The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-23
Presidential University of Virginia Speaks EIoqutnHy Upon
 Southern Growth
MANY DISTINCT PERIODS
 OF HISTORIC INTEREST
pr. Alderman Discusses the Various Periods of Southern Progress and History Showing the Devel-
 opnent In Various Stages.

1 New York, March 22-An optimistic view l of conditions and affairs In the southern
 states was taken by President Edwin A. Alderman of the University Of Virginia
 who addressed the Civic Forum at Car
 negie hall tonight
 Dr. Alderman took southern history as A
 background for his picture of present
 day conditions and traced it's development
 through it's several periods of marked characteristics-the imperial south. with l continental outlook; the south. conscious
 of the negro, with provincial outlook: the
 south, militant for it's social constftu-
 ton and ideals; the south submerged be-
 heath the immediate problems of defeat
 and the south emergent in spiritual and 1 industrial triumph having recovered from l the losses which no other country has sus- l tained and survived and having main
 tained it's sanity and integrity in spite of 1 presence in large numbers of a backward l and ignorant race suddenly invested With citizenship and economic free agency. Viewing the upbullding forces at work in the south, he said pregnant readjust- ments are taking place in agriculture, the l largest single interest. The plantation Is l giving place to the small farm occupied 1 by a lot of tenants, while plantation or l extensive farming gives place steadily 10 | diversity of production under intensive methods demanding the trained mind and
 the trained hand.
 Sef-Centered South.
 Dr. Alderman said in part:
 From 1880 and 1860 there existed what l might be called the self-centered and de- l fensive south Unable through the influ- ences arising from the presence of the 1 African in her life 10 engage in sincere debate with herself. and exposed to the hostile and often times cruel criticisms of the world. this attitude of buoyant nation alism and growth soon changed into one of introspectlon and defense. This is the south that has fixed itself in the imas- inaton of men. This is the south that, under a generation of harsh criticism, developed abnormal popular sensitveness, that it is still very hard for a man who loves the south and knows it's vir- tues and tragedies, 10 criticize it bluntly, or for the people themselves, who have endured that criticism and suffered under these tragedies to receive such criticism l1lpeISOualiN Nhu pdtleHilA- lHc SItdL corrective forces of bold thinking and plain speaking are not yet at play as they should be in our public life. though | material strength and unity of aims with 1 the rest of the country are daily lessen- ing this one stunting inheritance of years of isolation. This defensive south was a land of few cities or eenters of popu- lation, clingng sternly to a few central i ideas It was a land wherein a tumul- tuous love of liberty and of chartered i rights existed, side by side with human l slavery: wherein arstoeracy and democ- racy went arm in arm together for the | last time in human history. This sys- tenn did not produce in a just deslee l either wealth or letters; yet it did some l things remarkably we'll Out of it ls- sued small but wonderfully alert and powerful political force. The strength Of this force was not so much in it's power of social imagination or breadth of vision as in an inhexble public integrity and a certain elevation of thought about the state and the whole idea of public ser vice: passion for principles though they lead to ruin: and an intense singleness of aim. This society had it's faults and 1t was doomed 10 pass. put tnefe llNeu Ill it a deep historical meaning Here may be seen the spirit of romanticlsm with it's central note of exataton of persona ality and of the class feeling above gem eral social progress and here was the heroic tradition with it's attributes of feeling and spontaneity and heady en- terprse. making it's last stand in the new west against efficiency and correct- ness and form.
 Militant South.
 "F'rom 1861 to 1865. the defensive passed easily into the militant south. counting it privilege and a glory to stake all for it's faiths and theories upon the issues of war.
 And then from 1865 to 1SS0 let us say there existed the submerged south. the silent. the enduring. the patient, the grim south, walking in an econ omic and social valley of the shadow of death Our poor human nature has never been put to severer test than was the enduring south. and our poor human nature has nowhere endured that test more finely. For the first time in history it was sought to place over a white race their rulers a black race recently held by them in slavery Their sense of superiority to the race so set over hem. and their extraordinary unity, welded still more firmly by the fires of war, alone en- abled southern whites to emerge whole from the ordeal. It was sad time. and left behind a bitter deposit. Only the great spirits of the era had the