Year: 1869

There is one thing which is greatly needed
in North Csrolias, and that is nail facilities.
Since the VA many Of the old routes have
been srevivsd but nearly as many remain
discontipued There are many portions of
cur State inwhich there are no post,ofices.
In these sections the people have to ride
many miles to reach even the nearest Office,
and consequently receive mails but once or
twice month. Before the war there were
offices scattered Throughout these, sections
which received semi-weekly or weekly mails.
The same arrangements could and should
exist now. No community can be pros
porous or intelligent if shut off from the
world, ,Middle-men buy the produce of
its farms at haE.price, for the farmer has
no means of knowing the market value of
his produce, and is obliged to rely upon his
own judgment. g, sa,.-s si, 7o


Besides, where there are no mail facilities,
there is but little reading done by the people.
The newspapers, the great disseminators Of
information, cannot reach the people, and
ignorance of the events of the day must
necessarily be the consequence.


Another important subject to be consid-
cred is the effect upon immigration No
class of citizens is SO particular about having
good mail facilities as the immigrant. 1t is
but natural that persons leaving the home
of their, childhood, to abide in a strange
country should wish to be so situated as to
be able to receive communications from the
home they have left. 1t is the thing which
does most to make them contented with
their new condition and to render them per-
manens citizens. Thus, one of the first in
quiries of the immigrant regarding the local
ity in which he thinks of settling is regard
ing its mail facilities If they are good, he
is easily induced to overlook other things
that he may not quite like. If they are bad,
the difficulties are magnifed to him. If
there are none, the chances are ninety-nine
out of hundred that he will never locate
in such neglected community.


The great need of North Carolina is immi-
grafton. Every inducementi is being offered to
immigrants, that the great natural resources
of our State may be developed and become a
source OF prosperity to our people. Our sue
cess has not thus far been great, owing much,
perhaps, to the unsettled political condition
of the South, and the frequent reports of
deeds of violence. and much to the want of
mail communication with the rest of the
world. Immigrants as general thing, settle
in the country and in the thinly populated
portions of State. Hence they depend for
comfort and news upon the mails. If there
are mails they are satisfied. If there are no
mails they will not remain. Hence our peo.
pie should spare no effort to have our dis
continued mail routes re-opened, both to
benefit themselves and to encourage immi-
grafton. F." "


Sometime last winter resolution passed
both houses of the Legislature, instructing
our Representatives in Congress to use every
effort to have the discontinued mail routes
in this State re-opened. We do not know
whether our Representatives made the re-
quired 'eforts," but it is certain that very
little has been done towards giving the State
decent mail facilities. We hope that this
serious fault will be remedied, and that we
shall soon have our fair proportion of mail
routes and post Offices