The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-05-21


trolling force in their case-gave them
the contract for carrying their own
surplus population and that of the
Old World coming to our shores out
to the West, and of transporting the
surplus products Of the West to the
Atlantic coast for export. But the
exporting of millions of good working
men from the Old World to our shores,
the needs of the Old World for food
products, the natural conditions favor
| ing their production in the West and
their shiprrent abroad, the homestead
laws which gave to every settler from
whatsoever country a free farm, the
great subsidies in land and money
which gave free railroads, were the
factors of first Importance in creating
the wealth of the North. The condi-
tions of supply and demand, whether
of labor for one region or food for an
other, and exactly fitting into each
other, the celebrity with which all were
organized and set in motion, and the
rapidity with which they cut and en-
larged their own channel to meet
growing volume, were all unprece-
] dented, whether considered separately
I or in combination. The result natu-
rally, inevitably, was unparalleled.
But taking this work as whole, in
all its actions and rea stions, it had in
its nature limitations of time as well
as of magnitude. 1t was temporary
work-xemergency work at that-like
the 81. .Nlying of an army in one field
| until it moves on to another. The
work increased and shifted as powers
and needs shifted between one end of
the line and the other, while it might
continue until the Old World could
| open new fields. The needs of the
Old World have increased steadily, but
| new regions are more and more sup
plying them. In 1865 Great Britain
imported food products to the value
of two hundred millions of dollars, and
| in 1889 to the value of seven hundred
| millions. But in 1889, of her imports
of wheat, eighty-seven millions of
bushels, the United States supplied
| only twenty-seven millions, and Cana
da less than two hundred thousand,
while Russia furnished thirty-four mill
ions, India nearly fifteen, Germany
ever four millions and Roumania four
and half millions. Only in cotton
have we been able to maintain steadi-
| ly increasing exports, and in 1889
Great Britain took from us one hun
| dred and sixty millions of dollars
| worth. These facts throw strong light
upon the past, and are full of meaning
for the future. They show that the
old contract for phone eer work is expir-
ling, but that the enormous wealth
created in performing it, the plant ac-
cumulated and the experience gained,
are available for larger, more system
attic and steady development in new
fields.
The wealth of the South, requiring
for it's development more concentrated
force, offers the opportunity for still
greater results to the enlarged powers
and needs of the North, and of the
countries of the OLD World. This
richest section of our republic contains
a wealth too great and varied to be
considered in the limits of single
paper or in many papers. But the
half million square miles of IL, embrac-
ling our Southern States east of the
Mississippi River, may be briefly
/ glanced at.
| With fifteen millions of people and
thirty thousand miles of railroad in
Operation, with cotton and other crops
of great value, with manufactures now
large and rapidly growing, and among
them prod dction of iron nearly twice
as great as that Of the United States
Iup to 1865, and nearly one-third the
/ worlds production of iron up to 1860,
j a good start has been made. The field
/ is open for work Projected through
the center of this half million square
miles is mountainous regioc more
than one hundred thousand square
miles IN extent, extending southwett-
wardly seven hundred miles from the
Pennsylvania line into Alabama and
Georgia, and having an average width
tof about one hundred and fifty miles.
It has an elevation varying from one
thousand to sixty-five hundred feet
taboye sea level, a rainfall of more than
fifty inches, fertile soil and all the
iconditions to favor production from
It which its varying altitude and its
lposition between the 34th ard 10th
parallels of north latitude suggest to
the mind.
This Southern Appalachian region
is divided along its length into three
parallel strips; that along its north
western side is continuous, unbroken
local field, embracing forty thousand