Daily Texarkana Democrat. (Texarkana, Ark.) 1890-1894, 1893-03-30
WHAT THE SOUTH NEEDS.

Nearly, if not all, of the Southern
States are at this time wide awake to
the great necessity for manufacturing
enterprises and in each of these states
the wise and progressive citizens are
casting about them for the surest and
most practical means of securing these
local factories, thus filing the long
felt want of their country and people.
We have, for some time past, devoted
considerable space " the discussion
and elucidation of this fact, 30 far as
the same applies to our own city. The
prospects of Texarkana, in this regard
have never at any period of its histo-
ry been half so bright as they now
are. Indeed the same statement of
facts, apply to the Southern country
at large, as well as to our home city.
In view of the fact that the same con-
ditions which affect the country at
large, apply to greater or less ex-
tent to the cities thereof brief re-
sumo of the facts upon this most i'm
portant and interesting subject, will
not, we think, be amiss, The whole
matter has been thus ably summed up
and concisely stated as follows; Only
a few days since it was clearly demon
strated from inquiries set on foot in
several of the most important manu-
sacturing centers Of the Northern
States, that the cotton manufacturers
of that country say they will be COM
PEELED to come south, particularly if
their tariff bonus be removed. What
has been witnessed in this direction
must repeat itself in others. The
sugar refneries must seek and are
seeking the sugar belt; the tobacco
factory must spring up and is spring
ing up near the tobacco plant con-
stantly; the rice mills must be located
in the immediate reach oil the rice
fields; the furniture factory pays best
nearest the lumber belt-in fact all
along the line the tendency under any
thing like free conditions Of trade, is
to put the factory close to the home
of the raw product. This is natural
and business like, and in England and
other European countries is univer-
sally the case. Only our peculiar
conditions. and peculiar tariffs in this
country have rendered any other
course possible so long. But as the
country fills with population, and the
cost of living and abundance of labor
are found to be growing more and
more alike in the various sections,
natural conditions and plain business
dictates, are found more and more
to control material and commercial
developments, and therefore revou-
tionize tire former order of things.
1t is such considerations that are 60
ing to bring the factories into the
south in great numbers--tbe most
productive and profitable field of
nearly every kind Of useful raw ma
terial. Instead, therefore, Of worry
ing lust now about hot house deyel"
opment Of manufacturing enterprises,
let the south get its wealth out of the
ground-piling up in abundance every
kind of material needed by the out
side world that our soil will yield to
us proftably, and there is no limit in
this direction, and we may rest assur-
ed that tho factory will soon follow,
"as the day the night" OF course no
possibility Of acquiring factories
should be neglected, but let us develop
our vast agricultural resources, as the
surest means of securing the other or
manufacturing development.