Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1907-10-05
Pull for fitzgerald or Pull Out.
THE NEXT SENATOR.

the next senator the Telfair Enterprise says:
ssNow we suppose Mercer is only funning in
his last paragraph, but we can see the proba-
biIity of scramble since the REIMBURSEMENT OF
the district. Dodge may put in claim as
we'll as Ben Hill, but it seems the proper thing
is to let Montgomery have the senator next
time, then Tefair, then Dodge and Ben Hill
can draw Straws for the next In the mean
time, let all the counties have voice in the
selection and that will ease the pains consider
ably"
No, Mercer is not funning, he is only in dead
earnest about serious business affair. Ben Hill
is entitled by every rule of reason, right justice
to furnish the next senator from this district and
the only argument offered against it is cit seems
the proper thing is to let Montgomery have the
senator next time'' Now unless some better argu
ment is offered than that we have the game whip
ped at the start.
1t has been long time since Ben Hill furnish
ed senator. The truth about the matter is she
has no senator or representative in the Legislature
at this time and will not have representation in
either house of the legislature until 1909. Then in
the name of reason give us a chance of starting
even with Montgomery, Telfar and Dodge.
AS new county we have much more to do of
local nature than older counties supposed to
have on their hands.
We do not know the exact standing Of Dodge
which is new county in the district 1t may De
she has furnished a senator since Montgomery has,
if so that to settle the matter as between the
two but both of them have furnished senator
since Ben Hill has. Them brothers, you have to
do is to make up your minds to treat the younger
fairly the rest is easy just plain sailing We have
got the timber; we are entitled to representa-
ton and we are very much inclined to insist on
our rights.
Fitzgerald OF Pull Out.
1t is estimated that there are in the United
States 60 OOO 600 acres of swamp lands half OF
which can be made richly productive by drainage,
adding 81 800 OO0, 900 to the land values to the
country and at least $75O,0OOO0O to the annual
crop values. Bordering upon the lower Mississippi
river are at least 80 600 square miles of dranable
auvial soil capable alone of growing crop of cot
ton equal to the total crop now produced by the
whole South.
Private enterprise or State energy in South
Carolina Florida Missouri louisiana Texas and
and Arkansas has demonstrated what may be ac-
compshed through drainage of swamps, but be-
ginning has only been made in this direction and
a vast work must be accomplished before the full
possibilities can be realized Appreciation OF that
fact has developed considerable movement favor
able to the reclamation of such waste lands under
the auspices of the Federal Government. Essen
tially the movement is a wise one, provided that
due respect be had for wise limitations Where
swamp lands lie wholly within State as for cx-
ample, in Maryland, it is not incumbent upon the
Federal Government to be concerned about them,
and efforts to secure from the Federal Government
financial aid can have effect only of crpping2 the
power of the State to deal with its own problems
or sapping the initiative or individuals capable of
doing the work to their own profit and to the al
vantage of the State. But there are situations,
like that of the Dismal Swamp, etfecting Virginia
and North Carolina, of the st Francis basin OF
Missouri and Arkansas, which may be, because of
conflicting interests or divergent laws beyond the
range of separate State energies. Here the Fed
eral Government may intervene just as properly
as in the case of the Improvement of a river or a
harbor in which more than one State is Interested
or the establishment of forest reservation or the
building of an irrigation system under similar cir
cumstances In any event the time is approaching
when reclamation of swamp lands or OVerflOwed
lands will be matter of necessity. There is still
opportunity for the building up of vast tracts OF
overworked and run down soil i'll the South and
for bringing other vast tracts under cultivation
But that should not blind one to the advantages
in bringing to the pillow the richeStSort of soil by the
simple and comparatively cheap process of remOv
ing the water from it The day of wealth through
the saving of waste has hardly dawncd. What
has been done, though, in the manufacturing field
as for example, in the creation Of an industry re-
presenting an annual output OF at least 500, 900,
900 from the dcspiSed and rejected eottonsccd Of
half a century ago, suggest the enormous profit
still to be won large part of these profits are to
flow from the saving of the wastes in agriculture,
and those savings rest largely upon the full utilza
ion land )tental itiCS.-SOuthcrn Farm Magazine.
The editor of the Enterprise has been interest
ed in this matter of drainage for more that ten
wears The swamp lands of Southwest Georgia