Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-25
1.-THE eRowiNe SOUTH

The address of President L. A. Al.
dcrman Of the University of VirgInin
d fore the Civic Forum last night up
on "rhc Growing South was a
thoughtful analysis of the progress
OF that section from the period when
| /, was, as the speaker SAIL walking
| in the economic ana social valley of
of the shadow OF death" until now.
when its golden age is dawning. All
told It Is a remarkable record a
semi fcudnl society broke down at The
end of the war, and In its place has
been built up an organized political
and Industrial society of the modern
type. In place of the large plantation
hai come the small farm, and in
place Of the patrarchai group has
grown UP the Democratic community
Tta public school system, which had
no place under the patriarchal sOcic-
Is of slave days. has been patiently
established by Il people impoverished
by war and slowly rccuperating from
its effects. Local government aud in
tcrnal improvements have received
careful attention. and the South dur
Ing this long period has been setting
It's house in order, until now its so
cial and economic organization differs
little from that undermining of condi-
lions has come about decay of the
old sectional feeling. AS the differ.
cncc in Social conditions between the
sections lessnnod so. toe. al other
differences have tended to disappear.
until now the South seems prepared
for that growth of national feeling
which in other parts of the country
has stripped ancient local lines of
moro than half their traditional mean.
ing.
This period of social renaissance in
the South has been characterized bv
m equal economic development. From
the pitiful poverty succeeding the wa
that section has slowly recovered, M.
i'll In 1900 it's per capita wealth was
a; great rs before secession AS /.
is better organized politically and so.
cially. so It Is better organized eco
nomically. The smaller farms, with
moro intensive cultivation. yield arg-
or returns to the acre than The oil
slave worked plantation ever coull
Fave done. ana the South is already
starting unon career OF manufacture
unihinkablc under the old patriarchai
semifendal society existing before
the war II is Il brilliant record. for.
as Dr. Alderman says:
"No other Americans have ever
known in its direst form :ac ;,csc!r-
line OF war and defeat No other re.
zion among the great cultured ma
tons. not even France. ever lost In
lpge. tlnn 10
ITS population, three and half III.
lions of It's wealth. the form of its 50.
ciety and the very genius OF It's life.
save certain mnconQuerable courage
and sclfrellance. No other region OK.
cent Poland ever knew such losses.
and Poland ceased 10 exist"
There are already Il multitude of
signs that both sections of the country
are getting to understand and appre-
ciatc each other better. The ancient
suspicion ana criticism are diving out.
and II the North has doubts about any
steps the South is taking to solve It's
peculiar problems. II is slower than
was It's wont TO criticize and condemn.
quicker TO admit the difficulty that he
sets the South, less ready TO prcscn,
TO give fun faith and credit TO the
honesty of Southern convictions re-
faruing the necessity of what the
South is doing. As the years go by
and the country better understands
what the South has accomplished It's
patient victory over defeat. its lead
ing captivity captive" its rccuperation
from such blow as mo other region
among the great cultured nations
mas suffered. the people will look upon
'ts achievements with much the same
PRIDE WIN which they look upon those
oil me pioneers who by their courage
ana self-rcilance won their footholL
on the continent, and upon those of
their no less sturdy sons who swept
on their way gradually westward IN
Tue Pacific. The same indomitablc
spirit has made the South what 1t IS
'cday.-New York Tribune.