The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-22

Vi. 1HdTIlieS reported tnaC.
per cent. of the people of the State OF
New York in 1897 found it necessary
to apply for relief. In the Borough OF
Manhattan co. 40S families were evict-
ed from their homes in 1903. This is
about 4 per cent. of the total num-
Der of families. During the year 1903
in Boston over 136,000 persons, or 20
per cent. of the population, were aided
by the public authorities alone. 1t is
estimated that 336, 600 persons were
aided through private charities. And
there are only about 100000 persons
in Boston,.
And yet Yankeedoodledom, so self
contained and self-sat1sfied, is ever
pointing the finger of scorn at the ig
norant. besotted barbaric South, as it
is glad TO brand it. But would any
Southern city exchange conditions with
New York or Boston and other soreiy
affected, accursed cities? Would New
Orleans or Louisville, Charleston or
Richmond be afraid of comparison
with the best the North has?
trow not There is much more | might
cite from Mr.. Hunter, but the follow
ing will suffice. He writes a summary.
There are probably in fairly pros
porous years, no less than 100000
persons in poverty; that is to say, un-
derfed underclothed, and poorly
housed OF these, about 1000 600
persons are public paupers. Over?,-
100000 workingmen are unemployed
from four to six months in the year.
About 500, 900 male immigrants arrive
yearly and seek work in the very dis
tricts where Unemployment is great
est.
What a wide field is presented for
reflection. and action? How such
facts must appeal to the good men
and women of our land. His book
is surely at once most instructive and
impressive.
1t is mentioned in the North that
Col. Thomas w. Higginson, a distin
guished New England man OF letters,
who commanded a negro regiment in
the infamous devilish war upon the
South and is much of an admirci
even now of the negroes, has just COM
pleted his S1st birthday. He is still
active with his nen, will contribute
twelve essays to the Boston Atlantic
Monthly" and is also preparing
course of lectures to be delivered this
spring before the Lowell Institute.
His activity. ardOrs and capacly in
pursuit of literature are very COM
mendable and unusual, for few men
in letters accomplish much that is
noticeable at SO green an old age.
North Carolina has an extraordinary
example of productivenesS and preser-
vaion of mental faculties in the VEN
cradle and able editor of the Elizabeth
City Economist, Mr.. r. b. Greasy, now
in his 92d year, if I am not mistaken.
He writes with the vigor and direct
ness of a man of forty. He is Il most
remarkable example of intellectual ac-
tivity and capacity. His book---"Taios
of a Grandfather" published three o,
four years ago, is a North Carolina DOCK
in warp and wool of special interest,
and richly deserves to be read gen
orally The schools might wisely give
attention to it, The fact that 1t is
we'll done, and is the product Of
gifted native son when he had reached
his SSth year perhaps, although parts
had been written at all earlier day, is
to be duly considered. He is surely
a very remarkable man, and OF very
genuine merit, who commands the re-
spect and reverence of all who know
him or know of him. 1 would like
to see his entertaining work duly ap-
preciated.
L read recently an address sent to
me by the author of it, Rev. Hight G.
Moore, of Raleigh, delivered in No
vember, 1898, before the Fourth An
nual meeting of the State Library and
Historical Association. 1t is on North
Carolina Poets and Their Work. 1t
is a graceful and interesting tribute
to writer's of accomplishments and
gifts. North Carolina has produced
some poets of a genuine sort. if not
of the higher kind-Writers of real
inspiration and endowed with the
vision and the faculty divine writers
who sat upon ParnaSsuS, and had some
thing of the divine affiatus. l have
long recognized the pleasant qualities,
and the unmistakable gift of verse, of
| j. H. Boner Theophilus H. Hill, Mrs.
Mary Bayard (DevereuX) Clarke, Jo-
seph w. Holden, Henry Jerome Stock
ard, and, as / believe, in a less de-
gree. Edwin w. Fuller. Mr.. Moore
writes very kindly and approximately
of them ALL / have been Inclined to
place Mr.. Holden's "Hatteras" at the
head of North Cardinals lofticst
achievement in poetic production. /
have not been able to see much. if
ny. real poetic inspiration in Judge
iaston'S popular THE Old North
state Forever" however patriotic the
outburst and feTvid the true pride of
tate that giows in it. Until / read
IT. Moore's address, l did not know
What DR.. Walter III. Page said OF Hat
eras," that it was the best poem in
ointment and tone yet written in the
;outh, and it was included by Long
elbow in his collection of the best
american poems." Thirty years a~o l
cad several of Christian Reds"
novels, some of when interested me,
| md induced me 20 write of them.
| 10 not recall that / was ever i'm
| pressed with her production in verse.
| She is undoubtedly the foremost of our
native novelists unless Mr.. Tom Dix
IN, Jr., is to stand at the head. Her
cal name was Frances Fisher, a
| gifted daughter Of the late Col. Fisher,
| If the Sixth North Caroline regiment,
| Who was killed in the first battle of
| danassas, in Virginia. l read Mr.. Full
er's poem, THE Angel in the Cloud !"
| When il first appeared, and was dis
| ppointed. | must conclude however,
| hat failure to appreciate il was my
| FAULT, for Mr. Moore states of it that
! is said TO have won high praise
| rom such men as DR., Schele De
| we're. DR.. Gildersleeve, Prof. Holmes
| ind others. 1t is interesting, to note
| hat he once contemplated entering
| he ministry but his fathers failing
| health bound him to business aud thus
| lie continued merchandising the re-
| nainder of his days. In 1871 he re-
Used and published Angel in the
| loud, a poetic and philosophic state
| nent and REPUTATION of Neutrality-suspicious.