The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-04-27
THE SOUTH.
A FUTURE FULL OF BRIGHT
NESS.
Two Important Conventions
Working With the Same Object
in View, viz: The Evolution Of
the Southern States.
winston Sentinel.1

holding their convention at Washing
ton, the Southern Governors are in
conference at Richmond. Both bodies
have at heart the same interests, are
working for one and the same object.
viz: the evolution of the South
The Z" new" South, as we are so
fond OF styling her, is progressive.
Her days of prejudice and conserva
tism are over. Her people, largely
descended from staunch revolutionary
stock, are thoroughly American, and
the spirit of enterprise which is ami
mating her leading men, and prompt
ing them to devise methods of devel-
oping her myriad resources, is an
earnest of the brilliant future which
awaits her.
The advent of favorable admins
tratlon with its assured freedom from
force bills, and threats of interference
in domestic affairs; the impending dis
solution of the Mckinley tariff, and
the melting Of those clouds of uncer.
tainty which FOR time obscured her
civil and political outlook, have in
spired the South with renewed hope.
She is now resolved to advance, and
with one blow to serve the Gordan
Knot which has SO long bound the
wheels of her progress.
Another source of encouragement
for the South, as we'll as for the coun-
try in general, is the bright financial
situation, as reviewed by the Financial
Chronicle of New York in its issue of
the Sth. The feeling of distrust and
alarm which prevailed in business
circles toward the close of Harrison's S
administration, has given place to one
OF hopeful coincidence. There has
been an increase, the Chronicle states,
in the treasury of gold holdings, and
in the total money holdings, an in
crease in the available cash balance,
an increase Of the governments reve-
nues, with surplus of revenues above
disbursements, and decrease in the
nations indebtedness.
With other parts of our land, the
Southern States have suffered from the
financial stagnation which is the in
"vtablc resultant of booms. Bat that
fever and its reaction are about over,
and the lessons which it taught, it is
to be hoped, are thoroughly assimi-
lated.
The South must depend on immi-
grafton for the development mt of its re-
sources. Slavery prevented immigra-
tion, and sealed the doom of native
enterprise. Industry advanced only
with the growth of the slave population,
being dependent solely on their labor.
Thus it is that vast regions Of fertile
and densely tmbered soil have re-
mained untouched and untitled to this
very day. In our own state vast min
eral wealth lies hidden in mountain
store houses, awaiting the "opening
sesame" of enterprising capital to
swing back the doors and reveal its
treasures.
The North is no; prejudiced toward
the South. Northern people are simply
ignorant Of the superior natural ad
vantages, and the wonderful possibili
ties of this beautiful region, which like
a modest maiden has never vaunted
her charms. The action taken by the
gubernatorial convention will turn on
the search light Tliey propose to
issue paper setting forth the riches of
the whole Southern country, its min
eral and agricultural wealth, and the
social, religious, moral and intellec-
tual status of its people. This paper
sealed with the official stamp Of these
chiet executives of the Southern States,
and SO clothed in authority, can not
fail to do wonders toward informing
the North, East and West of the golden
opportunities lying at their gates. But
what shall be said Of its influence and
power as compared with that of the
thousands of Southern newspapers
which daily find their way to every
part of the Union?
BY concerted effort, can not the
press do more to promote the interests
of the South than almost any other
agent?