The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-26

/ the streams, the birds and the trees and
| flowers that far SURPRISES the noise, dust,
confusion and oft times diseomforts OF
| the city life And we who are reaching
middle life, and nearing the end, and who
were born and reared, as most of the
business men of Henderson were, in the
| country, oft times feel the call back to
nature and natures home, and long for
the old plantation, the old oaken bucket,
| the gobble of the turkey, and the crow
of the cock at early morn.
| And the construction of good roads
| will make this call stronger and louder
| and harder to resist, and will add a
thousand fold to the charm of country
| life, and WILL as has been well said be
| most powerful factor in stemming the
movement of population towards the
cities, and make our boys and girls hap
py and coltented at home.
| cannot close without adding a word
of thanks and appreciation to those who
have labored SO earnestly and faithfully,
SO systematically and intelligently to
| make this occasion such a grand success,
| and such a bright spot in the history
| of Henderson Well and nobly has each
| performed his duty, and Henderson
makes its politest bow to each and all
| of them
Again | bid you welcome, thrice well
come, yea a thousand times welcome.
Capt. L. r. Croker, of Middleburg,
was the next speaker, responding to
the addresses of welcome on behalf
of the country people. Capt. Crock
er spoke briefly but to the point
touching upon the state of good
feeling that exists between the peo-
pie of the country and the people OF
| the town. He said it was cause of
genuine satisfaction and pride to the
| people who live on the farms to note
the growth and prosperity of their
county town-their local market and
trading place - and it gave them
great pleasure to accept the invita-
ton so heartily extented to be Hen
derson's guests for the day The
Importance of good roads was en-
phasized as means of bringing the
people not only of town and country
still closer together, but the dwellers
in the rural districts themselves will
be brought in closer touch with one
another. With good roads rural life
will not be so isolated - the people
will be more neighborly than when
separated by bad roads. North Car
DINA has taken a leading and proud
| position in educational matters dur
ing recent years and general and
united effort to secure good roads is
the next movement the people must
enlist in and carry forward
| Mr.. Thomas NJ. Pittman was then
called upon to introduce the orator
of the day. In few but apt words he
performed this very pleasant service
presenting Prof. J. B. Carlyle, of
Wake Forest, who delivered an elo-
quent and altogether appropriate
address of about fifteen minutes
in length, which abounded in wit
and wisdom, timely anecdote and
apt illustration. Itwas a gem in con-
ception and delivery, elegant in die
ton, beautiful in thought, captiva-
ting in manner, and charmed and
delighted his hearers. It's outline in
brief was: Vance and Henderson,
Their Achievement Past, Platform
Present and Prospect Future. These
were commercially praised elaborated
and prophesied, and the tribute paid
to the sturdy citizenship and achieve
ments of the people of Granville,
Franklin, Warren, Halifax, Wake
and Vance was q high one. Our only
regret is that we cannot give Prof
Carlyle's speech in full.
| Mr.. T. T. Hicks was presented as
the next speaker. Always equal to
the occasion on any subject at any
| time anywhere, Mr.. Hicks responded
| as follows:
| Before performing the duty as.
| signed to me of introducing one Of
| the orators OF the day, take occa-
sion to remind the farmers present
that, if you have some good small
| farms for rent, it may be to your in.
| terest to see the lawyers of Hender-
son. We were quite busy for while
last year in trying to persuade peo
pie to vote to Danish whiskey. But
| in doing SO we were killing the goose
that laid the golden egg. There's
nothing doing in law about here now
Occasionally there is a little blind
tiger to catch, but that is so very
easy that our one-legged constable
Crabtree, can do it without any help
from the lawyers.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the
best day the world ever saw. When ]
was a boy, chatting at times under
the labors and duties of life on the
farm, my father would say to me
"Go on, my son, cheer up-this is as
good a day as you will ever see ,
Sometimes since Ihave thought that
he was right; but now don't. Wher
John in prison overwhelmed with
doubt and gloom sent his disciples
to know if Jesus were "the Christ
who should come" the answer was
not Eyes" but 60 and tell John what
is going on, "the things that We hear
and see." So now on this suspicious
day | call your attention to what is
J going on in our country. The land
groans with plenty. The develop
ments in implements of war, wireless
telegraph and the air-ship, have pu,
, an end to war; for now either side
could kill all the folks in the Other
', army and the cities at once. Viewing
the situation politically, "the era o
, good feeling" has returned such as it
| was before the days of General Jack
son. Why sirs, the President of the
United States, Republican though h.
,, be, declares from bis high seat that
a Democrat is as good as a Re
publican. Democratic Senators ant
Congressman from the South go tt
Washington and vote for a protec
r tive tariff, and here at home / an
selected to introduce Josephus Dan
iels as orator of the day. Ladies an(
! gentlemen, you already know him by
reputation as well as you do me
Look at him and hear his words
E Many of you have been doing as b.
toldyou for the last twenty years.
, Before taking my seat | wish tt