The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1909-10-01
KENTUCKY
Has Natural Advantages Over Other
Sections. But Overcoming Spirit
is Lacking.

Filled with enthusiasm for the
West, but more appreciaJive than
ever of the natural advantages of
Kentucky, John B. McFerran has re-
turned to his home in Louisville,
after having spent six weeks jour
lIHying through the Far West and
Northwest, whittier he went to see
the advantages that part of the
country has over this.
81 confess" said Mr.. McFerran,
that from the much reading of arti-
Giles at various times on that quarter
OF our great country, was much i'm
pressed, and favorably, as to their
superior attractions. | found a Wig
cruus and active people, mostly young
and OF middle life. They consist of
the young, active and restless men of
kentucky and other Eastern, South
en- and Middle Western States.
They have, as was to be expected,
developed a dsuntless spirit, and
they have many obstacles to over
come, they are doing it by sheer
push and hustle.
But the natural advantages OF
Kentucky are not one whit behind
anything they have to offer in the
West. Nay, l think they are far SUI
perior, but the difficulty is, and it is
a mountain, that We have not the
overcoming spirit that they have out
there; have not the same confidence
In ourselves and in our State.
I'VE lack sadly the cooperation
among ourselves that is absolutely 81
necessary in the doing of things II
large ways, and most of all, the nv
erage of US, intelligence, information
broad views of things, and hustlint
Aduslry to put things into activ,
lcperation.
"Thier section is advertised as nj
section ever was since the world be
gan, They avail themselves Of news
lIapers, magazines, and every othe
M :Aod, to bring their part of tn
world into the favorable notice of ev
! cry other part Of it, and they stol
ut no expense or effort that seem
likely to aid, whereas we drone alon
in sleepy indifference to 1t all, an
our young men, who are the real lif
and hope Of the State, get their cd
ucation and start off for the ia
cUmltry, and getting there they mai
urally do not like TO acknowledg
, failure, and so stay on, working an
: enduring hardships, the half of whic
; faced at home, as there, would brin
: the bag of gold at the end of tn
: rainbow with certainty.
The truth is We must wake IL
; here in Kentucky, educate our chi
: Gren better, both in city and cour
try, have better roads, develop col
fidence in our State and in ouI
selves, wake up the old people 8
well. get our moneyed men to kee
their money at home; put it int
home enterprises.
We are in the very center, almos
Of this great country, with its teen
ing and ever-increasing millions, wit
all their myriad wants 10 be supple
Having most excellent transportatic
facilities already provided, this wi
keep our young men at home, an
. bring others from distant places, al
thus, in few years, transforms
thu will be brought about in def
I'D Kentucky that will astonish NJ
only ourselves but the world as wei
o IN many places in the West an
Northwest they lay great stress upc
, Il cir fruit-growing capacity, an
4 mach of 1t is fine and it brings larg
prices In the world smarkets. We bu
a 10: instance, quantities of canta
> for instance, quantities of cantaloup,
at SO to IS per crate, and after pa!
Z ins very heavy transportation char
I es, the growers out there claim
a Profit of 500 to 5000, and even ;
high as $500 per acre.
d Now, we can produce as good me
t ons here in Kentucky as they car
|. have done it. have done it mysel
Iiut we must take pains with plan
+ ing, in proper soil. proper seed, pro-
: er cultivation and careful method
t marketing. 1t is so with fruits, ~
Q pies, pears, peaches, grapes, sma
n fruits. We can produce better frui
g Of this kind than they can anywhe
ia the West, California not excepte
e bat we can't do 1t by sticking a hal
h dead apple switch in the ground al
s leaving 1t to nature to care for. The
g do not do that way out here. The
e orchards are cultivated like garden
e trees cared for like children. Th'
: do not shake the trees and let Il
frit fall ON the ground and he