The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-07-16

Atlanta Constitution.
When the conference for education
OF the Methodist Episcopal church,
South, was held in Atlanta the latter
part of May, DR.. J. W. Lee, in well
coming the delegates, gave express
sion to some thoughts on Southern
conditions that haze reverberated
throughout the country.
The distinguished rector of Trinity
church, i'll urging that ecucation was
the keynote of Southern develop
ment and future progress quoted
some figures that must have opened
the eyes OF those who have not
closely compared the educational
statistics of the different sections of
our country.
Out of a total munificence of half
Il billion dollars poured into the lap
of educational institutions in this
country in the past fifteen years,
Southern colleges have received a
bare 2 per cent. Despite our boasted
progress and the possession of illim-
liable natural resources, he notes the
Nparalyzing charge against the South
that the proportion of illiterate
Southern voters is as great as in
1850. and that 27 per cent. of our
white population is iiliterate.
This is one of those unpleasant
truths that cannot be improved by
ignOr ing its existence These figures
slightly exaggerate the real facts as
given i'll the government reports on
education, but the correction of ex-
isting conditions needs exaggeratiOn
and not negatiOn.
In commenting upon DR.. Lees
impressive array of facts aud argu-
ments," the New York Times notes
the enormous resources of the South
quoted by DR.. Lee as furnishing the
basis for the substantial progress of
the future, and says:
"He points to the South with but
24, 100000 OF people producing 40
per cent. OF the total exports of a
nation nearly four times as great in
population, and handling seven
eights of its exports in Southern
ports. He points to a coal area so
per cent larger than that of Great
Britain, Germany, France and Rus
sia combined. He predicts for the
South in quarter of Il century a
population of nearly $4,000, 900, a
wealth of ninety billions, and for
| eign commerce of two billions"
Every nerve of the South should be
strained and every resource laid
under tribute to supply the sinews OF
war for the campaign of education.
Technical education, practical
training, the teaching of the eye and
the hand will transform raw mate
rials into the products that bring
wealth; wealth and opportunity will
contribute to the teaching of the
mental and moral sciences: education
and wealth will fit the South to take
her place in the front rank of the
worlds most progressive sections.
| Education is the secret of this de-
velOpment; it is the fulcrum upon
which the South must be raised to
greater dignity and greater influence
and more commanding Importance
That the most enlightened thought
of the whole country will contribute
to this much desired result is proven
by the interest in DR.. Lees recent ut
terance testified by the press North
and South, and letters from such
distinguished thinkers as Woodrow
Wilson, president of Princeton; Wal
ter I'll. Page, editor of Worlds Work
Alton B. Parker, of New York for.
mer democratic candidate for Pres
ident, and George Foster Peabody,
philantropist and patron of educa-
ton.
The st. Louis Globe Democrat in
sists that the problem is one, not
alone for the South, but for the
American people.