The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-02-23
BIBLE THOUGHT
SQUARE DEAL FOR MADISON

SQUARE DEAL FOR MADISON
Monday night the Legislature defeated
what has, been known as the Madison
county bill, by the tabling route. That
probably ends for the session efforts to
control the local affairs of Madison county
from Raleigh. by having the Legislature
seize the county government for the DEM
OcratS.
Representative Murphy of Rowan, in
moving to defeat the Madison bill, used
some strong language in voicing his opin-
ion of the measure. No doubt majority
opinion of the State is in agreement with
the views of Murphy; and citizens, regard
less of party affiliations, who are unpreJu-
diced and believe in the square deal in
politics and government, have occasion Tor
genuine rejoicing because of the fact that
the Legislature resisted the attempt to per-
petrate great wrong upon the dominant
political party of Madison county, action
which would have beSmirched and con-
demned the Democratic party of North
Carolina for all time.
All similar attempts to use the Legisla-
ture 70 punish Republican counties should
be thrown on the trash dump without any
consideration whatever.
This State has gone great distance on
the road to Capitalization. 1t has destroy
ed most of the landmarks of local govern
ment and discarded most of the principles
in which North Carolinians formerly earn
eStly believed. However, there is some en-
enlargement for those who still have con-
vicitonS as to fundamental AmericaniSm to
be found in the fact that Legislature
which has manifested little scrupulousness
in dealing with certain other problems, has
declined to adopt the policy of forcibly
Seizing the county governments of Repub-
lican counties.
1t is true that political conditions in
Madison county are bad. They have been
that way for years. Responsibility for this
condition, no doubt, fairly rests upon both
political parties. The political wars waged
in Madison have been savage and destruc-
tive of county peace and harmony and,
also, no doubt, have been detrimental to
the best interests and progress of the PEG,
pie. The differences over which contests
have been waged are local affairs, how.
ever; and the only American and Demo
cratic way to settle them is through ma
jority rule in Madison county.
All of Madison's mountain neighbors
sincerely hope that differences may bt
settled, that party prejudice and bad feel
ing may be put aside, and that from thi
time on all good citizens, Democrats anC
Republicans, may be united for the prog
ress of their county. To accomplish thi
end it is not necessary that the people o
Madison be in unanimous agreement on al
points of difference. We know that woul'
be impossible in Madison. The Times
News does not believe it would be de
sirable.
This newspaper does not agree with tn
views of Representative Giles of Mellow
ell, one of the sponsors of the Madison bill
who contended in the House that becaus
North Carolina is Democratic and the fed
eral government is Gas he contended
Democratic, the Republicans of Madiso
should throw aside their political princi
Piles and line up with the Democrats. TIL
unanimity Giles was urging for Madiso
county is most dangerous and deadl
public policy. 1t is the policy responsible
today for the plight in which the countr
is found with respect to it's national gov
eminent. If it continues to be the polio
of the nation, it will as certainly lead