The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-01
ADVICE TO THE SEsRoEs
Governor aycock's Address ON Open
ing the Coiored Peoples state Fair.
The ssBooker Washington Incident''


Raleigh, ". G.. October -
Governor Aycock at noon today form
ally opened the thirty-second annual
colored state fair here. He said:
II Affords me pleasure to open this
North Carolina 20 understand by every
act and expression Of mine that 1 am
the governor OF the entire state and
all its people and Ia every interest
which concerns n individual IS a
matter OF Importance to me. It has
been gratifying TO me that those TO
whom I nave been opposed politically
have recognized the real feeling which
exists in my heart In my duty as =
servant Of the state IL is OF ImmenseI
value that those OF opposite POLITICAL
faith should feel that he who has been
chosen TO serve them is not the enemyI
Of any person or OF any race in the
state
/ have earnestly endeavored since IL
has been my fortune to be the governor
Of the state TO so conduct the high Office
to which / was chosen as to develop the
industrial. commercial n education
al sides OF ~ life. because in these
We have heretofore been weakest.
The North Carolina people are in
LidAy ISSpSCNS q SlfOl5 anu SIGdl hTo-I
pie. They love liberty and they are
devoted to personal independence. They
need no instruction along these lines.
They have the courage OF their convic-
tons. and are ever ready to assert their
political and individual rights. What
we have needed and what we do need
is instruction along industrial, CONNER
cial and educational lines, and 1 have
| been anxious to be an humble instru-
| ment in this work.
| The colored people OF North Carolina
| are entitled to much credit for what
they nave done. AT the close of the
war there were many who had great
| apprehension as to the conduct which
| would result from the freedom OF the
negro. 1 am glad to be able to state
that that apprehension proved to be un-
| founded. Your conduct in the mair
has been admirable. You have surpris-
ed expectations. You have been sober
law abiding and industrious. You have
justified the hopes of those who thought
you ought to be free. You have created
more value in freedom than you die
in slavery and. taken all in all, you lie.
serve the thanks of the commonwealth
You will pardon me as n who is {
friend of yours for speaking to you to
day words which may seem unktnd
but are in fact lind because truthful
There are many things in your freedom
WHICH you udNe ISCltu- lIclc oil
many things yet for you to do. II
glancing through the criminal Stats
tics of the state l find that while you
race constitutes only one-third OF til
population of North Carolina you com
NIT one-half of the crimes. I am no
unmindful of the fact hat your rac
is poor and weak and without the infiu
| ence of the dominant race and that
therefore, in proportion to actual Grim
committed a few more are indicte'
than would be if you were rich art
powerful and with the influences which
tend to suppress indictments. Blu
eliminating this u~nimportant factor a
one may well do in a just state lik
this, the proportion of crime in you
race is starting and dangerous and OF
which ought to evoke your most earn
est consideration.
Before you can ever take your prop
er place in the world you must lear
first obedience to law. This ought I
be with you a matter Of constant in
struction in the home, in the school, /
the church. on the high way, whereVe
two or more of you may gather, unit
it becomes a part of your very eXisr
ence and grows into your nature. Th
great strength of the white man ha
been his love of home, and the conse
quent love of these industries whic
secure to him his home. 1t will be We
" " oilu " SooI loSC "iISil ~
shall have learned that your strengt
is founded upon industry and econon
and that your Importance in the star
: will increase with your growing wealth
This fair, therefore, which to some e1
tent, but i~nadequately, illustrate
your industries, is a matter of imDol
: lance to you and to the state. 1t show
: what you nave done and encourages yo
= to do more.
l 1t may not be inappropriate for II
} upon this occasion to express to you til
hope that recent vents occurring
= the nation may not unduly excite 20
{ and that you will still remember thu
= your best friends are those who liz
2 in your state. What you wish, whs
= you need more than recognition by II
Y president or other people in authorit
is the establishment among yourselv'
Of a society n upon culture, int
ligence and virtue and in no wise 4,
pendent upon those of a different rae
The law which separates you from u
white people in the state socially "A
Q ways has been and always will be il
exorable, and it need not concern yC
nor me whether that law is violate
elsewhere; it will never be violated
he south. Its violation would be
your destruction as we'll as to the il
n jury Of the whites. No ~thoughtft
conservative and upright southern
has for your race aught but kinde
feeling and We are all willing and an,
ious to see o grow into the highe
d citizenship OF which you are capab
and We are willing to give our energl
n best thought to aid o in the gre
work necessary to make you what W
l. are capable of, and to assist you in tn
le elevation Of character and of Writ
re which tends to the strengthening of L
es state; but to Go this il is absolute
necessary that each race should r
main distinct and nave a society OF
= own. Inside OF our own a you c;
grow a. large and broad and high
God permits. with the aid, the symp
thy. and the encouragement OF yo
,r white neighbor.
II If you can equal the white race
achievement, in scholarship, in liter
ture, in art, in industry and CONNER
IT o will find no generous minded viii
man who will stand in your way, b
a all of them in the south will insist til
d you shall accomplish his high el
without social intermingling and Ii
is we'll for you; ii is well for US; it