The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-01-15
Cultivating Proper State Pride

VINO love CEFoteIIS f7e great ana
prosperous old state III could hsse
chosen my natal place d pon.a hAts
been born where i VAS born. at I.as-
eigh. and in his grand s-ylc-slcrnelng
dear "oId North state some yeats
ago a Nirg.n.an editor said fo nae after
spending two months ia North Caso-
lima. that ne never saw amy peopt- 50
n"spitable and that NJ rather lkrt
them better than he al! The people ~
vlineI his own state. or south tlro
ina. lie reflected my sentiments
think that in 1907. there is good feef-
Ing prevailing all over the St.ttv. AMI
III the different - tons for other -e
tians. The sal. bitter experience at
he past the black Nomi5, the hateful
hellish days Of reconstruction af4l
la;er-the rough trials the fs,uleal
disappointments and grave appr.hen-
sions have served we'll in arousi1g 4
profound state pride. and IN uniting
the people Of the whole state more
heartily. and in ~arousing kin and
sympathetic feelings. The people
are nearer together than they wee
even in 1870. and much moro I'm ted
and sing3e-heaItei than thvy Were ID
1856 on earlier May it eyer continue
in undated strength aQd fcryor. The
Yves, has sympathized Sith ana piti.i
the Eastern counties in their many de-
ploTable trials and g~ricNouS aflictioas
to which they were s. ruthlessIy suh-
Jcctei through SO man, years OF bar
barrie misrule and pillagi8g. The
East can Will stretch forth Tho hand 81
improved sympathy and friendship.
and help the West in GcVclupinr her
rich. splendid resources ana building
up her highways ( commerce. While
q. along tho West has had the larger
y hitc vote necessary 70" cautIou-.
wise, Salutaly legislation, the East has
paid the grtatcr share Of taxes. and
because she had moro developed
wealth, ana had. therefore. more ma
terial means for the rapid increase
and production of tire hidden riches pf
the magnificent West. with its unsur-
passed scenery and marvellous attrac-
tons.
What fills me with high satisfaction
IS the growth and character OF Ii
North Carolina spirit. II appears I,
me, an aged and retired citizen. IL to
assured. No on" can wei doabt 1T
now. With the increase Of the noble.
energetic spirit there must caho 4
necessary outflow ana from without
a true, broad, earnest North Carolina
policy-a po'icy not forgetful of he
past, but broadening and stretching
forward and upward hat viii brin@
u~nimagined and as vet unreVcaICd
blessings, with the charming result III
building up more and more home In
stitutiOns. in fostering II charging
our Industrial resources, aud in taking
from the mol fe old state the thorough
ly cOddlcd ; nproach that there is more
ignorance among her white population
in proportion to numbers than are to
be found in any other State i'm the
American Union. But great and dense
as it may be, and however dcplorablo.
it is not greater than our great mother
country, England, had fifty years ago,
after more than a thousand years of
| ODnOrtnnl1N or than Sn1in now has
with only one-third of its population
capable If reading. All hail the aus
p@icious day. All hail to an united and
patriotic people, 1t is a most no
ticeable fact that the small Kingdoms
in Europe manc a far better showing
as to education than the great and
rich kingdoms do. They eclipse Eu-
rope, Great Britain and. the United
States, and it is very wonderful.
surely tho time is suspicious. Now.
| may believe from the two eX-
tremeties Of the state, from Currituck
to Cherokee, sos miles in length. and
ramifying every county between, there
is a fine spirit Of union, a spirit Of
state pride, of conscientious devotion
to it's service, an u~nboundcG zeal for
good. a resOlute determination To out
North Carolina in the front in MANY
things. Let every heart feel this, and
arm be strengthened, and let all Of our
| people pull together" work harmOni-
ous!y mo successfully. | hope, for the
highest good to the greatest number.
and for the upbuilding of the dear old
State-"this blessed spot" as Shake
spearc wrote Of England-"this other
Eden, demi-paradise."
/ would not like to see our people
filled with insufferabh conceit and
| arrogance, with a foolish Wanting
state pride that would rende them
obtrusively and extensively boastfu1
That sort of thing is contemplate and
deepicable, n unworthy Of an en-.
frightened, self-respecting people. But
| would have them to be as proud of
North Carolina, because Of her real.
high. distinctive merits, none the less
real and distinctive because modestly
asserted, as are the sons and daugh-
ters Of their home and people. IN
all that makes q virtuous, honest. just,
kind, ~law-abid.ag and .;.croic people.
North Care ina is not behind any
State, not behind those who boast
more and claim more-not behind the
very foremost in the South. knowing
something of the history of North
Carolina though some three hundred
years; Knowing how devoted to both
religious and civil freedom her peo-
PIE have been from the time they first
o o UP their abode in the vast wilder
ness that stretched out befor" them
until this year Of grace in the now
century, 1907; knowing how careful
$1,000 - 'L'I - ''tF 49, go
of her history 10 respect law and au-
thority when WORTH Of respect
knowing how frugal. how plain an6 ,
simple. how faithful and true. how
5 rrupulouSly obscrVant they hav
been Of all contracts madc in no
name until the great war for second
Independence anne with all OF its con
WILSON'S and wrong and mighty up
Notwithstanding these things tina
enter 50 much into the character .
a great iibcrty-loving People. WHY
should VIC not be az glad and prouo
IF North Carolina as was an Athepia
in the time Of Pericles to boast he wa
a native Of tia chief centre Of all tn
world. unrivalied in al ages. Of thf
highest genius and the most SpieudiS
gifts. or as any aggressive. imperia
Roman, in the time IF The great
caesar to proclaim As did tho noble
inspired Apostle Paul II am , Roman
Citizer. or IS tho snlf-co9faiued and
self asserted Engiishm@n Of "the
spacious times Of great Elizabeth" q
acknowledge no eduai and to boast