The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-07-04
CONGRESSMAN SMALL'S SPEECH
ON NORTH CAROLINA.

In the house Of representatives on
Saturday last Hon. John H. Small, con-
gresham from the First district of this
state, under the privileges of general
on the resources, progress and possibili-
ties Of North Carolina. The speech
shows careful preparation and research
and Is full Of facts and figures regard
ing the state OF interest to her citizens,
as well as to non-residents who contem-
plate becoming citizens. When speak
ing on the subjects OF population, agri-
culture and manufactures he gives fig
uEes of different periods. showing the
rapid progress in these branches Of
the subject made by the state.
Under the head of climate Mr.. Small
takes three points in the state, Ashe-
vile in the mountains, Oak Ridge in
the cC-traI section, and Hatteras on
the coast, and gives the highest aver
age and lowest average annual temper
atures for the last eleven years. The
three points chosen range in height
above the sea level from eleven feet at
Hatteras to $3.50 feet at Asheville.
He next shows that during the last
census decade the white population in
creased 1877 per cent. and the colored
11.3, the latter forming 33 per cent of the
entire population. A considerable pro-
portion of this difference in increase he
ascribes to emigration of the negroes.
As to the distribution of population he
say
1.-The census office in it's report on ur-
ban population has included all places
of 1000 inhabitants or more. In 1890
there were II such places in North Car
olina, with a population of 97,959, and
in 1900 there were IL such places, with
a population of 152, ,019; or, to put it diff
ferently, in 1890 6 per cent. of the to-
tai population lived in towns of 1000 or
more, while in 1900 8 per cent. of the
total population lived in such towns.
The increase in urban population during
the decade was little more than 56 per
cent There are BAT incorporated places
in the state, but only 80 of them have a
population of more than 1000; II have
5000 or more, have more than 10000.
There is no large city, the largest hav-
ing slightly less than 21 900 Inhabitants.
There are only 5 states in the union
which show q smaller percentage of ur-
ban population than North Carolina"
The population of this state is the
most purely American to be found in
the United States. In 1900 only two
tenths of one per cent of her citizens
were foreign-born.
Mr.. Small presents with minuteness
and in most interesting manner the
wide scope of agriculture, the products
ranging from wheat, corn and other
crops found as far north as the Cana
dian boundary to the rice and sugar
cane of the gulf coast. North Carolina,
he says, is the only state which has an
answer to all inquiries contained in the
agricultural schedule of the census Of
fee. He then goes on to show the value
of farming lands, crops, etc. and the
rapid increase in value of these. He
gives interesting figures as to the pro-
duction of cotton and tobacco, showing
how our state has been robbed of its
Just credit for producing most Of that
famous tobacco known as Virginia
brights." He shows what is done in
the way of fruit growing of all varieties,
berries and vegetables for home con-
sumption and the northern markets.
On the subject of manufactures Mr..
Small gives the following to show the
rapid progress of this industry in our
state:
Although North Carolina is an agri-
cultural state, and no doubt will con-
tinus to be so, yet the growth in her
manufacturing and mechanical indus
tries during the past fifty years has
been most remarkable. The population
of the state in fifty years has increased
about 118 per cent, while the average
number of wage-earnerS employed in
manufacturing establishments has in
creased more than 1873 per cent. In 1850
1t per cent. of the entire population
were employed in manufacturing estab-
Ishments. In 1900, 81 per cent. were
so e.hployed. In 1850 the capital in
vested in manufacturing establishments
was S7,500,000 During the next decade
capital thus invested increased 80 per
cent, but from 1860 1870, on account
of conditions growing out of the civil
war; there was decrease. About 1880
the industrial development of the state
began a growth akin to that shown i'll
the agricultural development, but the
greatest industrial growth, both abso-
lutely and relatively, is shown in the
decade from 1890 to 1900"
His figures show that in this decade
the increase has been as follows: In
number of establishments 97.1 per cent:
in capital 1886 per cent, in wage-earn-
ers 100 per cent, in total wages Iii per
cent. in value Of products 135 per cent
The first in Importance of all the
manufactures is that of cotton, because
OF it's magnitude; but the most remark
able showing during the last decade by
any industry in our state was that of
furniture manufacturing. He says that