The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-12-12

weeks Issue SAYS:
Reprinted from Manufacture Rec
ord, December ), 1911.
Cotton Is now beginning to move.
Farmers are beginning to sell; for
clgn spinners and American spinners
are beginning to buy; the financial
situation throughout the South i;
easing up, and men are once more
turning their thought away from
stagnation in trade to u determination
10 develop trade. PeSsimsm has
given way to Optismism. The South
mas caught it's second wind. 1t has
been quickencd by the cotton situa.
ZION and the Worldwide conditions
brought on by war to livclier thought
than for many years, and in every ave-
nue. OF life, from the highest to the
lowest. men are thinking more, and
on broader lines, than for many Years.
Many of them are thinking more than
they have ever thought before. The
whole mental activity Of the South is
being quickencd, and out of this will
come vast amount of good. One of
the results will be the larger develop
ment Of diversified agriculture in the
cotton-g growing States. One will be
greater economy in the development of
business interests. One VIII be the de-
velopment of general spirit Of econ.
omy which will be Of infinite value
to every interest in the South. This
spirit will not lessen energy, but it
will quicken energy. 1t will lessen
waste and develop thrift. 1t will
tremendously increase the South's
power to develop it's own resources.
1t will stir farmers and merchants
and bankers and manufacturers to do
ing many things for their own good
which will lead to the broadest de-
velOpment Of the South, as we'll as to
their individual prosperity.
There are many sections OF the
south hich will be benefited by the
high prices Of foodstuffs brought on
by the war. A very large proportion
OF the South does not raise cotton,
but grains and livestock, and these
sections, like the West, will be en-
riched by the higher prices for all
their products. The Virginias, Mary
land, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri,
Louisiana and very large portion of
every Southern State will, like the
west, share in the prosperity which
is 20 come from h.1lC. rr!r.s 81
grain due to Europe er..ruo0s d.,
mand. Even under nrll.srN con5t-
tions the value Of tle u.,>.s.!--I ~.
ricultural products of the South is
more than twice as great as that of
cotton, but cotton has so largely been
the basis of credit in this section, as
stocks and Bonds have bccnn in Wall
street. that people have talked in
terms of cotton rather than in terms
Of diversified agriculture.
There arc sections Of the South
which have not even felt the effect oC
the war. The peanut t-Srowing region
Of Eastern Virginia, with it's cXccp-
tionally large production of hogs, is
acco-growing regions of Virginia and
Carolina. except for the general talk
of war. would hardly have known
that war existed. for tobacco is COM
manGiuG good prices and The tobacco
factories % these States are doing u
big Lusinc&S. Tobacco growers OF
Maryland ana Kentucky, whose pro-
ducts arc largely shipped abroad,
have, Of course. had 10 bear some
thing of tho same Kind Of burden
that tho cotton growers have had. but
this situation Will Of necessity tighten
up in the near future and conditions
will Improve.
The Manufacturers Record feels
Stllc III lloNln5 li!c assertion lict the
profit to the South as a rcsul: Of these
conditions will hereafter annually cX-
coed the loss ON this years cotton crop
compared with what the South had
expected to get for its cotton. The
quickcning of the life ard thought of
the whole South. Tie determination of
the cotton growers to raise their own
foodstuiis to a larger extent than they
have done since 1850, the mental Sti.
and life which has been givcn to
them. will all combine to produce
wonderful results. Moreover, tn,
South. shocked Is the begging spirit
temporarily developed, largely through
/ political activities which made tn,
South appear To the world as q beg
gar section asking aims for its Cotto.
growers. has been stirred to indigna-
ticn rs never before. It's people hay,