The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-02
Spirit of the Press.
The South and its Industries.


Washington Post.
The gathering of representative
Southern men i'm this city during this
week has been an event of more than
usual interest and Importance. 1t has
attracted widespread attention in the
North as we'll as the South. We find
in the Pittsburg Post an utteraflce
which is typical of the encouragement
given everywhere to the movement.
After reverting to the fact that a
Southern industrial parliament is a
new departure for the live and active
men of the South, inasmuch as the in
dustrial progress of that section has
never been emphasized in a convGn-
ton, the Post points out the fact that
the South is eliminating politics and is
devoting itself to the question of labor
and enterprise. With kindly words the
Post extends to the parliament its
heartiest wishes for success.
The cordial feeling thus manifested
in one of the most prosperous and
wealthy manufacturing cities of the
middle West is most gratifying. 1t
means that in the desire for the de-
velopment of the entire country sec
tional lines are cast aside The North
and West are vitality interested in the
prosperity of the South, even as the
South shares in the welfare of other
sections. 1t was noticeable, too, that
in the deliberations of the parliament
there was no narrowness. or bigotry.
The Southern men praised their sec
ton and boosted of their resources, as
matter of course, but they did not,
even in indirect statement, speak
derogatively of other sections. They
even forgot politics in their praise of
President Roosevelt. The cordial feel
ing of these Southern men toward the
President was one of the most inter
esting features of the parliament.
The personnel of the delegates in
cluded representa- of every South
ern industry. Cotton growers and
manufacturers, tobacco planters, rail-
road and steamship men, professors in
agricultural colleges, bankers, farmers
all these-and. in fact multitude
of other interests were represented.
The debates were instructive and valu-
able, because the speakers narrated
their own experiences and deduced
conclusions from personal knowledge.
The final utterance OF the convention
upon the all important subjects of i'm
migration, ocean transportation, the
necessity of improving Southern ports
so as to be in readiness for the COM
merce which will follow the opening
of the Panama canal, etc, was con-
ceived in conservative and practical
spirit which will give it much weight
throughout the country. In fact, the
entire parliament was guided through
out with much ability, and there is no
doubt that the foundation has been
laid for a permanent organization
which will benefit the South. The flu
ture will undoubtedly bring the parlia-
ment into deserved prominence, When
the next session is held. whether at
Birmingham or Atlanta, or some other
city hundreds of delegates will be sure
to gather. and they will continue the
work of making known Southern op-
portunities and Southern progress with
the same earnestness and zeal which
haracteriZed the representative men
who have just adjourned. The South
is very much alive to the necessity of
taking a foremost place in the indus
trial procession.