The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-15

appreciation, the mighty heart of this
ideal commonwealth would throb in uni
sion with the soul of a re-awakenCd
world.
Mr.. Whsnant. of Catawba, introduced
the orator of the Euzelian Society, Mr..
w. Scott Privatt, of Chowan. He made
an earnest plea for the Southern Child. >"
Permit me, he said among other things,
in behalf of our Southern children, to
enter a plea for Liberty from the mills
and factories, for the light of education,
and for that strong, free life which
springs out Of these two. The South
has been stirred several times by civil
and political issues, but now it is stirred
by a moral one, the question is child
labor. Nearly 10 per cent of the children
in the South are in the factory. The
toll to which they are subjected cuts
short their lives and the stakeholder in
New England counts" his dividends,
laughs and grows fat" Factory work in
the South is producing a race of pygmies
in body and in intellect The mill owners
seek to justify themselves by saying,
1--WE must hire the children or lose the
work of the parents" The humane and
Christian management of mills is the eX-
ccption Legislation is needed TO con-
troll the INSCRIPTIONS
The South is to become one of the
great manufacturing centres of the world.
Every city is anxious to get its share of
the incoming tide, but it would be bet
ter to keep out of the race than sacri-
flee children on the altar OF the God
manufacture.
III 60 4 l.r
beginning of our task The child must
be enlightened. North Carolina has
taken a step in the right direction
She has placed ahead of the boy a goal
towards which he must strive. The pub
lie school, supported by an ardent and
intelligent sentiment is destined to be-
come an important element in our life.
In what way could it be made most use
full? We have a serious problem with the
parents who under value the education of
their child. but we must rememher that
the goal in education is always recedng
before the advancing contestant. We
must train the childs taste for coed lit
erature and certain fundamental truths,
which lie at the foundation of the demo-
cratic social theory
When the Southern child shall have
been freed from bondage. and brought
into that great and noble life, for which
he was intended, then we can boast of the
free life of the Southern States. The
child of the South leads a life, but it
can no. more be compared with that Of
the child for which ] plead than the
life of the microscopic amoeba, whose
home is the ooze of the ditch, can be
Of ho ich
picrces the clouds of the toughest
storm
Among the visitors present were His
Excellency Governor Aycock, DR.. b. j..
Dixon, State Auditor; DR.. John Mitchell.
of BERTHE; Principal John e. Ray, of the
State Institution for the Blind: Rev.
Livingstone Johnson, Corresponding Sec
rotary of the Baptist State Convention;
Mr. T. r. Wilder and DR.. r. H Marsh
burn Of Louisburg; President f. p. Hob
good and DR.. r. H. Marsh, of oxford
Rev. J. T. Jenkins, of Georgia; Rev. S.
-. Swain, Of Mocksvile: Professors
Marion f. Dunwcody, l.. D. Watson and
$. G.. Sackett. of the Baptist Female
University; Prof. w. G. Riddck. of the
A. and NJ. College; Principal J. A. Beam
Of Bethel Hill Institute; Rev G. y. c.
Parker, Of Durham. and Of the thirty five
members of the General Assembly your
correspondent noted Messrs J. +. Vann
Justice. Humphrey, Charles MCNEIL,
London and Gay.
Altogether the societies have never
had a more successful anniversary cele-
bration.
The local amateur band, which furnish
cd the music, won many compliments.