The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-03-07

ana ulVldo their business among q
large number Of smaller towns and
villages F.
"As matter OF fact trade center 10
not made artiHciAlly or arbitrarily. It's
development depends upon natursl
forces and advantages. including geo:
graphical location aud the initiative
and enterprise Of it's inhabitants. Many
OF the cities in the southern states were
trade oenters before the days of rail,
roads. The railroads simply accepted
the situation as they found it and ad-
iusted their business to existing and
controlling trade conditions. Subse-
quent development has been brought
about by the operation. under modern
transportation conditions, Of the same
laws OF trade that controlled the early
growth OF these cities.
=" The natural trade centers Of the
south are here, aud / think il can be
demonstrated that it is to the interest
OF the south that they should remain,
aud that TO attempt 70 arrest their
growth would be disastrous, not only
TO the cities directly Affected, but TO
the entire south, Any arbitrary syS.
tenn OF FAts making By which II 10 at.
tempted TO stop the growth OF trade
centers must necessarily he based on
approximately uniform mileage rates,
and mileage rates, in addition to giving
producers near great consuming mar
kets and near the Sesports incslculable'
advantages over those in the interior, +,
would also tend to push back the cen.
ters of distribution toward the seacoast!
and lake cities and toward q few great
manufacturing points. An object les
son of the effect Of this system is fur
niShed by the Australasian colonies of
Great Britain, where mileage rates have
built up single great seaboard city in
each colony With no important distrib-
uting points in the interior. :"
"It shOnld be borne in mind that
natural trade center, with thriving job
bing houses and prosperous msnufac-
turing industries, IS benefit, not only
to its immediate citizens, but to all the
surrounding conntry. II furnishes o
home market for the fruits, vegetables
and dairy products, and for a good
proportion Of the staple farm crops of
the neighborhood, and, by increasing
the general level Of prosperity in the
entire community, benefits even the
country store keeper in neiehbaring
town, who would gain nothing by the
decay Of the larger place, bnt would
have to buy bis stock il more distant
mal kot.
ION the whole, believe you will
agree with me that any adjustment
operating to injure natural trade CEN
ters would not he beneficial TO the
South. and would be disastrous 10
many Southern cities.
"For my part, l am firmly Of the
opinion that many Of the relations be-
tween the transportation lines and the
people served by them, which Il is pro.
posed to regulate by statute law, can
best be left to be adjusted in accord
Ance with the natural laws Of trade. I
believe this 10 true because / know
that the interests Of . railway and of
the people served by it are inseparably
bound up together. The road cannot
prosper unleas the people upon whom
it must depend for business are pros
porous, and for . road TO undertake 10
exploit community, or section Of
the country, with q view to its own
immediate advantage, is simply an
invitation to ultimate disaster. II q
roAd is to enjoy the highest degree Of
prosperity it must cooperate in every
way possible with the people along its
lines for the development of their bus
mess. for it ia only through such in
crease in general prosperity that the
demand for transportation can be in.
creased.
"The steady development of the 70.
sources of tho Sonth. in the period
since the organization Of the Southern