The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-09-10
THE RAILROADS.,
THE GREAT AVENUES OF COM
MERGE
The Toast Responded to by j.
X. Webster, Esq, at the Press
Banquet in WinstOn-Salem.

The third toast on list at the BAN
quot given the Press Association in
Winston Salem, was "The Railroads,
the great Avenues of Commerce" re-
sponded to by John r. Webster, Esq,
of the Reidsville WeekIy, who said :
Through the sky-glass of sacred
history we learn that over six thousand
years ago God the infinite rolled the
globe through his plastic hand, that
he finished his six days work of crea
ton by making man in His own image;
in His own glorious likeness. Some
one has said that in that stretch of
creation, there is nothing that is truly
great but man, and there is nothing
truly great in man but his mind. Be
that as it may. 1t is mind that thinks
us to the infinite 1t is mind and only
mind that will shout the pean of victory
throughout the rude mouth which
holds such high carnival in its narrow
confines.
Marvellous as he has been the tri-
umphs of mind over matter in all the
departments of human activity, no
where has it been SO complete as in
the department of steam; here the
idea is sacrificed upon the altar of
usefulness.
1t has annihilated space, distance
and weight, opened up grand thorough
fares through which the worlds COM
merce GIBBS and flows. Think of it,
gentlemen, at sunrise this morning the
fish that trolled here and there and
everywhere in his home in the Atlantic
ocean is served up for supper in the
land of the sky five hundred miles
from its home. These great channels
OF commerce have made the civilized
world rs one neighborhood through
their agency. Maine shakes hands
daily with Texas. Through its agency
the Atlantic and the Pacific feel the
throbblng of each others hearts. Our
orator last night in his matchless ad-
dress told us that for the last IS years
the United States had made more
substantial progress in wealth, pros
perity and greatness than any nation
on the face OF the globe. Why, why
Is that so? The answer is plain. The
United States has completed more
smiles of Railway than any Nationality
upon the face of the globe, and wherever
these have gone through, new life and
activity have ceen infused. | know
that every individual within the sound
OF my voice will rejoice with me in
the declaration made by my friend,
President Fries, of the r. &, S, this
evening when he said that this great
avenue OF commerce has caused the
erection OF one factory for every two
hundred people that live along it's
route! | know that it is fashionable
to abuse the X. x ID. system. but
point you to Danville, Reidsville.
Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury.
Charlotte, Statesville and Asheville
as stars that glimmer in its crown of
rejoicing. Tell me if you please
where numerous stars gather in tie
coronet ofany railroad. Mr.. President
pardon me for saying that in nv
opinion, the railroads of this country
serve higher purpose than in acting
as mere channel through which the
commerce of the world GIBBS and
flows.
Standing here tonight have no
hesltancy in saying that | an glad
that no single star is missed from the
oonny blue flag. am glad it waves
over united and happy people. |
love every nook and corner of this
world. l care not whether it is the
bleak and barren hills Of New England,
whether 1t is the rich, rolling hills and
valleys OF our own loved North Caro-
INA or The evergreen glades of Florida.
love the broad rolling Mississippi
where 1t rises in the distant West until
1t loses itself in the Gulf of Mexico.
Gentlemen, with regard to the South
along this line, its energy and enter
prise has been marvellous and without