The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-03-04
THE LAND FOR HOME-SEEkERS.
The Condition of the South Becoming
Better Known to Northern Set
tiers.
Wilmington Messenger

north coming TO cast their destlnrs
with the people. North Carolina sec
ond to none in natural advantages and
inviting opportunities, has had some
influx, but the ou,go OF natives is too
large for very much increase in popn-
lation. The south is very favorable
land for people with means who live
in the bleak, cold North. Here the
farmers may work more than eleven
months in the year out Of doors The
exodus from the frigid Northwest has
not been SO large as one nigh, reason
ably expect. If tens of thousands
would come this year they could find
desirable lands, very cheap, and nn,
distant from railroads. But the advAn
tages are not limited to profitable
farming. There are good schools for
children, churches close at hand, and
a delightful climate. There are many
opportunities to engage in business Of
some kinds, and new ways to be
opened.
There have been discouraging things
said Of the South by hostile Northern
prints and no little Misrepresentation
is made by designing writer's. A vis',
in person TO the South is quite apt TO
dispel prejudice and show that the
liars are not to be trusted. There will
be more general movement after
awhile. The real advantages offered
in the South will be better understood.
Northern prejudice will more and more
die out, and by A. d. 1910, we may
anticipate great influx Of northern
men, ard among them hundreds of
capitalists seeking cotton milling,
mining, etc.
The unmistakable progress in the
South as to cotton manufacturing is SO
we'll known in the North now, and
specially in New England, that it is
not improbable that many plants will
be started here by 1900 and by men
who are now manufacturing in the
Middle and New England States. 1t
pays to bring mills to the cotton.
In the Baltimore monthly called the
Southern States Michigan farmer
writes as follows:
Livery farme' in my neighborhood
wishes to sell and get away. Southern
vegetables and fruits have ruined our
markets for these products. We cannot
compete with region that can~grow
two crops of potatoes in one year on
the same land and in which the farmer
can live onethird cheaper than he can
in Michigan.
The New England writer, newspa
pers and manufacturers have resisted
per,lnaclously and vigorously the idea
that the South had any real advantage
over New England in cotton milling
Among the wise men who fought the
idea was Edward Atkinson, an eccen-
trio dabbler into political science and
a theorizer on paper. He spurned the
opinion and showed his breadth o
vision and soundness Of information
Other men more practical, more dis
cerning have found out better, and
know that the South does have real and
important advantages over that popu
lar and very rich section as to the
great manufacturing industry. Still
the concession is not general. Ephriam
| is still welded to his idol, and blinded
| newspapers cup there publish state
| ments as to the South that are as absurd
as ignorant. The Boston Transerib
is one of these ignoramuses and insist:
that the South lacks skilled labor and
management, and, therefore, will
| never be able to compete with the
wide-awake, experienced, energetic
New England. That is our language
in Interpretation of its contention, sc
faluousi land futile. 1t even asserts des
titution down this way Of capacity tc
organize and develop and manage
The hundreds Of excellently operated
mills in North Carolina and n,hel
Southern States, show the folly OF such
an assertion, and in fact exhibit a:
consummate mastery OF detail anC
| genius for management as New Eng
land could exhibit. Referring to TIN:
bald and unsustained claim for New
England's great supply of managing
talent and the Sou,hs grea, des,i,u.ior
the Charleston Nez0s and Courier {
day or SO since SAID this:
| "rhere is a statement in our New
berry correspondence to-day which
will make our Boston contemporar,
dizzy. In Newberry the other day ;
native Of that town was applied ,C
take the place Of weave room bos
made vacant by the resignation Of
skilled Northern worker. d. A. Tom
kins, Of Charlotte, a native Of ,hi
State knows as much about the sclenc,
and practice Of cotton manufacturing
as the sharpest Yankee in New Eng
land. James l.. Orr, native, is tn
successful manager of Piedmont mills
Ellison Smith, native, is managing
with great prof; the PeIzer mills
George Coffin, a native, is maklni
money at Enoree. W. A. Courtenay
a native, has one Of the finest and Ues
mills 10 the South at Newry. W. B
Smith Whaley, a native, is making
grea, success of his mills at Columbia.
We venture to say that there are nov
a score Of men in North Carolina VIII,
could ea,ily take control Of New Eng
lands best plants and work them a
safely and prof,ably as the presen
managers. They are in all the South
| ern States.