Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-29

49,. - 80 P"Sslollity OF direct protec-
uon py law OF the industries OF one 10.
cality aganst the rest OF the country
Inc result has been, I'm every depart-
.nt ',,t oi manufactures. the fiercest compe-
uuoh which the keenest min1s and
."c most determined enterprise could
~asc The very first suggestion which
.uS spectacle would convey 10 n prlldent
n'an Is mat II would be wise 10 keen
' ou' OF such contest unless he had on
S S side some special advantage. some
So oi nature or art. And In that OBJ
Ous 'housht lies, | believe, the funda-
mental principle by which every new
manufachiTing scheme should be tested
What Aatural advantages has it where
sou propose TO Dut It? II none, by what
superiority OF skin. OF methods. of lines
~ transportation or OF patented inven-
"o" 40 you hope TO supply their lack?
MUST BE A GROWTH.
successful manufacture must be a
EioWth' Al must be not a mere artificial
st' uctuFe but plant with principle of
NE IN II. The principle Of life in manu-
Iactures Is the careful adaptation Of
manufacturing enterprise to natural and
a'uliclaI environment. Now. this IS a
iather big general phrase, but let US look
httle with the light of such ideas as We
get from ii TO what has been done in
TOBACCO AS AN ILLUSTRATION.
Inc manufacture of tobacco. which has
brought us moie wealth than any other.
was originally, and is still. a legitimate
ueVeiopnent Of our position. The raw
HiatetlaI was produced at our door; we
had among US the accumulated knowl-
edge of many generations. employed in
us culture and handling. and a working
iorce In our coloTed population admira.
piy adapted 10 it's manipulation. Where
was the manufacture of tobacco to sue
ceed at the outset. before internal i'm
proVements had supplemented the ma
tural cnanneis of communication. If not
at Richmond. on Tidewater and on the
very edge of the great area Of tobacco
cultureY IT was legitimately planted
mere, II took root and nourishcd. and if
the development of other centres of pro-
duction has sometimes threatened us:
IL there have been periods of depression
and Encouragement: If we are now nass-
ing through season OF restricted output
and diminished profits, the manufacture
OF tobacco in Richmond is still a living
thriving industry Of vital significance
10 the prosperity of the community. II
mad It's foundation here i'm the nature Of
thlngs. ana, though the progress Of the
country has somewhat modified the bear
ing OF those natural conditions. the enter
prise of our people has always made
mead against temporary hindrances: and
surely, the position of the industry is
sun intrinsically sound and safe Sc
cureiy bottomed on its local advantages
II has built up, as I said. a large part
of the wealth of Richmond Nothing
that can be legitimately done to encour-
age IL should be omitted 1t is our spe-
cial field; and. If l saw a young man.
trained Tor business. and of promising
aptitude, disposed TO try his fortune in
this branch of our manufacture-in spite
or the existing depression, due, | doubt
not. TO temporary and removable causes
/ should bid him be of good cheer. and
assure him that he would be working
with, and not against, the natural forces
that surround US.
ADVANTAGES FOR ROLLING-MIITa
But let me take another example: When
n-rolling-mills We're established here
some sixty years ago, there was a sound
basis for them. There was coal at from
twelve TO twenty miles distance so valu-
able at that time. and for many years
afterwards, from its nearness TO Tide
water that ii constituted the best source
of supply for iron-works on the Hudson
river. and in other parts Of the North.
These establishments, competing then
with Richmond. were not only at the
disadvantage of the freight on their
coal, but they had to accumulate their
whole winters supply before the close of
navigation in each year.
There was also the advantage here of
waterpower, which, in contrast with
northern Uater-powers. never suffered
any practical obstruction from ice in
winter There was. further, supply
i'm our mountains Of the only pig-iron
then used in this country-pig-iron smelt-
ed with charcoal, accessible by canal
and river transportation. And. lastly.
there was communication by sailing-ves-
sells with all the distributing markets of
the coast.
But nothing stands still in this world.
one by one these marked advantage
were neutralized or relatively diminish
ed, as the country entered on its great
career Of internal Improvement. First
our coal lost its Importance by the open
ing of the Maryland and Penn
sylvania bituminous coal-felds. James
river coal ceased 10 be transported to
the mills Of the Hudson. Then the rapid
extension Of the production of pig-iron,
with anthracite coal in Pennsylvania.
confronted us with the rivalry of a good
and cheap raw material to which we
had nothing to oppose.
SOURCES OF OUR SAFETY.
It was a dangerous transition period
which lasted down to the outbreak of the
war. our safety lay in two resources.
which in other difficult periods have
preserved our vitality:
First In the admirable advantages Of
Richmond as a distributing centre. Our
navigabe river. opening a passage to the
sea, and 10 all our rich coast, was a
gift Of nature; but the enterprise of our
people had kept abreast Of the move
ments of the age. and Richmond had
become, not only the terminus of canal
200 miles towards the Ohio
but the centre of several rival lines Of
railway. stretching north and south.
west and southwest. And the great ave-
nueA of communication thus opened not
only gave 10 our city her preponderant
importance as a centre of distribution.
and saved the future of her trade and
but so decisive and per-
manent was their character they
marked her out when war swept over
the land as a grand strategic point and
the rroud citadel of the defence Of the
South.
The sons Of the patriotic, vigorous, and
far-seeing merchants and manufacturers
of richmond. who. in conjunction WITH
cnliehtened leaders from other parts o.
the state. projected and completed these
ereat lines Of internal improvement, must
ever reverently honor their memory
,rbev were models of civic energy and
And fortunate, indeed, will this com
o,,nity be if it shall always find repre-
arntattves OF such light and leading, OF
such aggressive and unrestins enterprise
put have been led into IA shght dlsres-
sion from the sketch l was at'enp,ihs