Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-07-21
1MuE1MTas
THE COTTON EXPOSITION
OUR DUTIES AND PRIV
LEGES.

LEGES.
s The scheme Of great Cotton Exposition
ut Atlanta, Georgia, this full, originated and
wae put into shape by tho fertile brain Of
Edward Atkinson, of Boston, Massachusetts
who hos boon for inany years identified with
tho manufacturing interests Of tho North.
His letters show him to bo q man Of broad
and liberal vicwe, ready to lend tho fruits Of
his matured judgment and wide experience 10
to whatever is likely to promote the progress
and prosperity Of tho whole country lIo
seoms, rs said by tho Now York Herald, to
have given much study to tho material re-
sources Of tho South and whiio ho regards
us chiefly an agricultural people and has
given US many valuable suggestions for tho
utilization Of what has been. in tho past re-
garded as waste matter on tho farm. still he
seems not to have fully realized aud appre.
cated our manufacturing RESOURCES and ad.
yantuges.
True, we arc an agricultural people in soil,
climate and tho leading staples Of tho world,
but we arc also u manufacturing people in
climate, materials, water powers and other
facilities. In other words, the Southern
States are almost world within them selves.
possessing such n variety Of soil, climate and
natural resources as to enable them to grow
profitably all tho cercals, cotton, rice and
tobacco, peaches, apples. grapes upd other
frpits, and equally capable Of manu- ufucturinp
them into oloth, vino, flour or other valuable
articles Of commerce.
1t could hardly be expected that man OF
Northern extraction. with Northern ideas
and associations, should. upon cursory visits.
appreciate fully our advantages The fact
~ n I'm vnru ,,,c
tho bounteous hund,of nature as displayed in
this country. The barronness aud blenkness
Of Now Eugland gave birth to Yankee ingc>
nnity and converted it's frozen and unproluc
two hills into thriving manufacturing villages
and oities. On the other hand, the prodi.
gafity of naturcin Upper Carolina has damp
ened the spirit of inquiry and progressive de-
velopmcnt.. That necessity which has been
the mother Of. invention, 10 in truth nothing
moro than tho spiri. Of inquiry directed to
the development aud utilization Of the pow,
ers Of nature. As said in prior issue of
this paper, u TIE past wo have brought up n
raco Of. gentlemen, who, following the foot.
steps Of their ancestors, have sought wealth
in raising slaves or making cotton to sell to
others. We have bliudly neglected tho ele,
monts of higher wealth and prosperity with
which nature had blessed our country, md
hngo theroby contributed to tho enrichment Of
rior to no people and educutionnl f.citiesea
to those Of the North, we have lnbored for
ono hundred years with implements brought
from abroad, traded with gold dug in distant
mines and clothed ourselves with goods woven
ut Northern manufactures, and this, too,
while our own section abuundcd in precious
metals. while our native hills wero clothed
with.the best variety Of timber, and our water
powers, inviting tho wheels Of machinery,
were lying idle and worthless. The truth is,
our educated talent WAS never driven into
and mover sought employment in the many
avenues of material prosperity. Wo have
been conservative and self satisfied people.
The peculiar system Of lubor amongst us
made US an agricultural people, and eYon in
this pursuit. brute force and authority were
regarded as moro available in the production
OF large crops than soicntiiio instruction.
Tho same system was repugnant to tho in.
PRODUCTION Of skilled labor, which would have
utilized tho various resources of our State.
of immigration, is dead. The resulting no
cessities of our people have brokon this long
case. not to shy lethsrgy, and awakened, "a
episi tot energy and inquiry which will rem.
der the losses Of the past source Of a
higher prosperity. From the samo oause n
deeper interest is felt by outsiders in our
section and as the knowledge Of it's adyantar
ges extends, population will flow in.
THE EXPOSITION.
The Exposition at Atlanta will afford our
people tho opportunity of exhibiting not on
paper alone, but in kind, the varied resources
Of oar section. Through tho active excrtions of
Mr.. Kimball the Director General, sesonIeJ
by the heads Of the Agricultural Departments
Of several States, the exposition has assumed
q scope and magnitude not m tcpated BY its
projectors. The New York San calls it a
worlds fair, which promises to be of tho
greatest interest and TO bo followed by the
most bonefcent results. While the cotton
department. will be made the central and
distinctive feature of comprehensive dis,
play of the products of industry, and the
natural riches of tho Southern States cspe.
cially will bo prominently brought before
factnrers Of Europe and Of oil parts of this
country will be received. There will bo n
place for every product of human thought
and labor, unless it should DO in any way
dangerous or offensive. That is so far us
possible, it is to be made universal exhibi
tion. An exhibit Of tho mineral, agrioul.
tural and manufacturing resources Of tho
South, as yet but little known, will constitute
o Leading feature Of interest and yauo Of
the exposition.
Another feature Of the fair, says The SIN,
which will have great value, will be tho dis.
play OF specimens Of tho ores, sCils, minerals,
native woods, indigenous plants and other
natural products Of the Southern Sta,os.
These are to bo collected by the railroad
companies and by individuals and will oc-
cupy three buildings. They will servo to
convey to those who soc them on idea Of the
variety and inexbaustblo extent of Southern
natural resources. From oil wo can gather
the exposition will bring together oil the
s.,l. ~; Al
world through their representatives., at tho
samo time that visitors Of all professions and
avocations will attend it. In this view it
pr0misos both material and social ;nllnanna