The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-06-07
COMMENCEMENT AT CHAPEL
HILL.

Senator Marion Butler Makes the
Annual Address.
This week Is commencement week
at Chapel Hill.
The Philanthropic and Dialectic
literary societies held their fourth
joint annual banquet Monday night
and ex-senator Marion Butler made
the chief address. The following Is
condensed from the report In the In
dustrial News: John A. Parker, of
Duke, n. c., a member of the grad
uating class, acted as POSTMASTER.
After his speech was concluded the
banquet proper began and many
choice dishes were served. At the
of the first course Mr..
Victor L. Stephenson offered the
toast, "The Societies In their Rela-
ton to the State" Thos. w. Sim
mons, of Sampson County, re
sponded to Mr.. Stephenson's with
the toast, "The Societies in the Uni
versity." Archie G. Dalton, of
Greensboro, who graduated with
high honors, responded with the
toast, "The University and the In
Mr.. w. 8. OBJ. Robin
son, Jr of Goldsboro, next spoke
of the effects of the societies in
university life.
Ex-senator Butler made the fol-
lowing annual address:
Senator Butler, who was graduated
from this institution twenty-one
years ago, was greeted enthusiastic
cally by the student body and the
alumni when he arose to speak.
He said, facetiously, "My first
idea was to tell you boys what I
had learned during the past twenty
one years, but after thinking it over
I found that could not make ten
minute speech.
Then I thought that I would tell
you what I had not learned; and
that took too long, and therefore
had to abandon that idea.
Senator Butler then surreptitiously
took from his sleeve speech that
he delivered on his graduation day
over twenty-one years ago, which
was in the nature Of prophecy /;
alike unto the Hooking Backward"
of Edward Bellamy.
This essay, which was at the time
designated as "Victories of Peace"
foretold the significant parts that
the arts and sciences would play in
the future as compared to their in
significant progress in the past.
SENATOR BUTLER's FORECAST.
Senator Buffers forecast at that
time seemed almost incredible of
belief, optimistic indeed to such a
degree that it created laughter rather
than serious deliberation =; but time
alone has proven what he then laid
down as automatic truths.
Among other things he pictured
what it had accomplished in England
and in this country, and predicted
that within twenty-five years the
State of North Carolina would man
ufacture more cotton than 1t raised
also instead of shipping hard woods
and raw material that the State
would find facilities for manufac-
ture greater indeed than its own
product.
With optimistic eye ne foresaw a
greater prosperity for the Old North
State than New England, region
at that time world-renowned for its
cotton manufacturing industries.
In his speech yesterday Senator
Butler took occasion to refer to the
census reports Of the year 1885 when
he made his then phenomenal
to those of the present day.
These statistics showed that in
1885 there we're only sixty cotton
mills representing 10000 spindles,
or less than s4,OOO,0OO In capital in
vested in the feecy staple of North
Carolina.
To-day, In striking contrast, these
same census reports show that 243
cotton mills as against so, represent
ing 2,465,O0O spindles with capital
of $33,OOO,OOO.
The speaker then traced the pro-
gress from the census reports of the
manufactures In the same
including fertilizer. furni-
ture, flour, the tanning and finish
ing Of leather, cotton seed oil, to-
bacco, etc., showing the increase of
and the output az
great as had been that of cotton.
He called attention to the total
amount of capital invested in ell
which he said was less
than $20,O0O,O0O in 1885, as COM
pared to s141,O0O,000 at the present
day.
He demonstrated that in 1885 the
raw materials manufactured in this
State amounted to SIS, 900, 900, and |
after labor and skill being expended |
upon their workmanship, came to
only $26,000,000 which, he said,
was only SO per cent. added to the
value Of the raw materials.
Today in contrast, $70,00O,000 Of
raw materials after the expenditure
If labor and skill brought $142,-l