Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-07-26
HOkE SMITH TALKS or
CONDITIONS IN SOUTH
new York Times Has Inter-
view With Atlantian.
HE TOUCHES UPON POLITICS.

Good Local Government of First I'm.
poftance-White Voters of the South
ConserVatve--south'a Wonderful
Progress.
New York July 25.-Former Secre.
tSry OF the Interior Hoke Smith, of
Georgia, who has been in this city, is
quoted by The Times in discussing
conditions in the southern states as
having said
The question Of principle with re-
gard to the platitude of the south Is
not whether it will adhere to the Dem.
ocratic party, but what part IL will
take in the Democratic national con-
vention. viii is stand by the plat
form of 1896 at Chicago. which was
reiterated at Kansas City in 1900, or
VIII 1t go back to the Democracy Of
Jefferson and Jackson. or Seymour
and Tilden?
1T seems almost impossible for
eastern business men and every east.
ern Democrat to understand the sit.
uation in the south. Of first impor.
tance with us is local government. Our
sufferings from 1868 to 1880 taught
lessons which will make it impossible
for many years to come for the white
vote to divide, 1t is not so much a
matter of race prejudice-it is a mat.
ter of protecting our state, county and
municipal government from ignor.
ance and incompentency The large
majority Of the white voters Of the
south are really conservative, but
their fear of bad local government
causes them frequently to make no
fight on a national question. lest II
might teopardize that which with them
is essential-good locaI government
The Democrats of the party of tbs
east may confidently rely on cordia
cooperation in 1904 from those Of the
south.
THE south has made wonderful
progress in the last few years. Man
ufactories of every sort are being
erected. do not regard the struggle
for supremacy in the manufacture OF
lint cotton to be between New Eng
land and the south. The south pro-
duces 70 per cent of the lint cotton of
the world which goes to manufacture
ers. Foreign mills increase their val
ue of American raised lint cotton
$500 100000 by manufacturing 1t an
nually. It is this immense increase
that the south covered. 1t Is for
America and the south, where the
cotton grows, to prepare the manu-
featured fabric for export, and be-
Iieve each year the south in her cot
ton mills will make great inroads into
the business of foreign cotton manu-
facturers.
Nothing in connection with the
south gives me more pleasure or more
encouragement than the tidal wave OF
enthusiasm which is spreading over
the section in behalf of thorough
system of public education, including
technological Institutes and manual
and Industrial instruction Of every
kind. The south always had abun
dant and varied resources, but hat
not the minds trained to handle them
We have today 5000 young men in oul
local chronological Institutes. Manu-
al training is being introduced int
most of the public schools Of the cit
les. Most of the normal schools
where teachers are being prepared
for real sehool work, require IN
teachers to take an industrial course
fitting chem to teach the children i
the rural sections, not only fror
books but In lines of manual WORK
fitting them more thoroughly to uti
lie the opportunities of country life.