The news & observer., 1901-01-16
Education He Sees the Dawn Glorious Day
North Carolina
AMPLE PROVISION MUST BE MADE
And This Most Solemn Pledge to Educate All the Children
be Redeemed.

I suppress the evil of those forces which
| had made our history. They, therefore,
| submitted to the people for their action
| an amendment to the Constitution which
| forbids any man to vote who can not
| read and write, but excepts from the OPP
| GRAFTON of this restrictive clause all those
| who could vote in any State on January
| 1st, 1867, or at any time prior thereto
| or who are descended from any such
voter This provision excludes no white
men except persons of foreign birth not
| yet familiar with our institutions, and
| excludes no negro who can read and write
and no negro whether he could read OF
| write or not who could vote prior to
January 1st. 1867, or who is descended
from one who could vote at any time
prior to said date This amendment to
our Constitution eliminates no capable
negro. Indeed it sets free those negroes
who, believing in certain principles OF
government, have been restrained by 10y
atty to the mass from voting their con-
victions. 1t does no injustice to the ne
gro. 1t really benefits him. 1t does rec
ognize the necessity of having some test
of capacity and it prescribcs two rules of
evidence by which the capacity may be
ascertained and declares that any man
If white man can read and write he
can vote; if negro can read and write
he can vote. If white man cannot read
or write, but is descended from one who
could vote on January 1st. 1867, or at
any time prior thereto. or if he could
vote himself before that time he can
vote If a negro cannot read and write.
but is descended from a person who could
TO let a
prior thereto, or if himself could vote
before that time he can vote. There
is, therefore, in our amendment no taint
of that inequality provided against in the
Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution
of the United States; and in order that
the question might not even be suggested
and realizing the Importance of educating
the white and black alike, our amend
ment requires every boy of whatever col
or now thirteen years of age to learn
to read and write under penalty of losing
his vote. Interpreted on this fashion
we may with complacency accept the
declaration of the Republican National
platform that our amendment is revolu-
tionary. So was the War for independence
distinctly known as the Revolution and
our liberties are founded upon it, Our
amendment may be revolutionary. but it
is revolution of advancement. 1t takes
no step backward it dis sinctly looks to
the future; it sees the day of universal
suffrage but sees that day not in the
obscurity of ignorance but in the light
of universal education The twilight will
grow into the perfect day with the sun
of intelligence shining in the sky. That
is our hope and promise We shall mot
fail
PLEDGED TO EDUCATE.
On a hundred platforms. to half the
voters of the State in the late campaign,
/ pledged the State, its strength its
heart, it's wealth, TO universal education.
| PROMISED the iIIiterate poor man bound
to a life Of toll and struggle and pow
erty that life should be brighter for
him and the partner of his sorrows and
joys. / pledged the wealth of the State
to the education of his children. Men
of wealth representa- tives of great cor
porations applauded eagerly my declara-
tion / then realized that the strong
desire which dominated me for the up
lifting of the whole people moved not
only my heart, but was likewise the hope
and aspiration of those upon whom for
tune had smiled. I had loved the North
Carolina people before that time, but
never knew and appreciated the best
qualities of many of our citizens until
/ saw the owners CT many thousands as
eager for the education of the whole
people as | was myself. Then | knew
that the hope and task before us, Gen
tlcmen OF the Legislature. was not an
impossible one. We are prospering as
never before-our wealth increases, our
industries multiply, our commerce extends
and among the owners CT this wealth.
this multiplying industry. this extending
commerce, | have found man who is
unwilling TO make the State stronger and
better by liberal aid to the cause of
education
EDUCATE ALL THE PEOPLE
Gentlemen of the General Assembly you
will not have ought to fear when you
make ample provision for the education
Of he whole people. Rich and poor alike
are bound by promise and necessity TO
approve your utmost efforts in this di-
rection. The platforms of all the parties
declare in favor of a liberal policy to-
wards the education of the masses: no
tably the Democratic platform says, we
heartily commend the action of the Gen
eral Assembly of 1899 for appropriating
one hundred thousand dollars for the
benefit of the public schools of the State,
and pledge ourselves to increase the
school fund so as to make at least four
months term in each year in every school
district in the State" and in the cam
rairn which was conducted throughout the
State with so much energy and earnest
ness that platform pledge was made the
basis of he promises which wa all made
to the people. Poor and unlettered mon
anxious about the privileges OF their
children and hesitating to vote for the