The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-06-28

MIR. Spruin's Address.


Spoke to Large Audience Monday
Night Under Au.pice. Of Con-
temporary Club-Subject: "A
National Peril"
Mr.. F. S. Spruill, of Louisburg, de-
livered a fine address at Cooper Opera
House Monday night. He spoke IN
der the auspices OF the Contemporary
Club, and was greeted by an intelli-
gent and appreciative audience OF
good proportions. The speaker was
introduced by Mr.. Andrew j. Harris,
who said: =
Brave indeed were the men who estab-
lished the Contemporary Club! How
reckless we were will be appreciated
when you recall that the Chief NatrOn
of the President OF the Federation Of
scores of lesser Woman's Club Mag
mates" reside in our midst. knowledge
of this fact caused such feelings of treI-
dation as to force to the front, as the
first topic for discussion in the Contem-
porary Club the subject of Divorced
Some OF us thought that a Lawyer
should discuss this question but the
members realizing the imminence OF the
danger, were unwilling to risk one who
| might talk shop and declared that a lay
man should mark out the way and show
| what might or might not be done should
our betterhalves combine against us. Mr..
TOepleman took this matter in hand and
| in his adroit way, managed to allay the
| feelings of distrust the more timorOus
felt in this daring attempt to organize.
Having found that the desire for mental
| advancement and intellectual progress
| was shared by the women to an equal
| degree with ourselves we boldly flung
| our banner to the breeze and began to
| discuss what we pleased as it pleased us.
| We then settled the "Social Status of the
| Mill Settlements" thrust upon the hus-
| band of the President of the Federation
| of the Women's Clubs of North Carroll
MAJ discussion of "Fallstaff' and see
ing him come through this safe and
| sound and hearing no extra rumbling in
| the divorce courts we turned to 'His-
| torical themes and discussed North
| Cardinals Contribution to Literature, -
| thus swelling our pride in our State and
what her sons and daughters have done.
| Socialism" and what it had of good
| and bad came next 20 add it's quota
to our spirit of bravado About this
| time some of our new members becoming
| somewhat timorous we, in a spirit OF
superabundant caution discussed with
Dr. Tucker the Influence of Carricature, -
to show them that we had this weapon
at our command should our betterhalves
rebel. OR" Henderlite went abroad in
discussion of the Liberalism of Tolstoi;'
we dug the Panama Canal" had our
military membership compare the rel
alive merits of Guyana and Kuropat-
kin" All hands feeling safe we tackled
the question of Municipal Ownership"
and answered the question of ''the pow
ers, rights and domain of the News
papers," We next sent for our Governor
| who came to us and made us feel that
we were indeed factors in the great work
OF pushing forward the development of q
grand old State.
This in few words is the history of
the first year of our work. How to go
| forward was the next problem. Again
! Mr.. Toepleman came to the rescue and
| in the history of "Radium,' and it's won
derful possibilities, gave such unlimited
| fields for expansion that we saw that
| we must advance or go back Then to
| get our position sure we spent while
with Prof. Butler on "Some uses and
abuses of commo on English words phra-
| ses," and turning to our native woods
| we studied with Prof. Kittrell "Forest-
| ry," made clear with Mr.. Parker, all the
| winding. dubious ways of skillfully de-
| vised Tariff Law" settled ''The Sanity
| of Hamlet opened up the fullest Pos
| sibilities of Henderson," and took there
| from such suggestions as we could mas
ter and with bated breath and creeping
| step we undertook the Psychological
Phenomena of the Subliminal Self" with
DR.. Coggeshall
Thus for two years the Contemporary
Club has let it's light shine in it's own
| way. Now the genius of it's life begins
to assert its power and the urgent de-
mand is that we continue our forward
march; that we allow our influence to be
felt in broader fields; the influence of DR..
Coggeshalls spell is upon us, and we
| both consciously and subconsciOusly
determined to hear what the high think
ers in other places had to tell us. We
| looked on the intellectual watch-tOwers
of a neighboring town and saw there a
man learned in the law; wise in council;
skillful in speech; of pleasant address; a
ready writer; former citizen-yet not
| too old to be our Contemporary. We
| asked him to come at this time when our
| sisters of the various Clubs could be with
us for we all felt that all mental and
moral equipment for man is doubly val
liable when shared with those who make
| the better things OF Real Value. He has
brought his message to us, the men and
| women of Henderson. | take a pardon
able pride, ladies and gentlemen, in pre-.
senting to you my school boy friend, the
Honorable Frank S. Spruill, who will
now address you.
Mr.. Spruill's subject was GA Ma
tional Peril" The accumulation Of
great wealth, the aggregation Of
great corporate influence, the abuse
of power and responsibility brought
by such concentration and combina
ton, he regarded as the greatest
menace to the perpetuity of oul
scheme of government and the peace
and welfare of the country. Mr.
Spruill was not radical in his views
but with great force and clearness o
perception he pointed out some o
the evils which threaten, evils which
constitute a national peril.
Mr. Spruill's address was q splendid
effort and he was warmly cOngratu
lated by many ladies and gentlemen
in the audience who went forward te
thank him for the rare treat giver
them. His thoughts were clothed il
elegant language and fine sentiment
pervaded throughout. Mr.. Spruil
is a gifted and pleasing speaker am
he added fresh laurels Monday nigh
to his we'll earned reputation as al
original thinker and eloquent ora tor