Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1900-07-29
PROSPERITY OF THE SOUTH

4eOo4 EMIL OC i he 0OU n
The South has shown decided ten
dency within comparatively recent
years toward rapid, almost unpreced-
ented, development of it's industrial
resources, with results which are des-
tined to attract far greater general at
tention than has been the case.
At the present rate of development
in all industrial branches, the day is
not far remote when the States south
of the Potomac will have completed
one of the most remarkable processes
of evolution on record, from an agricul-
tural to an industrial area, and their
natural resources will have become the
logical handmade of mills and factories
established by Southern capital and
Southern enterprise.
This tendency has been marked in
the large increse in shipbuilding, the
manufacture of locomotives, of steel
rails, cotton goods, &c, in which the
Southern States are actively competing
with their Northern rivals. In the
matter of cotton manufactures alone
the South is rapidly gaining on the
New England States, which long en-
Joyed monopoly of that industry.
Taking the ten-year period, from 1887
to 1897, as an example, statistics show
that the amount of cotton taken for
home consumption and converted into
manufactured goods by the Southern
mills was $50, 900 bales greater in the
last than in the first year of the given
period.
The increased consumption by the
Northern mills was only 106, 900 bales
for the same length of time.
The present bids fair to prove an ex-
ceptionallY prosperous year for the en-
tire South. According to a recent
statement of President Hargrove, of the
Southern Industrial Association, the
approximate value of the Southern
output is 81, 800, 900, 900 at the lowest
estimate. In fifteen articles alone, ex
elusive of cattle, horses, mules, sheep,
fowls, rice, wool, hides, vegetables,
fruits, lead, zinc, marble, oil, turpen-
tine, lime, cement, and many manu-
featured articles. the total value is con-
sgrvativelY estimated at round billion
dollars.
Cotton naturally heads the list, with
a total value of $3.50, 900, 900; corn and
lumber come next, with value of $130,
900, 900 and 500, 900, 900, respectively.
The value of the pig iron product is
placed at $45, 900, 900; of coal at $45, :
100000, and coke, the lowest on the
list, at 81, 00O,O OO Southern fisheries
and tobacco products are valued al
$25, 900, 900 each; hog products at $50,
900, 900, sugar at $40, 600, 900, and wheat
at $50, 0O0,0 900.
The unsurpassed productiveness OF
the Southern States is leading to intel
ligent appreciation of the manufactur-
log possibilities ;of utilizing the raw ma
terial at first hand instead of transport.
ing it to mills and factories thousands
of miles away. AS one obstacle after
another is being overcome, it seems
reasonably assured that the labor
problem, too, will eventually yield to
the force of circumstances. The eK
perience gained in the upbuilding Of
the cotton industry gives warrant fol
hope that in every other line of manu-
facture the necessary labor will be
forthcoming, and, with the gradual
eradication of prevailing prejudices,
become elevated to the same plane
which it enioysin other quarters.
With such evidence of natural pros
perity as set forth above, coupled with
the growing tendency of exploiting the
untouched resources as never before,
~
fdently forward to an unprecedented
condition of material benefits, to Offer
the greatest inducements to capital and
energy, no matter in what quarter, for
the development of the latent wealth
in it's arabic lands and fields of miner
ais, only Is per cent. of which has yet
been utilized. Washington Post.