The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-03-20
The Trend Southwark.

y
when he expected to return. He replied
that he thought not at all. When his rea-
son was asked for this determination, he
replied: Well, the drift of eastern CAPT
tai is to the South and not the West
now, and | want to go with the tide
to where the money is. There was
volume of suggestion in this remark.
1t illustrates the change that is going on
the attention that is being given the
South, and the conviction that money
can be more profitably invested in the
Southern States than in the Western.
Not only is the trend of Eastern capital
and enterprise toward the South, but
even the West is looking this way. The
sess-the minerals and timber and farm
ing lands, and the far more equable
and healthy climate, are influences,
when properly understood and apprecia-
ted. that must in the nature of things,
appeal to the judgment and the interest
of capital and enterprise. We have here
in Virginia, in single counties, more to
proftably engage capital, than whole
States of the West have. In material
development the South is newer than
the west. Virginia, as an instance, is in
the infancy of her iron exposure. We
have districts in this State that possess
millions of undeveloped wealth, and
counties which possess resources affiuent
enough to fill the Golfers of the State, if
fully developed and utilized. The conn
ties OF Augusta. Rockbridge,. Rocking
ham, Shenandoah, Nelson. Amherst, Bot
etourt, Craig, Allegheny, Bath and High
land, have natural wealth enough for an
empire; and yet there are but a. very few
industries to represent it, There is ma
terial for the profitable employment of
millions upon millions Of capital infinite
ly more remunerative than any invest
ments that can be found in the North
and West, if supplemented by skilled
labor. And so in other counties, and
districts of the State. Were Virginia as
fully developed as is Pennsylvania, it
would have twice the wealth and double
the population. But we are as yet in
swaddiing cloths, both as to means of
transportation and industries to convert
the natural elements into active values.
Every form ofmechanism and art ought
to have lucrative field of operation.
There is the material for it, All that is
wanting is capital and skilled effort-the
cooperation of our own people with
those who may come among us, with
view to using their knowledge and
means to benefit themselves az well as
the State.
We are gratified to see an awakening
in Virginia, and the combination of
minds and hands to work out the re-
demption of the Commonwealth. We
have everything to make a great, pro
gressive, prosperous, powerful State.
An intelligent appreciation of the excep-
tional advantages and resources we pos
sess will work out wonders, and bring
about an era of industrial activity com
mensurate with the marvellous gifts
which are ours.
What are called booms. are not such
term The organized movements that
are being effected and the combination
of effort consummated are simply the
evidences that our people are becoming
aroused to an appreciation of the real
facts which exist, and the necessity of
taking hold with their own hands the
work of exposing their Unreasonable
wealth that lies dead and useless all
around them. 1t is business activity
scraping off the, moss and rubbing off
the rust, that our disuse and sloth have
caused to accumulate. We have millions
of riches all right at our doors, which
have not yielded us a copper. They
have been an incubus rather than an
advantage 1t is the knowledge of these
facts, and the necessity for effort to
change this discreditable condition, that
has stirred some of our people, awaked
them from sleep, startled them to action
and caused organization and co-opera
ton for the purpose of doing something
to utilize what we have.
1t is organized effort at home that will
invite assistance from abroad. When
our own limited means and knowledge
are appropriated to the development of
our resources and to avail of our natural
advantages, it will show the confidence
we feel, and will inspire confidence in
others in the wonderful natural wealth
we possess.
A brave effort on our part will result
in needed help and an era of industrial
activity which will yield abundant
fruits 1t will attract the capital of the
East and West to locate with us and
share in the rewards and profits that
combined effort will assure.