Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-23
THE STATES NEEDS.
An Address Delivered by a COL
cred Citizen.
A Tribute to Homo Tho State Loved for
Her Conservatism A Coronet of Natur-
al Endowment. Men With Muscles are
Needed.
(Raleish Post)


State Senator T. o. Fuller (colored), of
Warren county.
Being a citizen of North Carolina
am deeply interested in her material as
we'll as moral and intellectual develop
ment Whatever of prosperity comes to
the State benefits the humblest as well
as the most exalted citizen. Whatever
hindrances impede her progress in n
certain measure affect us all. The SUBJ
Ject of this address was inspired by n
rove for the commonwealth. And VINO
Is he who does not love his State? l
ioVe North Carolina because it is my
home and the home of my parents. In
was here that 1 first saw the light OF
day. 1t was here that the powers or
my mind Were first awakened and en-
abled me to see the hand of God in the
physical universe. Home has charms.
possessed by no other place. There
may be family differences. but they do
not destroy the attachment to the old
homestead with its familiar hearth
stone. love North Carolina for her
conservatism. She has been the great
balance wheel in the upheavaiS of the
past. but always loyal to her concep-
ton of duty. When the thirteen weak
colonies were chatting under the evils
of oppression by foreign power, North
Carolina was loyal to the crown as
the time had fully come she was first
to break allegiance with the mother
country and gave the first Declaration
of Independence. When the civil war
had been declared North Carolina
chung to the Union until asked by the
general government to take up arms
against her sister States. But when She
sided with the seeding States her SOL
dierS won the brightest laurels in that
severe struggle. At times our people
q ORC flxr rs 9SiOn and SQntl-
ment, yet I have faith in the ultimate
triumph of conservative Ideas. The
spirit of Vance. whose monument
stands at the eastern gate of our capi-
tol, may yet arouse that great principle
of humanity to man and the equality
Of human rights.
They tell us that there is calm be-
meath the heaving pillows OF the trou-
bled sea. Let us hope so. But ap-
propriating the words of patriotic
American when a Spanish notiiia was
seeking the destruction of our sea
coast cities, my country. may she al
ways be right. but right or wrong. my
country"
North Carolina stands to-day richly
adorned with brilliant coronet of nat
ural endowments. From the surging
pillows of the ocean to cloudy submits
of the mountains there is every variety
of climate which pre- eminently fits
North Carolina for the home OF my
people. We have summer resorts and
winter resorts for those whose limited
means prevent them from enjoying the
luxuries of Florida or New England.
Behold her sounds teeming with fish
of every kind; her hills and mountains
with every variety of mineral product;
her forests shaded with the most use
full timbers: her Embarrassed rivers
whose rapids press with three and one
half million horse power; her soil pro-
n ri
product, with health-giving water
creeping from beneath her hills. These
go to make North Carolina the grand
est in the constellation of States. Let
us concur with CASTOR when he says:
Cardinal Cardinal!
Heavens blessings attend her.
While we live we will cherich. protect
and defend her.
The scorners may sneer at. and wit
lings defame her,
Still our hearts swell with Joy when
ever we name her."
With all this brilliant array Of nat
ural wealth you are doubtless asking,
What does North Carolina need?" I
answer:
Our State needs men. Not that spe-
cies described by the Grecian philo-
sopher when he said: Man is an ami
NAL without feathers and that walks
upright" And while we canaot-full,,
concur in the definition, yet we must
agree that there are too many human
beings in our country to-day whose
only claim to manhood is that they are
without feathers and walk upright"
Our State needs men with muscles.
She needs physical giants to unlock
the great store house of wealth. The
magnificent forests must be converted
into useful timber for use in building
our homes, towns and cities and mines
must be made to yield up their rich
treasures of gold, iron and other useful
minerals. Railways must be built to
facilitate commerce. and county roads
must be SO improved as to invite travel
into the rural districts and prosperous
farms with diversified crops must take
the place of our lien and rent system
If we would meet the demand of our
rapidly increasing population. Thou
sands of strong men have left the
ranks OF the producers and may be
found in our cities engaged in every
work from that of the boot black to |
the speculator in futures and stocks |
We are educating Away from labor and |
the numbers of producers is growing |
unhappily less. This condition must |
change. or our fabulous wealth can
not be utilized and poverty will soon
Shame us in the eyes of the world |
The day approaches when all classes |
OF iaborers must understand the |
science of their work. Native genius |
must NOT be left alone. The cook must
know something of the chemistry of |
food. The nurse must know something |
of physiology and hygieDe. The host
Ter should understand the breed and |
diseases of horses. The dairyman must |
know what affects milk and poisons
the butter. The carpenter must know |
something of the pressure of the air |
as well as the strength of his timbers. |
who nfferc n lnl in
must be master of his trade. North |
Carolina is Offering such training in |
her Agricultural and Mechanical Col
lege. and YOU do the State n service hv |