The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-12

write in eight wears. The man who
makes such Il speech has no such
opinion OF the incapacity of his own
children as to suppose that they can
not learn TO read and write in wears.
| would that | could reach the heart
OF every illitcrate poor man in North
Carolina and give him assurance that
his children are as bright and capable
as those Of the demagOgue who seeks
to encourage him not to educate his
children. would assure him that
these demagogues have their own
children in school while seeking TO
keen those of the poor and illiterate
out, their purpose being to gain a
start in life for their children ahead
of those whom they seek to mislead
Gentlemen of the convention, this
clause of our amendment does not
weaken but strengthens it. In your
speeches to the people, III your talks
with them on the streets and farms
and by the fresidc do not hesitate
to discuss this section. | tell YOU that
the prosperity and the glory of our
grand old State are to be more adj
Vanced by this clause than by any
other one thing. Speak the truth.
tell it in Gath, publish it in the
streets Of ASkelon" that universal ed
ucation of the white children of North
Carolina will send us forward with Il
bound i'm the race with the world.
Life is a mighty combat and the peo-
pie who 90 into it best equipped will
be sure to win. Massachusetts has
grown rich while we have remained
poor and complained of her riches
She educated while we remained ig-
norant. If she has brown rich out
of us it is because she knew how to
do so and we did not know how TO
prevent it. Wwith the adoption of
our Amendment after 1908 there will
be no State in the Union with larger
percentage Of boys and girls who can
read and write and no State will rush
forward with more celerity or GER
tainty than conservative old North
Carolina. The day of the miserable
demagogue who seeks to perpetuate
illteracy in the State viii then have
happily passed forever.
There is one other provision of the
Amendment To which ! must advert
and that is the payment of the poll
tax by March 1st Of election years as
n condition TO voting. The largest
part of the poll tax goes to public
education under the Constitution. If
our boys are to be educated as a con
dition precedent to voting after 1908.
then no man who will NOT contribute
TO that end ought to vote. Nearly all
white persons liable to poll tax pay it
now. If the negro wants to vote it is
no hardship on him that he should be
required TO pay his tax 10 the support
of these schools in which his race gets
more than it pays Of the public fund.
The various provisions of the Amend
ment work together for good TO all
men. We are going to carry them
through 10 success. The fight is on.
We unfurl anew the old banner of
Democracy. We inscribe thereon white
supremacy and its perpetuation. Tn
der that banner we shall win and
when we shall have won we will have
peace in the land. There will he rest.
from political bitterness and race
antaoonism. Industry will have
great outburst. Freed from the nee
essity Of voting according TO our col
or we shall have intellectual freedom.
Error will come face to face with
truth and shall suffer that final crush
ing which the poet denies to truth.
With freedom of thought will come in
dependence of action and public ques
tions will stand or fall in the court of
reason and not of passion. TO these
great ends ! beg your unceaSing ac-
tivity during the present campaign.
Let your work be with zeal and ear
nestness Remember that the peace
of the State is at stake. DO not for
oct that the safety of our women is
dependent upon it. Ladies refugeed
from Wilmington in 1898 as they did
before the advance of Sherman in
1865. The county in which we are as
sembled is named in honor of a wo-
man, Esther Wake. The city in which
we are is named for that gallant gem
tleman whose most famous act among
his many great and illustrious deeds
lis that he spread his cloak upon the
ground in order that his Queen might
walk dryshod. In North Carolina in
every home there is Il queen. wife,
sister. mother or daughter and in her
name | demand your allegiance and
service.
1t is by no accident that the first
child born OF English parentage in
America was born on North Carolina
soil and was a girI-the event was
a prophecy in forctelling that modesty
which. characterizing North Carolin-
ians, has found its chief pleasure in
doing things rather than in proclaim
ing them when done--an inspiration
TO all North Carolina white men TO
forever regard the protection of the
womanhood of the State as the first
duty which God in the birth of Nir-
@inia Dare laid upon us for all time.
In the performance of this delightful
duty the North Carolina Democracy
claims no monopoly. but is willing and
anxious TO share with our Republican
and Populist friends The glory of
achieving il by establishing perma-
nent white supremacy there is work
for us all and in the language of Ad-
miral Schley, glory enough TO go all
around. If the Democratic party has
seen with quicker. clearer vision the
necessity for this Amendment than
either of the other parties, the fact
has grown out Of environment and
gives as no right to boast over those
OF our race belonging to other parties
who seeing it now shall join with us
in perfectino the good work. Let the
adoption of the Amendment furnish
jis the occasion for better under