The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-10-24

W nav oOoSAFC0 TIC tCuOCuCy Vi TIC
ante-bellum South, I am amazed; as
an American citizen, proud of my
country's institutions and form of gov
ernment, am rejoiced. This is in
deed the "Sunny South sunny on
its hilltops, sunny in its wales, sunny in
its people-in their awakened energy,
in their new ambition, in their mar
velous buoyancy, in their broad char
ity, in their hospitality and in their
reconciliation. The great dark cloud
which hung over the South for many
years has gone, thank God, and the
bright sun Of heaven looks down upon
a nobler civilization, inspiring new
life, new courage and new aspirations.
When Sherman's persistent army
marched into the old Atlanta, he sent
this message to the North, stirring
every heart which read it with the glad
feeling of patriotism and giving as
surance that the terrible war was near
ing its end: "Atlanta is ours, and
fairly won." What better word can
you send to your countrymen in the
North, citizens of Georgia, in this
twenty-6fth year of your new metrop-
oils than this same message of en-
couragement which Sherman wrote
"Atlanta is ours, and fairly !"-
won by your indomitable perseverance,
and by the exhibition of qualities
which have challenged the admiration
of the world!
The South's prosperity is an allur-
ing theme. l read the other day in
Mr.. Watterson's paper (Which is GER
tainly good authority that in the last
ten years the assessed valuation of real
and personal prosperity in twelve
Southern States-Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louis
ana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Vir-
ginia-had increased nearly sixty three
per cent. The actual valuation has,
of course, increased proportionately.
l could give figures equally startling
about the growth and industries which
make up this increased wealth. 1
could tell you story of tine develop
ment of cotton manufacturing which is
as interesting as any romance. But
these things I know by reading and
hearsay. You know them by actual
observation and by careful study, and
l shall not weary you by repeating
dry figures which by this time you
must know by note.
In the rapid development of the
South, and in the conditions of society
which now prevail here, there are
suggestions for serious thought. l am
not one of those pessimists, who, while
recognizing and admitting the glorious
prosperity of your industries since the
war, profess to see in some of your in
stitutlons and conditions cause for
grave apprehensions for the future.
Such apprehensions are due, perhaps.
to the agitation of selfish politicians,
to that ignorance which does not un-
derstand the Southern nature, to the
surviving remnant of old-time jealousy
and suspicion. l would not have you
understand me as depreciating present
dangers or as belittling the obstacles
which now confront you.
Great problems have to be grappled
with, and the North is watching to see
how you will solve them. One o1
these problems is the education of the
masses. The worst foe to our Demo
cratic forms of government is igno
rance. 1t is a stating fact, indeed
which was revealed by the census O
1880, that in some of your States hal
the population could not read or write
The census of 1890 will make better
showing, l am sure. The awakened
interest in educational matters, notice
able in many ways, is certainly II
good augury. We have not forgotten
in the North that upon you was placed
when the war ended, the responsi5ilit!
of instructing four million freedmen
in the duties of the fact that in you
hand the system of common schools
which we regard as one of our mos
substantial institutions, is even now il
its infancy. We are not unmindful O
the prejudice which you must comba
to establish them, the sparsity of popu
lation, and the expense of providing
separate schools for white ar ID black
But we are proud that, in spite of sucl
obstacles, school houses are dottins
your fields and ornamenting you
towns, and we trust that with th'
greater aggregation of wealth ma,
come the wider diffusion of learning
Your own city, foremost in all tina
pertains to the South's welfare, ha
made most commendable strides il
this direction, and no small part 0
her glory is reflected from these beau
tiful halls of study where Georgia
youth are educated.
In the field of industrial enterpriS
you have great opportunities. You
resources are inexhaustible; see tha
they are not monopolized. You hav
a century of industrial progress in tn
North to study and profit by; avoi'
our mistakes. Discourage such legis
lation as tends to enrich classes at tn
expense of the masses. Diversity you
industries so that your invested capI
tai may be more permanently remu