The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1886-12-11
RAILROABs
F0RRRUNNERs OF CIVILIZATION.
sBtesa 5ktt11.s sfsss---, = 2,
|STEEhRAIhS MAKE A MAR
= = ket wherever Laid

4F0RRRUNNERS OF CIVALKZ AXIOM
1sgsssea .lsse11-s fi.s.------s Fl
t6TEEhRAKhS MAKE "A MAR
: . 3 ket Wherever laid.
tgHE NEW s0BFH AFtLIvINa Ex
a empliHeatfOn orr MS Fset.
Especial Correspon deAce of the AsheYille GaTIzzE
limo FespeetiS witnessed amere graft
Lying proof Of The Development Of tn,
New South. than inils rapidly increasing
tfaiIFoad mileage. q q
f. What is most favorable IN the raiIroat
ldevelqpment Of the South is the fact thai
tits IN accordance withsa real and long
lie It necessity: In the old and popdloul
lStates of the South The Conservatism tha
Nas.aHied to The, Institution Of slavery
was not friendly to railroad enterprise
Slavery repeIled capital, and many plan
lterslahe believed that railroads offered
teosmany facilities of escape to the ne
fgroes, were ndteager teinRite IT, "A the
fbitter poverty that was caused b. Esr late
war, and q pIohigate political rule, rail.
road DEVELOPMENT in region SO lavishly
endowed by nature was necessarily slow
and difficult But with the revolution
i In the system of labor and with the res.
toration of orderly and decent govern.
ment a new era has dawned upon oul
Southern country
Let it be thoroughly understood once
for all that every railroad that penetrates
our section bears q message of advance
ment.
Railroads give us the means of educa-
ton, the organization for better living;
united occupation of lands to create real
estate, wealth, and homes for thousands
of emigrants.
Railroads give US production, prepara-
ton, and distribution of food, fuel, raj
ment, and surplus production for the
markets.
Railroads teach us to take account OF
accomplished facts, and. not to struggle
ebstinately against inevitable necessities.
Railroads say architecture must do for
social progress what they have done for
civilization.
Material progress gives to man the ele-
ments of his advancement in life. Each
step in social progress accomplished by
industry to-day demands that man should
rise to the understanding of the wise en-
ployment of wealth, without which he
fails to accomplish his mission on earth
Could this progress be obtainable with
out the civilizing influence of railroads =?
Let us see what the railroads have done
and are doing for our Southland =
The evidences Of a revival of business
throughout the South are so clearly per-
ceptible that the English commercial
papers are basing their hopes of an i'm
provement in British trade as conseuu-
ence. This is fact which deserves
emphasis because, while it may be gen
orally accepted that the South is giving
evidence Of remarkable growth, it is not
SO readily recognized how large weight
of influence for good the increased pros
perity ofthe South must exercise on the
United States collectively.
The increased disposition to "count inn
the South in all calculations, while graft
flying on grounds dsofsentiment, is likewise
most signifc recognition of fSoatheRn
progress and importance.
This remarkable growth of the South
is only the beginning of Southern pro-
gress, now being hasten on by our pro-
gressiUe and Gbiy-nland9ed railroads. An
hundred millions of excess products this
year means preparations for an increased
excess next year, and from year to year,
until the maximum of Southern produc-
ton is reached. This prosperity of our
native Southland will greatly lessen the
burdens of government which have fallen
largely upon the North since the war,
and will prove one of the solidest found
alton stones of the future general pros
perity of the Republic.
Give us therefore more railroads, and
then look forward to still greater develop
ments in material wealth and advance
IN k6o J.
What to-day would Western North
Carolina be so far as material develop
ment IS concerned, had not the railroads
permeated her territory? Turn back
the telescope ten years ago and look
over our mountain country, and then
reverse and take view Of "the Land of
the Sky" at the present moment Marx
the change. Is it not pleasing to the eye?
Let US hope that at the expiration of
ten years more there will be many here
to turn the lights on and view the situa-
ton as it will then appear. Will not the
change be still more uniform and pleas
ing?
Take the far-seeing policy as shown
recently by a ''most happy deal' by
General T. NJ. Logan regarding the Rich
mond and Danville Rail Road system.
1t was nineteenth century coup d'etdf,
and shows the far-reaching far-seeing
ability of progressive, wide awake rail-
road official alive to the issues of the
advancing and prosperous South.
Mark the prediction = The Richmond
& Danville Railroad system-will Yetgive
US all the privileges, advantages, benefits,
and facilities that the Pennsylvania Rail
Road holds out, and will open to our
people fully as many channels of trade,
commerce. and traffic as the Baltimore
and Ohio.
1t will be the great trunk system Of the
the flowers of progress and development.
Guy CYRIL.