Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1900-03-08
FROM EDUCATIONAL STANDPOINT
The Good Effect OF the Amendment on Our
School SYSTEM

Dt D%EfnlLt lC vote, Dul tHc amend
ment gives them the benefit OF the
doubt
II thus appears that the exemptions;
from he qualification inciude all who
are clearly competent to vote and all
whose cases are doubtful while ex
Guiding all Who are clearly ncompe-
tent
Let Us no" look at tie educational
qualification. as it Will operate after
December !. 1J0S. Two important
facts must be remembered IN consider
.ng mis- qualification.
nj who are voters Dccembn. 1T,
1908, viii remain yoters the lrst uf
their liy"9
:. Al persons coming of age after
December Ist, 1903 that Is, all pef-
sons now under twelve years of age.
must learn 10 read and write before
they can vote
Is this I Just Qualifications We
mink il not only just but in the high
ct degree wise and calculated TO p:o-
mote the best interests Of North Caro-
lima:
/. The qualification is not excessive
1t requires Of 2 voter only the ability
70 read and write There is no ex-
animation IN arithn4atic. geography.
grammar and the like Nothing IS De
nandcd but the ability to read and
write surely It would be better for
every man that ne should be able 10
read and "rite and better for N0rt!.
Carolina hat not one Of her citizen
should be unable 10 reod ana write
BOYS who cannot now read and write
If older than twelve. are exempted
from the requirements: if under
twelve they will have at least nine
years 10 learn IN. Our present school
facilities are not very good but they
are sufficient to teach every boy in
North Carolina how 10 read and write
within the next nine years.
;. The educational qualification viii
stimulate boys to go to school, will
stimulate teachers to do better teach
ing, will stimulate political parties .
promote education. will stimulate the
state to enlarge and multiply school
facilities. viii give education lis pro-
| per place as the foundation for suf-
1rage, and will set up in public life
FOR The youth of our generation a no.
bier and a lOftier ideal Of life
J. TAe promotion OF education viii
be promotion Of material prosperity.
It will develop skilled labor. It Will
train the hand and the brain to work
/ fG2 ther. and through them Will de-
Fetap the unlimited natural resources
OF NOrth Carolina. Il will supply ma
! It's" t3ient. trained and ed!4cateG n
skilled labor, for the proper u,ilizA-
ton Of our timber minerals. cotton,
tobacco and other raw material and
the profitable employment Of our
water power. fisherieS soil ciimats
and other natural resources Let a.,
educate our boys. and we shall cease
to be- heWerS Of wood and drawers oL
water for other States We shall
cease To produce only raw material
whose profits are enjoyed b. other
States With better trained and better
educated workmen We snail become
i S.ate of educated laborers. skilled
Workmen. enjoying the profits CT ou~
own resources and working UP the
raw material OF other peoples. whose
Lack Of skill and lack OF education
will make them our servants
Education will mean more happi-
ness and more knowledge in each
/ hCu- ehold, better order III each COM
munity. improved healtA. comfort and
morality throughout the STATE It
! will cause a more general diffusion Of
knowledge and a more active intelli-
gcncc among all classes OF our people
and in all lines OF industrial activity
Farm boys Will read more ana learn
more Mechanics will keep abreast Of
the worlds progress = their lines. Tbs.
whole mass of the people will be lifted
up and strengthened for the ceaseless
/ struggle of life. Popular government.
/ Viii daily become stronger instead of
weaker. Popular demands for re-
forms Will be based upon intellient
comprehension OF evils TO be reformed
apd Will be made with a power that
Will defy resistance.
: Even the negro recognizes the ad-
visibility Of an educational Qualifica-
ton He knows that il Is best fog
even negro boys 20 learn 10 read ard
write There are some who maintain
that the negro will outstrip the white
bov in the race for education and will
outnumber him al the polls: that an
educational qualification Will ultimate
Il d!stranchiSe more whites than ne
groes. This fear is not confirmed by
statistics. The percentage Of negro
clildren enrolled in school % school
p0pula ,iOn is not 50 large as the per
CCntage OF white children. nor Is tat
percentage OF negro attendance a
! schools as lare as the percentage Il
white attendance. 1t IS an insult 90
White children and 20 the white race
% say that the white boy Will no.
learn 70 read and write as eagerly and
as quickly as the negro boy. II eiucl-
tion shall iii the negro 10 vote. it Viii
be cause for rejoicing, but If education
snail not iii him to vote. the white
race Will again protect itself against
negro suffrage The North Carolina
white boy needs education. not Il
compete with the negro boy. but TO
+ compete with the educated boy il