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Title
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Farmers' supper speech notes
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Description
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Speech notes by North Carolina state Attorney General Robert Morgan at the Farmers' Supper event. Numbered: Vol. 10, no. 03.
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Coverage
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Elizabeth City (N.C.)
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Creator
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Morgan, Robert
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Date
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1971-09-13
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Format
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PDF
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Identifier
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CSAOB-C-5
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Language
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English
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Rights
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This item has been made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Researchers are responsible for using these materials in accordance with Title 17 of the United States Code and any other applicable statutes. If you are the creator or copyright holder of this item and would like it removed, please contact us at als_digitalcollections@ecu.edu.
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
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Source
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East Carolina Manuscript Collection
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ECU Digital Collections
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Subject
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Morgan, Robert, 1925-2016
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North Carolina League of Municipalities
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Attorneys general - North Carolina
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Politicians - North Carolina
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Type
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Factual
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Original Format
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Manuscript
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extracted text
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-'14
Note:
Herbert Mullins in his introduction is\J,ing
to refer to the work of the office in the Seed case.
You might want to refer to this.
Millard gave me the following information:
"One of the 10 largest seed companies in the U.S.
was found to be deliberately misrepresenting some of
it's seed corn as hybrid seed corn resistant to the
Southern leaf blight and it was not resistant.
It
was being sold at hybrid prices at least twice as
expensive as non-hybrid seed corn.
Investigators
of the Consumer Protection Division and the Department
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of Agriculture were able, with the efforts of the
editor of the Goldsboro News-Argus, Mr. Price and
interested farmers, in developing enough evidence,
after a hearing, to cause the Commissioner of
Agriculture to revoke the 1971 license of the seed
company to sell not only seed corn, but all-'-other
seed in N.C."
\. l1.:
"·L
1
It is a pleasure for me to join you for your
annual Farm Supper.
I wish that Katie and my
girls could be here to enjoy the festivities of
this traditional family gathering.
r
2
I recently read with a great deal of interest
of the� establishment of the Albemarle
Regional Planning and Development Commission.
This Commission, made up of Camden, Chowan,
Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank,
Perquimans·, Tyrrell and Washington Counties
has as its purpose the overall planning on the
environment, building needs, roads, hospitals,
r
.
promoting industry and educational needs.
I �pplaud
the inception of this Commission and hope it will
prove to be a useful and worthwhile tool in the
future development of northeastern North Carolina.
5
It is a step in the right direction for this area
needs planning in order to cope with the problems
you have faced in the past.
The out-migration
these 10 counties has been heavy over the past
50 years.
In the most recent decades, 1950 to
1970, over 20,000 people migrated from the area.
In Camden and Currituck counties, it is estimated
that one-half of the labor force work in the
Tidewater area of Virginia and here in
,,
--�.3ii-
6
(
Pasquotank County many workers are also lost to
Virginia.
A recent survey shows that ample numbers
of these individuals would be willing to work in
their home counties.
7
How can we get our people to live and work in this
area?
In order to settle our rural areas, it is not enough
just to be able to provide our citizens with jobs.
We must also provide them with essential services,
good schools, good medical facilities, efficient
means of transportation, and the means for good
entertainment and recreation.
(
B
We must, in short, plan and prompt a resurgence
of the small town as the solution to our rural
problems.
We must do something to improve the
small town, to sufficiently equip it with
programs and services to make it attractive to
industry and people.
There is no reason why
the small town cannot be a strong economic force
in the future.
Page
·o
�
_
...
...:,_
Population Statistics
4 Towns
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- N. C.
Total
64 1,960
100,000 and Over
4 Towns .. 50,000 to 100,000
8 Towns
22 Towns
31 Towns
47 Towns
/
102 Towns
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269,888
25,000 to 50,000
274,282
10,000 to 25,000
348,926
5,000 to 10,000
208,724
2,500 to
5,000
168,44 2
1,000 to
2,500
169,930
Under 1,000
Towns
68 Unincorporated Towns 1,000 or more
�-
i�xx»ED�D:ntl:.E!EXlllIDri:tip.Jll:iti:ti:ru;
114,356
288,765
10
Government in a free society, however, cannot
alone solve society's problems.
The solutions
to our problems require the cooperation of our
people.
We in government must realize that
we cannot legislature our problems_ away.
We
must resist the idea that another state agency,
that bigger government or centralized control is
all we need.
What government can and must do,
is distribute opportu�ity and educate our people
to take advantage of it.
11
If we are to distribute opportunity e�ually, State
government must do a number of things:
First, it
must engage in comprehensive planning.
Every
Service that the State operates must be planned
and continually replanned.
The State in conjunction
with our Regional Planning Commission must draft
comprehensive land use plans that allot certain
areas of our State for residential, commercial,
industrial, and recretional uses.
12
Only such planning will put an end to haphazard
development and the piece-meal approach to our
problems.
The need to set aside land for future recreational
use is especially urgent.
We must anticipate our
recreational needs, acquire and set aside sufficient
space for them while it is still available.
If
we wait until the need becomes obvious, available
recretional sites will in all likelihood be too small
13
and too inaccessible to large segments of our
popultion.
14
Next, the State must allot its resources in order
to implement this comprehensive planning.
We must
put opportunity where there is none and discourage
the overdevelopment of any area.
We must tie the
States' enterprises into communities in ways that
aid rather than hinder controlled growth.
L
15 .
Third, industries must be offered economic
incentives to locate in underdeveloped areas.
areas already offer many advantages.
Such
They are not
congested, large plant sites are available at
reasonable cost, and unspoiled environment offers
attractive residential areas for their employees.
But, the most attractive motive to any industry
is the profit motive.
If we can make it more
profitable for industries to locate where we want
them, we will get the industries we want.
16
Unless we are successful in distributing opportunity
equally throughout our State, we cannot expect to
ever avoid the adverse consequences of over and
underdevelopment.
And, if we do not avoid these,
we will have failed to fulfiil the promise of
tomorrow.
17
Successful government in the last quarter of the
20th century will be government which solves the
problems of the present by anticipating those
of the future, which gives all of its citizens
equal protection under the laws, and which
equally distributes opportunity.
18
If we fail to do any of these, we will fail to
do all of them, and neither North Carolina nor.the
United States of America can afford that kind of
failure.
•·
(
ADDRESS BY:
MRS, ROBERT MORGAN
To:
SAMPSON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC WOMEN
DATE:
OCTOBER
14, 1971
POSITIVE GOVERNMENT - A DEMOCRATIC PARTY TRADITION
ADDRESS BY:
MRS, ROBERT MORGAN
POSITIVE GOVERNMENT - A DEMOCRATIC PARTY
TRADITION
HOME
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME
As THE SONG GOES I "Mr D PLEASURES AND PALACES
THOUGH WE MAY ROAM,
BE IT EVER SO HUMBLE, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME,"
PLEASE NOTE, l SAID PALACES - NOT MANSIONS -
(
IN CASE SOME OF YOU MIGHT INTERPRET THIS TO BE AN
ANNOUNCEMENT,
I OWE MUCH TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTY,
THEY
WERE THE BEARERS OF GIFTS - A GIFT OF THEIR HIGH IDEALS;
A GIFT OF THEIR PROGRESSIVE GOALS: A GIFT OF THEIR
SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT; AND A GIFT OF THEIR
CONCERN FOR HUMAN DIGNITY,
IF A CHILD HAS THIS
TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT AS HE IS GROWING, THEN NO MATTER
HOW MUCH SUCCESS rs ACHIEVED IN LATER LIFE, THE LARGER
PART OF ANY CREDIT MUST BE GIVEN TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO
FIRST KNEW HIM AND GAVE HIM THE GOALS BY WHICH TO LIVE,
MY TEACHERS CONTRIBUTED TOWARD THESE GIFTS FOR
I RECEIVED MY PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION HERE, AND I AM
HAPPY TO SEE SOME OF THEM HERE TODAY,
I AM BESTOWING CREDIT, I MIGHT ALSO HAVE TO
WHILE
BESTOW BLAME,
THEY WERE MY FIRST INSTRUCTORS IN PUBLIC
I GET THROUGH,
MIGHT LIKE TO DISCLAIM SUCH FAME, AND WISH I HAD
SPEAKING,
SOME OF THEM, BY THE TIME
ADHERED TO THE DEFINITION THAT A GOOD SPEAKER rs ONE
WHO RISES TO THE OCCASION AND PROMPTLY SITS DOWN,
Bur,
BEING MY TEACHERS, THEY ALSO KNOW THAT
STILL HAVE, ONE BIG WEAKNESS AND,
I
I LIKE TO TALK!
HAD, AND
I PARTICULARLY LIKE TO TALK TO PEOPLE FROM
MY HOME COUNTY, AND, EVEN MORE PARTICULARLY, TO THE
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN OF MY HOME COUNTY,
THE WORDS DEMOCRATIC WOMEN IMMEDIATELY CONVEY
TO ME A VIBRANT, INTERESTED AND POSITIVE GROUP,
You
HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD, YOUR
INFLUENCE FELT, TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY PROGRESS, AND
TO ASSURE YOURSELVES THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WILL BE
DONE TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF LEADERSHIP IN
GOVERNMENT,
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I
YouR PRESENCE INDICATES THAT YOU ARE AWARE THAT
POSITIVE, EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT DEMANDS THE INTEREST AND
PARTICIPATION OF EVERY CITIZEN, INCLUDING THE HOUSEWIFE,
THE MOTHER, THE BUSINESS AND THE CAREER WOMAN,
I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR POSITIVE APPROACH,
IT WOULD
BE MUCH SIMPLER FOR YOU TO LOSE YOURSELVES IN THE DUTIES
OF YOUR OCCUPATION, YOUR HOMES - OF RAISING CHILDREN
AND KEEPING HOUSE - TO IGNORE THE PROBLEMS ABOUT YOU,
AND LET YOUR SOLE CONTRIBUTION BE A LOUD COMPLAINT IN
A LETTER TO ANN LANDERS:
Bur, THIS IS NOT THE APPROACH OF THE DEMOCRATIC
WOMEN - NOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
BEEN INVOLVED IN GOOD GOVERNMENT,
THEY HAVE ALWAYS
THEY HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE,
IN
1935,
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT MADE A STATEMENT
ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'
APPLICABLE TODAY,
THI.S STATEMENT Is JUST AS
IN IT, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SAID THE
GOALS OF OUR PARTY ARE:
", , , TO INCREASE THE SECURITY AND THE HAPPINESS
OF A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN ALL OCCUPATIONS OF LIFE
-3-
AND IN ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY; TO GIVE THEM MORE OF
THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE; TO GIVE THEM A GREATER
DISTRIBUTION, NOT ONLY OF WEALTH IN THE NARROW TERMS
BUT OF WEALTH IN THE WIDER TERMS: TO GIVE THEM PLACES
TO GO IN THE SUMMERTIME - RECREATION; TO GIVE THEM ASSURANCE
THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO STARVE IN THEIR OLD AGE; TO
GIVE HONEST BUSINESS A CHANCE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A
REASONABLE PROFIT; AND TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO EARN
A LIVING,"
To SEE A NEED AND TAKE A POSITIVE APPROACH - AND
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF A POSITIVE APPROACH
TAKEN BY A DEMOCRAT
MY FAVORITE DEMOCRAT,
OF WHOM I AM VERY FOND - IN FACT
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, ROBERT HAD OCCASION TO VISIT
DOROTHEA DIX HOSPITAL TO INTERVIEW A DOCTOR ABOUT A
CLIENT OF HIS,
IT WAS AN UNUSUALLY HOT DAY, AND THE
INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE IN THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE WHICH WAS
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A LARGE CLOSET,
SMALL ELECTRIC FAN HUMMING,
IN THE CORNER WAS ONE
THIS OFFICE WAS ALSO THE
ROOM WHERE THE DOCTOR TALKED WITH HIS PATIENTS - GAVE
THERAPY,
-4-
THE INTERVIEW TOOK QUITE AWHILE, AND BY THE TIME
THEY GO THROUGH, ROBERT WAS SOAKED WITH PERSPIRATION,
HE QUESTIONED THE DOCTOR AS TO AIR-CONDITIONERS, AND
THE DOCTOR SAID THAT FUNDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR SUCH
LUXURIES,
AFTER THE INTERVIEW, ROBERT RODE THROUGH THE
GROUNDS AND NOTED JUST A SMALL NUMBER OF AIR-CONDITIONERS
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COMPLEX,
HE THEN RODE DOWNTOWN
IN RALEIGH AND NOTICED THAT PRACTICALLY EVERY WINDOW
IN THE STATE BUILDINGS HAD AIR-CONDITIONERS IN THEM,
BEFORE THE NEXT GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONVENED, HE
DID SOME CAREFUL RESEARCH, BROUGHT THE PROBLEM TO THE
ATTENTION OF THE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, AND
MONEY WAS APPROPRIATED WITH WHICH TO BUY AIR
CONDITIONERS,
CONDEMNATION COMES CHEAP, AND IT ALONE SOLVES NO
PROBLEMS,
OUR
IF FAULT IS FOUND, SOLUTIONS MUST BE OFFERED,
1971
AND ACTED:
(
DEMOCRATIC GENERAL ASSEMBLY SAW A NEED
THEY PASSED A BILL REORGANIZING THE
-5-
NORTH CAROLINA COUNCIL ON MENTAL RETARDATION,
IT
WAS APPARENT TO MANY THAT THE SCOPE OF THE COUNCIL WAS
NOT BROAD ENOUGH TO COVER THE MANY DEVELOPMENTAL
D ISAB ILITIES THAT OCCUR - SUCH AS CEREBRAL PALSEY,
EP ILEPSY AND OTHER NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS,
THE NAME
OF THE COUNCIL WAS CHANGED BY ADD ING "AND DEVELOPMENT
D ISAB ILITIES,"
IN ADDIT ION, CHARGES FOR LONG-TERM PATIENTS OVER
THE AGE OF
21
STEP FORWARD,
HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED,
THIS IS A GREAT
THE ACT ION WAS TAKEN BECAUSE THERE WAS
A NEED TO ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL BURDENS OF PARENTS
WHO HAVE RETIRED AND HAVE SMALLER INCOMES, BUT ST ILL
MUST SUPPORT A CH ILD IN ONE OF OUR STATE MENTAL
RETARDAT ION INSTITUT IONS,
IN ANOTHER AREA OF HELP FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT
SO FORTUNATE, $400,QQQ WAS PROVIDED FOR COMMUNITY
DEMONSTRATION FUNDS,
HOMES IN COMMUNITIES,
THESE FUNDS W ILL BE USED FOR GROUP
HOUSING FACILITIES FOR THE
RETARDED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL HAVE LONG BEEN A CONCERN
AND GROUP HOMES SEEM TO BE PART OF THE ANSWER,
-6/
I
FOR INSTANCE IN WAKE COUNTY AND THE RALEIGH AREA,
THERE ARE
200 CHILDREN KNOWN AS SEVERELY AND PROFOUNDLY
RETARDED CHILDREN,
O'BERRY WHICH IS THE INSTITUTION
THAT SERVES THIS AREA TAKES ONLY ONE SUCH CHILD A
YEAR,
AND WHEN THEY DO TAKE SUCH A CHILD, IT IS USUALLY
UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CHILD WILL REGRESS AS THEY DO NOT
HAVE THE STAFF TO GIVE THE CHILDREN THE INDIVIDUAL CARE
THEY NEED,
THESE FUNDS CAN BE ADDED TO, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL,
TO PROVIDE DAY CARE FOR THESE SEVERELY AND PROFOUNDLY
RETARDED CHILDREN - PARENTS CAN TAKE A DAY OFF
OCCASIONALLY TO BE AWAY FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES FROM
THEIR AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY - PERHAPS EVEN A VACATION
FOR A FEW DAYS,
MANY OF THESE CHILDREN ARE HANDICAPPED
TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT PARENTS CANNOT LEAVE THEM - AS
YOU DO - WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD BABYSITTER,
. AGAIN, YOU
DEMOCRATIC WOMEN SPOKE FOR CHILDREN
THROUGH YOUR DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVES IN THE
1971
GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY ENACTING A CONSIDERABLY BROADER CHILD
ABUSE LAW,
-7-
(
THE
1971
CHILD ABUSE LAW REVISED THE PREVIOUS LAW
WHICH PROVIDED ONLY FOR VOLUNTARY REPORTING BY PHYSICIANS;
SOCIAL WORKERS, AND CERTAIN SCHOOL PERSONNEL OF CHILD
ABUSE CASES,
IT NOW PROVIDES FOR COMPULSORY REPORTING BY
ANY PERSON WHO KNOWS OR HAS REASON TO KNOW OF CHILD ABUSE
AND COVERS NOT ONLY THE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE MENTIONED,
BUT WOULD ALSO COVER A NEIGHBOR'S OBSERVANCE OF SOME
THING WHICH WOULD LEAD TO A REASONABLE SUSPICION OF
CHILD ABUSE,
THE CRIMINAL PROVISIONS WERE STRENGTHENED AND
OTHER MEASURES WERE ADDED WHICH, HOPEFULLY, PROVIDE
GREATER PROTECTION FOR THE CHILD, IT IS PREDICTED THAT
THE NUMBER OF CHILD ABUSE CASES DETECTED AND REPORTED
MAY RISE FROM ABOUT 3,QQQ A YEAR ACROSS THE STATE TO
5, 000
OR MORE, AND THIS IS A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE:
THESE ARE JUST A FEW THINGS THAT WERE ACCOMPLISHED
THROUGH CITIZEN DEMAND AND POLITICS AND THE NAME OF
POLITICS TODAY IS PARTICIPATION,
AND LET ME REMIND YOU
THAT POLITICIANS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN CITIZENS
EXERCISING THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CITIZENSHIP,
A POLITICIAN AND PROPERLY
so:
-8-
You
ARE
IF WE ARE TO HAVE A DEMOCRACY, WE AS INDIVIDUALS
MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE RUNNING OF OUR COUNTIES, CITIES,
STATE AND NATION,
OUR AMERICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
HAS COME TO BE KNOWN AS REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY BECAUSE
IT IS A GOVERNMENT IN WHICH THE PEOPLE, THE CITIZENS,
REMAIN SUPREME,
Ir HAS BEEN SAID THAT WE SHOULD CEASE TO TAKE
OURSELVES SO SERIOUSLY AND BEGIN TO TAKE OUR POLITICAL
LADIES, I AGREE AS I AM
RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY,
SURE YOU DO,
WHAT IS A NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRAT TODAY? A
NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRAT TODAY HAS BEEN DEFINED AS
FOLLOWS:
"HE IS THE SAME PERSON WHO PICKED THIS STATE UP
BY THE BOOTSTRAPS BACK IN
1900
AN ORBIT OF STEADY PROGRESS,
AND LAUNCHED IT INTO
"HE IS THE SAME PERSON WHO NURSED THIS STATE
THROUGH THE BITTER DEPRESSION OF THE THIRTIES, WHO RESTORED
HOPES, DREAMS, AND, EVENTUALLY, RECOVERY,
(
"HE IS THE SAME PERSON WHO HAS FOUGHT BRAVELY,
AND TO THE FINISH, HIS NATION'S WAR,
-9-
"HE IS THE SAME PERSON:
- WHO HAS HAD THE WILL AND THE WAY TO SEE
THAT THE PUBLIC'S NEEDS ARE MET IN GOOD
TIMES AND BAD,
- WHO HAS SEEN THAT EDUCATION, A GOOD EDUCATION,
AND HEALTH SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL,
- WHO HAS SEEN THAT THE UNFORTUNATE AMONG US,
SUCH AS THE MENTALLY ILL AND THE RETARDED,
ARE GIVEN A RAY OF HOPE IN THEIR DARK WORLD,
"HE IS THE SAME PERSON WHO HAS GIVEN NORTH CAROLINA
A SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND TRADE SCHOOLS - A
GRASSROOTS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY OF TREMENDOUS
PROPORTIONS,
"ABOVE ALL, THIS IS THE PERSON WITH FAITH IN THE
FUTURE OF NORTH CAROLINA - A FAITH THAT IS UNFLINCHING
AND REMAINS CONSTANT NO MATTER WHAT CROSS CURRENTS BLOW,
"THE NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRAT, TO USE AN ILLUSTRATION
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, LOOKS AT A GLASS AND SAYS, 'IT IS
HALF FULL, '
HIS APPROACH IS POSITIVE,
WILLING TO SAY IT IS HALF EMPTY, '
(
-10-
HE IS NOT
(
"HOPE, FAITH, LOVE, THESE ARE THE TRAITS OF THE
NORTH CAROLINA DEMOCRAT,
"YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW - THE NORTH CAROLINA
DEMOCRAT IS A PERSON WITH A HEART, A PERSON WHO CARES,
A PERSON WHO, WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, GETS GOING,"
I THINK THAT NO OTHER THING ACCOUNTS MORE FOR THE
REPEATED SUCCESS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THIS STATE
THAN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY OFFERED
" "'
CANDIDATES WHO PUT THEMSELVES TO THE TASK OF SOLVING
PROBLEMS, AND REACHING GOALS,
-11-
