The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-31

The recent Southern Industrial con-
Vantfon, held at Huntsville, Alabama,
has been attracting the attention OF
the country on account Of the views adj
yaneed by the various prominent
speakera on the social and industrial
problems in the South. One Of the
most Instructive addresses delivered
during Che sessions of that convention
was the one made by Governor Geo. W.
Atkinson. of this state. 1t is so good
In lie inception and expression that the
Intelllgencer lays 1t before Its readers
In lts entirety. The governor spoke as
follows;
Alr. President and Gentlemen Of the
ConVention:-I am southern man
with northern principles, and some
how feel that l ought to be allowed a
good deal of latitude In the remarks
may make here to-day. / am a vlr-
ginian--born and reared on the sacred
soil'' Of that great, old Mother Cone
monwealth." Her interests are mine.
and l revere and love the name Of
Virginia and the dear Virginia people.
But having been educated mainly north
Of Mason and DiEon's Line" could
not do otherwise than oppose human
slavery, and make the best night could
for the universal freedom OF the human
race. Naturally, became q Republl
can In politics, and am one yet: but 1
am not here to talk politics, and we will.
therefore pass that wholly by. / am
here to-day as q southern man, bred
and born, to exchange views with my
southern brethren. and to join with
them in a syatemattc movement, Il one
can be inaugurated, to bring to the at
tention Of our cuuntrymen, and to the
the advantages which nature has be-
slowed upon US as a people who for
tIinately reside In the southern portion
Of our great republic.
we are not here, Mr.. Chairman. to
talk either partisan politics or narrow
sectlondlIsm. We are here to COM
pare Views. We are here to consider
what we owe to ourselves and to our
country as citizens, In doing what we
can bring to the attention Of capitalists
in and outside Of the United States the
as people, and induce them, II we can,
to come among Us, and invest their
money to help them and US on In life.
AS understand It, this the sole pur-
pose OF this convention. II we adhere
to this idea alone, and leave restricted
sectionallsm and partisan politics
wholly outside, this great gathering
will, I am sure, accomplish something;
but II we inject the two monsters above
referred to In our deliberations, It
would have been better that all Of US
N1F7H IA OF n
II we conftne ourselves to the course
suggested, Mr.. Chairman, much good
will result from this conference. II,
however, we should chance to dip into
q discussion OF the tariff. or finance, or
so-called imperialism" or any other
partisan political question, we Will ac-
compliah no good for the people we rep
resent.
friends, to consider great business
problems which concern one and all,
and along this line / propose to talk. I
am a Republican. as ! have already
stated, and don't care who knows It;
but above and beyond everything else
! am an American, and l stand after
wards for the south and for southern
people; and yet there IS much OF what
Is called In newspapers as "the south
eFn lQeA, tnRt 90 not luuOTSes WHeu
my southern fellow citizens close Them
selves tightly inside OF q shell Of pref
udice, and resolve among themselves,
as has been often done in the past, that
there Is nothing good or real or valua-
bic outside OF their way OF doing and
thinking, then am not with them, but
on the contrary. am squareiy against
them. To get on in this world men
must be broad and liberal and progress
sIye. They must give ana take. and
must meet their fellow men half
way on all important issues. The only
ft place for narrOw-mlnded blgots Ia
in graveyards, and the sooner they get
there the better for all concerned, This
Is plain talk. but am like the old
Methodist brother who wrote out his
prayer and pasted 1t on the wall near
the head OF his bed, and every night
when he retired he simply exclaimed:
''pear Lord, them's my sentiments"
aud, leaped into bed. am simply eX-
pressing my honest sentiments-noth-
ing more, nothing less. If any Of you
object, cannot help It. came over
a thousand miles to meet you and talk
over the big business problems which
confront US as southern people, and to
do what can as an humble citizen 10
htlHR VFnyth and urORDeFity TO our