The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1909-04-15
Keep the Boys in Mississippi.


A well posted and mentally strong citi-
zen of the State not many days since re-
marked to the writer that he expected to
see within the next few years as strong
an inclination among the people to get
back to the farm as there has been dur
ing the past few to get away from it.
Let it be hoped sincerely that his deduc-
tions are correct and that times will
again be what they should on the farms
of Mississippi. The educational cam
paigns now being so vigorously waged
will no doubt be productive of good re-
suits along that line. The farms will be
more attractive than ever, the schools
will build and church facilities be equal
to those of any country. Then, and then
only, will our great old State enjoy the
prosperity and happiness that she should.
The good work being done in various
ways will end to correct and eventually
entirely eliminate another custom that
has deprived Mississippi of many thou
sand good men and women in the past.
For too long have our young men and
young women, on arriving at the age of
maturity, bid goodbye to the old State
and gone West to assist in developing
the resources of the States out there,
when we needed them right here at home
to do the same thing. 1t is estimated
that within the past twenty years 1907
900 good white citizens have gone from
Mississippi to the Empire State OF Texas
alone.
In the county up next to the Tennessee
line, where the writer was born ana
reared, the ambition of the average boy
was to accumulate enough by the time
he was of age to go West. Dozens, hun
dreds and thousands of them have gone
and it means great deal more than loss
of SO many good citizens. Many older
men with families, some of them past
the meridian of life, joined the process
and young, have carried with them null
tiplied millions of dollars to invest in a
newer country, when the old was equally
as good or better and offered as much
returns if they had only known it.
There has been a cause for this. There
was more cause twenty and ten years
ago than now. We have been asleep too
long and are only at the present time
beginning to awake to the possibilities of
our own country. Why did Texas make
such heavy draughts upon us for men
and means? Because she was wide-awake
and pushing all the time. The railroads
were undoubtedly the most potent fac
tors. They saw the opportunity for do
ing business both ways and induced peo-
pie to ride over their lines going and
then to produce something to haul back
Beautifully printed and glowingly word
ed literature was prepared and sent
broadcast extolling the virtues of that
section, and there is no doubt of its be-
ing a good country, but not one whit
better than Mississippi. The people
themselves were worked up to an enthu-
siasm that was infectious for the new
conner. They said it was the best coun-
try on earth and repeated it until they
believed it.
The fairs, agricultural, horticultural,
live stock, poultry and other associations
brought them together once year and
the lesson of boosting was rehearsed
until it was perfect. All of these things
att 10 hnp,aCaalrar ,1
who could blame him for hunting such a
country when the old State back home
was still sleeping? The great Texas
State Fair has been worth multiplied
millions of dollars ana countless thou
sands of people to that commonwealth
Many bought the low-priced excursion
ticket to Texas, saw the exhibit at the
fair and hardly staid back home long
enough to pack up the buds. Could you
blame d man so much for seeking a coun-
try where there was something doing all
the time? Not much.
What is the remedy? Do these very
things right here in Mississippi. Bring
our own people to the realization that
this is just as good a State as any in the
Union and in many respects the best.
Show them that the farm worker has
Just as much or little more at the end
of the year here than elsewhere. En-
courage them to adopt up-to-date meth
DDS and use labor-saving implements in
handling their crops. Diversity and stop
the outflow of money for things that
could and should be produced here. En-
courage the crop-growing contests among
the young boys and build the agricul-
tural high schools to prepare them for
the A. & M. College. Form associations
for all lines of industry and get together
at least once a year for a conference.
Build and maintain good agricultural,
horticultural and live stock fair in each
county and great State fair where the
progress of a year may be shown. Build
school houses, churches, lodges and kin
bred institutions. Give to our people
the cnveniences of life and enthuse them
with the idea that old Mississippi is
the brightest star in the galaxy.
This state of affairs is coming to pass.