Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-06
THE NEW SOUTH.

Opening OF Important industrial Enter.
prises at Decatur, Ala.-Speech of A.
sistant Attorney-General George III.
Shields. Representing the President.
DECATUR, Ala, May 3o.-Decatur cele-
brated yesterday the opening Of a num-
Der Of new and important industrial en-
terprises, among them the new shops OF
the United States Rolling stock Com
pany; the new shops Of the Louisville &
Nashville Railroad Company: Charcoal
Iron Blast Furnace, and Charcoal Works;
American Oak Tanning Extract Works !;
Decatur Cotton Compress; Evans & Co.'s
Foundry and Machine Works; Southern
Horse Nail Factory; Decatur Car-wh eel
Works the new works of the Decatur Gas
Company; the new plant of the Decatur
Electric Light Company; Decatur Water
Works (thirty-five miles of mains com.
pleted), and many other industries, in
GLIDING large woodworking plants.
Invitations generously distributed aad
brought a large number Of distinguished
people to the city, among them Governor
Seay of Alabama, Governor Gordon Of
Georgia, Senators Morgan and Pugh, and
Congressman Wheeler. The orator of
the occasion was Hon. Geo. II. Shields,
Assistant Attorney General, who had
been sent by the President to represent
him. General Shields was enthusiastic-
ally greeted when he arose to speak. lie
said:
My mission is not to indicate a policy nor to
discuss partisan politics. Much has been writ
ten about Southern policy of this Admnistra-
ton. The President has shown a remarkable
ability to convey to the people his views in
his own way and at the proper time, and you
may be sure that his Administration will be
broad enough to embrace the whole country,
and will conserve the interests of the South as
well as the North, and that both he and his
Cabinet take the greatest interest in the ad-
vancement OF your material interests and con.
tinued prosperity.
Mr.. Shields said the best evidence that
the President felt no partisan hostility
to the Southern people was found in the
fact that he appointed representative
of Southern State Secretary of the In
terror. On the stump and in the press
the Republicans of the North have been
denounced as enemies of the South and
these statements had engendered a feel
ing of alienation between the sections,
which was unjust to both. The Repub.
lican party believed the National Gov.
ernment to be supreme; that the issues
settled by the war could never be re-
opened; that the citizen had right to
cast his ballot and haye it counted as
cast; that the children of the country
shall receive liberal education at public
expense; and that the best interests Of
the country demand the enforcement of
the American system of protection to
home industries. There was a deep sy1a-
pathy with the Southern people in all
portions of the North in view of the tre-
mendous problems confronting them.
Individually, he said, he believed that
these questions would be settled in the
near future by an economic and indus
fr.,a II 1a1.1 81
development Of the South, so rapidly oc-
curing, would furnish the key to unlock
the situation.
With the development {: the inexhaustble
natural resources within nearly all the South
ern States new issues, new interests, new poll
cies, new views will constantly demand the
attention of the business men and OF the young
men OF the South, and these questions are
considered in the light of reason and not OF
prejudice; in the light of to-day and not of yes
terday, your intelligence will bring correct de-
cisions, and your prosperity will rival. in its
luxuriance, the reckless prodgality OF nature
in your hills and valleys.
If this country. North and South, forgets the
differences OF the past, and realizes that it's
destiny is before 1t and not behind it, and rises
to the exigences Of the present, accepting the
results of the in good faith, then the
astounding progress of the first century of our
national existence will pale before the magnif1-
cent grandeur of the next century. In the ex-
pectation of realization to some extent Of
these results, hail the new star which has
risen in the South, and extend n welcome to
you within the circle of the industrial States
The voices of Washington, Jefferson, Madi-
son, Hamilton Franklin and others, the found
ers of our country, thunder down the century
bidding the people Of the United States encour-
age and foster manufactures. AS they reverbe-
rate along the course OF time, Jackson, Web
ster and the gallant Harry OF the West with
unselfsh patriotism and far seeing wisdom. re-
echo the strain. Lincoln, Grant and Garfield
catch up the refrain, and with the added expe-
rience Of one hundred years. call the present
not only of the North, but Of the
South, the East and the West, to bind on the
brow of the American goddess the legend:
american Productions for American Mar
kets."
The address was listened to with marked
attention, and the speaker was frequent
ly interrupted by demonstrations of ap-
preci alton and Endorsement.