The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-01-12

stu, instead of from a distance, where
they do not have to bear the conse-
quences. Where created wealth is
scarce. there is "A fine chance tn crca;e
wealth. Young man. go south"
is good advice now; in he twentieth
century it will be shouted from la.
housetops.
OF course, the transports Of the
jubilee being over, we shall have to
return to our ordinary and less sub
lime methods. Nature. which has
made cur minds 50 diversed, and
which makes our rivalry the whet-
stone of excellence, will not permit
US with impunity to step aside often
to let our brother pass before us; our
brother too easily gets into the habit
Of it. All of us now living have sur
yiveh because our ancestors were
fighters; no wonder the spirit Of self
assertion is still SO strong. Bat shall
we not apply the golden rule at least
once in century, even in politics?
Corporation is at least as important
a factor now as competition. 4 dis
tingushed authority says: Nations
are never gentlemen" Are we con-
tent to have this said of our nation?
.sAryann means .'eleyated;" let US be
worthy of the name.
Of the discussion which must pre-
cede the realization OF the plan, one
can think not without anxiety. Every
Thereafter will think it a splendid OPP
portunity to buster. Violent men
always speak loud while moderate
men are silent. Judging by a brief
inquiry, the writer is led to believe
that nine out of ten persons in the
North will favor the proposal; bat
the tenth may shout loud enough
to draw the voice of the nine. Let
every moderate man, then, make
up his mind to be heard at least
once in century. To this end meet
ings should be held, articles written,
letters sent to newspapers. All
reference to the causes Of the civil
war should be avoided as scrupulously
as the discussion Of irrecOncilabie
religious differences is avoided by
welI-mannered people. One exception
may be made. The principal cause,
namely. the fact that each section
misunderstood the other, can hardly
be restated too often.
Many readers will probably say that
such a suggestion could only be made
by one having no practical acquaint-
ance with politics and to whom the
feelings engendered by the war were
never brought home personally.
Such in fact is the ease. /; is easy
to preach reconciliation when one has
| not been a party to the strife. This
must be the excuse for the proposa al
which, while appearing to the writer
by no means hopeless, ia view Of the
facts within hi, knowledge, may be
| utterly absurd in view OF facts be-
yond his ken.
+NoTH. -The above was in print
when the following item appeared in
tAe New York Times. The movement
OF which it speaks would 10 doubt
receive a powerful impulse from the
measure here proposed:
'.While the people 81 the United
States are preparing, with emotions
somewhat complex. to make the best
OF an outlying empire or two which
they have more or less voluntarily ac-
Guirel, il seems that the inhabitants
Of certain other countries are watch
ing the proceeding, not with anger
toward us, but with decided envy Of
our new and not too contented wards.
We are not referring to the British
West Indies, for, though they have
talked Il good deal about desire to
cast their lot in with us, every body
knows that this was merely conversa-
ton, sincere only SO far as it might
have an effect on Parliament and the
Colonial Office. But down in South
America, report has it, there is a feel
ing of new but vigorous growth that
annexation by the United States is a
far from lamentable fate, everything
considered, and that Puerto Rico and
the Philippines are going to enjoy adj
vantages not to be secured under the
harsh rule Of military dictators. This
sentiment has taken the form of real
movement in Venezuela. The Mexi-
can Herald quotes from aprivate letter
written by prominent citizen of
Caracas: 1t is surprising to observe
the effect of American expansion
among the intelligent and thinking
classes here. Many seem to believe
it will be but question of time be-
| fore this country and the other repub-
| lies which border on the Caribbean
| Sea will be annexed. In fact there is
an undercurrent of feeling that such
a happening would not be bad. after
all. 1t would not be surprising be-
fore long to see open advocates of an
| neXatiOn.''
1921 f. ST., Washington, D. G.