The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-06-13
PUBLIC SPIRIT.
MORE OF 1T NEEDED IN THIS
COUNTRY.
A Practical and Sensible Article that il
Would be Well for Some Men to
Read and Reflect Upon.

VI. T.. Thomas, Jr., III IefSOn COuntS
Courier.I
.sNo man liveth to himself This
is true civilly, socially, morally, and
spiritually. We propose to speak Of
it now though from a civil standpoint.
The true meaning Of mans living to
himself is lack Of interest in others
selishness. Civilly speaking, public
spirit is the grandest thing that can
characterize a citizen. Man, to be |
true to his better nature and lotter
impulses, must take an interest in his |
| environments. He who does not soon !,
becomes fossilized, and dead weight |
on the body polite, socially speaking.
Such man is not a citizen IN the
highest, truest, and fullest sense OF the
word Lack OF public spirit has done
much in keeping North Carolina where
she is to-day. 1t is why we have so
few internal improvements, public IL
braries, and good schools.
One public spirited man often
shapes the destiny of town, Or even
county. Look at the most prosper
Gus towns in the State, and you will
see at once that they owe their pros
perity in a great measure to lew
public spirited citizens; men who do
not wait for some one else to take the
lead in all matters of public interest,
but who are always on the alert to
give their community a send off, even
if they do occasionally have to make
some momentary sacrifice. A true
public spirit takes a practical, not
theoretical, interest IN everything
which pertains to the upbuilding of a
community; churches, schools, news
papers, street Improvements, CONNER
cial facilities, &C., cd l1fn1fHm. 1t
. does not cause one to sit down and
calculate to a cent how much he, in
dividually, will profit by such, but
rather how beneficial will it be to the
whole community. Some men who
are s.penny wise and pound foolish, .
who prefer to ''save at the spigot, even
if they do lose at the bung,'' are never
willing to make the smallest invest
ment, or 60 to the least expense, unless
j. they clearly see that it will pay them
9 a handsome profit in less than year.
# They are willing to do nothing for the
public good, but are totally wrapped
up in self They love to quote the
old adage, ga bird in the hand is
worth two in the BUSH Il had better
keep what | have and not risk build
s ing up the community, as all sucl
plans may prove total failures II
l is not specially my business to see thai
/, the whole community is made as at
ul tractive and prosperous as possible.
a Suppose every citizen were actuateC
s. by such selfish principles-'' every
n: body's business is nobody's' the re
ID suit would be deplorable, busines
would practically come to stan(
still. Such men have never blessed
their species, have done little to ad
vance the world, and to increase tn
sum total of human ConvenlenCes, en-
ioyments, and educational and com
,, mercial facilities. They are drone
in the great busy, bustling hive c
human progress. Have become pet
rifed on account of having long sine
ur ceased to feel the pulsasons Of tn
"o W. blood that flows through the publ
,er arteries.
lty The lack of public spirit i'll OF
State has caused many of our no.
talented young men to emigra,e. His
,ot tory clearly proves that those natlOr
est whose citizens have been devoid
nei red public spirit have had but little inf,
enCe upon the worlds action an
;, thought Their records now lie in
"o mersed in "Lethe's dark, stagnal
ae' pool Those men who have NJ
nee taken an interest in public matte
have never written their names - hls
on the dusty rolls which ages keep.
d. This is mournfullY true of towns al
= communities. No community who
! citizens are devoid of all true publ
spirit can ever expect genuine, lor
lived prosperity.
God speed the day when publ
spirited men shall be found in eve
,c community of our State, Then Nor
Carolina will cast off the ragged ga
mcnt of poverty, and be clothed l
silly stead with the rich mantle of prospe
vars vars ity. The hum of spindles, which ma
s. sweet music to every patriots ear, W
be heard upon our every river ban
e. Railroads will interseCt every part
IS. our fertile territory, giving us our
- portunity to develop our great mi
eral and agricultural resources.
Schools will not langulsh for wa
of patronage. Roads we'll nigh
passable will become a thing OF
past. The news of the day will
| flashed over electric wires. Our ne'
papers will be literally patronlz
~ r Good churches will be found IN eve
community. Then North Carol
and will be worthy to be called the mot