The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-14
Manning Discusses
Opportunity
Governor Of South Carolina Says
Time is Ripe for Realization
of Responsibilities.

Baltimore, Dec. 10.-Developmen1
of trade with the Latin American
countries and the Improvement and
further construction of inland water.
ways were leading features in the dis.
cussions of after the war problems
and reconstruction by governors OF
Western and Southern States anG
mayors of seaboard cities before the
! various sections Of the Southern Com.
mercial Congress today.
AT the session Of the house of gov.
enors tonight, Governor E,mmet Boyle
Of Nevada, declared that IF the West
ern spirit prevailed in the South the
land between Baltimore and New Or
leans could not be duplicated in any
other territory in, the country" Gov
ernor Boyle told how the barren, arid
and unused lands in the West had
in recent years been converted into
fertile and productive territory and
pointed out to the Southerners the OPP
portunities presented for similar work
throughout the Souh and Southwest
Gov. Richard I. Manning Of South
Carolina said: 1.-The time is now ripe
in the South to realize our responsi-
bilitieS and solve the great questions
that confront US. We have made rap
i'd strides during the progress of the
war and we must continue to advance.
But the stamp of illiteracy stands
against US. It is sin and shame.
It has blocked our progress material
ly We must remedy the outlying
principles. In our program Of ad-
vancement we must seek a better sys-
TEN of education, roadbuilding and
other things that tend to uplift the
South. I fthe State can not carry on
an educational program successfully,
let the government intercede. Even
at a loss, federal control Of education
would do wonders to assist the South
in its wide program Of Development. .
A meeting of delegates interested
in the Czecho- -Slovak movement was
addressed by s. Guyt McLendon,
newly elected secretary of the State
of Georgia, who represented Gov.
Hugh NJ. Dorsey, told of a plan to
establish a colony of Slavs in Georgia.
Congressman Stuart F. Reed of west
Virginia, in an address to the con-
gress, took exception to the PROPOSE!
Of a league of nations which was ad-
yocated by former President Taft yes
terday before the congress.
1--WE must beware of the league OF
nations said Mr.. Reed, for 1t IS a
serious problem when we are invited
into an alliance that makes our Amer
ica the victim of racial prejudice.
America should take no subordinate
place. We have shown ourselves the
leaders of the world. Representatives
Of the allied nations appealed to US to
save them. We are not ready to sur
render this supremacy Of the world
that is ours.
1T is a dangerous matter for few
men around a table to prepare d
peace for ali times We do not want
to lose the supremacy that came to
us through the war
Americans can congratulate thefh-
selves that they can look forward ana
face the financial future with cour-
age. faith and OPTIMISM said w. r.
6. Harding, governor of the 1eoerai
reserve board, in an address oeioie
the Southern Commercial Congress:
Just as soon as the war financing
is cared for" Mr.. Harding aaaeo'
"o,1r thoughts will be turned 10 com
and industrial development
ave can look forward to what is 10
.onne with a spirit of optimism
MAYORS of many Of the cities along
the Atlantic. seaboard and gulf coast
met today in conjunction with the
COMM con mercial congress and decided to
form permanent organization, the
chief purpose of which is to urge the
construction of an intercoastal canal
connecting New England and the
South