The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-07-03
"a. .. lseo-A. d. 1900.

In 1890, North Carolina, in point of pop
ulation, was the third State ofthe American
Union. Virginia stood first and Pennsylva-
MIA second. In 1880, forty years afterwards,
North Carolina stood fifth, Ohio fourth, vir- &
ginia third, Pennsylvania second and
New York first. In 1850, thirty years after
wards, North Carolina stood twelfth, Geor-
gia eleventh, Tennessee tenth, Kentucky
ninth, Missouri eighth, Massachusetts
seventh, Indiana sixth, Virginia fifth, ILL
nois fourth, Ohio third, Pennsylvania second
and New York first. -
Of the eleven States above given, that cx
ceeded our own in population and wealth in
1860, six were free, and four Others border
slave States.
Thus also New York, the wealthiest of all
the free States, doubled Virginia in wealth,
the richest of all the slave States Then we
know that Norfolk was the first port of the
United States at the end of the last century.
And thus the history of seventy years is
written in few words.
Now after this showing for 1860, where
will the Old North State be in 1902 Where
in 1902 Ascending, or still descending the
scale9
The area of our State is $4,000 square
miles. Pennsylvania contains 10000 square
miles. The difference is small in that re-
spect, but in population and wealth, the Key
stone State had three inhabitants to our one,
and three dollars to our one, in 1860, in
real and personal property, or thereabouts.
An acre of land in North-Carolina worth
$40, brought $50 in Pennsylvania. Why
should this vast difference have ever existed 2
Will it continue to exist 2
Comparisons may be odious, but from this
we may learn something. Philadelphia is
the great port Of Pennsylvania, and the
second City of the Union. Are Whining
ton, Beaufort and Newbern more land
locked than this furnishing metropolis p
Are the Alleghanies of Pennsylvania more
fertile than our own, and richer in stores of
marble and iron, copper and goldG Penn
sylvania's coal is burnt in our CRATES, when
| immense beds of this fuel lie within our
own borders. And then, are our rivers less
capable of turning wheels and whirling
spindles9 Is our climate less salubrius, our
productions more restricted, our soil more
| sterile, our forests less valuable, our waters
more poorly stocked with shad and herring
in word, is this region less favorable to
the happiness of mankind and the growth
of the human family than Pennsylvania, or
| New York or Massachusetts, Why then,
this vast difference in material progress star
ing at us from every page of the census ia
bles, and indeed written on the brows of our
people9 Why 1t is this: Pennsylvania was
State of free Institutions and liberal ideas.
and North Carolina State of restricted
ideas and illiberal institutions!
We can no longer cover our poverty with
the tinsel of semi-barbaric wealth. All was
not gold that glittered in our eyes. We
must learn from Others the lesson of econo-
my, imbibe their liberal ideas, and adopt
their free and happy institutions.
Where will the Old North State be A. D.
I908f The last. or among the first of heI
sisters Let these questions ring in your
ears, and haunt your memories. ~