The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-07
Institute ENDS A
Successful YEAR
CONTINUED from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.)
These who know OF the earnest and self
| denying work of these boys who so faith
| fully are using their spare time for their
| improvement, see in them the nope Oh
Richmond's mechanical and scientific fu-
| ture.
DR.. MITCHELL's ADDRESS.
DR.. Mitchell delivered a very earnest
and opportune address upon The slgnlil-
canoe of the Mechanics Institute. This
he set forth as threefold. In its relation
| to its promoters, instructors and friends.
! it expresses "a public spirit and social
service" In it's relation to its students
it expresses popular aspiration and am.
hition." In its relation to the city, the
institute expresses economic enterprise"
Under the last head, DR.. Mitchell had
| this to say:
The world is Just waking up to the
significance Of the economic factor in hui
man life. Formerly history disdained to
tell OF the things in nations life that
have to do with work and wages. But we
are now learning that. as soil and climate
greatly inuence the civilization of a peo-
pie, SO history roots itself in economic
conditions. There have been several
Englands-an agricultural England. a
sheep-raising England. commercial Eng
land. a manufacturing England. etc. How
| powerfully each stage of economic develip-
| mcnt has affected the political and social
| history of that island It would be impos-
sible to overstate. The England of Eli
zabeths day Rugged the Southern coast,
the England Of the present time has emil
| grated to the coal and iron regions of
| the North We think with amazement Of
the fact that in 1915 Europe was reac-
| tionary and absolutist in government.
whereas within half century almost
every country in the West was constitu-
tional. and largely democratic. Marvel
ously rapid and significant IS such poll
teal change. and yet even more astound-
| ing is the economic and social changes
| which the words coal. steam. steel and
electricity have wrought. There Is a
new heaven and a new earth-the crea-
| tions of modern science.
| A NEW NATION.
! AS result there has come forth new
| nation hera lding the Industrial era. Judea
| was known for religion: Greece for art:
Rome for law; England, as a n2Xal
power; Germany, as a military power;
| America is the first great nation in the
world whose distinctive claim IS lat of
! an Industrial power. The American IN
vasion Of Europe. Of which we hear so
| much in these days. is not an invasion
| of armies nor Of ideas. but of industries
| It is the outcome of this country's vast
! ma terial resources. and the inventiveness
and skill of a people thrilling with electric
| energy. While Germany drills America
| works Hence, in part. Industrial de-
| preston there. and tidal prosperity mere
| Nav the captains of industry ever have
| hono,. in our ewes Peace on earth and
| good will toward all men-i.. e., a tariff,
which says live and let live
The South is now entering with vigor
/ into this industrial impulse Long con-
tent to export the product of our soil.
| we now seek to export the products or
| our labor.
At the farm gate must stand the fac
tory To our raw materials skill and IN
| telligence are giving increased values.
| The South is now something more than
q, dumb feeder for Lancaster and Lowell
| mills. The center of gravity of cotton
| manufacturing is being shifted south
| ward.
The generation that Immediately sue
| ceeded the civil war was recuperative, but
! the work which remains for US is recon
struction. Finer schools. better farms,
| more factories-these will enrich the
South and restore her to the prestige
| Everywhere men and women are alive to
| this fact It fills our heart with hope and
| breathes alcrity into all our powers.
RICHMOND'S WEALTH.
In this industrial advance Virginia:
| capital city has laage interest. Rich
| mond is lowered with a fortune in the
falls OF the James It was the falls thai
led to the founding of the city, anc
to the falls in an increasing degree mus
it's prosperity be due Richmond has {
rich heritage in it's history and in the
mellowed spirit of its society; but these
| facts should not obscure the great ma
terial resources of the place. It has
! both falls and tide. Hence, it shows hotf
/ successful shipbuilding and manufacture
! ing. Recently by one electric plant We
| harnessed 10000 horses to our industrial
! chariot That alone is a proud team. Bu
we have droyes of horses that are yet
! unbroken.
A distinguished expert kindly informs
| me that the James River drains water
shed of nearly 60O9o square miles; thai
| the falls At our door are three and q
] half miles long: that the actual descent
! Of the river bed in this distance is 81
or 50 feet. and that with suitable dcn
/ the entire fall could be made IS feet
| twenty-six feet of this descent are now
| in use, while the ffty-nine remaining
| feet are not taken advantage of in any
| adequate manner. Only about 500 Of
/ SEQ cubic feet OF the volume of water
| per second are now used. whereas fol
| one-half the year at least 4S.o00 cubic
/ feet per second. are available, alIuouSi
the lesser flow during the late summer
which will make steam equipment neces
sary as supplementary power. dimin
ishes considerably the industrial value o
the river.
From the rich deposits Of coal in thu
mountains there is down grade to Rich
naond almost all the way.
Limitless quarries of granite are at oul
door In addition to our water transpor,
tation, which is capable OF yet greater
development. Richmond hns already fine
railway connections and better facilitie:
in this regard are given us from year tt
! year AS result of all these advantage:
our manufacturing. commercial and bank
ing interests advance by leaps and bounds
as Mr.. Habiiston has shown recently ir
1 his admirable tables.
4 Richmond thus has material advantages
many splendid plants in successful oper
4 alton, larger bank clearings from day tt
4 day and above all the spirit of enterprise
I in our men Of affairs. What NE need Is
skilled labor In abundance. It is tht
I function Of the Mechanics Institute t.
supply this our chiefest need. ITO bring
1 econo,1icI science within the reach of the