The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-07-30
THE SOUTH SINCE THE WAR.

Polytechnic Institute recently Mr..
Richard II. Edmonds, editor OF the
Manufacturers Record, argued for
self-reliance in Southern education,
and opposed the system of begging
donations from the rich men OF the
country for Southern educational in
situations. 1t is not, however, with
this argument that we are concerned,
but with the tone of strong optimism
which characterizes Mr.. EdmondS' adj
dress in its reference to the present
and future Of the Southern States.
That is a matter, indeed, in which
the whole country is interested. A
single paragraph from Mr.. EdmondS
address is very striking in this quality
Of optimism.
1T is time to stop, crying pow
erty; it is time to realize what we
have and to utilize our wealth for all
our needs; it is time to stop being
peSSimiStic. The peSsimiSt has been
described as a man who, having the
choice of two evils, prefers to take
them both, and this is what many
Southern people have been doing.
Too long have we been peSSimists.
The wealth Of the South today, with
it's population of 25 1000, 900, is equal
to the wealth of the United States,
with its 81, 900, 900, in 1860. The
South is now mining six times as
much bituminOus coal as the United
States mined in 1860, it is making six
times as much pig-irOn, its output of
oil is 80 times as great as that of the
whole country then, its lumber out
put is more than double, it's railroad
mileage is twice as great, and it's total
wealth is over SIG, 900, 600, 900, against
s16, 100, OOO, 900 for the whole country
in $780,"
This is indeed a brilliant showing,
says the Wall Street Journal. When
it is remembered how pitiful was the
condition of the South at the close of
the Civil War, how poor it was. how
stripped it was of everything that
makes for progress, 1t is marvellous
that such a recovery could have been
made in the 40 years which have clap
se1 since the closing of the struggle,
that today it may be said that the
South is as great in wealth and pros
perity as the entire United States was
before the commencement of the
Civil War. This is result creditable
to the South, but it is also a result of
which the whole country may be
proud. 1t is the outcome not alone
of the energies and talents of the |
Southern people, but of the enter
prize of the whole country as we'll.
Even the West cannot make a better
showing than this. With One-SiXth
Of the national wealth located in the
Southern States, the present prosper
of that section may be said to be
one of the main dependencies of this
country for a revival of business &C
in the near future. With this
growth of wealth it may be said that
the South is growing also in that
sense of responsibility and c%OnServa-
tiSm which always accompany wealth.
the South may be depend
ed upon in a large measure to second
the efforts of the Eastern and Middle
States, and the Central West, for
sober, conservative, as we'll as right
thinking for financial improvement.
Were it not for the race problem. it is
probable. indeed, that the South
would be divided politically the same
Is the North. Mr.. Edmonds is entire
Y right in urging the South to lie a
cader, not a follower, and a burden
not a burden Shirker."