Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-30
Southern Industries.
A Big Boom on at Decatur,
Alabama.
GRAND OPENING OF ENTERPRISES.

A Score More OF Great shops and Fac
Attorney General Shields the Orator of
the Day-He Represents the President
and Talks of Politics and Policies from
q Republican View.
DECATUR, Ala. May 30-Decatur cele-
brated yesterday the opening of a number of
new and important industrial enterprises,
among them the new shops of the United
States Rolling Stock company, new shops of
the Louisville and Nashville Rail- Dad COM
pany, Charcoal Iron Blast Furnace and Char
coal works, American Oak Tanning Extract
works, Decatur Cotton compress, Ivens &
Sons Foundry and Machine works, Southern
Horse Nail factory, Decatur Car Wheel
works, the new works of the Decatur Gas
company, the new plant of the Decatur Elec-
trio Light company, Decatur Water works,
and many other industries, including large
wood working plants Invitations generously
distributed had brought large number of
distinguished people to the city, among them
Governor Seay, Of Alabama; Governor Cor
don, of Georgia; Senators Morgan and Pugh,
and Congressman Wheeler. The orator of
the occasion was Hon. George H. Shields,
United States assistant attorney general,
who had been sent by the president to repre-
sent him. Gen. Shields was enthusiastically
greeted when he arose to speak
Harrison's Southern Policy.
In the course of his speech Gen. Shields re-
ferred to the policy of the administration re-
garding the south as follows:
My mission is not to indicate policy nor to
discuss partisan politics. Much has been
written about a southern policy of this admin
istration. The president has shown a remark
able ability to convey to the people his views
In his own way and at the proper time, and
you may be sure that this administration will
be broad enough to embrace the whole coun-
try and viii conserve the interests of the south
as well as the north, and that both he and
his cabinet take the greatest interest in the
advancement Of your material interests and
continued prosperity.
Mr. Shields said that the best evidence that
the president felt no partisan hostility to the
southern people was found in the fact that
he appointed representative of a southern
state secretary of the interior.
Republicans Not Enemies of the South.
On the stump and in the press the Repub-
licans Of the north had been denounced as
enemies of the south, and these statements
had engendered a feeling of alienation be-
tween the sections which was unjust to
both The Republican party believed the
national government to be supreme; that
issues settled by war could never be re-
opened; that the citizen had right to cast
his ballot and have it counted as cast that
the children of the country shall receive a
liberal education at public expense, and that
the best interests of the country demanded
the enforcement of the American system of
prOtactinu fn homa ipdnSfriaS Thara xros 4.
deep sympathy with the southern people in
all portions of the north in view of the tire
mendous problems confronting them.
New Adjustment of Parties.
Individually, he said, he believed that
these questions would be solved in the near
future by parties reorganizing on economic
and industrial lines He believed that the
material development of the south so rapidly
occurring would furnish the KEY to unlock
the situation.
With the development of the inexhaustible
natural resources within nearly all the south
ern states, new issues, new interests, new
policies, new views, will constantly demand
the att sntion of the business men and of the
young men Of the south, and as these ques-
lions are wisely considered in the light of rea-
son, and not of prejudice in the light of to-
day, and not of yesterday, your intelligence
will bring correct decisions and your pros
perity will rival in its luxurianoe the reckless
prodigality OF nature in your hills and val
| leys.
A Brilliant Future Predicted.
When this country, north and south forcets
the differences OF the past and realizes that
its destiny is before it and not behind it. and
rises to the eXigencies of the present accent
ing the results of the war in good faith, then
the astounding progress of the first century
| of our national existence will pale before the
magnificent grandeur of the next century. In
the expectation of a realization to some ex-
tent of these results hail the new star
which has arisen in the south and extend both
hands to welcome you within the circle of the
| industrial states.
The Voices of the Past.
The voices of Washington, jefferson Madi-
son, Hamilton, Franklin, and others, the foun-
ders of our country. thunder down the cent
ury, bidding the people of the United States
encourage and foster manufactures As
they reverberate along the course of time,
Jackson, Webster, and the gallant Harry of
the west" with unselfish patriotism and far
seeing wisdom, re-echo the strain. Lincoln
Grant, and Garfield catch up the refrain, and
with the added experience of 100 years call the
present generation 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"
Can Produce Iron at Low Cost
BALTIMORE, Md, May 30-Speaking of
h. ,f,aN $780,, - TN.