The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-08-10
QBION ii. BCTLER.)

Greensboro, Aug. AT a dinner
given at the dining hall of the State
Normal College Wednesday night the
chamber of Commerce of Greensboro
led North Carolina to the parting of
the roads. 1t is doubtful if a more
significant or representative gathering
ever assembled in the State, and it is
doubtful if ever q meeting of North
Carolina people has forecast the
events of Importance that are prob
ably destined to follow this one at
Greensboro.
Wednesday night in Greensboro
many men saw a vision. A certain
man named AnnaniaS laid his hands
ou their shoulder and scales fell from
the eyes Of the blind. They came away
from that hall seeing, and what they
see is a marvel to them. Seven hun
dred men, representing every section
of the state. coming to Greensboro In
partial or total blindness. go away
with a clcarness of vision that indi-
Gates new life.
There was probably more of pro-
phetic truth at Greensboro Wednes-
day night than at any previous day in
the history of Guilford county, and
the magnitude of the interests in
yOlved foreShadow a revolution.
Darkness to Light.
can compare it with nothing but
the experience of Saul at Damascus,
for it is the transition from darkness
10 light. AS we sat there listening to
the romances of prophecy concrete
illustration of our absolute blindness
flashed before me. Twenty years ago
when / lived in the Pennsylvania Oil
regions a man associated with the
Standard Oil interests came into my
office one afternoon and said, YOu are
familiar with North Carolina. Where
can we go down in that State and find
some water powers that are capable
Of development 1 understand the
streams are susceptible Of considerable
development"
/ told him that in q general way
North Carolina must have lot Of
places for power development. but
that did not know of any particular
place, but that I would make inquiry
Il took the matter up with promi.
nent and interested concern in the
State and in answer received the in
formation that considerable chance
probably existed for water power de-
Selopment. although no definite To-
cality could be cited. but possibly 4
investigation were made on the PEI
Dee river, which crossed the SeabOar(
Air Line road between Raleigh ant
Charlotte, something might be found
I gave my friend the unSatisfactor.
Information, and it seemed so indeh
mite and with so little promise tha
he tossed it aside. and although he as
sured me that his people would nk
to put big lot Of money in something
of that sort If it could be found, it wa
not given further thought at the time
Think of it. UndevelOped stream
here capable Of affording millions o
horse power, and men representa-
millions of money wanting an OppOr
tunty and we did not know OF Mort
Cardinals possibilities
There was one magnificent oppor
tunity lost, for the way the man talke
TO me the amount Of money tina
might have been invested would nc
have been considered. 1t was simpl
the case Of money hunting employ
ment. and a tubful of it. 1 ventuT
the statement that if I had known c
North Carolina's water power chance
as much as I knew ten years later
would have been worth millions to tn
State. We would be years ahead
where we are, for the developmer
would have started years sooner tina
IL did
Much Information Brought Out.
The Greensboro meeting brOugf
out a lot Of information and scattere
II over q wide territory. 1t brougf
out information concerning Mort
carolina and it brought to North care
lima information concerning otht
sections and other things in whlc
North Carolina is interested.
Possibly another listener at the dill
ner would classify the facts different
from what do, but the first thing
me that We gathered there is the sui
stantial stand Of the cotton men
Ihe State. We have all been dazzle
8y the progress the cotton mills {