The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-09-19
Rev. DR.. Davis Of Cabarrus
Speaks a Good Word for
the Farmer and Mechanic.

DEAR SIR: Outside of my neces-
sary correspondence, | have little
time to write, but as | am heartily
committed to the work of building
up my adopted State, | cannot for
bear contributing something IN this
way, to achieve this important end.
North Carolina, it is true, is be-
hind many Of her sister States in
the march Of public Progress, but
1t Is just as true, that she has by
eternal right ample building mate
rial to place her in a few decades
along side of the foremost, and in
advance of a number of the mum
Der OF the members Of this great
national sisterhood. That her
proportion of brain and muscle is
equal to any no san man will deny,
and that she possesses physiogra-
phlcal advantages of most, if not
all Of them, is a fact, which is now
fast gaining public notoriety. Nor is
it less a fact. that clear and well de-
fined beginnings of hopeful progress,
are everywhere apparent. Her in
telligent and efficient Board of Ag-
riculture, with its resulting i'm
proved modes of farming, her
special University provisions for
industrial education and Normal
School work, with her manufacture
ing and Railroad enterprises, are
all auspicious-signiicant of a glo-
rious future for the Old North
State. The day is not distant
its dawn is here; when the hateful
reproach of more unlettered citizens
than any State in the Union, shall
be forever wiped out, aud the hum
of industrial enterprise and n
~lightened progress shall have con-
signed it to the confused miscellany
of forgotten things.
But | had almost forgotten the
primary design of this brief COM
m%unication, | intended in the be-
ginning, to say something in behalf
of the FARMER AND MECHANIC.
Among the most important agencies
in working out the ends coveted
and possible for our State this GER
tainly holds the very first place.
Without it, every other instrument
of progress toward a high degree
of material prosperity and success,
will be crippled and impotent, with
it every other device and endeavor,
shall achieve its laudable aim.
When every farmerard mechanic
in the State, shall become familiar
with its invaluable lessons, we shall
all have passed the dawn of that
better day for which every right
minded man in the State is now
longing and laboring. 1t is just
now what every farmer and me-
chanic in the State who wishes, and
is worthy of success in his business
needs and sho1ld have. If its cost
were.twenty instead of two dollars a
year. it would pay four fold its price
with every passing year. 1t is now
agriculturally all that we could
want-the entire field of indu~trial
enterprise is laid open and intelli-
gently discussed in its columns,
and the on goings of the world
noted as fully as in any journal in
the country.
Officially adopted now, as the
organ of the Grange in the State,
it is reasonably hoped and expected
that the whole Patron family in
North Carolina will recognize its
Importance and come to its sup
port. Brother Changers let us
plan and contrive, and study, and
labor, until we shall have placed
the FARMER AND MECHANIC
abreast in the line of industrial and
social progress, with the Live Pat
ron of Ohio. Cut up and scattered
about as we now are, each little
battalion Or squad, like the routed
army Of Xexses, ignorant Of the
whereabouts and the howabouts O.
the rest; it is worse than Idle for as
to be talking about cooperation,
the life principle of the Grange.
1t is within the pale of probable
ity to-day, that there are Changers
in North Carolina, who do not
know when or where the next State
Grange meets. Brethren these
things ought not so to be, and If we
shall make proper endeavors, IN
behalf Of our FARMER AND Me-
CHANIC, it shall not so be, for a
single year.
j. B. DAVIS.