Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1908-08-06
EDITo r ARGUS;

EDIToR ARGUS;
It has occurred TO me that it may
not be improper for me to address you
and other representative editors in the
Southern States on a subject which I
believe to be cf great Importance to
the future prosperity OF our section.
My duties rsquire me to keep in
touch, as nearlyaas possible, with 'bds-
mess conditions throughout the coun-
try, and especially in the South. Since
the bsginningssf the business dspres-
sion frorsa which the country is ncw re-
covering, / have been greatly i'm
pressed witheavidsnce which has come
to me that, while business all over the
United States has been untavorably,
affected, the effects OF tine depression
have been felt most severely, as a gen.
eral rule, in those communities the
energies of which are devoted prinpt-
pally to ths production of 8 single
com odity, or of few comm editfes,
and that business has been relatively
less affected in those comnrEn Enities2zn
which production is more diversified.
i AdNV OUSA LA pA0SoOo OSPOOio1AS WIN
the tact that the business depression
has beer relatively less severe in those
Southern localities in which attention
has beer given to the growing of'frHlts
and vegeta bles. There has been
steady marke for these products. and,
although prices have not in some in
tances been as high as il other sea-
sons, believe they have gensrally
yielded profits to the growers.
Thea press OF the South has already
accomplished much by advocating
diversfcation of agriculture andeman-
utaeturing, and, looking back ovsr the
past % years, we can realize that much
has been accomplished in this diree-
ton. Z believe, however, that the time
liz especially opportuns fer continuing
cur efforts in this direction and for
urging that each Southern community
shall make the most of tke opportunf-
ties which revival Of bushes will
open up to it.
Nature has favored the South with
practically inexhaustible resources of
great variety, and the in&us trious and
resourceful Southern people have
shown their ability to take up and car
ry to success new lines Of industry. I
believe, therefore, that you will agree
with nae as to the desira bility of en-
couraging greater diversifcation'Gf Of in
dustry in the direction of utilizing to
the fullest extent the natural resources
of eur section.
Withoat attempting to enumerate
the lines in which progress in this sdi-
rection is possible, 1 would suggest
that, in many localities, agricultural
prosperity might be advanced by
further diversifcation of farming,
especially in the direction of producing
the fruits and vegetables best suited
for each locality; that live stock and
dairying might profitably 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 pre-
serving industries might profitably be
carried on more extensively than at
present.
s
the aim of the South to add to the
profits of manufacturing, by convert
ing Southern raw materials, as far as
possible, into articles ready for use.
AS Indicating what may be done along
this line, may refer to the cotton tex
tile industry. Although the South has
a substantial monopoly in the produc-
tion of the most widely used textile
fibre in the world, some of us are old
enough to remember when it was be-
lieyed in many quarters that cotton
manufacturing on a large scale could
not be established successfully in the
South. The Southern people first de-
monstrated their ability to make the
coarser grades of cotton fabrics, and
they are now demonstrating their abil-
ity to make the finer grad es as well and
to bleach and finish the products of
their.mills. think we may look for
ward with confidence to the further de-
velopment of this great industry and
of industries depending upon it, such
as the manufacture of cotton goods into
articles ofclothing ready for wear.
I might en- umerats long list of op-