The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-10-04
BIBLE THOUGHT
ooY.Apsr nm. rupIST
CANDIDATES AND ISSUES IN
NORTH CAROLINA nteod

NfANSksAANfo A1AhSs'N - =
The date of the general election is one
month in the future. Intelligent voters,
men and women of character, who desire
to be informed on the issues and ATTEND to
cast their ballots for the best interests OF
the State and nation (if they can possibly
determine how that is to beedone) ought
to be earnestly and diligently bestirring
themselves for the next thirty days. They
ought to be studying the issues and the
candidates and making UP theirnrninds as
to how they will vote in the November
election. ~. x .~ .-~..- 49,.
First, there are the local and State cleo
tions to be considered. The county cleo
tions always command much attention,
whether a majority of the voters finally
cast their ballots for the best men or not.
Less attention is given to the election OF
men for State offices. This applies with
particular force to the election of the Leg
islature. In North Carolina, perhaps in
majority of cases, there is little or no room
for selection in the voting for members OF
the Legislature. In some cases the nominal
ton of candidates of the dominant party
is equivalent to election; in others, both
parties appear to make an effort to pick
men who have few qualifications for the
important job of serving in the Legislature.
-, Few candidates for the Legislature IN
either party go before the people with
platforms of principles, or undertake to
make prediction statements which will
enable intelligent voters to determine what
the State may expect from them as men,
bers of the General Assembly. Such state
ments and promises as are made are usual
ly on local issues or State issues which the
candidates believe can be used for vote
getting purposes. 30. - :. .''' &c..
Of course it would be a revolutionary
course in North Carolina, but how would
it work out if the electorate insisted that
men fully qualified by character, intelli-
gence, and particular qualifications for
legislative service, shall offer for and be
elected to the House of Representatives
and the State Senate? &c.
What about insisting that candidates
shall have some knowledge of the issues
pshall stand for certain basic principles
and shall take the voters into their con-
fidence before the election, announcing
their principles, their understanding of the
issues, and pledging themselves to course
based on those fundamental principles fol
which it is believed a majority of honest
intelligent North Carolina voters stand?
For example, this newspaper believes
and this newspaper believes a majority o
the voters believe, that nineetenths' OF tn
laws of this State ought to be repealed
We have hundreds of imperative and use
- less laws; hundreds of laws that, neVe
were needed, that never were sensible o
!. practical, that's serve no useful purpose
whatever. They simply clutter and burdel
the statute books.
q Then there are laws which are being en-
forced and which are detrimental to tn
Ebest interests of the State. They are op
oppressive, burdensome, cestlyito the people
land stand in the way of progress and tn
supbuilding of North Carolina.
>. Then there is the marked tendency o
q the past decade to center all power, au
thority and control, in Raleigh, and to cen
!. ter there management of the local AM
personal affairs of the people. In othe
d words, the democratic State of North Caro-
Z lima has been plunging headlong into Sc
: cialism and following the federal admins
. tration down the road that leads to total
tarianism.
= These are few of the: things the voter
o.