The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1898-09-08

for which must necessarily increase
year by year in proportion to the in
crease of wealth and progress of civili-
zation, is so completely controlled by
one section or even by one country as
is the case with the south and its cot
ton. With cost of fertilizers constant
ly decreasing by reason of the phos-
phate discoveries in Florida and Ten
nessee, with spread of intensive farm
ing and the consequent lower actual
cost of producing cotton, with the i'm
proved methods of handling this sta
pie from the gin to the mill now COM
mapding general investigation, with
the introduction of cylindrical baling,
it is only reasonable to hope that even
if prices continue as low as for several
years past the not profits to the farmer
will be greater than in the past with
high prices. With this increased con-
sumption Of the south's chief staple
and the multiplication of industries for
the utilization of this and other re-
sources likely to result from move
ments which the war will start, there
will be added to the available wealth of
those needing it most, viz, the land
owning classes, enough to contribute
materially to the recoupment of the
losses caused by the civil war.
Coming to iron, believe it is uni
versally admitted that the south is to-
day making iron at lower cost than
any other country in the world, and
Alabama is now debating the price in
the worlds market for pig iron. What
it has done in iron there is reason to
hope it is destined to do in steel. And
Alabama in this respect is but type of
the south. Englands supremacy in
the worlds affairs, its vast shipping
business almost exceeding our COM
tprehension), its vast manufacturing in
dustries, have been mainly based up
on coal and iron and cotton. In these
three industries its supremacy has
passed; this country controls them and
the south can take the lead over any
other section OF this country. The
field for expansion in the development
Of southern cotton, iron and steel is as
limitless as are the worlds require
ments for centuries to come. But even
this is not all. One-half of the stand
ing timber in the United States is re-
ported by the United States authorities
to be in the south, and this will furnish
a basis for great woodworking busi.
ness in every southern state. When we
come to agriculture we find the south
is producing at the present time nearly
81 ,0OO,000 worth of agricultural pro-
ducts, although it has as yet barely
scratched the surface in its agricultur
al development as compared with what
the future may be. With the incr ease
of manufacturing, the creation of home
markets for agricultural products. in
tensive farming, the reduced cost Of
fertilizers, the south seems to be pre-
pairing for as radical change in its agri-
cultural as it has accomplished in the
last ten years in its industrial advance
ment.
Moreover, when the situation is
studied, it is seen that the south with
its genial climate, its abundant and
even rainfall, its magnificent rivers and
great water powers, the nearness of its
ports to the productive centres of the
west, furnishing the most direct outlet
to foreign markets, presents peculiar
combination, one that believe has no
parallel in the worlds history and one
which / am sure must have more far
reaching effect, not only upon our own
country, but upon the world in gen
eral, than has yet been fully grasped
either by our northern friends or by
the people of the south themselves.
I am sure that study of the south's
advantages will cause any one to be
more and more impressed with the fact
that there has been centred in this re-
gion possibilities for the creation of
wealth, for the development of enorm-
GUS industrial enterprises and great
shipping interests and for profitable
agriculture, that cannot be duplicated
in any other equal area on earth. l am
sure that as these facts are more and
more impressed upon the people of the
north and of Europe, now that every
trace of sectionalism has been blotted
out by the war, those who have held
aloof from that section because of the
sectional question will see that in this
favored land are unequalled oppor-
tunities fer the display of energy and
for the development of business such
as can be found nowhere else. The
development and enrichment of the
south mean greater prosperity to the
north and west, the expansion of our
commercial power aud vast strength
ening of the dominating influence Of
the Anglo-Saxon on the worlds future.
For We have now entered a new peri
cd in the worlds affairs. Every day
brings out more clearly the command
ing position that our country is to
hold, and shows how our great fnan-
cial and business institutions are to