Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-02-04
From the Arator.
The True Policy of the State.
Scott's Hill, New Hanover Co., /
December 50th, 1856. {

DtCcubCl cOtu, 1OOO'
T. J. LEMAY, ESQ,
Dear SIR: Allow me through the
columns of the Arator' briefly to di-
rect the attention Of your readers to a
subject Of great Importance to US as
people. The time has come, | think,
when serious and sustained effort
ought to be made by the people Of the
South to inaugurate new policy IN
regard to manufactures. AS a people,
we are too dependent on other sections.
All of us know this, and most of US de-
plore it. The clothing and shoes which.
we wear, the furniture of our dwellings,
and the implements with which we cul-
tivate our farms, all or nearly all, come
from the North. Now, | blame no
man for buying from the North, for
SO long as our Southern Mechanics
hang back, and by want of enterprise,
leave open the door for Northern com
petition, just so long will our people,
following the rule Of buying where they
can buy cheapest, continue to patron
ize the manufactures of the North. 1t
is vain to appeal to patriotism or sec
tional feeling, unless the appeal is en-
forced by calculations addressed to the
pocket There may be few in every
community patriotic enough to patron
ize home establishment even at pecu-
mary loss; but the great mass will act
differently.
But to come home to the more i'm
mediate subject of this communication,
why is it that the farmers Of aar State
are obliged to use implements made in
New York or Massachusetts? Why
may not our plows, harrows, reapers,
straw cutters, corn shelters, and the
various other tools Of husbandry, lie
made in Raleigh, or Goldsborough, or
Greensborough, as we'll as in Boston
or Albany? The materials of such
articles are far more abundant in North
Carolina, than in the localities where
they are SO largely manufactured; ard
I doubt not could be furnished cheap
er. The facilities for distribution are
excellent. Our railroads, built and
building, penetrate the best agricultu-
raj portions of the State; and along
the lines of these there will be a con-
stantly increasing demand for farming
implements Of an improved kind. Capt.
tai is not wanting among US for all ne
cessary and proper enterprises, and
such esteem this to be. If, therefore,
we have the materials; the ready
market, with every facility of reaching
it; capital sufficiently abundant, with
living in our interior towns reasonably
cheap, what hinders US from making
; our own farming implements +? Skill is
not wanting for if our mechanics were
deficient, it might be obtained for its
price. Indeed, nothing is wanting save
! little of the spirit of enterprises
! little Yankee go-aheadativeness.
! When, Mr.. Editor, are we to wake
up to an appreciation Of the advantage:
; of our State? When will capital be
gin to seek, among us, some other in
vestment besides land, negroes anC
bank stock We never can become !
prosperous people until our pursuit
e shall be more diversified.
Yours truly, CARoLINIAN.
I'VE thank 'Carolinian' for the fore
: going sound and patriotic communica
{ ton, and hope his able pen will con
tinue active in the noble cause which
0 has set it in motion, until the impor
9 tant object so much to be desired shall
:, be accomplished. We should be gla'
!. to see this article published in ever.
! paper in the State, with spirited edi
! torial calling up our capitalists iron
!, ! their slumbers to sense of their dut,
. and interest in connection with this sub
$ ject. ED. ARAToR.