Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-24
THE SOUTH's OPPORTUNITY.
Hon. ThOs. Hardeman's Address to
the Board of Trade Concerning the
Atlanta Cotton ExpOsItIOn-'Fhe
Possibilities of Southern Future.
LouisvilIe Courier-Journal.

There was an excellent attendance at
the Board of Trade Chambers Yesterday
morning to hear the address of Hon.
Thomas Hardeman, of Macon, in the
interest of the international Cotton Ex-
position at Atlanta, to be held next
autumn. Mr.. Hardeman was introduced
by Maj. ]. M. Wright, and made very
interesting address, setting forth the
objects of the Exposition. He began by
saying that formerly the labor of the
South had been antagonized by the Chris
tian world on account of the slavery
question. He continued:
The civilization of slavery has passed
away and new one has come, with
new industries, in its place The ques-
tion of cotton and its uses should be
seriously and properly considered, for
with the South it is the means of pros
perity. The great trouble of the South
is, she has been using her means for the
benefit of others. The question is how
to present this question forcibly to the
minds of the people of the South in
later years. and how the products of the
South can be made profitable to her peo-
pie. Why is it that the South cannot
manufacture her own goods at home?
She has the material, the water power
and every other facility which nature
affords. How is it with the iron from
our mountains? Why is it dug up and
sent over to Europe to be manufactured
and sold to your 1t is because we have
been sleeping to our own interests, over
our own resources, regardless of what
might have been done. When l first
came to Kentucky, was struck with
the facilities of your State. 1t seems to
me that God has put the seal of his favor
on your valleys and hills. In these hills
there are enough of mineral resources to
make Kentucky one of the richest States
in the Union. All that is needed is the
energy to develop them. 1t has been
truly said of our State that the reason it
has not done much is because we are too
poor. The war took from us millions of
dollars, and nothing was left us but our
land, our manhood and our honor. We
propose to get up this Cotton Exposition
to see if we can do something to develop
the interests of the South. The attention
of the world is being called to the South
now, as she awakens, and the interest
will increase as in proportion to the in
terest of her own people. The great OBJ
ject of this Exposition is to show to all
capitalists what the resources of the
South are, and | know that they will
be satisfied. | have already seen in
the C0u1aer-JOurnGt where a Cincinnati
firm has subscribed $4,000 to help
build large mandatory in my own
State. Why is this? Because they
know that with the same kind of ma
chinery that they have we can manufac.
ture goods cheaper in the South than
they can in the North. Labor is cheap
er, material is cheaper, and we have
better climate. The last severe winter
has led many Northern men to mi
CRATE to the South, where the
climate would not interfere with
their business. We propose that the
machinery for making cotton in all its
different branches can be shown in this
building. We want the manufacturers
to come and bring their machinery
with them. We also propose to show
Northern people that we have resources
and fields for fortunes which they have
not at home. l confess that the re-
sources of the South are limited.
but with help from our neiohbors
we can make it profitable to all. Now
you are all interested as merchants in the
price of cotton just as much as those
who sell it. There is annually senS to
market 8, 900, 600 bales of trash cotton,
making loss to the country of $27, 7,000,-
600, while with the proper machinery
and manufactures in the South all this
could be properly cleaned. l have to
confess that the Southern people,
like Ephraim, have gone to their
idols, and their idols are Western
meat and Kentucky mules. The South
ern people have almost entirely given up
the idea of raising their own meat, and
thus you are directly interested in the
cotton planters of the South, for you
furnish US with the things we do not
raise.
1t is only by connection with each
other that we can accomplish anything,
and by adopting all the Northern i'm
provements. Most of the improvements
that are in the South were introduced by
Southern soldiers, who took observations
while away from home. / tell you to-
day that we have got to bring people in
contact to make marked improvements.
Seeing is believing, and when the South
ern people see the great improvements
they will not be slow in adopting them.
1t has been said that in doing this we are
simply inviting Northern men to adver-
tise their manufactures. Northern capi-
tai will not go where Northern prudence
does not direct it. When we urge that,
we invite them to come, and | say in
Gods name come, and l trust we will
give them the right hand of fellowship.
We do not pretend to deny that
one of the objects of this Exposi-
ton is to invite Northern capitalists
to the South. We want them to come.
We have got to throw aside prejudices
of the past and bury its sad memories
and raise over the prejudices of former
years the hopes of the future. Some of
you may say that we are
going to have nothing but
Cotton Exposition. You can see
by the picture of the building which | |
have that there ara departments for |
almost everything. We expect to have
machinery from all over the world. and |
get the idea of their improvements. / |
with modification and |
humility that we have been unable to
do this by ourselves, but now feel that |
ended, and the day of prosperity is
dawning, and | can imagine | see the |
twin rainbows of commerce and pros
perity standing behind the retreating
storm. Now, while the current of public |
opinion is being directed toward US,
Is the time for US to act. Would |
that | only had the eloquence |
of your Marshall or your immor
tai Clay l would stir the very bones in F.
the valleys of your indifference, until |
they would come together and work for |
the prosperity Of the whole people of |
the South. We need more OF this North |
ern energy among us. have no sym.
pathy with this cry of ''The New South. "
1t is a reflection upon the memory of |
our dead and upon the memory of the !
past. 1t is the old South standing to-
day upon the graves of her sons in full |
view of the horizon. 1t was old ,Joab
that responded to the voice of the proph.
cts over the whirlwind, and then it was
that new children were born to him. Tt
is the old South that stands as old Joab
stood, robbed of her property, her chill
dren gone, listening to the voice of des.
tiny. ! tell you now is the time for
hope. II you would hold the proud
position which you once have held. YOU
must get energy into the coun-
try. will read to you some
of the subscriptions hat have
been made, so Yau can see for yourselves
the interest that is being taken in this
Exposition: Atlanta, $50, 900; New York. |
$50, 900; New England, $15 900: Balti-
more, $500; Norfolk, s., 500; w. and
A. Railroad, SO, 900; i. and N. Rail
road 81 0ln. Air Tine T2o;lrood ok hoo