The Van Buren press., 1897-10-23
ARKANSAS PROGRESS.
The Work o. Developing Her Natural
Resources Has just Begun
With Additional Railroad Facilities sAs
Promises TO Excel Many Of the Eastern
States As Manufacturing Cen
ter In the Near Future

= NesE fG-1EGa
lew persons realize the change.
Which have occurred IN the south within
the past quarter 81 3 eentnry. l. i.
doubtful II the southern people thez-
selves rightly estimate the alts ration.
the southland has undergone since the
days of reconstruction Emerging from
the strain OF civil war with Industrial
interests almost destroyed and slaves
emancipated. not only the damages OF
the terrible conflict had TO De repaired.
but new conditions were 10 Se net.
Ihe power % the few families was gone
The influence welded bv The slave
holder had vanished. Customs and
methods which had developed under
two centuries were overturned and Z
people whose habits were fxei. were.
BY foree of circumstances. compelled 10
begin life anew Steadily yet quietly
the transition from old conditions to
new has been accomplished. Patiently
the southern people adapted themselves
70 The new order, b. yielding here and
eonceding there. until the new south
today stands upon the business plain
Of the commercial north. though in the
change there is no apparent decay OF
manners, scholarship Or dignity. Il
may be said that the progress Of nations
has influenced both sections alike.
Every new advance IN the arts and
sciences has been accepted bY the south
ss readily Il NOT as quickly as by the
north Indeed. the similarity between
the people Of the two sections S 50
marked in this respect that the critic
who attempts 70 point out the differ
enee finds his task q difficult one. b.
virtue Of splendid perseverance and
marvellous powers OF adaptation. the
southern people have made 3 record in
the race for development and CONNER
eial expansion far brighter than they
are aware. Twenty-Five years ago The
south was crippled. while the CONNER
eial north gamboled with ease in full
Eigor. with unim paired resources From
an agricultural region operated mainly
oy slave labor. the south a. the close Of
the war, with diminished resources and
productive capacity almost destroyed,
and new conditions confronting t. be-
gan the struggle OF repairing damages,
and a. the same time competing with
the north u IS impossible for people
who live in period Of changes 10 prop
erly estimate the importance of that
period. Therefore the southern people
are not conscious OF the wonderful trans
formation their institutions have expert
enced. 1, is to speak within the bonds
Of truth to say the success OF the south,
N development and material progress,
has no parallel, and yet the great work
S not fnished-it Is in the early stages
some of Her Resources
II IS officially stated that the cotton
states have 1SS, ,o00. 900 acres Of forest
land embracing every variety Of oak,
vast regions Of pine, cypress, walnut,
hickory and other woods, immense
quarries OF sandstone. granite and
marble; phosphate rock in wonderful
abundance; mines Of coal, iron, zine and
lead close together. and in many places
in proximity TO fields OF eo,ton-a con-
dition that exists nowhere else in the
world. Ii may be added, too, that
rivers with falls snd rapids, affording
splendid sites for water power, course
through many Of these sections, mur-
mering complaints. as it were, for being
compelled to pass down to the sea with
out driving a mill wheel on their way.
Passing over the minor agricultural
resources Of the south. such as grain,
vegetables and fruit, which are being
increased year by year, it IS interesting
to contemplate for moment some Of
the leading products, such as rice,
sugar. molasses and cotton. Last year
the sugar produced amounted to almost
$50, ,oO. 900 pounds, while the output Of
molasses was 81, ,6l7, ,065 gallons, and that
of rice los, ,655, 40 pounds. But cotton
vet leads as the great money producing
staple. Last year the cotton crops of
the south was e,s39, 600 bales, or 81 per
cent of the earth's production, and as
stated by a member of congress,
brought more from abroad than all
other agricultural products Of the eoun-
trv.- While the resources Of farm and
6eld have steadily increased within the
past few years,
Mills and Factories Have Increased
more rapidly than the general reader is
aware. In all parts Of the south success
ful efforts have been made to establish
manufactures and the result IS seen in
the fact that manufactured products
increased 100 per cent between the
wear of 1850 and 1890, while the wages
Of factory hands nearly tripled, as also
did the capital invested in cotton man
ufacturing. That capital has nearly
doubled since 1890. being about $780,
OOO. ESQ now TO SOL 600, 600. In 1850 the
cotton seed oil capital was $500, 600,
and now It is over $50, 900, 600; in 1850 the
south made SST, 900 tons of pig iron and
in 1895 it made 1.7Oa, $50 tons; in 1S90 its
coal OUTPUT was 5000, 900 tons, and now
il is at the rate Of $4,000, ,000 Within
two years the south's addition Of cot
ton spindles has been $50, ,T46 and New
Enrland's only 671.22S, the former be-
ing an increase of 80 per cent. and the
latter of 81.
If the casual reader was asked to des-
Innate a few southern cities distinguish
sd for their manufactures, he would
mention Birmingham, Ala, then pause
and perhaps after meditating awhile
name Atlanta, Ga, and possibly
Memphis, Tenn, when he would come
10 full stop. In this era Of improve
ment and advance it is almost impossi'
bic for the masses to keep pace with