Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-03-10
THE RENAISSANCE OF THE SOUTH.

The new birth Of the South began as
soon as the burden Of reconstruction
DAYS was lifted. But the great strides
have come in the past ten years. The
South today is now building up on the
foundations laid by the old soldiers
in the thirty years that followed the
ending of the war To them fell the
hardest labor, to them fell the over
coming Of almost insuperable difficult
ties. To their children and their
grandchildren. and the comparative
strangers within the gates, has come
the easier task Of reaping the haryesrs.
Senator Fletcher of Florida, deliver
ed an exceedingly interesting talk at
III opening of the Southern CONNER
cal Congress on what the South has
done in the past fifty years and what
may be expected of it in the coming
decades. Said he in part:
Il am not one Of those who would
find fault with the people OF the SOu.h
by in-imaring even that they have
shown either a lack Of enterprise in
dealing with the marvellous resources
With which their region has been
blessed, or appreciation Of the glort-
Gus opportunities placed before them.
I think everything considered these
people have shown marked enterprise
AID q marked realization Of their nat
ural advantages resulting in wonder
full progress. In a short time since
the very form OF their society was sub
v7r.ed by the ruthless hand of war
the South has, along all lines of de-
TeIOpmeut, set the example Of the
world The Southern people have
shown a self-reliance, courage and
energy unsurpassed in any land, and
u the little while since bayOnets were
removed from their polling places and
legislative halls, the results were in
dica-ed in an industrial and CONNER
cial growth that has no parallel.
therefore wish il made clear that ! do
ECo suggest that the South has been
blind 10 the natural advantages here
claiming; or slow to make proper use
Of them. On the contrary, l have only
pI aise for the people who have accom-
pIishcd so much in so comparatively
0.ref period.
The renaissance of Europe marked
the recovery from stupor and dark
ness.
The renaissance of the South
marked the recovery from defeat and
devastation.
This advance of the South, this re-
birth, thus unfolding is not only graft
fyinE t. the South, but it is of dis
tine advantage and benefit to every
portion of the common country. Much
d the capital in our mills and fac
tories, in our railways and other large
enterprises comes from other poT-
lions Of the United States, and even
Europe The progress of the South
means the progress of the nation. The
We fare of the people of the South
means the welfare of the people q
the North, of the East, and of the
West, while some narrow and short
sighted people may contend there are
lines of cleavage between the West
and the East, North and the South
it is thoroughly recognized by all our
PEOPLE here that the nation only i;
one and we believe we are essential
to the nation.
Let the truth about the South be
| btazoned on the sky. The work O
this congress, if it accompltshes moth
/ Jig else, will become of world wide
importance in making for such result
Fifty years after rupture and bloc
witnesses the South's greatest
awakening An impulse to progress
an inspiration to clearer vision ant
grander achievement, born this day
will be the fit answer to the call Of
natures beauty, Gods blessing and
welcomed by our fellow Americans in
the spirit of brotherhood everywhere