After a Good Year, 1920 Looks Promising

From the editorial page of The Beaufort News, Thursday, Jan. 1, 1920, William Giles Mebane, editor and publisher

Past and Future

There is no disputing the fact that in the year which has just ended Carteret County made a very considerable advance in its development. The record is here to speak for itself and while it is not as good as we desire, yet upon the whole it is satisfactory.

A sure barometer that the business of the county is on the increase is to be found in the deposits of the five banks that serve the people. Every one of these institutions shows a substantial increase in business and some of them have made tremendous gains. The banks could not grow unless the people are making more.

We have no exact figures at hand but we believe that the biggest growth in the past year has been the farming industry of the county. The high prices that cotton and tobacco have brought have been the main element in the farmers’ prosperity although other products like corn, potatoes and live stock have also contributed.

The menhaden fishing this year has proved a disappointment but the catch of food fish has been large and has been of great value to our people. There are not many manufacturing concerns in the county except the fish scrap and oil factories but the ones that are here have in the main done very well.

The outlook for another year looks encouraging. The young men are all back from the war. Work is plentiful and wages are high. Farm products will probably be high again. There are many houses to be built, roads to be constructed, crops to be cultivated and fish to be caught. The only thing needed is “the will to win” as the Germans used to say. If we have that we can get our share of the prosperity which will probably sweep over the country this year. Let’s do it.

The News cannot either think of or hope for anything better for Carteret County during the year now beginning than the improvement of our public schools. This matter is fundamental in the development and of our country. Good attendance, good buildings and equipment and particularly good teachers are the objects for which we should strive this year.