THE NEW SOUTH.--After the South had passed through the terrible struggle of
the Civil War, in which much of her best blood perished, there followed the
tragic days of the reconstruction. These were times of readjustment, when a
wholly new method of life had to be undertaken by a conservative people;
when the uncertain position of the negro led to frequent trouble; when the
unscrupulous politician, guided only by desire for personal gain, played on
the ignorance of the poor whites and the enfranchised negroes, and almost
wrecked the commonwealth. Had Lincoln lived to direct affairs after the
war, much suffering might have been avoided, and the wounds of the South
might have been more speedily healed.
These days, however, finally passed, and the South began to adapt herself
to the changed conditions of modern life. In these years of transition
since the Civil War, a new South has been evolved. Cities are growing
rapidly. Some parts of the South are developing even faster than any other
sections of the country. Men are running mills as well as driving the plow.
Small farms have often taken the place of the large plantation. A system of
free public schools has been developed, and compulsory education for all
has been demanded.
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