The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-10
Thinks Mebane Should be Nominated

no one is eligible to the State Supern-
tendency of Public instruction who Is not
himself a bona fide teacher. No one would
advocate placing upon the Supreme Court
bench or in the Attorney Generals office
a retired lawyer or lawyer without
clients or lawyer whose chief business
is merchandising. Neither can any party
afford today to nominate for the head of
the school system man who is not even
a school teacher.
In addition to the manJ excellent rca-
Sons that have been given by many good
Democrats why the present incumbent,
Hon. G. II. Mebane, should be nominated
for the office of Superintendent Of Pub
lie instruction by the next Democratic
State Convention, l desire to offer the
following:
/. / believe the nomination of Mr.. Me-
bane would be best for the educational
interests of the State. Other things be-
ing equal, a man with experience in the
office of State superintendent can do
more effective work than q man without
this experience. 1t is generally admit
ted that Mr.. Mebane has made an excep-
tiCnally good officer under exceptionally
difficult conditions. Since he left the
college professors chair to assume the
duties of his present position his sole
ambition seems to have been to admins
ter the affairs of his office with an eye
single TO the educational welfare of the
children of the State. On several occa-
sions he has been obliged to decide be-
tween the educational interests of the
State and the political interests of those
who placed him in his office, but in no
single instance does he appear to have
been able to see any interest except that
Of education.
1t is significant that no one has claimed
for special candidate that he would dis
charge the duties of this office better
than Mr. Mobane has done. The public
is thoroughly impressed with the faith
fulness and effectiveness of his work. No
one believes that any political or other
consideration would tempt him for a mo-
ment to make secondary thereto the edu
cational interests of the State.
The nomination of Mr.. Mebane would
be decided endorsement of the idea
which has dominated him in the admins
tration of his office. namely, that the in
terests Of the children are supreme and
above all other considerations.
2 This nomination would be best for
the teaching profession; and by making
it, the Democratic party would be showing
respect for the judgment of those who
are most active in promoting the cause
of education. it is doubtful whether any
other man could have more cordial co.
operation of the various educational
forces of the State. College professors,
high school men, graded school men,
public and private school teachers in all
sections of the State, State aid and anti
State aid advocates, many of the lead
ing newspapers of the State, political and
religious, nearly every officer of the
North Carolina Teachers Assembly, and
the leading educational journal of North
Carolina and the South favor Mr.. Me-
bane's nomination.
At the last session of the North Caro-
lima Teachers Assembly by rising vote
the Assembly expressed it's endorsement
and appreciation of Mr.. Mebanes work
as State Superintendent. That so many
of the leading teachers advocate Mr.. Me-
bane's nomination is probably due to the
fact that in addition to his excellent
record as an officer and the idea for
which his administration stands, he Is
himself teacher by profession. From
boyhood his great struggle has been to
educate himself and to educate others.
y
public school teacher, working in the dis
trct schools of his native county. Gull
ford, and in adjoining counties. BY his
own eXertion he was able to enter Ca
tawba college, where he remained until
his graduation. His record at that col
lege was such as to secure for him a
professorship there, which position he
held at the time he was elected State Su-
perintendent, and to which, l am inform
ed. he may return whenever he choose
5. MIR. Mebane is not a politician. but
his nomination, if considered politically,
would be entirely in keeping with what
has appeared TO be the policy of our
wisest Democratic leaders in their APP
peals to all the best white people of the
State to join with the party in it's fight
for White Supremacy and for a more
intelligent voting citizenship. The Demo-
cratic party has one towering issue in
the State campaign-the adoption of the
Constitutional Amendment. Mr.. Mebane
stands with the party on that issue He
has made no secret of the fact that he
intends to vote for it, though he has not
proclaimed from the house top his politi-
cal views on this or any other question.
The few newspaper articles opposing his
nomination have referred to Mr. Mebane
as a Republican. Yet he did not vote
for President Mckinley or for Governor
Russell, but for Bryan and Guthrie. and
now. proposes to abide by the action of
The Democratic State Convention Can
the Democratic party have anything but
friendly feelings towards those Guthrie
Popuiists who propose TO stand by the
party IL it's present fight? Would il
not be wise to show some practical con-
sderation for that element of the white
people who, though born in the Republi-
can party, or who. though they have hon
estly supported the Populst party, now
stand with the Democrats on the amend
ment.
| submit these facts to thoughtful
Democrats with tse suggestion that it
might be beneficial from a political as
we'll as from an educational standnoint
TO nominate Mr.. Mebane
G. A. GRIMSLEY.
Green shore " April IN INN