Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-01-07

well as the people of North Carolina
as whole, and all who use our high
ways, to join in a determined effort
to make the highways safe for every
body and to greatly reduce the fatali-
ties and injuries this year.
! LABOR LEGISLATION
| I recommend that we take a for
ward step in labor legislation in North
Carolina. We have been standing
Still in this respect for many years
and the time has come for us to enact
laws in harmony with the civic con-
science and economic thought of the
nation. We have no regulation at all
as to hours for males over 16 years
OF age. For women in manufacture
ing establishments we have a 11-hour
day and 55-hour week.
The experiment with N. r. A. dem
onstrated the practicability of reduc-
ing the hours of labor in industry and
business for all classes of workers.
men and wonderland although the
measure was declared unconStitution-
al 1t should be said to the everlast-
i ing credit of our employers generally
mat an overwhelming percentage con-
tlnue to observe it's provisions as to
hours of labor, minimum wage scale.
and child labor. / am tremendously
concerned that we shall keep fullv
abreast with the most forward look
ing States in providing wholesome
and healthy working conditions and
that the hours of labor shall he in
harmony with the best standards and
the wages commensurate with the
| q hi1itxy ~ tho ixI
pay. Some Industries and some bus-
mess establishments take advantage
OF the necessities of the people and
work them excessive hours for wholly
insufficient compensation and some
mercantile establishments most able
to pay are chief among the offenders
THESE practices are oppressive and
unjust to labor and constitute unfair
competition with other industries and
business concerns who are comply
ing with the higher standards and
paying decent wages. It is the pro-
vince of the law to require all to live
up to the minimum standards which
the great majority have willingly
adopted
The chief desire of the laboring peo-
pie of North Carolina is steady en-
I ployment with reasonable hours and
fair compensation. Reasonable and
prudent regulations will aid material
~ in reducing unemployment and sta
b1lizing business and furnishing the
basis for continuing the fine relation
snip now existing between employers
ana employees in this State. If we
40 not wish the Federal government
to regulate all Of our internal affairs,
we should assume that duty and re-
sponsibility for ourselves.
REAPPORTIONME OF
REPRESENTATION
North Carolina is one governmental
unit. There should be such unity in
the state that we would never be
thinking in terms of sections, but Of
the whole. One way to reach this end
is a common understanding and COM
mon desire to treat each section fair
~ IN all governmental activities.
There has been much discussion of
the failure of the General Assembly
at It's previous sessions, to carry into
effect the constitutional requirements
with reference to reapportioning rep
resentation according to population
following the 1880 census. 1 am sure
this was occasioned more by neglect
than from design, but I strongly re-
commend that this constitutional
mandate be put into effect at this
session. The Federal Government re-
apportioneG in accordance with the
Constitutional provision, and the 1880
census, with the result that some
states gained and others lost in rep
resentation. The fact that re-appor-
tionment has been delayed unduly by
the state makes it all the more i'm
perative that action be taken now
without waiting for another census
The evident fairness of such a course
must be apparent to all, and it would
be very gracious thing if the meas
ure should be passed with practical
unanimity.
AGRICULTURAL PROBLEMS
North Carolina is pre-eminently in
terested in agriculture. More than
half of our whole population is direct
ly engaged in farming and continue
to reside upon the farm, while prac-
tically every business and interest in
4 the State is responsive to the chang
ing economic condition of the farm
er. For the first time in history the
government has been making a SER
ious and determined effort to place
agriculture on parity with industry,
and the State and Federal agencies
combining to serve the farmer. I
wish to see the closest possible CO.
operation of all of these agencies and
the full coordination of intelligent
service so that the full benefits will
be realized by the individual farmer
the small ones as well as those
more fortunately circumstanced.
Our state ranks high in the produc-
ton of many staple or basic crops and
recent years have witnessed a great
er diversification, which has been
both profitable to the farmer and
beneficial to the land, in that it has
afforded an opportunity to enrich the
soil and make it more productive. We
still major in tobacco and cotton and