The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-26
Town and Country-Their Interest
Mutual.

EDITOR GOLD LEAF:-Please give me
space in your paper to say a word about
the big picnic last Friday. 1t was a
grand success and reflected credit on the
people OF Henderson. As a Vance county
man was proud OF it and reioiced with
those that had tn do with making il the
SPLENDID affair that it was.
Some unkind or minimizing persons
have expressed the opinion that there is
difference between the people OF town
and the people OF the country-a feeling
OF illwill or indifference existing one to-
ward the other. l want to say that this
is a mistake, there is no difference and
there 10 no reason why there should be
any difference. We are all one people
our interests are mutual. What benefits
one, whether town or country, benefits
the other. The prosperity of town means
the prosperity of the country, and the
prosperity of the country means the
prosperity OF the town. Each dependent
upon the other and neither can develop
to the highest point without the other.
prosperous county town means
strong local market-a convenient place
to buy and a convenient place to sell the
products OF the farm. A thrifty farming
community is the backbone and main
stay OF the town.
This spirit of cooperation which was
SO strikingly illustrated on the occasion
Of this picnic and barbecue, has built up
in Henderson O town which affords a
ready local market for the people OF
Vance and adjoining counties to do their
trading whether to buy or sell. On the
other hand the trade Of these people from
the country max good business for the
merchants and other business men OF the
town. The people OF the town know
that when the farmers make poor crops
and low prices rule trade falls off and the
town suffers in proportion. How then
can it be said that the interests OF the
town and country are not mutual, each
dependent upon the other? And why
should there be any feeling in the country
against the town, or any feeling in the
town against the country? AS l have
already said there is none-and there
ought not to be any.
Again | want to say that as a citizen
of Vance county | am proud OF Hender-
son and glory in it's achievements and
prosperity. With increased growth and
multiplied industries, the giving of en-
ployment to greater numbers of people,
there will be increased demand for the
products of the farm, thus creating a
good market at remunerative prices for
what we have to sell-tobacco, cotton,
fruits, vegetables, chickens, eggs, butter,
ETC.
Having said this much which | wanted
to say on behalf of the people of the
country as one of them. | will conclude
by saying we are building good roads,
schools and churches and are marching
on to higher life in Vance county-the
best country, peopled by the best folks
in the best State in this grand old Union
of States. Proof of this? The good
natured, sober, decent, we'll behaved and
we'll dressed crowd last Friday. Eight
or ten thousand people OF all classes,
town and country, mingled together on
the same social level, all out for a good
time and all having it, and not a drunken
person, a fight or an arrest during the
whole day. Comment is unnecessary.
eVery respectfully,
u. T. GARRETT.
Vance County, Aug. %, 1909.