The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-10
The Fair of the American Institute-Let the
South be Represented.

The forty second Exhibition of the American
Institute of the city of New York, will be held
in the Exhibition Buildings this year, common
cling September 10.
We hope to see these exhibitions made truly
representative of the entire country. TO be so,
or even only approximately so, the products OF
South as well as North and West must be dis
played, and in proportions consistent with the
producing area. Some time ago occasion was
taken in this journal to draw attention to the
lameutable absence of exhibits at the last show
held at New York, to the fact that literally
nothing whatever coming from the South was
shown at ALL One has only to take the map
of this Continent and observe the geographical
dimensions of the South, whether it be in the
vast pine country sweeping round the southern
extremity, or Florida reaching giant arm to
the Indies, or Texas, all empire in itself; to
note the serpentine course of that mighty
river that rolls southwark to the sea, whose
tributary network holds the heart of the coun-
try in its grasp, to be convinced OF the vast
importance of the section, and remembering
the prodigal luxuriance of the semi-tropical
climes, to feel how rich must be the quota that
the South might contribute. And yet in the
show of 1872, from all this vast region, not a
single products For all that this so-called ex-
hibition of Americas resources, industry and
inventive genius had to show of it, the South
might have been only vast sandy desert,
without an inhabitant. Elsewhere in this
issue allusion is made to the fact that II, 900
persons landed recently at New York from Eu-
rope in single week, to take up their abode
in some portion of the country, and this great
in-rolling current goes on without pause.
Everywhere are noticed the wonderful
changes taking place intall the territory
whereto these people gravitate. They bring
their energy, their industry and often capital
to make our idle fields productive. The ma
jcrity of them, for want of information, are
swept into the current that is rolling westward.
Few 90 South. The reason for this is that
while every possible inducement has been held
forth by men interested in the appreciation of
Western lands, the South has been inert.
What correspondent says elsewhere with
regard to Virginia applies equally TO the en-
tire South. The New York show being, rs 1t
were, an index to the country, Western men
have long been alive to the Importance of
having the West duly represented, and last
year vast quantities of all that could be brought
to show what of earth's varied produce the
West could boast were literally poured at the
visitors feet. Thus we see only assertion on
the one side and negation on the other, and
who can wonder at the result. 1t would cost
the South scarcely an effort to cram this exhi-
bition building to over6owing, if such thing
were allowed, with stock of all kinds, differing
only in its superior excellence from what the
West has to show and supplementary struc-
ture with what the West can not show. Last
year the South might have exhibited her cot
ton, raw and manufactured, rice, sugar cane,
tobacco, scmi-tropical fruits, cereals, phos-
pilates, gold, diamonds, iron, coal, copper,
preserved beef-one might go on enumerating
for hours and then have made butan imperfect
catalogue of the contents of this g~at store
house of the continent. Why is this eShibi.
ton or something like it not made? When will
the Southern people see that it is only by
making their voices heard, and the merits Of
their section known, that the benefits of which
the West is now taking the lions share shall
be apportioned more in accordance with de-
sert? The Southern people must, however,
take the initiative themselves. There is this
exhibition, another opportunity fo- the accom-
plishment of something. The South must not
expect her products to be sent for she must
send them, and send the best. Most earnestly
it is to be hoped that this year something will
be done, and that when September reaches us
and the doors of the exhibition are Enclosed,
while the West is again emptying her Cornu-
copia before the world, the treasures of the
South may not again be conspicuous by their
absence.-7he South, ~ Y.