The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-23
THE NEW MONROE DOCTRINE.
Editorial Correspondence

Monroe. N. c., Nov. 22.-The dynamic
power in town pride that makes men
pull together is as wonderful discovery
in town building as is electricity in the
motive power of manufacturing and
transportation. The day of the individu-
al, acting for himself and by himself,
made strong and robust type of Ameri-
can citizenship. But that day has passed.
Though ''the individual withers the world
is more and more" This age is chiefly
characterized in business by the organi-
cation of corporations, by means of which
the small capital of many is made to ac-
complish great results. But it applies
also to everything else that touches men
education, . church extension, road
building. and town construction. AS long
as men work singly and without concert
of action, much effort is wasted. 1t is
only when they come together, agree
upon a common plan of work, and all put
their shoulders to the wheel that things
come to pass.
1t was once said that most great cities
| happened to be located near great
rivers That was before railroad trans
poration largely destroyed natural ad
! vantages. Today the big town or city
except in exceptional instances, that
grows most rapidly depends more upon
| of
upon any environment. Atlanta is built
| upon poor land, in section not rich, with
little to give promise Of a great city.
But its people had faith and grit, and
| Atlanta has distanced every Southern
| city that depended solely upon its ma
tural advantages or it's environment for
growth.
Ten years ago Monroe was a quiet lit
| tie country town in the centre of this
| good county 1t was always populated
| by thrifty and worthy people. Its first
1 settlers were men of substance and sense.
| Carolina virtues of hard work, honesty,
economy and plain speaking. And year
| by year the town grew in population and
| in business, everybody working, saving,
going forward. Then the Monroe doc
trine" as understood here was that every
man was to do his own work in his own
way. But, though that spirit made a
good town and expanded trade, there was
lacking the dynamic power of united eff
fort. When individuals gave way to CO.
operation in the life of this town, it was
not imported. 1t was an evolution, not
an importation. The men who control
this town are ir the main the sons OF
the men who made it. There has been
little influx of population. The same
names that hung over the little wooden
stores of twenty-five years ago are seer
upon the massive brick structures of to-
| day, in a larger degree than in most
towns in North Carolina. Sons have
| succeeded fathers and, building upon
strong foundations, have extended their
business. Fortunes have been made here
but they have grown steadily rather thar
| quickly. There are fewer big rich mel
here than you will find in any other town
of it's size in the State. 1t may be
| doubted If in the whole South you viii
find town of Monroe's population where
YOU will find more men who have made
| comfortable fortunes than here or fewer
men who have failed in business. The
same is true of the county. It's weahf
is pretty we'll distributed. Most Of its
farming population own their own farms
they were not rich planters before the
war and unaccustomcd to labor. They
were thrifty, Woodworking men, then
: Such thew have continued to be during
all the years with the result that in ne
county will you find better homes thar
on the farms of Union county. Five
miles in every direction stretch magnih-
cent country roads, school houses ar
good and people are deeply interested il
educating their children, telephone
| r6dCn ALMOST every SSSllOi VI liAC NOAAiNJ
with free rural delivery that will sool
: touch every neighborhood, Union count.
rural life will be an object lesson fo1
those counties that have chung too Ions
| to rural isolation. With good roads
good schools, telephone communication
and daily mail at every door-Yhy ma!
we not look to see the farmers as of ole
the most highly favored and prosperous
, of all our citizenship?
: The new Monroe doctrine" adopte'
; here something like a dozen years ag'
was the doctrine of Cooperative Pro
gress. Monroe needed a system of electri
lighting and water works. 1t didnt-a
did some larger but not wiser towns
give the franchise to speculative CAPT
talists at home or abroad but the tow
put municipal ownership of public utili
ties into practical operation by putin:
in its own water works and lghtin;