Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-01-17

forces of government serve the whole !
people of the state in their varied
capacities, ministering to their ma
terial, physical, intellectual and
moral wellbeing. The conception |
submit seeks to enlist the element of
purest patriotism that will content it
self with nothing less than the
highest sense of responsibility to the
state. To every man in public place
this calls for undivided allegiance to
public welfare, and to every citizen
high standard of responsibility. |
shall welcome the advice and avail
myself of the counsel of the men
and women of North Carolina who
are constructively and intelligently
interested in the progress and vel
fare of the state. | shall consider
my administration successful if it
serves but to arouse and stimulate
the civic consciousness of North
| Carolina.
Freedom From Obligation
l am taking office today a free
man. | owe no private obligation to
any man or interest aside and apart
from the public good. l am not
hampered by any pledges or prom
ises l was nominated by the Demo
cratic party without opposition and
elected by the people of this state.
am a strong party man, | love the
Democratic party and am proud of
it's past and hopeful of its future;
but today I become the governor of
all the people of North Carolina and
shall consecrate myself anew to the
service of my state, and it shall be
my definite aim and unfaltering pur-
pose to deal justly with every indi-
vidual and every interest in North
Carolina, and to know no party,
creed or nationality in the discharge
of my official duties and in the pre-
servation of the rights of f'the people.
New Laws
1t shall by my purpose to make
specific recommendation to the gen
eral assembly from time to time with
reference to needed legislation.
have necessarily left untouched in
this message many questions of vital
Importance, but shall not seek the
passage of any great number of new
laws. | do not believe the state
needs any vast amount of new legis-
lation. | have no sympathy with the
idea that the passage of new laws
always means progress; and l shall
not delude myself with the thought
that any and all problems of gov
ernment can be solved by merely
passing laws. | recommend to this
honorable body the passage of only
ly needed for the public good; and
then that this legislation shall be
carefully thought out, we'll consid-
cred and judiciously determined. Re-
spect for laws enacted will have an
important relation to the degree of
care and solemnity with which they
are enacted.
Primary Law
In line with my thought concern
ing public interest in government
must necessarily be considered public
interest in both primaries and cleo
tions. There has been, and will be,
much complaint as to primaries and
the manner of conducting them and
the cost involved-and some of these
complaints are we'll founded; yet l
am convinced that the legalized party
primary is the best method yet de-
vised for the selection of party can
didates, and l am opposed to its re-
peal. My belief is that it should be
strengthened, safe-guarded,, and
protected, and the defects remedied
as far as possible. Such changes as
are made should provide for greater
security to the voter and provide for
clearer and more unhampered ex-
pressons of the popular will of the
party, and make the use of improper
methods or influences more diff
cult. The primary should be made
to function so that it will emphati-