The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-04-25
ENTERPRISE HAS
BECOME EPIDEMIC.
The Picayune's Industrial Crusade Has
Borne Golden Results,
Attracting the South's Attention to
Its Own Resources.
Encouraging the Investment of Its
Own Capital,
And Bidding Fair TO Remove the
Manufacturing Center to this
Section.

Great changes have been wrought In
the south during the past eighteen
months. The stagnant trade and low
price of cotton during the fall months
Of 1898 were like millstones around the
necks of the southern people. They
were Nightmares of distress which our
people woke up and threw of with Q
genuine heroic effort
No factor has been more potent in
relieving this distressful condition than
the valiant and enterprising press OF
the south. The potentially of this
power was first aroused to action by
the Picayune launching. in the winter
of 1898. a broad and comprehensive cam
paign for home industrial development.
This campaign met with prompt and
ready Endorsement, but likewise with
some doubts as to the efficacy and final
success of the effort.
The encouragement was sufficient at
each stage of advancement for 1t to be
pushed to the next step in the work. II
assumed a decidedly practical and eff
caciOus force when an industrial agent
and stan writer Of the Plcayune was
comm ssioned to visit the cotton mill
centers of the south-North and South
Carolina. Georgia and Alabama-to study
the effect of this industry on the sec
tons where ii was conducted. and this
resulted in the most encouraging line OF
data, which was prepared in an elabo-
rate way TO spread before the thinking
people Of the south, telling them that
the campaign was not only In earnest,
but was the true escapement from COM
mercial and agricultural stagnation
thr JughOut the entire cotton growing Sec
tons
The campaign began 10 bring results
in several portions Of the immediate
gulf states, notably In Mississippi and
Louisiana. The Louisiana State Agri-
cultural Society. in January. 1899, in
dorsed the work by special resolutions
and extending an invitation to the Plea
| on the subject of Cotton Mills at all
the cotton centers of Louisiana.
The invitation was accepted, and about
| Louisiana, resulting in several mills be-
| ing organized. The people Of Missis.
slppi were impressed with the force Of
the work. and called for help in organ
| lzlng a campaign in that state along the
same lines. The towns in Mississippi
were convinced of the Importance of the
movement TO their local prosperity, and
| have. as the effect of the argument. or
| ganized about twenty five cotton mills,
which will be running inside of another
year.
The effort was not complete until the
| New England mill towns were visited,
ton studied. and the story of their pros.
perity spread through the columns az
the Picayune before the thinking people
Of the south for digestion. and as the
| anal mile board to point the way for
| us to travel TO reach the coveted prize
| of independence and prosperity.
| 1t has been magical. Nearly every
section of the country, and all lines OF
| trade and industries have been stimu-
| lated by the effort. and each has re
ceived new hope and enthusiasm and
| passed it on to his neighbor, and thus
a southern enthusiasm has been aroused
and self-reliance been awakened. and