The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-11-09
Hon. Hilary A. Herbert
Makes a Contrast
VISITING IN RALEIGH

DISTINGUISHED SItiLcH, ccNTOCHIy "a
the Navy During President Cleve-
lands Second Term Talks of the
Past and Present and How the
South Has Overcome Obstacles by
Pluck and Work.
Among the distinguished visitors in
Raleigh this week is former Secretary
of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert, VINO
held that position during President
C1eveland's second term. Mr.. Her
bert, who was a member of Congress
from Alabama for sixteen years, has
been on a visit to his old home at
G~reenvi11e, Ala, and on his way back
to washington, where he is practicing
law, the firm being Herbert & Micou,
the junior member his son-in-law,
stopped in Raleigh on 6 visit to his
nephew, Mr.. Herbert E.. Buell., at 5O7
North Blount street. He expected to
leave yesterday, but has been per-
Suaded to stay over through today. 1t
is a pleasure to have Mr.. Herbert
visit Raleigh.
Mr.. Herbert is a native of South
Carolina, having been born in Laurens-
LIN -. ~, III AVN TAACA
him IS years Of age. His father was
at one time Of the faculty Of the
L~aurensville Female College, and Mr..
Herbert was born where now stands
the graded school building in
Laurensville, which occupies the
Female College. When he was
twelve years Of g his father
took the family to G~reenville, Ala
bama, where Mr.. Herbert was reared.
In speaking of his visit to North Car
DINA Mr.. Herbert spoke of the fact
that his mother was educated in
North Carolina, saying in this con-
nection: MY mother was educated at
the old Moravian school at Salem,
North Carolina, and although L have
never seen the place l am glad to
learn that the town now called Win
ston-Salem and the old chool there
are still prospering. 1 should like
very much to visit it, but it is out Of
the question now, as | must hurry
home after a look-in or the Farmers
Congress to be in session here
Mr.. Herbert knows the "Old South
the South of the war times and the
South just after the war, as we'll as
Interestingly of past and present con-
ditions. Speaking with him yester-
day concerning these things and his
visit to Alabama and North Carolina
he said:
The South After the War.
II am just on my return from the
longest visit I have ever paid to my
old home and home people in Ala
bama since / went out of public life
in 1897 and began the practice OF
law in Washington and I have been
delighted with what I saw. The con-
ditiOns now and then brought force
fully to my mind the first visit I paid
60 RYo- VAIL t. o q e
when I went North on a business
trip and that was my first visit to that
section. It toe me three days and
a half to go from Greenville, Ala. to
New York city. I changed cars five
Or six times, often at night and at
every change had to recheck my bag
gage. There were no SleeperS. The
rolling stock and the car track were
all worn out There were few pas
nge on the train and in the face
Of every Southerner I could read the
gloom that was in my W heart.
AS soon as I had crossed Mason and
ixon's line the aspect Of everything
changed, the railroads and cars were
all in good condition and full Of
bright-faced, CHEEKY people. In New
York city 1t was the same. Everybody
was in a hurry and nobody noticed
me or any one else met on the streets.
So impressed was I betwee nthe con-
IIdSt Win Things IN the SOuCn ana IN
the North hat when I went home one
Of the first things I said to my father
n sisters was that if they did not
want to be mad unhappy they should
never go North. The contrast be-
tween the two sections of the country
was ~disheartening.
The South Of Today"
ION my trip South this time in a
palatial sleeper. making quick time
all the way through from Washington
to Birmingham I found myself sur
ounde all the way by ~Southerners
and Northerners who couldn't be told
one from the other by anything an