The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1938-05-26

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word which ! realize makes the
hair bristle on the backs Of some
Of the nations over-populated,
o~ver-crowded industrial Stag heaps.
Yet say to you that no man in.
terested from a patriotic stand
point in the general welfare of his
nation will agree that an economic
structure is natural and logical
which concentrates Is per cent Of
that nations manufactured wealth
in seven geographically small COM
munities.
Goals Of South
What the South seeks is national
cooperation rather than sectional
exploitation. It seeks permanent
development rather than sops and
charity. It seeks the scientific as
sistance Of men such as you, rather
than the experiments Of reformers
who ignore regional reality.
The South wants recognition a
partner in the Union rather than
as q colony. It wants the right to
ship its goods at the prices other
sections pay. Il wants freedom
from unfriendly internal tariffs
which II has never imposed.
And what has the South 10 offer
the nation in exchange for the SYM
pathetic cooperation Il seeksf AZ
It develops IT. purchasing power,
~ It raises ia standard Of living
70 the national average. ~ Il de-
feats = poverty that gives only .
seventh Of the nations wealth To =
third Of IT. population and area
and resources-as It does these
things, II offers to America the
greatest new market in the West
ern hemisphere.
The magnitude Of its offer
Is born Of the sorrowful cir.
cumstance Of = people long sur
rounded by An abundance they
knew not how to use. Z people rich
in natural resources but denied
mary cf the needs and most Of the
Injuries Of American living.
! say to you therefore that even
Is Mississippi's problems are in
extricably entwined with the prob.
lens Of the South, so are the prob
lens Of the South entwined with
the problems Of the nation. Ours Il
not the selfish goal Of taking q
way from others. It Is rather the
patriotic goal Of creating in the
southland . civilization through
which. we may become . region n
usefulness and service proportion
ate to the opportunities and The
resources that are ours.
llisisslppi's Offer
And we Of Mississippi are glad
tonight to offer You the nearest
approach within my knowledge 70
the perfect ~chemurgic field labora-
tory. We offer you the cooperation
Of state and local governments, Of
2 million people conscious Of their
need and willing to follow the lead
ership which science q offer.
Theirs ID . spirit attuned to your
effort, = spirit which ID more than
patriotism, more than loyalty to .
state administration, more than
civic enterprise As II is usually
conceived. II is Z unanimity Of pur.
pose; it il . determination born Of
the common problems Of . people
bound by the ties Of mutual need
and mutual understanding.
Under the impulse Of such Z
spirit, aided and encouraged by the
continued sympathetic support Of
the movement represented here TO-
night, ! see = new era Of obbortun-
ity opening for our people. 1 see
self-supporting farms where food
and feed are balanced with indust-
rial use crops, where homes are
painted and fences are in repair
farms which will not repulse
their sons but invite them TO re-.
main on the soil Of their birth.
! see communities where small
but busy factories are processing
the products Of those farms, where
money is in the bank and business
il good on main street.
And through it all l see a new
heart restored in the breast Of
U people. I see fathers and moth.
ers unafraid Of the future Of their
children. ! e youths leaving col
lege eager to take their places in
= program broad enough and far
sighted enough to invite the last
ounce Of the vibrant ambition
which is within them.
It is, my friends, q conservative,
happy picture. Not q vision u
smokestacks belching from every
southern hilltop. but a practical
picture Of an independent people
- people working together in
happiness and harmony with their
neighbors and their nation, taking
intelligent advantage Of the tai
ents and the resources with which
God and nature have 0lswed
them.