The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-08-01

velopment and prosperity of North
Carolina as the editors and publishers
OF our newspapers. You have done
more to build up and foster great in
terests and communities, to advance
enterprise and promote progress within
our borders than all others. By your
untiring energy and devotion, you
have, through the columns of your
newspapers, overtaken swift winged
Error and SO crippled her that modest
and slow footed Truth has triumphed
at last, and the story of tine glorious
deeds of our soldiers in battle. the
bravery of our men, the beauty and
heroism of our women, and the extent
| and variety Of our natural and unde
veloped resources, has been SO effect
ually told that the attention of the out
side world has been drawn in this d.
| rection, and thousands of eager eyes
and willing hands, and millions of
ready capital are beginning to turn at
last toward North Carolina-the
grandest State in this the grandcst sis
terhood of States in the grandest Re
public on earth.
repeat, none have borne their part
more valiantly or done their duty
more faithfully than the editors of this
State, and that, too, often under severe
trials and difficulties. With dauntless
courage they have held up in their
true light her soil, her climate, her
mineral wealth, her t;mbered forests.
her vast water powers, her institutions
-publc and private,s religious and
educational-and her people-sturdy,
conservative, intelligent, patriotic and
law abiding. They have lifted her
high upon the plane of self-asserton
and Importance SO that all the world
may gaze full upon her as she is, beau
titul and radiant as one of her own
fair and lovely daughters-and there
is not a Tar Heel editor within hear
ing of my voice who does not know
just how lovely one Of our Carolina
girls iS-whether she be reared amid
the transporting scenes Of the "Land
of the Sky where lofty mountain
peaks seem to pierce the very blue of
Heaven. and streams of limpid water,
cool and sparkling and clear as crys-
tai, dash swiftly down from their foun-
tain source in the cloud wrapped re-
gions above and so dancing and sing
ing to the ever murmuring sea-or
whether she be Graded in the lap OF
luxury and refinement here in beauti-
tul Lenolr, gem nestled among the
foothills in one Of the loveliest spots
of this highly favored land-or
whether yet she be ''native and to the
manner BORN where the foam crested
waves of the mighty Atlantic beat upon
the golden sands ofthe East, and hymn
the everlasting praises of our noble
women-God's last. best and most
perfect gift to man.
In conclusion, my brethren, let us
seek to exalt the profession of Journal
ism in North Carolina. There is no
higher or more sacred calling-except-
ing alone that Of the ministry-and
we should endeavor to measure up 10
the full standard of our duties and re-
sponsibilities. Let us be careful not
to abuse the trust that has been con-
fided to our keeping, remembering
that fidelity to principle and firm
adherence to ones convictions of the
right, are safeguards we should ever
hold in mind And
"This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man. -