Evening star., 1901-07-10
FUTURE OF THE SOUTH.
Her Hope Lies In the JudfciOus Culti-
walton of Her Soil.

Her Hope Lies in the JudiciOus Culti-
walton of Her Soil.
Gen. Thos l.. Rosser in New York Herald.
Why do We so often hear the question
asked, What is the future of the south?"
The south is part of the United States,
and why should it's future not be so insepa-
rably connected with that of the nation as
to make such a question wholly incongru-
Gus? Yet the question, like Banquo's Enost,
will not down and confronts us at every
move we make. politically, religiously, COM
mercially industrially, materially and So
cially; hence 1 repeat the question What
is the future of the south? To answer this
question let us first consider the present of
the south.
There is no Disgusting the fact that the
| material growth of the south is not keeping
up and abreast with that of the north and
is langushing. The growth of the northern
states is like the flow of a full flooded river
in its current float the material and the
nourshment for a growing empire, while
| the south is in an eddy, and but little goes
| her way.
| The climate, soil. scenery and health of
| the south are not surpassed by those of the
| north; indeed, If there is a difference it is
in the south's favor. and in the abundance
| and variety of it's products the south is un-
| questionably ahead of the north. Then the
problem is What should the south do in
| order to turn the tide of prosperity to her
deserted but hospitable shores?
The south Is essentially agricultural, and
in the judfciouS cultivation of her soil lies
all her hopes.
Almost every farm in the south has tim
Der enough on it to keep the buildings and
Enclosures in repair. as well as to supply an
abundance of fuel. The lands are either
fertile susceptible of fertilization by
proper manuring. and by a judicious appli-
cation of such compoSts be easily
prepared on every farm a few acres could
~ N Sh.ar% IF,n
the whole farm could be put in a highly
fertilized condition, and rendered capable
| of abundant and profitable production.
Lands in the south being very cheap the
thrifty and industrious colored man carly
acquires home and sets UP for himself
and thus the best of the colored laborers
are withdrawn from the army of day
hands, which is growing less in numbers
and less efficient from year to year The
young white boys, after struggling hard to
acquire an education, either seek a profes-
sion. In which they eke out a bare living,
or II unwilling to drag weary life along
the slow trail Of poverty, they go west or
north, where the hum of busy and pro-
gressive enterprise offers a field IN v hich
MUM. and where push" is invariably
rewarded by success
While this emigration of young men de-
populates the south, impoverishes the stam-
Ina Of industry and induces decay and
thriftlessness, which breed DESPAIR in the
south, the north and west thus receive most
valuable recruits
AS long as the negro was tampered with
py designing politicians he was kept in a
constant fever Of political expectancy-in a
waiting position-but in it's vagueness It
was fascinating and alluring; and this lust
for political power, though unattaina bile
yet apparently within the pale of political
possibility. kept the colored man from
work. flled the towns and villages with rest
less tramps, the jails with the vicious and
generated race antagonism which ut
times has been bitter and hurtful to both
races.
Political power Is now looked on by the
black man as an illusive dream and after
thirty-six years Of disappointment, he has
at last turned his thoughts and energies
into more wholesome and profitable chan
nels.
While 1 see (or think do, the dawn q,
the coming day of the new era of the south
L realize that 1t will be disappointment TO
many of the old families Of the south. who
look with doubt and misgiving on all inno-
Vations- The great west is fast filling up
with the overflow from Europe and the
older states. professional pursuits are grow
ing less tempting every year, and the
young men of the north who have been
brought up on poor. rocky farms and taught
to work, finding the lands of the north too
dear to begin life on, will colonize in the
south on large bodies of it's best lands. and
by cooperative methods establish new
hives of industry. which will awake the fair
Goddess Ceres from her slumbers to trans
form the wilderness into a garden of wealth
and beauty.
The lands of the SOUTH especially those I'm
tide water. are very cheap, running from
80 to SO per acre, according to improve
ments; They are easily titled. susceptible
or high cultivation, and are near good mar
kets with which they are connected by wa
ter as well as rail transportation and will
produce all of the vegetables, cereals plants
and fruits found in the north temperate
zone.
Much Of this land is still in it's primeval
v1rg1n1ty, and the timber growing on it. il
laid down in Philadelphia or New York.
would more than pay the cost of the land
together with the expense of clearing the
timber Off; yet the most of this land Is now
idle and is the home only of wild deer and
wild turkeys. while the rivers and bays are
filled with the very best OF fish and oysters
Scientific farming is an honorable pursuit
and as business far more lucrative than
peddling pills or encouraging litigation
among netghbors. Farming has never been
conducted in the south on scientific princi-
pies. for the farm has always been worked
as mtne-everything dug out of it and
carted off. and nothing put back-and under
such treatment the farms have been ex-
hausted, and the soil grew thinner and
thinner, more and more acres were put
under the plough, SO that by increasing the
area the sum of the yield could be main
tanned.
This plan has been carried to such ex-
tremes that more acres are put under the
fields become so foul that they have to be
abandoned. and new fields are cleared at a
heavy labor-expense. which are taken
through like experience as the first when
they are also turned out. and thus the pro-
cess goes on and on without enriching the
farmer, but wearing out and impoverishing
his land.
1t Is safe to say that throughout the
southern states not more than 10 per cent
of the land is cleared, and not more than
per cent Of the cleared land is inclosed and
in cultivation The treeIess prairfes of the
west offer no such Inducements to the emf
grant or the Industrious young agricuitur-
ist as are found all over the south and
now is the time for their acquisition
Should the northern boys begin to colon
ize in the south. then the southern bows
will see the folly of leaving home in search
of lucrative employment and then farming
will become fashionable and the south be-
come prosperous. pOpulous and potent
Hotel Albion, Asbury Park.
Many complimentary words ara being