The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1895-10-22
A CHANGE OF BASE.
Now Era of Plenty and Prosperity
pening Up in the South.
sam Jones Rejoiccs In Hish-rriced Cot
ton and Abundant Crops and WsYa
"A Wise Use of the Vantage
Ground Gained.
COPYRIGHT. 1895


stances alter cases, but that they never
alter human nature. If human nature
does not change it changes its tune and
changes its base.
have Travelled much In the last few
days through the southern states. Eight
and nine cents cotton has put move on
the south, glow upon both farL,er and
merchant, hushed the calamity howlers
and run the free silver issue into the
background. With the prospect of cot
ton going to ten cents, and even higher,
we will soon forget the hard times OF
the past and cease to listen to the cal
amity howlcr on the stump or in the
editorial columns of our newspapers.
The south has made the cheapest crop
of cotton, perhaps, she has ever made,
though not so much by three million
bales as last year. The south has made
more corn and wheat and meat than in
any year of her past history. The farm
ers will have fuller cribs and fewer
debts, fuller pockets and fewer cares
than they have ever had in her history.
1t is real tonic to travel IN the south
to-day and mingle with the people; to
drive out in the suburbs and out beyond
and meet the wagons coming in loaded
with cotton, the old farmer with hur-
ricd movement and a bright face headed
towards the market, sometimes his wife
and children on the wagon, and they,
too, all aglow with smiles. And then TO
meet the old colored brother with his
stiff-eared mule and one-horse wagon
as he sits complacently upon his bale OF
cotton driving along tofa market that
will give him just return for his hard
years work. And then drive back into
the town and see the scores and some
times hundreds of wagons loaded with
cotton. the active buyers, the busy mer-
chants and the buzz and hustle.
There is not phase of southern life
that does not feel it. Our colleges and
schools are fuller than ever before. The
machinery of our manufactures start
ing up, the railroads running more and
fuller trains, the building of new homes,
the rebuilding of old ones, the stacks
of hay, the pens of hogs, the cribs OF
corn, all tickle the fancy and please
the mind and give evidence complete
that the south to-day is the coming sec.
tion of our great country.
Isn't it glorious after the tears and
trials, the failures and liquidations,
the debts and depressions OF the past
four years to feel that they have ended
at last? They say it is long lane that
never turns; and that the darkest hour
is lust before day. Now If we will use
wisely the vantage ground we have to-
dav, and by industry and economy each
fellow stick to his job, do his work
well, and husband his resources, we
shall yet have a solid prosperity un'
mixed with booms, unhurt by specula-
ton, and undimmed by fraud. Ex'
,erience is a dear school, and they say
fools will learn in no other. Then il
we be wise as fools we have learned by
the experience of the past that industry
and economy are the only two factors
that ever contribute to permanent pros
perity and wealth; that prodigality
and speculation wreck both fortune and
character; that the man who makes
haste to be rich not only burns his can
die at both ends, but generally is con-
sumcd himself by the flames which he
kindles. Ii the young men who have
grown up amid these hard times have
seen cause and effect and have learned
the lessons of the day, they too will
fall in line along the currents of honor.
industry andfrugality.
lam anxious to see what will come of
this change of base. i suppose the
politicians who clamor for high tariff
and for free and unlimited coinage Of
silver, the politicians who have sought
to throw disfavor upon the admins
tration of Cleveland. who have talked
about the jobbing and trading of Car
Isle with monied syndicates, will soon
be without keynote to their music or
foundation for their logic, or an apol-
ogy for their lies.
The price of cotton is talked about
more in the south to-day in one day
than silver and gold is talked of in
one hundred days. The buzz and whirl
of the millions of spindies in our cot
ton mills make music to charm the
multitude away from the voice of the
calamity bowler and association with
the dissatisfied mobs. The daily
laborer who has been without means
OF support SO long need not be idle a
day now in the south. The cotton
fields are white, the cotton mills are
buxzing. and the first fruits of the COM
ing prosperity make the blacksmith's
hammer ring upon the anvil again,
and the house carpenters saw and
square will have the rust worn on Of
them again by friction with the ma
terial they are busy shaping into
homes and barns and warehouses
The children will catch the spirit of
their parents and study with heart
and learn with vim. a better day is
coming. II is almost sunrise; and il
we will bring the lessons of the long
night as experiences into light of this
new day we shall use the opportuni-
ties and privileges which are now
riven to US to the betterment Of our
selves and to the higher prosperity Of
the world.
By the way. al roads seem now to
lead to Atlanta. Already Atlanta has
the buzz and life ct : much greater
city. Her streets srs full. The expo
sitibn. though MOI yet complete. Is
drawing the people from the four cor
GERS Of the earth, and from the Goth of
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