Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1905-08-17


People by One OF Her Sons,
Visiting Here, But q Traveller
of Many States, and a Resi-
dent Elsewhere.
Times change and men change
with them is an axiom applicable TO
most Of human affairs. Sometimes,
however, these changes are slight
and trltliug. Twenty-Five years ago,
Goldsboro was d town Of great pros
poets. Located as it is in nearly the
very centre OF the best agricultural
portion ot East 3ru North Carolina,
nature intended it as q distributing
poiLJ. >atucal advantages, now
ever, aTe worthless, unless supple
menSed by human enterprise. Geo
graphIcaLiy, G0lG5boro Is ;,n ideal
market. Wilmington, eighty four
miles to the South; New Bern, sixty
miles to the East; Raleigh, forty eight
miles to the West, and Norfolk, a
little more than one hundred miles
tothe North, were she only places of
Importance twenty-five years ago.
More than half the territory between
these places was purely and distinct
ly tributary to the GoIdsboro mar
ket, and, to certain extent, was
dominated by it. No eXertion to
secure this trade was apparent, but
nature showed, unmIstakably, the
channel that should be followed.
Today, Goldsboro is side-tracked
by every rail road. No through
trains, either North, South or West,
pass through. Klnston, on the Last,
has sprung up, Wilson on the North
knocks a. The very doors, Mount
Olive ana otRer towns 10 the South
have thrown out their lines and
brought 20 Jheir local markets thou
sands OF dollars of trade that would
have naturally sought 0oldeboro as
an outlet, and fCo'n the West, Dur
ham and Raleigh are ready ID take
any advantage possible. These are
facts accomplished, opportunities
lost; but the situation is not SO des-
perate as 10 cause Goldsboro to sit on
the wayside and weep over her de-
parted giories.
1t is idjotic to sit supinely, and
wish for success. circumstances are
the foundation upon which every
structure is erected. If those circum-
stances have the harbinger of sue
cess, human enterprise must develop
them. The diamond lying undis-
covered in It's bed Of clay is worth
less, but when utilized by The de-
mand of luxury, it becomes, at once,
a mighty power, No Caesar, Crom-
well or Napoleon would have chang
ed the de3tinies Of nations had it not
been lha. the circumstance surround
ing called for the development Of
their genius. Look at G0Id5boro,
bristilng with opportunities and
circumstances. No finer climate has
ever been Youch5afeds the human
family. 4 soil that viii produce
every product known to the temper
ate zone. a white people vino are
descendants of the pgrest Aryan
stock ,and q government that fosters
liberty, fraternity and progress,
Could more be asked? Familiarity
with every Staten the Union would
not take from Eastern North Caro-
lima the palm of excellence. What,
then, is lacking? Purely and simply,
the country is cursed with that bane
Ct the South, want Of enterprise and
initiative. The ways of our "Dad-
dies" are good enough, and the tai.
ents that generous nature has giyer
us are buried deep beneath the rub
bish Of inertia, provIncialism anC
prejudice.
Home capital is boarded and for
eign enterprise encouraged. Take
for instance, the little town of Mont
pelia, Vermont, situated in the mids
OF the bleak hills, surrounded by
country of no value, agriculturaiIy
habitated by people whose actua
per capita wealth is less than that 0
Goldsboro, they have an iusurAnc