Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-06-20
Gov. Gardner Outlines
Program for the State

Elizabeth City, June 13.-Publicly
acknowledging the services of the
press in obtaining enactment of the
Australian ballot, the workmen's
compensation act and the 1928
school law, Governor Gardner to-
night called upon the members OF
TIE North Carolina Press Associa-
;ion in their annual convention to
back him in a two-year program of
farther advancement.
He summarized his program as
follows:
First in Importance for us to
achieve in the next two years is i'm
Drovement in agriculture and coun-
tzy living; next, the bringing nearer
OF the eight months school term fol
every child in North Carolina; then,
he development of general inter-
est in and demand for improvement
n the administration of local gov
eminent"
Going along with these thre e
s;eps, and organizally related to
them," he continued, 81 would place
a further reform in our taxatoin sys-
7.m. In fact, while | do not regal d
Taxation reform in Itself as imporC-
ant as some of the other three goa $,
| doubt that we could achieve anV
Substantial progress in any one OF
mem without al accompanying i'm
D1ovement of our system of taxa.
5i0n."
Referring to his agricultural pro-
gram, involving making available
TO the farmers all the work of State
College, the department of agricuI-
:1re and similar agencies, and the
promotion of the use of pure seed
and purebred stock, the governor de-
CARED:
There is nothing more essential
in our eofort to maintain the stride
Uhich for eight years we have set,
t3an for the state to Ind some way
10 make farming as a business more
profitable and country living more
2ttractive."
The eight months school term was
described as "our most urgent edu-
cational need"
The continuing fight for and
against it," the chief executive said,
mas been and is today responsible
for disturbing and almost alarming
situation in our state"
"One of the disturbing accom-
paniments of all discussion of
school legislation in the recent gen.
eral assembly," he said, "has been
The prolonged and oftimes bitter
Struggle between sections and class
es in what we may as well frankly
face and call their effort to push
of of themselves their fair and
? oper proportion their burden of
-beir own public schools.
"This struggle to run away from
. proper obligation has come to oc-
eapy too important a place in most
& the discussion of the improvement
OF our public schools. 1T is prevent
ing educational development. 1t is
causing political and sectional bit
terness. In many other ways it is
having harmful and dangerous eff
feet on this state.
Il believe that the press could
render no finer public service during
The next two years than to educate
the people in the state to the dan
gers inherent in this struggle and to
show our people that no matter
which side wins, we are all loser;
and that our leadership must come
together in open-minded, honest, in
telligent effort to arrive at an
equitable and fair solution of this
problem"
The governor discussed county
government at length, appealing for
more efficient conduct of local af-
fairs.
In urging tax reform, the chief
executive declared two objectives
should be sought, more complete
equalization of the burden borne by
Individual property owners and pre-
venting "the escape of so much of
the tangible property in this state
from share in the tax burden"