Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-08-07
Mistellaneuus 8eadiag.
DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRY.
President Finley of the Southern Offers
Valuable Suggestions.

valuable Suggestions
Editor Yorkville Enquirer.
1t 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 Il
believe to be of great Importance to-
the future prosperity of our section.
My duties require me to keep in
touch, as nearly as possible, with bus
mess conditions throughout the coun-
try, and especially in the south. Since
the beginning of the business depression
from which the country is now recoV-
ering, l have been greatly impressed
with evidence which has come to me
that, while business all over the United
States has been unfavorably affected'
the effects of the depression have been
felt most severely, as general rule
in those communities the energies OF
which are devoted principally to the
production of a single commodity, or
of few commodities, and that busl-
ne SIS has been relatively less affected
in those communities in which produc-
ton is more diversified. l have been
impressed especially with the fact that
the business depression has been rela-
lively less severe in those southern To-
calities in which attention has been
given to the growing of fruits and veg
etables. There has been a steady mar
ket for these products, and, although
prices have not in some instances been
as high as in other seasons, / believe
they have generally yielded profits to
the growers.
The press of the south has already
accomplished much by advocating di-
versification of agriculture and manu-
featuring, and, looking back over the
past twenty-five years, we can realize
that much has been accomplished in
this direction. l believe, however, that
the time is especially opportune for
continuing our efforts in this direction
and for urging that each southern COM
munity shall make the most of the op-
portunities which a revival of business
will open up to it.
Nature has favored the south with
practically inexhaustible resources Of
great variety, and the Industrious and
resourceful southern people have
shown their ability to take up and
carry to success new lines of industry.
I believe, therefore, that you will agree
with me as to the desirability of en-
couraging still greater diversification
of industry in the direction Of utiliz-
ing to the fullest extent the natural
resources of our section.
Without attempting to enumerate the
lines in which progress in this direc-
ton is possible, 1 would suggest that,
in many localities, agricultural pros
perity 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 connec-
ton with a larger production of fruits
and vegetables, there are many local
tiles in which canning and preserving
plOlllSlbiJ bO S1AAANN
on more extensively than at present.
Industrially, I believe it should be
the aim of the south to add to the prof
its of producing raw materials 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
substantial monopoly in the produc-
tion of the most widely used textile IL
bre in the world, some Of us are old
enough to remember when ii was be-
lieved in many quarters that cotton
manufacturing on a large scale could
not be established successfully in the
south. The southern people first dem
onstrated their ability to make the
coarser grades of cotton fabrics, and
they are now demonstrating their abil-
ity to make finer grades as we'll and
to bleach and finish the products Of
their mills. l think we may look for
ward with confidence to the further
development of this great industry and
of industries depending upon it, such
as the manufacture Of cotton goods in
to articles of clothing ready for wear.
l might enumerate long list Of op-
portunitieS for the further development
of manufacturing. 1t would include
the conversion. on larger scale, OF
southern made leather into boots and
shoes, harness and betting, in southern
factories, and the conversation Of the
products of southern forests and mines
into a long list of articles ready for
use. I have said enough, however, to
suggest to you the point I wish to
of us who have the prosperity Of the
south at heart should do all in our
power to encourage the diversifcation
Of southern industry and the conver-
sion in southern factories of southern
products into articles ready for use
rather than their shipment to other
sections in the form of raw materials
or of partly manufactured commodi-
ties l need not assure you Of my great
interest in every movement for the
advancement Of a southern community.
and you know that this company,
through its land and industrial depart
ment, stands ready at all times to CO.
operate in every proper way with indi-
viduals and communities along its
lines for the establishment of new in
dustries, the promotion of such immi-
grafton as may be desired by each
community, and the general advance
ment of southern prosperity.
Yours very truly,
w. w. Finley.
Washington, D. c.. July 81.