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Id the People of Georgia
,At an Educational Conference Held in Atlanta, at Which
Governor Joseph M. Terrell Presided, the "Under
signed Committee Was Appointed to Prepare
c and Publish the Following Address
*To Ttra Proto* -op Georgia :
'It is self-evident that in a democracy the inteHigcnoe «f the people la
*> necessary condition of good government. For this reason the State un
dertakes as a mean*'of self-protection the work of public education. Ot»r
forefathers accepted'and acted on these .principle*. Immediately following
.the Declaration <of Independence and tho institution of a ©emocratio
government , tiber provided in the ffirat Constitution >ef the State, that «f
3777, for the entnlili "limen t of a public school system. In 1786, speaking
through their fcptsin'ure, they declared that .the '“prosperity and even the
existence of the»vate* can be secured only*hy ’“ireligion and (education.”
During tin*. 12Y7',vears that have elapsed since-our first Constitution, the
veconl of G : <u;gM in behalf of public education, (Considered inithe light of
tonnditians t.imi Havre existed, has been honorable.; but the time has now
«mmi when a urwivad movement is imperatlvsly •demandsd by >our interest
■ml liy our duvj.. /’
i It is not more.certain that in past tages Force wras dominant than that in
■ithese 'later times'Intelligence rules. Sn the competition among nations, the
moBt intelligent .will have the mastery; in the competition betweon sections,
the best educated'will have pre-eminence.; in the competition among indi
vidual*, the msmunost highly trained will ho the most sure of success and
"the hwt (-quipped 'for usef Jtiei-*. For thwe reasons the intelligence and
conscience of the'State will Is* s-i-fied with nothing less than a perfected
.(system of puhlioschools wl ere. t ,ll i(*B>ohildven -of the commonwealth, re
gardless of emstttaton iu life or uirnUuwHsuioe -rff ifortuue, may have an
opportunity for lithe ddevelopmem Wl ikine ttruiuiug >of the capackies with
Which their CrMtterlhas endowed Uicbb.
tin oomjwiring .the'.statu* of poblin tad«e«liun fn -Georgia withithat of
•other States in ibe South, it is pleiMuutttu escape She humiliation of being
.at,the bo'tom nf the 'list in the umtterof Mliteracy, and in the inadequacy
•of (resource* tv« bewe (provided for what Thomas Jefferson called the*** ora-
jaadc against i^nncacae"*;; but we we too near the bottom of the iiet to
(satisfy a ju-t and .worthy State pride, and it is regrettable (to say nothing
■ of-negro illiteracy) Co'know ilmt the white illiterates in Georgia exceed
thettotal mrg ngate White population of Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta
■combined. In corotraaiitig the status in Georgia with the expenditures for
public education in the North and West, the partial self-congratulation’ of
the first comparison disappears in the tremendous advantage whieh those
States maintain. Elaborate statistics are wearisome, but it is well for
Georgian* to ponder tbeifhcts suggested in a tingle condensed statement:
In«eohoola in Georgia taught by teachers whose average salary is only
$27 <10 p-*r mont h, we a*e'teaching only 61 per cent, of the enrolled school
population; giving the .children in aotual attendance less than six cents
worth i of t‘d ucution per day for an average of only one hundred and
twelve.days in the year. [In rural Bchools the average length of the sohool
term for each child enrolled’,is about $2 days; and for each child of school
age the average is about 42 days.] In the State whieh gives most largely
to public education the productive wealth for eaoh inhabitant is $260 per
annuod. In Georgia it is less than half of this sum.
How are these conditions to <be improved? We believe that the people
of Georgia are both patriotic and intelligent enough to improve them, if
they are free to do so; but they are not free. The resource for the better
ment of our inadequate educational system is in local taxation supplement
ing the general State fund; but the Constitution of 1877 abridges and
virtually denies to the people the right of local taxation. So many re
etriotions are thrown around the procedure, so oppressive are the require
ments, so unequal are tk» terms of submission of the question to the people
rthat their hands are tied. Under the existing law the recommendations of
itwo Grand Juries must be obtained, and in the elections it is necessary to
(the success of ithe local measure to seeuretwo thirds of the qualified voters
,©f the county. The efieot of this is to count against the measure all the
,absent voters, adl the voters providentially hindered from voting, and even
■these-who may 'have removed from the county but whose names appear on
the qualified list. The proposed amendment relieves the prooedure of
these oppressive requirements, but it is important to note that the amend
ment is itself highly conservative in that it requires a two thirds majority
of 'the persons voting in the election. This amendment will be submitted
to the people at the next general eleotion in October, 1904. We believe
that the people can ,be trusted; most of all, they oan be trusted not to tar
themselves too heavily. The amendment in effect merely restores to fhe
people (the right of local option in taxation.
In view of these plain propositions and the momentous importance of
the public interests involved, the educational conference held in Atlanta
as above stated makes, through the committee, the following declarations
1. We appeal to the people to adopt the constitutional amendment,
reclaiming for themselves the right of supplementary local taxation to be
exercised in those communities that desire it in accordance with the demo'
cratic principle of home rule.
2. We declare ourselves in favor of advancement in our educational
system; better training and payment of teachers; expert school supervi
sion; longer terms; the consolidation (where practicable) of weak and lout,
tered schools into strong and more efficient organizations; the improvement
of school houses, aud grounds.
3. Realizing the strong devotion of the women of the State to the
welfare of the children, we appeal to them to organize School Improvement
Societies in every county aud locality, and to aid by their influence in the
accomplishment of the objects outlined in this address.
4. We invoke the aid of the great agencies, the pulpit and the press;
we recommend that the friends of the school hold educational rallies in all
the counties of,the State, and w<? invite the cooperation of all good citizens
in this effort for the intellectual, industrial, and moral elevation of the
Citizenship of tho future.
Walter B. Hill,
Warren A. Candler,
i- Hoke Smith,
W. B. Merritt,
| T W. i. Nonanr,
K. It. Dooqaw,
it-, -
J. M. WARD, Tippettvillo Ga,
Breeds Indian Games, the best
table fowl. And the American
Dominique, a splendid all-round
fowl. Large early-hatched birds
uow ready for delivery,
A BUGGY FREE.
To show our customers our ap
preciatian of their valuable trade,
we are going, to give to them a White
Star (op buggy. And to lot some
who have not, been our ouBtomors
heretofore sec the advantage of be.
cotne one.
Plot; every purchase of $2 or more
we w.ii givo a ticket with a number
ofWt. The corresponding number
or coupon will be put iu a sealed box,
On January 30,. 1804, the box will
be opened, the tickets thoroughly
mixed, and a small ohild, blindfol
ded, will take out a tickat. If you
have the tiuket with the correspond'
ing number, you get the. buggy.
J. D. MAFFETT & CO.
Montezuma, Ga
PS “Get the habit. ” Go to the
New York Racket Store. They
sell everything.
NOTICE.
I have been reliably informed that
Geo. IE Sutton is going around
Dooly county standing people
against trees, fences and on stumps,
to make piotures, ami claiming that
he is connected v ith me.
Ho ls not connected with me in
any manner. .
I have Bpent too many years in
buildmg a reputation for excellence
of workmanship, to have that repu
tation injured by a novioo.
I may be found at Montezuma,
every Friday and Saturday.
F. P. PEPPER,
Photo Artist Montezuma. Ga.
WANTED — FAITHFUL PERSON
.••II on rnt'dl trade and Rgonts for manu-
faitufrag ho<i*e Caving woll-ottsblbbod
UhflnwM; local territory; straight lalary
<20 paid weekly and expense money ad
vanced; previous experience unnecessary;
'million permanent; business tuccossful,
Bueloao eolt-nddressod envelope. Superin
tendent Travelers, 605 Jdonon Building,
Chicago.
THE MoNEEL Marble Co.. Ma
rietta and Cordele, have tho largest
mill South. .Write or oall for prices.
The British Blue Book shows
that American wages are the high
est of any country in the wor’.d.
RHEUMATISM
€JUB©2© AT XdAST
flood News io Ttosi Wh# Suffer
. Wilti r.Munatisi Free-
To all who suffer with Rheuma-
matism I will gladly Bund free the
wonderful etory of how my mother
was oured after years ot suffering,
together with the most elaborate
on Rheumatism ever published.
No matter what your form of
Rheuinatism .is, whether aoute
ohronio, muscular, inflammatory
deformant, soiatio, neuralgia, gout
lumbago, eto,—no matter how many
dootors have failed in your case-
no matter how many so-called “sure
cures” you have tried—I want you
to write to me and let me tell you
how mother was cured.
I amfneither a Doctor nor a Pro
feasor—simply a plain man of bus!
ness—but I have a CURE for Rkeu
matism, and I want to tell every one
who suffrs with Rheumati smal
about it. I wish to be dearly un
derstood, and trust that all who are
suffering with this terrible disease
however apparently beyond the
reach of bure, will write to me this
day I will send you by return mail
this work of mine. I appeal espe
ically to the “chronically il” who
are wearied and discouraged with
doctoring”, and to those who have
been oast aside as“inourable.” All
you hav ^thought about ISheumatism
may be wrong. Let me tell you onr
experience. Surely, if you have
Rheumatism, or have a suffering
friend, it will pay you to investigate
my offer, anyway, and, prove for
yourself these claims that I make.
Send me yonr address today-
postal card will do—and I will mail
yon this wonderful story. If you
lave any friends suffering . with
Rheumatism no matter where her
ted, send me their address, and
will mail them.a copy- My address
is VICTOR RAINBOLT, Bloomi-
dalelnd.
TAX COLLECTOR’S ROUNDS
Vieuna, Ga, Oot., 1, 19Q8. I will
be at tho following plaoos for the
purpose of oolleoting Baate- and
County taxes for the year 1908;
Dooling Oot 0 Oot 22 Nov IS
Byromvillo “ 7 “ 28 “
Unadilla “ 8 “ 20 “
Pinehurst “ 9 “ 27 “
Findlay “ 12 “ 28 “
3rd distriot “ 13 “ 30 “
Cth distriot “ Nov 2 “
Drayton “ 14 “ 8 “
Coney “ 15 ‘ 4 “
Cordele “ 10 “ 6 «
11th dis’ot “ 10 “ 9 “
13th dis’ot “ 20 “ lODoo
14th dis’ot “ 21 “ 11 “
I will bo at Midway Dao. 3, 2nd
distriot eorthouseDoo. 4, Snow Deo.
7, Jerry Dee. 8 in the morning and
'ut Ethridge stor in the evening,
Tippettvillo Deo. 9, Sibley Deo 10,
Dakota Deo. 11, Cordele Deo. 14 ,
in Vienna every Saturday. Books
will close Deo. 20.
F. J. LEWIS, T. O.
COWflEKSEP STOHiES.
AnlMtterarrt Preectwr'e Description of
n Sr.lnt’e fltafy.
Oyros Townsend : 5 rally Was talk
ing about the ilimnint preachers
of the past.
“Tijesfi men,” lie said, “were rug
ged and sincere. Their minds, if
they were coarse, wow algo strong,
Their eloquence was eoinetimee pota«
erfnl. Sometimes it woe amazing. 1
“There was a notable itinoraHfc
who once prenchod on the ‘Glory ai
the Saints,’ sad the description of »
saint's glory that he gave in this
sermon deserves, I think, to bo per
petuated. This is the description,
word for word:
“ 'Who, my brethren, can describe
tho glory of a saint P Why, nothing
on earth can liken it. If you drill •
hole through the sun and put it on
your head for a crown and split the
moon asunder and [put the pieces
on your shoulders for epaulets, if
you tear down tho starry curtain of
the skies and wrap it round your
body for a robs and ride to heaven
on the lightning wings of the tem
pest, this will ho nothing to the
glory of the saints/ ”
Wanted to Help Mr. Hanna.
Mrs. J. M. McCormick, who was
Miss Ruth Banna before her rocent
marriage, tells with good effect a
number of stories about her distin
guished father.
According to one of these stories,
STUMPS EXTRACTED.
I have invented and now have for
sale one of the oheapeBt and best
Pine Stump Extractors on the mar
ket. One mule will do the work.
See or write me for further informa
tion J. O. FULLINGTON,
Pinehurst, Ga
This paper has a scholarship in the
Georgia-Alaama Business, Gollessge
for sale at a bargain.
Call on me iq Montezuma, for
photographs, F. P. Pepper.
STORE HOUSE FOR RENT.
In Pinehurst. One comparatively
new 2-story store house, 28x60' feet
with 20x30 storage room, barn and
stalls. For particulars call on or
write to P. E. Ivey at Pinehurst or
W. T. Ivey Vienna postoffice. 3|
F. P. Pepper is making photo
graphs m Montezuma.
Strawberry
Plants.
The Largest Stock ia the World.
Nearly 100 Varieties.
All the ohoice, luscious kinds for
the Garden and Fancy Market. All
Shipping Varieties. Also fruit
trees of all kinds for growers at
wholesale rates. We will save
you half in planting an orchard.
Dewberries, Asparagus, Rhubarb,
Grape Vinos, etc., eto.
Onr 120 page Manual, free to
buyers, enables you to grow
them with success and profit.
All plants packed to carry across
the continent tresh as when dug.
Illustrated eatalogtie free. Specify
if you warn catalogue of shipping
varieties or fancy garde* kinds.
Continental Plant Co.,
KITTRELL, N. C.
ft'E PAT B. S. FARE and tnunaj
D«S>M(t, ViuulM
'TM TK* BOV BOB IW’
an Irishman some years ego entered
Mr, Hanna’s office^ took off his hat
politely and said:
“The top of the moznin’ to ye,
Misther Hanna. “Fv« been told
ye’re in want o’ help.”
“I have very little to do,” UK
Hanna replied, with a quiet smile of'
humor.
“Then,” said the Irishman, “I’m
tho boy for yez. It’s very little I
care about doin’. Sure, it’s tho mon
ey Pm after.”—Detroit News-Trib
une. j
A Generous Secretary. •
A curious story is told of Lord
Rowton in his younger days as Mr.
Montagu Cory when he was secreta
ry to Lord Beaconsfleld. In 1868
came the Fenian outbreak, with the
Clerkenwell explosion and tho con
sequent desolation of the neighbor
hood. The private secretary walked
across from St. Arthur’s dub to a
fashionable harness maker’s in St.
James’ street and was at once fitted
with a strong leather girdle from
which depended two enormous pock
ets. Thus equipped, he drove to
Downing street to see his chief. “Iq
heaven's name, what is this ?” was
the exclamation of surprised salute.
“I am going,” replied the secretary,
“to distribute largess of silver and 1
copper to the Clerkenwell sufferers.
I nuvo a hansom waiting below.
When I have placed some small
chenge in these pockets I shall drive
off.”
It, was of Lord Rowton that -
Lord Sherbrooke said at bis eleva
tion to the peerage: “Caligula made
his horse a consul. I really see no
reason why Lord Beaconsfleld
should not create his private secre
tary a peer.”
Versatile.
Hobson—now is your brottip- <’
at college V
Dobson—Fine. He’s slngiur t. -c ,
tenor and playing second base.- '..uli-
onupoUs Journal. jj