The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-05-18
THE PRESS AND THE STATE.

viii bt lfCl'i WIN IHt'i''L anu tINb'ui
and as it is in the nature Of editorial
matter it is inserted here:
Many years ago there was a country
pcOpled only by savages. 1t contained
the most fertile soil it had Il variety OF
climate, including the most genial: ITS
mountains were OF giant size; it had val
l"y5 OF exceeding loneliness; its scenery
was the grdndcSt upon the lace OF the
earth. In its forests We're the most or
uaIncntal as we'll as the most useful OF
woods among it rocks the most precious
Of minerals; there was gold and silver,
coal and iron, granite and even precious
stones.
But Of what value was all this proiuse
wealth OF nature while the country was
prOpicd only by savages? Since the dawn
OF creation it had yielded nothing of per-
mancnt value; the winter SHOWS and
summer suns saw little change. Com
pared with the present uses OF men these
fertile fields were as deserts, for all their
products We're az flowers that are born
to blush unseen. Well, this land | speak
OF remained to be advertised, and its first
advertiser was Christopher Columbus.
In its natural resources the America OF
his day was the America Of our day, but,
behold, how changed, The art Of print
lng had been invented Il little while before
the discovery OF this new world, but the
press, as that word is now significant,
was not yet born.
1t was some three and half centuries
before the gold OF California, the silver OF
Nevada, the copper OF Montana, became
known to the world, and men cmigrated
to the far West, DIS they did to the shores
,f
founded, and Sir Waiter Raleigh sent his
first colony to what is now the Old North
State.
It is within he memory Of us all-for
it WAS during the decade preceding the
taking OF tn" last census-that various
parts Of the nit"d States had enOr
lnOuSIy rapid dev"lOpmcnt-SO rapid and
in 50 brief IL time that even to the pro-
@r"s-iyc modern American it seemed al
most incredible. Within a year has
American enterprise transformed pas
turc into a city with paved streets,
banks, schools, churches and electric
roads. One city in the South is said to
in ten years, while one in the West in
creased its population five thousand per
cent.
Now submit to YOU that these things
could not have been accomplished with
out the modern press, and this miracle
OF cities built in Il day had its foundation
or main reliance on that other miracle
the Press. Indeed, such is the necessity
OF the newspaper i'll developing the re-
sources OF u State, or Il part OF it, that
toWn-buld"rs regard newspaper as an
essential aid. u necessary adjunct, OF
their enterprise. They establish the news
paper shortly after laying off the town
lots and charge It's expense account on
the books OF the land and development
company. The tOWn-builder, therefore,
locks upon the press as prior in point OF
necessity to the bank, the school house,
the church and the other cOncOmitants
OF II progressive village or town. Not
OnIT this, but these tOWn-bulderS had
Ir"vlOus V paid tribute to the press, and
IN Inc newspapers of the large cities had
presented the advantages OF their own
particular Qualities.
Before the town is built-while there
ar" but stakes to mark Off the town lots
the modern town builder recognizes
t g. press as an aid in developing the re-
sources OF his section. After the town is
built the people therein recognize the
valu" of their home paper by the most
liberal patronage; and | notice in all
such towns in the West and North what
| would like to see more generally
throughout the SOuth-that every pro-
i-SsiOn. every bank, almost every bus
mess and manufacturing enterprise is IL
/ patron OF the advertising columns of the
/ home newspaper.
What is the press? 1t may be likened
| to & multiplication of the human voice :;
| and if tn" press OF North Carolina is
| doing its full duty there are thousands
| OF voices every day and every week pro-
! claiming in whole or in part hemanifold
advantages OF this old North State.
/ | believe in the press. believe it to be
| the chief means OF developing the re-
sources OF II State for it is the source of
| information, the guide Of its readers,
| their counsellor and their friend.
An invention locked up in the brain of
an Edison is without present value; q
mountain OF iron or a bed of gold is of
| little consequence until it is made known
to the world. Then does it become val
liable and where nature has deposited
her favorS in much prOfusiOn there does
man build the city, adOrn his home erect
the school house, build a church, and
civilization has another firm support
where she places another milestone i'll
the path of progress. And it is absolutely
certain that the progress, the develop
| mcnt OF n community, is next to impOS-
| sible without the heralding and trum-
pctinG OF the press.
Now, what have we as North Carolina
journalists to do in the way of develop
| ing the resources of our Statec We have
much to do, for our State is not sutfi-
| GENTLY known in other sections of this
| Union or abroad. Moreover, it is safe to
say that if our newspapers do nothing,
| nothing will be done. TO be practical in
these remarks, we should never fail to
make note OF Il new enterprise, to convey
| through our columns such information
as will lead to better cultivation of the
soil and Il more thorough exploitation
and development of our natural re-
sources. Nor should we be 10th to praise
the advantages OF other portions of our
State than our own, for we are all fellow
| citizens OF great and beautiful com.
mOnWealth, and the welfare of every part
OF it Is our welfare too.
In all matters of this sort | believe in
pcrsistcncy \ single drop OF water makes
no impression on a rock, but multitudes
OF drops OF water will wear away a spot
in any stone. SO, | repeat, we can not
be too persistent. We can turn the at
tcntion OF people to a given object: that
may he only temporary; but by our OWL
persistence-our repeated efforts-we can
compel people to think about it. AnC
this, to my mind. should not be lost
sight OF. 1t will succeed on the principle
OF the advertiser that excepting everlast
lngly at it brings success
| beseech YOU as North Carolinians tc
show your reverence and your admira
tlon for this grand Old State-its males
tie mountains that mingle with the clouds
and seem at times to reach the blue
vaults of Heaven itself; its many rivers
as they seek the sea, sometimes display
ing the capricious fancy of playful nature
and III some places willing to be har
messed so that their power may be trans
mltted to the needs of man: its nObl,
forests containing in greater variety
than any other State of the American
no s T.,