The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11


 Korea. lands aggregating over four and one half million square miles and nearly five hundred million population with wonderful industrial capacity now on- ly at Nthe dawn of the awakening. with present foreign commerce aggrega- ting nearly seven hundred and fifty million, and with commercial capac- ity by 1850 of probably more than six billion dollars annually. In addition the United States will have decided advantages in the Philippines and Eastern Siberia, areas exceeding three million square miles with present pop ulation of about eleven millions, and lat present foreign commerce of about 120 millions and commercial capac- ity by 1850 of probably more than 700 millions dollars annually. Furthermore. tributary to the West ern Pacific with large opportunities for American commerce. there are the British. French and Dutch Asiatic pos- sessions. continental and insular. with areas exceeding five million square miles, present population of nearly 400 million, present commerce of nearly one and a half billion and a commer- cial capacity by 1850 of probably more than four billion. Thus the total mid century commerce of the Western Pa-
 
 billion dollars annually. Adding to this the probable mid century com merce of the Eastern Pacific, we have a grand total of seventeen billion yearly commerce. the major part of which is to fall to America. The Eu- ropean people will be benefited chief ly through their citizens who move their homes to America.
 A Vast Empire.
 When we realize that the total pres. ent commerce of the world is but about thirteen billions, we can begin to ap- preciate the magnitude of our Ameri- can inheritance on the shores of this mighty American Ocean. Americans should now awaken to their opportu- mites and turn their restless ener- gies towards the building of this vast commercial empire. It Is clear that the stream of industrial and commercial gravitation will be southward toward the canal, and that the South in con- sequence will be a general beneficiary but the Souths greatest benefit will come from the production of the great staples. cotton, coal and iron. which are to constitute large part of the de- mand of practically all of these new markets.
 There is one State in the South ooONC dil otucTo tudI pTOQuCeS III great quantities all three of these great staples our beloved Alabama
 Alabama win average generally nearly one-tenth of the total cotton crop of the South, now valued at $50 million dollars annually. As great as this figure stands, 1t represents but a fraction of the cotton possibilities of the State. Not only Is there a large field for more careful and intense cul- tivation of the good cotton land of the agricultural district, but with the in- telligent use of fertilizers. probably ten thousand square miles of the min eral district can be turned into cotton lands. or now the cotton can be made to double. triple or even quadruple their present production. Albama may therefore be counted upon to respond to all requirements of a steadily in creasing demand for cotton to the point where she could double her pres- ent output. The main point Is to safe guard the great new markets, notably China, so that the demand in the price will remain high. and the citi- zens of Alabama will have an external source of wealth in the production of this great staple
 We should remember that while mak- ing her great cash crop of cotton, Ala bama can easily produce her own corn and vegetables only produce the fruits and vegetables and vine products for her own use but with happy combina- tion of soil and climate can build up great industries producing thes4 for wide domestic and even foreign mar ket.
 All things considered. we must place Alabama in the front as an agricul- tural State. her development being on- ly in its Infancy. while the natural outlets for her products are ex- ceedingly good, especially for her cotton to go down her rivers and out at the Gulf. over the Atlantic. through the canal and over the Pacific.
 Alabama Farm Lands.
 With the general impulsion that will be felt when the canal goes through, l expect to see the value of farm lands of Alabama double. triple and quad ruple in the next ten, twenty and thirty years as did the farm lands of the west during the periods just pass ed.
 Reference should be made here to the great timber industry and resources of the State. While the timber of Ore gon. Washington and British Columbia will doubtless control the markets of the Pacific. the general demand will go increasing on our Atlantic Seaboard, on the Gulf and in Europe. The forests of the Great Lake Region, of New Eng land, of Norway and Sweden are steadi- ly disappearing and recourse must be had more and more to the timber of the South. Alabama not only has a vast supply of both pine and hardwood, but her facilities for getting it to the seaboard is better than that of any Southern State.
 May l suggest not only to our citi- zens connected with this industry to proceed with vigor and capture the accessible markets, including the inn mediate market created in the construc- tion of the canal itself, but to our citi- zens owning timber lands not to be too precipie-te in parting with these lands at sacrifice prices. and to look into the matter perpetuating the timber on land not of much agricultural value. cutting the timber as 1t ripens. avoiding the destruction of new growths. The question of scientific forestry for Alabama could now be de- veloped with great advantage by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
 Though Alabama stands high in the
  -