The gold leaf., 1908-08-06

Subject of Great Importance
to the Future Prosperity Of
the Southern States While
/ Much Has Been Accom-
plished We Should Encour-
age Still Greater Diversified
ton of Industry in the Direc-
ton of Utilizing to the Full
/ est Extent the Natural Re-
sources of Our Section.
Keenly alive to the industrial and
agricultural development and pros
perity OF the South, which he has
done so much to promote. President
Finley, OF the Southern Railway, has
addressed "a personal letter to edi-
tors i'll the Southern States on the
subject OF encouraging still greater
diversificatiOn OF industry in the di-
rectiOn OF utilizing to the fullest ex-
tent the natural resources OF our
section. While much has been ac-
cOmplished in the way of diversifica-
tiOn and manufacture, says Presi-
! dent Finley, the time is especially
OppOrtune, he thinks, for continuing
our efforts in this direction and for
urging that each Southern cOmmu-
nifty shall make the most of the Op-
portunities which Il revival of bust
hess will open to it.
Ever alert to point the way and to
cooperate to the extent of his ability
in the work of Southern development
President Finley's suggestions are
most OppOrtune and we are sure they
will have the cordial support of the
press and people of the South
We cannot do better than to pub
,, lish President Finiey's letter in full
and let him speak for himself:
Washington. ID. c.. July 81, 1908
EDITOR GOLD LEAF,
Henderson, n C.
DEAR SIR:-It has occurred to me that
it may not be improper for me to ad-
dress you and other representative edi-
tors in the Southern States on a 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 as possible, with business con
ditions throughout the country, and es-
pecially in the South. Since the begin
ming of the business. depression from
which the country is now recovering,
have been greatly impressed with evil
dence 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 severe
ly, as general rule, in those cOmmuni-
ties the energies OF which are devoted
principally to the production OF a single
commodity, or of a few commodities.
and that business has been relatively less
affected in those communities in which
production is more diversified | have
been impressed especially with the fact
that the business depression has been
relatively less severe in those Southern
localities in which attention has been
given to the growing of fruits and vege-
tables. There has been a steady mar
ket for these products, and, although
prices have not in some instances been
as high as other seasons, | believe they
have generally yielded profit to the
growers.
The press of the South has already ac-
tication of agriculture and manufactur-
ing, and, looking back over the past
twenty-five years, we can realize that
much has been accomplished in this di-
rectiOn. | believe, however, that the
time is especially opportune for cOntinu-
ing our efforts in this direction and for
urging that each Southern community
shall make the most OF the opportunities
which 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 sue
cess new lines of industry. | believe,
therefore, that you will agree with me as
to the desirability of encouraging still
greater diversifcation of industry in the
direction of utilizing to the fullest extent
the natural resources OF our section.
Without attempting to enumerate the
lines in which progress in this direction
is possible, + would suggest that, in
many localities, agricultural prosperity
might be advanced by further diversif-
cation of farming, especially in the direc-
tion of producing the fruits and vegeta-
bes best suited for each locality; that
live stock and dairying might protitably
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 protitably be
carried on more extensively than at
present.
Industrially, believe it should be the
aim of the South to add to the profits of
| 1I11a far oil ho of
manufacturing. by converting 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 textile industry Al
though the South has a substantial
monopoly in the production of the most
widely used textile fibre in the world,
some OF us are old enough to remembe
when it was believed in many quarters
that cotton manufacturing on a large
scale could not be established success
fully in the South. The Southern people
first demonstrated their ability to make
the coarser grades of cotton fabrics and
they are now demonstrating their ability
to make the finer grades as we'll and TO
bleach and finish the products of their
mills. | think we may look forward
with confidence to the further develop,
ment of this great industry and of indus
tries depending upon it, such as the man
ufacture of cotton goods into articles ol
clothing ready for wear.
| might enumerate long list of op
portunities for the further development
of manufacturing. 1t would include the
conversion, on a larger scale, OF South
e-n-made leather into boots and shoes
harness and betting, in Southern facto
ries, and the conversion of the product.