The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-14

mously by everyone IN The hall getting
, to his feet.
The Senator said that ne had not in
tended to be present because he had the
old -fogy notion that the place for a
United States Senator was in the Senate
chamber. But he had thought it over.
and came to the conclusion that while
there were great questions being dis
cussed in Washington. still there was
question just now uppermost in North
Carolina that very vitality concerned
that State, and If he was neglecting his
duty, he begged mis- constituents par
don.
He then went On to pay high tribute
to Mr.. Machen's work, saying that he
was doing his utmost for North Caro-
lima.
Continuing. Senator Simons said:
"Mr. Chairman. last year we heard
voice in the State that Of your honoed
Governor calling Educate. educate and
long after his voice shall have ceased
TO be heard, and his noble form shall
have mingled with the dust, that voice
will still have its influence"
Mr.. Simmons went on to say that next
in Importance to the great question OF
education are the questions of good
roads ana rural free delivery. He then
spoke of the close relation between edu-
cation and good roads, He spoke of r
system adopted in Ohio OF having vehl-
cles go TO the houses of the children and
take them up. carrying them to one
central school house in the township, in
stead OF the various, small country
schools This can only be accomplish
ed by good roads.
He said that the question was in his
mind purely an agricultural one. The
city people had solved the question in
their own way, providing themselves with
the very things that are needed in the
country. Many of us could look back
TO the time when none of the towns of
North Carolina had all these improve
ments 1t was in the memory of man
when Raleigh's streets were not paved
How have these improvements been OBJ
tanned? BY paying for them. The city
people have accomplished this by issuing
bonds TO be paid by the next generation
The suggestion that you build these
roads by taxing yourselves may shock
you 1t shocked the city people at first
without paying for them. l am in favor
of Governor Aycocks taking his Convicts
away from the farms and the railroads,
where they are in conflict with honest la
Dor and putting them upon the roads"
(Hearty applausel.
Impose upon yourselves a tax such
as you think you can stand. Issue
bonds, and say to every township that
when you will tax yourself a certain
amount TO build roads in your township
you shall have a certain portion of this
county tax. The convicts must supple
ment that"
He said he understood that in the
western part OF the State rock could be
furnished for % cents 2 ton and % cents
for hauling. The material could thus be
gotten on the ground for 80 cents a ton,
to be worked by convicts
The time mas come in North Carolina
when We have got TO solve this question
and We are up against it.
I'VE have six or seven candidates for
the Senate now, and want to say that
the one of them who solves this problem
will be the one the people will choose
Mr.. Simmons made the point that there
had never been any question in the minds
of capitalists about building railroads,
as TO whether they would pay for the
Investment Accordingly, after the stat
istics we had heard, there should be no
question on this point in regard to the
making of good highways, either.
The next quarter of a century will
be an era of canal building and public
road building. There are two pressing
questions now, education and good roads
They are one properly. and only one,
each absolutely dependent upon the
other. If you build good roads, there is
no power in the world that can keep
away universal education, and If the peo-
pie are educated, nothing can stop them
from building good roads" (Applause).
Colonel Moore stated that telegram
had been received from Secretary Will
SOD, of the Department of Agriculture,
saying that he could not be present.
Mr.. Patterson announced that Senator
Pritchard had telegraphed his regrets at
his inability TO attend the convention.
Adjournment was then had until $3.50
o'clock.