The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-05

a.a,+l,, haing limited and eliminated III inc Piedmont section, where the facto- ries are almost in sight of each otner, the long credit system is almost thlns of the past A farm hand still gets ms bushel of meal, twelve pounds Of bacon and t gallon of molasses each month but his money wages have increased 10 sl5 or $2O a month.
 As the small farmer has benefited by the truck garden, so the large planter mas turned his attention to a diversiticatton of crops. He ships peaches and melons to the northern markets. He makes more cotton for less money than he used to- because he can now afford to buy im- proved machinery. He mas to pay hlgh wages for labor, and often he cannot get help at all He Is the southern farmer who is crying for immigration from Eu- rope Practically all classes of people in this section would welcome Scandi- navian or German immigration. English and Scotch they dare not hope for. Many classes are opposed to the introduction in large numbers of Italians or other south of Europe peoples. Despite the strong efforts being made by the state governments, especially in South aCro- lima, there is little hope that the tide or immigration will be diverted to this sec ton The European will not go willing " 10 a country WHbIb lC NbiiiOt he"Nc AAio beer and liquor This section Is now near ly all dry" and In a. very few years fl will be totally prohibition. The mills do not want immlgration-they want the people from the farms. The foreigners are needed to keep up the agriculture.
 If some plan is not devised to solve this problem. the mills will continue to draw upon the small farmers until they
 4~ A1.A fna n~ia nf1 the agriculture of the section will de- pend altogether upon the larger planters and negro labor. The section Is too rich in fertile lands to permit the wholesale abandonment of farms, as has happened in New Hampshire. Stripped of all side issues, 1t Is to be seen that the south is legislatlng against whisky in order to keep the negro sober and at work on the farms At the same time 1t Is cutting it. self off from hope of it's desired immi- grafton. The question is: On which side is the greater benefit? At this time the south seems bent on shutting out liquor, trying O keep the negro sober and let ting the foreigner go where he will.
 Nearly every political woe which the United States has suffered may be traced 10 that unfortunate train of circum- stances which early divided the nation into two parts-one purely manufactur- Ing and the other purely agricultural. Cotton was profitable and negroes could raise cotton. So the south bought slaves and forgot that the earth could pro duce anything but the four southern staples-cotton. tobacco. rice and sugar Consequently the southern factories for the south was a manufacturing section in the early days of the republic, were abandoned The strong, sturdy sons of the men who had fought for independence at Kings Mountain and Guilford Court House could not compete with the slave in agriculture. The skilled workmen Of the factories went north. The white car penters blaeksmiths and other artisans driven out by slave labor. went to the northwest and helped to build up the com monwealths of Ohio Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. Small farmers went to the northwest or over into Tennessee and Arkansas, where after few years the slave labor again came and drove them either to poverty or to another and more westerly home. During all those long years of slavery North Carolina, for in- stance, received no new blood. There was no immigration and emigration went on all the time.
 The south is just catching step. The economic errors of slavery have been paid for. From Danvile, Va. to Atlanta, Ga. a distance of about 400 miles, the country Is an almost continuous factory town The Piedmont region, with Bir- mlngham's Iron and coal, and the great number of diversified industries elsewhere will prevent return to the old condi- tions, and make certain the future or the south The people of the Piedmont will continue to live happily under the rule of King Cotton and his new and mighty premler-Garden truck
 Tomorrow: Cooking and Civilization