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Viewpoints Houston Times-Journal P.O. Drawer M • 807 Carroll Street • Perry, Ga. 31069 Phone: (912) 987-1823 Th* Houston Tlimo-Journal (USPS 000471) lo published Mml-weekly lor $14.00 por yoar by Houston Publications, Inc., 007 Carroll Street, Parry, Cs. 310e».Second Class Postage paid at Parry, Qa.,POSTMASTER: Sand address changes to the Houston Timas-Journal, P.O. Drawer M.PerryGa. ItOW. ISSN:IO7S-IS7« Bob Tribble Daniel F. Evans Julie B. Evans Mitch Tribble President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Jim Kerce Editor and General Manager Eddie Byrd Advertising Manager News: Jimmy Simpson, Pauline Lewis Sports: Veto Roley Composition: Melanie Bullington Classified Advertising: Melanie Bullington Bookkeeping: Judy Morrow Your Opinion Glad to have writer back Dear Editor: Thank you for asking Bobby Tuggle to return as a writer for the newspaper. I have missed his column, and look forward to learning more about the natural history of this area. His information and insight is invaluable. Thanks, Loretta Gilbert Dog fighting needs study Dear Editor: I have recently heard from several sources that dog fighting is taking place in Fort Valley, in the area of Indian Oaks complex, off of 96 East. According to these sources, the Fort Valley Police Department is aware of this situation and does not consider it important enough to take action. People’s pets are being stolen from their own yards and found later in a field behind this apartment complex mauled to death. This just makes me sick! The police department even has a few names linked with this disgraceful and inhumane sport. And they still refuse to lode into this matter. I am thoroughly disgusted with the police department for ignoring this situation. I urge all concerned citizens, and animal lovers, to contact the Chief of Police, Frank Strickland at 825-3382. Please, voice your views on this matter and maybe they will see that it is an important issue. These animals cannot help themselves and the police will not help, so it is up to you and me! Sincerely, Christina Davenport Fort Valley, Ga. Reader recalls memories , Dear Editor: ; I was very interested in the stories in this week’s paper about Byron J Maxwell and especially the photograph of the former Home Journal l owners and employees and their families shown on the front page. I am in ■ the left part of the picture, holding my youngest daughter, Marcell, and l next to my wife, Margaret, and my oldest daughter, Laurene. » My best recollection is the photo was made either the later part of 1968 I or early 1969. It was on a Sunday and we were in our “Go to meeting” » clothes. • I can agree with everything said about Byron Maxwell in the paper. In • addition, I can state that he was a very fair and just employer and worked • well with us. One other thing that stands out in my mind is that he was a l true professional in the newspaper and printing business. He knew the 5 trade “backward and forward,” from beginning to end. • Since I left the Home Journal in 1970 to enter the real estate business, I l realize that the newspaper and printing businesses have undergone almost I revolutionary changes. Had Byron Maxwell been active, he would have I kept up with and thrived on all of them. • One added note: Of the three former owners shown in the picture, • Copper Etheridge, Bobby Branch and now Byron Maxwell have passed on. I You could say it is the end of an era. Sincerely, ; William J. (Bill) Clark jLung recipient gives ‘thanks’ ; Dear Editor: J A very special thank you to a very special community. Words can ; never express the sincere gratitude I feel for those of you who supported • the efforts of Camp #16388 Modem Woodmen of America Insurance J Company’s “Benefit Yard and Bake Sale” recntly at Stanley Furniture’s ! parking lot for Wanda E. Williamson, who is awaiting a lung transplant at J Chapel Hill, N. C. Even though I was not physically present that Saturday, my thoughts ’ were with all of you who worked so hard to make it such a success. The • money is sincerely appreciated and will be put toward my expenses at • Chapel Hill. “In Jesus’ Name”, Wanda j Editor’s Note: According to Polly Williamson, Wanda’s mother, J Wanda Williamson has been at Chapel Hill since January of this year and t is enrolled in an exercise program to help maintain her strength. She gets t homesick and would love to hear from her friends. Her address is: Wanda 5 Williamson, 34A North Circle Drive, Chapel Hill, N. C. 27514. » The yard sale brought in $2598.43. The Woodmen matched up to ' $2500.00, making a total of $5098.43 to go toward Wanda’s expenses. Our Policies -Signed Letters to the editor welcomed. Please limit to 300 words and include address and phone number. •Liability for an error will not exceed the cost of space occupied by the error. •We cannot be responsible for return of pictures or material unless stamped return addressed envelope is included. Our Goal The Houston Times-Journalis published proudly for the citizens of Houston and adjoining counties by Houston Publications Inc., Perry Ga. Our goal is to produce quality, profitable, community-oriented newspapers that you, our readers, are proud of. We will reach that goal through hard work, teamwork, loyalty, and a strong dedication towards printing the truth. Member Georgia Press Association-National Newspaper Association "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably Unassemble, and to petition the Government for a redree of grievances.” Your right to raid this newspaper i* protected by the Firet Amendment olthe United Statee Conetitution. "The FEM)T 6ft um / AMERICA, I LOU. just mviflv Government health care kills freedom As I was saying last week, the federal government seems to be tak ing away more and more of the ter ritory that once was reserved to the individual. The latest assault on individual liberty is most disturbing, since it takes the form of "helping” the in dividuals. Of course, I'm talking about what Washington is doing in the name of health care. It is true that we have some problems with health care. We have some 35 million people in America without health insurance. I know people who go without health in surance. I've, personally, went sev eral months in a row without health insurance. I know personally the problems, I know personally the worries; but, I am very afraid of what Washington is about to do with our health system. We can throw around the big numbers all we want. All they do is confuse and obfuscate the real issue, and that is medical care hits the in dividual, just as shopping for food, shopping gas, etc. Health care does account for 12 percent, or so, of the American economic pie; but, it is something that affects me, individu ally, and you, individually. Yes, this is a national issue. But, it is also an individual issue. It is something that will make an immediate and direct impact on the our lives. We have to be concerned about this. STREET TALK: With Tropical Storm Beryl bearing down on the area, we asked residents if they thought Beryl would be worse than Tropical Storm Alberto, which hit the area on July 4. MM David Wilson “I don’t think anything can be that bad." WW Joanne Skeilie "I certainly hope not for the well being of all our peo ple who were hurt by Alberto.” Health care stands to make the federal government the most impor tant level of government to individ ual citizens, far removed from city hall, the courthouse and the state house, which used to occupy that distinction. And, that is one of the things that worries me. Another big worry I have is that America still has the best health care system in the nation. Washington seems to want a com mand economy for health care in place of our current free market sys tem. Command economies have never worked. Remember the old saying that nothing is so bad that government can’t make it worse. Sen. Phil Graham of Texas, a former economics professor, said last Wednesday, that there were 18 new taxes, 44 new regulatory agen cies and 177 new mandates on state and local governments. This is a fi nancial and regulatory nightmare waiting to happen. In order to make sure a maxi mum number of people sign up for the government plan, those enrolled in the top 40 percent of private health plans will have a surcharge tax of 25 percent on their plans. If you have good insurance, the gov ernment is going to punish you for it. Thirdly, the plan does not offer any choice. Choice in the govern ment plan is defined as how much a participant will pay in as premiums for the plan. Participants in the \ . - -y-irf' € " v r Mrs. W.C. Harrison “I don’t know. That is something that is in the hands of the Lord.” ' Ik J.T. Smith "It’s hard for me to say. It’s hard to say what the de struction will be before it happens.” Houston Times-Journal ■ Wednesday, August 17,1994, "Houston Times-Joumal Page 4A Veto I jytfjjji Roley I .m| Staff Writer I government plan are given a pre-de termined slate of options. There are no other choices. "Why should gov ernment make these decisions for the individual," asks Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles. Finally, the plan does nothing to control costs while providing qual ity care. The problem with con trolled economies is that they elim inate the incentives that force good quality or sufficient goods and ser vices. One of the reasons health care is so expensive is that individual users are no longer responsible for meet ing the costs. They are spending other people's money (OPM) —in- surance companies', employers' or governments'. People tend to spend more OPM than they do their own, making it a highly addictive habit. In order to control health care costs, and keep the same quality of care, we must give back individual spending power. Currently, when a person seeks medical care the provider bills the patient's insurance company, which pays the bill. It really is no wonder that health care costs have went up as medical See Veto, page 12A ft Nicole Haynes ”1 don’t think so.” r" 11 I# 4 1 ’!H Bernice Rainey ”1 don't think so. But, right now it sort of looks that way. I couldn't get much worse than what we had before.” nflr ▼ Bob TYibble Dams are in demand Since my recent column on the three dams that were approved for the Flint River and later nixed by then Gov. Jimmy Carter over twenty years ago, people from as far south on the river as Camilla have responded. Copies of the column have been sent to present Congressmen and Senators, I am told, as well as to former Governor and President Jimmy Carter himself. Much interest has surfaced once again for this project, and without a doubt unquestionably rightly so. When towns such as Montezuma, Albany, Americus and Newton suffer from the effects of a river overflooding its banks and submerging the towns under water for days, I doubt you would find any of these good folks questioning flood control as being one of the major reasons for constructing the dams. After the article, former Congressman Jack Flynt of Griffin wrote me a letter concerning the project and enclosed additional material. Jack said in his letter, “flood control is a major factor in nearly all projects of this kind and certainly was in this case. If the three dams had been in place in 1994 (this year) it is very likely that Montezuma, Albany, Americus and Newton would have been spared catastrophe damage. Without doubt the dam at Lake Blackshear (near Cordele) would not have broken and washed away causing additional flood damage, particularly in Albany and Newton.” Former Congressman Flynt continued by saying that the estimated cost of the three dam complex was $159 million in 1962 dollars. “The co& might more, but even if it ran twice that it would have been a small cost to pay compared to 1994 estimates of flood damage to towns and cities; streets, roads and bridges; homes, schools, churches and public buildings; and over 500,000 acres of farm and other crop lands.” “The three dams in all likelihood would have contained or regulated the flow of water which caused most of the damage,” the former Congressman said. “We had already achieved full authorization, all appropriations for advance planning and engineering, and the first increment of construction funds (You may recall that the first construction funds built roads to the Sprewell Bluff site). We had accomplished every step required except the written acceptance (approval) by the Governor of the state affected,” Flynt concluded. If any one person was responsible for bringing the three dams to a point of reality 20 years ago it was former Congressman Flynt. During the 1960’s when the projects first went before Congress, the Gov. Ernest Vandiver said in a letter to Lt. Gen. W.K. Wilson, “Let me emphasize that the State of Georgia is most anxious to proceed with the development of the Flint River Project as an entirety.” He further said, “In addition to the benefits (hydro-electric power, water resources, flood control, wildlife and recreation) pointed out in your report to Congress, I should like to add my belief that the development of this project will greatly enhance the industrial progress throughout this area.” Former Governors Sanders and Maddox, who followed Gov. Vandiver in office, were also big supporters of the river projects, but then came Gov. Carter who with one sweep of the pen destroyed all the hard work done by many over the prior 15 years to make the projects a reality. So, what is the point of all this? The point is that mother nature and history have shown those of us who live anywhere near the Flint River that there is more need today for the dams and other river projects below Albany then even 20 years ago. History does not need to present itself the fourth time before those in power and authority act. Let’s get this river project restored and let’s do it now! All that past research is waiting for someone to pick it up, revise it to fit today’s needs, and put it to its rightful use.