The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-22
EASTERN CAROLINA.
INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS.

Speaking OF the COEIlLloA Ol a-laIl9
among our people, he said ''E15tern
Carolina has seen her worst days.
And who Is able u Judge Of the mat.
ter, can not fail t. be struck ~ the
force Of that remark.
Il is true that the East has been
somewhat backward 10 her progress
since the war and has been Outstclp>
ped in the race Of wealth and pIos~
perity by other sections Of tie State.
But this is owing largely not to lack
Of enterprise on tue part Of her PEG
ole so much as to the peculiar dis
advantages under which they have
labOred.
BY far the greatest proportion OF
.laye holders were in the East and
hence emancipation fell more heavily
upon this section than upon the rest.
The loss of property to a great ex-
tent and the evils Of reconstruction
and carpet bag rule, which prevailed
more widely here than elsewhere in
the State, naturally checked her pre-
gres8. The negro question 10 one
which oar people have carried I'M
ceasingly on their minds for the last
twenty-five years.
Here it is not a question Of allegi-
ance to party platforms and p1In~
ciples. but q matter OF keeping the
groand under our feet. That the
East, fettered by old methods an"
old traditions, crippled by the &c.
structlon of her property, comPcl,ea
to- face this question ofrace suproma-
Cy, should have been SLOW TO recover
from the staggering effects of the
war is not at all surprising.
However, her growth, If slow, has
nevertheless been sure and the signs
OF the times alreaay indicate the
dawning of brighter and better era.
We very often hear it said that the
East is al agricultural region. This
statement is true enough as far as it
goes. The presumption is that the
producers of raw material must al~
ways remain hewers Of wood and
drawers Of waters. That this should
be the case with OFT people is not
for moment to be believed. Those
who yield tee palm to them for the
agricultural advantages OF the soil,
do well. Some parts Of TIE East are
unsurpassed for fertility, not only by
any lands in this State, hut net even
by any in the United States. Dr..
Hawks in bis work on North Caro-
| lima says 'SeldOm has it fallen to
the lot Of colonlst5 any where to
pitch their tents N q country more
fertile than was the old country OF
Al5omarle; in q land more favored
for agricultural purposes or more
abundant in spontaneous products
that would furnish food for man.
Snch was the condition Of affairs
in the early days, and time has rot
altered the nature OF the land. Upon
the low grounds CT the Roanoke
alone it is possible by proper cultiv~
alton and by the erection Of dikes to
furnish the State with corn. The
advent Of most unparalleled year
for unfavorabiene55 to crops must
not be taken as q oigu Of permanent
depression. The man Who does not
know that what has been SAID Ct
the fertility OF this region, Is true,
shows himself ignorant Of The geoiO~
~ of this State. One has only to
look back to the record Of the Roam
0hc laGds forty wears ago to see that
this statement rests upon a solid
foundation Of fact. And what has
been said Of tae Roanoke lands can
with equal truth be said Of those ad-
jacenJ to the Tar and Ch0wan rivers
Nor is the East confined to the pro
duction Of cotton and corn.
Not long since we were shown 8
lot of land containing four acres
planted IN strawberries. The owner.
five years ago, began the experiment
Of trucking. Then he had been
driven to the last ditch by the pro.
duction Of cotton under the credit
system and had been compelled to
give mortgage for two thousand
dollars Oh his farm.
farming his attention to the ship.
ment OF strawberries to the Northern
market, in five years ali his debte
were paid up, the mortgage was
raised and there remained TO him
fifteen hundred dollars clear profits
The trucking industry bids fair to
become o source Of large revenue to
the East.
Only within the last ten years
have the people been turning tteir
attention to 1t on q large scale, but
Tue results have already shown the
advantage o. it.
The climate and soil Of The East
is admirably adapted to the produc-
ton Of almost every kind of early
fruit and vegetable.
And now that our country IS be
coming a network of railroads. all
the facilities Of transportation that
could be desired are offered by them
We have the advantage over other
States farther South. in that we are
nearer to the market than they anU
yet the difference of latitude is MOI
sufficient to make an appreciate off
ference IN early production.
1t will be seen that in calling tbs
East an agricultural region the hall
has not been told.
The great Gsharinc IF Onr rivera j.