Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-02-23
ONWARD PROGRESS
OF THE NEW SOUTH
thoughtful Analysis and Proph-
esy by Golfers
FUTURE BRIGHT AND HOPEFUL
South Getting on Its Feet After Two
Great Calamities

Golfers Weekly short ago is
sued Southern Number, in which |
the wonderful resources of the |
south we're exploited. The follow
ing is one of these articles:
For more than one hundred years
there has been a sentiment which
held the South to be handicapped
with certain conditions adverse to
general progress. Among these sup
posed adverse conditions that have
invaded the minds of humanity
about the Southern States are the
following: The climate is subtropi-
cal and enervating, absence Of ma
tural force and resources which
may be made to serve progress, the
presence of the negro in large num-
bers, unhealthy conditions, social
and political intolerance.
Not one OF these things is now, or
ever has been, handicap in fact.
The one hindering influence against
Southern progress has been the in
stitution of slavery Its develop
ment and the effort to maintain it
constitute together the one big mis-
take made by the Southern people.
The slaves were black people, but
the i'll effects would have been the
same If the slaves had been white,
red, or yellow people.
! Before the institution of slavery
became dominant, the South enjoyed
a diversity in it's development that
reached equally into fields of agri-
culture, manufactures, and CON-
merce. It has been pointed out that
as late as 1910 the manufactured
products of Virginia, the Carolinac.
and Georgia exceeded those of all
the New England States taken to-
getheu. AS slavery became more
and more dominant in it's influence
this diversification of industry was
more and more diminished BY 1856
slavery had become the one domi-
nant factor in the politics of the
South, and it's industry had become
reduced to the production of a few
staple crops, tobacco, cotton, rice
and sugar, with slave labor. If the
slaves had been white, of the same
race, the Civil War would have SCI
the South back no more than the
Franco-German War set France
back. But the fall of slavery en-
tailed upon the South lOt Only ;
greater proportion of property loss
than was ever suffered by any Other
Pc. pie at one time, but also in thi.
impoverished condition. had forced
upon it colossal experiment in rae,
relations which led to a period, last
ing over third of a century, o
political confusion and disorder
:, amounting to semi-anarchy. Herr
was real handicap, but it was
heritage of the institution, and ma.
be considered part of it. This il
now happily so far subsidized tina
free institutions have been re-estab
lished. In this new situation agri
! culture has been elevated to a leve
never before occupied. Man ufac
lures and commerce have revive,
and a diversification of all thes
. has been accomplished to degre
equal to the wholesome diversified
I" tion which existed in the South be
fore the Institution of slavery becam
o dominant.
It The negroes are in greater nun
d bers in the South than ever, and We
y we are having these revivals an
d diversifications with sta rtling sue
It cess. Therefore the negro is nc
II in the way of progress.
g The South finds itself now gettin
a on its feet after two monuments
|. calamities: /. Slavery. 2. Recor
l. struction. Perhaps after the frs
IS the latter was unavoidable, bat
y was calamity for the South JUS
g the same. The mistake of SLAYER
q, was made by the South. The errc
o of reconstruction was made by tn
10 North. But no matter about eithe
5, of them now. Both are behind u:
4, and the promise of the whole natio