The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-08

years, extended most of its pipe lines toward the North and East.
 Then when we of the South, in com parison with the people of those sec tions are held up to pitiful scorn. and that ofttimes by our own people be- cause of the apparent and the real short comings In our provisions for educa- tion. I say, 1t makes me just little tiered
 To those sections which. for any reasons, have out-stripped in the work of promoting universal education we forts" It Is all right to take our bearings occasionally and to locate our selves with respect to other sections. This inspires us to increase our ef- forts, and prevents us becoming sat and proper at all times to compare our educational work with that of States which have like population and a like history as Alabama. But let us spend more time in finding and presenting the good things touching our educational work, its really strong features and the wonderful improvement of our system over that of former years. These features, If we give them, due promi hence, instead of pointing continually to Alabama at the foot of the ladder" will inspire our people with buoyant hope for the future, and impel them to Statistics show that Alabama stands unreasonably high in the number of people who leave her to locate Tn other States. Are we not helping along this ing with pride CD to the claim that nearly all the other States stand high CT than Alabama in point of induce ments to those seeking educational ad vantages? We all have the same pur- pose in view. but may we not reach 1t just as quickly by appearing more optI- mistic and at the same time discon- tinuing our efforts as emigration agents in behalf of other Statesf Do not understand me to intimate my own freedom from censure if any is deserv- ed but 1t occurs to me that the time has about arrived when we may say less about our shortcomings and more about those things praiseworthy and thereby serve better our own day and generation. The constant comparisons which our public speakers have de- lighted to make during the past ten years were all right and in order but let's change the song just little. LOcll Taxation.
 had expected to say a few things on the subject of local taxation, but for lack of time will have to deny myself that pleasure. It is really one" sided question, anyway. All the cOun- ties need 1t except possibly a few in black belt; and the people are about agreed on 1t as was shown by them, whenever they had a chance to vote upon 1t. The county in which I have the honor to live carried it a few weeks ago by practically a unanimous vote, and many other counties have done nearly as well.
 I cannot close without urging upon you the importance of taking a lively interest In all civic affairs On all public questions touching educational work. you are expected to be leaders in fact as well as in theory. The teacher who fails to exert his full power and influence in all public affairs looking to the uplift of our common country is doing less than his duty and is giving added reason for the comparatively in- different estimate placed by public opinion upon our profession.
 While we need not to be partisans in order to make our citizenship felt, we should cease following along the lines of least resistance in our communities and begin doing our full share toward moulding public sentiment and thus as- sume our rightful places as become those who are training the next gener- ation for the responsible duties imposed by American citizenship
 4 Legislative Committee.
 Prof. A. F. Harmon of Florence of- fered a resolution for the appointment of legislative Committee to report back to the Association In 1905 in order to make certain recommendations to the Legislature of 1907. Tho resolution was referred to the Committee on Ed ucational Affairs.
 Prof w E. Striplin of Gadsden, chair man of the Educational Committee, an. nounced that all meetings would begin promptly at the c ours named on the program, and that the headquarters of the Association were at the New Nab son Hotel. He called attention to the special features of the program. A re- cess was taken at 12:So o'clock.