The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-08
Mhat the south Needs.

What the South Needs.
The Chattanooga Tradesman invited
number OF the prominent ara successful
men Of the south. in all lines of endeavor,
to express themselves in short papers with
regard to the progress the section has
made in material development. and as to
what is needed to stimulate such develop
ment. The papers appear in the Trades
mans annual, just out.
The unanimity with which the writer's
agree that the south must work out her
own destiny is striking. It is pointed out.
and argued from numerous Incidents that
it is best for the country and the people
that southerners should develop their own
country. 1t may be urged that the south
has not the necessary capital. Mr.. Thomas
G.. Watkins of the Louisville Courier
Journal declares that is only partly true.
There is enough capital usually to create
the credit, which will answer the purpose.
Mr.. r. NJ. johnson, editor of the Houston
CTex). Post draws attention to the fact
that there are capitalists in the south, as
well as elsewhere, and observes that they
have been very slow to take advantage of
seems hard for some southern people
moneyed men-to get out of the idea that
the south is not good for anything but to
raise cotton. If the south would use her
available capital and credit for her own
development, instead of dabbling in fu-
lures on the exchanges of the north or
buying boom town lots in the west. she
would not need to go begging to secure
money for southern enterprises.
Diversified farming is strongly urged by
nearly all of the writer's Whether farm
ing in the south can be made profitable is
answered by Mr.. Watkins of Kentucky
He tells of a farmer in a not particularly
fertile section who supported his family
in good style last year, improved his place
of 200 acres and laid up 81 100 cash in the
bank. He employed but one hand, and
says he did not do any particularly hard
work himself, nor did he raise any fancy
crops. Another farmer began on nothing
ten years ago, and has paid for his farm
and laid up bank account of 5000 since
that time; and he says he has done moth
ing more than any other man could do. 1t
is probable that neither of the farmers
whose successes are here recorded bothers
himself much about politics.
The pestiferous political agitator gets a
shot from nearly every writer in the
Trademarks annual Mr.. Matthews of
the Macon Telegraph draws attention to
the fact that one effect of the recent po-
Ideal agitation has been to ALLEVIATE the
country from the town and create hos
tility between them. There are too many
elections; there is too much lawmaking,
and too little law enforcing. Campaigns
and legislating keep businesses of all
kinds in a state of suspense and doubt
There should be a period of rest from at
tending TO everybody's business, which
should be devoted to attending to ones
own business.
The building of good roads is urged as
being of greatest Importance. Along this
line the south has done very little, though
it has been shown elsewhere that values
of farming lands and profits from farm
ing increase greatly when the highways
are made good
To sum up, the concensus of opinion
seems to be that the first needs of the
south are self-confidence and self-help,
diversified crops, less of politics, stringent
enforcement of law. and good roads. Hav-
ing these, the other things to be desired
would come along almost of their own ac-
cord.