The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-05-09
Petty Politics, Cur e of South.
Says EdmOnds, Editor Man.
ufacturerS Record.
VISITOR IN COL MBIA
Says People of South More
Interested in Who is Elected
Sheriff Than in Creative
Work.

Columbia, S. c.. MAY S-Hieb
prices Tor products, and high wages
Tor labor are to continue for limo
tlme Is the opinion of r. II Ed
monds. editor of the Manufacturers
Record and one of the Ieodfbg nm
'horltles in industrial matters in
thls country. He thinks that tn,
man who wants to build a house and
is putting it off for lower prices is
MAKING serious mistake and is
waiting for day which may never
come. He thinks that the curse OF
'he south is petty politics, and that
the petty politician should b,
thrown into the dump heap, and the
people give their thoughts to indus
trial, educational and religious d.
velopment.
He arrived in the city Tuesda,
from his winter home at Daytona
FLORIDA, where he has been since
last December. There he has beer
watching world events but never for
moment has he ceased to think of
the south and her future.
AT the Jefferson hotel when ask.
ed what he thought of the industr,a,
future of the south he said:
The south has largely made pol
itics Its business. The north and
the west have made business their
polltfs We IN the south largely
concentrate our thought. our activi-
ties upon politics, local state and
national. We are interested in who
is going to be the sheriff. or gov.
ernor, or senator than We are in who
is going to do some creative work in
developing our vast resources. In
the north ard west on the other
hand business and creative and con.
Structive work are the supreme is
sues and politics are considered
manly in their point of relation 10
business development. If for noyt
hVe years the south would give ia
highway Improvement. TO municin,I
betterments, to construction Of bet
ter housing facilities for its peonIe
and the utilization of its natural ra
sources as much attention as il now
gives to petty politics, in industrial
and agricultural advancement anr
It's increase in wealth would be
amazingly great. There is no other
equal area in the world that can
match in natural advantages for the
creation of wealth the southern
states.
This is freely admitted by the
ablest experts in the world A. d f
'erent times | have published the
testimony of the foremost scientists
in America. and the great leaders in
chemistry and Industrial work of all
Kinds that the natural ADVANTAGES Of
this section are far beyond those Of
any other known area in tho world
III is true that we have made
considerable progress in the d.yol
opment OF these resources nui .,
have not accomplished onc-ruurrh
as much as was in our power To 10
If We fail in the future 10 devclop
our wealth more rapidly than o,her
sections We will be compelled ~.
Willingly to have 20 admit that we
have lacked the energy or business
ability of people of other sections.
| am satisfied that We have the nM-|
t'y an! energy to match any o'ho-
0a"; OF An erica but that we ham3er|
nrs"'ves and destroy our ability by.
constantly thinking in terms oil
nolitics, as though politics were the
sum and substance of all human ac-
tivities.
II seriously doubt whether thcrcI
is any other country in the world
which devotes olarge a proportion
Of its thinking and talk to politics
Very much OF the political activity
in the south is curse to the indi- |
vidual man and to the south itself. |
me man who can do the most to
i"ke the thought OF the south of |
The politicS of the cross road store |
kind and concentrate the attention |
Vt III epeOple upOn the building and |
better schools. anC |
and better highways IN |
Nnh H.