The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-07-16
The Impressions Made, Upon Him
by His Tour Through the
Southern and western
States We're Favor
able He Says.

II
1p cs,':' r;'s him Of By 'ys a s:x re;
York World, some days ago, he is re
ported as having expressed himself as
follows:
"My journey was, Of course, an i'm
portant event in my life. AS work
ing lawyer whose face has been, SO to
speak, held closely to the grindstone
of active practice, l have not had the
time | would have liked to spend in
travel. My travel to the South and to
the Pacific country, therefore, was a
source of daily surprises, and | enjoyed
keen sense of enjoyment and gratifi-
cation from the beginning to the end.
The mountain regions ofthe Carolinas,
of Tennessee and of Georgia, with the
new industrial communities which
have sprung into existence, cannot fail
to interest the visitor from other sec
tions of the country. the importance
of the manufacturing towns should not
be underestimated. They afford a
vision Of the great South that is to
come, a South of increased industry,
prosperity and material wealth. Places
like Chattanooga and Birmingham
will become greater and greater as
time passes, and there are those alive
to-day who may behold another Pitts
burg in either of them.
"The reception | received was a
tribute of respect to the presidential
office and of hospitality and courteey
towards the individual. | can say,
without reservation, that from first to
last | was received with kindness by
everybody. AS l strain my memory
and review everything, there was moth
ing that occurred that was unpleasant
or annoying during my tour in that
portion of the country that is polltl-
calIy opposed to me. | recall on sew
eral occasions that small boys ran out
and shouted, How are you, Benz
with knowing looks on heir eager
childish faces. | refer to this to illus
trate how observant tried to be.
"When decided to 90 South | re-
solved to speak just as freely as l
would in Indiana. l did not propose
to enter into controversies or discus
sions but if in the course Of remarks
made to me in public | saw anything
that | thought it was my duty to an
swer, | would do SO without hesitation.
"Permit me to say that the regard
for the national emblem-the flag of
a common country-which | every
where beheld, was very agreeable. The
men of the South realize to-day as
they never did before that we have in
the United States great and power
full nation of which they are proud. 1t
is no longer, as formerly, i am Car
olinian,' Il am Georgian, or Il am
an Alabaman , it is instead, Il am a
citizen of the United States Not
that those who say this regard their
native State a whit the less, for the
love of the commonwealth remains
fixed in the Southern mind, as we all
know. The changes are step in the
universal progress which we, as Amer
leans, are experiencing, and [ was glad
and proud to recognize this tendency.
"The old time Southerner generally
led an agricultural life on his land,
surrounded by different followers. He
rode about, viewed his possessions, and,
being thrown largely upon his own re-
sources, thought much; his mental
vision sought not to cross the bounda-
ries of his state. Now this Southern
man is inclined to look beyond, and
beholding the grandeur of the collected
states, is Influenced thereby. All OF
which argues we'll for the future.
"Nearly all of the states | visited
appeared extremely prosperous.
"As l approached nearer and nearer
to Texas l became more impressed by
the opportunities which are enjoyed
and are becoming appreciated by the
people. The agricultural riches OF the
upper portion of the Lone Star State,
and the commercial future OF the
lighter -soiled regions near the coast
were carefully noted, with a rapidly
increasing population and growing un-
derstanding of the growing possibilities
that time will realize, | see unlimited
prosperity for them. Within her Dor
ders | was received with warm hospl-
tality by the Texans, and my trip
down through the midland to Calves
ton was characterized by a general
welcome from all. At Houston l was
received by committee from Calves
ton. and was somewhat prepared by
them for the fattering demonstrations
of my reception. My remarks upon
reciprocity and on the development OF
the trade of Galveston, which ought to
follow, among other things the much
needed harbor improvements, were
the theme of my earnest conversations.
| uttered some very strong words con
cerning the need of improvement OF
waterways for Galveston, which sub
sequent reflection has intensified.