The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-15

10 the Editor: hat the South Is
making rapid progress in 4 material
way. no one who has made even a
cursory examination Of its resources
and industries can possibly deny. But
to the careful student Of Southern
civilization there comes a deep sad
ness along with the conviction that
the life of the great masses OF the
people. including nearly all Of the
farming classes. is duler and drier
and harder than it once WAS. or should
be. in a land where nature is 50
bright and beautiful and the people |
are so deserving.
| All Of our Southern people-and I
| this is especially true Of our f;rm- /
ers-lave worked harder during the I
/ past ten wears than they have ever I
worked before. hey appreciated the |
gifts of nature to the South and the
opportunities of the times. and they
felt most keenly the necessities of
their situation. For them during re
cent years it was work, steady and
hard work. or all was lost. They
| have accomplished much in the gen
eral development Of the South. in the
| building OF numerous towns ana lac
tories. in the construction of rail
| Way Ill tIie uiIllZdllO ttlttS
too often the wanton destruction n-of
the forests. in the opening Of mines.
and. best Of all in the introduction Of
new crops and the great diversitica-
ton of agriculture. At last work has
been accomplished in the opening
and preparing the country for the de
velOpment Of the highest arts and IN
dustries. Our wealth producing re
sources have been scarcely more
than touched, but enough has been
done to show that they exist to an
almost houndless extent for the use
Of every art.
While this has been accomplished,
the SOutherner has not failed entire
: ~, either, of his pecuniary rewards.
: He received fair prices for his agri-
cultural products. and in most de
e partmen1S OF manufacture the earn
i ingS have been as good as in any
: country. Considerable money has
Il come into the South to be invested II
railroads. mines. forests. farms. toWI
0 lots and manufactures. The Soutf
Il erner has not been idle: he has i'm
: proved his opportunities and used his
@ resources where he could. He has
t earned some money and reinvested it
/. In short, his situation is greatly I'M
proved in a material way, but the
lnlng W Uitll 'iSatPitpili'N ''ti' ''''N'N' -
the thoughtful student of the South
ern society at the present time Is
!, that the intellectual and spiritua
= life Of the people, comprising al
: those things which make life higher
= holer and happier. has not improved
in proportion TO the Improvement II
material conditions This is especial
:, ly true Of he social life and all those
:" things which make home attractive
;, to young people.
r This fact must BE recognized by al
= who are old enough TO De able TO com
: pare country life in the South IN the
= old times with the life Of the same
neODle at the present time. Doubt
r. less great improvement has peer
- made in some section. rs III the noun
! tain regions and other SparSelN SET
- tied neiohbOrhoods. but III the Ole
- farming sections, which represented
. the best II ere was OF Southern iil'
in 1860. all Cat belongs 10 the CHE
!, civilization hiS StLCi SUI o. Son
:, back. The charming, hospitable oi'
- homes are abandoned, the claSslca
= acadamies are closed and the church
i es where once a cnllira1ed audienc
assembled each Sund@N 10 near
u learned discourse from scholars.
- minister are now opened to q YER
=. month: this is especially true OF tn
= cotton cOuntrv The descendants Q
- the lordly old planters have remove
= 10 the cities and towns. and. TO
- great degree. these sections once tn
:. most civilized and enlightened IN tn
, South are left now TO small farmer:
:. new comers and negroes. who. thOug
- fairly INDUSTRIOUS live very hard an
no have very little desire or hope 10
90 ANYTHING better. 1t IS t. tins coma
- ton that | would call attention. II
~ troductoly to q plea for the enco"
: nrement i'm the South Of the thing
: which support the intellectual lit
=. and the improvement OF couhtrN III
- II is easy to account Tor this Sit
:. change The civil war Ove'1ErcW IN
-, industrial system Of the SG'ith an
- started a series OF revolutions
30 every department OF business IL
-, which have on Y recently "rouSi
~ their complete work. TO lesser d
- Gree the South has suffered from I
~ GREAT changes IL the mefhonS - 'o'
merce and trade which have 50 pro
trated the western farmers ana
reduced the earnings OF a2rcultui
te. in all old countries the word oNe
Along with our Western states. II
of South has suffered 9rievOuSlN ffo1
in vicious and selfish legislation adopl,
M in the interest OF other classes
full understand the causes. though
The may not all agree as to the rela'iN
IN effect Of each one 1t is not pioPoHe
rs. at this time 20 discuss an.
wo OF a political character illS Is
The strictly industrial article. ana II
lay the purpose of the writer 10 urge T. =,
nts Introduction Of educational ahu i
,,ic dustrial agencies for making bfiehte
better and happier the HE OF IT., /,
country people Of the South. J.
ON means to be used are OF wholly Il,
tas deterrent character and he closer
the lives Of the people than any h'e'