The Hattiesburg news., 1916-12-06

state that this railroad Company heart.
lily commends The Hattiesburg News
In It's undertaking of getting out a
special edition during the Yuletide
mainly for the purpose Of conveying
no the people of this and other sec.
yQlons, reliable data regarding the rich
Industrial and agricultural possibilities
and opportunities awaiting the intelli-
gent application of brain and Drawn.
both by the resident and the prospect.
I've settler, abounding in this favored
section-Southeast Mississippi. And
when speak Of acquainting the resi-
dents of these most favorable condi.
tions, as well as the prospective resi-
dent, mean just what say, as much
out OF place as it may seem. For if
the residential citizen was perfectly
Informed as to our rich possibilities
industrially and agriculturally, there
would be no need of this attempt on
my part. One can not carry convic-
tion, however studied his argument
unless thoroughly convinced himself
and fully warranted and believing in
that with which he purposes convinc-
ing others.
~ Our own people are not fully aware
V the great heritage they possess in
this wonderful country, SO abundantly
favored in rich natural resources
balmy climate and everything that
goes to make mans existence all that
could possibly be desired. This may
seem severe indictment, but the evil
dence warrants it. If it were other
wise; if they did realize the true con
ditions, there would be no five-dollar-
an-acre land on the, market, and this
special edition would have no burden
upon its hands of carrying great
message of wonderful, almost unbe-
lievable hope and indueement to home
seekers everywhere.
A friend of mine who Travelled ex-
tensively through the West few
years ago for his health, and who fin
ally came here and got well, told me
that the people of the West would
sauote him barren lands out of hearing
Moi railroad train at 5000 an acre and
: never bat an eye. He stated that
everyone was in the real estate busi-
ness out there; everyone was boosting
the soil and that everyone believed in
the meager possibilities they pos
sessed. el
"Why, Jim," he said, "they haven't
got anything to compare with what
YOU have here, but they believe they
have got the best on earth, and they
are all in the game of convincing the
other fellow, and if the other fellow
is not very careful they will convince
him"
This friend stated, further, that it
was his opinion that the reason we did
not settle faster was because we did
not put high enough values on our
lands. advertise more extensively and
make the other fellow pay for the ad-
vertising. The truth of the matter IS,
we have not fully convinced our own
neople of the extensiveness OF our
manifold blessings. And this is not
an undue criticism, for II
is in line with human natures tallihg'
" that when one has so much law
a,hness spread before him he fails 10
Sbbreciate it as fully as when ms
bounty is limited.
We have all witnessed many chill
dren who were spoiled and peevisn
from no other cause than that Santa
Claus brought them too expensive
tovs. while the beautiful story OF poor
pecola in our old readers-the peas
ant girl Of France-who was over
loved Christmas morn because gooa
e. Nicholas had brought her starved
bird and deposited it in her worn
shoe. is ever re-enacted before our
observing eyes.
Iwas in a several days quandary as
INST how | should write, or attempt to
write Of the industrial and agricul-
tural possibilities Of Southeast Mis-
sissippi. Several well-established meth
ods. employed by people writing otI
The respective sections in which they
nave 4 more or less personal interest,
~ course occurred to me, but did not
satisfy nv longing to talk to the read
ers of this special Christmas edition
as felt the spirit of the occasion re-
quired, /. e., a heart.to-heart CONVERSE
tion.
1t has always been my belief, FOUND
ed ON the teachings Of my earliest rec
olleoaion. both by pfecept and exam
pie, that the American people every
where would respond to the simple
kaunciation Of truth more satisfaction
jy and permanently in purpose and
determination, than that of fiowery
oration. Hence, have determined to
al.gavo coat fhe maths az simple