Cooper Review (Cooper, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, December 8, 1950 Page: 8 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Delta County Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Delta County Public Library.
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Page Eight
The Cooper Review, Cooper, Texas
Friday, Dec. 8, 1950
If there
is any
doubt in
your mind
about what
a relative
or friend
who is
away from
home may
want for
Christmas
you can
settle this
in a
hurry with
a year's
subscription
to the
COOPER
REVIEW
An
attractive
Christmas
card, signed
with your
name, will
be sent
announcing
the gift.
Where else
can you
buy 52
Christmas
presents
for $2.00?
yWw A
CAPITOL 1ft DOME
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Tamm W*«Uy S*r-'.r»
DUPLICATION EXISTS
IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Economy in government, like
charity, might well begin at home.
If all the leaks in the cost of gov- |
ernment in Texas are to be stop-
ped, as proposed by the Texas
Economy Commission, there are I
plenty of opportunities to make a
beginning at the county level.
In the first place it appears that j
our Texas counties are smaller I
than is necessary for efficient ad-
ministration. The average county j
is about 1,000 square miles in area.
Many of them are considerably
smaller. A group of seven North- ;
east Texas counties averages about!
270 square miles per county. The
smallest of these is Rockwall, with
only 147 square miles.
Most Texas counties were crea-
ted several years ago when Texas
was sparsely settled and roads
were difficult to travel. Because
of this, county size was based on
a desire to make it possible for a
citizen to travel to his county seat i
on horseback, to transact business, j
and to return home the same day.
Even if counties were five times i
as large as the average, with mod-
ern .transportation, most people |
could make such a journey in an
hour or so. Obviously there would
be a considerable saving in the
cost of county government if the
number of counties were reduced
from 254 to about 50. It is very
unlikely, however, that we Texans i
would shake off the time-honored |
traditions built up around our
present county geographical boun-
daries, even though it would save
a considerable sum in the cost of
local government.
There are many other ways,
however, to increase the efficiency
and economy of our local govern-
ment, while hanging on to our |
present small county set-up. One
of the most obvious would be to i
eliminate unnecessary duplication
of functions of the county and
municipal governments, which ex-
ists in almost every county in
Texas.
Take the matter of the assessing
and collecting of taxes. Each
county has its own assessor and
collector, who attempts to keep up j
with the ownership of all taxable
property in the county. Then each
incorporated city in the county al-
so sets up a duplicate record for
the taxable property within its
limits. And in some cases the sev-
eral independent school districts
McNAMARA’S BAND—Marian
McNamara models New York
state’s official civilian defense
arm band. Samples of the Civil
Defense Commission insignia
were mailed to 104 county and
city directors in the state.
within the county also maintain
separate property records for tax
purposes. Frequently the same
piece of property appears on all
three records at different values.
A substantial saving in adminis-
trative costs could be achieved by
having one set of property records
from which all local taxes could
be assessed.
There is also competition be-
tween the county and city gov-
ernments in many other fields.
There is the matter of law en-
forcement, with each city main-
taining its own police force, while
the county has likewise a com-
pletely independent organization
for the same purpose. There is
also competition between the
municipal court and the justice of
peace courts of the county. In
the administration of welfare
work, too often there is competi-
tion between city and county gov-
ernment.
As a matter of fact there is a
state law which would permit the
consolidation of county and city
governments. It has been on the
I statute books for several years, but
j no Texas county has yet attempted I
the experiment of putting this law
in effect.
Finally, just to point out one I
more example of where economy
could be practiced in local gov-
ernment, there is a law in this
state which permits each county
to combine all of its road building
and maintenance activities into a
county-wide unit system. How-
| ever in most counties each com-
missioner’s precinct carries out its
road work independently of the
[ others. As a result the cost is
often higher than it should be.
I In every case where the county
unit plan has been given a fair
trial it has proved a monev-saver.
Perhaps the people would be
I more interested in economy in
I government, if each county had its
I own Economy Commission, active-
ly working to achieve on the local I
I level what the state Commission
has set out to do on a statewide
I basis.
! ■ j
HIGHWAY COMMISSION IS
; UPHELD ON WAGE POLICY
The courts cannot interfere by j
I injunction, or otherwise, with the
, Texas Highway Commission’s es- I
j tablished policy of fixing mini- I
I mum “prevailing wages” to be |
paid by contractors on jobs con-
structed for the Commission. This
was the opinion of the State Su-
| premc Court last week, in a case
i brought by the El Paso Trades
j Council, which sought to enjoin
I the carrying out of the Highway
; Commission’s wage policy on two
j major highway construction pro-
jects in El Paso county.
FOREST AND GRASS FIRES
THREATEN HUGE LOSSES
Drouth has become a major
threat to much of Texas, not only
because of the effect on pastures,
causing feed to become very
scarce, but because of the preva-
lence of fires. Fire departments in
SKI BRIDE — For the bride
who will spend most of her
honeymoon on skis, Parisian de-
signer Alwynn created this friv-
olous white satin ski suit, frilled
with a bouffant skirt of white
tulle. A fitted jacket covers the
hare-shouldered bodice and
sUiader straps cross the throat
to hold a corsage.
a wide area of the state have been
spending most of their time re-
cently aiding farmers and ranchers
where pasture fires have caused
hpavy damage.
In the East Texas piney woods,
more than 200 fires were respon-
sible for some $2 million in loss.
Fortunately, however, just as mat-
ters were getting out of hand,
heavy rains last week fell on the
timber belt, removing for the time
being the threat of further heavy
damage. .
Your New
Social Security
By Paul J. Files
Mgr., Paris Social Security Office
The child in the average Ameri-
can home will have greater in-
surance benefit payments under
the Amended Social Security law.
While a child’s benefit in life
cases is still one-half of the insur-
ed worker’s insurance amount,
provisions relating to the defini-
tion of child, dependency of child,
and the child’s benefit amount are
liberalized.
Beginning this September, on
deaths of the insured worker oc-
curring at any time after 1939, an
only child’s benefit payment is
three-fourths of the deceased
worker’s insurance payment, plus
one-fourth of that benefit divided
by the number of children.
Under the new law, the adopted
child of a deceased insured work-
er need no longer meet any time
requirement to qualify as a “child”
for social security benefits. In
life cases, a stepchild who is later
adopted by his stepparent, may
count time before and after adop-
tion toward the required time per-
iod. That time period is now
three years before the day of ap-
plication.
The amended law makes many
changes in the provisions concern-
ing a child’s dependency on his
mother and on a stepparent. A
child will be considered dependent
on his natural or adopted mother,
regardless of the father’s presence
in the home, or the father’s con-
tributions to the child’s support.
This applies in cases where the
mother was currently insured
when she died or became entitled
to retirement insurance benefits.
A child can be deemed dependent
on his mother (including a step-
mother) if the mother was fur-
nishing at least half of the child’s
support at the time of her death
or retirement.
My next article will explain
the new definition of “employee”
which will give social security
j coverage to approximately 400,000
additional workers.
WONDED DEER SEEKS
REFUGE IN A CHURCH
COI.UMBUS — The pastor at a
j rural church near here was
preaching his sermon on the text:
“God is our refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble.”
Just then a wounded deer strolled
through the open door of the
! church and limped down the aisle,
I while everyone stared in amaze-
l ment. One of the worshippers
led the animal outside, and the
preacher, unruffled, pointed out
i that even the deer seemed to rea
lizc that a church is a refuge
when in need.
THESE BOYS PICKED
WRONG HUNTING GROUND
NEW BRAUNFELS — Two
youthful hunters really were ask-
j ing for trouble last week. The
place they selected to hunt deer,
without the owner’s permission,
turned out to be the ranch belong-
ing to the local state game warden.
Close Membership
Drive With Dinner
Closing a membership drive in
which 25 new members were add-
ed, the Red Henderson Post No.
483, American Legion, held a
chicken dinner last Monday. Ap-
proximately 50 Legionnaires at-
tended and prizes donated by sev-
eral Cooper merchants were
awarded R. T. Whitlock, Wade
Bledsoe and Leonard Hinsley for
their work in securing new mem-
bers.
Due to activities of the Christ-
mas season, the post, with Com-
mander B. Truman Ratliff pre-
siding, voted to cancel regular
meetings during December, resum-
ing meetings in January. The
commander also gave a report of
the District Legion convention
which he attended in Deport.
The poachers were caught and de-
tained by the warden’s wife, until
officers came after them. Her
husband was away tracking an-
other hunting party accused of
illegal hunting at the time his own
premises were invaded.
Seed-Fertilizer-Poison
FEED OF ALL KINDS
CUSTOM FEED GRINDING
EVERY DAY
Wanted Feed Sacks We Buy Corn
STUBBLEFIELD-MILLER
GIN COMPANY
Phone 268
Cooper
YES! YOU GOTTA
ACT FAST
WHEN YOU
SEE A
BARGAIN!
/J— ■
ETCHES
ELGIN and HELBROS
15 Jewel Elgins--------------- $29.75
Lord Elgins----------$69.75 to $175.90
15 Jewel Helbros $29.75 up
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF 'EM
IN COOPER MERCHANTS' ADVERTISEMENTS!
Read Review Ads For Bargains
SILVERWARE
Both Plate and Sterling
Service For 8
Rogers $34.50
1847 Rogers $84.50
Community $89.50
Roberta's Watch Shop
5 Doors North City Hall
Cooper
IS
Xd
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Practical gifts will be more welcome than ever this Christmas! And what could be more practical
than these fine quality, moderately priced slippers from Perkins. Make your selsctions now for evety
name on your list.
/
'*.A.
'liM,
y m
FUR TRIM SLIDE
For the children on your list
. . . this delightful fur trim
slide in beautiful shedes of red
or blue. Truly unusual at
only . . .
KIDDIES PET
Delightful little zipper
booties that the kids
really go for! Choice
of felt or leather in
blue or red.
FOR LITTLE GENTS
House shoes like Dad's for the
little gent of the family . . hand-
somely styled in brown kid leath-
er. According to size . . .
2.59
EMBROIDERED SATIN
Closed heel and open toe style
in this blue or red embroidered
satin slipper for women. Perfect
for that special name on your
list.
2.98
SHOP
PERKINS
FOR GIFTS
AFTER THE
BIG CHRIST-
MAS PARADE
DAD'S
DELIGHT
Since Dad is a comfort loving
man . . . give him this slipper
with soft leather upper, warm
wool lining and j A
leather soles.
LUXURIOUS SATIN
Luxury quality black quilted sat
in slippers for women . . . soft,
soft soles. The price is a tiny .. .
2.98
WARM . . .
PRACTICAL
If she wants comfort, she'll ap-
preciate these warm wool felt
slippers with hard
soles. Choice of wine j Q
or blue.
PERENNIAL CHOICE
A favorite year offer vear for
downright comfort! Women's
felt platform sole in wine or blue.
1.49
MAKE THIS
A SLIPPER
CHRISTMAS!
SHEARLINGS FOR LADIES
The warm, comfortable and very
popular women's shearlings . . .
choice of red or blue for a mere
3.49
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Cooper Review (Cooper, Tex.), Vol. 71, No. 49, Ed. 1 Friday, December 8, 1950, newspaper, December 8, 1950; Cooper, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth980118/m1/8/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Delta County Public Library.