Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-07-31
PRESIDENT FINLEY'5 RECON-
MENDATI0N.
Southern Railway Company.
Office of the President.

OIUC6 Vi tue IIosiuculs
Washington, d. O., July 81, 1908.
To the Editor OF the Alexandria Gazette:
Dear Sir: 1t has occurred to me that
it may not be improper for me to address
YOU and other representative editors 10
the southern STATES on subject which
believe TO be of great importance to the
future prosperity of our section.
My duties require me to keep in touch,
as nearly ss possible, with business con-
ditions throughout the country, and es-
pecislly in the south. Since the begin
niog of the business depression from
which the country il now recovering, |
have been grestly impressed with evil
dence which has come to me that, while
business all over the United States has
be an uufavorsbly affected the effects OF
the depression have been felt most
severely, as a general rule, In those
copmunit es the energies of which are
devoted principally to the production OF
a single commodity or of few COM
modities, and that business has been
relatively less affect Ia those commu-
mites in which production is more diver
sifed. have been impressed especially
with the fact thst the business depres-
sion has been relatively less severe In
The SO southern localities In which atten-
ton has been given to the growing OF
fruits aud vegetables. There has been a
s'asdy market for these products, and, al
though prices have not in some instances
been as high as 10 other seasons, | be
lieve they have generally yielded profits
to the growers
The press of the south has already ac-
cOmplished much by advocating diverai-
6ca on of agriculture aud manufactur.
ing, and, looking back over the past
twenty five years, we can realize that
much has been accomplished in this di-
rsc'ion. | believe, however, that the
time is especially opportune for contlnu-
ing our effOits in this direction and for
urging that each southern community
shall make the most OF the opportunities
which revival of business will open up
ID it.
Nature has favored the south with
practically inexhsust Die resources OF
great variety, and the industrious and
resUurceful sOuthera people have shown
their ability 10 take up and carry TO
SUCCESS new lines of industry. | believe,
therefore, that you will agree with me
as t) the dtsrsbility of encouraging still
greater diversifcatlon of industry In
the direction OF utilizing TO the fullest
extent the natural resources OF our Sec
tiob.
Without attempting 10 enumerate the
lines in which progress In this direction
is possible, | would suggest that, 10
many localities, agricultural prosperity
might be advanced by further diVersl6-
cation of farming, especially In the d.
reclion of producing the fruits and vege-
tables best suited for each locality; that
live stock and dairying might proftably
receive more attention in some localities,
and that, in connection with larger
production Of fruits and vegetables, there
are many localities in which canning
and preserving industries might prof.
10Y De carried on more extensively
than at present.
Iudustrislly, believe it should be th5
aim OF the south to add 10 the profit, Of
producing law materials the prof Il
manufacturing, by converting sOut sfn
raw materials, rs far rs possible, Into
articles ready for use. AS indicating
what may be done along this liae,
may refer to the cttton textile industry.
Although the south has a substal tial
monopoly in the production of the most
widely used textile fibre in the world,
some of us are old enough to remember
when it was believed in many quarters
that cotton manufacturing on large
scale could not be established success
fully In the south. The southern people
fret demonstr ted the ability to make
the coarstr grades of cotton fabrics,
and they are now demonftrsting their
ability to make the finer grades as we'll
and TO bleach and finish the products OF
their mills. think we may look tor
ward with confidence to the further de-
velopment of this great industry and Of
industries depending upon it, such as
the manufacture of ctt,on goods into
articles of clothing ready for wear.
might enumerste long list OF op-
portuities for the further development OF
manufacturing, 1t would include the
conversion, on a larger scale, OF south
ern-made leather into boots and shoes,
harness and betting, in southern factor es,
and the conversion of the products OF
southern forests and mines into long
list OF articles ready for use. l have
said enough, however, to suggest to you
the point / wish TO make, which is, that
| Sieve that sll of us who have the
prosperity of the south at heart should
do all in our power ID encourage the
'diyersification of southern industry and
the conversion In southern factories Of
southern products il to articles ready for
use rather than their shipment to other
sections in the form of raw materials or
of psrtly MANUFACTURED commodities. /
need not assure you OF my great interest
10 every movement for the advancement
OF southern communitg, and you know