Devoted
to the Seaboard Air Line, and the Agricultural and Industrial interests of the South.
VOLUME 2.
PEACE, PLENTY. PROSPERITY.
The Unanimous Verdict Rendered by Those Who
Responded to the Call of the Northern Born,
Southern Bred Settlers' Convention Held at
Southern Pines.
A Typical American Assembly of Enterprising.
Intelligent. Distinguished Men. Who Gladly
Related Their Experience for the Edification
of Northern Visitors and Friends.
Interesting Addresses and Interlocutory Ex¬
changes of Thought and Opinion. A Choral
Tribute, Glorifying the South, its Soil, Climate
and Abounding Resources,
A Busy, Progressive People. Under One Flag and
One -Government, now Heartily Enlisted in De¬
veloping Work Along all Agricultural and
Industrial Lines.
Significant and Strong Resolutions.
The Southern Settlers' convention, held In Piney
Woods Inn. at Southern Pines, on Tuesday (May 5) and
PORTSMOUTH, VA„ MAY, 1896.
NUMBER 2.
foster and strengthen the growth of towns, cities and
country tributary to its system with the best elements
of northern immigration, and to stimulate and sustain
those industries upon whose successful development
the happiness and prosperity of communities and
people depend.
The morning of Tuesday opened auspiciously. The
sky was clear, the air, after a slight dash of rain, balmy
and fragrant with ozone. The Seaboard passenger
station had been tastefully decorated by local Agent
Burroughs with evergreens, while the little garden
stretching along the track looked its prettiest with its
shrubs and plants in full bloom. Southern Pines was
tricked out in gala attire, both as to its hotels and pri¬
vate residences. The grand entrance to Piney Woods
Inn was profusely decorated with Mags and streamers.
The interior walls were festooned in a similar way,
while every convenient niche served as a resting place
for pots of growing plants and blossoming flowers.
"Piney Woods Inn" well sustained the splendid
reputation it had won under its management during
the past season. As a caterer to a thousand guests who
surged through the halls and corridors— the overflow
finding easy chairs, or indulging in pleasant prome-
GROCP OF DELEGATES AND VISITOR’, TO SETTLERS* CONVENTION. FRONT ENTRANCE PINEY WOODS INN,
SOUTHERN HINES. N. C., SEABOARD AIR LINE.
Wednesday following. was one of the most notable gath¬
erings ever brought together in the south. Its members
were men of ability, character, position and Influence
— altogether representing the highest standard of
manhood, morals and citizenship. Their deliberations
were not only of immediate interest, but of far reach¬
ing consequence, and will be fruitful in results for
many years to come. Formal addresses commanded
the closest attention; short speeches were alive with
facts and details of personal experience. The presence
of numerous ladles (the wives and daughters of mem¬
bers) gave zest and color Jo each session .
The special and regular trains of the day and night
previous and morning of Tuesday were crowded with
passengers. The local population was augmented by
about 1,500 souls. Among these was the "Classic City
Band," from Athens. Ga.. of fifteen pieces. Though
boys, comparatively speaking (well behaved and gen¬
tlemanly), the oldest twenty-four and the youngest fif¬
teen years of age. and with only six months' practice,
they rendered patriotic and popular airs with credit¬
able precision and skill, and well deserved the vote of
thanks tendered them by the convention.
The full attendance was largely— almost exclu¬
sively— due to the friendly co-operation of Vice-Presi¬
dent E. St. John, of the Seaboard Air Line, and his
able, well selected official staff, many of whom were
personally present. The event for weeks previous had
been thoroughly advertised. Round trip rates had
been reduced to a minimum seldom, if ever, before
touched in the history of southern railroading. Pas¬
O.MMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS AT SETTLERS* CONVENTION, SOUTHERN PINES, N. C.
SEABOARD AIR LINE.
sengers, one and all. acknowledged with grateful en¬
thusiasm that everything possible had been done to
secure their safety and comfort, not only in transit,
but after their arrival. It was also a frequent theme
for favorable comment and congratulation among
members and their friends that the Seaboard truly
exemplified a policy of expansion on the broadest le-
nades in the long, broad, cool piazzas— it fairly sur¬
passed Itself. Kverybody was delighted: not only with
the amplitude and comfort of the place, but the bounti¬
ful provision for their enjoyment. All were generously
cared for, Manager Chas. St. John clearly demonstra¬
ting that he was as competent to make a big crowd
happy as a limited number. He was here, there and
everywhere— fairly ubiquitous— in a quiet, unobtrusive
way. exchanging courtesies and anticipating wants.
Offices had also been nicely furnished for the con¬
venience of editors, correspondents, stenographers,
committees, etc., with a studious attention to detail.
No accessory to the prompt transaction of business
had been overlooked.
At 11:00
л.
m. the parlor of the Piney Woods Inn (350
seating capacity) was filled with delegates from all
parts of the south, originally from the New England,
Middle and other Northern states. It was an imposing
body of resolute, intelligent men representing official,
educational, industrial, professional, agricultural and
other departments of labor in the land of their adop¬
tion— all animated with a patriotic unity of sentiment
and purpose.
CONVENTION PROCEEDINGS TUESDAY,
MAY 6. MORNING SESSION.
The meeting was called to order by Capt.
Л.
M.
Clarke, of Southern Pines, when the Hon. G. Z. French,
of Wilmington, N. O. (who presided at a similar con¬
vention in Raleigh ten years before), was made tem¬
porary chairman. Colonel French is a man of dignified
presence, an excellent parliamen¬
tarian, and acquitted himself in
the discharge of his official duties
to the satisfaction of all. His re¬
marks on accepting the appoint¬
ment were as follows:
•
" Ladies and Gentlemen:—! thank
you for the honor conferred, Invit¬
ing me to preside over this assem¬
blage. It is Indeed a thing to be
proud of to be called upon to pre
side over such an intelligent body.
"We have met here for a pur¬
pose. and that purpose is not to
make long speeches, therefore I
shall not set such an example.
"I understand that this is to be
in the nature of an experience
meeting; that those, of us who
were born at the north are to re¬
late the experience of their south¬
ern life, and though we may be
happy, contented and successful
here, do not think that we have
forgotten our old homes. We still
love them and their Institutions,
and hope to establish many of the
latter in this southern land.
"My memory goes fondly back
to the home of my childhood. I
love the rough hills and rockbound
coast of my native state, and above
all, I revere the little red school house at the cross
roads that sends forth Its sons to earn fame or fortune
as they may.
"The convention is ready for business."
The Rev. G. R. Ransom, pastor of the Congrega¬
tional church at Southern Pines, on request of the
gitlmate lines: that it neglected no opportunity to chairman then delivered the following invocation:
"Almighty God, creator and ruler of the universe,
God of nations, of individuals, our heavenly father.
In the hush of these moments we would specially
recognize thee. We give thanks for this great sister¬
hood of states, for a united and puissant nation, and
the deepening spirit of brotherhood between north
and south, assembled from various sections to con¬
sider material interests in thissouth land. We rejoice
in her prophecies of wider prosperity. We praise thee
that there is no din of war nor clash of arms; but
peace rests upon us as a benediction from the skies.
Impart wisdom, we pray :hee, to these who assemble;
guide thou their deliberations. May the best words be
spoken, and truth and righteousness and every good
be set forward. Be with each delegate, with each
visitor. Grant thy grace, thy providential protection
in a safe return to their homes, and when their life
work is done, may it be well done, and all be brought
to thine everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ,
our Lord. Amen.”
The following committee on order of business and
resolutions was then apjolnted with instructions to
report at the earliest moment: Geo. C. Power, Chi¬
cago, Ill.; S. Q. Collins, Norfolk, W. Va.; N.
Rounds, Asheville, N.
С.:
H. E. Stockbridge,
Ainericus, Ga., and John P. Coffin, of Flor¬
ence, S. C.
The Hon. Patrick Walsh, of Augusta. Ga..
was then introduced to the audience in com¬
plimentary terns, commanding Its undivided
attention In a sjeech of forty minutes’ dura¬
tion.
He pointed oat some of the many advan¬
tages and possibilities of the south, espec¬
ially for the manufacture of textile fabrics.
It already rivalled New England in the pro¬
duction of the coarser grades, and owing to
its conditions of soil, climate, cheap labor
and proximity t« raw material, is destined to
compete with that section on all lines of cot¬
ton production. It was inevitable as destiny
that in the not distant future the sceptre
would pass from the mill owners of New
England to be permanently held by those
of the south. This was said in no exultant
spirit, but emphasized as a fact that was un¬
questionably trtse.
He referred to the wonderful success (due
to persistant advertising) of a few prominent
individuals in colonizing thousands of Grand
Army men in the south, and the influx of the
best elements of immigration in Georgia.
conditions more favorable for
the development of the resources, not only
of that state, but the entire south.
In conclusion he strenuously urged that
every southern state be creditably repre¬
sented at the Southern States Cotton Expo¬
sition to be held next August In Chicago.
That fair was fraught with important con¬
sequences to the south. Ex]iosltlons to be
successful must be held at the great centers
of population. The entire attendance during
the three months of the Atlanta Exposition
(60 per cent of which was from the north)
did not equal that of " Chicago Day " during
the Columbian World*s Fair, which brought
out more than 800,000 paying visitors.
Gov. Elias Carr, one of the most jstpular of the
long list of governors of the old north state, was then
Invited to step forward, and as he mounted the rost¬
rum was greeted with a round of applause.
ADDRESS BY GOVERNOR ELIAS CARR.
" Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen Thirty-five
years is a brief space, even as man measures time, but
what marvelous changes have been wrought in the
south during that period. But little more than a quar¬
ter of a century ago the men of the south were striving
with sword and bayonet and with shot and shell to
keep back the invading hosts of the north, but to-day
we are actually extending you all an invitation to in¬
vade us. and we are troubled only because of
the Insignificant size of the hosts. If you
came down upon us In such swarms thirty-
live years ago, why do you hesitate to repeat
the experiment to-day: There can certainly
be no doubt in your miffds as to being ac¬
corded a heartier reception If not as warm
a one.
" I don’t care how good a soldier a man is
(and you certainly sent some magnificent
ones down here to pry into our affairs),
he must prefer the peace, plenty and good
will of one of the fairest lands on earth to
having his ears tortured by the rebel yell or
placing his body as a target to a rebel bullet.
Hence I say, we are all now surprised at the
smallness of this poet helium invasion. We
flatter ourselves, however, that this is to be
accounted for solely on the grounds that you
don't know us and don't know what kind of a
reception we will accord you. But my word
for It, there will be no trouble along that line,
" In their civil wars the old Greeks built
wooden monuments to commemorate vic¬
tories over their brothers. Their Idea was
that the bitter memories of the strife should
be as short lived as the wood itself. This
was commendable surely, but we of the south
surpass the old Greeks in this sentiment,
as in a good many others. We too propose
to erect wooden monuments (when iron and
stone can not be had) commemorative of our
new era. and if necessary erect them on the
field of battle. They will not be as artistic
as the handiwork of the Greeks nor of the
same character, but they will do more to blot out the
memories of the war and lift our people into the highest
plane of civilization than all the artistic taste of the
world. We propose tofurnish a site for these monuments
and much of the material for their construction, but we
must have aid. We can not do the work alone, for, un¬
like the Greek monuments, ours shall be great hives of
Industry, expensive to erect, expensive to operate and
expensive to keep in repair.
"I never look at a cotton factory, or a woolen mill,
or a blast furnace, or a mining shaft except as a mon¬
ument a monument to some man’s individual genius,
or to his pluck and perseverance, or to a nation's
thrift and energy. And suffice it to say these are the
monuments I now refer to; these the monuments, to
the construction of which I am going to ask the hearty
co-operation and material aid of every man within the
sound of my voice. I could not do otherwise, believing,
as I do, that the south now offers the most magnificent
field for the placing of capital.
"CLIMATE OF THE SOUTH FOR MANUFACTURING.
" It is an oft repeated and generally received opinion
that the climatic conditions of the south will never
permit a great degree ol success in cotton manu¬
facturing, especially in the finer fabrics, and no doubt
this has been greatly to our disadvantage.
"That it is too hot for effective work.
"Too dry for fine yarns.
'• That bracing air and needed humidity are alone to
be found in the north, and that New England on this
continent alone has these conditions properly combined
and hence must remain the sole producers of the finer
cotton manufactured products.
Prof. E. R. L. Gould: "I once had the opportunity of
comparing the cost of the production of absolutely the
same grade of goods manufactured in South Carolina,
England, France and Germany. The advantage was
with the south." Professor Gould is the author of sev¬
eral works on sociological, industrial and kindred
subjects and professor in both the Johns Hopkins and
University of Chicago.
" It is claimed there are now 4.000.000 spindles in the
south. The last midsummer's report of the New Eng-
REPRESENTATIVES SEABOARD AIR LINE, AT SETTLERS
•These arc rrcre assertions r.ot borne out by the-
fact* If y*>u will consult the proper authorities yoa
will ascertain that lr. the great manufacturing section
of tte south the Piedmont belt— you will find the
temperature but little above that of Onne.itcut and
the humidity of the two sections the same. That the
average rainfall Is slightly In excess an,i *uurh more
uniform in the south- The Piedmont section, covering
an area greater than the whole of New England. Is
in
:«
h milder tn winter and. owing to Its greater cleva
ti *n scarcely hotter la summer But apart from all of
this, mills are r^plily becoming Independent of nat¬
ural climate and by the use of steam can produce Just
such a condition of moisture in the atmosphere as is
most desirable.
"There is another error current, not only at the
north, but it is used very effectively in Europe to turn
the tide of immigration westward. I refer to the fre¬
quent assertions that the south is a fever stricken dis¬
trict, simply because it is down south. Of the four
healthiest localities in these United States two of them
are within the limits of North Carolina and neither a
thousand feet above the sea. 1 feel confident in mak¬
ing the assertion that the Piedmont section of Vir¬
ginia. North and South Carolina can not be surpassed
for its salubrity of climate by any similar area of ter¬
ritory upon God's green footstool. In fact the whole
of the south, not less than 400 feet above the sea. is un¬
surpassed in climate and the coasl section is equal to
any other.
" Returning once more to the manufacturing inter¬
est. Our labor has been called ignorant. Inefficient
and unreliable. Ask northern men here present who
have been employing the native white labor of North
Carolina and hear what they say. They tell me that
with the same amount of Instruction It Is as good as
elsewhere and much easier controlled.' As yet negro
land Cotton Mancfactt
census of 8*i gives th
«167.
OX) spindles. By
18Й
we had iVi mills with ).?l«.000 spindle». No one
ч
have dared in 1890 though to predict tbat the Cgur ?
that year would treble In another decade, but th.i
can no
the south has In ml
which will beat work»
Add to this number 80C.O
tins, and by the end of 10
-FW and jsw there will’**
Certainly, sin re Sepiem'ue
aid 2J».<yn. making the t
date 4.O1C.UC0. From the above, it wilt be obterv
will only require an increase of 800.000 spindles a
to give this section a tola; of 6.000.000 by IVW
" But enough of southern cotton manufacturln
there Is one thing proven beyond question It Is the pro¬
fitableness of this Industry In the south. The personal
evidences of this are abundant on every hand. I know
of no better way of impressing capitalists than to de¬
monstrate by object lessons the actual capabilities of
the south, and this we have done along the line of cot¬
ton manufacturing. That It can do equally as well
along all Industrial pursuits I think goes without
question.
"SPEAKING NOW OF NORTH CAROLINA.
"We have with our genial climate, cheap lands,
abundant timber and water, our near proximity to an
urban population of not less than
Ю.ооо.оо»
souls, greater
inducements to offer the truck and fruit grower than
any state In the union, and the claim that North Caro¬
lina is one of the most desirable states is now being ac¬
cepted without question. She offers a cordial welcome
to the honest and industrious of all nations, but especi¬
ally to people of the north and west who are seeking
VIEW OK PEACH ORCHARD OF VAN LIN DDE Y & CO., NEAR SOUTHERN PINKS, N. t . SKABOAUD AIR LINK.
J labor has not been given a trial in cotton mill opera-
! tions. I have no doubt it will prove a success when
attempted. A mill with which I am now connected.
| one of the oldest cotton mills in the south and the first
built in North Carolina, attempted slave labor away
long in the forties but soon abandoned it. I do not know
1 why. but suspect it was because the same labor could
I be more profitably employed in the fields.
“Among other evidences that the true condition of
the situation Is becoming known is the fact that the
Lawrence Manufacturing Co. of Massachusetts, capi¬
talized at ?l,nOO,«XJO, have concluded to curtail business
and have divided among the stockholders 1750.000, con¬
tinuing only the hosiery feature of their business.
When asked the why of this course they frankly ad¬
mitted they could n«>t compete with the south.
" There can be no doubt that cotton manufacturing
Is coming south to stay, unless we permit it to be ruth¬
lessly snatched from us by the yellow skinned people
of the east through the unwise legislation of our gov.
eminent.
" In substantiation of my assertion as to the quality
of southern manufactured goods permit me to quote
the benefit of her superior climate. Let us hope that
results will come out of this Northern Settlers’ con¬
vention far greater than all work heretofore done to
Induce capital and people to come among us. If you
who have already made your home among us will only
say to the world through this convention that since your
sojourn among us you have had your usual good health ;
tbat you who have made your homes among the pines
and are predisposed to pulmonary troubles, have Im¬
proved in health; that you have been exempt from
fevers; that you are at- confident of the security of life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness as you would be
anywhere else, the result of the coming together of
this convention can be of great mutual benefit.
"The south to-day is the best governed, the most
contented, the least disturbed, and, In truth, the most
prosperous and Inviting section of this country, and
this Is to be attributed, In part at least, to tbe fact that
it has had fewer conflicting elements to contend with.
There is a homogeneity among her people found no¬
where else in the United States, and hence more unity
of sentiment in matters in which the people as a whole
are Interested.
