The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-08-18
THE STATE PLATFORM.

more than passing notice. Il IL =
strong and virils document. dsciar-
ing for great policies and measures
In language Of no uncertain mean
ing. II stands to-day IN bold and
striking contrast 10 the coloriess and
meaningless jargon of words which
vas adopted By the Democratic State
Convention at Charlotte as the plat
form OF that party.
The Demo- rate party always prom
ises many tlssass in It's platform. but
it is nov and eyer has been short On
performances What the Republl-
can party promises it does. and II It
/ makes a mistake in so doing 1t has
+ the courage 10 correct 1t and move
onward and upward, using such mis-
+ take as a stepping stone for progress
and development
The Republican State platform
must be read carefully from one end
TO the other to be fully appreciated.
| The full text of the document will be
found in another column.
We will, at this time, call special
attention to only few planks. The
platform declares for free textbooks
for the public schools and for restor-
ing to the people their right to local
self-government in electing their
county school officials to handle and
use that most sacred Of trust funds
the peoples taxes-for the education
Of the masses of our people, This
declaration becomes of tremendous
importance to the people of our State
on account of the serious partisan
sins of omission and commission of
the Democratic party in this connec-
ton.
The Democratic party has placed
al amendment to the fundamental
law of our State providing that every
white boy who now and hereafter be-
comes of age shall be disfranchised-
robbed Of his priceless heritage to
defend his liberty, unless he shall
secure enough education before he
reaches his majority to be able to
read and write any section of the
Constitution to the satisfaction of a
partisan Democratic official, many of
whom have been guilty of fraud, per-
jury and ballot-box stuffing. /
Having imposed this onerous con-
dition upon the poor white boys of
our State, the Democratic party then
proceeds to put the management of
the public school fund and the selec-
ton Of teachers and the management
of the schools in the hands of parti-
san officials, not selected by the peo-
pie who pay the taxes, but selected
and appointed by Democratic par
tisan machine. If it is important for
the people to have the right to select
any of their officials and to govern
themselves in any respect, then it
is Of more Importance to them that
they should elect their public school
officials and be able to handle the
public school fund SO as to preserve
the right Of the ballot to every such
American citizen.
In this connection, it is important
to note that this same Democratic
party has just nominated as its can
didate for Congress in the Third Con-
gressional District a man who has
declared against public schools and
who has exerted his every effort to
prevent the establishment of graded
school in his home town. In the
interest of the boys of the struggling
yoemanry of the State the Republican
party mas declared that the people |
shall themselves control this sacred
trust fund for the education of their
children, and that the State as a
whole shall furnish free textbooks so |
as to make it easier for every boy, no
matter how poor, to avail himself of |
the advantages of the public schools |
The Republican platform declares
squarely for restoring to the people |
the great fundamental principle of
local self government without any
Ifs" or lands" or conditions. so that
not only in the matter of public /
schools, but In all other matters.
wherever possible and practicable,
the people shall rule at first hand and
manage their home and local affairs. |