The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-01-03
fFor The Messenger.)

tFor The Messenger.)
Passing down Front street in VII
mington one is struck with the general
air of hustle and hustle; its stores ara
artistically dressed in window and al
cove; drays, carriages and automobiles
throng the streets 50 that at MANY
crossings n las to wait until an op
portunity presents itself.
1t is true the side walks are worn and
uneven, n most Of the buildings are
below three stories in height. but the
genuine rush along the street indicates
a condition Of prosperity hat can be
not otherwise than stable.
Considering the 6 of Wilmington,
and the natural conservatism pervading
all Old towns, one must acknowledge
that her prosperity has come to stay.
The foreign export of this port for
1903 more n doubled those Of Norfolk
and more than quadrupled those of
Charleston-in fact Savannah alone ex-
ceeded Wilmington in values of foreign
exports on the south Atlantic coast.
Nor is the prosperity confined to viii
mington; fair, thriving towns dot the
Who'll bosom Of our state, while the
whistles of many steamers thronging its
waterways, mingling with factory and
mill whistles sing an air of prosperity,
plenty and contentment.
For this prosperity one need not
look long for the cause; a climate ex-
celled by none; rivers and harbors, the
gift of Providence, and fostered by a
benif1cent government thro' its appro-
priations for internal improvement:
soil that needs but the touch of the
husbandman to burst forth with abun-
dant gratitude; it's vineyards and fields
thro' which the ld-life-giving winds
sweep with rythm in strong contrast
to the shrill whistle Of Boreas thro'
the bare branches, and around corner
and gable of our less favored sister
states further north.
It's race, hardy, honest, and God-fear-
ing have taken prominence since the
first days, giving in both Colonial and
Civil wars, men to be proud Of, such
for instance as Generals Nash, killed in
1777s and William Lee Davidson who
was killed in 1871. The names of those
prominent in our Civil war are too fresh
AA Ia IA KS III rs oil II 1lStu IIic1l-
ton.
The millions expended by the United
States government in the Improvement
OF North Carolir.as Rivers and Harbors
has done inestimable good, and the
needs Of further Improvement is demon
strated by the larger class of vessels
plying it's water that stagger beneath
the weight Of freights already too great.
The fear that the 58th Congress will
fail to pass Il -IVer and harbor bill
should actuate our Congressman and
Senator's to superhuman efforts, for
not only is the need of greater improve
mant demonstrated by the influx of
capital, but the deterioration which
would take place if all operations were
suspended is a problem that also con-
fronts our people, and those to whom
we must LOO for all appropriations
in furtherance Of the improvement of
our waterways.
In 1902 the last river and harbor bill
was passed carrying SCI, 900, 900. OF this
vast amount North Carolina received
but a small portion, the bulk of this
money going to other places where the
needs were manifestly great. The ap-
pIOpIldtIOlS given our state nave D6on
expended with utmost economy as is
evidenced by the results obtained, and
now to allow the streams and harbors
to clog and fill because of the need of
more funds with which to maintain
improvements already effected would be
s~hortsighted policy indeed and it can
not but be thought hat Chairman
Burton and his colleagues will report
favorably upon a matter of so much
actual Importance to all rivers, water
ways and harbors throughout our broad
fertile United States.
We are a commercial nation, and need
every aid from our government. We
Go not need a great army, nor a great
navy; for should sudden emergency
arise, thousands upon thousands would
flock beneath the stars and stripes, the
sons of those who wore the gray and
blue in the sixties, would alike become
the voluntary defenders Of our hearth
stones.
Let an enemy appear, and an over
whelming army would arise in a day;
men would leave their homes and fields,
their stores, factories and offices and
go forth to battle, therefore let us
hope that appropriations will be made
for internal Improvement and that
North Carolina will receive her just
share, a share she is entitled to be-
cause of her commercial Importance.