Simpson County News from Mendenhall, Mississippi • 2

2 A fctmpami dountfl SfeiUB, Mendenhall, Miss. Thursday, oct. 20, 1993 Political Scene Gilbreath waging aggressive statewide campaign and switched when the final vote was taken on the education bill. Molpus will probably defeat Gilbreath for the same reason he won over a field of six Democrats. Molpus got a lot of mileage out of being a point man in the passage of Winter's education reform package.

He has the financial backing so necessary in a race for statewide office. Gilbreath' still talks about his "people" campaign versus the media campaign of his opponent. The days are gone when you can shake enough hands, ignore the tube and still win an election. Gilbreath not only has to compete with Leon Bramlett for Republican campaign funds, but last week fell victim to Bramlett's own campaign strategy. Bramlett is now making an issue of Bill Allain being divorced and having no children.

The press has already asked that if it is so important to elect a family man, what does Bramlett think about the Republican bachelor running for secretary of state? Gilbreath is probably a more able campaigner than Molpus, but he just started too deep in the hole. The Political Scene Syndicate, 1983 BY WAYNE W. W'EIDIE Excluding races for governor and Charles Pickering's campaign for attorney general in 1979, no other Republican has waged as aggressive a campaign for statewide office as Jerry Gilbreath of Laurel. Gilbreath has a clear uphill battle against Democrat secretary of state nominee Dick Molpus of Philadelphia. The odds haven't slowed Gilbreath down and he maintains that he has a serious chance to knock off his favored opponent.

While both candidates have very contrasting personal styles, either would probably make a capable secretary of state. For only the third time in over 30 years, Mississippians will be electing a new secretary of state. Heber Lander held the post for 32 years before retiring and Ed Pittman served the last four years before running for attorney general in 1983. Molpus is a low key individual. During the early days of the Democrat primary, Molpus candidly admitted that playing the role of a politician was difficult.

The primary results proved that Molpus was not over his head in the political arena. In a wide-open field of six Democrats, Molpus led the first primary and defeated John Ed Ainsworth in the runoff. By contrast, Gilbreath is a high-strung person. He comes closer to fitting the image of a typical Mississippi candidate. If Republican and Democrat 'candidates fit stereotype images, the party labels of the two candidates would appear misleading.

Molpus comes from a wealthy and prominent Mississippi family. He may not have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but his background is certainly more similar to the GOP country club image than Gilbreath. Gilbreath has a working class background. From his days at Ole Miss when the peddled "Archie" buttons, the Republican candidate has been viewed as sort of a hustler. Gilbreath's father is a union member and Gilbreath was disappointed when he did not receive the state AFL-CIO endorsement.

Gilbreath does have strong union backing in Jones County. While Bill Allain has managed to duck Leon Bramlett's call for a debate in the governor's race, Molpus accepted Gilbreath's debate challenge despite being the frontrunner. The series of debates kicked off last week at Ole Miss and concluded Thursday at Southern Mississippi. The press said the opening debate was a draw. Listening to a tape of the debate, I agree with that assessment.

In opening remarks, Gilbreath took the stronger shots at his opponent. Molpus returned a little fire in'the second round. Gilbreath accused Molpus of attempting to ride Gov. William Winter's coattails into the secretary of state job. Molpus made no apology for his association with Winter.

Throughout the Democrat primary, Molpus stressed his managerial ability while serving Winter as director of federal-state programs. Molpus cited reductions in both staff and waste. Gilbreath charged that the reductions were program cuts dictated by Congress. Molpus countered that he made many cuts and changes even before federal funding cutbacks. In a time when educational reform seems a most popular issue in Mississippi, public education may be Gilbreath's most vulnerable area.

During the debate Gilbreath took credit for being a strong supporter of public education. He said he initially opposed the Education Reform Act only because the burden was placed on a single industry. Being from oil rich Jones County, a severance tax was not popular. Molpus charged that Gilbreath had opposed a state lay board of education and had cast votes against vocational education. Molpus cited the Jackson Clarion-Ledger's "Hall of Shame" list of legislators, including Gilbreath, who opposed House Bill 4.

Molpus said Gilbreath saw the light Op ID lOn Columns, editorials, letters to the editor C. V. Montgomery Illicit sale of drugs now big business in country will not be printed. The editor reserves the right to edit letters to fit available space or to reject letters entirely. LETTER POLICY: The Simpson County News welcomes letters to the editor.

They should be brief and signed. Unsigned letters With this easy availability of drugs has come an increase in drug abuse. The increase in juvenile abuse is particularly distressing. Meandering The illicit sale and distribution of drugs have truly become big business in this country. It has been estimated that this $100 billion a year industry would rank No.

2 on the Fortune 500 list. the Ad Congress and Short folks disadvantaged By Hortense Schwartzfager Short people are really disadvantaged believe me, I know. When you go to a parade, you have to get there at least two hours before starting time, so you can be assured of having a position in the very front. And when you do manage to find the spot for viewing, some shorter person will come along and you will step back a pace or two, only This and That Search for wild hog in Shivers community put WALee in hurry ministration have made progess toward fighting the problem at its sourcethe influx of drugs ir the country. The effort inci-des passage of legislation to make it tougher on individuals caught trafficking in drugs.

The Administration dispatched a Task Force to Florida to not only crack down on drugs coming into the U.S., but to also focus national attention to the problem. State legislatures have also been at work in the war against drugs by strengthening the sentences and fines in drug-related cases. In addition, a successful effort has been launced by the states toward tightening the drunk driving laws to combat alcohol abuse. This effort was backed up by legislation in Congress to establish a national driver registration program and to provide grant money for states operating programs aimed at reducing drunk driving. But the most effective work in the fight against drug abuse can be done at the local level and I am proud to say that some determined men and women in our state are doing just that.

The program in Mississippi is called DREAM. It is the Drug Research and Education Association of Mississippi. This nonprofit, statewide organization was formed for the purpose of combating drug abuse, especially juvenile drug abuse, and to better educate youth and parents in our state about the dangers of drugs. The response to this program in Mississippi has been very positive. Since its creation in 1981, DREAM has provided assistance andor information to more than 80 communities in our state.

In more than 50 of those communities, active citizen groups have been formed to oppose juvenile drug abuse. See MONTGOMERY on Page 3A to find that the shorter person has brought along two six-foot friends. Short people stay a lot colder in the winter time, too. It is really trying at our house. S.

measures in at five feet eight plus; J.J. is over six feet, and D. towers about at six six. Here I am, waddling around just over five two and that's being generous) I mean my head doesn't even come up to where the thermostat is located and here all these others are up near the ceiling where the heat is. It's a constant battle as to who can control the temperature and being the minority of one, it seems that I always lose.

I'm accustomed to dragging the blanket around with me now. I know just how Linus must feel. The grocery store offers me even more hurdles. Invariably, my most wanted items always seem to be on the top shelf. And there never seem to be enough tall people around just when they're needed most.

I've learned how to conquer that problem, though. It's a bit time consuming, but, if you remove all the items off the BOTTOM shelf, you can stand on it; hang onto the one just above your head with your left hand; while reaching the object on the top shelf with your right hand. I do warn you NOT to attempt to retrieve a gallon jug of barbecue sauce however. Unless your hand is much larger than mine, there is no way to get an adequate hold on this item. And do NOT try to "inch" it forward.

The management does NOT smile See MEANDERING on Page 3A IFOOTfeAU. WAS V7 St. John M. B. Church begins rebuilding drive Yours in Christ, The St.

John Family Rev. W. M. Albritton Pastor Sis Virgia Palmer Clerk St. John M.B.

Church Route 1, Box 76 Braxton, MS 39044 Simpson County News; On July 25, 1983 the St. John M.B. Church was destroyed by fire. We have now begun to rebuild. We are soliciting funds from former members and friends.

Any contribution will be greatly ammunition. That afternoon, he sent a boy with the dogs to the upper end of the ravine, while he po3ted himself at the lower end with his gun loaded with buckshot. He was determined to get that hog. The day was hot, and he was getting thirsty, when he heard the dogs coming down the ravine. The banks were so steep that he was standing almost in the ravine when he heard the hog coming, closely pursued by the dogs.

He drew back the hammers of his gun, so as to be ready to fire, when the hog could be seen. He hardly had a moment to wait, when the hog burst through the vines, almost at his feet. He had to move back a step or two, so as to get a chance to shoot. As he stepped back, his heel caught on a vine and he fell backwards as the hog, was passing. The gun "went but instead of hitting the hog, the load of shot went into the top of a small tree and cut down a hornet nest.

Luckily, the hornets made their first assault on the dogs and wild hog. For the first time in life, Mr. Lee found himself in a hurry and managed to get away with only a few stings. The dogs forgot the hog, and left with loud yelps. The hog left too, as it had doubtless decided that the neighborhood was unhealthy.

It was never seen in those parts again. It was fortunate, for the dogs would harldy look at a hog, after that. Mr. Lee hunted sometimes, but always kept to the highest hills, so as to avoid ravines. The Lees are people who live long, and here's hoping he will live a hundred years.

(Editor's Note: This is a reprint of the column "This and That" written by the late Bee King of Mendenhall which appeared in the Simpson County News on May 3, 1945.) My good friend, W. A. Lee, from down Shivers way, was in town a few days ago. He is one of those rare persons who take life as it comes, just as they do the weather. Never worries or frets, holds the even tenor of his way in good times and bad times; repeats no gossip, uses no profanity-Is a good neighbor, a friendly man, always cool and serene.

He is a good business man, a good farmer has always had enough money for his own needs and some to spare. Takes life easy, lives easy. Never was known to get in a hurry but once, the circumstance on that occasion, being unusual. About thirty years ago, when rail fences were in use he had a fine field of corn just maturing. Walking through the field one day he noticed that a wild hog had been destroying a lot of the corn.

He knew it was a wild hog on account of the great size of its tracks. He repaired the fence where it had been broken, but found the next day that it had been broken again, and a lot of corn destroyed. He knew the hog was breaking the fence at night, and by taking his dogs and tracking, found that it was lying up in the day time in a long, steep ravine north of his field. The ravine was overgrown with bushes and muscadine vines and was an ideal place for the hog to hide, the fence was repaired again, and he went to town and secured a lot of a Jack O. Coppenbarger EditorPublisher Jean H.

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