The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1904-11-03

ed every pledge and promise made TO the
people Of your State, when you assumed
charge OF its affairs.
Recognizing the fact that all men are
created equal, and endowed by their
Creator with certain inalienable rights,
you have stood alike for the weak and
the strong, for freedom OF thought, free
dom of speech and freedom OF the press.
You have stood for equal rights to all,
and special privileges to none.
mo more faithful, honest. upright, in
telligent. broad minded official has ever
filed the executive chair in North Caro-
lima or elsewhere.
when your term of office shall expire,
and you shall lay down your official life,
may God bless and prosper you in what
soever you may undertake.
Ladies and Gentlemen: Your friend,
my friend. the peoples friend, North
Carolina S friend. honored son and Gov
ernor, Charles B Aycock, will now ad-
dress you
Prolonged applause followed the
conclusion OF Mr.. Zollicoffer's speech.
Gov. Aycock was warmly greeted.
His appearance was the signal for
renewed and enthusiastic emonstra-
He had come to give an account
of his stewardship and the people
were anxious to hear him. The
audience that greeted the Governor
did credit to Henderson and Vance
county. They gave him respectful
hearing and the applause and enthu-
siasm was liberal and spontaneous.
He told the people Of the pledges he'd
made in the campaign of 1900, and
81 have kept the faith" he said. The
ringing applause brought forth by
this declaration showed that the
crowd was with him.
Governor Aycock Speaks.
After expressing his appreciation
OF the very kind and complimentary
manner in which Mr.. Zollicoffer had
spoken of him Gov. Aycock assured
the audience that it was a pleasure
to him to meet with the good people
of Vance county. This was one of
few counties in which he did not
speak during the campaign when he
was running for governor. 1t Was
not because he did not want to do
so or felt any the less interest in our
people but because he thought they
did not need to have the gospel OF
pure Democracy preached to them
as some others did. The people of
Vance county were all right then and
in line politically and the result OF
next Tuesdays election will show
that they have not backslided or for
gotten political history in North
Carolina.
Gov. Aycock said that heproposed
to speak as one representing the
Democratic party and the admins
tration of which he had been the
head. What he had done was what
the Democratic party had done be-
cause the great mass OF the people
OF North CarOlina-the manhood
and womanhOOd and childhood OF
the State-was back of him and the
Democratic party. Certain issues
had been raised and certain questions
had been asked. He was prepared
to meet these issues and answer these
questions. There was nothing to
conceal The Democratic party is
willing to stand by the record. A
great deal has been said about taxes
and expenses OF the government.
Taxes have not been higher but lower
under Democratic rule. The Demo
Gratis have spent money-a great
deal of it-but they have spent it
honestly and it did not come out Of
the pockets of the people. More
revenue has been derived from the
railroads, which have not heretofore
paid their Just proportion OF the
taxes, and the insurance companies
doing business in the State, while the
penitentiary is not only self-sustain
ing hut has become a source Of great
revenue to the State under Demo
cratic administration.
Speakingfor the cause of education
Gov. Aycock said the reason North
Carolina has not progressed and de
veloped more rapidly is because oul
people are not better educated. Not
better educated in books alone but
in the science of agriculture and
manufactures, in the arts and articles
OF money making as the people of the
Northern and New England States
are. We are not primarily a lazy
people but we do not know so much
about making money and less about
saving it. There was one thing, how,
ever, that North CarOlinians knew
how to do. They were the finest
fighters the world has ever known
But the men who gave Immortality
to the armies Of Lee and jackson
were not half the heroes that were
the brave women of the South who
lived at home, in patient poverty
throughout four long years from the
breaking of the storm until the close
OF that sad drama.
He referred eloquently to the con
sentative character of the State
which, the first to declare for liberty
had stayed out of the Union until the
ten amendments guaranteeing the
rights of States had been inserted il
the Constitution; which, afterwards
had stayed in the Union until the
call for troops by Lincoln had forced
her to be for or against her neigh
bors, when she had gone into the
war as tempestuously as she had
first stood for the rights of man
touching elbows with her neighbors
to the futter of the battle flag.
The lack OF progress of the State
in the past cannot be traced to q
want of patriotism. to a deficiency
in natural advantages, but it must
be laid to the cause OF ignorance and
illiteracy. North Carolina. Cover
nor Ayycock declared, was awakening
In ten years he looked to see hel
rival Maine, Il State from which he
had recently returned, in wealth and
all progress. What was needed was
peace and education. so we NAV
90 forward to the great destiny that
Is deserved OF Il true and brave
people.
The Constitution which the people
OF this State, the pioneers OF liberty
had first declared in Halifax in 1878
which contained the provision that