The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-07-18

haynes in his beautiful tribute maid
n mountains Of East Tennessee saws
that it means beautiful river" Down
cflS beautiful river" Boone led his
fourteen families from Wake county.
and. settling on the banks of this
stream, these people became the first
or the Watauga settlers. Joined by
sewer and Robertson they became
the founders of the Watauga COM
mOnWealth.
Let me tell You something Of this
Watauga Association Did you know
that they We're the first men of Am
erican birth to establish a free and
independent community on this on
inent? Did you know that they were
the first American-born freemen to
adopt a written constitution? Cut off
from North Carolina by the noun
taIns they were too far away from her
protection, with families to protect
from the scalping knife. Indians to
night outlaws to control and a wilder
ness to subdue, they learned to. rely
upon their own independent strength
They formed their written constitu-
ton in the early spring Of 1872, made
TIL eir laws and governed themselves
Ihey directed the course of Empire
OWards the West and led h way.
They afterwards followed Sewer to
Kings Mountain. They stamped for
ever a distinctive character upon the
mountaineer. Today we find the same
kind Of brave, free and Independent
men inhabiting these mountains.
/ am glad hat the editors of North
Carolina have come to visit this coun-
ty. / want you to see our county
and to know our people better. We
are sometimes unjuStly asSailed. When
you know the true conditions the peO-
pie Of North Carolina and every part
of it. have no more loyal friend than
tho nroSo IF tho State A pnvorn ~, ont
agent has sent out a recent report that
has done great injustice to this o
pie. We sometimes find that our SIC
ton of the State has been s~landered
by some o~Ver-zealous, who hope to
make gain by false report. 1t has
been reported that an Ex-Governor Of
North Carolina, for missionary, not
mercenary. has stated that
children in this county had to walk
many miles to school. ragged and
hungry and that churches were so
scarce that many people had never
heard of Christ. One Ex-Governor Ct
North Carolina was hanged. May
this one profit by his example. If
this be treason make the most Of it,
Go pack and tell that we are not
objects Of charity. All we ask is to
be given an equal chance with the
other OF the State. While by
State aid, other counties Of the State
nave bSeh hdFctSSo Will LII Oido,
whatever cost that has been attached
to it, we. for years, have been paying
our full share, while we have always
peen forced to take the greater part
Of our products to other States to
market. Think of it, there is not a
foot of railroad in this Senatorial
district. / believe tina it is the only
Senatorial district in the State. in the
nation and possibly in the world with
! out a railroad. Go back and tell that
we have not only a great wealth or
scenery and climate, but that we raise
| wheat, buckwheat, corn, cabbage just
at a time when yours are gone, rye,
maple sugar, oats, hay and that our
fields are alive with sheep and cattle
ready for slaughter. These products
the other parts Of our State need.
Help us to get a railroad into this
county and turn our trade where 1t
belongs.
AS this county is the highest,
so it is the best of the mountain coun-
ties. This l can prove by almost every
citizen in it. The mountaineerS 10y
atty is an inspiration. With its wealth
of climate it has an unlimited supply
of water power. The New river, the
only river East of the Rockies, whose
genera course is North, and the Wa
tauga can supply power enough to
turn every spindle in the State. Here
we have a New England climate IN
sight of The cotton fields. Here the
health of the employe is assured.
With railroad development these in
IduStrieS are ours.
With abundant wealth of natural
resources and native energy to deFel-
CD 1t. we have a citizenship that can
be surpassed. Were / asked how TO
make the best and most perfect type
of American citizen, a brave, true,
courageous, independent man, | would
unhesitatingly say make him a land
owner, a landlord. For then when
ever our institutions were assailed he
would rally to their defence. because
thew are his institution made to gov
ern his home and his country. h
the flag is assailed. wherever his ser
vices are needed, he fights not only
for the common good Of a great coun-