The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-10-08
HENDERSON, N. c., THURSDAY, OCTOBER g. 1891.
I have thought that this Exposition

L 1iRSS tA0A6hI SAlot lltlo AAPOSlStOu
means much to this Southland. was
| charmed with the address of our Gov
ernor, as he was bringing out those
figures upon figures, and as he talked
of millions and millions 1 said to my
self: "Well, it may be easy to put
those figures down on paper, but how
much those figures mean to a
people. How far-reaching, how signi6-
cant, how full of the promise of a
grand and bright future! Why just
think of it for a moment. In the
Southern ports for the year 1890,
there was twenty-five million dollars
worth Of goods more than in any pre-
vious year, and from the port of Balti-
more alone the increase of the exporta-
ton was larger than that of New York,
Philadelphia and Boston combined.
In the year 1880 in this Southland
we had twenty thousaad miles OF
railroad, in the year 1890 we had
forty thousand miles of railroad.
Why in one year the output of pig
iron, iron ore and of coal from this
Southland alone was greater than the
output of the whole country in those
products twenty years ago.
say that this means much for this
country it means just these few things,
it means that in this Southland there
are yet to be cities that shall equal the
populous cities of the Northern States
it means that money will yet flow in
among you and bless you in your
homes, and bless you in your schools,
and bless you in your churches. And
it means this, that the people of the
South are called upon to-day to be
true to their God, true to Him who
has protected her and blessed her,
brought her Phoenix like from the fire
through which she passed.
Oh, be true to Him, and naught
can injure you. But oh, the sacred
memories of the past, but oh, the re-
sponsibility of the present! By the
grand outlook of the future, be true to
the Infinite!
The band played another stirring
air and then Mr.. Octavius Cohen,
Managing Editor of the Charleston, S.
c., World, was introduced and spoke
of ss The Real New South; and What
it Ought to Be-"
Hon. 0CtaViuS Cohen'S Speech,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN = The
subject of my address is "The Real
New South: What it Ought to Be, and
intend to stick to my text. trust
that none of you expect that this effort
Of mine is to consist of succession OF
adjectives conveying fulsum laudation
Of our people, for it is my intention to
tell the naked truth here to-day. No Sec
ton can possibly advance in material
prosperity as rapidly as it should, if the
people persistently shut their eyes to
their own hort-comings. This very
gathering to-day of persons and exhib-
its from all over the South is ofitselftan-
gible evidence of the fact that we are
not going ahead as fast as we should,
and that we are willing to admit our
lack of push in the past but l trust
that it may also be construed as being
formal notice of our intention to rele-
gate to the rear the antediluvian!ideas
Of the old fogies of every community,
and to apply nineteenth century meth
DDS to nineteenth century enterprises.
Look 20 the hallowed past for your
memories; to the active future for your
prosperity.
l should hesitate to speak thus
plainly to Southern audience were it
not that l am to the manner born.
The bones of six generations of my
family mingle with the dust of Charles
ton, the dear old "City by the Sea" !"
To paraphrase Lord Beaconsfield's
famous words, al am Southerner.
Every fiber of my being thrills with
the traditions of my race" but l would
be unfaithful to the trust reposed in me
to-day did not endeavor to point out
the roads, which, in my humble opin-
ion, will lead US to prosperity.
Nature has done much for the South;
man has done but little. Instead of
employing our remarkable advantages
of soil and climate as steps to lead to
the pinnacle of material progress, we
have, l regret to say, simply made use
OF them to sufficient extent to enable
us to exist in scant comfort.
Right here in North Carolina, and
next door, my native State, to say
nothing of the others, which are also
greatly blessed, do you not know, and
are you not willing to admit, that if
New Englanders, with their feverish
push, and keen financial instinct pos
sessed half our advantages, they would
have two of the most thriving, bustling
and wealthy States in the Union?
If they can extract prosperity, with
bleak hill, rocky slopes and five months
Of snow-banks as bases, why cannot We
accomplish the same result, with the
most fertile lands and the most salu
brious climate in the United States, to-
gether with the ability to work out
doors all the year 'round1
We have lived too much within our
selves, and we must stop it iInmedi-
ately. Intercourse almost always in
wolves education on some point, and
it must, therefore, be of benefit.
But are the conditions at the South
such as to encourage intercourse be-
tween our people? Are the means Of
travel by wagon, for reasonable dis
tances, all that could be desired?
Enphatically, Mo-
We have the worst roads in the
South, l verify believe, that can be
found anywhere in the universe. This
may not appear to you to be of much