The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1910-11-03
GOVERNOR JARVIS GREAT LET
TER ON DEMOCRACY AND
YOUTH.

l have associated much with the
young people, and to this fact / at
tribute much of the continued active,
hopeful, happy life lead.
Because of these things, I do not
feel that | am violating the rules of
propriety in these words of advice
and encouragement to the young men
of my state.
| cannot and do not advise you to
become politicians and seekers after
office; but l do insist that you owe d
duty to your state and to society that
you can only discharge by an active
participation in public affairs.
But how shall you discharge these
public duties?
In the first place, you should set
high standard of pubic morality and
public service and insist that those
who seek the favOrs of the public
shall measure up to them. Set high
ideals and strive to live up to them
yourselves and teach your fellows by
precept and example to do likewise.
In public matters seek only the pub
lie good and use only methods that
are honest and just. Avoid the man
who would prostitute the public SER
vice to his private gain.
But ours is a government by party.
Whether we would have it so or not,
the fact is that party policies largely
determine the policy and party prac-
tice of the government. So, if you
purpose to take an active part in pub
lie affairs in our state, it is necessary
for you to ally yourself with one or
the other of the two political parties
which seek control of the state gov
ment. Which shall it be?
The principles of the republican
party as national party are funda-
mentally wrong. 1t teaches that the
power to levy taxes and collect reve-
nues for the support of the govern
ment carries with it the power to
distribute the burdens of supporting
the government equally. Under the
guise of protecting certain industries
the government may make laws to
enrich one class of men, at the eX-
pense of another class. Democracy
says that the burdens and blessings
of government should be distributed
on all alike. Republicanism says not
so, but that these burdens and bless
Oh H4 49,!
sweet will of the few who dictate the
making of the laws.
1t is the privilege and the duty of
the young men to stand with the par
ty which stands for equality of oppor-
tunity in the race of life. | warn you
against the seductive appeal that is
sometimes addressed to you to join
this Or that party on the plea that it
| may offer personal advantage. Pub
| lie service and human welfare are
| the considerations that ought to
weigh with a high-minded manhood.
When the young men come to form
their party affiliations in this state,
not one should have the slightest diff
| tlculty in making his selection be-
tween the democratic and republican
| parties. The democratic party has
ever stood for high ideals and has
| wrought magnificentn results. The
republican party has stood for low
| ideals and when 1t was given power
| has brought wreck and ruin in it's
| wake and shame and disgrace upon
the state.
l became a worker in the demo-
cratic party in the days just preced-
| ing the war, and | saw its victories
and achievements then. | assisted in
| its reorganization after the war, and
L have worked with it and for it ever
since. | have seen it go down in de-
feat twice during these long years
| from 1869 to 1910, and oh, what
| dark and damnable pages were writ
ten IN my states history during these
two republican administrations,
There cannot be one among you who
would not wipe out these blOts upon
the fair name of our dear old state
if YOU could. That cannot be done,
/ but l will tell You what you can do.
Yo ucan unite with the party that
has twice eedremed the state from
unworthy rule
/ have seen the democratic party
take charge of the governmental of
the state when she lay PROSTATE I'm.
der republican oppression. when her
people were. poor and almost hope
less, when the schoolhouses were
closed and the teacher was silent,