The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-11
FairbrOther's Fancies.
Being Few Reflections Of Things in General.

When an Idol falls to tho floor and is
broken into thousand pieces, strong
MEN may weep, and romehow we all
have a feeling for the old traditions that
seems to mako them part and parcel
of our very solves. All OF us have read
20 much about William Penn, the statd
and quaint old Quaker. We have all
looked at his picture a thousand times
the broad brimmcd hat; tho smooth
nhaycn face, and we all knew that no
was tho first man who ever proposed to
buy land OF an Indian. He made treaty
with them--he put UP his coin and gave
value received. Ali history was supposed
20 have confirmed this view OF tho case
and yet history may not say any SUCH
thing. Anyhow it has been disputed
and n North Carolinan snatches the fame
from tho Quaker.
In the last issue of ''The University OF
North Carolina Magazine" I note that Mr..
Il. Is. Creepy, the venerable and honored
editor OF Elizabeth City, contributes an
article 10 that publication in which he
says that William Penn was not the first
man TO buy land from the Indians, but
boldly says 1t was resident OF North
Carolina, one George Durnnt, who pur-
chased tract OF land Of the Indian Chief
Suskatenew. King of the Yeopim Indians
of North Carolina, and that tho deed Of
conveyance is now on record In the
county OF Perquimans, and that the origi-
nal deed, OIL vellum, was extinct few
ycars ago.
Father Creecy who Is now III his nine
tieth year, and hale and hearty, is au-
thority for what he says. and while re-
Eret TO know that William Penn must
suffer because OF this historic fact 1t
again suggests that North Carolina is
sioh in history. dare say that while
there Will not be as much discussion over
this claim as there has been over the
iriEinal Mecklenburg Declaration of In
dependence. when the keystone State
finally awakens TO the fact that tho Tar
Heels are trying TO take something from
the glory of Penn and Pennsylvania, 1t
will be necessary to secure the old vel
llrn deed and show up tho goods, as the
Man from Missouri would insist.
Strange about these historic facts
llqw a State will cling to some traditions
and, II necessary, almost fight to prove
that some trivial thing happened In a
particular State. Were VIC not all of the
same great family and were IL not a
Union of States, then I could see how 1t
would mako some difference. But al
ways felt that anything that belonged to
any part of the country over which Old
Glory floated made me a part of it--and
never cared whether 1t happened in
Maine or California-just so 1t happened
in the United States.
When a man finally reaches out and
grasps the persimmon that has long dan
gled on tho Public Office tree, then it Is
Inf 10 ciYrr f pyp N MA
ter much what he does. there are people
comprising that discriminating public Of
which we read who want to object. The
old proposition that you are damned II
YOU do, and damned II you don't Is ever
bobbing up, asking for Identification. The
man who Is party man and who goes
before the people finds the press Of his
particular political school singing his
praises in one grand chorus, but after he
has been sworn In and commences to
make the wheels go round. then the paper
hat yesterday sung his praises is liable
10 give him what we call down the coun-
try" 1t perhaps should be this way or
II wouldn't be--but somehow 1t seems TO
me that n public official should be ac-
corded the right to think and do what
ever he is prompted to do within the law.
l make these observations because quite
recently some OF the papers have been
saying that North Cardinals Governor
Should remain at home and not go round
about the country making speeches.
Other papers say he should do just what
he is doing, but the Governor is left to
figure out why it Is that newspaper men
object to this. ] recently asked Governor
Glenn how about this. and he told me
that he felt that II was his duty TO go over
the State and meet the people and study
the situation. He said that he never yet
had sent a message to the Legislature,
that he came in after the Legislature had
convened, and when he prepared his mes
sage this coming winter he wanted to he
advised and in position to speak intelli
gently concerning what was needed and
wha the might recommend He assured
me that no work of his office was being
neglected-not as much rs one single let
ter. and that he was really making n
physical sacrifice to do what he was do
ing-but Duty with him was ever para
mount. He told me that when he went