Henry W. Grady, the editor of the Atlanta Constitution, shared his vision for the New South which entailed a strong core , economic diversity, and healthy growth over time. Grady and other learned men of his time foresaw an agricultural society based around the growth of several crops. They also saw the importance of following the North's example and turning toward industrialization.
Many southern leaders believed that their reliance on one crop had made them vulnerable to the Union's advances and they pledged to diversify what they called the New South.
