The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-05-13

Old South- he Most Amer
lean Part of This Union
A Northern Papers Cener-
Gus Expression.
Newport Or. ID Herald.
In his last order TO the veterans
whom he had led through years OF
varying fortunes, General Lee as
sured them that they could go to
their homes with the consciousness OF
duty well and faithfully performed.
He exhorted them to accept the re-
suits of their resort to the arbitra-
ment Of arms in good faith and to
devote their energies thenceforth to
retoring the waste places in the
South and to developing it's re-
sources. General Lee was not'a man
of many words. But what he said
came from his heart, and was
strengthened by calm Judgment
and exalted purpose. His counsel
sank deep into the hearts of the
Southern people. He was after APP
pomattOx, as we'll as in the field, the
most powerful influence for peace and
rehabilitation in the South.
Having demonstrated it's progress
in war, the South has equal cause for
pride in the infexible determination
with which it labored to repair the
havoc wrought by war. Much has
been written of late years about the
"New South" The men who laid the
foundations of the South's rehabili-
tation after the civil conflict were
the men who fought under it's flag
and surrendered with Lee and John
ston. In u certain sense we have Il
"New South" but the energy, the
grit and resourcefulness which con-
tributed so largely to it's upbuilding
were the attributes of the Confeder-
ate veterans of the old South. Prac-
tically every man in the South who
was able to shoulder q musket was a
soldier in the Confederate service.
AS has been grimly said, "The cradle
and the grave were robbed" to fill
the depleted armies OF the South. 1t
is estimated that more than 200, 900
were killed in battle, died of wounds
or in prison or from disease. Those
who survived set to work, after the
war, in the face of frightful odds and
disheartening conditions to build up
the South. They are entitled to just
and appreciative recognition for their
labors in establishing the material
prosperity of the South on solid
foundations.
There is IL New South" since Ap-
pomattox, but it is only "new" in
the sense that amazing progress has
been made in the development OF its
resources. The Southern States have
now a white population nearly twice
as great as they had in 1865. They
have developed extraordinary indus
trial activity and efficiency. Agri-
culture is tlourishing as never before,
because it has been diversified. The
cotton mills of the South have in
creased wonderfully in number and
production in the last fifteen years.
The iron and steel industry and coal
mining have reached gratifying pro-
portions, and there is promise of i'm
mense expansion in the future.
Throughout the South small indus
tries are multiplying rapidly. The
South is. indeed, the ''land OF oppor-
tunity." Already one of the most
prosperous sections of the country,
its possibilities OF industrial expan-
sion, commercial growth and agri-
cultural development assure it fu-
ture of tremendous activity and con-
stantly aecumulating wealth and in
f1uence
This is the South, forty-four years
after Appomattox. The men OF the
old South went to their homes alter
the surrender and set to work in
grim earnest. Thep laid the fonnda-
tions OF restoration firmly and deeply.
Their sons and grandsons have car
ried on the work with intelligence,
energy aud efficiency. Today the
South is The most American part OF
this Union Of fforty-six States. There
are no outward evidences of the
havoc and ruin wrought by four
years of civil conflict Tile economic
regeneration of the South is one Of
the most amazing achievements Of
modern times. Aided substantially
as it has been by other sections. the
general result is. nevertheless, an en-
during monument to the invincible
spirit and the infiexible determina-
tion Of the men who many vearsago
at AppoInattox accepted the results
of war in good faith. and. guided by
the wise coun-el- OF their leader. Gen
eral Lee. buekled down to work on
the farms and i'm business and in the
professions in the spirit OF brave and
true men. Peace hath its victories
no Jess renowned than war. One OF
the finest pages in the history oil the
United States il that which records
the work OF Southern men and
women after Appomattox.