Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-19
ATLANTA'S EXPOSITION
Strange Political Possibilities of the Great
Show.
The Cotton States Fair Not Merely n
Holiday RelaxatlOn-PrOtect
Sentiment Growing.

The Atlanta exposition is topic of dis
cuss:on in political as well as in business
circles. Politics, of course, has no part in
the organization or conduct of the enter
prise. No enterprise was ever conceived or
put on foot on a basis more strictly bust
ness-like. 1t seems destined, too to
achieve on that basis a distinct and de-
served success. The promise IS of a very
large attendance from every section of the
country, and that the show will pass into
history as one of the noteworthy episodes
of the closing days of the century. But in
addition to this, some of the politicians
have a word to say and a prediction to
make.
Resources of the South.
This enterprise, for one great thing, is to
exhibit the full resources of the south.
They are not now unknown, but a MAN.
moth object lesson is to take the place of
statistics and abstract suggestion. The cot
ton itself will be exhibited the coal itself,
the iron ore itself, the timber ITSELF And
added to this will be the presence of north
ern and western men interested in the
handling Of those raw materials, with an
opportunity to study the local conditions,
including the climate, and to mingle with
the people who own those materials and
who are anxious to capitalize them 10 the
best advantage. The diverSifcation of her
industries is the dream and hope of the
south, and this insures the heartiest well
come at Atlanta to all those seeking in
vestments and able to contribute by both
capital and experience to the forwarding
of southern industries.
Spread of Protection Principles.
And out of this commtngling of the peo-
ple-the skilled workers of the north with
the cotton raisers and the coal and iron
owners of the south-must inevitably grow,
what? A discussion Of governmental ma
tier al policy affecting business, the politi-
Clans answer. The New England cotton
spinner moving south with his plant, or
already established business In the north,
will be, in the one section as in the other,
a protectionist The same wll be true of
the iron workers and the coal diggers of
Pennsylvania. In the one section as in the
other men who believe in protection and
have benefited by profession will advocate
a protective policy. The workers in wood,
in extending their business into the south,
VIII still insist. as they now do in the east
and northwest, on keeping down free com
petition with the Canadian forests And If
the skilled workman takes this view, is he
rot hkely to communicate 1t to his partner
IN the south, the man with the raw ma
terials? And if this thing once sets in sys-
tematically and in earnest, how long will
1t be before the south will cease to be the
seat of free trade doctrines and become ono
All Along Had a FoothoId.
1t Is furthermore pointed out that in GER
tain parts of the south, despite the atti-
tude of southern representatives in Con-
gress. protection has all along had some
tffns of foothold. In Georgia, where cot
ton spinning is profitable industry; in
Tennessee and Alabama, where coal and
IRON deposits are being developed: in Mis-
slsslppl, where the timber Is so valuable
and abundant-in all these states protec-
tlon has long had Its champions among the
native population. In Louisiana the sugar
planters never so thrived as under the pol
Icy of protection by bounty; and they are
now threatening to change their political
company because of the executive inter-
terence with the last bounty allowance of
Congress. The topic. therefore, will not be
a new one in the social intercourse at At
lanta, but will be discussed in the light of
much previous thought and mutual agree
ment.
National Policy.
This phase Of the Atlanta enterprise is
discussed by political leaders of both par
ties. The advocates of a low tariff are
quite as alive to 1t as the advocates of
protection. There is no special propa-
ganda afoot. Nobody connected with the
exposition is expected to abuse his place
by seeking to give partisan twist to mat
ters, nor Will any eminent visitor be likely
to do such thing. The suggestion is
that the very enterprise itself, with its
wide variety and it's local affiliation, will
lead during the shew, as later,
to full discussion of the subject of a ma
tioral policy with relation to the develop
ment Of new country. The south in
one sense is new. Only her planting possi-
bilities are known. What she might be
brought TO do on manufacturing lines, and
on the lines of national and international
commerce, is all in the future. The pro-
lection argument is that what protection
has done for New England and the middle
states can be done for the south, and will
be done II the south will help.