The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 



57 



lands in adaptable form ; those two things, coupled with publicity, 

 ought to give people. Now, it seems to me that the problem you 

 gentlemen have before you, and which is no different in any 

 single respect, save that of climate and location, from Western 

 North Carolina or Eastern South Carolina, or South or Central Four Factors 

 Georgia, or Florida, or Eastern Texas — those great cut-over ^"^^ Make a 

 lands present the same problems ; and it seems to me that we 

 will get down to this problem when we have effected some form 

 of organization that makes the man who owns the thing we are 

 trying to operate upon an interested fundamental part of the solu- 

 tion of the problem, and when all other interests can rally around 

 that basic effort ; when the talents of the Federal government may 

 be brought to bear ; when the effort is proving itself to be one of 

 broad, disinterested, national scope ; when the Federal govern- 

 ment can join itself with the States, who, after all, must bear the 

 brunt of this through their colleges and agricultural schools ; 

 then, it seems, we will be a long way towards solving this 

 problem ; and if that fails of solution, then it seems to me we 

 will have to look to some source that we know not of in this 

 day to bring about its solution. But so far as I am concerned, 

 for the several years I have been connected with this problem, 

 that represents my conclusion with respect to it — that the men 

 who own the land; the men who have this thing; that the men 

 who, in the trend of our affairs, find themselves with this thing 

 upon their hands, have a very solemn duty to perform. As the rp, , , 

 public domain of the United States shall pass away, it seems to Owner's Dutu 

 me the vital aspect of this problem increases. This land is in pri- to the Nation 

 vate ownership. The government does not own it ; the States do 

 not own it ; private individuals own it ; and from the aspect of a 

 progressive, a solidified nation, it seems to me that it behooves 

 those who own this land, together with all other agencies 

 which may be interested in it, to do all they can to co-ordinate 

 their efforts and to adopt a plan of action that will be able to 

 command the support of all, and that will be continuing in its 

 efforts. 



Gentlemen, this land represented here today covers an area 

 embracing the eastern part of Texas, Arkansas, Southern Mis- 

 souri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Western Georgia and 

 Western Florida. We are very fortunate today in having with 

 us the representative of one of these great states — a state that I 

 am advised — a state that I know from my own personal knowl- 



