Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-27
Center of Lumber Trade.


Memphis is now the center of the hard
wood lumber trade. Within a radius of
hundred miles of the city 500 sawmills
are cutting oak, hickory. ash, gum and
other hard woods, which are shipped to all
parts Of the world and are used for all
purposes. They go into furniture, finishings
for houses, wagons and carriages, agricul-
tural machinery and handles for tools, for
agricultural implements and cooperage. The
staye business is the largest and has been
the greatest destroyer of the forests. The
trees are cut down without any care and
nothing is done toward replanting them,
while the waste is enormous-much greater
than il is in the pine forests The whisky
trust is the largest customer, and buys
millions of slaves for its barrels. but some
of the mills ship all Of their product to
Germany, Holland and France to make
casks for wine. Oak is the standard lum-
Der for cabinet purposes. The best oak
lumber could formerly be bought for $50
or $40 thousand feet, but is now worth
$l00 a thousand.
Everybody tells me that modern business
methods prevail in Memphis and that the
people of this city are abreast of the times.
About one-third of the white population
are northern men, who nave set the gaF'
and the natives have been compelled to
initiate them in order TO keep up with
the procession. But, while Memphis is
said to be more like a northern city than
any other place in the south, 1t is i'm
possible to do business here exactly as
it is done in the north. The climate Is
different and the long, hot summers are
enervating. The labor element is different
and certain concessions have to be made to
it. 1t requires tact as well as ability for
northern men to adjust themselves to
southern conditions. But they have made
an impression and established standard,
and the young men of the native families
are following their example and going into
,,-;,, . &c nncr NJ m @ q
disadvantage for a young man to take
up a business career. Memphis society Is
practically made up of business men and
most of the leaders came from the planta-
lions.
No National Politics.
The young men of this city have little
to do with politics. There is no national
politics in Memphis-or in Tennessee-but
municipal and state politics are often very
active AS in all other parts of the south.
nearly everybody Is an expansionist and
sustains the Philippine and Panama policy
Of the administration. Governor General
Wright of the Philippines is from Mem
phis-a democrat and an eX-confederate-
and Mrs. Wright is a daughter of the con-
federate Admiral Semmes. Few people
sympathize with Senator Carmack's attacks
in Congress and on the stump upon the
administration and the army His newspa-
per tried to work up an anti-expansonist
sentiment, but did not succeed. Roosevelt
has the stanch support of the southern
people. and they tell me here that, not
withstanding the two or three breaks he has
made they cannot help but admire him
and indorse his administration. But while
Roosevelt Is admired. Mckinley was be-
loved. Half a dozen people have told me
that no public man since the war has had
the confidence and respect of the people
of this section so completely William
Mckinley. He carried the city at the
election of 19OO-the first time it ever went
republican-and had he been allowed to
live four years longer politicians say that
he would have made Tennessee a republic
can state.