Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-03-29
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
NORTH CAROLINA
IL MIN TO N.


A. ALLEN, of Duplin, before the Duplin
Agricultural Society, at Kenansyille, No
vember, 1868. They are interesting in
themselves, bat more so, as seen through
the vista of the great events which followed
their declaration:
Intimately connected with the subject of
agriculture is that of internal improve
ments. Without the means of transpor-
tatiOn, our produce, if made, the surplus,
at least, must lie in the barns and be
wasted and unconsumed. In this great
and interesting subject every farmer is
vastly and deeply interested, infinitely
more 50 than any other class Of our pOpu-
lajiOn; and it has always been matter of
astonishment TO me that so many of them
fail to see their real interest in this matter,
and refuse 10 encourage it. Let any one
sit down and make his own calculation.
Without railroads it is utterly impossible
to transport produce from the interior of
the country any considerable distance, ex-
cept in a few instances where our rivers
happen to be naylgable for short dis
tances. In North Carolina it is impos-
sible for the farmers to depend upon
their rivers for means of transportation,
however. We must, therefore, neceS-
sarily have railroads. Ill the present age
of the world it is necessary, not only
i'll order that we may keep pace with
our neighbOring States, but also to promote
the interest and welfare Of our people
Experience has shown lis that they are
not only the best and most expeditions
means of transportation, but also the
cheapest that is now known to the world,
for a territory like ours, where water COM
municatiOn with the great Agricultural
districts of the State is impracticable. The
farmer gets more for his produce, because
it costs less to get it to market, and buys
his articles for family consumption for less,
| because the transportation of them is less.
1t is fact also in connection with this
subject, that the entire estate of the farmer
is greatly enhanced in value by Railroads.
Energy and industry receive powerful
stimulant. The laborer expects to be re-
warded. The farmer has no fears Of
making more produce than he can find a
market for, but labOrs industriOusy and
aSSiduOusly in the confident belief that he
will be richly repaid. Let any one pass
along the lines of our Railroads, even i'll
North Carolina, and witness the improved
condition of the farms. Where few years
| ago Incidence, car elesSneSS and a general
want Of energy characterized every
thing, we now have presented to
! the view, scene that gladdens the
/
ularly the heart Of every North Carolinian.
| Who that loves the good old State can fail
/ to feel his heart swell with emotions of
! pride and pleasure when lie witnesses the
| growing Importance Of our State ? If we
| are only truetO ourselves, as | fear should
more than do our citizens justice if | were
| to assert that we had heretofore been, our
State will and must be among the most i'm
pOrtant Of the Southern States. We have
i IL. Ia
| a variety of plants as any other in the
Union-a soil whose productiveness may
be rendered ineXhaustible, and proportion
of mineral wealth scarcely surpassed III
value by the golden State on the Pacific.
All we need is a development of our in
trinsic wealth; and our position at once
| becomes commanding. Build up your
railrOads-N Orth Carolina railroads-and
energy is diffused, population invited,
| and Il general development ensues,
as naturally as water seeks its level
What l mean by North Carolina rail
roads is such as will tend to build Up
your own markets, encourage your own
citizens, rather than those, who after they
/ have been enriched out Of your means,
| have the HtleneSs to sheer at what they
are pleased 20 call the "Piney Region OF
| North Carolina If the citizens of North
! Carolina had never permitted the citizens
! of Virginia and South Carolina te exercise
| too great an influence over their Internal
| Improvement system, We should to day
have been, | have no doubt, at least a
quarter of a century farther advanced in
the scale of responsibility and greatness
| than we are Our seaport towns would
have furnished as fine accommodations and
facilities for markets as our sister States,
! and the fine harbOr of Beaufort would to-
! day have been recognized as not only one
Of the finest on the Atlantic coast, as it is
generally believed to be, but would have
been overlooked by city, towering in
strength and activity, bidding defiance to
the competition of Virginia and South Car
DINA for North Carolina produce. | am
for North Carolina and North Carolina in
terests. Nothing but the petty sectional
jealOusieS and enyieS excited among the
citizens of the different sections Of our
State by outsiders, or those within our
borders who have not the true North
/ Carolina spirit, have kept our State in the
rear OF other States. Such has been the in
fluence eXerted both by our system Of In
ternal Improvements and the influence OF
individuals against our own commercial
! towns, that no town i'll the State has been
able to sustain itself under the heavy pres
sure, except the town of Wilmington, and
she has done so by excrting an amount OF
community, i'll fact scarce ever equalled.-
! All honor to Wilmington for her indrmita-
! bic energy.
| have 10 disposition TO do Virginia OF
South Carolina injustice. [ honor them
both the one is being worthy TO be called
the birthplace of Washington, Jefior.
son, a Madison and host OF other great
names: the other of Calhoun, the Haynes
the Buffers, McDutfie, and others, whose
imperishable fame will live as monuments
| of greatness, while patriotism and gigantic
powers OF mind shall continue to command
the admiration Of our race. But | desire
North Carolinians to do their own State
her interests and themselves, Jus
tice. Take away the commerce OF {
State, and where is her wealth, hcl
Importance and Der influence. Deprive
New York State Of the great commerce OF
New York City, and what would be the
comparative insigniicance Of the State
The city is appropriately and Significantly
called Ne1C York.
Produce supports commerce and com
merce creates wealth, Importance, inh.,-
ence, prosperity; and \ Orth Carolina should
build herself up, instead of being mere
tributary to Virginia and South Carolina
and furnish within her own borders facili-
ties that will enable her own towns to sup
ply the State with markets for her OWL
produce, and not give Virginia and South
Carolina towns the advantage of our own
1t is gratifying to see that change is tax
| ing place. The completion of the Atlantic
| Railroad is lnauSurating new era in the
history of the old town of New bern. Ac-
| Gvity and prosperity now characterize that
town, with which stand connected so many
Revolutionary scenes and "reminiscences,
where but a short time ago decline
.chrOnic Acknowledgement slammed on