The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-05-29
Core pOndence Charlotte Observe

Senate.
Core. pondence Charlotte Observe.
New YORK, May 23.-tieneral Matt
W Ransom. for tWentN-fOur years
the representative of North Carolina
in the Senate OF the United States,
was the bright particular star upon
the occasion OF the banquet of the
North Carolina Society OF New York
last Tuesday night i'll this city. Del
monico's choicest banquet hall was
thronged with representatives OF al
most every name which lives III the
annals OF the State, and, moreover.
there were men from other parts, men
from Virginia ana South Carolina,
and even those rare birds known as
native New Workers. And they all
cheered Ransom. who STROBE up and
down with all the fire and passionate
eloquence which were spent by him in
the days when the dark blight OF the
force bill made the South CULVER i'll
rage. But now he pleadfor harmony
closer harmony than ever-clOSing
with the magnificent peroratiOn i'll
which he sounded the key note:
Trust the South.
There were about 300 men present.
From the balconies came the smiling
appreciation OF woman who are
Southern bred. Former Judge Van
Wyck raised Il storm OF applause.
when. alluding briefly to the topics
encompassed by the other speakers,
he said they had omitted specific
mention OF the queens OF creation
the women OF the South.
1t was IL lOve-feast, pure and SIM
pie. About 1870 clock the gather
ing began At little after : the
tables were filled and it was nearly
midnight when the feast OF reason
and the flow OF soul, to say nothing
Of the menu, We're done.
Mr.. William W Fuller, president OF
the society, and probably the most
deservedly popular North Carolinian
in all New York. was tOast-master,
and he presided with grace and dig
nifty. The deplored absence OF Sena-
tor Simmons made Mr.. Walter II.
Page. whose progressive intellectual
ity is too we'll known for comment
here, the first speaker of the evening.
His subject was The Appalachian
Forest Reserve. and he showed in
mastery fashion. with the aid OF
stereopticon views. what Il power for
good is retained i'll the preservation
of the wooded mountains Of the Blue
Ridge range. Their destruction, he
said, must be guarded against. since
these forests held in themselves the
fertility of North Carolina and its
sister States to the Southwark. The
preservation OF that section as Il
water shed is necessary. Mr.. Page
maintained. and the man or men
who accomplish its safe being will be
remembered grateful V when current
party issues shall have been forgot
ten.
Senator .Jeter {. Pritchard spoke
briefly but vigorously about the
industrial progress ofNorth Carolina,
outlining in crisp fashion the strides
taken III the finished output OF the
South-cOttOn-and calling attention
to the fact that North Carolina has
furnished the world with the chiefs Of
the tobacco industry. whose lines of
trade now girdle the globe.
Then came the most impressive
speech OF the evening. General Ran
som arose and it was some time be-
fore he could make himself heard
Mr.. Fuller had simply introduced him
as "a statesman. a soldier and the
truest friend man ever had" The
words were scarcely spoken when
there We're 300 men standing on their
feet. yelling in a frenzy of enthusiasm
which seemed unquietable. Ransom
rose. gray and grim-lOOking, but
there was Il tremor about his lips.
Among the first words he spoke were
these: ION this occasion. my friends,
we should send our heartfelt CON
gratulatiOmS to Charlotte, in old
Mecklenhurg. as twas there the first
expression OF American liberty was
given to the world This, the twen-
tieth day of May, is the anniversary
OF the Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence Very great occas-
ion. His voice was low and tremu-
lOus at first. but soon the Old splendid
eloquence was heard and men We're
held under the spell of an orator. not
afraid to thunder out Il torrent of
burning words as rapid as the shots
from a Maxim gun. The tricks OF
the rhetorician? Yes. The wileS OF
the diplomat? Yes. again. But
there We're few men here who did not
have a quickenine. pulse when Ran
som spoke. He told OF "reminiscences
OF North Carolina and her Federal
relations. told them enhaustiynlv in
the light OF the occasion, but ever
and anon thpre'd be Il spontaneous
cheer that rang only genuine enthuS-
laSm. 1t was the old time oratory.
as young men read OF it in books or
sigh over, but it was very good for
all It's antiquity OF MANNER Il
When General Ransom ended. SeIa-
tor-rlect Arthur Pue Gorman. OF
Maryland. arose amid great np-
plauSe. Ransom had said that the
| Marvlander did more to crush the
| force bill than any other man. but
| GOrman needed no laudatiOn to his
''t'ti nv II IL ttitN was Sl'NN aura
| full OF wit. and through it al ShOne
| German, the tactful. the hearty
visaged. plump and prosperous look
| INC statesman. 'General Ransom.
| he SAID. possesses Ill an infinite
degree the quality of making Use OF
all the material around him. This
am we'll aware OF. from personal eX-
perience, and because | know that he
used this qualityin most beneficent
degree when We We're together in the
| nlted States Senate Then the
Marylander Strengthened stiffiv and
| his voice rang out: II want to tell
/ YOU, gentlemen, that no man in all
the country did more to establish
harmony among its sections than
Matt. Ransom. He worked tirelesslv
and effectively to that end, and h.
! deserves this tribute HecOntinued:
| = \ nrt h Carolina i