The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-01-22
Living Issues.
.ov AYCoCKs INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

he Resuected and Partisan Hatred Should
Coa.o[An Era of Good Feeling Hoped for,
pooinning with a frank and open
roview Of the circumstances that led.
IN IN the adoption of the suffrage
amendment. Gov. AycOck came to
the hedges of the Democratic party
that No white boy over 13 should be
disfranchised and that the public
schools should be so literally sup
Dorted that those under that age
wopld be able to meet the educa-
tionaI test. On this matter he said {:
The platforms of all the parties
declare in favor of u liberal policy to-
wards the education of the masses !;
notably the Democratic platform
saws: we heartily commend the &C
tion of the General Assembly of 1899
for appropriating one hundred thou
sand dollars for the benefit of the
Dublic schools of the State, and
pledge ourselves to increase the
school fund so as to make at least a
four months term in each year in
every school district in the State ;
and in the campaign which was con
Quoted throughout the State with so
much energy and earnestness that
platform pledge was made the basis
of the promises which we all made
to the people. Poor and unlettered
men anxious about the privileges of
their children and hesitating to vote
for the amendment were finally per
suaded to accept our promise and
place their children in u position in
which they can never vote unless the
pledges which we made are redeemed
to the fullest extent. For nv part
I declare to you that it shall be my
constant aim and effort during the
four years that [ shall endedvOr to
serve the people of this State to re-
deem this mpSt solemn of all our
pledges. Ii more taxes are required
to carry out this promise to the PEG
pie more taxes must be levied. If
property has escaped taxation here
tOfOre which ought to have been
taxed, means must devised by which
that property can be reached and put
upon the tax list.
INCREASED INTEREST IN EDUCATION.
Appropriations alone canno re-
move i~lIlteracy from our State.
WITH the appropriations must come
also an increased interest in this
aU~ which shall not cease until
every child can read and write. The
preachers, the teachers, the news
papers and the mothers of North
Carolina much be unceaSing in their
efforts to arouse the Indifferent and
compel Dy the force of puolic opinion
the attendance Of every child upon
the ScnOOIS. 1t Is easier to accom-
pI-u this since the amendment to
u Constitution raises Its solemn
voice and declares that the child who
arrives at = after 1905 cannot
share IN the glorious privilege OF
governing MS State o participating
in tine ppIcIeS OF the nation unless
he can read and write. THIS Is,
therefore, the opportune momentfor
81 revival OF educational interest
t~hrtJ-uput the Iengeth and breadth
OF ru. state. We shall not accom-
pG.l AIS work in Il day nor can 1t
be dome bv many speeches. 1t Is u
WORK OF Years H. be done day by day
with ii iuiI realization of its import
ancr and with that anxious interest
on oar part which will stimulate the
Careless ant Will make all our people
ea-~r t. attain the end which we
SerE.
THE WEAK SCHOOLS MUST BE MADE
STRONG.
From this time forth opposition 20
education viii mark IL man as OPP
posed t. the theory of our govern
ment which is founded upon the con
sent OF the governed, and our Con
sututIon provides tnat this consent
in the MT distant future ear be given
only by those who can read and
write. We need have nothing to
fear, then, from any party or any
politician when we make liberal pro
visions Tor education. But If there
We're opposition our duty would be
none the less clear. 1T is demon
strdDle chat wealth increases as the
education of the people grows. Our
Industries will be benefited our
commerce will expand; our rail