I desire, also, in this same connection, to submit to you an article written by me, at the request of Leslie's Weekly, and published in that periodical of November 14, 1912, under the heading,

"SOUTH CAROLINA TO THE FRONT."

In the phenomenal material growth of the South during the past three decades South Carolina stands forth pre-eminent among her sister States, and yet her wonderful resources have barely been touched. The fertility of her soil has given her a world's record, which she still holds, in the production of corn per acre, notwithstanding her principal crop is cotton. The marvelous development of her manufacturing interests has placed her second in the manufacture of cotton goods. Along every line there has been rapid and substantial progress.

With a population which, while proud of the wonderful traditions. of its past, is busy seizing the opportunities of the present and has its face turned toward the future, and with resources, the development of which has only begun, perhaps more varied than those of any other State in the Union, the outlook for prosperity in South Carolina today will compare favorably with the prospects for the future in any section of the United States or in any part of the world. The farming lands are owned largely by the farmers who receive directly the benefit of their labors. Improved farming methods have been introduced, and diversified and intensified farming is steadily increasing the yield per acre and the returns to the producer. Lands are well cared for, the farmers naturally taking a pride in building up their own, and the fertility of the soil is being increased.

In the manufacturing and industrial enterprises of the State, capital and labor are working hand in hand, and South Carolina has been singularly free from the labor troubles which have disturbed other sections of the country. The great proportion of the toilers in these manufacturing enterprises are natives of the State, with that love for South Carolina and that jealous regard for her interests which have ever characterized our people.

In every department of activity the people are contented—not contented in the sense that they are not seeking further progress, for they are; but in the sense that they realize and appreciate the prosperity with which they are blessed.

Fine progress is being made along educational lines. The common school system is being improved throughout the State, and the higher institutions of learning are in flourishing condition. Senti

ment everywhere in the State for improved highways is growing and better roads are being built, bringing the crops closer to the markets, uniting closer the people of the rural districts and in every way making rural life more attractive.

With her native population, her splendid resources, her unexcelled climate and her diversified industries, South Carolina is an inviting field for the investment of capital, and the wonderful development now going on in the State is evidence of the fact that capital realizes the fine opportunity which is presented. Great water powers are being put to work for material progress, and figures which have been cited show that South Carolina now has more than two hundred thousand developed horse-power of this kind. This development continues to go steadily forward furnishing the power for new enterprises which are being built, for the lighting of our cities and even many of our country homes. It is only recently that the mineral resources of the State began to attract the attention which they deserve and that their development was begun in the manner which they warrant. Stock raising, for which South Carolina is peculiarly adapted, was long neglected, and even now the advantages of the State in this regard are only beginning to be fully realized.

The point which I want to stress is that, while South Carolina is experiencing a wonderful prosperity, it is an advancing prosperity— that the State's various activities are steadily advancing in almost limitless fields. This march of industrial progress will be given further impetus with the opening of the Panama Canal, Charleston, South Carolina's great seaport city, being recognized as "the most convenient port to Panama."

With all her varied and wonderful material wealth, however, South Carolina's chief asset is the spirit of her people, and it is when this is taken into consideration that the bright outlook for the future becomes a certainty. It were idle in this connection to recount the struggles of these people in rebuilding their fortunes, swept away by the War Between the States. It is sufficient to point to the wonderful new fabric which they have woven to take the place of the old—a fabric wonderfully woven in terrible travail in the days of its beginning. It is that same spirit with which our people are imbued today-that spirit which, in '65 made captains of industry out of captains of shattered companies.

Strengthened by the trials and emboldened by the triumphs of the past, South Carolina today looks with assurance to the future. Commercial victories are being every day achieved by her people. Her

progress is commanding the attention of every section of our great country. The National Corn Exposition will soon be held in South Carolina's capital city. Hundreds of people conversant with the resources and development of every State in the Union will be welcomed within our borders and the Palmetto State will have no fear of comparison by them of progress here and elsewhere. They will see what a great State has done and is doing and is determined yet to do. This national gathering in the interest of one of the country's great staple products will bring South Carolina closer than ever before to her sister States of the American Union, and will no doubt stimulate greater friendly industrial rivalry.

I have endeavored to outline briefly a few of the bare facts upon which I have based claim for South Carolina of a prosperity which must substantially increase. It is not given to us to know the future, but, if we may judge it by the past, I believe the facts will bear me out in the statement that South Carolina has only entered upon an era of surpassing progress, in which material development and the continued intellectual and moral uplift of all her people will go steadily forward hand in hand.

EDUCATION.

In my opinion, gentlemen, the most serious proposition which confronts us today, and the one, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that is all-important, is the education of the children of our State. You have your higher institutions of learning, which are being most extravagantly supported, while your country schools are receiving a most niggardly support, are being woefully neglected, this negligence going to such an extent, I regret to say, as to be tantamount to wilfulness. If you will travel through the country and see the unclean, uncomfortable, ragged and unpatched-to express it in a word, mostmiserable-looking buildings, that are called schoolhouses, and not feel ashamed of what your State is doing for the education of her future citizens, then surely you have no sense of shame. Gentlemen, can not paint the picture too black-schoolhouses with holes in the walls and floors and roofs, where children have to huddle together to keep warm; schoolhouses so small and so crowded that children must be so close together they actually have to breathe into their lungs the breath which comes from the bodies of others. Each year thousands of dollars are appropriated for new buildings for your State colleges, and these poor, helpless little country children are expected to get education enough to reach these institutions of learn

ing, freezing almost to death, sometimes crowded actually to death, uncomfortable and unprotected.

Look at your handsome buildings on your South Carolina University campus-one costing $75,000; others costing large amounts. Look at your magnificent buildings at Clemson College, costing, I presume, into the millions. Look at your Winthrop College, with her thousands and thousands of dollars in brick buildings. Look at your great Citadel, the best military school in this whole country, where a boy can receive a free education. Of these institutions we are all justly proud, and we point to them to the outsider as monuments to Carolina's prosperity and laudable ambition. No man who loves his State would take one brick from them; no man would do a single thing to injure one of them. But, gentlemen, they have got theirs, and now I appeal to you, as men, to hold up on this extravagance in your State institutions, and help the little country boys and girls, in order that they may be able to reach one of these magnificent buildings belonging to your State institutions, and receive the finishing touches of an education. How do you expect the boys and girls of this country to reach our higher institutions, when you say to them, "You must stand an examination in order to get in here, you must make a certain mark in all the various studies we teach," and yet, gentlemen, you are not giving them the help to prepare themselves to stand that examination.

And, now, I want to put you on notice-not a threat, gentlemen; not with any intention of forcing you to do anything-but I want to put you on notice that unless you take care of your free country schools it will take two-thirds of both of your houses to get your appropriations through for your State colleges. So, if it reaches the point where the clash comes, do not say that you were taken by surprise. As between the State colleges and the country schools, if an issue of that kind is made, I propose to make the fight for the country schools. If both are taken care of, very well and good; but if the colleges are taken care of and the country schools are not, then I propose to bring the matter to a test, and see who are the friends of the country schools in your General Assembly, and let your constituents know those of you who are willing to give their taxes for extravagant buildings for your State colleges, and not willing to give money for decent and respectable schoolhouses for your country schools. I hope the test will not come; that all will be pleasant, and that the friends of the higher institutions and the friends of the common schools will be satisfied; but if it does come, let it be under