The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-08-12
THE BLUE RIDGE.
LETTER FROM NORTH CAROLINA.

has been very limited one compared
which those of the west and north take
in their business enterprises and plans.
The people in general have been stay at
homes, and this. with the crampinS and
contracting influence which slavery for a
hundred years produced, less than a
generation of a changing regime has not
been sufficient to eradicate. The people
in general do not realize the necessity OF
that yet up and dash so characteristic
of the west especially. Enterprises OF
very moderate dimensions seem of ap-
palliug magnitude to people of southern
birth and training. Those who have
never seen the world are enabled to form
The Atlanta Cotton Exposition, held last
summer, was conspicuous instance of
this behind-the age feature which ID the
great stumbling block OF the Southern
States. The railroad companies and
other managers and makers of that en-
terprlse really thought they would he
able TO make a display of southern pro
dncts and unleveloped wealth that would
take tue public at large with some de-
gree OF surprise. Material for il great
exhibition. both of the mineral and vege-
table Kingdoms. was abundant and easily
attanablr, but the managers did not
know how to ret it. together or to ar
range what they collected. Kansas sent
a few carloads of stuff down here, OF
rather the Santa Re Railroad Company
did, which was packed up from the State
Fair exhibit at Topeka with Prof. Wor-
rell and two or three other exp rts and
professionals in the fair business. and
put the whole southern collection to
shame 1t was something like Il charcoal
sketcher attempting competition with an
artist with pencil and brush. This
county of Macon alone has within her
borders grain, vegetables, fruits, woods
and minerals that would have excelled
the best Kansas placed on exhibition
at Atlanta had the same skillful men
with a liberal supply OF funds been
chosen to do the work of collecting and
arranging the products. People who do
not know how to go about it cannot of
course accomplish a purpose nearly SO
SUCCESSFUL DIS GA pciitliCSu HaIuS. 'ue
great hindrance to advance in this coun-
try has been Il plentiful lack Of practical
business knowledge, an undue amount
of Gonceit and false pride. The artistic
display which Kansas made 1t the At
lanta Exposition which, though il mere
bayatelle for Kansas in that line, served
q most excellet purpose i'll knocking a
large amount of concelt out of some of
81, ,,;.;t,,4 Ia,
Exposition.
In the face of northern and western
enterprise the southern people are not
unlike country children in large com
pany, who stand in an uncomfortable re-
servei They are not apt and ready to
| take held, their childish diilidence, fear
of being over-reached, distrust Of their
own abilities, native pride which is too
apt to be allied with lack of knowledge
! OF the world, hold back and retard pro,
sress in all this country.
But this characteristic inbred for more
than d century is gradually giving way
before the steady pressure which is
| crowdinG it to the wall and SLOWLY
trampliug 1t out, as new blood comes in
! to m,ngle with and quicker to more
vigorous life, the sluggish element OF
conservatism The people are beginning
! to grasp new ideas and feel the impulse
of a new life and DETER hands. The adj
vance is perceptible, but it seems slow to
| those WHO have been accustomed to the
| rush and roar OF Dusines. as iiIiven III
the west and north. The great mass OF
| those have had business relations with
seem to have little or no conception OF
the Importance of reliability and inte-
! gritty III transactiDg business, and to lie
/ and play false and tricky i'll Il small way
lor the gain OF DING seems TO be looked
upon as legitimate way III lIansact
| business. This latter is leading char
acteristic, especially among the noun
taineers. Notwithstanding this species
of petty dishonesty is almost universal,
; theft is well nigh unknown even among
the lowesG glasses. When laborer is at
work he drops lis toqis where te stops,
and to see axes, carpenters tools, GIQth-
! ing, &c. lying about in the most eX-
posed and public PAGES is a common
everyday occurrenoo, ana y0t | have
never known anything to be stolen. 1t
is trait in the common class to lie, but
they won't steal. UnreliablenesS in
business transactions is !. besctting sin
! Of the country. But as | have before
stat.a there is steady ad,a all along
the Inns. Ieople ale ne,. ,aa,nu - Sake
off that extreme canton which is pecu
liar to the ignorant and unsophsticated,
and as confidence increases the natives
| to the manor born are beginning to gain
energy and spirit as they realize the
better state If 9haifs which is SO nearly
within their grasp. AQre new blood
from the west and north is what is
needed, and that is being steadily sup
/ piled. Northern men and capital are
absorbing tac leading and heavy bust
ness of the country; gathering lii The
mining property, the valuable timber
erecting factories and mills. extendin.
railroads and rapidly absorbing the un
! developed wealth of the land. In a few
years this eo.fF Wi!! rantrol everything
and mere asing confidence ana !, new
management will bury the old regimen
in oblivion,
/ THE WEATHER
here has been e4b;eet FQ the gang ticlssl
| tudes which have characterized it al
over the country. The temperature is
10 degrees lower than that OF the sum.
rser Of 1881 with an undue amount li
rain. Gra@S. i,otSt4sa a,td snlaii grain
in this mountain country have grown
| luxuriantly. but the curu crop is back.
ward and does not promise a good out
come.
THE VISITORS
who annually resof5 10 the maHntains to
escape the depressing heat of the low
cotton country have been tardy, like the
advance of the season, and are sevcra
| weeks later patting in an appearance
than usual, aid liz p.asteit il haf fan
for as great an influx OF seeliGrs after the
mountain breezes and cool fountains a.
in the more heated summers.
At Highlands there are number Of
| Florida people who, having run down in
health ahA ytgAf atfpf few years resi-
dence in the land of flowers, have GONE
up to the summit OF the Blue Ridge tt
recover that boon, without which the
wealth of the world is valuelcss. They
report F.a.,AG ~ : s.;;,d faf the MI. viz
can afford TO sit ON the shaded veranial
and hire the slow, pottering colored an(
still more pottering cracker native lab
orer to cultivate the cane and orange
groves. In few years men raised
! further north and accustomed to active
exerl,Se W tLa atr.i ..sr, AtEe4tA i e.rl
mer's sun, soon lose their elasticity and
vigor when they attempt steady labor il
that region of ETHEREAL mildness. This
has been the unvarying experience of al
| who have come here from the orange
grosPs Of the peninsula.
kEASSks:
| There are several varieties of native
! grasses which grow here with great
| lqx4Fiapne: Among these is species
| known IN 6oHM0a paiian.e as .airel
grass or feather grass. The stems and
blades are remarkably soft and velvet
| lilo tn tho fouob This oro,yS a ho,,t I no