Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-22
Cotton uanuiactufers and Visitors
Give 1Innesola's Executive
Warn Welcome 10 Richmond.
no CURIOSITY TO Be Satisfies
Speaker Makes Hume rous Reference
to His Presidential Aspirations
Americans Have Too Long Allowed
Europeans to Grow Rich by Manu-
featuring Their Cotton.
(By Associated Press.)

tBy Associated Press.)
RICHMOND, VA, May 2l.-GoV-
ernor John A. Johnson. oi Minnesota.
as he guest OF the American Cotton
Manufacturers Association, spoke at
the city auditorium tonight. He
was 1t ard by all audience of several
thousand and was given very gen
srous applause.
Governor Johnson. who arrived late
this evening, entered the hall with
Governor Swanson. Lieutenant Coy
ernor Eilyson and President Rennie,
of the Cotton Association.
Mr. EllysOn presented the speaker
in the absence of Senator Daniel,
who was detained in Washington.
Governor Johnson made only two In
direct references to his candidacy
for President.
AT first" h0said. q could not
understand why had been invited
h, re to address these manufacturers.
l thought that probably because
had been little bit in the public
eye politically | was brought down
here to satisfy the curiosity OF the
people in this Southeastern region.
Since the returns have been coming
In from Alabama and other States
am not sure tina: there Is any curios-
ity to be satisfied, or probably 1t was
satisfied before l got here
There was another reference to his
possible candidacy while the gov
ernor was calling the names of the
great men of the old Virginia.
But Minnesota" he said, has no
desire to wrest from Virginia her
honors of maternity so far as Pres
idents are concerned"
Bearer Of Greetings.
Governor johnson said in part:
The North Star State and the great
industrial Northwest. the land OF
bread and butter and iron ore. have
made ME the bearer of cordial greet
ings TO you. the industrial represent
atives OF the Old Dominion. OF king
cotton and to this historic mother OF
States and Of Presidents. Virginia is
not only the mother of States, bit
of the cotton industry of America.
Cotton culture in Virginia bears his.
toric- record as far back as 1921.
Moreover. Virginia is the first State
of the American Union and cotton
is the worlds foremost commercial
crop
THE market for American cotton
staple is bounded only by our pro
ductive energy and benevolent enter
Drise. But the mission of America In
clothing the world is not fulfilled by
the export OF raw cotton. Your pres
ence here today is testimony to that.
The world wants the finished arti-
Gle. American labor in the mill and
factory must supplant that in the
field. Too long has this country been
engaged In the business Of exporting
its soil fertility to furnish European
mills with the best and Oh apes, raw
materials on the globe, and thereby
ct the same time depriving American
labor and capital OF 4 foreign mar.
ket for American finished products,
but that period is passing. Toda,
the American mill looms large on the
horizon Of International commerce.
Broader Recognition Demanded
The financial conditions Of the
cotton industry demand a broader
and national rccognitio. Our country
Is today the greatest banking power
on the globe. The bank deposits and
banking capital Of the American peo-
pie are in value the greatest fnan-
cial force in tho modern world.
The danger Is concentration In
congcs;ed ceniers Of speculation. in.
stead OF proper distribution of tho
circulating medium for tho prosecu,
ton OF legitimate industry and :he
handling Of crops AZ the local points
OF produce ion.
We have the greatest god stock
and circulating medium In the world
hut it's congestion In a few reserve
centcrs Is such that when the South
and IVES; desire TO use psrt ri
their surplus 20 move their crops
their just demand producers q panic
In Wall street For this unnatural
and dangerous condition the govern