Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-13
NO POLITICS in TRADE


In the course of very commendable
campaign for closer business relations
between Baltimore and the South, sew
eral of the Baltimore newspapers take
very superficial view of the situation.
Thus, the American says:
Baltimore played n prominent and
conspicuous part in the great victory
for sound money and good government.
and Will reap splendid reward for its
work. The prediction that Il Mckinley
majority in this city would mean a
heavy loss of it's Southern trade has
already been proven false. On the
contrary. this sound money victory
viii draw to the city not only more
trade from the South. but more bust
ness with the North and West as well.
II Will mean the establishment here of
now industries. the enlargement of
those already in existence the intro
duction OF more capital and certainly
an increase in the city'S population
The conspicuous position Baltimore oc-
cupicd in the election and the magnifi-
cent result have redounded to the
citNs credit, and are sure to rebound
TO It's material advantage
This IS tho sheerest nonsense. The
particularly nasty and vcnomous cam
rnign carried on by part of the Balti-
more press and by it's so-callcd finnn-
eial interests have undoubtedly awak-
oned some resentment and disgust in
the South. SO far as it has paid any at
tcntion to Baltimore at all. and doubt
less will cost that city some basiness
i'ut the South has cut its commercial
eNe-tecth and does not do business on
sentiment The truth is that the
! south has ouigrown Baltimore which
can no longer meet the South's grow
ing needs. cities like Norfolk. Rich
inond Charlotte, Chattanooga. At
lanta. Memphis. Birmingham and Sa-
vannah now do Il large part of the
business once done by Baltimore while
they 20 to New York for what they
want. Within the past few years
Wholesale houses have been established
with phenomenal rapidity throughout
the South. AMI there are dozens OF dis
tribu,ing centres where ten years ago
there was none. These Wholesale es-
. Establishments in the main have their
relations with New York. Philadelphia
and Chicago because they get at once
larger stocks and better terms in those
cities. baltimore has neither the mo-
/ ncy nor the enterprise 10 meet the
Snuths demands. The pretensions of
Baltimore. therefore. to proprietorship
of the South's trade are apt to he re-
earled with amusement and derision
by The Southern People. They care not
a lot what Taltimore's politics are. or
whether 1t has any; they Gaze not jot
Whether 1T is a Northern or 4 Southern
city. The sound money victory" will
no more draw trade from the South
than it will draw manufacturing plants
from the North. In three months the
average business man in the South
will have forgotten whether Baltimore
voted for Bryan, Mckinley or Barker.
Speaking along the same line as the
American, the Baltimore News says:
We want TO make the south's af-
fairs the subject of daily thought and
conversation. Every mill built in the
Caroiinas every furnace blown in Ala
hama, every similar event anywhere
should he matter OF keen interest
here in the natural commercial capital
OF all that fair land
The South has no natural CONNER
cial capital" or. rather, it has many
Thought and conversation are all very
well, but what the South wants is mo-
ney and hustle, and it is supplying n
good deal OF each. 1t is mainly build
ing its own mills and furnaces. It's on
its feet once more and it means bust
ness. Tho city that offers it most will
get its trade That is all there is in
the proposition.