The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-29

| ancestors were well IN in the art OF
| mechanics with all its branches.
/ He shows what inventions revolution
/ lied the social and industrial life Of
| the past century-namely the railroad
| the steamboat, and the telegraph. Now
| what share had our ancestors in these
| inventions? Why, the fist railroad built
| in America was laid upon Broad street
| Charleston The first steamship to cross
| the Atlantic was owned and built by
Savannah men, and started on it's sue
| cessful trip on May 20, 1919. Some
years before Morse completed his tele-
graph instrument. DR.. Clemens. of Sails
bury, n. c., had a telegraph instrument
clicking away in his house. So in these
three most important of all revolution
izers we did our part.
But why then did the South give nm
these arts and fall behind the others
Simply because the slaves were as their
descendants are still, not fit for highly
skilled labor. But how can industrial
development be best stimulated? The
question is easily answered. If we bring
cur State in contact with others make a
comparison of her needs with others and
dlssatisfy our people in this way. they
Will by degrees rise from where they now
are and broaden the fields, which were
early opened for them by their ances-
tors.
SOME INDUSTRIAL NEEDS OF NORTH
CAROLINA.
This theme was deliberately handled by
Mr.. j. L. Parker, who was discussing it,
showed that he was thoroughly acquainted
with his subject. and seldom are the
possessions of our State laid so plainly
before us.
He said that outsiders who were ac-
quainted with the rich resources Of
North Carolina, were inclined to re-
proach us for our slowness in developing
these resources, and we ourselves some
times get Impatient. But if We only
stop to contemplate how long il has
been since we emerged from the bitter
depths of reconstruction, we feel some
what consoled. For with every thing in
the condition that it then was, in that.
our labor system was overthrow, farms
destroyed and leaden debt resting
heavily upon us is it any wonder that
we did more?
Is it not wonder that our State
ranks where she does in many of her
manufacturing products?
Still she is not satisfied with her pos
sessions as they are. and great as has
been her progress she is not content to
stop at this point, but to strive further
to excel
Why should North Carolina be con-
te' with furnishing raw yarns and
bleachings for outside mills to convert
into finer fabrics? Why not manufacture
all of our raw material into finished
goods? Laboring element climatic con-
ditions, water power. and the people of
the State are ready and capable for this
work
Only one thing is lacking. e need
more education along industrial and
chronological lines. Why not educate our
boys so that when we need them. we
shall not have TO go into some other
State for one of its sons to oversee and
superintend our industries, thereby let
ting our own boys occupy lower places.
Educate them in these lines and fit them
for the positions to which they may be
called.
With the exception of its cotton. and
perhaps its timber, North Carolina pos
sesses no natural resources to be com
pared in magnitude, value and import
ance to is deposits of marble iron
copper, tale. kaolin. mica. gold and
numerous other minerals When capt
talists can be induced to put their money
here as they do in the West and use the
same degree of caution and judgment
that they do in the West. then we may
hope to see Western North Carolina
rivalling any section OF the West.
With the opening of the Nicaragua
Canal, believe North Carolina with
ether Southern States will be able to
dnderbid the world in supplying the East
with raw and manufactured cotton. and
that one of the marvels of the TWEEN
ueth century will be the great tide of
southern products, sweeping across the
broad Pacific TO millions of consumers
N the Orient With the race problem
settled there is very little for our people
10 fear in the future, but their mission
should be to make our State the home
OF every possible industry
Mr.. Moss, one of the A. and NJ Col
lege graduates, spoke a parable in his
graduating speech yesterday when he
said that electricity and women were
the two great blessings to man about
which they know nothing.
fNYY pIhcV TT oUpc ounr