Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-06-15
SOUTHERN Development.

| ut MduuIdCLuItrS heCOIu GTtStHls cVlnc
statistics showing the progress OF the United
States during the last twenty years as indl-
cative Of what may be anticipated In the
future. and emphasizing by these figures
| that this is not the country nor the time for
! pessimists. Twenty years ago, or In 1880,
J the United States mined Of bituminous coal
4l,OO0, 600 tons; last year it mined 1873, 90 600
tons. In 1879 the production of pig iron was
less than 100000 tons; last year it was
| nearly $4,000, 900 tons. In 1880 the United
| States bad less than IL 900 000 cotton spin
dies; now we have over $4,000, 00J spindlef.
| The railroad mileage of 1850 was 81. 147; at
present we have over i9O,O OO miles of rail-
roads. The production of cotton advanced
from ZOO 000 bales in 1880 to IL 200 900 bales
In 1S93-99
The increase in coal and pig iron output
are indicative of the increase In all lines OF
manufacture. The coming census will prob
ably develop the fact that, while our coal
and iron interests have attracted the worlds
attention more largely than any other line
of industry, yet the general diversified man
ufactures of this country have made rob
ally equally as great progress. In 1881 the
total amount of capital invested In manufac-
lures in the United States was $2,790, 00O.-
co., in 1890 1t was sc, 500 900. 000; and the 1909
census will probably show total Of at least
SO, 900 900, 900, with an increase In wages
paid to factory hands from S947, 100000 in
1880 to probably over $500, 900 in 1900.
Such stupendous figures indicate an ex-
pansion of industry almost beyond our
power to comprehend; but, as We study tho
Iofi xrb; ab 81, ind cfria ctr uo m ra
of America is based, as we see the rapid ex-
pansion in every line of manufactures and
the commanding influence which We are
gaining In the worlds markets, we can form
some conception OF the future OF our coun-
try. The most significant fact in the indus
trial interests of the world Of recent years
has been the remarkable advance Of the Uni
ted States as an exporter Of manufactured
goods. We have entered the worlds mar
kets with the natural advantages on our
side, and every month is strengthening our
position as the dominant Industrial power OF
the world. Europe may we'll stand amazed
at the progress of the United States in In
dustrial advancement, and especially LII the
progress which we are making in the expor-
tation of manufactured goods, as illustrated
by the fact that the exports OF manufactures
for the fiscal year ending June will exceed
$500, 900, 900, or nearly three times as much
as the exports of manufactured goods ten
years ago. In 1880 the exports of manufac-
lures OF iron and steel were ga, 100000, and
for the fiscal year 1900 they will exceed
$40, 900, COO.
Up to within the last decade the develop
ment Of the United States had been mainly,
and go far as foreign trade is concerned al
most wholly, on agricultural lines; cotton,
mainly exported in its raw state, grain and
provisions being the chief articles. But our
domestic interests and our foreign trade
alike are rapidly turning to industrial lines.
The output Of our mines and our factories
now leads the world. We have come to
point where we can no longer be compared
with one nation. BY our development. capa-
bic of almost unlimited expansion, it is only
question OF few years when our domestic
and foreign trade will compare with that OF
combined Europe.
In the United States progress has been
more rapid than ever before. Here 1t has
proceeded by leaps and bounds, and, rapid =
and great as our development has been, tHcO
one fact that has been most clearly demon
strated by 1t is that we have only scratched
the outcrop. The largest industrial founda-
ton in the world and one practically unde-
veloped In everything but foundation Of
railways and the beginnings of industrial
plants, is the mountain country lying be-
tween Pennsylvania and Northern Alabama.
1t Is region containing twenty times the
coal that Great Britain originally possessed,
and lying In such way that it can be brought
to the surface with from one-fourth TO one
half of the expenditure of energy required
in Great Britain. 1t contains, paralleling
Its coal fields for some seven hundred miles.
an incalculabe quantity OF iron ores Of all
kinds, vast wealth in copper, manganese
zinc and other metals. In view of these facts
the progress of the United States during the
last twenty years gives US fair basis on
which to calculate what will be the progress
Of the southern states during the neSt TWEEN
~ years.