The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-04

/ III we WOulQ nave a SldDto SObeFuIn0nt
inteIligently administered, we mus
educate our children that they may be-
/ able to Understandings consider al
questions of public interest with broad
] and enlightened views. From the
doors of our common schools mus
come our officials, our lawmakers
our business men, our farmers and al
who help to build up and maintain the
state. consequently, / shall do all that
! have the power to DO to uphold and
extend the common school system.
/ do not wish to be understood as OPP
/ posing higher education" on the con
trary, believe in colleges, and univer
stiles and the many advantages they
confer, but the. great mass of the
youth of our country cannot hope for
| the advantages of a college education
and it Is upon this great majority that
| the hope of success under our form
of government always has and always
must rest.
/ 1t is not my purpose now to do more
( than attempt to impress upon your
minds the Importance of general edu.
cation. of the development of higher
ambitions and of broad and liberal
views on each and every subject in
every walk of life. The man who has
advanced TO the period that l have
feels more keenly than those of fewer
years the lack of what the youth OF
to-day have at their command, and the
increasing advantages that the youth
of tomorrow will enjoy. Thus can
public opinion be best enforced i'll
government. Therefore. this public
opinion should be enlightened and the
youth of the state educated by the
state to the fullest extent possible. 1t
was Washington who said: In pro-
portion as the structure of a govern
ment gives force to public opinion it
is essential that public opinion should
be enlightened"
Pensions to Confederate Veterans.
also declared that the patriotic
service and self-sacrifice of our SOL
diers and sailors in the civil war
should guarantee to the needy ones or
their widows such reasonable pensions
as an appreciative people are ever
ready to pay. We can see the. rem
nant of that army returning, battle
SCARED, dust covered and poorly
clad, overwhelmed by force of num-
bers. Their homes destroyed, condi-
tons under which to make a living
for their brave mothers, wives and
sisters changed, yet they did not fall
ter, but took up the battle for bread
under these changed conditions and
have caused a country so developed
that 1t is the envy of the world.
State Troops.
l also declared that the manifest
patriotism of our Florida State Troops
and Florida Naval Militia should be
encouraged by the most liberal sup
Fort commensurate with a reasonably
economical administration of our state
government. We must all grant that
in reliance on the self-saerifcing patri.
otism Of our State Militia depends
the safety Of our institutions in times
of trouble. -rtts Do
Good Roaos.
l also declared that | would favor
the passage of such laws as would
best tend to the Improvement of our
system of public roads, hard surface
or otherwise as may be most practic-
able, and / believe that a system of
good roads in every county would con-
tribute more to the prosperity. COM
fort and enjoyment of the people than
any other one improvement that is
row engaging the attention of the
public.
Protect Peoples Public Lands.
also declared that that | would
SO far as it was in my power. protect
the people in the ownership of their
public lands, that l believed that the
Everglades of Florida, or as much of
them as possible, should be drained
and made fit for cultivation, as it is
the most productive land in Florida
should it be once protected against
overflow by proper canals. The state
Owns In the Everglades several mil
lion acres of unreclaimed lands as fer
tile as any in the world. 1t is nv
hope and purpose to secure their re-
-