Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1929-01-17
-. Max Gardner Outlines
Policies of Administration
Record Throng Sees State Govern
ment Pass into New Hands; New
and Gives His Views on Roads,
Schools and Agriculture

Oliver Max Gardner of Shelby,
Thursday took over the reins of gov
ernment in North Carolina from
Governor Angus W. Mclean, with
an inaugural address pledging his
administration to work for the con-
tinued advancement of the state on
progressive but economical lines.
The address was delivered in the
Raleigh auditorium to members of
the eneral assembly, state officials,
and an audience including visitors
from all parts of the state.
Achieving his boyhood ambition to
become governor, the 46-year-old
chief executive declared the domi-
nant purpose of his administration
would be 'to arouse a deep and abid
ing interest in the affairs of the
state on the part of all the people,
while a major aim would be the
movement of agriculture and rural
life.
The new governor made few
recommendation for specific legis-
laton enactments. He advocated an
increase of one cent a gallon in the
gasoline tax, with a provision for an
ALLEGATION of a portion of the reve-
nue. to county road purposes as
means of relieving the property tax
burden to the extent of the levy Tor
highway purposes.
The inaugural address of Cover
nor Gardner follows in full.
Mr.. President, Mr.. Speaker and
members of the General Assembly:
| This occasion marks another quad
rennial in North Cardinals onward
march. 1t furnishes the opportunity
and summons us to the task of new
dedications to the public service and
fresh resolves by the people OF the
commonwealth. | take the oath OF
office of governor humbly in this
distinguished presence, deeply con-
scious of it's great responsibilities,
/ and seriously impressed with its true
significance.
Government has been the concern
of mankind since the institution OF
society and the organization OF the
forces of civilization; and happily
the masses of people are manifestlng
increased interest in the affairs of
state and nation as they realize the
many ways in which the government
vitally touches their interest. This
is as it should be. Public interest III
government is absolutely essential t"
the maintenance of democracy.
Democracy is the finest and tittest
symbol of human rights; and the
preservation of this symbol as vital
and living force in government IS
dependent upon public participation
in the intimate details of the admin
istration of governmental affairs and
upon the proper public thought and
conception of governmental activity
and service.
A Developing Science
Government has been developing
science. 1t has expanded without
civilization. 1t has entered, and now
occupies, fields that hitherto were re-
served solely for benevolent or altru-
istic organizations. We have come
to realize that government ought to
function in behalf of all the people; !;
that it should do more than merely
administer the laws-essential and
important as that phase OF service
NAV be; that in order to meet the
high expectations of the people, gov
ernment should do more than minis
ter to the purely material needs OF
the masses; that it should interpret
the noble purposes of our citizenship
and translate into pulsating statutes
the high resolve of a free people.
With this conception, the govern
ment of North Carolina has entered
into the most intimate affairs of her
citizens and shares with them the re-
sponsibility of the education OF their
children; and preservation and safe
guarding of health and life; the care,
nature, and treatment of the un-
fortunate, deficient, or incapacltat-
ed; the training and equipping for
life's duties of those laboring under
some special handicap; and the re-
storation and restraint of wayward
boys and the reclamation of girls
gone astray. Surely these activities
are worthy of the advancing thought
in government, and tend to establish
our state in the front line trenches
of progressive action.
A great southern statesman, Wis
ualizing the duties of citizenship,
and speaking with the intuition of a
seer, declared: "Who saves his coun-
try saves all things, and all things
saved shall bless him; who lets his
country die lets all things die, and
all things dying curse him."
Responsibilities to State
I submit to you, and through you
to the people of North Carolina, to-
day this challenging thought; and l
enlist your active assistance and pa