The progressive farmer., 1902-03-04
THE OUTLOOK FOB THE SOUTH.

4nO l. "O004OUA SA1A4VO4S04J
Der of the Baltimore ManufacturerB'
Record gives an excellent summary
of Southern progress, and a very
optimistic symposium of prophecies
as to the South's future. From the
large number of excellent articles
we make the following extracts
SOUTHERN DEVELOPMENT ONLY BEGUN.
'sWe have increased our coal pro
duotion from 10000 tons in 1880
to over $4,000, 900 last year." says
the Record, editorially, "but we
have only opened a small mine here
and there, when compared with the
extent Of territory and of wealth Of
GOAL in the great coal area of the
South. Twenty years ago the South
produced less than 200, 900 barrels of
oil a year. West Virginia alone is
now producing over Is, 900, 900 bar
rels year, and the extension of this
oil field into Kentucky and Tennes-
see and into the father South is
every day being emphasized by the
boring of new wells; while, turning
to the Gulf, Texas has started the
world with an oil supply so far be-
yOnd our comprehension that it is
almost folly to attempt to predict
what may be it's influence in revolu-
tionizing many of the industries of
Europe as we'll as of America. But
the statistics which tell the story in
cold figures of what has been ac-
oomylished, and tell how our pig iron
production has grown from less than
100, 900 tons to $500, 900 tons, our cot
ton mill capital from $21, 900, 900 to
$3.50, 900, 900, our total manufactur-
ing capital from $3.50, ZOO, 900 to $1,-
00,00O,O00, our exports through
Southern ports from 1891, 900, 900 to
$50, 600, 600, tell US really but small
part of the work which has been ac-
complished.
THE SOUTH KEEPING PACE.
"The South has excellent railroad
facilities, splendid harbors, broad
rivers and energetic men," writes
Hon. William r. Merriam, Director
of the United States Census, "and
there is no reason, with these oppor-
tunities, why these great States
should not occupy foremost places
among the Industrial Common
wealths of the Union. Already she
has upwards of one-tenth of the en-
tire manufacturing output of the
United States, and with any reason
able per cent. of increase during the
next decade she will much better |
her position in this regard. Some
recent Investigations into the in
crease of the population during the
twenty year periods of the nineteenth
century indicate that the growth of
population in the North during the
last two decades was 487 per cent.
and in the South 485. In the West
the growth is much larger, because
that country has but recently been
opened to settlement. The figures
indicate that the South is keeping
pace with the North in growth of
population"
"YOUNG MEN, GO SOUTH"
Mr.. j. Stephen Jeans, of London,
the noted English authority on iron
and steel, says:
''The whole of the territory of the
United States is richly endowed with
natural resources, but know of no
section with it's cup of blessings
fresh from nGture's hand 80 over.
flowing as the Southern States, which
have not only gold, lead, copper, iron,
coal and other minerals, but which
in respect of agricultural products,
including cotton, are at least equal
to, if they do not exceed, any equally
large area of the earth g surface with
which have made acquaintance in
the course of very considerable
travels on four continents"
Mr.. Jeans thinks that under GER
tain contingencies the South can
afford to wait for it's full iron and
steel development, and adds: ''It
has Suffered from both it's friends
and it's enemies, and it even yet re-
quires to be protected from both. In
the meantime, the natural resources
of climate, soil and mineral wealth
which it possesses do not, like the
riches of some more mushroom dis
triots, or places built on more arti.
fetal foundations. threaten TO Ntaka