The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-08-20
rhe summons and the Needs.

The Summons anu thC
In his admirable monograph, Inc |
Suna mons of the South" Richard h |
Edmon5s editor of the Manufactur-
ers' Record. of Baltimore, most ad-
mfrably supplements his address de-
1iyered before the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress at Washington
during it's session in 1907. You nao
all better come" says Mr.. Edmonds,
and proceeds to give the reasons Tor
the summons and the invitation. Ac-
cording to the official statistics taDu-
lated by Mr. Edmonds, twenty-five
wears ago the production OF coai III
the South was a little less than g.
600 900 tons. Today it is 30, OOU,-
900 tons, gain of more than lOoo
per cent, while the total gain IN the
entire country has been but 2S3 per
cent. In 1876 the total production OF
netroleurn in the South was 10000
barrels: in 1888 it was 130,375 bar
rals. in 1907 it was 30,000,0OO bar
reIs or gain of 21,800 per cent
The total value of the agricultural
output of the South in 1907 was Sz,-
500 100000 as compared with s74S'-
600 900 in 1890. and s66O,OOo'Ooo
in 1880.
The South has now 100000 cot
ton spindIes against $4,000 in 1881
and 712.00O in 1890 The United
States geological survey gives to the
| South a total of known iron ore sup
niles of 1O.0O0,O0O,0 900 tons, credit
ing the Lake Superior regions with
but 1000, 100000 tons, or one-htth
of the supply of the South. And the
wonderful progress and development
of the South may be imagined, al
though it can hardly be estimated
for the next quarter of century, II
the light of the advance since 1876
| the year in which the South gave III
only 10000 barrels of petroleum;
In order, however. that the Souti
may develop as her phenomenal!
great mineral, agricultural and man
ufacturing interests should develop
there must be adequate means o
TRANSFORMATION. As Mr.. Edwards SAT-
in his Washington address: West
arn grain farmers and Southern cot
ton planters are unable to make rapl'
shipments because of the lack o
rolling stock and the lack of track
The lumber trade is suffering heay
; losses through the same cause. Goa
famfnes are threatened because O
, tbe inability of railroads to handl
the freight offered. Millions OF ton
+, of coal in excess of the present out
nut could be mined and find a speed
+ market if railroad facilities eoul'
be had. Our rivers are worth NOR
. than all the capital invested IN tn
railroads of the country. They haV
= value from the strictly economl
! point of view in their possibilities
freight carriers and freight reguli
tors bevond any money estimate thu
: could be put nthem. They WouI'
if improved. not only increase on
8 TRANSFORMATION facilities, but by tn
q cheap handling of the coarser 0
!, heavier products would expand II
railroad traffic of the higher class
: goods to the profit alike of the coul
: try and the roads.
q The case is stated plainly by NJ
v Edmonds. The Improvement OF Il
q inland waterways of the country
r the plan urged by the National Ri
ers and Carbors Hongress, embod
ing a fixed policy on the part OF u
! Federal government on definite pla'
+ with adequate appropriations ann
a11v made and with the work CONT
r. uous, would be the removal OF q
9 last obstacle in the path of the col
,s Dlete development of the South.