Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-01-19
Be VIEWERS OF STONE NO LONGER
Director General of Mississippi Centennial Exposition Gives Some
Wholesome Advice To People Of Mississippi Saying,
Z So Quit Paying Tribute"
BY H. e. BLAKESLEE.

Those who were compelled to pay
tribute or perform a service for an.
| other in olden times were character
lzed as "hewers of stone and drawers
OF water" for their more fortunate
brethren. This language is applicable
to the Peep OF Mississippi to a great
extent under existing conditions. We
are paying tribute to almost every civ
ilized country when the tribute should
by all means be coming the other way.
This IS not made in the sense of a
criticism, but is stating a fact In plain
language by one who has labored with
the masses Of the people for many
years In trying to change this oondi-
ton, and is in a position to fully ap-
preciate just where we are in the
great brotherhood of civilized people
and countries
To bring the people to a full realiza-
ton of their condition and secure their
attention, 1t is necessary to use Ian
guage that is so plain that none can
misunderstood, And this in the face
or facts that cannot be disputed, that
we have advantages far superior to
many of the progressive sections that
at present are exacting from us this
tribute.
III the statement that heads this ar
ucle is true. and its authenticity can
De readily proven, then it j. certainly
time that we were awakening from
our letharsy and"putting forth that eff
fort that will bring our people into
their own and command for us what
Is rightfully ours
Although our soils are fertile and
product literally of the best of crops
hat are in everyday use in a great
majority Of the homes of this and 9th
er RaNoHs, it is a fact that we are buy
isg daily naay- articles of fosd and
other seHmsres that is produced spsn
iaRss hsndrsds and thousands effmaes
away From us. A glance upon the
shelves Of she stores IN any part Of
the state will verify this statement.
Our farmers do not have a ready
and stable market for what they are
able to produce, but &c on year after
year buying what is grown and packed
by farmers in other sections that has
been loaded with the cost of several
dealers and more than one transporta-
'.Oh COMPANY. 1Hb same COnulllOn
applies to the stock man, although it
has been repeatedly proven that we
can grow live stock. of ali kinds here
for less man in the sections from
which our supply of meats usually.
come.
There is a reason for this, and a
good one, and knowing the cause.
there is more of reason why it
should be removed at the earliest pos
sible moment This condition can be
changed by our people in a very few
years If they only WILL,
We have made little or no effort to
properly place our wares before the
consuming public and aequaint the
buyers with the excel enee of what we
might have to sell. On the other hand,
the progressive and aggressive farm
ers of other sections have exploited
and pepularizsd their products to the
point that they are fosnd upon the
SHELVES OF stores everywhere.
California has invested multiplied
theusaHds of dollars in making thel
public of the Gyilissd globe want her
oranges and lenons and has created
a. demand that takes care OF all they
produce. Mississippi can and does, to
some extent, produce the finest sweet
potatoes ia the word, but has one or
ganized effort been made to induce
people to buy and eat our potato?
Colorado cantaloupes are stable
upon the tables, of the best hotels ev-
erywhsre, but call for Mississippi SUI
gar cane syrup and find that the ca
terer has never heard of it, although
you know that it is by far the best
that is grown anywhere in the world
And this condition applies along
down a line that would grow tedious
In the recounting. We are without a
market for the reason that no effort
has been made to create demand
and produce a market. Other sections
have blazed the way and demonstrated
just how a demand can be created,
and it Is high time that the people of
Mississippi realized the fact that they
must be up and doing il they are to-
have what belongs to them.
The, greatest opportunity of a CEN
fury for beginning this campaign to
make a demand for our products is to ,
be found in the Exposition. A reason;
able investment will bring to the at
tsntion and favorable consideration of
the hundreds of thousands OF visitors
that will come from other states and
foreign countries as many of our prod
ucts as the people see fit to prepare
and exploit to them.
But some man is ready to say that,
times are hard and we are not able to-.
do things this that is suggested. 1t is
safe to answer that so long as some
thing of this kind is not done, times
will lcontinle hard Just so long as
we remain asleep and continue to pays
good money to the more progressive4
sections for stuff that they are push
Ing, just so long will we be without al
market or demand for our stuff and{
times win be hard.
The best merchants always adver-.
tiss most literally during lax bust
ness period. There is a much better
reason why they should in dull times