The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-24

u IL.
| sfhoois IN the State. The Central gduch. !.
tiona! Campaign Committee, consisting OF
the Governor Of the State, w. w. Heaiu;
the state superintendent, Hon. j. V. Cni-
noun; Colonel i. ID. Boyd, president OF tne
Louisiana State University; President -.
=. Caldwell. Louisiana state Normal co.
lege, and myself, have appointed Mr., WIZ
! liam NJ Steel, OF the Picayune, as execu-
tive secretary of that committee. Twenty
parishes. carefully selected, have been
chosen as the Immediate field; sixty-flVe
citizens of Louisiana, including the GOV
ernor, State superintendent, prominent
teachers. State officers, eminent lawyers
and business men, have accepted service
as campaign speakers. Appointments
have been made already ut twenty-five
points, and the State will be covered IN
the next three months. The prominent
men OF the localities concerned parish
school boards and committees OF cltlzehs
are cooperating with the speakers ana
school officers. The opening meetings OIL
this campaign were held at BroussnIu
and Carenoyo on April 18th and 9TH me
addresses were made by President Gala-
WELL Professor Forter, who spoke IN
French, French being the language that
gives them the impulse to vote more than
English. These meetings were ATTENDED ny
1S0oi people. Nearly every one present
signed petition for three-nill tax.
and this means the undoubted success OF
the movement. "A cnll has been issued Tor
n conference of the presidents OF tho par-
fish boards of education and Of the police
juries. who are men of force and lnilu-
cnce. This conference will meet III the
early fall, and 1t will be It's purpose 10
urge that all the money available IN the
parish treasures be invested IN the edu-
cation Of the children.
TROUBLESOME MISSISSIPPI.
"Democraces are not in the habit OF
being carried In chariot Of enthusiasm
to n height Of civic perfection. Inc
whole process Is a toilsome process Oh
convincing and persuasion. I am not
going to speak OF difficulties here to-day;
they are there but It Is our business TO
get rid Of them. Perhaps. however, !
may be pardoned for mentioning the Mis-
sissippi River. 1t costs Louisiana NIL
lion dollars year to control tnat river
In normal times. 1t will cost 1t this year
million and half In addition 10 ms.
This Is n very grave diihculty lnueeu.
which the lower Mississippi Valley shoGld
be relieved of by the United States GOV
ernment It has been impossible to at.
tempt anything practical in the river re-
gion this spring. Sui can say that ~
has not diminished the zenl Of these peo-
pie in educational matters lndeed ~
seems to have increased their interest IN
way, as men IRE always more interested
in vital things when they are IN trouble.
THE FINAL WORD.
The last word have TO say to this con.
ference, therefore, Is a distinct word OF
hope for the future and OF praise to the
citizens Of Louisiana from Governor
Heard to the simplest man among them.
Their response to our invitation to take
part in this struggle Is of such chartc-
ter as to remove any doubt IN my mihd
as to the ultimate result. Tho population
OF this region is not a tax-hatng popua-
ton. The press Of the State, rural ana
urban, Is behind this movement Inc
whole region is feeling the breath OF the
West and the spirit of iilimitable growth
and opportunity everywhere entering the
consciousness OF tho Southern people.
have no novel suggestions to make. Inc
moulding OF public opinion 10 SLOW
business, but 1t is splendid and renovat-
ing when 1t is moulded The thing LOT
us to do, therefore, Is to hammer on un-
til the desire for better schools ana all
that belongs to better schools becomes
contaglon to the people. 1t is, perhaps.
proper for me to sta-e that as district
director of the Southern Education BOARD
1t has been my privilege to make thirty
five public addresses In the past year. on
| the subject OF education, twenty-siN OF
them being in Louisiana, Mississippi and
Alabama, and nine Ii other States. ~
extensive correspondence with the press
and prominent citizens everywhere
have done what l could to forward the
purposes of this conference In Its de-
| sire to advance the good life of the na-
| ton. The people of Louisiana are ready,
| as I have said, for large action. Thelr
| leaders are enthusiastic and dead IN
! earnest; strengthened and stimulated by
| the hopefulness issuing from this con-
| ference and from the Southern and Gene
raj Education Boards, much lasting good
will be DONE 1 desire to express my APP
probation OF the confidence and courtesy
Of these boards and OF tl'a wisdom and
sympathy and far-sighteoness OF Dr.
| Wallace Buttrck general agent Of the
| General Education Board
THE OLD NORTH STATE.
Dr. Charles D. 1IcIyer, president of
| the State Normal College, Greensboro, n.
| c., demonstrated by his excellent report
that the Old North State Is second to
| none in the great educational awaken
| ing, which is envelopng the entire coun-
| try at present. lie spoke Of how his
State was recovering from the impov-
erished condition In which it was left by
the war, and how now the people were
responding to the appeals for Increased
taxation for school purposes. AS repre-
sentative Of the Southern Education
E J3OaTOt ne mo ieaCileL el4c pSoP'o W
voice, by the State papers and by pam
phlcts, urging the Importance OF popu-
! lar education.
Or. McIver declared the result was so
gratifying that Governor Aycock, when
making personal campaign for popu-
lar education, had as large audiences. as
during any political campaign. save Just
before a presidential campaign. The ad-
dress made most favorable impress
sion. DR.. McIver Is regarded as one OF
the strongest men in educational work IN
the South,
THE NORTH AND TIL. SOUTH,
The theme assigned DR., Mckelway, was
"the North and tho south" He said In
/ part:
MY Friends: Those for whom and
with whom ] have the honor to SPEAK AK
lie honor . sneak the erecting Of the tn,
North to the South New YORK, IRON
which / come. and Virginia, N whose
capital city sneak belong to the aris5
among the original thirteen Both = n az
Ing and crowned with Revolutionary n ~ , tri;
umphs Both have been united to detsene
Union nrniNgt fOrelSn 700,