The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 21, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 3, 1988 Page: 4 of 28
twenty eight pages : ill. ; page 20 x 13 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Opinion
PAGE 4-A
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1988, ALBANY, TEXAS 76430
THE ALBANY NEWS
The Albany News
Since 1875
Oldest journalistic venture west of the Brazos
Editor/Publisher
Donnie A. Lucas
Managing Editor
Melinda L. Lucas
Staff Reporter & Composition Carol Lackey
Composition
Betty Balliew
Moran Correspondent
Audrey Brooks
Office Assistant
Betty Law
Office Assistant
Susan Winegeart
editorial
Take time to vote
Shackelford County voters have the op-
portunity next week to voice their opinions
on numerous candidates for federal, state
and local offices.
The General Election is set for Tuesday,
November 8, and the polls will be open from
7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. as usual.
But just how many people will expend the
time and energy it takes to vote, and vote
responsibly?
Voting is not just a privilege — it is also a
responsibility. We are all charged with be-
ing responsible voters, which means being
informed voters.
We need to know who we are voting for in
the various state and national races. Most of
us are familiar with local candidates and
know how we want to vote, but how many
times have we all been guilty of making our
mark beside names we have never heard of.
Or we vote for the candidate that we have
heard about, even if it is only his name that
is familiar to us and not his record.
One of the biggest trappings on a ballot is
the straight party box at the top. With one
simple check we can shirk the responsibility
of having to be bothered with the details and
instead vote a particular party's slate of can-
didates.
But the best person for each individual of-
fice can not always be elected that way.
We should all take the time to learn about
the various races, become familiar with the
candidates and then vote our conscience.
We should go through the ballot line by
line, giving each race its due consideration.
It may be that when the bottom of the
ballot is reached, all of the marks turn out to
be in favor of one party or the other. Maybe
not.
In any case, it is the responsible way to
consider the candidates and the issues.
But regardless of how you mark your
ballot - whether it be line by line or check-
ing one box at the top and walking out - it
is your right to vote as you please.
We as Americans have a tradition of de-
fending our freedoms, and the right to vote
is at the top of the list. Unfortunately, we
also have a tradition of apathy at election
time.
We should all take the responsibility of
voting seriously. We should become more in-
formed and then exercise our right to vote.
policy
THE ALBANY NEWS
(USPS 012400) is published weekly for 814 per year for
subscriptions within Shackelford County. 916 per year
for subscriptions within Texaa. and 818 per year for out-
of-state subscriptions by Lucaa Publications Inc.. 101 S.
Main. Albany. Texas 76430. Second-class postage paid
at Albany. Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to THE ALBANY NEWS. PO Box 278. Albany. Texas
76430.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
All letters to the editor must be signed by the
author and Include a complete address and
telephone number. Only the writer's name
and city will appear In print. The complete
address and telephone number will be kept
on file. Send letters to THE ALBANY NEWS.
PO Box 278. Albany TX 76430.
CORRECTIONS
Any erroneous reflection upon the character,
reputation or standing of any Individual, firm
or corporation will be corrected when notifi-
cation in writing is given to the publisher
within 10 days after publication.
RATES
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Albany & Moran 814.00
Including tax. Texas addresses 816.00 in-
cluding tax. other U.S. addresses 818.00.
foreign addresses available upon application.
ADVERTISING: National rate 83.25 per
column inch. Local rate 82.75 per column
inch. Notices & classified ads 104 per word
per insertion net, 83.00 minimum paid in
advance.
ponderings by pat
By Pat Lidia Jones
When our youngest, K.C., was about
four, I began to have those "I wish I
had another baby" feelings. I decided
to sound K.C. out since he was used to
being the baby of the family.
"How would you like to have a brand
new baby brother or sister?"
He paused in his excavation of the
sand pile, and gave this question deep
consideration. Then he answered.
"Mama, if it's all the same to you, I'd
rather have a puppy."
It was my turn to consider, and when
I weighed the cost, care, feeding and
responsibility, I agreed with K.C., so
we bought him a puppy.
There are a lot of people who truly
believe that every child should have a
pet. They make a good argument that
it teaches a youngster responsibility,
compassion, tenderness and sharing.
I say, "Biill!"
Oh, yes, when the puppy, kitty,
goldfish or whatever initially enters its
new home, there is an overabundance
of care and attention. The child or
children of the family feed the pet
every hour or so; and the parents do
too, surreptitiously for fear the
children have forgotten. The puppy or
kitten staggers about with distended
tummy. The goldfish can barely be
seen through the food-laden waters in
its bowl.
Then the newness wears off, and it's
all yours, Mom. The pet gets only inter-
mittent attention after that, and it's
not all good.
"Mom, Spot ate my homework."
"Mom, there's cat hair all over my
best sweater."
"Mom, Esther Williams jumped out
of her bowl and looks dead. Yuk."
So guess whose pet it is now.
Let's move down the line through
childhood and into the more mature (?)
years of college and early career and/or
marriage.
When your grown child gets an
apartment of his or her own, what's one
of the first things acquired?
Right a pet. Well, figures the
parent, that's none of my business.
WRONG.
Look around you at couples whose
children are grown and gone. How
many have pets of their own? How
many have pets discarded by that cou-
ple's children?
If you haven't experienced it, listen
well, for mine is the voice of ex-
perience. It's quite innocent at first.
They say, "Oh, Mom. I'm moving to a
new apartment. Can I leave Rover in
your backyard just until I'm settled.
He's no trouble. Just give him water
and dog chow."
If you say "Yes," and you will, kiss
that pet hello, because you've just got-
ten a new permanent member of the
family.
Squee-gee, a rather whitish, rag mop
of a dog, came to us that way. We
already had two dogs, one indoor and
one outdoor. Squee made two outdoors.
After her owner's move, Squee
stayed on at our house because "we
don't have a fenced-in-yard. Mom, you
don't want Squee to get run over."
See how the consequences are still
on Mom?
So you adjust. You become fond of
the new step-dog. Then comes the day
of the new shocker.
The phone rings.
"Mom, I've got a surprise. I'm bring-
ing it right now."
Um, what can it be?
She walks in, beaming, bearing a
small box with no top, and suddenly
you know.
She places the carton carefully on
the floor. You peek in, and it's really no
surprise to see a tiny puppy, sporting a
perky blue bow — her new pet.
My mind says, "But what about
Squee? What about the dog you al-
ready have, the one in my backyard,
even as we speak?" But you don't say
anything.
Look around you. The numbers are
legion of people raising foster pets.
Ask your friends. There are people
who have pets who have never gotten
to choose their own.
So, I say to you. If you get your child
a pet, choose it for yourself because it
will be yours eventually. If your grown
child is pet-inclined, voice your opinion;
go with him to help select, because
chances are, that pet will wind up in
your yard or your kitchen or your bed.
I kid you not.
AFFILIATIONS
1988 MEMBER: Texas Press Association.
West Texas Press Association.
By Lyndell Williams
As campaign armies march on to
Election Day, the heat was turned up
last week when two top state officials
traded partisan charges of balloting
fraud and voter intimidation.
Texas Secretary of State Jack Rains,
a Republican, ordered the impound-
ment of absentee paper ballots in
Hidalgo County while he investigates
possible voter fraud there.
Firing back, Railroad Commissioner
John Sharp, who heads the Dukakis-
Bentsen campaign in Texas, accused
Rains of trying to intimidate South
Texas Hispanic voters with radio ads,
Texas Rangers and FBI agents.
Rains is looking at improperly
printed absentee ballots which he said
could have led to some votes for the
Bush-Quayle ticket being thrown out
on Election Day. If it's proven the
ballot was designed for that purpose,
other legal action may follow.
A typographical error on the ballot
might lead a voter to unknowingly void
his own ballot by simultaneously vot-
ing for Bush for president and Bentsen
for vice president.
Valley Voting Crucial
Ever since history turned up the
story of how LBJ won his statewide
election with mysterious votes from a
Duval County graveyard, vote tallies
from South Texas have always been
suspect — whether rightly, wrongly or
hypocritically — by at least a few pols
in other parts of Texas.
Historically, South Texas has been a
Democratic bastion, growing stronger
with each election and placing more
and more of their number into the
political State Capitol establishment.
Some observers speculate, perhaps
naively, that South Texas is now
strong enough to divide into a two-
party region.
However, if South Texas imitates
other regions which went from Demo-
crat to Republican, it will first develop
a large block of independent voters, or
ticket-splitters.
That could happen as early as this
year, because Republicans are wooing
Hispanics more ardently than ever be-
fore.
But the wooing could be undone
somewhat if Hispanics react negatively
to the Spanish-language radio ads
which advise that citizenship papers
will be checked for first-time voters.
Perhaps more than any other voting
pattern that will reveal itself this year,
the Democrats need for South Texas to
remain solid and the Republicans need
it to crack. What it does will very much
decide who will win state offices in '90.
Possible Conspiracy?
Rains' office said the design may be a
conspiracy to defraud certain absentee
voters in Hidalgo County. He's ordered
all paper ballots reprinted and asked
the Texas Rangers, the FBI and the
U.S. Attorney to check. ,
Sharp thinks that's baloney, that
Republicans are trying to paint a vote-
stealing conspiracy out of a simple
typographical error. He defended the
county clerk there as already taking
steps to correct the misprint.
That's when Republican partisans
pointed out the Hidalgo County clerk is
also a state co-chairman for the Duka-
kis-Bentsen campaign.
And it goes on and on from there.
Likely, the implication of conspiracy
will never be proven, but it is useful in
staining the credibility of one's oppo-
nent for victory purposes.
After all, if you'll recall when Bill
Clements beat Mark White in '86, an
election bug was found in a Clements'
campaign office shortly before the elec-
tion.
No suspect was ever named but the
incident played against White, who
was already behind at that point. Some
Democrats later suggested it was
planted for Watergate-style headlines.
Like much of what goes on behind
the scenes every election, we'll never
know the truth, and the incident will
become a footnote in Texas political
lore.
Other Highlights
•Political campaigns continued to
use the broadcast media almost ex-
clusively in their candidate advertis-
ing, virtually ignoring daily and week-
ly newspapers.
•The Public Utility Commission
nixed as a bad deal for ratepayers the
power-plant trade taking Austin out of
the South Texas Nuclear project and
Houston Lighting & Power out of a
court fight.
•Former Texas Speaker of the
House Gus Mutscher, now the Wash-
ington County judge, was linked in a
FBI probe of a real estate company
which alledgedly misled clients over $1
million in investments. Mutscher de-
nied any wrongdoing.
Mutscher was convicted in the
Sharpstown Bank scandal in the early
seventies.
SHORT RIBS
IT ISII'T
prooress
wars
HurunG
usTHese
D3Y5...
eimtW.
by Dtck Wrtght
IT'S THe 5 De
eFFecrs
letters to the editor
state capital highlights
Dear Editor:
I heard a wise saying the other day
and believed it. It went like this: "In a
democracy, the people will have the
kind of government they deserve." It
may well be that the originator of that
statement (whoever he is) has a world
view totally opposite from mine but
the truth of that statement is eternal.
Until this election year I have only
been interested in the issues and cam-
paigns of political candidates as any
concerned voter should be. This year,
however, Ladonna and I intended to
slip into the political waters and par-
ticipate in a few campaigns by helping
voters be more informed so they could
vote intelligently (somehow we fell
headlong into the pool and are now
completely soaked). After all, we
reasoned, people simply have trouble
sorting through the enormous supply
of propaganda generated by the can-
didates, their party, their opponent's
party, and the press. If they could only
see the issues that are pertinent to the
survival of a society, there would be lit-
tle problem.
What I have discovered is that
though there are a lot of concerned
voters, the "concern" of a fairly
healthy number of them is not directed
toward the prospect of our country's
future, or that which our children face,
but toward some other concerns.
I want to name a few:
1. There are the political "hate"
squads. Ever since the first national
election I paid much attention to, back
in 1972, the predominant attitude
among my generation has been, "I
guess 111 just have to vote for the
lesser of two evils." Or, "Well, I don't
like either one of 'em — I'm votin' for
Pat Paulsen."
2. The Good 01' Boys — These will
vote with their crowd without giving
any thought to it, or after giving
thought to it, will still yield to their
better judgment because they fear re-
jection by their peers who may also be
their customers.
3. Federal wards - Here is a large
number of Americans who live in the
fear (and some of it is justified) that if
government spending is brought under
control, they may actually have to pro-
vide for themselves since they may
lose some or all of their free lunch,
their pant or their government job.
4. Political entrepreneur - True
capitalists, they recognize the oppor-
tunities provided by this change or
that change and vote their pocketbook
regardless. They either favor regula-
tion or oppose it based on personal
gain.
5. Party Patriots — The name of
their party is equated with the essence
of America — never mind its platform.
Conversely, the opposing party's name
stands for evil, communism, fanaticism
regardless of what that platform
"seems" to say.
With the quality of our government
in mind, it has become obvious that it
would be better if many of our citizens
didn't vote — 1 know, I know, it's
always been this way.
— That doesn't make it right! —
Jon Viertel
Dear Editor:
In Larry Bonner's statement to the
paper, he says that he feels the citizens
are wanting a change in the sheriffs
department. This may be so, but I don't
think he is the change they want.
Whatever we do on November 8 we
will have to live with for the next four
years. We know what we have now. Do
we want to risk taking a chance on
what we might have? I hope not. Some
people may be dissatisfied, but they
need to realize that there is only so
much that a sheriffs department is
allowed to do. No matter who takes of-
fice they are limited by the confines set
by the Supreme Court. That will not
change.
Jack Clement
Political listing
The following candidates have autho-
rized The Albany Newt to announce
their candidacy, subject to a special
election on Tuesday, November 8.
For Shackelford County
Justice of the Peace
Precinct* 1 & S
ARTHUR LEE (ART) VIERTEL
JUDY WOOD HENDER80N
(Political advertising paid for by can-
didates listed.)
Community Calendar
NOV. 3
NOV. 4
NOV. 5
NOV. 6
NOV. 7
NOV. 8
NOV. 9
NOV. 12
NOV. 13
NOV. 14
Nutrition program meal - Youth Center, 11:30 am
Cubs vs. Hamlin - Pied Piper Stadium in Hamlin, 5 pm
Christmas Basket planning meeting - First Baptist Church, 5:15 pm
JV Lions vs. Hamlin - Pied Piper Stadium in Hamlin, 6:45 pm
Overeaters Anonymous meeting - Heritage, 7:30 pm
Community action program - Depot, 10 am-3 pm
Chamber of Commerce luncheon - Ft. Griffin Restaurant, noon
(Candidate Forum)
Pep Rally - AHSgym, 3:15 pm
Absentee voting ends
Varsity Lions vs. Hamlin - Nail Stadium, 7:30 pm
Regional cross country meet - Lubbock, 8:30 am
District 4-H Food Show - Wichita Falls
Cub Scout Olympics - Tuscola, 1:30 pm
Alcoholics Anonymous - Heritage, 8 pm
Bridge games - Jackson Warehouse, 1:30 pm
Narcotics Anonymous - Heritage, 8 pm
General election - County polling boxes, 7 am-7 pm
Commodities distribution - Youth Center, 11 am
Nutrition program meal - Youth Center, 11:30 am
Kiwanis Club luncheon - Ft. Griffin Restaurant, noon
Albany North 4-H Club meeting - Hot Spot, 5 pm
City council meeting - City Hall, 6:30 pm
Alcoholics Anonymous • Heritage, 8 pm
Albany Study Club Fashion Show & Luncheon • Old fail Art
Center, 12 noon
Albany South 4-H Club meeting - Hot Spot, 2 pm
Shackelford County 4-H Council meeting - Courthouse, 4 pm
Commissioners court - Courthouse, 9 am
School board meeting • Supt.'s office, 7:30 pm
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
x Albany Tr*a
isL
Member FDIC
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Lucas, Donnie A. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 21, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 3, 1988, newspaper, November 3, 1988; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth402802/m1/4/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.