The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1936-07-30
MacLean Wants
North Carolina to
Advertise Assets
Thinks Next General Assembly
Should Appropriate Some
Money for This Cause

North Carolina's next general as
sembly should appropriate funds for
the adequate advertisement of its at
fractions, Attorney A. D. MacLean
declares in letter to Bruce Ether
idge, director of conservation and
development.
Mr.. Mclean may have started
something in this letter which takes
in considerable territory. He thinks,
for instance, that the state might get
lot of fine citizens from the strick-
en- acres of the west which have
been abandoned. He knows that
there is little money for advertise
ment, but if he were a machine
governor" he would be advocating
this appropriation. He commends the
recently issued state highway map,
but he does not think it goes far
enough.
1t is letter which may have a
history. Mr.. Etheridge has advocated
the same measures and he heartily
relishes the strength of MIR. MacLean
as lawyer and former member of
both houses of the general assembly.
The ideas of Mr.. MacLean are thus
set forth:
Refers to Pamphlet
II have received, as doubtless you
have, copies of the historical map
and pictorial pamphlet, Used by the
state commission on conservation
and development of Virginia, design
ed particularly for the attention of
tourists
"Our state highway commission is
sued an attractive map some months
ago, but it is too limited in its scope.
Probably your department has no
available funds and, if this is the
case, hope the next legislature will
make an appropriation to permit this
department to do some really i'm
pressive advertising of our state, not
only in connection with the high
ways but of the resorts and general
development. The time for doing so
is particularly suspicious because of
the park developments in western
North Carolina, but, of course, this
advertising will cover the eastern,
piedmont and western section, with
emphasis on the latter from the tour
lists standpoint The machine adj
ministration, of which you may have
heard during the last primary, can
do nothing better than this, in my
opinion. 1t must be apparent, even to
its critics, that criticism is not
enough. Something constructive
needs to be done if North Cardinals
wealth is to be increased, which is
the greatest need of all.
Drought Victims Eligible
another opportunity is also pre-
sented. Secretary Wallace stated re-
Gently that cumulative evidence
tends to show serious climatic
change in certain parts of the west
and northwest, especially the recent
severe droughts. The resettlement
administration, as you know, is al
ready trying to move people in these
stricken areas to better location pro-
posed by the resettlement? Not only
is this true, but, if some intelligent
discrimination can be exercised, we
need more people of a good type and
there are many in these drought
areas It will be necessary however,
to sell North Carolina to them, both
figuratively and actually, which will
require both advertising and sales
manship, not in the sense of promot
ing some land schemes, but with the
view of inducing sober, practical
people of good stock, who have been
hard-hit in their home environment,
to pull up stakes and come here to
live, serious matter for them and
for us. The subject is both difficult
and important, but, repeat, it pre-
sents a great opportunity, about
which you can do nothing without
money. It may be, however, you can
make trip, or send somebody,
through the drought areas, not with
truck and loud speaker, but quiet
ly, to suggest removal to North Car
DINA, and equipped with informa-
ton of practical sort, such as land
values, diversity of crops, average
yields, cost of production, labor con-
ditions, climate, tax rates and so on.
eff the idea appeals to you as
worth while, please show this letter
to some gentleman of the press, In
order that it may be given currency