The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 25

26 THE TENNESSEAN. TWsJar. July 11. 174 lit ft it i 4 If 0 I 1 Wiseman Says Audit Critics Use Innuendo (Continued from Page 25) WISEMAN, WHO resigned that post March 11 to run for governor, said yesterday the discrepancies were due to the government's troubles with computers and also with outmoded bookkeeping procedures, which he sa id he ultimately "reformed" while serving as treasurer. But he charged that his "political detractors" in the Democratic primary race had mounted a "campaign of whisper, innuendo and so-called news leaks that feed on half-truths." In a morning news conference, he singled out Waverly Mayor Jim Powers, another Democratic gubernatorial candidate who called last week for a clarification of the audit by the comptroller's office.

Powers said V'AA 1 "111 I 4 1 Norman, Wife Join Butcher Joining Democrat Jake Butcher on the tpeoVer's platform during the opening of hit Davidson County campaign headquarters are Nashville ottomey Jock Norman left, ond the gubernatorial candidate's wife, Soyno Wilde Butcher. The headquarters is ot Sonya Wilde Butcher Norman is chairman of Butcher's "Greater Nashville Coordinating Committee." The headquarters is ot 900 Church St. blOfltOn UpelS nQOClqUCirtdrS Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Blanton, extreme right, talks to a supporter, JomesW. Hooper, of 1809 Russell during the opening of his Davidson County campaign headquarters at 142 13th S. Pusser Denies Deputy Claim Of Candidate MEMPHIS (UPI) Buford Pusser, the model for the movie "Walking Tall," Tuesday disputed country and western singer Eddie Bond's claim that he once was chief deputy to the former sheriff of McNairy County.

Bond, who is running for Shelby County sheriff in the Aug. 1 county general election, said when he announced his candidacy that he served three years as Pusser's top assistant. "I HAVE NO interest in the sheriff's race in Shelby County," Pusser said, "but I desire that it be known that Eddie Bond was never my chief deputy while-1 was sheriff and never served in any official capacity of any kind or character whatsoever as a member of my staff." Bond was not available for comment Tuesday, but a news release issued June 5 announcing that he would oppose incumbent Roy Nixon's bid for a third term said: "I believe I will make a good sheriff because I have always been very high on law enforcement. I served three years as Buford Pusser's chief deputy and then worked as a honorary police chief of Finger, for the past four years. "I had approximately 500 'honorary deputy sheriff cards printed during the time that I was sheriff of McNairy County," Pusser said, "and I probably gave him one of these as I handed them out to numerous people, Haney Denies Vote Buying Allegations (Conttaaed from Page 25) disclosure statements 6f the other candidates," Haney said in an interview.

"It's not considered a payoff when you ask someone to work for you," he said. Former Sen. Ross Bass, another Democratic gubernatorial candidate, leveled charges Tuesday that Haney and Jake Butcher, another Democratic candidate, are "big money boys" trying to buy black votes and endorsements. Butcher, like Haney, denied the charge. "MY CAMPAIGN has come on so quickly that I am being accused of everything, Haney said.

"There's absolutely no substance or truth to this and it's not worth commenting about except it illustrates we're on the move." Haney said he could not list the black community leaders who have expressed support for his 'candidacy and added he has had "no endorsements from any major blacks." He said, however, he expects endorsements from Rep. Harold Ford, D-Mcmphis, and Metro Councilman Carlton Petway, both biacks. He added he does want to get Harold Ford involved in this. He's involved in his own campaign. i "THEY haven't endorsed me yet but I think they will before the campaign is over," he added.

Citing the fact he has set up campaign headquarters in black neighborhoods, such as the one on Jefferson Street in Nashville, Haney said blacks are supporting him because they identify him as a candidate who risen from "absolutely nothing to someone who can run for governor and who can pay for his own race." He also justified his employment of two nationally prominent men, Dick Stout, a former Newsweek correspondent now working as Haney's public relations agent, and Charles Guggenheim, a nationally known media consultant. "They're good men," he said. "One of the first jobs of a governor is to surround himself with good men." HANEY said he has "turned down a lot of money" of fered him since he began his campaign five and one-half weeks ago. because he obligations to special interest groups." (I SM kf Jiamr 111 Butcher Says No Funds Tied To Club's Act (Coatmned from Page 25) eluding some part-time workers. He said his campaign funds will cover their expenses and acknowledged that those could include the payment of poll workers.

Another candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, former Sen. Ross Bass, charged Tuesday in Memphis that Butcher was buying black support. He suggested that Butcher used money to gain the endorsement of the Shelby County Democratic Club, in particular. Melvin Robinson, president of the club, said Tuesday that Butcher had promised to pay him later for obtaining poll workers. "BUTCHER HASN'T given me anything yet," Robinson said, "but if I get some poll workers for him, he's going to give me some money.

Nobody's working for free anymore." However, Butcher denied telling Robinson that in an interview here last night. "There wasn't anything to do with money," the candidate said. "I was glad to get an endorsement from any group that wanted to support me." HE CONTENDED that his payment of county-level staff workers "is no different from any other campaign." He said that would include paying them "wherever they might work," including at the polls on election day. "If they (his county campaign staff) think this is the most efficient way of getting votes," Butcher said, "then they apparently decided this was the best thing to do." Campaigning in. Memphis earlier yesterday, Butcher said the state must move against widespread crime and the "sociological reasons" which cause criminal activity.

"WE MUST move to determine the sociological reasons that cause a person to begin a life of crime," the East Tennessee banker said. "I don't believe that people are born to commit It is a lifestyle that springs from the environment or family background." The candidate said the "crime cycle" is similar to the "welfare cycle" and added that "we must move to stop both where we can." He said youngsters who live in crime-prone areas must be counseled and taught so they can work without resorting to crime. HE SAID there should be a strong rehabilitation program for prisoners, and he said there should be better training for law enforcement personnel. In Nashville last night. Butcher said Nashville attorney Jack Norman Jr.

will be the chairman of his "Greater Nashville Coordinating Committee" for the campaign. Committee members are, Raleigh Squires, Mike Woody. Muriel Robinson Estes, Carter Howard, Mrs. Barbara Vandercook, Billy Shoulders. Carl Anderson, Harold Love, J.R.

Coarsey, Ruth Ithoden and Tom Casey. ass ti- -r I Pack Wants Price Fixing Law Ousted (Continued from Page 25) which permits big retailers to make life even more difficult for those of our people whose incomes make them least able to pay high prices." Pack, who resigned as state attorney general to make the race for governor, made his statement in a press release while he was shaking hands in Shelby County, his only campaign activity yesterday. Although the statutes he referred te are called "Fair Trade" laws, they actually require merchants to mark up prices a certain percentage, thus preventing price cutting and guaranteeing the margin of profit. "OVER THE PAST 25 years, we have seen the development of discount merchandising, which has meant savings to the consumer on such necessary items as food, clothing, bedding, and household appliances," Pack said, he 1 "In the wake of such developments and with the national trend toward legislation, most states have repealed their fair trade laws. Only 16 states have failed to do so.

Tennessee is one of thesel6." Pack said that as governor he would do "all that is within my power" to repeal the laws. Blanton Says Hell Motivate i State Workers (CoaHnued from Page 25) race or age, the improvement of the employe benefit program and stronger career development' programs. "My goal for personnel will include solving the present problem of inadequate and sometimes penalizing payscale system," he said. "We realize that the minimum wage scales have been raised and the commissioners' and their assistants' salaries have been raised." But middle income, career Personnel and professionals "still struggle along," getting minimal wage increases that "have not kept up with the cost of living," he said. BLANTON said his programs for state employes will not cost less money than now is being spent, but he added: "I do not intend to increase the cost of operating government by 100 the first year as the present governor has I will strive to' have a highly motivated, well-1 rained family of state employes," he said.

The Adamsville Democrat also criticized Republican Gov. Winfield Dunn's administration for beginning a "benchmark system" to evaluate and classify state, jobs and not funding it. "THE OBJECT of such a system is to evaluate employes and set up a pay scale," the candidate said. "But to date, I am told that the state personnel department has not applied any dollars to the benchmark system. if any discrepancies were found, "action should be taken." But Wiseman called Powers "a gut-fighter of the old political mold" yesterday, and he charged that Powers had attempted "to get as much political mileage as possible out of half-truths" relating to the audit.

WISEMAN GAVE reporters a lengthy "background statement" in which he discussed the operation of the treasurer's office during his tenure, including invest' ments and the state's retirement fund. They, too, have been made targets of criticism by some of Wiseman's opponents in the primary race. In addition te his own explanation, Wiseman urged reporters to question Snod-grass who hesaid had agreed to help "halt this vicious campaign." SNODGRASS SAID later yesterday the treasurer's records of bank accounts had not been reconciled with the state banks and with the accounts division of the State Finance and Administration Department, according to the audit. But he said the same problem was also found during an earlier audit of Wiseman's predecessor, and he concurred with Wiseman in saying the present problem had been compounded by a difficulty in properly programming the state computer. "It is unrealistic to presume that errors will not be made during regular business operation in the posting of transactions by the treasurer's office, the Division of Accounts, as well as' the banks of the state," Snodgrass explained.

is every reason to presume that the records of the treasurer's office are otherwise in order, and we would hope that our work can be completed in due course. We have found nothing other than procedural deficiencies," he said. THE COMPTROLLER also noted that the records of interest earned on state deposits indicated that "more money has been earned during the term of the past treasurer than has been earned at any time in the past" a point which Wiseman himself emphasized earlier in the day. The candidate said the amount he earned for the state in that manner was "in excess of $60 million." In Memphis last week, former State Atty. Gen.

David Pack, who is another of the 12 Democratic candidates for governor, said he was concerned about the potential for abusing the method of depositing state funds and the investment of assets of the state retirement system. "THIS PROBLEM," he said, "is highlighted by a loss of $12 million in the value of stocks held by the retirement system as of May 17." However, Wiseman said' such a view of the performance of the retirement fund stocks was "a gross distortion of fact and purpose." He said the state's retirement fund securities have cost the state $123.7 million over the years and. if sold today, would produce only $116 million because of the depressed stock market. But he said the stocks were not intended to be sold for a short-term profit, but rather were bought to be held "for long term appreciation and. in some cases, for dividend income." Powers Calls Blanton Plan Insulting (ConHnned from Pae 25) contracting private firms, which, he said, are often more efficient than the state, to perform certain services.

He mentioned as an example that the state should not spend ail its time patching up roads. Powers said yesterday that every person connected with the Tennessee Highway Department and all other state departments should be insulted by Blanton's "slur at their ability and dedication." "He stated categorically," Powers said, "that private firms could often perform a job with greater efficiency than the state. If this isn't a slap in the face of every state employe, I never heard one." BLANTON, during a press conference in Nashville yesterday, said, "I did not criticize the Highway Depart ment at all and won't, because I have the highest respect for the professionals in that department." The former West Tennessee congressman said his reference to the Highway Department was as an example of "some of the services I felt like should have studies made as far as letting private industry submit bids to perform these services." "I know that there are some services provided by the state that could be done more economically by private industry," Blanton said. Carr Hits Data COSt For Phones (Continued from Page 25) "The poor and the handicapped people are going to be the ones hurt the most by this," he added. CARR SAID he was puzzled over how the telephone company arrived at 20 cents per information call.

"Did someone just pick it out of the air?" he asked. "Why shouldn't it be 10 cents, or 5 cents, or 1 cent? No one has submitted any data to verify the need for 20 cents a call, and as far as I can determine no one in Tennessee has made a study that satisfactorily determines the actual cost of dialing information," Carr continued. "Under this plan it will cost a person twice as much to dial informat ion as it does to make a call from a pay phone," he said. "Let me reiterate that if I am elected the consumers of the state, not the vested interests will have a friend on the commission." The candidate, son of Secretary of State Joe Carr said Cincinnati already has a 'system of charging for dialing information and New plans to implement a 'similar plan within a year. said Richard T.

Dugan, president of Cincinnati Bell, said in a recent issue of Week Magazine that charges for information calls "will become nationwide in one form or Judge Race Meetings Set The Democratic candidates for the Tennessee Supreme Court have campaign appearances scheduled in six West Tennessee cities today and tomorrow. The five nominees will have a bench and bar luncheon at 11:30 a.m. today in Jackson followed by courthouse receptions at 2 p.m. in Bolivar and at 3:30 p.m. in Selmer.

Later tonight, the nominees will attend a Democratic rally at the Hardin County Fairgrounds. TOMORROW the nominees will meet at Fayette County Courthouse in Sum-merville at 10 a.m. followed by a luncheon with lawyers at noon in Brownsville. The nominees are incumbent Justice William H. Hones, Court of Appeals Judge Robert Cooper, Chancellor Ray L.

Brock and attorneys Willism J. Harbison and Joe W. Henry. Alexander Feels He's Now Ahead (Continued from Page. 25) financing and try to be responsible about limiting the amount we spend on campaigns when we have the first major opportunity for all three candidates to appear and discuss the issues before more people than any of us are going to see on a bus tour," Alexander said.

A station official confirmed that Winston has declined to participate. Asked about Alexander's charge, Winston retorted: "I've been on 100 television programs with him." Winston said one such joint appearance was only last Monday, and that he seriously believed he had made at least 20 joint appearances. WINSTON SAID the Knoxville television program was not scheduled until June 20, and by that time his bus tour schedule had already been set. "I don't think a debate in our primary would serve any purpose whatsoever," Winston said. Alexander, the former legislative aide to U.S.

Sen. Howard Baker, criticized Winston in a morning press conference at Tri-Cities Airport where he announced his committment to a 66-mile four-lane Quad-City Beltway. The proposed road would connect Kingsport, Bristol. Eiizabethton and this Unnounced his committment to a 66-mile four-lane Quad-City Beltway. The proposed road would connect Kingsport, Bristol, and this Upper East Tenne Alexander said it "would be wrong for him to say" that the highway project is his idea.

He said the beltway is part of Gov. Winf ield Dunn's and the State Department of Transportation's comprehensive road program. He added the state will spend $1.5 billion on roadway construction over the next four years. HE PLEDGED the proposed $80 million beltway would be a high priority of his administration. 'Bring Party Together' Snodgrass (Centlmed from Page didates for the Democratic nomination to exercise the greatest restraint and integrity." The candidates' first priority as Democrats is "to thwart the Republican drive to maintain the governor's office," Snodgrass said.

"We must do this for the sake of all Tennessee," he said. EACH CANDIDATE wants the nomination, he said, but "only one of us will get it. "I hate to see the petty bickering that has started among Democratic candidates for the gubernatorial nomination," he said. In Jackson to open his Madison County campaign headquarters, Snodgrass said "the principle issue" in this campaign is whether a candidate has high morals and is accessible. SEEMINGLY joining hands with several other candidates, Snodgrass said he has "changed my mind about Watergate.

"Watergate is the foot cause of the suspicion and apathy now characteristic of the state's voters," he said. Winston Plans To Reconsider Prison Status (Continued from Page 23) HE SAID he would halt all but necessary activities among the prisoners until the situation is corrected. Winston said he probably would suspend all but the feeding and the guarding of the prisoners. Citing experience with escapes from state mental institutions in 19G7, Winston said he ordered all unnecessary activities stopped, sent the Tennessee Bureau of Criminal Identification in to investigate quickly, and cleared the situation up. Winston's statement came as a 65-county campaign bus tour moved northward through East Tennessee in search of votes in the Aug.

1 GOP primary. law and order stance at each APUSHING a stCong stop, Winston called repeatedly for more support for police officers. As the Winston campaign tour rolled past strip mine operations on Morgan County mountainsides, Winston said people of the area are concerned about damage to the land by strip mine operations. He said he would not want to outlaw strip mining as long as there is no other way to get the coal, but does want to see the exist ing law on land reclamation enforced. ALTHOUGH meeting with only sparse courthouse crowds along most of the tour route, Winston's reception improved last night as he moved into Scott and Campbell counties to organized rallies.

Winston used his own banjo to complement country music entertainment, which was used at each slop to help attract the crowds. Crockett t9insl Death Term, Except. (Continued from Page 25) prison guards. The issue is very difficult not to be a demogogue about, but I'm not going to make any rash statements along those lines." Crockett met with a group of his Knox County campaign supporters at a reception at the University of Tennessee Faculty Club. After telling them he believes his campaign is gaining mo-.

mentum, a black supporter asked him his position on capital punishment. "The death penalty," Crockett said, "has for all practical purposes passed from the scene except for a very few severe cases." Crockett said he has seen two governors Frank Clement and Buford Elling-ton enter office favoring 'capital punishment and leave that office asking for its repeal. CROCKETT SAID he does not think the new capital punishment law passed by the state legislature meets recent U.S. Supreme Court requirements of uniform application. He added that he is "flatly" against the mandatory death penalty in certain cases such as rape of a female under 12.

"I don't believe you should force a jury to decide just innocence or death," Crockett said, adding that a jury might decide to "turn someone loose" instead of handing down a death sentence. Crockett spent the day campaigning in Greeneville, and Morristown before coming to Knoxville last night. He flgw from here to Memphis after the faculty club meeting. Welfare Peri To Country, Says Oldham (Con tinned from Page 25) them and maybe give tax credits to employers who hire people to get them off welfare. "If we don't do this, it will surely take us down the path of destruction," he said.

"This is something that you need to worry about and keep on your mind." Oldham, the father of five sons, said he proposes the same thing that "President Nixon proposed a few years ago. If a man can work and find a job, you should not let him be on welfare. "IF A MAN teaches school for 35 years and he is 55 and can't find a job teaching but can in a service station, he ought to take that job," Oldham added. "Nothing is wrong with work, as long as it's honest. If you can't find a job, or are unable to work, then you should get some help.

"What I'm worried about in welfare is what it takes out of a person. It's like if you get something for nothing, it's like so many rich men's sons, they never amount to anything." OLDHAM ALSO TOLD the group that he is running a "commfsn sense campaign," and is speaking out on all issues. 1 ffav;.