The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-08
THE NOTABLE HIGH POINT BAN
QUIET.
Editorial Correspondence.

Editorial Correspondence
High Point, Y. c., Feb. 1.-THE ban
quet here last night was not like the
ordinary banquet given by social
or political club. 1t was not merely
q social and post-prandial function. 1t
was an important gathering Of the
manufacturers of this town, conceived
with the practical view of discussing
questions vital to High Point and
every other manufacturing town in the
South. There were bright speeches
and happy sallies of wit. to be sure, put
there was seriousness and weight in
the discussion that was in keeping
with the business-like spirit of this
community and the character of the
representative men who We're gathered
here in response to the invitation of
thu Manufacturers Club. High Point
did itself proud in the elegance of the
entertainment and the visitors were
delighted by it's hospitality. But it
was a reception by serious men deeply
interested in the vital question that
stares every manufacturing community
III Tie IdCS. w mere eti u we W mol
kets for our surplus products?
Fifteen years ago three men in High
Point-A. E. Tate, T. f. ,Wrenn, and
f. A. Snow-each invested $4,000
in the first furniture factory at High
Point. They succeeded. other enter
prising men established factories. and
the business has grown until now
there are here fifty-four separate fac
tories giving employment to over o.
500 people, and sending solid car
loads of furniture in every portion
of the country and to Mexico.
The growth of High Point has been
the wonder of the South. 1t has
no special local advantages for the
manufacture of furniture over other
towns in North Carolina. 1t has no
water, and it has to bring most of the
hard Gods over hundred miles to be
used in the manufacture of furniture.
High Points primacy is due to the en-
t,rprise and sagacity Of its citizens and
not to any special advantage which il
ell joys in the manufacture of furniture.
1t knew how to manufacture the best
furniture, it knew how to sell it, and it
has distanced every other manufac-
turing town or city in the South in the
manufacture of furniture.
The speeches at the banquet were
s,atesmanlike and instructive. Secre-
tary Metcalf gave Il picture Of the pro
gress OF North Carolina during tic last
decade that showed he had been study
ing North Carolina and had come to
rank it high among American Com
n1onwealths. He predicted that il
would soon be one of the richest in
the Union. He paid u tribute to the
courage Of the Southern soldier and
the phenomenal success that had been
wrested from tie bankruptcy and
ruin that followed in the wake of war.
This generous praise and cordial con-
gra tulation touched responsive chords
aud the genuine and kindly utterances
were applauded to the echo.
was NEST pleased with the ad-
dress of .;he Cuban minister He has
tache. and very black eyes. His face
USntS up DedutlIuiiE Wnen he SPEAKS
Of the future of Cuba and the success
which attended the struggle for indie
pendence. He speaks slowly and
without emphasis when he discusses
ar. economic question, but when he
talks OF liberty or CT Cuba his face
lights up with u glow that transforms
it and his voice rings out with en-
phaSS and he becomes at once an ora
tor for the time. You can see how he
was ready TO struggle and die for the
CubJn cause and YOU feel that he Is a
Cuban Patrick Henry, whose love OF
country dominates him. In speaking
OF the Platt amendment he showed
that there was u suppressed feeling of
GrEoyance that it had been forced
UPON Cuba because he deemed it Who'll
~ unnecessary to impose restrictions
upon the Cuban Republic. AS to the
small amount Of trade this country
gets from Cupa, the Cuban Minister
showed that he is practical man
and t3ld the manufacturers that the
way to get business in Cuba was TO
study Cuban customs. Cubans
thought. Cuba needs. He -cctcd The
fact that for a long time the American
manufacturers sold no shoes in Cuba
because they failed to learn that the