The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-24

ministration has sought to convert the
public. schools. The only partisan
thing that can think of which has
been done by this Gministration AMI
the Democratic Legislature is to SO
arrange it that we shall not again
have the possibility III this State Of
negro shooI committeeman over
white teachers. We have made this
change. We abide by it and shall
make no apologies for it,
Apart from this l am prepared To
show that this administration has
diligently sought to keep the public
schools free from ali partisanship. u
has endeavored to its utmost to in"
Vite the cooperation of every man q.
Whatever party and without regard to
color in the great work Of educating
all the children of the State. 1t has
done less than it hoped but all that
it could, along this line, and it ha'
the qualification of knowing that it,
work meets with the approval of most
fair-minded men.
So far has this administration gone
in -partisanship, that its Superih-
tendent of Public instruction refused.
to join iii a political canvass tNv..
years ago on the ground that his of
flee ought to be kept out of politics,
and his efforts for education of al.
the people thereby made more effec-
tive.
Our Duty to the negro.
When | was elected Governor it was
after the revolution of 1893 1t was
in tho same campaign in which we
advocated and adopted the amend.
mcDt to the Constitution. These two
campaigns were the occasion
Of much bitterness. They gave
rise to intense passion. They set
the two races in the State i'm fearful
antagonism The adoption of the
amendment was the cause of grave
anxiety to our co!ored citizens. Their
Acknowledgement was to them a mat
ter of grievous import. which made
them feel that they were something
less than citizens and in a large meas
ure cut off from hope. /. in common
with most of the thoughtful citizens
of the state, realized this feeling of
theirs. We had made the fight for
the amendment i'm no enmity to the
negro, but for the sake of good gov
eminent, peace and prosperity. When
the fight had been won. / felt that
the time had come when the negro
should be taught to realize that while
he would not be permitted to govern
the State his rights should be held
the more sacred by reason of his
weakness. I knew that our own pas
slons had been aroused and that we
were i'm danger of going too far /
realized 10 the fullest the peril of an
tagonizing the dominant and prevail
ing thought in the State. and yet |
believed that the people who had cho-
sen me Governor did SO i'm the hope
that | would be brave enough to sac
rihce my own popularity-m future,
if need be-to the speaking of the
rightful word and the doing of the
generous act. ] have therefore every
where maintained the duty of the
state to educate the negro. / have
proclaimed this doctrine in many
places and in doing SO | have fire.
quently met the condemnation of
friends whose GOOD opinion | esteem
and whose loyalty in the past ! APP
preciate but holding my views, |
could not have been worthy of the
confidence of the great people of
this State il ] had contented myself
to remain silent. MY position has
brought satisfaction and even happi-
ness to many humble homes in North
Carolina and the nero whose politi-
cal control I have fought with so
much carnestness, has turned 10 me