The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-13
Mr.. Toastmasrer, Gentlemen OF the
Wilmington Chamber or Commere

AlE. NCAIlclASA O1 lAS
Wilmington Chamber OF Commere
and Fellow Guests:
1t is a privilege and "a pleasure to
be with this goodly company this
evening. Whenever North Carolina
Hospitality and good fellowship are
suggested the name of Wilmington L.
thai which first comes to mlnu.
Throughout the state your city STANDS
fol the best Of our history and tranl-
tions and is an object OF our coMnIo.l
pride. Distinguished through ali IN
years Tor certain qualities of CITIZEN
ship which no other OF our commuul
ties possesses in SO eminent degree, the
changes of time, the absorption o.
peoples, in constantly increasing mea-
sure, in the affairs of the workaday
world and in the mad rush tor WEl4.-..
has impressed none of its sinister
marks nor debasing influences on VIII
mington; but with it's commercial ad
vancement and growth in greatness
there remain, and may there ever re-
main, the high culture, the courage
and the gentle courtesy which are the
heritage of the community What,
with all the characteristics suggested
with it's honorable history, it's modern
progress and the breadth of view
which distinguish its citizenship
what should restrain the pride Of
North Carolinians in our chief sea-
port, our admiration of it's past, our
congratnlation upon it's achievements
OF today and our most friendly inter
est touching it's future.
What part the Wilmington chamber
OF commerce has played in the pro-
motion Of the commercial greatness
OF your city it would be impossible for
even you gentlemen who are of it to
say But notalone for Wilmington, but
for the state have you wrought; for
do not suppose that the example you
set. the influences you have sent abroad
have been lost upon your fellow citi-
Zens Note has been taken of your
alertness and your activity, Of your
utterances upon matters which affect
the common welfare, and you have
had more to do than you know In
moulding thought in North Carolina
and in shaping policies the adoption
of which will reveal to us another and
better day. Largely to your body is
due North Carolina's Place in South
ern Development"
This place is proud one. | am
not to tax your patience with statis-
ties, but what state Of the south out
ranks it? There is no reference here
to area for in that Georgia does by
10000 square miles (this is land area)
and neither North Carolina nor Geor-
gia is in the competition with the
empire of Texas, with it's $4,000 In
population we are outstripped by Tex
as, of course by Georgia and our
daughter Tennessee-by the two latter
by trifle. But neither area nor pop.
ulation of itself makes a state. Pro-
posing to discuss facts we must not be
uncandid with ourselves or with each
other, but we must be at least fair
to ourselves, and in the highest exer-
else of this quality, it is here claimed
and claimed confidently, that North
Cardinals place in southern develop
ment is first place. South Carolina
surpasses us in the quantity of cotton
manufactured, but in the diversity of
manufactures, by which the whole
people are more nearly affected, North
Carolina is far in the lead among
southern states and is rapidly coming
to be in the very forefront among
the states of the union. We were late
III getting into the game and even
now, to quote the language of John
Paul Jones, have lust begun to
fight
1t cannot be successfully asserted
that within the ten years past any
other state Of the section has so rap
idly expanded it's manufacturing in
terests, has so improved it's agricul-
tural methods, has so varied its lines
OF acticity Within that time we have
taken the lead in the number of cot
ton factories; within that time we
have, alone of the cotton producing
states, begun to manufacture more
cotton than we produce. Within that
time we have doubled number of bales
Of cotton grown and such has been the
Improvement in the methods Of cul-
tiyation that whereas only few years
ago a bale to an acre was regarded
as remarkable, now two bales to the
acre is so common as to have ceased
to excite interest and three bales are
not phenomenal Georgia has unhap-
pily wrested from us the primacy in
the naval stores industry but we in
turn have wrested from others the
primacy in trucking and are annually
increasing this lead. While the produc-
ton of cotton has increased as stated,
tiplied in number agriculture has not
been at the expense of general agrf-
culture, for the state is raising more
corn and wheat than ever before. The
facts in reference to the growth OF
cotton and the cereals negative the
statement that the cotton mills have
caused the abandonment of farms.
They have not done SO in any material
measure, as is sometimes said, for we
see that while the factories have null
tiplied in number agriculture but has
languished nor declined but has been