The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-24

opportunities, better than which none
can be found anywhere, that lie con-
veniently near on every side in this
favored land of ours.
We are confident that the primary
cause of this unprogressiveness is
ignorance. Our people are lacking
in education, many of whom cannot
even read; and the majority of those
who can have never formed the read
ing habit. AS much as some are dis
posed to decry the newspaper, it is
nevertheless in this day and time the
greatest of all mediums for inter-
change of thought. and the best
means of finding out what is going
on in the world and of learning what
other men and women in other Sec
tions of the country are thinking and
doing. Unfortunately the masS Of
the people of the South is through
Indifference or lack of education cut
off from this source of information.
In the 100000 square miles Of the
South there are just fifty-th daily
newspapers that run over 10000 cir
culation, while in the $4,000 square
miles of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Mas
sachusetts there are seventy-fOur. In
that fact. it seems to us, lies in large
part the difference in the progress
Of the one section over the other. We
make no mention here of the circula-
ton, of technical papers in the three
States just mentioned, such as jour-
nails relating to agriculture or other
industrial occupations, together with
the current literature that pours from
the press every month, which must
run up into the millions; but here in
the South, outside the cities and larg-
er towns, the literature which bears
on a mans chosen field of work is
rarely subscribed for and read but
little. 1t Is no wonder, therefore,
that our people are far behind in the
race along nearly all lines.
In the matter Of education
this is especially true, but. fortunate
ly for the South, our best people are
beginning to find it out, or rather to
appreciate the fact and deplore it,
and to insist on the provision of
means to remedy the evil of its illit-
eracy.
Unquestionably, the progressive
men and women Of the South have
great task before them-the arousing
Of the mass Of its population, which
lies dormant like a sleeping giant, to
the immense possibilities of its nat
ural resources and its inspiration to
such activity as will make the utmost
use of what nature has so bountiful-
ly supplied. 1t is gratifying, and a
most promising indication Of the
good time to come, that with rare
unanimity the press Of the South is
seeking to awaken our people to
their responsibilities and duties.
Practically, we are out Of national
politics, and have been ever since the
war, although we have ade vain at
tempts to get into the b. ne: but now
there seems to be a sort Of consensus
of opinion, unexpressed, to be sure,
that possibly the best thing for the
South is to quit fooling with national
politics and proceed to hard work in
furthering its magnificent agriculture
al, mineral and manufacturing re-
sources as the surest way to recover
the political prestige and power this
section had before the war. That
course. we think, should be encour-
aged; for there is no hope OF tho
South's ever getting into national af-
fairs under present conditions with
out an abandonment OF it's principles,
for the doing Of which we hardly
think our people are ready or will
ing.-Farmers' Union Sun.