The farmer and mechanic., 1915-07-06
LEGISLATION "A DEFENSE.
(An address delivered by Hon. Henry A. Gillian Of
Tarboro, at Old Point, Va, June 22.)

SV
crushers of North and South Carolina |
officers of the North Carolina Asso-
cation were elected as follows: N. E. |
r,iEerton, Of Selma, president; J.. /
Ravens, Of Washington, vice-presi-
rent; +. c. Dunn, of Kinston, treasur-
81 and Fl. A. White, of Greenville.
sfcretary)
Mir President and Gentlemen of the
Isolation:
am greatly honored in being asked
t. addreSs this large, intelligent, rep
,esentative body of fmen-representing
as they do the crushers Of cotton seed
in TWO great Southern States. 1 am
conscious however, that this signal
particular merit or achievement of
my own, but is merely the express
sion Of the personal regard and friend
ship of your gracious president.
am happy to be with you. / am
happy to meet in common council
constructive men, men, who through
Industry. intelligence, and organization
are building up the waste places of
our beloved Southland.
For many years the seed which
YOU crush were absolutely without
value, hindrance rather than a help
TO our farmers. Intelligence, thought,
science has made them of great value.
From 1900 to 1910, your business,
am told has increased in volume over
$50 per cent and now apprOximates
the enormous total of two hundred
million of dollars annually. You have
not as yet succeeded in making your
chief by-product suitable for human
food but this day is thought to be not
] far distant.
While / cannot discuss with you
any subject intimately connected with
h,,S te
subject in which we are all vitality
interested and upon which we are de-
pendent. more or less. for our success
-perchance our very subsistence. This
subject is Legislation" and / shall
attempt a very earnest though a very
brief and very feeble defense Of our
egislation-National and State.
For many years, especially in Eng
land and the Far East, in the coun-
tries of India, China, and Japan, there
were but few statute laws. These
countries were old, had been long set
tied, and law with these people was
but custom grown into laws through
immemorial usage. And SO in this
country, our forefathers were content
for many years in the main simply to
adopt the common law of England.
The dangers encountered and the
hardships endured by the hardy pio.
neers who colonized this land of our.
has been told in song and story. The
growth of our country for many year.
was comparatively slow. AS time il
measured. 1t was but recently whe1
certain wise-acres drew a line through
Concord Mass, as the western limi
or our civiliZation-a1l beyond wa
conceded to the wild savages VIII,
roamed the forest. All but yesterda,
Senator Benton scorned the acquisi
ton of an empire in the West and il
q great burst of eloquence declare
the Rocky Mounts to be a natura
barrier to our further expansion. an
that disaster could only follow vic
lation Of his decree
Vast Gain i'm Wealth.
IN lSl2, little over one hundre
years ago, when our country went t
war with England for the impress
meht OF our sea-men there were les
than eight million souls in all thi
@nd. Today we number one hundre
million of people and own two hur
ured billion Of wealth and yet .Ou
wealth In 1900 was not one hundre
plillon of dollars. In other words,
,he past fifteen years our gain
wealth equals the accumulated wealt
ol mis- country from it's foundation.
our people are a cosmopolitan pei
PIE coming from every land and ever
cnme, from every class and conditio
vi society, with differing nature
tastes, habits and customs-here
ne moulded into a great, compost
people.
To this people was given the 70
nation of a new nation, it's constit'
uoh and its laws. To this people w;
committed the herculean task of civi
,]hg trackless and impenetrab
Wilderness.
WIN this marvellous increase
reputation, this stupenduous gain
wealth, the enormous development
h.dhutacturing, the Introduction
steam, electricity and the printil
press the advance in science, me6
tlne ,e and the arts, the growth in CT
sure and refinement-is 1t to be wo
uered that new laws were required
meet new and ever varying conc
"iS' We had no time for custo
through immemorial usage to rip
INTO law. So from 19O9-1913 incl