French Broad hustler and Western Carolina Democrat. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1915-1916, 1916-01-27
HENDERSON CO-PAsT. PRESENT.
Looking Back and Looking Forward,
Let IS all be a Friend to Man.
(By Thos. =. Rickman9

(By Thos. ]. Rickman.0
Editor Hustler.
The United States has been a nation.
now about 140 years, and Henderson
county has had an existence about half
OF that time. The immortal Docu-
ment, declaring for human liberty, The
nc1toa TIA pa1ty-InsE-reesion. the
Revolutionary battles, the surrender
of CORVALLIS, and the negotiations OF
Peace, all took place before Henderson
took he place among the galaxy of
counties. A nation like the United
States, is important. A State is inn
portant and nom the less is a county
important.
Six thousands years of both written
and unwritten history, lie behind the
existence of our Henderson county.
During all that period, the earth has
been literally strewn with every con
ceiyable form of organizations, called
governments, beginning with family
groups, ~patriarchs, clans, wandering
~Theocracies, and on down to the worst
forms of military despotism, that ever
disgraced the "a of man.
Yet in spite of all the misery
wretchedness, slavery, barbarism, per-
secution, oppression, degradation, de-
privation of liberty and want of self
government, through all the early
ages, little by little step by step, man
has fought his way from the swamp
and cave to his present intellectual
social and religious position.
Our former degraded ancestors, in
ages past, knew nothing of such prin-
ciples, as that "All governments derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed" The body of Hender-
son county people constitute thei-
small but honorable part of u gen
eral government.
Running back through all the years
of their past history, our county PEG
pie have been just to themselves, as
well as just to their fellow men. Ex-
cept possibly in rare instances, every
man, high or low, has received justice
and eve has a man or criminal lost
his life at the hands of the disgrace
fuI lynching mob.
The writer would challenge any
county in the land to show a more
truly living up to the maxim, that al
men are createl equal and that al
are entitled to equally enjoy life. lib,
erty, and the pursuit of happiness.
These principles have not only beer
enacted into law, but have been en-
forced by the good people and such il
the beginning of real democracy
These shining principles, will neve
perish with the present stock of Hen
d~ersonians, and the oncOming genera
! tiosIs will be taught to render justic
TO their fellow creatures, as was don
by their f~orefathers.
Abraham Lincoln believed that tn
civil war was the birth-pang of nc
only a new. but OF the greatest natiol
the world ever has, or ever will sex
Henderson county people should re
1jotce to know that they have such
past record in a great state, and in
nation Of people, where all the WORT
row comedies that we excel In knowl
edge, wisdom, wealth, social progress
religious freedom, political freedom
beauty and grandeur of country, ris
ers, mountains and cities, with n
other region OF the earth apprnachin
US ,
We are often pointed back to EgypI
Babylon, Syria, Arabia, Carthagt
Rome and Greece, for examples @
great nations, hut there is no M meas
uring rod under the sun, whereby on
free government can be compared t
these past nations of Lords and slave.
From the days of Adam down to thu
year 1916, in wonder and admiration
we stand unique and alone, not in tn
galaxy Of kingdoms and empires g
oppression, bnt as the graRdest re
public of the free sons of God. s.
China has stood an empire for fOu
Thousand years. and yet what has sa
given to the world? Her millions sfzs
ia slavery and darkness Have we M
a right TO rejoice that though only on
small county, yet a part of 20 gran.
and rlmin1rE a natinn2 More AMIN