The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, 1922-05-31
REBTILDING THE South

recently written to President j. $.
Wannamaker by DR.. w. w. Long.
Director Of the State Extension
Service for South Carolina. Dr..
Long has made an extensive inVes-
tigation Of the natural and DOten-
tial resources Of the United States
and being a close student Of condl-
tions past and present, his state
ment, which is as follows, should
be read with interest and thought
ful considerations:
"When It comes to South Caro-
lima agriculture, I a m hopeless
0Dtimist. and so ia" as the poten-
tial power of this state is con-
cerned we have only scratched on
the surface. OF course there are
going to be q gGod many men
who We're caught in the deflation
trap that will be ruined, but by
economy and hard work. guided
by intelligence, our people are
going to come back very much
more quickly than they have any
idea. A man who does not believe
this simply argues himself ig-
norant Of the agricultural history
of the South. Compare cOndi-
tions today from every stand
point with the conditions that eX-
listed among the agricultural
people in the sos and COS. They
were at that time absolutely ig-
norant Of, scientific agriculture.
pursuing the methods that had
been in vogue for practically the
last hundred years; with hostile
legislation: with the Industrial
and financial world absolutely
believing that the interest of the
rural people was dianetrically
opposed to their interest. They
were entirely without capital.
They were in the hands of the
Shylocks of the country. Not
withstandins all of these OBJ
stacles, the Southern people built
up this civilization that We are
now enjoying in the South, and
they built it up by their own ef-
forts. There was no stream, Of
settlers pouring into this part of
the country to help develop it as
there was in the East, North and
West. What was accomplished
entirely by Southern people and
there is no force on the face Of
the earth that can now stop the
development Of the South, es-
pecially the Carolinas and part Of
Georgia. This is the garden
spot of the earth. The only
= trouble is that our people do not
!: appreciate it. 1 have lived in
Florida; I have lived in Califor-
MIA; in Connecticut, and in Vir-
ginia, and .wast born in. North
Carolina. Taking into consid-
Grafton the question Of climate
soils, proximity to the great mar
kets of the world, we have every
thing to make not only a great
agricultural people but a great
Industrial people. Manufactured
: products today in North Caro-
lima are greater than the agricul-
tural products. 1t is rapidly be-
coming a great industrial state,
and likewise will South Carolina,
especially the Piedmont section.
When this is accomplished, we
will have our home markets and
with home markets and the aG-
vantages above enumerated,
ssfres L ing WI ue required 70 make
this the most delightful section
OF the world in which TO liVa and
enjuy life
What DR.. Long says of the Caro-
mas and Georgia, is applicable to
he other states of the cotton belt
with equal force and effect. There
IRE too many states devoting their
efforts almost entirely to the pro-
luction and export of raw prod
lets while importing from other
sections the very necessities Of life
out the raw COM
nodities they produce. This is
aot only uneconomic, but it retards
he progressive development and
wealth of such states. 1t is we'll
esta blished fact that the per capita
wealth of the New England states
IS greater than any other section
If the Union. This wealth has been
largely accumulated through the
of raw. cotton pro-
luced in the Southern states and
sold by the growers generally at
PRICES which only ypermitted a
neager existence on Southern
arms. The capitaiistic. wealth Of
New England, has: been largely
Drawn from other sections Of the
lation, while the South has labored
% produce a worlds most valuable
monetary product and exchanged
It's yearly value for the imports of
necessities which should have been
Produced in the South.
These facts are cited merely to
show that, the South has too long
sold it's birthright of natural re-
for what might be fittingly
termed a mess Of pottage". The
South has prospered in spite of
:hese uneconomic handicaps. but
they should not be allowed to con-
.inue indefinitely. - AS DR.. Long
truly says, the Carolinas and Geor-
gia are forging ahead in industrial
and have thereby SET