The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-18

the not disant future can be given only
by those who can read and write We
need nave nothing to fear, then, from
any party or any politician e we
liberal provision for education.
But IL there were opposition our duty
would be none the less clear. 1t is de-
monstrable that wealth increases as
education of the people grows Our
Will be benefited; our COM
merce viii expand: our railroads VIII
a larger business when We shall
have educated all the children OF the
state. 1t is, therefore, of utmost
from material point OF
view that our whole people should ae
educated. Care must be taken On your
part. gentlemen of the legislature, TO
bring the schools in the remoteSt dis
tricts UP to the Standard of the consti-
tuition which solemnly admonishes you.
as II did me but a omen g when
l took the oath TO support il, that at
least our months of school must be
on in every school district in
each year. Our party platform follows
the constitution n We cannot afford
TO violate either. If there are districts
which are weak they must be strength
by those who are strong. The
good book tells us that the strong
should bear The infirmities of the weak
and n lessons of that great authority
are OF utility in our political life.
There has grown UP an idea among
strenuous men that only the strong
are to be considered and benefited;
that the poor and the weak are the
burden bearers who deserve no aid and
are weak because of their follies. A
great state can never act on this theo-
~, but wsll always recognize that the
strong a care for themselves while
the true aim of the state is d provide
equal and just Jaws. giving to the weak
opportunity to grow strong and re-
strainlng the powerful from depressing
the less 1t will be a glori-
Ious day for us if our people in the
hour of their prosperity and wonderful
growth and development can realize
that men a never grow higher and
lbetter by rising OF the and
ignorance of their fellows. but only by
aiding their fellow men and lifting
them to the same high plain which
they themselves occupy. 1t may re-
quire sacrifice to accomplish the prom
Uses which we have made and men
be compelled to bear additional
burdens. but l am persuaded tina the
sacrifice will be made and the burdens
borne with that ~cheerfulness which
ever characterized us when We
were doing a righteous thing. Our
fathers have done we'll their work.
They have sought this day through
many difficulties; initerate or learned
they have eve striven to do their
duty by the state and they nave laid
Iher foundations SO strong and deep
that we have but to build thereon the
splendid home which they saw only in
anticipation. Let that home be bright
with the shining Of the $1,000 lights
lemanat1ng from as many schools.
Some of these lights will shine but fee
bly,, mayhap with out four candle pow
Ter, while others shall shine with sixty
-four and some few with the radiance Of
a thousand but let them all shine to-
gether to brighten life and make the
state more glorious and may they all
have as their source that God who
first said: Let there be light 1
lpledge you, gentlemen of the legisla-
lture, such power as the constitution
vests in the governor and all the en-
lergy of my soul and hear ito the edu-
lcation of the people, and I rely with
Ientlre confidence upon you and the
promises which each of you has made.
With these promises kept there will
break upon us a day such as a never
before dawned upon our state. Our
government is founded upon intelli-
lgence and virtue. We shall provide for
intelligence by a system of schools
which is designed to reach every cit
zen. The schools look to the prepara-
ton of the voter for the use of the bal
lot. We admit to the elective franchise
every man capable of intelligently ex-
ercising that right and SO anxious are
we ITO approach as near as may be uni
versal suffrage that we have made the
test Of intelligence, simply ability to
read and write, an accomplishment
which can be acquired in a few months.
"A FAIR AND JUST ELECTION LAW.
Having thus provided for the right
to vote the further duty devolves upon
you, gentlemen of the legislature, to
pass a law by which that right may
be made effective, a law by which
levery voter qualified under our consti-
tuition shall have the power tc cast
one vote and a that vote counted
las cast. The safety of the state and
the liberty of the citizens depend upon
your action on this question. The
adoption Of the amendment not only
furnishes the occasion, but renders in
ldispensable h adoption of am cleo
ton law which shall be SO fair that no
just man can oppose it, and requires
an administrator of that law in such
spirit that no man will doubt hat the
popular will has been rightly express
ed and recorded. From the foundation
Iof state to the day when h ne
gro was given the elective franchise
the fairness of our elections was never
questioned. When the ballot was given
Ito the negro the first election there
latter was known to be a farce and a
fraud. That election was held under
military dictatorship, lasted three
days and the vote vas counted in Char
lleston, South Carolina. We AVE de-
lnounced and e will denounce that
ELECTION as fraudulent. When We came
ito power in 1870 we changed the elec-
Ition. law if the state and from that
time Town to 1894 all elections were
held under laws passed by us. Our
anniversaries charged that these cleo
Itions were carried by force and fraud
When they came to power in 1895 they
Iadopted a law which we as
providing means for the registration
land voting Of minors, dead, imported
and convicted negroes They carried
the state under hat law in 1896. We
beat them in 1898 despite their law and
then we passed a new election law
(which they denounced as designed tc
lthwart the will OF the people. We held
the election of 1900 under that law By
Ia ---. 49, 49,