The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-04-06

related the incident except with re-
quirement Of secrecy"
Captain Kane has been stationed at
the Brooklyn navy yard for nearly
year. He received his commission as
chaplain in 1868, although during the
war he acted as minister when there
wasn't fighting to do.
One of his closest friends through
out the war was Admiral Porter, who
planned with him daring attempt to
blow up the confederate flagship
Alexandria, commanded by Admiral
Semmes, OF Alabama fame
THE CONVENTION OF SOUTHERN
GOVERNORS.
In his inaugural address at Charles
ton, on March 4th, Governor VIM. A.
MacCorkle, of West Virginia, ex-
pressed his hearty sympathy with the
object OF the approaching convention
of Southern Governors to be held
April II in Richmond, Va. In order
to speed the development of the South
it is desired, among other things, to
inaugurate concerted movement tor
the promotion of immigration from
the North and Southwest. The time
has arrived for such a movement. The
tide that formerly flowed SO steadily
to the West and Northwest is now
stayed. The attractions in those
directions are not SO great as they
were, and enterprsing men are look
ing for opportunities in other quarters.
Not only has the westward now been
arrested, says Governor MacCorkle,
but "at this time the reflex tide of
immigration is again directed to the
South and Southwest and away from the
Northwest. 1t is for the leading men
of the South, by suitable effort, to
give new direction to this "reflex
tide" The Richmond convention
will give progressive men with pro-
gressive ideas an audience capable of
appreciating and applying with pros
poets of success the suggestions they
may have to offer for the attainment of
the general desire.
Governor MacCorkle expresses a
special interest in the small land
owner and actual settler" West
Virginia needs to be on its guard, he
thinks, if it is to escape having Gland
problem" such as has been plagung
Ireland for SO many centuries. The
extent and cheapness of the mineral
lands and timber lands of the State
have tempted iron-kings, lumber
kings and other big capitalists of
Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio to
buy vast areas. These aliens do not
reside on their estates, but hold them
for rise Many Of them, owning
similar properties elsewhere, which
have larger present value, are
interested to prevent the growth of
competition in West Virginia and
other States of the South. What they
own in the South they own for the
protection of their larger interests in
other sections. They are accordingly
not helps, but positive and intentional
hindrances to the development of the
Souths natural resources. There are,
no doubt, exceptions, but it is unques-
tiona5ly the fact that local enterprise
is in many regions checked and
paralyzed by want Of interest on the
part of absent land owners in local
development.
The nature of the problem is best
described in the Governors own
words: "The State" he says, " is
rapidly passing under the control Of
large foreign and nonresident land
owners. We welcome into our State
the immigrant who comes to US with
the idea of home-seeking and home
building with all its profits to the State,
with its family ties, with its clearing
of the forests, its building of church
and school house, its expenditure of all
that is made in our State and its
exercise of citizenship. But the men
who to-day are purchasing the immense
areas of the most valuable lands in the
State are not citizens, and have only
purchased in order that they may
carry to their distant homes in the
North the usufruct of the lands of
West Virginia, thus depicting the State
Of its wealth to build grandeur and
splendor in other States. In a few
years at the present rate of progress
we will occupy the same position Of
vassalage to the North and East that
Ireland does to England, and, 10
some extent, for the same reasons. l
do not in any way wish 10 be under
stood as decrying incoming wealth or
offering obstruction to its advent in
our midst, but believe that West
Virginia, the South and Southwest
should take steps to bring into their
borders the small immigrant or home
builder, and thus, by the actual
settlers efforts, our lands will be
developed, those living upon them and
spending in our State the fruits of our
mines, forests and fields. The effort
should be made by US to bring the
small settler as we'll as the large land
owner, but not one to the exclusion Of
: the other"
The problem here outlined is not
confined to West Virginia. 1t is
found in the West as we'll as in the
South. The best solution of it, Gov
ernor MacCorkle thinks, is the incom-
ing of "the small landowner and
actual settler" He will, accordingly,
"offer any assistance" in his power
"to legislative or other action" look
ing to the promotion Of an influx OF
actual settlers from other States. The