The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-07-11
Home Capital Doing 1t.
FORCES THAT ARE MAKING FOR THE up
BUILDING OF THE SOUTHLAND.

fuhOCo iTlHi HhC WHhiNo run INT UF
BUILDING OF THE SOUTHLAND.
The Fact AbundantIy Demonstrated
That the South Has Worked Out Its
Own Industrial Salvatlon-StillO Op.
portunity for Greater Development
and Safe and Profitable investment
Is Offered Outside Capital In Enter.
prises That are Beyond Experiment.
Raleigh Times
We have heard so much Of the de-
velopment of the South by Northern
capital that it is time a word of pro-
test was entered. lest the people mis-
take the forces that are working for
the upbuilding of the South. We
appreciate the Northern capital that
is coming to us, and we want more of
it, we welcome and solicit it. But
something must be said about what
the people of the South are themselves
doing for the development of their
section. For many years North Caro-
lima sat in the midst Of her agricul-
tural poverty and industrial lethargv.
and plead for Northern capital" 10
come down and develop the State.
But her Pleadings fell on deaf ears
and the money from the rich and
populous North came not. Then
there arose race of men who de-
cided that If our industries were to
be developed and our resources util-
lied, it must be by ourselves. These
men took up the task that looked so
unpromising and united the few
dollars they had to harness streams
and build factories. Out of these
small beginnings have come the great
industries that now make North Caro-
lima the leading manufacturing State
of the South. Out of a single little
factory at Haw River has been de-
veloped the thirty three big mills Of
Alamance. In Charlotte, in Gastonia,
in Durham and other towns the
profits from the smaller mills have
built larger ones, and the example OF
these centres has been followed by
other towns until now North Caro-
lima has in operation 265 factories
that use cotton in some form, spin
ming. weaving, dyeing and finishing
the cloth for market making yarns,
sheetinGs, denims, cottonades, weav-
ing carpets, knitting hosiery and
underwear-until the State now con-
sumes every bale of cotton it pro-
duces. When a thorough investiga-
tion was made four years ago it was
found that 95 per cent. of the entire
industry was owned by North Caro-
linians. Nearly every member of the
Southern Spinners' Association owns
and manages his own mill.
From the same small beginnings
came the tobacco industry, which has
assumed vast proportions. The
largest cigarette factory and largest
smoking tobacco factory in the world
are in Durham, the largest plug fac.
tory in Winston. The head OF the
immense tobacco combinations is q
North Carolinian whose father beat
out his first smoking tobacco with 9
fail on barn floor, and who has by
his genius risen to the head OF the
worlds tobacco industry. Many oI
the ingenius machines that pack
case, label tobacco and turn it into
various forms, and the bag making
machines are North Carolina inven.
! tions
Truck farming and the growing oil
fruits and berries has within the last
ten years made some barren regions
to bloom and blossom into prosper
ity. Five-sixths of this immense
truck garden is owned and farmed b,
natives who worked out the problem,
of culture for themselves.
Furniture manufacturing has be
come OF such Importance that Nortt
Carolina leads the South and is rapid
ly becoming one OF the two or thre,
leading furniture making States
High Point is beginning to riva
Grand Rapids. At High Poin, ther,
are q furniture factories, compare
lively small, but in the aggregate
producing vast quantity OF furni
ture, trunks, collins and almos
everything else made from wood. AL
these came from a single local fac
tory. North Carolina now has NOR,
than hundred furniture factories
and 50 per cent. Of them are owned
and operated by our own people.
The same is true OF almost all oul
industries. They have been develop
ed with small capital by natives o
the State. Our Captains Of Industr,
are native and to the manor born.
Our industries are now tirml y estab
lishcd, we have brought them TO sue
cess. They are no longer an expert
ment, and investment in them is saf,
and profitable We have had little
money from outside in the past
and our industries are even nov
suffering for lack Of capital. We will
give our Northern brethren the warm
est welcome and invite them to co
operate with US in our indu trial de
velopment.
But the fact is abundantly demon
strated that the South has itsel
worked out its own Industrial saliva
ton. 1t comes not as mendicant
begging for aid, but as a successful
business man who offers safe anc
profitable investment in enterprise
that are beyond experiment.