The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-04-24
INDEBTEDNESS OF NATIONS.

INDEBTEDNESS OF NATIONS.
Mr.. EDITOR Emotions are involved
as well as individuals-yet individuals
find in it a disgrace nations a power
for union. Beneficial results accrue
from such failure as governments I'M
dergo when it launched upon the sea
| of international and domestic indepen-
dence. In this sense can failure be said
to lack the cradle of greatness. For
out of that debt which clings with
deadly energy comes forth a strength
of enduring tenacity and power. Some
nations will never pay their debts,
England, for example, has a bonded
indebtedness of s., 500, 600, 900 in con
nection with Ireland and Scotland.
Should she never liquidate this enor-
nous fund she will yet demonstrate to
the world the cohesive power Of such
immense values when applied to ma
tional process. Thus in sthe history of
the old world and the new, interna-
tional independence has become a pro-
moter-a potent factor-and Bond Of
Union. In the debt of the United
States we see such a factor. To those
t~housandsof boys in gray who returned
home from the %battlefields of the civil
war ''came in failure and not in sue
cess, come in defeat and not in vic
tory" The Indebtedness of the nation
proved an invaluable agency, for it
guaranteed to them protection from
the lawless hand of violence. Now the
fruits of debtor would be respected
under the aid of those who had met
foemen worthy of their steel, who
now unwilling to see that government
fall whose Indebtedness to them was a
cause of it's support. Then they who
had seen their star of success sink in
the gloom of Appomattox, found a
new destiny by making a friend of
TOLL From that hour the brain, the
arm, the thinker, the warrior sought
for the highest development of the
commonwealth. Now the Southland
CLOVIS with energy of progression.
Industry broke her shackles and evolu-
ton wrought wondrous strides in
achievement. In the climbing of a
thousand shuttles, the ringing of q mil
lion anvils, the freedman told his tale
of new-found liberty. Then blossomed
forth a New South-sprang phoenix
like from the ashes of disaster and de-
feat. Then through the million ave-
nues of industry poured the wealth of
Northern Golfers. "Give us your sons
as hostages" said the South, and this
appeal was followed by a rush of i'm
migration. Now from every portion
Of the vast Southern empire came the
cry "tools and the man." Then the
tools were placed in action upon the
fields of national development. The
horizon of industry rapidly enlarged
within it were produced art, science,
religion, Observation-Disclosures of a
common parent.
"Co-equal with the birth of a reform
is that of it's leader" At that time
there came into the South a new life,
a pleading voice, and that voice was
Henry Wooden Grady. To him the
Southland owes much, for he was the
honored advancer of her interests, His
voice was for the people, his sympa-
thies with them. Like Abraham Lin
coin he was the typical American citi-
zen. 1t was his sympathy for the down
trodden that made up the sum of his
greatness. Witness his calling to-
gether the newsboys of Atlanta for the
preparation of a Thanksgiving dinner
shortly before his death. Such was
one of those men who helped mould the
destiny of the NeV South.
From all chaos and all disorder,
from all gloom and all defeat came
forth the song Of progress and con-