The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-06-19
A MONTHS CHANGES.

IL ~ llnpOhsl Die 10 view the lhhlNtl
Gus recuperStive powers OF the soil Of
tho Delta Snd the dauntless hopeful
ness of It's people without admiration
and surprise. Two months ago the
future OF the country contained scarce
Iva ray of hope The work of years
had been destroyed almost in a day.
The crops were implanted, the fields
which should have been broad levels
OF springing corn and cotton were
wastes Of water. The capital accumu'
lated through years of economy and
bard work was being daily expended
In providing for an army of starving
farm labor and stock. Business Of
every description was at a standstill
The railroads were ruin, aud total
destruction appeared TO have over
taken region which, a month before,
had been the home of enterprise, i'm
proVement, and agricultural aud COM
merciSl prosperity. Iu the eyes of the
outside world the Delta was ruined
but it's people knew its capacity and
their own courage. Already, before
the IAplings have become straight
after the fierce current which so ls'ely
bent them, and while pools OF water
still stand in the cultivated fields, the
farms which were lately submerged
are green with growing crops, the
bermuda grass is rapidly covering the
bare pastures, aud stranger going
through the land would never think
that go short time ago the whole
country was sea.
The same wonderful change is no.
,lceAble in the mercantile world. The
paralysis which the isolation of April
Ind May forced upon the business life
If Greenville has given place TO in
luStry, hope and confidence 1t is
wonderful country aud a wonderful
,sople-a country of such natural re-
ources, so blessed Ia soil, seasons aud
Innate, that no calamity has power to
harm it or affect its pro-
uctS; and people so strong in self.
courage and trust in their
oHntry that they are enabled to over
ONE obstacle after obstacle which q
'ould appear hopeless TO weaker !
ace.
1t is quite possible that the overflow
1897 will be the last great destruc.
We flood from which the Delta will
o permitted 10 suffer, 1t has been
i'll drawing the attention e
the people of the Union, as well as
10 government, to the situation more 4
IectiVely than could have been &C t
10y any other means. 1t
lS induced study of the means of
rejection, of the character of country :
1srfowed, and of the loss sntailed, b
1t only to the people of the localities Il
feeted, but to the entire country. r
he necessity for protection from the :.
eat river was, before the overflow
this year, q question Of exclusively
cal interest and the efforts of our
personalities were listened to with
lily q half sympathy and appreciation. IL
is now, thanks to the great object
'Ion OF the flood, national prob
ma great work of national impor-
nee, in which the best thought OF all
ctions Of the country is interesting
elf, and to the perfectlng of which
ly national power is adequate,
The food OF 1897 has not been an
mixed calamity. 1t has strength.
ed and greatly enriched many lands q
lich were beginning to be weakened
long cultivation without artificial
'tilization. 1t has shown to the
'rld what the Delta is capable OF
en- In the face OF such disaster, and vi
IRE than all, it has created the pres
universal interest in levee building,
intelligent protection from similar
Astrophea. There is no disposition
the part of the people of the Delta
despair but rather TO go forward
h renewed energy aud determine
b, confident that out OF evil good TC
y come. I'll