The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-10
SOUTH
Tells of This Sections Com
marcial Advantages.
IMPORTS INCREASING

Closing Scenes After the Long Fight
Tame Indeed, Except for Contro.
versy Between Senator Adricb
asd the Insurgent Republicans
Vote Was As to 81.
Nearly 100 Southern cities were
-epresented at Atlanta Wednesday
at the first annual convention of the
Southern Commercial Secretaries
association.
Statistics showing the Souths re-
sources were given by 6. Gros'enoi
DAVE of Montgomery, managing oi,
rector of the Southern Commercial
congress. .,o
Mr Dave took as his theme the
notential greatness Of the southern
States. -+
"yiewed from the point OF coast
limo II is well to understand that the
southern States possess an enormous
advantage over the other tWo-shlrus
of the United States; for the coas. 81
line Of the Southern States is o'oo'
miles. while the coast line Oh 'he
North Atlantic. States is $50 hiie''
~ the Pacific coast 1851 miles.
,"The natural advantages OF coast
line are already asserting their IN
fluence, for We are able to say INA.
a Southern port still holds the. secono
position for exports among all the
norts of the United States--NeW or-
loans in 1sOO-and now Soutner'l
mort that nine years ago was WrecAeo
and rent by storm, the port OF oai-
weston 49,,
"1ye are able to show you tha'
IN. ey.orts along the gulf now OK
coed the exports of Philadelphia ana
roftou by 81 per CEN. and tne'
anal r.ore than so pc cent Oh III
t,.o. which belongs to the oversha !
.M.n.. port of New York. The taoi9-
of exports for 1900 and 1903 shcw
that 81 per cent growth in exports
has taken place in New York, Phlla-
delphia and Boston regarded togeth-
or During this same time the sull
exports increased 81 per cent.
Imports Increasing.
ON the matter of imports-gooos
coming to America for distriDutloh
you will find that while the three
great ports above mentioned have In
creased 27 per cent, the Southern
norts have increased 81 per cent. is
Il NOT reasonable to claim that the
Southern States, by reason OF their
est line, are coming to occupy an
important relation to the maritime
future of the United States?
when we consider also that all
this swing of commerce is taxing
place prior to the completion OF the
Panama canal and that the Panama
canal will help to pull Southwark
every inter-oceanic movement, you
must realize that the Southern ports
will be on the very front doorstep
of the worlds future commercial
movements.
I'VE also declare that the rivers
of the South, navigable, and there
fore some day to be brought into
co-operation with the energetic men
of the South, are more than two to
one when compared with any other
portion of the United States. The
national conservation commission has
reported that there are in the United
States navigable streams amounting
70 26.41O miles. How much Of this
is in the South? Over 1925 miles
This enormous total does not in
clude a single mile of the Ohio
though 1t benefits Southern States
through 900 miles. Neither does
this total include any portion of the
Missouri river. If the Mississippi be
regarded as feeder for the gull
commerce the mileage should be 2%,-
COL miles. This leaves only 2,Il9
miles of navigable streams to affect
the commercial prospects OF the re-
naming two-thirds pf the United
States.
Water Power Potential.
The vast Appalachian range, the
greatest mountain range in the Unit
ed States, lying within the region OF
plentiful rainfall, is producing al
present embarrassed, every moment
of every day 5,O0O,O00 horsepower
The day is coming when, through
conservation impulses, this water will
be used to drive the wheels Of indus
try and of transportation through
out the South. thus indefinitely en-
tending the life of power buried now
in the coal fields of the South.
'lf you look at the estimates re-
garding the iron ore life of the
United States, you will see that the
Southern Appalachian region is en-
pected to endure 100 years after the
Lake Superior region is stripped
and exhausted. Yet. with all the adj
vantages belonging to the Southern
extremity OF the Appa1achlans. adj
yantages so great that Birmingham
sets the price for pig iron. yet at