The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-12
GOVERNOR AYCOCK'S ADMINS
TRATION.


Four years ago Hon. Charles
Brantley Aycock was inaugurated
Governor of North Carolina amid the
applause and the enthusiasm of great
,.aople who had redeemed the State
and settled the gravest question that
ever confronted any American state.
He had been chosen by his party with
practical unanimity, conducted ms
campaign upon a big plane with
matchless elouuence. and he had been
elected by the largest majority ever
given for any candidate in North Car
clira. He had won the heart Of the
PEOPLE and fred the enthusiasm o: bis
party by series of campaign
speeches that gave him unquestioned
primacy among North Carolina ora
tors. But he was untried in public
office. AS young attorney he mad
served as county superintendent of
schools and later he had been United
States District Attorney of Eastern
North Carolina. But he had enjoyed
no executive or Legislative experience
and came into the great Office in many
respects an untred man. The peo-
pie had faith in his honesty and his
eloquence. He was to prove his fit
ness to be Chief Executive of North
Carolina by the ability with which
he performed the duties of his official
position.
Four years have passed. The deeds
of the Aycock administration have
gone into history. Many perplexine
questions have arisen, the first of
which was large and growing defiCit
There were divided councils as to The
way TO meet the deficit and provide
against it's recurrence without stop
ping the wheels of progress, but the
Governor and his advisers and The
wise General Assembly of 1903 found
way that experience has shown 10
have been busincSs-like and wise
That Legislature. guided largely by
cock framed the best revenue law
that has ever been placed on tho
statute books oc North Carolina. 1.
has furnished enough revenue to pay
the increased appropriation for edu-
cation pensions for Confederate SOL
diers the care of the insane and de-
pendent classes and leave a surplus
III the State Treasury with which tc
enlarge the good work which is being
Gone in these three directions of the
states benefactions.
There has been no increase in tbs
state tax rate during Governor Ay-
!. cocks administration. but the assess
ment of railroad property and the
property of other wealthy corpora
uons and individuals. hitherto grossly
undervalued, has been increased to &
sufficient amount to give the State
ample revenue for its needs. Witt
the same State tax rate, Aycock's adj
ADMINISTRATION gave $703,245.25 in pen
sions for Confederate soldiers to s44i,-
509.75 paid to them by Russell's adj
ministr;Ltion; for the care and treat
mcnt CT the insane the Aycock adj
ministration has paid $I.124,266.15 {,
$7SS,6S4.03 by the Russell admits
tration: for the Soldiers Home. the
Aycock administration has spent
$4,000 to $4,000 by the Russell adj
rninistration; for education. the Ay-
cock administration has spent $1,S95,
419.3l to $1.119.507.S2 By the Russell
administration. 1t is thus seen tina
without raising the rate of taxation
by The STATE. The Aycock administra
tiCn has expended $3,1S0,S31.51 TO
education, the eX-Confederate soldiers
and the care of the insane to $3.50,
701.6O expended by the Russell adj
ministration for these three causes
that are dearest to the hearts of tbs
people of North Carolina-that is t
say with the same tax rate and no IN
crease IN assessment except TO pu
ftirer valuations upon great INFER
ests. heretofore undervdlued, Aycock
administration expended st,396.120.?
more than the Russell administration
That is a record that will live ant
speaks trumpet tongued Of the sue
cess of Governor Aycock'S admins
tration as a busacss-like one. III
record of the management Of the pen
itentiary is one that stands out mos
strikingly. When Governor Aycoci
came into office, the penitentiary wa
bankrupt and few people in the Stat
believed that ii could be managed il