THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1917.
Governor
Cra
ig's Message
Read
ACCOUNT OFi STEVDARSHIP
RENDERED LEGISLATURE
BY RETIRING GOVERNOR
Reviews Accomplishments cf His Administration, Picturing the
Advancement the State Has Made, and Suggesting Legisla
tion He Deems Wise to Keep North Carolina in Step With
Progress.
(
Among His Recommendations to the New General Assembly Are
Better Pay for State Officers, New Building for Department
" of Agriculture, More Money and Larger Authority for High
way Commission, Continuation of Enlargement of School
Facilities and a Law to Allow Families to Share in Earn
ings of Prisoners Urges State to Resist Cuban Bond Claim
to the Last and Lauds President Wilson for His Foreign
Po1lcy
.Ml
3b ths Honorable tin General
. Dty ox North Caroline.
; Th days oi my ministration ars
,1 (woompliabed. la obedteao to ths
aoRBtitBtioB and in eompBanc with
. jott will, I spsalc to yoo my last
ror4 a th Governor of th 8 tats of
North Carolina,
Four year see jtm Invested m
Vlth th responsibiUties of this high
- office. I have welcomed every oppor-
tanlty for service, aad my strength
and energy bars bean devoted to th
Stat. I bar administered this office
steadfast In th reserve to do exact
luetic to all to the rich and to th
xxr, to th strong and to th weak.
withnt retard to rac or politics.
Jn delivering up tola plac to my able
and patrlotio reoeesaor. tt la wtth. re-
tret that I have not ba abl to do
mora tor th neonle that conferred
' upon mo th honor and th trust to J
t the Cnlsf Magistral of th State. 1
" I acknowledge witn gratlwd tho
,J toartear and co-operation, tba falth
. t ul work of an my associates and aa-
- alrtants In office,
'" I reflect with earn prld and aat
, lafaoUoit that th people, by an over"
, whelm! majority, have placed th
Jtealoi approval apoa my admmJa
. tratloa,- and have declared their con
kfidenoa In my snocs sr and his ad-
jufnlatrattaa.
I;- Z do not com vtm a full program
. - tor yoor consideration; that task via
'f perxormad by my
"Ja tar oplalocvth salaries f State
bnlcer ahoold be increased. Th eoa
eiltniloa forbids any to crease of the
alary of Gevaraor mad officer cre
ated dartes their tanas of offloa. Any
Increase for them must be before th
Liatxwratioa, Th greatly
.ost of Irving' has made aB
-km "valnahle. It seems tot
"bla that w sfaoald pay ear Chief
.tasauttr aa amah a th Jederal
pay Ham Senator and
ta CQMi eaa. The
Governor aanot lie ta th mansion
"provided by th Stat at th present
alary aad do to thine axpeoted of
mm, ana Which be must do ta ae-
with
"ae requirements of hospitality. I
Juno whereof X apeak. He must pro--vid
the mean from other aoaroea,
"and this th State' doe not desire.
Th same observation applies to aB
th Stat offloara, bat th Legislator
will have fall Urn tor eonsideraloa
Lot remuneration to all of them ex.
oept th Governor aad th members
of his eonnefL VF hare able, con
nniantlova offletala They are worth
. mora, they earn more than they re
eelve. Th people of North Carolina
woold vllUngly pay a reasonable aad
' Just eompensation for offlclent aerrioa.
All th offices and all th Dlacea in
covemmeat har been adminis
tered In economy and honesty.- above
the breath of scandal, and by men of
upright Uvea and huh purpose, whose
daily walk is In the Democratic plain
ness and simplicity of the tribunes of
ancient Rom.
CoaatltatfcMial Amendments.
At the last election, the people raU
ed amendments to the constitution.
This General Assembly must enact
statutes to mak them effective. You
will, by the amendments, be relieved
of a vast amount of local legislation,
and haTe time for the consideration
of problems of general Importance.
Cuba and the Bonds.
Recently, th Republic of Cuba has
come Into possession of "Reconstruc
tion Bonds' amounting to more than
two millions of dollars, and is attempting-
.to enforce roe payment of
these bonds In th buprem Court of
th United State. Th bonds were
issued in the evil days that followed
th war. when corruption and plunder
were shameless, when marauders In
fested this capital. The State re
eel red no benefit from them. They
war promptly repudiated, and th
Constitutional Convention of 1S7S
mad unlawful their payment by any
official or by any General Assembly.
Their dishonor waa published to the
world, and no interest upon them has
vr been paid.
Advsntnrera and unscrupulous
speculators have procured or gotten
control of many of these bonds, and
hav by devious methods attempted
to collect them. Th Federal con
stitution provide that no individual
can sue the- sovereign State. . On this
account, th holders and their agents
hav attempted to force collection
through the agency or other states of
th Ualon. aad for this purpose have
offered most liberal gifts to states
with whom they bar negotiated.
After these state became Informed of
th facta, they refuged to touch the
unclean thing
If North Carolina owed the bonds,
she would pay them, and would hav
recognised their validity. She does
not owe them, and will In every way
possible resist their payment
Th cittern of North Carolina hav
always felt th deepest interest in th
welfare and destiny of th Ke public
of Cuba. In 111 B. thousands of young
men volunteered from th Stat to
enlist la the army for th relief from
oppression aad for th liberty of th
people of that island. Th blood of
th bravest waa shed in thia war of
emancipation and humanity. We
were, for these reasons, astonished
that the Republic of Cuba should
mak herself a party to th unholy
alliance for forcing from North Caro
lina th payment of these dishonored
and fraudulent bonds.
I hav declined to consider any sug
gestion of compromise. I hav de-
.,r.
t
1
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i
Have You Used Pyrex?
. .
v PYREX is a development of applied science, pa
tiently worked out, step by step, and is, in its own way,
just as wonderful as the long distance telephone or the
modern incandescent lamp.
The principal advantage of PYREX Baking dishes
may be summed up as follows:
v ( 1 ) Sanitary easiest to clean and keep clean.
(2) Economicalbaking quicker.
(3) Efflcient-4iaving a higher heat capacity.
- (4) Durablewith reasonable care they last for
years.
." " ' (5)' AttractrFC fraceful in shape and dainty In
appearance.
Ours is the only store in Charlotte where PYREX
may be bought
Smith-Wadsworth
Hardware Company
T1 Quality HudWt Store."
SOUtinis Street Phonei 6445-
Icltned all suggestion of negotiations
with the view to securing a with
drawal ef this suit by the Republic
h lui. i neae nonat are noi use
the Sooth Dakota bo ads.' It is Incon
ceivable to me that the actios can be
maintained la any Jurisdiction, or
that their payment by this sovereign
State can be enforced by any power.
I have employed able counsel to assist
the Attorney-Geeerai. The case Is set
for argument in the Supreme Court
of the United States on Monday, the
tth of January. We will Cght it to a
finish. I am convinced that the Stat
of North Carolina will prevail in the
great case now pending, and that this
last cloud of Reconstruction which
has threatened for fifty years -upon
our horiion. will disappear forever.
Condition of tlw State.
I rejoice to declare that the State
ia in better condition than at any
period In her whole history, that the
governing party that placed me here
is stronger and more aecure than ever
tn the loyalty and harmonious union
of its members, and that by the long
continuation of a government of In
tegrity and devotion to the public
weal, tt has justified the confidence
and trust of the people.
In our memory there are years of
darkness and hardship with tempests
of war for a background, when politi
cal might prevailed, and . its minions
went forth to plunder and to devour,
when fields were barren, when I
schools were closed, when people 1
were poor and discouraged, and when
opportunity was denleo. Tnls was J
indeed a land of sorrows and ac
quainted with grief. We. ourselves, j
have been witnesses and partakers in i
the transformation of a State and her
people. Out of the darkness of Re
construction, there was the day
Spring of '7 4. The people girded their
loins to overcome adversity. They re-
State and her institutions. Tbey
opened the university and built the
school.
During the sixteen years of this
century. North Carolina has made
more progress than in all the years
of her preceding history. In sub
stantial development she has been
surpassed by no 8tate of the Union.
nor by any civilised country wnose
history we know. Her growth and
accomplishment ia like a tale of
Arabian romance.
Agrirslrsra.
W are an agricultural people, and
agriculture measures our National
progress. By the intelligent cultiva
tion of the soil, the yield of all staple
crops per acre has been about doubled.
The acreage of Ullage nas oeen in
creased until now the State, once far
behind, ranks In agriculture among
the first of the Union. The prosper
ity of the farm appears to the passer
by in improved fields, improved dwell
ings, and all the appointments of the
farm.
The College of Agriculture aad
Mechanio Arts and the Department
of Agriculture have been potential
agencies In this wonderful develop
ment The college must be mannea
and equipped for its larger useful
ness. It should have a.owe students.
Its alumni will go to all sections of
the State, and -of the country trained
for captains of Industry, for the prac
tical and scientific cultivation of th
soil and for the higher development
of the profession of agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture has
stimulated farming to increasing ac
tivity. It has protected the farmers
from imposition, it has ascertained
and encouraged the most profitable
crops by methods of intelligent ex
periment and demonstration. The
building now occupied by the Depart
ment is not fit. In its stead there
should be erected a building com-
mensurate with the requirements.
typifying the finest and the greatest,
of all of the Industrie of North Car-'
olina.
Manufacture and Cxsauncree.
Manufacturing ia prospering aa
never before, aad la developing in ev
ery section of the State. The cot
ton mills alone require for their op
eration 1ST. 000 horse-power. They
manufacture all the cotton that we
produce and more. The value of their
product for the last year waa $100,
000.000. The utilization of waterpower to as
suming large proportions. On a 10
mll section of the Yadkin River,
250,000 horse-power is now in course
of development. From one end of
the State to th other are electric
cables through which are poured the
transformed power of the French
Broad, tho Catawba, th Yadkin, tho
Pee Dee, the Cape Fear and the Roa
noke, delivering exhaustlees energy to
the oenter of industry, lighting cities
and towns, and driving millions of
wheels and spindles. The commercial
advancement of our towns and cities
ia keeping pace wtth manufacturing
and agriculture.
Rural Conditions.
The country home is no longer a
place of isolation and desolation. Im
proved farming brings the comfort
of Ufa: the telephone, the mall box,
good schools, and good roads enlarge
and Illuminate the horison of country
life. As rural conditions improve.
ambltUous youth and manhood will
abide end grow in the tree and pure
atmosphere for th breeding of a ro
bust race. The country home should
be provided with all modern applian
ces of comfort and economy. Rural
communities should be empowered by
statute to Incorporate themselves for
the purpose of securing water and
light, and all available pubUc utili
ties. Running water in the home la
the most desirable of all modern con
venience. It save women and chil
dren from drudgery in the heat and
in the cold. It brings comfort and
cleanliness. It preserve health. Ev
ery farmer of modern means can hav
this convenience. It is not an ex-
pens. It is an economy. With screens
in the windows aad pure running we
ter in the house, the home will be
clean and sanitary, and the people
who dwell therein will be cleaner.
healthier, stronger snd better.
Vacant Imnrl.
Ws hav always the perplexing
question of taxation. The Constitu
tion makes the solution difficult The
large per cent of the personal wealth
of th Stat is not listed for taxation.
One cause for thia is the alleged
undervaluation ox tn land.
The Corporation Commission mad
an Intelligent and courageous effort
to equalize the tax value of the Stat.
and hav accomplished much, but the
situation is by no means satisfactory.
There are in the Stat vast acre
of unused land held for speculation.
The owners neither us it nor Intend
to use it These lands are listed for
taxation at a very small part of their
sale value. In aseasmenta. the dis
crimination Is In their favor and
against the lands that hav been lm
proved. These unused lands should
not be favored by the tax assessor for
their owners are appropriating the
value the unearned increment creat
ed by the growth and enterprise of
the whole oommunity- If there be
any discrimination let it favor the
nan who has Improved by industry
his holdings, and made his land re
ductive; not to the man who refuses
to improve and who prevents the nat-
development A proper aat
men would 'i "l'Tgt tht HHI"g f
vacant land for purposes ef specula
tion, and encourage th industrious
and th energeUc to buy their own
GOVERNOR CRAIG DELIVERS BIENNIAL
; : : MESSAGE TO GENERAL' ASSEMBLY
1
t
GOVERNOR LOCKE CBAIO.
homes This ia especially true of city
and suburban property.
There is nothing that contributes
more to the strength and patriotism,
the highest development of citixen
ship, than the ownership of homes.
A proprietor is independent. He can
not be a serf. Every farmer in North
Carolina should determine to own the
land upon which he lives, though the
acreage be small. He will then have
a firm dwelling place, a steadfast in
terest in country and Government.
. The Federal reserve act has de
stroyed the money monopoly. The
farm loan bank recognizes the land
as security upon which money can
be obtained on long and easy terms.
Land in North Carolina la comparl
tively cheap. A man of energy and
determination can own his home if he
will.
Good Roads.
Good roads have been a potential
agency ' for the welfare of tlje State.
In obedience ta the dictates of com
mon sense, business requirements and
the progressive spirit of the age, the
people of North Carolina have deter
mined to have good roads. During
the last four years, we have built
twice as many miles of Improved
highways as In all our preecdlnir hln
tory. We now have about 15,ooQ
miles of well graded, surfaced roads.
In January, 1913, we had about 5,000
miles. We have built 10,000 since
then.
During the last four years, tho Cen
tral Highway has been built 'from the
Atlantic Ocean over the coastal
plain, over' the hills of the Piedmont,
over the Blue Ridg to the Canyon
of the Great Rocky Mountains. The
section of this road from Old Fort to
Ridge Crest, and a section In Madi
son County were built by State con
victs Within the last four years,
the highway from Charlotte to Ashe-
ville has been completed. The State
convicts built that difficult section
from Chimney Rock to Hickory Nut
Gap. Similar hlghwayi have been
built across the State and Into ev
ery section. Road building goes on
with Increasing moroentu. No com
munity will be without them unless
it be satisfied to deny itself the im
provements of modern fife in this day
of enlightenment and progress. The
old country road of rocks and mud
and steep hills, consuming energy, for
bidding progress, is past With good
roads communities are correlated,
markets are available, schools - and
churches are accessible,, land rises in
value, progress la inevitable. Our
highways are Immeasurably finer than
"the king's highway" of old, and they
are the tracks for the swift and pow
erful vehicles.
The automobile Is the modern ma
chine for local transportation. They
are rapidly coming Into universal use.
We cannot get along without them,
and they cannot get along without the
good road. Their Indispensable ef
ficiency Is not available without the
graded, surfaced highway. They are
monopolizing the roads, and they
make road building and road main
tenance far more expensive. They
should bear a laf-ge part of this bur
den. The tax on them might be In
creased, and their owners would not
oomplaln provided th money be ap
plied to the betterment or. tne roads.
Highway Commission.
The State Highway Commission
established by the General As
sembly of 1915. This commission
has Justified its creation. 1 Its use
fulness has been limited by lack of
funds. The revenue from automobiles
might be largely administered by the
commission. The modern highway Is
no longer a neighborhood affair, but
a Stat Institution for communica
tion and use by the people of diff
erent sections. By Improper location
and construction, a vast amount of
money has ..been spent not to the beat
advantage. This can in th future
be remedied by conferring upon th
commission supervisory powers. Com
petent and experienced engineers
could be furnished.
Railroad Grade Crossings.
On all of the principal highway,
railroad grade crossings should .be
abolished. This Is demanded for th
utility of th road, for the economy
of the railroad, and In the interest
of safety and human life. Th rail
roads are now mor prosperous than
aver before. Their net earning ar
greater. For the last fiscal year, th
set earning of th railroads of th
South war approximately f S.B00 per
mile. They have already realised th
duty which they owe to th pubU
of removing thia inconvenience and
danger. They have begun th work,
and should proceed with all possible
expedition while th expense can b
easily , borne; ( , , t
Tb authorities of th But bar
th right to compel th abolition of
grade crossing. I do not mean that
th whole evil should be remedied at
one. Du consideration should be
gives to th transportation companies,
but in tb location and th building
of our hlghwayi w should avoid th
grade crossinga Th Stats Highway
Commission might designate, after
consultation with, th - Corporation
Commission and with th companies,
what crossings should b abolished.
Federal Aid for Road Building.
Through th Highway Commission,
th State is enabled to receive th
benefit of the Federal aid road bill,
which places at our disposal for road
construction $115,000 for th present
year, and an increasing amount for
each succeeding year. On oft th
provision of this Federal got Is that
funds must be provided for th main
tenance of roads upon which th Fed
eral money is expended. Th Stat
must therefore provide a malnte
nance fund if we ar to tak advant
age of this Federal aid, aad oo-oper-ata
with th Federal Government
! Railroad Building.
It ha been the recognised policy
of the State to aid in th construc
tion- of certain, railroads in th Pied
mont section and across th Blu
Ridge Mountains. Convicts hav been
furnished to the Statesvllle Air Lin
Railway, th Elkin dt Allegheny Rail
way, and to th Watauga Yadkin
Valley Railway. The convtot ar
not paid for in cash, but aa author
lied by law, are paid for ta stock of
the companies. This stock baa no
market value. But th consideration
ta not th value of th stock, but the
value to th Stat of that magnificent
country west of the Blue Ridge.
These railroads, when built, will con
nect that country with th Stat. In
trade and commercial intercourse. It
is out off from North Carolina by im
passable mountain and ha been
forced to trade with the cities of Vir
ginia, and send to them it valuable
products. This is a section with a
splendid destiny. W need its fer
tile lands and vast forests. It 1 qual
In beauty and natural richnas to the
famous southwestern Virginia sect:oa
which it adjoins. Aa a matter of
justice to the patriotic citizenship
that dwells la the counties of Alle
ghany, Ash aad Watauga, th State
should aid la securing for them rail
road transportation for their dtvsl
opment and for ear mutual benefit
Freight Bate.
At t)i ttiwinnlll at nf aAmlnt.
North and th Northwest through th
Stat of North Carolina aad deliver
d to th eltle f Virginia, at a low
er rat, than tb carrier would stop
this mum class ef freight aad deliver
ll w biiv nun u, nvrui vwvuov,
this lower rate, the merohanta of Vir
ginia were enabled to sell goods la
th 8tat of North Carolina cheaper
than the merchant or- North' Caro
lina could sell Jtb - same class ef
waa obliged to leave th State. The
oities of Virginia flourished at ear
expense. .
Th Federal Government bad Jur
isdiction of thia question- Th inju
tio was indefensible. Th peopl f
North Carolina bad bora tt tor many
years. Ia Ills, this unjust discrim
ination was remedied to a kmrg ex
tant pubu opinion waa ta com-
5 tiling power. It found expression
l rough th Just freight rat associa
tioa, and encouragement la a Gen
Mai Assembly that waa ready to go
to th limit to compel Jusae and
secure th tight of th peopl of
North Carolina. Earnest mea held
meeting tn various eltle. Th wroag
was exposed, the General Assembly
was called ia extra session. Th
difficulties war great, and while
eomplet equity was net ebtained.
th remedy wag substantial. Under
present oonditlo, North. Caroline
whoiisal marchess hav th ad
vantage ia oar territory over com
petitor la any ether State.
By thi extra sikm of th Ga
ral Assembly of lilt, a statute was
passed for tb reduction ef Intrastate
freight rat. Ia accordance with th
power conferred upea tb Governor,
a commission waa appointed to .fix
transportation charge within th
State. Th report of this commis
sion was accepted by the people, by
th carriers, and by th General As
sembly. Th raUread ha sought
before th Interstate Ootamare Com
mission to raise eats of oar Stat
schedules, but tn all orttr overate th
But ha prevailed, aad th rata
fixed by the eommiasion ar now -tabliahed.
By th reduction of twter fJTss
rate aad intra- tat rat, oar peo-
?le have saved by careful tlmt
I.000.000 a year. The spirit of prog
res has been relieved trees unjust
(Continued on Fag Tht)
Our Christmas Savings
Glub Is Still Open
Have You Joined?
; ; Besides joining our Christmas Savings Oub to provide money
for the next Holiday season, it can be used for many other admir
able purposes. ,
Church societies, as organizations qr as individuals, may join
and thus create a fund to reduce church debts or for the purchase of
new church equipment; fraternal societies may establish sinking
funds or invest their surplus weekly income; athletic clubs may cre
ate funds for uniforms or club house furniture; individuals or es
tates for taxes on their property, life insurance premiums, etc.; you
may open the account in another's name, and let him or her receive
our. check in time for Christmas; and a dozen other ideas can be
turned to advantage by this excellent plan of saving small amounts
from week to week.
This new plan is so simple and satisfactory .that the thousands
who have already joined are telling their friends and neighbors to
join likewise and enjoy its benefits. .
It If Not Too Late to Join.
Come to the Bank and let us talk it oyer.
Peoples
The
Bank & Trust Co.
THE WELCOME BANK.
P4
?1!
mm
mm
lin Jim Vyr.-.-fSsriF
2!
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In
ANY SORT OF CLUB
The new year is a good time to open a Savings Account with Tha
ce
denenden
JL
TrustCompany
with the view of having money to spend next Christina; to be ready
to meet the next premium on your Life Insurance Policy; against
your Wedding Day; or for. any other emergency. Whatever yoar in
come 'is you ought to plan to save some of it for futme wonrementev
Deposits made in our Savings Department on or before January
fcth will draw interest from January 1st at 4 . per cent compounded .
quarterly. One dollar or more will open an account Deposits mailed
through the mails will receive careful attention.
CAPITAL AND PROFITS $725,000.00
w. a. Watson, v, Pr
VTMrKNirVrPriir
OFFICERS :
J. H. WEARN, Ch. ef Board
THnmtETr?i(dn'
E. 0. ANDEMON, CMr
't 1,'JONE, AsCCslr