The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-11-26

tHe most NOrtn n-eaStern point OF I Ourriluck
county, stretch the string TO the extreme
Southwestern part of Cherokee county;
then, holding fast the Eastern end, move
the Western Northward SO as to describe
the arc Of circle, and you will see the
line passes through the centre Of Lake
Erie and touches Canada.
Three hundred feet of elevation being
equal TO one degree of latitude, it will be
seen that an elevation Of 6. 700 feet from
tide water gives North Carolina the same
climate as though she stretched North and
South for nearly ten degrees with the same
elevation
Every food or textile plant that fourishes
in America grows in North Carolina un
less it be pine apple and the banana of
Florida.
North Cardinals resources in the hard
wood used in the arts far exceeds that of
any other State and is destined at no dis
tant day to be means of great wealth if
properly economiZed.
In many places in Eastern North Caro-
lima the thermometer reached or exceeded
last summer 100 degrees; at my mountain
resort it but once reached 81. Our eli
mate IS singularly exempt from the fierce
storms, extremes of heat and cold, and
other meteorological irregularities which
disturb most countries. Great drought and
general floods are almost unknown. There
is no grass hopper on the wheat, no worm
on the cotton, no bug on the potato, and
happily 10 longer, any Niger III the wood
pile.
North Carolnians descend from the
most energetic branch G eutonic and Celtic
of the most energetic and masterful grand
nf tha
In North Carolina, though the original
comminging of race blood was as varied
as that of any American community, there
has been but little mixture since. The
census reports for 1879 and 80 show, not
relatively but absolutely, fewer citizens of
foreign birth in our borders than in any
other State. In my numerous canvass
ings throughout the State | have again
and again been impressed with the uni
yersal kinship of our people.
AS to the advantages and disadvantages
arising from the non-presence of the for
eign element in our midst opinions differ.
1t would seem that largely the weight Of
opinion favors the rapid introduction of
immigration as necessary to the speedy
development of our resources and the in
crease of our wealth. For many reasons
that is NOT MY OPINION. With our own
people we are more homogeneous, and the
interests, rights and prejudices of one are
most nearly those Of all. 1t may be said
we become in this way too narrow, local
and exclusive. Perhaps we do but rather
that than to ditfuse our affections until
they are lost and of no force, spread over
IN area beyond their power to fructify.
x < x
Well as it sounds a professional cosmo-
politan is a patriot and philanthropist of
the Jellaby order, neglecting the interests
of home for the comfort of distant sava-
ges. a very small amount of cosmopoli-
tan will go a long way III IA practical com
munity. | prefer q North CarOllnlan any
day. You may rest assured that a man
whose human affections and patriotism
are not based on strong home preferences,
IS not put up right in his moral cOnstitu
ton. A wise selfshness is the secret Of
successful human character and the main
stimulant of all human progress.
Another result of our homogeneous so
ciety is our conservatism. In our disposi-
tions and tempers, habits and language,
are to be found more evidence of cOnSer-
vatlsm than among any people know
on this continent, in politics, in religion
and in morals. Innovations of any and
all kinds take little hold in our soil. There
are no new sects, isms, or olOgies in our
religion; no communism or exotic factions
in our politics; no patent philanthropy or
sentimental humbug in our morals; no
chartered ScrOundeEsm or joint stock VII
lainies in our financial life. In this re
spect we are content to be behind some
States and get along the best we can with
the old ten commandments.
The most perfect liberation of religious
opinion prevails all and none. 1t is a
subject of supreme congratulation that
this has always been so. 1t is
true our constitution of 1885 imposed Il
prohibition on the holding of office by any
who denied the truth of the Protestant re-
ligion which restricted, as was supposed,
Catholics and Jews But that invidiOus
clause was speedily wiped out in Difference
to the goodness and greatness of one man,
William CASTOR, who was a devoted Cath
olc The prohibition on Jews was re-
pealed in 1861. Our people are now as
tolerant as their laws, and for hundred
years were far more so. We never have
even hung WITCH although we have had
much witchery in our midst. | have my
self been bewitched pretty much all my
life, and rather like it.
But it is said if we had more immigra-
ton we would have greater activity, and
make more material progress. This Is true
and if getting rich rapidly was the great
and only object we aim at | should con
| fess my error But that is not our only
or even our chief aim. | hold that the
principal objects of our state OF existence
| should be the preservation of our free IN
stitutions, the broadening and deepening
| Of our civilization and the general lmprOv-
| ing and bettering of our own race.
| Immigration is desirable when it comes
in such volume as can readily be absorbed
and Americanized, incorporated into oul
society and infused with our ideas and
feelings; not when it comes in such power
as to preserve its own European customs,
ideas and traditions. | am just about old
fashioned enough to confess that am sat
! iSfied, on the whole, with the material
| progress which North Carol ma is making
| 1t is slow but ii is natural and staple
An abn rmally rapid growth is rarely a
healthy growth, in plants, ANIMALS or that
conglomeration of animals called com
munity. In the forests of my mountain
home l found PROSTATE giant chestnut
tree more than 10 feet in diameter Botl
axe and saw were required to sever it,
huge trunk, when the rings which marked
its annual growth indicated that it hac
been nearly thousand years in growing
] bI,1l oh t1,n n@rb% u