The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-18
MARBLE BUST Of
GENERAL RANSOM
Omen Letter to the State
Historical Commission
FROM JUDGE R. ". WINSTON

Value Than Gold OF SiIvcr-No
People Can Continue Great Unless
They Honor Their Noble Dead"
IN Open Letter to tho North Carolina
Historical Commission.
Filling the first niche in our State
Capitol with the bust OF Governor
Graham, Is an event not only SO sig
i1cant in itself, but leading to conse-
quences so happy and momentous for
eur State, that cannot fail. on behalf
III the entire people Of North Caro-
lima, to thank YOU for the beginning Of
this great work.
Some two years ago. 7 spent one
week in Washington City and as my
afternoons were not occupied, / wan-
dcred through all the public build
ings ana grounds Of our beautiful
Capital. I looked for some memorial
Of the sons OF North Carolina,-but
! looked in ain. My heart was sad
dened to think that the sons Of the
Nid North State mad so signally failed
10 honor their ancestors. a visit to
Richmond, Virginia. or TO Columbia,
(ttI oA4lId, III MAKE pam ~
any one why these two States are pull
sating with Il laudable pride in the
1ooG5 of their ilIustrious sons. Nearly
every available space in Richmond
ni'el with some memorial OF Viz
ini&S great sons, and Columbia IS
r"; far behind in this respect.
h. task which you have under
t.h"n appeals TO every patriotic heart,
"nd y X the duty OF all the people Of
he stat" to assist You in its perform
.,i"". AS one now walks through the
corridors OF our Capitol at Raleigh
I'D gazeS upon the marble bust Of
tiuNernor Graham, illuminated by the
frli2nt lights, which have recently
i"en installed, an atmosphere sur
sounds hin which has heretofore been
very foreign to our Capitol building.
nert formerly darkness prevailed,
md where the cold niche in the wall
almost frightened II as he passed
along. uoW all is cheerful and home
j.&o. The noble and sere countenance
'f GraharI sheds Il Dendiction upon
~. entire building.
tf.u Year from now the Masons Of
>.,rjh Carolina will unVeI1 a marble
; G~t ci samuel Johnson, United States
:. r&tpr and Governor OF North Car
t'=t.t. and first Grand Master OF the
nEGo OF Masons, At the same time,
il the wish of many Of us who ad-
lt'r.'1 and loved Senator Ransom, that
is marble bust may likewise be uT-
"il~d and take. its place III North
talDiiild's Hall Of Fame.
:, it"Out doubt. honorable pride of
s.:t= - an asset Of much greater
Nt'",' t!!un gold OF silver. NO people
L. continue great unless they honor
:.:ir noblc dead, a fact which gOu
>'e.n fully to recognize and up TO
@.A,h YOU would measure. Their are
e, Etn other inches in our state Capitol
Which should be speedily filled with
marble busts Of CaI'Olinians who have
dome the State some SERVED, and above
2"s inches in the archway ii the first
h""r OF our Capitol are four spaces
Tor lnadallions. These likewise should
lo :illed with bronze inscriptions com
m~IuOrating the Nalorous deeds or our
sons.
Not the least Of your labors Is The
dissemination among the people OF
our State Of q knowledge OF North
carolina history, and the setting forth
"I heroic incidents connected With tie
n';n>it1c events of the past. THE VAIN"
IF fhis work is beyond compare. It
vii cement ana unity the sentiment
81 III" people Il North Carolina. It
#1i eve them a laudable pride in
~" history of oar State. It viii soon
place Us lar from the Bottom uf tho
c"irT7n Of IfteraCy. We have ALREADY
eE"tlltd Virginia and South Carolin,
IN )hG1SIrial development during the
past twenty years. We have more cot
ton sDindles than either 81 them. w
tG"ve better roads and highways thar
either OF them. We have u better
Srhoo! system than eithe" Of them. W.
are more l~aw-ahiding than either OF
them. Our public servants, from tn
Governor down to the hutnb!eSt &ciiOo.
teacher. is more Interested III thE
progress and development of our State
along al proper lines than like cifi-
ti>lS in other Southern States. ana
Nct Nc have been Woefuliy lacking in
state pride. ] believe that The peo-
p!o of North Carolina VII sustain ynn