56 



The Dawn of a New Constructive Era 



Cut-Over 

 Lands Must 

 Be Made 

 Assimilable 



South's 

 Advantages 

 Little Known 



than these lands now under consideration would have, they were 

 promptly absorbed by the public ; all of which brings us to this 

 one thought — why is it, that at this late day, this vast area of 

 land still remains? It seems to me there are two reasons, two 

 main underlying reasons ; one of them is perhaps the fact that 

 these lands are not in what I choose to call assimilable form. 

 They have not been put into condition ; they have not been given 

 that finished touch that, after all, may be necessary to cause their 

 assimilation. You will remember that Mr. Tallman on yesterday 

 pointed out to you that there were areas — and I know of my own 

 knowledge of areas in the west — in Western Nebraska, as I recall 

 it, where lands were offered for settlement for years, and Con- 

 gress changed the form, increased the area and terms and condi- 

 tions, and promptly the land was absorbed. Therefore, it seems 

 to me in all probability, that these lands are not in assimilable 

 form ; that perhaps those who have been engaged in the ex- 

 ploitation of lands, engaged in colonization work, have not em- 

 ployed the best and most comprehensive talent in developing 

 those factors. 



The other outstanding fact, of which I am entirely convinced, 

 is the fact that the public mind has not run in this direction. 

 Ever since the Pilgrim Fathers left Massachusetts ; ever since 

 the Cavaliers left the tidewater of Virginia or the Carolinas, there 

 has been instilled into the minds of the people that westward 

 lay the great opportunities; and there has never been concerted 

 action to instill into the minds of the people that there were 

 great and equal opportunities in the Southern country. So it 

 seems to me that is, after all, one of the very important factors, 

 if not the most important factor — publicity — instilling into the 

 minds of the people the facts as they are and that there are op- 

 portunities in this lower Southern land. A single effort cannot 

 bring that about. A single corporation, no matter how much 

 financial backing it may have, no matter what talent it may have, 

 cannot bring it about, because the task is too gigantic and be- 

 cause it requires too long a sustained effort; and what may be 

 true of that is also true of every other single agency, whether it 

 be transportation lines, whether it be part of a state, or whether 

 it be the individual effort of the land-owning and land-financing 

 corporation. 



After all, gentlemen, there are, as I see it, four factors that 

 go to make up a country. There are, transportation ; there are 



