The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-12
COMING TO HER OWN

North Carolina has been rated and
is now regarded widely - the poorest
and most nliterate Of the steaes in the
American Union and Icy p.Ideful eK-
pressions have often u~..1 received as
mere ignorant and childish Boosting.
~pardonable and pitifu!.
Well. North Carolina las been and
is poor in the worlds goods. and sherc
is as large IL not n larger troportsca
Of ll~literate men-wh,ta al Solored-ia
her borders than in any r the other
states. And Notwithstanding. North
Carolinians have loved N,Ith Carolina
have defended her III IN" Iccsence OF
the critical and the sNornful ~ point
ing to her war records. by extoIling
the purity OF her Anglo s. Aon blood.
and even by boasting % hvT ability to
fill all the blanks i'll tho government
reports on natural resSIrCcs; and they
have apologized. saying that the war
cost much. the negro Ihu-h and recon
struction much. And some have fool
ishly taken grace : TO themselves for
the achievements of the las; and have
- 49, NAafAN -
lima is the greatest ard GnG her peo-
pie the most advanced ana noble in
all the world, and encouraged the peo-
pie in proud and IDIOT content
II W. are glad that a TIM "a shortly
20 come when the critic WI: be with
stood by what he shall see rather than
what he shall hear. We AZ" also glad
that the time is come whan the people
are too intelligent to suffer a stump
speaker 10 soOthe them in their poverty
or Indifference by foolish fihitery.
North Carolina is coming Il her own.
The state is in the midst OF a marvel
Gus transformation. She is growing in
a thousand ways. Look At her news
papers, Ten years ago thy were dy-
ing on two thousand Ubscribers a
year. Now they begin t. flourish. and
for a sign they give a service hat was
not dreamed Of ten var ago. Look at
her cities, Wilmington. Greensboro.
Charlotte, Winston-Saiam. Asheville.
Durham. R~aleigh-how they grow: and
such a.crop Of thriving owns. Hickory,
High Point. Dunn. Wilson. Salisbury.
KinstOn, Lexington. Spencer. Rocky
Mount. Goldsboro. FayHttevi L.. Mon
roe. Henrietta. Shelby CaroiCen. Elk
abeth City and n SEQ q mrlc. all active
az few towns were TIT. years ago.
Mark the educational r-ovement,
What fourishing ~acaG"m'as. what
crowded schools for girls. what college
enrollments. what a p"wer ia the pas
sion for public school improvements.
Ten years ago there aas nothing like
it: and few dared hope for anything
like il.
Mark, too the new I'terary and his
toriCal interest.
Back of all is the industrial move
rnnt. There Is new life IN North Caro-
lima because there is now business. The
mills have stirred the STATE from border
TO hnr1nr - nj - - .ra-,- ra.rt a., tn
back cOuntry-not only cotton mills.
but all manner OF woodwork king es-
adjustments Each Of .ncrn gives work
II men who found it hard 10 live in
the Ountry on rented land, each brings
new population from the Edckwoods,
where it was mostly Useless and gives
ii place and power fyr service: each
makes a new market FOR the far-n..r
and the merchant: ea-h IrCreaaes the
income OF the state by multiplying up
on the value OF the raw product both
Of men and material: each brings new
power into the region Of progress.
And the farm. is IL abb rdoned2 by
no means. There never were 50 many
good farmers in North Cal DINA. never
so many good farms, never such intel
ligent farming. The mills have relicv-
ed the farms Of many who only de
strOyed land and now :hey cave become
patrons and supporters Of tho farmers
we Tean the OtneT CdS mat Tie income
If the farmers of NoTth Carolina in
1899 was nearly so per cert more than
their income in 1ss9-an increase from
$50. GOO. 900 TO SOS. 900. 600. a tremendous
leap in ten years. The advance over
1889 is fully 100 per cent this year.
The sum OF il IS this: Moth Carolina
is In the beginning OF an unparalleled
Observation-Disclosures and Intellectual
The arteries of her life throb with Il
power they have not before felt. She
viii never again be Il Door state-her
activities are too diverse: she will never
again be an rliterate St4E@-Eer educa-
tiOnal ranks are too strong She is
coming To her own. Only cCcG achieve
nents stand ahead Of her.
Let US b. mindful than-ue who have
the boon Of living in sch Z time-that
our state shall also grow a. a state.
and shall send only strong and noble
men 10 Washington AMI keep them
there: shall be heard n the world be
cause OF her wisdom md v.rtde. and
let US also endeavor ti.aI Gu religious
forces, our Institutions e ecUC&tion and
charity and missions. s1r spiritual life
shall keep pace with The tremendous
movement hat We are Isov. u the midst
| OF. SO our boasts shall IIoy" prophet
SC and vindicate US at the last. as We
| point TO North Carolina PIcaI present
and future while speaking with emotion
Of her undoubtedly heroic past-Bibli-
cal Recorder.