Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-01-17
A Vernon Girl writes Of missouri conditions

EDITOR CENSOR:-I am afraid ''pore
OF Missouri" has been somewhat mis-
represented in your paper by certain
correspondents, who seem to have
judged the whole from some little insig-
niticant part. | cannot see where our
school system lacks in advanced meth
DDS. IN fact, l think from what | have
been axle to see of the Institutes, in
structcrs and schools themselves that
we are thoroughly up-to-date. / think
almost any atlas will tell you that our
state school fund ranks way up near the
top. Foreign immigration has not in
vaded us yet, so our teachers are almost
entirely bright, young Americans. When
| think of the heavy loads of would-be-
teachers Prof. Hutton used to have to
fairly drag through an institute wish
he and others might have the happiness
of attending a Missouri teachers insti-
tute. But ours last whole month and
costs each teacher but 50 per institute
one dollar for each of the three instruct
ors It's no money-making scheme at
all. It's simply all right.
About Southern Missouri: Since the
war it has been rather a hard uphill
struggle for the people. Like all of the
southern states the country was left
pretty desolate; not one farmer in a
dozen had even chicken left. Such a
thing as pig, cow or mule was I'M
known. But with the coming of our
K c., f. S. & NJ r. r., the discovery
of zinc and the capacity of the Ozarks
for growing the finest peaches etc, we
are simply coming to the front. OF
course capital is the commodity a couu-
try like this needs. Zinc mines are con-
tinually being discovered The mineral
seems rather deep about West PLANES.
SO is rather costly to mine. Still, about
10 miles away, at Cureall springs, they
have paying zinc mines Zinc from
these mines is being shipped from West
PLANES in its raw state to some city In
Wisconsin. Joplin one of our zinc
towns, has the best mines of that kind
in the world, and these have been dis
covered only twelve years.
We raise all kinds of fruit and grain
that grow anywhere in our climatic
belt. Still, northern people are the ones
that are building up the country
through their capital We have, as
very near neighbOrs, Prof. Wright and
daughter Of Vernon county. There are
many others from Wisconsin in or near
w est L lalueS, Out i-tOSb OF the people are
from Iowa and Illinois Howell county
is quite on attractive place, with its
health resorts, its fruit farms, its high
schools and college its many beautiful
churches and dwellings, its energetic
people. and last but not least, its dialect
that Miss McVey seems to dislike so.
What little we have is very delightful.
but fear there's not even enough for a
little dialect poem One thing the peo-
pie here seem to entirely lack, and that
is the spirit that says little. petty and
mean things about Others, so cannot
bear TO have them made fun of, even by
our worthy friend. Miss McVey.
BY the way, Mr.. Morton of Spring
field, is about right ON the race question.
He certainly does not look through the
eyes of prejudice. Everyone who lives
for some little time in the south knows
the great Negro vote is purchasable.
The last fellow who treats gets his vote.
1t is our best men who wish to olsen
franchise the Negro; the worst ones, of
course would still like TO buy them.
Respectfully,
ANNA BATES.
West Plaines, No, Jan. 8. 1900.