Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1921-07-07
THURSDAY. JULY 2, 1921.

As the country gets farther
away from the Civil war era,
each year there is noticeable in
the South a more general observ-
ance of the Fourth of July. For
two or three decades following
the conflict between the sections
the people of the South took lit
tie stock in celebrating the day
the patriotism of their forefath-
ers made memorable in the strug-
gle Of the colonies for independ-
ence. The reason for this in
difference was born not so much
Of the conflict between the North
and the South but of the condi-
tions the North imposed upon
the South following the resort to
arms. With the government of
the States Of the South in the
hands OF carpetbaggers, scala
wags and other undesirable citi-
zens our people were burdened
with oppressive taxation and ex-
pcrienced humiliation in many
ways. Consequently there was
little heart left in them to cele-
brate any kind of event. But
time has healed many of tire
wounds. inflicted upon the South
in those dark days and few
Years hence the Fourth probably
will be as generally observed in
this SETON as in the North.
The Fort Mill Times does not
have to 60 afield to find itself
III full accord with the Yorkvillc
Enquirer iii the statement that
the country is not busted. ;"
The surprising thing is that any
one should reach such a conclu-
sion. AS The Times sees it, con
ditions are not half so bad as
some OF us seem TO think. True.
the business depression which
: overlook the country something
like year ago has had the effect
OF producing general slowing
up in the flush times brought
about by the war, but there. are
indications that the depression al
ready has struck bottom and that
from now on things will be on
the upgrade and that in the
course of a few months the coun-
try will have about forgotten
1.-THE slough of despond" in which
SO many fancied themselves per-
manently anchored. 1t has been
the history of the United States
as IL has been the history of other
countries that war times are alb
normal times-abnormal times in
one way because governments
are then not in position to stop
and figure on the value of the
dollar. Governments engaged in
war spend money in prodig-
ious way. Any other policy will
not win. The government engag-
ed in an armed conflict is headed
for the shoals the minute it adopts
a cheeseparing policy. Naturally
the policy Of the government at
war is reflected upon its citizens.
In the mass they may be depend
ed upon to count their dollars
with as little concern as the gov
ernment counts its. Extravaganza
bcgets extravaganza. The Unit
ed States at war with Germany
spent millions of dollars reckless
ly; but that was the policy it took
to whip the Germans, and the
United States did not enter the
war with any other thought than
that OF whipping them, whatever
the cost. And as with the expen-
ditures of the government la
those days, just so with the ex-
penditares of the individual. He
probably was little If any more
concerned over what he got in
return for--his dollar--it came
easy and left by the same route.
OF course there had to be an end
Of all this Extravaganza had
to end for both the government