The bee., 1911-01-20

It's people, and better undefstanilag
Of our responsibilities to the yo4as-.
generations.
It may appear that in commentins
on the explosion following the census
returns | have wandered far from the
subject of my paper; this may be.
Nevertheless, am thinking Of our
buried" treasures that may come
nearer to explaining the disappointing
census figures than do the reasons |
have heard and read.
am thinking OF the treasure
washed from our at one time cultur-
able hillsides and dipping farmlands,
through poor agricultural methods,
and buried in the Gulf of Mexico-re-
suIting In the emigration Of the care
less stewards to new lands.
| am thinking of our treasures in
men and women-the thousands OF
them-who. so far as we are con-
cerned are buried" in Oklahoma, in
Texas. and in other States, as the re-
suit of the efforts OF local emigration
agents. who have been and are now
workings 365 days in the year to so
bury theml And what are we doing
to offset this emigration? Surely, the
glowing accounts OF these other lands
that our own home papers print, and
that the allen papers and magazines
that come into the State print, along
side with catalogues of our own faults.
do not constitute an Offset.
With local agents working for emf
grafton to other States, and some OF
our own papers INDUCING in editorials
that tend to persuade the world that
Kentucky is among all the States the
worst governed the worst taxed, the
worst In educational facilities, and the
worst In miscellaneous ways-includ-
Ing murder. arson and feuds-how
could one expect the population of the
State to grow? With our own people
persuaded to leave and strangers
scared out of coming. II seems to me
that only an optimist Of the rarest
breed would expect growth. Kentucky
has done well to show any increase at
ALL she has done so despite persuad-
ed emigration and self-abuse.
Gentlemen. let us stop humping our
own heads. We do have our faults.
We do have some feuds. Our taxation
system may not be perfect. Our edu-
facilities do need to be In
creased and improved. We should, In
deed. work to remedy every defect.
But why be so violent about II? Why
explode so much dynamite in order to
dislodge n few obstructing rocks that
the whole State Is blown up? There
are 119 counties In Kentucky. Why
hold up the delinquencies OF some one
OF them I'm such fashion as to make
them appear representative OF all 9th
err counties? Why not emphasize the
TACT that the State as a whole is one
Of the best places in the whole world
In which to make a home and rear
the generations that are to follow us!
You know that to be true. Why not
emphasize the fact that feuds and
are no more representa-
i've of this State than are the feuds
and murders In other States repre-
sentative of them? You also know |
hat to be true.
Some years ago the late Richard p.
said in an editorial in the
Engineering aud Mining Journal |
Kentucky is by nature. beyond all |
question, one of the most favored |
States In this country" No one ques- |
ions that but according to my read
ng most persons put the States value
n agricultural advantages to the fore
'front.'. whereas, fine as II is for farm
ng purposes II is taken as whole,
greater in a mineral way. This lat
er fact is. apparently. more keenly
appreciated by citizens OF other States
han by our own people. 1t Is easier
O obtain Kentucky capital for the de-
-elopment of mineral deposits in 9TH
II States than II is to get II for the
development OF better deposits In our
,wn State II seems true. indeed, that
To be interested in distant objects,
ike the moon. and to neglect what
les at our feet, appears to be a trait
( human nature"
OF the total expanse of the State
Al S3 square miles,, about 1850
quare miles are covered by coal-bear-
ng formations, in which occur. ac-
ording to locality from nine to
welve or more workable Goals; re-
ion OF about 1000 square miles In
he west is rich In veins of fiuorspar,
arytes and calespar, with some lead
nd zinc; In the central part lead,
aryets and calespar veins, with some
uorspar. are found In enormous num-
er distributed over an area of about
900 square miles; over the whole OF
Purchase region. about 2,S40
quare miles, splendid clays abound,
ogether with sands OF high value,
aluable sllicious earths, Ignite beds,
nd other minerals; adjacent to the
astern and southern margins Of the
vestern coalfield is an area of perhaps
.00C square miles in which are found
xcellent plastic clays and some koa-
ne, while on the western margin OF
ne same field are large areas of high
lass refractory clays, or "fire-sands,
18th some kaolins In addition, we
ave great areas of fine clays and ce-
materials on the rim OF
he central region; superior cement II
are also found in the mar
ins of both coalfields and elsewhere.
hen, also, we have large areas of the
ighest grade of freclay in the east
IN coalfield, hundreds Of square miles
excellent iron ore, favorably placed 4