The commonwealth., 1901-01-24

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haye educated ali the childrsn OF the
State. 1t is, therefore, Of the utmost
importance from material point OF
view that our whole people should be
educated. Care must be taken on
your part, gentlemen of the legislature,
to bring the schools Ia the remotest
districts up to the standard Of the con-
,s:itutlou which solerunly admonishes
you, as it did me but a moment ago
when I took the oath to support it,
that at least four months of school
must be carried on in every school dis
trict in each year. Our party platform
follows the constitution and we cannot
afford to violate either. II there are
distrlc.s which are weak they must be
strengthened by those who are strong.
The good book tells US thai; the strong
should bear the in6rmlties OF the weak
and the 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 tollies. A
| great State can never act on this theo-
ry, but will always recognize that the
| S4rnpu cara for fhou1oolvoI ~hilo
the true aim of the State is to provide
equal and just laws, giving to the weak
opportunity to grow strong and re-
straining the powerful from expressing
the less fortunate. It will be o glori-
Gus day for US if our people in the
hour OF their prosperity and wonderful
growth and development can realize
that men can never grow higher aud
better by rising on the weakness and
ignorance of their fellows, but only by
aiding their fellow men and llftlng
them to the same high plain which
they themselves occupy. It may re-
! Qulre sacrifice to accomplish the prom
ises which we have made and men
may be compelled to bear additional
burdens, but am persuaded that the
sacrifice VIII be made and the burdens
! borne with that cheer.ulness which has
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 diff
cuitles llliterate or learned they have
ever striven to do their duty by the
state and they have laid her founda-
tlons so strong aud deep that we have
but to build thereon the splendid
home which they only saw In antici
| patton. Let that home he frightened
with the Ginning of the 10000 lights
emsnatlng from as many sch~o
Some of these lights Will shine but fee
oily, mayhap with but four candle pow
er, while others shall shine with sixty
| four and some few with the radiance 0f
| 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" l
| pledge you, gentlemen of the legisla-
| sure, such power as the constitution
| vests in the governor and all the en-
srgy of my soul and heart to the edu-
cation OF the people, and rely with
entire confidence upon you and the
promises which each of you has made.
With these promises kept there will
break upon US day such has never
before dawned upon our state. Our
government is founded upon lntelli-
gence AID virtue. We shall provide for
intelligence by system OF schools
which is Designed to reach every citl
zen. The school looks to the prepara-
| ton of the voter for the use of the bal
lot. We admit to the elective fran
ehise every man capable OF intelligent
ly exercising that right and SO anxious
are We to approach as near as may be-
universal suffrage that We haye made
the test of intelligence, simply ability
to read aud write, an accomplishment
which can be acquired in few months.
AFFAIR AND JUST ELECTION
LAW.
Having thus provided for the right
TO vote tie further duty devolses upon
YOU, gentlemen Of the legislature, to
| pass law 10y which that right lnsy be
! made effective, a law by which every
voter qualified under our constitution
snai. have the power to cast one vote
counted as cast The safety Of the
state ana The iibsrJ; OF the citizens de-
yeft: up n action on this question.
| fhe adoption Of the amendment not
oujy furnishes the ,>c9asIun, bit rsr-
| dess indispensable the adoption OF an
election law which shall be So fair that
| no just nan can oppose It aid requires
an administration Of that law Ia such
| cx;r;t shot M man viii dOuht that the