Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-11
THE FUTURE OF THE SOUTH.
The Richest in Undeveloped Resources of
All SECTIONS OF the Union.
(New York Sun. Ed)

Senator Patrick Walsh. Of Georgia,
| gathers a large body Of impressive statis-
| tics TO show the development OF the South
ern States since the close OF the civil
war. and to indicate the far greater pro-
gress which will result In the future from
the further utilization OF their natural
resources
The South is low producing as much
coal, iron-ore, and pig iron as the entire
Union produced in 1870. yet the develop
ment OF its mineral riches has only be
gun. Mr.. Edward Atkinson has declared
that an observer standing on the top OF
the highest peak OF the great Smoky
Mountains would find IN radius of
seventy-iive miles the future iron-pro-
ducing region # the United States" West
Virginia alone has lO.WJ square miles
of coal, or 400 more than all OF Great
Britains. OF the total forest area OF
the United States. or 100000 acres the
Southern States have more than one-halt
or I'll 5000 More than Il per cent. Of
the land Of the South is wooded. and in
the variety of its timber IL Is unequalle1.
1t offers practically limitiesS Opportunl-
ties for horticulture and Horticulture, with
decided advantages over the North so lar
as climate il concerned. Its incoinpara-
bic richness as field for cotton raising
enables it to produce annually crop OF
the enormous value OF SiD,GO@N besides
81. 10000 worth Of oil. cake. and hulls
from the seed. The value of its other
agricultural crops aggregates more than
one billion dollars annually. Even the
low price of cotton has had its compen-
sation in driving the farmers into more
diversified agriculture. which has enabled
then, In Withstand the recent hard times.
"Jf this enforced economic policy con-
Times" SAYS Senator Walsh, optimistl-
cally. "the southern farmers Will become
the most independent and progressive
people in the world
REMARKABLY
The manufacturing development OF the
South since 1870 has been no less remark
able The cost of making iron there.
with the ore coal. and limestone found
close together ne estimates az more than
one-third less than In the North. lie pre-
diets the speedy coming Of the time when'
with sufficient capital and greatly III
creased population, the South VIII lead
the world In cotton manufacturing. III
already leads In the cOarser iaDrics. III
1850 the South manufactured only l"'0o
bales of cotton: In 1898 the amount WAY
7ii,OOO The capital In cotton mills was
only s22,OoJ.00 In 1852; in 1871 IL Is eS'i-
mated at Sg7. 0C0OO. Meantime, the value
OF the produce has increased from 81
0pnO 10 about 100000. Moreover. the
business deuression which caused thA
shutting down OF SO many New England
mills during the past year had no such
injurious consequence In the South. with
the exception OF n few yarn mills de-
nendeut on the New England demand
..all the large mills in the South on cot
ton goods" says Senator Walsh, were
pInning on full time during the dullest
wear i'm the history Of the country.
The South. with such unparalleled al
yantaees and opportunities 80 eXtraofdi-
nary. Is described by the Georgia senator
as 1.-THE garden spot OF the worl1 anu
the richest in undeveloped resources oil
all sections of the United states anu
no expects that when people generally
wake up to the understanding OF tulS uu.''
the current OF capital and population WEI
dow thither in a mighty stream Nature
has provided the wealth. and all that Is
needed IS money and labor to make use
NJ II. If 4 population as great as IN"
,yhole Union now contains were added l"
tho Southern states. there would Dr.
nlanty of room for all. The area OF tue
state of Georgia alone Is almost az ere".
as the whole area Of the New Ehsiahu
States. and comparatively small part VI
II is really developed. signal ~ mas peeh
the prosperity Of that fortunate stare
during the recent years. Arabic lahu'
convenient TO waterways ana rallroaus'
capable of producing cotton, corn wheat
oats. hay. vegetables, and fruit, IS now
purchasable in Georgia at from - 10 sp
an acre. Senator Walsh tells Ms.
This picture of the South Is colored Dy
the enthusiasm of the senator Tor the
region from which he comes. but 1t can
not be dismissed as exaggerated. The de-
yelopment of the Southern States Is only
beginning.