notice of undeliverable copies and other correspondence to The Jackson Progress-Argus, P.O. Box 249, Jackson, Georgia 30233. ? NATIONaI f *stdcuTiN IwUrt im pm> si NNA SUSTAINING Bi MEMBER— I97S One Year $6.24 School Year $5.20 Editorials What a Bicentennial Present for All Georgians As most Georgians sat in awe before their television sets last Tuesday night and watched the election returns being posted for the 50states, they slowly but surely became acutely aware they were witnessing the single most historic event in the 243-year history of the state. Jimmy Carter, from Plains, Georgia, was being elected president of the United States, the first Georgian to ever even seriously aspire to the office, if the foreordained failure by the late Senator Richard B. Russell is discounted. A president from Georgia. Why, there were people from Harmony, Minnesota and Summit, South Dakota who didn’t even know where Georgia was located, whether east or west of the Mississippi or south or north of the Mason-Dixon line. Georgians were people who ate corn pone and chitterlings, picked cotton and tobacco, kept their wives barefoot and preganant and spoke with a sirupy accent as thick and slow as blackstrap molasses. Within 22 months, a Georgia peanut farmer, former governor and nuclear submarine officer, changed enough of the widespread misconceptions about the South and its people to receive a majority of the popular vote in his bid for the presidency. Jimmy Carter thus becomes not only the first president the State of Georgia has ever produced, but he also becomes the man most responsible for getting Georgia readmitted to full mem bership in the political mainstream of the country. He changed almost single handedly the State’s position on the national political scene from that of observer to one of full-fledged participation. And in this magnificent, unparalleled achievement, he gave the State of Georgia a Bicentennial birthday present that will forever be enshrined in the history and hearts of the American people. It was not an easy win for the south Georgia farmer. Final returns showed a victory margin in A Need for Clarification There surely must be a better way to elect a .chairman of the Butts County Commission than the present law which has been interpreted as awarding the office to that candidate receiving the largest number of votes in the election. The candidates have fought hard political battles to win their respective posts on the Commis sion. To ask them to fight another battle in November to determine which member shall be the chairman seems superfluous and unnecessary. There was no indication on the ballot Tuesday to indicate that such a contest was being entered into. If Advance Subscription Rates, Tax Included: THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON. GEORGIA TELEPHONE 775-3.07 OFFICIAL ORGAN , I]WTV . vin BUTTS COUNTY AND CITY OF JACKSON Six Months $3.91 Single Copy 15c popular votes of between two and three percent. In his own state, one-third of his fellow Georgians voted for President Ford. There were lingering doubts about his administrative ability, his fiscal responsibility, his political sagacity, and one heard them voiced even after his opponent’s concession had been made. It seems rather odd that Georgians trust their political heritage to men from such faraway places as Massachusetts, Minne sota, Illinois, New York or Texas without question and then stand open-mouthed at the idea of a Georgian attaining the nation’s highest office. Of course, there are honest doubts about the stature of the man from Plains. But many raised similar questions about the qualifications of the man from Hyde Park, or the one from the Kennedy compound, or the California-New York lawyer, and others when they ascended to the throne of American political power. But aside from his obvious strengths, and weaknesses, in the political arena, Jimmy Carter possesses some personal charac teristics that the American people were sorely missing and looking for in a candidate. He is a man of great intellectual capacity; he identifies himself unashamedly as a Chris tian in a nation where disbelief has become increasingly popular; he stands tall as a good, decent, moral man and the nation was looking for such a leader, after some of its bitter disappointments with the character, or lack of it, of its former presidents. Clearly, the people will be looking to the Administration and the Congress for results without excesses that sometimes accom pany political control. In the meantime, Georgians everywhere should rejoice in the election of a native son and pledge him their efforts to assure a successful administration. the chairman was to be determined in such a manner, the ballot should have been worded to request voters to state their preference for the Commission chairman. Surely, a legislative act could straighten out this confusion and prevent candidates nominated in August from having to run again in November. Why not let the most popular vote getter in the primary be declared the chairman, or let the three nominees select their own chairman, or let one post be designated the chairman’s post? The present system would seem to place a burden on nominees who should be spared the traumas of another political campaign. The Last Straw BY VINCENT JONES With the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons rapidly approaching, twin holidays that always send traffic deaths soaring, perhaps it is appropriate to reproduce again a straight-from-the shoulder editorial written by an adult incensed at the senseless highway death toll. Here is what he wrote, harsh words but with a ring of truth to them: “The facts are in, boys, and you just don’t make the grade. Asa group between 16 and 25, you think you’re the world’s best drivers. But the low-down is this-you’re the country’s worst. The facts are in and your insurance rate has gone up by anywhere from 20 to 50 per cent. Think it over, lads...and dads. The insurance people are no dopes. They don’t care whether you are handsome and have the females in a dither, they don’t care whether you have a piece of junk lovingly tuned to a raceway song. All they care about is poor performance on the road. Frankly, sons, your per formance as a group is a menace to society. Who says so? Not us. . The insurance companies say so and they know; they don’t know your name and address. They don’t know if you own a Ferrari or a Ford. All they know about is facts. The facts are you have the worst road record of any age group in the country. And getting worse! You are still boys, bdys. You are not men unless you can handle cars, among other things, and you aren’t handling them properly, though you have plenty of know-how to do so. It isn’t only you who gets killed or hurt...it’s the girl with you, it’s the guy down the street, or the lady in the next county who trusted you to act like a man. You wouldn’t let a guy hit you over the head with a hammer; why let him drive you into a post? You wouldn’t let him steal 50 bucks out of your pocket, Yet he’s already done that this year, boosting your own cost of driving a car. And you, the worst of fenders...you spoiled brats thinking you can handle 200 horsepower when you can’t hapdle one boypower, what are you going to do about it? Brother, get the lowdown... the girls in your age group have it all over you. Not only in looks, but in intelligence, in self-control, in fair play, and in their ability to handle that horsepower you can’t handle. That’s not our opinion; it’s the considered opinion of the insurance companies. The rates for girls in your own age groups have gone down, not up. They are getting to be better drivers, not worse. How does that make you feel? You haven’t yet learned that champs are not chumps. And if you don’t believe the insurance companies about what lousy drivers you are, ask a champ someday...if you can face it. Don’t fool yourself about the cheap adulation of the kids around you who don’t know any better. And don’t think your girl is impressed by your hot-rod antics the next time you take her out. She, and most of your buddies, have you tabbed for just what you are, a chump. They’re just too polite or too scared or disgusted to tell you. Nobody else will tell you, so we’re telling you. We’ll take it back when the insurance rates come down.” THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1976 | A Stroll Down Memory Lane | News of 10 Years Ago Miss Yvonne Scott, of Crisp County, has been named the new Home Economist for Butts County and will suceed Miss Elizabeth Wilson, who retired December Ist after 15 years with the Agricultural Extension Service. Rev. Jerry L. Tabler, pastor of the Jackson and Fellowship Presbyterian Churches, has been admitted by the faculty of the Columbia Theological Semi nary as a candidate for the Masters Degree in Theology. J. M. Kitchens and C. S. Sims, of Griffin, reported a successful fishing trip to Suwanee, Florida. The pair boated 175 pounds of Reds and one lone speckled trout, with their largest fish weighing in at less than eight pounds. The family of Mrs. Callie Lunsford was hostess for a dinner at the Stark Commun ity House Sunday afternoon in honor of M-Sgt. Morris A. Young who will be leaving soon for Viet Nam. Deaths during the week: Mrs. Lunie Minton Bedsole, 78. News of 20 Years Ago Incomplete results from Tuesday’s presidential race showed Butts County giving Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson a 5-to-l majority over his Republican op ponent, Ike Eisenhower. Across the nation, it was evident that Eisenhower had been swept into office on a tidal wave of Republican votes. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Taylor entertained Sunday at a spend-the-day affair for their son, Bobby Taylor, who left Monday for the U.S. Army. The Mimosa Garden Club has announced that it will again sponsor the Christmas door lighting contest in Jackson. Miss Tommie Jo May and Mr. Warren Randolph Hodges were united in marriage at a double ring ceremony at the Jackson Baptist Church, with the Rev. G. A. Briggs officiating. Deaths during the week: Melanie Kim Atkinson, in fant; Mrs. Eula Hodges Thomas, 86. News of 30 Years Ago The Butts County Commis sioners have voted to support a state-sponsored program to stamp out the dangers of rabid fox in the County. Purchase by Allen’s Hom- Ond Grocery of the business of A. A. Fuqua and Company has been announced, posses sion to be taken about December Ist. Ginnings of cotton in Butts County through October 18th were down to 1,883 bales from 2,432 bales at the same time in 1945. At the Jenkinsburg Garden Club flower show, Mrs. M. B. Farrar won first prize, Mrs. C. H. Farrar, second, and Mrs. W. J. Saunders, third. Miss Miriam Evans, a student at Mercer Univer sity, has won an important role in the play, The Man Who Came to Dinner. Mrs. Annie F. Meadors has sold to Dr. Mary J. Edwards the Emmett Wallace place on the Jackson-Griffin highway. Consideration was listed at $6,000 for the 220 acres. Deaths during the week: Berry O’Neal, 78; Peggy Laverne Pace, infant. News of 40 Years Ago H. G. Wiley, County Agent in Butts County for eight years, and more recently in Monroe County the past six years, will become the County Agent in Crisp County on Nov. 15th. Mrs. Freeman Land has accepted the chairmanship of the Red Cross roll call campaign in Butts County. Mrs. J. W. O’Neal of the music department and Mrs. Marlin Spencer of the expression department will present their pupils in a recital Friday night. The Mimosa Garden Club will sponsor a Tom Thumb wedding and Beauty Pageant on Tuesday evening. Miss Annie Watkins and Mrs. David Leach are directing the shows. James D. Watkins, of Jackson, has been appointed an aide on the staff of General Lawrence, com mander of the Army of the Philippines. Deaths during the week: Alex Saunders, 75. News of 50 Years Ago Officers to serve the Butts County Education Associa tion were named recently and include Mrs. J. M. Currie, president; Mrs. E. R. Edwards, vice president; Miss Georgialu Gibson, se cretary and treasurer. The officers, along with Miss Mae Childs and Prof. R. I. Knox, compose the executive com mittee. The Indian Springs Im provement Association has been formed with Mrs. Willis B. Powell, president; Miss Carrie Collier, vice-presi dent; Mrs. Bessie Bryans, secretary and Mrs. W. B. King, Treasurer. The Woman’s Club will meet Friday with these hostesses, Mrs. I. M. Craw ford, Mrs. Otis Ball, Mrs. Emma Mallet, Mrs. George Mallet, Miss Pauline Mallet, Mrs. Albert Finley, Miss Hattie Buttrill and Mrs. Add Nutt. Deaths during the week: Mark Twain Phinazee, 16; William Harvey Foster, infant. (TKil LETTERS TO | THE EDITOR I To Whom It May Concern: The people of Jackson and anywhere that the Jackson Progress-Argus goes: Americans, we need to get ourselves together. I’ve had this on my mind ever since election and things that press on my mind I have to speak out so bear with me. You know during the campaign people were saying - don’t vote for Mr. So and So, he used to drink; he did this; he did that before he entered this, what I would like to know is who hasn’t done certain things. Okay they say, Mr. So and So has been to a Mental Institution; don’t elect him. Mr. So and So been married 10 years or possibly 30 and he has an outside lady. Okay, if something is wrong with all of them, who in the heck am I supposed to vote for. People judge not, we’ve all got a day that it’s not going to take but one to judge all of us. Everybody needs to clean theirfront and back yard before they come to someone else’s cleaning theirs be cause - stop and think - if yours is not clean why you want to clean mine. If what I do or someone else does don’t turn you on, people wonder if what you do or have done would have turned me on or give it some thought as to regard as to Jimmy Carter as President- A Gesture Toward Leadership by Dale Whiten Regardless of whether you’re for or against Jimmy Carter, it is generally conceded that the election of the man from Plains, Georgia to the Presidency of the United States is in itself a political phenomenon which has taken over a century and a quarter to transpire. But now that we have him, the question uppermost in everyone’s mind is “What can we look forward to?” Carter is indeed a political enigma. He emerged from relative obscurity, except in his home state, and took the Presidential primaries by a storm with his flashy smile and his familiar, “Hi, I’m Jimmy Carter, and I’m running for President.” It seemed like overnight that it was Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate for President, and then in a victory which separated him and his opponent by only two million votes, it was Jimmy Carter, President-elect of the United States. Carter’s victory state ments and his first press conference following the election are the immediate clues to study in order to get an idea of what the next four years hold in store, but these elements show no basic departure from Carter’s campaign which lasted for 22 months and thousands of miles and speeches. As President-elect, Carter obviously appeared more relaxed in contrast to the final hectic weeks of a campaign marked by mis takes and misstatements. But he accepted his victory modestly and philosophical ly. He continued to speak in his soothing, halting ap proach and left the rhetoric where it belonged-on the campaign trail. He said he feels that the people in giving him 51 per cent of the vote assured him a mandate to carry out the programs he has advocated and endorsed. Jimmy Carter will no doubt bring to the White House an energetic, innova tive, and aggressive admini stration which will be committed to bring about changes in the government and American society rather than allowing the status quo to drift along without the leadership a President should offer. As his cam paign signaled, a Carter administration will probably be one which will not follow trends but one which will set them in motion. Carter’s apparent chief commitment is to get people back to work and to cut the rate of inflation. He has hinted a tax cut may be in order if the economy has not risen from its stagnant doldrums by the time he takes office. Carter has said he will balance the budget by 1980 and will work with the Congress to devise and implement a national health insurance plan. He has maintained that this country needs an energy policy, one particularly con cerned with nuclear energy and the safety factor con-' comitant with such a program. In this instance Carter apparently under stands the subject rather than just talking about it. One is reminded of the two opposing campaigns follow ing the first debate which the incumbent President was thought to have won. Presi dent Ford, in true fashion, came to Dixie delivering loud protestations against a fede ral gun control law, asserting naively and irrelevantly, that Mr. Carter wanted to take away guns from hunters. Meanwhile the Democratic what you do would I do it because Mr. So and So has been to a Mental Institution. Wonder if it would help if you or me were to go and be better people. Belinda Bostwick 130 Court Street Jackson, Ga. 30233 candidate had taken his campaign to San Diego and delivered a speech on nuclear energy and safety and how this country lags behind the more advanced nations in this area. Here is a good example of why the people voted for a change. However, one must be cautious in making such an assertion. Then you look at the vote and you see that Carter scored heavily with all the voters even though his strength lay primarily in his home territory and with minorities and labor. He lost California by only 54,000 votes, and it was also close in Illinois and Michigan. Other Presidents were elected by closer margins: Nixon in 1968 and Kennedy in 1960, and whether they had received mandates from the people was as equally debatable. How Jimmy Carter per forms in office remains yet to be demonstrated, but his accomplishments to date cannot be diminished. He has shown that a man from a region as progressive as his own state can be elected to the highest office in the land. He beat out noteworthy competition in the primaries and stood head and shoulders above his Republican op ponent who is truly a nice guy but who truly lacks states manlike qualities. James Earl Carter has changed the map of Ameri can politics forever. He has reforged the old coalition of New Deal Democrats while bringing the South into the mainstream of American politics. Who would have ever thought just four years ago that Plains, Georgia with hardly more than 600 residents would suddenly be the center of world attention and the town’s tiny post office would suddenly be handling letters and tele grams to a President-elect from well-wishers in places such as India and Japan and a special one with the postmark of the Vatican. Who would have consider ed these possibilities? Jimmy Carter did, and it paid off. It paid off basically because of hard work, dedication, and an unflagg ing determination to achieve. Perhaps now anew wind is really blowing across the Southland, and we and the rest of the nation can truly say that the war is finally over. At no point in any of the 56 short stories and four novels that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about his famous de tective does Sherlock Holmes say "Elementary, my dear Watson." A Classic Symbol for a Modern Disease For 70 years, the Cross of Lorraine has symbolized the fight against tuberculosis. It still does, and will, until the battle is won. Now,, the double-barred cross also symbolizes the effort against other, 'newer' diseases that are increasing as fast as our technology. Like emphysema. A disease that literally takes your breath away. That costs more than SIOO million each year in disability pay ments. CHRISTMAS SEALS FIGHT EMPHYSEMA contributed by the publisher as a public service