The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-07-04

| DFollowing is the full text OF Gov.
Aycock's speech delivered before the
Manufacturer Club in Charlotte,
Saturday night, June 22nd, reference
to which was made in these columns
last week:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen:
1t is very great pleasure to be
with you tonight. Charlotte and
Neck klenburg stand for much in the
history Of North Carolina. 1t was
your great privilege to be the pioneers
in the movement in behalf Of liberty.
1t was your ancestors who wrote the
first Declaration Of Independence, and
who in emphatic form declared the
principles of independence of thought
and action. 1t is your proud prestige
now to be leaders in the industrial
development of the State. What our
ancestors did in behalf of liberty has
been transferred to you as precious
| heritage without labor on your part.
What you have done in the develop
ment of the State is your own consti-
tuition wrought out by hard work and
much thought. 1t is a privilege to
speak to such a people. 1t is a
higher privilege to be the Governor
of people who are so we'll versed in
the principles of liberty and so much
skilled in the modern development
which makes life more tolerable.
Having accomplished much in the
past YOU owe much to the develop
ment of the future. Your history is
such as to Justify great expectations.
Your present is of that sort that
makes one hope for the future. Hav-
ing been the first to declare your in
dependence of British oppression and
set forth The true principles Of liberty,
it is meet that you should be pioneers
in the movement for more liberal
thought in the twentieth century.
You "ill pardon me for reminding
you il, the beginning hat your task is
a difficult one and can only be
wrought out by much charity. You
have served the world we'll in the
past. How we'll you shall serve it in
the future will depend largely upon
your attitude towards public ques-
| tions. You may grow rich without
power and have great honor without
influence. The people who have in
tluenced the world must have been
those who gave least consideration
for their own selfish purpose and
most regard for the good Of others.
If they have advocated liberality of
opinion they have also been foremost
in yielding regard to the opinion OF
others. I trust that this will be your
position.
We have entered upon a new era
in the development of our State. In
my inaugural address as the Governor
of North Carolina | declared that the
time had come when we must not
only show liberation of opinion, but
respect for the opinion of others as
we'll Those who hold that opinion
ought to be free are hesitant in assert
ing their own opinion with that often
sive assurance which ignores the
views of others. If we are indeed to
have a new era in this State we must
give due regard to the ideas of other
people. We must not forget the past,
but we at the same time must not
hold a lavish allegiance to it. We
must not forget the history Of our
State nor the genius Of our people.
We must not think that the great
world outside of us is entitled to dom
mate our views and that the opinion
of our own people, past and present,
is entitled to no right.
Less than Is per cent. of our popu-
lation dwell in cities and towns.
Eighty-two per cent. of them still
abide in the country, and provincial
as the modern man may think them,
they are still the power which con-
trolls the destiny of the State and
| shapes the hopes and aspirations OF
the entire community. 1t would be
suicidal in us to regard the modern
industrial development as emitting
those who dwell in the cities to con-
troll the public policies and to domi-
nate the opinion of the State. You
cannot in the nature of things strike
! out on lines which are antagonistic
| 10 the views of 80 per cent. Of the
people. | care not how strong you
NAV be. nor how rich you may be, for
after all this is a government Of the
people. by the people and for the peo-
| pie, and particular interests will ever
| find that their true course is in har-
mony with that of majority Of the
people. Your manufacturing indus
/ tries are subject to legislation, and
/ legislation is controlled by the views
OF a majority of the people. You
must. therefore, ascertain those views
and make harmonious with them your
growth and development.
l believe that there is tendency IN
this day to ignore the fundamental
! principles of success and prosperity.
You will pardon my plainness OF
speech. | trust that when | took the
oath of office as Governor of the State
that | became the Governor thereby
of its entire people, interested IN
every movement which leads to the
upbuilding of the State and to its en-
richment. l recognize the necessity
for riches. I am among those who
believe that the educational, indus
trial, social and governmental devel
opment of the State is dependent upor
increased wealth, and | am an1iou.
to see every agency which tends t
increase the wealth of the State pros
per and receive the encouragement
which comes from friendly view OF