Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1917-07-26
SOUTR MISSISSIPPI.

Dlg tnlng, we VIII nave 70 Mke sever
al trys at il. Most of us no doubt have
been looking at il through narrow
glasses; with lenses that converge ia
one center-the city Of Hattiesburg.
But II is a sight bigger thing than that.
II is a big thing for South Mississippi
as it is for Hattiesburg. It will give
to all this section of the State that
most needed Of all things-wide pub
licity.
4 There is great prejudice against
Mississippi. Not mean prejudice, but
a mistaken prejudice. Gen. Wood,
Travelled ana able and fair man that he
is, was prejudiced against this section
before he came to see it. He said so.
He thought the land was low and fiat
and swampy; that the air fairly buzz
ed with the song of the pesky mos
quito. He had no thought of locating
a camp anywhere near here when he
came. But he saw, and was conquer
ed; and like wise men often do, he
changed his mind, and like brave
man, he made the amende honorable
by putting Hattiesburg on the map.
Now if Gen. Wood could be so mis-
taken, we can readily understand how
the common herd" could be mistak-
en-, and how that general mistake
should grow into a prejudice hrrtful
to this part of the State.
The boys " no will be leaving Ken
lucky and Indiana soon, and their par
ents, are doubtless imbued with that
mistake. They think they are coming
into swarm of mosquitoes and ma
laria-ridden district; a low, level,
swampy country. They will be agree
ably surprised when they get here. |
When they get to Camp Crawford,
and pitch their tents on an elevation
that will give them view as beauti-
full as any they have ever seen outside
the matchless bluegrass region of old
Kentucky; and when they meet
breeze, an almost, steady breeze from
the gulf to fan their cheeks; and drink
the purest, clearest water they ever
tasted in their lives, from flowing ar
tesian wells, they will write back
home new and almost unbelievable
story to their fond and anxious par
ents, and the stories they tell will find
their way into the newspapers, and
thousands and tens of thousands Of
people will have their eyes opened as
to what South Mississippi actually is.
And they will come and see and be
conquered, just as Gen. Wood was.
And they will find our people as hos
pitable as our climate is inviting. And
the smell Of the pine forest mixed
with that of the magnolia, will be
sweet to them. And they will find as
many satsuma oranges growing here
as there are apples in Indiana, and ev-
cry little way they may rest them
selves under the enveloping shade of
soft-shell pecan tree.
We have been trying to tell the
world these many years, but they
thought we had land to sell or some
thing to boost, and they would not
listen. But they know their own sons
have nothing to sell, and when the
message comes back home from them,
all of Kentucky and Indiana and the |
Middle West will sit up and take no
tice; and the next thing you know
some of them will be coming here to
see for themselves; and when they
come they will stay and live among
us and help develop this section Of
great resources; because we sure have
got the goods.
Think of the publicity thirty thouS-
and letters week will give this Sec
ton. Think of the amount of preju-
dice and transformation their plain,
unvarnished tales will dispel.
That's just one of the things this
cantonment means and one of the |
things it will do for all South Missis-
sippi. And Hattiesburg is glad that
its effect and good results will reach |
out so far; because, even from a sell
fish standpoint, whatever helps South |
Mississippi helps Hattiesburg.
Come on, boys; lots of Kentuckians
and not few Indianians already |
down here. and hearty rnval snnfh- |