The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-26
EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS
Farmers EmAncipating Themselves
From Vassalage to Tobacco Trust.
MODERN AND FAST TRAINS ON S. A. |.
The Olivia Raney Library a Beautiful Gift.
The Vance Monument and Mr.. Battle.
Raleigh Delightful Resi-
derce City.
Cumberland, Md. August 20.


Cumberland, Md. August %.
Editor News and Observer:
You may remember when we parted a
few week ago in your office, at your re-
quest. l promised on my return trip to
write you a few lines, in which might
be suggested the impressions worthy Of
note-made on the mind of a native
North Carolinian upon his return 10 the
scenes of his boyhood and early manhood
after an absence during this electric age.
Pending the white heat of the late cam
paign, so naturally and properly busy
safeguarding the purity Of the ballot and
in elevating the standard of citizenship
and social life, that but little time was
left them for reading such letter as this
must needs be- Happily the struggle is
over None like it, save that between
Vance and Settle and that of 1860, do
recall (and l voted for James Buchanan
in 1860, while in point Of lasting import
Ence, tar-reaching consequences, in
blessed results-none in the history Of
the State has equaled it. The God OF
cur Anglo Saxon fathers has vouchsafed
their descendants a notable victory, the
aftermath, OF which I am persuaded will
be richly crowned by high courage tenn
pered by discreet justice and a patient
forbearance and magnanimous helpful
ness to that race which served so admir-
ably on the old plantations before the
war, and which has done nothing OF their
own accord TO change the relations which
then so happily existed. | am firmly per-
suaded that all will go we'll with both
races under that regime, in which virtue
and intelligence will be dominant factors
in the cid States future.
Coming back to the State in the soil Of
which the bones of my ancestry have
been bleaching since the settlement OF
Newbern, il was both natural and health
full that my interest should be quiciiened
to note the changes which had occurred
during my ,absence. Noting these care
fully, l Shall give them in the order of
their prominence.
1st. l could but observe some mark
ed signs of Improvement in the tillage
| the system OF husbandTy and in both
| the reduced acreage under cultivation
and the mixed crops introduced. The
| repairs of outbuildings, the painting up
Of the homestead and the improved con-
| dftion of the stock-all went to show that
many of the farmers had received what
| they so much needed-the better price
| for t!:eir cotton which always comes
when due regard is had to the healthful
relation between supply and demand, one
OF the few basic principles Of political
| economy. l found a steadily decreasing
| breadth Of acreage given to tobacco, and
| this from a settled determination to
| break up the long continued serfdom OF
| the North Carolina tobacco farmer or
| planter ff YOU please so to word it) 10
| these heartless trusts which have so long
| transformed the honest sweat drops OF
the farmer into bonds or diamonds, max
| ing the heads Of this trust such influen-
| tial agencies in the change OF Mckinley
! Porto Rican Tariff Of the last Congress
. / found a growing interest in educa-
! tion, as well in its more elemental
forms in the common or public schools
| as in those supported by the State and
| the various branches of His church who
| was at once earths greatest teacher and
preacher. l learned with great pleasure
of the growing usefulness CT the State
| University, OF the A. and NJ. College ir
your city and of the steady healthfu
| progress Of Wake Forest, Davidson and
| Trinity and in fine Of all the schools In
the State as well the noble old schoo
in Salem as st. Marys, Raleigh, tn.
Baptist Female College and the Louis
burg Female College, of which my oil
University comrades OF the early fftic;
is the honored and useful president
These signs, these better than signs
these proofs of prosperity gave me no lit
tie pleasure. and l could but think coult
Gen. Robert r. Lee come back TO lif.
how gladly would he recognize tha. tn
State which stood by him so nobly on s.
many battlefields was largely profitinj
by the silent, yet deathless influence O
the last five years OF his own life, whcl
Is college president at Lexington. Va
he taught that the culture OF the min
and soul OF man was the very MOBILES
employment OF life. Gladly should "
| Southern people (aad in broader sense
we AmericaDs) recognize the fact tina
the NOnpariel of all the centurie
| with Vance and Grady, is not dead but b.
their deathless examples are structure
in the betterment Of their own people
| So much for the schools and education
g. Coming into the State from Nor
folk. Va. by the Seaboard Air Line rail
road. one of the first things that strucl
me was the very remarkable change y