Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1905-03-23
CLARK HOWELL AND SOUTH GEORGIA.

will agree TO support him for governor. He cer-
tainly ought to see at once the advantage and
move his householding to Gods country
Fitzgerald Enterprise.
The intense local patriotism and the bound
less confidence in the big future of South Geor-
gia, which breathes in every word of the fore
going extract, appeals to the comprehension and
sympathy of The News. Located In the very
heart of the wiregrass, this newspaper IS equal
" conversant with the untold wealth of resource
enjoyed by this portion of state, and has as great
an anxiety for and interest in its naturalization
as that which inspires the editor of the Enter
prise.
What should impress one however, as un-
fortunate and undesirable, is the subdued 1nt1-
nation that the purely sectional issue should at
feet the attitude of the voter OF South Georgia
toward the availability of any of the candidates
"a suggestion meaning, in its last analysis, that
an executive elected from north, east, south or
west Georgia WILL GIVE HIS PARTICULAR PORTION
OF THE STATE AN ADVANTAGE OVER THE OTHERS.
Another, and perhaps the leading consldera-
ton, is that even resting the merits OF the
avowed and prospective candidates on this some
what mercenary basiss. Clark Howell has al
ready far and away played more tangible part
in the development of South Georgia than any
of the men likely to oppose him IN tie guoerna-
toria contest. The thousands OF South Geor-
CLANS who are familiar with his Legislative and
journalistic career, will bear out the assertion
that through the columns of the Constitution and
his broad-minded advocacy of the interests ofthls
section in the general assembly, he has accom-.
plished infinitely more for the wire-grass than
had he, years ago, anticipated the suggestion OF
the Enterprise and located in this portion of the
state.
So peculiarly inappropriate is the advance
ment of the sectional idea from paper publish
ed in the town of Fitzgerald, that The News is
sure its editor has inadvertently lost sight of
some very salient facts bearing on the case.
If ever candidate deserved the enthusiast
tic and unanimous support of a specific COM
munity, Clark Howell is entitled to that of Fitz-
gerald, as we'll as the country contiguous which
has fourished along with the town. More tnan
sponsor, more than friend, more than advocate,
he might be truthfully designated as one OF the
first causes for the establishment of Fitzgerald,
its instantaneous success and Its subsequent
phenomenal growth. Colonel P. H. Fitzgerald.
the founder of the colony from which has evolved
the present pretentious little city, acknowledged
that it was through the columns of the Const1tu-
ton that he became familiar with the lncompara-
BILE inducements of South Georgia. An investl-
cation disclosed that Mr. Howell's glowing de-
scription moderated the situation, rather than
overrated it.
The colony idea rapidly formulated in Mr..
Fitzgerald s mind and he went sturd1ly at work
on it's expansion. 1t is doubtful if his plans
would have matured with anything resembling
the celebrity that is recorded, had he not been
aided by the generous and intelligent publicity
given his projects by the Constitution. Issue
after issue, Sunday, daily and weekly, contained
splendidly written and illustrated articles de-
scriptive of the plans and the growth of the
town born in night. For weeks at a time Mr..
Howell kept one OF his most talented correspon-
dents on the scene and the accounts he gave to
the Constitution were spread broadcast over the
country. Even after the town had passed the
experimental stage, the Constitution continued
its liberal policy, and there is no doubt that
large proportion of the later growth and sub
stantiaty of Fitzgerald is due to this systemat-
ic and discriminating exploitation. In no wise
did the mercenary element come to the surface
in Mr.. Howelps friendship for Fitzgerald. 1t
has been stated that this paper neither asked,
expected nor received one penny for its unstint-
ed support, its editor contenting himself with
the consciousness of having aided worth
terprise and contributed in just that degree to
the development of the state.
The case of Fitzgerald is but specimen of
what Clark Howell has done, with zeal and dis
cernment, for this section of the state. Every
new industry that promised to develop our
sources and give employment to more men, every
movement looking to the betterment of South
Georgia, has been accorded the earnest and in
telligent aid of the Constitution from its in
cpency throughout its history. For four, five
and six months at time, the paper has fire.
quently kept some of the ab1est members of it's
staff in the immediate and adjacent wiregrass
territory, giving them carte blanche in the prep
aration of articles tending to advertise our adj
vantageS to the world. These articles, descrip-
tive OF the success made in large and small and
variegated farming, the i'm M nse timber re-
sources of the country and the almost incredible
possibilities waiting utilization of the virgin
lands and diverse assets of the section, have
reached simply marvellous circulation.
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