Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-08-12

The Indications are that when the
present war with Spain Is over we shall
control Porto Rico. the Philippines aud
Sandwich Islands. TO say nothing OF
Cuba. We must maintain a larger
standing army and n large, efficient
navy. We must build a canal across
the Isthmns OF Panama. All this
means that thousands aud hundreds of
thousands Of ablc. c.bodied men Will be
Withdrawn from ordinary pursuits, that
new fields will be opened for the enter
prislng, that the unemployed may have
employment II they will, that period
Of prosperity for the farmer and for the
artisan and consequently for the whole
country Is near. How long the boom
will last or what will be the ultimate
result are other questions, but 1t be-
hoOves the wise TO have their wits
about them and be up and doing. That
some sort of reaction will come in
time there can be no doubt, says writ
cr In Louisville paper. The farm
ers Of Kentucky and Of the South now
have their greatest opportunity. They
were left PROSTATE in 1865 and were
unable 10 gather together the wreck Of
war and take advantage in Its fullness
of the flush times In the latter half Of
the Cos. When they did begin to stand
alone immigration sometimes half a
million year from the crowded popu-
latlOn Of Europe flowed into the un-
broken prairles OF the West. The vir-
glu soil was broken. American ingc-
auity invented improved machinery of
every kind. and Hood Of wheat and
corn and cattle and horses poured out
from the West. undreamed Of, unexam-
pied In the history Of the world. In
dia, Argentina and Russia added to the
store of golden grain The cheap horses
from the West killed the mule Industry
In Kentucky, the cheap wheat and corn
and the fat range cattle from the bunch
grass drove the price of Southern ca4tle
and farm products down TO such a fig
IRE that no longer were they profitable.
Cotton went down in price, and tobac-
co. except the better class Of hurley,
dropped. But at last the West was f;a
at least so far as free lands and farlrs
open for the taking The South had
turned In measure TO other things.
Finding farming profits cut down, she
dug into the bowels of the earth for
coal and ore, furnaces and factories
sprung up. and the hum Of Industry
was heard. And even before the dec
laratlon Of war the South was begin
ming to have her inning. She was, as It
were, beginning to catch even with the
shooting, jumping, popping, growing
West, with the North, boom-slck Ar
gentina, despot-cursed I,ussin and
plague'rldden, but rich and productive,
India. Wheat was going up. corn was
going up, hogs, cattle aud horses were
bringing good and increasing prices. All
this and better things are now at hand.
Having learned the bitter lesson Of ad-
versify the South should be prepared
America should be prepared TO grasp
her opportunities. We have no famines
In America, we have no pestlence as
known to other countries. Those who
do not move forward may blame them
selves. We have the most productive
country ON this globe, and. avoiding
wild schemes and foolish speculations,
we should produce and lay up store
against the rainy day, remembering
that "he is farthest from market who
has nothing to SELL