Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-04-14
THE SOUTHERN GOVERNORS.

The conference of southern Govern
ors at Richmond completed its labols
yesterday, after adopting measures Oh a
practical character.
The conference created basis for
future action by approving a plan OF
having in each State working board
of six members to look after the States
material interests. One member OF Ire
proposed board is to look after exports
and imports, another is to consider
commercial relations, a third IS 10
study mining interests, fourth Is 10
deal with agriculture, &c. The several
members are to cooperate with each
other and with like members OF the
board of the other southern States. ny
this concerted effort and by the publ
cation of documents setting forth the
real condition and prospects OF the
South, all the objects of the conference
will, it is believed, be in time achieved.
The suggestion Of Governor FlshD ack.
of issuing an address to President
Cleveland showing the injustice here
tofore done the South by abuse and vii
ification in the North, and asking HIM
to give the South majority representa-
ton at the foreign ports from which
immigrants chiefly come to this coun-
trv was not looked upon with favor by
the meeting, and was not reported back
by the committee to which it was re-
ferred.
The address to the public, which is
to supplement papers prepared by each
southern Governor, is regarded as the
most important work Of the meeting.
1t sets forth the true condition of the
section, without establishment, and
having the sanction of the executives
of fourteen States of this Union, it IS
expected to result in good and do much
toward building up the sparsely-settled
communities.
The following is the address read by
Governor Stone:
"The Governors of the States ofMary-
land. Virginia, West Virginia, North
Carolina. South Carolina, Georgia, AL
ALBANIA, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri,
Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi,
assembled in convention at the city OF
Richmond, Va, OH April y, 1893, for
the sole purpose of advancing by CO.
operation and concert of action, the IN
dustrial interest and well being of their
several States, do issue the following
address to the people of the United
States and those in Europe who may
contemplate making investments in this
country or immigrating here in search
of homes.
''The States represented at this con-
vention comprise substantially the
southern half of the American republic
Its eastern and southern exterior limits
are bounded by the Atlantic ocean and
the Gulf of Mexico The interior is
traversed by many Of the most import
ant rivers on the continent and by some
of the greatest in the world. The SUR
face is diversified by mountain chains
and beautiful valleys, by long stretches
of fertile bottom lands and broad ex-
panse of picturesque and productive
prairies. The climate is temperate,
changing more or less with the seasons,
and is pleasant, invigorating and health
full. The resources of this vast area,
distributed with wonderful and sur
prising equality and its adaptation to
natural and to industrial productions
are almost limitless.
"Minerals-All or nearly all of these
States have inexhau5tible deposits of
coal, mostly bituminous, which can be
mined less extensively, perhaps, than
elsewhere in the world. In every sec
ton of these States are enormous and
Unreasonable supplies of iron, lead,
zinc and other metals useful in the in
dustrial arts. Multiplied thousands
are already engaged in mining and re.
ducing these metals. The value OF
mines and mineral deposits have al
ready long since passed the period of
experimentation, and yet they are in
the very infancy of their development.
"Forestry-Scattered throughout these
States are also great areas of forest
lands on which are growing in super
abundance as fine timber as can be
found in the world, cypress, oak wal
nut, ash, maple, pine and the like, hit
in the highest degree for shipbuilding,
building and for all the Uses of
manufacturing.
"Aniculture-Th soil and climate
unite to give to those States unsur-
passed adaptation and capacity for the
productions of agriculture. Tobacco,
cotton, sugar, Indian corn, wheat, rye,
barley, oats-all the cereals-are grown
here in profuse abundance. Nowhere
in the world does the earth yield a
more prompt, certain and abundant
return to the vitalizing touch Of the
husbandmen than in these Common
wealths.
"Horticulture-As much may be said,
likewise, of horticulture. Nowhere
can richer or sweeter fruits-such as
oranges, bananas, apples, peaches,
plums, grapes, berries-be grown in
greater profusion, Already are to be
found here very many of the most eX-
tensive and profitable orchards, vine
yards and gardens on the globe.
"Such, in brief, are the climate and
typographical conditions and such the
natural and productive advantages OF
these great States of the South and
Southwest.
"Hitherto immigration and capital
have flowed more toward the western
and northwestern States. This was
due, no doubt, largely to the fact that
these were new States, where immi-
grants could find free homes by
right of settlement on the public lands
of the United States, and due partly, it
may be said, to the fact that most of the
States represented in this convention
were the theatre of war during the
struggle between the States, and were