The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-04-26
The Peoples Journal.
RICkENS 8. Q.
THE BEST is STILL AHEAD.

In spite Of what has been accomplish
ed in Southern development and of
the magnificent record now being
made, the Manufacturers Record, in
q broad survey of the situation takes
the ground that the best is still ahead.
II says: "The South is endowed as is
no other country in the world with ma
tcrials upon which to found the great
est variety of industries, and with con-
ditions which favor industries of the
highest class. Coal as representing
cheap power and iron as representing
cheap machinery, whether it be in
wheels in Il mill or u loComtivc on
,hc rails over which the locomotive
hauls trains, are the great fundamen-
tails of modern energy applied to the
creation Of wealth. Nowhere else in
The world can good coal be mined or
iron or steel be made at 50 low a cost
as in the Southern States. This has
been demonstrated. The coal lies in
the earth so accessible that third
of the work necessary in England will
bring the coal to the breaker in this
country, and iron lies alongside the
coal. PIG iron is giving way to steel
billcts. Billets will become rails, bars
plates, angles; later on tools and cut
lcry and all the higher forms of iron
and steel can be made. With cheap
power and cheap machinery the won-
dcrfully varied mineral wealth OF the
South can be worked up. So can the
enormous wealth OF timber.
"As for cotton mills, the South is
moving rapidly. But by and by the
mountain gorycs Of the Western Caro-
lnas and Virginia and of East Tcnnes-
see will hold cotton mills wherein, be-
cause Of q steady humidity of the at
mosphcrc, finer fabrics than Manchcs-
ter, or France, or India, or New Eng
land every dreamed Of, can be made.
"Thc South IS really only III the piO-
nCcr stage Of cotton manufacture, in
iron and steel, i'm woodwork, in brick
tiles, pottery, porcelain, glass, metal
work, chemicals and industrial products
Of all sorts. But she has founda.
ton FOR wonderful variety and unllm.
tied quantity Of industrial productions
and ut lower cost than other parts
Of the world can hope for. That being
true, the world will seek out her wealth
capital will follow the scientific and
Skllliul labor that will be attracted b,
the natural wealth rs it becomes
known. The South cannot do better
than back every man Of ability and m
tcSrity who comes along with knowl
edge, skill and industry, to turn t,
account any part Of the natural wealth
OF the land. Every little shop that
prospcrs grows to a big one, and draws
population OF the most desirable kind
Intelligent, industrious, capable OF
great production Of wealth from
natural resources. The South vii
hold much dcnser population on its
farm lands than the North, where
grains and grasses make the grca
princlpal crops. The industrial are;
OF the South, the mountain country
will sustain as dense a population a.
any region in the world. The limit j
could sustain and prolilably employ II
perpetulty would be not less than 10,
100000. With a fourth t,at number
yes, with tenth, employed in working
up its wealth, land in every STATE
South Of the Potomac and Ohio would
be worth more than in any Northern
State, either now or then.
"Ihis is an era Of worldwide in
tiustrlal activity. The industries OF
the world arc being rebuilt and en-.
largcd. The United States arcad,
lead. Their productive capacity exceeds
that OF Great Britain and German,
combined. Their foundation of natur
al wealth far exceeds that Of all Europ(
combined. Their surplus for eXpor
within the next 10 or Is years will OK
ceed that of all Europe That part q
The United States in which the loves
cost OF production has been reached
in coal, iron and cotton is the South
The list can be extended until il en-.
braces nearly all the great staples OF
commerce. How long can il be, there
tore, with demand crowdng production
before the rich fields of the South in
any and all lines Will begin to be taken
up in earnest. The situation warrants
the unqualified assertion that in the
next two decades the growth Of wealth
per capita will be greater in the South.
crn States than elsewhere i'm the world
and that it will be far ahead of any
previous record of history.'