The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-12-01

One thing that has hindered the prog
reSs OF the South and prevented her
! from taking the place ir the affairs o!
the nation 20 which she ought 70 aspire,
and, by reason OF her splendid oaturai
iadvar:agcS, wii! ultimately reach. Is
F., that Southern people are not :. reading
people. no' even OF newspapers. as com
parrd with o:hcr sections OF the coua-
try Consequently. they do not keep
abreast :; the. times in any OF the Affairs
o. life they are, Ceuera:!y speaking.
wo.tui!y behind in IL! those matters
that relate 10 material advancement and
social welfare. In civic improvement.
il agriculture. in education, aud IN the
arts and sciences, our people, while
/ having made some progress. are ct
lagsards. and have failed 10 grasp the
opportunities. better than which none
caa be found anywhere. that lie convcn-
ientlv pear OF every side in This favor
ed land OF ours.
: We are coutident that the primary
cause Of this unproGreSsivereSS Is lgn"r-
auce. Our people are lacking n ecuca-
/ ton. many of whom canCot even read:
aad the majority Of those who can hive
pever formed the reading habit. As
much - some are DISPOSED 10 decry che
newspaper. il IS nevertheless IN this day
| and tim.. the greatest o! all mediums
for inie, change Of thought. and the best
means of ticding out what IS gong on n
/ the world and of learning what other
men and women in other sections OF the
coua;rv are thinking and doing Unfor-
| tuuatelv. the mass OF the people OF The
! South IS through Indifference or lack
educatic. "u. of from this source OF in
!! formation. In the 900. 900 square miles
! OF The South there are just l'ty-thr"e
daily newspapers tha. run over 2O.OOO
circulation. while in the $4,000 square
miles of Ohio, Pennsylvania and MasSa-
chusetts there are seven;v-tour. In that
fact, i, seems 10 US. lies ID large par.
the difference in the progress OF the one
section over the othe:. We make 20
mention here OF the circulation OF tech
uical papers in the three States Just
mentioned. such as journals relating 10
agriculture or other Industrial occupa-
| ,iops, together with the current !ltera-
,ure that pourS from the press every
month. which must run up into the m'l-
lions: but here in the South, outside the
cities and larger towns. the literature
which bears on ! mans chOSeo held ol
WORK Is rarely subscribed fo- and read
but little. II is no wonder, therefore,
tha: our people are far behind 10 the
race along oear.y al! lines.
/ In the matter OF education this IS eS'
pec;alir true, but, for:uCat"ly for the
South. our best people are beginning &c
find it out, or rather 70 appreciate the
fac, and dep!ore it, and to insist on the
provision OF means 70 remedy the evil
Of It's illi.eracy.
UuG Ies,ionably. the progressive ner
and women Of the South have Z %rea'
task before them-the arous!a% o! the
mass OF is population. which lies dor
mant like :. sleeping giant. 10 the Im
mense possibilities Of It's natural re
sources aad its inspiration TO Suct: &C
;ivi,y Us Will make the utmost use o.
wha, nature has so bountiful!v supplied
I: is gratifying, and = most promising
Indication OF The good time 20 come
that with rare unanimicy the press o
l,he South IS seeking 70 awaken our peo
pie TO their responsibilities and G3tles.
Practically. we are ou, OF na;iona
politics. and have been ever since the
war, although we have made vain at
,empts TO get into the game: but 10"
there seems 20 be sort OF consensus o:
opinion. unexpressed, 10 be sure, that
possibly The best thing for the South Is
10 qu:; foolinS With national politics ant
proceed 10 hard work in furtherinG II:
magnificent agricultural, mineral ant
manufacturing resources Is the SnreS'
way to recover the political prestige ant
power this section had before the war
. Tha, course. we think. should be &c
conraged; :or there is no hope OF :ht
Sou;h's ever getting into national at
fairs under preSen; conditions wi;hou
~ abandonment OF lis principles. for ,h'
doing OF which We hardly think our peo
pie are ready or willing.