The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-04-05
ANNUAL ADDRESS.
OF GAIT. Gro. HARVEY PRESIDENT OF
THE BUSINESS MEMS LEAGUE
OF CANTON, DELIVERED ON
APRIL /, 1895
Gentlemen OF the business League:

tain peSSlMlStlc views abOnt the sue.
cess of this enterprise, we still "live,
move and have our being" and we
tatter ourselves that much good has
been accomplished in the unifcation of
our business interests and stimulating
the growth of more cordial and har
monious union among our business
men, and an earnest desire to lay aside
all petty antagonisms and to work to-
gether for the common good of all.
which, permit me to say, | regard as
of paramount Importance.
The year 1894 will be long remem ber-
ed in the commercial world as unpre.
cedented in it's disastrous effect on
trade, enormous shrinkage iu values,
and general decentralization in every
department of business, that has touch
ed alike the merchant, the farmer, the
| laborer, and the various trades and
professions. We stood amazed at the
wreck and ruin that seemed to con
| front us on every side: business was
paralized and the wheels of commerce
ceased to revolve for while, as we
stood idly by, Mica wber like, waiting
for something to turn up Instead
fore, both the merchant and farmer
were seeking to do as little as possible.
No doubt we are in state of transit
ton; the country is passing through an
ordeal that will put its powers of en-
| durance to the severest test. amone
of those who take an optimistic view
of the situation. / have seen our
country pass through the fiery ordeal
of wa, when it's resources were taxed
to the utmost limits. and when the
heroism, patriotism and endurance of
every man and woman was called
forth, and every one knows how brave
ly they came out of that memorial BILE
struggle when "all was lost save
honor"
Already the signs of the times point
to an era of returning prosperity The
unprecedented low price of the great
staple and principal commodity on
which we have relied as a source of
wealth may be blessing in disguise,
and from necessity we will be compel
led to seek other avenues of trade and
business and to develop the wonder
full sources of our country on different
lines. The dormant energies of our
people will be awakened into new life
by the stress of circumstances. The
be very great for the time being, until
we adjust ourselves to the new order
Of things, but l confidently predict
that in the near future we will look
back on our past methods of doing
business as attended with more
harrassing cares, and less profitable
and satisfactory, than the, prudent
and economical plan that will likely
be adopted under diversified system
of agriculture, when all products will
be raised at home and the money spent
among our own people. No country
was ever known to prosper that de-
pended solely on one crop as source
of wealth, for the manifest reason that
it had to be expended abroad to satisfy
the various wants of those who con-
centrated all their energies and re-
sources in producing staple no long
err in such great demand.
The sooner we realize that King
Cotton has been dethorned, and that
the sceptre has departed from that
great monarch who has ruled the
South with such firm grip for more
than quarter of century, the better
for all concerned. Let us not despise
the day of small things, but let us
rather congratulate ourselves that
we live in a country that opens It's vast
storebouse of rich and varied products
too numerous to mention in DETAIL
and only awaits the Intelligent thrift
and industry which will assuredly
make il blossom like the rose.
What would enjoin upon our
people, above all things. is not to sit
idly down in the depth of despair and
brood over the misfortunes OF the past
in complaining mood and let the FAR
seeing and enterprising farmers OF the
West be the first to discover the
advantages and wonderful